Disclaimers: I do not own Inu-Yasha
Chapter Three: The Calm before the Storm
"Wha-what!" Inu-Yasha stuttered, staggering back a few steps as if he'd been hit by a blow.
Kagome winced at the memory. The morning kept replaying itself in her mind; like a tape set on rewind and playing over and over.
"I said I'm Miss Higurashi's law-" Miss Kimiachi started again, only to be cut off by Inu-Yasha's fierce growl.
"I heard you the first time bitch! I meant what the hell is going on! What do you mean custody lawyer?" Inu-Yasha raged, completely ignoring Miss Kimiachi's appalled protest at being called a bitch.
"Just calm down Inu-Yasha," Kagome tried to reason, she too rising from her seat.
"Sit down wench!" Inu-Yasha roared, not fazed at all by Kagome flinching with his tone, or volume it held.
Kagome found herself immediately obeying; recognizing the tone as the one used with Hiro when Inu-Yasha commanded him to do something.
'I'm not a child!' Kagome yelled in her mind, but too afraid to tell Inu-Yasha himself that fact.
"Inu-Yasha, really . . . nothing will get accomplished if you keep yell-" Kagome tried to take a safer route rather than more yelling, but Inu-Yasha didn't quite agree with her.
"Shut-up wench! Did I ask for your opinion? No, I did not!" Inu-Yasha shouted. "All I asked for were answers and that's what I'm going to get; those will be the only words that leave your lips . . . Where are you going Miss Kimiachi?"
Miss Kimiachi just let out an 'eep' before inching herself away from the door. Kagome gave her an apologetic look before turning a cold gaze upon Inu-Yasha. Inu-Yasha for his part did not back down from her; in fact, her act of defiance only seemed to anger Inu-Yasha even more.
"If you have something to say, then say it wench." Inu-Yasha snarled, forgetting his own remark on how nothing but answers would come out of Kagome's mouth.
"Keep your voice down!" Kagome exclaimed, her own voice echoing off the walls.
"Listen here wench," Inu-Yasha spoke coolly, taking quick strides to the desk; making it the only thing that kept him from shaking some sense into her physically. Now he had to do it verbally, and boy did he hate verbal things.
"Listen to what?" Kagome snapped, rising to the challenge.
"What is your problem?" Inu-Yasha boomed, getting fed up with her defiance.
"No, what's your problem! My life was fine before you came into it; albeit it wasn't a perfect one, but it was still pretty darn good! But then you come and you bring me a truck load of problems! The main two problems for me are your employment and you trying to take my son away. I figured I would at least fix one of them to my liking!" The room grew deadly silent after her outburst. Kagome immediately regretted the words as they sunk in.
'I didn't mean to say that! I was suppose to tell him how this was all just a big mis-' Kagome's thoughts were cut short as Inu-Yasha's cool tone met her ears.
"Fine, I'll fix one of them for you easily. I quit."
The two words seemed to have taken forever to stop echoing off the walls. As the full depth of them digested themselves into Kagome, Inu-Yasha stormed out of the room.
"Inu-Yasha, wait!" Kagome called out as she realized he was gone. "Inu-Yasha!" She shouted, going after him. She caught sight of him near the door. "Inu-Yasha, you can't quit!" She smiled mentally as Inu-Yasha stopped what he was doing.
"Why . . . you gonna give me that gay ass line about how you're firing me?"
"No . . ." Kagome could only think of that to say, completely baffled by his stupidity.
"Then why can't I quit?" Inu-Yasha questioned, and was it just Kagome, or did she detect a hint of hope.
'Come on Kagome, just tell him.' Kagome urged herself.
"Because convict, you'll be going back to jail if you can't keep this job," Kagome sneered, shocking both herself and Inu-Yasha with her words.
'No! Not that!' Kagome silently scolded herself. 'You were suppose to tell him-' Again Inu-Yasha cut her off.
"Then look, I solved both of your problems." He said coldly before stomping out of the shop, slamming the door behind him so that the bell swung dangerously from side to side.
"Oh that stupid jerk! It's all his fault!" Kagome yelled out in frustration to the empty store. "It's all his fault . . . it's all his fault! All his fault!"
"Is it really?" A voice in her head seemed to question her.
"Of course it is," Kagome snapped to the air, causing any passerby looking in to think she was crazy.
"Is it really?" The voice questioned again.
"He's the one who chose not to listen. So of course it's his fault."
"Is it really?"
"Oh shut up mama," Kagome snapped to the speaker phone. "Why must everyone take his side?"
"Dear, you should already know the reason to that particular question."
"Mama . . . that didn't make any sense at all," Kagome replied, sending a bewildered look towards the phone.
"Of course it did dear; you're just refusing to admit who's really at fault."
" . . . I know. I am. I should've just told him that Miss Kimiachi was here because I was firing her. But mama . . . I have a bigger problem."
"What is it dear?"
But before Kagome had a chance to reply, the door to the store opened and the bell jingled.
"Hi mommy!" Hiro called, bursting into the store with a bright smile. But it soon disappeared and turned into a frown as he looked around the store. "Where's daddy?"
X.X
"Inu-Yasha, Rin said you were upset." Sesshomaru stated as he walked into the quaint guestroom Inu-Yasha was occupying.
"Wow, looks like nothing can get past you," Inu-Yasha snapped back sarcastically.
"Well, since you've admitted it. Good-bye." With that said, he turned to leave the room. But to the two brothers's surprise, a woman smaller than twice his size pushed him back into the room while shutting the door behind her.
"I told you to cheer him up, not rub salt into the wound," the petite lady said. Sesshomaru stared in amusement at the short brunette who glared up at him. "Wipe that smirk off your face!"
"Rin . . . what are you talking about? Sesshomaru's face looks the same as always . . . ugly," Inu-Yasha commented, addressing the woman; who was now trying hard not to laugh.
"Inu-Yasha." Sesshomaru spoke the one word, but it was enough to shut everyone up. "Come wife, it is time to leave."
"Uh-uh." Rin protested, again surprising the occupants of the room. "We came in here to find out what's wrong and we're not leaving until we do."
"If you wish to stay in here until eternity, then so be it." Sesshomaru declared before turning to leave.
"Sesshomaru . . . again, are you going to stay or leave?" Rin questioned her voice dropping to a dangerous tone. Sesshomaru turned to stare at her, his amber orbs locking with her almond ones. A silent message seemed to pass in which, if he were not in the presence of his brother, Sesshomaru would've rolled his eyes.
"Hurry and find the reason to his depression Rin, I do not have all day." Sesshomaru commanded, seating himself in a chair near the door.
"Okay!" Rin cheered, completely changing attitudes from the serious woman to a child on Christmas. "So Inu-Yasha, what's up?" She questioned as she jumped onto the bed next to him.
"The ceiling is, that's what," Inu-Yasha replied dully, rolling his eyes at her antics.
"No, I didn't mean that . . ." Rin commented, a dumbfound expression coming to her face. "I meant as in, 'How are you doing?' . . . 'What's bugging you?' . . . 'How was your day?' . . . 'How are you feeling?' . . . 'Is the world well with y-"
"Enough!" Inu-Yasha roared, cutting her list short. "I know what you were talking about!"
"Oh . . ." Was all Rin said as her face fell, causing Inu-Yasha to panic. A quick glance towards Sesshomaru told him he was going to die.
"It's . . . I mean . . . I think I lost Hiro forever," Inu-Yasha mumbled softly, choosing to tell her rather than a straight out apology.
"Inu-Yasha . . ." Was all Rin said to acknowledge she heard. But Inu-Yasha could tell from her tone she was upset. In the past few weeks in which Rin got to know Hiro, she grew very attached to him.
"How?" The single word seemed to take an eternity to die down. "How did you . . . this Sesshomaru wants to know how you could do something so stupid . . . How . . . This Sesshomaru . . ."
For the first time in his life Inu-Yasha saw the all mighty and powerful Sesshomaru struggling for words. But then, Rin wasn't the only person growing fond of Hiro.
"Shut it Sesshomaru!" Rin suddenly snapped rising from the bed, causing Sesshomaru to immediately stop his ramblings. "I don't want to hear you start referring to yourself in the third person! So quit acting like you're all high and mighty! Speaking of people acting all powerful Inu-Yasha, what do you mean 'lost Hiro'! You talk big but you never do anything! How . . . why . . . Hiro!" Rin seemed unable to continue her tirade as she collapsed with sobs.
"Rin . . ." Inu-Yasha whispered, watching helplessly as Sesshomaru went to her side, tentatively wrapping his arms around her. ". . . It's because . . . it's because of Kagome."
Inu-Yasha winced as Rin sent a glare in his direction as if saying 'real smooth Inu-Yasha; blame your problems on someone else'. So Inu-Yasha took the best and most easy route . . . he told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but it.
X.X
"That is how I might have lost Hiro," Inu-Yasha said, finishing up the events of the morning.
"But . . . you're not going back to jail," Rin said, laughing as she talked.
"What?" If Inu-Yasha wasn't confused before, he was now.
"Inu-Yasha, if you've forgotten, we own the jails. A normal person would go back if they lost their job . . . but Inu-Yasha, you half-breed, you have never been normal." Sesshomaru stated trying to conceal his grin as Rin elbowed him in the ribs for the half-breed comment.
"Then why the hell didI have to spend two god damn years in that cell!" Inu-Yasha yelled, jumping up from his position on the bed.
"Inu-Yasha, we may have special privileges . . . but your crime . . . if we let it go unpunished the people wouldn't trust us anymore," Rin explained nervously.
"But I was fucking innocent!" Inu-Yasha was getting angrier by the minute.
" . . . Inu-Yasha," Rin intervened before Sesshomaru decided to wring his neck. "What are you really upset about? The fact about your imprisonment or that someone you were beginning to trust hurt you?"
"It's not fair Rin . . ." Inu-Yasha stated, seeming to deflate. "It's just not fair."
"I know it isn't," Rin whispered, gently wrapping her arms around him. "It's hard when you're betrayed by a friend."
"Humph." The two upon the floor looked up in shock as they stared at the commander of Japan.
"Sess . . . did you just snort?" Rin asked in disbelief.
"This Sesshomaru does not snort. Besides Inu-Yasha, you are a fool. I told you many a time not to involve yourself with humans. They're untrustworthy and deceitful, and only are out to hurt you. Didn't I warn you about getting close to that Higurashi girl?"
"Thanks Sesshomaru, cause you know I always listen to what you say," Inu-Yasha muttered, voice laced with venom and sarcasm.
"You are not funny. You should learn to listen to me. I was right about this just like I was right about your other bitch . . . what was her name? Ki-"
"Don't you every talk about her like that!" Inu-Yasha yelled, ready to launch himself onto him, had Rin not been hanging onto him.
"Which girl are you talking about? Higurashi or Kimisaki?" Sesshomaru questioned.
"Sesshomaru . . ." Rin started in a warning tone as she felt Inu-Yasha tense under her fingers. A satisfactory smirk came to her as she watched Sesshomaru direct his attention elsewhere.
"Don't worry Inu-Yasha . . . we'll fight for Hiro if that is what Kagome desires," Rin said in an encouraging tone. Giving Inu-Yasha one more hug, she deemed it time to leave. Just as she reached the door, she turned around and gave Sesshomaru a coy look.
"And dear, what were you saying about humans? I mean, did you forget that you were married to one? What do I look like to you? The bloody Grim Reaper or do you prefer Grinch?" She questioned, knowing how much he despised the green creature. "I'll show you tonight just how 'untrustworthy, deceitful, and hurtful' humans can be." With that declaration she slammed the door with a lot of force for someone of her size.
"You're not getting any tonight are you." Inu-Yasha stated it more than he asked.
"No, I believe I won't."
X.X
This day was turning out to be one nightmare after another for one Kagome Higurashi. First she loses Inu-Yasha and what might have been a great friendship to a mistake. Then Hiro locks himself in the bathroom when he finds out daddy won't be coming around any more. The cherry on the cake is that she burned dinner.
"Hiro! Hiro come out!" Kagome tried once again to persuade Hiro to come out of the bathroom, mentally cursing Inu-Yasha for teaching Hiro how to lock doors.
"I don't wanna!" Hiro called back stubbornly.
"But you have to! You can't stay in there forever!" Kagome called back, rubbing more of the black soot from her face.
"Yes I can! Pluws, it stinks!" Hiro said in a funny voice, causing Kagome to believe he had pinched his nose to block the smell. To emphasize his point, Kagome heard the fan turning on.
"I'll buy you ice cream." Kagome said hopefully, deciding to bring out the big guns and bribe him.
"No!"
"Listen Hiro," Kagome started, beginning to lose the last of her patience. "I command you to come out of that bathroom!"
"No! I hate you! You made daddy go away!"
Kagome staggered back, hurt beyond belief by his words. Before she had a chance to talk again the phone began to ring. Seeming to be in a daze she slowly made her way to the living room and picked it up.
"H-hello," she greeted.
"Miss Higurashi." Sesshomaru's cool tone replied.
"Great! Can I speak to Inu-Yasha? Hiro locked himself in the bathroom and I was wondering if he would-"
"My brother does not wish to speak to you." Sesshomaru cut her words short.
"Oh . . ." Kagome managed as tears began to well. His words piled with Hiro's have just topped her already terrific day.
'Why does God hate me? I swear, nothing can make this day worse.' . . . As everyone knows, those words only cause more damage, and Kagome was forced to wish them back with Sesshomaru's next words.
"I'm just calling to say we'll be seeing you in court Friday morningto discuss aboutthe custody of Hiro."
A/N: How do you like that? Hoped everyone enjoyed. Sorry for the late update, but I hope you guys realize that this isn't the only story I'm working on . . . also that most of you, I'm hoping, are reading those other stories. Anyways, thanks goes to the following people for their reviews and encouragement:
animemistress419
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DarkMoon1
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horsegal628
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Darkness spreads
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Also thanks to anyone who read the story and just didn't review . . . I don't care if you do that! As long as you like it, cause secret is that I do it too! ;p