Love Comes To Those Who Wait
Chapter 8 - Midnight Surprise
"Yo Ayame," a voice hissed.
"Whaaa?" Ayame moaned opening her eyes slowly in confusion. What was going on? Yawning she sat up and rubbed her eyes, but even with her demon vision it was impossible to see anything in the darkness.
"Is some one there?" she asked groggily.
"Yeah it's me kid," Kouga said ad suddenly there was flicker and Kouga's face was illuminated by a lighter.
"Kouga!" Ayame exclaimed instantly awake. "What are you doing here!"
He put a hand quickly over her mouth to silence her. "Shhhh!" he hissed. "You'll get me in trouble, I'm not supposed to be here."
"Oh," Ayame said her voice muffled by his hand. "Sorry."
Once he realised that she would speak in a softer voice he let his hand fall and sink into the chair. "Sorry to scare you but this is the first opportunity I've had to sneak in here and see you."
"That's alright," Ayame said.
"That nurse is a nightmare. Wouldn't let me anywhere near y- DAMN!" Kouga swore softly at the lighter went out.
"Look in the top drawer of the table I think I've got a flashlight in there," Ayame said.
She could here Kouga open the drawer and fish around until suddenly there was a burst of light. "Ow!" she cried softly. "Point that thing somewhere else Kouga what are you trying to do blind me?"
"Oh sorry," Kouga apologised and averted the light from her eyes. "How'd you know this would come in handy?"
"I've been in the hospital before," Ayame said simply as way of explanation. "How'd you get in here anyways? It's after hours."
"Climbed up to the second floor where I snuck in through a window some one had forgotten to close," Kouga answered nonchalantly.
"Not bad," Ayame complimented. "Must have really wanted to see me."
"Of course I did," Kouga replied. "I needed to see if you were alright. Are you?"
"I think so," Ayame said. "Got shot with some sort of demon bullet though. You know anything about them?"
"Demon bullet?" Kouga repeated confused. "No, what are they?"
"Doctor's don't know," Ayame said. "All they know is these people have discovered something that's poisonous only to demons and coated their bullets with it."
"Crap!" Kouga breathed. "So are there any side effects?"
"The doctor's don't know," Ayame whispered she hadn't thought about side effects. "I'm the only one who's survived one. Luckily I pulled it out before too much of the poison hit my bloodstream."
"Shit," Kouga swore. "Ayame you have no idea how bad I've felt since you got hurt. This whole mess is my fault, I shouldn't have let you leave the safety of that car."
"Amazing how everyone's blaming you for my choices," Ayame said amused. "Kouga don't feel bad, it's not like you planned it."
"I still feel guilty for you getting shot," Kouga said. "I'm the man, I should have taken that."
"Oh don't give me that macho crap," Ayame hissed. "I'll hit you I swear, cast or no cast. I'm not some helpless female you need to protect. I can take care of myself Kouga I've been doing a pretty damn good job for the last few years."
"I take it you're a feminist," Kouga leaned back against the chair.
"Damn right I am," Ayame said. "I don't need any man to take care of me."
"You've got to be the toughest female I know with the exception of Sango," Kouga thought out loud.
"Well I should be it's always something I've worked towards," Ayame huffed.
"And why's that?" Kouga asked.
"Because of a promise someone made a long time ago that I thought they'd remember," Ayame said softly hanging her head.
Kouga looked closely at her admiring the gorgeous colour of her hair as it draped over her shoulders and obscuring her face from view. It reflected the light of the flashlight and made Kouga think of fire… for some reason that colour looked familiar, and he was positive if he only he could remember where he had seen it before it would be important.
"What promise," Kouga asked not liking not being able to place that hair colour as passing it off as a figment of his imagination.
"It's nothing," Ayame said. "They don't remember so I might as well forget it."
"Didn't think you were the quitting type Ayame," Kouga joked. "I say if that person doesn't remember you shouldn't just forget about a promise that obviously meant a lot to you."
"I don't know how to make them remember though," Ayame said.
"I say just wait, if it was significant enough, something's bound to trigger a memory and then they'll remember," Kouga said wisely.
"So you don't think I should just tell them?" Ayame asked looking up to meet his eyes.
"No," Kouga said. "It's always embarrassing for the person who's forgotten, it's better if they remember on their own. But then again that's just my opinion."
"Oh," Ayame said. "Thank you, I appreciate that advice."
"You're welcome kiddo, just don't stress over it," Kouga said ruffling her hair. "Now tell me, where's this Chinese food I'm smelling? I'm famished and it smells pretty damn good."
"It's right here," Ayame said relieved by the change of subject as she reached under her bed to grab some of the cartons. "Help yourself, Kagome and Sango brought me enough to feed a small army."
"That's Kagome for you," Kouga smiled digging in. "Always kind and over helpful."
"Yeah," Ayame agreed. "She's been so nice to me since I met her."
"So how'd she get in to see you and that nurse wouldn't let me stay on the floor?" Kouga asked.
"Because my dad's convinced that you're some sort of bad-boy that's going to hurt me," Ayame admitted embarrassed.
"Really," Kouga said raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Well that can't be good."
"No it isn't," Ayame said leaning back against her pillow because she suddenly felt tired. "He say's I'm not allowed to see you anymore and that he'll kick your butt if he sees you hanging around."
"He said that?" Kouga asked grinning.
"Well not exactly," Ayame drawled. "But I could tell that it was implied."
"I'd like to see him try," Kouga boasted.
"Just because he's my dad doesn't mean he's wimpy!" Kagome bristled. "I'll have you know he survived as a lone wolf until he met my mom!"
"A lone wolf eh?" Kouga said clearly impressed. "Not every day you meet a living legend. Now I can see where you get your fast thinking. How'd he get to be a lone wolf?"
Ayame paused slightly surprised by his interest; no one had ever asked her that before, demon or human. "Well his clan was killed when he was about my age and no one wanted to accept him into theirs thinking he would bring bad luck."
"Really? So how'd you come into being then if no other clan would accept him. Did he meet another female lone wolf?" Kouga inquired.
"No, he ran into my mother one night and they fell in love. Her tribe wasn't very happy with her when she announced they were getting married but they came around after I was born," Ayame explained.
"So why are you here then?" Kouga asked confused. "That doesn't make sense, if he got accepted why are you here?"
Ayame took a deep breath and sat silent for a moment. It was only natural that Kouga would be curious, after all it was almost unheard of for wolves to leave their clan. "Let's just say things didn't work out between my grandfather and I, so we left."
"You left," Kouga echoed dumbfounded. "Just like that. Just got up and left and your clan didn't say anything to stop you."
"I don't really want to get into okay Kouga," Ayame sighed. "It's late and I don't know you well enough to want to say the rest."
"How come none of us ever heard about it? That's pretty big news?" Kouga demanded. "Why didn't we hear about it at the last meeting?"
"How would I know?" Ayame said softly. "I wasn't there."
"Sorry," Kouga grunted looking away realising how hard it must be to admit that. Wolfs that were outcasts or loners weren't allowed to attend the wolf conventions that were held every five years. Only wolves that belonged to a clan had the invitation extended to them.
There was an awkward moment of silence between them until Kouga said finally, "your mother and father must have cared about you very much to leave. I don't know if my parents would have done that."
"My mother didn't care one bit about me," Ayame spat angrily all the memories she had remembered just before falling to sleep resurfacing and in doing so bringing forth an caustic like tone when she spoke.
"What?" Kouga asked confused.
"My mother was the reason we, my father and I, were forced to leave," Ayame hissed.
"You mean it's just your father and you living together?" Kouga yelped.
"Yeah," Ayame said biting her lip to keep more caustic remarks in. "Just the two of us."
"Don't you ever get lonely?" Kouga asked. "Not only so you not have a clan you have no female wolf of any relation living with you? What a nightmare!"
"Not really," Ayame said. "My last encounter with a clan left me pretty bitter. I don't plan on joining one anytime soon."
"You live like humans do!" Kouga said confused. "How can you not miss the comforts of having a clan?"
"Trust me," Ayame said very seriously. "I don't. Now I'm very sorry Kouga, as much as I like you I don't like the direction this conversation is headed and I'm tired. So maybe when I'm not feeling quite so riled up we can talk about this, but as for now this conversation is closed and I'm going to bed. If you stay I'll only say things I'll regret so please just…..give me some space."
"You got it," Kouga said nodding and the expression on his face told Ayame that he understood and wasn't going to hold it against her. "Tough subject I take it?"
"Yeah, still as bitter as it ever was," Ayame said her throat tight. "Don't think I'm sending you away because I don't like you Kouga, because I do. I just…" she trailed off unable to express what she was feeling.
"Don't worry I understand," Kouga replied rising to his feet and stretching. "I got a few of those myself. I guess I'll see you in school then? Well that is if I decide to risk getting my but kicked by your father."
"Don't worry, I'll work on him," Ayame said shrugging. "Show him you're not half as bad as he's making you out to be."
"And just how bad is that?" Kouga winked.
"Let's just say he's giving you far too much credit," Ayame teased.
"I like that," Kouga said. "Well until I see you next squirt, hope you feel better."
"Hey just who are you calling a squirt," Ayame protested.
"You, you are only like 5" 3", there for making you a squirt," Kouga deduced.
"5" 4" and a quarter," Ayame growled. "And don't call me squirt or I'll kick your butt!"
"Bye 'yame," Kouga yawned. "Don't let the bed bugs bite and all that junk."
"Wish they'd bite you," Ayame humphed but he was already gone. Smiling she lay back down and closed her eyes. Kouga had cared enough about her to sneak into the hospital and it delighted her! If this kept up he'd remember her in no time.
To be continued….
Author's Notes: well what'd ya think? Good? Bad? Freaky how some of you anticipated Kouga sneaking in…well not much else to say other than please review...I'll cry if you don't...