A Bride's Request and Bridesmaid's Honor
Chapter 7 – How Ironic
Author's Note: Well here it is chapter 7! I'm expecting more reviews than last time people! I want to know what you think, I want comments on how to make it better, I want you to review even if you've already reviewed previous chapters! And most importantly I need your votes on whether Inuyasha has long silver hair (like in his hanyou form) or long black hair (like when he's human) it's your choice….I leave it up to you my precious readers. And I'm threatening to cut his hair if not enough of you review! I'll have Kagome haul him to a hair salon and give him a buzz cut! Don't think I won't! So review! REVIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!
Kagome awoke an hour later groggy and disorientated. Why was she in her bed? She distinctly remembered just closing her eyes outside. Rolling over she noticed the clock read 6:30! It had been 2:30 when she had left her studio….and that still didn't explain how she was in her own bed! Getting up Kagome noticed her suitcase lying open on the floor. Deciding she should finish packing Kagome set to it. Inuyasha had probably left to go find a hotel after their little tiff, she wouldn't put it past him. Not even ten minutes later Kagome zipped up her suitcase and put it beside the bedroom door for the morning. Opening the door she wandered out into the kitchen.
Walking over to the radio, she turned it on, and then crossed to the fridge and pulled the door open. Well what should she make for supper? Noticing the butternut squash she had picked up whimsically at the farmer's market a while back she took it out and plopped it down on the counter. Closing the door Kagome opened the cupboard and pulled out her recipe box to try and find that amazing butternut squash soup recipe she had begged Peggy for. Finding not even a second later Kagome grinned triumphantly; and Sango said she needed to organize it! As one of her favourite songs came onto the radio Kagome began to dance around the kitchen in her bare feet as she collected the various required ingredients, singing along with the Shania Twain blaring out of the radio.
"You're so complicated -- you hang over my shoulder
When I read my mail
I don't appreciate it
When I talk to other guys
You think they're on my tail
I get so aggravated when I get off the phone
And get the third degree
I'm really feelin' frustrated
Why don't you take a pill and out a little trust in me
And you'll see
Don't freak out until you know the facts
Relax
Don't be stupid -- you know I love you
Don't be ridiculous -- you know I need you
Don't be absurd -- you know I want you
Don't be impossible"
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Inuyasha's ears perked up when he thought he heard a sound coming from down the hallway but ignored it passing it off his imagination until her heard the radio come on from the kitchen. Rising to his feet and turning the TV off he went to investigate. Reaching the kitchen he stopped and stared. Kagome was up all right, he was just debating whether or not she had gone crazy. From the looks of it she was dancing around the kitchen barefooted in the same cookie monster boxers she had been wearing earlier, and was singing along with Shania Twain. Just then the song reached the chorus and she started to sing along with it. And as if singing along wasn't bad enough she was singing to a large weirdly shaped squash of some sort sitting on the counter next to her as she cut carrots up and if his ears were hearing her correctly she was telling him not to be stupid.
Eyebrow twitching Inuyasha leaned against the door frame and said, "I always told my family you were crazy, they never believed me but now I have proof that you are indeed one hundred percent insane."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed whirling around in shock. "What in the world are you doing here!?"
"Watching you dance around in cookie monster boxers singing to a squash that he shouldn't be stupid," Inuyasha said.
"I thought you left!" Kagome exclaimed blushing.
"You can't get rid of me that easily," Inuyasha replied. "You invited me to say here for the night and that's what I intend to do."
"I know I did," Kagome said blushing, "But I figured that you'd left after-"
"I was going to, until the phone rang and some guy named Shippo asked me to have you phone him, you were in that little building when he called so I took a nap and when I woke up I found you outside, it had started to rain so I brought you in. I've been watching tv ever since," he replied as if it was nothing. "So what ya' cookin?"
"Um, butternut squash soup," Kagome said turning back to the carrots. So he had been the one who had tucked her in….
"Smells good," Inuyasha said walking up and peeing over her shoulder to look at what she was doing. "You should probably phone that Shippo guy, he said it was important."
"Did he mention what it was about?" Kagome asked and even though she tried to make it sound casual he heard a slight quiver in it and noticed the flicker of fear in her eyes.
"No, he didn't," Inuyasha said softly. "Kagome why do you need a lawyer? Are you in trouble."
"No not recently why? I haven't robbed any trains for a while now, and now that I think of it, I haven't stolen any diamonds in a couple years," she said jokingly trying vainly to make it sound light hearted, but Inuyasha sensed she was withholding something.
"No reason," Inuyasha said turning around and going back to the TV room "I'll just be in here watching TV if you need me." Pausing just outside the entrance to the kitchen hidden from Kagome sight he waited. He heard Kagome wait for two seconds and then he heard her scurry to the telephone and punch in a phone number. "Hello?" she said. "This is Kagome. Is Shippo there?.........No?.......Oh nothing, he just phoned me a while ago and I was returning the call. Um can you have him call me on my cell next time he's in?....Thanks."
Realizing that she had hung up Inuyasha scuttled over to the TV and plopped down turning the TV before Kagome came through the entrance to the kitchen and TV room. "Inuyasha?"
"Yeah," he said pretending to be focused on the TV.
"Umm are you sure Shippo didn't mention what the call was about?"
"Possative. Why?"
"Oh nothing, I just…don't know why he'd be phoning me after all this time, that's all," she said trailing off as she wandered away.
After about half an hour of Kagome Inuyasha watched as Kagome disappeared into her room only to come out wearing a pair of snug fitting jeans, a green camisole and a beige blazer. Walking past him to the front door she sat down on the small chair there to fasten her high heeled sandals. Grabbing her purse off the back of the door she shouted, "I have to go out to the store for a minute, be right back!" Hearing that Inuyasha jumped up and dashed after her.
"Wait!" he yelled. "Where are you going?"
"To the store, I need to pick up some chicken," Kagome called back opening the door to her car and throwing her purse in.
Before she could get in as well Inuyasha yelled, "wait for me," slid his shoes on and hurried out after her.
"You don't have to come you know," Kagome said sitting in the driver's seat. "I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself."
"I know," Inuyasha said scuffing his foot in the grass. "I just want to…. I've been wanting to apologize for throwing your offer to teach me to cook in your face……cuz I actually…..not that you have too of course….but well-"
"If you're coming you've got to go back and lock the door," Kagome said calmly striving vainly to hide a grin as she tossed him the keys. "It's the little silver one."
Inuyasha grinned, caught the keys and did as she instructed. Walking back to the car he opened the passenger side door and hopped in passing her the keys as he did so. "Here you go."
"Thanks," Kagome said taking them and turning the engine on. Looking over her shoulder she reversed the car out of the driveway and onto the street. Shaking her head as she returned to drive, she pushed the radio on and Inuyasha had to stop himself from grimacing as country 105 blared out. Noticing Inuyasha's hand reaching forward sneakily to change the channel Kagome smacked his hand. "Ah aha ah," she said. "My car my rules. My one and only rule is no touching the radio. You may hate country but I love it, and if you even think about changing the station or arguing about changing the station I'll kick you out of my car. Got that?"
Inuyasha gulped at the seriousness with which she said that, "uh yeah."
"Good," she said as she turned out of her street and onto the busy road. Looking over at him she said, "you know I never thought I'd listen to country. One day Kagura got me hooked though and ever since that I don't listen to anything else. If you give it a chance I guarantee you'll become just as hooked as I am."
"That'll around the same you and I get married," Inuyasha snorted. "So why do we need chicken?"
The fact that Inuyasha had used the word 'we' did not escape Kagome's notice and she wondered if it had been accidental or on purpose. "I was going to whip up a chicken and veggie stir-fry; is that okay with you?"
"Sounds good," Inuyasha said. "Is it easy?"
"Very," Kagome replied. "If you know what you're doing."
"Good thing I'll have you making sure I don't start a fire," Inuyasha said.
"Good thing indeed," Kagome replied and began humming along with the radio.
"So," Inuyasha said drawing the word out. "What are the chances I can convince you to tell me why you need a lawyer?"
"Highly unlikely," Kagome replied not liking the way the conversation was headed one bit.
"How unlikely?"
"About at likely as you and I getting married," Kagome said.
"Tell me," Inuyasha demanded bringing to Kagome's mind a spoiled child wanting candy.
"No," she repeated very firmly. Maybe he would take the hint and drop the subject.
"Tell me"
"No"
And so the argument went on each repeating the same thing as they walked into the supermarket, as they picked up the required groceries, and until they were waiting in line to pay. Not being able to take it any longer Kagome rounded on Inuyasha and yelled "I'm not going to tell you so just drop it already!!!"
"Why?" Inuyasha demanded, he hadn't expected her to last so long.
Kagome opened her mouth to tell him not to start that again when suddenly the cash attendant motioned her forward. "Hello babe," the young man who looked to be about 18 said.
Kagome's eyes snapped up at the word 'babe' and Inuyasha looked at her curiously.
"Hello yourself," Kagome snapped. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't call me babe."
"What ever you say babe," the boy replied looking a little south of Kagome's face with a look in his eye that had Inuyasha's hackles rising. "That'll be $23.49."
"Look," Kagome said looking at the guy with a glare that would freeze hell over. "If you call me babe one more time I will personally haul your scrawny little ass over to your manager. Now do you want me to do that?" The boy seeing he was way over his head and that the beautiful lady in front of him was no desperate woman nodded with a large gulp. "Good," Kagome said handing him her MasterCard. The boy rung her purchases through without another word. With a humph Kagome picked the grocery bags up and stormed out of the store, Inuyasha forced to trot to keep up with her brisk pace.
"I figured you'd be in a better mood if I let you sleep," Inuyasha said once they got in the car. "I see I was wrong."
"Sorry about that," Kagome apologized turning the radio off and rubbing her temple. "I don't know what came over me I really didn't mean to be that harsh."
They drove in silence until Inuyasha finally found the courage to ask, "so what's with you and the word babe?"
"Nothing," Kagome replied irately. "Absolutely nothing."
"Don't give me that, you didn't give a damn about the kid until he called you babe."
"Just drop the subject Inuyasha," Kagome said. "Just drop it."
"Why?" Inuyasha demanded a little hurt she refused to tell him.
"Just drop it!" Kagome said angrily. "It's none of your damn business."
"Fine," Inuyasha replied sullenly looking out the window watching the houses and cars flash by.
They drove in silence until they pulled into Kagome's drive way. Turning the ignition off and putting the keys into her purse Kagome sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to bite your head off. It's just a sore subject's all."
Inuyasha nodded accepting her apology, "I figured out as much." Opening the door he got out and followed Kagome to the front door.
"I hope I didn't scare you off from wanting to cook," Kagome said forcing a smile.
"Are you kidding?" Inuyasha said trying to lighten the mood. "You scare me? HA!"
Kagome just grinned and lead him to the kitchen. Placing the bags on the counter she pulled out a large knife and cutting board. There's veggies in the fridge, if you'd cut up the carrots and peppers that'd be a good start.
"Okay," Inuyasha said pulling a bag of carrots out of the fridge along with a red and yellow pepper. "Should I wash them?"
Kagome nodded, "I'm just going to give Shippo another call, be right back."
"Yep," Inuyasha said starting on the task of washing and peeling the carrots. Expecting Kagome to be back by then he was surprised when she wasn't. Placing the carrots and peppers on the cutting board he began chopping the carrots into large chunks.
"That's impossible," he heard Kagome exclaim from the other room. Ears alert Inuyasha listen carefully to what she said.
"No," she said disbelieving. "No it's not possible. He can't be. Shippo…..he can't be. Where is he? You don't know! How can you not know Shippo! Please you need to! You have no clue what he'll do to me if…..of course I trust you Shippo……he's the one I don't. I'll be in touch. NO! No. Don't leave any messages here….if you need me phone Kagura. She'll get a hold of me. I'm going back out tomorrow. No I don't need you to stay over here…..no I don't need to spend the night at Kagura's. I'm not alone someone's staying over here with me, you don't have to worry. No Inuyasha's is most definitely not my boyfriend! Yes, yes….Yep….gotcha. Sorry Shippo but I've got to go…..Okay…talk to you later. Bye."
Hearing the beep of Kagome hanging the phone up Inuyasha returned his attention to his carrots. Kagome walked into the kitchen and looked over his shoulder at the carrots and let out a squawk of disbelief. "You've mutilated them!"
"I did no such thing," Inuyasha replied. "I cut them up like you ordered."
"They need to be much smaller Inuyasha," Kagome explained. "If they're that large they'll never cook properly."
"Oh okay," Inuyasha replied and did as she instructed.
"Not like THAT!" Kagome screeched. "You're lucky you haven't lost a finger!" Taking the knife gently out of his hand she demonstrated the proper cutting technique. "This is how you cut properly. That way you'll never end up with a finger in your salad."
Inuyasha took the knife back and tried awkwardly to replicate what she had just shown him but his hands, unaccustomed to holding a knife, seemed large and blundering. Kagome's chops had been so neat and smooth, resulting in small even pieces of carrot.
Seeing his look of misery, Kagome smiled gently and ducked under his arms so she was standing between both of his arms. Taking the knife from him, she said looking over her shoulder with a grin, "it's obvious you've never cooked before. Here puts your hands over mine. I would put mine over yours but I don't have a large enough arm span. You hold the item like this with the tips of your fingers tucked under because that way you'll never loose a finger."
Inuyasha all too aware of her closeness, gently laid his hands over her small ones and followed through with her neat precise chops. Once Kagome thought he was more comfortable with the motion she slipped her hands out from underneath his and dunked back under to stand beside him and watch. "Okay now you try by yourself."
"Okay," Inuyasha said nervously. And did as she had instructed and was pleasantly surprised to discover he chops were neater and the pieces smaller. Looking over at Kagome he smiled broadly.
"You're right that does work much better," Inuyasha replied. Kagome smiled encouragingly back and watched as he finished the rest of the carrots and peppers. "Okay now what?"
"Now we start on the chicken," Kagome replied and proceeded to instruct Inuyasha on how to make chicken-veggie stir fry, ignoring the little flutter in her stomach every time their eyes met or their hands brushed against each other accidentally.
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Wiping her mouth with her napkin Kagome said, "Inuyasha that was one very good stir fry you made."
"You're right," Inuyasha said agreeing with her full-heartedly. It was nowhere near the quality of the expensive restraints he tended to eat in but because he had made it, that stir fry had tasted way better and was a lot more satisfying to eat. "That was amazing. I just can't believe I ate four helpings. That soup was really good too."
"Thank you," Kagome said taking a sip of the white wine she had cracked open. Normally she never drank it brought back to many unwanted memories but not one had crossed her mind. They hadn't fought once since the car and Kagome was certain it had to be a world record.
Kagome made to get up but Inuyasha laid a restraining hand on hers. "Don't get up yet, I need to ask you something."
"Oh," Kagome said. Wondering what was so important that Inuyasha was fidgeting so.
"Kagome who was the guy you were talking to Shippo about?" Inuyasha finally blurted out.
Kagome blinked once, twice and then asked, "just what made you think you had the right to listen in on my phone conversation?"
"I didn't listen in intentionally, I just couldn't help overhearing parts of the conversation," Inuyasha said. "I'm not asking because I'm being nosy, I'm asking because I'm concerned. What's so important that you need a lawyer? Kagome if you're in trouble….you need to tell someone"
"I don't think I need to tell anyone anything," Kagome replied icily. "What I do is my business."
"Kagome please," Inuyasha pleaded. "Don't get mad. I'm only asking because I'm con-"
"I don't need your worry," Kagome said getting up with her plate and wine glass. "I'm perfectly capable of handling my own life. Just because you come waltzing back into my life after fifteen years or so doesn't make me obligated to tell you every secret. I've already told you numerous times to leave this subject alone. If you can't accept that I'm not going to tell you than that's your choice, I'm going to bed now."
"Kagome," Inuyasha said but it was too late she was already gone. "Damn it," he swore getting up and dumping his plate in the sink along with Kagome's. "Why does she always get so defensive?"
"Why shouldn't she?" his conscience asked playing the devil's advocate.
"Not you again," Inuyasha groaned.
"Why shouldn't she get defensive? I'll tell you why because she's right, you can just expect her to tell you every one of her secrets just because you come waltzing back into her life. She may call you a friend, but you never really were friends, she followed you around and you treated her like shit to make her leave you alone. Why should she tell you anything, it's not as if you're going to be sticking around long enough to care. After Sango and Miroku leave on their honeymoon the two of you will probably never see each other again."
"That's-" Inuyasha said but stopped. That was the truth; they had only agreed to be civil to each other until the wedding was over. Kagome should be distrustful; after all he had been a jerk when they were kids, what if she thought that he was only acting nice to her because he had promised? What if the great time he had spent with her had been because she was forcing herself to be nice when really she wanted to castrate him! "But that can't be true! She's got to see that I'm not forcing myself to be nice to her anymore. Maybe at the start I was but I don't have to anymore!"
"How does she know that though?" the little voice asked.
"I let her fly down with me without charging her; that goes beyond just being nice!" Inuyasha said desperately a tiny seed of fear planted in his mind. "And I didn't get mad at her when she was late!"
"She knew that Sango asked you to take her back home with you, and she could very easily think that you didn't get mad at her because you were forcing yourself to be 'nice'."
"Kagome's knows me well enough to know otherwise," Inuyasha said in self defence.
"Ahhhh, but is the Kagome you're seeing the real Kagome? Or is all the niceness just an act? Well I'm going to go now and you just think on that, before you go barging into her room to force the truth out of her," his conscience replied sweetly disappearing.
"Get back here you traitor!" Inuyasha growled but too late the little voice had fled. Flopping down on the sofa Inuyasha sighed. He hated it when other people, or non-people for that matter, proved him wrong. As much as he wanted Kagome to tell him what was wrong, he could understand where she was coming from. He may be falling in love with Kagome but his conscience was right was if "this" Kagome wasn't the real Kagome? Distancing himself from her was the only way either of them were going to be able to go on with their lives once this wedding was over. He would hurt them both if he allowed himself to get any closer to her.
Reflecting on when she had been teaching him how to cook, the times he had forced down the urge to kiss her was more numerous than the vegetables that had gone into that bloody stir-fry! But he knew that if he allowed himself to kiss her, he would only end up hurting her when he left. Kagome deserved better than a wild fling, she deserved a man who loved her and was prepared to settle down and raise the family she had wanted so much as a kid. Sure he loved her, he wasn't sure if he was ready to settle down, and what happened when he didn't love her anymore. Sure miniature versions of himself running barefooted around his house was a pleasant enough thought, but it could never be with Kagome, no never with Kagome. There was no way they'd ever be able to make their marriage last the way they were always bickering, and he never wanted any kid of his to have to go through life without a proper family; the family that he had been denied of.
Yes, he thought getting off the couch and heading to is room determined to get some sleep, the best possible thing he could possibly do for both of them was to distance himself.
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Brrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnggg!
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnggg!
Kagome sat up in bed groggily tossing the covers off her, looking at the clock as she got out of bed if her eyes weren't deceiving her it was 2:00am. Just what's so important that Sango needed to call?
"What's up Sango?" Kagome said yawning sleepily hoping that the phone hadn't woken Inuyasha up. She really didn't need a grumpy Inuyasha storming into her room when she was only half dressed at 2 o'clock in the morning.
There was no response on the other end, which made her wonder if it was Sango who had called her.
"Hello?" she asked uncertainly.
There was a pause and then a voice said very simply and clearly, "hey babe."
Kagome gasped dropping the phone as if it had burned her. Stumbling backwards in fear Kagome tripped over her dresser and crashed to the floor, but the pain didn't even register. She scooted as far away from the phone as possible until her back came to rest on the wall, her breathing fast and shallow.
"Kagome," the voice said calling her name mockingly like a mother calling her child down for breakfast. "Kagooooooome."
Forcing herself to take deep even breaths Kagome crawled forward on her knees and picked the phone back up clutching it with both hands to stop them from trembling. "What the hell do you want?"
"Ahhhh," the voice said in the same mocking tone. "Come now babe, is that anyway to greet your boyfriend?"
"You're not my boyfriend anymore Naraku," Kagome hissed. "Stay away from me."
"Contrary to what you may like to think, no restraining order can stop me from coming over to your lovely little house on….oh now where is it…oh yes 90th Ave….if I so choose."
"How did you get my address," Kagome demanded angrily no longer carrying to keep her voice down.
"Oh I have my ways, now babe are you going to cooperate or do I have to come over there and speak with you face to face?" Naraku said
"You stay away from me Naraku or I'll-" Kagome hissed.
"Or you'll what have those cops throw me in jail again," Naraku asked in a bored voice. "Like those idiots could catch me again," Naraku said laughing the laugh that Kagome heard in her nightmares. "The only reason they got their hands on me last time was because I was stupid, I won't make that same mistake again. I'll be in touch babe, don't think I won't be."
Kagome opened her mouth to reply but the line was already dead: he had hung up. "You stay away from me," Kagome whispered into the mouthpiece. Screaming she yelled again, "you stay away from me! Do you hear me Naraku! Stay away and leave me alone." Tears of frustration and fear were streaming down her face as she pushed herself up not bothering to hang the phone up. Stumbling out of her room, she ran to the front door making sure it was locked and then ran around closing and locking every window. Her art! Oh no! She couldn't let him destroy the wedding presents. Dashing outside into the rain Kagome grabbed the boxes containing her art and ran back inside locking the back door as she did so. Falling to her knees sobbing she sang softly to herself "rather die standing than live on my knees, begging please no more black eyes I don't need 'em, blue tears give me freedom, black eyes are behind me blue tears will never find me now."
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Inuyasha was awoken from his sleep by the telephone and soon after thump but instead of getting up so see what was going on he just rolled over and tried to get back to sleep; Kagome would handle it. He was just falling back asleep when he heard Kagome screaming. Jolting out of bed wearing nothing but his red boxers and plain white t-shirt Inuyasha ran to Kagome's room to find her no longer there. Dashing into the kitchen he found Kagome sobbing hysterically in the center of the floor singing to herself as she rocked back and forth. "Kagome!" he said running to her and sinking to his knees so he could look her in the eyes. "Kagome! What's wrong!?!"
"Get away from me!" she screamed throwing herself away from him. "Stay away from me! I won't let you touch me!"
"Kagome!" Inuyasha said moving over to her so he could grab her shoulders. "Kagome! It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you, it's me Inuyasha!"
"Inuyasha?" she said slowly looking up into his eyes as if seeing him for the first time, as if she was reassuring herself it really was him. Before Inuyasha could blink she had thrown herself against him sobbing once more clinging to his shirt so hard Inuyasha thought it was going to rip.
"Please stop crying Kagome-" Inuyasha pleaded, there was nothing he hated more than a woman crying, but Kagome interrupted him.
"It was him," she whispered absolutely terrified. "He phoned me, said he was coming."
"Wait a sec," Inuyasha said. "Who's him?"
"Naraku," Kagome whispered and he could feel her shaking in fear.
"Who's Naraku," Inuyasha asked.
"My old boyfriend," Kagome whispered shivering.
Misinterpreting her shiver of fear Inuyasha gently helped Kagome to her feet, "here let's go to your room, you'll catch a cold staying out here wearing nothing but our pj's. Stilling crying Kagome allowed Inuyasha to lead her to her room and sit her down on the bed.
"Now I want you to tell me what just happened," Inuyasha instructed telling himself that he had to be calm and supportive no matter what he heard. Kagome needed someone strong right now, and he was the only one there.
"I- I- The phone woke me up, and I answered it thi- thinking it was S- Sango because she's the- the only one who phones me this- this late. But it wasn't Sango it was Naraku, my old boyfriend. I told him to stay away from me…..he knows where I live. I didn't think he'd dare come near me again…..I didn't think he's be able to find me…."
"What do you mean 'never find you'?" Inuyasha asked not liking the sounds of this Naraku guy one bit.
"I moved once he went to jail….I changed my phone number….I don't know how he got my number," Kagome murmured more to herself than Inuyasha.
Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up at the word jail. "Kagome," he said, "what did Naraku do to you?"
"H- He-," Kagome tried to say but couldn't get the words out past the tears.
Wincing Inuyasha put his arms around her and drew her to his chest wishing feverentely that he could take the pain away, he hated to see her cry. As Kagome reached up to clutch his shirt once more Inuyasha stroked her hair murmuring, "shhhhhh, it's okay. It's okay Kagome."
When eventually Kagome found she could no longer cry she pushed away from Inuyasha's chest wiping her eyes. "Thank you," she said reaching past him to grab a Kleenex off her bedside table. "I needed that."
"Hey," Inuyasha said jokingly trying to lighten the mood. "Anytime you need a shirt to soak I'll be here." He was rewarded by a small smile.
"Thank you," Kagome said sitting back up. "I suppose you're not going to let me go back to sleep without telling you everything will you."
Inuyasha opened his mouth to say "you've got that right" but shut it. Looking her in the eye Inuyasha said, "if you don't want to tell me, or even if you just don't want me to know, it's your choice…..I won't force you to tell me anything."
"You want to know though…don't you," Kagome said.
Inuyasha nodded, "but only if you want to tell me."
"You deserve to know," Kagome said sighing and looking up at the ceiling. "A while back I met this guy named Naraku and well we ended going out." Kagome took a deep breath to steady her hands which were beginning to tremble. "After a while it became obvious that he was an alcoholic. I should have stopped it then but I was young and naïve. I thought if I loved him enough he would stop, if I loved him enough he wouldn't need to drink. I was wrong, soon after I- I-" Kagome stopped as the tears she thought she had been cried out of returned.
Inuyasha drew her to him, and said, "it's okay you don't have to go on. I understand."
"No," Kagome said reluctantly pulling away. "I need to tell you. I can't hide it from the world forever….and it was so long ago it shouldn't even matter." Taking a deep breath Kagome went on. "Th- things got progressively worse from there. I c-can still remember the first time he hit me with perfect clarity. We were- we were at a party and we were arguing, I was trying to convince him he was to drunk to drive home and that we should take a cab, he kept saying he was perfectly fine and when I told him he wasn't he back handed me. I was shocked and upset so I hopped in a cab and just left. I-I told him we were through, but he came over the next day with a bouquet of roses saying he was sorry and that he didn't know what had come over him and he begged me to take him back and being the romantic fool I was I did. Looking back now it seems that every time he got drunk I got abused, an- and he got drunk a lot. The beatings got progressively worse, and each time I swore it was over but them he'd come crawling back and I'd forgive him." She paused to catch her breath. All the memories that had come flooding back made her want to crawl into a ball and cry. Though she was crying she forced herself to go on. "I-It went on like that for nearly 2 months until one night we were at a party outside of the city and he- he he started to beat me up when I refused to get in the car with him. He hit me so hard that- that I blacked out and the- the next thing I knew I was lying in the backseat of his truck an- and we were speeding down a highway. I yelled- I yelled at him to stop and let me out but he didn't listen so I unlocked the door and jumped."
"You WHAT!!!" Inuyasha exploded shaking her shoulders. "You idiot! Didn't your mother ever teach you not to jump out of a speeding vehicle!?! You could have killed yourself!"
"It's a good thing I did, I probably would have died that night if I didn't. Naraku crashed into a tree and all the paramedics say it was a miracle he survived."
Inuyasha's grip on her shoulders tightened and he drew her back to his chest as if that would somehow protect her from the terrible memories. After a moment where he forced himself to control his temper he asked, "so what happened after you jumped."
"Well when I jumped I roll- rolled off the road and into the ditch. A- after I picked myself up I walked for nearly half an hour until I came up a gas station. I can only imagine what I looked like, I ha- had a black eye and quite a few bru- bruises from Naraku, I had ripped a ton of skin off my shoulder when I had rolled and my clothes were all ripped and covered in blo- blood. There was a really nice lady working the gas station and she- she helped me, phoning an ambulance and fixing me a cup of coffee. When the ambulance got there I went with them to the hospital where they stitched me up and when they asked what had happened and I explained the asked if the man I had been traveling with's name was Naraku Onigumo. I sai- said yes and they told me that he had been in an accident and that he was going to be charged with drunk driving. They sent me home after getting my number. I later was called as a witness and somehow in the trial the knowledge that Naraku was an alcoholic who had abused me came out and the fact that he had abused me was added to his trial. He's been there for fo- fo- four years now."
"So why was Shippo phoning then? Did it have something to do with all of this?" Inuyasha asked loosening his grip on her
"Shippo was my lawyer when all that was going on, he- he phoned to tell me that Na- Na- Naraku was released today," Kagome said and this time allowed Inuyasha to hold her.
"Kagome" Inuyasha said making her look up at him. "Thank you for telling me."
She smiled faintly, closed her eyes and leaned her cheek on his chest. "Thank you for listening," she replied softly. Sniffing she said, "I really didn't mean to cry…I hate looking so weak in front of you…and I- I know how much you hate it when people cry…I'm just so scared he's going to come here. Last time he-"
"Shhhhh," Inuyasha said soothingly. "You have nothing to apologize for, and as for being weak, like hell you are. You're one of the strongest people I know."
"Thank you," Kagome said closing her eyes. Inuyasha wasn't sure just how many minutes passed just sitting there holding Kagome in his arms. Neither of them spoke; words weren't necessary.
Inuyasha smiled sadly opening his eyes and slowly forced his arms to release a very-close-to-sleep Kagome. If he didn't leave now he was going to kiss her. "Distance," he thought to himself. "Distance yourself man." It was a struggle though; it felt so right holding her like this. If he could spend forever like this he would die happy.
The second Kagome felt Inuyasha let her go she murmured, "no" clutching his shirt even tighter "No," she murmured once more like a child sleep talking. "Please don't leave me, don't leave me alone."
Those simple words had more effect on Inuyasha than another bout of tears. At that moment he wished that Naraku would show up, that way he'd have the opportunity to pound his face in. "Please, don't leave." Kagome whispered sounding every bit like a small child afraid of the monsters under her bed. "I don't want to be alone tonight."
"I have to Kagome, you really don't know what you're saying-" Inuyasha began but she cut him off.
"Yes I do, I'm asking you not to go. Don't go, please don't go….just stay here and hold me…..just hold me."
Sitting down in shock at her words Inuyasha blushed but looking in her eyes he realized there was no secret sexual innuendo behind the words. Tonight her fear had reduced Kagome back to the little girl with ribbons in her hair that he had known as a child. Knowing he was going to regret what he was doing in the morning he nodded and she moved over to make room for him. Sighing he wrapped his arms around her slim frame and lay down.
"Thank you," she whispered her breathe barely felt on his chest. Sighing she closed her eyes and allowed Inuyasha's comforting presence to overwhelm her. After a few moments she was fast asleep still clinging to his shirt like he was a teddy bear.
"So much for distancing myself," Inuyasha thought wryly. "I try to put some space between us so I don't end up sleeping with her and here I am in her bed." Closing his eyes Inuyasha's last thought was before he fell asleep was, "how ironic."
Author's Note: Well I hope you guys all like, it took me a long time to force this chapter out of my system…….and do you know why? Because this was the chapter that the idea from this story originated. What Kagome told Inuyasha actually happened to me, well like 97 of it (unfortunately my ex didn't crash into a tree and up going to jail) so yeah……that's how I got this idea for a story I was upset and I was reflecting on my childhood and how I wished I could find someone I could love as much as my childhood crush, that got me thinking of a KagsInuyasha fic as so that's how the idea came to me. So please review! I have just exposed my deepest darkest secret out to the world and I don't want it to be all for nothing……oh and please vote for Inuyasha having either
a)long silver hair
b)long black hair
c) a buzz cut (just joking, that's actually not a voting option but I will do it if you all don't review!)
So unless all of you want Inuyasha with a buzz cut REVIEW!