Previously on "The Project":
"I'm still not telling," she said and sat on her bed with her arms crossed stubbornly, but a smile still on her face.
Inu-yasha frowned and sighed. "It was worth a try," he said sadly as he plopped into her bed next to her, looking defeated. Kagome laughed and gave him a memorable kiss of her own.
Chapter 16
Double Revenge
After spending another hour talking with Kagome, and exchanging phone numbers since they noticed they didn't have each others' numbers, Inu-yasha drove home happy. Her ominous threat still lingered in his head. He couldn't help but wonder what she had in mind for him and Miroku. He refrained from getting his hopes up about her potential, however, so he wouldn't have to worry about being disappointed in the end. He figured he worst she would do was doodle on his locker at school.
As Inu-yasha pulled into his driveway, he noticed an extra car parked out front, a van in fact. As he entered his home, he wondered who it could possible be.
Inu-yasha stopped right in his tracks when he saw the foyer. That feeling of forgetting something that had been nagging him all day… it suddenly made sense. Decorations of all sorts adorned the banister, lights, and walls, complete with balloons, confetti, strings, and tissue paper. In his drama with Kagome, he had completely forgotten about the party his father had planned. His father hadn't even bothered to remind him either. Inutaisho probably did it on purpose too, just to catch him off guard.
Inu-yasha weaved his way through the floating balloon strings toward the kitchen where he was sure Tami would be. Instead of being greeted by Tami's usual criticism on his lack of memory, he was bombarded with two servers from the catering group. That explained the van out front. His father had paid for the service of caterers this time. The two girls apologized swiftly before going on their way to help with the decorations. No doubt they were pissed about having to help with that.
After dodging a serving tray and a salad bowl being carried by other servers, Inu-yasha finally made it to the kitchen.
"Oh my god, where have you been?" Tami exclaimed the instant she saw him push his way past a large cart holding various ingredients. "You were supposed to be here over an hour ago!"
"It's not that much time," Inu-yasha replied defensively, although in Tami's line of business, it was. He studied Tami's lightning fast reflexes manage to dodge an oncoming tray of appetizers. She went right on mixing her batter. "Why didn't you remind me about the party?" Inu-yasha accused, even though it was his own fault for forgetting in the first place.
Tami guiltily glanced at him as she added some more flour to her mixture. "You're daddy wouldn't let me," she answered simply.
"That hasn't stopped you before," Inu-yasha groaned.
"Oh, quit you're whining," Tami said sharply but with humor. "Come on, help this old lady get those spices up there." She pointed to a bottle on the top shelf of the cupboard. Inu-yasha sighed and helped her.
xXx
Kagome lay on her bed with a peaceful smile. Inu-yasha was still fresh in her mind. She wondered what they would do the next day. It had to be good to make up for what he did to her house. If the day turned out to be better than she had hoped, she might consider tuning down her pay-back prank.
She already had an idea.
Kagome was just about to call Sango on her cell phone to begin planning the prank when it rang. It was Inu-yasha.
"What did you do, forget your keys?" Kagome teased after answering. He hadn't left that long ago.
"No," Inu-yasha growled.
Kagome laughed and then said, "Okay then, what's up?"
"Well, you see…" Inu-yasha began uncertainly. Kagome raised an eyebrow, curious as to why he was so uneasy. Suddenly he said triumphantly, "I want to make a deal."
"What kind of deal?" Kagome asked warily. She wandered back into her room and lay on her bed.
"The kind where you benefit a lot and I get something small."
Although still suspicious, Kagome said, "Keep going."
"Okay, there's this small thing you have to do for me and in return, I'll take you where ever you want tomorrow. Shopping spree, ice skating, dinner, movie, whatever you want."
Kagome smiled at the thought of a shopping spree but she knew Inu-yasha well enough to know that his favor most likely was something she wouldn't want to do. "What's this favor?"
Inu-yasha took a deep breath and then replied, "You have to come to my house for another party."
"What?" Kagome exclaimed. "Inu-yasha, you know what happened last time and you know how much I don't like going to parties."
"Don't worry about him, and what happened last time won't happen again, I can promise you that." Kikyo sure as hell wasn't going to be there. Inu-yasha didn't like saying Naraku's name just as much as Kagome didn't, but he felt utterly sure that if he ever met the bastard, he'd beat him to a point beyond recognition.
"You don't know the future, how do you know something bad might happen?" The past few weeks had been so eventful it was almost inevitable that something would happen.
"Come on, Kagome," Inu-yasha pleaded, slightly irritated by her doubts. "I don't have to know the future to know that you'll be just fine."
He was met with silence and then finally a very reluctant sigh. His grin gave a way his smug triumph. "Fine," Kagome half snarled, half sighed. "I'll be over at eight." She clicked her cell closed before she could change her mind.
Several times within the next five minutes, Kagome thought about calling Inu-yasha back with an excuse not to go. The moment the word 'fine' escaped her lips, she regretted it. Not only because it only fed Inu-yasha's smug attitude and hurt her pride, but also because it didn't settle right in her stomach. The memory of what happened at the last party of Inu-yasha's was still too fresh in Kagome's mind… along with Naraku's face at Zake.
xXx
"I'll be over at eight." There was a click and a dial tone. Inu-yasha smiled. He hadn't expected it to be that easy. Granted, his wallet was gonna be hurting the next day, but that was okay. In truth, he liked spending money on her. It was always funny to see her reaction to the price.
Inu-yasha busied himself by helping out with the decorations, inviting more last minute people, like Sango and Miroku, and assisting Tami in the kitchen. He knew that this party would be different from the last one. There weren't going to be any teens from his school, just old family friends and maybe their kids. Kikyo didn't know about this party so it shouldn't get out of hand. It would be a lot quieter and more formal, like it should have been the first time around.
If it didn't turn out as it was supposed to, there was no telling what his father was going to do. Inu-yasha hated to use Kagome just to get out of a punishment. He felt like he was treating her like an object, instead of a living, breathing human. But he enjoyed seeing her anyway.
As Inu-yasha helped a new caterer, who was just getting used to the business, clean up a broken plate, Inutaisho breezed in and out of rooms.
"Hurry that clean-up," he snapped at Inu-yasha. He always got edgy when he was nervous, although Kagome should be more nervous than him. "The guests will be arriving in fifteen minutes."
Inu-yasha rolled his eyes in annoyance at his father's agitation. Kagome was just his girlfriend, not his bride. Why was his dad getting so worked up?
He glanced at his watch, surprised that so much time had passed and the guests were supposed to be arriving so soon. For a minute he was confused. Was his watch an hour behind, or…? He rushed into the living room to take a look at the grandfather clock. Yup, it was only 6:45. Inu-yasha ran to catch up with his dad in the foyer.
"I thought the party started at eight," Inu-yasha said cautiously.
Without glancing at him, Inutaisho replied, "It's been scheduled for seven since the beginning. Did you forget?"
"U-uh…" Inu-yasha stuttered. Just another twist his father had added just to catch him off guard, and it would only make him happier if Inu-yasha admitted he'd forgotten. Stupid old fart. "But last time it started at eight."
"Like I said," Inutaisho said impatiently as he sailed up the stairs, "it's been scheduled for seven since the beginning."
Inu-yasha stopped in the middle of the stairs while his father carried on. Shit, he thought. Kagome. She had said eight. Calling her now and telling her to come sooner was pushing it. He was lucky she even said yes the first time. He couldn't add requests when she was already doing him a favor.
Inu-yasha groaned as he grabbed his keys from the table next to the front door and his jacket from the closet. When it came to Kagome, it was better to confront things head on.
xXx
Kagome started getting ready shortly after six o'clock. She took a long shower and picked out simple black pants and a black tank top with pink trim. She refused to go all out with clothes when she was doing Inu-yasha a favor by coming. Kagome styled her hair into a loose ponytail, held together with a pink ribbon.
She still had a little over an hour to waste before she was supposed to head over to Inu-yasha's house. She wondered if she should really go through with this. She might end up regretting it, just like last time.
After pacing back and forth in her room more than several times, she realized her room wasn't big enough for her pacing or her erupting thoughts and decided to walk around her backyard garden after grabbing a blue light jacket. The scent of lilacs always calmed her.
As she pushed her way through the vines around the white archway entrance, she considered her options, hardly taking notice of where her feet were taking her.
She could blow him off, but that would be too harsh. But she wasn't too excited about going either. Kikyo's face remained in her memories like a nightmare. That girl bothered her for many reasons that Kagome wasn't sure she could explain.
But she knew she couldn't do that to Inu-yasha. His family had expected to see her at the last party but since she had run, they hadn't. She knew his family was probably disappointed and they were blaming him. She owed it to Inu-yasha to at least show her face. Besides, she kinda wanted to meet the family.
Kagome found herself going toward the center of the garden and the center lamp soon came into view. She'd thought the lilacs' scent would calm her but she didn't even notice it.
Her thoughts inevitably drifted to Naraku. Inu-yasha's reassuring words from the night before suddenly began to float away from her memory as if they had never been said.
Kagome hated what Naraku had done to her. Even though she had gotten away from him, what he did to her was always fresh in her mind. What she saw, how she felt, what he did, it would never go away. It was a hideous scar that served as a reminder of every single rotten thing Naraku had done.
Kagome stopped and stood by the lamp, taking in its familiar eerie glow.
In the beginning, she thought that he would be out of her life forever, but he was still in her thoughts almost as if he was standing right beside her. She was paranoid that he would be waiting for her around the next corner, hidden in every shadow, creeping in every alley… It hadn't taken her long to realize that she would never know peace until she knew for certain that he could never invade her life again.
And it wasn't like her paranoia had disappeared when she discovered Naraku was in her town. She was scared more than ever, and she felt like a horrible coward. It was the main reason she hated Naraku, because he made her so fucking scared. She always felt like a helpless little kitten under his gaze. If just a stare did that to her, what would happen if he actually got his hands on her?
Kagome shuddered uncontrollably from her thoughts in the dim light of the lamp post. She gripped it for support until her nerves had settled.
Suddenly, fear stabbed her like an icy dagger as a voice emitted from the shadows.
"It's been a while, Kagome Higurashi."
She would always recognize that voice. Anytime, anywhere.
xXx
"Naraku." Kagome almost choked on the word. So many thoughts, memories, and questions rushed to her head at once that she thought she'd faint.
A dark shadow emerged from the shade of the willow branches. He looked exactly like he had the night before at the restaurant with the exception of his clothes. They were pure black now, blending in perfectly with the dark of the night and the dark in his heart.
The light from the lantern played haunting shadows on his face. His smile seemed full of malice. "How have you been this past year Kagome?"
She gulped down a whimper.
"It's so nice to say your name again, Kagome." He said it slowly, savoring. "I've missed you so much. Rehab is a horrible place." Kagome's heart skipped a beat when his evil grin evaporated and gave way to a much more terrifying glare. "It's too bad you didn't join me," he said through gritting teeth. She didn't even have to see his eyes to know they were full of hatred and a yearning for revenge.
Naraku took a step closer to her. Kagome's legs seemed to be rooted in place. Naraku grinned when he saw her shaking. "It was hard to find you. Don't think I didn't see you at Zake last night. But you sure picked a far away place to live." He grinned as she tried to stop a sob from coming up. "Were you that scared to run so far away?" He paused but she didn't utter a sound. She could tell he was loving this, loving the fear that seemed to drown her eyes.
"Are you scared Kagome?" He took another step toward her. "There's no reason to be scared, I'm a new man. Rehab has taught me a lot."
Kagome barely registered his words. Just his presence was making her sick. She felt like she was going to pass out any second. And it didn't help that she had just recalled all her fears of him just before he showed up. Memories came tumbling back to her. She thought she had buried them a year ago but they came back as easy as if they were just on the surface. Pain. Hurt. Fear. It was all there. Kagome felt old and new tears spring to her eyes.
She wondered if she should scream. Was this a dream? How she wished it was…
"You wanna know what I learned Kagome?" He kept saying her name like he couldn't get enough of it. It sent chills up and down her spine. "They taught me," he continued, "that smoking is bad for you."
Naraku pulled out a cigarette from his back pocket without breaking eye contact and lit it. He took a long drag then blew the smoke in Kagome's direction and took a few more steps closer to her.
"They told me that drinking alcohol could lead to dangerous consequences." He pulled a metallic canteen from his jacket pocket and took a long swig before he put it back. Kagome eyed him warily, beginning to see a pattern. He took another drag of his cig and then tossed it on the ground where he smothered it with his shoe.
Naraku went closer and blew the smoke at her. He was close enough for her to smell the alcohol in his breath and feel the smoke on her face. He leaned in closer.
"They also taught me that guns and knives could get people seriously hurt." Naraku's malicious smirk and ominous words scared Kagome's legs into petrifaction as Naraku pulled a silver metallic object out of his jacket pocket. His finger brushed past a button and a blade sprang from its curves.
xXx
Kagome's first instinct was to run but her legs wouldn't budge.
"I've wanted nothing more than revenge since I got in that fucking place," Naraku said softly as he ran his finger across the blade. "Those stupid doctors thought I was actually listening when they blabbed their mouths off. They thought they had changed me into a new man in only a year. They thought they had accomplished something." He laughed cruelly. "I was just trying to get out of there so I put up with their mouths."
Naraku looked at Kagome now. She seemed to shrink under his gaze. "I think it's time to repay you for that lovely trip, don't you?" Naraku smirked as he stepped closer to her. He was just about to thrust the knife into Kagome's chest when a shadow shot forward and punched Naraku in the jaw with a powerful right hook.
The blow surprised him and sent him a few feet back where he bumped into the lamp post. Naraku coughed and cradled his mouth with his hand. Anger blazed in his eyes as he looked up to glare at the newcomer.
"Inu-yasha!" Kagome cried in surprise and relief. She leapt to his side and pressed herself against his chest as he gave her a swift hug. "What are you doing here?"
"Exactly what I was going to ask," Naraku growled.
Ignoring the man, Inu-yasha answered Kagome. "I came to pick you up but heard him as I came to the door." He nudged Kagome away out of harm's way and turned to Naraku.
"Who the fuck do you think you are to hit me like that?" Naraku growled, angry they acted as if he were invisible.
"I'm Kagome's boyfriend. That's all you need to know… And you're Naraku, I presume, the one who made Kagome's life a living hell." Inu-yasha took a good look at him. "I swore ever since she told me what you did to her I'd make you pay." He cracked his knuckles and he tossed his jacket aside, ready for a fight. The rage inside him was almost unbearable. Was it hate?
Naraku laughed. "You believed her?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "She was a lying little bitch when she was with me, always telling me she wasn't snooping in other people's business when she was. What makes you think she's changed?"
Kagome stood a few feet away and eyed Inu-yasha in fear. Naraku was trying to convince Inu-yasha she was lying. If Inu-yasha believed him then this situation would be far worse than it already was.
Inu-yasha rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Don't try that brainwashing bullshit on me." Kagome's eyes filled with relief.
"Brainwash?" Naraku asked in mocked astonishment. "What makes you think I'm trying to brainwash you?"
Inu-yasha sighed. "This is getting boring, you and your games."
Naraku flipped the knife in his hand, reminding Kagome of its presence. "You sure can talk a lot."
"I could say the same about you," Inu-yasha sneered.
"Heh."
The two played a game of stab-and-dodge around the small area. Meanwhile, Kagome stared at the two wide-eyed. A voice inside her head was screaming at her. She knew what it was saying. This is your battle, not Inu-yasha's. If he gets hurt because of this, it'll be your fault. You're such a coward for letting someone else do this for you. Kagome shook her head in an attempt to get rid of the voice but she knew the words were true.
"You have to resort to weapons?" Inu-yasha instigated Naraku after dodging another of his advances. "Coward." Kagome winced at the word, feeling like he was talking to her.
Naraku merely chuckled. "It'll make this encounter a whole lot faster. You aren't worth my time. Besides, this is between Kagome and me. You have no business to—"
"It is my business," Inu-yasha hissed angrily. "I dare you to put a hand on Kagome. Just don't get mad when you're missing a limb or two."
Naraku shook his head in annoyance. "You talk big but can you back it up?"
As the two fought, Kagome felt herself getting noxious. This whole situation was all her fault and she wasn't doing anything about it. Goddammit, her legs were still firmly planted where Inu-yasha had nudged her! That voice kept coming back and repeating the same word over and over. Coward, coward, coward!
She jumped when her pocket vibrated. She reached in and took out her cell phone. She had set an alarm to remind her of Inu-yasha's party in case she had forgotten. Suddenly, a thought struck her. Of course! Her phone! Her eyes determined, she punched in three numbers.
Inu-yasha finally began to tire from ducking and dodging. Because of his decreasing stamina, he got careless and Naraku was able to cut him on his left forearm and right shoulder.
Naraku managed to scrape Inu-yasha's rib cage and Inu-yasha began to think it was about time he lost that stupid knife of his. When Naraku swung his knife again, Inu-yasha sidestepped and then kicked his forearm. The blast of the hit forced Naraku's hand to release the knife. It flew straight and stuck into the willow tree's trunk, just missing the metal bench beneath it by a few inches.
Naraku cradled his arm to get the numb feeling out of it but didn't have much time because Inu-yasha decided it was his turn to do the swinging. He landed a few good punches in his rib cage, jaw, and shoulder. Naraku stumbled backwards, surprised by the force of the blows.
"I see fighting isn't exactly your area of expertise," Inu-yasha commented as Naraku struggled to regain his balance. "You rely on manipulation and threatening. I bet it normally doesn't come to this because you've got your victims so scared that they won't fight back. And when it does come to fighting, you use weapons." Naraku glared at him menacingly. Inu-yasha eyed him in disgust. "Just as I thought. Nailed it right in the bullseye, didn't I?"
Naraku clenched his fists in pure hatred for the both of them. Inu-yasha caught his eyes flicker towards his knife still stuck in the tree. It was a couple yards away but it wouldn't be too much of a hassle to retrieve.
"Go ahead and get it," Inu-yasha said. "I'll wait right here. Doesn't matter to me. Either way, you won't beat me. Remember you are half drunk."
Naraku glared and opened his mouth to say something but stopped. Inu-yasha didn't like it one bit when Naraku looked past him, over his shoulder. Inu-yasha glanced back and saw Kagome talking on her phone in a rushed voice. He looked back at Naraku and saw him reach towards his belt.
"Maybe not you," Naraku grinned maliciously, "But…"
Alarm spread throughout Inu-yasha's entire body like a wild fire. "Kagome!" She looked up from her phone call and saw Naraku pull a black gun from his belt.
She felt like she was trapped in slow motion. Her fingers lost their grip on her phone and it fell slowly to the gravel floor. His face determined, Inu-yasha ran straight for her as Naraku aimed his gun at her.
Kagome stared at Naraku. That smirk. It was the same one she had seen just before he had killed Sukaru.
Inu-yasha reached her and enclosed her in a tight hug, guarding her with his body, protecting her at any cost. His eyes were closed, ready for the impact.
Coward, the voice whispered softly. She smiled. It was time to end this. She needed to listen to that voice… and prove it wrong. She couldn't let Inu-yasha get hurt because of her. Like the voice said, this wasn't his battle. Besides, would life be worth living if you knew the one you loved died because of you? No, it wouldn't.
Kagome hugged Inu-yasha back tightly. A smile was still on her face when she twirled Inu-yasha around with surprising force, switching their positions in an instant. Panic rose in Inu-yasha's chest but it was too late. She turned around to face Naraku just as he pulled the trigger.
Kagome shriek when a bullet pierced her chest. She couldn't tell where it had entered but the pain was excruciating. But she knew in an instant that she had no regrets. She'd never want this kind of pain for Inu-yasha.
And as much pain as she felt, she knew she could finally release that breath she had been holding for a year. This moment had been what she had feared that whole time. Naraku coming back for her for revenge, maybe killing her… It was happening now. But she didn't feel that fear that had always been so intense before. She had always been scared she'd lose her life but it was no longer her priority. Inu-yasha was more important. Now she had no reason to fear Naraku.
xXx
"Kagome!" Inu-yasha cried as her body slumped against his. He slid to the gravel holding her body, tears already springing to his eyes. "Kagome!" He turned her on her back and didn't care when her blood stained his hands and clothes as he tore her shirt off her chest to inspect the bullet's entryway. It was located right above her bra, just about where her heart would be. Tears spilling down his face, he cried her name again and again and kissed her hair and cheeks.
Naraku stared. He hadn't expected her to do that. His shock had stalled him from addressing Inu-yasha, but now that he had recovered, he said, "Look at all that blood." He shook his head as if in pity as he took a step closer. "Sure will be hard to pin that on me. You know, with her blood all over you." Inu-yasha slowly looked up at him. His look was murderous.
"You fucking bastard! You killed her!" Inu-yasha jumped up, his rage radiating off his body. "Don't try to pin this bullshit on me!" It was exactly what he had done to Kagome when he'd threatened to pin Sukaru's death on her.
Shock overwhelmed Inu-yasha's body as he thought of her name. Is she really gone? He looked down at her. She remained unmoving. He felt his legs go weak. He was just about to collapse when Naraku smirked, "She's gone. Get over it. Believe me, I did you a favor by killing her."
Inu-yasha felt new strength run through his limps and clenched his fist. Just before he was about to charge at the bastard, he heard a moan. He instantly dropped to Kagome's side. "Kagome? Kagome! Are you okay?" Frustration built up when she remain unresponsive. "Say something, dammit!" He dropped his head and let the tears fall.
Suddenly she moved. Inu-yasha and Naraku stared in utter shock as she struggled to stand up.
She achieved her goal and stood before the two, dirty and bloody, but standing.
"Kagome," Inu-yasha whispered as he stood up too. "Don't use all your strength." He tugged on her arm, attempting to get her to lie back down. "I don't think…" He stopped and then corrected himself. "I know I can't live without you." He paused again and then said, almost pleadingly, "Why… Why did you do that?"
Kagome coughed up thick blood before turning her face up to view Inu-yasha. She smiled at him. She just managed to get the word 'love' out. A slow grin formed on his face before he kissed her.
Naraku rolled his eyes, annoyed at their lovey-dovey-ness and at being ignored. "Aw, so sweet." He spit in disgust.
Kagome pulled away from Inu-yasha's kiss and embrace, her jaw set straight. She glared at Naraku.
"I'm so scared," Naraku said in boredom.
Adrenaline pumped through her veins at lightning fast speeds. This was why she had stood up. She wanted to really finish this, end the fear, memories, and pain forever. But most of all, she wanted to prove to that stupid voice in her head and to Naraku that she was not a coward.
All her strength filtered to her fist as she pulled it back. She released it all in a single stroke, a swing that hit Naraku squarely in the jaw. The combination of shock and force knocked Naraku back. His head collided painfully with the edge of the metal bench under the willow trees. After the sickening noise, he fell silent and still.
Kagome nodded as if to confirm this as the perfect closure to her past for forever before her drained body fell to the gravel again. Right next to her unclosed cell phone.
xXx
Voices. Lights. Movement. Beeping. It was fuzzy as Kagome felt it happening all around her. Nothing was in focus and she couldn't distinguish any of the sounds from one another. She drifted in and out of darkness and every time she saw light again, the voices would escalate.
Nothing made sense. Where was she? Who were these people? Why did they keep yelling? Questions she didn't know the answers to. Would she ever know?
xXx
Inu-yasha stood pacing outside the hospital room along with Inutaisho, Izayoi, Sango, Miroku, Souta, Mrs. Higurashi, and Kagome's grandfather. Sesshomaru sat in a nearby chair, struggling to keep his face emotionless. The doctors had kicked them all out of the room when the situation got critical.
She had been in there for over four hours and still no doctor had come out to give them even a glimmer of hope. The waiting was agony. Inu-yasha wished more than ever it had been him instead of her.
Naraku was being worked on in a room down the hall but Inu-yasha could care less about him. His thoughts were focused only on the girl in Room 218.
So it had been the police Kagome was talking to on the phone before Naraku pulled the gun out. As the medics picked up Kagome and Naraku's bodies to take to the ambulances, the police reassured Inu-yasha that they had recorded the whole conversation through Kagome's phone. So if Naraku tried to pin the assault on Inu-yasha, they'd know the truth and have the evidence to back it up.
Inu-yasha had hardly paid attention to them however as he hopped into the back of the emergency vehicle with Kagome. The medics talked in escalated voices as they tried stop the bleeding while they drove to the nearest hospital. Inu-yasha had never been so scared in his life. He feared for Kagome's life every time the medics panicked and increased their activity, doing what they could to save her.
When they'd reached the hospital, Inu-yasha had called both his and Kagome's households to tell them where they were. Sango and Miroku had been at his house for the party and came with the Taisho's to the hospital. When both families made it there, Inu-yasha explained what had happened to Mrs. Higurashi. He had to start from the very beginning when he told his father since they didn't know about Kagome's past with Naraku. After hearing the full story, Inutaisho swore he'd pay for the best lawyer in the country when the court date came.
A nurse had bandaged Inu-yasha's wounds earlier but his agitation made the nurse's job difficult. She was used to it however and had managed to dress his three bad cuts anyway. He had almost forgotten about them in his thoughts about Kagome.
Suddenly, while Inu-yasha ran the events of the past several hours through his mind, a man in a white doctor's coat rushed down the hall. Inu-yasha was one of the first to jump up to address him.
The doctor viewed the two families who crowded around him. He looked down at his clipboard and said, "You all Naraku's family?"
Inu-yasha's sliver of hope faded. "We know him," Inu-yasha growled.
"But you're not his family?" The doctor wasn't able to tell any information concerning the man unless they were connected to him in some way.
"He shot my daughter!" Mrs. Higurashi sobbed. Her eyes were puffy and red. She had been crying since Inu-yasha told her over the phone that her daughter was in the hospital.
The doctor regarded the woman sympathetically and decided they had the right to know. "Well, he doesn't remember shooting anyone. In fact, he can't remember his own name. When only knew who he was because of his fingerprints." Inu-yasha eyed him in confusion, uncertain as to what the doctor was hinting at. The doctor continued, "His skull fractured at the point of impact and damaged the brain cells where the memory is stored. We were able to stop the blood from clotting so much that it would kill him but we can't bring back those damaged cells." He paused with a sigh before saying, "Naraku has permanent memory loss."
Inu-yasha waited a moment for the statement to sink in. Memory loss? And it's permanent? So he'll never remember what he did to Kagome or Sukaru. He won't ever remember what happened that night. He won't remember his thoughts of revenge or the experiences he had in rehab. Inu-yasha couldn't believe it.
"Is it really that easy? Just, in a matter of minutes, forget your whole life?" Inu-yasha asked incredulously.
The doctor nodded and explained in elaborate medical terms the conditions and frailness of the human brain. Inu-yasha hardly understood half the words he used but it was enough to convince him it was true. He thought of the complications this would create. Naraku would be charged with the murder of one person and the attempted murder of another but he wouldn't remember any of it. Was it right to convict a man of a crime he didn't know of?
As Inu-yasha contemplated the answer, the door to Room 218 opened and a doctor slipped out and quickly closed the door behind him. The room's attention quickly shifted to the newcomer.
The doctor cleared his throat in uneasiness at the lack of space the people were providing him with. "Kagome Higurashi's family, I presume?" he asked.
They all nodded their heads vigorously.
He sighed wearily. "The bullet shattered Kagome's shoulder blade. But if it had been lower by even a hair, it would've hit her heart or lungs and we would've lost her. It'll take a month or so for her shoulder to heal so she'll have to wear a cast."
Mrs. Higurashi was still in tears. "But… she's going to be okay… right?"
He smiled. "She's still a bit unstable, but we're pretty sure she'll pull through."
Inu-yasha took a deep breath of relief as everyone reacted to the good news.
Souta comforted his mother as she broke down into tears of happiness while his grandfather gave thanks to the gods.
Sango and Miroku hugged each other tightly in their excitement. She kissed him unexpectedly but just as quickly turned away with a bright blush. Miroku just grinned.
Although Inutaisho and Izayoi had never met the girl, they were overcome with joy as well. And Inu-yasha could have sworn that was a smile he saw tug at Sesshomaru's lips.
"Can we see her?" Inu-yasha asked hopefully.
The doctor smiled at him. "As soon as she's stable enough, we'll allow visitors."
Inu-yasha nodded and took a seat. Now that he knew she was going to live, he was capable of patience.
xXx
"Can I see it again?"
"What? But I just showed you Inu-yasha."
"I know but I didn't get a good look the first time."
"Ugh, you just want to see it again so you can look down my shirt! Nasty perv! I think Miroku is rubbing off on you."
Inu-yasha grinned. "You know me too well." Kagome scoffed and walked a little faster down the sidewalk towards the school parking lot. They decided to walk to school this morning. Inu-yasha caught up with her and pleaded, "Please. Just one more time and then I'll leave you alone."
"Humph! No you won't!"
She knew showing him her scar was a bad idea. What had possessed her to do such a thing? Must have been that stupid puppy dog pout. It got her every time.
The bullet's entrance was now a scar on the top of her left breast. It had gone straight through her and shattered into slivers since it was fired at close range, so the doctors had to make an incision in order to get the pieces out. So the scar was a line with a circle in about the middle.
The doctor's let her go home after two weeks when they were sure she'd be fine. Two weeks later, she was finally able to take the cast off. Now she was back in school with her close friends at her side and her loving family at home. Everything was better than normal. She didn't wear baggy clothes anymore and now she and Inu-yasha were the most popular couple in the school with friends every where.
Kagome's scar was the only thing that reminded her of Naraku or what happened. Since his brain damage was permanent, he was put in a mental hospital. His only family was a father and an uncle but one was in jail and the other was on probation so they thought the facility would be best for him anyway. Naraku had to be reminded who, where, and what he was every morning. As much pain as he had inflicted on her, Kagome still felt pity for him. But she didn't regret any of her actions. She had faced her fear and proven to everyone she wasn't a coward.
"One more time?" Inu-yasha pleaded, snapping her out of her thoughts. He gave her his irresistible puppy dog pout, causing her to stop walking and watch.
Kagome sighed and tugged on the collar of her shirt to reveal the scar and the very top of her lace bra. Inu-yasha stared a moment before his hand began to wonder towards it.
"Inu-yasha!" she scowled as she smacked his hand away. "Don't think I didn't see that perverted grin! No touching."
Inu-yasha grunted. "You act like you wouldn't enjoy that."
Kagome smacked him playfully on his head, tousling his silver hair and stuck her tongue out at him.
"I hope you're ready for my payback prank," she commented calmly.
The hairs stood up on the back of Inu-yasha's neck. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that." She hadn't had the chance since she was in the hospital. "And I still owe you that day out."
"But we never went to your party. I'm sure your dad wasn't too happy about that. Yet another party that didn't turn out as planned. I still haven't met him yet."
"You were in the hospital, he could understand." The couple got closer to the school entrance. As always, students crowded in their casual groups and gossiped while they waited for the bell to ring.
"But I still want to take you out sometime, you know, to celebrate the healing of your shoulder," continued Inu-yasha as they walked toward a picnic bench under some trees next to the front door. "This whole week you've had to catch up with all your school work and we haven't really had the chance to hang out, you know? Are you free tomorrow?" It was Saturday the next day.
Kagome groaned. "My family's dragging me to another shrine tomorrow. It's pretty far away so we'll most likely be gone all day." After seeing Inu-yasha sigh in defeat, she added, "My brother's having some friends over at night, but Sunday's fine."
Inu-yasha grinned. He leaned over to give her a kiss but suddenly, the whole table shook. They jumped back, startled, as a familiar voice greeted them.
"Hey guys!" Miroku said full of cheer. He stood tall looking down at them from the top of the table.
"You asshole," Inu-yasha growled as he swatted at his foot, causing Miroku to tumble down.
He just laughed as he took a seat next to Inu-yasha. "How's my favorite couple?"
"We were just fine," Inu-yasha growled.
Kagome laughed as another voice said, "I'm sure you two were. Why do you always have to ruin the moment Miroku?"
Sango came up and sat next to her friend scowling.
"I don't always do it." Miroku said defensively. Sango rolled her eyes and began to converse with Kagome in an attempt to ignore him.
As the girls gossiped, Miroku turned to Inu-yasha. "So what are you going to do now?"
Inu-yasha eyed him uncertainly. "What do you mean?"
"The project, of course. We basically still have the rest of the year left. You need a new project."
"Since when did I start doing two a year?"
Before Miroku could answer, Kagome cut in. "Project? What are you two talking about?"
After explaining the project's past to her and the reason he did one every year, Kagome said, "So you need a new one? What was the first?"
Just the question he didn't want to answer. Inu-yasha had been half hoping Kagome wouldn't hear about it. He didn't want her to get offended if he told her she had been his project. He could see her glare now…
"You were," Miroku answered before Inu-yasha could conjure up the right words to explain. He gave his oblivious friend a death stare. It was almost as bad as the one Kagome was giving him.
"So I was a project?" she gritted through her teeth.
"Well," Inu-yasha started uneasily, "it's more like a goal. My goal was to see why you shot me down that day I asked you out. I figured there had to be more it than that so I set out to find out what it was."
Kagome seemed to lighten up on her glare. "Doesn't sound as bad when you put it that way," she mumbled. "So since you did what you were trying to do you're going to find another one?"
"He is now," Miroku grinned. "It's the only thing that keeps him really busy so being done with it this soon into the school year means he'll have nothing to do."
"Are you saying I was easy?" Kagome growled.
"No, no, no," Inu-yasha cut in quickly. "Of course not. Come on, it's been like seven weeks since we met and we've only officially been going out for less than a week. You were definitely the hardest."
Kagome smiled slowly in satisfaction while Inu-yasha sighed in relief. Close.
"You haven't ever done a project?" Sango asked Miroku.
He looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "I never thought of it before."
"I," Kagome stated, "think we should all do one."
The four friends looked at each other and shrugged.
"Sure."
"Fine by me."
"Why not?"
Inu-yasha grinned. "To make your project official, at least one of us has to know what it is. That's the only rule along with it having to be done by the end of the year. Agreed?"
The four best friends nodded.
Kagome smiled proudly. "I already know mine. By the end of the year, I'm going to face all my fears: spiders, heights, big dogs, and planes."
Inu-yasha laughed. "Heights, huh?" He shut up after a death glare.
"I know what mine is," Sango spoke up. Everyone turned their attention to her. She said quietly, "Only one has to know for the project to be official right?" They nodded so Sango turned and whispered in Kagome's ear.
Her eyes got larger and larger as Sango continued to tell her. "What?" Kagome exclaimed. She glanced at the boys and said more quietly to her friend, "But what about…?" Sango whispered into her ear again before Kagome asked, "Are you sure?"
Sango nodded with a blush.
A grin spread across Kagome's face. "Oooo, go Sango!"
"Shut up!" she growled with red cheeks.
The boys looked at each other in confusion. "What is it?" Miroku asked with curiosity.
Just then the bell rang. Both the girls stood up without hesitation.
"Whoa, whoa, wait. Are you going to answer?" Inu-yasha said with impatience.
Kagome winked at them. "Nope. Neither of you can know. You'll know when she finishes it though." With that they walked away.
The boys stared after them with open jaws. They glanced at each other before running to catch up with them.
xXx
"Did you catch me beam Kouga with that football in gym last Friday?" Inu-yasha boasted the next Sunday. "That was almost as good as the volleyball and the golf ball!"
Kagome chuckled as Inu-yasha imitated the faces Kouga had made.
"He's just mad that you're with me," Inu-yasha smiled smugly. "Too bad for him!" He laughed.
Kagome smiled and looked away. Inu-yasha furrowed his brow at her.
As promised, they'd had their day together today. The couple had gone shopping, skating, and to an arcade. They had just got back from dinner and a walk around Reanu Park. He had been leading up to the question he wanted to ask. He wanted to take her to homecoming. But the day hadn't gone as he had planned.
He'd been trying to get her to laugh all day. She had seemed distant the whole time, like she had something on her mind. But she didn't mention anything so Inu-yasha figured she'd say what was bothering her when she was ready. But now they were at her door and she still hadn't said anything. Inu-yasha ran out of patience.
They stopped at her welcome mat. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.
"I'm fine," she answered a bit too fast.
Inu-yasha rolled his eyes. "You know I can tell when you're lying so why do you bother?" He grinned playfully but she definitely wasn't smiling. In fact she seemed to be on the verge of tears.
Alarmed, Inu-yasha said, "What's wrong?"
Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she looked up at Inu-yasha. "There's something I have to tell you. I wasn't sure how to say it before so I didn't mention it."
Inu-yasha comforted her with a hug. "What is it?" he asked when he pulled away.
She bit her lower lip uncertainly and instead of saying anything, she unlocked her front door and pushed it open. Inu-yasha stepped in uneasily as Kagome broke down in a sob, her hands cupping her face miserably. Inu-yasha's feet froze in place as he took in the sight.
Boxes were everywhere. The paintings he'd seen on the walls before were no longer there. As his eyes wondered in disbelief toward the kitchen, he saw that all the cooking utensils were gone. He could see through the open frame into the living room. The furniture was wrapped in plastic, ready to go. With wide eyes, Inu-yasha looked back at Kagome who was still sobbing.
"You… you're… moving?" Inu-yasha whispered incredulously.
Kagome just nodded, her head still buried in her hands, her tears staining the air.
Inu-yasha shook his head. "You can't be!" He refused to believe it. All he could think about was Kaori, his first love. She had moved too. That was how he'd lost her, and now it was Kagome. "I don't want to lose you!" he shouted.
"Remember that shrine I went to with my family yesterday?" Kagome said through her tears. "It's in New York. My mother bought the property. We're going to move to live there next weekend."
Inu-yasha shook his head again. "You can't!" It had taken him long enough to get over Kaori, and he still hadn't forgotten her. He was closer to Kagome than he'd been with Kaori. He knew getting over the loss of Kagome would be impossible.
"You can't," he said again softer. He embraced her tightly. "I love you."
Kagome sniffed in his arms. "I love you too." She looked up at him. "I tried to talk my mom out of it but she wouldn't listen to me. She just told me that we're only a five hour drive away from each other," she said bitterly.
"Five hours?" Inu-yasha exclaimed. "We won't see each other nearly as much as if you were to stay here."
"I know, that's what I told her but she didn't listen," Kagome growled angrily.
Heartbreak washed through Inu-yasha's eyes as he gazed at her. He seemed close to tears himself. "You… can't go…" He sighed in utter defeat.
Kagome studied him, her face indecipherable. Then she said reluctantly, "There's one more thing I have to tell you."
Inu-yasha looked up at her with miserable eyes. More bad news? He didn't think he could handle it.
Kagome shifted out of his arms and took a few steps away into the darkness. The only light filtered in from the porch light. "What is it?" Inu-yasha asked, preparing for the worst.
When she looked back at him, he couldn't believe it. She was… smiling!
"Gotcha," she smirked.
Suddenly, she ducked out of view just as three white circular objects came hurling at Inu-yasha. One smacked him right in the face while the other two hit him in his chest and shoulder. This was followed by laughter. One taste told Inu-yasha they were pies.
Inu-yasha stood there in disbelief as the silver pie containers fell to the floor. "You," he started as he wiped the goo off his face with a hand, "have got to be joking." Two more pies hit him at the waist and in the head again.
As he wiped the pie from his face again, Kagome stepped to his side. "As a matter of fact," she said as she smacked him in the face with another pie, "we are."
Little boys' laughter followed this. Inu-yasha cleaned his eyes to see Souta and three other boys he'd never seen. He remembered Kagome telling him Souta was having friends over tonight. So they had thrown the pie. Except for the one holding the video camera… Oh. God.
Everything suddenly made a ton of sense.
Inu-yasha sucked his teeth as turned to Kagome who was dipping her finger in the pie on his body and tasting it. "So… you're not moving."
She grinned. "Nope," she said cheerfully as she sucked the pie off her finger.
Inu-yasha smiled bitterly. "This is your payback prank… isn't it?" Not that he had to ask.
She nodded happily and poked him. He fell back onto some boxes. They were filled with packing Styrofoam and stuck to his pie-covered body. She and the boys laughed.
Inu-yasha sat there and let the anger fill every cell in his body. With a deep breath he jumped up and exploded. "This was wrong and you know it! Beyond wrong! Playing with my emotions and getting me all scared and… Shit! I mean, I wouldn't even do this!"
Kagome giggled. "I know, isn't it great!" she said as if it was the most exciting thing in the world.
"Kagome!" Inu-yasha groaned. Then he caught sight of the boy holding the camera. "And you video taped my reaction and the pies and the…. Goddammit!"
Kagome laughed and hugged him, getting pie remnants on her shirt. "Betcha didn't think I'd go this far," she smirked, her eyes full of laughter.
"Hell no," Inu-yasha said miserably as Kagome chuckled. She got him, and she got him good. He'd never live this day down. They'd talk about it till he was a hundred.
"Just admit it. I," she grinned smugly as she poked him, "can out-prank you."
Inu-yasha's jaw fell open. "No. You. Can't. Just know that you've started a huge war. Like a mega hugiganticormous war."
"Is that a word?"
"This will be a monumental war, one everyone will remember. Bigger than Civil War II."
"I think it's World War II, not—"
"The point is," Inu-yasha cut in angrily, "you're going to pay."
Kagome scoffed. "You can't get payback on a payback prank. That makes no sense."
"Does to me!" he growled stubbornly and crossed his arms. His eye caught the boys who were still rolling on the floor in laughter with the exception of the one filming. "And turn that damn camera off!"
Kagome laughed as he chased the boys around the house, stuffing them in boxes when he caught them and sitting on the boxes' tops, laughing victoriously.
If this was what life was going to be like for the rest of the year, Kagome didn't want it any other way.
xXxXxXxXxXx
The End
xXxXxXxXxXx
It's over! Last chapter everybody! I can't believe it... Oh yea, and I know it took me almost two months to update. I'm SO SORRY! I wanted to get the chapter up before Christmas because then I'd really be busy with getting my family presents, but you see how that worked out... I actually was working on it for two months though. The thing is I had writer's block for so freakin long but I'd keep coming back to it when I thought of something to add. And this is the end result. Didja like it??
Yes, I know there's OOC-ness and a shit load of drama... Oh, and the parts that were meant to be funny, like Kagome's final payback prank, might not have been too funny... Like, I think I might've made her do too much. I just thought it might be funny to see Inu's reaction when he found out it was all fake, lol!
Well, my fellow fans and readers, it's been fun... --cries-- I can't believe it's over!! --sob--... --having regained her composure-- Actually, you're not getting rid of me just yet. I'm going to do an epilogue before I'm done. It should be short, brief, and to the point. I've read other epilogues and they just continue with the story but I'll be doing it a little differently. You'll just have to wait n see :D
Hiko18
P.S. So this is offically my longest chapter! I was going to cut it into two but I said only one more so I only did one more. Most of it's dialogue anyway... Anyway, the point is, I'm not going over this to check for spelling errors and grammar and whatever so sorry for any mistakes. I try to get it right the first time around ; )