Finally got this out. Thanks a ton to everyone who stayed with me for so
long. I love you guys.
MESSAGE AT THE DOOR AND THE SILENT CONFESSION
"Play with us Auntie Kaoru!"
"Play! Play!"
"Hide and seek!"
When Kenshin took his first peek outside he saw Kaoru hiding her eyes against a tree and counting slowly. He saw no evidence of the children he had heard but he could sense them hidden behind bushes or in corners at the far reaches of the yard. He leaned on a wall to watch as Kaoru searched for them, pretending that she was at a total loss as to where they all could have gone.
He wondered how she had adapted to life with Megumi and Sano in the clinic after he had left. She had seemed upset when he made his appearance at the gate seven days ago and he never had been allowed a chance to have a real conversation with her. Every time he could've approached her, she figured a way to avoid him. Truly, he never was brave enough to ask either. He felt he had no right to question her about something that he should've known the answer to already.
Now, because of his stupidity, he was forced to sit by and make guesses. There was really no reason for him to worry about it anyway, as she showed no signs of discomfort as of yet. He hoped, that maybe one day she would be open enough for him to get some answers.
"What's the matter Kenshin?" A voice from above startled his mental onslaught. It wasn't until then he noticed that he had moved outside.
"Oro?" Kenshin raised his gaze from Kaoru to the tall spiky-haired rooster next to him.
"You looked stressed. Wanna talk about it?" Sano had his shoulder propped against the porch post, his gaze on the red-haired man sitting below him.
"I was just wondering who the children were, that I was." Sano followed Kenshin's previous line of eyesight and stood for a moment as if he was surveying the yard before answering Kenshin's question.
"See the brown haired one? Behind the bush there?" Kenshin turned his head in the direction of Sano's pointing finger.
"His name's Hiroshi. Kaoru kind of adopted him as a little brother. He fell off of a roof and had to be brought here. Kaoru was the one who helped take care of him so the kid attached himself to her. Now we can't get rid of him." Sano shrugged indifferently to his last sentence.
"What about the other two?"
"Ayame and Sazume. Dr. Gensai's granddaughters. He's an old doctor that came to town after you left. Kitsune couldn't handle the clinic all by herself so-OW!" Sano rubbed the sore spot on his head where Megumi had landed her fist. She looked perturbed to say the least.
"What was that tori-atama? I was running this clinic perfectly fine by myself thank you!"
Sano recovered quickly and shot an arrogant smirk in Megumi's direction, "Sure you did, Fox. Especially since no one ever came here when you were by yourself." Megumi huffed and glared at the tall ex-gangster.
"I'll have you know, Rooster Head, that I'm one of the most respected doctors in this city!"
"Really? Coulda fooled me." Megumi had been ready with a retort but Kenshin interrupted the argument.
"I think I'll start breakfast, that I will."
That afternoon found Kenshin in town. Ayame, Sazume, and Hiroshi were all skipping along beside him. They had met him during lunch and decided that he was now one of their favorite people. At the announcement that Kenshin was leaving they had all decided that they wanted in on the fun. They were now headed back towards the clinic, all three children fighting over the bag of candy that Kenshin had treated them to.
He knew he was going to get it when he was bypassed by the three excited children who had it in their minds to show their favorite person what their other favorite person had bought for them. She gave him a reproving look and looked as if she was about to go off on him but someone else beat her to it.
"Excuse me. Does Himura Kenshin live here?" They turned towards the blue- clad officer that had addressed them from the gate.
"Can I help you with something?" Kenshin replied.
"A note from the chief." With this he held out a white slip of paper to Kenshin.
"Please tell the police chief that I appreciate his help, that I do," He faced Kaoru again, "I think I'll get started on laundry now." And he left Kaoru standing there wondering what was in the note that had been sent.
Ribbons of moonlight were streamed across the hallway floor. Kaoru was making her way back to her room, attempting once again to get some sleep. She was still bothered by the note Kenshin had received from the police chief. Even though she was still angry at him for waiting so long to come back, she was still worried that he might leave again. As difficult as it was to admit it, she still cared for Kenshin as she had as a child.
On the way to her room she noticed that the door of Kenshin's room was standing open. He had been given the same room he had stayed in the last time he was here ten years ago. The very same room that held the window that Kenshin had held her under so long ago. She allowed her gaze to fall on the sleeping rurouni. She never thought that she would ever see him again.
Those seven days ago, when he had walked through the gate of the clinic and she first laid eyes on him again, every memory came back to her. Every thoughtful look, gesture, and word made her smile, no matter how much she hated to let herself be happy about anything he had ever done. Those months she had spent with him had been the biggest turning point in her life. She had finally been happy and now those times were wasted when he deserted her. No, they weren't wasted. She treasured them. Those were the things that had kept her going when she was lonely and scared. But she couldn't forgive him. Her pride wouldn't let her.
Then suddenly something caught her eye and her head snapped up. There had been someone at the window.
MESSAGE AT THE DOOR AND THE SILENT CONFESSION
"Play with us Auntie Kaoru!"
"Play! Play!"
"Hide and seek!"
When Kenshin took his first peek outside he saw Kaoru hiding her eyes against a tree and counting slowly. He saw no evidence of the children he had heard but he could sense them hidden behind bushes or in corners at the far reaches of the yard. He leaned on a wall to watch as Kaoru searched for them, pretending that she was at a total loss as to where they all could have gone.
He wondered how she had adapted to life with Megumi and Sano in the clinic after he had left. She had seemed upset when he made his appearance at the gate seven days ago and he never had been allowed a chance to have a real conversation with her. Every time he could've approached her, she figured a way to avoid him. Truly, he never was brave enough to ask either. He felt he had no right to question her about something that he should've known the answer to already.
Now, because of his stupidity, he was forced to sit by and make guesses. There was really no reason for him to worry about it anyway, as she showed no signs of discomfort as of yet. He hoped, that maybe one day she would be open enough for him to get some answers.
"What's the matter Kenshin?" A voice from above startled his mental onslaught. It wasn't until then he noticed that he had moved outside.
"Oro?" Kenshin raised his gaze from Kaoru to the tall spiky-haired rooster next to him.
"You looked stressed. Wanna talk about it?" Sano had his shoulder propped against the porch post, his gaze on the red-haired man sitting below him.
"I was just wondering who the children were, that I was." Sano followed Kenshin's previous line of eyesight and stood for a moment as if he was surveying the yard before answering Kenshin's question.
"See the brown haired one? Behind the bush there?" Kenshin turned his head in the direction of Sano's pointing finger.
"His name's Hiroshi. Kaoru kind of adopted him as a little brother. He fell off of a roof and had to be brought here. Kaoru was the one who helped take care of him so the kid attached himself to her. Now we can't get rid of him." Sano shrugged indifferently to his last sentence.
"What about the other two?"
"Ayame and Sazume. Dr. Gensai's granddaughters. He's an old doctor that came to town after you left. Kitsune couldn't handle the clinic all by herself so-OW!" Sano rubbed the sore spot on his head where Megumi had landed her fist. She looked perturbed to say the least.
"What was that tori-atama? I was running this clinic perfectly fine by myself thank you!"
Sano recovered quickly and shot an arrogant smirk in Megumi's direction, "Sure you did, Fox. Especially since no one ever came here when you were by yourself." Megumi huffed and glared at the tall ex-gangster.
"I'll have you know, Rooster Head, that I'm one of the most respected doctors in this city!"
"Really? Coulda fooled me." Megumi had been ready with a retort but Kenshin interrupted the argument.
"I think I'll start breakfast, that I will."
That afternoon found Kenshin in town. Ayame, Sazume, and Hiroshi were all skipping along beside him. They had met him during lunch and decided that he was now one of their favorite people. At the announcement that Kenshin was leaving they had all decided that they wanted in on the fun. They were now headed back towards the clinic, all three children fighting over the bag of candy that Kenshin had treated them to.
He knew he was going to get it when he was bypassed by the three excited children who had it in their minds to show their favorite person what their other favorite person had bought for them. She gave him a reproving look and looked as if she was about to go off on him but someone else beat her to it.
"Excuse me. Does Himura Kenshin live here?" They turned towards the blue- clad officer that had addressed them from the gate.
"Can I help you with something?" Kenshin replied.
"A note from the chief." With this he held out a white slip of paper to Kenshin.
"Please tell the police chief that I appreciate his help, that I do," He faced Kaoru again, "I think I'll get started on laundry now." And he left Kaoru standing there wondering what was in the note that had been sent.
Ribbons of moonlight were streamed across the hallway floor. Kaoru was making her way back to her room, attempting once again to get some sleep. She was still bothered by the note Kenshin had received from the police chief. Even though she was still angry at him for waiting so long to come back, she was still worried that he might leave again. As difficult as it was to admit it, she still cared for Kenshin as she had as a child.
On the way to her room she noticed that the door of Kenshin's room was standing open. He had been given the same room he had stayed in the last time he was here ten years ago. The very same room that held the window that Kenshin had held her under so long ago. She allowed her gaze to fall on the sleeping rurouni. She never thought that she would ever see him again.
Those seven days ago, when he had walked through the gate of the clinic and she first laid eyes on him again, every memory came back to her. Every thoughtful look, gesture, and word made her smile, no matter how much she hated to let herself be happy about anything he had ever done. Those months she had spent with him had been the biggest turning point in her life. She had finally been happy and now those times were wasted when he deserted her. No, they weren't wasted. She treasured them. Those were the things that had kept her going when she was lonely and scared. But she couldn't forgive him. Her pride wouldn't let her.
Then suddenly something caught her eye and her head snapped up. There had been someone at the window.