InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wake Me Up Inside ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Wake Me Up Inside

Chapter 4

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Indeed, the previous night was a difficult one to endure, but Kagome did eventually find sleep by 2:00 am with the help of a Seagram wine-cooler. Though, she could not remember them upon awaking at nine the next morning, she knew her dreams had not gotten any better. So, it was with great reluctance that she finally climbed out of bed to hit the shower and start her day.

Thirty minutes later, Kagome was showered and dressed in a white blouse and teal flower print skirt that came to her knees and lightly billowed as she walked. On her feet were a pair of white floral strapped thong sandals. Her hair was held up by a large seashell hair-clip. Then, a light touch of make-up completed the ensemble. With one last glance at herself in the mirror, she turned to pick up her backpack and purse, then headed out the door.

As promised, Kagome's first stop of the day was the hospice. As she entered the building, the girl found herself greeted by a way too cheerful desk clerk by the name of Erma. Kagome put on her best diplomatic face and smiled back before bee-lining it down the hallway towards Inuyasha's room. When she got there, she found a maid cleaning the window. Kagome bit back a groan and stepped into the room.

"Good morning," she said somewhat cautiously.

"Oh! Well, good morning to you too! I say, I haven't seen ya here before. Are ya part of that class that was suppose to come through?" the middle-aged brown-haired woman responded as she turned to face Kagome with a tilt of her head to the side.

"That was yesterday. Yes, I was part of the class. I decided to return on my own," Kagome answered.

"I see. Romeo's a looker ain't he?" the woman said with a wink. Kagome inwardly sweat-dropped. "To bad he's been like this for half a decade," the woman said with a shrug. Somehow, she reminded Kagome slightly of that old demon exterminator woman she, Inuyasha, and the others had met during their town of Demonhead adventure.

"I know that. I spent some time talking with Beth about him yesterday," Kagome replied, not really wanting to invite trouble by letting on that she knew 'Romeo' in the past.

"Ah. I see," the woman nodded. "Yeah, Beth is rather attached to the young-un. She's handled most of his care-take'n since he got here."

"She sounds like a really nice person dedicated to her job."

"That, she is," the woman nodded again. "So what brings ya back here?"

"I want to help. I want to help get him back from wherever he's gotten trapped," Kagome answered as calmly as she could, still refusing to admit any prior knowledge of the young man.

"Oh, I see. Smitten along with Beth, I see. You two, will get to be good friends then, I imagine. I'm here a lot too. I'm Florence. And you are?"

"Kagome."

"Kagome. Pretty name. You Japanese too, perhaps?"

"Hai," the miko nodded.

"Well, well. What a coincidence! I'm sure Beth will appreciate ya greatly," Florence beamed.

"I hope so."

"She should be back around this way soon. I've got more work t'get done. I'll see ya around, 'k?"

"Sure. Take care."

"You too," Florence grinned, then headed out, pushing her cleaner's cart around.

Kagome sighed. That was far more happy cheer than she could handle right now. She reached up to rub her aching temples then looked over at the reason for her visit.

Inuyasha was pretty much the same today as he was yesterday. Except today, he was dressed in a black Evanescence t-shirt and a pair of khaki cargo pants. Kagome eyed the shirt and wondered if he wore it because it was a band he actually liked. She decided that was probably the case since that kind of music was something she could see Inuyasha liking if he lived in this era.

Stepping over towards him, Kagome set her purse in the chair then sat down at his side on the bed. Turning towards him, she spoke in a gentle voice, "Ohayo. I'm back, just like I promised. Though, I admit, I wouldn't have minded had you come and fetched me this time."

"That would have been nice," came a softly chuckling female voice. Kagome turned to see Beth entering the room. "I hear you met Florence. She's a bit odd sometimes but, I tell ya, she makes some awesome cookies!"

"Yes, we met," Kagome said as she turned to Beth with a smile.

"So, how are you doing today?" Beth said with a slightly more serious face.

"A bit tired, but it's nothing I'm not use to. This guy had a habit of wearing me and our other friends out rather often," Kagome reply with a slight smile at the memory of Inuyasha always pushing the group to keep going.

"Oh boy," Beth laughed.

"Like I said yesterday, when he's conscious, it's hard to keep him still," Kagome said making a face.

"I would give anything to see that," Beth grinned.

"I use to call it a headache. Now, I agree with you. Though, I imagine, when he does return, he'll be off and bouncing before you know it and annoying everyone to death again."

"We will definitely have to throw him a party when that day comes."

"I know he has a hard time dealing with receiving compliments, but I think he'd like that," Kagome smiled. She looked to the man beside her, "Ne, Inuyasha?" She then looked back to Beth. "He says 'Keh!" Kagome said, imitating Inuyasha's signature response. Beth couldn't help but laugh.

"You're a riot," Beth said, laughing.

"No, he's the riot and train wreck all in one," Kagome said while pointing to Inuyasha. "Anyway, I have an hour before my next class. So, till then, wherever you need me, you have me," she said with a shrug.

"I've been thinking about this. I'll make you a deal. I'll let you help me out on a daily basis if you, in exchange, teach me something new," Beth said with a sassy smirk.

"Oh? Umm, okay sure. That sounds like a fair deal," Kagome smiled. "What do you want me to start with?"

"Well, how about telling me more about your family and friends back in Japan while we do the Richard Simmons bit with Romeo?" Beth suggested, laughing at her humor attempt. Apparently, it worked because Kagome laughed right along with her.

"Okay. I suppose I can do that," the miko nodded. As the two moved to start exercising the young man's arms, Kagome started talking. More or less, to keep her mind too occupied to indulge in sorrow.

"Well, like I said, I grew up on a shrine. It stands at the top of a hill overlooking the city and is tended by my grandfather. He's a funny sort of fellow. He likes to tell crazy stories, whether they're true or just made up. Usually, they're more fiction than fact. But, that's Ji-chan for you. He's desperate to hang on to whatever mystical ties to the past the Higurashi family may have left," she started.

"I think old guys like that are cool. There's one that lives in an awesome little old farm house down the street from me. He can tell some great fireside stories," Beth grinned.

"Ji-chan tries to tell them whenever he thinks someone is listening. I admit now, I wish I had listened more to a few of the stories he tried to tell me."

"The stories of the old folk should always be listened to. Some of them may seem crazy but they still have a lot to teach us."

"Well, most of them. I'm not sure the history of a pickle is worth listening to," Kagome said with a soft chortle.

"Oh my! That's funny!" Beth giggled.

"That's Ji-chan for you," Kagome admitted. "My dad died of cancer when I was younger. I don't remember as much as I used to, so I really don't talk about it all that much."

"I'm sorry to hear that. The loss of a parent is always a hard thing," Beth nodded.

"Mama's still around. She's a really nice lady. You'd like her. She's always trying to help others out and give useful advise."

"Then, I can see much of her in you, somehow."

"Hai. She and I have a bit in common," Kagome agreed. As the two women switched to working the stiff muscles in the young man's legs, Kagome continued. "Then there's my little brother Sota. A few years younger than me, he's a cute little laugh and a half. He's also very good at playing the annoying little brother when he feels like it. He wants to be a soccer player someday."

"I've got two younger brothers, myself. I definitely understand how they can be," Beth laughed.

"I haven't talked to my family yet about this. Sota's going to have a fit over it. He idolizes Inuyasha," Kagome frowned.

"I don't mean to offend, but… how come you didn't know about all this that happened to your friend? It seems kind of odd to me," Beth pointed out. Kagome sighed.

"We.. got separated and lost the ability to contact each other," Kagome said, hoping that was enough to suffice for now. She knew it sounded flimsy, but it was also the truth, though a bit of a watered-down version. "Life isn't always fair," she added.

"No, it's not," Beth nodded. She knew there was more to the story, but she was beginning to understand that whatever happened to these two, the event that separated them was obviously far from being under their control. Kind of like Romeo and Juliet. She felt sympathetic sorrow grow for these two as she began to understand just a tiny bit more of the precious thread connecting the two friends. No, friends was definitely not the right word here. The way Kagome acted with such fire, emotion, and determination made it clear to Beth, these two young people were at one point in time, very much in love. She could only hope that the story of these two lovers ended up better than that of Romeo and Juliet.

"You said you had a cat?" Beth said, trying to push the conversation along as she and Kagome now worked on twisting the young man's gathered thighs, first to one side, then the other to stretch the waist muscles.

"Hai. His name is Buyo. He's a calico. He likes eating, sleeping, and playing with Ji-chan's many trinkets," Kagome smiled as she too tried to get back into a better mood.

"There's a gray tabby that's recently taken up residence in my barn. Spook doesn't seem to mind as long as the cat stays away from her colt. So, I put out food and let it stick around. It's still not quite human friendly so I have no idea if it's a boy or girl cat yet," Beth responded.

"Wow. How old's the colt?"

"A season and a half. He's ash gray like his mom, so he got dubbed Spectre."

"Wow! Great name. I've never really gotten a chance to be around horses much."

"Well then, I should take you out to my place some time and let you meet my pair," Beth grinned cheerfully.

"That sounds like fun," Kagome smiled back.

"Okay, harder part. Like yesterday, if you'll go up to the head, I'll do the pulling and you can do the pushing. We'll get him to do a few stomach crunches and work the ab muscles," Beth instructed.

"Okay," Kagome nodded and moved up to let one knee kneel at the head of the bed next to Inuyasha's shoulder. She then slid her hands, then forearms, under his shoulders. Twisting her wrists, she then pulled her forearms back to lock a grip on his shoulders. Beth moved to straddle the man's waist on her knees before sliding her arms up under his shoulder blades then up and through the loop that Kagome's arms made. Pulling her arms back, she too, locked her grip on the man.

Together, with Kagome pushing and Beth pulling, the two women lifted Inuyasha's upper body up into a stomach crunch. Using the pausing moment, to her advantage, Kagome discarded her shoes then climbed up to kneel in the bed behind Inuyasha to make the task at hand easier. In the next moment, the two women gently laid their charge back down. After a five second pause for breath, they lifted the man's torso back up into a crunch. They repeated this five more times.

"I'll get you a back brace for this tomorrow. Though, you're doing pretty good. I take it you work out?" Beth commented.

"Hai. I wanted to stay in shape for when this guy came back to pester and get me on my toes again," Kagome said as she sat back to rest a moment with Inuyasha temporarily laying in her lap.

"Then I suppose it's kinda ironic that you'll be the one getting him back on his toes. Huh?"

"You can say that again," Kagome laughed softly as she looked down at the subject of their conversation. "But, as irritating a jerk as he's been at times, somehow, I really don't mind it. I feel like I owe it to him for things he's done for me," she mused as she brushed a stray lock of lock silky black hair out of the young man's face.

"You love him, don't you?" Beth asked with an understanding smile. Kagome looked at her, then looked down and bit her lip. Finally, she nodded.

"Hai. I do. I tried my best to forget him in the time that we were apart. But, something just wouldn't let me. The harder I tried to forget, the harder fate worked to make me remember. I even left my home and traveled half way across the world. I changed my looks. I changed my life. I changed who I mingled with and what I did with my time. I changed what I was and everything around me. And still, memories of him haunts me seemingly a thousand times a day, and in every dream I have at night. I even dreamt of the last time I saw him yesterday before I got up to come here with my class," Kagome admitted. She knew it might be a bad thing saying so much. But, she was starting to sense the trustworthiness she sought in Beth. And it felt good to talk to someone about it. Even if she used such incredible vagueness.

"Wow. That's.. incredible. To love someone that strongly, and for so long, and at such a young age, that's just incredible. Most people only ever dream of finding a love like that," Beth said in awe of the miko's words.

"I know. I use to be one of them. Ironically, I dreamed those dreams in the first days that I knew this guy. He's always had a way of irritating me to no end with such a hot temper and foul mouth. I still don't know what caused these feelings in me for him to grow. They just did. I guess life is strange like that," Kagome told her.

"Yes it is. They say the best things are found in the strangest of places and ways," Beth responded.

"Apparently so," Kagome said as she looked down at Inuyasha's face that wore such a peaceful expression. Leaning down, she shifted her grip into a tight hug while her head bowed over his right shoulder. Beth watched this for a moment then grinned as an idea popped into mind.

"I'll be right back," she spat out as she hopped down from the bed and darted out the door. Kagome straightened up a bit and blinked curiously as she watched the nurse dash away.

"Ano… okay," she said to herself. A couple of minutes later, Beth returned and bopped over to the end of the bed.

"Back. Okay, close your eyes and repeat that pose you did a minute ago," she said with a grin. Kagome blinked at her.

"Umm.. why?"

"Hush, hush. Just do it," Beth said with a gleeful grin. "Please?" she begged at a whine. Kagome blinked again, but did as she was asked.

Leaning back down, Kagome hugged Inuyasha again. Like before, she bowed her head over his shoulder. This time, she let her eyes close. A moment later, she heard the click of a camera shutter, and she immediately knew what Beth was thinking. For some odd reason, rather than making her feel embarrassed, it made her feel better.

The faintest of smiles touched Kagome's lips as her mind worked to preserve this moment in its own way like it did last night. She could smell him. She could feel his breath on her cheek. In her arms wrapped around him, she could feel that breathe rush slowly in and out of his lungs and the gentle throb of his heart beating in his chest. Still more, somehow, she could feel a tingle in her soul as the energies of their spirits mingled silently together. It was intoxicating and romantic. Kagome didn't even know Beth had moved till she heard the click of the camera up a few feet out to her side.

Slowly, Kagome opened her eyes then turned to look at Beth with that faint smile still upon her lips, "Normally, I suppose someone would feel embarrassed in a situation like this. But, for some reason, I'm not. Instead, it makes me feel better."

"I'm glad," Beth smiled as she rose up from her crouch with an expensive looking 35mm Cannon camera in her hands.

"I don't know what it is that leads me to trust you so easily. Maybe it's the way you care for Inuyasha as though you were a sister or a close friend. Maybe, it's the way you seem to understand me.. no.. us.. and what we've gone through even with what little vague information I've given you. You've gone out of your way to help me when I've needed it. For that, I want to thank you and let you know how deeply appreciated your efforts are. Someday, when I have the time and strength, I'll tell you our story. Not just because I know you won't tell anyone, but also because.. I have a feeling you'll understand and believe what I have to say. The reason I never tell anyone is because it so incredibly bizarre. There was a time when even I myself wouldn't have believed it," Kagome said to the nurse softly. "Even though I've only known you for a little bit, I know I've made a great friend in you. Thanks," she smiled. Beth made a flabbergasted expression.

"You're most welcome. You know, now that you're here, I really believe we have a chance of pulling him out of this," Beth grinned in return as a new sense of hope bloomed inside her. Kagome brightened her smile and put up a hand which Beth instantly met in a high five gesture of pep. The fight to bring this young man back from the brink of death was on.

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Penguine: How's that for an upbeat note? There's been a lot of sadness in my past chapters, so I thought it would be good to end this one with a good feeling. :)