A/N: Ah! Far too long to update! Sorry everyone! Just midterms are coming up and teachers are piling up the homework! I'll try to be faster! Nekotsuki is my beta again! YAY NEKOTSUKI!
BakaBokken - I can kill Kenshin whenever I want. I'm evil like that! -wink- He mostly has a type of flu, but if he doesn't get treatment in could get worse. BUW HA HA HA!
Wistful-Eyes - Who said I wasn't going to kill him? I never said he was capture!
tsumesgirl05 - Here it is!
AuburnMoonlight - Really? One of your favorite? -cries- THANK YOU!
Streetwise Girl - No one's suggested that I killed him yet… I never said Reizo was going to come and save the day. You got to remember, this is before they met Neko.
WolfDaughter - Here's more! -gives you some soda-
Shadow Wolves -YAY for torture obsessed people!
Kenshin'sorrow - Amber Eyed Angel's repost is going well, thank you! Yes, I love to leave cliff hangers… it's from my evilness. THANK YOU FOR SAYING I'M KEEPING EVERYONE IN CHARACTER! Means a lot to me!
lolo popoki - Yes, I love to pick on poor widdle Kenshin. Buw ha. I'm glad you liked the fight in the last chapter!
Night-Owl123 - Here's the next update! Sorry it too so long!
Chapter 4 - Delirium
Kenshin's fingers felt through the grass looking for his sword. He had to hang onto it, he had to get back up, he had to… he had to… what? Stopping to think, he felt someone's fingertips brushing against his forehead, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. With a slight groan, he forced his eyes open to stare into coal black eyes. Black hair, pulled back into a low ponytail, framed the woman's face that was looking down at him.
"It's about time you woke up, anata," the woman smiled. "The children have all gone home and I've been waiting for you."
Tomoe? Kenshin blinked his eyes a few times, unable to believe what he saw. "Children?"
"Yes, the ones that come to play everyday. They all left while you took a nap." She helped him to sit up. "It's getting late, we should head inside."
Sitting up, Kenshin looked around, studying his surroundings. He knew this place. A small house, cozy enough for two people to live comfortably in, with a garden to the side of it. "Outsu."
With a smile, Kenshin rose to his feet and held out his hand to help Tomoe up. She smiled and took his hand. He continued to hold it as they walked back inside the house. Bringing her hand to his face, he kissed it softly as they passed over the threshold. He was home.
The shortest of the men tapped Kenshin's motionless body with his foot. "You did it! You killed the Battousai!" he cried happily.
His companion walked over to the still man and bent down. He moved Kenshin's head side to side, studying it. "No, he didn't."
The short man looked over to Kenshin's attacker and noticed for the first time that he held his sword, blunt side first. "SHUHEI! What were you thinking? You had him! Why didn't you kill him?"
Shuhei calmly sheathed his sword, ignoring the question.
"It doesn't matter," the one still kneeling next to Kenshin said. "We'll just kill him right here."
"Right, I'll do it." The other drew his sword.
The man kneeling shot to his feet. "Why should you get to do it, Keigo? That was my friend he just killed. I should be the one to kill the bastard! You just want to do it for the glory!"
"I'll be the one to kill him," Keigo snarled back.
"I will, to avenge Yoshinori!"
"No one will kill him," Shuhei finally spoke, stepping towards the two. "I didn't go through the trouble of knocking that bastard out, for you two to argue over who gets to kill him."
"Then why didn't you kill him?" Keigo growled.
He glared at the two of them. "Simple. We just ran from battle. Don't you think bringing back the Battousai alive would overshadow that shame?"
The two men gaped at Shuhei, their eyes wide. "Are you sure, Shuhei?"
"Hai." He turned towards the taller man. "Hitoshi, your revenge for Yoshinori will have to wait, but trust me, he will be avenged. They won't go easy on him." He glared down at Kenshin's still form.
Hitoshi nodded. "I understand, but…" He, too, looked down at Kenshin. "How are we supposed to get him there?"
"There's a village over that way. We can get some supplies there," Shuhei replied, turning and extending his arm behind him, pointing in the direction of the village.
"What? And just leave the Battousai here alone while we go shopping?" Keigo sneered.
Shuhei stared him down. "YOU two can get some supplies there. I'll stay here and guard him."
"Are you nuts? There are Choshu forces crawling all around here! You expect us to wander around town and go shopping!" Keigo snapped back. "You should go!"
"What if he wakes up?" Hitoshi asked, concerned about leaving Shuhei alone with the unconscious demon.
"Simple," he reached down and pulled Kenshin's sword from the iron lock grip he still held it in and took his sheath and wakizashi as well. Handing them over to Hitoshi, he placed his own sword against Kenshin's neck. "If he shows any sign of waking, I'll kill him, and we'll take his head back with us."
Keigo and Hitoshi agreed to go get supplies. They returned over an hour later and Kenshin still had not stirred, although he had started shivering and sweat dampened his hair. Upon their return, Shuhei reached down and pulled Kenshin's arms behind his back. "You better have brought plenty of rope."
They had. The three tied Kenshin's wrists behind his back; for good measure they also tied his arms to his sides. They weren't gentle as they handled the sick man, and yet he still didn't stir.
"Hitoshi, you carry him for now," Shuhei ordered, and Hitoshi obeyed. He hoisted Kenshin up and over his shoulder. Without another word the three marched through the forest, taking their bundle with them.
Reizo looked around, but could not find Kenshin. "Himura-san!" he called, making his way around the forest again. "Well, better go report this." He turned to head back to the squad. "Sayonara, Himura-san."
When Reizo returned and gave his report to his commanding officer, the man's look was a mix of shock, skeptical doubt, and worry. "Battousai? The Battousai has been killed?" He knew Katsura would be furious.
"Hai. He ran off, I couldn't keep up." Reizo winced as the man tending to his back hit a tender spot.
Reizo's commander was silent a moment. "I want him found! Every available man search for his body!" He would not return empty handed. Perhaps with the body of Katsura's best killer, Katsura would see that he had done everything he could to return the hitokiri.
The men stopped at dusk to make camp. Dumping Kenshin by a tree, they set about collecting water and building a fire, Shuhei keeping watch over his prize; something that wasn't overlooked by Keigo. "Why do you always get to watch him? Why don't you do some of the work for once?" he commented, unloading the armful of firewood he had collected.
"Because I don't trust you two not to kill him!" Shuhei sneered. "Now hurry up and build a fire." Grumbling, Keigo followed orders. Hitoshi returned with water he had collected from the nearby stream, just as Keigo got the fire going.
The three of them began to eat some of the provisions Hitoshi and Keigo had bought earlier, gathering around the fire for warmth.
Kenshin smiled happily. After eating, he and Tomoe had spent most of the night in each other's arms. He had missed her for so long… but for some reason, couldn't remember where she had gone for him to miss her so.
Now she was dressed for bed, had written in her journal, and was sliding under the covers of the futon they shared. She looked over towards Kenshin. "Are you coming to bed, or aren't you going to sleep next to me?"
He smiled; of course he would sleep next to her. There was no reason to be on alert. Not here, not in Outsu, not with Tomoe. "Hai, I'm coming." He moved towards the bed, but as he neared it his good mood fell. Something wasn't right. They shouldn't be going to bed. The thought of sleeping suddenly worried him.
"Anata?" Tomoe asked softly from where she sat.
At the sound of her sweet voice, all concerns and worries left him. He settled down beside her. "Nothing's wrong," he said softly and sweetly, ridding her of any worry he had given her. She lay her pretty head down and he followed her example. "Tomoe…"
"Hm."
He smiled brightly as she moved into his body, snuggling up against him. "I love you." Tilting his head down, he buried his nose into the top of her head. Inhaling deeply the sent of white plum, he was content. Content with the life of a simple farmer. He pulled Tomoe in close to him. She held him back, she felt so warm against his skin, and yet he couldn't stop shivering.
Her mouth opened to speak the words of her love back to him, but no sweet sound came from her delicate lips. He might have found this strange, if only he didn't feel so sleepy all of a sudden. His eyes fluttered shut as he fell asleep.
The first thing Kenshin became aware of was the fact that… this was real life… and that had been a dream. The next was the loud, ear-shattering pounding coming from his head. He didn't think he'd had a headache this bad before. His whole body ached and he was trembling. He could feel the cold ground pressed against his marred cheek, and his hands felt cold and stiff behind him.
Other than that, he couldn't feel any injuries. Wasn't he just fighting three men? Why wasn't he dead? Or maybe he was dead, and hell was having to be teased over and over again that Tomoe was gone.
Deciding having a look around would be better, he started to open his eyes; maybe they left him bleeding to death in the field, and he just was so close to death he couldn't feel the pain anymore. Of course, he couldn't be that lucky. With opening his eyes came a wave of nausea and a groan he just couldn't suppress. A groan that didn't go unnoticed by those gathered around the fire.
He could hear voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. He thought he could pick out two, no three… maybe four? Tilting his head up, he could see a couple of dark forms just above him. They were talking to each other, about him.
Battousai… looks…
He's hot… feel… sick?
I told you…I…that's… how…knocked him…
Can it…be him? Doesn't look… Battousai.
Is…going to live?
Suddenly a pair of arms reached down and hauled him up into a sitting position. The faces became a little clearer and the voices separated. Then one of the arms holding him reached forward and grabbed his cheek, turning it to the side so they could get a better look at his scar. "I tell you again, Keigo. It's him. See his scar? Who else would have a mark like this on their cheek?" the one that had hit him snarled.
"Well, I'm just saying!" Keigo snapped back. "I heard he was eight feet tall! This guy's puny."
Hitoshi reached down and felt Kenshin's forehead. "He's definitely sick. I could feel his skin boiling while I carried him," he commented. "He probably hasn't been eating and that's why he's so scrawny."
"Don't TOUCH me!" Kenshin snapped, having enough of these strange men touching him and talking about him like he couldn't hear them.
Shuhei was surprised by the way the man's eyes had suddenly cleared to a piercing amber, and how he had yelled. He snapped his hands away and let Kenshin fall back against the tree. Maybe he wasn't as sick as he'd thought the man to be? Maybe that had just been a lucky hit he had gotten in? He studied Kenshin carefully. Yes, his eyes had definitely cleared, but he was panting and shaking. He was still sick.
With a devilish grin, Shuhei reached out and ruffled Kenshin's hair. Kenshin yanked his head back, trying to get away from him. "Now that you're awake, Battousai, I think I need to tell you a few rules." He grabbed Kenshin's bangs and pulled on them. "You don't make demands. You sit quietly. You don't struggle. Or, you die."
Kenshin winced as Shuhei's pulling increased his already severe headache. "Then why didn't you just kill me already?"
Shuhei scoffed and tossed him back against the tree. "Because Battousai, that would be too good for you." He stood up. "Time for bed. Hitoshi, you'll take the first watch. Keigo, we're going to bed."
"Hai, Shuhei," Hitoshi answered quickly, with a slight bow to his head.
"Whatever." Keigo didn't really care, as long as he didn't have first watch. There was only one detail that was bothering him. As he started to get ready for bed, he voiced it. "Earlier when we were doing all the work to get camp ready, you said you couldn't trust us to watch him. Now you're going to sleep and leaving Hitoshi to watch him?"
"I trust Hitoshi more then you," Shuhei replied easily, turning over and lying down.
"I think you just like to get out of work," Keigo muttered, turning his back towards Shuhei and falling asleep. Leaving Kenshin and Hitoshi alone.
Kenshin sat and simply glared at his captor, working on trying to free his hands. They were numb from the tightly wound rope, and with his arms tied so tightly to his side, even if he got his wrists free there wasn't much else he could do.
After a while, Hitoshi rose from where he sat and headed over to his pack. The tall man came back shortly afterward, and glared down at the redhead. He bent down to be at eye level with Kenshin; they fell into a staring contest.
Hitoshi's hand brushed up against Kenshin's forehead again. "So, you're sick," he said softly, fingers twisting themselves into Kenshin's hair. His voice lowered to a near growl. "Good." He gave Kenshin's hair a violent yank and stood up, dangling Kenshin by his hair. Kenshin opened his mouth as a yelp he couldn't hold back started to escape, to find something being shoved forcibly into his mouth. "Quiet," Hitoshi hissed.
He moved his grip from Kenshin's hair to the back of his neck. "Move," he ordered, marching forward and practically dragging Kenshin alongside him. Kenshin stumbled a bit; one of his legs was half asleep. That, combined with the rough handling and the rate that Hitoshi was walking made it difficult for him to keep his balance. A couple of times, he managed to spit out the cloth Hitoshi had shoved into his mouth, only to have it shoved right back in.
A little way away from the group, Hitoshi shoved him to the ground. He hit hard; the air rushed from his lungs and sent him into a coughing fit. Hitoshi grabbed one of his shoulders and pulled him back up, just as he was getting his breathing back under control. "You bastard!" Hitoshi yelled, slamming his fist into Kenshin's abdomen. "You killed Yoshinori!" Kenshin let out a muffled cry as another blow came, this time to his shoulder.
Hitoshi pushed him to the ground again; Kenshin landed violently on his back, the back of his head smashing into the ground. A swift kick connected to the side of his stomach over and over again. "You killed him! You killed him! You killed Yoshinori!" Hitoshi chanted over and over in a loud, low growl. He stomped on Kenshin's chest. "You monster! You killed him! Right in front of me!"
At long last the blows stopped. Kenshin reflexively rolled into a ball and lay on his side. His lungs were burning for air, but he couldn't stop coughing long enough to take in a decent breath. He spit the cloth out once again, this time Hitoshi didn't shove it back in, with it out it was easier to breath.
Hitoshi had been careful to strike Kenshin where any bruising would be hidden under his clothing. He reached down and pulled the beaten man to his feet. He didn't want anyone to find out what he had done. He threw another punch to Kenshin's stomach before he spoke. "You say anything about this to anyone…" his voice lowered a notch "….I'll make you pay. I'll make you suffer more than you ever have before."
Kenshin glared pure fury at the man who had just beaten him. "Why, are you afraid of those two?" He sneered, anger and nausea getting the better of him. "You'll make me pay?" He let out a mocking laugh. After losing Tomoe, no one could do anything worse.
Hitoshi's eyes reflected the rage burning inside him. A low feral growl rose in the back of his throat. "Shut… up!" Kenshin almost didn't see the strike coming. Hitoshi's right hand had suddenly flown up and had stuck Kenshin's right cheek with the back of his fist. Kenshin went flying through the air for a brief moment before hitting the ground once more.
The world was spinning, stopping briefly only for the rough and painful landing. It was spinning so fast, he couldn't tell what was up and what was down. One minute the trees were beside him, the next above him. He couldn't take it. Kenshin rolled over and managed to get to his knees. His body reflexively gagged, threatening to spill out everything that was in his nearly empty stomach. He gagged again, fighting it with whatever strength he had left.
Finally he managed to calm down enough so his chest stopped heaving. He tried to take some deep soothing breaths, in order to get himself back under control. Hitoshi didn't give him time to do so. Grabbing the back of Kenshin's neck once more, he hauled him to his feet. Wordlessly he dragged Kenshin back to the temporary camp in the same manner as before. Dumping him at the base of the tree, Hitoshi finally left Kenshin alone.
Kenshin shivered uncontrollably, from both chill and rage. He coughed a few more times; each one sent a burning sensation across his chest and into his throat. He dreaded each time his throat got that tickly feeling in the back of it, soon after following a brutal cough. He shivered for a few more minutes, before his body simply caved in to the fever, pulling him once more into the bittersweet darkness.