Chapter 9: Inuyasha's Past and a Car Accident

It was Sunday evening and Inuyasha was relaxing on his bed after he was finally able to put Shiori to bed. Exhausted he laid down, and he listened to the rhythmic, ticking of the clock that lulled him to sleep.

He had a disturbing dream:

Inuyasha had opened the door, a smile on his face as he came home. He called out to Kikyo, but he didn't get any response. He did hear a sound though; it was a baby's crying. It had to be Shiori, and he headed towards Shiori's nursery. He called out for Kikyo again; but still no answer from his wife.

He opened the door to the nursery expecting to see Kikyo tending to their daughter. But instead he found Shiori just about to fall of her crib. (The side of the crib had been left open.)

Inuyasha rushed over and caught her just as she was about to go over the side. He held the crying infant in his arms and cooed her until the baby's cries died down and were replaced with gurgling. Where the hell was Kikyo? He roamed the room hoping that Kikyo was in the bathroom. She wasn't there. He placed Shiori back into her crib once she had calmed down and she had started to doze off; Inuyasha headed towards the master bedroom, hoping that Kikyo was there. He was beyond annoyed with her now and, with one swift twist of the door knob he opened the door.

What he saw froze his heart. Kikyo was lying on the floor of the room… she wasn't moving.

"Kikyo!" he yelled as he ran forward and raised her head. "Kikyo? Kikyo?" She didn't answer… she wasn't breathing. Inuyasha practically flew downstairs and had called for an ambulance; but he knew that it was too late. When the paramedics arrived, they told him that his wife had dead from a heart attack…

Inuyasha's temper rose to such an idiotic statement. He yelled at big and fat the paramedic. "Why would she have a heart attack? How did this happen?" The paramedic told him to calm down, and Inuyasha did; but not because the paramedic told him to.

It was because he had heard Shiori crying again.

He snapped at the men to leave his house as he went upstairs to Shiori's room. He picked her up to hold his daughter close to his heart, and whispered to her, "It's just you and me now runt."

"Kikyo…"

Inuyasha jerked awake, sweat all over his body. He had had that dream many times in the pass five, almost six years. He stretched, knowing that there was no way that he was going back to sleep, even if he tried. He sighed and looked at the clock that read 6:30 am.

"6:30 already?" He sighed again and headed towards the bathroom. After a quick bath it was time to make breakfast; he went downstairs and looked at the clock in the kitchen that now read 7:06.

'Time for Shiori to wake up,' he thought as he began to lay the plates down on the table and yelling for Shiori to come down to breakfast. After a few minutes, Shiori emerged, yawing. She said a good morning before sitting down at the table and rubbing her red eyes.

"Today's special is eggs," Inuyasha placed the waffles on Shiori's dish then on his. Shiori grinned and began to wolf down her eggs. Once they had finished, Inuyasha glanced at the clock; it was 7:35 already. It was almost time for Shiori to get ready to go to school and he had to get ready for work.

"Alright runt, time to get dressed," he said picking up the dishes, and began to wash them. After he had finished, he headed towards Shiori's bedroom to help her get dressed. Once he reached her room he grabbed a hanger that had a set of overalls on them and told her to put them on. She nodded and began to unbuckled the straps herself.

"Soon you won't need me to dress you anymore, huh runt?" Inuyasha said with a mock hurt voice.

Shiori shook her head and chirped happily, "Nope, I'm a big girl!"

"Alright now that you're dressed, I have to go get ready. So you go and get everything that you'll need for school today."

Shiori nodded and went to get her backpack and her stuff animal. (A little white cat with two tails and red eyes)

Once they were both ready, Inuyasha and Shiori headed out, knowing that a long day awaited them.

*A few minutes later*

Inuyasha arrived at the school, and to his surprise, Kagome wasn't at the front gate greeting the children that were arriving like she always did. He got out and went to the other side of the car to unbuckled Shiori's belt. He went to the new woman at the gate; she smiled at him and said a good morning.

"Good morning sir" she said in a cheerful voice. "My name is Midoriko."

"Good morning," Inuyasha said not at all pleased that Kagome wasn't there to greet him and Shiori. "Where is Kagome?" he asked a little too hastily.

Midoriko shrugged, "Kagome's inside her office. She has so much work to do."

That answer was just not good enough for Inuyasha. He felt empty without Kagome's cheerful voice saying a good morning. He took Shiori by the hand and went into the building; he decided that he was getting his good morning no matter what. He arrived at Kagome's office, knocked once, and entered.

She was sitting at her desk and was busy filing out papers. Kagome glance up to see who had come in and was startled to see that it was Inuyasha and Shiori.

"Good morning Inuyasha," she said, clearly surprised. She looked at him for a moment before glancing down and smiling at Shiori. "Good morning Shiori."

Shiori said good morning and asked where Shippo was.

"Ah, I think that he's outside by the swing set," said Kagome. She then looked at Inuyasha and asked if he needed something.

"Umm, nothing I was just surprise that you weren't at the gate," he could feel a blush creeping to his face.

Kagome was taken back, that he came all this way, just for a good morning. Her heart suddenly started beating fast. She blushed and averted her gaze to Shiori, who turns out had left a while ago without any of the two noticing.

"Well Inuyasha it seems Shiori can't wait to play with Shippo again," Kagome said staring out of the open door.

"Yeah I guess so. She's been wanting to play with Shippo all weekend," he said his voice nervous all of a sudden. 'Why am I so nervous? It's only Kagome for goodness sake?'

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called out.

Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts when he finally heard Kagome's voice.

"What is it Kagome?"

"I could be asking you that; this isn't the first time you spaced out like that," she said with a giggle. "Why is it that every time we're alone… you just space out?"

"I was just thinking…" said Inuyasha nervously. "That… if you aren't busy… you… if you wouldn't mind going for a cup of coffee sometime?" He shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal

Kagome blushed and looked down on her lap, because she knew that if she looked up to see Inuyasha's handsome face, it would only and make her blush more.

"Sure," she whispered. "I would love to."

"Really? I mean that's good… I…" he stammered. Kagome looked up again and timidly smiled.

Inuyasha suddenly glanced at his watch, it read 8:35.

"Oh great, I'm late again!"

Kagome chuckled and told him he should be on his way. He nodded at her, but before he left he gave Shiori, who was outside playing a quick peck on the cheek.

"See you later runt."

"Bye papa," Shiori waved to her father heading out of the school and into his car. While he drove to the dojo, he was grinning from ear to ear.

*Much later*

Kagome glance at the clock on the wall and notice that it was pass the time Inuyasha usually picks up Shiori. 'I wonder what can be taking him so long,' she thought to herself.

She glanced again to her watch; it was 3:30 already. He usually picks up Shiori at 3:00 sharp.

"Ms. Kagome," said a small voice. "Where is my daddy?" Shiori and Shippo had come over to her desk.

"Yeah, mommy," agreed Shippo. "He's never this late."

Kagome reassured them both that Inuyasha was just running late again and that he will be here to pick Shiori up soon. She said that he must have gotten stuck in traffic again. Shiori nodded believing Kagome's words and went back to playing with Shippo.

Minutes passed, then hours. Shiori was crying for her daddy to come and pick her up. Kagome was getting worried as well, wondering what could be keeping Inuyasha so long. The school closed at 5:00 and it was 5:45 already. She sighed and looked at Shiori who was sobbing quietly.

"Shiori…" Kagome began. But vefore Kagome could finish her sentence, she heard the phone ring. "Hold on," she said to Shiori. "That must be him now." She went over to where the phone was and picked it up.

"Hello… Kagome Higurashi speaking?" It wasn't Inuyasha on the other end; which had disappointed her.

"Hello Ms. Higurashi? My name is Myoga. I'm calling on behalf of Inuyasha," the person called Myoga said over the phone.

Kagome asked him if he knew where Inuyasha was and when he was coming to pick up Shiori.

Complete shock was all over Kagome's face of what she heard:

"I'm afraid that Inuyasha has been in an car accident."

Oh, I can be so mean. But don't worry... Inuyasha won't die that easily. Thank you all so much for the reviews! They have all been so helpful for this story!