Striking a Balance

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Chapter 7

Takani Megumi enjoyed the morning. It was quiet and, barring emergencies, there was no one to interrupt her solitude. Once she opened the clinic’s doors, she knew that she could work long into the night.

She sat back from the previous day’s notes, and sipped her tea calmly. Somehow she knew her peace wouldn’t last long.

As if on cue, she heard insistent knocking on the door. Megumi sighed, smoothed the front of her smock, and rose to answer the door.

“I’m coming, I’m coming, hold on,” she muttered as the knocking continued.

Kaoru’s tear-streaked face appeared on the other side. Megumi was about to make a tart remark about not being a therapist when she noticed the bruises on Kaoru’s jaw and her left arm in the sling.

“Come in, sit down,” Megumi gestured to two chairs near her worktable.

Kaoru wiped her eyes with her hand and entered, trying to compose herself in front of the beautiful doctor.

Megumi sat across from her and looked Kaoru intently in the eyes.

“Tell me.”

The echo of Kenshin’s words from last night and the seriousness of Megumi’s voice triggered a new set of tears.

“Oh, Megumi, it’s dreadful. Thanks to Kenshin I’ll never be able to show my face at Nakagawa’s dojo ever again. He just doesn’t understand what he’s done, how I feel.” She put her good hand to her eyes and sobbed.

Megumi gave her an odd look. She expected Kaoru to be fairly random and emotional, but this took non sequitur to a new level. Nevertheless, treating her injuries required more information. She plucked a handkerchief from the worktable and handed it to Kaoru.

“I think you should start from the beginning,” she said neutrally. “How did you get injured?”

Megumi listened patiently as Kaoru told her story of the altercation at the Nakagawa dojo, the attack of the thugs in the street, and the argument with Kenshin. As Kaoru talked, Megumi examined her shoulder and bruises, gently applying salve to the shoulder.

“But the worst was this morning. I specifically said that I would take care of my things and speak to Nakagawa, but he went there before I got up. I’m sure Nakagawa thinks I’m weak now. Kenshin seems to think that I can’t do anything to protect myself either.”

Megumi finished helping Kaoru into her kimono and tied the obi for her.

“Why is it so important for you to deal with this? Masuyama sounds like a strong opponent.” Megumi said, eyes not leaving Kaoru’s shoulder as she re-tied the sling.

“Because I’m not weak. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and dealing with my own problems. I’ve been my own protector since my Father left, and I’ve held my own by Kenshin’s side. I can do this, he just needs to get over it,” she finished hotly.

Megumi’s hands paused over their work at Kaoru’s shoulder. She sat back for a moment, and looked Kaoru dead in the eyes.

“Do you realize how many times he has almost lost you?”

Kaoru started at the quiet intensity of her voice.

“W-what?”

“The Gohei brothers with their plot to kill you and take the dojo. Jine’s attempt on your life after he kidnapped you. The attack on the Aoiya by Shishio. Gein’s horrible doll. He has watched you get hurt time after time for his sake.”

“But this isn’t because of him,” Kaoru interjected. “He doesn’t need to be burdened with this.”

“Have you thought that he might want to spare you pain?” Megumi pointed to Kaoru’s shoulder. “He obviously hates to see you injured, and wants to keep you from getting hurt further.”

“But,” Kaoru said, working to control the tremble in her voice, “my family style is all I have left of my father. I can’t ask Kenshin to take that on, to understand what that means.”

“If you continue to push Kenshin out of this, he’ll keep pushing back. If you want to keep your husband, you need to strike a balance.”

Kaoru didn’t respond. Megumi’s words struck a dark spot of terror in her heart that only reared its head in her dreams. Could she lose Kenshin over this?

Megumi cleared her throat.

“Rest your shoulder for a week, and then gradually work yourself up to normal activity. If it feels better out of the sling in a few days, that’s fine, but don’t work it until the week is up. You’ll be in danger of dislocating it again for a while, so don’t do anything stupid.”

“How long until I recover completely?”

Megumi looked at her shrewdly, and handed her a container of muscle ointment.

“Hard to say. You should feel normal in about a month. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. But I would take it easy for several months. A lot of jarring could cause permanent damage.”

Kaoru stood, Megumi’s words swirling in her head.

“Thank you,” she said absently as she left.

Megumi sighed. She hoped Kaoru could work this out. She should lean on Kenshin. There was no reason to go it alone. Thoughts of the absent rooster-head popped into her head.

‘Unlike me.’

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she set about opening the clinic doors to whoever needed help today. Kaoru was a smart girl. She’d figure it out.