Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A Sohma Family Christmas ❯ Finally, the reason for our stress ( Chapter 4 )

“Shigure...” Hatori quietly said, coming back into the waiting room. Shigure looked over at his stoic cousin and stood up.

“Yes? What is it Hatori?” He rushed over to Hatori and grabbed him by the arm, “Is she alright?”

“Come on.” Hatori tore his arm away from Shigure's grasp and moved down the hall, his cousin close at his heels. Upon entering the room Hatori warned Shigure, “Don't get too excited and loud, she's very weak still.” Shigure nodded and Hatori stepped aside. Shigure stepped forward and looked at the array of machines and cords attached to his wife who at this time was asleep again, and tears welled up in his eyes.

“Akito...” He whispered. She opened up her eyes and looked over at Shigure. Being as weak as she was, she couldn't manage to tell him to come to her, so she opened her hand in his direction. He took this as her signal for him to come. So he moved briskly to her side. He gently took her hand in his and with his free hand, tenderly ran his fingers through her hair. She smiled at him weakly through the air mask.

“Hi Akito. How are you feeling?” Shigure whispered softly. She reached up her thin hand and placed it on his face, tears welling up in her eyes as well.

While this tender moment was happening, the doctor pulled Hatori aside. “Sohma-san,” He started, “Come with me, while we were on the concept of how miracles never fail to happen, I remembered something.” Hatori looked at the doctor curiously, shrugged his shoulders and said,

“Alright.” so he and the doctor left the room.

As Hatori followed the doctor down the maze of hallways, his gaze grew to that of a curious nature. He turned his attention to the doctor he was following and said,

“Excuse me...doctor, why exactly are we in the Maternity Ward?” The doctor smiled to himself as he led the Sohma man towards the incubation room. Before entering, he spun on his heel with a roll of bandage in his hand. Cocking his head to the side, he asked Hatori wryly,

“Recognize this, Sohma-san?” He held the roll out to Hatori who retrieved it from his hand. Turning the roll over he found his initials embroidered on the end,

“H.S.? This is my personal bandage that is only used in my office...how did you come by this?” The doctor grinned widely,

“Sohma-san, might I ask you something?” Hatori nodded, still puzzled as to why his bandages where here. The doctor continued, “Are the Sohma a traditional family? Respecting the old ways of doing things that is?”

“Yes. To a certain level anyway; Akito, the head of our family, and that young woman in that hospital bed was raised to always follow the old ways...her father, Akira was the previous head and desired she be raised that way. Why?” The doctor's grin got wider.

“I found this bandage wrapped tightly about her abdomen. Once we unwrapped her, we found a large bulge finally showing itself. That girl was 9 months pregnant.” Hatori stumbled back in disbelief and horror as the doctor continued, “We managed to save her...and by some feat of God, her baby too. Though, there is a slight abnormality on the child that I wanted your opinion on.” Hatori was confused.

“Abnormality? Like what?” He asked as the doctor led him into the incubation room. The doctor pointed at the child who, like his mother was attached to breathing apparatus' and I.V.'s. Hatori moved closer to look at the baby. He had black hair with two little pointed puppy ears on his head. Hatori smiled softly, “There's his father in him. Thats for certain.” The doctor was puzzled,

“So you mean, this is normal for a Sohma child?” Hatori turned to face the doctor,

“For her children, its perfectly normal. Her daughter has wings. Not big ones, just tiny ones, about a foot long and a span of about six inches.” The doctor's jaw dropped so far, Hatori could have sworn it'd hit the floor.

“I see...um, Sohma-san, how do I tell them that their child survived?” Hatori smiled at the obviously confused doctor,

“You don't. I do.” The doctor nodded respectfully to the Sohma Doctor.

 

Once they got back to the room where Akito and Shigure were, Shigure was still speaking gently to Akito and running his fingers through her hair softly. Hatori smiled at the sight. He'd never seen Shigure be like this before in all his years of being friends with him; and it did him some good to see that Akito had someone who loved her so much by her side at a time of weakness like this. He walked up to Shigure, smile still in place and tapped him on the shoulder. Shigure turned around,

“Hm? What is it Hatori?” Shigure cocked an eyebrow in confusion at seeing his cousin smiling at a time like this.

“I have some good news for the two of you.” He looked over at Akito's expectant stare and smiled wider, he pulled the bandages in front of the couple and said to Akito, “recognize this Akito?” Akito's plum orbs widened as she nodded slowly. Turning to Shigure he said, “she wrapped her abdomen with this roll of bandage so her bulge wouldn't show. She was 9 months pregnant, and thats how she landed herself in here.” Shigure was still confused,

“But what's the good news Haa-san?”

“I'm getting there Shigure. The good news is, they managed to save your baby.” Akito smiled widely underneath her air mask and gripped Shigure's hand tightly out of excitement. Shigure sat in his chair completely dumbstruck.

“Haa-san....the baby...is...alive?! Really?!?!” Hatori laughed lightly and replied,

“Yes Shigure. A boy this time.” Akito reached up and tugged Hatori's sleeve. She whispered quietly...so quietly he had to strain his hearing,

“What does the child look like?” Hatori knew that she meant that she wanted to know if the child had any abnormalities.

“He has black hair and two pointed dog ears atop his head. Nothing further Akito. Sky blue eyes too. He's a gorgeous baby. Congratulations.” He reported to her. She smiled again and closed her eyes, falling asleep dreaming of the gorgeous baby boy she had given birth to.

The two Sohma men looked at eachother then back at the sleeping clan head. Shigure whispered to Hatori “Do you think it's alright to leave her here?” Hatori nodded at Shigure.

“Yes. I think she'll be fine for a while now.” Shigure looked one last time at Akito and kissed her hand before getting up and walking out with Hatori. “So Shigure, what should we do now? Go home, or see the baby?” Shigure looked at his cousin incredulously,

“See the baby of course Haa-san!”