Chapter 25

(Kaoru)

Megumi had to keep breathing for Kenshin for about 5 minutes, and then he was finally breathing on his own. It was slow and shallow, too shallow for my liking, so much that you could barely see his chest rising and falling. I sniffled, petting his crimson hair silently.

Megumi rubbed her wrists, which were no doubt sore from helping Kenshin exhale throughout this little episode he'd had. Her face was worried, a frown upon her lips. "I don't understand…" she murmured. "What could possibly be making him act this way? And what was that all about?"

I blinked, thinking back. "Kenshin mentioned once, when he was telling me of his past, that this had happened once before. He said that it felt like his chest was on fire, like he was getting crushed. He couldn't breathe, just like a minute ago."

Megumi suddenly seemed to understand. "He's had this before?" I nodded and she smiled. "Then I think I know what it is. Doctor Gensai told me about it once, but I don't know much about it. It's a disease that has something to do with breathing, obviously, and it makes it difficult for the patient to breathe when stressed or afraid."

I blinked. "Well, what can we do about it?"

She shook her head. "Unfortunately nothing. Doctor Gensai isn't in town, so I can't ask him about it, and even if I sent him a letter I don't know exactly where he is. We'll just have to keep an eye on Ken-san and make sure that we're there to help him breathe if that happens again." She looked to me. "I'd better teach you how to do that, a little better than you already know. It could be critical in saving Ken-san's life."

I gulped, slightly afraid at the fact that I might have to hold Kenshin's life in my hands, that because of me he would live or die. I nodded. "Alright Megumi."

She motioned me forward. "I'll go ahead and use Ken-san as help, since he's here anyway." She tilted Kenshin's head back slightly. "You need to do this so it opens up the airway a little better. Then you pinch the nose closed, which I won't do with him, it's already difficult enough for him to breathe."

I nodded, carefully filing this information away in my mind. I was still worried because Kenshin didn't react to any of Megumi's actions, and I hurriedly looked at his chest. It was still rising and falling, though it seemed to be getting shallower.

"Then you simply place your mouth over his and breathe into him. Make sure his chest rises, so you can be sure he got the air. If he doesn't exhale, like he did just a minute ago, then you place your hands about right here, and push gently. He should exhale easily with that action." Megumi finished. "There, bare minimum on what you might need to do."

"Um, Megumi…" I murmured, still watching Kenshin. "I think his breathing's slowing down again."

She glanced at Kenshin; hurriedly put a finger on his pulse point. She frowned. "Kuso Ken-san, stay with us!"

I blinked. I had never heard Megumi swear in my life, and that was a little frightening for me. I watched as she put a hand on Kenshin's forehead. I handed her the cool cloth as she put out a hand to reach for it.

"His fever is rising…" she murmured worriedly, laying the cloth on Kenshin's forehead and smoothing his hair from his face. Kenshin did nothing to react to her, and I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth, chewing it worriedly.

She slipped a hand beneath Kenshin's shoulders, lifting him up and tilting his head forward as it lolled back. "Hand me the medicine Kaoru."

I handed it to her silently, watching as she poured it into Kenshin's mouth. He coughed weakly, head moving slightly. This bit of movement lifted my spirits, and I tangled my fingers in Kenshin's, squeezing his hand.

"Come on Ken-san; don't do this to me again." Megumi murmured, lifting one hand to rub at Kenshin's throat. "Swallow…"

To our happiness the medicine went down, but Kenshin still coughed periodically, breath catching in his chest. I sighed, petting his hair gently. 'You'll be okay Kenshin…' I thought fiercely. 'You'll pull through anata… And then we will get revenge on that man that used you. I swear it.'

Unfortunately I was wrong. Kenshin didn't get any better, and the days passed by with no improvement at all to his condition. I grew more and more worried, but thankfully Kenshin didn't have any more 'attacks' as I'd taken to calling them. Megumi said that's what they were, so we stuck with that, even if we weren't sure it was right.

I sat silently in Kenshin's room, holding his pale hand and stroking his skin gently. His breathing was soft, calm for the first time in the week he'd been here. Even so, it was strained, difficult for him to draw in breath. I pet his hair, sniffling slightly as tears welled up in my eyes. 'Oh Kenshin…' I thought dejectedly. 'I wish you'd wake up and tell me you're going to be okay. That's all I want anata… For you to open your beautiful eyes and tell me that you love me, that everything's gonna be okay.'

I squeezed his hand slightly. There was a slight twitch in his fingers, which I'd grown used to by now. He had little twitches; just enough to show that he was alive. It was enough for me though, and it gave me hope. I lifted his hand, kissing his fingers softly, closing my eyes. I felt a tear roll down my cheek and I stubbornly wiped it away.

I longed to watch him sit up, and to have him take me into his arms like he did, to feel his strong arms around me, keeping me safe. I pulled his head up, slipping my knees beneath him and letting his head rest on my knees. I continued to pet his hair, my fingers running through the crimson strands.

I sighed, sniffling slightly. Sano turned from his position in the corner, worry etched on his features. I rarely saw him like this, and it was a little frightening to me. He gave me a gentle smile. "It'll be okay Jou-chan. Kenshin will be okay."

I sniffled again. "You said that a while ago Sano. Already he's stopped breathing once, and he might do it again. He's not getting any better!" My voice rose with each word, turning into a shout by the time I was done.

Sano took the harsh treatment without a word, and I stopped, the tears streaming down my face. I looked at him in shock, afraid now. He sighed. "It's okay Jou-chan, I know you're afraid."

I looked back down at Kenshin's flushed features. "I know, but that doesn't give me any right to yell at you… You didn't do anything wrong." I frowned, one of my hands clenching into a fist. "We'll go get Enishi, once Kenshin gets well. We'll go get him, for Kenshin's sake."

Sano nodded, placing a large hand on my shoulder. "Hai, we will Jou-chan. We'll do whatever we can to help Kenshin out, and this Enishi seems to be the main cause of his trouble. We'll get rid of him."

I nodded, going back to petting Kenshin. 'Don't worry Kenshin. We'll get him. When you get better, we'll go get him.'

(Kenshin)

I was floating in an abyss of darkness. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, see, hear, nothing really. Not like there was anything to hear or see. I felt like something was wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it. My senses were screaming at me, saying that I needed to open my eyes and figure out what was going on. That I should get out of this place that held me captive. But my body demanded sleep, and I was slowly giving into that urge.

I began to float down, my hair flowing up around my face, like I was sinking through water. I felt my breathing begin to grow softer, slower. I didn't pay much attention to it, like I should have. My heart began to slow, the blood flowing through my veins slowing as well.

I paid it no mind, instead noticing the comfort that was coming from the dark around me. I sighed happily, a gentle smile coming to my lips. The edges of my consiousness began to fade, and I began to sink deeper, and faster. My breathing stopped, my heart failed.

The last thing I was aware of was the screaming of someone, I wasn't quite sure who. All I could hear was a voice that seemed vaguely familiar, like one that'd I hadn't heard for a long time. What's that she's saying?

'No anata! Don't do it! She still needs you! Don't lose! Come back… Come back………….'

My awareness faded.

(Kaoru)

I walked into the room, stretching slightly. I'd only left a moment, to use the bathroom, and Sano had been in the room. At least he had been when I'd left. I looked around the room as I walked back in, noticing that he wasn't there. "Sano?"
I looked to Kenshin, and then blinked. "Wait a minute…"

I moved closer, and then my eyes widened and a scream wrenched its way from my throat. "KENSHIN, NO!"

Kenshin's face was as pale as the sheets, his lips a light blue color. His limp fingers, lying near his face, had also begun to get a faint color of blue, signaling that his body was cooling. The man that I loved was no longer there. Kenshin was dead.