Striking a Balance

A/N: I know I say this a lot, but thank you very much to all my reviewers. You\'ve given me great comments and inspiration. Please enjoy the next couple chapters. The final two should be out by the weekend.

-gretel_chan

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Chapter 9

It was well past noon when Kaoru returned to the dojo. Yahiko was sweeping the yard when she came in. He looked up at her quiet ‘tadaima’ and trotted over.

“Oi, what took you so long at Megumi’s? Was there a fight somewhere or something?”

“No, I saw her fairly early.”

Yahiko looked at her strangely.

“So what kept you?” he said, crossing his arms over the broom. The defiant gesture that had been comical when he was ten was more brotherly and protective now.

“I had to take care of some things,” she responded. She didn’t want to get into this with him in the yard. She wanted to work things out with Kenshin first.

Yahiko snorted and went back to his sweeping.

“Well, whatever. As long as you go deal with Kenshin. He’s been moody since you left.”

Kaoru sighed.

“Where is he?”

“Try the kitchen. He was cleaning up lunch when I left.”

Kaoru’s stomach grumbled at the mention of food. She hadn’t eaten anything yet today. She waved her thanks at Yahiko and made her way to the kitchen.

Kenshin was putting away dishes when she entered the room. His eyes caught hers, and she smiled heasitantly to ease the tension between them. He returned her smile with a small one of his own.

“Are you hungry?” he said, breaking the quiet.

“Famished.”

She lowered herself carefully to the low table as he poured her some tea and put together some leftovers in a bowl. He watched her from the corner of his eyes as she adjusted her sling.

He set the bowl in front of her and sipped his own tea as she dug in. He watched her quietly until she had finished most of her meal.

“What did Megumi-dono say about your injury?” he said carefully.

Kaoru swallowed and took a sip of tea.

“She said it had been dislocated, and to rest it for a week. I can work myself back up to normal after that. I should feel great in a month.”

Kenshin nodded. It was a typical recovery for a minor dislocation. He looked down and swirled his tea in its cup.

“She must have had other patients, if it took you until now to return.”

Kaoru looked down at her bowl and played with her remaining food a bit.

“She saw me before she opened for the day.”

Kenshin looked up at her bent head.

“Oh?”

Kaoru nodded. The silence stretched between them as he looked at her for an explanation.

Sighing, she raised her head and looked him in the eyes.

“I went to Nakagawa’s neighborhood.”

Kenshin stilled. He didn’t like where this was going.

Kaoru pressed on before she lost her nerve.

“I went to work out a deal with Masuyama.”

Kenshin looked at her, stunned. He opened his mouth, but Kaoru raised her hand.

“Before you say anything, let me finish,” she said, not giving him a chance to respond.

“Clearly I’m at a disadvantage right now with my shoulder. He’s the kind that won’t give up a grudge easily, even if I’m just passing through the area. But I intend on teaching for Nakagawa once I heal.

“I know, I took a risk going there,” she continued, seeing the stony look on his face, “but I knew I had to face him on more favorable terms. So I got him to agree to a match at Nakagawa’s dojo in one month. Nakagawa actually came out and set the terms.

“I’ll be ready to face him in a month, and there won’t be any surprise attacks from behind. My honor will be restored, and things will go back to normal.”

Kaoru sat back with a breath.

“No.”

Kaoru looked at him, her turn to be stunned.

“What?”

“No,” he replied again, eyes leveled on hers.

“I’ve already made the deal. I can’t back out now.”

Kenshin did not respond.

“Kenshin, I thought this through, and came up with the best solution,” Kaoru said, getting frustrated.

“The best solution is for you to not teach there at all.”

“How can you say that?” Kaoru said, standing up, “Its jobs like this that keep food on our table and a roof over our head.”

“There are other jobs,” Kenshin replied coolly, not moving.

“But this one is important to me. It pays well, and Nakagawa respects my father’s style. I’m barely tolerated in some places.”

Kenshin stood.

“Kaoru, your father has been gone for over six years. Your life takes precedence over his memory.”

Kaoru felt like she had been punched. She looked down, tears pulling at the corners of her eyes. The memories of her terrible dreams haunted her in the silence.

“You don’t know what it was like, after he left,” she said quietly. “The only thing I could hold onto was his kendo. I had no other connection to keep me sane.

“I barely held by on my own with the students that didn’t leave when he did. Then I lost them too, and I was completely alone.

“And then you came,” she said, looking at him, “I had hope that I could relax, and have a family again.”

Kenshin stared at her, struck still.

“And then you left,” she said, looking away choking back a sob. “And I knew I wasn’t strong enough to stand by your side.”

“Kaoru,” Kenshin moved towards her.

She half-laughed ruefully.

“It took Yahiko to push me to follow you, to get stronger. I fought Kamatari, I withstood Enishi’s imprisonment, and then we came home.

“Now some dumb punk gets a lucky shot and hurts me. So is this how you really feel?”

Kaoru looked up at Kenshin, who had moved to her side.

“Why don’t you believe I can do this?” she said quietly. “Why don’t you trust my abilities?”

Kenshin carefully pulled her into an embrace. Kaoru sobbed as he held her, years of pain coming to the surface. She cried into his shoulder, and he wordlessly comforted her with gentle touches.

After a while, she quieted.

“I trust you, Kaoru,” he said, lifting her head up gently. “I just do not wish to lose you, especially to some dumb punk.”

Kaoru’s watery blue eyes widened at his confession. She blinked, and tears ran down her cheeks. Kenshin wiped them away gently with his thumb.

“Really?”

“Hai, koi. You are formidable angry, and more than competent in the dojo.” Kenshin’s face darkened slightly in concern. “But even if Masuyama holds to his promises, his colleagues may not.”

“Then come with me. Let me face Masuyama, and you protect me from his gang interfering.”

Kenshin sighed. She was not going to give up.

“I will come,” Kaoru brightened. “But, if anyone, Masuyama included, threatens your life, I will take action.”

Kaoru sighed. He wouldn’t back down.

“Hai.”

Kenshin held her close, inhaling her scent. He was still uneasy, but there was a month for her to heal and prepare.

Someone cleared their throat. Yahiko’s head appeared in the doorway.

“Is it safe now? You aren’t going to kill each other anymore?”

Kaoru blushed, and Kenshin chuckled lightly. It seemed things were getting back to normal.