Kenshin had now been living in the mansion for several months. Time seemed to pass too swiftly, like warm sand running through spread fingers. Life had calmed down at the mansion, through Kaoru still often rampaged around looking for the ever elusive Kenshin, and Logan still refused to believe that Kenshin had no ill intentions. There had been no attacks on mutants, not from Magnito or the brotherhood. Life was peaceful.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru was running through the mansion, yet again. Kenshin had vanished several hours ago and she was getting annoyed. Her powers had been growing rapidly now that they had shown themselves, and she had found that she loved speaking Japanese. However, she had nobody to speak it with, except for Kenshin, who was currently A.W.O.L. Growling in frustration, she stormed to the front doors and threw them open. She had planned on racing to see Gensai, in hopes that Kenshin had gone to play with Ayame and Suzume, but the sight that greeted her eyes was not the peaceful greenery that she had expected.
"Kaoru-dono! Find Gensai-sensei and meet us in the hospital wing!" There was blood covering Kenshin's shirt and jeans, though he didn't appear to the injured, but the lump in his arms wasn't moving.
"Wha-"
"Go!" Kenshin looked desperate for a moment, but then his faced closed off and he nearly disappeared from vision as he began to race into the mansion. Kaoru managed to shake herself from her shocked stupor and ripped away to find the resident medic.
When she had finally managed to find Gensai and they had arrived in the hospital wing, they found that Kenshin had lain a small dark haired boy on one of the beds. He was stripped to his underwear and Kenshin had wrapped his chest in rapidly staining bandages.
"What happened to him?" The old man began to run wrinkled hands over the rough bandages covering the wound, unwrapping him.
"There was a fight…he was shot with a gun." Kenshin had to quickly search for the words as, while his English was very good, he still didn't have the full vocabulary that native English speaker would have.
"Any other major wounds?"
"Nothing. Small cuts and bruises."
"Fine. Everybody out, I need to concentrate."
Kenshin and Kaoru left the room quickly, not wanting to interrupt the healing. Kenshin paused slightly, staring at the closed door behind him. He had witnessed Gensai's healing ability. It was slow and often incomplete, but it was still a quicker, safer healing then would be possible naturally. Yahiko would scar, but he would live.
He was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by Kaoru pounding on his head.
"Who was that!" She looking worried and slightly angry.
Kenshin looked at her, thoughtful.
"Do you remember the boy at the mall?" "The one who tried to steal your wallet?"
"Yes, that is him. He was caught stealing from a drug-seller and they tried to kill him. This one was near and stopped the shot from killing him."
"What! That's horrible!"
Kenshin nodded gravely.
"This one does not know where his family is, but knows that this should be his home."
"Kenshin, you know that only mutants can live here."
"Yes….he is mutant. He makes small weapons and fights, de gozaru yo."
"I see…we should find the Professor."
"No need, I am already here." Kaoru spun around in surprise, but Kenshin only nodded in greeting.
"There's no surprising you, is there Kenshin?" The Professor asked with a smile.
Kenshin didn't answer the question, except with a small smile, and then his faced returned to being grave.
"You heard about Yahiko-kun?"
"Yes, I felt his pain as he entered the building. How is he doing?"
"Gensai-sensei is healing him."
"Good, good. I will invite him to stay here when he is feeling well again."
"Thank you. This one will go to his room now, would you please send somebody to find sessha when Yahiko-kun wakes?"
"Yes, of course."
"Arigato."
Kenshin walked, now serene, out of the quiet corridor; leaving Kaoru and the Professor to wait outside the door.
"Kaoru, how are your practices progressing? Are you ready for your session tomorrow?"
"I'm ready! I love my power!" Kaoru's face split into a large grin and she chatted with the Professor until Gensai stepped out of the room.
"The danger has passed, the boy will be fine. He is sleeping now and probably won't wake up for another hour or so. Kaoru, why don't you stay with him? I want to ensure that he doesn't run off."
"Sure." Kaoru walked into the hospital, and the doors slid shut behind her with a soft swishing noise.
"Thank you Gensai. You are invaluable."
"Don't worry about it, instead, worry about getting me an apprentice. I'm not getting any younger! Hahaha" His body shook with laughter as he walked away. Professor X just shook his head as he wheeled away, he had other things to do as he waited for the boy to wake.
Several hours later, the Professor hear Kaoru's mental voice calling for him.
"Yes Kaoru? What is it?"
"Yahiko woke up. He refuses to stay put."
"Thank you Kaoru. See if you can convince him to stay just a bit longer. I'll send Kenshin and….hmmm….Storm down."
"Thanks Professor."
Charles disconnected the link with Kaoru and hurriedly contacted Kenshin and Storm
"Kenshin, Storm. The boy is awake downstairs. Kaoru is having problems restraining him. Please get down there as soon as possible and I'll meet you there."
Bare moments later, he heard Kenshin's soft voice mutter "This one has arrived."
"Thank you Kenshin. I will follow shortly. Please explain his situation."
"Of course."
Kenshin entered the infirmary only to be hit with a blast of noise.
"You stupid cow! Get the hell outta my way!"
"The Professor said to stay here! So stay!"
It appeared that their new charge was not happy about being in the mansion.
"Maa-maa." Kenshin entered the room, arms waving in front of him. The scene he walked into was one of comic disaster. There were feathers floating around the room, obviously from the pillow that was lying on the floor near Kaoru's feet. It appeared that Yahiko had thrown it.
"Yahiko-kun! How are you feeling?" Kenshin walked over to where the boy was sitting, half on/half off the bed.
"I didn't need your help. I would have been fine on my own." Yahiko thrust himself back against the pillows in a huff, scowling darkly.
"This one knows, but he thought it might be somewhat useful to end the fight early." Kenshin smiled gently.
"Yeah, well, I don't need you."
"Of course." Kenshin patted Yahiko's knee, and sat on the edge of the bed.
"This one would like to offer you a home here. You do not have to say, of course, but this one thought that perhaps you would like a home."
Yahiko looked at Kenshin, eyes narrowed suspiciously. He seemed to be considering what Kenshin had said. Unsure whether to spit on the offer or accept it. Not sure if he was being mocked or truly offered a new chance at life.
"I'm a freak. Do you know that?" Yahiko spoke suddenly, breaking the growing silence that hung over the hospital wing.
"No, Yahiko-kun. You are not." Kenshin spoke just as gently as before.
"I am. I'm a mutant. I bet you didn't know that." Yahiko's voice was cocky, but his eyes shone with a slight sheen of water.
"I know. Everyone here is a mutant as well. You are not a freak and you are not alone."
"Yeah well. I know that. Who could be alone with you bothering them all the time?" The cockiness in Yahiko's spirit won over the emotional storm he was experiencing.
"What? You ungrateful brat! You'd be dead if it weren't for Kenshin! You-" Kenshin's hand slipped over Kaoru's mouth.
"Now now Kaoru-dono. There's no need for that. Yahiko is a friend. He will be staying with us from now on."
Kaoru looked like she was going to protest, but she was halted by the entrance of the Professor.
"So Kenshin, your young friend has decided to stay with us. There are just some minor matters to take care of."
Now Yahiko's eyes narrowed again.
"Like what?"
"Well, you will need a guardian. Normally our students come to us as boarders, still under the control of their families, but I understand that you have no family?"
"Yeah, so what?"
"So we will need to have you adopted, so that under the law you could stay with us. Now, we have several adults who would be willing to take you in. When you are fully healed you can meet with them, or I can have them come down here to talk with you."
"I don't need a guardian. I can take care of myself."
Now Kenshin intervened.
"Yahiko-kun, don't you want to go to school? Don't you want to stay here? For that, for anything that you will want or need to do, you will require a guardian until you are 18. Please reconsider."
Yahiko studied Kenshin carefully. Looking at him as though measuring him. Seeing deep into the depths of his soul.
"Fine. I want Kenshin to be my guardian."
"Oro?" Kenshin's eyes went wide and he stared at Yahiko in shock.
"Are you certain, Yahiko? Wouldn't you like to meet the others first?" The Professor looked slightly amused.
"No. I want it to be Kenshin, or I'm leaving."
"Very well, if Kenshin agrees we can do the paper work this evening and you will legally be Kenshin's ward."
Kenshin looked dazedly from Yahiko to the Professor.
"Orooooooo…" his eyes swirled in confusion as Yahiko smirked.
"Are you sure this is what you want, Yahiko-kun?" Kenshin asked softly, unsure of why the boy wanted him in charge of his well-being.
"Yeah, Kenshin understands me. Nobody else could. Me an' Kenshin, we're two of a kind, I think." Yahiko lifted his chin proudly, not quivering under the incredulous stares aimed at him from Kenshin and Kaoru.
"Will you accept this, Kenshin. It is not a small responsibility you are taking on."
"This one is sure. You must know, Yahiko-kun, that you will have to accept my discipline as well as any privileges that I give. What I say is not for frivolity, it is to protect you safety."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I agree, promise."
"Very well then. Professor, will you please arrange the papers so that Yahiko will become my son?"
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: I'm really really really really really sorry about the long wait. My Junior year has all kinda been a blur for me and I haven't been able to find time to write. And the chapter isn't even a long one. I'm so sorry! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter, I thought that Kenshin adopting Yahiko was a bit of a new twist, though I sure one that was not entirely unexpected. I'm sorry, but I won't be answering reviews for the last chapter, but I want to thank everyone who did review, your responses kept me going! Please let me know what you thought and any suggestions for improvements or things you want to see. Megumi will be coming in during the next few chapters. Every main character will make their way in eventually, it will just take some longer than others. Thanks again for all your support.