Disclaimer: I said it once, but I have to say it again. I wished I owned Inuyasha, but I don't.
Here's the second installment of "Present for Sesshoumaru".
Kagome smiled happily as she walked out of the hospital and headed for the bus stop. She pulled her jacket tighter around her body as the chilly November air began seeping through any opening in her jacket. Despite the cold, Kagome had a slight bounce in her step. The little girl's actions had brightened Kagome's day. The reminder of that simple hug made the cold November day bearable. Even though I have to ride in the stuffy, overcrowded bus instead of in Sango's comfortable car, she thought. She sighed as she watched the cars drive by. Suddenly her miko senses flared. What now?! She concentrated and tried to figure out the direction the demon youki was coming from. Even though the youki was not very strong, she knew that even minor demons could be dangerous, even to trained mikos. Kagome pinpointed the youki to somewhere in the vicinity of her bus stop.
Movement across the road caught her eye. Kagome saw someone digging through the trash that was piled around the dumpster at the start of a dark alley. Her gaze saddened as she watched the small figure digging through the trash. As if sensing a watchful gaze, the figure suddenly froze. The small figure faced Kagome, staring for a few seconds before scampering off down the dark alley. Kagome fought the urge to run after the person. There was something about the unknown person that called out to her. Down the road Kagome saw the lumbering outline of her bus.
Any thoughts of going home to warmth and a cup of hot tea were blown away when she heard a scream come from the direction of the alley the figure had darted down. Any sense of self-preservation fled as Kagome sprinted across the street and towards the ominous alley. This is definitely not one of the smarter things I've done, she thought as she slowed to a quick but quiet walk. Thinking quickly, she reached into her pocket and got her cell phone ready, just in case she had to call for help. Somewhere ahead of her, a scream echoed out again, calling for help. Her miko senses were flaring crazily, warning her of the presence of demons. Great, if my senses are correct, I'm heading into a gang of demons, all moderately strong. Of all the times to be without my bow and arrows, she berated herself. But then she realized that she probably couldn't have the weapons in the hospital anyway. The sounds of a scuffle became louder and Kagome figured she should hide her aura. She ducked behind a dumpster when she came upon the source of the screams. The figure she had seen earlier was in a fight with a gang of others.
The small figure was on the ground, surrounded by a gang of rough looking guys. The leader was handsome with a black braid hanging down his back. He was about to deliver a hard kick to the figure on the ground when the loud wail of a siren split the air. The guys looked down the alley and saw the telltale flash of lights, heralding the presence of the police. "Let's go!" she leader shouted, delivering a quick kick to the still figure on the ground. "That'll teach you for trying to pickpocket me." He took off further down the alley after his friends.
Kagome jumped up from her hiding spot and ran towards the small figure on the ground. It's a youkai! Kagome felt tears as she approached the small figure, thinking that not even a youkai could withstand such a violent beating. At the sound of a ragged breath, relief burst through her heart. She knelt closer and gently picked up the small youkai. She felt the figure stiffen and begin to weakly struggle. "Shh…It's okay. My name is Kagome and I'm a nurse from Tokyo General. I'm here to help you." She felt the stickiness of blood seeping into her clothing and her worry escalated. She sent small tendrils of her healing powers into the small body, hoping to give the demon in her arms a chance. She held as tightly as she could to the small form and ran as fast as she could towards the hospital.
She burst through the main doors and headed straight for the nurses desk. "Nurse Hasegawa!" she shouted. "Nurse Hasegawa! This person needs help immediately!" Her panicked words brought an army of nurses towards her, led by an older, motherly looking one. One of the nurses ran to bring a bed to place the patient on. When she reappered , she motioned for Kagome to put her small bundle on it. Kagome leaned down and gently placed her precious bundle on the bed and began to remove her arms from around it. She yelped when a small hand reached out and grabbed a lock of her raven-black hair. It's a child!
Kagome reached down and carefully removed the ratty hood of the coat and saw a young boy of kitsune heritage. His eyes were almost swollen shut and his nose and lips were bleeding. Kagome felt a tug on her heart as she stared at the broken body before her. She gently disentangled the small hand from her hair and clasped it within her own. "Shh…It's okay. I'm right here." She murmured gently. She kept up her soft whispering as the nurses wheeled the bed to an examining room and began a chart on the small kitsune. Kagome was so absorbed in comforting the boy that she didn't notice when someone came to stand next to her.
"Kagome, what happened?" a soft voice asked.
Kagome looked at the owner of the voice with tears glazing her vision. She stared into the warm eyes of her older cousin. "Kikyo. Are you working today?" She noticed the strain lines around her reserved cousin's eyes and mouth. She works too hard sometimes, she thought. Kagome reeled in her wandering mind and answered the older woman's question.
Kikyo nodded as Kagome told her what had happened to the young boy on the bed, her eyes taking in the damage to the boy's young body. "Nurse Hasegawa, where's his chart? I'll take care of him." When she was handed the chart, she quickly began flipping through the quickly filled out pages. "We need to move him to the OR." She let Kagome stay with the boy until they reached the OR. She turned to her younger cousin and her cool gaze softened when she noticed how hard Kagome was taking this incident. She always did have a soft heart. "Kagome, you have to wait outside." When her cousin opened her mouth to protest she held up one slim, pale hand, her wedding band gleaming under the bright hospital lights. "I know you are a nurse, but you are not trained to work in the OR. You'll only be in my way. I'll come and talk to you and soon as I can."
Kagome nodded and turned once more to the boy. She bent close to his ear and whispered softly, "I have to leave now, but I'll be right outside. This is Dr. Takahashi. She'll take great care of you." She softly kissed his forehead and placed his small hand on the bed at his side. "Thanks, Kikyo." She whispered as she passed her silent cousin.
Kagome plopped herself down on a chair in the waiting room and settle din for her wait. Watch over him please, Kami-sama, she prayed silently.
"Oi, Kagome!" a loud voice shouted, shaking her from her thoughts.
Kagome looked up to see her cousin's silver-haired husband, Inuyasha. Kikyo and Inuyasha had been high school sweethearts, much to the surprise of their families. No one had imagined that the quiet, reserved, and studious Kikyo would date a loudmouthed, arrogant, and temperamental person like Inuyasha Takahashi. Well, no one but Kagome that is. She had seen the way they looked at each other and she knew that her cousin was head over heels in love with the bad tempered hanyou. Kagome noticed that Kikyo was a little more carefree when she was around Inuyasha, a fact that Kagome was grateful for. Kikyo had also managed to tame Inuyasha, although he would never admit it. It was obvious that the inu hanyou loved her cousin though. He treated her like a queen and would flay anyone who so much as looked at her funny. She smiled widely at her cousin-in-law.
"What are you smiling at, wench?" Inuyasha asked, irritated that she had been ignoring him.
She sighed, this always happened. "My name is Kagome, not wench, Inubaka." She retorted. "What did you want?"
"I was looking for Kikyo. I'm supposed to pick her up because we are going to dinner." He answered, his head turning this way and that, searching for his wife. His cute little white ears also swiveled to and fro, searching for any sign of his beloved wife.
"Oh! I am so sorry. I brought a little boy in and Kikyo decided to look at him. I'm so sorry; I didn't know she had plans." Kagome felt horrible. She jumped when she felt Inuyasha's rough hand pat hers.
"It's okay, she's too kindhearted. She's overworking herself." His rough voice softened as he talked about his beloved wife.
"She always overworks herself. But now is not the time for her to be doing so. You need to keep her from overdoing it these next few months." Kagome said absently.
Inuyasha looked at her, startled. "You know?' he asked suspiciously.
"Yeah. I sensed it." She smiled at him. "Congratulations."
"Keh." He retorted, taking a seat next to her and crossing his arms across his chest.
She smiled at her rude cousin-in-law. "Do you know if it's a boy or girl, yet?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "It's too early. Give it another couple weeks. Kikyo doesn't want to know though; she doesn't think it's natural." He shook his head. "Women."
They sat and talked quietly until the tired figure of Kikyo approached them. Inuyasha quickly stood up and swept his wife into his arms. Kagome stood as well and looked towards the room her cousin had just vacated.
"It's a good thing you gave him some of your energy, Kagome. I don't know if he would have made it otherwise, even with his youkai healing abilities." Kikyo said tiredly. "He is stable, but still unconscious. He is not in critical condition so he is being moved to a private room in the pediatric ward. You are free to see him now." She sighed as she turned into her husband's embrace. As they began to walk away she paused and looked at her cousin again. "Get some sleep, cousin. He will be fine."
Kagome nodded and waved as Kikyo and Inuyasha walked away, their heads bowed together. Kagome began walking towards the elevator, but changed course and headed for the small gift shop. She searched around for the cutest, softest animal she could find and laughed when it turned out to be a white dog. "Inuyasha would kill me if he saw this." She laughed. She bought the dog and once more headed towards the elevator. She hummed softly as she walked through the quiet pediatric ward. It was now nine o'clock in the evening. "I better call my mom and Sango, or they'll have the entire Tokyo police department looking for me." After checking on what room the young boy was in, she pulled out her cell phone. She dialed her home and pulled the phone away from her ear when her mother started yelling at her. "I'm sorry, mom. Something happened as I was waiting for the bus. I'm staying at the hospital tonight." Pause. "No, I'm fine. I brought in a little boy. He has no one here, so I am staying." She was quiet while her mom asked her what happened. "Mom, I have to go. I'll explain everything tomorrow. Will you call Sango's and let her know I'm alive. Thanks mom. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you." Pause. "Bye." Kagome press the end button and shoved the phone back in her pocket. She quietly opened the door and walked to the bed.
"Hey, sweetie. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I brought you something." Kagome spoke quietly to the kitsune. She placed the fluffy dog by his side and went to find a chair to place next to the bed. When she returned, she saw that the boy had grasped the dog and was holding onto it for dear life. She sat down in the chair and reached out to take one of the small hands in her own. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Sweet dreams, sweetie." She sat back and settled in for an uncomfortable night