"Why the fuck am I in handcuffs?!"

"Calm down, mongrel. You know exactly what you did." The officer that answered him gave him a cold look before turning away.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Inuyasha tugged at his restraints but they didn't budge; fucking yokai handcuffs. He was still in the woods, leaned against a tree, officers swarming around him. He wasn't sure how long he was knocked out but his father's body was already gone, or maybe they'd moved him away from the scene. His head was still spinning, his thoughts a jumbled mess as he tried to figure things out.

Gunshots, his father dying, Koga, a distraction, hit hard enough to knock him right the fuck out.

Why the fuck was he the one in handcuffs?

"Oi, where the fuck is the asshole that shot my old man? Koga better be in a fucking matching set."

Another officer stopped and started reading him his rights, like that mattered for hanyo and yokai. What the fuck was going on? Two more officers came over and yanked him to his feet. That's when he spotted Koga, lounging against a tree, chatting with another officer.

He tried to pull away from the officers to move in the asshole's direction. "Hey, you murdering piece of shit. Why the fuck-"

"That's enough outta you," one of the officers holding him yelled, reaching over and punching him in the gut.

The yelling caught Koga's attention and he kicked himself away from the tree to stalk over, scowl firmly in place. When he was close enough, his fist shot out and connected solidly with Inuyasha's jaw.

"The fuck did you call me, mutt? Fucking kill your own father in cold blood then try to accuse me of murder, you piece of shit!"

Inuyasha recovered quickly from the punches and started pulling violently at his captors. He managed to get one arm free but was soon surrounded by three more officers, all yokai or hanyo, who quickly pinned him to the ground. Something sharp was jammed into his arm and his vision swam.

"That should keep him down for a while."

"Get him in a car."

"Who was supposed to be watching him?"

The voices coming from all around him were distant and Inuyasha was vaguely aware that they'd drugged him. He was being dragged across the forest floor by his arms, watching the ground slide by inches from his face. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't think straight; the world swam in and out of focus. Eventually, after what felt like hours, he was tossed into the back of a car, his head connecting with something hard.

He let his eyes close and the drugs take him.


When he awoke again, he was lying on an uncomfortable surface and staring at a concrete ceiling. It was too quiet so he swiveled his ears around trying to pick up any stray sounds. Dripping water, the low hum of the lights, and his harsh breathing were the only indicators that his hearing still worked. He tried to sit up but his body protested the action, his muscles tensing and seizing. It took several tries but he was determined and, fighting through the pain he managed to swing his legs over the side of the cot and prop his back against the wall.

He was the only occupant in the small cell. He spotted the source of the drip: a dirty metal sink directly across from him. There was a small hole in the floor that was probably meant to be his toilet. Oddly enough, there were no overpowering smells to assault his senses. It was a small comfort but he would take what he could get. The walls were concrete and probably reinforced with steel and some kind of barrier. A metal door, old but no doubt sturdy, was set in the wall to his right.

His mind still felt muddled from the drugs but he fought the feeling, clawing to get to his memories. He watched a spider traversing its web under the sink while he tried to gather his thoughts. Koga, the spineless fucking bastard, had the audacity to accuse him of murdering his own father. Was it a set-up? Was he working with or for someone? Someone hit him while Koga had him distracted: who? How did he convince anyone that Inuyasha was the one who pulled the trigger? What the fuck was going on?!

Was his mother alright? Did she know…?

"Fuck!" He slammed his fist onto the cot beside him and it creaked in protest.

As if on cue, the scraping sound of a lock echoed in the small space before the door was thrown open. Three men, all in full riot gear, rushed in and surrounded him.

"Don't move," the one in the middle commanded. Where the hell did they expect him to go?

Their scents and weaker yoki revealed they were hanyo; two bears and a reptile of some kind. Inuyasha raised his hands above his head in the hopes they would go easy on him. The two on the ends (the bears, he realized when they were closer) grabbed his arms and hauled him to his feet. They maneuvered him quickly and had him shackled hand and foot like he was some dangerous maniac. For the first time, he realized he was in a red prison jumpsuit. What had they done with his shit?

"Let's go." The lizard was in charge. Now that Inuyasha could isolate the scent, it was much easier to identify him as a komodo dragon yokai. They were mean bastards.

He was taken down a plain hallway lined with other doors probably leading to more cells like his own. They herded him into a small room and stood him against a wall to take his mugshot. With the slowly-fading drugs in his system and the shackles, he was having trouble standing so the lizard 'helped him out' with a hard punch to his right side for 'encouragement.'

Mugshot done, they took him to another room with a metal table and a few chairs. They wasted no time shackling him to one of the chairs before leaving him alone again.

If he were human, he would assume that this is where he would meet his lawyer. They would have a friendly chat about his innocence and the shit evidence that said otherwise. Unfortunately, hanyo and yokai were held to a different standard. Or rather, no standard at all.

The door opened and Koga waltzed in, two wolf yokai in tow. Koga settled into the chair across from him while the two muscled goons stood behind Inuyasha.

"You know how this goes, mutt?" Koga almost looked sympathetic...almost.

"You wanna tell me who paid you to kill my father and pin this shit on me?"

Koga slammed his fists onto the table. His eyes tinged red briefly and the pulse of yoki made Inuyasha's skin crawl. "I don't know what fucking game you're playing, but we both know I would never-"

"I fucking saw you!" Inuyasha yanked on his restraints, almost toppling the chair.

"Bullshit! I've got three guys who were with me the whole time who can vouch for me. What about you?" Koga motioned to the two goons and they moved to Inuyasha's sides, holding his arms to further restrain him.

"Buncha damn liars, all of you. I know what the fuck I saw."

"You know, I don't really care how you fucking did it. Guess it wouldn't be hard to sneak up on your own father since he trusted you with his life. No, what I really want to know is why. What drove you to do it? I didn't peg you as the murdering type but I suppose every family has secrets."

"There is no 'why' because I didn't fucking kill him, and you know that."

Koga met his gaze and held it for a few seconds. He let out a heavy sigh and waved his hand at the two goons. "I want to believe you, mutt-face, I really do. But the evidence is overwhelming. You two know what to do," he said to the other yokai before leaving Inuyasha to his fate, not even staying to watch what he set in motion.

The next hour was a thorough demonstration of what hitting rock bottom meant for Inuyasha. It would take days for his injuries to heal and it wouldn't be long before they pulled this shit again. And again. And again. Yokai and hanyo were resilient and could be 'questioned' without restraint or fear of them dying. They would beat him, take him back to his cell, and throw him on the floor to lay in a puddle of his blood. At least they removed his shackles.

He didn't know how long it went on or how many times they repeated the process. All he knew was the haze of pain that surrounded him and clouded his mind. When he wasn't able to answer their questions through the fog of agony, they beat him some more. If his father's blood and yoki weren't so powerful, he wouldn't have survived.


Inuyasha started to regain awareness and it was clear that something had changed. The scent of blood and mildew had been replaced with lavender and vanilla. His body felt heavy but he was no longer in pain. He was pretty sure he was lying in an actual bed cocooned in warm blankets, head resting on a plush pillow. Feminine voices were conversing softly nearby, though he couldn't make out what they were saying.

It was such a contrast to his previous circumstances that he worried he'd actually died.

"I think he's waking up. Go and fetch his mother."

His mother...Was he home? That was an infinitely better alternative to death. Did she clear his name? How long had he been out? What happened to Koga?

He opened his eyes and was thankful for the dim lighting when his head throbbed in protest. He knew right away that he was in his bed at home and a wave of relief washed over him. His mother would be there soon, comforting and warm. She would have answers.

Bracing his arms against the mattress, Inuyasha struggled to push himself into a sitting position. A small arm wrapped around his shoulders and helped him. His mother's scent surrounded him and the sudden onslaught of emotions made him dizzy. Her arms encircled him and he let his tears come.

"Shh, it's alright dear. I've got you."

The next 24 hours were some of the worst of his life, aside from the two weeks of near-constant beatings. His name wasn't cleared, Koga was still free, and he was on house arrest.

The police claimed the evidence was overwhelming. They had eyewitness testimony, fingerprints, and scent markers that all pointed to him. Koga claimed to have found him with the murder weapon in his hand, already knocked out. His fingerprints were all over the gun. And when his unconscious state was questioned, they claimed the smell of his father's blood overwhelmed his sensitive nose. They had all their bases covered. The other three hired guards that night backed up Koga's story and maintained that they were together for the entire ordeal.

Izayoi believed in her son, of course. She pulled several strings and called in every favor they'd accumulated over the years to free Inuyasha and have him placed on house arrest. He was stuck behind a barrier that was under 24/7 surveillance, a prisoner in his own home. At least it was better than being beaten to death and it gave him the opportunity to prove his innocence. Clearing his name would take time and that was what she'd bought him.

His mother was there for him, listening to him rant and scream about fucking wolves and their fucking lies. She held him, told him it would be alright, let him know she didn't blame him for anything that was happening. His body was still recovering and he kept reopening wounds that his mother patched back up without complaint.

He always felt like shit when he thought about how he acted. She never let him apologize for his outburst though and he suspected her understanding came from all-too recent experience. He didn't get his temper entirely from his father.

The next few months passed in a blur of legal battles and constant disappointment. There was no trial like in the human justice system; no jury of his peers or lawyers to argue on his behalf. He was determined guilty and sentenced to death without ever leaving the comfort of his parent's home.

Three days before his date of execution, one week after his 19th birthday, his mother sat him down and told him what she'd been doing in secret over the last few months.

"Inuyasha, you know I would do anything to protect you, right?" his mother asked, taking his hand with both of hers across their kitchen table.

"Of course. Not much you can do now though. I...I've accepted it so it's alright." He would never forget the way she looked sitting across from him that day. Her determination never wavered, apparent in the set of her jaw and the fire in her eyes.

"I'm not letting them take you. They'll execute you over my dead body, so help me-"

"Mom, please. Whatever you're thinking…" He covered her hands with his free hand. "Don't put yourself in danger for me."

She shook her head and closed her eyes briefly, a few tears escaping down her cheeks. "You're leaving today with a friend of your father's. He's the head priest of a shrine and he's prepared to hide you until you can clear your name."

"What? When did you…? You aren't serious. Are you at least coming with me?" he asked though he already knew the answer.

She'd set everything up already. She even worked out a way to get him past the barrier and the surveillance. Inuyasha tried to argue, to tell her how horrible of an idea it was.

"They'll come after you if you let me escape."

"Let them." She'd said it with such conviction and confidence, a silent challenge lingering in the air. Let them come for her, let them try to hurt her, let them kill her; as long as her son was safe. She didn't have to speak the words because Inuyasha already knew.

Then she gave him his parting gifts: the rosary, his father's old sword, his parent's wedding rings, and the small box his father had when he died. Watching her remove her rings drove home the finality of the gesture. She wouldn't take those off unless she knew...

"Keepsakes so you'll always have a connection to us. I can't promise that things will be ok, Inuyasha. All I can tell you is that I love you and I'm doing what I know is best."

"How am I supposed to live with myself if something happens to you?" He got up and rounded the table to pull his mother to her feet and into a hug.

She held him tightly then pulled back and met his eyes. "You'll find a way because you're strong. I know it may not make sense, why I'm choosing to stay. But someday you'll understand and until then just know that I don't regret my decision and I'm not afraid. As long as you're safe and alive and have a chance to live your life someday…"

She wasn't going to back down.

Things happened quickly after that. They gathered the few belongings he was taking with him into two duffel bags. He hugged his mother for the final time before she went with him to a hidden door that led beneath the house.

He used one of the tunnels connected to an old safe house in the woods to get past the barrier. The tunnels were left from the old wars between humans and yokai, a remnant of a time when her parent's relationship and his very existence would have been forbidden. A man that turned out to be a much-younger grandpa Higurashi met him when he emerged into the tiny shack. After a brief conversation about the plan, he sealed Inuyasha's yoki temporarily so he could steal away undetected.

They traveled by foot in the dark of night, making their way to the main road where a car was ready to go. The long drive to the shrine was made in silence, every flash of headlights through the back window of the car making Inuyasha tense. He didn't relax until they were safely within the shrine's barrier.

He found out months later that his mother was dead. It crushed him and was the catalyst for his decision to let himself be sealed away completely. If he'd been told what really happened back then, if he'd known about her imprisonment...well, he didn't want to think about that. He'd probably already be dead.


"Your grandfather unsealed me about a year ago and I've been hiding in that stupid bunker ever since. You know the rest."

He'd somehow managed to get through his entire story without stopping and without focusing on the other occupants of the room. At some point during the telling, he'd removed his concealment charm; he felt more honest with it off. His eyes remained on his hands for most of it, occasionally glancing up to Kagome to remind himself where he was and who he was talking to. She was always focused on him when he looked at her, silently letting him know that she was there and she was listening.

He took a few shaky breaths before allowing himself to acknowledge the rest of his audience. He locked eyes with each person in turn, trying to gauge their reactions. What he saw reassured him and finally stilled his frantically beating heart.

There was no animosity in their looks. He saw no silent accusations or condemnations.

Mrs. Higurashi appeared to have been crying and was giving him a warm, motherly look. Shippo nodded once in acceptance, adopting a look of grim determination. Miroku looked from him to Kagome and back, giving him a look of understanding that Inuyasha didn't much care for. Sango's lack of scowl was the most surprising and he was almost positive he saw a hint of guilt in her expression.

Kagome was staring at her hands twisted in her lap, digging her nails into her skin in places. He gripped her wrists and the contact was enough to loosen her grip before she hurt herself. The gesture seemed to snap her out of a daze and she finally looked up at him before turning her gaze to her friends and mother.

"I think I should finish dinner," Kagome's mother said, breaking the silence. "I'm sure everyone is hungry by now." She stood and walked over to Inuyasha, leaning down and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "We'll figure this out and keep you safe, dear. Don't you worry." She straightened back up, gave one of his ears a gentle tweak, then went to the stove.

"Does anyone have anything to say?" Kagome asked, a hint of challenge in her voice.

"I believe him," Shippo said.

Miroku nodded in agreement. "I'll do whatever I can to help, now that I know the whole story," he said and all eyes turned to Sango.

She huffed but her scowl didn't return. She locked eyes with Inuyasha before saying, "I'm sorry. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt. I was only concerned for Kagome's safety and wellbeing. I clearly don't have to worry about that though." She gave the pair a knowing look, not unlike Miroku's.

The tension in the room lessened considerably after that and Inuyasha answered a few questions to clarify parts of his story. Mrs. Higurashi set out dinner and her cooking further soothed everyone's nerves. Shippo had to leave afterward but promised he'd be in touch. Kitsune had access to information others didn't so he agreed to look into Koga and anyone related to him. Discreetly, of course.

Sango and Miroku stuck around and the group of four made themselves comfortable in the living room. Kagome settled on the sofa next to Inuyasha while Miroku and Sango knelt at the kotatsu across from them. Topics turned serious again when Miroku started asking about Inuyasha's father.

"Do you have any idea why someone would have wanted your father dead? I know it seems to not matter after so long but if we are to clear your name we should have all the information available."

"Nothing specific I can think of off the top of my head. Maybe his research..."

"What was he researching?" Sango asked.

"Imperfect hanyo. They were trying to find a way to unfuck the immune systems of hanyo who were human-dominant and control the blood of hanyo who were yokai-dominant." Judging by the news report a few days ago, they were still trying and failing.

"Makes sense," Sango said. "They didn't have any way to balance hanyo blood before birth back then."

"I'm going to look into this," Miroku said. "There have always been groups that opposed the mixing of society, on both the human and yokai side. Who did your father work for?"

"The fuck do you need to know that for?" Inuyasha asked, suddenly defensive.

"So I can narrow my search, obviously."

"Fuck no. Digging shit up is just going to draw attention to you. It's too risky."

"If you want your name cleared-" Miroku tried.

Inuyasha slammed his hands down on the kotatsu. "I didn't ask for your damn help!" Kagome's hand on his arm stopped him from lunging across the table and grabbing Miroku.

"You can't do everything by yourself," she said softly. Her grip tightened and she gave him a pleading look. "I'm sure he'll be careful."

He met her eyes, still red from crying, and let out a long breath. What the hell was this woman doing to him? "Fine. Fucking fine. He worked for some asshole named Onigumo Naraku on something called Project Unity. It was a big deal at the time but they were having problems because they weren't getting results. Just, use some damn discretion when you go digging into my old man's past." Kagome's soft smile tempered his growing anger. He wanted everyone to leave so he could pull her into his arms and let her scent soothe away his anxiety.

"You're sure that's the correct name?" Miroku asked.

"Of course, I'm not a fu-" he cut off when he noticed the odd looks they were giving him. "What?"

"Well, I work for an Onigumo Naraku and that's not exactly a common name."

"The guy my old man worked for was human so maybe you work for his kid or something." This was just what he needed: more complications.

"Could be. It's certainly worth looking into. Discreetly," he added when Inuyasha glared at him.

"Speaking of fucking discretion," Inuyasha said, turning his attention to Sango, "you wanna tell me about your phone call to the wolf?"

"Oh, that." Now Sango definitely looked guilty.

"Yeah, that."

She sighed but didn't look away from Inuyasha. "Look, I didn't tell him anything. I'll just give him some bogus information when he contacts me."

"He's gonna look you up and check your connections. He's already been sniffing around Kagome."

"Sniffing? More like shamelessly flirting," Kagome mumbled.

Inuyasha ignored her. "He's gonna do the math and figure out you two know each other so you both need to watch your backs. Try not to be caught anywhere alone and don't trust anyone you don't know."

"We're not children, you know," Kagome said. "And we're not stupid. We'll be fine."

"Keh. I know that." Stupid woman, he just wanted her to be safe.

"Do you? Then why do you keep trying to lecture me?" Kagome sat up a little straighter and he recognized the glint in her eye that told him she was about to lay into him.

"I just want you to be fucking careful," he said, trying to cut off her arguments. "Is that too much to ask?"

Kagome looked ready to yell at him anyway but Sango cut her off. "We should get out of here now, let you two unwind," she said, standing and pulling her boyfriend with her.

It was about fucking time.

They all walked outside together, the world cast in oranges and reds by the light of the setting sun. Kagome and Inuyasha stood at the top of the shrine steps and watched until Miroku and Sango were out of sight. A breeze kicked up and Kagome wrapped her bare arms around herself. Did the woman ever think before she did anything? She knew it would be cool but she walked out in a short-sleeve shirt anyway.

"What a day," Kagome said, distracting him before he could drag her back into the house, out of the breezy evening air.

"Could have gone much worse. I don't think your friends hate me anymore, at least."

As stressful as the day had been, it also felt like a weight was being slowly lifted from Inuyasha's shoulders. The possibility that he may be able to clear his name and live his life caused his thoughts to focus on the woman standing beside him. It was going to take time to dig into the past and there was no guarantee of their success. But...

Maybe, just maybe he could…

"It's a little late for shrine visitors." Kagome's voice brought him out of his thoughts again and he glanced down the steps. A woman was making her way up towards them, looking around nervously. How had he missed the click of her heels?

She was dressed in a loose-fitting sweatshirt and oversized jeans, a black tote bag slung over one shoulder. Her hair, blond and curly, looked like a poorly made wig. As she approached, Inuyasha could smell too much perfume, so much that he couldn't identify her natural scent.

"Can we help you?" he asked gruffly.

The woman jerked a little and turned her face up to the pair. Her eyes were hidden behind large sunglasses that screamed 'disguise' and put Inuyasha further on edge. The woman looked between the two of them standing at the top of the steps but focused on Kagome, causing Inuyasha to growl and put himself between the two women.

"I'm looking for a Higurashi Kagome," the woman stated in a confident voice completely in contrast with her appearance. She looked past Inuyasha, directly at Kagome while she spoke. "I need to talk to her and it is rather urgent."