Disclaimer: Wha? I don't know what you're talking about. Inuyasha clearly isn't here. ::silence:: By the way, did you guys know that you look like the Men in Black?

A/N: Forgive me if some of this chapter doesn't make sense...or it's altogether insane...because I'm sugar high...::sweatdrop:: I blame the chocolate! Oh yeah, and my mom pierced my earring twice, yesterday and today. And my ear still hurts. ::cough:: Anyway, I apologize for the cliffie...Actually, I don't, but whatever. You wouldn't believe how necessary they actually are. But I am back, so no fear! The Great Stephenie shall ease your worries, (or perhaps raise them..that's for you to decide). So do as I say and continue reading! Uh...please!


Chapter 9 - Close Call

Kagome and Sango finally managed to hail a taxi...who knew it would take so long, in Tokyo, no less.

Kagome scurried in the backseat, Sango hot on her heels. They gave the cab driver Kagome's address, and told him to step on it. The only thing Kagome could think of was the conversation she had had with her mother. Then, with much pleading, Sango and Kagome had been able to leave school for the day, since it was an emergency of sorts.

"Kagome, I just got a call from Nanami. As soon as I heard, I took work off for the rest of the day. It's about Taiko and Rizumu."

There was a long pause on Kagome's behalf. "What happened, mom?" She couldn't think of anything else to say.

The taxi sailed along the road - everything passing was a blur, a mix of colors and indistinct shapes. Kagome had lapsed into a sort of stupor, where she didn't pay attention to anything around her. The voice in her head was a mere echo, a hollow reminder that she was still somehow connected with reality.

Kea sighed on the other side of the phone. "Nothing too serious. At least, that's what they claim. From what I heard, they were driving somewhere, God knows where in the middle of a school day, and there was a...person walking in the middle of the road. They swerved and managed to run off the road..."

Kagome sucked in a breath and ran a shaking hand through her hair. "Oh my God...are they alright? Is everything okay?"

"For the most part. They aren't hurt too badly, but when the police tried to find the person that had managed to walk in front of their car, he or she was gone. They suspect that whoever it was fled from the scene."

Kagome frowned and placed one hand on the teacher's desk, using it as a form of support so she wouldn't collapse; it felt as if her knees were going to give out any moment. "Mom, what do you mean, 'for the most part?' Are they okay or not?" Her voice was beginning to rise, and sounded somewhat hoarse, very much unlike her usual cheery tone.

Another pause, and then her mother began to speak again, slowly. "Minor hits to the head and a few scratches and whatnot. They're in the Kyoto hospital right now, getting checked over. The news had spread to Nanami, and she just called me up a few minutes ago, suggesting that I contact you and Sango. And I figured that you would want to hear as soon as possible. Sango's in class with you, right?"

Kagome mentally sighed in relief. "Yeah, she is. Listen, mom: we're going to get out of school. When we get home, do you think you could drive us to the hospital? Just to, you know, check up on them?"

Kea didn't hesitate to answer. "Of course, dear. I'll be waiting for you. Bye, now."

Kagome sighed again. "Bye, mom," she whispered, and hung up the phone. She immediately beckoned Sango over, and whispered a summary of the whole conversation to her. They both agreed they had to leave as soon as possible.

Now all Kagome could do was stare out the window, Sango sitting quietly next to her. The cab driver glanced at them a few times, apparently disturbed by the heavy silence. That was just fine with Kagome, considering that she actually preferred the silence where nobody had to say anything. It gave her time to think about...anything, actually, uninterrupted. And now, even if someone was going to ask her a question, she probably wouldn't have heard it anyway.

That is, until the cab pulled over in front of her house.

Kagome threw a twenty (yes, it came out of nowhere, what's wrong with that?) in the passenger seat before he could say anythingand threw the door open. Sango smiled apologetically and bolted out the door, almost forgetting to shut it until she got halfway to the house.

Kagome and Sango sprinted through the front door...only to find that her mom was just about to step outside. Kagome gave her mom a quick hug before switching directions and running towards the garage...Sango had never seen her move so fast. With a small shake of her head, she followed after her friend, Kea trailing behind them at a slower, calmer pace.

Once Kagome slunk into the passenger seat, she buckled the seatbelt and leaned her head wearily against the head rest. It had been such a long day already, and now, someone had almost been hit by Tai and Rizu's car. Talk about good timing...heavy on the sarcasm.

Sango propped one elbow next to the car window as they backed out of the driveway. Inuyasha and Miroku would definitely want to hear about this later, even if she or Kagome didn't particularly want to talk about it. They had stared at them, alarmed, as her and Kagome bolted out of their calligraphy class, but didn't say a word.

Kagome frowned as her mother sped along the road, leaving Tokyo. Thankfully Kyoto wasn't too far away, and at the rate her mom was going, they would be there in no time.

And Kagome was right. After about a half hour of none stop driving, they drove into the Kyoto Hospital parking lot. Somewhere along the drive, Kagome had managed to calm her frantic mind...either that or she had gone utterly insane and no longer had the will to speak. It took her a few moments to find out that they had reached their destination, and when she did, she climbed sluggishly out of the car.

Sango followed after Kagome in a faster paced manner, but stood by her side nonetheless. "Nanami told your mom that they were all right, Kags. I'm sure they're fine," she assured with a smile, though one could tell from a distance that it was forced.

Kea put an arm around her daughter's shoulder and sighed quietly. "We don't have to stay very long if you girls don't want to, okay? But I'm sure it would brighten Taiko and Rizumu up if you went to see them."

Kagome nodded and her and Sango began walking towards the hospital's entrance, Kea straggling slightly behind them. The double wide glass doors opened automatically, leading into a bright almost all-white waiting room. The floors were tiled and shiny, as if someone had just cleaned them. Florescent lights hung from the ceiling, whereas forest green chairs and two-seated couches were surrounding a series of white coffee tables. There were a few women sitting behind the front desk, occasionally typing something on a computer or answering a phone.

Kagome and Sango made their way to the front desk while Kea sat in the nearest cushioned chair. Sango cleared her throat and tapped one of her fingers on the marble counter surface, attempting to gain the attention of one of the nurses.

A girl that appeared to be in her twenties stood up and smiled widely at the girls. "Yes, how can I help you? Are you here to see someone?" she asked politely, the creepy grin never leaving her face. Kagome resisted the urge to shudder.

"Um...yes. We're here to see Taiko and Rizumu...the ones who-" Kagome began, but was cut off shortly by the nurse.

"Ah, I know who you're talking about. The one's who ran off the road. Yes, you can find them in room 223. Are you relatives?"

Sango frowned slightly and raised a hand to rub the back of her head - a very Miroku-like gesture, may I add. "Not...really. We're close friends." Before the nurse-in-white could say anymore, she added a quick 'thank you' and grabbed onto Kagome's wrist, heading down a random hallway. Onward to Room 223!

Kagome shook her head slowly and glanced back at the receptionist. "Honestly...she gives me the creeps. Why do they smile all the time?" she asked innocently as they rounded a corner. She mentally began reading the numbers posted next to the doors. '201...202...203...'

Sango frowned and stuffed her hand inside of her jean's pockets. "I don't know. Don't you think they could hire anybody that was actually...you know...normal?" she asked and began chewing on her thumbnail.

Kagome sighed and decided not to answer that question. She glanced at Sango out of the corner of her eye, still using the other to read the doors' numbers. '218...219...220...' "I just can't figure out who would be stupid enough to step in front of a moving car...Couldn't they see it coming?"

Finally, after another minute of mindless chatter, they came to room 223. They both stopped before the open door, until Sango pushed Kagome inside.

Tai and Rizu were sitting on two beds, looking rather comfortable with their legs crossed and hunched backs. Though, along their faces and arms, one could see numerous scratches and bruises. Though there they were, chatting happily away, until they spotted Kagome and Sango.

"Hey! What are you two doing here, in the middle of a school day?" Rizu asked, trying to make it sound like he was scolding them, but it just didn't work. The only thing it managed to do was make Kagome and Sango burst into a fit of giggles.

Kagome shrugged and sat on one of the group of chairs surrounding the beds. Sango scrambled into one of the chairs closest to the beds and began tapping her Vans on the floor. "Well," Kagome began slowly, "Mom called us during school and she said that Nanami said that you two somehow managed to swerve off the road while attempting not to run somebody over. And then she said that you two had some minor injuries, so we took school off and came over to see you. Where were you going in the middle of a school day anyway?" Somehow, she managed to say this in one breath.

Tai frowned and shook his head. "Wow...I hardly understood any of that. Yeah, everybody makes it seem worse than it actually way. Rizu here was the one driving, anyway."

Sango chose this time to butt in - her foot was beginning to get tired. "Who's crazy idea was that?! Everybody knows that Rizu's supposed to stay away from the steering wheel at all times." While Rizu pretended to look highly offended, she continued on. "And as Kagome said, I don't see why you two would get away from school to go...wherever it was you were going. Where were you going?"

"It's like this," Tai began. Kagome and Sango leaned forward to listen. "Some dude called us during school, saying that he wanted to see us about some sort of deal. He said that he would arrange for us to leave school to go see him. So he gave us the address to his building or whatever, somewhere in Tokyo, and said he would meet us there. Then, well, we ended up here instead."

Sango released her breath in a whoosh. "That's weird. Why would some man call you in the middle of the school day and say that he wanted to talk to you? Talk about freaky. He never said what kind of deal it was?"

When both of the boys shook their heads, Kagome frowned and turned to face the set of windows overlooking the parking lot. "There's definitely something up with him. Did he tell you his name?"

There was silence for a few minutes before Rizu piped up. "Yeah. He said his name was Naraku."


Inuyasha and Miroku sat at his kitchen table, still fawning over the sudden emergency that Kagome and Sango had to leave school for.

"Maybe someone died," Inuyasha suggested in a mutter, one of his claws continuously scraping against the wood table. Their backpacks were thrown in a heap in the middle, and they had been sitting there for the past half hour. So far, they'd come up with nothing that made any sense whatsoever.

Miroku shrugged halfheartedly, his chin resting in his hand. "Maybe. Or maybe someone was attacked by a giant...thing..." (Pause). "With tentacles!"

Inuyasha raised his eyes to stare incredulously at Miroku. "Miroku, you gotta lay off the sweets. You're creeping me out." He shuddered, as if to make a point, and turned around so he was facing the window overlooking their yard.

Miroku sighed dejectedly. "What about a giant fish?" he asked, brightening up suddenly.

Inuyasha snorted and shook his head. "I highly doubt it, Miroku. Where have you ever seen a giant fish on land?"

"What about a huge rat?"

"Naw."

"A gigantic cat?"

"Not likely."

"A squid?"

Inuyasha groaned and slammed one of his claw-sharpened hands on the table. "Miroku, shut up. I don't think anybody was attacked by anything, alright? So drop it!"

Miroku pouted. Yes, a high school boy is pouting because one of his friends didn't believe in his ideas. "What do you think, Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha growled as he spun around in his chair (almost tipping it over, may I add) to see his brother standing at the bottom of the staircase. "What do you want, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru's face remained expressionless as he moved towards the fridge. "I've heard you're whole discussion. And no, I do not think anybody has been attacked by a giant squid, cat, rat, fish, or a thing with tentacles. I think you're both idiots."

Miroku began pouting again as Inuyasha pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. "C'mon, Miroku, we're going to find out. Be back later, Sesshomaru."

Miroku eagerly followed Inuyasha out the door, hope shining in his violet eyes. "Does this mean that you're taking my ideas into consideration?"

Inuyasha turned around and threw Miroku a golden dagger-filled say-one-more-thing-and-I-swear-you-won't-be-living-much-longer glare. "No, dammit, SHUT THE HELL UP!"


Kagome swung her feet off of Rizu's bed and stretched her arms above her head. "I think it's about time we get going. Homework to do and all that stuff. You're supposed to get out by tonight, right?"

Tai nodded his head carefully. "Yeah. They should give us the clear soon." He put his hands behind his head and leaned back on the provided pillow. "Don't go spending the rest of the day worrying about us though," he added with a smirk.

As Sango stood up, she slapped him lightly on the arm, despite his current state. "Yeah, right. As if we'd ever worry about two guys like you," she countered, feigning haughtiness as they walked out the door. "Later, guys."

Kagome gave them a quick wave over her shoulder before she closed room 223's door behind her. She closed her eyes, and if she had the choice, she would have fallen asleep right there.

Was she exhausted?

Yes she was.

Did she feel like sitting in her mother's car for another half hour plus to get home?

No she didn't.

Did she feel like answering a certain two peoples' questions that she knew they were surely going to ask?

No she didn't.

Did she feel that she really had a choice?

No she didn't.

Is she sick of all these questions?

Yes, I do believe she is. And she is wishing that we could all get back to the story.

Sango sighed and brushed a hand across her forehead, though it didn't do any good, because her bangs fell right back in front of her eyes. "Let's go, Kagome. It's getting late, I'm tired, and not to mention hungry." She didn't feel the need to hide any of these facts, considering the day's events had put her in a sour mood.

Kagome nodded and began to traipse down the hall they had come from. Her mom would still be in the waiting room, waiting for them, as that was what those specified rooms were especially made for. 'At least...I think that's what they're made for. They're called Waiting Rooms, right? So that means people wait in them...'

Kagome, as you can tell, is very tired, and when this happens, her mind begins to wander. It also has a hard time comprehending almost anything. So, you see, within the hour, she would have already elapsed into her dream-like stupor, or as some would like to call it, la-la land.

I would also like to point out, dear reader, that if anybody disturbed her while she was in this dream-like state, she would get very irritated.

The two girls made their way back to the waiting room, and sure enough, Kea was sitting on one of the many green couches. She jumped up as soon as she saw them and rushed over, her purse strap dangling precariously around two fingers.

"Are they all right, dear? How are they doing?" she asked instantly, her eyes shining with a poorly masked tinge of worry. As always, she was concerned.

Kagome glanced at the clock hanging on the wall above the receptionists' desk, and to her surprise, found that it was close to five thirty already. 'Who knew that the time could go by so quickly...' Apparently, they had been visiting for a while, talking about practices and anything random they could think of. With a small yawn, she turned back to her mother and gave her a small smile. "Yeah, they're fine. A little beat up, but that's nothing they can't handle. I think we should start getting home, though, because I'm starving."

Sango hastily agreed as Kea turned around towards the door and began digging in her purse for the car keys. "Yes, yes, of course. Oh dear...poor Souta. I left him a note at home, but he's probably wondering why we've been gone for so long. Well, as soon as we get home, I'll start on supper..." and she continued to mutter to herself as she walked out of the hospital entrance doors, Kagome and Sango walking rather quickly behind her.


Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Miroku were walking to Kagome's house. It seemed they were always there, and if not, then they would just walk over to Sango's. Miroku had his hands buried deep inside his jeans pockets, obviously still upset that nobody had any faith in his suggestions. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was oblivious to his friend's distress and continued to worry about Kagome.

Or rather, why he was worrying about Kagome.

It wasn't like he hand any feelings for her, right? You could hardly call them friends...right? You could almost say that she hated him...

Right?

He shook his head furiously and groaned quietly, lightly slamming the flat top of his fist into his forehead. This whole thing was ridiculous, he decided, and tried to start thinking about something else. School. That was always something to think about.

He couldn't believe that they had homework in Calligraphy. Calligraphy. That didn't even make a speck of sense...Who needed Calligraphy, anyway? It was a pointless subject that they could do better without. Especially their class today - it had probably been the most uneventful hour and a half of class ever. The only thing that sparked his attention was when Kagome got that phonecall...

"Ugh!" Inuyasha grunted aloud. Miroku stared at him quizzically, and stopped walking, as if he believed Inuyasha to have suddenly gone insane.

"Hey, Inuyasha, you alright?" Miroku asked pointedly. He didn't appear overly concerned, however, just amused. After a moment or two with no answer, his face broke out into a smirk. "Ah...I get it!"

Inuyasha whirled around to face the mirthful Miroku and began growling threateningly. "The hell are you babbling on about now?" he ground out through clenched teeth. Clearly, he was sick of Miroku's childish antics.

Miroku started chuckling - it just got better and better. "You're thinking about Kagome." Sure enough, a faint red color became apparent on Inuyasha's face. "Ha! I knew it! You are thinking about Kagome!"

Inuyasha snorted and started walking again, his pace faster than before. "Well, what about Sango? Aren't you worried about her?"

Miroku's smirk only grew wider. "You're right, Inuyasha, but at least I don't try to hide it."

If anything, this only made Inuyasha more resentful. From then on and probably until they made it to Kagome's house, he grumbled about lechers and wenches and anything else that popped into his mind.


Kagome: Miroku...maybe you really should lay off the sugar...

::Miroku is literally bouncing off the walls::

::Inuyasha grabs a textbook that Sango hands him and knocks him upside the head. Miroku falls to the floor::

...Silence...

Sango: I always knew those heavy textbooks were good for something.

Kagome: ::cough:: R&R please!

A/N: Finally finished...Sorry it took so long. As I said before, I am very...energetic right now. Whenever my fingers start typing, I don't really know what I'm typing, and most of it ends up being completely insane and utter nonsense. I'll be waiting for your reviews! Later.


Hey...maybe you guys should do what the button says. It might not be very happy if you don't...