Rated M for: Language and sexual themes and lesbians (More prominent later on...).
Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha and co. Rumiko Takahashi does. I do, however, own a AFI sketch book and it's beast.
Chapter 1: Swimming In Dreams
This feeling…. How to describe such a serene feeling would be almost impossible. An empty floating feeling; a hazy swim in a large cold lake that had swallowed me up just mere seconds before. The surprise of hitting its surface and being enveloped by its cool liquid depth had faded merely seconds ago… or had it really been seconds. It seems like I've been struggling for some time to reach its glassy surface… I was so close… so close.
My eyes worked hard to open, my pupils retracting violently to the sudden light. Darkness continued to dance before my eyes, despite the fact of me knowing they were open. The room I was in was blindingly white, successfully giving me a headache. I tried to roll onto my side; push the covers from my body. My limbs were not my own, and neither was my body.
"Sweet Jesus," a surprised gasp was registered by my ears.
"W-what…." I tried to speak but my voice was not cooperating.
I saw a darkly clothed figure quickly leave the room and return moments later with a nurse.
I panicked when I realized that I was lying in a hospital bed with all sorts of tubes connected in places I didn't even want to imagine.
"Kagome, I need you to stay calm while I call in the doctor," the woman said waiting until I stopped trying to struggle before she left.
I looked across the room at the man in the dark clothes. My eyes felt wide and I knew I looked scared and confused. Sympathy swam deep in his amber eyes. A simple smile pushed its way across his face and he looked quite natural in it. Familiar in fact.
"I'm so glad you've finally woken up Kagome," he said, turning away to hide his obvious tears.
"What's going on?" I managed to rasp out.
"Don't worry," he said nearing me. "It'll all make sense soon." He gently took my hand and despite the fact that I could not place a name with his face I knew he was my special person. I decided that I could trust him. And I was right.
Within the next hour and a half they explained everything to me while the doctor did his checks.
"Kagome, it'll be ok," she said letting her hand gently cup my own on the middle compartment of her car.
"It won't, I know my parents," I mumbled with a voice thick with tears. I looked down at our hands, trying to find comfort in the warmth that her hand was giving me.
"kagome, look at me," a firm but assuring voice said.
I looked up into deep green eyes that did nothing but assure me.
"I promise it'll be ok," she said with a light smile settling onto her lips.
Suddenly, the sound of screeching tires ripped between our calm and the brightness of approaching headlights caught my attention on my right. Impact and then darkness.
I had been in a car accident with a friend, they had told me; and I had just woken from the two year and a half long coma caused by spinal cord damage and head trauma. The information seemed impossible to me. There was no way that I had been laying in that bed for nearly three years. They had to be lying. It was all probably some sick trick. In fact, it was probably still the summer before I was supposed to go to college and my best friend Sa-….. God, what was her name?
"I can't remember…." I said out loud, but more to myself.
"What is it Kagome?" the man with amber eyes asked.
"I can't remember her name," I said looking him over. "I can't remember yours…."
"Oh," he sighed downheartedly. "The doctor said you'd have a bit of trouble remembering things for a little while."
"Who are you?"
He looked a bit upset, but then sighed and forced a smile. "I'm InuYasha," he said as I saw a deep caring in his eyes.
"Are you my boyfriend?"
A mad blush raced across his face and he glanced away making a small sound in his throat. When his amber eyes connected with my own again I could read the longing within them. "No," he answered simply before crossing his arms and looking away.
That's when I spotted movement behind him and glanced up to see a girl with long brown hair that was held up and a high ponytail. Her eyes portrayed such joy and excitement to see me. Tears slipped from their green depths easily. That's when I realized that she was the girl that I could remember just barely…. Who was she? Why did she make me feel- I don't know how to explain it- giddy? Excited in a way that probably wasn't healthy. I felt heat rush through me and rest in the pit of my stomach.
I offered her a smile and a light sob fell from her lips.
"I'm so… happy to see your beautiful blue eyes," she pressed out, moving across the room quickly to give me a hug. I realized how numb and unresponsive the feeling in my body was and I hoped strongly that that would change soon.
I felt an awkward smile play on my lips and I tried my hardest to remember who she was. I tried and tried to remember, feeling as if I'd destroy her if I didn't remember; like she'd cease to exist. Like her beautiful tanned skin would disappear from my sight.
"I don't want to say this…. and I've really tried to remember but…. who are you?" I felt a bit repetitive by asking.
The face of pure unbridled joy quickly vanished from her face and was replaced by an empty look that soon evolved into unimaginable sorry. Her green eyes seemed to dull and I felt a numbing pain seep into me. I didn't want to look at her face of disappointment. I looked away letting my black hair- which was much longer than I ever remembered- create a barrier between us.
"I'm sorry…." I said hesitantly.
"No," she said shaking her head and forcing a sad smile. "It's ok. I'm Sango."
"I have a family right? I remember bits and pieces of that… Mom, Dad, and a little brother…. are they here?" I ventured, itching to fix these gaping holes in my memory soon and change the subject.
Sango looked to be relieved that she wasn't the only one forgotten.
"They'll be here soon," she said with her swirling green eyes focusing lightly on my own. Her voice was so assuring and smooth.
"I remember…. just slightly… that we were in college together. All three of us," I spoke lightly, feeling just a bit tired. "But I guess I'm a year or so behind now."
InuYasha scoffed, bringing my attention back to him. I gave him a questionable look and his flaming amber eyes caused a blush to flail weakly across my cheeks.
"You happen to be very smart," he said looking across the room at Sango. "Don't worry about being behind. You were years ahead when you started college. And even that, you had already blown through some classes in the summer before the accident."
"Really? How old am I?"
"You'll be eighteen in a few months," he said tucking his silvery hair behind his ear.
"Man…" I was in awe. That meant I had started college at 15. What type of intellect would cause someone to make a jump that large?
"You have a photographic memory," Sango piped in, seemingly reading my mind. "Or you had one. I don't really know now."
"Excuse me," the nurse said politely sticking her head in. "Your family is here to see you."
I smiled, realizing she was talking to me.
Three people walked in, immediately striking some sort of response in my mind. A familiarity washed over me. An old man, too old to be anything but a grandfather to me, looked up with icy blue eyes. He smiled widely and I felt it tug at my heart.
My eyes then shifted to a woman, older than me with black hair and soft brown eyes. There were worry lines around her lips which seemed to disappear in the wake of her perfect smile. I knew in an instant that this woman was my mother.
A young boy, around the age of thirteen, with big brown eyes and short black hair dashed forward enveloping me in a comfortable hug. It was a great feeling- his arms around me- and I felt tears in my eyes at how hard this must've been for my little brother; for little Sota.
"Sota," I breathed lightly, feeling my eyes water at the thought. Maybe it was just the frustration of my hormones after being dormant for so long, or maybe it was the pained looks I was receiving from the five of them- whatever it was, I didn't know. All I knew was that I was crying. Crying hard.
Author's Note:
Ok, so that's the first chapter of my first fanfic! I'm pretty new at this writing thing, so please don't be too hard on me. Of course consrtuctive criticism is encouraged, but flat out burns will be deleted and ignored. Thank you, and review!