Week 8, Monday

Women…

Even when you managed to figure one part of their complicated feelings out, there was always another part of them that you would never be able to comprehend. It was like an endless puzzle that was impossible to win, and if you didn't try hard enough, then she would be pissed at your lack of consideration. But he was trying. Ever since that day at the sandwich shop, he had been thinking about her constantly.

'Kagome…'

He wanted to see her smile again.

What could have caused such a fear to spring out of her so suddenly? She had been fine one second and then completely depressed the next. He was pretty sure her sudden wave of sadness hadn't been a direct connection to him (thankfully) but from where did it originate exactly? Maybe she heard something…or smelled something…or maybe a bad memory? All of these possibilities had been racking through Inuyasha's brain all weekend. She had left in such a broken state and he felt like a fool to have let her go without trying harder.

He knew he should have said something…done something more. But what? He had panicked at that moment, his brain ceasing all action. Her tears had erupted so suddenly leaving him more uncomfortable and helpless than he had ever felt in his life. Such a feeling was so completely foreign to him and he felt powerless against it. He was facing a different threat this time, one that brute strength would not overcome. Unfortunately, he was terrible when it came to words.

"Inuyasha?"

His head shot up. "Yeah?" So lost in his thoughts, he hadn't even heard Totosai approach.

The old man gave a weak smile. "I think that bike is clean enough."

Inuyasha's eyes widened a fraction before darting back towards the bike he had been absentmindedly wiping down. The handle bars were beyond shinning now and looked to be on the verge of loosing their paint color from all his wiping. The bold red color had now dulled down to a lighter pink. He gulped, eying the paint on his rag.

"Keh." He muttered, tossing the rag aside and grabbing a new one. Casually, he stood and positioned himself in front of the next bike. It was a startling turquoise color, but its wheels were caked in grease and dirt.

"Just keep working Inuyasha. Those bikes need to be finished by six." Totosai explained with a nod, before walking off back towards the main building.

Once Totosai was out of earshot, Inuyasha let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He couldn't afford to mess up another bike. He had to focus and finish the rest of them. Setting his mouth in to a firm line, he began working at the wheels, wiping them completely down. His rag soon became a grimy mess rendering the old cloth useless within minutes. He growled in frustration.

He worked for a few more minutes in total silence, focusing all his attention at the task at hand. He nearly jumped when he felt someone touch his shoulder. And then a familiar voice hit his ears and he melted on the spot.

"Inuyasha?" She called tentatively, giving his shoulder an unsure pat.

"Yeah it's me." He confirmed, standing up to his full height. He hadn't even noticed the time fly by.

She looked tired, worn out, like she had barely gotten any sleep. There were bags under her eyes, and her hair was up in a messy bun instead of down as he preferred. There was a different air about her and she didn't hold herself as strongly as she usually did. Her smile was weak, but still there.

"Kagome…" He said softly, taking a step forward. "Are you alright?"

"I…" She began, her voice cracking slightly. He saw something swimming in those clear blue orbs of hers before she shook her head. "I've been better."

He nodded. At least she hadn't lied to him. "Listen Kagom—"

But she cut him off gently. "I need to talk to you Inuyasha." Her voice had never sounded so weak, so pained. His ears pressed against his skull at the sound and he clenched his fists at his side. She sounded so drained and sad; weak and helpless, similar to the feelings he felt building up in his own chest.

"Okay." His voice was so quiet as to not startle. It seemed as if anything could break her now. She sat down and he followed her.

She took a deep breath. "I've been thinking a lot this past weekend. I didn't…I didn't know what to do at first, and then when I decided what to do, I didn't know who and then I thought about it more and realized that it would be selfish of me to tell anyone about my problems so I figured that mayb—"

"Kagome." He cut through her rambling mess. "You're not making any sense."

She nodded in understanding, but then to his horror, fresh tears sprang in to her eyes. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to."

"Stop apologizing." He commanded sharply. She jumped in shock, and he cursed himself. He knew he was the worst when it came to words. "I didn't mean…"

But she shook her head. "No Inuyasha...don't worry about it. Thanks." She wiped a few of her tears and laughed lightly to herself.

He fidgeted uncomfortably at the sight. "Kagome?"

"I wasn't always blind you know." She suddenly informed and his eyes widened. "I've only been blind for about three years."

He remained speechless, and half shocked. He had suspected that she hadn't been born blind, but for her to just say it, with no warning…he didn't know how to respond. She didn't speak for a few moments, allowing the information to sink in. He didn't dare say a word. He felt overwhelmed. What could he possibly say to that?

She placed a hand over her chest, and sighed. "Sorry about that…I didn't mean to be so…blunt."

"Keh, its fine." He replied immediately. She smiled at his words and continued.

"When I was a little girl, I was extremely close with my dad. He was the perfect dad; always there for Souta and I, never missing a day of work, or a dinner with the family. He was strict and firm, but still loving and gentle. He and I were so close to one another and I loved him very much." She spoke so strongly and so weakly all at once and he felt entranced by her words. She had never spoken of her father. She talked about him with so much emotion and love in her voice. And her signature smile had returned to her face.

But his ears had caught one word in her speech.

'Loved…she said she loved him very much.' He realized with a stifled gasp.

Although her smile had returned, it was short-lived. Her face broke down once more and soft sobs escaped out from her body. Something died within him at the sight of her like this. He felt the panic hit him immediately, urging him to do something. His mind spun, causing him to hesitate, until instincts easily took over. Before he knew it, he was leaning forward over her hunched figure, grasping her hand in his. She paused at the contact before slowly encasing her fingers around his larger ones.

"Kagome?" he called gently. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She insisted hastily. "Thank you Inuyasha…"

He bit his lip. "You know…you don't have to tell me all this."

She shook her head furiously. "No Inuyasha. I want to. Its one of the things I've been thinking about for a while and I'm not going to back down now." She squeezed his hand harder. "You deserve to know."

He turned away. "Keh. I don't deserve anything." No one had ever said such words to him. It was startling really and it made him completely unsure of himself. He could feel a battle raging inside him fueled by confusion and some guilt. She deserved to know about him as well, and he felt selfish compared to her selflessness.

"Don't say that Inuyasha." Kagome cried out strongly. "I don't care what you think. I want you to know the truth."

Her fiery stubborn aura lashed out against his own, practically overpowering him. "Fine." He succumbed with a sigh.

She looked pleased, but then sighed as her eyes clouded over once more. For the first time, he saw her struggle with the words. Her mouth opened and fell closed numerous times and she looked to be faltering even more with each passing second. "My dad…he…" she tried, before closing her eyes and letting out a heavy sigh.

"Kagome…" He leaned closer to her, hoping to comfort her somehow. "Did something happen to him?"

She nodded, more tears falling. How was it possible for her to look so strong and weak all at once?

"It happened three years ago Inuyasha…" She grasped his hand for support. "I lost my dad and my eyes all in one night."

XxXxXx

-3 years ago-

"But I'm making salmon tonight!"

Her husband winced. "I know dear…but Mayu and Satoru's sandwich shop has this great dinner deal tonight for this one night, and this one night only…"

"Yeah mom!" Kagome piped in. "We can't miss out on a deal like this! Who knows when this two for one deal will be around next time! Besides…we can have salmon any other night."

Her mother huffed loudly and stared down at the uncooked fish plate in her hands. The pinkish skin of the salmon shinned dully underneath the fountain of butter, waiting to be placed in the oven. Leafy green cabbages had been scattered about the tray, the crisp edges soaking within the flavors of the soon to be prepared dish. It made Kagome's mouth water, but the thought of a delicious turkey sandwich back at the shop made her stomach growl loudly.

"I thought salmon was your favorite Kagome…"

"It is! But…" She gave a sideways glance at her father who shrugged. "I'm just not in the mood."

Her mother rolled her eyes. "So much like your father Kagome…" she muttered, setting the plate down on counter. "Always changing your mind."

Her father chuckled next to her, his laughter shaking his shoulders terribly. "Now dear…"

"No…you don't need to explain. Just…bring me back something." She requested. Pulling out some foil from the cupboard, she immediately began wrapping the tray. "I'll just make this tomorrow."

Kagome watched her mother's movements carefully. She looked so tired at that moment that Kagome nearly changed her mind once more. She opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped by her father's hand on her shoulder. She looked up at his gentle blue eyes, identical to hers.

"Ready to go Kagome?" He asked, holding up her jacket for her. She gave one more glance at her mother before nodding as he handed her the jacket. "We'll be back in about half an hour."

"Oh wait. Maybe Souta wants to go. It's been so long since the three of you have spent some time together." She set down her dish towel and walked in to the living room. "Souta, would you like to go to Mayu and Satoru's Sandwich Shop with your dad and Kagome?"

Her brother's bored gaze never left the television screen as he flipped idly through the channels. Half his body was sprawled out along the couch while the rest was hanging over the arm rest. He didn't seem to hear her.

Her mother frowned. "Souta?"

"I don't want to go."

"Just this once Souta. You hardly spend time any time with Kagome or your dad anymore. Kagome and your dad may need some help." Her mother explained reasonably.

The teen snorted. "I'll pass." He replied before flipping through the channels once more. Her mother sighed before turning weary eyes toward them.

"You two go ahead. Just bring us both back something. And hurry back…both of you."

Her father gave her mother a nod before motioning her out the door. He took one last glance at Souta before shaking his head and walking out in to the crisp night air. They boarded in to his car and took off toward the shop.

XxXxX

"You both didn't come back…" His voice was both a question and a statement.

Kagome shook her head, the tears falling even more. She leaned in to him, pressing her face to his warm chest. His cheeks darkened for a moment instinctively, but he managed to brush it off. Kagome needed him now. This wasn't the time to get all weak. He had to be strong. The sun was dipping even more through the trees, covering the park in shadows and cold air. Kagome shivered but for a completely different reason.

"Everything was fine at first." She continued in a shaky voice that had his heart pounding even louder. "We got our sandwiches and walked back to the car. But…but there was a demon waiting there; a snake demon."

Inuyasha's senses exploded at her words. "A d-d-demon?" He hated how his voice shook. A demon had been the cause of all this? He felt sick, physically sick inside. The fear that had been a small flicker inside of him suddenly grew, overcoming him. 'Monsters with fangs and the glowing eyes…'

"Yes…" she whispered. "I remember he was very tall and lean; angry eyes and sharp fangs. He had this horrible stench of cigar smoke that made my eyes water." She shuddered at the thought. "He stared teasing us. He knew he was stronger. I was just a girl, and my dad was an old man. We were no match for him. He reached for me, but my dad…" She choked on a sob. "My dad fought him off for a few seconds. The snake demon got frustrated. He attacked with his strength and venom."

Inuyasha flinched and tightened his hold on her. The smell of salt water was suffocating him now.

"It all happened so fast. One second they were wrestling and the next…my father was falling backwards in to my arms. Something sprayed all over me and my father. He was the last thing I saw. My eyes stung. I think I screamed."

Something in Inuyasha's eyes flashed. A scream echoed in his mind, a pain-filled scream. It had lain dormant in his memories till now. It was the first thing he had heard when he was born. His mother…she had screamed so much until silence stole her away. He closed his eyes.

Kagome sighed brokenly. "My father died in my arms. I remember just waiting there in the ally for the cops to come. It felt like forever. I passed out, and woke up in the hospital a few days later."

She pulled away from him and he gazed at her in confusion. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was trying so hard not to cry. With trembling fingers, she reached for the collar of her buttoned blouse and pulled down. The button immediately became undone, and part of her upper chest was revealed. His brain nearly died at the action but then he gasped as he looked closer.

Across the skin above her collar bone were three gashes, long since scarred over. They were a faint grayish color and they contrasted horribly against her clear and flawless skin. He brought his greasy claws close to the wound. He frowned. If he spread his fingers far enough, it was a perfect match for the marks. It bothered him immensely and the sickening feeling returned. He snatched his hand back.

"It's there right? The scars?" Kagome's voice questioned curiously. "Apparently they're from when the demon tried to grab me."

"What did he want from you guys?" Inuyasha asked puzzled.

She shrugged. "I can't remember. There were so many things happening at once…"

The silence lapsed around them once more, this time weighing upon Inuyasha's shoulders more than ever. He couldn't believe it. For Kagome to have to go through this was unheard of to him. She was only a human; a small human girl. Here she was, having lost her father, and he wanted nothing to do with his own. She lived with no sight, and he knew he took his for granted. How did she still live on? With such memories haunting her…he didn't know.

"The doctor said that my sight should have returned within a year…"

"A year? But hasn't it b—"

"I know Inuyasha…it's been more than a year. It's been three years, which means that I probably won't get it back now." If possible, her voice sounded even more lost than before. He reached for her hand once more, but she didn't respond this time. Then she started crying again, and when she spoke, her voice was like a lost child.

"It's my fault isn't it?"

His eyes widened at the assumption. "What?"

"It's my fault, right?!" She cried out. "If I hadn't wanted to go so badly to the shop, this wouldn't have happened! If I had just eaten my mom's dinner at home, then this wouldn't have happened. I would be able to see you right now! I would be able to see my dad! And I would be able to go home and have everything be alri—"

"Kagome stop it!" He shouted. She was going crazy now, the memories crashing down upon her. Her breaths were coming out in heavy pants and he wrapped an arm around her figure to settle her down.

"I'm being punished right? I don't have my sight back because everything was my fault, right?" she voiced fearfully and Inuyasha nearly died. Was this what she had been keeping inside of her all along? He couldn't believe this pressure she had put upon herself.

"Kagome listen to me." He said sharply, grabbing a hold of her shoulders and forcing her to face him. She kept her face downcast. "Its not you're fault. None of what happened is your fault. Don't…just don't think like that."

"But…" she began.

"No Kagome…you're being stupid. What happened to your dad has nothing to do with you. He loved you and you did nothing wrong. There was nothing you could do. And beating yourself up about it isn't going to do anything for you now." She coughed a few times, before taking deep rejuvenating gulps of air.

"You're right…" she muttered, before launching herself in to his arms, burying her face in his chest. His arms immediately came around her small frame, comforting and protecting her. Her sobs finally quieted down. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I feel so weak…"

"Stupid...." He whispered affectionately, bringing her closer to him. How could she possibly think that? She was still here now. She was still able to smile every day. She was strong. He held her like that for a few more minutes until her heart beat slowed down to the pace of his own. He relaxed at the sound.

She smiled. "Thank you Inuyasha…"

He didn't answer her this time, and merely clutched her tighter to him, shielding her from the outside world. He buried his head in her hair, admiring the scent that was only Kagome's. She had been through too much already. It was incredible really…to see her still so strong despite what had happened. He couldn't even begin to imagine what she had been thinking all these years. The horrors she had been through was enough for any one in any lifetime. He closed his eyes.

He wasn't going to let anything else happen to her.

XxXxXx

This is definitely the most intense chapter I have ever written. And its probably one of the hardest ones I've ever had to write. I did my very best on it and I hope that you all liked it! It's very difficult to keep Inuyasha and Kagome in character especially in something like this. And I hoped this chapter explains a lot of things. Don't worry; the next chapter will be much happier and lighter.

Unfortunately, this chapter has kept my attention all this week so I have yet to write the others. They might not come as quickly as I would like because I've been very tired lately. But bear with me! I shall finish this. Its funny because I have everything all planned out for the end, but not much for this middle that I'm currently in… hm…

OMG! 600 reviews you guys?! Thank you so much! And thanks for reading!