A/N: lets see where we go with this....

In A Mess of Tears

It was pretty warm, where ever it was that Sanosuke was laying. He didn't have the strength to open his eyes, but his body involuntarily flinched. It woke him, a searing pain ripping through his right side. He whimpered, also involuntarily. Water slipped into his mouth, and when he managed to open his eyes and look up, he saw hands twisting a wet cloth.

"Stay still Sagara," he heard a dark voice say. Someone had their hand on his side, prodding at it. He flinched again, the pain even more intense. "You won't die, if that gives you any assurance."

Sanosuke could recognize the voice as that of Aoshi Shinomori; as he continued to recall events from earlier...

"W..."but the syllable was all that he could get out.

Someone wiped his face off with a wet cloth where he was beginning to sweat. Even lying down he was dizzy and nauseous. He didn't doubt that he had a fever. "You sure it's okay to keep him here Lord Aoshi?" a young girl's voice asked. Sanosuke vaguely remembered hearing the voice, but he wasn't so sure in his haze that he was hearing anything correctly.

"This place is clean," he said. "Your wounds are not open so there is limited chances of being infected," he said, pushing Sanosuke's side again. The spiky haired man awoke fully at the touch. "The wound was several inches deep but I didn't touch any of your inner organs. You should be fine so long as you don't succumb to any strange infections that could be festering about."

"W..." he still couldn't manage anything out of his throat. The girl took a ladle a pressed it against Sanosuke's lips, lifting his head up so that he could drink easier. Greedily Sanosuke sucked the water down, his throat opening up at the coolness. The girl laid his head back down and covered his up, adjusting his arms to lay over the blanket. "Why?" he finally managed out.

He wasn't exactly sure why, but when he started thinking, he realized that the idea of the girl touching him, or even Aoshi touching him wasn't so bad. Maybe it was the fact that he was already in pain. His first pain fell into the background.

"Why what?" Aoshi asked. He could hear water sifting in the background. "Why did I attack you?"

"Yes."

"Because it was easier to make you look dead than to take you and make myself a criminal."

Sanosuke furrowed his brows. It was all too much for him to take at the moment.

"They think..."

"You will be dead as far as anyone else cares," Aoshi said, "even the Emperor."

Sanosuke flinched at the thought of Kenshin. "Do you...speak with him?" Sanosuke's voice was like sandpaper, but he was greatful that he was speaking at all.

"You shouldn't talk so much," Aoshi said. "The wound could open."

Sanosuke untensed and started to gaze around his surroundings. It was dark in the far corners of the place, not that the corners were very far away. The ceiling was low and the walls were nearly falling apart. It was an old, makeshift safe house, and for the most part it reminded him of his childhood.

The center of the house was a fire where a cauldron hung, Aoshi sitting next to it, keeping an eye on it. Though the place was old the things inside it were fairly nice, no doubt brought either by Aoshi or his upper class companion. "Misao," he heard. the girl perked up and looked over at Aoshi. "I'm going out, please make sure he stays in bed."

"Yes sir," Misao said in enthusiasm. Sanosuke rolled his eyes. Where was he going to go in the condition he was in? Still, he understood where Aoshi was coming from. Once the door closed Sanosuke's eyes travelled over to Misao now watching the cauldron. He knew who 'Misao' was. She was one of the noble's daughters, mostly distinguish as Okina's granddaughter and the heir to his fortune. She was also known as a ruffian, not liking to hang around anywhere that was actually noble. It was also a known fact that she and Aoshi were betrothed.

"I don't understand..."he whispered, looking up at the ceiling.

Misao leaned over him, a melancholic smile spreading across her lips. "Lord Aoshi really is trying to be nice. Really."

Sanosuke sighed, flinching where the skin expanded. Misao turned around and grabbed something from a mantelpiece, opening it up and pouring it onto a folded sheet of paper. She took Sanosuke's head and lifted it up, pouring the powdery substance into his mouth. "It's a pain medication," she said, "specially made. It's best that you heal quickly."

"So I can be 'dead' for the rest of my life?" Sanosuke asked. His voice never got above a whisper, and he rasped horribly, but Misao said nothing against it, only sat and watched.

"Lord Aoshi has a plan," she said. "Something that will really help everyone."

Sanosuke, falling into a state of drowsiness, couldn't contest what Misao had said. He didn't take Aoshi for being one of the greater good, and though he may have had influence in the court, he didn't expect the icy man to do anything for the government that he wouldn't gain from. Sooner than he knew, he was out again, the pain having ebbed away, and his mind escaping to that of the dreams.

Despite the pain that was flairing in his chest, and the tears that were running down his cheeks, the sovereign of the nation made his way to the council in his best clothes, his fists clenched as he appeared before them, the royal guard standing behind him, keeping the council members from fleeing the scene.

"I don't see what the use is troubling us on Sabbath Day, Majesty," one of the councilmen said. The red head took a deep breath to keep himself from yelling.

"I don't understand why you brutally killed a man on Sabbath Day. Not only did you do that, but did not consult or speak to me about the letter of pardon that I had sent through. Now a man's dead, for what purpose?" but as one was about to speak, Kenshin held his hand up. "I'm not finished yet. For what purpose?" he continued. "Other than possibly smearing your reputations? I've had it with this being a democratic monarchy! Tired! And the truth is that it's not democratic. It's an oligarchy intentionally leaving me out of the mix to try and destroy this country in effort to help yourselves," the red head stopped and lowered his head, the thoughts of Sanosuke floating through his mind, and the blood that was in the snow where Aoshi had stabbed him. He'd sent part of the guard to follow Aoshi, but wasn't surprised that they couldn't keep up with the ninja. "That's why I've decided that this council is grounded and all decisions--" he started coughing heavily, his hand covering his mouth. "And I," he started, gaining his breath again, "will be making any and all decision regarding matters of state, matters of criminal offense. You will do nothing without my say so."

The council looked appalled at the emperor, his handkerchief at his mouth where he was wiping away the blood on his lips. "I'm afraid you're not given that jurisdiction, Majesty."

"I, as my God given rights to rule, have the right to make full decisions in regards to the men that are elected. When the citizen's lives are being risked by a corrupted government body, it is a state of government emergency and the right of absolute rule falls on my shoulders, am I correct?" Kenshin asked, his fists clenched. "Gentlemen, am I or am I not correct?"

The council looked between each other and gave disgusted looks but didn't say outright that the man was wrong in what he said. "I know you're rules," Kenshin said, taking a few steps forward, "and I know all the loopholes to them as well. I hereby place this government in a state of emergency where I have total control. I want any documentations of criminals and their sentences sent to my chambers. I want them from the past year. I want ever scrap of paper, every drop of ink you made," Kenshin said. He coughed again, this time falling to his knees. The council took no interest in his sickness, only watched in horror.

"Halt!" One of the guard yelled. Kenshin looked up to see that there was a person standing in the shadows.

"I've come to inform the council of the prisoner's passing and to have them write up the official death certificate of Hiko Seijuuro XIII, former sovereign of our fine nation." And he said all this as he stared at Kenshin. The emperor rose up, looking at Sojiro Seta with tired eyes. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty."

Remaining relatively neutral, Kenshin lowered his eyes and looked to the ground before turning to look back up at the council. "Captain Saito and his subordinates will take you gentlemen to your homes where, until further notice, you will be under house arrest until the "emergency" has passed us by." He nodded his head, insinuating for Saito and his troops to take the men. Once the room was cleared out, Kenshin was left with Sojiro, the smiling boy crossing his arms and walking closer to the emperor.

"Shame about Lord Sagara," he said. Kenshin straightened his back, his eyes following his adviser around the room. "Never would have taken Lord Shinomori as the killer, but then again, any man will do what you tell him if you raise the right stakes," Sojiro's arms fell to his sides, his hand resting on a sword hilt.

"Cut the crap," Kenshin said. "Aoshi would never bow to you."

"I beg to differ. He did just last nice and boy did it feel good," Sojiro approached Kenshin smugly. "I heard about that little warrant of arrest you put on my head. I'm sure even you'd be willing to take that back," he said, pressing his chest up against the emperor's. "I know you'll take that back, unless you want you're secrets exposed."

"If I'm going down then I'm taking you down with me," said Kenshin calmly. "I have jsut as much blackmail as you do."

"You're much to kind hearted to do that."

Just as Sojiro had his hand resting over the hilt of the sword on his belt, Kenshin did the same. The decorative sword on his waist was just as useful as one that had been used a thousand times. He rested his hand on it as well.

Sojiro protectively took two steps back, his hand still holding tight to the sword hilt. "I'll make you bow down just like Sagara and Shinomori. Better yet..."he looked over his shoulder to the door he'd come from and out came Kaoru in a nightgown, a guard holding her wrists behind her back, a cloth tied into her mouth. "It's either you or her, and I don't mean that you'll die. Believe me, what I'm going to give you is going to be so much worse than death," and he continued to smile, "and either way, one of you is watching the other one."

Kenshin's heart was beating so rapidly that he was sure it was visible through his clothes. He was holding back his coughing fits, and sweat was pouring down his face. Still, when seeing Kaoru struggle where the guard held her, he knew that there was only one decision that was to be made. "If I do this, will you let her go?" Kenshin asked.

"Why, of course Your Majesty, it would be wrong of me to take both of you."

Kenshin lowered his head. "Then you will let her go and I will watch her walk out that door before you lay a finger on me."

Sojiro turned and had the guard release Kaoru of all restraints, the girl running over to Kenshin and standing in front of him almost protectively. "You should go," the emperor whispered. "This is too much for you."

"I said I would let her go Your Majesty. I never said that I would let her leave this room. She will sit and watch like a good little girl and won't make any interruptions."

"She's a woman, you shouldn't put her up to such torment."

Kaoru gripped Kenshin's shirt. "I...I can do it," she said. "I'll let him take me. You're sick, and you have Sano to worry about."

"As sentimental as that is," Sojiro said, pulling Kaoru away, "he already sold himself to me for your freedom. Be happy about that."

Kaoru was taken by a guard to sit on one of the benches, his ankle tied to the nailed down foot of it. "Now, Your Majesty," Sojiro said as he loosened his belt, "how about we get started?"

--

Sanosuke woke up for the second time even groggier than the first, but he wasn't as nauseous or hazy when he woke. He could smell soup being mixed up and could hear the scraping of utensils. Misao had quickly caught onto him opening his eyes and worked to sit him up against a wall. "I changed your bandages," she said. "It looks like a real mess."

"Good to know."

"Here. You should eat. Try to get some strength back."

"How long will I be here?"

"For at least three weeks. In that time, Lord Aoshi will be doing all that he can," she said. Sanosuke nodded. There was a gurgling in the pit of his stomach and it had absolutely nothing to do with his wounds.

A/n: Well, he's alive but...there are complications...till next time, KenSan out!