D/C: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin...do I have to repeat it every single time?! It's just that when I keep repeating it, it all sounds so real!!
Sorry, I didn't update last week, but, well…I had my reasons. Anyway, here I am back with my seventh chapter, and I'm still recovering from the shoe a reviewer threw at me (ST! I'm not giving it back to u!). Anyway, I'll stop rambling now and let u read.
Enjoy!!
Chapter 7: Truth
The scene replayed itself again and again in Kaoru's mind.
Her crossing the road, the speeding car approaching, Kenshin screaming her name, Kenshin pushing her out of the way…and getting hit instead.
Kaoru stared in horror at Kenshin's still form which was lying in the middle of the road.
She scrambled to her feet, and rushed towards him. She dropped to her knees beside him.
She shook him by the shoulders. 'Kenshin…Kenshin, please wake up…please' she choked, tears streaming down her face.
But Kenshin didn't do so much as twitch.
'Kenshin! Kenshin, I beg you to wake up!' she cried. 'Kenshin, please!! Don't die! Please don't die!'
People were starting to gather around. They all looked upon her and Kenshin with looks of pure sympathy and pity.
'Is he alive?'
Kaoru looked up to see a man-probably the car driver-kneeling beside her.
Kaoru suddenly wanted to scream at him for hitting Kenshin, but she knew it wasn't the man's fault…it was her fault; she had walked out onto the road without checking for approaching cars.
It was her fault…her entire fault…
The car had only hit Kenshin because he was trying to save her life.
She'd never forgive herself if he…if he…
'Is he still alive?' the man asked again.
Kaoru, somewhat afraid, leaned her head against Kenshin's chest, trying hard to catch a pulse.
It seemed as if someone had switched on the MUTE button. All she could hear was the sound of her own breathing, and nothing of the world around.
Kaoru held her breath too, and wished her heart would stop beating so loudly against her chest.
She swallowed hard.
Please…let there be a pulse…let him be alive…
And then…she heard it…it was faint…but it still was a pulse.
She almost screamed for joy.
'Miss?' The man tapped her shoulder, looking anxious.
The MUTE was turned off.
She lifted up her head. 'He's…he's alive' she said hoarsely. 'Just barely though'
'Good, good' he whispered, looking relieved. 'I called an ambulance…they're bound to be here soon'
Kaoru didn't say anything.
'I'm really sorry, but you just came up in front of me so suddenly, I couldn't stop in time' he croaked.
Kaoru looked away from him.
'Um…maybe you should do something to stop the bleeding' the man suggested.
Kaoru, realizing he was right, quickly pulled off her jacket, felt around Kenshin's abdomen till her hand felt a spot were the blood gushed fluently.
She quickly pressed her coat against it and uttered a silent prayer for the bleeding to stop.
Her eyes traveled over his passive face and her eyes leaked with tears. She pulled his head into her lap, and bent over him, sobbing, with her coat still pressed against the wound.
'Kenshin…Kenshin…' she sobbed.
If he woke up now she'd forgive him for everything he had done to her…
…she had already forgiven him…she'll even apologize…
But, then…Kenshin might not wake up again…he might stay asleep…forever…
Suddenly, she heard the sound of the ambulance approaching.
'They're here!' the car driver said, sounding relieved.
Kaoru looked up. She wrapped her arms around Kenshin, not wanting to let go…
The ambulance pulled up a few feet away from her.
Medical officials jumped out of the back, pulling a stretcher between them.
They rushed up to Kaoru and Kenshin.
'We'll take it over from here, miss' one medical official told her.
Kaoru held on to Kenshin tightly. 'No!' she cried.
She felt stupid just saying it, but how could she trust her Kenshin with these men? Didn't people always die under the bad care of medics? And who knows? Maybe if she lets him go…he'll never come back…
'No!' she cried again.
'Please, miss, I understand your concern, but we have to give him proper care or he might die…' another medic told her. 'You have to let us take care of him'
'Don't take him away…no…' Kaoru choked.
'I'm afraid we have to' the medic said gravely.
Two medics grabbed Kaoru by her arms, and started dragging her away.
'NO!!' she screamed. 'Let go of me!'
Two other men lifted Kenshin from the floor, and laid him on the stretcher. They started carrying him to the ambulance.
Kaoru wrenched free out of their grasp, too late; Kenshin had already been hauled into the ambulance.
'Please, I want to help! Can't I at least come with you?' she cried.
'Listen, miss…if you really want to help your boyfriend…or husband, or whatever he is, go to his house and get some of his stuff' the medic told her.
'Stuff?' she repeated blankly.
'You know, clothes' he explained. 'Then you can follow us to Central Hospital…besides, even if I let you come along, there won't be enough space for you'
Kaoru nodded. 'Take care of him' she whispered.
The medic smiled at her, before pulling the doors of the ambulance shut.
Kaoru watched silently as the ambulance drove away, leaving her standing in the middle of the road holding the coat which was soaked in Kenshin's blood.
Later…
Kaoru rummaged around the room, pulling Kenshin's clothes out of closets and drawers and stuffing them into a bag.
She wasn't quite focused; she was constantly being distracted by the thought of Kenshin lying alone and bloodied on a bed in the hospital where he could be dead, alive…or something in between…
After a few moments, she peered into the bag, to see if there was a sufficient amount of clothes in there. She seemed to think it was okay, because she pulled up the bag's zipper, and hoisted it over her shoulder.
She stepped out of the bedroom and headed to the door.
The phone rang.
Kaoru paused a little. Should she answer it?
But then she dismissed the idea from her mind; this was no time for chatting on the phone.
She continued to walk towards the door, but then the answering machine crackled on.
'He-llo!'
Kaoru froze. It was that girl, that same girl who had called three days ago. Kenshin's friend.
'Remember me, sweetie? Oh, how silly of me, of course you do, and how wouldn't you after those cozy sessions we had yesterday?' the girl said, and laughed.
Kaoru felt her whole body convulse. Kenshin…and that girl…having cozy sessions?!
'I can't seem to get over the feel of your kisses…they're just too…huh?!' the girl stopped, seeming startled.
Huh? What did that mean?
'Oh my gosh! This is the wrong number! This isn't Shimoro's number!' the girl gasped. 'I'm really, really sorry, whoever this number belongs to!'
There was a sound of a telephone being put back in its place, a beep, and the message ended.
Kaoru stood staring at the machine, feeling unable to move.
The bag slipped from her shoulder and fell to the floor, but she didn't seem to notice.
Shimoro, not Kenshin…not Kenshin…
Kaoru felt the wind being knocked out of her as she realized her mistake.
It wasn't Kenshin, he wasn't the guy who had cheated on me…Kenshin is innocent, and I…I…what have I done?!
Her eyes welled with tears, and she sank to the floor. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed.
Oh, Kenshin…what have I done?
What have I done?!
A/N: Ooooh, Kaoru must be feeling terribly guilty now, huh? Those who expected that coming plz raise ur hands ! But aren't u happy I didn't kill Kenshin off? Well, anyway, any comments? Plz review, then.
Oh, and Aldailyn, sure i'll read it, just send it to my email.
-ZEN.