Chapter Three: Expect the unexpected

Author's Notes: Here it is people, the third instalment of the OHG series. Just finished my math finals this morning and I tell you it wasn't good. I think I'm gonna die young with all the studying and worrying this university gives me. It's getting real hard to cope with the university's standards OR maybe I just need to study. Oh well on with the fic.


Disclaimer: What?! Disclaimer again? You know I don't own them so stop rubbing it on my face!



"..." – Dialogue
'…' - Thoughts



On Holy Grounds
Chapter Three: Expect the unexpected



--++OHG++--



The train ride was fairly good set aside Sango and Miroku's periodical bickering. The view was great and the terrain smooth. Kagome leaned over the glass window to have a better view. The clouds were white as cotton and were thick and full, while the sky was a heavenly blue. 'I have to remember to go home and drop the daily report before nine.' Kagome thought.


Suddenly, images of the stranger invaded her mind. The raw anger in his amber eyes when she saw him at the park, his bloodied hands, those cute dog ears, the way his chest rose and fell when he was sleeping, the way his silver hair shone whenever he moved his head, the way he treated her after all the trouble she went through that night. 'The nerve of that guy!'


She blew the hair over her forehead that was blocking her line of sight and turned to look at her two unusually silent companions beside her. They were sleeping. It was expected since they have been travelling for the past two hours; the first hour spent on their squabbling. The funny thing was, Sango was closing in on Miroku's shoulder. One nudge from an external force could cause her to completely lean on him.


Kagome pretended to move and hit Sango gently, sending her body sideways and her head zero in on Miroku's shoulders. Perfect. If she was going to betray her best friend, she'd rather do it while she was sleeping soundly. She did not want Sango to wake up and realize that her best friend did it on purpose. They obviously like each other anyway. Kagome giggled, the serene looks on both their faces told her that they were in deep sleep. Probably past the REM stage.


The train stopped ten minutes later. Kagome had the honour to see Sango's face turn red when she found herself snuggled beside Miroku. Kagome couldn't help but laugh at the situation she put her friend in. While the poor guy woke up totally clueless as to why Kagome was laughing so hard while Sango beet red.


They disembarked the train as soon as it totally stopped. They double checked the seats just in case they forgot something. Outside, they saw Hojo waiting for them. The boy had a silly smile on his face. He was totally oblivious of the tired looks his friends had while he continued chatting all the way to the parking lot. There, they were greeted by the warm smile of none other than Mrs. Taro.


"You poor dears, you all look exhausted to the bone."


The three tried to give her their best smile but all they unknowingly produced were weary ones. The door of the AUV behind Mrs. Taro opened and a kid wearing jeans and a blue and white striped shirt came out. "Kagome!" And without warning, he jumped and landed on Kagome's arms.


"Shippo! How are you?! Wow, you've gotten heavier already." Kagome put Shippo down. The boy was smiling brightly at her. He seemed very happy to see Kagome.


"That's because the last time you visited was two months ago!" The boy put on a pout and Kagome bent to pinch his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I've been very busy. But we're here right? We'll have lots of fun today."


Shippo nodded and happily scooted back to the AUV. By this time, Mrs. Taro, his mother was already in the driver's seat. Hojo took hold of their packages and secured it in the back compartment. Miroku boarded first not hearing Sango say something about ladies coming in first. Kagome followed and was greeted by the weight of Shippo, who came in earlier, in her lap. Hojo positioned himself on the passenger's seat.


As usual, Sango and Miroku were bickering again. "You pervert! You did that on purpose!" A very angry Sango said.


"My dear Sango, what did I do this time?" Miroku said, sliding on his innocent face again. "Urgh! You're impossible! And to think I believed that you'd change after all these years!" Each word was given emphasis by a blow to the head.


Kagome was too tired to listen to her two friends. Her eyes were fluttering and she had to fight back to keep them open. "Higurashi, would you like some?" Hojo's voice startled the daylights out of her. Sango and Miroku's voice were all too familiar to her that she was used to hearing them quarrel everyday. But Hojo's; it was the first time in months she hard him again. She tried to focus her eyes. Shippo was still seated on her lap; he was asleep now.


"It's okay Hojo." The boy smiled and resumed in eating the chips that he offered to Kagome.


Kagome tried to close her eyes but she wasn't sleepy anymore. She still felt tired; so she decided to look at the scenery instead. Green was everywhere, even though winter was drawing near. The place was just as beautiful as the last time she had been there. There were no houses along the way. The road was lined with trees that seemed to stretch their branches towards heaven. It was clean too. No dirty plastic bags, plastic cups or candy foils anywhere.


Contented with the scenery she saw, Kagome turned her attention to her companions. Shippo was still asleep while Hojo was still busy munching on the chips that she realized was theirs. It was meant for the children, the little sneak must have got his hands on it when he put their packs inside the compartment. Kagome inwardly laughed. 'I didn't think you had it in you Hojo."


Through the years that she knew Hojo, she always thought that he was the epitome of goodness and naivety. Always doing the right thing and come to think of it, she can't even remember a time when he became angry. The guy was totally clueless with the ways of the real world. It was like he was stripped off from an ideal fairy tale of sorts. All this thinking because of one pack of chips? They had plenty, besides he could have been hungry. Kagome reasoned out.


Sango and Miroku weren't arguing now. Miroku was preoccupied watching the surroundings while Sango rigidly tried to look straight ahead in an effort to avoid him. Then there was Mrs. Taro. Even while driving, she wore a smile on her face. Kagome has always been amazed at how this woman looked so at peace. Kagome always felt welcome in her presence even during their first meeting. There was a certain aura in her that strangely felt like her mother's. A calming aura.



--++OHG++--



A loud knock was heard coming from his front door. The racket had been going on for minutes now but he didn't open it because he didn't want to. Whoever the hell it was better go away. He wasn't in the mood to deal with anybody right now.


He had been drinking since afternoon. His white shirt was unbuttoned as he lay lazily on his brown couch. It was not like he would get intoxicated, he was a hanyou after all. He just wanted to savour the bittersweet taste of the liquid that humans came to consider a source of momentary solace. Too bad he didn't and couldn't feel any of it. All he could benefit from the beverage was the added flavour of the alcoholic liquid whenever it slid down his throat which slightly burned in its path. His sensitive hanyou senses could feel the prickling liquid spread through his entire body.


Still more banging. "Hey man would you lower it down a bit?" Bang. "Are you fucking deaf?" Bang. "Dammit." Inuyasha huffed when he heard the stranger, which was probably his next door neighbour, go away in defeat. His speakers were blazing so loud that the lone vase in the house moved with every beat. It took a while for his hanyou ears to get used to the loud volume. At first his head ached so hard that he had to abruptly turn it down. But he didn't want any of that. He was bent on torturing himself because he wasn't worthy to live.


How he wished the beverage worked on him the way it was intended for with the humans. Maybe then he could at least forget about his burden. He could feel free. How he longed that he had the power to change things instead. It had been his fault. She died for him and all she thought in her death bed was him. He wasn't even expecting her to leave so soon. If only he paid more attention he could have seen that her skin was so much paler. He could have noticed that she tired easily, he should have seen how her eyes lacked their usual sparkle, he could have seen that her smile was heavy and burdened, but he did not.


In the back of his mind, he could still remember the last she said to him. "Inuyasha, I ask only one thing from you, please don't ever forget me."


Inuyasha took another gulp from the bottle. 'Tonight, Kikyou tonight.'



--++OHG++--



The children ran excitedly to meet Kagome, Sango and Miroku. The three had slept before they decided to present themselves to the children knowing well that they couldn't stand to be in their presence without rest. They had been so tired. Whoever thought that sitting would be so exhausting?


"Sango we missed you! You too Kagome!" Both girls were smiling, all traces of stress washed away from their faces without a trace when the children greeted them.


Miroku cleared his throat, expecting someone to greet him as well. The two girls laughed at him when they saw the exasperated expression on his face.


The day went pretty good for the friends. The children were ecstatic to see them. They had played all day and showed no signs of stopping if Mrs. Taro hadn't reminded them to get ready for dinner.


Sango and Kagome went to the kitchen to assist Mrs. Taro while Miroku made sure that the children were all washed and cleaned before coming to the table. After washing their hands themselves, the girls started to work on the food they had brought with them. Sango was slicing the carrots while Kagome and Mrs. Taro were preparing the meat.


"Kagome dear, what do you think of Shippo?" Kagome's eyes went to look at the older woman's while thinking of an answer.


"Oh, Shippo's a really great kid. He can be smart and annoying if he wanted to or both but that's what really makes him so adorable. And with all the energy he always has I wonder if he ever gets tired." The girl laughed at the last comment.


Mrs. Taro nodded. "I'm glad you think of him that way Kagome."


Dinner was the highlight of the day. The children 'oohed' and 'aawed' at the sight of the feast that was laid in front of them. No sooner had they devoured the food after Miroku finished the prayer.


Leaving was the most difficult part. The children were wailing and trashing around in attempt to stop them. In the end, they all agreed that Kagome, Sango and Miroku would be back in a few days to play. This seemed to clam them down a bit but they had more difficulty in convincing Shippo. He boy clung stubbornly at Kagome's leg and refused to let go. Finally, after moments of promises, he gave in and clung to his mother's leg instead.


Kagome, Sango and Miroku waved their goodbyes at Hojo who drove them to the train station. Oh no, it was already 6:30, the bargaining with the kids took more time than they had expected. How was she going to go home before nine at this condition? Kaede would be pissed; well she wasn't really sure since the old woman had never lost temper in front of her employees before. She was always so composed and calm. Kagome positioned herself comfortably at the seat nearest to the window. Faint snores can be heard from her two other seatmates.


They place they had visited was an orphanage home run by Mrs. Taro. Her husband had died years ago and Kagome was present at his funeral. Mrs. Taro had been her church mate since she could remember and from the facts she gathered, she learned that it was her husband that started the orphanage. She and Shippo, her biological son and the only living relative she had, moved the home to a better location upon his death.


The trio made sure that they had at least four trips to the orphanage a year. This was their third, fourth was supposed to come during winter but from the looks of things the winter visit was going to be their fifth this year. It all started when they heard from the elders of the church that Mrs. Taro was having a difficult time maintaining and looking after the twelve children living under her roof. Hojo, who was still with them at that time, volunteered himself to help and had been staying there ever since.


It had been three months before they decided to check up on Hojo and when they did, they were surprised when the children pounced on them. Enjoying the little visit, they promised to do it again on a more regular basis, taking all sorts of things like toys, clothes and food with them.



--++OHG++--



Thank God the train they got was faster. Kagome all but ran as fast as she could from the train station to their house. She quickly went over her things and screamed triumphantly when she saw the daily report tucked between the pages of her math book. She hurried out of the room but not before noticing a big blue jacket sprawled on the floor. She picked it up and recognized it as the jacket the stranger had been wearing. She was about to leave it on the floor again but felt something hard hit her stomach as she flung it. She looked inside the pocket and saw a black wallet. Believing the wallet should at least have his address, she flung it open. True enough, an identification card was displayed. She quickly scanned the address and nodded when she recognized the place before she scampered on her way to Kaede's house.


It was cold but she was in such a hurry that she forgot to pick up her hung jacket. 'Oh he'll never know.' Kagome thought as she slid the big jacket to her shivering body. She was instantly flooded by his scent but gave it no thought as she was contented to feeling the extra warmth the jacket gave. She had arrived at her employer's home at exactly eight fifty-seven. She took a moment to catch her breath and rung the door bell.


Kaede came out seconds later. She smiled when she saw her employee outside her gate at the middle of the night. "Good, you made it child. I called your house but your mother told me you were on a trip again."


When Kaede mentioned the trip, she was really referring to the visit they made earlier to the orphanage home. Kagome had told the old woman about the promise they made to Mrs. Taro and she was pleased with the idea.


Kagome shivered when she felt another draft and instinctively wrapped her arms around her waist. She heard Kaede chuckle. "I'm sorry child; you should come in for tea. I wouldn't want my best girl get a cold out here."


The girl missed the compliment; she just shook her head and handed Kaede the daily report. "Thank you so much maam but I really should get going. It's late and I still have one more item to deliver." Kagome said with a smile. At this, Kaede smiled back at her and bid her a goodnight before closing the gate.


Kagome shivered again. 'As if he hadn't caused so much trouble already.' Her thoughts had been on the man that she had known as Inuyasha Taisho if the card told her right. He lived at the other side of the town, too close for a cab and too far for a walk. She had left her purse anyway so there was no choice left but to walk her way through. Kagome looked up at the black starless sky. She turned her head in all the four directions. 'Hmm... No moon tonight.'


She had thought of postponing their little reunion for tomorrow since it was already late but did otherwise. She was going to relax tomorrow; she was looking forward to it that by now she had it all planned out. She wouldn't get out of bed till ten in the morning, she was going to have one of those most wanted long baths to relax her tired muscles and after lunch, she'd invite Sango for a little shopping or window shopping whatever her friend would prefer.


Kagome had been deep in thought that she didn't notice she had arrived his apartment; not she until she toyed with his wallet inside the jacket. She looked at the apartment number and sighed. Sixth floor and there was no sign of an elevator. 'I hope he appreciates this.'


She stopped at mid knock to look at the black metal door that separated her from Inuyasha. She could hear a high pitched electric guitar playing inside. 'How can he expect people to sleep with such noise?' She twisted the knob and was both relieved and alarmed at the same time that it was open. In truth, she was reluctant to see the stranger again. There was so many possibilities of what was going to happen if she came barging in at this unholy hour but the one she saw had absolutely shocked her.


A man lay motionless on the floor. His black hair a mess and blood soaked the carpet he was on. She froze, not expecting to be greeted by such sight. Then her instincts snapped at her. She quickly ran to the man's side and noticed the broken pieces of the beer bottle beside him. There was a wide cut in his right wrist so she checked the other hand for a pulse instead. She was thankful to find one although a little faint. At closer inspection, she saw another wide cut parallel to his stomach. Blood ran out through the two wounds. Recalling her first aid training in high school, she bandaged the man with the cut blanket she pulled out from his bedroom.


That should do for now. Kagome grabbed the telephone and dialled for an ambulance. She did what she could and all she had to do now was wait for reinforcement. 'I hope they get here on time.' She settled beside him on the floor to regard his features closely. Shock and disbelief once again filled her.


"Oh my god, Inuyasha?!"





Author's Notes:
I had no idea it was this hard to make up a feasible plot! Does this confuse you already? Tell me about it in your reviews! Cause I too am lost sometimes. Thanks for the time!

*Bows*

Until next time!


maybe_marce

^_~