InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The curse of the dragon ❯ Relief ( Chapter 40 )

~<>~ Curse of the Dragon ~<>~

Notes: okay, doing this a little different this time.

Italics are going to depict a dream and flashbacks (so I can avoid `neon' flashback signs)

As always, lemony content warning; yet it isn't as pious as it may be. (Can a lemon be pious? No…guess not…okay, let me rephrase that; it isn't good.)

Oh oh, and some teasers into more ideas for Ryen. (Feel free to voice your opinion as to who he is…that will come in the next chapter).

Also, I HATE doing it, but I needed to give Mrs. Higurashi a name. I can't call her Kagome's mom when she's being referred to in person so…yeah. Like I said, I really hate to change shit but I decided to name her Kauai, Damned if I know what it is or means but it sounded fine. Sorry.

~<>~ Chapter 40 ~<>~ Relief

"I think he's coming to."

"God, Kagome-Chan, do you think he's okay?"

"Nothing can keep that Bastard down…just smack him, he'll be fine."

"InuYasha!"

"What?"

Sesshoumaru felt a soft hand caress his right cheek and he turned his head with the touch. He felt as if someone had attached weights to his eyelids. Fluttering his eyes, he blinked himself awake. The light was blinding…the room's iridescent white walls glowed in the artificial light and threatened to blind the confused Youkai. He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath that hurt like hell. Snapping his eyes back open, he turned to the owner of the hand that was now brushing through his locks of silver hair. Rin. Rin? Something pulled at the back of his mind telling him this wasn't real…that she shouldn't be there…that she was…. He blinked again and tried to lift his hand to her face. Her eyes shined with unshed tears as she stared down at his face. The lights angled about her face giving her a slightly angelic aura. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and slowly let the light filter through his eyes correctly. Praying to god it had been a nightmare; that Rin had not died in his arms…he blinked one more time. Maybe it had…maybe Rin had not been taken from him…maybe it was all a trick. Yet it did not matter for no matter how many times he blinked his eyes, Rin was still there smiling at him. He sat up, ignoring the burning pain that coursed through his bones like pins and needles, and pulled at his arms. One arm had been hooked up to an IV…it had been. With a growl, he pulled his arm free of the contraption, ripping the needle from his skin with nothing more then an inward winch. That was nothing in comparison to the pain in his body, but much like the pain in his body, it didn't matter. He wrapped his arms around Rin and pulled her into his chest as best as he could, keep in mind he was lying in a hospital bed.

Rin gasped at the power of his embrace then smiled into his chest. He was okay…that was all that mattered. For five days she had sat by his side, never getting up except to use the bathroom. She never left him…not for school, not for food…not for anything. Sango and Miroku had brought her the necessary food until Kagome was on her feet again and took over the job herself. She sat with Rin from the day she was released from the hospital until about ten o'clock each evening, when InuYasha would take her home. InuYasha had followed Kagome to the room to wait for his brother but made the mistake to voice his opinion about his brother's current state. That only happened once. Rin nearly taken his head off…spewing a strong array of curses that could put to shame any rapper of the sort, then caught him off guard with a rather brutal slap to the face…and to top it she threatened to throw him out the window of Sesshoumaru's fifth story hospital room. He kept his mouth shut after that knowing she would be good to her promise.

Everything that had happened had been a blur to her…she remembered being in the car with Sesshoumaru…she remembered the car flipping off the road and into a tree…and she remembered thinking Sesshoumaru had been hurt outside of the car. Then everything went to hues of gray. She hadn't told anyone she remembered the blast that `killed' her. She remembered hearing Sesshoumaru's voice screaming to her…then there was pain…a bloody lot of pain. Everything had been down hill from then. She remembered him cradling her to his chest and running…then the next thing she knew five doctors were staring her at and Sesshoumaru was unconscious on the floor. She had called to him…ignoring the screams and stares. When she realized that Sesshoumaru was alive but badly injured…she assessed her own situation. It took her two minutes to realize she was in a morgue, and judging by the faces of the doctors and security guards around her, they were in a morgue because she had been…dead. Had been? That was a strange thought for her to grasp…she had remembered a white light and feeling a very warm and comforting aura guiding her to it…but something was not right, she felt empty…as if she had left something behind. She realized, after staring into the face of the man she loved for five days straight, that it had not been something she left behind…it had been someone.

And then there was the sword…. InuYasha had spoken very little of where he got the blades from and even less about what he knew of them. Rin had guessed that InuYasha knew more then he let on but there was something about him that had changed, something he was hiding. She didn't push him…she would leave that for Kagome to do.

She spoke very little of what she felt when she was in the light. Doctors asked her time and time again what had happened, what she remembered…apparently she was one of the only patients in that hospital to be `dead' for nine hours and then magically `pop' back to life. She felt like she had been placed under the microscope…that everyone was watching her. And indeed they had been. Doctors had set her in a contamination room and watched her through a glass window in the door for about three hours, while she pounded mercilessly on the metal for them to let her out and for them to let her see Sesshoumaru. Rin had told Kagome with a very wry laugh that, "they were probably waiting to see if I began needing to drink blood or having pieces of flesh falling off my damn body…they just sat there and glared for hours." Finally two doctors and two security guards entered the room and gave her a very thorough examination. The wound from where they proclaimed she had been shot was completely healed and had not scarred. Doctors were completely baffled and had told her they were going to send her to a `special' hospital in Kyoto for further tests. Rin knew what that meant…it meant she would never see her friends again. Then things got nasty.

InuYasha got involved in the process, stepping in for his unconscious brother to protect Rin. Rin watched InuYasha argue for an hour with the doctors and marveled at the transformation of the boy. When she had met InuYasha, never in her life would she have guessed he could argue a case in an adult like, non-physical threatening manner, but boy could he ever. She watched him use the power behind his father's name with little hesitation. When that bridge began to crumble, he tossed in a good couple lines linking funding to certain departments of the hospital that his father had made contracts for before his death and his brother's state of being, on his `deathbed' and all, that he might need to rearrange the budget of his families money. That threat alone closed the discussion. The memory made Rin smile; watching InuYasha walk from the meeting pokerfaced, while the heads of the hospital gaped in sheer astonishment at the teenager who had just outdone them, played in her mind over and over. InuYasha would have made Sesshoumaru proud, Rin was sure of that. After that, Rin had been released and any thought of the matter of her being `observed' was disregarded.

The last matter at hand was to get back Sesshoumaru's sword, which was little trouble for her. She had walked into security and threatened them with a nasty lawsuit by way of her father's name and they just about gift wrapped the sword for her. One thing she learned from watching InuYasha was how to negotiate…you just didn't give the opposing side a chance to open their mouths. A very good tactic, she had to admit. She let InuYasha take the sword home and had stopped in to see Kagome then went back to Sesshoumaru's room. That had been five days ago.

Rin pulled back from Sesshoumaru's grasp and gave him a teary eyed smile. "I was so worried…" she put a finger to his lips when he parted them to speak. "Don't…I have things I need to say to you." he sighed under her touch but resorted to kissing the tip of her finger then blinking to tell her to continue. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry I dragged you into this and I'm sorry that I was a baka to get out of that car before…before I knew it was safe. I'm sorry…I'm sorry I didn't get out of the way of that bullet fast enough…but I'm more sorry that…" she swallowed hard, feeling tears soaking her eye lashes and blinked them away and stuttered out, "that I left you…" a sob escaped her lips and she threw herself back into his chest. She felt him tense on the impact and she winched, realizing she probably agitated his wounds. She felt him wrap his arms around her shoulders again, holding her as close to him as the metal frame of the bed would allow him to. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry I left you…I didn't mean to…I'm sorry…"

Sesshoumaru smiled a very thin smile and kissed the crown of Rin's head. She turned her gaze up to meet his amber eyes as he ran a free hand through her raven locks. "Rin…don't you dare apologize…" he cringed and closed his eyes. His chest was constricting again and it hurt like hell. He swallowed down the pain, praying his face had not contorted in it as he forced himself to continue, "I…love you Rin…and I thought…I thought I had lost you." he pulled her tighter and lowered his lips to hers. He kissed her, gently yet passionately, and then pulled away and released his hold on her and laid flat on his back. He grabbed her hand in his and closed his eyes, "I wasn't…I couldn't…I would not live without Rin. Thank god you're…okay." He let out a small groan and clenched his jaw.

A voice that had remained mute until this point called out from the other side of the bed, "yo, Baka, if you keep fuckin talking then your chest ain't gonna heal. Shut that yap of yours and let the girl speak her mind for once."

Sesshoumaru opened one eye and looked out of the corner of it towards his brother. InuYasha was sitting on a leather couch, five feet from the bed with Kagome nestled tightly against his chest. He frowned and coughed out, "so I see you escaped Naraku?"

InuYasha took in a deep breath before looking down to Kagome then over at Rin. He had not spoken much of what happened at the mansion…he had avoided it actually at all costs. There were many things that day that he didn't understand and he needed his brother's guidance on to help make him understand. Ryen was at the top of the list. Was Ryen his father in disguise? The way he talked…the air about him…the demanding presence he took when he entered the room…that was everything he remembered of his father. Ryen had made it a point to conceal his true form, his true scent since the first day the girls had met him. Ryen tried to play it off as if he had been hiding it from Naraku but InuYasha wondered…every day since then he hadn't been able to shake the feeling. If Ryen was his father, why now…why wait ten years to surface? Why put Sesshoumaru and himself and his mother, for that matter, through the hellish nightmare of dealing with Launia and all the bullshit behind her. If Ryen was his father…there were words that needed to be exchanged.

InuYasha swallowed hard and shrugged his shoulders at the bedridden boy, "he wasn't to tough. After you flew out of there like a bat out of hell, I talked to …" he shifted his weight and draped his arms over Kagome's shoulders, "Ryen some…and he…err…told me…about the swords, which I really need to discuss with you when you're not looking so god dammed pathetic." He gave the boy his best cocky smile, "You know, bastard, you're lucky you weren't fuckin killed by those damn cops."

Sesshoumaru closed his eye and turned his head to face Rin. "I…I wasn't…" he sighed again and squeezed Rin's hand affectionately, sorrow tracing his words, "I wasn't able to kill Naraku, Rin. I'm sorry…I tried…but those cops…those fucking cops showed up…." he paused for a long moment, taking a rather staggered breath, "I won't rest…until I've served your revenge. I promise you his head…"

Rin stood up and glared down at the boy in the bed. "It's over, Sesshoumaru, I don't want you to do anything more. He's in jail…he's in jail and he will not be out until he goes to trial and hears that he is found guilty of enough counts of whatever to put his next seven generations in jail. My justice is being served Sesshoumaru. Just think…right now he's probably in some maximum-security jail being made Bubba the prison bitch by two guys with more tattoos then brains. Don't worry, Sesshoumaru, as long as you're alive, I'm happy." She frowned and put a hand to his forehead then stepped back, "You're running a slight fever, I'm gonna get a nurse to stick your IV back in." she gave him a small but sincere smile before backing up two steps and turning to quickly find someone.

Only after the door to the room shut did Sesshoumaru open his eyes again and turn to look towards his brother. He frowned, controlling the measure of pain written across his face and swallowed hard, "how…has she been?"

InuYasha looked up from where he had implanted his face in Kagome's hair and shrugged, "a fuckin mess, that's for sure. She's been worried about you, Sessh…." He frowned then muttered, "We all have been."

Sesshoumaru forwent the small smile building inside of him and coughed out, "I mean with…you know…. Does she realize she was…"?

Kagome nodded and stood slowly from Inuyasha's lap. She still had a dark bruise on her right cheek and a scar healing from four stitches on her chin. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot and she looked like she hadn't slept well in the past five days. "She knows what happened to her. She woke up, I guess, when you passed out. She won't talk about what happened or what she saw but she knows she was…well…dead. But that's not what has made her a mess." She gently laid a hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder and gave him a slight squeeze; "she hasn't left your side for more then three minutes at a time."

Sesshoumaru blinked and gave Kagome a minute smile. "How long…have I been…?"

InuYasha reached out and wrapped an arm around Kagome's waist and pulled her back to him. "You've been unconscious for five days. Weren't quite sure what the hell happened to you honestly. You brought Rin back to life with that monster sword of yours then…just kind of…passed out."

Sesshoumaru groaned and closed his eyes. "I feel like I was hit by a truck."

Kagome nodded slowly, "that's probably the morphine. You took a pretty bad beating Sesshoumaru…"

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes again and looked to Kagome. For the first time in a long time, worry blazed through his eyes for someone other then for Rin. "You don't look to good yourself, Kagome. Are you okay?"

Kagome gave him a smile regardless of his brother's growls to back off the subject. She nodded once. "I'm getting there."

InuYasha pulled the girl down into his lap and wrapped both arms around her waist. "She's a trooper. You on the other hand, Fluffy, need to get out of that bed and fast. Things to see, and people to do…you have a very busy schedule."

Sesshoumaru frowned at his brother and muttered, "Baka," before closing his eyes again.

Rin opened the door slowly and nearly ran to the chair next to Sesshoumaru. A nurse entered behind her, scowling and looking rather frazzled, and began working on the IV. The nurse looked to the two on the couch and then at the clock on the wall. "Visiting hours are up, my dears. Maybe you should go home and rest." She gave Kagome a sympathetic smile and gave her a slow nod with wide eyes, "especially you, my dear. You look a mess."

Kagome frowned and stood with Yash in tote. "I don't want to leave you now Rin…are you going to be okay?"

Rin opened her mouth to speak when she felt Sesshoumaru grab her hand in his. She looked down and gave the boy a wide smile. "I'll be fine…we'll be fine."

InuYasha nodded and took Kagome's hand in his. "Come on…I'll drive you home."

Kagome smiled at the boy then ran around the bed to Rin and gave her a quick hug. "If you need anything…"

Rin returned the affection and nodded once. "I have him…he's all I need."

Sesshoumaru let out a deep sigh, "get some sleep Kagome, I'll take care of Rin." he looked to InuYasha and nodded once, "baka."

InuYasha scratched his neck and raised an eyebrow, "right now I don't think you could take care of shit, Fluffy."

Sesshoumaru growled and glowered at the hanyou. "I'll take care of you, half-breed, if you keep calling me that!"

The nurse scoffed and pointed to the door then to InuYasha. "Honestly, boy, let your brother get some sleep and bugger off."

Kagome giggled and grabbed the gawking boy's hand. "Come on InuYasha."

InuYasha opened his mouth to say something then decided against it. He scoffed loudly and pulled Kagome from the room while flicking his hand over his shoulder towards the others.

The nurse reinserted an IV into Sesshoumaru's left wrist and taped it down. "Now don't go pulling this one out, Mr. Tashio, or you will not find the next place I stick this needle to appealing. You're vitals are good…you're blood pressure is still a little high; I would like to get it down some. That will come with time though. Get some rest, the both of you." she gave Rin a smile and walked from the room, closing the door on her way out.

Rin waited for the nurse to close the door before she turned to her lover. "I was so worried…" she felt tears forming in her eyes as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "So worried…"

Sesshoumaru smiled and tightened his grip on her hand. "How bout we make a deal? I won't worry you anymore and you won't die on me again…sound good?"

Rin laughed dryly and nodded once, "agreed." She kissed his cheek again and rested her head next to his. "I missed you."

Sesshoumaru frowned and reached over with his right arm. He wrapped it around her waist and pulled her into the bed next to him. "Now you won't have to."
Rin hissed out, trying to get up, "Sesshoumaru, you need to get you sleep. That won't happen with me in the bed with you."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and called out coolly, "why Rin, I did not know such thoughts ran through that head of yours. I was merely suggesting you sleep here…"

Rin playfully pushed his shoulder gently and then put her head to his chest. "I know…I'm just saying two people in a twin bed where you can't move over isn't easy."

Sesshoumaru scowled and wrapped his arm around her frame and pulled her onto his chest. It hurt like hell, having the pressure added but it was comforting to know she was close. He hushed any of her further complaints by placing a finger over her lips. "My turn to talk Rin, without you interrupting. I love you…I am more comfortable knowing you're with me here then being by myself and worrying. I don't want you five feet away and I will not tolerate you ten feet away. You're here…with me…where you should be. Now close your eyes, because I know you're exhausted. I'm not going to sleep until you do."

Rin opened her mouth to protest but he pressed his finger slightly harder to her lips, silencing any retorts.

"Sleep, my princess. I should be able to be up tomorrow and then we can go home." He kissed the crown of her head and then put his cheek to the top of her head. "I was so worried…so…worried. I love you so much Rin." he paused then narrowed his eyes; "Rin?" a smile fell to his lips as the steady rhythm of her heartbeat assailed his ears. She was asleep. It only took moments for him to follow.

~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~

InuYasha opened the passenger door to Rin's Porsche for Kagome then shut it behind her. He got into the drivers seat and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. A comfortable silence ensued on the ride home until they reached her shrine's steps. He put the car in park and tapped the steering wheel. "I don't want to leave you for another night…"

Kagome sighed lowly and rubbed her eyes. She was tired, that was for sure, but she knew what he meant. She felt it to. Every time they had to say goodbye was like this…it tore at their hearts. She knew she would see him the next afternoon after school. School. `I'm sure everyone will have heard what happened by now. Sango and Miroku haven't been back yet…Miroku is still on medication for the wound in his arm and ridding it of infection.' She frowned and tapped the dashboard with her fingers. `What will they all say? Is Kikyo still there?' the thought of that bitch made Kagome fume. `I swear to god, if I see her tomorrow….' She felt one hand ball into a fist as she took a deep breath through clenched teeth.

InuYasha put a hand on her shoulder, feeling her distress and massaged the muscle gently. "Kagome, don't worry about anything right now."

Kagome huffed and threw her hands up into the air. "Easy for you to say, Yash. I have to face all those bastards at school tomorrow. What do you think they are going to say? What if…what if they say stuff…what if they side with Naraku?" she felt tears beginning to brim in her eyes and she quickly blinked them away. She had avoided at all costs talking about Naraku around InuYasha. She could fake being okay with everything around her mother and brother. She could put on a fake smile and tell her story to the cops and to reporters without a tear. But at InuYasha…she couldn't lie to him, he always saw right through her.

InuYasha narrowed his eyes and moved his hand from her shoulder to her cheek and pulled her face towards him. Cupping her chin gently, careful of the stitches, he stared deep into her eyes. "Listen to me Kagome, cause I'm only saying this one time. Fuck them. They don't know shit about what happened…they didn't have to live with it, they didn't have to deal with it. You know what happened…you know the truth. If one person runs their mouths at you, I'll break their fuckin jaw. Got it?" he softened his tone and ran a hand down her cheek. "Hun, you won't face them alone tomorrow. I'll be there…Sango and Miroku will be there. Who knows, maybe bastard will be up by then and you'll have Rin as well. No one is going to start with all of us."

Kagome sighed and put her forehead against his chin. "I don't want to go."

InuYasha laughed lowly and kissed her forehead. As she pulled back, he patted her hands. "Then don't. I'll pick you up and we'll go back to my house."

Kagome frowned and seemed to think over the idea. After a moment, she shook her head, "not that it's not appealing, because it is…but with my mom being all about me since all of this…it's a little…hard…to pull that."

InuYasha frowned and looked behind the raven-haired girl out the tinted window. "Speaking of mom…angry mother alert, stage left."

Kagome turned and looked out her window and sighed. She leaned forward and pecked the boy on his lips. "I should go."

InuYasha put a hand to the back of her head and turned the peck into a deeper kiss. Before she could pull away, he flicked his tongue from his mouth and licked her lips, running his hand from the back of her neck to the front and letting it trace her chest. He pulled back just in time as her mother nearly ripped the car door open.

Kagome gasped at the sudden rush of cold air yet was still mesmerized by the boy in front of her. God could he ignite her blood in a fiery passion. She turned slowly and gave her mother a startled glare. "Mom?"

Mrs. Higurashi put a hand on the roof and leaned down to stare from Kagome to the boy behind the wheel. "You guys…you both have school tomorrow and it's nearly midnight. Where have you been?"

InuYasha rolled his eyes and leaned back against his door and looked at Kagome.

Kagome swallowed hard and shrugged her shoulders, looking down at the ground. "Sesshoumaru woke up…we were with him and Rin. We've been talking…since we got back out here."

InuYasha quickly added, assessing the condition of the car's atmosphere. "That's why the car's windows are fogged up…honest."

Mrs. Higurashi rolled her eyes again and held out her free hand to Kagome. "Let's get you inside dear. You look tired."

Kagome bit her lip and unbuckled her seat belt. She flashed InuYasha a small but sad smile and got out of the car. She looked over her shoulder once at the boy who was watching her with a worried look etched on his face. She gave him a small wave and followed her mother with a sigh. Her mother had set a lot of ground rules after she had woken up in the hospital. That was a whole other story. If she closed her eyes, even for a moment, she saw it all over and over again in front of her. Everything that had happened…everything that had transpired in a matter of weeks played back to her like a silent movie.

Taking a deep breath, she followed her mother into her living room, throwing one more glance over her shoulder towards the outline of the Porsche in her driveway.

"Kagome, we need to talk."

Kagome shut the door behind her and paused. Her mother had stopped a few feet in front of her and sighed deeply, slouching her shoulder forward. Kagome leaned backwards into the door and crossed her arms across her chest. "What's going on?"

Kagome's mother turned on her heels and stared at her daughter. "What is going on between the two of you, Kagome?"

Kagome bit her top lip and felt pink rushing to her cheeks. "Mom…you know…you…err…heard…what is going on between us."

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head slowly and closed her eyes. She put one hand up to the bridge of her nose and massaged the muscle. "Kagome…is it only sex that interests you in that boy? Is that all your relationship entails of?"

Kagome made a face and stood a little taller, anger beginning to burn in her eyes. "Mom…that's not it at all. He told you, as have I…many times…that I love him and he loves me." she frowned as her mother's scowl deepened. "What? What's wrong with it?"

Mrs. Higurashi let out a deep sigh and swayed slowly on her feet, looking for the right words to say. "Kagome…I like InuYasha…he seems like a…well…a nice boy. But that is what he is Kagome, a boy…and you are a girl…"

Kagome raised an eyebrow and cut her mother off quickly, "well mom, that's a real great pep talk but you're about thirteen years to late to give me the run down on the differences between the sexes. I know InuYasha is a boy…" she bit her lip from saying anything more that was lingering on the tip of her tongue. `God do I know he's a male…' she felt her cheeks flush and she looked to the floor quickly.

Mrs. Higurashi sighed and put her hand to temple, "no Kagome, I'm not talking about physical attributes of him being a boy…I'm talking about psychologically. He is mentally still a boy…not a man. He wants to have fun, he wants to enjoy life…and that's great." She held up a hand to Kagome as her daughter began to protest. "But Kagome, you two are really getting involved in serious activities here that have serious consequences. I'm know that what I walked in on last week was not the first time you two…were intimate." She noticed the deep red creeping into her daughter's cheeks and she placed a hand gingerly on her daughters arm. "Kagome…I know you're embarrassed and I understand it. But I need to say this Kagome. You two cannot frivolously go about the relationship you are in. you need to calm down, take a step back, and look at this in an adult perspective."

Kagome shifted her weight nervously and looked to her steps. "Mom, I know we can't just have sex. We haven't…we don't just…" she clenched her jaw shut and looked to the steps. If she could die on the spot, it would be easier then going through this. "Mama, I really want to go to bed. You have made it plenty clear that you don't want me and Yash having relations…so clear its crystal."

Kagome's mother formed a thin line with her lips and tapped her foot lightly on the floor. "I don't want to the parent that you resent Kagome…but I'm not going to be the parent to turn a blind eye to it either. I know that InuYasha now has a house for himself without parent or guardian present…do you blame me for not wanting you there by yourself?"

Kagome rolled her eyes again and gave her mother an exasperated sigh, "no, mother, I understand. I don't like it and he hates it more then I do but I understand. Now can I go to bed?"

Mrs. Higurashi made a small groan and closed her eyes, trying to hold onto patience. "Kagome…I'm going to reiterate it one more time."

"Mama, do you really have to?"

Mrs. Higurashi raised an eyebrow and pointed towards the door, "After what I just interrupted…"

Kagome's eyes widened and she lost her patience first. She nearly screamed back, "What did you interrupt. I kissed him goodnight, and it was a peck at that."

Mrs. Higurashi let out a small but sarcastic huff, "Kagome, he had his tongue down your throat…and since when did groping become part of a goodnight kiss. If I hadn't of interrupted…he would have been on you like…"

Kagome pointed a finger towards the ceiling and looked to the floor. "Mama, if you make any type of dog reference I will walk out this door."

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head slowly, and began to pace slowly in front of her daughter. "Kagome…we need to work out terms for your `dating' and also terms for your grounding that you have coming."

Kagome narrowed her eyes and threw both her hands up over her head. "What am I getting grounded for? And terms for my dating? I don't think you get a hand in that, mother. I'm my own person…"

Mrs. Higurashi replied coolly, "you're also my seventeen year old daughter. I told you that you and InuYasha were not to spend the nights together…and you have so far respected that fact. But Kagome…I think I know him a little more then you believe I do. I knew his father…and blood runs thick in that family. He and…" she paused and paled a little, looking quickly to the floor. She closed her eyes as if the memory pained her and took a deep breath, "he and his brother were complete opposites yet identical in that aspect, I guess you could say. they are all thick headed…and stubborn…"

Kagome opened her mouth to snap a retort but quickly shut it. She took a step back and gave her mother a questioning look and cut her off from her stroll down memory lane. "InuYasha has an uncle?" as she watched her mother's face darken with a mix of sorrow and pain, she quickly began to understand everything. Pieces were falling quickly into place, and it was a dark picture indeed. Kagome's voice softened almost immediately, "what happened to his uncle?"

Mrs. Higurashi closed her eyes and shook her head, obviously fighting a losing battle with tears. "He's not someone I like to talk about…it's still a very painful memory. Not something I want to talk about." she opened her eyes and saw the worried glare on Kagome's face and gave her a pathetic smile. "He died…before either of the boys were born. He died when I was…twenty, I believe. He dropped out of high school our senior year. Decided there was so much business and opportunity in the world to see. So brashly, he decided to leave…he left everything."

Kagome didn't need her mother to say it vocally; she saw it in her eyes. He had left her. That was way too much information for her to process at that moment. She held up her hands in front of her then put both of her hands on her mother's shoulders. "Mom…I'm sorry. I really would love to hear more about him and the gang you used to hang out with in high school but I am about to fall asleep on my feet. Please let me go to bed. Please."

Mrs. Higurashi pulled her daughter close and gave her a tight hug. After a moment, she pulled back and pushed some hair out of Kagome's face. "My beautiful daughter…Kagome, please understand I'm only looking out for you. I don't expect you to understand that completely now…but one day when you have your own children, which I hope is not soon, you will understand." She kissed Kagome's forehead and gave her a smile. "Go to sleep Kagome. I'll see you in the morning."

Kagome nodded and quickly made her escape up the steps. Just about slamming the door off of its hinges, she let out a deep sigh. She shook her head and walked to her dresser. She pulled out a pair of shorts and a tank top and quickly changed her clothes. She looked into the mirror as she began to comb her hair with the comb from her vanity. The bruises had yet to heal that she had received and the scar on her chin would take a few weeks to begin to clear. She closed her eyes and put down her comb before turning away from her reflection. It repulsed her, what she saw. When she saw herself in the mirror, she saw a girl who had allowed a man to do this to her…she had been weak; she had gone down without a fight. `He could have killed me…he could have….' she bit her lip so hard she could taste blood as she sat down on her bed. Naraku had nearly raped her. If InuYasha hadn't shown up in time…. she shook her head and looked to a picture on her dresser of her, Sango and Rin from over the summer when they went to the beach. `How does Rin do it? How does she move on day-to-day with what that bastard did to her? How can she still smile, laugh…how does she still live like everything is okay? Naraku hardly touched me…he didn't even do a quarter of the things to me that he's done to Rin…and I feel so filthy.' She wrapped her arms around her and looked out her window into the darkness of night. When she had woken up in the hospital and after she had gotten home, she had taken a scolding hot bath. She had tried to rub away the feeling, rub away the memories…but as hard as she scrubbed, she felt just as dirty.

She looked at her pillows as if they were foreign objects…she had avoided sleeping at all costs since she had woken up. Seventy-two hours with little more then half hour naps that always ended in her waking up in a sweat with a worried InuYasha staring down at her was beginning to catch up with her.

That was the other catch. She only slept when she was with him. Now her mother had crushed that idea. She made a face and laid down on her back to stare up at the ceiling. She missed his arms around her at night; she missed being able to roll over at night to find his arms only tightening their embrace. She missed being able to lay her head on his naked chest and listening to his heartbeat. She missed being that close to him. She missed him.

Looking back over the past three days made her tired. Never in her life had life dragged by so slow. Maybe it was because she had not slept for over three days, maybe it was because her friends were now MIA…well, Rin was next to Sesshoumaru every day which Kagome had joined her for to keep her company, and Sango...well…Sango and Miroku had made a few guest appearances at the hospital to see how things were going but other then for that were as illusive as a Yeti. The thought made Kagome smile. But there was more to why she was tired. She had yet to be able to close her eyes without seeing his: those red soulless monstrosities. When he was looming over her…when he was trying to…when she looked into his eyes she was death…she saw a soulless beast that didn't care about anything or anyone. She saw the bleak abyss of nothing and that terrified her. She took a deep breath and put her head back. The events of the past days circled through her brain and demanded her attention like a screaming child. All she needed to do was close her eyes to watch everything play over and over.

Kagome gave up the sleeping act when she heard InuYasha break down next to her. Hearing his sobs in the empty room broke her of her self-induced rest. It had been true…she had been up and down a couple times, only leaving her eyes open long enough to get some water and use the bathroom; other then for that, as far as the rest of the world was concerned, she was sedated. But truth be told, she had chosen not to open her eyes. The truth hurt…and it hurt like a bitch. With her eyes open, she had to deal with the reality of what happened; yet with her eyes closed, she had to see it. She had to watch what could have happened, what didn't happen and then what did happen. She wasn't sure which was more painful; the truth that InuYasha had been with another women, granted under trickery, while she was nearly raped or the fact that he nearly got himself killed while trying to save her. Either way…any of the truths…ended with them now. She had woken up to the conscious level about twenty-four hours after she blacked out in the locker room. She had heard her mother calling to her…she had heard Souta and InuYasha whispering to her other side. Knowing that Souta was okay, that her mother was alive and that InuYasha was there made everything okay. She used nearly all of her strength to give the gathered masses a small smile and take a few sips of water before letting herself fall back asleep. At not point had her mother left her side…or left InuYasha alone in the room with her. But now…now she could not sense her mother in the room but she knew InuYasha was next to her. She could hear his heartbeat; she could hear his labored breath. But what struck her were his sobs. He was crying for her…crying to her to wake up. She swallowed hard before opening her eyes to meet his golden orbs. What she saw broke her heart even further. He looked so tired, so worn out, and so miserable sitting in a chair next to her bed, his head lowered onto her mattress with one hand holding onto her hand lightly. She gave his hand a squeeze and his head shot up off the mattress. Their eyes met and he smiled for the first time in forty-eight hours.

"Yash…"

InuYasha leaned down and kissed her forehead before kissing her lips lightly. "Don't talk, Kag, you need your strength. Everything is okay…Souta is fine as is your mother…Naraku's in jail under Ryen's orders. Apparently Ryen worked for an outside police group so Naraku's really fucked…he's done." He rested his forehead against hers then nuzzled her cheek with his nose. Letting out a sigh of relief, he just about whispered, "I was so worried, Kagome. I though…I'm sorry baby…I'm so sorry. He nearly…" he shook his head and closed his eyes.

Kagome could feel his tears falling onto her cheeks and she brought her left hand up to rub one of his ears under his red bandana. "I'm…okay…"

InuYasha pulled away from her touch and looked down at her. "Kagome…he nearly…if I hadn't...I'm sorry. If I wasn't so fucking addicted to those damn cigarettes…they drugged me Kag…they…I though…I nearly…god I'm sorry…" he swallowed hard, obviously trying to ward off tears and let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry Kag…I was a fool. I never should have…everything…everything that happened…that morning, the shit in science…I'm so sorry." He leaned down and buried his head in her hair that was fanned about behind her on the pillow. Speaking in a muffled whisper he said, "I thought I lost you. I thought I lost you to that bastard! When I saw you…I lost it. I thought I would never get a chance to say I'm sorry. I was so stupid, Kagome. I was so stupid to do what I did in science…I was stupid to take it that far. I'm sorry…god I'm sorry Kagome."

Kagome rolled her head to meet his and gently kissed away the tears that soaked his cheek. She hushed him and laid her lips gently on his. "Shush, Yash…it's okay…I'm okay…"

InuYasha sat up and gave her a rather critical stare. "The hell you are, Kagome. Stop lying to me…I know…I saw what he…" his eyes darkened with a burning hatred as he ran a hand carefully down her cheek, "I thought…when I got in there…that I was to late…that he…"he pulled back and buried his face in his hands, shaking his head slowly, "there was so much blood, Kagome, so much blood. Your face…his hands…I thought he killed you. I almost killed him there…then I realized you were still alive. But it all happened for a reason, I guess…why I didn't kill him. If I had…then Rin…" he paused as his eyes widened to stare down at Kagome. He licked his lips as he met her confused eyes. "…You don't know."

Kagome wanted to sit up straight…the look on Inuyasha's face was not a good sign. She coughed out as loud as she could manage, which was hardly a dull whisper, "what happened? What's wrong?"

InuYasha sighed and kissed her forehead. "It's a long story. Don't worry…everyone is okay. I'll explain it after we get you out of here."

Kagome narrowed her eyes but agreed to the though. She wanted to get out of the hospital fast but as long as everyone was okay…that was all that really mattered. She hadn't a clue about Sesshoumaru.

The following forty-eight hours were some of the longest of her life. She thought the day she met InuYasha in school was bad…this was far worse. She had to answer questions about what happened…she had to tell the story over and over in vivid detail to the doctors, to her mother, to police, to reporters…to everyone on the face of the freakin' planet. News reporters were nearly breaking down her door to get questions and comments from the battered girl. That's when things got a little odd.

Kagome had been sleeping, dozing actually, around noontime when she heard her people arguing at her door. She opened her eyes to find her mother standing guard in front of her bed and a man in a trench coat having a rather heated argument with a bunch of reporters that looked like they could have been from CNN©. It took her a moment to realize that the man in the trench coat was Ryen but what got her for some reason, she was almost positive that it had been Sesshoumaru. Everything about his actions and his posture…his attitude and his ability to get rid of the reporters with a couple harsh words and a cold glare. She quickly shut her eyes before anyone noticed she was awake but listened intently. Only after the reporters were gone did Ryen stand down and return to the room. He spoke to her mother in a tone she would not expect from a man like him. It was lighter…more emotional…almost affectionate.

"Kauai, they aren't going to just go away. Kagome is going to need to speak to them…"

Mrs. Higurashi sighed deeply and looked over her shoulder at the form of her broken daughter. She hadn't been able to say much to her…she sat by Kagome's bed and cried for nearly a day straight. Only after Kagome opened her eyes did she stop crying. InuYasha had shown up a little after ten o'clock PM the day she had been admitted. Nurses told her that he had brought her to the ER with Miroku, who was treated for his infected bullet wound in his arm, and Sango. She also got downwind of the rumor that Rin had been brought in by Sesshoumaru not more then a half hour later but was counted as a DOA (dead on arrival). Yet she had seen Rin herself earlier that day, walking around in a daze over Sesshoumaru, but walking never the less. InuYasha was out of sorts as well when he arrived to the room. He had washed up at home apparently and demanded to stay the night next to her. After a long argument with the nurses, guards and Kagome's mother, he had done so. When Ryen had shown up the next morning,, InuYasha avoided him at all costs…he had even stepped out of the room to go check on his brother, who was at the end of the hallway, after a stern glower to the man. Now she was with her daughter and the stranger…but was he? Did twenty-three years apart make them strangers? She sighed and put a hand to her forehead and sat down next to Kagome. "Ryen…I'm not letting them talk to her until she is ready to talk."

Ryen squatted down next to Mrs. Higurashi and stared out at the women from behind his black shades. "Kauai…"

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head sternly and glared back at the man. "She was almost raped Ryen…"

Ryen hesitantly put a hand on the woman's knee and looked her in the eyes. "I know…I know what happened, I know what almost happened. She is going to have to tell her story; she can't escape that, just like Rin is going to have to tell hers. Both girls are in for a long trek, Mrs. Higurashi…"

Kauai made a face to the man…a face that seemed almost pained by the formality. She swallowed hard and broke the stare they had found themselves in to look at her daughter. "I love her, Ryen. She's my child. I'm not going to throw her to the wolves."

Ryen shook his head, a small wry forming on his mouth; "I never said anything about giving her to the wolves. I'm trying to make you understand though that they are going to want ever detail."

Kauai frowned and tapped her foot against the floor. "They will have to wait."

Ryen sighed and stood slowly, "are you forgetting how vicious the press is?"

Kauai's eyes darkened as she looked up at the man slowly. "No…I remember."

Ryen held her gaze for a moment then looked to the girl in the bed. His tone changed…as if he was speaking of events long past…long dead; it was as if his plain of reality had shifted. When he spoke, his words were rasp and filled with raw emotion. "So do I."

It was a tone that made her head whirl. What was with this guy? What did he remember? She couldn't open her eyes to see them but she could just about imagine the expressions on their faces. Their words were like lyrical pictures…so depictive, so unrefined. She frowned as she felt the medication overpowering her ability to stay awake. She wanted to hear what she was missing…and she knew she was missing something big. She fell asleep, regardless of how much she didn't want to, minutes later.

When she woke up, Ryen was gone and InuYasha was back with a very depicted scowl set on his face. Kagome blinked once and gave the boy a smile. "Hey."

Inuyasha's scowl vanished in seconds as he nearly jumped out of his chair. He tightened his grasp on her left hand, something she had been unaware of him holding, and he gave her a honest smile. "Hey yourself. You've been asleep for a while now."

Kagome blinked and rubbed her eyes with their joint hands. "How long?"

InuYasha looked to the wall at the clock and frowned. "About twelve hours. We've been fighting off reporters left and right. They all want to talk to you and Sesshoumaru…not like the bastard can say anything anyway. Needless to say, at midnight, the hospital staff began breaking out the pitchforks and torches to chase them away."

Kagome laughed dully and put her head on his hand. "Where did you go?"

InuYasha narrowed his eyes and seemed rather confused. "When? I've been here."

Kagome shifted her weight in the bed and sat up slowly. It hurt to move a lot, mostly because of her bruises but it felt good to be able to get a new position. She knew her muscles needed to be moved. "I was awake before but only my mom and Ryen were her." with a little more of her spirit returning, she sat up more. " Yeah, okay, InuYasha, can you explain to me why I thought Ryen was Sesshoumaru? I really thought he was! And why was he talking to my mom like he knew her?"

InuYasha stiffened his back and seemed to grow very uncomfortable. He let out a rather rough cough and looked to the side. "I…don't know." She watched him digest the news she had fed him about Ryen…but there was something else. There was something on top of that bothering him.

Kagome licked her lips and stared harder at him. He was hiding something; she saw it in his eyes. "Are you sure you don't know?"

InuYasha nodded once, ending the debate without another word. He kissed her gently and ran a hand over her cheek, and with a grimace, began the next topic that needed to be talked about. "Doctors want to speak to you…they…uhh…talked to me already, trying to get details for some exams they had to perform." He looked very frazzled as he spoke and gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm…err…sorry…it well…uhh…yeah, sorry."

Kagome's eyes widened as she grabbed his hand. "What tests? What did you have to tell them?"

InuYasha tired to pull his hand away then sighed heavily. "I don't know what the tests entailed of…but I know they had to do them because of…what happened." he bit his lip and squirmed more in his chair, "don't you think your mom should tell you these things?"

Kagome only glowered at him.

InuYasha held up his free hand and widened his eyes. "Okay, okay. Uhh…I know they had to perform a rape test…but to do so they needed to know if you…well…you know…engaged in sexual activities in the prior forty eight hours…to know if…uhh…" his cheeks reddened at the memory of the awkward time. He had to sit in front of Kagome's mother, one doctor, two nurses, one cop and Ryen and give details of their last sexual encounter, the day before the attack…in the bathroom at the hut and then upon further explicit questions, had to go into more uncomfortable, to say the least, details of that night in the car and the morning in science. The tension in the air in that room couldn't have been broken under any earthly means. And the glares he got from her mother…he had decided that if Mrs. Higurashi ever left the two of them in a room together alone hell would freeze over. But that was not the worst part. Ryen's glare never left him as he told the whole story, he could feel the man's eyes trained on him the whole time burning with what felt like disappointment. That made him more uncomfortable then Kagome's mom.

Kagome sat upright and glared at InuYasha, her eyes nearly falling out of her head. "Are you serious?"

InuYasha nodded once and gave her another apologetic look, "I'm sorry…but I wasn't going to lie, not when it comes to your health. I mean…I still don'…I'm not sure…well…Kagome…he didn't, did he?"

Kagome swallowed and looked away from InuYasha. Somehow, even in the presence of the one man she loved with all her heart, speaking of that bastard made her skin crawled. "No, he didn't."

InuYasha reached over and laid a hand on her cheek and turned her slowly to look at him. He leaned in and kissed her lips, seemingly knowing what thoughts passed through her mind.

A cough from the door interrupted the two's moment. Standing in the doorway was a half relieved, half pissed off mother. She walked to her daughter's side and put a hand to her forehead. After being satisfied that she did not have a fever she pulled back. "Kagome…" she leaned down and hugged her daughter. Then came the doctors.

In seventy-two hours, she repeated her story twenty two times. Five times for the doctors, seven time the police, one time for her mother and InuYasha, who seethed for hours afterwards, once for Ryen who remained stoic throughout the account yet she could see anger pulling at his face, five times for newspaper reporters and three times for news channels. InuYasha and Ryen had protected Rin, at Kagome's urging, from the `wolves' and Ryen had insisted that no one was to speak to her until a guardian could be reached; all the while knowing that was impossible. It bought them time; time to hope Sesshoumaru would wake up, time to decide a cover story for Rin's recovery…time to decide what needed to be said. Kagome had chosen to speak to the reporters, her mother tried to stop her but she put on her best faked smile and had done a brilliant job at her speech. She had told them of her experience with Naraku at the clubs and in the locker room. she politely answered questions regarding her `lewd' behavior in science class with InuYasha and calmly disgarded any thoughts that she wanted to be in that situation with Naraku. When a rather insistent reporter asked why she felt that way, she simply replied, `he's been raping my best friend…he made her life hell for over a year…what kind of person do you take me for? Do you have friends?' when she man nodded, she blinked once and smiled, `then you should understand my hatred for him.' Ryen cut him off from any more questions with a heavy glower of promised threats of physical pain if her persisted. She had been obviously grateful for that.

Kagome opened her eyes and sighed. She leaned forward and put her head into her hands. She couldn't cry…something inside of her would not let her. She wanted to…god did she want to cry for what happened…to her, to everyone. No one came out of this battle unscathed; she had the mental terrors of what could have happened, InuYasha had the guilt of letting what happened happen, Miroku and Sango had felt useless as they sat to the side watching their friends deal with reality, Sesshoumaru was unconscious and facing a comatose like state and Rin…Rin was the one facing the hardest struggle. Granted, Naraku was behind bars and she had been reassured he was getting the same treatment she had been dealt for half a year yet it didn't numb the pain. She had to deal with the fact that it was over…which had its relief's and reflections, and she had to cope with the thought for five days that Sesshoumaru may not wake up. `at least he is okay now…he'll recover.' Kagome had tried to spend as much time with Rin as she could manage but it was little comfort to either of them. Reality weighted heavily on their shoulders, burying them into the dark depths of life. Those thoughts had kept her awake at night…that and the fact that she feared to sleep. She had been popping Dayquil pills and stackers to keep her energy levels through the roof. She had formed an addiction to cappuccino and lattes…anything with caffeine in it really. InuYasha had coaxed her to sleep a couple times, while they sat with Rin, on his lap but those naps only lasted twenty minutes or so until something would wake her up.

Unfortunately for her, sleep was not an option this night. Her eyelids grew heavy within moments of lying down. Kagome gave in to the weight and prayed to the gods, `please, let me just sleep tonight. I don't want to see anything except the back of my eyelids. I just want a dreamless sleep.' She wasn't sure if she would be able to watch any more replays of the past days. If she saw his face again, she was sure she would scream. In a matter of seconds, she fell into a restless sleep, and in that dark sleep she dreamt dark dreams.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome followed InuYasha through the dark hospital hallways with a small mischievous grin plastered to her face. It was nine o'clock on Friday night; they had just left Sesshoumaru's room to head for her house. Since her mother had imposed `the rules' she had to sleep at her own house, in her own bed…alone. `She thinks she is going to stop us that way…' she laughed as InuYasha turned suddenly into a dark bathroom. He pressed to the wall immediately inside of the room and forced his lips against hers in a fiery bruising kiss.

~*~*~*~*@_@~*~*~*~ (evil lemon)

InuYasha reached behind him and fumbled with the locks while trying not to break apart the kiss. Finally he heard the click and smiled, turning his attention back to the girl in front of him. He ran a hand down her neck while he kissed her and then traced over her chest. He kneaded her breasts through her shirt before reaching down and pulling the cotton material of her shirt over her head. She lifted her arms with his tug as her grin grew into a smile. InuYasha let one of her arms fall back to her side yet pinned one hand in his to the wall above her head. He nuzzled his nose against her neck and pushed her head to the side. "I want you…"

Kagome moaned her undistinguishable response into his ear as he nipped at her neck. She groaned in pleasure as his mouth moved down her neck, leaving a trail of dark marks as he traveled. Her hands tugged at his zipper as he worked magic on her neck.

InuYasha slid one hand under her green skirt and between with one brandished claw, sliced her underwear clean off her body. He flicked her clit with one finger making her hiss at the sudden jolting sensation that shot through her body. He removed his hand from between her legs and wrapped it around her waist. He lifted her clear off the floor and pushed her into the wall, forcing her legs to wrap around his hips. He pulled away hand and took a second to line himself up before sealing his lips around hers and thrusting himself into her with very little warning.

Kagome let out a yelp that was lost in his mouth and he took the moment to shove his tongue into her mouth. She closed her eyes as he rammed into her, slamming her back against the cement wall unremittingly. He would pull himself out almost all the way then rip back into her, slamming himself into her back wall, all the time never breaking the deep entangled kiss. He kept the pace steady, thrust after thrust, enthralled in the atmosphere of lust and desire. He lost himself in her as his Youkai stamina and speed led him blindly forward, lost to passion. Kagome managed one loud groan before she threw her head back and nearly exploded with one of the most intense orgasms she ever had. She felt him stiffen at the point of release and she shot her head forward to stare into his amber eyes.

Only…it was not now Inuyasha's eyes she found herself confronted by…they were the soulless vindictive eyes of Naraku. She tried to scream but he only shoved his tongue deeper into her mouth. She felt herself gagging and tried to push him away. One hand was still being pressed against the wall and her other hand was lost behind him somewhere. She tried to break away from him, get him off of her, but he would not relent. She could hear someone screaming…someone behind her…in front of her…somewhere from the room. she heard someone scream, `please save me!' she could swear she heard someone call out to InuYasha. The sheer piercing tone of it was enough to make her cringe and slam her eyes closed.

Kagome sat up in her bed, still hearing the screaming. The sound was coming from everywhere…every nook in her room radiating off her walls like a sonic boom. It took her a long moment to realize the near glass-shattering scream was coming from her own mouth. She felt tears streaming her cheeks and realized her body was drenched in sweat. She felt her heart hammering in her chest and was having a difficult problem catching her breath. She choked over another breath before she finally stopped screaming into the dark of the night…at the figures of her dreams. it was only a dream…a dream gone wrong…a memory gone wrong.

It only took a second to get a response from the slumbering household. Her door nearly flew off its hinges as a figure ran inside, holding what looked like in the moonlight to be a baseball bat. The moonlight danced off its polished wooden surface then illuminated Souta's half befuddled, half terrified face. He took a deep breath, glaring in all directions of the room before reaching to Kagome's dresser to turn on the light.

Kagome sat on her bed, clutching her blanket in one hand that covered half of her chest, her other placed firmly over her heart. Her hair stuck in clumps to the sweat on her temples and cluttered at her shoulders. Her eyes were wide, filled with an unrelenting panic. She took a few deep breaths, starting at Souta as if he were a stranger before letting out one deeper sigh. It took everything in her power to keep from shattering into a mess of screams and sobs at that point. She was shaking with every motion she attempted to make as she attempted to calm her brother.

Souta put the bat down immediately and took two steps towards his sister. He knew what Naraku tried to do. he knew that he had succeeded with Rin. The whole school knew and had been a horrendous gossip mill. He had gotten suspended his first day back, on Thursday, for getting into a fistfight with one boy who had mouthed off about what he did not know. Needless to say, that shut the freshman up real fast. But he had seen what his sister had become, he knew she was headed for a meltdown, and he had a gut feeling that it was now. "Kagome? Are you okay?"

Footsteps echoed in the hallway as her mother quickly appeared in her doorway, her pink bathrobe nearly falling off her frame. She looked almost as frazzled as Souta. "Kagome, what's the matter? I heard you…" her face fell as her eyes took in the scene before her.

Kagome's eyes landed on her mother and she snapped. Tears instantly sprang from her eyes as she jumped out of her covers and off her bed. She flung herself full force into her mother's chest and began to sob. "Mama…I…he…god mama…."

Souta bit his bottom lip and looked to the floor. He didn't want them to see the tears that were forming in his own eyes as he looked to the bat. He was sure that Kagome was in trouble…that Naraku…. He shook his head slowly and followed his in sister's steps a little slower. He had been released from the prison the minute they had Naraku in custody. He had to admit, for being in such a dire situation, nothing bad had happened. Ryen had made sure of that at least. The man sat with Souta many days in the integration rooms, chatting over pizza and soda about sports and movies. When other cops would pass by, he would ask random questions of Kagome and her friends or of InuYasha and his brother. Needless to say, Souta hardly knew anything about it. Without Ryen there, Souta was sure he would have been dead.

Mrs. Higurashi hugged her daughter as Kagome threw herself into her arms. This is what she had been waiting for; this was the full force of the storm that Kagome was trapped in. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and felt tears leaking down her own cheeks. "Kagome…oh my baby…" she looked up to see Souta standing a step behind her daughter and she reached out and wrapped one arm around his shoulders. She pulled him into the group hug and cradled both of her children into her chest. "Oh my children…hush…it will be okay…my poor babies…" she lost herself in her own tears as she leaned down and kissed Kagome's head.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Time flew by as Kagome sobbed into her mother's arms. Souta had long broke away and went back to bed, feeling a little more relieved to get that off his chest. But Kagome…no, she was far from done. After what felt like an eternity, Kagome found herself unable to shed any more tears. She resulted to dry heaving and choking on what would account for sobs without the waterworks. She had excused herself twice from the room to vomit in the bathroom because her stomach had heaved so hard. Her mother, growing tired in her own mind, helped Kagome stand and gave her what she hoped would be construed as a reassuring smile. "Why don't you sleep in my bed tonight, Kagome, with me. Maybe you'll be more comfortable…"

Kagome shook her head, her sobs continuing to rack her body. She took a long moment to finally choke out, "no…no mama. Thank you…" she sniffed again and looked up to her mother's face. "Go…get rest…I'll be…" she closed her eyes as another fit of sobs tried to overpower her body.

Mrs. Higurashi clicked her teeth and shook her head, planting a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "No, Kagome, don't worry about me. I'm here for you...I'm not going anywhere."

Kagome swallowed hard and shook her head slowly, sniffing again. "I'll be okay, please…I don't want to keep you awake."

Mrs. Higurashi ran a hand down her daughter's cheeks and walked her slowly to her bed. She tucked Kagome in and kissed her forehead again. "Kagome…I don't want to leave you like this…"

Kagome gave her mother a small smile and gave her a small nod, "I'm okay mama…it was a dream." She nodded once and repeated the words quietly, "only a dream…"

Mrs. Higurashi frowned and ran a hand through her daughter's hair. "Kagome…do you want to talk about it?"

Kagome shook her head and closed her eyes. "I love you, mama."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled sadly and stood slowly. "I love you too, Kagome. More then you know. If you need anything, come into my room. Try to get some sleep darling, it's okay…it was only a dream."

Kagome controlled her sobs enough to give the effect to look as if she had dozed off. Kagome's mother lingered in the doorway before closing the door behind her and trudging back to her room in her own mess of tears. Kagome waited to hear her mother's door close before sniffing again, starting anew with more unshed tears. Sobs overwhelmed her as her dream repeated itself over and over in her mind, screaming to her to watch, to pay attention, to believe it. She pulled her knees to her chest and slowly began to rock back and forth; silent bawls racking her body. `It didn't happen…he didn't…he wasn't there. It was not Naraku I was with…he…I…no…. That did not happen. He didn't do that…' she closed her eyes as tears began to stream down her face. No matter how much she could convince herself, no matter how many times she knew that she did not have interactions like that with Naraku, she had been forced to watch it over and over. She shuddered once as chills raked her body; she was cold and hot at the same time…everything was blurry. She swallowed hard but could not control the sobs. She merely rode out the waves, trying to keep herself breathing evenly. At this point, nothing could comfort her. The night before, when she made the mistake to close her eyes, she had entered in a fit of sobs that nearly suffocated her from her lack of air. She was reaching that point again.

She wasn't sure if god had heard her cries…or if he was really her guardian angel in disguise, but as Kagome began to lose herself to the darkness in her heart, as she began to give up and give in to the sobs, she felt her bed dip in weight distribution. Two arms immediately enveloped her; one around her shoulders the other around her waist. She felt herself being turned around and lifted onto a lap. She didn't need to open her eyes to know who was holding her. She buried her head in the chest she knew so well and began to sob again. A hand brushed the hair from her face as tears tumbled down her cheeks and she felt a set of lips brush against her flesh. "…Yash…"

InuYasha kissed the top of Kagome's head and hugged her tighter to his chest. It nearly broke his heart to sit outside of her window, listening to her cry and being completely helpless to hold her, to comfort her. He rocked her slowly in his lap, hushing her quietly. "It's okay Kagome, I'm here…it's all okay baby…" he kissed her forehead and leaned her back in his arms. He looked down at her with pain in his eyes. `That bastard did this…he didn't hurt her half as bad physically as he did mentally.' He felt his forehead crease as he leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. He knew she was hurting…he could see it in her eyes and could hear it in her voice. He knew Rin had tried to talk to her about it but Rin was in a world of her own as it was. Both girls were hurting and to ask them to fix each other was pointless.

Kagome sniffed and opened her eyes to see the amber expression she loved so much. "InuYasha…don't leave…please."

InuYasha leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips, "never…I will never leave you again Kagome, I promise."

Kagome closed her eyes and let out one last welled up sob. "It…I saw…" she swallowed hard she straightened herself up in his lap and put her head against his shoulder. "The day…in the bathroom…I saw it again…only…"

InuYasha winched and felt his ears flatten to his head. `Damnit to hell. I caused this…yet again, me being unable to control myself…I caused this.' he pushed his nose against her cheek and kissed her lightly. "I'm sorry…we shouldn't have…"

Kagome blinked slowly and shook her head sternly, "no, InuYasha. I don't regret us doing that…" she blushed slightly and blinked again, "I just…I had a dream about it…and…but…halfway through it wasn't you…" her voice left her as her eyes filled with tears again. she didn't want him to think bad of her…and every part of her heart knew he wouldn't but her brain was trying to push logic over instinct.

InuYasha leaned down and as Kagome closed her eyes, kissed each eyelid gently. "Don't Kagome…it wasn't him. He's never…he will never touch you. You hear me missy? Never. It was me…I was with you that whole wonderful time." he kissed her nose then her lips. "I love you baby…I love you so much."

Kagome smiled and returned the kiss before lifting her head she pulled herself from his lap and laid down on the bed. "Lay with me?"

InuYasha nodded once before sliding down next to her. He pulled his shirt from his body and kicked off his shoes. He pulled her onto his chest and wrapped both arms around the small of her back, holding her tight enough to fulfill the fear that if he let her go, she would vanish. "I won't leave until you're asleep."

Kagome shook her head, lifting up to look down at him. A look of sheer panic danced through her eyes. "Please…don't leave me."

InuYasha looked deep into her eyes before slowly nodded. "All right baby…I'll stay for the night. Just close your eyes Kag, I'll protect you." he paused then smiled. Her breath had already evened out in its pace. She was fast asleep. He shook his head slowly, his eyes taking in all of her. She had dark circles under her bloodshot and puffy eyes and ugly yellow purple bruises darkening on both cheeks. The scar on her chin had healed a little but was still sinister in its own form. It broke his heart to see her like this…so shattered, so defenseless.

InuYasha closed his eyes and thanked the Kami's that he had chosen to do a little reconnaissance instead of going home that night. He had parked the Porsche around the corner and had taken refuge in the tree next to Kagome's window. He had made up his mind at that point that if anyone tired to get to Kagome…that if anything happened to Kagome that night, he would have moved her into his house and no force on earth or the heavens could stop him. He had just about fallen asleep when Kagome's scream had knocked him off the branch he had been resting on. He recovered from the fall with a loud entourage of curses before jumping to her window, intent on disemboweling whatever dared to wake his mate. What he saw nearly ripped his heart out of his chest. Souta was standing numbly in the middle of his sister's room watching the girl break down into her mother's chest. He felt his ears fall to his head as he moved back to his branch, as the mourning became a family affair. A part of him was jealous of the sight before…he wanted to be the one to comfort the girl, he wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss away her pain. He wanted to make her better yet he sat by unable to do anything but watch. That alone nearly destroyed him. Finally her mother left her side and he took that as his queue to move him.

InuYasha kissed the top of Kagome's head then put his cheek against it. `I'm sorry baby…god I'm sorry. How could I let this happen to you? Why couldn't I protect you? Why you…of all the people for such a fate to befall…why you…why Rin? Why the two girls in the world who are so unselfish?" he clenched his jaw and tightened his grip around her back. `I'll make it up to you Kagome…even if it takes the rest of my life.' He leaned down and buried his face in her hair and kissed her head. `I promise.' Closing his eyes, he found solace in his first peaceful nights rest in a week.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~**~*~*~

-Well, it looks like you guys are got a nice long chapter today because I have been sitting in ft. Lauderdale airport now for seven hours (make that nine by time I'm done)…so that means seven hours of writing this out. Woo-hoo. OH OH, and even more of the joy, my flight was delayed because of SNOW. SNOW? Q'est que c'est? I have been in the Caribbean now for this past week and it's been 83 and partly cloudy (go fig). now I have to go home to SNOW??? Damnit to hell…and won't you know it, as I'm rereading the story, I have to evacuate the freakin airport…fire drill! Can you imagine that? GOD!!! Baka's run this airport, I'm sure of it. And don't get me started on Air Canada!