Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ To Love You Again ❯ I'll wait for you ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Hi, minna-san! First of all, thanks for all the reviewers. It's good to have such nice people reading my fic.

A lot of people asked what happened to Kaoru... That you will know when Kenshin knows it (well... sorta). But don't worry, you'll not even see time pass with what I thought for those two on chapters to come.

Disclaimer: Hana-chan had just finished researching for her fanfiction when Kenshin and KayJuli (the editor of this fic) walked in her room.
Kenshin: "Hana-dono... Sessha thinks you shouldn't have told KayJuli-dono the plot of the story."
Hana-chan: "Huh? Why, Kenshin?"
Kenshin: "She is always giving me those: 'I know what will happen to you' glances. It's scary."
KayJuli: "You are just jealous that you don't know what will happen on the fic!"
Kenshin: "Am not!"
KayJuli: "Are too!"
Firuze Khanume pops out of nowhere.
Firuze: "Kenshin must side with me and ask Hana-chan for a lemon."
Kenshin: "That would be really nice... Can you write it, Hana-dono?"
Hana-chan (turning redder than Kenshin's hair): "Kenshin no hentai! You know I can't write lemons!"
Bao Blossom pops out of nowhere: "You know, Firuze, what they do in private, is private."
Firuze: "Well... There are still keyholes, you know..."
KayJuli, blushing madly: "And hidden cameras..."
Firuze, Bao and KayJuli (staring at Kenshin): "mmmmmmmmmmmmm"
Kenshin blushes deeply. Hana-chan gets mad with them and throws them out of the room, locking them outside.
Hana-chan sighs in relief: Where was I?? *she types really slowly* I_Don't_Own_Rurouni_Kenshin.

Special thanks to: Bao Blossom and Firuze Khamune for being on my disclaimer (Thanks Firuze for beta-reading my drafts too). Kathie for editing, reviewing my obvious grammar mistakes (yeah, there were a lot of those... I tell myself that because I'm sick I'm allowed to make silly mistakes) and for being on my disclaimer. To chibi-angel for the nice e-mail. Also, a BIG THANKS to Gypsy-chan for sending me a "get well " e-card.

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"Dialogs"
'Thoughts'
Flashba ck
[author's note]
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To Love you Again

5. I'll wait for you

Kenshin sank his face on his hands. He felt incredibly tired from the night he had spent awake. But still, he felt extremely relieved that Kaoru had come back, even if she was hurt. He leaned back on the couch of the awaiting room of the clinic.

Tae was sitting on the couch across the room from his. Kenshin's eyes fell on a kid's toy. For the first time he noticed the room's decoration. It was mostly painted in light yellow, the wallpaper was decorated with balloons. There was a basket on one of the corners with toys and dolls. 'A doctor is a doctor, even if she is a pediatrician. At least Kaoru is being treated.'

Memories flooded Kenshin's mind.

"Tadaima."

"Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin muttered.

'She is freezing...' Kenshin thought, holding her in his arms. A low protesting murmur escaped her throat, letting him know that she wasn't completely unconscious. Kenshin quickly searched her body for wounds. She seemed virtually unharmed, except for the cut on her arm. 'Maybe she will need stitches.' His mind registered.

He carried her to Akabeko, opening the door with a kick, what caused Tae to wake up, almost falling from her chair on the process.

"Is she...?" Tae asked her face growing pale.

"She doesn't seem too hurt, but we have to take her to a hospital."

"N-no... No hospital..." Kaoru murmured on a semiconscious state.

"But you are hurt." Kenshin objected.

"No..." She whispered.

"Himura-san, don't listen to her. We have to take her... She is in no condition to decide." Tae said, rushing to hold the door opened for Kenshin.

Kenshin carried Kaoru outside and waited beside his car.

"Demo..." Kenshin tried to gather his thoughts, while Tae approached him. "She doesn't want to go to a hospital, Tae-san."

Tae looked at him quizzically, without entirely understanding what he was trying to say. "I can't make her do something she doesn't want to..."

"And what are we supposed to do? Wait and see if she is going to be all right? I don't think so!" Tae seemed enraged.

Kenshin stepped back. He never had heard that gentle woman talking that way. 'She is too worried... even more than she should be.'

"I'm not saying that we won't get her wounds treated by a doctor." Kenshin said, trying to balance the weight of Kaoru's body. "My keys are on my left pocket. I can't reach them without dropping Kaoru-san."

"Himura-san, what are you intending to do?"

"We are going to take Kaoru-san to a doctor." Kenshin answered. 'If she doesn't want to go to a hospital, I'm not going to take her. She doesn't seem too much wounded. A clinic should do. And if the doctor says she needs to go to a hospital, I'll take her without questioning.'

Tae picked his keys on his pocket and opened the door. Kenshin gently placed Kaoru on the back sit of the car.

"N-no hospital..." Kaoru repeated.

"No, Kaoru. No hospital." Kenshin whispered to her.

He rushed her to the nearest doctor that he knew, that incidentally was his son's pediatrician.

Kenshin was awaken from his reveries by Tae calling his name.

"Do you think she is going to be okay?" Tae asked.

'She looks as worried as a mother.' Kenshin thought.

"Megumi-san is a great doctor. Don't worry. She will take good care of Kaoru-san."

'I hope the only injury they gave her was that cut on her arm... Whoever attacked her doesn't deserve to live...' Kenshin sighed, glancing at his clock. 'Six forty-four in the morning. We were lucky that Megumi-san lives here.'

A door opened and the doctor came into the awaiting room. Tae and Kenshin got up.

"How is she?" Tae was the first to ask.

"She has a couple of bruised ribs. I gave her seven stitches on that arm. She better not move it for a while, so it can heal properly. Other than that, and the fact that she is on a state of profound exhaustion, she is fine."

"Can we see her?" Tae asked, anxiously.

"Sure." Megumi said and guided them to the examination room.

Kaoru was lying over the examination table, wearing only a teddy bear apron that seemed a little too short for her. Kenshin found himself staring at her well defined legs for a moment. 'Hentai!' He mentally kicked himself, rearranging his thoughts. 'She has the face of an angel... A pale, hurt angel.'

"I want her to stay here a while longer, so that she can rest a bit." Megumi said on a low tone of voice.

Kenshin brushed a few bangs away from Kaoru's face. The tip of his fingers brushed slightly at her forehead. At least she didn't feel as cold as before.

"Tae-san, we should get her some clean clothes, while she sleeps." Kenshin said, motioning them to leave.

Megumi accompanied them to the door.

"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll take good care of your daughter." Megumi said.

Tae just nodded and left. Kenshin stared at her, while she walked away.

"Is there something wrong, Ken-san? Do you need a check up too? I would be happy to examine you anytime, anywhere."

Kenshin looked at her. He could almost see fox ears popping on her head, as she covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.

"Oro... Nothing is wrong, Megumi-san. I'll be back for Kaoru later."

***

Kenshin sat behind the wheel of his car. Tae was on the passenger sit, but she seemed deep in thought. 'Should I ask her or not?' Kenshin pondered, as the car started moving. 'It might be uncomfortable, but I have to know.'

"Tae-san..." He called gently, and waited for the woman to awake from her daydream before he continued. "I was wondering..."

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell Megumi-san that Kaoru isn't your daughter?"

"I didn't?" Tae seemed puzzled. "When?"

"Just now when we were leaving. Megumi-san said she would take good care of your daughter and you didn't say a thing."

"I guess... I was just happy that Kaoru-chan is going to be okay. I was really worried about her. Kami-sama knows how dangerous the city can be..."

"Why do you care so much about her?" Kenshin asked.

"Why do you, Himura-san? You were just as worried as I was, if not more."

'She really doesn't want to talk about it. Maybe I should leave it alone...' Kenshin thought, concentrating on the road.

"Why, Himura-san?" Tae insisted.

"I don't know why. I just do."

Kenshin could feel her smiling. 'She must think I'm in love with Kaoru-san...'

"I think it must be because I know what it's like to be alone when you are so young." Kenshin smiled.

"Kaoru-chan reminds me of someone." Tae took a deep breath.

'So... That's why... Should I ask who? Or will that make her even more uncomfortable?'

"I don't know why. They don't even look alike..." Tae continued.

"Who are you talking about, Tae-san?"

"My daughter. She would be about Kaoru-chan's age now." There was the unmistakable glint of sadness in her voice. "She was a really good girl. Always concerned for everybody. One day we argued over something really stupid and she ran away. I waited for her all night. The next morning I got the call from the hospital, but I didn't even have the time to say good-bye to her..."

The only thing that Kenshin heard for a while were Tae's sobs. He didn't say a word, mostly because he didn't know what to say. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to loose a son or a daughter. The closest he could come up with that feeling were the times that he had lost sight of Yahiko in the supermarket or the amusement park. The boy was fond of exploring those places by himself. But he always found him after a while.

"When I saw Kaoru-chan sleeping on Akabeko's doorstep, all I could think was how I wished that someone had done the same for Eiko. You know... To reach and help her." Tae started drying her tears. "I know that by helping her I'm not going to have my daughter back. But if I can prevent that the same thing happens to someone else, I'm already happy."

"I understand, Tae-san. I'm grateful that you helped Kaoru-san." Kenshin said, without a thought.

"You like her, don't you?" Tae asked him.

"She is a terrific human being. I would be crazy if I didn't like her for that." Kenshin shifted, uncomfortable. 'What is she trying to imply? I hope she doesn't think that I'm in love with Kaoru. That would be really bad. Why do I care, anyway? Damn... When I said I was grateful, I meant it. But why? Why am I grateful that she helped someone that doesn't mean anything to me?'

A chill ran trough his spine, as if he actually didn't mean his words. A mental image of Kaoru wearing a pink kimono and a navy blue obi appeared on his mind. Her hair was up on a ponytail, tied by a ribbon in same color of the obi, and she was smiling. 'She would look great in a kimono... What the hell I'm thinking about? I never had a fetish for women in kimonos... I'm going crazy.'

Kenshin parked the car in front of Akabeko.

***

'How can someone sleep in here? I feel suffocated already.' Kenshin thought as he entered with Tae in the small room on the back of Akabeko. 'She's been living here... I can smell her scent. Kaoru-san...'

Tae opened the drawer of the nightstand.

"She has very few clothes..." She stated, picking something for the girl to wear.

"Tae-san..." Kenshin hesitated. "I think you should give Kaoru-san a few days off."

"Yes... It's like the doctor said. She has that wounded arm to heal and she needs rest."

"I don't think Kaoru-san could have a proper rest staying here. Maybe you could take her home with you."

"I wished I could. I moved recently to a smaller apartment. I don't have room for her. Besides, I have to work. I can't take care of her." Tae sighed.

"Then... who is going to look after Kaoru-san?"

"You could." Tae said, matter of factly.

"I couldn't possibly."

"This is strange." Tae stated, closing the drawer.

"What?"

"I didn't think that she had so few clothes..." Tae left the room.

Kenshin took one more look around. 'Not in a million years Kaoru-san would be comfortable here.' Kenshin sighed. Then he realized what he had thought and quickly added. 'Nor Kaoru-san, nor any other human being.'

He followed Tae to the car. His mind was spinning with million thoughts at the same time. Kenshin sat on the driver's sit once again. Half the way to the clinic they spent in silence. Then Kenshin finally decided to ask what was in his mind.

"Do you think she would find it weird?" He asked.

"Find what weird, Himura-san?"

"If I look after her."

"I don't think she would mind. After all... She needs to rest. She'll have better rest if she stays with you. I don't know her for too long, but I have the impression that if she stays at Akabeko she will want to work as soon as she can stand up."

"Yes... She wouldn't rest properly..."

"And she needs someone concerned for her well being... Someone who won't let her pull her stitches." Tae said, absentmindedly. "Why don't you take her home, Himura-san? You could look after her for a couple of days... Couldn't you?"

"I have to work too. Even though... I don't think I'll be going to the office today. I didn't have a minute of sleep the entire night. There is no point in going to work if I'll look like a zombie all day long. But I can't stay home two days in a row."

"I'm sure Kaoru-chan will be fine by herself tomorrow..."

"I could take her home, couldn't I?"

"I'm glad you agree with it, Himura-san!" Tae said, happily.

'I agree? Well...' Kenshin sighed. 'She can't possibly rest all she needs staying in such an unhealthy place.'

***

'Oh... My head hurts...' Kaoru lazily opened her eyes. 'Huh? Where am I? Is this a hospital? It doesn't look like a hospital... But it smells like medicine.'

"So... Are we up already?" Asked a dark haired woman that was sitting not far from her.

"Where?" Kaoru asked, beginning to get up.

"Your mother and Ken-san went to pick you some clothes. Yours are bloodied." The woman pointed the clothes lying over a chair.

'Mother? My mother? What is she talking about?'

"Who?" Kaoru asked.

"Himura Kenshin and the nice short lady with the brown hair... I think Ken-san called her 'Tae'."

"Oh... Himura-san and Tae-san..." Kaoru murmured.

"That lady seemed very worried about you. I assumed she was your mother."

"No, she isn't. Who are you?"

"Takani Megumi. I'm a doctor. A pediatrician, actually."

Kaoru eyed her patched arm.

"Seven stitches." Megumi told her. "Is it hurting? I'll give you a pain killer."

The doctor moved over to a cabinet, where she retrieved an injection and a small flask of medicine. She started preparing the shot and a few moments later she came to the bed Kaoru was sitting. 'Oh, no...' Kaoru thought, taking a deep breath.

"What is this face?" Megumi asked.

"I don't like needles." Kaoru said, still eyeing the injection with a suspicious glance.

"Don't be a baby." Megumi said, holding her arm and quickly applying the injection.

Kaoru let out a yell of surprise.

A few seconds later, Kenshin burst into the room.

"Kaoru-san!"

Megumi and Kaoru eyed him puzzled. Megumi pulled the needle from Kaoru's arm.

"You are..." Kenshin began, blushing red from embarrassment. "Okay?"

"Hai, I'm fine." Kaoru smiled.

"You were shouting. I thought..."

"Takani-san surprised me."

Kenshin let out an "oh".

"I have to ask you a few questions for your chart." Megumi said, noticing the way Kenshin was looking at the girl.

"Okay..." Kaoru said, hesitantly.

"Name?"

"Kamiya Kaoru."

"Your address?"

Kenshin leaned forward to hear it better. Maybe he could try to track her family. She could still have a living relative that she didn't know about. But for his disappointment, he heard her answer:

"Akabeko..."

'Don't disappoint me, Megumi-san. Ask her previous address...'

"Birthday and Place of birth."

'Maybe I should just ask her. Maybe she wants to find out. But what if she really doesn't have any family left? Should I give her hope when the odds are completely against it?' Kenshin barely heard her reply, but his mind registered the information. 'Oro! Her birthday is next week.'

"How did you get hurt, Kaoru-san?" Megumi asked next.

"I fell down."

"You are lying."

"Why do you care?"

"You are such a stubborn little girl."

"I'm not a little girl. I'm turning eighteen!" Kaoru stomped her foot.

"You hardly show it."

"Maa maa... Please stop it, Kaoru-san, Megumi-san. You are not getting anywhere." Kenshin tried to calm them down.

"Well, Ken-san, this girl has a knife injure on her arm. It's a police matter."

Kaoru palled and Kenshin noticed it.

"I'm sure there is no reason to involve the police." Kenshin began and Kaoru relaxed a little. "It was probably street thugs."

"Definitely." Kaoru agreed.

Megumi picked up Kaoru's pants that were over a chair and took the money from her pocked.

"And they didn't rob me... Because..." Kaoru looked to Kenshin desperately for support.

"Because a police car on patrol was coming and they started running!" Kenshin began to panic.

"And one of them had the knife and hurt her before he ran." Tae added.

"And the cops just left Kaoru-san hurt on the street?" Megumi intervened.

"They offered to take me to a hospital!" Kaoru snapped.

"But Kaoru-chan refused..." Tae said.

"Because she hates hospitals." Kenshin added.

"And the injury didn't seem so bad." Kaoru finished.

"I never saw three people lying together with such expertise. I'll leave this as it is... But just because Ken-san asked." Megumi bated her eyelashes. "And Ken-san is going to take me out for a drink later."

Kenshin muffled an "oro". Kaoru unconsciously glared Megumi. 'What is with her and that Ken-san business?' Kaoru thought.

"Kaoru-san, that shot I gave you before, might make you feel a bit drowsy. You shouldn't drive until it wears off. Oh! I forgot... You aren't old enough to drive." Megumi teased. [Author's note: To have a driver's license in Japan you must be at least 18 years old.]

Kaoru bit her lip and clenched her fist.

"Here are your clothes, Kaoru-chan. We will wait outside while you change." Tae said, almost pushing Kenshin and Megumi out of the room.

Kaoru sighed. 'What is wrong with that woman? Is she Himura-san's girlfriend? No, he couldn't have such an annoying girlfriend.' She quickly changed into the clean clothes Tae had brought her. 'I want to leave this place as soon as possible. I don't want that woman to make any more questions. Besides, I don't like her.'

Kaoru left the room.

"Be back in a week to take those stitches out." Megumi said, practically shoving the girl to the front door of the clinic. "And Ken-san... You be back anytime you want! I'll be waiting for you to call me, so we can have that drink!"

Kenshin gulped, and held Kaoru's right arm, as if he was afraid of letting her walk by herself.

"My car is there." Kenshin guided Kaoru to the black Mercedes parked outside.

"Neat." Kaoru said, under her breath, as Kenshin opened the door for her.

***

"Why did we lie?" Tae asked, after they were driving for a few minutes.

"I don't like cops." Kaoru said, trying to get comfortable on the back sit of Kenshin's car.

"Kaoru-san... Have you done something wrong? I can help you, hire a lawyer... Just tell me. "

'Sweet... He thinks I have problems with the police and still wants to help me...' Kaoru blushed.

"I'm not being wanted by the police." She stated, on a very sure tone of voice. "I just don't like cops. They haven't been good to me in the past."

Kenshin looked at her through the mirror.

"Did they hurt you?"

"Not physically. I don't want to talk about it." Kaoru said, sneezing. "The medicine Megumi-san gave me before is making me sleepy..." She closed her eyes, yawning.

"Kaoru-san... I was talking to Tae-san before. We have agreed that it would be best for you if you stayed at my place until you recover." Kenshin waited for her to say something. "Kaoru-san?"

Kaoru mumbled something.

"I think that's a yes, Himura-san." Tae said, pretending that she had understood, or pretending that Kaoru's mumbling actually meant something.

***

Tae opened the door of Kenshin's apartment. Kaoru had fallen asleep in the car and they didn't have the heart to wake her up. 'I bet tomorrow my back is going to kill me... I'm getting to old to carry women like this... Yeah, as if I did this all the time. The last time I carried someone was Tomoe when she sprained her ankle.'

Kenshin stared at Kaoru's sleeping face. 'She really looks like an angel when she is asleep.'

"Himura-san?" Tae called him.

Kenshin looked up. Tae obviously had realized that he was watching the sleeping young woman. 'Great... Now Tae-san will really think that you have a crush on Kaoru-san... Crush? What kind of word is that? Am I a teenager again? That's it... I'm loosing it...'

"Where are you going to lie her down?" Tae finally asked.

"I have a guest room. This way."

Kenshin carried Kaoru down the corridor and stopped in front of a closed door. Tae didn't have to wait for him to ask, she just opened the door, so he could get in with his precious bundle.

"I think she will be comfortable here." Kenshin said, after placing Kaoru over the bed.

He looked around the room. It was a bright room. The wallpaper was light blue, contrasting with the navy blue curtains. It was small and very simply decorated, just a wardrobe, the bed and two nightstands. But it sure was much better than Kaoru's room in Akabeko.

"Himura-san... Do you have something more comfortable Kaoru-chan could wear?"

"I have a yukata..."

"That would be great. Thank you, Himura-san."

While Tae changed Kaoru into the yukata, Kenshin called the office to let them know he wasn't going to show up for work.

***

Kenshin took a peek inside the guest room. Kaoru was sleeping restlessly, shifting in her sleep. He walked in, carefully to not wake her up and stopped beside the bed. He leaned closer, until his face was a few inches away from hers. 'Something is not right.' Finally, he placed a hand on her forehead.

'Shit! She is gotta a temperature!'

"Ken...shin..." She mumbled.

"I'm here, Kaoru-san." He answered, believing that she was awake.

"Ken...shin..." She repeated, one of her hands grabbed the collar of his shirt. Kenshin had to support his weight on his hands to prevent from falling on top of her.

"Kaoru-san... Please let go."

Kaoru's hand kept pulling Kenshin down, his face dangerously close to her breasts. It would be bad already if her movements hadn't loosened up the yukata.

"Oro..." Kenshin closed his eyes. For some reason, he thought that if she knew about this, he would be beat to death.

What to do? He couldn't possibly remove her hands using his own... If he tried, it would be a disaster. He would probably fall with his face on what he was trying desperately not to see. The only solution Kenshin could come up was to push himself away from her, with all his strength.

"One... Two... Three..." And Kenshin pushed with all his might. At the same time, Kaoru shifted to her side, letting go of his shirt, what caused Kenshin to fall on the floor. "Today is not my day..." Kenshin mumbled, rubbing his forehead. He could sense a headache coming.

Finally he got up. And stared at the young woman. 'It has to be done...' He closed his eyes again and reached for her yukata, hoping to only touch fabric when he tried to close it. After a few tries, a blushing Kenshin was able to straighten up her yukata.

"Ken... shin..." Kaoru called once more.

"Just wait a second, Kaoru-san. I'll get you a medicine."

Kenshin ran to the bathroom and scattered over the sink all the medicines that were in the bathroom's cabinet. Finally he was able to find what he intended to and rushed back to the guest room, bringing the medicine and a glass of water.

'How am I supposed to make her swallow this?' Kenshin wondered for a second.

He sat down by Kaoru's side on the bed, placing the glass of water over the nightstand. He put his hands under her arms and pulled her to a sitting position.

"Kaoru-san... I need you to..." Kenshin began. 'What's the point? She is not listening anyway.'

"Kenshin...don't...go..." Kaoru murmured.

'What?'

"Don't leave me...onegai...don't go...to Kyoto..." She kept saying.

'What is she talking about?' Kenshin asked himself.

"I need you...don't...go..."

"I'm not going anywhere, Kaoru."

"Promise?"

"Hai. I promise." Kenshin answered.

"Arigatou."

"Now I need you to swallow your medicine, Kaoru. Open your mouth." He pressed the pill against her lips and she parted them slightly. Kenshin then held the glass of water to her lips and she drank from it.

He lied her again on the bed and tried to get up. She tugged his shirt again.

"I'll be right back, Kaoru." He said, making her loosen her grip on his shirt.

"You said you weren't going..."

"I'll just get something to make you more comfortable. I'll be right back."

"You always kept your promises... Kenshin..."

I'll be back in five minutes tops. Wait for me." Kenshin walked towards the door.

"Hai... I'll always wait for you..." Kaoru said, taking a deep breath.

Kenshin stopped. 'Where have I heard that before?' After a second, he shook his head. 'Probably some movie.'

He went back into the bathroom and picked a hand towel. 'This will do.' He thought to himself, wetting the towel in the sink. 'But what did she mean by I'll always wait for you? I guess the fever must have affected her... Or maybe she has feelings for me... Yeah, right! She is the one that has a fever and I'm being delirious?'

Back to the room, Kenshin kneeled beside the bed and placed the wet towel on her forehead. 'She looks more calm now. I hope this fever break down soon...'

"Sleep well, Kaoru. You don't have a thing to worry about. I'll look after you." Kenshin whispered, holding her hand.

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Hi, minna-san! Wow! I was able to keep my deadline, even though I'm sick! I'm so proud of myself!!!!!!!!!
Err... Hmm... I'm sorry for that yukata scene... You see, I'm not writing comedy right now and... I was beginning to miss it. Hehehehehe

Sorry for putting this here, but: CONGRATULATIONS, KATHIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Parabéns! 500 reviews! I'm so proud of you! (In case you are wondering, well, check up on my bio. I'm editor of KayJuli's "The Power of Two Hearts". She has just got 500 reviews. *Hana-chan dries out a tear*)

Oh! Please review! Reviews make Hana-chan happy. If Hana-chan is happy, she will get better faster... If Hana-chan gets better faster (and she is happy) it means that she will write the chapters faster.

Thanks very much for reading!!!!!!!!!! =^x^=