…

By the time the two women were walking back towards the Shinsengumi headquarters, the sun had already set and was now casting it's last glows over the horizon. Jarenna was relating to an eager Kimiko about the finer details of poetry and what made it good when Junko-san ran out of the building, her kimono hitched slightly higher so as to facilitate her running. Her face was flushed and she looked extremely disturbed.

"Yukijorou-san, we've got two casualties inside, and they need immediate care! Now!"

Jarenna stared at the older woman for a second. Casualties? The Shinsengumi must've been in a skirmish with those Ishin soldiers again, and from the looks of it, the Ishinshishi must've been pretty formidable. Junko and the other older maids were always the ones who tended to the wounded, but for them to come to her…they must be very bad. Quickly, she digested the news as Junko tugged on her arm. "Junko-san, how bad are they?"

"There was blood all over, and the cuts are extremely deep and serrated. Those are not clean cuts, Yukijorou-san. The young men have been brave, but the longer they wait, the less chance they'll have for surviving. Hurry, time is of the essence!"

"Which squad?" she asked absently as she ran with Junko, hitching up her kimono skirts to take longer strides. She was not able to do anything until she saw the actual scene.

"Takeda-sama is one of the injured. Harada-sama is the other. It was a bitter victory."

What battle isn't?

…

With Junko and Kimiko hot at her heels, Jarenna rushed into what was known as the First Aid room. She saw Okita's head whip up to see them, and when he focused on her, she saw that he relaxed slightly.

On the futons lay the two of them, literally soaked in blood. Their injuries, on closer inspection, were much worse than what Junko had just described to her. The sword stab and slash wounds were deep, and they had barely managed to stop the bleeding, and then there was the flesh that had been sliced open, deep and wide enough for her to see bone.

"Where are their squads?" she asked quietly, dreading the answer. She knew for a fact that if one of the rules of the Shinsengumi stated that if their captain fell to the enemy, they should fight to the death. And was that what they did?

"My squad reached there in time to fend them off," Okita stated quietly. "We couldn't save most of them. Harada passed out from his wounds after the Ishin dogs retreated."

"He's a stubborn fighter." Kami-sama, she thought, fighting the urge to retch. She had lives to save here, and it wouldn't do to throw up all over them.

Whipping her dagger out of her kimono sleeve, she unsheathed it and used it to tear open the makeshift bandages that were wrapped around them before sliding the dagger into the fire, her mind running furiously through everything she had to do.

"Kimiko-san, can you please get me a bucket of hot water and fresh towels? Also get me all the new bandages you can find. Now. Junko-san, please find Hijikata-sama and ask if he would spare the Ishida Sanyaku. About six ounces should do the trick. Hurry."

The two women were out of the door in a flash.

"Is there anything I can do?" Okita asked, looking down worriedly at them.

"Yes, Okita-sama," Jarenna said briskly as she went to a cupboard and removed a small pouch. Opening it, he saw an array of wrapped threads and needles that glinted in the dim light. She picked her dagger up from the fire as she turned to Harada. He looked to be in much worse shape than Captain Takeda was, and she decided to operate on him first. "I'll need you to hold him down for me."

Okita, mildly surprised by her sudden take-charge demeanor, nodded and did as she said.

"Jarenna-san, what you needed is here," Kimiko said as she rushed into the room, panting slightly as she set the small bucket on the floor and put the towels on the stand next to the futons.

"Thank you. Give me more light."

…

She worked tirelessly through the night, and no words were exchanged save for the occasional instruction. She was fast and precise, yet infinitely gentle as she murmured soothing words to her patients. Her kimono was stained with their blood, and tendrils of ebony hair were spilling out of her bun, only to be pushed back impatiently. She had managed to completely stop all bleeding and smoothen out the serrated edges of the wounds, and now was the time for the tedious part, making sure that there would not be infection and the wounds were sewn up and closed properly.

Throughout all that, Okita watched her intently, lighting new lamps for her even as Junko and Kimiko finally retired for the night, unable to fight sleep any longer. Jarenna, for one, did not show any signs of weariness, and the strength that enamated from her delicate features captivated him. She was an entire juxtaposition within herself, strength within weakness. And it did not help that she was kneeling entirely too close to him, her unmistakable scent of summer roses wreaking havoc in his mind.

As the night wore on, and his worry for his subordinate waned, another distraction had increased to take its place; he could almost feel her warmth in the scant distance that separated them, and the way the light played sensually across her features, enticing him like a siren's song almost made him reach out to touch her, to see if the skin was really as smooth as it looked. It took most of his control not to do that, coupled with the fact that he was supposed to be helping her, and molesting her really did not fall into the category of 'help'. Disgusted with himself, he'd put a bit more distance between them, hoping that it would dispel the errant thoughts that were running through his mind.

She's beautiful when she's determined, he thought, wondering if that was why almost half of the new recruits fell all over themselves for her. He was in the midst of considering this when Jarenna leaned back and sighed, having finished wrapping the bandage around Takeda's upper arm. She then reached over, away from Okita, to take a clean towel to wipe the thin shin of perspiration that beaded on her forehead. Finally, finally, it was done. Exceedingly pleased with herself for a job well done, she jumped and held back a yelp when Okita suddenly said, "You put the finest doctors to shame, Yukijorou-san, the way you treat their wounds."

He is still here? Was her very first thought as she spun around to face him. Her second thought was infinitely more chiding. He's still in the dirty Shinsengumi clothes! He must've been the one beside me all the while, making sure that the lamps were bright enough. Why, oh why, hadn't she noticed him sooner? He made no noise at all, staying near her all the while as she raced against time to save their lives. Oh, Kami-sama.

Flushing with embarrassment, she stood up. "Gomen, Okita-sama. I hadn't noticed you there." She glanced out the window, at the rapidly approaching dawn before glancing at him. He must've been in these clothes the entire night. "I'll bring you some water for you to clean up."

Okita laughed, a pleasant, lilting sound that she found herself liking immensely. "It's quite all right, Yukijorou-san, I understand. I'll get the water myself, you must be tired from working the whole night."

Jarenna had already made her way to the door. "Iie. Come, Okita-sama, we have to get you out of these clothes, or I'll have an earful from Junko-san later."

…

It was still dark out, the first rays of the sun had not yet touched the horizon, and yet the birds were already chirping, a signal of the dawn that was to come. Okita, dressed in a light yellow gi and hakama, had just finished washing his hands and gratefully accepted the new towel Jarenna had handed to him after putting his haori into the wash. The butterfly kanzashi caught his eye, and he spoke, breaking the almost companionable silence. "That's a very beautiful kanzashi."

"Oh!" Jarenna's hand immediately shot up to the elaborate butterfly in her hair. She'd almost forgotten about it, thanks to the events earlier. "I-I bought it at a stall this afternoon. It's nothing, really." Embarrassed that he'd witnessed her bid to be a lady, she moved to take it down. A mere maid had no right to try to dress like a noble, after all.

"No," he said quietly, startling her. His dark eyes were gentle, yet mildly unreadable. "Leave it. It looks beautiful on you."

She flushed at the compliment, and the swordsman marvelled inwardly at how beautiful she was then. Dressed in a lavender kimono--albeit with bloodstains--the girl sent a strange feeling settling in the pit of his stomach, very much like when he'd caught sight of her at the marketplace earlier.

"I-Arigato, Okita-sama." Inwardly, she cringed. He was most likely just saying it to be nice. She knew that she looked like a total mess, hair askew, kimono spattered with blood…there was no way he would ever really think her more than average.

"How did you learn how to treat wounds so well?" he asked suddenly, inclining his head to regard her with a curious stare.

She smiled wryly, shadows dancing in her eyes. "Being a slave for most of your life tends to make you learn things." Absently, she rubbed her right arm, and Okita felt himself flare up momentarily. How anyone could hurt someone like her was unthinkable. Before he knew it, he was looking into doe-brown eyes flecked with green. By God, he had never realized how intriguing her eyes were. Large and expressive, yet with a hint of sadness in them. "Why do you ask, Okita-sama?"

"San," he said before he could stop himself. "When you're alone with me, call me Okita-san." He managed a laugh, though it sounded somewhat dry. "I'd never really gotten used to people calling me Okita-sama."

She regarded him for a moment. How anyone as humble and affable as he could be one of the fiercest swordsmen in the Shinsengumi was entirely beyond her, but she supposed it was a belief. People did many things, both wonderful and terrible according to their beliefs. He, she supposed, was no different.

By now, the sky was beginning to lighten slightly, the tiny slivers of the rising sun barely visible in the distance. She forgot all about her question as she looked out the window, captivated. She turned to Okita and smiled. "Have you ever seen the sunrise, Okita-san?"

"Hardly," he replied. His squad almost always returned near dawn, and when the sunrise actually happened, he was fast asleep, gathering his energy for when he had to wake an hour later. There was no time for idle watching, no matter how much he loved it.

"Well then, this is your lucky day!" her smile grew as she headed outside. "Life is too short for you to miss this."

Despite himself, he followed her outside. The sun was already inching up ever so slowly, and the colors of the sky were breathtaking. Swirls of pink, red, and gold mingled in the air, lovingly painted by the Almighty's paintbrush, and chasing away the nightmares of the dark. He saw the sun's glory before he felt it, bathing him in warmth as he seated himself beside Jarenna, who said softly. "Every sunrise is different, do you realize so? A new song to greet the new day."

"I didn't know you were poetic," he smiled as the sky lightened around them. He tore his eyes away from the beautiful sight in front of him to look at her. Suffused in the gold rays of the sun, she seemed to glow, the perpetual shadows in her dark eyes banished from sight.

And for a moment there, he thought he felt his heart skip a beat.

"Isn't it, though?" she replied. "Do you hear those birds? They're singing a song of hope, because that's what every day brings. No one can look at the sunrise and not be moved, do you not think so?"

"Aa," he found himself agreeing as he looked back at the rising reddish orb lackadaisically rising from the horizon as if waking from a long sleep. The fights and bloodshed were behind him for a moment; the peace and tranquility of the early morning soothing his troubled heart with a balm he found himself welcoming entirely.

And he knew that there would be no nightmare waiting for him when he slept later.

…

"For the last time, Kimiko-san, nothing happened between us!" Jarenna said for the millionth time with a hint of expression. The younger girl had been following her around for hours, pressing her for details ever since she'd caught sight of Okita sitting with Jarenna on the porch watching the sunrise. Apparently, Kimiko had gotten it into her head that they were madly in love with each other.

"Come on, Jarenna-san," she wheedled. "You can tell me! I won't tell anyone!"

"There's nothing to tell."

"You are so lucky," Kimiko said enviously, still tight on Jarenna's heels. "Okita-sama is the dream man of every woman here, you know, and you get to watch the sunrise with him!" she sighed. "I want to watch the sunrise with him, have him fall in love with me, have his kids…"

Jarenna laughed as she patted her friend's head affectionately. "Kimiko-san, you've got to stop dreaming."

"Hey," she scowled in response. "It's what I really want to do!" she sighed and threw up her hands. "All I want is for Okita-sama to notice me, but he doesn't! It's so frustrating!"

"Well, if you'd stop trying to stalk him…" It was true. Wherever Okita went, Kimiko was sure to be there whenever she had free time, hovering a little distance away from him, or, on occasion, sticking close to him and constantly asking if he wanted anything to eat or drink. Okita had politely declined countless of times, but what Jarenna was most impressed with was that he had never lost his temper with her, no matter how doggedly Kimiko had trailed him.

"I've got no choice, you know." Kimiko replied pointedly. "Not all of us are as lucky as you are, getting his attention whenever you're near."

Jarenna put the large clothes bucket down on the ground and ignored her last statement. Kimiko was particularly prone to bouts of jealousy where she and Okita were concerned. As far as Kimiko was concerned, she was bent on making Okita fall for her and starting a family with him.

A sweet dream, she mused absently as she started hanging the clothes, shielding her eyes from the glaring sun at the same time. She felt light-headed for a moment, but shook it away quickly. She had gone straight to work as soon as Junko-san and the other maids awoke and had been busy till now, still doing her chores. She had been somewhat of a heroine this morning, when word of her overnight 'surgery' spread among both maids and samurai alike.

Kimiko hadn't been too happy with the attention she'd gotten, having, for years, been the centre of attention, but Jarenna supposed the other girl had gotten over it and proceeded to bug her about Okita until now. Which, quite frankly, was very annoying.

"Jarenna-san…"

Oh, kami-sama… she looked heavenward for a moment, quietly praying for strength. "Aren't you supposed to be sweeping the courtyard? Junko-san will put you on night duty for two whole weeks if you forget to do it again."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" the thought of being on night duty again horrified her as she forgot all about her quest and made for the courtyard. "Thanks for reminding me! See you later, Jarenna-san!"

Jarenna sighed and got back to hanging the clothes. Finally, I have a moment of peace.

…

It was in the late afternoon when she stepped into Harada-sama's quarters with a bowl of freshly brewed medicine. Junko-sama had given Takeda-sama's dose earlier and had assigned Jarenna to take care of Harada, as the older woman had worried that the wounds might act up again.

She jumped when he suddenly said, voice dry. "What are you doing here?"

He was lying on his futon, shirtless and wrapped in bandages. Some of them were bleeding, and he was staring at her. He had obviously been trying to get out of bed but had failed miserably. "I came to bring you your medicine," she replied, then frowned slightly, reaching into the sleeve of her working kimono for her handy first-aid kit. "Harada-sama, you've torn your stitches!"

He scowled at her. "I'm not gonna die from it, and I don't want no medicine. Help me up, woman. I need to see my men."

She met his irritable gaze steadily, not flinching in the least. "If you tear more of those stitches, you'll definitely bleed to death, and you need to take the medicine to help you heal faster."

He growled. "I don't care about that. Are you gonna help me up or not?!"

"Iie."

"Why you--"

"If you want to see your men, you're going to have to be strong enough to get up yourself. You're in no shape to do so now."

"Are you ordering me?"

"Hai, I am." She countered swiftly as she sat down beside him and laid out her kit. "Now, lie down. I want to see if you've torn those stitches badly."

He glared at her.

She glared right back, having had quite enough of his spoilt tantrum. "If you want an infection to kill you just because you're too stubborn to let me look at it, be my guest."

She moved to stand, but he grumbled under his breath and lay down. "All right. Whatever."

"Thank you." Gingerly, she opened the bandage that was soaked with the most blood. It wasn't too bad, though a couple of stitches were torn. The wound was open again, and she sighed, setting to work. She had to rethread it again. "You really should be careful, you know," she said quietly, taking his arm and laying it down.

Harada stared at her. The soft voice was so familiar, he knew he'd heard it somewhere…

"You're the one who treated me last night?" he asked, almost disbelieving. But the touch that fluttered across his skin now was gentle. He remembered feeling that touch as he drifted in and out of agonizing consciousness and finally lulled to sleep, where he had felt no more pain.

"Hai. You were in a very bad shape then. It's a miracle that the two of you survived."

He looked at her for a long moment. She didn't look up, being more occupied with stitching up his wound. He was almost certain--as he passed out after beating down the last Ishin scum--that he was done for. He knew his injuries better than anyone else, and yet this slip of a girl had managed to bring him back from the jaws of death, thus enabling him to kick more Ishin butts.

I suppose I owe her a 'thank you', he thought. He had never really thanked anyone before, much less a woman, but then again, she as good as saved his ass. "Arigato," he said gruffly.

She gave him a tiny smile. "Doitashimashite."

He watched as she stitched him back up, noting how her long lashes cast delicate shadows over well-formed cheekbones, and how her dark brown--almost black--hair spilled over her shoulders only for her to tuck them back somewhat impatiently. She really was a pretty little thing, like those little porcelain dolls he'd seen in a couple of shops while patrolling. Briefly he wondered if she was like them, pretty on the outside, nothing on the inside, like a freaking flower vase or something.

"I hope it doesn't hurt too much," she said as she changed his bandages and started on another.

"Are you kidding?" he said cockily. "I've been through worse. Much worse."

Jarenna frowned as she laid a hand on his shoulder, then on his neck, trying not to notice the fact that despite his slender frame, his muscles were very well formed. In short, he was…to put it in Kimiko's words, a total hunk. "You're very warm."

He smiled flirtatiously up at her. "Think I'm hot, eh?"

She completely missed the innuendo and the Tenth Captain's mischievous tone, lost in her thoughts on what a fever possibly meant. Was it infected already? The last thing the Captain needed was more complications, she decided. "You're running a fever, Harada-sama." She was inwardly glad that she had the foresight to leave the bucket of cool water beside him as she dipped a towel inside, wrung the water out and folded it neatly before laying it on his forehead.

When she finished changing his bandages and making sure that no more stitches were torn, she picked up the rapidly cooling medicine and held it to him. "Here, Harada-sama. Finish this up and you can go back to sleep." Then she realized that he couldn't really drink from it, so she held the bowl to his lips.

"Hey, I'm not a little kid." He frowned. "Don't treat me like one, all right?"

"You're heavily injured," she retorted. "Accepting help doesn't make you less than a man, you know."

"You've got a smart little mouth on you, wench."

There was something about him that made her like him immediately. She didn't know what it was, exactly, but for once in many years, she smiled and was comfortable enough with him to shoot back. "Iie, Harada-sama. It's because you're so easily defeated."

He laughed at that. It was the first time any woman had talked to him like that; this girl had spunk all right.

…