I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin!

Okay, last chapter, now fixed!

Chapter 2

Kenshin mumbled something unintelligible and then slowly opened his eyes. His vision swam and his head was throbbing. Things spun a bit and he closed his eyes again, then opened them.

"So, you're awake?"

Kenshin turned his head towards the voice and saw Hiko sitting near him.

"Shi…shou…?" Kenshin inquired, his voice hoarse.

"I didn't think you were going to wake up." Hiko frowned. "You've been unconscious for a week."

"A…week…?" Kenshin closed his little eyes. He felt so exhausted, even with all the sleep he had gotten. He tried, but could barely even lift his arm. He was still sore and aching all over, and his muscles were strained past their limits and weakened with fever.

Hiko nodded and went back to preparing some soup. "I didn't think you were going to come back that day that the current took you away. Then when you finally came back, you collapsed. You probably don't remember it."

"I don't," Kenshin replied wearily, closing his eyes again. "I'm tired…"

Hiko glanced back at the boy, then moved over and placed a hand to the boy's forehead. He still has a high fever. I should get some medicine into him. Hiko moved to the shelf, and pulled out some ingredients and started to mix them together to form the medicine, remembering what happened when he brought Kenshin back in and tended to him...

-Flashback-

Hiko placed a cold cloth on Kenshin's forehead. He had tried just about everything, but the boy still wouldn't wake up. Kenshin winced and his breath came out short and shallow.

"Keep on breathing, boy," Hiko coaxed him gently. The whole thing was bringing out a side to him that he usually concealed.

Kenshin winced again, his breath rasping in his throat as he struggled with the illness.

Hiko placed a warmer blanket over Kenshin and covered him up to his neck to keep him warm, then placed another piece of wood in the fireplace, warming up the area. Kenshin choked, tears coming down his face, and he tossed lightly.

Hiko picked up the cloth that had fallen off and placed it on the boy's forehead, dabbing at the sweat that came down the poor kid's face as the shallow breathing continued. He picked up his mixture of herbs to heal the boy up and gently lifted it into the boy's mouth, letting his muscles work on reflex, making him swallow it.

Finally, Kenshin calmed down a bit.

Hiko woke up with a start when he heard noises. He looked over at where Kenshin was sleeping. The boy was thrashing around, screaming names and crying hysterically. Hiko went over and placed a hand on the boy's forehead, then withdrew it in shock. He was running a very high fever.

Hiko quickly got the medicine out and mixed it, then held the boy still as best as he could and got Kenshin to drink it. He stayed there until the thrashing and sobbing stopped, and Kenshin lapsed back into a peaceful sleep.

The rest of the week went something like that until just two days ago when Kenshin's fever wouldn't go up as far at night like it used to.

-End Flashback-

"Gomen nasai," Kenshin mumbled weakly after Hiko gave him the medicine.

"It's alright," Hiko assured the boy, then brought over the soup in a bowl on a tray. "Here. Can you eat?"

Kenshin tried to sit up, but failed miserably. Not wanting his instructor to think of him as a weakling, he tried again, and got a little further, but was unable to even sit up. He lay there, breathing hard.

"Don't try again," Hiko told Kenshin, "You need to get your strength back." He helped Kenshin sit up, and held the boy upright with one arm, then started to spoon-feed the weak boy the soup. At first, Kenshin refused the food, gagging and coughing.

"Relax," Hiko instructed him, "This will make you feel better."

Kenshin took some deep breaths, tears coming down his face.

"That's it," Hiko said quietly, "Just breathe deep. Ready now?"

Kenshin nodded tiredly, and Hiko tried again to spoon-feed the boy. This time, Kenshin's body accepted the food.

Hiko continued to get the food into the boy's body until there was nothing left in the bowl. He lay Kenshin, who was half asleep, back down, then put the bowl away.

"Ari…gatou…" Kenshin whispered, closing his eyes.

Hiko almost smiled at the young child laying there. "Sleep. You need to rest now."

"Okay…" poor Kenshin was asleep in seconds.

Hiko smiled to himself, shaking his head. He was being so compassionate to the boy now. He shook his head, confused by his own actions, and washed out the bowl quietly, then sat down against the wall next to Kenshin and fell asleep.

Crying woke him up again. He looked over and saw Kenshin tossing and turning, sobbing and muttering. Hiko gently shook the boy awake, and Kenshin looked around wildly, then remembered where he was, and squeezed his eyes shut against dizziness. He opened them again, then remembered the dream and started bawling his eyes out.

Hiko blinked. What now…? Under normal circumstances, he would have ignored the boy's crying and told him to go back to sleep. But he saw fear in Kenshin's fevered eyes.

"Why are you crying, boy?" Hiko asked, his hand still on Kenshin's shoulder.

Kenshin weakly reached up and tried to take hold of Hiko's hand, but fell a little short. He tried again and this time, his small hand reached up and clasped weakly around Hiko's.

Hiko frowned.

Kenshin sniffled, "Over…and over again…I keep on…drifting. I call out…again and again…but no one…answers. I scream…and keep on screaming…but there isn't…anyone there. It's just darkness…I'm spinning through a void…as deep as the…river…maybe deeper…"

A sniffle, then he went on, "Then I see…fields of blood…and bodies…of people dying…and loosing the ones…they loved. And they keep on…killing them over…and over…and I try to help but…I'm not strong enough…they always just push me…to the side and ignore…me. I want to protect people…but I'm just a boy…"

Kenshin broke off into sobbing, his grip on Hiko's hand remaining constant, and occasionally repositioned itself as if he was just searching to make sure that the man was still there; like he was seeking comfort in a man who barely comforted him or showed any sympathy towards him.

Hiko gently took the boy's weak hand and held it as Kenshin cried. Kenshin tried to pull himself onto Hiko, and somehow was able to, then collapsed on the man's knee, crying. Hiko looked down at the boy, a bit confused. He put a hand to Kenshin's forehead, then sighed and reached behind him to get the medicine. But the boy was too hysterical to get anything into him.

"Quiet now," Hiko said, "I can't give you any medicine if you keep on crying."

"I want to protect them…but I'm not strong enough…" Kenshin cried, clutching Hiko's pant leg.

Hiko sighed. What could he do to reassure the boy so he could give him the medicine his body so desperately needed…?

Hiko placed his hand on Kenshin's shoulder, then ran it up and down the boy's back as gently as he could. Eventually, the sobbing subdued and then stopped. Kenshin looked up, his teary eyes shining.

Hiko got the medicine into Kenshin, and then the boy snuggled into Hiko and closed his eyes. Hiko blinked, a bit startled.

"Thank you," Kenshin whispered, then fell asleep.

Hiko blinked, then a rare smile crossed his face as he gently lay the boy back down and covered him up with the sheets. Kenshin slept without another outburst for the rest of the night.

Hiko had to help Kenshin eat his breakfast again the next morning. The boy's strength was slowly returning, but he was still too weak to eat it himself. After that, Hiko stood up and started to exit the room.

"Where are you going, Shishou?" Kenshin weakly questioned.

"I need to gather some things for lunch so I'm not scrambling to do it at the last minute. You got your breakfast and your medicine. You should be fine for a little while," Hiko replied.

Kenshin whimpered, but nodded.

Hiko turned around. "I'll be right outside by the river. Just concentrate on resting and getting better, Kenshin."

Kenshin nodded tiredly. "Okay."

Hiko walked out, leaving Kenshin there, alone.

Kenshin watched Hiko leave. For some reason, he didn't feel tired anymore. He weakly pulled over his top and started to fiddle with it. Finally, fatigue set in, and Kenshin just held onto the top, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

When Kenshin woke up, he saw that Hiko was in the room again, preparing lunch. He sleepily looked over, taking it in quietly.

"If you wash the rice completely, then it won't be so hard to work with," Kenshin spoke up when Hiko growled in frustration.

The man turned around.

"Well, look who's up." Hiko grunted. "As soon as you get enough strength back, you start nit-picking."

Kenshin averted his gaze. "Sorry…I was just trying to help, shishou."

"I know," Hiko replied. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better," Kenshin responded.

Hiko wiped his hands and went over, then placed a hand on Kenshin's forehead. "Hnn? Are you sure?"

"Yea…"

Hiko grinned. "Good. Then we can go back to training soon."

Kenshin moaned. He was still sore from what had happened.

"Lighten up, boy," Hiko responded, helping him sit up and handing him a rice ball. "Here. Eat."

Kenshin weakly lifted it up and ate it slowly, smiling with his childish innocence at being able to eat it without that much help.

"Shishou…?" Kenshin questioned when he finished the bite he was working on. "Will I be able to become stronger and protect people with the Hiten Mitsurugi style?"

"Yea. You will. But don't let it go to your head," Hiko responded.

"Yosha!" Kenshin smiled, then winced, coughing a bit.

"Easy, easy," Hiko rubbed the boy's back until he stopped choking on his food.

Kenshin wiped the tears from his eyes, the smile still on his face.

"You're such a baka, 'ya know that?" Hiko stated.

Kenshin grinned childishly. He coughed again. Hiko gave him the medicine, which Kenshin wrinkled up his nose at, but drank it, then made a face.

"Blech!" Kenshin stuck out his tongue.

"Put that back in your mouth or you'll catch a fly." Hiko turned away so as to hide the smile spreading across his face.

Kenshin did as he was told, then lay back down, yawning.

Hiko started to clean out the bowls and plates.

"Ano…shishou?"

Hiko looked behind him at the boy who was half-asleep. "What?"

"Did you ever have any friends?" Kenshin asked with a slight yawn.

"Why?" Hiko grunted.

"Dunno. Just wondering."

"Not really," Hiko responded.

"Oh."

"Why?" Hiko asked again.

"Isn't it lonely?"

"Not really," Hiko responded again.

"But don't you sometimes wish that there was someone who you can talk to?" Kenshin looked sleepily up at his teacher.

Hiko turned back around to what he was doing. "I highly doubt that there would be anyone who would listen. In this world full of chaos, greed, and betrayal, there aren't many people who you can trust with information. Everyone is so wrapped up in their own problems that they don't give a damn about others."

"Is that why the Hiten Mitsurugi style is supposed to help and protect others?"

Hiko paused. "It's good reasoning, I suppose. I don't really know." He masked his amazement again at how perceptive this boy really was.

"But you trust me, don't you, shishou?"

Hiko was quiet for a moment.

"Shishou…?" Kenshin felt a pang of hurt. What if his teacher didn't really trust him…didn't really care about him…?

"I suppose I do," Hiko finally admitted. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do!" Kenshin responded strongly even though his voice was weak.

Hiko chuckled at that fact. Again, the boy's insight proved to be amazing to the man. He finished what he was doing and went just outside the room, sitting down on the porch.

Kenshin felt his eyes start to close. "Shishou…?"

"What is it now?"

Kenshin smiled at his teacher's semi-annoyed tone. "I think I like it when you're nice to me."

"Don't get too used to it," came the reply, "because once you're well again, it's back to training as usual, and I'll expect more of you."

"Okay."

Hiko smiled to himself, crossing his arms as he heard the quiet breathing of the boy when he fell asleep. That boy is really something special.

Kenshin lay on the futon, listening to the sounds of his master practicing outside a few days later. His fever was almost gone, and strength was returned to him enough that he would sit up and move around a bit, sometimes sitting on the futon and playing with his top. But today, he started off the morning by taking in the sounds of his teacher practicing. He pulled out the little wooden project he had been working on with some borrowed twine and some twigs he broke off from the firewood.

Hiko had no idea about it, and Kenshin planned to surprise the man with it. He deftly worked the twigs and twine with his little fingers, making stitching and pulling it tight. He listened to Hiko as the man paused for a break, then continued.

Kenshin smiled to himself. After everything that the man had done for him (even if he was very gruff about it)…taking him in and teaching him the legendary Hiten Mitsurugi style, and now caring for him while he was sick, he had to pay the guy back. He wanted to do so by dedicating himself even more to leaning swordsmanship, but he couldn't do that while he was recovering, so he decided to take on a project in craftsmanship.

He was always told that a good samurai broadened his horizons.

At first, he didn't understand completely. Then he realized that the man meant that he should learn other skills, not just that of the sword. He was already a better cook than his master, though said man wouldn't admit it.

He hoped that his master would like the little trinket he was making. It had been a project of his since he became stronger as his illness went away. He would take it out when his master wasn't looking or was busy and continue working on it, bit by bit. Patience, he realized, is a good skill to have. His shishou had said that patience is a virtue. So, Kenshin was trying his hardest to uphold the virtue.

He was now almost complete with his piece of work; finishing it would mean that he would be completely well again. It also meant that the kindness that Hiko had been showing him would disappear into arrogance again. However, Kenshin didn't mind. He got to see a side to his teacher that he normally didn't get to see. Plus, he kind of enjoyed it. He liked getting the kindness and concern directed at him for a change.

"Well?" Hiko asked as Kenshin stood up and walked around. "How do you feel?"

"Way better!" Kenshin smiled. His fever was completely gone and he didn't feel sore or achy anymore. He smiled at his instructor.

"Good." Hiko grinned. "Then we can resume the training tomorrow."

"Hai, shishou!" Kenshin nodded.

Hiko grunted.

Kenshin smiled and reached into his futon, pulling out the little thing he was working on. He had just finished it the other day, the same day that he had recovered. "Shishou…?"

"What is it, boy?" Hiko asked, turning around.

"Here." Kenshin offered the little item to his master. "I made this for you when I was sick to say thank you for helping me get better. I would have died if you didn't take care of me."

Hiko blinked, then his eyes softened. He reached down and carefully took the little trinket. It was a model sword, carefully tied and strung together, and detailed down to the bends and ties in the hilt. Hiko turned it over, examining it.

"You made this?" Hiko muttered, looking at it again. He turned it over and frowned.

"Hai…you don't like it?" Kenshin's face fell a bit.

Hiko chuckled. "Baka. Of course I like it. This is something you made from your heart. Just like how one should be dedicated to his art. You can only truly be dedicated to it if your heart is as well. I can see that you have learned what I have taught you, and applied it to something that seemingly has no relation. But they are alike. You should diversify your interests, and not only become a good swordsman, but study other arts as well, gaining knowledge. I see by looking at this that you have been listening to what I have been telling you. Good job."

Kenshin's face brightened, and his pure, innocent eyes shone with tears of joy. He would never, ever, forget this day.

THE END