Chapter 4: Charity
She wanted to go home right now. There were too many people staring at her, including the man she had just healed. It was making her uncomfortable, but a yell of "He isn't going to make it" knocked her out of the awkward silence. She exited the room and ran towards the sound of several loud voices. She entered and pushed them out of the way before doing for this man what she had done for the other moments ago. She would be tired after this, but she would feel guilty if she let this man die. She could save him so she pushed all thoughts from her head and ignored all the yells around her. The medic nin were trying to pull her away but she threw a barrier up around her and the man and continued on, ignoring his pained cries. She knew that setting the bones was what pained them. There was no way to avoid that though so she continued. When she was finished she brushed the sweat from her brow and the medics looked over the man, placing him in a cleared status and pulled her along to the next unfortunate soul.
Till dawn she was healing the injured shinobi. Their own medics did not know the proper way to set bones and could not heal punctured lungs. She did though. She knew how to heal every part of a person, and even how to grow missing limbs. It was a talent only she possessed. Yes, other miko could heal, just not to the same extent as her. She had books that explained the healing process, she was just able to accelerate it. She nearly collapsed, but a hand steadied her. It was the Kazekage. She looked up at him and moved away once she was sure she was steady. She had to hurry home, take a shower then head to work. She was dead tired. Sure, healing one person didn't do much to her energy but she had healed roughly a dozen men and women within a span of two or three hours with no rest. Her energy was depleted.
"Rest," he told her.
"I have to get to work," she told him as she moved to go home.
"I will talk to your boss. Go home and rest. You deserve it for saving their lives." His usually cold eyes were sincere. She could not argue with him. She could hardly keep her eyes open as it was so she nodded and made no further protest. She just slumped slightly and made her way home, eyes half closed. When she got home she watered her plants and headed up stairs to her room. She just collapsed into a dead sleep before her tired body fully laid on her mattress. She could probably sleep the day away right now, but she wanted to visit Kiyomei and Kanamei in the afternoon. A nap will have to do.
The hospital
Temari and Shikamaru stood behind Gaara as he looked at Kankuro. Kankuro looked a bit tired and confused; confused as to who the woman that saved him was. Even he knew he could have died. From what Temari and Gaara said, the medic nin had little to no affect on the damage to his body. But that woman had healed him within moments, even if it was really painful. He owed her his life.
"Who was that woman?" Kankuro asked. Shikamaru was wondering the same, and Temari didn't trust her, even if she did manage to save her brother's life.
"That was Kagome," Gaara said. "She came to the village while you were away on a mission." He could tell that Temari didn't trust the girl. "She is a priestess."
"Priestess? Does that mean she's a virgin?" Kankuro looked surprised. "No way, she was way too hot to be a virgin." He winced at the pain from his sudden movements.
"Shut up, Kankuro," Gaara said coldly.
"I don't think we can trust her," Temari said. "We don't know anything about her, Gaara."
"She's saved a lot of our men," Gaara said. "She's given us no reason not to trust her. We owe her a lot for what she's done for us." He sighed. Yes, he didn't fully trust her. Something was off about her, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Kankuro, go home and get some rest. Temari, enjoy your time with Shikamaru. I have work I have to get to." Gaara turned and left the room. He could see a woman and man leaving with a baby in the woman's arms. They seemed so happy, and he knew it was the man Kagome first saved. He was going home with his small family. Gaara couldn't help but envy their happiness.
He sighed as he headed to the Kazekage tower and to his desk full of paperwork. He was not looking forward to it, and he had to talk to Kagome's boss before he even started on his own paperwork. He entered the restaurant, which wasn't busy yet, and approached the woman.
"Kazekage-sama," she greeted. He never entered this establishment.
"Kagome will not be coming in today," he said coldly. "She has been up all night healing injured shinobi. She is tired."
"I see." She didn't say anything. Though she could use the girl right about now, she was not one to go against the orders of their leader. "Have a nice day, Kazekage-sama." She bowed and he left the restaurant and quickly went to the tower to work on his paperwork. A leader's job was never done.
Temari's Apartment
"You must be tired," Temari said to Shikamaru.
"I ran across a group of sound that came to attack Suna. I killed them then ran across Kankuro and his team and ran half way across the desert with him on my back." He stretched and held back a yawn.
"Go get some rest," she said as she pushed him towards the bedroom. "I need to tidy up a little bit and buy a few things in the market." He nodded and headed towards the room, removing his vest in the process. It wasn't anything she hadn't seen before anyways. He wasn't shy or modest around her anymore. They'd already slept together multiple times, not that anyone knew. But she took up a canvas bag and headed out as the bedroom door closed. She smiled but erased it as soon as she closed her door.
She walked down the street and spotted the man that she helped to the hospital. He was smiling and talking to a woman that held a little girl. They looked so happy together.
"You should meet her, hun. She gave birth to our little Kanamei." The woman was smiling down at the baby. "Her name is Kagome. She's been checking in on me and our little baby."
"There have been rumors around the hospital of a woman named Kagome," he murmured. "Some say she healed me." He had been thankful. Most of the medics were unable to do anything about the injuries he had sustained. Other rumors were that she saved Kankuro and several other nin. At least, that was what was whispered as he was leaving with his wife. He owed this woman his life.
Temari sighed. The little family was thankful for Kagome. The others were not so thankful. They could not see how a non-nin could hold such power. She didn't trust the girl, even if she did save her brother. It was probably to get them to drop their guard. She wouldn't do it though. She might have only been paranoid because of the recent attacks on Suna. There was no way to tell if Kagome was part of the attacks. She would just watch the woman carefully.
Later that day
Kagome woke up and stretched. She was still slightly tired but she wanted to see Kiyomei and Kanamei. They should have been released from the hospital, so she would stop in the gardening store before going to the hospital. But first she was in need of a shower. She moved to her shower and turned it on and let the temperature adjust while she got undressed. She got in and rinsed off. She needed to get shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. For now, this was fine. She got out. She dried to the best of her ability and pulled the clothes on. She ran her hands through her hair and pulled on her shoes, leaving her house.
She walked down the street and soon approached the gardening store. She entered, a little bell ringing her entrance. A man greeted her with a smile.
"I was looking for Kiyomei," Kagome said. "I wanted to know how she and Kanamei were doing."
"You must be Kagome. She was talking a lot about you," he commented. "I thank you for seeing to her in my absence and I thank you for saving my life. Now if you'll follow me, I'll take you to my wife and child." She followed and smiled at the woman.
"Kagome," Kiyomei greeted. She was breast feeding her daughter. She was smiling fondly at her child.
"I see you and Kanamei are doing well." She smiled and sat down in the free chair. Kiyomei's husband left the room. He had made a comment about manning the store while the two talked.
"I really am thankful for everything you have done for my family. If not for you my husband would be dead, and my daughter would go without her father. I've gathered a few things I know you could use." She placed her daughter in the crib and moved to a corner. There was a bag on the floor. "It's only a few sets of clothes and a few blankets. I believe there are some hygiene products as well."
"I can't take this," Kagome said.
"Sure you can. I cannot fit any of the clothes, and I wouldn't want you to get cold," Kiyomei replied. "It is the least I can do for you bringing Kanamei into the world, and insuring that my husband lived. We owe you so much."
Kagome looked at the woman and took the bag. She knew the woman would be one of the only people that would trust her. She knew the people of Suna did not trust her. They whispered and watched her as she walked through town. Kagome was not used to this. She just smiled at Kiyomei and placed the bag on the floor next to her. Kiyomei looked so happy and in love. She wished to be that lucky one day, but it would have to wait until she killed Naraku. He would use that happiness against her.
"I would like to look over you and Kanamei, just to make sure you both are fine. The first few months are important," Kagome said. Kiyomei nodded and Kagome approached her. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She placed her hands over Kiyomei and let her power flow through the woman. She checked from head to toe and found nothing wrong. She withdrew her power and opened her eyes, bringing her hands to her sides. "Everything is fine for you. Now Kanamei." She turned to the sleeping child and placed her hands above the child. She closed her eyes and allowed her power to flow through the child. She sighed and seemed to sleep easier.
"Kanamei is fine. There was a minor fever coming over her, but I cleared it from her system," Kagome said.
Kiyomei looked at the woman. That power she had felt made her feel warm and safe. This woman was gifted if she could get rid of something from her daughter before it came over her. She smiled at Kagome.
"Come eat. I made plenty." She led Kagome to the kitchen and smiled as Kagome took a seat. Her husband came into the room and kissed her forehead before taking a seat at the table with Kagome. He looked at the girl. She was beautiful but still a bit young, about the same age as the Kazekage. He patted her hand that was resting on the table. She was alone here, from what he understood. She came to the village injured, but she managed to make it through a sand storm. No one survived sand storms without permanent consequences.
Kiyomei placed the food on the table as well as plates and they served themselves. Kagome was used to the overly spicy food and lack of seasonings so she ate the food without a problem and followed it down with a glass of water. She smiled and soon Kanamei gave a loud cry. Kiyomei stood to get her baby as the two ate.
"How are you feeling?" Kagome asked the man.
"A little stiff, but fine."
"It is a minor side affected of the rapid healing. The stiffness should go away in a few days," she murmured. She continued to eat. She knew he was a little suspicious of her. He was a ninja, it was only natural.
"Where did you earn it?" He asked.
"It was part of my profession before I got here. A woman named Kaede taught me how to heal, but it was always at a slower and not so thorough rate. I read books about how the body should heal. I just used what she taught me and what I learned to accelerate the process." She looked into his eyes and saw understanding. "I was a priestess before I came here. I healed the ill and injured and protected those that could not protect themselves."
"You know how to fight?" He looked surprised.
"Probably not in the same manner as your fighting," she admitted. He nodded. They finished eating as Kiyomei entered with a still fussy Kanamei. Kagome stood and took Kanamei into her arms and lightly rocked her while humming a lullaby a mother used to sing to her to get her to sleep. Kanamei's cries started to reside and she just yawned and went back to sleep in Kagome's arms. Kiyomei and her husband had been amazed at the display. "She's sleeping now. Something must have startled her," Kagome said.
"I'll put her back in bed," Kiyomei said and took her daughter. She left the two alone.
"You are running from something," he stated.
"I am not running. I was brought here for a reason," she said. "I haven't figured out what it is yet." She shook her head. She was still tired. Kiyomei walked in the room. "I should get going now. I was up all night healing a group of shinobi."
"Don't forget this." Kiyomei handed her the bag.
"Thank you." She took the bag and bowed. She showed herself out.
"She's a nice girl," her husband remarked. "She has power. The others do not trust her because of that power."
"Even though she used it to heal our nin?"
"Yes. They will watch her and try to find something that says she is a threat to the village." He sighed and rubbed his temples. As a ninja of Suna it was his job to report to the Kazekage anything he found about the woman. "I'm going for a walk." He stood and left the house as his wife picked up the dishes. He followed after Kagome and saw her enter a house and close the door. He went around to the back and saw a room with pots in it. There were sprouts of some sort in the pots. Not many people were able to grow plants that were not native to the desert. He sighed and quietly watched as she watered the plants, humming softly. She placed the watering can down and left the room. He couldn't hear anything else. He turned and made his way to the Kazekage's office. It seemed to be a long day for him.
Author's Note: Here is the next chapter. It took me a while to get this far. Next chapter will have more action. I was trying not to rush this chapter, but the end was a bit rushed. Remember, read, review and ENJOY! Total word count, including this is 2,773.