A/N: AAAA! I've been neglecting this story for a while now...Darn you, Saitou Hajime! (grumbles about being distracted thanks to a story about Saitou and Tokio) I just had to write this chappie right away. Anyway, enjoy!
"Shinomori-san!" Megumi cried out, moving forward to catch his lean frame.
He slumped over her shoulder, unconscious. Megumi bit her lower lip, his weight on her becoming too much to bear. She shifted slightly, moving him so that he lay across several cushions in the waiting area. He was so tall, she had to grab some pillows from across the room to place under his head. Quickly but gracefully moving towards the closet, she retrieved a blanket. Then she brought a small bowl of water and a washcloth into the waiting area. She arranged the blanket over him and placed the cloth on his forehead. Gently placing two fingers on the side of his neck, she was able to determine that his pulse beat slowly, but steadily.
What happened? Shinomori Aoshi was one of the few strong people she knew. It took a lot to render him helpless. From what Kenshin had told her, even after their battles, Aoshi had the strength to stand up after a twenty-minute rest even though he had seemed incapacitated.
A soft sound emerged from his lips and his eyes fluttered open. He stared at the ceiling blankly before turning his head slightly to meet her gaze. In the soft light of the lamp in the room, he could see concern in her dark eyes.
"What happened?" he asked hoarsely, his voice breaking.
"You collapsed," Megumi explained calmly. "You don't look well, Shinomori-san..."
"Water..."
She immediately got up to fetch him a cup of water. When she handed it to him, he moved to a half-sitting position and drank half of the cup before looking at her.
"Better?" she asked.
"Aa."
"Excuse me..." Megumi reached up to feel his forehead as a thought came to mind. His eyes darkened and he turned away, but she pressed the back of her hand against his cheek instead. He was flushed, and surprisingly warm. "Did you eat something bad?"
"No...I don't think so," he responded.
"What happened to you today?" Megumi asked, trying to swallow the lump forming in her throat. Maybe it was women's intution...perhaps even doctor's intuition, but she had a sneaking suspicion of what the okashira had. And he would certainly not be pleased to hear it.
"Jiro and and I were going over the information that I had collected. I...decided to see you and I was attacked on the way over." Aoshi frowned. "The fight lasted barely two minutes when he gave up."
"Did you get cut?" Megumi pressed. "Were you exposed to any chemicals?"
Aoshi's eyes widened a fraction. "He...He left after dropping a smoke bomb."
"Did you inhale it?"
"I was in the center of it..." Aoshi set his jaw. "Takani-sensei..."
"You're developing a fever," Megumi explained. "And last I recall...that's one of few symptoms..."
"No..." Aoshi muttered. "I refuse to-"
"Shinomori-san...if that man knew that you were investigating that drug, I wouldn't eliminate the possibility that he's used it on you..."
"No." His fists clenched tightly, causing his arms to tremble. "He may not have-"
"It's possible, Shinomori-san," she interrupted firmly. But her eyes held hope. "We have a few hours to determine if he did or not. I want you to tell me everything you and Jiro-san learned. Everything. The tiniest detail could be helpful."
"I won't let this defeat me," he swore, shifting to get up.
"Shinomori-san!" Megumi pushed hard on his shoulders, causing him to fall back. He was as stubborn as any patient could be. If Sanosuke had been in his position, she would have swatted him. If it had been Kenshin...Kenshin would have obliged...and for jokes, she would have tied him up. Megumi knew that both options would not be accepted well by this man. "I will do everything I can right now. But first, I have to learn everything you've discovered."
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Aoshi took a deep breath. Then he began telling her about all the families he had interviewed. He had talked for almost two hours, a record for such a quiet man, before exhaustion took its toll.
***
Megumi smiled at the young boy, splint on his arm, as he waved her goodbye. When he disappeared, she rubbed her eyes wearily. Her body was feeling tired, and she had spent a good portion of the night going over the notes that had been in Aoshi's pocket. She slid open the door of the room where he lay sleeping.
Last night, after he collapsed for the second time, she had done what she could to make him comfortable.
The clinic was empty, so she had plenty of time on her hands. Kneeling beside his bed, she checked his temperature. Hot. Worse...his sheets were soaked with sweat. Megumi pulled back the sheet covering his torso, gasping in surprise. His entire face and neck were coated with perspiration. His yukata stuck to his chest like second skin. Megumi moved into the hallway to retrieve some water, washcloths, and new sheets.
Ayu said nothing as she watched the doctor move back and forth. She had been informed of Shinomori Aoshi's condition.
Megumi came back inside Aoshi's room. After rolling him to one side, she changed his sheets. She removed his yukata, her eyes widening at the sight of the scars over his chest, which he no doubt received during his battles over the years. After wiping away the perspiration on his chest, back, and neck with tepid water, she lay him back, placing a cool cloth on his forehead. Megumi adjusted the sheet so that it stayed at his waist. His entire body was heated. She bit her lip, knowing that her intuition had been right. Aoshi had taken the drug.
He was dying.
Megumi took in a shaky breath. She had to hope that he'd be able to overcome the poison. It might be a futile thought, but she didn't want to give up hope.
She closed her eyes, thinking of the friends and family who would want to know about his condition. Ken-san, Okina-san...and...Misao-chan. What would she think? Megumi knew that when it came to Misao's beloved Aoshi-sama, the young girl would do anything. And if she knew that he was dying, she'd be crushed.
"Ta...Megumi..."
She looked up to see Aoshi struggle to sit up. "Yes?"
"I..." He could barely speak.
Megumi hurried to get him a cup of water. He could barely lift his hand to grasp it. Megumi slid her palm beneath his head and tipped the cup so that he could drink.
"How are you feeling?" she asked softly to form conversation.
"Terrible," he responded, his voice weary. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Half a day," she answered.
"I've been poisoned," he whispered. It wasn't a question. It was a rhetorical statement.
She stared at the floorboards. "Yes..."
He closed his eyes briefly before he opened them to look across the room. He didn't want to die. Barely two years ago, when his comrades had died, when he lost his honor, his compassion, and his clan...all just to gain title of the strongest...he could have easily taken his own life. But now...He wasn't ready for death.
"Sh...Aoshi," Megumi spoke up, addressing him by his given name.
He looked at her, his expression guarded.
"Would you like me to inform the Oniwabanshu about your condition?"
"No..."
A/N: Girlquinn, you know me SO well...=P Gee...uh...maybe it's cuz we're related??? More chappies to come...
Saitou: Ahou, make up your mind what story you want to write...
Me: Yes, Mr. Police Occifer Man....
"Shinomori-san!" Megumi cried out, moving forward to catch his lean frame.
He slumped over her shoulder, unconscious. Megumi bit her lower lip, his weight on her becoming too much to bear. She shifted slightly, moving him so that he lay across several cushions in the waiting area. He was so tall, she had to grab some pillows from across the room to place under his head. Quickly but gracefully moving towards the closet, she retrieved a blanket. Then she brought a small bowl of water and a washcloth into the waiting area. She arranged the blanket over him and placed the cloth on his forehead. Gently placing two fingers on the side of his neck, she was able to determine that his pulse beat slowly, but steadily.
What happened? Shinomori Aoshi was one of the few strong people she knew. It took a lot to render him helpless. From what Kenshin had told her, even after their battles, Aoshi had the strength to stand up after a twenty-minute rest even though he had seemed incapacitated.
A soft sound emerged from his lips and his eyes fluttered open. He stared at the ceiling blankly before turning his head slightly to meet her gaze. In the soft light of the lamp in the room, he could see concern in her dark eyes.
"What happened?" he asked hoarsely, his voice breaking.
"You collapsed," Megumi explained calmly. "You don't look well, Shinomori-san..."
"Water..."
She immediately got up to fetch him a cup of water. When she handed it to him, he moved to a half-sitting position and drank half of the cup before looking at her.
"Better?" she asked.
"Aa."
"Excuse me..." Megumi reached up to feel his forehead as a thought came to mind. His eyes darkened and he turned away, but she pressed the back of her hand against his cheek instead. He was flushed, and surprisingly warm. "Did you eat something bad?"
"No...I don't think so," he responded.
"What happened to you today?" Megumi asked, trying to swallow the lump forming in her throat. Maybe it was women's intution...perhaps even doctor's intuition, but she had a sneaking suspicion of what the okashira had. And he would certainly not be pleased to hear it.
"Jiro and and I were going over the information that I had collected. I...decided to see you and I was attacked on the way over." Aoshi frowned. "The fight lasted barely two minutes when he gave up."
"Did you get cut?" Megumi pressed. "Were you exposed to any chemicals?"
Aoshi's eyes widened a fraction. "He...He left after dropping a smoke bomb."
"Did you inhale it?"
"I was in the center of it..." Aoshi set his jaw. "Takani-sensei..."
"You're developing a fever," Megumi explained. "And last I recall...that's one of few symptoms..."
"No..." Aoshi muttered. "I refuse to-"
"Shinomori-san...if that man knew that you were investigating that drug, I wouldn't eliminate the possibility that he's used it on you..."
"No." His fists clenched tightly, causing his arms to tremble. "He may not have-"
"It's possible, Shinomori-san," she interrupted firmly. But her eyes held hope. "We have a few hours to determine if he did or not. I want you to tell me everything you and Jiro-san learned. Everything. The tiniest detail could be helpful."
"I won't let this defeat me," he swore, shifting to get up.
"Shinomori-san!" Megumi pushed hard on his shoulders, causing him to fall back. He was as stubborn as any patient could be. If Sanosuke had been in his position, she would have swatted him. If it had been Kenshin...Kenshin would have obliged...and for jokes, she would have tied him up. Megumi knew that both options would not be accepted well by this man. "I will do everything I can right now. But first, I have to learn everything you've discovered."
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Aoshi took a deep breath. Then he began telling her about all the families he had interviewed. He had talked for almost two hours, a record for such a quiet man, before exhaustion took its toll.
***
Megumi smiled at the young boy, splint on his arm, as he waved her goodbye. When he disappeared, she rubbed her eyes wearily. Her body was feeling tired, and she had spent a good portion of the night going over the notes that had been in Aoshi's pocket. She slid open the door of the room where he lay sleeping.
Last night, after he collapsed for the second time, she had done what she could to make him comfortable.
The clinic was empty, so she had plenty of time on her hands. Kneeling beside his bed, she checked his temperature. Hot. Worse...his sheets were soaked with sweat. Megumi pulled back the sheet covering his torso, gasping in surprise. His entire face and neck were coated with perspiration. His yukata stuck to his chest like second skin. Megumi moved into the hallway to retrieve some water, washcloths, and new sheets.
Ayu said nothing as she watched the doctor move back and forth. She had been informed of Shinomori Aoshi's condition.
Megumi came back inside Aoshi's room. After rolling him to one side, she changed his sheets. She removed his yukata, her eyes widening at the sight of the scars over his chest, which he no doubt received during his battles over the years. After wiping away the perspiration on his chest, back, and neck with tepid water, she lay him back, placing a cool cloth on his forehead. Megumi adjusted the sheet so that it stayed at his waist. His entire body was heated. She bit her lip, knowing that her intuition had been right. Aoshi had taken the drug.
He was dying.
Megumi took in a shaky breath. She had to hope that he'd be able to overcome the poison. It might be a futile thought, but she didn't want to give up hope.
She closed her eyes, thinking of the friends and family who would want to know about his condition. Ken-san, Okina-san...and...Misao-chan. What would she think? Megumi knew that when it came to Misao's beloved Aoshi-sama, the young girl would do anything. And if she knew that he was dying, she'd be crushed.
"Ta...Megumi..."
She looked up to see Aoshi struggle to sit up. "Yes?"
"I..." He could barely speak.
Megumi hurried to get him a cup of water. He could barely lift his hand to grasp it. Megumi slid her palm beneath his head and tipped the cup so that he could drink.
"How are you feeling?" she asked softly to form conversation.
"Terrible," he responded, his voice weary. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Half a day," she answered.
"I've been poisoned," he whispered. It wasn't a question. It was a rhetorical statement.
She stared at the floorboards. "Yes..."
He closed his eyes briefly before he opened them to look across the room. He didn't want to die. Barely two years ago, when his comrades had died, when he lost his honor, his compassion, and his clan...all just to gain title of the strongest...he could have easily taken his own life. But now...He wasn't ready for death.
"Sh...Aoshi," Megumi spoke up, addressing him by his given name.
He looked at her, his expression guarded.
"Would you like me to inform the Oniwabanshu about your condition?"
"No..."
A/N: Girlquinn, you know me SO well...=P Gee...uh...maybe it's cuz we're related??? More chappies to come...
Saitou: Ahou, make up your mind what story you want to write...
Me: Yes, Mr. Police Occifer Man....