Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A New Light ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Standard Disclaimers apply: RK is not mine, I don't own it, never will, this is for entertainment purposes, I have no money…blah blah blah….

Chapter 3

Yahiko made another pass across the dojo floor while Sano sat on the porch, watching the youngster. "Didn't Megumi tell you to help with the chores too?" the young samurai growled, his brow damp with sweat.

Sano just shrugged, "I think you missed a spot over there." He raised his hand and pointed in a random direction.

"Baka!" Yahiko snapped in disgust.

Kenshin absently finished the remaining laundry, his thoughts full of concern for his Kaoru. Part of him told himself he was being silly, people got ill all the time and were back on their feet in a matter of a few days. His constant brooding was not going to make matters better and would only compound the problem. His mind needed to be clear and he could not allow Karou to see his fretfulness, knowing she would only push herself to get better in order to quiet his anxiousness.

Disturbing memories unburied themselves from the dark corners of his mind, making it difficult to still his disquiet. He could remember being inside a dim house, standing next to a bed, staring down at the wasted body of someone he cared about deeply. He could not touch them as they lay there, eyes sunken into their skull and body trembling with fever, though he wanted desperately to bury his face in their chest and be told that everything would be okay.

One by one, the sickness claimed his family. His father was the first to succumb to it and soon after his three older brothers. When his mother began to show signs of the disease he came to know as cholera, he was sent away, never to see her again, but knowing in his heart her fate had been the same. Even today, so many years later, he could distinctly remember the anger he felt at being so powerless to help them and the confusion from being the only one spared.

He shook his head, chasing the way the visions of coffins and bodies, scolding himself once again for overreacting. "Kaoru is a strong girl," he told himself, "She'll be just fine." He repeated it over and over in his head as he dumped the wash bucket and headed inside to fix lunch.

********

Megumi sat next to Kaoru's futon, watching the young girl's face curiously. She seemed to be feeling better, though her face was still a bit pale. She had no fever, no chills, not even a rash or spot on her body to indicate any kind of illness. Yet, Megumi had her suspicions, and she sat quietly trying to think of a way to drive the honest truth from the girls mouth, knowing Kaoru would deny the accusation Megumi was about to make.

"I feel okay now Megumi san, just a little tired, that's all."

Megumi cocked a brow at the girl, "So you say?" She moved to wring out one of the wet clothes next to the futon, folding it in her lap. "You say lately you've been more tired than normal, right?"

Kauro nodded slowly, "Yes. Yahiko and I have been training particularly hard the past few weeks, it doesn't surprise me really. I'm probably over doing it, that's all."

"That may be an understatement," Megumi thought sourly, "Is this the first time you've been physically sick Kaoru?"

Kaoru folded her hands in her lap and shook her head, "No, it's happened a few times actually, but I've always been able to be more….discreet about it." Her cheeks reddened at the thought of this morning's embarrassment. She must have looked absolutely ridiculous lying in a heap on the floor of the training hall with her head shoved into a bucket of sticks. Never had she felt so humiliated.

She glanced at Megumi, who started at her with a more than skeptical look. The doctor's dark eyes bore into Kaoru's, as if trying to wrench the thoughts out of her brain. Kaoru toyed with the sheets in her lap, unsure of what to say or do next, slightly afraid to move under the unnerving gaze. Finally, unable to bear the strained silence, Kaoru blurted out, "Is it something I ate?"

Megumi struggled to maintain her stony glare, swallowing the laughter that threatened to burst forth from her chest. Maybe Kaoru and Kenshin could fool the rest of the world with their insanely innocent courtship, but Megumi wasn't falling for it. Like everyone else she noticed how much time they spent with each other, the shy, chaste touches they shared, and the tender smiles they gave each other, but she saw something else the others failed to miss. She could see the fire that burned behind Kenshin's violet eyes each time he looked at Karou. His gaze was not that of a man who was shyly wooing the girl of his dreams, but that of a man full of want and desire for his woman.

Megumi almost shuddered thinking about the spark in his violet eyes, and knew that no woman would be able to deny him what he wanted with a gaze as sharp as his. She hardly doubted the raccoon girl before her could fend him off, or that she even wanted to. The doctor had to admit the samurai was a master at deception, he managed to fool most of Tokyo with his polite nature and old-fashioned morals, but Megumi knew that behind all that he was just a man, with the same wants and needs as any other male.

Megumi put on her most serious face, "No, I don't think it was something you ate Karou. I rather think it was something you got from Ken san." She pursed her lips in an effort not to smile wickedly.

Karou gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, "Is he going to be okay?" He hadn't been acting ill lately; in fact, he was as frisky as a schoolboy a few nights ago. Kaoru blushed at the thought, praying Megumi didn't see the redness in her cheeks.

Megumi closed her eyes and bit her tongue, "Stupid girl!" she thought. Slowly she rose from the edge of the futon and moved to the door. "I'm going to find Ken san, I think we should discuss this together." She slid the door shut with a snap, leaving Kaoru alone with her worries.

************

Megumi found Kenshin chopping vegetables in the kitchen. His back was to her, but she could see from his stiff posture and rigid movements that he was tense. She stood in the door, watching him quietly until he spoke.

"Is Kaoru dono well?"

Even though she expected him to notice her, she still jumped. The icy edge was still present in his voice and his back was still to her. She reminded herself quickly that it was practically impossible to surprise a man like Kenshin, his perception was acutely attuned to everything going on around him at all times. She regained her composure and stiffly replied, "She's awake Ken san, but I don't think her life will be the same after today."

Kenshin put the knife down slowly and turned to face Megumi. His eyes glinted with an intense variation of colors and his face was pinched with stress. "What do you mean Megumi." He made no effort to be overly polite this time, nothing mattered except the state of Karou's health and a part of him knew Megumi was hiding something.

Megumi met his gaze defiantly, her black eyes twinkling with mischief. Inside, she smiled wickedly. Though the rurouni possessed remarkable fighting skills, his everyday people skills were rather dull. She decided to teach the samurai and his little woman a lesson for keeping such secrets from the rest of the family.

She waved off his dark stare and turned to go down the hall, "Come. We'll talk in Kaoru's room."

*********

Kenshin rushed to Kaoru's side as he entered the room, fussing with her blankets and asking her repeated questions. Karou smiled at his efforts, yet gently pushed him away, telling him to sit quietly instead. She turned to Megumi, her lower lip trembling as she awaited whatever horrible news the doctor had to tell them.

Kenshin laced his fingers through hers and brushed a light kiss on her cheek hoping to calm the jittery girl.

"Tell me," he stated, looking hard at Megumi.

"My God, by the look of them you'd think they're expecting me to tell them that they're dying, " Megumi thought to herself. For a moment she felt a little sorry for her deception, but it was only a fleeting moment as she reminded herself that they deserved it due to their own dishonesty. She pointed a finger at Kenshin accusingly, "Miss Kaoru's condition is your doing Ken san!" She stood over the couple and placed her hands on her hips, frowning at the two like scolded children.

Bewildered, Kenshin replied, "Oro? Is it my cooking?"

Megumi fought the urge to slap him silly. "He's as dumb as that girl!" She ran her fingers through her bangs and gritted her teeth. She had no intention of explaining the facts of life to a man of Kenshin's age. Temper gave way to reason and she shouted, "Kenshin you idiot! You got Kaoru pregnant!"

The room was deathly quiet for a long time. Megumi noted that Kenshin was now sickly white and his mouth hung open in utter shock. Kaoru's blue eyes were wide, brimming with tears and her hands clutched the cloth of her sleeping robe.

"Oh my, " Kenshin finally managed to squeak.

Megumi sighed and sat down next to them, "Honestly you two, did you not bother to think about the consequences of your actions?" She glared at Kenshin. There was no excuse for him to behave so naively, he was nearly 30 years old and could not be that dense. Kaoru was still young, and never had the guidance of another woman, but surely she would have figured it out by now as most girls did before they came of age. There was no excuse for their ignorance.

The couple just stared at her, silently answering her question, "Apparently not," Megumi thought to herself. "Well, what's done is done, now you'll have to deal with the situation." She folded her hands in front her and waited for the shock to wear off so they could begin discussing the future.

Kaoru hung her head, clenching and unclenching the fabric of her robe. "Pregnant," she whispered. The word turned over and over in her head and she felt Kenshin squeeze her hand.

"Megumi dono," his voice was soft and quiet, "you make this sound like such a bad thing when it isn't at all in the least."

Megumi frowned at his words, "No, not normally Ken san, but must I remind you that you and Karou are not married? That alone is enough to tarnish both your names." She had no doubt that this baby would bring a much needed joy to her friends lives, but the manner of this pregnancy could have some serious repercussions. If people found out Kaoru carried a child out of wedlock her name would be ruined, the dojo would suffer, and society would shun them for their disgraceful act.

Megumi knew in her heart that a child of these two people deserved much better than that, and it made her angry that the two would be so selfish to overlook that fact.

Kenshin noticed the worry dancing in Megumi's angry glare and patted her hand reassuringly, "Megumi dono, I understand your concern and I apologize for our deception, we had our reasons. It was always my full intention to marry Kauro dono, but it would appear that it needs to be done sooner than expected."

Kenshin turned to Kaoru and took her face in his hands, "That is, if she'll have me now."

At first Kaoru felt mildly bitter at the idea of being forced into a marriage, fearing it would some how tarnish what they already have. The thought was fleeting though and she felt ashamed for even toying with the idea. As she looked into Kenshin's eyes she saw nothing but love, respect, and devotion. Deep in her heart she knew this baby would bring them even closer, uniting them as one for eternity, and giving something to Kenshin that he needed indefinitely, a new beginning.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she whispered against his cheek.

Kenshin smiled and kissed her lightly.

"Well then," Megumi muttered, her cheeks red from witnessing the couple's tender moment.

Kenshin grinned sheepishly, "How long do we have?" he asked the doctor, motioning to Karou's abdomen.

"The baby will be here in late January or early Feburary," she replied.

Kenshin nodded, smiling at the word "baby", "So we have plenty of time to marry before anyone notices Kaoru's condition."

Megumi nodded slowly, wondering what the samurai was up to. She could almost see his mind working behind that thick skull of his. He couldn't possibly intend to keep this a secret from the rest of the group, that would be virtually impossible. Yet Megumi learned long ago not underestimate the cunning of the little samurai though, and she did not put it past him to at least try to deceive the rest of their little family. Rolling her eyes at his undeniable stubbornness she threw out a simple suggestion, " You'd better get moving Ken san, if you plan on successfully hiding this from the others. Karou won't show the obvious for a several weeks, but remember, pregnancies consist of more than just growing bellies." She left it at that, not feeling the need to explain womanly matters with a man.

Kenshin blushed, "I understand. You and Karou have much to discuss and I have some business to attend to," he glanced at Karou, who was surprisingly quiet considering the news, "Kaoru? Is three weeks okay with you?"

"That would be just fine Kenshin," she replied, smiling slightly.

Kenshin gave her a worried look, "This is a lot to take in. I can hardly believe it myself, " he thought. Megumi had not lied when she said their lives would never be the same after today. The couple now had a marriage to plan and a baby to prepare for, the next few months would definitely be a turning point in their relationship. It would take some time to get use to. He stood up slowly, tucking his hands inside his gi and smiling his best rurouni grin, " Okay then, I'm going to finish lunch and finish the chores." He walked to the door, and turned slowly to look at Megumi, "Thank you Megumi dono, for your discretion regarding this matter. I know our secret is safe with you."

Megumi nodded and watched him go.

She turned back to Kaoru, who's face held a thousand questions. Megumi could see a plethora of emotions flashing in the young girl's eyes. She settled next to Kaoru and prepared herself for a lengthy conversation.

Okay, so Kenshin and Kaoru aren't jumping up and down for joy at the news, but believe me, finding out your pregnant is a pretty darn good dose of news (even if it's the best news in the world!), just as the shock wears off the entirety of the whole thing hits you…but I'll get to that part later….so don't kill me now if you thought their reactions were a bit OOC or bizarre….