Here's the last chapter!!!! It's not what I expected when I started this story and is rather open, but I kind of like it. Look for my finishing AN at the bottom if you're interested.
A Year & A Half Later:
"Misao, she's adorable!" Kaoru exclaimed. "Can I hold her?"
"Sure. Hold your arms like this…and support her head. There ya go!" Misao told her.
"Aw, she's so sweet," Kaoru commented. "And where'd your husband get to?"
"He went home to shower and change. He's been here since I go admitted, so it was about time. One of the nurses had to run him out," Misao explained, laughing. "And your husband?"
"Is coming by on his way home from work. So, what did you name her?"
"You'll have to wait to find out," Aoshi told her as he walked in the door. "We're telling everyone at once."
"And how soon will that be?" Kaoru questioned.
"I called Sano while I was at home. He and Megumi are coming around the same time we expect Kenshin," Aoshi informed the two, moving to sit on the edge of Misao's bed.
"Are things okay with Megumi now?" Kaoru questioned Misao.
"Yeah. Not perfect, but better. She seems to be at least trying any more, even if it is just for Sano's sake."
"I'm glad. It was horrible when you two weren't talking for a whole year. I hated it!"
"It wouldn't have been so bad had she not made the comments about us," Misao told her, nodding towards Aoshi to include him in her statement.
"That was terribly uncalled for," Kaoru conceded, making reference to the fact that Megumi had made snide remarks on the fact that Misao didn't deserve Aoshi and he was a fool to marry her. She had played it off as jealousy over Misao getting married first when she had been with Sano much longer.
The baby girl in Kaoru's arms began to cry, causing Aoshi to get up and bring his daughter back to his wife. Back in her mother's arms, she quieted and stared up at her mother with her father's eyes.
"Misao-dono. Aoshi-san. Hello, dear," Kenshin greeted as he entered the room. "I saw Sano and Megumi pulling in when I came in. They should be here soon."
"Good. I'm gonna need a nap soon," Misao commented to those present.
"Knock, knock!" Sano called as he strolled through the door with Megumi in tow. "I come bringing gifts."
Misao, Aoshi, Kaoru, and Kenshin all began to chuckle as they looked at Sano. He had a bouquet of pink flowers in his right hand, a balloon in his left, and a rather large bear in the circle of his arms. He entered and gave the balloon to Kenshin, the bear to Aoshi, and set the flowers on Misao's bedside table. "Let me see the little princess," he instructed his friend.
"Can we know her name now?" Kaoru asked impatiently.
"Babe?" Misao questioned Aoshi.
"Mika," Aoshi announced by way of an answer.
"How sweet!" Kaoru exclaimed.
As they all continued to visit and pass the young baby around the room, a nurse came and knocked on the door. "Excuse me, Shinomori-san. We need to take your daughter back to the nursery for a while."
Misao, who once again held her young daughter, passed her to her father with a look asking him to accompany the nurse. With a small smile, Aoshi took Mika and kissed his wife on the forehead before following the nurse out of the room.
"Misao, we better get going," Kaoru told her. "We have dinner reservations in an hour and Kenshin still needs to run by our place." Giving her a hug, she added, "Congratulations. She's beautiful. I'll stop back by tomorrow if you still want the company."
"Of course, Kaoru," Misao giggled. "I'll see you then. And thanks for coming by."
"You happy, Mi-chan?" Sano inquired as he took Kaoru's empty chair.
"Couldn't be happier. Thank you for the gifts."
"No problem. Ah, shit. I need to take this phone call," he informed her in reference to his vibrating cell phone. He quickly stood and exited the room to find a place to talk.
The room remained quiet upon his departure while Misao observed Megumi who studiously ignored her and looked out the window. Breaking the silence, Misao said, "Hello, Megumi."
"Hello, Misao," she replied, only semi-turning from her observation at the window. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I'm fine. You know, you can say whatever it is that is bugging you," she told the slightly older woman.
"Sometimes, I wonder why I don't have your life," Megumi explained after a long pause. "The loving husband, the happy marriage, the baby. I'm watching you get what I want while I finally just convinced Sano that we should get engaged and married. I hate it." Admitting that, Megumi looked up long enough to meet Misao's eyes for a moment and then moved towards the door. "But, you deserve it more," she paused by the door to say.
"No, Megumi. I don't deserve it more. It just worked out this way. Hopefully, one day you can fully understand that so we can be friends like we used to be."
"We'll see," Megumi replied skeptically. Without looking back, she left to go find her fiancé.
AN: Wow. This story has been quite the journey. I started it in '04 if that tells you anything. The writer's block sucked and I got nowhere with this for a long time. I am happy with what it turned out as. I was so thrilled with the response and feedback. Thank you to all who have read and especially to those who have reviewed. I dare say I won't be returning to this fandom again, but you never know. Thanks again to everyone who has read!!!