Trigger warning: potentially upsetting hospital scenes
A hundred million thank-yous to Ruddcatha for helping me with the legal aspect of this chapter. Thanks again for putting up with all of my questions, Rudd. You saved me from looking like a real and true idiot! *laughs nervously*
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. All rights to Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 34: The Resolution
Inuyasha kept a firm grip on Kagome's hand as he rode in the back of the ambulance with her.
They were being taken to the closest hospital to where the shrine had been located. Miroku and Sango were riding in another ambulance having their own injuries treated.
A paramedic was dressing the wound on Kagome's stomach, and Inuyasha nearly gagged at the sight.
It looked even worse in the light of the ambulance, and Kagome had yet to wake up.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Inuyasha asked the paramedic. The paramedic frowned.
"Her injuries are very serious," he explained. "I'm so sorry, but I think you should be prepared."
Inuyasha grit his teeth and focused his attention back on Kagome's face.
This can't be how it ends...it just can't.
When they arrived at the hospital, Kagome was rushed into surgery while Inuyasha was led to a waiting room.
A nurse came out to ask him questions about what had happened, and Inuyasha wondered how exactly he should go about explaining. The nurse began by asking about Kagome, but Inuyasha knew he would eventually need to tell her about Miroku and Sango, too.
"The patient's name is Kagome Higurashi?" the nurse asked as she sat down next to Inuyasha.
The hanyo nodded. "Yes, that's right."
"And what is your relationship to Ms. Higurashi?" she asked.
"She's my girlfriend," Inuyasha replied.
His heart clenched. I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose her...
The nurse nodded. "Okay, can you tell me exactly what happened?"
Inuyasha explained the fight, but left out the part about the jewel. Instead, he just said that he wasn't sure why Naraku went after Kagome, figuring it was best to be a bit vague.
When Inuyasha said Naraku's name, the nurse paused her writing.
"Naraku?" she repeated. Inuyasha nodded.
"The...the fugitive?" she asked.
"Yes," Inuyasha replied. "He framed Kagome for the murder of her family, and he...wanted to tie up a loose end by killing her, too."
The nurse shook her head. "Poor girl. That sounds awful."
For the second time that night, Inuyasha's throat tightened and his eyes threatened to spill tears, but he gathered himself quickly, clearing his throat as he prepared to answer the rest of the nurse's questions.
She moved on to asking about Miroku and Sango, and after what felt like hours of talking, she finally announced that she had all of the information she needed and that she would give Inuyasha updates on the others when she could.
When Inuyasha was alone, he took a deep breath and leaned his elbows on his knees, dropping his head into his hands as he tried to figure out what he should do next.
An hour later, the same nurse came back to let Inuyasha know that Miroku had been transferred to a private room and that the hanyo could go see him.
Inuyasha followed her through the hospital until he came up to Miroku's room. When he entered, he found Sango with her wrist in a brace and Miroku laid out on a hospital bed with his leg in a cast.
"Hey," Inuyasha greeted. "You guys doing alright?"
Miroku nodded. "They gave me some pretty intense pain medicine. It doesn't really hurt, but I feel a little out of it. How's Kagome?"
Inuyasha looked away. "She's still in surgery. Sango, how's your wrist?"
Sango waved him off. "It's fine. I didn't even need to be admitted for it."
Before they could continue talking, a knock came on Miroku's door.
"Come in," he called.
The door opened to reveal two men, both of which had rather serious expressions on their faces.
"Hello," one of them said. "I'm Detective Okazaki and this is my partner, Detective Furukawa. We'd like to ask you all some questions about what exactly happened tonight."
Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango all exchanged glances.
"Okay," Sango spoke up. "I can explain. I'll need to start from the beginning, though."
Detective Furukawa took notes as Sango spoke about Naraku's arrival at the shrine nearly ten years prior and the abuse Kagome suffered at his hands. She told the detectives about Naraku killing her father, as well as his framing of Kagome as an accomplice of the murder of her family.
"Naraku killed my mother, too," Inuyasha added. "He's killed...so many people."
Detective Furukawa nodded. "They found his body at the scene. He was declared dead on arrival."
"Are you going to arrest Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, not wanting any surprises. "She's innocent. Everything that happened was because of Naraku."
"As of right now, there is still a warrant for her arrest," Detective Okazaki explained. "We will conduct an interview with Kagome if she wakes up and we'll go from there."
The relief Inuyasha had started to feel quickly faded.
He said "if" she wakes up, he realized. Does that mean...he doesn't think Kagome is going to make it? She has to make it through. I don't know what I would do without her. And as far as what the detective said about her being arrested...I know her interview will clear her...I have to believe that.
"Wait," Sango said before the detectives could leave. "Please...don't handcuff her. She won't run, I promise. She's woken up in a hospital with handcuffs before, and…it was really hard on her. She's suffered so much, and..."
The detectives nodded. "We won't."
Sango sighed in relief. "Thank you." The detectives gave parting regards before leaving the room.
Inuyasha was still stuck on that little word: if.
"She'll wake up, Inuyasha," Miroku spoke up, reading his mind. "She will. We just need to keep up hope."
Inuyasha nodded, but his throat felt too tight to talk.
o.O.o
Much later in the night, nearing dawn, Inuyasha and Sango were asleep on the couch, each laying on one end, finding a friendly comfort in each other. He almost chuckled when he saw her fall asleep practically cuddling his foot.
Miroku was also sleeping, tucked up in his bed, exhausted from his injury as well as his pain medication, when a nurse came in.
"Mr. Takahashi?" the nurse said quietly. Inuyasha's eyes opened and he sat up on the couch, being mindful not to wake Sango.
"Yes?" he replied.
"Ms. Higurashi is out of surgery now."
Inuyasha's eyes widened as he jumped up. "Is she awake?"
The nurse shook her head. "No. Let's talk outside, okay?"
Fearing the worst, Inuyasha followed her out into the hallway, waiting as she closed the door to Miroku's room.
"I'll walk you there," the nurse said as she led Inuyasha down the hall. "Ms. Higurashi's heart stopped once during the surgery, but they were able to revive her. She's now stable on a ventilator, but there's no way to know if she'll wake up. I'm so sorry."
Inuyasha clenched his fists, his throat tightening again as he and the nurse arrived at another room in the intensive care unit.
When he entered the room, he clasped a hand over his mouth at the sight of Kagome.
Her eyes were closed and she had a tube down her throat; Inuyasha figured it was the ventilator the nurse had mentioned.
"I'll give you some time with her," the nurse said, her voice sympathetic. "Hit the call button if you need anything."
Inuyasha nodded and walked over to the chair in the corner, sliding it over next to Kagome's bed and sitting down next to her.
He took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the back of it, taking in the sight of her, pale and disheveled, as the machines beeped and bumped.
"Oh, Kagome," he murmured. "I'm so sorry I let this happen. I promised I would protect you and...I should've...I should've gone with you. I never should have let you go alone."
He leaned forward and kissed her hand, trying to hold back the emotions he was feeling.
Please, Kagome. Please wake up.
o.O.o
Three days later, Miroku was discharged, but Kagome had yet to wake up.
"Do you want to come home with us?" Sango asked as she stood in Kagome's room. Miroku was seated in the chair, his crutches propped up on the wall beside him as Sango stood next to him with a hand on his shoulder. "I have to get back to work and I think Miroku would do best recovering at home. He's going to stay with me at my apartment until he's a bit more mobile."
"The bakery will be closed for awhile," Miroku added. "I called Shippo's mom yesterday to let her know and she put a sign on the door for us, so we're in the clear for now."
Inuyasha nodded. "Alright. I'm going to stay here with Kagome. I don't want to be away from her when she wakes up."
Sango smiled. "Okay. I'm glad you're staying. Call me when she wakes up, okay? We'll come back as soon as we can and we'll all go home together."
"Sounds good," Inuyasha replied. Sango helped Miroku stand up before she walked over to hug Inuyasha tightly.
Once she let go, she walked over to Kagome and placed a quick kiss on her forehead before patting her cheek.
"Bye, guys," Inuyasha said as they left.
When he was alone with Kagome again, he squeezed her hand.
"It's just you and me now, baby," he said softly. "All that's left is for you to wake up."
No response.
Her condition had remained the same since she'd gotten out of surgery, but the doctors still warned Inuyasha that it was possible she wouldn't wake up.
Inuyasha refused to believe it.
So he stayed by her side, sleeping on a cot the nurses had provided, only having left the hospital once to buy a few shirts and underwear. He wasn't sure how long he would be there, so he wanted to be prepared for any length of time.
Because he would wait. He would wait as long as it took.
O.o.O.o.O
"For the peace you gave to Onigumo, we give you your life back."
Kagome groaned as she came back into consciousness.
She winced at the bright light that assaulted her eyes once she'd opened them before looking around. Her stomach lurched, causing a wave of pain in the injuries she'd sustained from Naraku.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She was alive. Midoriko and Hitomiko brought her back.
Before she could assess the situation, she felt something hard in her throat and coughed, trying to dislodge whatever was blocking her airway.
A nurse ran in and upon seeing she was awake, hurried to pull the plastic tube from Kagome's throat.
She felt much better when it was out, but that was when she realized where she was.
She was in a hospital.
No, no, no, no…the last time I woke up in a hospital, I was in handcuffs.
Biting her lip, she looked down at her hands and saw that they were unrestrained. She frowned, confused but relieved, as she tried to figure out what was happening.
Naraku is gone, she pondered. I'm safe from him, but what about the crimes he pinned on me?
"Ms. Higurashi," the nurse said kindly. "I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay," she croaked, her throat feeling scratchy. "Um...can I please have some water?"
The nurse nodded and got her a cup, filling it with water before handing it to her.
Kagome thanked her and guzzled the water down, relishing in the coolness of the liquid going down her sore throat.
"I'm sorry," the nurse began, "but I do need to send in some detectives to speak with you after I take your vitals." Kagome froze.
"Okay," she replied. Just stay calm...just stay calm…
The nurse went about taking Kagome's vitals before she left the room. A moment later, two men who she assumed were the detectives walked in.
"Ms. Higurashi," one of them greeted. "My name is Detective Okazaki and this is my partner, Detective Furukawa. I hope you're feeling better. I apologize that we have to bother you in the hospital like this, but we need to ask you some questions about the situation that transpired a week ago."
Kagome's eyes widened. "A week?"
Detective Okazaki nodded. "You suffered some very serious injuries. You had a long and rather difficult surgery. The doctor mentioned it was touch-and-go at several points, so your body had a lot of recovering to do."
"What about the people who were with me?" she asked. "Where are they?"
"They've gone back to the city," Detective Furukawa explained. "You're in the hospital closest to where the incident occured, which I believe is quite a distance away from the city."
Kagome nodded, her eyes filling with tears. I wish I could be closer...I miss them. I miss Inuyasha…
"The nurse said one of them is still here," the detective continued. "He's in the restroom having a shower. Would you like to wait for him to finish before we start the questions? Given that you're unable to be moved from the hospital, we will conduct the interview here."
"Am I going to be arrested?" Kagome asked immediately. "The warrant…"
The detectives exchanged a glance. "We want to interview you first and then we'll go from there. Would you like to wait to begin the questioning until your friend returns to the room?"
"No, let's start now," she requested. "I'd like to get it over with as soon as possible, with all due respect."
The detectives nodded and asked her to recount the tale of what had happened, beginning with the day Naraku had entered her life as a child.
Kagome was in the middle of telling them about the night she'd purified Naraku when Inuyasha opened the bathroom door and emerged into the room.
He frowned when he caught sight of the detectives, but when his gaze landed on Kagome, his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.
"You're awake!" he exclaimed.
"I am," Kagome chirped. "They're questioning me right now, though, to determine...what happens next."
Inuyasha nodded and came to sit down next to Kagome as she continued her tale.
"Well," Detective Okazaki said when she was done. "Given your interview as well as what Sango told us, we're going to speak with a judge and recommend the warrant for your arrest to be dropped. We can't make any solid promises, but I think the odds are in your favor. That being said, especially with you still being in the hospital, we will not be arresting you today."
Kagome couldn't help it; she burst into tears.
After so long, she was finally on her way to being free.
"Thank you," Kagome croaked.
The detectives left soon after, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha alone in the room.
Once they were gone, Kagome smiled brightly at him and opened her arms.
"Come here, honey," she said warmly.
Inuyasha carefully lay down next to her, allowing her to guide him so he wouldn't jostle her injuries. He placed a few kisses on the top of her head before meeting her gaze.
"Are you feeling okay?" he asked. "How's your stomach?"
Kagome nodded against him. "I'm fine. The pain is the worst in my throat from the breathing tube, but my stomach is feeling okay. I'm even better now. How are Miroku and Sango?"
"Miroku broke his leg," Inuyasha replied. "Sango sprained her wrist. They're okay, though. They're back home."
Kagome's eyes widened. "Oh, no...I'm so glad they're okay."
Inuyasha gently ran his hand up and down her arm, and Kagome could tell he wanted nothing more than to just touch her and remind himself that she was there.
"I missed you," she said. "And I don't just mean since I've been in the hospital."
Inuyasha kissed the top of her head. "I missed you, too."
Kagome felt him inhale her scent, so she leaned up to press a quick kiss to the underside of his jaw when she felt something drop onto her forehead.
Looking up at him, her eyes widened when she saw the tears falling from his eyes.
"Inuyasha," she murmured, reaching up to lay a hand on his cheek.
Inuyasha sniffled. "Sorry," he said gruffly as he wiped his eyes. "I've managed to keep it together this whole time, but seeing you awake when the doctors kept saying it might not happen...it's a little overwhelming."
Kagome sighed. "I know, honey. But I'm okay. I...I wasn't at first. I really did die, but Midoriko and Hitomiko saved me. I wasn't ready to leave this life." She gently kissed his lips. "I wasn't ready to leave you."
He took a deep breath, trying to gather himself. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I wasn't there to protect you. I never should have let you go alone or-"
"Sh," Kagome interrupted gently. "What's done is done. Everything is alright now, okay?"
Inuyasha nodded and pulled her back against him as they fell into silence.
Eventually, Kagome realized that her mouth felt...fuzzy. And more than a little gross.
"Um," she began. "Do you think you could, uh, get me a toothbrush?"
Inuyasha chuckled. "Sure. I grabbed your bag before we left in the ambulance. Do you have one in there?"
Kagome nodded, blushing lightly. "And toothpaste, too."
Inuyasha carefully got out of the bed to dig around in her overnight bag for her toothbrush and some toothpaste. When he found it, Kagome sat up carefully and reached for him. "Can you help me up please?"
Inuyasha came over to help her rise from the bed and walk to the bathroom.
He put the toothpaste on the brush for her and helped keep her steady as she began to brush her teeth.
When she finished, he got her a cup of water to swish and spit out the excess toothpaste.
"I feel so much better," she said after Inuyasha wiped her face with a towel.
He kissed her deeply, albeit a bit quickly, before pulling away and grinning widely.
"Oh, yeah," he said. "That's much better."
Kagome laughed. "Hey, cut me some slack. I've been asleep for a week." She groaned. "I'm dying to have a shower."
"Do you want to do that now?" he asked. Kagome shook her head.
"No," she replied. "I'll have to ask the nurse if I'm even able to shower with my bandages. I might have to get one of those sponge-bath things."
"That'll be a sight to see," Inuyasha commented. Kagome laughed again and gently tugged on him.
"Can you help me back to the bed?" she requested. Inuyasha nodded and tightened his arm around her as he guided her back.
Once she was settled under the blankets with Inuyasha curled up against her, he asked a question she wasn't quite expecting.
"So what will you do now?"
Kagome paused. "I don't know," she admitted. She looked up at Inuyasha. "Can I come back to the city with you? I think...I think it's become home to me. You've become home, Inuyasha."
The hanyo smiled. "Of course you can come home with me. I don't ever want you away from me again."
Kagome smiled back at him. "I think I can live with that."
Inuyasha's hand came up to gently tug a rather large knot in her hair.
"I'll brush your hair later after it's washed," he said, gently running his claws through the tangle. "I think you could use a little extra detangler first."
Kagome hummed. "I love you." Inuyasha smiled and leaned down to kiss her, sliding his hand onto her cheek to steady her.
He kept it light, but no less passionate than what Kagome was used to.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close as she kissed him back, parting her lips, inviting him in for a taste.
"I'm so glad you had a toothbrush," he murmured against her mouth.
Kagome laughed into the kiss, never breaking it, as she lost herself in the sensations of Inuyasha.
She loved the softness of his lips, the firm feeling of his body, the warm taste of his mouth.
So caught up was she in Inuyasha's touches, she'd twisted too hard. Pulling away to hiss in pain, Kagome winced.
"Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked as he leaned back to look at her. Kagome nodded and set a hand on her bandaged stomach.
"Yeah, just moved a bit too much," she said. She looked up at him sheepishly. "I guess I'll have a few more scars from this…"
Inuyasha hummed and reached up to cup her cheek. "Yeah," he agreed. "But that just means there's a little more to kiss." Proving his point, he leaned down and brushed his lips against the scars on her cheeks. "And a little more to love."
When the tears started to fall at his words, Inuyasha wiped them away and carefully settled her against him again.
And in that moment, Kagome knew she would never be without him.
To be continued...
That chapter was so freaking hard to write, dude. I love how it turned out, but man was it a tough one.
Anyway, only the epilogue is left and then this story will officially be complete!
