ONCE AND AGAIN…

By: Jodie-chan

Chapter 1 Reality Check

Inuyasha walked over to his brother's office and barged in without even knocking. He was very furious to Sesshoumaru for playing serious tricks on him last night.

"Why the hell did you pull that shit on me Sesshoumaru!" he shouted on his face and banged his fisted hand in his table.

"You're so ungrateful Inuyasha. Didn't you enjoy your present last night?" he calmly said wearing his usual stoic looks not even glancing up to his furious brother.

"Damn you!" he cursed him aloud. Sesshoumaru looked at him and his lips curved into mischievous grin.

"You're an asshole! She's just an inexperienced teen aged girl and I was drunk and didn't realize it until it was all over!" he said angrily.

"So are you saying you didn't enjoy it. I should have known you prefer whores rather than innocent ones, I paid that wench a big bucks," he said while shaking his head.

He snapped back, "I didn't say that, and I don't take whores, you piece of shit!"

"Then why are you so angry about," he asked him back.

Inuyasha calmed a little when he heard his brother asked, he remembered the girl last night. She was crying but she has a soothing voice. His conscience bothers him again. He couldn't forget what the girl said last night before she left, 'Thank you for being gentle…'

"I feel guilty. I think she has big problem…" he quietly said. His brother looked at him curiously.

"So your conscience is bothering you for screwing an innocent girl? I never thought you have one," he said mockingly. He shot his brother a dangerous glare.

"Shut the fuck up Sess, it's all your fault anyway, you did give me the wench. Why in the seven hells did you do that for?"

Sesshoumaru sighed before replying his idiot of a brother with his poker face. "I'm just giving you options."

Inuyasha looked at him with tons of confusion and asked, "What do you mean options?"

"Ahh never mind Inuyasha, you're still getting married anyway. From the looks of things you're not going to back out on the wedding. And don't ask me anything about the girl because I haven't seen her and I don't know her name either, that's one thing the resource asked me for the girl's privacy. So forget about the girl and stop bothering me, I have work to do," he said bluntly.

"Keh! So you think that would change my mind huh. It doesn't even flash on me, and I'm not interested in that girl. I just couldn't help but feel sorry for her," he finished.

"So, you did enjoy her 'company' then," Sesshoumaru, said with a grin.

"Screw you Sess!" Inuyasha said while walking out of his brother's office and slamming the door.

Sesshoumaru gave a low chuckle while shaking his head. "Soon Inuyasha you're going to screw your own life. Certainly…" he muttered to himself.

Kagome received the second half of her payment from Jakotsu the next day when she met him and Yura at the same place they met before. She was absent from her work because her whole body was aching; that only reminds her of what happened last night. She sighed and clutched the money in her bag protectively. She's on her way to the hospital where her brother has been confined and her mother watching him. She already prepared herself because her mother will surely bombard her with loads of questions including Sango. And it's probably about getting the money that fast. She doesn't know if they're going to believe her or not but she will never tell the truth, not until she's breathing. She would never going to disgrace her family's name.

She arrived at the hospital in time to see her mother and Sango talking to a doctor outside Souta's room. They noticed her and run to meet her. "Mama I have the money now. Souta can have the operation as soon as possible," she said to her mother and handed the money in an envelope to her.

Her mother gasped but managed to ask her, "Kagome where did you get this money?"

"Yeah, Kag, how could you possibly produced that amount in just a week," Sango asked accusingly.

She gave her mother and Sango an annoyed look and said irritated, "I didn't stole it if that's what you're thinking."

"Then how?" they asked her in unison. She sighed and said calmly, "I asked Mr. Takashima, our manager in the restaurant if he knows someone that lends money. He said yes, so I grab that opportunity to ask him to take me there, and they lent me the money. I can pay in terms like installment within a span of years depending on how much money I owe. I have to pay them back in a couple of years but with interest of course.

They seemed to look convinced with her 'story' but her mother asked her again, "But Kagome how could we pay that amount. The shrine doesn't make much money now because there are only few tourists visiting."

She gave her mom a reassuring smile and said, "Don't worry mom I'm going to work hard to pay for it and I'll study harder so after I graduate I can look for a better and high paying job."

Her mom gave her a weak smile and hugged her. "Thank you Kagome, what would I do without you." She hugged her back and then turned to face Sango.

"Thanks Sango-chan for always being with me," she said to her.

She smiled and gave Kagome a pat on the shoulder and said, "You should ask the doctor now so Souta can have his operation as soon as possible." That snapped Kagome back to reality.

Her mother followed the doctor to fill up some information. Souta's operation is scheduled the next day. Kagome hopes that what she did wouldn't go into waste. Souta will be fine…her brother will live.

Inuyasha arrived at their mansion being greeted by his loving mother. His mom is a very fine woman, very down to earth despite their extreme wealth, she has a kind heart and she always smiles. He hugged and kissed his mom. "How's your day Mom," he asked her politely.

"Oh I'm fine, besides I should be the one asking you that, you didn't come home last night," she said giving him an accusing look. Inuyasha looked at her mother nervously and gulped.

"Ahh…Sess and Miroku gave me a bachelor's party Mom, and we had a little drink so I didn't make it home. I stayed in the hotel and went straight into the office in the morning," he finished but carefully reminded his self to drop the other event happened last night.

"Ok, that's convincing enough," she grins at his son. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. His mother is a very smart and sneaky woman.

"Oh and by the way son, your fiancée is here. She's in the garden talking to her cell phone for God knows how long," his mom said and made a face. Inuyasha always knew from the beginning that her mother doesn't like Kikyou much because of her stuck up attitude; despite that fact, Inuyasha really loves her. His father has her favor because Kikyou's father is a politician while his father is a businessman. They make a good combination.

"Mom, don't start…we already talked about this before and you understand me right?" he sweetly said to his mother while giving her a light smile.

"Inuyasha, I am your mother I just want to make sure that you'll have a peaceful and happy married life," her mother said seriously.

He just sighed and said, "Mom I know that…you just want the best for me but I'm not a kid anymore, I'm a grown up man and I'm

getting married." His arms spread wide open presenting his self to his mother. "Besides you did manage to live with dad for so many years, don't you think I can't do that with Kikyou?" he added.

Her mother frowned and waved her hand in his face "Alright you win, now go to her before she'll have one of her mood swings," she said mockingly to his son. He smiled at her and took off to meet her fiancée.

In the garden, Kikyou is busy talking to someone in her cell phone when Inuyasha sneaked behind her and hugged her waist. She was startled for a while and then looked behind her when he saw Inuyasha grinning at her. She didn't stop talking in her cell phone; when Inuyasha is about to say something she made a shushing motion with her hand to stop Inuyasha from bothering her.

He started to bring a scowl on his face. Kikyou is ignoring him again; she's always like that whenever she's busy talking to someone over her cell phone. He released her in his embraced and started to stomp back inside the house.

Kikyou noticed him when he's about to leave. "I'll just call you later ok," she said over the phone and then clicked it off. "Inuyasha where have you been! I waited for so long here! She shouted to him with her hands on her hips while her brows are twitching with annoyance.

He stopped on his track and turned around just to see his very annoyed girlfriend. He still has his scowl on his face, his arms crossed over his chest when he said, "You finished chatting to who ever that fucking someone you're talking with!"

"Don't change the subject and don't shout at me!" she said furiously. Inuyasha shouts back, "I'm not shouting at you bitch!"

Kikyou begun to pull her act, her tears are now pouring from her eyes and that did not escape from Inuyasha's view. He mentally kicked himself for making her cry, she really hates when women cries especially if it's Kikyou. When he saw her tears he hurriedly stomped back to her and hugged her gently. "Shush…it's ok, don't cry. I'm sorry," he said gently while stroking her back. He always melts when she cry but he didn't know that she's grinning evilly at his back.

She's a model but she can be a good actress too, times like this it can very useful. 'I can always have you in my fingers Inuyasha,' she thought.

Kagome stayed in the hospital the whole evening to watch over his brother. She asked her mom to get some rest so she let her come home. Her shift in the restaurant is at night but she has classes in the morning, but that doesn't bother her to stay with her little brother.

"He looks so weak and fragile," she said quietly while stroking his pale hands. She planted a kiss on his forehead and drifted to dream land in the chair she's sitting beside his bed.

Before sleep claimed her she thought for a moment that their misery would end sooner. She convinced herself that Souta will be fine and there would be no more problems to come. Or at least that what she's hoping…