Bye, Bye Baby!
Chapter Sixteen
"Attention all United Airlines passengers, Gate C-56 is now loading anyone with disabilities or small children as well as rows 1-5. Thank you."
The PA system clicked off and the flight attendant behind the customer service desk began tapping at the computer, attending flight attendant business. Adults with small children attached to their hands stood and collected their baggage; as well as some rich passengers, all of which who were heading towards the airplane. The cheerful brunette standing in front of the gate smiled and accepted their tickets before allowing them access.
Inu yasha glanced at Kagome and Moriko, who sat solemnly beside him. He sighed gently and nudged Kagome. She jumped and looked at him quickly before lowering her gaze. "Hey, don't look so glum, I'll be back."
Kagome said nothing. Inu yasha sighed and let it go, looking back out the window of the airport, watching the planes take off and land.
He glanced briefly at his clock, finding it hard to believe three days had passed by already. He'd spent the days sleeping on the couch as Moriko was moved back into her old room and Kagome gained access to her own room again. He glanced at the suitcase beside him; he hadn't come with much and he wasn't leaving with much either. California…the last time he'd been there was twenty two years ago…when he was only ten years old, his tenth birthday. He looked at his feet and watched Moriko stare at the ceiling out of the corner of his eye.
'Now boarding rows 6-19…' the PA system beeped off with a loud click and Inu yasha cringed slightly. The morning prior to this moment had gone on dangerously quiet, Kagome had said nothing. She had already been up before he was and had made him breakfast. Moriko had still slept soundly in her room, not stirring until around nine. His plane wasn't due to leave until one thirty.
Despite that, the trio made their way to the airport early and had spent the last half an hour in an eerie silence, Kagome only moving when fussing over Moriko. Even Moriko, a normal chatterbox, was very silent for a six year old.
'Now boarding rows 20-29.' Another PA announcement. How much time had passed? Inu yasha glanced at his watch…ten minutes…why had it felt like a single moment?
Even though Kagome said she was fine, he couldn't help feel like she was hiding something from him. Call it paranoia or simply his excuse to worry about her, but Inu yasha couldn't help that the woman was silently loathing him and hoping his head would spontaneously combust.
'Boarding all rows now,' the flight attendants voice filled the waiting area for hopefully the last time.
Inu yasha sighed and glanced at his ticket. He had been called a while ago; he was in row eight, seat B. An aisle seat…
"Well…I guess this is it," Inu yasha said quietly and stood. Kagome and Moriko followed him as he leaned down to grab his suitcase. When he straightened, Kagome was looking at him with cool, dead looking eyes and Moriko looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Why the long faces?" he heard himself asking, "It's not like I'm leaving forever. I'll come back."
Moriko seemed relieved by this information but Kagome looked hesitant. Inu yasha couldn't help wonder what was going through her head. "I'll come back," he assured her.
She tentatively looked him in the eye. He blue eyes met his violet ones doubtfully, as if afraid that if she accepted the fact he was standing in front of her, he'd disappear from her life forever. Her hand gripped Moriko's like a lifeline as she bit her lip, resisting the urge to burst into tears. Inu yasha looked dejected and unsure.
"If you want me to stay…" he began.
"No," Kagome forced herself. Over the past three days they'd had this discussion, with Inu yasha insisting that he stay with them but she refused. "It's not like we're your family or anything." Her voice sounded so different to her and she felt like there was syrup stuck in her throat that she couldn't swallow. "You're an adult, Inu yasha, and as such you have to make decisions for the bigger picture. Like a career for example." She hated saying this, but she had to; Inu yasha had to be successful in life.
"If you're sure," he looked torn between two choices; his hand held the suitcase gingerly.
"I am," she said firmly. 'Gods…what am I saying? I've had more than one chance…I just…'
"Alright…" he still looked hesitant and he took a step back, his eyes darting to the gate, where a long line of passengers had already lined up, all holding carry-on bags of different shapes and sizes.
"Inu yasha…?" Moriko tugged on his pant leg, the black denim of his jeans forming into a small bundle in her fisted hand. He knelt down next to her and smiled. She smiled back and suddenly hugged him. Taken aback, Inu yasha gaped for only a brief moment and they wrapped his arms around her. "When will you be back?"
"I don't know…" he admitted, feeling unsteady and uncertain.
"Will you be back in time for my birthday?" Moriko asked with a pleading tone in her voice. "It's the eighth of July! I'm going to be seven! Will you be there? Will you bring me a present?" Her bright blue eyes stared at him.
A shadow of a smile flashed across his face and he gently touched the girl's head before starting to stand, "I'll try."
Moriko nodded and retreated back behind her mother's legs. Kagome watched her daughter before raising her eyes to Inu yasha's level. He stood before her, looking like he always did: same long black hair, same violet eyes, same smile, same silver loop on his ear, his normal baggy shirt, his dark jeans and his Nike shoes…he looked like he'd rolled out of bed and thrown whatever he could find onto his body.
She bit back tears; it wasn't supposed to be this painful. She'd just gotten over crying herself to sleep over Kouga, was she destined to do the same for Inu yasha? He was only the whole country away…
"Kagome…"
"Inu yasha…" she responded to him when he whispered out her name. "Be happy…"
"Are you going to be happy?" He looked skeptical and she knew that she wouldn't.
"Don't worry about me," she smiled, "I'll hopefully be seeing you in the Fox lineup." He snorted and laughed. Kagome felt a wave of relief flood through her and a serene calm flow through her at the sound of his soft laugh. He was beyond words for her, and she knew she'd never meet anyone like him ever again.
His free hand raised and he lightly touched her cheek His laughter and smile faded as he looked at her seriously; she felt like her breath had been stolen from her lungs. "I will come back, Kagome," his words sounded so firm and sure that she couldn't help but believe him and she found herself nodding and leaning into the hand on her cheek.
"Be safe…"
'Last call for all United Airlines passengers heading west for a nonstop flight to San Francisco…last call.' The flight attendant's voice penetrated any moment the two had created and his hand dropped from her face.
"I guess I should go," he said unnecessarily. Kagome nodded and felt a wave of tears building again. She would not cry. She refused.
He grabbed his suitcase and began to walk towards the gate and Kagome couldn't help but feel like she was in some lame romance movie, where the sad and depressing music overflowed and drowned out any dialogue that may have been present; and she felt like she would collapse and start crying at any given time.
He walked to the end of the fading line and got his ticket ready. Kagome felt like the world was ending. She was being left behind again…only this time she was more prepared, but despite that, she still felt alone and unneeded. Inu yasha bit his lip and looked over his shoulder at Kagome, who had bowed her head sadly.
He glanced at the flight attendants before retreating back towards Kagome, sacrificing his spot in line in favor of approaching her.
Kagome didn't have time to react to his approach as he leaned forward and captured her lips.
Her eyes opened wide as his hands cupped her cheeks, his suitcase dropping to the ground dully as he caressed her lips softly. She felt her heart speed up and distantly heard Moriko's giggle. She felt giddy herself.
But all too soon his lips had left hers and he was backing up again, his eyes pained, "Wait for me…"
And with that final word he turned and left for good.
The gates closed behind him and Kagome stood in a shocked silence, only snapping out of it when she saw the airplane pull away, and watched as he left her for, what she hoped, life.