A/N: holy crap guys..this was a hard one to write. I didn't have my ADHD meds in me and it's been a difficult two days . so im sorry if the quality of this chapter is lacking. i just wanted to put something out there for ya. i'll probably come back and edit it once im in my right mind.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Chapter forty-four: Young and Beautiful
"Uhn! Get some! Get some bitch! Yes! TAKE IT!" Inuyasha let out a victorious cry as he demolished someone else's avatar on online shooter game. He threw down the controller and fell back onto his bed, yawning tiredly into his hand. This was one of the few nights that Inuyasha spent at his parent's home that month. Usually he could be found at Kikyou's apartment, which they treated as a home meant for the both of them. But due to a stressful deadline for her term paper, Inuyasha had been kicked out to allow her to concentrate. The twenty-one-year-old turned off the gaming system and his TV and settled down for the night in the darkened room.
'~all I want for my birthday is a big booty ho! all I want for my birthday is a big booty-' Inuyasha growled as he answered the ill-timed phone call, the amusingly obscene ringtone having made it impossible to fall asleep.
"What?!" he snapped, ready to chew his brother's head off for calling so late.
"Inuyasha where are you?" Sesshoumaru's tone was low, but the words came out strangely fast for how he usually spoke.
"Dude, I'm at home. What do you want?" He rubbed his tired, golden eyes and sighed into the phone.
"Kouga and I are on our way there. It's better if you and father are both present. Go wake him up." The way in which Sesshoumaru spoke put Inuyasha on edge. He got up, no longer tired at all, and turned on the lights.
"What's going on?" Inuyasha asked in a serious tone, but Sesshoumaru wasn't divulging anything until he got there.
"I'll tell you when we get there. We're about thirty minutes out. Wake father up." With that, Sesshoumaru ended the call and continued to discuss the situation with Kouga.
"What is this about, Sesshoumaru?" Inu-Taisho asked impatiently as all four men filed into his office. It was nearing two in the morning and he was not someone who appreciated having his sleep interrupted and delayed. Inuyasha had snuck into the master bedroom while his parents slept, tip-toeing across the room to stand next to his father's unconscious form. It had taken quite a bit of incessant whispering and arm shaking, but eventually Inu-Taisho felt bothered enough to wake up.
Despite not being told the reasons for Sesshoumaru's strange, early morning meeting, both father and younger son dressed in sweatpants and old t-shirts before greeting the others at the front door. Kouga was still dressed in the clothes he'd worn at the club, and Sesshoumaru had put on a pair of jeans and a white shirt. Upon seeing his son's anxious expression and hurried movements, Inu-Taisho knew something serious had transpired earlier.
"Father, I need you to sit down before I tell you. This kind of information might over-stress your heart." Sesshoumaru insisted calmly, though the cautious words only served to further upset and worry his father and brother. As Inu-Taisho sat down in his leather chair behind the desk, he didn't take his hard gaze from Sesshoumaru.
"Tell us." He demanded now, taking control of the situation despite his older age and perceive weakness. Inuyasha stood beside his father, crossing his arms and watching the other two nervously. What was so important and dire that it brought all four of them together at such an early hour?
"Kagome is alive." No other words could have such a heart-stopping effect. Inu-Taisho and his youngest son had identical shocked expressions on their faces upon hearing the words; but neither could form an intelligent response. "Kouga was at a club this evening and discovered her. From what he saw, it seems that Kagome has spent a great deal of time in the place with other girls in a similar situation." Sesshoumaru spoke slowly, wanting to keep their emotions as even as possible, but it was impossible. Inuyasha frowned angrily and shook his head, as if he didn't believe it.
"Why isn't she here then?!" Inu-Taisho hollered, slamming his hands into the surface of his desk. He stood up and narrowed his intimidating eyes at the young detective. Kouga nervously put his hands up and showed them all his destroyed phone. It scraped against the wooden desk when he gently tossed it towards Inu-Taisho.
"I tried grabbin' her and making a quick exit, but someone came up and knocked me out. I had taken a few pictures and they shot my phone for it." A frustrated sigh slipped through Inu-Taisho's nostrils as he shut his eyes, his head hanging in dejection. Inuyasha put a hand on his father's shoulder before gently guiding him to sit back down.
"So, there's no evidence to prove its her?" The younger brother asked as he glanced towards Sesshoumaru. But Kouga spoke up again, stepping towards the desk with a gesture towards the laptop sitting on top.
"May I use it?" he asked respectfully, to which Inu-Taisho simply nodded and rubbed the bridge of his nose as a headache began to grow. Kouga quickly slid the laptop around to face him and crouched down in order to be at eyelevel with the screen. "Every picture taken on my phone is automatically backed up to my cloud." He explained simply, which piqued the hopes of Touga and his sons. Kouga's face remained neutral as he signed into the online storage service.
All three Taisho men came around to stand behind him, watching as he pulled up a file labeled 'phone'. They waited and watched with suspended breathes as Kouga opened a file with the day's date, and a dozen or so small thumbnails appeared. He saw the last few images that were close-ups of Kagome's face and clicked on one. The pictures suddenly took up the entire screen and everyone was left in stunned silence. Looking beyond the changed hair and haggard appearance, it was still unmistakably her.
"Kagome." Inu-Taisho whispered softly and reached out to touch her digital cheek. Tears stung his eyes and Inu-Taisho felt his legs begin to go numb. "She's still alive." Relief tore through his body, causing the older man to falter and need to be caught by his sons.
"Father, lean on me." Sesshoumaru insisted as he pulled Touga's arm around his shoulders, supporting the older man's weight while Inuyasha helped to sit him back down. He was still lost in the stunning realization that Kagome was alive and so near. A plethora of emotions were raging inside, and it almost made him nauseous from the intensity. While Inu-Taisho caught his breath, Inuyasha looked over at Kouga with a serious expression.
"We need to go get her. She looks like absolute shit. Get your cop friends and have them meet us there!" Just as he had done at the beginning of her abduction, Inuyasha tried to organize a team and plan of action. But then he caught Sesshoumaru shaking his head.
"It's not that simple. Kouga, explain to them what you told me." Everyone turned their concerned gazes towards the dark haired young man, who needed to take a quick breath before starting to divulge everything he knew.
"We can't go to the cops. I found out some serious corruption and I highly doubt we'll get any kind of help from them. The chief of police, the captain, and almost all of the high-ranking officers I know were at that club tonight. I saw evidence of prostitution, drug use, and illegal firearms at this place and they are all aware of it. So, when we do this, it's gonna be on our own or we'll have to go to the FBI." Kouga allowed the information to sink in for the two hearing it for the first time, then began explaining his plan.
"If we go to the FBI, they will be needing some kind of proof of illegal activity or plausible cause to raid the place. Those pictures alone aren't enough. So, I'm gonna conduct a stakeout of the place and gather as much intel as possible. I learned from a colleague that this club is only open to the public Thursday through Saturday, so we won't be able to get back in for another five days." Kouga had expected that would set someone off. Inuyasha finally spoke up with a raised voice.
"Hell no! We are not leaving her in there! Look at that picture. Kagome looks like she's ready to fucking keel over and die!" He came towards Kouga with a dangerous look in his eye, but Sesshoumaru caught his younger brother's shoulders and pushed him back towards the wall.
"Use your brain, Inuyasha. Listen to what Kouga has to say." He reasoned, though it was painful to agree that they couldn't rescue her immediately.
"They've got guns and the NYPD protecting them; it'd be suicide going in there without being prepared. And if we're too reckless, it could put Kagome and the other girls that work there in serious danger. We've got to find some real evidence so we can convince the FBI to cooperate." Kouga was about to proceed, but Inu-Taisho's voice cutting in grabbed all of their attention.
"I have some connections that I can call on…an old friend who with their SWAT teams. Kouga, you do your part on finding the evidence, and I can have them here the next day." His tone was subdued, but told the others just how serious and promising the words were. Kouga nodded, then looked at the two brothers.
"Look, Thursday night someone is going to infiltrate this place with some hidden cameras on their body. They'll record all the crap that goes on and get the hell out. That'll give us the evidence we need to convince the FBI. If everything goes as planned, we can raid the place on Friday and have Kagome out safe and sound. From there, I'll take down the corrupt officers in the NYPD." Kouga let out a short breath, proud that he'd gotten through the explanation in one piece, and waited for his friend's reaction.
"I'm gonna be the one to go in." Inuyasha blurted, folding his arms and nodding in affirmation. But Kouga had his doubts.
"I don't think that's a very good idea. You have one of the most recognized faces in New York. You too, Sesshoumaru. That hair is gonna stick out and people will want to hang out and bother you all night. We need someone more average looking. Someone who can blend in without being noticed right off the bat." A quietness settled over the group as they tried to come up with a person that could carry out the important task. Suddenly, Inuyasha punched the side of his fist into his open palm.
"I got it!"
"Woah…this is heavy." Miroku muttered under his breath as he stared at the laptop screen. His early morning meditation had been interrupted by incessant calls from Inuyasha. He'd been reluctant to make the drive over at such an early hour, but the yearning in Inuyasha's voice was convincing enough to make him do it. Almost immediately after stepping foot inside the manor, Miroku was dragged down the hallway towards Inu-Taisho's office to be briefed on the situation.
"So, you'll help us right?" Kouga asked eagerly, his face an urgent expression as they all looked at Kagome's saddening picture. Miroku nodded and sat back in the chair he'd been pushed into.
"Yeah, of course. I can't believe Kagome has been there this whole time. I've got to tell Sango!" Miroku pulled his phone out from his back pocket, but suddenly yelped when Inuyasha's hand shot out to smack it away. "What the hell?!"
"You can't tell anyone! No one except for the four of us can know what's going on. It's gotta stay between us. Got it?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at Miroku, who was pouting as he rubbed his hand.
"Fine, I won't tell her." He agreed finally, then looked over at Kouga. "So what now? There anything I need to do?" Kouga leaned against the edge of Inu-Taisho's desk to get comfortable, but then stood right back up when the older man sent him a dangerous look.
"Well, you're welcome to join me and Inuyasha at the stakeout. Other than that, you'll be helping Inuyasha with something." Kouga glanced over at the disgruntled musician.
"You gotta help me dye my hair. I'm going with you Thursday, but I can't go in with everybody recognizing me." It was obvious that Inuyasha wasn't excited by the idea of putting strange products in his hair, but it was a necessary sacrifice to rescue Kagome. For the rest of the day, the four continued to discuss and refine their surveillance and rescue plan.
"May? May, wake up." Small hands shook Kagome's arm gently, rocking her numb body against the cot in an attempt to rouse the slumbering girl. It was Wednesday morning and Miss Jane had just opened the door to the holding room. As usual, the other girls woke and stood up without hesitation, but Kagome still laid on her cot with no sign that she even heard the command to rise. Shippou knelt on the floor next to her, worried and fearful that something was seriously wrong. "May, you have to get up! Miss Jane is coming." Nothing was working. Kagome remained unresponsive on her cot, her breathing labored and skin drained of all color. She could hear Shippou's desperate cries, but she couldn't bring herself to get up yet.
"What's going on? May! Get up!" Miss Jane gave the edge of Kagome's cot a rough kick, jostling the girl's body and causing her to finally open her eyes. Moaning painfully, Kagome's thin arms began pushing her upper-body up from the cot. "Stop dragging your feet. You're already late for morning assignments. Open up." Kagome was taken back when she felt Miss Jane's sharp fingers digging into her chin, prying open her jaw to force the pill down her throat. Shippou watched from the door with a sad expression as Kagome coughed and hacked against the painful intrusion.
"You're on laundry duty. Don't even bother showing up for exercise or lessons. Your meals are docked too. By the time I'm done with the other girls, I better see every piece of clothing dry and folded." Miss Jane turned around to leave, then spotted Shippou outside of the door. "Get to the kitchen!" Her voice pierced the air and sent Shippou racing down the flights of stairs. Kagome was left to herself, which she was thankful for.
Groaning against her stiff body, Kagome couldn't ignore the fact that every single one of her joints felt painful and inflamed. She felt incredibly thirsty and weak, far more than usual. Was it happening? Was she finally beginning to die? With slow, staggered movements, Kagome collected all of the dirty clothes left behind in their lockers to carry downstairs to be washed. Her body fought her the entire time, begging that she stop and rest until the pain went away.
Kagome's kidneys had begun shutting down nearly a year ago; but the asymptomatic disease only recently began to sneak up on her with the signs and warnings. Her body had become anemic and weak, causing her to feel incredibly lethargic. Every once in a while, Kagome could feel the uncomfortable palpitations of her irregular heartbeat and it left the poor girl gasping in shallow breathes. Yes, she was crawling into the dark tunnel of death without a light at the end to look forward to. Seeing Kouga had been a shock, and in the back of her mind she hoped someone would come to rescue her, but that had been four days ago.
"May! You're nose is bleeding!" Shippou's frightened voice broke through Kagome's hazy mind, drawing her attention away from watching the circular motion of the washing machine's front window. She had put all of their clothes inside the front-loading machine and tossed in a bit of soap before starting the process. As the clothes tumbled within the soapy water, Kagome became lulled into a hypnotized and drug-induced haze. She hadn't felt the tickle of blood rolling down her top lip and along the outside corner of her mouth. Thankfully Shippou was nearby, going about his duties of cleaning every surface inside the kitchen.
"Am I?" She asked robotically, bringing a finger up to touch the skin beneath her nostrils. When she pulled back to see red stained fingertips, Kagome felt a vague rush of fear and sadness. Shippou came to her with a damp paper-towel, putting it in Kagome's numb hand before forcing her to hold it against her nose.
"May, sit down. I'm gonna find you something to eat." He pushed a metal stool towards Kagome and guided her to sit down, which she automatically complied with. Her eyes were vacant and body was limp, barely able to hold itself up anymore. It was yet another recognizable sign that she was swiftly approaching the end of her life. Shippou had seen it a handful of times in his year of living there, and never once thought Kagome might be subject to the same fate as the others. He frantically searched the pantry for something that wouldn't be noticed missing later on. "A-ha!" He exclaimed and pulled out an apple, red and delicious, from a bag full of them.
"Shippou…I can't feel my body." She whispered softly, barely able to grasp the fruit as he pushed it into her hand. Kagome dropped the blood-stained towel as her hands began to tremble against her will. Shippou frowned sadly and picked the damp towel back up, ignoring the red blood, and dabbed at her clammy skin until her face was clean.
"Eat and you'll feel better. Here." He put the apple back into the palms of her hands and pushed it towards her mouth. "Eat! Please! I don't want you to die." Kagome heard Shippou's childish voice break as he began to cry. The poor thing was only ten years old and forced to contend with situations that were far beyond his abilities. Kagome's heart went out to him and she pulled the weeping child into her lap, even though her muscles ached and joints screamed from the strain.
"I'm sorry. I'll eat." She muttered softly and took a small bite from the crisp apple. It tasted good, and felt amazing as it went into her empty stomach, but it wouldn't keep death at bay; it'd only make its approach somewhat bearable.
The days following Saturday had been incredibly busy. Kouga had returned to work the following Monday to the ridicule and chagrin of his fellow officers. They all witnessed him getting thrown out of the club, but none knew the deeper reasoning behind it. They teased and joked that he'd fallen in love with the dancer, and belittled him for falling for 'the slutty tramp'. It took all of Kouga's will and self-discipline to not empty his gun into their heads. He checked out surveillance equipment and claimed to be on an important assignment that was outside of the city, and that he'd be taking the week to gather intel. With his spotless background and trustworthy reputation, no one questioned it.
For the past three days, he, Inuyasha, and Miroku sat in a parked car down the street of the Lizard Lounge, watching its door and recording every moment of activity that went on. They saw an old woman coming and going, though she didn't look like the sort who frequented clubs during the day. She could sometimes be seen carrying grocery bags inside. Another man, on Tuesday, arrived as well. He was rather rotund and unfortunate looking, despite dressing in very expensive clothing. The three young men assumed that was the club owner and took pictures and video of his coming and going.
There wasn't much discussion between them during the hours of surveillance; what was there to say? Making idle chatter felt too calloused and nonchalant, especially when they all knew Kagome was inside and in danger. Whenever someone called, usually one of their girlfriends, the three had to come up with new excuses and reasons behind their distant behavior and absences. But the girls couldn't get involved; it was already dangerous enough without them being put in harms away.
Wednesday evening, as Kouga and Miroku were taking their turn resting their eyes, Inuyasha kept vigilant watch over the building. He was beginning to doze off due to boredom when a figure coming from the back caught his attention. It was a kid! Sitting up quickly, Inuyasha held up the camera to take a few pictures, and then nudged Kouga awake.
"Dude, some kid just left the building. He came from the back." Inuyasha whispered, his eyes never leaving the boy's form as he walked along the sidewalk casually. Kouga and Miroku gathered their wits and watched him as well. It was getting dark outside, the street lights having already come on about an hour ago.
"We need to talk to him; but not so close to the building. Let's follow the kid a few blocks and then approach him." Kouga started the engine and put the car in drive, slowly creeping down the decrepit street behind the unaware boy. All of them wondered what sort of business he had in the Lizard Lounge, but it soon became blatantly obvious as they watched him sell drugs to a very dangerous looking man.
"What the fuck? They got the kid selling drugs?" Kouga asked in a shocked tone, camera pointed towards the transaction and recording it. Miroku watched the boy go down an alley and patted his friend's shoulder.
"If you're gonna get him, you'd best do it now." Kouga parked the car there and tore out of the front seat, his powerful legs chasing after the kid. Inuyasha and Miroku stayed put, waiting patiently for their friend to come back eventually.
"Damn, it's taking a long time. You think he got away?" Inuyasha asked the other, looking to the backseat at Miroku's curious face. Miroku was about to respond, but was cut off by the sight of Kouga returning with a furious child tucked under his arm. "Great, now we're kidnappers." Inuyasha muttered. Miroku slid to the other side of the backseat, allowing Kouga to push the screaming and fussing child into middle space between them.
"LET ME GO YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! I'll fucking kill you if you don't let me go! I want out NOW!" The three men balked at the foul-mouthed boy, and both Kouga and Miroku had to pin his arms down to keep him inside the vehicle.
"Shut up! We'll let you go but first you gotta help us! We know you work at the Lizard Lounge!" Kouga shouted over the small boy's wailing, which instantly shut him up. Shippou looked upon the faces of his captors with tearful eyes.
"Am I in trouble?" He questioned fearfully, looking between all three of them. Miroku let out a breath when Shippou finally seemed to calm. His hold on the kid's arm loosened, but was still held just in case.
"No, we need your help. There's a girl inside that building we're trying to rescue. Her name is Kagome. Do you know her?" He asked hopefully, using a patient and kind tone that his two friends lacked. Inuyasha was twisted around in the front seat in order to keep a hard gaze on the dirty, misfortunate boy. Shippou scrunched up his face in thought.
"Kagome? No. I don't know her. But all the girls are given new names." Shippou looked out at the darkened street nervously. "I'm supposed to be back soon." Kouga shook his head.
"Answer a few more questions. Look, Kagome is Asian with black hair and blue eyes." He started, only to be cut off by Inuyasha.
"When she smiles, she's got dimples right here." He poked the tip of his finger into the center of his own cheek, as if to give Shippou a visual example. But there was sudden recognition in the young boy's eyes.
"You mean May! So, you're the guy she spoke to last weekend!" Shippou perked up and bounced in his seat. "You guys are gonna save us!" Kouga's hard expression faltered as a smile tugged on his lips. The poor kid was no better off than Kagome, it seemed.
"We've got to get proof first. Tomorrow these two are gonna come in and take some pictures and try to get as much evidence so we can get the FBI involved. Is there anything you can think of that could help us. Here, say it into this." Kouga held up the video recorder and began filming Shippou. Inuyasha and Miroku remained silent while the boy offered any information he had.
"The owner won't be there, but Charlie will be. He's the manager. He's fat and wears a lot of gold. Um…Miss Jane! She's this mean old lady! She makes the girls work all day and gives em' these drugs that makes them like zombies. We're kept in this dark room all night and it's really scary. May shares her cot with me and keeps me company." At the mention of her name, Shippou became upset and grasped Kouga's jacket sleeve. "You gotta save her! She's really sick. They'll get rid of her soon." He begged earnestly, instantly worrying the three others.
"What do you mean that she's sick?" Inuyasha interrupted, reaching forward to grab Shippou's arm. "What's wrong with Kagome?" He gave Shippou a gentle shake, eyes blazing angrily. It wasn't anything that scared the young boy though; he was used to such treatment.
"She wouldn't wake up this morning and looked really bad. And her nose started to bleed and she said she couldn't feel her body. It's how a lot of the others get before they die or Miss Jane has them taken away. Please, PLEASE save us soon. Kagome won't make it very much longer." It was then that Shippou noticed the time on the dashboard of the car. "I got to go! I'll tell Kagome you're coming!" Shippou began to scramble across Miroku's lap to get out, but Kouga stopped him.
"No! Don't let her know. We can't risk the staff finding out. Just plan on us being there Friday morning. Okay? Now go." Kouga opened his door and let Shippou out. He watched the boy running down the dangerous, dark street. It felt wrong to allow such an innocent victim return to that place; but it had to be done. He returned to the driver's seat and looked over at the two passengers. Inuyasha was livid, damn near fuming, at the news of Kagome's diminished health.
"She's been here all this time...they've been drugging her. We need to get in there NOW and save her! She's probably dying and all we're doing is sitting here! FUCK!" His angry fists pounded into the dashboard in front of him, making Miroku cringe and reach around the passenger seat to grab his friend's shoulder.
"It's just two more days. We'll get the evidence and raid the place Friday morning and get her out of there. The people who've done this are going to pay. Don't lose your cool or it could put her in more danger." Inuyasha jerked out of Miroku's touch and crossed his arms, but was somewhat calmer now. Kouga watched the two before starting the engine.
"I'm going to have your dad send what we have so far to his contacts. It may help to expedite things. You guys should go home and rest; you've got a busy night tomorrow." That was an understatement, though no body needed to be reminded of the plan for the next evening. Both Inuyasha and Miroku knew what they needed to do, and were prepared to do it.
"I feel like someone's gonna recognize me in there. People keep staring at me." Inuyasha whispered as he fussed with the bun sitting atop his head. Miroku, who was standing next to him, rolled his eyes. The two were standing in the line outside the building, and were surprisingly close to the entrance and wouldn't have to wait much longer to get inside.
"People are staring because you're acting shady as shit. Stop fidgeting and act like you're excited to be here." Miroku maintained a pleasant smile on his face as he spoke, grinning when the bouncer glanced at them suspiciously. Earlier that day, Inuyasha and Miroku had worked to create his alter-ego 'Hiro Takahashi'. They'd purchased hair product that temporarily turned his silver locks to midnight black. It'd taken many applications to completely mask the magnificent glow of Inuyasha's natural hair. They'd also bought brown colored contacts to conceal his golden eyes. Kouga managed to have a fake I.D. made to legitimize Inuyasha's new persona. Outfitted in club attire and hidden cameras, neither Inuyasha or Miroku stood out in a crowd of similarly average faces.
It took almost forty minutes of standing in line to get to the front, where the intimidating bouncer requested their I.D.s. Both handed them over and tried to maintain a nonchalant attitude while the heavy man looked them over. After giving the two a skeptical look, he finally relinquished them back and stood up.
"Arms out, legs apart." Inuyasha and Miroku breathed a relieved sigh and assumed the position, shooting each other proud smirks while the bouncer was distracted with the task. As the man resumed his position against the wall, he motioned for the two to go inside the loud and colorful building. "No pictures, no grabbing the dancers, and no back talking the staff. Have fun." As Inuyasha breezed past the man, he remembered what Kouga had said and looked at his waist to see a gun tucked away. This really was a dangerous situation. Little did anyone know that the top button of their shirts contained an audio recorder. And the dark glasses they wore had video recorders which transmitted a constant feed to Kouga's laptop, allowing him and Sesshoumaru to experience it simultaneously.
"Alright, we're in." Miroku muttered as they took a moment to familiarize themselves with the spacious club. It really was a marvelous place, one that could have easily been Inuyasha's favorite late-night hangout if it hadn't been for it's dark underbelly. Kouga had explained to them all the aspects of the club that they needed to be aware of, especially the VIP section, the mysterious third-floor, and the small room beneath the stairs. With their goals in mind, the two young men split up. While Miroku began ascending the stairs, looking to gather evidence of illegal activity in the VIP section, Inuyasha began stalking the first floor for Kagome.
His heart was pounding louder than the music, and despite being asked to dance or offered drinks, he blatantly ignored everyone and everything around him. Nothing mattered except for finding Kagome. Where was she? It was nearly thirty minutes since they'd been allowed in and still no sign of her! With an aggravated sigh, Inuyasha went to the bar and sat down with an angry scowl on his face. One of the bartenders noticed and approached him.
"What can I fix you?" he asked loudly, but Inuyasha waved him off. "Look, you're gonna start depressing the other patrons with that face. What can I do to help?" This time, Inuyasha looked up from the bar to glare at the man serving drinks behind it.
"I'm looking for a girl that works here; May. You know where she is?" He asked impatiently, not even expecting such a direct request to produce any results. The bartender nodded and looked down towards the end, where food orders were given to waitresses to be delivered.
"Yeah, she's waitressing tonight. Were you wanting to take her to the fun room?" Inuyasha cut his gaze down the extension of the bar and stared in astonishment when he saw her standing there, returning to the station with an empty trey. His lack of a response seemed to be enough of an answer, and the bartender moved towards Kagome before she could take another order. Watching as the man whispered something in her ear, Inuyasha felt his mouth go dry and hands began to shake. Kagome was looking straight at him, and now coming over!
"Come with me," She said stiffly, eyes staring at his chest rather than his face. Inuyasha felt helpless as Kagome took his hand and began leading him towards the room beneath the stairs. Feeling her small hand in his was electrifying, but seeing her in such a broken state left a burnt stain on their reunion. "Is it available?" Kagome asked the man standing by the door, and he just nodded his head.
"It's one-hundred for every ten minutes in there." He informed Inuyasha, who numbly pulled his wallet out and handed the bouncer a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill. The door was opened for them, revealing a small space with just a chair to provide comfort. "You've got ten minutes with her. Do what you want, but no bruises, scratches, or bite marks." And with that, Kagome led Inuyasha into the narrow room. The door shut behind him, then locked. Pink LED lights cast them in its soft glow, and quickly Inuyasha dropped whatever act he'd been trying to maintain.
"Kagome!" He stepped forward and took the dazed girl by the shoulders. Instantly Inuyasha felt the bones beneath her skin and saw the ashen look on her face. She looked as if her body could give out at any moment. Upon hearing her name, there was a spark of recognition in her vacant eyes that gave him hope, but it quickly disappeared.
"You want I make you feel good?" Her words were slurred and incoherent, causing Inuyasha's brow to furrow.
"What are you saying? It's me, Inuyasha! Kagome!" He had to take a step back when she suddenly dropped to her knees in front of him, hands coming up to unclasp the belt around his waist. "No, no, no. Kagome, stop it." Gently, Inuyasha took her hands to prevent her from doing anymore. There was a confused expression on her face, and finally she looked up into his worried eyes.
"What you want me to do?" She asked softly and tried to get back onto her feet. However, the tightness of her joints and fatigued muscles prevented her from rising up. Kagome's body slumped to the floor in defeat, her breathing ragged and eyes shut as she leaned against the rough brick wall. Inuyasha's heart broke at the sight of his once proud and strong friend reduced to such a pitiful creature. Using all his gentility and sensitivity, Inuyasha bent down to hoist Kagome back to her feet. She fell into his arms, hands grasping at his jacket and head falling backwards limply. "I make you feel good." She whispered now, despite the complete lack of control of her own body.
"Ssh, Kagome don't talk." Inuyasha whispered softly and sat her down in the cushioned seat. She looked so small and fragile as her body settled into the comfortable chair, unable to even support itself anymore. Ten minutes wasn't going to be enough, Inuyasha knew that already. He pulled out his wallet again and took out all the cash he had. It only totaled to another five-hundred dollars; but at least that'd buy a complete hour. Inuyasha pounded his fist on the locked door and retained a cool expression while handing the bouncer all his cash. "I want a full, uninterrupted hour. Got that?"
"Yessir." It seemed that so long as the money was there, anything was permitted. With the door shut and locked once more, Inuyasha fell to his knees in front of Kagome's still form. The glasses on his face captured every moment, and in a car parked around the corner, Kouga and Sesshoumaru held in their disgust and rage upon seeing Kagome's situation.
"Kagome, Kagome wake up." Inuyasha carefully pulled Kagome's shoulders forward to force her to sit up. She moaned softly as her head lolled to the side, hair falling across her face and shoulders. Inuyasha let out a nervous sigh and patted her hollow cheek, trying to alert her. Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she sat up on her own, looking at the person in front of her with an empty gaze.
"What do you like, baby?" She asked softly while reaching up to rub his arms, hoping that was enough to get him excited. "I'm good, I promise." Each word she mumbled was like taking a knife to Inuyasha's heart. He eventually couldn't take it anymore and tenderly covered her mouth with his palm, trying to put a stop to the terrible things she was saying.
"You can't recognize me…they've got you so fucked up that you don't know who I am." It was a painful realization, but only served to further motivate and anger Inuyasha. Whoever was behind this would pay severely; he was determined to make it so. Before that could happen though, Inuyasha had the chance to spend a whole hour alone with Kagome. It was pointless to try and make her realize what was going on though. She was far too gone and it'd only cause unnecessary stress for the both of them. Instead, Inuyasha picked her up and took her place in the chair, with Kagome seated comfortably in his lap.
"What do you like?" She asked again, obviously not accustomed to the customer being so gentle and non-demanding with her. Inuyasha simply made comforting sounds in her ear, his hands gently pulling her to relax against him. Kagome's weary body finally gave in as her head settled against his shoulder and her hand found a comfortable place on his chest. Despite not knowing who he was or what he might do to her, Kagome's body automatically trusted the man currently holding her. It'd been two years since she'd felt such loving and gentle touches; he didn't make demands of her, didn't force her against walls, or do unspeakable acts to her body.
"I'm on my knees…only memories are left for me to hold…" Inuyasha quietly sang the words of the final song Kagome had performed to. He had listened to it a thousand times since her abduction. "Don't know how, but I'll get by. Slowly pull myself together…there's no escape, so keep me safe. This feels so unreal." As Inuyasha continued, his voice gently rocked Kagome's abused and tortured mind and body into a safer place and time. She seemed to be falling asleep against him, and he could hear the laboring, gasping breathes her body had to take in. As his arms encased her small form, Inuyasha wished and prayed for some kind of holy intervention that would put an end to her suffering at that moment.
"I think…I know you." She whispered softly. Inuyasha smiled despite the grave reality of their situation and placed a gentle kiss atop Kagome's head. Nothing existed outside of their small, pink world. They could not hear or feel the pounding music outside, or anything that reminded them of the dangers beyond that door.
"Nothing comes easily, fill this empty space. Nothing is like it was, turn my grief to grace." He pressed on, shutting his eyes sadly when Kagome's body began to tense as her breathing became suddenly difficult. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome's body, clad in a highly exposing black dress, and noticed the healing scars and bruises that marred her skin. Tears stung his eyes at the thought of her suffering beneath someone's hand, helpless to escape or defend herself. He had to clear his throat to prevent a choked sob from coming up.
"Nothing comes easily. Where do I begin? Nothing can bring me peace, I've lost everything…I just want to feel your embrace." The song ended, and for that Inuyasha was grateful; he couldn't keep singing while also trying to keep himself from screaming out in rage and guilt. They should have never stopped looking for her. "Kagome, are you awake?" He asked softly, waiting for a response that didn't come. She had fallen into a comfortable sleep that Inuyasha didn't have the heart to wake her from.
"You only have to hold on for one more night. I promise we are coming back tomorrow. So just keep yourself alive for a few more hours. If you can just do that, I'll take care of the rest." Inuyasha tightened his arm around her shoulders, crushing Kagome's fragile body into his as he kissed her forehead. There were no thoughts of Kikyou, or of the two watching and hearing every moment of this. At this point, Inuyasha didn't care who knew of the relationship he and Kagome once shared; because he was determined to one day have it again.
An hour passed by faster than Inuyasha realized. He and Kagome were still in their tender position when the bouncer disrupted it with a loud banging against the door. It pulled Kagome out of her restful slumber, and when she awoke, Inuyasha could tell she was somewhat more alert and aware than before. She still didn't recognize him, but that didn't matter since the bouncer outside was shouting for them to get out.
"Wait, Kagome." Inuyasha took her hand before she could slip out. Kagome looked back at his unfamiliar face curiously, wondering how he knew her name. Inuyasha stepped close and gave her one final hug. "Tomorrow. I promise that I will be back tomorrow." It was a confusing promise, one she assumed meant that he'd be back the following night. Kagome simply nodded her head and left the room, knowing that she had to return to her post as quickly as possible.
Inuyasha stepped out after her, watching sadly as she pushed herself to follow orders and keep up with the other waitresses. Miroku had been waiting to see his friends come out of the room and approached Inuyasha, watching Kagome with the same disheartened expression. Neither wanted to leave her, but there was nothing they could do to help her; not yet.
"Come on, we need to go." He urged his friend, giving a supportive clap on the back. Inuyasha was torn between needing to save her and having to stick with the plan. She was on the brink of death, he could tell, and needed to be given medical attention as soon as possible. Miroku noticed his friend's reluctance and sighed. "We can't do anything tonight. Inuyasha, you'll be back tomorrow. Just hang on til then." With a strong hand, Miroku pulled Inuyasha until his feet moved on their own accord. It was the most difficult choice of his life, and he hung on the promise that they'd be back in the morning.