Chapter One: The Break-Up

Inuyasha got out of the cab and leered up at the third floor apartment. The dark lonely feeling he felt was like nothing he felt before. Many nights he had come home late from the bar with his lecherous friend Miroku and the apartment was dark but that was because Kagome had gone to bed. However, this feeling was strange and almost unnerving. Determined not to let this feeling get the best of him he stumbled to the front door. Thankful he did not forget his key this time Inuyasha greeted the desk clerk and got on the elevator. Inuyasha almost heaved when the elevator doors closed. They liquor he had drank began seeping through his pores and clouded the elevator with this vile stench. "Damn, I stink. Kagome is going to kill me if she smells me like this," Inuyasha slurred to himself. He knew he would have to take a shower before climbing into bed with her, because she had warned him that the next time he came to bed reeking of cheap perfume and liquor she was leaving, so he knew he had to take a shower to erase as much of the smell as he could.

Inuyasha was leaning his head on the back wall with his eyes closed as the elevator doors swooshed open. He had drunk too much this time he could feel it trying to come back up so he had to close his eyes to keep it at bay. Stepping out of the elevator his vision blurred and he staggered toward his apartment. He was swaying so much he could not insert his key; he thought about banging on the door but soon disregarded that idea. He knew if he woke Kagome up there would be another fight and she would leave. He finally decided to sit down and wait, at least until he regained composure. Sliding down the door, he landed on his ass with a quiet thud. The world begun to spin so he closed his eyes and waited, waited for his submission to this vile liquid to pass. When Inuyasha reopened his eyes, the world was a little clearer, though not much. He had managed to regain enough mobility to enter the apartment and head to the shower. With his vision still hindered, he did not notice the note left on the bar nor the empty bed that awaited him.

Striping out of his clothes he turned on the shower and grabbed a towel. He knew from his many nights of drinking that a hot shower would help enough for him to go to bed without throwing up all he drank. Letting the hot water run down his body he felt alleviated. He grabbed the shampoo from the shower rack and proceeded to lather his hair, and immediately the stench of alcohol dissipated, not nearly enough for his sensitive nose but he knew Kagome would not be able to smell it. The smell lightened more when he bathed his body; he knew this would work at least for a little while. With his body cleaned and pretty much stench free he headed to the sink to brush his teeth in hopes of erasing as much of the alcohol smell from his breath. The tooth paste mixed with the taste of stale liquor almost made him heave again but he had enough control to finish what he had to do before he vomited all over the bathroom. Finally, feeling as if he would pass inspection Inuyasha pulled on his boxers and headed to bed.

As he lowered the covers to climb in his gut heaved again, but this time it was not due to the alcohol. His bed was empty. That lonely feeling that threatened to take over him when he arrived was back but this time there was no denying it. It all hit him like a kick in the nuts. She was gone. Inuyasha could not help but cry his love had left without so much as a fuck you, and now his once controlled emotions betrayed him. A wail of despair escaped his mouth as he headed to the spare room hoping she was just too mad to sleep with him. He slung the door open and discovered she was indeed not there, the tears fell more freely now and he headed to the kitchen he had to have another drink. Grabbing the bottle of bourbon and a glass, he sat it on the counter. Trying to fight the urge to drink more he banged his head on the cabinet with so much force he began to bleed. "KAGOME!" was all he could yell as he twisted off the cap and poured himself a shot. Putting the glass to his lips his eyes blurred but this time it was due to the blood that ran through them. "Shit," he yelled, grabbing a paper towel to cover the wound. That is when he noticed the note. With a trembling hand, he reached for the note and studied it. He knew this was Kagome's writing but he did not want to read what it said. He stared at it some more before he could not contain his curiosity. With the bleeding and tears stopped, he sat at the bar with the letter in his hand.

Dear Inuyasha,

I told you what would happen if you stayed out again, but did you listen to me. No, you thought I would stay and put up with all of this. I love you Inuyasha but you love your alcohol more. I have lost my smile because you insist on going out with Miroku, drinking and meeting women. I can almost bet you do not even tell them you have a girl friend. Actually I know you do not, Sango seen you at a club the other night with a women in your lap. I cannot believe you! We were even talking about getting married. I know you are a good man but you do not make wise choices. I had to go baby, I am sorry. I cannot sit by and watch you destroy yourself with this beast. I gave you the choice three months ago and now I see what choice you have made. Inuyasha I have begged and pleaded with you to quit drinking because it is taking control of you but you did not want to believe it. please understand where I am coming from Inuyasha, I am only looking out for your well being, at least I was until nothing I said matter anyway. Both you and Miroku need help, but I will not be there to intervene anymore. I will wait Inuyasha for you to get better but I will not wait forever so you better decided now which is more important this obsession with partying or me. Take care, Inuyasha.

Kagome

Inuyasha tried to fight back the tears that stung his eyes, but they poured freely, staining his cheeks. 'How could this have happened? How could I let Miroku persuade me to go with him?' Inuyasha could not answer the questions, he knew no one could because no matter whom he wanted to blame, Miroku for having to party all the time or his job all of that was irrelevant because he always has had a choice and like Kagome said his choice was to party and live a reckless life. 'Well not anymore and if I am going to do this so is Miroku. We are capable of so much more and we are going to start living life right,' Inuyasha thought as he dialed Miroku's number.

"C'mon you son of a bitch, I know you are awake!" Inuyasha yelled into the receiver. He had to make Miroku understand.

Finally, on the sixth ring Miroku answered still slurring his words.

"What the fuck took you so long? I know you were not asleep, wait you don't have another one of those whores from the club at your place do you?" Inuyasha's questions were met with a stutter and then silence he has known Miroku too long, and he knew the answer was yes, "I hope the fuck you are using protection because you do not know what these low life tramps have. Listen asshole we need to talk how soon can you get over here?"

"Of course I use protection you dumb fuck do you really think me… the world is ready for a mini me? I think not," Miroku responded equally pissed. Inuyasha always has a way to kill the mood, "and what the fuck do you mean 'how soon can I get there?' do you have any idea what time it is, not to mention that I am kind of in the middle of something."

"I don't give a fuck about what you are in the middle of; kick her out fucking naked on her ear. I don't care what you have to do to get rid of her just get over here now!"

"Inuyasha, can't this wait until morning?"

"NO! Now get your scrawny ass over here."

"Fine okay give me twenty minutes okay." Miroku knew he had better not bate his friend any further, because there was something wrong and Inuyasha needed him.

"Hey baby, I have to go my friend is in some sort of trouble. Here is some cash for a cab; I am going to hop in the shower, but babe I will make it up to you later."

The beautiful brunette pouted slightly before kissing him on the cheek, "Trust me, stud I will hold you to that."

Miroku watched with lust-filled eyes as her shapely bottom exited the room. When the front door clicked shut, he headed to the shower. He had to find out what in the hell is going on.

Kagome pulled up to Sango's apartment around 2 am only to find her not home. 'Where in the devil is she,' Kagome thought scanning the parking lot for her car. She was not there. Kagome headed to the stairs to sit and wait. She knew this was the only place to sit and see the entrance of the apartment complex.

About 20 minutes later Sango's car pulled in to the complex and parked near the building. Kagome was anxious to know where her friend had disappeared to but decided to wait until they were inside, because she knew Sango could be self conscience and bashful in front of people. Though there was no one else away at this hour, it was still for the best.

"Hey Kagome!" Sango chimed as she exited the car with grocery bags, "can you help me with this?"

Kagome nodded and headed toward her friend, "I was starting to worry, when I pulled up and you were not home."

Sango let out a small laugh, "after you called I decided to go to the store to get some ice cream and break-up food. I thought I would be back before you got here but the grocery store was packed."

"Oh thank you Sango that means a lot to me," Kagome said with a warm smile, however, she knew the grocery store was not busy at this time of night, but she did not push the subject any farther. She was just glad Sango was here with food none-the-less.

The girls chatted with each other as the put away the groceries; the mindless chatter had helped Kagome with keeping Inuyasha off her mind. Though she knew, it would be a short-lived peace because eventually Sango would want to know what happened.