A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You guys rule! Your reviews make me a happy writer and I appreciate every one of them. Now this chapter may not be as good as the previous two. It ends rather abruptly IMO but I can't think of a better way to end it. I did improve upon it though. When I wrote this chapter I was rushed and after re-reading it I realized how much it sucked. So I fixed it and hopefully it doesn't suck any more. Hope you all enjoy it! ^_^

I Wish

"Kenshin?"

The swordsman looked up from the wash tub. Kaoru was wearing her training gi and hamaka accompanied with wooden sword and sack over her shoulder. It was obvious she was about to depart to give lessons, but not before relieving her mind of whatever had plagued it. "Is something the matter, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin replied, noting the very visible worry in her eyes. She blinked a few times as if to clear her eyes of emotion. She failed. "I'm worried about Yahiko. It's been five days and he's usually only sick for three. Not only that but I heard strange noises coming from his room last night. What happened?"

Kenshin stood, flicking the soapsuds of his fingers, and wiped his hands dry on his hamaka. He allowed his arms to rest by his sides as his fingers brushed against his pants. To ease the concern he was feeling himself he allowed his fingers to claw softly at the fabric. "The noises are nothing to be concerned over, Kaoru-dono. What I'm worried about is his fever de gozaru. It won't go down. Perhaps we should take him to see Megumi-dono and Gensai-sensei."

Kaoru nodded slowly. An uneasy look creased her face as her eyes traveled to the ground below and to the left of her. "Ano…" As she bit her lip, Kenshin blinked rapidly, wondering what had caused the girl's seemingly sudden unease. "Kaoru-dono?"

"It's nothing." She replied quickly, shaking her head. "I'm going now."

As she turned she offered her rurouni a faint wave before walking off towards the dojo gates. "Take care, Kaoru-dono." He called after her, offering a faint wave of his own. She must be worried. His eyes remained focused on Kaoru's retreating form until it disappeared from view beyond the gates. Unconsciously, he turned to the wash tub and continued attacking the stubborn stains on a random article of clothing.

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Kenshin had just hung the last piece of clothing up to be dried. The sun was particularly warm that day and the warmth that had been so gentle and pleasant before had become rather hot and annoying. He wiped the collected sweat from his forehead only to smear on a cool coat of water in its place. It wasn't as if he minded terribly. The wash water was rather nice in the heat. He wiped his damp hands on his hamaka and leaned over to pick up the wash tub. That was until a sudden hacking noise caught his attention.

The redhead's gaze was aimed directly as the bathhouse where he could hear the sounds of coughing from within. As he neared the building, however, his pace quickened from a casual walk to a tame sprint when he identified the sounds as not coughing, but vomiting.

Yahiko leaned over the *toilet with a very unhappy look on his face. Of course, not too many people would be happy about puking their guts out. He cringed at the bitter taste in his mouth and the burning feeling in his throat. For a moment the vomit stopped, allowing him to breathe. He spat the remaining drops of spew that clung to his lips into the inky blackness he now found himself facing. The smell was not all that terrific either. For several seconds he clung to the edge of the toilet, his legs shaking too badly to support him and he could feel the cold sweat streaming down his face. The floor seemed to sway from side to side beneath his feet as he fought the light-headed feeling he received from time to time.

* I have no idea what they used to do their potty business back then, but I'm assuming it was similar to an outhouse. I just call it a toilet for reference sake. I know not what else to call it and I'm sure you all get the idea anyway.

The tightening of his esophagus seemed to chase the dizzy feeling away as another stream of vomit rapidly pooled in his cheeks. As he spat out the last batch of vomit, Yahiko was all too relieved when his stomach was empty, however, the dizziness had returned with a vengeance. He began swaying on unsteady feet as the room tilted left and right. No longer able to balance himself, he reached for the side of the toilet as his muscles turned to jelly. His legs collapsed under his weight and his grip failed. As he plummeted towards the bathhouse floor, he prepared for the inevitable impact that his right arm would receive. It was at that moment that he left a pair of strong hands gripping both his shoulders, keeping him from falling and steadying him in the process.

"Are you okay?" Yahiko sighed inwardly at the sound of Kenshin's voice. Despite being spared a nasty fall, the child swayed slightly under the man's grip. He closed his eyes as the floor continued to swing under his feet and dizziness exploded in his brain. Kenshin felt his heart race when the child went nearly limp in his arms. Unable to support his own weight fully, he leaned back and rested his head on Kenshin's shoulder. "Are you okay?" He repeated as a chill slowly climbed up his back. Rather than replying verbally, Yahiko slowly shook his head, wincing as the world felt as if it were spinning. Kenshin shifted the child in his arms and touched his forehead with his free hand. Within an instant, the man's worried expression converted to one of panic. Yahiko's fever had peeked up to a frighteningly high temperature.

The boy let out a startled gasp as Kenshin scooped him into his arms and took off. Using his god-like speed and leaping ability he cleared to dojo wall and sprinted like a frightened hare the moment his feet met the ground. Yahiko gritted his teeth as he clung to Kenshin's gi. He was still pretty dizzy and being carried by a man who was leaping over rather tall obstacles and running at a minimum of 22 mph wasn't helping that much. Lucky for Kenshin, Yahiko had nothing else to puke up.

Bystanders promptly cleared out of his way as he strained every muscle in he had. Gritting his teeth, he willed his body to go faster. Yahiko could clearly hear Kenshin's heart hammering in his chest but whether it was from running or not he was unsure of. He tightened his grip on the gi as another wave of dizziness engulfed him. "Hold on, Yahiko." Kenshin seemed to be talking more to himself than to the child. All the same as Yahiko tried to combat the uneasy feeling by resting his forehead into the swordsman's chest. As a slipped moan reached his ears, the clinic came into Kenshin's view. Hang on. He looked briefly at the kid in his arms before returning his eyes to the road. We're almost there.

-----

The darkness of the night was perfect to match the gloom of that evening. Harsh breathing broke the silence just as moon light brushed through the shadows. The beams from the moon cast down upon the prone and weak kid upon the futon. Glistening perspiration covered the youth's face. His eyes were closed gently, as if he were sleeping, but his mouth was gaping open as he tried to draw in as much oxygen he could. The heavy blanket covering his chest heaved as he drew in shallow and rapid breaths.

Through this Kenshin sat, legs tucked beneath him and a fisted hands on his thighs, never taking his eyes off the boy. He had just placed a fresh washcloth on the child's forehead, not understanding why he even bothered. They had failed to bring his fever down before and it was very unlikely that they would start working now. All he could do was watch over the boy like a hawk, offering what comfort and protection he could.

What did I do wrong? He must have asked himself that a thousand times since the visit to the clinic. Megumi and Dr. Gensai had admitted that there was very little they could do for the child. They had given him a medicine to help ease the symptoms, but it had little effect. With nothing more they could do for the child, they sent him home, instructing Kenshin to get them should his condition worsen. It was still a mystery as to what was wrong with him and how he had gotten so ill in the first place.

What did I do wrong? Kenshin just didn't get it. With the exception of chores, cooking, and the occasional potty break, he had been at Yahiko's side the entire time. He made sure the boy ate, drank, and was comfortable. He applied the cold compresses as instructed to keep the kid's fever under control and gave him his medicine, never missing a dosage. Yet here he was pale and struggling to breathe. He just didn't get it.

He didn't bother to lift his eyes when he heard the shoji slide open behind him. The silhouette formed by the light shining into the room was more than enough for him to identify the person entering. "Kenshin?" Kaoru's voice, though shaken with worry, floated through the air with a volume just above that of a whisper. "No change." He replied, speaking in the same manner. Feet padded softly across the floor as Kaoru entered the room and knelt beside Yahiko. She allowed her thumb to brush away a wet lock from his forehead. Her eyes watched over her fingers as they stroked through his black hair.

Kenshin too watched her fingers combing through the boy's mane before slowly lifting his gaze to her. At the same time Kaoru shifted her eyes towards the man sitting across. Violet and blue eyes met, each holding a distinct amount of uncertainty that they didn't bother trying to hide. Kaoru blinked and once again shifted her gaze down towards the boy. Though his breathing was still shallow, his mouth was now only partially open and his breath was not as labored. "Can he hear us?"

"I really don't know de gozaru." The reply was just as quiet as the question, neither one wanting to disturb the child. "I think he is just asleep."

Kaoru tried to swallow the lumps that formed in her throat. In her mind visions flashed of a lively boy with too much pride for his own good and a big mouth to match. A boy who, though serious and dedicated to his training, had a tendency to find his head on the wrong side of a bokken whenever the word "busu" or "hag" flew from this mouth, which they had a habit of doing so often. Yet this child before her, too tired to open his own eyes, couldn't have possibly been the same own from her memory. But he was.

Her eyelids twitched as she felt tears pool behind them. His skin was so pale. He was so fragile and thin. This was not the Yahiko she had come to know and love like a younger brother. His spirit was gone leaving a horribly weak boy in its wake. This was not Yahiko, and yet, it was. "Would you like some tea, Kenshin?" Kaoru said abruptly in an attempt to chase the tears away. Wondering if her voice seemed shaky, she continued, careful to keep her words strong and under control. "You've been sitting here all evening."

Kenshin still had his eyes on the child but lifted them slowly at the sound of her voice. "Yes, thank you Kaoru-dono." As he spoke, he forced a gentle rurouni smile on his face. She rose to her feet and excused herself, making her way to the door using quick footsteps. With the snap of the shoji, the extra light had been cut off leaving the room dark once again. Eyes of violet cast their gaze over the fragile figure once again. The smile from Kenshin's mouth faded almost instantly and his teeth clamped down on his bottom lip. Once again, he pondered what ever could have caused the boy to be in such a state, whether it was a fault on his part, or something else. What did I do wrong?

A sad sigh and the sound of pouring liquid echoed through the quiet kitchen. Kaoru's shoulders bobbed slightly as she set the kettle aside. Steam climbed up from the fresh tea, tickling her senses slightly. While normally the smell of tea would relax her, she could feel her body tensing. The steam had managed to loosen the tears that hung from her eyes as well as draw out a soft cry from her mouth. Her hand lifted to her eyes, covering them as her shoulders shook violently. Her sobs were quiet, through pained, as she lowered her head. "No," she whispered to herself while slowly shaking her head from side to side. "I've got to be strong."

Titling her head back, she removed her hand and drew back her sniffles. She flicked her tears from her cheeks in annoyance. Crying won't make him well. I must be strong. She held her head high all the way out to the courtyard and to the well, fearing if she dipped the tears would return. I must be strong. The thought echoed in her head as she splashed her face. When her signs of crying had been washed away, she returned to the kitchen and headed to Yahiko's room, teacup in hand.

-----

It had to be well past midnight. The empty teacup sat at Kenshin's side as he continued his vigil without break. It took him a while to convince Kaoru to go to sleep, stating that she would need rest to give lessons, and now he was unsure of whether she had actually gone to sleep or settled for staring at the ceiling all night long. Normally he would've checked on her, but he refused to budge from his spot. That was also the reason why the cup remained at his side rather than returned to the kitchen to be washed. He would not leave Yahiko unattended. Not for one second. Not this time.

This is my fault. His teeth gritted as a flare of anger raged within him. How could he have let Yahiko get into this shape? He was supposed to take care of him. Perhaps it was in one of the moments he was doing his chores, perhaps while cooking, or perhaps while sleeping. He wasn't sure when, but something happened to let Yahiko fall into such a serious state, something that he missed. Something that he should've prevented.

Could he have needed something while I was doing the laundry the other day? He thought as he re-dipped the washcloth. Maybe something happened while I was cooking or out buying.. his jaw dropped midthought and the wash cloth slipped from his hands and caused a mild splash in the bowl.

I wish that if that demonic bastard ever has a son of his own that he will feel the living hell that I must go through everyday!

"No." His eyes grew large with each word that shouted through his mind. "It can't be. It just can't." He once again brought his gaze down to the prone child. Worry was no longer present in his eyes. Fear had taken over, causing his jaw to quiver and his heart to race. It's because he sees me as a father.

"Yahiko.."

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Okay, that ending kinda sucks, but I honestly couldn't think of a different way to end it. Yeah, I know, lame excuse. Anway, please review! Reviews make me a very happy person and stuff. No flames though, I burn easily. See? ::shows her scars from work:: Stupid KFC holding cabinets! It hurts…IT HURTS! Oh, the PAIN! 0_o…Please review.