InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Heart's Landfill ❯ The Last to Know ( Chapter 38 )

A/N: As always all characters will be walking that fine line called OOCness!! I've been meaning to update this chapter since last week sometime, but I went home to visit my family and my laptop didn't really seem to like their type of internet access. I'm having or rather have been having a horrible week, but I figure it will get better eventually-I have to believe that-otherwise I'll lose my everlasting mind. I won't bore you guys with the details, but I will ask you all to pray for me-if you believe in that kind of stuff. Anyway thanks for your wonderful reviews and a special thanks to my beautiful beta, Neko, I hope you enjoy the compromise…(kisses).

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership to anyone with the exception of Nya, Nola, Dr. Aikio, and Dinshu. All others belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 38:

The Last to Know

If someone would've asked her if she was bewildered, Kagome probably would've outright laughed at them, because that was an incredible understatement.

She and Inuyasha had gone their separate ways upon leaving her place earlier that morning after he'd taken her home so that she could get dressed for work, and pick up her car.

The drive to work was the same as it was any other day; the roads were congested, but the traffic still flowed, and no matter which radio station she turned to, she always caught the tail-end of one of her favorite songs.

There was nothing, absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happening, well, that was until she pulled into the garage of her office building and tried to park her car.

The place was littered-literally-with police officers and security personnel. It seemed like something had taken place somewhere between the elevator and the stairwell, which was cordoned off by yellow tape, but she couldn't make herself care even a little as to what that might have been.

After showing her ID to one of the flashlight cops that were ID-ing everyone before they would allow them to enter the elevator, she was able to finally make her way up to the lobby where the three ring circus was in full swing.

They appeared to have the lobby divided in two; one side for the women, the other side for the men. The side for the women was moving fast enough, so she'd decided that that was okay, but she couldn't help but to wonder what the hell was going on as she watched a lady officer swab the inside of one gentleman's jaw while a male officer took fingerprints from another man.

She'd thought to ask one of the ladies standing in front of her what was going on, but decided quite quickly that she'd just wait for Sango to get in, knowing she'd have the latest gossip.

As she stepped into the elevator after showing her ID for the second time, she was able to relax just a little, but as soon as the doors opened to her floor, she found more security officers meandering around.

Some were questioning the other Attorneys on her floor while the others that weren't fingerprinting doorknobs and whatnots appeared to be standing guard.

She'd almost made it to her office, the key was in the hole, all she had to do was twist, but damn it…damn it…damn it, there was the CFO's assistant, Calico, standing behind her telling her that she was needed in his office right away.

She'd asked if she could take a moment to just put her purse and jacket down, but the witch cut her off abruptly telling her, “No Ma'am, he needs to see you immediately.”

Trying to push away her irritated thoughts, Kagome carefully picked up the porcelain coffee cup and took a sip as she waited, or rather tried to wait patiently for her immediate supervisor, Yamaguchi Takeda, to enter the office.

If this impromptu meeting was so freaking urgent, shouldn't he be here?

Setting the cup back down on the ceramic coaster so that it didn't mark the polished oak table, she shifted in the high back chair in an attempt to get a little more comfortable, but she quickly realized that comfort was probably the last thing the chair was made for.

As she eyed the massive office that was easily three times the size of her own, she groaned and rolled her eyes almost childishly.

Sure, she had visited this monstrosity more than a few times in the months that she'd been working for the Law Firm, but she figured that she'd never get use to just how immense and egocentric it was.

Kagome reached up and rubbed the back of her neck in an attempt to quiet her rising anxiety.

The police in the garage, the division of the lobby into men and women, and the urgency of this so not urgent meeting… None of it made any sense!

Of course, she knew that something bad had to have taken place, but what and why the hell would she be called in here when she was more than certain that she didn't have any meetings scheduled with him this week?

What the hell is going on?

Turning her head at the sound of the door opening, Kagome quickly pushed back away from the table and stood to her feet as she watched her boss, Yamaguchi, enter followed by a gentleman wearing a worn gray suit who looked to be in his early to late thirties, and a woman wearing a feminine version of the same hideous suit.

Bowing, Kagome greeted politely, “Good morning, Yamaguchi-sama.”

Yamaguchi bowed in return and quickly turned his attention to the two people accompanying him. “Higurashi Kagome, this is Detective Shu and his partner, Detective Lui.” After they each bowed, he then directed, “Please have a seat.”

Reclaiming the seat she had just vacated, Kagome slowly eyed each of the people at the table questioningly before she spoke; her question directed at Yamaguchi, “I don't understand what's going on. Why are they here?”

Yamaguchi, Lui, and Shu, each shared a knowing glance before Detective Shu began, “There was an altercation last night in the garage and someone was hurt.”

“What does that have to do with me?” Kagome snapped not meaning to. But the feeling of unease, of not knowing, of feeling as if she was missing something important was an overwhelming thing.

“It may have nothing at all to do with you, but then again it may have everything to do with you,” Shu's female partner, Lui, interjected cryptically. “A few weeks ago, we were contacted by your IT department informing us that your company's firewall had been hacked into.”

Staring at Yamaguchi, Kagome quickly looked away and towards the only other woman in the room. Squaring her shoulders, she declared firmly, “I still don't understand what this has to do with me.”

“Of the 103,000 files and the 15 partner files that are secured in the company's main frame, your file was the only file that was tampered with,” Shu replied, his eyes staring her down as if he was waiting for her to do or say something incriminating.

Kagome took her time digesting that tidbit of information, but it still didn't make a lick of sense to her. There was no one that she knew of that would or could do something like that, and even if she did, they wouldn't have a reason to do it.

Taking her time staring at the three people, all of which were sitting across the table from her, Kagome inhaled deeply, silently telling herself to remain calm; otherwise she would look as if she was guilty of something when she most certainly wasn't.

“Am I being accused of something, Yamaguchi-sama?”

“No…no of course not, Higurashi.”

“What information of mine was tampered with?” she questioned, turning her attention to the detectives.

“Nothing was changed. It appears that whoever did it was merely looking for information on you,” Lui interjected, her eyes narrowed accusatorily.

“That doesn't make sense. There isn't anyone that I know of that would do something like that or would need to. My family and friends know where I am and how to reach me.”

“Is there anyone in particular that you may not want to know of your whereabouts; perhaps someone from your past? Someone that may want to hurt you, Higurashi?” Shu questioned as he reached into his breast pocket and flipped open his little notepad as if he thought she was about to give him an ear full.

The Detective's questions rolled aimlessly around her mind as she slowly eyed him while wondering if this was some sort of joke that she just wasn't getting. Someone that I wouldn't want to find me… Well, Kouga, but he's married, he's gone on with his life and…and besides that, he would never, he could never do something like this! He would never physically hurt me or even try to physically hurt me, she thought decidedly, seconds before brushing that thought away all together.

“What? No! Of course not!” Kagome avowed vehemently, turning her attention back to the people before her. “I'm not running from anyone or anything!” She was seriously starting to feel like she was being accused of something, even if it wasn't being stated directly.

“You recently relocated from Kyoto, is that right?” Shu questioned evenly.

“Yes, but I'm sure you already knew that, didn't you?” Kagome snapped, wondering exactly why in the hell she was still in here listening to this crap.

Regardless of what system was hacked into, or what happened down in that damn garage none of this shit had anything to do with her, damn it! She had work to do, meetings to attend to, and a lunch date to keep!

“Higurashi, please calm down,” Yamaguchi advised quietly. “They're just doing their jobs.” Turning his attention to the two detectives sitting next to him, he finished sternly as if warning them to tread lightly with their current line of questioning, “No one, and I mean no one is accusing you of anything.”

“No, of course not,” Shu affirmed quickly.

Regardless of what these bastards sitting in front of her were saying, she felt like she was on the hot seat! She felt like she was being accused of something damn it! She felt like she was guilty until proven innocent!

“I'm not answering another question until someone tells me something that makes sense,” Kagome bit out, her arms crossed defiantly beneath her breasts. “I'm a partner in this firm, and I will not be treated like anything less!”

“Higurashi-”

“No,” she snapped, standing to her feet, her palms flat against the table top beneath her. “I know my rights! I don't have to sit here and answer these questions as if I've done something wrong when I haven't! I hope you find the bastards that hacked into the companies system, but this has nothing to do with me!”

“Sit down and shut up!” Lui snapped, standing up and slamming her hands against the table. “This has everything to do with you! We just don't know how, and we need to talk to you to figure it out!”

Kagome glared across the table at the woman, silently daring her to make her sit down.

Standing to his feet, Yamaguchi started slowly around the table. Placing his hand on Kagome shoulder, he stated sadly, “Last night in the garage, Higurashi, your assistant…was attacked.”

Kagome gasped and stepped back as she turned to look at him, her face clearly telling him that she was perplexed. “What?”

“Your assistant… Someone tried to… She was attacked,” Yamaguchi reiterated softly.

Kagome stared up at him, her eyes searching his face for some hint of this being a sick joke, but she found none. “San…Sango?”

“Yes. She was leaving the office after a meeting with Mr. Nahara. From what we can assess from speaking with her fiancé, she was on her way to meet him when she saw that her rear tire was flat. He doesn't know what happened after he told her to go back up to the lobby and wait for him, but based on what security and the police have gathered, the Assailant was waiting for her in the garage.” Watching as the baffled young woman slowly sat down, he continued, “She struggled with her Assailant, but he was able to drag her out of the elevator and into the stairwell.”

Kagome continued to gawk at him, half hearing what he was saying and half not hearing it. Sango…attacked…Assailant waited on her…Tire flat…Stairwell, she thought while lifting her hand to cover her mouth as a dry sob escaped her.

“In speaking with the other Paralegals on your floor, we were told that there was a man…a youkai that visited early yesterday morning. Based on what he told Sango-chan, he had heard of you from a friend and was seeking a moment of your time. This gentleman, that no one seems to remember seeing before, did not have an appointment and would not leave his name when she asked him for it. Her fiancé verified this, because Sango called and told him about it shortly after the fact.”

Kagome looked up at him, her eyes wide and glossy. “Where…where is she? How…how is she? Is she… Oh god,” she whimpered as she looked away, a tear slipping down her cheek. Wiping it away quickly, she did her best the still her resolve as she turned her attention towards the two detectives. “I don't know anything about this. I swear I don't.”

Shu sighed and sat back, his countenance rueful. Running his hand down his haggard looking face, he stated, “If you add what Yamaguchi-sama has informed you of to the system being hacked, I'm sure you will understand why we needed to speak with you.”

Kagome nodded slowly, her mind a muddled pond of incoherent desperate thoughts of Sango and Assailants.

“Forget about figuring out if there is anyone that would want to hurt you,” Lui offered. “Is there anyone that you know of that would want to hurt others to get to you?”

“I don't know anyone that horrible, I'm…I'm sorry.” Shaking her head as she reached up and wiped away another errant tear, Kagome questioned quickly, “The cameras in the elevators, did…did they catch anything?”

“Unfortunately, there are no cameras in the main elevators or on the upper floors for privacy reasons, but we are going through the images from the lobby in hopes of putting together an electronic line-up for Sango-sama to look at,” Shu told her reassuringly.

“What about the cameras in the garage? Surely, they would've caught something,” Kagome declared hopefully, leaning forward.

“We had those disc transferred to the police station, but unfortunately the culprit had the lens of each camera spray painted black,” Lui answered quickly, and then tossed back a question of her own, “Do you have any crazy ex-boyfriends that are obsessed with you?”

“No! I told you there's no one in my life-past or present-that would do something this…this hideous!”

“I understand what you're saying, Higurashi, but please try to understand what we're trying to tell you,” Shu began, standing from his chair. “There is reason to believe that someone is after you and they will stop at nothing to get to you.”

“That…That… That's stupid.” Kagome looked up, pleading with him with her eyes to make her understand what was going on. “No, that…that just doesn't make sense! There's no one that would do something like this to get to me! No one would have to!”

“Your companies secure firewall was hacked; the only information looked at was your personal information. A stranger shows up at your office looking specifically for you. That same night, your assistant is attacked in the garage when this office building has never had a crime of any kind. The tires on her car were intentionally slashed, and the camera lens in the garage-all of them-were spray painted black,” Shu reiterated before he continued, “You're an Attorney, and a damn fine one I've heard, Higurashi, so it shouldn't take you long to put two and two together.”

She heard him, she did, but she couldn't think…couldn't rationalize everything that he was saying. This…none of it was making sense! Who…who would want to do something like this? Who would want to…Who would want to hurt someone like Sango to get to her?

“Higurashi, as of right now you're on leave until this mess is resolved,” Yamaguchi interjected, cutting into her thoughts.

“No! Why? I can do my job!”

“Please try to understand, Higurashi. You are a very important part of this firm, but we have to make sure that the rest of our employees are safe too.”

“What…what are you saying?”

“All I'm saying is that we feel it would be best that you go some place safe since it is apparent that the monsters that attacked Sango-chan are aware of your place of business. That being the case, your being here not only puts you in more danger, but it places the rest of our employees in danger as well,” Yamaguchi clarified.

It's my fault? It's my fault that Sango got attacked? They're saying… He's saying it's my fault, Kagome thought despondently. No…no that can't be right! There's no way that I know anyone that would do something like this!

“Do you have some place safe that you can go?” Lui questioned.

Kagome looked at her without seeing her, but she heard her…she heard her clear as day. Safe…safe…safe… Some place safe…to go?

“If you don't, we can give you a security detail,” Shu interjected, eyeing her carefully.

Standing to her feet, Kagome started towards the door ignoring them, her mind trying desperately to make sense of everything that had been said to her. Clutching her purse to her chest, she stopped at the door of the office and asked, “How long… How long will it take to catch the person that…that did this?”

Stepping towards her, Yamaguchi advised, “Time is not something that you should be concerned with, Higurashi. Take a trip somewhere or go home to visit your family and friends. I'm sure the detectives will keep you abreast to the situation.”

“My clients… My appointments… Yamaguchi-sama, this isn't making any sense,” Kagome blustered desperately.

She felt as if her life was coming undone, her world…her new found peace with Inuyasha was slipping away as if it was nothing more than an errant dream or a wistful wish.

“Don't worry about any of that. We'll have your files distributed between the other Attorneys until its safe for you to return.”

“But there's no proof!” Kagome glanced at the detectives that were standing nearby. “There's no proof that these people…these monsters are after me! Everything… Yamaguchi-sama, you know that everything they're saying is circumstantial at best!”

Smiling down at her, he replied in a fatherly tone, “That is true, but unfortunately it is a chance that we cannot take. Surely, you understand that, Higurashi?”

She wanted to continue arguing her point. She wanted to stand there and make him understand that this had nothing at all to do with her, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that his mind was made up. Just like the detectives standing over near the table with knowing looks on their faces, he had already arrived at his decision and nothing she said was going to change that.

Glancing up at him quickly, she bowed, her purse still clutched to her chest. “I…I do not agree with this assessment, but…but I do understand it.”

Patting her on the back after she stood up straight again, Yamaguchi responded mildly, “You always did have a good head on your shoulders, Higurashi. And don't you worry; we'll make sure that your office remains as it is for your return.”

Pasting on a regretful smile, Kagome started out the door slowly. She didn't feel the floor beneath her feet or the cool air blowing against her skin from the vents above her. It felt as if she was traveling through a foggy tunnel of sorts; seemingly stumbling to destinations unknown.

She didn't see the people she passed, she didn't hear their well wishes and words of sympathy for Sango, all she saw…all she felt…all she knew was that she was coming undone…all she understood was that none of this made any sense.

Simonkal of Inuy

“Your next meeting is scheduled for 12:30 in the Riverview conference room,” Nya stated from her seat in front of Takahashi's desk. “It's with Mr. Manohon, the liaison for the Clydex Corporation. He's coming in to finalize the requirements for the merger with Syntex Manufacturing.”

Shaking his head since he hadn't really heard much else before or after she said 12:30, Inuyasha advised mildly while tapping the claw of his forefinger against the glass top of his desk, “I can't do it. I have lunch plans.”

Sighing lightly, Nya closed her daily planner and sat forward. As of late, it seemed to always be the same thing with him. Either he was canceling a meeting or rescheduling it, but never would he give her an explanation.

“You can't cancel this meeting, Takahashi. Mr. Manohon flew in from Cincinnati last night specifically for this.”

Inuyasha stared at her without really seeing her. His mind miles away, stuck in a time long passed, trying desperately to make sense of the voice…that damn voice that was so distinct…so adamant that it was as if it was someone with a body…a spirit standing over his shoulder shouting at him.

He was honestly starting to believe that maybe he was going crazy. Maybe this whole thing with Kagome and her past was getting to him. Hell, that had to be it, because nothing else made sense!

“Takahashi, are you listening to me?” Nya growled, noticing the far off look in his eyes.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha turned back towards Nya, his eyes seeing her, but his mind muddled with a million different thoughts and things that he couldn't understand, but desperately wanted to.

“Yeah, I'm listening.”

“Well what did I just say?” Nya challenged.

“You said that you were going to remove your balls from my neck and leave me the hell alone for a while,” he replied, half joking with her.

Nya shook her head and rolled her eyes. “If you hadn't taken yesterday off, you would be able to keep your lunch plans, but unfortunately this is a priority.”

Swiveling the chair he was sitting in around so that he was looking out the floor to ceiling window that made up an entire wall of his office, Inuyasha inhaled deeply and stared out the window. He just couldn't focus. He couldn't get his mind to stay on anything if it didn't have to do with Kagome or that damn voice.

Was he really asking that much to be left alone for a little while? Granted, he hadn't seriously asked Nya any such thing, but still, was he really asking too much? He just needed a moment to think. He needed a second to get his mind right, for lack of a better explanation.

“What time is it?”

“11:30, why?” Nya retorted.

“Can you move the appointment out a few hours?”

“I probably can, but it doesn't look professional, Takahashi. Besides what, or should I say, who is so important that you're willing to rearrange your schedule like this?”

Swiveling his chair around to face her, Inuyasha snapped, his tone clipped, “Does it really matter? Just try to reschedule the damn appointment, or get Sesshomaru to handle it!” He didn't mean to be short with her, but damn it, this freaking meeting with this piss ant was the least of his worries at the moment.

“He's not in. Rin-chan had a doctor's appointment today and there is a chance that they might be keeping her, so he wanted to be there.”

That got the hanyou's attention and served to calm his rapidly rising ire. “Is she in labor?” he questioned sitting forward his elbows propped up on his desk.

“Not that I know of, no.”

“So then why might they keep her?”

“Well from what I gathered from Jakken, because of her small stature and the fact that she's carrying twins, they might have to induce labor. It just depends on the size of the babies.”

Sitting back in his chair, Inuyasha directed, “Get an hourly update from Jakken and let me know the moment you know whether they're going to be keeping her or letting her go home.”

“Will do…” Nya affirmed tightly.

Pretending to jot something down on the notepad she always brought to their meetings, Nya silently cogitated on whether she should tell him about the charges to his credit card.

She figured that there was a very good chance that he would never find out about it, but on the other hand she felt like he needed to know.

More to the point, after stewing over it during the weekend, she'd surmised that because of the location of the charges there was only one person that could've done it. And perhaps it was because of that person, that she seriously didn't want to tell him anything about it.

She knew that if she told him that she thought Kikyo and whoever she was with now was using his card that it would only serve to reopen old wounds that were only now starting to close. Still, she felt as if she owed him the truth regardless of the outcome.

I have to tell him. I just won't tell him everything. I'll generalize it, she thought as she flipped to another page and started doodling.

Staring at Nya as if she should have known that their meeting was over, Inuyasha said, “We're done here, and try to move that meeting to 2 or 3.”

“Takahashi-”

Cutting her off, Inuyasha declared firmly, his tone exasperated, “Just try, okay?”

“Sure, but…but there's something else I need to speak with you about.”

Leaning his head back against the high back, plush, leather chair, the hanyou closed his eyes and sighed, wanting nothing more than to be left alone for a few minutes. “Go ahead.”

“There have been a few fraudulent charges on your American Express Card,” Nya started. Other than a slight down turn at the corners of his mouth, she didn't notice anything else that would alert her that she should stop, so she continued, “I've taken care of it, and also informed the card company that you want to prosecute whoever is responsible.”

She waited for him to say something, but all she got was a soft sigh, so she finished, “I've also verified that all of your other accounts including your bank accounts are secure.”

Leaning his head to the side so that it rested on his raised fist, Inuyasha cracked open his eyes and stared at her wondering, If she already handled this bullshit, why the hell is she telling me about it?

“Great job, anything else?” he queried, his tone placating.

Nya stared at him, unable to fully comprehend this new found nonchalance that he seemed to wear like a well fitted hat. “What's up with you?”

“Nothing's up with me, what's up with you?” the hanyou sneered before he could stop himself.

“I just told you that someone was using your card fraudulently and you barely even blink about it. You don't ask what they charged, how much, or even where the charges took place.”

“Why should I care? Didn't you just say that you took care of it?” Inuyasha retorted as if she should have known better.

“Well, yeah, but-”

“Well nothing. I pay you to do a job, and I am trusting you to do it.”

Nya shook her head, deciding quickly that maybe it was better this way. At least she wouldn't have to tell him that she thought the culprit was none other than Kikyo. Standing quickly to her feet, she told him, her tone agitated, “I'll be at my desk if you need me.”

Steeping his clawed fingers, Inuyasha sat back and watched her as she neared the door. He knew he was wrong for being short and clipped with her, because she wasn't the problem, at least not this time.

Exhaling a breath that he wasn't aware he was even holding, he acknowledged, “Oh, and Nya, thanks for taking care of that.”

She glanced at him, but didn't respond as she stepped out the door and pulled it closed behind her.

Sighing heavily, he tried not to think about anything at all for a few minutes, but it seemed that the harder he tried, the more those thoughts twisted into things he wasn't ready to admit or even willing to accept.

He enjoyed being around Kagome, well more than enjoyed it, but he needed to put some distance between them. He needed to stop what was happening behind the scenes…the things that were happening within his heart and within hers.

This morning when they'd woken up, she looked at him with a look that couldn't be mistaken for anything else but adoration, and he couldn't rightfully say that it wasn't welcomed, or that for a brief moment he didn't look back at her in the same manner.

He knew he was falling for her, like a suicidal man plunging to his death off of a deadly cliff. And she…she was falling, he knew it, she was falling for him like rain from the heavens.

In a perfect world his thoughts would seem stupid, childish, unwarranted even, but in this world…his world nothing, absolutely nothing was perfect.

He needed to stop what was happening between them, he needed to break the hold she had over him and he needed to make her take a step back so that she could see for herself what was happening. But as much as he knew he needed to do this, there was a vehement, palpable part of him that wouldn't allow him to do anything about it.

He'd thought on a few scarce occasions that maybe this was what people called destiny, serendipity, or fate, but just as quickly as those thoughts occurred, he pushed them away because truthfully, in his mind, there was no such thing.

The hanyou scoffed dryly, “Destiny… Fate… Serendipity… That's the bullshit that idiots who don't know how it feels to have their fucking hearts ripped out of their chest and stepped on right in front of their eyes believe in. It doesn't exist, never has…never will.”

Having said all that, he still found it hard to come to a finite decision where, she, Kagome, was concerned. It was like his head knew what he should do and say, but his heart it was guiding him in a totally different direction while that other part of him that he couldn't quite label…his soul maybe, it was like it had something totally different in mind for him…for her, for them, and that was the part that he had no control over.

The hanyou didn't know whether he was coming or going. He didn't understand what was happening in his head or in his heart. He didn't feel as if he had control over himself at all, and in a sick…a twisted way, he felt like a part of him was in a way obsessed with her.

His thoughts… His feelings… His dreams…

Damn it, he hissed standing abruptly to his feet. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he scowled out the window at the cement roof tops below him and for one brief instant he felt free as if he was running…racing along the skyline like he'd done so many times in his younger years.

To be free… To actually feel free…sane for one moment…for a few hours, he thought as he turned and stopped dead in his tracks.

“Ka…Kagome?”

“I'm sorry Takahashi-sama, but I stepped away for a moment, and there she was,” Nya advised, looking away from Inuyasha and towards the young woman that looked more than a little upset.

Stepping around his desk quickly, the hanyou couldn't pull his eyes away from her as she stood there, her head down, and her purse clutched to her chest. There was something wrong with her, he knew that immediately. He could smell the salt of tears long shed, feel the raw emotion rattling through her, desperately begging for relief.

“Nya, it's fine,” he confirmed walking towards the two woman, one who had yet to even look at him, the other gaping at him questioning what the hell was going on. Inuyasha pushed Nya gently out the door and closed it, locking it behind her.

Turning back to Kagome, he sighed as he leaned back against the door. “Kagome, what's up? What happened?”

She turned slowly and looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy. “I'm sorry. I…I didn't know…” She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and sniffled as she looked down again. “I…I didn't know where else to go. I'm…I'm sorry. I…I shouldn't have come here.”

Reaching out to her, he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly seconds before she broke down. Everything that she'd been holding in…everything that she had been fighting to keep in came out in wave after wave of trembles and shakes that ravaged her lithe body.

Inuyasha closed his eyes, pulled her closer and inhaled her sweet scent. Allowing it to enrapture every orifice of his mind, his body, and his soul, he whimpered softly as he tried to pull her a little closer.

She buried her face in his chest, fisted her hands in his shirt and sobbed like she'd just lost a dear loved one…like she had just received news of a child's death, and it…all of it made him feel helpless…powerless…and once more confused and even more out of control than before.

How do I fight a battle that I've already lost?

Until Next Time… (Your .02 cents are greatly appreciated)

Next Chapter: Dastardly Deeds

Acknowledgements:

Hentai Strumpet ~ Nicc85 ~ Tora92 ~ Olddogg333 ~ Madmistress65 ~ Deipurple ~ U Ignorent Fools ~ Foxylove ~ Silverwolf Halfbeast ~ InuGoddess715 ~ Angel-up-above-heaven ~ Mynera ~ Terry36 ~ Hopelessromantic ~ 1love1 ~