Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!
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Chapter 22: Infections
"An infection?" Inuyasha repeated. His father was beside him, supporting him in a way he hadn't done in years. Not physically, but just being there for him.
The solemn faced doctor nodded. His thick black beard did very little to hide his weak chin and his face was lined with age. "Yes, from the rat bites."
"But we always treat the people from solitary." Inuyasha protested. "We always have medicine on standby for them."
"Yes, well, not to say that they weren't cleaned, they just weren't cleaned well enough." the doctor sighed. "The bandages were dirty enough but she looks like she hasn't had a descent shower in months so her skin was probably covered in germs. They sent some rats over from solitary and they were covered in all kinds of grime and filth so that didn't help. Plus she hasn't had clean water or a proper meal in...weeks in looks like. It weakened her immune system. The dorm probably wasn't that hygienic either. All that together we were lucky the infection was as mild as it was."
The doctor was tired. The 500 or so students from Hinazuka had all been sent to three different hospitals, the doctors from each communicating in order to help each other. From what he could understand, even the healthiest kids were suffering from starvation and dehydration. Most of them were sick, a lot were beaten and abused. Luckily, Kagome was the only one who had visited solitary recently. Seeing all those abused and starved kids had made his day take a turn for the worse. It didn't matter to him that they were all convicted criminals, they were just teenagers, the youngest was only 13.
He looked at his chart, "We were able to stop the infection from spreading to her bloodstream so she should be fine."
"Spreading to her bloodstream? Would that have been bad?" Inuyasha asked.
The doctor nodded. "Very. Excuse me, I have more patients to tend to. You can see her if you want, she's in room 1554."
"Thank you, doctor." Inutaisho said as Inuyasha was already walking away toward her room.
Kagome was watching TV, a WacDonalds commercial, when he opened her door.
She turned her head to him and smiled.
Her skin looked even more pale and her figure even thinner when she was dressed in the white gown and put in the stark bed. There was an IV drip in her left arm and multiple monitors hooked up to her. Her arms were bandaged in fresh white bandages from her fingers to her shoulders. He knew that under the blanket her legs would be wrapped up in a similar fashion, all but her feet which had been protected by her shoes.
"Inuyasha." she smiled at him.
He smirked and walked in. "Hey, you." He walked over to her right side and sat next to her, his arm around her shoulder.
Kagome leaned against him.
"How you doing?" he asked being careful of her new bandages. He could smell blood on them.
"The meds are dulling the pain." she said ignoring the TV now in favor of him. "They had to cut portions of my skin off because it was too infected."
He winced in sympathy just as his father walked in.
"Mr. Takahashi." she greeted, her smile wide and so infectious he had to return it.
"Hello, Kagome. How are you feeling?" he asked walking to the foot of her bed.
"Better." she said. "They wont let me eat but the IV is giving my body the food it needs."
"That's good to hear." he made as if he were going to pat her leg then remembered the photo and thought better of it. "You'll be happy to know that the other hospitals are reporting that everyone is doing well."
"Great!" Kagome said. "Where is everyone?" she asked Inuyasha.
"Ayame and Kouga are at the wolf Council." he said. "They were cleared by the hospital that they were okay to travel and the Council agreed to keep them until the cops decided what to do with everyone. As far as I can understand it, they're discussing a wedding."
Kagome laughed. "And Sango and Miroku?"
"At the other hospitals. Miroku called me from the ER, he's already flirting with all the nurses so he's probably fine. He said Sango wasn't with him so she's probably at the other one. I haven't heard from her yet."
"Great." she sighed. "I was kind of worried when I didn't hear from them."
"Every ons is fine. I'm not sure what they're going to do with us but..." He shrugged.
Inutaisho took over. "Well, as far as Hinazuka goes, a health inspector took one step inside and condemned the building. Did the same thing with the dorm. So I can assure you that no ones going back. As for jail and juvie, I would say that you all paid for your crimes. I'm talking to a few friends of mine, judges all of them, and we're all agreeing that your sentences be suspended. It wont be official until a hearing of course but, things are definitely looking up."
Inuyasha was smirking as Kagome let out a huge sigh. It felt like she hadn't really breathed since she had been sent away. Now, suddenly, it was real to her. She wasn't going back. Hinazuka was gone now, forever.
"Oh, Inuyasha." she looked up at him. "I called my mom earlier, she's on her way. I want you to meet her."
Inuyasha's face became unsure. "Meet your mom? Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, I'm the kind of guy moms pray their daughters wont bring home."
Kagome laughed. "Most moms also pray that their daughters not have sex until their 40, at least. My mom tells me all the time that she's waiting for grandchildren and that she's not getting any younger."
Inutaisho smiled. "Speaking of mothers, Inuyasha don't you think you should call yours?"
Inuyasha looked at his father in shock. "But I thought you said to stay away from mom?"
"I also assumed that you hadn't written her because you were angry at me." he said. "But I don't blame you for that, not after I know." Even now the thought of his youngest child in that place sent chills down his spine followed by a white hot anger that any one would treat his boy in such a way. "She'll have heard the news by now. She'll worry her hair out until you call."
Inuyasha looked at his lap, unsure. He loved his mother and a part of him missed her terribly. Call him a mama's-boy if you want but he dearly loved his mother, she was the best woman he had ever met next to Kagome. But he wasn't sure how she would react to her renegade son after all this time, especially since he hadn't written.
Kagome put her hand over his, drawing him out of his thoughts. She smiled up at him, understanding in her eyes.
He sighed and reached across her for the phone. He wasn't worried weather or not she would yell at him, his mother never yelled, but he was worried about how disappointed in him she would be.
