A/N: Thank you everyone for your beautiful responses to the last chapter! YAY! Finally reunited and rescued! However, still a lot of drama gotsta go down before a happy ending. What can I say? I'm a slut for drama and emotional pain hahaha
ALSO! Yeah I know a long time went by without an update . im sorry life got kinda crazy. It's still kinda crazy. I'm hoping I'll be able to update at least once a week. I need ya'lls patience for a bit. But if you ever have a question or wanna talk, leave a review or send me a PM! I always try to answer quickly :) I split the original chapter 46 into two parts, cuz the second part is gonna be...quite a doozy to write lol I hope this will tide you over! I PROMISE THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE...sort of happier? Um...happy is maybe the wrong word for it. OH! yeah, less cripplingly depressing.
ALSO! The song inspiring this chapter is 'Safe and Sound' by Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars. Beautiful and haunting song that really accurately depicts what is going on for the characters. It's like a bittersweet happiness and realization for them. There's also 'Mad World' cover by Jasmine Thompson which was helpful as well.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Chapter forty-six: Safe and Sound
It didn't take long for the media to pick up on the dramatic story that had begun to unfold. What started as a rescue mission evolved into a major scandal that heralded the upheaval of the entire N.Y.P.D. It only took a few days for the corruption to be revealed; Naraku, Charlie, and the entire staff of the infamous club had been apprehended, with more accomplices being found almost daily. News stations across the country kept the story on everyone's mind as the atrocities that had been committed within the brick walls were exposed. What made the situation even more inciting was the discovery of how deep the corruption went within the police force. Public opinion of the N.Y.P.D. was changed overnight, making citizens protest in outrage.
The numerous victims who'd been held captive were given medical attention and counseling, and many were returned to the warm embrace of their home countries to be reunited with their family. With only one girl remaining to latch onto, everyone associated Kagome's name and sympathy-inducing face with the heinous crimes. One lucky local news crew happened to arrive on the scene and captured video footage of Naraku's apprehension and Kagome's emotional reunion with Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.
Her beaten and weary face was on the cover of newspapers and TV screens once again; everyone remembered the investigation from two years ago, and were eager to see more evidence of what had been done to the girls during their confinement. News teams were clamoring over themselves to sneak pictures and arrange interviews with Kagome, offering her family money and incentives to allow them just five minutes with her. The entire country wanted to slake its morbid fascination with the events by hearing from the one girl who could describe it in every gory detail. Of course, every attempt made was met with an intimidating personal security team and temporary restraining orders to protect the Taisho family; namely Kagome.
While everyone was forced to deal with the aftermath, Kagome was left uninvolved and unaware. After being rushed to the hospital, along with the many other innocent victims, Kagome had been instantly pumped with drugs and medicine to counteract the damage done to her body. Blood and toxicology screens had been run, as well as scans of her entire body, and each test revealed more and more unseen scars left from the past two years. During all of this, she was sedated to preserve what was left of her mental and emotional health. She needn't suffer the pain, fear, and confusion of undergoing so many medical tests and procedures. It was discovered that Kagome had been suffering from acute kidney failure, and more recently her other organs had begun shutting down as well. The daily exposure to drugs, alcohol, and other harmful substances had taken a toll on her once healthy body.
In a scene similar to when she had been picked up off the streets as a child; Kagome was in much the same situation now. There were I.V.s sticking into both of her arms, a feeding tube had been forced through her nasal passage and down her throat, while a clear mask filled her lungs with clean, refreshing oxygen. There were bandages covering large portions of her body; the scars and bitemarks that were still raw had been treated with an antibacterial salve to encourage healing. But there was nothing to hide the scars and bruises left behind. The doctor had removed the arm implant when it was discovered in her full body scan. Antibiotics and fluids were being pumped into Kagome's body to hopefully prevent the residual diseases and injuries from doing further damage.
For a week, as her body recovered, Kagome was kept in a deep, almost comatose, sleep. Friends and family came every day to bring flowers, cards, and precious keepsakes for her to wake up to. It was not how they imagined seeing her again would go, but it was better than continuing to believe she was dead; wasn't it? All their tears and heartache went unnoticed by the slumbering nineteen-year-old. She was blissfully ignorant of the stresses that her family had to contend with; such as the intrusive paparazzi, Inuyasha's surgery, and the emotional trauma of having been so close and aligned with the main perpetrators behind Kagome's abduction and incarceration. Kikyou was still at large, having made herself scarce and untraceable while the raid was underway. Guilty by association, every fond feeling had been severed with the girl.
Inuyasha had been rushed into surgery to repair the injury to his shoulder, though it was a simple in-and-out procedure that he was woken from later that day. There was one small boy that had suffered a gunshot to the abdomen who was also rushed into surgery, though his chances of survival were slim-to-none. With no one to care or worry for him, Kouga took on the duty of overseeing Shippou's tumultuous recovery. He was a small child, malnourished and deprived in many ways, but had proven to be a fighter when he woke up a day after the surgery.
Shippou's future was uncertain, but Kouga was determined to see to his happiness and well-being. The child continuously asked to see Kagome, to be put in the same room as her, but he had to be kept in the pediatric ward for his own safety. Kouga knew that Shippou's recovery would be much smoother if he was reassured of Kagome's safety, and finally convinced the nurses to allow him to visit her. Seven days had passed since Shippou and Kagome's admittance to the hospital, though only one of them was awake and aware of the situation. As Kouga pushed Shippou's wheelchair into Kagome's room, he reminded the boy to be gentle for both his and her sake. Outside of Kagome's room, worried faces watched the interaction with tears and mixed emotions.
"I wish they would wake her up already." Izayoi muttered softly while she leaned against her husband's stronger frame. The weary man placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder, giving it a squeeze rather than answering verbally. Beside them stood six younger individuals, each of their faces masked with similar expressions of sadness and relief that Kagome was returned to them. Kagura stood next to Sesshoumaru, cradling a six-month-old baby boy in her arms, as she quietly regarded the woman on the other side of the glass window. It felt like only days ago that the two were watching Sesshoumaru at swim practice, united in their mutual captivation by the older boy. She blinked away tears before they could streak down her face, then kissed the top of her child's head tenderly.
Kouga was in there with Shippou, gently helping the boy climb into bed so to lay beside Kagome. She was unresponsive when Shippou rested his head on her chest, or when his arm crossed over her stomach in the most fragile of hugs. For a year, she had cradled and comforted him in the dark confines of the holding room; he craved that feeling now. Though no one heard him, the group outside of Kagome's room could see the desperate pleas Shippou made for her to wake up and hold him again. Kouga was so moved by the heart breaking scene that he had to turn his back and catch his shuddering breath.
"This is so sad. Like, I feel really, really sad." Ayame had never been particularly eloquent, and her simply stated words were not the best representation of the breadth of emotions going through her at that moment. But when Sango heard the tremble in her friend's voice, and saw the tears in her eyes, she took Ayame in her arms and quietly comforted her. They had both sorely missed Kagome, and moving on with their lives without her had been incredibly painful and guilt-inducing; especially considering how much Kagome had been forced to suffer alone. Miroku looked over at his girlfriend, saw the difficulty she had controlling her own emotions, and put a soothing hand on her back.
At the forefront, alone and without someone to hold him, stood Inuyasha. His right arm was suspended in a tight sling, the shoulder healing well so far. There'd be a lot of physical therapy before full use would return, but that wasn't even on his mind at this point. The only thing that mattered was Kagome, and the future he wanted to have with her. Despite the chaos of recent events, Inuyasha's mind had never been more clear and resolute.
Not a single day or night passed without his faithful presence at Kagome's side. Even when visiting hours ended, the nurses allowed him to stay overnight. He slept on the uncomfortable couch provided in the private room, withstanding the mind-numbing programs available on the TV and filling the silence with one-sided conversations. Nothing could tear him away from her, but only three others understood why.
"Inuyasha, you should come home with us tonight." Izayoi insisted softly as she rubbed the back of her son's head. He didn't turn his attention away from Kagome, but Izayoi felt him lean into the palm of her hand. "We don't know when they are going to wake Kagome up, and you need to be resting." It was a discussion she tried starting two days ago, but had been shot down very quickly.
"No. I'm not leaving her." Inuyasha's voice was serious, but there was a slight tremor that eluded to the emotions raging inside of him. "I will never leave her again." This drew a few gazes in his direction, curious and confused looks that begged for an explanation. However, Miroku and Sesshoumaru found themselves glancing at each other with knowing looks. Apparently, this was the time Inuyasha chose to reveal his feelings for Kagome.
"Inuyasha, we all love Kagome too. We'll come back tomorrow and be here if she wakes up." Izayoi moved her hand to rub his back, as she did when he was a child, but was taken back when Inuyasha turned suddenly to face them all. He had a strange look on his face, but seemed determined about something.
"You don't understand. I am in love with Kagome." He said out loud for the first time in his life. Miroku and Sesshoumaru tried to match everyone's level of surprise, wanting to refrain from getting in trouble with their significant others for withholding such information. Izayoi's dark brow furrowed in concern and confusion; Touga was speechless. "I have loved her for years and I am not going to abandon her again. She is the love of my life and I don't care what any of you think." Inuyasha couldn't stand looking at their confused faces a second more. He turned back towards Kagome's peaceful form and smiled for the first time in days. "I plan on marrying her someday."
All of this came as a complete revelation to Inuyasha's friends and family. None of them suspected that his feelings towards Kagome were so deep and intense. Izayoi had an endless stream of questions for her son, but she couldn't broach them because one of Kagome's doctors was approaching. Everyone had to put their curiosity and shock to the side as they faced the white-coated man, there to provide them with an update on Kagome.
"We'll be waking her up tomorrow. Enough time has passed for the drugs to flush her system and for her body to heal. Kagome's kidneys are responding well to the treatments, so a transplant is no longer medically necessary. However, there is the issue of withdrawal symptoms that could pose some risk. Kagome's body may not survive the stress once we wake her up and ween her from the drugs keeping her sedated and comfortable. It's my suggestion that she be admitted to a recovery program upon her release. As much as you all have missed her, Kagome won't be waking up the same person you remember. She needs to be put in a facility that can handle her." Instantly there was retaliation.
"So, you want us to lock her up somewhere else? She's been held against her will for the past two years and now we have to put her in a similar situation? It will kill her!" Izayoi crossed her arms and stared at the doctor heatedly, insulted by the notion of sending Kagome away. Inu-Taisho, however, was able to see the wisdom and reasoning behind the man's suggestion. He took Izayoi's hand and gave it a squeeze, reminding her to calm down.
"Thank you, doctor. We'll consider it. When will you be waking her up?" He tried to maintain a collected tone, but there was much that had been discovered in the past five minutes that sent his head spinning. The fifty-something needed a stiff drink, or two, to settle his worked-up nerves.
"At ten, tomorrow morning. I've been told that a detective will need to speak with her first, that gentleman in there," The doctor motioned towards Kouga, who was helping Shippou back into his wheelchair. "But once he's finished speaking with her, you'll be allowed into the room. If you have any other questions, one of the nurses will be happy to answer them." The group watched him leave, off to consult another patient.
The door nearest to them suddenly opened, which Miroku assisted by holding it, as Kouga pushed Shippou into the busy corridor. The young boy had tears in his eyes, but looked exhausted and in discomfort; meaning he had to return to his own room for another round of pain medication and rest.
"Hey, I guess the doctor told you about tomorrow?" Kouga looked at Kagome's parents with an apologetic expression. He knew that they wanted to be the first faces that Kagome saw upon waking up. "The legal team needs her testimony. I don't want to draw out the court proceedings or force Kagome to the stand, so I need her statement as soon as possible."
Inu-Taisho simply nodded his head in understanding and appreciation. Kouga let out a heavy sigh then looked down at Shippou, who was reclining comfortably in the wheelchair. The boy had already recounted his experiences from the past year, and would also be sparred having to appear at the trial. "Let's go, Shippou." Kouga began pushing the wheelchair towards the elevators, with Ayame jogging quickly to catch up with them. She wanted to be near her strong and reliable boyfriend. As the gang settled into their own thoughts, Izayoi turned to her son and looked up into his face with a searching expression. He seemed reluctant to meet her gaze.
"You need to come home tonight. There is a lot that we have to discuss…" Izayoi looked past Inuyasha's shoulder at Sesshoumaru and Kagura. "as a family. So, please, come to the house for dinner." All three of them nodded in agreement; there was indeed much to be considered and deliberated, as the decisions would affect all of their lives.
"Okay, so check out this." Inuyasha sat on the edge of Kagome's hospital bed, one foot propped up to balance a guitar on his knee. His arm was out of the sling, and with powerful pain medication taking effect, Inuyasha was able to ignore the numbed ache in his shoulder for the time being. "Mom used to sing this song to you. I used to listen from across the hall. And then I was talking to Shippou and he said you sang it to him too. So, I came up with this arrangement and I hope you like it." He strummed a few chords on the acoustic guitar, glancing over at Kagome's peacefully sleeping face before beginning to sing. His voice was soft, quiet so not to disrupt nurses or other patients, but also incredibly tender and loving.
"The other night dear, as I lay sleeping...I dreamed I held you in my arms. When I awoke dear, I was mistaken. So I hung my head and I cried." It was the same songs many mothers lulled their children to sleep with, but the meaning was completely different now as Inuyasha sang the familiar words.
"You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away. I'll always love you and make you happy. And nothing else could come between. But if you leave me to love another you'll have shattered all of my dreams. You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."
As he strummed the last few gentle notes, letting them resonate in the otherwise quiet room, Inuyasha gazed down at Kagome solemnly. She looked much healthier now, so peaceful and unbothered, but tomorrow would be a difficult day for her. Inuyasha wanted to be able to take the pain for her, to shelter her from what was to come, but it was impossible; he could only hope that she'd let him stay at her side. He leaned over Kagome's body to place a chaste kiss to her forehead.
"Visiting hours are over sir…I'm sorry but we can't allow you to stay another night." A sincere nurse regretfully interrupted the tender moment. Inuyasha simply nodded and stood up to gather his things. He wasn't ecstatic about being away from Kagome, but there was important family dinner that he wasn't allowed to miss.
The droning rhythm of a heart monitor pulled Kagome's foggy mind back to the conscious world. Blue eyes fluttered open, exposing the bright, white hospital room to her unprepared vision. A soft groan slipped past her chapped lips, and Kagome stiffly shifted in the bed with a troubled expression on her face. Memories were slow to return, a brief allowance of respite granted to her, and Kagome finally began to notice the garden of flowers which filled the room. Blossoms of every shade and color exploded in fragrant arrangements, each companied with a card or a darling stuffed animal. In a gesture that felt almost foreign to her, Kagome smiled. It was like a dream to wake up in such comfort, and for a moment she thought it to be Heaven. That soothing notion was dashed. and she was forcibly torn from her contentedness, when a nurse abruptly entered the room.
Kagome's reaction was sudden and violent as she shrank away from the unknown intruder. She tried to curl her body, arms crossing over her chest and legs tucking underneath her, in an attempt to protect herself. The heart monitor spiked and jumped irregularly, and I.V.s pulled painfully inside her arms. The nurse quickly reacted by putting her hands up and speaking in a slow, calming voice to the frightened girl.
"Miss Higurashi, it's okay. You're at the hospital and I am your nurse. My name is Jaqueline." The young Hispanic woman came around the side of Kagome's bed, her reassuring tone working to sooth Kagome, who slowly settled back down in her bed. Memories of what transpired in the week prior flooded Kagome's mind, like bright flashes that caused her to shut her eyes tightly. "Just sit back and take deep breaths…that's it. Good. Now, try not to move too much. There are I.V.s in your arms, and a feeding tube in your nose. I know it feels funny, but we will be removing that later today."
Kagome's gaze did not leave the nurse's face. It was a fearful and disbelieving expression, border-lining on paranoia that all of this was some cruel dream; or nightmare. As Jacqueline pulled the blanket up to Kagome's waist, the patient remained rigid with distrust. When the nurse brought her hands up to adjust the feeding tube, Kagome jerked her head back and weakly tried swatting the woman's hands away.
"Don't touch me." She demanded softly, her voice croaking and strained from a week of disuse. Jacqueline was a professional and handled the situation with patience and kindness; as Kagome was hardly the orneriest patient she'd ever dealt with.
"Yes ma'am, I promise not to touch you. But I do have to check your tube and I.V.s before I can go." She had a firm, but sympathetic tone, in her voice. It reminded Kagome of Izayoi, which helped to settle her down enough to allow the nurse to complete her job. "There. I'm done. Is there anything I can get you?" She asked graciously, knowing to be hyper-sensitive with this particular patient.
"Water…" Kagome's voice was raspy, but Jacqueline understood and filled a plastic cup with water poured from the cold pitcher nearby. She handed the cup to Kagome, who grasped it tightly as she guzzled the cooling liquid. It worked to quench Kagome's thirst and moisten her lips, but the cold water also made her more aware of the surroundings. Kagome felt the dulled sensation of needles against her skin and saw the shadows that didn't really exist; familiar and unsurprised with both experiences.
"You've been asleep for a week, Miss Higurashi. The doctor will be in shortly to speak with you and answer your questions. Just relax. You're safe now." The nurse meant well, but all Kagome wanted to do was slap the ignorant and offensive woman across the face. That statement was a lie. Kagome wanted someone to understand just how unsafe she felt, how violated and angry she would always feel.
Kagome was left alone with her thoughts, her eyes fixed on the cup held between her two hands. She didn't notice how much time passed before the doctor entered her room. When the door opened, Kagome tensed and her hands gripped the cotton blanket pulled over her legs. This man was unfamiliar, but the other person coming into the room was very much a recognizable.
"Kouga." Kagome felt tears sting her eyes as her friend came around to sit in the chair resting beside the bed. He didn't move to touch her, but smiled warmly and comforted Kagome by simply being there. From the window, where the blinds were partially drawn, Kagome's family watched in silence.
"How are you feeling?" He asked kindly, putting his hand out for her to take. Kouga and the doctor watched as she drew away from the gesture. They decided not to dwell on it though.
"Kagome, my name is Andrew Randolph. I'm the attending physician on your case. I have some information to share with you, now that you're awake." A thin binder had been held between his arm and side thus far, but he quickly pulled it forward and opened the front, revealing various sheets inside. Kagome watched the handsome doctor nervously, then shifted her gaze to Kouga. He was looking down at the bed, but seemed to feel her eyes on him when he turned his attention to Kagome. She vaguely remembered him finding her, dancing and stripped down to nearly nothing, and shame quickly overcame her.
"When you arrived here, you were suffering from acute renal failure and severe symptoms of withdrawal. There were various bruises, internal injuries, and cuts that we've treated as well. We've run various blood and toxicology screens, treated what we could with antibiotics and medicine, and kept you in a sedated state to allow your body the time it needed to recover. I'm happy to tell you that, despite having been in such a breeding ground for disease and infection, you're clean of any STD's or diseases that could majorly affect your life. The IUD that was implanted into your arm was removed, and we've managed to avoid a kidney transplant. You've had two blood transfusions, so you'll regain your strength and energy soon. You did develop anemia at some point, and will have to keep an eye on it from now on; but it can be treated with iron supplements."
After that bit of reassuring news, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief and shut her eyes. There were times during her brief moments of lucidity and sobriety that Kagome worried she could contract something from one of the patrons, or Naraku himself. Of course, back then, she didn't think it mattered, since death was seemingly inevitable. Now, with the assurance of her survival, to know that she had been spared that tragedy was an amazing weight lifted from Kagome's shoulders. Kouga could see the relief written on Kagome's face and all he wanted to do was pull her into a tight hug; but he knew better than that. Unfortunately, there was more that Dr. Randolph had to divulge before his job was done.
"There is the issue of your addiction, miss Higurashi. You've had daily exposure to a very addictive and damaging substance for two years. We're counteracting the withdrawal symptoms with drugs and morphine, but once you're discharged, you will be without them. I highly encourage you to enter a rehab facility to allow yourself a safe place to get clean and sober. You will also receive counseling and support. Your kidneys were barely functioning when you got here, and any further abuse to them could cause you to need a transplant or dialysis. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" He waited quietly until Kagome gave a numb nod of her head. "Are there any questions you want to ask me?"
"I don't know." Kagome responded shortly as she looked down at the various things connected to her body. She felt the uncomfortable and strange feeling of a tube going down her nasal passage and past her throat. "When can this be removed?" She asked softly, her hand coming up to touch the plastic conduit. Dr. Randolph nodded and tucked her folder back under his arm.
"Once the detective is finished asking his questions, a nurse will come by to remove that. I suggest that you eat bland, easy foods for a few days before returning to a normal diet. If there are no further questions, I'll leave you two alone." Kagome watched the doctor leave, her mind slowly digesting everything that had just been said. She eventually turned her face towards Kouga, who was pulling an audio recorder from his pocket.
"You're a detective?" She asked quietly, her face calm and body numb. Kouga smiled warmly and nodded.
"Yeah. I've just been promoted from Junior Detective to Lead. Kagome, before I start asking you things, I have some information to share with you. I feel you have the right to know." His serious tone made her somewhat worried, but Kagome nodded anyways and looked down at her lap. She was having difficulty looking people in the eyes. "First off, Shippou is alive." This made the machine monitoring Kagome's heartbeat spike as she looked up with a shocked expression.
"He's alive? Really? Is he okay?" Her voice was tight and high with emotions threatening to break through. Kouga wanted to keep Kagome as calm as possible and made a show of taking a deep breath, insisting she do the same to slow her heartbeat down.
"Yeah, he's going to be just fine. He's been by to visit you and even laid down next to you while you were asleep. Made you that card over there." Kouga pointed across the room to a a crudely decorated and terribly misspelled card sitting on the window-sill. A smile broke across Kagome's face as she held her shuddering chest.
"I'd like to see him. I have to see for myself." She pleaded softly. Kouga expected as much.
"I'll talk to the nurse when we're through. Kagome, there's more that I have to tell you. The girls you were held captive with have been treated and returned to their families. Naraku and the others are in jail without the option to post bail; you don't have to worry about them finding you. Soon, they'll go to court and get what's coming to them." Kouga watched as Kagome's face became an unreadable mask, her eyes staring blankly out the window, which provided a view of the city. Taking her non-reaction as a sign to continue, he pressed on. "The legal team needs your testimony, Kagome. They want you to get on the stand and be in the same room as Naraku. But, I've gotten permission to record your testimony instead of forcing you to appear in person. So," Kouga began recording their conversation on the device placed on the bed between them. "Tell me, to the best of your ability, what happened."
Minutes went by without a response from her; but that didn't faze Kouga. He waited patiently, knowing his traumatized friend would open up when she was ready to. Kagome acted as if she hadn't heard his request while she continued to stare outside, her face vacant and mysterious. He couldn't tell that she was trying to gather the terrible memories from the past two years to the front of her mind; much of it she had tried to repress and forget.
"I was put in the trunk of a car with my hands tied behind my back. They shoved a rag into my mouth and put a bag over my head. I remember waking up and being dragged inside that building, up flights of stairs, and being tied to a chair. My dad was there…his name is Charlie now. He told me that I was in the way of something and that I'd only leave that building if I was dead. Naraku came in, he grabbed me and hit me, told me that it was Kikyou who wanted me out of the way." Kagome heard her friend take in a sharp breath, but didn't turn to look at him.
"Are you saying that Kikyou Itou has something to do with this?" He asked with a shocked tone. Had they not already found that out? Kagome nodded her head curtly.
"He forced that drug down my throat and told me exactly what to expect. The drug made me a slave, I couldn't stop myself from doing whatever someone told me to do. They dyed my hair, tattooed my shoulder, and put that thing in my arm. I was so out of it that I couldn't fight or scream. Miss Jane made me strip. And then Naraku came back into the room." At this point she had to draw in a shuddering breath, the memory feeling like a hot coal inside her mind. "He told me to crawl on my hands and knees towards a door. There was a bed in this small room. He took his clothes off…" Kagome's voice trailed off as she felt a familiar pressure building inside of her throat. Kouga remained silent, allowing her the respect of not interrupting. Her words painted a sickening picture in his mind.
"He told me that the only words I could say were 'Yes Naraku, harder'. I couldn't stop him from chokin and twisting me. He was so rough that I bled…I remember every second of it. I couldn't stop him. I was never able to stop any of them." On the other side of the window, where the family watched with somber expressions, no one could hear the horrific retelling of the past two years. When it came time for Kagome's testimony to be submitted at court, they'd be present and subjected to it, and it would be damn near impossible to sit through. Inuyasha watched as Kagome shut her eyes, forcing tears to roll down her cheek, as she went through what she could remember. The look on Kouga's face only confirmed that what she said were the worst things imaginable.
"I never knew what day she would come, but it was always at the same time. Kikyou made sure to keep me updated on everyone's lives. I saw my Juilliard letter, graduation and wedding announcements, pictures of vacations and holidays, and even Kagura's sonogram. Kikyou never stopped coming to tell me how everyone moved on with their lives and that they were happy without me. She told me the day that everyone decided to stop looking for me." At this point, Kagome's voice became bitter and sharp. "I probably would have tried to kill myself if Shippou hadn't come along. He's the only reason I bothered to stick around. For two years I was Naraku's whore and punching bag. He let his friends take turns with me and forced me to do disgusting things. I won't ever be able to forget it." Kagome suddenly became irate and turned her heated gaze upon Kouga's pale face.
"Kagome, I'm so sorry that we weren't able to find you. I tried to keep your case open as long as possible." He was cut off when she began rocking back and forth, her arms circling her body and face becoming a strange expression. The current dose of morphine was beginning to weaken, forcing Kagome to feel the full effects of the withdrawals and residual pain of her torture. More shadows and bright flashes that she knew weren't really there made a reappearance in the corners of Kagome's vision. The sensation of needles prickling her entire body also became glaringly noticeable.
"I told you to kill me in order to stop him. You should have done it!" The heart monitor began beeping erratically as Kagome hyperventilated. Blue eyes became wide and frantic as a cold sweat overcame her. Kagome's hands came up to grab the sides of her head, pulling at the hair that was collected in a loose bun at the top. Kouga quickly ended the recording and stood up, trying to calm his deranged friend.
"Kagome, you have to calm down. Please." He urged gently and put a hand on her shoulder. This was the final straw that sent her recoiling back and screaming in a frenzied panic. She began pulling at the I.V.s in her arm, ripping them from her skin with blood splattering across the blankets in a sickening display. Kouga cursed under his breath as he fought a wave of nausea, then pressed the emergency call button on the wall behind her bed.
"I'm already dead! Just let me die!" She cried angrily as a team of nurses rushed to surround the disturbed nineteen-year-old. Kouga was pushed to the back of the room as four women tried to subdue a thrashing and screaming Kagome, who lashed out with flailing arms and legs. Padded restraints were brought to prevent further harm to herself, or to others. A strap was secured over her chest, and one across her hips as well. Everyone watched in despair as one nurse increased the level of morphine allowed into Kagome's system, and it quickly had a sedating effect on the upset patient. Kagome was left mumbling incoherently, the words 'dead' sticking out in Kouga's memory. He couldn't stand seeing his friend in such a state, and left the room in a hurry.
"Kouga! What happened in there?" Izayoi rushed him the moment the door closed behind his back. Everyone surrounded the young detective in that instant, each begging for their questions to be answered. Kouga quickly became overwhelmed with pressure and guilt. It was too much for him to handle and he eventually hand to push through the crowd to get some fresh air. They didn't let up that easily.
"Back up! Please!" He demanded pitifully, all force gone from Kouga's voice. It was obvious that he was still shaken up and needed a moment to process everything. "I can't tell you what she just said. It's evidence that has to be admitted to the lawyers in the case against Naraku and the others." Eventually, Kouga brought his eyes up to meet Inuyasha's tortured gaze. "Kikyou did it…she's the reason Kagome was abducted. I have to let the other officers know and we'll be putting a warrant out for her arrest. She's the prime suspect now. I-I gotta go."
Inuyasha didn't get a chance to follow up with another question. Kouga turned around brusquely with a shake of his head. They all watched him leave, disappearing in the elevators down the busy hallway. Everyone was left stunned at the horrible news, none more dismayed than Inuyasha. While Kagome had been suffering, he'd been building a relationship with the person who was directly responsible for it. A wave of sudden nausea came over him, forcing the guilt-ridden man to find the nearest receptacle to empty his stomach into.