The Storms That Bind Us

Chapter 2

Hakkai kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, well, if you could call it a road. It was more like a dirt path that was just wide enough for Jeep to move along. The trees that surrounded the trail were only a few feet on each side of the slowly moving vehicle. Luckily the storm had finally died and they had woke to a bright day. The brightness lit up the damage to the forest though as they packed up Jeep for the days travel.

So far they had stopped for large branches that had to be pulled to the side of the road before they could go further. Hakkai even had to use his chi to blow apart a large tree that had fallen during the storm. Then there was the wallow of thick mud to contend with as well. They were traveling at a snail's pace because of this, and he was beginning to worry they wouldn't make it to the town before nightfall. Sanzo couldn't afford anymore delays. His fever had skyrocketed through the night.

He took a glance in the mirror and saw Goku looking down at him, Sanzo's head resting on his lap. His blond hair was damp with sweat, but at least for now he wasn't delirious with the fever. He spoke from time to time, even having energy to yell at Gojyo when he had shaken Jeep jumping back in after hauling more broken wood from the road. Instead of yelling back in true Gojyo style, he apologized and went silent. He was just as worried as the rest of them.

What meager food they had, they consumed as they rode along. They were making enough stops as it was. Goku didn't eat much at all, but instead kept trying to get Sanzo to take his share. He kept refusing the offered sustenance with sharp curses and low growls. Hakkai reminded Goku to just keep giving him sips of water. They'd worry about getting food in him later. Hakkai was fairly positive that Sanzo had an infection from the leg wound. His chi could only do so much, and to properly take care of the problem would require medicines that they didn't have.

Morning passed into afternoon, and the unease grew. There was no sight of open road, just more narrow pathway covered with fallen branches and foliage. The only saving grace was that the mud began to dry to a easier lay of traction to get across. Sanzo no longer had the energy to speak, falling into a fitful sleep, head tucked on Goku's lap.

"Hakkai, you have to hurry," Goku's voice cracked. Hakkai's eyes softened and he looked back at him to see Goku's eyes were wet with tears. It was never a pleasant thing to feel helplessness, especially when you were worried about someone special to you.

"I'm trying, Goku. The road is getting clearer now and I'm sure we'll get out of this forest soon." He looked back to the road and felt satisfied it was true, and not just a simple few words to comfort him. "I promise you, we won't lose Sanzo."

"Yeah, kid, listen to him." Gojyo looked back. "The grumpy priest is too stubborn to die in such a pitiful way, and he's been through some tough shit before. You know that."

"Yeah," Goku sniffed, and managed a slight smile.

Hakkai smiled soft to Gojyo and gave him a slight nod for his effort. He planned on keeping his promise to Goku. If Sanzo were to die, it would be a crushing blow to their small group, but more so to their young companion. Their relationship was one of a father and son, which had began with a calling of one to the other. They had a strong bond that was unbreakable, even with all the yelling and fan swinging that ensued on any given day.

An hour later relief was realized when the forest they had been sluggishly fighting to get out of started to spread out to open land. Jeep made a yipping chirp sound as Hakkai hit the gas and got moving. Maybe they'd make it by nightfall after all.

*~*

When they finally arrived to the inn in the middle of town, Sanzo was muttering nonsense in his sleep. He let out a yell to wake the dead when they lifted him out of Jeep's backseat. His leg was inflamed, confirming what Hakkai suspected. He had an infections, and it was a nasty one. His black shirt was soaked to the skin, and even his jeans that they had cut to get to his leg were damp with perspiration.

The inn keeper had been kind enough to run and get the town doctor, but he had yet to return. At least Sanzo had stopped yelling once they got him on the bed, and he was resting again. Hakkai was able to get a better look at his leg as he unwrapped the bandages. He may have healed the bone, but hadn't managed to stop this. He blamed the conditions of the cave, the lack of supplies, and moreover himself.

"Gojyo, Goku, go try and gets as much ice as you can. We need to at least cool him down while we wait."

"Alright, come on, monkey," Gojyo said soft. Goku only nodded, letting the monkey remark slide as he stood and followed Gojyo from the room.

Hakkai sighed soft, and got up from his chair to go get a cool wet cloth for Sanzo's head. He grabbed one from the stack of clean, neatly folded washcloths on the decorative shelf in the bathroom. He randomly thought the self looked a bit much for the quality of the inn itself. It wasn't a dive, but it wasn't a five star either. He found himself randomly thinking about anything so he wouldn't keep wondering where the damn doctor was as he wet the cloth under the sinks tap. When he walked back into the room, he was surprised to see Sanzo looking his way with clarity.

"Sanzo, how are you feeling?" He walked over, sat beside the bed and placed the cloth on his forehead.

"Like warmed over shit," he croaked.

Hakkai chuckled soft. "I imagine so." He gave his best relaxed smile, even though relaxation was the furthest thing from his mind.

"You're doing it again."

"What do you mean?" He slid the chair further down along beside the bed to his leg, and decided he needed to try using his chi to relieve some of his pain at least.

"That thing when you smile, and you're not really in a frame of mind to smile," Sanzo slowly spoke the words. "It's creepy."

"Creepy, is it? I'd never really thought about it." Chi glowed over the leg and Sanzo looked down to watch quietly for a moment before he spoke again.

"Where is the kappa and monkey?"

"Getting ice, and the inn keeper went to get the doctor. Should be here soon."

Sanzo sighed in what sounded like relief as Hakkai worked over his leg quietly. The red faded some, but was still evident even as he let the power die down. If it eased some of the pressure, then at least it felt like he was helping. He stood and started pouring a glass of water from the pitcher by the bedside when Sanzo spoke again.

"How long is this going to set us back?"

"Honestly, I don't know. A few weeks, a month."

"Tsk, shit." He closed his eyes. "You know I hate these damn sidetracks."

Hakkai looked down at the frown curving his lips, and the lids of his eyes closed tight in frustration. He couldn't be sure how long this journey would last, but what he was sure of was there would be many more sidetracks to come, no matter how any of them felt about it.

"Sidetrack aside, you're injured and must heal before we can move on. We can't have a lame priest leading us." He chuckled when Sanzo gave him one of his, I should kick your ass, expressions.

"You're lucky I can't find my gun," he quipped weakly, and sighed soft, swallowing against a dry throat.

"Don't worry, it's safely packed away, Sanzo." He slide his hand under Sanzo's head, feeling the wet hair against his fingers as he lifted him slightly to put the glass to his lips to drink. The priest took a few sips, then gave the slightest nod it was enough for now and rested back again. Hakkai took the cloth from his head to go rinse it and get it cool again. Where is the doctor? Dammit. Sanzo's eyes were closed when he walked back in from the bathroom, and he thought he'd fallen asleep again. Hakkai pressed his hand to his forehead to feel how hot he was and Sanzo moaned very soft with the touch. He was still burning up, not good.

"Your hand feels good," Sanzo whispered tiredly when Hakkai was about to move it to press the cloth back in it's place. Hakkai froze and watched his face, keeping his hand where it was on his sweaty brow. "I've wondered how your hands feel." It was muttered so soft. Surely he misheard. Either that or the fever was making Sanzo delirious. Hakkai stood rod still and waited for him to speak again, but it never happened as Sanzo had fallen again into deep slumber. He shook himself from his stupor and stepped back when the doctor entered with an apologetic expression, Gojyo and Goku hurrying in behind him with buckets of ice.