Standard disclaims apply.

Note: ^^ I would like to thank all my readers! Just knowing that people are reading my story is motivation enough for me to continue writing and overcoming writer's block! Thanks, readers!


::Chapter 8::

Panic had ensued when Kaoru fainted in Kenshin's arms.

If it hadn't been for Kenshin's arms around her, she would have fallen to the floor as her body gave.

Now, at the hospital, Kaoru was hooked up to machines, resting. Kenshin sat by her side, holding her hand. As if the weight of the whole world was on his shoulders, he was hunched over, unable to hold up his head.

Seeing the state in which he was in, Megumi and Misao approached him. Each woman placed her own hand on his back in comfort.

"Kenshin," Megumi began. "She's ok…relax."

"It's my fault," he mumbled. "This was a bad idea."

Misao smacked him. "Kenshin! She reacted! Kaoru reacted! That's what we wanted so stop blaming yourself!"

Kenshin merely sighed, unable to lift his head, unable to look at Kaoru. Guilt ate him up inside.

Just then, Kaoru began to mumble.

Three heads shot up in shock.

"Ohmigod, ohmigod!" Misao exclaimed. "I'm gonna get the doctor!" She ran out of the door, in her rush, forgetting that Megumi was a doctor…and was standing a mere two feet away.

Megumi ignored Misao's exit and proceeded to check Kaoru's vitals: eye dilation, heart beat, etc.

She leaned over Kaoru. "Kaoru?" she called, gently and quietly. "Can you hear me?"

Then, slowly, Kaoru opened her eyes as Misao rushed in with the rest of the gang.

There was a shocked silence. It was apparent, even to the densest Sano, that Kaoru had finally found awareness.

All at once, people rushed to embrace Kaoru. A very, very bewildered Kaoru.

Megumi and Misao had joyful tears running down their faces as they embraced Kaoru. Aoshi and Sano hung in the back, grinning. Well, Sano grinned whereas Aoshi…not so much.

Yahiko, left the room, wanting to shed his tears alone, but Tsubame followed him out, wanting to comfort him.

Kenshin….

Kenshin hung back. Kaoru hadn't seen him yet and he was unsure of her reaction to his presence.

"Where…" Kaoru croaked, "am I?"

Again, everyone began to talk at once. She could not make anything out of all the chatter.

"At the hospital"

At Kenshin's low voice in the background, Kaoru froze in shock. How she heard him amidst the noisy prattle was a mystery, but then again, the two had always had an indescribable connection.

"…Kenshin…." She whispered, turning her gaze to Kenshin.

Silence ensued as Kaoru turned her head towards Kenshin. The awkward silence continued until someone, most likely Aoshi, cleared his throat.

"So, ummm….we'll leave you two alone." Misao murmured quietly to Kaoru. "You two should…catch up."

Megumi and Misao both hustled everyone out. Both Kaoru and Kenshin didn't notice as they stared at each other; time had stopped the moment their eyes had met.

Kaoru saw the torture, the pain, and the sadness that lingered in Kenshin's eyes. She wished she could find some twisted satisfaction in it, but it only pained her more.

Kenshin saw the shock in her eyes before it became flooded with pain. Was it pain at seeing him? Or, was it pain in remembrance? He couldn't be sure.

"Don't," she began, turning her head, "look at me…"

Kenshin took a hesitant step forward. "Kaoru…"

"Don't," she said. "Just…don't…"

Hiding his tears, he kneeled by her bedside, gently taking her hands in his. Brushing his lips across her soft hands, he murmured, "Please…"

Tears welled up in Kaoru's eyes. Even without the spoken words, she knew. She knew what he was asking, what he was begging for.

"I can't, Kenshin," she cried. "I can't give you what you're asking of me."

A lone tear slid down Kenshin's face as he looked up into her eyes. He reached out and brushed her tears away, lingering slightly on the scars. Kaoru jerked her face away.

"Don't, Kenshin."

"Please," he begged.

"The accident…" she began.

"You're beautiful" he whispered. "Please, let me be here for you."

She gazed into his eyes, tears gathering in her eyes once again. Slowly, she shook her head. "No, Kenshin," she said. "…you weren't there when I needed you most. Not when my parents died, not when I was mourning them…"

"Kaoru.."

She incessantly shook her head harder. "No. I can't…dance anymore, Kenshin," she admitted through the pain that gripped her heart. "I've accepted it and I'm learning to become happy!"

"Happy?" Kenshin growled. "You're happy! Just two days ago—!"

"—I didn't want to accept it! But now, I do! I really do, Kenshin! And you!" she yelled in accusation, "You couldn't be there when I needed you most but you're here now? Why? Did they tell you that I was dying?"

Kenshin tensed. Could it be? There just was no way….

"Kaoru…what year is it?" he asked, afraid to confirm his worst fear.

Kaoru gave him a weird look at the change of subject. "2010."

If he had been standing, his knee would have given in.

"Oh, my God…"

"…What?"

"Kaoru, it's 2012…" he informed her gently, watching her eyes round in shock.

During the earlier chaos, she hadn't taken note of herself. She hadn't realized the lack of bandages and casts that she remembered being there just two days ago.

Kaoru began to hyperventilate.

As she gasped for breath, Kenshin panicked and pushed the emergency button. Then he pulled the door open.

"I need a doctor in here!"