The moonlight flickered through the treetops as she ran through the forest, tripping blindly over roots and boulders as she went. Her black hair whipped behind her, occasionally getting snagged on low-hanging branches. She stopped, glancing over her shoulder once before setting off again, walking briskly. Her eyes began to stream again, but this time she let the tears fall, leaving shining trails in their wake.
She came to a clearing on the edge of a small river. The moon's reflection shone in the dark, placid water, shimmering slightly. She sank to her knees on the damp earth next to the water, idly playing with the black wetness with her fingers.
A fresh wave of tears sprang forth, stinging the back of her eyes. She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her white, slightly dirty, sleeve. She sank back on her bottom, drawing her knees to her chin and wrapping her arms around her calves. She glanced up to the moon, the tears now running down her already tear-stained face. They splashed on her sleeves, leaving small wet dots in the fabric.
Stupid baka…why does he have to be so insensitive?
.:FLASHBACK:.
"Kagome, what's got you so upset today?" asked an irritable hanyou, turning the several fish on the spit he had caught earlier. The miko glanced up at him, her eyes shining.
"N-nothing InuYasha. Why do you ask?" she said softly. Said hanyou looked up at her then, an eyebrow quirked so high it was in danger of disappearing among the mass of silver hair atop his head.
"You've been acting weird all day. Moping, sighing, staring off into the distance." He stated, counting off his points on his fingers. She sighed, and he smirked triumphantly. She scowled at him.
"Its…nothing." She said quietly, turning away from him. He growled in frustration, his ears twitching grumpily.
"Aww c'mon wench, I can see something has got you all bent out of shape. Tell me!" he said gruffly. She hesitated before turning back to look at him, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.
"Its just…. today is my father's birthday…" she trailed off, looking at a spot above the half-demon's head. He cocked his head to the side, his face scrunched up curiously.
"Is that all?" he asked incredulously. She blinked, a few stray tears slipping down her cheeks. He recoiled as though he had been struck; his eyes grew dull, the tips of his ears drooping, if only a little.
"InuYasha…you can be such a baka…" with that she let out a loud, anguished cry and sprang to her feet, sprinting out of the small camp. She passed Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kilala on her way out. Before they could say a word, she was gone.
.:END FLASHBACK:.
With a now dry face, Kagome watched the water as it rippled slightly in the cool breeze. All was quiet in the forest. Suddenly, she felt the presence of a new figure, more precisely, a demon. She sprang to her feet and spun around, drawing one of her arrows as she went. Cocking it in her bow, she waited, her bowstring pulled taut.
Just when she was about to let loose her arrow, InuYasha stepped out of the cover of the trees, his hands in the sleeves of his haori. He cocked his head to the side. If I weren't so mad at him, he would look kind of cute. She scowled, dropped her weapon, and turned her back to him and sank back down to the bank. She rested her chin on her knees, listening to him as he approached.
He knelt beside her, his breath whispering past her neck. She shivered.
"Kagome…" he started, his voice heavy. "I… please tell me." He said simply. She looked at him, an eyebrow raised. She nodded, took a deep breath, and looked up at the moon.
"Today is my father's birthday. But he doesn't get to celebrate it anymore. Remember that time 4 years ago, when I left to take my math test and didn't come back for a month?" he nodded. Normally he would have made some abrasive remark, but, amazingly, he didn't this time. He was totally absorbed in her story.
"Yeah I remember, you came back smelling like tears and…" he trailed off, comprehension dawning on his tanned face. He had been about to say 'death'.
.:FLASHBACK:.
"InuYasha, I promise I'll be back in a few days, a week at most. I just have to take my final math exam, and then I'll be done with school!" she smiled broadly, knowing that would hook him for sure. She saw his face change from fury, to suspicion, to disappointment, to resigned acceptance. She yelped with glee and rushed over to him, flinging her arms around his neck and hugged him quickly before sprinting back to camp to pack her things. He rubbed the back of his neck before slowly following her back to camp.
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"Ok, I'll see you all when I get back in a few days!" Kagome yelled before she jumped into the well. A blinding blue light and she arrived on the ground at the bottom of the well in her time. She stood and brushed herself off, then grabbed the rope ladder and proceeded to climb it up and out of the well. She ran out of the well house, her oversized yellow backpack slung over her shoulders.
"Mom! Sota! Gramps! I'm home!" she yelled as she opened the door. She dropped her backpack on the foot of the stairs and went to the kitchen. No one was there. Perplexed, Kagome walked to the fridge, where a note was pasted to the front. She plucked it off and read it.
Kagome-
We got a call from the Tokyo Green Hedge Hospital. Your father has been hospitalized. He was on an expedition in the states, and he got sent back here because he has fallen very ill. Your Grandpa, Sota and I are already here. We only hope you get back here in time. We don't know how long he will make it. Get here as soon as you can.
-Mom
Kagome stopped reading the note and looked up, her breathing shallow and her face white. She dropped the note and sprinted out of the kitchen, the small piece of paper fluttering to the floor.
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The miko paced along the sidewalk, waiting for the taxi to come pick her up and take her to the hospital. That note had been dated almost a week ago. She hoped she wasn't too late…
A small, yellow cab pulled up and she got in, slamming the door and shouting the address to the driver. He nodded and pulled into traffic.
They arrived at the hospital in about 20 minutes, and Kagome was absolutely terrified as to what she would find. She paid the cab driver and exited the car. She walked briskly into the large white building, eyes darting around wildly. She came to the front desk, where a short, wispy brunette with thick glasses peered up at her.
"Higurashi Hisao." She stated in a surprisingly calm voice. The receptionist nodded and turned to the computer screen. "Fifth floor, Hisashi ward, room 533." Kagome thanked the woman and departed for the elevators.
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Kagome made her way along the ward, searching for the correct room. She finally found it and stopped in front of it. She took a deep breath and pushed aside the sliding door.
"Kagome!" she looked into the room; Sota was sitting in a chair in the corner, staring at her. Her mother was sitting next to the hospital bed, where countless wires were attached. Her Grandpa wasn't anywhere to be seen. She walked into the room.
"Hi Mom, Sota." She walked over to the bed. She could now see the pale form of her father, virtually lifeless. His skin was cold and white; numerous cables and wires were connected to him, some running out of his wrists, some out of his nostrils. A monitor next to his bed beeped, showing his frail heartbeat.
"He's been in a coma for nearly 2 weeks now." Her mother croaked in a voice that sounded like it hadn't been used in ages. "The doctors don't think he will survive the night." Her voice cracked as a sob ripped through it. Kagome nodded.
"Mom…do you think… I could… say goodbye to him?" she asked, tears slipping down her cheeks. Her mother nodded and rose from her seat. Sota followed her. The door closed with a snap.
Kagome sank into her mother's vacated chair and grasped her father's lifeless hand and squeezed it. "I'm here now Daddy." A sob escaped her even as she tried to hold it in. the tears flowed faster now, leaving twin rivers down her cheeks. "I love you, Daddy. I just wanted to say that. I wish I could have said it to you before you went into a coma." She then realized she had never told her father about her adventures in the feudal era. It had been 7 years since she had first fallen through the well. "Daddy, I am going to tell you about the Feudal Era. 7 years ago, I fell through the well at the shrine and came out 500 years in the past. I made friends with a half dog demon named InuYasha, and together we went hunting Sacred jewel Shards. We met a lecherous monk named Miroku, a fox child named Shippo, and a demon exterminator named Sango. 4 years ago we defeated a great evil called Naraku, and peace finally came to the Feudal Lands." She paused. Her father had moved his hand, if only a little. "That's why I am almost never home. Its because I am always in the Feudal Times." She squeezed his hand again, encouraging him to respond. "I love you, Daddy." Then she heard it; it was faint, but still there.
"I love you too, Kagome." Her father whispered hoarsely. Then the monitor next to him sank into a single, low tone. He was gone. She let a loud sob escape her. It rang around the empty room before dying out. She bent forward and kissed his temple. "I love you, Daddy. Goodbye."
.:END FLASHBACK:.
Kagome was openly balling now. InuYasha's head was bent forward, his eyes hidden by his bangs. He rubbed her back soothingly.
"He waited for me, InuYasha, I just know he did." She said, her voice muffled by her arms. He nodded, though she didn't see it. He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her small, shaking frame. She buried her face into his chest, her tears soaking through his haori. He held her to him, slightly rocking back and forth.
"Shhh… It's okay, Kagome. It's alright." He whispered to her. He pressed his lips to her temple gently. "It'll be okay…"
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AN: Oh wow… that made ME cry. Well almost. I don't really have anything to say here, so tell me what you guys think.
Also, I know you all are anxiously awaiting the update to my stories. I will work on it, I promise. I have notes up all over my house, reminding me to update. It'll happen soon, I swear. Just keep watching.
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