Prologue: The X Shaped Scar

    The boy lurched down the snow-covered path. Not a boy any longer, in truth, he had not been young for years though his life was not yet long. He had seen too much, killed too many to retain his youth or innocence.
    There was pain and exhaustion and snow. She was ahead, somewhere. More had to die, he knew, before he could be with her again, before he could look at her, search her eyes, and know the truth of  what had happened. Blood marked the snow behind him, from his own wounds and from the tip of his katana. He pressed on, in shock, not noticing his own serious injuries.
    She could not truly be a spy. She could not. Not after so much had happened between them. Not after they'd taught each other what it was to be happy.
    Could she?
    He was barely aware of the old man up ahead, shouting a challenge, perhaps, words on which he could not focus. His own katana swung wild as the man's fist landed on his chin, knocking him off balance. Hit  after hit he took, swinging blindly, falling over and over only to rise again each time.
    A white flash before his eyes as his katana struck flesh.
    Crimson.
    She fell to the ground, bleeding.
    The old man's eyes rolled up. "I will never understand women." He fell. He would never have another chance to try.
    "TOMOE!!!!" The man who was barely more than a boy dropped to the woman's side.
    "Gomen.. Nasai... Anata..." Her arm came up, cut his cheek. She smiled and went limp in his arms.
    The man cried.
    He did not see a younger boy behind a tree, hiding, shocked. He did not see the faint rising and falling of the woman's chest before he staggered away and blacked out.

    "I'm hungry," Yahiko complained to the spike haired teenager who'd come up behind him.
    "Me too," Sanosuke nodded. "I hope Kenshin made breakfast."
    "I heard that," Kaoru glowered as she emerged from the dojo towards the other two on the porch. "But as a matter of fact, he did." Somehow she didn't look very mollified.
    A smiling face poked out of the dojo door behind her. "Breakfast is ready." A red ponytail flashed as the head vanished.
    Kenshin set out the dishes just as the others clamored their way to the table. "I'll have to go to the market today, or we won't have much for dinner."
    "That's okay. Yahiko is going to be training today," Kaoru looked at that individual sternly, "But maybe Sanosuke will go with you."
    "Sorry. I've got plans." Sanosuke managed to look innocent and smug at once.
    "I thought you said you were going to give up gambling," Kenshin smiled at his friend, mindful of the younger man's financial status.
    "I will," the ex-gangster said breezily. "Just not today."
    "Sano, will you never learn? You're so in debt already, and you owe so much at Taesan's restaurant, not to mention how much you eat here." Kaoru looked annoyed, bewildered, concerned, and disgusted. It made for an interesting expression, and Yahiko was impressed.
    "That's a really ugly expression. You look like you swallowed a toad even bigger than you!" The boy grinned.
    "Well, you look like an arrogant brat!"
    "Excuse me, am I interrupting anything?" The beautiful woman who'd spoken paused inside the doorway.
    "Megumidono, come in, you're not interrupting at all! Have you eaten yet?" Kenshin's relief at the doctor's arrival was obvious.
    "No, thank you, I've eaten already. It's sweet of you to offer, Kensan." Megumi smiled. "Perhaps there's something I can do to be helpful while you all eat?
    "No, thanks, Megumisan. Everything but the brat is under control." Kaoru smiled at the older woman.
    "Kenshin's going to market later. Maybe YOU can keep him company," Sanosuke suggested, grinning at Kaoru. The young sensei did not look favorably at him.
    "That would be nice, ne Kensan? Genzaisensei's given me the day off today, since the clinic is quiet. I'd love to come along, if you'll have me." She smiled sweetly at the red-haired rurouni, whose face was reddening as well.
    Kaoru glowered even more, looking like she as ready to hit Kenshin, but instead grabbed Yahiko and dragged him off into the yard as he squealed in protest.
    "I haven't finished eating! What are you doing, stupid?"
    Kaoru's reply was loud and not very ladylike. The sound of a bokken hitting a skull echoed into the room they'd just left.
    Sano finished wolfing his own food down and moved on to Kaoru's plate as the sounds of practice drifted in. Shortly he rose. "Well, I'm off. Have fun, you two." He waved as he walked out. For some reason, the sounds of practice outside seemed to grow more forceful.
    Megumi started to clear away the empty plates. Kenshin rose, stuffing one last mouthful in as he did.
    "No, finish. Let me do it, Kensan." She smiled at him, balancing plates neatly as she too rose.
    "Thank you, but it really isn't necessary," Kenshin looked slightly lost as he gathered up the rest of the dishes and carried them to the kitchen.
    Several minutes later, as she put the broom away, Megumi asked, "So when shall we go, Kensan?"  The rurouni seemed not to have heard her. He stared off into the distance with an odd expression on his fine features.
    "Kensan?" She touched his arm.
    "Hmnh?" Kenshin jumped slightly, his arm tensing and starting for his hip. Megumi took a step back.
    "Megumidono. I'm sorry. My mind must have wandered for a moment." He smiled brightly but the woman did not miss the way his eyes weren't in it. She smiled back, deciding he would talk when he was ready.
    "I said, when are we leaving for market?"
    Kenshin looked around. "As soon as the dishes are done, I suppose. I'll do them," he added before she could offer. Strange, how his past should haunt him again so suddenly after all this time without even a whisper. Probably it meant nothing, but the basic chore of washing dishes would surely settle his mind enough to go shopping with Megumi. As to how relaxing that would be, well, that was another story.
    Megumi nodded and went outside, sensing his need to be alone with his thoughts.
    Several minutes later, as he was drying and putting away the last of the dishes, he froze again as images flashed through his mind.
    Blood marked the snow behind him, from his own wounds and from the tip of his katana.
    The clatter of a dish falling snapped him out of it. Thankfully, the plate he'd been holding had not broken.
    "Kensan? Are you all right?"
    "Yes. I'm fine. Thank you." Kenshin replaced the platter next to its siblings and turned. "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to town today, Megumidono?
    Megumi smiled and nodded and went back outside. Kenshin checked for money and realized they had to get more soon, though the need was not yet urgent.
    No more working as boat guards, that was certain. It was exciting, to be sure, but not quite worth all the effort...
    He stood in the door of the dojo, looking at the long black hair of the woman by the gate. Strange how familiar it seemed, as if he should have been looking at just such hair for so many years...
    It was a painful thought, and one he cut off at the root. No sense opening old scars, was there.
    The pretty doctor looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. It was enough; a pretty woman's smile could heal many hurts. No doubt it was part of what made her such a popular doctor, especially with the male patients if not always with their wives.
    Together they walked down the road in companionable silence, one or the other making occasional remarks about the beautiful weather, "So nice after such snow," and the flowers that were beginning to bloom.
    The town opened up before them, busy and bustling with business and children. Megumi mentioned she would like to make a few purchases herself and would he come with her for those?
    He smiled and nodded; they agreed to buy her own merchandise first before getting food for the dojo.
    Fortunately for Kenshin, he was a very patient man. What Megumi hadn't told him was that she was shopping for a new kimono, and of course wanted his opinion on what she should get.
    Sanosuke would never let him live this one down, should he find out about it, and Yahiko was sure to be even more insufferable.
    Somehow Kenshin was surprised when Megumi settled on one that was nearly identical to her old one. In fact, the only difference seemed to be in age. Her shopping hadn't even taken very long, so even Kenshin was still in a good mood as they carried her packages over to her apartment near the clinic. Kenshin hadn't even thought about his past until he walked out and it stared him in the face from across the road.
    Could it be... "But you're dead," he whispered, the words barely audible to himself.
    Her eyes met his.
    Someone moved between them. He blinked
    She was gone.
    Megumi came out of the apartment, looking pleased. "Kensan, thank you for helping me. Now let's go to...  Kensan?"
    He pushed back into the apartment. Megumi followed.
    "It couldn't be," he whispered to himself, frozen.
    "What?" Megumi gasped as she came around to look at him. "Kensan, you're bleeding!" She reached out to touch the horizontal scar that had opened after ten years. "Here, let me--"
    His hand shot out, as if on its own accord, hitting her across the face. Caught off guard, she fell to the ground, her face turned away from him, hidden by her hair.
    "Itai... Kensan..."
    He looked down at her, staring in shock. "Megumidono..." His eyes were wide as he stood frozen, looking at his own hand as though he had never seen it before.
    Megumi sat up, her face still hidden. She reached up to touch her cheek, where already he could see the redness of a bruise beginning. Her hand brushed her lip and she cringed, looking at the trace of blood she'd inadvertently wiped away. She looked up at him, shock and the beginnings of betrayal beginning to register.
    "Megumidono! You're bleeding!" He stared at her lip in horror. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened. Let me take care of that!" Oblivious to his own blood, the man knelt by the doctor's side and began dabbing at her lip with a corner of the bandage she'd reached out to him with.
    She closed her eyes. "Kensan, it's nothing. I'll be fine," she said between gentle pats. His hands were so strong, shaking now yet so sure... She had to quell the wish for him to simply kiss away the pain. It would do no good, not now.
    Finally she pushed his hand away. "Tell me what happened, Kensan. What upset you so?"
    The former assassin's eyes closed. "It was over ten years ago. I killed her. I know I did. But I just saw her. It WAS her!" His eyes flashed open, agonized, indigo meeting cinnamon eyes full of compassion and concern. "Megumidono, she's dead, but she was just there in the street."
    The woman's voice was gentle, quiet, devoid of emotion. "Who is it, Kensan?"
    "Tomoe."