Part 4: Compassion Where You Least Expect It
Inuyasha awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and warm. Looking down, he noticed that Kagome's quilt was on top of him. Pulling it up to his nose, he inhaled deeply.
' Kagome…'
He could never truly figure out what her scent was, but it was wonderful all the same. Every time he smelled it, he felt his demon soul calm. What was it about her scent? He knew she was Kikyo's reincarnation, but she truly did not smell like her at all.
Even when Kikyo was alive, he knew what her scent was. It was of sunflowers and herbs. He hadn't ever really liked it to begin with, now that he thought about it. But back then, he as so lonely and starving for someone to love him, that he figured that he could get use to it. But in truth. He never did.
All Kagome's scent reminded him of was Lilacs and Lavender, and that was when she just came out of the shower. But that's all he could detect. Other than that, it was just a calming, lovely scent. And he did not care if he ever truly figured it out. He was perfectly fine with it staying a mystery for the rest of his life.
As he sat up, he stretched, snapping his shoulder blades and spine back into place. And he sighed happily. ' That feels so much better.' Finishing off his cracking fest with a twist of his neck, wrists, and elbows, Inuyasha jumped up and fixed his jeans.
As he ran down the stairs, he sniffed the air. Kagome's scent wasn't inside the house. Running outside, he found her sitting underneath the Sacred Tree. But she didn't notice him. Looking carefully, he saw two thin white strings coming out of her ears. Her head was back against the tree, and her eyes were closed. She was smiling to herself about something.
Inuyasha could faintly hear something coming out of the strange things she had in her ears. It almost sounded like music, but it was too faint to tell. He slowly walked up to her, praying that she would see him and know that he wasn't spying on her like he had the other night. He really wasn't in the mood to be sat again, or at least today. If he was going to be human that night, he'd rather not have a massive backache from her.
Kagome glanced up at the figure approaching her from the house. Upon seeing the dog ears and long hair, she quickly turned her iPod off. As she pulled the tiny headphones out of her ears, Inuyasha sat down next to her and grabbed the device from her hands.
"What the hell is this thing?" he asked in his normal, gruff voice.
Kagome laughed, watching as he sniffed the iPod and gently shook it. He tapped the back of it with one of his claws, making a gentle clinking sound. He growled at the small device in his hands like it was an enemy, which made the miko laugh even harder.
Inuyasha turned his head to look at her with a scowl on his face.
"What's so funny wench?" he hissed.
Kagome ignored the insult and just slowed herself down to giggles. She couldn't help it. He was just so funny when it came down to things in her era that he had no clue about. Taking the small device out of his grip, she slowly folded the wire of her headphones around it. After making sure it wouldn't get tangled in itself, she gently placed it in her thin, black zip-up hoody sweater pocket.
Man, her style sure had changed over the years. She wasn't into wearing skirts as much as she use to, and having her uniform on made her feel stupid most days. She was now more into wearing blacks, reds, and pretty much anything along the gothic or punk line. Some of her clothes that she use to wear she still liked, but her heart was more towards this fashion now. 'I guess after spending so much time in the Feudal Era, the death and carnage look does start to wear off on you.' she thought.
Inuyasha stared at her, wondering what she would tell him this time. But that's when he noticed her outfit. It was very different from what she use to wear when she wasn't in her uniform.
She was wearing those same torn black jeans from the day before, but she was also wearing a thin, tight black t-shirt with a picture of a bunch of people on it, and the name Nightwish underneath them. (a/n: I hope at least some of you out there know who I'm talking about. They're a great band!) The outer long sleeved shirt she had on was also black, but it had a small flap on the back near her head. ' Wow, she looks really good in that,' he thought to himself.
Looking at her hands, he also noticed that her nails were black. Which almost freaked him out had he not smelled the paint on them.
Kagome looked at him then and smiled.
"It's called an iPod, baka. Basically what it is, is a small device that holds music."
Inuyasha's eyebrow raised a her, and she laughed. Man, how he loved her voice. Her laughter always managed to warm him. But right now, he wanted answers.
"Music?"
"Uh huh. This iPod," she stated as she pulled it out of her pocket and held it up to his face. "Can hold about 2,000 songs. My grandpa bought for me for my birthday. Along with my computer. Which is how I get the music on my iPod."
Inuyasha looked at Kagome and then at the small green thing in her hand. Slowly, he held out his hand and waited until she gave him the 'okay' to take it. When all she did was smile at him, he pulled it out of her hand and held it in both of his, and just stared at it.
"So," he asked looking back at her. "how does this thing work?"
Kagome laughed lightly, which made his ears twitch. The richness of her voice sometimes made him want to smile at her, but he knew that would just make things awkward between them.
Slowly, Kagome unwound the headphones and placed one in each of his hands, then realized that they most likely wouldn't fit.
"Just hold those two little pieces up to your ears, they're called headphones. They're usually meant to go in your ears, but I doubt they'll fit on you like that."
Inuyasha did as he was told for once, and held the small odd contraptions up to his ears.
Kagome turned her iPod on, luckily it was paused. She didn't want Inuyasha to hear her favorite song and possibly figure out her feelings for him. Hitting the back button, she scrolled along until she came across one of her favorite bands. And since she was wearing a t-shirt right now with them on it, Inuyasha could put a face to the artist. And at least then she wouldn't be explaining who they were to him.
As the song began, Kagome lowered the volume, knowing her hanyou's sensitive ears would probably hurt if she kept it up as high as she used it.
Inuyasha listened quietly as a bunch of sounds filled his ears. He wouldn't deny that they were strange, but he somehow liked them. He would have to ask Kagome what these other sounds were once this song was done.
They
came for him one winter's night.
Arrested, he was bound.
They
said there'd been a robbery,
his pistol had been found.
Inuyasha was a little shocked at hearing a woman's voice come out so perfectly through the strange 'headphones' as Kagome had called them. But now he was too interested to ask questions. All he wanted to do now was listen to this song.
They
marched him to the station house,
he waited for the dawn.
And
as they led him to the dock,
he knew that he'd been wronged.
"You
stand accused of robbery,"
he heard the bailiff say.
He
knew without an alibi,
tomorrow's light would mourn his freedom.
Over
the hills and far away,
for ten long years he'll count the
days.
Over the mountains and the seas,
a prisoner's life for
him there'll be.
Inuyasha
had a hard time believing what he was hearing. This woman's voice
was amazing. She sounded like an angel almost from darkness. But it
was just such a beautiful song, even though it was a sad one. He
knew that it would cost him dear, Over the hills and far away,
but yet he dare not say.
Where
he had been that fateful night,
a secret it must stay.
He had
to fight back tears of rage.
His heart beat like a drum.
For
with the wife of his best friend,
he spent his final night of
freedom.
he swears he will
return one day.
Far from the mountains and the seas,
back in
her arms he swears he'll be.
Over the hills and far away.
Inuyasha
closed his eyes, getting trapped in the song he was hearing. Without
his knowing it, he started to move his head to the beat. As if he
felt the woman's voice in his soul. Over the hills
and,
over the hills and,
over the hills and far away.
Kagome
watched as Inuyasha took on such a look of joy on his face. He really
liked the song. She almost giggled when his head started to move
towards the beat and his eyes closed. But she had to admit, he did
have some rhythm. She watched as his claws started to move to the
song as well. All she did was smile. Each night within his
prison cell, Over the hills and far away,
he looks out through the bars.
He reads the
letters that she wrote.
One day he'll know the taste of
freedom.
she prays he will
return one day.
As sure as the rivers reach the seas,
back in
his arms he swears she'll be.
Inuyasha's
eyes shot open as he heard the woman sing that verse. ' Wow,
that's a fucking powerful voice.' he thought. Over
the hills and far away, Over the hills and far away, Over the hills, Over the hills,
he swears he will return one day.
Far
from the mountains and the seas,
back in her arms he swears he'll
be.
she prays he will return
one day.
As sure as the rivers reach the seas,
back in his arms
is where she'll be.
over the hills and far
away.
over the hills and far away.
As the song faded out and stopped, Kagome hit the pause button and stared at Inuyasha. He looked at her and smiled. Which almost scared her. Inuyasha never smiled at her like that.
"I liked it," he said softly to her. As he handed her back the headphones, Inuyasha thought about the song he had just heard. As the words spun around in his head, he felt his ears flatten to the side of his head. " It was really a sad, but beautiful song. It sounded like the woman who was singing it meant it with all of her heart."
Kagome wanted to laugh, but thought better of it. Inuyasha looked so serious. And the fact that he was being so deep with her about anything was a rarity. Plus, that song held a lot of meaning to her too. When she had first heard it, she had let her mother hear it, and it had made her cry.
Kagome pulled her knees up to her chest and looked down. She hated feeling like this when she was with him, but she knew he would find a way to cheer her up eventually.
"Well, that song actually holds a lot of meaning to me and my mother," she said weakly.
Inuyasha's head snapped around at hearing the change in her voice. He tried to look at her, but he face was hidden by her long ebony hair. Sniffing the air, he could detect her tears slowly forming in her eyes. But this time, he could also smell her sorrow and pain. He shifted slightly uncomfortable. He hated seeing her cry, but he had a feeling she wasn't trying to.
Kagome quickly wiped her eyes, trying to rub away her tears. She knew her hanyou could most likely smell them. But she couldn't help but cry. It had always been hard on her about what had happened to her dad, but she had never told anyone. Not even her girlfriend's at school. And she had known them almost her whole life.
Taking a deep breath, she looked back at her hanyou, which almost shocked her yet again. He looked uncomfortable, but he also looked worried. Something else she had never expected from him. As far as she knew, the only persons he cared about was himself and Kikyo. Never her. At least not like that.
'Maybe he's mixing us up again,' she thought bitterly to herself. Even though she knew in her heart it wasn't true. She had nothing else to believe when it came to him now. Anytime Kikyo was mentioned, he became defensive and distant from her. Like he was hiding something. And she knew he was.
Yet, he would never tell her what it was that he was thinking anymore when it came to that. So she just ignored it.
"What's wrong?" he asked her with that same amount of worry that was written on his face.
Kagome just stared at him for a moment. 'He's really worried about me?'
She turned her head away from him, thinking he would give up any second. But what he did next shocked her even more. She suddenly felt his clawed hand gently grasp her chin and turn it towards him. She tried to look away, but his grip was holding her in place. True, it was not enough to hurt her, but she felt odd staring at his golden eyes that actually held a form of hurt in them. He almost looked angry that she had turned away from him, but he was trying to hide it. Kagome was trying not to blush, but she wasn't winning this battle. All she did was look in those eyes she loved so much.
Inuyasha was slightly shocked at himself. Normally he would just give up after she turned away from him. But after everything that had happened yesterday, he felt that acting like a total jerk wasn't worth the effort anymore.
" Kagome," he said with a slight edge to his voice. " I didn't spill my guts to you yesterday just to have you turn away from me. Now, talk to me. What's wrong?"
Kagome was even more shocked by what he had said. ' This can't be my Inuyasha. Can it?'
Kagome fumbled with her hands, trying to stay calm. What was he doing? This wasn't something the great Inuyasha would do, let alone with her.
Inuyasha growled lowly in his throat, signaling that he was getting impatient with her stalling. Kagome glared at him with new tears forming in her eyes.
"Since when do you care how I feel?" she hissed at him. " All you ever care about is Kikyo."
"You're stalling. Now talk," he stated deflecting her words. Even though they had hurt like what she had said yesterday, he was not going to let her win this time. This time, she would say what was on her mind.
" I'll say the 's' word if you don't let me go," she hissed again at him. Thinking that would work.
But all Inuyasha did was laugh, moving a little closer to her face. His cocky grin was really making her mad.
"Go ahead," he whispered. "And look at where I'll end up."
Kagome's eyes widened in shock. He was right, he'd land face first in her lap, or worse, her chest. And that spell on the rosary would keep her trapped underneath him until it wore off. Another blush rushed to her already hot face.
She growled herself at his pushiness.
Inuyasha held back a laugh and kept his face straight. Kagome's growl was something he wasn't expecting, but he could laugh at her later for it. Right now, he just wanted her to talk to him.
"Please, Kags," he said. Using the nickname he rarely used for her. " Tell me what's wrong."
Kagome felt herself blush even more at the nickname. He was the only person who called her that, and it truly made her melt when she heard it. Sighing heavily, she only said one word, that made Inuyasha's eyes bulge.
"Fuck."
Inuyasha's jaw almost dropped. Yeah, she had said that word a whole bunch of times the day before, but he was still shocked to hear it come out of her mouth again.
"Exscuse me?" he asked with about as much disbelief as he felt.
Kagome sighed again. Looking into his eyes with her amazing ocean blues. Damn, he really loved her eyes. It was one of the few things that separated her from Kikyo, besides personalities.
Unlike Kikyo's emotionless, brown, muddy eyes. Kagome's reminded him of the ocean. And the amount of life she contained in them was so surprising to him some days. He wondered how so much life could exist in those eyes after everything they had been through over the years. He smiled to himself in the back of his mind. What did it matter? Even her eyes had dulled in the slightest, they still would have been beautiful to him.
" Inuyasha," she started, her voice was shaky. " Have you ever noticed how my eyes are blue, and not the normal brown like everyone else in Japan?"
Inuyasha was a little startled by her question. But nodded his response.
"Well," she sighed. " My father, he's an American. His eyes are blue like mine. And he has my hair color too. My mom met him when he was here visiting a friend, or in my case, my step dad. Souta's father."
Kagome sighed again, trying to keep her emotions from getting out of control. But she was losing the battle. Quickly. And her tears just started to flow.
" My mom fell in love with him. But she was already married to Souta's father. And she wasn't very happy with him. He never let her out of the house, and was very abusive towards her. When my father came into the picture, he would take her out, be a gentleman to her, and made her happy. My stepfather went out of town for the next few days and told my dad to keep and eye on my mom for him."
Kagome took a deep breath, as Inuyasha waited for her to finish her story.
" And he did. Just not the kind of eye my step dad was hoping for. A few months later, mom found out she was pregnant with me. My step dad was overjoyed. But my mother was terrified. Because she knew who's baby I really was. So, she called my dad. He was back in America, and had been for a few weeks. He asked my mom to get a divorce, which basically means ending a marriage, and come and live with him in the U.S."
Kagome blinked her eyes, trying to get rid of the blurriness in them as she looked up at her hanyou. Who had relaxed his hand from her face and was now gently wiping her tears away from her eyes.
"Well, it's safe to say mom refused. Saying that she couldn't leave the shrine and Grandpa behind. My Grandmother had just recently passed away too. So that made it even harder to leave. My dad was upset I guess. But he still talked to her, and still asked her to change her mind."
"Well, when I was born, I looked like every baby on the planet. Some hair on my head and my blue eyes. Only, my eyes stayed blue. And after I turned three, my step dad started to suspect that I wasn't his. My eye's were the dead giveaway. And it drove him crazy. He started to beat me and mom again after a while. That is, until mom was pregnant again with Souta. Then he was only beating me."
Inuyasha could feel his demon blood pulsing. Even though it should be weak today due to the new moon tonight, it felt like it wanted a way out, just to kill this man that had hurt his Kagome. His anger was growing by the second as he watched her cry and tell him of things he only thought would have happened to other people.
"Well, when Souta was born, my step dad asked for a DNA test, for the both of us. Mom was very scared and horrified from what I remember. Basically what a DNA test is, is a way to tell if you are a family member of the same family. Souta's matched dad's." Kagome lowered her head and whispered. " Mine didn't."
After taking another deep breath, she continued.
" That day, when we came home, my stepfather refused to look at me. And if he did look at me, he held the type of revulsion usually saved for the most hideous of creatures. My mom was protected for the time being. Because she had Souta to care for. But me, I had no one. That night," she shivered. " That night, when everyone was asleep, my step dad snuck into my room. And started beating me senseless, he threw me across my room, breaking my arm and a few ribs. He punched me, kicked me, and then tried to rape me."
Kagome glanced at Inuyasha in shock. His eyes were flashing red. She quickly threw her arms around him and held on tight.
"I'm fine," he said roughly. "Keep talking. I'll be okay once you finish."
Kagome slowly pulled herself away from the hanyou nearly turned crazy youkai in front of her. Sure she was upset, but now she had to finish. Or else he might go insane.
" Well, my mother woke up at hearing the loud crash in my room, I was four at the time, so I was still to small to defend myself against a full blown adult. As I heard my door open and my mother shriek, my step dad launched himself at her. Luckily, my dad had always sent me thing's from America. One thing in particular was a baseball bat made out of metal."
Kagome had a slight hint of a smile on her face when she said this. And Inuyasha knew what a baseball bat was, thanks to Souta, even though the kid always played with a wooden one, he could imagine what a metal one looked like.
"Well, my mom picked up the bat and swung it at him. Hitting him right on the side of the head. He passed out immediately, and landed on the floor of my room. She dropped the bat and ran for me. As she picked me up she hugged and kissed me, not knowing that I had at least three broken ribs or a broken arm. I remember crying and telling her my side and arm hurt, so she let me go and looked at me. I guess my face was in really bad shape, because she started crying even more. She looked over at dad and just glared. Telling me to grab some things as quickly as possible and put them in the car, she walked out of my room, but stopped at the door and turned to look at me. She smiled at me sadly and sad 'I should have done this years ago.' I pulled out my yellow back pack which my real dad had given me and started filling it with clothes, a few books, and my teddy bear. Even though it was painful to do, I lifted it and pulled it onto my back."
Kagome took a second to breathe. It seemed to be coming out a little easier now.
"I was waiting in the car, like my mother asked me to do, when the pain got worse. As she ran out to the car and placed Souta in his car seat, she threw all of her other bags into the trunk. Souta started crying, and we all knew what he wanted. It was his blanket. Every since we had brought him home, that was the only way he would stay quiet. So mom ran inside and grabbed it, along with the blanket my grandmother had made for me before she died. I remember wrapping myself in that blanket, thinking that I was finally free of that bastard's torment, when I fell asleep."
Inuyasha looked at Kagome, noticing that she was still crying. But he let her continue on. But grabbed her hand and stroked the inside of her wrists gently with his claws, hoping it would help.
Kagome was touched by his small gesture of soothing kindness. It was so rare. And he seemed to only give it to her. But she was only half way threw with her story. So, taking another deep breath, she continued on.
"I woke up four days later in the hospital. My mother was on the right side of my bed, holding Souta, who was sleeping. And my grandfather was to the left of me. I tried to move around, but I had a very bad headache. When the doctor finally came into the room a hour or so later, he told my mother that my coma was over. I had a concussion, a broken left arm, two broken ribs on my right side, and one broken rib on my left. After the beating I had taken, I was lucky to be alive."
"My step father had left town on the first flight to America, and I guess had found my real father's home. My dad lived in a city called New York. And from what I understand, he lived in the bad part. My step dad broke into his house, stole his gun, and went and shot a few people in a convenience store, killing no one luckily. He played it off to look like a robbery gone wrong. But once the police had found the gun, which was laying on the floor in the corner. They had my dad's fingerprints, pinning him to the scene of the crime."
"Unfortunately, my dad's plane to come here was that night at midnight. It was the only flight he could book. The police arrested him at the terminal. And a few days later, he was sentenced to twenty years in prison."
Inuyasha was in total shock from what he had just heard. Could it be possible? Is that why the song had meant so much to her?
"Was, he… was he ever caught?" he asked quietly.
Kagome shook her head, not being able to speak anymore. Her tears were too powerful now. Even if she wanted to stop, she couldn't.
Inuyasha felt so bad now. Today was her birthday, and he had just made her relive the most painful memory she possessed. ' Now, I really feel like an ass.'
Inuyasha did the only thing he could think to do at that moment. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. She clutched to him like a lifeline. Praying that he would hold her forever. As he stroked her hair, he shushed her softly with his voice. He still wanted to kill the bastard that had caused her this much grief, but right now, she was what mattered. And in his mind, she was all that would matter for his entire life.
After what seemed like an eternity, Kagome pulled away and wiped her eyes.
"I'm so sorry Kags, I had no right to ask you."
Kagome stared at him in wonderment. He looked so sad now. Like he had last night. She didn't like seeing her hanyou so upset. Because in truth, she just wanted cry more.
Kagome shook her head and smiled.
"No, it's ok Inuyasha. Really," she said putting another smile on her face. But this time it was brighter and more alive. "You're the first person I've ever told, not even my friends know about this. We moved back to the shrine after my stepfather beat me so badly. So no one else but you, and my family knows. And now, I feel better knowing that it's not all bottled up inside anymore."
Inuyasha melted at the look she was giving him. He loved her smile. Just like he loved her. He took her hand and held it up. As he clasped her tiny, fragile hand in his strong, clawed one he looked her dead in the eyes. But what she saw wasn't the cold, heartless Inuyasha she had known for so long. This Inuyasha, held compassion in his eyes, that was warm and comforting.
"I'll always be there for you to talk to. No matter if were fighting, no matter if you're mad at me and sit me a thousand times, now matter what happens when we finally beat Naraku, I'll always be there for you. I promise you that, Kagome. You'll always have me."
Kagome was stunned. And she was now blushing again. His hand was rough from all of the calluses, but it was warm and comforting. But he started to speak again, which snapped her back to reality.
"And, you're not weak. You never have been. You've always saved me from myself. Nobody else but you can do that. So don't ever think that just because you were little, that you weren't strong. You stayed alive. And that proves you have strength. Don't ever think you're weak. Because Kagome, in truth, you've been my strength for the past three years. And I wouldn't be here today, if it wasn't for you."
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
After Mrs. Higurashi had called them both in for lunch, Kagome was all smiles.
' Inuyasha seems to know how to cheer me up. I never thought he could be so compassionate. Hell, I never even thought he could deal with me crying for as long as I did.'
Kagome laughed at the thought. Even though she still felt lousy, she felt like she wasn't being burdened anymore with her terrible secret.
"What the hell are you sm- Gah!"
Inuyasha ducked as a cast iron skillet came flying at his head. Kagome busted out laughing as she looked at her mother, who was visibly fuming.
"What did I say about language, Inuyasha?!" she yelled, causing his ears to instantly fold against his head.
"S-sorry Mrs. Higurashi," he stuttered. "I-it won't ha-happen again."
Kagome fell on the floor, laughing. Inuyasha glared at her for a moment before deciding to be a total ass. Like he had trained himself to be. Once Kagome had stopped laughing, she looked at him. And that's when he blew the good boy act.
"Bite me," he mouthed to her.
Kagome's eyes widened in shock, and now she was pissed.
'Oh, he's gonna pay for that one,' she silently vented.
As Kagome stood up, she marched over to him and grabbed his hand. As she dragged him outside, Inuyasha began to panic, it was five minutes to sunset. And he could already feel his claws starting to shrink away.
"Ah, Ka-Kagome! Can we talk about this?" he pleaded.
Kagome yanked him over to the fence of the Sacred tree. As Inuyasha looked around him, he suddenly had a bad feeling. Looking down in front of him was the little stupid fence, with what looked like stakes making the tops of it. Kagome's mouth opened suddenly, and judging from the look in her eyes, he could tell what was coming. As fast as he could, he put his now human hand to her mouth.
"One second," he said as he sped over to the grassy area of the shrine. It would still hurt, a lot more than normal, but at least he wouldn't be impaled. "Okay," he cringed shutting his eyes. "Go ahead."
Kagome stared at him for a second, wondering why he just did that all of the sudden.
'Oh well, whatever.'
"Inuyasha, sit boy!"
But as Kagome yelled the last part of the incantation, she looked on in horror as Inuyasha's hair started to turn black. And as his dog ears shrunk away to form human ears on the side of his head.
And by the time he hit the ground, he was a full human. And passed out cold for that matter.
" Ah, shit."
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Wow, that chapter came out a lot longer than I had originally intended. Yippie for me then! Okay, I have officially been up WAY too long. So the next chapter might be a few days late.
Hey, no one can work on something good with so little sleep.
And considering I've been up ALL NIGHT long working on this chapter. I deserve to get some rest.
At least I was nice and didn't leave a really evil cliff hanger, right?
( another sharp object thrown at me)
Uhh…… okay then. (gulps)
Okay, toodles, everyone. I'm going to bed for the next two days.
Me.