Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Inuyasha. Nor do I own Kagome, Sesshoumaru, Rin, Kagome's family, or any of the other copyrighted characters that may or may not appear in this fic. So please don't sue me, and enjoy the story!
Notes: I am soo soooooo sorry for the long delay between updates. I moved back home, bringing my computer with me, and for the past four days I have had no internet access! Forgive me! I feel really terrible since this chapter is anything but fulfilling, but I promise I'll be back to updating on a daily basis now. So you'll get the next chapter tomorrow - happy holidays!
Learning to Let Go
Chapter 12: Pains of Separation.
The walk back to the car was punctuated by somewhat uneasy silence between Kagome and Inuyasha. Kagome knew that he'd been unnerved and uncomfortable with being treated as a normal person, but after his initial complaint when she'd introduced him to Miroku he'd seemed to accept it.
A little ways away from the car Kagome paused, remembering that she needed to pick up a few things for the house.
"I just remembered, Inuyasha - I need to buy some more milk and a new bottle of conditioner. Do you mind waiting here for five minutes while I run to the convenient store down the street?"
Inuyasha glared, not opposing her, but obviously not happy about the delay either. "I'll get you some more Ramen," Kagome cajoled. His annoyance melted away and she laughed, handing him her backpack and turning to jog in the other direction. "I'll be right back, I promise!"
The convenient store wasn't far, and she quickly reached her destination. The shampoo and the milk were easy to find, but Ramen was nowhere to be seen. She went up to the front of the store, waiting her turn in line.
"Excuse me - do you have any Ramen?" she asked the clerk at the front desk.
"No, we don't carry that," he told her, ringing up her other purchases, "But you can go to the supermarket - it's very close to here. If you go around this building and to the street on the other side you can't miss it."
"Thanks," Kagome replied, paying for the items and going back out onto the street. She quickly spotted the small alleyway between the convenient store and a second building. Skirting the trash cans stacked there and reaching the other side quickly, she saw the large supermarket across the street.
Ramen was in stock there, and it didn't take long at all to buy several packages of it. Kagome shivered as she stepped back outside after paying for the food. It was getting dark so early, she thought ruefully. Shorter daylight hours were one of the few things she hated about winter.
Looping her bags around her wrists so that she could shove her hands into her pockets, Kagome set out back to the car. She was halfway through the alleyway when it happened - the entrance on the other side was blocked by a group of older boys.
She froze, her heart beginning to pound. No reason to be afraid, she told herself firmly. They're probably just cutting through here too. But something about them raised the hairs on the back of her neck and kept her rooted to the spot.
One of the boys looked up and spotted her, nudging his two friends. The were all looking at her now, saying something that she couldn't hear and didn't want to. Without a backward glance, Kagome turned and ran.
There was a quick yell, and then footsteps pounded heavily on the pavement behind her. Before Kagome could reach the safety of the street, someone grabbed her and threw her up against the wall of the alley.
"Don't look so scared," one of them said. "We're not gonna hurt you. We just want your money."
Kagome stared at them, too frightened to really comprehend what he was saying.
Another boy, the one holding her arm and who'd thrown her against the wall, wasn't so nice. "Hurry up, we haven't got all day," he snapped at her, and she felt the cold touch of metal on her throat. A knife. "Just hand over your wallet and everyone can go home happy."
She didn't waste any time in fumbling for her jacket pocket, trying to get her wallet free. These jerks would be sadly disappointed anyway; she never carried cash on her, preferring to use credit card for just this reason. By the time they had a chance to use it she'd have cancelled the card anyway.
A sudden voice startled all of them. "What the hell is going on here?"
The three thugs accosting her looked up, and the grip on Kagome's arm loosened. She paused, trying to see who'd spoken - the voice sounded familiar.
The boy from her math class - Naraku, Rin had said his name was - was standing in the alley glaring at the three boys furiously. "You assholes," he swore at them. "Didn't I tell you not to do anything stupid? Don't you know who this girl is?"
They stared at him blankly, and Kagome felt relief wash through her. She was saved. "That's Kagome Higurashi," Naraku continued angrily. "I know I've told you about her. What the hell were you thinking to try to mug her?"
Her arm was released completely and they stepped away from her sheepishly. "Sorry boss - didn't realize - "
Naraku ignored them, moving in on Kagome. She blinked, not entirely reassured by the look in his eyes. And had those other guys called him boss?
"Are you all right, Kagome?"
"Y-yes," she said shakily. "I was just scared. I want to go home."
He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder in a way that might have been comforting if it hadn't seemed so creepy. Kagome didn't want him touching her. "So Kagome, I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now. I noticed you in class right away - you're really beautiful you know."
Kagome stared up at him in amazement. How could he be talking about that kind of thing at a time like this? "Uh.. Th-thanks," she stuttered.
He moved closer, and Kagome's body tensed, her heart starting to pound painfully again as she realized that she wasn't out of danger yet. "I really admire you," he told her, his black eyes shining eerily in the darkness. "You're so accomplished and coordinated."
"I have to go now," Kagome said in a rush, her standard stuck-with-a-jerk-at-a-party response.
He shook his head slowly, his other hand moving to her waist, trapping her. "You're not going anywhere."
His head descended to kiss her, but Kagome turned her face to the side at the last minute, letting out a bloodcurdling scream as she brought her knee up into his groin as hard as she could.
He doubled over, but didn't lose his grip on her. "Bitch!" he choked out, his fingers tightening painfully. "You'll pay for that!"
"No!" Kagome started to struggle in earnest, but then she felt other hands, the hands of his friends, holding her still, keeping her from getting away.
A laugh - "She's a real hellcat boss!"
"Watch out - someone grab her legs - "
Kagome closed her eyes, tears of frustration and fear squeezing past her eyelids. How could this be happening to her?
Suddenly the hands on her body disappeared. She heard a grunt of pain, followed by the sound of a body smashing into the ground. She was flung to the side, landing hard on the cold pavement. Almost afraid to look, Kagome slowly cracked one eye open, then gaped in amazement.
Inuyasha stood there, surrounded by the crumpled bodies of her attackers. He was holding the knife that one of the thugs had held to her throat, and glaring at the only opponent left standing - Naraku.
Kagome gasped. "Inuyasha, watch out!" she cried, as Naraku produced a weapon seemingly out of nowhere and pointed the gun at the half-demon.
"Who the hell are you?" Naraku snarled, his eyes cold, his aim unwavering.
Inuyasha ignored him completely, as if he wasn't even a threat. He glanced over at Kagome. "Should I kill him?" he asked evenly.
She stared, disbelieving. He was acting like Naraku didn't have any advantage over him at all! "What - "
She was cut off by the sound of Naraku cocking the gun. Inuyasha turned his attention back to the dark-haired boy, his golden eyes filled with disdain and anger.
"Kill me? As if you could!" Naraku sneered. "Say your prayers, freak."
Kagome screamed
and squeezed her eyes shut as Naraku pulled the trigger.
@@@
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Next chapter will be your christmas present - up asap
tomorrow, I promise!
And just as an explanation, Naraku wasn't trying to rape Kagome. At first he was just getting all cuddly in his creepy, emotionally screwed up way, and then he was pissed cuz she kneed him in the family jewels. He might have killed her if Inuyasha hadn't heard her scream. He's a terrible person, but he deserves pity imo, since he's really just messed up and socially inept. (I wanted to make that clear because I just don't feel like I'm qualified to write about something as serious and traumatizing as sexual assault, especially as I have never experienced it.)
