heyo, people!! it's my third chapter now....woohoo!!! i never knew i could come this far.....but my spirit's dampening cos i'm not getting reviews.......(burst into tears)

so, come on, fellas......please....I'm begging u.........please read and review......u've no idea how a few encouraging words can lift my spirits to the MAX!!!!! = ) i may not be continuing this fanfic if i dun get any response........so..............u know wat to do, right?

Chapter 3

"COUGH!!! COUGH!!! CHOKE!!!! CHOKE!!! SPLUTTER!!!!!" Kenshin turned a definite bright green with bulging eyes that threaten to fall out any second as soon as the spoon disappeared from view. "Uggh......grrkkkk......." He started pounding on his chest with his own fists, but the damage was done.......the gravy had trickled down his throat...oh, God, what have I done to deserve this?? Kenshin wailed in silent despair as he clutched desperately at his protesting throat. His knees suddenly gave way and he was soon writhing on the floor with agony written all over his face.

"Kenshin! Kenshin! Are you okay? You can't die yet, you haven't tried the chicken " sobbed a distraught Kaoru, shaking a spiral-eyed Kenshin to and fro.

SMACK!! "Oww!" A hard stinging slap on her arm forced Kaoru to release her firm hold on Kenshin. "Let go of him, he's mine!" snapped Megumi who had miraculously freed herself from the dog leash. "Now look what you've done to him, you numbskull."

Kenshin had suddenly found comfort in repeatedly crashing his head against the ground. Somehow, the pain of this distracted him from the tortures of his churning stomach. In the midst of this, Kenshin caught himself wondering how food could ever taste that horrible. Somehow, it wasn't possible........

With a final strangled cry, Kenshin collapsed face-front onto the floor, and apart from a few convulsive jerks which soon ceased, remained perfectly still. Not even the slightest sound of breathing could be heard.

"He dead already?" Sanosuke, with a huge bump on his forehead, prodded the motionless figure with a foot unsympathetically. "Tsk......tsk........" he shook his head slightly in obvious disappointment. "Personally, I would have expected more from the great Battousai. Oh well, a promise's a promise. I'm off to see the undertaker."

"SANOSUKE!!!!" roared Yahiko, struggling frantically in an attempt to remove the thick ropes restricting his movements. "Wait up! I'll help you find the minister!"

Kaoru could sense the familiar feeling of wrath building up inside her as her hands balled into fists. The warm sensation of her face turning red surprised her. She had never felt so much rage, so much anger, so much frustration all at once in her lifetime.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, YOU IDIOTS!!!"

"Huh?" Two rough and unlady-like hands shot out to grab their collars, stopping them short. The horrifying expression on Kaoru's face was enough to get them perspiring profusely.

"How could you do that?! We were supposed to be friends, friends that care for each other, friends that help one another in times of sorrow, pain and misery!" Kaoru was shedding tears now, making the gnawing feeling of their guilt even worse. "How could you? How could you? How could you just leave me here to deal with his corpse??!!"

DUHHH....... Every single person in the dojo sweat dropped. Kaoru Kamiya, not affected by Himura Kenshin's death but instead, weeping over the fact that she has now to deal with his body. Somehow, the perception of her being his loving, caring and loyal sweetheart doesn't seem to register.

"Hunh?" The single-word expression of surprise seemed strange and unusual coming from the fox-lady. Whatever that had provoked it must be simply too astonishing for words.

"I....I don't believe it......," she whispered. The expression on Megumi's face was a combination of shock, of wonder and of total amazement. The others stood stock-still, gaping, wondering what in the world had come over the usually calm doctor.

"He's....he's still alive! There's a heartbeat!" uttered the vixen who was kneeled down beside the lifeless form of Kenshin holding up his limp wrist.

"You didn't kill him, Kaoru! You didn't!" Megumi sang out at the top of her voice while performing a little dance of joy. On the other hand, Sanosuke and Yahiko looked a little crestfallen. They had actually been looking forward to organizing the funeral of the great Battousai. As the pattering sound of feet grew significantly louder, they looked up in surprise to see Kaoru actually linking arms with Megumi in a happy tango.

"I never thought I would lived to see this day....never.....those two getting along so well together," Sanosuke raised his hands in a silent and thankful prayer while Yahiko bowed down to the ground in his own way of expressing his heartfelt gratitude.

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" A back to normal Kaoru banged their heads together, resulting in two simultaneous screeches of pain.

"Now, I want you two to help get Kenshin into his room and clear this place up, you hear me?" demanded Kaoru, wagging a finger in their faces.

"But....but......" Yahiko stammered. He recovered quickly from the initial shock as his face took on a determined look. "What makes you think you can boss me around like that, you ugly woman?"

The incredulous look on Sano's face was priceless. "You're....you asking me.....me, the great Sano ....to do....do....work?!" he spat the words out as if they were poisonous.

Minutes later............the scene shows Yahiko shoving a rag along the wooden floor of the dojo with Sanosuke emptying a pail of filthy water into the drain, muttering angrily in the process.

"We've done all your stupid chores, you happy now?" Sanosuke and Yahiko barged into Kenshin's room where the two young women were huddled around the still-unconscious samurai.

Megumi, who had been examining him, turned to greet them with anxious-looking eyes.

"It's strange....."