ALEXIS' POV

"...Alexis? Alexis!"

'Someone's calling out to me.'

I thought to myself and I knew that voice better than my own. It was the person who I loved the most in this world. I slowly opened my eyes while feeling something licking at my face. Once my eyes were fully opened, Sora was licking my face.

"Sora, knock it off. I'm awake."

I grumbled as I shoved him away from me. Sora whined and barked happily and then someone spoke up.

"Alexis. Thank the gods."

"Kenshin...?"

It was dark and quiet outside now that the storm has passed.

'Never mind that! Kenshin's awake!'

"I woke up to find you asleep by my side but, I couldn't wake you and Sora couldn't wake you up either."

Sora whined in response before I told him.

"I was trying to cool your fever. Well, at least, I was. I must have passed out."

Looking down, I saw that, miraculously, I was still holding his hand. Kenshin squeezed my hand.

"You seem cooler, how's your fever?"

"I think it just broke. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"I'm so glad you're awake now."

He was still pale but, the fact that he was up and speaking reassured me. I felt a bubble of warm emotion rising and it caught in my throat.

"Kenshin, I'm so glad you survived."

'What would be the point of saving me of you died doing it.'

Sora whimpered in response before licking Kenshin's face.

"*Chuckle* looks like someone else is glad that you survive. Sora has been staying by your side since we brought you here."

"I know, he wouldn't stop nuzzling against me since I woke up," Kenshin explained to me as he petted Sora with his free hand. 

"I'm glad lived too and I'm glad I could keep my promise to you. I feel...good. Like I was able to protect you. The right way. Thank you for trusting me, Alexis."

'Oh, Kenshin. Really.'

Sora brushed against me before leaving the tent. I turned back to Kenshin and I said to him.

"I'm pretty sure the person who should be thanked here is you."

What we overcome was still so fresh in my mind: The fear, the pain but, it was over now. We made it. I laced our fingers together. Kenshin's grip was weak but, it slowly grew stronger. 

"Thank you, Kenshin. Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome."

He was staring at our hands. He brushed the back of mine with his fingers, gently. 

"Your hands. They're...solid."

"What do you mean by that?"

Kenshin spoke slowly and doubtfully.

"I had a strange dream but, now that I think about it, it might have been a memory. I'm not sure which. It was right after Isehime died, and I barely remember anything from then."

"But, I remember this..."

I listened with surprising familiarity as he recited the events of his dream. 

"I was shut up in my room at Mt Koya when a woman appeared. I have no idea how she got in. She didn't say her name and I didn't know who she was but, she told me that I wasn't alone. Then, she held me and it felt so familiar. As suddenly as she appeared, she disappeared and she told me to live."

Kenshin looked at me and he continued.

"When I woke up, I knew that the woman must have been you."

'That's exactly the dream I had.'

I thought to myself before I spoke up.

"I saw that same dream, Kenshin."

"You did?"

We looked at each other in wonder. 

"And afterwards, I saw a young woman. She spoke to me. I think she was Isehime."

I described the features of the fragile young woman in my dream. 

"...I've never told you what she looked like, but that sounds just like her."

"I thought so, she seemed very peaceful, you know."

"You said she spoke to you? what did she say?"

"She said; "Thank you for saving him."

Kenshin closed his eyes and I thought he was holding back tears but, the sigh that left his lips was once unburdened with relief. 

"It's strange. At first, I thought it was the fever breaking. But now, I feel like a great weight has left me. Like a chain, keeping me prisoner to the past is finally gone."

"Is it because of the dream?"

"It's more than that. I think you travelled back in time again to free me from my sorrow or would you laugh at me for believing in a dream."

"I would never laugh at you."

'But, now that I think about it, I'm beginning to think it did happen. If that's the case, then did it really happen? Did I travel back in time to Kenshin's past?'

It felt like the only explanation.

"Let me hold you, Alexis."

I got closer to the futon so he could reach me without having to strain. Kenshin hugged me and the feeling was familiar and natural.

"I've been waiting so long to feel this again. We're finally together."

'Is it that simple? Are Kenshin's old wounds finally healing? He won't have to suffer from the deep heartsickness he felt?'

I asked myself as I felt a storm in my heart, followed by a sudden calm. 

'This happiness doesn't feel real.'

I was struggling to put it into words. 

"...I'm so happy to hear that. I'm happy that I was able to get you back."

'This feels almost like an impossible reward, after so much pain and worry.'

"I always believed in you."

"You did, even when I hurt you. I promise I won't do that again."

Kenshin caressed my hair (that was still left down) and he looked at me like I was some incomparable treasure. I didn't even try to fight the happy tears that fell from my eyes 

"Oh, look at me...I didn't use to cry this much...and I've certainly never cried from happiness before, I feel so silly."

"I think you're beautiful. You're just wearing crystals in your lashes. But, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you never have to cry again."

"Kenshin."

It was just his name but, it seemed to encompass feelings I had no other way to express.

"Alexis."

Maybe he felt the same way when he called out my name. But, there was an even better way for us to share how we felt. A way we both knew. We kissed and it was so tender and so sweet and so warm. I opened my lips to the soft silk of his. His tongue found mine and there was that communion beyond the limitations of spoken language.

Finally, we parted with a lingering sweetness and warmth. 

"It's dangerous to do that, even I know you need to heal. 

"There's no rule that says I can't kiss you while I'm injured."

"No, there certainly isn't."

'And even if there was one, we'd ignore it anyway. However, I need to prioritize Kenshin's health, no matter what.'

I thought to myself as I held back my desire and I separated myself from Kenshin. 

"That reminds, how are your wounds?"

"I don't even feel them."

"Oh sure you don't, let me see them."

'Whatever he says, I know they still hurt."

I thought to myself as I glanced at his chest.

"All right."

Kenshin told me before he opened his kimono and he showed me his chest. 

'There's more than I thought...'

Bandages covered the largest of them but, there were smaller nicks here and there too. 

"I hope you've seen enough," Kenshin told me as he closed his kimono.

"I don't regret them and you shouldn't either. They're proof that I protected you."

He said it simply with a dignity that told me he felt it to be true. 

"...Yes. They're marks of your loyalty and bravery. Still, I don't want you to get injured like that ever again. From now on, you protect yourself the way I would if I were you."

"All right."

'...Wait, he's agreeing?'

I was expecting him to argue or at least to say that it wouldn't always be possible. 

'Kenshin's always fought like he knew he couldn't be wounded but, never to protect himself.  Have a few scars changed his mind?'

"Are you saying that because you've learned you really are vulnerable?"

"There is that but, not exactly. It's that I...I remember the look on your face when you ran to get help."

Just like that, I was back in that castle, the memory was still fresh in my mind. 

'I was so scared that he might die.'

"I couldn't even move to comfort you and I felt about that."

'Oh Kenshin...But, I understand. When I was hurt, all I wanted to do was to reassure him.'

It was simple but undeniable evidence of our love. 

"I never want to be in that position again, where I can't comfort you."

I smiled a little when he said this.

'...As if I needed more evidence of his love. He's made me so happy ever since I met him and when I moved to this country.'

"That reminds me..." I mumbled as I remembered about my injury.

"There's something I think you should see."

"What do you mean? you're here, I see all I need to."

"I thought you might want to see my scar. The one I got in Echigo..."

I told him as I placed my hand over my shoulder where it was, under my kimono. 

"I'll need to strip to show you."

"All right, then take it off."

'Okay, now I feel silly having said that. Still, is this going to be all right?'

"Are you sure...?" I asked him.

"...I think I am."

"All right."

I told him nervously as I glanced at my shoulder where my hand is. His hand joined mine on my shoulder. 

"I admit that once...I didn't want to see. I would've been too afraid to look. I thought if I saw how someone had hurt you, I'd never return to sanity."

"Is that why you stayed out of my room while I was healing?" I asked him.

"Yes. At first, it reminded me too much of how I failed to protect you. But, I've been freed from my past and with your courage, I'm ready to see it."

'He really sounds ready. I was a little worried for a moment there. I thought I was pushing this on him but, it looks like he's going to be fine and now, I don't even feel self-conscious about showing him.'

I thought to myself with a relieved smile on my face.

"I'm taking it off now," I told him as Kenshin stayed silent while his eyes followed my hands intently.

I slowly took off my obi cord in both hands and I started to undo the ties. Once my robe was loose, I slipped my arm out of the sleeve and shrugged the garment off. To make sure that it wouldn't fall completely off, I held the garment up in place over my breast. I moved my long hair out of the way to show him.

"Well?" I asked him.

"I can't see it. Turn to face me."

His gaze was strong and I could almost feel the position of his eyes on me. The line from my shoulder to my collarbone seemed to burn as he looked at me.

"...It's painful looking."

Kenshin commented as his elegant eyebrows narrowed sharply, his sadness apparent. I could feel his sadness spreading to me. 

"...So are yours."

"You feel the same way I do?"

I nodded my head when he asked me and I told him.

"I do. Let's promise each other to be more careful from now on. Any time either of us gets hurt, it hurts the other just as bad."

"All right, I promise. Your body is mine and mine is yours. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

I spoke with a smile on my face.

'I've never exchanged anything as precious as this before. Kenshin's given me everything. How can I not respond in kind?'

Giving him my body and all that went with it was my honour. More than that, it was my joy. 

"I'm going to treat my body better. That also means I have to treat your body just as well to match mine."

"All right. But, since you're the one who's injured, I'll start us off tonight..." 

I positioned myself on the futon beside him and I gently took his body in mine. While being careful of his wounds and his bandages, I moved on top of his lap. My kimono, half-undone, came fluttering down beneath us. Kenshin glanced at it and he spoke up.

"It's like it's trying to keep you from me. That won't do."

Kenshin brushed the silk garment off my other shoulder until my chest was bared. He leaned up to kiss each shoulder including my scar.

"I want you to truly be mine. I want to see more than your wound. I want to see your whole body."

"Then...let's take this silly thing away."

"Yes, let's get rid of it. But, since I shouldn't move much while I'm healing, I need you to do it."

Need; that simple word sparkled along my fingertips and it gave off some heat. My hands felt hot and they didn't feel like my own as I bared my naked body for him to see. I moved to Kenshin next. From what I felt in his warming body, his needful heat matched mine. 

"Kenshin, you're so hot. Are you sure your fever has broke?"

"It's broke. If I'm hot now, it's because of you, my songbird."

The dangerously low tone of his voice stirred my core as I kissed along his lithe, taut body.

"Then I'll have to take care of you..."

"First, lift your head so I can see you. How can I resist looking at you?"

I looked at Kenshin and I thought to myself.

'...neither of us can resist each other. It's been like that for a long time.'

We relieved the passionate echoes of the previous nights as we sought to feel that deep physical bond. But, the most beautiful echoes? Those came from the sounds Kenshin made. 

'Huh...I just realised the storm stopped.'

That funny thought was the last thing that I had as the haze of pleasure filled my mind.