I don't own The Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy.

Chapter 9

(Kaoru)

I was still fighting the people as they dragged me off, a woman wrapping a blanket around my shoulders and pushing me into a seat where a heater blew on me. As the warm air hit me I hissed. It was painful! I looked up at the black-haired woman. "Please, let me go back to him!"

The woman shook her head. "No, you need to stay here dear. You stay with my sister, I'm a doctor, and I'll go help them revive him, okay?"

I was beginning to shiver; the adrenaline that was wearing off had been blocking my mind from noticing the cold. As a younger girl came forward with a smile and a warm drink, I slowly nodded, though still reluctant. "But I'm coming over there in a minute."

The woman nodded, and left. The younger one came forward, handing me the hot thermos and coaxing me to drink it. "It'll help warm you up from the inside out." She sat beside me in the car, turning up the heat a bit more. "My name is Misao."

"Kaoru…" I murmured in between sips. The liquid was hot chocolate, and it burned the whole way down, but Misao was right, it was helping.

She smiled. "Don't worry Kaoru, Megumi has been a high class doctor for about 5 years, she'll know what to do."

I smiled back at her shakily. "Arigatou."

Misao nodded. "Don't mention it. So that man, how do you know him?"

I sniffled slightly, thinking on the last way I had seen him, pale and unmoving beneath the water. "He's my roommate and boyfriend. His name is Kenshin."

She nodded. "I'm very sorry Kaoru; I hope that he's okay."

I suddenly pushed open the car door. "I have to go to him."

Misao, unlike her older sibling, Megumi, didn't protest my actions. Instead she followed me, helping me stand on limbs that were shaky from cold and shock. We reached an area where Kenshin was lying on the pavement, Megumi breathing into his mouth and another man pushing on his chest. Misao moved to whisper in my ear. "That's Aoshi Shinomori; he's a doctor that works with my sister."

I nodded slightly, biting my lip in worry as I watched them continue to try and revive Kenshin. He still wasn't breathing, limp and still on the ground. Megumi swore slightly as she put her ear to Kenshin's lips, listening for breath. "Come on; come back to her, Himura. She needs you."

I blinked. 'How do they know Kenshin's name?'

Their efforts were rewarded when Kenshin suddenly sucked in a breath and started coughing violently. Megumi turned him on his side as water trickled down his chin, making sure that he wouldn't breathe in the water he was coughing out of his lungs.

I felt my knees grow weak with relief and I sagged against Misao's hold, thanking Kami-sama for this miracle. After a few moments Kenshin stopped coughing, but he was shivering violently, breath whistling through dry blue tinted lips.

Sirens sounded, and an ambulance pulled up next to us along with a few cop cars. A couple of paramedics ran to Megumi and Aoshi with a stretcher, lifting Kenshin onto it and taking him back to the ambulance. Misao tugged on my arm as Megumi walked towards us. "Come on, we'll take you to the hospital so you can be with him."

I nodded my thanks, following the two other women to their car. Megumi sped after the ambulance, tailing it closely. She smiled at me slightly in the rear-view mirror. "He'll be okay, he's just hypothermic. As long as it's dealt with quickly, he'll be just fine. You're lucky that you got him out of the car quickly enough so we could revive him."

I smiled. "I guess it was just luck. I almost didn't get him out."

Megumi focused her eyes back on the road. "I've taken charge of his care, since I was at the scene. Kenshin will be fine."

"How do you know his name?" I asked softly.

She chuckled. "He was the one in that car crash over a year ago, correct? I remember you two Kaoru, it was popular news around the hospital. We were all very happy when Kenshin woke up, it was almost a celebration." She frowned. "But to see him in another accident thanks to a car, that's really got to be tough."

I nodded. "It was only his third time driving since the accident. I don't know if I'll ever get him to ride in a car again."

She nodded sadly. "This experience, coupled with the other, will probably make him seriously afraid of cars. But that's to be expected, with what he's gone through."

I focused on my hands, which were clenched in the blanket in my lap. "Hai. You're correct."

As we pulled up to the hospital I felt my nerves beginning to build up. I followed Megumi and Misao inside silently, holding the blanket around me. Megumi walked right past the counter with a wave of a slender hand, leading us to the ambulance's entrance. There was a gurney coming inside, Kenshin on it wrapped in blankets and that shiny crinkly thing that was always wrapped around cold people. He looked okay, still breathing, only a little pale.

The paramedic smiled at me. "You must be his wife."

I blushed. "Well, no, actually…"

She laughed. "Well I see in your eyes that you wish to be then. You were very blessed, Kami-sama must be watching over you two. He's going to be just fine."

I sighed in relief, and then a small moan from the gurney attracted my attention. Kenshin was awakening, his eyelids fluttering open. I walked forward to lean over him so he would see me. He blinked fuzzily, and then focused on me. A smile came to his pale lips. "Kaoru…"

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. "Kenshin no baka, you scared me to death. Don't you ever do that again!"

He smiled gently. "Gomen Kaoru, but all I could think about was saving you."

I sighed. "And I love you for that, but still. I'm just lucky that we had a guardian angel today."

He nodded slightly, closing his eyes tiredly. I smoothed his hair gently, kissing his forehead. "Sleep love, you need the rest so you can get better and come home."

He sighed at my touch, and then sank back into rest. Megumi came forward with a smile, putting a hand on my shoulder. "He should be able to go home pretty soon; he seems to be okay, no damage at all. We'll just make sure that nothing's been hurt, and then he can be released."

I frowned. "Oh, now I don't have a car, what am I going to do?"

Megumi smiled again. "We'll get you a rental car for now; have them send it over here. From then on, well, you'll have to figure it out. Misao and I will help you."

I smiled back at her, and then found myself enveloped in a warm hug. I hugged the woman back. "Arigatou Megumi, and I do believe that I've found myself some new friends."

Misao laughed from behind her sister. "Well of course you have Kaoru; we'll get so close we'll be inseparable! Joined at the hip! Conjoined twins that were separated!"

Megumi pulled back from me and rolled her eyes. "We get it Misao; give the poor woman's ears a rest." She giggled slightly good-naturedly. "That's Misao for you, chatterbox. You'll have a handful just being her friend."

I laughed. "Oh, I'm sure I will."

She grinned again. "Yea, I live with her. Pity me."

I laughed again, feeling renewed from my terrifying experience. "You are pitied."


Kenshin was just fine, just like Megumi had said. He recovered quickly, well enough that he could come home within a week. He was a little hesitant to ride in the car with me, but eventually he climbed in, knuckles white on the armrest.

Once we got home he seemed a lot more relaxed, back in his own home. He changed out of the clothes that I had brought him into more comfortable ones, a pair of pajama bottoms and an old hoodie that was his uncle's. I did similar, putting on PJ bottoms and a T-shirt.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" I asked as we sat on the couch together, staring at the TV silently.

He nodded. "Hai, that sounds good."

I went through the shelf, and then picked out The Phantom Of The Opera, putting the disc in the DVD player. Even though Kenshin was a man, he loved the movie just as much as I did. I pulled my navy blanket up over myself as Kenshin draped his crimson one around our shoulders. He then pulled mine over his own legs, securely wrapping us both in the warmth of them.

As the movie began I snuggled into his side, laying my head against his arm. He draped said arm around my shoulders, settling his cheek against my hair. In his arms I felt warm and safe, and I gave a sigh of happiness. Things would be okay, at least at the moment.

Nearing the end of the film, I suddenly felt Kenshin draw in a breath as Christine stood beside the Phantom, preparing to return the ring he had given her. Kenshin sang as one with the Phantom, his deep tones blending in with those of the actor.

"Kaoru I lo-o-ve you…"

I looked up into his shining violet eyes, which were watching me with love. I smiled, leaning up and pressing my lips against his. Movie was forgotten as I sank against his body and his tongue swept past my lips, his mouth claiming mine as his own.