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Broken Pieces: Chapter 16 - on the bodies of lovers

by linay

Kindred in thought, heart and duty

Kindred in death

“Megumi-san!” Kaoru exclaimed, surprise lacing her voice.

“Well hello, raccoon girl,” Megumi smiled lightly, bobbing her head.

“Who are you?” Kenshin’s tone was dangerous and guarded. His hand had not left the hilt of his sword.

“Himura-san,” Megumi said wryly, “You seem to have acquired a new roommate.”

“What are you doing here?” Kaoru interjected, pushing her way completely into the apartment.

“I’m here to treat Himura-san’s wound,” Megumi said, “Naturally.”

“How did you get in?” Kenshin demanded, his voice a low snarl.

“Takasugi-san was kind enough to unlock the door for me,” Megumi replied calmly, flipping her hair over one shoulder.

“Why should I believe you?” He challenged, his amber eyes not leaving the unknown woman’s face for a second.

“Must you be so predictable?” Megumi sniffed, tossing a tiny object at him.

Kenshin caught the flying thing with a quick swipe of his hand, his eyes still trained on the stranger. Opening his palm, he glanced quickly at the object he had caught. A large signet ring lay in the centre of his palm, the characters forming Choshu etched into it - Katsura’s sign. His face tightening, Kenshin spun on his heel and slammed the front door closed. He stormed forward.

“How do you know Kaoru?” he demanded of the tall woman in front of him.

Instead, the answer came from behind. “She was my doctor.” Kaoru’s voice was pensive and low.

“What?”

“My doctor.” Repeated, distrust creeping into the words.

Megumi’s face grew instantly sombre. “That is correct,” she affirmed, “I am Takani Megumi. I was previously in charge of Kaoru’s health.”

Kenshin’s expression darkened. “Takani Medical Centre.”

Megumi nodded.

“You wrote those medical reports about Kaoru.”

“And you kidnapped her from us.” Megumi replied, “And injured her bodyguard.”

“Former bodyguard.”

“You sound like a jealous boyfriend.”

“Just what-”

“Megumi-san,” Kaoru’s voice interrupted suddenly, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to treat Himura-san’s wounds,” Megumi answered, looking past Kenshin to Kaoru, who was staring levelling at her.

Kaoru drew her eyebrows together. “But,” she asked, her words slow and cautious, “How did you know…”

Megumi sighed. “It’s a long story, racoon-girl.”

“Aoshi-san attacked us at school today,” Kaoru announced slowly, her words guarded and her eyes scanning Megumi’s reaction.

The doctor did not disappoint her. With absolute bluntness, she confirmed Kaoru’s suspicions. “I know.”

“You knew.” Kaoru’s voice grew dangerous is intensity. “Who told you?”

Megumi shook her head. “I am not permitted to tell you that.”

“What game is everyone playing?” Kaoru nearly shook with rage. “Just what is going on here?” She was shouting now.

“Kaoru,” Megumi’s voice also rose a notch, “Get a hold of yourself! You won’t do yourself any good if you lose it!”

“Are you all in this together?” Kaoru stormed, “Is this one big game of hot potato?”

“Kaoru-”

“How could you,” Kaoru directed her fury at the doctor, “How could you use me that way?”

“I never used you!” Megumi shouted back, “I never asked to do this. I was never told about any of it until today.”

“But you did it, dammit!” Kaoru hollered back, “And both Aoshi and Kenshin got injured because of it! And I don’t know how many people died.” Kaoru threw her hands into the air. “What about Kanryu? Did you orchestrate his torture chambers too?”

“Kaoru,” Megumi murmured, “What are you saying?”

“What am I saying?” Kaoru bellowed, grabbing the sides of her head, “I’m saying that I don’t know what the hell is going on here. And I don’t think I ever will, till the day I die.” She squeezed her eyes shut, tears of betrayal fighting to fall. “Is this a damn game to all of you?” She opened her agonized blue eyes and extended accusing fingers toward both Kenshin and Megumi. “I trusted you. I even liked you. Now I don’t know anything about you.”

“Don’t get so excited, Kaoru!” Megumi raised her voice, “You know what might happen if you strain yourself too much!”

“What do you care?” Kaoru’s final shriek was garbled from the choking sobs that began to rack her chest. She flew from the room and disappeared into Kenshin’s bedroom. The slam of the door made the walls reverberate with Kaoru’s anger.

For a moment, shocked silence rested over the living area like a blanket. Then Megumi flipped her hair over one shoulder, quickly replacing her dejected expression with one of cocky sarcasm.

“Well then-” she began.

Her words died instantly as the edge of Kenshin’s blade met the soft skin of her neck. He was suddenly very close to her, his eyes as threatening as his sword.

“Tell me,” he hissed, “Just what is going on here.”

Megumi’s ensuing chuckle maddened him. “You think that I know? I wish I did. But I don’t.” The cruel mirth in her eyes didn’t reach her eyes. “Or don’t you know that we’re all pawns in Choshu’s plans?”

“What do you know of Choshu’s plans?”

“Absolutely nothing. Except that Kaoru is now in your keeping and that I am to treat your wounds and deliver a message to you from Katsura.”

“What message would that be?”

Megumi clucked her tongue. “Not until after your treatment.”

“Who do you work for?”

Megumi sighed. “For Katsura, of course. Although I didn’t know until today,” she added bitterly.

“Then why did I have to kidnap her?”

“Aren’t you listening? I don’t know. I won’t ever know, probably. So just let me treat your wounds, give you the message and get out of here.”

“And Kaoru?”

“What about her?”

“Don’t you care that she hates you now?”

“There’s nothing I can do about that, is there?” Megumi frowned, her eyes saddening.

Kenshin withdrew, sheathing his sword. He stepped around the taller woman and gently set the short sword on the rack below his long sword. He shrugged off his coat and pulled off his shirt, extending the crudely bandaged shoulder for Megumi to inspect.

“Sit down,” Megumi commanded.

Kenshin sat.

“Like a trained dog, are we?” Megumi chided, setting her medical kit onto the coffee table and fishing through it.

“Don’t lecture me on following orders.”

“I suppose you think I don’t have the right?”

Kenshin remained stonily silent. Megumi perched on the sofa beside Kenshin, poking gently at the blue bandages with a small pair of medical scissors.

“Kaoru’s work, I presume.” She shook her head. “That girl has much too soft a heart.”

“What do you mean by that?” Kenshin asked coldly, his eyes staring straight ahead.

“You don’t think it soft-hearted to bandage an enemy’s wounds? I bet these were a nice pair of socks once.” The doctor set about cutting through the light fabric carefully. “I bet she even stopped Aoshi from killing you.”

Kenshin’s smouldering eyes whipped around accusingly.

“Hit a soft spot, did I?” Megumi chuckled, “Don’t be blind. That girl is notorious for things like that.”

Kenshin looked away again. Megumi peeled the blood-encrusted bandages from Kenshin’s shoulder. Holding thick gauze between tweezers, she dabbed at the wound with antiseptic. Kenshin did not wince. She began to pull medical thread through a needle.

“So,” she began quietly, “Has my raccoon girl found a place in your heart yet?”

The assassin jerked suddenly.

Megumi smiled as she began to stitch his wound closed. “I’ll pretend that was because of the stitches.” She paused. “But you know, that child has a way of burrowing deep into you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m sure you do,” Megumi replied, still expertly stitching, “I only hope that she’ll forgive us all one day.” She cut the string that closed Kenshin’s wound and began to wrap real bandages around his chest and shoulder.

“Is it all true,” Kenshin asked, his voice low, “Is all that you wrote in those reports true?”

“Every word. The rape, the burn torture, the beatings.” Megumi iterated dully, “All of it is true.”

She stood, packing her tools into her kit.

“The message.”

Megumi turned back toward the red-haired killer. “Katsura-san would like to meet you. Tomorrow at eight in the morning, at the closest subway station. Wait by the doughnut vendor.”

She lifted the medicine box in one hand and outstretched her other hand, palm up. A nondescript packet lay in her open palm. “Take it,” she said, “This is for Kaoru, from me.”

“What is it?”

Megumi smiled wryly, letting the packet of pills fall onto the coffee table. “They’re for her dreams. She’ll sleep more easily if she takes these.” Megumi strode toward the door. As she was about to pull the thick wooden door shut after her, she looked back at Kaoru’s keeper.

“Goodbye, Himura-san. I don’t hope to meet you again,” she said softly, “But let me tell you this. If you hurt that silly little raccoon girl, expect to be poisoned.”

The door clicked closed.

Kaoru was lying stomach down on the bed, staring listlessly out of the window. Her school jacket and shoes were tossed lazily on the floor. Her eyes were painfully dry. She heard the door to her cage swing open. She felt the man standing in the doorway. She ignored him.

“Kaoru.” His voice, low and inquiring. Hated.

His footsteps, padding like a cat’s on the plush carpet. The dipping of the bed as his weight sank into the edge of the mattress. She would not look at him. The blue beyond the window seemed infinitely more appealing.

“Your doctor left something for you.” His voice again. Despicable.

“Don’t speak to me.” Be harsh. Be angry.

A hand, his calloused hand, resting lightly on the top of her head. Comforting. How dare he.

“Don’t touch me!” Scream. Pull away. She jerked to her knees on the bed, her outburst frenzied.

Pain. Burning at the scalp. Kaoru’s eyes blinked confusedly through mussed hair at a calm pair of amber eyes. His calm eyes staring at her. His fingers still entangled in the hair at the back of her head. Be angry. Be outraged. She inhaled to scream again.

Then, suddenly, her breath was knocked from her as she was dragged forward and crushed to the man’s chest. Choked sobs began to assail her ribcage, threatening to break her resolve.

Kaoru struggled within his fierce embrace, twisting and pushing at his chest. He released her hair suddenly and she tumbled backward, pulling him with her. As she scrambled to kick herself off the bed, Kenshin straddled her slim hips and pinned her flailing wrists to the bed.

“Let me go!” Kaoru shrieked, “You pervert!”

Kenshin grit his teeth. “Calm down.”

Kaoru’s response was to twist even more wildly beneath him.

“Stop!” He barked, lowering his face inches from hers, “And deal with it!”

Kaoru began to laugh hysterically, still flailing about wildly.

In danger of being severely kneed in the groin at any moment, Kenshin growled and lowered his face to her exposed neck. Without warning, he clamped his bare teeth onto the sensitive skin, biting her. Kaoru went rigid.

He pulled his head back up, his fingers still pushing her wrists into the mattress. “Why can’t you understand that we are all just players in this god-awful scheme?”

Kaoru turned away from him, the passivity implied through his words disgusting her. “Speak for yourself.”

“I am speaking for all of us. This is our fate.”

“I don’t believe in fate.” Kaoru looked up into his eyes, spitting out the word like dirty water.

“Do you believe in duty?”

“Do you?” Her words were thrown back at him childishly.

Releasing her wrists and setting his hands on his thighs, Kenshin met her anger with calmness. “I do,” he answered, “I kill for duty. I guard you for duty. I live because of my duty.”

“Puppet.” It was an old insult, meant as salt to his wounds.

“Child.”

“Asshole.” Nothing else came to her mind.

“Why don’t you just run away? Or commit suicide? You could have.”

Kaoru turned wide, shocked blue eyes on him.

“I-”

“You feel bound by your promise to Katsura-san, do you not? And to your own convictions, no doubt.”

The question sank into her bones.

Kenshin continued. “You are also living because of self-inflicted duty. As am I.”

“I don’t kill.”

“The world was built on the bodies of loved ones.”

“How eloquent. Too bad it’s all a load of-”

“You cannot blame them,” Kenshin interrupted, “You don’t know what is really going on. You don’t know if they desired to betray you. You don’t know what is in their hearts.”

Kaoru stared.

“I don’t pretend to understand you. But I do know that bitterness and spite are not in your nature.” His voice deepened. “And you belittle yourself by hiding behind them.”

Kaoru’s face crumpled and she covered her face with her hands, her sobs taking over. Rising from his haunches to his knees, Kenshin instantly pulled Kaoru out from under him by the armpits. Sinking back down, he cradled her to his chest.

“Cry,” he commanded in a whisper.

She wept.

Takasugi wandered the streets, searching. The city seemed ominous, mocking him for his loss. But he walked through it, the crowd pushing him back. He walked the cold, hard pavement until he reached a familiar spot. Brightly coloured bunches of foreign flowers adorned the windowsills. Takasugi’s eyes rose to the store’s green and white awning.

Joy’s Flowers and Convenience Store, he mouthed silently.

The lanky man took a step toward the store, stepping out of the milling crowd and into the demure shelter of the store’s awning. Seated upon low wooden bleachers, pot upon pot of daffodils, daisies, lilies and carnations smiled obliviously into the man’s bleak visage. He looked up, peering through the smudged glass to see a jovial, elderly lady working the cash register.

The tinkling of bells sounded in his ears. Or was it child’s laughter?

Takasugi looked to his side. A smartly dressed woman was bending down to the face of a plump little girl. The child was dusting the mother’s face with a blooming daisy. They were smiling. The bell-like laugh of the child bubbled up again. Takasugi stared. Could that be Uno and his child? No, it would never and could never be.

The mother suddenly turned to Takasugi. An anxious expression crossed her face and she grabbed her child’s hand protectively. Takasugi smiled ruefully, and wondered if he should tell them not to be afraid of him. But then, why wouldn’t they? He must look intimidating - a tall, scraggly man, standing nearby with thumbs absently tucked in jean pockets. A common thug.

But he spoke anyway, not willing to be deprived of the comforting image. “Don’t let me bother you,” he said with a broken smile.

But the crystalline image had already been shattered. Without replying, the woman pulled the child back out into the crowded stream of walking people, the daisy dropping to the cold pavement. Takasugi bent down slowly, like an old man, and picked up the daisy between thumb and forefinger, gently twirling it. Inhaling its mild scent, he closed his eyes and remembered another time.

“Don’t be silly!” Her voice, musical like the tones of tenor bells.

“I know you like them!” His voice, teasing her as he dusted her face with a flower.

“So will you buy them for me?”

“Of course! I will buy the world for you!” No doubt then. No pain, no sorrow.

Her hands, rough but beautiful, catching his hand that waved before her smile. Green shades from the awning above falling like shadows, witnessing their feathery kiss. Teasing him, she pulled him into an alley. Smiling at her in the semi-darkness, he pulled out his surprise gift for her. He had been waiting for this moment.

Happiness.

But happiness is a fleeting dream. The daisy Takasugi held fell to the ground, his hand pressed painfully to his forehead. He staggered backward, out from under the awning. Taking away his hand, he turned sideways and was faced with the darkness of that same alley. A silver glint caught his eye.

Nearly trembling, Takasugi ventured into the alley, his eye on the glinting silver chain that lay a few feet into the alley. Stooping, he picked it up. He swallowed hesitantly. And then he continued into the darkness, his heart falling to pieces.

The blue had disappeared from her window and the golden colours of sunset had replaced it. Her head resting lightly on Kenshin’s lap, Kaoru stared out the window.

“This is weird,” she commented.

Kenshin said nothing but silently agreed. He was sitting on the bed, legs out and arms supporting him from behind. Kaoru lay on the bed, her head on his lap and her arms loosely looped around his waist. It was strange.

“So,” Kaoru picked up from their conversion, “Father?”

“Never knew him.”

“Mother?”

“Same.”

“Siblings?”

“None that I know of.” A pause. “Father?”

“Dead.”

“Mother?”

“Dead.”

“Siblings?”

“None.”

“How did they die?”

Kaoru squeezed her eyes shut, reliving the screams, the terror and her own weeping. Blood running in squares around the tiles of a kitchen floor.

“Murdered.”

“Why?”

“They were protecting me. I was barely nine years old. Mom was cooking, dad was reading. They came out of nowhere and shot my father. My mother tried to hide me in a kitchen cupboard and they shot her too. Then they took me.”

“I see.”

“How long have you been doing this?” Kaoru asked carefully.

“This?”

“You know,” she said, eyes tracing the clouds outside, “The assassination thing.”

“You say it so casually,” Kenshin mused.

“How else can I say it?” Her voice reflected curiosity.

“I suppose,” he replied, looking down, “That you couldn’t say it any other way.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Is that an insult or a compliment?”

“Whatever you want,” Kenshin shrugged, “I’ve been in Choshu’s employment for thirteen years.”

“How old were you when you started?”

“At 15.”

“Ah,” Kaoru nodded triumphantly, “That means you’re 28!”

“Perceptive, aren’t you?”

“Is sarcasm part of your genetic make-up?”

“Was that a serious question?”

Kaoru sighed.

“Well, my turn,” Kenshin began, “Who taught you how to wrap bandages?”

“Nobody,” Kaoru answered, “I taught myself.”

“Who did you practice on?”

“Myself,” she stated blandly.

“Ah,” Kenshin deduced, “Your own wounds.”

“Perceptive, aren’t you?”

“Extremely. About another perception of mine-” Kenshin began slowly, “On the roof, you countered Aoshi’s attacks. Who taught you sword play?”

“My father,” Kaoru answered, swelling with pride.

“You seem moderately skilled.” It was a frank observation.

“Well, you’re not so bad yourself,” she quipped, “How long have you been practicing?”

“Forever.”

“No, seriously.”

Kenshin’s lips tightened. “I don’t remember a time when I did not practice sword arts.”

“Who trained you?” She prodded him.

“I once had a master. But we are not on speaking terms anymore.”

“Why not?” Kaoru inquired curiously.

“Let’s just say we differ on what constitutes a man’s reasonable duty.”

Kaoru raised herself onto one elbow, peering up at his distant eyes.

“Favourite restaurant?”

“I don’t have one.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t you like eating?”

“I don’t know.”

Kaoru jumped onto her knees. “That means you’ve never sampled the supreme cuisine of the Akabeko!”

Kenshin regarded her quizzically.

“It’s the best darned sukiyaki restaurant in town. I’ll take you next time.” She gave him both thumbs up. “I swear you won’t be disappointed.”

She has a way of burrowing deep into you.

Kenshin smiled. “Okay.”

Suddenly, a desperate pounding reverberated from the front door, accompanied by wild shouting. Kenshin sprang up and ran to the door, flinging it open. Two shadows loomed in the doorway. Stunned, Kaoru’s hands flew to her face, her eyes horrified.

Takasugi stood in the light of the doorframe, a broken body cradled in his arms. The woman’s long black hair trailed the floor, her limbs drooping doll-like, her grey eyes staring blankly and her pale skin bloodless. Takasugi stepped slowly into the room, his face as broken as the woman’s body.

Springing into action, Kenshin hurriedly closed and locked the door. Takasugi lumbered into the room slowly, his face contorted in silent sobs as he carried the woman across the living area. Gently, he laid her down across the leather sofa, smoothing her hair from her forehead. His chest heaving, he turned glazed eyes toward Kenshin.

With a maddened shriek, he suddenly lunged at the smaller man, clawing and punching. Kenshin lunged low, grabbing Takasugi’s crazed form by the midsection, wrestling him. He looked over at Kaoru’s frozen form.

“Bring her to the bathroom,” he panted at her, “Clean the body.”

Kaoru stared at Kenshin, not comprehending, as Kenshin grappled with Takasugi.

“Now!” Kenshin shouted at her, snapping her back to real time.

Kaoru rushed to the sofa, and began to haul the limp body by the armpits toward the bathroom. Takasugi shrieked again, enraged. He leapt toward the body. Kenshin tackled him from behind, throwing him to the floor.

“Go!” he heaved.

Kaoru complied instantly, dragging the body as quickly as she could. Kicking the door open, she pulled the woman in and stretched her out onto the tiled floor. From without, she could her the sounds of fist fighting. Trying to ignore the absurdity of the situation, Kaoru shut and locked the bathroom door.

It was then that she turned to kneel beside the body.

Blue-grey eyes stared lifelessly back at her. Kaoru’s breath caught in her throat, a sour taste rushing up, as she allowed herself to register the woman’s name.

“Linda,” she breathed, tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes, “Oh, Uno.”

Gently, she dragged her fingers over Uno’s eyelids, closing her eyes forever. Kaoru cupped Uno’s cold, bloodless cheeks with her own warm fingers. Tears dripping freely now, Kaoru let her hands wander down to Uno’s long neck. An open gash split her jugular horizontally, the wound dry and drained. From there, Kaoru pushed Uno’s clothes off one by one, lovingly folding them beside her head.

All of a sudden, the sound of shattering glass made Kaoru jump to her feet. A few indecipherable shouts and more shattering glass followed. Throwing the bathroom door open, Kaoru ran back out into the living room and skidded to a halt. Broken breakfast glasses lay in pieces by the wall.

“Get back in there!” Kenshin shouted at her, flinging his arm out.

But Kaoru’s eyes were riveted to Takasugi’s hunched form. He was panting, bruised but raging like a bull. He threw himself at Kenshin blindly, fists pummelling. Kenshin ducked and twisted, easily evading the mad attacks.

“Is this the price we have to pay?” Takasugi screamed madly.

“Get a hold of yourself!” Kenshin shouted back, throwing him over his shoulder.

Takasugi moaned and rolled up, mindlessly lunging at the other man. Kenshin stepped from this path and brought his elbow down into his assailant’s back. Takasugi crumpled to his knees and Kenshin stepped back, toward Kaoru.

“My Uno,” Takasugi whimpered, “Forgive me.”

Kaoru stared at the bent form of the once tall man. He was holding up his hands in front of him, palms up. Tears were coursing down his bruised and hollow cheeks. Sobs were racking his chest.

Shattered. Broken.

Kaoru’s face fell from shock into understanding. He needed rest, peace, oblivion. He needed to forget. She slowly advanced, reaching out with two fingers. Abruptly, her wrist was caught in a vice-like grip.

“No,” Kenshin ordered, his voice low and dangerous.

Kaoru ripped her arm free. “He needs this!”

“We need him.”

“It’s not about what you want!” she argued, “Look at him! I can help him!”

“He must live with the memory. He must survive this and understand.” Kenshin’s voice was cold and quiet, “He wants the memories.”

Kaoru tossed her head at the stony assassin. She hurried to Takasugi’s side and crouched, once again reaching out two fingers. Just as her fingertips were going to touch his forehead, Takasugi captured her wrist with a downward swipe of his arm.

He looked up, his eyes wild. “No,” he grit out painfully. His fingers crushed her wrist brutally. “She’ll live in me. I want her here.” He placed his other hand on his chest. Takasugi flung Kaoru away by the wrist and she tumbled to the floor a few meters away. He stood menacingly. In an instant, Kenshin was at his side. He punched Takasugi powerfully in the stomach, causing him to fall over unconscious.

“Did he hurt you badly?” Kenshin asked Kaoru, walking over to where she was.

Kaoru shook her head, standing up and brushing herself off.

“The body?”

Kaoru nodded, eyes downcast. They both headed for the bathroom. Uno lay perfectly arranged on the white tiled floor, naked as the day she was born.

“She’s so still,” Kaoru whispered.

“Of course,” Kenshin said bluntly as he began to soak two face cloths in water, “She’s dead.”

Kaoru shot him a death glare as he crouched opposite her, on the other side of the body. “How can you be so irreverent?”

“There is nothing to revere about death,” Kenshin commented blandly, handing Kaoru one of the face towels, “Have you ever cleaned a body before?”

“Yes,” Kaoru replied, “But I can’t believe your attitude. She was a wonderful woman.”

“She was a wonderful woman,” Kenshin agreed, wiping the dirt and crusted blood from Uno’s body, “But she is gone now. And we can do nothing for her. The cleansing rites are more for our sake than for hers. She won’t know about it.”

Kaoru scowled but bent down and began to gently scrub the blood and grime from Uno’s skin. For awhile, they worked in silence, lost in their own thoughts.

“She’s so stiff,” Kaoru murmured softly, lifting her fingers.

“She lost her blood and she’s been dead for a while,” Kenshin explained, “That’s what happens to dead bodies. Are you sure you are okay doing this?”

Kaoru nodded resolutely. She felt that she had to. It took more than an hour to carefully clean Uno’s body. Before wrapping her corpse in a spare bathrobe, Kenshin had inspected the wounds, his brows drawn together.

“What is it?” Kaoru asked.

“Burn torture,” Kenshin said softly, almost to himself, “And a slit throat.”

“Who would do such a thing?” Kaoru asked incredulously.

“You don’t need to know.”

Kenshin lifted Uno’s body in his arms and carried her to the living room, laying her down on the sofa again. Takasugi had risen at some point at was nursing a glass of straight liquor. He watched with dry, bloodshot eyes as Uno was laid down before his eyes. He turned to Kenshin.

“About that-” he began.

Kenshin held up a dismissing hand.

Takasugi looked down, a distant smirk on his face. “I thought as much.” He sipped his drink. “She was the only one, you know.”

“I will take her to be cremated,” Kenshin announced softly, “Right away.”

“It’s the only way, I suppose,” Takasugi sniffed, “I’ve never been able to protect her. I don’t have the right,” here he laughed mirthlessly, “Or the guts to help perform the last rites for her. I’ll wait in my apartment. Please bring back the…” He trailed off, his grip becoming white around the short glass.

“I will,” Kenshin interrupted.

“Thank you.” Takasugi headed for the door, stooping to kiss Uno’s pale forehead before turning away.

“Takasugi-san.” A soft, feminine whisper caught his attention, “I believe this is yours.”

He turned and saw Kaoru holding out one hand, palm open. Her eyes were downcast but he could see silver trails of tears coursing down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” her voice came out muffled, “She gave it to me, but I didn’t know it was you.”

Takasugi strode over the Kaoru and peered down at the silver object that lay in her outstretched palm. A sob choked his throat as he stared down at a perfect circle of silver, just big enough to fit around a lady’s ring finger. It rushed back at him then.

“I have something for you, Uno.”

“What is it, Shinsaku? And do you have to give it me in this alley?”

“This is important, Uno.”

“Okay. What is it?”

“Close your eyes.”

She obeyed. Lifting her fist, he uncurled her fingers and slipped a shining silver ring onto her ring finger. Uno’s eyes fluttered open in surprise.

“It’s beautiful!”

“It’s only silver-”

­“It’s perfect! And-”

“I’m not quite done, sweetheart.” He pulled a long silver chain from his pocket and gently clasped it around her neck. “There now, what do you think?”

“What are they for?”

He cupped his hands around her delicate face. “I am a weak man-” She tried to interrupt but he silenced her by putting one finger on her lips. “But I love you. And I want you to know, that even though we can never marry, my love for you will never die - no matter what happens to this world. I swear.”

Tears lined those vibrant, beautiful eyes of hers.

“I love you, Uno.”

“I love you, Shinsaku.”

Then, in the same alley, her eyes had turned blank and unseeing. He had found her, thrown casually amid the trashcans and delivery boxes, her body sprawled out like a discarded doll. And her eyes - harrowing sadness and death staring lifelessly at him, their beauty gone forever.

Takasugi blinked back tears and picked the same ring from Kaoru’s palm. With the movements of an old man, he extracted the same silver chain from his pocket and threaded the ring onto it. Reverently, he strung the necklace around his neck and fixed the clasp.

“Thank you,” he muttered, turning away.

Without another word, Takasugi Shinsaku strode out the door, lifting the back of his hand in salute.

“Kaoru.” Kenshin’s voice cut through the air like a knife, “I will take Uno’s body away now.”

She blinked. Had the air gotten thick all of a sudden?

“Kaoru.” His voice again, though more distant.

Kaoru squinted at him. Had it gotten darker? Suddenly, the floor rushed up at her and she crumpled to her knees.

“Kaoru!”

He was at her side in an instant. She turned bleary blue eyes to him, confusion evident. “I’m sorry,” she began, “I-”

“It’s okay,” he breathed, letting her rest against his chest, “You should go to bed.”

“No!” she suddenly cried out, going rigid. Kenshin frowned, wondering at her behaviour. He placed a hand to her forehead.

“You have a fever,” he said quietly. Before she could react, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, where he deposited her.

“The strain…” she whispered, blinking her eyes to keep them open, “I don’t want to sleep…”

Kenshin cradled her lolling head in the crook of his arm and fished out the packet of pills Megumi had given him earlier from his pocket. He took one capsule between his forefinger and thumb and pressed it Kaoru’s lips. Suddenly, she clamped her mouth shut, shaking her head violently.

“Kaoru,” Kenshin prodded, “Take it.”

“I don’t want those,” Kaoru mumbled, “The dreams…”

“It will help,” he answered, trying again to push the capsule between her stubbornly closed lips. He withdrew his hand, frustrated.

“I need to go, Kaoru.”

“Then,” she murmured, “Promise me…”

“What?”

“Come back,” Kaoru whispered, opening her blue eyes to meet his, “Stay here with me. Don’t leave me alone.”

Kenshin nodded, trying once again to make Kaoru take the pill. Kaoru pushed his arm away and looked at him earnestly, trying to sit up. Gently, he pushed her back down, letting her nest her head in the crook of his arm once more.

“You promise?” Kaoru asked again, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment.

“Yes,” Kenshin replied, quietly placing the pill on the tip of his own tongue, “I promise.”

Kaoru opened her mouth to protest but she was interrupted as Kenshin instantly lowered his face to hers, taking the opportunity to capture her open mouth with his. Slowly, Kenshin let his tongue sweep the inside of her mouth, firmly drawing her close with the arm that was hooked around her neck. He leisurely withdrew his tongue from her mouth, leaving the pill behind. Tenderly, he pulled on her lower lip with his before lifting his lips from hers. Kaoru swallowed instinctively, licking her lips. He watched expressionlessly as her blue eyes opened slowly, filling with confusion. She blinked rapidly a few times, her eyes questioning him all the while. Then they closed in sleep, the medicine taking rapid effect. Kenshin gently pulled his arm out from under the sleeping woman and pulled the covers up around her chin.

Kenshin sighed deeply as he stood. She would not have taken the pill, he knew that. She was only a child, eleven years younger than himself.

Even so, he brought his fingers up to his mouth, letting them rest on the newly moistened lips.

Their first kiss.