Disclaimer: I tried to claim him...but then Takahashi's lawyers stepped in... Needless to say, it ended badly...
A/N ...Yes. I've updated. I know. Long, long, long, insanely long time, no see. I only have sparse reasons. To keep it brief, school work until summer, chores and relaxing time (so sue me) during the summer, and adjustment plus reality check and wake up call at the beginning of the school year (first year university - see my bio for further details). So yes. This is an update. Thine eyes dost not deceive you. And I'm incredibly sorry for the wait.
On a happier note, In the Shadows is now also a year old (and only nine chapters - what's wrong with me?)! So yeah! Happy belated birthday to the not-so-happy story! Whoo!
Also, it's surpassed 100 reviews! Again, yay! Congrats to minaosu for being my one hundredth reviewer!
ChristyKay, lol, I didn't feel like you were criticizing me at all. I realize she's out of character (intentionally) and hopefully that will change as Inuyasha draws her out. Thanks for your understanding and your compliments. :)
Child of the Silvery Moon, I was shocked to know my writing touched you that much. :D But it shows that it's working! To know a reader responded in such a way is a huge compliment in a way words fail. Thank you!
Okay, Away Now, I have not decided on any fixed location (bad, bad author! –smacks hand–), but the story takes part somewhere in Canada. Actually, if I give the city a name, it'll probably be fictional 'cause that's how I do things. But I do it in Canada because I know and understand Canada more than anywhere. I have a very great reservation about writing the story in Japan when I know next to nothing about their cultures and customs. It would be an insult. So yes. Story's somewhere in Canada. The lower half. Hope that helps somewhat... (Kagome's parents' killer is still in jail. I don't hate or bash Kikyo either, I just hate her role – get in the way of Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship. So I don't usually go for that role for her in my fics...)
Lauren...where are you?
Ame Mizu...thanks for the awesome poem! You're right, it describes Kagome so well! I really appreciated it!
Angel In existence, I'm deeply sorry about your mother. I hope she lived a happy and fulfilling life. And I'm glad you could relate to my story; I haven't been on the receiving end of such intense feelings before and so I'm happy to know that I'm describing them accurately.
Midoriko-sama, THANK YOU so much for the constructive criticism! Lol, everyone's probably surprised that I'd want criticism of all things, but it's one thing I really do want! I've taken your words into consideration and I attempted to add some more detail to this chapter. Please tell me what you think! And thanks for the compliments!
Lunar rainbow... No, the sit command will not be in here. I don't think there's any original and plausible reason to put it in and I think it's quite unnecessary in this story. Shippo and Kouga will most likely have recurring cameos, but not too much more, I don't think. And I haven't decided about Kouga and Kagome.
Kealilah...ahahahahahaha... As I told you earlier, Inuyasha went through puberty while in the coma, since you're just DYING to know. Guys go through puberty later than girls and so Inuyasha got to skip the joys of it as he stayed in his coma. Went to bed a boy...woke up a young man. Bit of a shock, eh? And by the way...by the terms of our latest agreement...I WIN! HA! I finished my Harry Potter ending, AND this chapter...and you probably haven't even started your next chapter. ...It feels like a hollow victory. But you'll tell me anyways, right? –puppy dog eyes–
Okay...the biggest author's note this story has ever known. But I really felt like responding to you guys and plus; I'm so gracious for all your reviews! They mean so much to me and it's just so overwhelming to me that you're all enjoying it so much. Your compliments are so kind and I'll just try to keep up the good work! Starting with this seventeen page long chapter! The longest yet...and my favourite so far...enjoy!
"Sooo, Inuyasha..." Miroku started with a hint of suggestion in his tone. "About that hug you and Kagome were sharing yesterday..."
"Don't go there," Inuyasha warned.
The two boys were lounging in Inuyasha's shared room that Saturday afternoon; Souta had gone out with some friends of his own to play soccer. Inuyasha was presently lying on his bed sideways; his feet up against the wall and his head hanging over the side, hair dangling down to the floor. Miroku sat across from him at his friend's desk, one leg flung over the arm of the swivel chair that he had claimed upon entering the room. The two of them had quite opposite expressions upon their faces – Inuyasha's was guarded and defensive whereas Miroku's was amused and devious.
"You want me to drop it so easily?" Miroku asked in mock shock. "But it really looked like you two were making progress!"
"And what kind of progress would that be?" Inuyasha growled threateningly.
"Progress on getting her to come out of her little friendless bubble, of course," Miroku responded as if it were obvious. "But–my, my, Inuyasha! Were you thinking of a different kind of progress perhaps? One of the more...romantic persuasion?"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. You're not going to try that on me again, are you? A hug doesn't mean anything special. Stop having delusions."
"Okay, fine," Miroku said loftily. "I'll drop it then."
Inuyasha sighed and swept a hand across his eyes. "Thank you!"
"You're perfectly welcome." Despite Miroku's words, a knowing and slightly amused look remained on his face.
Inuyasha glared across at his friend who, from his perspective, was upside down. "If you're serious and gonna drop it, get that look off your face!"
"What look, my dear friend?" Miroku asked, the epitome of innocence.
"That look that says that you think that I think of that girl as more than just a friend!" Inuyasha said with a scowl.
Miroku smiled, taking this statement as permission to talk on the subject. "Well...seeing the two of you out there yesterday, one may presume to think..."
"Think what?" Inuyasha asked dangerously, pulling himself up onto his bed and turning around to face Miroku properly. "How could anyone think of that hug as anything more than a friendly gesture? Which it even wasn't!"
"Aha! Then it was a romantic gesture?" Miroku interjected, his eyes alight.
Inuyasha gaped then hastened to explain. "No! It wasn't a friendly gesture or a romantic gesture! It was nothing! I–I just happened to slip! And–"
"Her shoulders were coated with super glue?" Miroku cut in sardonically. "As...likely as that story sounds, somehow I don't think it'll fly."
Inuyasha's mouth snapped shut and he crossed his arms in a sulk. "I'm not talking to you anymore; you twist my words around and make me sound like an idiot."
Miroku chuckled as Inuyasha sounded more like the twelve year old boy he was before his coma. "They're your words," he said.
"But it's your twisted mind," Inuyasha pointed out.
Inuyasha glared into Miroku's innocent smile for a few moments before the door of the dorm opened and they turned to appraise the new arrival. As it was, Kagome stood in the door, glancing at each of them before quickly checking the rest of the room.
"Ah, Kagome!" Miroku greeted her as if there were no previous unpleasantness between them. Inuyasha quickly shot him a look that clearly warned him not to bring up any point of their recent discussion to her. "What brings you here?" The implication was obvious in his voice that he believed she had come seeking Inuyasha's company.
Kagome looked at the mischievous boy distractedly. "Ah...I came here looking for Souta... Do you guys know where he is?"
"Souta?" Miroku's knowing expression slipped clear off his face.
"Yeah," Kagome replied somewhat impatiently. "My brother."
Inuyasha barely held in a chuckle at the boy's dumbfounded expression. "Oh, yeah... Did I forget to mention that her brother's my roommate?"
To Inuyasha's surprise and chagrin, however, Miroku's expression soon grew confident again. "Whew...for a minute there, I thought you had competition," the black-haired boy said.
Luckily for Inuyasha, Kagome was too distracted to really pay attention to the implications of Miroku's words. On the other hand, Inuyasha was still stuck knowing the implications himself. Growling, he attempted to intensify his previous glare at Miroku before answering Kagome's inquiry.
"Keh... Souta went out to play soccer with his friends or something. He asked me to tell you that if you came by."
Kagome turned to look at him. "Oh..."
Inuyasha gave her a questioning look. "Did you need him for something important?"
Kagome sighed and came into the room, going over and sitting beside Inuyasha on his bed. "Not really... I just haven't hung out with him for a bit..."
"Well, you're always welcome to hang out with us, my dear lady," Miroku said with an inviting smile.
Kagome gave him an uncertain look, remembering her past reserve. "Um...I dunno..."
"Ehn, what else do you have to do on a Saturday at a stinking boarding school?" Inuyasha asked her, gracing her with a lazy smile.
Kagome smiled back tentatively . "Well...I suppose... But are you guys even doing anything?"
"Funny that you ask..." Miroku began.
"No, not really anything," Inuyasha broke in hastily. "Just...tutoring stuff. But we're done now." Miroku smirked.
"Ah," Kagome said. "Well...I guess I could stay for a little bit, then..."
After a few moments of silence, Inuyasha spoke up again. "So...what are we going to do?"
Miroku glanced around briefly before his eyes landed on an object on Inuyasha's desk. Picking it up, he turned to the other two. "Cards?" he asked, showing off the packet.
Inuyasha shrugged. "Sounds about as good as anything."
"Yeah, okay," Kagome agreed, still slightly nervous about the whole situation.
As Miroku began dealing the cards out for their game of choice, Crazy Eights, he decided to speak up again. "So...you know what tomorrow is?"
Inuyasha raised his eyebrow. "Uh...Sunday?" he asked.
Miroku rolled his eyes. "Yes, that. But also; October thirty-first! Halloween!"
"Oh, goodie," Inuyasha oozed sarcastically. "Going out in a costume to trick-or-treat, Miroku?"
Miroku sighed and shook his head. "Actually, I was thinking more about going to the Halloween dance tomorrow night. Have you guys even heard of it?"
Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other blankly before looking back at Miroku. Neither said anything. In response, Miroku gaped at them. "Do you guys walk around the school blindfolded and with ear plugs in? Everybody's talking about it and there are posters up all around the school!"
Kagome and Inuyasha still remained unmoved. "Yeah...I don't pay much attention to those things..." Inuyasha ventured. "I really have other things to concern myself with."
Kagome nodded. "Me too."
Miroku looked at each of them skeptically. "But now that you know...you guys are coming, aren't you?"
Without looking up from their cards, the pair shook their heads. "Nah..." Inuyasha shrugged.
"Yeah, not really..." Kagome agreed, placing a card on the pile in front of her.
"Oh, come on!" Miroku urged, placing his own cards down, two jacks that caused Inuyasha and Kagome to miss their turns. "You two have to go! Besides..." A sly twinkle came into his eye. "What will the student body think if you don't...?"
Inuyasha and Kagome both looked up with equally confused expressions. "Somehow, I don't think they'll even notice..." Inuyasha said slowly.
"Oh, I'm not so sure..." Miroku said in a knowing voice, eyeing the cards in his hand thoughtfully.
Inuyasha let out a frustrated sigh. "What are getting at now, Miroku?"
Miroku hovered his free hand over his cards as if trying to decided which card to pick to play. "Well, you see... With that...lovely display yesterday... You know; the hug between the two of you and all..." Two identical and awkward coughs met his words. Hiding a grin, Miroku continued. "If neither of you showed up at the dance tomorrow night, some might be led to believe that you're off alone together. You know...stirring up some feelings and attractions and crushes and generally getting better 'acquainted' all around. You wouldn't actually want anybody to suspect there to be a romantic relationship amongst your innocent friendship, would you now?" Finally placing a card down and looking up, Miroku was quite pleased to see that his companions' faces were now extremely red and neither one could seem to look at the other.
"W–why would anyone think such a thing?" Kagome asked finally.
"Well, it is the logical assumption," Miroku replied innocently.
"B-but there's nothing going on!" Inuyasha protested in a slightly panicked voice.
"You don't have to tell me that," Miroku said placatingly. "But the rest of the school doesn't know you like I do. Who knows what their twisted minds could come up with? You know how ridiculous rumours can get! I would just hate to see it happen. And it would. Trust me on this. Oh, and pick up two, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha seemed to forget that it had been Miroku's twisted mind he had been battling with earlier. He and Kagome glanced at each other uneasily. "Well...I suppose..." he gave way.
"Maybe just for a short while..." Kagome conceded.
A brilliant smile blossomed across Miroku's face.
"But I ain't wearing no stinking costume!" Inuyasha declared vehemently.
Miroku's smile didn't dim in the slightest. "Of course not. No one's asking you to. Only to show up!"
Inuyasha cast the boy a suspicious glance. "Why are you so happy? Why do you want us to go so bad? And last card, by the way."
"My dear friend, I'm only so happy because your reputations will remain unscathed!" Miroku answered cheerily.
"What reputations?" Inuyasha asked at the same time that Kagome said, "You mean they'll remain to the same degree of scathed as they ever were?"
Miroku sniffed. "If you want to be pessimistic about it, I suppose. But just think; going to this dance will raise everyone's opinions of you! You'll just be two people fitting in like everyone else!"
At this idea, a small smile appeared on Kagome's face. "You're right, aren't you? So maybe this is a good thing."
"Of course it is!" Miroku encouraged. "Like, I, Miroku, would ever try to steer you two wrong!"
"The jury's still out on that..." Inuyasha muttered, placing his final card on the pile. "Ha! I win!" Then he sighed and relented to Miroku's badgering. "And I suppose you might have a point about the dance. Alright; we'll go."
"Perfect," Miroku purred. Meanwhile, he thought to himself, Like anyone would notice if you two weren't there. Have either of you been to a school dance before? Honestly... Those rumours would only start to circulate if a certain someone were to start them... Soooo glad you guys agreed to come. Otherwise, who knows what I could come up with to tell the general populace? With a sly smile, Miroku redealt the cards.
..:V:..
"So...you're going to the Halloween dance?" Souta asked Kagome with a slightly doubtful frown. It was the following day, only a few hours before said dance, and Souta was hanging out with Kagome in her shared dorm while she tried to figure out what she was going to wear. Sango had gone out with a few of her other friends for the day, planning on being back only a short time before the start of the dance.
"Yep," Kagome confirmed for the third time. "I'm going to the dance and masquerading as a normal girl. Is that so hard to believe?"
"Well..." Souta shifted uncomfortably. "I suppose not... I mean, I am glad you've decided to go... It's just a little unexpected, that's all. You...don't usually go to these types of things."
"Well, Miroku said it'd be just like fitting in with everyone else and I know he probably didn't mean much by it, but it really did get me thinking. This could be the thing that gets my–reputation, if you will–back on track, you know? It will show everyone that I'm not just some creepy girl who displays uncalled–for nastiness and convulses every once and a while. Oh. And screams in the middle of the cafeteria when she gets a little ketchup on her shirt." Unexpectedly, Kagome smiled a little as she continued to sift through the clothes in her wardrobe.
Souta gave her an odd look and chose his words carefully. "...Sis? You seem...unusually chipper. Are you sure you're feeling alright? Did something happen?"
"Not really," Kagome replied vaguely, pulling out a skirt to look at.
"Sis?" Souta prodded.
Kagome sighed. "Well...if you must know, well...you see...erm...I kinda... Well, a couple days ago, I kinda told Inuyasha about, uh, everything." She mumbled this last part while looking down and fiddling with the skirt in her hands.
Souta's eyes bulged. "You what! Everything!"
Kagome coughed and looked up with a hesitant grin. "Um, yeah... Well, not everything, I suppose. I didn't tell him about the visions or the nightmares."
Souta eyed her carefully. "I didn't think you ever wanted to tell anyone...?"
Kagome shrugged one shoulder and replaced the skirt in the closet. "I'm not even sure myself why I told him... But for some reason, I felt like I could...connect with him, that'd he understand somehow... In any case, it felt surprisingly good to tell someone else about it all. Kinda like some sort of weight had been lifted off, you know? As if I didn't have to bear the burden alone anymore..."
Souta got up from his seat on Kagome's bed and walked over to his big sister, hugging her around her midriff. "You've never been alone, sis. I've always been here with you."
Kagome hugged him back with a sad smile. "I know, Souta. And I thank you. But even you can only hold so much. I've burdened you for so long with my problems and you never complain... But I know I must really interfere with your normal life...and I've caused you to grow up too fast. You're so mature for your age... I wish I could take back all the trouble I've caused you. I need to take back the burden I've placed on you."
Souta looked up at her and gave her a small grin. "I'm only mature around you, sis. And besides, I don't mind the burden. I like being there for you. You'll always be able to count on me."
Kagome gazed down fondly on her younger brother and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Thanks, Souta," she whispered.
They stayed together for a few moments before Souta pulled away and gave Kagome a questioning look. "So...does this mean you're starting to trust Inuyasha now?" he asked, slightly confused. "And I thought you said you were going to try to steer clear of others. ...I heard what happened between you and Sango."
Kagome adopted an uncomfortable expression. "I...I'm not sure what I'm doing... I wasn't planning on telling Inuyasha all of that stuff... It just sort of came out... But now that he knows...I can't just ignore him, you know? I'm just not sure..." Kagome gave her brother a look of such confusion that he decided he'd best drop the subject for the time being.
Instead, Souta sat back down on Kagome's bed and said, "Gee sis, are you planning on wearing anything at all to this dance? Or are you just going naked?"
Her mind set jolted back to the task at hand, Kagome turned around with a soft "oh!" and began once again rummaging in her closet.
Once Kagome had finally decided on a black skirt and a modest top of varying shades of blue, she and Souta lounged around for the remaining few hours before the dance, recounting any and all recent events that popped into their heads and that they thought were worth relating to one another. They also discussed what each of them thought about the new school they were attending. Souta thought it to be a bit tough and strict, but overall fun, and Kagome thought it also to be challenging, but was enjoying the fact that at least her reputation was not yet beyond repair.
Three quarters of an hour before the dance was to begin, Sango passed the open dorm room door, followed closely by a young boy only a few years older than Souta himself. The two of them glanced at Kagome and Souta briefly, the boy giving Souta a slight wave, before continuing on their way.
"Who was that boy?" Kagome asked Souta with a slight frown.
Souta shrugged. "Oh, that's Kohaku. His room's the one across the hall from mine. He's pretty cool. He and a couple of his friends came out and played soccer with us yesterday even though they're a couple years older than us. It was fun. I think Sango's his sister."
"Oh, that would make sense," Kagome said in understanding. "Well, little bro, I better start getting ready for this dance so I'm gonna have to kick you out now, okay?"
Souta grinned. "Okay; I have to go work on a project that's due tomorrow anyway..."
Kagome gave him a mock stern look. "Are you leaving homework to the last minute again?"
Souta adopted an overly innocent look. "Of course not!" he responded as if hurt before grinning again and scampering out the door.
Kagome smiled as she shut the door behind him and turned back to the clothes she had laid out. Swiftly changing into them, she appraised her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she tried to decide what to do about her hair. Thinking that having a large portion of the student body all jammed into one gymnasium was bound to raise the temperature, Kagome figured she'd much rather have her hair off her neck and went about sticking it up into a messy up-do. Just as she was pinning down the last few stray hairs, Sango entered the dorm room alone, yet holding a few CDs in her hand that she hadn't been previously. Evidently, she'd gone up with her brother to his room to borrow them from him.
Kagome hastily vacated the bathroom so that Sango could use it and have some privacy to get ready for the dance. She then checked herself over to make sure she was fit to be seen and decided to make her way to the gym, even if she was fifteen minutes early.
When Kagome reached her destination, she noticed that quite a few other students had shown up early as well, and after waiting in a line for a while, Kagome finally paid for her admittance to the dance and received a stamp on the back of her hand. She then followed the students who had already paid into the now open gymnasium. It was dark save for many colourful, flashing lights and there were many Halloween decorations strewn around on the walls and hanging from the ceiling; everything from skeletons and ghosts to bats and spiders. The pounding music was just beginning to play and the few teens who had already entered the gym started dancing eagerly to the beat. Though to Kagome's eyes, their dancing looked like a metronome beat than anything else. Shrugging to herself, Kagome went to join the masses, though not quite sure she had a clue about what she was trying to do. She didn't see Inuyasha or Miroku anywhere yet, though, so she sighed to herself and attempted to copy the metronome dance in tune with the beat.
After a few incredibly boring minutes, Kagome spotted Miroku enter the gym with a broad grin and a reluctant Inuyasha clutched in his grip. Feeling a wave of relief wash over her at spotting people she knew, Kagome worked her way towards them through the growing crowd.
When Miroku spotted her approaching, his grin widened and he gave her a little wave. "Ah, Kagome!" he called over the pounding music. "Enjoying yourself?"
Kagome gave a non-committal shrug. "Truthfully? I can't really remember why I agreed to come!" she yelled back.
Inuyasha gave a short bark of laughter and gave Miroku a triumphant look. "See? I'm not the only one who thinks this is an utterly idiotic idea!"
Miroku just continued to smile. "That's just because you haven't gotten into it yet!" And with that, he pushed them both into the fray.
"Ahhh–Miroku!" Kagome screamed as she crashed through a group of affronted-looking grade nines, Inuyasha right behind her. "Eh, heh–sorry!" she excused herself.
"I'm gonna kill that guy–!" Inuyasha exclaimed, trying to turn around again and get back to Miroku. Unfortunately, the crowd had closed around them, and Miroku had disappeared from where he had been a few seconds ago.
Fuming, Inuyasha turned back to Kagome who was now uncomfortably close to him due to the pushing mob around them. She was so close, in fact, he bet he could count her individual eyelashes. There was no earthly reason anyone ever had to be that close to someone else, surely?
He coughed into his hand, hoping the gesture would hide any slight colour change in his cheeks. Not that there would be any. Why would his cheeks ever have reason to change colour? Now that he thought of it, he really wasn't sure why he had started coughing...
Nevertheless, Inuyasha's cough alerted Kagome to how close they were as well. "Sorry," she said ruefully, indicating the oblivious 'dancers' around her. "Who knew people could be–so–pushy!" With a slight grunt, Kagome placed her hands on Inuyasha's chest and used the brace to heave herself backwards against the back of a boy who had practically been shimmy-ing against her. With a cry, the boy pitched forwards into his female companion, who actually seemed quite delighted with this turn of events.
Laughing, Kagome turned back to Inuyasha to find him staring down at her. With a jolt, Kagome realized that her hands were still against his hardened chest. She yanked them away as little electric thrills went through her fingertips and found that now it was her turn to cough without explanation. Avoiding Inuyasha's unreadable gaze, Kagome stuttered, "You know – I'm kinda thirsty. I think I'll go get some punch!"
With that, Kagome spun around and worked her way as quickly as she could towards a table holding punch bowls she'd seen upon her arrival. What WAS that back there? she thought to herself, horrified. What has gotten into me lately?
No sooner had Kagome found a styrofoam cup and filled it with some sort of orange-coloured punch had Inuyasha come up beside her and repeated her actions. He seemed to have gotten over his shock and was behaving as if nothing had happened at all. And yet, the awkward silence persisted as the two of them took a few sips of their punch and stared around the gym at nothing in particular. Miroku seemed like a distant memory now...
Finally, with an irritated sigh, Inuyasha drained his punch and chucked his cup in the garbage nearby. "This is stupid. I don't even know why people like coming to these things. Let's leave."
Kagome gave him a surprised look. "We've only been here for like fifteen minutes."
Inuyasha eyed her. "Don't tell me you're actually enjoying yourself?"
Kagome gave him a half grin. "Well...no, to tell you the truth. It's just that I parted with all that money to get in here. You know, they really do charge too much. And besides, where do you propose we go instead?"
Now it was Inuyasha's turn to grin. "I know of the best place you'll ever find in this school. Come on, I'll show you."
Kagome only needed about a split second to make up her mind. Glancing down at her almost full punch cup, she decided to take it with her since she'd never be able to drink it as fast as Inuyasha had his. "Okay," she agreed. "Lead the way."
Inuyasha was surprisingly easy to follow through the tightly-knit crowd of dancing students. He pushed through them with an attitude and force that brooked no opposition and if Kagome stayed close enough behind him, she could walk in his wake easily before the disgruntled dancers once again filled the gap. Inuyasha's silver hair swished behind him rhythmically as he walked along and the ears atop his head were pressed firmly against his head, where, Kagome realized in retrospect, they had been ever since he had set foot in the gym. A pang of sympathy hit Kagome as she realized that if she was incredibly bothered by the loudness of the pounding music, she couldn't imagine how wretched Inuyasha must feel. Glancing furtively around, Kagome noticed that most of the students who had shown up for the dance that evening seemed distinctly human and only the types of demons with less sensitive hearing had turned up as well. In that case, in addition to the horrible music and smelly, sweaty bodies, Kagome thought she perfectly understood why Inuyasha wanted to get out of the place as quickly as possible.
When they at last reached the fresh air of the hallway, Kagome took a deep breath and tried to adjust to the fact that now that they were away from the loud music, it felt like someone had stuffed cotton in her ears and all noise sounded muted. But soon she noticed Inuyasha waiting impatiently and hastened to catch up with him.
"Sooo...are you going to tell me where we're going before we get there or am I supposed to guess...? Or–don't tell me–you're going to blindfold me and lead me to some secret room that no one's ever known about and that isn't even on the school building blueprints?"
Inuyasha snorted. "Hardly. We're going up to the roof."
"Oh..." Kagome said, slightly deflated. "Well, that can still be exciting, I suppose." As they sprinted up a flight of stairs, a thought occurred to her. "Wait–are we even allowed up there?"
Inuyasha flashed her a fanged grin over his shoulder. "Nope!"
Kagome gaped at his back as they started down the third and top floor corridor. "Well–won't we get in trouble then?" she asked nervously.
Inuyasha scoffed without looking back. Stopping beside a door at the end of the hallway and indicating it, he responded, "Only if we get caught." When Kagome continued to look apprehensive, he added, "Which has never happened, okay? Jeez, relax."
"Well...okay," Kagome agreed, though still sounding a tad doubtful. She tried the door. "It's locked," she said pointlessly.
"For now," Inuyasha said with a mischievous look in his eyes. He pulled a hairpin out of his pocket and deftly picked the lock in less time than it took Kagome to blink. Grumbling about unnatural skills, Kagome then followed him through the doorway and waited as he closed the door behind them.
They were in a room no bigger than a closet and a steep, narrow ladder led up to the ceiling overhead. Inuyasha scaled it quickly, and opened a trap door that immediately brought in the sweet scent of outdoors. Hauling himself up and out, he reached back down to take Kagome's drink from her as she proceeded to do the same as safely as she could in her skirt. Once she had stood up and retrieved her drink, she looked around and gasped. It was not so much the expanse of the roof, which was quite a bit, or the look of it, for it was quite flat and plain, covered with gray concrete; it was the breathtaking view of a portion of the city that really astonished her. It was ablaze with city lights – parking lot lights, street lights, traffic lights, lights inside office buildings – and the effect caused the city to look like some sort of surreal science fiction city of the future. The sight of the waning moon completed the picture, though the stars were outshone by the lights below.
"Wow, Inuyasha," Kagome breathed, walking over to the railing on the edge of the roof and trying to take it all in. "You were right. This is amazing."
"Keh!" Inuyasha exclaimed, springing up and landing on a crouch on the narrow railing. "Of course! I never lie!"
Kagome was so amazed at his incredible balance that she neglected to dispute that statement. "That's a neat trick," she admitted.
Inuyasha shrugged. "It's the demon blood."
Kagome scrutinized him. "You–you're only half demon, right?"
Inuyasha's demeanor turned hostile so fast Kagome was taken aback. "Yeah–so?"
"I didn't say it was a bad thing!" Kagome defended herself. "I was only clarifying and confirming what I'd heard! And what difference does it make? It's not like being a half demon makes you less of a person."
Inuyasha stared at her for a moment before looking angrily away. "Keh! What would you know?"
Kagome sighed, but decided she should let it go for the time being. Arguing against discrimination didn't make it go away. Five hundred years ago, humans and demons had fought fiercely, the differences between them vast. But as time went on, they had found ways to live peacefully alongside one another. Without the need for strength and power to fight anymore, demons had started going through natural changes; they had started evolving. Most of their powers were lost to the demons of today, only traces remaining. Modern demons usually had the indicating body parts of their species, heightened senses, and a slightly better sense of balance and agility, but for the most part, their strength had been reduced to that of an average human's and all extra powers had ebbed away as well.
But although the difference between human and demon had significantly decreased, people still held onto their old ideals. Pure blooded humans and demons were revered above anything else, and half demons looked down upon with scorn. Both humans and demons considered them to be a disgrace to their respective species and therefore they were forced to endure far worse discrimination than almost anyone in the world.
Kagome felt empathy for the boy beside her, but she couldn't say anything to reassure him if he refused to touch on the subject without thinking she thought like everyone else. Maybe she'd give it another go later on when he trusted her more...
Kagome took another gulp of her punch as she racked her brains for a new subject. "Sooo... Do you come up here often?" she asked, mentally berating herself as her question came out sounding like a really bad pick up line.
Inuyasha didn't seem to notice the same thing Kagome did as he concentrated on his answer, his expression relaxing. Sliding his feet out from underneath him so that he was now sitting on the railing with his legs dangling over a three story drop, he answered, "I used to... Back before the coma, you know? I used to come up here all the time. But I haven't been up here since I woke up. This is the first time. Heh, looks a bit neglected." He scraped a flake of rust from the underside of the railing and flicked it out into a breeze that fluttered past.
Kagome's eyes softened as she regarded the silver-haired half demon. He looked so lost, so alone. She knew the feeling. It was eerie how in tune with him she felt, how connected she felt to his feelings. She had the feeling he would never admit any of them to her, but she knew what they were all the same. She had told Inuyasha that she didn't know what he was feeling and wouldn't presume to know...but she had felt like she was lying to herself when she had spoken those words. And yet, she had known they would be the only words he would accept at the time. She knew she hated it when anyone tried to tell them they understood...because she knew they didn't. They hadn't been through anything like she had. But Inuyasha had. And since their tragedies were similar, she felt a connection to his feelings with an intense insight.
This abnormal connection was bound to be dangerous, she thought suddenly, apprehensively. She was getting too close to Inuyasha. It had been such a hectic past week that she hadn't noticed, but she was in very great danger of becoming...friends with him. If she wasn't already. Kagome's heart immediately rushed into overdrive. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening.
Did Inuyasha think they were friends? Suddenly his opinion determined everything for her. If he didn't think they were friends, she was okay. But if he did... She needed to know. "Inuyasha?" she started tentatively.
"Yeah?" Inuyasha responded, still distracted with picking rust off of the railing.
"Do...do you think we're f-friends?" she asked nervously, taking a swill of punch to sooth her suddenly dry throat.
The rust suddenly didn't seem quite so interesting to Inuyasha anymore. He looked up sharply to see Kagome avoiding his gaze and looking incredibly uncomfortable. "I don't know..." he answered truthfully and a little miffed. "What do you think?"
"I don't know either..." Kagome responded in a small voice.
Inuyasha had a feeling that she was not comforted in the least by this idea. But he had no idea why it was such a big deal. "What does it matter anyway?" he asked, his question mirroring his thoughts.
Kagome fidgeted with the cup in her hands and didn't answer right away. In fact, she was silent for so long, Inuyasha wondered if she was even going to respond at all. Finally, in an even more subdued voice than before, she admitted, "I...I'm...scared..."
"Of what?" Inuyasha asked, willing himself to take the scepticism out of his tone. She looked on the verge of becoming frantic and he didn't want to agitate her further. In one smooth motion, he pulled his legs up and swung around on the railing to stand back down on the concreted roof beside Kagome.
"I'm...I'm scared of...becoming friends...with you..." Kagome said, trailing off into a whisper. She quickly drained the last of her punch as a distraction.
Inuyasha's brow furrowed. "Why?" The scepticism in his voice this time was unmistakable.
Kagome finally looked up at him and he was startled to see her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Don't you understand?" she asked in almost a pleading voice. "Anyone who I've ever been friends with, anyone I've ever been close to...they all...they all...died." A lone tear slipped down her cheek.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha started softly. "You...you...?" A thought occurred to him. "Oh...you think anyone who's your friend will be killed in some way? ...This is why you pushed Sango away, isn't it? "
Kagome shook her head violently. "It's too dangerous! I can't bear to see another person die! I'll go mad! I swear to you I will!"
"Kagome!" Inuyasha said a little bit more forcefully as he took her shoulders in his hands. "Kagome, listen to me. People don't die because you make friends with them. If someone was going to die, your being their friend wouldn't have any effect on it–"
"Well, then you tell me why all the people close to me die!" Kagome retorted angrily. "Just a nice big coincidence, is it? I just had the misfortune of being related to and meeting all the people who were next on the list to be taken to the afterlife, was I? I'll tell you something! My parents would never have tried to confront that burglar if they weren't trying to protect me and Souta! Kikyo would never have gotten hit by that car if she hadn't been crossing the street to see me! And Hojo certainly wouldn't have been killed if I hadn't suggested we take the shortcut home! Try telling me they would have still died if I hadn't been in the picture! You–you just don't k-know–" But at this point, Kagome was too choked up to continue her rant.
"None of that is your fault!" Inuyasha yelled in frustration. "You are not the cause of their deaths! If the burglar hadn't decided to be a bastard and murder your parents, they would still be alive! If those teenagers hadn't decided to drink and drive, your friend, Kikyo, would still be alive! And if a messed up gang of thugs hadn't decided to commit murder over a bit of pocket change, your other friend, Hojo, would still be alive! Don't you see? You're the last person to blame for their deaths! There were people a lot more responsible for them than you!"
Kagome looked stunned in the face of this reasoning. "Bu–but... But it can't all be a coincidence. Everyone who–"
"Who's close to you has died?" Inuyasha cut in. "Do you really believe that? Have you not ever had any other friends that haven't died?"
"Well–" Kagome shifted uncomfortably.
"And do you or do you not have a younger brother that has been with you through all of this and who has never come into harm's way once?" Inuyasha asked pointedly.
"Souta..." Kagome whispered to herself, tearing her gaze away from Inuyasha and looking back over the city. She bit her lip and Inuyasha realized she still wasn't completely convinced. He took his left hand off of her shoulder and cupped her cheek with it instead, pulling her face back around so he could look into her eyes, hoping to convey some deeper meaning as he spoke.
"Kagome. I don't know whether we're friends. But I do know that if we are, that doesn't mean I'm going to die. You're not a curse. You don't cause the death of everyone you befriend. Nobody dies just because you're a part of their life."
Kagome let out a choked sob and leaned into Inuyasha's hand slightly. "Inuyasha... I want to believe that so much. B–but..."
"Kagome, it comes down to this," Inuyasha interrupted her. "Do you or do you not want to be friends? I swear to you that whether I live or die does not depend on your answer. In the end, it's whether you just want some company or not. My life doesn't hang in the balance. So. Do you want a friend or not?"
Kagome stared resolutely at him for few moments, tears brimming in her eyes, before she broke down and admitted, "I d-do! I want to be friends...! I-I want a friend so b-badly...!" Crying, she flung herself on Inuyasha who, though surprised at first, gently wrapped his arms around her shaking figure.
"Then I'll be your friend, Kagome," Inuyasha told her softly as she continued to cry into his chest. "And you can be mine..."
..:V:..
After that night on the roof with Inuyasha, Kagome felt refreshed and ready to tackle almost any obstacle. The knowledge that he was there and on her side gave her a newfound sense of confidence – she felt a source of inner strength she'd never had before. They became almost inseparable, sitting beside each other in the classes they shared and meeting in between the classes they didn't. They also ate lunch together every day under the Tree where hardly anyone would ever bother them. Now that Inuyasha had eased some of her worries about making friends, Kagome desperately clung to their friendship as if it were a precious lifeline.
It was odd, yet for some reason when Kagome was around Inuyasha, she didn't worry as much about her troubles – he made her nearly forget her hardships and feel like the only thing that was important was to have a good time. He made her laugh in a way no one had been able to for nearly three years and as days passed, she found herself growing more and more attached to him, wishing their days together would never end.
On Inuyasha's part, he had never felt such a connection to another person. He had loved his parents, but they had been the only ones close to him in his life. His older brother, Sesshoumaru, did not get along too well with him, even though he provided for his younger brother and looked out for him. And though Inuyasha had had a few friendships before his coma, when he woke up, they had mostly faded into the background, not knowing how to approach him. Not that they had been all that close anyways. His friendship with Kagome was somehow different, somehow more personnel. They understood each other on a deeper level, both having lived through tragedies and each still bearing the emotional wounds as if they were fresh. Because of this understanding, they were able to connect and share things with each other in a way other friends could only dream of.
And yet...Inuyasha couldn't help feeling that Kagome was keeping something from him. He didn't know what it was, but there were a few too many unexplained incidents...like when she had come into his and Souta's room that one night crying about some boy she couldn't find...or when she'd had that eerie trance in their MSP class... He had to admit, the curiosity gnawed at him like nothing else, but he was determined not to push her about it. After all, she wasn't the only one keeping secrets...
On a Friday evening, two weeks after the Halloween dance, there came a soft knock on Inuyasha's dorm room door. "Inuyasha?" the principal's voice floated through the door.
"What is it, old lady?" Inuyasha muttered in response, his voice muffled by the sheets over his head.
"Please come with me."
"No."
Kaede sighed. "Please come out, Inuyasha. I've got a hat for you."
Inuyasha took a moment to register this comment and then shot up in a sitting position on his bed. "...What?" he growled. "How the hell do you...?"
"You're brother informed me of your unique situation," Kaede responded calmly. "Now come along, before Souta Higurashi comes back from dinner. You'd rather he didn't see you, correct?"
Inuyasha grumbled for a moment, trying to come up with a reason to protest, but finally giving in. He shuffled out from under the sheets of his bed, still fulling dressed, and went over to the door.
"Goddamn Sesshoumaru..." he muttered as he opened the door to see Kaede waiting expectantly for him, holding out a hat of horrid proportions. "What the hell is that?"
The principal gave him a flat look. "It's a hat...it had to be bigger to hold all your hair. Oh, quit complaining, Inuyasha, and put it on."
"It looks like an oversized beret. There's no way I'm walking around with that on my head!" Inuyasha protested vehemently.
Kaede glared at him for a moment before abruptly shoving it down over his head.
"Hey! Hey...alright! Fine! Geez..." Inuyasha gathered up his long hair and bunched it under the hat, making sure that no strands showed. When he was done, the principal held out a pair of sunglasses. Without a word, Inuyasha took them and slipped them over his eyes.
"Now...come with me," Kaede instructed and walked down the hallway. Crossing his arms sullenly, Inuyasha followed.
They descended to the first floor, taking the utmost effort to avoid all possible contact with other students, until they reached the teacher's lounge.
"I excused all of the other teachers early," Kaede explained. "You can stay in here for the night."
"Do they all know...?"
"No," Kaede said, shaking her head. "I am the only one. Now, you can lock the door from the inside, and other than the custodians, I'm the only one with a key. And I have specifically instructed the custodians to avoid this room for tonight. Don't worry, Inuyasha, you're not the first one I've had to do this for since I arrived here three years ago. It'll be fine."
Inuyasha snorted. "Whatever..." With that, he entered the dark room and shut and locked the door behind him. With a sigh of relief, he pulled off the hat and sunglasses. He lost his relaxed position, however, when he heard a familiar voice on the other side of the door.
"Ms. Hakaru? Was Inuyasha just here?" Kagome. Inuyasha's fists clenched as his stomach did a flipflop.
"No, child. You must be mistaken," Kaede responded kindly.
"Oh...but I could have sworn I just saw him come around here with you. He had a big weird hat on..."
Inuyasha smacked his forehead.
"Your eyes must be playing tricks on you," Kaede insisted. "After all, why would Inuyasha be with me? I only see students during the school hours."
"Oh...of course. Sorry to bother you, Ms. Hakaru." Fading footsteps indicated Kagome's departure. Once again, Inuyasha let out a sigh of relief.
"We'll have to be a little more careful next time, I see," Kaede's voice drifted through the door before she, too, walked off.
Tiredly, Inuyasha shuffled over to a couch and flopped face down, planning not to get up until the night was over.
..:V:..
The night event was quickly put from both Inuyasha and Kagome's minds as they continued on with their daily lives. Life went on as normally as theirs could and a Thursday two weeks later found them walking down a hallway together on the way to their shared MSP class fifteen minutes early.
"So you're saying that two people can think that it takes a different amount of time for the same event to happen because they're in different reference frames?" Inuyasha was saying with a completely baffled look on his face as he tried to figure out their Physics lesson from earlier that morning. "And they're both right?"
Kagome nodded. "Apparently."
Inuyasha pounded a fist on his forehead. "Gah! Who wastes so much time caring about all this stuff? There should just be a straight and simple answer to everything. None of this theoretical crap..."
Kagome sighed. "But then where would the human race be? We're all so focused on advancing technologically and learning all the secrets of the universe that if everything was suddenly answered and we had nothing left to do...we'd probably just waste away."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Says you."
Kagome stuck out her tongue. "Says me. And we all know my word is absolute."
"Yeah, right," Inuyasha scoffed, shoving her playfully.
"Now, now, shoving a lady isn't very gentlemanlike," Kagome scolded with a dignified expression.
"Ha! I see neither a lady nor a gentleman here," Inuyasha responded.
"How uncouth," Kagome sniffed.
"Un–what?"
"Uncouth. Go look it up, my vocabulary-challenged friend," Kagome said, marching determinedly forward.
"You're just jealous," Inuyasha said confidently, walking in step with her.
"Oh, yeah? Of what, pray tell?" Kagome asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Of my steamy good looks, of course," Inuyasha said with a wink as he raked a hand through his silver locks.
Kagome suffered such a violent giggling fit, a book dropped out of her hands. Laughing, she bent down to retrieve it as Inuyasha's eyes twinkled at her. Not that his looks aren't kinda steamy–whoo, shouldn't go there...
In response, Kagome flipped her black hair over her shoulder. "Ha! Why should I be jealous of you when I've got steamy looks of my own?"
Inuyasha stopped in the middle of the hallway. Kagome stopped too, in order to see that he was looking her up and down. "Nah..." he finally said with a teasing smirk. "You've got nothing on me."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh, get over yourself."
She took a step forward and suddenly felt herself being plunged into cold water. She tried to scream, but no sound penetrated the liquid all around her. Her eyes darted around for a clue as to what was going on and the only sight she found was that of a girl struggling as she tried to free her hair from something. In a flash of insight, Kagome realized who the girl was as she raised her head to scream, locking eyes with Kagome. Then she went limp.
Kagome's books crashed to the floor as she came back to herself with an overwhelming sick feeling in her stomach. "Sango..." she whispered in a shaken voice before she abruptly took off down the hallway.
Inuyasha was left stupefied in her wake. One minute they had been bickering playfully and the next Kagome was stuck in one of those trances again... And now she was running off... "H-hey! Wait up! Kagome, where ya goin'?" Hastily, he scooped up her discarded books and charged after her.
Kagome was running so fast and determinedly that Inuyasha was only able to catch up with her when she stopped at her own dorm room. Fumbling, she slipped her key into the door and unlocked it, ignoring Inuyasha's questions. As soon as she entered and saw that both the room and the bathroom were empty, she took a split second to deliberate and then took off once again, running out and down the hallway without even bothering to shut the door behind her. Inuyasha took a bewildered glance around the room as well, dropped his and Kagome's books on her bed, and then followed her lead once again.
He exited the room just in time to see her disappear through the doors leading to the staircase. "Kagome...what has gotten into you...?" he muttered as he ran after her. Taking the steps two at a time, Inuyasha gained some time on the fleeing girl and caught sight of her as she exited the stairwell on the second floor. She seemed to be heading straight for his own room. Confused, Inuyasha watched her as she slowed down and stopped in front of his door. But instead of knocking or going in, she turned and went to the door across the hall, pounding on it violently.
"Uh...Kagome...?" Inuyasha prompted, though the girl didn't respond.
The door she was disturbing was abruptly opened and a curious younger boy peered out. He had brown eyes set in an already handsome face, with freckles sprinkling the bridge of his nose. His shaggy dark brown hair was pulled up in a high pony tail which somehow gave him an endearing look instead of girly one and he was dressed in the school's standard uniform; black slacks, and a white dress shirt covered by a black, button up jacket. He gazed up perplexedly at the two older kids in his doorway.
"Uh, hey," Kagome said in a rushed voice. "You're Kohaku, right? Sango's brother?"
Still confused, the boy nodded.
"Hi, I'm Kagome, Sango's roommate and Souta's sister. Is Sango here?" she rushed forward, hardly letting the boy register her words.
"Um, no..." the boy said, a little overwhelmed. "She has class right now...gym. In the pool."
Kagome swore she felt her heart stop. Wildly, her eyes flitted around the boy's room in search of something, anything to give her the sense that her feet were still touching the ground. Her gaze landed on a pair of scissors resting on a desk. Her face set and she barged past a startled Kohaku in order to snatch them where they lay. "Can I borrow these? Thanks," she said, not even giving the boy time to respond as she abruptly turned and ran back out of the room.
Inuyasha gave the boy a "I have no idea either" look before once again dashing after the erratic girl.
..:V:..
"Aaahhh!" Sango sighed as she breached the surface of the water. She glanced around and saw her gym teacher telling some of the other students how to improve their strokes. A few more of the students were just fooling around like she was; relaxing after all the lengths they'd swum, waiting as the class drew to a close. The lifeguard, a boy she knew vaguely as Kouga, was chatting up a pretty redhead in the pool, not really paying attention to his job. Sango rolled her eyes. Everyone had priorities...some people's were just a little less noble than others...
Lazily, she did a few back strokes and moved towards the deeper end of the pool. Feeling like challenging herself, Sango performed a flawless head-first surface dive and swam as fast as she could towards the bottom of the pool. Triumphantly, she made contact with the ceramic tiles of the bottom, before flipping around and attempting to swim back up to the surface.
But something was wrong. There was a yanking sensation at the top of her forehead and a muffled cry of pain escaped her lips. Frantically, she looked down and felt with her hands... Her hair was caught! Upon closer inspection, she saw that there was a broken pool filter embedded in the tiles...and the front portion of her hair had come free from her ponytail and was tangled within it! Panicking and feeling oxygen leaving her fast, she tugged at her hair, trying to free it from the filter's clutches. This seemed to be to no avail, however and her limbs began to lose their strength. Sango dazedly looked up above towards the surface, wondering if anyone had even noticed her absence as black slowing edged into her vision.
And then she knew no more.
..:V:..
"Kagome! Will you explain just what the hell is going on?" Inuyasha demanded as he attempted to keep up with the running girl. "What are you doing?"
"There's no time! No...time...!" was all Kagome said as she picked up her pace even more.
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he spotted a sign for the pool. Kagome skidded to a halt just outside of its doors and yanked them open. Dashing in, her eyes scanned the pool deck and the surface of the water frantically. Kids were splashing around, a teacher seemed to be talking to a few of them, and the lifeguard shift seemed to be changing from a boy she hadn't met before to Miroku. But nowhere she looked did she see the one person she was seeking. As she stood there scanning the pool area, people began to notice her presence and began staring at the odd girl fully clad in the school uniform and clutching a pair of scissors like a lifeline. Then, without warning, she ran towards the deep end of the pool and dove straight in.
As Kagome broke through the surface of the water, she searched its depths rapidly, finally pausing when she spotted what looked like a body on the bottom of the pool. Then she shot towards it, determinedly not thinking of what would happen if she didn't reach it in time. As she approached, her fears were confirmed as Sango's unconscious face came into view, restrained by a wad of her hair that was caught in a broken water filter.
Without hesitation, Kagome brought the scissors forward and began hacking and sawing at the restraining hair, hoping Sango's life was not already lost. After what seemed like ages, yet was only moments, Kagome cut the last few strands free. Dropping the scissors, she grabbed Sango and pushed off the bottom, keeping her head down so that no more water went down the unconscious girl's airway; all the while, feeling her own lungs burn in need of more oxygen.
Inuyasha and everyone else in the pool area's eyes focused in as Kagome reappeared on the surface of the water. Multiple gasps were let out as they noticed that she was now clutching the limp body of Sango. Miroku was the first one to snap out of his shock.
"Hang on!" he called to Kagome, who was now desperately inhaling her missed oxygen. "Someone call an ambulance!"
Without bothering to take off his shirt, Miroku dove into the water and rapidly made his way to the struggling Kagome. He quickly took Sango off her hands and expertly swum with her to the side of the pool, Kagome swimming lethargically behind. Inuyasha dashed forward to lift Sango out of the water as Miroku too slipped out. Then Inuyasha went back to help Kagome out. A bystander came up, claiming to have phoned 911.
Everyone in the pool area crowded around as Miroku checked Sango's breathing, which was absent. Quickly, he pressed his lips to hers and delivered two breaths. Then he checked her pulse.
"She still has a pulse!" he cried triumphantly. "I'll only need to do air resuscitation."
And so, amongst concerned onlookers, Miroku continued to give the girl alternating breaths and checks on her vital signs. Everyone waited with baited breath, hoping and praying. Kagome slumped down on the pool deck, exhausted but not willing to take her eyes off of the girl she had just pulled from the pool.
Finally, Sango began to cough violently, throwing up water. Miroku hastily rolled her onto her side and waited until all the liquid had vacated her lungs. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
Sango took a few deep breaths and fluttered her eyes open, looking up at her audience. "W-wha...?"
"Are you okay, Sango?" Miroku asked her worriedly, a hand still resting on both her shoulder and hip.
"Uh...I–I think so..." the girl responded shakily. "What...what happened? My...my hair...caught..." She raised a hand to her head as some memories came back to her. Her gaze rested curiously upon a sopping wet girl a few feet away. "Kagome...?"
"Kagome saved your life, Sango," Miroku said gently.
Kagome gave the dazed girl a shaky grin. "I'd do it anytime."
"But–"
"Shhh," Miroku interrupted Sango. "The ambulance will be here soon and you have to go get checked out at the hospital, okay, Sango? There's still a possibility of danger. In the meantime, you just stay here on your side, okay? I'll get you a blanket." He was about to get up, when his sought blanket was practically shoved up his nose by Inuyasha. Saying his thanks, Miroku took it and spread it over Sango, comforting her as best he could.
Meanwhile, Inuyasha took a second blanket over to where Kagome sat shivering, her white shirt plastered to her body and the faint outline of her bra showing. Blushing, Inuyasha draped the blanket over her shoulders, covering her up and glaring around at all the insensitive boys eyeing her appreciatively. Once they had all looked away, he turned back to Kagome, his arms still around her protectively.
"Kagome...how...how did you know...?" he asked tentatively.
Kagome slumped against him. "Inu...yasha... I'm so tired... I don't feel like talking..."
Inuyasha's arms tightened around her. "It's okay, Kagome. You don't have to talk now. You can tell me later..."
Kagome didn't respond. Looking down at the deck, she thought, ...I wish I could tell you, Inuyasha... I wish you would understand if I did... But you wouldn't and so I can't...
But for the first time, Kagome thought, she had saved someone. She had seen Sango's death...and prevented it. A giddy sense of relief overtook her even as she slipped into an exhausted sleep.
A/N There ya go, guys! Hope you liked it. :D Kagome saved someone! Yay! And not just anyone; Sango! Could this be the start of an actual friendship between the two of them? You'll have to stay tuned...(it may be a while, please don't kill me)
Oh, and sorry about the impromptu introduction to the school uniform and the school pool. Lol, if I weren't updating this a chapter at a time, I'd go back and stick them in earlier. As it is...I'm too lazy to fiddle with it. This'll have to do.
And now we'll be able to get into the meat of the story! Lol, if you thought it was coming to a close (which I don't think you were)...you'd be dead wrong! We've yet to get to the good mystery stuff, haven't we? Don't worry, it's all coming! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll talk to you all later!
P.S. If anyone was a little annoyed with the ending of the sixth Harry Potter book...or if you just want a good laugh, please go and check out my new Harry Potter one-shot, The Inevitable Ending!