Disclaimer: I own them all!!! Hahahhahahahhahhahahaha (audience stares) um, Ha? (Rabid fangirls come to attack Eartha followed by lawyers in black suits) AHHHHHHHH! I was just kidding!! ME NO OWN!!! Help me!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much to Taste-The-Rainbow-Skittles and Miruku-chan!! I just love getting reviews!!!
In Darkness There Is No Pain
Chapter 5: Courageous Innocence
By: Eartha
To see a child smile in the face of death is to know true courage…
********5:30 A.M., Tokyo General********************
With lead feet Kagome Higurashi shuffled down the white corridor of the hospital. She had only one stop left and then she could get some sleep…well as much sleep as she usually received…which wasn't much.
You see, Kagome had what might be considered the worst job in the entire hospital, top floor pediatrics – critical condition patients under the age of ten. On top of that, she had the night shift. Thus, the only lullaby offered her at "night" was the glaring sun and haunting images of children suffering. Few could sleep under those conditions. Somehow she was one of those few, even if she didn't sleep much.
Turning her attention from her own self-pity to the job at hand, she reviewed the facts about the next child. Kaede, the floor's advisor, had given her this case because, and I quote, "the others couldn't handle it." As she looked over the child stats, she could see why. The child had been orphaned during the Wolf Wars, her whole family torn to pieces before her eyes. Now the girl suffered from a bad case of Leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells. She was to go into surgery to remove a tumor that had formed behind the frontal lobe of her brain.
Kagome sucked in her breath quickly, the surgery was risky to say the least. Stealing her nerves for a pitiful sight, she quietly walked into the room to prep the child for surgery.
What met her eyes was the last thing she expected…
*******************Somewhere further down the Hallway****************
"Lady Kaede!!!" a young man yelled while briskly walking down the hallway, his robes flowing at his sides. Spotting a pretty young nurse, he thought he might "ask" her if she'd seen the old broad.
Suggestively lifting his eyebrows, his search forgotten, he began to ask her his favorite question.
"Tell me, beautiful lady, would you…" his hand slipped from his side to the rather curvaceous part of her back. Just as he was going in for the kill, a rather familiar wrinkled face, eyebrows lifted in annoyance, popped up beside the young nurse stopping his advance and his question.
"Would I?" the girl flirtatiously asked then winked, unaware of her superior's stare.
Straightening his posture and removing his hand, he coughed, "Would you tell me if you've seen Shippou, the little fox? He wasn't in his room…"
Confusion lit her face at his sudden change in demeanor, until she felt the presence beside her. Hesitatingly, the nurse turned to see just who was standing next to her, stared for a second, blushed, then ran to her desk to type in the information she had set down before the young man's half-question.
Shaking her head in disgust, Kaede glared at the man before her, "Tell me Miroku, do you flirt with every nurse in this establishment?"
Flashing her one of his winning smiles he answered, "Of course not, my Lady Kaede. I only flirt with the pretty ones. That said, tell me (another mischievous smile) are you free this Saturday night?"
Clearly not amused, Kaede only stared at him then shook her head. The man would never learn. Getting back to what he said before to the nurse, "Shippou isn't in his room?"
A serious expression covered his handsome features as he shook his head, "Hai, the kit escaped…again." Both sighing in resignation, they went to search for the mischievous child-demon…again.
***********back with Kag**************************
Blinking a few times, Kagome stared in wonder as she listened to the girl squeal in delight at something that looked oddly like a balloon and another patient combined…
The answer came to her in the voice of the child, "Shippou! That's so neat!! Do something else for Rin-chan!!"
She watched in quiet amusement as Shippou performed tricks for the girl, Rin. She shook her head in wonder as she watched them play. Both had been orphaned, brutally so. Both were sick and suffering. And yet, both still had the courage to smile. She realized that this was why she did this job, to witness the courage of innocence.
She heard two sets of footsteps walk up next to her, but more importantly, she felt something where nothing should be. Veins pulsing in annoyance, she quickly spun on her heel, and slapped away the offending appendage while glaring down the owner.
Backing up in fear, Miroku slipped behind Kaede for protection. Both women sweatdropped at his defensive tactic, shook their heads, then turned back to the children who were playing.
"So this is where the devil escaped to…" Kaede quietly said so as to not disturb the charming sight of the two playing.
"Hai…I don't want to take Shippou away but…"
"Aye child, you must. Her surgery is not to long from now…"
With a sad smile, she walked into the room, gently removing the kit. She promised them they could play later. She would not tell him that there might not be one…
The children waved goodbye as their respective adults separated them. When Shippou left the room, Rin smiled widely at her new visitor, "Has nurse-san come to play with Rin too?"
Giving the child a small smile, Kagome shook her head. "You can call me Kagome. But no, Rin. Today is your surgery…"
Rin only nodded her head in understanding and quietly made her way over to the bed. As Kagome injected her IV with medicine that would numb her and put her to sleep, the doctor rushed in…
Silver hair flying, Doctor Inu Yasha flew into his patient's room to see the nurse giving her medicine in preparation for the surgery. Scowling at the nurse's audacity to start without him, he reprimanded, "Next time, Nurse, do not start without me."
Raising her eyebrows at the rude young doctor, Kagome icily replied, "Next time, Doctor, be here on time."
Growling back at the nurse, he muttered, "Wench"
"Asshole"
"Bitch"
Kagome began another retort when a small whimpering put her thoughts on hold. She looked down at the small child, smoothing out her hair in comfort. Inuyasha's eyes softened at the scene, the former argument forgotten.
Suddenly, the girl began to speak, a smile lighting he features even in her drug-induced sleep, "the darkness and light are always at odds, but the innocent shall always save them from hate…"
Kagome and Inuyasha stared at the child in confusion until a resounding SLAP woke them from their stupor. Walking into the room, a pretty nurse by the name of Sango nodded her head to the two.
"Damn lecher…"
Inu smirked, Kag shook her head, Rin's comment forgotten.
He would never learn…
"Nice one Miroku…" a young voice giggled.
They all smiled…Welcome to Tokyo General.
AN: So what do you think??? Please tell me!! I'm sorry I didn't get this chapter out as soon as I could but I'm afraid I was infected with a bad case of…..laziness. Yeah, so um…please review.
Ja ne.