Ichiban no Kusuri
(Best Medicine)
"Who's my good girl? Who's mama's little angel?"
Akito cooed softly o the little one year old girl sitting on her lap, smiling softly. Two years ago, she would never have imagined how happy having a daughter would make her. She knew all too well now. Akito's world now revolved around little Ayami. She was so adorable, almost like a mini-Akito with her mother's cobalt eyes and black hair. Akito loved Ayami more than anything.
In response to her mother's cooing, Ayami giggled in her cute little baby way and smiled widely, her wide cobalt eyes glued on Akito. Akito just held her close. For weeks now she'd been trying (and failing) to get Ayami to say anything that wasn't baby babble. Hatori had told her time and time again that she, meaning Ayami, would say her first word when she was ready to and no sooner. Still, Akito wished she would hurry.
In hindsight, Akito didn't quite remember what happened next. One moment she was giggling with Ayami on her lap, sitting in the backseat of the car with Kureno, and the next moment there was this deafening noise. Akito remember nothing after that.
When Akito awoke, it felt as if her whole body was broken. Opening her eyes slowly, she recognized the starched white walls around her as a hospital room. One of her legs was in a cast and the majority of her chest and right arm were bandaged. More wires and monitors were attached to her than she'd ever known was possible. She felt completely awful. She closed her eyes again, all she felt like doing was sleeping.
'Ayami'
The thought rocketed through Akito's brain like lightning. Akito went from sleep to wide awake in a second. Her eyes snapped back open and she hurriedly sat up, wincing slightly as the pain reverberated down her back. She ignored it and tried to get out of bed but strong hands pushed her back down onto the pillows. Akito looked up to see Hatori.
"Hatori, Ayami. Where's Ayami? Is she hurt? Where is she? Where's my daughter?" Akito hurriedly spit out. 'Please, let her be okay' was ringing through her mind.
"Calm down, Akito. Ayami-chan is perfectly fine; she wasn't even hurt at all in the crash." Hatori told her calmly.
Akito breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Where is she? Can I see her?"
Hatori just nodded. "I'll call Shigure."
Akito sat quietly as Hatori called Shigure on his cell and told him to bring Ayami to see Akito.
"Hatori" Akito started once he was done on the phone "How long was I out?"
"Three hours." Hatori supplied.
"What about Kureno; is he okay?"
"He only has minor scrapes and bruises and a slight concussion." Hatori supplied.
"Good."
They waited in silence for Shigure to arrive. They didn't have to wait long. Shigure's arrival was announced by the loud bawling of Ayami. Shigure practically dragged himself into the room, looking completely exhausted and downtrodden, and handed Ayami off to Hatori.
"She hasn't stopped for three hours…" Shigure groaned out. He gave a brief wave to Akito and then dragged himself back out the door.
Hatori tried to calm Ayami down to no avail for several minutes. Ayami stubbornly kept crying.
"Enough, Hatori" Akito finally said after five minutes of Hatori trying, "Give her to me."
Hatori complied and handed the little girl to her waiting mother. Akito held Ayami close to her and smiled.
Three things then happened, three incredible things. First, and most notably, Ayami immediately stopped her bawling and looked up at Akito with her wide, teary cobalt eyes. Secondly, Ayami reached up with her tiny hand and grabbed a stray lock of Akito's hair and pulled slightly. These made Hatori gawk and Akito smiled wider, her attention completely on Ayami. But Ayami wasn't done just yet.
"Mama!"
The simple single word made Hatori's mouth drop and Akito herself almost dropped Ayami in sheer shock. Both adults stared at the little girl, who just kept smiling up at Akito. Akito just stared back stunned for a few moments and then just started to laugh. Trust her little Ayami to find the best medicine for her. Akito bent her head slightly to kiss Ayami's forehead softly.
"I love you so much, my little Ayami. Mama loves you so much."
Ayami just smiled up blissfully.