InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ For the Love of a Child ❯ A Mysterious Young Woman Named Kagome. ( Chapter 11 )

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

The living room in Kagome’s apartment is silent, its occupants tense.  Sango’s husband paces the floor, angrily mumbling to himself, while slapping an object, against his hand as the hanyou sits on the edge of the couch, anxiously watching the hallway, waiting for the man’s wife to walk out of the bedroom.  Suddenly Miroku pauses to stare down at the hanyou.

 

“Why?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Why did something so heinous have to happen to her?  Hasn’t Kagome suffered enough already?  They must have beaten her senseless InuYasha and … well I’d really hate to know what else.  It’s just too damn incredible to believe!”  Miroku points toward the hallway.  “Kagome didn’t deserve that, you know.  Not any of it!”

 

“Hey I hear ya,” says the hanyou wearing a deep scowl on his face.  “It’s damn well pissing me off too.”

 

“Kagome’s the kindest, sweetest, gentlest person you’d ever want to know.  No threat to anyone so why?  Why, the hell would someone hurt her like that?  What plausible motive could they have had?”

 

“You suspect me, don’t you?”  The hanyou frowns while slowly looking up at the man.  “You think cause I’m a hanyou that I’m responsible for what happened to her, right?”

 

“No, of course not.  But you are the one who found her.”

 

“So?”

 

“So, Kagome’s bound to have said something, right?  Like given you a name?  So, who the hell was it InuYasha?”

 

“Do you honestly believe I’d still be sitting here if Kagome had told me who the bastards were?” he replies angrily.  “I would have already gone out and killed the sons of bitches for this!”  InuYasha quickly jumps to his feet.  “Damn it Miroku what happened?  Why the hell didn’t you guys come help her when she needed ya huh?!  Were you just too busy, fucking each other to give a shit or what?”

 

“I resent that!” says Miroku angrily. 

 

“Oh, do you now?” replies the hanyou with a threatening growl.

 

“That’s right!” argues Miroku.  “Sango and I have always …ALWAYS looked after Kagome, InuYasha.”

 

“Well, it sure as hell don’t look like it.  You guys live right down the hall, damn it.  If you were looking after Kagome so well,” growls the hanyou and he waves toward the hallway, “she sure as hell wouldn’t have ended up like that!”

 

“That’s true but…”

 

“Then maybe you guys suddenly went deaf during the short time Kagome was getting the damn shit knocked out of her!” accuses the hanyou angrily.  “She must have screamed, damn it…yelled for help!  There was blood all over Kagome’s body, Miroku, and there’s blood splattered all over her fucking bathroom.  She must have put up a damn good fight against those sons of bitches.  But she was all alone …frightened, too damn weak to defend herself.  So, what the fuck do you have to say for yourselves?”

 

“First of all, InuYasha we don’t owe you a damn thing alright?” replies Miroku with a frown.  “But as for hearing her…”  He waves his arms around him.  “It’s just the way these apartments are built, that’s all.”

 

“Yeah right.”

 

“It’s true.  When you’re in your bedroom with the door shut you can’t hear a damn thing.  These walls have enough between them, they’re practically sound proof.”

 

“Oh come on damn it!” asks the hanyou incredulously.  “These buildings must be what…seventy, eighty…a hundred years old at least?  There’s no damn way in hell these walls would have that much insulation where it’d block out everything!”

 

“Well, it does.  It’s one of the main reasons these apartments are always rented out.”

 

“So, you’re saying you really didn’t hear anything?”

 

“That’s right, not a sound.  If we had, this wouldn’t have happened to her.  I would have killed those bastards for sure.  I am glad you came to us when you found her though.  Knowing Kagome, she would have just laid in there, suffering until my wife came over this morning.”  Miroku deeply bows.  “You have our deepest and sincerest thanks my friend.”

 

“Keh!” says the hanyou frustratingly.  “Don’t go thanking me.”  He walks to and leans against the window sill.  “I was still too damn late to protect her!”  He tightly closes his eyes, while closing his fists.  (And too fucking drunk.)

 

“Hey.”  Miroku walks behind the angry hanyou and places a hand on his shoulder.  “Kagome would’ve died, tonight, InuYasha, if you hadn’t come over when you did.  And for that, my wife and I are truly grateful.”

 

“It’s not over yet Miroku.”  InuYasha pushes away from the window.  “The bastards are still out there.  Maybe planning to come back here to finish her off.  If only I knew where they’d gone, or at least the area they ran off to.”

 

“They won’t come back here InuYasha.  Not after doing all this.”

 

“I wouldn’t say that.  Some humans are just too damn stupid to learn when enough is enough.  Some even do this shit just to get off.”  The hanyou nods toward the object the man’s clutching so tightly in his hand.  “Say.  What cha got there?”

 

“What…This?” replies the man lifting the object of concern.  “An icepick.  Found it in the trash bin in the kitchen.”

 

“Weird place for it to be.”

 

“I thought so,” Miroku inspects the object.  “Looks as if someone tried to wipe it clean.”  He hands the weapon over to the curious hanyou.  “Little good it did them.  There’s still blood on the handle.”

 

The hanyou sniffs the object and growls.  “Keh!  It’s blood alright.  Kagome’s and someone else’s.”

 

“You’re saying there’s only two?”

 

“Yeah.  The scent their blood is all over this damn thing!”  The hanyou, tightens his grip on the pick, “That son of a bitch had to have used this against Kagome more than once to get this much blood on it!”

 

“You’re probably right,” replies Miroku with a slight nod.  “Wonder why he left it here though.  Wouldn’t it have been better if he’d just taken it with him and threw it away somewhere?”

 

“If he was smart, yeah.  But he’s probably some cocky dumb ass who thought no one would have notice it in there.”  (What this,) InuYasha again sniffs the handle?  (This scent!)  He sniffs it one more time.  (I know it.  But from where?  The club?  At work?)

 

“Something wrong, InuYasha?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You looked as if you’d just realized something.  Care to share?”

 

“It’s nothing.”  He hands the weapon back to Miroku.  “So, what now?  You turning it over to the police?”

 

“I’m waiting to ask Kagome what she wants done with it,” replies Miroku.  “It’s her call.  But if it were up to me, and I knew who the damn bastard was, I’d go hunt him down, then shove this pick down his damn throat or up his ass as far as it would go.”

 

“Yeah.  He’s definitely gonna lose a few things, should I be lucky enough to find his ass.”  A few moments of silence pass between the young hanyou and angry human, each absorbed in his own thoughts.  The hanyou looks over at Miroku.  “Say.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You got some club going on around here or something?”

 

“A club?”

 

“Yeah.  Oh you know…a club of some kind.  One with just the three of you or maybe the whole building.”

 

“Why?  You looking to join?” asks Miroku with a smile.

 

“Hell yeah.  You guys seem to have a special bond here.  One of protection, sort of speak.”

 

“By protection, you mean?”

 

“I don’t know,” replies InuYasha.  “Protection.  Take tonight for instance.  At the club, when Kagome was feeling out of it, you knew exactly what to do for her.  And there was no doubt in her mind you would keep her safe.  She trusts you.  And Sango, when I told her what I’d seen… she didn’t think twice before coming here to see about her even though it was late.  And she was really anxious about finding Kagome.”

 

“So?  What does a club have to do with it?”

 

“Nothing I guess,” the hanyou replies with a slight shrug.  “Just trying to understand the connection here between you guys and Kagome.  Are you somehow related?  Her guardians, maybe?”

 

“Nope, just friends.”

 

“Friends?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“I don’t get it.  Friends wouldn’t go as far as you two have for Kagome tonight.  You went far beyond that,” says InuYasha suspiciously.  “Don’t get me wrong.  I’m glad you’re here for her.  I’m just wondering if you’re getting paid to look after her like this?”

 

“Nope, “Miroku smiles.  “No payment involved.”

 

“You must be benefiting from this in some way,” says the hanyou crossing his arms over his chest.  “What exactly are you getting out this if not for a reward of some kind?”

 

“You really want to know?”

 

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.”

 

“Then I’ll tell you.  Now…where to start?”

 

“How about the beginning?”

 

“Alright.”  Miroku slowly rubs his chin as if deep in thought.  “Let’s see… first of all, InuYasha I’m sure, by now you’ve noticed what an unusual woman Kagome is.”  The hanyou nods.  “She’s not judgmental like most people.  She tries to help everyone, find good in them no matter who it may be, or their circumstances.  She even tries to find good in a person when there’s none to be found, always gives them the benefit of a doubt.  And I’ll tell you this, my friend violence is not her way of dealing with things, unless she’s protecting someone.”

 

“Protecting?” asks InuYasha with surprise.  “Kagome?”

 

“Yep,” replies Miroku with a slight laugh.  “That young lady in there is not as delicate a flower as she seems.  She’ll take on anyone, InuYasha, and I do mean anyone, who messes with her friends, no matter who it is.  Kagome will protect Sango, Kaede, me and probably you as well.  She’ll fight tooth and nail for us yet she won’t protect herself.  Perhaps if she had, tonight’s outcome might have been different.”

 

“Protecting, huh?”  InuYasha looks back toward the hallway.  “But she’s so quiet and gentle.”

 

“Gentle she may be, but if she’s angered, watch out!”  The two walk over and sit on the couch.

 

“Has she always been like that?”

 

Miroku nods.  “For as long as we’ve known her.  You see, Sango and I…we haven’t been married too long when we first met Kagome.  At the time, I was 19 and Sango just celebrated her 17th birthday.  Our parents …both hers and mine, weren’t too happy about our marrying without their permission.  And it didn’t help matters that we were as young as we were.  They refused to help us out whenever we needed money or couldn’t find a decent place to live.”

 

“I’ve heard rumors about you humans, refusing to help your young,” says InuYasha with a slight look of curiosity.  “But I’ve never come across anyone who actually did it.  Why did they?”

 

“Dunno.  They just said it was their form of tough love; that it was our choice to marry against their wishes and we’d just have to tough it out.”

 

“Tough love huh?  Seems kind of cruel to me Miroku.”

 

“Yeah.  It’s why both Sango and I refuse to go see them.  Show them what tough love really means.”

 

“I see.  It’s kind of different with demons Miroku.  No matter the circumstances, they stick together.”

 

“Sort of makes one wonder, doesn’t it, who, has the better life?”

 

“I suppose it does,” replies the hanyou.  “So how did you and your mate survive?”

 

“As best we could actually,” replies Miroku with a slight shrug.  “I tried finding work.  Went everywhere looking, but at such a young age, as I was back then, unless you knew someone, you just couldn’t get a job in this cursed city…none that would pay a decent wage, at least.”

 

“Sounds rough.  And you couldn’t get any help from your family at all?”

 

“Nope.  We were on our own from the very start.  Things were really rough for us back then; going from place to place with nothing more than the clothes on our backs.  We stayed in places like alleys and bus stations, without much to eat.  I was beginning to wonder if I had done the right thing in marrying Sango when I did; that perhaps my parents were right and I should have waited until I was better prepared to take care of her.  It got so bad, for us, I had to go scrounging in dumpsters, begging on the streets, taking whatever odd jobs or handouts I could get, even waited outside kitchen doorways, fighting dogs for what scraps were being thrown out just so we could eat.  I really can’t tell you why Sango stayed by my side so long.  I don’t think any other woman, except perhaps Kagome, would have done the same.”

 

(They had nothing, yet they stayed together.  Would KiKyo had stayed by my side if our situation were the same,) the hanyou thought curiously?

 

“Anyway,” continues Miroku, “one night, Sango and I were sleeping in a bus terminal, when a man saw us and thought we’d be easy targets.  He grabbed Sango, demanding she give up what she had.”

 

“Couldn’t have been much from what you’ve just told me.”

 

“You got that right.  I’d managed to fight him off but not before he was able to take Sango’s wedding ring.  She was absolutely devastated.  And if that weren’t bad enough, the station manager came up to us, demanding we leave, and no amount of begging would change his mind so…”

 

“Uh Miroku,” says InuYasha feeling a slight twinge of jealousy, “This is all very interesting, and I would love to hear more about it some other time, but can we just cut to the chase?  How does Kagome fit into this?”

 

“I’m coming to that,” replies Miroku with a nod.  “Now you see, InuYasha it was the dead of winter and that night was really cold and wet; more like freezing and there simply weren’t any other places for us to take shelter in.  Fortunately, Sango and I had managed to find a large empty appliance box, sitting in an alley.  It was dry so we crawled into it and tried to get some sleep.  That is until some annoying person started banging on top of the damn thing.  And they just wouldn’t stop!”

 

“Why didn’t you tell the bastard to fuck off?”

 

“I did.  Several times in fact, but they just wouldn’t listen.  They just kept knocking and knocking…  Well believe me my friend, I wasn’t in any mood to put up with another bastard, and I sure as hell wasn’t giving up our box.  So, I came charging out of that box, yelling at the top of my lungs while holding up my fists, ready to fight.  Imagine my surprise, when the intruder, turned out, to be not a man as I was expecting, but this young woman with the strangest brown eyes, I’d ever seen.”

 

“Kagome?”

 

“You got it,” replies Miroku with a nod.  “And get this InuYasha.  She wasn’t frightened of me at all.”

 

“Kind of exaggerating there, aren’t cha pal?” says InuYasha suspiciously. 

 

“No, it’s true!  Kagome stood there, before me, a stranger, as calm as you please, staring, with this odd look on her face.  Almost like she knew me or something.  Well I’d never seen the woman in my life, so my next thought was she was some smart-ass bitch wanting to jerk our chains sort of speak.  But when she spoke.”  Miroku laughs and slightly shakes his head.  “Her words really did surprise me.  Here I stood, trying to look and sound as dangerous as I could, with my fists almost in her face.  Kagome just cocked her head and sweetly smiled at me, asking if I was all right and if I needed anything.”

 

“You’re fucking with me,” says the hanyou with a slight laugh.  “No one’s that damn stupid.”

 

“If this was being told by someone else, I would have agreed with you,” replies Miroku.  “Why was this woman here, this perfect stranger to Sango and me  And why was she being so concerned about our welfare?  It just didn’t make any sense to me except perhaps she saw how really poor I was and was living in a box of all places.  So, it came to me, this woman isn’t all that concerned about us.  She was making fun of me …thinking I’m just a bum, too lazy to work.  Needless to say, my pride was hurt, so I got all cocky and told her to go jump in the lake.  Of course, back then, my language wasn’t the best, you see.”

 

“So, Kagome walked away, right?” asks InuYasha curiously.  “Or did she run?”

 

“Neither,” replies Miroku.  “She just stood there smiling, while calmly opening her purse.  She took out a pen and a piece of paper, and wrote something down.  I thought it was a check so I told her to keep her damn charity.  That we didn’t need it.”

 

“Well, that sure was stupid.  Why would you let pride stand in the way of taking care of your mate?”

 

“Do you want to know what happened or not?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Then shut up and let me finish the story.”

 

“Oh, ok.”

 

Miroku places a finger to his chin, giving a thoughtful look.  “Now where was I?  Oh… well, Kagome gave me the slip of paper.  After seeing what it was, I became totally confused, and wanted to ask her about it.  But when I looked up she was already walking away.  And humming, no less, like it was the most natural thing in the world for her to do.  I tried calling her back, of course, but she just kept walking, told me there was something important she needed to take care of and she’d see me the next day.”

 

“So, the check.  How much was it for?”

 

“That’s the funny part InuYasha.  It wasn’t a check at all.”

 

“Then what was it?”

 

“Her address.”

 

“Her what?!” asks the hanyou again giving a surprised look.

 

“Yeah!  Weird right?  Sango and I came here.  Fact is, InuYasha we started our life right here in this two-bedroom apartment, which almost didn’t happen.”

 

“Why not?”

 

 

“Sango.  Oh I’m sure you’ve already noticed the very suspicious, and violent nature, my wife has.”

 

“Your wife, Miroku,” says InuYasha, “no offense intended, looks like she could take on any demon, and win hands down.  I’d really hate to see her angry, that’s for sure.”

 

“She can be a handful, believe me,” says Miroku with a smile.  “Well, after arguing most of the night, the two of us, finally came here.”

 

“You were arguing?”

 

“Yep,” Miroku replies with a slight laugh.  “Sango, had this crazy notion, Kagome wanted to have some romantic tryst with me; refused to let me come alone.  So, once we finally got here, Kagome opened her door, grinned, and said for me to come in and make myself at home.  And I would have done just that except Sango got really pissed and was going to take her on.”

 

“She was actually going to fight, Kagome?” asks the hanyou surprised.  “After all she was doing for you?”

 

“Neither Sango nor I knew what Kagome’s motives were at the time InuYasha,” replies Miroku.  “But the thought of being in a nice warm room for once, maybe have a hot meal, someplace comfortable to sleep…I didn’t have any qualms with accepting her offer.  But Sango was a very different matter.  I wasn’t really sure if I’d could keep Sango from attacking Kagome or not.”

 

“Must have been some fight, huh?”

 

“Not at all,” replies Miroku with a slight shake of his head.  “Kagome looked over at Sango, who, I might add, was angrily glaring at her, just smiled and said, I think I have something that belongs to you.  Then she walked back into her apartment, came back and handed something to Sango.”

 

“And that was…?”

 

Miroku smirks.  “Remember what I said earlier InuYasha?  About how Kagome would do just about anything for her friends?”

 

“Yeah, so…”

 

“It was Sango’s wedding ring.”

 

“No way!  You mean the ring that bastard stole from you?”

 

“The very same.  Kagome gave the ring to Sango and when she placed back it on her finger… I thought Sango was going to cry right then and there.  So, we entered this apartment.  And that, my friend, is how it all got started.”

 

“So, Kagome took you in…two perfect strangers, just like that?” asks InuYasha.  Miroku nods.  “What did she charge for rent?”

 

“Nothing,” replies Miroku with a slight shake of his head, “and it gets better.  That young woman in there, later, called a friend of hers, who owns that big supermarket, the east end of town, and recommended me, a man she’d never before laid eyes on, for a job.  And that man…now you might not want to believe this my friend… that man hired me on the spot and on Kagome’s word alone.  I didn’t have to fill out an application or anything except forms for taxes.  Started working three days later in fact.  I swear InuYasha if ever my wife and I needed a guardian angel, Kagome was definitely it.”

 

“A home AND a job huh,” says InuYasha astonished.  “Now that’s what I’d call pure generosity.”

 

“You said it,” the man nods.

 

“I’ve lived in this town a hell of a long time Miroku.  And with the exception of one other person, never have I heard of anyone going out of their way to care for others like Kagome did for you.  To take you, into her home like that…not to mention the hell she must have gone through getting Sango’s ring back.  That’s just…damn!”

 

“Yeah, I know.  She went far beyond what anyone could have ever ask of her.  We still don’t know what happened to her though, or how she managed to get the ring back.  She did have a bandage up along her hairline so I think she must have been in a very rough fight with someone.”

 

“And she didn’t tell you anything?”

 

“Not a word.  And I’ve learned not to ask.”

 

“Kagome was caring for a baby at the time, wasn’t she?”

 

“No, Souta came along almost six or eight weeks later.  He was a preemie, and was still staying in the hospital.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Once Souta finally arrived though… that made four of us living in this two-bedroom apartment.  Which, at times wasn’t so easy.”

 

“This place is kind of small for that many people,” observes InuYasha looking around him.  “Especially with a baby to care for.  You guys must have been at each other’s throats a lot.”

 

“Like I said, it wasn’t always easy,” says Miroku.  “Still Kagome took it all in stride.  While taking care of a newborn, Kagome fed us, gave us shelter, money, anything we needed to help get our life together.  Considering everything she’d done for us back then; I believe it was her strength and encouragement that kept us going more than anything else.”

 

“Man, you guys sure were lucky,” says InuYasha with a shake of his head.  “You were all alone back then, broke, destitute, probably at the end of your rope.  And she suddenly appeared.  Like an angel or something.”

 

“Yep,” smiles Miroku with a nod.  “Our angel.”

 

“Keh!  A brave, stupid, angel, if you ask me.  But I’ll have to give Kagome some credit.  Walking up to you like she did, took guts.  Why, you could have been a rapist or worse.”

 

“Yeah well,” confesses Miroku.  “If not for Kagome, banging on that damn box, InuYasha, I might not be here, talking to you, today.  I would have surely killed myself long ago if things didn’t start getting better for my wife and me.  Sango’s my world and it was killing me to think I wasn’t providing for her like I should.”

 

“I imagine you were feeling pretty low.”

 

“You got that right,” replies Miroku sadly.  “Low, angry; like I was nothing.  But Kagome, she turned all that around with her kindness.”

 

(Talk about luck.  Why can’t I be lucky enough to find someone like her,) thought InuYasha and he slightly shakes his head?  (What am I thinking?  I have KiKyo.  She could be considered my angel, right?).  “You know Miroku.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“When I first met Kagome, she told me; how she thought you were the perfect husband; that if she should ever consider marriage, you would be the man for her.”

 

“Did she now?” smiles Miroku.

 

“Yeah.”  The young hanyou smirks, “kind of made me jealous of you.”

 

“Really?  Well InuYasha, if I weren’t already married to Sango,” Miroku shrugs his shoulders, “maybe…well who knows right?”

 

“Uh, yeah,” says the hanyou uncomfortably and scratching his head.  “Who knows?  But tell me, why did Kagome help you guys out?  Did you ask?”

 

“Yeah, I did ask her once about it,” says Miroku.

 

“And…what was her answer?”

 

“She, said because you’re a friend needing help.  Nothing more.”

 

“That’s it?” asks InuYasha amazed.  “That was her reason for helping you?”

 

“That was her reason.  Kagome is one remarkable woman InuYasha.  Putting all her troubles aside, just to help us out.  And because of that, Sango and I decided to stay as close to her as we can.  To help her out whenever she needs us.”  Miroku raises a fist and angrily frowns.  “I just wish I’d been closer so I could have killed the son of a bitch who hurt her like that.”

 

“Hey, you’re the only one Miroku,” agrees InuYasha with a frown.

 

“So InuYasha.  Still want to join our little club?”

 

“Damn right.  If Kagome’s gonna do stupid shit like that then…”

 

“She’s finally asleep guys,” says Sango wiping her eyes while walking into the room.

 

“Good,” says InuYasha standing.  “She needs it after what she’s been through.”

 

“Is she alright, Sango?” asks Miroku concerned.  “Maybe we should be taking her to the hospital.”

 

“The hospital?  Miroku, when, have you ever known Kagome to go to the hospital without putting up a fuss?”

 

“Yeah, you’re right.  That is one of her most stubborn qualities.”

 

“So, Sango,” says InuYasha, “did Kagome, by chance, say who the bastard was, that attacked her tonight?”

 

“Yeah, she told me.”

 

“She did?  Well, who the hell was it?” asks the hanyou angrily.  “Where can I find his stupid ass?”

 

“Can’t tell you,” Sango replies with a slight shake of her head.

 

“Can’t tell me?!!” asks the hanyou incredulously.

 

“That’s right.  Kagome swore me to secrecy.”

 

“Oh, come on now!” says the hanyou impatiently.  “No harm in telling me is there?  I’m her friend too!”

 

“Sorry InuYasha.  Friend or not, if you want to know, what happened, you’re just going to have to wait until Kagome’s ready to tell you.”

 

“Can’t you just,” begins the hanyou frustratingly and feels a hand touch his shoulder.

 

“It’s useless, InuYasha,” says Miroku.  “Sango won’t tell you anything, if Kagome told her not to.”

 

“Well shit!  That bastard’s gotta pay for this!” replies the hanyou angrily.

 

“And I agree.  But Sango is very loyal to Kagome.  That’s just how it is.”

 

The hanyou looks to Miroku’s wife, hoping to get around the situation.  “Ok Sango, if I promise not to tell Kagome you’re the one who told me, will you tell me then?”

 

“Sorry,” replies Sango shaking her head.  “I’m not betraying her!”

 

“Damn it!”

 

Sango stretches and yawns.  “Man, what a night.  Guess now that Kagome’s asleep, I can go home.  Coming Miroku?”

 

“Yep!” replies her husband sweetly as he stands.  “Right behind you sweet thing,”

 

The woman stops short and turns.

 

“Uh…Something wrong my love?” asks Miroku curiously.

 

“Uh huh.  I know that tone of yours, all too well Miroku.”  She narrows her eyes and pokes his chest.  “Just, what, husband, are you trying to get out of now?”

 

Miroku rubs the back of his head giving his wife a sheepish grin.  “Well, um, dear…Kagome’s hurt.”

 

“So?”

 

“So she won’t be able to help us out tomorrow.  So why don’t we hold off moving the furniture, for another time?  Just until Kagome’s better.”

 

“What?!  I can’t believe you, Miroku,” says Sango shaking her head.  “For months now, I’ve been waiting to move the furniture.”

 

“I know that, sweetness, but…” says Miroku.

 

“I’ll help,” offers the hanyou looking between Sango and Miroku.

 

“Huh?” asks Sango surprised with the offer.  “Oh, that’s alright, InuYasha.  Miroku and I can…”

 

“Now, now, love, don’t be so rash,” says Miroku, hurriedly.  “It’s only polite, we hear this man out.”  He looks over at the hanyou expectantly.  “You were saying?”

 

“I said I’ll help.  The shop’s closed for the weekend so I’ll come over and help you guys, move your furniture,” replies InuYasha.  “I’ll help in Kagome’s place.”

 

“Are you sure, you’d want to do that?” asks Sango.  “We can’t afford to pay you anything and it will probably be an all-day job.”

 

“So?” replies the hanyou with a shrug.  “It’s not as if I have anything else to do.  And as far as payment.  I’m sure Kagome wasn’t going to charge you.  So, I won’t charge you either.”

 

“But why waste a perfectly good weekend like that?” replies Sango curiously.  “There are probably lots of things you’d like to do instead of moving heavy furniture around.”

 

“Well…”  The hanyou brightly smiles.  “You’re a friend needing help, that’s why.”

 

“Funny… wonder where I’ve heard that phrase before?” says Miroku rubbing his chin and smiling.  “Guess it will come to me at some point.”

 

“Are you that lazy Miroku?” says Sango angrily and points toward the hanyou, “We can’t just ask Inu…”

 

“Oh, will you look at the time,” says Miroku looking up at the clock on the wall.  “We really do need to rest up Sango.  Big day tomorrow you know.”  He gives the woman a subtle push.  “So come on wife.  I’m tired.”

 

“Miroku!”

 

“Now, now, wife don’t dawdle.  You need your rest too.  After all the furniture won’t move itself, right?”  Miroku slaps the hanyou hard on the back.  “See you tomorrow, old boy!”

 

“But we haven’t…” says Sango trying to keep from being pushed out the door.  “Kagome might…”

 

“I’ll watch over Kagome, Sango,” says InuYasha walking the couple to the door.

 

“See?  Kagome’s in good hands.”  He pushes a little harder.  “And he’ll need to be well rested too if he’s going to help us out tomorrow.”  The man gives a slight wave while walking out the door.  “Good night InuYasha.”

 

InuYasha quietly closes the door behind the arguing couple.  (How does he do it,) he thought with a smirk?  (If she were my mate, I’d…)  The hanyou turns and walks back to the bedroom to check on Kagome.  He stands in the doorway, a long moment, watching the young woman sleep while pondering what Miroku had told him earlier.  (Kagome’s just like her.  Sweet, gentle, kind to a fault.  Too bad she’s not the real thing though.  If she were, maybe, I’d finally have something to hope for.)

 

“You’re one exceptional lady, Kagome Higurashi,” whispers the amazed hanyou.  “One of a kind.  So, rest well, my fair maiden.  Your knight is here to protect you and keep you safe.”  InuYasha yawns then walks to the living room closet, pulls out the blankets and pillow then makes his bed, on the couch, to sleep.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The early morning hours find InuYasha enjoying his peaceful slumber.  He snuggles deeper into the warm blankets and smiles.  All seems right with his world until…

 

“Nooooo!!!”

 

“What?!”  InuYasha quickly sits up looking back and forth while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  “What the hell was that?”

 

“Let go!  Stop it!”

 

“Kagome?!  Shit!  How the hell did that bastard get passed me?”  The hanyou begins pushing the blankets from him, and falls off the couch onto the floor.  “Damn fucking …,” he growls struggling with his bindings.  “Let go, damn it!”

 

“Please!  I can’t take it anymore!”

 

“LEAVE HER THE HELL ALONE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!”  The hanyou finally gets to his feet and runs to Kagome’s room ready to fight.  He slams the door open, only to find the young woman tossing and turning, on the bed, apparently fighting something or someone in her sleep.

 

“You’re hurting me!” yells Kagome swatting at air.  “Let go!  Please!”

 

The hanyou quickly walks to her side and gently shakes her.  “Hey.  Wake up, Kagome,” he quietly says, “he’s gone now.  You’re safe.”

 

Kagome continues fighting her unseen demon, almost striking the hanyou in the process.  The wound on her shoulder opens and concerned InuYasha pulls her struggling body into his arms, attempting to still her movements.

 

“Go away!” cries Kagome.  “Don’t hurt me anymore!”

 

“Damn it,” growls InuYasha louder while holding her tighter.  “Will you wake up already?!”

 

“Stop it!”

 

“KAGOME!”

 

“Huh?”  Her movements slow, and finally her body relaxes.  “Inu,” her eyes slowly open and a tear falls from them.  “…Yasha?”

 

“There… see?” says InuYasha reaching to dry her tears.  “It’s just me.  No one else is here.”

 

“But…”

 

“You’re safe now Kagome.”  He runs his claws gently through her hair.  “And I’ll never allow anyone to hurt you like this again.” 

 

(Safe…me?)  “No InuYasha, you’re wrong,” replies Kagome sadly with a slight shake of her head.  “I’m not safe.  Not anymore.”

 

The hanyou’s eyes widen.  Never before has anyone doubted his word.  “But…Kagome…”

 

“I know.  But I’m afraid not even you will be able to protect me.”  The hanyou watches as Kagome slowly sits up.  “So,” she takes a deep breath, “I think it’s best you don’t come around here anymore.  Ok?  I want you to just stay away.”

 

“Why?” asks the hanyou confused.  “You’re not still angry with me because of what I tried earlier, are you?”  She slowly shakes her head.  “Then why don’t you want me around you anymore?”

 

“It’s not I don’t want you around, InuYasha,” replies Kagome tearfully.  “You’re just not safe here anymore.”

 

“You can’t be serious Kagome,” says InuYasha with a slight laugh.  “Not safe?”

 

“It’s not funny.  You’re in danger here.  You can be hurt because … because of me.”

 

“So, you actually think someone could hurt me, do you?” asks the hanyou curiously.

 

“Um hm,” replies the woman with a slight nod.  “He can.”

 

“Mind telling me WHY he would hurt me?”

 

“Because, you’re my friend,” replies Kagome sadly and wipes her eyes, “and he thinks, of me, as property.”

 

“His… property?”

 

“That’s right.  And he’ll hurt anyone who comes around me.”

 

“I see.  Well, it seems to me, Kagome if some bastard’s going to hurt me, or is the reason I can’t see you anymore; I should, at least have the right to know who the bastard is.”  Kagome sadly looks up into the hanyou’s concerned gaze, apparently deciding what to say to his request.  “Kagome.”  InuYasha, gently takes her hand and kisses it.  “We’re friends, right?”  The young woman nods.  “Then tell me who hurt you like this?”  Kagome bites her lip as her face takes on a look of uncertainty.  “Nothing will happen to you, I promise,” says InuYasha giving her hand a gentle squeeze.  “I swore to always protect you, no matter what.”

 

“Protect…me huh?”  The hanyou nods.  (You can’t protect me InuYasha.  You don’t what he’s like …what he’s capable of.)  Kagome looks into the hanyou sincere gaze.

 

“I want to know, Kagome.”

 

The young woman nods, looks down and sighs while picking lint from her blanket.  “Souta’s funeral.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Do you remember InuYasha, Souta’s funeral?”

 

“I took you to the diner, right?”

 

“Yes,” replies Kagome quietly.  “But…before that.  Remember the man who came to my door, trying to force his way in?”

 

“Force his way, huh?”  InuYasha frowns and begins to growl.  “That scrawny ass son of a bitch did this to you?!”  The young woman sadly nods.  “That…bastard!” yells InuYasha angrily jumping to his feet.  “I warned his ass to stay away from you, Kagome!  You heard me tell him.”  The young hanyou cracks his knuckles.  “Well now his ass is gonna learn what true pain is!”

 

“No!” cries Kagome worriedly grabbing onto the hanyou.  “You mustn’t go after him.”

 

“Kagome…he…” begins InuYasha confused.  “Why not?”

 

“It’s my fault,” explains Kagome sadly, “for leading him on somehow.”

 

“I thought you didn’t like him.”

 

“I don’t.  But maybe somehow, I gave him the impression I did.”

 

“Uh, uh,” replies the hanyou with a slight shake of his head.  “No way, will I believe that shit.  You’re about as honest as the day is long.”

 

“I didn’t do it, intentionally InuYasha.  Just, I can’t remember what I did or how I did it.”

 

“Makes no difference,” say the hanyou with a shrug of his shoulders.  “Intentional or not, nothing warrants you getting beaten or stabbed like this.  You ask me, the bastard’s nothing more than a... a fucking coward attacking a defenseless woman like that.  Why I’d wager by now that jerk’s home, probably patting himself on the back thinking, he’s killed you.”

 

“You really think so?” asks the young woman hopefully.  The young half demon nods.  “Then that’s ok InuYasha.  Just let him believe that.”

 

“Huh?” asks the hanyou surprised. 

 

“I mean it.  If Houjo thinks I no longer exist, that I’m dead, it would solve everything.  I’d finally be free of him.”

 

“Yeah, until he sees you out somewhere.”

 

“Huh?”  Hope quickly vanishes from Kagome’s eyes.  “Oh.  I guess you’re right.”

 

“That bastard’s name is Houjo, right?” asks InuYasha. 

 

Kagome nods.  “Houjo Tamari.”

 

“And he thinks it’s ok to kill people?”

 

Kagome again nod and looks away.  “Houjo… was very angry because I wasn’t home tonight.”

 

“Keh!  So, the bastard broke into your apartment, and beat the shit out you, right?”

 

“Well, um… no,” replies Kagome quietly, again picking at the blanket, “that’s not quite how it happened.”

 

“You… let him in?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“Then how…”  The hanyou’s eyes widen.  “That bastard was already in here, wasn’t he?  Right here in your apartment …waiting for you.”  Kagome nods.  “How the hell, did he get in Kagome?  Where was your fucking security?”

 

“There is none.”

 

“Then…you must have forgotten to lock your door, is that it?”

 

“No, I locked it.”

 

“Then how…”

 

“It was the landlord, ok?  He gave Houjo his spare key to my apartment.  Houjo got in and waited for me to come home.”

 

“That bastard, doesn’t still have that key, does he?” asks the hanyou concerned.

 

“Mm hmm,” replies Kagome with a slight nod, “But that’s ok.  My locks are being changed on Monday so his key won’t work anymore.”

 

“Good, although Kagome, it would have given me great pleasure to have taken your key out of his fucking ass.  The hard way.”

 

“It’s just as well, you didn’t InuYasha.”

 

“So, the gist of it is, you weren’t home tonight, and the bastard took out his frustration by beating and stabbing you?”

 

“It’s like I said, Houjo was really angry with me.  And this,” replies Kagome as she waves her hand over her body.  “This is my punishment for not being available when he wanted me to be.”

 

“Keh!  Available!  How the hell can he even expect you to be here in the first place Kagome?  Your life is your, own.  He’s got no say or control over what you do.”

 

“In a way InuYasha… he did.”

 

“What?!”  InuYasha closes his eyes and shakes his head.  “Kagome.”  Looking into Kagome’s sad eyes, he asks his next question, afraid of what the answer will be.  “Are you sure,” he swallows hard, “really sure you’re not in love with him?”

 

“Of course, I’m not.  I hate his guts!”

 

“Then I don’t understand.  How can he…?”

 

“He’s Souta’s father,” explains Kagome.  The hanyou’s face takes on a look of disbelief.  “It’s true.  Houjo… he raped Lisa one night out of anger.  He saw her talking…just talking to a friend of hers and became totally enraged.”

 

“He didn’t rape you as well, did he?” growls InuYasha angrily.  “Cause, if he did so help me, I’ll…”

 

“No!”  Kagome bows and slightly shakes her head.  “He didn’t rape me.  Houjo thought I wasn’t worth the effort; said I’m poison, too polluted to even be in his presence.”

 

“Polluted?”  The woman nods.  “By what?  Me?”

 

Kagome slowly nods.  “It’s not just you InuYasha.  It’s all demons.  He loathes them and takes a very dim view of any human who is even seen around them.  Even those he works with.”

 

“So, it’s like that, huh?  Well unfortunately Kagome there are a lot of humans like that.  But I’ve not seen or heard of anyone getting hurt because of it…not like you were tonight.”

 

“Just unlucky, I guess.”

 

“You’re wrong Kagome,” says the hanyou with a shake of his head.  “That bastard’s the unlucky one.  And he’ll be even more unlucky when I find his ass.”

 

“Just let him be InuYasha, ok?”

 

“Then call the police.  Make them locked him up for what he’s done to you.”

 

“Talking to the police, won’t make any difference.”

 

“Why?  Don’t tell me he’s a police officer.”

 

“No, he’s not an officer.  Just a very resourceful and cunning man who comes from a very rich and influential family.  They have resources, InuYasha, ways of getting Houjo out of any trouble he may get himself into.  They even manage to hide or destroy any record of his many sins...probably to protect their family honor.  I think he’s even gotten away with murder.  Though, I can’t really prove it.”  Kagome continues picking at the blanket.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say Houjo’s a demon himself, who doesn’t care one whit of who he hurts or how badly.”

 

“It sure sounds like he’s a demon.”

 

Kagome nods.  “Before Souta was born, Lisa told me Houjo was his father.  That because he kept refusing to acknowledge her, she didn’t want anything more to do with him.  She wouldn’t even put his name on Souta’s birth certificate.  But that wasn’t enough for him.  Houjo was constantly after her to have an abortion, to get rid of her child.  Lisa wouldn’t have any of it, so to get rid of Houjo, she and I made plans to secretly move away from here to start a new life.  We had everything planned, even found a nice apartment to move into.”

 

“Where you were planning to go?”

 

“To a place called Texas.  Lisa thought it best we move out of Japan altogether, and move to her home there in America.  We were both so excited about it.”

 

“What stopped you from going?”

 

“Houjo.  He found out about it.  I don’t know how though.  We were both being so careful making the arrangements.  We got our plane tickets, packed our stuff.  All that was left was for us to do was to get to the airport.  But about a week before we were scheduled to leave Houjo confronted Lisa.  He must have gotten very angry cause when Lisa came home, she looked really messed up.”

 

“Like you are now, huh?”

 

“If only she were that lucky.  Houjo beat Lisa to within an inch of her life that day.  She could barely walk.  She almost lost her baby.”

 

“What did your friend tell you anything about it?”

 

“No.  I must have questioned Lisa a thousand times about it, but she just wouldn’t say what happened.”

 

“What about you Kagome?  Did the bastard confront you as well?”

 

“No.  But after seeing how bad Lisa was, I became determined to confront him myself.”

 

“Sounds like you.  So did you?”

 

Kagome shakes her head.  “Lisa stopped me, said it’d be best for me to stayed away from him.”

 

“Probably afraid of what he’d do if you did confront him.”

 

“Maybe.  But I was so angry about it.  And I would have gone ahead with confronting Houjo.  But Lisa… she was really scared for me, and she wasn’t the sort of person who scared easily.  So, we went ahead and cancelled everything, then moved into this apartment.  Surprisingly Lisa and I were really happy here.  We loved going shopping for the baby, even planned setting up a nursery.  Thought nothing could ever bring us down again.  That was until Lisa heard news of Houjo’s marriage.  She was absolutely devastated about it, decided if anything were to happen to her, she wanted her baby to go to Tory.”

 

“His wife?”

 

“Um hm,” replies the young woman with a nod.  “She wanted revenge for what Houjo had done to her.”

 

“That’s not right Kagome.  Using a child is no way to get revenge.”

 

“I know that.  But InuYasha, you must remember, Lisa wasn’t herself at the time.  She was so depressed and wasn’t really thinking clearly.  When Lisa began getting better, she realized she was wrong.  Oh, she still planned for her baby to go to his wife, thought maybe in Tory’s care, she’d love Souta and he would at least be close to one of his parents.”

 

“But if your friend wanted this Tory person to have her child, how did you end up with him?”

 

“Lisa got really sick,” Kagome quickly wipes a tear from her eye.  “For two long weeks she had a high fever and became so weak, almost like the life was draining out of her.  She couldn’t eat, or keep anything down when she did.  I took care of her as best I could, started sleeping on her bedroom floor, so if she needed anything I’d be there for her.  I even started putting the nursery together, so she could have something to look forward to.  Lisa would pick the colors for it while I did everything else.  Every night and day I prayed, InuYasha, asking for her and her baby to be safe.”

 

“So finally, she got better, right?”

 

“No… she didn’t.  Ended up with me having to take Lisa to the hospital where I found out Houjo had beat her again… that she had two broken ribs, a broken wrist and was bleeding internally.  She was in such pain InuYasha, no matter what I did, it never helped.  I could do nothing for her.  I tried hard to be brave, to hide the pain I was feeling, but Lisa saw right through me.  She knew her life was ending, yet, she still smiled at me, said it was alright…that she understood I did my very best for her and not to go blaming myself for what happened.  Then the next morning, Lisa… she went into labor and um,” Kagome swallows hard, “gave birth to Souta then...died.”

 

Kagome reaches to dry her tears as InuYasha gently squeezes her hand.  “It must have been rough on you going through all that alone.”

 

“It was.  I couldn’t stop crying for days.  Couldn’t eat or sleep.  I kept telling myself, if only…that there must have been something more I could have done for her.  Someway I could have saved her.  But I was just too weak InuYasha.  If it weren’t for Lisa’s brother and lady Kaede, I don’t think I would have made it through the service.”

 

“But that wasn’t the worst of it, was it?

 

“You’re right, it wasn’t.  It was at Lisa’s funeral when I finally broke down.  Houjo and I were standing in front of Lisa’s coffin along with her brother, when suddenly Houjo turned and started hugging me, crying and acting as if Lisa was the most important person in his life.  Everyone was fooled.  People were walking up to him, hugging and trying to console him, asking if he needed anything.  I wanted to scream at them; yell and tell them he was the cause of Lisa’s death.  But I just stood there shaking and, keeping quiet.  Then when he said he loved her, I finally lost it and Lisa’s brother held me until I was able to calm down.  After the whole thing was over, when almost everyone had left, Houjo confronted me, told me he had no intentions of honoring Lisa’s wishes concerning Souta.  We argued.  He said to either take the brat, or he’d see to it, the brat wouldn’t live long enough to see his first birthday.  So, I took him.  Never once did I regret taking Souta, InuYasha,” says Kagome worriedly.  “Believe me I loved him with all my heart.”

 

“You don’t have to convince me, Kagome,” says the hanyou.  “I’d seen firsthand how much you loved the boy.”

 

“Souta was Lisa’s son.  How could I not love him.  Lisa and I were really close InuYasha…like sisters, always hanging out together, laughing and doing silly things.  It didn’t matter to her what I looked like or that we were from different countries.  She just accepted me as I was, and was always there for me, standing beside me, supporting me.  Even during the lowest times of my life, she was there always cheering me on.”  Kagome slightly laughs then smiles.  “I guess you could say Lisa made my life… interesting and fun.  I was really happy InuYasha.  Having a friend like her…I was never lonely.  But when she died my life changed.  I didn’t have Lisa’s support or encouragement anymore.  I felt lost, alone…confused…and very angry.  No one talked about her; no one wanted to acknowledge her except me.  And when she was buried, it was like she was being pushed under a rug, like she never existed.  It wasn’t until recently Lisa’s name was ever spoken again.”

 

“But you and the boy were happy, right?”

 

“Very,” the young woman smiles.  “Souta was my world, my pride and joy.  It was my one goal in life, InuYasha, to see to it both of us was happy no matter what.  I devoted all my time, and resources, everything I did was for him.  Souta loved hearing about his mother, about all the crazy stunts we did together.  Even told him how we planned to move to America.  He would get this glow in his eyes, and laugh…oh how I loved hearing him laugh.  It made me feel everything was going to be alright … that all the bad times were finally over.”

 

“I take it they weren’t.”

 

The young woman frowns.  “After a year or so, Houjo started calling, demanding to see me.  He was being so persistent, I was afraid if I didn’t go out with him, he would come here and upset Souta.  I couldn’t let that happen.”

 

“Did the boy know…about him?”

 

“I think he did,” replies Kagome,” even though I made it a point not to mention his father around him.  And every time I left the apartment; Souta would be so frightened; he would have his nightmares.  Sometimes it took the whole night just to calm him down.  I remember how his little body shook as he held onto me so tightly, begging me not to leave him anymore.”

 

“When you’d leave…did he know who you were seeing?”

 

“Not at first.  Souta kept asking me where I was going, who I was to see…even asked to come with me.  But I always made up some excuse, hoping it would satisfy him.  Problem was Souta wasn’t so easily fooled.  He knew without anyone telling him, what I was doing and why.”

 

“Not so surprising.  The boy was curious.  You were seeing someone you refused to talk about so he had to figure it out himself.”

 

“It was too risky InuYasha.  I couldn’t tell him,” Kagome replies.  “But…for a while I considered not seeing Houjo at all, to just forget about him altogether.  But when I’d thought of what Houjo would do if I didn’t go to him…well… my one and only thought …my only reason for seeing Houjo, at all, was for Souta.  To make my child’s life as carefree as possible no matter what I had to do to make that possible.”

 

“But seeing him alone like that,” says InuYasha with a slight shake of his head.  “That bastard could have killed you.”

 

“No he wouldn’t,” replies the young woman quietly.  “Houjo would never kill me.”

 

“Why not?  What made you so damn sure he wouldn’t?”

 

“Things he would say to me, I guess,” replies Kagome.  “Whenever we met, made a point of talking to Houjo about Souta.  Thought maybe if the two were to meet at least once, Souta would know who he was and not worry about me so much.  But I never wanted them to meet alone, not without me with him.  You see I needed Houjo.  I needed his help and thought if he saw his own flesh and blood, spent time with him he would eventually come around, and offer to help us more.  But it never happened.  No matter what I said, Houjo always refused to acknowledge Souta.”

 

“A man refusing to know his own son…his own child?” says InuYasha shaking his head disbelievingly.  “How could he do that Kagome?  Didn’t he realize what he was missing out on?”

 

“Guess not.  But every time Houjo called me, I always made sure to make the same arrangements,” explains Kagome.  “So Miroku or Sango could come find me if something, were to go wrong.”

 

“What place did you go to?”

 

“The Samurai Club.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It’s a restaurant InuYasha.  Downtown, about a block or so from where I’d found you.  Houjo and I always met there, every Friday evening for two hours.  I couldn’t stand being in his presence any longer than that.”

 

“I know the Samurai Club.  That place is really expensive.”

 

“Is it ever,” replies Kagome with a nod.  “I always felt out of place when I was there.  Never bothered Houjo though.  Money and wealth, were always his favorite topics of conversation.  He’d talk about how important he is in society, that I should feel privileged to be among the wealthy, that I could be just like them.  Made me sick just listening to him.”

 

“Yeah,” says InuYasha thinking of KiKyo.  “I know the feeling.”

 

“He did offer to give me more money, though, more help.  That is if I were to agree to spend the night with him.”

 

“You didn’t, did you?”

 

“Sleep with Houjo?  Never.  I’d die before I’d ever do that.  I never trusted Houjo, InuYasha.  When I went out, I’d always kept the meetings above board.  Never once did I go anywhere with him or was ever tempted to.  But the last few weeks before Souta… Houjo became even more persistent about seeing me alone; even threatened not to give me any help at all if I didn’t do as he asked.”

 

“I see.  Why was he so pissed at you tonight though?” asks the hanyou curiously.  “So you weren’t here.  Big deal!  There could have been lots of reasons why you weren’t home.”

 

“Actually InuYasha, this started the morning he saw you here.”

 

“Way back… you’re saying the reason he fucked you up was…was me?”  Kagome nods.  “Why?  Wait.”  The hanyou raises his hand.  “I think I can guess.  The bastard saw me here that morning and assumed you and I were what… lovers?”

 

“Yes.  And unfortunately, you now see his handiwork…my punishment.”

 

“That happened weeks ago, Kagome,” says the hanyou.  “And except for tonight we haven’t been out together since.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Then why the hell did that bastard decide to go after you now?”

 

The woman sadly shrugs shoulders then worriedly looks into the hanyou’s eyes.  “Houjo could have gotten much worse, than this, InuYasha.  If he really wanted to, he could have killed me tonight and no one would care or say anything about it.”

 

“Oh, the hell they wouldn’t,” replies the hanyou angrily.  “Right now, I want to rip the bastard apart for what he’s done and Miroku isn’t feeling too calm about this either!”

 

“But Houjo is…”

 

“Fuck that bastard.  I don’t like seeing you hurt like this.  No one should ever be treating you this way.”

 

“Do you really mean that?”  The hanyou gives a curt nod and Kagome grabs his hand.  “Then promise me InuYasha …promise me now, you won’t do go anywhere near Houjo, that you’ll stay away from him.”

 

“You don’t know what you’re asking, Kagome,” replies the hanyou slightly shaking his head.  “I’m really pissed right now.  More pissed than I’ve ever been.  I was the one you were out with that day so if that bastard really needed to go after someone it should have been me, not you.”

 

“I’m happy it was me.”

 

“You can’t really mean that.”

 

“I do.

 

“No, you don’t Kagome.  Look at what he’s done to you already.”

 

“So?  This is nothing compared to losing your friendship InuYasha.  You’re really important to me and if anything should ever happen to you, I’d just die.”

 

“Kagome… I…” whispers the hanyou his eyes widening.  A moment, of silence passes until, the young half demon, looking deep into her eyes, gently touches her cheek.  “You do know what I am, right?”

 

“A hanyou?”

 

“Do you understand what a hanyou is?”

 

“A half demon, right?

 

“That’s right Kagome.  I’m only half human but a demon none the less.”

 

“So?”

 

“Doesn’t that bother you?”

 

“Why?  Would it mean I’m weird if it didn’t?”

 

“No.  But you’re worrying over my safety more than your own.  Can you really be ok with that?”

 

Kagome slowly nods.  “As long as you’re safe and well, InuYasha, it doesn’t matter what happens to me.”

 

“Kagome.”

 

“I know what you’re thinking, that I should care only about myself.  But I just can’t do that.  You’ve become just as important to me, as Souta was.  So please, InuYasha, don’t do anything that may cause me to lose you too.  I don’t think I could stand it.”

 

“No one’s ever worry about me, like this before,” says the hanyou hesitantly and he smiles.  (It makes me feel…happy.  Is this what real friendships are supposed to feel like?)

 

“Please InuYasha?  Swear to me you won’t go after Houjo.”

 

“Kagome,” says InuYasha.  “That bastard’s crossed the line where I’m concerned.  He never should have hurt you like this.  But if it makes you feel better, I’ll stay away from him…for now.  I won’t even look for him.”

 

“Oh, thank you,” says the young woman, relieved.  “Thank you so very, very much.”

 

“I can’t promise what I’ll do if this happens again though.  I’m very protective of my friends too.”

 

“Ok.”  The young woman slightly smiles, “Um…”

 

“What?”

 

Kagome blushes as she quickly leans over and kisses his cheek.  “You truly are a good friend to me InuYasha.”

 

(Did she just kiss me?)  InuYasha lightly touches the spot where her warm lips touched his cheek and blushes.  “So, um…Kagome… think you can go back to sleep now?”

 

“Um hmm,” replies Kagome with a slight nod.  “I’m alright so you can go on home now.”

 

“Nope!” replies the hanyou with a shake of his head.  “No can-do fair maiden.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“I’ve got a job to do in the morning.”  InuYasha looks over at Kagome’s alarm clock and smiles.  “Or rather a few hours.”

 

“A job?”

 

“Yep.  Helping your friends with their furniture.  Since you’re laid up at the moment, I volunteered to do the job in your stead.”

 

“I pity you then,” smiles Kagome slowly shaking her head.

 

“Now why would you say such a thing?”

 

“Oh, you’ll find out soon enough.”  Kagome groans as she lies back, grabbing her shoulder.

 

The hanyou gently pulls back the blanket.  “You’ve opened the wound, Kagome.  It needs cleaning again.”  He leans over but Kagome stops him.  “I’m not going to try anything.”

 

“I know InuYasha but… you must be getting tired of cleaning me, like this,” she says.  “The taste of blood can’t really be all that pleasant.”

 

“Fair maiden,” replies the half demon with a smile, “your blood, it’s the sweetest taste I can think of.”

 

“Ewwe,” says Kagome with a slight laugh.  “You make it sound as if you want to eat me.”

 

“Eat you?”  The hanyou smiles as he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.  “Well now there’s an idea worth considering.  I’m definitely gonna give that some thought.”