"Yeah!"
She didn't have the energy to snarl, and used the familiar snort that always issued from her when a tirade was in order.
"Inuyasha stop answering your phone like a barbarian; it's rude."
In the background she made out another female voice (that seemed to sympathize with her) and the sound of a dull slap to the back of dog-boy's head.
" Who the fuck is this? And nobody gives ME grammar lessons. Especially people I don't even know!"
Her head biting the lip of her previously occupied pedestal, she lost what little patience she had awoken with. For her, she had been fighting only a moment ago. It didn't help that her side was bleeding from the stab wound she had received.
" Why don't you check the caller i.d. on your cell, genius."
The loudmouth seemed put off by this, and a few minutes and some rustling noises later, she was faced with a flurry of questions.
" Is this some kinda sick joke! Where did you get Kagome's cell phone!"
"Um, hello I am Kagome! What am I doing in a cemetery Inuyasha! On a pedestal no less! "
After a few minutes of trying to convince Inuyasha of her identity, she decided on a simple method of winning his trust. She didn't want to be out here alone and wounded.
" Ask me a question only I could answer then. Something you never told anyone."
A brief pause, a murmur of something that sounded like a curse.
" Do I wear boxers or briefs."
She snickered. Only Inu.
" Neither, you always said a breeze made you feel free."
She heard nothing but dial tone after that, and contented herself with a nap. Not that she could dissuade the act of falling asleep when her blood loss made it impossible to keep her eyes open. She fingered the black teardrop necklace she held, and hoped for the best with every drop of strength she possessed.
Inuyasha had used his "better" judgment and left the house, using his demonic speed instead of a stuffy vehicle. He had left it to his lovely wife to call his brother and the others. He hadn't wanted to hear the cynical bastard tell him that the possibility she was alive was.. Bad. He would at worst look a fool. At best he would have been there for Kagome when she needed him most. That was enough to risk social embarrassment any day.
He leapt from the willow and into the grounds of her cemetery. That had renamed it . He knew the pathway to her resting place like the back of his hand. The beautiful stone angel. Not as beautiful as Yukina, but still a very close second.
His footsteps were silenced when he saw her missing statuette. Until he looked to the ground. A pale body, dressed in her garments and clad in her weaponry lay there, blood spreading through her upper layers while Hiei's' crystal necklace dangled from thin white digits. He hefted her into his arms, hoping she wasn't in pain.
He smelled her, tilted her face, and examined her wounds. If it smelled like Kagome, looked like Kagome, and had wounds like Kagome..
Even he could put two and two together.
Running with supernatural speed, he made his way to the nearest hospital. She wouldn't die again. He had saved her. He had saved her when he thought he would never have another chance! He had almost forgotten hat it felt like to be needed by her. It reminded him of the time that had lapsed since her dormancy. Would she be able to adjust to this world? This world that spread her message and nurtured her ideals? Would she enjoy the fame it gave her, or would it be too much to deal with in so short a time?
All he knew was that he would protect her. She was needed.
Kagome shook her head in vain, trying to clear the fuzziness from her mind with little to no success. Finally, she managed to peep open her left eye. The sound of screaming and arguing had pulled her from her dreams, and she meant to give a tongue lashing to the loudmouth responsible.
She found (to her surprise) that her mobility was restored. The white hospital door didn't have a window, but she didn't need it to recognize the trill of her family and friends. She ran a hand through her slightly frizzy bed-head, tried to rinse the bad taste in her mouth out using the sink, and blushed at her backless gown. Picking at the bracelet around her wrist, she read her DOB and name absent-mindedly.
When she remembered that there was probably an audience awaiting her, she took the door handle, sucked in a breathe of air, and opened the door. The silence quickly informed her of what she needed to know. They had thought her dead. But why were they crying? Who had let these children follow to the hospital?
She couldn't speak, and didn't have to. Sesshazu seized her into his arms with a loud roar. She knew it was the inu custom , but she had no idea he was expressing his grief at her leaving them for a time, and his joy at her returning to them once again. But the embrace told her the story. He had been worried for her. She felt small tears fall down her back, while her adopted father stroked her hair with clawed fingers.
" You came back to us."
She nodded absently, returning his squeeze even though her ribs ached. She was afraid to ask questions. Afraid to know the answers.
The rest of the warriors awaited their turn in impatient fidgeting. Inuyasha finally snorted and tapped her soft shoulder.
" Yah know there are a few people awaiting the privilege of your company, Go-chan."
She sniffled, smiled at her father and crushed Inu's neck in a hug, tweaking his fuzzy ears. Sesshazu silently made sure he was behind her so she wouldn't be exposing herself to anyone. God knows she would blush for days.
" Sorry, little brother. I didn't know I was in such demand now did I? Which reminds me, after our discussion on what the hell happened, you will receive a lesson on telephone etiquette."
He knew she was joking, and quickly squeezed her before handing her off to Sesshoumaru. The tall and rather quiet demon simply stared mournfully at her, looking into gray eyes that where so oblivious to his pain. She got onto her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek, smiling at his assessments.
" I'm fine Maru-Chan, believe me. I'm just glad I can move again. Which reminds me, next person who puts me on a pillar dies .Talk about a short drop with a sudden stop. "
They laughed at her nervous joking, and when Sesshoumaru neither laughed more moved, she let Sango fill in . The woman looked older. She clung to her friend and sobbed, while Miroku rubbed her back with his free hand. The other held a child. A familiar child. A carbon copy of Kagome as a child. Kagome pulled from her intimate moment and held Sango's shoulders while the world around her spun a bit.
" How long? How long has it been since I.. .Fell asleep?"
She heard rather then felt Hiei touch her shoulder. But the edge in his voice was like serrated metal. It cut through her resolve like it was rice paper.
" Twenty years. Since you battled the kuromiko and saved our lives. Twenty years since the world declared you both goddess and hero."
They all felt the accusation he had been thinking instead of saying.
Twenty long years…since we moved on without you. Since we left you in our memories and let you remain frozen in time ;rather then believe there might be a chance to recover you. Twenty years since we failed our beloved miko. Failed, Failed ,Failed.
Kagome was dizzy, and braced herself on Kuwabara's bulky arm. He was closest to her after all. But when the large man seemed to wince in pain, she let go quickly, noticing the spreading purple of a bruise.
" Damn Kagome, your still as strong as ever! Well once they helped with your atrophy that is."
She bit her lip in a frown, before speaking.
" I .. I feel strange. I felt pain when I awakened, like something was knitting into the fabric of my soul. And now I am stronger then I was, but my spiritual energy seems tainted somehow. It's not as bright as I remember it. Could the battle have…changed me?"
Botan gripped her shoulder, blue hair resting against Kagome's nose.
" That battle changed us all. Mostly for the better. We learned to appreciate the connections we had, and to show the world we could get along no matter what we were. But you probably want to hear about the world you left for so long . Let's fill her in guys!"
And with that, a five hour session started, filled with groans, squeals of joy, and quite a few tears. Nobody dared leave the girls' side for a moment, and she nearly murdered her male friends when they tried to follow her into the restroom (even though she knew it was only a joke).
Kagome slowly adjusted to the idea of Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Kurama, Yusuke, and her female friends being mated. She had spent the first weeks in seclusion with the families, learning about the habits they enjoyed and the schedule they kept. While trying to start her own. She worked on her powers the most, wishing the stain on her soul would come out already before she started to panic.
Her time with them ran out eventually, but they visited every weekend while she tried to face the fact that she would have to meet the media soon and admit to being "alive" again. It would be tough. Her two closest companions were Hiei and Kagura, who showed much more compassion then she expected. They even managed to keep civil tongues around her.
They kept her up to speed on current news, since Sesshazu refused to let her rot her newly awakened brain with television. Like it would return her to drooling infant mode. After two months she finally convinced him to let her watch something, but he chose a video that had been recorded of her funeral. She thought it was slightly morbid, but what the hell. He was her father. So they curled up together and she held his hand. It was touching and horrifying to see the strong demon in so much pain. All of her friends. They looked broken , simply because she wasn't there to smile at them or create a petty romance scandal. She had never felt so needed.
" Father.. I think it's time the world knew I was back."
Hiei tried to keep the frustrated snarl from his schooled features, preferring the silent disregard for the people around him. The mantra "Their not worth your time" Echoed quite nicely. They hadn't heard from the Lord Sesshoumaru in a long time. Long enough to believe him fed up with media and fame altogether. They squabbled for better positions and called out unanswered inquiries to the other demons on the podium, but made sure not to charge the dias. They still hadn't forgotten the cameraman Sesshoumaru had frightened into oncoming traffic for hassling him.
Finally the nonplussed Inu came out, and stepped up to speak. The crowd got a bit rowdy, and he silenced them with a snap of his clawed fingers. Weaklings.
" I have come to inform you of recent developments . As you know, Kagome Higurashi was my adopted sister, and her remains went missing a few months ago, much to our dismay. We found her, alive and well, later that same evening. She has been recovering at a secure location. She had asked us not to inform you until she was healthy and adjusted. Most likely so she had a chance to run form your infernal machines, but I digress..
My investigations on the matter of her reawakening led me to a lab of miko and monks who dabbled in science exclusively. They had been keeping the bust of the kuromiko Kikyou until tests could affirm whether she lived or not. Apparently it fell to dust in one of their experiments. The same hour Kagome awoke. Considering she did not retain a solid form I must conclude that Kikyou held the dark half of Kagome's soul. When she fell to pieces it returned to my sister and balanced out her body and mind. This was the catalyst for her reanimation.
That's is all. Please return to whatever hole you crawled from."
So, whatchya think? Kinda slow, but I was trying to update and it's been awhile since I got into the swing of things. How did you like it? The guys are holding off for the moment to let Go-chan adjust. I was trying to give this chapter the overall feeling of nostalgia, and the fear that Kagome would leave them again. Poor Sesshoumaru. Love woes and another insidious plot soon to come!
Thanks to all who reviewed, I forget how many but it sure was a lot. I recently received two reviews for this story which convinced me to update, so you are owed my thanks! Please review and I will make use of the review answery…thinga ma thing.
So long!-APM