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Chapter Two: Salty Taste

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She was hidden beneath the covers. They clung to her slender form as her head was buried in the mountain of pillows, black masses of hair showing amongst them. One cream arm wrapped around a long pillow and pulled it close to her torso.

Her brown eyes were closed and tears slid down her cheeks slowly. She let out a small sob and buried her head into the pillow, biting it and screaming.

Kagome was a wreck.

She felt so empty inside and she wanted to cry nearly every day now. Under her eyes were tired bags and her skin had lost its youthful glow. Kagome hugged the pillow closer. Her heart hurt so bad, like someone had punched her chest inside out. Her brain pounded against her skull.

Kagome's hands clutched tightly to the pillow as fear overwhelmed her. She'd never be the same again.

She had no memories to bring happiness to her heart. Kagome had no recollection of ever loving anyone. But her heart had remembered. Oh, how it remembered.

"Nnn.." she clenched her teeth as pain hit her stomach and her hands flew to her abdomen. The pain burned her stomach and sweat dotted her forehead as she cried out. "InuYasha…!"

She heard hastened footsteps and saw the doorknob turn. In an instant she felt InuYasha scoop her up protectively in his arms.

"Kagome? Kagome? What's wrong?" a panicked look was upon InuYasha's face as he set her in his lap.

"My stomach…it hurts!" she managed to say. "It hurts…so bad!" Kagome doubled over in pain.

InuYasha set her on the bed gently. "Hang on, I'll get some medicine for you," he said, stroking her hair and then leaving.

"Chii!" InuYasha called out. "Chii!"

Chii emerged from her room. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Can you ask Kagome a question?"

"…Sure…"

"Could you ask her if she's having her PMS cramps?"

"Can't you ask her?" Chii looked at him and noticed the embarrassment color rising to his cheeks. "All right, I'll ask her. Gee…"

InuYasha silently thanked the Gods he had a daughter for these kinds of things as he searched through the cabinets to find some Tylenol.

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Kagome rubbed her stomach as Chii came in. "Hey," Chii said, looking at her.

Kagome smiled tiredly. "Hello Chii." Kagome saw something flash in Chii's eyes. She couldn't quite put her finger on the emotion.

"Are you about to have your period, Kagome?" Chii asked.

Kagome looked at the teenager. "Well…I can't remember when was the last time I had it…I think…You think they're stomach aches, don't you?"

Chii nodded. "Stomach aches, more like cramps. Stabs of pain, muscles tightening. Yeah. Cramps more than likely."

Kagome sighed, the pain loosening up a bit.

"Stretch your stomach muscles, stay away from anything with caffeine in it and you'll be fine," Chii diagnosed. "Got it? InuYasha's bringin' up some Tylenol."

"Chii?"

"Hmm?" Chii arched a brow, crossing her arms.

"You act a lot like InuYasha. You guys aren't related are you?" Kagome asked.

Chii looked surprised at Kagome. Had she already forgotten that? That Kagome was her mother, and InuYasha her father? Of course, Kagome had a few comas after that big one…so maybe she lost that memory too…

Chii forced a smile. "Nah. No way am I related to an idiot like him."

"Then why are you living with him?" Kagome asked.

The silver haired girl smiled again. "I saved his butt, so he owes me big time. So he let me stay with him."

"Don't you have any parents?" Kagome questioned.

"Yeah," she replied. "My dad loves me a lot though he doesn't show it at all, my mom doesn't know that I was born."

"What? How is that-?"

InuYasha came in. "Found it!" he announced, handing her two pills and a glass of water. "Down the pills or they leave a horrible after taste." He crossed his arms as he stood next to Chii and Kagome could swear upon a grave that they looked identical! Except her eyes, Chii's eyes were familiar though.

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"What're your sizes Taka-chan?"

"My sizes? I don't know."

"We'll just have to find out then," Kagome shoved him into a dressing room. "Now let me see your tag in your shirt."

"What! No way!".

"Take it off!" Kagome ordered.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"NOW!" Kagome said.

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Kagome handed him the glass. I…did I have a memory? She stared down at her hands, trying to recall the face. She wanted to remember who that person she was talking to was.

They were at the shopping mall, and the girl was being so stubborn about undressing so that they could get some clothes. They were shopping. Surely they were best friends.

"InuYasha?"

"What?" he asked.

"Who were my friends?"

"Let me think…Eri, Ami, Yuki, Mizumi, Rashi, Kagura, Sango, and some other people, why?" he asked.

"Did I go shopping with any of them?"

"Yeah. Practically all of them," InuYasha replied.

"Did I have fun?"

"How would I know?" InuYasha scowled. "I didn't meet you until practically two years ago and by then you only hung out with Kagura, Sango, Rashi, Miroku and me."

"So that must be it!" Kagome snapped her fingers.

"What?" Chii and InuYasha asked.

Kagome shook her head. "Nothing…I just wanted to know who were my best friends…"

"Mm," InuYasha grunted and left. "Come on Chii."

"Right…" Chii said, following.

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"Hey InuYasha?"

"What?" InuYasha looked at Chii, who was sitting on the couch, magazine open.

"How come…how come you never…"

"Never what?" InuYasha stared at her.

"You never act like I'm your daughter?" Chii looked at the floor. "You've never talked to me like I'm your daughter or anything like that. I mean, I know you haven't had the chance to raise me from an infant, but I'm still yours!"

InuYasha looked surprised. "Uh…" He wasn't prepared for her outburst.

Silence.

Then a sigh.

"Chii…the reason I don't is because Kagome probably doesn't remember having a kid. If she realizes she had one, it would really take its toll on her and pressure her into remembering."

"What if pressure is good?" Chii asked, dropping the magazine. "You're always hiding stuff from her! How do you expect her to remember anything? Remember us? Remember me?"

"Chii…"

"And how can we act like a family if she can't remember?" Chii cried. "I can't bring home any friends! I tell them my parents left me! That my dad sends me a god damned letter every weekend with twenty bucks! And my mom forgot that I even exist!" Chii grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. "How can I live?"

InuYasha dodged the pillow with ease and then approached her.

"No!" she shouted. "Stop! Don't move! I hate you! I hate you! I hate it here!"

InuYasha grabbed Chii by the shoulders. "Chii! Listen to me! Look at me!"

Chii sniffed, tears flowing freely now as she looked angrily up at him. She began to sob and she threw herself in his arms, hiding her red face in his shirt, clutching him close. "I miss you!"

InuYasha sighed, wrapping his arms around his daughter. "I know. I know Chii. It's hard not being able to tell her anything. She needs to remember on her own."

"What about telling her how we saved the world? And how Naraku tried to manipulate her and take her?" she said into his shirt.

"No. We can't tell her. It's fantasy to humans. None of the victims remember that. She wouldn't believe it," InuYasha said.

"How do you know?"

"…I don't want her to remember Naraku."

"Dad?"

InuYasha stroked her head. "What, Chii?"

"You need to tell her something. Anything!"

"I know I do…" InuYasha said. "I've tried…" It was half true

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Miroku was sitting at a desk, covered in papers and books. "If bringing someone back from the dead is impossible…" he muttered to himself. "Then Time travel is the next option…"

He flipped through a book and began to skim it, writing down notes.

A soft knock.

"Mmmm? Come in," Miroku said, glancing up at the door when it opened. "Oh! Cheryl." His tone was surprised as he pulled off his fashion statement glasses. (He only got them to make himself look intelligent)

The slender woman smiled softly at him. "You've been in your office all night." She scanned his office, noticing the futon mattress on the floor. "You practically live in here. Are all Japanese men like this?"

He grinned, stretched and replied. "No. I'm just one of the lucky few. All you need is a futon, microwave, ramen and silverware to get you through the day."

"I can see," Cheryl said, brushing a blonde, curly lock behind her ear, looking at the trashcan filled with ramen cups. "How about I take you out to eat instead? Some fresh air might do you some good."

Miroku looked up at her and sighed. "Cheryl…it will never work between us. I already have someone." Cheryl had dropped hints, then more hints and then, just last week she admitted her admiration and love for him, but he refused, because he loved Sango still and the love was a never fading worship.

"But she died!" Cheryl pointed out. "People are thinking you're some sick psycho, having sex with her body."

"I don't have sex with her body," Miroku replied coldly. "I am trying to find a way to bring her back!"

"I know that!" Cheryl jumped in. "But it's insane, Mark. Everyone knows that it's impossible. Inevitable! Just come outside, breathe some fresh air, and you'll be good as new. Promise." She looked helpless as she made her way closer to him.

She sat on the edge of his desk, crossing her ankles. "Please?"

Miroku sighed. "Fine. Let me grab my coat." He couldn't afford to lose his secretary. She was the only insane one to listen to his time theories. He couldn't pass up a free meal, and he didn't have the heart to see a crushed face today.

She smiled, satisfied by his answer and then Cheryl nodded. "All right," she replied and walked out of his office.

Miroku slammed the office door, and locked it in one swift movement, locking her out. But then again, he really didn't need some American woman to answer his calls and take his notes. And he could get a free meal any time he wanted to after ten at Coodles, because he occasionally dropped by and helped them. Americans just made him angry so often.

"Hey! Mark! Open up this door! Mark! I'm doing you a favor!" she kicked the door. Her voice pleaded and begged, calling out his American given name. "Mark! Please! Do you want people to think your psycho? Mark!"

Miroku smirked. "Mark is not my name, its Miroku," he whispered as he returned to his desk. Psycho, they thought him? Well, Einstein was psycho then, Nobunaga as well. But Miroku strongly believed that he could make time travel possible, especially with the help of some powerful force.

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A week later Kagome had joined a counseling group and made some new friends. In fact, Kagome was thinking about getting a job and moving out on her own.

Kagome grabbed the car keys to the car InuYasha had bought her. She felt somewhat guilty that he had done that. "I'm leaving!" she called.

InuYasha gave her a depressed look. "All right. I'll probably be at work when you get back. Where are you going?"

"Suzumi invited me to go shopping with her," Kagome replied. "I'll see you later." With that said, Kagome left the house and drove away in her car.

InuYasha sighed and leaned back. "Kagome…"

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"Higurashi?"

Kagome turned. "Umm…" she bit her lip, seeing the brown hair and friendly smile brought a familiar feeling to her. "Do I know you?" She had clothes in her hands, neatly folded. Suzumi had left to go to the lingerie section.

"It's me. Hojo."

"Hojo?"

"Yeah, we went to school together and dated a few times…" Hojo said.

"We dated? I'm sorry…" Kagome looked up at him. "I can't remember…You see…I fell into a coma and lost my memory…" Did it have to come out so simply and easy? It sounded like she was being sarcastic, or playing a joke. It was so hard to tell people who recognized her she had fallen into comatose and acquired amnesia.

Hojo looked surprised, deeply surprised, as though it didn't fade in, but he tried his best to let it sink. "Are you serious? How? When?"

"A year ago…" Kagome replied. "During an accident." She looked sorry. Please don't say you're sorry…please!

"I'm so sorry, Higurashi…" Hojo apologized. "I should introduce myself then." He bowed. "I am Nobunaga Hojo."

"I am Higurashi Kagome," Kagome replied with a smile.

"Oi! Kagome! I found the black laced thong and matching top I wanted!" Suzumi shouted across the store and Kagome's face went red. And turned even darker when Suzumi flailed the thong in the air for the entire world to see.

Hojo's face did the same. "Umm…" he said, taking out a card. "Here's my cell number. If you're not busy, maybe we could do something next weekend? I'd like to take you out to eat." He seemed ready to just run away from the awkward situation.

Kagome nodded, not being able to say anything as Suzumi trudged up behind her, placing the lingerie in the basket. "I got pink for you, since I know you like pink," Suzumi smiled, but the smile faded into an 'O' when she noticed Hojo.

"Hello there!" Suzumi said, her hands reaching for the lingerie. "How did these get into your basket, Kagome?" She held them up for the Hojo to see. "Bunny thongs, cherry bras…oh this is all mine…"

Kagome blushed even redder, feeling that she might explode. Why did Hojo decide to just pop out of nowhere during her underwear shopping?

Hojo coughed. "I'll see you later. Be sure to call, okay?"

Kagome nodded once again and when he left, she glanced at the card as Suzumi returned the lingerie back into Kagome's basket.

"You lucky ass!" Suzumi smiled. "You're lucky I came to take those thongs from your basket."

"Suzumi! You talked me into getting them!" Kagome protested. She put the card in her back pocket, as Suzumi smiled innocently.

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"Hey Miroku?" Kohaku asked.

"Yes?" Miroku asked, watching the movers take the boxes from Sango's house.

"I can live with you right?"

"…"

"Right?" Kohaku asked.

"Kohaku…You'll be staying with Shippou and Kaede until I get back. Everything is so mixed up right now," Miroku replied.

"Why isn't Shippou living with Kagome, InuYasha and Chii since InuYasha's his father and Chii, his sister?"

"Because Shippou won't be ready to face Kagome in her condition."

"I think he deserves to decide that for himself. I want to move in with you!"

"You can't. I'm going to America."

Kohaku frowned and punched Miroku's arm angrily and ran off from the house. Miroku sighed.

"That it?" the mover asked, after moving out the last box.

"Yeah." Miroku replied and turned off the light, giving Sango's room one last look. He noticed a piece of carpet was worn down more than its surroundings. He walked over to it and bent down in front of it.

His fingers felt along the soft carpet roughly. His finger caught a ridge, pulling the corner of the carpet square. Miroku moved it off, to reveal a removable board.

Carefully, he lifted the board and his eyes greeted lace. Sango's secret underwear drawer.

He smiled. "Sango…I know where you keep your underwear now…"

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Crisa Rei: Well there's chapter two for ya. –jerks thumb upwards- Hope you enjoyed it. Though I have to admit…I cried writing the flashback for Miroku. If you just picture it in your mind, when he finds the drawer he used to tease Sango about, brought tears to my eyes…

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