InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Trucker ❯ Chapter 13

^^ Since I love you all sooooo much (note sarcasm) I decided to put in a 13th chapter, and then go along with the epilogue. If you're lucky, there'll be a 14th chapter.

 

 

Disclaimer: Honestly, people. If I owned Inuyasha, would I be writing about him? No, I'd be doing things to him that will remain unmentioned on here...

 

 

 

 

Miroku had just dropped the girl off at her apartment. Sango was quiet on the other side of the door. Under different circumstances, she would've immediately called Kagome. Considering the stress that the girl was going through, Sango refused to dump this extra load onto her back. Bowing her head, she let out a choked sob. Muffling her cries, even unto deaf ears, she moved to her bedroom, taking off her shoes in the process, and collapsed on her bed. There was no way it would work between them...

 

 

 

 

Life in the apartment without Inuyasha was lonely. Since he was going to be staying there for a few weeks, he had Kagome bring in his guitar for him. He could barely play, due to the damage to his arm, but the physical therapist said that the guitar was good practice for his precision. He couldn't walk very well, considering that he couldn't feel his right leg, what-so-ever. Kagome had watched as he painstakingly took step after step in the therapy department, cheering him on.

 

 

Today, Inuyasha did not fancy getting out of bed. “What's the point?” he muttered, putting his arm over his face. “I still can't feel my leg, and I can't play the guitar for shit. I've got nothing to work for.” Kagome had only seen him like this once before, just after his mother died. His will to live had plundered to dangerously low levels, and she had to work for months to get him back.

 

 

At his side, Kagome's eyes narrowed at him. She wasn't going to let that happen again. “Alright, mister,” she said, her tone demanding compliance, “You are going to get your fat ass out of that cot and you are going to walk with me to the elevator to get to the therapy department, because you have me to work for. You've got Miroku and Sango to work for.” Hands on her hips, she didn't look like she was going anywhere until he got up.

 

 

Inuyasha's eyes were sullen and dead. He looked like he'd rather be dead. Closing his eyes, he only shook his head. “I can't even play guitar anymore, Kagome. What's life without music?”

 

 

“Stop being so stubborn!” she yelled at him, trembling some. “Why can't you just accept the bad things and move on!” Kagome was near tears by now, but she managed to stop herself and wipe her eyes with the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

 

 

“Because, dammit, I've had too many bad things happen! I'm done, Kagome. I'm through with trying when I'm never going to succeed. It's an impossible maze. I can't do it. What good am I?”

 

 

Running her tongue over her teeth, Kagome sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “You're right, Inuyasha. What good are you?” The girl tilted her head to one side, looking at him and dropping her hands to her sides. “Maybe I'll go call up Koga, or Hojo. I'll find a new roommate, or maybe even move in with Koga. I'll drop off the rest of your stuff tomorrow.” Kagome put her hands into her back jeans pockets and headed for the door. “See yah `round.” She purposely moved slow - reverse psychology always worked on the dog demon.

 

 

There was a scuffle in the area of the bed and Kagome smirked triumphantly when a vicious growl was heard behind her for about two seconds before an arm snaked around her. “You aren't going anywhere, wench. You've proved your point. Let's go.” Letting go of her, he moved around her and hobbled toward the elevators, keeping his good hand on the wall.

 

 

Kagome shook her head wearily and trotted after him, catching him when he stumbled. He shrugged her off and continued on his own. She walked at his heel, like a puppy, almost. It was kind of ironic... They reached the elevator and he leant against the wall, crossing his arms and sulking. Kagome eyed him warily, but shook her head and hit the button for their lift downstairs. Inuyasha wouldn't believe that I'd leave him... would he? Kagome thought.

 

 

“Inuyasha, I only said those things to get you out of bed. You know that,” she paused, gazing at him hopefully. “Right?” He didn't meet her gaze, but instead scuffled his leg with a low growl. “Inuyasha...”

 

 

“Save your breath, wench.” he barked, pushing himself off of the wall and being careful not to lose his balance. “Elevator's here.” He limped toward the winch. Kagome followed quietly, a guilty look on her face. Inuyasha was fuming, she knew that. Being that they were alone in the elevator, she'd rather him blow up at her now instead of later.

 

 

“Talk to me, Inuyasha.”

 

 

It wasn't a question, and it wasn't a plea. She was demanding that he spoke to her. “You throw things like that around too easily.” he admonished her with an uneasy undertone. “I don't like it. It makes me think of the scenario you're suggesting and it's not fun.” Inuyasha sent a growl in her direction, fixing her with a glare.

 

 

“You're too stubborn sometimes, Inuyasha, and that's the only way I can get you to do anything.” He looked away from her and settled with burning holes in the other side of the metal box instead of looking at her. “It's an ultimatum. I'd never leave you. You should know that by now.” She moved closer to him, but the elevator door opened and he shuffled out of it and into the therapy wing. Kagome groaned. “There'll be no living with him now...”

 

 

 

 

At the end of the therapy session, Kagome escorted the sore demon back to his room. He shunned her touch and skimped around her when she tried to get him to talk. He was quiet. He got back into the bed and rolled over, his back to her, and pretended to sleep. Kagome gave a sigh, running a hand through her hair. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was almost time for her to go home. Visiting hours were ten minutes from over.

 

 

“I'm going home, Inuyasha.” she said, picking up her bag. She didn't care if he was listening or not, but she was going to speak her mind. “I'm sorry about what I said earlier, but you've lost faith in yourself. But no matter what, I'm not going to give up on you.” Inuyasha just grunted in response. Hearing the door shut, he turned his face to the pillow and howled into it.

 

 

 

 

Sango and Miroku had gone out to lunch with Kagome the next day. Kagome speared a piece of her chicken and chewed it ruthlessly. The couple at the table exchanged glances and sighed in tandem. “Kagome, what's wrong?” asked Sango. Sango reached for Miroku's hand under the table for comfort. When she found it, Miroku ran his thumb over her hand in efforts to soothe her frantic nerves. It worked. She visibly calmed and looked Kagome in the eye.

 

 

“That stubborn ass I'm engaged to.” Kagome said angrily, after swallowing her food. She put her fork down and used her hands to animate her anger. “Yesterday, he was practically suicidal! He would've leapt at the chance to jump out the window if I hadn't gotten his ass out of that stupid bed and forced him into the therapy unit.” She whimpered and put her hands over her face. “I don't know what I'm going to do with him anymore... He's wasting away, willingly too. He's stopped trusting me and isn't putting his all into his therapy like he used to. He stopped eating, rolls over and sleeps whenever I go visit... He's being more boorish with the nurses than usual... Dr. Mishawaka said that he's lost faith in himself. He's lost the will to live.” The girl finally broke down. Pushing away her food and crossing her arms over the table, she lost herself in tears.

 

 

Sango moved over in the booth to comfort her friend. Miroku, figuring that Kagome would break down and complain about Inuyasha, had brought a tape recorder. He had gotten Kagome's entire rant on tape. He even recorded her sobs, knowing it would wrench Inuyasha's heart worse than it did his own. Kagome sobered enough to speak once more, but her voice was broken.

 

 

“If he dies, I don't know what I'll do.” Kagome wrapped her arms around herself, apparently trying to curl into a ball and save herself. “I can't just forget about him... What am I going to do? ”

 

 

 

 

“Inuyasha, you've sunk to a new point of low.” Miroku said when he arrived at the ill-mannered half-demon's bed. It was about ten minutes to the end of visiting hours, but he had managed to charm the front desk's secretary to let him in. Apparently, Inuyasha and Miroku were close cousins now. “I never thought you would be the one to break Kagome's heart, but hey, I was wrong.” Inuyasha growled and rolled over onto his side, his back facing the monk. He grumbled a dismissal, but Miroku stayed put. “Wanna hear what she said about you earlier today at lunch?” Inuyasha snarled at him, but Miroku pulled out the tape recorder and hit the play button.

 

 

Kagome's entire tirade relayed into the dog demon's ears. When she began to cry, he closed his eyes tight and gave a sigh. With just a two-minute tape, Inuyasha realized what an ass he was being to his fiancé. With a little trouble, he sat himself up and glanced over to the mirror placed in the corner and winced at his reflection. He was a mess.

 

 

Groaning, he forced himself out of the bed and to the bathroom. He took a shower, combed his hair through, brushed his teeth, and changed into a clean patient's robe. When he emerged from the small box-like room, he found no trace of Miroku save for a small note on the bedside table. All it said was My work here is done. Inuyasha smiled slightly and put it back down. He sat down on the bed and ran a hand through his damp hair. “Kagome's never gonna forgive me for this fuck-up.”

 

 

 

 

Kagome arrived the next morning on her usual visit to force him out of bed and into the therapy unit, late of course. It was nine o'clock, but she figured he'd still be in bed. When she found that he wasn't, she panicked. Sprinting back to the front desk of the wing, she looked to the head nurse. “Where's Inuyasha?” she demanded, a frantic look upon her face.

 

 

“You mean that sweet boy? Oh, he's already in the therapy unit, darling.” the nurse replied calmly, even smiling. Kagome's brow furrowed in confusion. Maybe they had forced them in to the TU themselves this time. Shrugging off her confusion, she headed for the therapy wing.

 

 

The girl found, in astonishment, that Inuyasha was willingly going through the exercise that he called torture. He had to go through acupuncture, when he couldn't feel it, but watch the needles and wait for any pain or sense to come to him. “Nothin', doc.” she heard him say. He had pins in his toes, and had his chin on his knee, watching the needles penetrate his skin.

 

 

“Should we quit for the day, Inuyasha?” Dr. Mishawaka asked. Inuyasha shook his head, motioning for the doctor to continue. She did so, gladly. Apparently, the boy had regained his will to live. Kagome walked over slowly, afraid the scene would break and it would become just another one of her dreams.

 

 

Inuyasha looked up at her and smirked at her blank expression. “You're late, wench. I've been in here for two hours.” he snapped at her in his old tone of voice. Kagome's face split into a grin. Her Inuyasha was back. She moved to his side and took his outstretched hand. Dr. Mishawaka declared that they had done enough acupuncture on his leg for one day and instead had him stand up and head for the identical bars. Kagome saw Inuyasha's face fell for a moment, but recalling the sound of Kagome sobbing for him, he forced himself off of the table and toward the bars.

 

 

“Ten times, back and forth.” the physician directed him. He did as he was told. Slowly shuffling down the way, he accidentally bumped his right side into one of the bars. His expression turned pained and he stopped. Kagome stood and was at his side in a moment.

 

 

“What's wrong Inuyasha?” she asked with a concerned look on her face.

 

 

The dog demon shrugged his shoulders, rubbing his side with his good arm. “I dunno... I just knocked into the bar is all.” He pulled up his shirt to make sure he didn't bruise anything. He didn't, but Kagome led him out from the bars and let him sit down in her chair.

 

 

“Inuyasha, did you hit on your right side?” Mishawaka asked in an awed whisper. Inuyasha nodded, but then it dawned on him.

 

 

“Kagome, I can feel my right side.” A grin split his face as he poked at it to make sure. Kagome ran her finger along his side, delighted at the grin that split his face... until she reached his mid-thigh. “I can't feel my leg still.” he said sadly, getting a hint of his old look about his face.

 

 

“But it's progress!” she reassured him swiftly, desperately trying to keep him away from the depths of depression before he dared to hit it. She'd seen him at rock bottom before and didn't want it to happen again.

 

 

Smiling faintly, Inuyasha nodded and kissed her forehead. “Yeah, it is.”

 

 

 

 

Soooooo... he is getting his feeling back... A little. Anyone notice the improvement in my writing skills? I dunno where it came from... Probably lack of writing. If it bottles up, the good stuff is always at the top when I open it back up. Anyways. I might add in another chapter. I have an idea of how to keep it going. The story's epilogue may not come for another five or six chapters now that I can get a solid outline down.

 

MORON