Healing Carefully by Caedes

Chapter 1

This is my SECOND story. Can I get a holla? I am suffering from writers block, so I started this one to hopefully work through it. But I have been mulling over this for awhile, so I am excited to finally start it! This takes place in an ALTERNATE universe. So it isn't really in Japan, but it isn't not in Japan. I don't know what that means either. 

Kagome smiled down ruefully at her patient as she finished fluffing his pillow. He was giving her the same smile.

“I do not believe you are well enough to be flirting with me, Justin.” She told him reproachfully.

He laughed, “I can’t move, what else am I supposed to do?” Justin was suffering from second degree burns over his back and parts of his arm. He had just came out of surgery to put skin graphs to make up for his loss of skin.

“How is the pain?” She asked him.

“Meh, no worse than the time I shattered my hand.” He joked. He had kept amazing spirits, and Kagome was proud of him. She saw his medical chart and he had gone in and out of the hospital multiple times.

“You are my easiest patient.” She said with a sigh.

He laughed again, despite the fact that it hurt him, “It’s because I am so used to hospitals.”

“I hope you have learned not to try to jump over bonfires.” She said, narrowing her eyes, “I do not want to see you in here for at least a few months.” She joked.

“That’s not fair, I have to come back in for checkups!” He said with a moan, and Kagome chuckled as she shook her head and left his room.

“It is really remarkable how quickly he is healing.” Dr. Ethan said, looking down at the patient information as Kagome walked up to the main desk.

“Yes, quite.” Kagome said with a practiced smile.

“You are quite a remarkable nurse, every single one of your patients won’t stop talking about you.” He said,

“No, I’m just a patient one.” Kagome admitted with a blush, her friend was making eye contact with her from behind the doctor’s back. She was pretending to swoon. Dr. Ethan walked away and Kagome walked up to her friend.

“Oh my God, I cannot believe you just blew off his complement! You should have said you could give him pointers over dinner!”

“Ellen, don’t be ridiculous. And I don’t want to date him.”

Ellen rolled her eyes, “Who said anything about dating.” Kagome laughed at her bluntness.

“Coming from the lady who doesn’t speak of anything besides finding her future husband.” Ellen laughed.

“Don’t judge me. I need a man to fund my clothing collection.”

Kagome giggled as she walked into another patient’s room.

Being a nurse was a natural pick for Kagome. She had always wanted to be a healer, it was something she was born to do. Being a miko in this day and age wasn’t easy. She had to keep her talents a secret, just like yokai had to keep their powers a secret. She never saw yokai come through the hospital, it was a way to be exposed. Miko could blend in easier, they looked and healed in a human way. Yokai couldn’t help but let their true nature show in an injured state, so Kagome never saw them.

Well, not never.

She did meet one.

A young boy came to the hospital a few years ago, when she had just started working. He had no one, his family had been killed. The police brought him to the hospital for his wounds, and Kagome had fallen in love. Everyone said she was crazy for taking to him, and older nurses frowned and said she couldn’t adopt every stray that come through the door. And Kagome didn’t. They didn’t realize he was different. The boy had been terrified of her at first because he could sense she was a miko. But after awhile, he came to love her just as much as she loved him.

And when she got permission to bring him home with her, she was overjoyed.

And when the adoption papers finally came through, she cried of happiness for days.

When her shift was over, Kagome hopped in her car and drove over to her friend’s day care center. Sango was an amazing woman who taught all the kids how to take care of themselves and be strong as well as how to read and write. Sango had not liked her son at first, and that had enraged Kagome. Sango kept telling Kagome to stay away from him, and to give him to the foster system.

It wasn’t until Sango told Kagome that he was a yokai that Kagome finally realized Sango knew about demons as well. Apparently, her family made a business of hunting yokai down and exterminating them. Kagome was horrified. Her miko order was about preserving balance between both species. It was the worst fight that the two ever had, and Kagome didn’t think they had been the same since. It was getting better however, because Sango was beginning to love Kagome’s son.

“Hello?” Kagome called as she opened the door to the day care center. Sango offered it to Kagome for free, which is the only way Kagome was able to afford day care.

“Mommy!” Her son called, running to her from across the room and leaping up into her arms.

“Shippo!” She said with a laugh as she hugged him tightly, “Did you miss me today?”

“Yes, mommy, I miss you every day.” He said, wiggling in her arms, but Kagome held him tightly, “Mom” He grumbled, and Kagome giggled before putting him down, “I made a new friend!” He said, pointing to the small kid near by. That was why he didn’t want to be held for that long.

“Hi, my name is Kagome.” Kagome said the small boy as she kneeled down to his level. He looked like a nice kid, his dark brown eyes sparkling up at her.

“Hi, I am Kazuhiko.” He replied, sticking out his hand. Someone had taught the young one manners.

“It is an honor.” Kagome said as solemnly as he introduced himself.

“Mom, Kazu and I want to have a play date.” Shippo said from her shoulder, he had climbed on her shoulder.

“We will have to ask his parents.” Kagome said, “But not today.”

“What!” Shippo exclaimed,

“We have to go to your aunts.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot.” He said, but he smiled. He loved his aunt.

“It was nice meeting you Kazuhiko.”

“It was a pleasure, Mrs—

“Oh, I am a Miss, but you can call me Kagome.” The young child nodded and then ran back into the playroom, “Say bye to Sango, Shippo.”

“Bye Sango!” He said with a smile.

“Bye, my dear, I will see you tomorrow.”

“No you won’t, Mama has off!” Shippo told her with a smile.

“That’s right, you only told me a hundred times!” Sango teased him, and Shippo giggled.

“Come on.” Kagome encouraged.

“Hello!” Kagome called, bursting into the door of her sister’s house. She was holding a pan with potatoes in it for the oven. Shippo burst in behind her and nearly made her fall over, “Shippo!” She chastised.

“Aunt Kikyo” Shippo exclaimed, tearing off his charm that kept his yokai features from being exposed. His tiny little legs changed as he bound inside and a bushy tail appeared, “Sorry Momma!” He cried before turning back around and jumping into his aunt’s arms.

“Shippo!” She said, hugging him tightly.

“Aunt Kikyo! We haven’t been here in forever!”

“You were here last week!” She said with a smile,

“Nu-uh, we were here nine days ago! That’s more than a week—can I play the Wii?”

“Of course, you know where it is” She said and he scrambled out of her arms to the basement to play. 

Kagome loved her sister dearly and hugged her. “How are you?” Kagome asked. Kikyo had a store that she ran for herbs and other eastern medications in the lower part of her house. Many miko in the area frequented the shop for things they needed, and many humans did for remedies that didn’t need or want western medication.

“Doing well, the shop business keeps growing. I am thinking about opening another store.”

“I know, I keep looking for places, but I don’t go many places other than the hospital, my apartment and your house.” Kagome admitted, sliding into a barstool.

“Thanks for bringing a side dish,”

“No problem, is it only us?”

“Yeah” Sometimes Kikyo would invite friends. The oven was preset, so Kikyo slid the potatoes in, “How are you?”

“My feet are killing me, but other than that I am fantastic.” Kagome said with a smile. She then noticed how stiff Kikyo was. She was usually a bit stiff, but this seemed more stiff than usual, “What is going on?” She asked.

“Well, I know you don’t want to talk about this, but we have to talk about Shippo.”

“What about Shippo?” Kagome asked, her tone already defensive.

“Kagome, he is going to live long past you and he will only look like a preteen when you pass away of old age. Assuming you live that long.”

“Thanks—

“Oh, don’t be like this. Kagome, you need a plan.”

“You always are going off about plans—

“But in this case, I am right, Kagome.”

“I will think about it. I am keeping my mind open.”

“He is already humanized—

“Humanized?”

“He has lived with humans, his personality has changed—“

“Kikyo, this is how he is. He acted like this four years ago when I first adopted him.” This was the heart of where Kagome and Kikyo. She believed yokai were inherently evil and needed human guidance to become better. Kagome never believed that.

“You believe in Kaede too much.” Kikyo whispered. Kaede was the head of their miko order. A wise woman whom Kagome loved like a mother, or Grandmother as she was a bit old. Kaede believed in the same thing Kagome did.

“You don’t believe in her enough.”

“You were too young.” Kikyo started, it was the day their parents were killed. Two yokai from a conservative sect assassinated their parents, as they were outspoken figures that believed in balance between the two worlds. When they had come to kill their parents, Kikyo had stuck Kagome in an upstairs closet and made sure she was hidden. All Kagome remembered was Kaede getting her after she had spent an eternity in the closet.

“And they were two people of an entire species.”

“They are not the only ones.”

“No, and there are other miko who spend their lives murdering yokai just like those yokai did our parents.”

“You don’t understand.” Kikyo whispered before walking away.

“Mom?” Shippo asked as she cuddled with him in her big bed. He had his own room, but the little bugger frequented hers more often than he didn’t.

“Yes?” She asked,

“Does Aunt Kikyo not like me?”

Kagome’s eyes filled with tears before she could help it, “You heard?”

“I have good ears.” He said with a smile.

“I know, I was hoping the wii would drain it out.” She said with a giggle, touching his ears, “And your aunt loves you, she just thinks she loves you because of your time with me.”

“She thinks I act more human.” He concluded,

“Yes.”

“But I am a yokai.” He said with a frown.

“I know, I think she forgets we are not that different.”

“Mom?”

“Yes?”

“Can you live as long as me?”

“No, Shippo.”

His eyes filled with tears, “Why?”

“I do not know. The kamis made it where humans live short lives and yokai live long ones.”

“But I love you.” He said with a sob, and Kagome pulled him close to her chest, hugging him tightly.

“And I love you. Don’t worry, Shippo. We will think of something. I won’t leave you alone. I promise.” Shippo was gripping her hair tightly, like if he could hold on tight enough she wouldn’t leave him.

“Sleep, Shippo.” She commanded.

“I love you.” He whispered again as he snuggled into her chest.

“I love you.” She whispered back.

“We have one coming in.” Someone was saying, but Kagome was watching the door. She was going to be up next. The patient’s heart had stopped and the EMT was giving chest compressions. It was tiring business, so as soon as they came in the door it was Kagome who would do it next. As soon as they burst through on a stretcher. Kagome swung with practiced ease onto the bed as the EMT hopped off and she took over. She barely paid attention to the loud voices commanding things. She counted and worked. Instinctively she knew it was not good, his heart was weak. The human wasn’t fighting like he should.

“We are going to lose him!” Kagome yelled, she swung off as another the paddles came out. She grabbed them from the nurse and yelled for the clear before shocking him.

The monitor did nothing.

She cleared and shocked him again.

Still nothing.

That’s when she saw his spirit leave him.

“TOD 1:07” Kagome announced, pulling away.

“But he—“ Another nurse whispered, looking to the man. She was new.

“He is gone.” Doctor Rose said, agreeing with Kagome.

“He didn’t have any fight in him.” Kagome whispered, wanting to push back her hair but her hands were still in her gloves. She slid them off and threw them away before walking out of the room. Kagome quickly made her way away from that room. She hated losing someone that quickly.

“Hey, Kagome.” Ron said sleepily, it was early in the morning.

“Hey, what are you doing awake?”

“I can’t sleep. Sometimes the pain gets to me.” He admitted. He was a cancer patient that Kagome enjoyed taking care of. He kept in high spirits though he was in and out constantly. Normally, Kagome didn’t have much to do with cancer patients, but there was a mix up when he came in, and Kagome checked on him ever since—even if he wasn’t ‘her’ patient anymore. 

“Your dad is coming tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah! Bringing my girlfriend too.”

“She is awful pretty.” Kagome teased,

“I know. And she is patient with all my hospital visits.” He said, a big grin on his face, “Is that blood?”

“Oh, shoot, I should go change. I am sorry.”

“Fine by me, is it a great story?”

Kagome frowned, “No—no we lost a patient.”

Ron frowned, “I am sorry.”

“Not your fault.” She said with a tried sigh.

“Well, come read to me then. My eyesight isn’t what it used to be.” He told her with a stern tone, and Kagome laughed.

“Ordering me around?”

“Well, you are my nurse.” He joked, as she sat down in the seat beside his bed.

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? Haven’t I helped you read this before?” She asked him.

“It’s one of my favorites.” He admitted with a small smile.

“Only because one of the characters has the same name as you.” Kagome teased.

“He gets the girl, I love that story” Kagome shook her head and laughed as she propped her feet up on the side of his bed and began to read.

“Sh!” Someone whispered.

“Where am I?” Kagome asked as she woke up, blinking open her eyes and looking at her watch.

“You fell asleep in my room.” Ron said with a smile, and Kagome realized she had curled herself into a ball in the chair.

“Oh, goodness, I am so sorry!” Kagome said, sitting up and finding two other people in the room.

“Mr. Putter, I am so sorry.”

“You were watching over my son, I do not mind, Kagome.” He said with a bright smile. She and Mr. Putter had always gotten along.

“Alisha, it is so nice to see you again.”

“Thanks for taking care of him.” Alisha said with a smile, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear.

“Oh, I think he takes care of me more. What time is it?”

“Nine.”

“Shoot, I have to go get my son. Crap, Sango is going to kill me.”

“Can you bring Shippo in soon?” Ron asked.

“Sure.”

“Mummy!” Speaking of which, her son came bounding into the room and jumped up onto her lap.

“Shippo! How did you get here?”

“I brought him.” Sango said with a smile in the doorway.

“This is Sango everyone and my son Shippo. This is Ron, his dad Mr. Putter and Alisha.”

“Nice to meet you all, Kagome did you lose track of time?” Sango said with a polite smile.

“No, ding dong fell asleep.” Ron said with a smile,

“Hey, I had a long day.” She growled at him and he laughed.

Shippo had jumped off her lap and was curled in bed next to Ron.

“Why don’t you have hair?” Shippo asked.

“Because I am sick, and the medicine makes it go away.” He told Shippo, and Kagome mouthed that she was sorry to Ron, and he just smiled, “It happens with kids” He explained, “And I don’t mind.”

“You had hair the last time you were here.” Shippo said.

“I know, but last time I wasn’t taking medicine because I thought I was better.”

“And then you got sick again?” Shippo asked, and Ron nodded, “Will my mommy make you better?”

Ron laughed, “She is trying”

“My mom is good at making people better. Last time I was sick, she made me feel better.”

“I know I am in good hands.” 

Yay! Chapter one. Just setting the scene of the wonderful Kagome. I am so excited to start this story, I am sure I will get another chapter up soon because the ideas are just flying through my head. Let me know your thoughts!