Megumi awoke slowly as she felt the warm rays of the sun heat up the back of her neck. As her eyes opened, she felt the strong, warm arms of Kenshin around her. Megumi purred softly, looking to the sleeping Kenshin beside her. She gushed inwardly at how cute he was when he was asleep, and she longed to see his clear blue eyes staring down at her. She reached out to brush his crimson red hair, pushing a strand aside. In the light that filtered through their window, his hair shimmered with brilliance, and Megumi found her hand tracing his cheek, away from his cross-shaped scar, and her delicate fingertips teased his supple lips. Megumi wanted desperately to kiss Kenshin right then and there, but she knew it wasn't worth it. Megumi wanted Kenshin to kiss her ,and to mean it. It would be meaningless to steal a kiss.... wouldn't it? Megumi slide into Kenshin more, easing her head into the curve of his neck, letting her lips brush his neck softly, and clung to him. This was a wonderful, glorious moment, and she never wanted it to end. She clung to Kenshin and tried to remember the moment she fell in love with him. To her surprise, she simply couldn't remember. Her heart and mind had decided she had always loved him, and she gladly accepted it. It didn't matter when, or how. Megumi loved Kenshin and that was all that mattered. Well, that and Kenshin loving her in return. She knew now that she had to take things slowly and not rush things. Kenshin was a patient man, a shy man and a serene man, all of which meant she would just have to slowly walk beside him and pray he felt for her what she felt for him.

Megumi awoke again and yawned, looking up to see Kenshin's soft blue eyes staring down at her as he played with her hair. She smiled, and Kenshin slowly pulled away from her. Megumi figured she must have fallen asleep in Kenshin's arms. She got out of bed slowly as Kenshin smiled to her.

"Ohayou Gozaimasu, Megumi-san"

"Good morning to you too, Kenshin-kun"

Kenshin smiled softly to her as he bowed and went into the next room, sliding the dividing screen between them. Megumi fussed over her hair, and rubbed her shoulders, and a slow, mischievous grin crossed her lips. She silently walked over to the divider, scooping up a bag of various tools and medicines, and slid in with Kenshin, smiling a sly, fox-like smile.

"Kenshin-kun, I am sorry to bother you, but I must look at your shoulder. I am worried you were cut deeply, and the wound might be infected. So much happened that I was unable to check it before now"

Kenshin looked up to her with a shy look, shirtless and wearing his long white pants. Megumi, however, was not delighted by the sight. She felt her knees grow weak, and almost fell to the floor. Kenshin had a strong but slight frame, and his body was covered in scars of all shapes and sizes. She fell to her knees in front of Kenshin, her soft hands caressing his chest and stomach, her eyes fixed on the numerous scars that covered Kenshin's body. Some were large, some small. Most were faint and fading, but a few were bolder and deeper than others. Most were shallow but a few were deep and must have been painful for Kenshin. Megumi's hands explored Kenshin's chest, and a few scars were close to his heart, a little too close. Luckily the scars near his heart and other vital areas were shallow and faded. Kenshin took her hands in his, squeezing them softly

"Megumi-san, those are not this ones shoulders you are examining..."

Megumi blinked, drawn away from her deep thoughts. She stared at Kenshin for a moment before nodding, a faint blush on her cheek as she crawled behind Kenshin to examine his shoulder. His back was not much better, but she had seen enough. She unwrapped the bandages Kenshin had put on his shoulder, putting on some mild antiseptic, and somewhere in the back of her mind she thought she should have been pleased Kenshin took good care of his wound, but looking at his scars it seemed he took good care of it because he was so used to being wounded. Megumi shivered, thinking back to her lost family. Megumi knew all too well that physical scars sometimes hide emotional scars. She wondered what each scar meant, if they had a deeper meaning that scarred Kenshin's heart as well as his body. She also wondered about the cross-shaped scar on his cheek. She felt somehow that that scar was the one that cut deepest into Kenshin's very soul.

"How is this ones shoulder, Megumi-san?" Kenshin asked

Megumi jumped slightly, pulled out of deep thought by Kenshin's words. She shook her head and smiled

"Just fine, Kenshin-kun. You took good care of it so it is healing well and isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

Kenshin nodded and smiled, though Megumi couldn't see his smile, or his eyes.

"This one learned to treat wounds well as a hitokiri. For all the blood this one drew, this ones own blood was spilled just as much. This one earned each scar as an assassin, and like this ones guilt and sin they are always a part of this one."

Megumi caressed Kenshin's shoulders with a sigh.

"You simply need someone to help you heal these wounds, Kenshin-kun."

Megumi gently rested her head against Kenshin's back, holding his shoulders tightly

"And I am a doctor, the person best suited to heal wounds, Kenshin-kun. Please, let me help you, let me heal your wounds.."

Megumi almost begged Kenshin, who remained silent for a moment. Megumi looked to the floor with her head at Kenshin's back, still unable to see his smile or his eyes.

"Do you know why people drink, Megumi-san? Those who make mistakes blame themselves and close their hearts. It is impossible to fix your mistakes, because a man can't return to the past. That is why they drink, sliding alcohol down their throats to try to dilute memories that fade but can never truly be forgotten. This ones sins, like this ones scars, may fade but will not be forgotten. But this one has not closed off this ones heart, and this one does need someone to help heal these wounds..."

Megumi laughed softly. It was such an odd thing for Kenshin to say, and yet she understood what he meant. She sighed, dressing the wound on his shoulder, and looked to the back of his head. He had said 'someone to help heal these wounds'. Whom was this someone? Was it her, or was it Kaoru? Megumi had a strange feeling it may even be someone else, though she didn't know why she suddenly had that thought. Kenshin showed no interest in anyone besides Megumi and Kaoru. Megumi didn't dwell on it, because she knew the answer wouldn't come to her. She simply bandaged Kenshin's shoulder and nodded.

"All set, Kenshin-kun. Your shoulder should be fine in a day or two, and there is no sign of infection, so all is well"

"Thank you, Megumi-dono" Kenshin said

"My pleasure, Kenshin-kun. I was worried for nothing."

Megumi smiled and left Kenshin to dress, then took her place in the extra room as Kenshin went down to get breakfast. She took her time brushing her hair, putting on a little make-up, picking out a beautiful dress, and collecting herself. Kenshin had said his heart wasn't closed, but he didn't say Megumi was the one he would open his heart to. She wondered what to do, but as always she felt she would figure it out in due time. She was a clever vixen, and Kenshin had opened up to her, even if it was just a little. She would simply have to take her time as she had planned. For now, Megumi left the room and went down to share a meal with Kenshin, hopefully the first of many steps in her path to Kenshin's heart.