Mass Disclaimer: I own nothing. Deal with it.
Author's Note: It's so weird where I find my inspiration for stories. This one I got while watching American History X. Excellent movie. Everyone should see it. The ages are as follows:
Kagome: 23
Sango: 24
Miroku: 25
Inuyasha: 25
Sesshoumaru: 26
Kikyou: 24
Now, on with the story.
Convicted
Chapter 1
-Flashback to two years ago- KAGOME'S POV
"Okay, is everyone ready?" Sesshoumaru, the captain of our unit, whispered. Everyone nodded. "All right. We've gotten calls like this before, so don't freak out. Just go in, get the guy, and come out. Higurashi, you know what to do."
"One question before we barge in there. Don't you think the guy has run already? I mean, it's been ten minutes since we got the call…" I replied. It didn't seem probable that someone would hang around after killing a person.
"No body saw anyone come out of the room, so we're assuming he's still in there, or he jumped out of the window. We all know what to expect." Sesshoumaru answered. I nodded slightly and positioned myself in front of the door. This was always my favorite part, getting to kick the door open. My gun was held tightly in my hand, my finger ready to pull the trigger. With a lurch, I kicked my foot at the door, sending it flying open.
Miroku, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Kikyou swarmed in, guns ready to fire if necessary.
"There's no one in here. Inuyasha and I will go search the back rooms. Miroku, Kikyou, Sango, you three keep searching around here. Kagome, see if he went out the window." Sesshoumaru ordered. A laugh escaped me at his command. Another favorite of mine, and the whole police district knew it, was jumping out of windows and landing on the bad guy.
The groups split up and I went to the back of the house. There was a large window in the hallway that had been pushed up and, sure enough, a dark figure was running towards the woods. I smiled to myself and ran back into the living room. After pushing the living room window up, I pulled myself through and jumped onto the man.
"Okay, Ito-san. You are hereby placed under arrest for the murders and rapes of the following people: Akagi Kagura, Akagi Kanna, Ando Kaguya, Baba Hagura, and whomever you just killed and raped this time. You are also arrested for the murder of the Akagi's dog. How do you plead?" I asked, strapping the handcuffs onto the man's wrists.
"Ahh, you got me Officer Higurashi. The Tokyo District Police is just too smart for my own good. But, don't you want to know who this victim was?" Ito asked.
"Honestly, I don't really care right now." I pulled him to his feet, one of my hands on his shoulder, the other on his wrists. "I got him, guys!"
They didn't seem to hear me. "Sesshoumaru, you might want to come look at this…" Miroku called from a bedroom.
"What is it?" The captain walked out of one of the backrooms, standing in the doorway. Miroku stepped to the side, revealing the body of the latest victim. "Holy fuck…"
"My reaction exactly. Do you think we should tell Kagome?" Miroku asked. Kikyou appeared to be a zombie, staring blankly at the body of Mrs. Higurashi.
"We have to. Someone call her up here. She's in the backyard with Ito." Sesshoumaru answered. Inuyasha walked in the room, about to ask what was keeping everybody.
"Oh, shit. Is that who I think it is?" He asked. Miroku nodded solemnly.
"Yes, it is." He replied. He walked passed his friend, patting Kikyou gently on the shoulder, and went to the living room window. "Kagome, you'd better come in here…"
"All right. Let me put Ito in one of the cars. Toss me the keys." Miroku threw a set of car keys to me and walked back to the room. I caught the object and started walking towards the driveway.
"Now, for your Miranda Rights. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you. Onto jail you go, Ito." I opened one of the squad cars and forced him inside. After closing the door, which locked automatically, I made my way back into the house. "What'd you guys want?"
"This may be a bit of a shock, Gome…" Inuyasha began.
"Come on, Inu. I've seen a dead body before." I replied.
"But, not your mother's dead body." He muttered. I gave him a quizzical look and pushed myself into the room.
"Guys, some dummy is pretending to be my mom." I looked at the body, the pants and panties discarded at its side. "Now, seriously. Where's the real body?"
I guess no one wanted to tell me, but Sango spoke up first. "Gome, this is the real body…" She whispered.
"Stop lying to me, San. It must be in another room." I walked out of the room and searched the others. "Guys, some fucker's been tampering with evidence. The body's gone." Something I didn't know was that I was about to lose my 'innocence'.
"Gome, denying it won't get you anywhere." Sesshoumaru mumbled. Despite the fact that his features were always void of emotion, they held some quality to them now. Sadness or grief. Perhaps both. And he only used my nickname in situations when I would need intense cheering up.
"Shou…" my voice was unusually weak. Sesshoumaru stepped forward and pulled me into a hug.
"It's okay to cry, Gome." He whispered to me. So, that's what I did. my body shook from the sobs, my tears soaking through his shirt. I heard Sango and Kikyou crying next to me and Miroku and Inuyasha trying to calm them down.
"There's one thing we've missed." Miroku's voice started over the sobs. Sesshoumaru glanced at him for a second, his arms still around me.
"What?" He asked. Miroku bent down, a latex glove pulled over his hand and picked up a small sakura blossom.
"Same type left at the other crime scenes." Miroku stated. Sesshoumaru nodded slightly and pulled a glove onto his hand.
"Where's an evidence bag?" He asked. Miroku sifted through some things before pulling one out. Sesshoumaru took it from him and put the flower inside. "Coroners are on their way, right?"
"Yeah. I called a few minutes ago." Inuyasha replied.
"Okay. Once they get here, we'll leave. I think it would be best if Kagome rode with me and you and Miroku drive Ito to the station. Sango, you and Kikyou can drive the other car behind us." Sesshoumaru answered.
A knock came from the door, followed by a voice. "Coroner's office, here to see about the body!"
"Ah, fuck. It's Kouga. They just had to send the stupidest, most blunt idiot ever, didn't they?" Inuyasha groaned.
"Yes, because he's a genius when it comes to his job. Now, let him in so that I can get Gome out of here." Sesshoumaru barked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and opened the front door.
"Where's the bitch?" Kouga asked. I guess he didn't see me at first.
"Can you show the tiniest shred of sensitivity for once in your life, Kouga?" Sango asked.
"Damn, you act like you've never dealt with a murder case before." Kouga replied.
"Never one where the mother of our best friend was killed. But, you can also call her the Chief of Police." Miroku stated.
"Quit fucking with me. There's no fucking way that Mrs. Higurashi is dead. Otherwise Kagome would be crying her eyes out." His gaze finally fell on me. "Oh, shit."
"We will be leaving you to your job. I suspect you can handle it by yourself." Sesshoumaru wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me out of the house. my knees were too weak to support myself, so he was more or less carrying me.
"Fucking prick." Inuyasha growled as he walked out behind us. Miroku and Sango were about leave after Kikyou, but Kouga stopped them.
"How's she taking it?" He asked. Sango blinked a few times, shook her head, and walked
out of the house.
"Kouga, how would you feel if Ayame got raped and killed?" Miroku replied.
"Like killing someone." Kouga answered.
"Try multiplying that feeling by a thousand and you still won't come close to how the rest of us feel, let alone Kagome."
"Come on, she was just our boss. Didn't she say never get too attached to your job?" Kouga asked.
"She was not our job, Kouga. She was just the reason why some of us went to work everyday. And don't say 'she was just our boss' around Gome or Shou. They'll murder you, and I wouldn't put it passed either of them to do that right now." Miroku turned on his heel and walked out of the house.
I was already in Sesshoumaru's car, the seat belt fastened around my waist.
"Are you going to be okay?" Sesshoumaru asked as he started the car. I guess the shock of what had happened finally hit me because I couldn't say anything. "Do you want me to tell your father?"
I managed a nod. Sesshoumaru tried to smile, but it didn't work, and drove out of the driveway. Miroku and Inuyasha followed behind us, and Sango and Kikyou were behind them. Sesshoumaru was apparently still worried about my mental state because he kept casting worried glances at me.
"Shou, it should be completely understandable that I'm like this. I just saw my mother dead for Kami's sake." I muttered.
"I know that, Kagome." Sesshoumaru replied. "I need to stop by the station and make sure Ito gets there." He stopped in front of the police station and turned off the car. "Do you want to stay in here or go inside with the others?"
"I'll go inside." I replied. I shakily unfastened my seat belt and exited the car. My knees were still considerably weak and, once again, I had to rely on Sesshoumaru to keep me from falling.
"Shou…" I began. I could barely hear my own voice, but I knew he heard it.
"Yeah, Gome?" He replied. He cast his gaze down at me for a second before looking ahead.
"Why her?" I asked. My voice squeaked on the last word.
"Gome… asking a murderer why he murders won't give you any answers. Motives are pointless these days and Ito is one of the ones who doesn't even have a motive. He killed because he liked the feeling. He raped because he liked the feeling of a helpless woman beneath him. I don't know why he killed your mother. If we did maybe some of our fears would cease." Sesshoumaru's voice was gentle throughout the speech, but he hadn't given me the answer I wanted.
"I miss her." I whispered. It was a rather obvious statement to make, but I really didn't care.
"I know, Gome. We all miss her. And I hate to use clichés with you, but life is never fair. You just have to move on." He answered. Damn, I hated the clichés. I didn't say anything in response, just walked into the police station.
It looked the same as usual. My desk was a mess. Covered with police reports, things that need filing, some pictures, and random shit. Stuff I would have to get to tomorrow. Sango's was a bit more organized. It wasn't spotless, but she could find anything she needed in less than five seconds. So, it was an organized mess. Inuyasha's was a dump. Worse than mine, I'd say. I thought I saw a porno magazine, but I wasn't sure. God only knows what he has to do to satisfy himself. Miroku's was traditional. Papers in a stack near the corner. Pens placed next to them and a picture of his family. Same old, same old. He hid the 'dirty' stuff in a drawer. Sesshoumaru's was, by far, the neatest. It was completely spotless except for one envelope in the middle of it. I don't know what it was, but I really didn't care at the moment.
"Miroku just said he and Inuyasha are about to pull up. Sango and Kikyou got stuck in traffic and should be here in a few minutes." Sesshoumaru stated. I nodded slightly and sat down in the chair at my desk. I really needed to straighten it up.
Sesshoumaru walked over to his desk and picked up the envelope. 'Sesshoumaru' was penned across the front in black marker. He slid his finger underneath the flap and took the contents out.
'Last Will and Testament of Higurashi Ami' was all he read before dropping it.
"There's no fucking way…" He muttered to himself. I glanced at him with a lifted eyebrow. I may have been distraught but I hadn't started talking to myself yet. Just then, Miroku and Inuyasha came in with Ito in tow.
"Sorry it took so long. He wouldn't shut up." Inuyasha growled and forced Ito forward. The prisoner rolled his eyes in annoyance before looking at me.
"Ah, Kagome. I see you are not mentally well. That's a true shame. Such a waste it is to shed tears over a mere human." He feigned a sigh. I shot him a glare, though it couldn't have been very affective. "Just so you know, your mother was the best one. She was begging me to kill her once I got finished. I'll tell you, she was a screamer."
Before I knew what I was doing, I had jumped up, my gun in my hand, aimed at his head.
"I will fucking kill you now and feel absolutely no remorse about it." I hissed. Ito smirked as if to say 'try it'.
"Go ahead, Kagome. You probably think I deserve it, along with your friends. But, your mother had it coming. I was just granting her wish." I cocked the weapon in my hand, my eyes narrowing.
"Shut up. Don't talk about my mother." I could feel myself growing even angrier by the second. Again, Ito just smirked. I couldn't take it anymore. I flexed my finger and finally pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.
"Put him in a cell." Sesshoumaru ordered. Miroku and Inuyasha nodded, dragging Ito further into the prison. "Give me the gun, Gome."
I could feel my lower jaw starting to quiver. My grip on the gun weakened and it finally fell to the floor. I collapsed in my chair, resting my head in my hands. "I hate him." A new wave of sobs was overpowering me.
"We all know that, Gome. But, you can't let your emotions get the better of you." Sesshoumaru tried to soothe me.
"It isn't fucking fair! What the fuck did she do to deserve that? All she ever did was help people and he had to fucking kill her!" I banged my fist on the desk and placed my head next to it. "I don't fucking care if I'm being selfish. I want her back."
I guess he didn't think it was the right time to show me what my mother had left. He placed a hand on my shoulder and kept it there for a second.
"The funeral will be held this weekend. You can take the rest of the week off if you wish." His voice was back to its usual emotionless state. I sniffled slightly and lifted my head. Shou could have his good times where he was like an actual human but, most of the time he was a robot: Completely void of any feeling.
My eyes fell onto a picture of my mom and me. It was over summer vacation and we had gone to the beach together. My dad was taking the picture and my little brother Souta was running in the background. He was always a hyper guy, even at the age of sixteen. I regretted to see how he was going to react when I told him what had happened.
Holding back a sigh, I picked up my walkie-talkie and pushed the button. "Come on guys, where are you?" I asked.
"We're pulling into the station now. We'll be in soon." Kikyou's voice replied. Not even a minute later the door to the police station swung open and a puffy eyed Sango and Kikyou stepped inside. "Traffic is a fucking nightmare, especially at midnight."
"Yeah. Ito's already locked up?" Sango asked. I nodded slightly.
"Inuyasha and Miroku took him back about five minutes ago." Sesshoumaru stated. His eyes were glued to a piece of paper, but I didn't know what it was. Miroku soon entered the office area, followed by an obviously irate Inuyasha.
"Shou, can I please kill Ito?" He asked, his hands balled into fists.
"It depends on your reason." Sesshoumaru responded.
"He called Gome's mom a bitch and a whore!" Inuyasha shouted.
"Then no. Let's get out of here. We have a lot to do." He stood up from his desk, the envelope and paper in his hand. "We will all meet at the Higurashi residence."
"Hey, wait." Miroku replied. "What kind of sentencing can we hope for?"
"I'd say ten years. Maximum. He'll probably plead temporary insanity." Sesshoumaru answered. "Or make a plea bargain. Either way, there's no way we'll get life out of this." A few jaws dropped but no one said anything.
"Shou, he killed and raped five women! Do you really think the jury is going to believe he was temporarily insane?" I asked.
"Something you've yet to notice about our legal system, Kagome, is that it is corrupt. We will more than likely get a crooked judge and jury and they'll let him off." Sesshoumaru replied.
I sighed again, bent down and picked up my gun, glancing at the mechanism. It felt lighter than it did before. Like it wasn't loaded or something. "Who unloaded my gun?" I asked.
"What?" Sango replied, turning towards me. "How do you know it's unloaded?"
"Because it's about five pounds lighter than what it should be. Here, see for yourself." I told her and handed her the weapon.
"Yeah, it's definitely unloaded. Maybe you just didn't load it from last time." She suggested. I shook my head.
"It was loaded when we went into the house. So, who unloaded it?"
"I did." Sesshoumaru replied matter-of-factly.
"And what possessed you to unload my weapon?" I asked.
"Because, I know you, Kagome. You're predictable. If I hadn't unloaded your gun then you would have killed Ito and would have been charged with murder. Simple as that. Now, we really must go." He replied.
I knew he was right. He was always right. But, I didn't think that justified him unloading my weapon.
"He fucking deserves it, you jackass!" I screeched. Sesshoumaru sighed and shook his head.
"I am not going to argue this with you. Now, go get in the car." There was no arguing with him when he had that look on his face. The 'shut up and do as I say otherwise you're fired' look. I thought he should copyright it, but he didn't. I holstered the gun and glanced at him for a second before walking out of the building.
"That was uncalled for, Shou." Miroku stated calmly.
"Why, Miroku? Because I care about her losing her job because of a split second emotion?" Sesshoumaru replied.
"Split second? Her mother was just killed for Kami's sake! I would say that that constitutes much more than a split second emotion, Shou!" He barked. Kikyou and Sango jumped slightly at the sudden rise in his voice.
"And we are all hurting because of it!" Sesshoumaru yelled back. "Ami was a mother to all of us, not just Kagome. The difference is that we haven't let our emotions overpower us. Now, get in the cars so that we can leave." He spun on his heel and walked out of the building, getting in the car with me.
"Come on, Miroku. Let's just play his game for a while." Sango tugged on his arm slightly before he finally sighed and led her outside. Inuyasha pulled Kikyou out behind them.
"You take Kikyou and I'll take Sango. I wouldn't trust either of them to be well enough to drive by themselves." Miroku stated. Inuyasha nodded and opened the passenger side door of his police cruiser. "Come on, San. We all just need some rest right now." Miroku gently pushed her into the other car before getting in the driver's seat. Sesshoumaru pulled out first, followed by Inuyasha, and then Miroku. From what I could see from the side mirrors Kikyou was a dead pan. Her arms were wrapped around herself and her eyes were on the floor. Sango didn't look much better off. It looked like Miroku was trying to comfort her, but I didn't think anything would help any of us at the moment.
We drove a few blocks and finally pulled into the shrine my father and… well, just father now, tended to. My brother Souta lived there, along with our cat Buyo. Souta's girlfriend, a girl by the name of Rin, lived with Sesshoumaru. When I first found out about that living arrangement I was, due to lack of a better word, shocked. The hard ass Sesshoumaru housing a hyper, carefree girl like Rin. She and Souta had been going out for two years and it was obvious to see they were really fond of each other.
Sesshoumaru parked his car at the bottom of a set of stairs and got out. Before he could open my door I was already out, straightening my uniform.
"Ready?" He asked. Kami, I hoped that was a rhetorical question.
"Shou, you're a genius and I respect you completely. But, that was by far the stupidest question you have ever asked. Ever." I replied. Hey, just because I was mourning didn't mean I couldn't make snide comments.
I gently closed the car door, glancing up for a second once I heard Inuyasha and Miroku pulling up. I waited for them to get out of their cars before heading up the steps. I saw the living room light on, which was rather surprising. Everyone was usually asleep by now. I twisted the door knob and pushed the door open, leaving it open for Sesshoumaru and the others to come in. I stepped into the small foyer, glanced around for a few seconds, and then walked into the living room. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see Souta and daddy up, but seeing Rin next to Souta was rather surprising. It was past midnight, so why was she here? I didn't want her to have to hear what happened like… this.
I bit my lower lip before sitting on the couch opposite them. I wrapped my arms around my legs, picking at the fabric of my pants. This had to be the most awkward moment of my life. Sesshoumaru sat next to me, with Inuyasha, Kikyou, Miroku, and Sango standing near the wall.
"Higurashi-sama…" Sesshoumaru began. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed to him. "Your wife knew it was going to happen."
"So, she's really dead?" My dad asked. I couldn't grasp what was going on. Mom knew that Ito was going to kill her? And dad knew as well? Damn, it's like one of those midday soap operas.
Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. "She left a will at the station." A will? It takes weeks to get a will written. This was just too crazy.
"Okay, wait." I replied. "Are you saying my mom knew this was going to happen?"
Sesshoumaru nodded again.
"And you knew, too?" I looked at my dad. He nodded. "Did you?" I asked Souta.
He hesitated a bit but finally nodded. "Sorry, sis. She told us not to tell you…"
"Not to tell me? You knew she was going to die and you didn't do anything?" I was trying hard to keep my voice steady.
"She told us not to. We were only doing what she said." Souta replied.
"Well, that was the one time you shouldn't have listened!" I will warn you now, minor over reaction coming up in… ten seconds. "Ito didn't kill her. You and daddy did." I rose from the couch and bolted up the stairs.
"Kagome!" Souta yelled after me. "I'll be right back, Rin. Dad, you should probably look at the will." He kissed Rin gently on the cheek before running after me. He tried to twist the door knob but nothing happened.
"Come on, Kag, open the door." He said gently.
"Go away. I don't want to talk to you." I replied.
"I'll go away as soon as you listen to me."
"What is there to say, Souta? You killed her. You could have stopped her. You could have tied her to a chair or something. But, no. You should be in jail with Ito." I heard him walk away from the door, going back downstairs.
"Rin, can I borrow a hair pin? She locked the door." Souta asked. The girl nodded and pulled one out of her hair.
"Do you need help?" She asked.
"No. I just want to talk to her in private." With the hair pin in hand, he walked back upstairs. Inserting it into the door knob, he wriggled it slightly before pushing the door open. "Here's a hint, Kag. Don't bother locking the door if Rin is here. She always has something to unlock it."
"Go away, Souta." I muttered from my bed.
"Will you just listen to me?" He replied.
"No." I stated.
"Well, too bad." He closed the door and sat at the foot of my bed. "And I ask that you not make me yell while my girlfriend is here."
I glared at him but said nothing.
"You know she would have hated having to stay inside just so she could live, Kag." He whispered.
"Don't presume to know what she would have hated, Souta. You never knew here." I mumbled. That was a mistake.
"Never knew here, Kag? I knew her for sixteen fucking years! And I wish to God I could have known her for longer, but I couldn't." He stood up and walked over to my dresser, pulled an envelope off of it and threw it at me. "Read that before you try to tell me I didn't know our own mother again." He stated. "Now come on. Dad's about to read the will."
He grabbed my hand and pulled me off of the bed, literally dragging me downstairs.
"Now that we're all down here." Dad began. He unfolded the single piece of paper that was in the envelope Sesshoumaru had been holding. "First and foremost, someone give Kagome a box of tissues. Even though I'm dead by now I still know my daughter." He read.
Mom always had a way of making the gravest of situations funny. Rin picked up a box of tissues and tossed them to me. "Thanks, Rin." I muttered. She smiled gently and dad continued.
"As should be expected, Fukuda Sesshoumaru is hereby appointed Chief of Police. I expect him to remain involved with all actions concerning the members of unit 634. Fukuda Inuyasha is to be captain of unit 634. Fukuda Sesshoumaru will oversee Fukuda Inuyasha's actions and decisions for the first two weeks. My jewelry is to be divided amongst Higurashi Kagome, Yoshida Sango, Tsubaki Kikyou, and Okada Rin. Higurashi Souta is to receive my collection of samurai swords and Higurashi Kagome is to receive my baby grand piano as well as my grandmother's necklace. Sakai Miroku is to receive all of my drawing pads, stencils, easels, paints, and all other art supplies. My wedding kimono will go to Okada Rin (hopefully future daughter-in-law). My other kimonos will go to Yoshida Sango and Tsubaki Kikyou except for the last five at the top of my closet. Those will go to Higurashi Kagome. The shrine is to continued being cared for by my husband, Higurashi Akira. Any profits made from tourists is to be split in half, one half going to the betterment of police technology. Each of the afore mentioned people will receive a personalized letter from me. I love you all and wish you the best of luck." Father finished.
A blush was evident on Rin's and Souta's faces, presumably from the 'future daughter-in-law' comment. Daddy opened a drawer in a side table and pulled out eight envelopes.
"All right. Rin, here's your letter. Souta, yours." He began handing out the letters until he got to the end. "And Sesshoumaru… yours is right here." He handed him a few more sheets of paper that were attached to the will.
We all thanked him before opening the envelopes, pulling out the rather lengthy letters. I slowly began reading through mine and almost immediately felt my eyes filling with tears again. "May I please be excused?" Without waiting for a response I stood up and walked upstairs. I closed my door gently behind me and sat on top of my desk near the window.
NORMAL POV
"Should I go after her?" Souta asked, breaking the silence that filled the living room.
"No." Akira replied. "She just needs some time alone. This has been especially hard for her." Souta nodded slightly and continued reading his letter. Sesshoumaru glanced up the stairs, shook his head, and turned back to the paper in his hand.
'Dear Shou,
Even as I'm writing this final letter to you I can't help but feel guilty for the terrible burden I have placed upon your shoulders. Chief of Police is a difficult job. I'll tell you now that more than once I wanted to off myself. Thank god that I didn't. Otherwise I wouldn't have had the pleasure of getting know a fantastic young man.
I know this won't inspire much confidence, but you really can't solve every case. Yes, you've solved all the ones you've worked on so far. But, there will come a case that you just can't solve. And when that time comes you just have to let it go. I made the mistake of getting too wrapped up in a case and I almost lost sight of what I had, literally, right in front of me. I don't want that to happen to you. Look at Rin, Shou. If I know that girl as well as I think I do she's probably crying and Souta is probably trying his best to comfort her. My order to you, as your former boss and still friend, is to just hug her. Just hold her. Cry with her if you have it in you. Just because you're a man doesn't mean you have to hide your emotions.
Please know that I never planned for any of this to happen. Convince Kagome of that if you can. I always thought of you as a son and I love you dearly. Take care of Inuyasha and Rin. Make sure they stay safe so that I can have lots of grandchildren. I'm going to go now. I love you, Shou. Remember that.
Love Always,
Ami
Try not to become a man of success, but rather to become a man of value. -Albert Einstein'
Sesshoumaru frowned slightly and looked at Rin. She had been right. The young girl was trying her best to fight back tears with Souta gently rubbing her back.
"Come here, Rin." He said gently, holding out his hand. Rin glanced at Souta questioningly and walked over to Sesshoumaru. He grasped her hand, pulling her into his lap. "Everything's going to be all right. You know Higurashi-sama is still here, don't you?"
"How so, Shou?" Rin asked quietly as she fiddled with her shirt.
"She's in everything we do. Every decision we make, all the traditions that we have together. They're all inspired by her. Do you believe me?" Sesshoumaru looked at her, receiving a nod in response before she just broke down.
Sango sniffled, biting her lip to keep herself from crying. As long as one of the guys don't start crying I'll be fine. She told herself before glancing at Miroku. Damn it, he's crying! She mentally cursed at herself before hugging him tightly.
"It's going to be okay, Sango." He whispered. "We just have to stay calm."
-With Kagome-
"Get a hold of yourself, Gome." Kagome muttered to herself. "Just go back down there with the others."
"You know, I've only been gone for about two hours and it's already a mess down here." A voice sighed. Kagome looked up, catching the reflection of her mother in the glass of the window. She looked over her shoulder and let out a shriek. "Calm yourself, Kag."
Kagome attempted to back up, but couldn't. "But you're… you can't… it's not possible!" She replied. Wobbling slightly, she fell from the desk she was sitting on, hitting her head on the floor. "God damn it!"
"I warned you about sitting on that desk, Kag. And I'm not exactly here. I'm, well, I guess you could say I'm a ghost. I don't know though." Ami laughed. "Okay, I don't have much time because I am breaking so many rules by being here. The necklace I left for you is in the box with one of the kimonos. They're pushed all the way to the back of the shelf that's at the top of my closet. If you want to see why I went out even though I knew Ito was going to kill me look very closely at the wall my bed is against. You'll see why. Tell Souta and everyone else down there that I love them and I wish to god I could see him and Rin get married. Tell Shou I said to ease up some. He may be Chief of Police now but he doesn't have to be such a hard ass. Umm… oh, yeah. Tell Rin my wedding kimono is the very first box in my closet. What else, what else, what else? I think that's it. I'm sorry to have to run so soon, but they have some strict rules about lingering up there. Don't forget to look at my wall. I love you, honey."
With that, Kagome's mother slowly began to dissolve. She stood still for about a minute, letting what she had just witnessed fully sink in. Finally, she ran from the room, skidding to a halt at the bottom of the stairs.
"What is it? You look like you just saw a ghost." Inuyasha commented.
"Mom… in my room… scared the fuck out of me… then left." Kagome replied. "Said to look at her wall… would tell me why she left. Can someone get me some ice?" The laughing started with Rin, went to Souta, then Sango, Inuyasha, Miroku, Akira, and finally Kikyou.
"Sure, sis." Souta stood up and walked into the kitchen.
"What's so funny?" Kagome asked, sitting on the arm of the couch.
"Just the way you said all of that." Inuyasha replied. "Were you the one that caused that thump a few minutes ago?"
"Yeah, I fell off of my desk." She placed the ice pack Souta offered on the slowly forming bump on her head.
"What did you say about she telling you to check her wall?" Sesshoumaru asked. Rin had calmed down by now, along with Sango and Miroku.
"She said that I needed to look at the wall her bed was against. It would tell me why she went out even though she knew Ito was going to kill her." Kagome replied.
"Well, let's go check it out." Inuyasha was the first to go up the stairs with Kikyou trailing behind him. Kagome was the last one to enter the room.
"Find anything yet?" She asked.
"We've been looking for three seconds, Gome. Have some patience." Inuyasha scowled.
"Well, sorry. I just thought with having two dog demons looking it would be easy." Kagome huffed.
"Wait, I found something." Sesshoumaru chimed. "Looks like dried blood. Kagome, go get the luminol out of the trunk of my car. Bring a black light with you." She nodded slightly and ran back out of the room.
Grabbing Sesshoumaru's car keys from a side table, she ran outside, down the steps, and finally came to a stop by his car. She opened the trunk and began fishing around for the needed items. "All right, luminol… now where the fuck is the black light. Ah, got you, you little devil." Kagome slammed the trunk closed and ran back inside.
"I got the stuff." She stated.
"You know, you make it sound like we're selling drugs or something." Souta laughed. Kagome grinned and tossed the two items to Sesshoumaru. He sprayed a little bit of the substance on the stain.
"All right, turn off the lights, Kagome." He told her. The room lit up like a roman candle.
"And there, Kagome, is the reason why your mother left."
Kagome's first reflex was to vomit. 'Your precious Kagome's body will be mutilated beyond recognition if you aren't there.' The writing read.
"My one request at the moment is for someone to please make sure that I don't hit the floor this time." She said weakly. Her knees trembled slightly before she began to fall backwards. Inuyasha scrambled around the bed, catching her just before she hit the ground.
"I think that is a sign to get out of here." He stated. Inuyasha adjusted his hold on Kagome, one hand behind her back the other one underneath her knees, and walked out of the room. He was followed by Sesshoumaru, Miroku, Sango, Kikyou, Souta, Rin, and finally Akira.
Inuyasha entered the living room and placed Kagome gently on the couch, her head resting in his lap. Souta walked into the kitchen for a second and brought out a cold wash cloth.
"Do you think she's going to be okay?" He asked, sitting on the opposite couch with his girlfriend.
"Yeah. It's just shock. She should wake up in a few minutes." Inuyasha replied, placing the wash cloth on her forehead. A loud silence fell about them, until Sango finally spoke.
"It's so weird without her here. I can almost hear her voice: Miroku, put down the porno and pay attention." She chanced a laugh, smiling at the chuckle that emitted from Miroku's throat.
"Ami-chan always had a way of making the gravest of situations enjoyable." He whispered. His fingers absently entwined with Sango's, his thumb gently gliding against the flesh.
"That was her gift." Akira noted. "She had her serious moments, but she always said life was too short to take everything seriously." A groggy mutter came from Kagome, her eyes slowly opening. She looked up, catching Inuyasha's eyes, and let out a scream.
"Get away from me, you pervert!" She yelled, punching him squarely in the jaw.
"Did you really have to teach her that right hook, Shou? I mean, damn, she hits harder than Sango." Inuyasha rubbed his jaw and glared at Kagome.
"Oh, boo-hoo, you big baby." Kagome rolled her eyes and sat up, sliding into the corner of the couch. "How long was I out?"
"Couple of minutes." Sesshoumaru answered. "How are you feeling?"
"Well, now that I've let out some of my anger, a little better." She laughed slightly. Once again, they fell silent.
"I've got an idea," Rin started. "Since we all know Ami-chan would hate to see us all like this, why don't we go around and share our favorite memories with her?" Everyone looked at Kagome expectantly, who was grinning from ear to ear.
"Sounds great. Do you know of any pizza places that are opened this late, though?" Kagome replied. Miroku smiled and picked up the cordless phone. Quickly dialing a number, he waited for someone to pick up.
"Yeah, hi. I would like three large pizzas, one with pepperoni, one with cheese, and one with pineapple and anchovies. Please deliver it to 23 Watatsumi Lane. Thank you very much, my kind lady. And might I add, you have a very sexy voice." The last comment earned him a slap on the back of the head and the woman hanging up abruptly. "Well, she won't be getting much business with that attitude."
Sango growled and hit him with a pillow. "Womanizing creep."
"Yes, I am, but you know you're the only woman I'll ever come back to, San." Miroku wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his lap. "Now, before we begin, I would just like to ask Kagome how she can eat a pizza with pineapple and anchovies on it."
"Simple, it tastes really good." Kagome told him with a smile.
"Well, no one's going to be kissing you tonight. Or for about another week." He sighed.
"Who needs to be kissed? Not me."
"At this rate, sis, I'll lose my virginity before you do." Souta chipped in. Rin blushed furiously, burying her face in her hands.
"You're such a prude, Souta." She muttered. He smiled and gently wrapped an arm around her.
"Can we please start, now? I'm getting bored." Inuyasha questioned.
"Fine. Oh, I've got one." Sango answered. "The time Kikyou got drunk and sang I Believe I Can Fly on top of a table."
"And Ami-chan said I should give up alcohol after I attempted a pseudo stage dive."
Kikyou laughed. "Inu nearly trampled Miroku trying to catch me."
"I remember that. Gave me a black eye, idiot." Miroku hissed.
"Well, you were in my way." Inuyasha shrugged nonchalantly. "What about when she found out Souta and Rin were dating? She starting dancing and saying she was finally going to have grandchildren." Souta's ears turned red as they always did when he was embarrassed.
"She always blew that entirely out of proportion." He mumbled. Rin smiled and leaned her head against his chest.
"Oh, I've got one." Everyone became quiet when Sesshoumaru spoke. "Gome's first undercover assignment."
"Was that the time I slapped a dude for grabbing my ass?" Kagome asked. Akira sighed and stood up, shaking his head.
"You kids. Try not to stay up too late, we've got a lot of work to do tomorrow." They said their good night's and then continued with the story.
"No, that was Miroku at the party Kikyou got drunk at. You beat a guy up for calling you, if I remember correctly, a 'sexy bitch that he'd like to ride rough'." Sesshoumaru replied.
"Oh, yeah! Fucking pervert, has no respect for women." Kagome growled.
"Can you blame him, Gome? You were wearing an all leather suit that really showed your ass." Miroku sighed dreamily.
"I stand by the fact that it was a motorcycle race I was infiltrating, so I had to fit in. But, I must thank him for making my decision to join the convent final." Kagome answered.
"You can't join the convent, Kag." Souta laughed.
"And why not, my dear little brother? I have absolutely no intention of ever having sex." She lifted an eyebrow.
"That may be true, but you swear like a sailor." He laughed even more as she opened her mouth to retort but closed it again.
"Well, you got me there. What about you, Rin? Anything funny stand out in your mind?"
"Hmm…" The girl thought for a second before smiling. "That time someone shot at Miroku."
"Hey, the bullet almost hit me that time!" Miroku exclaimed.
"Yeah, but it didn't. You jumped like a foot in the air. Ami-chan couldn't stop laughing after the guy was in the car."
"Thank Kami-sama I did jump, otherwise I would never get to have kids!"
"And if you don't remove your hand from my backside there will once again be that threat." Sango feigned and innocent expression as Miroku quickly retracted his hand. The door bell rang and Kagome jumped up excitedly.
"Pizza's here!" She held out her hand to Miroku, waiting for him to hand her the money. "You're the one who ordered it, so pay up." Grumbling, he pulled a wallet out of his back pocket and handed her some money. "Thanks!" She quickly skipped to the door and opened it.
"You ordered three large pizzas, one pepperoni, one cheese, and one… pineapple with anchovies?" The man in the doorway asked.
"Yep, I did." Kagome handed him the money and took the pizzas.
"Has anyone ever told you that you are exceptionally beautiful?" He smiled in what was supposed to be a charming way.
"Yeah, it gets boring after a while." She went to close the door but his foot blocked it.
"How about a date sometime? My ex-girlfriends can give you a wonderful recommendation." Kagome rolled her eyes and slammed the heel of her foot onto his toes.
"Mess with a cop next time and I'll aim higher." She hissed, slamming the door.
"Miroku, you are now one of the least perverted men in Tokyo, Japan."
Author's Note: Seemed like a good place to leave off. I don't know. Oh, well. Long chapter. 34 pages and 7554 words. I better get some reviews, damn it!