InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dashed Hopes ❯ The Phone Call ( Chapter 17 )

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

Hang in there, other than that, no comment.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. (Not feeling creative enough today to say anything witty.)

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Dashed Hopes

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--- Last Chapter ---

“Thank you.” She felt his arms wrap tighter around her. Inuyasha had forgiven her for bringing them all into this. He had forgiven her for believing she loved Naraku when she really didn’t. It felt good to have a friend’s forgiveness.

Especially a good friend’s forgiveness.

--- End of Last Chapter ---

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Chapter 7: The Phone Call

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Kagome woke up unwillingly to the bright sun’s rays. ‘Damn light, needs to know when to tone it down some!’ She mentally shook a fist at the fiery star.

Kagome was not a morning person, as was figured out quickly by those who saw her at that ‘cheery’ time of the day.

She untangled herself from the curled up Inuyasha, letting him fend for himself if he was late.

Rolling her eyes as she dragged her lazy self out of bed, she thought, ‘If this is how we spend our free time, teasing each other, we have got to be a very boring set of people. What ever happened to stamp collecting? Model plane building?’

After taking her steaming hot shower, her morning wake up call, Kag crawled back into her room, only wearing a fluffy towel. Keeping as quiet as possible so as not to awaken the sleeping man, she picked out her outfit for the day.

Every article of clothing she had was still in one stack, just as she’d left it the week before when she had sneaked out of the household.

Looking through the expensive blouses and skirts she thought bitterly, ‘Screw it!’ and grabbed a nice pair of jeans she had stolen from Sango’s house. They were the kind of jeans that had been worn down to velvety smooth perfection. The denim was light with age but the fabric still fit snug enough. Grabbing a white tank top and thin red zip up jacket, she crept out of the room again to change in the bathroom.

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Sesshoumaru eyed her up and down as she walked into the kitchen to grab some tea while pulling her hair into a damp low ponytail with a red, satin ribbon.

He choose not to comment on the fact that she worked as secretary to two extremely rich men in a giant office building and was planning on wearing jeans.

Why bother? She was more hard headed in the morning than Inuyasha was on his everyday stubborn streak.

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“Hey, Kagome!”

“Morning, Kagome!”

“Nice to see you, Kag!”

Kagome waved and smiled back at all her working friends. She definitely felt lighter and more carefree after spending the weekend figuring out a few things and getting them off her chest. This morning just didn’t seem as bad as the ones she was used to for the last four or five years.

Stepping into the elevator she punched in the button for the top floor and rode up while smiling and chatting with her co-workers.

Walking to her ‘primary’ desk in front of Inuyasha’s office she was thinking about how easy it would be to get used to ‘Ms. Shashu’s’ life. Of course she’d buy her own house. Who’d want to live with Inuyasha all their lives?

She had a job, her son, her brother, money, clothes, and a roof over her head, and friends. Could she ask for anything more?

Kag frowned. Actually...yes, she could. Her old friends too, her mama, Jiisan, and the shrine where she grew up. Her old bow and arrows and her old clothes. Her yellow bike and blue Vespa. Oh, yeah, and Naraku gone.

But no time to dwell on ‘wants’. She had time to kill until Inu got his lazy ass to work and she knew just what to do with it.

“Moushi, Moushi.”

“Kouga? Hey, how you feeling?” she asked once her friend had answered the phone. Kouga had gone back to Kyoto to further his recovery. He didn’t want to leave, but Kagome had insisted until he'd worn down and did as she suggested.

“Much better. Your mom is doing well. So are Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi.”

“Glad to hear it,” she whispered, feeling homesick.

“Hey, listen. I have to go, but we’ll talk soon. I promise,” Kouga told her when it seemed someone arrived at his door.

“Sure thing. Talk to you soon, bye.”

Setting the receiver back in its cradle, Kag leaned back into her chair. Realizing it was new and had wheels on the bottom delighted her to no end.

And that’s how Inuyasha found her, spinning on a chair, doing wheelies, in his office.

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Jaken was at it again, and Sesshoumaru was not happy.

“Jaken, leave,” he commanded.

Kagome seriously doubted if the toad had ears. He continued with the overwhelming praise. Sesshoumaru glanced at his secretary who was standing behind his ‘retainer’ (as Jaken called himself).

Kagome hooked fingers in her mouth and pulled her lips to the side and crossed her eyes at Jaken’s back. Sesshy raised an eyebrow. Kagome’s face went back to normal before she reached up and grabbed the bottom of each earlobe with a hand. Twisting it, as though it was some kind of lever, her tongue stuck out. Sesshoumaru ground his teeth to keep from chuckling. Kagome was too much of a people person if she could make ‘this Sesshoumaru’ laugh.

Jaken eyed his boss’ odd facial expressions and quickly spun on his heel to face the secretary.

Automatically Kagome’s face widened into a sweet and innocent smile and she clenched her hands in front of her, not the least bit suspicious.

Jaken glared at the young woman before deciding he could praise his ‘lord’ later.

Kagome smirked at her boss while laying down an account’s file before skipping out to do some more advertising work in front of his office.

Once out of sight, Sesshoumaru’s lips twisted into a smile. Almost scary, but it still had the same effect.

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Collapsing into the couch at Sango’s the two began talking.

“How was your day?” Sango asked pleasantly while sipping tea, pinky extended of course.

“Great, I had a lot of fun. Felt good to be out of a skirt and into some real clothes.” Kagome looked sheepish for a second. “Sorry for borrowing your jeans.”

Sango shrugged. “Whatever.”

Kag smiled again. “You’ll never guess what happened!”

“What?”

“No, guess!”

“A pink hippo sat on Sango’s homemade fruitcake and it was so horribly hard that it dented its rear end is now suing the Inutaisho Company,” Miroku supplied as he walked in.

Kagome pouted. “Be serious!”

“Kagome! Just tell us!” Sango was starting to get irritated at her friend’s childish antics. Miroku looked at his annoyed love interest warily.

Kag beamed. “I made Sesshy smile!”

“KAGOME! You told us to be serious! Why cant you?!” Sango burst out laughing at the suggestion.

“I am serious!” Kagome yelled back, joining in with the laughter. “Fine! It was a smirk more than a smile. He did it, I swear! He didn’t think I saw, but I did!”

The three joined in on the laughter. A smiling Sesshoumaru was one hell of a scary thought.

-Ring- -Ring- -Ring-

Sango stopped laughing and glared at the telephone. “Damn thing! Don’t you know not to call during dinner!” she shouted at the person on the other line who happened to still be waiting for someone to answer.

Kagome sweatdropped. “Uh, Sango? We’re not eating dinner,” she pointed out gently.

Sango blushed. “Oops. It’s those damn Americans! Always complaining about telemarketers. ‘Bout time someone stood up and told them to stay out of business and stop trying to do business during eating hours!” Sango yelled. “Telemarketers, not Americans,” she added.

“Right,” Kagome agreed, not understanding a word of the news. She never really watched the news. Plus, how would Sango know news from over seas? It’s not some kind of international crisis!

Kagome stood up and answered the telephone. “Moushi, Moushi, Taijai residence. --pause-- Oh hi Inuyasha, Miroku just got here. --pause-- Oh, sorry to hear that. --pause-- Yeah, I’ll tell them.­ --pause--Sure no problem, I’ll be right there. --pause-- Bye, see you soon!” She hung up.

“Hey Sango!” she called back into the living room from the dining room.

“What?”

“Inuyasha got piled on with a ton of extra work. He can’t make it and needs some help too. Looks like you’re two short of an actual dinner party. He says he’s really sorry, and so am I. Do you mind just eating with Miroku tonight?” Kagome got quieter as she reentered the room.

Sango blushed. “-Um-No.”

Kagome smiled. “Good. I’ll be back in a little while.” She glanced outside. “Its so dark! I didn’t realize it was so late.”

Sango glanced at the clock. “Whoa, ten already? That’s weird. We must have lost track of time waiting for Inu.”

Kagome shrugged. “No biggie. I didn’t even get here ‘til seven. Not all that surprising.”

Sango smiled from her spot on the couch and instantly smacked Miroku’s hand as it got a little too close for comfort. It was like second nature.

“Can I borrow a car?” Kag asked as she tried to keep from enlightening Sango of Miroku’s arm as it slid expertly behind her shoulders.

“Sure, no problem.”

“Thanks,” Kag grabbed the keys to a non-import car and headed out to the garage. She laughed as she stepped into the drivers’ side. Miroku just couldn’t keep his hands off Sango. Kagome had the feeling Sango didn’t actually mind either.


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Inuyasha was shrugging on his coat, the same one Kagome had snatched from him when she had run away, when the telephone rang.

Inuyasha sighed, it was already half past ten at night, Sango was going to be pissed that he missed the meal.

Picking up receiver, he grunted to show the person he was listening.

“You shouldn’t have kissed her, Inuyasha Youkai.”

Inuyasha made a mad dash for the phone as it fell out of his slack hands. “Who the hell are you?” he growled.

“Not a nice way to treat Kag-chan’s friend, now is that?”

Inuyasha tried again. “Who the fucking hell is this?”

“Kukuku, Inuyasha. Does it really matter? You really shouldn’t have kissed her,” the man repeated.

“What kiss? Who’s she?”

“Shut up! Kagura saw you through your kitchen window! She reported it to me!” The voice’s smooth calmness was gone.

Inuyasha growled in annoyance. “Naraku, listen to me you son of a bitch! Don’t you lay a hand on Kagome! Don’t you dare touch her!”

“Kukuku. Kagome is mine, Inuyasha. You should heed your own warning. Though it doesn’t matter.” Naraku sighed as though he was disappointed. “I’ll soon have her back. Kagome will soon be back where she belongs, and you can do nothing to stop it.”

“What the fuck? Naraku! What are you talking about? Where is Kagome? She better be safe, do you hear me?” Inuyasha was met with a dial tone.

“DAMN IT!” he screamed as he slammed the phone down.

Running a hand through his silky hair, a normal sign of confusion or worry from him, Inuyasha raced out the front door.

Sliding through the open window of his convertible, not even bothering to open the door, he turned the key. The engine roared to life.

Driving like a madman, he sped all the way to Sango’s house, the place where Kagome should be.

‘Why’d I have to stay late in the study at home? The papers could have waited till tomorrow at work and I could be sitting eating dinner with my friends. But hell no, I just had to miss dinner so I have no idea where Kagome is, and Naraku is probably sneaking up behind her right now!’

The tires squealing, rubber burning, Inuyasha pulled into the small driveway in front of Sango’s house.

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Kagome pulled gently into the parking building next door to work. She’d always been a graceful, if not impatient, driver.

‘Hopefully Inu wont be too mad at me. Its already ten thirty five. Took me long enough,’ Kagome thought, looking at her watch.

Stepping lightly from the car, she slightly shivered at the breeze. Winter was closer than ever, fall was already half way done.

Humming, Kag opened the door leading from the ground floor of the parking lot to the company with her employee key.

Taking her time, Kagome walked through the main floor and zigzagged through all the desks and made her way to the elevator. Wrinkling her nose, Kagome decided to take the stairs instead. It’d take longer, but it would let her keep her legs moving.

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“Fucking A!” (e.e; Don’t ask, my brother says it.) “Sango, Miroku!”

Inuyasha ran into the room and was so frantic he didn’t notice that Miroku had his arm around their female friend and she wasn’t slapping it away.

“Inuyasha?”

“Where’s Kagome! Is she in the kitchen? I have to talk to her! Naraku’s planning some-!" He stopped when he realized the wide eyed looks of horror on his friends’ faces.

“Inuyasha! What the hell are you doing here?! Kagome is going to be so mad at you!” Sango stood up, momentarily forgetting about whom she had been sitting next to.

“What do you mean? What’d I do this time?”

“Inuyasha, Kagome went all the way out there to meet you.” Miroku calmly scolded the pissed of man in front of him.

“What the bloody hell are you talking about?”

Sango eyed him up and down. “Inuyasha, where were you at ten?”

Inu scowled, ticked off that Kag might be in trouble and his friends were asking about how his day was. “At home, in my study. I had some work to catch up on. Sesshoumaru was supposed to call and excuse me,” Inu ground out.

Sango went wide-eyed and exchanged a look with Miroku. “No you weren’t,” she told Inu sternly, “You were calling Kagome to come in and help you out at the office.”

“No,” Inuyasha replied sternly, still confused where this was going. “I was home.”

Now Miroku wasn’t calm. “Shit, Inuyasha! Kagome went out to meet ‘you’ at ten. She’s been gone for forty minutes!”

Inuyasha was completely confused by this point. “Damn it! Would you mind making sense?”

Miroku took a deep breath and tried to figure it out aloud. “At ten o’clock tonight, someone called here. Kagome answered and told us it was you, at work, and she was heading out to help you,” Miroku glared at Inuyasha when he tried to interrupt with ‘That wasn’t me!’ “However, you were at home, in your study. You did not make the call and apparently Naraku is up to something?”

“Yeah,” Inuyasha dragged the word out, trying to figure it out.

Sango went pale. “That means it must have been someone else calling Kagome! And if Naraku wants her back, he’d have to get her alone. So, Naraku or one of his ‘lackeys’ (“Which according to Kag, Naraku has a ton,” Miroku added.) must have called.”

“So,” Inuyasha joined in on the detective game. “Kagome is out there, alone, thinking she’s going to meet me somewhere and I’m not going to be there, but that jackass will be.”

“Exactly,” Miroku nodded obviously happy they figured it out. Sango smacked him upside the head.

“MIROKU!”

Inuyasha growled low in his throat. “I think this is the part of the mystery where I get the hell out of here and go be a knight in fucking shining armor.”

With that, Inu ran from the room and slammed the door open. Sango winced at the obvious dent that would be there if she checked.

Taking off like a madman (again) he floored it.

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Taking the steps one at the time, Kagome mentally scolded herself for forgetting Sango’s cell phone. What if her car had broken down and she had needed a ride?

Chewing her lip Kagome tried to remember the next few notes of the song as she slowly made her way up each flight. Slightly out of breath, she didn’t notice the scary feeling of all the lights being off.

She was also distracted by how hot it was. She’d been climbing for almost fifteen minutes. It was probably around 10:50 by now.

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Tokyo was a highly populated city, which means, that even at almost an hour until midnight, there’d be plenty of drivers on the road.

Inuyasha sat in the large traffic jam slamming a fist into the horn and cursing anyone who got within ear (and eye) shot. Flicking a few elderly people off, he scowled trying to find a way to get through.

The only good thing was that Kagome would have been stalled too.

She’d be there by now, probably just getting out of her car, he decided. He was pretty correct with his calculations, but not that close, Kagome was actually halfway up the stairs. Now was not the time to become good at math.

Inuyasha eyed the crowded street, yet not so crowded walkways. A thought struck him.

Inuyasha did what any good driving law-abiding citizen would do. He-

-drove on the sidewalk.

Racing half on, half off, the road, he passed the worst part of the jam and began to drive on the road again, ignoring the honking, cursing people around him.

Barreling down the street at a speed that would make a daredevil proud, Inuyasha got closer to his destination.

8 miles.

4 miles.

2 miles.

1 mile.

5 blocks.

Half a block.

There.

Slamming out of his precious silver vehicle, he raced off from his parking spot. Lifting up his head, lavender eyes gazed fiercely at the almost entirely dark building that he was so used to being beyond busy. Only one light was on. The top floor was lit up, his floor.

Scowling and chewing the inside of his cheek, not the easiest things to do at the same time, Inuyasha pushed through the still slightly busy streets. Coming to the front door, he pushed open the front door and ran into the main lobby.

Forgetting about the main elevator, he ran to the staircase. Quicker, he decided.

Throwing open the safety door that lead to the endless flights of steps he rushed in at top speed. Maybe, just maybe, if he arrived soon enough, Naraku wouldn’t have time to do anything. Kagome couldn’t have been there for too long, ten minutes at the least considering her grandma like driving.

Placing his booted foot on the first stair, he grabbed the end of the railing and turned his head upwards. Good thing he was in good shape, he’d need it to make it all the way up.

Growling, yet again, he set up, mind set on getting there before Naraku. Who knows what the guy had planned? He wanted Kagome and the jewel. The jewel he’d talked Kagome into wearing everywhere because it looked good on her. Naraku would have both soon if he didn’t get his lazy ass in gear, and he knew it.

Too bad fate had other plans in mind.

“Good evening Inuyasha,” a female drawled in a cool voice from the shadows behind the door.

Inuyasha turned to look into scarlet eyes.


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At the same time: “INUYASHA! Hey, you lazy butt. Lets get to work! If we hurry we might be able to get some leftovers and talk Miroku and Sango into getting some dessert. Inuyasha?”

Kagome skipped cheerfully out of the stairwell and into her part of the office. Noticing nothing out of place, she walked slowly and lazily to Inu’s office door.

It felt nice to be in such a bright room after the dark stairs.

“Must have gone somewhere to get something,” she whispered to herself when she entered his empty personal area.

Setting down her purse and unzipping her light jacket after the heat from climbing the stairs, she strolled behind the desk. Kagome laid a hand on the cool glass and leaned into it to look down on the street, far below. Lights from the passing cars and the streetlights drifted up through the night sky.

Without warning, a strong arm slipped around her waist from behind and held her closer to a muscular chest. Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes. “Ha ha, Inuyasha. Seriously now, stop teasing and lets get some work done,” she scolded as she tried to loosen the arm around her, but it only ended up tightening. “Inuyasha?!”

The man leaned down and his hot breath tickled her ear but sent warning chills down her spine.

“Guess who.”

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o.O

Sorry about the confusing time jumps, I tried to give you as many clues as possible as to figure out who was doing what at what time. It doesn’t really matter, so don’t worry about it. Inu arrived about twenty minutes after Kag. Kag reached the top floor just as Inu found the scarlet-eyed person.