InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Ad ❯ Erupting Tides ( Chapter 27 )

Chapter 27

Erupting Tides

"Kagome?" Sango opened her front door hoping to find her best friend. Instead, she found the man she had been avoiding for a few days. "Miroku, what are you doing here?"

Holding a daisy out to her, he gave her a sheepish smile before answering, "I heard you went home early…I just wanted to make sure you were feeling alright."

"I was just worried about Kagome…she went to pick up her test results from the doctor during lunch, and she never came back." Sango explained, stepping aside, so that Miroku could come inside. She accepted the daisy as Miroku moved into the living room. He smiled when he saw a two tailed kitten napping on the couch.

"I see you two are getting along."

"She's really docile…hard not to." Sango smiled. "Thank you."

"What did you name her?"

"Kirara."

"That's a good name."

"I thought so."

There was a brief moment of silence as the two were unsure how to proceed.

"Kagome went to the doctor?" Miroku finally broke the silence too scared to move into dangerous territory.

"I finally convinced her to get something for the nausea, and the doctor decided to run some tests. She was supposed to pick them up and come right back, but she never did." Sango replied worriedly. "I was hoping she came back here."

"Isn't Kagome's doctor near Tokyo Park?"

"Not too far, why?"

"Inu Yasha and I met there for lunch today…there is the possibility the two ran into each other."

"There is also the possibility that she was run over by a truck!" Sango protested as she crossed her arms defensively in front of her. Instinctively, her boyfriend took a step forward and held her tight.

"Like a truck could knock out our Kagome." Sango couldn't help but laugh and relax into his embrace. "I've missed you." Miroku spoke after some time.

"I've missed you too." Sango confessed.

"I don't like being apart from you."

"You only have yourself to blame." Sango spoke as she stepped away from him.

"I know…I screwed up. And, I can't guarantee that I'll never screw up again, but, I can promise to try not to. I can also promise not to listen to any more of Higurashi-sama's crazy ideas or to meddle in anyone's love life." Miroku raised his right hand as he spoke.

"That's all I ask." Sango smiled. Miroku lowered his hand and put them in his pockets.

"I know that I'm not perfect, but I do love you. If there's something this time apart has taught me is that my life without you, isn't worth living. I love you and…and…" Miroku kept searching his pockets as his girlfriend looked on with a sly smile on her face.

"And?" She pressed.

"And…and…" He tried the inside pockets of his suit.

"Miroku, don't tell me you lost something!" The mirth in her voice caused him to look up. She held a black velvet box in her hand. He smiled. This was just like her.

"Can't you ever let me surprise you?"

"Is it my fault you're so predictable? You always beg forgiveness in the same manner: first flowers followed by something unpredictable, and when that fails, jewelry. And you always give it with a big over the top speech. So what did you get me?" Sango asked as Miroku took the box from her.

"This isn't an apology. This is proof of my love." Sango gave him a confused look as he got down on one knee. "Sango Kizu, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Sango's jaw dropped as Miroku slipped the platinum emerald and diamond band on her finger. "No other woman will do. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Miroku…" She gasped recognizing the ring. "Your grandmother's engagement ring?"

"I wanted to give you something that was a part of me…a traditional engagement ring didn't seem right."

"Oh, Miroku…" He smiled as her eyes became glassy. Standing up, he asked,

"So, will you become my wife?"

"Yes." She said nodding, unable to stop the tears from falling. "Yes." She pulled him down for a loving desperate kiss, as they tried to recover the lost time. Kirara purred happily as she concluded she would have more people around the house to pamper her.

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Inu Yasha sighed as he stared into the glassy lake. The ground under his feet was frozen, but he didn't care. This had been the spot where Kagome had shared the stars with him. It was a special place. He could still remember the sweetness of her scent, the pull of his blood, her soft hands tracing her name on his body…Heaven had given him an angel, and he had failed to see it.

Miroku's words kept ringing in the back of his head. It was true he didn't want to lose his inheritance. He had been a rich boy all his life, and he wasn't sure he would know how to live his life worrying about his income. But, then again, he wasn't sure he could live his life without Kagome. He smiled. They had talked of children that day…what would their children look like? Would they ever have children?

The way things were going…He didn't want to think about that. No, he wanted to think about that night. They had been chased away by a cop, while Inu Yasha's demon blood fluctuated. They had raced into the woods, where he held her, and she promise he could have her. Now, she wasn't letting him anywhere near her.

"Who would keep my bed warmer at night?" Inu Yasha wondered as a teenage couple walked by giggling. The boy stopped near a tree and began to carve two sets of initials. Inu Yasha pulled out his cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

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"Kagome?" Kagura insisted as she tried to get the young miko to talk. "Did you two have a disagreement?" Kagome nodded because her tears were too strong for her to formulate words. "Sweetheart, everyone has disagreements. I'm sure the two of you can work things out." Kagome shook her head and managed to choke out,

"He-he lied." Kagura hugged the young girl tightly as Sesshomaru's anger increased. He was reminded of a conversation he and his brother had had earlier that morning.

"You've been distracted of late. Problems at home?" Sesshomaru inquired.

"I don't want to talk about it." Inu Yasha responded without much energy. He had dark circles under his eyes and mussed hair. Even his suit was wrinkled.

"I know Kagome hasn't been staying with you. What's wrong? I might be able to help."

"You can't! Look, this is something Kagome and I need to resolve privately."

"Fine." Sesshomaru returned to his paperwork.

"Sesshomaru," he waited until his brother looked up again, "thanks." Sesshomaru shrugged before returning to the morning reports.

It was no wonder that the idiot didn't want any help: he had screwed up royally. "Kagome," Sesshomaru spoke quietly as not to startle her, "did he…how did he react to this?" Sesshomaru pointed to the papers she was clutching tightly.

"He doesn't know…" She confessed. "We haven't been talking."

Sesshomaru wanted to add to it, but decided not to upset her anymore. At least the idiot of his brother hadn't done what he thought he did. The only other thing Sesshomaru could fathom she was crying over…

"Kagome, did you two fight over what happened at your engagement diner?"

"He-he didn't tell me. How can I trust him?" She sobbed, unable to continue with the conversation. She gave in, and just cried, using Kagura's shoulder for support.

Sesshomaru's cell phone began to vibrate, recognizing the number he moved away from the two. "I need to speak with you immediately." Inu Yasha hadn't bothered with formalities.

"Where are you?"

"Tokyo Park… I'm on my way to your house."

"I'll see you there." Sesshomaru ended the call and turned towards the women. Helping Kagome stand, he motioned the two towards his car. "I have arranged for Inu Yasha to meet us at the house."

"What's the hurry?" Kagura protested as Kagome stopped dead in her tracks.

"I don't want to talk to him…not yet." The surprise of the movements had helped her regain control.

"You won't have to talk, just listen."

"Are you planning, what I'm thinking?" Kagura asked with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you didn't believe in meddling in other people's affairs."

"I don't, and I won't…technically. Hurry up; he already has a head start on us."

"The way Jaken drives…we'll never make it." His wife complained.

"That's why I'm driving."

"Oh, Kami-sama, protect us all." Kagura prayed as a stunned Kagome followed them.

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Kagome held on tight as they took another sharp turn, Jaken screaming for his master to slow down. The bottles from the bar were rolling around the back of the limo as they made their way out of the city. "Sesshomaru, I want to live to see my honeymoon!" Kagura complained as the Champaign glasses crashed by her feet.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru spoke clearly and calmly as he dominated the city streets, "your problem with Inu Yasha is over the inheritance, isn't it?"

"No…" Kagome answered too quickly. Seeing his unbelieving gaze in the rearview mirror, she added, "not exactly."

"What exactly then?" Kagome screamed as she and Kagura crashed against the door she had been holding onto just a few seconds before.

"It's alright Kagome, you can trust us…just not driving." Kagura mumbled as she moved away from the young lawyer.

"Inu Yasha knew that-that my grandfather wasn't dying, and didn't tell me." She lowered her voice, ashamed of what her grandfather had done.

"So, you finally found out." Sesshomaru replied casually.

"Was Keiji sick?" Kagura asked confused.

"Nope, but used it as a way to meddle in his granddaughter's love life."

"That's Keiji for you."

"What the hell is going on?" Kagome screamed. "You knew!"

"Any demon with the sense of smell knew. Keiji didn't smell sick."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Kagome demanded.

"Because it wasn't our place. I tried to convince your grandfather not to meddle, but he is set in his ways." Smelling the new tears, Sesshomaru added, "Kagome, if you're angry about that, the only person you should be angry with is your grandfather. It wasn't anyone else's place to tell you."

Kagome sat back contemplating the news, but it didn't help the deep sorrow that filled her heart, or the chronic pain she was suffering in her neck due to Inu Yasha's mark.

"Is there something else?" Kagura pressed.

"How can I trust him? He didn't tell me about my grandfather because of the inheritance. How can I be sure that everything he said and did wasn't a lie?" She asked quietly.

"At your engagement party, you swore to have no doubts about his love or loyalty. You also swore not to have doubts about your own feelings for him." Sesshomaru began as he pulled into his driveway. His companions quickly vacated the vehicle as he motioned them into his study. Hiding Kagome behind the tapestries, he finished, "If you love him, you can rebuild that trust."

"Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Inu Yasha is approaching the gate."

"I don't want to do this." Kagome complained as she walked away from them. Kagura grabbed her arm and asked,

"Why not?"

"I just can't deal with him right now…" Kagome kept moving away as Kagura tried to hold her back.

"Things will work out." Kagura assured as Kagome walked out of the office. "What are you going to do?"

"I want space and time to sort things out…I think I'm going to New York. New York was always good to me." Kagome replied, unsure how to proceed, but knowing that if she took the back way out, Inu Yasha would never know she was there. The house was designed with the appropriate air currents to push away light scents.

Sesshomaru growled at her retreating form before saying, "Coward."

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Inu Yasha arrived at his brother's estate in a foul mood: A crazed limo had nearly run him off the road. He didn't bother with formalities as he made his way to his brother's office. As he touched the cold knob, the severity of the situation hit him, but he wasn't backing out now. He knew what he had to do.

"Don't you ever knock?" Sesshomaru asked without looking away from Kagura, who was sitting on his desk.

"This is important." Inu Yasha began. "When I'm done talking, the part of you that is my brother will hate me, but the part of you that is my rival will love me."

Sesshomaru sat back, his brother having successfully caught his attention.

"Perhaps, I should leave." Kagura suggested, but Sesshomaru stopped her.

"You are my mate. What did you want?" He asked turning back to his brother.

"To talk to you about what I couldn't this morning…Kagome and I have been fighting, and it's entirely my fault."

"I know. I still get weekly reports sent to my office about the two of you, as it was stipulated in father's will." Inu Yasha growled as he banged his fists on the desk.

"Damn it, Sesshomaru, this isn't easy!" His brother didn't reply, instead, he just raised an eyebrow. "I got involved with Kagome because I needed a wife, and she needed a husband. She thought her grandfather was dying, and wanted to grant his last wish. It didn't take long for me to realize that the old man was faking it, but I didn't say a word. I was afraid that if I did, she would back out of our arrangement."

"What happened?" Sesshomaru pressed when his brother fell silent.

"I made the stupidest of all mistakes."

"Even bigger than not telling her the truth?" Sesshomaru asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I fell in love with my wife." Sesshomaru looked at him in surprise. He replied sarcastically,

"Heaven forgive a man that loves his wife."

"I don't know how or when, but one day I woke up loving her…and she loved me back."

"That's usually what a good marriage is based on." Sesshomaru added.

"But now, she hates me." Inu Yasha's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Why are you telling me this? You already lost the girl, why are you risking the money?"

"Don't you get it?" He asked indignantly. "I don't want it if it means losing her!"

"Do you think she's going to forgive you forgive you just because you gave up several billion dollars?"

"No, but at least this way, I can start to earn her trust again." He smiled lightly. "I don't care how long it takes, but I'll make it up to her."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but you can't give up the money." Sesshomaru replied in his stoic manner.

"What?" Inu Yasha demanded.

"You two were in love when you married. You didn't break the stipulation."

"But…but…" Sesshomaru shook his head. Inu Yasha slumped before he dragged himself out of the office, banging the door shut behind him.

"Now that's a sight I never thought I would see." Kagura commented as Sesshomaru turned towards the tapestries with a nostalgic look.

"If only she could…"

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Inu Yasha sat in the middle of the labyrinth in his brother's garden, staring off into space. Without being able to have his inheritance denied to him, he had no way to prove his love to Kagome. He sighed. He would have to move to New York. He would follow her where ever she went. He would also have to make some adjustments…He would have to prepare himself for whatever she might decide. She was adamant about getting a divorce, and he could only prevent it for so long. Could he let her go? "No." He shook his head as his eyes became crimson. He finally found a woman that could love him. There was no way he was going to let her go. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to prevent it, short of kidnapping her and tying her to his bed, which he had an inkling, she would not approve.

He felt his body relax as the wind blew a familiar fragrance towards his nose. "Kagome." He whispered as the leaves rustled behind him.

"You're a hard man to track down." He turned surprised to see her. He stepped closer noticing her tired sparkling eyes and paled complexion. She tried to take a step closer, but became woozy and lost her balance. His arms caught her effortlessly.

"Are you ok?"

"Little dizzy…it'll pass. I'm just not getting enough sleep that's all." Inu Yasha inhaled her familiar scent, noting a drastic change. Something was off.

"Kagome…"

"What you did to me hurt a lot. Why did you tell me you love me if it wasn't true?" She spoke quickly, before she lost her nerve.

"It was!" Inu Yasha assured her as he pulled her into a tight hug partly because he had missed holding her and partly because he needed to know what was different in her scent. Was it another man? No…it was her scent, just different. He had smelled it before, in a few women at the office, but he never questioned it. His youki stirred trying to ascertain the change in his would-be mate. He moved them towards the stone bench he had been sitting a few minutes prior. "I'm willing to do anything to prove it to you…I even tried telling my brother the truth…"

"You gave up your inheritance?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"I-I tried…He wouldn't let me. But I swear, I'll donate it…give it away…burn it! Anything you want…just please give me another chance." He begged.

"I'm not sure I can trust you again." A look of pain crossed the hanyou's eyes as he lowered his head in shame.

"I-I love you…I don't know how I can show…" His words were caught on his lips as she gently pressed her lips against his. He tried to deepen the kiss, but she was too tired to comply. "Love, are you alright…your scent is different."

"Your brother said it was normal."

"What's normal?" She shook her head in reply.

"We're straying from the point…I can forgive, but I can't forget."

"Give me another chance…"

"We would have to start all over again, Inu Yasha."

"I don't care…we can go back to dating again, if you want."

"We're married." Kagome complained. A flash of hope crossed the hanyou's eyes. "And I'm so tired." Inu Yasha took advantage of her distraction to nurse his mark. Kagome moaned in relief as she felt the pain and the nausea alleviate.

"We can try to make this marriage work…I love you."

"I love you too, but it isn't that easy."

"I'm willing to put in the effort…"

"Inu Yasha, you don't understand…I want to make this work, but I can't risk making another mistake." Kagome complained. A weight was lifted of Inu Yasha's shoulders as he wrapped his arms tightly around his wife.

"It won't be, I promise."

"Inu Yasha…" She sighed…Kami, she wanted to give in, but could she risk it. "You know you're no longer just playing with my heart…I heard what you said in there to your brother."

"You…you heard?"

"Yes, but Inu Yasha…I need you to be sure of your feelings because I can't go through this hell again…" Tears were escaping her eyes as she continued to plead. "I don't want our child to go through this."

"Child?" Inu Yasha asked confused. "What child?" Kagome couldn't help but smile.

"Has your nose failed you?" She asked placing his hand over her abdomen.

"We're having a baby?" He asked, realizing the change in her scent. His youki flashed with male pride… "How?"

"Well, I wasn't very good at taking my birth control while on our honeymoon…and then there was the mark, and…" Inu Yasha's lips captured hers in a slow and loving kiss. All the pain and nausea left her body as she let herself lean against her husband.

"We're having a baby!" He was filled with enormous joy, hope and male pride.

"We will have to take things one step at a time, Inu Yasha."

"Right, we have to prepare a nursery…. Where can we put a nursery…do we really use the living room."

"Inu Yasha, are you listening to me."

"Yes, we have to take things one step at a time. We need to prepare for the baby…"

"I'm talking about us." Kagome complained.

"So am I. What is this child but a summation of us, of our love?"

"A child does not fix a marriage. It brings hard work and…" Inu Yasha placed his index finger on her lips.

"I know, but he will serve as a constant reminder that we can make this marriage work."

"He? How do you know it won't be a girl?"

"My nose."

"It's too soon to tell!" Kagome complained. "One step at a time, remember." She smiled and hugged him tightly. "First we need to find a house."

"House?" Inu Yasha asked as his wife stood up to leave.

"There is no room in that apartment for a nursery or a baby. We need a house, with a big backyard, and nothing over the top." She turned and smiled as he approached. "Now, how do we get back to the house? I still haven't called my jii-chan, and I should probably give Hojo a call…I can't forgive you and not him. Technically, you both did the same thing."

"What's the rush?" He asked with a sly smile. The breeze blew the leaves around them as he leaned down and kissed his wife. "We can have so much more fun out here, making up."

Kagome smiled as she leaned into her husband. "You haven't changed, have you?"

"No, I got smarter… I'm never risking you again." He leaned in and kissed his wife as it would be the first and the last time they would share an intimate moment, proving to her that they would live each moment fully.

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There you have it. There will be an epilogue, and an alternate ending, which I already wrote. This took so long to get out because I wasn't sure which of my two ideas worked better. Meche voted for this one, the original. You won't have to wait long for the rest. The epilogue will be shorter than a regular chapter, since it's just an epilogue. The alternate ending will be like another chapter. I'm beginning to feel like a DVD, but you guys have been so good to me, and there is no way I'm doing another bloopers…that takes longer than a regular chapter.Started working on The Lady of the Crimson Land. Having trouble starting it, but I promise, that one is going to be a long….really long story. We're looking either at 40 chapters, or I split it into two Sagas. It's going to explore Sesshomaru's growth as a man and someone who doesn't hate humans. I am going to play with sibling relationships on a deeper level, and I plan to deal with some of the grey areas in marriage. It's not a happy story. It is cruel and violent from the first chapter. Unlike this story, where sex was use as a tool to show relationship growth, this story will have a darker look on the subject. I will briefly discus rape in marriage, the violence of war, and the effects of betrayal within your own family. I am creating a new character, but keeping our favorites, with some changes. Ten years have passed since the end of Naraku. This new evil is more powerful and deadly. Strong enough to forge an alliance between Sesshomaru and a human Lord….Strong enough to force Sesshomaru to marry a human woman. The surprise…she was nothing he could expect. Meche is gone for 3 weeks, so this was the last thing she corrected…won't she be surprised when she gets back and has the story she's been dying for started. On a lighter note, I was nominated for 2004 Protege Awards for Inuyasha fanfiction, Besides having 21 judges read through my story with a critical eye, they have a people's choice award. If you want to vote for me…I have no idea how that works yet, but the website is http://protege.just-in-dreams.com/. Stay tuned.