InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity 4: Justification ❯ Kelly ( Chapter 29 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"I could go alone," Bellaniece pointed out reasonably as she rinsed her juice glass and set it beside the sink, upside down, on a terrycloth dishtowel.

Kichiro snorted.

"Really, I do know where the hospital is.  Heaven forbid you should walk into Kelly's room with that scowl on your face.  She'd think you were going to rip her head off."

That earned her a sidelong glower as Kichiro downed a cup of black coffee.

Bellaniece sighed.  "Have it your way, Dr. Demento.  Don't say I didn't warn you."

Slipping on her sandals, Bellaniece held her hand out for Kichiro's mug.  He stared at her fingers for a moment before slapping the cup into her waiting palm.  "More," he grumbled.

Bellaniece rolled her eyes.  "That's not why I was waiting for the cup, but fine," she retorted, pouring the last of the coffee into the mug and praying that it somehow improved his mood.

Kichiro snatched the mug, slurped down the scalding liquid, grimaced, and thumped the cup onto the table before standing up and stomping out of the kitchen.

Bellaniece watched him go, shaking her head slowly, and washed out the mug.

"Move it, wench, or you can just stay here!" he hollered from the direction of the foyer.

'God save me from morons and irritated hanyou . . . Or give me wisdom to hide his body after I kill him . . .' she thought as she dried her hands and tossed the towel in the direction of the counter before wheeling around to run after him.  With as bad as his mood was, she didn't doubt for a moment that he would make good on his threat.

He was already in the rental car, revving the engine when she slipped out of the mansion and checked the door to make sure it was locked.  Apparently he didn't like that, either, because she jumped and whirled around when he literally laid on the horn.  Deliberately slowing her pace as she descended the stairs and approached the waiting car, she didn't miss Kichiro's marked eye-rolling or his claws drumming impatiently on the steering wheel.

"Someone's testy today," she remarked in a bright tone as she slipped into the car.  Kichiro gunned the engine and squealed the tires as Bellaniece yelped and scrambled to close the door before she fell out.  "What's your problem?" she demanded, smashing her hand over her heart as she turned to glare at the hanyou.

"Nothing," he grumbled, reaching across her to yank her seatbelt over her.  She jerked the buckle out of his hand and glared at him as she hooked it, herself.

"Really?  Then you just thought I'd look better with a nice case of road rash?"

"Shut it, little girl," he growled.  "I'm not in the mood for you."

"Fine, I will, just as soon as you tell me why you're being such an ever-loving ass today."

Kichiro slammed on the breaks at a country stop sign and glared at Bellaniece.  "Never mind," he grumbled.  "It doesn't matter."

"Oh, I think it does."

He sighed.  "I didn't sleep for shit, okay?"

Bellaniece frowned.  "Why's that?  I slept like a baby."

"Of course you did," he snarled, peeling out as he munched the gas.

"Were you cold?"

"No."

"Hot?"

"No?"

"Lumpy mattress?"

"No."

"Too noisy?"

"No."

"Not noisy enough?"

"Fuck—"

"Then why not?"

"That place stinks," he yelled.

"Stinks?" she echoed.  "It doesn't—"

"The hell it doesn't!" he bellowed.  "It reeks of your old man, and that stinks!"

Bellaniece sighed.  "It is his house, you know."

Kichiro made a face.  "Yeah, well, we'll be finding a hotel, thanks."

"Fine," she retorted.  "Unless you want a Motel 6, the closest nice one is in Eastport . . . forty miles away.  Knock yourself out, but I'm staying at my house."

Kichiro sighed.  "Damn it . . ."

Bellaniece gripped the door handle as Kichiro whipped around a very sharp turn.  "Are you trying to kill me?"

"No," he growled.

"Then slow down, will you?  I'd rather just visit the hospital."

"Keh!"

At least he slowed down, though, and Bellaniece felt reasonably safe enough to let go of the door handle.  "You could have said something, you know."

"About what?"

She had to count to ten before she dared answer him.  "About having trouble sleeping.  I didn't know.  I hadn't thought about that."

"Look, it's not your fault.  I just . . ." he trailed off, tapping his palm against the steering wheel as if he were having trouble figuring out how to put his feelings into words.  "It's a different place, is all.  It always takes me awhile to adjust.  Part of our training, I guess.  We just have difficulty getting used to new places, at least for a few nights."

Bellaniece nodded.  She'd had that trouble, too, just after she and Cain arrived in Japan.  Maybe it was an inherited trait of youkai and hanyou.  Never trust your surroundings . . . Add jetlag to that, and, well, it wasn't really any wonder just why Kichiro was so grouchy . . .

"We don't have to go to see Kelly today . . . I mean, if you're still tired . . ."

Kichiro snorted.  "Keh!  I have to order a few tests, and she needs to have the procedure explained to her."

Bellaniece gazed out the window at the passing scenery.  She'd seen it all before, and yet there was something different about it now.  She wasn't sure why she felt that way, but it seemed like she hadn't really seen it before.  Maybe it had been too long since she was last here . . .

The rest of the twenty minute drive was quiet.  Kichiro didn't turn on the radio, and considering his present mood, Bellaniece didn't try, either.  By the time they pulled into the hospital parking garage, Bellaniece was ready to scream from the pervasive tension that seemed overwhelming in the confines of the vehicle.  She stumbled out the door and breathed deep.

Kichiro muttered something about checking in at the chief of staff's office, and Bellaniece nodded as she hurried off to find Kelly's room.

She'd been moved out of critical care to one of the double occupancy rooms in the burn unit.  Kelly didn't have a roommate at present, but Bellaniece lingered outside the door.  As excited as she was to see her friend, she wasn't sure how Kelly would feel, and she didn't know how Kelly would look, either.

"I know you're there, Belle."

Grimacing as she realized a moment too late that Kelly was full youkai and could smell her even if she didn't see her, Bellaniece ducked her head and shuffled into the room.  "Hey, Kel."

Kelly was sitting up facing the window in an oversized white terrycloth robe.  Bellaniece couldn't see her face, but her long brown hair pooled around her, and just for a moment, Kelly hadn't changed, at all.  "So where's this doctor you've convinced to take on a charity case like me?" Kelly joked.

Bellaniece winced at the underlying terseness in Kelly's teasing question.  She wanted to hug Kelly, but she didn't know if she was healed enough for that not to hurt.  "Who cares?  He's kind of a jerk."

"A jerk?  He can't be too much of a jerk if he's doing my surgery for free."

"Maybe you're a tax write off or something.  I assure you, he really is a top-of-the-line, Grade-A jerk."

"You sound like you don't like him, at all."

She winced.  She hadn't really meant to let her feelings toward Kichiro Izayoi show, and especially not to Kelly.  "Yeah . . . Anyway, how have you been?"

Kelly slowly turned her head, stared up at Bellaniece with an indiscernible frown.  "I've had better days," she replied.  "You look good.

Bellaniece swallowed hard.  Kelly's face looked much better than it had, but she had to admit to herself, it was difficult to look at her friend like that.  "I'm okay . . . What about you?"

"I don't know . . . Some days I hate this place—I mean really hate this place.  Others . . ." Kelly shrugged.  "Other days I think maybe I'm safer here than anywhere.  At least no one can gawk at me or point at me or . . ." she trailed off with a sigh and shrugged.  "You know what it's like . . . or maybe you don't."

"Kelly . . ."

"It's okay, Belle.  I'm glad you weren't there.  I was stupid, and . . . and you were right."

A knock on the doorframe drew Bellaniece's attention.  Kelly turned back to face the window again as Kichiro strode into the room.  "Maybe you should wait in the hall, little girl, so the big people can talk."

Bellaniece narrowed her eyes at him and wrinkled her nose, unable to resist taking one parting shot at him before she left them alone.  "Hey, Kel.  This is Dr. Gaylord.  Have fun."

"Dr. Gaylord?  I thought your name was Iza—"

"It is," Kichiro growled, shooting Bellaniece a murderous scowl.  "That's Belle-chan's idea of a cute joke."

"I'll be back later," Bellaniece told Kelly.  "Don't choke on your own feet, doctor."

Kichiro mumbled something that Bellaniece was probably better off not hearing as she slipped out of the room and into the hallway.

She considered going after a soda or something that Kelly probably didn't get often, but discarded the idea when Kichiro started to speak in a tone that Bellaniece hadn't heard him use before.  He spoke with a softness, a gentleness, and the sound of it touched Bellaniece.  Curiosity got the better of her, and she pushed the door open a crack to listen.

"I've ordered a couple of tests to make sure you're ready for the surgery, but I wanted to stop in and see if you had any questions or concerns."

Kelly cleared her throat.  "Does it hurt?"

"A little.  Less than it did when you were first burned."  He leaned against the window sill, tapping the clipboard holding a manila file against his thigh.  "Kelly . . . about the surgery . . . There's been extensive damage, and I'm probably going to have to do this in a couple of operations, and maybe a third one to repair any structural damage that I don't see during the grafts.  I need to warn you, you're not going to look exactly like you did before the surgery."

"I see."

"I'm a plastic surgeon.  This is what I do.  No worries, okay?"

Kelly nodded.  "Okay."

"Any other questions?"

"Not right now.  If you make me look normal again, you'll be my hero."

Kichiro dug a small white card out of his pocket and handed it to Kelly.  "This is my cell number, and if you have any concerns at all, call me, even if it's the middle of the night.  If you think of a question or just want something clarified . . . I mean it, okay?"

"Yeah," she agreed, ducking her head as she stared at the card in her hands.

Bellaniece swallowed the lump that thickened in her throat and slipped away from the door.  Kichiro . . . he didn't make sense.  For weeks now, he'd been nasty and mean, snide and rude to her, and here he was, moments after meeting Kelly . . .

'Did you want him to be rude to her?'

'Of course not!' Bellaniece scoffed as she strode over to the stairwell and ran lightly down the steps.  'Did he have to tell her that?  Did he have to tell her that she'd never, ever look the same?'

'But that's what's bothering you, isn't it?  That he's nice as can be to Kelly and rude as hell to you.'

'No, that's not it . . .'

'Oh, really?  Then what is 'it'?'

'I'm glad he's being nice to Kelly.  Saves me the trouble of yelling at him later.'

'Ah . . . I don't know why he's so mean to you, either.'

Bellaniece stopped on the landing between floors and rubbed her forehead, heaving a heavy sigh.  'I don't care . . .'

Her youkai sighed, too.  '. . . I know you don't.'


Kichiro awoke from a restless nap, gazing around in complete disorientation; the only thing making sense to him was the sound of his cell phone's ring.  "Izayoi," he mumbled, stifling a sigh as he sat up and scowled at the unfamiliar surroundings of the Zelig guest bedroom he'd been installed in for the duration of his stay.

"Hello, Kichiro.  I just wanted to make sure you made it all right, since you didn't call me to let me know . . ."

He grimaced.  "Sorry, Mama.  Jetlagged still, but the flight was okay.  How's everything there?"

"Fine . . . Your brother's still up in arms over the idea of your father and me having another baby—or at least the how of it—other than that, though, it's all status quo . . . By the way, do you know why Ryomaru's taking cooking classes?"

Kichiro chuckled.  "No idea.  He won't tell me a damn thing."

"Hmm . . . I might have to do some investigating . . ."

"You mean snooping."

"I mean . . . Yeah, snooping works."

"You know, the old man hates it when you do that," Kichiro pointed out as he stood up and wandered over to the floor-to-ceiling windows running the length of the eastern wall facing the ocean.

"Speaking of snooping . . . How's Bellaniece's friend?  Kelly's her name, right?"

"Yeah, Kelly . . . She seems to be ready, but I think another couple weeks would do her some good before the surgery.  I think she'll be okay . . ."

"And Bellaniece?"

"What about Belle?"

"How is she?"

"Annoying."

"Kichiro . . ."

He sighed.  "Never mind, she's fine."

"All right.  Don't forget, your sister's birthday is next week.  You'd better remember to call her."

"Yes, Mama."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

He hung up the phone and dropped it in his breast pocket as he stared out the window.  The scenery, he had to admit, was remarkable here.  The beach below reminded him of a postcard or a painting.  Simple yet beautiful, the ocean was so close but seemed almost tame.  It reminded him of the Izayoi beach house back home.  Simpler times, simpler emotions . . .

Lifting his gaze to the top of a rocky crag that balanced over the edge of the water, Kichiro scowled.  Bronze hair whipping back in the breeze as the salty air molded the simple white cotton dress against Bellaniece's body; she stood alone, staring out over the ocean.  Arms wrapped over her stomach, she was too far away for him to see her face, but for some crazy reason, he thought maybe she was crying.

'Don't be stupid, Kich.  Belle don't cry.'

No, she didn't cry, did she?  She'd been unusually quiet on the ride back to the mansion.  She'd barely spoken two words to him before he'd gone to lie down.  Still . . . Bellaniece wasn't the kind of girl who cried, he knew that.  She could give as good as she got.  She didn't have a problem telling him when he'd been a complete and utter ass, did she?  "Keh!  She doesn't cry . . ."

Kichiro snorted at his thoughts and turned away from the window.  Even then, why would she cry?  He hadn't done anything . . . Well, nothing he didn't normally do . . .

Without stopping to think about it, he strode over to his door, yanked it open, jogged down the hallway and through the mansion toward the back door.

She was still there when Kichiro reached her.  Standing with her back to him, the scent of salt from the ocean hindering him from discerning whether or not she really was crying, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and carefully climbed up the sloping incline to reach her.  "Belle?"

She didn't react to his voice at all, just stared far away, over the ocean, ignoring the hair that whipped into her face, ignoring Kichiro completely.

"You're not thinking about jumping, are you?" he tried to tease.

"You're not thinking about pushing me, are you?" she countered.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're a jerk face," she answered simply.

Kichiro winced.  "All right, I deserved that.  You . . . okay?"

"Never better."

"Really."

"It's windy out here . . . Are you cold?"

She laughed almost sadly, her gaze as deep and dark as the ocean.  "No."

"You're mad at me."

Bellaniece shook her head.  "I'm not."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not."  She turned to stare at him, lips turned in an ironic little smile.  "Okay, maybe I am . . . Those things you said to Kelly . . . Why did you tell her that?"

Crossing his arms over his chest as the wind whipped his braid with a ruthless abandon, Kichiro shrugged and tried to figure out just what she was thinking.    "What things?"

"It was a little cruel, to tell her that she'd never look the same again, wasn't it?"

Kichiro shook his head.  "You think that it'd be better for her to go into this with impossible expectations; that she'd be exactly the same when she came out of the reconstruction?  She won't, Belle.  It's not possible.  She can accept that.  Why can't you?"

"I can accept it," she argued.  "I just thought it wasn't the nicest thing to tell her."

He sighed, rubbing his eyes with a weary hand.  "And would it have been nicer to let her find out later instead of preparing her for it first?"

Bellaniece shook her head.  "You don't get it, do you?  It's about hope, and about the wish to be normal.  Can you understand that?"

Kichiro kicked the rocks, shuffled his feet as he tried to find a way to explain things to Bellaniece in a way she'd comprehend.  "You know . . . your father's an artist.  He can see something in the world, not in the way we do, but in the way he wants to see it.  He can alter things and make it better.  He can shift colors and change textures and make things appear perfect.  In the real world, that's not possible.  It's petty and ugly and cruel, and sometimes the truths we deal with aren't things that can be glossed over or prettied up.  I live in the real world.  Kelly lives in the real world.  You need to live in the real world, too."

"That's a pretty speech," Bellaniece said softly.  "It's easy for you to say things like that, to hide under your mask of superiority.  I'm not talking about ignoring facts.  I'm talking about letting someone believe just a little longer that sometimes those ugly truths you're talking about can be fixed."

"And that would be kinder?  You really believe that?"  Kichiro shook his head and sighed.  "I didn't tell her those things to be cruel.  If you can't understand that, then maybe you need to ask yourself just why you picked me to be her savior.  I'm just a surgeon.  I'm not a hero."

Bellaniece turned back toward the ocean, lifted her face as she closed her eyes.  The delicate contours of her features outlined against the hazy blue of the afternoon sun converged into an image that burned itself into his mind.  She was soft and beautiful, wild and mysterious, and so far out of his reach that Kichiro had to step back, as though he didn't deserve to be near her . . . as if the culmination of heaven and earth had collided, had met, had gathered in this one woman.

"I never asked you to be her hero," she whispered without opening her eyes.  "I never asked you to do anything but to give Kelly the surgery."

"No, Belle, that's exactly what you did.  You didn't ask me to do her surgery.  You asked me to perform a miracle."

"Yeah . . . Okay.  Maybe I did.  I read all the articles, and heard all the hype about this brilliant surgeon in Tokyo.  I heard whispers that you'd figured out how to perform the traditional marking without the need for the brutality of it, and maybe I thought that you'd be able to fix Kelly, too."

Narrowing his gaze as he stared at her, something else occurred to him.  "You think it's your fault that Kelly was burned, don't you?"

She masked her surprise well but not well enough to hide it from him.  She shot him a quick look then hurriedly turned away.  The flush in her cheeks, the startled light in her eyes . . . She did think she was to blame.  Kichiro waited for her to speak.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course, it does."

Bellaniece shrugged, scrunching her shoulders as she wrapped her arms tighter around herself.  "I might have been able to stop her.  I got irritated and left her.  I'll never know because . . . because I didn't stay.  If I had, maybe . . . Maybe I could have kept it from happening."

Kichiro sighed.  "Maybe.  Then again, maybe you'd be lying in the bed beside her.  Have you thought of that?"

"Of course I have.  Does that make me a monster?"

"No more than my inability to completely restore her would make me a failure."

Bellaniece drew a deep breath, shook her head slowly.  "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone," she finally said.

Kichiro nodded as he turned away.  The girl confounded him.  If she ever said anything that he expected, he'd be amazed.  She wasn't the same here.  In this place that she called home, there was an intangible change in her that he didn't fully understand.  She looked the same on the outside but there was a subtle difference in the girl; something pensive and sad; a part of her that seemed just beyond his grasp.

He'd like to think that he was simply noticing things about her for the first time, but he knew that wasn't really the case.  Something about being here made her sad, and Kichiro . . . He didn't like that at all.  Bellaniece had become a mystery to him: a beautiful girl with a look in her eyes that could wound him.  He didn't want her to be unhappy.  He didn't want to see those shadows behind her gaze: the lingering ghosts that haunted her.

She challenged him, irritated him, pushed him to his limits.  There were things about her that drove him mad but those same things were the very reasons that he was compelled to be near her.  She'd probably never make sense to him.  He didn't doubt at all that she'd delight in trying his patience.  Why did he feel like she'd be worth it; absolutely, unequivocally worth it?  How was it that he just knew that Bellaniece was a girl—a woman—he wouldn't mind having around for a long, long time?

He didn't look back at her until he was on the porch.  Bellaniece was sitting, legs folded neatly to the side, back straight and proud as she gazed off into the distance in silent contemplation.

'She's really something, ain't she?'

Kichiro leaned against the doorframe and sighed.  'Yeah, she is.'

Bellaniece caught her hair, pulled the length of it over her shoulder but didn't look back.

'You know, she's trouble . . . big trouble . . . but maybe she'd be worth the effort . . .?'

Kichiro grimaced.  Trouble?  Absolutely, but maybe she really was worth the effort . . .