InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Smokes and Mirrors ❯ To Start Again ( Chapter 29 )

Smokes and Mirrors

 

Chapter 29: To Start Again

 

He didn't know how long he sat there, staring at his hands. Ms. Higurashi excused herself a little while ago and left him on his own to stare blankly at his hands; the same hands that couldn't save her. Forget that he almost killed himself in the process, whatever he'd done wasn't good enough. They were going to pull the plug on her. Apparently, it was a personal request of Kagome's. Should she turn into a vegetable or go into a coma, it was up to her mother just how much time she wished to wait for a change they knew would not come.

 

The doctor said she was alive mainly because of all the machinery attached to her. She didn't breath on her own, her heart rate was too low and there was barely any brain activity. She was as good as dead.

 

Inuyasha finally found the courage to look her in the face. Aside from the nasty bruises, one would think her a beautiful princess cursed to an eternal sleep which only her prince charming would wake her from.

 

“What do I do?” She couldn't hear him, but that didn't stop him from asking. He took her right hand in his; it was warm. He couldn't help but smile a little. “Come on Kagome,” he rubbed circles on the back of her hand, gently urging her to answer back and show some kind of sign that she was still there. “You portrayed yourself as such a strong person,” he went on. “Don't strip me of that image. All you have to do is open your eyes.”

 

He sat quietly waiting for her response. She didn't give any. Inuyasha closed his eyes and bowed his head, never once letting go of her hand. “I swear to you, stupid girl, I'm staying by your side until you wake up!”

 

With that, he laid his head to rest by her side.

 

xXxXx

 

The light was back. She had been waiting for who knew how long, patiently sitting in the darkness that surrounded her. Tempting her chance, she softly called out.

 

“Mama?”

 

What do I do…

 

It wasn't her mother's voice, but a gentle voice it was, warm in all aspects. Although she couldn't see the speaker, she still felt the warmth.

 

`Where,' she thought, `is this warmth coming from?'

 

Come on… Kagome…

 

That voice, she knew that voice! But from where? From who? “Who are you?” she called. Her response was a comforting heat spreading across her hand and slowly making its way up her arm. It felt so nice she couldn't help but hold her hand close to her heart and cover it with her other hand. She waited for too long for such a feeling to spread through her. She needed it so much; the thought of loosing it frightened her.

 

You portrayed yourself as such a strong person…The voice came back, only more masculine. Don't strip me of that image… He sounded desperate.

 

All you have to do…

 

The voice started to fade, just like with her mother. She was loosing her contact. “No! Don't go!” She yelled with all her might, but it still felt like only just above a whisper.

 

Open your eyes…

 

Tears welled in her eyes. She's never felt more alone. Her eyes were open, but she could see nothing but a vast white void. Emptiness… always was she surrounded by this bareness of life.

 

Helpless to do anything, she closed her eyes and let the tears fall free. Whatever heat she had left was gradually leaving her as well. Her limbs felt heavy and her body temperature seemed to have suddenly dropped several degrees. She shuddered as her falling tears froze in place on her cheeks. When she opened her eyes again, she was surrounded by that dark, deadly void again. Her body had disappeared as well this time. Though she couldn't see it before, she had still felt it. This time, however… nothing.

 

Tempting one last ditch effort, she hoped her voice will reach her unknown companion. “Please don't leave me.”

 

... Stupid girl…Wake up!

 

A sudden burst of heat swelled from her right hand and filled her all the way to the core. It was so warm, so strong, and so incredibly safe that she had to open her eyes. To her delight, the blackness disappeared. The white was gone as well. What she saw was strange: gray in color with black little dots. It was rectangular in shape; spread one beside each other and all of them divided by a white bar. A little to the left and a little more to the right were what looked like neon lights covered by translucent window.

 

She tried to breath, but something was bothering her. She wanted to move, but couldn't find the strength. Her hand twitched under the pressure it felt and something strong squeezed right back.

 

“Kagome?”

 

That voice again. She turned her head to the right and saw him, that boy from her class. The same one who followed her into the woods; the same person who got hit in the back of his head by her cousin; the same person she thought had been killed.

 

He was staring back at her with shinning wide eyes.

 

Inuyasha was beside himself. The moment he felt her hand move the slightest bit, his head automatically pulled up and he stood up to see her better. She'd woken up and was staring at him as though he had sprouted a second head.

 

He couldn't help but grin at her bewildered look. “You did it.” He murmured to her.

 

She wanted to talk back, but she couldn't. Something was blocking her mouth and her throat really hurt. She winced and started to cough. Inuyasha panicked, thinking maybe she might chock to death. Quickly, he pressed the call button over and over and over again. Seconds later, Ms. Higurashi burst in the room along with a few nurses and Sesshoumaru.

 

Ms. Higurashi immediately went to her daughter's side, as did the nurses. They did eye him strangely though. Sesshoumaru only stared at Inuyasha's leg with an air of uncaring. “Wasn't that leg broken?” was all he said. Pain he'd forgotten hit Inuyasha with full force. In all his anticipation at Kagome's recovery, he'd forgotten why he was in a wheel chair to start with. Inuyasha hissed inwards and fell back into his chair.

 

“Come little brother,” Sesshoumaru wheeled him out. “You're work is done here.”

 

xXxXx

One month later

xXxXx

 

“I'm bored!!!!!”

 

“Come on, Inuyasha. We have to finish this before class starts.”

 

“I'll gladly finish anything with you, my love!”

 

Inuyasha sighed and slapped Miroku in the face. Both his friends stared at him.

 

“What was that for?” Miroku whine as he rubbed his sore cheek.

 

Inuyasha closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. “Sango is too far and I'm bored.” Miroku frowned as Sango rolled her eyes.

 

Yes, did was another day in high school for the three friends. Strangely enough, it had only taken a month for Inuyasha's broken arm and leg to fix itself up. The doctor called it humanly impossible. Inuyasha called it Runs in the Family. Neither he nor his brother were easy to bruise, and both were really fast healers. Sesshoumaru had smirked at him when he came home after removing the casts, acting as if he knew something his younger brother didn't.

 

Then there was the physical appearance that was changing as well, another trait of the Taka family.

 

Inuyasha passed his hands through his short cut hair. Most of it had burnt off in the explosion so he got it all chopped off. As it grew back, the family's trade mark color was also taking its effects: his black hair was slowly being replace by satiny white. His vision also increased and he could now see the black board from way in the back without a problem. Even his hearing had improved some: he could eavesdrop on his friends' hushed conversation without making it look obvious. He smirked at that since his friends couldn't keep secrets from his anymore.

 

The first bell rang as everyone settled into their respective seats. Inuyasha got himself busy with taking out his books. He ignored the rest of the class while the late arrivers quickly found their desks. Sango distractedly searched out his sleeve and tugged real hard on it, thus catching his attention. Knowing her antics always worked on him, she didn't bother to look back. She only stared forward as she pointed out the front of the classroom.

 

Inuyasha's breath hitched in his throat. It had been close to four months since he last saw her. She was bruised, pale and on the verge of death back then. Now, she looked beautiful; her long ebony hair was left loose, yet neatly tucked behind her ears; her face had some color, a sign that she was in fact alive and healthy. Her eyes, though they looked unsure and slightly frightened, held something in them that they did not when he first met her: willingness to live.

 

Kagome had nervously entered her classroom, hesitant of her classmates' reaction. Though she had been home schooled for the past several months, she still missed nearly five months of high school. She didn't know if she was still considered the New Kid and they would be wary of her as they were the first time, or if they would ask her tons of questions relating to her experience, or simply ignore her and leave her alone.

 

She first scanned the room for Kikyo. Her mother said she was transferred back to her old school within the week that she was there. Kagome had to make sure though. If there was one person she couldn't deal with at the moment, it was definitely her! That's when she saw him, sitting at his usual spot with his two friends. All three were staring back at her. Then again, the entire class was staring at her. Feeling self-conscious, she involuntarily took an uneasy step back.

 

Sango and Miroku looked at each other, and then back at Inuyasha. Kagome's tension was so strong it was felt all the way in the back. Inuyasha got up and called out to her. “Higurashi!” Her eyes, as well as that of everyone else, snapped up to meet his. Inuyasha grinned. “Welcome back.” Their classmates went back to what they were doing, the latest topic of conversation now being Kagome's return.

 

Kagome released a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

 

Inuyasha patted the desk to the left of him. “I saved your seat.”

 

His voice called to her and she found herself walking towards her desk. As she approached, he didn't move from his spot. He was slightly blocking her access to her desk on purpose. An idea came to her. Once she reached him, the smirk on her face rivaled his and she looked like the confident girl he had first met.

 

She walked straight up to him, leaving little to no air between them. Kagome summoned what little strength she thought she had left, and used the most sugary-sweet voice she could muster. “Why, thank you, Taka. That was so thoughtful of you.” Kagome walked around him, purposely not touching him despite their closeness. “I didn't believe you capable of such action.”

 

Inuyasha stood completely still. She was close, too close. She was a girl, and good God did she smell delicious. Inuyasha couldn't understand where this young woman had come from. She was so far off the mark in comparison to the girl that walked into the classroom just a minute ago. He couldn't help but follow her with his eyes as she took her seat. His grin, however, never left his face.

 

He took his seat as well and said, “I simply couldn't bring myself to let anyone else sit in your seat of course.” Turning to face her, he went on. “Bugging them just wouldn't have the same effect.”

 

The teacher walked in and the final bell rang.

 

“Save your fancy words for your stuffed dolls, puppy,” Kagome spoke back. But her smirk was now a genuine smile. She felt comfortable and safe. Inuyasha's own grin also changed into a smile as they enjoyed each others' company.

 

xXxXx

xXxXx

 

A.N.

That's it. It's over. The ending I'm not pleased about at all… But that's that. There is room left for a sequel. If you guys haven't noticed, it's fine by me. I have a second story up, Settling the Score, which I would like to keep working on. And there is a third one (still on paper though) in case the second doesn't evolve into anything dramatically-humorously beautiful.

 

Well, it was fun while this one lasted. I am sorry for the extreme delay. One can come up with thousands of different excuses, yet none are worth the mention.

 

A big Thank You to all those who read and reviewed my story. Your support throughout this tail was highly appreciated.

 

Please review. I still want to know what you thought this final chap.

 

I'll see y'all around,

Ja!

 

Quote: “A smile is a curve that can set many things straight.” Richard Baxter