InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Patchwork Family ❯ Retreat ( Chapter 8 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/N: All Inuyasha characters and references belong to the creator of Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi and published by Shogakukan. Any other characters are more than likely my own creation. If I borrow directly from another story I will do my best to make sure I give credit where credit is due.

***

Inuyasha carefully gathered Kagome up in his arms. She made a shallow, pathetic whimpering sound as he picked her up and he laid her on a blanket over the couch as gently as he could. When he drew away she reached out and caught his hand. He paused, looked at her bloody fingers grasping his, and knelt down next to the cushions. “You’ll be alright now,” he said softly. She grimaced and mouthed words that were barely a whisper, “don’t leave.”

He shook his head and brushed her hair back away from her face. Hesitantly, he laid a kiss on her forehead, whispering against her skin. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Sango’s going to clean you up and help you into some fresh clothes.” Slowly, she nodded once and he gave her hand a careful squeeze before letting go. Sesshomaru and Sango were watching him when he stood again and walked back to them.

“What?” he asked, a little defensively. Sango didn’t say anything, just sighed and went to the bedroom to get clean clothes, for both herself and Kagome, out of the duffle she’d brought earlier. The two demons walked back to the master bedroom and closed the door.

Inuyasha unbuttoned his blood-covered shirt and threw it at the garbage can in the corner with a sigh. His brother sat on the side of the bed while Inuyasha pulled off the Kevlar vest he still wore.

“You know what this means,” Sesshomaru said quietly, as Inuyasha wiped his bloody hands on a towel. “Yeah… I know what it means." He tossed the towel in the corner and tugged a clean black t-shirt out of a drawer.

“Which do you want to discuss first?” Sesshomaru asked, almost sounding thoughtful.

Inuyasha frowned, pulled the shirt over his head and leaned back against his dresser. “If this place is compromised, so is the garage. With Rosie’s place on top of it we probably ought to pull the Wardens into headquarters and tell our stringers to lay low somewhere else for a while. It’s not safe.”

There was silence for a moment, then Sesshomaru asked, "who knew Kagome was here?"

Inuyasha considered the question before listing, "you, me, Miroku, Sango, the kids, Gabriel, Koga and Ayame, Kohaku..." he paused for a minute and said, "and Vin, I called him earlier to ask when he was going to be back to look at her leg.”

They were both silent for a moment before Sesshomaru said shrewdly, "Vincent." Inuyasha sighed heavily and sat in a beat up arm chair in the corner. "It had to be. I trust Gabriel; and as much of an asshole as Koga can be, he’d chew his own leg off before he helped Naraku." Sesshomaru's expression was frigid as he growled, "this is what we will do then." Neither he nor Inuyasha handled betrayal well.

He calmed a little and said more smoothly, "you will call him." Inuyasha nodded and said, "feed him a story? Like we did with the guy in Mexico?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "I want to be sure before I administer the consequences. Tell him that you killed the man Naraku sent after her, but that Kagome was accidently shot. That much is true. Tell him you’re taking her to Rosie's place to hide her.” Inuyasha nodded, following the train of thought. “The apartment is empty and I was already going to put up some cameras. But no one knows that apart from you, me and Rosie."

Sesshomaru added, “and Miroku, Koga and Ayame. I called them to see if they were available to pick up Rosalind earlier.” Inuyasha thought about that before nodding again, leaning forward to clasp his hands together. "That could work. Where do you want me to actually take her?" When Sesshomaru didn't say anything for a moment, Inuyasha filled him in on the word association he’d played with Kagome to keep her conscious. Sesshomaru stiffened and sat very still when Inuyasha told him about the Shikon no Tama.

"It bothers me," he said, "that we have so much information that has come only from this girl. I need a way to confirm it."

Inuyasha fought the urge to snarl at his brother and said, "we could try and send a stringer with grifting skills out to spy, but we don’t really have a good grifter; it would take time, and I don't think it's necessary to put someone at risk. I believe her. You know I can smell a lie a mile away. Granted, as she isn't telling me the information verbally it changes things a little but she’s very good at communicating without her voice. I think she’s been honest. When she didn't want to tell me something, she told me she wasn’t going to tell me, rather than inventing a lie to cover it. Most people would have just lied, instinctively."

Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha for a long time. "You’re well aware that the blood ritual is a serious step in taking a mate. If she is Miko... that could prove problematic." Inuyasha rubbed his hands through his hair for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, I know. But if I had to do things over again I still would have done it. I couldn't just let her die."

Sesshomaru arched a dark silver brow. "Why? It would hardly have been the first time a normal human has died in the course of events. They are short lived, fragile creatures." This time Inuyasha didn't quite contain a rumbling growl coming from deep in his throat at his brother’s words.

When Sesshomaru just smirked, Inuyasha shook himself and looked away. Sesshomaru commented mildly, "her looks are not dissimilar to the priestess Kikyo." Inuyasha glared. Sesshomaru wondered for a moment if the hanyu might lunge forward and hit him. It had been many years since they’d come to blows…but it was hardly unprecedented.

"Inuyasha,” he said smoothly. “While your judgment has generally been good in recent centuries, it has not always been so."

"Kikyo was a mistake." Inuyasha snapped. "I know that. It was a long time ago. I paid the price of that mistake for 50 years. Let it die." Sesshomaru turned a little on the side of the bed, directly facing his brother. Quietly, he reminded, “you’re not the only one who paid the price. Remember that while you hung upon the Goshinboku, the lands of our father were attacked, and not regained for years. Had your assistance been available, the result may have been different.”

Inuyasha grudgingly allowed, "it’s possible; but not likely, and you know that. It comes down to the question of whether or not you trust me. You make the call, but I'm staying with her until this is resolved, one way or another."

There was silence for a minute before Sesshomaru said in a calculating tone, "if Naraku needs her in order to use the Shikon no Tama, it is probable that this trouble will not be resolved until one of them is dead. Either way, she was right in saying the jewel must be recovered."

Sesshomaru admitted slowly, "I have been reluctant to enter into an altercation of this level with Rin so close." Inuyasha’s expression relaxed a little and he nodded. "If you want, I’ll take Kagome somewhere else. If we head in the opposite direction, it’s possible Naraku’s attention will follow us."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Not entirely, not if he’s looking to regain possession of Rosalind as well. I think..." and there was a growling timbre to his voice again. "Naraku is getting too ambitious. Between the situation with Kagome and the Shikon no Tama, his spying, and Rosalind, I have more than enough incentive. If he believes he can usurp what’s mine and lord any kind of power over the Wardens, then he is mistaken, and we have stood silent for long enough."

Inuyasha nodded once, muttering, “so much for the quiet life. Guess the shit was gonna hit the fan eventually.” He sagged a little in the chair, leaning his head back and closing his eyes for a moment. Sesshomaru studied him and asked, "have you not slept?" Inuyasha shook his head. "Not much, no. It's been... busy."

After a moment he continued to speak, sounding a little uncertain. "I haven’t even really heard her speak, and she's all I can think about. It's bizarre. Her sounds, her scent, everything is louder and closer than normal. It's like I can almost feel her thinking against my skin."

He ran one hand over the other arm at the idea, then flicked his eyes to the floor as he said, "it was never like that with Kikyo. Not even close." They sat in silence for a minute until Sesshomaru said, "take her back to headquarters. My people from Himeji left for their flight back this evening, we have the room and the privacy. Have Sango call Miroku if she hasn't already and tell him to bring the pups as well. No one is to be left in the open right now."

Inuyasha frowned. "Are you sure?"

Sesshomaru met his eyes and nodded, knowing all that his brother was asking. He recognized what it was Inuyasha was describing. He’d felt it, and with no means by which to stop it from happening, the source of that feeling had slipped from his grasp.

"Inuyasha,” he said carefully. “Take care of her. Treat her with honor and respect. Your demon blood is telling you she is a potential mate. Don't let anything else happen to her." After he spoke the words Sesshomaru looked away and his unease was apparent to Inuyasha, only because he’d known him for hundreds of years. The change was very slight, and mostly internal. His brother was thinking of Rhiannon. His mate had died shortly after giving birth to their daughter, complications following a difficult labor, and the event had nearly killed him. Had it not been for Rin, he had no doubt that Sesshomaru would have left everything built in the last three hundred years and never returned.

Inuyasha stood and said, "I'm gonna go check on the girls. Then we’ll head to Eureka. I’ll stop by Juan's place first and trade him the Jeep for something else. They might know the vehicle. I'll suggest Miroku and Gabriel do the same and you should probably mention it to Koga. I don't want to lead anyone back to headquarters and the Jeep already went there once today in the middle of all this."

They walked into the living room to see Kagome sitting on the couch, propped against some pillows. Her eyes were open and though she looked like she was tired and in pain, she was completely alert. She was in a clean pair of dark blue pajama pants with a gray t-shirt, and there were no signs of blood. Her hair had been brushed out and she was sipping a glass of juice.

Sango was gathering the bags up off the floor where she’d dropped them when the Naraku’s man had grabbed her. She set everything on the counter with a huff and asked, "can I give her some pain killers? I have some left in my purse that should still be good."

Sesshomaru nodded. "It should be fine as long as she has food in her system." Inuyasha frowned, looking over at Kagome. "Can you eat something, if we soak some bread in chicken broth maybe?" She didn't look enthusiastic at the prospect, but nodded. Inuyasha pulled the carton of chicken stock out of the refrigerator, which now leaked cold air through the hole he’d shot through the door.

While the mug of stock was warming in the microwave he pulled a roll of duct tape out of a drawer and covered the hole with it. Sango shook her head and laughed. "That is ridiculous." Inuyasha just shrugged, taking the mug out of the microwave and testing the temperature with a finger. "It does the job."

"What time should we expect you?" Sesshomaru asked, meaning, ‘what time do we assume something bad happened and come looking for you if you don’t show up?’

Inuyasha glanced at the clock and said, "optimistically about eleven. No later than 11:30."

The Tai-Yokai nodded and gave Kagome one last look before he left. Inuyasha tore up two pieces of wheat bread in the cup and put a spoon in it before he brought it to Kagome. When she hesitated he sat on the coffee table next to her and said, "I know you don't feel like eating, but you won't heal if your body doesn't have anything to work with. And... I know you hurt. If you can eat this, Sango has something you can take for the pain."

She looked at him and nodded, accepting the cup and sipping from it. After watching her eat a few bites, he got up and pulled a large cooler out of a closet. "Sango, chuck anything that might go bad into this and wipe up what you can..."

Sango and he both eyed the blood smeared on the wall and floor where Kagome had been. She nodded and ran a cleaning cloth under the faucet. As an afterthought he said, "I don't have any cleaner. There’s some lemon juice and baking soda in the fridge." Sango laughed grimly. "I know. I've been around you demons long enough to know how chemical cleaners affect your poor noses. Remember?” She arched an amused brow. “I come from generations of demon hunting stock. We used water bombs filled with Pinesole and Bleach to mess you guys up.”

Inuyasha grimaced and wrinkled his nose, nearly sneezing at the very thought. Sango laughed and shook her head. “I'll deal with it. Are you going somewhere then?"

She glanced at Kagome and back at him. He nodded and explained, "I'm going to take her to Eureka. Sesshomaru said you and Miroku should pack up the kids and come too. It's not safe to leave anyone's ass hanging out right now. Naraku has Rosie's address and who knows what else, and now he's had a man here. There might be a few rats working both sides and it's going to take a few days to figure it out for sure. It's the only way Naraku could have found her here."

Sango frowned with concern and paused as she pulled the lemon juice from the fridge. "Seriously? Who turned on us?" Inuyasha shook his head. "We have a plan. I don't want to say anything until we know more. Just don’t tell anybody that isn’t staying at headquarters tonight anything. Sesshomaru said he was going to ask you about some pictures. If you can, ask Miroku to bring them with when he comes out. Make sure you guys change out your wheels. We can't be too careful at this point." Slowly, she nodded and pulled out her phone. "I was just going to call and check on Miroku and the kids anyway."

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome to make sure she was still eating before he went back to the bedroom and began packing his things into a few big duffels; one was camouflage print, and the other two were blue with sports equipment logos. Once they were full he carried the bags and his two Kevlar vests out to the living room. He pulled the blankets off the bed Kagome had been sleeping in and hefted them, the pillows, and the duffle full of Sango's clothing to the front room.

Sango was kneeling on the kitchen floor, rinsing the towel-- now stained pink, in a bucket of hot water, which was foggy with the baking soda and lemon. Inuyasha inhaled the scent, trying to wash his nose clean of the blood as well. Sango looked up and ordered, "bring the shirt you were wearing out here. This rug is ruined too. We should throw it and anything else that was bloodied in the burn barrel tomorrow."

They loaded their bloody clothes, the rug, and the towels they’d used into a black garbage bag. Sango filled the cooler as Inuyasha came over to Kagome and sat down on the edge of the coffee table again, handing her a glass of juice and two small white pills. She took them gratefully and swallowed them, grimacing a little.

He frowned as she pulled a face. “How’s your throat?"

She shrugged and shook her head, rubbing it gingerly with her hand. Sango called over the breakfast bar, "the bullet wounds have closed up but are still really tender and the gashes on her leg and side have closed up completely, though there's a nasty scar and she's still all black and blue. The good news is there’s no more blood and her temperature is back down to normal."

Inuyasha reached towards her leg to take a look and she flinched. When he met her eyes she looked away, something like embarrassment crossed her face as she pulled the pant leg up for him to inspect. He gently ran two fingers over the long angry scar that rippled across her smooth skin from the outside of her knee to her ankle. The new skin was warm and a little shiny. He sighed and said, "it’ll fade a little after some time. Does it hurt at all?"

Kagome shook her head and he picked up her empty soup mug. "We’re just about ready to leave. Are you up for a car ride?" She nodded and bit her lip, looking back and forth between him and Sango. His gaze went to Sango where she was closing up the cooler. Then his eyes traveled back to Kagome and he asked, "what is it?"

She looked away and he got up, setting the mug on the counter and grabbing the legal pad and sharpie again. When he handed it to her she wrote hesitantly. ‘I'm so sorry. Is anyone else hurt?’ Inuyasha shook his head. "No, you were a close call, but everyone else is fine." He watched her face closely and when he breathed in, he smelled a little fear, and then guilt. Inuyasha frowned and saw her looking at the man's body, still lying on the floor where Sango had pushed him against the wall like so much garbage. He knelt down and took the hand she held the pen in, squeezing it gently. "None of this is your fault."

When she looked doubtful he went on. "It's Naraku’s fault, all of it. He’s the one doing this. Don't you dare blame yourself when all you’ve done is nearly kill yourself trying to stop him." After a moment he asked, "has he used the Shikon at all?"

She looked at him sharply, her gaze flickering between him and Sango again, alarm showing in her features. He explained a little sheepishly. "You mentioned it when I was trying to keep you awake, before Sesshomaru got here. And the dead guy called you Miko?"

Kagome sighed and dropped the notepad, rubbing her face and shook her head, wincing a little as she moved her shoulder. "He hasn't used it?" Inuyasha asked, determined to know. She shook her head again and took her hand back from him to write on the legal pad. ‘He doesn't know how. Even if he did, he can't, not without me. Not unless he finds another Miko as strong as me. I’m not trying to brag but the odds on that are pretty long… You know what it is?’

He nodded. "Sesshomaru and I are from the same part of Japan it’s said to have originated in. I've heard about it for hundreds of years." Inuyasha pondered this thought before he asked, "why didn't you tell me any of this before?"

Kagome looked sad, tired, and unsure as she wrote, ‘How do I know your people won't try to do the same thing? I am supposed to keep it safe and out of demon hands; or anyone else’s for that matter.’ Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair and made a frustrated sound. It was a fair question on her part. Her eyes seemed to move over his ears, then drop to his teeth. Hesitantly, she reached out and traced her fingers over the edge of his mouth, indicating his fanged canines. When her eyes moved back up to his, he could almost feel in his head that she was saying without words, ‘and you’re one of those demon hands.’

Her fingers were cool and her touch feather light. He carefully pressed his lips against the pads of her fingers in an almost playful kiss. Finally he said, "I hope you can see we aren't anything like Naraku’s gang of malcontents. If you’ve only ever met with demons in Naraku’s crew I can understand your feelings; but we aren't all evil sons-of-bitches like him."

She looked at him uncertainly, and then at Sango, who was standing at the end of the coffee table now, listening with her arms crossed. Kagome nodded and gave them a tentative smile. Sango gave her a smile back and asked, "are the pain killers kicking in yet?" Kagome thought for a moment and nodded. Inuyasha stood and Sango hooked a thumb in the direction of the corpse to ask, "what do you want do with Joe Stiff over there?"

Inuyasha took a moment to appreciate the look on Kagome's face as Sango asked him about disposal of a murdered human body like it was a matter as simple as taking the trash out. He stood with his hands on his hips before he said, "we're going to take him with us. When we get to Eureka, I'll break him up and the sharks can have him for breakfast."

Sango smirked with some satisfaction. "Well, at least he'll be serving a positive purpose in death." Kagome made a choking sound and covered her mouth on a small snort of laughter, her cheeks turning pink as they looked at her. Inuyasha flashed her a fanged grin and went to collect the comforter from his own bed. With little fanfare he dumped the dead man onto the blanket and folded it over twice on top of him so he wasn't visible. Then he stacked the black garbage bag, his two blue duffels, and Sango's smaller pink bag on top of the man. "I'll take this down to the Jeep and be right back."

Sango nodded and the girls watched as he wrapped one end of the folded blanket around each hand and picked it up like it was just a carry sling. Sango shook her head. "You do this too often I think... That guy has to weigh over 200 lbs., on top of the bags."

Inuyasha shrugged and began to walk sideways through the front door with his load. "It's fine, the weight isn't the problem, it's just bulky. Good thing he wasn't any taller." Kagome put her hand over her eyes and shook her head, fighting a grim smile and pondering for a moment how surreal her life had become. Sango laughed and asked, "there isn't anything else you want me to grab is there?"

Kagome looked around and wrote, ‘small notepad and pen on the bedside table? And the toothbrush and deodorant you bought me is in the bathroom.’

Sango read the note and went to collect the things. She handed the notebook and pen to Kagome, who slid them into the bulky pocket on the leg of her pants. Tucking the toothbrush and deodorant in her big purse, Sango took one last look around. All that was left was a small pile of pillows and blankets, the cooler and Inuyasha's camo duffle with his two bulletproof vests lying on top.

Inuyasha came back through the door and looked around before he grabbed the vests and said, "you two are going to put these on. It should be a little while before they realize what happened but better to ere on the side of caution. There’ve been more surprises today already than I care for."

Sango gave him a look but strapped the vest on, muttering, "I'm so not wearing the right bra for this crap."

Inuyasha flattened his ears and said, "gahhh! You’re like a sister but I really don't want to know that Sango." Her lips twitched in a smile of thorough amusement and Kagome pursed her mouth over a giggle of her own. Inuyasha sighed. It had been worth it to see some of the strain disappear from her face. He came over to the couch with the other vest in hand. Kagome stiffly sat up and pulled her legs sideways, placing her sock covered feet on the floor with a small wince. Inuyasha stood in front of her and said, "hands up."

She complied, raising her arms and sliding them into the heavy vest as he gently settled it onto her shoulders. When he let go she rolled the shoulder that had been shot and he saw some of the color drain from her face. He frowned. "Is it too heavy? It's at least two sizes too big for you. I had the same problem with Rosie this afternoon. Maybe I need to start keeping a third, smaller vest with my things. You little people keep winding up in someone's crosshairs."

Kagome adjusted the vest and shook her head, still looking like she was in pain, but giving him a small scowl. He laughed and she smiled again wearily. Inuyasha tried valiantly not to let his eyes linger on her chest. When she had raised her arms it was obvious she wore no bra now and something about the way the cotton moved over her soft curves made his mouth go dry one second, and then he had to swallow all kinds of extra saliva the next. Why was she doing this to him? To be fair, he imagined that getting a bra on over the bullet wounds would have been nearly impossible.

He pulled the straps as tight as they would go on her small frame, but the vest still had a lot of extra room. She pointed to the vest and back at him, shooting him a questioning frown. Inuyasha shook his head. "I only have two. I'm not invincible but I’m a hell of a lot closer to bullet proof than you two. It's not as big a deal if I get shot, long as it isn’t in the head or heart."

Sango pulled a blue jacket off a hook by the door and slid it on, zipping it up to cover the vest. Kagome started to pull herself up but Inuyasha stopped her. "Don't. Your body will still be healing internal damage for a few hours yet. By morning you should be able to walk around again." She gave him a questioning look and motioned with some resignation for her crutches, which were leaning against the counter. He shook his head. "Not with that shoulder."

Inuyasha stood and grabbed the cream colored duvet he’d brought from the guest room. "We're going to wrap you up in this and I'll carry you down to the Jeep." She didn't look happy with this arrangement but she didn't protest. He was pleased to see she didn't flinch away this time as he picked her up and set her on the blanket, which he’d draped over the coffee table. She helped him pull the edges of the blanket around her and he handed her three pillows. "Here, you can hang onto these. We're out of hands. See? You're helping."

Sango laughed at the rather unimpressed look she gave him as she held the pillows, two in her arms and one between her thighs. Inuyasha saw her settle it there and looked away quickly, trying not to think about it; not when he was preparing to hold her body against his for several minutes. He slung the camo duffle over one shoulder to rest on his back. It made suspicious metallic clinking sounds and Sango raised an eyebrow. Inuyasha shrugged. "I can't leave my hardware here. I might not be coming back."

Kagome frowned, suddenly grasping the full scale of what was going on. When Inuyasha picked her up in his arms, he could smell the change in her scent as she looked around his apartment, feeling guilty that she was infecting his home with the trouble that followed her. He looked down and met her eyes, saying, "not your fault. Don't worry about it. I don’t really get attached. It's nice, but I’ve lived in more places than I could count."

She didn't look convinced and he sighed, dropping another quick kiss on her forehead. She blinked a few times and her scent cleared, her surprise driving out the other feelings for the moment. He snorted out a laugh and grinned. "Alright, Sango if you get the cooler, I think that's everything." Inuyasha walked to the open door and waited while Sango set the cooler down in the hall. She pulled the door closed so it wasn't obvious they’d vacated the premises, even if the locks and latch were unusable now. She picked the cooler back up and walked past them into the elevator, her shoulder bumping Kagome's foot.

Inuyasha stiffened as he heard a hissing gasp slide from Kagome’s lips and looked down. "You said it didn't hurt anymore." Kagome shrugged and clutched the pillows in one hand to show him her thumb and trigger finger in the universal sign of, ‘a little bit.’

As the doors closed Sango looked apologetic. "Sorry Kagome." The girl shrugged, winced again as the move pulled on the damage in her shoulder, and waved Sango off, giving her a small, reassuring smile. Inuyasha sighed and muttered, “gods save us from women tryin’ to be tough."

Sango tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, not to laugh, but Kagome looked at him in surprise and shook her head, her cheeks going pink. Inuyasha just gave her a wry smile and didn't say anything more. The elevator opened on the lobby with a chime and they made their way out to the Jeep. Inuyasha had rolled the canvas top back again and without jostling Kagome, he stepped smoothly up into the vehicle, carefully situating her sideways on the back seat. He took the pillows from her and packed them around so she had some padding.

Once she was settled, he leaped down and let Sango climb into the front passenger seat, handing her the cooler to hold on her lap. Kagome tried very hard not to think about the fact that there was a dead body laying right next to her, under the bags stacked in the back, just on the other side of the seat.

She gave the black canvas seat back a side long glance, begging the dead man to remain silent. She didn’t need any extra work tonight. And besides that, though it was her job to care for wayward souls, she didn’t know if she could find it in herself to be a pure enough person to help the man who had shot her-- who had tried to deliver her back to Naraku. Maybe her grandfather would be disappointed in her if he could hear these thoughts but at the moment she couldn’t find the energy to care. She’d just have to feel bad about it later.

Inuyasha checked the gun and knife at his hip and then tied the canvas topper back into place, closing the vehicle in again. When he started the Jeep, he pulled out his phone and handed it to Sango. "Give Juan a call and tell him I'm headed his way. Ask him what he has that we could trade for tonight."

Kagome listened to Sango as Inuyasha drove them onto the highway and headed north.

"Hi Abuelo! It's Sango... No, no, I'm still keeping him. So far so good. I still love him, even if he is a perv." Kagome bit her lip on a smile, thinking they must be talking about Miroku.

Sango made a rude noise, sounding a little scandalized. "You dirty old man, knock it off. Listen I’m with Inuyasha and we’re in sort of a bind. We’re on our way up to your place. Do you have anything you could trade off tonight for a Jeep Wrangler?... Yes it's the one Inuyasha has… He did?... Good. I'm glad to hear it. You might be seeing Koga and Gabriel tomorrow, too."

There was silence for a moment. Inuyasha's ears twitched, listening. Kagome watched them move atop his head and wondered if he could hear this 'Juan's' side of the conversation as well. Probably. He confirmed her suspicions when he said, "tell him we'll take the Caravan." Sango looked at him in surprise. "Really?" She smiled a little. "That's awfully soccer mom of you Yash."

Inuyasha groaned. "I know. It's a sacrifice I am willing to make right now. I'll trade it back to him later if he promises to take good care of my male dignity in the meantime." Kagome tried to contain a hoarse laugh and she saw glimmering golden eyes flick to her in the rear view mirror, his ears twitching.

Sango laughed too and said into the phone, "did you catch that Poppy? Yeah... uh hugh. Thanks, that's sweet of you... No…no, nothing too serious. We're just trying to be careful. And you know, Inuyasha is thinking of adopting a few kids and playing car pool daddy. He might even join the local PTA." Inuyasha groaned and shouted towards the phone. "I am not Juan, don't listen to the wench."

There was more laughter and Sango said, "thanks a bunch, we'll see you in about 15 minutes." She hung up the phone and handed it back to Inuyasha, who took it from her, giving her a look. She snorted with laughter again. "What? It’s funny!" Kagome could see him roll his eyes in the mirror and smiled again, trying not to giggle.

It was dark, apart from the soft glow of the green dashboard lights, and she lay her head back, looking at the moon and stars out the window. The pain killers were good stuff, and she was feeling pleasantly fuzzy by now. They drove in comfortable silence for several minutes before Sango looked back and whispered, "she's asleep. Poor girl, she must be worn out."

Inuyasha released a heavy sigh. "Yeah, she's had a long several months sounds like, and the last several days haven’t been easy." Sango looked at his intense expression, seeing the worry creasing his brow and the lines on his face that betrayed how tired he was.

"You know," she whispered. "If you run yourself into the ground, you're no good to her." He glanced at her and then back at the road. “I’m fine."

She shook her head and sighed. "Inuyasha, we don't have to talk about anything. I can see how you feel about her and I don't blame you. She's sweet, and even all beat up like she is, she's stunning. But don't insult my intelligence by lying to me. You had better go to bed tonight and get some sleep." He didn't say anything, but his features relaxed a little and he nodded.

As he cruised through an intersection, though, Sango spoke through her teeth, not moving her lips much. "Inuyasha... you're speeding. Need I remind you of the gunshot victim and the dead body in the back?" Inuyasha's gaze flicked to the rear view mirror, seeing Kagome's sleeping form and he smirked, but slowed down. Sango was right. It was unwise to take any chances.