A/N: Sorry this took so long. I had this on an older computer which crashed, meaning I lost everything. :( So I have had to rewrite this and the next couple of chapters. It's taken longer because although I remember most of what happens I got hung up a couple of times. So hopefully, I have all the big pieces still. Enjoy!
CHAPTER 9: BROKEN
The worst is over now and we can breathe again.
I want to hold you high, and steal my pain away.
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight.
I want to hold you high and steal your pain, 'cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I'm strong enough.
~Seether~
When Kagome came to it wasn't a subtle awakening, no she felt as if her spirit had been slammed back into her body. Pain, scorched its way through her followed quickly by panic. I passed out, Kagome thought, oh god…I passed out. She panicked trying to sit up but hands quickly pushed her back down. Her eyes shot opened but she could see was light, nothing was making sense. She couldn't seem to hear, her terror a loud roar in her ears. Her mouth opened as she fought against the hands touching her, and screamed.
"Get off me. Let me go. Stop, please stop." Her vision was blinded suddenly with tears that burned trails down her face. She was going to die. He was going to kill her. The thought had her fighting him all the more. Suddenly she felt the hands being pulled off her, silver filled her teary eyes. A sense of relief filled her, but then the silver was gone even as she desperately reached back out for it only to find the hands had returned. She screamed again as something pinch her upper arm. Her heart fluttered wildly against her ribs, pumping lead through her veins, everything grew heavy. Her arms were weighed down by the heaviness and landed by her side. Her vision darkened, the pain slowly fading behind a veil of shadow nothingness that engulfed her.
Coming to the second time around was not nearly as traumatic, Kagome breathing a little deeper feeling calmer, despite the dull pain she seemed to feel everywhere. The smell of her mom's perfume reached her. Am I at home? Was everything just a nightmare?
Opening her eyes she frowned up at the fluorescent lights in the ceiling. This was not her childhood bedroom, nor was it her apartment.
So, it wasn't a dream. She tried moving her fingers, relieved to find she could at least somewhat move again. Her left hand was wrapped in something warm that when she squeezed it immediately squeezed back. Kagome slowly turned that way, her mother's features coming into focus only to blur out.
"Oh, honey, don't cry. You are safe now." Her mother's voice was so soothing that it made her cry all the more. Gentle hands wiped her tears from her face. "Sota, go buzz for a nurse, they will want to know she's awake. Kagome, dear, do you want to sit up?"
Kagome tried to work her mouth but it felt parched, her mom adjusted the bed so that she was sitting as comfortable, but the new position let Kagome find new pains. The water her mother gave her was cool and welcomed to her dry throat.
"Kagome," she turned back towards her mother, wincing as the motion caused hot pain to radiate through her shoulder and neck. "The police will want a statement now that you are awake." Her mother glanced at the door, she almost looked anxious, before squeezing her daughter's hand again. "I know you will do the right thing."
Kagome frowned, what did she mean by that? Before Kagome could ask about the cryptic statement, a plump nurse walked in, she could see two cops standing in the hallway beyond her door.
"How are we today?" The woman asked closing the folder in her hand.
"Al-" the word got stuck in Kagome's throat, forcing her to cough a little. "Al-alright, I guess."
The nurse checked Kagome's vitals, chattering away, but Kagome didn't keep up with the woman's bedside manners, staring instead at the now closed door where she knew the cops still waited, mulling over what her mom said. It was difficult when her brain felt so foggy from pain and sedatives.
"Are you in any pain, dear?" The nurse smiled warmly, as she replacing the empty bag of fluids with a fresh one.
"I am." Kagome sounded raspy, her voice not sounding like herself at all.
"Well, alright, dearie, let just up your dose a little and let me take a look at that bite on your neck, then you'll be good to go."
Bite. She'd been bitten. She remembered someone yelling at Koga then there was the searing pain through her shoulder. Oh god, Koga. Was she bound to him now? Was she his mate? Her breath hitched, the heart monitor start beeping angrily somewhere behind her. The nurse looked up in concern.
"It is okay, the mark seems to have been neutralized, thanks to your friend's quick thinking. You won't even have a scar once everything heals. Just gonna to take a sample to confirm that you don't have any residual youkai in your system. There, all done." She smiled warmly at Kagome who managed a weak one in return.
She didn't have time to really digest what her mom was trying to tell her, when the two detectives walked in. Kagome winced noticing the one was her father's old partner, god this sucked.
"Ms. Higurashi, I'm Officer Lee and this is Officer A-Un. We have a few questions as to what happened in your apartment." The policeman who appeared to have taken her father's position seemed polite. His green eyes seemed to silently ask her to trust him. Which she didn't, she was too concentrated on not looking at the half demon who looked about as stricken as she felt. She didn't want to talk to them at all, especially not about something that she was so deeply ashamed of.
Higurashi's daughter apart of a domestic violence case?
Never. He'd be so disappointed.
Kagome sighed, the sound shuddering through her as she started to recount the events that landed her in the hospital. As she neared the end, she was quickly running out of things to say as she wrapped her side of the story.
The human detective seemed to sense this, and gave a nod, his brow furrowing as he frowned.
"So you are saying that Koga bit you, correct?"
"Yes, I was in a lot of pain, but remember him biting me. It burned." Kagome was to confused as to why he was focusing on that section of her story.
"You are aware of course that it is illegal for a demon to force his mark upon an unwilling partner?"
"I am aware of the law, officer." Kagome sighed, her eyes flickering over to his silent partner, curious as to why he hadn't spoken yet.
"Okay, do you know a -" He had to refer to his notes he had taken previously, flipping through his notepad till he located the name. "Inuyasha Takashi?"
Kagome frowned, the first name sounded familiar. She closed her eyes and tried to think through the pain. She was starting to wear down.
"That's the bouncer that stepped in when Koga attacked me at the bar."
"Yes, was he in your apartment during this last altercation?" The detective asked, he sounded a little too excited. Kagome opened her eyes, her father used to take her people watching at the mall, some of her fondest memories were dissecting people's behavior.
"No," She paused. "What is this about?"
"We have reason to believe that you were bitten twice, both times without consent." The demon's gentle voice rumbled through the room.
"Oh," Kagome whispered. The mark seems to have been neutralized… I know you will do the right thing… thanks to your friend's quick thinking… the mark seems to have been neutralized…
"We have reason to believe that you were unconscious when Mr. Takashi attempted his mark." The human said trying to not give her time to think. Thinking led to lying.
"No, I –I gave consent before I passed out.," Kagome hurried on, trying to keep her features neutral as the natural stress of the questions and having to go back through her terror was making her heart work overtime.
"You did?" A-Un was always a hard read for her. It was probably his distinct reptilian appearance that was a perfect mask to hide behind.
"Yes, I did. He didn't show up till after Koga grabbed me to bite me. I was in a lot of pain but I gave consent before I passed out." Kagome tugged at the sheets, but stopped when she caught them watching her. Nervous habits indicated deceit, her mind screamed at her as she flattened her hands against the waffled material of the hospital blanket.
A-Un narrowed his eyes at her, he knows, she tried to stay calm but couldn't help sighing in relief when they nodded and bid her a speedy recovery. A-Un hung back as his partner left.
"Why are you lying, Lil'Higurashi?"
Kagome smiled sadly, that was a name she hadn't heard in a long time. She looked up at A-Un.
"Is this off the record?" Her smile grew a little at his exasperated sigh.
"Yeah, I just need to know why."
"He saved my life. I'm not going to condemn him for that. We both know that wouldn't be fair. I don't care how many times you ask, I won't change my story." Kagome stated, her chin going forward defiantly.
"Easy, Lil'Higurashi, there won't be any need for that. You and your friends all have matching stories so far…" He nodded as if making up his mind. "I'll take care of it as long as you promise to take care of yourself."
"Thanks, A-Un." Kagome sighed as he turned to leave, he made it to the door before stopping.
"And don't be a stranger. We all miss you at the station." He muttered before shaking his dark mane and leaving her alone once more.
"I miss you too." She sighed turning her tear filled eyes towards the window. She missed everyone so much, but her father most of all. What she wouldn't give to have him with her now, to just hear his voice, feel the strength in one of his hugs. She felt so alone.
