Hey guys! I finally got part of it done! I'm sorry to say that this is NOT the last chapter, but its the second to last. I was going to make this ending one huge chapter, but I decided to have mercy on you guys, since it's been forever since I last wrote, and post half of it. The confrontation between Megumi and Sanosuke will be NEXT chapter. I really hope you enjoy this next one!
Disclaimer: No Rurouni Kenshin for me :(
Rage boiled within Megumi making her hands shake. She lowered her head, hiding her face behind her bangs and fought the urge to rip Sanosuke apart with her bare hands.
"Sanosuke," she said in a low voice, her fury made itself evident by shaking her voice.
"Megumi, please," cried Sanosuke, coming toward her, reaching for her arms.
The moment he touched her Megumi slapped his arm away with all the force she could muster. Slowly, ever so slowly, she lifted her head to face his now familiar expression. How could she have not seen it before? It was so obvious! The facts were staring her right in the face! He had the exact same hair. He wore those bindings around his stomach. He was obnoxious, flirtatious, and just as prone to fighting. His warm, brown eyes never changed.
Except now, it seemed he was an extremely adept liar.
Sanosuke looked at her with something akin to fear. Frozen where he stood, he couldn't look away from her angry gaze. Megumi's upper lip curled up into a snarl. Her muscles tightened even further and, with all her pent up wrath, she fought her animalistic desire to rip this man apart. Even with his incredible strength, she did not doubt for a second that she could destroy him with her bare hands.
Gaining slight control of her legs, Megumi turned and tried to march away.
"Megumi!" Sanosuke yelled again, reaching forward and grabbing her shoulder.
Megumi lost it. She forced Sanosuke's arm from her and turned to face him. She grabbed his collar and yanked him down to her eye-level. His eyes widened at her violence when she bared her teeth at him.
"Don't. Ever. Touch. Me," she snarled. "Don't come back to my clinic. Don't ever talk to me. As far as I'm concerned, Rooster," she sneered, "you are dead." Megumi released the astonished man's shirt. With that, she turned away, lifted her kimono, and ran.
She ran and ran and ran, away from the man who tore her heart out again. Over the sound of her sandals hitting the ground, Megumi heard him call for her; she ignored him. Never would she return to him. Never would she call his name. Never again would a cowardly rooster hurt her.
Tears welled up in the back of Megumi's eyes. She lifted one hand and wiped her face, never slowing down. With her eyes covered, she ran into a stranger causing him to spill his belongings. Hearing him yell curses upon her, she ignored him and picked up her pace.
All she wanted was to go home. She wanted to get back to her clinic, shut the door, and cry. She was tired. Tired of everything and everyone, she just wanted to sleep. She wanted to sink into unconsciousness and forget today—or even this entire month. She wanted her mind wiped clean of the disease known as Tomatsu. She wished she never had met Sanosuke. She wouldn't be in this pain if she hadn't.
The clinic came into view as the tears spilled over. With trembling breaths, she approached the door and opened it with a sigh of relief. Her stomach sunk as she looked in the corner and saw Kaoru playing with Kenji. Both had looked up, startled at her sudden appearance.
Kenji's face lit up, oblivious to her tears. "Hi 'Gumi-san! We're playing! Want to play?" he asked, tilting his cute face to the side.
Megumi looked at Kaoru who stared back at her in shock at her tears. "No Kenji-chan," said Megumi, wiping her face. "Aunt Megumi is a little tired. I think I'll go take a nap." His face fell and Megumi felt mild guilt.
She started moving toward her room. "Kenji, why don't you go play out in the backyard for a little bit?" Kaoru asked, bending down to be at eye-level with the five-year-old. Kenji's eyes brightened, and with an eager nod, Kenji sprinted toward the back door. Kaoru smiled at his energy. Turning her head to look at Megumi, she noticed that she was already half-way out of the room.
"Megumi?" Kaoru called, stopping Megumi in her tracks. She winced; she thought she could make it out.
Raising her chin slightly, Megumi turned around quickly and faced Kaoru, an imperious look on her face. "Yes Kaoru? What is it?" she asked rather coldly.
Kaoru raised an eyebrow at her tone. "You're crying," she said just as icily.
In an effort to seem carefree, Megumi flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Don't be preposterous," she said, placing an almost feral smile on her face. "It's been years since I've cried."
Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I can see the tears on your face, Megumi. What's wrong?" Kaoru frowned and looked toward the front door and then back at Megumi. "Where is Tomatsu?"
Megumi's expression fell and she fought to keep an air of aloofness with the raging tempest of emotions going on behind her mask. "I've relieved him of his duties," she said, barely concealing the tremor in her voice.
Kaoru's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You've fired him?"
"Yes," she said matter-of-factly. "I don't want him near this clinic. He's not to be allowed inside in any circumstances."
"Megumi, that's rid—," Kaoru began.
"I'm extremely tired and now I'm going to bed," Megumi interrupted. With that, she turned on her heel and rushed to her room, slamming the door behind her.
The clock hit the half hour mark, and Megumi still hadn't fallen asleep. Her eyelids felt heavy though they never closed.
With each passing second Megumi's anger had fled, leaving depression in its wake. As she lay on her tear-soaked pillow, she tried and failed to get enough will power to turn onto her right side. Her bones felt as heavy as her heart, and her muscles felt too weak to hold her up. Her eyes ached with tears that remained pooled behind her lashes. Pressed against her chest, her arm almost seemed like it was trying to hold her torso together.
Never had she experienced anything like this. She didn't know it was possible for someone to have this much of a hold on her. Her entire body—her very soul—ached for Sanosuke in a way that was terrible and frightening. Her heart and her mind were constantly at war with one another, furthering the pain she was feeling. Her pride said to forget him, her spirit fought to remember.
He's embarrassed me.
He's made you laugh again.
He's violent.
He's protected you.
He lied to me.
He was scared of your reaction to the truth.
He made me look like a fool.
Not before making himself look like one.
He left me.
He crossed the world to come back.
I hate him!
You love him.
At the admission of those words, Megumi buried her face into the pillow and sobbed, her emotions spilling from her like a tidal wave. Burying her face, her body shook with the force of her quieted tears. She curled herself into a tight ball almost as if she was trying to squeeze the pain out of herself. A new wave of anger arose and her body stilled with its arrival.
She couldn't love him! After everything he's done to her? If she went back to him, it would just be the same thing all over again. He'd leave, she'd wait, he'd come back and the cycle would just begin anew. Nothing would change. She'd be stuck in an endless cycle of misery. No! She refused! She would not go through any more abuse because of a man. She'd have enough of them all! For all she cared, they could all go and burn!
As quickly as her anger flared up, it went away leaving her with a numb chest. She closed her eyes, almost as if closing one's eyes made their troubles disappear. Tears leaked and traveled down her cheek silently.
A knock on the door caused Megumi to jump in surprise.
"Megumi?" the voice called. She recognized Kaoru's voice but made no response. "Megumi I know you're awake." More silence. "If you don't come out in the next ten minutes I'm going to come and get you myself!" She listened as Kaoru's angry footsteps marched out of the hallway.
Megumi swallowed her tears and slowly began forcing herself to an upright position. Kaoru was not one to make empty threats, and Megumi was not one to lose her dignity by being forced from her room. She gradually rose from her futon on shaky legs and wobbled to her washroom. Stumbling through the door, she looked at herself in the mirror and felt embarrassment at what she saw.
Her hair was frizzy and sticking out randomly. Her skin was blotchy and red, matching the color of her puffy eyes. The streaks on her cheeks served as reminders of the trails her tears had left behind. Water still clung to her eyelashes and to the front of the kimono she had not bothered to change out of. It had been a long time since Megumi had seen herself looking this awful, and she would not allow Kaoru to see her in such a mess.
With a quick sniff, Megumi set to work. She took a brush and smoothed the tangles out of her hair, making sure every strand was in its correct place. Next, she splashed water on her face, washing away tears and the remnants of her slightly-running make-up. After drying herself, she began gently slapping her cheeks, trying to even out her skin tone. Once satisfied, she moved into her room again and, after glancing at the clock, changed quickly into another clean kimono. Content that this was as good as she was going to look on such short notice, Megumi strode out of the room with a confidence she wasn't feeling. As she reached the end of the hall, Megumi slowed considerably, trying to prepare herself for the questions Kaoru was going to ask her. Taking a deep breath, she entered the room.
Kaoru looked up at her immediately and Megumi felt her instantaneous, scrutinizing stare. Megumi raised an eyebrow at her with disdain. She crossed her arms elegantly and cocked a hip. "You interrupted my nap, Kaoru," she stated frostily.
Kaoru pursed her lips and rose slowly from her seat. "I wanted to speak with you," she said softly, her gaze still pointedly analyzing her.
Megumi rolled her eyes. "This couldn't wait for a little later? I thought even a raccoon could have manners. Apparently I was wrong," she said, hoping to get a rise out of Kaoru.
Opposite of what she was hoping for, Kaoru just watched her. The silence lengthened, making Megumi want to squirm; she refused to give Kaoru the satisfaction.
"You were crying in there, Megumi."
As faint pain reverberated in her chest, but Megumi ignored it. Instead, she waved her hand dismissively. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was sleeping."
Kaoru's hands tightened into fists. "Quit lying to me, Megumi. I hate being lied to."
Megumi sank gracefully into a chair and chuckled softly. "You are quite dramatic, Kaoru," she said. "You're overreacting. It was windy outside and it made my eyes water. That's what you saw when I came in."
Kaoru also lowered herself into a chair, making a small thud. "Then why could I hear you sobbing?" she asked, resting her head in her hand. "Did Tomatsu say something to upset you?"
Before she could stop herself, Megumi scowled. Kaoru raised both eyebrows as Megumi regained control of her face. Clearing her throat and rolling her shoulders back, Megumi said, "Tomatsu has been working for me long enough. I simply decided that—,"
"I know he's Sanosuke," Kaoru interrupted.
Megumi's mouth froze in the form of words unspoken. Unable to speak, all Megumi could do was listen to the small sounds of Kenji running around in the yard. As the child squealed at the discovery of some creature, Megumi found her voice. "You knew he was Sanosuke?" she asked quietly.
Kaoru simply nodded in response.
Her gaze lowered onto her lap where her hands had gathered to grip one another. Something stirred in her chest causing her to wince. "How long have you known?" she whispered.
"Since this morning."
Her chest started clenching, then throbbing, then pounding. Her ears began burning and her stomach churned. A friend like this had never betrayed her; Kaoru had never betrayed her. Megumi closed her eyes as the urge to scream threatened to overwhelm her. Her rage reared its ugly head once more.
"How dare you," she whispered fiercely.
"What?"
Megumi whipped her head up to face the woman who called herself her friend. "How dare you," she said loudly, discovering she'd risen from her seat.
Looking up at her, Kaoru frowned. "Megumi, please listen—," she began.
"No!" Megumi exclaimed. Kaoru's eyes widened as Megumi continued. "I'm done listening! I'm sick and tired of this! Of everyone! How dare you act as if you can come into my clinic—into my home—and lie to my face! Betrayal seems to be common amongst you all now. Maybe it's a good thing I moved away from lowlifes like you."
Kaoru winced at her harsh words. "Megumi, please."
Megumi raised a hand to silence her. "I'm done. All you seem to be concerned with is hurting me in every way possible. Well, congratulations," she said sarcastically. "You've ripped my heart out."
Kaoru rose swiftly, nearly knocking her chair down in the process. "That's enough," she said harshly, her face turning red with anger. "I understand that your sad, Megumi; I understand that you're angry, but I will not stand you accusing me of deceiving you." Megumi tried to interrupt but Kaoru continued. "Sanosuke confessed to Kenshin who he was this morning. Kenshin told me when I woke up, and you had left the clinic before I awoke. How in the world could I have told you who Tomatsu was if you weren't even in this building?"
Megumi frowned at the logic but refused to reign herself in. The pain inside her needed release. "You could have found me," she hissed. "You could have told that that back-stabbing liar was right next to me."
Kaoru pointed an angry, accusing finger at Megumi and said, "You're an idiot for not noticing in the first place! You need to get off the pedestal you've so painstakingly placed yourself on! This world does not revolve around you, Takani-sensai," she said sarcastically. "Have you taken any time what-so-ever to think outside of yourself? Have considered what must be going through Sanosuke's mind?"
Megumi slapped her hand away. "I don't care what that imbecile is going through. I don't give a rip about that man!"
Muscles tight with rage, Kaoru shouted, "You may not care about him, but he cares about you!"
"If he cared for me he wouldn't have lied," Megumi shot back, her hands cramping with the desire to strangle the smaller woman.
Kaoru brought her face within inches of Megumi's. "Could it be possible that you are that dense?" she screeched. Megumi's rage reached new heights but still Kaoru continued. "How can someone as intelligent as you not notice the affections of someone standing two feet away? Even when I thought Sanosuke was Tomatsu I could tell he cared about you! Whenever you were another room, he'd constantly glance toward the doorway you'd left through. When you would talk, he'd stand transfixed, watching you speak. How could you have missed something so obvious?" Kaoru threw her arms into the air with frustration. "It's the exact same way Sanosuke acted around you years ago."
Megumi frowned. "I—,"
"No," Kaoru interrupted harshly. "I talk, you listen."
Turning to leave, Megumi said, "I don't want to listen."As she walked away, Megumi felt a strong grip seize her arm, allowing room for no movement. Megumi refused to turn.
"You will listen," said Kaoru. Megumi frowned and looked back at Kaoru. The kendo teacher's eyes filled with earnestness and her voice softened as she said, "Megumi, no matter how you feel about what Sanosuke did—no matter the pain you're experiencing—you have to realize that he's going through the same thing."
At Kaoru's tone, Megumi felt all anger disappear from her chest. Hopelessness occupied its place instead; she could not help but lower her head. "He couldn't possibly be going through the same thing I am," she said quietly, feeling undiscovered tears make their presence known. She clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to stop the flow.
"You need to speak with him, Megumi," Kaoru said.
Megumi's eyes opened in astonishment, jerking her arm out of Kaoru's grasp. "I will not speak to him," she said belligerently. "I don't even want to see his lying face."
Kaoru looked at Megumi with an odd expression on her face. Slowly, Megumi watched as Kaoru's gaze shifted until it rested on something over her shoulder. Frowning in confusion, quickly glanced over her shoulder only to have her gaze caught.
Sanosuke stood in the doorway. He braced himself against the frame of the door with his hand; his hair plastered itself to his forehead from sweat.
All of the conflicting emotions beat through her again. Anger made her blood boil. Depression made her want to cry, and, Kami help her, just the fact that he was here made her knees weak.
In a panic, Megumi felt her heart rate increase. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, and in response to her fight-or-flight reflex, she flew. Dodging around Kaoru, Megumi practically ran to the other side of the room, hoping to escape through the back. She didn't get too far before she felt a vice-like grip seize her arm and whip her around. Once again, she stood nose-to-nose with Kaoru.
"Stop running!" whispered Kaoru intensely.
Hyperventilation set in as tears ran down Megumi's face. Gripping Kaoru's arms pleadingly, she said, "Please Kaoru. Please don't make me. I—I can't."
Kaoru raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Since when did the famous Takani Megumi become so cowardly? The Lady-Doctor I knew would have had no problem telling anyone what she thought of them, especially if that someone was Sanosuke."
Megumi shook her head desperately. "It's been too long, Kaoru," she said, searching for a way out. "Things wouldn't work out. We're two totally different people."
Scoffing, Kaoru said, "You make five years sound like an eternity." She gently reached up and wiped a tear from Megumi's face. "And don't give me that crap about you two being totally different," she said, rolling her eyes. "If anything you're exactly the same."
Megumi lowered her gaze and struggled to control her shaking limbs. Kaoru's grip lowered until she clutched the Lady Doctor's hands. "It's funny," Kaoru began, voice barely above a whisper, "how it's now the raccoon giving the fox love advice." Megumi gave a hiccupping laugh and looked up into Kaoru's face. The smaller woman smirked and signaled with a flick of her head back to where Sanosuke was. Megumi gripped Kaoru's hands with all her strength as she gathered her courage. With a deep breath and a nod, Megumi stepped away from her and toward Sanosuke.
Suddenly, Megumi felt her confidence rise. After all, it was not as if she would take him back. She felt herself give a smirk at such a ridiculous thought. Given everything he put her through, there was no way she could love him again. Yes, there were all these absurd emotions racing in her heart, but she could handle such simple things with relative ease.
Megumi thought these things with so much assurance in her own abilities that she forgot to take into consideration Sanosuke's capacity to negate all things that would help resistance:
Megumi's smirk was famous throughout the males of Aizu. It was alluring in a most seductive way and could drive sane thought from the mind of any male who encountered it.
Sanosuke, however, merely had to look at Megumi for her mind to feel flustered.
Megumi could walk into a room with such grace that all eyes would turn to look at her. Women were jealous of her refinement and men longed to have her all to themselves. She knew this because of all the time she spent practicing.
Sanosuke, however, had bold, lustful eyes watching him whenever he leaned against a building, plodded down the street, or chewed on that absurd fishbone. Things he didn't even think about were the things that were most attractive about him
Therefore, as she made eye contact with Sanosuke, completely sure of her own prowess, she was completely taken by surprise when, with weakened knees, she very nearly collapsed to the ground. With the look in his eyes, her stomach curled in on itself, and her heart threatened to pound its way out her chest.
Sanosuke looked at her with love shining in his gaze.
A/N: Again I apologize for my lateness! I hope that this chapter can tide you over until I get done with the next one.
Please review!