Within These Padded Walls

By

Black Twilight

Life is a waterfall

we're one in the river and one again after the fall

swimming through the void we hear the word

we lose ourselves but we find it all....

-- SYSTEM OF A DOWN

Enishi cracked an eye open an stared at the white ceiling above him. (Sense a color theme?) He expected pain to shoot through his body but only found a soothing numbness. He sighed and sunk back down on the hospital mattress. 'I wonder where Takani is…' he thought absently.

Speak of the devil and she shall appear.

"Yukishiro-san?" a melodic voice called. His door was thrown open to reveal Megumi clad in her regular lab coat. She walked over to him and took a seat adjacent to his bed.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah…what did you do me?"

"I pumped you full of acetaminophens. It should ease the pain."

"Ah. Why does my face feel funny?"

Megumi then decided that the floor was very interesting…Sparkly even.

"Hey!" he yelled.

"You won't like it."

"What else is new?"

She gave a weak smile and dug her compact out of her purse. Megumi handed it to him. 'What the hell…' Two scars ran down the side of his face. They met right below his ear to form a perfect cross. He ran his fingers down his jaw line in wonder.

"…I can't believe Kaoru did this."

"If it's any consolation, I think scars are kind of sexy." [HELL YES!] Enishi rolled his eyes and muttered his thanks. A short silence followed afterwards.

"Yukishiro-san…I got called out of town today. It seems that a girl is having a hard time with her pregnancy and needs my assistance." Enishi remained skeptical.

"And…?"

"I need a favor."

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"No! I refuse to work with that…that…ugh! Girl!"

"That's right, Enishi! She is a girl and she needs help!"

"Did you even see what she did to me? Who knows what she'll do next! Kaoru can't be trusted!"

"Maybe because you never showed her trust in return! 'Treat people the way you want to be treated.' Did your sister ever teach you that, Yukishiro-san?" Megumi spat.

Enishi stiffened at her last remark. Onee-san…how dare she mention her. After all the years of heartache and pain…

"So," Megumi continued in a dangerously low voice, "you won't do it, then?"

"My answer stands."

"Very well, then." Megumi rose from her chair and walked to the door. Enishi raised an eyebrow? She was letting him off the hook? He snorted. 'Yeah. When hell freezes over.' Just as Megumi was about to leave she stopped, back turned, in the doorway.

"Need I remind you of the circumstances on which I took you in?"

Enishi stayed silent.

"It would be a shame if you forgot our little deal. I guess I let the 'cat' out of the 'bag' now, hmm?"

"You wouldn't…"

"I would." Enishi didn't have to see her face to know that there was a confident smirk on it. Suddenly he felt very vulnerable.

"You can't! You knew my situation!"

Megumi merely shrugged and took a step into the hallway, leaving a distraught doctor in her wake. 'I don't believe this. All I've worked for, all I've suffered for…No. It won't happen.' Enishi leapt to his feet and ran after her.

"I'll do it!" he yelled.

Megumi turned to face him and smiled. "Thank you, Enishi. I'm sorry I had to threaten you like that, but I hope you'll understand someday. Kaoru…well. I trust you'll take good care of her. Right? I'll only be gone for a month or so. Everything you need is in my office."

"Why do you care about her so much, Megumi?"

Megumi hid a smile. "I'll think she'll be good for you." She turned away and continued her trek down the corridor, high heels clacking against the tiles.

"Hey," he called to her retreating form. "This is blackmail, you know."

The young doctor was only rewarded with her melodic laughter.

-------------------- end of chapter two -----------------------------------------------------

Medical Terms:

Acetaminophens Pain reliever. Used in every Tylenol and aspirin you can think of.

Author's Notes: Yay! Second chapter is posted! I wrote some parts a bit in a rush because ff.net will be down today and I wanted to get this up before I forgot. Anyways, I apologize if this is short but it's a very important chapter. I dropped some clues in the dialogue. I doubt you'll understand them, though. ^.^ Anyone like System of a Down? I was listening to their CD while I was writing.

Also, I got a Trojan virus on my computer last week. My life sucks. And I can't get into my e-mail, dammit! But Norton AntiVirus supposedly took care of it. Uh huh…My apologies if anyone contacted me.

Reviewers:

Blah - I know Enishi is out of character here, but I want people to understand that he's changed…somewhat. Don't worry, though. I have plans for him.

Goldmund1110 - Thanks! I try to make Megumi the 'strong and commanding ' woman. Someone to keep Enishi in line, perhaps. Plus, her floor was getting dirty!

Wistful-Eyes - *laughs* Sadly, I love that part, too. 666 is the devil's number! Maybe Kaoru needs a pitchfork, ne?

AngelOfDeath10 - Yes, the romance is going to be difficult to pull off. But who says doctors can't smooch their patients?

Crystal Renee - YAY! :hug: You reviewed! And Lord Fuzzy will make an appearance shortly. Hehe.

CathyAngel- Awww….thank you!! Do you mind if I keep her crazy, though? She's so amusing like this. *cackle*