Chapter 2

(Kenshin)

There was so much pain. I felt as though my insides were being torn apart. And it was so cold, I was freezing. I struggled to open my eyes, I couldn't worry Miss Kaoru. I barely managed to open them a crack, seeing a blurry shape hovering over me. Something reached for me and I raised an arm, but it was heavy and awkward. I tried to push the thing away. Where was I? Where was Miss Kaoru? What's happening?


(Kaoru)

I was worried out of my mind. Kenshin lay shivering madly beneath the many blankets I had piled on him, his face deathly pale and sweaty. Yahiko had run for Megumi, Sano had gone to get water and cloths. That left me to watch over Kenshin.

I moved closer, watching his pained expression. I had never seen the rurouni like this, and I was worried. I gasped as I saw slivers of violet appear, though they were clouded over with pain. I went to touch his forehead, to check his temperature, but one of his hands slowly came up and tried to push me away. I saw fear on his face and I saddened. He didn't know me, he was delirious. The trembling hand fell back to the blankets as though it was too heavy for him to hold up.

I managed to put one hand gently on his forehead and almost immediately pulled back. The heat emitting from him was incredible, even though he was shivering. "Oh Kenshin…." I murmured.

Sano came in with a bowl of cool water and a few cloths. "How is he little missy."

I took the cloths from him, soaking one and laying it on Kenshin's forehead. "Not good Sano. He's got a high fever, and I think he's delirious. I tried to check his temperature and he went to push me away."

At that moment Megumi and Yahiko came bursting in, both breathing heavily. Megumi gasped at the condition of Kenshin and quickly knelt beside me. "What's wrong with him?"
I explained Kenshin's symptoms to the woman and she began taking herbs from a bag. She pounded them into a paste, adding a little water to make it a bit more of a liquid. "This should help his fever some."

I helped her get Kenshin into a sitting position and tilted his head back. Megumi gently put the small bowl to his lips and poured it into his mouth. Kenshin coughed, the medicine trickling down his chin.

"Come on Kenshin," I murmured. "You've got to drink it."

He swallowed some, but continued to cough. Sano saw what was coming and quickly shoved an empty bowl under Kenshin's nose as his stomach violently rejected the medicine. He fell limp in my arms, breathing harsh and ragged.

Megumi sighed sadly, sitting back. "I need to go get more herbs from my clinic. I'll be back soon."

I looked up at her. "And Kenshin?"
She looked down. "If Sir Ken won't drink it there's not much I can do. I need more than what I have if I can try to get him to swallow it."

I nodded. "Please hurry Megumi."

She rushed from the dojo, a look of determination on her face. I looked back at Kenshin's pale face, watching as his eyelids fluttered and his face twitched. He was dreaming again.


(Kenshin, later that night)

I was fighting him again, only this time I had a chance. I had my reverse-blade sword, but he had a katana used to fight and kill. He swung the blade at me and I threw up an arm to block it. I winced as the steel entered my flesh, blood staining his katana.

Before I could react he was behind me, the katana pressed against my throat. His voice hissed in my ear, low and filled with malice. "You are pathetic."

He moved the sword down, making a cut across my collarbone. My gi slid from my shoulders, the cloth sliced, leaving my chest bare. I gulped heavily as the blade drew away from my skin.

I froze as I felt his tongue probe at my skin, lapping away the blood. "Pathetic, but I do enjoy the taste of your blood," he hissed in my ear.

Fear was coursing though me as he licked at my cut. I heard a slight snip, and then my hair fell loose. I felt his hand touch my hair and a single tear slipped down my cheek. I could feel the wetness tracking through the mud on my face and I heard a low chuckle from him. I gasped when his lips closed around my wound, forcefully sucking the blood from my neck.

After a moment I began to feel faint. I had lost too much blood. I swooned, and then everything went black.


(Kaoru)

I was startled awake by a groan of pain. I was sitting against the wall, slouched away from Kenshin's futon.

I stood, going to the shivering rurouni. Megumi had managed to get him to swallow some of the medicine, but his fever hadn't gone down at all. I looked sadly at him, and then narrowed my eyes. The blankets were wet. I put down a hand and then raised it, my eyes widening. My fingers were covered in blood.

I quickly removed the blankets, gasping when I saw the blood staining Kenshin's gi. There was a clean cut across his forearm and another across his collarbone.

"What?" I murmured. "Sword cuts. These cuts were made with a blade." I looked at Kenshin's face, pale and full of pain. "What's going on?"