Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ What You Don't Know ❯ Chapter 1 – Awakening in Darkness ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

 

Chapter 1 - Awakening in Darkness

 

Warm, strong hands turn her over and lift her gently. Her eyes do not want to reopen, but she works to find the energy. As if floating, she is moved and laid back on the soft futon.

 

Kaoru strikes a deep chord of familiarity, even amidst the pain and disorientation. A certain knowing settles into her.

 

`I am Kaoru.'

 

Additional footsteps skid up to the doorway.

 

“Kenshin, what happened?” A young voice, tinged with worry.

 

“Yahiko, get Megumi-dono. Quickly!” Older, smoother, and so familiar.

 

“Hai!” Footsteps leave the doorway at rapid speed.

 

Finally her eyelids obey her command, and she blinks again, seeking out the source of familiarity, looking for answers. Slightly unfocused, she turns to take in deep amethyst pools surrounded by fire-red hair. Her hand reaches up unsteadily and touches the cross-shaped scar on his cheek. Worry is set deep in his gaze.

 

Something clicks into place around the pain in her head.

 

“Kenshin?” she says, voice barely a whisper. He sighs as if letting go of a great weight.

 

“Hai, Kaoru-dono.”

 

Her focus still blurry, she lets her hand fall as dream-like images float behind her sight. She sees him smiling warmly in her direction, kneeling before a washtub and vigorously washing clothes, fighting a man dressed in blue, and walking away from her down a familiar road. Emotions tug in a myriad of directions as she tries to make sense of what is going on. She shifts her eyes back to his, looking to anchor her thoughts.

 

“Where . . . am I?” she manages, voice cracking.

 

He only shows surprise for a second before replying.

 

“At your home, the dojo.”

 

She let this information filter through her muzzy brain. If this is home, why did it feel strange? Her eyes move slowly through the room, brow furrowing in pain at moving her head. Something was not right. She reaches her hand towards her head to rub away the pain, when a gentle hand on her wrist stops her movement.

 

“It will hurt more if you touch your injury. Are you in pain now?”

 

She licks her dry lips and nodded slowly. A shadow of something passes over his eyes. He reaches outside her line of vision and brought a cup into view.

 

“Are you thirsty, can you drink?”

 

Suddenly aware of being parched, she nods again, keeping her eyes locked on him. She knew that she knew him and that she could trust him. She had to hold on to that familiarity to keep the panic at bay.

 

He carefully slips an arm behind her shoulders, cradling her head against his arm. She winced as he brushes a painful spot on the back of her head. He murmurs an apology and lifts her gently to the cup he holds in his other hand.

 

She drinks slowly, reaching her hand to touch the bottom of the cup. He pulls it away and lowers her back to the futon before she was done.

 

“Not too much at once.”

 

She feels better, but uneasy. Everything is still too fuzzy. She closes her eyes again, suddenly tired. A hand on her cheek brings her eyes slowly open again.

 

“Kaoru-dono, stay awake a little longer.” An unspoken plea sounds deep behind his gentle tone. She turns to focus on him again as he returns his hand to his lap.

 

He turns his head at the faint sounds of conversation coming from outside. Kaoru follows his gaze as best she could.

 

A woman appears in the doorway, long black hair falling straight behind her, dark eyes and ruby lips standing out strikingly on her pale skin. A work smock lies neatly over her kimono, and she carries a bag at her side. She floats into the room gracefully and sits down at Kaoru's bedside.

 

Kaoru furrowed her brow, trying to recognize this woman. She knew her, but wasn't sure if she liked her. A parade of images drift behind her eyes again, disjointed but familiar.

 

“Megumi-dono, thank you for coming so quickly.” His voice pulls her out of contemplation.

 

“Of course Ken-san. I was coming by tonight anyway.” She looks at Kaoru shrewdly, and reaches down to grasp her wrist in one graceful hand. “Tell me what happened,” she continues, touching Kaoru's forehead, arms and legs in a professional manner.

 

Her manner clicks something in Kaoru, much like before.

 

`Megumi . . . a doctor. . .'

 

“I heard a noise while I was preparing lunch. Kaoru-dono was on the floor when I got to the room, almost at the door.”

 

Megumi hums affirmatively. She reaches up above Kaoru's line of vision, and Kaoru whimpers at the sharp pain as the doctor touches something on her head.

 

“She indicated that she was in pain.”

 

“To be expected,” Megumi answered. She catches Kaoru's hazy eyes. “Kaoru, I want you to follow my fingers, can you do that?”

 

Kaoru barely nods, and manages to follow the doctor's fingers up and down, side to side. It took more effort than it should, and Kaoru closes her eyes wearily as Megumi nods and lowers her hands.

 

“Kaoru, did that hurt?” the woman presses, still very businesslike.

 

“Not much,” Kaoru mumbles softly. Things are starting to get fuzzy again. “Tired.”

 

“After some water, then you can sleep.” Megumi's tone allows for no protest.

 

“Megumi,” Kenshin starts lowly, cradling Kaoru in his arm again so she can drink. “Kaoru-dono asked me where she was when she awoke.”

 

“She will be disoriented for a while. Just let her rest, and we'll see what happens.”

 

Kaoru hears Kenshin `ah' in reply, uncertainty in his tone.

 

She is set back on the futon. The darkness is coming again, and this time Kaoru doesn't fight it. The questions will still be there when she wakes up.

 

………………………&# 8230;………………….

 

Over the course of the next several days, Kaoru gradually transitioned from being mostly asleep to mostly awake. Every time she woke, whether it was day or night, Kenshin was by her side. It seemed the slightest noise would wake him, and instantly he'd be there to feed her broth, cool her brow, or carry her to take care of her needs.

 

He told her during that she had sustained a head injury, as well as some other bumps and bruises. The modest mirror she had revealed a white-bandaged forehead and several scratches, with dark circles under her eyes. It was shocking at first to see her own image, as it did not entirely match with what was in her minds eye. But under Kenshin's care, she slowly began to see more of what she expected. The fuzzy feeling in her head receded somewhat, and the sharp pains turned into dull aches.

 

The fog over her memory however, did not fade. Things came more in feelings than thoughts, and while she remembered some things of those around her, nothing was anchored in time. She knew she was Kaoru, and that she taught kenjitsu, but her mind would not recall the forms of her art. Her home felt more familiar, and she knew that Kenshin and Yahiko were the closest thing to family she had, but the details as to why and how eluded her. Things were more disconcerting than reassuring, and every new image was hard to place. She also felt like she was missing something important, something big. It was frustrating, but it made her head hurt to push to remember.

 

She couldn't quite talk about it until she could sit up unassisted, about three days after she first awoke. It hurt too much to contemplate before then. She was gradually regaining her strength, and felt more able to start asking questions.

 

Megumi came to check on her, as she had every day. Kaoru had puzzled over the conflicting feelings she felt for the young doctor, deciding on something between sister and rival. She knew that she could trust Megumi with her care. Megumi professionally worked through her routine of checking the fading bruises, changing the bandage on her head, and asking Kaoru to follow her fingers with her eyes. Kenshin sat nearby, as he always did.

 

“Megumi,” Kaoru started, “I've been meaning to ask you something.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Kaoru lowered her eyes slightly, not sure of what to ask first. She started with the most basic.

 

“How did I get injured? I. . .don't remember.”

 

Megumi's eyes widened a little at her question, she and Kenshin shared a glance.

 

“What do you remember?” she asked, regaining her clinical look.

 

“Not much, really.”

 

“About how you got injured?”

 

Nervousness clenched in her stomach as she contemplated her answer.

 

“About anything.”

 

A pained look crossed Kenshin's gaze as he shifted closer.

 

“Kaoru-dono, please elaborate.”

 

She got a little panicked at the worry in his eyes.

 

“I don't know how to describe it. I remember little things about myself and all of you, but it's all jumbled. I'll see something, and an image will come to mind. But there's no timeline or order, and some things just don't make any sense.” She stopped, feeling overwhelmed. After a deep breath, she continued. “There's something important I can't even reach, like there's a fog in my head I can't get through. It really hurts any time I try to think about it.”

 

Kenshin and Megumi sat back, not moving. Their faces were inscrutable. Kenshin cleared his throat.

 

“So you don't remember what happened in the market?”

 

Kaoru shook her head. Kenshin and Megumi shared another tense look. Kaoru began to feel that they were hiding something from her.

 

“Please, what happened to me?” she cried. The panic of not knowing seized up again.

 

Kenshin reached out a hand to touch hers lightly. She calmed a little, meeting his gaze. He withdrew his hand, and started to speak.

 

“Ten days ago, we went to the market to get food and supplies. You said you wanted to visit the fabric shop. I had an errand to take care of as well, so we parted ways briefly.” His head lowered slightly, bangs shading his eyes. “I was coming to meet you when I heard a crash and a scream. I ran up ahead, and found you underneath several large crates at the entrance of an alley. You were bleeding from the head and unconscious.”

 

Kaoru paled, feeling weak from the story.

 

“Yahiko said you had gone into the alley after a child's pet, but he had to work and did not stay. Someone heard you running out, and then the crates fell.” Kenshin looked back up at her, looking tired and haggard.

 

Kaoru took all this in. None of his words were triggering any memory.

 

“I don't remember anything,” she said quietly. She gasped a little as she looked up at the two of them. “Wait, I was unconscious-”

 

“For a week, yes.” Megumi finished. “Head injuries are strange things. You're lucky that you woke up.”

 

Kaoru started tearing a little.

 

“But what's wrong then? Why can't I remember?”

 

Megumi looked sat back thoughtfully for a moment as Kaoru sniffed a little.

 

“Based on what you've described, I'd say you have a form of memory loss. This mental block you're describing could be your mind trying to shield you from the traumatic event.”

 

“Could be?”

 

Megumi sighed.

”Unfortunately, I don't have a more solid answer. The mind heals at it's own pace. Forcing it could lead to more problems. Especially if it hurts when you try.”

 

“So, I just have to wait.”

 

Megumi nodded. “Focus on regaining your strength, and getting back into a routine. Things may or may not go back to normal, but regardless you have to figure out how to go on with life.”

 

Megumi stood, Kenshin rising with her.

 

“I need check on other patients. Continue drinking the medicinal tea if you have pain, it will help you sleep. Don't push yourself too hard.”

 

Kaoru nodded, and Kenshin left to show Megumi out.

 

She drew her knees to her chest and sighed. Questions with no answers flew through her head at a rapid pace. Megumi's last words floated back.

 

`…you have to figure out how to go on with life.'

 

“But how do I know where to start?”