~Chapter Seven-The shifting of the wind, and the name that plays over and over like a broken record~
The afternoon progressed in a slow fashion, then rain outside seeming to never have an end.
It was as if time had suddenly stopped…..for Kaoru and the rest of the dojo residence anyway.
Tae and Tsubome had come over to see what was going on with Kenshin, after getting a message that morning about the incident that had occurred the night before.
"I…I can't believe this." Tae spoke with a quiver in her voice. "I just spoke with Kenshin yesterday afternoon! Everything was just fine! But now….this has happened. I just can't seem to let it all sink in. It happened so fast."
Sanoske and Yahiko sat in the dinning room with Tae and Tsubome facing them.
"I know. I can't let it sink in either. But…Dr. Genzai said that Kenshin might even wake up soon! And Kaoru's leg will heal soon enough. Everything will be A ok in just a few more days! You'll see!" Sanoske tried to be cheerful for everyone.
Yahiko stared at the floor.
"Y…Yahiko?" Tsubome's small voice spoke his name in a worried way.
Yahiko looked up at the girl his age.
"Please try to look on the bright side of things. I know it's hard…but…" Tsubome shut off her voice.
Yahiko smiled at her. "I'll try, Tsubome. Thanks."
While their meeting went on, Magumi spent her day with the girls.
She found that it was a stress-reliever, and the fact that Dr. Genzai had spoken of Kenshin's awakening perhaps being that evening, she was in a better state of moods.
"Do you like it, Auntie Magumi?" Sazume held up a picture she has finger painted with black ink.
Magumi smiled at the 2 year old. "It's lovely. What is it of?"
Sazume was happy to explain. "This is me, and that one is Ayame, and this one is Uncle Ken! He's taking us to buy things and get food for miso soup! We always make miso soup!"
Magumi felt the child's warm intentions towards the sickly wanderer. He had been more of an older brother to them then anyone had. She couldn't help but imagine how it would be when Kenshin would wake up, and Ayame and Sazume would run into his arms and probably spend their days with him at his futon while he re-gained strength.
It was such a pleasant thought.
She was almost certain that things were going to be different soon. Things were going to get better for everyone!
She prayed in her heart that they would.
~With Kaoru~
Kaoru leaned against the wall she had been sitting in front of all day.
It was maybe about 4 in the afternoon now….perhaps even 5.
She had her eyes closed, and she was trying her best not to go to sleep.
She had a job to do! Even though it was a slow one.
The sudden out-burst of coughing was what shot her eyes wide open and brought her to Kenshin's side once more.
"Kenshin?" She whispered down to him.
Her loose hair fell over her shoulders.
She scanned over his body with her eyes.
She noticed shivering, even though there were many blankets covering him!!
"Oh no! Um…I'll be right back! I'll get you more blankets." She exclaimed.
She threw open the screens for the first time since dawn, and ran to a pantry nearby that held quilts.
She returned not a moment too soon and wrapped the blankets over Kenshin body, tucking them in at the sides.
She caught her breath. "Is that better? Are you warm now?"
His shivering seemed to stop, but now sweat began to build on his forehead again!
She threw off the covers she had put on, as well as the ones he had had on originally, and opened up his kimono top.
His chest moved up and down rapidly!!
His fever was returning….
Fear fell over her.
She got the washcloth and put it in the cold water, then ran it across his chest, up his neck, and to his forehead.
She felt his body.
It was burning up!
Her heart raced with panic now. "Kenshin…Kenshin how can I help you!!! How can I???!!!"
She remembered to get Dr. Genzai if anything happened.
She saw a painful expression come over Kenshin's face.
He was no longer in peace.
He was burning up with fever.
She felt so helpless to do anything!
"I….I'll be right back, okay? I swear it." She insisted upon him.
As if he understood, he seemed to try and hold onto what consciousness he had left in him.
Kaoru ran out of the room, and through the halls.
"DR. GENZAI!!!!!!!! DR. GENZAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She cried.
Sanoske, Yahiko, Tae, and Tsubome heard in the other room.
Magumi, Ayame, and Sazume heard as well.
"DR. GENZAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Kaoru??!! What is it??" The old man got in front of Kaoru and stopped her frantic search for him. "What's wrong?!"
Kaoru breathed in and out rapidly. "It's Kenshin…..his fever has returned worse then ever and he's in pain and I can't help him anymore by just doing what I had been. Please go help him, Dr Genzai!!! Don't let him be in pain!!!!!!!!"
Dr. Genzai didn't say anything, and ran to Kenshin's room across the dojo.
Kaoru fell to her knees on the floor.
Everyone looked out into the hall and watched as she began to sniffle and attempt to control her tears.
"…Kaoru…" Magumi's voice was saddened at the picture played out in front of her.
But there was nothing she could say or do to make Kaoru change her mind about how this situation hurt her so bad.
And speaking of hurt….Kaoru also cried because in doing so much running about, she had forgotten about her leg, which throbbed and began to swell through the bandage now.
Yahiko was the one that stepped out to help her. "Kaoru…"
The boy watched as Kaoru got up with all her might, and began to limp down the hallway back to Kenshin's room, holding her balance on the walls.
"She won't stay away from him for long, you know." Sanoske explained after Kaoru turned a corner up the hallway.
Everyone looked to the brown head.
Yahiko's heart hurt.
Magumi took the girls into the room they had been in so that they wouldn't see the sadness outside, and Sanoske took Tae back inside the dinning room.
But Tsubome stepped out into the hallway with Yahiko, and they stood out there long after both screen were firmly shut.
Yahiko's shoulders tightened and shivered.
Slight sobs came from him.
"…Yahiko…." Tsubome stepped forward and ran to the boy, and wrapped her arms around him.
This stunned Yahiko, but he accepted the gesture by not pushing away like he would have normally done.
Tsubome cried with Yahiko.
The halls were quiet again except for their small cries.
~In Kenshin's room.~
When Kaoru reached Kenshin room again, the screens were wide open.
She took it that she could walk in.
Dr. Genzai knelt over Kenshin and felt his burning chest with his hands.
"….D….Dr. Genzai….." Kaoru's voice entered the old man's ears. "Was it me? Am I to blame?" Her voice was tattered.
Dr. Genzai turned to the girl and shook his head, his eyes softening on her weak with fear image. "No, Kaoru. It's not you. You did a fine job. Please sit and help me. I'm sure…if you're here, Kenshin may feel your presence while I'm inspecting him, and he will feel more at ease."
Kaoru nodded and limped over to the other side of the futon.
Dr. Genzai saw Kaoru's swollen up leg, but didn't say anything.
She tucked it under herself as she sat down anyway.
All she was concerned about was Kenshin.
She stared into his pain-filled face, and tears walled in her eyes.
"It appears…" Dr. Genzai began explaining. "…that Kenshin might have gotten over the pneumonia today….but that is not a common thing. Usually sever cases such as this one take weeks to recover from. And when it takes more then a couple weeks…..then……"
He paused and looked up at Kaoru.
Her face read so much hurt. He didn't want to say what he was going to, but he didn't want to lie to her about it either.
"…Then the person if unable o be healed, and has to be given a shot. This shot." He pulled from his doctor's bag a needle. "This little needle holds the key to saying goodbye….too early. I've never had to use it…..but I know doctors that have used it…..and…..it's a painful thing to do, let me tell you. But it would be more of a pain to watch the person suffer into……death."
"Y…y…..you mean to say…..that shot……just…kills the person. Like an animal being put to sleep?!?" Kaoru's voice cracked.
The old man nodded with hesitation. "But….I'm sure that Kenshin won't get that bad. Actually, I'm almost certain. I….I'm not sure though. His case is more sever then any other I've seen. In his condition now, it's almost as if he's been under a comma for weeks. It's only been a day though. Not even 24 hours yet. I'm a little afraid……"
Kaoru's breathing was sharp. She was trying so hard not to spill over in utter panic filled sorrow.
It was hard not to though.
She managed to clear herself up quickly though, her eyes hidden beneath her dark bangs. "…………………………..You might have to give him that shot….correct?"
The silence that came over the two of them answered the question.
Kaoru shut her eyes and bit her bottom lip so that it wouldn't quiver. "…I see…."
She sat there in silence as Dr. Genzai gave Kenshin more of the remedy he had made for him, and then wet down his body.
He put the thinnest sheet over his body up to his mid-chest, and then stood up.
"I noticed your leg is swollen from your running. Take some pain reliever. It's labeled on a bottle in my bag. That should help it feel better." Dr. Genzai spoke in a timid way, and then shut the screens softly behind him as he left.
It was 6:30 p.m. already.
Kaoru hadn't moved a muscle for the longest period of time.
Kenshin wasn't breathing rapidly anymore….but when she looked him over, his forehead was sweaty again.
She took the washcloth and wiped the sweat away.
She brought the cold material to his cheeks.
She saw his face again.
He was in pain.
She lifted her hand from where it sat on the floor, and put it on his cheek.
She held it there.
She leaned over him and laid her head on his chest.
"Kenshin……….can….you hear me? If you can…please…..let me know. Give me a sign that you're listening……"
No sign came.
None….
This stung her heart.
Maybe he couldn't hear.
"Please……wake up." She pleaded softly to him.
Nothing…..
She closed her eyes and listened to his heart beating.
She began to sing a song she had once heard him sing before.
She knew he had enjoyed it once from somewhere…..so she sang.
When she was done…the stillness fell over her, and she made herself fall asleep right where she was.
It didn't matter to her if others saw.
This….was the only was she knew to help him.
So she stayed there.
Right there.
Trying to pray to whoever would listen…..trying to let them know she needed their help….to save the only person that ever stayed in her life for so long….and had given her so much joy.
~Later on~
His coughing returned about 8:30 p.m. that night.
Kaoru had missed dinner sleeping there with Kenshin, and the room was pitch dark now except for a candle burning in the corner of the room.
She figured Dr. Genzai had come in and lit it, but it had actually been Magumi.
She wouldn't know that ever though.
Kenshin's coughing was worse now.
His breathing was crackly and hoarse.
Kaoru sat up over him.
Tears streamed down her eyes. "Please…..don't get worse. Please….please. Why isn't Dr. Genzai's remedy working! You should be better by now!!!!!! Please!!!!! OPEN YOUR EYES!!!!!! TELL ME SOMEHOW THAT YOU'LL BE OKAY!!!!" She cried out.
Dr. Genzai and Magumi rushed into the room minutes later.
Like a swarm, they surrounded Kenshin, and pushed Kaoru to the side.
"I'm sorry, Kaoru, but there's nothing you can do now. We have to work on him fast!" Dr. Genzai exclaimed as he tore out his medicines and tools.
She pulled herself back into a corner and let this scene fill her eyes.
Magumi and Dr. Genzai were working madly over Kenshin, while he lay there in pain, sweating madly, and breathing at a fast pace.
Her whole body shook.
She slapped her hands over her mouth, and tried not to scream.
Her world was falling over her…and crushing her bit by bit.
Nothing she could do?
Nothing at all????
Tears were falling from her eyes one after one after one…and her whimpers turned to hiccup sobs.
*Kenshin…..Kenshin……………Kenshin……..Kenshin……..Kenshin………………………………........................* His name repeated over and over in her mind….like a broken record…..without a mechanic to fix it.
~*Tears* Noooo!!!! What next???!!!! Read on to find out~
~Smile B~