InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Wolf Prince's Love ❯ Hospital Hysterics ( Chapter 8 )

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! Now, on with the story! ^_~

 

(While you are reading this, keep in mind that I have never been to the E.R., nor have I ever watched any television shows surrounding it. In other words, I suck at doing doctor scenes. However, please bear with me and ignore any stupid mistakes I must have made.)

 

 

Chapter 8:

 

 

<SCREECH>

 

 

Kouga's grip on the leather seat he was sitting in tightened as Kagome's Mom swerved speedily around another car on the highway.

 

 

“Oops, sorry, guys. We'll be there soon, so hang on back there.” She turned around in her seat and smiled at the terrified duo.

 

 

Kagome sighed in relief of not hitting the car they had barely managed to miss. The traffic wasn't heavy, but there were a few stubborn cars on the road that just didn't want to make room for them. Her mother was doing pretty well, though, considering she hardly ever drove.

 

 

The main shopping center was just a few blocks away from the Higurashi Shrine, so there was no need for a vehicle's transportation. The car was kept for emergency situations, which hardly ever came around. Kagome was glad that they were prepared, though, for this situation. She wasn't sure how much longer Kouga could withstand the poison's effects on his own, and she certainly didn't want to find out. The sooner they got to the hospital, the better.

 

 

Kagome only hoped they wouldn't die in the accident they were sure to have if her mother kept driving so recklessly. Poor Kouga, he must have been frightened stiff! It wasn't everyday that a demon such as him rode on the highway. Speaking of the ookami-youkai, he was being awfully quiet…

 

 

She looked at Kouga questioningly when she felt his hand clutch her shoulder tightly.

 

 

“Kouga?” she asked. He looked terrified, with his eyes bulging and finger shakily pointing ahead. Her eyes traveled down the length of his arm to the tip of his shaking finger, which was pointing to the source of his fear: a truck which was about to merge directly into the Higurashi's little blue car.

 

 

Kagome's eyes were as round as saucers. “M-Mama! Look out!” She shouted.

 

 

“Hmm?” Mrs. Higurashi blinked and finally turned her eyes back to the road. “Oh my!” Just as the truck was finishing its merge, she slammed on the brakes, barely missing a collision with the back of the truck.

 

 

After the initial shock of their sudden stop passed over, the driver and two passengers in the back seat breathed out a sigh of relief.

 

 

“Whew, that was close!” Mama chuckled and turned around once again to make sure the two in the back seat were still breathing. Much to her relief, they were, but they didn't look too happy.

 

 

“Mama, please, keep your eyes on the road!” Kagome chastised the older woman as she rubbed at her sore temples. She couldn't believe the amount of stress that was building up on her shoulders from this entire poisoning incident.

 

 

Mama smiled jokingly. “Okay, okay,” she said, already turning around in her seat. “We're almost there.”

 

 

Kagome rolled her eyes at her mother's immature behavior. What was that old phrase…like mother like daughter? Well, Kagome certainly didn't want to end up acting like her mother when she turned thirty-x…

 

 

A slight coughing sound shattered any further thoughts Kagome's mind could form about psychotic mothers in their thirties; and when she realized that Kouga had been the source of that sound, she panicked.

 

 

“Kouga, are you all right?” She hurriedly asked, her hand finding its way to comfortingly brace his shoulder.

 

 

He nodded. His eyes were closed and the hand that was covering his mouth was trembling. To Kagome, he looked anything but fine. She could feel the wet tears that were beginning to form on the bottoms of her eyelids as they threatened to spill over.

 

 

“No, you're not,” She stated as she forcibly blinked the tears back. Her voice cracked noticeably when she voiced her thoughts aloud. “You're in pain.”

 

 

Kagome caught her mother's eye in the rearview mirror and realized that she was also worried about the poisoned young youkai in the back seat. The little blue car picked up even more speed in its rush to get to the hospital.

 

 

Kouga sighed and gave in under Kagome's scrutinizing gaze. “Okay, so maybe it does hurt a little bit.” He said with a small smile, hoping it would soften the news a bit.

 

 

Kagome exhaled shakily and grasped his free hand in her own, squeezing it gently. Despite the blush that was now coloring her cheeks, she scooted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. She could only imagine what his face must have looked like just then.

 

 

It was very apparent to her that her actions hadn't paralyzed him when he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

 

 

The hospital was very close now. In fact, it was just beyond the exit that the Higurashi's little blue car was taking right now. Kagome groaned inwardly as she thought about the troubles they were going to have to go through once they stepped through those double doors that were a part of the hospital's entrance. She knew Kouga was not the type to sit patiently through the various tests that were going to be performed on his body. She figured the least she could do for Kouga and the doctoring crew would be to warn him of what would take place during his visit to the doctor's.

 

 

“When we do get to the hospital,” she began, “There are a few things that you need to be aware of…”

 

 

ooooooooo

 

 

 

 

“Name?” The gray-haired receptionist demanded without looking up from a notebook, which she was busily writing in behind her desk. `Kin' was engraved on a golden rectangular plaque next to her computer.

 

 

“Kagome.”

 

 

“What's bothering you?” She asked in a monotonous tone as she scribbled the characters for `Kagome' in her notebook.

 

 

“Oh, nothing's bothering me. My friend-“

 

 

“Friend's name?” Kin asked, cutting her off in an annoyed huff.

 

 

Kagome's friend frowned. He didn't like the way this old woman was treating his Kagome. Taking one step forward, he gently squeezed the young ningen's shoulder and opened his mouth to answer the question that was supposed to be directed toward him.

 

 

“Kouga Yurizoku.”

 

 

Kin drew a line through Kagome's name and wrote the new information beside it.

 

 

“What's bothering you, Kouga?” She asked, glancing up this time. She squinted her eyes and raised an eyebrow in amusement when she saw him; specifically the way he was dressed.

 

 

“And where did you come from, a costume party?” She tilted her glasses down her nose so that she could get a better look at him.

 

 

“Huh?” Kouga frowned in confusion and peered downward at what he was wearing. Was there something wrong with his armor?

 

 

Kagome took immediate action.

 

 

“Um, yes, Kouga and I just got back.” Her stuttered reply was accompanied by a nervous chuckle. Before the receptionist could nod her approval at the explanation offered of her, Kouga's curiosity got the better of him; he had to know what they were talking about. Turning toward her, eyes alight with interest, he asked:

 

 

“Kagome, what's a cos-…”

 

 

But his lips ceased forming the curious words of question when Kagome silenced them with her finger.

 

 

“Oh, Kouga, you're such a joker!” She said after a forced laugh. When she was sure that he wouldn't say anything else, she removed her finger, and almost giggled when she saw that he was blushing.

 

 

It was then that the receptionist cleared her throat. Her annoyance had reached its peak with these two.

 

 

“What's bothering you?” She asked for the third time in two minutes.

 

 

“His side.” Kagome answered. In a small voice she added, “P-poison.”

 

 

Kin's eyes widened.

 

 

“Poison?” She asked, alarmed. When Kagome nodded, Kin rose quickly from her chair. “What kind of poison?”

 

 

“I-it was some kind of scorpion.” She swallowed, hoping her explanation would be accepted without any further questioning.

 

 

“Scorpion!? What are you doing here, you should be in the emergency room!” She wasted no time in picking up the receiver and dialing for assistance from the E.R. When she hung up, she gave hurried instructions for them to sit down in the chairs a few feet away.

 

 

Kouga obediently kept his mouth shut and allowed Kagome to lead him over to a gross looking blue thing that he was supposed to sit in. He was going to object, but with one look into Kagome's worried eyes, he decided against it. She was scared and he didn't like that. She wasn't supposed to be afraid when he was around; he was supposed to protect her. So he sat down, all the while looking her in the eyes.

 

 

She sat down next to him, her eyes locked on his. Why was she seeing guilt in those cerulean depths? When she remembered that this was Kouga she was dealing with, it didn't take very long for her to realize why he was feeling that way.

 

 

Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of it. Here he was, heart-broken, poisoned by some freak scorpion-incarnation while protecting her, in pain, sitting in a hospital chair five hundred years into his future, and feeling guilty that she was worried over him.

 

 

Again, she thought of how very different Kouga was from Inuyasha…

 

 

Kagome could take it no longer. Without breaking eye contact, she took his hand in her own.

 

 

“Kouga, please, stop looking at me that way.” She pleaded.

 

 

“What way?” He asked, tightening his larger hand around hers.

 

 

“Like…like you're blaming yourself about…me being worried about you.” She was shaking now, tears falling freely. “You mustn't feel that way. It's my fault that…we were out there in the first place…my fault that…that you…” She looked at his poisoned side and winced.

 

 

“No.” He shook his head and frowned. “Kagome, no.” He easily scooped her out of her chair and sat her on his lap. Ignoring her bright red cheeks, he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her to his chest. “Don't think that way. This isn't your fault at all.”

 

 

“Then you stop thinking that way, too.” She said in a voice that was muffled by the armor on his chest.

 

 

He smiled. “Okay, it's a deal.”

 

 

Kagome lifted her head and smiled back at him. During this moment especially, she was glad that her mother was in another room filling out paper work for Kouga's visit.

 

 

Just as Kouga opened his mouth to say something witty, three people dressed in white outfits ran into the room with a stretcher.

 

 

“Where is he, Kin?” the first one asked.

 

 

The old woman pointed at the seat that Kouga was currently sharing with Kagome. Kagome blushed crimson and leapt off the patient's lap. Kouga stood as well.

 

 

The second doctor took one look at the strange man wearing a fur skirt and tail and turned to the receptionist for an explanation.

 

 

“What is he…?” He asked.

 

 

“Costume party.” Said Kin.

 

 

“Oh…” All three of the men dressed in white nodded in understanding. Kouga frowned. He would definitely remember to ask Kagome what that was later on.

 

 

Finally, one of the doctors remembered what they were there for and ran over

to Kouga, wheeling the stretcher ahead of him.

 

 

“Lie down, son.” He said. Kouga raised an eyebrow. Were they really expecting him to lie on that thing? Kagome sighed when Kouga made no move to obey the doctor.

 

 

“Kouga, do as he says.”

 

 

The doctors were surprised when the stubborn young man obeyed her. As soon as he was seated, they began to wheel him away.

 

 

“Wait here, Miss.” One of them said just as they opened the doors to the hallway that led to the emergency room.

 

 

Kagome eyes widened. “No, wait! I have to go with him!” She shouted as she ran after the stretcher that was wheeling Kouga away from her.

 

 

“I'm sorry, Miss, but we can't allow that. Please wait here.”

 

 

“No! He…he won't listen to you if I'm not there!”

 

 

The doctor sighed. The other two exchanged glances. However, one more look at their patient's attire was all they needed to reassure themselves. “Oh, all right.”

 

 

Kagome smiled and ran over to them. “Arigatou.”

 

 

ooooooooo

 

 

 

 

Kouga nervously tapped his fingers against the wooden bedpost for the tenth time in three minutes. That's how long it had been since the three doctors had wheeled him into this enclosed room and had lifted him onto the small, uncomfortable bed, with instructions to wait in here for someone to come in.

 

 

Kagome calmly reached out her hand and flicked his fingers gently for the tenth time in three minutes. “Relax, Kouga.” When was that doctor going to show up?

 

 

As if he could somehow read her thoughts, the doctor chose that exact moment to walk through the door, carrying a clipboard.

 

 

Kouga and Kagome looked up at him anxiously.

 

 

The doctor smiled and said, “Hello, Kouga. My name is Dr. Kimaro.”

 

 

Kouga nodded politely. The doctor wasn't looking at him, however. He was reading something on the clipboard.

 

 

Dr. Kimaro frowned and finally looked up from what he was reading. “It says here that you've been poisoned by a scorpion.”

 

 

“Yeah. A big one.”

 

 

“I'm going to be honest with you Kouga, that's not good. In fact, your ability to remain conscious amazes me. I'm going to have to look at the wound right away.”

 

 

Kouga nodded again, his expression remaining the same. Meanwhile, Kagome was trying to keep herself from hyperventilating.

 

 

“Where is the wound, Kouga?” Dr. Kimaro asked.

 

 

Kouga tapped his side gently. “Here.”

 

 

The doctor nodded. “I see. You'll need to take off your…top.” Kimaro frowned. Was he wearing armor?

 

 

Kagome was shocked to see that Kouga wasn't arguing with the doctor when he slipped his arms through his armor and set it at his side. She immediately blushed and glanced away. In the entire time that she'd known the wolf demon, she'd never expected to see him half naked before.

 

 

Kagome's thoughts were interrupted by the doctor's voice.

 

 

“That's one monster bruise. What happened there?” He asked, gesturing to Kouga's back.

 

 

“Oh, that? I…I fell.”

 

 

Kagome's heart skipped a beat as she remembered how Kouga had really gotten that injury. It had been when the incarnation slammed him into a tree. She shuddered as she recalled seeing his shocked face, full of pain; and then there was so much blood…Kagome had thought for sure that he was going to die.

 

 

She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall once again. `No. I don't want to cry again.'

 

 

The doctor whistled aloud when he saw the cut that Naraku's incarnation had left Kouga with.

 

 

“That's strange. That scorpion's stinger must've been awfully sharp.”

 

 

Kouga nodded his agreement. “It sure was.”

 

 

Dr. Kimaro placed a gloved hand on the wound and applied a bit of pressure. Kouga's hands balled into fists, a pained moan escaping his lips.

 

 

“It's swollen.” The doctor paused in thought for a moment before going on. “I'm going to have to take a blood sample so I can give you the antidote.”

 

 

Kouga gulped. “What does that mean?”

 

 

Kimaro walked over to a small cabinet and opened a drawer. He fished around inside for a moment before pulling out a large needle and mumbling a: “Here it is.”

 

 

Kouga followed the doctor's every movement with his eyes. He didn't like the look of that sharp metal thing.

 

 

The doctor washed it in the sink and walked back to Kouga's side, and without any warning, stuck the needle directly into the wound. Kouga gasped loudly, found Kagome's hand by his other side, and gripped it tightly.

 

 

After a moment, though, the doctor withdrew the cursed metal object and walked back over to the cabinet, needle in hand.

 

 

“I'm going to go run some tests on your blood now. I'll be back in a few minutes.” He said as he opened the door. Kagome nodded for Kouga just as he closed the door.

 

 

Kagome turned troubled eyes to meet Kouga's own pained ones. “Kouga, are you okay?” she asked.

 

 

Kouga forced himself to nod, though his shocked face betrayed him. Kagome sighed.

 

 

“Sorry about that.” She said. “He was supposed to warn you beforehand.”

 

 

Kouga nodded again, his grip on her hand subsiding a little. “It's not so bad, I guess. It could've been worse.” He finally looked at her and smiled. “I just wish my heart would stop beating so fast.”

 

 

Kagome giggled. “Good. At least you'll be ready for it next time.”

 

 

Kouga nodded and flashed her his trademark smirk.

 

 

Wait.

 

 

Next time?

 

 

“Kagome…?” He began to ask her exactly what she meant by that, but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

 

 

“Come in,” Kagome called.

 

 

Kimaro stepped through the door carrying another needle. This time, there was a larger tube filled with a light green liquid attached to it. As he shut the door, he said:

 

 

“I've got the antidote. I was mistaken. It appears that the poison wasn't that strong after all. After you take this, you should be fine.”

 

 

Kagome nodded in Kouga's place. He wasn't paying attention considering he was too busy staring at the needle in the doctor's hand in horror. And then, his words sunk in: Kouga would be fine. Kagome exhaled in relief. She smiled admiringly at the paranoid wolf. That poison was strong, all right, but Kouga's demon blood helped to soften the blow a bit.

 

 

`Thank goodness he's youkai.'

 

 

Kagome's thoughts were disturbed when her hand was squeezed tightly, yet again. The doctor had managed to pass her and stick the needle in Kouga's wound again without her realizing.

 

 

“And, that's it. You're going to be just fine, Kouga. You can go home now.”

 

 

Kagome rolled her eyes when Kouga didn't respond. She hopped up from her seat and slipped her hand out of his grasp, grabbing up his armor as she did so. Just as the doctor opened the door, she managed to slip the metal `top' over his head.

 

 

“Come on, Kouga, let's go meet my mom in the waiting room.” Kouga still didn't respond. She waved her hand in front of his open eyes a few times, and narrowed her eyes when she saw that his pupils were following her every move. He was playing with her.

 

 

“Kouga no baka!” She put her hands on her hips and frowned at him.

 

 

Suddenly, he smiled and hopped out of the bed. He was behind her in an instant; his arms slowly snaked around her waist.

 

 

“I'm a baka? Kagome, that hurts.” He teased. She smiled up at him.

 

 

Turning around in his arms, and putting her own around his neck, she said: “Yes, you are. You're supposed to hold me like this.”

 

 

“You'll have to forgive me.” He brought his lips down closer, nearly touching

 

hers.

 

Kagome's eyelids fluttered as she stared deep into his cerulean eyes. “Oh, I already have.”

 

 

< KNOCK >

 

 

“Kagome, Kouga? Are you ready to leave?” Mrs. Higurashi asked from the other side of the door. Kouga reluctantly released Kagome from his arms and sighed in defeat.

 

 

They had been so close…

 

 

Kagome giggled. “Don't worry,” she said as she took his hand in her own. “We'll continue this later.”

 

 

Kouga smirked and allowed her to lead him out of the room.

 

 

“I'll hold you to that.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: Okay, so the whole doctor part was totally off, I know! And I also know that it would take much longer to make the antidote, and also that that's probably not how to do it, either. But, whatever! What can I say, I'm not here to write about doctors, just the little love story that Kouga deserves! ^_~

 

Thank you for reading, and please don't forget to leave me a review! ^_^x

 

Until next time.