InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pack Law ❯ Distractions ( Chapter 16 )

Pack Law

 

Chapter 16: Distractions

 

Kagome sat, sinking deeply into the leather couch, head in her hands, trying unsuccessfully to stem her tears. Her mood had only gotten worse after Miroku had gotten home, even though he'd had tentative good news. `I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything permanent happened to Souta… Is this what Sango felt like?' She remembered the look of horrified hopelessness her friend had always worn after a confrontation with Kohaku in the past.

 

For the first time in a year, she'd really realized what her actions in the past had really done. Kagome couldn't breathe, her lungs felt like they were being smothered by grief and guilt. Everything was really her fault, wasn't it? `I shattered the Shikon no Tama. The Thunder Brothers wouldn't have killed Shippou's father if they hadn't gotten a jewel shard.' It didn't make her feel any better to know that technically, the crow-youkai's foot had actually broken the jewel. She had shot it, hadn't she?

 

`Naraku never would have been so strong if the jewel would have just stayed in my body.' She thought of the day and night they had spent burying the slaughtered members of the Taijya Village. `He wouldn't have been able to bring Kohaku back… Kohaku wouldn't have slaughtered his family.'

 

Before going to bed, Sesshomaru had wandered in to let her know he was putting up her family at a nearby hotel. He assured her some of the hunters in his employ were keeping a stealthy eye on her grandfather, the only one not currently in the hospital. `I'm causing so many problems.' Still, she didn't want her family at a hotel. Couldn't her friends protect them better than any hunter? Sesshomaru insisted the jewel shard she carried would draw too much attention; Naraku would surely come after her since she had the remaining half of the jewel. For a moment, she'd entertained the thought of chucking the shard in the ocean. `Everything comes back to this stupid thing! It only brings pain…' Kagome let herself cry again, shedding tears for the helpless villagers who'd been slaughtered by shard-enhanced youkai, crying for those who had lost their lives even though they'd had nothing to do with the darned object.

 

InuYasha froze in the doorway, assaulted by the salty scent of her tears. He swallowed the whine that nearly clawed its way out of him; what was it about her tears that could bring him completely undone? He could take Sesshomaru's poison claws through his stomach with only a little groaning; he could be beaten to a pulp but be perfectly fine as long as he knew Kagome was safe. But just two or three tears from her and he felt as though the floor had fallen out from under him. His instincts roiled, boiled, clawed at his insides, fueled by the salty scent. She was deep in thought, anxious and painful thoughts by the scent of depression and despair rolling off her.

 

`Fix it!' His youkai blood whined; `Mate hurts…' Kagome choked out a sob and in a heartbeat, he was next to her, holding her close, rubbing a clawed hand over her back as she broke down into his shoulder. She clutched his shirt weakly, forgetting momentarily that she was angry with this man, that he had blamed her for things beyond her control, unmindful of the hurtful things he'd told her for the past year. Wrapped in his arms was the safest place she'd ever known, and that hadn't changed.

 

Even as InuYasha hugged Kagome close, felt her shuddering, his human heart ached for the both of them. It was hard, really hard, to shake off five centuries worth of recriminations and hateful thoughts. He knew now he was the one who had destroyed the well. He had prevented her from returning back to him. But five hundred years was more than time enough to build thick walls around his heart. He wanted her; he loved her… now he had to remind himself time and time again that it was okay to care for her as he did.

 

The two sat in silence, ignoring time as it passed. InuYasha didn't trust himself to speak; he was a baka, but he had learned over the years when it was a good time to keep his mouth shut. Kagome seemed content to cry in his arms, her sobs eventually turning into sniffling hiccups. Even those subsided after a while; she shifted, moving her head to his drier shoulder and resting her cheek on it. Leaning into him, she gave in to the tugging darkness of sleep, and let herself slip away to a world without dreams. He watched the sun rise, holding her weight in his arms, and for the first time in five centuries, felt as though all might be okay in the world again.

 

**********

 

The peace lasted about eight hours.

 

The first battle came shortly after breakfast. Try as he might, InuYasha had been unable to quiet Sarah and Hitomu as they prepared for a day of practice for their chorus assignment. Sarah had burst into the room to find out if Kagome would be up to working with them, waking her and embarrassing the both of them.

 

Coming down from a shower in clothes borrowed from Sarah, Kagome had walked right into Sesshomaru, InuYasha and Miroku's conversation about how to keep her on the den grounds.

 

That had gone well…

 

`Feh, we're lucky she wasn't wearing her fucking ring!' InuYasha once again found himself in his office, slowly and methodically pounding his head against his desk in frustration. Long gone was the time when he could take out his irritations on his forest. `Fucking wench!' The look on her face, forehead scrunched in anger, bright red, was burned into his brain. The stare plainly told him that she was contemplating purifying the lot of them. It obviously wouldn't work on Miroku, but it might just give her enough time to get out…

 

“What right do you have to tell me what I can and cannot do?”

 

InuYasha rose spectacularly to the challenge in her voice, the challenge that coursed through her veins as she brought herself to her full (and not-quite-that-impressive) height. “I'm your alpha, bitch! I have every right!”

 

Kagome narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint just barely discernable. “Osuwari.”

 

She knelt as he crashed to the floor, balancing on the balls of her feet. “Let me get one thing clear with you. You're not my alpha. You said it before. I. Am. Not. Pack!” InuYasha bit his tongue on a scathing retort, smelling her hurt underneath the indignation. Hearing her say it was nearly as painful as the memory of how she had reacted once she understood the true depth of his original statement.

 

Sesshomaru looked up from his coffee, catching Kagome's eye as she reached for a serving of miso and rice. “Indeed, you are not pack. You cannot be; you have no knowledge of Pack Law.”

 

Miroku recognized what Sesshomaru was doing and quickly backed him up. “That's right, Lad- er, Kagome. We all consider you family, but there are a lot of specific laws in the youkai world now, especially concerning humans. A human cannot be officially brought into a pack until they're versed in Pack Law.”

 

Kagome didn't take the bait. “What about my family? I'm not just going to stay here while Naraku goes after them! I want to see them!” Her anger shifted into sadness in almost the blink of an eye, “I… I need to know they're safe. They'd be better here, with me.”

 

InuYasha had managed to peel himself off the floor by this point and was standing behind her. He slowly put her hands on her shoulders, lightly, allowing her to shrug him off if she felt the need. “Listen, wench. We don't want to keep you from the runt or your mom. Or the old man, no matter how much his ranting and stupid sutras piss me off,” he added as she turned to pin him with another look. “But you have the rest of the damn jewel, and you're the only fucking miko who can keep it pure! You're a bigger target than them.” His eyes softened as her face turned downcast, as she was admittedly unable to argue the point, “I promise you, once we know what's going on and what we need to be ready for, we'll think about bringing them here. But first, we need to find out what Naraku's planning.”

 

Kagome lowered her head, seeing the sense in his decision but quite obviously not liking it one bit. She jerked her head in a nod once, her jaw set.

 

He wondered how soon he'd catch Kagome trying to sneak out of the den. Miroku seemed to be thinking the same thing. “Kagome, my daughter will be coming here in a day or two. Perhaps we can work on building up your spiritual strength even further. The stronger you are, the easier we'll find it to protect your loved ones.”

 

Kagome repeated her quick nod, just a dip of the head, acknowledging he had spoken without really saying anything. InuYasha bit his lip, drawing blood, torn between wanting to beat the bitch for the insolent way she was acting (`like a spoiled pup, damn it!') and needing to hug her, reassure her, tell her everything would be all right and let her just get out her raging emotions. He could feel her roiling aura, shifting emotions faster than it took for a battle to turn sour, and it was affecting him. He left the room before he gave into the urge to discipline her.

 

The second battle had taken place about an hour later, when Miroku headed in to check on Kagome's family. This time the argument had deteriorated into a shouting match, Kagome growling and spitting as though she were the one with inu-youkai blood flowing in her veins. At one point, he was thankful she didn't have claws; she'd just as soon rip the ears off his head and scratch out his eyes if she had the proper equipment.

 

“I need to see my family!”

 

“You need to keep the fucking shards safe!”

 

“You do it!” InuYasha was actually struck dumb for a moment as she ripped the jewel off her neck, chucking it at him. “I don't care right now! I want to see my mother. I need to see my brother! Forget the jewel!”

 

InuYasha growled, a very loud, menacing warning sound that echoed through the room they gathered in. “Bitch…”

 

Kagome took a deep breath, her aura flaring with her temper in reaction to InuYasha's youki. A hand on her mouth prevented her from subduing InuYasha through the floor. Kagome twisted her head to see Hitomu standing close to her, though for moral support or to continue to prevent her from fighting with InuYasha was anybody's guess.

 

“Kagome.” His calm voice was a counterpoint to the screaming and swearing that had blistered the ears of those in the hall for the last few moments. He projected Calm into his aura, encouraging her to relax. Feeling tension beginning to seep from her, he turned to stare at InuYasha. The hanyou restrained himself from ripping Hitomu's arm off and beating him with it at the sight of the teen's hand on his miko.

 

“Uncle.” The use of a family term, rather than pack status, did not go unnoticed by Kagome. `He's certainly Miroku's son, smooth-talker and all.' She appraised the teen as if meeting him for the first time. Silence rang in the hallway. Kagome dropped her arm, which until that point had been pointing a finger rather menacingly at InuYasha. She moved her hand to tug at Hitomu's, freeing her mouth.

 

“Fine.” While her capitulation was what InuYasha wanted to hear, the defeated tone his victory was delivered in had his ears flattened, sticking outward dejectedly. He stepped forward, willing her to lift her head to face him. Hell, he'd take her shouting at him again, if only he'd see that light in her eyes again.

 

“Kagome…” InuYasha agonized over the pained look on her face when she did look up in response to his soft tone. “Don't- I mean, I don't want you to think-”

 

Something in Kagome snapped. Did he really think he could just run her life and then expect her to be all hunky-dory about it? “I said okay!” Knowing she was once again on the verge of making a scene, and just wanting to be alone, Kagome spun on her heel, shoving past the men and striding toward the common room she'd woken up in that morning.

 

`Of course, a dramatic exit is only good if the overprotective, testosterone-laden, annoying hanyou takes the message and leaves me alone!' InuYasha followed Kagome, stopping at the entryway.

 

“After Sesshomaru's hunters check in and when Miroku's home, I'll take you to the hospital. Okay?” His tone reminded Kagome so much of a wounded puppy that she had to clutch at the couch to keep from moving to him.

 

`Of all the- he's a total jerk and then he has to go and do something sweet! How am I supposed to stay mad at him when he does that?' She didn't dare look at him. She knew, she just knew his ears would be drooping, a sign of sorrow that never failed to tug at her heartstrings. She was mad at him, darn it, and she wanted to stay that way!

 

The last time he had seen Kagome, she had been refusing to move from her spot in the room near the front, waiting anxiously by the phone for word from Miroku, staring out the window in hopes of seeing his car coming up the driveway. While InuYasha's words had had the desired effect - Kagome didn't seem to be seconds away from exploding anymore - she certainly didn't seem to notice anything else around her. She had only waved at him vaguely when he handed the Shikon shards back to her, insisting she keep them on her person at all times.

 

“Baka!” Thud. “Baka!” Thud. “Fucking bitch!” Thud. Physical pain to take away the pain in his chest, `Maybe I can knock some sense into myself while I'm at it. Why the fuck did I give in to her?' InuYasha wondered what kami he had managed to piss off this time to be drawn to a person hell-bent on destroying him. `Kikyou just wanted to purify my youkai blood. Kagome's going to drive me bat-shit insane!'

 

Lifting his head, InuYasha glared at the phone on his desk, willing it to ring. Sango had gone out early that morning, back to where Naraku had been hiding. She was determined to get a better scope of the layout of his hideout; perhaps, with enough information, they could mount a counter-offensive and get the shards from him before he gained enough power to take on a corporeal form again. He growled. `Fucking ignorant humans. If it weren't for them and the secrecy edict, I'd be in there right now, ripping his fucking head off with Tetsusaiga!'

 

The years of secrecy and deception didn't sit well with the hanyou. Subtlety wasn't his strong suit. Why spend hours agonizing over attacks and counter-attacks when you had one of the strongest swords known to youkai- and man-kind? Why bother plotting when the best plan of attack was usually a direct one? Sure, he had been through his share of injuries… but they had always come out alive. In fact, his pack had a pretty impressive track record when it came to mowing down enemies in their path.

 

`Feh! You're going down, Naraku! And this time, you're going to stay fucking dead!' InuYasha's primary concern was keeping Kagome safe. Nobody touched what was HIS, and the miko was on the top of that short list. Not only was she his, but she really was the only person capable of seeing and purifying the shards. They'd need her to get rid of the kami-forsaken jewel.

 

**********

 

“So, every youkai clan has a Taisho. Sesshomaru is the Inu no Taisho. Clans are broken up by instinct. For example, Inu and Ookami are pack-based. Most neko clans are broken up into prides. Kitsune are canines, but the youkai tend to live in smaller family groups, and are lead by females. That's one reason Uncle Shippou looked up to you more than anybody else.”

 

“The fact that you could subdue InuYasha with a word probably solidified the idea in his young, impressionable mind,” Sarah piped up from the corner with a grin, remember the few times she'd been privy to the act. Like Shippou so long ago, she had mentally thrilled at the sight of him eating dirt.

 

Kagome nodded, a little overwhelmed at the wealth of information she was getting. Hitomu had finally managed to crack through her façade of indifference by insisting she start learning Pack Law. She snorted mentally. `As if that'll do any good! Who said I wanted to be part of the pack, anyway?' A different part of her brain rebelled at the thought. Whether or not she liked InuYasha right now, the plain fact of that matter was that she loved him, and if she had to learn a whole new set of rules in order to be with him, she would.

 

`I accept what InuYasha is. Part of that acceptance is learning more about him.'

 

“So, what about mixed families?” She wondered aloud. It seemed rude not to respond to their suggestions; she wasn't angry at them, even though part of her was still angry Hitomu had kept her from introducing InuYasha to the den's foundation.

 

Sarah looked up from where she was playing a video-game. “You mean like a neko-inu cross? Or hanyou?” Kagome nodded. “The family would follow the dominant partner, based on status and family type. With human-youkai hanyou it's not a problem because humans just have families, and not as much emphasis on instinct as with youkai. There's usually only a problem when both the male and the female would be considered the ranking partner, like with an inu male and a kitsune female. That doesn't usually happen though, since inu males would look for more of a submissive mate. It's the same with vixens.”

 

Kagome's jaw set with a stubborn click. She spoke without thinking, “Submissive? Excuse me?”

 

Hitomu rushed to reassure her. “Kagome, InuYasha's not like that. Remember, he's inu-hanyou. Sure, you two fight a lot, but he doesn't want you to roll over for him. In fact, he probably likes that you're not a pushover! It's just in his blood to… to want you to submit to him as a leader male, not like a pup.”

 

Kagome's anger dissolved into giggles. Those turned into all-out laughter when Hitomu tilted his head at her… much like InuYasha used to when he was confused at something. “What's so funny?”

 

“It's just… you're human! We're human! It's kind of funny to hear you use pack terms like they're an everyday thing.”

 

“They are an everyday thing when you grow up in the den with the Inu no Taisho and his beta.” Kagome's eyes lit up in interest. Ever since Miroku had explained the power of the talismans, she had wondered what it would have been like if she had been given one in the Sengoku Jidai. `If InuYasha had gotten up the guts to talk to me about it, that is!' She was still a bit irritated that he had gone so many years believing she had abandoned him, when it all would have been a moot point if he had just told her. She would have known she would see her family again, and wouldn't have made such a big deal about coming home for high school!

 

“What was it like?”

 

Hitomu sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to figure out how to describe it. “It's… well, it's different. Mom and dad always taught me what I needed to know to be a normal human, but remember, I was born the same year as Tsukiyoshi. So I grew up with an inu-youkai as a best friend and cousin, and I'll probably be his beta when he succeeds his father as Inu no Taisho. When we're alone, we're buddies. When we're at Pack events, I'm his subordinate. Everybody has different titles and attitudes depending on who's around and what kind of mood Uncle is in.” Kagome held up a hand to stop his rambling.

 

“Now you're calling InuYasha uncle. How do you decide what to call him?”

 

“Uncle Yasha, Alpha, Sir, InuYasha… like I said, it's a matter of mood and who's around. When I was young, Dad said the most important thing I could ever learn was how to talk to somebody, how to talk up to somebody, and how to talk down to them. He always explained that the way you talk and hold yourself is indicative of how you see yourself, and I guess he has a point. When I call InuYasha Alpha, I'm signifying that I know I'm below him. It soothes his youkai blood. When I call him Uncle, I'm showing him I believe he's part of the family, which he is, and that plays up to his human blood.”

 

Kagome blinked. She had sometimes thought of InuYasha's varying attitudes as different personalities: the raging youkai, the hot-tempered but protective hanyou, and the slightly-emotionally-imbalanced and yet dangerously overconfident human. She hadn't really thought about how deep those personalities went. `It's like I'm learning who InuYasha is all over again.' She sighed, dropping her head into her hands again.

 

**********

 

“I'm so sorry, Mama.” Kagome was unable to speak louder than a whisper, face white as paper at the sight of her mother lying in a hospital bed. Her mother was bruised, head wrapped in bandages. “I never wanted you to be involved in this.”

 

Her mother reached out, patted Kagome's hand with hers. “Sweetie, I never asked about your battles in the past because I never truly wanted to know… you coming home with scars and bruises and cuts…” She trailed off, looking out the window, as if she couldn't face her daughter and say what she had to. “But now that your friends are here…” Kagome had shared the news with her mother as soon as she had found out. “I think it's time you start focusing on your schoolwork and family again. This fight… really isn't yours, is it? You'd be safer…”

 

Kagome bit her lip. To be honest… she had started to think the same thing. `What good am I if they insist on keeping me at the den?'

 

From his spot near the window, InuYasha shot to his feet. “Are you questioning my ability to keep Kagome safe?”

 

Wincing, Kagome's mother raised her head to look the hanyou in the eye. “InuYasha… you've protected my daughter from dangers I can't even dream about in the past, I'm sure. But look at things from my perspective. Kagome is only almost sixteen. She's still in school. She should be a normal child, worrying about boys and grades and friends. Instead, she's spent the last year worrying about archery and Shikon shards and medicine.”

 

InuYasha shook his head. “She's not normal.” He didn't even voice his objections to the thought that Kagome should be worrying about boys. `She doesn't need to worry about them, damn it. She already has a mate!'

 

Kagome sighed. It was true enough. `I'm the reincarnation of a priestess. The keeper of the Shikon no Tama. But if we get rid of it… will I be normal then?' She couldn't help but wonder if she'd seen too much, done too much to ever go back to her original life. “Mama… I want to focus on my schoolwork… and friends and family, too.” The stricken look InuYasha sent her nearly shook her to her core. “But this is something I have to do. I think…” She lowered her gaze to the floor, unwilling to see how her words affected either her mother or InuYasha, “I think I was born to get rid of the Shikon no Tama… to deliver it to the past, to unseal InuYasha and let him make his wish.”

 

InuYasha's eyes widened at her quiet statement. He wanted to shake her, wanted her make her take her words back and understand what they did to him mentally… hell, even physically. The very idea that she could think she was born simply to provide him with a wish sickened him. `You weren't born for that stupid jewel, wench… you were born to be with me!'

 

He chose not to verbalize that particular sentiment right now. He shifted his focus to her mother, who had begun to cave to Kagome's almost melancholy plea. “I just want you to be safe, dear…”

 

“Mrs. Higurashi… you have my word. We will keep Kagome and your entire family safe.” He could tell she was close to giving in and knew he had to play to her heart on this one. “We need her… I need her.” His low admission was more painful that pulling teeth. He might be older and wiser but he was no more comfortable with discussing feelings than he had been centuries ago.

 

Neither female spoke after his comment. He flushed bright red, striding out of the room with his head ducked down.

 

Kagome gaped at him as he walked out, refusing to look at either of them. She turned to stare at her mother, who had a small smile on her face.

 

“He really does care for you, Kagome, doesn't he?”

 

Kagome swallowed it, finding it hard to speak. “Did... did he just… Did he say he needs me?” She supposed she shouldn't be so surprised. He'd said it before, when they were separated by time after Kikyou had sent her back down the well. Roots had overgrown the well when Menomaru had turned her against InuYasha with a Shikon fragment. “I need you with me, Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?” She could still hear the desperate tone in his voice.

 

She clenched her fists, a sudden surge of anger washing over her. `I don't get it! He's hot and cold, nice and then frustrating. Gaaah!' Kagome wondered if she'd ever understand him.

 

“You do what you have to, Kagome. Just… just try to stay safe. For me?” Her mother's eyes were filled with resignation… and a hint of pride. Kagome nodded, eyes straying to the hallway where she knew InuYasha would be pacing now, irritated and embarrassed for speaking out so plainly near her and her mother but unwilling to leave them unprotected with a known threat waiting for them.

 

As with most mothers, Kagome's mama seemed to know exactly what was on her mind. “He loves you, honey, and he doesn't want you to get hurt. He's a good man. I trust InuYasha, and I trust you to stay safe.” She sighed, “I know you've always wanted to change the world… I can't help but wish you would have just gone into medicine instead…”

 

Kagome giggled, and then turned the conversation to other things. The reconstruction of their house, how the rest of the family was doing, and yes, how she was faring at school were among the topics she wanted to talk about with her mama - anything but that darned jewel and the frustrating hanyou that haunted her thoughts.

 

A/N:

 

Now - I'm making this story a bit interactive! Do YOU have questions pertaining to Pack Law? Ask away - they may be answered in upcoming chapters!!

 

Warning - the next chapter is a bit lime-y, so if you're not old enough to see such things… um, sorry!

 

“Thank you” to everybody who's reviewed so far. Specifically -

CatLover260, loretta537 (Kagome agrees with you!), kokoronagomu (I cackled at the mental image… “Learn to aim, baka!”), angel-up-above-heaven, Sovereignty (our favorite hanyou has never really been ahead of the game, has he?), Kryptoinuyasha (thank you! I was thrilled to see people think I'm portraying InuYasha well… for a guy who can be so simple, he's incredibly complex…), Phalon, pokiepal, critical_eye (there will be much Hitomu in the coming chapters, stay tuned!), KodiaqKitten, CandyEars

 

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)