Title: Fall to Pieces

Author: inuyashagirl5

Rating: NC-17

Genre: Angst, Action, Romance

Pairing: Undecided at the moment.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Yu Yu Hakusho is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi. I only use their characters for my own amusement.


Chapter Two

Her stay in the Reikai had become very unpleasant over the short couple of days she had been there. Aside from her daily training with an old woman who beat the crap out of her, she also had to deal with a couple of pissed off demons. It seemed it wasn't only Yusuke Urameshi who was angry at her. The demon she had come to know as Hiei had blatantly stated that he didn't like her and it was likely she would end up dying before the mission was completed. His harsh words had only made her think of Inuyasha and the way he had treated her at times in the past. It left Kagome with the empty feeling she had grown used to. She could get over it now, like she did then. It didn't matter if they hated her for something that wasn't her fault. All she could do now was get stronger and save the ones that had been taken. She wouldn't listen to them when they spat out their hateful words in her direction.

She had already finished her training for the day and was now lying in the middle of her bed, nursing a really large lump on her forehead, a gash on her right arm and complete lack of energy from using what she had during the training itself. Genkai had called her every name in the book, but Kagome didn't stop until she collapsed from exhaustion and Hojo was ordered to carry her back to her room. He had stated he didn't like how Kagome was being treated and Genkai told him she didn't care. She had waved them off and he had apologized about how everyone was treating her. He didn't think it was right, but Kagome said she could handle it, that Genkai was being forceful for a reason. The problem was she didn't know for how long she'd be able to handle it. She was resolved to stay strong for as long as she could hold up and she wouldn't let their words break her. She wouldn't let them see tears fall from her eyes.

She sighed in aggravation as she tried to shift herself into a sitting position. She could barely move, but she wanted to take a hot shower before dinner rolled around. Even though she was sure she'd just end up sitting there staring at the plate of food the second someone spoke to her. She hadn't eaten a decent meal in the few days she had been there. Breakfast, she'd nibble on the toast and leave the rest. Lunch, she'd usually eat the fruit. Dinner, she usually ate nothing. She just didn't have the appetite. After a few moments of struggle she managed to push herself up and noticed Hojo dozing at the table, a book grasped lightly between his fingers. She watched him for a few minutes. He was the only one that cared about her there. He was the only one, yet again, trying to cheer her up when no one else wanted anything to do with her. Though when Kouga and a few of his pack mates stopped by, they would try their best to make her smile too.

Letting Hojo sleep for a little longer, Kagome grabbed a light pink yukata from the closet and some underwear from the dresser before slipping into the bathroom. She turned the shower on, setting it to hot and allowed the room to steam up as she undressed. This had become a daily routine; something she looked forward to after a vigorous training. It gave her time alone to think over everything Genkai had said to her.

There hadn't been much talking today for Genkai had focused more on the physical aspect of the training and Kagome found herself defending more than attacking. For an old woman, Genkai was intimidating, but Kagome held a ton of respect for her. She was taking time out of her schedule to train someone with no skill at all. Kagome was determined to absorb every little bit of knowledge she shared.

She scrubbed away all the dirt, grime and sweat from her body, taking extra care to clean the wound on her arm. She stepped out and toweled herself dry and her stomach rumbled in hunger. She slipped her clothing on and made her way back over to Hojo.

"Hey, Hojo. Wake up." Kagome nudged the sleeping spiritual guide. He awoke with a jump, his book falling to the floor below. His eyes met hers and he offered a small smile.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired, but its almost time for dinner." She replied and he didn't miss the hesitation held withing her eyes. He didn't blame her. "After that I'll head right to bed."

"You don't have to go down there to eat, Kagome. I can bring food to you."

"I am no better than any of them. If they don't get to eat in their rooms, than neither do I. I don't deserve special treatment."

He knew better than to argue with her, so he let the subject drop and escorted her to the dining hall where most of the others were already seated, Yusuke included. The former detective was about to open his mouth when Kurama rose to his feet and shifted the chair next to his out a little.

"Please, Lady Kagome, have a seat." He gestured to the chair. He ignored the offended gasp emitted from Yusuke and pleaded with his eyes that she join him. She was unsure, not that he blamed her. He hadn't spoken to her much and Yusuke and Hiei were far from nice.

Kagome glanced over her shoulder at Hojo. She wanted him to sit with her as well. Kurama had never acted like his friends, but that didn't mean he wasn't capable of acting in the same harsh manner. As soon as Hojo moved to take the seat on the other side of her, Kagome turned back to Kurama.

"Thank you." She said softly, her eyes not meeting his or any of the others around her as she sat in the offered seat. She kept her gaze on the table and waited for dinner to be served.

"I saw a little of you training today, Lady Kagome. I'm quite impressed by your determination." Kurama spoke to her and Kagome froze, surprised by the small talk he was trying to make with her. She didn't raise her head to acknowledge him, but he didn't seem bothered by it and continued, "I've already asked Master Genkai to allow me to sit in on a daily basis. I'll be taking notes and coming up with more effective ways to enhance your training. The faster you learn, the better."

"Why bother? There's no hope for her. Koenma should do us all a favor and send her back home where she belongs." Yusuke spoke up and Kagome flinched, making him snort in disgust.

"That would be unacceptable, Yusuke." Kurama shot his friend a piercing glare, though Yusuke only narrowed his eyes in response. "Sending her home would be like sending her to her death."

"What's your point? What gives her the right to live when more deserving people have died?" Yusuke sneered past Kurama at Kagome. She had closed her eyes, but there were no tears. "Go ahead and cry, girl. It's typical of the weak."

"Yusuke, stop it!" Hojo yelled out, jumping to his feet to defend his friend. He stilled when Kagome's hand grabbed his wrist and tugged. She raised her head to look at him, silently conveying for him to calm down. He listened, but scowled down at the table as he sat back in his seat.

"How amusing. You're like a little lap dog, Hojo." Yusuke snickered and leaned back in his chair, his eyes straying over Kagome and then back to glaring at Kurama.

Hojo didn't respond to the comment and was thankful to see the food finally being brought out. He wasn't surprised to see the small amounts Kagome accepted.

"You should really eat more, Lady Kagome. You need all the energy you can get for your training." Kurama's gentle voice spoke up and Hojo was glad someone did.

Kurama poked a few pieces of food from his plate and put it onto hers. He smiled when she pouted, though she still wouldn't look at him,. He assumed it was because Yusuke was in the same direction and she always went out of her way to avoid him.

"You must be hard up to get laid if you're trying to seduce her, Kurama. I'm rather surprised. I didn't know you liked them slow, stupid and ugly." Yusuke shoved his plate away and rose to his feet. "I don't know what you see in her, but I hope its worth our friendship."

Everyone in the room watched him depart with the exception of Kagome. Kurama rolled his eyes before turning back to his meal and pointing at Kagome's plate.

"Ignore what he said and eat. You're not leaving until your plate is clean." Kurama's voice held a hint of annoyance and Kagome scoffed at his commanding tone.

"I'm not a child, so don't treat me as such." She retorted and Kurama turned startled emerald eyes on her. Kagome didn't look up from her plate and opted to stab a pickled radish with her chopsticks.

"So it is true. You can be a spitfire." Kurama shot back and smirked. That comment had gotten her to look at him and the others in the room laughed, "You should stand up for yourself more often, Lady Kagome."

"I don't know where you heard that, but it's not true." Kagome's eyes fell back to her plate, "I'm more of an annoying burden."

"Don't talk like that, Kagome. You know it's not true." Hojo protested, his hand coming to rest on top of hers.

Kagome kept silent, deciding instead to focus on eating the food before it got cold. This meal was a welcomed change from the previous days and with Yusuke absent she was able to finish most of it. As she waited for Hojo to finish, her thoughts wandered back to the past as they often did when she missed her friends.

She still didn't know all of the details of what had occurred after she was unable to return. Kouga hadn't been able to say much when she asked, saying he needed to return to his pack and mate to fill them in on the news of Naraku and Inuyasha. All he had been able to say was that Inuyasha had been heartbroken and then Kikyo disappeared as well.

That bothered Kagome. What could have happened to Kikyo? Why did Inuyasha turn on the others? What were they planning to do with Shippo and the others? Too many questions and she wanted answers. She needed some clarification at least.

"Kagome? Kagome, are you in there?" Hojo's concerned voice stirred her out of her inner thoughts and she jumped at the hand waving in front of her face. "Ah, there you are! Everyone has left, are you ready to head back?"

"Yeah, sure." She rose and looked around. There was no one there as Hojo had said, but she silently wondered where Kurama had gone. "I must have really spaced out..."

"Yup, you sure did, Kagome, but you are exhausted." Hojo grinned and ushered her from the dining hall and back to her room. "You looked confused about something. What was it you were thinking about?"

"The past." She said simply and he understood.

They turned the corner from one hallway to the one Kagome's room was located on and Kagome stopped upon seeing a scowling Yusuke leaning against her door. She shrunk back behind Hojo when his heated gaze turned towards them and he growled.

"You do not have permission to be in this wing. Please leave, Urameshi." Hojo stated angrily, but Yusuke shoved him to the side with startling ease, his eyes never leaving Kagome.

Kagome flinched when she was shoved against the wall, the back of her head slapping hard against the wood and making her see stars. She groaned when he gripped her chin tightly and forced her head up so he could glare directly into her eyes.

"I hope you're proud of yourself. Kurama was one of my closest friends and you...you must have enjoyed gaining his affections." He sneered at her, "I wonder what it is he sees in you? There's not one damn special thing about you. Fuck, you don't even smell appealing."

"And I'm supposed to care what you think?" Kagome bit out and briefly stunned Yusuke. He recovered quickly and gripped her face tighter.

"You get off on shit like this, don't you?"

"Hardly." Kagome pulled away from his grasp. Yusuke punched the wall next to her head, making her flinch again.

"Quit trying to provoke me, girl. I'm not against hitting you."

"My name is Kagome. Ka-Go-Me." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared up at him with fiery, defiant blue eyes.

"I don't give a shit what the fuck your name is!" Yusuke yelled in her face and Kagome turned her head away. He was quick to force her to look at him again, "You are nothing. You don't deserve my acknowledgment or respect. The only reason you are here is because you're too damn weak to protect yourself. You have to hide behind someone else so you can feel safe."

"That's enough, Yusuke!" Kurama approached them with Botan behind him, "Release her."

Yusuke growled low in his throat before shoving Kagome to the floor and stepping in front of her, blocking Kurama and the others from getting to her.

"What is wrong with you, Yusuke? You're not acting like yourself." Botan asked and was met with a deep snarl as a response.

"This bitch let Keiko die, Botan. You can't expect me to be normal after that." Yusuke's angry eyes turned to Kurama next, "And Kurama is a traitor to our team. He'd rather get acquainted with her than focus on rescuing Yukina and Kuwabara."

"I am not the one who isn't focused on the mission, Yusuke. I understand you're still grieving for the loss of your mate, but taking all the anger out on someone who couldn't have done a thing to help is unfair." Kurama interjected, ignoring Yusuke's growl, "Lady Kagome is a bigger part of this mission than you realize, Yusuke. Without her, we'd be no where."

"Don't give me that! It's bullshit!"

"It's not bullshit! Without Kagome we wouldn't have had any direction on this case! We know the ones behind it and we gained powerful allies!" Hojo protested, this time not backing down even when Yusuke's really angry eyes met his, "You just watch, Urameshi. She's going to be strong."

"What ever." Yusuke shoved past them "You can put your trust in the bitch. I could care less."

Hojo moved to help Kagome up and she grimaced at the pain that shot up her spine. She rubbed a particularly sore spot at the base of her neck.

"Are you alright?" Hojo checked her over for any signs of serious injuries. "I'm really sorry about that, Kagome. I'm not much of a fighter so I called for Kurama."

"It's okay. Thank you." Kagome replied softly and without looking at Kurama or Botan, she made her way into her room. Hojo frowned after her before casting an apologetic smile at Kurama and Botan.

"Don't worry about it, Hojo. Just see that she gets to bed soon." Kurama instructed before departing with Botan.

Kagome was already climbing into bed when Hojo entered the room. She rolled onto her side, facing away from him and settling herself in.

"You just watch, Hojo." Her soft, tired voice spoke and he turned to face her. "One day I will be strong. One day Yusuke will respect me."

He smiled as she yawned and drifted off to sleep. Picking up the book he had dropped earlier, Hojo settled in for the night.

'Don't worry, Kagome. Even if no one else does, I have faith in you.'