Under the Crystal Moon

By: Charmed Wolf

Disclaimer to the story, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin…sorry.

To rebuild the shattered crystal.

Aoshi was home for now; Okina had talked to a therapist to help Aoshi to readjust to being in a wheelchair. "It's going to be a big adjustment for all of us since Aoshi's accident," Okina was helping Aoshi to lie down; Omasu saw that Aoshi was fast asleep in his bed. Misao wanted to play with Aoshi and yet the doctor said that Aoshi needed to rest to let his back heal, Okon fed the wolf before the animal could go help Aoshi with things he's not able to do now.

"Nika really wants to help Aoshi, Okina," the wolf simply picked the bowl up and sat it into the sink to be washed; Okon thought the wolf was a smart wolf.

Nika the wolf came lay by Aoshi's bed with him still resting, Okina was still trying to figure out Aoshi's medicine. "I'm getting a headache trying to figure out Aoshi's medicine," it was hard to figure out Aoshi's medicine, Okina wondered why the doctor prescribed to different kinds of medications for Aoshi. Nika was being protective of Aoshi for some reason; it was as if something was going to happen to Aoshi. "Quiet, Nika, it's just Kenji," Nakamura Kenji was the only Nakamura that can stand to be around Aoshi, and Kenji was a certified physical therapist that was a life-saver for Aoshi.

Kenji came to see Aoshi for a long while to start with the physical therapy, Aoshi didn't know what think of therapy that Kenji was putting him through. "Kenji, what are you going to do with me?" Aoshi started to feel rather tired until his friend started to massage the legs; it was unconventional for a physical therapist to do what he was doing for him.

Kenji wasn't the conventional therapist in the least one bit; Okina didn't mind it in the least bit.

"I'm going to get braces for you so we can start," Kenji had started to move in to help Aoshi with certain needs; Okina knew he could trust Kenji to help Aoshi instead of the opposite. It made Aoshi feel a lot better to know that Kenji is around, it meant that he can focus on Misao and his school work from the teacher that comes to teach him. "Alright, Kenji, that sounds fine," Kenji nodded before he left Aoshi's room; his friend had to let Aoshi rest for a good while.

Misao saw that Aoshi was sleeping in his bed; Okina simply did not want Misao to bother Aoshi while he was resting. "Come on, Misao," Okina led Misao out of Aoshi's room to let him rest; Kenji had to pick up Aoshi's braces for the physical therapy. Once Kenji returned to the Aoi-ya, the physical therapy started to get underway for Aoshi.

"Aoshi, you're doing great," the physical therapy lasted for 6 months and Kenji was glad that Aoshi was getting better, Misao hope that Aoshi could walk and be the ninja that he was once…

But it wasn't meant to be, Aoshi wasn't able to walk in the least one bit. "Jiya, why is Aoshi-sama not able to walk?" Misao's innocent eyes looking at Okina, as what Okina said before that it was a real adjustment to Aoshi's paralysis from that motorcycle accident. Kenji stayed with his friend to help him out since being in a wheelchair now, it didn't bother Aoshi being not able to walk now…but, it did bother Suki that his brother is unable to walk, Okon helped out with Aoshi as well as Omasu.

"My brother doesn't like it when I have to depend on others for help," Aoshi tried to move into his seat at the counter, Okon just nodded as she sat his lunch on the counter. Omasu knew that Aoshi had to have help doing things he'd normally do on his own, Suki didn't like it as he saw Okina helped his brother into his wheelchair after lunch.

"Suki, would you wait a minute?" Aoshi tried to stop his little brother so they could talk; it didn't take long for him to realize that Suki was upset over the whole motorcycle accident thing still. Okina knew Aoshi didn't mean for the accident to happen at all, well, in that case, no meant for that accident to happen. "Suki, I know you're upset over the fact I'm not able to walk," Suki finally stopped and turned around to look at Aoshi, he knew he brother was right his emotions.

Okina knew that Suki could never tell Aoshi upset he is, Aoshi could always read like a book…

Flashback

"I'm afraid that the injury to his spine is very much permanent," Okina just looked away looking at Aoshi laying in that bed, he wasn't able to move or breathe just yet because of a reaction Aoshi was having the night he was brought in. The though of Aoshi needing someone to help him never crossed Okina's mind, now that accident scared Suki into think that he was going to lose Aoshi.

"I'm going to have to tell the rest of the Oniwabanshu about the accident," Okina touched Aoshi cheek hoping for a reaction, but none came from Aoshi when Okina had touched the cheek. It wasn't until a week later that Aoshi waken up, that afternoon, Okina had came to see him to see how he was doing that day. "I'm surprised that he woke up this soon," the doctor was pleased with Aoshi's recovery that he was aloud to go home a few days later, Okina had to get a wheelchair for Aoshi since he wasn't able to walk now. Aoshi wasn't afraid of Suki's reaction to see him in a wheelchair, it wasn't that at all between Suki and Aoshi now.

"Everyone, guess whose home now," Okina moved out of the way to let Aoshi inside the Aoi-ya, it was that everyone was excited, except for Suki.

Aoshi saw it in Suki's face that he was clearly upset to see his brother in a wheelchair, Kuro was well adjusted to helping Aoshi. "I'll lay out Aoshi's futon for him," Okon went up Aoshi room to lay the futon on the raised dais, the doctor said that Aoshi had to rest before he started physical therapy.

End of flashback

Suki sat to talk with Aoshi for awhile, Aoshi knew how upset Suki was over the motorcycle accident and it bothered him to see that with his brother. "Aoshi, how can you adjust being in a wheelchair now?" Aoshi told his brother how he can adjust to being in a wheelchair; Suki knew that Aoshi now needed help from a lot of people. It was that Suki couldn't adjust to having his older in a wheelchair then, there was no way that Aoshi couldn't force his brother to adjust.

"Okon, I'm going need help getting ready for my bath," Suki stayed in the room laying out Aoshi's clothes for that night, Misao was already in bed for the night when it was time for Aoshi to get to bed.

Omasu helped Aoshi to wash and to dress for bed, it surprised Okina to see how quickly Aoshi had fall asleep that. "I didn't know he was that tired," neither Shiro nor Kuro knew that Aoshi had been tired that day, Okina remembered the doctor not to let Aoshi to get overly tired. Now, Aoshi was starting to use the braces that Kenji had gotten for him, which was the best thing for Aoshi was to try walking now.

"Aoshi, you are not going so much help as I thought you would need," Kenji was impressed with Aoshi's progress, he was fixing up Aoshi's motorcycle for his friend so he'd have his motorcycle back.

Kenji went to talk with Aoshi for awhile; he noticed the braces on Aoshi's legs. "How are the braces feeling, Aoshi?" Kenji asked cocking his head to the side; Aoshi just looked at his friend for a moment before speaking. He knew that he was almost to the point of where he's not going to need the braces at all; Kenji knew that Aoshi's back was getting stronger as well. "It's just getting to the point I can't stand the braces being on," Kenji just told Aoshi that he's ready to take them off.

Aoshi was itching to take the braces off his legs, not until he feels that he's ready to get them off and it was almost to that point. "I promised Misao that I'd take her swimming this summer," Misao's eyes got as big as saucers when Aoshi said, she wondered if he really was going to take her to go swimming that summer. It was only the middle of winter and summer was along way away, Aoshi knew it was almost March and another day he dreaded so much since it happened…

"Suki, are you surprised that I'm actually walking now?" Suki was just speechless at seeing Aoshi literally standing in the door way of his room; Aoshi knew his little brother couldn't find the words to say about Aoshi walking. It was a sight to see Aoshi up and walking, what was next to come would be a complete and udder surprise for Aoshi.

A few weeks later…

"Where is Aoshi?" Knowing Aoshi, he was already up in the training hall; Okina went out to the training hall to see if Aoshi had been there and yet he was. Okina was surprises to see Aoshi up and training in the training hall before school, neither the girls nor the guy knew where that was coming.

"Aoshi, you know the doctor said not to over did," Aoshi just glared at Okina with the ice back in his eyes, oh yeah, Aoshi was back and just as icy as ever. Everyone knew when to get out of Aoshi's way when he's mad; it was now that the Okashira was back. "Okina, I'm fine," that was all Aoshi had said before going to wash up and getting ready to go to school, and that Aoshi was fine now and will always be fine. Aoshi's walk as an Okashira was filled with dignity and honor, Suki knew that his older brother still had the responsibility to end the rivalry with the Nakamura family.

To the Reviewers:

Sage: Thank you for the helpful criticism and the review, it's very helpful to continue writing this fic or any other fic for that matter. Basically, that is how I write my story, it was meant to be a puzzle of how Aoshi's love grew.

Sachiya: YAY! I really enjoy it when you leave a review; it makes me happy when one of my best friends reviews my fic.

Okay, people, please read and review this fic…I beg of you!