Chapter 4

Kaoru stared in horror at him. His eyes were wide in fear, and he started to struggle weakly beneath the blankets. Coughs wracked his thin form, dry and hacking. Kaoru picked up a small bowl full of water and lifted Kenshin's head, despite his protests. "Shh, it's alright. I'm here to help you. Drink."

She set the bowl to his lips and he drank gratefully, sighing in relief. He watched her with curious violet eyes, the fear leaving now that he knew she was no threat. Her ki was turbulent in his mind however, showing her fear and sadness. "Who are you?" he asked again.

She choked back tears and answered him slowly. "My name is Kaoru Kamiya. You're at my dojo." She smiled slightly, trying to keep him calm. "How are you feeling Kenshin?"
He narrowed his eyes in confusion again. "Kenshin? My name is Shinta." He looked at her questioningly. "Isn't it?"
This caused her mind to stop in a bought of confusion. She had no answer for that one. 'I suppose we'll just call you Shinta then……' she thought. There was nothing more she could do for that. Perhaps Kenshin had another name.

"Kaoru-dono?"

She bit her lip as she heard this. Even though she tried a single tear slipped down her cheek. It was almost like her Kenshin had come back to her. But he was still unknowing. "Nani?"

His voice was hesitant, eyes filled with sorrow. "Gomen nasai."

Her eyes widened. "Whatever for Ke-Shinta?"

"You are crying, that you are. I feel as though I have caused this. I'm sorry," he said slowly. His eyes were muted in color, as though he was still unsure of what he was saying. "I don't know why, but I don't want to worry you."

Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. She staggered to her feet and ran from the room, sobs bursting forth from her. The redhead on the futon watched her sadly. 'What happened to me?'

Sano was heading for Kenshin's room when Kaoru ran past him, her face in her hands and sobs wrenching from her. "Jou-chan?"
She ran past him and into her own room down a few doors, and Sano could hear her collapse on her futon and continue to cry.

Confused, he headed for Kenshin's room. A thought flashed through his mind. Kaoru was crying, had Kenshin…….? He took off at a run for Kenshin's room, fear for his small friend rushing into his mind.

He discovered Kenshin struggling to sit up on the futon, his limbs too weak to support him. Sano sighed in relief. "Kenshin, you're alright!"

The smaller man looked up at him, violet eyes wide in fear. He sank back down on the futon, making himself smaller. To him Sano was huge and threatening, here to hurt him in his vulnerability.

Sano knelt beside the redhead. "Kenshin? Are you okay?"

"M-my name is Shinta……" he whispered, watching the ex-street-fighter with wide innocent eyes. "Who are you?"

Sano suddenly understood. That rock that Kenshin had hit when he hit the ledge in the ravine, he must have knocked his head. He couldn't remember. Sano smiled gently, trying to reassure him. "My name is Sano. How are you feeling?"

Now that the man before him didn't seem so frightening Kenshin calmed down considerably, smiling back hesitantly. "I'm okay Sano." He looked down. "What happened to me? Why can't I remember anything?"

Sano sighed, folding his legs to sit on the floor beside Kenshin. "Do you know how old you are?"

Kenshin cocked his head, obviously confused by the question. "I'm 23. Aren't I?"

Sano shook his head. "You're not Ke-Shinta. You're 33."

Kenshin's eyes widened. "N-nani? Thirty-three?"

"You don't remember anything?" Sano asked. When Kenshin shook his head Sano continued. "You came to this dojo about five years ago, and you've been living with us since then. Four years ago you and Kaoru, you remember her right?"

Kenshin nodded. "She was the woman I first saw. I made her cry….." He seemed sad about that.

"Well four years ago you two were walking over by the ravine and the bridge collapsed. You fell, and had some pretty serious injuries. You've been sleeping for the past four years, since that day." Sano said quietly.

Kenshin's eyes were wide. "I've been sleeping for four years? Why?"

Sano shook his head. "You got a bad knock to the head and you went into what doctors call a coma. We're not sure why you did, but that's what happened." He cocked his head. "What do you remember?"

Kenshin looked down. "I remember when I was younger my parents died from cholera, and I was sold to a slave trader. I don't remember hold old I was. When I was…nine I think, I was taken in by a man called Hiko. He was my master, that much I remember. I was with him for a long time, I don't know how long, and then I next remember walking though the woods. I was a rurouni." He looked up at Sano. "That's all."

Sano was in shock. 'He doesn't remember the Bakumatsu? What's gonna happen when he remembers?' "Well Shinta, it'll come back to you. You'll remember stuff."

Kenshin didn't seem so sure, but he nodded, looking down again. "What about Kaoru-dono? Why was she crying?"
Sano sighed again. "She's been taking care of you for the last four years Shinta. She's very fond of you. It'll take her a while to get over this, but then she'll be back with a vengeance. She'll help you remember a lot of stuff, I'm sure."

Kenshin smiled gratefully. "Arigatou Sano." He closed his eyes wearily, and then blushed as his stomach growled loudly.

Sano chuckled loudly. "Are you hungry?" Kenshin gave him a look and Sano laughed. "I'll go talk to Kaoru, and then I'll see about getting you something to eat. You haven't had any solid foods for a while now."

Kenshin smiled as Sano left the room, and then settled back down on the futon, closing his eyes.

Kaoru sobbed into her arms, trying to forget what she had heard. A strong hand suddenly rested on her shoulder, and she looked up in shock. She saw Sano's concerned face, and she flung herself at him, content to have a shoulder to cry on right now.

Sano hugged her gently, knowing that this contact would be comforting to her. "It's alright Jou-chan. He'll remember. We just have to help him with this. It's alright, please don't cry."

She choked back her tears, looking up at Sano. "Why did this have to happen Sano? He just woke up!" She looked down. "He doesn't even know who I am anymore!" She started crying again, her fingers clutching at Sano's white jacket.

They were interrupted by a scream. Sano looked up. "That was Kenshin!" They both sprang up to their feet, running towards the room down the hall. They rushed in to see Kenshin tangled in his sheet, sweat running down his face. He was still sleeping, and quite obviously having a nightmare.

Sano ran over, shaking Kenshin's shoulder frantically. "Kenshin! Wake up!"

The redhead's eyes snapped open and he focused on Sano. Tears started to flow down the rurouni's face, and he clenched his hands. "There was so much blood, so much! I caused it! I killed her! I was covered in blood, drowning in it…."

Kaoru's eyes were wide, face white. He had been dreaming about the Bakumatsu, that much was obvious, but who was he talking about? Who was the woman he was talking about?