Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Rurouni Kenshin characters.

Author's Note: Hey I know last chapter was a little screwy... Don't worry though everything will be okay... This chapter might help... I hope.

Chapter 2:

Kaoru and Kenshin woke up the next morning to the bright morning sun. Kenshin was first to get up and re-dress himself. Kaoru followed soon there after. Kenshin went out to wake Yahiko as Kaoru woke up entirely.

Hiko was already up before sunrise again. He sat in front of his room as Kenshin woke up at dawn. Kenshin smiled as Hiko rolled his eyes heavenward. A few minutes after sunrise Megumi walked up with her cousins. "Hiko, where's Kenshin?" Megumi asked as Hiko motioned towards Yahiko's room. "Alright girls wait for Uncle Kenny right here." Megumi sat them down as they waited patientally.

"So, Megumi, how's your mom?" Hiko asked looking around. "She's better. Dr. Genzai said she should be up by tomorrow at least," Megumi replied looking towards the ground. "So, uh, what did Raino have to say after he found out?"

"He passed out."

"Really?"

"Yeah. So, um, you planning on doing anything today?"

"Not really I was just gonna sit around and watch Yahiko train while the girls stayed around Kenshin all day. You?"

"Nothing. Dr. Genzai said I need to get out for a while."

Kaoru finished getting dressed and opened her door. She began walking to the Dojo and stopped seeing Megumi and Hiko. "Morning Megumi, Hiko. Hey, uh, Megumi could you kinda make breakfast?" Kaoru asked as Megumi looked up, "Sure. I'll start right now."

"Thanks."

"Its no big deal just helping out." With that Kaoru left as did the girls hearing Kenshin.

Megumi walked over to the breakfast material and started making their breakfast. Hiko shook his head as he saw two figures in the distance. "Hey, Kenshin, Yahiko, Kaoru, look who just showed up," Hiko said as everyone ran over. They looked as Miaso half dragged Sano who half walked. "Kaoru you'll have to make breakfast," Megumi said wiping her kimono off and running towards them. "Miaso let me see him."

Kaoru walked over and started on breakfast as Miaso seperated from Megumi and Sano. "Kenshin she asked if you could help her carry him," Miaso said as Kenshin walked over.

"Can't hold him up?" Kenshin asked as Megumi smiled sarcastically. "Sorry Kenshin I didn't bring my strength with me today. Just help me." Kenshin shook his head and took Sano on his back. "He's heavier than I thought," Kenshin complained as they walked. "We'll have to take him to Tea's you can't carry him to Dr. Genzai. You may be strong but your not that strong," Megumi said as Kenshin nodded.

They walked into Tea's cafe as she took them to the back. "Stay in there I'll send for Dr. Genzai," Tea said as she closed the door to the room. "Kenshin we have to get his gi off he's got a gash on his side and I can't get to it when he's wearing his dress," Megumi said as Kenshin helped her take off his gi.

Megumi ripped some of her kimono. "Megumi-" Kenshin was interruptted by Megumi, "I don't have any bandages with me. I have to use it." Kenshin shrugged as she looked at his left shoulder. "His shoulder's dislocated. Give me Kaoru's ribbon," Megumi said as Kenshin looked at her in confusion. "Kenshin!" Kenshin looked in his gi and handed her the ribbon as she folded it and placed it in Sano's mouth. "No matter how strong you are if your this hurt its gonna hurt when someone pops your shoulder back in place," Megumi stated as Kenshin nodded.

Megumi told Sano to bite down if it hurt. She placed one hand on his arm and the other on his shoulder. Quickly she jerked the arm up and pushed the shoulder down as he bit Kaoru's ribbon hard. "Shhh, Sano its okay. I'm done. I won't do it again," Megumi said comforting him as Kenshin watched in wonder. She brushed his sweating bangs from his face and kissed his forehead as dr. Genzai slung the door open.

"Miss Takani!" Dr. Genzai almost shouted. "Dr. Genzai, its not what it looks like. Just listen," Megumi said as he stood there. "Miaso brought Sano back to the Dojo and he was hurt. We would've brought him straight to you but Kenshin couldn't carry him that far. We brought him here and I had to re-locate his shoulder. Nothing happened I swear it." Dr. genzai shook his head, "Kenshin you may head back to the Dojo. Miss Tankani you need to go home. Your mother's woken up. Raino sent Suzaku for you. Now go. I'll inform you about Sanosuke later." With that Aoshi and some other villager picked sano up and carried him off.

Megumi ran back to the Dojo. Kaoru, Yahiko, and Hiko all looked at her as though she were crazy as she ran with out any shoes or socks on. She'd stopped at her house and taken her aporn, shoes, and socks off. She had ripped one of her sleeves off her kimono and blood was on it. Kenshin had returned earlier but went to train as Megumi ran to them.

"Megumi what is it?" Kaoru asked as Megumi painted, "I...Can't... Find... Suzaku... Gone... When... I... Came... Home."

"Calm down. Megumi where did he go?" Hiko asked as she looked around hearing something. She ran towards the woods as Miaso tried to stop her. "My friends are back there," Miaso said as Yahiko, Kaoru, Hiko, and Kenshin all ran into the woods after her.

Megumi jumped into a bush and landed on Suzaku as he screamed. "Don't ever do that again Suzaku. Raino is furious. Mother woke up now lets go," Megumi half shouted as Suzaku's eyes glued onto something. "Uh, Megumi there's a slight problem with your plan," Suzaku said as Megumi turned around. There stood all of Miaso's mugger friends.

"Well, if it isn't to Tankani's. Now how did the only female child get out here?" a black haired man asked holding Megumi's chin. He pulled her up as Suzaku tried to help and a girl grabbed him. "You know what I'm gonna keep her," he said looking her over. "What about the boy?" the girl holding Suzaku asked. "Do as you please. Come on boys we're gettin some good pickins tonight." With that the man threw Megumi over his shoulder as Suzaku screamed.
"Kenshin," Kaoru said as they heard a scream close by. "Suzaku," everyone said in unison. Miaso had takin off already with Aoshi. Kenshin and the others followed Suzaku's one scream to a small clearing.
"Shut him-" the man was stopped as Megumi kicked him in the stomach. He dropped her as he went to hit her when Miaso, Aoshi, Kenshin, Hiko, Kaoru, and Yahiko jumped out. Megumi covered her eyes as Miaso, Hiko, Aoshi, and Kenshin ran in for the attack. Kaoru ran over to Megumi as Yahiko did for Suzaku. They both got them up as Miaso shouted, "Run! Don't stop until you get to the Doc's!" Kaoru and the others nodded as they ran.
"Dr. Genzai, how is Sanosuke?" Raino asked as Dr. Genzai shook his head, "Just joking. He'll be up by the time night falls."

Suddenly, the door slung open. "Raino help," Kaoru said as Megumi fainted. Raino ran forward and caught her laying her down in his arms. "Exhaustion. Dr. Genzai you take care of them while I put Megumi in her room before mother finds out. Suzaku your in deep this time." Raino picked Megumi up as Kaoru, Yahiko, and Suzaku sat down in their living room.

Megumi started to open her eyes as Raino laid her down next to Sano on seperate futons. "R-" Megumi stopped as Raino put his finger on her lips. "Shhh. Just go to sleep now," he said closing her eyes as she slept again.
The sun rose as Sano groaned and rolled over. He looked around and noticed he wasn't in his room or in Kaoru's house. He shot up to find Megumi asleep only an arm's reach away. ' She must've stayed with me this whole time,' Sano thought as she began to stir.

Megumi felt the warm sun on her face and began to open her eyes. She carefully sat up so as not to wake Sano. (So she thinks.) She rubbed her eyes and looked around then looked over at Sano who said, "Morning sleepyhead." Megumi screamed as the whole house ran to her room and Sano winced.

"Don't do that," Megumi said as Raino almost broke her door. "Its okay. Sano just scared me is all." Raino, Suzaku, and Mehumi's mother sighed as they all left. "Well, face the wall I've gotta get dressed," Megumi said as Sano turned to face the door. He could hear her shuffling around the room as something hit him in the back of the head.

"There's your gi and bandages," Megumi said waving as she walked out. Sano started to pull his gi on and noticed something on his side. He looked and saw Megumi's kimono sleeve. He smiled and took it off then wrapped his bandages on his abs and pulled on his gi. He stood up and walked outside to find Megumi making breakfast and was almost done.

"How long have I been asleep?" Sano asked as she shot around and put the knife in her hand to his throat. "Oh, Sano, its just you. About four days now," Megumi replied going back to breakfast. Sano sat down as everyone walked outside. "Morning Megumi, Sano," Megumi's mother said kissing Megumi on the head. "Morning mom, Dr. Genzai, Suzaku, and of course my ever loved brother Raino," Megumi said as they all sat down. She gave everyone their breakfast as they all went to do their daily chores and she cleaned up.
Sano was taken into Megumi's room so Dr. Genzai could examine him. They left the door open for some fresh air as Sano watched Megumi do laundry, dishes, and help Suzaku use his sword. "Sanosuke," Dr. Genzai called as Sano snapped back, "Yeah?"

"I see you have taken a liking to my assistant. How do you feel?"

"Fine. Like I did before I got beaten up."

"Alright then. You may return to the Dojo after raino has a word with you." Sano nodded and exited the room as he saw Megumi, Suzaku, and her cousins walk off to the Dojo.

Sano entered Raino's room as Raino looked towards him. "You wanted to talk to me," Sano said sitting down as Raino nodded. "It has come to my attention that my sister has taken a large liking to you. That it has. I just wanted to say if you do show her true feelings then never hurt her or break her heart. Did I make myself clear?" Sano nodded. "You may leave." With that Sano jumped up and ran outside towards the Dojo.
"Good morning Miss Megumi, Suzaku, ahhh, okay, let Uncle Kenshin up," Kenshin said as Kaoru and Yahiko walked out seeing the girls jump on Kenshin. "Kaoru, Suzaku wanted to train with Yahiko today if possible and the girls want to take Kenshin to the cherry blossom field Raino found yesterday," Megumi said as they all nodded. "But Megumi what about Sano?" Yahiko asked dumbfounded. "Oh, he woke up. He's just busy I'll be in the rose garden in the countryside reading today. Nobody's sick or injured so I do get a day off." Kaoru smiled as Megumi winked and left.
Minutes later, Sano burst into the Dojo. "Kaoru where's Megumi?!" Sano half shouted. "Sano calm down. She's in the rose garden in the countryside reading, Kenshin's in the cherry blossom field, and I'm training Yahiko and Suzaku today," Kaoru answered as Yahiko and Suzaku fought each other. Sano smiled and ran off again.
Megumi reached the rose garden and walked to the only tree in the garden. An old willow tree. She had grown up uner the tree and loved it with all her heart. She would travel from her home on sundays to sit and read. She sat down and read as old memories came back.

Eventually she dozed off in the summer's sun.

Sano finally reached the rose garden and ran tired but still ran. He looked and saw a willow tree he knew somehow that she was there. He ran to the tree as he saw Megumi sleeping under the tree.

Megumi opened her eyes hearing a noise from around her. She looked and saw Sano standing above her panting. "Sano, you shouldn't be running its not good for a person in your condition," Megumi said giggling. "Very funny Takani, very funny," Sano said gasping for air. "Sit down I'm not leaving anytime soon." Sano flopped down next to Megumi who said, "You know I used to come here as a child. Raino didn't like me running off on my own but I did. I didn't care about the war or anything I just loved staying under this tree. I saw a lot of warriors pass through here but they paid me any mind. Of course I was so small then what could I do?"

"Nothing I guess. I remember this place. When I was a boy I stayed here for three days. There's a swimming hole somewhere around here. I went it everyday and watched everyone swim. One day I tried and almost drowned so I never learned how to swim."

"I remember a group here that long. Their leader would call me little bit cause I was so tiny. I helped out with medical problems. I can remember when they left I chased them knowing I'd probably never see them again I watched them leave. Then one day I just happened to meet you."

"C'mon, I wanna show you the water hole. You can even help me swim."

"Only if you help me."

"Alright then let's go," Sano said jumping up and grabbing Megumi's hand. She set her book down as he drug her behind him.

They stopped at a large lake as Megumi's eyes lit up, "Wow! I've never seen a place this big. Let's go Sano!" She quickly took off her regular fancy kimono and jumped in. Saon took off his shoes, bandages, and gi jumping in after her. "Its freezing," Sano whined as Megumi laughed, "Poor baby can't take the cold?" Sano got playfully angry and jumped after her, "Your gonna get it now." Megumi screamed as Sano pushed her under and she pulled him down with her.

They played in the water until nightfall. Megumi had pushed Ssano under the water but he pulled her down as he pressed his body to hers. They were spinning by this point. Sano pulled Megumi back up to the surface as she looked into his eyes and he into hers. Their bodies tight against each other as Sano got closer to Megumi until their eyes closed and their lips met. Megumi's head spun like she was going insane but she kept it under control as Sano's tongue slid into her mouth and searched around. They had gone back under water and Sano obviously wasn't going to let go anytime soon.
Hahahahahaha.... I love cliff hangers. Come on review. You know you want to. Just do it. A few words never hurt anybody. Come on you can do it. Just click the box. Don't be shy go on. Sorry. I hope everyone liked it. Thank you if you reviewed if you didn't please do. Thankies. Ja Ne.