Be My Future

Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the manga series "Please save my earth". All characters Belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki from Rurouni Kenshin series.

Chapter 3 – Baby Sitting

Kaoru woke up early in the morning, dressed something simple and went to finish moving her furniture from the garage to her new place. She still had some things she wanted to fill her house with and some things she preferred to buy later. The girl took breakfast really quickly and headed outside.

As she opened the garage, she saw the changes from yesterday to today and somehow her thoughts went back to the couple's revelation. She still didn't tell Sanosuke about the dream, she was a little shocked to think correctly about it. She needed to tell them, but didn't know when.

The girl heard some footsteps walking behind her and instinctively, she turned to see. Kenshin's soft smile softened her eyes and an image form the old Kenshin came to her. Her eyes half closed somehow a bit admired. The cruel swordsman that she so heard on her history's class, was so gentle in her dreams.

Kenshin neared her and she returned to reality, smiling to the young boy. He noticed her distant eyes but only greeted her. "Konnichiwa."

"Konichiwa Kenshin kun." She replied smilling. "Great morning, don't you think?" she tried to make a subject as to let her thoughts get away from her mind.

He nodded with his head somehow shy. She smiled with that. "Why are you up so early?"

"Well, as you may notice I still miss some furniture around the house," she replied looking at her garage "My parents left me with some of it in the garage, I'm just placing them back to place." Her head turned to him suspicious but smiling. "What about you?"

"My mom wanted to speak with you when you have time." Her eyes now looked serious "she says she has a favour to ask you."

"She did?" her eyes turned to his house. "Well, I must go talk to her then, I'm not that motivated to move things yet too." She started to walk in the direction of his house as he followed right behind.

When they entered, Kenshin told her to follow him to the kitchen where his mom was cleaning it as she sang. She heard them behind and turned. "My, you are fast." The woman said smiling.

"I missed you." Kaoru replied making the old woman laugh. The mother took a list of things from her pocket and handed to the boy.

"Could you buy me the things on the list Ken-kun?" she asked and Kenshin nodded leaving the two alone.

"Is something wrong?" Kaoru finally asked and sat by the table in the middle of the kitchen. His mother followed as tiredly sighed.

"I'm feeling so bad to ask you this, and so soon now that you returned." The woman started unsure, with her blue eyes down. Kenshin's mother was really beautiful. "I'm going to be out later night because of business. Kenshin's father hasn't returned yet from his trip and I didn't want to trust him to no one else but you."

Kaoru's eyes widened admired. Kenshin's father is always travelling because of his job. Even before she went to America, he was always absent. It kind of reminded her father. "It's ok, you can count on me." Kaoru replied smilling. "But may I ask you why me?"

She gave another sigh but continued "It's hard to explain, but I would feel at safe if I could trust my Kenshin to someone he knows." Knowing that the woman didn't want to continue, Kaoru decided not to push more the subject.

"Ok then," Kaoru said cheerfully "Leave everything to me!"

His mother smiled and after the woman instructed her what to do, the girl left later, going back at her garage so she could unload what she needed.

…..

"Kenshin!" his mother called him and he left the window where he watched the girl. He came to the stairs to watch his mother climbing them. "There you are, look I have to work late at night today."

"Sure, do you want me to do something for you to eat later?"

"No, no, You don't need to, I already asked someone to take care of that, it is better this way." She answered and his eyes slowly narrowed.

"I don't need anyone to take care of me," he told her upset "Why did you do that?"

"I'm worried about you, and now that the doctor found this, I just want you to rest as much as you can." She explained slowly as to make him understand. "and now that you've been sleeping bad recently, I thought-"

"I don't want anyone to take care of me, I don't need that!" Kenshin said back, his mother looked at him with sad eyes. "if you do that, I—I'll go to Kaoru's house!"

"Kaoru is the one's coming, dear," his mother explain to him smiling. Kenshin eyes widened and softened. "I trusted her because you like her so much, she doesn't know yet of your state but she gladly accepted to come." Kenshin stayed a little thoughtful as his mother explained.

"We'll, if it's her I don't mind." He answered "but I wish she doesn't now of my state."

His mother nodded "I won't tell her, " his mother assured "I'll be leaving later in the afternoon, she'll arrive at that time too."

….

Two hours passed and it seemed she was already done with her furniture. It still missed some things, but at least she had a television, a sofa and a little table in the room where she used to pass most of her time.

She still felt alone in that huge house but she would manage to distract herself and don't think about it. It will be more two hours of her free time before she goes to take care of Kenshin.

Looking at her old phone that she managed to find and place it in the house, she wondered if she would give a call to Sano. She was still unsure on what to do about the dream she had. Kaoru thought that it could be her head playing tricks on her. It was too much of a coincidence for her to dream of something right after her two friends talked about it.

"It's just mere coincidence." She thought out loud. But then again, the dream felt real. She somehow knew how Sanosuke and Megumi must have felt when they told her their dreams.

Still unsure, she picked her phone up and looked at it. Hesitatingly, her fingers delayed Sanosuke's number and slowly she putted the phone close to her hear. After a while, she heard a voice: "Mochi Mochi?"

"Ah..Hi!" she said smiling "what's up?"

"Oh it's you Kaoru," Sanosuke replied "Everything's alright, have you finished moving your furniture?"

"oh..yes! I was finally able to fill the room." Her voice was a little hesitant and she knew her friend noticed that.

"Are you ok? Your voice seems a little weird."

"No, no, I'm fine" she assure him "I'm going to take care of Kenshin this afternoon and night. His mother asked me. It's going to be fun".

"oh? Why?" he asked and her eyes looked confuse "I mean, he can take care of himself, he already can make his own food and all, why is his mother worrying so mu-"

She waited for him to continue but he didn't finish his sentence for some reason "Sano? Are you there?"

"ah—yeah, sorry."

"You say he's able to take care of him? So why is Kenshin's mother asking me to take care of her son?"

"Well…she must have a reason." Sano said hesitating "but sometimes he gets lonely and stuff and there are things he can't really do so..."

Kaoru stayed a little silent and confused by her friends behaviour but said noting. "Well, got to go Kaoru, have some stuff to do, and the traffic is getting worse."

"Are you driving?" she asked in disbelieve.

"yeah yeah I know it's bad," he said laughing "look, I really have to go, we'll talk later."

With that he hunged up and she looked at the phone rolling her eyes. Kaoru read in some of his letters that he had a car accident because he was talking on the phone while driving. He just didn't learn his lesson.

Looking at her watch, she thought of doing some chores before drooping at Kenshin's house. Or maybe she'll meet him early.

She now stopped to think for a while. She wasn't able to touch the subject of her dream. She just didn't know if it was really a dream about her memory.

….

"You're late!" Megumi yelled at Sanosuke who begged her to talk low. She was waiting in front of a coffee store with an anoyed look "remind me again why I always trust you can make it on time?"

"Because you love me?" he asked innocently and she just rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, were you able to give them the article?" she asked "I mean, did they accept it?"

"They didn't looked at it, but that magazine accepts everything." He explained "And Kenshin said that it must be an opportunity to find the others."

"How much do you bet Misao is the first one to call?" she asked and Sanosuke laugh.

"I think that she is the only one to call," he replied placing an arm around her shoulders as they walked trough the coffee, finding a place to seat. "But she must know of someone and it'll be easy for us."

"I guess." She said sitting at a table with him "So, have you already talked with Kaoru today? She still must be feeling a little weird from all the events of yesterday."

"Now that you talk about it, she seemed a little strange by the phone." She sighed

"And imagine if we told her about Kenshin. What did I tell you?"

"She's babysitting him today by the way." Megumi's eyes widened

"Why? What for?" she asked and he looked at her with confused eyes. "I mean, he can do anything, right?" Sanosuke sigh and looked at her with sad eyes.

"Kenshin told me this for some time now, but he asked me not to tell anyone." She got curious as Sano talked "It's a secret I'll entrust to you since I believe you can keep secrets."

"You're making me worried now!" She said annoyed "Just say it."

"Kenshin is sick." A moment of silence followed.

"He is sick? How?" She asked confused "He's so young, what sickness?"

"A heart decease." He said "Angina pectoris."

Megumi laid back at her seat shocked from the new. He looked to see her reaction already knowing how she would be.

"It was found just recently." He explained calmly "It seemed he developed a deficiency on the heart. It started to make effect when he was training Kendo at school. He almost fainted with the pain." he paused sadly "It became more and more complicated to exercise his body, his heart just can't handle the pressure."

He heard Megumi sob. She had already a hand over her face to cover the sad feeling that was developing as Sanosuke spoke. Sano came to seat at her side, embracing her.

"You don't need to cry Megumi…"

"Why does he always have to suffer?" she said between her sobs "How can that happen to him? To stop doing the thing he loves more?"

"He still can practice," Sano explained "But not as much as he used to." She made her face visible for his eyes, still cleaning the tears with the back of her hand.

"It's not fair…" He smiled

"He's fine, love. He doesn't want anyone to worry about him, that's why he didn't tell you."

"That was always like that. Even in the past too, he closed himself, he wouldn't tell anything only if it was necessary…"

"That's right, we shouldn't push more of him than he already is giving."

They stayed silent for a while until she was able to calm down. He kissed her forehead softly and after some seconds, she was fine again.

"Does Kaoru know?" he signalled a no with his head and she looked down.

"And she mustn't know, not yet."

…..

"Hm." Kaoru mumbled as she finally had a taste of the food she was making. The soup was approved since it was delicious. The rest of the food was almost done too but Kenshin was still asleep.

She had come a bit early, Kenshin's mother was almost leaving, arranging her things and she was told that her son fell asleep. She didn't want to wake him and his mother told her he made this an habit.

Now that she was alone making dinner, she looked outside the kitchen door worried. Was it alright for a boy at his age to fall asleep so many times at a day? Vacations somewhat made us lazy but it was so soon for him to feel like that.

Leaving the boiling food behind since it didin't need any more attention, she headed to the stairs with spoon in hand and a determined face. Smiling she headed to his room. Without knocking she entered slowly not to make any sound. The room was all dark but she was able to find him lying on his bed with clothes on and hair all around his face.

Approaching slowly she admired his face with a smile. He was so mature and handsome, a beautiful person that somewhat intimidated her. Her fingers made way to his head taking a hair out of his face slowly touching his check. Right in that moment an image of the Kenshin of her dream came to her head smiling to what seem to be her.

Her hand got back making startling her by the images. She looked at the boy for several seconds touching her fingers with her other hand. Kenshin.. she thought as her eyes softened you resemble him…the Kenshin in my dream..

"Kaoru.." she tensed as she heard her name. She then noticed he was still asleep but his eyes were different. Instead of being at peace, they in pain and his face began to sweat. Was he having a nightmare?

"Kaoru-do-"

TRIIIIIIIIIIIM!

Kaoru jumped from the sudden noise. It was the phone ringing. The phone was right beside his bed. She hesitated on picking that when she was to answer a hand came before hers and reach it first. Kenshin had wakened with the sound.

"Moshi-moshi" he said "Hey mom, I'm fine, how is work?" he sitted on his bed noticing Kaoru in his room he looked at her with no expression on his face. She tried to smile but his eyes seemed a little intimidating. "Yes Kaoru is here with me, want to talk to her?" there was a pause and then he handed the phone to her.

"Hey, how is work going?" Kaoru asked. She tried to look at the boy who watched her with the same eyes. 'We're managing, but I think I'll arrive later than expected. I'm sorry about that.' "No no, it's ok, I'm happy I can spend time with him this much, don't worry." 'Thank you, did you have dinner yet?' She looked at the boy again who had closed his eyes now "We were about to." 'Okay then, Have a good time! Ja!' The older woman turn off the call and Kaoru returned the phone to its place.

"What did she say?" he suddenly asked as she looked at him a bit surprised.

"Oh…she said she would arrive later than expected, her work seems to be pilling up." She saw a small smile on his lips as he looked down. Kaoru avoided that and looked around at his room.

"So, what's wrong?" the boy asked making Kaoru confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Why were you in my room when I was asleep?" somehow that question made her embarrassed. His strange smile didn't help at all.

"I was wondering why you sleep so much." She asked with a smile of her own "You're too young for that, you know?"

He looked down still smiling "With nothing to do I just fell asleep."

"But not anymore, up UP!" she said getting up pushing him by his arms out of the bed. He timidly followed her "I made dinner." He stooped sudendly and she noticed.

"You made dinner?" he asked admired

"Why? Are you afraid to eat it?" she asked laughing "Did you forget that I cooked for you when I watched over you?" Kaoru pointed a finger and touched his nose. "You used to love that, remember?" he thought for a moment and then smiled.

"I guess I forgot that for a moment." He said smiling.

"It's only normal, you were still young." She turned to the kitchen and started to fill the plates for them. "Let's eat!"

They had a calm dinner, laughing remembering some habits of the past. She noticed that he didn't laugh as often as he did when he was younger. She wondered why he changed like that. Kaoru only received small smiles and few bigger ones, but it was only that. There was a time she watched him as he ate, with a concentrated and calm face.

The boy was absolutely gorgeous. She had told him that and he always showed a shy smile. The Kenhsin she dreamed of, really resemble the kid in front of her. Only that his hair was short and his eyes were now brown. And there was too the missing scars on his left check.

"Are you really babysitting me?" he asked breaking the silence.

"Er..Yeah." she answered confused "But babysitting isn't the word I would choose. You can almost do anything, right? I'm more spending time with you than taking care of you."

"Good, I don't like that word." She looked at him amused as he ate. "I mean… I'm a little old for that now."

"Oh what a change!" Kaoru said laughing "Little Kenshin doesn't want to be seen as a baby, but when he was younger he wanted to be the baby to everything." He timidly ate his food. "Do I see shyness in that?"

"Don't remind me of that please."

"My my… my little Kenshin." He looked at her a little embarrassed by her words.

"D-dinner is go-od" he said hesitatingly trying to hide his face but in a mature way. She only answered with a smile.

After having dinner, the boy helped her clean the kitchen. He showed her where to put the dishes. They spent more time with him telling her where to go. There was a moment that he cleaned the rest of the dishes making her watch him. She smiled thinking about his changes. It seemed it was the only thing she could think about.

They went to the living-room where they decided to watch TV. She sat with her feet below her and he just sat next to her with the tv control in hand. As he was changing the channels, she told him to stop on one. Music was playing and she watched the video clip thrilled.

As the music flowed, he found himself turn his eyes to her. The song was 'First Love' by Utada Hikaru, one of her favorite singers. He remembered hearing her sing in her room as she did her things. Kaoru never noticed his eyes on her as she sang with a low voice.

He missed her so much and somehow the music made him feel nostalgic. She was so close to him, but never aware of what he really felt, of what was really happening. When Megumi decided that it was best to not reveal anything to Kaoru, his heart was filled with rage, both from the past and for the present, for not being able to be with her.

His mistakes on the past with her now came to his mind. He wanted to do many things with her. He wanted to make her happy. The music made him feel all this and one more feeling too: the desire to touch her. The music was finally ending and she was turning her face to his.

"She really feels sad in this clip-" as her eyes set on his she stopped "Kenshin? Are you ok?"

He didn't noticed but he had a sad expression on his face as he as looking at her. Once he heard her he immediately changed but his face came down again. He wanted her, but he couldn't do anything. It would confuse her and maybe draw her away from him. His head fell to her shoulder without saying anything. Kaoru was surprised but stayed silent. As seconds got by, she had to ask:

"Is something wrong?" she asked softly and got the volume down on the tv "You can tell me anything, I'm here to listen."

"I can't…" he whispered making her feel more worried.

"Sure you can." She tried to look at him, but he didn't move. "Did something happen?"

He stayed silent, not wanting to talk at all. She was unsure on what to do since she never saw him like this. Trying to turn her body to him, his head fell to her belly and his arms came to embrace her. Her arms were up as she looked at him surprised but slowly accepted him. As she played with his hair locks Kaoru silently thought on what to say.

"It's ok of you can't tell me," She whispered to him "But at least tell me how can I help…"

A few more minutes of silent followed until he finally started to stand up in front of her. His head was a little lower that hers but they were still close. With a sad expression and a low voice, he answered:

"Would you think of me?" Her eyes widened by the sudden request. She was silent by the strange request. Without knowing what to answer she slowly let out a worried sigh. Her eyes never left his violet desperate ones, but something on his eyes changed. They weren't the same innocent ones she knew before she left to America.

Now that she thought about it, he must have suffered a little over her departure. Somehow she started to feel guilty and his request made sense to her now. Smiling sadly to the little boy, she passed a hand over his hair, caressing it.

"I already do it Kenshin." Her words came out softly, slowly letting her forehead touch his, with closed eyes. "I'm worried about you."

The boy closed his eyes with the small gesture enjoying the little touch thinking it was the only caress he could get for a long time.

….

Kaoru arrived her house now in the morning still with sleepy eyes. Closing the door behind her she slowly walked over her couch. His mother arrived by the night but didn't want to disturb the two since they were having a nice sleep. Instead she putted a blanket over them. She woke Kaoru up to let her know she was there but insisted she slept for the night. A little sleepy by that time, she had no strength to argue and fell asleep again.

She now closed her eyes a bit tired. Once the light from the window of Kenshin's house hit her face, she realized it was morning and time to come to her house. Straighten up in her sofa, her eyes came to look for her telephone. Closing the distance between the table and the sofa, she reached for it a dialled a number. Sanosuke's number.

'your request was strange Kenshin.' She thought as she waited for her friend to pick up. 'But to help you, I have to know what's going on with me and this dream I had.'

"Mochi mochi?"

"Sano, I need to talk to you."

End of Chapter 3

A/n: I'm so sorry for the delay. I've been really busy and not too well either. Hope you'll understand. This was the only fic that really made me continue for now.

About the fic, there are things you may not understand at the beginning but it's only normal. Things will get clearer on later chapters.

Hope you all liked this new chapter.