Reaching for the Stars

Chapter 5

Realizing that Kaa-san did NOT kill off Inu XD

aka Wedding Plans

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha


Kagome paced restlessly, unable to sit still. It had been three days, and she still couldn't believe it. She kept thinking back to that morning-holding InuYasha in her arms, the blaring sirens of the ambulance. When they arrived at the hospital, somebody had separated Kagome from Inu. She screamed and fought until a nurse was forced to give her a sedative.

They cleaned the blood off her, gave her clothes, and refused to let her see him. This caused her to rebel, until they had to give her another sedative, and gave her a room for the night.

The second day, she explained that they were married and she was allowed to see him. She became distraught at all the tubes stuck in him, but fearful of being kicked out, she contained herself. By the third day, he still hadn't woken up, and she had no news of his condition. Frustrated to the point of tears, she sat down in a chair she had put next to the bed and placed her head in her hands.

InuYasha woke up, feeling groggy and his left shoulder burning with hot-white pain. He saw Kagome and was concerned.

"Kag," he called hoarsely, "what happened?" Her head shot up and she looked at him, tears glittering in her eyes. He'd give anything to make them go away…

"Oh, Inu, thank God!" She smiled wearily. "I was so scared that I'd lose you, and I don't want that! Inu, I love-" She was cut off by a figure appearing in the doorway and shouting.

"Inu!" InuYasha, annoyed at the interruption, looked towards the intruder.

"Kikyou?" he inquired, just as Kagome whispered.

"Kikyou Miko?" She rushed over to InuYasha's bedside and took his head in her hands tenderly.

"When I heard, I was so worried! I told you it was a stupid idea to come here!" Kagome's strained heart was dreadfully close to breaking. Then Kikyou leaned down and kissed him on the lips. Her heart shattered and fell to pieces, like her life, before her eyes.

Kikyou pulled away and InuYasha wondered what in the devil had come over her. Before he could speak, however, he noticed her predatory gaze was on Kagome.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Miss Kagome Higurashi," she said, not trying to hide the contempt in her voice. Kagome refused to look up, and InuYasha's heart sank. This didn't bode well for anybody involved…

"Kag?" he whispered, but she still didn't look up.

"So, Kag," she spat the name like a curse. "This is your dear Inu?" Her voice was laced with venom, the patronizing tone making her feel like scum.

"Your parents were right, you know." They were only a year apart, Kikyou was twenty-three, but it didn't seem like that.

"He didn't love you. He didn't marry you. If only I'd known he was yours, I wouldn't have taken him for myself." Seeing her panicked gaze, she laughed coldly, playing on a suspicion she had. Her gaze swept down to her finger, bereft of a ring.

"Where's your ring, Kagome? Did Inu take it already? I know how much you loved it. But it would simply look better on me, which is why it's going to be my wedding ring. Anything I want, I get. You forgot that. Oh, poor baby, did you think he wanted you?" Uncertainty shone in her eyes, and she played her trump card. InuYasha was too weak, too tired to try and stop her, and Kagome still wouldn't look at him.

"Did he sleep with you? I'll admit you've grown up since I last saw you, but I'm better looking by half. You amused him." She leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"But I know exactly how he likes it, and what he wants. You're a little slut, sleeping with my fiancée. Go home, get hitched, we have no more need of you." She staggered backwards, pushing her chair out of the way. Kikyou's eyes shone with triumph, and InuYasha wanted to assure her of his love, but then the doctor came in.

"Good news," the doctor said cheerfully. "You'll live, and we can release you tomorrow!"

"That's…good," Kagome said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Excuse me, but I have to leave."

"Kagome!" InuYasha shouted, but she had already run out of the room. The good doc blinked then walked out of the room mumbling something about soap operas. InuYasha stared forlornly at the door, left with Kikyou as company, who did nothing but complain. A nurse walked in.

"Where's your wife?" she asked cheerfully. "She didn't move from your side for three days, and went crazy when she couldn't see you. She's a keeper, that one." InuYasha groaned and went back to sleep. The nurse huffed and said under her breath, "Hmph, but she's far too smart to stay with you. She stays by you and you go and get yourself another girl. Two-timing jackass." She left the room.

Kagome stumbled out of the hospital, standing stupidly in the parking lot. After standing there for a couple of minutes, she saw Kouga, openly staring at her. His eyes were as full of sorrows as her own.

'Nobody that young should suffer that much…' She walked over to him unsteadily, and he spoke in a voice devoid of the usual deceit.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome." She could feel the sincerity in his words, the tone of voice, and she fell into his arms. She began to cry, and he held her until she was able to talk again.

"Can we go home, Kouga? Not to the cottage, to your dad's house? We need to talk…" He nodded and walked her to his car, holding her hand and opening the door for her. When they started driving, she started talking, and told him the truth about her entire life up until then. All the while he kept one arms around her shoulders.

"Inu," Kikyou whined, "are you listening to me?"

"No," he answered honestly.

"Are you still thinking about her?"

"Yes."

"Why? She's not down to Earth. She believes in true love prevailing and forgets about reality. When I lived next-door to her, she was always trying to suck-up by being nice. She always played with that damn ring of hers, and wouldn't let me have it." Her eyes brightened.

"Speaking of which, where is it?" He looked at her, wondering what he had ever seen in her. Sure she had brown eyes you could stare into, waist-length dark hair, ample bosom, tapered waist and round hips. But she had the worst attitude he had ever seen.

"Not here," he ground out from between his teeth.

"That's okay, we can get it later."

"What makes you so sure that I'll marry you?"

"Oh, come on, I'm better looking than that trailer trash! Not to mention, I saw her walk away from here with another man." He looked up sharply.

"What did he look like?"

"Let's see, looked kind of young, dark hair, seemed like he knew her."

"Did she go with him willingly?"

"Considering she practically fell into his arms, I'd say so." He groaned again as Kikyou began to explain all the reasons why she hated Kagome. He tuned her out and focused on the situation at hand. How would he get rid of Kikyou, and why did Kagome leave with Kouga?

By the time Kagome and Kouga reached the house, she had finished telling him about her life. Kouga turned off the car and scooted over, embracing Kagome delicately. She was tired; tired from lack of sleep, tired of lying, and tired of having her heart abused. That night, InuYasha had told her he loved her, but it was a lie, just like when she told him she wanted him to leave.

Kagome lifted her head off Kouga's shoulder and looked into his light blue eyes.

"Do you still want to get married?" He looked at her in shock.

"You can't be serious! After-" She cut him off by kissing him softly.

"You've changed. You'll be a great husband to any girl, and if it's me, then I'll consider myself lucky. I don't want to be hurt anymore. I'll ask you one more time: do you still want to get married?" He gulped and then nodded.

Kouga kissed Kagome, and they sat there like that for several moments. When he pulled away, they got out of the car. They walked towards the house, hand-in-hand, planning to announce their news.


Review Responses:

Priestess of Nottingham: Still poor Inu…but not for long!

InuYashas-writer-and-lover: He didn't die…don't kill me. Yeah…Kouga really should stop getting in the way…even though I intentionally made him do it again…Alright, have a fun vacation! I'm going on vacation too…in two days. That's when I realized if I do a chapter per day, then I can get this done before I leave! It works.

inu-dog-dem: Thank you! He'll be okay.

billysgotagun: Technically…Kouga shot Inu. :winces: I could never kill Inu myself, I love him too much.

XamandaX98: …It's so…British…I won't become a famous writer, so I still have time to practice on an autograph for when I become…something. Six Flags… In this story…you're so mean…Bree: "Have Kara tell you one of her stories to get you to go to sleep!" …

RaVen222: Yeah…the getting shot thing didn't lead to him coming out on top…I will!

Yana5: She's mean because she's trying to protect InuYasha.

The Squabbit: …Good ending…I swear! He didn't die, either…:winces: Don't hurt me…

SlummyRedDragon: Thank you!

chakitattyla2h8: …So they did…Nope, it can't end there. Kagome's personality makes sense in a weird way. She's trying to push InuYasha away because she's trying to protect him from getting hurt by Kouga (didn't work too well, he got shot). This makes perfect sense, because in the anime, movies, manga, etc. she's always either bandaging him when he'll heal fine by himself or in the case of the movies (spoilers…), specifically movie 2, she throws herself in front of an arrow, goes to him when he can hurt her in demon form, etc. So…yeah.

inu-hanyou2: Yep, one chapter now. Thank goodness someone isn't going to kill me. ;.;

ILOVEInuyasha07: He is saved…don't kill me…Kouga won't die…Perish…makes me feel like food…perishable food items…

Alright...yeah...I'm prolly gonna die again. Anyhow, the next (and last) chapter will be posted tomorrow, right before I go on vacation. Have fun, and as previously stated, it WILL be a happy ending!

Kaa-san