The tall woman hesitated at the gate of the dojo. She stood there for a moment as she brushed her long black hair behind her shoulder, and thought about the first time she had ever set foot inside. Back then she had been terrified for her life, the sun had been shining as bright then as it was now. It had glinted off the crimson hair of the shorter man in front of her, as he stepped easily thorough the gate calling out.
"Miss Karou we are back!"
That had been her first introduction to the people that would become her family over time, but like her family she wouldn't have them anymore. The woman sharply shook her head to clear the thoughts away. There would be plenty of time for sorrow later, right now she forced a smile onto her face, squared her shoulders and made herself to walk through the gate, and around to the courtyard to see the same red haired man kneeling over a soapy tub scrubbing a small piece of clothing. Without looking up he greeted her cheerfully
"Hello Miss Megumi! How are you today?"
Megumi sat the bag she had been carrying down at her feet and truly smiled at him
"I'm fine Kenshin" she replied
Something in her voice must have been different than normal, because he glanced up her with concern in his violet eyes.
"I shouldn't be surprised" she thought to herself. "I should have known that I couldn't fool him."
"Who are you talking to Kenshin?" came a familiar voice from inside the Dojo, followed a moment later by its owner Karou, who was trailed by a miniature version of the man doing laundry. The boy's blue eyes let up when he saw her.
"Tegum!" he cried, waddling past his mother as fast as his cubby little legs would carry him. Megumi bent down, scooped the boy up and buried her face in his fame red hair. This child that she had delivered into the world, was one of the few good things that she could honestly say she had done in this life. His birth had been long and tiring for Karou, but not extremely difficult.
"Hello Megumi! I didn't know you were visiting today! I'm sorry but the girls are at school with Sasaki – you remember Sanou….." Karou trailed off, eyes wide gauging Megumi's reaction to the name of their long gone companion. Megumi forced a laugh to cover the now familiar jolt of pain that ran through her when he was brought up.
"That stupid rooster has been gone for 2 years now. You don't have to worry about me, I really could not care less," she said with her usual haughtiness as she set Kenji down, who ran over to his father. Kenshin glanced at his wife, that fact that Megumi had not said Sanouske's name did not escape either of them.
"Yahiko is working at the Akabeko with Tae and Tusbame, that he is." Kenshin said tactfully.
"That boy." Karou said with a smirk. "We all know that he is in love with Tusbame. When will he just man up and admit it?"
Megumi's eyebrows shot up as laughed heartily at her words.
"Says the girl that we had to wait years for!"
Karou blushed as red as her husband's hair and began to sputter.
"Th….that was different! Kenshin was…my…. He…."
The man in question chuckled. The two women had become good friends over the years, and Karou did not usually rise to Megumi's prompts (she had calmed down a bit since her son's birth) that did not mean, that like the fox that Sanouske always likened her to, Megumi could resist poking the younger woman every now and then.
"Shouldn't you be napping young one?" Kenshin asked his son as he dabbed some bubbles on the boy's nose. Kenji just shook his head and laughed.
"Tegumi!" he cried happily pointing at her.
Kenshin, finished with the laundry, picked up his son.
"Yes, yes Auntie Megumi will still be here when you wake up." Megumi flinched at his words.
"Sleep well Kenji" she waved at the child as his father carried him inside, while Karou settled down on the Engawa.
"So what brings you over today Megumi?" she asked.
Megumi looked down at the younger woman. How she envied her, not that she had Kenshin's heart, it was crystal clear that the two of them belonged together. When she had first joined the group Megumi may have had a crush on Kenshin, however she had come to realize what she felt for him was more admiration and gratitude for saving her life and showing her how to live with the guilt of her past, instead of being crushed under it. Though once she came to this conclusion it didn't stop her from flirting with him. After all, someone had to lighten things up around here. No what she envied was Kaoru's innocence; though the more she thought about it, if she had to choose between herself and Karou to bear this burden, she was glad it was hers and not the young mothers.
"Actually Karou I….. I came to say good-bye." Megumi forced the words out past the lump in her throat, this was harder than she thought it would be. It didn't get any easier as Karou's sapphire eyes widened in shock.
"What?! Why?!" She exclaimed as she jumped up. "Megumi we have plenty of room here for you!"
Megumi smiled and shook her head sadly.
"No Karou. I don't belong here. The town has made it perfectly clear that they do not want me here. You and Sir Ken have a life and family together. I…..I need to find my own."
Karou's eyes softened "He will come back someday you know." She said gently
Megumi bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from retorting sharply.
"No Karou, I don't know that. As I recall I wasn't worth even a good-bye." Hard as she tried, Megumi couldn't quite keep the bitterness out of her voice. She was so tired of being left behind. First her family when they went off to help in the war, at least she had a chance to say good-bye to them. Then when Kenshin had left to go fight Sishio in Kyoto, the only one that he had said good-bye to was Karou. Then two years ago when that stupid rooster had fled Japan he had told everyone but her good-bye. Tae, (after promising he would come back and pay his tab someday) his old friend Katsu, and everyone at the Dojo. He had even come to the clinic to say good-bye to Dr Gensai when she was out. That had been hard enough, but then a few months ago Dr. Gensai had passed away, leaving her all alone once again. Megumi had looked up to him as a second father, a fact she had only realized after he passed on. She would have been happy to continue the clinic in his name, as well as caring for his 2 granddaughters. However the Meji government had other ideas. Because she was not a blood relation of Dr. Gensai and his granddaughters were too young to run it, the clinic had been deemed property of the city. Ayme and Suzame had moved into Karou's dojo to be raised by her and Kenshin alongside young Kenji and Yahiko. Megumi had tried to set up her own clinic, but apparently the people of Tokyo had only come to her before because the official name was Dr Gensai. Without his name no one wanted to be treated by a Lady Doctor. Kaoru sat thoughtfully for a moment, and then said.
"I know that, but I'm sure he had his reasons…in his own way he cared for you Megumi."
Megumi shook her head silently as she thought to herself. "No Karou, that sort of thing happens to girls like you, not me; everyone either leaves or forgets about me in the end."
"Where will you go Miss Megumi?" Kenshin asked as he came back outside, seemly unsurprised at the news.
"I will start in Azu." She responded Kenshin nodded his head.
"I wish you luck Miss Megumi." He told her, as Karou jumped up beside him and grabbed Megumi's hands in her own, her blue eyes glittering with tears.
"There is nothing I can say to change your mind, is there?" she asked in a choked voice. Megumi shook her head. Karou dropped her hands and embraced her tightly. After a moment she stepped back wiping her tears with the back of hand as Kenshin slid his arm around her waist.
"You will always be welcome here Megumi." She said as she leaned into her husband.
Megumi smiled slightly, "Thank you Kaoru. I will remember that." Megumi turned her gaze to Kenshin. "Sir Ken…..I ….." Kenshin held up his free hand to stop her and merely nodded. Megumi nodded back, picked up the bag containing all she owned in the world, turned and walked through the court yead and out the gate without a backward glance.
6 months later
Megumi wiped her face with a towel, then reached back and pulled at the cord holding her long dark hair up. Finally back in her own house she could relax. The baby had been very stubborn, not wanting to be born today. Then after making sure that both mother and babe would be alright, she had been called to the butcher's shop. He had accidently cut his hand so deep that it required stitches and some of her family salve. After that she had been called to a home where a young boy had eaten something he shouldn't have causing severe stomach pains. It had been a long day, but she didn't really mind. Busy days meant she didn't have time to think. Megumi had come to Aomori 4 months ago. The small village was just happy to have someone to help with medical needs they didn't care that she was a woman. Not many came this far north and even fewer stayed. Azu had been a dead end. So many people had died or went missing during the war nearly 2 decades ago. A small voice that Megumi had been ignoring for most of her life finally broke through when she was there. If she had had any family left among the living, surely they would have tried to find her by now. After that she couldn't bring herself to go back to Tokyo, back to be a burden on Kaoru and Kenshin and their family, though they were the closest thing she had now.
No originally Megumi had come this far north to find passage out of Japan. She had heard that western countries were a little more lenient with women. She had studied some of their healing methods and a few of them seemed promising. However when she arrived there had been an outbreak of the flu. Megumi had stopped to inquire about a boat, but stayed a while to help. When the village found out she was a doctor they told her she could stay in and empty home on the outskirts of town. The man that owned it had left to make his fortune in the west several years ago and never returned. He had no kin, and the people assuming he had died at sea, were too afraid of angering his sprit to do anything with it. Megumi, not being superstitious, had moved in. The house was about a 10 minute walk from Aomori, but Megumi did not mind that either. It was nice to have some privacy, or so she tried to tell herself.
Megumi sighed as she took off her smock and lit a lantern. Tomorrow she would have to take a proper bath. She always dumped a bucket of water on herself after each patient but,
"A proper hot bath sounds nice." She thought as she shrugged into her sleeping yukata and lie down on her futon. The nights got cold quickly up here; soon she would have to find a heavier blanket. Megumi blew out the candle and tried to go to sleep quickly without thinking about the Kamiya Dojo, it's inhabitants or a certain rooster head, that she was sure hadn't given her a second thought since the day he left.
The night was cloudy, no stars or moon shone on the silence below. The masked man that approached the little house was undeterred. He knew the land well, he had grown up here. The woman that lived in the house now had a reputation as a doctor. Apparently she was quite good, descended from a long line of them. The house's owner had been angry when he first heard that the people of Amori had given his house away. Not that he actually wanted it, or had been there in years. It was the point of the matter; no one took what was his. A lesson that his current prisoner was learning at the moment. That was why he was outside the house, he needed the lady doctor. His boss had gotten a little carried away with his prisoner, and there was still much that they needed to get from him. They needed the lady doctor to fix him up so they could get more information out of him. After that the man wasn't sure what would happen to her. Though it might not be such a bad idea to have someone like her around on a permanent if not willing basis, after all no one knew what the future held and someone like her might come in handy.
He approached the house silently, pushing on the door gently, it swung open easily. He shook his head in disbelief. She hadn't secured it all!
"This is going to be easier than I thought!" he muttered to himself as he pulled a cloth that had been drenched in a sleeping drought out of his bag. He also had a length of rope and a knife. Slowly he crept over to the corner where Megumi lay sleeping. He was just about to cover her mouth and nose with the cloth when she sat up.
Something was wrong, but she wasn't sure what it was. Megumi reached over to light her lantern when a deep voice beside her spoke one word.
"Don't."
Megumi's arm froze in midair as her heart skipped a beat.
"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded in a voice that sounded a lot braver than she felt. It was a skill she acquired when she had been with Kanryu Takda, who had delighted in causing fear and pain in others.
"You are coming with me." The voice said. Megumi slowly slid her hand under her futon, looking for the dagger she kept there. After Kenshin and Sanouske had rescued her from Kanryu, Megumi had been plagued with nightmares. One day Sano found out, and showed up with the dagger. He gave it to her so she wouldn't have to be afraid at night. Or so he told her. Megumi had been touched. It was the most thoughtful thing anyone had done for her in a long time. Even after he had left she had kept it under her futon because, just as he had, it made her feel safe. Megumi clasped her hand around the hilt and was just about to pull it out, when she felt someone take a handful of her hair and pull her up. Megumi bit back the cry of pain that rose in her throat, but let go of the dagger. The grip on her hair released and reappeared on her wrist, twisting it painfully up her back. This time Megumi let out a small gasp of pain as her knees bent slightly.
"Who are you!? What do you want?!" She demanded as the lantern flared to life.
There was no response as another hand covered her face and nose with a rough and smelly cloth. Megumi's eyes widened as she recognized the smell and with her free hand began to uselessly claw at it. The man was stronger than she was, and though she tried not to inhale, eventually she had to, and instantly it became hard to think straight.
"You should have stayed asleep. It would have been easier on you." The man behind her told her as she sank to her knees and darkness began to overtake her. Dimly she could feel something rough being wound around her wrists. Her last thought as she slipped into unconsciousness was one name.
"Sanouske."
The next thing that Megumi knew was a dry throat. Her thick tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and her head pounded in time with her heart….. No the pounding was outside of her head. Only then did she realize she was being jostled up and down. A horse…..she was on a horse, or slung over one anyway, her hands were still tied behind her back. Her brain was still fuzzy from the drug she had inhaled and her midsection ached from the awkward position. Megumi let out a small moan of pain when the horse finally stopped and she was lifted down.
"You awake?" the same voice from earlier asked her.
Megumi kept her eyes closed as she was thrown over his shoulder and carried forward. Peering through her lashes, Megumi could see the first rays of dawn, before a door slammed near her face causing her to flinch.
"Rayu. I see you have returned with our guest. Take her to the third bedroom and take those bonds off her! She is not our prisoner…..yet anyway."
Megumi shuttered at the other man's words as she felt her captor walk forward, turn left and open another door. Megumi, keeping her eyes closed, felt her self being lowered down on a western bed. Straining to hear something, she froze when she heard a blade being unsheathed. Megumi's eyes snapped open as the man touched the tip to the hollow below her throat, then trailed it down her body to her wrists and quickly severed the rope. Megumi sat up rubbing her wrists. The man chuckled at her reaction, as he put his blade away and turned to leave.
"Get some rest, you are going to need it." He threw back at her, as he shut the door. Megumi heard the lock slide into place as a silent tear escaped down her cheek, as she rolled onto her stomach. Without anything else to do and hoping to dispel the lingering effect of the drug Megumi tried to sleep. However it was not restful, as old nightmares of Kanryu returned to her. She was back in his mansion, holding herself stiffly. She concentrated on keeping every muscle locked into place as he caressed her cheek and trailed his fingers slowly down to her chin and throat. Kanryu smiled cruelly when Megumi reflexively swallowed.
"Don't move, don't react. Don't move, don't react, don't move, don't react." Megumi silently chanted to herself, even though she longed to break his fingers. How she wanted to make him hurt as much she did.
Suddenly with a wild look in his eyes Kanryu pulled back both his arms. Without thinking she raised her arms to shield her head. However instead of striking her, he placed both hands on her chest and shoved as hard as he could. Megumi stumbled back and began to fall into a black hole. She tumbled down for what seemed like years, with the faces of her loved ones flashing before her just out of reach. Her parents, her brothers, Dr Gensai and his granddaughters. Yahiko, and Karou with Sir Ken and Kenji, and finally Sanouske. Megumi called to them, but they did not react at all. Sanouske stepped back and glared at her with such contempt and loathing that Megumi recoiled from him.
"How dare you reach for me?!" He demanded in a voice dripping with malice. Megumi's jaw fell open in shock. How could he speak to her in that tone!? Sure they had always quarreled, but there had never been that much venom behind it before. Before he left she had even begun to think that perhaps he cared…..
"You murdered Yoita!" He spat at her. Megumi thought it would be less painful if he had stabbed her.
"No...No I didn't! I mean I didn't mean to!" she pleaded.
"You murdered Yoita just like you murdered all these people!" Sano roared as he pointed behind her. Megumi turned to see dozens of faceless people shuffling toward her in a wave. Megumi tried to run towards Sano, but her feet wouldn't move.
"No! Sano! Help me please!" she pleaded, but when she turned around he was gone. She had to get away from here! The wave was getting closer and closer. It was going to devour her. Megumi opened her mouth to scream and woke up on the western style bed. The blankets tangled around her. She sat there for a moment gasping for breath. Daylight streamed in through a window beside her onto the hard wood floor, as Megumi looked around her prison. It was a small and simple room. The bed she was sitting on, took up one corner. A desk and dresser filled the opposite wall. The window was between them and the door was opposite that. As she took all this in the doorknob began to rattle as it was unlocked. Megumi scrambled to stand as it swung open, to reveal a man a bit taller than her with dark brown hair cropped so short it was almost non-existent. He had a wide face with small green eyes and a large nose. He wore a western style brown suit and tie. At that moment Megumi realized she was still only in her sleeping yukata. Blood rushed to her cheeks, but she showed no other reaction. The man bowed respectfully to her.
"Good afternoon Miss Tanaki. First let me apologize for the way Rayu treated you last night. I had no idea he would be so rough, and I assure you that was never my intent." The man waited for Megumi to respond, but continued when it was clear she would not. "Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Nori and this is my home. Well one of them, but you must be starving. Please dress yourself and join me for lunch." He pointed to the dresser. Rayu brought your things for you." Nori bowed again, turned on his heel, and left. Megumi blinked once, then went to the dresser and pulled the top drawer open. Sure enough her pink kimono and blue smock were folded here. A quick inventory of the other 3 drawers revealed all her medical supplies from her home. She furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Why would they bring all this?" she wondered as she quickly dressed and steeped out of the room into a narrow hallway. To her left the hallway ended, to her right she passed 2 more doors before the hall opened up into a large foyer. Megumi walked into it, noting the door she was carried in through last night on her left. A grand table sat in the middle of the room, with 6 cushions, sitting around it and Nori at the head. Before she sat down Megumi noticed another door her right and 2 more straight ahead of her. The table was set with bowls of rice and tofu, as well as a plate of fish. Nori gestured to the seat beside him.
"Please help yourself." He told her. Megumi knew she would need the strength, so she reluctantly sat and began to fill her bowl. After a silent meal, Nori lit a cigarette and began to speak.
"Once again I apologize for the Rayu's rudeness and I hope you will not judge me based on him. You were brought here because I am in need of your talents. Your reputation says you are one of the best." Megumi could not suppress the shiver than ran down her spine.
"You are after all a Tanaki." He continued. "There is a man that has something I want. This man was less than cooperative and needed shall we say, a little persuasion. However as was demonstrated last night, Rayu can get a little carried away, and now I fear this man may pass on before he reveals what is mine." Megumi jumped back in horror. They wanted her to heal someone, just so they could torture him again! Her revulsion must have shown on her face because Nori calmly held up his hand.
"Before you decline, I must inform you that while Rayu was rude last night, that was nothing compared to what he can do. Right now you are enjoying my hospitality and protection as my guest. However should you deny my request…..well….your safety could no longer be guaranteed." He finished with a shrug. A ball of white hot rage erupted in Megumi's stomach and raced through her blood to the tips of her body.
"Not again!" she snarled to herself. "I will not be a puppet to another greedy bastard!"
Megumi stood and looked Nori in the eye, as she raised her chin and spoke.
"I care not what happens to me. Do what you want. I am a doctor and will not prolong anyone's suffering so that more may be inflicted." Nori blinked once in surprise. Then quickly stood up and was beside her.
"Very well, have it your way." He said as he grasped her wrist in an iron grip and twisted it up her back, just as Rayu had the night before. Megumi grit her teeth in pain, but made no sound as he pushed her toward the door on the right. He opened it and roughly shoved her toward the darkened descending staircase.
"Then you can rot down here along with him!" he yelled at her as he slammed and locked the door behind her.
It took Megumi's eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness as slowly made her way down the rough wooden steps. A torch on the far wall flickered, but barley lit the small stone cell. Hay covered the floor below it, and on it lay a tall black haired man facing the wall. Megumi sat on the cold stone and looked at the still form before her. Even in the near darkness of the cell, she could see multiple lacerations, a few looked very deep and dangerous, as well as several bruises on his ribs and upper shoulders, in varying colors of blue, black, yellow, purple, yellow and green. The wounds on his back worried her… they would need treated soon….
"Sir?" she began tentatively. "I….. I don't know if you can hear me, but I am a doctor. I can try to help you …..if you want me to, but they are just going to hurt you more if you get better….." Megumi trailed off not sure what else to say. With a groan, the man rolled over to face her. Megumi's breath caught in her throat as her hand flew to mouth. For a moment she forgot how to breathe as everything stood still. The man before her panted as he smiled weakly.
"Hey there fox. Good to see you again. How long you gonna stick around this time?"
"Sanouske?!" Megumi mouthed his name. The name that she had turned over in her mind every night before she fell asleep for the nearly 3 years now. He was leaner than she remembered, but that was to be expected given their current surroundings. His brown hair was not quite as tall as it used to be, but it was a bit longer and dirtier now. There was also a thin patch of facial hair on his chin. His cheeks were flushed scarlet, and his brown eyes were glassy as he appeared to stare right through her. That's when Megumi noticed his chest was covered in bruises and small cuts, reminding her of his back. Instantly her medical side took over and Megumi scrambled to his side, and gently brushed his sweaty hair off his burning forehead.
"Shh…" she said softly. "Its alright.. but I need to see your wounds. Can you get on your stomach? She asked gently.
Sanouske's eyes fluttered for a moment as he tried to understand her, then he smiled again.
"Sure vixen anything for you." He told her. Slowly and wincing in pain Sanouske rolled onto his stomach. Megumi bit her lip as she looked at his back. The wound stretched from shoulder to shoulder and down to the top of pelvis. What little skin she could see was raised and shiny, a sure sign of infection. Someone had crudely tried to stitch it, but it looked like it had done more harm than good. Without another thought, Megumi raced back up the stairs and began to beat on the door with her fists.
"ALRIGHT! You win! I will treat him! Please just let me out!" she didn't try mask the fear in her voice, she was truly worried about Sanouske, but let Nori think that she was scared or disgusted by him. After a few minutes of pleading with no results, Megumi gave up and returned to Sano's side. She wanted to gather him up in her arms and cling to him, but at the same time she wanted to throttle him worse than Nori had.
"Megumi…?" Sano's eyes were closed as he said her name. Not knowing what else to do, and remembering what Karou did for Kenshin after his battle with Shisho, Megumi gently slid her hand under his.
"Don't leave." He told her.
"Idiot! You are the one that left me!" she scolded him softly, but he had already drifted off, leaving Megumi alone and helpless once again.
An eternity passed as Megumi sat on the cold stone floor, holding Sanouske's hot hand, listening to his labored breathing. This was worse than anything Kanryu had done to her. She was unable to do anything for him. She didn't even have any water! Megumi had never felt more wretched or incompetent in her entire life! Sanouske was going to die in front of her, and even though she had the knowledge to help him, she lacked the equipment to do so. Megumi clinched her jaw as she contemplated biting through the stitches to get to the infection would be worth the risk of even more contamination. The thought made the corners of her mouth twitch upward as she recalled the day she had met Sanouske. Yahiko had been hit by a poison dart meant for her. Karou's first instinct had been to suck the poison out and Megumi had to practically wrestle her from the boy's side to stop her.
"I wonder what she would say about me considering her method." Megumi thought to herself as she sighed heavily. Seeing no other way, she scooted as close to Sanouske as she could and tried to figure out where she should start. Suddenly the lock above them began to rattle and a shaft of light appeared. Megumi shot to her feet and faced the stairs. Nori stopped on the bottom step as he smirked down at her.
"So have you had enough yet? He asked her lazily. Megumi threw herself to her knees before him.
"Yes! Please! I will do my best to heal him for you! Please just get me out of here!" She pleaded with him as a few tears slid down her cheeks. Nori's smirk grew to his eyes.
"You got off easy this time!" He pointed to Sano. "You see what happens when to people who normally disobey me. I won't warn you again."
Megumi nodded as she dramatically wiped her eyes as she stood. All of the abuse she had suffered had taught her a few things, like how to swallow her anger and keep her face complicit.
"All men are the same." She thought angrily to herself, just as Sanouske moaned in pain behind her. "Well most men" she amended. Out loud she said to Nori confidently,
"I won't be able to help him here. I will need a clean area." Megumi glanced disgustedly around the cell. Nori's eyes widened slightly at her words, and Megumi assumed that not a lot of people spoke so candidly to him.
"Very well, Ryu will bring him upstairs." Nori told her as he stepped to the side and gestured for her to go up the stairs. Megumi unconsciously hesitated for a moment and glanced back at Sano. Then back straight and head held high, she began to ascend the stairs, only for Nori to grab her wrist when she passed him. Megumi froze but did not look back at him.
"If this is some kind of trick, I promise you will regret it." He told her coolly.
Megumi did not react, but replied nonchalantly
"Make sure your man is gentle with the prisoner. He is quite ill and rough handling could push him past my abilities to save him." Nori gave a dark chuckle as he released her wrist and she continued up the stairs.
Hours later found the sun sinking low on the horizon, making the small room red and orange. Sano was snoring slightly in a drug induced sleep, laying on his stomach on the western bed Megumi had slept on that morning. She come straight to this room after leaving Sano in the cellar. It had been one of the hardest things she had ever done, but her rational side knew that no good would come from letting Nori know their history together. To distract herself she had begun pulling her medical supplies out of the drawers. Bandages, salves, needle and threads, scalpel, as well as herbs for pain and fever. Megumi had just finished setting everything out when the door swung open and a man she assumed was Ryu came in with Sano slung over one shoulder, his long legs dragging behind them as Ryu carried him and raised and eyebrow.
"Where do you want him?" asked the same voice she heard the night before in her cabin. Shaking her head to clear it, Megumi gestured to the blanket from the bed she had spread out on the floor. Ryu promptly dropped Sano in a heap onto the blanket, causing him to hiss in pain. Bending down to tend him, Megumi glared at Ryu who just shrugged and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Megumi cried, reaching out to him. "I will need clean water. Several bowls of it."
Without a word Ryu walked out of the room, but returned a few minutes later with jugs of water, and Megumi got to work, as gently as she could, bathing his body with a rag and dressing his lesser wounds causing him to flinch every now and then. When she was done with that she eased him onto his chest so that she could see the worst of his wounds, on his back and slowly began snipping the crude stitches. When she got to the wider gashes in the middle of his back, Sano began to groan and then mumble without opening his eyes.
"Won't…apologize!... Kenshin…Vixen….." Megumi was to engrossed in her work to wonder about what he was saying. Getting the infection out, (which thankfully looked new) cleaning the wound, and re stitching the smaller ends, without aggravating the wound took all her concentration. When she finally finished Megumi called out and was unsurprised when Ryu opened the door. After he took away the bloody mess she had made, Megumi asked him for some broth. When he left the room Megumi sat beside Sano and tried to wake him.
"Sano…..Sano…..You have to wake up now. Come on you idiot rooster! Look at me." She scolded him gently. Slowly his brown eyes fluttered and then opened, though still bright with fever, Megumi was glad to see them.
"Hey Vixen. Good to see you again." He muttered. Ryu entered then with a steaming bowl of broth which Megumi mixed with some powder from her stores. Megumi then began to slowly feed it to him as one would a child. By the time the bowl was empty Sano had once again fallen asleep. Megumi called for Ryu to help her lift him onto the bed, where thanks to her powder he should sleep for the night. After being shown the bath house, eating her own dinner, and checking on Sano, Megumi lay on the futon Ryu had brought in while she was bathing and listened to Sano's even breathing for a moment before she fell into her own exhausted slumber.
The next five days passed in much the same way. Under her care Sanouske's fever gradually dropped, his body returning to a normal color. The cuts and bruises began to heal, and the wound on his back lost the shinning swollenness around the edges, a good sign that the infection was dissipating. It was about midday when Megumi was taking stock of her dwindling supply of medicine, and wondering what she would do when she was completely out, when a groan startled her from her thoughts. Megumi turned and gasped in surprise to see Sanouske sitting on the edge of the bed trying to stand.
"Idiot! What do you think you are doing?! She exclaimed as she rushed over to stop him from getting up. He gazed at her with clear eyes that widened with his own surprise as he whispered her name in awe.
"What are you….What happened?" He asked her in a scratchy voice.
"You were tortured and I was captured to tend your wounds. That is all I know." Megumi said looking at the floor, suddenly shy now that he was himself and she remembered that they hadn't seen each other in almost 3 years.
"Captured?! By who?!" He demanded, wincing in pain as his body tensed unconsciously in response to the unknown threat.
"I will only tell you if you lay down on your stomach. You are very weak and need to rest." She told him.
"I thought I was in hell. Everything hurts, but then I saw you." He muttered to himself. Megumi sat down softly on the edge of the bed, after he had settled down.
"Have you been harmed?" he asked her.
"No I am fine." Megumi then told him how she had awoken in the middle of the night to a stranger in her house, been drugged and brought here. She told him about Nori and Ryu, how she hadn't known he was the prisoner she was to heal until after she had refused to do it. How he had been in and out the past few days with fever and infection. Sanouske listened to her quietly until she finished.
"I can't believe Kenshin let you get kidnapped! I told him to look after you when I left! Wait until I get ahold of him!"
Megumi started. "He told Sir Ken to look after me? Why?" she wondered to herself.
"Sir Ken had nothing to do with it! In fact I haven't seen him or anyone else for many months now." She told him angrily. If he wanted her looked after why didn't he stay and do it himself? Sano looked confused at her response but didn't press the matter as his eyelids began to droop.
"Got anything for pain?" she asked her
Megumi quickly mixed some of her powder with water and made him drink it. Sanouske barely finished it before his body surrendered to sleep. Megumi caught the empty glass as the door opened to reveal Nori.
"Follow me please. We need to discuss your – um – patient."
Megumi sat the cup on the dresser, smoothed her hair and kimono and followed him down the hall to the table they had dinned at before. Nori got right to the point.
"I heard him speaking. Is he well?" Megumi saw no reason to lie at the moment so she told him the truth.
"His fever has gone, and I am treating the infection as best I can. With proper rest and food he should be fine."
"How long will a "proper rest" take?" Nori asked with annoyance in his tone.
"A month." Megumi replied instantly
Nori scoffed. "You have two weeks. If he is not better by then, I will have to think of another way to get what is mine." He told her with a evil glint in his eye. Megumi suppressed a shiver that ran down her spine.
"What exactly do you plan to do with me after you…." Megumi faltered. She couldn't bring herself to say the word "kill" while thinking about Sano. "After you are done?" she finished.
Nori's smile at her words made Megumi's heart skip a beat. She had seen that smile before. Nothing good ever came from it.
"Originally I had planned to kill you as well, but now, I may have to change those plans as well."
Megumi stood suddenly.
"Excuse me, I have deadline to make sure my patient meets." Without waiting for a response Megumi turned on her heel and walked back to the room where Sanouske slept deeply and untroubled.
He slept until Megumi woke him, when their dinner was brought in by Ryu. Sanouske's eye brows shot up when he saw the sparse amount of noodles in his bowl.
"This is it?! Im starving!" He complained.
Megumi rolled her eyes and sighed
"Your body is still weak! Prove to me that you can keep that down and you can have some more tomorrow." She told him turning to her own dinner. Sanouske muttered something about "Stingy Vixens "but finished everything in his bowl. After dinner Megumi eased him to the edge of the bed and gently unwound his bandages so she could check the wound on his back. It was healing nicely, but now that most of the swelling had gone down she could see that what she had originally thought was random slash marks to inflict pain, where actually the strokes need to make the word "BAD". The same symbol he had worn on his jacket all the time she had known him (and long before) was now carved into his flesh. Megumi didn't say anything as went to the dresser to mix some salve (and hide her tears for him) Behind her she could hear him muttering as he gently rolled his muscles trying to stretch them, and his sharp intake of breath when he pulled at the wound.
"It doesn't hurt much you know, and I heal pretty quickly." He told her. Megumi didn't respond as she continued mixing ingredients to a paste .
"Though to be honest I am not too fond of this western bed." He continued, then sighed when she didn't respond.
After a few minutes of silence Megumi finished her work and turned to find him staring at her. She met his gaze.
"Nori plans to kill you slowly." She told him bluntly as she sat down behind him and gently dressed his back.
"I know." He said without emotion
"Why?"
Sanouske shrugged, a move he instantly regretted.
"Idiot! Hold still!" she admonished him.
Sanouske yawned loudly the said with his old carefree tone. "Hey! At least it's not my hand this time!" holding his hand behind him and flexing his fingers. Megumi shook her head as she finished and got up. He didn't complain when she ordered him back to bed to rest. As strong as he was, Sanouske was still human, and she had seen men die of lesser things than he had now.
Time flew quickly- too quickly for Megumi. Once his fever broke Sano began to heal rapidly. Within a week he was able to get out of bed and walk around the room like nothing happened and his appetite was as ravenous as ever. They passed their days pleasantly enough, Megumi told him about Kenij, Ayme and Susame and he told her all about the adventures he had and places he had seen. Neither one was willing to breach the topics they both desperately wanted to discuss – Their captivity under Nori and his impending threats, or the last time they had seen each other. Though she was happy Sano was healing, she also knew he was speeding toward more pain, suffering, and if Nori had his way, death. So even though it was expected, Megumi was not prepared when, one cloudy day while she unwinding Sano's bandages Ryu threw the door open, startling her but not Sanouske, who was on feet in front of her before she could blink.
Nori ignored him and looked down at her.
"Follow me." He said, turning and walking down the hall. Megumi blinked, then stood smoothing her hair and smock before glancing at Sano. She was surprised to see he looked a little worried, but she raised her chin and began to walk out, only to be stopped by Sanouske's hand on her arm.
"Stay behind me." He muttered, without looking at her. So Megumi followed him out into the hall, stepped into the foyer. She assumed that they were headed for the table, and so she let out a yelp of fear when a strong form came up behind her and a sharp cold blade was pressed into her neck. Sanouske whirled around instantly, clench fists raised, but paled when he saw her. Megumi's heart beat rapidly as she tried to make sense of what just happened.
"Well Mr Sagra." Nori spat out the name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "It seems you don't care much for yourself, what though I wonder is the doctor's life worth to you?" came the taunting voice behind her.
Sanouske dropped his arms to his sides and raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you think her life is worth anything to me?" He asked in an almost bored tone. Megumi stiffened as her accelerated heart skipped a beat. She was reasonably sure that he was trying to play Nori….. but still somewhere deep inside a tiny voice whispered that it might be true. After all, they had always bickered with one another, and he did up and leave for years without a word….perhaps….perhaps he really didn't care. Just because she privately was in love with him, did not mean that he hadn't gotten over her.
Megumi was brought out of her thoughts when Nori dug the blade into her throat a little bit deeper, causing her to wince and Sano to growl, which only made Nori laugh.
"Oh please Zana! Do you really think her being here is a coincidence? You give me too little credit! From the day you murdered my family I have watched you! You are a good fighter I will give you that. I knew I could never win against you. So I hired men to fight you. You beat them all of course, but you were miserable, so I was content. Then you started hanging out with the man slayer and I almost gave up. There was no way I would be able to punish you with him around, besides it looked like you were going to get yourself killed running around with him anyway. I have to say I was quite disappointed you lived through both the battles with Shishio and Enishi, but I guess that just goes to show you if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. Though Enishi did give me an idea. You see while waiting for you die I happen to notice certain things…..things like who's clinic you guarded after you walked her home at night without her knowledge…..or who you got into fights with in Tokyo if anyone dared say anything against the unusually beautiful lady doctor." He finished in a suggestive tone then began to nuzzle the top of Megumi's head, causing her to pull away from him, and into the blade.
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Sanouske snarled, his fists bawled so tightly they were white as he unconsciously took a step forward. Megumi could actually hear the smirk in Nori's voice as he continued to taunt Sano.
"Or what? Hm? What is the great Sagara going to do? There is no one you can lie to, no one to die for you now." Megumi's mind began to whirl at his words. No one to lie to? Sano was many things but he had never known him to be a liar sure he bent the truth sometimes, but she couldn't remember a time when he has outright lied to anyone (unlike herself) . Suddenly her eyes widened in shock as it dawned on her, the "bad carved into his back, being called a liar, this was about the sikekhoti! It had to be! Instantly a plan formed in her mind, clenching her own fist and taking on a hurt expression, without looking at Sano she loudly whispered to Nori,
"He lied to you as well?" No one reacted so she continued on. "I suppose he promised you the world? Told you everything would be better, made you believe everything he said…and when he had worn you down enough to think maybe…..just maybe it could be possible…..he snatched it all away without looking back." Megumi's didn't have to fake the pain in her voice, it was everything he had feared in the back of her mind for years. To underscore that fact she leaned into Nori's chest. He stiffened for a moment, then put more pressure on the blade, still pressed at her throat.
"Don't try to play me Vixen." Nori spat out Sano's nickname for her like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Inside Megumi raged! No one called her that but Sanouske, and it seemed wrong to her that Nori had tainted it. But she was very good at not showing her emotions.
"You think I didn't see you crying every night for week after he left you behind?!" Nori demanded. Megumi was very deliberately not looking at Sanouske now, but she did hear the quick intake of breath at Nori's words. Ignoring it she brought her hand up to Nori's, and using her sultry voice said.
"You are right I did cry…..something I am ashamed of now. I assure you I am not trying to play you. In fact I agree with you! I want him to be punished for leaving me! You followed him around, but what about me? What do you know of my past?"
"NO!" Sanouske roared. "The past doesn't matter! Mine or hers! Let her go and you can do what you want with me!" Megumi could feel Nori tense behind her, and the blade pressing ever deeper into her neck, finally breaking the skin and releasing a trickle of blood.
"Lying scum like you do not get to discount the devastation they leave behind them just because their lives turned out well! If my path was soaked in the blood of others – then I could have been happy too! Indeed my life was set until you came and destroyed everything! You wore that coat so proudly! The mark upon your back, then you left it behind when you left Japan. Well at least now you can never take it off! From now until the day you die, everyone will know exactly who and what you are! Renounce the Sikekhoti as a false army! Tell me where the money is or say goodbye to the Doctor!"
"Damn you!" spat Sanouske. "I told you there is no money!" Megumi looked at Sanouske, willing him to look her, pleading with her eyes for him to just be quiet for once! But she was surprised to see he was pale. When he finally met her eyes with his brown ones, she glared at him with all the hate and anger she could muster.
"He cares nothing for anyone other than himself." She stated icily. "But you, Nori, you I can a woman could do a lot worse than you. I would be honored if you would let me join your revenge against this bum. As she spoke Megumi made tiny adjustment with her body. Leaning slightly into the blade as she angled herself to turn around and face Nori. "As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, thought I guess I should have expected as much from an ignorant, brawling, gangster. " Megumi laughed her trademark laugh, raising her hand to her mouth as she did. "I was the personal physician of the Kanryuu Takada! Have you heard of him?" she asked proudly, letting her hand fall too rest lightly on Nori's wrist. His eyes flicked to their hands, but he didn't push her off.
"Yes I have heard of him. He had a pretty nice set up until the Battousai got involved, thanks to you I believe." Nori raised an eyebrow at Megumi, who shrugged nonchalantly. By now she had turned herself sideways so that she could turn and look Nori in the eye.
"Yes and I have since come to regret that. I thought I wanted a normal life, I thought I would get that with Zanza." Megumi motioned her head to Sanouske, who was standing with a look of complete shock on his face. Megumi's heart dropped, but she continued.
"But he proved to be worse than Kanryuu! At least there I knew what I was and where I stood! I might as well go back to what I know, since it appears that fate doesn't care either way!" By the time she finished Megumi was nearly shouting. "I have some poisons in my room. You should have told me what you wanted! I can draw it out or make it quick, which ever you prefer." She grinned wickedly at Nori as she peeked at him from under her eyelashes. For the first time Nori gazed down at her, taking his attention off Sanouske. leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.
"Yes." He breathed
At that moment several things happened at once. Megumi simultaneously put all her weight into the blade that was now on the side of her neck, causing it to slide into her flesh for a moment until she tightened her grip on his wrist and pushed it back. She could hear Sano engaged in a fight with Ryuu. As soon as the knife clattered to the floor, Megumi dropped to her knees. Nori cursed her as he reached for her hair to pull her back up, but was stopped midway by a thin sword point at the hollow of his own throat.
"This is now finished." A low voice came from above, causing Mugumi's heart to skip a beat, as she scrambled away, before she remembered that Aoshi Shinomori was no longer one of her captors, but an allie. On her feet in flash, she looked for Sanouske. He had a few new bruises, but was standing. His expression gave nothing away as he glanced at her while walking toward Aoshi, revealing an unconscious Ryuu in his wake. Without a word Aoshi dropped his blade and stood back. Nori visibly trembled as he looked up at Sanouske, who grabbed him by the front of his suit, pulling him toward him until their noses were nearly touching.
"Capturing and torturing me? Fine. You think I wronged you and you want justice fine." He growled to Nori. "But you brought Megumi into this, and that – THAT I CAN NOT EXCUSE!" Sanouske was yelling the last part as he put all his strength into his fist, sending Nori flying across the room, into the wall, and slumping into a heap on the floor. Only then did Sano turn to Shinamori, exposing his back to Megumi, who gasped and felt faint at the sight.
"Sano! Your back! You opened the wound!" She tried to take a step toward him, but her legs began to tremble. Sanouske didn't notice as he waved her off.
"It doesnt matter." he said as glanced back at her, his eyes widened he did a double take.
"Your neck!" he exclaimed, coming to her side in two quick and powerful strides.
"Its fine" Megumi shook her head as she began to shiver. "It...It's not deep."
Sanouske's brow furrowed as he held his arms out awkwardly to her, unsure of what to do.
"What's wrong Megumi?!"
His voice sounded faraway, but she tried to answer him anyway. No sound came out, as her legs suddenly gave out and she collapsed. Sanouske caught her before she hit the ground, his frantic voice fading as he called her name.
The next thing Megumi knew was screaming.
It was everywhere.
Inside and out of her head. It went on and on. Just when Megumi thought it would never end it abruptly cut off.
The next thing Megumi knew was heat. She was hotter than she had ever been. She was sure she was suffocate because of it.
"This is it." she thought to herself. "I am in hell. I suppose it is what I deserve." that thought, though true in her mind, didn't give her any comfort. "I hope hell is large." She continued to herself as sweat drenched her body. "I have no desire to run into anyone."
No sooner did the thought cross her mind than Kanryu appeared before her. Megumi shrank into herself, trying to take a step back, but couldn't move.
"Hello my dear. So good to see you again. Though it looks like we will be quite a bit of time together from now on." He said as he opened his arms to her.
"NO!" Ripped from her soul as suddenly his hands were around her neck. She clawed at him, but it made no difference. Then just as suddenly as he appeared, he disappeared. Megumi rolled into the fetal position, her tears mixing with the perspiration. There was nothing now.
This was it.
This is all there would ever be.
"Megumi"
A voice called to her, but she didnt bother to respond. What was the point? Nothing good could come from it.
"Megumi." the voice called again, and again Megumi ignored it. She had nothing left in her. She resigned herself to her desolate fate, it was what she deserved.
"Vixen...Come on now." Megumi looked up, and saw nothing, but she heard it. She knew she had. What was he doing here? He shouldn't be here. Sure he was a ruffian, but he didn't deserve to end up here.
"Megumi please." There it was again, that husky voice she had secretly longed to hear for nearly 3 years.
"Vixen - what are you waiting for?"
"Sanouske? Where are you?" Megumi looked around but couldn't see anything. She put her head back down on her knees.
Bright sunlight assaulted Megumi's eyelids, she squeezed them together tightly. It would be time to open the clinic soon. She tried to gather the blankets in her hand, but something strong and warm was already there.
"Megumi?"
She opened her eyes to see a very haggard Sanouske gazing at her with wide eye filled with concern. She blinked a few times and tried to sit up, setting of a pounding in her head. Sano let go of her hand and went to the door.
"Kenshin! Hiko! She's awake!" he called. He returned to her side as moments later, Kenshin came into the room, followed by Karou and Lord Hiko. Megumi had met Kenshin's master only once before. After the battle with Sishio, but at that time her main concern had been saving Sano, Sir Ken, and Aoshi from their wounds. She remembered him as being large back then, but now he seemed giant as he loomed over her.
"Megumi? How do you feel?" asked Karou softly. Megumi smiled at her weakly. She looked as if she was about to burst into tears.
"I'm not sure." she replied in cracked voice as she took stock of her body. Her head was pounding, she felt very weak and hot. Her throat was tender on the outside and scratchy on the inside. As if he could read her mind Sano stood walked out, mumbling something about water. Megumi watched him leave, her arm twitching after him.
"What happened?" She asked.
"After you passed out the fighter and the ninja brought you here to Kyoto. It was only a few hours by train. Unfortunately the fighter bandaged your neck, which was about the worst thing he could have done. The blade was coated in poison, made from the Cycas revoluta Palm. The bandage kept the poison in and allowed it to enter your blood." Hiko answered.
Sanouske reappeared with a cup of water, which Megumi drank greatfully.
"I gave you some medicine and we wrapped you in blankets, hoping to flush out the poison. That was 3 days ago. I must admit I was beginning to think it was too little too late." Then with a nod, Hiko turned and left the room. Kenshin shook his head at his master before turning to her.
"Is there anything I can get you Miss Megumi?" he asked. Megumi shook her head and he continued. "Well this one-" Kenshin broke off as Karou growled angerly at him. Megumi felt her lips twitch upward. Karou had mostly broken her husband of his self depceating habbit, but he did slip every once in a while.
"I mean "I" he said sheepishly, deliberatly not looking at his wife. "I am very glad to see you awake, that I am... I think we will see if they need anything downstairs that we will." he finnished with a sidelong glance at Sanouske. He smiled warmly at Megumi as he led Karou, who smiled greatfully at her, out the door.
"I hope the Missy is going to check on Kenji and not dinner. 3 years away sure didn't improve her cooking. In fact I think she may have even gotten worse! Sano said from behind her. Megumi started, she had forgotten he was there.
"Your back!" she exclaimed as she struggled to get herself out from under the mountian of blankets she was wrapped in. Sano came around and put his hand on her arm. She stopped struggling and looked up at him.
Don't bother after he saw to you, Kenshin's master put some stinging medicine on it, then wrapped it." Sanouske flexed his muscles as he spoke. "I'm a quick mend remember?" He said with a hint of his old mischievous self. "I will say this though – that man's bedside manner could use some work! And I always thought you were rough!" he added with a shy glance at her.
"What happened?" she asked, too tired to spar with him as she had in the past. Sano sighed as he ran his heand down the back of his neck, and she began to dig herself out from under the mountain of blankets.
"About that – I owe Kenshin an apology." he began not looking at her. "I always told him that he was being silly, not wanting to admit his feelings for Karou, because it might put her in danger. Now I know he was right to be worried." Sano glanced at her. Her ebony hair flowing down her sholders and back. The only thing out of place was the white bandage on her neck. Sano winced looking at it as he sat down in front of her, sliding his hand under hers. " But unlike Kenshin I never want to risk you ever again."
Megumi blinked in suprise at his words, not to mention his large, warm, rough hand that held hers perfectly was slightly distracting. She longed to to stroke it with her thumb and twine her fingers with his. She wasnted to run her other hand through his shaggy hair to comfort him, to assure him that he didnt have to apologize for anything. After all this time he was here, beside her! But she was not some silly school girl with a crush! She was a lady, even if she was an unusual one.
"Why did Nori think you had money?" she asked aloud.
Sanouske sighed "His father was a very wealthy lord during the Edo period. Nori had everything laid out for him. Then Captian Sagara came though to gain members..." Sano shook his head.
"Several members of the household went with the captian. They were good guys" Sanouske smiled wistfully at the far off memory. "Nori's father came to camp one day to get "his property" back. That was same day the imperalist bastards..." Sano's fists tightened. "Afterward when they found his father body, surrounded by his servants the Impearlists seized everything. The money, lands, titles, everything. Nori and his mother were left broke and homeless. His mother died soon after, leaving him alone. Captian Sagara had told everyone that the new government would would cut taxes. Somehow Nori got the idea that the captian had hid the tax money somewhere. Nori thought since I survived I would know where it was, he thought he was entitled to it." Sanouske shook his head. "I will never forgive the Meiji government for what they did, but the Edo period wasnt any better."
Megumi listened silently.
"Or at least that is the short version of what he told me everytime he made a slash on my back." He finished as he rolled his sholders.
Megumi sat absorbing what she had just heard, though she had more or less guessed as much for herself.
"Megumi?" Sanouske whispered quietly. Startled at the softness of his voice, Megumi looked up to see him gazing at her with an odd look on his face.
"Did you...Did you really cry after I left? He asked in the same quiet tone. Megumi froze in shock, as her heart began to race, this was the last thing she was expecting.
"Damn that Nori!"she raged internally. Her first thought, borne of years of self preservation was to give him a smirk, hidden behind her hand followed by a quick quip about something unpleasent she would rather do than cry over him. But looking at him now, right here in front of her, as she had secretly dreamed of countless times late at night, when she had been unable to sleep. There was a glimmer of something in his eyes that made her want to spill everything she had held in for years.
Megumi sighed. She was so tired of being strong, so tired of being alone. Sanouske had already left her once without a backward glance. What did she possibly have left to lose? Megumi lowered her eyes to her lap, causing some of her hair to fall past her sholder, as she pulled her hand from his.
"Would it matter if I had?" she asked him without emotion. Sanouske began to reply , but she didnt give him a chance, she knew that if she stopped she would never start again.
"Would matter at all if a woman with permant blood stains on her hands had thought for just one moment that she found someone that could see past the fact that she was no longer an innocent young maiden, however unwillingly she became that way? Would it matter if the man she hoped to prove to her that not all men were the same, did exaclty the oppisite?" Megumi couldnt keep the hardness out of her voice. "When he walked away without a secoend thought, would it matter at all if that woman shed a few tears one last time in her life?"
Megumi continued to stare at her lap, blinking ferouisly against the string of tears that threatened her now. Sanouske was quiet for so long, she thought he must have slipped out of the room without her noticing. She sighed as she raised her head, she would have to get away from here soon. This time she really would leave Japan, there was truly nothing left for her here.
Megumi couldnt believe her eyes. He was sitting next to her. He hadnt moved. And when their eyes met...he began to chuckle!
"Do you remember the first night you spent at the dojo? When you and Kenshin were talking? The missy was sitting outside with me." He began to grin. " She was worried about Kenshin in a room alone with a beautiful and mature woman, so unlike her." Sano laughed as shook his head. "You woman sure worry about each other a lot."
Megumi was in shock.
She has just bared her soul to him and he was making jokes!
Back straight she rose and walked toward the door. She had to get away from him, away from everything, but Sanouske put his arm out.
"Please, hear me out, and if you still want to leave I wont stop you. He waited a moment to see if she would agree, and when she didnt object he continued.
"The man in your story he...he was young and stupid and selfish. He – I didnt really thinkg about anything past the next hour, or my next meal. The last time I planned a future... I got better after I met Kenshin and the little Missy. Then I met the most infurating, stuck -up, smartest, refined, beautiful woman I have ever known."
Sanouske gently reached up and cupped her chin, guiding it so she was looking at him. Instinctavly she lowered her eyes to the ground, then up into his dark chesnut ones. She couldn't find any hint of of the teasing glint or spark of mischef that were normally there. Megumi sighed as the anger and pride that had propelled her to the door, melted away leaving her exausted.
Sanouske wound his arm around her waist and guided her back to the futon, where she sank down greatfully. Sanouske's arm lingered around her waist for a moment before he sat down beside her with a heavy sigh of his own.
"As much as it pisses me off, Nori was right. I did guard you at night and several of the times I came to you to get treated were times I had to defend you from some low life running his mouth."
Megumi closed her eyes. How was this possible? How could he have been watching over her all that time and she never knew? Never even had a thought of what was really going on. Megumi felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she remembered all the times she had yelled and baraded him for being stupid and not being able to stay out of fights. Sano chuckled as he brushed a stray hair behind her ear, his fingertips leaving a trail of sparks on her cheek.
"It was my choice Vixen. I protected you because I wanted to. It was worth it and I would do it again. In fact...if you would let me I would protect you for the rest of your life."
Megumi tensed at those words. It would be so easy to say yes to the man she thought she loved for years. The man she had pined overin her deepest heart. Even now a large part of her was acheing to wrap her arms around his waist, bury her head in his chest and let herself go. But that wasnt who she was. She was Megumi Tankni, after all. Sanouske flinched back at the sudden fire that appeared in her eyes.
"Baka! Do you really think you can walk in here after leaving for 3 years without a word?! How do you think I felt waking up that morning and finding out that everyone knew you were gone except me?! I had thought perhaps..." Megumi shook her head in angry frustration.
"Vix...Megumi. I... I wasn't strong enough." Megumi glanced at him out of the corner of eye. Her back was straight as usual, but she was surprised to see his sholders were slumped.
"You were worried about your past?" he continued. "What could an ex -gangster, whose only talent is with his fists, possibly offer a woman like you? You deserve a man with money and a future. I came by that night to tell you good-bye, but I chickened out. If I stayed...its not like I havent been arrested before... I wanted to ask you to come with me, but I realized that was selfish. If I had seen you that night I would have ruined your life...so I did the only thing I could think of. I honestly didnt think it would matter what I did." Sano grinned slyly at her. "I didnt know you cared so much. I honestly thought by the time I came home you would be married with kids of your own."
Megumi shook her head, the last of her restience crumbling inside her.
"Baka! How do I know you wont run off again? She asked with a hint of her old slyness in her voice. There was an odd look on his face, like he was at war with himself when he suddenly, but very gently gathered her into his arms and murmmered into her ear.
"Why would I leave the one that haunted me across the world and every night in my dreams?"
With those words any reservations Megumi felt dissapeared as she let herself melt into his arms.
"I dreamed of you to." she whispered.
They stayed like that neither of them daring to believe the other was truly there, until Megumi stifled a yawn.
"You need to rest Vixen, you almost died today, you know. I have to say I think I enjoy it better when I am the patient and you are the doctor." Sanouske said grinning as he tried to unwrap himself from her. But Megumi remembering her nightmares of screaming and Kanryuu, had no desire to return to them. Suddenly something clicked in her mind.
"Did Hiko say you and Aoshi brought me here by train? I thought you hated trains?" she asked him.
"I do, but holding you after you collapsed in front of me... I barely noticed the train." Sanouske shook his head. "I didnt think you could top that night at Kanyru with the dagger, but damn Vixen! When that bastard cut your neck...I swear it took about 10 years off my life!''
Now Megumi began to laugh.
"Rooster he didnt cut me. I cut myself. I leaned into the blade." Megumi laughed in earnest at the look on Sanouske's face. It went from pale at the memory, to red with annoyence to purple with rage in less than 3 secoends.
"You... you...what?!" he sputtered as she looked up innocently from the futon.
"I am a doctor after all. I knew where the safest place to cut would be, and honestly how else were we going to get out of there? You couldnt very well punch your way out."
"I would have thought of something!" he ran his hand over his face. "God Vixen! I cant believe I have to say this, but you are not allowed to sacrfice yourself like that ever again!"
Megumi yawned again. "Try and stop me." she muttured as she lay back on the futon. Sanouske snorted as he lay down beside her, wrapping her in his comforting and warming embrace. Her last thought before drifting off to sleep was that having him hear in reality was so much better than she had imagined, all those nights she lay alone in her bed.
That evening found everyone relaxing after dinner at the Aoyia. Kenshin sitting between Karou and Master Hiko, who looked especially gigantic with little Kenji curled up, fast asleep in his lap. Megumi was leaning her back against Sanouske's chest, (to no one's suprise) While Aoshi was calmly sipping tea, with Miso bouncing next to him, telling everyone what she would have done to Nori.
"I have no doubt you would have been a fearsome opponent, however as we disscused, you are the fastest and we needed the Himouras." Aoshi told her calmly.
"Yea well Yahiko didn't have to point out that I was a messenger!" Miso pouted until Karou leaned over and said -
"Well the next time he says something about it, just remind him that he was the baby-sitter!" Both girls began to laugh hysterically. Kenshin smiled loving at his wife's antics.
"Yahiko stayed behind to watch the Dojo, that he did. Not to mention we were very worried about you Miss Megumi, that we were. But we didnt know what state you would be in, we wanted to protect Amye and Suzame, that we did." Kenshin explained when he saw the confusion on Megumi's face. Megumi felt the blood rush to cheeks at causeing her friends to worry.
"I'm very sorry for all the trouble I caused." she mummered quietly. "But how did you find me?"
Karou gave her an exasperated look.
"You are family Miss Megumi. Like it or not. We weren't spying on you or anything like that. Kenshin simply asked the Obiwaban group to keep an ear out, if the heard anything about a female doctor in trouble."
Miso jumped up.
"That's right! The Obiwaban group has eyes and ears everywhere! We stop at nothing to save one of our own!" she exclaimed!
Megumi smiled.
"Thank you" she whispered, touched
"One does have to wonder though..." began Kenshin's Master, everyone turnning to look at him. "How the famous fighter and world traveler Zanza would get himself kiddnapped in the first place."
Megumi felt Sanouske tense behind her.
"Seems to me all of this could have been avoided if he knew how to defend himself."
"That is a very good question. How did you manage to get captured?" asked Aoshi.
Megumi grinned her fox grin even though Sano couldn't see it.
"They probably offered him a free poisoned meal!"
"Hey! I fought him and won fair and square!" Sanouske yelled behind her. He then began to tell them how he had just arrived back in Japan and was looking for a place to sleep. That's when a large man (Later revealed to be Ryuu) challanged him to him a fight. Sanouske had beaten him easily and Ryuu had insisted on buying him a meal to prove there were no hard feelings, Sano had happily agreed.
"The Vixen here must be right because the next thing I remember is not so pleasant." Megumi felt him roll his sholders behind her.
"Only a moron takes food from an adversary." Hiko said. Kenshin hung his head in embarssment.
"Master." he mumbled, his cheeks turning red as his hair.
"But the doctor will live. So I will be going home in the morning." he continued without reacting to Kenshin. Karou stifled a yawn as she got up to ger her son from Hiko's lap, and suddenly the room was filled with chourses of good-nights, leaving Megumi and Sanouske alone. Sanouske stood up and held his hand out to her.
"Come on Doc. You need to rest." He told her, gazing down at her tenderly. Although she was a bit tired, she didnt want to admit it, so Megumi folded her arms across her chest.
"I am perfectly fine here. I slept for 3 days and most of today! I'm becoming as lazy as you are! She replied. Sano chuckled as he put his hands in his pockets.
"Sucks being on the other side doesn't it Vixen?" All those times you were after me to rest and I told you I was fine? But need I remind you that you almost died?" he grinned down at her, his deep brown eyes changing from tender to mischievous in an instant causing Megumi to freeze.
"You are going to rest, one way or another. You can walk or I will carry you." he said taking a step toward her. Megumi froze as she glared at him through narrowed eyes.
"You wouldnt dare."
Megumi bearly had time to register the broad grin that split the fighter's face before she was swept up in his arms, bridal style.
"Baka! Put me down this instant!" she continued to berate him with very un-lady like curses and theats until he gently placed her on the futon. Sano stood up and rubbed his ear.
"Damn Vixen! At the very least you woke up the whole Aoyia! At most you broke my ear! See if I ever do anything nice for you again!"
"You pull another stunt like that again and your ear will be the least of your problems!"
Sano waved her off, then stood awakwardly beside her.
"So Hiko will be leaving in the morning, and im sure Kenshin and Karou will be heading home to toyko soon...Oh! About that! I almost forgot! I asked Kenshin why you left in the first place. He said that people stopped comin to your clinic after Dr Gensai passed away right? I spoke to Katsu, who was visting Sae for Tae." Sanouske smiled and shook his head at the twins' names. "Aparently Nori had covertly threatened the people, he would burn down their homes if they went to you for treatment. He was trying to flush you out. To get you away from Kenshin." Sanouske's jaw and fist clentched in anger, so Megumi reached up and placed her hand on his arm. He glanced down before sitting beside her.
"Anyway I spoke to Kenshin, about it, and after all the favors he had done for them, he thinks that he could get the clinic back for you." he finnished, but Megumi shook her head.
"I wouldnt want him to owe the government anything on my account." Sanouske looked at her.
"Well the i'm sure the Icicle and the weasel girl will have room for us... or that bastard Saito, he showed up just after the Ice Man, not sure what he did with Nori, I was a bit preocupied." he glanced at the bandage on her neck. Megumi leaned over wrapping her arms around his waist, and placeing her cheek on his chest. After a moment he returned the embrace.
"Whats the matter Megumi?" he mummered softly into her hair.
"Us." she replied softly, sensing his confusion she continued. "You said "Room for us" Sanouske... I ..."
"I know Vixen. I've been alone most of my life too, but now as long as you will have me, neither of us will be alone again. I will follow you, where ever you want to go. I... I love you Megumi Tankni."
Megumi smiled radiantly as she looked up into his chocolate brown eyes.
"I love you Sanouske Sagara."