Imprisonment

By:TycoonGirl

Chapter One: Incarceration

Disclaimer: I no own

Not a single day that goes by, do I not wish things had ended differently with my ex-husband, Koga Wolfe. Not only did our constant fights hurt our daughter, Rin, and make her unsure, but it cast a bad light onto our troubled marriage.

High school sweethearts. Everyone knew we'd get married and have kids after high school. I was the captain of the cheerleading squad, smart and popular. Koga was the star quarterback on the football team and a very nice guy. Never mind the fact that we'd never been with anyone else so had limited experience, we had to do what was expected of us.

Right out of our high school days, I got pregnant with our daughter, Rin. We were both happy and I had started to feel lonely during the day when Koga went to work at his father's construction company. Koga's steady job allotted for me to stay home and have a nice lifestyle. I was the homemaker, but that was never the kind of life I imagined.

So, when Rin was born, we both were happy, and I forgot all about my dissatisfaction. Five happy years passed, but then Koga started drinking. We argued constantly and I took to sleeping in my daughter's bedroom instead of with my drunken husband. Koga wasn't happy about it, but I refused to sleep with him again until he started to go to AA and we were in marriage counseling. This never happened, of course.

In the small town we were born, raised, and had never left, if he went to AA and we started seeing a counselor, it would be all over in a flash. Koga was too proud to ever let that happen. In high school we had the picture perfect romance and prom, and everyone thought that we would never have any sort of problems, but they were horribly wrong.

A few years after Koga started drinking, his father died of heart failure and he was devastated. I was upset too, as was Rin. I'd liked Koga's father, Mr. Wolfe. He was kind, and he loved spending time with Rin. Mr. Wolfe also helped control his son's wild temper and drinking habit, and employed his son steadfastly, the previous day's indiscretions forgotten. Any time Koga seemed like we was about to loose it, or his temper got too much in control of him, I'd call his father, whom would come over, whatever time of day or night and calm his son.

After Mr. Wolfe died, Koga lost his job and the family company to his elder, less understanding brothers. Koga stayed home and drank while I went to work at the local Wal-Mart. A few months of living this way had flown by and I was at my breaking point.

I'd always put Koga's problems ahead of my own and Rin's. Rin's came after his, and I did not stop to think about myself for even a second. Without noticing, I became depressed and suicidal. Because I only earned minimum wage and worked constantly, I was forced to send Rin to live with my mother in the city where my mother could afford to give Rin a very nice lifestyle.

After I had to send Rin away, things became dramatically worse. Koga was furious that I'd asked my mother to help, but I would not stand by and allow my precious baby to starve and live a troubled life when my mother was willing to take my daughter away from all of that. We were so much in debt, sometimes I couldn't eat for days because Koga had to spend all of our food money on beer.

We lost our home after that and my mother secretly set up a bank account for just me so I'd have money just in case. At the time, I didn't realize how smart my mother had actually been. Koga and I moved into a rented trailer, but our arguing kept up. Then, not too long after Rin went to live with my mother, Koga's temper finally got the better of him and he became intolerable. He started knocking me around.

People noticed, as it was a small town. The police stopped by our shabby trailer a few times when someone got extra concerned. I'd always told them I was getting extra clumsy, and constantly falling or hitting myself. It was stupid, I know.

When Rin turned eight, my mother died and I inherited everything into my secret account and Koga never saw a penny. Rin had to come back and start living with us. She wasn't used to life in a trailer park or minimum wage life. I felt horrible. A few days after she returned, she saw Koga hit me, and she immediately said something to him. He got upset and tried to hit her too. I stopped him, but he hit me instead.

That night Rin and I stayed in a motel and I began looking for another means of keeping my daughter away from my husband. Finally, I turned to adoption. When I told Rin, she cried and cried, and I felt even worse, but I knew that I would have to give up my only saving grace to save her from a life like mine.

So, I went out and used up the remainder of Koga and I's money to buy Rin some nice clothes, a few suitcases, and anything else. Then, in the dim light of our temporary haven, I wrote to her. She slept while I wrote, but I wasn't writing this to my darling little eight year old Rin, whom would not understand what the journal contained. No, I was writing to the girl that my daughter would become. I was writing something to her that she would be able to use as she was growing up. If she had a question, she would simply have to find the part in the journal, and in my handwriting, it would explain to her all the things I couldn't explain to her in person.

By the time I was done with the journals, I had told her everything there was to tell, and I filled the tenth journal with "I love you" 's. I put together a scrapbook of pictures and anything else I could think of. I packed my daughter's things nearly a month later, and I took her to a place where she would be happy. She cried, and screamed and wouldn't let me go. I hugged her tightly for so long before she had to leave. When she was gone, I returned 'home'.

Koga was furious. He turned the trailer upside down and shouted. He beat me so badly that night that he ended up having to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital. Word of our marital problems spread through our community like wildfire, and soon everyone knew of our problems. While I was in the hospital, the doctors diagnosed me with severe depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and breast cancer. Koga was arrested and the Sheriff urged me to press charges. I refused, but the evidence spoke volumes. He was sent to prison for a year and to AA for five while I recovered from my mental and physical anguish.

When I was finally completely healthy, I went to visit Koga at the jail. He was doing better. After a long discussion, we both finally agreed to a divorce. After nine years of being married to Koga, I was finally free of his aggressive nature, but this didn't mean my problems evolving him were over.

My life was on track a year after Koga and I had parted ways. I had moved to the city, lived in a nice apartment, was going to night school, worked as a secretary by day. I was desperately lonely, and missed Rin. On my 28th birthday, I received a picture of my daughter and her adoptive father. His name was Sesshomaru Taisho, and he was 33 years old, Californian district attorney, business tycoon and millionaire. I knew Rin was happy with the father she'd found in this man by the goofy grin on her face as she was on the tall man's shoulders, holding a little kitten.

A year after that, I received a law suit from my former husband, Koga, whom was suing for me putting Rin up for adoption without his consent. I immediately called Sesshomaru Taisho and informed him. He was less than enthused about my contacting him and even less enthused about the legal battle that he was surely about to be dragged into because of the little girl he'd come to view as his daughter.

This very instant, I lay in a jail cell, in an prisoner's uniform. My crime? I have been found guilty of murdering Koga, and have been sent to jail for fifteen years. I swear, I didn't do it. Maybe some people have doubts about my innocence or my guilt, or maybe even some people think that if I did kill him, I was rightly justified. My very public trial was all over North American news channels. I'd become infamous. Because I didn't have any money to pay for my defense, I was appointed some quack named Myoga.

"Come on, Higurashi, let's go into the yard for a bit!" my cell-mate, Sango smiled. I sat up and stared over at my best friend whom was laying on her bed, pushed up against the wall.

I sighed and slowly stood. I stretched and tied my long jet black hair back. "I wonder what Kanna's cooking up for lunch today…" I mused, while waiting for Sango to find her button-up shirt with her prisoner number on it.

Sango shrugged. "Who knows. Let's hope its better than yesterdays though. I still have cramps from that mess." she joked. I snorted and exited our cell. We walked to the yard and went outside.

I stretched into the warm Nevada sun and took a deep breath. "Rin's turning eleven next week." I said softly. Sango, and every other inmate here knew about my daughter because I constantly talked about her.

"Really? Eleven? How old are you again?" Sango asked, as we made our way over to the picnic tables.

We plopped down and I dropped my chin into my hands. I sighed. "I know. It seems like just yesterday I was in high school. I was eighteen when I gave birth to Rin and I married Koga that year too, so I was married to him for…nine years…after that I was on my own for about maybe two years…and…I'm 29." I replied.

Sango shook her head and sighed. "I'm 35, and I can't believe it. You've been married for nearly ten years and have a kid, and I only have a fiancée."

"But you dumped him." I stated.

"Yeah, but I've HAD one." she replied.

I was about to argue how illogical she sounded, but I decided to drop it and change the subject back to Rin's birthday. "So, what do you think I should get her? I haven't been allowed to talk to her in ages because the guy who takes care of her doesn't like me. I have no idea what she's like." I remarked quietly.

Sango drummed her long fingers on the coarse wooden tabletop. Her soft and shiny brown hair fell over her slightly freckled face. She pit her lower lip, a sign that she was thinking. "Well, you told me about those journals you wrote for her. You could do that." Sango suggested.

"Maybe." I replied non-committaly.

"What? What's wrong with that?" Sango cried.

"Nothing! I've just already given her ten of those before she left…maybe I could start now on the journals I can give to her when she gets older." I sighed.

Sango frowned and shook her finger at me. "Kagome Ann Higurashi, you listen here and you listen good, don't talk like that! You didn't kill Koga, and the cops know it, they're just looking for someone to pin it on! You'll be outta here before you know it!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.

I sighed and looked away from my friend, past the hustle and bustle of the yard, and past the high fence. I wanted to believe Sango, I really did, but I'd been in jail for nearly a year now. There was no way I'd ever be granted the appeal.

"Higurashi! Y'all have visitors! Come on, hurry up!" a friendly guard yelled towards me.

I stood and hurried over to Yumi. "Who?" I questioned as she pat me down.

Yumi shrugged. "Got me there, girlie. All I know is that man is fine." she giggled, blushing and fanning herself.

"Man? I don't know any men." I said as she pushed me teasingly into the room. The door closed, and I turned around.

I was dumbfounded to see my daughter and the man whom had been taking care of her for nearly three years. "MOMMY!" Rin squealed, jumping at me. I caught her and hugged her.

It had been so long since I saw here. I hadn't been able to hug my daughter since the day I gave her up. I started crying. "Oh Rin! Happy birthday, Happy birthday, Happy birthday."

"Mom, you said it too many times." she stated, handing me a Kleenex.

I wiped my tears away. "Well considering where I've been for the past three birthdays, I think I owe you, kiddo."

Rin grinned and hugged me again. When we broke apart, she grabbed the silent man's hand. "Mom, this is my dad, Sesshomaru Taisho." Rin introduced him.

I stared up at the stoic man. His pale face was impassive, and he was tall. He towered over me in his expensive Armani suit. His platinum blonde hair was long and held back at the nape of his neck. I hoped he wasn't always this cold around my daughter. I bowed my head. "Thank you for caring for my Rin. I could never even begin to repay you for giving her everything she needs, including a father figure. Thank you." I said.

His facial expression softened for the briefest of moments, but I supposed being the district attorney of California had made him rather formidable. "You are welcome. As Rin has introduced me, I am Sesshomaru Taisho, Attn. General of California. Your defense lawyer is a trusted family friend, and has asked me to step in to help, as he is aware that you are Rin's biological mother. I have agreed to help you." he spoke softly, but his voice was completely cold and shut down.

A small shiver ran through me and I untied my long sleeved shirt from around my waist. Rin looked very cold. I dropped it over her shoulders and turned back to Sesshomaru Taisho. "Thank you very much Mr. Taisho." I murmured. Nothing seemed fit to say to this man.

"Hey mom, I didn't know you had a tattoo." Rin said, spotting one of my tattoos. This one was on my inner right wrist. I turned my arm so she could see it better.

"I don't have a tattoo. I have three…or is four…? Oh I don't know. I have a couple. All designed by my artist cell-mate, Sango." I said. On my inner right wrist were three hearts, right over the veins, the middle one the biggest and the only black one.

Rin cocked her head, a single eyebrow raised. Her big blue eyes met mine. "I read a book about symbolism and it had a few mentions of tattoos and their specific symbolism. Do your tattoos mean anything, mom?" she asked me.

I nearly fainted. Symbolism! My daughter was a genius! Eleven years old and she's already read a book about that! I smiled and chuckled. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I never get a tattoo without something behind it, because they hurt. This tattoo is a reminder about my mother, Koga's father and Koga." I replied.

"Why would you put HIM on your arm mom?" Rin asked softly.

I sighed. "Rin, perhaps we should have this discussion later." I suggested.

"No! I want to know why you'd put him on there!" Rin said, jumping to her feet and stomping her foot.

I sighed. "Stubborn girl. Sit and I will tell you. I swear, you remind me so much of myself when I was younger. This heart on the far left, is the heart reminding me of my mother. I can't forget all the help she gave you and I, nor how much I miss her. The heart on the far right is representing Koga's father, whom also helped us very much. And the middle one is your father's heart." I stated.

"You didn't say why his heart is black, or the biggest or in the middle." came Sesshomaru's voice for the first time in a few hours.

Rin leveled an accusing glare at me. "Mom." she said in a reprimanding tone.

"Yeesh. Fine, fine, I'll tell you, but you might not understand the workings of your insane mother's mind." I warned her, standing and stretching. Talking about Koga was making me feel sick again.

Rin sighed and tapped her foot expectantly. "Mom…"

"Koga's heart is the biggest because I spent nine years with him, through thick and thin-" I started.

"I'd say it was mostly thin." Rin interrupted.

I raised a single eyebrow. "Maybe is was Rin. Anyways, I spent nine years married to him, and I loved him a great deal though, yes, he did seem pretty terrible. That is also why his heart is in the middle. His heart is black because his kindness was tainted by misfortune and his temper. You should have known your father in high school. He was such a different person…he was kind, calm, and gentle then. He wouldn't have dreamt of doing anything horrible like he did then. He was caring and so compassionate. He had a big heart, but sometimes what you do mean counts more than what you do nice." I sighed.

There was a long silence, then Rin spoke. "I don't like it, but it's your tattoo. The only person I knew was a mean, insensitive drunken jerk who tried to beat me and nearly killed you." she said.

I was stung by her words, but I knew she didn't mean to really hurt me with them. It was like she was judging me for loving. I had no clue that Koga was going to turn out as he did. It was like she was disappointed with me for choosing such an ass to fall in love with.

Yumi popped in. "Sorry, but visiting hours are over! Kagome has to go eat dinner with the other inmates and be in her cell by lights out." she smiled.

I kissed Rin on the cheek and hugged her. "Happy birthday, baby, and remember I love you, okay?" I said softly. She nodded.

I shook Sesshomaru's hand and left with Yumi, a sick feeling settling over me. I felt so exhausted and drained, though I'd done nothing but talk with my daughter. Maybe remembering everything horrible that had happened was why I felt this way.

"Kagome? Do you feel alright? You look a little sick." Yumi said quietly.

I sighed and leaned up against the cold brick wall. The bricks looked like plastic had been put into the cement. The same kind of walls were in my high school. I closed my eyes and tears leaked from my tired brown eyes. "No. Maybe. I don't know. I'll be fine in a second." I whimpered.

When I calmed down and stopped crying, Yumi led me to the cafeteria and I got my dinner and sat with Sango, who was waiting for me, and for news. "So, who was the hot visitor Yumi told us about?" she asked, leaning in. All the other girls in our sector, whom sat at our table leaned in for the juicy gossip.

"That was my daughter's adoptive father. Rin visited me. Her adoptive father, Sesshomaru Taisho, is the Californian District Attorney General, and somehow that boob of a lawyer of mine has convinced him to help me overturn my sentence." I said.

As soon as the words left my mouth, the table erupted in cheering and congratulations. The girls leaned over to other tables and told the others my good news. I looked around, bewildered. "What? Why is every one freaking out? It's not like I'll ever get off. The cops want ME to be GUILTY." I said glumly.

"Sesshomaru Taisho is only the best criminal lawyer on the West Coast! He's amazing, and HOT! He can get anyone off! Kagome, you'll be out of here before you know it! Have you ever seen that movie, Chicago, with Richard Gere, Renee Zellweger, Queen Latifah, and Katherine Zeta-Jones? Well, Sesshomaru Taisho is like Richard Gere's character, Billy Flynn. He's amazing. Everyone wants him!" a fellow inmate named Kagura squealed.

I was dumbfounded. If he was this good of a lawyer, why was he wasting his time on an impossible case like mine? Through the rest of dinner I remained silent, thinking about how Sesshomaru Taisho could possibly help me.

That night, sleep did not come at all. Not that not sleeping was unusual for me. I sighed and stood. I sat at the small desk next to my bed and opened a drawer, fishing out an empty notebook and a pen.

The moon was extra bright and my desk was under the barred window, so I did not have to worry about turning on any lights and waking up Sango.

I dated the page and gave the time, then paused, my pen ready. I took a deep breath and began to write the truth to my daughter. I wrote until the sun began to peak over the horizon, then closed the composition book and stood. I stretched and went to the toilet that was behind a curtain. Instead of getting dressed, I pulled on my white terry cloth robe and my flip flops that I wore in the shower. I grabbed my shampoo and other things, then went to the bars of my cell.

"Yumi." I called.

A moment later, my guard friend appeared and silently opened the door, let me out and closed it. "To the showers, then?" she asked.

I nodded. She knew that I had a phobia of showering in front of anyone, so she let me shower alone in the handicap stall with a curtain early in the morning. I was grateful to her.

When I was done showering, I pulled my robe around myself and went to the door where Yumi was waiting. She led me back to my cell and waved goodbye.

I dressed behind the bathroom curtain, and combed my long jet black hair. I tied my hair back with a rubber band and slipped my shoes on.

Today I had my college classes. I had not finished my teaching degree when I was arrested, and now decided to finish my classes so I could work at a publishers if I ever got out.

Sango woke and she dressed. The doors simultaneously buzzed and every door in the sector opened and we all made our way to the cafeteria for breakfast.

Later that afternoon, after lunch and my classes, I sat outside, laying on the grass. "Kagome, your lawyer is here!" Yumi called enthusiastically. I groaned, thinking that Myoga came to tell me that my appeal had been denied, yet again.

I was surprised to be shown to a lawyer/inmate room where Sesshomaru Taisho was waiting for me. He stood when I entered. "Miss. Higurashi." he said.

"Please, just call me Kagome. Forgive me for being a little bit shocked, but I did not entirely believe what you said yesterday about helping me." I explained.

He gestured for me to sit and I did, as did he. "I gave my word, Kagome. Now, let's go over some things in your previous trial and your alibi." he said, pulling some files out from his briefcase.

His amber eyes met mine. "First of all, Kagome, did you really kill your ex-husband?" he questioned.

I scowled. "I did not kill anyone." I snapped.

"No need to get upset about it. As your lawyer, I need to know what I'm getting into, and if you really did, then I would have walked out of here. I only represent the innocent that have been accused falsely." he stated, lowering his gaze to the manila file holding sketches of my trial and pictures.

He leaned down and picked up a brown box. He set it on the cold tabletop and lifted the lid off. "With some help from Rin, I've complied all the newspaper clippings, news segments and otherwise about your trial and anything concerning your trial."

"Rin helped you?" I asked.

He nodded. "I did not stop her from watching your trial. She would have found some other way had I told her no. Your daughter is a very smart girl. She collected most of this, and I have several school papers of hers about your case and how she feels." he said.

His cell phone rang and he stood, turning away to answer it. I could tell that it was Rin and that she was probably upset. I was right. Sesshomaru sat back down. "This is the room we will be meeting in from now on, and I've asked for a television and VCR, and something to put vital information on, but I don't know how soon we'll get it. Here are the transcripts of your trial and all appeal trials afterwards. Myoga had things going in the right direction, but he was never very charismatic."

"No kidding." I stated dryly, opening the first thick book-like thing.

Sesshomaru took off his blazer and cracked his knuckles. He tapped a pile of legal papers in front of him. "Before we go any further, Kagome, I have drafted up an agreement to help you. If I get you out of prison within this year, then you will come work for me at my firm and help out with Rin. If I do not, then, well…" he said.

"And why am I signing this?" I asked.

Sesshomaru smirked. "Very perceptive of you. As you are surely aware, time is money and I am not a cheap criminal defense lawyer. If you sign this, you won't have to pay me a cent. If you don't, then well, I'd roughly estimate the cost for defending you around, oh, 100 thousand." he said.

I paled and took the pen, signing the papers where he instructed me to. I didn't even have ten thousand dollars to my name! There would be no way I'd be able to pay that, besides, what he was asking was not so dramatic that I couldn't comply with it.