Broken Hearts

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Well, no more delays, here it is.

44- I'm not a coward

"What?" Kagome stood, dumbfounded, in the doorway, staring at Inuyasha as if he were an alien that had just stepped off a spaceship. "He…Got away?" Kagome felt her voice rising a couple octaves, but she couldn't stop it. The fear was mind-numbingly taking over her and controlling her actions. "He got away?" She was nearly shrieking now, and Inuyasha had to motion for her to relax. The last thing he needed was the doctor coming back in to see if everything was fine.

"Kagome, they're still looking for him." He said in a comforting tone.

"But that's not the point!" She looked frightened. He just wanted to take her in his arms and make her feel safe. "The point is, these stupid cops can't do anything right! The point is that he shouldn't have gotten away in the first place!"

"Kagome," Inuyasha was practically begging now. "It's all right. You're safe here. There are police officers here and we're here."

Kagome dropped her shoulders. "I know, but Rin is out there. And some other people at school. What if he goes after someone else?"

Inuyasha had no reply to this. Instead, he simply took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Please calm down. I'm sure we can tell the police and they can take care of Rin. Just relax, all right?"

Sango, after getting over the initial shock of the current situation, said, "I'll go explain everything to the police. I'll see what they can do." After that, she excused herself from the room and went down the hallway to where the policemen were standing.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said softly after Sango had made her departure from the room. "I'm so afraid."

Inuyasha winced. He hated hearing those words, especially coming from her lips. He embraced her gingerly and whispered, "You don't have to be. I'm right here with you. I'll protect you from him." He sighed. "I know I wasn't there before…when, you know, he did that to you, but believe me, I'll be here this time."

She returned his hug wholeheartedly. "I'm sorry for being such a coward."

"You're not a coward, Kagome." He pulled away, almost stunned that she had even said such a thing about herself. He cupped her chin in his hand and said, "You're brave. All right? I can understand why you're so scared of Naraku. But you're not a coward."

Kagome said nothing, and it worried Inuyasha. He wasn't sure what she thought of herself, but he didn't want it to be negative thoughts. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against him for a few moments. It was dead quiet in that room, the only noise audible was their breathing.

Impetuously, the phone rang beside of them. Kagome jumped and pulled herself away from Inuyasha to answer it. Perhaps it was her mother calling to check in. "Hello?" What answered her, however, nearly made her heart stop.

"Kagome," Naraku said.

Kagome stiffened. "What do you want?"

"Can you guess where I am at?" He asked, ignoring her question. "Can you guess where I'm calling you from?"

Kagome wasn't sure. But the thing she was sure about was that she probably didn't want to know.

"Can't figure it out? Fine. I'll give you a clue. Say hello." He said. Then a woman got on the phone, sounding frightened out of her mind. "Hello? Kagome?"

"Mom!" Kagome felt queasy and the room began spinning sickeningly. "Are you all right? Has he hurt you?"

"I'm fine," her voice was shaking, but stiff with determination. She was obviously trying to keep herself from showing her fear.

"What are you doing home?" She rasped.

"Honey, I came to check on you--" The phone was jerked away from her mother and Naraku's voice echoed in her ears once more, "How sweet. She came to check on you and now she's probably going to die."

"No!" Kagome involuntarily screamed. "Leave her alone! She doesn't need to be involved in this!"

"Oh yes, she does." Naraku insisted. "I told you that everyone you loved would die if you told. Starting with your mother." There was a click and the dial tone greeted her. Kagome dropped the phone and raced to grab her shoes. She was going down there, even if she was in a hospital gown.

"Kagome? What's going on?" Inuyasha demanded, jumping to his feet and going up to her.

"He's going to kill my mom." She told him as she slid her shoes on. "He's at my house." She walked out the door, Inuyasha on her heels.

"Kagome, you can't go there. He might kill you, too." Inuyasha protested.

The police who were down the hall looked up when they heard this bit of news. Sango looked concerned.

"I know that, Inuyasha. But it's a risk I'm willing to take." Kagome said, going down the hall, passing the cops.

"But it's not one I'm going to take!" Inuyasha yelled.

"What's going on?" Sango asked. Inuyasha sighed.

"Naraku is at her house and he's planning on killing her mother. And she's planning on going." He answered.

"Ma'am," one of the policemen said to Kagome. "You can't go alone. I suggest that you stay here and let us handle this situation, especially since you're pregnant."

"Shut up." Kagome said lowly. Her eyes were clouded by her bangs, her expression unreadable. "Inuyasha, you said I wasn't a coward. And I'm not. I'm not afraid of what happens to me. I'm worried about mom. And I don't think he'll kill me. He hasn't mentioned anything about killing me. So just shut up and let me do this!" She turned and raced to the elevator, the cops and Inuyasha hot on her heels. She turned around once inside and gave Inuyasha a regretful look and mouthed, "I'm sorry," before the doors closed.

Once downstairs, she raced through the doors and out into the cold, winter air, and down the street.

"Damn!" Inuyasha punched the elevator doors and pressed his face against them. "Kagome…You're also stubborn."

"Let's follow!" Sango said frantically. "Please!"

Inuyasha looked back at the cops, who nodded in agreement. "We can't let her go like that," one cop said. "It's not safe."

Inuyasha walked past them and headed toward the stairs, Sango and the cops on his heels. They made it to ground level and also went outside into the cold air. The cops got to their cars and started them up while Inuyasha and Sango climbed in back. Next thing, they were peeling out of the parking lot and racing to catch up to Kagome.

Knowing that they would pursue her, more than likely in the cop car, Kagome took a shortcut home, racing through backyards and back roads. She made it up to her house, panting, her heart racing, and she grasped the doorknob in her sweaty, trembling fingers. After sucking in a breath, she burst through the door.

"Mom! Naraku!" She shouted.

"Ah, Kagome," she heard Naraku's sickening voice emanating from somewhere in the kitchen. "You're here. This is wonderful. The more the merrier."

"Let my mother go, Naraku," she commanded, her voice shaking. She proceeded into the kitchen where Naraku was holding her mother with her back against him, a gun pointed at her head. "This is between you and me. Let's settle this…without my mom."

Naraku laughed. "Dear Kagome, there is nothing to settle. You're going to die, it's as simple as that."

Great. She couldn't talk to him…so she was going to have to stall.

"If I were going to die," she began, crowding up to him slowly, cautiously, "you would have already killed me."

Naraku stared at her blankly.

"I mean," she paused, trying to make it seem as if she weren't trying to get up close to him. "You would've already shot me, my mother, Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku if you were planning on killing us."

"You point?" He asked.

Kagome's mother looked at her daughter in fear.

"My point," Kagome said, "is that I think you're afraid to do it."

"I'm not afraid," he protested.

"Really?" Kagome pretended as if she didn't believe him and quirked an eyebrow. She knew very well he wasn't afraid. She just didn't know why he was holding back. "Hm, I don't believe you."

Naraku tightened his grip on the gun. "Do you want me to prove it?"

"No," Kagome said quickly. "No, you don't have to."

"All right then," he said. "So what now?"

Kagome noticed the cop care pulling up, but kept quiet. "I don't know, Naraku. How about you let my mom go?"

"I can't do that," he said.

"Yes you can," she said. They were out of the care now, coming up the porch, guns drawn. "Just take your hands off of her -- simple as that."

Naraku looked as if he were about to release her, but impetuously, Inuyasha burst into the house and into the kitchen. "Kagome!"

Two things happened right then: Sango came in and a single gunshot was fired.

Sango screamed in pain and fell to the ground.

"Sango!" Kagome screamed. The girl had been shot in the leg. Kagome, seething with adrenaline and anger, lunged at Naraku, grabbing the gun, causing him to release her mother, who ran for cover in the living room. Inuyasha came at Naraku, who shoved Kagome off of him.

Next thing Kagome knew, another shot rang out and Inuyasha fell backwards. "No!" She screamed, barely comprehending what she was doing. She went to tackle Naraku, but he got to her first, bringing the gun down to connect with her skull.

Inuyasha's bleeding form faded slowly to black…

Kagome was lying on Inuyasha's bed…he was next to her. He looked into her eyes lovingly before grasping her hands in his. His hands were warm to her. "Kagome…I choose to protect you. I don't give a damn about the consequences…just as long as you're safe. And I intend on protecting you no matter what."

She remembered those words…so sweet, so full of meaning…

Inuyasha extended his hand and Kagome took it and they skated out to the floor and skated around, the music from the speakers was pulsating throughout the whole building.

"Well here we are again

I guess it must be fate

We've tried it on our own

But deep inside we've known

We'd be back to set things straight

I still remember when

Your kiss was so brand new

Every memory repeats

Every step I take retreats

Every journey always brings me back to you

After all the stops and starts

We keep coming back to these two hearts

Two angels who've been rescued from the fall

And after all that we've been through

It all comes down to me and you

I guess it's meant to be

Forever you and me, after all"

Their couple skate…when he had asked her to the dance…

"Well," He said with a boyish smirk, "let me wake you up." He leaned forward and kissed her full on the lips. They both instinctively wrapped their arms around each other, Inuyasha pulling her closer by the waist while she held onto his neck. He nipped at her bottom lip gently, asking for her to open her mouth. She did and he slid his tongue in and let it explore. He let his hands roam over her curvy body, up and down her hips.

He wanted to do more, but the lack of oxygen hit and they stopped kissing, still holding one another in a tight, warm embrace.

"I love you, Kagome." He gasped between breaths.

"I love you, too, Inuyasha."

The first "I love you"s…

Some snow was falling gently, blanketing the ground with white. "It's beautiful, isn't it, Kagome?"

"Yes, it is." She answered softly.

"But it's not as beautiful as you are." Inuyasha said, smiling when he seen her face grow red. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him so she could lean against him.

Wonderful times...

Was she dead? No…she couldn't be. She wouldn't be having all of these flashbacks of all the good times with Inuyasha…

She opened her mouth to speak, but it was difficult. Her head ached horribly, and she felt too weak to open her eyes. She felt exhausted.

"Kagome! Oh, God, she's not opening her eyes!" It was her mother, shrieking in fear. "Oh, God! Kagome, wake up! Please wake up, sweetheart!"

Why was she screaming like that? Couldn't she tell that she was still alive? She was breathing, right? She just didn't have the energy to move.

"Inuyasha needs you, honey!"

Her mind brought her back to earlier.

Inuyasha lunged. A gunshot. He cried out in pain and fell down to the floor, blood splattering anything nearby. She hadn't seen where he had been wounded. Instead, she had reacted blindly by attacking Naraku…

…Inuyasha…

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screeched, sitting up abruptly.

"Oh, Thank Goodness," Ms. Higurashi said softly. "You're all right."

"Where is he?" Kagome demanded. "Where is he?"

Her mother thought she meant Naraku. "He's in the back of the squad car, honey. He won't bother you anymore."

"No!" Kagome yelled. Talking to her mother was useless. She leapt up to her feet and raced past the kitchen table, noticing the place Inuyasha had fallen -- it was covered in blood…lots of blood -- and headed outside into the cold air.

Police officers were all over the place and there were two ambulances in the yard. "Inuyasha!" She cried, feeling tears sliding down her face. Was he all right? Where was he? What about Sango? Would she be okay? And was Naraku really captured?

"Kagome!" She heard someone yell. She turned and saw Koga. She was hesitant to approach him at first, but reluctantly went up to him. "Damn," he said. "Your head is bleeding."

"I don't care!" She yelled. "Where is Inuyasha?"

Koga took her hand and led her over to the ambulance farther away from her house. There he was…not moving…his eyes were closed…his heart rate was rapid…

"No…" she rasped. She got into the ambulance with him and took his hand. He had been shot in the chest. "Please don't leave me behind. You have to take care of me…and the baby! You said you'd protect me, no matter what!" The tears were flowing rapidly. She couldn't stop them. The pain in her heart outdid everything else. He still wasn't moving and she wasn't intending on leaving his side…

Until a nurse told her otherwise. Kagome stood out in the snow, in her bloody hospital gown, a bloody head, a tear stained face, watching at the ambulance with Inuyasha in it sped away…

Note-- Oh boy! What now? Will our little hero live? And who's baby is it? Will there even be a happy ending? Stay tuned!