InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Heart's Landfill ❯ Velocity ( Chapter 64 )

A/N: As always all characters will be walking that fine line called OOCness. Thanks for your patience and understanding guys and gals. I've been plugging away, writing more books and trying to make some money doing it. But my first book should be out at the end of the Spring of 2011 and hopefully, my second book by the end of the year, 2011. So, yes, I've been working. Any who, thanks for your patience once again, and I hope you all enjoy this.

Disclaimer: You all know who belongs to me and who belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, don't you? If you don't, you shouldn't be reading this.

Chapter 64:

Velocity

One day ran into two and still outside of the slight twitching of her fingers, Kagome hadn't woke-up. She'd had all of her surgeries to date and most of her bruises had healed; thanks to Inuyasha's DNA racing through her veins.

Also the large majority of the cuts that had covered her face were gone, leaving her skin flawless. The breathing tube had been removed on schedule and like the champ she was, she took over her own breathing as if there had never been a time when she needed help.

She would be near perfect when she woke, with the exception of the scar on her shoulder. For reasons Inuyasha couldn't fathom, it was the only wound that refused to heal. Emotionally, she would be a wreck, but he would be by her side every minute helping her, crying with her, and healing with her.

The only thing he needed was for her to wake up.

Inuyasha stood from his seat and shuffled over to her bedside. “Alright, sleeping beauty, how much longer are you going to keep me waiting? You know a man only has so much patience.” He chuckled to himself. If he had to, he would wait several lifetimes for her.

He tucked the blanket in tighter around her, brushed his hand down her warm cheek and sighed as he leaned down and kissed her brow. Slipping his hand into hers, he rested his forehead against hers. “Come back to me, mate. You have to come back to me, okay?” His heart nearly stopped in his chest when he felt her hand close around his. It was still weak, but she'd responded to his voice.

Tear sprouted before he could stop them. “That's it, baby, come back to me. You can do it. I'm right here. I'll always be right here.” Her fingers twitched and Inuyasha tightened his grip as if he could pull her from whatever dark realm she swam in. Using his free hand, he wiped at his face, glad no one was there to witness his moment of weakness.

He stared down at her face, begging, praying, and willing her eyes to open. He didn't care if she condemned him for not getting to her in time. He just wanted her to look at him again.

The minutes multiplied, but she made no move to awaken or to mummer how much she hated him. His heart sank momentarily before he stubbornly forced the feeling away. This was good regardless of the fact that she didn't wake-up. This was good because this one action which would seem nonsensical to most was more than she'd done in the week and half that she'd been at the hospital. This was a plus. It was slow in going, but she was working her way back to him.

The door behind him opened. “Takahashi-sama, there's a problem.”

Inuyasha turned to look at Tamu, a big burly bear youkai he'd employed to watch the entrance door closest to Kagome's room. He'd used his services once before as the head security guard at he and Kikyo's wedding. No one and nothing got pass the man. Inuyasha wasn't sure if it was Tamu's girth and height that scared people off, or if it was the scowl he wore prominently even when he was supposed to be in a good mood.

“What is it?”

“Andrés is holding a young lady at the door. She said she's an old acquaintance of your mate's.”

Inuyasha scowled at the youkai for moment longer. He hadn't told him, Kagome was his mate, but then again had Tamu not been as observant as he was, Inuyasha wouldn't have employed him. “Where's Sesshomaru?”

“On the ground floor with Lowell and Ridge.”

“If she made it pass them then she should be good.”

“That's the thing she didn't go through them, somehow she went around them. Normally, they call me to let me know who's coming up. I called down and described her to them, but neither of them remembers her.” Tamu stepped back as Inuyasha started forward. “There's something else. She's a wolf youkai.”

Inuyasha stilled and turned to look at Tamu, searching his face for some semblance of laughter. This was no time to be joking.

After the instance with the fake doctor, Inuyasha had them move Kagome to a private section of the 9th floor with one way in and two ways out. They had undercover security guards posted over every inch of the hospital, waiting for that fucker to make his move. There was no possible way, in his opinion; anyone could've gotten past the guards and Sesshomaru.

“You sure?”

Tamu shot him an oscitant look, but didn't deign to answer that question. Instead, he went on, “I don't think she means your mate any harm, but she's lying about something. I can't smell it on her.”

“Stay here. No one get's in.”

“It goes without saying, Takahashi-sama.”

“Oh, and Tamu, keep the whole mate thing under wraps. Her family doesn't know about it yet.”

Inuyasha didn't wait for the youkai's answer before he started towards the steel doors and the mystery woman trying to gain entrance to see Kagome.

One would've thought that after the incident with the fake doctor, he would've been more on edge. Especially, after he figured out what the scent was that he at first couldn't discern. Kikyo. But he wasn't, he'd actually never been more relaxed in his life. Maybe that wasn't the absolute truth. The calm he felt was more like the calm before a horrendous storm…a typhoon…a deadly hurricane.

Inuyasha pushed through the doors and his stomach twisted violently as the scents of moss and woods assaulted him. It was more than that. He'd smelled it before. He'd smelled it… He'd smelled it on…

Bitch reared his head, claws coming out and Inuyasha charged forward a growl born of pure rage slipping from his lips. The woman didn't have time to think, before he was on her, his hand gripping her neck, his fanged mouth inches from hers as he snarled at her, his eyes ablaze. “You're dead.”

She flailed, growled something that Bitch wouldn't allow him to understand and Inuyasha pushed forward, slamming her back against the cinderblock wall behind her. Her head bounced once, twice, and a third time.

The security guards pulled their weapons, the steel cylinder barrel trained on the woman's fiery red head as one shouted into his walkie-talkie, “We got trouble!”

Simonkal of Inuy

Hakkaku cursed the hanyou to the tenth bowels of the hottest part of hell, and then cursed Ayame to the first and much cooler portion. He'd told her not to go and to wait until he was able to survey their surroundings. But no, she had to go and do things her way.

She could be so damn naïve that at times like these it irked his very last nerve. What the hell had she been thinking? He'd told her they weren't going to fall for the old friend line. Hell, what the hell had he been thinking even going along with this, “I want to go to Tokyo shit?”

He peered through the half of an inch crack in the door of the supply room he was hiding in and cursed under his breath as the dog demon, man-handled Ayame. Something deep and threatening burrowed up from the pit of his stomach like a violent storm developing over the pacific.

Hakkaku clenched the handle of the Glock in his left hand and reached for its twin that was stored in the small of his back. He'd have to shoot their way out of here, he was certain of that. He visually measured the distance between him and the altercation and decided he could have the barrel of his gun at the base of the hanyou's neck in 1.2 seconds flat if he took the two guards out on the way.

He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply and pushed the door open slowly. Bullets chambered, guns up, he moved with the preternatural speed all demons were gifted with as he fired once from the gun in his right hand and once from the gun in his left. By the time he was in reach of the hanyou, both guards were on the ground; one clutching at his right ankle, the other his left butt cheek.

The barrel of his gun pressed against the hanyou's skull, Hakkaku aimed the other gun down the hall at the doorway to the stairs as he glanced down at the two writhing demons. He'd never liked killing, but he could and did do it when necessary. Fortunately for them, he didn't think it was going to be necessary.

“Let her go,” he growled low. He didn't want to kill or be killed today. He just wanted… No, needed to get Ayame to safety.

“Fuck…you.” It was such a finite statement spoken with more animal characteristics than man that Hakkaku flinched.

His pointer finger tightened over the trigger, squeezing it back a fraction of an inch. “Look, I don't want to kill you, but if you hurt her, I'll blow your fucking brains all over that fucking wall.” Negotiating had never been his strong suit; that was Ginta's job.

“Please,” Ayame whispered, tears trailing down her flushed cheeks. “Please, don't do this.”

Hakkaku smelled the blood before he saw it. The hanyou's claws were digging into Ayame's jugular. “I swear to the gods. If you move a fraction of an inch, I'll drop you where you stand.”

A sadistic chuckle came from the hanyou and Hakkaku found himself wondering what the hell he'd missed. The laughing dog hadn't so much as attempted to turn to face him, or even flinched at the knowledge that a gun was pointed at the back of his head. He didn't seem to care that two of his guards were taken down or that they were bleeding like stuck pigs. Hell, he seemed to be oblivious to fear and everything else not involving Ayame.

“Drop her and we can call this even,” Hakkaku tried again. Time was running out. Surely, back up was in route. He'd disabled the elevators, but he knew that would do little to slow down determined demons.

“Even?” The hanyou moved with such speed that Hakkaku didn't realize what had happened until he found himself flying backwards through the air, and then crashing into a row of cushioned chairs lining the right side of the wall. He staggered back to his feet, his guns still gripped in his hands, both now pointing at the face of the hanyou. His hair was flying, amber gold eyes fading into a sea of red.

Hakkaku shook his head, glanced at Ayame who was staring back at him regretfully and charged towards the dog demon. The hanyou charged at him at the same time, but stopped, threw Ayame towards him and started running again. Hakkaku stopped long enough to snatch Ayame out of midair, and cursed his stupidity when he caught a glimpse of the soles of the hanyou's shoes just before they connected with the side of his head.

“Fuck.”

Hakkaku took the blow and then another as he tried his best to wrap his body around Ayame's to protect her from the brunt of the hanyou's attack. Landing hard, he pushed Ayame away from him and scrambled back away from the hanyou. He reached for the gun he carried on the inside of his left ankle. Pulling it out, he pulled back the hammer and raised it to the hanyou's forehead just as he was leaning down towards him, his hand poised to rip open the side of his face.

“Back the fuck up,” Hakkaku snarled as he inched back towards the wall. Blood red eyes, and doggish grin greeted him, but the hanyou didn't move. “I swear to Moses, I'll blow your damn brains out if you don't back the fuck up!”

“Do what he said,” Ayame stated breathlessly. She was now standing behind the hanyou, both of the guns he'd dropped pointing at the back of the hanyou's head. Hakkaku breathed a sigh of relief even as he cursed her for her stupidity. When she had the chance she should've run.

Searing pain tore through Hakkaku's wrist as Ayame screamed out in pain. He tried to find her. He tried to figure out what the hell had just happened, but the pain, the tearing, the stench of burning flesh pushed him down into a near state of delirium. Fire was charring through his veins even as what felt like acid was being poured over his hand. Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, he found himself being lifted and tossed 20 feet. In what direction?—he didn't know. All he knew was the pain racing through his body and tearing at his wrist.

“How the hell did they get up here?” he heard someone ask as what sounded like a gang of feet pounded the floor towards him.

Someone else stepped over him, a green type of whip dangling from his hand it seemed. “Take them into the waiting room. They're going to tell us everything we need to know.” Was that the tall lithe dog demon, Sessamo or something like that?

Hakkaku's eyes wouldn't focus, his ears seemed to be humming and his blood was damn near boiling. Someone not quite as tall and with red eyes peered down at him, before he caught the glimpse of a large fist closing in and then there was nothing but blackness and pain racing over the left side of his face.

Simonkal of Inuy

Oni brushed the hair away from the side of her face after pulling the rental car up to the sidewalk a few blocks down from the hospital. “You're not still mad at me are you?”

Kikyo continued to stare out the window at the droves of people going about their day. Their lives seemed so normal, so mundane that she wanted to cry when she thought of the type of life she lived. How different would it have been if she had told Inuyasha what was going on? If she had told him that before she got to know him, he was nothing more than a mark? He would have forgiven her, because he loved her. He would have saw to it that her marriage to Oni was dissolved. Would she have had his child by now? What would they have named him or her? Or would they have had more than one by now? Would they have purchased a home in the country near his Sesshomaru and Rin?

“Luscious, you do hear me talking to you, don't you?” Oni hissed, taking her chin in his hand and forcing her to look at him.

Her hand fisted in her lap on top of the white material of the nurse's uniform she wore. “Yes, of course, I hear you Oni,” she told him mechanically as she tried to hide her disgust.

What had she ever seen in him? Kikyo tried to remember something good that they shared. Some memory that she could hold on to, but there was nothing. The more she tried the worse her head hurt. What she had no problem dredging up memories of was the rapes, the drugs, and the beatings.

“Good. Now hurry up and get in line with the other nurses. You'll draw less attention to yourself if you go in with everyone else.”

“What if it doesn't work,” she asked, glancing down at the badge he'd shown up with after his Dr. Marks fiasco.

“It's works.” He laughed, patted her thigh and finished, “I made sure the owner of this particular badge will be out of commission for a few days.”

Kikyo stared at him, unable to hide the revulsion she felt at him putting a woman out of commission. She turned away, clipped the badge to her lapel and started to open the door, but his voice stopped her.

“Do this right and we'll be out of here by the end of the week.”

“This is about more than money, isn't it?” She pushed the door open.

Oni laughed and winked at her as he popped another one of his blue pills in his mouth. “Just do your part, Luscious. Let me worry about the why's and the how's.”

She stepped back onto the curb and slammed the door as he pulled into traffic. She wasn't a crier—had never been one, but for some reason today, she felt as if she was were coming undone. The pain was in her soul and her heart. The distaste of what Oni had done to her over the course of their relationship—what she had allowed him to do was clogging her throat and weighing heavily on her tongue.

She felt downright filthy. She wanted out. She needed desperately to find a way out of this.

Glancing up and down the sidewalk the urge to run was almost like her need to breathe. She fisted one hand in the material of the uniform and was about to yank the badge off the lapel when she heard a voice from behind her.

“Ma'am, if you plan on coming to work today, let's go.”

She turned and eyed the security guard in charge of securing the employee entrance. Kikyo stared up at the building. Inuyasha was in there somewhere with her, that Higurashi woman. Maybe if she could just get a glimpse of him, just one; it would give her the courage to do the right thing.

Her feet moved, before she could tell them not to. She handed her badge to the guard. He looked it over, stared at her, and then swiped it across and electronic pad. After a moment, he smiled at her and handed it back.

“Have a good one.”

Taking it, Kikyo forced a smile and pushed through the heavy doors and into the hospital. The smell of cleaning products was strong as she trailed behind a group of nurses chattering away about their three-day weekend shenanigans. When she reached an empty office, she veered off. Finding a pen and pad, she jotted a quick note and slid it into her pocket.

He was in here somewhere; she could feel him, almost smell him. She needed to see him, to touch him more than she needed to breathe at the moment. Could he still love her? Was there even a modicum of hope for them? When he saw her, would he remember the good times they shared or would he remember only that she broke his heart? Would he believe her if she told him, she had never stopped loving him…wanting him…craving him?

Inuyasha.

Simonkal of Inuy

Burning flesh. That was her last memory until Ayame opened her eyes to find four demons—one dog, a half dog, a bear, and a jaguar—staring down at her. She growled low and dropped her gaze from them. One of each of her legs were bound to each of the front legs of the chair and her wrist to the steel arm rests of the chair she was sitting in. I'm a prisoner?

“Who the hell are you?” the one who had attacked her asked.

He was Kagome's mate, she reminded herself. She ignored him and glanced around the tiny waiting room with walls painted a yellowish color that was supposed to be soothing but made her feel more like vomiting. Her eyes landed on a form slumped over beside her. A switched flipped then and she tried to jump toward Hakkaku. “What did you do to him? You, bastards! What did you do to him?”

The mongrel who had tried to choke the life out of her, stepped toward her, gripped her jaw in his hand and growled, “I asked you a fucking question.”

She stared back at him defiantly. “And I asked you a fucking question.”

He drew his hand back to hit her no doubt, but the tall demon stilled him. “Inuyasha, we don't hit women…if it can be avoided.”

“Feh, this bitch ain't no fucking woman. If she was…”

“You can go straight to hell,” Ayame interjected. “Untie me and you'll see just how much woman I am, you prick.” She tugged at the ties, but found breaking them impossible. Was that even possible? What the hell were they bound with.

The tall dog demon stepped around the half demon. “How did you get in the hospital?”

“I'm not going to tell you anything until someone tells me what was done to Hakkaku.”

The tall demon stared at her for a long moment as if he was debating on whether he should kill her now or later. It didn't scare her in the least. Hell, she was the daughter of the most corrupt demon in Asia and married to satan himself. So this little horse and pony show was a child's birthday party.

“You don't get to ask fucking question, bitch,” Inuyasha hissed from his perch against the back wall. “Who the fuck are you and where's that bastard you've been letting fuck you regularly? He sent you here didn't he?”

Her face flushed with embarrassment, but she held her head high. Yes, she was stupid to believe Kouga was her mate. She could admit that now, but she would not be belittled and kicked because of it.

“Did you stand there and watch him attack my mate? Did you fucking help him?” Inuyasha accused. “I bet you even got a few punches in didn't you?” He stepped closer, his hands fisted at his sides, his hatred filled eyes trained on her. “Were you in on it? Did you help him kidnap her? I bet your worthless little ass was their cheering him on, weren't you?”

“Shut up!” Ayame could deal with being interrogated, but she would not be made to feel like she'd done something wrong when she was half of the reason Kagome was alive now. “Shut up the hell up!”

The hanyou was so close to her, she almost choked on the burst of air she inhaled. “I should skin you slowly and send you back to him in little tiny pieces.”

“Stop.” It was whispered so slow that Ayame almost missed it. She looked away from Inuyasha and toward a groggy Hakkaku. “Just stop,” he said, his voice getting stronger by the second. “She doesn't know anything. She…she saved her.”

“What?”said Inuyasha and Sesshomaru in unison.

“She saved her,” Hakkaku said again, his head falling back. “You should be praising her instead of crucifying her.”

Ayame realized all too quickly what he doing, or rather trying to do and she wasn't going to have any part of it. If they were going to get out of here alive, it would be together or not at all. “We saved her. We did it together.”

The dog demons stared from her to Hakkaku and back before Inuyasha scoffed with derision, “And the sky is fucking purple.”

“Sometimes it is, and we did save her, you jackass!” The more he talked down to her, the more Ayame found herself hating the half demon. Then again, she really couldn't blame him. Did she honestly think she could dance into Kagome's hospital room and nothing would happen? Yep, she sure did.

“Really, so where was she found?” the tall demon, whose name she didn't know asked.

“Hakkaku and I found her and Kouga at a cabin my family owns.”

“You fucking liar,” Inuyasha roared. “They said she was found on the side of a fucking road.”

“When I took her to the emergency room, I told them that so they wouldn't ask any questions.”

Inuyasha charged forward, buried his hand in her head and yanked backwards causing her to cry out in pain. “You knew what that fucker did to my mate and you're still protecting him? I should slit your fucking throat!”

The tall demon wasn't as quick to stop the hanyou this time, but eventually he did step up and pull him off of her. For that Ayame was grateful. “I…We didn't know,” she mumbled looking at Hakkaku's prone form for help. “If we had gone to the authorities my whole family and Hakkaku would've gotten into trouble. I couldn't allow Kouga to bring us all down because of his sick obsession with her.” She looked away from Inuyasha unable to stomach the pain of knowing she had never been what Kouga wanted. “We did what we thought was right for all interested parties, so fuck you if you think it wasn't good enough!”

“Fuck me?” Inuyasha repeated incredulously. “Fuck…me?”

“Yeah, fuck you. It's because of her I don't have my husband anymore. It's because of her my best-friend's husband, Dinshu, is dead. It's because of her Hakkaku lost his twin brother.” Tears were pouring from her eyes now. “It's because of her, Hakkaku was forced to shoot his best friend, my husband-Kouga, twice, and it's because of her that from the moment we went against Kouga to save her, our lives were forfeited. So yeah, fuck…you!” Where had the anger come from? Where had the pain gone? And why on earth was she trembling? She didn't regret saving Kagome, she didn't. But she did regret all the things she lost in the aftermath.

The tall demon stepped forward. “He shot the man that kidnapped Kagome? This Kouga person?”

“Yes. Hakkaku shot him twice. Once in the stomach and once in the chest, I think. We had to do it. If we didn't he would've killed her.”

The tall demon stepped back and shoved his hands in his pockets. He stared down at her for a long breathless moment as if he didn't truly believe her before he asked, “So, he's dead?”

“N…no. I don't know where he's at, but he's not dead.” She ran her cheek over her right shoulder and gnawed on her lower lip. “I wish he were dead. If he were…” She glanced at Hakkaku and finished with regret, “I just really wish he was dead.”

They all either sat or stood in silence for a moment before the tall demon asked, “You said he had her at your families' cabin. Where exactly is this cabin located?”

Ayame looked up at him for a long moment before she sighed and gave him the address and directions. If it was proof they needed of a fight, then that was where they would find it. She didn't have anything to hide any longer. She just wanted out of here with Hakkaku. “What did you do to him?”

“He'll be fine,” the tall demon responded as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “As long as he doesn't get another dose of my poison, it should wear off in an hour or two.”

“Poison?” she tried to clarify. She looked closer at his face and realized for the first time that he was a rare breed of demon. The crescent moon labled him as a poison demon which was rare nowadays. She watched him turn and start out the room; the tips of his stark white hair kissing the floor; the phone to his ear as he gave orders to whoever was on the other end to get to the cabin and collect whatever evidence was there.

“Why did you come here?”

Ayame looked away from the closed door and towards the hanyou, who was leaning back against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his head down.

“She wanted to check on Baby Girl. I mean Kagome,” Hakkaku whispered. He was apparently coming around, because his voice was growing stronger.

“Feh, she'll be fine. I don't need you or her, checking up on what's mine.”

“I also wanted to apologize for…” Ayame trailed off, ashamed of her past treatment of the woman.

“Did you have anything to do with her getting kidnapped?”

“No, of course not. Had I known what he was planning, I would've shot him myself.”

“Well, your apologies are not necessary.” The hanyou pushed off the wall and moved towards the door. “Tell, the guard how you got into the hospital, and then you're both free to go. Don't…come back.”

“He's going to come for her,” Hakkaku whispered.

“I know, but this time he won't leave here a live,” Inuyasha growled.

“No, you don't understand. He won't be alone. He's going to have two elemental demons with him. By the time you realize he's here, it'll already be too late.” Hakkaku pushed himself up into a position that resembled sitting. “They can control the air it's self. One is made of darkness, the other has a heart of stone and the conscious of a shark.” Hakkaku tried to push himself up straighter. “I saw the news report. I promise you, he saw it too. You have to move her. Get her to a smaller area; a place that can be easily protected. I know…”

“I can protect me mate,” Inuyasha bit out, cutting him off.

“This is not about who can and can't protect her. This is about being smart while protecting her. I've seen these guys in action. I've worked alongside them. They're fast and deadly. Before you can blink, if Kouga requests it, you'll be dead.”

“Listen to him,” Ayame whispered. “Please, just listen.”

“Why should I believe you? How do I know this isn't some sick fucking trick?” the hanyou asked. “You said you worked alongside these guys; why would you turn your backs on them now?”

Ayame knew the reason. She gripped Hakkaku's forearm as best she could as he spoke, “He killed me twin brother, Ginta. But long before that, I knew Kouga wasn't right in the head.”

“Ginta?” the hanyou spoke as if he knew Ginta.

“Yeah.”

Inuyasha looked between the two of them. He didn't seem to want to listen but appeared to change his mind at the last minute. “I'm sorry to hear about Ginta.” He dragged a chair over, so that it was sitting in front of them. Straddling it, he motioned for the guard to release their restraints and said, sarcasm dripping from his voice, “So, what can you tell me that's going to help me protect what's mine?”

Simonkal of Inuy

Beep

The sea of darkness parted before her. She was swimming moving towards the sound; reaching for it.

Beep

A scent came to her first, pungent and heavy, woodsy and sterile.

Beep

The sound was growing, was she close? She had to be. One eye cracked slightly open and then the other. The light was blinding, so she closed them.

Beep

She heard a groan, had that come from her? Music, soft and soothing was mixed in with the mechanical beep sound and there was a hum, soft but annoying like a mosquito buzzing around her head. There was another groan. That one had definitely come from her. She practiced opening and closing her mouth, tried to taste her lips, but her tongue was as dry as sand paper.

Beep

“Wa…ter,” she crocked, not sure if anyone was there to hear her. That woodsy scent swam over her again and her head was being tilted upward, something wet touched her lips. She gulped at it and almost choked, her throat nearly closing.

A strong wide hand pushed her up, patted her back and then laid her down. “There are a lot of people who have been waiting for you to open your eyes,” a masculine voice with a foreign accent said. “I am honored that you would do so on my watch.”

Beep

Kagome cracked her eyes open again, but the light was still blinding. She closed them, tried to lift her hand to cover them and realized she couldn't. She tried to move her other hand. It moved.

“Are the lights too bright for you?” The woodsy scent and the voice moved away. “There, how's that?”

She opened her eyes slowly. “Tha...anks.” The first thing she noticed was the stark white walls, and then the beeping noise again. She rolled her eyes slowly to her right and left. Her head hurt too much to move her neck at the moment.

Machines, a million of them, surrounded her. Lines of varying colors displayed on their screens. She scanned the room slowly as she smacked her lips together, her eyes coming to a stop on the figure standing near the foot of her bed.

“Who?” Her throat closed and her head throbbed. “Wh…ere?” she forced it out.

The man smiled; his incisors sharp, his face not nearly as friendly as she thought it should be. He was big, his shoulders wide along a broad chest, his neck thick. But he was handsome in a burly kind of way. What the hell was she comparing him too?

“Relax, you're in a hospital,” he told her as he rounded the bed towards her.

She tried to push back away from him, but she didn't have the strength. “Mom? Souta?”

He smiled down at her, light brown eyes sparkling against the dimness of the room. He grasped her hand and closed her fingers around a Styrofoam cup. “Sip on this while I get your doctor and call the boss.”

“Boss?” She watched him go and then turned her attention back to the room.

Flowers were everywhere; tulips, orchids, roses, and everything in-between. There was a large window setting to her right, the blinds drawn and a chair right next to it, but close to her bed, a blanket and pillow resting in it. And a book—the Notebook. One of her favorite reads.

Had someone been sleeping there waiting for her to wake up? Who?

Beep

She shook her head, closed her eyes and tried to remember why she was in a hospital. The more she tried, the worst the headache became. The more every part of her body began to hurt.

First she saw blue heavenly eyes, dimples, and then a dark mane of hair. Her eyes snapped open. She stared at the door to the room, watched a dark haired nurse pass the window, her eyes trained on her.

Beep, Beep

Kagome looked away and down at the railing on the bed. She grabbed one with her good hand and pulled in hopes of sitting up. She didn't move an inch. Why in the hell was she so weak? Her mind swam, her breathing increased and she closed her eyes and looked away from the door.

A barrage of emotions and images assailed her: fright, pain, lethargy. She saw a large fist barreling towards her, felt what had to be knives digging into her shoulder and back and then the blue eyes came back. They leered down at her as words of hatred flew from his mouth: accusatory, threatening words, and a promise of death.

Beep, Beep, Beep

“No,” she whispered. The pain in her body grew, quadrupled and magnified until she was clutching the railing of the bed, yanking herself up into a sitting position.

You fucking bitch, a harsh voice snarled in her head. You let that mutt rut you?The voice was filled with such hatred she felt she had to get away from it. She had to move or the owner would hurt her. Was he the reason she was here in this hospital? Could he be the reason? Nothing was making sense. Nothing but her need to run, to escape the feeling of dread that hung over her like deaths' hood.

The minute her feet hit the floor, she nearly crumpled to the floor but caught herself on the chair.

She heard it then, a million feet running… No, racing down the hall.

Kagome pushed up and staggered back as the face came again, hands tipped with claws striking down at her, causing her to flinch and cry out as she fell back into one of the machines. A hand was on her wrist, one around her waist pulling her forward.

She swung out with her good arm, wanting desperately to push the man with the blue eyes away. For a brief moment blue slipped to light brown and she was staring at the man who'd given her the water but just as quickly he faded and the man with the blue eyes came back, angrier and more violent than before. He raged at her, pounded on her body, driving her into a soft surface; pummeling her as if he were trying to kill her.

What had she done? Why? Who the hell was he?

A name came then, along with the pain the ache that exploded in her head and her body.

“Ko..Kouga, do…n't,” she begged as she pushed away from a hard chest and fell to the ground. She scrambled back and around something cold and hard until her back was against a wall. Kagome pulled her knees to her chest, tears pouring from her eyes as the pain flared only to subside and flare again.

His arm drew back and came down in an arcing fashion and she screamed, huddled against the cold hard surface against her shoulder. “Don't... I'm sorry…I'm…” She brought her arms up to shield the blow, but it did no good. She felt every blow, every rake of his claws and every insult.

Faintly she heard a voice she didn't know say, “She's having a mental breakdown!” He sounded like he was miles away or talking through a tunnel filled with water. “Get Takahashi-sama!”

Who the hell was Takahashi-sama?

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

Next Chapter: Stormy Weather

Acknowledgments:

Mystified Starlight ~ LokoRamenDaily ~ Jaimed1968 ~ Fallen6906 ~ Linx678 ~ Chocolate Cake ~ Patricia Meeler ~ Animegirl1 ~ Deipurple ~ Inugirl ~ Tueske ~ Morambrday04 ~ Nikki_nightmare ~ SplendentGoddess ~ Snowfall ~ Lovers Angel