"Megumi?" Dr. Gensai's voice floated through the clinic and the young woman sighed. It had been almost two weeks since he had recovered from throwing his back out and resumed his practice, but the demand for her services had not slowed down and she was beginning to wonder if her new popularity was too much of a good thing. It had all really started with Sanosuke….

Megumi had been treating some minor ailment when she heard Sano calling for her. He and one of his friends were holding up a half-conscious man whose clothes were soaked with blood. Several other men surrounded them and one explained excitedly how there was a fight at their favorite gambling joint and a gang had fired a wooden cannon at them. She had worked all day and long into the night on Sano's friend. One by one, everyone drifted off to sleep-everyone but Sanosuke. He stayed by her side, holding the light, fetching what she needed, murmuring encouragement as her own exhaustion began to take a toll, until his friend was out of danger and she could finally rest. She had slid to the floor after it was over, leaning back against the table and falling asleep herself. She didn't hear Sano leave, but she was touched in the morning when she woke to find that before he went, he had carefully tucked a blanket around her. After that day, Sanosuke and his friends had sung her praises far and wide and people who had been cautious of a woman doctor had come to see her.

"Megumi!" Dr. Gensai was standing in the doorway. "There's a young man here who would like you to go to his house to see his father-it seems the old man is too sick to bring to the clinic."

"All right." Megumi got her medicine box and went to the porch.

A tall young man in an expensive silk kimono and hakama bowed to her. "I am Jozen Fujiyama, Miss…."

"Takani."

"Miss Takani. I have heard what a fine doctor you are and beg you to see my father. He is desperately ill-I would gladly pay any price for you to cure him."

Megumi sighed with irritation. Not another one! As they set off, she remembered what happened the day after Sanosuke brought his friend to the clinic-the parents who watched intently as Megumi administered medicine to their daughter, then expressed their dissatisfaction, demanding something more expensive. They just didn't believe that something that didn't cost a great deal of money would help their child, and they ended by taking her to a quack who promised to cure anyone of anything with his magical powers. He charged so much the couple thought he must be a great healer, but he was nothing more than a con artist and Megumi had gone to his house to get her patient back. It would have ended very badly if Sanosuke had not been suspicious of all the rumors being spread about her and followed her. The quack had gotten violent but Sano fought him and his band of thugs, defeating them soundly. He had suffered some minor injuries that Megumi had wanted to treat, but he shrugged off his wounds and swaggered away with a bravado that amused her at the time.

"We're here, miss."

Megumi's eyes widened. This was not a house-it was a fortress! Huge walls surrounded an extensive estate-no wonder this man thought money could buy all things. It was obvious he was very rich and she wondered idly how it was they didn't have a personal physician on call. They went into the house, and she noted the beautifully landscaped gardens surrounding it, the quality of the materials that had gone into its construction, and the opulent decorations throughout, and for some reason she felt uneasy. Then they reached her patient's room and all her attention centered on him.

The old man was suffering from a combination of acute indigestion and a slight cold, and she carefully prescribed for him, leaving his son with several medicines and meticulous written instructions. He paid her lavishly but left her to find her own way out and back to the clinic, and Megumi was more than happy to walk home alone.