Hi everyone! I'm ba-ack!

And the vacation was cool! Well, sorta. It gave me lots of inspiration for chapter 11! I went to a lake in New Hampshire and my uncle and aunt have a boat so I went out in it a lot. And that gave me some ideas for Fluffi-licious scenes coming up later in 'The Sound of Her Voice.' Don't you love fluff?!

So, how was everyone's life while I was away? Did you guys know reviews make my day? Well, they do. [yay subliminal messages]

I was surprised: Only one review question, and I've answered it alot. The question: Why doesn't Inuyasha talk?

This is the last time I'm answering this question:

He was born deaf, so he didn't get a chance for language skills to develop when he was a kid. He learned how to sign, so that's how he communicates with the world. He has working vocal cords, but he doesn't know how to use them because he's never heard his own voice, so he doesn't use them.

Does that clear everything up? I hope it does. Sorry if that bored you... Just wanted to make myself clear. Anyways, enjoy. This chapter is longer, so none of you can chainsaw me to death[Samurai Katagi and her death threats there.]

love and hugs!

sugarsprite

I never realized how intelligent Kagome is. She signs vehemently about most everything, we're in the middle of a deep political discussion when visiting hours end and a nurse comes in to bring me dinner.

"I guess I'll see you then." She signs, a shy smile on her face.

"Wait..." I sign, then almost lose the courage to ask the next question, "Will... will... you come again?"

She looks at me, wondering if I was joking, examining my face for any hint of a lie. When she sees I'm being truthful, she smiles and nods, then waves goodbye.

I feel so happy and relieved. I love it when I get what I want. Kagome's coming tomorrow!!

And speaking of what I want, this hospital dinner is definitely NOT what I want.

Definitely NOT. I will not eat this. NO. I would DIE.

"None of this, please." I tell the nurse, narrowing my eyes until they're little slits.

"..." the nurse doesn't reply, but moves her mouth in speech.

Why is my luck so bad? DOES NO ONE SPEAK ENOUGH SIGN LANGUAGE TO GIVE ME EDIBLE FOOD?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I try to get up to put the food in the trash, but my head resists my wanting to move. With more pain than I've ever felt in my life, my newly operated-upon body resists to me trying to get up.

I lie back down before I vomit again, and press the button for assistance. My head wound gives another twinge of pain as if to say, "And that's not all I can do to ya, buster, so you'd better watch out."

Another nurse comes rushing, to see the other nurse already here. She looks exasperated, but the other nurse informs her of the situation.

The second nurse thinks for a moment, then grabs a pad of paper and a pen from a pocket and hands them to me.

I hesitate: I don't like writing things much... but in such a dire case as this.

'I don't want to eat this' I write, frustrated, 'It looks like you cremated a cat and put its remains on a cheap plastic plate with some badly prepared rubber vegetables.' Satisfied with my response, I hand the pad to the second nurse, who erupts into giggles when she reads.

'Would you like something else, Mr. Taisho?"

I attempt to nod, but as I do, I am forced to recoil into the covers, clutching my head.

I grab the pad and write the word 'painkiller' in all caps, then underline it twice to emphasize my point.

She reads, then nods and leaves the room with the other nurse.

When they return, they have a slightly more palatable meal and a BIG pink and blue pill.

I take the pill and suddenly find I'm too sleepy to eat. Just my luck...

I think the nurses did it on purpose.

But right now I'm too drowsy for revenge.

Nighty-night.

Kagome returns to my room at around three the next day. She wears jeans and a green turtleneck. Her ebony hair is in a high ponytail, and she has a notebook clasped in her hands. "This'll help you communicate with the nurses" she signs after she hands it to me, "When I've been here, I've always had Kikyo bring me a notebook. You can also sketch..."

"I don't draw."

"or write..."

"I hate writing."

"Or play word games."

"Those are boring."

"You seem to prefer MIND games." She signs, annoyance on her face.

What to do?! I don't want her to go, but I could never apologize, otherwise all the self pride I have in the world would drain out of me and I'd end up a worthless ball of fluff.

"... I suppose I do." I sign. "There's not much else to do in my house."

"What?" she signs sarcastically, "You, the billionaire's son, who has everything he could possible desire?"

"No company my age." I sign, "Parents who ignore me, a house full of priceless things that break easily, and only grown up servants to talk to."

"You have a brother, don't you?"

"He's evil." I sign, "I hate him."

"You don't."

"And how would you know?" I sign angrily.

"I suppose I wouldn't." she signs, and sits on a chair next to the bed. "But I'll be your friend Inuyasha... that is, if you want me to be."

"I don't care." I sign, hiding my happiness, "if you want to be, that's fine with me."

"Don't you care?" she signs, looking dejected and angry, "I was just kidding, Inuyasha. I would never be your friend." She looks away, "I gotta go." She gets up sadly and turns her back to me.

Well, I sure as hell screwed that up.

"Wait!" I sign, but realize she hasn't seen me. I grab a sheet of paper from her notebook, crumple it into a ball and throw it at her.

She turns around.

Damn.

I made her cry.

"Kagome..." I sign, "I... I...I'm sorry."

I didn't melt. Apologizing to her... it even feels... good.

"I lied." I sign, "I would love to be your friend. Please?"

She smiles and sits down.

We talk for a long time, then the visiting hours end again.

"Kagome..." I sign as she starts to get ready to leave.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to come visit me in my summer home when I get better?"

"You have a summer home?"

"Yeah. It's on an island in a lake, and I think you'd like it there..." I stop, "If you want to, of course."

"I would love to."

I smile in relief.

She gets up and...

kisses my cheek.

Wow.

Life is pretty good right now. Except for hospital food. That's still crap.