InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Therapy ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

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Author's Notes: Sorry everyone for taking so long to update. It's been a crazy week, and on top of that I've been working really hard to finish up my other story, "The Realistic Happily Ever After". But that one is now finished (sniff, sniff) and I can devote some more time to this story, at least for a while. I do intend to write a second sequel to "Confessions of a Broken Heart" so we'll see what happens then, but know that it is not my intention to put this story on the backburner. I do enjoy writing it.

Other then that, thank you so much for all of your wonderful reviews, I really appreciate it. I hope you continue to enjoy this story, and, just to remind a few of you who still aren't sure, this IS a Kagome/Inuyasha story. So don't worry about it! Enjoy chapter ten!

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Title: Soul Therapy

Author: dolphingirl0113

Chapter: Ten

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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Kagome cleared her throat for at least the hundredth time as she waited in the elevator, smoothing her shirt and khaki pants again to check for wrinkles. Not that it mattered, she already felt out of place, surrounded by people in business suits, carrying leather briefcases. It was hard to believe that such a world existed just above the therapy clinic.

The doors opened, and Kagome exited, along with the ten other people crammed into the little transportation box. She recalled her instructions, and slowly made her way down a long corridor lined with windows on the left side and small office doors to the right. She emerged suddenly into a sea of chaos, with at least fifty people bantering back and forth as they sat at tiny cubicles. Everyone was talking, either on the phone or to each other.

Kagome ignored all of this, as well as the curious stares sent her way, instead walking straight up to a pair of large mahogany doors. She started to twist one of the gold-crusted handles when a woman at a small desk wearing a headset stopped her.

"Excuse me miss, but may I help you?"

"Oh!" Kagome blushed, "Um, I'm here to see Mr. Sesshoumaru Takahashi. He sent me this note." She handed over the small slip of paper that had practically ordered her to stop working and take the elevator upstairs.

The woman smiled as she read the note. "Of course, he is expecting you, Ms. Higurashi. Go right ahead."

"Thank you." Kagome returned her attention to the intimidating doorknob and, with one push, stepped inside.

The office was massive, bigger probably then her own bedroom at home. In one corner was a couch and two plush chairs facing out large glass windows that stretched from the carpeted floor to the ceiling, receiving an incredible view of Tokyo. In the other corner was a long line of mahogany bookshelves, all full of volumes and trinkets, and right in the middle of it all was a matching mahogany desk, ornately carved. Behind it was a large, comfortable looking leather chair, and in it sat none other then Kagome's frequently overly stoic boss.

"Ms. Higurashi," he acknowledged her presence with his usual cold manner, indicating the chair opposite him, and Kagome silently obeyed by taking a seat.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Takahashi?" Her voice sounded strong, betraying the nervous girl within. He nodded.

"Yes, and call me Sesshoumaru."

"Yes sir."

"It has come to my attention that you intend to return to graduate school and earn a masters degree, is that correct?"

Kagome blinked several times stupidly. That wasn't exactly what she had been expecting him to say. "Yes sir, that is correct."

Sesshoumaru nodded and folded his hands under his chin. "You are a valuable asset to this company, and to the clinic. In fact, you're probably the best therapist I've ever seen." He rose from his chair, standing up straight and looking out one of the windows. "I have received no complaints about you, which I must say is impressive, as usually there are at least a few people who can find something to criticize."

Kagome blinked again and raised an eyebrow. "May I ask where this is going, sir?"

"Of course," Sesshoumaru turned around to look at her again, his face still an emotionless mask. "As you are so valuable to this workplace, I want you to know that the company will be helping to pay for your return to college."

"What?" Kagome could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"I realize this is surprising, especially since you hardly know me," his voice remained monotone, "However I hope you now understand that I do put forth an effort to know what is going on, literally, beneath me." He glanced at the floor, and Kagome knew he was referring to the clinic down on the main floor.

"I don't understand," she finally said, "What company is paying for this?"

"Why, Tokyo Enterprises, of course." He seemed surprised that she would even ask that question.

"But I work for Tokyo physical therapy."

"Which is backed by Tokyo Enterprises, the company where I am the president." Kagome formed a silent `o' and looked out the window. She had always known Sesshoumaru was head of some giant company, but it had never really registered which company, and how that connected him to the clinic.

"This is all a very generous offer, but I must ask: will you be financing my friends' return to college as well?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Kagome felt slightly uncomfortable. He really did have an intimidating presence. "Well, it just wouldn't be fair to pay for my way through, but not for Miroku, Sango, or Kouga."

"Kouga can pay for himself, I will not support a man who has so much money he could have retired at the age of twenty-one." He leaned back in his chair and seemed to think for a moment before continuing. "But I suppose I could back your other friends as well. Under one condition."

"What would that be?"

"You don't say a word of this to anyone. The last thing I need is for the world to think that Tokyo Enterprises is a gold mine for college funding."

Kagome nodded. That was reasonable enough. "You have my word, and I can speak for Miroku and Sango as well."

"Good. That will be all, Ms. Higurashi." Kagome nodded and rose to her feet, realizing he wasn't even going to shake her hand as he turned his chair around to face the windows again, watching the people of the city go about their daily business.

She was just about to open the door when she remembered something. "Mr., um, I mean, Sesshoumaru?"

The chair swiveled back around. "Yes?"

"If you are so willing to pay for my way through college, does that mean that you will help your brother when he decides to go back?"

She watched as his eyes narrowed, and for an instant Kagome feared she had overstepped her bounds with that one. But, unlike in a movie, there was no rewinding in life, and she couldn't take back what she had said now.

"He is my half-brother, and I don't see what business it is of yours." Kagome bristled at his tone, cold enough to send shivers down her spine.

"It's only my business in that I know he wants to go back and finish medical school, but that he fears he doesn't have the money to do so, and that you won't back him up in any way."

Sesshoumaru rose to his feet again, but this time his posture was imposing, almost threatening. "I realize that you are his physical therapist, but that does not mean you can go meddling in his life, or mine. What we do, what our relationship is, is none of your business."

"It is my business when he doesn't have the heart to make progress in his therapy sessions!" Kagome was suddenly furious with this man, who appeared to be perfectly willing to abandon his little brother. "How could you not help him now, when you've helped him already for most of his life?"

"I don't know what he's told you, but I have not helped him any more then I have had to." Sesshoumaru had a way of yelling without raising his voice one bit. "And I suggest that you stop asking questions that don't involve what hurts, where it hurts, and why."

Kagome didn't like what he was implying and stepped forward slightly, her head high as she felt her confidence return. "For your information, I don't purposefully ask questions. I'm not a reporter who is a threat to you. But at the same time I do see your brother for two hours three times a week, and I can assure you that talking about where it hurts and why can only go so far in that amount of time."

"Ms. Higurashi, I do not wish to discuss with you my relationship with my brother, so please leave."

"Why do you hate him so much?" Kagome couldn't stop herself, and the minute the question left her lips the man before her seemed to deflate as he sat back down in his chair.

"I don't hate him," he whispered. Kagome chuckled cruelly.

"Well you sure do one hell of a job of making him think you do. Inuyasha truly believes that you are going to refuse to pay his way through his final year of medical school."

Sesshoumaru looked at her, and Kagome saw such pain in his eyes she almost recoiled. His face was still passive, but he, like Inuyasha, had eyes that were windows into his soul.

"I know you mean well, Ms. Higurashi," he began slowly, as though searching for words that wouldn't give away what he was truly feeling at that moment, "But you understand nothing about how I regard Inuyasha. As I hardly know you, I will only tell you this: it was never my intention to refuse to support him through medical school, and that decision is still true. Does that satisfy you?"

Kagome looked at him, absolutely at a loss for words, her soapbox having collapsed beneath her the moment she had looked into his eyes. What was with these two men, these two brothers? Both of them held such pain and sadness in their eyes she wanted to scream.

She was about to respond when the door opened behind her and Kagome whirled around to come face to face with a bright-eyed, cheerful young woman with long raven hair and a warm smile.

"Well hello Kagome," she said happily, her voice kind. Kagome smiled back.

"Hello Mrs. Takahashi." The woman rolled her eyes and flipped her hair.

"And how many times do I have to tell you to call me Rin?" She just laughed and touched Kagome's cheek playfully. "One of these days you'll get it."

She walked around the desk and pecked Sesshoumaru on the cheek, an action that would have seemed strange with anyone else but her. After all, she was his wife.

It was a marriage that no one had approved of. He had found her when she was only ten years old, wandering the streets after her parents had been brutally murdered and she had barely managed to escape with her life. Sesshoumaru had taken her into his home and his heart, boosting both her happiness and his ratings in the media polls.

But then he did something no one expected. When Rin turned eighteen, a twenty-nine year old Sesshoumaru announced that they were engaged. The media went into a frenzy, ridiculing the business giant and calling him a slime ball, claiming he must have seduced the `poor, innocent girl' with money and visions of luxury for his own benefit.

He was now thirty-five, Rin was twenty-four, and they had been happily married for six years. The media, and the general public, came to realize that the two truly loved each other, and stopped bothering them. In fact, just that year Tokyo Magazine had named them the cutest couple of the year. Kagome still had that magazine in her apartment somewhere.

"So did you tell her?" Rin asked happily, and Sesshoumaru nodded, his eyes softening at the sight of the young woman. Rin squealed with delight and looked back at Kagome. "Isn't that wonderful? He's going to help pay for your graduate degree! Now you don't have to worry about making ends meet."

Kagome smiled at the young woman who was, in a way, a good friend, before looking back at Sesshoumaru. "I have thanked him several times already. And, Sesshoumaru, I would like to apologize for what I said. I acted rashly and it was not appropriate. I hope I didn't offend you too much."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her, but she didn't miss the glint of pleasure in his eyes. Obviously, that is what he had wanted to hear.

"All is forgiven, Ms. Higurashi. And, to your credit, I must say I have never met someone who has advocated for my brother as much as you did today. He's truly blessed in having found a friend such as you."

Kagome blushed, nodded her head, and quickly exited the door, leaving the couple alone. Rin let out a long sigh as the door closed, and quickly sat in her husband's lap.

"So she can call you by your first name, but still calls me Mrs. Takahashi? That's no fair." Sesshoumaru grinned.

"At least that means she respects you. Maybe she just has no regard for me." Rin rolled her eyes.

"Please, you scare the people in this workplace so much I don't think they have the opportunity to not like you."

"Believe me, if Kagome were afraid of me, she wouldn't have said what she did a moment ago."

"And what did she say? Did I miss some exciting fireworks?" Sesshoumaru smiled slightly and touched the young woman's cheek.

"Apparently Inuyasha has led her to believe that I won't be paying for his final year in medical school." Rin sighed.

"You know, I've warned you about the way you treat him. You may have the best of intentions, but you still come off as not being able to stand the sight of the man."

"I know." Sesshoumaru looked away, obviously deep in thought. Rin cocked her head to one side.

"I think Kagome likes your brother more then she's letting on," she said finally, purposefully changing the subject, and watched as her husband nodded.

"I know. I was watching them the other night at the fundraiser. Something's going on between Kikyou and that other man, Naraku, I'm sure of that now. But what's more is that Inuyasha doesn't even seem to care."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, you never even wanted him to marry Kikyou in the first place."

"She's a nice enough girl, to be sure, but I just never thought she was right for Inuyasha."

"Well, maybe now he's just proving your point."

"I know, but still, this can't end in a good way. Someone will go away broken hearted."

"Not necessarily. If Kikyou is falling out of love with your brother and in love with another man, how is her heart being broken?" Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Inuyasha is an honorable man. He would not end a marriage unless he was absolutely miserable. I'm not concerned with Kikyou. The one I am somewhat worried about right now is Kagome."

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Kagome was hastily walking out to her car when her purse began to vibrate violently, telling her that her phone was ringing. She stopped and dug around until she managed to find it and put it up to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Kagome?" A familiar female voice asked, and Kagome tensed slightly.

"Kikyou! What's up?"

"I, um, I need to talk to you." Her voice sounded nervous, and that put Kagome on edge. Had she seen how Inuyasha almost kissed her the other night?

"Okay, about what?"

"Well, um, can you just come over?"

"Come over?"

"Yeah, to my house." Kagome raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"Sure, but I don't know where you live."

Kikyou sighed on the other end and gave her directions, the whole time sounding like she was going to explode with whatever it was she needed to say. Kagome just listened patiently, trying to control her curiosity.

"Okay, I'll head over right now. You're lucky, because I'm just now done with work."

"Thanks Kagome, I really need to talk to you."

"No problem, but Kikyou," she paused, "Is everything okay?" There was a long, stretched silence.

"I'm not sure."

"Okay, I'll be right over, bye."

She clicked off the phone and stepped into her car, trying to remember everything Kikyou had told her. Finally, after fifteen minutes she pulled up in front of a one-story house that was painted yellow with a white trim.

"How quaint," Kagome muttered, "All it needs now is the shutters and the little garden." She turned the car off, grabbed her purse, and walked up to the front door, ringing the doorbell.

The sound of footsteps told her that someone was coming to the door, and a few seconds later Kagome was face to face with Kikyou, who was dressed, as usual, in a business-like outfit, a pressed skirt and a white blouse.

"Come in," she said kindly, though it sounded forced, and Kagome smiled back as she walked into the small home.

It was immaculate, almost to the point that it felt stifling. The floors looked like they had been polished, there was nothing on the tables, no magazines were left out, and there was no sign of dirty laundry.

Kagome followed her cousin into a small living room complete with a plush white carpet, a white couch, and two leather chairs. Kikyou indicated one of the recliners, and Kagome obliged.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Some tea would be nice."

"Sure, I'll be right back." Kikyou disappeared through a small doorway, her feet suddenly audible on what must have been a wooden floor that matched the floor in the front hallway. She returned a few minutes later with a large mug filled with water, a tea bag and spoon off to one side.

"Thanks," Kagome accepted the mug and watched as Kikyou took a seat in the other chair. A long silence stretched between them, and Kagome raised an eyebrow after placing the teabag in the water, watching as the liquid turned a purple color. "I doubt you asked me over here to give me tea. What's up?"

Kikyou sighed. "I've been wanting to talk about this for a few days now."

Kagome felt her uneasiness grow. Maybe Kikyou was upset for the way Inuyasha had, well, almost kissed her that night.

"Okay, what's on your mind?" Kikyou sighed and looked directly at Kagome.

"It's about Inuyasha. We need to talk."