Everything in the pregnancy had been going well until a few days ago, when Kaoru started feeling very odd. When she experienced vaginal bleeding, Kenshin panicked and took her to Oguni-sensei, who confined her to strict bed rest at the clinic. Kaoru of course hated this, but there was no other choice.
Worried about his patient, Oguni-sensei contacted Megumi in Aizu to tell her what was going on. Upon hearing about the precarious pregnancy, Megumi left the clinic in her brother's care and went down to Tokyo to help look after Kaoru.
Kaoru looked up as Megumi entered the private room she'd been given. She didn't know if she could abide Megumi's presence for long. Although she and Megumi got along better than they used to, she still felt insecure around her, especially now that she was fat, sweaty and stuck in bed. Megumi was as thin and beautiful as ever.
"It's good to see you again, Megumi-san," Kaoru said softly.
"Good to see you too, Kaoru-chan," said Megumi, sitting down by the bed. "Don't worry. I promise to do everything I can for you and the baby."
"Thanks," said Kaoru, feeling somewhat better now. This was Megumi-sensei speaking. She was here to care for Kaoru and her unborn, not to torment her or flirt with Kenshin.
Nights were the hardest on the couple. Kaoru hated sleeping apart from Kenshin. They didn't even have two full years as husband and wife, but to her it seemed they'd never been apart. She found she couldn't fall asleep right away. Back at the dojo, Kenshin was equally miserable, tossing and turning on the futon till exhaustion claimed him.
After the first three days, Kenshin was so pale and tragic-looking when he entered the clinic to visit Kaoru that Megumi practically yanked him into one of the back rooms, made him remove his gi and examined him sharply, looking in his eyes, listening to his heart and checking blood pressure. She noticed ribs just beginning to protrude under the skin of his bare torso. Just like Kaoru, he wasn't eating or sleeping.
'These two can't even be apart for a few days without going to pieces. I can't have them like this when the baby's due any time,' she thought to herself as she finished taking Kenshin's blood pressure.
Megumi decided then and there to have Kenshin stay at the clinic with Kaoru so they could both get a decent night's sleep and stop being so miserable.
"Thank you, Megumi-dono," said Kenshin upon hearing the news.
"Only for you and Kaoru-chan," said Megumi.
For the rest of the hospitalization, Kenshin and Kaoru slept in the same room in side-by-side beds. Kenshin didn't leave Kaoru's side, having left the dojo to Yahiko and Yutaro's tender mercies. Neither had any more trouble eating or falling asleep.