InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Guilty Hero ❯ Struggle ( Chapter 35 )

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. I do love your comments. Also, if you did not get a reply, that was negligence on my part. I do try to get to everyone's, but I'm not always successful. ^__^;

All right. I am finally back, in both body and mind. The trip was wonderful, but it took me so long to regain my focus afterward. That is my excuse for the delay in the update. However, I would like to thank Sassybratt for always encouraging me, and I would like to thank hedanicree, not only for all her help in planning, but also for editing this chapter. Your work is much appreciated. ^__^

Also—GH made second place in the Angst category of the FA Awards!! Rah!! Thank you to any and all who voted for it. Also, GH has now been nominated for three different categories of the IYFG Second quarter noms, courtesy of hedanicree and Ai Kisugi. So, when voting time comes around, please consider GH! ^__^

Okay, let's get this started.

In this chapter: One struggle continues as another begins.

Guilty Hero

Chapter 34: Struggle

As sleep lost its grip on her, Kagome slowly shifted position on the couch, lying still for a moment longer. She was still exhausted from the rather tiring day before, and the cushions were so comfortable and the flannel blankets were so warm that it was difficult to consider leaving them. However, the sound of the television and the scent of cigarette smoke roused her.

Easing herself into a sitting position, she blinked and peered sleepily around, her gaze coming to rest on Inu-Yasha. He was seated in the armchair, sunk low in the cushions and sipping a steaming mug of coffee. Staring at the television with bloodshot eyes, he took a drag of his cigarette, a sight which was growing more and more frequent with his cravings.

Upon hearing her blankets rustle as she sat up, he flicked his gaze over at her, then pulled his afghan off his lap and climbed to his feet. Without a word, he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Kagome a little confused by his behavior. For a few moments, she sat quietly, staring blankly at the flickering television screen as she tried to figure out what was wrong. However, she didn't have long to think. Inu-Yasha soon returned, this time with another mug in his hands. He passed it off to her as he sat down, and she realized he had prepared her morning tea for her. “Oh…Thank you.”

She received a grunt in response. Tugging his blanket back over his lap once more, he inhaled one last lungful of smoke before crushing his cigarette in the ashtray. Then he leaned back and sipped at his coffee, looking a bit ill.

Kagome frowned as she dipped her tea bag in the hot water, studying him closely. Judging from his pinched scowl and the dark circles under his eyes, he had not slept well during his second night of sobriety and was feeling the effects. Clearing her throat, she asked innocently, “How long have you been up, Inu-Yasha?”

His scowl deepened and he kept quiet for a moment, appearing to debate whether he should tell her the truth. But, he soon sighed heavily and muttered, “All night.”

“Again?”

“Again,” he grunted, then tipped his head back and drained the last drops of coffee from his mug. “Those two damn glasses of whiskey did absolutely nothin' to help me sleep at all.”

“Really?” Kagome asked. “They're supposed to help you calm down enough to sleep all right.” As a nurse, she knew that whiskey was a stimulant, and normally would keep him awake. However, he was so focused on the drink by the end of the day that she hoped giving it to him would soothe his frayed nerves, and hopefully allow him to sleep.

“Well, they didn't,” Inu-Yasha snapped back irritably, smacking his empty mug on the coffee table. “I laid there for two hours waiting for `em to kick in, and they never did. So, I got up and made a cup of warm milk. Didn't do a damn thing. Neither did smoking, watching TV, going for a run, counting sheep, or staring at the cracks in the ceiling! So if you have any bright ideas, I would love to hear `em!”

She blinked, a little surprised by how quickly he bristled after the sweet action of bringing her tea, but she knew that his withdrawal had steadily worsened throughout the night. No doubt he would grow pricklier as time drew on until he gained control over his cravings. She would simply have to deal with his mood swings until then.

Realizing that he was glaring expectantly at her, waiting for a reply, she sighed and rested her mug on her lap. “I'm sorry it's so hard for you to sleep, Inu-Yasha. Unfortunately, this is just a stage you will have to go through as your body tries to adjust to these changes. I mean, there are certainly some techniques we can try to help you relax before you go to bed, but your body has to get used to sleeping without the aid of liquor.”

“Well, I don't like it,” he snapped back, clearly not pleased with her response. “If I have to go through this every night, then that'll put me right back on the booze. Is that what you want? To have me relapse on the second day of this damn thing?”

“Inu-Yasha!” she immediately chastised, looking up sharply at him. “You shouldn't say such things. Have a little faith in yourself.” Though she had expected him to be overly crabby after two sleepless, sober nights, his poor temper was already testing even her patience, and she was starting to wonder how long she would be able to withstand his mood.

Watching as he snorted in disgust and turned away, she frowned as he reached for his pack of cigarettes on the coffee table; not only had he already picked up chain-smoking, which was a concern that would have to be addressed eventually, but his hands were already as shaky as an old man's. He could hardly get ahold of a cigarette to get it out of the carton, and lighting it was clearly going to be next to impossible. Growing more and more frustrated as the tiny white stick eluded his trembling fingers, his grunts and growls increased in volume, and Kagome finally spoke up before he tore the entire pack to shreds with his claws when his temper peaked.

“Inu-Yasha.”

Her calm voice cut through his irritation, and he suddenly stopped trying to tear into the carton in order to stare angrily at her. “What?” he snarled defensively, throwing the cigarettes on the coffee table. “Don't want me smokin'? Well right now, I don't give a damn, because it's the only thing that's keeping me from breaking the door off that cabinet and—“

“Inu-Yasha.”

Once again her voice made him abruptly stop talking, and this time he stayed silent; there was something in her tone that warned of dire consequences if he continued his rant.

Satisfied that he was going to keep quiet, Kagome fixed him with a look. She had just woken up moments ago, and already her patience was being tested, that much he could tell. And, despite how frayed his nerves were and how short his fuse was, it had never been his intent to make her angry. He was simply ready to leap out of his skin at the slightest suggestion. Two days with no sleep and only two glasses of whiskey left him both dead tired and yet quite anxious, and his patience was the first thing to go. However, he knew she was doing her best to hold her tongue and, while he had already lost control over his, he shouldn't push his luck.

“Come over here,” she ordered after a moment, tugging the flannel blanket off the couch next to her.

Though her tone was rather brusque, her expression had softened into one of sympathy, so he doubted she was going to yell at him. Abandoning his cigarettes, he slowly stood up and, with his blanket in tow, walked over and carefully eased down onto the couch beside her, looking nervously at her out of the corner of his eye.

For a moment she just stared at him, and he felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze. He had no doubt she was taking in all his ailments—his red eyes, shaking hands, and pale cheeks—and he hated to think of how pathetic he probably looked. Still, she kept quiet and finally smiled at him for the first time that morning.

“Why don't you lie down,” she suggested gently, clearly offering her lap as a pillow for him. “Even if you can't sleep, we can try and help you relax, just a bit. Anything to help, right?”

Inu-Yasha sighed. He had been trying to relax all night long, and really did not feel like continuing a fight that felt useless. However, he knew that Kagome's lap was the most comfortable place to rest. He had just about reached that level of exhaustion where, were it not for his withdrawal symptoms keeping his nerves from calming, he could just drop to the floor and have a great night's sleep there. So, with little argument, he moved on the couch so that he was curled up next to her, his head resting on her lap.

Kagome smiled a little as he grudgingly obeyed her and pulled that familiar red yarn afghan up over his shoulders, tucking him in as he settled. Once he was properly covered, he shifted a bit to get comfortable, and then the pair fell into silence, staring at the flickering television in a position they had been in a number of times before. This time, though, Kagome felt something noticeably different.

Inu-Yasha was incredibly tense against her; she could feel his limbs shaking underneath the covers, and the tightness of his muscles in his neck and shoulders was evident as she stroked his hair, which concerned her. Such an action from her end usually served to lull him into a deep sleep, but her efforts sparked no change in his behavior. Frowning in thought, she finally stopped stroking his hair and instead began to massage his ears.

“Mm,” he grunted suddenly as she started to work her fingers in a circular motion over the soft fur. It was a sound of surprise, but he seemed to be pleased by the sensation. “This's different…” he mumbled, trying to keep a gruff tone and failing in the attempt.

“Do you not like it?” she asked softly. He seemed to have calmed already, but she kept her voice low to avoid riling him at all. “I can stop if you like.”

For a moment, he didn't answer, and she smiled a little at his silence. She continued to rub his ears, keeping her movements slow and gentle. As she did so, she could feel the tension slowly seep out of his muscles, until all she felt was the slight trembling of his limbs, which was something that wouldn't cease without the aid of whiskey.

Finally, he responded with a very delayed, “No… It's fine…”

As she muffled the sounds of her laughter, she carefully peeked over the top of his head to see his face, making certain to continue with the rhythmic motions on his ears. She took great amusement from his expression. He looked like a cat that was on the verge of sleep. His eyes were mere slits, while the rest of his body was as limp as a noodle. With a broad grin, she slowly leaned back and settled more comfortably in the cushions; judging from his actions, she would be there for a while.

They sat there for the better part of an hour, Inu-Yasha drifting off a few minutes in. Kagome never ceased her caress on his baby-soft ears, keeping her motions slow and rhythmic to soothe him. The action calmed her as well, and soon the only sounds were the soft whispers emitted from the television and Inu-Yasha's heavy breathing while he slept. With his warm head in her lap, it was quite peaceful, especially compared to the abrupt start to her morning, and she found that her eyelids were starting to droop after a while.

BRRRRIIING!!

Inu-Yasha shot up on the couch, tousle-haired, bleary-eyed and ready to kill whoever or whatever was making the dreadful noise. Kagome, while just as startled as he, quickly took it upon herself to take control.

“It's just the telephone…” she said soothingly, her voice a little hoarse from sleep. “I'll get it, you just stay here.” Though he still glared about with bloodshot eyes, he did finally nod and lean back in the cushions so Kagome could clamber past him.

Knowing that there were only two people who ever called Inu-Yasha, Kagome picked up the phone to end its obnoxious ringing and said with a tone of familiarity, “Good morning.”

“Good morning to you as well, Miss Kagome,” Miroku replied, completely unaware of his interruption. His voice sounded a bit faint, so she assumed that he was on speakerphone so Sango could join in the conversation.

Bringing the phone with her back to her spot on the couch, she said, “What can I do for you?” She was rather eager to get this call over with so she and Inu-Yasha could resume their nap, which had been quite pleasant and very welcome.

“Well, we were just calling to check up on Inu-Yasha. We haven't spoken to him since Christmas Eve, and he seemed to be a little unsettled then. We just wanted to make sure he was doing all right.”

With a slight frown, Kagome asked, “Why didn't you call yesterday?”

“We wanted to give him a couple days to recover. Every other year when we've called on Christmas Day, he's either still unconscious or not at all pleased to hear from us. We've learned it's best to let him sleep everything off before peppering him with questions.”

Kagome glanced over at Inu-Yasha during Miroku's explanation, smiling at the look on the demon's face. He was still drugged from sleep, but was clearly mad about being startled awake. And, judging from the way he was glaring at the telephone, he could hear every word being said about him and was fairly unhappy with it all.

“He's doing just fine,” Kagome informed them, patting him on the knee as she did so and making him break his glare at the phone so he could blink sleepily at her. “He did end up drinking a little too much on Christmas Eve, but we got things cleared up, didn't we?” That last statement was directed at him, but he simply stared at her and shrugged listlessly; he clearly had little memory of that night.

“Actually, he has some very important news for the both of you,” she went on.

“Really?” came Sango's voice from the other end. “What is it?”

Kagome pulled the phone away for a second to ask Inu-Yasha, “Do you want to tell them, or do you want me to?” His only response was to let out a wide, fanged yawn, showing his disinterest in the whole thing, so she shrugged and turned her attention back to her superiors.

“Well…” she began slowly. “On Christmas Day, Inu-Yasha decided that he wanted to quit drinking, once and for all.”

Dead silence met her statement. There were absolutely no sounds coming from the line. Even Inu-Yasha, despite how somnolent he was, had one ear trained toward the phone, curious for their response. Finally, the silence stretched on for so long that Kagome felt she had to explain a bit more, in hopes to get some reaction out of the pair.

“He started yesterday,” she said, a bit nervously, “and did very well. We started with his drinking plan, and he was able to stick to it—two glasses of whiskey in the evening, and that was it for the whole day. It was tough for him, but he's trying his hardest to succeed. After all, he did find the right reason for doing it. I have great faith in him, and I hope you believe me when I say that he's doing his best.”

There was another moment of total silence. Then, came Sango's voice, sounding faint and distant from the receiver. “He really… doesn't want to drink anymore?”

And then Miroku spoke up with, “He actually figured it out?”

“Yes,” Kagome replied, as a simple answer to both questions. The response hung heavy in the air. Then all of a sudden, she jerked the phone away from her ear as cheers and shouts of joy erupted from the earpiece.

Kagome looked over at Inu-Yasha and was pleased to see him flushed all the way to the tips of his ears by their reaction. He knew better than she how badly Sango and Miroku wanted to see him sober again, and this response proved it all. When he glanced over at the telephone while listening to their shouts and laughter, she could see in his eye, behind the grogginess of sleep, a look of resolve that was now cemented in him with his friends' joy at the news.

Fighting to keep a broad grin off her face and embarrassing Inu-Yasha even more, she carefully put the receiver back to her ear as Sango and Miroku finally started to say something she could understand.

“Do you mean it, Kagome, really?” Sango asked, sounding more excited than Kagome had ever seen the woman. “He's actually done it? Committed himself to sobering up?”

“Yes, he has.”

“Oh, this is the greatest news I have ever heard!” Miroku cried out from the background, making Kagome jump a bit. “Can we speak to him? Is he around?”

“Well, he actually was right in the middle of a nap when you called…” she said slowly, smiling as Inu-Yasha grumpily shook his head at her, indicating that he did not want to talk. “And he really should get as much rest as he can. He hasn't slept well the past couple of nights.”

“Of course, of course. We'll let you go. We have work to do ourselves. Oh, but still, such wonderful news!” They could barely contain their glee. “Tell Inu-Yasha that we're so proud of him for doing this, all right? We're behind him should he ever need any help!”

“I will, I will,” Kagome laughed. “I'll call you later with details on everything. Good-bye.” Pressing the `End' button on the phone, she sighed and set it down on the coffee table. She then leaned back and looked at Inu-Yasha. He was sitting very still next to her, staring down at his lap while his hands trembled jerkily on his knees. She stared at him for a moment, but when she never received a response, she reached out and grasped one of his hands, giving it a light squeeze. Blinking, he turned to look at her, not quite as sleepy as he had been moments before.

Kagome smiled at his expression—it was as though he wanted to be happy, but hardly knew where to begin. Softly, she asked, “Does it feel good, knowing how excited they are for you?”

A ghost of a smile drifted across his face, his mouth hesitantly curving up in a grin. However, he quickly coughed and shook his head, breaking the quiet in the room. “Doesn't matter,” he grunted roughly, shifting on the couch so he could rest his head on her lap once again. “I'm doin' this damn thing for me, not for them.”

The statement made Kagome smile broadly as she carefully pulled his red afghan back up over his shoulders. “Yes you are, aren't you?” she murmured, tucking the blanket in around him.

“Hmph. Whatever. Now, enough talkin', I want to go back to sleep.” Settling against her, he shut his eyes and mumbled, “Do that ear thing again, would you?”

She let out a playful scoff at his demand. Hearing it, he cracked one eye open to peer tiredly up at her. “Please,” he added grudgingly.

Without a word, she slowly started to massage the soft fur of his ears, and they soon fell back into the same peaceful silence from before.

oOoOoOo

Kagome stifled a yawn as she stared boredly around the apartment, allowing her eyes to come to rest on the digital clock that read 3:43. Resisting the urge to sigh, she picked up the remote and changed the channel on the television for the hundredth time, and once again discovered that daytime TV held nothing of value. With no amusement derived from that, she picked up her empty mug and played with the soggy teabag left in the bottom, wishing she could arise and make more. However, with the snoring half-demon passed out on her lap, movement was next to impossible.

She had tried several times over the past few hours to carefully slide out from underneath Inu-Yasha, but it seemed that her slightest movement roused the temperamental demon into wakefulness. With sleep a hard enough thing for him to grasp in the first place, she hated to wake him, so she quickly quieted and gave his ears a good rub each time to keep him asleep.

Thus, she had been forced to remain seated on the couch the entire day, stiff, restless, and quite hungry. However, just as she reached the point where she was willing to risk disturbing the demon so she could make a sandwich in the kitchen, he suddenly started to shift underneath his blanket, showing signs of wakefulness. Looking hopefully down at him, she suddenly frowned when she saw his face.

His brow was furrowed, and his fangs were bared in a slight grimace. His bangs clung to his sweaty forehead, and he was starting to let out soft moans of distress. Wondering if he was in the middle of a nightmare, she decided that he looked poorly enough to awaken.

“Inu-Yasha,” she said softly, nudging his shoulder a little. “Inu-Yasha? Are you all right?” It took a couple tries, but he was roused easily enough. Blinking a bit as he awoke, he groaned and carefully pushed himself upright, putting a hand to his forehead.

“What time izzit…?” he mumbled, peering blearily around with a terrible frown on his face.

“A quarter to four,” Kagome replied. She studied him carefully, a little concerned. He looked like he was in a great deal of pain, and at her reply, he let out a foul curse and slouched forward, resting his head in one trembling hand while the other shook restlessly on his leg.

“Damn it all…” he muttered under his breath. His silver-white locks hung messily off his shoulders, obscuring his face, but it was clear from how strained his voice was that something was wrong.

“Inu-Yasha?” she asked again, placing a hand on his back and slowly rubbing it. “What's wrong?”

He flinched away from her touch, snarling a bit as he did so. When he turned to glare at her, she noticed that his eyes were painfully bloodshot; apparently the few hours' sleep he had gotten had not been near enough. “'What's wrong',” he snapped mockingly in response. “Hmph. I'll tell you what's wrong. My head's splittin' in two, I can't keep my hands steady, and I'm still dyin' for sleep but can't get any because of this damn withdrawal! And I still have two hours to go before I can get anything for it! That's what's wrong, dammit!”

Blinking in surprise at the outburst, Kagome quickly withdrew her hand, afraid it would be swatted away with Inu-Yasha being so sensitive. He scowled at her, then reached across the coffee table for his cigarettes and simply tore into the package with his claws. Placing one of the white sticks to his lips, he grabbed his lighter off the table as well and attempted to get the tip aflame, but of course he was unsuccessful. Kagome reached up to hold his hand steady, only to prevent him from growing even angrier. Now that she knew why he was so irritable, she felt sorry for him and wanted to bring him comfort any way she could without the aid of liquor.

Watching him to make sure he calmed down a bit with the cigarette, though admittedly not much, she finally climbed off the couch, suppressing a groan as her legs bore her weight for the first time that day. Walking stiffly toward the kitchen, she paused in the doorway and asked tentatively, “Do you want me to make you some coffee?”

Either he wasn't paying attention or he was simply trying to hold his tongue, but he remained silent, staring at the television with the cigarette clutched between his lips. His arms were crossed tightly across his chest in a feeble attempt to keep them still, and his foot was tapping a constant beat against the table leg. He maintained that silence for several moments, until finally she sighed and ducked out of the room.

As she bustled about the kitchen, absentmindedly filling the coffeepot with water and putting a mug of water into the microwave for her tea, she frowned to herself as she pondered Inu-Yasha's condition. She knew that the first few days of sobriety would be the worst for him but she really hadn't any idea of how seriously withdrawal would affect the poor demon. She knew it was a strain on him, both mentally and physically, and, despite how waspish he had been to her, she still hated to see him that way.

Remembering how hungry she was, she suddenly decided that a bite of lunch might do them both very well, and hopefully it would ease Inu-Yasha's vicious disposition. While the coffee and tea brewed, she quickly made two sandwiches and sliced up an apple for each of them. It wasn't much, but it was fast, healthy, and easy for Inu-Yasha to eat, even with his restless hands.

Pouring a mug of coffee for him and tossing the tea bag out of her cup, she then set the two plates and two mugs on the serving tray and silently carried it into the living room, tentatively approaching the demon. The cigarette seemed to have taken the edge of his discomfort, although he still glared angrily as she came into the room. However, when she silently held the tray out to him, his stare softened a little, and he carefully regarded the display.

“Coffee and a sandwich?” he grunted, pulling the tiny stub of a cigarette from his lips and mashing it in the ashtray. “What the hell kind of a meal is that?”

“I just thought you might want something to eat,” she replied quietly, waiting patiently for him to take his food. “And you always like having coffee when you wake up. I thought it might help you feel better.”

Her last statement made him clamp his mouth shut and hold back another sharp retort. Grudgingly, he removed his plate and mug from the tray, allowing Kagome go around and join him on the couch.

For several minutes they sat in silence, Kagome eating hungrily while Inu-Yasha sipped more at his coffee, merely nibbling at his sandwich and apples. Truthfully, his stomach wasn't feeling quite settled, but he didn't want to tell her that—he hated to appear weak in front of her. He was already embarrassed over his little outburst and didn't want to look even more pathetic in her eyes by complaining of a stomachache.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes as he chewed slowly on a bit of crust. Guilt wormed its way into his chest as he watched her practically inhale her meal, pausing only to take a swallow of tea. Not only did he realize it was his fault that she had been unable to eat yet today, but he could see how worried she was and he hated to make her worry. He knew he was ready to drop from exhaustion and he knew that he was ready to fly out of skin due to the withdrawal, but he hated to let her know that. The more she knew of how ill he felt, the more worried she became. Not only that, but the worse he felt, the worse he treated her. It was never intentional, but he never seemed to gain control in time. The shouts and curses flew out before he could stop them.

Sighing heavily, he rested his plate on his lap and muttered, breaking the silence, “I'm sorry I'm being such an ass.”

Kagome abruptly paused, trying to swallow a mouthful as she turned to look at him. “Egcuse me?” she mumbled around a bite of apple.

Flushing red, he looked away from her and said a bit louder, “I'm sorry I'm being such an ass today.”

He kept his gaze averted as she swallowed and took a sip of tea to wash it down. Then, he felt her hand on his arm. “You don't have to apologize, Inu-Yasha,” she said, sounding a bit less comical without food impeding her speech. “I know this is hard for you, and that you're trying your best. I can't get mad at you for that.”

“Hmph.” He brought his coffee mug back to his lips, allowing silence to take over once again. After a moment, he said, “Y'know, coffee and a sandwich isn't so bad.”

Kagome sent him a small smile before turning her attention back to the television. “Thank you. I thought you might like it.”

With some coffee in his system and his nicotine urge sated for the moment, he finally felt a bit calmer. His headache didn't pound quite so bad, and his stomach wasn't objecting the food like he thought it would. Crossing his arms to pin his shaking hands down, he regarded her for a moment before saying, “There was something else I liked today.”

Kagome, a little surprised to hear him initiating a civil conversation, replied, “Oh, really? And what was that?”

A blush beginning to stain his cheeks, he mumbled, “This morning. Lying in your lap.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What made it so special? We've done that before, you know?”

“Yes,” he agreed, bringing his eyes up to meet her gaze. “But this time, I'll remember it.”

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

“I just still cannot believe it,” Sango said for the hundredth time that day as they cruised through the city streets, using her glove to wipe the condensation off the window so she could stare out. “I just cannot believe he decided to quit. And so soon, even! Can you believe it?”

“Yes, I can believe it, my dear,” Miroku replied, barely able to keep the mirth from his voice. “But I won't deny that I had been hoping something like this would happen soon.” He was certainly happy about Inu-Yasha's news, without a doubt, but he was also taking a great amount of joy from the effect the news had on Sango. Her entire demeanor had changed that day. Instead of snapping waspishly at anyone who disturbed her work and going about her duties listlessly with no energy or drive, she had been oddly perky today. She went about her business with a zeal he had not seen in her in a long time, she had shocked Rin into silence with her cheerful greeting, and he had even caught her humming as she worked with the filing cabinets. She, of course, stopped as soon as he told her how lovely her voice was, but there had been a smile on her face for the rest of the day. Even now, after a full day of work and on their way to visit with the new mayor, a task they had been dreading for days, she still had a broad grin and could not stop from exclaiming about the demon.

“I'm just so happy for him, you know?” she went on, staring outside at the streetlights as they whisked by. “He needed this. Badly. I'm so glad Kagome has been there for him so much. Obviously, she's had an effect on him.”

“Oh, so true,” Miroku agreed, curving right so he could drive around the Crater and up to the driveway of the mayor's mansion. “But still, Inu-Yasha is the one doing the hardest work right now, right? We need to make sure that we're there for him as much as possible. This is just the beginning, I'm sure.”

“Of course, of course. But still…” Turning to look at Miroku, she had the brightest smile on her face he had seen in a long time. Miroku was stunned into silence for a moment because of how beautiful she was. He made a mental note to thank Inu-Yasha personally for doing this to Sango.

“Yes,” he agreed, returning her smile in kind. “This is very, very good.”

Pulling up to the front of the mansion, he finally turned the ignition off and shifted so he could look at her properly. He tried to keep a more somber tone in his voice when he spoke, for he needed to make sure they could look professional in front of the new mayor.

“Now, Sango,” he began soberly. “We mustn't mention this in front of Muso. He doesn't need to know anything about Inu-Yasha, his current condition, and his current whereabouts, all right?”

“I know that, Miroku,” she replied, the usual bite of her tongue seeping back in at being addressed in such a way. “Just because I'm happy about something doesn't mean I'm going to jeopardize everything.” Frowning at him for even suggesting such a thing, she quickly climbed out of the car, waiting impatiently for him to follow suit.

He smiled to himself as he got out; her practically immediate switch from joyful to professional came as no surprise to him. “Very well. Let's just go in, bring Muso up-to-date on everything, and then go home. Does that sound all right to you?”

“Perfect.” Waiting only a moment for him to catch up with her, she quickly strode up the long walk and to the ornate front door of the mayor's mansion. By the time Miroku reached her, she had already rung the doorbell and was now being greeted by the doorman.

“We have a meeting scheduled with Mayor Muso,” she was saying briskly. “Sango and Miroku are our names.”

“Ah yes. The last meeting of the day,” the doorman replied, stepping aside. “Please, come in.”

As they were led into the home they had been in so many times before, Miroku hoped that Muso would be a bit more cooperative than they were expecting from him. This meeting was only to make the new mayor privy to the Order's operations and functions, so there was nothing to argue about. He and Sango had never experienced any trouble with the former mayor concerning the running of the Order, and he prayed that Muso would be the same way. However, judging from the man's campaign, he was suspecting that they might butt heads a bit more often.

“Here we are,” the doorman said, pausing in the front of the mayor's office. “You may go in, Mayor Muso is expecting you.”

“Thank you.” Sango led the way into the room, rapping her knuckles twice and the paneled wood door before entering. “Mayor Muso,” she said politely to the dark-haired man sitting behind a beautifully carved, mahogany desk. “My name is Sango and this is my business partner, Miroku. We're here on behalf of the Order.”

“Ah, yes, the Order. Welcome, welcome. Please, sit.” Muso stood up long enough to shake both of their hands before sitting back down again.

Miroku studied him carefully during the greeting. He did have a firm handshake, and his smile was warm enough, but his eyes remained unaffected by the grin; they were a cold black, dark and calculating.

“Well, if you don't mind, with it being so late, let's just get started,” Muso began, leaning back in his chair. “What do you have for me?”

“We are here to simply explain the Order's function and its services to the city,” Miroku replied. “As the city is the one who finances part of our divisions, we like to make sure you know where the money is going.”

Muso nodded agreeably. “Very good. Do continue.”

Sango reached into the briefcase that she had brought along, pulling out a thin binder and passing it across the desk to him. “This is just a summary of the things the Order offers. To begin with, we have our medical center. We have doctors and scientists working together constantly to come up with new medicines for demons, which we then sell to hospitals so they can treat a wider range of patients. This branch of the Order works on a global scale, and a good deal of our profits come in from that.”

“We also have an inter-species liaison branch,” Miroku piped in. “This is a group of lawyers that are used in most cases handling demon attacks or the like. They defend both humans and demons, and have been put to good use several times in the city's past. However, since we don't need their services too often, the profits we make from out medical branch go toward covering the costs of this branch, along with a few government dollars.”

“All right,” Muso said slowly, peering through the binder Sango had handed him. “And it appears that you have one more branch?”

“Yes,” Sango replied. “This is probably the most important branch of the Order, at least, that concerns the city. Our defense branch. This is comprised of several demons, along with a few specially-trained humans, in order to protect and defend this city from any attacks. We often work in conjunction with the city's police department to keep things safe for the citizens. This keeps the minor imps that live in the sewers from emerging and infecting the city roads, we keep the mutant rats at bay, and we do our best to prevent any demons from growing too powerful for their own good. Do you remember that odd influx of minor imps and ogres that occurred a few weeks ago? It was the Order's defense branch that responded to that and took care of everything.”

“Yes, and this is the branch that most of the government money we receive goes toward,” Miroku added, for he knew that finances were what most politicians were most concerned about. “We use it to train our fighters, pay for weaponry, armor, the cleanup, all of that.”

“Mm, yes, yes,” Muso interrupted boredly, snapping the binder shut and effectively silencing Miroku. Placing his fingertips together, he regarded them both with his dark eyes, making each shift a little in their chair. “It seems your Order serves this city well. Quite well. I am very impressed with how closely your human and demon populations work together. That, as you know, is the basis of all the work I intend to do while in this office.”

“Yes, we heard,” Sango replied drily. Miroku gave her a sharp look, but fortunately Muso didn't seem to notice.

“However,” he went on, leaning back in his chair, “I do have one issue, one that I find to be quite hypocritical of you.”

“Oh, really? What is that?” Miroku was genuinely curious.

Muso tapped the binder with his index finger. “This third branch of yours, the defense. Why, if you work so hard to heal demons and protect them in the judicial system if you simply go out and slaughter them the next day? As you know, my slogan is `Unity Under Peace.' I'll have you know that it is not just a campaign slogan. It is a message that I want to carry out over my entire run as mayor.” He stared at them both, the smile from his face long gone. “I cannot keep my good-standing with the public or my morals intact if I allow such a thing to continue.”

Sango scoffed in disbelief. “What are you implying, Mayor? That we disband our defense branch?”

“Actually, that's exactly what I'm implying.”

A hint of a smile, this one more malevolent than his previous one, grew on his lips when he saw their reaction. Both sat and stared at him in a stunned silence, hardly knowing what to say. He remained quiet, patiently waiting for them to find their voices.

At last, Sango spoke up and said, “I-I'm sorry, sir, but that's just not wise. Do you realize what would happen if this city had no protection from demons? There would be chaos, anarchy… What if one demon steadily gained power, and there was no one there to stop it? We would have another war on our hands, just like the one with Naraku!” As she said this, she cast a worried glance over at Miroku, for they both knew that a war had already begun. However, they were still doing their best to keep it under wraps, and had agreed before coming here that they would not even tell the mayor just yet. They were still holding out on the hope that it could be prevented, and the fewer people who knew the better.

“I find that very hard to believe, Sango,” Muso replied, sending a shiver down her spine at the familiarity in his tone. “What proof do you have of that? Does anyone know of any attacks as of late? It is a drastic thing to claim a war might begin when you have no proof.”

Sango pursed her lips; she knew she was caught, and there was no way to talk out of this trap without giving up information prematurely. “Sir, I just find it unwise to leave the city defenseless--”

“The city doesn't have to be defenseless,” Muso interrupted. “You said you worked closely with the police department, correct? Well, can you not send your fighters over there to work for them?”

“What would be the point of disbanding the defense branch, then?” Miroku broke in, speaking for the first time in a long while. “They would be doing the city the same service in the police force as in the defense branch.”

“Perhaps…” Muso said, sounding as though he disagreed, but did not expand. “However, if they worked within the police force, then the government's money that normally goes to fund your branch could then be put toward more… important matters. We are all about saving taxpayer's dollars, of course.”

Miroku frowned. Personally, he would much rather use taxpayer's dollars to defend the city and protect them from another war, but he couldn't exactly say that aloud. Staring hard at the new mayor for a moment, he finally said softly, “You aren't going to get away with this. This city needs our branch more than anything else. There are many political figures that know this. You are going to have to get past them before anything will happen.”

“Oh, believe me, I am aware of the challenges I am up against. However, this is something that I will not back down from.” He smiled placidly at the two fuming in front of him. “I see we have an understanding of our positions. I believe our work tonight is done. Can you see yourselves out?”

Stiffly, they stood from their chairs and walked toward the door, tight-lipped and silent. However, just before Miroku followed Sango out, he turned and said, “We aren't finished.”

“No,” Muso agreed quietly as the door slammed shut. “We aren't.”

They walked in total silence back to the car, and remained that way for the entire drive back to the Order's headquarters. However, once Miroku parked by the curb and turned the engine off, he sighed heavily and rested his head on the wheel.

“That… did not go well,” he said, breaking the silence. “I did not expect such a thing to ever happen. We are going to have to contact our allies immediately, and hopefully garner enough sway towards our side before Muso gets to them. If only we could mention this damn war going on, but we either have mass chaos prematurely, or we hold out and pray that it is prevented. Damn it, Sango, this is not a good position we've been put in.” Lifting his head to look over at her, he abruptly stopped when he saw that her nose was very red and she was biting her lip, a sign that she was holding back tears. “Sango?”

For a moment, she remained quiet, allowing only a sniffle or two to escape. However, she finally choked out, “How…how are we going to tell Inu-Yasha?”

Miroku sat, frozen in his seat. Inu-Yasha. The Order was an enormous part of the demon's life. If he was separated from this… They didn't want to ponder the implications.

“Oh, Sango… I don't know…”

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