ONCE AND AGAIN

By Jodie-chan

Chapter 10: Guilt Trip

Kagome was up early knowing the fact that it's the 'big day' in their office that she had been preparing to for two days but she didn't feel the urge to come to work that day because she's fully aware that her son was sick.

She still has much time to decide whether or not she'll come to work. She hasn't change yet to her business attire and just sitting beside her son.

She was furious yesterday when she found that her son has a fever but she couldn't bring herself to take it on her brother besides; he's always there for his nephew especially if she has no time to spend with her own son. Being a mother she was just worried and scared.

She felt his forehead once again and his temperature was a bit down now compared to last night. He was still fast asleep. She touched his face and tucked him securely under the blanket.

"I'm sorry Inari-chan, I know I should be taking care of you but I always leave and work…" She said quietly while running her fingers through his hair.

Her mother knocked on the door and entered the room. She walked over to her daughter and nudged her softly.

"Kagome dear why haven't you change yet. You'll be late for your work." Kagome turned to look at her mother and sighed.

"Mom I don't think I can come to work today, maybe I'll just call Sango so she can take over for me." She said while continuously stroking her son's hair.

"No dear, you should come to work. If you're worrying about Inari-chan I'll be just right here. I will never leave and I'll take care of him until you get back from work." Her mother said smiling with complete assurance.

"But Mom, it's too much for your part besides Souta's not here, he's in the school and…" Her mother cut her off before she could finish.

"Dear, Inari is my only grandson, I would do anything to take good care of him and you don't have to worry about me, I'm doing this because I love you both. Besides if you don't come to your 'big day' which is today, your boss would probably think that you're being unprofessional, leaving them hanging is a bad thing especially with higher position like yours." Her mother finished with a faint smile.

"I guess your right but is it really ok if I leave you here and Inari, I mean I'm just worried." Concern and worry written all over her face.

"It's ok, Inari-chan's temperature has gone down to 38 °C, he might not be up for a while because of the medicine he took but he's probably be fine now. If something has to come out I'll just call you in the office, but I hope it's just fever and nothing else. Let's just hope and pray." She only nodded and started to get up and change. She still has a job to be worried to.

"Thanks Mom, I wouldn't know what to do if you're not here." She said smiling and hugged her mother.

"I'm a mother too, you know." She said with a smile and wink.

She already changed and prepared everything she needs to take for the 'big day' which made her a little jumpy and nervous. She bade goodbye to her mother, kissed his son although he's still asleep and hurried to her work place where she would face another challenge from her ability to convince clients using her smart and wit ideas as a Creative Director.

She arrived at the office a little early than usual. The whole department was busy and anticipating for the 'big day's' result. All employees that she passed by have greeted her. Everyone seemed to be too excited of the out come of the client's presentation, which was scheduled before lunchtime.

She entered her office to find Sango busy doing her part for the coming presentation. She greeted her friend without so much enthusiasm, which is not a normal thing for her.

"Good morning Sango-chan." Sango noticed her friend's lack of energy and looked at her curiously.

"Morning to you too Kagome-chan but… why do you seem so down today? I mean this is our big day, you should be excited!" She said in a giddy tone.

"Yeah… but, I'm just worried about my son." She said while sitting on her chair.

"Is something happened to Inari-chan?" Sango looked at her friend with worry in her eyes.

"He still has a fever, it's been over night now, maybe I'm over reacting but I'm just worried I can't help it." Kagome said while arranging a couple of files from her desk.

"It's ok you're his mother, it's a natural thing, an instinct, but I hope he's fine." Sango said while continuing her work.

"I really don't want to come here today and leave my son but Mom convinced me and she'll stay with Inari until I get back home. Maybe after presentation I could come home earlier, I wish this would all be finished."

"Your son will be just fine if your mom stays with him, don't worry your self too much besides you still have someone to impress today. It's your chance Kagome-chan to show that 'jerk' what you can do. You have to concentrate and relax." Sango stood and patted her shoulders.

"I guess you're right, gotta get ready!" Kagome said smiling trying to lift her spirit.

"We still have a couple of hours to prepare and rehearse a little, but I know you can always perfect it!" Sango said encouragingly.

Kagome rolled her eyes to her friend as she run a mental review of her part for the presentation.

Inuyasha and Miroku arrived at the office a few minutes after Kagome arrived. Inuyasha didn't let Miroku get away with him without giving a piece of his mind because of his big mouth. He earned a lump on the head that still swollen a little.

They entered the President's office and Inuyasha's secretary handed them a copy of the general client's presentation.

"Sir, Ms. Higurashi asked me to give this to you and she said that everything's all set now, we'll just be waiting for the arrival of the client's representative." The secretary told them and she looked equally happy just like the other staff.

"Looks like everyone's been too excited huh, I hope this turned out well ne, Inuyasha." Miroku turned to look at his friend who's sitting at his swivel chair.

"Just keep your fingers cross." Inuyasha didn't seem to be excited and just looked on the copy that his secretary handed him.

"Still so grouch? Why don't you lighten up a bit?" Miroku suggested eagerly trying to joke his friend.

"Keh! Why should I? If we lose this account there's nothing we can do, it's just like that." He said and shrugged his shoulders.

"But the department worked hard on this. You should at least give them a moral support." Miroku said while lifting a brow. Inuyasha looked at him and just snorted.

"I will be there, that's all I can give." He smirked

"What ever, anyways I have to look for some files and check on the conference room just to make sure." He said and stood to do his job.

One hour later after the president's arrival, Kagome and Sango were equally busy preparing for the 'big day' when the phone rang from Creative Director's office. Kagome picked up the phone with a smile but her smile faded when she heard what the other person on the line told her.

Kagome gasped; fear and worry were written all over her expression.

"Mom… are you sure? O… ok…I … I'll be there." Her voice was shaky when she said the last words and put down the phone.

She covered her face with her hands, her elbows resting on the table. Sango looked at her friend with concern.

"Kagome-chan are you ok? Who called? What's that all about?"

Kagome turned to look at Sango with pool of tears forming in her eyes. She had a gloomy look.

"Sango-chan, Inari is in the hospital."

Sango gasped and her eyes widened.

"Mom said a few minutes after I left the house; Inari is convulsing with a very high fever and she noticed some red spots from his body so she decided to call the ambulance and took him to the hospital. The doctors are running a round of tests from his blood now so they haven't figure out yet what's really wrong about his condition." She said with a sad look and completely forgotten the high spirits she had just a while ago.

"Oh my… Are you gonna leave now?" Kagome nodded mindlessly. "But Kagome-chan how about the presentation?" Sango looked at her expectantly.

"I really have to go Sango-chan, my son needs me. Don't worry I'll talk to Mr. Takagi about the presentation maybe he could do something about it." She assured her friend.

"Go ahead Kagome-chan but make sure to convince him and he wouldn't get angry, ok." Sango gave her a comforting smile and she nodded.

She headed directly to the President's office. She knocked on his door and entered. She nervously approached her boss, hoping and praying that he would let her leave even before the presentation.

"Yes Ms. Hugurashi, what do you want?" He asked without even looking at her. He doesn't want to look at her now that he's trying to be kind enough.

Kagome walked over his desk quietly and spoke in a very polite way.

"Mr. Takagi I … I …I just want to ask for a favor… just for today." Her head was down while looking at her feet.

"Get to the point Ms. Higurashi." He said calmly trying to hide his annoyance.

"What I mean is, I can't do the presentation today, but I can ask someone to take over for me..." She was cut off before she could finish. Inuyasha shot his head up and looked at her directly in the eye when he heard her statement.

"What! Are you serious!"

" I'm sorry Sir but I really have to leave now, there are some important matters I have to attend today… just for today." She pleaded seriously.

"Do you know what you're talking about Ms. Higurashi? You are just deciding to leave the company on the edge of a big project!" He stood and banged his fist on the table.

"I'm really sorry Mr. Takagi I just have a family emergency but I can ask someone to do the presentation so you don't have to cancel it." She said nervously.

"That's a lame excuse Ms. Higurashi! You can't just leave us hanging and don't ever expect somebody else to do your job for you because you have some emergency or whatever!" His voice was rising and his brows were twitching.

"I worked hard and prepared for this presentation Sir, I never once through my entire working days here left the company hanging, I'm just asking for this day because a have an emergency. Can you at least be considerate?" Her voice was shaky and her hands fisted in her sides.

"So you're saying I'm inconsiderate!" He leaned closer to her direction.

"I'm not saying that Sir, I just want to ask a favor in a polite way." She said trying to control her temper.

"By leaving the company in the midst of a big project!" He shouted on her face losing all the irritation he has.

"I'm not leaving the company Sir, I just want you to understand my situation." He glared at her.

"But you can't even understand the company's situation! No Ms. Higurashi you can't leave! The company is paying you, so do your job! You just proved how unprofessional you could be!"

Kagome snapped. She couldn't take it anymore; he already reached her end string.

"What! I am not unprofessional! If there is someone unprofessional here, its not me, its you!" She shouted on his face losing all the anger that built in her chest. She was shaking.

"You don't have a right to shout at me!" Inuyasha's face was red in anger.

"And you don't have a right to humiliate me!" She pointed a finger on his face.

"Are you trying to lose your job Ms. Higurashi!" He said with a mocking voice. He was almost nose-to-nose with her. He was leaning against her direction; the table was the only thing that kept them apart.

"You can fire me for all I care! It's been what you want ever since, so be that way! I don't owe you any explanation! You will never have the chance to fire me anyway because from this day! I resign!" Her face was red in anger and her eyes were in near tears although she suppressed herself from crying. She doesn't want to show the jerk her weakness.

Inuyasha was stunned. For a while he couldn't say anything, just gaping at the girl who had courage to turn against him.

Kagome glared at him before she angrily turned her back and left his office. The moment she was out the room her tears streamed down her face.

She ran to her own office ignoring all the curious eyes on her. She burst out on the room and saw her friend. She hugged Sango tightly and cried on her shoulders.

"Sango-chan I already resigned!" She said in between sobs. Sango knew why. She had another heated argument with their boss and it turned out to be the worst they could expect.

"What are you going to do now?" Sango said while rubbing her back. Kagome looked at her friend and smiled faintly.

"I guess it's really over… I need to go now Sango-chan, I'll just give my resignation letter tomorrow. I'll just worry for the rest after this, at least I'm free of the jerk now." She sighed and wiped all her tears.

"How could he be such a jerk!" Sango said angrily directing the comment to Inuyasha.

"Sango-chan my son is more important to me than my job. Take over for me will you?" She said to Sango who only nodded and headed to the door when she bumped on Miroku on her way out.

"Hi! Kagome are you ready?" Kagome just smiled at him and continued on her track.

He looked at Sango expecting an explanation.

"What is going on? Where is she going?" Miroku asked curiously.

"She's leaving." Sango said calmly.

"Leaving? What kind of leaving? We have a presentation and she's needed in there." He was confused as hell.

"I'll take over the presentation… she already resigned, your friend blew her off." Sango looked annoyed, if she could only resign from her job too to sympathize with her friend, she would. But Kagome wouldn't be happy with that.

"What! Jesus Christ! What did he do this time?" Miroku said while clutching his head. He knew that Inuyasha lost his temper again that made Kagome quit her job.

"Kagome asked him if she could leave today and let me take over the presentation, but he refused and they ended up fighting. She was pushed to the limit that's why she resigned." Sango tried to explain.

"Why would Kagome want to leave, she knew that she's needed here today right?" Miroku asked curiously. Sango sighed and decided to tell the truth to Miroku.

Kagome considered Miroku as a friend already. Few only knew in the office about Kagome having a son. Not that she doesn't want them to know, she just don't want to spread some rumors that would made her family's name on the line of humiliation.

"Kagome's son was rushed to the hospital, her Mom took the kid and she was just worried." Miroku gaped.

"She has a son? Did she tell that to Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

"I don't know, maybe not, because she doesn't want to involve her job from her personal life." Sango said and shrugged.

Miroku looked thoughtful for a moment and then she nudged Sango.

"Sango, I have an idea that might bring Kagome back!" Sango looked at him like he's some kind of a lunatic.

"What's on your mind?" Sango asked curiously.

"Sango can we take Kagome's 201 files and every track record she has that showed her over all performance and contribution to the company?"

"Yeah, we can get that to the HR." Sango said calmly, she's starting to get Miroku's idea.

After 30 minutes, Miroku bashed on Inuyasha's office and without even saying a single word he slammed a folder to his table.

Inuyasha jumped a little and shot a death glare to his friend.

"What are you, an idiot! Trying to give me a heart attack!" Inuyasha shouted on his face.

"If there's an idiot here, it's you Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted back.

"What!" He shouted angrily.

"Look at those files! Those are Kagome's files! Look what you have done! You just fired an asset of a company!"

"I did not fire her, she resigned!"

"You pushed her to!"

"She's trying to leave the company hanging in the midst of a big project!"

"You didn't let her explain!"

"She did not explain!"

"Because you don't want to listen and you gets mad easily!"

"Shut up Miroku! I don't have time to listen to your preach and I have more problems to worry including this presentation today that she left!" Inuyasha was pissed.

"Inuyasha you don't know what you made the company lost! Take a look at those files! Kagome was only been here for a year but she had increased the company's profit by 17, she lowered the company's expenses in media buying and even closed and deal bigger accounts in just a matter of months."

Inuyasha started to flip over the pages of Kagome's files and he couldn't believe what he's reading.

"Inuyasha, the company just lost a 'gold mine' because of your stupidity!" Miroku scolded him like a child.

Inuyasha begun to feel ashamed of himself but his pride pushed it aside.

"Keh! Anybody can do what she did!" He kept his pride unmoving.

Miroku rolled his eyes and run his fingers on his hair frustrated. His friend was hopeless and he's patience was wearing off. He just thought of banging Inuyasha's head on the wall when Sango burst inside the office.

"Miroku, something happened! Kagome needs us, we have to go to the hospital!" Sango said worriedly.

"Why? What happened?" Miroku looked at her confused.

"Her son needs blood transfusion, she just called me she didn't explain well but we have to hurry! Please Miroku!" Sango pleaded.

Inuyasha was just listening to the two. It begun to clear on his mind what Kagome was talking about 'family emergency'. He never thought it would be that serious. He felt a tugged on his conscience.

"Can you tell me exactly what is happening?" Inuyasha interrupted and the two shot him a knowing look.

"Kagome's son was rushed to the hospital and now he needs to undergo blood transfusion." Miroku explained briefly.

"Miroku lets go!" Sango nudged him and headed to the door when she remembered the presentation and slapped her forehead.

"What's the matter?" Miroku asked.

"The presentation! I almost forgot!" Miroku turned and looked at Inuyasha who walked over to them holding his car keys.

"Where are you going Inuyasha?" Miroku lifted a brow while Sango just glared.

"Just go to the parking lot and wait for me. I'll just make a call." He said seriously.

"Guilty as usual?" Miroku eyed him accusingly.

"Shut up!" He snapped at him.

Miroku and Sango went down the parking lot and waited for Inuyasha. He made a call to the PR Supervisor of the company client that supposed to see the presentation. He asked for another appointment for the client's presentation and reasoned an emergency problem that needed to be fixed. The client agreed and cancelled the scheduled presentation.

Inuyasha walked over the two who stood beside his Benz. Miroku spotted him and snatched the keys from his hands.

"Hey!" Inuyasha protested.

"I'm driving ok. We don't want to get to the hospital with broken bones and scattered brains. We want to be there in one piece and alive." Miroku teased a little knowing the fact that Inuyasha wouldn't get back at him, now that his conscience was eating him.

Inuyasha sat on the passenger seat while Sango sat beside Miroku not without giving him a warning look to keep his hand on his self.

The trip was fine, just a few minutes of traffic because of an accident. They reached the Tokyo General Hospital without much hassle.

Sango asked the nurse from the reception area and gave them the room number of Kagome's son.

Inuyasha just followed Miroku and Sango silently. He was really guilty and he couldn't bring himself to talk much.

They reached the room and spotted Kagome outside sitting on one of the chairs outside of the Pediatrics Ward. Sango rushed to her friend and hugged her tightly.

Kagome's eyes were red and puffy an only indication that she cried herself too much.

Kagome noticed Inuyasha behind Miroku a bit farther though. Her eyes narrowed in his direction.

"What is he doing here?" She whispered to Sango.

"It's a long story but you better explain your son's condition first and the doctor's findings." Sango looked at her friend worriedly.

"Yeah, that's right Kagome. What really happened?" Miroku asked curiously.

Kagome slumped on the chair and started to explain.

"The doctor said its Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, it's an acute infectious viral disease cause by a certain specie of a mosquito, I remembered it's called Aedes Aegypti, a day biting mosquito. He has a very high fever, almost over 40°C last night then it went down this morning and after I left Mom said it went up again and he convulsed but when they're on the way here, it went down again and he had nosebleed and red spots started to form all over his body. The doctor said it is the most dangerous phase because he already undergone deferverence, and another phase would soon suffice if he's not taken right away here, he's body might undergo shock because of internal bleeding of his arteries that decreases his platelet counts. That's why he needs transfusion." She finished.

"So how's his condition?" Sango asked curiously at the same time worried.

"The doctor said he's barely stable but he needs blood transfusion now. His platelet count and hemoglobin is very low." Kagome started to sniff.

"Then why don't they do the transfusion now?" Miroku asked seriously.

"That's the problem, there were over a hundred of people who suffered from blood loss because of an accident. This hospital was the nearest to the accident area so they took all the injured here that's why the blood bank run out of blood donations." Kagome explained tiredly.

"We saw the accident, it 's a two bus that clashed together." Miroku said shaking his head.

"Then why don't you just donate your blood?" Sango asked confused.

"That's the problem, his blood type is an 'O' we're not match neither Mom. I'm an 'A' and so is Mom, if we would wait for the blood donations from the other hospital, it would take much time." Kagome said and sighed.

"Oh, oh… I'm an 'A' too." Sango said worriedly.

"And I'm 'B'." Miroku added with concern.

Inuyasha has been listening to their conversation attentively. He may be a bit farther but he heard everything Kagome explained.

Without much thinking, he walked over to them and interrupted.

"I'm an 'O'…"

Author's Note: Ahhh…I so love to stop here…hahahaha! (Menacingly evil laugh)…and no one can stop me…Thanks again R and R, constructive criticisms are welcome but not flames!