InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Demons in Disguise ❯ Facing the Truth ( Chapter 7 )

Sesshou waited out in the waiting room of the hospital. He hadn't known Lin long enough to know her phone number, address, or guardians. All he knew was her name (of course, now he wasn't even sure if 'Lin' was her real name) and that she was going to want someone there when she woke up.

Sesshou tried to distract himself from the thoughts of what had happened by reading the old magazines the room provided and trying to imagine who the other men and women in the waiting room were waiting for. Yet nothing could draw his thoughts away from all the things he had done. His expression reflected none of his troubled thoughts. Sesshou was very good at hiding his true feelings.

What happened to me in there? Sesshou thought. Where did those marks come from? And that strength? I know I'm fit, but I wouldn't normally be able to lift a hefty guy like that at all, much less that easily.

A distant look was in his eyes as he leaned down on his knees. His white hair hid his face from the other people in the room.

More importantly I began to think differently to. And it wasn't in the least bit a good change. I…I can't believe I actually…

Sesshou bit his lip and he hung his head lower. Just thinking of the ordeal sent a terrifying chill through his bones.

How can I live with myself? Part of me thinks I should admit what I did to the police and get punished for my crime. But another part urges me to forget about it. As if it was just a common event. What is this part of me? The part that doesn't care. It must be the part that changed me. Physically and mentally, Sesshou looked down at his open palm. I want to be frightened of that part of me, but I'm not. It seems so natural. Now that I think of it, I've always known that part of me was there. I was subconsciously aware of that part of me is more accurate. But why would it awaken today? Now that I'm consciously aware of it, it's much more apparent and harder to suppress. Should I really reject it? It is a part of me after all. I wouldn't be myself without it. Why shouldn't I just let it exist and quit trying to stop it?

Sesshou suddenly clenched his teeth and rolled his hand into a fist. With a grunt he slammed his fist onto his knee. How could he think such a thing?

No! That part of me made me kill a living breathing human being! I should never let something like that be a part of me, he unclenched his teeth and looked down solemnly. It is a part of me. It is me. There's nothing I can do. Even if I tried, Sesshou closed his eyes tightly. How did all of this happen? I've gotten mad at people enough times before this, but I never transformed into a monster and murder them! That is, until I met that girl Lin. Does she connect to all of this? I don't understand. Lin. What is it about her? I feel so…so…close to her. As if I've known her before. Not in this lifetime though. Earlier. Much, much earlier. Ugh, what's happening to me?! What have I become?!

Sesshou fisted his hands again and tensed his entire body. A hand suddenly touched his back. He flipped his head up, eyes meeting a nurse's kind face. She smiled to him like some sort of doll that never stops being happy no matter what. It seemed like someone could dislodge her head and find a hollow body with a plastic neck. If only it were that easily for everyone else.

"Excuse me, sir," the nurse spoke in a quiet but happy tone. "Your little friend has come to. She's ready for visitors. Just be careful. She's still a little woozy from the medicines we've given her."

Nodding politely, Sesshou stood up and walked right past the nurse. He strode straight to Lin's room and open the door only an inch to check inside. He saw a stranger laying unconscious in the bed closest to the door. Sesshou moved past him silently and peeked to the patient behind the curtain that separated the two patients. He found Lin laying motionless in her bed. She was staring down at her feet, hardly blinking.

Sesshou cleared his throat in a way of announcing his presence. Lin blinked and looked over to him like she had just been broken out of a trance. Her face softened and she gave a nod to acknowledge him. Relieved that Lin recognized him, Sesshou strode over to her bed and pulled up a chair to sit on. Lin looked back down at the covers acting oblivious to Sesshou's presence. He was the first one to break the awkward moment.

"How are you feeling?"

Lin looked up him caught off guard by the sudden noise.

"Oh. I'm…fine I guess. The doctors said I should be fully recovered by the end of the day," Lin said. Sesshou hummed thoughtfully.

"Do you remember what happened on the bus today?" he finally asked. Lin was startled by the question. She waited several moments before answering.

"I think I do," Lin replied in an unsure tone. "But if you mean do I remember what happened to you on that bus, then yes. I do remember. The details are fuzzy but I do know what happened."

Sesshou sighed heavily. He looked up and turned his head away staring at the wall. Lin took this chance to get a good look at his face. The light from the white cloudy sky coming the window and basking his face accentuated his beauty. His face seemed to give off its own glow like the moon, his amber eyes truly looked golden, and his white hair appeared sprinkled with silver.

"Then you must know," he paused and turned his gaze to Lin. "what I did. How I changed."

His head drooped as he spoke the last words. The silence that followed disconcerted Sesshou. After a minute had passed he dared to lift his eyes to meet Lin's. An unreadable expression had covered her face. Sesshou tried and failed to name the feeling her face showed. It was a mixture of sadness, confusion, and sympathy.

* * *

Lin hardly knew what to think of the ordeal in the bus. She had never fully realized until now that Sesshou actually killed that bus driver. Yet, it didn't bother her as much as she thought it should. Lin knew that despite what he did, Sesshou never really planned to hurt Fred, and had done it in self-preservation. Perhaps, at the time, he didn't even realize what he was doing. Besides, Sesshou seemed just as troubled about the situation as a bystander who had seen it would've felt.

"Yeah, I know," she finally spoke when his eyes lifted. "And I know that new things must be happening to you that you maybe you can't completely control. I can't blame you for what you did."

Sesshou's eyes lit up with amazement at how calmly Lin accepted what had gone on. He sat up straight, at a loss for words. He stared at Lin looking at her in a new light. She wasn't the sad, lost little girl he had met on the bus. She was an innocent young lady who had learned to deal with most situations due to a rough childhood. A beautiful young lady was more like it. Her thick black hair was stunning, her hazel eyes were enchanting like the newly blossomed wood on a cherry tree, and her delicate yet brave demeanor was attractive.

"Lin, I-" Sesshou began but Lin promptly interrupted.

"Would you mind calling me Rin?" She asked seriously. Sesshou was stunned by her strange request. He had to agree that Rin fit her much better than any other name he could think of. Also, that was the name he had inexplicably called her when he first met her on the bus.

"It just seems like…well, you know, it fits. I think that's the name I've been trying to find, anyway," she grinned softly.

"I guess," Sesshou said. "Why not? Sure, I agree that it suits you much more than Lin. Rin it is then."

They both exchanged a quick grin before Sesshou continued with what he had been saying.

"Rin, I just wanted to explain to you what happened," he said. "I wanted to anyway. The fact is that I can't even understand what happened to me. I'm so sorry."

Sesshou hung his head again unable to look at her. He was surprised when he felt Rin's soft hand touch his lightly. He raised his head and met her hazel eyes. She was smiling pleasantly. That smile. Where had he seen that smile before?

"Don't be sorry, Sesshou," Rin spoke softly. They both exchanged stares for the next few minutes. Rin had yet to remove her hand from his. Usually he would find this odd if not a little bold, but Rin's hand was so soft and warm. Hardly thinking, he found himself lacing his fingers together with hers. Both of them looked down to their inter-twined fingers. Their eyes were wide and perplexed. Simultaneously, they raised their heads and their eyes met. Rin suppressed a grin and blushed as she looked down and pulled her hand away.

Sesshou smirked watching her cute cheeks turn red. He scoot his chair a little closer to the bed and rested his hand on her shoulder. Rin jumped a little then giggled lightly while covering her red cheeks with her hands. Sesshou gently turned her shoulder so that she was facing him.

"Uh, Sesshou, wha-" Rin began but halted when she saw Sesshou's face. He was smirking and his eyes were glinting with affection. Rin lowered her hands to her lap and stared back at him. She didn't move or resist when he put his other hand on her shoulder and pulled her close to him.

His embrace was tender and brought an fluffy warm feeling all over her body. This was the most caring and genuine show of affection she had ever experienced. It was barely five seconds when her shock broke. With a soft hum she wrapped her own arms around him. They remained still and frozen in time. For the time they were in each other's arms all the problems in the outside world were obsolete. Nothing mattered anymore. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. Their bliss was interrupted by the plastic doll nurse that Sesshou had spoken with earlier.

"Pardon me," she said. Before she passed the curtain Rin and Sesshou broke the embrace. The nurse passed the curtain and smiled at both of them. "Forgive me for interrupting. I'm just here to inform Mr. Mitsuharu that there's a Chang Wufei wanting to speak with him out in the waiting room."

Sesshou sighed and stood slowly.

"I'll be back soon, Rin," Sesshou told her as he walked to the door. The nurse watched him, puzzled.

"Sir, her name is Lin," the nurse pointed out. Sesshou waved his hand, without looking back and replied.

"Sure."

* * *

Sesshou found Wufei leaning against the wall, arms crossed, and eyes closed. He was a little hesitant about talking to him. How friendly could Wufei be after he just took his car? Sesshou approached him slowly, watching Wufei's face the entire time.

"Hello, Wufei."

Wufei opened his eyes staring directly at Sesshou. His expression was even more unreadable than Rin's had been. He stopped leaning on the wall and stood in front of him. Sesshou met his gaze with his own expressionless one. For anyone watching, it would seem like they were having a staring contest.

"You took my car," Wufei said with a hit of annoyance in his voice. " I rode some moron's second-hand motorcycle after you abandoned me in that alley, I fended off two muggers, and had to pay a man for directions to this hospital."

Wufei's eyes hardened and his voice became more annoyed.

"I'm not in the mood to ask you why you took my car without my permission," he narrowed his eyes. "Give me the keys."

"Of course," Sesshou answered as he fumbled around in his pocket until he found the keys to Wufei's car. Sesshou tossed it to him and he caught it promptly.

"How's your friend?" Wufei asked flatly.

"She's stable. She should be able to leave by the end of the day," Sesshou answered. Wufei nodded and raised a brow to his friend.

"Mind explaining what happened in there?" he questioned. Sesshou thought for a moment.

"I just found the abandoned bus, became curious, and found that girl passed out on that seat," Sesshou lied. Wufei scanned Sesshou with his eyes like he was searching for something.

"What if I told you I didn't buy your story?" Wufei stated. Sesshou scoffed and smirked wryly. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and held it up next to his head.

"Then I guess I'd feel inclined to show the darling pictures you took of your family when you visited China a few days ago," Sesshou began to unfold the paper. "I found them in a peculiar place. They fell out of a compartment next to the brake. Weird place to keep pictures of your family, don't you think so?"

Sesshou held the unfolded paper in front of Wufei's upset face. On the piece of grid paper was a professional blueprint of what looked like a gigantic dangerous robot. There were lists and statistics written around the paper describing sections for guns, laser induced weaponry, and other forms of infantry.

"Is this one a photo of your loving mother?" Sesshou smirked. Wufei hurriedly snatched the blueprint out of Sesshou's hand and folded it up.

"Do you have anymore?" Wufei inquired, his voice low. Sesshou shook his head slowly.

"No, that was the only one I took," Sesshou was telling the truth. "So do you buy my story now?"

Wufei chuckled with a grin.

"Randomly checked an abandoned bus in an alley and found a mentally diseased girl? Seems plausible."

Wufei and Sesshou shook hands, and Sesshou began to head back to Rin's room.

"Hey, Sesshou. One more thing," Wufei called. Sesshou turned his head back to his friend.

"And that would be?"

Wufei grabbed a VHS video from the floor that Sesshou hadn't noticed until then. He caught the tape in his hands when Wufei threw it to him. After a few seconds of examining it, he was still confused.

"What's this?" Sesshou stared at the tape in his hands.

"Before I went off to find you I made a quick stop by that abandoned bus," Wufei grinned and reached for the doorknob to the waiting room, preparing to leave. "There's surveillance cameras on those things you know. I thought you might want to have it. Just in case."

Sesshou dropped the tape into his bag which he had set down by a chair.

"Thank you, Wufei," Sesshou waved and Wufei returned the wave with a nod. Wufei pulled open the door, exited, and the door swung shut behind him.