InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Breaking Point ❯ Open Arms ( Chapter 11 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Striking Falcon 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Action | Type: Songfic | Uploaded On: 12.02.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.2K | Visits: 949 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Action | Type: Songfic | Uploaded On: 12.02.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.2K | Visits: 949 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: OK, here we go. The song is as follows: 'Mr. Man' by Alicia Keys and Jimmy Cozier.
Chapter Eleven: Open Arms
So now I come to you with open arms. Nothing to hide. Believe what I say. So here I am with open arms. Hoping you'll see what your love means to me... Open arms...
Mariah Carey 'Open Arms'
I
"OK people," Miroku announced at 8:50 Friday night. "This is going to be the last song for the night. Is there anything we haven't worked on?"
"Um..." The group around him thought for a few seconds, then shook their heads. "Nope," Sango said as the others prepared to pack up. "We've got everything."
"Good. Oh, you guys!" They stopped and waited for him to continue. "I do want to try something though."
"Try what?" Rin asked while the other's re-plugged.
"Just a simple something. I want to see how wide Kagome's vocal range is."
"Alright then," Kagome agreed with a smile. "What's the song?"
"It's..." Miroku glanced through a music folder, pausing once to wink at Sango, who winked back, before turning to Kagome. "It's Key: A Minor: eleven."
"Um..ok...What is that?" Kagome asked herself. Inuyasha yawned loudly, his mouth stretched wide before replying. "It's the Mr. Man duet."
"Hey, I love that song!" Rin chirped happily.
"Me too, but who's going to sing the other part with me?"
"Not me!" Inuyasha offered immediately. "I can't sing!"
"Not me either," Kouga said next. "I don't know the song."
"I don't know it either," Miroku said, then glanced at Sesshoumaru. "Looks like you're left buddy."
"I don't believe I'm the best choice," Sesshoumaru said with a shake of his head. "I sound nothing like the male lead."
"Yeah, I know," Miroku nodded as he tapped a few keys on his keyboard. "But Kagome doesn't sound like Alicia Keys does she? I just want to see if she can do more than the rock stuff we have her doing. I think it would give us a broader range of stuff to write."
"Fine," Sesshoumaru agreed. "Let's start."
"OK then." Miroku moved away from his keyboard and toward Kagome. He pulled the stool from underneath her (and ignored her yelp when she nearly hit the ground) and moved it in front of Sesshoumaru.
"What are you doing?" she asked as he moved her microphone too. Miroku shrugged. "I just thought it would help if you two were facing each other."
'I'm sure he did, the conniving lecher,' Sesshoumaru groaned. He saw right thought Miroku's plot, and found that he wasn't as mad as he should have been at his friend's matchmaking attempts. 'This will give me a better chance to study her,' he decided as she sat down and waited for Miroku to begin.
"You guys ready?"
Kagome nodded while Sesshoumaru merely waved his hand.
"Alright then."
Miroku cued them in, with a little wind chime from Inuyasha's side of the room. Kouga cued in the next part and Sesshoumaru yawned again, unaware of everyone's eyes as they watched him begin.
"Something about the way you smiled at me just drove me wild. I wish I could know if you're alone. I don't want to cramp your style, but I can not deny that I feel what I feel when I look straight into your eyes. I feel my heart beating fast for the challenge may arise."
'Not bad,' Miroku thought as he watched his best friend. Sesshoumaru was nearly predictable in his response, with him reluctantly giving in and finally focusing on Kagome. Miroku could see his feelings a plain as day shining in his eyes, the only part of him that ever gave something away as Sesshoumaru began the first chorus.
"I want to know if you feel the way I do, I do. I want to know if there's a chance for me and you, and you. If there's no way meet at the bar and say you can't. You can't. 'Cause I don't want to be. I don't want to be. I don't want to be unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. man. Unfair to Mr. man."
'Now,' Miroku thought as he winked at Sango again. 'Let's see if Kagome feels the same way.'
"Like the way you've given me attention through the night. Maybe I've had too much Remy my; man's right by my side." Miroku, Sango and Rin exchanged triumphant glances when Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru and blushed, her eyes immediately returning to her shoes. 'I knew it,' he grinned. 'It's going to be easy to hook those two up!'
"Every time I catch you watching me feel something down my spine. I'll play the game it's just for fun and only for tonight. All night..."
The door to the practice room opened quietly, and a figure leaned against the doorframe to watch unnoticed.
"I wanna know what makes you feel the way you do, you do. I think you're hoping there's a chance for me and you...and you. Should I meet you at the bar and say we can't... we can't. 'Cause I don't wanna be, I don't wanna be, I don't wanna be. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man."
Kagome looked up and froze, unable to tear herself away from sunny brown eyes as they pinned her to her chair.
"I know all you wanna know is answers... (wanna know is answers)"
If Sesshoumaru could have looked away he would have, but the intensity of her ever changing eyes left him paralyzed.
"'Cause you can give me what I need (you can give me everything I need)"
The world felt as if it melted away, leaving only the two of them in the center. The figure in the doorway noticed the change in atmosphere, and the funny looks on Kagome's sister's face.
'I think they're planning something,' the figure thought with a quiet sigh. 'Tisk-tisk. When will that little brat learn to mind her own business.'
"We both know that we're attracted...(Should we let our desires) should we let our desires lead?"
They finished the song without a hitch but applause brought the band from their spell as they turned to the door. "Oh great," Rin and Sango moaned as their 'audience' walked into the room. "Not now..."
"Who's that?" Miroku asked as Kagome stood up. Rin rolled her eyes and glared while Sango answered.
"Marcus."
"Hey," Kagome greeted, then gasped when he grabbed her arm and jerked her into his embrace. She giggled in embarrassment and meekly struggled to get free, completely unaware of the ugly glances exchanged between Marcus and Rin. "When did you get here?"
"Just a few seconds ago. So this is your little band." He glanced around critically and gave a condescending sniff. "Hmnh. I thought it would sound better than this."
"So," Marcus said as he turned away from the others. Inuyasha stood up and raised his arm back, ready to toss a drumstick at the back of his head. Kouga grabbed his arm and the two began to struggle. "You ready to go?"
"Go?" Kagome repeated, her mind more on the growls and snarls of the others behind Marcus as they vied for Inuyasha's drumsticks. "Oh, you mean out of here? Um..sure. I guess so."
"Good." Marcus grabbed her purse, bookbag and coat and left the room without another word. Kagome rolled her eyes in exasperation, waved to Rin and Sango, and limped from the room. Miroku slapped his forehead as the others began to pack up, and began to pack up himself when a shadow appeared over his keyboard.
He looked up and grinned sheepishly at Sesshoumaru's displeasure. "Hey buddy," he greeted as the others left the room. "How's it hanging?"
"That you shouldn't be concerned about," Sesshoumaru replied, his eyes narrowed into golden slits as he glared down at him. "What are you planning now?"
"Why Sesshoumaru, I'm surprised at you," Miroku countered with an innocent smile. "I don't know what you're talking about." He paled when Sesshoumaru merely cocked a dark brow, his expression unbelieving at best as he glared down at him. "What? I'm telling you Sesshoumaru, I don't-"He stopped when Sesshoumaru drummed his fingertips on the back of Miroku's keyboard, the light clicking of his fingernails abusive and promising as he glared at him.
"Alright, you caught me!" Miroku caved. "But it was Sango and Rin's idea, I swear!"
"As if I believe you lecher," Sesshoumaru mumbled with a frown. "What is the plan?"
"Well, um...It's er-"
"Miroku!" Rin called as she entered the room. "Come on!" She grabbed Miroku's arm and dragged him from the room, leaving Sesshoumaru with a grin and Miroku sputtering behind her.
II
"So," Marcus said as he drove back to the city. "That's your band huh?"
"Yup, that's them," Kagome said excitedly. "There's Miroku on keyboard-he normally drives me home-, then Inuyasha on drums and Kouga and Se-"
"I'm sure," Marcus interrupted. "What was the song you were singing? Something you were planning on doing?"
"No, not exactly," Kagome shook her head. "Miroku-"
"Who's he again?" Marcus asked.
"He's the one that plays keyboard. He and Sango are dating. Anyway, he wanted to see if I could sing more than rock, so he thought that song would be perfect. I don't understand why he wanted to know though."
"I do," Marcus told her as he stopped at a red light. "I think it's so that you can identify with different walks of life. Some people listen to rock, some don't. Those that don't are the ones you should try harder for. You make more money that way."
"Oh yeah," Kagome nodded in understanding. "I guess that is kinda true."
"What about the other guy?"
Kagome blinked, then turned to him in confusion. "What other guy?"
"The guy you were singing with," Marcus asked, his left eye (the one she couldn't see) twitching slightly.
"Oh, that's Sesshoumaru."
"Well, what's he like?"
"He's...ok, I guess," Kagome muttered. She turned to the window when Marcus glanced at her, hiding the blush on her cheeks as he motioned for her to continue. "Well, he's Sesshoumaru," she said as if it answered everything. "He was the lead singer before me, but now he just writes the songs and plays guitar."
"How does he feel about you?"
"Who, me?" Kagome asked, a finger pointed in her direction. Marcus nodded and frowned when she burst into laughter. "I'm sorry Marcus," she giggled as she held a hand to her chest. "I didn't mean to laugh. Sesshoumaru hates the ground I walk on."
"Are you sure?" Marcus asked. Kagome rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I'm positive. I think he sees me as a speck of sand in his eye that he can't get rid of. I just try to stay out of his way."
'Yes, I'm sure you do,' Marcus frowned as he stared back at the road. 'You may think he hates you, but I don't think so. He's after my girlfriend, and Kagome's bitch of a sister is helping him. I've got to keep her away from them, but how?' He continued thinking as they made their way though traffic, an idea coming to him when he pulled into the parking space in front of their apartment building. He gave an evil grin, one that Kagome would have been shocked to see as he got out his side of the car and helped Kagome out of hers.
III
Monday, Marcus watched from the back of his friend's car, with two of his friends in the front seats as another walked around the large yellow farmhouse.
"He's taking too long," one of men, this one with spiky blonde hair and brown eyes sitting in the front passenger seat, said. "I told you I should have gone."
"Yeah, but Ki's much smaller than us Bruce," Marcus said as he watched Ki, a shortfellow with dark hair that reached his shoulders. He glanced around, then stood on his toes and peered into the front room before jogging back to the car and getting in on Marcus' opposite side.
"So," Marcus said as Ki closed the door. "What'd you see?"
"Man, it's tight in there!" Ki exclaimed. "They've got some nice stuff in there Marcus! There's a stereo, a home entertainment system, and I think they have-"
"I couldn't give a shit," Marcus interrupted with a wave of his hand. "We're not here to steal anything."
"Aww, but Marcus," Ki whined. "They've got some stuff that'd be worth it."
"Ask me if I care," Marcus snappedwith a hard glare. He opened the car door and stepped outside, his back to the others as they followed his lead and he looked to the small shed-like building to the side of the house. "That is where we're going."
"Why?" Bruce asked as the last one of the group, a redhead with freckles sprinkled across the bridge of his nose, ran to pick the lock. "What's in here that's worth more than what's in the house?"
"Again, we're not here to steal anything. Are you done with the lock Freddy?"
"Yup," he nodded before pushing the door open. "Here ya go Marcus. Now what?"
"Now you're sure no one's here?" Marcus asked Ki as they walked into the practice room. "No cars in the garage, no people in the house, nothing?"
"Well, there is this really expensive car in the garage, but it looks like it hasn't been driven for a while."
"But the blue Civic and the champagne Buick aren't here?" He smiled at Ki's negative response."Good." He entered the room past the others and glanced at the room ahead of them. "Boys, we're going to do something more fun than stealing. We're doin' a smash."
"A smash?"
"Ki, go get the 'instruments'." Marcus and the others waited for the flunky to come back, this time with four baseball bats.
"Ah Marcus," Freddy said as he accepted the bat from Ki. "A baseball bat. Just what I've always wanted."
"Yeah Marcus," Bruce teased next. "You shouldn't have."
"Stop being stupid," Marcus ordered when they started snickering. "We've got to hurry up and get this done before that pretty boy gets off from work or the others come here for practice."
"What are we doing exactly?" Ki asked as Marcus walked away from them toward the nearby keyboard. "I mean, if we're not stealing the stuff then what are we here for?"
"Simple." Marcus grinned evilly, stepped back and crashed the bat down on the unsuspecting keyboard. He hammered the instrument mercilessly, an evil glint to his eye as pieces of the keyboard flew around the room. The others caught on quickly and, with a smile that matched their leader's, proceeded to follow his example.
IV
Miroku pulled into Sesshoumaru's driveway, noticing that Sesshoumaru's car wasn't yet in the driveway. 'Oh well,' he thought as he parked to the back of the house toward the garage. 'I guess I'll just have to search for sheet music without him.'
"Alright Kagome," he said as he opened the door for her. Kagome passed him her crutches, then braced herself against the side of the car before gesturing for her crutches.
"I've got it Miroku," she told him with a weary smile.
"You sure?"
Kagome nodded. "Yeah. You go ahead and do whatever it was you were going to do. I'll wait here for Sango and Rin."
Miroku nodded and walked down the porch to the front door. He reached underneath the 'All Paws Here' doormat for the spare key, opened the door and went inside. He moved from the foyer, through the living room and up the winding stairs to Sesshoumaru's room and opened the door.
"Let's see here..." Miroku whispered to himself as he began to search the room. "If I were Sesshoumaru., where would I keep my sheet music..."
Miroku lifted up the mattress, looked underneath the bed, and inside the nightstandbut still couldn't find where Sesshoumaru kept his blank sheet music. "For the love of...where is it?"
He stepped back and looked around, taking a moment to study his surroundings before smacking his forehead. "Um, could it be in his desk Miroku?" he mumbled to himself as he opened the first of three desk drawers. The first one was empty, if you didn't count the black pens, black printer ink and filler paper he found. The second didn't hold what Miroku was looking for either but it did hold something interesting all the same.
Miroku stared in confusion then lifted free a package wrapped in burgundy and gold silk. He sat the bundle on Sesshoumaru's bed and unwrapped it. Inside he found a baby blue MP3 player, an IPod with ear bud headphones. Miroku picked up the silk cloth itself, traced one of the golden swirls curiously and gave it a critical sniff. Strawberries wafted up his nose, further confusing him as Miroku glanced around the room again. His frowned at the cute black dog toy sitting on top of the computer monitor and wondered to himself how he managed to miss it.
"Man, no wonder I can't find anything," Miroku said aloud. "This isn't Sesshoumaru's room."
"And why isn't it?" Sesshoumaru asked from his place at the door's threshold. "And what are you doing snooping around?"
"I wasn't snooping around," Miroku countered, then quickly tossed the scarf back to Sesshoumaru's bed. Sesshoumaru followed its descent with uninterested eyes before glaring at Miroku.
"I won't ask again. What are you doing in here?"
"I was looking for sheet music alright," Miroku huffed. "I didn't find any but...what's this?" Miroku held up the MP3 player. "When did you get this? It's cool. They didn't have it in another color? And why was it wrapped in a scarf?"
"It's not mine," Sesshoumaru admitted as he walked past Miroku to his closet and tossed his suit jacket to his bed. Miroku's brow rose in confusion.
"Who's are they then?"
He watched as Sesshoumaru stiffened, and for a moment didn't expect an answer when
"They're Kagome's."
"She let you borrow an MP3 player, a stuffed dog-"Another surprise fell from the scarf when Miroku shook it, a silver fairy clip falling to the navy blue blanket from the scarf's confines. "A clip and a scarf?"
"She...didn't let me borrow them exactly."
"So you stole them?" Miroku accused and held up his hands when Sesshoumaru glared over his shoulder at him.
"Are you serious? No I didn't steal them! I have no reason to steal from the girl."
"Then what's this stuff doing in your room man?" Miroku asked. "Why haven't you given them back to her? I'm sure she's missed the MP3 player by now. No doubt the dog too."
"The dog isn't hers and I intend to give her the rest of her things, eventually."
"Man I can't believe this," Miroku lamented as he sank down in an easy chair next to the door. "You do realize that, if anyone else were to hear of this, they'd swear you liked the girl." Miroku's eyes widened when Sesshoumaru stiffened again, this time his entire body seemed to freeze completely before returning to it's natural functions.
"You do..." he whispered, a little of the disbelief and awe he felt laced in his voice. "That's why you've been acting so weird. You're...in love, aren't you?"
Sesshoumaru turned around, loosened his tie and tossed it to the bed, not bothering to give Miroku an answer as he turned back to his closet and searched for something else to wear. He quickly looked over his shoulder when Miroku started laughing, watching as his friend slid completely from the chair to stretch out on the floor in his glee.
"Didn't I tell you?!" he guffawed as Sesshoumaru glared down at him. "I told you it was gonna bite you hard! Man, I can't wait to tell the other-"He winced when Sesshoumaru kicked him in the side, not hard enough to hurt him but with enough force behind it to let him know he was serious.
"I promise you Miroku, I will shoot you if you tell anyone your ridiculous ideas-"
"Hey Sesshoumaru!"
Sesshoumaru moved back as Inuyasha appeared on the other side of his doorway, his younger brother already aware of Sesshoumaru's disapproval of him being in his private sanctuary without permission. "We've got a problem man. It's bad."
"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked as Miroku stood up and brushed himself off. Inuyasha just shook his head and gestured for them to follow him. "I-I can't say. Just come on."
Sesshoumaru and Miroku exchanged glances, both now curious as to what had Inuyasha so upset as they followed him down the stairs to the practice room. They noticed the others first, everyone crowded around the practice room entrance with Kouga on his cell phone beside it. "Sesshoumaru man," Inuyasha began to explain as Sesshoumaru and Miroku pushed past Kagome and the others to the practice room. "I don't know what happened. We opened the door and it was like this."
Sesshoumaru and Miroku stood inside the room itself, their mouths agape as they stared at the destruction around them. The blood red curtains that made up the back half of the room were ripped from their curtain rod and tossed to the floor, the rod itself bent in two and protruding from one of the snare drums. A colossal hole was in the center of the bass drum from front to back, with Inuyasha's drumsticks in splinters around the rest of the ruined and dented instrument.
Little white plastic keys were scattered all over the floor, along with other pieces of not only the keyboard, but the microphones, speakers, stools and the small table that served as Sesshoumaru's writing desk. Miroku continued to gape as Sesshoumaru kneeled down and picked up a tiny black splinter with 'Yamaha' stamped on the side.
"Oh Sesshoumaru," he heard Kagome whisper behind him. "I'm so sorry."
"Why?" he asked as he stood back up. "Did you have anything to do with this?" He regretted asking when he glanced back at her and found tears welling in her eyes.
"I can't believe you said that," she sniffed. "I wouldn't...I-"
"He knows Kagome," Miroku said as he stepped between them. "He's just a little jarred, that's all."
"Kouga's already on the phone with the police," Inuyasha told them, then herded Kagome and the other girls out of the room. "Come on you guys. Let's see if we can find some brooms or something."
Miroku watched them go before turning to Sesshoumaru, who still stared at what used to be their band room. "Don't worry about it man," Miroku said as he grabbed one of the overturned trash cans and began picking up some of the mess. "I'm sure you're insurance will cover it."
"I don't have insurance."
"Say what?" Miroku stammered. "I thought you said-"
"I said I have insurance for the house and what's inside it. I never got around to insuring this room."
"Oh man, you've got to be kidding me," Miroku groaned as he plunked down on the floor. "So how long do we have to wait to replace everything?"
Sesshoumaru retrieved the trash can from Miroku and started where he left off. "It took years to save enough money for the instruments," he said once his back was turned. "I...can't replace them right away."
"What about Myouga?" Miroku offered. "I'm sure he could scrounge up something."
"Maybe in time for Friday, but what would we practice with? Kouga and I are not an entire band."
"Yeah man I know but-"
"Don't worry about practice today," Sesshoumaru said as the others walked into the room. "Go home." Miroku reached for a piece of wood, guessing it was what was left of the writing table before Sesshoumaru glared up at him. "I said go home. I have this."
Miroku paused, then nodded, understanding without words his friend's need to be alone. "Come on you guys," Miroku said as he pushed them out the door again. "We'll come back Wednesday." He shut the door behind him and walked the others to their cars. He opened his passenger door for Kagome, who shook her head and gave him a hug.
"I'm really sorry Miroku," she whispered against his coat. "Tell Sesshoumaru I said so."
"Kagome, you didn't do anything," Miroku told her as Sango and Rin hugged him too. "I don't know why you guys are so upset. We're going to replace everything soon enough."
"Cut the crap Miroku," Rin said as Sango and Kagome sniffed. "We heard what Sesshoumaru said, about not having the money to get new stuff. Is the band going to break up?"
"No," Miroku told them with a shake of his head. "We're not breaking up. We've just had a bit of bad luck, that's all. You girls will see, everything will be better by the end of the week." He blushed when they gave him a gentle squeeze and released him, all three looking as if someone kicked their puppies. "Aww, don't look like that," he said before patting their heads. "Rin, you and Sango get on home. I'll take Kagome."
"No, that's ok," Kagome said as she pulled her bookbag from the back of Miroku's car. "I'll go home with them. You have something more important to do."
"Yeah, you're right," Miroku nodded as the three piled in Sango's car. "I'll stay here and wait for the police. Maybe they can find something."
"Well tell us tomorrow OK?" Rin called from the front passenger seat as they pulled out the driveway and began down the road. "Man, this is so fucked up."
"Rin!" Kagome and Sango gaped. "Don't say that!"
"Why?" Rin shrugged. "It is. I mean, it's not four whole days since Marcus showed up, and look what happened! I bet you he had something to do with this!!"
"Rin, don't say stuff like that," Sango scolded as they stopped for a group of ducks crossing the road. "You don't know if he had something to do with it or not."
"But it's too much of a coincidence," Rin insisted. "Don't you think so Kagome?"
"I don't know," Kagome muttered softly. She sighed and turned to the window, the others taking it as a sign to leave her alone as her thoughts swirled around her. 'I...I can't help but agree with Rin,' she realized once the ducks had made it safely to the other side of the street. 'It is too much of a coincidence, especially after waking up this morning and him not being there. He wasn't at work either.' She shook her head clear and sighed again, her hand coming up to rest her chin in the palm of it as she gazed out into the ever darkening sky.
'I don't know why...but I feel like I have to make this right somehow,' Kagome said to herself as the car continued down the country road. 'I know somehow, it's my fault this happened.'
V
Marcus looked up at the scraping of a key against the keyhole and listened to the tumble of locks that heralded Kagome's arrival as she stumbled against the door. He stood up to help when the end of her crutches scraped against the wooden door. He opened it and stepped aside so she could come in, not entirely surprised to see her cheeks red from the wind and tear stained as she stepped into the warmth and past his open arms.
"You're home early," Marcus said as he closed and locked the door behind her. Kagome nodded miserably. "Yeah, I know. There was some sort of accident today."
"Really?" he said before helping her out of her coat. "What kind of accident?"
Kagome sighed and flopped down on the couch, moved her injured foot to the coffee table and sighed. "Somebody broke into the practice room and wrecked the place."
"No way," Marcus gasped as he sat down beside her. "How?"
"I don't know. We left before the police arrived."
"Police?" Marcus repeated. "He called the police."
"No, not Sesshoumaru," Kagome shook her head. "Another band member, Kouga did. They were on the way when I left. They may come by here later on tonight to question me. That is how they do things here, right Marcus?"
"Right," Marcus nodded absently, his mind somewhere else completely as she looked at him. "Um...I've got to go Kagome," he said. He stood up abruptly and grabbed his coat and hat before opening the door. "Hey, you look upset," he said as he left. "You want me to bring you back anything?"
"No," Kagome said as she waved him off. "I'm fine." 'I just can't believe you'd do this,' she said to herself as he shut and locked the door behind him. 'I really am responsible for this. I've just got to make things right...but how...'
VI
Kagome sat in Miroku's passenger seat Wednesday afternoon, a small black bag in her hands as they drove to Sesshoumaru's house for practice. Miroku glanced at her from the corner of his eye, watching as she clutched the plastic bag almost as desperately as some people would their children.
"Kagome, what's that?"
"Huh? Oh." Kagome glanced down at the bag with a smile. "It's a feel good present for the band. Sango, Rin and I got you guys something yesterday."
"Really? Oooo!" He grinned and winked at her, his grin widening with her giggle. "I just love presents!"
"Yeah well, you'll have to wait until I see the others," Kagome chastised as they pulled into Sesshoumaru's driveway. The door to the practice room was wide open, and Sesshoumaru stood in the threshold with a broom and dustpan in his hands. They waved as they passed, but he didn't wave back. "Poor guy," Kagome whispered to herself. "He must be devastated."
"Yeah, but he's better today," Miroku assured her as he parked in front of the garage. "He must have figured something out."
"How can you tell?" Kagome asked as Miroku opened her door. She glanced back at the crutches and stuck out her tongue at them before hopping out. "I mean, he doesn't look any different today than he did Monday. As a matter of fact...he always looks like that."
"Like what?" Miroku asked as Inuyasha parked beside them.
"Like the entire world's ending and he could care less," Kagome quipped. Inuyasha snorted as he greeted them. "Yeah well, that's Sesshoumaru for ya. He's always looked like that."
"You two just can't read him," Miroku told them, then stepped to the side so Sango and Kouga could park without running him over.
"Yeah like you can. Come on Kagome." Miroku held out his arm for her, then the opposite one for Sango before walking away from him. Kagome hopped along beside him, having already moved her bag from her hands to the inside of her coat.
"Hey Sesshoumaru," Sango greeted when they finally reached him. "How's the clean-up going?"
"I've finished cleaning up," he told them dryly. "So there is nothing else to do."
"What about practice?" Kagome meekly asked. She winced at the scathing look he gave her and her eyes snapped shut. She opened them again when he went back inside and was the first to notice a large white moving van parked at the end of the driveway. "Hey guys," she said as she tugged on Miroku's coat sleeve. "What's that?"
Miroku turned to where she pointed and watched as four men jumped from the van's cab and climbed up the driveway toward them. "Hey man," one drawled before spitting out a toothpick. "Is you Sessho-may-rue Tissue?"
"Who the fuck's that?" Inuyasha asked as he approached them. "Dude, do you mean Sesshoumaru Taishou?"
"Yeah man!" the moving man drawled as he held out a clipboard and a pen. "Is you him?"
"Hell naw I'm not that frosty bastard," Inuyasha snorted, then thumbed toward the practice room. "He's the guy with the silver hair."
"Oh. Thanks a lot." They all watched the man walk inside, leaving the band members and his fellow movers behind.
"Oh man," Kagome shivered suddenly. "Why do I feel like we sent him into the lion's den?"
"Maybe because we did," Miroku answered gravely. They peered inside and watched the man and Sesshoumaru conduct some semblance of conversation, Sesshoumaru sign a paper, and the moving man hand Sesshoumaru a COD slip and a brown envelope.
"Al-right you guys!" the moving man said to his fellow movers. "Let's get 'er goin'!"
"What's going on?" Miroku asked Sesshoumaru when he finally came outside.
"He said that I have some sort of delivery."
"What kind?" Inuyasha asked as he peered around Sesshoumaru's arm to the receipt. "I don't know," Sesshoumaru answered. Miroku leaned over the paper, then glanced at the side of the door where Kagome stood...
Only to find her gone.
"Now where did she get off to?" he wondered aloud as he glanced inside the room. "She can't go that fast..can she?"
"Hey Kagome," Rin called out suddenly. "I don't think they need a cripple helping out."
"Shut up Rin!" Kagome yelled as she boosted herself to the back of the van. "I wanna-woah! You guys gotta come see!"
Two of the movers came down the ramp after her exclamation carrying a large rectangular box. The ambled cautiously up the driveway to the practice room, where they sat the box down and walked out. Two more movers followed them, each carrying four black metal chairs between them.
Soon the contents were laid bare to the stunned band members, each one unable to speak as a new drum set, keyboard, microphones and speakers emerged from the van's massive carrier.
"Oh wow," Sango gasped as the men opened the rectangular box and began assembling the executive's desk inside. "It's like Christmas morning."
"Yeah, except for the rotting pumpkin on the end of the driveway," Inuyasha agreed before storming into the room. He shoved away the mover working on the drum set, assuring the man that he knew how to set it up before kneeling on the cold cement and getting to work. Sesshoumaru looked on from the door as the others went to assist the movers, his normal look of boredom masking the confusion he felt as he stared down at the brown envelope.
He opened it just as Kagome hobbled to him with the smile on her face reflecting in her sea green eyes. "Isn't it amazing?" Kagome breathed with a happy sigh. "Sango's right. It is just like Christmas. I wonder who did this."
"Mr. Ta-shaw," the first mover called as he held up another form. "Here ya go man. I'm suppose ta give you this too. Will somebody be hur tomorrow?"
"Yes," Sesshoumaru told him as he signed yet another paper. "I will be. Why?"
"ADT is scheduled to come out and put in a se-cur-etty sys-em," the mover said, then tipped his hat toward Kagome. "And who mit you be purdy lady?"
"None of your business," Sesshoumaru growled before Kagome could answer. "Now are you finished?"
"Yup, sur are sunny," the mover grinned. "Now we'd best be on ur way. Got a lot more to do ya know?" Kagome waved as the movers drove away, then turned to Sesshoumaru with her fist between them.
"What is it now?" Sesshoumaru half growled. Kagome flinched but opened her hand, revealing a blood red/black swirl guitar pick. He picked it up gingerly, the hard plastic still warm from Kagome's hand. The initials 'S. T.' were etched in golden Roman font. "What's this?" he asked, inwardly guessing that the blush on Kagome's cheeks wasn't exactly due to the wind.
"Um, well, I wanted to do something you know. So the girls and I went and got everyone a little something." She glanced behind her to the room. He noticed Kouga holding a pick like his own, except his appeared to have a teal shine that matched his guitar. Black drumsticks tested the new skins on one of the snare drums and Miroku had a pair of fingerless leather gloves in his hands.
"So I see."
Kagome's blush darkened considerably, and she glanced away from him to the ground at her feet. "Like I said, it was a little something we wanted to do to...you know, make you guys feel better." Kagome sighed and watched as Rin pieced together one of the new microphones. "Looks like it wasn't needed after all."
"Hmnh," was all he said to this, though he did palm the pick. He opened the letter in his hand as Kagome went back inside.
To my favorite band in the entire world. Hope this does some good.
The letter wasn't signed but there was a small symbol on the bottom, a Persian crescent moon in indigo blue. The unusual part about it was the direction it faced. Where normal crescents would face east, this crescent faced west toward his left. 'Now where have I seen this symbol...'
As Sesshoumaru thought, an eight year old version of himself jumped up and sprinted to the computer monitor that formed his mind's eye and studied the symbol. A memory resurfaced and both reacted at the same time, with the eight year old giving off a loud war whoop and dancing around Sesshoumaru's mental archives.
All the real Sesshoumaru could do is stare at the symbol, memory after memory replaying itself as he whispered,
"She remembered me..."
(End Chapter)
Are you in need of some help? Then please go to A Single Spark and see the end of the chapter. The preview to the next chapter is below.
A new song by Sesshou...with a little help from Kagome...
Kagome gets a visitor...
Marcus comes to a gig...
And the wool is pulled from Kagome's eyes
Next chapter-Chapter Twelve: What About That?
Chapter Eleven: Open Arms
So now I come to you with open arms. Nothing to hide. Believe what I say. So here I am with open arms. Hoping you'll see what your love means to me... Open arms...
Mariah Carey 'Open Arms'
I
"OK people," Miroku announced at 8:50 Friday night. "This is going to be the last song for the night. Is there anything we haven't worked on?"
"Um..." The group around him thought for a few seconds, then shook their heads. "Nope," Sango said as the others prepared to pack up. "We've got everything."
"Good. Oh, you guys!" They stopped and waited for him to continue. "I do want to try something though."
"Try what?" Rin asked while the other's re-plugged.
"Just a simple something. I want to see how wide Kagome's vocal range is."
"Alright then," Kagome agreed with a smile. "What's the song?"
"It's..." Miroku glanced through a music folder, pausing once to wink at Sango, who winked back, before turning to Kagome. "It's Key: A Minor: eleven."
"Um..ok...What is that?" Kagome asked herself. Inuyasha yawned loudly, his mouth stretched wide before replying. "It's the Mr. Man duet."
"Hey, I love that song!" Rin chirped happily.
"Me too, but who's going to sing the other part with me?"
"Not me!" Inuyasha offered immediately. "I can't sing!"
"Not me either," Kouga said next. "I don't know the song."
"I don't know it either," Miroku said, then glanced at Sesshoumaru. "Looks like you're left buddy."
"I don't believe I'm the best choice," Sesshoumaru said with a shake of his head. "I sound nothing like the male lead."
"Yeah, I know," Miroku nodded as he tapped a few keys on his keyboard. "But Kagome doesn't sound like Alicia Keys does she? I just want to see if she can do more than the rock stuff we have her doing. I think it would give us a broader range of stuff to write."
"Fine," Sesshoumaru agreed. "Let's start."
"OK then." Miroku moved away from his keyboard and toward Kagome. He pulled the stool from underneath her (and ignored her yelp when she nearly hit the ground) and moved it in front of Sesshoumaru.
"What are you doing?" she asked as he moved her microphone too. Miroku shrugged. "I just thought it would help if you two were facing each other."
'I'm sure he did, the conniving lecher,' Sesshoumaru groaned. He saw right thought Miroku's plot, and found that he wasn't as mad as he should have been at his friend's matchmaking attempts. 'This will give me a better chance to study her,' he decided as she sat down and waited for Miroku to begin.
"You guys ready?"
Kagome nodded while Sesshoumaru merely waved his hand.
"Alright then."
Miroku cued them in, with a little wind chime from Inuyasha's side of the room. Kouga cued in the next part and Sesshoumaru yawned again, unaware of everyone's eyes as they watched him begin.
"Something about the way you smiled at me just drove me wild. I wish I could know if you're alone. I don't want to cramp your style, but I can not deny that I feel what I feel when I look straight into your eyes. I feel my heart beating fast for the challenge may arise."
'Not bad,' Miroku thought as he watched his best friend. Sesshoumaru was nearly predictable in his response, with him reluctantly giving in and finally focusing on Kagome. Miroku could see his feelings a plain as day shining in his eyes, the only part of him that ever gave something away as Sesshoumaru began the first chorus.
"I want to know if you feel the way I do, I do. I want to know if there's a chance for me and you, and you. If there's no way meet at the bar and say you can't. You can't. 'Cause I don't want to be. I don't want to be. I don't want to be unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. man. Unfair to Mr. man."
'Now,' Miroku thought as he winked at Sango again. 'Let's see if Kagome feels the same way.'
"Like the way you've given me attention through the night. Maybe I've had too much Remy my; man's right by my side." Miroku, Sango and Rin exchanged triumphant glances when Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru and blushed, her eyes immediately returning to her shoes. 'I knew it,' he grinned. 'It's going to be easy to hook those two up!'
"Every time I catch you watching me feel something down my spine. I'll play the game it's just for fun and only for tonight. All night..."
The door to the practice room opened quietly, and a figure leaned against the doorframe to watch unnoticed.
"I wanna know what makes you feel the way you do, you do. I think you're hoping there's a chance for me and you...and you. Should I meet you at the bar and say we can't... we can't. 'Cause I don't wanna be, I don't wanna be, I don't wanna be. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man. Unfair to Mr. Man."
Kagome looked up and froze, unable to tear herself away from sunny brown eyes as they pinned her to her chair.
"I know all you wanna know is answers... (wanna know is answers)"
If Sesshoumaru could have looked away he would have, but the intensity of her ever changing eyes left him paralyzed.
"'Cause you can give me what I need (you can give me everything I need)"
The world felt as if it melted away, leaving only the two of them in the center. The figure in the doorway noticed the change in atmosphere, and the funny looks on Kagome's sister's face.
'I think they're planning something,' the figure thought with a quiet sigh. 'Tisk-tisk. When will that little brat learn to mind her own business.'
"We both know that we're attracted...(Should we let our desires) should we let our desires lead?"
They finished the song without a hitch but applause brought the band from their spell as they turned to the door. "Oh great," Rin and Sango moaned as their 'audience' walked into the room. "Not now..."
"Who's that?" Miroku asked as Kagome stood up. Rin rolled her eyes and glared while Sango answered.
"Marcus."
"Hey," Kagome greeted, then gasped when he grabbed her arm and jerked her into his embrace. She giggled in embarrassment and meekly struggled to get free, completely unaware of the ugly glances exchanged between Marcus and Rin. "When did you get here?"
"Just a few seconds ago. So this is your little band." He glanced around critically and gave a condescending sniff. "Hmnh. I thought it would sound better than this."
"So," Marcus said as he turned away from the others. Inuyasha stood up and raised his arm back, ready to toss a drumstick at the back of his head. Kouga grabbed his arm and the two began to struggle. "You ready to go?"
"Go?" Kagome repeated, her mind more on the growls and snarls of the others behind Marcus as they vied for Inuyasha's drumsticks. "Oh, you mean out of here? Um..sure. I guess so."
"Good." Marcus grabbed her purse, bookbag and coat and left the room without another word. Kagome rolled her eyes in exasperation, waved to Rin and Sango, and limped from the room. Miroku slapped his forehead as the others began to pack up, and began to pack up himself when a shadow appeared over his keyboard.
He looked up and grinned sheepishly at Sesshoumaru's displeasure. "Hey buddy," he greeted as the others left the room. "How's it hanging?"
"That you shouldn't be concerned about," Sesshoumaru replied, his eyes narrowed into golden slits as he glared down at him. "What are you planning now?"
"Why Sesshoumaru, I'm surprised at you," Miroku countered with an innocent smile. "I don't know what you're talking about." He paled when Sesshoumaru merely cocked a dark brow, his expression unbelieving at best as he glared down at him. "What? I'm telling you Sesshoumaru, I don't-"He stopped when Sesshoumaru drummed his fingertips on the back of Miroku's keyboard, the light clicking of his fingernails abusive and promising as he glared at him.
"Alright, you caught me!" Miroku caved. "But it was Sango and Rin's idea, I swear!"
"As if I believe you lecher," Sesshoumaru mumbled with a frown. "What is the plan?"
"Well, um...It's er-"
"Miroku!" Rin called as she entered the room. "Come on!" She grabbed Miroku's arm and dragged him from the room, leaving Sesshoumaru with a grin and Miroku sputtering behind her.
II
"So," Marcus said as he drove back to the city. "That's your band huh?"
"Yup, that's them," Kagome said excitedly. "There's Miroku on keyboard-he normally drives me home-, then Inuyasha on drums and Kouga and Se-"
"I'm sure," Marcus interrupted. "What was the song you were singing? Something you were planning on doing?"
"No, not exactly," Kagome shook her head. "Miroku-"
"Who's he again?" Marcus asked.
"He's the one that plays keyboard. He and Sango are dating. Anyway, he wanted to see if I could sing more than rock, so he thought that song would be perfect. I don't understand why he wanted to know though."
"I do," Marcus told her as he stopped at a red light. "I think it's so that you can identify with different walks of life. Some people listen to rock, some don't. Those that don't are the ones you should try harder for. You make more money that way."
"Oh yeah," Kagome nodded in understanding. "I guess that is kinda true."
"What about the other guy?"
Kagome blinked, then turned to him in confusion. "What other guy?"
"The guy you were singing with," Marcus asked, his left eye (the one she couldn't see) twitching slightly.
"Oh, that's Sesshoumaru."
"Well, what's he like?"
"He's...ok, I guess," Kagome muttered. She turned to the window when Marcus glanced at her, hiding the blush on her cheeks as he motioned for her to continue. "Well, he's Sesshoumaru," she said as if it answered everything. "He was the lead singer before me, but now he just writes the songs and plays guitar."
"How does he feel about you?"
"Who, me?" Kagome asked, a finger pointed in her direction. Marcus nodded and frowned when she burst into laughter. "I'm sorry Marcus," she giggled as she held a hand to her chest. "I didn't mean to laugh. Sesshoumaru hates the ground I walk on."
"Are you sure?" Marcus asked. Kagome rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I'm positive. I think he sees me as a speck of sand in his eye that he can't get rid of. I just try to stay out of his way."
'Yes, I'm sure you do,' Marcus frowned as he stared back at the road. 'You may think he hates you, but I don't think so. He's after my girlfriend, and Kagome's bitch of a sister is helping him. I've got to keep her away from them, but how?' He continued thinking as they made their way though traffic, an idea coming to him when he pulled into the parking space in front of their apartment building. He gave an evil grin, one that Kagome would have been shocked to see as he got out his side of the car and helped Kagome out of hers.
III
Monday, Marcus watched from the back of his friend's car, with two of his friends in the front seats as another walked around the large yellow farmhouse.
"He's taking too long," one of men, this one with spiky blonde hair and brown eyes sitting in the front passenger seat, said. "I told you I should have gone."
"Yeah, but Ki's much smaller than us Bruce," Marcus said as he watched Ki, a shortfellow with dark hair that reached his shoulders. He glanced around, then stood on his toes and peered into the front room before jogging back to the car and getting in on Marcus' opposite side.
"So," Marcus said as Ki closed the door. "What'd you see?"
"Man, it's tight in there!" Ki exclaimed. "They've got some nice stuff in there Marcus! There's a stereo, a home entertainment system, and I think they have-"
"I couldn't give a shit," Marcus interrupted with a wave of his hand. "We're not here to steal anything."
"Aww, but Marcus," Ki whined. "They've got some stuff that'd be worth it."
"Ask me if I care," Marcus snappedwith a hard glare. He opened the car door and stepped outside, his back to the others as they followed his lead and he looked to the small shed-like building to the side of the house. "That is where we're going."
"Why?" Bruce asked as the last one of the group, a redhead with freckles sprinkled across the bridge of his nose, ran to pick the lock. "What's in here that's worth more than what's in the house?"
"Again, we're not here to steal anything. Are you done with the lock Freddy?"
"Yup," he nodded before pushing the door open. "Here ya go Marcus. Now what?"
"Now you're sure no one's here?" Marcus asked Ki as they walked into the practice room. "No cars in the garage, no people in the house, nothing?"
"Well, there is this really expensive car in the garage, but it looks like it hasn't been driven for a while."
"But the blue Civic and the champagne Buick aren't here?" He smiled at Ki's negative response."Good." He entered the room past the others and glanced at the room ahead of them. "Boys, we're going to do something more fun than stealing. We're doin' a smash."
"A smash?"
"Ki, go get the 'instruments'." Marcus and the others waited for the flunky to come back, this time with four baseball bats.
"Ah Marcus," Freddy said as he accepted the bat from Ki. "A baseball bat. Just what I've always wanted."
"Yeah Marcus," Bruce teased next. "You shouldn't have."
"Stop being stupid," Marcus ordered when they started snickering. "We've got to hurry up and get this done before that pretty boy gets off from work or the others come here for practice."
"What are we doing exactly?" Ki asked as Marcus walked away from them toward the nearby keyboard. "I mean, if we're not stealing the stuff then what are we here for?"
"Simple." Marcus grinned evilly, stepped back and crashed the bat down on the unsuspecting keyboard. He hammered the instrument mercilessly, an evil glint to his eye as pieces of the keyboard flew around the room. The others caught on quickly and, with a smile that matched their leader's, proceeded to follow his example.
IV
Miroku pulled into Sesshoumaru's driveway, noticing that Sesshoumaru's car wasn't yet in the driveway. 'Oh well,' he thought as he parked to the back of the house toward the garage. 'I guess I'll just have to search for sheet music without him.'
"Alright Kagome," he said as he opened the door for her. Kagome passed him her crutches, then braced herself against the side of the car before gesturing for her crutches.
"I've got it Miroku," she told him with a weary smile.
"You sure?"
Kagome nodded. "Yeah. You go ahead and do whatever it was you were going to do. I'll wait here for Sango and Rin."
Miroku nodded and walked down the porch to the front door. He reached underneath the 'All Paws Here' doormat for the spare key, opened the door and went inside. He moved from the foyer, through the living room and up the winding stairs to Sesshoumaru's room and opened the door.
"Let's see here..." Miroku whispered to himself as he began to search the room. "If I were Sesshoumaru., where would I keep my sheet music..."
Miroku lifted up the mattress, looked underneath the bed, and inside the nightstandbut still couldn't find where Sesshoumaru kept his blank sheet music. "For the love of...where is it?"
He stepped back and looked around, taking a moment to study his surroundings before smacking his forehead. "Um, could it be in his desk Miroku?" he mumbled to himself as he opened the first of three desk drawers. The first one was empty, if you didn't count the black pens, black printer ink and filler paper he found. The second didn't hold what Miroku was looking for either but it did hold something interesting all the same.
Miroku stared in confusion then lifted free a package wrapped in burgundy and gold silk. He sat the bundle on Sesshoumaru's bed and unwrapped it. Inside he found a baby blue MP3 player, an IPod with ear bud headphones. Miroku picked up the silk cloth itself, traced one of the golden swirls curiously and gave it a critical sniff. Strawberries wafted up his nose, further confusing him as Miroku glanced around the room again. His frowned at the cute black dog toy sitting on top of the computer monitor and wondered to himself how he managed to miss it.
"Man, no wonder I can't find anything," Miroku said aloud. "This isn't Sesshoumaru's room."
"And why isn't it?" Sesshoumaru asked from his place at the door's threshold. "And what are you doing snooping around?"
"I wasn't snooping around," Miroku countered, then quickly tossed the scarf back to Sesshoumaru's bed. Sesshoumaru followed its descent with uninterested eyes before glaring at Miroku.
"I won't ask again. What are you doing in here?"
"I was looking for sheet music alright," Miroku huffed. "I didn't find any but...what's this?" Miroku held up the MP3 player. "When did you get this? It's cool. They didn't have it in another color? And why was it wrapped in a scarf?"
"It's not mine," Sesshoumaru admitted as he walked past Miroku to his closet and tossed his suit jacket to his bed. Miroku's brow rose in confusion.
"Who's are they then?"
He watched as Sesshoumaru stiffened, and for a moment didn't expect an answer when
"They're Kagome's."
"She let you borrow an MP3 player, a stuffed dog-"Another surprise fell from the scarf when Miroku shook it, a silver fairy clip falling to the navy blue blanket from the scarf's confines. "A clip and a scarf?"
"She...didn't let me borrow them exactly."
"So you stole them?" Miroku accused and held up his hands when Sesshoumaru glared over his shoulder at him.
"Are you serious? No I didn't steal them! I have no reason to steal from the girl."
"Then what's this stuff doing in your room man?" Miroku asked. "Why haven't you given them back to her? I'm sure she's missed the MP3 player by now. No doubt the dog too."
"The dog isn't hers and I intend to give her the rest of her things, eventually."
"Man I can't believe this," Miroku lamented as he sank down in an easy chair next to the door. "You do realize that, if anyone else were to hear of this, they'd swear you liked the girl." Miroku's eyes widened when Sesshoumaru stiffened again, this time his entire body seemed to freeze completely before returning to it's natural functions.
"You do..." he whispered, a little of the disbelief and awe he felt laced in his voice. "That's why you've been acting so weird. You're...in love, aren't you?"
Sesshoumaru turned around, loosened his tie and tossed it to the bed, not bothering to give Miroku an answer as he turned back to his closet and searched for something else to wear. He quickly looked over his shoulder when Miroku started laughing, watching as his friend slid completely from the chair to stretch out on the floor in his glee.
"Didn't I tell you?!" he guffawed as Sesshoumaru glared down at him. "I told you it was gonna bite you hard! Man, I can't wait to tell the other-"He winced when Sesshoumaru kicked him in the side, not hard enough to hurt him but with enough force behind it to let him know he was serious.
"I promise you Miroku, I will shoot you if you tell anyone your ridiculous ideas-"
"Hey Sesshoumaru!"
Sesshoumaru moved back as Inuyasha appeared on the other side of his doorway, his younger brother already aware of Sesshoumaru's disapproval of him being in his private sanctuary without permission. "We've got a problem man. It's bad."
"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked as Miroku stood up and brushed himself off. Inuyasha just shook his head and gestured for them to follow him. "I-I can't say. Just come on."
Sesshoumaru and Miroku exchanged glances, both now curious as to what had Inuyasha so upset as they followed him down the stairs to the practice room. They noticed the others first, everyone crowded around the practice room entrance with Kouga on his cell phone beside it. "Sesshoumaru man," Inuyasha began to explain as Sesshoumaru and Miroku pushed past Kagome and the others to the practice room. "I don't know what happened. We opened the door and it was like this."
Sesshoumaru and Miroku stood inside the room itself, their mouths agape as they stared at the destruction around them. The blood red curtains that made up the back half of the room were ripped from their curtain rod and tossed to the floor, the rod itself bent in two and protruding from one of the snare drums. A colossal hole was in the center of the bass drum from front to back, with Inuyasha's drumsticks in splinters around the rest of the ruined and dented instrument.
Little white plastic keys were scattered all over the floor, along with other pieces of not only the keyboard, but the microphones, speakers, stools and the small table that served as Sesshoumaru's writing desk. Miroku continued to gape as Sesshoumaru kneeled down and picked up a tiny black splinter with 'Yamaha' stamped on the side.
"Oh Sesshoumaru," he heard Kagome whisper behind him. "I'm so sorry."
"Why?" he asked as he stood back up. "Did you have anything to do with this?" He regretted asking when he glanced back at her and found tears welling in her eyes.
"I can't believe you said that," she sniffed. "I wouldn't...I-"
"He knows Kagome," Miroku said as he stepped between them. "He's just a little jarred, that's all."
"Kouga's already on the phone with the police," Inuyasha told them, then herded Kagome and the other girls out of the room. "Come on you guys. Let's see if we can find some brooms or something."
Miroku watched them go before turning to Sesshoumaru, who still stared at what used to be their band room. "Don't worry about it man," Miroku said as he grabbed one of the overturned trash cans and began picking up some of the mess. "I'm sure you're insurance will cover it."
"I don't have insurance."
"Say what?" Miroku stammered. "I thought you said-"
"I said I have insurance for the house and what's inside it. I never got around to insuring this room."
"Oh man, you've got to be kidding me," Miroku groaned as he plunked down on the floor. "So how long do we have to wait to replace everything?"
Sesshoumaru retrieved the trash can from Miroku and started where he left off. "It took years to save enough money for the instruments," he said once his back was turned. "I...can't replace them right away."
"What about Myouga?" Miroku offered. "I'm sure he could scrounge up something."
"Maybe in time for Friday, but what would we practice with? Kouga and I are not an entire band."
"Yeah man I know but-"
"Don't worry about practice today," Sesshoumaru said as the others walked into the room. "Go home." Miroku reached for a piece of wood, guessing it was what was left of the writing table before Sesshoumaru glared up at him. "I said go home. I have this."
Miroku paused, then nodded, understanding without words his friend's need to be alone. "Come on you guys," Miroku said as he pushed them out the door again. "We'll come back Wednesday." He shut the door behind him and walked the others to their cars. He opened his passenger door for Kagome, who shook her head and gave him a hug.
"I'm really sorry Miroku," she whispered against his coat. "Tell Sesshoumaru I said so."
"Kagome, you didn't do anything," Miroku told her as Sango and Rin hugged him too. "I don't know why you guys are so upset. We're going to replace everything soon enough."
"Cut the crap Miroku," Rin said as Sango and Kagome sniffed. "We heard what Sesshoumaru said, about not having the money to get new stuff. Is the band going to break up?"
"No," Miroku told them with a shake of his head. "We're not breaking up. We've just had a bit of bad luck, that's all. You girls will see, everything will be better by the end of the week." He blushed when they gave him a gentle squeeze and released him, all three looking as if someone kicked their puppies. "Aww, don't look like that," he said before patting their heads. "Rin, you and Sango get on home. I'll take Kagome."
"No, that's ok," Kagome said as she pulled her bookbag from the back of Miroku's car. "I'll go home with them. You have something more important to do."
"Yeah, you're right," Miroku nodded as the three piled in Sango's car. "I'll stay here and wait for the police. Maybe they can find something."
"Well tell us tomorrow OK?" Rin called from the front passenger seat as they pulled out the driveway and began down the road. "Man, this is so fucked up."
"Rin!" Kagome and Sango gaped. "Don't say that!"
"Why?" Rin shrugged. "It is. I mean, it's not four whole days since Marcus showed up, and look what happened! I bet you he had something to do with this!!"
"Rin, don't say stuff like that," Sango scolded as they stopped for a group of ducks crossing the road. "You don't know if he had something to do with it or not."
"But it's too much of a coincidence," Rin insisted. "Don't you think so Kagome?"
"I don't know," Kagome muttered softly. She sighed and turned to the window, the others taking it as a sign to leave her alone as her thoughts swirled around her. 'I...I can't help but agree with Rin,' she realized once the ducks had made it safely to the other side of the street. 'It is too much of a coincidence, especially after waking up this morning and him not being there. He wasn't at work either.' She shook her head clear and sighed again, her hand coming up to rest her chin in the palm of it as she gazed out into the ever darkening sky.
'I don't know why...but I feel like I have to make this right somehow,' Kagome said to herself as the car continued down the country road. 'I know somehow, it's my fault this happened.'
V
Marcus looked up at the scraping of a key against the keyhole and listened to the tumble of locks that heralded Kagome's arrival as she stumbled against the door. He stood up to help when the end of her crutches scraped against the wooden door. He opened it and stepped aside so she could come in, not entirely surprised to see her cheeks red from the wind and tear stained as she stepped into the warmth and past his open arms.
"You're home early," Marcus said as he closed and locked the door behind her. Kagome nodded miserably. "Yeah, I know. There was some sort of accident today."
"Really?" he said before helping her out of her coat. "What kind of accident?"
Kagome sighed and flopped down on the couch, moved her injured foot to the coffee table and sighed. "Somebody broke into the practice room and wrecked the place."
"No way," Marcus gasped as he sat down beside her. "How?"
"I don't know. We left before the police arrived."
"Police?" Marcus repeated. "He called the police."
"No, not Sesshoumaru," Kagome shook her head. "Another band member, Kouga did. They were on the way when I left. They may come by here later on tonight to question me. That is how they do things here, right Marcus?"
"Right," Marcus nodded absently, his mind somewhere else completely as she looked at him. "Um...I've got to go Kagome," he said. He stood up abruptly and grabbed his coat and hat before opening the door. "Hey, you look upset," he said as he left. "You want me to bring you back anything?"
"No," Kagome said as she waved him off. "I'm fine." 'I just can't believe you'd do this,' she said to herself as he shut and locked the door behind him. 'I really am responsible for this. I've just got to make things right...but how...'
VI
Kagome sat in Miroku's passenger seat Wednesday afternoon, a small black bag in her hands as they drove to Sesshoumaru's house for practice. Miroku glanced at her from the corner of his eye, watching as she clutched the plastic bag almost as desperately as some people would their children.
"Kagome, what's that?"
"Huh? Oh." Kagome glanced down at the bag with a smile. "It's a feel good present for the band. Sango, Rin and I got you guys something yesterday."
"Really? Oooo!" He grinned and winked at her, his grin widening with her giggle. "I just love presents!"
"Yeah well, you'll have to wait until I see the others," Kagome chastised as they pulled into Sesshoumaru's driveway. The door to the practice room was wide open, and Sesshoumaru stood in the threshold with a broom and dustpan in his hands. They waved as they passed, but he didn't wave back. "Poor guy," Kagome whispered to herself. "He must be devastated."
"Yeah, but he's better today," Miroku assured her as he parked in front of the garage. "He must have figured something out."
"How can you tell?" Kagome asked as Miroku opened her door. She glanced back at the crutches and stuck out her tongue at them before hopping out. "I mean, he doesn't look any different today than he did Monday. As a matter of fact...he always looks like that."
"Like what?" Miroku asked as Inuyasha parked beside them.
"Like the entire world's ending and he could care less," Kagome quipped. Inuyasha snorted as he greeted them. "Yeah well, that's Sesshoumaru for ya. He's always looked like that."
"You two just can't read him," Miroku told them, then stepped to the side so Sango and Kouga could park without running him over.
"Yeah like you can. Come on Kagome." Miroku held out his arm for her, then the opposite one for Sango before walking away from him. Kagome hopped along beside him, having already moved her bag from her hands to the inside of her coat.
"Hey Sesshoumaru," Sango greeted when they finally reached him. "How's the clean-up going?"
"I've finished cleaning up," he told them dryly. "So there is nothing else to do."
"What about practice?" Kagome meekly asked. She winced at the scathing look he gave her and her eyes snapped shut. She opened them again when he went back inside and was the first to notice a large white moving van parked at the end of the driveway. "Hey guys," she said as she tugged on Miroku's coat sleeve. "What's that?"
Miroku turned to where she pointed and watched as four men jumped from the van's cab and climbed up the driveway toward them. "Hey man," one drawled before spitting out a toothpick. "Is you Sessho-may-rue Tissue?"
"Who the fuck's that?" Inuyasha asked as he approached them. "Dude, do you mean Sesshoumaru Taishou?"
"Yeah man!" the moving man drawled as he held out a clipboard and a pen. "Is you him?"
"Hell naw I'm not that frosty bastard," Inuyasha snorted, then thumbed toward the practice room. "He's the guy with the silver hair."
"Oh. Thanks a lot." They all watched the man walk inside, leaving the band members and his fellow movers behind.
"Oh man," Kagome shivered suddenly. "Why do I feel like we sent him into the lion's den?"
"Maybe because we did," Miroku answered gravely. They peered inside and watched the man and Sesshoumaru conduct some semblance of conversation, Sesshoumaru sign a paper, and the moving man hand Sesshoumaru a COD slip and a brown envelope.
"Al-right you guys!" the moving man said to his fellow movers. "Let's get 'er goin'!"
"What's going on?" Miroku asked Sesshoumaru when he finally came outside.
"He said that I have some sort of delivery."
"What kind?" Inuyasha asked as he peered around Sesshoumaru's arm to the receipt. "I don't know," Sesshoumaru answered. Miroku leaned over the paper, then glanced at the side of the door where Kagome stood...
Only to find her gone.
"Now where did she get off to?" he wondered aloud as he glanced inside the room. "She can't go that fast..can she?"
"Hey Kagome," Rin called out suddenly. "I don't think they need a cripple helping out."
"Shut up Rin!" Kagome yelled as she boosted herself to the back of the van. "I wanna-woah! You guys gotta come see!"
Two of the movers came down the ramp after her exclamation carrying a large rectangular box. The ambled cautiously up the driveway to the practice room, where they sat the box down and walked out. Two more movers followed them, each carrying four black metal chairs between them.
Soon the contents were laid bare to the stunned band members, each one unable to speak as a new drum set, keyboard, microphones and speakers emerged from the van's massive carrier.
"Oh wow," Sango gasped as the men opened the rectangular box and began assembling the executive's desk inside. "It's like Christmas morning."
"Yeah, except for the rotting pumpkin on the end of the driveway," Inuyasha agreed before storming into the room. He shoved away the mover working on the drum set, assuring the man that he knew how to set it up before kneeling on the cold cement and getting to work. Sesshoumaru looked on from the door as the others went to assist the movers, his normal look of boredom masking the confusion he felt as he stared down at the brown envelope.
He opened it just as Kagome hobbled to him with the smile on her face reflecting in her sea green eyes. "Isn't it amazing?" Kagome breathed with a happy sigh. "Sango's right. It is just like Christmas. I wonder who did this."
"Mr. Ta-shaw," the first mover called as he held up another form. "Here ya go man. I'm suppose ta give you this too. Will somebody be hur tomorrow?"
"Yes," Sesshoumaru told him as he signed yet another paper. "I will be. Why?"
"ADT is scheduled to come out and put in a se-cur-etty sys-em," the mover said, then tipped his hat toward Kagome. "And who mit you be purdy lady?"
"None of your business," Sesshoumaru growled before Kagome could answer. "Now are you finished?"
"Yup, sur are sunny," the mover grinned. "Now we'd best be on ur way. Got a lot more to do ya know?" Kagome waved as the movers drove away, then turned to Sesshoumaru with her fist between them.
"What is it now?" Sesshoumaru half growled. Kagome flinched but opened her hand, revealing a blood red/black swirl guitar pick. He picked it up gingerly, the hard plastic still warm from Kagome's hand. The initials 'S. T.' were etched in golden Roman font. "What's this?" he asked, inwardly guessing that the blush on Kagome's cheeks wasn't exactly due to the wind.
"Um, well, I wanted to do something you know. So the girls and I went and got everyone a little something." She glanced behind her to the room. He noticed Kouga holding a pick like his own, except his appeared to have a teal shine that matched his guitar. Black drumsticks tested the new skins on one of the snare drums and Miroku had a pair of fingerless leather gloves in his hands.
"So I see."
Kagome's blush darkened considerably, and she glanced away from him to the ground at her feet. "Like I said, it was a little something we wanted to do to...you know, make you guys feel better." Kagome sighed and watched as Rin pieced together one of the new microphones. "Looks like it wasn't needed after all."
"Hmnh," was all he said to this, though he did palm the pick. He opened the letter in his hand as Kagome went back inside.
To my favorite band in the entire world. Hope this does some good.
The letter wasn't signed but there was a small symbol on the bottom, a Persian crescent moon in indigo blue. The unusual part about it was the direction it faced. Where normal crescents would face east, this crescent faced west toward his left. 'Now where have I seen this symbol...'
As Sesshoumaru thought, an eight year old version of himself jumped up and sprinted to the computer monitor that formed his mind's eye and studied the symbol. A memory resurfaced and both reacted at the same time, with the eight year old giving off a loud war whoop and dancing around Sesshoumaru's mental archives.
All the real Sesshoumaru could do is stare at the symbol, memory after memory replaying itself as he whispered,
"She remembered me..."
(End Chapter)
Are you in need of some help? Then please go to A Single Spark and see the end of the chapter. The preview to the next chapter is below.
A new song by Sesshou...with a little help from Kagome...
Kagome gets a visitor...
Marcus comes to a gig...
And the wool is pulled from Kagome's eyes
Next chapter-Chapter Twelve: What About That?