A.N.: I do not own anything from Inuyasha. This story is a sequel to 'Cold', I reccomend you read that story first. This first chapter barely makes the 700-words requirement, and is meant as an introduction to the next story. Enjoy!
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Pain was the last thing she remembered feeling and the first thing she became aware of. Though it had lessened from the burning, piercing sensation to a more numb kind of gnawing, her stomach was not making her feel very good.
Kagome groaned, the sound of her voice raspier than she remembered it to be. She heard a gasp coming from somewhere beside her, and soon after het hand was squeezed in a vice like grip.
“Kagome, dear, can you hear me?” the tearful, desperate voice of her mother broke through her clouded mind.
She groaned again as she carefully opened her eyes. It took a while for them to adjust to the brightness of the white room. The sun shining merrily outside did not help at all, earning itself a string of mumbled expletives as Kagome finally focused on the scenery surrounding her.
She was quite obviously in a hospital. Cloistered in bed, hooked up to an IV, surrounded by flowers and get well cards, she wondered how long she had been in there. Her mother was still frantically clinging to her hand, tears streaming from her eyes as her daughter had finally opened hers.
“Mama…,” Kagome rasped, before being enveloped in a careful hug.
“Oh, Kagome,” was all her mother managed before breaking down completely.
Patting her on the back lightly, Kagome waited for het mother to regain herself before asking for some water. Her mother rushed from the room to get it and came back with a stern looking doctor. As Kagome gingerly sipped some water, he took her pulse, listened to her heart, shone an unpleasantly bright light in her eyes and checked the machines surrounding her before giving a noncommittal grunt and nod.
“Well, Higurashi-san, it seems you have made a fine recovery. The liver transplant was a success-“
“Li-liver transplant?!” Kagome gasped, looking from the doctor to her mother when no explanation was forthcoming.
“- and you body seems to be adjusting well,” the doctor continued as if she had not interrupted in the first place. “We will keep you for a few more days for observation. If all goes well, you will be home by the weekend.”
With that, he gave another nod and strode away again. Kagome watched him go with her mouth agape, before looking at her mother in askance. Her mother sighed and took her previous place by the bed.
“Kagome, you have been in a coma for almost two months,” her mother began her explanation, “Inuyasha brought you back through the well. You were bleeding so badly, I was scared you wouldn’t…”
Her mother swallowed hard and looked out the window for a moment, gathering strength to continue her explanation. Kagome waited patiently.
“We rushed you to the hospital, where they told us there was some kind of infection or bacteria eating your liver and lower intestines. They immediately prepared you for surgery to cut the infected parts out.”
“How much…” Kagome whispered.
“Your liver was the worst, they ended up removing it completely. Luckily, we’re a match,” Her mother said, and with a sad smile she lifted up her shirt to show a big scar on the right side of her body.
At Kagome's gasp, her mother patted her hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry dear, it’s going to be fine. They told me it will grow back. They removed some of your smaller intestine, but not very much. The surgery went fine, but you just wouldn’t wake up after.”
Kagome nodded. “Where is Inuyasha now?”
Her mother frowned slightly. “He said he had to go back, something about last parts of Naraki’s body? I didn’t really understand. He hasn’t been back, but I’m sure he’s fine, dear.”
Kagome nodded again, suddenly very tired again. As she sank back into her pillows, her mother clapped her hands.
“Oh, that’s right! I have to call Nishihara-san and tell him that you’ve woken up!”
“Nishihara-san?”
“Yes, dear. He’s been ever so kind, coming forward and paying the hospital bills. We owe him very much, I don’t know what we would have done without his help.” Her mother sniffled again and went to call the person Kagome apparently owed her life to.
As sleep claimed her once more, Kagome wondered who this mysterious benefactor could be.
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End note: Oh dear, who could it be?