XIX.
Inuyasha was slowly regaining feeling in his limbs. The numbness was finally fading away. He could even move all of his fingers.
Unfortunately, that was about all he could move. The rest of him of was fastened onto a table. There were straps over his legs, his wrists, and his waist, all buckled tightly. Obviously, it wasn't made for comfort. Inuyasha got the feeling it was because it wouldn't really matter in a few minutes anyway.
He knew where he was. It was the Clinic. He had been brought here on the day of his arrival, to get his shots and that god damn bar code marked into his shoulder. They often brought him there to take blood samples as well. It was a cold place, full of doctors, needles, and bad memories.
No one else was in the room with him. He couldn't see much from his position; just a lot grey and the blinding ceiling lights. With nothing else to preoccupy his mind, he vaguely began to wonder how they were going to off him. Would they suffocate him? Gas him? Or simply take a gun and shoot him in the head?
Movement at the door distracted him from his morbid thoughts. Someone entered and their shoes made a clacking noise as they moved across the tiled floor. Inuyasha lifted his head the best he could and tilted it to the side to get a look at the newcomer. It was a woman dressed in white, probably one of the doctors. She carried a tray with her that held several vials with unknown substances along with something silver and sharp, and placed it on a counter. Inuyasha realized what they were and thunked his head back down on the table.
Lethal injection. They were going to put him to sleep.
He tried to move again, but it was no use. The straps were just as bad as being numbed. Inuyasha was going nowhere.
"The final escape. To end all your suffering."
Why fight it? There was nothing he could do and maybe (as much he hated to admit it) Naraku was right. Maybe death was the only true escape. Even if he had somehow managed to escape the Facility, where would he go and what would he do then? He was nothing and no one.
And he had nothing and no one.
His parents were dead. His brother abandoned him. He had no home, no family, no friends. He didn't even have Kagome anymore.
Funny. He was more upset over Kagome's betrayal than his own death sentence. Who knew that heartache could hurt so much?
From his short experience with it, Inuyasha deduced that Love really did bite. What was that old saying? "Only fools fall in love"? Well, he was definitely a fool. Probably the biggest fool of them all. He couldn't have helped falling in love with her, though. It was only to be expected. He had been locked up for years in a grey prison, devoid of hope, companionship, and happiness. Even if he had told himself he didn't, Inuyasha had longed for those things. Then Kagome came along and gave him them, and more. For the last two months, she was his friend, his hope, his life. She was thing he was always looking forward to. She was the one who showed him happiness. Of course he fell in love; what other choice was there? Even if there was another choice, even if he wasn't imprisoned and he knew thousands of other people, Inuyasha would have still fallen in love with her. That's how bad he had it.
But Kagome hated him. Or she just didn't care about him anymore. Maybe both. Either way, she wasn't coming back. Whether he lived or died, he was never going to see her again.
That's what really took the fight out of him. He was never going to see Kagome again, so why did it matter? He had nothing else to look forward to, nothing else to make life worth living. So what if they killed him? It's not like things could get any worse than they were. Maybe it really would be the end to all his suffering.
Inuyasha hoped it was like sleeping. But without the bad dreams. He couldn't remember the last time he got a full, uninterrupted night's rest.
For a moment, the idea soothed him. It won't hurt, he told himself, over and over. It will just be like sleeping.
Another doctor came in, a man this time. He started flipping through papers on his clipboard while the woman doctor began preparing the equipment. Unable to speak or move, Inuyasha could watch with growing fear as they set about their task. His heart started to beat faster.
It might just be like sleeping, he thought, But I'll never wake up.
Death was an escape, he realized. It was the easy way out. He wasn't just scared of dying now, he being stubborn about it too. It was like giving up. Sure, his entire life had been a living hell and never promised anything better, but was that any reason to give up? If he died now, it would be the same as surrendering. Naraku would win.
Part of him wanted to die and now part of him didn't.
The woman doctor began swabbing his arm with alcohol, again reminding him that he really didn't have a say in the matter. The other one was busy hooking the cannula, a medical tube used to withdraw or insert fluids, to a machine that held the vials. He then attached a needle to the free end and handed it to his partner. After finding a suitable vein, she stuck the needle into Inuyasha's arm.
The three vials in the machine were the drugs, which would enter his bloodstream mechanically via the cannula. The first drug was only an anaesthetic, meant to keep him unconscious during the other two injections. The second one would stop all muscle movement except the heart, which would then be stopped by the third and final drug, thus killing him due to cardiac arrest. The whole procedure would only take seven minutes.
"You may make a final statement," the woman doctor said impassively, removing his gag.
"All right," Inuyasha said loudly, although his voice shook despite himself. "Go to hell."
The blank expression on the doctor's face didn't change. She simply scribbled something down on her clipboard and rejoined the other doctor by the machine. It was time.
Inuyasha started to hyperventilate as the heavy reality of it finally sank in. He was going to die. They were going to kill him, just like that. He couldn't get away. His heartbeat matched his fast breathing. There was no escape. He was going to die, he was going to die. . .
Then. . .his blood began to boil. He was angry at himself for being scared. He was even angrier at the doctors, and Naraku, for deciding to kill him. It was his life. Not theirs. His. What right they did have to control his life, and to decide when it should end? That should be his decision. If he wanted to die before his time, then he should decide it and he should be the one to do it. Not them. Not anyone. Just him. It was his. It was the only thing that belonged to him. It was his life!
A growl rose up in his throat.
He bared his fangs.
An animal roared.
Both doctors stopped what they were doing and whirled around. Both stood frozen with shock as a red-eyed Inuyasha ripped free of his straps, then jerked the needle right out of his arm. Both slowly backed away from him as he inched closer, teeth and claws exposed. Then the male doctor's fingers found the emergency button under the edge of the counter. He pressed it smoothly, hoping the motion would go unnoticed, but it didn't. For a split second, those burning red eyes met his. Panic suddenly swept through him, and he pushed his colleague aside to make a run for the door.
He was fast.
Inuyasha was faster.
The sirens came on right after the scream.
XX.
forestspirit4: What did Mushin say?
godsgift2wmn: um, nothing yet. he's still hung-over
forestspirit4: STILL?
godsgift2wmn: yup. sry. next time he's sober, I'll tell him.
godsgift2wmn: kagome? u there?
forestspirit4: Yeah, sorry. I'm just
forestspirit4: Nevermind.
godsgift2wmn: still can't get in, huh?
Kagome stared down at her keypad and sighed. She thought sharing her secret discovery would make it less a burden, but instead it just made her worry more. Did she do the right thing when she told Miroku? She hadn't meant to, but he had been getting so suspicious of her when she kept asking him for a new lockpick. He had refused to make her a new one until she had explained why she needed it.
And she really needed it. Her mother's ID card no longer let her get through the Facility's doors. And if that wasn't bad enough, it still let her mother in. It had to, because her mother went to work everyday with that very same card. There was only one logical reason that the ID card would specifically deny access to Kagome only.
Someone knew she had been sneaking in.
What this meant now, Kagome couldn't guess. It had been weeks, but nothing had happened to her yet. No one came to erase her memories or lock her up. She was just locked out. Night after night, she went to the Facility, and each time it refused to open its doors. Whatever this was, she didn't like it. She wanted to get back in. She needed to see Inuyasha.
With no one else to turn to, she had given in and told Miroku everything. For a last resort, it wasn't too bad. Miroku's guardian, Mushin, was a retired Reem councilman; that's why they moved back to Reem right before the war started. If Mushin believed their story, he could possibly send help. After all, he had connections. If the officials in Reem were informed about the Facility, they'd definitely would want to strike there and deal a heavy blow towards their enemy.
It was a long shot, but Kagome was running out of ideas and hope. Telling Miroku hadn't reassured her or relieved her at all; she just felt bad and constantly worried that she pointlessly endangered more people by giving out that information. She was on edge now; someone knew she had been breaking in and they had locked her out. Not good. She worried for herself, for her family, for her friends, and Inuyasha...she worried about him the most.
Ping!
She forced her attention back on the computer, where a message from Miroku was flashing on and off impatiently for her attention.
godsgift2wmn: you're spazzing again, aren't u?
Kagome took a deep breath and tried to keep her hands steady as she typed.
forestspirit4: NNO! I'm fnie!
godsgift2wmn: are not. u just typo'd, and u never make typos. Look, kagome, just calm down. we'll figure sumthing out. and i'm sure your friend is OK. just hang in there. It will be all right.
forestspirit4: Yeah, I guess. Thanks Miroku. Well, I have to go now. Get back to me as soon as you tell Mushin, okay? Later.
She sent the message and went to close the program, but another ping stopped her.
godsgift2wmn: wait kagome!
forestspirit4: Yeah?
godsgift2wmn: will u bear–
forestspirit4: NO! Omfg, I can't believe you!
godsgift2wmn: hey, u didn't let me finish! I was going to say "bear with me here while i...um, something...
forestspirit4: Uh-huh, nice try. Good-bye Miroku.
Shaking her head, Kagome stood up from her desk and started to walk away.
"You know I was just kidding, right?" She gritted her teeth and slowly turned around. Plastered on her computer screen was Miroku's face, grinning sheepishly back at her.
"You need to loosen up a bit," he told her. "I know you're worried, but you're gonna give yourself a heart attack if you keep this up."
"I said good-bye Miroku!" With that, Kagome clicked the program off, closing Miroku's link before he could get another word in. She didn't want to talk about it anymore today, especially not with him.
Geez, how did Sango put with that guy anyway? He just had to hit on every girl he met. Men. What a bunch of brainless idiots. Miroku had commitment issues or something. Then there was that clueless guy from her school that just couldn't take a hint. And Inuyasha was the king of all jerks...
Inuyasha. She couldn't stop thinking about him. Or worrying. Did the person who knew she had been breaking in also know who she kept seeing? They might consider him an accomplice. Would Inuyasha get in trouble because of her? Was he okay? Was he even still alive?
'No, no, no!' Kagome hugged herself and shook her head. 'I can't think like that! He's perfectly fine. I have to stay positive, or else I"ll lose it. Miroku's right, I need to loosen up and stop worrying. So no more bad thoughts.'
She inhaled and counted to ten to relax herself then, once she was steady, she left her room and headed downstairs. To keep from worrying if Inuyasha was all right, she wondered instead if he missed her. With him, who knew? Maybe he was glad she was gone. Or maybe he was angry at her for not coming in so long. She just hoped he didn't hate her. Once she got back in, she would explain everything...and apologize, for last time. She shouldn't have runaway from him that night. She felt terrible about it.
She would get back in. Somehow, someway, she'd get back in and see him again.
Kagome stopped at the bottom of the stairs and reached into her pocket. She pulled her palm-com out and flipped in open to see the time: 2:47 PM. Time to head out and pick up the groceries. She closed the computer with a snap and dropped back into her pocket. Then she turned into the living room to find her brother.
"Hah! Hyah! Take that!"
Souta karate chopped his sister's arm.
"Ow! You little twerp!" She reached out and jerked the Virtual Reality Headset off her little brother, then flicked him in the head for rebuttal. "Be more careful when you're using this thing!"
"Si-is," the boy whined, drawing out the 'sis.' "You didn't let me save! And I was just about to beat a super hard boss too! I almost had him, but now I have to start all over again, thanks to you!"
"Stop whining," she said, unsympathetic to his loss. "You can play your video game later. We need to go pick up the groceries."
He moaned. "Why can't grampa go get them?" They both paused and looked over at the couch, where their grandfather was dead asleep, snoring loudly every other breath. Then they looked back at each other, and Souta hung his head in defeat.
"All right, all right, I'm going," he said, pulling off his VR gloves.
"It won't take long," said Kagome as she waited for him to put his shoes on. "Mom already ordered everything online last night. We just gotta pick it up. We'll be in and out in a snap, then we can came home and you can continue frying your brains out with your stupid VR game, okay?"
Souta gave his sister A Look, then wordlessly went back to tying his shoes at a purposely painfully slow pace. Kagome just sighed.
XXI.
The sky was grey.
Inuyasha was not pleased. Standing on the roof of a dilapidated, old building, he surveyed his surroundings. He was finally outside, but it looked it the same as the inside. There were no sounds, no colors, no smells. Just grey. Grey, grey, grey, everywhere grey!
He growled. It was just another cell. He escaped to just to be imprisoned again in a cold world of endless grey. Where was his freedom?
He glanced down at his hands. Red. The blood excited him. The sight of it, the smell...the hungry animal was thrilled by all the fresh blood. By his proof. The red was his proof: his life was his.
Somewhere inside of him, buried deep down, a small, dying voice wondered if this was right. It did not like the blood. It protested. But it was helpless. It couldn't be heard under the animal's triumphet roars.
It was gone.
Inuyasha could hear the commotion going on in the Facility not too far off behind him. It reminded him that he was still imprisoned and he needed to go. But not to escape. True freedom would not be obtained by running. He would have to make his freedom. He had to let everyone know.
There was too much grey. The animal longed for more red.
Eager, Inuyasha took off. He could cover all the grey with brilliant red.
XXII.
"I knew it!"
Bits of plaster billowed out like a dust cloud around Naraku's fist. He frowned and removed it from the wall. His secretary merely watched, looking bored.
"I knew I should have killed him sooner," he muttered, regaining his composure and wiping the plaster off his hand. "It was a mistake to let him live so long. A mistake that needs fixing, fast. This could very well ruin my plans. If he causes a scene out there. . .ah. I know. Get me the city council."
His secretary stood up, but hesitated, uncertain where this was going. "Sir?"
"Now," he snapped at her.
"Yes, sir."
She scurried out of the room to make the call. Naraku sat down in his chair and folded his hands on his desk, momentarily deep in thought. So Inuyasha had escaped right before he was to be killed. What a nuance. The whole point of killing him was to keep this from happening and yet it happened anyway. He should have killed Inuyasha himself; you can't rely on humans to do the job right, apparently. Well, no matter. He was not about to let a rouge halfling ruin everything he had worked so hard for. He would simply have to make sure the job got done right this time.
"Head Comissioner Onigumo," said a crisp voice from behind. Naraku turned his chair around to face the giant LCD screen which was now displaying the face of an strict-looking old man. "I was informed that you requested an audience with me?"
"Ah, Councilman Patterson," said Naraku. "Yes, there's something urgent I need to discuss with you. I know that our contract states that the city itself is not responsible for my facility here, nor vice versa, but under certain circumstances I was wondering if a brief immunity to such contract might be allowed if ever a need arises–"
"Out with it man!" interrupted the impatient Councilman. "Just get to the point and tell me what's going on."
Naraku's polite smile did not falter and he continued evenly, "I may require some assistance from the city guard, sir. We have a situation. . ."
XXIII.
The sky was grey.
Kagome hoped it wouldn't rain. It was always hard to tell, though, in a city like Lenear. It could be storm clouds or could just be smog. Probably the latter, she hoped. The store wasn't that far away from their house, so they had walked instead of taking a shuttle, but it would be such a pain if it started raining on them.
She sighed sadly. It was such a drab day.
Walking a few steps behind her, Souta looked on at his older sister with concern. She hadn't been acting like herself lately and it worried him. He didn't like this funk she was in. He preferred her perky and cheerfulness more. What could he do to snap her out of it?
"I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves and this is how it goes," Souta suddenly burst into song, hoping that if he annoyed Kagome enough she would return to normal. It usually did the trick. "I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves! Oh, I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves. . ."
His voice trailed off when he realized he wasn't getting on Kagome's nerves. She just kept walking silently, clutching the big bag of groceries in her arms and staring off into space. The response he had been expecting did not come; no response did.
Souta decided it was time to take things up a notch. He picked a new song he knew Kagome hated with a burning passion, then began singing it in the most loudest, obnoxious voice he could manage.
"Fighting eeevil by moonlight! Winning looove by daylight! Neveeer running from a real fight!"
People stared or raised their eye brows at Souta as they passed, but Kagome didn't even turn around.
"Please shut up, Souta," she said flatly. It was the most weak, depressingly pathetic 'shut up' Souta had ever heard in his life. It was like she said it automatically rather than to chose to say it with force and commandment. Usually she would threaten that if he didn't shut up, she'd rip his vocal chords out. So obviously, something was very wrong with his sister. Something terrible, if annoying her had no effect! And what good was a sister if you couldn't annoy her?
Souta vowed to get to the bottom of this and decided to switch to a more direct route, so he flat out asked her what was wrong.
"Nothing," she said, but Souta wasn't convinced.
"You've been moping around for days," he countered. "What happened? Did your boyfriend dump you or something?"
That seemed to get her attention and for a moment, Kagome almost came to a stop. But then she quickly regained herself and kept steadily on, still not looking back at her brother.
"I don't have boyfriend, Souta," she said evenly.
"Oh, please. I'm not stupid, you know. Who else would you keep sneaking out at night to see?"
A direct hit. Finally Kagome stopped walking and turned around.
"You know I've been sneaking out?" she asked anxiously. "For how long? Oh god, you didn't tell mom, did you?"
Inwardly, Souta laughed. He had been right; Kagome did have a boyfriend! Although he didn't understand why she was going out night to see him or why she was keeping it a secret. Unless, of course, there was some reason she wanted to keep it a secret. Maybe she thought their mother wouldn't approve? But that was silly; their mother was pretty accepting of people. She wouldn't care who Kagome was dating so as long as he was nice enough. Souta still hadn't told his mother about his sister's nightly escapades, of course. He told himself it was because he could eventually use it to blackmail her with, but in truth, Souta was just one of those rare "nice brothers" and didn't want to be tattle-tale.
"Don't worry, I won't tell her," he said earnestly. "But you need to stop being so depressed, Sis! Whoever dumped you is a jerk and he's not worth it. You need to cheer up some!"
"Well, he certainly is a jerk," she muttered. "Look Souta, you got it all wrong. I wasn't dumped. I didn't even have a boyfriend to dump me."
"Then what have you been doing then?" he asked. "Why are you–"
"It's none of your business, okay? It's nice that your concerned about me and all, but seriously, Souta, I'm fine. Now can we please get home, before it's starts raining on us?"
'Fine? Yeah right,' Souta thought to himself as they started off again. 'And I'm the king of Tharris.'
The two siblings walked in silence along the bustling streets of the city. Shuttles and hovercars zoomed by at tremendous speeds, crowds of people filled the walkways. rushing in all sorts of directions, and flashing signs and broadcasts popped up at every corner. Lenear was as fast paced and chaotic as ever. A little absently, Kagome wondered if Inuyasha would like it.
She had vaguely fantasized, on occasion, what might happen if she had ever overcome the Facility and all the captives were freed. The demons could be reunited with their families, if they had any. Those who didn't could be given new homes and people to care for them. Maybe little Shippo could even live with them for a while; surely her mom wouldn't mind? Heck, knowing her mother, all the orphaned demons could probably live them if there had been enough room. Inuyasha would have to stick around too; where else would he go? Then they could go to school together, and he could meet all her friends. . .and she could give him a tour of the city, and show him all the fun things he had missed for all those years, like movies and concerts and ice cream. . .
It was nice to think about it, but maybe it was just a pipe dream. Kagome sighed. Staying positive was easier said than done, especially in her position. She just felt so helpless. . .
"–from the city council with an urgent warning for all Lenear citizens." Losing her train of thought, Kagome paused and looked up curiously at the flashing news bulletin suddenly projected on the city walls. A business-type woman was shown looking sullen, and she continued with her report.
"We have just received word that a dangerous demon terrorist has escaped from an out posted prison and is running loose within the city limits. Our sources say that he is not sane of mind and may attack without warning. The criminal has last been spotted somewhere in the downtown area, where one eye witness was able to record him with their cell phone. We will now play that clip so that you may take note of the criminal's appearance–"
"Wow, he's sure is scary looking," Souta commented. Kagome didn't say anything, but just stared at the screen with her mouth wide open.
It was Inuyasha. For a brief moment, the camera had caught him head on, showing a close up of his face: jagged purple lines marked his cheeks and burning red eyes glared out at her from the screen, crazed and wild. Then he ran past and the clumsy camera followed as him as he zoomed through the city scape, accompanied with screams and gun shots, until he disappeared from view and the clip ended.
Kagome suddenly became immobile, frozen in place as she stared unblinkingly at the screen as it replayed the footage again and again. She didn't even notice as the bag of groceries slipped from her arms and spilled to the ground.
"Sis? Are you okay?" Souta asked worriedly, tugging at her sleeve. His voice broke her out of her trance and reality came rushing back. Kagome blinked and then suddenly started picking up their groceries, throwing them back into the bag in a hurried manner.
"Please do not panic," said the woman on the screen. "The City Guard has sent out to apprehend the criminal. Again, he has been last spotted in the downtown area. If you see the criminal, please report it immediately to 54-721-334 and do not attempt to approach him."
"I just remembered, Souta, there's somewhere I gotta go," Kagome said in a rush, thrusting the bag into his arms. "Go straight home and tell mom I'm at a friend's house if I don't get home in time, okay? Thanksseeyoulater!"
"W-wait! Sis! What's going on? Sis!" he called after her, but Kagome was speeding down the road like a track star, already too far away to hear him.
"Again, that number is 54-721-334. Please immediately report any sightings and do not attempt to approach the demon."
Was his sister nuts? There was an evil demon on the loose! Well, Souta didn't know about her, but he was going home. He just hoped Kagome would be okay. Whatever she needed to do must have been important, though, for her to take off like that...
XXIV.
He was in pain. His legs ached from his constant moving and humans kept shooting at him, some getting in some hits. He was exhausted, but he wouldn't stop. He couldn't. The animal would keep fighting until all his enemies were killed...or until he was. There was no stopping now. He would keep fighting until the end.
He pushed his feet off of the ground and sent himself flying forward, dodging cars and people and bullets as he jumped from street to street. Then he came to an intersection as his feet dropped down to the pavement again. It wasn't nearly as crowded here, and the people who saw him immediately began running away in the opposite direction, some screaming in terror. This only tempted the animal more and his vision swirled with red as he looked on at the pathetic humans, scrambling away like tiny ants. He flexed his claws and licked his lips as readied himself to go again.
"Halt!" Something was jabbed roughly into his back. "City Guard! You are under arrest!" A lone policeman had snuck up behind him, but despite his bold words, he didn't sound so sure of himself. Inuyasha could practically taste his fear.
"Cease action and surrender yourself peacefully, or else I'll be forced to take–hughh!"
The man's eyes grew large with panic as he was lifted off the ground by his throat. When he began struggling for air, Inuyasha only closed his hand tighter.
"My life," he roared at the choking man. "Mine!"
A tiny voice whispered, What about his life?
He paused.
Then another voice shouted, "Inuyasha, stop!"
Caught off guard, Inuyasha let go of the man in surprise. The shaken man gasped for air, then scurried off as fast as he could while Inuyasha was distracted. Inuyasha heard him run, but he didn't stir. He was caught in a trance, staring at Kagome.
She was disheveled and out of breath, standing in the middle of the road some feet in front of him with uncertainty. She was obviously scared; he could smell her fear. She looked at him with wide eyes, then took a step forward.
He took a step back. The animal was urging him to continue, enraged at the sight of Kagome, but at the same time, her appearance had also revived something inside him that valiantly tried to fight back.
She came another step closer.
"Ka-Kagome!" His fists were clenched so tightly that his claws were digging into his skin, and he gritted his teeth when he spoke, as if it were painful to form words. "S-stay back! Get a-away f-from me!"
And another step.
"No!" she yelled, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. "I'm not running away this time!"
She took yet another step, so that she was nearly right in front of him now, and tentatively reached a hand out towards him. "I know you're in there, Inuyasha," she said quietly. "You can do it. I know you can."
He bared his fangs and growled at her, but she stood her ground. Kagome was brave to trust in him, but she was wrong; he couldn't do anything. He wasn't in control. He had willingly let himself go wild, become nothing more than a ravage animal, and now the person he cared most about in the world was going to pay for it.
His vision blurred red and he raised his claws to strike. . .
Kagome didn't flinch. She didn't move at all. She just stood there, looking sad but determined, still holding out her hand to him. She looked right at him which such an intensity that it felt as if she were looking into his soul.
Strike! The command had been given, but Inuyasha held back, his raised arm shaking tremendously as he fought for inner control over himself. But a surge of blinding rage swept through him and the claws suddenly swiped forward.
No!
The claws stopped, just centimeters short from her face. Kagome drew a sharp intake of breath but otherwise did not move. She swallowed and watched silently as his sharp claws hovered indecisively in front her.
No.
Growling with effort, Inuyasha forced his hand down. It finally dropped to his side and suddenly, the red cleared away and there was Kagome, unharmed. Inuyasha was shaking and breathing heavily, as if he had just fought a great battle, but all the wild rage that had been tormenting him had finally been drained away. He was Inuyasha again, the animal now gone. Somehow, Kagome had tamed it.
Arms suddenly embraced him and Inuyasha looked down, surprised to see Kagome sobbing into his shirt and hugging him tightly. It was the most surreal thing he felt that entire day, out of everything. Maybe he was dead after all, because there was no way. . .
A little hesitantly, as if he was worried she would disappeared into thin air, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and gently hugged her back. "I'm so sorry," he whispered sadly into her hair. Kagome pulled back a little and looked up at him.
"It's okay," she said, smiling happily through her tears. "I knew you wouldn't hurt me."
But it wasn't okay. Inuyasha would be forever content if he could just keep holding her in his arms, but he knew things were not okay yet; there was still so much...
"Kagome, I–"
"Halt!" The loud voice cut through the air, shattering their private moment and making them turn their head in surprise. "We have you surrounded!"
The man with the megaphone wasn't kidding. A dozen or more city guardsmen surrounded them in a circle. Their guns were raised and aimed directly at the them. With growing alarm, Inuyasha remembered the man he had nearly choked to death.
Apparently, he had called for back up.
--TBC--
A/N: Wow, that only took me forever to write! xD But lookit! It's over 5,000 words long! Aren't you so excited? I'm excited. This baby's almost finished! There is an estimated two chapters left for this story. Oh yeah, I'm so kicking butt! Wootcha!
On another note, I'd like to apologize for how preditable this chapter was. Yes, it was very remeniscient of what happens a lot in the actual series. But hey, that's why I made it an AU in the first place; otherwise nothing would be different! xP Besides, I was never really good at plot twists anyways... Also, a special thanks goes to wikipedia(dot)come for telling me in detail how a lethal injection is performed. Even though it was just a little scene, if you knew how squeamish I am, you'd be proud, lol.
Well, you guys know the drill: read, review, and send me ten thousand dollars. Also, because this chapter is so long (and because I am so easily bored) there is a special omake extra following this author's note for any you who don't have time to read the whole thing. xD
I'm brining sexy back,
Zana
PS-Them other boys don't know how to act! Yeah! Take it to the bridge!
(Omake React!) (Part 13, the Short Verison)
XIX.
Doctor A: You may make a final statement.
Inuyasha: Um, before we start, I have to go the bathroom. Could you please untie me so I can go real quick? I'll come right back.
Doctor A: Nice try.
Inuyasha: (But I really do have to pee!)
The doctors start up the machine and Inuyasha gets to thinking. It's his life! Not theirs! He should be the one who decides if he can go to the bathroom or not! Those assholes! Now he's really angry.
Doctor A: Um, Doctor B...
Doctor B: What? -turns around-
Inuyasha: HULK SMASH!
Doctor B's Famous Last Words: Oh shii--!
XX.
Miroku: lol i rox at da l33t spk!!1!
Kagome: Please go away, perv.
Kagome turns the computer off and goes downstairs.
Souta: Judo CHOP!
Kagome: -censored-!
XXI.
The sky is grey. Everything is grey. Lots and lots of grey.
Inuyasha: Nuuuuu, I'm color blind!
Inuyasha discovers the color red, the only color he can apparently see anymore. So he decides to paint the town red.
Inuyasha: Time to go on a killing spree! Yay!
XXII.
Naraku: Crap! -punches wall-
Wall: Ow! My spleen!
Naraku: He conviently escaped at the very last minute! I so totally didn't see that coming! That's it, get me the council dude!
Secretary: Um?
Naraku: On the double!
Secretary: SAH, YES SAH!
XXIII.
The sky is still grey. Kagome is teh sad.
Souta: (Poor sis. I must cheer her up!)
Souta: I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, and this is how it goes: Me and my gang, we live, to rock! We rock, to live! Yeah! Me and my gaaaang!
Kagome: AHH, MY EARS!
TV Woman: Inuyasha has rabies and is running wild downtown! Kagome, do not approach him or he'll rip your head off!
Kagome: Hmm, I think I'll go downtown. Later!
Souta: I hope sis will be okay. I'm not sure why, but I have this feeling she's gonna get her head ripped off...
XXIV.
Inuyasha: Rawr.
Copper: HALT!
Inuyasha: Screw you! -chokes copper- My life, dude, mine!
Bon Jovi: It's my life! Oh it's now or never! I ain't gonna live forever! I just wanna live my life alive!
Jiminy Cricket: What about his life, dude?
Bon Jovi: It's his life! Oh it's now or never! He ain't gonna--
Kagome: Inuyasha, SIT! (Oh shit, that doesn't work in this one, does it?)
Inuyasha: Everyone, shut the hell up! -drops copper- Okay. Kagome, run away before I rip your head off.
Kagome: Never!
Inuyasha: Rawr.
Inuyasha almost rips Kagome's head off, but Jiminy Cricket, Bon Jovi, and Captain Planet (?!) join forces and save Inuyasha from himself. Then Inuyasha and Kagome hug.
Readers: Awwww.
Lots of Coppers: HALT! NO PDA ALLOWED!
Inuyasha: (God dammit, why does this happen every fricking chapter?)
The Copper Who Almost Died: Haha, you just got served!
(FIN!)