I do not own Inuyasha or any of its Characters.
Dancing in the Dark
Her long black hair was sent flying out behind her as the cool breeze lazily brushed past the seventeen-year-old and those who now accompanied her down the lonely sidewalk. She took one step after another, dreading the small progress that was accomplished as each step brought her ever closer to the threatening foundation that had housed her off and on again for the last couple of years. Sighing to herself she pushed her jet-black hair back behind her ears, casting chocolate brown eyes toward the people around her. Sadness hung over her family like a foreboding cloud waiting to pounce on them all. "Mom," she asked softly. Her mother looked at her, her eyes clouded with worry.
"Yes honey?"
"Everything's gonna be okay," she whispered softly, her voice threatening to betray her own nerves. Somehow she overcame her apprehension, managing a small, if somewhat shaky, smile. Her mother gave her a small nod in understanding, yet the sadness wouldn't relinquish its hold over her, over her grandpa, over her small brother. Hanging her head in order to keep the fear that she was sure would soon come out, she went through the door that her grandpa held open for her, open to her fate.
¤
Everything used to be fine. Her life used to be happy, ranging from hanging out with friends to a loving family that always seemed to be there when she needed them the most. Until that day. That day had changed everything hadn't it. Everything she had known had blown out the window, drifting away to the lands of old where fairy tales were true, waiting for someone else to wish upon. Everything had been fine! Fine, until that one bruise . . . the infamous bruise that had occurred at her family's shrine.
Temples are known for their steps . . . all of them. When she had taken that momentous plunge down every single, malicious step she had expected some bruises. She had shrugged off the worries of her mother and grandfather, walking to school has she had always done. She had gone through her normal routine, waiting for the bell to ring, the signal for her freedom. Completely forgetting the accursed spot, she had lived her life for a week.
However, everything had changed one night. She was trying on a dress for a friend's party, when her mother had asked her that one question that now haunted her memory. "Isn't that the same bruise you had when you fell the other day Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi looked at the bruise as if it would suddenly jump up and bite her. "And what are all of these red dots?"
"What dots," Kagome demanded her mother. Sure enough there were pinpoints of red running up and down her arm. Under inspection of her left arm and legs she noticed that sure enough, she was covered.
"How long have you had these?"
"Dunno," the teenager answered simply.
"Bruises shouldn't last more than a couple of days," Her mother mumbled to herself as she pushed herself off the ground. "I'm making you an appointment with the doctor. Anything else you haven't noticed?"
"No..." That one conversation... now this. The doctor had taken blood samples and, "To be on the safe side," he had told them, a bone marrow biopsy. Now she was to meet him at the hospital to get the results. Something deep within her was screaming about this, why else had he asked that her family accompany her? "Why else indeed," Kagome thought biting on her lower lip nervously.
¤
Kagome sat down in the uncomfortable chair, softly humming a comforting song to herself. Her mother sat just to her left, her only pillar of strength at the moment. Her grandpa and Souta had been asked to wait in the waiting room downstairs until the news was given to Kagome and her mother. "Let's see," Kagome thought idly. "Uncomfortable? Check. Eerily painted room? Check. Smell? Double check. Doctor? Still waiting..." She continued on checking off her list, knowing that it was the only thing that kept her from facing the bad that could erupt in the room once the magnificently late doctor waltzed into the room.
"Kagome Higurashi," an older man's voice asked from the door.
"Yes," she answered in a shaky voice, she barely recognized. The doctor gave her what he thought to be a very comforting smile. "Get on with it," she thought furiously.
"Well, we got the results of the two tests. I regret to inform you that Kagome here has been diagnosed with Leukemia." Kagome's heart plunged. "To be more specific Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, a type of Leukemia that suppresses the amount of regular blood cell production."
"Is it fatal," Kagome found herself asking in a completely normal voice. Her mother just laid her head in her hands, clearly in anguish.
"Only if left untreated. We can transfer you to a hospital in Tokyo for treatment, however I do believe that the move will have to remain permanent, unless your diagnosis slips into remission..."
"Remission," Kagome leapt on the word.
"Yes, remission, but not however a cure."
"But there is the chance that I can overcome this?"
"Yes."
"Then sign me up for the treatment."
"You seem overly excited about being diagnosed with a sometimes fatal disease," the doctor eyed her somewhat cautiously. "Has the predicament sunk in yet Ms. Higurashi? Do you realize what this means?"
"Leukemia, loss of blood cells, remission," the seventeen year old recited in a somewhat naive state.
"Ms. Higurashi, you do know that there is a mortality rate for Leukemia? That you may never reach remission?" Kagome bit her lip in frustration.
"What are you trying to say, that I'm gonna die!"
"No... Never..."
"THEN GIVE ME THE TREATMENT!" Kagome's mother looked up at her startled, as she began recovering her wits. Kagome's eyes overfilled with tears as the physiological effects of the moment began to finally fester in her mind. She realized that she had jumped up from her chair in her outburst, and sunk back into its protective armrests heavily. "Mom," she whispered. Her mother enveloped her in her arms giving her the comfort that only a mother could give.
¤
Meanwhile...
Inuyasha Yoshiaki walked down the empty hallways flanked on the left side of him his only 'close' friend, Miroku Shibasaburo. The only person in Tokyo High School that he even bothered to trust, other than that girl Sango Miyazaki, whom Miroku had taken a fascination with ever since laying eyes on her back in Jr. High. School. School had been over for about an hour now, but as always he had been called to the counselor's office during 7th Period. Miroku had been there to lend whatever kind of support a lecherous teenager could, before bolting that is. "So Inuyasha, what did you do this time," Miroku asked, somewhat bored as they walked past closed doors and walls of lockers.
"Nothing," Inuyasha replied coldly. That one thing had been bothering him too, the one day he hadn't tired to kill anyone was the day that he actually got called to that infernal hag's office.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Sure you're sure?"
"Yes."
"Sure you're sure you're sure?"
"DAMMIT MIROKU SHUT THE F- -K UP! I'M SURE!" Miroku smiled knowing he had gotten on his friend's nerves.
"Having a bad day Inuyasha," a semi-cold voice teased from the office up ahead. Both boys looked up the hall to see a thin, black headed girl sitting in a chair just outside of the door that read, "Ms. Kitasato."
"Kikyo," Inuyasha told the girl in a cold voice. Miroku was about to elbow him in the ribs when the office door swung open, revealing an elderly woman.
"Inuyasha come in, Miroku wait outside," Ms. Kitasato ordered in a somewhat raspy voice. She moved away from the door to allow Inuyasha entrance to her office, then closed the door with a loud slam. "Sit." Inuyasha sat in the chair opposite of hers, right in front of her desk, eyeing her apprehensively. "Yoshiaki, Inuyasha, you've applied to several Universities, I see, but no letters back from them am I correct?" "So this is what this is all about," Inuyasha mused inwardly. He nodded in a bored manner. "Do you know why Inuyasha?" He shrugged taking a look around her office. Pictures of her and her family lined the walls, some stuffed animals that obviously didn't really belong in the room, certificates, and a name tag that read Kaede Kitasato. "You need extra curricular activities boy," she rasped at him growing agitated.
"So?" He smiled inwardly as the woman fought to relent her oncoming anger. She took a deep breath before continuing on with the 'conversation'. He looked at her curiously as she suddenly smiled somewhat sardonically.
"I took the opportunity of signing you up for an after school program that has been reinstated recently. It will look great on your applications, and so forth. You report to Rosethorn Hospital tomorrow."
"ON A SATURDAY," Inuyasha bellowed in outrage.
¤
"Inuyasha," Kikyo asked Miroku in a bored voice. Miroku looked the girl up and down.
"Yep."
"Hearing about his new project?"
"More than likely."
"You joining him?" Miroku smiled as the office door swung open with such force that it nearly ripped the hinges off.
"Probably."
¤
"So what pissed you off," Miroku asked as they stalked down the hallways, once again, with Inuyasha in a worse mood than before.
"After School Program," he ground out through clenched teeth.
"What kind of program?"
"Hospital."
"Rosethorn?"
"Yes."
"Candy stripper?"
"No."
"Male nurse?"
"No."
"Entertainment?"
"NO!" Miroku ducked as Inuyasha swiped his fist where it surely would have connected with his head moments before.
"Then?"
"I'm going to be visiting some sick people and help ease their... transition," he told his friend using the same words Kaede had used.
"Transition?" They both stopped at the student parking lot.
"Whatever that means," Inuyasha said getting into his car and driving off. Miroku sighed.
"Well... how bad can it be," he asked himself. Shaking his head he got in the truck and drove home.
¤
Kagome sat up in the hospital bed moaning. Everything had seemed fine here... the beds were nice, the food... passable, no roommates to bother her, everything was going great, except for the utter boredom. She threw herself back into her pillows flipping through the channels on her tv one more time. "I want out," she hissed looking out her window, the only doorway she had to the outside world. Suddenly breathless she leaned back on the bed, taking a deep breath. The last few days she had been getting tired quicker. "My illness, I suppose," she mumbled.
"You shouldn't complain," a small voice told her from the door. She turned her head slightly to see a very short, carrot head kid leaning in the door.
"Who're you," she asked somewhat happier.
"Shippo Kanaka."
"Kagome Higurashi. So what are you in here for Shippo?" The small boy smiled, jumping up on her bed.
"Some disease."
"You don't know?" The boy looked at the folds on her bed sadly. Obviously he didn't wanna talk about it, so she let it go. "So, what do you do around her for fun Shippo?"
¤
Inuyasha growled as he slammed on the snooze button. His alarm protested, keeping up its shrill scream. His clawed hand came down on top of the alarm clock again, but the annoyance kept up causing Inuyasha to sit up. "What the hell," he hissed, picking up the clock. "Huh?" He turned the small machine over looking for the glorious button that would allow five more minutes of sleep... but never found it. Annoyed, he got up remembering his appointment.
¤
Kagome laughed, her rich voice reaching out over the entire room. Shippo looked up at her, trying to believe that she belonged in the hospital. He bit his bottom lip as he went back to concentrating on the video game they were playing in his room.
¤
Kagome threw up her hands in victory as the opponent, AKA Shippo, KO-ed. "Kagome you win," Shippo laughed. The older girl smiled down at the small boy.
"Again?"
"Yeah!" They restarted the game, and selected their characters. Kagome chose a muscular girl who wore the traditional clothing of a priestess, and carried an enchanted bow and arrow. Shippo chose a tall, muscular man whose character was an acclaimed demon.
"Game start," the disembodied voice told them as the 3-2-1 countdown ended. Kagome sent her priestess to firing enchanted arrows at the demon who jumped around dodging them until he came close enough to attack her with a clawed hand.
"Dang," she whispered trying a few more attacks her priestess had. Shippo pressed a complicated attack in, luckily, and the priestess girl instantly KO-ed. "You win!" Shippo did a small victory dance.
"Having fun," a kind voice asked from behind them. They both turned, the small Shippo turning beat-red, as they met the candy-striper Sango Miyazaki. She smiled holding up a tray filled with medicine.
"Hey Sango," Kagome laughed.
"Hi Sango," Shippo chorused loudly, taking a dignified pose.
"Hey guys," the girl laughed, coming into the room. "Time for medicine Shippo." The boy's face turned slightly green.
"Uh..."
"I'll make Kagome take her's too you know." His face regained some color, but not much.
"Please Sango, I feel fine! Really!" Sango shook her head.
"No Shippo. If you take the medicine I'll tell Kohaku to come over and bring you some more video games."
"Promise?"
"Promise." Kagome smiled at the girl's skill with small children. Sango handed Shippo the cup of bright red liquid, making him suck it dry. "Thanks Shippo, now no water."
"I know," he mumbled quickly concentrating on the video game. Kagome shrugged, standing up so she could stretch her legs out.
"Ah, Kagome..." Sango asked her quietly. Kagome looked at the other girl. Sango's jet-black hair was pulled up into a ponytail so that it wouldn't interfere with her duties, and her white uniform came to just above her knees. Kagome found herself suddenly jealous of the healthy, beautiful girl. Sango must have noticed Kagome's appraisal because she coughed slightly. "Um... I was supposed to tell you that Dr. Kuyako wants to speak with you about some possible treatments... for your... uh..." she let it trail off in embarrassment. Kagome smiled slightly at her second friend in the hospital, in the whole city. After living in Tokyo for nearly three months, the only two friends she had made were Shippo and Sango.
"My leukemia," Kagome asked in a light voice. Sango nodded confused. Most of her patients didn't really... make light of their situation.
"Well... do you want me to walk you to him? Shippo should be fine for a while. If not I can come back and keep him company if you want."
"I'll be fine," Shippo muttered distracted as his character tackled a giant, spider-like monster.
"Okay," Kagome nodded. She followed Sango out of the room.
¤
"Inuyasha," his mother called down to him from the kitchen. He groaned, taking his hand off of the door knob.
"Yeah?"
"Where are you going?"
"Some school thing."
"Are you lying?"
"No."
"Are you telling the truth?"
"Yes."
"Are you..."
"LET ME GO MA!" He threw the door open, stomping out to his car. "You'd think I never left home before," he grumbled.
¤
"Well Kagome," her doctor told her without looking up from her file. "It seems that the treatment we have been giving you hasn't been working. Can you tell any differences that you have not notified us of yet?" She resisted the urge to ask the woman if she thought that she wanted to die. According to Sango Dr. Kagura Kuyako was a good doctor... she was just... cold. Bright red eyes looked up at her from the brim of the folder. "Well?"
"No mam," Kagome ground out.
"Interesting... well..." the woman sighed closing the file up and pulling out a pad of pink paper and a black pen. "I'm going to have to start you with Chemotherapy. Do you have any objections?"
"CHEMO," Kagome stood up screaming. She brought up a hand to her head.
"Calm down," Kagura snapped.
"Calm down? I'm going to lose my hair, doctor."
"Sit down," Kagura continued ordering in her cold voice. Kagome jerked her head negatively.
"Have you talked to my parents yet? I don't want to lose my hair! I don't want to have Chemo!"
"You'll have it or die, you're choice but I don't lose patients, so I really don't want you to die... just yet."
"Have you ever lost a patient Ms. Kuyako," Kagome demanded suddenly.
"Of course. Not everyone lives Miss Higurashi, certainly you know that, surely you aren't as dumb as you look." Kagome glared up at her doctor.
"Now. You'll take the treatment, as I have recommended. You're parents agree with me on this, so you have absolutely no choice. When you are eighteen, we can have this lovely conversation once more. Now, on Monday you'll have a meeting with the doctor who will be giving you the treatment, Mr. Naraku Hoshiguru. You can leave now." Kagome stood up abruptly, causing her chair to screech across the room.
¤
Inuyasha burst through the doors to the Hospital, reeling when the pungent smell of sick, death, and hospital filled his nose. His unusually keen nose twitched in agitation as many of the people who sat idly in the waiting room gave him bored looks. "And who are you," the receptionist asked in a slightly nasal voice. Inuyasha cringed slightly when the man looked up at him.
"Inuyasha Yoshiaki."
"Ah... the new... whatever they're calling you guys eh? Glad I don't have your job... no money and you still have to be here. Depressing really."
"Huh?" The man suddenly grinned evilly.
"So you don't know eh? Hm..."
"Know what?"
"Never mind that! You're to report to this room, here is your file of patients; you only get two of them, but everything in there is what's wrong with them, their backgrounds, stuff like that. You'll be working alongside Sango Miyazaki another senior and Tokyo High School. I don't suppose you know her eh?" Inuyasha nodded absentmindedly as he leafed through the first couple of pages.
"Shippo Kanaka, illness: Lung Cancer, Terminal: yes," he read silently. "WAIT," he yelled suddenly. The receptionist looked up him mildly surprised. "You mean I have to talk to some kid who's gonna die?"
"What you barely found out," the nasal man asked. "Its your job dude." Inuyasha was about to open his mouth, when he heard someone call out his name.
"Inuyasha?" He looked around to see Sango waving at him from an opened door. He crossed the room towards his friend.
"Sango did you know about this," he demanded. Glaring at him, she dragged him into some sort of an office.
"Yes. I thought that you would at least pay attention to what Kaede told you..." she held the bridge of her noise as she felt a headache come on from Inuyasha's ignorance.
"These people are dying!"
"I know," she hissed in the most deadliest voice Inuyasha had ever heard Sango use.
"How can you expect me to deal with this," he demanded. "I can't handle comforting someone until they... they..." Sango looked up at him, her eyes shining with determination.
"Inuyasha, I deal with this daily... I've made friends with these people... you'll deal with it the way you deal with everything. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn compassion?" She snorted her opinion of that.
¤
Kagome sighed. Then she rolled over, and sighed again. The third time she sighed, she sat up in her bed. "THIS SUCKS," she hissed into the mirror. Her matted, black hair looked more like an aureole than anything else, her eyes had black bags under them, creating a very 'deadly' look.
"Well is sure likes like it does," she heard a condescending voice. She whipped her head to the door where a fuming Sango and some other guy stood in the doorway. She witnessed Sango cuffing the boy on the back of his head murmuring an angry "shut up."
"Kagome," she added brightly. "How are you today? You look lovely!" Kagome stuck her tongue out at her friend.
"Yeah, right." She rolled her eyes, using a brush to quickly tame her black locks. "So who's this lovely person?"
"Kagome meet Inuyasha Yoshiaki. Inuyasha meet Kagome Higurashi," Sango introduced them. Kagome smiled at the white-headed, amber-eyed teenager, expecting a pleasant hello back. Right.
"Sure," he replied indifferently. "So what are you dying of today?" Kagome's mouth dropped open as Sango rounded on him her face the very picture of Satan.
"INUYASHA YOU STUPID BASTARD!"
"WHAT!"
"What is going on in there," a voice familiar to Kagome's ears demanded harshly. Dr. Kuyako stuck her head in the door glaring at everyone.
"Uh," Sango mumbled trying to think up of a quick lie.
"Well," Kagura asked in a tight voice. "Has our newest helper been harassing the patients?"
"No Dr. Kuyako," Kagome quickly intervened. She saw Sango visibly relax as Inuyasha just looked out the window.
"Right," Kagura answered her, leaving down the hall. "Don't forget your appointment! Two more days!" Kagome sighed. How could she forget?
"What appointment," Inuyasha asked, butting in. Sango and Kagome both shot him deadly glares over their shoulders. "Well?"
"Kagome here has Leukemia Inuyasha, do you know what that is," Sango asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm for causing Dr. Kuyako to check up on them.
"You do? You don't look like your dying," he told Kagome staring at her intently. Kagome fidgeted under his scrutiny.
"Uh..."
"She can't have Leukemia, that's cancer and people who have cancer are old, bald, and ugly."
"So you're saying she's pretty," a squeaky voice asked. They all looked down to see Shippo standing in the middle of the group, sucking on a grape lollipop. Kagome found herself blushing at the remark, when she heard Inuyasha snort.
"Why the hell would I say that?" Her blush turned into anger marks at light speed.
"Shut up Inuyasha," Sango intervened.
"Are you blind," Shippo asked, antagonizing the boy further.
"Why is some small brat harassing us?"
"That small kid is a patient," Sango hissed. "Meaning if you piss him off, WE could get fired."
"And we need to be here... why?" Sango's left eye twitched.
¤
"Wonderful," Inuyasha moaned as he followed Sango back to the Candy-Striper's locker room. He stripped the white shirt off, replacing it with his own, hanging the offender back in the confines of the cold locker.
"What now," Sango asked, turning to him. She placed on hand on her hip, arching an eyebrow. "Complaining as usual?"
"No," he snapped.
"Right." She turned back to her locker, grabbing her coat and keys. She twirled them on her finger she walked out of the door.
"Whatever," he muttered.
¤
Inuyasha slammed the door to the house loudly, walking straight to the couch. There he crossed his legs on the coffee table and turned the TV on. "Seen it, seen it, seen it," he told every channel as he passed though them.
"Inuyasha, what are you doing?" The white haired teen turned to look at the door.
"Watching TV, what does it look like," he asked turning back to the TV.
"But you're in my house," Miroku protested, walking to the kitchen.
"And that makes a difference how?" Miroku sighed, rolling his eyes as a sign of defeat. Deftly he sunk in on the couch next to his friend, trying to make sense of the images that kept flying up on the screen at ever increasing speeds.
"Will you just pick something," he finally growled, his eyes feeling like they were going to explode.
"Fine," Inuyasha mumbled, putting the remote on the coffee table. On the screen a young woman was explaining something.
"Inuyasha?"
"What?"
"Do you realize what channel you just left it on?"
"Which one?" Miroku looked at his friend as if he had just grown another head.
"The Discovery Health Channel."
"I did?"
"Yes."
"Well what are they talking about?"
"Uh..." Miroku gazed at the screen before finally forfeiting, and turning the volume up.
"Myelocytic or lymphocytic leukemia can be acute or chronic, terms that refer to the patient's life expectancy if the disease remains untreated. Acute leukemias develop rapidly, and without prompt treatment, the suppression of normal blood cell production is so severe that death occurs in a matter of weeks. In the chronic leukemias, patients may survive for several years or more without treatment because the effects of leukemic cells on the structure and function of the marrow develop more slowly and are less severe. In chronic myelocytic leukemia, for example, the leukemic cells can often complete their development and become functional blood cells. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the leukemic lymphocytes do not function normally, but in many cases the abnormal cells do not severely inhibit normal blood cell development," the woman explained to a group of people.
"That's what that girl has," Miroku heard Inuyasha mumble.
"What girl?"
"Kagome."
"Who?"
"The girl from the hospital."
"You met a girl at the hospital?"
"Yeah."
"And she's going to die?"
"Dunno."
"Why were you at the hospital again?"
"After School Program, me and Sango take care of some patients..."
"Sango works with you?"
"Yeah," Inuyasha answered cautiously, tearing his attention from the TV to Miroku. "Don't get any ideas," he ordered as he stood up, stretching.
"Where're you going?"
"Home."
"Really?"
"No."
"Where?" Inuyasha looked back at his friend, his eyebrow quirked. With a toothy grin, he was out the door.
¤
"Hey Kagome," Sango's cheerful voice filled her ears two days later. Kagome winced, trying hard not to show her fear. Sango ignored her reaction, coming in to sit on the bed beside her. "No worries," she told her throwing an arm around the girl's bony shoulders. "You'll be fine, in a couple of days I'll come by and we'll fix your hair for you. We can take you out for Halloween and everything!" Kagome's guts clenched. Halloween already? It couldn't be...
"Hey girl," the loudmouth greeted strolling into the room, late.
"Inuyasha," Sango told him in a guarded tone.
"What?" He looked at her confused, before nodded. Before Kagome could figure out what was going on, she found herself face to face with a pair of golden eyes. "Oh yeah. You've got Chemo today, right?" She was so taken aback, she didn't know if she wanted to slap him, or laugh...
"Y-Yes..."
"Well then, what are you doing here then," he asked her with a slight ring in his voice. He pulled back, grabbed her hand, and swiftly pulled her to her feet. Completely in shock now, she couldn't help but stand stock still as someone started pulling a brush through her now priceless, black locks. "This won't due," he told her, sounding more like a gay stylist than the all-star he had been a few moments before. "It's all wrong." This prompted a small smile from her as he gently wacked her in the head.
"I-Inuyasha," they both heard Sango ask in shock from the bed. "Is that you?"
"Who else would it be," a new voice asked from the door.
"What're you doing here," Sango snapped.
"I am here at your service Lady Sango," the teenager bowed. Kagome giggled as the male took Sango's hand and kissed it, before he was slapped.
"Miroku how the hell did you get this job," she demanded.
"I didn't! I'm here to see how he got this job!" Inuyasha glared.
"You all know each other," Kagome asked them.
"We go to school together," Sango answered as Miroku promptly answered, "We're in love," and Inuyasha merely shrugged.
"Well if I may excuse this little party," a cold voice came from the door. Dr. Kuyako peered into the room, scowling. "Since when did you become so popular Kagome?" Kagome shrugged, not quite sure of it herself. "Never mind then, come along. We must get you prepped." Kagome took one glance back, before walking straight into her dreaded nightmare.
¤
Her eyes burned. Kagome shook her head slightly, trying to hide from the light. The painful light. Apparently she had moaned, or somehow indicated her state of pain, because she could hear someone apologize, before promptly switching the lights off. She slowly squinted her eyes open, coming face to face with those infamous, golden orbs. "I-Inuyasha," she asked surprised.
"Hey," he told her quietly, backing off into a chair beside her bed.
"W-what are y-you doing here," she asked, too tired to try to sit up.
"I left some stuff in your room the other day, and thought that I could come and pick it up. I didn't realize that you were still recuperating."
"Inu," she asked, too tired to get out his whole name. She mentally winced, fearing that the loudmouth would berate her for using a nickname.
"Yes?"
"Y-you don't mind m-me calling you I-Inu?"
"No, I actually kinda like it." It was as if she could hear him smile.
"C-can I ask you a question?"
"Hm?"
"D-do I still h-have my hair?" A snort.
"Of course you do," he told her. "Every last strand." She smiled.
"P-please don't l-leave me..." she whispered, holding her hand palm up beside her. She felt him grasp it lightly as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
¤
"Excuse me," a soft voice called from the door. Inuyasha turned to see an older woman standing in the doorway, accompanied by an elderly man and a young boy. "Who are you?"
"Inuyasha Yoshiaki, he works here," he heard Kagura answer sharply. "What are you doing her Yoshiaki?"
"Visiting a friend," he answered stiffly. The woman quirked her eyebrow at him for a moment before turning back to regard the people.
"He's fine. Actually he has been visiting with Kagome for a while now I believe. He, a Sango Miyazaki, a Miroku Shibasaburo, and Shippo Kanaka have all been visiting with your daughter."
"Who are they," the woman asked softly, if not nervously.
"Inuyasha and Sango are some volunteers who visit with some of our patients, give them medicine, typical things. Miroku is a friend of theirs who frequents the hospital now that his friends are usually found here. Shippo is a patient of ours, he suffers from a terminal case of Lung Cancer."
"Is it okay for Kagome to be around them," the women asked in the same tone.
"She's fine," Inuyasha answered coldly.
"Inuyasha can you please excuse us for a moment? Kagome's family would like to spend some time with her," Kagura stated more than asked. Inuyasha squeezed Kagome's hand for a moment, taking the time to carefully stroke her midnight hair, before following through with the request.
"Mr. Yoshiaki," the woman, Kagome's mother he presumed, nodded at him. He walked by without saying a word, deciding that it would be best to just go straight home.
¤
Kagome awoke slowly. Her head threatened to pound, her eyes threatened to explode, her body threatened to collapse, but she fought on. Carefully she was helped to a sitting position and when she could finally make out the shapes in the room that seemed to loom over her like spirits waiting to devour her soul, she recognized her family. "Hello Kagome," her mother smiled, gently rubbing her hand.
"Hey mama, Grandpa, Souta. How are you guys?"
"We're fine Kagome," her Grandpa answered her, using the same smile her mother had.
"Did you guys see anyone when you came here," she asked, uncertain as to whether or not she really wanted to know the answer. She had asked him to stay... but would he?
"A really cool guy Kagome," her brother answered loyally. Kagome found herself blushing... he was handsome... "Wait... did I just think that! I've known him for how long again?"
"Yes... we met one of your... friends," her mother replied carefully.
"That's nice mom." Inside she was beaming. She still shone, even as her mother left the thought for a safer topic.
¤
"Are you sure this is okay Inu," Kagome asked him. The white-haired teen looked back at her with his customary, toothy grin. "I don't like that look Inu..." It had been two months. Two whole months. During those two months Kagome had learned everything she needed to know about this boy that now led her fearlessly through the hallway maze of the Rosethorn Hospital. He had visited her nearly everyday, Sango and Miroku accompanying him when they could. He played with her, listened to her, was there for her. The whole time he was turning into a pivotal part of her life. She knew what she was feeling... even if it was dangerous.
"Of course I'm sure Kagome. No fear." He yanked her hand harder, leading her to the Waiting Room. "Now, you got the coat still?" He had barged into her room a mere thirty minutes earlier, carrying with him a bag of clothes. He had ordered to put them on, dutifully stepping out until she was ready. Now she pulled on the coat, buttoning it up to her chest like he told her to. As he inspected her, a hat was promptly placed on her head, sunglasses over her eyes, and a strong arm around her shoulder. "And now we walk out, like nothing." Which was amazingly what they did.
"Inu, where are we going," she asked him as soon as they were out the door.
"I'm taking you out Kagome." Heat colored her cheeks.
"O-out... Where?"
"Wherever you want to go Kagome." He tightened his arm around her shoulder, drawing warmth from her.
¤
Inuyasha watched the girl as she watched the fireworks. She had asked him to take her to the Festival of Lights, the annual Christmas Festival. She was leaning into his side, her head resting on his shoulder. It took every drop of his willpower not to lean in and kiss her right then and there. "Inu," she asked quietly. He looked at her as she turned her head to look at him.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks." He smiled back at her, continuing smiling even as she turned back to look at the lights in the sky.
¤
"Kagome," he called to her, as he opened the door to her room. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed from the wind, her black hair wind blown. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips against hers. He heard her sigh, felt her kiss him back. "Goodnight," he told her as he leaned away, and walked away.
¤
Kagome smiled, closing the door softly. What could she say? What couldn't she say? Alone, she squealed, laying down on her bed, forgetting everything but Inuyasha. The way he walked. The way he talked. The way he looked. The way he felt. She smiled, bringing herself up right. She grabbed the remote to the TV and turned in to the music channel. A song filled the room, filled her up and overflowed to her soul. She was living and breathing the notes, playing them out in a dance of joy.
Around her small room she swept, twirling, gliding in the dark. Stars sparkled from her window, lighting up her world.
¤
"YOU WHAT," Sango hissed, slamming her locker door. She glared at Inuyasha, hands on her hips in the attempt to keep from strangling him.
"I kissed her Sango."
"I KNOW THAT!" She sat down beside him, grabbing his face, forcing him to look at her. "Why?"
"I love her Sango."
"You've known her for a couple of months Inuyasha..."
"It doesn't matter."
"Yes it does."
"No it doesn't. This is real. You can feel it here," he told her, placing a hand over his heart. It was strange to him. Before he had come here, to this Hospital he would never had said something like that.
"I can't believe this... first you sneak her out and then you kiss her..."
"Why not?" Sango met his gaze for a moment. "He doesn't see it..."
"Inuyasha... what if... what if... I mean... what if she dies?" He growled, glaring down at her.
"She isn't going to die Sango."
"What if she does... I mean she has leukemia, it can be terminal."
"Look at Shippo! You all said the kid was in for it, and he's still running around the hospital."
"Inuyasha... Shippo was placed in the ICU a couple of days ago. He isn't expected to live much longer..."
"What," he asked in shock. The kid seemed so strong... so resilient...
"He's been getting gradually worse. Not many people know about it yet because they don't really want people to go and try to see him. His parents are the cause of his illness and his newer family here at the hospital is way too much for him right now."
"Why didn't you tell me Sango?"
"I barely found out this morning Inuyasha, I was going to tell you before we went to see Kagome. But now do you see what could happen? If Kagome were to die..."
"I would be there for her Sango, even if she was dying now."
"Inuyasha I don't think you really understand... she very well could be dying right now."
¤
Kagome stared at her mother, trying very hard to see where she was coming from. She was trying oh so hard. "Now I know you want to live your life like a regular teenager Kagome... but please, you have to take it careful... sneaking out at night with that boy isn't going to get you healthier anytime soon..."
"Mom."
"I mean I don't think he even realizes what wrong with you..."
"Mom."
"He just comes in and starts making promises, not really understanding what is going on around him."
"MOM!" Kagome seethed. She could feel that her pale cheeks had become flushed with rage and her eyes must be like two hot coals being consumed by fire. "Leave. Him. Alone."
"But Kagome," her mother pleaded. Kagome felt herself regretting her outburst instantly. Her mother's eyes clouded over with tears, threatening to spill over. "Please, I just want what's best for you... I don't want you to get hurt when he finally figures out that you... that..." Kagome took a shuddery breath. Die. The word echoed in her mind, flirting with her mind, trying to break her.
It was something that in the beginning she had tossed around almost endlessly. She knew it was a possibility, but she hadn't really come to accept that possibility yet. It was one thing to know that you could be at the end of the rope, but it was a far different thing to accept or welcome it. It would take a lot of courage that she didn't really think she had to say "I know" to that. "I'll be fine Mom. Dr. Kuyako seems to think that I'm doing just fine. You told me that she even asked her superior... um Dr. Something-or-Other and he said it looked to be improving."
"Dr. Youkiana. And things can change in a heartbeat Kagome. You know that."
"I know Mom." They spent a few moments staring into each others eyes, each one grasping onto that small tether line that still kept them bonded. After a few moments her mother stood up, gently hugging herself.
"I'd better go, Grandpa and Souta have been home alone long enough."
"Bye Mom."
"Bye Kagome."
¤
January came and blew away in a heartbeat. Kagome and Inuyasha spent Christmas and New Year's together, her parents allowing her to invite him over to their get-together at the hospital for Christmas Eve. Kagome gently ran her hands over the necklace Inuyasha had given her for her gift, smiling as her fingers came into contact with the cool metal. It was simple chain made of white-gold. At the center was a tiny sapphire that twinkled endlessly. She sighed, holding the small red and gold package she had, slowly rubbing the small tag that read his name on it in her own handwriting. "Do I," she thought softly. Inside was the gift she had for him, a ring that she had had ever since she could remember. At the moment her heart was tugging at her to give it to him, but she was anxious. She felt that something was coming, something major, but she didn't really know what yet. All she knew was that Dr. Kuyako had been visiting her with more frequency lately, wanting to run all sorts of tests. The Chemo Doctor, Mr. Hoshiguru had been in to see her, running his own tests. She had even been warned that Dr. Youkiana might come in to check up on her in the next few days.
Still fingering the small gift, she looked out her window, watching the snow slowly fall to the sidewalk further entrapping her in her prison.
¤
"Inuyasha," he heard his mother call to him just as he placed his hand on the door. He was running late and he didn't want Kagome to be disappointed in him. She was looking so frail lately... so broken.
"Yeah Ma?"
"When are you going to bring this girl home to meet us? You know your father and I would love to have her around!" He froze. Taking the time to weigh in the matter, he walked into the kitchen, standing eye to eye with his mother.
She was beautiful, with raven black hair that seemed to float on her head, never needing to be fixed up, just to gently brush her shoulders. Her skin was perfect seeming to be made of pure porcelain. Her eyes radiated their own inner light, as if by looking at them you could see into her soul. "Ma... do you know anything about Kagome?" His mother laughed, her crystalline voice filling the room and him up, making him want to smile, but knowing that if he did he would look even worse than he did know, staring at her with the blankest expression he had ever gifted anyone with.
"I know she's a patient in the Hospital you go to so much."
"How?"
"Inuyasha I'm your mother, it's my job to know these things."
"But..."
"Just give me a line about when you can bring her here, or when we can see her! She seems to be so wonderful. Like an angel."
"Ma, how can you know that... I don't think I've even really talked about her to you..."
"If she makes you this happy how could she be anything less?" Inuyasha smiled, wrapped his mother in a bear hug, and kissed her on the cheek.
"No problem Ma, I'll call you after I ask her."
¤
Kagome sighed, watching as Sango hung up her phone cursing Miroku in so many different ways... Kagome's head seemed to spin. "If you hate him so much then why are you going out with him?" Sango sat on Kagome's bed with a sigh.
"Because love makes you stupid Kagome... it really, truly does." Kagome laughed, thinking about herself. She still hadn't given Inuyasha his present... instead just passing along some chocolates she had bought down in the gift shop. She was planning on giving it to him tonight when he brought his mother and father to the hospital to meet her. She was nervous, wanting to impress them so badly. She had even begged Sango to stay, even throwing out an invitation for Miroku as well.
"Thanks Sango," she told her friend, stifling a cough.
"No problem Kagome. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You'd better be," a familiar voice mock-threatened from the doorway. Inuyasha stood there with Miroku, the most beautiful woman Kagome had ever seen in her life, and a tall man who had clearly given Inuyasha all of his features, but had such grace that he seemed to glide wherever he went.
"Ma, Pa this is Kagome," he introduced them coming to stand beside her as he pulled her upright.
"Hello Kagome," his mother laughed gathering her up into a warm hug. Kagome found herself losing all of her inhibitions and wrapped her arms around the woman familiarly.
"So you're Kagome," his father laughed, shaking her hand. Kagome nodded enthusiastically. "Sango its nice to see you again."
"Mr. Yoshiaki," Sango smiled.
The night was spent that way, everyone laughing so much that Kagome nearly forgot where she was. Just as her guests were slipping away, she caught Inuyasha by the hand and whispered her request for him to stay for a few moments. "I'll be out in a sec," he told his parents. His mother nodded knowingly, ushering everyone outside.
"I uh," she whispered feeling her cough threatening to invade her moment. Ignoring it she reached under her pillow and pulled out the gift. "I um," she lost her battle and gave over to the chest racking cough.
"Kagome," she could hear Inuyasha call out to her dimly. Why was he so quiet? Why was it so dark? Why..."
¤
"KAGOME," Inuyasha yelled catching her as she fell.
"Is something the matter," a nurse asked.
"Help," he pleaded, completely lost, fear slowly threatening to take over. The nurse nodded, pressing a small button near the door. She came in quickly, ordering him to lay Kagome on her bed, then gently pushing him back. He watched as she checked Kagome's vitals going over her previous notes and comparing her current results.
"What's going on," Inuyasha heard the familiar coldness of Dr. Kuyako.
"She fainted," Inuyasha told her dumbly.
"How was she this evening?"
"Quiet... she coughed a lot, but other than that she was as she has been for a while."
"I need you to go to the Waiting Room Inuyasha, once we find something I will let you know what's going on," she told him briskly.
"But," he told her quietly, completely losing his usual hard-headed attitude at the moment. For now all he felt was the cold numbing fear that seemed to take over him.
"Now." He nodded, realizing that he would end up leaving the room if not on his own, than by force. He turned, and was about to leave the room when a small golden flash caught his eye.
A small red and gold package was laying near the door, his name written in beautiful script. He picked it up, studying it closely. "Is something wrong?" He looked around, realizing he was in the Waiting Room. His mother was peering up at him concerned.
"She fainted," he told her quietly. Sango gasped hanging on to Miroku for support.
"She... she..." was all the girl could say.
"What," Miroku asked softly.
"She's been getting sick lately... but... you don't think..."
"Don't go there," Inuyasha growled, glaring at the pair.
"Inuyasha," his father warned him curtly. Ignoring him, he plopped himself down into the nearest door, and began his study of the gift anew.
"What is that," his mother asked gently, trying to recover her ground.
"Something I think Kagome was going to give me."
"Open it then," she suggested.
"No. I want to open it with her."
"Inuyasha..."
"No."
¤
Dr. Sesshomaru Youkiana studied the girl intensely. She had worsened far to quickly. Almost overnight her entire condition had literally "gone to hell" as Kagura had so kindly put it. He sighed, deciding that it was now the proper time to call in the family.
¤
"WHAT HAPPENED," Mrs. Higurashi demanded in a shrill voice. Inuyasha didn't look up, merely kept running his hands over the scarlet wrapping paper.
"Mrs. Higurashi you need to calm down," His mother whispered, trying to calm the hysteric woman down. Someone was brave enough to try. The old man and Souta were just as comatose as he was, sitting in chairs just staring off into space. She however had come barging into the place like she owned it, determined to take down names of those who had put her daughter in jeopardy.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU," the woman screeched jerking away from the consoling woman.
"You seriously need to calm down Mom," Souta whispered without looking up.
"Is Kagome okay Inuyasha," he heard another familiar voice ask from beside him. Sometime during the mess Shippo had sneaked up on them, discovering the dilemma.
"Yes." Shippo shivered. Inuyasha looked at the small boy, noticing small streaks of tears gently trying to dry on his cheeks. Without a second thought he gathered the boy into his arms and hugged him.
¤
She had asked for him. Inuyasha felt his heart soar and drop all at the same time. Still carrying the gift in his pocket, he took a deep breath as he opened the door.
She was lying there in, covered with tubes, connected to machines. A slight beeping caught his attention immediately. He took a breath only when he saw the line spike, heard it beep, indicating a heart beat.
"Kagome," he called out to her softly, gently taking her hand.
"H-Hey," she answered him weakly.
"Wasss up," he asked trying to sound cheerful. She attempted a smile, which made him laugh. He stroked her cheek, kissing it softly.
"I wanted to tell you something."
"Yeah," he asked as he ran his fingers through her hair.
"I love you Inuyasha."
"I love you to Kagome."
"I want you to remember be the way I was before." He looked at her for a moment, his throat closing up on him.
"Kagome..."
"Please Inuyasha? Can you do that for me? Remember me the way I was."
"Kagome."
"Do you remember the festival?"
"Of course I do Kagome. That was the first time I kissed you."
"That night I danced Inuyasha. I danced like I never had before, I danced in the dark because you made me so... happy. So alive." She looked up at him, her eyes shining with a small fire. "That's how I want to be remembered. Dancing the in the dark," she laughed softly. "Please?"
"I promise Kagome."
"Thanks Inuyasha," she whispered as she slowly fell asleep.
¤
He watched her lay like that for a moment longer. He watched her until someone grabbed him by the shoulder giving him a shake. "I said time's up." Inuyasha turned to look at the speaker, coming face to face with a very familiar pair of amber eyes.
"You're here," he demanded coldly.
"I'm her doctor," his older half-brother snapped. Sesshomaru looked from the girl to Inuyasha. "So you're the one she keeps muttering about in her sleep."
"What do you mean," Inuyasha demanded.
"I hope you appreciate her Inuyasha."
"What..."
"Its time to let her parent in. You have to go. I suggest you go home and get some rest... and to do whatever she asked you to." Inuyasha shook his head, trying to clear it. Ignoring Sesshomaru, he left the room, pointedly refusing to look at any of the Higurashi's.
"How is she," his mother asked. Inuyasha finally looked up. Tears were falling down her face much like they were on his own. He could feel their coldness, taste their salt.
"I think I just said good-bye," he whispered.
"Oh," his mother cried as she pulled him close to her. For one of the only times in his life, Inuyasha let it all go.
¤
He looked at the piece of paper, reading it without reading it. He had read it so many times it was now memory, a part of him that would never, could never be erased. Inu, I know something is wrong. I can feel it. Before something happens I want you to have this. Its my most treasured item. This is the ring that my grandmother gave to me when I was a little girl. It means a lot to my family, but I want you to have it. I think that it belongs more to you than anyone else in the world. Please keep it as a remembrance of me. Whenever you wear it, I want you to think back to the night that you first took me out. The night we spent watching fireworks. You'll never really, truly know how much you meant to me Inu, but I can live with that. I will love you forever and always, Kagome.
The ring was a solid gold band with a perfect circle of pink gem on the top. The gem seemed to glow as he wore it on his left hand, the hand where he believed a wedding band may have been put on one day.
They had laid her down not even a day ago. It seemed to him as a whole separate eternity though. He had gone and sat in the back. Sango and Miroku and loyally sat next to him, saying their goodbyes. Her mother hadn't given him one glance.
It was the Grandfather that had surprised him. "Boy," he had told him, boldly confronting him after the guests were getting into their vehicles to leave. "I know she gave it to you. I'm going to let you keep it."
"Why," Inuyasha had asked not really caring, no one in the world could tear the precious gift away from him, but needing to hear the answer as if to confirm his worthiness to wear it.
"She loved you. It was clear to see it." He clasped Inuyasha on the shoulder, squeezing it once before walking away to his seething daughter.
Inuyasha felt the cold wind weave through his silver hair, sending it out into the sky. He kneeled carefully next to the tombstone, gently running his fingers over the epitaph.
She lived. She loved. She was.
Kagome Higurashi
1987-2005
Beloved daughter and Sister.
He wished they had taken his suggestion, but inside he knew they wouldn't. He had begged them to put, The girl who danced in the dark, a line that he felt in his heart would honor Kagome's last wish.
Dancing in the Dark, he smiled as he thought of her small description. She had been like the night, not alarming the way most people saw it, but mysterious and alluring. She was dark and light all at the same time. Her eyes were like stars guiding you through life. She was a young and ancient as the moon, full of wisdom yet still young enough not to know all the answers. She's dancing somewhere else now, he thought looking up at the cloudy sky. With a hand on the ring she had given him he slowly walked away, memories of fireworks, kisses, and laughter filling his mind, fulfilling her memory in ways that only he could.
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Thank you for reading Dancing in the Dark. I thank you for your time and patience. I know its lengthy, it was originally meant to be a short story, however once I began to write I couldn't stop. I also realize that Kagome's mother may seem... a bit btchy in this piece of fiction. I wrote her character based on my own person feelings and what I could see myself doing if I was in that position.
Once again thank you for your time.
CJ Ryuu