Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Don't sue me! I'm poor! This story is for entertainment only and is no way meant to be offensive!

Warning: The story is PG-13, but chapter ratings will vary.

Rating: PG-13

Author's Note: Thanks to the people who have reviewed so far! Please keep reviewing! This story is very A/U and will probably contain some OOCness. It will span over three different time periods, with most of the events occurring in the distant future. Sounds kind of strange, I know, but I hope you will give it a chance!

~~ denotes shifts in time/character perspective

** denotes character's thoughts

Touch Me Deeply

Chapter 1: The Second Time I Loved You

Chicago, 2002

Swarms of police rushed madly around the tall building in the darkness. The bomber had been cornered, but he had thirteen hostages in the building with him. It had taken them weeks to finally discover his next target, but the ambush had gone painfully wrong. Now he held thirteen innocent lives in his psychotic hands. His threats were not to be taken lightly. He had killed innocent people before and he would not hesitate to do it again. Any decisions they made about how to proceed had to be made with extreme caution.

"We're thinking about sending a SWAT team up the back way," the captain told a small group of men and women. "We would have the element of surprise and maybe we can save the hostages. We can keep him occupied on the radio while a few of you sneak up."

"Do you think that's wise, Captain?" Kenshin Himura asked him doubtfully, shifting uncomfortable in his heavy, bulletproof vest.

"What else do you propose we do, Himura?" the captain murmured, looking him over with cool eyes.

"Well, we could try to reason with—"

"Himura, I think it is quite evident that he is not going to release the hostages," the captain interrupted sharply. "He just threatened to start killing one of them every hour if we don't comply with his demands."

"He's right, Kenshin," Kaoru whispered from beside him, laying a gentle hand on his arm. "This is the only way."

Kenshin sighed, turning to the pale-faced woman beside him. Even in her black uniform, his fiancée was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Kaoru, I have a bad feeling about this," Kenshin told her quietly, leaning close. "This doesn't feel right."

"We can't let him kill those people," Kaoru stated softly.

"I know that," Kenshin murmured. "Those people matter more than anything, but I have a feeling he's expecting us to try something like this. It won't end well."

"Himura! Kamiya! Do you think you can stop your little conversation and join the rest of the group?!" the captain demanded impatiently, eyes narrow.

"Sorry, Captain," Kaoru said quickly, moving a few inches away from Kenshin so she wouldn't be tempted to talk to him.

"As I was saying," the captain continued. "We will send seven people up the back way. Kamiya, Justess, Hunter, Wielen, Kling, Moore, Stevenson, go suit up! You will be going up in ten minutes!"

Kenshin stared at the tall captain in surprise. He and Kaoru had always been on teams together.

"What is going on?" he asked Kaoru in a whisper. "Why is he making me wait out here?"

"I don't know," Kaoru replied, looking troubled. "He's probably mad."

"Damn!" Kenshin muttered. "I have to talk to him. You're not going in there alone."

"Kenshin, I can handle myself," Kaoru murmured, stopping him with a gentle hold on his wrist. "You should know that by now. We were in the academy together. I can fight just as well as anyone else."

"But—"

"Kenshin, don't—"

"Kaoru, I know how good you are," he interrupted softly. "You amaze me…but I want to be there to protect you…"

Raising a gloved hand to his cheek, Kaoru stroked it gently, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to his mouth. "I love you, Kenshin."

"I love you, too," he whispered, grabbing hold of her hand and kissing her fingers lightly. "Kaoru, don't go in there without me…"

"Kamiya! Four minutes! Hurry the hell up and get ready!!"

Kaoru jerked away from Kenshin abruptly. "Yes, Captain!"

"Captain Trent!" Kenshin called, rushing to the side of the tall man. "Let me go up with them."

Trent shook his head quickly. "If you go in there, you'll be so wrapped up in watching Kamiya that you won't be able to do your job!"

"Sir, I have never messed up on a job!" Kenshin stated flatly. "You know that. I don't let things distract me."

"Regardless of that fact, Himura, I have made up my mind on the matter," Trent responded, turning away from him and signaling to a group of police officers in the distance.

As Trent outlined the plan briefly, Kenshin watched Kaoru. The helmet on her head was too large, making her face look small behind the plate of glass that shielded her eyes. She looked so tiny compared to the four men and two taller women beside her. He had vowed his life to protect her. She had talent, she was a valiant fighter, but he could not help but worry. He always worried about her. The fear that she would be taken from him abruptly plagued his mind.

If he had told her of his fear, he was sure she would have laughed it off. That is how Kaoru was. Always cheerful, always lighthearted. In his eyes, she was not meant to be a police officer. She instructed a kendo team at a local YMCA on weekends. The role seemed to suit her perfectly. She was a wonderful teacher. The students admired her and looked up to her as an older sister. She was helping the endangered youth of a sometimes deadly city to find creative ways to unleash their pent up energy. If more young children had been given the same opportunity, the area they patrolled would probably not have been gang infested.

The captain finished outlining his plan as Kenshin felt dread rise in his stomach. Something about the situation made him feel distinctly uneasy.

As Kaoru and the group began to run towards the building, Kenshin made a mad dash to catch up with her. He took hold of her arm, pulling her to stop as the others stared at him in confusion.

"Kenshin, what are you doing?!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"Don't go," he murmured urgently. "Stay here with me."

"Stop it, Kenshin," she said firmly, shaking off his grip. "I have to do this. You're acting strangely…"

"Kaoru, I have a bad feeling," he whispered. "Please believe that I want to save those people as much as you do, but this isn't the right way. That man is crazy."

"Which is exactly the reason we have to go in there before the hour is up," Kaoru told him quietly, backing away a few steps as she gave him a small smile. "I'll be right back."

"Kaoru!"

"Himura, I'll have your badge for this!" Trent's voice yelled angrily from behind him. "What the hell do you think you're doing!? Get back over here!"

Closing his eyes briefly, Kenshin turned away from Kaoru's retreating form. The rest of the group was waiting for her at the side of the building.

"I apologize, Captain," Kenshin murmured once he reached the tall man's side. "Forgive me for saying this, but I think you have made a stupid decision."

"How dare—"

Trent broke off abruptly as a low voice sounded on his hand radio. "Very foolish, Trent. You cannot hide from me. I know what you're doing."

"What do you mean?" Trent asked the bomber calmly. "We are trying to work out negotiations for you."

"Liar!" the voice yelled loudly from the radio. "This will be my grand finale. I hope you are proud of your achievement…now I am taking twenty lives with me instead of just thirteen."

Kenshin's eyes widened in alarm at that statement. **Oh, God, Kaoru…**

The building exploded in a blinding flash of white and orange. Kenshin was running towards the flames and falling debris before he could think twice.

**Kaoru, please be all right…Kaoru…**

~~~~~~~~~~

"There is too much internal damage, Mr. Himura," the doctor told him softly over three hours later. "I am afraid we can't save her. We've done everything we can…"

Kenshin nodded, only dimly aware of what the doctor was saying. He had been pacing the brightly lit waiting room of the Loyola Medical Center, his mind filled with flashes of the night's events. It felt like a vivid nightmare. He had found Kaoru and two others near the exit in the back of the building. He supposed they had been waiting for the signal to proceed from the others and the blast had blown them away from the building with merciless, yet merciful, force. If she had been inside the building, Kaoru would have died instantly.

Her face beneath the helmet had been streaked with blood. Kenshin had felt his heart nearly stop as he knelt beside her, pulling off the helmet quickly and checking for injuries. It had been bad; he was able to tell almost instantly that she had suffered internal damage. Her arm had also been broken, twisted at an odd angle behind her back.

Kenshin had lifted her into his arms with utter care and taken her to one of the patrol cars that surrounded the building. Ignoring the panicked cries of his fellow officers, he had gently laid her in the back of the car and floored the gas pedal, breaking every law he had sworn to protect to get her to the hospital in mere minutes.

"Can I see her?" he asked the doctor after a moment of silence. "I need to say good-bye."

The doctor nodded quickly. "Follow me."

Kenshin felt his heart constrict as he beheld his beloved, lying in the bed, pale-faced and bruised.

"I will leave you alone," the doctor said in a hushed voice, before exiting the room and pulling the door shut behind him.

Kenshin moved to the edge of the bed, sinking into the chair beside it and bowing his head. **Kaoru…**

"K…Kenshin…"

His eyes flew to her face in surprise. "Kaoru? Oh, my God…you're awake…"

"I feel…I…I'm dying, aren't I?" she inquired, gazing at him through partially opened lids.

"Kaoru," he whispered, taking her hand in his. "Oh, God…"

"I should have…listened to you…Kenshin," she said slowly in a strained, breathless voice. "You tried to warn me…"

Shaking his head quickly, Kenshin reached out to touch her face. "No…don't…"

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "So sorry…I…wanted to love you…forever…and now…I can never see your face again…"

Kenshin felt his eyes fill with tears as he stared down at her battered face. He swiped at them with the back of his hand, determined not to let her see his anguish.

"Kaoru," he said softly, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Don't leave…please…"

"Kenshin…I feel…I can't stay…"

Kenshin closed his eyes tightly, tears escaping the corners of his eyes and trailing slowly down his pale cheeks. "No…I can't lose you…"

"Kenshin…I will always be with you," Kaoru said slowly, face pained. "I…can't…hold on…any longer…"

"Kaoru!"

"Kenshin, promise me something," Kaoru murmured with her last bit of strength.

"Anything!" he said, gripping her hand in both of his and pulling it to his trembling lips.

"Promise…that we will be together again some day…promise…that you will find me…in another life…and that we will be happy…we will finally be happy…"

"Of course," he whispered, squeezing her hand softly. "Of course, my love. I will find you…"

"Promise…"

"No matter how long it takes, no matter how far I have to go," Kenshin assured her softly. "My soul will always find yours…"

"Always," she whispered. "Kenshin…never forget…"

"I won't," he said quickly, unable to stop the sob that escaped his throat.

"Kenshin…the moon never changed when I was with you…it was always full and shining…I saw the moon and stars in your eyes…it filled me with…such happiness…"

"Kaoru, I love you…"

"…love you, too, Kenshin," she whispered, eyes beginning to drift shut. "Remember our song…when you hear it…think of…"

Her voice trailed off as all expression left her face, her hand going limp is his desperate grasp. The steady beep of the heart monitor beside her bed rung hollowly in his ears as his eyes took in her peaceful face.

"Kaoru," he said weakly, bowing his head. "Kaoru! KAORU!!!!!!!!"

TBC

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Okay, please tell me what you think so far! I NEED REVIEWS!! GIVE ME FEEDBACK, PLEASE! Thanks for reading!

Susan, that last part was for you. Hope it was what you had in mind!

~Midori^_^