DISCLAIMER: As I have said many, many times in the past, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano, Megumi, etc…I just write them because they are so darn cute and huggable.

Chapter 5

Kenshin watched her as she wiped away her tears and clutched her half of the silver necklace. He looked down at his half and wondered if she would tell him what had happened to her. He looked up at her; she smiled shyly and then looked away. Kenshin slowly took her hand, weary of the IV tubes and squeezed gently. They were so involved that they did not hear the door bang open.

Saitou harrumphed loudly. "Please, do not let me interrupt this touching moment, but I have some questions that need to be answered." Kenshin looked at Saitou. "I do not believe Kaoru is up to your interview right now, Saitou. Plus, if I remember correctly you do not have the right to question her without the proper paperwork." Saitou grinned and held up a flap of paper, "try again, Baka, but I have a judge's order to question her." Kenshin stood up from his chair, not hearing it crash to the ground. His eyes looking up at Saitou no longer violet but a burning amber; "You will not talk to her until she has stabilized and is verbally willing to speak to you."

Kaoru touched Kenshin's shoulder; "No, Kenshin lets get this over with." "Kaoru, are you sure?" She looked at Kenshin and then at Saitou. "It has to be done." "Kaoru!" "No, Kenshin I'm alright, please leave us." "No! I will not leave you." "Yes, Kenshin, you will leave. I do not want you here." "Kaoru!" "Leave Kenshin." Kaoru looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Please." Kenshin got up, glanced over at Saitou, amber eyes burning into his soul, and then looked down at Kaoru and sighed; "If you need anything just call the nurse." Kaoru watched as he left the room.

Saitou watched the entire conversation, wondering exactly how and where these two had met for the doctor to have such an intense sense of protectiveness over Kamiya. He shrugged off those thoughts. He had to get the information out of her.

"Shall we begin, Kamiya?" Kaoru shifted uncomfortably. "I have nothing to say." Saitou sighed and pulled up a chair and sat down next to her bed. "Kamiya, I am not one to beg, but please; you are the only one who can put them away. You know them personally as well as professionally; you know how they work, whom they work for, and how they operate." Kaoru shifted again and bowed her head. "I don't know that I can. What happens if they go free? They could come after me. Will you protect me for the rest of my life?"

Saitou coughed. "No, Kamiya. Right after the trial you will be placed in the Secret Witness Program." Kaoru looked up at Saitou. "You ask a lot from me and give me nothing." "I give you your freedom and a new chance at life." Kaoru just stared at him. "You are asking me to turn in my friends, to rat them out, and then go happily away to a new life while they go to prison?" Saitou leaned forward in his chair and practically growled out "You consider them your friends, they treat you like shit!" "Not all of them treat me badly. I do have a few that I consider friends." Saitou leaned back and crossed his legs. "It has to be your decision, Kamiya, but you know that the Yakuza leader, Myojin Yahiko, is after your ass." "Yes, I know, but he has always been after my "ass" and he has never gotten it yet."

Saitou sighed. "Kaoru, did you know that he has put a contract out on you? Why do you think you are here in the hospital? Do you think the hit and run was an accident?" Kaoru sighed and bowed her head. "Can you give me time to think about this?" Saitou looked at her and shook his head. "You do not have much time, Kaoru. They know you are here and will be coming for you." They're coming for me. Great, Kaoru, you have no way out.

She sighed and looked down at her hands as they fisted into the blankets and looked up at Saitou. "I guess I have always known that this would happen; either the authorities finding me or ending up dead by Yahiko's own hands. He has always been after my throat, but I still need time to think about all of this." Saitou stood up and put his hands in his pocket. "I can give you 24 hours." "Thank you, Saitou-san." Saitou nodded and left the room.

Kenshin threw the chart down on the table and sighed, turned to stare out at the window that looked out into the parking lot. He watched as Hajime Saitou walked towards a four door Ford Victorian. Saitou turned around, looked at the hospital building, lit a cigarette, and put his keys into the car door, yanked it open, and got in, driving away. Kenshin got up and left the room, walking quickly to the set of elevators.

Kenshin watched the lights flash the floor numbers inside the elevator, gnawing on the inside of his mouth with worry and not realizing that his eyes flashed from violet to amber. The doors opened and he walked out onto the ward, ignoring the nurses, the aids, and the patients as they walked or wheeled themselves down the hallway. His only sight was room 409 and Kaoru.

He stood outside her room, listening to the quiet sobs, and walked in to find her huddled down into the sheets crying.

"Kaoru, please do not cry." Kaoru looked up in surprise with tears streaming down her pale cheeks, "Kenshin!" Kenshin took the railing down from the bed and pulled her into his arms, comforting her, but being as gentle as possible knowing that she was in physical pain as well as emotional pain. "Shhhhhh, Kaoru, shhhhhh, I am here." He rocked her back and forth, stroking her hair. He listened to her hiccup and sniff, trying to get herself under control. "Kaoru? Will you tell me what is going on?" He felt her go very quiet and stiff. "I…I don't know if I can, Kenshin. It is quite complicated and I am not too happy with myself and the role that I played into this whole mess." "We all have secrets, Kaoru, even me but that does not mean we should let them weigh us down to the point of smothering ourselves. Sometimes you just have to trust someone to share your secrets with, can you trust me like that?"

Kaoru looked up into his eyes and really, truly wondered if she could, she did after all give him her "heart", but she then remembered exactly whom she was involved with. She couldn't take him down with her. In fact even if he hated her for the rest of his life, she could not tell him. "I am sorry, Kenshin, but I cannot and will not tell you." She watched as his eyes turned a deep violet and then flashed amber. I must be seeing things; no one can change their eye color. "Please Kaoru, tell me. Let me help you." She sighed, rubbed her eyes, and slowly shook her head. "No." She pulled herself out of Kenshin's arms, rolled onto her opposite side, not caring if she ripped out her needles. "Please leave me Kenshin, I'm tired and want to sleep." "Damn it Kaoru! Let me help!" She did not answer. Kenshin stayed for a few minutes, sighed, stood up, and glanced at her one more time and then left the room. He stood by the door, his hand resting on the handle, and he looked at Kaoru; "I will not give up, all you have to do is ask for me and I will come." He opened the door and walked out.

Kenshin stood outside of her Kaoru's door and listened to her cry. He walked across the hallway to the nurses' station and sat down at the desk, staring at her door. Kaoru, why won't you let me help you. I cannot bear to see you like this.

Is this love? Kenshin sharply looked up, snapping himself out of his revere, and watched as the intern push the dinner trays down the hall towards the nurses' station.

TBC

A/N: Do I have to repeat myself this far into the story? No, I do not think so…please be gentle and kind when you review…catti