InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forever a Shadow ❯ Back to Where We Began ( Chapter 27 )

27. Back to Where We Began

 

 

 

Kikyo… I will not lose my way anymore I will not stray from the path back to you, I will fight for you till my dying breath my love, just wait for me. The sentiments echoed through Inuyasha's sleep deprived mind, yet the haze of exhaustion did drag him down after more than 48 hours with no slumber, the constant drone from the engines of the commercial airplane finally let his mind release the anxiety of going home, going home with the mother of his bastard child an arms reach away. This is going to bring me to my knees before it's all over. Yet, he had no idea how accurate of a portent that thought truly was.

 

 

Kagome was sitting beside the window of the airplane blankly staring out into the new morning sky, her mind was full of fear, they were flying home back into the city, to the heart of the wolves den, and back into a life which held a questionable future. As Inuyasha dreamed Kagome was a knot of dread and apprehension, did they expect her to face them all again? Was she supposed to grovel, beg forgiveness, or was she just supposed to roll over and die? Only to disappear back into obscurity, back into the shadows of her broken heart?

 

 

Shippo sat reluctantly between the two uncertain lovers, the young man cursed at his bad luck, how did he go from doting friend of Kagomes to a dumb sidekick, he could very clearly see his father in his head having quite a laugh at his sons expense.

 

 

“And why couldn't we fly first class home? I mean even you and I flew first class to Europe, and my dad makes no where near the money that the Chinkara family keeps in spare change.” Shippo grumbled forcing his head back hard into the seat, undoubtedly spilling the woman's' drink on the tray behind him.

 

 

“Please Shippo.” Kagome sadly turned to look at him, her eyes entreating him to stop. “We don't have too much longer together, once we land…”

 

 

“Once we land you are going on your merry way little man.” Inuyasha smirked, his eyes still closed faking sleep; he had awoken the moment the kit childishly bounced the seat around.

 

 

“Oh I don't think so. I'm staying with Kagome, I promised to be with her through all of this, at least I have stayed by her side, giving her support when she needed it, where the hell were you?” Shippo turned to the still, resting hanyou, the anger in his voice brought Inuyasha to laughter. “What's so funny?”

 

 

“Just what is a little fox kit gonna do when the wolves come? Run away screaming with your tail between your legs?” Inuyasha opened his eyes turning to look at Shippo.

 

 

“Listen you… I have been the only one giving Kagome some sort of support, while you have been acting so much of an arrogant ass. Yes, you got us off the plane, but you have been nothing but hurtful to the woman who as far as she thought you loved her, but no, you have treated her like a stranger, no you've treated her worse than a stranger, a stranger at least gets polite contact, you treat her like the enemy. Was it just because you got her into bed that your conquest was complete, now that you are simply throwing her away?” Shippo's voice radiated his quiet anger; Inuyashas sat there staring dumbfounded into the young mans eyes, where was all of this coming from?

 

 

“Shippo stop…please.” Kagome released the lap buckle.

 

 

“You have no idea what you are talking about…” Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in response, his anger building in kind as he glared the boys' way. Kagome stood up forcing her way past the two posturing fools. The faint scent of Kagomes tears wafted to Inuyasha's nose. “shit.”

 

 

“Well go do something about it, you know, you are supposed to be so much older than me, but you act far more juvenile. I would never hurt someone I love, especially not a woman like Kagome.” Shippo huffed turning away from Inuyasha staring out into the sky.

 

 

“You really need to learn when to keep your fucking mouth shut.” Inuyasha grumbled standing into the isle, and then following the tear scent to where Kagome had herself hold up in the lavatory.

 

 

Inuyasha nervously glanced around, only one flight attendant seemed to notice him, the petite red head was doing her best to entice him, Inuyasha simply gave her a polite smile before turning his attention to the bared door before him, Kagome's sobbing was easily picked up, a curse of acute hearing, Inuyasha silently chastised himself. He rapped with one knuckle on the door.

 

 

“Occu…occupied.” Kagome choked out. Inuyasha tapped again. “Listen…someone is—“

 

 

“Kagome let me in.”

 

 

Kagome felt as if her heart was going to shatter once again, why was he worried about her now of all times? He softly knocked again, Kagome tried to wipe the tears from her face with one hand as she slid the lock back to allow him to open the door. Inuyasha stood in the twenty inch opening his head hanging low as he maneuvered himself sideways into the coat closet sized bathroom with a deep heart heavy sigh.

 

 

“What do you want? Don't worry about me Inuyasha, I don't need you to fake concern.” She tried to sound stern, but her voice came out weak and pathetically sad.

 

 

Without even meeting her eyes Inuyasha lifted her by the waist placing her gently on the tiny sink, then blindly closing the toilet seat lid, and sitting atop of it, his eyes still lost in the shadow of his forelock.

 

 

“Inuyasha—“

 

 

“Kagome—“ They both began in unison, Inuyasha raised his hand to stop her. “If I have been too callous, or a asshole like your little cheerleader out there seems to think I am being, I am sorry. It's just, I…I have—“

 

 

“A wife and kids. Yea, I remember.” Kagome could not stop the tears that were trailing down her cheeks. “I also remember you saying that you loved me, or was that only to get me into bed? Shippo was right. God I'm such a fool.” The tears fell to Kagome's tightly entwined fingers, her head now dropping, as she felt her chest tighten in anxiety, she had wanted to be so close to him, but not like this. “How can I hate you and love you with all of my heart at the same time? It hurts too much to love you Inuyasha, but I can't stop.” She choked out, raising her eyes too gaze at his downcast head, those unusual perfect ears drooping slightly. “God knows I've tried…I've tried to hate you, but I can't even do that right. I—“

 

 

“Stop, I'm asking you stop.” Inuyasha mumbled finally raising his eyes to meet hers. “I don't want to do this in a fucking airplane bathroom Kagome, but I have no choice.” Inuyasha stood gazing eye to eye with Kagome, her glassy gaze fixed on him. “I will do all I can for you and the baby, I will not let either of you want for a thing, I will love it as I do my girls, but I can not allow any love in my life for you Kagome, Kikyo and I have something special, and if she allows me back into her heart I will never hurt her again. I will spend the rest of my life making amends for what we had, groveling all my days for hurting Kikyo like I did.” Kagome's right palm slapped him across the left cheek, Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock. “What the fuck Kagome?”

 

 

“How dare you trivialize my feelings for you Inuyasha. You think I am nothing in this relationship?” Kaogme cried out in an angry whisper. “I love you and all you can say is I can't love you anymore? You asshole, you got me into this, you got Kouga all worked up, now he wants to slaughter me, and that's all you can say? How dare you! You'll be lucky if you ever see this baby.” Kagome slid off the sink the two stood mere inches apart, Kagome's tears still flowing, but a hard look now reflected back from her eyes.

 

 

Impulsively and with no forethought Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the shoulders pulling her the few inches to him kissing her hard on the lips the fight ebbed from her body as she relaxed leaning into his chest, Inuyasha's heartbeat was racing, he knew full well this was the wrong thing to do, contradicting the words he had spoken only moments ago, but he could not deal with the fact that Kagome would loath him for the rest of her days. He would never hate her, but also he would never love her, at least this way she would shut up for a moment so he could think.

 

 

“I'm sorry Kagome.” Inuyasha whispered into her ear, the scent of her filling his senses. The hanyou regained his mind as he flopped down to the toilet seat looking up into Kagome's puzzled azure gaze. “I do not wish your hate, or your love, I simply want my family back, and being with you has put a wrecking ball through my entire life. For the sake of the child, can't we simply be friends?” Inadvertently Inuyasha reached out placing a warm hand on her little bump of a belly. “I will love this child.”

 

 

“And I will always love you. You will have to figure out your own feelings when you are lying in bed with Kikyo.” Kagome unlocked the lavatory door stepping out leaving Inuyasha in the tiny poorly lit bathroom alone with his thoughts, secretly Kagome hoped the kiss would haunt him for the rest of his life, because it would never happen again, even if he did cause her to want him even more. “What a monumental fool I have been.”

 

 

Kagome buckled herself into her seat as the plane made its decent into the airport, what was to happen next was a mystery to her, all she did know was that she had a heavy heart and a sickening since of impending doom about the homecoming. It felt to her that the thread of her life was unraveling, more so Kouga held the scissors with which to cut her existence short.

 

 

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Okay, so he perhaps owed Hakkaku an apology, he did after all pluck out an eye, the fuming Kouga skulked through the rooms of his families' estate, angered, and frustrated that Kagome still lived and that his Uncle was on his ass. So what if the pack elders were troubled by the actions of the young alpha, fuck them! He was the clan leader, he was the heart of the pack, and they could all go to hell by his claws if they questioned him on a goddamned thing.

 

 

It was Onigumo who worried him, he could take on the Inu clan, but it was the deceitful heart of his Uncle that worried him greatly, how was the old bastard still living? He should have been dead weeks ago along with Kagome, and the Chinkara brothers. So many to kill and so little time in which to do it. How dare Onigumo think he could threaten him, the prick was treating him like a pup right off his mothers teat, not a youkai to be feared and respected, then again Kouga knew he was acting out on instinct alone, and Onigumo never worked that way. Onigumo was a tactician, and from the old stories he was just as heartless as Kouga, if the tales Kouga heard from his insane mother once upon a time were to be taken at face value.

 

 

However at this point of the game Kouga had burned his bridges with his idiot cousins, pissed off the elders, it would only be a mater of time before he was deposed as Alpha, there was no bloodline save that which flowed in his veins, no heir for succession, but their were plenty of young male pups in the clan just waiting for a chance to prove themselves, and at his death the clan would become a gruesome theatre of war. Kouga would not go down without a fight, and certainly not without Kagome's blood on his hands along with her little dog's head as a trophy.

 

---**---

 

 

Kouga drove his Land Rover far to fast on the interstate, ignoring the urge to ambush the trio at the airport as of this moment Kagome's flight was landing on the runway. The alpha laughed at the vanity of the InuTaisho, thinking he was untouchable, Kouga had already killed more than his share of Sesshomaru's guards, if they thought only Inuyasha would be ample protection they were wrong on so many different levels. Why the Inu clan thought to bring his intended home should have bothered him, but they both were now in familiar territory, if Sesshomaru believed his private guard would keep her safe the mistake would be the death of her one way or the other. He knew to be cautious, it was the times when his temper took control that he made brash decisions, and he made those far to frequently, the remaining friend to the alpha that was concealed in the Inu clan had given him all of the information needed, the flight times and the car that would be sent to pick the couple up. Yet the mole would soon need to be disposed of in the near future, Kouga simply wished he could see Sesshomaru's face when the traitor was found eviscerated and on the wolves payroll, for the time being all monies were wired to a Swiss account, yet with one phone call from Kouga the money trail would lead back to the wolves elders when the time was right. They all underestimated him, and they would pay in blood.

 

 

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Kikyo was up before the sunrise, it was her decision that today would be the day she walked from the room under her own power, doctors and Ayame be damned. Call it mothers' intuition, spiritual guidance, or just plain dumb luck, but Kikyo knew with the reemergence of Onigumo her children were in danger. She stood with minimal strength in her trembling muscles, her bare feet firmly for the moment on the cold floor, she detached the heart monitor nodes from her chest and turned off the alarm on the damned machine, god, how she hated the droning sound of the thing. The O2 tubes in her nose were easy enough to remove, but the central line now going into her chest Kikyo was not stupid enough to remove so she clamped off the line, disconnecting herself from the three bags of fluid running into her body. Cautiously Kikyo edged toward the door, holding her breath that Ayame would not come barging in, so far so good, as Kikyo opened the door to her room. The two sentinels that were posted by her door simply turned looking at her, Kikyo inwardly grumbled to herself, she had forgotten about the two morons on Sesshomaru's payroll.

 

 

“Don't you dare say a word, I am seeing my daughter damn it.” One went to activate the radio in his ear. “I mean it don't do it, do not push that button.” The guard paused throwing a questionable gaze his partners' gaze; the second simply shrugged his shoulders. “Listen I know you are supposed to guard me, so guard me in Suki's room.”

 

“Miss…at least let us help you to your daughters room.” Both men took Kikyo by an elbow allowing the two to support her down the hall. “God, you'd think I was eighty.” Kikyo murmered to herself.

 

 

Reaching Suki's room the two standing watch at Suki's door simply nodded, opening the door for Kikyo as she shuffled in. Her two men taking position beside the others knowing full well not to enter the room unless called for.

 

 

Kikyo smiled to herself. “At least they are well trained.”

 

 

Kikyo sat at Suki's bedside, watching the monitors that recorded everything from beats per minute of her small heart to brain wave activity. The room was nearly dark save for a small light coming from the bathroom, yet Kikyo watched Suki clearly. She turned her attention to the door when she heard a famine voice that did not belong to Ayame.

 

 

In walked the new pediatric nurse that immediately rubbed Kikyo the wrong way; she was the reason why Kikyo was waiting so early in the morning to ambush the viper. Kikyo had learned as a child to always trust her instincts, and at first meeting of the petite nurse, Kikyo was untrusting of this particular wolf in sheep's clothing, even if she did not have a shred of evidence but a gut feeling. Kanna entered the room closing the door behind her quietly; unfortunately she did not add two and two together, realizing Kikyo waited for her presence in the shadows.

 

 

“Don't take one step toward my daughter. I may be weak but I can still kick your ass.” Kikyo fluidly stood in the shadow cast room, the guise of strength in her surprising Kanna as she stepped back hitting the door to the room.

 

Kanna let out a startle gasp, putting a hand to her heart. “You frightened me Mrs. Chinkara. You shouldn't be here.” Kanna took a step forward, her hands now buried deep in her lab coat pockets.

 

 

“Stop right there. I know why you are here, so lets stop the games okay? You advance one more step and I guarantee it will be your last.” The thin smile on Kikyo's lips disarmed Kanna; she stood frozen her mind working furiously on how she was going to get to Suki's bedside with Kikyo standing in her way looking like a prowling lioness, waiting to attack. Even in her deteriorated state the Mother seemed fierce in her stance. “Go back to Onigumo and tell him I will never be his, if he pursues this I will bring down the wrath of god upon his head.” Kikyo nearly hissed the words as she took two steps closer to Kanna.

 

 

The startled Kanna clutched at the syringe in her pocket, at this point it mattered little either way what happened to her, if she failed she was dead, and more than likely if she succeeded in killing the child Naraku will still more than likely kill her and her sister.

 

 

“I..don't know what you're talking about.” Kanna stuttered out, the feeling of the door solid against her back leaving the woman for all intensive purposes trapped.

 

 

“No, I don't think so. Do you think it mere coincidence that you appear, and your master follows a few days later in your tracks? I thought I was free of him.” Kikyo's glower hardened, her strength was failing but she would be damned to let Kanna see any frailty in her.

 

 

At Kikyo's last remark Kanna felt a nervous laugh escape her lips. “No one is ever free of him.” The petite woman removed the syringe from her pocket, removing the cap her eyes fixed on the thin needle glinting from the dim light in the room. “I will never be free of him. Tell Kagura I'm sorry.”

 

 

The seriousness of the declaration hit Kikyo like a slap. “Wait!”

 

 

The word leaving Kikyo's lips the split second as the desperate woman thrust the needle into her forearm her thumb obeying the mind, depressing the plunger, a peaceful smile on her now colorless lips, the sweat glistening on her ashen hued skin. Not even six seconds, and whatever was racing through her system took its deadly effect. Kanna's pale eyes rolled into their sockets as her thin frame hit the floor convulsing a moment then her entire body stilled, the entire process of the drug taking less than a minute to bring death.

 

 

Kikyo stepped back collapsing into the chair. “Thank you for sparing my daughter that fate. I know it was your intention the day we met.” Kikyo took Suki's hand in hers, and broke down on the bedside, her cries silently fading into the sheets and wetting her daughter's warm hand. “Thank you….thank you….thank you.”

 

 

There was commotion once again outside the door, Ayame found her charge absent from her bed and was making vocally assured that everyone on the floor knew her displeasure. Kikyo could care less at this point, let her rant, she did what she wanted to do, any mother would do the same, it is the heart to hold your ground sacrificing everything for your child against any enemy, yet deep in her heart Kikyo knew the fight was only beginning, Onigumo would be coming. Kikyo raised her tear-wet face to look upon the serene face of the dead woman.

 

 

“I hope you are free.” The bereaved Kikyo whispered as the guards and Ayame were now trying to enter the room.

 

 

The battle lines were now formed, and sides were now chosen, what would follow for them all…..either life or death?

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: Hello all, yes another chapter and I think this is all coming to a head. Hope you like it, drop me a line if you do, or even if you don't. Thanks in advance, Pandora