You guys like me! (^_^) And don't worry, i'm not planning on killing Kenshin...not yet anyway...

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

~flashback~

________________
"I can't believe he went off on his own! Kenshin's so damn reckless! He should have at least told us he was going off to fight somebody!"

Kaoru Kamiya was pacing in front of a closed door, which was the entrance to the small room they'd given Kenshin to sleep in. Dr. Genzai was inside now, working on the injured samurai. No one else was allowed in, and Kaoru was venting all her frustration and helpless anger into a endless stream of verbal complaints. Complaints that Yahiko was getting tired of listening to.

"Will you cut that out! All you're doing is upsetting Ayami and Suzume, and besides why should he have told us? I bet Kenshin's in better shape right now then he'd be if he'd had someone else to worry about while he was fighting," Yahiko trailed off.

"You don't think I know that? Kenshin almost DIED!"

"Kenshin is gonna die?" Suzume asked her sister.

"Grandpa will make him all better," Ayami said decisively.

"Make him all better!" Suzume cheered up considerably.

As all this was going on, Sanosuke Sagara came around the building from where he had been washing Kenshin's blood off.
~Very late last night, the inhabitants of the Kamiya Dojo had noticed Kenshin's disappearance. It was just starting on dawn when they realized something was wrong and had spread out in search. Sanosuke had been looking along the river, without any luck. He'd actually been crossing the bridge to go back to the dojo when he saw a flash of light in the corner of his eye.

He'd gone to investigate, and had spotted Kenshin's body. It hadn't been a pretty sight, and at first Sanosuke thought Kenshin was dead. But he felt a pulse, albeit a very weak one, in Kenshin's wrist and had scrambled to get the gravely wounded warrior back to the dojo. If he hadn't seen the sunlight reflecting off the Sakabatou, Sanosuke was certain he'd never have found Kenshin in time.~
"Man, I'm going to be very upset if this thing is stained. Do you know how hard red is to get out of white cloth?"

"How can you even THINK about your clothes at a time like this? Kenshin is -"

"Kenshin is in the care of an excellent doctor, and right now whether he's alive or not isn't your concern, it's his. You won't help him get better by getting all worked up, Kaoru."

Sanosuke waited as his words sank in, and watched as Kaoru sat down dejectedly in front of the door.

"But Sanosuke -"

The door slid open, bringing all further conversation to a halt. Dr. Genzai looked very serious as he gently slid the door closed behind him.

"Well? Is he gonna be okay? Kenshin's just gotta be okay!"

Dr. Genzai raised a hand to put a stop to Yahiko's babbling.

"Well, we should all consider ourselves very lucky. If he had been found any later Kenshin would be dead now. It's a credit to him that he survived. But…"

"But? But what? There just can't be a but!"

"I don't believe anyone could fully recover from this. But even partial recovery will be slow and difficult. I warn you now, Kenshin will not be getting up for a while."

"Can we see him?"

Dr. Genzai looked at Kaoru sympathetically.

"He's asleep right now. Not too many at a time should be alright, but he needs the rest, understand?"

Kaoru didn't answer, but just headed for the door.

...

She slid it shut behind her, then hesitated. There, over in a corner, was a still form lying on a futon. Gingerly Kaoru sat down beside him and assessed the damage as best she could.

Kenshin's head was bandaged, as was his entire chest and many places on his arms. Dr. Genzai had removed Kenshin's shredded and bloody shirt, which was wadded up in another corner. Under the blanket there were probably even more wounds. Kaoru didn't bother to check. She just sat and listened to his breathing. It was uneven, shallow. It scared her, to see him like this.

She sighed, not loudly, but even so it triggered something. Kenshin stirred.

"…Miss…Kaoru?…"

His voice was so soft she barely recognized it.

"I'm right here."

She answered, and instinctively reached out and held his hand in her own. He squeezed her hand lightly, which in his current state was all he could manage. His head tilted in the direction he thought she was in, and then Kaoru saw that the bandages were wrapped tightly around his eyes.

"I am…very sorry…for making you worry…that I am…"

"Hmm. This time, I think I can forgive you."

Kaoru saw a small smile appear on Kenshin's face, sweeter still for the effort he put into making it. It made her own mouth twitch upwards at the edges. They stayed like that for a while, Kaoru watching as Kenshin fell back asleep still smiling.