Disclaimer: See chapter one for details. =P
(A/N: Aiiiyaaa…this is the first time I've actually gotten threats to finish a fic but it's all good. ^_^;;
I'm just glad everyone is enjoying it so far. This chapter might be written a little sloppier then the first three so I apologize. I've had a lot on my mind these past few days but I'll continue to write this fic to the best of my abilities. Oh yes, and in this chapter Kikyo appears to try and mess everything up. *laughs manically* Enjoy.)
Chapter 4: The return of an old flame.
It was morning and Inuyasha was the first to awaken. His eyes slowly opened and he found himself staring up at the ceiling. He had fallen asleep in the living room sometime last night but he couldn't remember when exactly, he could only remember bits and pieces of the night before.
Talking to Kagome. Making her smile. Fighting with her afterwards.
Tch. And she thinks I have a short fuse he thought bitterly. His whole body was still aching and it was probably sore from sleeping on the floor.
He went to turn over on his right side but he found that he couldn't move his left arm; it was pinned down by something.
Inuyasha turned over on his left side and was shocked to see Kagome curled up next to him, still sleeping soundly with her head resting on his left arm.
He could feel her breathing onto his neck; it made his cheeks flush and his hair stand on end. Inuyasha couldn't remember the last time he had been this close to a girl.
He sat up bit by bit and slowly began to pull his arm out from under Kagome's head. She groaned suddenly and Inuyasha froze, fortunately she didn't wake up, instead she turned over away from Inuyasha and clutched to one of the couch pillows that had been lying on the floor.
Inuyasha sighed with relief and watched Kagome sleep for a while.
She looked so…cute.
Kagome was a pretty girl, he couldn't argue about that but he hated it when she talked too much or said something that she knew would upset him, which made her very uncute to him. She was annoying most of the time but oddly enough he liked her.
Kagome groaned and turned over again, this time she was lying on her back, arms over her head and breathing quietly through her mouth.
Inuyasha's eyes slowly wandered over to the sleeping girl again and lingered over her body a while then trailed down until his gaze suddenly came to a stop where her dress was well up over her thighs.
He blushed and her turned away. Arg! What am I thinking? He thought, slapping his cheeks furiously. He was not going to allow himself to take advantage of Kagome. He was going to protect her, watch over her, that was what he was going to do. Nothing else.
Inuyasha got up and disappeared down the hallway only to return a moment later with a small blanket. He put it over Kagome then headed for the bathroom to take a nice, cold shower. Maybe that would help clear his head.
. . .
"It says here that Yonda High was where Inuyasha went to school a year or so ago but dropped out after his father was killed. I thought that maybe I could find him or maybe some friends of his that could help us out." Yoji was speaking into his cell phone to Kagura, while he looked over a report on Inuyasha that he had recovered from Shikon's database. Shikon was the name of Naraku's company but it was also the name of a super computer that was used for his own personal gain, and hardly ever for business. With it you could look up useful information and even dig up some dirt on anything or anyone.
"Very well. Try not to cause any trouble. We need to keep this as quiet as possible."
Yoji hung up after that.
The school bell had just rung and it didn't take long for the students of Yonda High to come piling out and scatter all over the schoolyard. Yoji took a moment to adjust his sunglasses and pick a piece of fuzz off his suit then made his way through the school gate. He looked around and spotted a group of female students and decided that he would try questioning them first.
They were like any other female students, chattering and gossiping amongst themselves but stopped abruptly when Yoji had started to approach them. They all turned and to look at him as if he were an enemy.
"Who are you?" One of the girls asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
Yoji flashed a card at them then put it back in his pocket before they even had a chance to glance at it. "My name is Yoji and I work for a very powerful organization for the government and I was sent here to investigate one of your fellow students. He is a suspect in a highly classified investigation. I would be grateful in you would supply any information you have and cooperate with me."
The group of girls stared at him stupidly, as if he had spoken another language to them. Teenagers he thought bitterly. Most are as stupid as cows…these girls are no exception it seems.
Yoji coughed a moment and then said: "Anyway, I'm looking for a young man named Inuyasha."
A blonde girl frowned a little at the sound of the boy's name, "Inuyasha? He left school a year ago. He's not here anymore."
Yoji arched an eyebrow as if this was new information to him. "Is that so?" he said, trying to sound disappointed then he asked: "Can you tell me where to reach him?"
A redhead in the back spoke up. "None of us knew him personally but Miroku might be able to help you." All of the girls began to giggle and sigh at the mere mention of Miroku. Obviously he was popular with the girls.
"Does this Miroku still go to school here?"
"No. He graduated last year but he comes to visit the school often. His family is rich so they make donations a lot. Miroku brings the checks here personally. He says he doesn't trust the post office."
Yoji was about to ask a few more questions when one of the girls standing next to him let out a high-pitched squeal into his ear.
"It's Miroku!" another girl gasped dreamily and pointed. All of the others girls turned their heads and saw Miroku coming into the school gate wearing a school uniform and with a folder tucked under his arm.
Yoji had also looked but when he turned his head back he saw that he was now standing alone, the group of girls had flocked to Miroku like sheep to a shepherd.
"Miroku!" the girls squealed in unison as the gathered together around him, busily asking him questions and greeting him.
"Ah, Miroku, wearing your old uniform again?" one of the girls grinned. "Won't Sango get upset?" another girl teased. Miroku just laughed nervously.
"Miroku!"
He turned his head and a girl with long dark hair came running up behind him. "Why did you leave me behind?" she demanded angrily. Miroku just smiled and laughed nervously, "Ah, Sango-chan, no reason. I just wanted to get this down sooner…you know?"
"It seemed like it. I turned around for one second and you took off running like the sky was falling…" Sango grumbled.
Miroku and Sango had grown up together and they went to the same schools and were always in the same classes. They had been thought of as a couple throughout the years to their fellow classmates but had not officially gotten together until after their high school graduation.
Sango went almost everywhere with Miroku, one of the reasons was because she was a dedicated girlfriend then the other reason because she didn't trust him enough not to flirt with another girl when she wasn't around. She cared for Miroku a lot but he was a born pervert.
Sango glared at him. "You left me behind so you could flirt with the female students here, didn't you?"
"T-that's not true…"
"I know your lying. I thought it was funny that you were wearing your old school uniform again." Sango grabbed him by the ear and gave him an accusing look. "After you talked to the principle you were going to blend in with the other students so I wouldn't be able to find you then you could flirt with the other girls, isn't that right?"
The groups of girls laughed. Sango looked like a mother disciplining a naughty toddler. Miroku winced in pain but laughed, despite himself. "Now were would you get an idea like…ow! Ow! Oooowwwww!" he howled as Sango pulled him away from the group of giggling girls and towards the entrance of the school.
"Excuse me!"
Sango let go of Miroku and they both turned their heads, only to see Yoji standing right behind them.
Sango arched an eyebrow at the guy. "Yes?"
"You're Miroku, right? My name is Yoji and I have a few questions I'd like to ask you."
"What about?" Miroku asked his face had turned dead serious.
"You're Inuyasha's friend, are you not?"
"What if I am? What do you want with him?"
"Nothing. I just thought that I could ask you a few questions about him and…"
Miroku quickly cut him off. "I'm sorry but Sango and I have an important manner we need to attend to today and we're in a hurry. No time for questions" he smiled pleasantly.
Sango was looking at Miroku questionably but she decided to go along with him, he probably had a reason for avoiding talking to this strange guy but she would ask Miroku about that later.
"If you'll excuse us." Miroku grabbed Sango's hand and led her back towards the school gate but before they left he stopped a young man and handed him the folder he had been holding. "Take this to your principle."
The young man nodded, "sure."
Yoji just stood where he was and watched them go. He knew that Miroku was avoiding him, but the kid couldn't know about the reason he was asking about Inuyasha, could he?
No. That was impossible. Anyway, it seemed that this idea had been a total waist of time and energy. He would get no information here. He would just have to keep looking and keep his eye on this Miroku kid.
"Miroku, what was that all about?" Sango had asked him once they were safely off the school's premises. Miroku didn't answer her. He just got into his car and told her to do the same. Sango could tell that there was something on his mind but she didn't know what.
"Miroku…?"
"Later." He told her as he started the car and sped down the street.
. . .
It was dark, so dark and so cold. Kagome couldn't see a thing, not even her own hands. She felt numb and frightened. Kagome knew that someone, somewhere was watching her and waiting for her to let her guard down so at just the right moment that something or someone could pounce on her and clench its jaws around her.
Someone…anyone…help me… she begged but no one replied to her calls and pleas. She was alone in this horrible darkness.
For a moment, Kagome thought she saw a faint shape in the distance and it looked like a woman, someone she recognized from long ago.
Mother…
She reached out to the figure but in an instance the figure melted away into nothing. Kagome's eyes grew wide in horror and she laid her face in her hands, sobbing.
Please don't leave me alone! Please…please…She could feel something breathing down her neck and she clamped her eyes shut in fear. She felt hands as cold as ice slide slowly down her shoulders and arms, pulling her closer and closer.
No! No! No!"No!" Kagome screamed and shot upright. She was covered in a cold sweat. She breathed in and out rapidly; her heart was beating so hard against her chest it hurt.
Kagome jumped when she heard a door slam shut and she looked up. Inuyasha was walking up to her, wearing only a towel around his waist and he was still dripping wet. Apparently, he had just finished taking a bath. Kagome blushed then looked away. "W-what are you doing, pervert! Put some clothes on, will you?"
"Pervert? You're the only who kept screaming out here like you were in trouble so I came out to check on you." Inuyasha grumbled and started stomping down the hallway. "The bath's free! Take one and put this on!" he told her and tossed a rather large pajama top into her arms. He quickly added, "you need one your starting to smell and you look like an accident."
Kagome's cheeks puffed out in anger. "Why…you…" she wanted very badly to give Inuyasha a piece of her mind but he was right, she did need a bath. She hadn't taken one since they had left the mansion and she was beginning to smell.
She got up off the floor and walked into the bathroom, she closed the door and went to lock it but to her horror the door had no lock. Kagome opened the door and walked over to Inuyasha's room, his door was shut, meaning he was probably still changing. "Inuyasha, the door has no lock" she called.
"So what?" an angry voice exclaimed.
"I can't take a bath knowing there's no lock to the door! You could walk in at anytime!" Kagome snapped.
"You're worried that I might take a peek at you?" she heard him snort. "What's there to peek at?"
Kagome frowned and kicked the door with her foot. It wasn't the most mature thing to do but it was like a reflex. She couldn't help it. Kagome turned and limped back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
Inuyasha didn't peek at Kagome; in fact the apartment was still quiet even after Kagome came out of the bathroom. She came out wearing the pajama top that Inuyasha had given her. It was so huge that it actually fit like a nightgown; the sleeves were twice as long as her arms.
She found Inuyasha sitting in the living at his usual spot near the window. He turned when she had entered the room and blinked in shock. Kagome stared at him. "What is it?"
He didn't say anything at first but he was blushing. She followed his gaze and noticed that he was getting an eyeful of her slightly exposed breasts; she had forgotten to button up that last two buttons. Kagome closed the shirt, blushing furiously. She reached over and chucked the T.V. guide that was resting on the coffee table at him. It hit Inuyasha square in the face. She had a better aim then she thought.
"Pervert…!"
Inuyasha rubbed his nose while shooting her a glare. "It's not my fault you forgot to button up the shirt," he muttered.
"You shouldn't have been gaping at them!" she exclaimed. "Who's shirt was this anyway? It can't be yours…its way too big."
"It was my father's before he died."
"Oh…"
There was an awkward silence after that and before either of them could say anything the front door of the apartment burst open. Miroku was standing there in the doorway and standing safely behind him was Sango.
Inuyasha's eyes suddenly darkened and he growled. "Miroku…!"
He immediately got to his feet and marched over to the other boy, grabbing him by the collar.
"It'ssss…goooood…tooo…seeee…youuuu too, Inuuuuyaaaasha" Miroku slurred as Inuyasha shook him violently, muttering every curse word and obscenity you can imagine.
Kagome just stood in the background, watching them with her eyes wide. Ah, so…that's Miroku. She thought and also wondered if this was what male friends did to display their affection for one another, by beating the crap out of each other and swearing. Probably not, but she wasn't about to ask Inuyasha about it while he was in such a bad mood.
Sango squeezed past the two brawling boys and walked up to Kagome. They both looked at each other a moment, silently regarding one another then Sango began to walk around Kagome, examining her.
"Wow, you're a cute one!" she smiled, clapping her hands together. "Who would have thought that Inuyasha would actually get someone as cute as this for a girlfriend."
Both Inuyasha and Miroku looked in the girls' direction with surprised looks on their faces.
"I have a girlfriend?"
"Inuyasha has a girlfriend?" they said at once.
Kagome blushed then said quickly, "N-no…I'm not Inuyasha's girlfriend!"
"Oh?" Sango said, sounding disappointed, "Are you a relative then?"
Kagome didn't exactly know how to answer her. She wanted to tell her the truth about Naraku, about how Inuyasha had saved her, but she didn't know if Inuyasha would get angry or not.
"She's a friend. Her name is Kagome." Inuyasha spoke up and dropped Miroku. "She's staying with me until she can find a place of her own."
"She doesn't have any family to go to?" Sango asked.
"No. I don't remember---I mean I don't have any family around here." Kagome explained but Sango didn't appear satisfied with it, she seemed to know that they were lying but she didn't ask any more questions and Kagome was grateful to her for that.
Miroku straightened out his shirt then walked over to next to Sango. "Sorry to barge in like this but I had something I wanted to discuss with you," he told Inuyasha.
"The first thing is that some guys in black suits have been asking about you. One called himself Takeru, he came to visit me at my house and the other said his name was Yoji, Sango and I ran into him at our old school. They both asked me if I knew where you were and if I knew of someplace to contact you but they didn't tell me much else." Miroku looked very serious as he said this and he also looked concerned.
Inuyasha didn't seem to react at all. He wasn't surprised that they had found Miroku and gone to him to ask about his whereabouts but knowing them they would undoubtedly go after Miroku or anyone else that they suspected of knowing anything and get the information they needed, one way or another. "You didn't tell them anything did you?"
Miroku shook his head. "Nothing. They looked suspicious and I didn't trust them." He paused for a moment then asked: "this wouldn't have anything to do with Naraku, would it?"
Kagome seemed surprised by his question but Inuyasha was not, Sango just stood there with a confused look on her face. "What's going on? What about Naraku?" she asked, crossing her arms and glancing at Miroku.
"It's nothing." Miroku replied then decided to change the subject. "The second thing is that I learned that your old girlfriend Kikyo was coming back to town." Inuyasha's reaction was exactly as he imagined. He was utterly shocked. "When?" he asked quickly.
"She should be here any day now and I heard that she wanted to see you." Miroku glanced over at Kagome. She was standing with her head down, still clutching at her shirt. Inuyasha's old girlfriend, huh? Kagome thought. If this Kikyo girl came here she knew that Inuyasha would probably want to be alone with her but where would she be able to go in the meantime?
"Anyway, we've stayed along enough. We'll get going now" Miroku smiled then turned to leave but Inuyasha wasn't through with him yet. "How do you know that Kikyo is coming here? Where did you get this information?" he demanded.
"I'm not at liberty to reveal my sources!" Miroku called over his shoulder then left out the front door, leaving behind a very unhappy Inuyasha.
"Erm, Nice to meet you, Kagome. My name is Sango. I hope we'll be able to hang out together in the future" she said, smiling then ran after Miroku, shutting the door behind her.
Inuyasha and Kagome stood in silence and then after a few moments she had gathered up enough courage to look at Inuyasha. He was standing there, his face expressionless and his eyes blank.
He must have thought a lot about Kikyo in the past…and why shouldn't he? She was his old girlfriend after all.
"Do you want me to leave?"
Inuyasha looked at her. "Why would I want you to do that?"
"…Don't you want to be alone with Kikyo? If I were here it would just make things uncomfortable, right? Maybe it would be better if I left."
"I don't want you to leave."
Kagome stared at him, confused. Her heart was beginning to speed up and her cheeks were beginning to burn. She didn't know why she was feeling the way she was, all he had said was that he wanted her to stay, and nothing more. But somehow when he had said that it made her feel special. Odd, yes…lately she had been feeling many odd things, things and emotions she couldn't explain or had never experienced before. "B-but…"
There was a knock on the front door and they both looked towards it. Maybe it was Miroku or Sango again or maybe it was Hojo.
Inuyasha was the first to approach the door. He lifted his hand to the doorknob then opened it slowly. His eyes widened and he stepped back from the door, staring out.
A pale hand on the other side lifted up and pushed the door open the rest of the way. There in the doorway stood, not Miroku, not Sango and not Hojo but Kikyo. She looked up at Inuyasha and smiled a little. "It's nice to see you again, Inuyasha."
To be continued…or not. =P
(A/N: Dun! Dun! Duuuuuuunnnn! Major cliffhanger, I know and I'm really sorry, but I'll write more later. I'm afraid it won't be for a couple of days though, my family is taking a trip for a few days and I probably won't be back until next Monday or Tuesday, but I'll start writing the next chapter as soon as I get back.)
Next Chapter
Chapter 5: Finding things and Losing Things..