Chapter 8: The Passage of Time
Kagome sat on a bench in front of the Goshimboku. She stared up into the high branches and tried to enjoy the day. Everyday she would stop and stare at the sacred tree. One day she found out that her grandfather and Miroku and placed a bench there for her to sit on. She took pleasure in seeing the tiny pinkish yellow blossoms that had appeared on the Goshimboku shortly after Inuyasha had been awakened. It was a sign to her that he was still alive, that and Kirara hadn't returned. "No news is good news…I guess." Everyday she would go to school, stop by the tree on her way to the house then go do her homework. She would then eat dinner with everyone, laughing and smiling, she would then go and take her bath then go to bed, every night crying herself to sleep.
Today she sat in front of the tree with a forced smile and her eyes held so much loneliness. To make herself fell better she had taken to talking to the tree, as a way of speaking to Inuyasha, even though he had never responded. "Well Inuyasha, it's been about three months since you've left. Today is my graduation from high school. No more of those test your always complaining about. Shippo has grown a lot, he's grown about a foot in the last few months. Miroku and Sango are doing great. In fact he finally proposed to her, took him long enough huh?! Oh, I had a doctor's appointment yesterday to see how the baby is doing. The baby blew up another machine. They were able to see that the baby is doing fine but we didn't get a chance to see if it's a boy or girl. I've thought of a name, it symbolizes how this…we got started. What do you think of …Yuki, it works for a girl or a boy. I'm finally starting to show but just a little, good thing I graduate today. Well I should be going, don't want to be late. Aishiteru Inuyasha, Ja matane!" Kagome sat staring at the tree for along time before finally standing.
Sango stood watching her friend sadly. Inuyasha's absence was starting to take its toll on Kagome. If she listened carefully, she could hear her friend crying herself to sleep every night. During the day she seemed like her happy, carefree self, but it was all an act. Kagome was hurting inside, immensely. Now Kagome was talking to the tree and it was starting to worry her. Sango realized that she only understood about ½ of what her friend was going through. Her and Miroku had only recently become engaged and had only kissed. Kagome and Inuyasha were "connected" in every sense of the word. They had even created a life together. Sango knew that if she would ever lose Miroku it would devastate her. But with Kagome, just Inuyasha's absence was killing her emotionally. She wanted to reach out to the miko, comfort her, see her genuinely smile again, and maybe bring some life into her best friend's eyes once more, but she didn't know how. Sango sighed in regret. 'The only one that can do that is running around in the past trying to protect her……Please hurry back Inuyasha, Please!'
Miroku walked up behind Sango and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. When she didn't greet him or slap him for that matter, he began to worry. He followed her line of sight to the raven haired miko before the Goshimboku. When he saw Kagome walk up to the tree and place her hand then her cheek on the worn away spot where Inuyasha was held for 50 years, he understood. Hanyou and Miko hadn't been separated for more then a week since they met…and now they were having to deal with being a part for going on 3 months. He whispered into Sango's ears as they both watched their friend lean against the tree. "If Kagome is taking this so hard, how do you think Inuyasha feels. And aside from Kirara, he doesn't have anyone to help him coup…As long as we're here, Kagome will be fine. I promised Inuyasha we would protect her and I plan on keeping that promise." Miroku continued to watch as Kagome remained pressed against the giant tree.
"KAGOMEEE!!! LET'S GOOO!!!" shouted Souta and Shippo as they ran up to Kagome. Both children grabbed a hand and started to pull her toward the shrine exit. Both totally oblivious to the tense mood.
Kagome didn't have a choice but to go with them. She smiled down at the two boys as she thought to herself. 'He'll be back soon. He has to!' She soon joined her friends and family and together they all went to her High School graduation.
~***~
Kagome stood outside the school talking to her friends after the ceremony. Being able to go to classes every day for the last few months helped in passing all her classes and keeping Yuka, Ayumi and Eri updated on everything. Luckily, Kagome made it through school without anyone else knowing about the baby, helping her to successful succeed in getting her diploma. As the girls talked about the future, Kagome's family and friends from the past joined them.
"HIGURASHI!!!" shouted a boy in uniform as he ran up to Kagome, smiling.
Kagome clenched her fist and growled. "It's Ginsenshi…GIN-SEN-SHI! Got it?!" She practicly barked at the poor boy.
"I noticed your…husband…wasn't her today. Did he abandon you?" Hojo tried to look sad and sympathetic.
The very slight smirk on the boy's face gave him away. Kagome emitted a low growl that quickly became louder. She saw Miroku move toward Hojo but then stop, stunned. In a matter of seconds, Kagome as engulfed in a soft, light blue light, then Hojo was flung backwards. The boy flew back for about 35 feet, hitting his back on the schools wall, rendering him unconscious.
"Wow, I guess the baby doesn't like it when someone says something bad about Inuyasha." Stated Ayumi.
"No kidding." Agreed Kagome. "Well, my mom has prepared a party for us all. Shall we go?" She faked a smile and led them all back to the shrine.
~***~
2 months later…
On a bright peaceful day at the Sunrise Shrine, every one was off doing their own thing. Shippo and Souta were running around outside playing. Miroku was helping grandpa with the shrine grounds upkeep. Sango was helping her mother in the kitchen making dinner.
Kagome stared out her bedroom window. She looked over the shrines grounds to the enormous Goshimboku tree, then she glanced over at the well house. She placed her hands on her stomach and felt the baby kick. "You want your father, huh Yuki…I know how you feel." She felt the baby kick again as she looked to the well house again. She stared at the small, quiet building for quite awhile then turned and ran from her room. Down the stairs and out the door and not silently either.
Sango looked from the kitchen as she heard Kagome race down the stairs. "Kagome?" but she didn't get an answer. She watched her friend exit the house quickly and decided to investigate.
Miroku who had been sweeping near the well house was immensely surprised to see Kagome charging for him. 'Great, what did I do this time?' Miroku stood his ground, ready for his punishment, though he didn't know to what crime yet. He was a bit confused when she started to veer off, away from him, he then realized where her destination was. Miroku dropped the broom and ran to intercept her. He reached her and grabbed her by the shoulders only a few years from the well house.
"Let me go!" yelled Kagome as she started to fight back.
"You know you can't go back yet." Miroku had to hold her tightly as she struggled.
"Let me go! I want Inuyasha! Let me go… let me go!"
"Kagome please stop this." Sango asked ass he came up to the quarreling pair. She could see the loneliness and desperation in her friend's eyes.
"We need Inuyasha! Let me go to him! NOW!" Kagome continued to struggle violently against the restricting monk.
"I can't do that Kagome!"
Sango walked up and wrapped her arms around Kagome tightly, restricting her further. "Kagome calm down. Think of the baby. What your doing can't be healthy for him or her. You need to calm down. Please!" Sango continued to hold tightly, despite the miko's surprising strong efforts to free herself. She then nodded at Miroku and he wrapped his arms around both of them, together, making a Kagome sandwich.
"Let us go!... let me go...We need him… I need him…I can't stand this, let me go! PLEASE!" Kagome tried to fight back but with a youkai exterminator and a monk holding her back, it was practically impossible. She felt her legs give out and she started to slouch toward the ground. Tears were streaming from her eyes like a never ending waterfall. "Please…please…I miss him…let me go…please…please…please….please…"
Sango and Miroku cradled their emotionally damaged friend as she slowly fell asleep, drained from the emotional stress the absence of her husband was causing on top of the physical stress of carrying a gifted child.
Sango fought back tears of her own as he looked at the pale, tear ridden face of a once vibrant, colorful, cheerful girl. The last few weeks of their separation was really starting to affect her. Kagome was becoming more distant and depressed. "I don't know how much longer she can go through with this. It's tearing her apart."
Miroku nodded and picked the girl up in his arms and started frot he house. "I agree. We need to get her away if possible. A vacation of sorts… Let's talk to her mother after I get her to bed. She needs her sleep anyway." They then continued toward the house in silence, both thinking on the same subject. The fact that Kagome loves Inuyasha so much that his absence was causing her harm. And at that moment Kagome didn't look like the same girl that killed youkai and challenged others. This wasn't their Kagome, this was almost a lifeless shell.
~******~
Kagome sat on a bench in front of the Goshimboku. She stared up into the high branches and tried to enjoy the day. Everyday she would stop and stare at the sacred tree. One day she found out that her grandfather and Miroku and placed a bench there for her to sit on. She took pleasure in seeing the tiny pinkish yellow blossoms that had appeared on the Goshimboku shortly after Inuyasha had been awakened. It was a sign to her that he was still alive, that and Kirara hadn't returned. "No news is good news…I guess." Everyday she would go to school, stop by the tree on her way to the house then go do her homework. She would then eat dinner with everyone, laughing and smiling, she would then go and take her bath then go to bed, every night crying herself to sleep.
Today she sat in front of the tree with a forced smile and her eyes held so much loneliness. To make herself fell better she had taken to talking to the tree, as a way of speaking to Inuyasha, even though he had never responded. "Well Inuyasha, it's been about three months since you've left. Today is my graduation from high school. No more of those test your always complaining about. Shippo has grown a lot, he's grown about a foot in the last few months. Miroku and Sango are doing great. In fact he finally proposed to her, took him long enough huh?! Oh, I had a doctor's appointment yesterday to see how the baby is doing. The baby blew up another machine. They were able to see that the baby is doing fine but we didn't get a chance to see if it's a boy or girl. I've thought of a name, it symbolizes how this…we got started. What do you think of …Yuki, it works for a girl or a boy. I'm finally starting to show but just a little, good thing I graduate today. Well I should be going, don't want to be late. Aishiteru Inuyasha, Ja matane!" Kagome sat staring at the tree for along time before finally standing.
Sango stood watching her friend sadly. Inuyasha's absence was starting to take its toll on Kagome. If she listened carefully, she could hear her friend crying herself to sleep every night. During the day she seemed like her happy, carefree self, but it was all an act. Kagome was hurting inside, immensely. Now Kagome was talking to the tree and it was starting to worry her. Sango realized that she only understood about ½ of what her friend was going through. Her and Miroku had only recently become engaged and had only kissed. Kagome and Inuyasha were "connected" in every sense of the word. They had even created a life together. Sango knew that if she would ever lose Miroku it would devastate her. But with Kagome, just Inuyasha's absence was killing her emotionally. She wanted to reach out to the miko, comfort her, see her genuinely smile again, and maybe bring some life into her best friend's eyes once more, but she didn't know how. Sango sighed in regret. 'The only one that can do that is running around in the past trying to protect her……Please hurry back Inuyasha, Please!'
Miroku walked up behind Sango and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. When she didn't greet him or slap him for that matter, he began to worry. He followed her line of sight to the raven haired miko before the Goshimboku. When he saw Kagome walk up to the tree and place her hand then her cheek on the worn away spot where Inuyasha was held for 50 years, he understood. Hanyou and Miko hadn't been separated for more then a week since they met…and now they were having to deal with being a part for going on 3 months. He whispered into Sango's ears as they both watched their friend lean against the tree. "If Kagome is taking this so hard, how do you think Inuyasha feels. And aside from Kirara, he doesn't have anyone to help him coup…As long as we're here, Kagome will be fine. I promised Inuyasha we would protect her and I plan on keeping that promise." Miroku continued to watch as Kagome remained pressed against the giant tree.
"KAGOMEEE!!! LET'S GOOO!!!" shouted Souta and Shippo as they ran up to Kagome. Both children grabbed a hand and started to pull her toward the shrine exit. Both totally oblivious to the tense mood.
Kagome didn't have a choice but to go with them. She smiled down at the two boys as she thought to herself. 'He'll be back soon. He has to!' She soon joined her friends and family and together they all went to her High School graduation.
~***~
Kagome stood outside the school talking to her friends after the ceremony. Being able to go to classes every day for the last few months helped in passing all her classes and keeping Yuka, Ayumi and Eri updated on everything. Luckily, Kagome made it through school without anyone else knowing about the baby, helping her to successful succeed in getting her diploma. As the girls talked about the future, Kagome's family and friends from the past joined them.
"HIGURASHI!!!" shouted a boy in uniform as he ran up to Kagome, smiling.
Kagome clenched her fist and growled. "It's Ginsenshi…GIN-SEN-SHI! Got it?!" She practicly barked at the poor boy.
"I noticed your…husband…wasn't her today. Did he abandon you?" Hojo tried to look sad and sympathetic.
The very slight smirk on the boy's face gave him away. Kagome emitted a low growl that quickly became louder. She saw Miroku move toward Hojo but then stop, stunned. In a matter of seconds, Kagome as engulfed in a soft, light blue light, then Hojo was flung backwards. The boy flew back for about 35 feet, hitting his back on the schools wall, rendering him unconscious.
"Wow, I guess the baby doesn't like it when someone says something bad about Inuyasha." Stated Ayumi.
"No kidding." Agreed Kagome. "Well, my mom has prepared a party for us all. Shall we go?" She faked a smile and led them all back to the shrine.
~***~
2 months later…
On a bright peaceful day at the Sunrise Shrine, every one was off doing their own thing. Shippo and Souta were running around outside playing. Miroku was helping grandpa with the shrine grounds upkeep. Sango was helping her mother in the kitchen making dinner.
Kagome stared out her bedroom window. She looked over the shrines grounds to the enormous Goshimboku tree, then she glanced over at the well house. She placed her hands on her stomach and felt the baby kick. "You want your father, huh Yuki…I know how you feel." She felt the baby kick again as she looked to the well house again. She stared at the small, quiet building for quite awhile then turned and ran from her room. Down the stairs and out the door and not silently either.
Sango looked from the kitchen as she heard Kagome race down the stairs. "Kagome?" but she didn't get an answer. She watched her friend exit the house quickly and decided to investigate.
Miroku who had been sweeping near the well house was immensely surprised to see Kagome charging for him. 'Great, what did I do this time?' Miroku stood his ground, ready for his punishment, though he didn't know to what crime yet. He was a bit confused when she started to veer off, away from him, he then realized where her destination was. Miroku dropped the broom and ran to intercept her. He reached her and grabbed her by the shoulders only a few years from the well house.
"Let me go!" yelled Kagome as she started to fight back.
"You know you can't go back yet." Miroku had to hold her tightly as she struggled.
"Let me go! I want Inuyasha! Let me go… let me go!"
"Kagome please stop this." Sango asked ass he came up to the quarreling pair. She could see the loneliness and desperation in her friend's eyes.
"We need Inuyasha! Let me go to him! NOW!" Kagome continued to struggle violently against the restricting monk.
"I can't do that Kagome!"
Sango walked up and wrapped her arms around Kagome tightly, restricting her further. "Kagome calm down. Think of the baby. What your doing can't be healthy for him or her. You need to calm down. Please!" Sango continued to hold tightly, despite the miko's surprising strong efforts to free herself. She then nodded at Miroku and he wrapped his arms around both of them, together, making a Kagome sandwich.
"Let us go!... let me go...We need him… I need him…I can't stand this, let me go! PLEASE!" Kagome tried to fight back but with a youkai exterminator and a monk holding her back, it was practically impossible. She felt her legs give out and she started to slouch toward the ground. Tears were streaming from her eyes like a never ending waterfall. "Please…please…I miss him…let me go…please…please…please….please…"
Sango and Miroku cradled their emotionally damaged friend as she slowly fell asleep, drained from the emotional stress the absence of her husband was causing on top of the physical stress of carrying a gifted child.
Sango fought back tears of her own as he looked at the pale, tear ridden face of a once vibrant, colorful, cheerful girl. The last few weeks of their separation was really starting to affect her. Kagome was becoming more distant and depressed. "I don't know how much longer she can go through with this. It's tearing her apart."
Miroku nodded and picked the girl up in his arms and started frot he house. "I agree. We need to get her away if possible. A vacation of sorts… Let's talk to her mother after I get her to bed. She needs her sleep anyway." They then continued toward the house in silence, both thinking on the same subject. The fact that Kagome loves Inuyasha so much that his absence was causing her harm. And at that moment Kagome didn't look like the same girl that killed youkai and challenged others. This wasn't their Kagome, this was almost a lifeless shell.
~******~