A/N: Woohoo! I finally got some time to write! My trip was uneventful, but looooong! Longer than I thought it would be but because we had to stop more than I would have liked. (Can you say 15 hours?) I drove up on Thursday night and got here on Friday at around 1 pm. And of course, there was no rest for the weary…had to get moving, find furniture, etc. It's been sooo hectic. Tonight was the only time I had to type up the scraps of story I managed to write in a few moments here and there. But I'm still not completely dedicated to the fic again.
Which means that sorry, but it's another short chapter. Good news, though is I have some more scraps to type and make magically into a chapter so you might get another chapter up soon. Of course, considering the weekend's here, I'm going to have to be social since it's my first weekend back.
About the story: Well, we've got more "plot" if that's what you can call it. Actually, it's just some of Kagome's thoughts on the "plot" and some more fun with Inu and Mir at the spa. I'm not completely happy with the way this chapter's gone…I think it might be more filler, but sigh I can't seem to get around it.
Thanks: Ooh…I got my first flame! I don't know how I feel about that. They're always welcome, of course. Everyone has the right to their opinion, and I really do appreciate constructive criticism, but mafia puppet: if by some chance, you happen to read this, then please review again with how you think I could make it better. I thought I did have some elements of angst and romance and comedy in it, but if by chapter 13 you haven't seen that, then go ahead and tell me how it's missing or how I could make it so there is.
Eartha: God, do I ever need a spa day myself! Especially when I wrote those a/n with the last chapter, I really needed a spa day. Of course, I didn't get it, but you get to do a lot of thinking on a 15 hour drive, and I feel calmer, but not by much. I've still got too much to do, but oh well, I managed to put something together. My trip was safe…not really very happy, but not sad…just tiring. Thanks for sticking it out! ^_^ ;;
Evil Irish Eyes: Excellent Emania wasn't very excellent this time! Sorry to disappoint! It's been so crazy around here, I'm too tired to laugh at the irony of it all. But I really appreciated your wonderful review! Especially considering everything crazy that's been going on. blush Inspiration certainly struck on the trip, although not necessarily for this story. My muse keeps wanting me to do another story. I think since he has already provided the ending to this one, he's already moved on to the next thing, but I keep resisting…must…resist…urge…to…start…new…fic…
Angel Moon: (for 15) Thanks for taking time from your limited internet time to read and review my fic! It means so much to me! Yes, actually, the recipe does work, I got it out of one of those home recipe things, and it actually inspired that little scene. However, if it seems like Kagome doesn't particularly like bananas despite the fact that it doesn't sound like such a bad hangover remedy, then that's some of me seeping through to her…I love the way bananas smell, but don't like the taste of them. Oh, and the whole thing of adding a shot of whatever you had been drinking the night before was something my mom taught me and I added it to the recipe. ^_~
(for 16) Well, if you laughed out loud, then I feel I've accomplished my job. Oh, yeah, and I am almost to 100! But I haven't gotten there yet. drat But I did have a lot of wonderful reviews when I got back to the net. (and one flame…should I be offended?) ~_~
RinoaOHeartilly: Thanks for understanding! Glad the spa-ness is pleasing! Hope I can continue it! Thanks for sticking it out with me!
Sailor Universe: Hehe…doesn't it? I actually had to do a little mini research for this chapter, cause although I've been to a spa, I haven't done a whole day for awhile and so much has changed! I plan on having a lot of fun with the boys trying to stay in the spa. I'm not certain of everything that they're going to do but I have a few ideas…cackles evilly, clears throat. So, right…thanks for reviewing!
Moon Fairy: Really? It didn't seem rushed? Maybe it's just that I was so going crazy with the move and the trip and…everything that it just seemed rushed to me. Thanks for your support, really. I just read your review and blush. I'm glad your enjoying my writing and that my ideas aren't boring to some people at least. My boyfriend is…well, the dust still hasn't settled, but I've been too busy to worry about it more than that it will work itself out. sigh But thanks for caring and the patience! ^_____^
Aeyikie: You're back! Hello, again! I was particularly proud of Kagome's little nap, so I'm glad it went over well. I hope this chapter is just as well received! Thanks for reviewing and let me hear from you again! ^_^
Disclaimer: Oh, please.
Rating: If you haven't figured it out by now, then maybe I shouldn't tell you.
Chapter 16: Alone
"Till now I always got by on my own / I never cared until I met you / And now it chills me to the bone / How do I get to alone?"
-Alone, Heart
Inuyasha glared at Mirouku as they stepped off their old friend, The Contraption of Doom, also known as the elevator. Mirouku looked away from the elaborate sign proclaiming the area a spa and shrugged at Inuyasha.
"I told you this would be quicker," Inuyasha declared.
"My idea would have panned out just the same," Mirouku insisted.
"Following every girl coming into the building?" Inuyasha asked disbelievingly.
"Every *beautiful* girl," Mirouku clarified. "My theory that beautiful women eventually end up in the same place has proven true countless times," he said knowingly.
Inuyasha scoffed. "I bet."
They both watched as the woman who had just caught Mirouku's attention earlier drifted into the spa. "See," Mirouku pointed out smugly. "We would have gotten here just the same."
"Three hours later," Inuyasha remarked.
Mirouku blinked. "What's your point?"
Inuyasha flexed his hand but refrained remarkably from making a fist. "The point is we got here faster because of my idea and you can't live with that."
"That's because you cheated," Mirouku said stoically.
Inuyasha glared at Mirouku. "I didn't know it was a game," he said seriously. "I thought finding Kagome before she goes near a large body of water and is taken by Death made it important to find her quickly, especially since Sango would probably be in danger too if she tried to help, which you know she would."
Mirouku was properly chastised and although he didn't like the feeling of Inuyasha having been the one to do it, he had to see his point. "Right…" he said briskly. "So…which way?"
Inuyasha sniffed the air, and although there were many other cloying scents, he was being pulled straight through the opaque class double doors before them.
Mirouku watched him go up until he got through the doors, and then sighing, followed him in.
Inuyasha was already walking through reception as if it were no more interesting than any other room.
"Sir?"
Inuyasha ignored the voice as he walked through reception.
"Sir!"
Mirouku stopped politely and he heard Inuyasha humph exasperatedly, stopping also. Mirouku gave the very pretty woman behind the reception desk his full attention and a practiced smile. "We are looking for Kagome Higurashi and her guest."
"I'm sorry," the woman said pleasantly. "But we cannot disturb our guests."
Mirouku turned his smile up a notch. "Oh, that's alright…we can find them." He started for the inner doors and was stopped by the woman standing in his way.
"You can't go through there, sir."
Mirouku recognized the expression on her face and realized he would not be able to make her budge from her position. He turned to the brunette still behind the counter and found her staring a bit awe struck at Inuyasha, who was of course, oblivious. 'That boy doesn't know how to use what he's got,' Mirouku thought. He turned back to the red head before him. "And why not?"
"There are no men allowed," she said simply.
Inuyasha and Mirouku both watched as two very obvious men dressed in pristine white shirts and comfortable looking white pants walked past them and through the inner doors.
"They're men," Inuyasha pointed out.
"They work here," the red head answered.
"So men are allowed!" Mirouku pointed out, smiling still.
She sighed. "Only if they work here."
Mirouku opened his mouth to further argue when Inuyasha lost his patience. "I don't have time for this," he said, grabbing Mirouku's arm and using his speed to virtually disappear from before the girls.
The red head looked around her and finally back to the brunette who was blinking rapidly as if to clear her eyes. "Where'd they go?" she asked.
The brunette rubbed her eyes and shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted, then looked confusedly at the red head. "But since men that gorgeous are rarely real, maybe we imagined them?"
+~+~+~
"So, what did you see?"
Kagome sighed and picked at her lettuce. "I'm not even sure anymore." She looked at the plate intently. "I was already a little drunk, I could've…"
That was Sango's cue to sigh. "Kagome, please," she interrupted. "I understand if you don't trust me enough to share the particulars with me," she said softly. "After all, we haven't really known each other that long," she swallowed visibly, and raised her eyes to meet Kagome's shocked ones. "But please don't lie to me."
Kagome closed her eyes and sighed. "Sango, you know I do trust you more than I trust just about anyone else on the planet, but…"
"What?" Sango prompted.
"But I can't…I need to do this on my own," she shook her head and sighed. "Even if you could help, which I don't think you can, I've realized now how dependent I am on you all and I might as well die if I can't prove to myself that I am useful on this journey."
"But you are!" Sango hastened to assure her. "We all think so." She smiled ruefully. "Even Inuyasha, although he would die before he showed it, why do you think he's so protective of you?"
Kagome scoffed. "Because he thinks I'm a stupid girl who can't protect herself," she said meaningfully. Sango opened her mouth to argue, but Kagome stopped her with an upraised palm. "No, Sango, it's true, I know it is, but what's scary is the fact that I can't be sure he's wrong." She looked into Sango's eyes, pleading her with her look to understand. "I know that you believe in me and to some extent Mirouku does and Kaede believes, too, I think, but…" she looked out at the rooftop courtyard where their lunch had been served and took a deep breath of fresh air. "But I don't…" she exhaled. "I don't believe in myself."
"That's ridiculous, Kagome," Sango argued. "There must be a way that you can prove yourself without refusing our help against a threat like Death," she insisted.
Kagome shrugged. "I have to do this on my own Sango," she insisted. "I have to know."
Sango set her mouth in that stubborn line that said she would not budge on her opinion. "I rather have you alive and unsure of yourself than dead or hurt and certain."
Kagome smiled sadly. "See?" she said softly. "Even you don't think I can face Death on my own and survive."
Sango cursed inwardly. "That's not what I meant, Kagome," she said softly.
"I know it isn't," Kagome said, still smiling sadly. "But it is what you think in here," she motioned to her heart.
"No," Sango insisted forcefully. "You're one of the strongest persons I've ever met, but if what you think of as strong is having fighting skill, then I'll tell you without shame that I don't think I could have beaten half the demons we've faced if I hadn't had you there." She reached out and took Kagome's hand. "We're a team, Kagome, and a team helps each other, that's the way it works."
Kagome nodded slowly and squeezed Sango's hand before slipping hers out of the grip. "I know, Sango," she looked at the water softly tinkling out of the small cherubic fountain in the center of the courtyard. She watched as the water fell, fracturing the light of the sun as it did and sat back away from her plate. She felt a pull toward the water, a pull a fraction as strong as the one she felt when there's a jewel shard near by. It was similar, but not the same. She could ignore this pull, she wouldn't feel it unless she was focusing on it.
"There's something else, isn't there?" Sango broke into her thoughts.
Kagome mentally shook herself. She looked back at Sango and smiled. "You know me too well."
"Out with it," Sango said seriously.
"Death is unstoppable, Sango," she said slowly. "The old woman said I had the power within me to set him to rest, to sidestep the threat to me, but she didn't say I could stop him from hurting anyone else."
It suddenly dawned on Sango the inner workings of Kagome's mind. 'Of course,' she thought. 'I should've known.' "You're worried about us?"
Kagome met Sango's eyes. "The old miko said I could defeat Death, but that you couldn't help me…what if you can't even help yourself if you get involved?" She shook her head. "I can't risk it."
"Now who's lost faith in our abilities?" Sango asked teasingly.
Kagome smiled. "Not lost faith, but…I think this is meant to be my fight and only I should have the power to fight it, nobody else."
"Well," Sango said as if coming to a conclusion. "You know that's not going to stop us from trying to help."
Kagome smiled lopsidedly. "If you get involved and hurt or killed, then I couldn't live with myself even if I did defeat him."
Sango shook her head. "Sorry," she said, clearly without pity. "It's not going to happen. We're going to try to help regardless, so you might as well at least share what you saw, reason it out loud, even if you won't let me help, at least talk it out with me."
Kagome sighed, smiling. She knew she would never hear the end of it until she told her.
Sango saw Kagome weakening. "Come on, spill it," she prompted.
Kagome waited for the waiter to remove their plates, then leaned forward on the glass tabletop. She grew serious and pensive, as if she were physically seeing the vision again. "Death, Sango, that's who I saw," she admitted. "And he was calling to me…" she frowned. "He's waiting for me, pulling me toward him somehow, but I don't know why me or who he is." She wouldn't tell her about the water connection…whatever that connection was.
"Where you frightened?" Sango asked.
"Yes," she admitted. "I was scared out of my mind…I felt like I couldn't breathe, like I was drowning, but then…" she trailed off, remembering the look on the boy's face. It was so sad, so full of pain.
"Then…?" Sango prompted.
"Then I saw him."
"So when you saw him you weren't afraid?" Sango asked, confused.
Kagome shook her head. "No," she admitted. "Because I saw his eyes."
"What about them?"
Kagome leaned back in her chair and stared up at the bright sky. "They were in pain…" she looked down as a realization came to her. "They were…" she cocked her head to the side. "…human."
+~+~
A/N: Okay, reviews are really going to shame me into updating sooner at this point, cause it'll make me feel bad about not doing it even though there's still so much I have to do to make this apartment look relatively normal and be remotely comfortable.
Besides, I need your opinion…was the conversation with Sango and Kagome repetitive?