Chapter Five:

Like Something From A Distant Past

All of Tokyo seemed to be ablaze that night. The smell of smoke and burning wood filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. Kaoru fanned Megumi, sweat dripping from her brow. She had been injured at the clinic. She was tending to people badly burned by the fires when her own clinic was firebombed. A support beam fell on top of her, nearly crushing her left side. Sanosuke worked feverishly to remove the beam. Kaoru had never seen him so livid. A few days had passed and her condition had not improved by much. All of her broken bones had been set, but she suffered so much internal damage that even Kaoru knew her time was short. All she could do was make her as comfortable as possible as they waited for the Angel of Death to come for her. She had traveled far to find the soothing herbs for her, and she had stumbled unto the most magical grove. The land was damp and soft, but was covered with the greenest, thickest grass she had ever seen in her life. The brightest, most beautiful flowers seemed to grow in that one spot. She almost was ashamed that she didn't want to leave. Why would she? It was heaven.

"Little Raccoon," Megumi beckoned, reaching her arm out to Kaoru. She quickly fell to her side, her infant son suckling on her breast. Megumi looked at Kenji and smiled. She caressed his rosy cheeks, a tear forming at her eye. It was almost her time…

"Sanosuke," Kaoru yelled frantically until the man was in the room with them. He looked at Kaoru, asking her mentally what he feared. She nodded and Sano choked on his tears. He slowly strolled over to Megumi and knelt down at her side. She slowly moved her eyes to meet his. Both were crying. Megumi broke a soft smile and placed her hand on his hand. She was so pale, he thought to himself.

"You can't leave me, Foxy Lady," Sanosuke said through his tears, trying to stay strong. Kaoru started rubbing his back, trying to sooth him, though she knew it would be impossible.

"Turning soft on me, are you, Sano? Don't ever do that. That's what I love about you," she whispered to him. His eyes grew wide and his head fell to her chest, sobbing.

"Do not leave me, Megumi! I am sorry I did not tell you how I loved you sooner! Just don't leave me now," he pleaded to her, as if it would make a difference. Megumi made a sound similar to a chuckle and rubbed his spiky hair. She then looked over at Kaoru and Kenji, her eyes worried.

"Take care of Kaoru-dono and Chibi-Ken. She has lost her love, you will share that," she whispered, her voice growing fainter by the moment. Kaoru began to cry also, not wanting to see her go.

"Sano's a lazy baka, he can't care for me and Kenji, you have to do it," Kaoru said. She didn't know if she was joking or not. She just wanted to make the mood lighter, not as dark as it was becoming, not as dark as it would be when she was gone. Megumi used the last of her strength to smile at Karou. Sano cried out and placed his lips onto Megumi's. They twitched and opened slightly, but then she was unresponsive. Her eyes closed and her face grew peaceful.

Megumi was gone.

Sano fell over and sobbed uncontrollably. Everyone knew that they loved each other, but much like with Kenshin and herself, they would never admit it or show it. Now, it was too late. Kaoru just continued to rub his back has she tried to control her own tears. Kenji was oblivious to the whole ordeal. He had fallen asleep. Kaoru stood up and placed him on a small futon and walked back over to Sano. He was slowly regaining his composure when looked up at Kaoru. Both of them were now alone. They only had each other and Kenji. Yahiko had left when the fires started and they had no idea where he was. Kenshin had left after he knocked up Kaoru. How much Sano wanted to break him in two for that…

"Let us prepare her for burial," Kaoru said, fixing her kimono. Sano looked at her, puzzled.

"Where are we going to bury her. The cemetery here is a mess. You aren't just going to throw her in the ground, are you?" Sanosuke questioned, but it as more an accusation. Kaoru quickly belted him on top of the head and drug him out of the room. She shut the screen so that Kenji would not awaken from their noise.

"We will travel to the area where she got most of her herbs from. It's very peaceful, she will rest for all eternity there," she said calmly. Sano took in a deep breath and nodded. He placed his hand on her shoulders and rubbed it softly.

"Kaoru," he whispered softly, his face moving closer to her own. She closed her eyes and all she could feel was the heat of his body…the heat of his body was intoxicating. She opened her eyes again, but this time, she was not greeted with Sano's face. It was…Kenshin's?

Kaoru blinked hard and tried to bring her right hand to her face to rub her eyes, but she couldn't. It was injured. Then, it came back to her. She was only dreaming. Why was Kenshin at her side? Why was she in this room? Last she remember, they were fighting, she wanted to kill him. Then her arm…she re-aggravated it. She must have passed out.

"How long have I been out of it?" Kaoru asked, her voice rough. She tried to sit up, but Kenshin put a firm hand on her, keeping her down.

"Quite a few hours, almost half a day, I'd say," he replied, "But you are not well enough to get up. You strained your arm pretty bad. You can't feel it because the doctor gave you a powerful dose of medicine, but you will feel it soon."

Kaoru rolled her eyes and smacked her lips. So, she would be stuck here, she figured, with Kenshin. Damn him! Why after all these years did he have to come back? Now everything was just a mess. How would she work now? It's a good thing she robbed those dead robbers, or she'd have no way to survive after she got away from Kenshin.

"Are we in your inn?" Kaoru asked, looking at him. Kenshin nodded as he stood to open the curtains of the window. His inn looked traditional Japanese style on the outside, but was almost completely Western on the inside. The bed was high and the curtains were imperial red with little purple flowers on them. She more she looked, she saw it was a mix of the old and the new. It was quite a lovely place, actually.

"I hope you like it here. You should be able to get up on your own in a few days, but you will have to take it easy. I know you do not want my help and that you hate me, but please let me do this for you," pleaded Kenshin. His eyes were low and humble. He did not want to offend her any further. Kaoru let out and exasperated sigh. It's not as if she had much choice in the matter. She nodded, then rolled over to her side so she wouldn't face Kenshin.

"What were you dreaming about?" Kenshin asked her, sitting at the edge of the bed, rubbing her injured arm. He was really pressing his luck. Kaoru growled and tried to shake him off, but she couldn't. Her arm tensed up immediately and began to ache. The medicine was starting to wear off.

"I was dreaming about Megumi's death," she said flatly.

"How did she die?" he asked, his voice soft. Kaoru then rolled back onto her back and looked up and Kenshin. Why was he asking all these question? Could he just leave her the hell alone?

"Her clinic was fire-bombed and a beam fell on her. She died about a week after that," she replied, her voice still sharp.

"How did Sanosuke take it?" he questioned again, but Kaoru had enough.

"Damn it, Kenshin! What does it matter now? They are dead, ok?" she yelled, her eyes filling with hatred and anger again. Kenshin frowned, but continued to rub her arm.

"And stop fucking touching me!" she screamed, rolling back over to her side. Kenshin did as she asked and got off the bed. He turned around to ask her another question, but he opted against doing so and exited her room. As soon as Kaoru heard the door shut, she sat up in her bed and began to examine her arm. Her wound felt very tight, for it had been sewn up. She could tell. It was make heal better, since all she would do is open it back up anyway. Her arm ached more and more by the minute, from shoulder to fingertip. She had really hurt it bad. She then looked out the window…it was almost nighttime again. She did not want to go back to sleep…to dream.

"Sano…" she whispered to herself. They had shared a short-lived romance, if it could be called such. She knew they only reason he turned to her was because Megumi was dead. He needed an outlet and she needed the attention and protection. It was an arrangement more than anything. She always felt Sanosuke died of a broken heart. Only a month after Megumi was buried, Sano died for no physical reason. Then, she and Kenji were alone.

Kenshin. Why did he care so much? Why was she being so cruel? No, she has every right to treat him the way she treats him. Look at her life. Things would have been so much different. No, she can't allow herself to feel anything for him, not anymore. Even though a part of her self tugged when he smiled, when he asked about the past. She supposed it was possible a part of her still loved him. No…she couldn't. Not after what he put her though. Not after all the time that has passed.

Kaoru's eyes grew heavy and to her displeasure, she began to fall asleep. Her thoughts made her drowsy, emotionally draining. Hopefully, it would be a dreamless sleep, so she wouldn't have to revisit the past.