Okay, chapter 10. No huge notes this time, just the story. Read on and hope you enjoy!


Warning: OOCness. As if you didn't know by now.


Disclaimer: Not mine. Same smart-alecky comment as above.


The Reunion

Chapter 10: Just When Things Seemed Good...


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Kaoru stretched as sunlight streamed through her window. Not that she had slept well, but a good

stretch in the morning always helped. Her date with Kenshin had been wonderful until she opened her big mouth. Good going, Kamiya. Megumi and Sanosuke had a huge blow-out and then made up with each other. Misao didn't say much about her date with Aoshi, but she was rather happy last night. Kaoru sat racking her brain, trying to figure out where it all went from here. This seemed to be Okaasan's last try, but it was still nothing for the shihondai. She quickly bathed, dressed and made a beeline for Akino's room before speaking to anyone else, a certain redhead in particular.


She flung the door back without knocking, knowing the older woman would be awake and about by this time of day. She stared at the scene. Megumi and Misao were already there, Okaasan rubbing her temples again, and Megumi with red eyes, swollen and flushed cheeks and the occasional sniffle.

"Megumi?! What happened?!"


Kaoru sat down in between Misao and Akino and looked to Misao for an answer. The young ninja started to rub Megumi's back to comfort her. "She and Sano broke up."


Kaoru stared at her incredulously. "Already?!" She wanted to punch herself when Megumi let out a loud sob and she realized how heartless she sounded. "Oh, Megumi I'm so sorry. It just surprised me. You only started dating last night."


Megumi sniffled. "I know. But when he came to the dojo this morning..."


^^^^^Flashback^^^^^


"Hey, Fox!" Sanosuke gave a huge grin to his new girlfriend.


Megumi flipped her hair and smiled brightly at him. "Tori-Atama. I would love to stay and chat, but I've gotta get back to the clinic. I just came by to say hello since I had to deliver medicine to the house just down the street."


Sano frowned and grabbed her elbow gently as she walked past him. "Don't go yet. I just got here."


"Sanosuke, I'll spend time with you later. I need to get back to work."


Misao, Akino, Kenshin and Aoshi turned their attention to the scene.


"Damn it, Kitsune! Do I not matter? Since I'm not a patient I don't get any of your time?"


Megumi looked at Sano blankly, taken aback by what he said. "Sano! This is my job! You will have to wait from time to time so I can take care of people! Besides, I told Genzai-sensai that I would be back in a few minutes. I need to get back so I can help him."


Sano let his anger rise. He and Megumi had just gotten together, you'd think she would want to spend time with him as much as he wanted to spend time with her. "He's been a doctor since before you were born! Do you think that highly of yourself? Do you think he can't handle it unless the great Megumi Takani is there?!"


A loud slap rang out through the dojo and the onlookers stared in shocked silence. "How dare you, Sagara! I have never been so insulted in my life! I know he can handle it without me. That isn't the point. The point is that he expects me back. I have a responsibility to help out. He was kind enough to let a woman work with him side by side, even though others may look down on it. I will not let him down. I'm a doctor, Sanosuke. You knew that long before we even thought of dating each other."


Sano still held the offended cheek as he glared at Megumi. "I won't be second best, Megumi. I know it sounds selfish, but I can't accept the left overs after you give your all at the clinic. If you go back to that clinic without spending time with me, it's over."


Megumi's eyes filled with tears as she began to walk towards the gate. "Then so be it."


Sanosuke growled as he strode past her quickly, leaving the dojo before she did. "Then that's it, Takani! It's over!"


Megumi halted in her steps, her earlier resolve crumbling. She turned and ran into the dojo, Akino and Misao close behind.


^^^^^End Flashback^^^^^



Misao finished when Megumi's sobs grew too strong for her to continue talking. "So, here we are. It only happened a few moments ago. I mean, I can see Sanosuke's viewpoint, but at the same time

he let it get way out of hand. There was no need for all the things he said. He would get time with her if he just waited until later. He must have just been in a bad mood. Stupid baka."


Kaoru raised her eyes to Akino, hoping she'd have some inspiring 'fix-it' words. Instead, she said something that none of them expected. "I have no choice. I didn't want to do it, but it has to be done."


Kaoru, Misao and Megumi glanced back and forth at each other. Megumi spoke, voice thick with tears. "Do what, Okaasan?"


The older woman looked at them mysteriously. "I don't want to explain until we're all together. Go sit in the dojo. I'll round up the boys. We need to have a lengthy discussion."


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Kaoru stood in the kitchen boiling water for the tea and Misao stared at the water, mesmerized by the small bubbles rising to the top and breaking. She snapped out of her daze and spoke to Kaoru.

"So, what do you think Okaasan wants to talk about?"


Kaoru shrugged her shoulders. "She seemed reluctant to say anything to just us. How was your date with Aoshi, anyway?"


Misao blushed. "It was fine. He thought I was asleep at one point and showed affection, but of course once I started to 'wake-up' he was the same icy man."


Kaoru hummed in acknowledgment. "Kenshin and I were enjoying ourselves until I blurted some statements about him hiding his true self from us and how we'll accept him anyway. I totally and single-handedly ruined the mood."


Misao had to laugh. Kaoru glared and let out an annoyed 'mou'. "I'm sorry, Kaoru. You just sounded so proud of yourself for 'ruining the mood.'"


Kaoru had to smile. Misao never seemed to lose her good mood. It was a huge help in keeping everyone's spirits up when everything was a mess. Dates, break-ups, singing, flirting, it was more than Kaoru ever dreamed of happening in her dojo but here it all was, in all its hellish glory. "I think I'm already too old for all of this, Misao. I haven't slept well in days, my back is starting to hurt, I have multiple headaches from stupid Kenshin's non-responsiveness, I just don't know what to do or expect anymore. Maybe we would have been better off if we just let things run their natural course."


"That's the problem, dear. Things weren't running their natural course." Both young women jumped at the sound of Akino's voice. "I know it sounds odd and I know you both have been through a lot lately, but I will explain once we're all gathered inside the dojo." She gave a motherly smile and helped the two carry the tea into the dojo.


Kaoru shook her head, smiling slightly. "You seem to always know what to say to make me feel better."


"Part of being a mother, dear. Once you have children of your own, you'll get the hang of it."


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Everyone just sort of plopped themselves down in a circle. Okaasan shook her head. "No, no. This won't do. I need all of you to face me. Plus, I need you sitting in a certain order." She pointed out spots in a line as she spoke. "Kenshin, Kaoru, Misao, Aoshi, Sanosuke, Megumi. There you go."


Kenshin sighed. "Okaasan, don't you think you're overdoing the matchmaking?"


Normally, he wouldn't say such a thing, but it seemed every time he turned around lately his mother was trying to set him up with Kaoru. Sure, he was attracted to her, heck he was in love with her. But, he still had those self-worth issues to get over.


Okaasan just gave him a smile. "I wouldn't have had to go through such measures if the lot of you weren't so thick-headed." The smile faded and she became a mother scolding her children for doing something rather stupid. "I tried to be nice about it. Tried to set you up on dates and do small things to get you all together. Now, to their credit the girls tried their best. And Sanosuke and Megumi actually dated for a few hours. But, you men, all three of you, make my job extremely hard. The two of you, have 'I'm not worthy' scrawled into your brains and won't allow yourselves to be happy. And Sanosuke, you acted like a selfish child today and you know it. There was no reason to treat Megumi the way you did."


Okaasan stopped scolding to turn and hang a sheet across the wall they were facing. Everyone watched, confused, as she spread it taught and made sure it was securely in place. "Now, I need to tell you what really happened during my search for Shinta."


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A/N: Dun dun Duuuuuuuuun! (In a sing-song voice) Getting to the fun stuff! Getting to the fun stuff! Next chapter to be exact. Anyway, that finishes up this chapter. Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. I worked. Yeah, sucks to be me. But, hey! I got paid double time! So, that's nice. Oh, I also apologize for not posting for a while. I just kinda lost interest for a while, but I'm ready to go again. See ya next chapter and please leave a review! Hugs & Kisses!