InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Uptown Girl ❯ Chapter 22 ( Chapter 23 )

As the doctor finished speaking with the Solobo brother's, he continued his rounds of the surrounding patients. Ginta turned toward his brother as he commented, “I hope that she's still a little groggy after the surgery. I'm not sure how we're going to get her to the bar without her sniffing out his scent.”

 

Hakkaku looked at his brother as he thought a minute or two. Suddenly, as if a florescent light bulb just sparked to life Hakkaku spoke, “I have an idea. There's a gas station across the street. I'll go get an air freshener and that should help mask his scent.”

 

Ginta patted his brother on the back as he replied, “You're a genius. Why didn't I think of that? Just don't make it too obvious, like pine. Try something that will be subtle but not too over powering. We don't want to get sick on the scent on the way `home,' you know.”

 

Hakkaku smiled devilishly as he took off toward the elevator, knowing that his big brother' plans for their sister was going to be in jeopardy if he didn't do something to fix it. With his plan in hand and a few bucks to spare, Hakkaku raced to the convenience store, picking out the appropriate air freshener of old leather. Returning with his precious air freshener, he placed it in Ginta's pick up, thankful that it wasn't as potent as some of the flower scents that were hanging at the store as well.

 

 

Once the boys had left the hospital room with Dr. Matador, Jade allowed Sango to help her onto her feet. “Thanks for stopping by my place for some clothes. I really appreciated that,” Jade commented as she let the hospital gown fall to the floor, baring her back to her best friend.

 

“What else did you expect me to do? Let you go home in the dressing gown? I'd never hear the end of it, trust me, if I'd let you go home in the clothes that you had on, either. They were covered in your blood, after all. I'll take them to the cleaners on Monday and have them cleaned for you,” Sango replied as she handed her friend a faded blue button-down sleeveless shirt, strapless bra, and a pair of blue denim shorts.

 

With a little manipulation, Jade got the bra on, after begging for help from Sango, who eased the uncooperative garment into place, trying to reduce as much embarrassment for Jade as possible, as well as avoiding the numerous bruises across her ribs as possible. Once that was in place, Jade eased her injured left arm into the shirt, drawing it up and over the wrapped shoulder, taking care not to touch the healing marks, then drawing her other hand through the other hole. Quickly with the deft fingers of her right hand and a little assistance from her left, Jade was able to get the shirt buttoned up, except for the last two buttons, allowing a healthy amount of her cleavage to show.

 

As with the shirt, Jade quickly pulled the jean shorts up her shapely legs to rest on her hips. The shorts themselves were plain and came to mid thigh on Jade as she worked on the button and zipper, giving anyone the great view of her healthy tanned legs. With a little more assistance from her injured arm, Jade was able to button her shorts and zip the fly. Sango looked at her friend, amazed that even as injured as she was that Jade still managed to look drop dead gorgeous. Pulling a hair brush from the backpack, Sango quickly brushed the young woman's hair, pulling it back into a high pony tail, like she normally wore, letting it fall to the curve of her rump in a great thick tail. She slipped on a pair of her well worn hikers, allowing Sango to help her tie the laces, securing them to her feet.

 

Once the two began to gather what was left of Jade's belongings, Ginta and Hakkaku rapped on the door. “Are you decent, sis?” Ginta asked as he slowly entered the room, shielding his eyes from any inappropriate flesh he may see.

 

Seeing the wolf coming into her room, like a scared pup, Jade smiled as she replied, “You can remove your hand, Ginta. I'm decent.” Removing his hand, Ginta looked at Jade, and nearly had to pick his jaw up from the ground.

 

Hakkaku, on the heels of his brother, ran into the shocked Ginta, knocking him down into a tangle of limbs with Sango, who was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. As Hakkaku helped Sango to her feet, his eyes landed briefly on Jade as well, resulting in the same jaw dropping reaction as Ginta. Jade, seeing the looks on the two males realized, a little to late that she was dressed a little more `hot' than she was used to. As Jade thought a moment or two about Sango's choice in wardrobe, a slight furrow crossed her brow. “Sango, where did you say you got these from?”

 

Sango, feinting innocence, replied, “They were in your closet, way in the back by the Christmas stuff, you know the `what the hell was I thinking when I bought this' section of your closet.”

 

Jade shook her head as she did recall, some what vaguely the section in question. But that only brought up more questions. She turned toward her best friend, eyeing her suspiciously as she asked, “Where exactly are we going once we leave here? Home right?”

 

Sango, Ginta and Hakkaku stiffened slightly, almost enough for the average human to see it, but Jade caught on to it fast. “I don't know what you're talking about Jade,” Sango feigned innocence. “You were the one who suggested going someplace to get something to eat. I know that the guys,” motioning slightly toward Ginta and Hakkaku, “were worried about your health. I'm sure that they would be more than happy to take you back to the bar for some good food before taking you home. I was headed over there to meet up with Miroku. He had a hard day at work, seeing as he was representing the auto shop in this whole mess.”

 

Ginta and Hakkaku took a deep breath at the mention of the lawyer. They thought that she would surly misspeak and say that he'd helped exonerate their brother of the charges in Jade's injuries. As she continued with mention of the auto shop, they realized that he was also on retainer for the Rojo Lobo as well and the began to breath again.

 

Taking all that took place between Sango's tale and Ginta and Hakkaku's reactions, Jade knew that something was up. However, the growing headache, due to lack of substantial sustenance was threatening to drop Jade to her knees, so she ignored the inconsistencies and allowed the trio to lead her out of the hospital, toward Ginta's waiting truck. Once she had been carefully deposited onto the front seat, between the two brothers, Jade leaned against Hakkaku's shoulder, allowing her eyes to close into an easy slumber at the closeness of her surrogate brother, who had encircled her as best he could with his left arm, careful as not to put any pressure on her shoulder.

 

Despite her desire to be with Koga, the scent of either of the brother's was enough to calm her nerves, allowing for an easy rest. Jade knew that if anything had happened to Koga, Ginta and Hakkaku would make sure that she was well looked after. They already considered her as one of them, even allowing, with Koga's blessing, to use their last name as her own, severing most of her ties with her family to make way for a new family.

 

Ginta pulled out of the hospital parking lot, carefully shifting between the clutch, brakes and accelerator as smoothly as they could. Personally he wished that they were in Hakkaku's new Ford Ranger, extended cab pickup. It was an automatic and didn't require as much thought when pulling into and out of traffic. Once Hakkaku had arrived at the hospital, after closing the bar early for a private party later in the evening, Koga had grabbed the keys from him and strode out of the hospital, flames adorning his azure eyes.

 

As he pulled up to the first of many stop lights before reaching the Wolf's Den, Ginta heard the tell tale sound of Jade having found a comfortable spot and had fallen asleep. He turned toward Hakkaku, who had rested his head against hers, breathing in the mixed scents of shampoo, the ginger-citrus body-wash, blood, iodine, and a tiny, ever so miniscule scent of Koga. Hakkaku caught the slight smile on Ginta's face as he saw the position that he was in with Jade. Ginta, through the use of whimpers and such, said, “If he saw you like that, he'd kill you.”

 

“No, he'd just be really jealous. Then he'd be demanding that he take my place, which he can have,” Hakkaku replied, in the same fashion. Both laughed lightly, not wanting to awaken the young, injured wolf demoness. They continued the fifteen minute drive to the bar in silence, with the low thrumming of the diesel engine and the barely audible background noise of the tires on pavement. Neither brother wanted to speak, in fear of awaking their precious cargo.