InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dancing in the Dark ❯ Part Four ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Thanks to all who've been reading, and a special thanks to DragonChic for reviewing!!!! -cjryuu

“Are you sure this is okay Inu,” Kagome asked him. The white-haired teen looked back at her with his customary, toothy grin. “I don’t like that look Inu...” It had been two months. Two whole months. During those two months Kagome had learned everything she needed to know about this boy that now led her fearlessly through the hallway maze of the Rosethorn Hospital. He had visited her nearly everyday, Sango and Miroku accompanying him when they could. He played with her, listened to her, was there for her. The whole time he was turning into a pivotal part of her life. She knew what she was feeling... even if it was dangerous.

“Of course I’m sure Kagome. No fear.” He yanked her hand harder, leading her to the Waiting Room. “Now, you got the coat still?” He had barged into her room a mere thirty minutes earlier, carrying with him a bag of clothes. He had ordered to put them on, dutifully stepping out until she was ready. Now she pulled on the coat, buttoning it up to her chest like he told her to. As he inspected her, a hat was promptly placed on her head, sunglasses over her eyes, and a strong arm around her shoulder. “And now we walk out, like nothing.” Which was amazingly what they did.

“Inu, where are we going,” she asked him as soon as they were out the door.

“I’m taking you out Kagome.” Heat colored her cheeks.

“O-out... Where?”

“Wherever you want to go Kagome.” He tightened his arm around her shoulder, drawing warmth from her.

Inuyasha watched the girl as she watched the fireworks. She had asked him to take her to the Festival of Lights, the annual Christmas Festival. She was leaning into his side, her head resting on his shoulder. It took every drop of his willpower not to lean in and kiss her right then and there. “Inu,” she asked quietly. He looked at her as she turned her head to look at him.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.” He smiled back at her, continuing smiling even as she turned back to look at the lights in the sky.

“Kagome,” he called to her, as he opened the door to her room. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed from the wind, her black hair wind blown. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips against hers. He heard her sigh, felt her kiss him back. “Goodnight,” he told her as he leaned away, and walked away.

Kagome smiled, closing the door softly. What could she say? What couldn’t she say? Alone, she squealed, laying down on her bed, forgetting everything but Inuyasha. The way he walked. The way he talked. The way he looked. The way he felt. She smiled, bringing herself up right. She grabbed the remote to the TV and turned in to the music channel. A song filled the room, filled her up and overflowed to her soul. She was living and breathing the notes, playing them out in a dance of joy.

Around her small room she swept, twirling, gliding in the dark. Stars sparkled from her window, lighting up her world.

“YOU WHAT,” Sango hissed, slamming her locker door. She glared at Inuyasha, hands on her hips in the attempt to keep from strangling him.

“I kissed her Sango.”

“I KNOW THAT!” She sat down beside him, grabbing his face, forcing him to look at her. “Why?”

“I love her Sango.”

“You’ve known her for a couple of months Inuyasha...”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes it does.”

“No it doesn’t. This is real. You can feel it here,” he told her, placing a hand over his heart. It was strange to him. Before he had come here, to this Hospital he would never had said something like that.

“I can’t believe this... first you sneak her out and then you kiss her...”

“Why not?” Sango met his gaze for a moment. “He doesn’t see it...”

“Inuyasha... what if... what if... I mean... what if she dies?” He growled, glaring down at her.

“She isn’t going to die Sango.”

“What if she does... I mean she has leukemia, it can be terminal.”

“Look at Shippo! You all said the kid was in for it, and he’s still running around the hospital.”

“Inuyasha... Shippo was placed in the ICU a couple of days ago. He isn’t expected to live much longer...”

“What,” he asked in shock. The kid seemed so strong... so resilient...

“He’s been getting gradually worse. Not many people know about it yet because they don’t really want people to go and try to see him. His parents are the cause of his illness and his newer family here at the hospital is way too much for him right now.”

“Why didn’t you tell me Sango?”

“I barely found out this morning Inuyasha, I was going to tell you before we went to see Kagome. But now do you see what could happen? If Kagome were to die...”

“I would be there for her Sango, even if she was dying now.”

“Inuyasha I don’t think you really understand... she very well could be dying right now.”

Kagome stared at her mother, trying very hard to see where she was coming from. She was trying oh so hard. “Now I know you want to live your life like a regular teenager Kagome... but please, you have to take it careful... sneaking out at night with that boy isn’t going to get you healthier anytime soon...”

“Mom.”

“I mean I don’t think he even realizes what wrong with you...”

“Mom.”

“He just comes in and starts making promises, not really understanding what is going on around him.”

“MOM!” Kagome seethed. She could feel that her pale cheeks had become flushed with rage and her eyes must be like two hot coals being consumed by fire. “Leave. Him. Alone.”

“But Kagome,” her mother pleaded. Kagome felt herself regretting her outburst instantly. Her mother’s eyes clouded over with tears, threatening to spill over. “Please, I just want what’s best for you... I don’t want you to get hurt when he finally figures out that you... that...” Kagome took a shuddery breath. Die. The word echoed in her mind, flirting with her mind, trying to break her.

It was something that in the beginning she had tossed around almost endlessly. She knew it was a possibility, but she hadn’t really come to accept that possibility yet. It was one thing to know that you could be at the end of the rope, but it was a far different thing to accept or welcome it. It would take a lot of courage that she didn’t really think she had to say “I know” to that. “I’ll be fine Mom. Dr. Kuyako seems to think that I’m doing just fine. You told me that she even asked her superior... um Dr. Something-or-Other and he said it looked to be improving.”

“Dr. Youkiana. And things can change in a heartbeat Kagome. You know that.”

“I know Mom.” They spent a few moments staring into each others eyes, each one grasping onto that small tether line that still kept them bonded. After a few moments her mother stood up, gently hugging herself.

“I’d better go, Grandpa and Souta have been home alone long enough.”

“Bye Mom.”

“Bye Kagome.”

January came and blew away in a heartbeat. Kagome and Inuyasha spent Christmas and New Year’s together, her parents allowing her to invite him over to their get-together at the hospital for Christmas Eve. Kagome gently ran her hands over the necklace Inuyasha had given her for her gift, smiling as her fingers came into contact with the cool metal. It was simple chain made of white-gold. At the center was a tiny sapphire that twinkled endlessly. She sighed, holding the small red and gold package she had, slowly rubbing the small tag that read his name on it in her own handwriting. “Do I,” she thought softly. Inside was the gift she had for him, a ring that she had had ever since she could remember. At the moment her heart was tugging at her to give it to him, but she was anxious. She felt that something was coming, something major, but she didn’t really know what yet. All she knew was that Dr. Kuyako had been visiting her with more frequency lately, wanting to run all sorts of tests. The Chemo Doctor, Mr. Hoshiguru had been in to see her, running his own tests. She had even been warned that Dr. Youkiana might come in to check up on her in the next few days.

Still fingering the small gift, she looked out her window, watching the snow slowly fall to the sidewalk further entrapping her in her prison.

“Inuyasha,” he heard his mother call to him just as he placed his hand on the door. He was running late and he didn’t want Kagome to be disappointed in him. She was looking so frail lately... so broken.

“Yeah Ma?”

“When are you going to bring this girl home to meet us? You know your father and I would love to have her around!” He froze. Taking the time to weigh in the matter, he walked into the kitchen, standing eye to eye with his mother.

She was beautiful, with raven black hair that seemed to float on her head, never needing to be fixed up, just to gently brush her shoulders. Her skin was perfect seeming to be made of pure porcelain. Her eyes radiated their own inner light, as if by looking at them you could see into her soul. “Ma... do you know anything about Kagome?” His mother laughed, her crystalline voice filling the room and him up, making him want to smile, but knowing that if he did he would look even worse than he did know, staring at her with the blankest expression he had ever gifted anyone with.

“I know she’s a patient in the Hospital you go to so much.”

“How?”

“Inuyasha I’m your mother, it’s my job to know these things.”

“But...”

“Just give me a line about when you can bring her here, or when we can see her! She seems to be so wonderful. Like an angel.”

“Ma, how can you know that... I don’t think I’ve even really talked about her to you...”

“If she makes you this happy how could she be anything less?” Inuyasha smiled, wrapped his mother in a bear hug, and kissed her on the cheek.

“No problem Ma, I’ll call you after I ask her.”

Kagome sighed, watching as Sango hung up her phone cursing Miroku in so many different ways... Kagome’s head seemed to spin. “If you hate him so much then why are you going out with him?” Sango sat on Kagome’s bed with a sigh.

“Because love makes you stupid Kagome... it really, truly does.” Kagome laughed, thinking about herself. She still hadn’t given Inuyasha his present... instead just passing along some chocolates she had bought down in the gift shop. She was planning on giving it to him tonight when he brought his mother and father to the hospital to meet her. She was nervous, wanting to impress them so badly. She had even begged Sango to stay, even throwing out an invitation for Miroku as well.

“Thanks Sango,” she told her friend, stifling a cough.

“No problem Kagome. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You’d better be,” a familiar voice mock-threatened from the doorway. Inuyasha stood there with Miroku, the most beautiful woman Kagome had ever seen in her
life, and a tall man who had clearly given Inuyasha all of his features, but had such grace that he seemed to glide wherever he went.

“Ma, Pa this is Kagome,” he introduced them coming to stand beside her as he pulled her upright.

“Hello Kagome,” his mother laughed gathering her up into a warm hug. Kagome found herself losing all of her inhibitions and wrapped her arms around the woman familiarly.

“So you’re Kagome,” his father laughed, shaking her hand. Kagome nodded enthusiastically. “Sango its nice to see you again.”

“Mr. Yoshiaki,” Sango smiled.

The night was spent that way, everyone laughing so much that Kagome nearly forgot where she was. Just as her guests were slipping away, she caught Inuyasha by the hand and whispered her request for him to stay for a few moments. “I’ll be out in a sec,” he told his parents. His mother nodded knowingly, ushering everyone outside.

“I uh,” she whispered feeling her cough threatening to invade her moment. Ignoring it she reached under her pillow and pulled out the gift. “I um,” she lost her battle and gave over to the chest racking cough.

“Kagome,” she could hear Inuyasha call out to her dimly. Why was he so quiet? Why was it so dark? Why...”