Living in the Past

Chapter 4

Henrika- This is really short, mainly because I have more limits on my time and because I still have to figure out those smeared pages. I hope you enjoy what I have and sorry for taking so long to get this short chapter up. Review!

Kenshin opened his eyes again. Darkness had swept his mind away from the bloodbath of Kyoto. He now found himself on a snowy battlefield. He felt the sword in his hands meet the familiar resistance of flesh. Too much flesh for one. "That scent...white...plum." Kenshin tried to pull back the last, desperate swing of his sword in vain. Tomoe fell into his arms as he wrenched the katana away from her side. He lowered them both to the ground, the sword falling from his hands. The dagger in her hand came up and he felt a small pain as her knife bit into his flesh, taking revenge for her fiancée and assuring that the scar Kiyosato had left would never bleed again. Kenshin cried as his wife slipped away from him.

"It's alright...so please don't cry." Tomoe smiled as she brushed a few tears away before she fell limp in his grasp.

"Tomoe...TOMOE!"

"I think his fever is getting worse Megumi." Kaoru said as she laid a hand on Kenshin's forehead.

"If he were awake, I have some herbal tea that might help break the fever, but..."

"Would the scent do anything?"

"It's possible."

Kenshin stirred lightly under Kaoru's hand. "Tomoe...TOMOE." He rasped, a few dry sobs sweeping over him before he went limp again. The group had frozen when he had opened his mouth to speak.

"He must be re-living ...Tomoe's death." Kaoru choked out. Silence settled.

"I'll...make...the tea." Megumi retreated with the small bag of tealeaves. The silence descended again, leaving them each with their own thoughts.

'Please come back to us Kenshin." Kaoru begged silently.

Kenshin found himself drifting in the darkness. 'No, not darkness.' He thought to himself as he realized that he was on solid ground. 'This is fog.' Kneeling down, he fanned away the swirling mist and saw that there was solid wood and tatami mats hidden beneath the dense fog.

A sudden gust of wind began to clear the fog away. Kenshin easily recognized the plaque on the wall that proclaimed the Kamiya Kasshin Style. Directing his eyes downward again, he followed the trailing wisps of fog with them. He saw how the white strands whirled around the floor and the pool of blood that had formed. He looked with horror into the listless, unseeing eyes that blandly met his horrified gaze. His heart was struck with pain as he replayed every single chance he had to leave her to a safe life, free from his enemies. Again, he had failed a woman he loved.

Kaoru Kamiya's body was pinned to the dojo wall by the sword of Enishi's Earthly Justice. As they had before, the tears began to flow, only this time there was no one to brush them away. "Miss...Kaoru..........Kaoru." The sheer anguish expressed in those three words served to capture every emotion that came from failing to protect the ones he loved from his past. Finally overwhelmed by the unrelenting torrent of emotions, Kenshin slipped into the sweet bliss of unconsciousness.

Kaoru was the first one to notice the teardrop making its journey down Kenshin's cheek. Several more followed the first. "Miss...Kaoru..........Kaoru." The pain and sorrow reflected in his voice nearly made Kaoru burst into tears. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"I'm here Kenshin. I'm right here." She soothed.

A strong herbal scent made Megumi's presence known before she even reached the room. She wordlessly placed several small bowls around Kenshin's head and ppured the tea. The scent stole over the room, leaving them all filling invigorated. "It'll take some time to work." Megumi warned.

"I hope this works." Sano said.

"We all do." Yahiko pointed out.

Kesnhin stirred slightly, but remained unconcious.

C'mon Kenshin. Missy's counting on you to come back. All of us are counting on you. Sano thought.

Henrika- Sappy, I'll admit it. Review and give an opinion on it if you want.