Chapter 15: Troubled Past

Upon arriving Kagome's house, there's a couple of fire trucks and polices vehicle up in front. "What's going on?" Kagome asks in fright as they come to house closer. "I'm not sure, but I do smell smoke." Inuyasha replies as they get out of the car he parked across the street from the house. "Smoke? Then that means…" Kagome said in more fear, "FIRE!" She runs towards the house and surprisingly enough the fire has spread throughout the house. "Mom, Sota, Grandpa?" She cries hoping to hear any of their voices for relief. "Ma'am don't go in there." A firefighter warns her as well grabbing her arms to prevent her going into the burning building. "By my family…" She protests him with worry filled eyes. "They're fine. They just arrived at the local hospital 10 minutes ago." He informs her. Kagome sighs with relief. "But still what happened?" She asks him as she looks as her house breaks down from the weaken wood. "It's unconfirmed how the fire started." A police officer answers her this time. Inuyasha comes to them, "I highly doubt that." He tells the officer. The officer slightly stutters, "Oh I'm sorry Mr. Takahashi, I forgot about your incredible abilities. Forgive me." He begs him. Inuyasha grins, "Forgotten. Anyway I smelt a different scent that's not part of the household." He tells him as he pulls out a piece of fabric he has in his hand. The officer takes out a zip lock bag along with his rubber gloves on. "This will be good use to find the suspect." He said as he takes the fabric and goes back to the close by vehicle. After a few minutes the fire has been put out, leaving the house in a debris of emptiness. Kagome drops to her knees and mutters in sadness. Inuyasha comes down to her side and assuring her with a shoulder hold. "I lost everything. First my father, and now my home. Why am I in these problems?" She sobs in grief. Inuyasha looks up to the debris, 'Whoever is behind this, I swear I'll bring you to justice.' He thought with determination in his eyes. "Not all is lost, Kagome. You're family are in the hospital." He cheers her up, but only a little managed though, "But what about my house? Where am I supposed to live?" Kagome blabs clearly, to make it understandable for him. Inuyasha feels sympathy, "You know you can stay with me until we clear this out." He recommends her his hospitality. Kagome looks up to the house. "I just want to look for something." She replies with teary eyes. "But I think it's best that we check on your family before we can begin searching." He stands up and offers her his hand. Kagome looks back up, kindly taking his hand as he pulls her up.

Inuyasha and Kagome drive downtown to the assigned hospital the firefighter told her. The hospital comes into view. "I promise that your family are alright, Kagome. You have my word." Inuyasha assures her. He can see her shaking with grief and depression. They pull into the parking garage and entered the building from there. Kagome walks quickly to the front desk, "Yes, may I help you?" A woman asks her. "I'd like to know which room the Higurashi family are." Kagome asks her politely, while being worried sick from the inside. "Yes they are on the 5th floor on the east wing. Just take the elevator behind me." She guides them with her pencil. "Okay Thank you." Kagome bows and meets Inuyasha at one of the three elevators. "I heard the directions." He said as they get into an opened elevator.

The step out on the fifth floor and walk to the east side of the building. Walking slowly to find her family's name on any of the rooms they pass by. A few rooms later Kagome spots her last name. "Inuyasha this way." She said as they run down the hall and enter the room, but the door is closed and locked. "What gives?" She asks it. Soon a nurse approached them, "Ma'am may I ask you to step aside, I have to do exams on these patients." She said in a sour voice. "Those patients in that room are my relatives and I have every right to see them." Kagome said back with a mocking tone. "I'm sorry ma'am but I will not give you the right enter the room, now step aside." The nurse said back to her, unaware that Inuyasha stood behind her. "Oh really, I wonder what Mr. Takahshi will say about not allowing me to see my family." Kagome sounds confident. The nurse doesn't seem convinced. "For your information, I'm new here and so I don't even know who you're talking about. I've been assigned to take these patients' exams." Kagome narrows her eyes. "And I'm transferring your assignment to me." Mr. Takahashi said sternly and seriously to her. Kagome smirks with proudness. "Now are you going to let Dr. Takahashi take this responsibility or you'll be informed that you're refusing this simple task?" Kagome asks her with a triumph voice. "As of yet, I talked to the owner of this facility as well." Inuyasha adds as well that he has his doctor's coat with his id card on the left pocket. "I'll leave the task to you Dr. Takahashi." The nurse nods and runs away. Just by the look at that's nurse's face made Inuyasha and Kagome laugh. "I assume your father owns this place as well?" Kagome asks Inuyasha in whisper. "Miss, I own a lot of places, but not this one." Mr. Takahashi said to her. "Then who owns this place? If it's not you, then who is the other Mr. Takahashi?" Kagome asks him. "I am." A male voice speaks from down the hall. "Hey Sesshomaru." Kagome greets him. "Hello Kagome, Inuyasha, Father." Sesshomaru replies as he comes to them. "Alright let's check on your family, Kagome." Mr. Takahashi said as they enter the room.

In the room was spacious, enough for 14 people to come in but it's strictly reserved for those of a friend's family, in this case, Kagome's family. On her right were her mother, little brother and grandpa. Each of them look injured bad enough, but not enough for critical damage. Kagome looks down to her mother's chart and reads the information. Clueless beyond her knowledge, Sesshomaru gladly takes it and explains, "It appears that your mother has 3rd degree burns and a broken arm." He reads down the list. Kagome looks at the left arm that's in a cast, and can see some burn marks on her other arm. She sighs and checks on her little brother. "He's a lucky one, I'll tell you that." Mr. Takahashi said to her, "He was outside in the backyard but some of the flames spread through the dead grass and got his legs. He manages to put them out by the pool." He read the boy's information. Kagome nods and slowly makes her way to grandpa's bed. She's startled when she finds an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose. Inuyasha gets his clipboard and reads down, "It says that he inhale too much smoke while trying evacuate the building. But he also broke his right ankle, but he'll be fine." Kagome nods as she takes a seat from across the beds hiding her head with her hands, in depression. Inuyasha caught it with his golden eyes.

Sesshomaru and Inutaishou look at each other and can tell that Inuyasha is deeply worried about Kagome's problem. Inutaishou taps his son's shoulder. Inuyasha turns to him, "If you want any privacy take the room on the 8th floor. We'll keep an eye on them." He suggests him. Inuyasha nods.

Inuyasha makes his way to the depressed girl comfortable holds her shoulder. Kagome look up with puffy red eyes because of tear streaks on her cheeks. He offers his hand. Kagome takes it and they walk out of the room. She stays quiet through their walk to the 8th floor of the hospital. Once they step out of the elevator and find it completely empty, and it's perfect for an important conversation. Kagome lean on the counterpart of the window looking at the city with a sorrow look. "Why me?" She asks herself, didn't know Inuyasha is by her side. "Why me?" She asks again. Inuyasha doesn't want to pressure, but took the risk, "It's not your fault." He simply said to her, hoping it's helping, but it isn't. Kagome looks down with her bangs covering her eyes. "I wish I could believe you, but it is." She stammers. "Why do you think it's your fault?" He asks her, trying to help out her problem. "I'm the who ended my father's life." She replies quietly, Inuyasha heard her loud and clear. "How?" Kagome sighs, "I was blamed to do it. But I didn't mean to." She turns her head away from him. "Kagome, what exactly happened to you and your father?" He asks as he walks to her turned side. Kagome knew she couldn't hold any longer, "It was 6 years ago…" She starts off

6 years Ago

Kagome and Mr. Higurashi are at an Ice cream parlor. "I' want chocolate with rainbow sprinkles, daddy." Said the kid Kagome as she and her dad get in line. "okay sweetie." He kindly replies to her as he affectionately rubs her head. They make it to the opened window to order. They got what they wanted and take an empty table. "Yummy!" Kagome giddily said as she likes her sweet treat. Her father enjoys his own as they ate their delightfulness. As they leave to go back home, Mr. Higurashi starts coughing miserably. Kagome panics, "Daddy. Daddy! Somebody help!" She cries while shaking him uncontrollably. Soon an ambulance arrives and takes the father onto a stretcher and heads to the hospital. Kagome stayed with him throughout the time. "Sweetie, Go back home and get your family and tell them to come here." Mr. Higurashi weakly tells her. Kagome nods and heads back home.

About an hour later. Mrs. Higurashi arrives at her husband's hospital room. Inside there's a machine with steady beeping, and Mr. Higurashi is resting with a tube into his blood system, She makes her way to one side of the bed. "Hige what happened?" She asks in despair as her motherly eyes quickly full of tears. Mr. Higurashi opens his eyes, hearing his wife's mourning. He takes her hand with his own. "My darling…" He gets her attention immediately. He smiles as well wiping her tears away, "I don't know what happened to me. It just came all of a sudden." He comforts her a little, hoping to cheer her up. "I promise that I'll be looking after you and our family when I pass away. I don't want you to feel any loneliness whatsoever. For my sake. So make sure you keep our family together without me around. I'll be watching you guys from heaven, showing my love for all of you." He said to her. Mrs. Higurashi nods to show him that she understands what he's talking about. "I will." She kisses him lovingly and soon the steady beeping just went flat.

Kagome tucked Sota to bed, and head back to her room. Just when is about to go to bed, the phone rings. She goes down to the phone's id telling it's a call from the hospital. "Hello?" She answers the call. "Kagome, it's your mother." Mrs. Higurashi tells her on the other line. "Oh hey. What happened to dad?" She asks her urgently. The was a short silence. "Mom? You there?" Kagome asks her. "Kagome, your father has passed away." Mrs. Higurashi sadly confesses her daughter. She knew Sota wouldn't take this easily. Kagome drops the phone, didn't know she hung up by accident. 'My father died." She cries in dispare.

End of the Past

Inuyasha has Kagome in his arms, and embracing her as he can. "I should've send him out there. It's all my fault." Kagome mourns. Inuyasha rubs her back, trying to comfort her as well. "If I didn't sent him outside, he'd still be here." She wanted her father. She just can't handle the lost of her father, for three years, she didn't want anyone to know about it, and it might take advantage of her. Not only that, where is she going to stay since her house is destroyed in the fire? Just when is about to get out of Inuyasha's hold, "I just remebered something as well." She said and a bad frown on her face. Inuyasha's eyes get suspicious about it. "I used to know this boy before I met you." Kagome looks down in shame. Inuyasha gives a poker face but deep inside he can feel his demon blood boil because oh that word that he doesn't want to hear, other than Miroku, his dad, or his brother. "Kagome, do you think you could tell me who this guy is?" Kagome nods after hesitation. "His name is Hojo." She admits to him.