Chapter 3
side note? It's been a long time since I told a scarey story and no one seems to write any real good scarey ones for Inuyasha so I thought I'd give it a try since I'm so good at telling scarey stories that I was banned from it! LOL hence my dilemma. Remember, it's been a LONG while for me in writing this. It's not even scarey yet.
::this chapter is especially for and dedicated to KaGoMe39, D-chan3 and KittyLu. Thanks guys for being my first reviews!! XD::
The room was as silent as a graveyard and not even a leaf shuddered outside the palely lit window. Everything was calm. Outside the sky was vividly clear, the only lights visible to the eye were tiny pin pricks of starlight, not powerful enough to light up the world on their own. The shadows swam in the crevices of the window and the undersides of the leaves while seeping in and out of the corners of the bedroom they hovered sinisterly around a human hanyou and his love.
Inuyasha held Kagome, just like she asked, just like he wanted to. He'd never told her once how he loved the smell of her hair and especially the scent of her skin just after a bath. It always floated toward him as if it were there just to please him and she had put it there. She tried so hard to make him feel special and her own, even before he choose her over the undead miko, Kikyo.
He rested his head atop hers and breathed in quietly. Her scent might've been muted by his human nose, but she still smelled wonderful. His eyes incidentally fell on to the crib at the other end of the room where her vanity desk had been. He guessed they moved it out when Mihaku was born to make room for him to be close to Kagome. And now, Inuyasha would be close to Kagome, from now on he wouldn't leave her side, even if he had to use that hated transformation he'd gained.
Inuyasha found himself wondering if Mihaku had the same transformation or if he was just like him when he was a hanyou. All the more reason to give his darling son the tetsaiga. He hadn't used it for years, ever since he made the wish on the Shikon No Tama to be full demon, and it only felt right to pass it to his son. "This is a part of me and my father, Mihaku. As long as you have it with you, we'll be there to help protect you," he'd say and then as if Mihaku understood he would nodd. Inuyasha smiled gently. His son... Just then he wondered if his father had felt the same way when he was born. Probably not. He had to be thrilled with Sesshoumaru, but Inuyasha was only half breed. No one loved a half breed but Kagome and his mother. Then again, if his mother loved him and his father loved her, there was no way his father couldn't have loved him. In fact he was certain the lord of the western lands would have loved Mihaku just as much as Mrs. Higurashi and Grandpa did. The thought warmed him so much that his eyes began to drift shut with an uncharacteristic grin on his face. Tomorrow was going to be a wonderful day.
A looming figure stalked through the branches of the shrine grounds. Slinking it's way up from limb to limb, moving quickly and smoothly. There was no falter in it's slither, only a momentary pause on each outstretched bough. The light from the street lamp glowed in a flat blue shine, covering the earth near Kagome's bedroom window and unwittingly fending off the shadows. A low, gravelly objection rumbled ascendingly into the motionless night air, forcing leaves to tremble all around the shapeless threat. It wouldn't dare move further than this....for now.
Kagome woke up gripping the pillow the next morning, sunlight streaming through partially closed curtains into her face. She cringed and moved her face away to look at the crib. Mihaku's chest was rising and falling slowly, his little breath puffing the air. She wanted to smile, but the horribly torturing dream she'd had the night before was lingering in her mind. Inuyasha had come to her and they were a family at last, until some THING hunted them down and murdered Inuyasha right before her eyes. When she woke up she half expected to find him laying beneath her, the dream was so real, but all she found was her pillow. Groggily she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her hair stood out on all ends, bent in the places she slept on the most, and her eyes were slightly blood shot from stress. What was today? Her attention drifted quietly over to her calendar and discovered it was Friday. The clock on her dresser read seven-o-five.
"Why do I even dream," she sighed defeatedly. Every night for the first three months when she left the Sengoku Jedai Kagome had dreamed of Inuyasha dying without her near to him. Other dreams of Sango and Miroku and her other friends being hurt came every now and again, but Inuyasha was the one she was most worried for. He had had no one to love him before her and she was afraid he wouldn't again. Sango and Miroku wouldn't live forever and she didn't want Inuyasha to be alone.
"Kagome!" piped a little voice from the other side of her closed door.
"Yea Souta?"
"Mom says come downstairs and help her with breakfast." Kagome got up off the bed and rubbed the back of her head.
"I will as soon as I get a shower," she replied and moved to grab her bath towel.
"Kay," was her answer, before the pounding of little footsteps down the hall.
In the shower Kagome ran her fingers depressedly through her hair. Everything from the day before was catching up to her and sliding off down the drain. One thing she couldn't place was why she was asleep in her own bed when she had decided to sleep with her mom. Surrendering to the confusion she tipped her head forward and rinsed the soap out of her hair.
The sound of the thundering water in her ears was soothing. It felt as though the hot water from her bath was healing all her pains and worries. This was why she loved showers more than baths. Baths were times to think and be peaceful, while a shower, on the other hand, was a simple way to brush everything off and come at your problems another way. Finally all the soap was rinsed from her hair and as she reached toward the nozel to turn off the water, she saw out of the corner of her eye a black figure move in the room.
Kagome froze where she stood, half crouched with her hair over her face and her hand outstretched from her naked body. The water ran unphased by whatever Kagome had seen, sliding down every curve and mixing with sweat. Her eyes roamed around the shower curtain for a sign of what had caught her eye. The lurking feeling that something was close to her was almost overwhelming. She looked at both ends of the bathroom through the curtain. Where was it? She was certain she'd seen something. As far as her eye could reach, in the corner near the toilet, she saw a shadow. A heavy shadow.
"Kagome?" bellowed a strained voice from the closed bathroom door. Kagome jumped violently and caught herself before she could slip. Her heart raced a mile a minute, her eyes fixed furiously on the bathroom door. Then she remembered why she had been startled to begin with and leaned out the curtain for the figure. She saw nothing, not even a shadow. "Kagome?" repeated the voice, knocking harshly on the door.
"What?" she snapped, attempting to catch her breath.
"Are you almost through?" answered Souta. Kagome pushed her hair back and turned off the water.
"I'm done. I'll be down in a minute," she said, stepping out of the shower for her towel.
"She said she's coming mom!" he shouted, his voice diminishing as he walked away. Kagome rolled her eyes as she rubbed the water from her hair.
Kagome dressed in her school uniform and slid on her shoes. She didn't care about letting her dry, as it was stuffy outside anyway, so she simply tossed it up into a ponytail. As she left her room she passed a look at Mihaku still sleeping in his crib and smiled. She picked up Inuyasha's prayer beads off her desk and slid them on as she walked down the stairs to breakfast and another day. She could hear voices from the bottom of the stairs, talking wildly and laughing. Her family seemed to be in a good mood this morning.
"Souta! Don't do that!" scolded Mrs. Higurashi.
"Buf-" he tried to reply, his mouth full of whatever mother was serving for breakfast. Just then, another voice laughed, that wasn't her grandfather. Who in the world could her family have invited for breakfast? she thought rapidly.
"No buts Souta. How did you sleep last night, dear?" asked her mother.
"Fine, except Souta snores," laughed the same voice.
"I do not!" objected the younger boy. Kagome peeked her head around the corner of the kitchen doorway at her family, not wanting to lose the element of surprise in case it was something or someone she needed to deal with. There, with their back facing her, was a man with extremely long and platinum white hair. He sat as rigid as though he were sitting against a wall and by the position of his elbows he had his arms crossed. The person next to him had long silky brown hair and A TAIL? Youkai, she thought immediately. But the man with brown hair was playing with Souta playfully and obviously had no intention of harming anyone. Mrs. Higurashi stood at the stove near the back door and her grandpa sat at the other end of the table, leaving two seats and a high chair on the other side of the table, where she and her mother normally sat with Mihaku. Mrs. Higurashi turned with a bright smile as she placed a glass of milk in front of her father. Partially glancing up, she had to make a double take to notice Kagome at the door.
"Good morning dear. How'd you sleep?" she asked sweetly and both of the strangers turned to look at her. Kagome's heart stopped. Inuyasha... His dog ears were gone, replaced with pointy human ears, and on each of his cheeks was a single purple slash. He was full youkai. He was in her kitchen. Suddenly her dream became a reality and the truth of last night washed over her.
"Inuyasha!" she wailed and leapt on him from behind, hugging his neck fiercely. Inuyasha gurgled beneath her, fighting to keep from falling to the floor, while Souta giggled and Shippo looked on with shock and mild confusion. "Oh Inuyasha! I thought it had all been a dream when I woke up and you weren't there!" she cried into his hair. Inuyasha stopped fighting and swallowed as best he could before putting a soft hand up on her elbow.
"I had to, your mom woke both me and Shippo up about three hours ago. I tried not to wake you," he answered gently. Kagome sniffed and pulled back.
"I wish you had," she sniveled and slowly moved into the seat next to him. "Why did mom wake you up so early anyway?"
"She insisted that we both got showers and were clean before you got up, that way we wouldn't be in the way and could help clean our own clothes and sheets," explained Shippo.
"Yeah, Shippo's are in the dryer now," added Souta.
"His clothes?" wondered Kagome, eyeing the oddly pre-modern clothing he wore.
"Yeah, Inuyasha's is going to take a little bit longer because it's so thick and all. I gave them some of your father's old clothing to wear while theirs were being washed," nodded Mrs. Higurashi as she gave Kagome her regular strawberry milk.
"Oh..." Kagome stared into space. It was all too great to be true! Inuyasha was here with her! Shippo was eating breakfast with her family as Inuyasha had done so many times before and no one had any intention of stopping it to go search for a stupid jewel that cost her so much. Then she remembered. SCHOOL! "What time is it?" she cried out, leaping to her feet.
"It's ten till, why?" replied Grandpa gruffly.
"I'm gonna be late for school!" she shouted and jumped over the table, headed for the stairs.
"Hey, are those my prayer beads?" wondered Inuyasha dumbly as he watched her race out of the room. Everyone stared after her in utter silence.
"Eyah, I think it was," nodded Shippo.
"Bye mom! Bye Souta! Bye Grandpa, Shippo, Inuyasha! Kiss Mihaku for me!" she screamed before tearing back through the livingroom toward the front door with her bookbag strapped firmly to her back. No one had time to reply before they heard the door slam.
"Well then...Shippo, would you like Kagome's eggs?" asked Mrs. Higurashi, as though nothing had happened.
Kagome ran down the stairs outside her shrine as fast as her legs could possibly carry her. Her ponytail slapped viciously at the back of her neck, stinging slightly and making a rustling noise in her ears. Eri and Yuki normally waited on her to walk to school with, but she was far too late for them to have waited this time. They probably assumed she'd had a relaspe of being sick again. They did that every time she was late.
"Oh Kagome, we thought you were sick," they'd say and then it was as though nothing happened. Sometimes she thought that if she ever truly got sick, it wouldn't be important, after all the times she'd been "sick" before. The traffic was sparse, a sure sign that she was late and also a good thing, she wouldn't hit hardly any interference.
"You!" rasped a voice so sudden and so accusingly in her ear that she skidded to such a hard stop she fell backward, landing harshly on her bottom. Kagome's head jerked back and forth. Who had said that? Her eyes roamed fiercely up and down the abandoned street.
"Huh?" she whimpered. She could feel the bruise begin to push to the surface of her butt and the cold wet sensation of her hair on the back of her neck, but that wasn't why her hairs were standing on end. It was because of the short and wispiness of the voice that she had heard in her head. Slowly she chanced getting to her feet, glancing in all directions around her for the source of the sound. "Who-who's there?" her throat quivered. No one answered. Down the street a small red car turned onto the road next to her, driving away from the empty street.
Kagome made a soft squeak in fear. Something was looming over her, something that did not like her, and the most scarey part of it was that she couldn't sense anything. She looked back toward the shrine steps down the street and longed to return home, to Mihaku and Inuyasha, but school came first. She'd been scared before, she could handle it. Behind her a storeclerk opened his door to sweep out the dust from messy customer feet. However, all Kagome had time to hear, was the creak of that door, before she was racing down the sidewalk with the fear of God beat into her.
Back at the shrine Shippo followed Mrs. Higurashi to the washer and dryer, while Grandpa escorted Souta to the bus stop. He was much too old for that, but Grandpa said it humbled him and that he'd just have to endure the torture. Inuyasha, meanwhile, went upstairs to Kagome's bedroom and sneakily popped his head through the door. Mihaku was making soft cooing noises, muttering "papa papa" over and over. Inuyasha could help but smile excitedly.
"Hey there little guy," he spoke carefully, approaching slowly. "Remember me?" he asked timidly. Mihaku squealed with joy as he clumzily pulled himself to his feet.
"PAPA!" he cried, his eyes closed and his silvery hair falling back off of his forehead in a tussel.
"Hey, easy there! Be careful!" yelped Inuyasha reaching as though to stop his perilous behavior, but not quite making it. His expression softened. "Ya know, you're kinda cute!" he grinned goofily and made a face at his son. "You remind me of someone, maybe it's your mother," he added tentatively as he lifted the child from the crib. He sighed. "Ya know what else? This is one point in time I'm glad to have waited till the modern day to be with Kagome...I know how to change baby clothes and...*sniff* diapers."
Shippo went to lift the washing machine lid as Mrs. Higurashi knelt down to the dryer door. Inside the dryer he saw his old Sengoku clothes, the ones Sango had made much bigger for him in her last few years. Sango served often as a temporary mother for him, and times like that reminded him of her. Mrs. Higurashi lifted the clothes and moved out of the room.
"Just put Inuyasha's things on repeat cycle, surface clean this time and for only thirty minutes!" she called over her shoulder as she made her way down the stairs. Inuyasha's things stunk like crazy, but Mrs. Higurashi certainly seemed like she knew what she was doing, so he did precisely as told.
As Mrs. Higurashi got to the bottom of the stairs she heard Inuyasha call out to her and stopped, carrying the basket in her arms. Inuyasha beamed down at her, with a cheerful Mihaku bouncing lightly in his arms. The resemblance between the two was striking, even their grins were close to perfect. Except Mihaku's eyes had an innocence Kagome's once held...before Mihaku was born.
"Need some help, Mrs.- uh," he began as he came closer. Kagome's mother blinked.
"I think it would be fine for you to call me mother as well, Inuyasha. After the bond you and my daughter share it would only be right," she smiled. Inuyasha nodded. "But don't call my father Grandpa unless he tells you to, he'll go crazy otherwise," she added, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in annoyance. Inuyasha laughed lightly, bumping Mihaku so he'd do the same. Together they followed Mrs. Higurashi into the livingroom. "So what are you two going to do today?" she piped.
"I don't know...I guess I'd like to see what all Kagome's taught him. She seems a little different than I remember...I'm just curious as to what all she would let him learn," he answered thoughtfully.
"Inuyasha, there's a question I have for you that you cannot tell a soul," she said abruptly. She'd dropped the clothes she was folding and turned to face him completely. Inuyasha blinked twice. That had totally took him off guard. Shippo, who was now at the doorway, also stared dumbfounded. "You too Shippo," she added.
"Um, alright," he swallowed.
"What is it mom?" was Inuyasha's nervous answer.
"Ever since Kagome started to show signs of being pregnant, she's been-- different."
"How so?" questioned Shippo.
"Well, she became violent and protective over us all. She was determined to increase her miko powers, to raise her son properly (which makes no sense to me because there isn't an improper way to raise someone as long as you teach them the neccessary things) and most of all...she acts wild. Her emotions are always hard and it takes a lot to get a genuine emotion out of her. Before then she was so emotional, tender even, and I miss it. What happened to her, Inuyasha? I assumed that since you were a hanyou that the baby could be affecting her, but it's still happening," whimpered Mrs. Higurashi fearfully.
"Oh," murmured Shippo quietly. Inuyasha on the other hand had a very guilty expression.
"Ma'am, when Kagome and I mated... I did not claim her, I didn't mark her or marry her in human ceremonies, because I knew I wouldn't be near her and it wouldn't be fair to her to claim her and isolate her from others who could make her happy..... I didn't know she was pregnant..." he explained.
"I-I don't understand, what do you mean??"
"In youkai terms, marking is the same as a wedding band, only stronger. Youkai mate for life and can sense when their mate is in danger. But, if the female youkai becomes with child, and is not marked, they take on the role of both male and female youkai until the child is able to take care of themselves. Which means they get as strong and dangerous as a male youkai added with the violence and jealousy of a female youkai, added with the protective and murderous intent of a mother youkai and eventually the female will either drive herself into a blind rage and get herself killed or die of a broken heart," spelled out Shippo. Mrs. Higurashi gripped her chest and stared at Inuyasha in disbelief.
"I didn't know she was going to get pregnant, or I would've marked her. The fact that she's human...it could've killed her by now...I hadn't thought of it until you said something...I can't believe the pain I put her in..." he whispered. Mihaku slapped at his face playfull, but went ignored.
"Well...can it be changed? I mean I've already noticed a change in her since your arrival!" exclaimed Mrs. Higurashi.
"Yeah! Now that Inuyasha is here, all of Kagome's instincts will drift away forever! I don't even know how she managed it this long....Maybe it has something to do with who she is? Or Inuyasha's beads?" Shippo continued on with a string of thoughts while Mrs. Higurashi walked up to Inuyasha with teary eyes.
"Thank you Inuyasha...I should be reprimanding you, but I know you didn't mean to do this to my daughter. I think it's safe to believe you love her nearly as much as I do, so...thank you. You've just done so much by being here," she sniffed and hugged him warmly. Inuyasha turned bright red and fidgetted under the attention.
"Y-Yeah, you're welcome," he stuttered.
"Sora! SORA!" yelled Grandpa from the front door. Everyone in the room turned around to see what the trouble was.
"What is it Grandpa?"
"That little rascal just walked off without a word to me! I tell you in my age people should respect you! We're not old for the fun of it!" he shouted. Shippo stifled a giggle at this while Inuyasha just stared.
"Shippo would you run hang these out on the line for me and I'll get to the other chores that need to be done?" interrupted Mrs. Sora Higurashi. Shippo nodded and went for the cloth. "And Inuyasha, go ahead and take Mihaku out to play, that way when Kagome gets home we can all go out to a nice dinner and he's not screaming the entire time."
Smiling broadly, his proud chest puffed out as his old arrogant ways came back to him, Inuyasha stepped out onto the porch of the back door. He took a deep breath of the air and then looked down to Mihaku, who instantly did the same. Mihaku grinned innocently.
"PAPA!"
"So, Mihaku....uh...I can tell by your smell that....no...-uh.....so........." he attempted. His mind was already panting from the effort it was putting out of trying to find the right words. He couldn't articulate exactly what emotion he was feeling because he was feeling so many and he honestly wouldn't have been capable of putting all of his questions into a pattern that made sense. "Lemme think...Kagome's been gone from the Feudal Era for two years....that means you- are- hm...15 months old! Wow!"
"PaaaaPA!" replied Mihaku talkatively.
"That's old for a little runt like you..." he grinned. Together they were walking across the shrine grounds. For some reason Inuyasha was heading toward the dissolving cherry blossom trees at the edge of the sacred land. The ones he had planted in memory of Kagome when Misora built the temple. It gave him an odd sense of being at home. This kid was growing on him too. Just touching him felt warm and fuzzy, normal emotions Inuyasha didn't bother with, but were worth experiencing when it's your son. Your only son! Your pup with the woman you love...the woman you put a strain on that could've killed her. "Mihaku..." he murmured, almost the first time he'd said the name, "I did a bad thing to your mommy and she doesn't even know it...she won't hate me, I know, she loves me too much. But it'll hurt her if I tell her...she'll think I only want to mark her as mine to save her sanity and return her to normal.....when in reality kid," he said as he lifted Mihaku into his hands, right in front of his face as they walked, "I want more than anything for her to be solely mine. And you! You ARE completely, utterly, no-one-better-try-me mine!" he added, growling and nibbling on Mihaku's neck playfully. Mihaku squealed loudly, his tiny hands slapping at Inuyasha's cheeks. Inuyasha chuckled deep down in his chest and rumbled the little boy he carried so affectionately. "So...let's see what you've learned, brat," he spoke, fondly, but firmly. He set Mihaku down at the edge of the cherry blossoms and then leapt three trees down, not too far, but far enough. "Okay, come," he commanded. Mihaku stared at him dumbfounded. Inuyasha could clearly see the blank expression reading on the infant's face and yet also a total disbelief in his stupidity. "Mihaku, come," he demanded stronger. Mihaku pushed up onto his chubby legs and stood tall in front of his father. Then, without the slightest thought, turned around and started to totter on back to the house. Inuyasha groaned heavily.
"Damn kid, gets it from his mother, every time--" he grumbled as he walked irritatedly forward on the child. He lifted Mihaku by the scruff of the neck and to eye level with himself. Mihaku's bright eyes gleamed curiously. "Now listen and listen good. You are my pup, my kid, my son and I am your father, your only father, your one and only ME! That means, you listen and do what I say and nobody gets hurt? Understood?" he growled. Mihaku's face screwed up violently at the tone in his father's voice and his breath caught perilously in his throat. Mihaku began to make tiny 'anhn-anha' noises in the back of his own throat. Inuyasha could sense the tears and in a desperate attempt, not follied by time, he yelled louder to stop the on slaught. "And the first thing you'll do is NOT CRY!" he cried out. Mihaku burst into un-dammed tears, squalling as his face turned red and his ears a pale shade of prune.
"Hey! HEY! I said no! Nooo! Stoooop it!" begged Inuyasha, clipping every sentence. He looked around frantically for anyone who might say something smart assed so he could take this frustration out on them. However, he'd achieved the distance from the world he was looking for and now it was only him....and his bawling son. "Okay! OKAY! I'M SORRY ALREADY! YOU HEAR ME! SORRY!" he shouted so loud that Mrs. Higurashi looked up from inside the house where she folded clothes and Shippo's gripped released on the sheet he was hanging up.
At Kagome's school two boys in uniforms could be heard boisterously bragging about their hunting trip last weekend. One said they had even caught a rabbit with two inch long nails! Kagome strode past them, not giving it a second thought. Youkai more than likely, and if a human took it out, not a very strong one. Besides, she was still chilled by that voice. It echoed in her head. Repeating the word and every time losing the sharp prick that stabbed at her innerds so menacingly. Why couldn't she sense it? What was that? Did she just imagine it?
Suddenly Kagome lunged forward and nearly lost her balance, catching herself half way by grabbing the water fountain on her right. She breathed in heavily and shuddered fearfully.
"Gee, sorry Kag. You're never off guard like that," apologized Yuki. She stood with her head down and her hand writhing in her lap, while Eri had bent over to assure Kagome was alright. Kagome barely held back the sigh she felt at seeing her friends once more. She had thought for a split second that something was out to get her! That was ridiculous! Who would want her now? There wasn't anything at all special about Kagome Higurashi!
"It-it's cool Yuki. I was just kinda freaked out. I fell earlier at the staircase and I'm still shaky," she promised, making up a lame excuse that was semi-similar to the truth. Yuki nodded and grinned. She at least seemed satisfied. Eri, however, had her hands on Kagome's arm and was helping her stand back up.
"Wow, that musta been some trip if you're this shaken up. You wanna go see the nurse?" she wondered worriedly.
"Nurse? What for? I'm just a little jumpy right now, that's all," she retorted. Eri let her stand on her own.
"Okay...if you're sure."
"C'mon! Am I ever not sure?" she joked. Eri finally allowed a held back smile to grace her face and turned her head in reluntance. "All right then!" she laughed.
"Hey, we'd better get to class. The bell rings in about-" Yuki checked her watch, "-30 SECONDS?" she screamed. Kagome turned heel with Eri's wrist in hand and all three girls bolted for the door at the very end of the hall, praying the bell wouldn't ring.
Inuyasha whimpered sorrowfully as Mihaku continued his crying spell, now seated in his exhausted lap under the most shaded tree in the forest. Mihaku took deep breaths and then a number of shallow ones.
"How do I make you stop?!" whined the grown demon. He looked pitifully at Mihaku who offered no assistance whatsoever. "Where's the off button! I'm tired of this! Miroku never had to do this!" he grumbled, searching Mihaku from top to bottom. He was so busy looking for the imaginary switch that he hardly noticed the silence drifting into the air. He had almost turned the child upside down before he realized it. The quiet of a normal day! At last! Shocked and curious as to how he'd stopped the unbelievable pain in his son's cries, Inuyasha turned Mihaku to face him. The boy's eyes were sealed shut, a tiny little snot bubble was growing on his nose, and his tear stained cheeks were shimmering with the sunlight as his mouth barely moved open and closed. His nearly inaudible breath suddenly came in loud and clear to Inuyasha as though it were amplified by the screams of before. Those wretched screams that would haunt his subconcious until he died. He couldn't stand it when people cried, or rather, those he cared about, and to hear his own flesh and blood, something more dear to him than life, wail and sob as though his world were coming to an end...well it nearly killed him. Mihaku made a quiet slurping noise of his tongue wiping away a bad taste as his head hung uncomfortably low.
"Well I'll be damned. He fell asleep!" awed Inuyasha. Then, without warning, he had the urge to take the baby into his arms and hold him safely until he awoke. Cradling him in the nook of his left arm Inuyasha wiped away the remaining tears, sliding down his cheeks. "It's alright, don't cry anymore...Daddy's here," he whispered. Mihaku's muscles relaxed at the touch and softness in his father's voice. He then turned into Inuyasha's chest, gripping the fabric possessively and pressing his forehead into his chest. Inuyasha grinned so lovingly that his entire body curled around this child, to protect him and love him. He researched every inch of the white haired toddler from his claws to his big, pale purple pajama-like outfit he had put on him earlier. HIS son...He was going to figure it out, one step at a time...
At lunch time Kagome ate alone on a bench near the pond at the front of her school. She hadn't packed a lunch, so she nibbled the cream cake and shrimp bits Yuki and Eri gave to her before their class. Today was one of those rare days schedules collided. And so Kagome sat alone, nibbling with little interest and staring into space. Her mind was devoid of thought and clearly her heart felt empty and peaceful for the moment. Until somehow, she drifted into thoughts of the wonderful events of the the night before. Inuyasha! Mihaku! Shippo! All of them together as a family! She wondered what Inuyasha and Mihaku were doing? And Shippo! Had her mother drafted him on chores for the day? Inuyasha was sure to be next in that case! But where would they go from there. Would Inuyasha and Shippo just sleep on cots at Kagome's house for the rest of their lives?
She had promised her grandpa, two months after Mihaku was born, that she would take over as priestess when she came of age and that meant she had to live there for the rest of her life. She was happy to do it also. That was the land she had met Inuyasha on, discovered who she was, and it held the most scared of all the trees in history..."the god tree" at which she'd met Inuyasha for the first time. She wanted to protect it forever! Maybe, she could run around town getting rid of evil spirits the way Miroku did and gather a few bucks. Just enough to maybe get another room built onto the house? For Shippo or Mihaku or something of the sort. Inuyasha would sleep with her...that was what she wanted...Inuyasha...she fingered the beads on her neck tenderly.
"KILL!" screeched a high pitched shrill cry. Kagome covered her ears in pain, dropping her cream cake into the pond. The fish under the water bobbed up quickly to retrieve it.
"Ahhhh!" Kagome moaned. Her ears were throbbing! Forcing her eyes open she searched for who had shouted in her ears. No one was behind her! She looked around the concrete seperator of the lunch grounds and the pond and saw nothing, not even a leaf russel. There was definately no way a sound could've made it that far from that distance. There was nothing there...Kagome's heart sped up at the train of thoughts. She was in danger now, she knew it! Paranoia, maybe. Maybe they wanted Mihaku or INUYASHA! He had just returned! And that was when the voice-- Kagome felt something warm and slick sliding down the sides of her jaw. "Huh?" she wondered, lifting her hands to touch the spots. They met with a liquidy goo that when she pulled back to inspect was red. "What? Is that- my blood?" she trembled. Her fingers darted to her ears and felt more of the fluid coming slowly out of her. Her ears were bleeding. That voice had made her ears bleed..
Grandpa stopped sweeping near the temple door and stood straight. Shippo, who'd been sharpening a small bone dagger he kept on his his left ankle, looked up curiously at the absence.
"Mr. Higurashi?" he questioned. He stared at the old man with worry. The priest was thinking about something, processing something very difficult to process and would not be interrupted until he had decerned the answer.
"Afternoon boys!" cheered Mrs. Higurashi as she came toward them with a plater of nearly twenty cut down the middle sandwiches. In her other had were two bottles of juice and a box of crackers under her arm. She beamed at her father, who stared seriously out at the shrine. "Grandpa?" she muttered carefully.
"Something terrible is going to happen...I can feel it!" he said suddenly nearly scaring the wits out of Shippo who jumped like a stuck pig. Mrs. Higurashi rolled her eyes and set the plate down on the elevated wooden porch. His voice went grave: "I'm serious Sora......I can feel it..."
Shippo knealt low to the ground near the stone walls at the end of the shrine steps. Focused on doing a perfect job, he lifted the white parchment to the concrete and pasted it firmly out of sight of any possible visitors. It'd been about two hours since Mr. Higurashi had sensed something horrible in the future and ever since they'd done nothing but put up charms to ward of all sorts of thing. Mr. Higurashi was currently at the edge of the woods plastering paper after paper for a million different things to block. He didn't want spirits, evil intending humans, or youkai to enter the grounds without permission. That was also why he'd given Shippo a very long speech about not leaving the shrine until the threat passed, otherwise he wouldn't be able to get back in.
Shippo stood and rubbed the sweat from his forehead. The sun wasn't even comepletely out and he was sweating like a pig. He wondered in silence what the threat could be. Looking out at the busy street corner the Higurashi's lived on he was watched innocent citizens and loving parents with their children going in every direction possible. Could one of them be stalking them all? Just then a chill ran down his back and he found himself very appreciative that the spells were in place. True they weren't as strong as Miroku's but when Kagome got home she'd certainly make them stronger.
"Hey Shippo!" Inuyasha shouted, coming slowly down the stairs with Mihaku groggily tangled in his left arm. Shippo turned and smiled widely at his father. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, Mom's grandpa sensed some evil looming over us all and demanded that we put up charms and jinxes to keep out the bad," he explained as he peered down into Mihaku's face. Inuyasha bunched up his nose.
"An evil?"
"Yeah, he seemed really serious about it to. Grandma didn't pay it any attention at all but told me that if he was that determined to just go ahead and help. To be honest I'm kinda glad I did. I don't know what this evil is he's sensing but something just feels like it's.... out of place, ya know?"
"Yeah...I know. Maybe it's just the difference in the way we're living now. Either way we can't be too careful," agreed Inuyasha seriously. He brushed the strand of silver hair that had fallen in Mihaku's face to the side and thought intently. "You almost done here?" he asked, more brightly than the previous conversation.
"Yeah, all I've got is one more to put on the well house door and then I'm gonna help Mrs. Higurashi start dinner."
"You'd better be careful, you're going to spoil her," chuckled Inuyasha as they started up the steps. Shippo blushed slightly and hung his head.
"Inuyasha!" he moaned. "She just kinda reminds me of Misora, that's all."
The bell rang twice. Kagome was already late. She walked slowly, her books in her hands and her eyes sort of glazed over. There wasn't a thought in her mind, only the drive to get to her class like she was supposed to. Even if she was painfully late and would draw so much attention to herself that normally she'd die from the embarrassment. She would be lying if she told you she wasn't scared. She'd heard something. Something evil was whispering in her ear and just that whisper made her ears bleed. She hadn't been the same since. All the way through her history class she stared at the scratched spot of her desk, blank from the neck up. Yuki had passed her a note when the teacher wasn't looking and she didn't even realize the paper was there until moments later. Something was definately wrong.
"Kagome!" whispered a strained voice. Kagome jumped as though a demon had landed on her back and was chewing her neck into tiny slivers. Her books hit the floor and her heart pounded so harshly against her ribcage that she felt herself slipping away from conciousness. She barely noticed the thunderous crash of her own body colliding cruelly with the lockers beside her. This was it! She was going to die! "Kagome!" yelped the voice, almost as though they were panicked. Kagome reached up to her ears and felt for the warm liguid that had fallen there before. There wasn't anything! "Kagome!" whispered the voice again, only this time forcefully. She looked up and into the faces of Eri and Yuki leaning out of the girls bathroom, horror etched into their faces.
Suddenly Kagome was aware that she was sitting on the floor, her shirt tore from the lockers she'd hit, her books sprawled out at her feet, and her half way unconcious mind from oxygen deprevation.
"Yuki? Eri?" she muttered through half closed eye lids.
"C'mon Yuki," Eri ordered and together they checked the hallways for someone who could get them in trouble before rushing out to Kagome's side. They were skipping class like Kagome, only Kagome didn't intend to. What was going on?
The next thing Kagome knew was that she was now situated on a cold hard floor with the smell of potent water in the air. She looked up from where her head lay on her chest and blinked. Yuki was standing at the sink staring at her reflection with disgust and Eri was sitting against the wall opposite of Kagome, her legs pulled up to her chin and her head nestled in the middle of the fetal position. She took a second to make sure of what she was seeing.
"Eri? Are you alright?" she asked carefully. Eri's head popped up immediately with surprise and delight.
"Oh Kagome!" wailed Yuki as she dropped to Kagome's level.
"Are you all right? We didn't mean to scare you that bad! We just wanted to get your attention!" Eri explained, rapidly laying out her excuse of guilt.
"I'm fine! I'm fine! Please!" Kagome giggled. Eri sat back as Yuki ran over to her back pack near where Eri had been sitting. She pulled out an orang bottle and brought it over to her friend.
"Here, drink this. It'll help get your energy back," she said and Kagome took the bottle. Turning it up eagerly she guzzled the orange soda as fast as the powerful little carbonated bubbles would allow her too. Eri giggled as Yuki sat next to them.
"What happened?" asked Kagome, between sips.
"We heard someone walking down the hallway just after the bell and leaned out a little to see if it was a teacher. When we saw it was you we decided to get your attention so you could skip with us, but when we whispered your name you jumped like you were on fire and crashed into the lockers," said Eri.
"We were afraid you'd get the principal down here with all that noise and also that you were about to pass out so we pulled you in here and sat you down there. You've only been out of it for the last ten or fifteen minutes," helped Yuki. "I went to the teacher's lounge about five minutes ago to get you a drink for when you woke up. What happened? Why'd you react that way? No one can ever catch you off guard..."
"I guess you just woke me up out of a zone I was in and it kinda knocked the wind out of me. That's why I kinda fainted, I couldn't breath out...thanks guys, I owe you a major one for that," sighed Kagome. She let her head fall back against the cement of the walls and closed her eyes to calm down a little bit.
"That's good. We thought you might of hit your head," admitted Eri ashamed. She obviously felt responsible for what happened, but Kagome wasn't about to say everything was okay. Eri'd still scared the shit out of her and that deserved a little punishment. Kagome made a mental note to tell her not to blame herself...tomorrow.
The trio of girls sat in the girls bathroom for the rest of the school day. Kagome didn't dare tell her friends what was happening...or rather, what she thought was happening. Instead she settled to listen to their stories about their day. Eri had failed her test and Yuki had passed with flying colors. Eri was sore from volley ball yesterday and from trying to keep up with Kagome, while Yuki had reminded them about the car accident. That was when Kagome remembered Inuyasha was protecting Mihaku and Shippo was there to help! She felt a huge feeing of relief at the idea and couldn't wait to get home. When the bell rang to end the school day Kagome walked home alone for the first time in years. Eri had to go to work at the video arcade and Yuki had promised to go grocery shopping before she went home. Because Kagome wanted to go home as fast as possible so she decided not to go with Yuki.
The sky was turning gray quickly overhead. Kagome looked up and predicted rain within the next hour. She had to hurry if she wanted to get home before it started so she began to run. She could see the stairs just up the street and excitement filled her heart. She was coming back to Inuyasha! Her Inuyasha! Slowing down she fingered the beads around her neck and allowed memories she used to find too painful wash over her. Inuyasha falling from a high treetop and cursing or riding on Inuyasha's back through the air. She sighed from deep down inside herself. She was beginning to feel so much more free than before. Mihaku didn't even seem like a painful reminder of what she'd left behind. Now he was a glorious addition to her journies in the Sengoku Jedai.
She was so overwhelmed with happiness and exhilirated tears that she hardly noticed the street just as empty as when she went to school. She didn't even think about what had happened to her earlier in the day. The fact that Inuyasha was a short walk away just made everything better for her. She turned the corner to go up the stairs to the family shrine when she encountered something hard and it knocked her backwards onto the sidewalk. Kagome cringed and looked up. She thought she'd been turning onto the stairs, but maybe in her daze she had turned too late or too soon. However, she found herself seated directly in front of the shrine stairs. Overhead the thunder began to tremble the clouds. Kagome felt a sinking feeling inside of her. Something had blocked her from going onto the stairs.
Frantically Kagome ran forward and reached out her hands. They met with thin air that was as hard as a wall. Her hands roved up and down and left and right, looking for a hole in the forefield, a gap she could use to get through to her home and family. Her heart began to race harder. She was blocked from getting home and whatever had been lurking around her was still out there. She pounded on the force field with her fists.
"MOM! GRANDPA! ANYONE? HELP!" she cried into the wall, praying that her voice at least could make it through. The thunder grumbled again in irritation.
Up the stairs, inside the house, in the kitchen Mrs. Higurashi sat feeding Mihaku in his high chair. She smiled and giggled with him as he made faces and turned his head. In the living room Inuyasha sat on the couch with Souta next to him and Shippo sitting on the floor next to the coffee table. Grandpa was meditating in a chair nearby, pondering on what could be the problem. Souta flipped the channel to cartoons as Shippo rubbed his now clean robes to make them more comfortable against his skin.
Kagome stepped back. She didn't even know if they could hear her. She had to find a phone or, if the door bell worked someone would come to see about her. But Souta had broke the doorbell two months ago when his friends knocked him against the wall after school. He dumped cherry slushie all over it. The hair on the back of Kagome's neck stood on end. She turned her head slowly around, the rest of her body frozen. She could feel it this time. It was coming toward her. Just then, without warning, the wall next to her chipped and crackled as though something extremely heavy had thrust into it. The dust settled on Kagome's hair and her eyes went to tiny pupils. Then it happened again, another chunk of cement gone from the wall like a chisel was shaping it, only this time it was closer to her. Lightning flashed across the sky and Kagome made a run for it, before the danger could get close. She huffed and heaved as she ran. Fear was gripping her throat. "Inuyasha!" she screamed as she turned right around another abandoned corner. There was a soft wooshing sound as the rain came falling down around her. Kagome looked up at the sky as though that would make it stop, but it only came down harder. She was about to slow her gate when she felt something grip her ankle. In mad panic she jerked to free herself from the invisible vice and accidentally lurched herself off the sidewalk and into the gutter. Mud splashed up into her face, clinging to her bangs and staining her clothes. She paused and tried to calm down, her chest rising and falling dramatically as she attempted to catch her breath.
"I got you," whispered a gentle, though violent voice on the air. It made Kagome's head ache with a sharp pain. She had to get out of there before it hurt her! Fighting to stand against the heavily falling rain and the sloshing of the mud Kagome pushed her way back onto the sidewalk and into a desperate run. "INUYASHA!" she pleaded, tears pouring from her eyes as though part of the weeping of the sky.
At the house Inuyasha stood up and went to the clock on the wall. It was nearing five o'clock, but Kagome still wasn't home.
"Mr. Higurashi, what time does Kagome normally get home?" he asked worriedly. Shippo sat up and put his arm on the couch.
"Yeah, I was beginning to wonder that too," he agreed. Mr. Higuarshi opened his eyes and looked around the room. All eyes were on him.
"Sora, what time is Kagome supposed to be home today?" he asked. Inuyasha and Shippo practically floored it with disbelief.
"Three thirty!" she called back and then laughed, no doubtedly at Mihaku. Inuyasha's face instantly drew up with worry.
"And she's not back..?" asked Souta with a tremble in his voice. The room went quiet, only the comical sounds of the cartoons on the TV was left. Inuyasha was listening hardest of all. Many nights, while Shippo slept, Inuyasha had laid awake and listened to the sound of Kagome voice, almost miles away, groaning over homework. If he could just find her voice now. It was always so hard to hear her, when he did it at night he had to concentrate for at least an hour. His senses of desiring her to be his mate, the mother of his child, quickly kicked in and worked as an amplifier for him. He needed to hear her now.
"Inuyasha!" It was extremely, extremely faint, but he heard it. Kagome calling out his name in a terrified and crying voice.
"I hear her!" he shouted before crashing out of the house. Grandpa stood in shock while the two boys jumped and leaned to watch the demon retreat. Mrs. Higurashi came to the doorway holding Mihaku with a confused look on her face.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha called as he leapt over the shrine walls. He would've tried sniffing her out but when it rained he found it hard. The roads were empty other than cars flying by with their windshield wipers going full force. It was rare to see a street this empty, but it was raining hard. He listened for Kagome's call again.
"Inuyasha, Inuyasha, Inuyasha..." muttered Kagome. She hugged her knees tighter, pushed farther into the little hole she had discovered. She burrowed her head out of the light and prayed the apparition couldn't find her.
{Oh god kagome, please be alive, be okay!} begged Inuyasha in his mind. He hadn't begged for anything in literally hundreds of years and now he was begging with everything in his heart. After all the time he'd waited for her, dreamed about her, imagined her breath...he would not lose her now...he'd take his own life if he lost her. He stopped his leaping and searching at the thought. If he killed himself he'd lose Mihaku too and Mihaku would lose both of his parents. Could he do that?
"Dammit Inuyasha! Don't think that, Kagome's fine! You'll never have to-" he was ranting again, why did she always do that to him? The only reason he even stopped was the interruption of a woman whimpering nearby. Inuyasha jerked his head around, but saw nothing. "Kagome?" he called. The whimpering came again only this time on a breeze and he caught the faintest scent of- "jasmine! Kagome I'm coming!" he assured as he took off once again. He followed the sound of whimpering to a park bench and a phone booth near the bridge by the park. There, wedged deep inside a space between the bridge support beams, was a drenched, shivering, and filthy Kagome. She was curled into the tightest fetal position he'd ever seen and she was muttering his name over and over.
"Oh, Kagome," he whispered. Kagome jerked violently and looked up with the most utterly smashed with fear expression she'd ever made. What in the world was happening? Inuyasha walked forward quickly as Kagome registered a person had actually said her name this time.
"I-Inuyasha?" she sniveled.
"Kagome, what in the world- god! What happened to your-" he reached to touch her face.
"AOW!" she shrieked, snapping her head back. Inuyasha retracted his hand slightly. On her cheek there were three deep gashes, almost like claw marks, and they were still bleeding. The red had even dripped down onto the green of her skirt. There was mud all over her from head to foot, what hadn't been washed away by the rain, and her eyes were blood shot. She'd been crying for a long time and her clothes were ripped.
"It's all right, I'm here now. Nothing and NO ONE is going to hurt you. Let's go home," he coaxed, reaching in and pulling her out of the hole. Kagome clinged to him like a frightened child, gripping his haori and sobbing violently. Inuyasha held her close to his chest for a moment, sitting in the shelter of the bridge. He'd ask questions later, right now he wanted her safe and away from whatever had done this too her. Kagome yelped suddenly and Inuyasha could smell her blood curl. She pulled her head back and looked around the scene before ducking her head under his arms like rabbit on the run. "Come on," he said hurriedly and leapt out from under the bridge, holding her in his arms and running back to the shrine as fast as he could. Now he was just as grateful as Shippo for the barriers.
side note? It's been a long time since I told a scarey story and no one seems to write any real good scarey ones for Inuyasha so I thought I'd give it a try since I'm so good at telling scarey stories that I was banned from it! LOL hence my dilemma. Remember, it's been a LONG while for me in writing this. It's not even scarey yet.
::this chapter is especially for and dedicated to KaGoMe39, D-chan3 and KittyLu. Thanks guys for being my first reviews!! XD::
The room was as silent as a graveyard and not even a leaf shuddered outside the palely lit window. Everything was calm. Outside the sky was vividly clear, the only lights visible to the eye were tiny pin pricks of starlight, not powerful enough to light up the world on their own. The shadows swam in the crevices of the window and the undersides of the leaves while seeping in and out of the corners of the bedroom they hovered sinisterly around a human hanyou and his love.
Inuyasha held Kagome, just like she asked, just like he wanted to. He'd never told her once how he loved the smell of her hair and especially the scent of her skin just after a bath. It always floated toward him as if it were there just to please him and she had put it there. She tried so hard to make him feel special and her own, even before he choose her over the undead miko, Kikyo.
He rested his head atop hers and breathed in quietly. Her scent might've been muted by his human nose, but she still smelled wonderful. His eyes incidentally fell on to the crib at the other end of the room where her vanity desk had been. He guessed they moved it out when Mihaku was born to make room for him to be close to Kagome. And now, Inuyasha would be close to Kagome, from now on he wouldn't leave her side, even if he had to use that hated transformation he'd gained.
Inuyasha found himself wondering if Mihaku had the same transformation or if he was just like him when he was a hanyou. All the more reason to give his darling son the tetsaiga. He hadn't used it for years, ever since he made the wish on the Shikon No Tama to be full demon, and it only felt right to pass it to his son. "This is a part of me and my father, Mihaku. As long as you have it with you, we'll be there to help protect you," he'd say and then as if Mihaku understood he would nodd. Inuyasha smiled gently. His son... Just then he wondered if his father had felt the same way when he was born. Probably not. He had to be thrilled with Sesshoumaru, but Inuyasha was only half breed. No one loved a half breed but Kagome and his mother. Then again, if his mother loved him and his father loved her, there was no way his father couldn't have loved him. In fact he was certain the lord of the western lands would have loved Mihaku just as much as Mrs. Higurashi and Grandpa did. The thought warmed him so much that his eyes began to drift shut with an uncharacteristic grin on his face. Tomorrow was going to be a wonderful day.
A looming figure stalked through the branches of the shrine grounds. Slinking it's way up from limb to limb, moving quickly and smoothly. There was no falter in it's slither, only a momentary pause on each outstretched bough. The light from the street lamp glowed in a flat blue shine, covering the earth near Kagome's bedroom window and unwittingly fending off the shadows. A low, gravelly objection rumbled ascendingly into the motionless night air, forcing leaves to tremble all around the shapeless threat. It wouldn't dare move further than this....for now.
Kagome woke up gripping the pillow the next morning, sunlight streaming through partially closed curtains into her face. She cringed and moved her face away to look at the crib. Mihaku's chest was rising and falling slowly, his little breath puffing the air. She wanted to smile, but the horribly torturing dream she'd had the night before was lingering in her mind. Inuyasha had come to her and they were a family at last, until some THING hunted them down and murdered Inuyasha right before her eyes. When she woke up she half expected to find him laying beneath her, the dream was so real, but all she found was her pillow. Groggily she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her hair stood out on all ends, bent in the places she slept on the most, and her eyes were slightly blood shot from stress. What was today? Her attention drifted quietly over to her calendar and discovered it was Friday. The clock on her dresser read seven-o-five.
"Why do I even dream," she sighed defeatedly. Every night for the first three months when she left the Sengoku Jedai Kagome had dreamed of Inuyasha dying without her near to him. Other dreams of Sango and Miroku and her other friends being hurt came every now and again, but Inuyasha was the one she was most worried for. He had had no one to love him before her and she was afraid he wouldn't again. Sango and Miroku wouldn't live forever and she didn't want Inuyasha to be alone.
"Kagome!" piped a little voice from the other side of her closed door.
"Yea Souta?"
"Mom says come downstairs and help her with breakfast." Kagome got up off the bed and rubbed the back of her head.
"I will as soon as I get a shower," she replied and moved to grab her bath towel.
"Kay," was her answer, before the pounding of little footsteps down the hall.
In the shower Kagome ran her fingers depressedly through her hair. Everything from the day before was catching up to her and sliding off down the drain. One thing she couldn't place was why she was asleep in her own bed when she had decided to sleep with her mom. Surrendering to the confusion she tipped her head forward and rinsed the soap out of her hair.
The sound of the thundering water in her ears was soothing. It felt as though the hot water from her bath was healing all her pains and worries. This was why she loved showers more than baths. Baths were times to think and be peaceful, while a shower, on the other hand, was a simple way to brush everything off and come at your problems another way. Finally all the soap was rinsed from her hair and as she reached toward the nozel to turn off the water, she saw out of the corner of her eye a black figure move in the room.
Kagome froze where she stood, half crouched with her hair over her face and her hand outstretched from her naked body. The water ran unphased by whatever Kagome had seen, sliding down every curve and mixing with sweat. Her eyes roamed around the shower curtain for a sign of what had caught her eye. The lurking feeling that something was close to her was almost overwhelming. She looked at both ends of the bathroom through the curtain. Where was it? She was certain she'd seen something. As far as her eye could reach, in the corner near the toilet, she saw a shadow. A heavy shadow.
"Kagome?" bellowed a strained voice from the closed bathroom door. Kagome jumped violently and caught herself before she could slip. Her heart raced a mile a minute, her eyes fixed furiously on the bathroom door. Then she remembered why she had been startled to begin with and leaned out the curtain for the figure. She saw nothing, not even a shadow. "Kagome?" repeated the voice, knocking harshly on the door.
"What?" she snapped, attempting to catch her breath.
"Are you almost through?" answered Souta. Kagome pushed her hair back and turned off the water.
"I'm done. I'll be down in a minute," she said, stepping out of the shower for her towel.
"She said she's coming mom!" he shouted, his voice diminishing as he walked away. Kagome rolled her eyes as she rubbed the water from her hair.
Kagome dressed in her school uniform and slid on her shoes. She didn't care about letting her dry, as it was stuffy outside anyway, so she simply tossed it up into a ponytail. As she left her room she passed a look at Mihaku still sleeping in his crib and smiled. She picked up Inuyasha's prayer beads off her desk and slid them on as she walked down the stairs to breakfast and another day. She could hear voices from the bottom of the stairs, talking wildly and laughing. Her family seemed to be in a good mood this morning.
"Souta! Don't do that!" scolded Mrs. Higurashi.
"Buf-" he tried to reply, his mouth full of whatever mother was serving for breakfast. Just then, another voice laughed, that wasn't her grandfather. Who in the world could her family have invited for breakfast? she thought rapidly.
"No buts Souta. How did you sleep last night, dear?" asked her mother.
"Fine, except Souta snores," laughed the same voice.
"I do not!" objected the younger boy. Kagome peeked her head around the corner of the kitchen doorway at her family, not wanting to lose the element of surprise in case it was something or someone she needed to deal with. There, with their back facing her, was a man with extremely long and platinum white hair. He sat as rigid as though he were sitting against a wall and by the position of his elbows he had his arms crossed. The person next to him had long silky brown hair and A TAIL? Youkai, she thought immediately. But the man with brown hair was playing with Souta playfully and obviously had no intention of harming anyone. Mrs. Higurashi stood at the stove near the back door and her grandpa sat at the other end of the table, leaving two seats and a high chair on the other side of the table, where she and her mother normally sat with Mihaku. Mrs. Higurashi turned with a bright smile as she placed a glass of milk in front of her father. Partially glancing up, she had to make a double take to notice Kagome at the door.
"Good morning dear. How'd you sleep?" she asked sweetly and both of the strangers turned to look at her. Kagome's heart stopped. Inuyasha... His dog ears were gone, replaced with pointy human ears, and on each of his cheeks was a single purple slash. He was full youkai. He was in her kitchen. Suddenly her dream became a reality and the truth of last night washed over her.
"Inuyasha!" she wailed and leapt on him from behind, hugging his neck fiercely. Inuyasha gurgled beneath her, fighting to keep from falling to the floor, while Souta giggled and Shippo looked on with shock and mild confusion. "Oh Inuyasha! I thought it had all been a dream when I woke up and you weren't there!" she cried into his hair. Inuyasha stopped fighting and swallowed as best he could before putting a soft hand up on her elbow.
"I had to, your mom woke both me and Shippo up about three hours ago. I tried not to wake you," he answered gently. Kagome sniffed and pulled back.
"I wish you had," she sniveled and slowly moved into the seat next to him. "Why did mom wake you up so early anyway?"
"She insisted that we both got showers and were clean before you got up, that way we wouldn't be in the way and could help clean our own clothes and sheets," explained Shippo.
"Yeah, Shippo's are in the dryer now," added Souta.
"His clothes?" wondered Kagome, eyeing the oddly pre-modern clothing he wore.
"Yeah, Inuyasha's is going to take a little bit longer because it's so thick and all. I gave them some of your father's old clothing to wear while theirs were being washed," nodded Mrs. Higurashi as she gave Kagome her regular strawberry milk.
"Oh..." Kagome stared into space. It was all too great to be true! Inuyasha was here with her! Shippo was eating breakfast with her family as Inuyasha had done so many times before and no one had any intention of stopping it to go search for a stupid jewel that cost her so much. Then she remembered. SCHOOL! "What time is it?" she cried out, leaping to her feet.
"It's ten till, why?" replied Grandpa gruffly.
"I'm gonna be late for school!" she shouted and jumped over the table, headed for the stairs.
"Hey, are those my prayer beads?" wondered Inuyasha dumbly as he watched her race out of the room. Everyone stared after her in utter silence.
"Eyah, I think it was," nodded Shippo.
"Bye mom! Bye Souta! Bye Grandpa, Shippo, Inuyasha! Kiss Mihaku for me!" she screamed before tearing back through the livingroom toward the front door with her bookbag strapped firmly to her back. No one had time to reply before they heard the door slam.
"Well then...Shippo, would you like Kagome's eggs?" asked Mrs. Higurashi, as though nothing had happened.
Kagome ran down the stairs outside her shrine as fast as her legs could possibly carry her. Her ponytail slapped viciously at the back of her neck, stinging slightly and making a rustling noise in her ears. Eri and Yuki normally waited on her to walk to school with, but she was far too late for them to have waited this time. They probably assumed she'd had a relaspe of being sick again. They did that every time she was late.
"Oh Kagome, we thought you were sick," they'd say and then it was as though nothing happened. Sometimes she thought that if she ever truly got sick, it wouldn't be important, after all the times she'd been "sick" before. The traffic was sparse, a sure sign that she was late and also a good thing, she wouldn't hit hardly any interference.
"You!" rasped a voice so sudden and so accusingly in her ear that she skidded to such a hard stop she fell backward, landing harshly on her bottom. Kagome's head jerked back and forth. Who had said that? Her eyes roamed fiercely up and down the abandoned street.
"Huh?" she whimpered. She could feel the bruise begin to push to the surface of her butt and the cold wet sensation of her hair on the back of her neck, but that wasn't why her hairs were standing on end. It was because of the short and wispiness of the voice that she had heard in her head. Slowly she chanced getting to her feet, glancing in all directions around her for the source of the sound. "Who-who's there?" her throat quivered. No one answered. Down the street a small red car turned onto the road next to her, driving away from the empty street.
Kagome made a soft squeak in fear. Something was looming over her, something that did not like her, and the most scarey part of it was that she couldn't sense anything. She looked back toward the shrine steps down the street and longed to return home, to Mihaku and Inuyasha, but school came first. She'd been scared before, she could handle it. Behind her a storeclerk opened his door to sweep out the dust from messy customer feet. However, all Kagome had time to hear, was the creak of that door, before she was racing down the sidewalk with the fear of God beat into her.
Back at the shrine Shippo followed Mrs. Higurashi to the washer and dryer, while Grandpa escorted Souta to the bus stop. He was much too old for that, but Grandpa said it humbled him and that he'd just have to endure the torture. Inuyasha, meanwhile, went upstairs to Kagome's bedroom and sneakily popped his head through the door. Mihaku was making soft cooing noises, muttering "papa papa" over and over. Inuyasha could help but smile excitedly.
"Hey there little guy," he spoke carefully, approaching slowly. "Remember me?" he asked timidly. Mihaku squealed with joy as he clumzily pulled himself to his feet.
"PAPA!" he cried, his eyes closed and his silvery hair falling back off of his forehead in a tussel.
"Hey, easy there! Be careful!" yelped Inuyasha reaching as though to stop his perilous behavior, but not quite making it. His expression softened. "Ya know, you're kinda cute!" he grinned goofily and made a face at his son. "You remind me of someone, maybe it's your mother," he added tentatively as he lifted the child from the crib. He sighed. "Ya know what else? This is one point in time I'm glad to have waited till the modern day to be with Kagome...I know how to change baby clothes and...*sniff* diapers."
Shippo went to lift the washing machine lid as Mrs. Higurashi knelt down to the dryer door. Inside the dryer he saw his old Sengoku clothes, the ones Sango had made much bigger for him in her last few years. Sango served often as a temporary mother for him, and times like that reminded him of her. Mrs. Higurashi lifted the clothes and moved out of the room.
"Just put Inuyasha's things on repeat cycle, surface clean this time and for only thirty minutes!" she called over her shoulder as she made her way down the stairs. Inuyasha's things stunk like crazy, but Mrs. Higurashi certainly seemed like she knew what she was doing, so he did precisely as told.
As Mrs. Higurashi got to the bottom of the stairs she heard Inuyasha call out to her and stopped, carrying the basket in her arms. Inuyasha beamed down at her, with a cheerful Mihaku bouncing lightly in his arms. The resemblance between the two was striking, even their grins were close to perfect. Except Mihaku's eyes had an innocence Kagome's once held...before Mihaku was born.
"Need some help, Mrs.- uh," he began as he came closer. Kagome's mother blinked.
"I think it would be fine for you to call me mother as well, Inuyasha. After the bond you and my daughter share it would only be right," she smiled. Inuyasha nodded. "But don't call my father Grandpa unless he tells you to, he'll go crazy otherwise," she added, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in annoyance. Inuyasha laughed lightly, bumping Mihaku so he'd do the same. Together they followed Mrs. Higurashi into the livingroom. "So what are you two going to do today?" she piped.
"I don't know...I guess I'd like to see what all Kagome's taught him. She seems a little different than I remember...I'm just curious as to what all she would let him learn," he answered thoughtfully.
"Inuyasha, there's a question I have for you that you cannot tell a soul," she said abruptly. She'd dropped the clothes she was folding and turned to face him completely. Inuyasha blinked twice. That had totally took him off guard. Shippo, who was now at the doorway, also stared dumbfounded. "You too Shippo," she added.
"Um, alright," he swallowed.
"What is it mom?" was Inuyasha's nervous answer.
"Ever since Kagome started to show signs of being pregnant, she's been-- different."
"How so?" questioned Shippo.
"Well, she became violent and protective over us all. She was determined to increase her miko powers, to raise her son properly (which makes no sense to me because there isn't an improper way to raise someone as long as you teach them the neccessary things) and most of all...she acts wild. Her emotions are always hard and it takes a lot to get a genuine emotion out of her. Before then she was so emotional, tender even, and I miss it. What happened to her, Inuyasha? I assumed that since you were a hanyou that the baby could be affecting her, but it's still happening," whimpered Mrs. Higurashi fearfully.
"Oh," murmured Shippo quietly. Inuyasha on the other hand had a very guilty expression.
"Ma'am, when Kagome and I mated... I did not claim her, I didn't mark her or marry her in human ceremonies, because I knew I wouldn't be near her and it wouldn't be fair to her to claim her and isolate her from others who could make her happy..... I didn't know she was pregnant..." he explained.
"I-I don't understand, what do you mean??"
"In youkai terms, marking is the same as a wedding band, only stronger. Youkai mate for life and can sense when their mate is in danger. But, if the female youkai becomes with child, and is not marked, they take on the role of both male and female youkai until the child is able to take care of themselves. Which means they get as strong and dangerous as a male youkai added with the violence and jealousy of a female youkai, added with the protective and murderous intent of a mother youkai and eventually the female will either drive herself into a blind rage and get herself killed or die of a broken heart," spelled out Shippo. Mrs. Higurashi gripped her chest and stared at Inuyasha in disbelief.
"I didn't know she was going to get pregnant, or I would've marked her. The fact that she's human...it could've killed her by now...I hadn't thought of it until you said something...I can't believe the pain I put her in..." he whispered. Mihaku slapped at his face playfull, but went ignored.
"Well...can it be changed? I mean I've already noticed a change in her since your arrival!" exclaimed Mrs. Higurashi.
"Yeah! Now that Inuyasha is here, all of Kagome's instincts will drift away forever! I don't even know how she managed it this long....Maybe it has something to do with who she is? Or Inuyasha's beads?" Shippo continued on with a string of thoughts while Mrs. Higurashi walked up to Inuyasha with teary eyes.
"Thank you Inuyasha...I should be reprimanding you, but I know you didn't mean to do this to my daughter. I think it's safe to believe you love her nearly as much as I do, so...thank you. You've just done so much by being here," she sniffed and hugged him warmly. Inuyasha turned bright red and fidgetted under the attention.
"Y-Yeah, you're welcome," he stuttered.
"Sora! SORA!" yelled Grandpa from the front door. Everyone in the room turned around to see what the trouble was.
"What is it Grandpa?"
"That little rascal just walked off without a word to me! I tell you in my age people should respect you! We're not old for the fun of it!" he shouted. Shippo stifled a giggle at this while Inuyasha just stared.
"Shippo would you run hang these out on the line for me and I'll get to the other chores that need to be done?" interrupted Mrs. Sora Higurashi. Shippo nodded and went for the cloth. "And Inuyasha, go ahead and take Mihaku out to play, that way when Kagome gets home we can all go out to a nice dinner and he's not screaming the entire time."
Smiling broadly, his proud chest puffed out as his old arrogant ways came back to him, Inuyasha stepped out onto the porch of the back door. He took a deep breath of the air and then looked down to Mihaku, who instantly did the same. Mihaku grinned innocently.
"PAPA!"
"So, Mihaku....uh...I can tell by your smell that....no...-uh.....so........." he attempted. His mind was already panting from the effort it was putting out of trying to find the right words. He couldn't articulate exactly what emotion he was feeling because he was feeling so many and he honestly wouldn't have been capable of putting all of his questions into a pattern that made sense. "Lemme think...Kagome's been gone from the Feudal Era for two years....that means you- are- hm...15 months old! Wow!"
"PaaaaPA!" replied Mihaku talkatively.
"That's old for a little runt like you..." he grinned. Together they were walking across the shrine grounds. For some reason Inuyasha was heading toward the dissolving cherry blossom trees at the edge of the sacred land. The ones he had planted in memory of Kagome when Misora built the temple. It gave him an odd sense of being at home. This kid was growing on him too. Just touching him felt warm and fuzzy, normal emotions Inuyasha didn't bother with, but were worth experiencing when it's your son. Your only son! Your pup with the woman you love...the woman you put a strain on that could've killed her. "Mihaku..." he murmured, almost the first time he'd said the name, "I did a bad thing to your mommy and she doesn't even know it...she won't hate me, I know, she loves me too much. But it'll hurt her if I tell her...she'll think I only want to mark her as mine to save her sanity and return her to normal.....when in reality kid," he said as he lifted Mihaku into his hands, right in front of his face as they walked, "I want more than anything for her to be solely mine. And you! You ARE completely, utterly, no-one-better-try-me mine!" he added, growling and nibbling on Mihaku's neck playfully. Mihaku squealed loudly, his tiny hands slapping at Inuyasha's cheeks. Inuyasha chuckled deep down in his chest and rumbled the little boy he carried so affectionately. "So...let's see what you've learned, brat," he spoke, fondly, but firmly. He set Mihaku down at the edge of the cherry blossoms and then leapt three trees down, not too far, but far enough. "Okay, come," he commanded. Mihaku stared at him dumbfounded. Inuyasha could clearly see the blank expression reading on the infant's face and yet also a total disbelief in his stupidity. "Mihaku, come," he demanded stronger. Mihaku pushed up onto his chubby legs and stood tall in front of his father. Then, without the slightest thought, turned around and started to totter on back to the house. Inuyasha groaned heavily.
"Damn kid, gets it from his mother, every time--" he grumbled as he walked irritatedly forward on the child. He lifted Mihaku by the scruff of the neck and to eye level with himself. Mihaku's bright eyes gleamed curiously. "Now listen and listen good. You are my pup, my kid, my son and I am your father, your only father, your one and only ME! That means, you listen and do what I say and nobody gets hurt? Understood?" he growled. Mihaku's face screwed up violently at the tone in his father's voice and his breath caught perilously in his throat. Mihaku began to make tiny 'anhn-anha' noises in the back of his own throat. Inuyasha could sense the tears and in a desperate attempt, not follied by time, he yelled louder to stop the on slaught. "And the first thing you'll do is NOT CRY!" he cried out. Mihaku burst into un-dammed tears, squalling as his face turned red and his ears a pale shade of prune.
"Hey! HEY! I said no! Nooo! Stoooop it!" begged Inuyasha, clipping every sentence. He looked around frantically for anyone who might say something smart assed so he could take this frustration out on them. However, he'd achieved the distance from the world he was looking for and now it was only him....and his bawling son. "Okay! OKAY! I'M SORRY ALREADY! YOU HEAR ME! SORRY!" he shouted so loud that Mrs. Higurashi looked up from inside the house where she folded clothes and Shippo's gripped released on the sheet he was hanging up.
At Kagome's school two boys in uniforms could be heard boisterously bragging about their hunting trip last weekend. One said they had even caught a rabbit with two inch long nails! Kagome strode past them, not giving it a second thought. Youkai more than likely, and if a human took it out, not a very strong one. Besides, she was still chilled by that voice. It echoed in her head. Repeating the word and every time losing the sharp prick that stabbed at her innerds so menacingly. Why couldn't she sense it? What was that? Did she just imagine it?
Suddenly Kagome lunged forward and nearly lost her balance, catching herself half way by grabbing the water fountain on her right. She breathed in heavily and shuddered fearfully.
"Gee, sorry Kag. You're never off guard like that," apologized Yuki. She stood with her head down and her hand writhing in her lap, while Eri had bent over to assure Kagome was alright. Kagome barely held back the sigh she felt at seeing her friends once more. She had thought for a split second that something was out to get her! That was ridiculous! Who would want her now? There wasn't anything at all special about Kagome Higurashi!
"It-it's cool Yuki. I was just kinda freaked out. I fell earlier at the staircase and I'm still shaky," she promised, making up a lame excuse that was semi-similar to the truth. Yuki nodded and grinned. She at least seemed satisfied. Eri, however, had her hands on Kagome's arm and was helping her stand back up.
"Wow, that musta been some trip if you're this shaken up. You wanna go see the nurse?" she wondered worriedly.
"Nurse? What for? I'm just a little jumpy right now, that's all," she retorted. Eri let her stand on her own.
"Okay...if you're sure."
"C'mon! Am I ever not sure?" she joked. Eri finally allowed a held back smile to grace her face and turned her head in reluntance. "All right then!" she laughed.
"Hey, we'd better get to class. The bell rings in about-" Yuki checked her watch, "-30 SECONDS?" she screamed. Kagome turned heel with Eri's wrist in hand and all three girls bolted for the door at the very end of the hall, praying the bell wouldn't ring.
Inuyasha whimpered sorrowfully as Mihaku continued his crying spell, now seated in his exhausted lap under the most shaded tree in the forest. Mihaku took deep breaths and then a number of shallow ones.
"How do I make you stop?!" whined the grown demon. He looked pitifully at Mihaku who offered no assistance whatsoever. "Where's the off button! I'm tired of this! Miroku never had to do this!" he grumbled, searching Mihaku from top to bottom. He was so busy looking for the imaginary switch that he hardly noticed the silence drifting into the air. He had almost turned the child upside down before he realized it. The quiet of a normal day! At last! Shocked and curious as to how he'd stopped the unbelievable pain in his son's cries, Inuyasha turned Mihaku to face him. The boy's eyes were sealed shut, a tiny little snot bubble was growing on his nose, and his tear stained cheeks were shimmering with the sunlight as his mouth barely moved open and closed. His nearly inaudible breath suddenly came in loud and clear to Inuyasha as though it were amplified by the screams of before. Those wretched screams that would haunt his subconcious until he died. He couldn't stand it when people cried, or rather, those he cared about, and to hear his own flesh and blood, something more dear to him than life, wail and sob as though his world were coming to an end...well it nearly killed him. Mihaku made a quiet slurping noise of his tongue wiping away a bad taste as his head hung uncomfortably low.
"Well I'll be damned. He fell asleep!" awed Inuyasha. Then, without warning, he had the urge to take the baby into his arms and hold him safely until he awoke. Cradling him in the nook of his left arm Inuyasha wiped away the remaining tears, sliding down his cheeks. "It's alright, don't cry anymore...Daddy's here," he whispered. Mihaku's muscles relaxed at the touch and softness in his father's voice. He then turned into Inuyasha's chest, gripping the fabric possessively and pressing his forehead into his chest. Inuyasha grinned so lovingly that his entire body curled around this child, to protect him and love him. He researched every inch of the white haired toddler from his claws to his big, pale purple pajama-like outfit he had put on him earlier. HIS son...He was going to figure it out, one step at a time...
At lunch time Kagome ate alone on a bench near the pond at the front of her school. She hadn't packed a lunch, so she nibbled the cream cake and shrimp bits Yuki and Eri gave to her before their class. Today was one of those rare days schedules collided. And so Kagome sat alone, nibbling with little interest and staring into space. Her mind was devoid of thought and clearly her heart felt empty and peaceful for the moment. Until somehow, she drifted into thoughts of the wonderful events of the the night before. Inuyasha! Mihaku! Shippo! All of them together as a family! She wondered what Inuyasha and Mihaku were doing? And Shippo! Had her mother drafted him on chores for the day? Inuyasha was sure to be next in that case! But where would they go from there. Would Inuyasha and Shippo just sleep on cots at Kagome's house for the rest of their lives?
She had promised her grandpa, two months after Mihaku was born, that she would take over as priestess when she came of age and that meant she had to live there for the rest of her life. She was happy to do it also. That was the land she had met Inuyasha on, discovered who she was, and it held the most scared of all the trees in history..."the god tree" at which she'd met Inuyasha for the first time. She wanted to protect it forever! Maybe, she could run around town getting rid of evil spirits the way Miroku did and gather a few bucks. Just enough to maybe get another room built onto the house? For Shippo or Mihaku or something of the sort. Inuyasha would sleep with her...that was what she wanted...Inuyasha...she fingered the beads on her neck tenderly.
"KILL!" screeched a high pitched shrill cry. Kagome covered her ears in pain, dropping her cream cake into the pond. The fish under the water bobbed up quickly to retrieve it.
"Ahhhh!" Kagome moaned. Her ears were throbbing! Forcing her eyes open she searched for who had shouted in her ears. No one was behind her! She looked around the concrete seperator of the lunch grounds and the pond and saw nothing, not even a leaf russel. There was definately no way a sound could've made it that far from that distance. There was nothing there...Kagome's heart sped up at the train of thoughts. She was in danger now, she knew it! Paranoia, maybe. Maybe they wanted Mihaku or INUYASHA! He had just returned! And that was when the voice-- Kagome felt something warm and slick sliding down the sides of her jaw. "Huh?" she wondered, lifting her hands to touch the spots. They met with a liquidy goo that when she pulled back to inspect was red. "What? Is that- my blood?" she trembled. Her fingers darted to her ears and felt more of the fluid coming slowly out of her. Her ears were bleeding. That voice had made her ears bleed..
Grandpa stopped sweeping near the temple door and stood straight. Shippo, who'd been sharpening a small bone dagger he kept on his his left ankle, looked up curiously at the absence.
"Mr. Higurashi?" he questioned. He stared at the old man with worry. The priest was thinking about something, processing something very difficult to process and would not be interrupted until he had decerned the answer.
"Afternoon boys!" cheered Mrs. Higurashi as she came toward them with a plater of nearly twenty cut down the middle sandwiches. In her other had were two bottles of juice and a box of crackers under her arm. She beamed at her father, who stared seriously out at the shrine. "Grandpa?" she muttered carefully.
"Something terrible is going to happen...I can feel it!" he said suddenly nearly scaring the wits out of Shippo who jumped like a stuck pig. Mrs. Higurashi rolled her eyes and set the plate down on the elevated wooden porch. His voice went grave: "I'm serious Sora......I can feel it..."
Shippo knealt low to the ground near the stone walls at the end of the shrine steps. Focused on doing a perfect job, he lifted the white parchment to the concrete and pasted it firmly out of sight of any possible visitors. It'd been about two hours since Mr. Higurashi had sensed something horrible in the future and ever since they'd done nothing but put up charms to ward of all sorts of thing. Mr. Higurashi was currently at the edge of the woods plastering paper after paper for a million different things to block. He didn't want spirits, evil intending humans, or youkai to enter the grounds without permission. That was also why he'd given Shippo a very long speech about not leaving the shrine until the threat passed, otherwise he wouldn't be able to get back in.
Shippo stood and rubbed the sweat from his forehead. The sun wasn't even comepletely out and he was sweating like a pig. He wondered in silence what the threat could be. Looking out at the busy street corner the Higurashi's lived on he was watched innocent citizens and loving parents with their children going in every direction possible. Could one of them be stalking them all? Just then a chill ran down his back and he found himself very appreciative that the spells were in place. True they weren't as strong as Miroku's but when Kagome got home she'd certainly make them stronger.
"Hey Shippo!" Inuyasha shouted, coming slowly down the stairs with Mihaku groggily tangled in his left arm. Shippo turned and smiled widely at his father. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, Mom's grandpa sensed some evil looming over us all and demanded that we put up charms and jinxes to keep out the bad," he explained as he peered down into Mihaku's face. Inuyasha bunched up his nose.
"An evil?"
"Yeah, he seemed really serious about it to. Grandma didn't pay it any attention at all but told me that if he was that determined to just go ahead and help. To be honest I'm kinda glad I did. I don't know what this evil is he's sensing but something just feels like it's.... out of place, ya know?"
"Yeah...I know. Maybe it's just the difference in the way we're living now. Either way we can't be too careful," agreed Inuyasha seriously. He brushed the strand of silver hair that had fallen in Mihaku's face to the side and thought intently. "You almost done here?" he asked, more brightly than the previous conversation.
"Yeah, all I've got is one more to put on the well house door and then I'm gonna help Mrs. Higurashi start dinner."
"You'd better be careful, you're going to spoil her," chuckled Inuyasha as they started up the steps. Shippo blushed slightly and hung his head.
"Inuyasha!" he moaned. "She just kinda reminds me of Misora, that's all."
The bell rang twice. Kagome was already late. She walked slowly, her books in her hands and her eyes sort of glazed over. There wasn't a thought in her mind, only the drive to get to her class like she was supposed to. Even if she was painfully late and would draw so much attention to herself that normally she'd die from the embarrassment. She would be lying if she told you she wasn't scared. She'd heard something. Something evil was whispering in her ear and just that whisper made her ears bleed. She hadn't been the same since. All the way through her history class she stared at the scratched spot of her desk, blank from the neck up. Yuki had passed her a note when the teacher wasn't looking and she didn't even realize the paper was there until moments later. Something was definately wrong.
"Kagome!" whispered a strained voice. Kagome jumped as though a demon had landed on her back and was chewing her neck into tiny slivers. Her books hit the floor and her heart pounded so harshly against her ribcage that she felt herself slipping away from conciousness. She barely noticed the thunderous crash of her own body colliding cruelly with the lockers beside her. This was it! She was going to die! "Kagome!" yelped the voice, almost as though they were panicked. Kagome reached up to her ears and felt for the warm liguid that had fallen there before. There wasn't anything! "Kagome!" whispered the voice again, only this time forcefully. She looked up and into the faces of Eri and Yuki leaning out of the girls bathroom, horror etched into their faces.
Suddenly Kagome was aware that she was sitting on the floor, her shirt tore from the lockers she'd hit, her books sprawled out at her feet, and her half way unconcious mind from oxygen deprevation.
"Yuki? Eri?" she muttered through half closed eye lids.
"C'mon Yuki," Eri ordered and together they checked the hallways for someone who could get them in trouble before rushing out to Kagome's side. They were skipping class like Kagome, only Kagome didn't intend to. What was going on?
The next thing Kagome knew was that she was now situated on a cold hard floor with the smell of potent water in the air. She looked up from where her head lay on her chest and blinked. Yuki was standing at the sink staring at her reflection with disgust and Eri was sitting against the wall opposite of Kagome, her legs pulled up to her chin and her head nestled in the middle of the fetal position. She took a second to make sure of what she was seeing.
"Eri? Are you alright?" she asked carefully. Eri's head popped up immediately with surprise and delight.
"Oh Kagome!" wailed Yuki as she dropped to Kagome's level.
"Are you all right? We didn't mean to scare you that bad! We just wanted to get your attention!" Eri explained, rapidly laying out her excuse of guilt.
"I'm fine! I'm fine! Please!" Kagome giggled. Eri sat back as Yuki ran over to her back pack near where Eri had been sitting. She pulled out an orang bottle and brought it over to her friend.
"Here, drink this. It'll help get your energy back," she said and Kagome took the bottle. Turning it up eagerly she guzzled the orange soda as fast as the powerful little carbonated bubbles would allow her too. Eri giggled as Yuki sat next to them.
"What happened?" asked Kagome, between sips.
"We heard someone walking down the hallway just after the bell and leaned out a little to see if it was a teacher. When we saw it was you we decided to get your attention so you could skip with us, but when we whispered your name you jumped like you were on fire and crashed into the lockers," said Eri.
"We were afraid you'd get the principal down here with all that noise and also that you were about to pass out so we pulled you in here and sat you down there. You've only been out of it for the last ten or fifteen minutes," helped Yuki. "I went to the teacher's lounge about five minutes ago to get you a drink for when you woke up. What happened? Why'd you react that way? No one can ever catch you off guard..."
"I guess you just woke me up out of a zone I was in and it kinda knocked the wind out of me. That's why I kinda fainted, I couldn't breath out...thanks guys, I owe you a major one for that," sighed Kagome. She let her head fall back against the cement of the walls and closed her eyes to calm down a little bit.
"That's good. We thought you might of hit your head," admitted Eri ashamed. She obviously felt responsible for what happened, but Kagome wasn't about to say everything was okay. Eri'd still scared the shit out of her and that deserved a little punishment. Kagome made a mental note to tell her not to blame herself...tomorrow.
The trio of girls sat in the girls bathroom for the rest of the school day. Kagome didn't dare tell her friends what was happening...or rather, what she thought was happening. Instead she settled to listen to their stories about their day. Eri had failed her test and Yuki had passed with flying colors. Eri was sore from volley ball yesterday and from trying to keep up with Kagome, while Yuki had reminded them about the car accident. That was when Kagome remembered Inuyasha was protecting Mihaku and Shippo was there to help! She felt a huge feeing of relief at the idea and couldn't wait to get home. When the bell rang to end the school day Kagome walked home alone for the first time in years. Eri had to go to work at the video arcade and Yuki had promised to go grocery shopping before she went home. Because Kagome wanted to go home as fast as possible so she decided not to go with Yuki.
The sky was turning gray quickly overhead. Kagome looked up and predicted rain within the next hour. She had to hurry if she wanted to get home before it started so she began to run. She could see the stairs just up the street and excitement filled her heart. She was coming back to Inuyasha! Her Inuyasha! Slowing down she fingered the beads around her neck and allowed memories she used to find too painful wash over her. Inuyasha falling from a high treetop and cursing or riding on Inuyasha's back through the air. She sighed from deep down inside herself. She was beginning to feel so much more free than before. Mihaku didn't even seem like a painful reminder of what she'd left behind. Now he was a glorious addition to her journies in the Sengoku Jedai.
She was so overwhelmed with happiness and exhilirated tears that she hardly noticed the street just as empty as when she went to school. She didn't even think about what had happened to her earlier in the day. The fact that Inuyasha was a short walk away just made everything better for her. She turned the corner to go up the stairs to the family shrine when she encountered something hard and it knocked her backwards onto the sidewalk. Kagome cringed and looked up. She thought she'd been turning onto the stairs, but maybe in her daze she had turned too late or too soon. However, she found herself seated directly in front of the shrine stairs. Overhead the thunder began to tremble the clouds. Kagome felt a sinking feeling inside of her. Something had blocked her from going onto the stairs.
Frantically Kagome ran forward and reached out her hands. They met with thin air that was as hard as a wall. Her hands roved up and down and left and right, looking for a hole in the forefield, a gap she could use to get through to her home and family. Her heart began to race harder. She was blocked from getting home and whatever had been lurking around her was still out there. She pounded on the force field with her fists.
"MOM! GRANDPA! ANYONE? HELP!" she cried into the wall, praying that her voice at least could make it through. The thunder grumbled again in irritation.
Up the stairs, inside the house, in the kitchen Mrs. Higurashi sat feeding Mihaku in his high chair. She smiled and giggled with him as he made faces and turned his head. In the living room Inuyasha sat on the couch with Souta next to him and Shippo sitting on the floor next to the coffee table. Grandpa was meditating in a chair nearby, pondering on what could be the problem. Souta flipped the channel to cartoons as Shippo rubbed his now clean robes to make them more comfortable against his skin.
Kagome stepped back. She didn't even know if they could hear her. She had to find a phone or, if the door bell worked someone would come to see about her. But Souta had broke the doorbell two months ago when his friends knocked him against the wall after school. He dumped cherry slushie all over it. The hair on the back of Kagome's neck stood on end. She turned her head slowly around, the rest of her body frozen. She could feel it this time. It was coming toward her. Just then, without warning, the wall next to her chipped and crackled as though something extremely heavy had thrust into it. The dust settled on Kagome's hair and her eyes went to tiny pupils. Then it happened again, another chunk of cement gone from the wall like a chisel was shaping it, only this time it was closer to her. Lightning flashed across the sky and Kagome made a run for it, before the danger could get close. She huffed and heaved as she ran. Fear was gripping her throat. "Inuyasha!" she screamed as she turned right around another abandoned corner. There was a soft wooshing sound as the rain came falling down around her. Kagome looked up at the sky as though that would make it stop, but it only came down harder. She was about to slow her gate when she felt something grip her ankle. In mad panic she jerked to free herself from the invisible vice and accidentally lurched herself off the sidewalk and into the gutter. Mud splashed up into her face, clinging to her bangs and staining her clothes. She paused and tried to calm down, her chest rising and falling dramatically as she attempted to catch her breath.
"I got you," whispered a gentle, though violent voice on the air. It made Kagome's head ache with a sharp pain. She had to get out of there before it hurt her! Fighting to stand against the heavily falling rain and the sloshing of the mud Kagome pushed her way back onto the sidewalk and into a desperate run. "INUYASHA!" she pleaded, tears pouring from her eyes as though part of the weeping of the sky.
At the house Inuyasha stood up and went to the clock on the wall. It was nearing five o'clock, but Kagome still wasn't home.
"Mr. Higurashi, what time does Kagome normally get home?" he asked worriedly. Shippo sat up and put his arm on the couch.
"Yeah, I was beginning to wonder that too," he agreed. Mr. Higuarshi opened his eyes and looked around the room. All eyes were on him.
"Sora, what time is Kagome supposed to be home today?" he asked. Inuyasha and Shippo practically floored it with disbelief.
"Three thirty!" she called back and then laughed, no doubtedly at Mihaku. Inuyasha's face instantly drew up with worry.
"And she's not back..?" asked Souta with a tremble in his voice. The room went quiet, only the comical sounds of the cartoons on the TV was left. Inuyasha was listening hardest of all. Many nights, while Shippo slept, Inuyasha had laid awake and listened to the sound of Kagome voice, almost miles away, groaning over homework. If he could just find her voice now. It was always so hard to hear her, when he did it at night he had to concentrate for at least an hour. His senses of desiring her to be his mate, the mother of his child, quickly kicked in and worked as an amplifier for him. He needed to hear her now.
"Inuyasha!" It was extremely, extremely faint, but he heard it. Kagome calling out his name in a terrified and crying voice.
"I hear her!" he shouted before crashing out of the house. Grandpa stood in shock while the two boys jumped and leaned to watch the demon retreat. Mrs. Higurashi came to the doorway holding Mihaku with a confused look on her face.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha called as he leapt over the shrine walls. He would've tried sniffing her out but when it rained he found it hard. The roads were empty other than cars flying by with their windshield wipers going full force. It was rare to see a street this empty, but it was raining hard. He listened for Kagome's call again.
"Inuyasha, Inuyasha, Inuyasha..." muttered Kagome. She hugged her knees tighter, pushed farther into the little hole she had discovered. She burrowed her head out of the light and prayed the apparition couldn't find her.
{Oh god kagome, please be alive, be okay!} begged Inuyasha in his mind. He hadn't begged for anything in literally hundreds of years and now he was begging with everything in his heart. After all the time he'd waited for her, dreamed about her, imagined her breath...he would not lose her now...he'd take his own life if he lost her. He stopped his leaping and searching at the thought. If he killed himself he'd lose Mihaku too and Mihaku would lose both of his parents. Could he do that?
"Dammit Inuyasha! Don't think that, Kagome's fine! You'll never have to-" he was ranting again, why did she always do that to him? The only reason he even stopped was the interruption of a woman whimpering nearby. Inuyasha jerked his head around, but saw nothing. "Kagome?" he called. The whimpering came again only this time on a breeze and he caught the faintest scent of- "jasmine! Kagome I'm coming!" he assured as he took off once again. He followed the sound of whimpering to a park bench and a phone booth near the bridge by the park. There, wedged deep inside a space between the bridge support beams, was a drenched, shivering, and filthy Kagome. She was curled into the tightest fetal position he'd ever seen and she was muttering his name over and over.
"Oh, Kagome," he whispered. Kagome jerked violently and looked up with the most utterly smashed with fear expression she'd ever made. What in the world was happening? Inuyasha walked forward quickly as Kagome registered a person had actually said her name this time.
"I-Inuyasha?" she sniveled.
"Kagome, what in the world- god! What happened to your-" he reached to touch her face.
"AOW!" she shrieked, snapping her head back. Inuyasha retracted his hand slightly. On her cheek there were three deep gashes, almost like claw marks, and they were still bleeding. The red had even dripped down onto the green of her skirt. There was mud all over her from head to foot, what hadn't been washed away by the rain, and her eyes were blood shot. She'd been crying for a long time and her clothes were ripped.
"It's all right, I'm here now. Nothing and NO ONE is going to hurt you. Let's go home," he coaxed, reaching in and pulling her out of the hole. Kagome clinged to him like a frightened child, gripping his haori and sobbing violently. Inuyasha held her close to his chest for a moment, sitting in the shelter of the bridge. He'd ask questions later, right now he wanted her safe and away from whatever had done this too her. Kagome yelped suddenly and Inuyasha could smell her blood curl. She pulled her head back and looked around the scene before ducking her head under his arms like rabbit on the run. "Come on," he said hurriedly and leapt out from under the bridge, holding her in his arms and running back to the shrine as fast as he could. Now he was just as grateful as Shippo for the barriers.