I'm not quite sure the rating for this but I hope to complete it soon along with another story called Remember me? Anyway this is my first story although it is like the fifth story I've started.

Anyway . . .

Enjoy!


Realizing Love

Prologue: The Accident

He gripped the steering wheel tightly as he slowly began to accelerate along the avenue, soft music booming out of the sound system he worked hard to get. He eyed the cool dark bottles that sat--still held firmly in their case--behind him on the sleek material of his car seat. Without a second thought he grabbed a bottle from its packaging and popped open its tight lid. He rose the bottle of spirits to his mouth ready to take a sip of the bitter taste he had found himself accustomed too.

He stopped.

"What am I doing?" he thought suddenly. He stared at the bottle as he slowly lowered it from his lips. He sighed as he put the bottle into one of the cup holders close to his knee. Ever since those stupid losers came to his class drilling into their head--ever since he was little—to never drink and drive and don't do drugs or don't smoke, it kills; he never could do it. As hard as he could and tried, he couldn't.

He sighed as he slumped lower in his seat only to sit back up and stare ahead at the road that passed before him and beneath the red vehicle he traveled in. "It's like my life . . ." he thought. "It keeps on going and never ends. As much as I want it too, it won't . . ." Suddenly it was too much for him. He glanced into the review mirror searching for any cars while he skid his car around the corner onto another long avenue, the music drowning out the rest of his thoughts. Passer-Byers glared at him from the sidewalk at the disturbance of the music--he had soft only seconds before--now blaring.

"You know how to appreciate me; I must stick with you, my baby . . ."

He choked on the lump that had formed deep in his throat, he squeezed his eyes as they began to warm, his vision blurry with tears. The music enveloped him, his soul, wrapping around his heart squeezing it till there was nothing more to squeeze, his heart breaking away with every shard. "That song . . ." he thought, "her song . . ." He let his car come to a slow stop on the side of the road, his throat felt thick and warm. Soon the tears began to fall as he choked and sputtered, sobbing loudly as the wailing music continued to play the song, her song.

Of all the days they had been together, the years, she left him for someone else. Even worse, it was his worst enemy too. "That bastard Naraku . . ." he managed to choke out as he sobbed, the reverie of that moment forming in his mind.

He strolled down the hall, a sappy smile against his lips, as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Everyone that saw him could easily see that the man had been kissed with the way he seemed to skip with every step he took, his head held high, his eyes seeming drunk. He skipped to his locker and sighed as he slowly turned the dial to his combo and opened it.

"You were kissed again weren't you?" asked a voice.

He didn't have to look up to see that the voice belonged to one of his closest friends. "Yeah," he replied with a dreamy sigh. A vision of her beautiful face appeared in his mind, causing him to sigh yet again.

"At a boy!" his friend exclaimed, slapping him on the back just as he closed the door to his locker swinging his bag over his shoulder filled with the books he would need for that morning. "Now tonight when you're alone with her make sure you give her an extra rub from me."

"Someone ought to slap you," he growled in reply, turning down a second hallway.

"Good thing it's not you, eh?" his friend joked, but in his opinion it was said with relief.

"InuYasha!" a heavenly voice called from down the hall, a sweet scent of perfume smelling of earth wafting in the air to their noses.

He turned quickly at the sound of his name to see, whom else--but his one and only--strutting down the hall after him. He waited for her to come closer before scooping her up in his arms. "Hey babe," he appraised, before planting a big kiss on her lips, showing just how much he appreciated her. "What are you doing back so soon?" he asked as he dropped her back to the ground gently, his hand still around her waist.

"Nothing really I just couldn't stand another five minutes without you!" she exclaimed hooking her arm around his as they began to walk down the hall. "So you decided to wait for me this time, did you?"

He smiled sheepishly, last time she had called his name he had been to busy talking with his friends to even hear her. It hadn't ended pretty. He shrugged.

"Well I'm glad you did, I have to talk to you later, meet me after school at my locker, okay?" she continued flicking a lock of her crisp black hair over her shoulder and gripping her books closer to her chest.

He nodded, continuously gazing at her angelic face.

"All right see you then," she replied, laying her hand on his chest as she reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He intercepted her head with his own capturing her lips with a sneaky smile.

"You sneak!" she giggled with a laugh slapping him playfully on the chest with her French manicured nails. "Bye InuYasha," she winked at him turning on her padded heels as she began to glide the opposite way down the hall, her hips swigging with every step as she left taking her perfumed earth scent with her.

"Bye," he managed to murmur through his dazed expression he always got after sharing a kiss with her.

"Mmm . . . doesn't she look fine in that skirt with that ass moving like it is!" a voice hooted from beside him.

He didn't have to turn around to know that that voice belonged to another friend of his. He looked as his girlfriend who eventually disappeared amongst the crowd of student's along the hallway.

Another bunch of voices cackled.

He smiled as if agreeing to his friends' jokes, although it made him angry to have someone talk to her in such away. It was like when he had first met her, almost two years ago. A bunch of goons had taken eye to her and had decided to take advantage of her powerless skills to defend herself as they harshly 'played' with her. He had been lucky to catch them when he had or the awful brutes could have hurt her; but once they caught action of his fist they had known better then to 'play' with the girl ever again. It was from then on that they hade been together since.

"Oy! Beat it freak before your little head meets two of my friends," the first voice had growled breaking him out of his daze.

He looked up at the owner of voice. He was tall and bulk for his age, with blue eyes and long black hair tied up high on the back of his head. He was known for his "hotness" as many of the girls would whisper along the hallways as they giggled to their friends about their best-date-of-their-lives with him. He could knock out a guy in seconds with his powerful arm and fists and he was, of course, fearless.

"What's wrong? You got a problem with me standing here?" his friend retorted back, using every ounce of courage he could muster.

"What's going on?" he heard a voice whisper.

"I don't know look like there's going to be a fight," a voice replied.

"Yeah, I got a problem with you standin' there. You're crampin' my style that's what!" the first voice growled stepping forward so he could tower over his challenger.

He saw a flicker of fear in his friend eyes. "Hey, knock it off Koga people are watching," InuYasha tried to calm the taller friend, but it was useless. Nothing got past him if someone put up a fight.

"I said beat it, jackass!" the friend known as Koga shouted giving his opponent a powerful push into the lockers across the hall.

"I said knock it off Koga!" he growled again at his friend--known as Koga--grabbing his arm before he could do anymore damage.

Koga gazed at him with his fierce blue eyes. "This isn't what a think it is, is it?" he asked appalled at being held back by his very own friend.

"That depends, on what you're thinking Koga," he levered coolly keeping his eyes on Koga's.

"You ain't ditching us for that son of a bitch, are yaw?" he slurred his eyes switching back and forth as he continued to glare at his opponent.

"Nah . . ." InuYasha replied releasing his grip on Koga's arm and grabbed his friend, from behind him, shirt. "I ain't finished with him is all," he slurred his word with a grin, slapping his friend hard on the back causing his friend to cringe.

"Oh I see . . . that's fine then . . ." Koga chuckled as he backed away, but suddenly grabbed hold of his opponent's shirt collar. "But if I ever see you near me again you'll have a hard time getting a date for the dance comin' up with the face you'll have, got that punk?"

InuYasha watched his friend nod to Koga, as he let him go and back away guffawing to himself. "Come on guys lets go get some real action before we split," he sneered in a deep voice. "Come on you two," he ordered grabbing hold of his two goon collars that flirted to two beautiful 'fresh meat' that flirted back knowing no better, and half dragged them away.

"Sorry Miroku," he turned towards his friend once Koga was a fair distance away.

"No problem, I understand," his friend replied rubbing his shoulder he had hit against the locker door. "Better get going before you get caught with me again."

He cringed. His friend had never really been apart of the little group he shared with Koga and the others.

"Oy Inu! Yaw cumin?" Koga yelled from down the hall. "Or do I have to put you on a leash like the pup you are?"

"Ha! Get it! Inu . . . dog . . . Ha! Thats a good one Koga!" One of Koga's goons laughed as if the joke was hilarious. His spiky hair black hair bobbing as he laughed holding his gut.

"Good one Koga!" the other goon chuckled holding onto his friend for support as he laughed along with him.

"Shut up both of you!" Koga ordered cuffing them both on the sides of their heads.

"Hey!" wailed the spiky black haired one.

"What was that for?" the other demanded.

"Keh! Idiots!" Koga snorted as he leaned casually against the lockers.

InuYasha sighed shaking his head before nodding a goodbye to Miroku and heading down the hall towards Koga and his two followers.

He chocked on a sob that blocked his throat. The rest of the day had gone by easily enough without any problems until the last bell had rung . . .

"Three to three . . . perfect almost there . . ." he mumbled excitedly to himself. It took him everything to control the energy he had inside from not bolting out of the class at that second. It was almost time to meet her . . . just three more minutes . . .

Finally, the bell rang noisily overhead and he bolted from his desk. In two long strides he was nearly at the door when . . .

"Mr. Izayoi! I'd like to have a word with you if you don't mind!" a voice called out over the sea of students that hurried to leave the class and the school all together.

He groaned loudly, but it was luckily hidden from the nosy racket the students made as they left the class. "Yes sir . . .?" he replied turning back and dodging the students that pushed past him as he walked to the teacher's desk.

"Mr. Michiko . . . you may leave now," the teacher, who dismissed his reply, told another student that jumped quickly out of his seat and rushed out of the classroom as quickly as he could, with his bag over his shoulder.

"Mr. Izayoi, I'd like a word if you will. It'll only take moment, I assure you . . ." his voice sounding utterly soft and kind. "Please have a seat . . ."

He sighed glancing at the clock before dropping his bag onto the floor and plopping into the desk in front of the teachers.

"Now about your story . . ." the teacher continued.

He groaned inwardly. Mr. Jinenji, his English teacher, had assigned them at the beginning of the year to write a short yet simple story for a slight review of what they learned the previous year with predicates, compounds and an extended vocabulary using the precise methods of writing a novel with compassion and feeling, whatever the hell that meant. "I'm sorry sir, I tried to follow your instructions I guess I wasn't really into it this time . . . I really did try-"

"And try you did. Congratulations Mr. Izayoi another 'A+'," Mr. Jinenji congratulated meanwhile dropping a thick portfolio before him.

InuYasha, confused as he was, grabbed the folder and opened the cover. Sure enough a large bright red 'A' with a plus beside it was marked in the top right corner next to a few words "Very well done InuYasha. You have the potential of being a marvelous writer. Keep up the good work!"

The encouraging words echoed in his head.

"I wonder, Mr. Izayoi, from time to time about you. The moment you walked onto these schools grounds I knew that you would succeed and be great at all your dreams. But then after a few years you disappointed me," the teacher sighed as he encircled his own desk and sat in the soft chair.

"What do you mean . . . sir?" InuYasha asked finally looking up into Mr. Jinenji's kind blue eyes, that shone with a deep intensity.

"What I mean Mr. Izayoi is that you are a wonderful student, marvelous at times although . . . it bothers me to see you outside of my class . . ."

Puzzled, InuYasha racked his brain for a possibility behind the teacher's words. Suddenly it hit him. "You mean . . ."

"Precisely InuYasha . . ." Mr. Jinenji nodded, dropping his head onto his onto his folded hands, propped up by his elbows. "I never thought to see you with such people . . ." he said the word as if disgusted by him then turning his head towards the window watching students leave with their friends.

"They're my friends!" InuYasha blurted. Suddenly his breath caught in his throat as Mr. Jinenji gazed at him, his crisp blue eyes darkening within intelligence and intensity.

"Are they?" Mr. Jinenji echoed in inquiry. "For thirty three years Mr. Izayoi I have been here teaching and guiding students to their dreams," Mr. Jinenji's voice sounded soft once more as he turned to the window. "You are a bright student Mr. Izayoi. Never have I seen a student through all my years here as spirited to succeed as you. You may have your faults as do others Mr. Izayoi . . . but you . . ." he shook his head. "Anyhow . . . back to the topic . . . where did you come up with such an idea?"

"Umm . . ." InuYasha stuttered.

"Although it was tragic, I personally enjoyed the part where the mother died," Mr. Jinenji said solemnly, yet deeply enthused. "It was written exactly how I asked, with the compassion and feeling; almost as if the child and the mother were real. To have your reader in the position of being a character in the story Mr. Izayoi is a tremendous talent which is sought my most writers, yet never successfully done. You put me in the position of that child, Mr. Izayoi. How his life turned after his mother's death and how he was alone for the rest of his childhood knowing nothing of his father yet knowing he passed away when he was only a babe." Mr. Jinenji summarized his story with compassion with his own, his eyes brimming with an enthusiasm. "It wonders me how you came up with such an idea as exciting as this one?"

"I . . . uhh . . . don't know . . . it just came to me I guess," InuYasha lied, his eyes glancing to the sides. "Yes you do . . ."

"Well however you came up with such an idea I ask you to do so again, you are very talented at this and I encourage you to keep on writing," Mr. Jinenji recommended, shifting a pile of papers to the side of his desk.

"Yes Mr. Jinenji . . ." InuYasha replied then glanced at the clock. It read ten after three. "I'm already ten minutes late." " . . . Is that all, Mr. Jinenji? Because I have too-"

"Hold on, Mr. Izayoi, I have one more question. Have you given any thought to what we discussed before?" Mr. Jinenji asked his hands held together, kneading each other as he gazed at him.

He sighed. "Mr. Jinenji . . . I . . . have to go . . ." he decided instead, before walking out of the class. He gazed down at his sneakers. "You know exactly what he's talking about that boy . . . because he's you . . ." He sighed once more . . . but then smiled he'd get to see Kikyo now . . .

He gripped the steering wheel. If only he had known what to expect when he turned the corner . . . had he have known then it he wouldn't be here now . . . like this.

Too excited to wait a second longer, he bolted down the hallway his sack flapping against his shoulders and back. "Almost there . . . almost there" he thought as he neared the final corner to Kikyo's locker hallway. "Almost-" "K-Kikyo . . .!" he stuttered surprised. There before him stood she, his girl, standing close, too close, to another man, his sworn enemy in fact.

"Why InuYasha . . . so glad that you could join us . . ." the man's voice slurred as he looked up from her dazzling face slowly backing away from the kiss they shared.

"What the hell are you doing here, Naraku? Or should I say Onigumo?" InuYasha spat staring at the filth before him.

"Why, simply greeting my girl is all," he replied with a smile, his hand still resting around her slender body, holding her against him.

"Your . . .! . . . Kikyo . . ." he stared at her, not believing what he saw.

"Oh InuYasha . . ." she cooed with sarcasm as she walked towards him in that perfect glide never missing a beat. She pressed a hand to him cheek, stroking him gently.

He sighed out of habit his eyes fluttering close for only a moment.

"Didn't I tell you? It's over between us," she grinned with a look of utter disgust as she dropped her hand and stepped back a smile sprawled coolly against her lips.

"And over it is . . ." Naraku grinned pulling Kikyo back into his arms and planting a kiss on her dewy cheek. "Come, my dear, for I have a few plans you might enjoy," he grinned a teasing smile at InuYasha before turning away, Kikyo holding his hand, as they walked down the hall, without a look back.

He barely moved. All the things they had done together, the parties, the dates, the nights, and oh god the love he had felt for her . . . all of it gone.

He shook his head uncontrollably as the tears rolled down his cheeks. "That bastard he took her from me . . ." he growled squeezing the wheel tightly. "She loves me still I know she does . . ." but with a sinking realization he knew it was over, but never would he forget it.

"I'll kill that bloody bastard!" he yelled out his revenge stomping his foot onto the gas petal and shooting the sleek red vehicle forward, traveling faster and faster.

It wasn't over till he said it was over, Kikyo loved him, she had too . . . she was confused that's all she was confused. And he was about to make it straight. Even if it meant killing the bloody bastard in order to prove it.

He screeched around the corner of the avenue, traveling high above the speed limit, daring the anger that boiled inside of him. He didn't see the ball that rolled onto the street only meters away. He didn't see the boy that ran to retrieve his ball, nor did he see the events that would turn his life around forever.


She gazed out of the window into the crisp afternoon sky. Her raven black hair billowed in the gentle breeze that escaped from the outdoors and into her room through the open shuttered window. She sat against the windowsill inhaling the fresh spring air that was soon to arrive as she pulled her small light blue sweater tighter around her slender body. "It's so peaceful out here . . ." she cooed to herself as she watched students walk home from their school to homes of their own farther down the street. She watched her favorite tree that sung to her every night with the wind as its music, sway gracefully in the breeze. "Life can't get any better then this . . ." she thought. Somewhere from behind her, she heard a door click. Turning her chocolaty eyes towards her room door, she peeked at the intruder before lifting the corners of her lips and standing her yellow dress falling and swishing around her knees.

"Hey sis . . ." the intruder spoke softly tossing a ball from hand to hand as he walked into her room, tossing his head slightly to brush his bangs from his eyes. "How's it going?"

"Fine thank you," she replied. "What can I do for you?"

"Mamma kicked me off the play station, so I'm going to play outside. I was wondering if you want to play with me?" he asked a hopeful look in his eye.

"Wish I could Sota but I got homework," she shook her head, catching sight of the wash of sadness that flashed in her brother's eyes. "I will after supper if it's not too dark out, all right?"

"Okay!" Sota piped happily before racing out of the room and down the stairs.

She smiled as she turned back to the window and watched her brother emerge from below and run around the cobblestone area throwing his ball high in the air and catching it once more. She watched him for only a few more seconds before turning back to the books on her desk and solving the ridiculous questions the teachers assigned her in almost every class.

"Kagome . . ." a soft voice entered the room only a few more minutes later.

Turning in her seat, she stared up at the young women, who beamed down at her.

"Kagome, dear, why's the window open? You'll catch your death!" the woman exclaimed striding towards the open window and reached out to close the shutters.

"No Momma! It's okay really . . . it's not that cold out and besides I got my sweater on," the girl assured the older woman.

Thinking it over, the younger girls' mother nodded her head in approval, before looking over her daughter's shoulder at her work. "You're doing so well Kagome . . . you'll make someone very happy later in your future," she encouraged her daughter, squeezing her shoulder. "How 'bout a snack? I picked up some fresh fruit and perhaps a cookie or two will go down nicely with . . . a glass of milk perhaps?" her mother offered her.

"Water please; that would be great Momma," she accepted her mother's offer then turned back to complete her work.

Her mother smiled as she closed the door behind her, leaving her daughter in peace.

She pulled her eyes off her work for a moment, a frown clouding her features. The shout's, the whoops of her brother, were gone . . .

"That's odd . . ." she muttered to herself, "he should be right-" Suddenly she ducked with a scream, hitting her carpeted floor, as a small object flew into her room. She gazed at the object that had nearly taken her head. She heard laughing, lot's of laughing. "Sota!" she bellowed, jumping to her feet and turning to the window.

"Oy, sis!" her brother cheered waving his gloved hand high in the air.

"That almost hit me!" she screamed at him through the window, her voice ringing behind her.

"That's the funny part, it didn't," he laughed swatting his hand to his knee.

She glared at him. "See if I play with him after-"

"Oy sis! Mind throwing back the ball?" her brother called up to her waving his gloved hand in the air once more, breaking her from her train of thoughts.

She glared at the ball close to her ankle. "Oh I'll give it to you all right," she yelled back at him as she picked up the small baseball. "Here. Fetch!" she ordered throwing the ball with all her might out of the window.

"Aw sis!" Sota whined loudly a look of laziness swiping his features.

"Happy searching!" she called waving her hand in the air. She watched as her brother turned and took off after the ball, after heaving a loud sigh. She stood on her tip-toes after catching sight of him through the bare Sakura1 trees on the sidewalk racing after the baseball she had thrown. "That'll keep him busy . . ." she thought turning back into her room. Suddenly something red caught the corner of her eye. She turned to find that the red figure had disappeared. She only turned her head before she heard a screech of wheels, then it all happened in a blur . . .

"SOTA!" she bellowed on the top of her lungs before bursting out of her room, her yellow dress flapping and fanning around her legs as she rushed down the stairs and flew out of the house.

"Why Kagome, I was just about to-" her mother spoke softly holding a tray in front of her, but she didn't listen.

"Sota!" she bellowed once more, sliding the door open and running at top speed out of the house. She heard her mother call out after her, asking her what was wrong; but she was too intent to get to her brother.

The shrine steps that took usually a moment to go down, seemed like an eternity as she raced down the wide steps two at a time. She stumbled on the last, feeling pain shoot up from her left ankle but didn't bother to care. She only had to take a few more strides before the site came to view. She stared wide-eyed at the horrid scene, taking it in bit by bit her breath seemingly taken from her.

Then she remembered.

"Sota!" she bellowed urging her throbbing legs, towards the site. "Sota? Sota where are you? Sota!" she called out in panic, looking around the ruble. Then she saw him. With a chocking sob, she flew to his side aware of the flames that surrounded him; grabbing his arms she pulled him from the toxic smoke, the ruble, the site all together.

"Sota! Can you hear me?" she yelled into her brother's ear.

"What's going on?" a neighbor yelled from his front his porch.

"Is everything all right?" a woman yelled next door from him.

"Someone get help! Call an ambulance, my brother's unconscious!" she yelled to the neighbors and anybody that cared to listen, after feeling for a pulse in her brothers' throat. "All right think Kagome!" she told herself. "Don't panic. Your brothers' unconscious, what do you do?" she asked herself racking her brain for an answer. "CPR!" a voice in the back of her head yelled at her.

She carefully placed her hand against her brothers' forehead and two fingers on her brother's chin, tilting his head back. "What do I do next!?!" she panicked. "That's right breath!" she opened his mouth with her thumb, pinching his nose and exchanged her breath for his. She listened, watching to see if he responded, he wasn't. She found his breastbone, holding her hands in an upside down heart shape, and then began to pump counting loudly till the magic number. "6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . ." "Come on Sota!" ". . . 11 . . . 12-"

Her eyes widened as her brother took a breath of air, slowly yet deeply.

"Sota!" she exclaimed jumping to his side then lifting his head into her lap.

"Hey . . . sis . . ." he murmured his eyes half closed.

"Breath, Kagome, breath . . . everything's going to be all right . . ." she mentally told herself. "Sota you have to tell me where it hurts. Where does it hurt?"

"My head . . ." he mumbled, trying to move.

"No Sota you can't move . . . you can't-" she chocked back a sob. "Where else does it hurt?"

"My arm . . . left leg . . ." he mumbled, his eyes closing as sleep slowly took over his body.

"Sota you have to keep talking don't go to sleep!" she yelled shaking him vigorously yet with caution.

He groaned. "Leave me . . . alone . . . sis . . ." he mumbled, falling into the wanted slumber.

"No I won't leave you alone . . . in fact I'll . . . I'll . . . if you go to sleep I'll ruin your Play Station!" she yelled trying to convince him to wake. "Where's that ambulance!?!"

"You . . . wouldn't . . . dare . . .!" he muttered.

"I would!" she chocked. "I'd ruin all you're toys! All you're game boys and robots, and cars . . . then I'll . . . then I'll . . . then I'll throw them in the garbage!" she added, waiting desperately for the ambulance.

"I hate . . . you . . ." he muttered loud enough for her to hear.

She sniffed as her brothers' eyes closed. Blood ran along his face from a large gash along his forehead and dripped down his eyes, his cheeks, into his mouth and onto her dress forming large blotches of bloodstains along the yellow print, then onto the ground were it formed a large puddle. She tore her eyes form his face, his bloody nose, split lip, all of the blood.

"Sota . . ." she gasped, chocking on a sob as tears brimmed her eyes and slid slowly down her cheeks.

"Sis . . .?"

"Yeah . . .?"

"It's cold . . . really cold out . . ."

She stared at him as she held him closer to her body, hopping the warmth of her body along with her sweater would suffice.

"H-how's that?" she stuttered mildly, rocking him in her arms as she cradled his head.

"I . . . can't see you . . . Kagome!"

"I'm here Sota, I'm here . . ." she chocked as his eyes began to cloud over. She took his hand, squeezing it gently. He squeezed back but it was faint.

" . . . So tired . . ."

"I know, I know," she sobbed pressing her head against his, rocking, swaying gently with his small fragile body. Sirens blessed her ears as people approached with water and blankets, putting out the small fires searching for any more victims with caution. "Close your eyes and sing with me, Sota . . ." she whispered into his damp hair, clotted with blood and thick with dirt.

"Okay . . . what one . . .?"

"Your-your favorite one . . ." she smiled at him choking on the lump on her throat. The sirens approached slowly, an eternity was passing, where was her mother? Where was Gramps? "How does it go again Sota?"

"In the . . . rays of dawn . . . and the calls of birds . . ." Sota managed to choke breathing, panting with every breath he took.

"I sit and wait for your smiling face . . . you're love for me runs through my skin," Kagome joins in singing with Sota holding him as she cried, his voice soft against hers. "It's how I know everything's gonna be all right."

"You smile . . . for me when . . . I need you . . . the most . . ." Sota gasps.

"But it's hard to think that it's time to go . . . I'll miss you lots . . ."

"I'll . . . miss you . . . forever . . ."

"But forever you'll stay in my heart."

"Now . . . close your eyes,"

"And fall asleep, because the next thing you'll know, we'll be together, forever till the end . . ." Kagome finished the last of the song tears coursing down her cheeks. She gazed down at the bundle in her arms.

"Miss you'll have to move aside," a friendly voice said beside her.

She looked up to see a paramedic, no, three paramedics all beside her; touching her little brother in order to take him away for help.

" . . . Sis . . .!" Sota croaked after feeling all the hands against him.

She squeezed his hand, "I'm right here Sota, I'm right here!" she cooed softly to her brother.

"One . . . two . . . three . . . lift!" the friendly paramedic shouted as they lifted Sota's broken body, onto the stretcher and carried him away.

Suddenly a hand grabbed her arm. "Who are you?" a burly paramedic asked her, his gruff tone sending shivers down her spine.

"I'm his older sister!" she replied shooting a glance towards the paramedics and her brother that walked away without her.

His features softened then nodded as he let go of her hand. She grabbed Sota's hand once more refusing to let go.

"Kagome!" a familiar voice called her name.

"Momma . . ." Kagome called back finally glimpsing her mothers shaken face. "I'm going to the hospital with Sota! I'll meet you there!" she caught her mother's nod before she took off with Gramps to their car, supposedly to meet them at the hospital.

" . . . Sis . . ." Sota's voice broke out crisply through the noises outside the padded ambulance.

"Yeah Sota? I'm here . . ." Kagome assured him squeezing his hand gently to her chest, starring at his torn face smudged with dirt and smoke.

"When I . . . wake up . . . do you think . . . will still have time . . . to play catch . . . before it gets dark?" Sota panted his voice soft and barely over a whisper.

She stifled a sob, whipping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yeah Sota we just might," she managed to croak out.

"'Kay," Sota's voice cracked as his eyes slowly began to drift shut while the paramedic beside him placed a mask firmly over his mouth and nose.

She glanced up at the paramedic who smiled up at her, reaching over and squeezing Kagome's hand reassuringly before resuming back to her task of checking over her little brother.

"Oy, we have another body over her-" was the last thing Kagome could hear before the doors of the ambulanced closed and it started off towards its long drive towards the hospital.


Sakura: cherry blossom, a very popular tree in Japan as well as in China. It has beautiful petals and flowers usually pink and white.

I dedicate this fanfic to Rumiko Takahashi for blessing us with characters we can 'play'

with and to all Fanifc writers and readers for enjoying them


My first Chapter is up, well prologue really, hope you enjoyed, feel free to review!