Saddened Past, Loving Future Chapter Two
Author Notes: Well this is my first Kenshin fic. and I hope everyone is enjoying it so far. (If not, well you can kill me later.) Anyway there is something I wanted to point out before you start reading. The italics mean Kenshin's dream at the beginning of the chapter. Just wanted to let you know before everything goes hay wirer and everyone is confused. Read, enjoy, and review.
"Kenshin? Kenshin?" called a voice in Kenshin's dream. The scenery such as the grass, the sky, and everything else around him was crimson. He looked around trying to find the person the voice belonged to. Then in the clearing, he noticed his wife standing with an iris in her hands.
"Tomoe..."said Kenshin as tears began to flow down his cheeks. She only smiled at him as he began to run towards her, his hands reaching out to grab her and embrace her. She vanished by the time he was infront of her and then reappeared behind him. He turned around quickly to face her. His eyes widened at what he saw. Tomoe was covered in blood but the warm smile on her face had not vanished.
"I am sorry," she said as she reached out and touched his cross-shaped scar which was now starting to bleed. Her form then collapsed to the ground, leaving Kenshin paralyzed. Kenshin just stood there, letting the blood from his scar turn his tears crimson.
"Megumi-san, do you know what is wrong with him?" asked Kaoru as she but a cold cloth on Kenshin's forehead. Kenshin has gotten a fever since Sano had arrived at the dogo, Kaoru quickly ran towards him and put him in her arms. Megumi instructed for her to bring Kenshin into his room. There, Megumi and Kaoru tried their best to keep Kenshin's fever down.
"I don't know what could have caused this," answered Megumi in a worried tone. "Did he seem ill this morning?"
"Iie, he was his normal self. He helped me cleaned the dogo and he did the laundry. Not once did he seem sick or tired," exclaimed Kaoru.
"Then, I can't really tell you what could be causing this fever. It may be stress and exhaustion but I am not that sure," said Megumi as she gently ran a hand down Kenshin's warm cheek.
"Here, I got some water," said Yahiko as he entered the room with a bowl of cold water. Megumi nodded and instructed him to put it beside Kaoru. He did so and then looked at Kenshin's uncouncious form. "How is he?"
"He has a high fever and that is all I can tell you right now," answered Megumi in a quiet tone. "Did Sano go to get Docter Ginsai?"
"Hai, he took Suzume and Ayame with him. He said he would be quick about it. He left a few minutes ago," exclaimed Yahiko as he continued to stare at Kenshin. "I have never seen him look this bad before." Kaoru let out a deep sigh as she stared at Kenshin's face.
Megumi looked at Kaoru, "Why don't you go step outside for a while. I can take care of him."
Kaoru only shook her head to the offer as she continued to look at Kenshin. Megumi frowned and looked at Kenshin's face as well, praying that Docter Ginsai would hurry.
In a short while, Sano had brought Ginsai over. Ginsai had ordered both Kaoru and Yahiko to leave the room, allowing only he and Megumi with Kenshin. For several minutes Sanosuke, Kaoru, and Yahiko waited for Ginsai or Megumi to come out and tell them what was wrong with Kenshin. Finally it was Ginsai who stepped out of the room.
"As Megumi-san guessed, it is over exhaustion and stress. I gave him some medicine to calm that fever he has and he will need a couple days of bedrest. Other than that, he will be fine. The three gave him a sigh of relief and Ginsai told them that if he awakens to only give the medicine he needs with some green tea and then back to bed. They all nodded and he said his good nights to them along with the fact that he would be back tommorow to check on Kenshin. As they watched him leave, Megumi soon came out, putting the loose strands of her hair behind her ears.
"Well, I need to head home as well. I will return tommorow to make sure he is okay. Take it easy, he will be fine the rest of the night," she said in a gentle tone.
"Thanks alot, Megumi-san, we appreciate it," said Kaoru in a tiring voice. Megumi gave her a sympathic nod before exiting the dogo and heading towards home.
It was midnight when Sano noticed that both Kaoru and Yahiko were able to finally able to fall asleep. He on the other hand wasn't able to accomplish falling asleep. He was too worried about Kenshin, someone he cared about most in the world. He sat outside and stared up at the waxing moon and stars. He let out a heavy sigh along with a yawn.
Tired of sitting outside and unable to go to his room, Sano went into Kenshin's room and looked at the sleeping form. A small candle had been lit in the room which gave Kenshin's face a certain glow. He smiled at the little rurouni's sleeping form as he sat down next to the futon. Kenshin's chest was going up and down at a sleeping rhythm, his breaths heavy and soft.
Placing a hand on Kenshin's forehead, Sano realized that the fever had vanished. When he removed his hand he looked at Kenshin's face. It is amazing how innocent he looks when he sleeps. Sano said to himself. He was then startled by the words, "I am sorry" that came from Kenshin's mouth. Sano blinked a couple of times in confusion.
Sorry, for what? Kenshin, what are you sorry for? Why did you have to worry me sick like that? Why do you make me love you so much? The last question made Sano blush a little, surprised that he had actually let himself think that. But it was true, he was in love with the rurouni, ever since they had returned from Kyoto. He didn't know what had caused this emotion to surface but it had. Not once did he doubt it but not once did he let other people know either.
With it obivious that Kaoru loved Kenshin, it was hard for him to tell Kenshin how he felt. Plus, he was scared to know how Kenshin may react to the emotion and if he would love him in return. Sometimes this made Sano stay up countless nights trying to understand what to do with the emotion.
He shook his head a bit, snapping back into the present and taking his attention back to Kenshin's face. How beautiful it looked. He gently touched the rurouni's cheek. Kenshin's skin was soft to the touch and it made Sano smile again.
"It may be impossible but I hope that one day you may be able to understand how I truely feel about you. But now I want you to get better, rest my little rurouni," Sano said to the sleeping Kenshin. He then lied down next to Kenshin's futon and rested his head on the hard floor. He put his hand ontop of Kenshin's and then slowly fell asleep.
