Tap. Tap. Tap.

Sigh.

Tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap, tap.

"Damn it!"

Kagome growled. Her fingers were relentlessly tapping stiffly against the still unmoving steering wheel. She had been sitting her...for what a half hour now? Not that long, yes, but determined by the number of cars in front of her, Kagome assumed she'd have another hour maybe two to go at this pace anyway. It was undyingly irritating. Every five minutes, this creep three inches and quick stop motion.

There are downsides and upsides to every place one can live in the world. For example there's Antarctica. It is really cold, but in Japan…it was the infernal traffic. The long lines of Mercedes, sports cars, trucks, and other such mobiles sat in front of her blocking her path. Kagome stuck her ebony head out the window to try and see passed the fat-butted eighteen wheeler in front of her. All she saw was the overweight driver give her a wink in the mirror. And despite herself, and her brooding mood, Kagome laughed. She couldn't help it. With another look out her window, she saw the elderly man, at least to her, laughing along with her.

"Yes! Finally…"

A passage opened up in the lane beside her, the left lane, and became currently her savior. Kagome made a quick look over her shoulder before making bold move and cut off the woman behind her. Kagome could only smirk when she heard the woman's curse from her rolled down window as she continued her way. As she drove on passed the truck driver she gave a short wave and a smile.

-Great…now even truck drivers can affect my moods…I really am emotional.-

Kagome grumbled still, but the anonymous male had surprisingly lightened her mood as she drove speedily down the highway. The rubber band effect really was a bitch, especially in rush hour. The only good part was once it let up, it really snapped. Kagome was going a good eighty five miles per hour and would be seeing Shippou in no time. During the halt period in her drive, she called the boarding house, a place for orphans to live kind of like a good quality apartment for no money. The housing was run by some charitable millionaire who spent like one-twentieth of his earnings to maintain the reality.

Shippou was lucky enough to get in. It was mainly because of his secret benefactor. Yes, it sounded kind of "Great Expectations" like, but Kagome wasn't going to complain. His parents were killed supposedly in a car accident, but Kagome knew the boy well enough. She could the signs. Shippou thought they were murdered on purpose, or at least that is what he blurted out when she had tried to help him move on. After that…he would say no more. Kagome had had her doubts, it sounded too good to be true, but after he received his invitation to move into this shelter Kagome had dropped all suspicions. Well sort of.

The first time she had visited the place, for a college assignment, she had dreaded going up to the last floor for the attendant's office. The building was being funded, but was old and therefore had no place to add an elevator and because the owner felt that the surrounding land was more important he didn't renovate to put on in. He had stated that the extra exercise wouldn't be a bad thing also, which it really wasn't. That is unless you're trying to walk the fourteen flights in three inch heels focusing on not tottering over back down the steep wooden things.

Kagome had entered the door to the dorm manager's office. That was where she met him the first time. The man stood with his back to her, hands clasped behind his back. They were clenched tightly, so hard his knuckles were white. His back was tense and his posture stiff. His long white abnormally white hair fell heavily to his lower back, about five inches from his white.

Kagome's grip increased on the steering wheel, her normally calm blue eyes narrowing. Her thin jaw was set and she was gritting her teeth. Kagome shook her head casting her eyes down from the road momentarily to put in a cd. The only disc she listened to when she thought of him.

I've been watching your world from afar
I've been trying to be where you are
And I've been secretly falling apart
I'll sing

The luminescent locks had dancing shadows that shimmered in the afternoon sun. He turned suddenly, his annoyed golden eyes reflected any glow and shown with an amazing luminosity that Kagome found herself staring. He wore an outfit that would be under the category of dressy casual. His maroon dress shirt was buttoned all the way up except for one pearl colored button. His Black tie hung loose from his neck. The colored dress shirt was tucked into black slacks and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He was wearing the customary slippers, except in black instead of the traditional white or cream.

"Takarashi Inuyasha."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Higurashi Kagome."

To me- you're strange and you're beautiful
You'd be so perfect with me
But you just can't see
You turn every head
But you don't see me

Unwanted, unbidden memories flashed behind now glistening eyes. His gruff smile, the ruffled locks after they made love, the way he hid his true feelings… Yes, his true feelings for someone else. I was just temporary. Only a replacement until his primary decided she wanted him again. Then Kagome was shoved on her ass out of the picture.

"What the fuck are you doing, Kagome? Not this…again…"

But Kagome, no matter how much she'd chastised and despised herself, she'd loved that stupid bastard. And he said he did too, except it wasn't her he was talking to. Apparently Inuyasha had been dumped by someone named Kikyo the very day she showed up in his office/apartment. He lived there for free while keeping it running smoothly. He had some kind of dealings with the owner and had been put in charge. When he had first seen Kagome, and was shocked by the way his eyes widened. He had turned fully and introduced himself then. Only Kagome thought it was just the normal reaction to her so-called beauty others constantly labeled her with. But no…not even close. It wasn't what he saw it was who. As he said, Kagome had a ridiculously similar face to the love that stole and broke his heart.

I'll put a spell on you
You'll fall asleep
When I put a spell on you

So many good times…Kagome was for once truly and completely happy for the first time. And one day the guy of her fucking dreams took her to a fancy French restaurant. Kagome had been jittery and so nervous because she knew this would be the night that her love would propose.

And when I wake
You'll be the first thing I see
And you'll realize that you want me

Her world fell away. The carpeted flooring disappeared beneath her high heels. Cerulean eyes had watered so viciously that she could barely see. Kagome had been vaguely aware of getting up and leaving the place in a frantic rush. Her head was held in one of hands as she grasped her purse so tightly in her hand and ripped her coat from where he'd checked it. A short taxi ride, an elevator, and Kagome found herself shaking on the floor an empty pill bottle in her numbing hand.

A year ago, Kagome had been given pain pills for experiencing some knee pain due to the fact that she tore the inner tendons. She still had them who cared if they were old. That only meant they wouldn't be as affective, but at this point in time, anything was better than feeling. She swallowed at least five in the first gulp and washed it down with some strong scotch she kept in the cabinet. The alcohol left a stinging in her throat, but she kept pushing it down. The drink didn't go alone for she accompanied it with many more of her friendly pills.

Kagome felt nothing, only that sickening ache in her stomach harshly increasing. Her eyes were fully grey for the second time in her life and the lids were rimmed with a reddish irritation from crying. Her face was soaked with the salty saline of her orbs. She'd never cried so much since…and she cried more all of her life's pain surfacing to bombard her all at once. This is what she got for repression.

And the tormented girl didn't halt her robotic actions until the pain in her stomach overcame the one in her heart. So basically…she passed out, so therefore couldn't continue the ludicrous plan.

Sometimes the last thing you want comes in first
Sometimes the first thing you want never comes
And I know that waiting is all you can do
Sometimes-

The distraught girl woke up in the hospital a few days later. She felt like shit, in complete reality. Her neighbor had come to check on her since her door had been stupidly left open. Kagome kicked herself for not being in the state of mind to remember to at least close the door, if not lock it. Japan wasn't safe, or that was the reason she told herself…not the fact that she had wanted to die. A counselor, Niikosho Jinenji, visited her everyday. He was a tall man of heavy stature. He wasn't overweight, but very largely boned. He had kind, wide eyes, with one being slightly wider open than the other, which is actually a common trait if you only notice it.

He was very kind and Kagome took to him eventually, talking to him and only him. Otherwise she remained silent, but Kagome still didn't speak of the reasons possibly why she would want to commit suicide. It was then that Kagome realized, after he said it out loud, that she had wanted to die. Before, she had just assumed that she hadn't known what she was doing.

I'll put a spell on you
You'll fall asleep
I'll put a spell on you

It took many months for Kagome to even be able to live by herself. She had been placed in her neighbor, Koharu's care, during that time. This way she could continue with college. Koharu was one of the only innocent and kindly sweet people left in the world. That girl would do anything to make another happy. Kagome had once been that way. And in some minor, ridiculous way, Kagome was jealous of the girl for being what she couldn't. Kagome couldn't be that naïve, she couldn't. Not after everything that had happened. She couldn't go back to just believing in soul mates.

And when I wake
I'll be the thing you see
And you'll realize that you love me

If Kagome were to believe in such silly notions...then she would also have to accept that hers left.

And I'll put a spell on you
I'll put a spell on you

Kagome sighed, bringing herself from her own thoughts for once. She turned into the small parking lot of the boarding house, or shelter as Shippou called it. Saddened grey blue eyes lifted to the top story of the building, the corner room on the right. The tinted windows hid all possible life inside to the imagination. Kagome reached to unlock her seatbelt, grabbed her keys, and stepped out of her car. The young woman headed for the left side of the building where she knew the closest staircase to Shippou's quarters was located.

I don't know what struck me…but this is twice as long as I planned. Still short mind you. Tell me of errors as usual.

The lyrics:
-Aqualung- "Strange and Beautiful"