InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Dark Past ❯ Trip Down Memory Lane ( Chapter 35 )

Disclaimer: ::Inuyasha:: -hanging from the ceiling completely tied up-…You can put me down now.

Not until you tell me who owns you! -pink nail polish poised for more torture-

::Inuyasha:: I already told you! Some chick in Japan!

NO! It's not true! -sobs and draw on his legs with the polish-

A/N: -chanting- I'm gonna finish it; I'm gonna finish it; I'm gonna finish it; I'm gonna finish it- - - And I'm going to finish it sooooon! Woo~!

E/N: Isn't that sad!?!? I will be sad when it ends!!!

 

AGE:

InuYasha: 19

Kagome: 18

Kouga: 19

Naraku: 19

Miroku: 19

Sango: 18

Kaede: 65

 

A Dark Past

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Chapter Thirty-Five: Trip Down Memory Lane

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He already missed her sorely and she'd only been gone not even thirty seconds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Kagome hummed happily as she made her way to Inuyasha's cell at nine-thirty the next morning with a tray of breakfast. She had no idea why, but she was even more cheerful than usual - much to Inuyasha's dismay as he opened the door and she nearly fluttered in.

 

“Okay, wench, what did you overdose on this morning?” the hanyou immediately demanded as he flopped on his bed, arms crossed.

 

Kagome giggled. “Overdose? Inuyasha, it's called happiness.”

 

The hanyou gave her a wary look, unconvinced. “The first sign of a drug addict is denial.”

 

The nurse rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, her good mood dissipating slightly. “Is it once again illegal in your book for someone to be really happy?”

 

Inuyasha nodded firmly. “Yes.”

 

Kagome shook her head as she handed him the tray of food. “I'm not even going to try to argue anymore.”

 

The hanyou gave her a triumphant grin as he accepted the food. “I win again,” he replied.

 

Kagome could remember him saying that after he had `beaten' her at their little mimicking game. That had occurred, however, a long time- - - Kagome blinked as she realized that that had happened just over a week ago. She blinked again in slight surprise. `Wow. . . time sure flies by. . .' Today was Inuyasha's first day punish-free as well. She had nearly forgotten that little fact. The nurse almost slapped herself upside the head. For being a supposed genius, she sure was having weird memory lapses!

 

Deciding to stray from the current topic at mind, Kagome instead focused her attention on the hanyou who was currently wrinkling his nose at his breakfast. She heaved a sigh. “For pride's sake, Inuyasha, today's breakfast is normal for once - it's pancakes!”

 

The half-demon was not convinced. “It's covered in sugar.”

 

Kagome nodded. “Syrup, yes.”

 

Golden eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the pile of carbohydrates and sugar, picking at it with a fork as he checked it out very thoroughly. After several seconds, he dropped the fork, plopped the plate in the near-by nightstand, crossed his arms and announced, “Inedible.”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes at his dramatics. “Whatever,” she mumbled in response before she remembered something else. “Oh, yeah! I get my question now.”

 

The half-demon mumbled darkly, his hopes of her forgetting and leaving him in peace for once squashed.

 

Kagome scowled. “It's not that bad!”

 

“Says the interrogator,” he replied darkly.

 

Kagome's look darkened. “It won't be that bad, I swear- - -” she abruptly cut herself off as her brow crinkled. “Um. . .” she finally stuttered.

 

“What now?” Inuyasha demanded a little impatiently.

 

“Actually. . . I can't think of anything,” she admitted after a pause.

 

“. . . Nothing?” Inuyasha echoed incredulously.

 

“Yeah,” Kagome admitted again.

 

Inuyasha grinned wickedly, an elated look in his eye. “Oh, thank- - -”

 

“But,” Kagome continued, interrupting him, “that just means I get two questions at lunch.”

 

It was her turn to grin wickedly as Inuyasha's happy look quickly developed into a `WtF?' look.

 

“It only makes sense,” she continued.

 

Inuyasha muttered darkly about stupid wenches and their stupid games and their extremely stupid craving for knowing everything.

 

“I do not want to know everything!” the nurse protested. “Just everything about you!”

 

This earned her a glower and another observation from Inuyasha about how wenches were annoying and needed to learn when to shut-up and not say anything else but instead admit that they lost.

 

“Lost?” she echoed dubiously. “I still don't see what you won at- - -”

 

It was then that Inuyasha found the best way to shut her up. It was his absolute favorite, he had to admit, and he hoped to practice it more often for while it didn't only shut her up, it also gave him great pleasure.

 

He planted his lips firmly on hers.

 

*

 

*

 

“Oh! Inuyasha! It's great to see that you'll be joining us again!”

 

A dark mutter.

 

“Hmm? Inuyasha? Are you feeling alright? You look a little- - -”

 

“I'm fine,” he interrupted the red-head, not pleased at all with his current situation - having to deal with his `classes' again, art being the first on the list.

 

“Oh, then. . . Well, that's wonderful!” she commented, smiling brightly. “Please take a seat?”

 

More dark murmurs as he reluctantly complies.

 

“Righty-o!” The cheery nurse clapped her hands together as she started. “Now, today, you're going to draw your family- - -Or, rather, people you consider family.”

 

Blank looks was the reply she got from the teens and kids.

 

“Er- - -So, you can begin.”

 

More stares.

 

“Feel free to grab a piece of paper and some colored pencils or crayons or something and. . .” She drifted off when she realized no one was bothering listening to her. Some turned and grabbed a sheet of paper, doing as she instructed and started drawing masses of scribbles and some just continued to stare at nothing.

 

Inuyasha's eyes shifted to the right to the particular person who was the only other person sitting at the table three seats down - Jakotsu.

 

He shook his head before leaning back in his chair and relaxing, closing his eyes. By the gods was he tired. He wouldn't mind having a small little- - -

 

“Oh, Inuyasha. . . I don't see a picture.”

 

He mentally cursed all the deities that forced him through this torture. “You don't say,” he replied dryly, wishing the nurse would just pass him by knowing that he had no intention of drawing anything.

 

“Yes. I quite enjoyed your- - -er- - -works. They. . . enlightened my day.”

 

He gave her a dry look before grabbing a sheet of paper and placing it in front of himself on the table. “There; happy?”

 

She gave him a look that told him she was expecting more. He met her gaze and just stared at her. Many seconds ticked by.

 

`I don't think she's going to take your hint,' his youkai commented.

 

`I don't care if she takes a hint or not. I'll tell her out-and-out that I don't intend to- - -' His thoughts were cut off when the nurse's gaze flickered slightly to the left and she gasped.

 

“No; please don't try and gouge out each other's eyes with the pencils!” She scurried off to address the new problem and Inuyasha once again leaned back in his chair, yawned, and closed his eyes so he could doze.

 

*

 

*

 

“. . .You still haven't drawn anything.”

 

The hanyou gave her an irritated look, trying to carry his thoughts over to her. `Just shut up and leave; just shut up and leave; just shut up and leave; just shut up and leave, we both know I'm not going to draw like some pansy.'

 

She stared at him for a few seconds before sighing and moving on, shaking her head.

 

Inuyasha blinked before wrinkling his nose. There was a minute and seventeen seconds before the nurses started to show up.

 

Make that fifty seconds.

 

`Ah, someone a little more antsy than usual to see a certain nurse?'

 

Inuyasha mentally snorted at the suggestion before he realized that he was. His youkai laughed at him mockingly.

 

`Just shut-up,' he mentally grumbled.

 

`Naw, you're too much fun to- - -'

 

“Oh, Inuyasha,” Kagome called from behind him, causing him to jump and whirl to face her. “Ready to go to. . .” she thought about it before finishing, “Mr. Dai's?”

 

The hanyou made a looks that suggested he was more prepared to die.

 

“Aw, come one, Inuyasha. You're over-reacting. It's not that bad.”

 

Another look.

 

Kagome didn't even bother to continue trying to convince him but instead grabbed onto his arm and tugged him after her as she left. “Oi,” he weakly protested. He tugged lightly at his arm, half-heartedly. Had he really wanted to escape the nurse's grip on him, he could have easily done so. Instead, he gave a long suffering sigh and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling to make it look like he really didn't appreciate her leading him around like he was on a leash before falling into step with her.

 

Really, it was sick how hard it was getting to fight her on anything. . .

 

*

 

*

 

To say Inuyasha was incredibly creeped out when he flopped down in his overstuffed chair and looked up with a scowl, ready to snap some unintelligent comment, only to see a brightly beaming Mr. Dai would be an understatement. His angry expression relaxed to be replaced by an unemotional mask as his brows rose in question. “And you're looking oh-so-happy because. . .?” He made sure the psychiatrist heard his pause so it would be filled.

 

“You,” the older man began in reply, leaning forward so his elbows were on his knees, “are a very lucky young man.”

 

Inuyasha blinked. Well that just explained everything, didn't it? “What the hell do you mean by that?” Inuyasha snapped in response.

 

“Can you guess what I've concluded?”

 

There was a pause as golden eyes thoroughly scrutinized him up and down. “That you really need to buy a sense of taste in fashion?”

 

Mr. Dai stopped short before looking down at his light blue - sky blue - suit and blinked before leaning even farther forward so he could examine his spotless white, shiny dress shoes, complete with black socks. After several seconds of lightly fingering his dark hair, he looked back to Inuyasha and shook his head. “What do you mean? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?” the psychiatrist finally asked, genuinely perplexed.

 

Inuyasha's eyes rolled up to the ceiling before he decided that there was no way the dense man was going to take anything he would say to heart and that he was better getting back to whatever it was that the psychiatrist had been trying to say earlier. “Never mind. What is it that you've `concluded'?”

 

“Oh,” Mr. Dai murmured, remembering something. His face brightened again. “Oh, yes. Well, remember how I told you that I'd help you get out of here by your birthday?”

 

Inuyasha's ears twitched and he squelched the small part of him that dared to hope. “What of it?” he asked suspiciously.

 

Mr. Dais's grin was one of a madman. “Well, Inuyasha, guess what? I've gone through everything countless times and you are not mentally unstable.” Inuyasha ears twitched again as he slowly started to realize where this was going. “And so I called up your parents, had some nice, long conversations, and it's concluded that you shall be released from this center.”

 

At this moment in time, Inuyasha felt as though his lungs had been constricted as he had not dared to breathe for a small while. “Is that so?” he murmured, a little light-headed.

 

He was answered with a nod. “Yes. You will be released from here. Most likely your parents will come and pick you up. Tomorrow.”

 

And then it was like Inuyasha's world became a mess of unfinished thought profanities and buckets of undesired emotions. Millions of thoughts crash-landed into his mind.

 

`Tomorrow?' It seemed like perhaps the most stupid thing in the world to think, but it was all Inuyasha's muddled mind could summon.

 

The hanyou blinked slowly three times.

 

Was this a good thing or a bad thing?

 

Mr. Dai laced his fingers together and leaned forward so his elbows were resting on his knees before placing his chin between two of his knuckles. “I suppose I should warn you that your parents will be here to pick you up,” he murmured.

 

Inuyasha's ears twitched slightly as his eyes closed, his face impassive as ever. “Hn,” he hummed in response. “They can go to hell for all I care.”

 

Mr. Dai sighed before opening his mouth to continue. He wasn't even able to utter a syllable before there was a knock at the door that silenced whatever he would have said. He frowned before calling, “Come in.”

 

The door opened and a nurse, Ayumi to be exact, peeked in. “Sorry to bug you, sir, but I was told that Inuyasha needed to go back to his room now.”

 

Wrinkles formed between the psychiatrist's dark eyes. “I haven't finished our session yet,” he protested.

 

Ayumi gave an apologetic shrug. “It's orders.”

 

And at the way she had said `orders,' Mr. Dai gave and after a pause gave a shooing gesture. “Off with you then.”

 

Ayumi turned to Inuyasha and ordered him to come with her. He complied and did so. Once again, he wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing.

 

*

 

*

 

Kagome tapped her chin with her pen as she stared down at her daily paperwork. She chewed on her lip before filling in the lines with her neat script. After several lines had been filled, she picked up her work and read through it.

 

`Perfect!'

 

She smiled before letting it fall back to the table. Kagome rolled her head on her neck to loosen her tensed muscles. Her head rolled back and it was then that she swore she saw someone look into the room with her peripheral vision. She jumped and snapped her head in the direction, eyes searching.

 

She saw nothing there.

 

Kagome blinked once, momentarily wondering if she was going insane. She immediately shook her head. That had to be it. . .

 

Because she could have sworn the woman who had peered in looked just like her.

 

*

 

*

 

It was when his cell door was unlocked that he knew something was wrong. Inuyasha hesitantly took a step inside before the door closed behind him. His ears flicked at the noise before he focused on the problem at hand.

 

“You don't seem all-too-pleased to see me. . .”

 

“And I wonder why?” Inuyasha retorted sarcastically.

 

Kikyou nibbled her lip for a second. “Alright, I deserved that one, but- - -”

 

“Kikyou, what the hell are you doing here?”

 

“I'm here to see you,” she replied simply.

 

“Oh, good. You've seen me. Now please leave.”

 

The girl blinked slowly. “Inuyasha. . . are you really still that upset with me?”

 

He gave her a dry look. “What do you think? Use your brain for once, how `bout it?”

 

Her shoulders slumped. “Isn't it okay to make mistakes? You said yourself that no one was perfect.”

 

Amber eyes rolled up towards the ceiling. “Be as that may, I've never run across anyone stupid enough to make such a huge mistake as you did. . .”

 

Kikyou fervently shook her head. “It was never a mistake- - -!”

 

A fire ignited behind Inuyasha's golden eyes. “Oh? Of course it wasn't.”

 

Kikyou blinked in confusion before scowling in frustration. “No! It's not like that- - -”

 

“Then please enlighten me as to what's `it's like.' ”

 

She shook her head slowly, her long hair swaying with her movement. Inuyasha nearly snarled at her. “You wouldn't understand,” she began softly. “I could explain it to you, but you still wouldn't understand. . .”

 

His nose curled. “Understand what?”

 

Dark drown eyes drifted shut as she sighed. “Understand how- - -”

 

Inuyasha's ears twitched and he whirled before appearing at the door, yanking it open. “And here ya thought I had forgotten about you, huh?”

 

Kagome blinked before letting the hand she had poised to open the door fall. “Well. . . no, but- - -”

 

Inuyasha rolled his bright eyes. “Stupid wench. . .”

 

His nurse smiled before replying, “Ah, I see your mood is as great as ever.”

 

Another roll of his eyes, this time accompanied by a long-suffering sigh. “Sometimes I wish you'd try being less cheerful. . .” he mumbled.

 

“Cheerful is my thing!” she protested indignantly.

 

She received a dry look. “How many times have I- - -?”

 

He was interrupted by a temporarily forgotten person.

“I see she means a lot to you. . . More than I do. . .?”

 

The words were softly uttered, yet both the miko and hanyou picked it up. Kagome turned a lovely shade of pink while Inuyasha scowled. “What if it?” he demanded.

 

Kagome did a double take before glancing up at the hanyou.

 

`Did he just. . . admit to liking me?' her mind idly wondered.

 

`In any case, he didn't deny it, now did he?'

 

No, he hadn't. . .

 

A slow, bittersweet smile spread across Kikyou's face. “I see. . .” She slowly exhaled before regaining her composure and walking right up to Inuyasha. She pulled his face down and whispered in his ear, “I did come here for a reason. . . If you want that girl to be in the same spot Shippou was in, then keep hanging out with her. . . If you prefer her to be safe, I suggest you leave her alone.” While her tone was nearly colorless, there was a tone behind it that Inuyasha didn't like.

 

“Are you threatening me?” he hissed back in reply, eyes narrowing.

 

Kikyou shook her head slightly. “No, I'm not threatening you at all. . . MenouMaru is. I'm supposed to tell you this: `Happiness is three syllables long, but there is another word with syllables of three who makes you smile. Enjoy it while it lasts.' ”

 

And without another word, Kikyou brushed her lips against Inuyasha; cheek and pulled back, exiting the room with the key she had been given. Before she shut the door, though, she hesitated and turned back to the two dumb-struck teens. “I. . . No matter what it looks like, I. . . do want you to be happy.”

 

The door slammed shut and Kagome found she could breathe again.

 

Very, very slowly, her eyes traveled to Inuyasha. “. . . Who was that?” she asked slowly.

 

Inuyasha didn't answer at fist but instead went over to his bed and flopped upon it. “Kikyou,” he replied finally.

 

Kagome froze. “Wait. . . you mean the Kikyou - the one who was your child-hood friend?”

 

Inuyasha's head snapped in her direction. “Don't use that word so lightly,” he hissed in reply.

 

Kagome's mouth snapped shut and she decided it was time to stop talking so they could both think and recompose themselves.

 

Inuyasha looked mighty upset. . .

 

*

 

*

 

Kagome nibbled her lip as her eyes drifted over to the hanyou. A grand total of eight minutes had passed since Kikyou had left and Inuyasha had flopped on his bed in a pout-y manner. The miko wasn't all-too-sure how to react to this. . .

 

“Inuyasha. . . what's bugging you?”

 

When all else failed, fall back on bluntness. At least progress was made this way.

 

Bright amber eyes drifted to her direction. “Kagome. . .”

 

“I'm listening,” she murmured, slowly walking over and sitting next to him on the bed.

 

“Kikyou. . .”

 

For some reason, a small, burning sensation filled her chest every time that other woman's name was said, and Kagome found it odd. Never before had she felt anything like it. . .

 

“What about her?”

 

“Kikyou. . .” Inuyasha repeated, letting off again and sighing.

 

Kagome decided to give him some time. Most likely, after a few seconds, he would be able to tell her.

 

And she was correct, for several minutes of silence passed before the hanyou took a deep breath. “Kikyou isn't the only reason I'm here, as you know.”

 

Kagome nodded, knowing he wasn't looking but feeling she had to assure him anyway.

 

“Mostly, it's because of MenouMaru, though Kikyou did play a part. . .”

 

Kagome froze before her gaze slid over to him as her mind used the logic it was given. “Inuyasha. . .?” she began tentatively, her question being unsaid, but the hanyou understanding it anyway.

 

He nodded in reply. “Yeah.” A slow smile spread across his lips as he returned her gaze. “Looks like I finally trust you enough to tell you what happened.”

 

Kagome could have sworn her heart stopped.

 

*

 

*

 

Kikyou rubbed at her eyes to try and erase her tears. She sniffled and pulled out her light blue cell phone and punched in a number. It rang twice before she hung up and dialed again, once more letting it ring twice before hanging up and dialing one last time. This time she didn't hang up and after the third ring, she heard a noise as the call was forwarded. There was a pause before she once again heard it ring.

 

“Kikyou?”

 

She swallowed back the lump in her throat and gave a small smile. “I did it.”

 

“Perfect.”

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(E/N: ~Evil Glares!!!~ HOW COULD YOU LEAVE IT AT A CLIFFY!?!? I MEAN NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL YOU EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY JUST SO YOU'LL HURRY AND GET THE NEXT CHAPTER FINISHED!!!! YOU ARE SOO EVIL ~throws a cookie~ Ha take that you mean meany!!! I seriously don't like you at the moment and I bet neither do your oh so wonderful fans!!! RAWR AND GRR YOU, SAYO, GRRR YOU!!!)

 

^_^ So tell me who--Ya! -dodges angry reviewer attacks- Gomen nasai!! I know it was a classical “cliffy” but if I had continued it, this chapter would have been too long for my liking (more than 15 pages)! >< Eh… review and I'll update faster? =)

 

-clears throat- Who here thinks I received an angry call from a certain beta after I wrote this (and left her hanging as top what'll happen next)? -slowly raises hand- (Was the rainbow text not enough of a hint…?)

 

Ja ne!