Hello again my readers! Here is another chapter, a little sad but I hope you all like it. Once again, this has not been edited because I need a Beta Reader. As of late, my recent helpers have kind of gone AWOL. Oh well, the position is open and anyone willing to help, please PM me or review or whatever your way of communications with me in order to let me know.

Enjoy this chapter and PLEASE REVIEW!

-Yuuki

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the character's that belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not make a profit from writing this story, I simply do it for mine, and my readers' entertainment.

P.S.- I had this chapter ready two weeks ago! The updater on FanFiction was down for me and wouldn't let me :( but on the bright side, I went to the State Compition and came back with 3rd place out of 50! Hell yea! Yay me!

P.S. - *!~!~!* = flashback ~!~ = time or scene change 'blah'=thought "blah"=talking

Betrayal's Greatest Romance

~ Third Year of Tama Art University ~

Mid Fall Semester

Chapter Two:

Used Like a Marionette but My Strings Are Cut

She hadn't spoken to him in almost five days. Usually, this would not be a reason to worry but she had spent the night at his apartment yesterday, even though she told him she would be waiting for him, he did not come home that night. Another heavy sigh released itself from Kagome's parted lips as she tried to think of something that she had done to upset Inuyasha. Even Kikyo had gone and made herself scarce around the dorm.

Kagome had really begun to panic and decided to call in for her morning shift at the day care, opting to go in the afternoon. Ayame was more than happy to switch shifts with her. She was concerned for her young friend and, even though she didn't know what the problem was, Ayame would rather she take some time to herself than come in and break down in front of the kids.

Climbing the stairs up the urban apartment building, Kagome grinned and held the bag of freshly baked sweets closer. She had just reached the third floor and already she could hear her sister Sango yelling for some unknown reason. Sango lived on the fifth floor.

"Sugar pie, I assure you that – "

"Don't you even start! I knew it was you!" Kagome paused at the door, not sure whether it was safe to step into the two bedroom apartment. Pregnant Sango was scary. Calming her nerves, she opened the door and unknowingly stepped right into the line of fire. Kagome didn't have time to get her other foot through the door before a glass bowl tried to lodge itself into her temple.

"Your fault," they couple called out and rushed to her side. Miroku picked Kagome up and set her on the couch while Sango rushed to get an ice pack.

"Kagome, are you ok?" Sango asked as she tried to lean over to check her wound but her baby bump kept getting in the way. The glass bowl, actually a candy dish, was shattered on the floor behind them and the bruise on Kagome's face grew angrier by the moment. "I swear, I didn't mean to hit you chickadee." Sango cooed softly and smiled as her nails dug themselves into Miroku's thigh. Kagome grinned and sat up, ignoring the groggy haze that fogged her mind. She hadn't noticed her sister's neko youkai companion sitting on her stomach until then. With a tiny meow, Kirara leaped from her place and took to her napping corner.

"No problem Sango. You seem to be forgetting that this was not the first, and far from the worst, of all the injuries a have obtained since being born. Remember the 'earth quake' when I was five and I fell out the window?" Laughter echoed between them as they both fell back in time. Kagome had been trying to follow Sango onto the roof and fell off because Sango threw a tennis ball at her forehead. When questioned later by their mom, Sango had told her that there had been an earth quake and she had barely made it herself trying to save Kagome.

"Is that so?" Their mother asked as she came to sit next to Kagome's unconscious body on the couch. She pushed her bangs to the side and continued, "So this earth quake wouldn't happen to be named Wilson?" There, branded into Kagome's forehead like a tattoo, was the name Wilson Champion from Sango's tennis ball. The same tennis ball she was holding.

"That was so funny, I was sure I had gotten away with it!" Sango laughed and rubbed her baby bump before settling down on the couch next to Kagome. "So, what did I do to deserve this special visit from my favorite sister?"

"I'm your only sister," Kagome grumbled as she got to her feet.

"I still say that Souta was meant to be a girl. There was supposed to be a rift of girls against Kohaku! We had all the girly stuff ready for little Sophie but then mom comes home with a Souta!" Sango played the disgusted sister but Miroku and Kagome both knew that she would kill for both younger brothers. True, they had all been expecting a little girl but Souta was loved no different. "Anyway, don't change the subject. What did you need babe?"

"Can't a girl just miss her sister?" Kagome asked as she went and picked up the forgotten, not cold, sweets by the front door. "That and I needed to talk to you. Alone?"

"There's my cue to leave. Go ahead and have your girl talk, I learned my lesson the first time." That he did. Miroku made the mistake of asking Kagome to talk to him instead of always Sango. He was going to be family anyway and he wanted to be treated as such. Poor him, because it turned out that that particular day, little Kagome was having trouble finding out why she was the last in her class to be gifted by 'the curse'. Miroku lost his lunch then passed out. Lesson learned – girl talk is for girls.

As they waited for the male to be behind the closed door of the bed room, the women picked at the sweets and did the normal small talk. As soon as the soft click was heard from the door, Sango pounced. "So what did the idiot do this time?"

"What idiot?"

"Inuyasha! Don't play dumb with me, my mother senses are kicking in and it's like I have ESPN or something, now spill." Sighing, Kagome spilled it all, crying on Sango's belly as she asked what to do.

"Chickadee, you just have to grin and bear it. You know how I felt about the hanyou when you guys were still just friends, and I didn't hesitate to tell you how I felt when you asked him out. I understand you love him baby but I don't want you hurt. And you know if I find out that you've been hurt by him I'll have to call in a favor from my old S.W.A.T buddies." Kagome groaned. Sango's old S.W.A.T buddies, otherwise known as the band of seven, were all lunatics. They enjoyed pain and other peoples suffering. Two of which, Suikotsu and Renkotsu, were switched to the integration unit because they just had that crazy quality about them. While Sango was on squad seven with them, they would always go above and beyond to get the job done. For this reason, S.W.A.T commander only called them in dire situations. To call them for a situation would be like sending Inuyasha to the gallows.

"Oh Sango, please don't get them involved in this, it's not that serious!" Kagome pleaded and she laid her head down on her sister's lap. Sango leaned back against the plush couch, running her fingers through the midnight blue hair of her sister. She loved her sister so much but she also knew how it felt to have your first love. You never want to let go and you never forget that person. But the older woman knew where this road was leading and only hoped that Kagome was more mature than she was when the same happened to her.

"Don't you 'Oh Sango' me! I'm just looking out for you. I don –"

"Yes I know Sango!" Kagome cut her off. She didn't want to be mean but she had to say what was on her mind. "Sango I love you but I love Inuyasha. I know you don't approve of him and neither do mom or the boys but if I'm happy, isn't that enough?"

"But that's the thing Kagome, you're not happy." The living room remained silent, the TV from the bedroom being heard but not clear. After a moment, Sango tugged her sister in for a tight squeeze and kissed her forehead, "Look, I know you love Inuyasha, all I'm saying is to be careful. That's all."

"Thank you Sango." Kagome smiled and kissed Sango's cheek and belly before looking over her at the kitchen clock. "I have to get to work but I'll see you and Roku tomorrow for family dinner, ok?" Sango nodded and walked her sister to the door, both women unaware of the third person that listened to the whole conversation.

Miroku knew Inuyasha was ignoring Kagome for a reason, but he never expected her to react like this. And he never thought Kagome actually loved him. Young people these days say and use the word so loosely that you can never really tell what was real and what was just another phase to get into your pants. Miroku knew what the future held for Kagome and honestly thought she would be able to bounce back with time. Now knowing cards each side held, he wasn't so sure that was the case. He needed to make a phone call.

~!~

"There you are!" Ayame yelled as she rushed to Kagome's side. The ookami demoness went to hug her, but the nasty bruise pulsating on her right temple stopped the woman short. "What the hell happened to you? Were you mugged or something? I thought you were going to see your sister?"

Ayame didn't waste time in letting Kagome explain. She picked the ningen up and rushed her to the back kitchen. "Spill," she ordered as she gathered one of the teething ice rings and placed it on Kagome's face. The cool plastic against her burning flesh was a welcomed contrast but made the splitting head ache unbearable. Too shaken to argue, Kagome told her what happened and made her second mistake of the day. Once the whole story was out, Ayame burst into laughter. Her loud obnoxious laughter caught Jinenji's attention. Once there, he proceeded to then question Kagome about her face. The circle continued as Ayame once again began to laugh, but this time the uma hanyou joined her.

"Whatever, you guys laugh it up. I'll be finishing this month's bills if you need me," Kagome excused herself, trying to make it to the back office to rest her head.

Holding a newly awakened Rin to his side, Sesshoumaru stepped into the day care and inhaled deeply. Under all the generic cleaning products, musk, and flowery air fresheners, he detected the faint scent of rain and citrus. Kagome was here, but not to greet them as usual. Sesshoumaru scented the air again, searching for her. Following his highly sensitive nose, he was lead to a small office. Down the hall, the ookami and uma employees' laughter thundered in his ears even from such a distance.

"Kagome," he knocked gently as Rin began to coo and rub her nose against his neck. She was still tired and he needed to set her down, but not before he knew Kagome was ok and would watch her. Not getting an answer, Sesshoumaru set down Rin's backpack and opened the door slowly. There with her forehead flat against the messy desk, Kagome lay asleep. Her arms folded against her stomach under her shirt and what looked like a green ice ring under her face.

'Strange,' Sesshoumaru thought as he pried Rin's chubby fingers from his neck and set her down on the bench in the far corner. After first placing his jacket over her and making sure she would not fall off, Sesshoumaru turned to face the still sleeping miko.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru called softly as he moved her silky hair behind her ear. He got no response. The usually cold inu lord gently tried to shake her awake. Had anyone else besides Rin seen him act in such a manner, they would have thought the apocalypse was on its way.

Kagome still refused to awaken and Sesshoumaru was losing patience. Taking her arms, careful not to prick her with his talons, Sesshoumaru lifted her to sit up. As soon as she was up, he saw the patterned bruise that marred her right side. Before he could stop himself, Sesshoumaru's eyes began to bleed red and a growl tore from his lips.

That woke Kagome up.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome groggily wiped the sleep from her eyes and was suddenly yanked by her arm from the room. Before she realized it, she and Sesshoumaru were standing in the single person female bathroom. He picked her up with ease and set her on the small porcelain sink, grabbing her chin with unintended roughness and pushed it up and down. Sesshoumaru examined the bruise from all angles and another growl bubbled in his throat.

"Who did this to you?" He commanded as he started the sink's cold water. "Was it that hanyou? Speak now!" He ordered again, his voice becoming rough and almost unable to understand. His youki made its way to the surface and clashed with her reiki. Out of instinct, Kagome tried to calm him down by touching his shoulder but it only caused her reiki to shoot into his body accidentally.

"Stand down!" He growled bearing his fangs to her. Grasping her chin, her pulled it close to his face and surprised her greatly by dabbing a soothing cool cloth on her bruised face. A purr rumbled from his chest, a sound used to sooth disturbed or fussy pups. She could have taken offense at him treating her as an infant, but she couldn't help but be lulled by the vibration.

"Now answer me, what happened to your face?" Sesshoumaru asked after a few minutes, his usual rich baritone voice returned. Kagome looked to his eyes, only to have them blocked by his feathery silver bangs.

"It wasn't Inuyasha. I was hit by a candy dish." She took his silence as a sign to continue. "I stepped into the line of fire of one of my sister's hormonal induced rampages. She threw it to hit Miroku but hit me instead. It's not so bad; it's just a flesh wound. More like a beauty mark now." Kagome laughed and stopped his hand from going to the sink again. "Sesshoumaru, thank you but I'm really fine."

He nodded and gently wound his arms about her waist, lifted her from the sink and set her on her feet. To anyone else, it would seem like an intimate moment but to them, it was simply a familiarity between the two.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome stopped them as they headed out the tiny bathroom space and back to the office. He nodded for her to continue. "Has anything happened lately with Inuyasha? He's been ignoring me and I'm getting worried that he might be in some kind of trouble."

Sesshoumaru winced. He knew exactly what kind of trouble his brother was in and even though it was hurting Kagome now for him to ignore her, it would help her in the long run. Still, he had to put up his mask again, and lie like he had done countless time before. He hated it, but this was for her good.

"No, he is in no kind of trouble," he answered monotone. "As far as I know, he and father have been spending time at a new site for his new restaurant. They plan to build a chain of them around Japan."

"Hm," she mumbled, sounding more like him than she realized. They quietly entered the office space again, Sesshoumaru picking up Rin and her belongings while Kagome cleaned the melted teething ring from the desk. It left a water mark but neither one of them seemed to care.

As they walked back to the nap room, Sesshoumaru watched Kagome silently. Her eyes grew wider, taking on a faraway look. Her skin had lost some of its color and her usual smile was lost in the frown that stained her pouty lips.

"Thinking again?" he asked as he set Rin down in one of the small fold out bed and Kagome put away her backpack. Kagome went to answer but Sesshoumaru's phone spoke before. He tried not to sigh as he answered and his assistant's crackled voice began to babble and plead. "What is it you want Jaken?" he asked more than a little annoyed.

"Oh my lord!" the kappa squawked, "This lowly worthless creature detests disturbing your time with little Rin-sama but it is urgent. Conflict has broken out amongst the generals at the east point. My Lord, if the battle is not stopped now, it'll be on the five o'clock news! They're scheduled to interview General Mito at three! Sir, I –" Sesshoumaru shut off the phone with a snap, startling Kagome. He nodded an apology before putting his suit jacket and coat back on. Frustration written on his face, he led Kagome swiftly to the front before heading to the door to leave.

"Lord Sesshoumaru wait!" Kagome called out as she ran to keep up with him. "Rin will be at my mother's tonight. I have a midterm later but I'll be with her afterwards." Sesshoumaru didn't have time to argue; instead he nodded once again and sped away. Flinching at the squeal of the tires, Kagome quickly made her way back into the building and headed to the play room.

"Kagome!" An orange fluffy ball head butted her to the floor. Laughing, she picked up the small kitsune off her belly and pinched his cheeks. "Kagome, stop it! I'm a powerful youkai not your plushy doll!" the little fox griped as he pushed her hands from his face and helped her up.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. How are you today Shippo?" Kagome asked, taking the little boy's hand and walking with him to the playground. Her shift started and mind blanked.

~!~

"Hey Inuyasha," Kagome greeted her boyfriend with a hug and kiss he didn't return. He whispered a hello and took her by the hand as they walked back to her dorm. "No Inuyasha," she tugged on his arm, pulling him the other direction. "Let's go to your place tonight… I have a gift for you."

"No Kagome, I think you should –"Kagome cut him off with a quick kiss, then another.

"No Inuyasha, please. Just let me do this." She begged him, smiling and kissing him again before they headed for the other side of town.

Thirty minutes or so of driving later, they arrived at Inuyasha's apartment door. "Go in and take a shower, I'll get the guest room ready for you." Inuyasha mumbled as he unlocked the door and led her through the familiar setting.

"Why? I never used it before?"

"Well you will tonight."

"No I won't," Kagome whispered as she got a towel from his laundry room and started the shower. A while later, she emerged from the steam clouded door with only a towel to cover her curves. "Inuyasha?" Kagome called out, looking around for him. A few moments later, she found him by the window of the living room, admiring the night sky. His usual red sleeping bottoms exchanged for a white pair with the shirt to match missing.

"Inuyasha," Kagome called again, coming to sit behind him. She wrapped her arms around his midsection and kissed his shoulder blades. Shocked, Inuyasha turned to look at her before shoving her arms away from him.

"Kagome, go put some clothes on," he groaned and wiped his face.

"No," Kagome kissed his neck. "I know you've been mad at me lately and I figured I'd make it up to you through – "

"No Kagome." Inuyasha cut in, taking her by the shoulders.

"No Inuyasha, no more waiting. I know we said we would wait till I was ready and now I'm ready. Please Inuyasha," Kagome pleaded with him, kissing his lips gently. Inuyasha sighed and kissed her back, trying to push her off.

"Kagome, I don't have any – "

"It doesn't matter," She whispered to him, pulling his hands to the edge of her towel. Giving up, Inuyasha gave in to temptation and slowly began to remove her towel. Leading him back to his bedroom, Kagome shivered, letting her mind blank once again as her first time was taken by the man she loved. She should have enjoyed it all, compitied every little movement and moan to memory but Kagome could not think of how much it hurt and the odd feeling of her heart chipping away at every breath.

~!~

"Not now," A voice mumbled in the back ground as Kagome woke up. It was late, according to the clock, it was almost three a.m. Her legs hurt and the dried blood between her legs made them stick together. Inuyasha's weight was missing from beside her and the moonlight coming from the window behind her gave away his location. He was the voice in the distance, but who was he talking to so late at night?

"Ok, I'll be there in an hour. I still have Kagome here." There was a pause and he continued in a harsh whisper, "I know! Look, I wanted to tell her earlier but I'll do it now so shut up please ok? Love you." A moment later he hung up.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice cracked, trying to piece together what she didn't understand. Inuyasha turned to her, startled that she had woken up.

"Kagome, we need to talk. But first, you should get dressed, I'm taking you home." Inuyasha turned his back on her, and waited outside the bedroom till she got dressed.

"Inuyasha, please just tell me. Who were you talking about? Why do I have to go home?" Inuyasha could hear Kagome's heart rate picking up as her clothes rustled around. He didn't answer her; instead he waited till she came out. When she did, he took her by the hand, sat her on the couch and refused her the eye contact she desperately needed to calm her down.

"Kagome, I along with Miroku, Koga, and Sesshoumaru have been lying to you for the last three months," Inuyasha started, hoping that by adding the other names of his accoplices, it would lessen the blow to him. Cowardly, but he used it anyway. "I'm going to be as honest with you as I can and I hope you'll let me explain before you do anything." Kagome nodded, holding her breath. "Truth is, I met Kikyo about a year before we started dating. We fell in love. We were having a rough time and we took a break. That's when we started dating. But the thing is, we got back together about two months after we started going out. I… I was seeing you both for some time before she figured it out. In fact, the day you 'introduced us' was the day she found out. Ever since then we have been seeing each other behind your back and as of six months ago, I mated her."

Kagome's heart froze. How could she be so blind? She thought back to the day she had introduced Inuyasha to Kikyo for the first time as her new roommate.

*!~!~!*

"I just have one more box to bring in, then I'll cook you lunch. Deal?" Kagome laughed as Inuyasha griped and grumbled. She had asked him to help her move to her new dorm and he complied on the notion that if he helped, she'd cook.

Being hanyou, everything was easily moveable but all the stairs and trips from the first dorm to the new one irritated him to no end. "Yea I know wench, now move your ass out the way so I can get through." Inuyasha barked out. He had just gotten the last box and had made it to the dorm living room when a familiar scent made his ears twitch.

"Oh, what good timing! Inuyasha, turn around I want you to meet my new roommate!" Kagome called from behind him, her pale arms wrapping around his mid section. His heart raced, ears twitched and stomach tightened. He knew that scent anywhere, the warm vanilla and honey enveloped him like a warm blanket. Tension in every muscle ready to snap, Inuyasha slowly turned and met the eyes of his other girlfriend, Kikyo. Her painfully beautiful melted chocolate eyes turned hard and distant as she met his gaze. She went to say something, but their brief moment was cut off by the person they both forgot to be in the room.

"Kikyo, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend Inuyasha. Inuyasha this is Kikyo. I hope you won't mind Kikyo but Inuyasha and I spend a lot of time together so he might spend the night sometimes. If that's going to be a problem, I'm sure we can work out a compromise." Kagome's sugary voice practically sang as she clung to Inuyasha's forearm.

Never in his life had he wanted to lay harm to Kagome. He had done so many times unintentionally but right now… he could almost see his claw wrapped around her neck as Kagome's face flushed. The lack of oxygen tinting her lip pale blue and Inuyasha would sit there and watch. He would grin as her life drained by his hands. She shouldn't be there and she shouldn't be interrupting him with his…. His…. He couldn't come up with a word for what Kikyo was to him.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's hand waved before his eyes, concern evident in her stance. "Where did you go? I've been calling your name for a minute now…" Kagome continued to prattle on as Inuyasha fought the urges of just a few moments ago again. "Ok Inuyasha? I'll start on that lunch I owe you."

Once Kagome was out of sight and hearing range, Inuyasha took action. Gathering Kikyo's small frame in his arms, he tried to kiss the panic that laced itself into her scent. A sudden jolt rang through his body and in the next moment he was on the floor.

Kikyo's reiki sparking at the palm of her hand, ready to attack him again. Her dark eyes pricked with unshed tears. How could he do this to her? Was she the other woman, or was Kagome? Or were they both playing the floor for his inu hanyou. And to think she told him 'I love you'.

"Does this girl," Kikyo whispered hoarsely, "mean more to you, than me?" a single tear slipped down Kikyo's rosy cheek. Inuyasha's heart began to crack, the room's sudden quietness only disturbed by the slight sizzling coming from the kitchen. "Why would you think this was ok?" Twin rivers rolled down Kikyo's face and created one more dent in Inuyasha's heart.

"She is nothing." Inuyasha tried to come closer to her. "She has been a friend to me for so long now and I can't stand to hurt her. Please trust me, that it is you I want, never her." Inuyasha whispered. He closed the distance between them and sealed his promise.

"Who wants grilled cheese?" Kagome yelled out, in the back ground as the secret couple embraced as long as they could.

*!~!~!*

"Three years…"

"Kagome..." Inuyasha started to gather her shaking form in his arms but she flinched at his touch. Kagome stood, unshed tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Even with her back to him, Inuyasha could smell the salt in the air. "Look," Inuyasha said, his mind going weary as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I love you just… not the way you want me to. And, uh, don't worry about Kikyo, she's ok and she moved out your dorm this afternoon. I know I hurt you so bad but I don't want to stay with you. And I may be asking too much of you but, Kikyo and I are having a picnic next Saturday and it would honor me greatly to have you at least show up."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome spoke for the first time since the beginning of this confession.

"Yes Kagome?"

"I wish you and Kikyo the best of luck. I wish you long lives, and happiness and plenty of kids." Her voice bubbled as the tears ran freely to her neck and dried on her shirt. "I wish it could be me but I am happy that you have found someone to love and that she loves you back."

Not being able to resist, Inuyasha scooped Kagome into his arms and let the first wave of her tears slide down his chest. He couldn't fight back the twist of his gut or the dry heave in his throat. He refused the tears in his eyes but they disobeyed and fell in the ebony locks under his chin. Allowing herself to one last deep breath of his scent, Kagome pulled away. She declined him eye contact and words. She gathered her things, put on her shoes and walked out the door.

Before she got two steps from the apartment, a familiar arm hung over her shoulder. "Someday, you will be loved." Inuyasha whispered almost too low for her to hear. Then, without another word of sound, he disappeared, the soft click of the lock behind her.

Hidden in a daze, Kagome walked until she was in front of The Lil' Steps Clubhouse. This was her safe haven and feeling the comfort she needed, she let herself truly cry. Clutching her heart, her sobs rang out into the night and approaching dawn. The noise repelling any mugger or thug that dared to come close. The heart retching sounds echoed along the empty streets and probably around Japan. Four males, each doing something of the normal, felt the sudden heat in their throat and weight sit on their chest. Each one began to suffer and only one knew why.

Still sobbing, Kagome lifted her cell phone with shaking hands and called her sister. "Hello?" Miroku's voice yawned two rings later. Her weeping grew louder as she tried to speak. "Kagome, are you alright? Hello? Kagome!" Miroku went into panic and Sango's frantic voice was heard in the background.

"What's wrong? What happened to her?" Her sister yelled.

"I don't know! All I can hear is crying. Kami… it sounds so horrible," Miroku whispered, almost like he was about to cry as well. "Kagome, stay on the phone. We're on our way. Kirara is coming to you now."

She nodded; dumbly believing he understood her through the phone. Minutes passed and the flying fire feline landed next to her. "Kirara," Kagome whispered her voice rough from crying. The neko purred and curled around the crumpled miko's form. She licked away the tears but they stained Kagome's cheeks. Kagome continued to cry as she fell from the land of slumber back to the coming day.

Bright lights blinded her soon. "Oh Kami, Kagome, what happened?" Her sister's voice cooed as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her and tucked her into what she assumed was the back seat of the couple's minivan. Fingers wound themselves into her hair as she continued to cry. Sango's voice blurred with the rest of the world.

"Miroku…" Sango's voice whispered frantically to her husband. "What if she was mugged, or she has internal injuries? I think we should take her to the hospital, just to check." Sango began to cry but Miroku knew better. He knew what happened. Inuyasha was to bring up with Kagome tonight but… he didn't think they would sleep together. How could Inuyasha be so irresponsible? Why did the hanyou keep messing up?

"Don't think that way my sweet. Let your mind rest as well as Kagome's. We must be strong. When she wakes, she will tell us what happened. Call your mother and warn her we are on our way. She use to be a nurse, and she'll give her a check up." Sango nodded, her hand absent-mindedly petting Kagome's hair and dialed the familiar number by heart. As she waited for an answer, she watched Kirara lick Kagome's cheek, trying to wake the younger woman up.

"Hello?" A faint voice finally answered.

"Souta, tell mama to get up. Something happened to Kagome and we are coming over." Sango tried her best to sound calm. Her little brother said he would and promptly hung up. "Kagome…" Sango whispered to her sister, tears running down to splash on Kagome's shoulder.

Miroku fought the urge to pull over as he watched his pregnant wife cry. This was his fault. He wasn't the one that broke his little sister-in-law but he didn't prevent it when he could. This was just as much his fault as it was Inuyasha's, Kouga's, and Sesshoumaru's.

He stopped at a red light and hit the steering wheel as hard as he could. In his frustration, he smacked the damn thing again and again, but his guilt only worsened. He resorted to banging his forehead against the horn, trying to bash the pain away. Had Kagome been Mika, he would never have let this happened to her. Never. Kagome was just like Mika so why, why dear Kami, did he let it get this far! Why?

"Miroku…?" his wife's voice brought him back to reality. Calming himself down, Miroku wiped his eyes and continued to drive. Within the hour, they had reached the Higurashi Shine. During the drive, Sango called in sick for Kagome as well as called Sesshoumaru-sama to inform him that he would need someone to come pick up little Rin.

"What do you mean? What has happened to Kagome?" Sesshoumaru had questioned but Sango could give no answer. She simply told him to come and pick up Rin, and then hung up.

"Miss Kagome!" Rin shouted out as Miroku walked through the shoji door, Kagome curled into a tight ball in his arms.

"Hello mama," Sango greeted as she took her mother in for a close side hug. They began talking quietly to themselves over what happened as Miroku set Kagome on the couch and covered her up. "She'll need a bath and maybe you could give her a quick check…" he caught as he sat in the chair next to the unconscious woman.

"What's wrong with her?" Rin asked from behind him.

"I don't know," Souta answered, his voice wrapped in worry.

"Ane-san will pull through. She is fine, so stop acting like she's dead." Kohaku ordered the other two but his own concern echoed in his voice.

"Then why is Obaa-san crying?" Rin asked innocently, watching the elder Higurashi woman weep by her daughter's side. She never got answer. They all sat silently waiting for Kagome to wake up.

"Mama, come. Let's go make some tea and the children's breakfast. They have school in an hour," Sango offered the distraction as she helped her mother from the floor. She nodded and followed her eldest child to the kitchen. The children followed, leaving Miroku alone with Kagome.

Miroku picked the cell phone from his pocket, dialing two familiar numbers. Both receivers answered.

"He has done it," Miroku stated with a calm even voice. He hung up, threw his phone to the wall and cried.

Sad, isn't it? I almost cried twice while writing this. Some of you might be wondering why I didn't do a lemon between Inuyasha and Kagome. To be honest, I couldn't. It felt wrong, plain and simple. Please review and next chapter coming soon.

P.S. - A song that really helped me with this chapter was 'Someday You Will Be Loved' by Death Cab For Cutie.

-Yuuki