InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Fates ❯ Regression ( Chapter 22 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 22: Regression

Kagome sighed, bored - and nervous. It was time for another un-couple's counseling session - and she was very leery of this one.

Mika had determined that it was time to regress Yasha - back to Inuyasha's life, and have him answer questions. It was also a way to give Kagome the chance to tell him how she felt about what he'd done.

In some ways, she fiercely wanted that chance. But in others...

Well, she felt a bit guilty. She didn't want Yasha to remember this, her yelling and anger, because it wasn't aimed at him. Her words were for the past, not the present.

It was hard to think of hurting Yasha that way - especially when she had begun to care for him - more than she wanted to.

On top of that, she was worried that Mika would, at some point, expect to regress her back to Kikyou - and that, to her, was completely unacceptable.

She would fight tooth and nail on that - there was no way she was going to allow that bitch back. She'd probably refuse to let go of control later, and take over this life, too.

Looking around, she wondered when Yasha would arrive - he'd been doing something today, she had no idea what, and so hadn't traveled with him.

I wonder if he's even going to show - I wouldn't blame him for avoiding this session. In fact, I almost hope he doesn't come.

Just as she thought that, though, his distinctive youki permeated the room, and she glanced back at the door as he walked in, heading right for her the moment he laid his eyes on her.

He sat, an almost weary sigh slipping from him. "Damn... that stupid bitch Akina was following me again... it took every skill I had to lose her, and she'll probably find me again before we even leave the office."

Kagome scowled, looking towards the doors with a heated glare. "Oooo! I almost hope she does show up, I'd love to get my hands on her!"

Yasha stared at her, surprised, and couldn't help the hope that fluttered in his heart at her obvious anger towards Akina. Please, please let it be possessiveness! If she feels that, it's because she cares...

"Well, sooner or later, you'll probably get that chance. She's not inclined to give up. I'm almost beginning to think it would be worth embarrassing myself to take this whole mess to Sesshoumaru. He'd scare the wench right off - but I don't think I'd ever live it down."

"No way! We don't need Sesshoumaru's help with that stupid girl!" She pinned him with a steady, very irritated gaze. "Do you think I'm scared of a greedy little rich bitch after everything I've been through?"

He stared at her for a moment, then chuckled. "No, I guess not. So... what do you think I should do about her? Obviously, us hanging out together didn't do it, since she still sees me as a single guy, and I'm not willing to go date some other female just to try to chase her off."

Kagome blushed at that, fighting herself, trying to keep from admitting just how angry the thought of that made her - she still wasn't quite ready to give in and admit she was developing some feelings for him.

But... the alternative - seeing him with someone else....

She was actually relieved when they were called back, since it forced her mind onto another path... but as she stood, Yasha holding onto her arm, she felt him stiffen as the door to the outside opened, and she turned to look...

Her teeth clenched with rage as that stupid Akina walked in, her eyes going immediately to Yasha, a sly smile crossing her overly reddened lips as she saw him.

Yasha scented the bitch the moment she came near, and with a shudder, he refused to even look her direction, instead tightening his grip on Kagome and pulling her forward towards his aunt, who was still waiting at the door into the inner offices.

He breathed a very deep sigh of relief as it closed behind them, although, as he glanced at Kagome, he realized she was still glaring at the door as though it had pissed her off, rather than the woman that was now hidden behind it.

Mika watched the byplay between the two with a faint frown as they made their way to her office. What's that all about, I wonder?

Once they were in her office and seated, she looked at the two, noting the nervousness from both their auras.

"I take it you two are somewhat bothered by what's going to happen today," she said, opening the floor for them to start talking.

Yasha snorted and looked away, while, oddly enough, Kagome paled a bit and looked at her hands that were clasped tightly in her lap.

"Yeah... you could say that, Mika. It's not like this kinda stuff happens everyday," Yasha snapped.

Mika cocked a brow, looking in that instant, just like her father, and Kagome giggled a bit nervously.

"And what do you think, Kagome?"

"Uhm... well... I - kinda don't really want to do this. It feels too... I don't know... weird. Yasha isn't Inuyasha, and if you bring his memories back, all I'll do is get pissed and start yelling. But that's not really fair to Yasha." She plopped her face in her hands. "Gah! This whole thing is so damn confusing!"
"Yasha won't remember what's said here today, Kagome, so you don't need to feel guilty."

"Yeah, but is that even fair?" she burst out.

At that, Mika laughed, a bit bitterly as she thought of her father. "You knwo life isn't fair, Kagome - you know that more than most, don't you?"

"That doesn't mean I have to make things worse - or enjoy it when it does get worse. Besides... why is this even necessary?" she huffed, folding her arms across her chest.

"Because you need the chance to get this off of your chest. You need to tell Inuyasha how you feel about what he did - how he handled things, or you'll never be able to let it go." Left unsaid was the extension, 'and move on', but Kagome heard it just the same.

Yasha broke in, then. "Feh. Let's just get this over with. I'm really not liking this whole thing."

Mika nodded. "Very well." She stood up and came around her desk, motioning him to a small chaise lounge that stood in the corner of her office, and once he laid down, she immediately began the regression, to Kagome's increasing discomfort.

It didn't take long before Yasha's breathing changed, and as he sat up, Kagome could see how even his features had changed just a bit... making him look just like Inuyasha.

But when he spoke...

"Ka-kagome?! he sputtered, looking around wildly. "Where the hell am I? And what the fuck is going on?" He shook his head, visibly confused, glancing down at his clothing. "Uhhh... what? I'm dead... I remember dying..."

Kagome flinched - hearing his voice again was almost too much for her, and tears were already running down her cheeks.

"Calm down, Inuyasha. You aren't really alive again. This is your next life - your reincarnation whose body you are seeing. We only awoke you consciousness, separate from his, so that Kagome could get the chance to tell you how she feels about what you did to her."

His glance lifted and went back to her at that, still confused. "What I did to her?" He shook his head again, then closed his eyes, pressing his hands to them, obviously trying to reconcile what was going on. "Wait... I only did what I had to, and since this is my reincarnation, then what I did was right all along, just like I told you, wench!"

At that, Kagome stood up, no longer able to stand seeing him. "Right?" she shrieked. "If you wanted that clay bitch then that was your prerogative, but you had NO RIGHT to send me back like you did! You weren't the only one there, you prick! I lost out on Shippo growing up, and Sango and Miroku's wedding, their lives...!"

She turned away from him, her arms coming up to wrap around herself as she suddenly felt cold. "You had no right to do what you did, you bastard," she whispered.

He growled low in his throat at her. "Do not speak of Kikyou that way. And as for the rest of it, you're better off here - where you belong."

At that, Mika broke in. "Are you so sure about that, Inuyasha? Why do you think you are here? Why do you think Kagome is here?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Kagome isn't the same person you remember. You and Kikyou caused major damage to her with the things that you did."

Inuyasha stood up, slightly clumsy in his borrowed body, and walked to Kagome, stopping in surprise as she backed hastily away from him with an enraged hiss. Shocked, he looked around for a moment, then stumbled over to the wall, where he had spotted a mirror.

Silently, he took in his appearance, and then turned to look at the miko that was staring at him like he was a snake.

"I don't get it, Kagome. This is how it was supposed to be - I told you that I'd be waiting for you on this side, didn't I? And I was right."

Sudden rage flared within Kagome at that, and she threw her purse at him. "Bastard! You are NOT Yasha! Yasha is an entirely different person - and I told you when you pushed me through the well that you had sundered your fate from mine - you just didn't listen!"

She rushed forward then, hysterical, angry tears running down her face, and grabbed her purse, before looking at Mika. "I'm outta here. There's nothing I want to say to that bastard anymore - I don't want to even see him again." She looked up at Inuyasha's shocked face, then, and spoke, bitterness ripe within her quiet voice.

"Go to hell, Inuyasha. You made your choice. Go back and join your bitch in oblivion."

With that, she moved to the door and through it, slamming it behind her.

Inuyasha stared at the door, jaw hanging open, then wide-eyed, moved his gaze to Mika.

"What... that wasn't Kagome! What happened to her?"

Mika's brow rose. "You and Kikyou happened to her, that's what. By the time you both finished tearing her apart, there wasn't much left to put back together. It's been a long road... and it's nowhere near over yet, either."

He moved back over to the chaise, and laid down, a pained expression on his face. "Put me back to sleep, and bring this Yasha guy back. I can't stand to see her like that - and besides, my time's done. But please," he looked away, guilt clear in his eyes, "help her - take care of her."

Mika nodded, but said, "I'll put you back under in a few minutes - but I'm going to tell you what's happened first. Yasha wants you to know, as well - pre-incarnation or not, he pretty much hates you for what you and Kikyou did to Kagome - and the fact that it may mean he's lost his soul-mate. It's been a battle to even get her to talk to him, and certainly, there's been nothing else."

At Inuyasha's horrified look, she continued. "The kami may have fated your souls as mates, but after what you and Kikyou pulled on her, she may be too broken to ever accept her destiny with Yasha. She says she has no intentions of ever letting another male anywhere near her heart."

He laid his head back on the chaise with a thunk as he listened to everything that had happened to Kagome since he'd sent her back through the well, and when she was done, he had no strength left to even argue with her, instead just waiting hopelessly for her to send him back to sleep.

I'm sorry, Kagome... I'm so sorry... he thought helplessly as the darkness once again came and swept him away.

I never wanted to hurt you...

When Yasha came to, he was immediately irate at the scent of Kagome's tears. "What the fuck did that bastard say to her, Mika? And how could you think this was a good idea, anyway?"

Mika sighed. "Calm down, Yasha. Actually, Kagome didn't stick around long - she yelled at him a little bit, then told him to kiss off, basically, and left. I finished things off by telling him just exactly what he'd done to her. He was very upset when I put him back to sleep inside your mind."

"Good! Stupid fuck deserves every bit of it." He cast his youki out, searching for Kagome's aura, and found it close by. "Well, she didn't go far - she's out in the waiting room, so I'm gone."

Mika nodded as he stood and took off out the door, and sighed. Picking up a pen, she began writing down all that had happened.

There's so much bitterness in her - I don't know if it can ever really be healed.

---cCc---

When Yasha got out to the waiting room, he stopped in the doorway, unsure of what to say as he watched her. She was sitting, staring blankly out the small window, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

He glanced around the room.

At least that stupid Akina left...but I bet it's too much to hope for that she'll stay gone.

He sighed, and walked up to her, crouching before her and hesitantly reaching a finger up to trace her cheekbone.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess. It just pissed me off when he called you him. You aren't - actually," she blushed a bit, "you're a lot nicer than Inuyasha ever was," she said quietly, and he smiled tentatively at her.

"Thanks... I hate what he did to you, and I'm glad that you can see what happened back then as something separate from me. I'd never do that to you, you know."

"I... I think I do know that, but it's still nice to hear it." With a deep sigh, she stood, and waited for him to do the same. "Are you ready to go, then?"

"Sure am," he said, smiling at her. "Let's blow this joint then."

As they walked, Kagome thought about what had happened, and a scowl touched her face as she turned to look at him. "You know... I don't care what Mika says - I am not allowing her to regress me back to Kikyou."

Yasha tossed her a startled glance. "Why would you think she'd do that?"

That question obviously hit her hard, because she looked surprised for a moment, then said slowly, "I don't know... but I just didn't want to take any chances. I want it known that I would never agree to it."

Her companion shrugged. "There's no need for something like that, so I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you."

Kagome was silent for a few minutes, just allowing her mind to blank out what had happened, not wanting to think about it.

But...

"You... you don't remember any of that, do you?" she asked cautiously.

He shook his head. "Nope, sure don't."

She nodded, relieved. "Good."

He chuckled then, and said, "On another note, was that stupid wench already gone when you got out into the waiting room?"

Kagome looked lost for a moment, then awareness flared in her eyes, along with a bit of temper. "Yes... and it's a damn good thing, too. I was pissed enough to purify her just for spite when I got out there."

Yasha couldn't help it, he laughed. She just looked so fierce.

"Well, that wouldn't have gone over very well with the authorities," he managed to get out, and she looked sheepish for a moment.

"Yeah... well - anyway, she was gone, so it doesn't matter."

He rolled his eyes. "Bet she won't stay gone, though. Not my luck."

"She'd better, if she knows what's good for her," she spit out, hands clenching.

"I'm glad you aren't holding what Inuyasha did against me - if you were, I'd have no one to help me get rid of that vulture."

She blinked, and then stopped dead, staring at him, almost shocked.

But... oh kami... that's exactly what I've been doing - holding what Inuyasha did over Yasha's head - and keeping him at arms length because of it.

How could I do that... and all this time, I didn't even realize it.

I... need to think about this...

She looked away with a small smile and started walking again. "Well...don't worry about that woman - we'll figure something out to get rid of her permanently."

He stared after her, frowning. What the hell was that all about...?

---cCc---

A/N: I apologize about the length of time since I posted the last chapter - I just have finished my moving and getting settled, and I've been dealing with a bit of writer's block with this story. It's just giving me fits right now, and I'm not even sure I like how this chapter turned out...

Amber