Even the Bakamatsu can have a Happy Ending

By: Shiara-dono

Standard disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Sadly.

Chapter 1

"Matte, Hitokiri Battousai!"

Damn. So, they've caught up already. His amber eyes narrowed. He faltered a bit, gasping in pain. A few lucky sword strikes had rendered him unable to fight, forcing him to flee, something he'd never done before. For a week they'd chased him. Now he was on the outskirts of Edo. With the amount of blood he'd lost, he knew if he didn't find shelter soon, he'd die, from lack of blood, or from the Shinsengumi that followed him. Damn the Shinsengumi!

Suddenly, ahead of him, he saw the outlines of a dojo. He ran around the back of the dojo, steeled himself against the pain, and jumped nimbly over the gates, hoping the others would pass by. He held his breath and waited.

His pursuers ran by, not even giving the dojo a second glance. Their voices died as they got farther away. He smiled, quietly making his way to the shed he'd noticed. With a sigh, he lay down inside it. He'd stay here a few days to recover, then be on his way.

Kamiya Kaoru awoke suddenly, breathing hard. Something wasn't right. The air in the dojo was still, too still, causing the hair on her neck to stand up. She grabbed the bokken she always set next to her futon, and crept through the dojo, all senses alert. She found nothing out of place. Still uneasy, she walked out to check the dojo grounds.

She discovered a trail of blood leading from the back gate to the shed. Tightening her grip on her bokken, she opened the doors, and gasped. A man lay where the blood trail ended. His breathing was ragged and his purplish-amber eyes opened in surprise when the door creaked. She opened her mouth.

He got to his feet wobbly. "Please, don't scream. I mean you no harm." He fainted right in front of her.

Kaoru stood there for a moment, trying to figure out what to do. She sighed, bent down next to the man, and turned him over. Then she sat back to examine him.

He was handsome. The dark blue gi and gray hakama he wore accented his flame red hair that was kept in a high ponytail. A scar in the shape of a cross stretched across his left cheek. Kaoru narrowed her eyes and leaned closer. Although the dark fabric made it harder to tell, she could see he was bleeding. If she left him there, he might die.

Kaoru bit her lip, eyes straying to the daisho at the man's hip. He could be a hitokiri. Would she save him only to have him kill her later? She hesitated for just a moment before her resolve hardened. Carefully, she hoisted him onto her shoulders and drug him into the dojo. She made her way to her bedroom, where she gently laid him on her futon. Then she blushed, grit her teeth, and pulled back his clothes. She drew in a sharp breath. Three jagged wounds, one in the shoulder, one in the abdomen, and one on his leg, bled freely. Kaoru could see that infection was already setting in.

There was no time to go for a doctor. Obviously, someone had wanted this man dead. Even with her help, he still might die, but Kaoru wasn't going to give up so easily. She got her first aid box and told herself she was going to do everything she could to save the nearly naked man lying on her futon. She gently washed his wounds, treated them with antiseptic, sewed them up, and bandaged them. She started to reclothe him, but stopped, grimacing. His clothes were soaked with blood. Even with a good wash or three, the blood would probably never come out. She refused to put them back on him. Instead, she dug through her father's clothes.

She pulled out a gi and hakama. The gi had once been bright red, but was faded with age and was now more magenta-ish than anything. The hakama were white. She smiled, remembering. The gi was her father's least favorite. Her mother had gotten it for him many years earlier, and he had worn it to please her. Kaoru figured her father wouldn't mind another man wearing it.

Kaoru sat back and admired her handiwork, giggling. The gi certainly clashed with this man's hair. Her eyes widened a bit and she blushed when she realized the man was awake. He was watching her with soft amethyst eyes.

"A… ari… gato." He mumbled weakly before passing out again.

Kaoru smiled, thinking that this man looked to soft to be a swordsman. She leaned back against the wall, watching him a while. It felt strange to have a man staying with her. With a shrug, trusting he was too weak to kill her if he was a hitokiri, she fell asleep.

He awoke suddenly, confused. He had no idea where he was. The sound of soft breathing caused him to open his eyes. He saw the girl asleep against the wall and suddenly remembered. The fight with the Shinsengumi, the lucky shots, running, and hiding in a dojo. Damn the Shinsengumi! He mentally cursed again. He thought it odd for a dojo to be run by a girl. He shifted, and bit back a yelp as pain sliced through him. He looked up again and saw that he had awoken the girl.

Kaoru heard the muffled cry of pain and opened her eyes. The man was conscious. His amber flecked amethyst eyes regarded her carefully.

"How long have I been out?" His voice was low, strong, and wary, but tired-sounding.

Kaoru yawned. "Not long enough. Just a few hours." She stood. "You need to rest more if you want those wounds to heal."

"Who are you?"

"Kamiya Kaoru. You're currently in my dojo. What's your name?"

He paused, thinking. "Kenshin." He said finally.

"Just 'Kenshin?' No last name?"

"None that I wish to give." He paused again. "You said your dojo. Where is your family?"

Shadows covered Kaoru's eyes. "My mother died a few years ago. My father… my father is fighting in the war in Kyoto. It wasn't his choice; he was drafted. What about you?"

He shrugged. "Parents died of cholera when I was young. I was taken in by a swords master after that."

"Oh." Kaoru stood there quietly for a few minutes. "Anyway, I'm going to go get the doctor now." She moved to leave.

"Kamiya-san?"

Kaoru winced. "Please, Kaoru's fine. Even my students aren't required to call me by my last name."

He thought it over. "It doesn't feel right to call you by just your first name. Very well then, how about Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru sighed. "If you want."

Kenshin smiled at her reluctance. "I hate doctors."

Kaoru giggled. "Don't worry; Megumi-san's a really good doctor. I just want her to make sure I didn't miss anything when I patched you up last night. And you're in no condition to move, so don't even think of leaving while I'm gone!" She closed the shoji behind her.

Kenshin chuckled. Very fiery, that one. No wonder she runs a dojo.

Kaoru returned a little while later, Megumi in tow. Kenshin warily let the slightly older woman examine him. Megumi rocked back on her heels. "Hmm, very good, Tanuki. It seems you learned something from me, after all."

Kaoru grit her teeth, biting back a retort.

"So, your name is Kenshin?"

Kenshin nodded.

"Well, Ken-san, you were lucky." (Ken-san?! Kenshin wondered.) "However, as a doctor, I'm ordering strict bed rest for the next three days. You'll have to take it easy for about a week and a half after that."

"Two weeks??!" Kenshin and Kaoru screeched in unison.

Megumi glared at them. "Providing you adhere to that, you should be fine in two weeks. Or, you can ignore my orders and take months to heal. Your choice."

Kenshin lowered his eyes. "Hai, Megumi-dono. Arigato."

Megumi just shook her head. "Remember to call me if you need anything, Tanuki." She smiled and left.

"Gomen, Kaoru-dono, for invading your life like this."

"Well, I certainly couldn't let you die." She paused. A thought had come to her. "Kenshin. Can you cook?"

He uttered a word Kaoru didn't recognize. "Oro? Hai?"

"Good. Then to pay me back for letting you stay here, when you get better you can cook a meal or two for me. Sound fair?"

Kenshin nodded.

"In the meantime, you'll have to put up with my cooking. I hope you have a stomach of iron, though, because cooking is not something I'm good at."

He chuckled. "It will be fine. I'll manage."

She glared at him. "Then I will go make breakfast. You, rest, understand?" She walked out of the room without waiting for an answer.

I have a feeling these two weeks will be very interesting. He thought to himself. His eyes narrowed, regaining some of their amber coloring. The Shinsengumi won't give up on finding me. Perhaps caution is best for now.

So, what do you think? Good? Bad? Let me know. I'm not sure how many chapters long it will end up being. Somewhere around four to six, I'm thinking. Next chapter, some more familiar characters show up. Ja ne!