~Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Rurouni Kenshin characters. This story was not written for sale or profit. Don't forget to review.

A/N-Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. Again I want to reiterate that I know Kamatari is a man but in my story I am referring to Kamatari as a woman.



A Reason for Love



Chapter 6: Helping to Love



"You can wait in the next room until I am done here," Megumi said to Aoshi, as she walked into the room, setting the tray on a small table next to the bed.

"No"

"Then stay out of my way," she ordered not in the least surprised by his answer. Picking up a small cup from the tray, she turned her attention to the young man sitting on the bed.

"Here drink this," she said, holding the cup out to Soujiro. She watched as he slowly brought his left hand forward while keeping his right arm firmly at his side. Waiting until she was sure he had a firm grip, she released the cup.

In slow motion, Soujiro raised the cup to his lips, taking a small sip. Scrunching up his face, he offered the cup back to Megumi.

"No, it's a special drink just for you," she said, looking over at Aoshi for help in getting him to drink the liquid. She sighed, thinking that there was no hope for the man.

Aoshi glared at her.

"Now drink that down. Its cool enough and it goes down better all at once," Megumi softly ordered her voice firm and explicit.

Surprised at Megumi's tone, Soujiro downed the drink all at once, again making a horrid face. Feeling a little lightheaded, he swayed a bit, caught himself and then started smiling.

Megumi smiled and said, "Now that's a good boy."

"What was in that drink?" Aoshi asked his voice tinged with concern.

"Just my special brew," Megumi answered a twinkle in her eye as she brought her hand up to cover the small smile on her face.

She waited for a few minutes and when she was satisfied that the mixture was beginning to work, she said, "I am going to raise your arms now, try to tolerate the pain, ok?"

Getting a nod from Soujiro, she slowly started to raise his arms. She managed to get them to a forty five degree angle feeling some resistance from his right arm. When she heard Soujiro moan, she immediately lowered them back to his side. Using her fingers, she lightly touched the ribs on his right side.

"How long ago did you hurt your ribs?" she asked looking at him sternly.

"A little over two weeks," he sleepily answered.

"What happened?" she asked, gently taking the yukata off his shoulders, slipping the sleeves off his arms.

"I fell off a roof when I was helping a farmer repair his roof. We were almost done, and when I started down the ladder, I looked down, and got dizzy. The next thing I knew I was on the ground looking up at the sky," he slowly said.

As he talked, Megumi wrapped his ribs with gauze taking particular care to keep his right arm down close to his side, so as to not hurt him. Her face frowned when she noticed the red tinge running the length of the diagonal scar on his chest. Looking at Aoshi, he nodded, understanding that she was silently asking if he had obtained his scar in the same manner as Aoshi had.

As she finished wrapping his chest, she quietly asked, "Did you have a doctor look at your chest after your fight with Ken-san?"

"No, I would find a place to rest and sleep until the pain went away," he said, his speech was slurred but he still managed to give her a smile.

"There I'm done, does it still hurt?" she asked, carefully putting the yukata back on his shoulders.

"Not at all," he replied, trying to hide the pain behind his smile.

"You expect me to believe that? After all I am the doctor here and your body tells me what you won't," she said, putting the excess supplies back on the tray.

"Now lie down and get some sleep. I'll check you in the morning," Megumi whispered, helping him to get comfortable on the bed.

"Thank you... I'm sorry... don't know your name," Soujiro apologized the weariness very pronounced in his voice.

"Megumi Takani, but you can just call me Megumi," she softly said, covering him with a light blanket.

"Thank you, Megumi-san," he whispered, his eyes falling shut.

Walking back over to the table, she picked up the tray and motioning to Aoshi left the room.

Having stood in one place the entire time, Aoshi followed Megumi when she left the room.

Entering the kitchen area, Aoshi sat at the low table, going over the conversation that had just taken place between Soujiro and Megumi. He realized when he had stayed at Shishio's hideout, he had been so consumed with fighting Battousai that he had given no thought to anything or anyone else. And to think that there had been no one to take care of Soujiro after his fight with Battousai was almost unforgivable.

When he had met Soujiro in the hall that day the boy had looked ok, there was no visible mark like he had on his chest, so he felt safe in assuming that Soujiro hadn't engage in any fight. Would things have been different had he know? He couldn't answer that.

As he sat waiting for Megumi to finish fixing them tea, he kept thinking about the past and what might have been.

"Aoshi you must let go of the past. You can't change the past but you can do something about what is happening here and now," she said, setting the tea cup in front of him.

"It's hard to just let go of the past," Aoshi replied, taking the tea cup in his hands and slowly turned it around.

"Yes, it is. And it's still hard for me too. Even now, when I treat someone who has suffered from the opium I made, I want to give up and hide in a dark place. But I must keep going, helping people to live healthy lives. Aoshi, if you only help one person, that is better than just sitting in a temple wasting away, now don't you think?" Megumi asked, taking a drink of her tea.

"Is that young man important to you?" she asked after receiving no answer from the man sitting across from her.

"Yes. How bad is his condition?" he quietly asked.

"It's bad enough. He is suffering from acute malnutrition, which can be healed by just eating properly. He has two maybe three cracked ribs, but keeping them taped and with time they will heal. But I am not sure about the coloring around his scar. There could be several different things wrong or nothing wrong at all. I just don't know for sure."

"Will he recover to full health?" Aoshi asked.

"With proper care, yes. It's obvious that he isn't taking care of himself, are you willing to be there and take care of him?"

"Yes."

"The drink that I gave him tonight will help ease the pain and allow him to sleep better. You must make sure that he eats properly or his body will refuse to function and he will die. He has been slowly starving himself.

Aoshi nodded his understanding.

"Have you talked with Misao at all?" Megumi asked her voice low and quiet.

"We have tea everyday..."

"You know what I am talking about. Does she know about...?"

"No, she doesn't. I don't know how to tell her."

"How about just coming out and telling her?"

"I'm afraid."

"You wanted to be known as the strongest and yet you are afraid of a little ninja girl."

"Yes."



~Aoshi had trouble sleeping so after a couple hours of lying on the bed in the clinic, he got up and walked over to the sleeping form in the bed next to his. The day was dawning and there was just enough light filtering in through the window to outline Soujiro's angelic face. Reaching down Aoshi brushed his cheek with the back of his fingers, grateful for the cool tinge of the younger man's skin.

Leaving the clinic, Aoshi headed for the marketplace. The threadbare clothes that he had taken off Soujiro the night before had been thrown away and would need to be replaced.

Never having shopped for anything other than the occasional food item or to replace a personal weapon, Aoshi was uncomfortable dealing with merchants. Entering the clothes store, he looked around while trying to decide where to begin, when someone nudged his elbow.

"Hi there, handsome," the familiar voice chimed.

"Kamatari-san, are you following me until you get your answer?" Aoshi dryly quipped.

"No, in fact I am surprised to see you here. You already told me that you would give me your answer in three weeks, I am satisfied with that," she stated hands on her hips. Then, leaning towards Aoshi, she put her hand to her face as if directing her words to him alone and said, "Now, what ever are you doing in a clothes store? Don't tell me that your ninja uniform is out of fashion?" Smiling, she straightened up then giggled.

"No I am purchasing some clothing for a friend," Aoshi said, scowling at her.

"Oh do let me help, I love to go shopping. Male or Female?" she chirped excitedly, refusing to acknowledge the scowl on his face.

"Male," Aoshi said before he had time to think.

"How tall?"

Gesturing with his hand as to Soujiro's height, Aoshi watched as Kamatari gleefully started going through the various clothes. She picked out two of everything he would need as if she knew exactly who would be wearing the cloths, for the colors she picked out would look good on him.

Kamatari walked over to the merchant while Aoshi slowly followed.

"There, the lighter colors work for everyday, while the darker tones work best for formal occasions," Kamatari happily said, holding the folded clothes out to Aoshi, "Now all you have to do is pay the merchant and you are done. You can thank me later, if you like."

"Thank you," Aoshi said, giving Kamatari a polite bow. He handed the money to the merchant. Taking the clothes from her, he turned to leave. Feeling eyes trained on him, he tried to get a glimpse of the person spying on him.

Looping her arm through Aoshi's, she asked, "Do you mind if I walk with you for a bit? I do so enjoy being around handsome men."

Catching a subtle change in Kamatari's actions, Aoshi nodded.

"Be careful, the person who is watching you is very dangerous," she said in a voice low enough for only Aoshi to hear. Nearing a store that sold mostly women's clothing, Kamatari squealed with delight. "Oh, I am sorry but I must check out this store," she said hurriedly, disappearing into the store.



~Megumi entered the room expecting to find Aoshi asleep on the bed against the far wall, but she had not been surprised when he was not there. She had left it up to him to spend the remainder of the night or go back to the dojo.

"Good morning," Megumi greeted her patient.

"Good morning, Megumi-san," Soujiro greeted back. He had been awake for some time but chose to just lay on the bed resting, thinking back to the night before. But with the smell of food entering the room, he was ready to get up and enjoy a hot meal.

"How is my patient this morning?" Megumi asked, setting the tray on the table.

"Very hungry," Soujiro said, smiling at her.

"That's always a good sign," she smiled back at him. Helping him into a sitting position, she placed the table closer so that he could sit on the bed while eating his breakfast.

He had finished eating what he could when Aoshi entered, holding a round cloth bag, the drawstring pulled tight.

"Here are some clothes," Aoshi said quietly, handing the bag to Soujiro.

Soujiro looked up at Aoshi in surprise. He had just about convinced himself that Aoshi rescuing him had only been a dream and now to have Aoshi here and giving him clothes, he was speechless.

"We need to talk," Aoshi told the young man staring at him.

"Yes"



TBC.

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