Standard disclaimer applies…

A/N: added a little humour though not significant in the story but…hopefully it turns out ok. Sorry for the lame title. Can't think of anything anymore.

Chapter 7: The Warrior and The Doctor

1876

What can calm a warrior's heart when war has finally vanished from sight? The urge to fight and the audacity to survive were no longer reasons to go through life. How can a warrior exist in an era guided by hope of peace and tranquility? It was like living on the verge of dying, knowing there was no use left for a warrior to use his skill.

Those thoughts plagued Aoshi time and time again.

"Okashira," Hannya appeared from the shadows of the night. He bowed to acknowledge Aoshi's presence. "The whole place is guarded. No intruder could penetrate our defence."

Aoshi nodded. "Very well. Rest, Hannya. You will need it for tomorrow's trip to Aizu."

Hannya bowed once again and disappeared as quickly as he arrived. Aoshi closed his eyes. He was tired, not in the physical sense. He was tired of pondering what would become of him and the rest of his Oniwabanshuu comrades in the future.

For now, he and four Oniwabanshuu warriors were employed to protect a ruthless businessman named Takeda Kanryuu. When Aoshi received the offer, he meditated on it for a long time. He accepted, knowing it was the only job to accommodate Hannya, Beshimi, Shikijo and Hyottoko. If it was only for his sake, he had found a job a long time ago. If it were only for his survival in the Meiji era, he would have accepted the government job as quickly as possible. But he desired nothing for himself, only for the sake of these four warriors.

He walked noiselessly across the perfectly cut lawn of his employer's garden. Like the massive mansion itself, the garden was patterned after the Western culture. Aoshi smirked. The moment he laid eyes on Takeda, he did not trust him. There was no choice, though. There was nothing else for him and the four Oniwabanshuu. Takeda was the logical choice. At least, that was what he kept telling himself. He stopped dead in his tracks as he sensed another presence. It was unfamiliar. He blended himself within the shadows of a nearby tree. If this was an intruder, how could he have penetrated the defence? Aoshi's eyes widened a bit as a young woman, probably in her late teens, strolled along the garden path. She of course had no idea of the man lurking in the shadows.

Aoshi stepped out of the shadows. "Who are you?" As bodyguard of Takeda, he felt he had the right to know every single person in the household. He was aware Takeda was unmarried. She could be a mistress of some sort.

The woman quickly turned around and gasped, fear clearly seen in her eyes. "I, I was not escaping. I was, I was… only trying to put myself to sleep," she uttered in defence.

"You have not answered my question. Do you live here?"

"Hai. I work for Takeda Kanryuu," she said in a low voice, as if embarrassed by her situation.

Aoshi gave her a slight nod but eyed her carefully. He still thought of her as a mistress but her outfit made him think otherwise. "Of what position?"

"Doctor," was her plain, simple answer, yet her tone was full of scorn. "Do you – also work for him?"

"Aa. But I would be the one asking the questions." His cold, impassive tone made her winced. "Your name?" He felt it was necessary to know her information. He must acquire all information regarding his new employer.

She was hesitant. Who could blame her? Here she was meeting a stranger, whose presence imposed submission, demanding her to give out her name. "Takani Megumi," she half-whispered, probably assuming he did not catch it. He was shinobi; he heard.

Aoshi engraved the name on his mind. Tomorrow, he would assign Beshimi to gather more information about the 'doctor'. He would not inquire from Takeda. The man was the human counterpart of lies and deception. Aoshi would just have to wait when Takeda would willingly disclose any information regarding the woman. For now her name was the only thing significant.

"I suggest you go back inside. It is not proper for a lady to spend the night outside among men," he emphasized his suggestion with a command. She nodded and bowed her head before dragging her feet inside the mansion.

Aoshi stared at her retreating figure. Just before she closed the door behind her, she took a quick glance at him, only to avert her gaze upon seeing his steady stare.

(Present day Tokyo)

Megumi opened her eyes, wondering if she had just closed it moments ago. It felt like it. How long was she able to sleep? She noticed the brightness illuminating the shoji door. It looks like morning though… Plus, she could hear Misao's cheery voice filtering the air along with a child's bubbly giggles. Indeed it was morning already.

She did not know when she fell asleep. Upon returning to her sleeping quarters, Megumi found herself thinking of just one person. She must have thought of him all the way to her sleep for she found him in her dream. Yet the dream was a scene from her past, replaying to her heart's desire. Megumi sat up, bringing the blanket closer to her. A day ago she would not have liked dreaming of such painful memory. A day ago she would have scorn at the thought of finding pleasure upon meeting Shinomori Aoshi. Well, that was a day ago. Yesterday. This was now – and now, she liked nothing more than to spend time with him.

What was so magical in the dream anyway? He approached her, obtained her identification and then dismissed her. Then why was her heart beating so hard, pounding at every letter that made up his name: S.h.i.n.o.m.o.r.i.A.o.s.h.i. Megumi shook her head violently. Kami-sama, I am going crazy. Just a simple conversation and here I am, falling head over heals!

Megumi got up quickly, dressed herself in a flash. Today she will dispel such thoughts. Yes, the thoughts concerning Shinomori Aoshi would be thrown out, ignored and cast aside. Then why was she straining her neck to check if he was around the dojo?

"Good afternoon, Megumi-san. I thought you'd never wake!" Misao met her just outside her room, Kenji by her side. "You must've been really tired."

"What time is it Misao-chan?"

"Well, it's actually after lunch. You practically slept all day, right chibi Kenshin?"

Kenji put up a thumbs-up sign, "Right, 'Sao-neechan." Kenji showed Megumi a paper crane. "Look, Aoshi-niichan help me make paper birdie!" he waved the origami crane, a smile painted with pride.

Megumi had to smile at the child's exuberance and, well, at hearing Aoshi's name. "Wow. That is a very nice paper birdie, Kenji-chan."

"Aoshi-niichan tell me he can make more paper animal," Kenji nodded, as if expecting Megumi not to believe. "You know how to make paper birdie, Aunt Megumi?"

"Not really, Kenji-chan. Maybe you should teach me."

Kenji shook his head. "No. Aoshi-niichan teach you make one. He really good. You like Aoshi-niichan?"

Megumi blushed furiously at the child's question. It was a blessing that Kenshin arrived just in time. "Good morning, Ken-san," she turned her attention to the father instead.

"Good afternoon actually, Megumi-dono," he corrected her. "Sessha hoped you slept well. Can sessha offer you anything? Tea? Lunch?"

"Don't worry about me, Ken-san. I'll help myself in the kitchen. I apologize if I slept late," she gave him a sheepish smile.

Kenshin bowed to her. "No apologies necessary, Megumi-dono." Kenshin turned to his son. "Kenji-chan, time for your bath."

Kenji started running away. "No bath. Bath will make Kenji-chan sick!"

"Oro." Kenshin went running after his mirror-imaged son.

"chibi Kenshin's like me when I was little. I hate to take a bath. I used to give Aoshi-sama headaches about it," Misao laughed at her reminiscing. "Just to make me take a bath, Aoshi-sama would promise me anything, from giving me a new kunai to buying me sweets from the market. Anything."

Megumi could not figure out why Misao was telling her all these. Perhaps the young woman simply wanted to share her experiences with Aoshi. What for? So that Megumi could envy Misao for her relationship with Aoshi? "Aoshi-san loves you very much Misao. Are you in love with him?" she blurted out the question. Somehow, she thought it was the reason for Misao's extreme admiration and idolatry to Aoshi. Megumi sensed Aoshi sees Misao as a younger sister. But how does Misao see him?

The expression was answer enough. "In love with Aoshi-sama? Like how Kaoru is with Himura? Eww. Aoshi-sama is my brother, Megumi-san!" she exclaimed with a baffled expression. Misao's face softened. "Perhaps I should make this clear with everybody, ne? Everybody seemed to misjudge how I act towards him. I would follow him to the depths of the world if he leaves again. I would gladly give my life for him if that was the only way he would smile for always. But it doesn't mean I am in love with him. Yet I say this to you, Megumi-san. I love Aoshi-niichan."

Before Megumi could respond, Kenji sped up to them, as fast as he could run. " 'Sao-neechan, help!" He hid behind Misao, while Kenshin came huffing and puffing trying to catch up to his son.

"Maa, maa, Kenji-chan. Bath time or 'Kaasan will bokken us on the head," he said, gasping for breaths.

"You're getting old Himura. Can't even catch up to your chibi self anymore," Misao teased before picking Kenji in her arms, running away from Kenshin.

"Orororo. Not again." Kenshin shot Megumi a desperate look before using his minimized god-like speed to get closer to the retreating figures.

The scene, amusing and all, only brought sadness in Megumi's eyes. She longed for a similar wackiness Kenshin was experiencing. She recalled the days when she and her brothers would run around the house, driving their mother crazy. It was joy. It was delight. It was laughter. It was happiness. Such emotions she had not experienced for so long.

Her attention was averted to the sounds of birds chirping, the sway of the leaves, faint squeals possibly from Misao and Kenji, and a resounding never-ending oros from a bubbling swordsman. All these and thoughts of a certain shinobi made Megumi grasp a new kind of hope. She had spent five years in desolation and despair. It was time to give her self a little break. Her first mission: rummage through the kitchen to find food, hopefully not one of Kaoru's famous recipes.

A/N:

Such a short chapter, and a very lame title sorry! I'm not aware of the timeline when Aoshi started working for Kanryuu, or when Megumi first met him. I chose '1876' for a MAJOR reason. It somehow mirrors the year Aoshi met Aiko, '1867', in backwards…hopefully you get what I mean.

Aiko and Megumi are opposites, yet both from the past. Also, I hope you'll notice similarities in both first encounters: Ao pondering, nightime, Meg's presence, identity in question, ya-da, ya-da. Though, Megumi had a much shorter moment with him coz that's how it supposed to be… I figured.

Is the story progressing too slow? I'll try to quicken the pace a bit.

Miss Hyuga: Aoshi, funny, kinda unusual eh? I wanted to make him 'witty' funny, not like Kenshin-funny. I figured that if the iceblock will be funny, he'll do it through words not actions or babble an 'oro'. Well, glad you find that funny. I'm never good at writing humour fics but I still try. Thanks once again for the review.

Kitsune-chan: as always, you've been an avid reviewer and I thank you really. Wow. I'm so HONOURED that I can actually make a person happy. You make me feel happy with things you say in your reviews. I feel guilty not leaving a review on your one-shot fic: "Right there". I actually love that one-shot. The kitsune and the tori-atama…but not in a romantic aspect. That reminds me…I mentioned earlier Sano is coming back, should I make him come back? I'm quite annoyed at his character, heh! Arigatou once more for the review.

Whiterabbit: thanks once again for the review. I really think the conversation b/w Ao and Meg was important. I'm surprised you find the previous chapter one of the best. I thought it's one of the bad ones…I guess this chapter is the bad one now…coz way too short and I tried a diff way of writing it. don't know if you can notice it. oh well.

Yvonne: glad you like it, but sad you don't like Aiko. Oh well…hopefully you continue reading and reviewing it despite her presence in the story.