AN: Yet another long wait and I apologize. :/
The good news is I have most of the next chapter written (because I broke this up.) I know this turned out to be a long story so thanks for sticking it out and reading all of it! I hope it's worth it. ^_^'
Soujiro was now already attempting to preserve the strength he had left by practicing his footwork with an imaginary sword or the very least with his arms on guard like he was getting ready to face an opponent with his fists alone. He practiced his side steps and turns and was often quick to become short of breath. If he didn't stumble the first time, he would the next. He would only end up pushing himself even harder until he ended up falling harder the next time.
As everyone had promised, he was rarely left alone but there were moments he would have a bit of solitude, even if just for a few minutes and he would try to utilize those few precious minutes to practice the most basic footwork and strikes. He had tried to start somewhere from the top, even attempting to practice his technique for the shukuchi.
Kenshin rather encouraged Soujiro to not stay in bed. His wounds had mostly healed and there was a need for his body to move and stretch to stay well. Soujiro often seemed to be at his best when he ate and tried to move a little. Kenshin was the only one that didn't lecture Soujiro to do otherwise. It meant Soujiro could only be up when Kenshin was set to watch over him, mainly through the night when every body else was asleep. There would be moments Kenshin wanted to tell Soujiro to take it easy, but he usually bit his tongue and waited for Soujiro to tire himself out, which usually didn't take long.
This eventually led to Soujiro being more awake at night and resting longer more during the day. Seeing him sleep more during the day only worried Koharu because she took it as a bad sign that his health was still deteriorating. The moments she found Soujiro awake, she would talk his ear off while making him eat or drink something. He didn't mind her talking. He knew if he was within the prison he deserved, he would miss that very thing about her. So he let her talk and somewhat listen with an occasional nod to give some evidence he was listening.
Koharu quickly caught on and plotted to get Soujiro to actually pay attention and talk with her.
One morning she came in with a book she took from Yahiko, together with paper and ink and an ink brush. She claimed she wanted to learn to read and write. Soujiro saw through her plan the moment she walked in his room, but wouldn't deny she needed to learn. He thought he might as well as try to teach her while she was willing to learn and give her the confirmation she desired that he was still trying to resist his disease.
Koharu quickly came to love this special time with him. Soujiro would be forced to sit up and draw out letters stroke by stroke and have her copy it and then he would read to her from the book and have her listen to his words carefully to spot the letters and words she was learning. He would then give the book to her and make her read a few passages and then make her try to describe what she just read to make sure she understood the meaning of the words being read.
"This is so hard.…" Koharu pouted and lowered the book in defeat. Her brow flattened when she found Soujiro's head turned away to sleep. "Sou…."
"…Just keep trying," she heard him mumble out for the hundredth time.
She usually would growl and gripe how long it was taking to learn, especially when Soujiro's heart didn't seem to be into it. She had learned more quickly, however, when not to push it with Soujiro.
She sighed and looked disparingly towards his ill form trying to find any sign of his health improving. He still looked as weak and frail as ever to her. She longed to see him as he was when she first saw him. Somehow that felt like it had been so long ago. Even sleeping in the amber leaves as she first saw him, he had been so much alive. In fact, she would give about anything to relive that day with him. It was her mistakes and fears that led him to her over and over again. It had been fun, for the most part...minus the part Soujiro getting injured from the gunshot wound. Still, running from the policeman and flying across rooftops had been a glorious adventure she never imagined she would be a part of.
"Sou?" She said more gently.
"Hm?" he responded weakly without even opening his eyes.
Before she could express her concern, there was a knock on the door. The door was left open and Koharu turned her gaze to see Megumi standing in the doorway with a package tucked in her arms. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything. A certain young lady dropped this off at the clinic yesterday. Dr. Gensai passed it on to me to give to you."
"Avaron?" Koharu asked hopefully. Soujiro more then failed to hide his sudden interest and thrill at hearing her name as he opened his eyes. He had thought of her fondly and with regret since last seeing her and hearing her last words. He had failed to respond to her because it was a goodbye he wasn't ready for. He couldn't say otherwise with Yamagata still present in to the room and even so, he knew it was best not to think anything more of her. He was barely going to be there for Koharu after a few months.
Assuming she must be welcomed now, Megumi entered with a cheerful nod. She passed the package to Koharu, who was already at Soujiro's height for him to receive what was his. Soujiro took the package and frowned when he noticed how loose the package wrappings were. "It's been opened already."
"Sorry about that... it was just a safety precaution."
Soujiro raised a brow confusingly. "You honestly think Avaron would send me something harmful?"
"Well, it's no secret anymore now you two have feelings for each other," Megumi said bluntly.
Soujiro tried to hide his blush with a frown as he looked towards the package on his lap. He had not been embarrassed when Avaron first touched him affectionately in front of everyone, including the Meiji. She had done it first to prove he was too sick to be traveling and dragged out from the only people that really cared for him, but it had been an obvious excuse to be able to stand near him and touch him. He had not been embarrassed by it until now. Still, as he looked back on that day, he realized how brave Avaron had been to reach out to him.
"She's got a reputation." Megumi continued reluctantly. She knelt down beside him to touch her hand to his face. Each day, Soujiro had to expect to be examined by her so she would know where his health was headed. His fever still raged and he was still breaking out in cold sweats.
Soujiro met her gaze willingly while she examined him but still wore the same frown. "You believe what people say about her?"
"No, of course not. But it makes it easier for others to put the blame on her and use her to get to you. You could look at it as us protecting her as well.… inhale and exhale for me."
Koharu always hated watching this part. Soujiro had never successfully been able to take a deep breath. Every time it threw him into a coughing fit. He had to reach for the towel next to him as he failed to breathe properly. Koharu could barely stand that sight as well. Each time she caught a glimpse of fresh blood on the towel she felt the touch of despair. It was hard not to see it as him losing part of his life. Losing blood meant losing life.
Megumi refilled his cup of water and passed it to him when he got over the worst of his coughs. Once he took a drink and recovered, he continued the conversation. "If it's for her, fine. But stop worrying about my safety. Shishio's enemies can't even put a face with my name."
Koharu found her smile again. "Hai! Sou will have been too quick for anyone to ever have known his face, " Koharu agreed just as confidently.
Megumi only shrugged it off. She wouldn't argue it with the two even though each of them knew precautions would be taken anyway. She picked up the bowl of water kept by his side with a clean rag and dabbed his face with it to cool his raging fever. "Avaron is fine by the way."
Soujiro's eyes went big as he struggled even harder to hide his flushed cheeks. Shifting his head away quickly only drew more attention to it. "Ok. Thank you." He had tried already to only ask about Avaron's welfare since she was a frequent visitor at the clinic to pick up medicine for her aunt. Megumi, however, had been spending less time at the clinic in order to care for Soujiro. She was less likely to get sick than Dr. Gensai and had long taken the initiative to care for him. Soujiro had eventually asked if Megumi would find out about her welfare anyway and to let him know how she was. His persistence over her welfare perturbed her at the start.
Despite what Avaron tried to convince to him, he still worried he might have infected her after he had kissed her. After all, it was how he got infected. Despite trying to be discreet and hide his reasons for asking about her welfare, Megumi had pieced together the reason of the request. She figured it out by asking Soujiro her own questions until he finally had no choice but to confesse to her why he seemed overly concerned about Avaron. Of all people, Megumi was the first to know he had kissed her.
"Why wouldn't she be okay?" Koharu asked.
Megumi only smirked towards Soujiro with her arms crossed. "She wrote a letter too."
"I see it," he muttered under his breath. His hand ruffled the lose packaging to reveal the folded letter. He was left wondering to himself if that had been read as well.
After Megumi had her fill of teasing and embarrassing him, she eventually left the two knowing Soujiro wouldn't feel comfortable inspecting the package with her present. Soujiro already had guessed what it was when he had taken the package in his hands. He removed the packaging.
"Your wrap! She must have found it blowing across the street one day," Koharu giggled.
"She found it on her way from the dojo last time we saw her," Soujiro said as he was already reading through the letter. "She's held onto it all this time." As he finished reading through the letter, Koharu took the wrap into her hands and draped it over his shoulders for him and used it as an opportunity to rest her arms around him and lean against his back. She spied over his shoulder in an attempt to read the letter herself. Had she had the ability already, he would have shouldered her off. The letter explained that had Avaron thought of a discreet way sooner, she would have returned it that much sooner. She knew the Meiji must be watching the dojo closely and didn't want to risk any trouble or conflict by showing up on her own. Within the letter, she also expressed her desire to see him again and hoped he was doing better.
"Are you going to write back?" Koharu asked after Soujiro ended up staring at the letter too long. "Don't you miss her?"
She could nearly guess the answer when he sighed despondently as he folded the letter and sat it beside him. She had to let go of his neck when he started to maneuver himself to lay back down to rest. He slumped against his pillow with his fingers still tugging at the letter. "Missing her isn't going to change anything for the better." He raised his gaze towards Koharu to smile. "But I can find comfort in that she will be safer now. To reach out to her in anyway could put her back in danger. So no. I'm not going to write back. I'm sure she knows that."
Koharu scoffed and crossed her arms. "It doesn't mean she isn't hoping for it." When Soujiro didn't attempt to reply to it, she looked up from her pout to find him already falling back asleep.
This was how it has been with him each day. Even if she could get him to talk, it didn't last long before he would nod off again and she would be forced to give up before his patience would run out. She sighed despondently and showed her defeat when she leaned over to pull his blanket more snug towards his shoulders. She then stood to leave him to rest.
I bet he would stay awake for Avaron, she thought bitterly. She exit the room and started to quietly slide the door shut behind her. She looked over her shoulder when Soujiro started back into a series of painful coughs. He shifted to his side away from her to cough into the rag he kept hidden by his side. She took a step forward in concern desiring to do something to ease his suffering but she was left only to watch as he struggled to breathe in the midst of his coughs. It seemed too long before he got control of his coughing and was able to breathe with relative ease. He remained on his side with his back to her appearing more defeated and lethargic than ever.
Maybe it would be worth it to drag Avaron back here... anything to help him want to live.…she closed the door all the way and trudged down the hall to make her way back to the others. As she wandered back towards the others, she started to pick up bits of their ongoing conversation. She recognized Megumi voice first.
".…need to prepare for the worst... A girl like her is much to young to know this much grief... She's already lost one brother."
"He's not going to make it?" Sanosuke asked.
"Even though he's eating, he's only gotten weaker. He's lost interest and motivation and he's had no relief from his symptoms. He can barely hold his head up to talk." Megumi closed her eyes as she related the news. "It's not looking good."
"We can't think that why." Kaoru interjected.
"You're not seeing it through a doctor's eyes. He's barely hanging on. Koharu needs to be prepared and Soujiro needs to know she'll be taken care -"
Kenshin held his hand up to stop her. A few moment's later, Koharu was seen standing before them with the tears are flowing from her eyes. "… you're... wrong." She tried to say convincingly. "You don't know Sou. He always rises against the odds."
Megumi bit her lower lip in regret. She decided she had to be truthful and carefully approached her. "I don't doubt he does. But Koharu... for his sake, he needs to know you'll be safe no matter-"
"No!" Koharu yelled and backed away. "You won't say anything of it to him! You're not…you're not going to give him a reason...to go." It was taking everything she had now to not break down in front of them. "Him worrying about me is what will keep him going."
"Don't you think that's a little selfish on your part?"
"Megumi!" Kaoru spat.
"What? That I want him to live?" Koharu cried out.
"He's suffering and in immense pain. There's been no improvement-"
"Shut up, shut up!" Koharu backed away covering her ears. "You're all supposed to help him, so help him!" She looked towards Kenshin as she yelled those words out. "You promised!"
"We're doing what we can," Kenshin tried to console her.
It didn't do much to assure her. Soujiro had been the first to say there wasn't much anyone could do for him. Her heart suddenly became so heavy that she had to grasp the wall next to her and lean against it. It was one thing to hear Soujiro say he could die, but to hear it from the others made her feel as if it had already happened. It was a reality now to everyone one else. "Soujiro.…" she cried out as if she was talking to him alone.
Megumi tried to approach her with care but Koharu immediately snapped at her. "No, don't!" Koharu pushed herself off the wall and shoved Megumi aside as she darted passed them. She was gong to break one way or another now and didn't want to be seen doing so. "Just leave me alone!"
Kaoru started to follow but paused with clenched fists. She whirled around to face Megumi. "You really have a way with children! You don't tell a child such things!"
"The news are what they are. It isn't something to be sugar-coated," Megumi defended. "It isn't something I enjoy doing."
"He hasn't died yet," Kaoru argued. It was true, but Kaoru hated how the words came out of her mouth. It only proved what Koharu said about them was true. They were expecting his death any time now and Koharu had needed them to believe otherwise. "Telling her that he's dying isn't going to ease the pain if it actually happens," Kaoru continued. "You've only just added to it!" Once she made her feelings known, she turned and rushed to find Koharu before she was left alone for too long.
There were rare moments when Kaoru could make a good argument against Megumi, and this was one of those moments. Megumi was left realizing how heartless she had come across to Koharu. She had thrown Koharu in grief before anything had actually happened to Soujiro. In fact, she saw how it might anger Soujiro to know what she had just done.
Kenshin, as usual, remained neutral in the situation. He saw reason behind both the women's opinions of the matter. Koharu had long had high hopes for Soujiro and Megumi had thought she would ease the pain in not letting Koharu's hope of Soujiro get much higher. In that sense, she had thought to save Koharu from less pain than she would already suffer from Soujiro's loss. It was difficult to know really, who was right. Had Koharu walked in on their conversation just a little sooner, she would have heard Kenshin hoping better for Soujiro. He sincerely did have higher hopes for Soujiro. They would hardly believe how active Soujiro was at night. His appetite was stronger and he was more alert in the evening. He knew both Megumi and Koharu would be protective and upset to know Soujiro was already trying to prepare for the future ahead of him when he should be taking it easy. Soujiro had also come to trust Kenshin in keeping it a secret for that very reason. Kenshin would keep the secret for now, but it didn't mean he had to expect it of Soujiro. For Koharu's sake and to show Megumi otherwise, it had to come from Soujiro.
Even as evening approached, Koharu made no attempt to see Soujiro. She couldn't bear to face him that night after hearing he was dying. Each time she had saw him, she had saw him as fighting and holding on. Now when she would see him, it wouldn't be that way, but to watch him take his last few breaths. That's what she believed now. Megumi couldn't even get Koharu to withstand her presence. If Megumi didn't leave the room, Koharu would. She left no opportunity for Megumi to be able to apologize.
Kenshin was tasked for the first time in awhile to bring Soujiro's evening meal to him. Koharu had done it the last few times but Kenshin safely assumed that she wasn't going to be up for the task tonight.
It often took Soujiro awhile to move and get up before he would find the will to eat, but once he did so, he seemed to slowly come to life. By the time he was fully awake, the others had long fallen asleep and he was able to train in peace under Kenshin's supervision.
Kenshin saw the most basic steps had Soujiro panting but a brief recovery would ease his tiredness before he tried to continue. Each time, though, Soujiro would push it a bit further. He would close his eyes and envision his old sword in his hands and practice simple side steps and stabs of the sword until he was adding turns with the swing of his imaginary sword. There were times he looked as if he was gliding across the floorboard, but just when he was getting confident, he would throw in a more advanced move.
"Soujiro, care-" Kenshin tried to slow him down before he would fall.
Soujiro tried to save his stumble by rushing a step forward and to turn to shift his weight back and over corrected. He only added to his fall and stumbled on his side after barely catching himself on his palms.
"-ful," Kenshin finished word. He sighed as he approached Soujiro with a cup of water. "That's enough."
Soujiro was panting like a dog and clutched at his heart that felt like it was about to burst through his chest. His other fist balled at the floor beneath him. "I don't understand.… these are simple steps..yet I'm already.… so tired."
"Megumi said it would take time. The very least the rest of the season. It's barely been a month since you've been here. There's no need to rush your training. To push yourself right now could only set your recovery back...or worse."
Soujiro didn't respond and took the next few minutes to catch his breath and to calm his pounding heart. Only then did he accept the needed drink from Kenshin. While he drank his water, Kenshin took the bowl of water by Soujiro's bedside with a rag that had been used to dab his forehead while he would sleep. When he took it into had, he saw the rag stained with blood left by Soujiro's pillow. He looked back at Soujiro when he started to cough and choke on his water. Kenshin started to rush back at his side in alarm until Soujiro managed to overcome it on his own and continue taking in water.
"I thought this was benefiting your recovery, but you're pushing yourself too hard." Kenshin was dropping the hint that he would have to put his foot down now.
"This isn't training. Shishio would have expected me-"
"Shishio isn't here."
"I know that," Soujiro spat. He looked towards the bowl of water Kenshin placed in front of him with the rag. He immediately reached for the rag and barely gave it a wrench before he sunk his face into the cool rag. He stayed in that position for about a minute or so. Kenshin could at least be thankful that Soujiro had become more tolerant and cordial towards him. Soujiro wasn't pulling away or turning a cold shoulder to him as he had done in the past, especially when Kenshin was only trying to help him. He knew half of it was that Soujiro had come to trust Kenshin in keeping his training a secret but now, things had to change.
"No more training," Kenshin said.
Soujiro slowly raised his head from the towel and shifted his gaze up towards Kenshin. Soujiro didn't need to say anything. Kenshin read his feelings clearly from his piercing gaze alone.
Kenshin only offered a friendly smile. "I understand the need for a little exercise, but there's no need to actually train. There will be plenty of time later for that. You have to trust we'll help you now and further down the road."
Soujiro was doubtful. "That time is quickly going to run short."
"Whether it's a week or a whole year, we'll make sure you're ready," he said confidently.
Soujiro rolled his eyes.
Kenshin didn't see the need to try and further convince him. Action is what would prove him wrong, not words. Still, Kenshin added: "Koharu is really worried about you."
"You don't think I know that?"
"You haven't seen her since this morning."
Soujiro's eyes widened in realization as he faced forward. "You're right….Is she okay?" He had slept for most of that day. Usually Koharu would wake him up anyway. She would have to if she hoped to talk to him at all during the day.
"The others are mistaking all you're constant sleeping during the day as a bad sign. Part of the reason I've kept silent about the truth is I want to keep the peace with you, but you should know how it's affecting your sister. It would also be better if she heard the truth from you."
"She wouldn't understand. She thinks rest is all I need. It would just upset her to know that I've been training."
"More upset than she is now?"
Soujiro was in the middle straightening his wrap back around his shoulders after he had fell. He paused in the middle of the action when Kenshin asked the question. He sighed and finished the action. "All right. I'll tell her the truth tomorrow. Both her and Megumi." Immediately after he spoke, his stomach growled causing him to clutch at it embarrassingly. One thing for sure was that his appetite had definitely increased.
'Hungry?" Kenshin tried to ask with a straight face.
"A little.…" Soujiro admitted. "I haven't eaten anything solid in days."
Kenshin smiled taking the obvious hint. Soujiro wanted real food. He smiled and gave a nod of his head. "I'll go see if there's anything left over from dinner. Take it easy for now."
Soujiro only nodded. Before Kenshin could actually leave the room, Soujiro swallowed hard before uttering his name out again. "Kenshin.…"
Kenshin paused in the doorway. For a brief moment, he thought something might be wrong. Soujiro's posture was slightly tense before he managed to meet Kenshin's gaze.
"Thank you.…" He then looked away tugging at the wrap around his arms.
He sounded like as if he had been trying to hold the words in for too long. Kenshin smiled and acknowledged him with a nod before exiting the room.
When Kenshin left, Soujiro dipped the rag back in the bowl and used it to soak his face once more. He shifted his weight forward over his knees so that his elbows nearly touched the floor as he sighed distressingly into the towel.
She's not going to understand. Each passing day I'm losing strength because I'm sleeping so much. If they want me to get strong again, this is how I have to do it. It's the only way I know how to do it.…
He raised his face from the towel.
There's still the matter if I'll be able to do the shukuchi again.… He had been practicing the footwork over the past few nights now and each time it became harder to resist actually performing it.
He dropped the rag in the bowl and stood to his feet. I'll just practice the steps and technique for it... just like Shishio first showed me. I'm already warmed up and it my l might be my last chance to test it.
He closed his eyes and shifted his weight carefully before he slowly started to tap his foot against the floor board. He tested both legs. After familiarizing himself with the steps, he opened his eyes and leapt …
….a second later, he nearly disappeared and reappeared at the opposite end of the room. His landing was not as graceful as his takeoff appeared. He managed to stop before the wall but still had to brace for impact and grunted when he turned against his side to strike the wall. He collapsed to his knees grasping at his heart pounding in his chest and fought to recover his breath.
It was two steps before the real shukuchi...I think…. I really should eat first but I know Kenshin would not be allowing this.
"It's okay. I can handle it." He convinced himself he had done it after he got sick in the alley that night and with a bullet in his arm. He had already performed the shukuchi on any empty stomach and while he was injured.
One might say I was in worse condition that day than I am now. I should still be able to do it.
He stood against the wall still holding his heart and taking deep breaths to slow the pounding heart. He closed his eyes.
I'm better than this. Shishio would have expected me to get right back up. If he were present here…I'd have no choice.
Thinking that way is what had made him strong. Even now, it gave him some will-power. He no longer lived by the words, but he found himself echoing the words his master had inculcated into him.
If you can't do it, you're weak, therefore, you'll die.
Only the strong will live…and the weak die.
He opened his eyes with renewed determination and pushed himself off the wall and spread his feet apart. After taking a few more deep breaths, he repeated the sequence again but this time to perform the true shukuchi. The whole time he was setting himself up, something in the back of his head was telling him to stop. He quickly shut the voice up to focus more clearly on his movements. "This is something I can't lose," he said otherwise to convince the voice in his head. The tapping of his foot was heard as he took one last deep breath while setting his hands up in front of him. On his exhale, he started to leap into the true shukuchi.
"No, Sou!" He heard a familiar cry, but it was too late. He had entered the true shukuchi.
Koharu had been slowing treading the hall and paused in bewilderment when she heard Soujiro first strike the wall from his first attempt at the shukuchi. Not knowing what he was up to, she had slowly tiptoed towards his room to see what he was up to. All she needed to hear, however, was the familiar rhythm of his foot tapping to know what he was up to. She had then ran to his room to try and stop him.
Soujiro heard her voice and tried to cut the shukuchi short. For Koharu, it happened in just a few short seconds. He had disappered and reappeared at the end of the room, stumbling once and unable to find his footing in time. He tripped while trying to brace himself for impact, which only added to his injury. The true shukuchi was far more harder to control and stop and he ended up throwing himself through the door outside trying to catch his footing.
"Sou!" Koharu screamed and darted out the shattered door for him. By the time she found him, she saw the force and impact had driven him beyond the porch and to the ground covered in snow. She leapt off the porch in her bare feet and fell on her knees beside him. "Sou. Soujiro!" She shook his shoulder frantically. He wouldn't hear her.
A second later, Kenshin was seen skidding to a stop at the edge of the porch to quickly inspect what had taken place. Koharu looked up with tears falling but her anger clearly heard when she yelled: "The bastard did the shukuchi!"
A heartbeat later, Kenshin was already by their side and pulling Soujiro upright to get him off the cold ground. "I'm going to lift him by his arms. I need you to lift his legs and help me get him inside. He can't stay out here."
Koharu nodded through her tears and took hold of his legs so they could rush him back inside. By the time they were setting Soujiro on the floorboard, Megumi with Kaoru and then Yahiko were all entering the room after hearing the crash. Sanosuke had long left for the day after knowing Soujiro wasn't going to be a threat to them.
"What in the world -" Kaoru started, seeing the shattered door and debris leading outside.
"What happened? " Megumi questioned.
Kenshin was cradling Soujiro's head and feeling his pulse. He shook his head and looked towards Megumi. "He's not breathing."
Megumi saw now there was no time for any explanation to be given. She flew to their side and touched her two finger to Soujiro's neck and then his actual heart to confirm Kenshin's words."His heart stopped."
"What! No-" Koharu started before she was quickly taken hold of by Kaoru and pulled away. "No, Sou! No, please do something!"
Megumi was already instructing Kenshin in the midst of Koharu's crying. "Keep his head cradled." He did as he was instructed while she started beating her palms rhythmically into Soujiro's chest.
Koharu eventuallu stopped screaming and watched with painful anticipation as Megumi tried to revive him. Kaoru knew better than to loosen her grip on the girl.
When Megumi felt she was getting nowhere, she started to open Soujiro's mouth in her panic to revive him. She quickly found she was not going to be allowed to take it that far when Kenshin stopped her from getting too close. "You can't resort to that. He's still sick."
"No, you can't let him die," Koharu begged.
Those words struck a nerve with Megumi because she knew she had already let Koharu down by her last words to the girl. When she tried to ignore Kenshin's direction again and lean into Soujiro, he grabbed her shoulder and forced her away from him. "Soujiro wouldn't want you to risk it either."
Koharu continued to scream in protest, only adding to Megumi's guilt. She set her hands back over his chest and continued to try and revive his heart wth what oxygen that was left within him. This continued for minutes. Kaoru managed to get Koharu to quiet down while they worked to revive him. Megumi felt the tears fill her eyes dreading the moment she would have to stop and face Koharu's grief.
"Sou, I know you're there! You have to come back!" She suddenly yelled. "Remember what I said a few weeks ago. How happy I was our paths led to each other. Even though you came to me broken I still fell in love with you. I still love you just the same, no matter how broken you become." She knew he had been struggling with the fact he may never recover the strength he once had. Her cries started to turn into sobs because she knew she had deliberately avoided him for most of that day. She had been on her way to see him because she was already regretting it. "Soujiro, don't go!" Koharu yelled.
Kaoru started to loosen her hold to let Koharu finally be near him when she started to sense it was too late for him.
That's when his eyes finally snapped wide open as he sharply inhaled after Megumi fought to revive him. It was a painful intake that was met with resistance because of the fluid in his lungs. Kenshin at once pulled Soujiro upright as he broke into a series of coughs while still struggling to breathe. He was suffocating now that the fluid had started to settle in his lungs.
"Sou!" Koharu cried out joyfully. She eagerly fought to be by his side but Kaoru had retaken hold of her. It took Koharu a moment to see Soujiro was still struggling.
Megumi took hold of Soujiro's head to keep it lifted while he fought for his breath of life. It immediately became heavy against her hold as he failed to get sufficient air into his lungs.
"Yahiko, get my bag from my room." She hadn't even thought to bring it. She had just rushed in as soon as she heard the crash. Yahiko nodded without a word knowing time was of the essence. Megumi looked at Kaoru. "I need you to take her away."
"Sou?" Koharu cried out. His eyes only started to roll back into his skull and fall limp in Megumi's hold. "No, Sou!" Koharu resisted Kaoru as she had to fight and drag Koharu away. "What's wrong?"
"Megumi is going to do everything she can. We just need to do as we're told," Kaoru tried to convince her.
Koharu looked back at Soujiro to find him barely clinging to the life given back to him. Soujiro managed to turn his gaze towards her right before she was pulled out of the room. In that moment, it seemed he only wanted to talk to her before Megumi directed his attention back to her.
She gave Soujiro a soft shake and made him set his head back up. "I know it's hard. Just keep trying to breathe."
Soujiro kept trying to breathe as he was told before his eyes closed tightly thinking back to the prostitute. This was how she was right before she died.
He was about to die.
The thought caused him to pull his legs in and resist Kenshin's hold as he panicked inwardly, which only hindered his breathing ever more.
"Soujiro, stay calm." Kenshin struggled not to be aggressive with Soujiro as he fought to keep him in place.
"Breathe slowly." Megumi encouraged as she stroked stroked his hair from his face in an effort to calm him.
He could barely breathe at all, but understood the meaning. He had to keep trying and remain calm at the same time. "Kenshin.…" he grunted out as he tried to inwardly calm himself. He then smiled as if to treat his situation as a joke. "I…should have listened… to you.…I should have -" He coughed which only forced more air out than he could take in.
"Don't try to speak anymore," Kenshin directed. "We'll talk about it later. Just hang in there.
For Megumi, it became more painstaking when she met his gaze. She saw the face of someone who knew they were about to die. She saw his suffering mixed with terror knowing he could be dead within the next minute. "Yahiko!" She yelled impatiently.
"I'm coming!" He was heard right before he rushed in the room with her medical supplies.
"It's about time!" She said as she snatched the bag from him and started digging through it. Yahiko's face twisted in horror when she out of the few things she pulled out was a scalpel. Kenshin had directed Soujiro's head away so that he would be more unaware of what Megumi was going to attempt.
It was understood now why Koharu was made to leave the room. Megumi was going to operate. Yahiko knew himself to not stick around and left Soujiro in Megumi's and Kenshin's more than capable care.
"Megumi," Kenshin alerted her as she was tying a mask to her face. He could see the light leaving Soujiro's eyes and his body becoming more heavy against him.
"Lay him down," she instructed him.
Kenshin did so keeping Soujiro's head resting on his palms against his knees.
Soujiro's eyes were slowly fading. Just before he was going to lose all sense of the world around him, he felt the blade start to penetrate into his skin near his throat. His eyes widened before he raised his fist and swung it into Megumi's wrist and knocked it from here grasp. Kenshin immediately grabbed his wrist and felt the tension leave in Soujiro's arm. It had been more of a reaction than some act of defiance. There was no time to give him something to sleep or ease the pain. Kenshin took a risk by taking hold of Soujiro's fist and opened it to firmly grasp his hand.
"You can trust us," he assured him.
Soujiro gave a weak nod. Megumi already had her tool back in hand and attempted to make the incision again once Kenshin nodded to her.
"Soujiro." Kenshin got his attention to distract him from the pain. Soujiro lifted his eyes to meet his gaze. "I want you to know you and Koharu will always have a home here. You can trust she'll be well taken care of while you're away...and you'll always have a home to return to…with a family to welcome you."
Soujiro's eyes remained emotionless as he gazed up towards Kenshin. He slowly blinked and barely managed to open his eyes again as he fought for another breath of air. Kenshin only felt him becoming weaker against him. It was when Soujiro opened his eyes again Kenshin saw his gratitude…and his defeat. Kenshin clenched his hand tighter in an effort to hold Soujiro's attention. "I mean it, Soujiro. This isn't just for Koharu, but for you. You just have to hang on."
However, from that point onward he felt Soujiro's hold continue to weaken in his grasp. He tried to speak consolingly to him but it seemed his words were barely reaching Soujiro anymore. Within moments, his hand became limp in his hold.
"Soujiro, no," Kenshin gave his arm a shake to try and stir him, even if just a few more precious seconds. "Soujiro!"