Chapter 11 – Zoo
"OOH! THEY ARE SO KAWAII!" Sango squealed, jumping up and down and clapping her hand together.
Ayame rolled her eyes. "Sango, act your age."
"No. I refuse."
Kagome laughed, spreading herself along the railing. The sun was beating down heavily upon them from high in the sky, and the crowded atmosphere added the illusion of humidity. They were standing in front of the lion enclosure at the zoo, watching as a pair of incredibly adorable but lazy cubs looked for a place to sleep in the hot afternoon sun. Kagome took off her sunglasses, shook her long hair out, then slid them back onto her face. Beside her, Ayame was desperately trying to persuade an obstinate six year old that, no, she couldn't have a lion cub. It wasn't working. She was related to Sesshomaru.
"But Auntie Sango said they were kawaii… and… and I want one," Rin said, jutting out her chin.
"Rin, baby, they're not safe. When they grow big they might try and eat you."
"So? Daddy and mummy and Unca Yasha and grandpa would protect me, honest, Auntie Aya! I promise!"
"I know darling, but it's dangerous!"
"But… but mummy said daddy was dangerous if I don't share my ice cream with him, and he's not scary."
"Your daddy is dangerous in a lot of ways, but he tries not to scare you."
"Daddy isn't a meanie!"
"No, of cour- hey, how did the conversation get to this?! Ah, I give up!"
"I still want a baby lion!"
"How about an ice cream instead?"
Rin thought about this, her tiny face puckering in seriousness. She looked up at Ayame, and tilted her head to one side. "Strawberry and chocolate?"
"Yeah, sure!"
"Fine, we'll talk later," said Rin, striding towards the ice cream man.
"Oh God, she is exactly like her father," Ayame muttered. "I'm gonna need to talk to Kagura about this. She's copying his words!" and, with an exasperated sigh, she started after the six-year-old.
Sango stared after her. "Oh dear Lord. She's gonna have the male population quaking in their boots."
Kagome laughed. "She is incredibly adorable, though."
"Yeah, adorable like the lion cubs – grow up to bite you in the a-"
"Sango!"
"What?! I was gonna say arm!" Sango shook her head. "Mad woman, what did you think I would say?" she sighed, and walked over to a bench. Sitting down, she patted the seat beside her for Kagome.
Kagome grinned at her and sat. She stretched. "Mm, the sun feels nice. For a moment there, I was worried I was never gonna get to feel it again," said Kagome, laughing nervously. She didn't like the serious glint that Sango was getting in her eyes. It was really quite scary.
"So, you wanna talk about it?" Sango asked, tipping her head to one side.
"Not really."
"Why?"
"Because-" Kagome narrowed her eyes. "This wouldn't be your way of getting me to talk about it? That's sneaky, Sango."
"Oh, I know," Sango said breezily. "You'd be surprised how underhanded I can be when I want to be. Just ask Miroku." Then her face resumed that scarily serious expression. "But seriously, Kags, we're all worried about you. You haven't spoken to anyone about what happened."
"Well maybe I don't want to," Kagome said, crossing her arms defiantly.
"Well maybe you should."
"No," said Kagome childishly, turning away.
"Kagome," said Sango, pulling her back round to face her. "This isn't the kind of thing you can just run from. Sooner or later, you're gonna have to face it."
"I DON'T WANT TO!" Kagome yelled, standing and storming away from her friend. Unbidden, tears began to stream down her face. Why did this have to get dragged up? Why couldn't they just leave it? It had happened, she had… but that was all in the past! Why couldn't it just stay there?! Why did they have to bring it up again?
She entered the deserted reptile house, glancing around to check that it was empty. Thank God there was no one. She needed to be alone, and it was hard to find a quiet place in the zoo. She slumped against the wall, her legs barely supporting her weight.
She hadn't told anyone, but what had happened… it had scared her. Terrified her. The night after… she had refused to sleep. She didn't want… didn't want to close her eyes to the possibility she might never open them again. Every tiny little thing, when she hugged Souta, ran down the stairs, hell, even ate ice cream, she felt herself wondering if this was the last time it would happen. She knew she was being stupid; she had been given a second chance, another go at life, of all things… but why?
As if in response, she felt a pulsing in her palms. Looking down at her hands, she smiled to see their warm glow. It was because of this, she was sure of it. Her miko abilities… her magic. They were both a blessing and a curse. They were the reason that… they… were after her, but they were also the reason for her life as she knew it. For that she was grateful. So grateful. But also… how far did they go? Why were they there? Why were they hers? So many questions to answer… and she had no way to know the answers.
"Kagome!" Ayame yelled, Rin strapped to her back as Sango ran along behind the duo. Rin was giggling, loving the feeling of running on a wolf demon's back; Ayame was not as comfortable as her daddy, but she wasn't worried about running faster than strictly necessary.
Kagome huffed and turned away.
"Kagome Higurashi! Don't you dare run away from us, I swear to God-" Sango puffed.
Kagome turned to her, her eyes boring a hole in Sango's skull. "What? You swear to God what? 'Cause really, I don't think there is anything left to do to me. I've already died once!" her voice had risen, until she was shrieking, venting all her anger, all her pain, all her frustration, in this one speech. "They came along and the fucking killed me! I died because of that bitch and her pet baboon! You say to me all this crap about talking about it, and I can talk until my throat is dry, but YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW!! YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW HOW IT FELT, AS HE WAS SLIDING THE KNIFE ACROSS MY CHEST! YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW HOW IT FELT TO LIE THERE IN THE COLD, IN THE RAIN, IN THE WIND, IN THE DARK, AND KNOW THAT NO ONE WAS COMING TO GET YOU! YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW HOW IT FELT TO HAVE HIM LICK THE SIDE OF MY FACE, TO TOUCH MY BREAST LIKE IT WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL! YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO FEEL HIS DISGUSTING HUNGER FOR MY POWERS AND MY BODY! AFTER THREE YEARS OF RUNNING, THEY FINALLY CAUGHT ME, AND I BEGGED TO DIE ON THE SPOT! BUT GOD DIDN'T WANT TO BE MERCIFUL, SO HE DECIDED TO JUST LET ME LIVE THROUGH THE TORTURE, THROUGH THE MIND GAMES, AND THEN KILL ME WHEN I WAS FINALLY SAFE! YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW HOW IT FELT TO LIE THERE AND RUN THROUGH ALL THE THINGS IN YOUR HEAD YOU NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO SAY! I NEVER SAID GOODBYE TO SOUTA THAT MORNING! I NEVER RETURNED AYAME'S LIPGLOSS! I NEVER TOLD KOUGA THANKS FOR HELPING ME MOVE IN HERE! I NEVER TOLD INUYASHA THAT I LOVED HIM! I DIDN'T EVEN SEE THEM KILL MY FATHER, BUT I SURE AS HELL FELT IT! IT PUNCHED THROUGH MY CHEST LIKE A HOLE, AND I HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE THE WORST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO ME, THE WORST THING I WOULD EVER FEEL, THE WORST PAIN THERE WAS! BUT IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE SAVING THE BEST FOR LATER! YOU… THEY KILLED ME… I… I died… oh God, I died." She sunk to the floor, holding her head in her hands. "Oh God. Oh God, I died. I should be… I should be… dead." Finally letting go of all her self control, she sobbed, loud, heartbroken wails.
"Miss Kagome?"
She looked up. Rin was standing in front of her, her bottom lip quivering. Hesitantly, the little six year old reached out and hand, and, gently, wiped away Kagome's tears with sticky, chocolate-flavoured fingers.
"My daddy said that I shouldn't cry when things go wrong. He said that I should be happy that they will go right next time. Daddy said that if you cry when things go wrong, then it only gives more credit to the bad things for making you cry. You should be happy, and then you beat the bad things. That's what daddy taught me."
Kagome sniffed, and looked up at the little girl. Rin smiled her bright, toothy smile. "And mummy says that if you cry enough, you can make tear-water tea."
Kagome snorted, and Rin's face broke out into a real, ear-to-ear grin. "It's better to laugh than it is to cry," the little girl said, with all the sincerity that only a six-year-old could exhibit.
"You're right, Rin," Kagome smiled. "It is better than crying."
"Of course. Daddy says I'm always right because I'm his little girl. Unca Yasha always laughs then."
"Yeah, I bet he does," Kagome smiled. She opened her arms, and the little girl squealed, enfolding herself into the hug. Kagome held her close, smelling her musky chocolate smell. Such a sweet little girl.
Looking around the room, she saw Sango and Ayame hanging back warily. Both of them had faces as if they had been slapped, and tears were running down their cheeks. She smiled at them, sniffing. "It's ok, guys. I won't blow up again. I promise."
With a shriek, Sango ran to her and Rin, sliding onto the floor and almost knocking them over in the process. Hugging the two of them to her own chest, she sobbed loudly. "I'm so sorry, Kagome! I really am! I just-"
"It's cool, Sango. It really is. I'm sorry I acted like a bi- silly billy," Kagome said, catching herself just in time. Six year old present!
"Oh, Kagome," Ayame trembled. "Please, don't ever do that to me again. Please."
"I won't, I promise," Kagome whispered. "I won't."
With a lunge, Ayame included herself in the gathering on the floor. The four clung to each other on the floor of the reptile house.
…
As they were walking out of the stuffy green room, swinging Rin between Kagome and Ayame, Sango turned to Kagome. "So, you love Inuyasha?"
Kagome blushed crimson. She thought about all the things he had ever done for her.
...
Kagome stuck her nails into her palms. Crap.
They continued eating. Kagome stayed silent as the boys discussed their upcoming classes. All of a sudden, someone grabbed her hand and pulled it open.
"Don't do that, idiot," Inuyasha's gruff voice said. "You'll break the skin."
Looking down at her hand, Kagome saw the deep welts her nails had made. She looked back up, but Inuyasha had gone back to talking.
…
"I'm off."
She pushed herself up off the floor, but she had moved too fast, too soon. She staggered and fell; her vision swam and then went black.
The last thing she saw was a swirl of silver hair running forward to catch her.
…
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," drawled a voice from the backseat. A voice which was most definitely not Koga's.
"Oh, crap…"
"Yeah, I figured the reason Sango asked for Koga was something to do with you." Inuyasha said rudely. "Sango, get in the back. I'll drive."
…
Kagome began to walk forward. She was halfway to the house when Inuyasha grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.
"AHH! WHAT THE HELL?! LET ME GO!!"
"Keh. You walk too slowly, wench." He said, and he began to run.
…
He bent his head, and licked the soft flesh. A shiver claimed her body, but it was not from the temperature.
"Get the hell away from her, you bastard!"
Her head snapped up, and she caught the golden eyes of…
Inuyasha.
Everything went black.
…
Hesitantly, in the greenish light of the water, he stroked his hand down her face.
She wasn't laughing now.
He raised his hand to the other side of her face, taking it in a serious grip.
She raised her hands to touch his body, to make sure… he was real.
His amber eyes never left her tawny orbs as he sluggishly moved closer under the water.
His lips barely touched hers…
And they broke the surface of the water.
…
Without hesitation, without thought, without any conscious reasoning, he crossed to the bed, and shoved Koga, Sango and Miroku out of the way. Without breaking her hold on his eyes, he leant down…
And kissed her.
She stiffened in surprise. Then her arms encircled his shoulders, pulling him down to her, deepening the contact, turning it from chaste to passionate. She closed, her eyes, and tilted her head, never once breaking her choke-hold around his neck. She threw as much as she could into the kiss… a silent oath.
They broke apart for air.
Inuyasha stroked her face, oblivious to the looks they were receiving from everyone else in the room. "Promise me you'll never leave me like that again."
"I… I promise."
And with that, he bent down once more and brushed his lips against hers.
I love her.
...
"Yeah," Kagome smiled. "Yeah, I do love Inuyasha." And as soon as she said it, she knew it was true. She was in love with the silver-haired Hanyou.
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Sooo, there ya go! FYI, updating will probably slow down a bit now... homework!!! Ugh, I had a really bad day... it felt great to come home and write more and read all your AMAZING reviews! Thanks guys!
bumblezee - I LOVE CHOCOLATE!! Lol. Have you ever tried Cadbury's or Galaxy? Those are the major brands over her. I live somewhat Southish (maybe), about an hour away from London. Thanks, and I'm glad you enjoyed this! Hope this next part lives up to what you wanted!
kouga's older woman - Hope you like! Yep, they're in luuuurve...
kk1994 - I hope this is what you wnated! Thanks!
myInuYasha15 - Updated! Mwahaha!
King Stephen IV - I am SO glad you gave this your time and that you enjoyed it! I hope I can live up to what you were hoping for... and thanks for your amazing review AND favouriting my story!
Sassybratt - Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you, and I hope that this lives up to your hopes! I also hoped that Kagura would sort of put aside the bit of her that was Naraku and be happy, and that's partly why I wrote her like this here. Thank you!
Nellabelle - Thanks! And we shall see... Mwahaha...
tazzels - More coming up!
completeandtotalrandomness - :D She's alive! I know, I was crying while I wrote Inuyasha's paragraph!
Mistyfire - I know, but the cute gossip! Lol. Thank you! It made me cry! XD
coolcat103 - She's back! I know, it was so sad! And by Naraku's hand, of all people!
mkblackrose - Thank you so much! And don't worry, Naraku will get his comeuppance... I never liked him... Sorry you cried! But thank you, and I hope that you enjoy the latest installment! :D
Black-Death-646 - I'm really touched that you reviewed in the first place, and for being so amazing and loyal! Thank you! And I hope that you do enjoy this chapter!
silver-sunshine-girl - Yeah, I've OC'd Kikyo a bit... but hey! Kagome came back to life for a few reasons... hopefully this chapter clears up at least half of that! If not, let me now, and I'll try to explain in more detail!
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy!
Libra Sorceress xx