"Hang in there, cuz. We'll get to shelter soon." Sanosuke struggled to keep his grip around his barely conscious cousin, half dragging, half carrying the almost deadweight through the unexpected snowstorm. "Hang in there." He had experienced dragging wounded comrades to safety in the harsh desert but this was Hokkaido in the midst of an early winter blizzard which was a different situation wrought with its own potentially fatal dangers.
"It's been an hour, where could they be?" Megumi paced worriedly, trying but failing to see anything past the flurry of white outside the cabin window. Her two companions had hit the slopes for one last run a few hours ago. The storm had descended suddenly early in the afternoon, darkening the skies and the wintery landscape. She could only hope that they hadn't been caught in the open, that they would be able to find some shelter…
A light. At last. Sanosuke hoisted his cousin up and picked up his pace, his long legs an advantage through the ever increasing piles of snow. Encouraged by the warmth shining through what surely had to be a window, he picked up his cousin and trudged on.
The phone sat in her hand, silent. Megumi tapped it irritably. No update. She had called the park rangers as soon as the storm descended on the mountain an hour ago but fifteen minutes later they had called to inform her that a minor avalanche had blocked the pass – they could not get through. If there was no call back from the rangers, she would- she would—she didn't know what else she could do. This winter break before her last year at med school was proving to be disastrous.
Sanosuke wanted to cry with relief when he almost tripped on the steps and felt the solid structure under his gloved hand. Just being beside the cabin already afforded some relief from the wind and stinging cold.
Megumi jumped up before a second knock could land on the solid door and had it open before the fourth. The two figures huddled under the awning were not who she was expecting but after a brief moment of hesitation she stepped back, sweeping her arm into the warmth and safety of the cabin. These people were strangers but she wasn't about to question their need for shelter and warmth. The tall figure angled the smaller one in his arms to get through the door. Megumi shut the two doors and hurried in after them.
"On the couch." She pushed the plush pillows aside and spread the blanket from the back of the couch onto the seat. "Lay him down." Somehow between closing the door after them and turning toward the couch, the tall stranger had managed to nudge his snow goggles up to his forehead, showing clear chocolate brown eyes. He crouched down next to the couch and removed his companion's outer wrappings.
"What happened?" Megumi placed more firewood into the hearth, building up the blaze. The tall stranger had removed his scarf and bomber hat, revealing brown hair that defied gravity. His companion's face was visible now, too.
"She sprained her ankle as we were trying to find shelter from the oncoming storm. She got really cold then and drifted in and out of consciousness. I tried to keep her awake, but—"
"You did your best." Megumi cut in.
Megumi set a pot of water on the stove and turned up the flame. She returned to the two and helped remove the young woman's snow soaked layers. "Linen closet, grab me a stack of the blankets." She ordered the man, easily slipping into the familiar role of doctor, albeit not a full-fledged doctor, but a doctor nonetheless. He nodded and came back just a moment later. "We need to warm her up but we can't do it too quickly or she might go into arrhythmia."
"What do I need to do?"
"Bring her closer to the fire. It will help." He lifted the young woman from the couch as Megumi grabbed a duvet off an armchair and laid it before the hearth, just close enough to feel the heat but not too close that the patient would get toasted. "Here." Megumi supported the patient as the man lowered her onto the duvet. "She needs to be stripped to get all her wet things off." Megumi told the man. He looked panicked and looked at her pleadingly. Megumi nodded. "If the water's boiling, turn the heat down." He stood and disappeared into the kitchen.
Megumi covered the young woman with a sheet to preserve her dignity and took off the wet clothes clinging to her cold skin. Running into one of the bedrooms, she grabbed a large shirt, a pair of sweatpants, and thick socks. She wrangled the unconscious form into the borrowed clothing and wiped the sweat which had beaded on her brow at the exertion. "You can come back now," she called out. The man returned, he had since taken off his bulky outer layers.
"I'm sorry for the mess on your floors, I'll clean them up." Megumi hadn't even noticed the puddles of melted snow against the hardwood floor.
She shook her head. "Don't worry about it—"
"Sano." He supplied. "Sagara Sanosuke and that's my cousin, Kamiya Kaoru." They weren't a couple. That explained the reluctance with the undressing. Megumi could have laughed at the memory of his apparent discomfort if the situation wasn't so serious.
She smiled. "I'm Takani Megumi." Then, for some odd reason, she wanted to reassure him. She added, "I'm studying to be a doctor."
Sanosuke grinned and it lit up his warm brown eyes. "I guess it's our lucky day, Dr. Takani."
"Not quite yet but you can call me Megumi."
He knelt down next to her. "So what's next, Doc?" He asked, ignoring the small detail that she wasn't an MD just yet.
"Water bottles." Megumi stood and grabbed the phone from the table. She tossed it to Sanosuke who caught it deftly. "Call the park rangers and—" She stopped.
"What is it?"
"You're not the only ones in trouble." Megumi said. "My brother and my best friend are out there." She straightened up. "Call the rangers and ask about getting help up here. Your cousin isn't in extremely critical condition but she still needs medical attention as soon as possible."
Megumi hurried into the kitchen and dug out hot water bottles from under the sink and filled them up with hot water. She wrapped them in towels and carried them back. Sanosuke was putting on his jacket when she entered the living room.
"What are you doing?" She demanded.
"Out." He said simply, as if it weren't obvious.
"And where do you think you're going?" She questioned as she knelt beside Kaoru and placed the warm packs along her sides.
Sano wound his scarf around his neck. "Do you have an idea where your brother and your friend might be?"
Megumi strode over to Sano. "Are you crazy? In case you haven't noticed, Toriatama, the storm's not letting up and it's suicide to go out there."
Sano's eyes squinted in amusement at the fiery lady doctor and his mouth rose in a challenging grin. "Where, Kitsune?"
Megumi looked like she might not answer but she let out her breath and said, "Up on Pine Ridge but they could be anywhere between here and there."
"What are their names?"
"Aoshi and Misao." He nodded.
"Just take care of Kaoru, alright?"
"Sanosuke!"
"Do you have any rum?"
"What?"
"Rum? Vodka? Beer?" Megumi realized what he was doing. Alcohol would keep a person warm.
"On top of the fridge." She followed Sanosuke into the kitchen. "What did the rangers say?"
He turned to her, dead serious. "Pass is still blocked. We're on our own."
He took down the bottles, quickly scanning the labels. "Most of these are more than half-full, don't drink much?"
"Alcohol isn't good for the liver." Megumi said matter-of-factly. Sanosuke chuckled.
"Doctor through and through." He said under his breath as he made his selection.
Megumi was irritated by his statement. "Something wrong with that?"
Sanosuke glanced at her. "Not at all." He picked a bottle and slid it into his pack and slung it on.
"Why are you doing this?" Megumi asked, watching him as he put on his snow boots.
He stood and faced her. "You're a doctor, you save lives. In the military, our creed is 'leave no man behind.'" She still didn't look too happy with the idea. "I'll be fine and we'll all be back before you know it."
"You better, or I'll hunt you down myself." She threatened.
He broke into another of his knee-weakening smiles and nodded. Throwing a two-fingered salute at her and a "See ya later, Megumi," he was gone.
Megumi didn't have much time to dwell on the suicidal, hair-brained idiot. She hurried back to Kaoru and checked her temperature. She was much better than when Sanosuke first brought her in. "You have a daring rooster-head for a cousin." She said to the sleeping girl. "I hope we both get to see him again."
Sanosuke braced himself as the snow whipped around him, the cold feeling like thousands of tiny needle-pricks despite the layers he was bundled in. Pine Ridge was not too far, a couple hundred meters from the cabin, not a bad distance—if it weren't for the storm, anyway. Now that Kaoru was in good hands—and he knew Megumi would take care of her, he was able to travel pretty quickly. He plotted his course and trudged on.
xxx
"I'm sorry." Misao sniffed.
"It's not your fault."
"Yes it is, Aoshi!" She said indignantly. "I wanted one last run and you agreed to accompany me. If I had the sense to stay indoors after entire morning of skiing like Megumi, we wouldn't be here right now."
Aoshi didn't respond for a minute. "I didn't say 'no,' did I?"
"You're just too much of a gentleman to say 'I told you so.'" Misao said with another sniff.
"No."
"What?"
"Not a gentleman at all." Misao had no warning before Aoshi's lips were pressed to hers.
He had wanted to do that for a long time now but he didn't have the courage to until that moment. Misao was his sister's best friend but he felt a connection to her that he could not explain away. Megumi had let it slip a few years back that Misao had a mad crush on him. He had paid it no heed, chalking it up to infatuation but the more he got to know her, he realized that the feelings were quite mutual and this trip had just emphasized the fact that he was in love with Makimachi Misao.
"Aoshi." Misao whispered his name. Aoshi's head snapped back and he stumbled back from her, the first time Misao had ever seen him off kilter.
"I- I am sorry. I—"
"Shhh," Misao shushed. "What took you so long?" Then she was kissing him again.
"Hello? Anyone here?"
Misao pulled back at the intrusion.
"Here!" It was Aoshi who found his voice first.
The copse of small evergreens did not keep out the cold but it served as a great buffer against the wind and provided relief from the swirling snow. Sanosuke lowered the beam of his flashlight.
"I'm assuming you're Aoshi and Misao?" The man stepped forward and they shook hands. "Let's get you home."
"Isn't it better to be here and wait for the rangers?" Misao asked after the introductions were made. Sanosuke was in no particular hurry to face the storm just yet either but he knew they had to get moving.
"The pass is blocked," Sanosuke supplied. "They won't be getting up here anytime soon and the storm is expected to get worse."
"How'd you find us?" Aoshi asked.
"Your sister told me where you were. I'm glad I stumbled into this makeshift shelter when I did. I'm assuming you found it the same way."
Aoshi nodded and said "I'll take the rear."
They set out. The wind had changed direction since Sanosuke had found them and it now pushed against their backs, somehow adding speed to their tired steps. Sanosuke was careful to consult his directions every few meters to make sure he was still facing the right way. It was not too long until he saw the welcoming light at the cabin window.
"We made it!" Misao yelled but they didn't hear her above the howling wind.
Megumi had succeeded in moving Kaoru, who wasn't all that light despite her small frame, onto a cot. She monitored her vitals and was relieved when they remained stable and her condition resembled that of a peacefully sleeping person, instead of an ill one. Since Sanosuke had gone out, Megumi had started a stew and gotten potatoes boiling. Aoshi and Misao hadn't had anything to eat since their late lunch more than four hours ago and she had a sneaking suspicion that Sano could wolf down a horse.
Misao squeezed past Sano as he climbed the porch steps and pounded her fists on the door. Megumi was framed in the warm cabin light as she opened the door to the weary travelers.
"Tadaima!" Misao said as she threw her arms around Megumi who stumbled back at the onslaught.
"Okaeri," Megumi smiled at Sanosuke as she traded Misao's hug for her brother's.
Their stories were similar. Kaoru and Sano had gone for one last run before calling it a day but the storm had come out, catching them out on the slopes. Aoshi and Misao were already on their way back when the storm hit and they were fortunate enough to stumble upon the copse of trees which protected them from the brunt of the storm.
An hour later, they all sat around the table, enjoying Megumi's warm food and fine selection of spirits. Kaoru had woken and had insisted on joining them.
The storm grew stronger outside but within the sturdy walls of the cabin, warmth bloomed comfortably.
xxx
The following morning…
Aoshi again expressed his thanks and shook Sano's hand. Misao hugged Sano and cheerily bid him and Kaoru goodbye.
Sano sought out Megumi last. "Thanks for taking us in, Megumi. I don't know what I else I could have done for Kaoru if we didn't find your cabin when we did."
Megumi shook her head. "Don't mention it. I'm glad you found it. Thank you for going after Aoshi and Misao—I was already worried sick and you—"
He smiled. "It's my turn to say 'don't mention it.'" Behind him, the red-haired EMT climbed into the truck where Kaoru was already bundled in. Sano stuck his hands into his pockets. "I guess this is goodbye then."
"Yeah." Megumi shifted nervously, uncharacteristically shy, not wanting him to go just yet but not knowing what to say—she, Takani Megumi who was president of the Debate Club in high school!
Sano seemed to be stricken with the same nervous bug. "Uh, if you're ever free in town, I know this place where they make the best noodle dishes you can think of."
"Funny, I know of this hole-in-the-wall place that has noodles to die for called the—"
"Akabeko." They said simultaneously. Megumi laughed and Sano rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'll see you around then?"
"Hai." Megumi smiled, eyes shining, a becoming pink on her cheeks. It wasn't such a bad winter break after all.
Disclaimer: I have never been snowboarding, skiing, been out overnight at a winter cabin, Hokkaido, and definitely never experienced a snow storm. I beg your indulgence and forgiveness for factual errors.