Love Is…
Of Course I Do
By Seabreeze
A/N: Heh… um, sorry for not updating in, what, 2 and a half weeks? Yeah. School has been crazy – its senior year, le terminale, so I've been overwhelmed with AP classes, waste-of-time religion classes, college applications, college essays, 5.5 hours of dance a week, and volunteering for my senior service project. So there's my long excuse.
I changed the lyrics a bit to fit my needs. This is a long chapter for me, de gozaru.
Disclaimer: See chapter 3.
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Kaoru felt her blood turn to ice as she saw Kenshin standing by the dojo entrance, letter in hand and an unhappy look on his face. Something told her this was it, the moment she'd been dreading.
"Kenshin?" she asked, making her way over to him, hands clasped in fear before her. "Kenshin, what is it?" her voice emanated fear, and she didn't care. Kenshin folded the letter and put it in his pocket before turning to her with a look that made her throat tighten. "Oh Kenshin, please no…" her voice dropped, rough as she held back her tears. She felt her skin go hot and cold in turns, and the look on Kenshin's face froze her in place.
"I'm sorry, Kaoru,"
- - - - - - - - - -
so I'll write you when you get to where you're going
and I'll tell everyone we know you said hello
and without fail, they'll ask me if I miss you
of course I do
you know I do
- - - - - - - - - -
"Dear Kaoru-koishii,
I was happy to find a letter from you, waiting for me when I arrived here. Saitoh-san said it got here two days before I did, and Nariakira-san commented on how lucky I am to have such a loving wife. Saitoh-san of course gave me grief, but I would take all the grief he can give to receive another letter from you.
I miss you. I hope you know that I only left you to help the situation here in China. Nariakira sends his apologies to you, but even so, he doesn't anticipate that I will be returning within the next month or two. I know that you are not happy, but I also know that you are the strongest woman I know. I think of you every moment my mind is not polluted with politics and violence, and even sometimes when it is. Siatoh often chastises me for 'acting like a love-sick puppy when there is business to be done'. So, now you know how your husband truly misses you.
You told me in your letter that you have been sick, and that I should not worry, but I worry anyways. Perhaps it was merely something you ate? If you have not gone to Megumi-dono yet, I insist you head there right now, before even finishing this letter. She will know if something is wrong, and how to fix it. I need you to be healthy and happy for me when I get back.
Tell Megumi-dono hello for me, and Sanosuke as well. Is Yahiko keeping his promise to me, and checking up on you often?
Nariakira has just sent a messenger for me; I am needed in a meeting. Write back soon.
Aishiteru,
Kenshin
- - - - - - - - - -
Kaoru re-read the letter over quickly, the grin that had been on her face since the arrival of the letter only fading slightly.She immediately whipped out a sheet of rice-paper parchment and began a response, when she felt another nauseous turn in her stomach.
"Oh no," she stumbled, running quickly and clumsily on her way out to the training yard. She had barely made it out of the dojo when she got sick, her throat burning as her breakfast violently made its way back up. She groaned, wishing for nothing but the serene sense of feeling 'fine'. Her stomach heaved, and she got sick once more. For 10 minutes, her stomach continued to empty itself until she felt she would pass out in exhaustion. Her body shook heavily, and she plopped down on the stairs to the dojo, breathing heavily.
"Alright, Kenshin, you win," she panted, feeling as pale as she looked. Returning inside, she grabbed a small hand satchel and headed over to the doctor's.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Jou-chan, what are – hey, you don't look so hot," Sano called out as he saw Kaoru slowly making her way towards the Gensai clinic. Realizing she looked unwell, he hurried over to help her. She was pale and shaking, and he put an arm around his best friend's wife's shoulder to steady her. "What'd you think you were doing, walking here alone? Kenshin'd kill me if he knew I was letting you walk this far like this."
"Oh, calm down, Sanosuke, I'm fine," Kaoru said, sounding slightly annoyed and breathless. Sano frowned, helping her up the steps to Megumi and Dr. Gensai's shared clinic.
"You don't look fine, and I'm assuming you're not here on a friendly visit, either." Sano pointed out. Kaoru rolled her eyes and wiped sweat off her brow.
"You're too sharp for me," she said in irritation, and then, as they entered the building; "Oh! I forgot, I got a letter from Kenshin today. He said hello, and asked how you were doing." She sounded tired.
"Kenshin wrote ya? Hmm, well, tell him 'hello back' for me. Tell him I'm doin' fine, just getting' a little bored here in Edo. Tell him if they need any physical help, I'm ready to jump in on the action." He replied with a rogue grin, now helping her into a seat in the 'waiting room'. "Megumi's fixin' some guy who cut his leg farming with that fancy new farming equipment, but she should be done soon." He added. Kaoru grinned despite her condition.
"I'll tell him you offered, but I think right now its just a bunch of meetings and politics." She replied. Sano sat beside her and leaned back in the chair lazily.
"So, do you miss 'im?" he asked, a knowing grin on his face. Kaoru narrowed her eyes in annoyance; what a stupid question to ask.
"Yeah," she said, smoothing the folds of her yukata, "what do you expect?" she sighed, and leaned against the arm of the chair. Sano shrugged.
"You know I like to give you trouble about it," he explained disinterestedly, slightly peeved that she was being so touchy but not willing to start a fight with her while she looked so pale and tired. They waited for the rest of the time in silence until the door opened and Megumi, blood splashed all over the front of her apron, came in, accompanying a man with thick bandages wrapped around his left leg. Her eyes lit in surprise as she saw her pseudo-boyfriend and Kaoru, and she waved the man off before turning to her friends.
"Tanuki-chan, are you alright?" she asked, immediately coming over to kneel by her friend and placing a cool palm against her forehead.
"Of course I'm alright, Megumi, just feeling a little under the weather." Kaoru replied tiredly.
"What're your symptoms?" she asked, totally professional as she escorted Kaoru to her workroom, Sano tagging behind. "Hey!" she said suddenly, turning to him. "This is a doctor's office, you're not supposed to be in here!" Sano ignored her, leaning against the wall as Kaoru sat up on the doctor's table.
"Ignore me," he said lazily.
"Sanosuke, patient information is confidential! Not only that, but I doubt Kaoru wants you in here!"
"Jou-chan doesn't mind if I stay, do you, Jou-chan? Plus, I promised Kenshin I'd look after her while he's gone, and if she's sick, I need to know!"
"She'll tell you afterwards!" Megumi snapped, shoving him out the door. She slammed it in his face, and both she and Kaoru cringed as they heard Sano's fist hit the closed door angrily. "What a baby," Megumi muttered, pulling on gloves and a new apron. "So, where were we?"
"I've just been getting sick to my stomach for the past few days, is all," Kaoru said lamely. Megumi nodded crisply, talking as she stuck a tongue depressor in Kaoru's mouth.
"Eat anything different? Noticed a different taste in the food or water you usually drink?"
"No," Kaoru said. "I mean, with Kenshin working in China, he sends me more money than we're used to, so I bought some nicer ingredients, but all from the usual places."
"Any new ingredients? Meat, eggs, vegetables?" Megumi asked, taking Kaoru's pulse manually. Once again, Kaoru shook her head.
"No, nothing new." Megumi, satisfied with Kaoru's pulse, put her hands on her hips and surveyed her friend and patient.
"We can rule out food poisoning, then. And there aren't any viruses going around that I know of, though its not uncommon for one to spring up out of nowhere… but you don't have a fever. So I'm pretty sure –" she cut herself off and stared at Kaoru, who raised her eyes.
"What?" she asked, a little worried. Megumi's face resumed its normal, placid look, and she took off her gloves.
"So, when you get sick, does it happen after you eat, or after you exercise a bit?"
"No… not really. Lately, its just that I wake up, feel fine, eat breakfast, do some chores, and get sick around 10. Like clockwork."
"Mhmm," Megumi said, as if she expected that. "And after you get sick, you feel fine the rest of the day? Like you hadn't gotten sick that morning?" she asked. Kaoru nodded in surprise.
"Yes, like now. I just got sick an hour and a half ago, but now I'm starting to feel great. How'd you know?" she seemed suspicious. Megumi crossed her arms.
"You'll forgive me for asking, Kaoru, but you understand that I ask purely as a professional doctor: have you and Ken-san been sexually active?" the question brought an immediate flow of blood to Kaoru's face; it was an embarrassing question no matter what, but the fact that she had to discuss it with Megumi…
"Well, yes," she said, very shyly. "But what does that have to – " her eyes grew huge. "You mean…"
"Kaoru, I think you're pregnant."
Megumi watched silently as one of Kaoru's hands moved to her stomach, the other to her mouth in surprise. Megumi grinned; this was always one of the best parts of being a doctor. It took her a moment to realize that her friend had tears running down her face.
"Tanuki-chan?" she asked, concerned, moving to sit by her friend and setting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Kaoru let out a sob and threw her arms around Megumi's neck, surprising the young doctor.
"I'm happy, Megumi, I really am," she said, and from the joy in her voice, Megumi believed her. "But Kenshin isn't coming home for a long time, and what if he's not here when… when its time for the baby?" she clung to her friend, crying desperately, and Megumi laughed gently as she patted her friend's sobbing shoulder.
"You silly raccoon, don't be so down. We don't know when Ken-san's coming back; it could be next month for all we know. Quit worrying. For now, though, I'm going to send Sano with you to take you home, and I prescribe lots of rest and healthy foods." Kaoru pulled back, wiping tears from her eyes in embarrassment.
"Thanks, Megumi," she whispered. A grin lit up her face, despite the tears that still remained there. "I don't believe that I'm pregnant. Oh! I forgot to tell you – Kenshin says hello, and asks how you are."
"Do you miss him?" came the sly response. Kaoru, too blown-over by the news that she was pregnant, could not find it anywhere in herself to respond sharply to her friend.
"Of course I do,"
- - - - - - - - - - -
The first thing Kaoru did when she was safely at home and Sano had left to return to Megumi's was to write to Kenshin. She wrote and wrote and wrote, and still it seemed that no amount of writing could convey her joy in her pregnancy. She walked into town to have her letter sent as quickly as possible (the man at the counter promised that Kenshin would receive it in three days or less), and while she was out she splurged a bit on healthy vegetables and meat, thinking only of the child within her. She stopped by the Akabeko to deliver the good news to Tae, Tsubame, and Yahiko, who didn't quite believe that his "busu" kendo instructor and surrogate big sister would soon be a mother. Regardless, he told her gruffly that he was proud, and that she could call on him whenever she needed help with anything. The poor guy was even more surprised when an overemotional Kaoru wrapped him up in a big, tearful hug, thanking him profusely before she left to return home.
- - - - - - - - - -
To her great surprise, six days later, she received another letter in the mail. Her heart was bursting to hear what Kenshin had to say about their baby, and found that he was nearly incoherent in his joy and worry.
Half the letter had been strict instructions for her to eat well, rest often, and to take it easy in general. He had assured her that she would not be alone while he was gone, promising that he had threatened Sano and Yahiko to come live with her and protect her while he couldn't. True to his word, Sano arrived an hour later, holding a letter similar to Kaoru's but much shorter in length.
"I guess its just like old times again," he said with a grin, "Now where do I sleep?" Kaoru laughed, sending him to the dojo, which he would share with Yahiko for a bedroom.
"You know, if you skip out on me once or twice, I won't tell Kenshin," Kaoru told him as she made his bed. He shrugged.
"He'd find out and kill me if I did. Don't worry, little missy, I'm not going anywhere."
Within another hour, Yahiko had arrived, as eager to help out as Sano was (though Kaoru expected it was due more to Kenshin's threatening than the want to help out a pregnant woman).
The day had been so exciting that Kaoru was exhausted soon after dinner (a dinner concocted, surprisingly, by the newly skilled chef Yahiko), and both Sano and Yahiko had insisted she go to bed. Agreeing, Kaoru went to her and Kenshin's room to undress and get ready for the night. As the sky darkened and the crickets came out to sing, she braided her hair and listened to the distant sound of Sano and Yahiko talking. From the sound of it, they were outside on the dojo steps. It was comforting – as Sano had said, it really was like old times. If only Kenshin were there… refusing to let another tear drop, Kaoru crawled under the covers of her futon and stared at the ceiling, hand over her belly. She smiled. She had gone from having no family to too much family in only one day.
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A/N: This chapter was so rushed! Its just that I had to fit so much in and I didn't want it to be too long… The ending sucked also. Boo. Oh well, two more chapters to go.
Thank you's:
Vashsunglasses – thanks, I'm glad you love it! I'll try to keep up the standards. Thanks for reviewing!
ChibiKenshin6490 – I'm glad you liked that chapter, I was really unsure about it. I questioned whether they would be that open to eachother… but thanks for the positive feedback and the review!
Royal blueKitsune – yeah, ya gotta have some conflict in romance, or its no fun! No real direct K/K here, but next chapter… muahaha. And no, there will be no Kenshin dying in this story. After this story is done, I'm going to be like "and then they lived happily ever after, and never died." Seriously, though, there's enough sadness in the OVA's, so I'm gonna keep it to a minimum here. The whole point of writing this was to give people some (happy) closure. I haven't really found anyone who was really satisfied with the OVA ending. So, yeah, no Kenshin dying. Thanks for the review!
Shadow Sacrifice – I'm really flattered (and happy!) that you like my story so much! Its not too deep, I just want it to be cute and light(er) and happy. I'm glad you think it is worthy of… review. And yeah, I didn't cry after I saw the OVA the first time, but I definitely just sat there staring at the blank tv screen. Lol, I felt so hopeless, I was like… I can't cry. There's nothin' in there. But after the second time, I was like, screw this! Me/Kenshin/Kaoru/readers are going to enjoy their marriage, damnit! Anyways, thanks for the review.