Part X:  Dawn

    Tomoe's eyes opened slowly.  She was lying in what looked like a dojo, and the woman Megumi, the doctor, was leaning over her.
    "I take it our plan worked."  Megumi smiled and nodded.  "Shh.  You should rest, Tomoesan.  You shouldn't speak.  Kensan wants to talk to you but I won't let him until we've all rested.  Now that I know you're all right, I'm going to sleep as well."  She rose and left the room, returning a moment later with a very tall, very disheveled looking young man behind her.
    "Oiy, onna, you dragged me out of bed to babysit for you?"  He complained, running a hand though his impossible brown hair.
    "I'm too tired to argue, Sano.  Just keep an eye on Tomoesan and wake me if something changes or if she wakes up again.  And Do Not let Kenshin make her talk or I'll let Kaoru cook for you from now on!"
    Tomoe's eyes drifted shut again as the man grumbled and the doctor set out her own futon near her patient's.
    Sanosuke sat near Megumi, watching her as much as Tomoe as the doctor slipped quickly into an exhausted sleep.
    "Where.. is.."
    "Kenshin?  Out like a lamp in a storm.  That guy can't take much more of this all night business, you know.  Between jouchan running him ragged with chores and the rest of the country depending on him to save it all the time, well, I don't know why he bothers."
    Tomoe blinked blearily at the young man, whose eyes were practically glued to Megumi as she slept.  "Jouchan?"
    "Huh?  Oh.  Kaoru.  She owns this place.  Cooks horribly, but she's strong and knows what she's doing.  Kind of a brat though, real loud and not quite as smart as Megu-- as the Fox, here."
    Tomoe smiled softly.  "I see.  And just what does she, Kaoru you said?  What does Kaoru do?"
    "Yell and hit us, mostly.  And complain we never help out."
    "I meant, why does she have the dojo?"
    "Oh."  Sanosuke looked almost sheepish.  "She's the sensei of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu.  It was her father's dojo, but he was killed."
    "I see.  So why does she hit you?"
    "The Fox said you shouldn't be talking.  You need to rest."  Tomoe merely looked at him.  "I dunno why she hits us.  She just does, says we're lazy and we bum off her too much and don't earn what we eat."  Sanosuke shrugged.
    "I find that hard to believe of.. of Kenshin."
    "So how do you know him anyway?"
    "He's never told you about..  I'm...  I was Yukishiro Tomoe."
    Sanosuke blinked.  "You were that woman from his past?  The reason he's so afraid to hook up with Ka--"  Sano cut himself off and looked annoyed with himself for spilling so much, but Tomoe smiled again.
    "So he and the sensei of this dojo care for each other.  I'm glad he was able to move on.  I'd like to bring my husband to meet all of you," she said after a moment's pause.
    "Your... Husband?  Does Kenshin know?"  Sanosuke looked irritated with himself.  "I shouldn't be letting you talk like this, you know.  The onnasensei'll have my head."
    "I told Kenshin and Megumisan while we were...  While he was fighting.  Benjiro knows about my past, and he should be in Tokyo within a month.  He's a teacher, and he's looking for a job here as soon as he can.  He sent me ahead to find us a place to live."
    "I see."  Sanosuke seemed about to say more when a slight figure appeared in the doorway.
    "Sano, I'll take over now.  You can go back to sleep."
    "Kenshin, you've barely slept yourself.  Come on, the onnasensei told me to keep an eye on you and she's got a killer right hook -- I mean, remember when we found that dog?  Besides, she doesn't want Tomoe talking yet."
    Kenshin smiled.  "Yes, but I will talk to Nee-dono later.  I need to talk to Tomoe now."
    "Nee-dono?"  Sanosuke was floored.  He looked at Megumi.  "You mean --"
    "Oro...  I'll explain later."
    Sanosuke could only grumbled as he trudged back to bed.  "YOU can explain this to the Fox.  I wash my hands of you."
    "He has a kind heart, and he loves Megumisan very much."
    "Hai.  Once they figure it out for themselves, we'll all be happier."  Kenshin looked at the sleeping doctor before he sat near Tomoe.
    "I wish things had worked out better for us.  I wish we hadn't gone so long believing what we did.  There are so many thing I wish I could change about what had happened in these past ten years."
    "So do I, Tomoe."
    "I asked this of Megumi, as I did not know if I would have the chance to ask you.  Are you happy again?"
    "Oro?"
    Tomoe smiled tiredly.  "Are you happy.  Has peace settled on your heart once more?
    Kenshin said nothing.
    "Anata -- no, I must not call you that anymore.  You are a different person than the man I played wife to.  And I am a different woman, too.  Kenshin.  I do not want you to hold off on loving.  I do not want you to hold off on living because of me.  What's done is done.  What's gone is gone.  And I cannot let you deny yourself any longer.  If you were ever happy then, I pray you to be happy again now.  Love, live, set yourself free and fight for your beliefs as you always have.  Do not be afraid to share those things.  If you loved me then, let yourself love again now.
    "Sanosukesan tells me you and the sensei have developed a strong friendship.  Is that so?"  Tomoe smiled.  She was already falling back asleep.
    "Oroo...?"