A/N: Sorry for the wait my faithful readers and reviewers! I just finished exams and I just started Semester 2 all in the space of about two weeks. @__@ Time flies when you're working your butt off.I've got a much harder term this time round, with classes that all count towards my university applications. * sigh * no rest for the weary I suppose. As for this chapter, it was inspired by a show I was watching. I know it probably doesn't fit in with the whole plot, but I thought it was something that needed to be brought up. After all Kagome is a veterinarian.if you're confused, just go read the chapter, and you'll understand what I mean.
Good news! I have decided to finally answer a few questions that many people have asked simply because I don't know when the next chapters will be up to explain it.
1) What about Kikyo?
First off, I wish to state that I do not hate Kikyo in any way. I see her as the instrument which keeps Kag and Inu's relationship in that constant angst state that everyone loves ~__^ As for my story, she will play a part, but a minor, minor part. Think of her as being Orc #5 in the Lord of the Rings; in the scene but offering no true aid to the plot or characters.
2) What's up with Sango? (I.e. her lack of any morals)
Well, that was a question even I was wondering about. Originally, I was going to write her in as a kennel owner, but as I started, it just didn't seem to fit. So after a few nights of pondering, I came up with the role she's in now. As for her sudden turnabout in the last chapter, well that's something that still bothers me--it was the part I just wasn't sure about writing but it happened, and I needed it to happen. Maybe I'll rewrite it later on.also, keep in mind I have more chapters to write, and I do plan on explaining certain things later on.Patience ^__^
3) Is Shippo going to appear again? What about his parents?
I'm pretty sure someone asked a question along those lines, so it would be best to answer it. Shippo--right now--is not going to play a major part. Like Kikyo, he just wouldn't fit in a major role. But keep an eye out for him--and his very alive and breathing parents--sometime soon!
Anyway, enjoy!
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Chapter 10: Wasting Away
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"It's her! We've found her!"
Sesshomaru regarded the intruder with a mixture of disdain and annoyance, wondering for the hundredth time why he had not locked his doors. "Clarification, please."
The man gasped, running a hand through his already tousled hair. The youkai idly wondered if the thick black glasses he wore really did help him see, for no one with any kind of sight would let their hair grow like that.
"We've found out who the mystery woman is, the one in the picture."
The said photograph was thrust under his nose to emphasize his over-exuberant exclamation. It was the photo of a dark-haired woman in the underground parking lot of the Silver Fan. The mystery woman, indeed.
"Her name is Kagome Higurashi. Well, actually she's Doctor Kagome Higurashi, but that's not the point."
"Then what is the point?" Sesshomaru asked coolly, wondering why he was always interrupted when trying to do paperwork.
"The point is, Sir," The young, longhaired hippie gasped, "That we've located her, and we have evidence that your brother was recently with her too."
Finally, some progress. But the silver-haired dog demon only nodded patiently, waiting for the man to continue on with his speech.
"It was out of pure luck really, but one of our "hunters" happened to be visiting a friend in the area. As he was leaving, he noticed Dr. Higurashi entering her apartment with, and I quote, a "silver-haired human dog"."
"They are generally referred to as hanyou."
The hippie only nodded, as though the comment bounced right out of his hearing range. "He confirmed it was the girl in the picture, and he could recognize your brother, so there's no way this could be anything but a solid lead. Though what your brother would want with a veterinarian is beyond me."
"What did you say?" Sesshomaru asked abruptly, hardly believing what had just been said.
Now the young man was starting to feel the presence of the great tycoon. It was hard not to when those two golden eyes focused primarily on you. "Uh, we found your brother and the girl-"
"No not that," The youkai interrupted impatiently, "The part about what she is. Did you say she is a veterinarian?"
He nodded, his long brown locks flying in all directions, but Sesshomaru had long since turned away to ponder over the latest news.
It was understandable why his brother had to run to that Houshi man. They had been friends for years, and the human had inherited a place that could successfully hide a hanyou for a little while. But what was Inuyasha doing with a vet? And a human vet no less? Had he finally come to terms with his animal side, perhaps?
A small smirk crept onto the youkai's face, a rare surge of emotional display and one that-thankfully-the hippie did not witness. It wouldn't do any good to have the office know that the great Sesshomaru was capable of facial expressions.
"Do you have any orders, Sir?"
Swinging back around in his chair-the tiny smirk obliterated from existence-he gave a small nod. "I want a complete survey done of the apartment. Look for any documents that my brother or this vet might be hiding away which pertain to my.predicament. There must be no paper trail on his part leading to me. And keep an eye out for any traps. I won't stand for failure any more."
Sesshomaru had never really ever put up with failure, but the hippie was smart enough to keep his mouth shut about it. Instead, he gave a bow. "And if we accidentally come across Dr. Higurashi and your brother?"
"Give them my regards and then make sure they don't wake-up to see another sunrise."
~^~^~^~
Crimson blood splatters decorated the normally white plastic coat, creating a strange mosaic of twisted, loopy pictures. Even his hands were now red from the oozing substance.
It was an especially strange feeling to watch Kagome just as covered as he was, idly washing off the various instruments that had been used as though she did this everyday of the week. Okay, so technically she was a veterinarian, therefore she did see blood, but come on! There was only a certain limit of the stuff that girls could take. Maybe she was kind of superhuman freak or something. It would explain a lot of things.
If Kagome had heard Inuyasha's thoughts, she no doubt would have rolled her eyes to the high heavens. She was used to blood-had been dealing with it ever since she first started as an intern up north. Although it could get a little sickening in the right situations, it didn't make her want to toss up twenty-four years worth of lunch.
Besides, the cat had suffered only a minor loss of blood, something that the young woman was rather thankful for. And had only sustained a few broken ribs-nothing too detrimental to her ability to live.
Getting hit by a truck usually did create a messier situation.
But Clover had gotten lucky this time round, and only been partially hit by the oncoming tires due to a sudden reaction by the truck driver. After all, a fifteen pound orange cat wasn't too hard to miss even in the most crowded of streets.
"What did you think of your first emergency victim?" Kagome asked casually as she peeled the latex gloves off of her hands, wrinkling her nose at the mingled smell of blood and latex. Guess it was a long hot shower tonight, with plenty of scented things to make sure she didn't drive the crowds away when stepping into a room.
"No big deal. I've seen worse."
" Then I don't think I want to know what you've seen. That cat was pretty banged up."
Inuyasha snorted, trying hard to mimic Kagome's practiced motions without actually looking like a desperate, out-of-place fool. Even after all those years of watching ER, he still wasn't used to the whole white gloves and lab coat getup-especially when he was wearing them. "You wouldn't be able to handle it even if I told you."
Off came the plastic scrubs, and into the garbage they went, along with the last of Kagome's forced pleasantness.
"Do I look like a feather-brained girl to you?" She demanded, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest. "You have no idea what kind of things show up in my operating room."
"And you have no idea what kind of things I've had to see," He shot back, then suddenly wished his mouth was as cautious as his mind. Already, there was a kind of pity emerging in her expression. The one thing that the hanyou hated most of all. "Just forget trying to compare. There's nothing even close to being similar in our lives."
Kagome grabbed her clipboard before her hands involuntarily reached out and closed around his pompous neck. So now he was worse off was he? Nothing could be as bad as his life? For a man who wore designer clothes, she highly doubted he had suffered too much.
An image of the same silver-haired jerk with an arm hanging precariously off his torso-a well-toned torso mind you-suddenly popped into her mind. Okay, so maybe he did have a few problems.but big fat stupid deal. Everyone had something to deal with, and everyone seemed to manage a lot better than he did.
"Yeah, I guess there is nothing to compare," She said through clenched teeth, "You being a arrogant, pretentious, self-indulgent ass, and me, someone who would like nothing more than taping your mouth shut."
"Those are pretty big words, quack. You've been reading that thesaurus every night, haven't you?"
"No, I happen to be well-educated. Something you seem to be lacking in," Kagome replied viciously, wishing that he would step onto a wrong tile and fall through some miraculously appearing sinkhole.
After spending the last twenty-four hours with him, she had hardly learned anything besides his affinity for mushrooms, Root Beer, and the news. When she'd finally hit the pillow last night, he had been sitting on her couch, idly flicking through the channels with the local paper in front of his face. How he managed to read and watch TV at the same time was a mystery to her but she had decided to ignore the odd behavior. Now though-when the brain cells had finally multiplied again-she wondered if he was keeping an eye out for a particular story, perhaps something related to his own predicament, whatever it was.
"You don't have to be educated to insult someone."
Resigned to her fate of forever being doomed to be on his I'm-going-to-be-the-biggest-jerk-you-know side, Kagome merely shrugged, still praying for that sinkhole. "You just proved my point, Inuyasha, seeing as all you ever do is insult people."
'Ha! That got him.'
The triumphant thought helped her spirits a little-as did his sudden bout of silence-and she started to jot down notes on the latest patient, making sure to check off the cat's current status as well on the way to recovery. Ignoring the muttered profanity that came out of Inuyasha's mouth, the young vet simply turned around again and handed him another pair of latex gloves.
"Give your hands a good wash before you put these on, or they'll smell permanently of latex. Now my next patient has apparently been having some bowel troubles among other things, so be prepared to deal with interesting situations. This isn't one of my regulars, so watch out for teeth and claws too."
He barely had time to blink before Kagome's raven hair had swiftly disappeared through the swinging door and into the lobby. Grumbling over to the sink, the hanyou proceeded to follow her instructions-a strange phenomenon in his life, this newfound aspect of obedience. But despite the stubbornness, the peevishness, and the I'm-better-than-you attitude, deep down Inuyasha knew that Kagome was a professional, and her instructions should be followed no matter how much he hated it.
Wrinkling his nose in disdain at the fruity scented soap, the silver-haired hanyou let the warm water run over his hands, soothing the itch that had begun as soon as those damn gloves had been pulled over his hands. To make matters worse, the gloves had been doubled up in case his claws cut through the first pair.
He had to admit however annoying Dr. Higurashi could be she was still a nice person beneath the sardonic layer. The intriguing vet had provided extra blankets and pillows for him, as well as making sure he wouldn't go hungry by giving him the lowdown on her meager but decent kitchen. They hadn't talked about much-Inuyasha protective of his history, Kagome seemingly hesitant about revealing anything-but their brief conversations had let the hanyou in on a few things. Things Kagome probably never realized she could give away.
For instance, he knew she had a bait of fiddling with things whenever she was nervous or shy. She had a tendency to be a bit of a neat-freak, but didn't take it over the edge, even when Inuyasha had left his dirty plate and utensils sitting in the sink rather than rinsing and placing them in the dishwasher as she had done.
But the thing that had stood out most in her apartment was the love of mementos from life. Wherever he looked, there had been pictures decorating walls, or knick-knacks crowded onto shelves. She had said her grandfather was fond of sending her those things, but he had a feeling it wasn't necessarily a humouring-the-gift-giver situation. Although, from the pictures he had seen, her grandfather did seem to be the odd, eccentric type.
'Goddamn itch, why won't it stop?'
Growling, he continued to scratch at his hands that now smelled like fruity latex, trying hard to take his mind of the irritating sensation.
"Right this way, Mrs. Kobeki."
The door swung open to reveal Kagome ushering in a middle-aged woman and a brown mutt who didn't seem too keen on using his legs. Both woman and dog stopped short as they set their sights on the addition to the room.
"Who is that?"
Obviously Mrs. Kobeki was not a very subtle person.
"That's my newest intern, from Kyoto. He's only here temporarily, at least until Dr. Manoke comes back from vacation, isn't that right.Bob?"
The warning gleam in her eyes caught his words before he had time to say them. Still, he mouthed the name 'Bob' with a scowl of confusion-a look she simply ignored. Although he hadn't shared anything about his dire situation, he had told Kagome to keep his identity secret at all costs last night. His brother had ears everywhere and it wouldn't do if his name go out onto the streets.
At least this proved the vet listened to him. But still, why did it have to be Bob?
"Fresh from vet school," He said instead, his voice hitting an abnormal level of sound that had Kagome's eyebrows raising.
"But you're.you're."
Apparently Mrs. Kobeki was also lacking a vocabulary. Inuyasha had to keep his teeth firmly clenched down to avoid insulting the obviously spaced-out woman.
"Different from the usual vet-in-training?" Kagome interjected suddenly, jumping to the aid of keeping her "intern's" temper at bay. "Well, they're always looking for variety. Now let's get Muffin up onto the table so I can get a better look at him. Bob?"
It took one, two, three seconds before he understood the pointed look the vet sent in his direction. Reaching down to pick up the dog, he was surprised when she clamped a hand over his arm, digging her nails in a little too tightly.
"Don't forget about those gloves, Bob. Remember the sanitation code of the clinic."
Inuyasha grimaced at the syrupy sweet tone she had suddenly adopted, and stared at the pair of gloves dangling off of the counter with a mixture of disdain and hatred.
"Oops. It's my first day," Inuyasha explained-the vocal chords once again being strained-watching the vacant stare of Mrs. Kobeki for any sign of comprehension.
Guess those brain cells just weren't reproducing.
Snapping the gloves for effect, he was soon cupping the end of a rather thin looking dog, placing it gently on the table. The dark brown eyes barely blinked, and he noticed the fur was dull. Already his gloves were covered in brown hairs. Strange, it didn't seem to be as energetic as the other ones. Even the ten-year-old, ninety-pound Retriever had had more spunk.
"What are his symptoms, Mrs. Kobeki?"
The woman shrugged, fiddling with her expensive-looking purse. "I'm not too sure really. I don't feed him, walk him, brush him-"
"Who does?" Kagome cut in, evidence of annoyance in her hardened expression. There were some people who should never own dogs. The woman before her was proving to be most definitely one of them.
"My son."
"And what does your son say?"
It took a moment for the woman to understand the question, and another for her to muster an answer. The answer she did eventually settle on was hardly helpful, but it was all they were going to get.
"Well, he said that Muffin was off of his food for a while, and there was funny stuff coming from his eyes a little while ago. And if he's not sleeping then he's out in the backyard 'going to the potty," She said, a giggle escaping her mouth as she said the last few words.
Inuyasha was worried he'd have to pry Kagome off of a dead Mrs. Kobeki, judging by the murderous look in her eyes at the woman's insensitivity to her pet's obvious illness. Riling her up before Mrs. Kobeki's entrance had probably not been a smart move either.
Hell, he may be part-demon, but he still had some feelings. And the flippancy of Mrs. Kobeki was even hard for him to bear. Rather than clawing her eyes out though, he settled on giving the listless animal calming strokes over his bony body. When was the last time this dog had eaten anyway?
"It says here that you've never vaccinated Muffin before. I hope you realize that vaccinations can save your dog's life easily," Kagome said, and it took only a dung-minded moron not to notice the anger in her tone.
A qualification that this particular owner fell under. "Oh heavens, it was just so expensive to have those. Besides, Muffin wouldn't have enjoyed those awful needles anyhow."
'More expensive than that purse?' Inuyasha wanted to ask, but held his tongue back. It wouldn't do any good to yell at her. No doubt the words would bounce right off of her rubber head. So he opted to try and learn something instead.
"What's wrong with her?"
Hearing her "intern's" voice surprised Kagome and helped to ground her a bit. Taking a deep breath, she turned to her gadgets and pulled out an electric thermometer.
"I have a good idea, but the temperature will help me decide."
The dog barely flinched when the device penetrated a rather private area of his rear, and Inuyasha began to realize that this dog was very sick. No animal should be able to deal with that kind of violation in such a subdued manner. The hanyou cringed, and tried to block out how it would feel for an animal of more energy.
Kagome's face suddenly became unreadable as she took down the temperature. Removing the offending gadget, she put it into a pot filled with antibacterial liquid, then grabbed a penlight and proceeded with an optical examination.
"His eyes are swollen. There's inflammation in the conjunctiva and a bit in the cornea. " The light switched off and more notes were scribbled down.
Just as Kagome was going to check his reflexes, the dog's body suddenly began twitching out of control, rocking the steel table. Items clanged to the floor as both doctor and hanyou took a hold of the spasm-wracked body, trying to keep it as settled as they could.
"Just hold him down. We don't want him falling off of the table."
Inuyasha only nodded, using his unusual strength to keep a tight grip. Gritting his teeth against the battering of claws and paws, he held on-if only to keep the poor dog from suffering any more. Sure he had known humans to be self-absorbed bastards half the time. But never had he seen some of their work up close.
Until he had looked into the lifeless brown eyes of Muffin.
Trading a glance with the doctor herself, he loosened his grip as the spasms subsided. But even when the dog settled into its comatose state, Inuyasha could still see the anger and pain burning in Kagome's eyes. He had a strange, unnatural urge to comfort her in any way possible.
An urge that scared him more than words could say.
"Oh my, he did his funny thing again."
All of a sudden Mrs. Kobeki found two sets of burning eyes on her. A normal human being would have picked up their skirts, so to speak, and run.
She simply stood there, waving a careless hand at the dog.
"He's done this more than once?"
"Yes, although it seems to be a more recent thing. Why, he even started to do it in the car on the way over."
"Why didn't you bring him in before?" Kagome demanded, slamming the clipboard down onto a counter. She was sick and tired of this woman and her obvious lack of brains, compassion, and common sense.
"We've been in town visiting family the past two weeks," The woman explained with a shrug. "I never thought of bringing him in until my son told me too." She looked over to the dog, then back to the fuming vet. "He'll be okay, won't he?"
"No, Mrs. Kobeki, he won't be okay. Muffin has distemper, a disease that-if not treated-can be deadly. A disease that could have been prevented with a simple shot." The human in Kagome wanted to beat her fists into the obviously air-filled body of the woman before her, but the vet kept it all under control. "There are usually a few options for treating such late-stage distemper, the most preferred are a variety or treatments or-in worst case scenarios-euthanasia."
Mrs. Kobeki didn't even blink at the mention of putting the dog to sleep, and both human and hanyou could feel their disgust rising.
"Would treatments be expensive?"
Kagome managed a clenched shrug. "Usually it depends on the dog. But in Muffin's case, I think it may take a while, so medication would add up."
"Well it's settled then. I've no use for a dog around anyway but my son kept begging me. You might as well put him to sleep."
"Are you sure?"
Mrs. Kobeki nodded, not a shred of remorse in her face, and readjusted her leather bag on her shoulder. "Of course. What good would he be anyway, all sick like that?"
Normally, Kagome would have asked the owner if they wanted to be around when the needle was given, or if they wanted to say goodbye. This case was hardly the usual. Besides, she wanted the woman out of her clinic before she really did take a needle to her.
"Bob, please show Mrs. Kobeki to our receptionist, and make sure she gets out of here safely."
When the door finally swung shut at last-taking the offending woman away-Kagome could finally let herself breath.
Hands clenched on the sides of the table, the young vet leaned against the stainless steel, eyes gazing on the emaciated form of Muffin. A stray finger reached out to stroke what would have been soft fur, and she began to feel her throat constricting.
The dog would have been beautiful if he had been properly taken care of. She could imagine him running through the park, chasing leaves and sticks as he furiously wagged a furry tail and shook a coat full of shiny brown fur. And he would bark at ducks, and beg for treats whilst being given a scratch behind the ears
But instead he was reduced to skin and bones, a heaving body trying to fight back something that would only triumph in the end. Her throat tightened even more, but Kagome fought back the burning in her eyes.
The room was silent as she moved over into a locked cupboard and removed the anaesthetic that she would use. Filling a syringe, she walked back over to the dog, trying to calm the shaking in her hands.
It was different when the dog before her was an elderly animal or if it was in so much pain that living seemed pointless. It was different when the owners cared, when they were the ones fighting back tears as they stroked their beloved pet's fur. It didn't feel like she was killing someone special, someone who could still have a chance at life.
But when it came to such senseless destruction, knowing that if only idiocy had been prevented, then the dog would have been fine--that was when the disgust began to broil in her throat and burn at her eyes.
"You'll be going to a happier place, sweetheart," She murmured, inserting the needle into the dark fur and slowly injecting the lethal dosage. "You'll meet lots of friends, and chase squirrels all day long. And you'll get to eat whatever you want too. Just imagine all the steaks you can eat."
It was only a few minutes before the chest stopped moving, and eyelids drooped gratefully over weary eyes. Her hand dropped the needle onto the table, and rested on the dog's head for a moment.
Kagome had to take a breath before she reached for the collar. She liked to remove it before the body was taken away, for it felt like she was truly freeing the animal.
A small jingle alerted her to tags, and she grasped a cold metal circle wondering why an unvaccinated dog would have something on its collar.
A silver disk sparkled dimly under the bright lights of the room, and her fingers idly followed the engraving on it. The name 'Muffin' was scrawled in childish handwriting, and a little heart had been meticulously placed beside a bone underneath. The vet found her steady breathing was suddenly hitched as she let the disk fall back into the thicket of fur.
So Muffin did have a friend in this world after all.
~^~
Inuyasha believed he had gotten his anger under control after having seen off the grating Mrs. Kobeki, but he hadn't been able to fully block the other emotions he had felt upon seeing the dog.
Which was why-he figured-that his heart did a sudden lurch when he opened the door to announce it was time for break, and found the veterinarian bent over the still body of the dog, tears sliding down her cheeks.
"He's gone?" Was all the hanyou could say, dumfounded at the change in the young woman before him. He had assumed that because of her steely nature with him, she had it all year round. Well, that was another assumption gone wrong.
Kagome must not have heard him enter for when he spoke, she jumped up straight, frantically wiping at her eyes.
"What's the matter? You must do this all the time."
Ah, the articulation that he possessed surprised even Inuyasha sometimes. If there had been a brick wall in the vicinity, no doubt he would have beat his head against it. Maybe he was born with some sort of insensitive gene that blocked out all other emotional ones. Even an idiot would have realized that he had just asked a really stupid, inconsiderate question.
Kagome was now glaring at him through tear-filled eyes, her arms tightly cross and enough space between them to allow her a good swing for a right-hook.
"I may do this all the time, Inuyasha," She stated darkly, "But that doesn't make me an inhuman killing machine. Usually when I put down an animal, it isn't because the owner didn't want to waste money on saving their pet. I put them down because they need the relief, not the humans. I'm a veterinarian, and it's my job to care for the ones who don't have a say in this world. But I guess you wouldn't have too much experience in that area would you?"
The venom that dripped from those words was enough to make the hanyou stop in his tracks, and he felt his anger begin to boil. But before he could do anything about it, Kagome was withdrawing a black bag from a cupboard--a body bag, he realized.
Without a word, they lifted the dog into the bag, both still buried in their own emotions to open their mouth. Instead, they settled on a strange silence as Kagome directed him to a freezer near the back room.
It was strange really. Inuyasha had seen death before. Not necessarily death by his claws, but he had witnessed things most people only ever saw in movies. After all, his father was a wanted man in more ways than one, and there had been a few extremists who had taken it into their own hands to gain a name for themselves.
Of course, killing the almighty business tycoon was not the way of doing it. As many had realized during their last few, fear-frozen moments.
Yet seeing the freezer, and with the smell of death staining the cold air, Inuyasha suddenly found himself seeing it as something more than just he future of all living things. It was something that happened everyday and every time it happened it affected someone new.
But whereas he could count the number of times he had seen death on one hand, Kagome had been apart of this process throughout her entire career as a veterinarian.
Suddenly, the hanyou felt even stupider than he had moments ago.
The anger in him ebbed, and he edged over to the vet--who's hand was still clutching the handle of the now closed freezer door.
"I didn't mean to say that. Really."
Blinking, Kagome turned ever so slightly to look up at the strange, bewildering man next to her.
"You're not big on apologizing are you?"
His eyes flashed, but she simply brushed it off. Let the jerk get angry again, and he'd discover a whole new side of her not many people had seen. Instead, she waited to hear what he had to say. Maybe there was some value in listening to him this time.
Inuyasha looked down into those brown eyes--cold but still hinting at a warmth hidden beneath the ice. Her mouth was pressed into a firm line, but even then it still tempted him.
Cursing, hormones, male libido, and everything else that was pressing him closer to the lovely woman, Inuyasha put a hand on her shoulder--his only solution to the surge in his stomach.
"It's just that..well." He struggled to find the right words, but none came to him. Goddamn it, the hanyou mentally cursed, speaking just isn't my thing. Maybe actions really could speak louder than words.
"Yes?"
The amber turned to gold, and Kagome felt her nerves twitch. The breathing space between them was closing, and she felt a sudden urge to run.
What was he trying to do? Take advantage of the sad, pathetic girl who was feeling sorry for the little doggie? Or was he actually making an attempt at comforting her?
"You did the right thing," Inuyasha murmured. There was something warm cupping her cheek, and Kagome came to the realization--with a start--that the hanyou's hand which had previously occupied her shoulder was now on her cheek. She was especially surprised to realize that the hand was soft, betraying any conceptions she had about him being made of fire and steel. "Hell, if I had an owner like that, I'd probably want to leave too."
"But Mrs. Kobeki wasn't the owner," Kagome managed to say, trying to wrestle with the idea of pulling away from this all too encompassing warmth that the dog-eared hanyou was exuding. "Maybe she bought her, but it was her son who cared. He was the one who put tags on her collar, and tried to take care of her."
Her eyes felt heavy and watery, and the young vet tried her damnedest to keep them from overflowing. "Don't you see? Muffin had someone who loved her and I took her away from him."
"But if you had let Muffin live, then what kind of life would she have been living?" Inuyasha asked, hoping to the spirits that she wouldn't start crying. When females cried, he got edgy. Luckily he had avoided being too close to them when it happened. Now though, there was hardly enough room to give him ample running space. "She would have been stuck with a woman who couldn't give a shit about her, and a boy who cared but couldn't help. She would have died in pain, and feeling more alone in the world than she did when you were there. At least she left with someone caring about her than without it."
This time Kagome did break away from him, but not because of the tension that was building from the rather intimate space they kept between them. Rather, she was amazed by the sudden depth that Inuyasha had just displayed. So he wasn't Plato, but that little speech had been the kindest and most thoughtful thing to come from his mouth since they had first met.
It was hard to believe he could be such an asshole. Well.almost. No doubt this was a passing thing, but still--at this moment, it was all she could have asked for.
"Do you think he had a chance to say goodbye?"
"Who?"
"The son."
Inuyasha shrugged, letting his hand drop from her cheek as he realized that his all action, no words campaign hadn't gone the way he had hoped. There was distance again, and the cold air was flowing between them. So she wanted to be professional then? Let her try.
"Probably. Kids have a good sense of things like that. Besides, when your dog starts to look like that, you'd have to be blind not to see something was wrong."
"I hope so," Kagome murmured. Carefully, she caught his gaze again. "You may not always be good with words, Inuyasha, but you have your moments."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Only if you want it to be."
Inuyasha may have been half-human, but there was still demon blood in his veins. Sometimes it served him well, and other times it made impulses even stronger than usual. Right now, it wasn't helping him out at all.
"Kagome."
She waited, waited for the movement that would bring him closer, wondering if he'd be able to help her feel better. Maybe he could make the hurt and the guilt go away. Maybe, just maybe, he might even make the day a little brighter. After all, if they could get this damn heat out of the way, then maybe they could both proceed with life in a much more normal fashion.
The anticipation was building, and his slow response seemed to be deliberate, as if this was something that should be savoured. The breath caught in her throat as his face suddenly became the only thing she could see. Waiting was the most testing thing in the bloody world.
"Kagome? Where are you?"
There was nothing like the sound of an elderly woman's voice to break the moment. With a mental sigh, Kagome turned away from her intriguing companion and called back to Kaede.
"We're in the back!"
Moments later, Kaede came bustling in, carrying a piece of paper in one hand. Yet her usual calm demeanour was marred by a panicked look stretched across her weathered face.
"Is something wrong?"
Kaede thrust the paper in her hand, worry etched in her eyes. "The police called. Your landlady just reported a break-in. Someone's been through your apartment."
Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, her already exhausted mind trying to register the latest news. From the cat to Muffin, and now to this. Never before had a day been so emotionally draining.
"They want you to come by and ask a few questions. They're also expecting any reports on stolen objects in the next day or so."
Rubbing a hand across her eyes, Kagome crumpled the paper into a tight ball. "Cancel all appointments for the afternoon. If there are any serious ones, see if you can transfer them to Dr. Honda or Dr. Anderson."
"I'll start right away." Kaede paused, then put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I am so sorry, Kagome. This must be a hard day for you."
The vet mustered a brief, tense smile. "Thank you, Kaede. I probably won't be in tomorrow either, so you can finally sleep in."
"It is not I who needs sleep," Kaede answered quietly, then shuffled out of the room, leaving a very drained veterinarian in her wake.
Tossing the paper ball into the nearest trash can, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. The transformation was astounding. Everything about her had changed from a nervous young woman to a worn-out animal doctor who carried the world on her shoulders.
"You can take the afternoon off too," Kagome started. "This may take a while."
"I'm coming with you."
The statement was firm, and he left no room for argument. Secretly, she was thankful for it. It was difficult enough to talk suddenly, let alone begin another fight.
Inuyasha watched her head out the door, then chided himself for it. Spirits be damned, that woman was doing more to him than he thought. He felt like a fool, lusting after her like that, taking advantage of a moment to get something he hadn't had in a while.
He suddenly felt disgusted--but whether it was with himself or with his actions, he couldn't quite figure out. Never before had he been so determined to win over a woman, and never before had he acted like such a dumbass.
Growling, he decided that getting close to the vet was the last thing he needed. For the first time in his life, he actually wished Miroku would show up. Then he could escape the confining space that surrounded the vet, and get on with finding out his brother's plans.
As he hung up his coat, Inuyasha realized that something had changed in the air around him. No longer did it smell of ice and death. Instead it smelled like fruit.it smelled like Kagome.
And even the nearest wall he could reach wouldn't help purge his head of that sudden understanding.
~^~^~^~
Chapter 11 is coming along.