Growing Pains

Chapter 8

A whine came from Takumi as he licked his friends hand. Why wasn't she waking up? He looked at Kakashi, cocking his head in confusion. The Jonin sighed, sitting on the edge of the couch and placed the back of his hand against Araile's forehead. His eye narrowed as he felt the amount of heat being given off. A wet-sounding cough forced its way from her chest, and blood spurted from her lips. Araile curled her knees into her chest and turned on her side, unconsciously pressing the side of her face against her old caretaker's leg.

Soon, Kakashi heard a knock on the front door. Takumi growled low in his throat and stood in front of Araile, his fur standing straight up. He would protect his friend with his life! Now that she was this badly injured, Takumi would fight tooth and claw to protect his friend.

"Don't worry," Kakashi murmured before sitting up and walking over to the door.

Opening it, he saw Kane with a medical nin. The medical nin looked startled but determined; a large duffel bag slung across his shoulders. Kakashi nodded once and led Kane and the medical nin inside. Without a word, the medical nin walked over to Araile's trembling form and knelt down beside her, taking note of her symptoms. Takumi leaned over and sniffed at the medical nin, eyes narrowed. He smelled clean with the distinct sweetly scent of a hospital.

Sitting back on his haunches, Takumi watched the medical nin through narrowed eyes. He was allowed to touch his companion, but if he tried anything Takumi would tear him to shreds.

"How did she come into contact with the poison?" the medical nin asked, looking up from Araile to look from Kakashi to Kane.

"She was attacked," Kane said, and Kakashi's head snapped towards Araile's brother.

"What!" Kakashi snapped, visible eye narrowed.

"Gentlemen, please. Your bickering is not helping this poor girl. We need to get her to the hospital immediately. I cannot work properly in this condition," the medical nin said as he stood up and dusted off his pants.

Sighing, Kane scooped Araile up into his arms and walked out the front door; Kakashi and the medical nin following behind. They could hear frantic barking behind the closed apartment door. Takumi paced anxiously up and down the hallway. How dare they leave Takumi behind! The dog had every right to be with Araile!

"It is faster if we go this way," the medical nin said, and walked across the street.

Nodding, both men followed.

As the group continued their journey quickly, Kane noticed how harsh Araile's breathing became. It almost sounded like she was struggling to breathe through fluid-filled lungs. Coughs came more frequently as Araile unconsciously tried to clear her lungs. Cursing quietly, Kane sent a silent prayer to the heavens as her head jerked from side to side against his chest and her eyelids fluttered. He hoped he wasn't too late. Blood began to drip down from the bandaged wound and onto the pavement as Araile struggled to breathe. Her shirt had absorbed as much blood as it could handle, but there was still too much. Her skin colour began to get paler and paler by the minute, as if all her blood was being drained.

She needed medical attention, and she needed it now. Kane tightened his hold on his sister's twitching limbs as blood trailed out of her mouth. As she opened her mouth in another silent scream, Kane saw blood pooling in her mouth, staining her teeth red. Gritting his teeth, Kane sped up as the hospital finally came into view.

"Ah, here we are," the medical nin said as the doors to the hospital swished open.

Immediately, the medical nin took Araile from Kane's arms and hurriedly took her into a room. A nurse came up and offered both Kane and Kakashi a seat in the waiting room.

"Don't worry, we'll take good care of Araile. She'll be fine," she said with a kind smile.

In the hospital room, Araile's hands clenched and unclenched as the medical nin inserted a needle into her shoulder and injected a clear fluid. All at once, her back arched and a strangled yell tore through her lips. The medical nin rushed to push a button on a monitor and strapped her flailing arms into small leather restraints. An alarm rang through the hospital as the 14 year old flailed against the restraints.

"What's going on?" a nurse asked as she ran into the room.

"She's reacting to the antidote. We need to restrain her for safety until her muscle movement is under control," the medical nin stated.

"Get me some other medical nins. We'll need all hands on deck with this one. Go now!" he said, and the nurse scurried away.

Sighing, the medical nin placed a hand on her forehead as her head jerked furiously back and forth.

This poison was dangerous. It had already begun to break down some of the tissues in her organs, including her lungs. The medical nin sent a silent prayer up to the heavens that it hadn't reached her heart, or created an extensive amount of damage that they couldn't do anything.

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After a total of three hours, the medical team had finally managed to dilute the poison. It took every ounce of their knowledge, and it paid off. They patched up Araile's wound, and gave her an IV for antibiotics to fight back the infection that had already set in.

Her chest rose and fell slowly as she took in small intakes of clean air, her lungs free of the blood that had already pooled in them.

"Kakashi? Ah, here you are," the nurse said softly as she walked into the waiting room.

Both Kakashi's and Kane's heads perked up as the nurse walked over.

"The medical team has managed to take control of the poison. Now, Araile is very weak so we are going to be keeping her here for a couple of days. It'll be easier for us; we can keep an eye on her," the nurse said, and Kakashi nodded his thanks.

"Can we go see her?" Kakashi asked, but the nurse shook her head.

"Not right now. We need to keep her as secluded and stable as possible. We will let you know when you can see her," the nurse said apologetically.