InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Don't Promises Last Forever? ❯ Awakening ( Chapter 11 )

Awakening

The next morning was a Saturday. Kagome's mother and brother, Sota, had dropped by to see her. Sota was very grief stricken, as his protector had been taken from him. This had already started to show on his arms, since his stepfather took full advantage of Kagome's situation. But to Sota, it was all ok, as long as Kagome came back.

When Sota met Inuyasha at the hospital, a bond formed between them almost immediately. They both loved Kagome very much, even if ::one:: of them refused to admit it, and they both needed her to come back.

"Inuyasha, how long have you been here?" Mrs. Higurashi asked. She was concerned for the welfare of the boy.

"The entire time. But I want to be here, Mrs. Higurashi. I want to make sure she is alright." He got these words in before she could say anything. No matter how arrogant he might be around his peers, he was very respectful around parents. He liked being on their good side. It meant less problems.

"If you say so. Come on, Sota, we have to go. Your stepfather is waiting." They both got up and left, but not without Sota passing Inuyasha a look that said, "Please, help…"

Inuyasha sighed, and looked at Kagome. If she only knew…

"If you're so nice to my mom, why can't you be that nice to me?"

Inuyasha's ears perked. Was that Kagome?

"Are you pulling some sort of prank on me or something? Because if you really are some sort of softy like you were last night, I liked you better that way."

It was Kagome.

"Kagome? Is that you?" he asked. Wasn't she supposed to be unconscious for another week?

"No, you baka. I'm the goddess Aphrodite coming to tell you to give into your sinful ways and succumb to the lust of which is Kagome Higurashi."

There now was no doubt in his mind that it actually was Kagome.

"Of course it's me!!" she exclaimed. She'd been wanting to talk since the night before, but only now had she regained usage of her voice. She still couldn't see. "I'd open my eyes, but I can't see. So it's useless. But I know you're here. I heard you talking to my mom a few minutes ago. Is Sota ok?? That asshole of my stepfather has better not done anything to him. He'll pay." Kagome finished. Her voice was still weak, but there was a significant amount of force behind the last two words.

"Everything is fine, Kagome. Don't you want to know what happened at all?" Inuyasha asked. Most people would be demanding to know where they were, among other things. Like why they couldn't see.

"No, I don't, actually." She replied coldly.

"Well, Kagome, I do. And being I have yet to leave your bedside, I think I am owed an explanation. What happened on Wednesday??" he asked, somewhat concerned.

"What, now that I'm awake and talking, you're not going to tell me all the stuff you said last night? Or are you too afraid?"

"What do you mean, `all that stuff you said last night'?" Did she really hear all that? He was praying she didn't…

"Nothing. Never mind, Inuyasha. I guess I was dreaming. Or whatever I was doing. I want out of here. Where's my doctor?" She kept rambling, changing subjects every two sentences.

Inuyasha didn't want to believe her. But he did for his own sake. If she knew what he had said last night…that he loved her…

"I'll get him. Just don't go nowhere."

"Dude. I can't see anything. Where am I supposed to go?" she asked, the iciness still in her voice.

"Right. I'll be right back." He left the room.

When she was sure he left, she squeezed her eyes tighter shut. She felt two tears slide down her cheeks. Yes, she had heard his entire thing the night before. She couldn't move though, so she couldn't respond. It seemed as though she was recovering her senses, one at a time. Today, she had gotten her blessing of voice and movement back. She was thankful for that.

But the sadness still remained. Why did Inuyasha need to be so friggn arrogant? Why couldn't he just be like any other guy? Why did he have to be so…so…INUYASHA???

More tears fell. She couldn't take it. She refused to go up to him and tell him how she felt. She wasn't one to open up to anyone. Only Miroku had received that privilege. And lately, not even he had been seeing her like that.

She started to think. Where was she? All she remembered was kissing Inuyasha…wait…that kiss…Hojo…. Suddenly, it all came flooding back to her. Seeing the images dance before her eyes. Feeling the pain. Come to think of it, she felt a very tight knot in her lower stomach. She started to knead it, hoping it would go away. Even if it was in a compromising spot, it eased her mind significantly.

Inuyasha came back with her doctor. "Kagome?" he asked. She immediately stopped kneading the not at the sound of the voice.

"I'm still here, Inuyasha. I can't go anywhere, like I said. I can't see."

"I have your doctor here. I'm sure he can answer your questions." Inuyasha said flatly.

"Like why I can't see?" Kagome asked.

"Yes. That. Usually, most patients who've been under Memex…" the doctor started.

"Wait - WHAT? Memex??? Don't say anymore. I already know. I'm going to sleep. I'll wake up in a few. And with those words, Kagome curled up and fell asleep within seconds.

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Kagome really did know about Memex. She never thought she'd become a victim of it. She thought that she wouldn't be regaining her vision for a few days, at best. If she didn't get it back before the end of the month, she wouldn't have been surprised.

She knew that if she slept, she'd have a better chance of a quicker recovery. She needed to get back to school. She'd kill that Kikyo bitch, if it was the last thing she'd ever do.

When Kagome woke up 36 hours later, she found much to her surprise that she could see quite clearly. The room was dark, and the clock said it was 3:17 a.m. She looked to her right, and saw the bathroom. She got up, and found she was very weak from everything. She still felt that knot in her stomach.

Kagome slowly crossed to the bathroom, using the walls as supports, and took care of herself. She also took a very long, hot, and needed shower.

When she got out, she realized she had a private room. She figured it was because of the chance of her having another episode. But what made her almost shriek was that when she surveyed the room was the sleeping Inuyasha next to her bed in the cot. And the fact that she was in nothing more than a towel didn't help. She knew Inuyasha was here the other night, and the day earlier, but she didn't think he was actually staying here watching over her. Almost immediately, she felt a warmth rush from her heart all over her body.

She quickly and quietly crossed the room, grabbed herself a pair of flannel pants and a loose tank top. She changed into them and went into the bathroom. She rubbed the towel through her hair to get the excess water out of it, and then sat down in her bed.

Kagome was glad that the doctors had removed their stupid tubery and machines from her. They both knew that all she needed now was a lot of undisturbed rest and observations to make sure that everything was fully intact. Like, say, her mind. Usually, people came out of this all right. Memex was usually a hit-or-miss when you went on a bad trip. Either you stopped, dead, or after recovery it was as if it never happened.

She pondered this as she lay down, looking at Inuyasha. This was the first time she had seen him for who he really was; there was no mask or anything covering his beautiful features, no pride or arrogance marring his beautiful personality. Just him. Inuyasha.

Kagome wanted as bad as anything to curl up next to him. To feel his arms wrap around her and hold her close. She never had anyone to protect her, since she always had to protect someone else, or herself. She always wondered what that felt like. Kagome would have liked to have someone to watch over her and protect her right now. She felt very vulnerable.

She felt the pain in her stomach again, and felt the knot forming. Kagome allowed the tears she'd been wanting to shed for what seemed like ages to start to stream down her face as she recalled, again, the memories of Hojo and the year of manipulation and abuse she had tolerated. She looked down at her ankle, and saw that tattoo she had put here herself one day, after her mom found out about Hojo…and how she'd been basically grounded for an indefinite amount of time.

When she put the tattoo there, she had wanted to feel the pain that was eating at her on the inside on the outside. It wasn't that bad a job, in fact. It had grown on her. She liked it. It was blue, her favorite color at the time. It probably still was.

She let the tears continue to come, as the knot in her abdomen grew steadily worse. Memories, horrible memories flooded her consciousness, those of her getting beaten, how her mother tolerated her `father' in hopes of giving her and her brother a better life. She still put up with him and his shit. Sota came into her picture, and she saw him after her father had gotten to him; she remembered the feeling of people pulling on her, of Miroku holding her back and attempting to calm her down.

She felt someone pulling her body away from its original spot, and felt a pair of arms wrap around her. She heard a voice, calm and smooth, saying, "Shhh…Kagome, calm down. Its ok, I'm here now…" as a hand stroked her hair. She knew and trusted the voice, so she allowed herself to melt into the embrace and cry, letting everything come out…