Thank you to all those who reviewed! Hope you enjoy this chapter! It's full of surprises.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or the Cheney Duvall M.D Series by Gilbert Morris. Though I wish I did!
Chapter 2: Megumi's Nurse
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Megumi's eyes fluttered open. I'm . . .I'm in my room. She sat up in the bed but soon regretted it. A wave of pain shot through the muscles in her neck and she moved a hand up to sooth the tension. She slid her feet to the floor and hobbled over to the mirror over her vanity table.
Her brow wrinkled as she noticed the black and blue marks that stretched down her neckline. Those awful men. But how did I get here? Soon she heard a knock on her door.
"Megumi, Darling, are you up?"
"Yes Mother come in."
Daphne Takani was an image of beauty and grace. Megumi had inherited all of her good looks from her mother. The shiny black hair, the deep blue eyes, (A/N if that's right) and the slim waistline. The only thing her mother had that she did not was the shorter stature. Megumi was tall while her mother was petite.
"Megumi, you really must get dressed and come eat. How do you feel this morning?"
"I feel much better, thank you. Where's Tanya?" Tanya was their household servant that had been 'in the family' ever since Garrett and Daphne Takani had wed. They had given Tanya her freedom but she had decided to continue to work for them. She had been like a second mother to Megumi.
"I be right here Miz Megumi. I 'sume you're a wantin me to fix that darn'd hair of you'rn."
Megumi giggled while Daphne stifled a smile. "I'm sure she is Daphne. I'll leave you two alone please come down to breakfast when you're done her Megumi."
"Of course, Mother."
"Ahh, there are my two girls. Garrett Takani stood in the doorway of Megumi's bedroom looking in affectionately at his wife and daughter.
"Good morning, Father!" Megumi said cheerfully.
"It's more like good afternoon Miz Megumi you done slept the day away. An ever body here wants to make sure you alright afore the eat enythin. So you folks get goin' down da stairs an I'll be havin Miz Megumi ready in a minute." Tanya shooed Megumi's parents out the door and proceeded to fix Megumi's hair.
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When Megumi was dressed she walked downstairs into the dining room where she was met by her father. "Father I'm extremely worried about my nurse, she never arrived yesterday and-"
Garrett Takani held up his hand to silence her concerns before saying. "Megumi I would like to introduce you to Mr. Sagara. He's the nurse you've been waiting for."
Megumi glanced past her father's shoulders where she saw a tall man with chocolate brown hair leaning against the wall casually. He had broad shoulders and a well-groomed appearance. His face was firm, with a well-shaped nose and deep brown eyes. He was wearing tan breeches and brown boots. And the white shirt he wore did nothing to hide his well-toned arm muscles. He straitened upon her entering and smiled casually his teeth remarkable straight and white.
"Well, it's a pleasure to finally meet you Doc. Had me real worried there with your passing out on me and all." Sano had walked over and stuck out his hand to shake Megumi's. But all Megumi could do was stand there with her jaw dropped open.
She's a MAN! How can this be? He's so tall! Why couldn't they send me a female nurse? I know he's the one that rescued me but-
"Miz Megumi if'n you don't shut dat dere agapin mouth I'm a gonna shut it for ya. You don't never see Miz Daphne walkin round in public with her mouth agapin." Tanya reprimanded. On which Megumi promptly shut her mouth and swallowed hard.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Nurse Sagara."
"Just Sano ma'am no reason to be formal." Megumi nodded curtly before turning to look at her father begrudgingly.
"Well da food isn't getting any warmer lets all get the plates goin round."
Megumi quickly picked up a plate and began filling it with large amounts of food. She noticed Tanya giving her an evil look and she just grinned to herself, Tanya had been getting on to her about eating large amounts of food ever since she was little, but Megumi didn't let that dampen her appetite.
"Please Mr. Sagara, help yourself to some breakfast."
"Thank you Sir." Sano said respectfully before piling his plate high with food. Megumi watched with disdain as her filled one plate and went back for another. She noticed as he tried to pour the dressing onto the salad that he spilled some of its contents on the table.
That's all I need is a clumsy left-handed nurse that's a male! Megumi sat down and waited for everyone else. Once everyone was seated Garrett prayed and the group began to eat. Sano and Megumi's father talked aimlessly about politics until Megumi decided to ask this male nurse of hers some questions.
"Mr. Sagara."
"Sano." Sano quickly corrected smiling.
"Sano, I have some questions."
"Go right ahead ma'am. Like I told your parents last night when I brought you in soaked and unconscious you have every right to ask as many questions as you please." He spoke casually with a grin on his face.
"How did you become a nurse? The man I wired said you were the best nurse he ever had."
At this statement Sano blushed, "Well, He must have ment the best nurse that ever attended to him. You see I was in the army during the war. I fought for the south." At this Megumi stiffened she glanced at her father who had diligently fought for the north until he had been wounded. "And well, I was wounded in battle. While I was wounded nurses and doctors from the north came and helped every injured soldier on the field. I was surprised especially since we were on opposing forces. But the doctors treated everyone equally. It didn't take long for me to heal so soon I began to be able to walk around and give the other doctors a hand. Since I was no longer fit to fight I decided to stick around and help others that were wounded. The man you wired or Doctor Garter, had me help him every day. He worked himself into exhaustion and soon was on a sick bed himself. So I tended to him until he was better. I guess that's what he meant by 'best nurse'." Megumi nodded and continued to eat.
"I too understand what it's like to be wounded Mr. Sagara. I was wounded in my left knee and sent home with this wretched cane." Sano nodded and looked up at the women's faces. Both were filled with sadness and pain. It's been hard for them. He thought to himself. "Now, I work with Takani Iron Works. You heard of it?"
Sano face twisted into a grin. "Heard of it Sir? Why it's one of the most productive companies in America." Mr. Takani chuckled.
"Where did you come from Sano?" Megumi interrupted.
"Well, I was dropped off at an orphanage in Idaho and grew up there. I was in a box with a tag on it that said Sanoske. So that's how I got my name. When I was 14 a man by the name of Sagara decided to take me under his wing and train me to be a boxer. I took on his first name as my last and by sixteen I was fighting with the pros. I boxed until the war started and joined the armyI got wounded and well then I became a nurse and now I'm here."
Mr. Takani smacked his hand on the table. "That's where I've heard your name before. Sagara! I saw you fight Big Headed Billy years ago. Made a nice winning off you too! Thanks."
Sano just grinned and Daphne stared at her husband horrified. "Sorry Dear but I was really into Mr. Sagara back in the day. A fine fighter I might add. Well paying job I'm sure."
"Yes Sir. It was well paying. A lot better pay than a nurse I might add. But if you're treating others wounds then you don't have to worry about your nose getting broken." Sano said as he rose to fill his plate again
"I remember that was the thing that intrigued me the most was you never had your nose broken."
"Yes Sir, just too quick I suppose." . Megumi just wrinkled her nose. Great I have a boxing left-handed clumsy male nurse.
"Miz Megumi yer face a gonna stik dat way if'n you keep a doin dat."
Megumi just smiled at Tanya and finished eating. "Well, Garrett Tanya and I have to go. Marcie's having her baby today."
"Is she now? Well, I hope everything goes well."
"I'm sure it will. That's where Aoshi is now so I'll tell him to come back and grab something to eat. I'm sure Marcie had a couple more hours of labor to go."
Megumi froze at the name of Aoshi. The Takani family had taken in Aoshi Shinomori and his mother when Aoshi was 8 and Megumi was 5. When Aoshi's mother passed away the Takanis continued to raise Aoshi as if he were their own son. He had recently graduated from a college in Europe and was well-known doctor all over New York. He had in fact been the encouragement Megumi had needed to become a doctor. He's back. She thought happily. Daphne watched her daughter's face change and smiled to herself.
"Megumi you may want to finish getting ready he'll be here soon."
"Yes, of course." Megumi lifted her skirts and climbed the stairs to her room. Where she proceeded to put on an emerald brooch Aoshi had given to her as a birthday gift. He fingers trembled slightly.
Calm down it's just Aoshi you've known him all your life. He's your best friend. No need to have the jitters.
But Megumi's heart continued to flutter persistently in her chest as she glided back down the steps. She glanced out the front window and saw her father, Sano, and Jake. Talking about horses. Mr. Jake. She smiled. Mr. Jake was the Takani's carriage driver and a good one at that. He had trained his Arabian horses with pride.
He always acts like he doesn't care when deep down inside he really does. He's always taken such good care of me. I really have taken him for granted. When I leave on the ship . . . she stopped. It was no time to get emotional.
"Megumi." Her name was spoken softly and she turned to find Aoshi standing in the doorway smiling at her. He walked over to her promptly and hugged her affectionately. "You look a lot better than the last time I saw you. How's your neck?"
She was wearing a high-collared dress so the bruises wouldn't show but Aoshi knew better. "They're much better thank you. I took some pain killer so it shold be fine." She watched his eyes.
He looks distracted. I wonder if anything's wrong. "How's Marcie?" She asked quickly hoping to change the topic.
"Hmm? Oh she's fine." A long uncomfortable pause ensued and Megumi just stood there helplessly as Aoshi stared out the window. "Megumi I want to ask you something."
Megumi's throat tightened. No he couldn't, no here not now.
"I want you to think very seriously about it before answering." Megumi stood there like a cornered mouse with no where to run.
"Ok . . ." Aoshi turned and walked over to her and took a ring box out of his coat pocket and got down on one knee.
"Megumi . . .will you marry me?"
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Well, there's the chapter. I know I kind of left it cliffie again. But I will now say this IS a Sano/Meg fanfiction. Though it'll be a long time in coming. I will now thank my reviewers and please remember to read the note about Sano at the bottom!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~My Reviewers ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The Evil Witch- Thanks so much for checking out my new story! Your reviews are always encouraging! Hope you like this chapter!
Kakashi-fan- I know! I love Sano! I can't help it he's so cute! He's extra sweet in this story too. I hope you liked this chapter and interesting turn of events.
Lily of the Shadow- (twirls the pen between fingers,) I really like this pen! It runs so smooth! I'm glad you're enjoying this story! I hope you like this chapter!
Darky- Yay! I'm so glad you found it! Yes I love Kingdom Hearts! I've heard of Final Fantasy but have been unable to purchase any of the games . . .O well. Hope you're enjoying this story!
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Thanks to all of my reviewers and to those who take the time to read my story! You all are a BIG encouragement! I'll try to update soon! Please remember to review!
Note: Sano in this fic will be slightly OOC his character will be a LOT more sensitive to other's feelings and emotions. He is also highly social. But he still has his quick temper, his hot body, and his awesome fighting skills! Woo hoo for Sano! (drools)
That's all, now REVIEW!
~Kairi7~