{ Here's another fic idea that refused to go away until I started typing it.. Inu/Kag }
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Chapter 1 – awakening
By Jamethiel1
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Kagome stirred slightly from the depths of sleep, overcome by a feeling of wrongness. She couldn't tell what it was, but something was definitely amiss. Attempting to sit up, panic choked her as she realized she couldn't move. So she tried again, desperate to prove to herself that nothing was wrong, that she could sit, but her muscles did not respond. She remained laying, mind feeling dazed, unable to think clearly. Where was she? Why was she here? And even these thoughts came infuriatingly slow, neither her mind nor body seemed to want to respond to her demands. So she struggled to focus on one thing, certainly she should at least be able to open her eyes.. Straining with the effort, she heard an involuntary moan escape her lips, and a slit of light enveloped her, forcing her to surrender and close her eyes again. Well, at least that was some response!
Something beside her shifted at the sound of her moan, and Kagome tried to figure out what it could be through the haze that refused to release her mind. It spoke, but so softly she could not catch the words. Please.. say it again.. she pleaded silently, needing to hear anything at the moment. Needing any sort of connection to reality. "Sis?" it came again, louder, clearer. The voice was familiar, and it only took a moment to realize who it was, even in such a state. The person grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly, and Kagome welcomed the touch, even as it sent a slight pain through her seemingly otherwise numb fingers. She could hear and feel at least. So she attempted to open her eyes again, a blinding light burning them when she succeeded in opening them a crack. "Sis!" came that same voice, this time filled with more hope and joy than she thought was possible.
Kagome shifted her gaze toward the person, but was still adjusting to the brightness, unable to focus on any distinct shape. She attempted to speak, praying that her vocals at least had not deserted her. "S..Souta..?" she uttered, not even able to hear the words herself. This didn't seem to matter to her brother, however, for she heard him choke down a sob as he literally shook with emotion. "She's awake!" she heard him shout, and would have winced away from the loud exclamation if she had been able. She heard someone running nearby, then the footsteps ceased and silence engulfed the room. What was wrong; why had it gotten so quiet? She fought to turn her head toward the other, felt herself starting to awaken from the haze, and succeeded though she still could not see much of anything.
Then there was a body pressed against her own, and slim arms wrapped themselves around her. Something wet smeared upon her cheek as she felt another's face brush against her own as her chin was rested upon that same person's shoulder. Confusion laced its way through her for a moment, before she realized she knew this shoulder, this person well. Kagome tried to raise her own arms to return the embrace, but her body still refused to obey her. "M-Mom.." she spoke, voice still quiet though now it was at least audible. That wetness.. was her mother crying? Why? What had happened? She couldn't remember.. "Oh, Kagome!" came her mother's heart-felt reply. She felt herself lowered again as her mom released her from the hug, grabbing the hand Souta hadn't already claimed. Her eyes had finally started to adjust to the light, and she could make out the forms of her mom and brother, each looking at her with such relief and joy on their faces that she knew something horrible must have happened to her. But she just couldn't remember what! "Wh-What's going on..?" she asked in barely a whisper.
That's when the doctors poured in, and Kagome realized she had a multitude of tubes and needles stuck in her body, that she could hear a series of beepings nearby that could only be monitoring her heartbeat. Something really had happened to her. She was in the hospital, and had no idea how or why. As the doctors began fussing over her, talking to themselves and creating a lot of havoc in her still-confused mind, she peered around until she located where Souta and her mother had been placed. And she got another surprise. She hadn't noticed before, but now that she was able to think clear enough, she noticed they did not look the same. Souta was taller, his features somehow sharper. He had always been rather mature for his age, but now his youth seemed to have vanished, even when he still inhabited the body of a boy. Her mother looked older as well, but in a more despairing sort of way. There were wrinkles on her face that had not been there before, and a few streaks of gray marring her previously unscathed hair.
"Can you move?" came a voice from nearby, and Kagome turned her gaze to one of the doctors, who was leaning over her slightly. "No.." she breathed with effort, wishing someone would explain what had happened. But no answers were to come yet. Instead, that same doctor placed her hand in Kagome's own. "Squeeze my hand," she instructed, and Kagome would have felt like yelling at her if she weren't so exhausted. Hadn't she just said she couldn't move? So she concentrated, urging her muscles to obey such a simple command. She could barely even remember what it felt like to close her hand, and yet she felt her fingers twitch after all her efforts. Not much, but movement nonetheless. The doctor nodded and smiled slightly, removing her hand and patting Kagome's before moving off.
That woman had seemed so happy that she could make such a small motion.. Why? Shouldn't they be worried that that was all she could do? That she was practically paralyzed? "Mom?" she mouthed more than spoke, wishing to ask her to explain. Her mother started to step forward at the summons, but Kagome found she could barely keep her eyes open any longer. She struggled against the darkness that threatened to engulf her, but she found herself sinking into unconsciousness despite her efforts. And her worries vanished for the moment as she fell into a dreamless sleep.
~~~
Kagome stepped slowly into her house for the first time in, if the doctors and her family were to be believed, two years. She still couldn't bring herself to accept that she had been in a coma for the past couple years, that she was now seventeen.. She didn't feel much different, besides for the fact she had to have a week's worth of rehabilitation before she could return home. They said she was found at the bottom of the old well, and no one knew exactly what had caused her to slip into the coma besides perhaps for the fall.
Kagome began up the stairs, carefully ascending each step before she attempted the next, wanting to make it to her room before her mother, grandpa, or Souta entered but not wishing to take a 'trip' down the stairs. Every time they saw her, they would tear up and get a disbelieving look on their face, hug her and tell her how happy they were that she was back. Though she couldn't blame them, it got rather tiresome after a while. She couldn't remember two years passing. Actually, she wasn't really sure what she remembered. The last day she recalled had been her fifteenth birthday, when she had been about to leave for school like any other day. Only.. something must have happened. She had never showed up for school, and she had later been found unconscious in the well.
Entering her room, Kagome sighed. She should be happy she had even awakened, that there had been no brain damage or other such lasting effects. And yet.. that feeling of wrongness had never gone away. There was something missing, it felt like a large part of her had never awoken from that coma, that she had left something important behind. Whatever it was, it left her feeling as if she would never be happy again. It left her sighing over nothing, on the edge of tears constantly. But she had no idea why! It was even more frustrating than when she had first woken up and hadn't known what was going on. At least that was something physical, something that could be explained. This.. no one could explain this to her. She didn't want to worry her family by telling them, so she locked it up inside and tried to forget about it, tried to ignore the aching hole inside her. It was a futile effort, however. She had to find answers somehow.
Maybe.. maybe the old well would give her some clues. Standing, Kagome sighed again and exited her room, her depression following, not even allowing her a second of escape.
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End of Chapter 1
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{ To everyone that reviewed – T-T Thank you! That's the most reviews I've ever gotten for a single chapter, and I'll definitely be continuing this. But I've got three fics going and I'm not sure how well I can juggle them all, so bear with me please! I'm glad you seem to like it so far, and I can only hope I don't mess it up somehow ^^;; }