Disclaimer:  You know the drill by now.  Inuyasha and co. are not mine.  However Nekoyasha, Lotus, and Shinta are mine.

"Spoken,"  Thoughts

Chapter 19: Second Verse, Same As the First… Well, Not Really

The rain was pouring down now.  Everyone was off the streets except one lone figure running towards the Sunset Shrine.  The figure had a hat and coat on and carried a bag of some sort.  The person was drench to the bone because the umbrella had been left at home.  A long red braid stretched out behind her.

I didn't think that the rain would pick up so quickly.  The café is not that far away.  I hate rain.  I love listening to it, but hate being out in it.

She stopped in front of the steps and sighed.  She really did not want to climb all those steps.  She looked to her right and then to left.  When she was sure that no one was coming, she bounded up the steps in three leaps.

As she made her way to the front door, she thought, Please do not be Kagome.  Not Kagome.  With another sigh she rang the bell.

Mrs. Higurashi opened the door.  "Oh, good you're here.  Please come in.  Thank you for making a house call."

"Not a problem," the doctor replied.

Mrs. Higurashi noticed how drenched the doctor was.  "Oh my!  I'm so sorry.  You must be soaked.  Can I take your coat and hat and offer you some tea?"

The doctor took of her overcoat.  "Thank you.  Some tea would be nice.  And do you have a bathroom where I might dry off a bit?"

Mrs. Higurashi pointed to the bathroom.  The doctor made her way to the bathroom and emerged a few minutes later with a hunter green bandana on her head.  She went further into the living room.  There laying on the floor on a futon with a blanket over her was Kagome.  The doctor gasped.

Hojo turned around.  He saw the doctor.  "Thank you for coming."

Mrs. Higurashi came in with the tea.  "Here you are, Dr.?"

The doctor bowed. "I'm Dr. Subaru Neko.  Thank you for the tea."  She took a sip. 

"Mrs. Higurashi, would it be ok if I went and got a drink?" Hojo asked.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded her head and Hojo went into the kitchen.  The doctor knelt by Kagome.  She unbuttoned the girl's pajamas to see how serious the wounds were.  The bandages that she had put on were bloodied.

She looked up.  "What happened to her?"

Mrs. Higurashi looked uncomfortable.  "She … uh … came downstairs and fainted."

Dr. Neko shook her head.  There was more here and she knew it.  She decided to test the waters.  "Well, at least whoever wrapped her up had a good working knowledge of medicine… 500 years ago."

Mrs. Higurashi paled as did Grandpa.  Hojo picked that moment to come running into the room. 

"Mrs. Higurashi!  I heard Buyo scratching at the door because of the rain and when I opened the door to let him in, I saw this by the door!"  He held up Kagome's backpack.

Mrs. Higurashi went even paler.  Neko decide to help.  "Well, apparently she decided to sneak out of the house.  That would explain why you don't know how she got hurt.  Luckily a Scadian must have spotted her and wrapped her wounds."  She touched the bandages.  "Strange though… Scadians usually don't carry bandages made of silk, even for their personas."

Grandpa looked at the doctor. "Scadians?"

Neko smiled.  "They are people who are into history and the medieval and feudal times.  They try to be as accurate to the time frame as possible, but sometimes it can get expensive.  Those that research medicine of the time, still usually keep modern first aid equipment.  Who ever did this wanted to make sure they were period."

All anyone could do was nod.  Mrs. Higurashi was grateful that the doctor was coming up with her own story.  But there was the 500 year comment.  She decided to put it away.

"Has Kagome been sick lately?" the doctor asked.

This was Grandpa's area.  Before Mrs. Higurashi could stop him, he said, "Oh yes.  She has toxoplasmosis."

Neko's eyes went wide.  Immediately her hand went over Kagome's stomach to find if it was possible.  Of course it wasn't.  She would have known before Kagome had left.   Well, this was the best time to do more testing of the waters.  "Really, you have a cat?"  As if on cue, Buyo walked into the room.  He came up to her and rubbed against her hand.  "I take that as a yes.  Does Kagome clean his litter pan often?"

Grandpa thought for a moment.  "She has."

Neko nodded.  Now was the time for the big question, which she already knew the answer to.  "So when is she due?"

Due?  I hope she doesn't mean … Mrs. Higurashi thought frantically.

"What do you mean 'due'?" Hojo asked.

"Due to have puppies."  Mrs. Higurashi's knees went out from under her as she fell into a chair.  For once, grandpa was speechless.  Neko couldn't believe the word escaped her mouth.  "I mean kittens… I mean the baby.  Sorry I have friend who is a veterinarian and it is that time of the year."

Everyone stood in the living room staring at the doctor like she had three heads.  Mrs. Higurashi was starting to hyperventilate, grandpa was muttering but not saying anything cohesive and Hojo just stood there, gaping.

Neko looked over at the boy.  As she petted Buyo, "Hojo, is it yours?"

The boy gasped.  "Nani?!?  I mean… we've only… just a few… the only thing … we haven't even kissed yet! No!" 

Mrs. Higurashi still sat in her chair.  Neko noticed that she was mumbling the word, "puppies," over and over again.

"There is no way that Kagome can be pregnant!" Grandpa finally said.

The doctor turned and looked at him with eyes that reminded him of something Buyo would do.  "You said that she has toxoplasmosis.  Only pregnant women have that, Mr. Higurashi."

Grandpa just stood there and stared.  The doctor smiled. "My guess is that Kagome fell ill with something and you looked up the symptoms and saw that they fit with toxoplasmosis and you didn't think to read the rest of description.  Am I correct?"

Grandpa just dumbly nodded his head.  With Hojo there that was the only thing he could do.  Otherwise the boy might catch on that Kagome was not sick like the family said she was.

Neko turned her attention back to Kagome.  She slowly started to undo the bandages.  After she was done, she got in to her bag and pulled some modern day bandages and gauze, along with alcohol (the rubbing kind) and various other antibiotics.  When she was finished she looked at the rest of the group.

"I'm sure the Scadian that treated her would like her bandages back.  I know I would.  May I let these soak in the bathroom overnight?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded her head.  Neko went in to the bathroom and came out a few moments later.  "Hojo, thank you for calling me.  Tell your mother that I will be by in a few days.  Now I think it is time for you to head on home.  There are some things that I must speak with the Higurashi family about."

Hojo nodded his head.  "Sayonara, Mrs. Higurashi, Mr. Higurashi, Dr. Subaru."  He bowed on his way out.

Neko turned to the adults.  "It would be best to leave her where she is for right now.  However, I think there are some questions on both sides."  She gestured to the kitchen.  "Shall we?"

*****

A/N: Ok, I'm sure that there is a little explaining to do.

First a Scadian is a member of an organization called the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA).  As mentioned above they are interested in researching and recreating history.  While it is mostly European, I know that some research Mongols, so why can't some people research Warring States Japan?  For more information about the SCA, visit www.sca.org.

Second is toxoplasmosis.  It is a real disease.  I can't remember the actual symptoms of it right now (and I don't have my disease manual with me).  It is generally only found in bobcats and lynx, but domesticated cats can carry the mite as well.  That is why it is recommended that pregnant women do not change litter boxes.  The mite can harm the fetus.

Inuyagura – welcome back!  Haven't seen a review from ya lately.  It's good to be evil some of the time.  There is nothing wrong with it.

Sweetdaeth – well Inuyasha won't have a lot of room to talk (trying not to give anything away.)

Ryguy – It's a shame that you live in PA and I am in TN (soon to be FL).  I would sooo hang out you.  I don't think Bjorn would mind.

RavenShadow – thank you for the congratulations.  I missed not getting a review from you for chapter 17.

Well, we aren't getting to Inuyasha just yet.  There is one more chapter to go before we go back to Feudal Japan.

I like reviews.  They make me happy.  Plus they will help me get through packing my house up so I can go to Florida.  ::sigh::