OOO
Bitten
By Rio Grande
Chapter 12: The First Thing You See
OOO
"A-and then sh-she said... ((sniff)) that I should just LEAVE the F-FBI, a – and... ((sniff)) that I was untrained and t-too YOUNG and... O-oh, Keiko!" Kagome sniffled over the phone, violently wiping away frustrated tears from her curled up position on her bed. "I-I'm being such a damn wimp!"
"Yes, you are," Keiko's chipper voice agreed from across the phone line, causing Kagome's self pitying expression to momentarily dissolve into one of anger before quickly saddening once more.
"She was just... she was just so pretty! And professional! You should have seen her. I felt like a freaking grade school kid trying to pass a college graduate next to her," Kagome vented to the onlyperson she ever called when she was having boy problems.
"Well Kags, I'm not so sure I really understand the whole situation..." Keiko admitted tentatively. "You're Inuyasha's secretary at the agency, you've been living with him because his nephew is staying with you while his mother gets surgery in England, and recently you started hooking up with him," Keiko summarized, trying to sort everything out. Kagome had never come to her with a romantic crisis this severe before, and she was treating it with the same level of professionalism most vascular surgeons used in major operations.
"J-just last night," Kagome affirmed, taking in a shaky breath as she gloomily recalled she and Inuyasha's all too brief sexual encounter.
"Right, okay. Then, today, Inuyasha gets badly wounded on a case and you feel, somehow, that it's your fault," Keiko added, her voice clearly showing confusion.
"... Yeah," Kagome agreed, not ready to tell her best friend that she felt this way because she had actually been the one to indirectly shoot Inuyasha.
"Riight. Anyway, he's saved, randomly, by his ex-girlfriend, a fellow agent who has been living in America until today. The two of you wait by his bedside for him to regain consciousness until she, essentially, scares you out of the room with threats about your current occupation," Keiko summed up cheerily.
"Yes," Kagome sighed, her brows furrowing together.
"Okay, I still don't get it. Why does she want you to leave the FBI? Because of Inuyasha? I mean, I know about being petty, trust me, but firing your ex-boyfriend's secretary because you're jealous is pretty low," Keiko pointed out.
"There's a bit more to it than that," Kagome admitted, forcing herself to come to terms with some of Kikyo's relatively reasonable sounding points. "She thinks I'm too inexperienced for the job. She doesn't want me to get hurt,"
"Get hurt doing what? Filing? Being a secretary at the FBI doesn't sound all that different from being a secretary anywhere else," Keiko confessed.
"It's a bit more dangerous... I mean, some of those files. Whew. They're pretty disturbing,"
"And besides," Keiko added, forging onwards with more passion to her tone. "Who is she to say something like that? Like she gives a flying fuck about your safety. Honestly, Kagome, it sounds like this woman is just crazy jealous."
Kagome bit her lip. They way Keiko put it, the concept of Kikyo being envious of she and Inuyasha's relationship seemed entirely plausible. However, Keiko had not been there in the room with Kikyo when she had dolled out her grave advice. She had not seen the utter look of indifference in her eyes, and she did not hear her bland, factual tone of voice. No, it didn't seem as though Kikyo was jealous at all to Kagome. She was merely using common sense, something the girl admittedly didn't have a lot of.
"I guess..." Kagome replied, not wishing to debate this particular topic, for she knew Keiko would never relent if she thought Kagome didn't agree with her. "I mean, truly, all I'm worried about is not getting to see Inuyasha anymore. I didn't realize how much I wanted to stay with him like we are now until Kikyo brought up actually leaving the FBI," Keiko let out a drawn out sigh at Kagome's statement, clearly fed up with the depressed girl.
"You're not going to lose Inuyasha!" she insisted loudly. "Just don't take no for an answer. Go up and tell him exactly how you feel about things, and tell everyone else flat out that you're not leaving the job. It doesn't seem like they have a really valid excuse for firing you in any case – this is all just the opinion of one bitchy woman. And, besides, if what you told me about Inuyasha is true... it sounds like he definitely wants you around," Keiko said tauntingly. Kagome reddened, considering her friend's statement.
"I suppose that's true..." she agreed softly, frowning when she detected Keiko's chuckles. "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm sorry, it's just so weird! You never have guy problems – you never have guys! I feel like I'm in an alternate reality! It's like your love life is part of a soap opera suddenly!" Keiko paused, and Kagome could almost see her evil grin through the phone. "Kagome, you've done me proud."
"Oh shut up!" Kagome groaned. She did NOT want Keiko comparing their love lives – Keiko's romantic life was like one large cesspool for betrayal, lust, rejection, manipulation and scandalous nights on the town. Kagome's was like a an empty dessert, composed of one young man named Hojo, courageously braving the deadening heat for years.
And then there was Inuyasha.
"Really Keiko, thanks for listening to me," Kagome said earnestly. Outside it was still dark, she had some hours to sleep before she went back to the office. If she went back to the office. "I know we haven't been seeing each other a lot lately, but..."
"It's fine. I'm considering it your revenge for all those times I ditched you for guys," Keiko replied easily. "Just please promise me you'll resolve this mess. Go back to the agency tomorrow! Grow a backbone!"
"Okay, okay," Kagome said, laughing in surrender. "I've gotta turn in now, I'll see you later though,"
"Oh, before you go – I've got a new theory about Kiki's mysterious lover man," Keiko proclaimed importantly.
"Oh, really?" Kagome said, feigning interest when really she was feeling guilt over the fact that she hadn't even given a second's thought to Kiki's boy problems in weeks.
"Yes – I think it's a boy in her Japanese Literature class. I'm not sure who yet, but I heard rumors about her getting snugly with a guy in there."
"Oh, well, that's much better than your earlier theory about her and her professor," Kagome pointed out dryly.
"Yeah, yeah, so I jumped to conclusions..." Keiko huffed.
"Well, keep me posted."
"Sure thing sugar. I hope things work out for you – bye bye!" Keiko sang, hanging up.
"Bye," Kagome replied distantly, turning off her cell dazedly and falling back into her cushioned bed. Even if everything worked out for her, tomorrow was going to be difficult. She just wanted to get some rest and pretend like nothing was wrong for a few more hours. Only, it was very hard to do that when she was sleeping alone in a bed she had become accustomed to sharing with one hanyou.
OOO
Inuyasha slowly let his eyes slide open. His brain registered that he was regaining consciousness – not so odd. It was something he did on a regular basis. Most mornings, in fact. Pale sunlight could be detected out a window, causing him to squint in discomfort, and his mouth felt as though he had been sucking on cotton for a few dozen hours. Still, nothing to be alarmed over. Could just be some mild hangover symptoms.
However, after his initial gentle reintroduction to the world, things began to get odd. Firstly, he was not lying in Kagome's comfortable bed with his new lover twined closely around his body like a deliciously soft vine. He was on a small white cot-esque thing with starchy sheets and an I.V connected to his wrist. He was wearing a hospital gown. The general area of his chest was burning like a mother.
Taking in a sharp breath as the full extent of the damage that had been done to his body reached his head, Inuyasha let his gaze travel upwards to tactfully avoid tearing. He was met with the grim sight of a beige, tiled ceiling. Seeing as how the mere sight of it made him nearly gag with boredom, the hanyou quickly let his eyes roll to the side, traveling down the room until he was back at floor level, his golden gaze fixed directly on a woman who was fast asleep in a chair at his side. Her head was lowered to her chest, her raven hair dripping over her shoulders elegantly.
At first the woman's size and hair color made Inuyasha assume the female was none other than his partner, Kagome. In fact, a small smile actually tugged at his lips at the thought that she had stayed by his side for the duration of what was obviously a long stay at the hospital after some sort of mission related accident, the details of which he couldn't remember at the present moment. However, soon her scent reached his sensitive nose, and Inuyasha began to doubt his earlier beliefs.
'That's not Kagome...' his instincts informed him primly. 'That is... that scent belongs to...'
'Kikyo.'
'What the FUCK?' Inuyasha raged inwardly, abruptly tensing and sitting up in bed despite the electric shocks of pain that shot down his form. A fang jutted out over his lip as he regarded the hunched over figure of the ex-agent, her unique smell of irises and pine trees invading his head.
Just what in God's name was SHE doing there?
At the sound of Inuyasha's desperate shuffling, Kikyo rather abruptly woke up, raising her head and blinking dreamily at Inuyasha with those same, deep brown eyes. She took a moment to discreetly yawn and run some fingers through her long tresses before she smiled weakly at Inuyasha, looking at him with an unspoken secret lingering in her gaze.
"Good morning, Inuyasha. I see you have decided to return to the world of the living."
For a brief moment Inuyasha wildly considered the idea that he might have somehow fallen into a loophole in time, that transported him back three or four years when he and Kikyo had still been partners, inside and outside of work. There was simply no other explanation as to why Kikyo was being so cordial towards him, with her smiles and her 'good mornings'. The last time he had laid eyes on her she had been nothing less than maliciously hostile, as had he, and he certainly hadn't planned on treating her nicely were he ever to see her again.
"K-Kikyo?" he rasped incredulously, raising a disbelieving eyebrow at her. Kikyo smiled that damned mysterious smirk again, folding her arms across her chest.
"Surprised? I transferred back in yesterday," she commented idly.
"What? Well, you better get RE-transferred, FAST, because there is no way in hell I am working with you!" Inuyasha barked, balling up his fists. How DARE she talk to him so casually! Not after what she had done - she had no right.
"That's no way to talk to the woman who saved your life," Kikyo reprimanded, not looking the least bit fazed by Inuyasha's aggressive attitude.
"Y-you – you what?" Inuyasha choked out, eyes nearly bulging out of his head.
"Yesterday at Rin Hayaka's apartment you were attacked by the newest addition to Naraku's motley crew – Kanna of the Mirror," Kikyo began, her tone as factual and bland as she could make it.
"Yeah. I remember that," Inuyasha spat out flatly, still huddling on the other side of the bed and keeping a wary eye on Kikyo.
"Your new miko partner shot at her mirror with purified bullets that were fired back at her, and you pushed her out of harm's way, consequentially getting shot through the shoulder. You immediately fell into unconsciousness due to the magical nature of the projectile, leaving Kagome undefended. Both you and she were about to be finished off by the demon sisters before I stepped in and shot a purified arrow at them, shaking them up enough to make them leave," she finished, her expression never changing. Inuyasha gaped at her, trying to wrap his mind around what she was saying.
"You saved Kagome and me? But why?" he asked. If he remembered correctly, Kikyo had been intent on seeing him literally dead at one point, so why was she now acting like his unofficial guardian angel?
"I'm working for the FBI again, Inuyasha. It is my duty to protect fellow agents, and you were in need of protection," she stated plainly, shrugging. Inuyasha gnashed his teeth and locked gazes with her, unable to bring himself to say thanks. Instead, he said:
"What the hell is going on here? Why are you in my room? It's great and all that you helped me out, but we don't need to bond over it or anything, okay?" he hissed rudely. Kikyo's eyes flashed with an unreadable emotion momentarily, and then she turned genuinely despondent, lowering her gaze and twining her fingers together uncomfortably in her lap.
"I know this must be odd for you, seeing me after so long and after... what happened. But it's disturbing for me too, you know," she whispered, almost accusingly.
"Great, so we agree. This is bizarre. Now leave."
"I need to explain myself Inuyasha, please give me that chance," Kikyo demanded in a firmer tone, her brown eyes flickering briefly with a fire Inuyasha had thought she lost long ago.
"There's nothing to explain. You're a hateful bitch and we're never going to be friends ever again, no matter what you do, got it?" Inuyasha snapped, his temper wearing thin. Who did she think he was? Some sort of pushover? There was NO WAY she genuinely wanted to speak with him again, she had made that much clear three years ago.
"Inuyasha, I know we parted on bad terms. Very bad terms... but there's more to the story. Hear me out," Kikyo beseeched, leaning forward and gripping the edge of Inuyasha's bed fiercely. He glanced at her white knuckles and narrowed his eyes dangerously. What was she up to? He looked up at the open door to his hospital room – there was no one outside, and he couldn't hear anyone approaching. They were practically alone on the floor, and he didn't see himself jumping out of bed and making a dash for a window anytime in the near future, what with his current condition. He was trapped.
"I'll give you a minute. But I highly doubt there's anything you can say that will convince me you're not a complete asshole," Inuyasha told her flatly. Kikyo smirked a bit, leaning back and shaking her head wryly.
"Thanks," she said sarcastically. Quickly her expression turned dour again, and she made herself comfortable, as though preparing for a long story. Inuyasha frowned – he hadn't been kidding when he said she only had one minute.
"I know this is how you remember our last month together..." Kikyo began, her eyes distant as she spoke. "I became spiteful and resentful towards you -"
"I believe you mean you had a total breakdown and went ape-shit on my ass," Inuyasha corrected with a smile that showed fang. Kikyo cocked her head, considering her ex-lover's statement.
"Yes – breakdown is a good word for what happened," she agreed. "I had a breakdown Inuyasha. For a time I went mentally insane,"
"Ha! Finally you admit it! You're a complete nut case. You accused me of trying to kill you, and then you tried to shoot me with an arrow! Do you even remember that? That was crazy!"
"Inuyasha – I mean what I say," Kikyo interrupted coldly, catching his gaze. "I mean I literally went mentally insane – I was SICK,"
"... What's that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha asked guardedly, a flicker of honest confusion reflecting in his eyes. Kikyo took in a breath, confident he was actually listening to her now.
"You know that I was the first one to independently open up the Naraku case, and that I was working on it around the time that this all happened, yes?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Yeah I remember. You were the first one to detect him," Inuyasha admitted almost grudgingly.
"Well, I was getting a bit closer to him in my research than I would have liked to admit. I was getting too many answers, hitting too many nerves. Naraku feared me, and wanted me out of the picture before I ruined any of his laboriously made plans."
"I knew you had something going on with him," Inuyasha confessed, looking out the window and speaking lowly. "I always thought there was something happening there that I wasn't getting. But after we... you left, I sort of forgot about it. You never told me anything,"
"And I'm sorry," Kikyo said, hearing the clear accusation in the hanyou's tone. "But things were getting out of hand, and I was scared. I didn't know what was happening to me, how Naraku was getting to me... but I've figured it out. And that's why I'm back. It took a long time to recover in America, and sort everything out, but I think I finally understand," she said softly.
"Naraku cursed me... me and the shikon jewel."
"Cursed you and the... jewel?" Inuyasha parroted, confused. "How do you know that?"
"Because I had the jewel in my possession at the time," Kikyo stated factually. Inuyasha blinked, his ears twitching madly.
"Y-you did? But you never told me..."
"It was a secret arrangement between the demon bounty hunters and I. I knew he was after the jewel, so I went to them and asked if I could keep it and protect it," she laughed bitterly at this point. "It turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes I ever made."
"Sango's family... they gave you the jewel? Does she know about this?" Inuyasha asked, wondering why the athletic female had failed to bring up this rather important bit of information with him.
"I doubt it. It all happened during a clandestine meeting between the elders of the clan and I. No one was supposed to know that the jewel had left the hunter's community, so that hopefully Naraku himself would never know. But in the end he found out anyway, cursed me, got the jewel, and then killed the hunters as punishment for trying to work behind his back."
"I see..." Inuyasha breathed, staring at his sheets intently. Kikyo could almost see the gears turning in his head. She smiled again.
"Do you Inuyasha? Do you really understand what happened? Naraku needed the jewel to be tainted in order for him to possess it, so he cursed my heart and mind and tried to sully my pure soul, knowing this would automatically cause the jewel to become evil as well. He played with me, slowly made me believe things that weren't true, that would make me depressed, and hostile. Violent."
"Made you believe things like... I was trying to kill you?" Inuyasha guessed astutely.
"Precisely. I thought you were trying to steal the jewel from me for your own purposes."
"What? But I didn't even know you had it!" Inuyasha raged, indignant.
"It didn't matter. Common sense didn't apply after a while. All I could think of was betrayal, and hate. My soul became sickly and evil. I was dying and I didn't even know it... before long I could hardly use my own miko powers, and I knew Naraku was coming after me.
"By the time he came to take the jewel I hardly had any magic left in me – only enough to walk away from the encounter with my life, and even then only because Naraku was far less powerful than he is now. I knew that I couldn't survive in Japan in my current state, though, so I fled somewhere I thought I could be free of demons."
"America has demons too," Inuyasha pointed out, actually looking Kikyo in the eye now as he spoke, his posture slightly more relaxed. "All sorts,"
"Yes, but none of them had a vendetta against me personally," she explained. "There I was able to meditate and heal myself, regain my powers and get a new perspective. I fought off the curse. For you, Inuyasha. I wanted to return and explain everything...
"When I had the jewel, I thought it might be best to get rid of it before Naraku ever got his hands on it. The curse ruined that idea for me, but, before I became sick I... I wanted to use the jewel to make you fully human," she explained emotively, her gaze shifting to the side. Inuyasha looked taken a back, flinching at her words.
"Why?" he asked simply.
"Because I thought... that our relationship wasn't progressing," she admitted. "I wanted to make you human so we could finally be together, for real,"
"For real? We were doing fine," Inuyasha rebuked angrily.
"Were we? What could we have done Inuyasha? I am one of the most highly ranked mikos in the country, and you are a half breed who has been disowned by his family. How could we have ever worked in the eyes of society? I just wanted us to be able to have a good future. How could we have done that without the jewel?" she asked, tipping her head.
"I- I don't know..." Inuyasha admitted, averting his gaze again. "But you should have at least conferred with me about it!"
"I was going to, I had it all planned out," she assured him, shifting her chair closer to his bed. "But by the time I was going to get around to it, I was already cursed," Inuyasha met and held her gaze, feeling as though she was peering into his soul and begging him for something, something he couldn't identify and wasn't entirely sure he could give her.
"I'm sorry," he breathed out, as though it pained him to admit he actually did feel badly for Kikyo. "If I had known about all this, back then, I might have..."
"Don't say that," Kikyo interrupted, putting a finger to his lips to silence him. "The past is in the past. We were both at fault. Let's just focus on the future now,"
"The future?"
"Yes... I'm back at the agency again, to help you with Naraku. We can fight together once more. It will be just as it was before..." she said, reaching forward and taking his clawed hand in her snow white one. Inuyasha looked down at there intwined fingers with fascination.
"Y-yeah..." he agreed, unsure what exactly he was feeling, only understanding that it was odd. "I guess that's all true,"
"Please Inuyasha, I couldn't bear it if you still thought badly of me now," Kikyo pressed, leaning forward. "Do you forgive me?"
"Sure Kikyo," Inuyasha said, his form sagging and the light leaving his eyes. He was so very tired. When did everything get so complicated? He couldn't believe Kikyo had been cursed by Naraku all that time, and he had never done anything. He felt terrible. "Sure,"
"I'm glad," she said with a relieved sigh, moving abruptly forward and wrapping her arms around Inuyasha's broad shoulders in a loose hug. Her head rested on his chest, and he awkwardly returned the embrace, resting his chin on her shoulder.
This was familiar. Merely the way her body curved into his own was sending waves of nostalgia through his head. He felt shocked at how acutely he was remembering everything now; their relationship, the way they had met, conversations they had had. He had pushed all thoughts of his life with Kikyo to the far recesses of his mind after she betrayed him and left, unable to deal with the painful recollections of his first real brush with love. But now that she was back and had explained herself so eloquently, he was letting himself lower his walls. It wasn't so bad. He couldn't believe there had actually been a valid excuse for their separation.
He had always assumed the reason Kikyo turned on him was because he was in fact a hanyou, and it was almost unheard of for a woman of Kikyo's status and mystical abilities to marry a demon, be he partially demonic or no. Miko's were such a rare commodity, it was nothing short of disrespectful to sully her pureness with his negative demon youki. And Kikyo was so respected in the world, where as he was... less than admired. He hadn't even had a real conversation with his own brother in almost two decades.
"Finally we can bring down Naraku together," Kikyo said softly, causing Inuyasha's golden eyes to glint passionately.
"Yes," he agreed firmly.
"And we'll be the perfect team just as we used to be,"
"Yes,"
"And you can let go of that green miko you've been working with..."
"..."
"Inuyasha?" Kikyo asked softly, pulling away finally as she felt Inuyasha grow stiff as a board at the mention of his new, young partner. "Is something wrong?"
"About Kagome," Inuyasha mumbled, his eyes not visible through his thick white bangs. Gods, he hadn't thought of Kagome. She was such a foreign idea in this reality he had become so wrapped up in during the past half hour, he hadn't even factored her into this new, complex equation. Kikyo's look grew cold, and she regarded the hanyou critically.
"What? You cannot be seriously considering keeping her as your partner now that I have returned? I thought she was just a fill in for my absence," she said.
"Well, yeah..." Inuyasha admitted, scratching his head nervously. "That's what Kaede hired her as, since we were in desperate need of a priestess for this case..."
"So then why settle for her when you can have a truly experienced miko you have trained with previously? I haven't changed Inuyasha," Kikyo added, as if to seal the deal. She cupped Inuyasha's face and made sure he was looking directly at her. "I'm just as good in a fight as I used to be. With me we can be invincible again," Inuyasha stared at her for a contemplative beat, before blinking and pulling back slightly.
"I don't know, it doesn't seem like we were so invincible last time," he pointed out honestly. A frustrated expression found its way onto Kikyo's flawless features.
"What are you trying to say?" she asked, sounding slightly offended.
"I'm just saying that even if we initially hired Kagome because she was the only miko around, she's proven to be invaluable to the team. We've really made a lot of progress, and she's supposed to have a whole reserve of power just waiting to be tapped into," he explained, his eyes lighting up as he described Kagome's skills.
"But she hasn't been able to use her full abilities yet at all, has she?"
"Well... no,"
"Then who is to say she will be able to when the time comes? Who is to say if we were attacked by Naraku tomorrow she would be able to protect herself properly?" Kikyo asked. Inuyasha flinched as pictures of Kagome standing on Rin's roof, looking on in shock as her own bullets were fired back at her and causing his heart to momentarily stop beating came sharply to mind. He shrugged defensively.
"She's been getting along pretty well so far with me around," he offered in her defense.
"But look what has happened now. We need you out there catching Naraku, Inuyasha. Not taking bullets for inexperienced rookies," Kikyo said firmly. Inuyasha folded his arms and looked away, his expression intense.
"Listen, what happened wasn't Kagome's fault. We had no idea what Kanna's powers could do – she hasn't done anything wrong, so she at least deserves to be consulted if we think she would be better off leaving the force,"
"I agree. Of course talking to her first would be a good idea," Kikyo said, nodding her head encouragingly. "At least you're considering it,"
"Don't think anything is written in stone. Kagome has been a good partner," Inuyasha warned, surprising Kikyo with the earnestness in his gaze. "Besides, if she isn't with me I don't know how I'll feel about her safety. She is a target for Naraku..." "And she has that much more of a chance of being harmed if she's out there throwing herself in his path," Kikyo reminded him gently. Inuyasha floundered around to find something to say before shutting his mouth and sighing. Giving off an obstinate huff he fell back onto his pillows, blowing out air.
"Yeah, whatever. I think I need some time alone. I'm still feeling pretty out of it,"
"All right,"
"Where is Kagome, anyway? You said you were with her earlier..." Inuyasha said, flicking an ear in Kikyo's direction. The miko looked thoughtful.
"I don't know. She left to go home some time ago," she said flatly, getting to her feet. "And I am tired now as well, so I believe I will do the same." Approaching Inuyasha she leaned over his form and brushed her lips across his forehead, causing Inuyasha's eyes to snap open in wonderment.
"It's good to see you again, Inuyasha," she confessed, sliding out of the room with no further comment. Inuyasha watched her leave with glimmering golden eyes, a million thoughts racing through his head.
OOO
Kagome had never felt more insecure about entering headquarters in her life. Not even on her first day when she had just been force fed an elixir that helped her see past the material world and open her up to her miko powers. Suddenly she felt entirely out of place, and stupid. What did she think she was doing, acting like a real agent? She had no formal training and went around getting into trouble for the most part. Here real agents came to do their jobs, and she merely came to act like a clown.
Sighing shakily and lowering her head as she passed by agents, some of whom recognized her and waved, Kagome scurried as fast as she could to the elevator. Once in she pressed four, for the medical floor. It was time to face Inuyasha.
Acting on Keiko's rather passionate advice, she had decided to suck it up and go make sure her partner was okay. She didn't really know why she had run away the first time when she had been so adamant about staying by his side. Or rather, she knew exactly why, it was merely a lame reason. She shouldn't have let Kikyo scare her like that, she knew that now. It wasn't that woman's opinion that mattered anyway, it was her friend's and Inuyasha's thoughts that she really had to take into account. And how could she know what Inuyasha was thinking if she didn't go visit him?
'I hope he's not mad at me for not being there to see him wake up, if he's even awake yet,' Kagome thought as she watched the numbers for the elevator change, tugging nervously at her long flowing skirt. She wore a long tank top over it with a thick leather belt, and a small button down cardigan. Kagome was under the impression that she would not be going on any missions that day, unlike Miroku and Sango, so she had dressed casual. 'I'm sure he's fine, if Kikyo was with him, anyway...' she reflected after a moment, rather bitterly.
However, despite her initial bravado and determination, when Kagome finally made it within a few paces of Inuyasha's room she lost her drive. Standing there in the hall holding her bag to her chest, she began to panic. What if he really was mad at her for what happened? She didn't think she could emotionally handle being told she was a failure, again. So, when she spotted Rin wandering around outside an occupied room on the other side of the hall, she quickly made a beeline for the young girl as an excuse to postpone her confrontation.
"Rin!" she called, waving to the high school student jovially. Rin looked up, confused, before breaking into a smile and waving back. "What are you doing here?" Kagome asked, standing in front of the shorter female and realizing she was honestly confused about Rin's presence at the agency.
"Well, Miss Kagome, it's a bit of a story..." Rin admitted, rubbing her eyes and looking tired. The usual bounce in her step was gone, and she was wearing the same clothing she had been in yesterday afternoon.
"It's just Kagome, please. And I think I have the time to hear this story of yours," Kagome added, part of her singing with joy at the thought that this meant she would have more time to stall, and another part of her feeling truly baffled by the whole situation. Hadn't Rin been saved by she and Inuyasha?
"Well, it started after you and Inuyasha went onto the roof to fight Kagura," Rin started carefully, falling into a seat just outside of the room she had just been quietly exiting. Kagome quickly sat down next to her.
"What? Were you attacked by another demon?" Kagome asked sharply, feeling suddenly guilty. She was supposed to protect Rin!
"Well, yes..."
"Oh, Rin!"
"But I wasn't hurt!" the freckled girl quickly assured the distressed looking miko. "Mr. Sesshomaru saved me!"
"Sessho...maru?" Kagome repeated, dumbly. "You don't mean Inuyasha's elder brother, do you?"
"Yep!" Kagome stared at Rin silently, various scenarios as to how this could have happened flying through her mind, and none of them making much sense at all. "I think you're going to have to explain all this in a little more detail, Rin."
"Well, a little after you two left someone knocked on the door and I opened it. Stupid, I know, but I thought it might be you or Inuyasha. However, it was actually Sesshomaru," Rin began, her tone still cheery. Kagome narrowed her eyes, lost.
"What, do you know him?" she asked.
"No, I had never seen him before. He came looking for Inuyasha, and he was terribly beaten," Rin explained.
"What? Why?" Kagome asked. So many things were not making sense. Firstly, she was under the impression that Sesshomaru was a demon of incredible power, so who could have hurt him so badly? And why was he looking for Inuyasha when it was common knowledge that he abhorred the hanyou intensely?
"He said he was injured by Naraku's people. As for why he wanted Inuyasha, I don't know, he didn't get a chance to say," Rin explained. "After I let him into my house and started to tend to his wounds, a demon broke in and tried to kill me. I would have been dead for sure if Sesshomaru hadn't saved me,"
At this point Rin trailed off with a dreamy look in her eyes, and Kagome was caught entirely by surprise as she realized that Rin was fond of the powerful business demon. How could someone so kind-hearted like someone so negative? "But shortly after that he passed out. He had been too badly injured, previously,"
"That's horrible," Kagome sympathized. So, Kaede's prophecy had come true – Sesshomaru was a target for Naraku. She was going to love hearing about this.
"It was pretty bad," Rin agreed. "And I didn't know of any demon hospitals, so I called the FBI to come get him, and luckily they were able to treat him. But he's still out cold," Rin said, nodding her head in the direction of the room in front of she and Kagome.
"You've been staying with him?" Kagome asked in disbelief.
"Well of course! I feel responsible for him now, and besides, he was so nice to me... we're both being hunted by Naraku, so we need to stick together," she added firmly. "After what he did for me, I want to be sure I'm the first thing he sees when he opens his eyes. I want to thank him properly,"
Kagome was so touched by Rin's innocent, honest sentiments, even if they were about a man who was described by most as a 'frigid monster', she had nothing to say for some time. She settled for sitting in companionable silence with Rin for a few minutes, getting lost in her thoughts while Rin yawned and tried to wake herself up.
"I think I'm going to get some coffee now, I need caffein if I want to stay awake," the younger girl explained, getting to her feet. Kagome nodded at her with a weak smile. She was somewhat humbled – Rin seemed to have a boundless capacity to love, and she left Kagome feeling woefully inadequate.
"All right,"
"Say, where's Inuyasha anyway? I wanted to thank both of you together for taking care of Kagura," Rin said.
"Oh... he's actually unconscious as well," Kagome confessed, suddenly realizing how odd it was that both brothers were in the same hospital, comatose. Maybe Inuyasha would get a good laugh out of it after he woke up. Or maybe he would go and try to rip Sesshomaru's throat out while he was down. "He could be awake by now, I haven't checked in a while,"
"What are you doing talking to me, then?" Rin asked, looking clearly distressed. "Go see him! Don't you want to be there when he comes to?"
"Yes, I do," Kagome replied, automatically realizing that this was entirely true. That was exactly what she wanted.
"Well, hurry!" Rin encouraged her, making frantic shooing motions.
"O-Okay," Kagome replied, her tone wobbly as she got up and began to walk away. "Bye Rin, I'll see you later. Good luck with Sesshomaru,"
"Thanks! Good luck with Inuyasha!"
'There's no reason for me to be scared of Inuyasha,' Kagome told herself as she approached her partner's room. 'This is the man you shared a bed with. This is the man you might... no, do love. Just because Kikyo made you insecure is not going to change any of that. He'll never think worse of you because of what happened,'
By the time Kagome had reached the door she had built up enough self confidence to push it open without even bothering to knock. Letting her eyes drift over to the partially curtained area of Inuyasha's bed, she only got the the briefest glimpse of Inuyasha and Kikyo's heads before she silently backpedaled out the way she had come, leaning up against the outside of the door and breathing hard.
Okay. She hadn't been ready for that. Perhaps if she had just walked in to find Inuyasha conscious she would have been all right, but to find the hanyou lucid AND talking to Kikyo? Too much. She ran a hand through her hair agitatedly and wondered what she was supposed to do now. Hang around until the other miko got bored and left?
"...But by the time I was going to get around to it, I was already cursed."
Oh great. She could hear everything they were saying. Now the urge to eavesdrop would be incredible. 'I should just leave... go home, come back and try again later...' Kagome thought halfheartedly. But what Kikyo was saying – it sounded interesting. Cursed? She had been cursed? Is that why she had dumped Inuyasha and moved to America?
"I-I'm sorry," Inuyasha's voice, weaker than usual. Kagome's heart constricted abruptly in her chest, and she let out a relieved breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. At least he was all right. He was really all right. "If I had known about all this, back then, I might have..."
'He sounds so earnest, and sad,' Kagome realized somberly, something in the back of her mind beginning to quietly panic.
"Don't say that," Kikyo, speaking with much more emotion that she had shown Kagome.
'Maybe she reserves her emotions for the people she really cares about...' that little voice in the back of her mind worried noisily. Kagome tried to ignore the voice, but the ugly green monster whose actual existence she had been firmly denying for the past day was starting to take tangible form, fast. Listening in on this intimate heart to heart was a bad, BAD idea and she knew it. Then why couldn't she stop?
"The past is in the past. We were both at fault. Let's just focus on the future now," Kikyo continued.
"The future?"
"Yes... I'm back at the agency again, to help you with Naraku. We can fight together once more. It will be just as it was before..."
Kagome's mind reeled at the meaning behind Kikyo's softly murmured words. 'Just as it was before?' Inuyasha and Kikyo had been lovers before. Was Inuyasha catching on to Kikyo's rather obvious innuendoes? He could be pretty dense sometimes... how was he reacting? Kagome desperately wished she could see the play of expressions across his face at that moment, but she didn't want to give away her hiding spot. Also, she wasn't sure if she could physically move at that moment – she was certainly having trouble breathing.
"Y-yeah..." YEAH? What was he SAYING? "I guess that's all true," Well, at least he didn't exactly sound ecstatic. On the other hand, he wasn't disagreeing, either.
"Please Inuyasha, I couldn't bear it if you still thought badly of me now. Do you forgive me?" What was she doing? She sounded like she was trying to seduce him!
Kagome began to gnaw violently on her own lip unconsciously, her every hope and dream hanging on Inuyasha's replies as the conversation continued. Kagome might not have had oh so much experience with relationships, but she was still pretty positive this was NOT how happily separated ex's spoke to each other after extended absences.
"Sure Kikyo,"
Kagome's heart missed a beat. He was just forgiving her? So easily? What did that mean?
"I'm glad. Finally we can bring down Naraku together," THEY could bring down Naraku together? That had been what she and Inuyasha were doing, long before Kikyo ever magically reappeared on the scene.
'Well, technically, Kikyo WAS there first...' Kagome admitted despondently. 'But that doesn't mean she can just usurp control of the investigation. I've put way too much effort into this case!'
"Yes," JESUS. Was he dense? Why was he just giving Kikyo everything she wanted? Kagome felt the cold hand of betrayal wrap around her form, her eyes stinging uncomfortably. She knew she had messed up, but she had actually been under the impression that she had been a rather good partner to Inuyasha. Apparently not, if he was just willing to let Kikyo brush her to the side so casually.
"And we'll be the perfect team just as we used to be,"
"Yes,"
The perfect team, hu? What did that make she and Inuyasha? Imperfect? 'That's putting it lightly...' the bitter voice in Kagome's head snorted disdainfully.
"And you can let go of that green miko you've been working with..."
WHAT.
This was it. Kagome listened for any sort of sound from the suddenly eerily silent room, waiting for Inuyasha's decision. Kikyo couldn't BE any more clear about her intentions now. She wanted Kagome gone – wanted to replace her. Whether or not Inuyasha was really going to let her do that was going to be determined imminently.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome heard Kikyo ask breathily. She was beginning to hate that freaking breathy voice. It was so ... conniving.
"About Kagome," Yes? What a-fucking-bout her?
"What? You cannot be seriously considering keeping her as your partner now that I have returned? I thought she was just a fill in for my absence," Kagome winced sharply, her face reddening. A fill in? Is that really what she was? When she had first discovered Kikyo's existence, she had briefly entertained that idea herself. But now... she thought things had changed now.
'How dare she suggest something so terrible,' Kagome thought spitefully, gnashing her teeth together. 'She's such an evil witch! Keiko was right. She's just -'
"Well, yeah... That's what Kaede hired her as, since we were in desperate need of a priestess for this case..."
Oh God. No. He did not just say that. Kagome shakily got to her feet, not even noticing as a rebellious tear zipped down her cheek. How could he be agreeing with Kikyo? How could he just sit there and affirm every insecurity and fear Kagome had ever harbored about her relationship with him and her station at the FBI? How could he do this to her? She must have been very confused about their connection. It was nothing like she had thought it was.
"So then why settle for her when you can have a truly experienced miko you have trained with previously? I haven't changed Inuyasha,"
Unable to listen to the heart shattering conversation for another second – what was the point? It was just a Kagome bash fest – Kagome turned about and sprinted down the hall. She dashed past Sesshomaru and Rin's room without stopping to check in and nearly flung herself into the elevator, only letting herself begin to cry in earnest once the doors had closed and she was on her way down to the parking garage.
She covered her face with her hands, shaking her head and trying to get a hold of herself. What was wrong with her? That was the second time she had run away from Inuyasha because of Kikyo. That woman... she was ruining everything! Everything that had been slowly building between she and Inuyasha, who had been so emotionally closed off and damaged when she met him. Everything was falling to pieces!
She stumbled into the underground garage, mournfully unlocking her ford escort and slipping into the front seat, her chest heaving shakily. She sat in silence for a second, only the sound of her labored breathing and hiccups occupying the bleak silence about her. Then she rested her forehead carefully on the steering wheel, wiping the moisture away from her face and taking in a long breath.
What was she going to do, now?
OOO
Naraku narrowed his eyes and pierced his lips. If he was the sort of man who groaned loudly and knocked things over when he was angry, he would have done so. But as it stood he was certainly not that sort of man, or demon for that matter. No. He was the type who narrowed his eyes subtly and turned his lips into a single thin line. That meant he was really unsettled.
"You are certain it was her?" he asked in his scratchy baritone, regarding the two female servants in front of him impassively.
"Of course I was certain. I'd recognize that scary witch anywhere," Kagura affirmed, folding her arms obstinately to hide the fact that she herself was a little unruffled. Kikyo always got to her – you would have to be blind to not see that she was dripping with highly refined miko power.
"This is... interesting." Naraku admitted, resting his face in his hand and staring at the floor thoughtfully. In truth, he had not been keeping a look out for Kikyo lately, so her sudden return had taken him completely by surprise. He did not like surprises.
"Interesting? Don't you mean bad? I thought she was old news," Kagura reminded him.
"I could not kill Kikyo, at least not back then. It will take much more to bring her down, physically. But in a way, it is nice that she is back. I will be able to see her die in person now." Apparently his opinion of their current situation had changed entirely in the past few minutes. After all, why waste anger on a situation that, while complicated, could ultimately end up in his favor?
"Sir?" It was rare that Naraku ever admitted weakness to anyone. This was... quite interesting.
"Priestesses are such problems. I am so very glad there is such a lack of them, currently," Naraku added as an afterthought. "Kanna," he said abruptly, and the small albino child by Kagura raised her head to signal she was listening. "You were quite successful with Kagome and Inuyasha. I think we should continue our pursuit of them... at this point they are practically the backbone of the FBI." Kanna nodded, awaiting further orders.
"The jewel is almost entirely tainted," Naraku continued, rolling a small bead he produced from his large jacket around in his hands idly. It glowed lightly with an odd shade of purple, pulsating magic. Kagura watched it hungrily, fingering her fan. "Soon I will be able to utilize it fully and become the true demon I was meant to be. We only need a little more blood... the loss of Rin Hayaka was quite annoying, and the fact that Sesshomaru got away frustrates me as well."
"You honestly thought we were going to get him just because he wasn't under FBI protection?" Kagura asked despite herself. "He is truly powerful." Naraku flashed the demoness a smile with teeth.
"Kagura, once I gain total control of this jewel demons like Sesshomaru will be mere rodents to me. I will be all powerful," Naraku pocketed the jewel once more, and got to his feet. "The day I kill Kikyo you will understand this." Kagura's red eyes flashed with something akin to disgust at his words, signifying that perhaps she was not exactly looking forward to that day.
"Kanna, come with me," Naraku ordered as he began to stroll away, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "We have plans to make,"
"Yes, Master," Kanna replied softly, dutifully gliding into the distance with the half demon. Kagura watched them leave in silence. He never took her away to make plans – he didn't trust her like he trusted little Kanna.
And he damn well shouldn't.
Still... it made her life a lot harder. How was she ever going to be free of Naraku if she didn't have a full understanding of his inner workings? 'And it's not like Kanna is going to tell me anything useful...' Kagura admitted with a sigh. She and Kanna may have been siblings, but there was no other real allegiance between them. Not that she wasn't fond of the girl, she was just... not somebody you depended on.
Kagura took a feather from her hair and threw it into the air, leaping onto it gracefully and then soaring out of the warehouse and into the sky. She had plans to make, herself.
OOO
He was alone now. Kikyo had left long ago, and currently it was evening, nothing but the incessant beeping of machines and the occasional sound from surrounding patients reaching his overly sensitive ears.
Miroku had come down to visit Inuyasha and cheer him up in the late afternoon, making him feel slightly better about the fact that he had totally botched an important mission, consequentially not only nearly getting Kagome killed, but their potential victim as well. But Miroku had been slightly distant at the same time, as though he had something important on his mind (probably Sango, again.) and had left after a little while for a meeting he wouldn't talk about. Apparently he and Sango had successfully destroyed a demon of Naraku's on their mission that day, though. That was good.
Kaede had stopped by, too. Mostly to give him the necessary updates on the case since he was unable to make it to the meeting that day, and of course to give him his new assignment. He didn't mind that she was pushing him so hard, he wasn't really hurt anymore anyway. His body had just needed to rest, and to get that bullet out. He was totally fine now, but Kaede had insisted he spend one night at the hospital. Then tomorrow he could go on his next case with Kagome completely recuperated. To make sure Inuyasha did as he was told, Kaede told him the reason she was so worried was because she didn't want to lose the agency's 'best fighter'. Petting Inuyasha's ego always did the trick.
Kagome had not come to see him. For some reason it was really bothering him that his newly acquired lover had not felt the least bit inspired to stop by and look after him while he was injured. He had been assured that she was completely unharmed after the confrontation with Kanna, so she didn't even have bad health as an excuse for her absence. And, not that he was blaming her or anything, but she HAD been the one to shoot him and all... the least she could have done was popped in for a quick check up.
'Maybe she was out with her friends since she had the day off...' he thought idly, the idea not sitting well with him. He knew she missed her 'normal' life, but that was it? No more caring about Inuyasha? He was only feeling particularly sore about all this because he knew that if the situations were reversed, he wouldn't have been able to stay away from her. He didn't like the idea that he cared about her more than she cared about him.
'But she told me the other night that she did care about me... a lot,' he reminded himself, frowning lightly. He folded his arms behind his head and snorted angrily. Enough thinking about this girly shit – there was nothing he could do about it now. If Kagome didn't want to come visit him, that was FINE. He didn't want to see her, either.
Besides, Kaede had told him something else that was quite interesting to the hanyou. Apparently, his dear brother Sesshomaru was checked in at this particular hospital currently as well, and he was totally incapacitated. The old hag of an FBI agent had been right about him being a target for Naraku, though Inuyasha had no idea why. The man was about as pure as a barrel of concentratednuclear waste.
In any case, he had gotten the shit utterly beaten out of him by a demon. They didn't know which demon of Naraku's yet, obviously quite a powerful one if the amount of damage done to Sesshomaru was any clue. Inuyasha might not respect his half-brother's personality or beliefs, but he had to respect his power, just a bit.
Most interestingly though, before Sesshomaru lost consciousness he had called out for him. But why would Sesshomaru want to see Inuyasha? A large smirk curved its way across Inuyasha's face. Had he been looking to him for protection? That would be GREAT! The proud Sesshomaru, cowering in fear and calling out out for Inuyasha.
Creeping stealthily down the hall, Inuyasha sorted his way through the cornucopia of disgusting hospital smells to track Sesshomaru's unique, horrid scent. Eventually he found himself in front of an ordinary hospital room. Quietly he opened the door and slipped in. He had to see this with his own eyes.
The room was dark, but Inuyasha's enhanced golden orbs picked out Sesshomaru's form instantly. It was really him. He was lying serenely in bed with his arms resting at his sides, his perfectly chiseled face impassive and innocent in sleep. Or coma. Whatever.
There was also a young girl in the room – the potential victim he and Kagome had been watching over, Rin. She was curled up on a cot near Sesshomaru's bed, a thin blanket draped over her form, her face slackened with exhaustion. She was completely out and didn't look as though she would be waking any time soon.
Why she was in the room alone with his half-brother was beyond Inuyasha, and he honestly didn't feel like dwelling over it right then. He'd ask Kaede later, but currently the whole situation was too confusing. All he knew was that when Sesshomaru woke up he was going to be pissed. His brother HATED humans, and coming back to the world of the living only to find a slip of a mortal girl at his side was going to make him angry. That in itself was enough of a reason for Inuyasha to dismiss Rin's presence – anything that would work towards making Sesshomaru's hospital stay as unpleasant as possible was fine by him.
Scratching his head awkwardly, he continued to stare down at his brother. He had never seen him like this before. Hell, he had never even seen him with a paper cut before, much less a collection of scrapes and bruises marring his perfect body. When Inuyasha had been born from his parents ill advised bonding Sesshomaru was already an adult, and an angry adult at that. He never let his guard down around Inuyasha and the only time they spoke to one another was to argue over something. He had never just BEEN with the demon, had never stayed and looked at him with nothing to say. It was disconcerting.
It also brought to light a few disturbing points. Naraku was getting truly, truly powerful if he could tangle with someone like Sesshomaru, or hire another demon to do so. Sesshomaru was one of the most well protected, influential demons in the city. If word got out that he had been taken down by a homicidal maniac the FBI couldn't stop, there would be mass hysteria.
'Damn...' Inuyasha thought gravely, letting his golden gaze drift away from Sesshomaru's form. 'I really wish he was conscious, it would be good to get some information out of him. He might have advice on how to stop whatever demon did this to him, if the demon walked away from the confrontation alive...'
'Just one more thing to worry about, I guess,'
Exiting the room as silently as he had entered it, Inuyasha padded his way back down the hall. Maybe it would be a good idea to actually get some solid sleep in, during the remaining hours of the night he had left. He certainly did have a lot of things to worry about, not the least of which was his newly returned ex-partner, and it might be nice to give his brain some time to cool down.
Not that he had really given Kikyo too much thought since she had stopped by. In fact, he had been making a conscious effort to NOT think about her. It was just too much. How was he supposed to handle all this emotional stuff right now? Sure, it was great that it turned out all that had happened between them during their 'break up' was just a big fat misunderstanding, but on the other hand... what did she want from him now? He didn't know if he could go back to how things were before, and something was telling him that she sort of wanted to. How could she think things would stay the same between them, even after she explained what had been done to her?
'But she's been through so much...' Inuyasha admitted regretfully as he threw himself back onto his distinctly uncomfortable bed. 'I owe her for not seeing that Naraku was getting to her back then.' It was odd to admit that he, in fact, did owe Kikyo. Less than twenty four hours ago he had still harbored immense hatred towards her, and now his entire view of their relationship had done a complete 180. He was still reeling.
'I could have saved her so much pain and suffering if I had been less blind. I mean, how could I have thought it was normal for your girlfriend to go crazy on you like that? How could I have thought that that was really Kikyo?'
'Maybe...' he thought sluggishly as his eyes drooped against his will. He was more tired than he cared to admit. 'Maybe I didn't know her as well as I thought I did...'
OOO
"Oh man, this is my favorite part!" Miroku gushed, leaning in and staring intently at the small television screen in front of him. Next to him, Sango surged forward as well, a broad smile on her face.
"Me, too!" she gasped in excitement.
"Kagome, are they gonna make it?" Shippou asked timidly, staring up at Kagome from his position in her lap with a positively stricken look on his face. "I can't believe they didn't finish building the highway! It's so irresponsible."
"Yes, Shippou, it is," Kagome agreed gravely. "But Keanu Reeves would never let everyone die, you know that."
The odd quartet was sprawled out on the floor in Kagome's humble living room, wrapped in a collection of comforters and sheets, idly stuffing their faces with popcorn as they all watched Kagome's DVD of Speed with something akin to reverence. Speed had to be the best action flick of all time – everyone loved it, even Sango.
Kagome had no idea how she had ended up spending her evening with her two co-workers and current live in demon child, doing a movie marathon and eating junk food she usually reserved for girl's nights in with Keiko and Kiki. But, she decided firmly, she liked it.
Miroku was being his usual jovial self, cracking jokes about Keanu Reeve's odd accent and keeping the atmosphere light hearted. Sango had, surprisingly, let some of her guards down and, as far as Kagome could tell, was thoroughly enjoying herself. She was even trading small talk with Miroku. Shippou was just happy to be hanging out with the adults and staying up late when he wasn't supposed to.
It had all started when Sango called Kagome that afternoon to see how she was doing after discovering that she wasn't at the agency with Inuyasha like she had assumed she would be. At that point Kagome had just recently returned home from her failed attempt to meet with the hanyou and had been utterly unable to keep the depression and self hatred from her voice when she spoke with her new friend. Easily picking up on Kagome's distress, Sango ran over to the college student's apartment despite the fact that she had just recently returned from a draining mission and forced the young woman to spill her guts. After Kagome had tearily confessed her problems Sango looked ready to kill, although she was having a hard time figuring out who to go to first – Kikyo or Inuyasha.
Then she had suggested something utterly uncharacteristic for the stoic demon hunter. Something actually fun, with no work related benefits.
"Kagome... you need to have a slumber party," Sango said firmly, grasping Kagome's shoulders and looking quite serious.
"W-what? With who?" Kagome had asked shakily.
"Me, Miroku and Shippou of course," she had enthused.
"But... But..." Kagome had protested weekly, unsure if she was ready to have that sort of unadulterated fun in her current state. But Sango was already on her feet, marching determinedly over to the phone and quickly calling up her partner.
For her part, Kagome had just been shocked Sango was willing to sleep in a room with Miroku.
But it had all worked out for the best, because Kagome was having a great time now with her friends and, honestly, who didn't love a good viewing of Speed? Sure, Inuyasha never really left her thoughts once, and occasionally she found herself zoning out, her rebellious mind drifting towards more serious matters, but when that happened one the gang was always there with an uplifting comment.
"YAY!" Shippou cried enthusiastically. "They did it! They made it Kagome, did you see that!" he asked, almost hysterically.
"I told you they'd be okay," Kagome laughed, ruffling the fascinated kitsune's auburn hair affectionately.
Apparently Miroku had checked up on Inuyasha as well before coming over with Shippou, and the agent had privately assured the girl who was still too rattled to see her partner herself that the hanyou was indeed perfectly healthy, and would be in tip top shape for their mission tomorrow.
Their mission tomorrow... Kagome shivered unconsciously. Was she ready to do that? Was she ready to fight with Inuyasha again? Her confidence in her skills had been so greatly diminished she felt almost silly returning to the field. But everyone had promised her that Inuyasha still considered her his official partner and would be expecting her there, with no Kikyo involved at all. So how could she abandon him? Even if he had agreed with everything Kikyo said, he hadn't lost all faith in her yet if he was willing to go on another potentially fatal mission with her by his side.
'And tomorrow we're going back to Kouga's mansion...' Kagome added thoughtfully. 'Maybe he'll be too distracted by Kouga to bother talking to me about what happened at Rin's, or to tell me that he thinks our relationship is a mistake now that Kikyo's back...' Kagome took in a calming breath and shook her head. 'I wouldn't be able to take it if he told me that,'
"I think I'm going to make some frozen pizza. Anyone want?" Kagome asked in an overly cheery voice, quickly getting to her feet with Shippou. She needed to distract herself. Thinking about Inuyasha so much when she was supposed to be having fun was killing her.
"Uh, sure," Miroku said hesitantly, and Sango nodded.
"I'll come with you!" Shippou chirped, following after Kagome as she walked over to the small kitchen.
"Okay,"
Sango and Miroku exchanged nervous glances as they watched Kagome leave. She may have been acting cheery, but she couldn't hide the fact that she was still basically in a depressed funk, despite their noble efforts.
Both Sango and Miroku had firmly decided that Inuyasha was being an ass. Sango had relayed to Miroku all that Kagome had told her about the conversation she had overheard between the two ex-partners, and it was unanimously agreed that Inuyasha was cruel to say those things to Kikyo after he had gotten so close to Kagome. It didn't really matter that he was unaware Kagome was listening in the whole while. Now that they knew the two had gotten a bit physical with their affection, that idea was compounded greatly.
Miroku hadn't told Inuyasha he knew what had happened between him and Kikyo, and his opinion about Kagome as a replacement, when he had gone to visit him. Ass or not, Inuyasha deserved a kind face when he was in the hospital. Still, he hadn't been able to completely look the hanyou in the eye, and he had lied about having a meeting when he had snuck off to go to Kagome's. He had a feeling Inuyasha knew something was up. Oh well.
Never the less, something good had emerged from this wreckage of a day. In privately venting her frustrations to Miroku about the big mess, Miroku felt that he and Sango were having their first true bonding experience since Myouga's house. And that 'bonding experience' had been nothing to rejoice over.
Finally they were agreeing over something, and discussing it heatedly. And even though it was over an unfortunate matter that didn't really concern them in any way shape or form, he appreciated being able to talk to Sango normally. She was always so tense around him, it made him want to shake her and demand that she speak to him as though they were on good terms again. He loved conversing with Sango, he felt that she understood him better than any woman he had ever known, and it was at least half of the reason he was so attracted to her. The fact that they were together again and couldn't share in that connection made him furious to no end.
"Poor Kagome..." Sango sighed, resting her hand in her cheek and pausing the movie. "If Inuyasha were here I'd give him a piece of my mind,"
"Yes. Kagome is a nice, kind hearted girl. She doesn't deserve this sort of treatment from someone like Inuyasha," Inuyasha may have been Miroku's best friend, but he knew that at times the hanyou was about as gentle and caring as an iceberg.
"Really! And I mean, after what he did with Kagome, he can't just brush her aside for some ex..." Sango ranted.
"Well, he hasn't actually done that yet, you know. He hasn't even spoken to Kagome yet, maybe he'll surprise us all," Miroku reminded her, reasonably.
"I don't know, from the sound of it, it seems Kikyo's got him pretty wrapped around her finger," Sango pointed out.
"Yes, but we don't know the whole story yet. Kagome mentioned something about Kikyo being cursed... and for Inuyasha to be on speaking terms with her again I'd have to imagine that something particularly significant would have had to take place. He might just be feeling guilt towards Kikyo,"
"Maybe..." Sango agreed hesitantly, turning to stare at Kagome's form in the kitchen. "I just don't want her to get hurt, Miroku. Kagome has been so kind to me since I returned to the FBI. I've never had a friend like her before, and it doesn't seem fair that this should happen to her. She's special – I mean, who else could get us all here like this, having a slumber party? I at least want to try and help her get through this,"
"I know Sango, I do too," Miroku agreed, putting a comforting arm around Sango's shoulder as he noticed the utterly angry and saddened look on her features. "But I don't know if there's a whole lot we can do..."
"Yeah I know, I'm just being my usual pushy self," Sango admitted, letting out a rueful breath. "Miroku -" It was then that the demon hunter noticed her position. She was huddled closely next to Miroku, leaning against Kagome's couch. Her legs were positioned so that they were leaning in towards his form, and he had one long arm wrapped tightly around her, bringing her in closer.
'It feels so natural...' Sango thought as her breathing increased and her form tensed. She hadn't even realized how close she had gotten to her partner until just now, because being near Miroku seemed so normal. 'Even after all this time, my body still remembers him...' she realized bitterly, quickly drawing away, red faced.
Guilt. There it was, just like always. Why was she cuddling with her old flame when she had a demon to kill? Throwing this thing together hadn't seemed so bad before, because she told herself it was all for Kagome's benefit, to make her feel better. She hadn't realized she would end up having such a great time.
"Sango?" Miroku asked inquiringly, feeling slightly hurt as he watched her wrench herself out of his grasp with a look of anger on her face. She glanced up at him, her expression dissolving into one of confusion when she caught sight of his earnest purple gaze.
"Miroku, I..."
"Dinner is served!"
Both adult's shoulder's heaved as Kagome and Shippou returned to the circle of blankets, Sango's with relief and Miroku's with resignation. Miroku watched Sango quickly get up to help Kagome distribute pizza with a melancholy expression. She had been so relaxed – she hadn't let him get that close to her in a long time. It had been nice.
"You want pizza, Miroku?" Kagome asked, proffering the monk a piece.
"Yes, thank you."
OOO
It was nearing eleven at night, and Kaede was still at the agency, holed up in her office. Currently she was sitting down with her elbows propped up on her desk, her hands folded under her chin. She was glaring accusingly at her telephone.
Ordinarily she might not have stayed quite this late at the office. Sure, she was working overtime every day now, but she was an old mortal woman and needed to rest. Something had come up today though that had caused the ex-miko to remain at headquarters much later into the night than usual. She should have known it would happen eventually, in fact she was surprised it hadn't happened sooner. The case was just going too slowly, and there was nothing to be done.
A member of the demon press had called her office around six, with uncomfortable questions about the recent disappearance of one Sesshomaru Takahashi after an apparent brawl at his mansion the previous day. There had been questions about rumors of a murdering demon who was dwelling in the city, questions Kaede could not and would not answer.
There were numerous reasons as to why Kaede did not want the press to get their hands on information about Naraku, good reasons as to why she wanted to keep this investigation a secret. One of them being that the reputation of the demon FBI would probably be pretty fairly tarnished if it was discovered that the demon Naraku's existence had gone on acknowledged for a few years now, and still they had not been able to directly apprehend him.
However, this was not Kaede's main concern, important though it was. If she thought that the admittance of Naraku's existence and plans would help the people of Tokyo, she would have come out long ago, damn the added pressure. However this was not a normal murderer they were dealing with, the consequences of his success were not average, and the community that would be the most incited at his actions were unique as well.
The demon population was notorious for turning into vigilantes when there was a member of their community on the lose, reeking havoc. Demons were simply so much more destructive by nature than humans that a. a rogue demon could do far more damage to a city than a criminal human could and b. the good demons of the city all considered themselves pretty powerful as well and were notorious for challenging evil-doers, even seeking them out.
Kaede shuddered when she thought about the amount of pure blood Naraku could possess were demons of a noble nature were to actually SEEK him out. She sighed heavily and shook her head. No, it would be better to keep Naraku a secret from Tokyo for now. But then... what was she supposed to do about this reporter? Refute the information and then get pelted with accusations of lies if Naraku's case was actually brought to the public's attention?
'I suppose a 'no comment' might be all right... but that's practically as good as saying 'yes, there is a raging demon on the lose with the ability to take down a demon as illustrious as Sesshomaru Takahashi.'' Kaede reflected somberly. She had spent the past few hours trying to tie up as many lose ends as possible to further incapacitate curious investigators from getting any leads on Naraku. She had had to spend her time doing this when she was supposed to actually be looking FOR leads, not closing them off.
A light knocking at her door caught Kaede off guard, and alerted her to the fact that she had been glowering at her phone for a half hour. She needed to go home... and who would still be at the office so late?
"Come in," she called hesitantly.
"Hello Kaede," Kikyo said softly as she glided into the room and took a seat across from her superior. Ah, of course. Who else?
Kaede would have to say that, besides Inuyasha, Kikyo had been closest to her when she worked at the agency. Both women were mikos, although Kaede was certainly of a lesser caliber, and they had been on good speaking terms for all of Kikyo's employment. Sometimes Kikyo even gave her lessons on how to harness mystical abilities more fully, and she had to admit the woman was a good teacher. The old woman liked to think she even knew Kikyo fairly well, as a person. Which was why she was so disturbed by this new Kikyo who had returned to her two days ago now.
Thesuper mikoKaede had known and cared for had always been cold, to be sure. Her almost inhuman mystical abilities had gained her a sort of immortalized fame that isolated Kikyo from normal social circles, and she had always felt pressured to be the best, to represent the entire miko line that had been so diminished through out the years. It had very been hard for her, Kaede knew this. Still, through it all, Kikyo had been a kind, sweet woman underneath her impassive exterior, with a love for the world and a strong sense of right and wrong. She may have been privy to some of the most underhanded happenings in all of Tokyo, but she still loved her city and the humanity she had been born into.
This Kikyo was different... or perhaps off was the right word. She still looked like Kikyo, spoke like Kikyo, but there was something about her that was harder and less in tune with those around her. She didn't have that light inside her that made her instinctively want to care for the less fortunate, the light that had inspired Kaede to hire Kikyo in the first place. Something much more jaded and hard had replaced it.
'It must be the curse,' Kaede reflected sadly. 'No one can bounce back from a curse like that emotionally unscathed... not even Kikyo. Still, she is the same woman I knew all those years ago, I must work to accept her back on the force.'
"What can I do for you, Kikyo?" Kaede asked, shuffling her work together and preparing for her departure from the office. "A little late to be working, don't you think?"
"I have not been sleeping very much lately," Kikyo admitted with a shrug. "I came to see you about my partnership..."
"Ah, yes," Kaede mumbled. Kikyo had asked about this before. In fact, it was almost the first thing she asked upon returning to the agency. Would she be working with Inuyasha again? Kaede hated to admit that she thought Inuyasha and Kagome were too good a team to break up at this point in the investigation when it was so clear Kikyo wanted her old partner back. "I thought you might not have a partner, Kikyo," Kaede confessed after a beat.
"No partner?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, I thought you might help me with my research and not be a field agent directly for a while, unless there is a cause for it. Some sort of dangerous situation that needs your attention."
"Are you sure that is putting my powers to good use?" Kikyo asked critically. "Would I not be better suited to working to protect potential victims?"
"Not necessarily. I think your astuteness could be put to good use helping me locate Naraku. It is extremely frustrating that we have no idea where his home base is. And besides, I don't have any free partners for you right now, and you would have to train with these people before going out on the field first," Kaede finished.
"What about Inuyasha? I have trained with him before and we made a good team. I even talked to him about it this morning and he agreed," Kikyo said firmly.
"He said he would let go of Kagome?" Kaede asked in disbelief.
"Well, no. But he admitted we were a superior team."
"I know you and Inuyasha were good Kikyo, but he and Kagome, the most recent incident aside, have got a good thing going. You and Inuyasha have not trained together in three years, and I don't think it would be a good idea to start experimenting with how compatible you are right now," Kaede explained patiently. Why was Kikyo so intent on getting Inuyasha back? Even if they reconciled their differences, would it not be awkward working with an ex? Unless...
"I thought we had discussed how foolish it was to have a green miko like Kagome Higurashi on the field," Kikyo pressed.
Unless she was not over Inuyasha, and felt threatened by Kagome's hold over the rebellious hanyou. Hm.
"Yes, I admit that it was reckless of me to hire a miko so young and untrained... however it has worked out for the best. Kagome has done me and Miroku proud in her training, and Inuyasha enjoys working with her," She was not going to walk on eggshells for Kikyo's benefit. Kagome and Inuyasha were good together, and unless something dramatic happened she was not going to change her setup for Kikyo's benefit.
Kikyo stared unblinkingly at Kaede for a minute, and at one point Kaede thought the woman might actually reach over and slap her. But then she merely sighed and got to her feet, nodding her head in acquiescence.
"All right, if that is your final decision..."
"It is. Good night, Kikyo,"
"One last thing," Kikyo paused at the door, turning her head slightly so thatKaede, hunched over her desk with her large leather suitcase, was given a view of her profile. "Do you think..." Suddenly her voice sounded raw, and honest. More like the Kikyo she had known. Kaede perked up a bit and listened closely. "Do you think that Inuyasha has become happier, lately? He seemed changed, when he talked about that girl. As though suddenly he was a different person."
"Yes," Kaede admitted flatly. This was cruel, because she knew how delicate the relationship between Kikyo and Inuyasha was just then, but she would not lie to Kikyo. It was stupid to lie about something that was plain to see. "Inuyasha was... sullen... for a long time after you left. But this past month has seen an abrupt change in him. I think it is Kagome's doing, she makes him more relaxed and happy." Kikyo tilted her head so that all Kaede could see was her shining raven hair, nodding slowly.
"Yes, I see," she murmured. "There is something about that girl ... I suppose I will see you tomorrow then,"
"Yes, have a safe trip home Kikyo."
With that Kikyo silently left the room, her face an expressionless mask once more as she briskly walked towards the elevators with not a glance backwards.
Kaede sighed. Sometimes, maintaining her agents was half the job.
OOO
Author's notes:
Wow, this turned out to be way longer than I thought it was going to be. I actually had to cut out the end of this chapter, and it was pretty dramatic, too. But I was on like, page 26 and I realized that I just couldn't fit ten more pages of writing into this one chapter. Oh well – I guess chapter thirteen is just going to be REALLY action packed. Something to look forward to. Please keep up the nice reviews – I've honestly been trying to update more, and as fast as I can.
Peace
Rio Grande