A/N: Sorry, I lied again about posting. In between all of the other fanfiction posting I've been doing lately, trying to update a story here and navigating this website gets tossed to the back burner because it's so much easier to post on A03 and Tumblr. That said, if you do want to see what I've been up to lately come find me on Tumblr (I am kaoruhana08 there) or take a look at my stuff over on A03 (I am kaoruhana there).
I do want to take this note to thank all of you readers who have been here with me for years with this fic (including those who have literally waited years to read more). There was a time earlier this year when I debated leaving this fandom writing wise, and I wanted you all to know that it's lovely reviewers like you who have literally kept me going and reminded me why I love this fandom so much!
Now: here's the original A/N I posted on Dokuga for this story:
The pregnancy descriptions given by Kagome are probably incorrect. I got most of the information from the internet and my mother. So, there's probably a few inaccuracies that come from me having gaps in my knowledge. Again- please tell me if I made any errors. I will fix them :)
And I never studied medicine. So again, any errors there are my fault and I will gladly fix them.
Kagome walked down the hospital corridor, dodging a few patients and nurses as she made her way to Inuyasha's room. It had been a long, stressful two weeks back from Aomori and she was glad that things finally started settling into place. She was now employed as a babysitter to her neighbor's toddler and-starting next week- was going to be a babysitter to two other children who lived on her street. The new job gave her the freedom and independence along with a busier schedule. Being busy afforded her the luxury of not visiting Inuyasha as regularly and begin piecing her life together.
She liked this better because she was less worried about him now and was able to start moving on with her life. Life was busy in Tokyo and with so much to do when it came to filing Inuyasha's paycheck and starting her new job, she had found herself thinking less about him and more about herself. It was good and gave her the chance to start emotionally and physically distancing herself from him.
She hadn't visited Inuyasha much after coming to Tokyo- this would be her third visit. The day after she had arrived, her mother had come with her to the hospital when she had needed to sign some forms regarding Inuyasha's hospital stay and meet his new doctor. Her mother had the opportunity to see the state he was in, while she was able to speak with the doctor. Kagome didn't like this doctor- Dr. Yamada- and his attitude rubbed her the wrong way. She felt he could care less if her husband died or not and it made her angry. She may not see her husband in a kind light at the moment but she definitely did not think he deserved to die.
The other time she had visited him had been over the weekend. She had felt a little guilty at being too busy to come and had spent the time telling him of all she had done since returning to Tokyo. He didn't need to know and she wasn't sure if he even heard her, but she wanted him to know. She read that talking and the presence of someone close sometimes spurred a patient to wake up. Inuyasha was supposed to leave his medically induced coma soon and the doctors had explained that once they took him off, it was up to his body if he woke up or not.
That was why she was here on this Wednesday. They had let him out of the medical coma but now, it was up to him to wake up and get out of the coma his own body placed on him.
Turning down the corridor, she saw a familiar back. It was not that hard to spot Mr. Mori- his hair gave him away. It was however, surprising to note that Mrs. Mori had apparently been moved to the same hospital in Tokyo too. She supposed it was because of the hospital's specialty in serious traffic injuries.
Looking closer, she saw that next to him were two young women who she recognized as Rin and Kaede. She hesitated and waited at the hallway entrance. Part of her wanted to say hello and get to meet them again. Another part of her didn't know if she would be welcome. She knew that they had told her she could visit them in Tokyo but she had done nothing more than try calling Mr. Mori once to ask a few legal questions. Her call had gone to his secretary who had informed her that he was busy but that she would make a note of it. She had a feeling that the secretary hadn't done so.
She took a few steps forward and caught the attention of Rin. "Hello." Her reply was a low mumble but Rin's was louder.
"Kagome!" She greeted stepping away from her brother in-law and sister. "How are you?"
"Good." Kagome answered as Rin came to a stop in front of her. "And how are you Rin? Aren't preliminary exams and other things coming up?" Rin waved a hand nonchalantly and stepped to the side as a nurse passed by in the hall.
"It is a little busy, but I'll be fine. And nii-san wanted us both here today anyway. They're transferring Kikyo nee-san from the ICU unit to a regular room. It's in another hall and he wanted us there so that we would know the room too." Looking behind her, she saw Sesshomaru looking at them, a calm expression on his face. "And Wednesday nights are family nights. We're all going to dinner afterwards." She bit her lip. "Do you want to go to dinner with us?"
Kagome shook her hands in front of her face. "Oh no, it's fine. I was just visiting and I have to head back home." She noticed that Sesshomaru and Kaede were walking towards her and she smiled at them in greeting as they neared. That was the proper greeting wasn't it? It was polite enough to indicate that she remembered them and that they were acquaintances, but it didn't indicate familiarity. At least, she didn't think they were that familiar yet.
"Mrs. Tanaka." Sesshomaru greeted. He hadn't known she had returned to Tokyo or that her husband was getting better. Then again, they weren't that close friends were they? She had no obligation to tell him she was coming back to Tokyo. He had no reason to feel that her actions were a snub to him. It was just luck that had led both her husband and his wife to be in the same hospital and for him to be there with his sisters when she was visiting.
It took Kagome a few moments to figure out what to say. "Mr. Mori. How are you?" He opened his mouth to answer but he didn't get a chance to say anything. Kaede spoke for him (and her).
"We are good." She stated her eyes softening. "How are you? Is your husband feeling better?" They were polite words but they made Kagome wish everyone would stop asking that. She was growing tired of telling everyone that Inuyasha was still in the hospital and that she had no idea what was happening with him. She wasn't a doctor and she no longer had the luxury of visiting his bedside every day. Her eyes wavered and she looked down the corridor towards the dead end and the hallways on the right and left. Inuyasha's room was somewhere down the hallway on the right.
"I'm actually here to visit." She replied realizing that she had left Kaede waiting. Squeezing the purse strap hanging over her shoulder, she continued. "They took my husband off the ventilators yesterday. I'm here to check on him."
A silence pervaded the hall as the four present in the conversation thought about what to say. Rin felt bad for telling Kagome good news about her sister and her brother in-law felt the same. It seemed Mrs. Tanaka was doomed to always receive good news about his wife while her own husband lay comatose still. He curled a hand into a fist and shuffled his shoes awkwardly. When would it become easy to talk to her? He had just begun to establish some sort of friendship with her but he had no idea about how to keep that and still maintain his distance. Finally, he sighed. Something had to be said, and as the eldest of his family, he would do so.
"We shouldn't keep you waiting Mrs. Tanka." Sesshomaru moved to the side. "It was nice to see you again."
Kagome debated leaving after he spoke. She did want to check on Inuyasha but there was something comforting about the presence of the Mori family. She didn't want to leave just yet. Perhaps, she was comfortable around them because they had been there in Aomori? They had seen her at the worst moments of the tragedy and they were in the same situation she was in.
"Do you visit often?" She asked instead of leaving. Sesshomaru looked confused as did Rin and Kaede. Yet, the elder sister replied to the question.
"Not as much. We come mostly on Saturday's- we come in the morning." She looked closely at Kagome. "Why do you ask that?"
Kagome shrugged, still not entirely sure of what she was doing. It just felt right to ask them to spend some time with her. Mr. Mori understood her more so than anyone else. He had been in the same position as she was, albeit in a different manner, and she missed that understanding. He had seen at her worst and been there as she came to terms with things. And she was loath to give up the friendship they had started to create in Aomori.
She fiddled with her purse strap again. "I was wondering if you might want to get lunch on Saturday? We're all busy today but I would like to catch up with you then." As she said that, she realized it was true. She had always been a social person, and now, without her husband taking up a majority of her social time, she craved companionship. Sango and Miroku could only offer her what their times and schedules allowed and she thought she would like it if someone else filled the gaps that were left behind.
"Lunch on Saturday?" Rin mused. "I think we're fine with that, right?" She addressed the last part of her question to Sesshomaru who nodded his head in acceptance. "Where should we meet you?" She asked Kagome.
Kagome hadn't thought that far in advance. "There is a café nearby isn't there?" She asked recalling passing the small restaurant on the street. It was a block away from the hospital and near the train station. She hadn't been there yet and hoped she wasn't making an error by inviting them there. "We could meet there at noon- I think it's called Savoury Bakery."
"We shall meet you then." Sesshomaru announced participating once again in the conversation. He nodded to her and then looked at his sisters. "I believe we should let you go now Mrs. Tanaka."
Kagome took the opportunity to leave this time. "Oh, of course." She gave a quick bow to them and murmured a hurried goodbye before straightening. "I'll see you Saturday then." Clutching her purse again, she walked down the corridor and took a right at the end into a smaller hallway that housed Inuyasha's room.
This hallway was dark, illuminated mostly by overhead florescent lights that bounced off the white floor. The lighting hurt her eyes and made her uneasy. It seemed eerie, like the scary hospitals that they sometimes showed in the horror movies. Walking faster to escape the hallway, she found Inuyasha's door quickly and opened it, scurrying inside. Once the door shut, she took a deep breath to calm her unnatural fear and looked to the bed.
Inuyasha looked the same as he always did. Breathing tubes, IV drips, and monitors were connected to him to either monitor him or give him nutrients and food. Slowly, she approached the bed not sure what she should expect. Inuyasha was either going to slowly wake or he was going to be the same as he was before. A rattling sound startled her and she stopped in her walk to see what it was. She looked closely at her husband and had to suppress the scream she wanted to let out. He was still connected to the dratted machine- he was still in a coma.
"Why?" She hissed angry that it seemed Kikyo Mori was getting better and he continued to struggle. "Why the hell can't you get up and move yet? Please Inuyasha, come back to me." She finished walking to him and stood next to his bed, staring at his face. "I need answers- I need you back."
Kagome wanted to shake him, she wanted to yell at him until he woke. She knew that it wouldn't help though and a part of her feared that if she yelled, he would hear that and think he was unwanted. Instead, she curled her hands into fists, piercing her palms with her nails and channeling her frustration to something else. Resigned, she finally let her frustration and anger go and looked fondly at him. Brushing some stray bangs from his face she took in the beard that had grown since the nurses hadn't seen fit to shave him regularly.
Today, she wouldn't dwell too much on the fact that he was still in a coma. Instead, she would tell him what she came here to tell and then leave.
"How are you today?" She began taking the seat by his bedside. "I'm sorry I was angry earlier, I just heard something and it made me a little frustrated I guess." She reached to lightly touch a hand that was connected to the IV's. "I ran into Mr. Mori and Kikyo's sisters today. She is being transferred out of the ICU. Isn't that good news? As for me- well, I'm doing better. I'm getting a few more kids to babysit starting next week which means I'll be paid more. And I guess it's time I told you something that I haven't told you yet."
Kagome looked down at her lap. She had been talking to Inuyasha for a while and she had told him most things going on with her life. She had not mentioned her pregnancy however. She was caught between wanting to punish him for his actions by withholding the news and being scared of what the effects could be on comatose Inuyasha if she told him. Her mother assured her that it would be fine- Inuyasha was strong and he did need to know this information after all. She still felt scared though; she feared that the news would cause his subconscious mind to affect his body in negative ways.
At this point though, there wasn't a reason to stop since she had already started. Gathering her courage, she looked back up at her husband.
"I'm pregnant Inuyasha. I'm pregnant with our child." She took a deep breath and continued. "I want our child to know who you are, to know who his or her father is. Please- if not for me- come back for our child." It had taken her three sleepless nights to come to an understanding with herself. She and Inuyasha were over but she was still going to give him a chance to be in his child's life.
Kagome stayed in that room for another half hour. She didn't speak to him after her revelation and instead took the time to just reflect on her situation. It had taken her a while but she now felt more confident about what she was doing and her situation. She was going to get through this, she promised herself. Once the clock indicated that it was nearing noon she stood up. Her mother was watching her house and the child she was supposed to be babysitting. It wouldn't do if she stayed out too long.
"I need to go now. I have to get back to work." Leaning forward, she hesitated but decided to kiss his cheek. "I'll see you Saturday Inuyasha."
The café that Kagome had picked was not what she was expecting. It was busy, the lunch rush having just started and she saw quite a few waiters running around to different tables. One approached her about seating and she indicated that she was either meeting a party of three or needed a table that seated four. The waiter looked around and spotted the Mori entourage who had arrived a few minutes before her. He thought it was them she was referring to.
"Would that be them by the window?" Kagome turned to see where he was indicating and nodded. With a smile, he led her towards them and told her he would be back soon to take her order.
"Kagome!" Rin's greeting was full of joy and she launched into it after the waiter left. "How are you today?"
"Good Rin." She sat down and then addressed the others. "How are you all?"
"We're fine." Rin stated before anyone could get in a word edgewise. "It's so beautiful outside, I can't believe this is February weather." Kagome had to agree with Rin. Yesterday and today were the blips in the weather pattern. It wasn't everyday Tokyo experienced seventy degree days at the end of winter. The weather man had assured them that this didn't mean spring was near and that it was just a fluke. Still, it felt nice outside and many were taking advantage of the warmth.
"It'll be back to normal tomorrow." Sesshomaru stated across the table as a warning to his sister. Rin rolled her eyes at her brother and Kagome had to stifle a laugh. This reminded her of the dinner she had with them in Aomori. The three were playful and loving, something that Kagome thought was sweet.
Kaede sighed and turned her attention to Kagome. "Tell me Kagome, what do you do now in Tokyo?"
"I found a job." She stated with a smile on her face. She had met her two new charges yesterday and they were adorable. "I babysit some of the kids in my neighborhood during the workweek."
She was also moving back into her house tomorrow but that was something she didn't feel like telling them unless required. And she had to make sure that she was ready to go back to that empty house. Her mother had offered to come stay with her but she declined. Her mother had others to take care of too. Instead, it was her college age brother who had decided to spend the first few nights with her.
"Why a babysitter?" Rin asked not having experienced the reality of the working world yet. Sesshomaru and Kaede looked at her with a glare and Rin stared back at them wondering what it was that she had said wrong. Kagome noticed this and remembering Rin's age decided to not hold it against her.
"It was the option that best fit with my current lifestyle." Her answer wasn't a lie but it did not expose Rin to the harsh truths of the Japanese job market. She saw the other two relax and congratulated herself on a job well done before looking down at the menu. The waiter hadn't arrived yet but she would like to have her order ready just in case. The restaurant boasted of making pasta and she wanted some. Choice made, she looked back up at the others.
"Rin- how are your studies? Have you finished exams yet?" Rin beamed, pleased that she remembered and proceeded to tell Kagome of her education. No, she wasn't done with exams but she would be on Wednesday and then she had ten days off to do whatever she wanted until the teachers started placing students into classes based on their test results. She and her friends were planning to do something fun during that break.
"Say Kagome, do you think your friend wouldn't mind talking to me? I'm a little worried about test results and placement. I want to ask her for some advice." Kagome forgot that she had promised Rin to talk to Sango. She was supposed to meet her friend later and made a mental note to herself to talk to Sango about Rin later. She was sure that Sango wouldn't mind.
"She won't mind. I apologize- I forgot to tell her about you. But I am meeting her tonight and I promise to talk to her then." Rin nodded thanking her again as the waiter came by to take their orders.
Kagome yawned as the waiter left. She was so tired, something her doctor had reminded her was normal when she had seen her yesterday for another appointment. She had been scolded though for stressing herself out. The stress was cutting into her sleep and nap times and made the tiredness more pronounced. After receiving the scolding, Kagome had complained to her mother who had laughed and told her that it was normal.
"Are you tired?" Sesshomaru asked feeling bad about inviting her out if she needed rest. She was pregnant after all and while he didn't know much about pregnancies he did know that pregnant women needed more rest than was normal.
"A little." Kagome answered taking a sip of water and smelling something that was divine. It was coming from the next table and she glanced at it silently hoping that it was the same dish she ordered. "It's the baby." She continued looking at them. "I'm getting more sensitive to smells. So far, I've not yet encountered something that bothers me. Instead most of the smells just make me hungry." And they did. It was kind of frustrating. She still had yet to figure out how the smell of roses made her crave mochi.
It still surprised her sometimes that she was able to discuss things about her pregnancy so easily. Part of her wondered if this was her way of making up for the lack of attention that she was receiving from Inuyasha. Was she channeling that hurt and frustration into this loquacious description of her pregnancy? Before she could wonder more about that the waiter arrived back with their orders and she was grinning as she realized that the dish she ordered smelled better than the one at the other table. As soon as Rin took a bite of her food, Kagome deemed it okay to eat as well and eagerly helped herself to her meal.
They ate their food in relative silence, each of them apparently hungrier than they realized. The food was also quite delicious and Kagome thought that she would like to visit the café again to try more of their dishes. It also explained why the café had been so busy when she arrived and why it was still bustling with customers. She finished the last bite of her pasta, a little embarrassed to realize that she was the first to finish. A yawn escaped her after she finished and she looked at her watch. She didn't have to work today but she did try to get in a nap because she was just so tired. It was probably nearing naptime.
Sesshomaru and Rin finished a few moments after she did. "You know, I think this is the best food I've had in a while." Rin stated looking at her sister. "No offense Kaede, but you can't cook Italian." Kaede shrugged. Rin did have a point.
"It was good." Kagome admitted taking a sip of water. She had been feeling a little queasy after meals sometimes. It was a weird cross between heartburn and nausea. Her doctor had told her it might be a side effect of the pregnancy and that if it was really problematic, she would try to find something to help her. Until then, Kagome was stuck on her own.
Rin yawned as well and smiled sheepishly when the others noticed. "I guess I'm tired too." She stated with a grin. "Good thing we'll be home soon and I can take a nap." Sesshomaru raised a brow at that, intent on reminding her of the chores she had left but Kaede beat him to it. Rin pouted but relented to doing her chores and then taking a nap.
Twenty minutes later, as Kagome stood outside the café with the Mori family she let her body soak up the warm rays of the sun. She wanted to just bask in it all day. Promising Rin that she would call her again, she said her goodbyes and made her way to the train station. After the lunch, she felt better about the relationship she had with the Mori entourage. She felt that despite the tragedy she had made some good friends and was excited at the possibility.
Kagome clutched the hand of the three toddlers she had been forced to bring with her to the hospital. She was originally supposed to come by later in the evening by herself but the hospital had called saying that they needed to speak to her urgently. Since Inuyasha was still in a coma, there was some paperwork that she was supposed to sign urgently to keep him on the support machines that kept him alive. She had been unable to contact her mother and so had grabbed the three kids she was babysitting and made her way to the hospital. She had called the parents on her way there to make sure it was alright and surprisingly the parents had agreed as long as she didn't venture into any actual hospital rooms.
Now, she sat down with little Tohru in her lap and her twin Kyo sitting to the right of her. On her left sat her original charge Akira.
"Mrs. Tanaka?" One of the nurses from the desk called her and upon noticing her situation approached her instead. "I apologize for the wait. We just needed to get some insurance processing and billing done. And we also need to tell you about the situation."
Kagome nodded. "Do I need to have this conversation with you in private?" The nurse looked at the children.
"If you want to, I suppose we could. Do they know about their father?" Kagome flushed as she looked at the children she was babysitting. Was that what she had looked like on her way here? She shook her head.
"These kids are the children I am babysitting. I could not find an alternate babysitter so I had to bring them with me." The nurse flushed now in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry. I just assumed…." She trailed off and then cleared her throat. "Anyway, as I was saying considering you husband's condition, I would like to inform you about the next steps for you to take. Every two weeks we will give you progress reports that detail his condition. Most of it will detail his brain wave activity. The more stagnant it is, the less his chance of recovering." She gave Kagome the clipboard in her hands and the young woman adjusted her hold on Tohru to look at it.
"This form gives you the sole rights and responsibilities to take complete control of your husband's condition. What that means is that you will tell us when to take him off the machines. He will stay connected to them as long as you are willing to pay for them." Kagome read over the clipboard forms and then addressed the nurse.
"If you know- can I ask about his current progress?" The nurse hesitated and then sighed.
"His brain waves are extremely stagnant. There is no response so far to any stimuli whether it be light or sound. The doctors conducted other tests as well and so far the responses are negative." Kagome sighed. She honestly had not been expecting good news because it seemed that there was no more good news when it concerned Inuyasha. She looked over the forms again, trying to not take up too much of the nurse's time but also not wanting to make a mistake. Finally, she relented and signed the forms handing them and the clipboard back to the nurse.
"Here." She adjusted her hold on Tohru again as Kyo began to fidget in his seat. With a hand on his legs meant to restrain him, she turned back to the nurse. "Is there anything else?" The nurse double checked the sheets in front of her before shaking her head.
"We have everything we need Mrs. Tanaka. If something else happens, then I or another nurse will contact you."
"Thank you." She waited until the nurse left and then stood with Tohru in her hands. "Kyo, please grab my hand. Akira, you grab Kyo's." The boys did as told mostly because they were in a new environment and the need to explore was surpassed by the fact that the hospital was cold and seemed unfriendly. As Kagome made her way out the hospital doors with her charges in tow she thought she heard someone say her name. Stopping in her walk, she looked over her shoulder and spotted Mr. Mori walking towards her.
"Mr. Mori." She greeted with a smile. She felt Kyo shuffle closer to hide behind her legs and looked down at him. He looked adorable, hidden as he was. Akira stood his ground, with what was supposed to be an intimidating scowl on his face meant to scare Sesshomaru. The elder male just found it humorous.
"Mrs. Tanaka." Sesshomaru greeted again, now that he had caught up to her. "It is nice to see you again." He glanced at the children with her. "Are these the children you are babysitting?" Kagome nodded, manners taking over.
"Yes." She indicated Akira by lifting up the hand he was clutching tightly. "This is Akira, and the boy hiding behind me is Kyo." She heard a muffled sound of protest from Kyo but ignored it in favor of his sister. "And this is Tohru- she and Kyo are twins."
Sesshomaru nodded, taking in the sight. The way the kids clustered around her made one think that she was their mother or at least someone they trusted quite well. It was odd to see just how much she was suited for this kind of role. He thought that a mothering role suited her and was for a moment jealous of the fact that she got to experience a parenting role. And he was also a little angry at Mr. Tanaka. Why would that man- any man really- leave a woman like this?
"Would you like to get lunch?" He had asked because he did want to spend time with her. Their meetings so far had barely skimmed the edge of acquaintances but he wanted to genuinely become friends with the woman. Perhaps the children would be a good catalyst for conversation?
Kagome looked down at her charges, trying to figure out what to do. Lunch did sound good- but she had already made it for the kids and it was waiting at the house. And she had to get ready to send her brother home tonight. With a small smile she shook her head.
"I'm sorry but we should be going back. Perhaps we could meet again Saturday?" Sesshomaru nodded a little disappointment welling in him.
"Of course." He hesitated before letting her go. "Do you… will you be here next week?" She nodded.
"Yes, but only in the evening. I had to come earlier today to fill out some paperwork." He seemed to be thinking on something, his eyes narrowed and his stance shifted so that he was standing straighter, looking taller than he already was. Kyo and Akira watched him with a little curiosity and respect; his new stature helping his view in the eyes of the children.
"Are you free for dinner next Wednesday then Mrs. Tanaka?" He paused for a moment and then hastily continued as he realized what his words sounded like. "I just… it would be a dinner between friends. I find your company nice and I hope that despite the unfortunate circumstances…we can be friends."
Tohru tugged on Kagome's coat and she hastily replied. "Yes." She looked at him as Tohru tugged at her coat again. "I apologize- I have to go now. Could you… could you call me? Rin has my number."
"Of course." Sesshomaru waited for her to take her charges and leave before he too followed them out.
For the first time since coming back to Tokyo he finally had something to look forward to. He was eager for next Wednesday's dinner.
Kagome said goodbye to Akira and his parents after they had talked to her about the visit today. It had been the same questions asked by the Watanabe's: Kyo and Tohru's parents earlier. How was the hospital visit? Was it something bad that she had heard? Did she need to go back? And then when she answered there were the questions that made her want to shut the door in the faces of the parents. How was she feeling? Did she think her husband would be out soon? Did she need help?
The questions were pitying and they grated at her nerves because she was beyond them at this point. She had moved on and she was picking herself up again. Why couldn't others just let it be?
A sigh left her as she locked her front door. Looking at her empty house, she cringed at the quiet. It was still daunting to be here after the truth had come out. She was more comfortable now here but she wasn't yet looking forward to being alone. Souta had been welcome because he had helped her keep her mind off the fact that she was in the house that she had shared with her cheating husband. But he wasn't here tonight and she was scared.
She moved to the living room and turned on the T.V. It was showing a football (soccer) match between two clubs. She had never really paid much attention to the sport but right now she didn't care and instead turned the volume up until it got rid of the silence in the house. Feeling much calmer, she made her way to the kitchen to heat up the food leftover from lunch. She was too tired to cook now and the food from lunch was enough to give her a balanced dinner.
In the five days she had started to live in her house again, she was slowly adjusting. She had thrown away the bed sheets in the master bedroom; every time she had seen them she pictured him and her. Now the stripped bed lay as it was- empty and dusty, waiting for someone to use it. She herself slept in the guest room, her brother relegating himself to the sofa in understanding. She felt a little guilty about that. He could have complained to her about it but instead he had adjusted. She couldn't blame him for wanting to go back home and sleep in a comfortable bed tonight.
The microwave dinged and she pulled out the food that was now warmed. A yawn escaped her as she grabbed a pair of chopsticks from a nearby drawer. Taking a seat at her dining table she began to eat her meal with gusto, something she had been doing recently. She wondered if that was the cause of her awkward heartburn/nausea combination symptoms. When the meal was finished, she placed the dishes in her kitchen sink to soak them and left to the living room. The hunger had managed to make her forget the grating silence in the house and the fatigue she was feeling made her a little less wary of it.
Still, she turned off the television and made her way to the stairs. On the way there, she passed the small room, really an extension of the living room that Inuyasha had converted into a dark room, and hesitated. She had yet to venture inside this space and see what her husband had hidden in his private room. She raised a hand but stopped before she put it on the door handle. Tonight wasn't the night to do this. She wanted to venture here on her own but she wasn't ready for it yet.
And she knew she needed more than a few hours to gather herself if she opened that door.
Kagome turned away from the door and continued up the stairs to the guest bedroom. She methodically changed into her nightclothes and then reached for her I-Pod, a regular sight on her nightstand. Even with Souta in the house she found that having music play at night calmed her down when all was quiet. Sounds to replace the silence were a needed thing in her home. Turning her I-Pod on, she picked a playlist and started it, making sure her I-Pod was charging.
Satisfied that the noise would lull her into sleep and drown out the quiet, she slipped into bed. All her thoughts could wait for later. Right now, she needed to sleep.