AN: If I were to try this again, would you read it?

Chapter I: Death At The End


Several hours after procedure, Kaoru came out of the ER completely exhausted and half-conscious. She could barely walk around in her office as she stumbled in from the door. A 36-hour operation on the brain weighed heavily on her feeble frame. She no longer had time for sleep, for food, or even for herself. Her hair framed her face in an unkempt manner and her scrubs sported an abstract painting of blood and brain matter. Her hands were still shaking from the small adrenaline shot she gave herself in the operating room for fear of suddenly losing it. Slowly she made her way to the sink and started scrubbing her hands free of blood and whatever else.

She hummed a tuneless song, timing how long her hands needed to be under the refreshing cold of the water. She was so tired that she had no energy to even feel surprise when she saw Yukishiro looking at her as she looked up at the mirror.

"Have you thought about our proposition, Dr. Kamiya?"

Kaoru wordlessly dried her hands and started to take her scrubs off. Underneath she had nothing but a day-old undershirt and sweatpants. She did not care how she looked. Besides, Yukushiro should know better than to bother her right after a bypass.

"No sleepless nights. Twice the pay. You would be saving lives in a far more rewarding manner than what you had just gone through."

"The patient didn't make it."

"My apologies."

Kaoru stared at Enishi. He was as polite as ever and there was nothing that indicated malice in his voice. They had long been colleagues but it was only recently that he had taken interest in her skill. She knew he was in the research division, and she had done a little bit of that herself, but she took a different path. She was now the leading neurosurgeon of the hospital, and maybe the world, but she no longer enjoyed it. In fact, she doubted she ever did.

"Why?"

"Do you remember three years ago, before you received your license to practice, that you once conducted research in Dr. Makoto's lab?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"My sponsors are very interested that you continue research in that area…"

"You mean my so-called elixir?"

Enishi smiled slowly at her and nodded his head in affirmation.

Kaoru raised a questioning brow. True, she had favorable results in her past research but she had long abandoned it when she hit her final and most pivotal years in brain school. All it really was was an organically derived mixture for increasing brain activity. It may not sound much when phrased like that, but it did enable the body to do only what the mind can imagine…

"How long?"

"The contract asks for four years in that. After which, you are set to retire for the rest of your extremely young life."

Kaoru gave a soft chuckle. "Both you and I know I'm not really that young."

"You're the youngest doctor to achieve such a high position."

"Relatively."

"Point taken. The bottom line is, once you do this, you've got it made."

"I've already 'got it made', Yukishiro."

"You must at least want a change in scenery."

"I like this office. It's big and roomy and I have a futon couch over there. A plant over here. Not to mention this big glass wall behind me. There isn't a better view of the city at night than here."

"A different lifestyle? Or perhaps, an actual life?"

"Touché," Kaoru replied as she turned her swivel chair around and around for amusement. "Four years with sleep, no dying patients, and I finally get to figure out what you're up to?"

"Yes."

"Sounds like a deal."

"Good. We have our first meeting for this quarter tomorrow in the Red room. Be there 8 A.M. sharp. Oh and Kaoru?"

"What? And what happened to 'Doctor Kamiya'?"

"Make sure you're better-dressed. And you work under me." With a smirk, Enishi left the room quietly, leaving Kaoru in a slightly irritated yet amused mood. She should have known she would be overseen by Enishi. Well, if it were anyone less than him supervising her, she supposed she'd be a little offended. But it wasn't and fate was kind enough to her that she already had several years of experience of working with him. She stood up from her chair and laid herself down on the futon couch on the other side of her office. Almost immediately, her eyes closed and didn't open until several hours later.


Fast forward 4 years

Kaoru opened her eyes to see the redhead still soundlessly sleeping on her table. The dextrose was almost out, but thankfully his vitals seemed normal on the monitor. She almost fell off her futon-couch as she struggled to right herself in a standing position. Walking as silently as she could, she approached the man on her table with the utmost care. Almost feverishly, she caressed the line of his jaw with a single finger, letting a light yet fervent kiss land on his chin. She whispered words of promises and love to his unconscious body and adjusted the devices connected to him as she left his side. Quietly and slowly she made her way to the sink.

Looking at the mirror, she almost laughed hysterically at the new lines below her eyes since she last looked in the same mirror. Yet she immediately took a hold of herself and what little sanity she had left and forced herself to hum her tune.

"Do you remember the last we talked in this very same office?"

Kaoru jumped and made a clattering noise as she turned around and faced the speaker.

"Four years, Kaoru."

"Doctor Kamiya."

"Doctor Kamiya, my apologies."

"How did you find us?" she whispered.

"I found you by asking Saitoh."

"I hate that guard. And if you don't mind, lower your voice, Yukishiro." She turned around again and turned off the tap water. Jerking the towel from the bar, she hastily dried her hands. She walked past the white-haired man with obvious disdain and readjusted the devices once again near her table.

"Kenshin, wake up," she whispered urgently.

"You've changed much, Kamiya. You never used to care." Enishi walked to the other side of the table, watching Kaoru as she half tried to pack up some things into a bag and half tried to wake up the man.

"Kenshin, please wake up." She nudged his shoulder twice.

"Well you always cared. I suppose that comes as a trade-off for being a woman in this kind of career."

"Kenshin, please."

"But whoever heard of the doctor falling in love with the lab rat?"

Kaoru shot a sharp glare to the man across her.

"I hate you, Enishi--"

It was only then that Kaoru noticed that he was merely taking his time.

"Sorry love, but you knew this end was due" Enishi pulled out his gun and slowly started to point it at Kenshin Himura.

"NO!"Kaoru lunged at Enishi across the table and landed on the man's stomach.

Yet Enishi had already pulled the trigger, despite her cries, and the resounding echo of the gunshot and broken glass rode through Kaoru's spine. Seconds later, the man sat up, massaging his brow… "Kaoru"he whispered in a hoarse manner.

"K-Kenshin? Oh god!" She tightly wrapped her arms around his shivering frame. It was only after a few seconds that she noticed Enishi cocking his gun once again.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"You once saved my life, Kaoru-sweet so I'm letting you go. The only way out is through that broken glass window. Do you understand me, Battousai? Good. Now Kaoru dear, I'm going to try this again, but this time around you really mustn't try to save me." Enishi shoved the gun into his mouth and winked lecherously at Kaoru. Seconds after, brain matter once again stained her surroundings.

"Kaoru, we need to move." Kenshin firmly said as he tried to get through Kaoru's shock.

"Uhuh…" was all she could manage. His eyes flashed gold as he analyzed the surroundings. Stiff as his body felt, his movements were quick and purposeful, pulling Kaoru in closer to his body. She tightly wrapped her legs around Kenshin's lower waist as he carried her to the window as if she were a child. Grabbing the bag she packed, he ignored the tears that traveled down his back and jumped into open air, ten-stories from the ground.

Soon after, Megumi walked into the office and grimaced at Enishi's body. She shouted orders to the rest and swore loudly and graphically enough that even Sagara cringed. Inside however, she felt relief flood through her when she saw that no one else was dead.


Tell me what you think.