InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beautiful Miscommunications ❯ A Break ( Chapter 10 )

Naraku stared out of his office window admiring the day's rain. It was neither a cleansing rain, nor a welcomed one; it was a mud-racking, dirtying, obscuring rain. It was the kind of downpour that caused traffic accidents and gave people chills. It was the kind of precipitation that intimidated the population into hiding underneath the covers for fear of suffering the water's furry as it pounded on the pavement. It was his kind of rain.

He kept his back to his children. No one spoke. They sat quietly in their respective seats observing him: Kagura in the far left, Akago in the middle, and Kanna at the right, taking notes. They knew that when he was ready, he would tell them what they needed to know. He was surprised to hear his television volume rise. “Kagura.” He demanded, spiting her name as if it was dirty.

“This is relevant.” She defended as she turned her attention to Kagome.

“In other news, I'm appalled to have discovered that the city is planning to tear down one of the few parks left in the inner city to build a parking complex. Paradise Hills Park is a piece of pavement the community fixed to give their children a safe place to play. The city failed this community by not constructing the promised park in that area, and now, it's failing it again by taking away the park the neighbors built, without providing a replacement lot. I call out to all outraged citizens to come tomorrow to Paradise Hills and sign a petition to stop the demolition of this park. We will be there with cameras from eight until after lunch. Let's unite before they tear down Paradise to build a Parking Lot.” Kagome's voice was passionate, and her cheeks flushed as she spoke. Kagura muted the television as the blonde came back on.

“How is that relevant?” Naraku questioned.

“It's the parking complex your building to wash the Columbian's money.” Kagura explained as she made a note to find a new site to begin construction.

“I think its time we rewarded our favorite morning reporter for her uncanny eye.”

“What do you have in mind?” Kagura asked as she looked up from her notes.

“The usual.” Akago smiled as he made a phone call. “Akago,” the young boy looked turned towards his father. “When you're done, I have another assignment for you…one that is going to be to your liking.” Both father and son shared a diabolical smirk.

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Kagome sighed as she waited in the lobby of her studio for her brother. He wasn't here, nor answering his phone. She could only guess where he was, or with who. She silently prayed he was with Sango. The first time Kagome had seen her soul, she knew Sango would be the one to heal her brother's heart…that is, if she was ever given the chance. It was painful to see him so deteriorated…Even when he laughed and played his infamous pranks on all the pretty girls he knew, his eyes held a wealth of sadness. It had been hard to lose her roommate and future sister, but she never expected to lose her best friend in the process. “What did we do, Miroku, to deserve such loneliness?” She wondered as she looked into the rain-infested streets.

They were even unlucky with each other. They may have found solace in each other's arms…they were both in similar situations, but there was never any chemistry. Miroku had always looked at her as a sister, and she didn't have a sexual thought towards him. He was her brother, who right now, she prayed, was using a condom as he hid from his past. She sighed in resignation as she decided she had no choice but to venture into the rain and hail a cab. How she missed her car!

She pulled her leather coat closer to her body as she held on tightly to her briefcase, praying her legs didn't get too wet. Had she known it was going to rain like this, she would have worn pants. And, with her luck being what it was, wardrobe had nothing but extra short skirts. As she stepped into the street, she opened her umbrella and started to walk towards the curve. As her eyes scanned for taxis, she came across a familiar Harley with red flames and a mysterious rider with a black leather jacket.

“We had a deal.” She complained as she walked towards him. He handed her a helmet.

“You need a ride.” He defended without much care towards her indignation.

“How did you know? Did Miroku call you?”

Inu Yasha shrugged, opting not to inform the young reporter that his gut was never wrong. That would be another argument in favor of Myoga's opinion, which held no basis.

“Inu Yasha, I can't.” She complained.

“Keh, woman, just because your brother didn't call doesn't mean you don't need a ride, or that I can't provide it. Do you want to stand there getting no where, or do you want to get to where you're going?”

“But…”

“No buts- get on.” Kagome sighed in resignation as she handed him her briefcase and her umbrella before putting on the helmet and rolling up her skirt. “You should have just said so.” She gave him a deadly glare before getting on the back of his bike. He closed her umbrella and gave it back to her. Grabbing her briefcase she wrapped her arms around him as she shivered from sitting on a wet leather seat.

“I'm going to the newspaper.” She explained before he drove off.

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Miroku stepped out of the shower with a somber face. She was still sleeping. He probably should have gotten her name, but she hadn't offered, and he hadn't asked. She looked oddly familiar, but after being with so many women, that happened quite often. He quickly dried himself and got dressed before checking in on her one last time. She was sleeping contently after being completely satisfied. It's true, he did take as much as he could from them to try and hide his pain, but he repaid them fairly.

He didn't understand why, but he felt dirty. This wasn't the first time he'd had a one-night stand, granted it was more like one-morning stand. But, something was bothering him. After he found his jacket discarded in the large well-lit living room, he noticed a picture on her mantel. He sighed. As if he wasn't feeling lousy enough, he had to find out he just slept with his sister's competition. Wasn't she supposed to be on vacation? Oh well, he didn't watch her show. Most of Japan didn't.

Miroku looked at his watch as he left the apartment. Where had the morning gone? He tried dialing his sister, but she didn't answer. She was probably on her way to the office. Not feeling like his usual cheery self, he decided to keep a low profile for the rest of the day. He made it to his car after getting soaked, but the rain didn't bother him.

After starting the car, he sat for a few minutes looking at the downpour beating against his windshield. He didn't realize he had picked up his cell phone until he found himself dialing a number he had obtained earlier that morning.

“Full Moon Enterprises, Miss Kizu's office, this is Nadia, how may I help you.”

“Hi, Nadia, could you please put me through to Miss Kizu.”

“Who, may I ask, is calling?”

“Miroku…she'll know who it is.”

“Please hold.” He didn't have to listen to more than a few notes of Mozart before the line picked up again.

“No, I'm not available for dinner tonight or any night!” She complained angrily.

“That wasn't it.” His voice was sad as it carried a tremendous weight. “I just wanted to hear your voice.” He hung up before she could reply. He knew now what was wrong with him, and he wasn't sure he could handle the remedy. Turning to the passenger seat, he took her file and flipped through it. She was an expert in martial arts and a Class I Demon Exterminator. Most of her family had gone into governmental jobs, but she had opted for the private sector. Some thought she took the easy way out, though becoming Full Moon's Head of Security before your twenty-fifth birthday was unheard of. She was also the company's highest-ranking human. Miroku smiled as he thought how angry Naraku must have been when she out performed all his candidates for the position. He was surprised the hanyou hadn't had her killed then. Perhaps it was Sesshomaru's protection that had saved her, or Naraku's lackeys were incapable of completing the job. It didn't matter much now. He was sure the General would give the order, and before the end of the month Sango Kizu would not be an issue for anyone. Miroku knew better than to play with fire, but since when was life worth living without a few burns?

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Inu Yasha had noticed Kagome tightening her grip around his waist, but paid no heed at the time. She was wet, and her hands were probably slippery. But, at a red light, he noticed she let him go to rub her legs. Between the rain and the wind chill, he realized, she must be freezing. He tried to wipe his hands dry on his wet leather jacket unsuccessfully before placing them just above her knee. Kagome held her breath as he did the best he could to rub some warmth into her legs without turning around. They were as cold as icicles. As the light turn green, he hooked his hands underneath her legs and pulled her forward. She yelped, but made not other protest. Satisfied that she was closer to his body heat, he continued through the flooded streets, oblivious to Kagome's flushed cheeks.

By the time Kagome got off Inu Yasha's bike, in front of the newspaper, her legs were painfully red from the constant lashes of the wind and the rain. She was shivering as she handed him back his helmet. Both were drenched as they stood quietly underneath the furry of the falling water. “Will you need a ride later?” He asked, breaking the silence.

She shook her head as he revved his engine. Kagome looked at the half-flooded streets in a mixture of awe and fear. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she asked, “Why don't you wait out the storm inside?”

“You're getting wet.” He complained, half ignoring her suggestion. He didn't want to spend more time than necessary with her.

“Driving in this can't be good for your bike.”

“Keh!” He complained, but turned of the engine before following her into the building. Kagome wrung out her hair before she used her ID card to get in. They were greeted by two security guards and a metal detector. One guard was sitting by the screen next to the x-ray machine, while the other stood next to the archway of the metal detector. Inu Yasha couldn't help but notice that both guards were armed.

“I have a guest. He will be coming up to my office with me. They handed her the book to sign and asked to view a picture-identification from the hanyou. Kagome placed her bag and jacket on the conveyer belt of the x-ray machine before walking through the archway. She beeped slightly, but the guard looking at the screen shook his head. The other guard nodded, removing his hand from his gun. He turned to the hanyou and instructed Inu Yasha to take off his jacket before passing through the archway. Inu Yasha's eyes widened in surprise when he found the monitor showing a three-dimensional diagram of what he was wearing underneath his clothes. The image changed to show a naked representation of the hanyou before changing into an x-ray image. He was slightly relieved that Kagome wasn't looking at the different versions of his undress, before slightly growling at the guard. He had seen Kagome that way.

“Relax, they are mandated by the insurance company to have this kind of security.” Kagome informed him as he picked up his jacket and followed her to the elevator. “You see, we share this building with `The Revolutionary Times,' which is a very controversial paper.” As they reached the elevator, she used her ID card to summon it. “They receive bomb threats like they get rolls of paper. A few years ago, one of our reporters was stabbed accidentally by a Revolutionary opponent, making us a huge liability. Also, since this building has been declared a landmark because some famous person used to live here, the insurance company said they would only cover us if we implemented higher security features, like the ones we saw at the entrance.”

The elevator arrived, and Kagome swiped her card before the elevator started to move. There were no buttons on the panel, just a card reader for ID's. “We are only allowed on our newspaper floor.” She explained as they went up to the third floor.

“Who pays for all of this?”

“In part, we are subsidized by the government. The `Morning Scoop Daily' picks up what it would normally pay with regular insurance, and the `Times' pays for the rest. It's only fair since they are the ones that are causing all the problems.”

“They have so many enemies?”

“They were the first to report that the Police Chief was taking money from the Chinese Gangs. They have ruined many political careers, and are not afraid to write their opinions on foreign affairs. With each issue, they make more enemies.” She finished explaining as they reached to top floor. The elevator led them to a short hallway. At the other end was a door, with a number lock. After punching in her code, she opened the door and walked inside, followed by Inu Yasha.

The floor was pretty much what he expected: Yellow walls and blue industrial carpet floor. The center was filled with cubicles and shelving units. It looked like most reporters only spent a few hours a day there. Toward the center of the floor there was a glass office with a long table in the center. He guessed that was where meetings were held. The editors' offices were to the right, though he noticed that some of them belonged to the more prestigious columnist, like Kagome.

She stepped into her small but comfy office and turned on the lights. The walls were a pale blue, and for the exception of a shelving unit filled with binders, she only had a wooden desk overflowing with papers and pictures of her friends and family. He was surprised to find one of Ayame, Kagome, Kouga and Miroku dressed for a gala. “That was our Black Tie…It was like Prom for college students.” She explained when she noticed his eyes were not on her.

“You went to the same school as Kouga?”

“That would be a bit difficult considering that I went to all woman college. I went to school with Ayame.” She correct and laughed when he looked at her in surprise.

“They have those?” Inu Yasha questioned as he remembered Sango had mentioned something similar.

She nodded as she pulled out her gym bag from underneath her desk. She noticed a white box by her chair, but ignored it. “How do you know them?” she asked.

“Who doesn't know the wolf pack? They're good customers.”

“Rumor is that you don't get along with Kouga.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “I didn't think you listened to rumors.”

“It is part of my job to find out how much of them are true.” She grabbed her sweats, but when she looked at his soaked hair, she realized she had nothing that would fit him. Fortunately, he was partial to leather, so she was sure the water didn't penetrate his outer layer.

Inu Yasha shrugged. “He's too cocky for my taste. She's sweet, but a bit psychotic. She once left one of my clients in the hospital for flirting with Kouga.” His ears shivered, as he tried to pretend he was fine.

She threw him a towel and an old sweatshirt. “Layer up,” she instructed as she took a moment to rub her aching legs. First, they hurt from the cold, and now, they hurt from the heat. What Kami had she upset so badly? “First of all, Ayame spent the entire night warning Yura to keep her hands off Kouga. Second, Yura did not just flirt; she groped and teased the wolf prince, and when she tried to kiss him, Ayame hit her. Finally, Ayame didn't put her in the hospital, Yura hitting her head on the bar when she lost her balance did.”

“Keh, after Ayame gave her a little push.”

“That's not how the papers wrote it.” She winked and smiled. He wasn't surprised that she had protected her friend. She was as loyal as any inu bitch he had come across. “I'm going to go change into dry clothes. I'll be back soon.” She explained as she stepped out. Kagome had hardly taken two steps out of her office when she heard her name. She turned in surprise towards the older woman. Kaede rarely stepped out of her office, unless it was necessary. So, when the older woman stepped back behind closed doors, Kagome knew to follow her. “What is the young Lord doing here?”

“He gave me a lift. I wasn't going to send him home in that!” Kagome pointed to the window shielding them from the furious wind and pounding rain. The day had become dark, even though it was only early afternoon.

“There is a fine line between professionalism and personal; do not cross it.” The older woman warned as she sat behind her large oak desk. Her chair was made of fine leather, and though her office was larger than Kagome's it was barely decorated. The walls were the same pale blue adorned with framed newspaper clippings from her reporting days. There were two pictures on her desk. One was a fading black and white picture of her late sister, the great journalist Kikyo Takeda. The other was of Kaede standing with the Higurashi family the day Souta had come home from the hospital.

“Kaede, I've been doing this for a long time. I know my job. Besides, aren't you the one that always says `we need to keep our contacts close, but our stories closer?'”

“As long as we are not sharing a bed with our story…”

“I believe your orders were to do what ever it took to ensure that we had the exclusive.” Kagome replied offended.

“Without losing yourself.” She added in concern. Kagome looked at the older woman. Her hair was a soft grey, not silver like Inu Yasha's. Her one eye was a gentle brown, and even though today she was wearing her `pirate-eye patch' instead of her glass eye, she didn't look threatening. On the ivory face, there was a map of laugh lines and wrinkles belonging to a person that had aged before her time. The old woman usually inspired confidence and warmth in the young miko, but since the situation with Inu Yasha had developed, Kagome found herself distrusting her old friend and confidant. “The price to pay when one crosses those blurry lines that separate our work from our personal emotions is quite high. My sister paid with her life; I paid with my eye, and you could end up paying with much more!”

“Why are you so convinced that my relationship with Inu Yasha is going to turn romantic?” Kagome demanded as she took a step forward.

The old woman looked her in the eye and replied, “It already has, and I don't want to see it happen again.” Kagome looked at her confused.

“Now,” Kaede shielded her face from any emotions that might have escaped, “you have an important interview tomorrow. Are you prepared?”

“Yes. I have a set of questions to ask about the wedding, another for the illegal nerve gas trade, and a final one for the Shikon no Tama. Do we have word on Kouga's condition?” Kagome asked as she began to change into her sweats. Kaede had changed her diapers when she was a child; she had been the one to give Kagome the `talk' when the reporter came to age, and she had been there to help her make the transition into tabloid journalism. Changing in front of her didn't bother Kagome at all.

“He arrived in Hong Kong safely and is currently in stable condition. It will be a few days before we know the true damage caused by Akago's games.” Kagome shivered as she remembered the shadow of the man she once knew. Ayame must be devastated. “You should return to your guest. You don't want to accidentally lose your exclusive.” Kagome nodded as she picked up her wet clothes.

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Grumpy didn't begin to describe Inu Yasha's mood when she stepped back into her office holding a lidded cup. He sat on her desk with his arms crossed in front of him, unsuccessfully covering the logo, “Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman,” written in bold black letters across the front. His head was lowered, and she couldn't see his eyes through his bangs. He must have been extremely cold.

“Inu Yasha?” she asked quietly. He growled in response. “Is there something wrong?”

“Kagome,” a young man about thirty barged into her office with a stack of papers in one hand, “I have that research you wanted. Do you have my releases?”

“Yes, they are on my desk.” She replied as she took the paper from the brown-eyed thin male. The man walked up to the desk and asked Inu Yasha to pass him a pink folder. Inu Yasha turned and grabbed it.

“Thanks, Sweet Cheeks!” If it hadn't been for Kagome's quick reaction time, the man would have lost his head, though he lost no time in running out of the office.

“That's the fucking fourth person that calls me that!” He growled as Kagome pushed him back onto the desk.

“It doesn't give you the right to kill him! Besides, it's your fault!”

“Nani?” Inu Yasha was in an outrage.

“When I told you to layer up, I meant put the sweatshirt underneath your jacket, not above it! You're just asking for it!”

Inu Yasha raised an eyebrow as he growled.

“Didn't you read the back?” She asked a bit more relaxed. He took off the sweatshirt and turned it around. As if it hadn't been bad enough he had to wear the logo on the front, the personalized name on the back of the sweatshirt read `Sweet Cheeks.' He growled as his eyes began to bleed red. “I thought you would notice… It was the only sweatshirt I had.” She tried to explain as she took a step back. He rose up to his full height as his half-red eyes locked with hers. Remembering something, she opened the cup she had brought in with her. He took a sniff, and instantly relaxed. “I thought you would be hungry, so I made you some Ramen… It's chicken…” Before Kagome was able to finish speaking, Inu Yasha was devouring the noodles.

She sighed and returned to her desk. She bumped against the white box and pulled it up. She looked at the perfect red bow and the lack of a card. How had it gotten to her desk? The guards wouldn't permit anything without a card to be delivered. It must be a present from her brother. He did have a tendency of doing sweet unexpected things.

“Is there any more?” Kagome raised her eyes to the hanyou, who had licked the cup clean.

“In the kitchen…down the hall, make a right at the copier, and you'll see a refrigerator. They should be by the microwave.” He nodded as he stepped out of her office.

Kagome grabbed a letter opener and sliced through the red bow. By the size and shape of the box, she was guessing he had sent her flowers. As she pulled open the lid, her bright smile faded. Inside the white pristine box, there laid a dozen dead roses. The smell of the grave rested heavy among the stems. Slowly, she picked up one rose and instantly let it go. She sucked her finger gently after the sharpened thorn had stung her. Noticing a white card among the roses, she reached to grab it. She instantly pulled back when she noticed something move. Her heart began to pound in her chest as the leaves and stems began to shift. Her stomach tightened as the walls began to close in on her. Screaming, she pushed the box of her desk.

They were everywhere, crawling over the floor, on her desk by her chair. She jumped on her chair, and struggled to balance herself on the wheeled object. Her breaths where coming in short pants, as she struggled to look for a way out. That's when she saw it. Among the hundreds of tiny monsters, there was a hairy beast with eight legs crawling up her sweat pants. She screamed again as she tried to kick it away. The air was very thin and all she could see were spiders crawling up her arms and legs, specifically the black eyes of that monster…that hairy black monster. She knew the tarantula was laughing at her as she failed to dislodge it. “Get it off me! Kami, get it off me!” She screamed as someone pulled out of her chair.

“Kagome!” She heard a familiar voice call to her as the spiders were brushed off her body. She was wrapped in a pair of warm arms as she was pulled out of her office.

“What is going on here?” Kaede demanded as she saw Kagome hyperventilating. She eyed Inu Yasha suspiciously as he replied.

“You got a bug problem.” He quickly removed the tarantula from Kagome's pants and trapped it under an empty mug on a nearby desk.

Kaede quickly examined the situation before ordering Inu Yasha, “Take her to my office. Lock the door and make sure she gets a cup of tea.”

Once inside, Inu Yasha wrapped Kagome in his jacket and sat her down on a nearby chair. He noticed a teakettle with a matching cup set on the table and proceeded to pour her a cup. He turned to her and noticed the quiet tears she was shedding as she rocked herself back and forth. Tears. How the hell was he supposed to deal with tears? He growled in discomfort as he handed her the cup.

“Are-are they gone?” She asked in a small whisper. Inu Yasha was startled. He never imagined she could sound so weak.

“The spiders?” She shivered and looked away when he spoke. The sudden realization hit him hard. “You're afraid of spiders!” Kagome shot him a death glare. “But they're smaller than you!” He complained relaxing. Spiders were easy to get rid off. You called an exterminator, you stepped on them, you swept them away, etc. Feelings, tears, and emotional responses… those were difficult. Her threatening look sent a clear warning that any smart person would have taken. “That's a stupid thing to be afraid of.”

“Fuck you!” She screamed as she threw the hot tea at him. He didn't move away, looking at her stunned. He wasn't surprised she had thrown the tea at him; he was shocked she had cursed. Wasn't the immaculate Kagome Higurashi incapable of cursing? She stood up and walked to the window. “You don't know anything.” She said softly after a few seconds. Perhaps spiders weren't as uncomplicated as he had originally thought. Before he could question her further, the door opened, and an angry Editor-in-Chief entered.

“We're having your office exterminated immediately.” She spoke reassuringly. “Kagome, was there a card with the package?” The young reporter nodded.

“Who was it from?”

“I didn't get to read it…It was inside the box, with the…flowers.” She swallowed hard as the older woman left again. “I thought it was from my brother.” Kagome whispered as she began to cry again. Inu Yasha looked at her nervously. What was he supposed to do? He sighed in relief as she suddenly wiped her face clean with her fingertips. The air hung heavy between them. He took a sniff; her fear had vanished, and was now replaced with anger and indignation. A fiery Kagome, he could handle.

She swallowed hard before walking out of the office without speaking to him. He followed her until she stopped a few feet from where Kaede stood lecturing the head of building security. He was only able to hear, “How dare you allow one of my reporters to be compromised?” before Kagome took the note from her hand and read it.

Kaede grabbed her hands before she could rip the paper. The older woman shook her head, and Kagome understood. That was their only clue of who had sent her the flowers. “It was him, and you know it.” Kagome replied angrily.

“We still have to prove it to the public. What kind of reporter makes an accusation without proof?”

“Tabloid?” She replied sarcastically.

“Not in my newspaper! You know very well that we take journalism, no matter what kind, very seriously here. Do not allow this man to get to you. It will be your undoing. A reporter is nothing without her credibility.” Kagome sighed and nodded, before giving Kaede the note back. “We will know by tomorrow how they managed to get past building security, until then, why don't you go home? Rest, you will need it for tomorrow's interview.” Kagome nodded while Inu Yasha went to her office to retrieve her things. He quickly made sure they were free of spiders. Once he stepped out of the office, Kagome and Kaede became quiet. Could they make it more obvious that they were talking about him?

He threw the jacket over Kagome's shoulders as he held on to the helmets and her briefcase. “Come on; I'll give you a ride.” Kaede gave Kagome a firm look, to which, the young reporter nodded. What ever it was, it was settled.

Kaede watched them leave quietly as she wondered where things were heading. They were pushing Naraku too far in hopes he would make a mistake, but the corporate hanyou was more calculating than they had expected. She was sure the flowers would be a dead end, and that the note would have no useable prints. That maniac was too clever, and that was not good. It left her wondering, did he know of Kagome's arachnophobia, or had it been a lucky guess. Naraku never guessed. He took calculated risks with odds overly in his favor. He should know the young reporter was afraid of spiders; after all, he had given her that fear.

The old woman sighed as she returned to her office, stopping only to pick up a few napkins. She wiped the floor where the tea had spilled. That boy was a danger. If only it wasn't necessary to protect him, but she knew he was the key to unlocking the secrets her sister had taken to the grave. She sighed remembering her Kikyo's final words before she left for her final exclusive, “Izayoi, must be born safely. Her son will the end the cycle, and bring rest to my tormented soul. Take care of the children for me, Kaede. I know it is a heavy responsibility, but you can do it.” Kaede had asked her sister what children she was speaking of, but Kikyo had just smiled knowingly and left. Had Kaede not been confined to her bed after that monster had taken her eye, she would have gone after her sister. But, Kikyo had been right. Someone needed to take care of the children. After centuries of searching for each other, the two souls had been reincarnated in the same lifetime. The Shikon no Tama was destined to resurface, but how much of this did Naraku know.

Now, his eyes were set on Kagome. The note was clear enough, “You will bloom among these roses, my flower.” He usually liked his assassinations nice and clean, but in this case, she didn't doubt that destroying Kagome's sanity and credibility was just as tempting to the demon lord as drinking her blood. “Be careful, my child.” She whispered as she watched Kagome mount Inu Yasha's Harley before they took off in the heavy rain. The tides were changing, and the worst storms were still to come.

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Inu Yasha had only been able to navigate three blocks away from the newspaper building before it became clear that the rain was not going to let them through.  Also, even though Kagome was now wearing pants, they were doing nothing to shield her from the cold.  Her legs were in pain again.  They would never make it to her apartment like this.  Which ever god was responsible for this, he was furious. 

"Inu Yasha, we should find somewhere to wait this out."  Kagome suggested after he nearly lost control of the Harley on a bad turn.  Several of his favorite back streets were cut off due to flooding, causing him to take the main streets.

"My apartment isn't far from here."  He suggested, and she nodded.  It was safer than navigating twenty more blocks to her side of town.

It didn't take them long to get there.  They had only been two blocks away.  Inu Yasha parked in the street, not worrying about his motorcycle's security.  Everyone in the neighborhood knew whose bike that was.  He did put its cover over it, to protect it from the storm.  The next thing he was planning to do at his apartment was to construct a covered garage in the back for his bike: Something that would protect it from the elements better than waterproof plastic.

As Inu Yasha led her up his current apartment, Kagome noticed that the staircase wasn't as nice as the one he was fixing up.  There was some graffiti on the walls.  She wasn't in the mood to climb ten flights of stairs, but she wasn't going to complain to him.  Her eyes lit up when she saw the elevator, but there was a white paper taped to it that read, `Out of Order.' Throughout the climb, she could hear his neighbors arguing as several fragile objects were thrown in a few of the apartments.  Even with the thunder, they were loud.

His apartment wasn't in better shape than the halls.  It looked like the walls hadn't been painted in half a decade.  Also, it didn't help that the hanyou wasn't very tidy.  Dust had collected among his things, as magazine, newspapers and floor plans acted as rugs.  Kagome took off her coat, so he could toss it on the couch.  She followed him in the just barely furnished apartment, to find the kitchen sink free of dirty dishes.  She was impressed for five seconds, which was the time it took her to realize he didn't have dishes to put in it.  Everything was disposable.  She walked back to the living room and noticed the one object that didn't contain half an inch of dust was his twenty-inch television. She smiled at the Playstation 2, Xbox and DVD player hooked up to it.  Next to the TV, there were two racks with games, movies and CD's prearranged in alphabetical order.  So he did know how to organize.

"I can see why you're single.  Any woman that takes a look at this will run for the hills."

"The apartment or the entertainment?” he asked as he found some Ramen to heat up.

"Both...especially the entertainment."

"Keh."  He replied as he added water to the Ramen cups before putting them in the microwave.

"Hey you're the one that has a copy of the Spice Girls' Movie between Silence of the Lambs and The Terminator Trilogy."

"That was a present from my niece."  He explained as he hid his blush from her.  Why did all women notice that movie in his collection?  Why couldn't they notice some of his more refined tastes?

"Wow, you have the Evil Dead Trilogy!"  There was a god.

"Keh, what kind of self-respecting Sam Raimi fan doesn't?"  She looked up at him and smiled.  Blue eyes locked with gold, and suddenly, Inu Yasha felt the warm in his apartment.  "You're shivering?"  He realized as she rubbed some warmth into her arms.

"Wet clothes."  She explained.

"Keh," he mumbled as he instructed her to follow him.  His room was no better than the rest of the house.  His bed was a futon underneath the widow with a pair of low wicker nightstand.  The set might have been cute, if his dirty clothes weren't littered around the floor, hiding the dresser and closet.

"How can you find anything in here?"  She questioned.

"Simple: dirty," he pointed to one corner before turning to the next, "clean."

"Haven't you ever heard of drawers, or a hamper?"

"The drawers are full, and so is the hamper.  I haven't had time to go to the laundry place."  He explained.

"At this rate, you'll be single for life."  She found an empty black trash back somewhere on the floor and started throwing clothes from the dirty corner in it.  She gracefully avoided all underwear.

"What's you're obsession with my love life?"  He demanded as he found a pair of sweats with a drawstring waist and a t-shirt that wouldn't be too big on her.

"Beg your pardon?"

"This is the third time you talk about my possibility of having a girlfriend."  He growled.  She shrugged. 

"I do it to my brother all the time.  I apologize if it bothers you."

"Keh," He shrugged as he threw her the clothes and left the room.

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0*_*_*_*_* 0

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Sango looked out her window, as the raindrops fell like small missiles on the streets of Japan.  She had been sitting by her bedroom window nursing a cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows for about an hour now, and she still didn't know what to do.  It was most likely a trick, but her gut doubted it.  There had been something in his voice that had worried her.  Miroku Higurashi was a man of smiles and positive energy.  He groped, not moped, which had her very worried.  His voice had sounded distant and sad.  Something was troubling the young monk, and somehow she was involved.

"What should I do?"  She asked as she mindlessly scratched the top of her companion's head.  Kirara just purred lightly at her owner.  "You're right, old friend."  Sango stood up abruptly leaving her cat displeased at the lost of attention and body heat.  Returning to her computer, Sango searched the calls Kagome had made, and found one number repeating itself often.  She knew that must be Miroku's, so without confirming the content of the call, she dialed it.

"Hello."  A smooth voice answered on the first ring.

"Do you have a minute?"  She replied without knowing what she wanted to say. 

"For you, my dearest Sango, I have a lifetime."

"How did you know it was me?"  She asked suddenly surprised by his accuracy.

"No voice is sweeter than yours."  His charm fell heavy.  She rolled her eyes as she thought up an excuse to explain her call.  "Though, I should be asking how you obtained this private number."

"I have my ways."

"Then, I should reward them.  What can I do for you?"

"I know you're not supposed to exist, but some questions came up about the situation with your sister."

"Naturally," his voice was serious once again, "I'll be free around seven thirty tomorrow night.  I'll pick you up at your office."

"This isn't a dinner date."  She protested, but it was too late.  Before she could turn him down, he had hung up the phone.  "He's good."  She confided with her cat before turning off her phone.  "Too good."  She added as she thought over the conversation.  He sounded better, but his voice was still a bit heavy.  She would have to do some more digging before tomorrow night.

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*_*_*_*_*_*

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"I love that movie."  Kagome smiled as the credits began to roll for Army of Darkness, the third of the Evil Dead Trilogy.  Inu Yasha had made some room on the couch and popped in a few movies to entertain the young reporter as they waited out the rain.

"I can't believe he ended a great horror trilogy with a comedy."  Inu Yasha countered.

"I can.  Someone had to make fun of his movies.  What time is it?

"Eleven… and it looks like the storm is worse than before."  Inu Yasha observed as he looked out the window.  He was sure the flooding had spread to some of the houses.

"That late?  I'm supposed to be at the studio by four!  I wanted to get some sleep tonight."  She commented exasperatedly.

"Spend the night, then.  I'll take you in the morning."  He suggested. 

"Are you sure?"

He shrugged.  "Not like I sleep much anyhow."

"Thank you.  I'll just call my brother and let him know." 

The call was short and to the point as Inu Yasha observed the girl wearing his navy blue sweats and white Hanes undershirt.  She looked good in his clothes and scent, while her frizzy hair fell in waves down past her shoulders.  She looked like she belonged in that apartment with him.  She looked like she lived there, as if the mess of his home was hers as much as his.

His ponderings were cut short as she hung up her phone.  "You can take my bed.  I'll sleep on the couch."

"Are you sure?  I don't want to make you uncomfortable?  I'll be fine on the couch."  Kagome protested.

"Keh."  Inu Yasha pushed her towards his bedroom without giving her words any consideration.

"Inu Yasha…we're both adults, and you're bed is big enough…why don't we share it?"  He raised a pair of surprised eyebrows at her.  "Don't look so shocked.  I'm not suggesting anything improper, though it might stun polite society.  I trust you to keep your hands to yourself."

He swallowed hard and looked at her innocent, naïve blue-grey eyes.  Was she crazy?  Though, the idea was reasonable.  Why was he even considering it?

"Come on, I promise not to bite, and I won't take no for an answer."  She said firmly as she dragged him into the next room.  Fate had sadistic urge to taunt him tonight.

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0*-*-*-* 0

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Kouga used the back of his hand to wipe away the sweat from his face.  He was in danger; he could sense it.  Unfortunately, the only thing the defenseless prince could see was red: a red horizon, a red floor, a red sky and a red river flowing towards him.  Even the hot arid breeze blowing in his face was red.  He stared at the crimson clouds darkening the red sky.  Where was he?

Slowly, red vines began to erupt from the ground around his feet and slithered up his legs.  Koga tried to break free, but they held him tightly as they slid up his body pressing him to a red wall.  He screamed as he battled against the vines.  Suddenly, his world was lavender, as a pair of glowing eyes approached to him.  Koga stared at the youkai boy in shock.  "No!"  He cried out while fighting his restraints.  Akago smiled wickedly as he moved forward and placed his hand through Koga's chest and squeezed his heart.

"The Shikon!"  He demanded in a voice that was not spoken.

"No!"  Koga growled in pain.  Akago squeezed harder as his demonic laughed filled the lavender abyss.  Koga screamed as fell into the darkness.

"Kouga!"  He blinked and saw his fiancée standing behind a few men who were attending him.  One of them was injecting a strong sedative in his arm while the others were praying and placing protection spells around him. 

"Ayame!"  His throat was dry and his voice raw as he stretched out his hand to her.  "You got to warn her!"  He spoke the moment she moved by his side.  "You h-have… you have to tell her that he knows…Naraku knows.  I tried… Kami, I tried so hard… I'm sorry.  I should have been stronger.  I failed her.  But, you have to warn her; you have to tell her!  For Kami's sake, he knows!"

"Tell who? Tell what?"  Ayame demanded desperately as a few priest made room for her.  Koga's eyelids became heavy and talking became a chore as the sedatives began to take affect.  But, before falling into the abyss of another restless night, he drawled out the words none of them ever wanted to hear:

"Naraku knows where the Shikon no Tama is."