InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Not Soon Forgotten ❯ The Truth Shall Set You Free ( Chapter 7 )

As promised, one more chapter before the week was out. Thank you very much for the great reviews, I can't tell you how much I love them. All of you are great!

 

Enjoy!

 

Further south, just outside the outskirts of Los Angeles, Sesshoumaru walked into a large home that belonged to his fiancée. He desperately wanted to return to New York and begin his efforts of creating a home for his soon-to-be wife, Kagome, but unfortunately he and Kagura's flight to New York did not leave until the next day.

 

As he crossed the threshold he was immediately greeted with television cameras, microphones, cables, wires, photographers, and other media crew as soon as he opened the door.

 

Feeling as if he wanted to rip his own hair out or better yet, the hair of the person responsible for all this, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in complete exhaustion. Taking a deep breath, or five, he slowly opened his amber eyes to the room again, hoping that all of the madness had somehow disappeared while they were closed. No such luck.

 

Sesshoumaru turned to the woman standing next to him who had a sheepish smile on her face. He raised a finely shaped eyebrow at her and began his interrogation.

 

“Kagura…” he started.

 

“Yes, dear?” she replied.

 

“Pray tell, what is all of this?” Sesshoumaru continued barely containing his ire.

 

He continued to scan the room with narrowed eyes; this could only bode badly for him. Sesshoumaru turned his eyes again to the woman standing next to him who had yet to answer his question.

 

“I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru dear, I thought I told you,” Kagura said sweetly.

 

“Obviously you did not, otherwise I would not be asking such,” Sesshoumaru said as he took another calming breath.

 

Kagura looked at him and sighed; she really hoped that he would not be too mad about all of this.

 

“Sesshoumaru dear, the media has been hounding me for an interview ever since we announced our engagement; I just figured we'd get it over with,” Kagura said innocently. “We've become a very popular couple this year; bigger than Brad and Angelina were.”

 

Sesshoumaru could resist no longer and pinched the bridge of his nose. “This helps placate me how?”

 

Kagura brushed him off with a flighty hand and continued. “Anyways, I agreed to an interview if they would agree to make a donation to my favorite charity. It's for a good cause Sesshoumaru; you don't mind, do you darling?”

 

“Am I getting married, or am I being inaugurated?” Sesshoumaru asked sourly.

 

“Now, now dear don't be like that. Smile for the camera, and you can have your personal time later.”

 

Sesshoumaru wanted to glare at the woman; in fact he might just do that. However, the woman asked for money to be given to a charity. He may be a cold tyrant of a businessman, but he would give credit where it was do.

 

“So, may I ask, what charity are they donating to in your name?” Sesshoumaru could not help but wonder.

 

“The charity for organizations that are pushing for more wind powered energy,” she replied easily.

 

He should have known.

 

“Now come along Sesshoumaru dear,” she said sweetly.

 

Kagura motioned to a large chair in the center of the room and then went to sit down in it. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her in question and was answered by her patting the armrest of the chair telling him to come and sit down.

 

Sesshoumaru eyed all of the wires and cords wearily and, as carefully as he could, made his way through the jungle of them. Okay, maybe he exaggerated a little on the jungle of wires, but there were a lot of them.

 

“Sesshoumaru dear, this is Vincent Klein,” Kagura said as she motioned for the man, “He will be the one to interview us today.”

 

The man, Vincent, reached his hand out for a handshake. “It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Taisho.”

 

Sesshoumaru looked at the man with no emotions on his face. He then looked down at the extended hand absently, moving on his eyes, and then looked back at the hand's owner. Vincent, upon seeing that he was definitely not going to get a handshake, made a fist with his offered hand and then brought it back down to his side quickly as if he had suddenly been burnt.

 

“W-well then,” Vincent said nervously, “Shall we get you all set up so we can get this over with?”

 

“Indeed,” Sesshoumaru said with a sneer.

 

“We'll get you two over to make-up and then we'll quickly go over the rundown of the interviewing process,” Vincent informed them.

 

Sesshoumaru did not feel like putting up with all of this. He had to put on make-up?

 

 

**

 

After a nice long bath with a quick read through the newspaper, and an even longer nap, Kagome set off to wander around the rather large apartment, if it could even be called that. Her bedroom she had already found, and made good use of, so now it was time to be nosey.

 

She had seen the bedrooms, all three of them; and the bathrooms, two of them; and of course, the kitchen, only one of those. The apartment was very nicely laid out into a comfortable, yet elegant setting. The rooms seemed very open and inviting; this definitely could not have been Inuyasha's doing, decorating just did not seem to be his forté.

 

Kagome continued her journey through the place, stopping here and there to admire a piece of strategically placed statue or artwork. She reminded herself that there was a pair of doors just on the other side of the kitchen, so she headed back there. She was about to walk out the pair of French doors that led outside past the kitchen when she heard the front door open. Curious, she changed her direction and then made her way to the living room to see who came in.

 

“You must be Mary,” Kagome said when she noticed a woman taking off her coat.

 

The woman jumped a little then turned around quickly to face the owner of the voice. She then gave a nice smile and bowed to Kagome before hanging her coat on the coat rack.

 

“Yes, I am. And you must be Ms. Higurashi; it's very nice to meet you. Mr. Matsumoto talks about you quite often,” Mary greeted.

 

“He does, does he? Good things I hope?” Kagome playfully questioned.

 

“Of course,” Mary said with a grin, “Only good things. I hope you are finding everything to your liking; Mr. Matsumoto wanted me to make sure you felt comfortable here.”

 

Kagome nodded and smiled. “Yes, everything is very nice thank you.”

 

Kagome turned to walk out onto the veranda. The view gave her a new perspective of what little she saw of Los Angeles on her way here. From there she had a nice view of the hillside and all of its lush homes tucked away in neat little pockets. There was a small bistro set on the veranda and vines and flowers covered a trellis above her. To Kagome, this would be her small sanctuary while she was here.

 

“It lovely isn't it?” Mary said from the door.

 

Kagome turned to Inuyasha's housekeeper and smiled while giving her a gentle nod. “It is quite lovely; does he come out here often?”

 

Mary shook her head in the negative. “No, Mr. Matsumoto usually spends his time in the office. He told me to fix up this terrace nicely for your arrival. He even bought a couple new pieces of furniture; he told me that I needed to have this place ready for you.”

 

“That's very nice Mary,” Kagome stated unenthusiastically. Inuyasha had done all of this for her, but she still could not bring herself to feel the feelings for him that she did for Sesshoumaru.

 

“What's wrong Ms. Higurashi? Is everything ok? You don't seem too happy to be here,” Mary asked concerned.

 

“Oh, it's not that, I'm happy to be here, and everything is wonderful. Inuyasha is a very kind person,” Kagome told her.

 

“Kind? He's more than kind Ms. Higurashi. Why, just yesterday he gave me a big fat raise. He said I've been doing a great job for him and he wanted to make sure that I was happy enough to continue working here.”

 

Kagome wandered absently through the apartment, taking in all of the pieces of furniture that she thought were new. There was a painting on the wall that hung a little crooked, so Kagome deftly fixed it.

 

“So he gave you a raise? That's very nice Mary; you should save your money, then you'll have a lot if you need it one day,” Kagome told her with little emotion.

 

Mary smirked at the woman. “I would have more money if my numbers would just get picked in the lottery.”

 

Kagome smiled and turned back around. She looked at a clock on the wall. “Is this clock correct?”

 

“Yes, it always has been,” Mary answered her.

 

“Would you mind turning the television on for me? Channel four I think.”

 

Mary got an amused glint in her eyes. “Are you one of those that watch soap operas? I swear; like people don't have enough drama in their lives.”

 

Mary walked over and switched on the TV.

 

“No, no. I read in the newspaper that there was going to be an interview today at two o'clock with Kagura Wind and that man she's marrying…Taisho I believe was his name. Sesshoumaru Taisho. I thought I'd watch it; it should be entertaining.”

 

“Isn't that the man that Mr. Matsumoto says thinks is God's gift to women?” Mary asked as she turned the channel. She stopped on a channel that had a middle aged country singer on it. “Is that him?”

 

Kagome looked a bit disgusted before she replied, “Of course not.”

 

The two of them hear the doorknob turning just before Inuyasha entered. Mary turned the sound down a bit as he walked in.

 

Inuyasha walked to where Kagome was seated and gave her a quick kiss. Mary took that as her sign to leave and walked into the kitchen to make some tea for them.

 

“Hm,” Inuyasha said as he pulled away from Kagome. “You must be out of practice; we might have to work on that kiss of yours,” he said with a smirk.

 

Inuyasha looked around the room and noticed that Kagome still had not unpacked her belongings or put her suitcase away. He looked back at her with a raised eyebrow; something that reminded her of Sesshoumaru as soon as she saw it.

 

“I thought for sure you'd be unpacked by now and dressed in something a little bit more…comfortable,” he said with a wink.

 

Kagome shrugged but put on a determined face. “Inuyasha, we have a lot to talk about and I find I am able to think better in this outfit.”

 

Inuyasha raised a gentle hand in front of him and gave her a grin. “Babe, let me talk first, and then I'm all ears.”

 

Inuyasha wanted Kagome to seem happy about talking to him before he continued, but her face remained emotionless. He frowned a bit, but continued anyway.

 

“My wife and her awful lawyers took pretty much everything but my left arm,” he said as he pulled her in for a hug. She stiffened a little in his arms, but if he noticed, he did not say anything. “But you're worth all of it. When I'm with you I'm on cloud ten. Screw the people on cloud nine, those bastards don't know happy. And you know why?”

 

Kagome shook her head minutely; she didn't like the way she was feeling right now.

 

“Cause they ain't got you,” Inuyasha finished.

 

Kagome did not know what to say, she was almost in tears. How could she ever bring herself to hurt someone like Inuyasha? He had been nothing but good to her since the day that they met.

 

Luckily for Kagome, Mary came in at that moment, saving her from having to react to Inuyasha's words.

 

“That show is on now Ms. Higurashi,” Mary said as she made her way to the television to turn the volume back up.

 

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. “Show?”

 

“Oh, Mary means this program that's coming on TV…you know, the Wind-Taisho thing…they're having an interview today, and I thought it'd be interesting to watch,” Kagome rambled a bit.

 

Inuyasha visibly stiffened and snarled at the mention of Sesshoumaru Taisho. “Bastard.”

 

Kagome looked a little shocked at him. “What's wrong?”

 

“That bastard half-brother of mine! He thinks he's God's gift to women!” Inuyasha nearly shouted. “I can't stand Sesshoumaru!”

 

Kagome froze. She could feel the blood rushing from her face as she visibly paled. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru…half-brothers? This could not be happening!! Why didn't she see it before; they looked so similar; how many people have silver-white hair and amber eyes?!

 

“Let's see what the bastard has to say today, shall we?” Inuyasha said as he sat back on a chair to relax.

 

Interviewer: Today we have special guest with us- Mr. Sesshoumaru Taisho and his lovely bride-to-be Ms. Kagura Wind. Sesshoumaru just came here today from his trip from Tokyo to Los Angeles and has pleasantly agreed to give us this exclusive interview!

 

“Tokyo to L.A? Wasn't that the same trip you were on?” Inuyasha asked Kagome.

 

Kagome nodded in the affirmative.

 

“Did you meet him?” he asked her.

 

Kagome nodded slowly again.

 

“Was he charming?” Inuyasha asked in mockery. He was no longer looking at her, but he kept up with his questioning.

 

Kagome nodded another time although he did not see it.

 

“Fascinating?” he said while playfully batting his eyelashes.

 

Kagome nodded her head once more.

 

“Did you find him irresistible?” Inuyasha questioned.

 

This time Kagome did not nod. She merely sat there with a faraway gaze.

 

Inuyasha, not hearing the swishing of fabric that indicated her answers, turned towards Kagome and saw the melancholy look on her face.

 

“I'm sorry, I take that question back,” he said quickly.

 

Kagome gave him a barely visible nod and they turned their attention back towards the interview.

 

The interviewer held a pad and paper in his hands, prepared to jot down questions that he may come up with on the spot. When he was sure that ample time was given for the theme music that they themselves could not hear, he began his interview.

 

“Many marriages tend to break apart because of financial difficulty. But, I'm sure you two won't have any problem with-”

 

“No, no-that will definitely not be one of our problems,” Kagura said with a light laugh.

 

The interviewer turned to Sesshoumaru then who was not paying very much attention. In efforts to add a bit of humor to the interview, he asks, “So, Mr. Taisho-is this your first attempt at any connubial bliss?”

 

Sesshoumaru looks as if he's shaken from his inner thoughts. “I'm sorry, could rephrase the question?”

 

Kagura laughed a little at Sesshoumaru's expense. “Dear, he means is this your first experience with marriage.”

 

Sesshoumaru still looked as if he were in a daze. “With marriage?” he asked.

 

Kagura looked at him with a warning glare; he really needed to be paying attention to the interview. She replied dryly to him, “Yes dear, with MARRIAGE.”

 

Vincent, the interviewer, sees the light tension with the line of questioning and moves on to another line of questions while still attempting to be witty.

 

“Mr. Taisho,” Vincent said, “do you plan on supporting your wife in the manner to which she is accustomed to?” He said this as he looked around the expensively decorated room.

 

Kagome took in a gasp of air and held her breath. Sesshoumaru is always so sure of his finances, but he seemed to be hesitating to answer.

 

Sesshoumaru looked around the room a bit, but then looked straight at the television camera. “I will make every effort to,” he answered.

 

Kagura was a bit taken aback at his answer of `make an effort to'. “You have all the finances you need dear. Do you plan on doing something else?”

 

Sesshoumaru straightened his back a little. “I plan to take up painting again,” he announced calmly.

 

Kagura looked at him bewildered. She glanced over at the walls behind them in which there were expensive paintings hanging. “Dear, we already have paintings; Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet…”

 

Sesshoumaru clenched his jaw in an effort to keep from going off on the woman. He wanted to paint, and by god he was going to paint. “So? I'm still going to paint.”

 

Kagura could not contain the anger she was feeling; why was he being like this? “For goodness sakes Sesshoumaru-why on earth would you want to take up painting again?! You'll be way too busy to dedicate your time to a painting, besides that, I'm allergic to the turpentine you use for paint thinner!”

 

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes a bit to glare at her; who was she to tell him what he could and could not do?! He took out his pocket knife in an effort to sharpen his claws; just in case he might want to use them.

 

Kagura is completely confused by his actions. She looks over to him as he brought out his pocket knife and sees writing on it. She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward a bit to see if she could read what was on it, but Sesshoumaru quickly snatches it away and puts it back in his pocket.

 

Vincent tries to recover his slowly disintegrating interview. He cleared his throat in an effort to gain their attention and continues with another question.

 

“Ahem. So, when's the wedding date set for Ms. Wind?” he asks a bit uncomfortably.

 

Kagura regains her composure and sits up straight, still giving Sesshoumaru a nasty look from the corner of her eyes. “Oh, I think it will be set for as soon as possible. Probably in about-”

 

“Six months,” Sesshoumaru interrupted strongly.

 

Kagome could not contain her smile and Sesshoumaru's comment. He still wanted her; granted it had not even been a day since they last saw each other, but still, he was announcing it to the world even if the world was completely oblivious to them!

 

Her smile continued as she watched Sesshoumaru who seemed to be looking straight at her. Kagome closed her eyes in an effort to keep the picture of him in her memory.

 

Inuyasha had been watching Kagome since she had gasped and started holding her breath. He saw the smile that leaked across Kagome's face at Sesshoumaru's proclamation and was slowly starting to guess as to what was going on; and he did not like it. He turned back to the television with a weary glance at Kagome.

 

Kagura was completely furious now. “Six months?! You're insane if you think I'm waiting that-”

 

She stopped short when she saw Sesshoumaru gesturing to the camera holding six fingers up to reiterate his six month claim. She huffed and crossed her legs while she sat back further on the couch they were sitting on.

 

Vincent's eyes were wide as he watched the spectacle. He did not want to end the interview, but with the way the two were acting he figured it is best for all parties involved if he did so.

 

“And that, um, ladies and gentlemen, was Ms. Kagura Wind and Mr. Sesshoumaru Taisho. This concludes our interview with this, uh…charming, couple. Now I turn it back to you Nick McMillan…”

 

Kagura put her hand on her forehead. “Are we off the air now?” she asked hotly.

 

“Um, no not yet,” replied Vincent as he tried to get the camera off.

 

The camera faded to black, but the voices do not stop. The man working the machine tried desperately to cut off the sound and finally did after three attempts; but not before Kagura threw one last vulgarity at Sesshoumaru for his behavior.

 

Inuyasha turned off the television and slowly lowered himself back into his chair. He did not look Kagome's way and he did not say anything for a few moments.

 

Kagome shifted a bit uneasily in the silence that followed and almost jumped when Inuyasha spoke again.

 

“Well,” he began quietly. “I think I may just fell off of cloud ten.”

 

Kagome closed her eyes and the tears she was trying to hold back finally fell. “I-I'm so sorry Inuyasha. If only I would have known before, I could have saved you so much hurt; and probably a lot of money,” she said distraught.

 

She walked around the chair to come in front of him and knelt down to his level. Inuyasha continued to stare at her in disbelief and hurt. How could this have happened?

 

“I just-don't understand Kagome,” Inuyasha said with a slightly louder voice. “My brother, Kagome-my brother!”

 

Kagome dropped her gaze down to the floor. “I know,” she said quietly.

 

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. “You must be insane you know that?!”

 

With tears still falling she nodded her head. “I know.”

 

“So now what are you going to do? You don't know anyone here and you don't have a job here. So tell me what!”

 

“I-I guess I c-could find a job singing someplace,” she said with her eyes still closed. “At least until h-he-”

 

“He what, Kagome?! Once this marriage falls through he'll probably be broke; Kagura will take him for all that he is worth! He won't be able to support you!”

 

Kagome was wracked with sobs now; she knew it looked bad, but she wanted to be with Sesshoumaru no matter what. Sesshoumaru had said that he would take care of her and she believed him full-heartedly.

 

“My damn brother! He gets everything and anything he wants and now he gets you! How did this happen?!”

 

“We just met on the trip and, we started talking. Inuyasha I-”

 

“No, just stop, I don't want to hear any more,” he said tiredly.

 

Inuyasha sighed and took a breath to collect his nerves. He looked down at Kagome and hooked his fingers under her chin so that she would look at him.

 

“Listen Kagome, I know I should have told you a while ago, but I love you and I want to be the one to marry you. I know this is my fault but I can make it right! It can't be too late; look at me Kagome…can't you see that I'm in love?!”

 

Kagome looked at him with all the courage she could muster. “Yes, I can see that Inuyasha-but, but so am I.”

 

She stood then and Inuyasha fell back against the chair with an utter look of defeat on his face. Kagome walked through the kitchen and out onto the veranda that she had dubbed her sanctuary; she was in definite need of one at the moment.

 

Mary stood in the corner, having heard everything, with tears in her eyes. She could not imagine how hard this must be for the two of them and only hoped that they could work this out.

 

Kagome walked numbly to the railing of the patio and looked up into the sky, praying to any deity that would listen to her that she was doing the right thing and that everything would work out for the best.

 

Finding out that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were brothers was like a slap in the face. She loved both of them but in completely different ways. She never intended for Inuyasha to be hurt, but like her mother always told her, `you can't help who you fall in love with'.

 

With all of her energy drained because of her tears, Kagome dropped to her knees clutching the bars of the iron fence and cried.

 

She cried for a love lost, and for a love gained. She cried for the known and the unknown that she would yet come across. And lastly, she cried because she had made it through what she thought was the hard part of her trial.

 

I know, sad chapter; but these things had to come out some time. Please rate and review to let me know how you are enjoying the story. Thank you readers!