InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sleep Paralysis ❯ Revelations, We Pray ( Chapter 39 )

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

***IMPORTANT A/n: Things are getting exciting, aren't they? *rubs hands together evilly* Kukuku... And here is a pre-warning. I'll be eight months pregnant first week of January, and I am expecting within the next month. In the ensuing madness, I'm extremely tired, moody, and my brain doesn't function correctly. I've been popping chapters out of my butt through sheer will alone, though I find them running a bit on the dry side. It bugs me. I don't like crappy chapters, I'm actually going to live up to some standards instead of posting just whatever comes out of my head. My habits are changing. I may slow down on the chapters, and I may even have to take a break. I AM NOT PROMISING ANYTHING!

Especially with Sleep Paralysis. It is a known factor this fic is special to me, and I have said it more than once, and I refuse to hack and slash this poor thing to bits. It's at a high point right now, and I feel it might be wrapping up soon. How long? Don't ask. I've said it in earlier chapters, with other stories, and I still popped out another ten-fifteen chapters.

*sigh* So don't anyone go raising the alarm. A lot still has to happen before they whoop the crap out of Naraku. I don't think I have anything else to say, so on with it!

Oh... AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Inuyashaloverr: Awesome for the yuckie factor!

Zetsuii: How can I deny you when you beg :D?

Kariangel100: Simply put... LOL! DUM dum dum! Not a better way to describe it XD.

TriNeyce: Almost palpable but not quite... *sighs* Bad Luna. I'm happy you love my Sesshy, I love him too, and no worries... he'll get more limelight coming up ^^.

This chapter is brought to you by Misere Mei-The Machine in the Garden. Also, Missing-Evanescence.

Love it ^^.

Disclaimer: I don't own Barbie... >>...

Warning: LONG ass chapter! :D!

Luna-






Inuyasha looked up at Kagome's limp form, mostly hidden among the living beast that intertwined itself around her in a sickening manner.

A half-formed face lifted to answer his call among the flesh, and he immediately recognized who held her captive...

...not that he could ever forget the face of the enemy he loathed to the point of sickness and obsession...

"Inuyasha... you have come to interrupt me...?" he drawled lazily, turning eyes of glee behind him. "With the taijiya and the houshi nonetheless... And your Aniki? How precious."

The two teens remained silent, but seemed unearthed by the titles at which he called them.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, bellowed at him...

"Leave them out of this! Your fight is with me!"

An amused face returned its attention to him, his mouth upturned in a sadistic smile.

"On the contrary, my fight is with Kagome. And I have claimed my prize... you may leave."

At the dismissal, Inuyasha lost the battle with his closely snipped sanity.

He snarled, launching himself at the mass of Naraku, rendering chunks from the body as he lost himself to a bloodlust, the scent of burning rising throughout the air as wisps of smoke came from the body where Inuyasha touched.

"Inuyasha, stop this!" Sesshomaru yelled to him, his voice sounding strained.

"No more in control than the hanyou you once were... and here, full human, and unable to stop me anymore than before..." were the callous words that were spoken, and Inuyasha was tossed like a rag doll toward Sesshomaru.

Though he reached for his otouto, upon the impact the two were sent flying to the ground.

"Let go of Kagome, you sick fuck!" Sango screeched, running at Naraku with a large branch in her hand.

"Sango!" Miroku shouted after her, going to stop her, but she was smacked away carelessly by a large tentacle as if she were nothing more than an insect that bothered.

Anger coursed through Miroku at the sight of Sango's fall, and he quickly recognized the spark inside of him that burned him and begged to be used.

"Bastard!" Miroku laid hands upon the tentacle within his reach, the same one that had attacked Sango, and a surge rushed through Miroku's arms like electricity and out of his fingertips.

The contact severed the tentacle straight through, the thing falling off in a burning heap like acid.

Miroku looked down at his hands in slight question, but knew it for what it was.

He had heard the others talk about it...

That was why he knew how to use it, and recognized the feeling.

...and it was the only hope they had...

"Release Kagome at once," he stated coolly, calmly.

Naraku glared at Miroku as if he were a menace, a pest that needed to be squashed.

"Houshi..." was the clear threat...

Back off.

Miroku smirked.

Never.

Ever.

Would he abandon his friends.

"Kiss my ass, motherfucker," Miroku glared darkly as he laid hands once again upon the loathed creature and burned a chunk off of him as if he had been cut by a sword.

Naraku bellowed in pain, the pieces of flesh seeking to rejoin the mother body, but Miroku kept his attack up.

He was followed by Sesshomaru, who did something similiar to Miroku... only the energy came from his body in the form of a whip, slicing Naraku in a glowing green dispay of light wherever he was touched.

The flesh rolled back to reveal more of Kagome's body, bits of her dark pink sailor top and black pleated skirt torn... cuts marred her skin, and blood dripped steadily from her nose.

Her eyes fluttered, showing her half-unconscious state and she muttered incomprehensibly.

"Kagome-chan!" a voice called desperately from behind Naraku, as he was immediately beaten repeatedly with a branch, knocking off bits of him from the hard impact.

He began to roll in on himself, the tatic obvious to bring Kagome further into him, and tentacles shot out to grab Miroku and Sango.

Sesshomaru easily dodged and couter-attacked the attempt after him.

"Inuyasha, get Kagome before he devours her!" was the solid command Sesshomaru issued his otouto, who answered back angrily.

"No shit, asshole!"

He jumped over his brother, scrambling up the mountain of Naraku, ripping at the flesh that held fast to Kagome with his bare and still smoldering hands. The bits set to smoke, and he tossed them hastily over his shoulder the further he dug...

Only to get to Kagome...

His sole concern was her.

"You may not have her!"

A tentacle burst forth and pierced him through the shoulder, but he would not be moved readily.

Grabbing Kagome, he pulled her toward him, wrapping his entire body securely around her as he spoke her name softly.

"...kags..."

Sapphire eyes crack under a thick veil of lashes, barely looking at him...

"...inu..."

His heart broke and mended all at once, her small voice wounding him more than Naraku ever could.

"...I've got you..."

A small smile splayed on her soft lips and he watched her slip back into unconsciousness as he tore her finally from the insistant mound of flesh.

The force of it caused them to go careening backward, throwing Inuyasha off balance as he fell and landed solidly on the ground against his back, Kagome still tucked against his chest safely.

Though Inuyasha couldn't contain the cry of pain as Naraku sliced him further open, pinning him and Kagome to the ground.

"Yash!" Miroku yelled as he reached for them, rushing after them in an attempt to burn the appendage off.

...I told you I hate it when you call me that...

Miroku's effort was quickly thwarted as he was knocked away, Naraku bellowing out, "I WILL NOT BE OUTDONE BY MERE HUMANS!"

"We'll see about that, demon," came the sardonic reply from behind the monster.

...Naraku barely had time to turn around before he was sliced into numerous bits by Sesshomaru, who cracked his neck in apparent impatience.

Rather anti-climatic, he knew, but he was in no mood for a flashy display.

"Unfortunately for you, it's time to send you back to hell," Sesshomaru sneered, standing over the the collective of Naraku as he slid his eyes closed calmly.

Reaching out before him with one hand, he raised his voice loudly and it reverberated soundly, echoing with an otherworldly quality. "I call upon the Ancestors and the Guardians of the Gateways to return this filth back to the planes beyond!"

"NO! HUMAN!" Naraku howled in outrage, the pieces of him beginning to glow a dim green...

...and it seemed he began to dissolve.

"WE ARE NOT THROUGH! KAGOME WILL BE MINE WITH THE SHIKON NO TAMA!"

The air trembled with the insinuation of his dark promise as the last of Naraku was absorbed into the earth and disappeared with no trace he had ever existed on their plane.

Snorting as if he were annoyed, seeming to have become a habit by Sesshomaru, he turned around with a murmured, "We'll see," on his lips as he was greeted by the sight of three traumatized looking teenagers.

All bleeding.

All exhausted.

And all looking to him as if he may have become Kami himself.

Sighing deeply, Sesshomaru covered his eyes with one hand and was certainly not looking forward to the upcoming discussions.

...once again, more explanations to close-minded teens he seemed to have become an idol for at the time being.

"C'mon you idiots, stop gawking at me and let's go. We don't need my poor otouto to pass out from blood loss there."

"Hey asshole, shut the fuck up!" Inuyasha barked, but the angry retort fell on deaf ears as Sesshomaru went to retrieve his car.

His groan of pain was testament enough to the truth of Sesshomaru's previous statement.

...Sesshomaru also knew he would need industrial cleaner to get the bloodstains out of the upholstery later.

The thought was enough to give him another migraine...

"...damn kids..." he muttered as he walked away from the small group.



Kagome wasn't sure where she was... her head was groggy, as if she had been sleeping for far too long. It was so quiet...

...she was floating, endlessly, in an abyss of white...

She curled upon herself, wrapping her arms around her knees, protecting her nude form...

...fetal-like and so cold...

...She tried to force her eyes open, tried to force her heavy head to turn so she may look about...

...but she was so tired...

Her eyelids tried to glue themselves together, inviting her to slumber for an oblivion...

...to just be left alone...

...

...Where no one could hurt her anymore...

...

How many years of her short life had already been ruined?

...

Probably far too many...

...

..."I wish Inuyasha was here..." she mumbled mindlessly to herself...

...

No one else was there to listen.

...

...wasn't that her constant want?

...for Inuyasha to fix everything.

He always did.

...Undo the damage done...

...I can't do anything.

...On her own, she only made things worse...

...I'm pathetic...

...

...Kagome felt her fingertips numbly trace the scars that littered her body like crevices on the earth. They marred her perfect landscape, making it ugly and distinguished, and unlike everyone else...

...Another testament of her difference.

I remember how sad he looked... when these were fresh... how scared...

The white purgatory around her glitched, like a bad TV, and above her a giant show of Inuyasha's melancholy face looked down upon her.

"...Inuyasha?..."

...what would it have been like... if he was never sad like that? If I wasn't the one who caused that to be there?

Inuyasha's face warped, twisting, forcing itself into the way of a smile for her.

...just for Kagome.

"...what if... none of this had ever happened, Inuyasha?" she asked dismally, angry...

...what if back when we were kids, when we were still innocent... and those dreams, never happened...

Kagome felt that armor she had created... that took endless and mind-numbing years... so thick and impenetrable by those she did not want inside...

...it began to crack.

...And flake.

And wither and fall away...

"What if Dad were still alive? Kocho and Asuka? Would things have been so horrible?"

The picture before her, it changed.

Inuyasha's face faded away, and an image of the inside of her mother's house faded in.

In the front room... Kagome was slipping her shoes off, shouting out, "Tadaima!" She wore her middle school uniform...

A young boy stood next to her, black hair down to his shoulders, violet eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Gomen Kudasai!"

Young Kagome elbowed him in the ribs, giving him a dirty look and scolding him for something or other. His hands behind his back, clasped together, and grinning mischeviously.

Her mother's head peered around the corner from the kitchen.

"Kagome-chan, Inuyasha! Okeri! How was school?"

Inuyasha smiled brightly, "Konnichiwa, Higurashi-san! It was well!"

Kagome leaned toward Inuyasha and hissed, "Suck up!"

He just snickered.

Looking back at her mother, Kagome faked a large smile and said loudly, "Wonderful, Mama! Inuyasha and I are going to my room and do homework, okay?" Before giving Inuyasha an opportunity to cause trouble, she grabbed his arm and pratically dragged him down the hall.

"That's fine, Kagome-chan! But make sure you leave your door partially open!"

"Hai, hai! I will Mama!"

Ignoring her mother's request, she all but tossed Inuyasha into the room and closed the bedroom door behind her.

"Inuyasha no BAKA!" she seethed, stamping her foot at him. But her angry display caused him to break out into an unmanly fit of giggles as he tossed the frog he had taken prisoner for his masterful plans onto the floor.

"C'mon, Kags! It was just going to be a joke!" the young boy laughed, clenching his sides as he no doubt imagined Kagome's mother screaming loudly and becoming frantic.

Kagome raced over to the unbeknowing tree frog and pounced upon it before it could escape to other places in the house.

"You know Mama hates frogs! She'd ground me forever! Are you trying to get me in trouble?!" she snapped at him testily, picking up the thing by a back leg in distaste and walking over to her window.

She didn't miss the way Inuyasha's face fell at the mention of her punishment at the cost of his antics, and she smirked victoriously as she tossed the poor frog out the window carelessly.

She, of course, did not let Inuyasha see her expression though. It was true, she might have been grounded. But she would have easily fake cried her way out of it and into a bigger punishment for Inuyasha from his mother, Taisho Izayoi.

Kagome really liked her. The woman had no girls and three other boys in the house, so she considered Kagome a daughter.

So of course, Kagome was needlessly spoiled on all sides.

Granted all this, Kagome wanted to avoid any punishment, if only for Inuyasha's sake. She figured making him feel guilty was punishment enough, because he felt guilty over any little wrong he may have committed to Kagome.

Two words from her, and she had him wrapped around her finger. It wasn't something she liked to abuse, though.

...too much, anyway.

"I'm sorry Kags... I just wanted to have a little fun... I'm so bored lately..." he grumbled somewhat irritably, crouching down on his haunches like a puppy might. It was an odd habit he had, but Kagome thought it was adorable. He had been doing it forever, since she could remember.

She rolled her eyes.

"Then let's go out and explore. I'll just tell Mama we finished up, okay?"

Inuyasha brightened, grinning at her enthusiastically. "Okay, Kags."

The picture cut out, and Kagome felt her brows draw together in consternation.

What does this mean...?

Breathing heavily, she was caught off guard as a sound came from behind her.

Whirling around and covering herself with her arms defensively, she saw that another 'movie' had already begun to play.

It was herself and Inuyasha again, obviously older. They still wore their middle school uniforms, but she guessed they were in nineth grade this time, instead of seventh as previously it seemed.

...Inuyasha...

In real life, by that time they had stopped talking. She had already hurt him to the point of no return... or so she had thought.

He came back to me...

Nineth grade was absolute misery for her. She barely remembered it...

..Any of it...

"Inuyasha! We have to think about exams!" fake Kagome scolded him irritably, trying to ignore his attempts to get her attention.

He had been playing with her hair, something that made her melt under normal circumstances, but she slapped his hands away as if he were an annoying little brother.

He made the 'puppy face', giving her a pouting look he knew all the girls fell for.

...except for his number one best friend, of course, Higurashi Kagome. She had special immunity to his charm. Or at least, that's what she lead him to believe.

That face always made her heart pound just a little bit harder.

"C'mon, Kags... let's go to a movie. I'm tired of studying!" he whined throatily, tossing himself on her bed in a pointed state of exasperation as she wheeled around in her desk chair to face him, arms crossed stubbornly.

"No, Inuyasha! We have to study! High school entrance exams? Hm? Midterms? Finals? Did you forget these things? They're a little too important for us to be screwing around this year, Inu!" she admonished him, but fairly and kindly as always. Her mother had taught her to be this way.

Though... Inuyasha had a nasty habit of bringing out her worst, no matter how much she loved him.

She had only realized her feelings not that long ago... But she fiercely kept them a secret.

She was afraid she'd ruin their friendship.

She'd rather have him as a friend than not have him at all...

"I know... Geeze, that's all you talk about. You're no fucking fun anymore, Kags... you're so serious now," she heard him mumble, and she knew he was just being stubborn and mean as he usually was when he didn't get his way... but that didn't make the words less hurtful.

...they carved through her like a wakizashi...

...And she felt the pressing need to make him happy, once again.

"Fine, fine. You win, let's go," she said lamely, rubbing her forehead as if to show she had a headache.

Only to hide the hurt behind her eyes.

Suddenly, Inuyasha stood and made his way to her, taking her hands in his and giving her a toothy grin that made her heart skip a beat. "All right! Thank you Kags!"

He made a 'whoo hoo!' sound and jumped up a bit in triumph, running down the hallway and out of her bedroom. No doubt, to get his things so they could leave right away.

Kagome just stared after him, frozen in time and barely breathing, a faint blush painting her cheeks...

The air rushed out of her quickly, and she became human again in a matter of seconds as she muttered to no one, "...anything for you, Inuyasha..."

...and once more, a blank whiteness greeted real life Kagome.

The 'movie' finished, she was sure it was all done.

What was this all for? What was the point of showing her these things?

...before she could ponder the thought, another show began.

"I have a new girlfriend, Kagome... Her name is Kikyo. She's really nice!" Inuyasha's voice echoed on the other end of the phone in the picture, and Kagome stared at her own horrified face. Dark chocolate eyes deepened, her face scrunching up in obvious pain and her mouth became a thin line, as silence reigned in that ugly pink room for a few moments.

"...Kagome?" his voice asked after a few seconds, and 'movie' Kagome cleared her throat deeply.

"Sorry, Inu... I uh, I just forgot something, that's all. Now, what were you saying?" fake Kagome somehow managed to keep her voice even.

Inuyasha gushed then, breaking loose like a school girl, ranting and raving about how hot Kikyo was and how smart... and it was apparent Kagome was not listening. She just made non-committal noises to keep the one-sided conversation going, but it was apparent word after word, sentence after sentence, her heart just kept breaking further and further.

Tears leaked out of the side of her eyes, slowly...

...one by one, pieces of herself landing on the bed unnoticed...

...unimportant...

...forgotten...

A ll the while, she simply said in a strained voice, "...I'm happy for you, Inuyasha..."

It seemed then, a fast forward button had been hit, and the 'movie' began flying by so fast real Kagome couldn't see what was happening inbetween.

When it stopped, it showed a picture of her family at the dinner table. Her father was there, her mother, her brother.

...where was Ojii-san? She wasn't sure.

"Kagome, sit up straight honey. You don't look like a lady when you slouch," her father reprimanded in a quiet tone. Fake Kagome did what she was told without answering.

...no one spoke. Everyone barely ate.

...it was like life had been after her father had died.

...no one cared.

...they were all too busy with themselves...

Fast forward hit again, and when it stopped it showed Kagome in her high school uniform. She stood next to Miroku, Inuyasha, and Kikyo. They were laughing at someone, pointing at a girl who had fallen down. Kagome stood the only one quiet, while Kikyo cackled like a witch. Inuyasha stood next to her, arm hung heavily around her shoulders.

He seemed... different...

Very unlike the Inuyasha she knew...

His hair was short, in a very stylish cut. He wore his uniform carelessly, unbuttoned at the top. He had a kotodama rosary on, a present Kikyo had given them for their 'six month anniversary'.

The real life Kagome frowned, trying to make out who they had been laughing at...

...and an obviously mixed Japanese girl sat up, looking abashed and ashamed...

...it was Sango.

Real life Kagome gasped, feeling queasy and naseaus.

They were making fun of her.

"She's so stupid! Did you know she had to be held back a year because of her math and reading skills?" Kikyo drawled, leaning into Inuyasha like a clingy Japanese Barbie Doll.

Perfect hair, perfect eyes, perfect makeup, perfect body, perfect clothes, perfect friends, perfect life...

...perfect.

"Are you serious? That's pretty sad," Inuyasha mocked, looking down at his girlfriend with apparent lusty eyes.

Fake Kagome quickly looked sick at this, and it became obvious she was fed up with their behavior..

Without bothering to say anything, she turned and walked away from the group.

...only Inuyasha called after her.

"Kags! Where are you going?"

"Class!" was the returned shout.

"...but we still have fifteen minutes until the bell rings," Miroku commented notedly.

"No shit, but let her go. She's probably just being a bitch," Kikyo said, an apparently smug smile on her face.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha snapped at her in disbelief.

She looked thoroughly annoyed at this, "What? She thinks she's fucking little Miss Perfect with her good grades and shit. Let her be."

Inuyasha seemed to consider this, obviously not feeling the same, and he watched after Kagome as her retreating form went further away...

...but in the end, he never followed.

Fast forward.

Kagome and Inuyasha stood in her room.

They were alone.

The house was empty.

She looked like a ragged mess, her hair wild and her face a snotty wreck...

There was broken glass everywhere.

"I HATE YOU!"

Kagome shrieked at him, throwing another photo of them together across the room at him.

He ducked out of the way in just enough time as it crashed against the opposing wall.

"What the FUCK is your problem?!"

She heaved...

...she looked hysterical.

"THE STUPID BITCH YOU CLING TO SO DESPERATELY WHO HATES ME AND IS SO FAKE! YOU AREN'T EVEN YOURSELF ANYMORE!"

Another item launched across the room.

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WENT CRAZY!" he shouted back accusingly, once more dodging out of the way. "YOU NEVER EVEN TALK TO ME ANYMORE!"

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T LISTEN!"

Inuyasha rushed over to her, pinning her arms to her sides before she could throw something else and do major damage to either her or himself. She sobbed in his grip, thrashing against his hold... but he was stronger.

...he was always stronger.

"That's so stupid! You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"No, Inuyasha, no!" she managed to eventually push him away violently, pulling back from him like he was detestable.

"All you ever do is talk about her! You have no time for me, your best friend for freaking ever! I hear how she talks about me, and you blow it off like it doesn't matter! And it gets worse with time! I never see you, you never call me! It's always Kikyo this, and Kikyo that when we do talk! You never hear me!" she yelled at him, pacing away from him, as he stood dormant, absorbing every furious thing she said.

He stood quiet.

She was bristled, frayed, cracking.

...broken...

And after a lengthy time of him saying nothing, she snapped.

"Well?! What do you have to say?!"

He looked at her... heartbroken violet eyes that had no excuse...

A regular teenage boy that thought nothing of a girl's feelings. How was he to know?

...he couldn't.

...he was simply too normal.

"...I don't know..."

...his reply seem to excite her further, breaking her that much more.

So thoughtless.

So careless.

"What do you mean you don't know?!"

...she was so angry...

But he didn't know, and couldn't know.

"...I don't know..."

The repeated, broken record.

The fire drained from her.

...all she could do was just cry...

"Then know this... I loved you... you stupid jerk... And I.. can't take it...anymore."

She ran from him, though he called after her...

...he always called after her...

...but never went to get her...

...that way...she knew...

...in the end... she was only second best...

Fast forward.

...they had stopped talking.

...she had, in fact, ruined their friendship.

...but so had he, in his callousness.

They separated, merely only childhood friends that had grown up, and grown apart.

Went to separate colleges.

Had separate spouses.

...Had separate careers, and separate lives, and separate homes, and separate grievances, and separate regrets, and separate experiences, and separate children, and separate ownings, and separate, separate, separate, separate...

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

...real Kagome had had enough.

And real Kagome was crying.

...real Kagome knew this was the truth of what life would be like otherwise...

...and real Kagome knew, she wouldn't take back any of the hurt and the pain and the torment for one reason.

...Inuyasha and her would never have fallen in love.





"You're a fucking liar, Yash! I can see your fucking bones!" Miroku rebuked with an undisguised grossed-out factor.

"I SAID... stop calling me Yash," he rapped Miroku on the head with his uninjured arm, and very shortly afterward gasped in pain as a result.

"And WE said to stop moving around, you idiot!" Sango said in exasperation, poking him firmly in his injured shoulder to make a crystal clear point.

A point Inuyasha understood easily, laying back against the couch as he whimpered at the contact.

"And YOU!" Sango scolded Miroku, turning toward him with firey eyes, "Stop bothering him! You're being a fucking pain in the ass!"

"I'd have to agree with Keikan-san, children," Sesshomaru commented off-handedly as he entered the room. Inuyasha put his full attention to his brother, as he attempted to sit up in anxiousness.

"How is Kagome? Where is she?" he questioned, ignoring the pain and the blood that ran down his arm to the couch.

"She's fine. She's got a broken nose, some unseemly bruises and a few cat scratches, but nothing more. She's just asleep in your bed. You are the one that needs the tending, little brother, so calm the hell down or I'm going to knock you flat on your ass so you stop moving around," Sesshomaru seethed darkly, and his tone made Inuyasha submit quicker than a PMSing Kagome may have as he returned to his original position on the couch.

Sango groaned in annoyance, apparent that she was envious of Sesshomaru's success in subduing Inuyasha. Regardless, she returned to her task of cleaning the gaping wound.

"So, Sesshomaru... uh... when did you get so badass?" Miroku asked bluntly, raising his hand and throwing it a bit in imitation of cracking a whip for reference.

Sesshomaru turned his gaze to him, his face impassive at Miroku's obvious lack of conversational skills in that topic.

"Blame it on my father and Inuyasha's mother," Sesshomaru stated, though said nothing more.

The disappointment that came from Miroku was well obvious, but he was still ignored.

"How bad is the wound?" Sesshomaru asked, changing the topic smoothly and leaning over his younger brother in quiet concern.

Sango prodded the tender flesh around the opening as Inuyasha hissed a breath, her brows knitting together in worry as she spoke quietly, "I think it went all the way through, and broke everything... I don't think he'll be able to use his arm... even if it did heal all the way..."

Sesshomaru considered her words quietly for a moment.

"...he'll need to go to the hospital... There's no way around it," was the decision that was ultimately made.

"No! Kago-" Inuyasha began to protested, but he was rebuted instantly.

"Unless you want one less limb, I suggest you do what I say," Sesshomaru spoke heatedly, leaving no room for arguement.

The air around the room became heavy as Sesshomaru seemed to settle into his own weight further, strange and detatched as he withdrew into himself.

All were mute as he thought deeply, his eyes trained on his brother but not seeing.

Inuyasha looked pointedly away, furious and rigid as Sango tended to him gingerly.

Everything was once again undone by Miroku, though.

He seemed to be unable to leave the situation alone.

"What are we going to do?" he asked somewhat hestitantly of Sesshomaru.

Two pairs of eyes turned to the eldest for answers.

"...go to the hospital, of course," was the underhanded reply, but Miroku quickly corrected the question without missing a beat.

"No, I mean, about Naraku. What are we going to do?"

"...get the Shikon no Tama back. That's one half of what you need. You all have got Kagome back..."

"Technically, you got Kagome back. How are we supposed to get the Shikon no Tama?" Miroku commented strongly, somewhat demandingly.

Sesshomaru eyed him wearily, fatigue creasing the lines in his face for the first time in a way that may him look many, many years older than he actually was.

...he contained a tiredness that was unexplained, of one that had lived for far too long...

"...That's up to you four. I can't give you the answers," he answered honestly, with a sort of finality that shouldn't have been challenged.

...but Miroku was either too stupid or too brave to care.

Perhaps both.

"You have them, though. Why can't you tell us?"

Sesshomaru seemed to pin him with a stare that was almost accusing.

"Miroku, what have you remembered?"

The question in reply to his left the boy looking baffled.

"What do you mean, remembered?"

Sesshomaru gestured to Sango, and Inuyasha.

"They have had dreams, memories of the past. What do you remember?"

Miroku fell silent.

Sesshomaru already knew the answer, but he wanted to make a point.

"I thought not. You remember nothing. And if you took the time to try and remember, you'd have the answers. I'm not the only one who was there, and certainly wasn't the most prominent being there. Just because you are a fool does not mean I should fill in the holes for you," Sesshomaru growled deeply, turning away from Miroku and strolling out of the room on edge, entering into the kitchen.

Miroku stared after him blankly.

The other two exchanged remarked looks, and Sango reached for Miroku gently.

"...he doesn't know what he's talking about... ignore him, Miroku..." she tried, but Miroku pulled his hand from her grasp, annoyed.

"Don't try to pretend. He's right, Sango. I'm a fucking coward, a damn idiot. I pushed it away too hard and..." his voice was clipped, and short.

Leaving the sentence unfinished, he stalked from the room stiffly and followed Sesshomaru.

...no doubt to try and talk, perhaps to look for more punishment.

Sango's face fell, and she turned her attention to Inuyasha.

"...we're screwed, aren't we?"

Inuyasha gave her a shrug and a lost look, somewhat pained as he spoke softly, "...I don't know, Sango..."

She released a strained heaving breath, laying her forehead on Inuyasha's shoulder as he consoled her quietly.

"...don't worry... Things will work out... they have to..."

"This coming from the guy who is damn near bleeding to death on the couch," she grumbled unenthusiastically next to him.

"...hey, I stopped bleeding finally, thanks to you... that in itself is a miracle, so maybe we have hope," he gave to her gently, and she took the comfort graciously.

"...you're right. Thank you, Inuyasha."

He grinned idiotically at her, giving her a 'thumbs up' with his working hand.

"No problem. What's the badass of the group for if he can't get the morale going, eh?"

Sango gave him a dry look in return, making him blurt, "What?"

...she merely thwapped him with a couch pillow across the back of the head and said, "Baka."

"Hey, ouch! I've got a headache!" he complained irritably.

"No beating on my indisposed brother," drifted Sesshomaru's voice from the kitchen.

Sango and Inuyasha gawked the way of the sound, and then glanced toward one another.

"Is he psychic or something? How did he know...?" Sango asked and Inuyasha just shook his head.

"...don't ask... I gave up. Let me save you years of painful observation."

Their conversation came to an end as the object of their talk emerged into the room, followed by a solemn Miroku, and it was announced that they were leaving.

"I'll stay behind and watch after Kagome," Sango offered.

Sesshomaru nodded in acquisence. "That's a fair idea. Do that, if you would."

Standing, Sango nodded and said, "No problem."

"Take good care of her, Sango..." Inuyasha nudged her, whispering softly.

She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Yeah, I'm going to beat up your girl, Inuyasha..."

He growled and she moaned, but they were interrupted once again.

"We're leaving. Now."

Sesshomaru went to his brother and pulled him up easily by his good arm in one clean motion. Together the three boys were out the front door, Inuyasha ushered and dragged more than walking of his own will.

"Damnit, I didn't even get to see Kagome yet, you fucking basta-"

Slam.

Sango sighed, in mid-wave as the door had closed upon her.

"...bye guys...?"

Turning about-face, she went the kitchen.

First thing was first...

...coffee.

...somehow she had the feeling it was going to be a long, long night, and she was going to need backup to get through it.

"Kami help us all..." was the irritated prayer that left her mouth.




























A/n: Before anyone gets all iffy about Miroku being able to control his energy before anyone else, lemme explain.

Put simply, he's a houshi. He had experience and training the life before. That calls for it, ne? Spiritual power and knowledge on a deep level. Hoohah. Two times Tuesday.

...w0rd...

And Sesshy? That badass already had it.

He's just that awesome.

...kind of like Chuck Norris.

Luna-