InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Morte Ombra (Death Shadow) ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

** Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own them. **

Symbols: "…" Speaking

`…' Thoughts

AN: Just a bit of info on why I'm updating this one again before I update The Masquerade. I recently came back from Hawaii. While I was away, a friend of mine there read my stories. I was threatened with certain death if I didn't update this fic again when I returned home. So here ya go hun, this chappie's for you. Just to let you guys know, I am currently working on a one shot as well as the next chapter for The Masquerade. I'm having a bit of trouble writing the lemon for it though. I just don't think it fits in just yet, so don't be too surprised if there isn't any in the next chapter for TM.

~ Morte Ombra (Death Shadow): Chapter 4 ~

Kagome paced around the hospital's ICU waiting room still ignoring her mother's request to sit and try to calm down. She knew she was most likely wearing down the pastel carpet but she really didn't care. She was more worried about Sango's condition. It had been a week since she had brought the young demon huntress to her time. `A week and still no change' she thought wearily. She knew the doctors had pretty much given up on her friend. She remembered the conversation she had overheard between her mother and the doctor.

~* Flashback *~

The doctor entering the room caused Kagome to cease her pacing and look up at him expectantly. Her heart sank as she took in the grim expression he wore on his face. She tensed involuntarily when he spoke.

"Mrs. Higurashi?" his voice was gruff and sounded tired.

Kagome took a step forward but was stopped when the man in the white jacket held up his hand. She looked to her mother, pleading with her silently only to watch as her mom shook her head. A sigh escaped her lips as she plopped down onto the partially cushioned chair. She watched the two walk around the corner with tears in her eyes. After sitting there for a minute she realized she couldn't sit still. Her fears of what was being said replaying themselves over and over in her head. Slowly she stood and silently made her way over to the doorway to the waiting room. She leaned against the framing and strained to hear what was being said.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Higurashi, but the young woman doesn't look like she is going to pull out of this." The male's voice drifted to Kagome's ears. The tears that had been collecting in her eyes slowly fell from their home.

"Is there nothing you can do for her?" Mrs. Higurashi inquired.

"I'm sorry ma'am, she's bleeding internally. She's lost a lot of blood and she seems to not be fighting anymore. We could keep her on life support, but she would be suffering."

Before her mother could say anything Kagome rounded the corner. All her anger, sadness and desperation that she had bottled up since this all began broke from its prison. Her fist landed square on his jaw sending the doctor flying back. She was on him before he could pick himself up off the ground. Sitting on his chest, Kagome continued to throw punches at his face and anywhere else she could land them. She barely registered her mother's screams for her to stop as she beat the man on the ground. "Sango's not going to die! She's a fighter, she never gives up! And you are going to help her." Spittle flew from her lips as she yelled landing on the man's now bloodied face.

Kagome finally stopped when her mother pulled her off from on top of the doctor. She looked to the man who was slowly picking himself up off the ground. The realizationof what she had just done hit her and guilt flooded her features. Her head dropped as tears fell from her eyes. Wrenching herself from her mother's grasp she walked up to the doctor who flinched away from her. More tears fell from her face, "I'm so sorry, I… I don't know what came over me." Lifting her head she looked into his eyes pleadingly, "Please, you have to help her. She's all that I have left. I'll accept any punishment for what I did to you, but please… please help her."

~* End Flashback *~

Kagome stopped in her pacing when she felt her mother's arms go around her shoulders. Spinning she hid her face against her mother's shoulder as she silently wept. She leaned further against the comforting shoulder as she felt a hand gently stroked her hair. "Momma, it's just not fair. They didn't deserve this, none of them did."

Mrs. Higurashi looked down and placed a kiss on the top of her daughter's head. "I know dear, I know."

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The doctor walked up to the sleeping form of Kagome and gently shook her. He heard her mumble something before attempting to smack his hand away. "Higurashi Kagome?" He said as he shook her a bit harder. A smile formed on his lips as he watched her eyes dance behind closed lids, then slowly flutter open. "Good afternoon, Higurashi Kagome."

Her eyes slowly focused on a pair of brown eyes in front of her. Startled she jumped back in the chair causing it to topple over backwards. A small `oomph' escaped her lips as her body connected with the floor. "Ow." Slowly she stood, rubbing the sore spot on the back of her head. She felt a hand grab her arm as she lost her balance and started to wobble. A gruff "you okay" came from the left of her. She let out a huff that sounded very similar to a certain hanyou. "Yeah, my leg's just asleep."

After making sure she was balanced and could stand on her own the doctor let go of her arm. He walked to the front of her and watched as her eyes met his. "Your mother said that you should be the first to know. The young lady has come out of her coma." He couldn't hold back his smile when the girl's eye's lit up upon hearing the news. "You may go in and visit with her. She's still needs her rest though, so try not to make it too long."

Kagome didn't wait for him to dismiss her before she took off in a hurried walk. She ignored the dirty looks from the nurses behind the counter in the middle of ICU. They had been there when she had attacked the other doctor. While she knew she deserved the looks, she wasn't about to let them bring her mood down. Her only and last friend from the feudal era was going to make it; she had managed to save Sango. Slowly she pulled the curtain that lead into her friend's room back. A soft gasp escaped her lips as she looked to her friend for the first time in a little over two weeks. Her smile faded as her eyes took in all the tubes and wires connected to Sango's body in one way or another.

Sango heard the material the people here used as a door rustle as someone entered the room. Her head lifted slowly as her chocolate eyes looked from the bed to the person standing in her room. The look on Kagome's face made her scrunch up her nose. "Surely I don't look that bad off?" The hoarse, scratchy sound that came from her mouth caused her to bring her hand to her throat.

Kagome, being brought out of her stupor, ran over the small sink in the room. After grabbing a cup from the counter, she poured Sango some water and took it over to her. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she sat down in the small chair next to the bed provided for visitors.

Somewhat of a grin formed on the girl's pasty chapped lips as she eyed her friend in the chair next to her. "I feel, how did you say it…" She paused shortly trying to remember a phrase Kagome had used only a couple of times, then continued unsure if what she was saying was correct. "Like a mac truck has run me over." She eyed her friend suspiciously when she heard the chuckle. "Did I say it wrong?" she asked confused. Kagome broke out into full side clutching laughter causing Sango to look at her like she had gone insane. "Maybe I should be the one asking you if you are okay."

Using one hand to wipe away the tears and the other to wave off her friend's concern she managed to get her laughter under control. "I'm sorry Sango, it's just…" The merriment in her eyes drifted away and left in its wake was a look of soul shattering sadness. Taking the woman's hand in hers she squeezed it tightly. "It's just that after everything that's happened…" Seeing the confusion in Sango's eyes it dawned on her that the young woman had no recollection of what had happened. She forced herself to continue looking at her, not to give into the ever maddening temptation to turn and run. Her throat suddenly felt dry and sore. She opened her mouth to speak again but quickly shut it when nothing came out. Feeling the warmth of tears as they trickled down her face, she slowly dropped her gaze to the bed hiding the shame her eyes held.

"What is it Kagome-chan?" Sango gently prodded her friend for an answer as to why she was so upset. When she spoke again her voice was barely above a whisper, causing Sango to strain to hear her.

"Naraku, he killed them." She took a shallow breath followed by a choked sob. "Inu Yasha, Kaede, Shippo…" She let her voice trail off. Kagome was barely aware of the beeping from monitor above Sango's bed had sped up as the hand on hers loosened its hold.

She felt the tears in her eyes but blinked them back quickly. `She hadn't mentioned Miroku, maybe…' Her thoughts stop dead in their tracks when a last name was spoken so low she couldn't make it out. Her heart grew heavy and felt as if a cold hand was grasping it, squeezing tightly in an attempt to stop it. "What? Kagome-chan, I didn't hear you." Her whispered response came while silently she prayed she had indeed misheard the miko.

The name spilled from Kagome's lips as she stared at the hand that had unconsciously been pulled far away from hers. Sango's scream ripped through her heart causing more tears to fall from her red swollen eyes. She moved towards the bed putting her arms around her friend trying to comfort her best she could. Suddenly she was thrown back away from the woman on the bed. Landing hard on her rear she stared up at Sango, disbelief and hurt seen clearly in her eyes. "Sango-chan?"

Rolling over the best she could with all the tubes attached to her she turned her back on the girl that was now sprawled out on the floor. Tears stung her eyes and again she choked them back. `He can't be dead, he just can't be. Not after the talk we had, the promises that were made.' Her shoulders shook slightly as the unwanted tears finally spilled forth. She heard Kagome calling her name but it was as if she was far off, it barely reaching her ears. Closing her eyes she tried to block everything out. All the pain, her friend's voice calling to her desperately, the beeping of that foreign white object above her head; but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't. Hearing her name again she turned and glared hatefully at the young girl. "Get out!"

"But Sango-chan, we need each other now more than ever. Please, don't push me away…" Kagome slowly got up off the floor and started towards her friend again.

"I said GET OUT!" She didn't want to believe it, she couldn't believe it. Tearing at the IV's stuck in her arm she stood to get up only to be pulled back by more. A growl shot through the room just as the nurse rushed into the room.

The nurse had watched the heart monitor for the strange girl that had been brought in the moment her visitor had stepped into the room. She didn't trust the girl at all after being a witness to her assaulting the graveyard shift doctor. She jumped, startled, when she heard the scream come from the room. Picking up the phone she called security and told them to get to the ICU unit immediately. The line she had been watching for the passed ten minutes went flat and a long beep could be heard coming from the little screen. Fearing the worst she jumped up and rushed into the room. She looked to the patient, color draining from her face as she saw the blood running down the girl's arms from where the needles had been ripped out. "Oh dear Kami!" Rushing back out into the hall she called out to one of the other nurses passing by. "Get Dr. Otenga in here, and do it now! Tell him to bring the morphine!" Just as she turned to go back in the room the security officers showed up. Waving them over they stepped back into the room. Pointing to the group of blue dressed men she addressed them. "I need you four to hold the patient down till the doctor can arrive. You two, take that girl out of here."

All Kagome could do as she was dragged out of the small room was mumble "I'm sorry" over and over to Sango. She had known she shouldn't have told her so soon, but when her friend asked she wasn't going to lie to her. Being dropped rather roughly on the ground in the waiting room she watched as the two men walked back into the ICU unit to see if they could help. Not bothering to remove herself from the cold floor she curled up into a fetal position and cried herself to sleep.

It felt as if she had only closed her eyes for a brief second when she felt her back slam up against the wall and five sharp objects prick her neck. Then it hit her, that strange feeling she got any time a demon was near. She cursed herself for being so weak and not noticing it sooner. Before she could open her eyes she heard it speak.

"So this is what has been calling out to me with its power."

The deep, rich voice reached her ears and a slight panic took hold of her. She knew what he wanted, it's what they always wanted, the jewel. Opening her mouth to scream she felt his hand tighten around her throat cutting off all air flow. Her eyes shot open instinctively and she found herself staring into beautiful aqua colored eyes. `Why must they all look so damn…?' The small growl cut through her thoughts and she knew she was going to die. `Rather pathetic, really, dying inside a building with people that were meant to save lives.' Her ridged body slackened as she accepted her fate and that's when she felt something snap within her.

He was about to rip a hole in her throat when he saw her eyes turn from grey to a silver and take on the slightest pink hue. He stopped and loosened his grip on the slip of a girl in front of him. `It can't be.' He thought but as a pink aura flared up around her he knew that she was. Placing her rather gently on the ground he stepped back from her. He brought himself down upon one knee, bowing his head. "Perdoni prego questo demon, our Morte Ombra."