D/C: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin…or any other anime, to be exact.

Well, hello! I'm back with a new chapter! Sorry it took me so long to update, but there was something wrong with my account and I couldn't upload anything, even though I've finished writing this chapter ages ago! Well, anyway, I want to thank you all for the nice reviews that you've sent me, and…I'll just shut up and let you get on with the chappie, okay?

Enjoy!

Chapter 8:

Photo frames. Lots of them. Megumi watched silently as Sano ran his finger tips over the people within the frames. Sano's expression was that of deep pain. In the last three days, she had managed to take his mind off the fact that his father was dead…but he had found another thing to wallow about. There were just too many people in the photos…people he was supposed to remember, but was just not able to…and that really hurt him. He lingered over two people, studied them for a moment, and then turned around to look at Megumi.

'Miss Takani, those two…' he said, and Megumi went over to the mantle-piece to have a closer look. She studied the red-haired man and the raven-haired woman in the photo. '…they were at the hospital…both of them. I can't remember who they are, though…'

Megumi put an arm around him and pointed to the man. 'Well, this man here is called Kenshin,' she told him. 'And this girl is called Kaoru. They're both engaged now.'

'Yes…but how do I know them? What are they to me?' he asked. 'They both seemed really upset when I saw them at the hospital…so, they must be really close to me, right?'

Megumi smiled. 'Actually, yes…they are your best friends,' she told him. 'But you don't have to beat yourself up because you're not able to remember them or any of the others…none of them blame you for anything. You'll remember everything in good time, I'll make sure you do.'

'Really?' he said in a small voice.

'Yes, really,' she assured him.

Sano looked back at the photos. 'I really want to remember everything,' he said quietly. 'There are many things in this house that I just don't remember owning…and I try so hard to remember, but I can't…and when that happens, I feel so empty and lost…and I want someone to help me find my way out…it's all so dark and…'

He stopped when Megumi took his hand in hers. 'If I hold your hand, does it help?' she asked, and he slowly nodded. 'You know what I think, Sanosuke? I think that you are really starting to remember stuff…you're slowly returning back to your old self…you don't have to worry about it because I'm gonna be right here to help you find your way, okay?'

Sano smiled. 'Okay,' he said softly.

'Good!' she said. 'Okay, so where do you want to go? I didn't take the day off work for nothing, you know. Well, any ideas?'

-

'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!'

Sano laughed. 'Miss Takani, you scream funny!' he said.

Megumi rounded on Sano, all the while clutching on to the safety bar before her. 'I scream funny? I scream funny?' she repeated, shrilly. 'Sano, don't tell me you're having fun!'

'I am!' he said happily. 'I always wanted to try the roller coaster, but they wouldn't let me on it because I'm still a kid! I'm really happy!'

'But what's so amazing about roller coasters?' Megumi demanded. So far, the only thing she had accomplished on this ride and from the time they got into this amusement park, was making a complete fool out of herself in front of Sano. 'It's really…EEEEEEEEEEEK!'

Involuntarily, Megumi let go of her safety bar and threw her arms around Sano's neck as the track wound into a circle. She clung on tightly, burying her face in his chest. It was only after they had passed the circular track that she came back to her senses and quickly withdrew her arms. Clutching the safety bar again, Megumi took a quick glance at Sano, and saw that his face had turned a deep shade of red…and she thought things couldn't get worse. She was extremely thankful when she got out of the train.

'I'm sorry I jumped on you like that,' she murmured as they walked away from the roller coaster. 'I didn't really do it on purpose…I was just really scared.'

Sano nodded. He remained silent for a moment before he said anything. 'Did it help? Holding me, did it make you feel less scared?' he asked. Megumi mouthed wordlessly for a moment before nodding her head. Sano smiled. 'Then…I'm glad I was able to help.'

Megumi gazed openly at him, before finally offering him a warm smile. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently. 'You're absolutely adorable, do you know that?' she said softly.

Sano's cheeks were tinged with pink. He looked shyly at her. 'Really?' he asked.

Megumi nodded. 'Of course you are,' she assured him. She tugged at his hand. 'Hey, let's take a walk around the park, shall we?'

Megumi bought them both a corn dog and they started walking around in the amusement park. Sano remained silent most of the time, munching on his corn dog while they walked. Megumi looked up worriedly at him. Before finding out that his father was really dead, he had been so cheerful…dealing with him had been so much easier, and Megumi had felt that he would be able to get back his memory in no time. But now, and even though Sano was desperate to get his memory back, she was seeing no progress in him. It seemed as if the act of trying to force himself to remember had caused his memory to be buried deeper inside his mind.

'Hey,' she said softly. 'What are you thinking?'

'Nothing,' he said quickly.

'Don't give me that,' she chided him. 'I know there's something weighing down on your mind. Now, what did we agree upon, Sanosuke? You're supposed to tell me everything…or else I won't be able to help you.'

Sano sighed. 'Alright,' he said. 'I was just thinking that dad would have been able to help me a lot if he were still alive…he probably knows me the best, so he would've been able to help me get back my memory.'

'Sano…' she said softly. 'It can't be helped…what's done is done…you can't change the past…'

'No! You don't understand!' he cried. 'It's my fault dad died!'

Megumi frowned at him. 'What do you mean? How can it be your fault?' she asked him.

Sano's eyes had become glazed over, and he was starting to rant. 'If it weren't for me and my stupid basketball game, dad wouldn't have had to hurry to get to school, and his car wouldn't have crashed then!' he cried, tears streaming down his face. 'It's my fault dad died! My fault!'

Megumi touched his shoulder. 'Sano…how do you know that?' she asked quietly.

Sano blinked. 'Huh?' he said.

'How do you know that that's how your father died?' she asked him.

Sano looked confused. 'I…I don't know…it just came to me,' he murmured. 'Is it right, though? Is that how dad died? Is it really…my fault?'

'No, Sano, don't go blaming yourself for your father's death, okay?' she said sternly. 'But I think I should call Kenshin and ask him if that's really how he died…if it's true, then it means…'

'…that it's my fault,' Sano said in a hollow tone.

'No, stop saying that! Actually, it would mean that you're getting your memory back…so it's a good thing, see?' she said, offering him a little smile. She reached into her handbag. 'Okay…now where's my phone? Oh…there it is. Don't go anywhere, Sano, I just need to make this phone call, okay?'

Sano nodded.

Megumi squeezed his hand gently before slipping away and walking a little distance away from him so she could talk to Kenshin in private. She dialed the number and held the phone to her ear. She tutted impatiently while she waited for him to pick up.

'Hello?' came his voice on the other line as he finally picked up.

'Hello, Kenshin…it's me,' she said.

'Oh, Megumi-sensei! Hello!' he exclaimed, and she was able to hear Kaoru's voice in the background saying, 'Oh, it's Megumi?'

'Yes, hi…listen, Kenshin, I need to ask you a question,' she said quickly. 'Do you know how Sano's father died?'

'Well…he died in a car crash…I already told you that before,' he answered.

'Yes, I know,' she said impatiently. 'What I want to know is how he died? What happened so as to make his car crash? Was he in a hurry to get to some event? Say, his son's basketball game?'

'Yes, actually…that's what happened,' Kenshin said slowly. 'But, Megumi-sensei, how do you know about that? I don't recall any of us telling you anything about…'

'Sanosuke told me!' she said breathlessly. 'He actually came and told me that if it weren't for the basketball game his dad wouldn't have hurried and his car wouldn't have crashed! He actually remembered something about his past! Sano…'

Megumi looked around so that she could beckon Sano to come to her side. She froze, however, when she saw that Sano wasn't there. She looked frantically around in all directions, but there was no trace of him left.

'Megumi-sensei! Megumi-sensei, what's the matter? Did something happen? Is Sano okay?' Kenshin demanded, sounding alarmed.

'Kenshin…I'll call you back later, alright?' Megumi said quickly. 'I have to go now.'

'Wait, Megumi-sensei…!' Kenshin cried, but she hung up anyway.

Megumi stuffed the phone back in her handbag and looked around from Sanosuke. She was starting to panic; it was true that Sano looked like an adult, but he was a kid on the inside…and if he got lost…Megumi just hated to imagine how the situation would be.

'Sano!' she called out, and she looked around wildly for him. 'Sanosuke! Where are you? Where'd you go, Sano? If you're playing hide and seek, then I suggest you come out now because this really isn't funny!' No reply. 'Sano!'

She went back down the path the had taken, looking around for him and calling his name, but she received no reply, and couldn't see any sign of him around either. Spotting a security guard in a distance, Megumi bit down on her lip.

'I guess I should do what's normal in such situations,' she muttered to herself. She hurried forward to the guard. 'Excuse me, sir! I'm looking for a boy…'

-

Holding the phone in one hand, Megumi paced around the living room in circles while she chewed on the fingernails of her free hand. Having had no luck in finding Sanosuke at the amusement park even with the help of the park's security guards, she was told to return home and wait for their call. Megumi had protested then, but they told her that Sano was obviously wasn't in the park, especially since they hadn't left a single spot in the park that they didn't search, so they were going to have to contact the police stations, and that there was nothing she could do but sit at home and wait for Sano's return. It was only when they told her that she had better be home in case Sano returned to the house instead of the park, that she finally agreed to go.

It had been a hour since she got back home and no one had called her yet. However, Kenshin did call her half an hour ago, and had insisted that he come over after she had told him what happened…but she turned him down.

'Kenshin, I understand how you feel, but there's honestly nothing you can do,' she had told him. 'And, anyway, I'd rather not have Sano find you here if he does return home…he gets depressed just by looking at your picture, so think how he must feel if he met you in person…'

Kenshin sounded seriously upset when she hung up with him.

She paused by the window. It was raining outside. It had started raining minutes after she entered the house. She felt really worried about Sano…all alone and with no shelter from the rain. She imagined he must be really frightened…and her heart went out for him.

Sighing, Megumi sank down on a couch and put her head between her hands. It was all she could do to stop herself from crying. When she had been searching for Sano in the park, she didn't have the time to sit and mourn his loss…but now, all alone in this big house, she realized how much she'd miss him if he really left…and to think that she wanted to break up with him. Tears welled in her eyes. The break up. It was the thing that caused all this in the first place…if she hadn't gone and broken up with Sano…none of this would've happened.

And then she was crying. Thick tears rolled down her cheeks and her shoulders shook as she sobbed. 'Sano…please come back…please,' she choked.

She didn't know how long she sat there crying…she only stopped when the doorbell rang. Jumping to her feet, Megumi quickly dried off her tears with the sleeve of her t-shirt and hurried to get the door, hoping against hope that she would find Sano at the door. She didn't care about the state he came back in, she just wanted him back. She threw the door open, and sure enough…there was Sano.

He stood there, drenched in water from head to toe. His hair lay down and was dripping with water. His eyes were bloodshot…and if it weren't for the rain, Megumi would've been positive that Sano had been crying. He stumbled across the doorstep and his weight fell over Megumi, who wrapped her arms tightly around him and held him close to her. Water seeped through the fabric of her shirt, but she didn't care. It just felt so good to be able to hold him again.

Sano, on his side, bent his head down and started sobbing into her shoulder. His hands clutched desperately to the back of her shirt as he cried. Megumi rubbed his back in an attempt to soothe him, but this warm gesture caused him to cry even more. Feeling over-whelmed, Megumi started to cry as well.

'Don't ever do that again,' she choked. 'Don't you ever leave me again, okay?'

'I'm…sorry,' he sobbed.

Megumi held him more tightly. 'Do you know how worried I was?' she chided him. 'Do you know how scared I felt when I thought that something bad might've happened to you? I was never this scared before in my whole life, Sano…not even when my parents died…'

'I'm really sorry, Miss Takani,' Sano choked.

'Where did you go?' she asked him. 'Where'd you run off to?'

Silence.

Megumi pulled away for a moment and looked up into his face, which bore an unreadable expression. 'Sano?' she prompted him.

'I…I went to the graveyard to visit dad,' he finally whispered. Megumi gasped. 'I didn't know which graveyard he buried in…there were two graveyards…I searched them both…it was raining and it was dark in there…I was really scared…'

'Sano…' Megumi murmured, feeling horrified.

Tears were streaming down Sano's cheeks. 'I read the names on all the tomb stones…there were too many,' he went on. 'I couldn't find him in the first graveyard…so I searched in the second one…I should've gone there first, because that's where mom is buried…I found my dad's grave there…right next to my mom's…both of them…dead…'

Feeling her own tears rolling down her cheeks, Megumi pulled him down to her. She kissed him on the forehead and rested his head on her shoulder. She hugged him. Sano was crying a lot now…Megumi wished she could cease his tears, but she couldn't…not when she was crying herself.

-

'Hey…'

Megumi stood in the doorway to Sano's bedroom, hands tucked inside the pockets of her pajamas. Sano was lying in his bed now, propped up against his pillows. Megumi had gotten him to take a warm bath, drink some hot cocoa and get into bed.

'Hello,' he said softly.

Megumi smiled and walked towards him. She sat down on the edge of his bed and reached out and squeezed his hand, which was lying on the bed sheets. 'How are you feeling now?' she asked him.

'Better, I guess,' he replied.

Megumi smiled. 'That's good,' she said, nodding her head. 'I told you the bath and cocoa would do you good…they've always worked for me.'

Sano nodded. 'Thank you, Miss Takani,' he murmured.

'It's alright…no biggie…at least you didn't get a cold,' she told him. She paused for a moment. 'So…are you going to tell me?'

'Huh?' he said, confused. 'Tell you what?'

'Tell me why you went to your father's grave?' she asked. Sano bent his head down. 'Sano?'

'I…I wanted to tell him I was sorry,' Sano whispered.

'Sorry?' Megumi repeated. 'What for?'

'My dad died because of me…and I wanted to apologize for that…' he said. '…I know apologizing probably won't bring him back…but I assumed I'd feel better if I did…'

'And did you feel better?' Megumi asked. Sano shook his head. Megumi sighed. 'Sano, what did I tell you? It is not your fault your father died…these things just happen and there's nothing you can do to change them because it's fate…as cruel as it may sound, but if your dad hadn't died in a car crash he would've probably died of some other reason…do you understand me, Sanosuke?'

'Yeah…I think so,' he murmured. 'So…it's not my fault dad died?'

Megumi shook her head. 'We all tend to think that it's our fault someone died, but that's not true at all,' she explained. 'Humans cannot control death…only God can…that's why when we go to church we pray to God to make us live longer…and if He doesn't, then we pray for Him to let us go into Heaven when we die…'

Sano was silent for a moment. It seemed to Megumi as if he was processing this information in his mind. He looked up and smiled at her. 'Yeah…thank you, Miss Takani!' he said.

Megumi smiled back at him and ruffled his hair, causing him to whine in protest. 'You're more than welcome,' she said, laughing. 'Now go off to sleep.'

Sano stopped her before she could leave. 'Miss Takani?' he said, blushing faintly. 'Um…could you kiss me goodnight?'

Megumi was taken by surprise; she certainly didn't see that coming. 'Well…sure, Sanosuke,' she agreed. She leaned forward to kiss him. Megumi flushed as she realized where she was headed, and turned sideways to kiss him on his cheek instead of his lips. 'Good night, Sano…'

'Miss Takani?' he said shyly.

'Yeah?' she asked, trying to hide her blushing face; that had been close!

'Could you stay with me till I fall asleep?' he asked timidly.

Megumi smiled warmly. 'Of course I can,' she said softly. She pulled herself up on the bed next to him and patted her lap. 'Why don't you lay your head here?'

Sano was blushing slightly as he lay his head down on her lap. He curled himself up under the sheets and closed his eyes. 'Good night, Miss Takani,' he said softly.

Megumi gently stroked the hair off his forehead. 'Good night, Sanosuke,' she replied, watching him drift off into sleep. What she hadn't counted on was falling asleep next to him.

-

A/N: Awwwwwwwwww! Ah…I feel so warm and fuzzy now! Seriously, I think the fluff in this chapter was absolutely overwhelming, ne? I mean, it wasn't sickeningly sweet or anything…it was just about right…right? Ahhh…I seriously feel warm and fuzzy now…I wish this Sano was real! Hehe…well, anyway, I worked hard on this chapter so I'm expecting reviews, alright? Wait for my next chappie! Oh, and it might take me a bit long to update next time because I'm going on vacation as of tomorrow! Yay! Wish me a safe flight!

- S. N. B.