WARNING: Some graphic content.
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Kagome awoke to the warm light of a new day and wiggled her toes under her quilt. She looked about lazily and realized that she was significantly and unexpectedly alone. Sitting up quickly, she scanned the room.
Every space was searched until her eyes fell on the crumpled blanket breathing softly in the corner by her art table. She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
After cleaning him up, Miroku had left the ward's newest and youngest resident in Kagome's arms for the night. Onigumo continued to be silent, making it possible for the two to share the room in peace.
She smiled and tip-toed across the room to take her first good look at the boy in daylight. Her feet made no sound and her touch was light as she lifted the corner of his blue, cotton blanket.
She gasped and drew back in surprise. The child's sleeping face and body were covered in fresh blood and he clutched a decapitated mouse in one small fist. Looking at the trails on his mouth and cheeks, Kagome realized he'd bitten it's head off.
She returned the blanket as gingerly as she could and walked to her art table. Quite shaken, she needed to distract herself from what she'd just seen.
Alas, this was too much to ask as the only words that came to life on her paper were Shippo's name and the word 'mouse'. She pushed her dark hair behind an ear and dipped her brush in the matching ink. It shined wet and black in the sunlight.
Another word came into being: Blood. The word glistened ominously.
It was then that Miroku knocked softly and entered with three breafkast trays balanced in his arms. He smiled at the artist. "Good morning, my dear! How was your night with our new friend?" he greeted loudly, looking around for the small boy.
"Fine." she returned quietly and put a finger to her lips to lower his voice. She pointed to where Shippo lay.
He nodded in comprehension, "Ah. Still asleep, then."
After Miroku had returned with their new resident in the wee hours of the morning, Kagome was able to relax again. She had held the child close throughout the night and made sure his blanket stayed secure around him.
She'd slept well, despite the armful. Or perhaps because of it.
Her friend set down his trays on the dining table and walked over to Shippo's sleeping form. He lifted the blanket as gingerly as Kagome had done. Instead of being shocked, however, his face bore a knowing look of sympathy.
"Poor thing." he whispered sadly and lowered the blanket once more.
Kagome moved to the wall to hang her new pieces. As she hung the first one, she heard Miroku chuckle at the subject matter.
"What happened to him?" she asked curiously.
"It is a tragedy indeed." he returned. "I've only just found out myself. Kaede left a letter with him detailing his tragedy. She'll return sometime this morning with a few of his possessions and a set of clothes."
He lifted two plates of food and motioned for her to follow him.
Her last picture hung, Kagome went with him to the garden and joined him at the table under the peach tree. Both sat and quietly began to eat their breakfast. A rainbow of sliced fruit with bread and butter filled their bellies well.
It was only after they finished that Miroku began detailing the story of their newest patient. Kagome all at ounce found herself horrified. To call it a tragedy was a gross understatement. Several months before, a savage serial killer known as the Spider had done his worst on the boy.
Miroku painted a grim picture. Shippo had lived alone with his widowed father in poverty in a modest flat. The Spider had broken into their meager home on a killing spree and tortured both father and son with no mercy. Shippo's father was powerless to stop the onslaught, eventually being skinned alive while his son watched in horror.
It seemed the end was near for both of them.
The killer tossed the human skin away and an unlikely ray of hope appeared. It landed on Shippo, hiding him. His father saw the opportunity and managed to knock over a nearby oil lamp as a means of defense. It set the house ablaze.
The Spider looked frantically for the hidden child. He wanted to escape with a prize for later. Thankfully, Shippo remained motionless under his fathers skin, staying hidden from his searching eyes.
The Spider quickly gave up and fled the burning home, blending in with the crowd that had gathered outdoors. Shippo's father used the last of his life leading his son to safety. The fire consumed him but his skin protected his son until he reached safety.
Miroku finished the harrowing tale, "Sisters of Kaede's order found him many days later shivering in an alley under the badly decomposed skin. They had to wrestle it away from him. They've since buried and blessed it along with ashes from the disintegrated flat."
He looked to Kagome for her reaction.
Her pale face was blank. When color did creep back into her cheeks, it was a greenish hue. She did not look at him, but stood abruptly and ran inside. Miroku soon heard the poor girl vomiting loudly into her chamber pot.
"My thoughts exactly." he said humorlessly.
"Hnn." came a low voice from the doorway.
Miroku's eyes flew to the direction of the sound and he laid eyes on Dr. Taisho for the first time in many, many days. He rose immediately with a broad smile. His relief was apparent.
Sesshoumaru approached the shaded table and shook the hand he extended in greeting. The sound of retching echoed through the sunny garden once more.
Ignoring the noise, Miroku motioned for him to sit, "Welcome home! We were beginning to worry about must have been very busy." He took his seat and grinned expectantly.
"Hnn." was the response. Sesshoumaru sat on the ornate chair and glanced at the remains of breakfast on the table. It did not escape his notice that there were only two plates there.
As if on cue, Miroku filled the silence by catching him up to speed with the happenings of the ward. He began with Onigumo's activity and ended with Shippo's arrival. He left nothing out.
"I offer my sympathy." Sesshoumaru said, thinking of the bright but troubled woman he barely knew.
Miroku's responded firmly, "It will pass, as they all do." His face remained clouded despite his confident words. He could not hide his worry.
Though he wanted to know more, Sesshoumaru wisely changed the subject, "How long has the child been here?" he asked.
Miroku was grateful. "Mere hours. A single night." he returned, "Kaede dropped him on our doorstep early this morning and left me with a written account of his tragedy. I was relaying it to Kagome when you arrived."
"I heard.." he cast a sidelong glance toward the ward, not thinking of the tragic story.
Miroku softened, "Forgive her. She has seen her share of bloodshed but it has not made her stomach any stronger."
As he mentioned the girl, neither of them heard her return to the garden. Neither of them saw her stop and stare with wide eyes and open mouth at the long, white hair hanging over the garden chair.
Miroku noticed her just in time to see her lower her eyes and blush. When Sesshoumaru noticed her, the blush deepened and she nodded nervously to them before running back into the ward.
Miroku smiled knowingly at Sesshoumaru's confusion.
"She's embarrassed." he said with a grin.
Sesshoumaru treated him to a bland look.
His grin turned shameless, "She didn't think you were coming back."
Sesshoumaru was… displeased.
Miroku smiled at his aggrieved expression, "She does not know you as well as I."
Sesshoumaru continued in thought, silent. Miroku did not disturb him as his mind ran over everything he knew and everything Kagome did not.
He was brought out of his reverie by a lovely feminine hand placing a full breakfast plate before him. Her cheeks still held a touch of pink but she met his eyes and offered a welcome, if nervous, greeting.
He inclined his head and she disappeared inside once more.
"Oh Ho!" Miroku exclaimed, eyes twinkling, "An apology!"
Sesshoumaru made no comment and instead chose to enjoy his long missed breakfast of bread, butter and berries.
Kagome loved quiet days. Presently, she sat atop the patchwork quilt on her bed. She had been for the 3 or 4 hours of this quiet day. In her arms lay a bundle, breathing softly.
When she returned to her room that morning, she found her new roommate had not moved from the spot she'd left him in, shivering uncontrollably. Her heart ached and she immediately scooped him up, grabbing his untouched breakfast plate and sitting down on the bed.
He instantly made himself as still as he could. His pitiable attempt was not very effective as she could feel the shivers in spite of him. She held him tight and covered his legs with her quilt to warm him. Lifting the blanket from his blank face, she took a blackberry and pushed it through his lips.
She lowered the blanket once more and waited.
It wasn't too long before Kagome heard him begin to chew. She smiled triumphantly and repeated the process until every last bit was eaten. It was a lengthy process but proved therapeutic for both of them.
As she fed him, she murmured words of praise and positivity and smiled as much as she could. Inevitably, a full stomach resulted in a very sleepy child. She cooed and rocked until the shivering stopped and his breathing was deep and even.
By that time, her maternal instincts were in full swing and she was glowing. She held him close and lifted the blanket to take a peek at his face. The mouse blood was dry and cracked and a rash had begun to form around his neck and jaw. His soft, rounded cheeks were also smeared with traces of blackberry and peach.
A knock at the door made her jump out of her skin.
She covered the boy's sweet face and called softly, "Come in!"
She was not expecting her visitor to be Dr. Taisho. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He carried Shippo's belongings Kaede had delivered. Kagome smiled nervously and held Shippo tighter. She felt as if she was hiding behind him.
Dr. Taisho approached noiselessly and stood before her. The light from her window shone on his stern face and lit his eyes. She met his gaze and raised her eyebrows expectantly. Had he come to see her only to rattle her nerves?
"I am sorry to have caused you worry." he offered abruptly, looking down at her without expression.
Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to respond, but didn't know what to say. She gaped like a fish.
"I-It's alright, truly." she finally stammered. "I shouldn't have assumed the worst."
"Hnn." he agreed, his pride still wounded by her lack of faith.
She lowered her gaze. He softened his.
His voice was a rumble as he added, "I would not abandon you."
Kagome knew that his statement referred to all of them at the ward, but that didn't stop the warm jolt that ran from her stomach to her heart.
The smile she gave him was warm and sincere, "I know."
Dr. Taisho gazed at her for a moment longer before nodding and setting Shippo's things on the bed next to her. He mentioned that the construction would begin anew on the morrow and took his leave.
Kagome relaxed her hold on Shippo and exhaled dramatically. She looked up at the door and smiled shyly. Her spirits were lifted and her heart was aflutter. Inspiration struck.
She laid Shippo down on her bed, somehow still asleep, and tucked him under her quilt.
She practically skipped to her art table, springing across the room in her white dress and bare feet. She prepared her ink.
Her mind's eye was held by Dr. Taisho's powerful gaze. The sun had lit his eyes to the point of brilliance. Her brush glided across the page to capture what she saw.
Gold.
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OH MY GOD THIS CHAPTER GAVE ME SO MUCH F%$!#$% TROUBLE. I must have rewritten it at least 5 times and chopped off half of the original text.
I finally got it how I want it. WHEW! If you haven't guessed it yet, this story will draw heavy parallels from the canon universe. See if you can guess what they are :)
As always, thanks for reading! I hope you liked it and continue to follow the story.
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