InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Escape ❯ Arrival ( Chapter 21 )

Disclaimer: Wish I do, but I don't…own Inuyasha that is.

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AN: Yes, a month has passed since my last update, but don't blame me, blame the horrible writer's block that's been plaguing my mind for over a month now. But now that its over and I've finally figured out the rest of the story's plotline, I'm good to go. There will be five more chapters until this story is officially over and done with. ::sniffles:: Its all so sad. My very first fic is drawing to a close. Good, so now I can focus on other works in the making. ^-^

Thank you to all my loyal supporters of this story and bearing with me through my lack of updates. Hopefully the next one won't take as long considering I'm working on the next chapter now. ::throws Inuyasha plushies and Hershey kisses to the audience:: I love you guys!!! And now, on with the show.

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The Arrival

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Her breath caught in her throat as she pulled the Skyline into the extensive driveway that led to her grandmother's home, her eyes marveling in the beauty of the sight before her. She was here. She was tired, hungry, and the journey had been long and demanding, but she was finally here. Midoriko's surrounding aura pulsed and rippled in the air surrounding around the lodge-like house, as if beckoning her to come hither.

Allowing a small smile to quirk the corners of her mouth, Kagome brought the vehicle to a halt, removed the key from the ignition, and got out; oblivious to the inquiries her hanyou friend had just thrown her way. The stale, almost suffocating air of the interior of the car paled in comparison to the crispness of the fresh open air. It was beautiful. The house sat on a hill that overlooked a sea of trees and provided an excellent view of the region.

"Damnit bitch, would you listen to me!" The harsh timbres of Inuyasha's voice finally broke through the barrier in which she had conveniently eradicated for the sake of her sanity.

Kagome slanted him an exasperated glance over the roof of the car, partly irritated that he was disrupting the peace she had been trying to attain from the aesthetic scenery around her and partly pissed at him for talking to her after what he did. "What?"

Golden orbs narrowed in suspicion at her annoyed façade. "What the hell is your problem? You've been acting bitchier than usual ever since the attack and won't even talk to me. Now tell me what's the matter with you, and don't blame it on your cycle because you just came off it."

"Where do you get off telling me that I'm bitching when you act like you're PMSing 24/7!" she snapped, her jovial mood all but forgotten at his inconsiderate demeanor. "I think I'm entitled to a little show of emotion since being here means a lot to me. If that bothers you, you can leave now because I don't have time for your idiocy." Not bothering to wait for a response, Kagome slammed the door shut and marched to the porch, leaving a confused hanyou in her wake.

"What did you do now Inuyasha?" Sango inquired with a hint of annoyance while stepping out of the Lancer.

"Keh. I didn't do shit," he growled, effectively hiding the pang of hurt and confusion he felt, do to her actions.

"You could've at least let us settle in before starting your typical pissy fits," Miroku sighed and popped open the trunk to retrieve the luggage.

The vein in the hanyou's forehead looked about ready to burst. Inuyasha opened his mouth to defend his actions, but the words bunched at the tip of his tongue when Kikyo glared at him, silently commanding him to shut up. And he complied with her wishes like a trained dog, much to his disappointment.

"After we unpack and familiarize ourselves with this territory, we need to come up with a course of action for the next couple of days," she stated matter of factly, instantly taking it upon herself to take charge of their band.

Sango and Miroku rolled their eyes at each other in which both the miko and hanyou missed much to their fortune. The audacity of this miko possessed was undisputed.

"Yay! We're here!" an excited kitsune squealed opening the back door to the Lancer and hopping out, closely followed by the neko youkai. "Come on Kirara, let's go find Kagome!"

Inuyasha ignored them all, his attention solely focused on the front door, where the said miko, had just disappeared behind. A low rumble vibrated deep within his chest. Her disdain towards him had more of an impact on him than he wanted to admit. It hurt him to the heart that she didn't want anything to do with him. Did she hate him? If not, then why didn't she want to talk to him? Was it something that he did or didn't do? An impending headache throbbed dully in the base of his skull. All of this pondering was making him even more confused.

Sighing deeply, Inuyasha retreated to his Skyline's trunk to get the suitcases. He would talk to her later after she cooled down.

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There was one thing Kagome could say about her grandmother. She had taste. Very expensive taste. Taste that could rival professional and highly paid interior decorators. The foyer was compromised of shiny, hardwood floors that branched off in directions leading to a living room, a huge library that could be seen through double glass painted doors, and a spiral staircase, a grand, crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling that was the centerpiece of a mosaic that had been painted on the surrounding sides of it, and a masterfully chiseled marble dolphin fountain that stood in the center with water spouting eloquently from its mouth into a pool by its fin.

"Wow," the miko breathed in reverence while circling around the water fountain, her footsteps echoing hollowly against the walls of the abandoned house, blue eyes straying to every aspect of the entrance hall. "Midoriko, you've certainly outdone yourself."

"Jeez Kagome, it looks like Midoriko-sama had money to burn," Shippou commented with wide eyes before jumping into her arms.

Kirara mewled in agreement.

Kagome laughed. "I guess she did. Let's go upstairs and check out the bedrooms."

"Can I share a room with you?" the child inquired eagerly as they ascended onto the spiral staircase.

"Shippou, I think that this place is big enough so that you can have your own room. Wouldn't you like that?" She ruffled his bushy tail affectionately.

The kitsune pouted, his green eyes downcast. "But I want to stay with you."

She had to smile at his innocence and cuteness. How could she turn down a face like that? "You can stay with me if you want."

His features brightened at her words. "Thank you Gome!" Shippou hugged her neck ardently, an immense feeling of acceptance and love overwhelming his tiny heart.

"You know my entire apartment makes up this foyer," Sango remarked upon crossing the threshold, a suitcase in one hand, Hiraikotsu in the other. "I wonder what the bedrooms look like."

"Why Sango my dearest, I had no idea you wanted to initiate sexual activities so soon in the relationship," Miroku said coming up behind his girlfriend, a lecherous smile on his face as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, his free hand coming to rest on her backside.

Kagome and Shippou winced at the resonating slap that reverberated throughout the foyer.

Sango glared at him angrily, her cheeks flaming with heat. "There will not be any 'sexual activities', houshi, for a very long time."

Despite the rather large red handprint on his face, Miroku's amethyst colored eyes lighted up with hope and amusement. "So does that mean there will be love making in our future?"

Her brow twitched once she realized her faux pas, the ending result being her face turning a unique shade of crimson. "In your dreams monk," she muttered storming off toward the steps hurriedly so he wouldn't notice her embarrassment.

"All the time beautiful," Miroku grinned, his eyes fixated on the hypnotic sway of her hips as she walked away from him while he nursed his injured cheek.

Kagome stifled her giggles and followed her embarrassed friend up the staircase. They made such a cute couple. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all with her friends here to make her laugh with their outrageous antics and words.

Regretfully, she should have not spoken so soon. After touring the rest of the expansive, mansion-bordering house and settling down in the room Shippou had picked out for them, they all gathered in the kitchen area so a plan could be formulated. And so she was forced to be trapped within the same vicinity as Inuyasha and Kikyo. Talk about claustrophobia.

She avoided his questioning gaze upon entering and seated herself at the far end of the table next to Miroku so she would be as far away from him and his woman as possible.

"Ok, now that we're all here, let's get started," Miroku began, all amusement from his eyes disappearing as they got down to business. "What we need, is to determine what course of action we will be taking in regards to Naraku. Now Kagome, what did Midoriko-sama say once we arrived here?"

Ignoring the unemotional yet disturbing stare of the older miko, that sent a passing shiver down her spine, Kagome answered. "She said we are to wait here three days and then an event will take place that will lead to the revealing of Naraku."

"So we are just supposed to stay here like sitting ducks and wait for something to just drop in our lap?" Inuyasha questioned, unsatisfied with this plan.

Kagome glared at him for second guessing her grandmother's prophecy. "That is what I said."

He returned her glare. If she wanted to play hardball, he was game. "And how do we know that Midoriko's little predictions are accurate?"

Kagome gritted her teeth against her rising anger at his prodding questions. "The fact that we are here right now should be proof enough."

"That's not enough. You're finding this place could just be a fluke."

"How dare you assume that my finding Midoriko's house was a fluke!" she snapped, springing out of her chair, half ready to jump across the table and strangle him for his unabashed insolence. "My grandmother's powers far surpass any miko that has ever walked the face of the planet! She has already helped us this far by getting us here! You should be grateful for her help instead of acting like an inconsiderate and selfish ass! If it weren't for her you would probably sitting in your lonely apartment wondering what you're next move would be! If you can't accept that Midoriko's sight is what has guided us this far and be gracious for all that she's done for us, you can just get the hell out!"

Everyone sat in stunned silence after her last few angry words spilled from her lips, each taken aback from the force and outrage of the usually calm and carefree miko. Even Kikyo seemed to be a bit shocked by the girl's outward display of fierceness.

Her words hurt more than Inuyasha was willing to admit, but he had seen what he had sought out to find in her endless pools of blue. In her moment of rage, she had cut loose the restraints that had once kept her back, the cheerful and careless mask she had plastered on her face to prevent him or the others to see what she was really feeling had slipped, and in that time, he had seen the pain in her eyes. Somehow he had brought upon this pain, and it was making her miserable. He didn't know what he did, but he fully intended to find out.

Inuyasha abruptly stood up and walked around the table to where she still stood, her face red, and her breath coming in pants from the exertion it took to scream at him. Without regard for what she thought or anyone else for that matter, he latched on to her wrist and dragged her away from the kitchen and down the hall to the library.

"Get off of me!" she growled, trying aimlessly to take back the appendage he had so roughly acquired from her by beating him with her free hand.

"Settle down bitch. We need to talk." The hanyou yanked open one of the double doors and lightly shoved Kagome in. After making sure that the nosy occupants of the household were not following them, Inuyasha closed and locked the doors, turning around just in time to catch a hardback novel that she had just launched at his head. "Stop acting so damn immature so we can fucking talk."

"You call me immature and you're the one crying about the fallacies of my grandmother's sight!" she spat picking out another book from the vast collection on the shelf nearest to her to hurl at him.

Before she could take aim, Inuyasha was in front of her. Using his lightning quick speed, he gripped both her wrists with one clawed hand and pinned them above her head, the book consequently falling with a clatter to the floor. Kagome squirmed fruitlessly in his tight hold, and resorted to kicking him at seeing as how her hands were now useless in this fight. "Let me go you jerk!"

Inuyasha suppressed the urge to laugh as she kicked him repeatedly in his shins as if her endeavors were getting her somewhere. Though it was mildly amusing to see her try and fight her way out of his hold, they had more pressing matters to deal with. Since Kagome wasn't planning on giving up the struggle so easily, Inuyasha decided to turn the tables. With one well-maneuvered sweep of his foot that was aimed to catch her off balance so he could put her down, it was only a matter of seconds before she was on the floor with him on top of her, his legs clamped to hers gently on either side, his hand still latched onto her wrists to prevent her from fighting back.

He smirked when she twisted and bucked underneath him for a few seconds before yielding unto him. "Are you done yet?"

"Go screw yourself asshole." She glared up at him for trapping her like some kind of animal while attempting to catch her breath.

The rather raunchy come back he had in mind for her escaped him when he felt the swell of her pert breasts perpetually brushed against his chest as she regained her breath in pants. He gulped, both his heartbeat and pulse racing wildly with excitement and a desire he had long denied himself of, his body naturally reacting to the intimacy of their situation. This was not good. He had came in here to be alone with her to talk to her about where their relationship stood, not come onto her.

But his conviction was dwindling and dwindling fast. His inner youkai was awakening from its somnolence and it wanted one thing, or rather person, and one person only. Her. It wanted her and wanted her badly. It wanted her body, her mind, her soul. It wanted to ravish her. It wanted to tease and please her. And it was driving him insane. Inuyasha ground his teeth together to restrain the passionate emotions and feelings that were being aroused within him. And it wasn't helping that her alluring scent had somehow wrapped around him, adding to his heightened state of wantonness.

The breath she had strove to regain all caught in her throat. Pressed up against him in a very compromising position with his hard body, infusing her body with a warmth and security she hadn't thought existed and sending white-hot frissons of some kind of foreign craving down her spine was not what she had envisioned when he said he had wanted to talk. She had never thought about him in a sexual manner, not until now with his musky scent teasing her nose and his muscular length covering her own. If only Kikyo could see them now, then she would know that Inuyasha was hers and only hers.

Kagome inwardly frowned at the thought. Where had that come from? But Kikyo was only a distant memory when she felt his warm breath against the curve of her neck. All she could see, hear, feel, was him as his tongue flicked out and caressed the side of her neck, leaving a trail of hot wetness against her skin. She whimpered and closed her eyes, repressing the compulsion to groan when his talented tongue roved sensually along the sensitive sweep of her neck, making an agonizingly slow trail up to her earlobe.

Her body arched on its own accord up to his. "Inuyasha," she gasped when his fangs replaced his tongue, the gentle yet erotic scraping of the sharp objects producing wave after wave of tremors that wracked her body mercilessly.

The way she said his name further incited him to please his mate. 'Shit. Mate? Where the hell did that come from?' The question was forgotten in an instant when he felt the tremors convulse throughout her body, inadvertently increasingly his own arousal. Shifting so that he lie between her legs instead of on the outside, Inuyasha released his hold on her wrists only to bring them to the soft expanse of her stomach and growled appreciatively when he felt her hands entangle themselves in his silver mass of hair.

Kagome sucked in a lungful of air as his hands trailed the outer edges of her tank top before slowly disappearing beneath the thin layer of clothing. Her pupils expanded as his claws gently stroked her tummy, creating heat to pool within the lower regions of her stomach. The sensations and jolts he was eliciting from her body were more than amazing, they were blissful, and left her hankering for more.

The clawed hand that was steadily rising toward her peaks, the other toward the waistband of her pants, the tongue and fangs that were doing a special number to her neck, his warm breath against her skin….it was enough to make her loose sight of everything but him. But somewhere, deep within the recesses of her mind, told her that this was wrong. That she wasn't ready for what would transpire in just the near future if they continued these activities. And luckily or unluckily depending on what perspective that was taken, she reluctantly agreed.

"Inuyasha," Kagome murmured breathily pulling his head away from hers so they could look each other in the eyes. Another spike of desire hit her hard when she saw the smoldering fire within his molten pools of gold as he stared into her very soul, his eyes saying it all. He wanted her and he wanted her bad and she would be lying if she said she didn't feel the same. "Inu-" She gasped, his name lost in a sea of fog as one of his hands began to massage the base of her breast.

"S-stop it!" she wrenched the wandering hand from beneath her shirt and pushed the hanyou off of her by sheer willpower. Damn him for making her feel like putty in his hands.

The red haziness that had overtaken his brain slowly receded as he gained his wits back, the reality of the situation sinking all too clearly into his sex induced mind. Guilt lashed out at him unrelentingly at what he had just done. Rolling to his feet, the hanyou glanced uncertainly at Kagome, who sat with her back towards him, successfully preventing him from seeing how she was reacting to what had just occurred. His ambiguity was further spurred by the smell of their arousal that lingered heavily in the air, making it impossible for even his nose to discern what she was feeling at the moment.

"Kagome?"

She didn't immediately respond to his inquiry, her jumbled emotions frustrating her beyond words. Questions about their relationship and how this event would change things between them flickered so quickly in her mind she didn't have a chance to voice one of them. How was she supposed to respond to this? Would he regret it? She most certainly didn't. Being with him so intimately like that…she had never felt so alive in her life. No guy, not even Hojo, had ever made her feel so…so wanted, so beautiful, so loved.

A blush spread across her already flushed cheeks. Was she actually starting to fall in love with Inuyasha? Or was it too late? Gods, it seemed like their little make out session had only served to accelerate her feelings for him. Maybe, he felt the same way about her as she did about him. Her eyes glowed with happiness.

She loved him. She, Kagome Higurashi, was in love with Inuyasha. If only she could express to him how he made her feel, then she wouldn't have to worry about Kikyo, or any other woman for the matter, from stealing his heart away from her.

"It was an accident, Kagome. It never should have happened," Inuyasha muttered staring at the floor, taking her silence and glower as signs that she regretted what had just occurred between them. He couldn't blame her. He had totally taken advantage of her innocence and had betrayed what little trust there was left between their deteriorating friendship. His ears drooped in defeat. She probably hated him now.

Hurt overtook the utter euphoria that had previously dominated her tangled emotions. Tears brimmed in her eyes. It was only an accident? It never should have happened? So it was true. He didn't love her. He only had eyes for Kikyo. Lowering her head so that he wouldn't see how much his muttered words had affected her, Kagome steadily stood to her feet. "I-I need some fresh air."

"Kagome wait." But she had already fled the library, taking, unbeknownst to her, the shattered pieces of his heart.

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Tears obscured Kagome's vision as she ran out the front door and down the gravel driveway, but she didn't care. All she knew was that she had to get away from the house, from him, from her. He didn't love her. His heart, if he had one at all, was presumably held by the other miko in his life. Apparently, there wasn't enough room for her and with good reason. Kikyo was smarter, prettier, and more powerful than she. No wonder Inuyasha came to her every beck and call. He loved Kikyo. And though it hurt to acknowledge it, Kagome had to get over it and move on. How else was she going to help bring down Naraku and set her grandmother free?

Choking back the sobs she had locked within her chest, Kagome stopped running to wipe away the streams of salty liquid that flowed freely from her eyes and willed herself to remain strong. Bawling and whining would get her nowhere. 'I can do this,' she chanted in her mind. 'I will not let anyone bring me down or deter me from my goals. My life does not revolve around Inuyasha. And the quicker I accept that, the faster I will get over him.'

Squelching the shred of doubt and skepticism that came with her last thought, Kagome straightened herself and took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself to go back into the house and face her fears. As she turned to make her way back up the driveway, a sudden prickling feeling raised the hairs on the back of her neck, the sound of footsteps crunching behind her making the feeling of unease escalate.

Tentatively, Kagome extended her aura to identify the stranger that had just stopped a few feet behind her. A blast of cold, icy air on behalf of the individual stopped her in the process before she could reach out completely. It was a very powerful youkai; that much she had discerned.

Her curiosity getting the best of her, Kagome cautiously turned around. If she was going to face off with this guy, she at least wanted to know what he looked like. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she met the cold, calculating gaze of the youkai in front of her. 'Oh crap.'

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Inuyasha hesitated to open the front door. He very much doubted that she wanted to see him now. And why should she? He had practically told her off after a very hot make out session, one in which he enjoyed thoroughly though it ended a bit early for his liking. Inuyasha groaned and slammed his head on the oakwood door. Gods, he felt like such an idiot. What could he do to make it up to her?

A bone chilling scream from the outside broke his line of thought, his insides freezing over. Shit. That was Kagome's scream. Without a moment's hesitation, the hanyou wretched open the door and flew out of it at break neck speed. Amber eyes narrowed to slits when a familiar scent drifted into his nose, a scent he hadn't come across in over half a decade. Inuyasha came to a standstill at the end of the gravel road; claws flexed and ready to rip the bastard that stood amidst a wispy cloud only a few feet in front of him to ribbons for harming Kagome.

"Sesshoumaru," he growled, the guttural tone of his voice shattering the silence of the night air. His eyes flashed with tinges of red as he met his half brother's impassive gaze. "Where is she?"

A condescending smirk graced the features of the stoic taiyoukai. "Seven years and no hello little brother?" he spat out the last bit bitterly. "This, Sesshoumaru should have known that even after all these years your manners would not have improved. But what could one expect from a lowly half breed, such as yourself?"

"And I see you're still as sissified as when I last saw you. And you still dress like a pussy," Inuyasha smirked at the black silk shirt and beige slacks the older inuyoukai was clad in.

Sesshoumaru dropped the smirk, his golden eyes icing over with a frigid harshness that only he seemed capable of producing, the cloud beneath his feet swirling and twisting about him. "Enough small talk whelp. Where is the Tetsusaiga?"

"None of your fucking business. Now what did you do with Kagome?"

"If you want the wench back, half breed, you will have to exchange the sword for her life."

All of the color drained from Inuyasha's face, his heart convulsing with fear and panic. Fuck. He couldn't just give the only heirloom he had of his family away to the one person he despised almost as much as Naraku. But the thought of Kagome dying on him made his blood turn to ice in his veins. He had promised to protect her, to be there for her. She meant a hell of a lot more to him than he wanted to confess. What was he to do? "How do I know that she's still alive?" he asked edgily, stalling for time.

Sesshoumaru scoffed at his meager attempt to buy time. Foolish hanyou. Raising one slender finger, the curls of white air parted revealing an unconscious Kagome at his feet.

"What the fuck did you do to her!?" Inuyasha barked ferally, his pointed fangs bared in a threatening guise. His inner demon howled in rage at the sight of his mate lying lifelessly on the ground at the mercy of the taiyoukai. A growl that sounded like something akin to thunder rumbled dangerously in his chest. He would kill him, half brother or not, for touching what was his.

A twisted half smile curved on taiyoukai's lips. Priceless. "Your bitch is in an inactive state of dormancy. She will awaken…eventually, but only if this Sesshoumaru gets what he wants."

Inuyasha felt like slashing the patronizing smirk on his bastard of a half brother's girlie face. The vehemence that swelled within him bubbled and flared furiously. Fuck subtleties. That asshole had Kagome. And he'd be damned if he'd lose her when he was so close to having her as his forever. With a snarl of rage, Inuyasha launched himself recklessly at the older inuyoukai, his claws extended, itching to sink themselves into his flesh.

Anticipating his brash move, Sesshoumaru had already summoned his youki whip, and with an elegant flick of the wrist, lashed out at the rapidly approaching hanyou.

Inuyasha yelped in pain at the burning crack of the whip as it came down on his chest, the power and force behind it pushing him onto his back. Blinking away the stars and dizziness that accompanied the sizzling sting of the whip, the hanyou jumped to his feet, only to be knocked back down by another powerful blow of the taiyoukai's whip.

"Give up pup," Sesshoumaru said, coolly flicking the youki whip above where Inuyasha lay struggling to get up so that it crackled with unbridled energy, sending shooting sparks over his already beaten body.

"Not until you give me back Kagome." Inuyasha ground his teeth against the searing pain in his torso. 'Shit. It feels like my chest is on fire.' But he nonetheless clambered unsteadily to his feet, determination and hatred shining in his amber orbs.

"Your funeral." The taiyoukai was mildly surprised that after being buffeted by ten hits of his youkai whip, the hanyou still managed to hang on to the nonexistent hope that he could stand up to him, like he had some kind of chance. It would have been laughable had it not been so sad.

His body was on fire; his head was spinning from the potent strikes; his blood streamed down his legs and pooled in a sea of red beneath him; and yet, he hung on. He wouldn't go out like a wimp. His only regret was that he would never get a chance to tell Kagome that he was sorry…for everything.

Sesshoumaru stared at the pathetic sight before him apathetically. It was a shame the half-breed hadn't put up more of a fight. He had actually been looking forward to the day he would get to face off with his worthless half brother and teach him that his kind didn't belong in the world. Finding it pointless and a waste of time to beat what was already beaten, the taiyoukai retracted the youkai lash and walked away back to where the girl lay sleeping on his cloud.

"No, bastard." Inuyasha fought to stay conscious and tried to rise, but found that his body was no longer in commission, for his injuries were far too serious and painful for him even to get up. He could only watch helplessly through blurred vision as Sesshoumaru stepped on top of his cloud. In the distance he could hear the yells and shouts of the other members of the household as they rushed as fast as they could to the scene.

"I will give you three days to make your choice hanyou." The taiyoukai stared indifferently at the pitiful looking bloody pulp in front of him as the cloud began to rise from off the ground. "On the third day, I will return and by then you should have made your choice. Your mate or the Tetsusaiga."

A resounding ache ricocheted throughout the chambers of his heart as he watched his half-brother fly away with his miko. And there was nothing he could do about it. Burning tears of frustration and pain pricked the back of his eyes as the darkness began to overtake him. "Kagome," he whispered brokenly, before completely giving into the dark abyss.