InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ On a Leash ❯ Ring Around the Bedside ( Chapter 22 )

A/N: See, I told you Inu would be ok…but, man, you guys need to lay off either the threats or the espresso. Or both would be nice. In any case, we're rolling around to chapter 22, and I have a cold…so I don't feel too well…. Yeah, yeah-I know, I know: Only fools get summer colds… -sneezes- Just…I'm glad (most) of you had no complaints; well, no one was bashing, just some people aren't as fluff-loving as others. -shrugs- I have my reasons. Someone pointed out that Mel Gibson is from Australia, but he's an American-born Aussie. Anyway, enough of my pointless rambling…

I lovingly dedicate this chapter to my niece Kirsten, because she will be in Colorado with her evil mother for three weeks. Grr!

Thank you, Notoes, for noticing the mistakes last chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Ring Around the Bedside

Inuyasha awoke, the rising sun coming through the window, which he saw through bleary eyes. He rubbed at them with the heel of his left hand, but the haziness was still there. The room looked strange, even through his clouded eyes-this place didn't look familiar at all. It didn't smell familiar either.

Actually, everything smelled faintly like some kind of knock-out gas.

Closing his eyes again, Inuyasha tried to remember what happened…everything that he remembered was kind of vague, and there were huge chunks missing from his memory.

He remembered being with Kagome on the rooftop of her school, watching the fireworks and thinking she looked really pretty, and that he liked it when she leant up against him…then, they had jumped to go back home…then…something about her gloves and…

Lights…twin lights…headlights…

There had been a car coming at Kagome…and he pushed her out of the way and got hit instead…

After hitting the windshield, everything had kind of blacked out…but he did remember something shiny on the man's chest…on both of the men's chests…

All the memory-recalling was making his head hurt, so Inuyasha opened his eyes once more, and this time his vision was more lucid.

"What is this place…?" he asked himself quietly. He sniffed. "Smells like Kaede-hag." Sitting up in the soft bed, the blue and white flowered comforter falling into his lap, Inuyasha became aware of the fact he was bare. He sighed and then snorted. I swear I end up naked more often than a porn star…

Decoupage flowers adorned the walls-probably trying to create a soothing atmosphere. There was a window to his left and one behind him, both with translucent white curtains. There were a rocking chair and table not far off with a candy dish sitting on it.

Inuyasha sniffed the air again. He picked up Kagome's scent. A few hours old, but it was still as sweet to his keen nose as if she were in the room with him.

"I remember being in a car with her…" he said to the silence in his room, headache vanishing. "Her and Miroku…. I ached all over." Touching a hand to his cheek, he felt the woven fabric there, and light tinge of pain. His gaze dropped his chest and he could see all the bandages crisscrossing over his muscles, all the way down to his abdomen where a good-sized bruise resided in all its purple-and-yellow-spotted glory right above his navel.

Thoughtfully rubbing the corner of his mouth, he murmured, "I don't really remember anything after that…. I wonder if Kagome's hurt." His eyes grew a bit at that notion, feeling quiet snarl rise up to his throat. "If she's hurt…"

"Good mornin', Sunshine!" Miroku cheerfully greeted as he entered the room.

"Gah!" Inuyasha's ears twitched in annoyance. "Shit, Miroku, do you have to do that?" he groused.

He shrugged. "You should lie down."

"I feel fine."

"Oh?" Miroku came to the hanyou's bedside. He gently poked Inuyasha with his finger in the side.

Inuyasha let out a yelp. "Hey, asshole, watch it!"

Tsking lightly, the monk took a seat in the rocking chair. "Such language. You have quite a few contusions, and you jammed your right ring finger." Inuyasha glanced to the splint and upon trying to move it was rewarded with a short hiss of pain. "Just take it easy."

"Keh." Reluctantly, the hanyou propped his back up with his pillows. "So," the fire in his eyes faded to seriousness, "how's Kagome?"

"Kagome? She's doing fine. A bit tired and a few scrapes here or there, but nothing crucial." He languidly stretched out the silence to select a hard peppermint. Before saying with utmost, knowing coyness, "Worried about her, were you?" Miroku raised an eyebrow.

"Can it."

"Ah, so you were." Twiddling with the ring on his right thumb, Miroku locked his dark violet eyes on Inuyasha. "So, tell me why you got Kagome into such trouble."

"What?"

"Kagome only wants the best for you, especially your happiness," he said simply, eyelids drifting together in a sagely way, rapping the candy soundly against his teeth. "She is a very gentle person, very kind-hearted, and you tried to take advantage of that."

"You make me sound like some form of delinquent!" protested Inuyasha, folding his arms in annoyance.

When Miroku's eyelids parted, a flickering of flame danced in his mauve orbs. "Kagome is like a sister to me, and if you get her into so much trouble again, I will be forced to kick your ass, Inuyasha."

"And you're tellin' me to watch my language…. Look, I'm sorry for what happened to her, ok?! Geez…it's not like I was planning on almost getting her killed…but it was kinda weird how it happened…." Something black and white flashed before his mind's eye.

Miroku peered at him curiously. "What do you mean by weird?"

Inuyasha joggled his cranium. "Not sure…" He rubbed his temple, feeling that headache take dominance over his noggin again.

"Well, you will have to explain this to Sesshoumaru-he was, by the way, not pleased at all to hear you did something so boneheaded." Miroku rose and crossed to the hanyou's bedside again. "Do us all a favor, especially yourself, Inuyasha, and do not try to go outside without the collar on again. "

Inuyasha ground some expert curses out beneath his breath.

The door pushed open again, and Kaede stepped into the entryway, clad in her red bathrobe. "Miroku, it's only forty-five minutes after six. Let Inuyasha get some rest. It's far too early for him to be holding a steady conversation."

"Whatever, you old bag." He rolled his eyes. "For your information, I woke up on my own."

"Fine then, Inuyasha." Kaede turned away from the door, yet paused to say, "But save your yapping for someone it will intimidate."

"Feh," he grumbled in her wake.

Miroku chomped the rest of his peppermint. "You heard her--go back to sleep."

"I don't feel like it."

Shrugging, Miroku reached over and pinched the nerve in the half-demon's neck. "Funny, I don't recall asking you…." He watched with some satisfaction as Inuyasha's head lolled onto his chest as he passed out. "I love that trick. Now, what to do…? I believe Kaede has satellite…I wonder if girls' mud wrestling is still on…."

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Kagome was jostled awake by Miroku gently shaking her. "Kagome," he said, cell phone in hand, "your mom's on the phone."

"Oh…" She blinked the sleep away from her eyes and took the cell. "Hello?"

"OH, KAGOME!" came Mama's voice (Kagome had pulled the earpiece away just in time). "I was so worried, and that note was so vague-"

"Mom."

"--and Souta found the glass in the wastebasket-"

"Mom?"

"--and I didn't know what was going on-are you all right? What about Inuyasha? I thought you and he weren't going out last night-and I was practically ripping my hair out, and you didn't call-"

"Mom!" the girl finally shouted, effectively hushing her mother. "I'm fine, Mama. I just had a little fall….Inuyasha…he was…uh, h-hit by a car."

"Oh! The poor dear! Where are you two?"

"We're at Ms. Kaede's. We're both all right now. Miroku's here with me, too."

"Oh," Mama sighed, "I'm glad…. Why didn't you call, young lady?!"

"I was sleeping," she answered honestly. "What time is it?"

"It's quarter after nine."

Miroku whispered, "I just peeked out, and Sesshoumaru has just pulled in. He's going to want to talk to you and Inuyasha."

"Look, Mom, I gotta go."

"But, Kagome-what's going on? Why didn't you go out earlier with the rest of us?"

"Uh…" A sound knock from the front door, and Kagome knew Sesshoumaru was just on the other side. Desperately, her eyes darted around until she saw a plastic candy wrapper sitting in the wastebasket. Kagome snagged it and began crinkling it in front of the mouthpiece, saying loudly, "What, Mom? You're breaking up--I think the phone's gonna die." She ended the call and handed the phone back to Miroku.

"Very clever," he said, tucking the cell into his khaki slacks pocket and going over to open the door for his employer. "Hello, Sesshoumaru."

The great dog demon nodded once, sweeping passed his operative. His eyes lighted upon the sleep-tussled Kagome. "You should come as well."

"Uh…where?"

"To whatever room Inuyasha is resting in."

Jaken scuttled in, the creepy staff in his slimy hands. "Lord Sesshoumaru, are we going to firmly reprimand your brother?" Something akin to glee sparkled in the toad's yellow eyes.

"I will personally see what caused him to act upon his ignorance," he coolly replied.

Kagome bounded off the couch on which she had slept and marched straight up to Sesshoumaru. "Don't talk about him like he's stupid! You may think you know what he's been through, but you don't!"

He raised an eyebrow. "And you do?"

"W-well, not exactly," she spluttered, reddening over the bridge of her nose. "But, I do know that all he wanted was, for one night, to try and be like a normal person and watch the New Year come in. Yeah, it was probably really dumb of both of us, but it wasn't the most outrageous request."

"Humph," Jaken snorted. "Tell her, Lord Sesshoumaru, tell her how boorish and infantile her argument was."

Sesshoumaru peered at Kagome interestedly. It was surprising for him to see the look of absolute outrage over her countenance, especially in regards of defending his little brother. "I will keep that in mind. Now-come."

Kagome blinked, totally flat-footed. "S-sure."

Jaken stood with his mouth agape.

Smiling, Miroku nudged the toad out of his way with his foot. "Judging from your master's choice of words, I'd say you have to stay here. Perhaps you can go out back and try to catch a bug or two for breakfast." With that parting sentiment, the monk left Jaken smoldering in the foyer.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome had gone into Inuyasha's room, the hanyou wide awake and watching the birds outside.

He tilted his head toward the doorway when the pair entered, and a look of relief crossed his face. "Kagome…"

She smiled and trotted over to him and hugged him briefly. "I'm fine, Inuyasha. Are you feeling better?"

He was stunned into silence by her outward show of affection and managed to awkwardly pat her back lightly. "Uh, yeah."

Pulling away, Kagome perched on the edge of Inuyasha's bed as Sesshoumaru made himself comfortable in the rocking chair.

"So, Inuyasha," the full-blooded demon began conversationally, "you had wanted to see a New Year ring in?"

"Yeah, so?"

Sesshoumaru crossed on leg over the other. "I understand why you did what you did, but I wish to know any details you can give me about who hit you."

Inuyasha stared at his brother in disbelief. "You mean you're not going to piss and moan about me 'disobey orders'?"

A corner of Sesshoumaru's lips lifted. "I believe getting whacked by a car is far more suitable punishment. While it was unintelligent, both you and Kagome have-"

"Leave Kagome out of this-she didn't want to go along with it," broke-in Inuyasha. "It was all my fault and I take full responsibility."

"Inuyasha…" murmured the girl, turning to look at him. "No, you can't. I should have stopped you from going, and I shouldn't have bothered going after my gloves."

"Don't be stupid, Kagome!"

"How about this," Miroku said; cutting short a banter that could continue on for quite some time, "it is both your faults. Kagome for not being firm and Inuyasha for suggesting it."

Neither spoke a word, but it seemed to suit them well enough-at least each had some amount of guilt to bear.

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his torso, rocking the chair a bit. "So, what happened after you snuck out?"

"Well," Kagome began, looking away from Inuyasha, "we came across a bunch of guys and Inuyasha got in a fight with a reptile demon of some sort. Oh! He was wearing a hat the whole time, too, if that means anything…."

"All right. So after my brother showed off-"

"Like hell I was showing off!"

"-what happened?"

"I dragged Inuyasha away because I saw some police officers coming towards us, and we went to my school and sat on the rooftop to watch the fireworks."

Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered as he seemed to digest this, while Inuyasha's ears twitched lightly, also in thought.

The three were quiet, so Miroku picked up the ball and continued the interrogation. "So, when did he get hit, Kagome?"
She chewed her lip, gaze going to the window. "…Inuyasha jumped us back over the fence, and we landed a little unevenly, and my gloves bounced out of my pocket and into the street. I got off his back to get them, and when I crouched down, a car came around the corner. He pushed me out of the way and next thing I knew, the car was speeding off and Inuyasha was," she choked up a little, "lying on the ground bleeding."

Inuyasha tentatively touched the girl's arm with the very tips of his claws gently. He felt her shudder then relax.

Sesshoumaru rocked back and forth for a moment or two before asking, "Is there anything else you remember-anything odd?"

"The street was supposed to be closed off for the school fairs and a parade goes through there early the next morning-I mean, early this morning."

"Anything else?" He glimpsed at his brother expectantly.

Inuyasha's mind flared as things became clear about the night of his accident. "The car was black and white. Two long stripes; black on the top and white on the bottom, I think. The guys were wearing badges, so they were policemen."

"If they were officers of the law, why didn't they stop?" queried Kagome, aghast.

"Indeed," murmured Sesshoumaru, almost playfully. "If they were, they would have stopped, but as they were not, they had no reason to."

"Are you saying they were fakes? But, why would someone pretend to be a policeman?"

"Kagome," Miroku came up to her, "the police came to the shrine when the mini-shrine housing Tetsusaiga was attacked, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Didn't you ever wonder why they didn't call you back?"

"Well, of course I did, but I…" she stopped short, seeing the knowing twinkle in her friend's eye. "They were fakes, too?"

"I would say so."

"That's probably why they didn't say anything about the inside of the lock being melted away…"

Miroku nodded. "Most probably."

"There was a youki lingering in the lock itself…" Kagome murmured, "and it matched the one the bee demons left behind."

"That explains how they got in."

"My sources," began Sesshoumaru, "have told me that Saimyoushou venom is corrosive to metals, and we do know that Naraku sent the bees...it would not be a stretch for me to assess that he has some very clever operatives of his own veiled as officers of the law."

Miroku rested his rump on the windowsill. "Then Naraku was waiting for Kagome to come out on New Years so he could kill her and have access to Tetsusaiga. It is logical; a girl getting hit by a car on New Years eve isn't that unheard of. However, it makes me wonder if he has someone to break through the spiritual wards working with him…" His penetrating glare rested unnoticeably on the half-demon, the only one who detected it.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably, yet even so, his face tensed up in a scowl. "Bastard…"

Kagome peered from her friend to her fiancé's brother. "So…is the Tetsusaiga still there?"

Sesshoumaru stared at her without saying a word.

She gasped. "Oh, no…don't tell me he's gotten it…"

Keeping the stare for a bit longer, Sesshoumaru finally chuckled. "Miroku called one of the my minor operatives over to watch the house until your family returned. The Tetsusaiga is safe and sound in my brother's room."

"You jerk!" Kagome released a long sigh. "Don't do stuff like that!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered with some form of sadistic humor as he rose. "We will convene for now. Kaede says you may return home. Call the Higurashi family and have them pick up."

"I'll get you some clothing," Miroku whispered only loudly enough for Inuyasha to hear.

"After everything with the deed is resolved, we will tell your family," stated Sesshoumaru, looking to Kagome.

The girl nodded. "Ok."

"Well, little brother, stay alive and do not venture out without the collar on." He proceeded to the door. "We will go get the deed soon enough. Perhaps…the middle of February."

"Not patient enough to wait for the spring equinox, huh?" Inuyasha half-heartedly joked.

Sesshoumaru said nothing as he swept out with a flourish.

Miroku grinned at them. "I'll go call your mom, Kagome." Then, he, too, left the room.
The couple watched as the door swung closed.

"Hey, Kagome?"

"Hmm?" The girl shifted around to face him.

"I'm glad you're all right."

She smiled a little. "I'm glad you're still alive. I would have missed you."

Inuyasha snorted. "Keh! I'm not a weak human like you. Do you honestly think a car hitting me would actually end my life?"

"Hmph." Kagome glared at him. "Sorry for doubting you." She patted him on the shoulder and watched as Inuyasha's eyes contorted into pained shapes and he flumped back into bed. "See! I knew you were still hurt!" she insisted as he slithered down into the depths of his pillows.

"Shut up!"

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A/N: Agh, another info chapter! There's so many in this story. They really aren't my favorite to write, but I think I handle them pretty well. Anyway, hopefully the next one will be a little more…fun? Is that the word? I typed this up with my Inuyasha shirt on and my Inu plushie at my side. Well, toodles.

~Moonlight Shadow