Warning: Errors may be greater than normal. Arm twitching violently. Sorry! I'll try to catch most of them, if not all.

Thanks for waiting, here's your chapter.

Sighing, he slouched against a nearby wall. His head thunking heavily against the plaster. Suddenly, he remembered the bagles in the lobby. Leaving the third floor, he walked lazily to the lobby, grabbing up the bagles. He walked to Kaoru's room, then.

Opening the door, he saw something he had never thought of from kaoru.

She was laying on the floor beside Kenshin, as Megumi had said, her head propped on his arm as they talked quietly watching clouds pass through the sky.

Closing the door, he walked silently back down the hallway, toward the lobby. Then, coming back through the hallway, he stepped loudly and talked to the patients that were awake. announcing his presence to the two in the room.

When he opened the door again, Kaoru was gone and Kenshin sat in the armchair.

"Breakfast. I brought bagles." He said, loudly.

"What kind?" Kaoru called through a door to his left.

"Chocolate chip and Apple Cinnamon raisin." He said, setting the bag down on the bed.

"My favorite. I'll be out in a sec." she called, he heard water running on the other side of the door.

When she emerged, her hair was wet and slicked back. Her face was scrubbed clean and her clothes had been changed. "I love you." She said, grabbing up the bagles.

"She loves bagles." Sanouske said, explaining what Kaoru meant by the scentence.

"I love the bringer of bagles as well." she said, pecking him on the cheek.

Opening the bag, she bit into a chocolate chip bagel and handed out bagels to kenshin and Sanouske.

"She's a sugar-holic." Sanouske said to kenshin, who grinned, watching the munching kaoru. kaoru sat on the hospital bed, her legs crossed under her, looking much like a six year old with it's first ice-cream.

"This is great! You got them from the Akabeco, didn't you?" At Sanouske's nod, she grinned even wider.

"Tai and the staff sent you this too." He said, handing her an envilope.

"What's this?" She asked, immediately wary of the brown paper thing in her hand.

"I don't know. They just told me to give it to you, and to wish you a happy birthday." Sanouske said, grabbing for another bagel.

She growled at him playfully then offered the box.

Grabbing two more bagels, he handed one to Kenshin and the other he bit into.

"I didn't know it was your birthday." Kenshin said, trying to call up the bounty file.

"It's not. it was the fifteenth, Saturday, i think." She said, her brows drawing together. "What is today?" She asked, blinking.

"The fifteenth." Sanouske said, pulling another box from inside of his clothing. "It's to go on that charm bracelet." he said, tossing the small jewelry box to her.

She opened the box and her eyes lit up. A small, silver pistol charm on a clip lay amid the white cottony material.

"thanks, Rooster head." She said, not looking up.

then her attention shifted back to the envilope.

Kaoru picked the envilope back up, handling it carefully. What would the Akabeco staff get her? Slipping a fingernail under the seal, she popped open the envilope and peered inside.

Reaching into the envilope, she grabbed a handful of the little cards.

Reading one, she grinned, then flipped through the small stack in her hand.

Reaching inside, she brought out more of the little cards.

then she found the birthday card. Opening it, she read the contents aloud. "To Kaoru, our number one customer: Hope you get well soon, and happy birthday. In honor of all you have done for us, we have decided to honor you with these as our gifts. Hope you will enjoy them. Love: The Akabeco cast and crew." There were numerous names below, but none struck her as familiar.

"So, what is it?" Sanouske asked, carefully across the room.

"Akabeco gift cards! Free food for a year if i eat there for two meals a day. This is great. Tell them i said thanks, okay? I have to find someone, and i don't know when i'll be back." She said, stuffing the cards in the envilope. "I'll be back after while, okay?" She walked out, taking her jacket with her.

Kenshin rose to follow her, but he was stopped by a broad arm. "She needs to do this alone." Sanouske said, staring over his shoulder toward the receeding figure.

"What's going on?" kenshin asked, confused.

"Take a seat. She'll be back. I'll tell you what i know." Sanouske said, biting off another chunk of bagel.

"But, she's.."

"She'll be fine, ruroni. Someone's keeping an eye on her for us." Sanouske said sitting down. "You see, today is the day her mother died..." Sano began, it was a long story, one even he didn't like.

Okay, there's this chapter, sorry bout any mistakes i missed.

Twitch twitch nervous breakdown twitch. -Jodie Phillips AKA Empress jodie, AKA Goldilocks.