Chapter 14: Dear Dead
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Flying through the air, or more so, letting the wind take her where it wanted. Kagome managed to steady herself once more, surprised to find herself face to face with the creature.
His eyes were a swirling mass of blue and red, in there she saw hope, a way to bring him back. Gathering her breath, Kagome hollered with all she had in her, "JIII-CHAN!"
The beast snapped to attention, grabbing the girl in midair and bringing her up for a closer look, Kagome heard Inuyasha's cries as they carried in the wind.
"Kagome!"
Inuyasha could do nothing but watch, his grip on the tree tripling to where he could hear the bark being crushed under his fingertips. He wasn't sure why, but the second that thing had snatched her out of the air, the air had rushed out of his lungs.
His first instinct was to race towards her, take the beast down with one good swipe, and free her from its grasp. However, no matter how he tried to look at it, he couldn't get her out of it without hurting her in the process. Something his entire being vehemently rejected, there had to be another way...
Kagome held her breath as the creature studied her form, his hand holding her from the waist down, gripping her lower half in his massive fist.
"Jii-chan, it's me, Kagome. Remember me Jii-chan, remember me and calm your spirit!"
Inuyasha snarled as the damn thing brought her closer to its face, he couldn't hear what she was shouting at it, the girl could have been begging for her life right then.
His eyes trained on her meek form inside the beast fist, he could crush her in any given moment, and he'd be a sitting duck.
"Damnit Bitch, whatever you're planning on doing, GET ON WITH IT!"
His shout reached her, Kagome turned her head to glance at him, giving him a small nod in answer, before turning back to the creature. Inuyasha felt a tightness spread over his chest as she was roughly brought up, the beast sniffing around her form, he could chomp down on her in one go with how close he was.
He debated with himself, the only way to get to her would be to launch himself towards her, putting himself in direct danger, over a human no less. But she had done it for him...
Steeling himself, Inuyasha prepared to go through with it, when the clashing winds calmed, before stilling in their entirety. 'What the hell?'
Kagome had waited till the being brought her up to eye level, she stretched out her arm, palm open as she calmly talked to him. "It's okay gramps, really. You're just grumpy, a little nap will help."
She repeated the words she spoke to him on his last day, he had been complaining loudly about his back, but he refused to stop in their training. The day had dragged on, with her Gramps insisting he could clean out the storage room while she hit the shrine grounds, stubborn and hardheaded right to the very end.
When she had herded him inside the house, a hand on his back as she tried to ease his pain, he had looked so sleepy.
The next morning, he was gone; she knew it before Mama had told her, feeling the difference in the air. Kagome had cried, truly cried that day, and the one after that.
She had been inconsolable until she realized...
Kagome had been wallowing when he came to her then, his spirit a bright blue; talking about the pains that no longer hurt, and the spring in his step.
That had been almost a year ago, and ever since, his bright blue aura had only dimmed. His wit becoming less intact, resembling more and more the man he was once in life. And she knew, Kagome knew that one day he'd be gone, and she would be once more alone.
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But not today...
Pouring all the love she could, Kagome extended her hand, reaching out to touch him. She smiled when, despite the angry pulse in his aura, he allowed her to do so.
When her palm touched his snout the rumbling stopped, the winds softening till they halted in their fury, she was aware that he was losing his strength, but didn't stop to think what that meant for her.
Her gramps shrunk before her eyes, letting her go in the process...
Kagome forgot to scream as she suddenly fell freely towards the ground, headfirst and with no way to stop it.
Her eyes took in the clearing sky, upside down as she was, it was still so beautiful.
The cliff her grandfather was set to rest on, overlooked their homey neighborhood, the tinting and blending of colors over the small houses decorated the afternoon.
The view was truly something, closing her eyes, Kagome let the sun warm her skin.
Feeling at peace for whatever reason, she enjoyed the fall, not giving the landing a second thought.
She only fell a quarter of the way down before a set of muscular arms wrapped around her, moving her mid-fall so she was being cradled. Lost, Kagome turned in the holders' arms, tilting her head to peer at her rescuer.
He snarled down at her, eyes ablaze with his banked anger, "What the fuck was that kid?!"
Kagome had no words for him, absently she lifted her arms to secure her place in his, wrapping both around his neck for better support. He growled a soft reprimand her way but said nothing more, maneuvering them away from the hail of stone and metal, that rained down around them.
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Gently landing, he bent down to allow her to get down. He knew she was in shock or was still in a daze from everything that had had happened, who wouldn't be, so he gave her the room she needed to steady herself.
Kagome took two steps, locating the weak and weary spirit of her grandfather huddled close to his grave, she ran towards him at full speed, letting all other thoughts fall away.
Inuyasha stayed back and watched, feeling the same odd ache when he caught the scent of her renewed tears in the air, he grunted with the unfamiliarity of it, as the scent constricted his breathing.
"H-Hey! You two!"
He turned to the new voice, spotting an older fellow jogging down the path towards them, his ears swiveled towards her soft cries. Knowing if it was him, he would not want anyone to see him as so, Inuyasha turned to derail the man before he reached her.
"Something wrong?" Inuyasha asked, moving to block the man before he made it down the path.
"Something wrong?! You kidding, right son? Did you two not see the tornado that landed here, you need to come with me, this area is not safe!"
Inuyasha waved the old fool off, "Yeah, yeah, we'll get going here in a few"
"Few?! Son, you have a few screws loose! You two need to leave, now. Tornados are known to strike the same spot more than once, or don't ya know?"
When the man made to go towards the fallen girl, Inuyasha stepped into him, blocking his view of her huddled form.
"Take it easy, pops, she's almost done."
The older man lifted a brow up at him, peeking around his form at the girl sobbing into her hands, she looked disheveled and heartbroken. Wearing nothing but a gray jacket, looking back at the fellow in front of him, he could see the jacket belonged to him.
He drew the lines and scoffed at him, "Look boy, I wish I could help, but the news will be here to report on this freak storm. It be best if you and your girlfriend here get going, before you ge t roped into all the questioning."
Inuyasha felt lost, as unfamiliar heat spread over his face, brushing the old man's teasing words aside. He turned to storm off, hearing the man start again, he waved his hand as a show of cooperation. Making his way towards her, Inuyasha had to hold his breath to prevent the sour tone of her sadness from invading his nose.
She was shaking, arms wrapped around herself as she desperately tried to coach her grandfather out.
He was so weak, his spirit so fragile, the vibrant blue of his aura now a pale gray. She watched as he eased himself back down, to rest. For good or not, she did not know, did not want to know, choosing instead to hold out hope.
Yet her heart hurt, the longer he seemed unable to answer her, the sickening thought that this was the last she'd ever see of him, twisted inside her stomach.
The image of the towering beast with sharp fangs and maddening stare haunted her, it was not how she wished to remember her grandfather.
Kagome heard him coming, she was pretty sure he was stomping on purpose, giving her time she needed to right herself. Just as she wiped her eyes with the back of his suit sleeve, he approached her, crouching down beside her as he had done the first time.
"Hey.."
His voice was so soft, as if he were dealing with a wounded animal, it brought fresh tears prickling at the back of her lids.
"We need to go Kagome."
Her heart constricted inside, she wanted to stay. Wanted to sleep here, if need be, just to make sure her Jii-chan was okay. But knowing that was not a possibility, Kagome stood up, took a deep steadying breath before turning to him.
With a weak nod she allowed herself to be taken away.
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His arm around her form acted as the touch of comfort she so desperately needed, she missed home, missed her family, missed the years when things weren't so complicated.
For once his pushy nature was welcomed as Kagome shut her brain off to anything but her next few steps, his arm around her guided her, lifting her over fallen debris when it appeared she was no longer paying attention.
Sooner than she would like, he ushered her inside another black limo, concern for her edging on his mind, as she went willingly. Her eyes stayed vacant, dull as they drew up guards to protect her tender heart, the tightening grew at seeing her so broken.
"Go" his voice sounded loud in the empty car, the limo hummed into gear, and soon the graveyard was but a blimp in the rearview mirror. Only then did he regard the girl closely, unsure what to do to end the heavy scent of her sorrow.
"uh... Look- I" His voice trailed off as he rubbed the back his neck, she turned her tearful eyes to his. Those eyes begged for something, something he did not have to give, "Kago-"
His voice died in his lips as she scooted closer to him, her arm touching his, thigh against thigh; she reclined her head against him, eyes closing as if by doing so she could escape the day's events.
"I'm tired..." She whispered and all he could do was give her a tight nod of understanding, after that she drifted off, half on him as her heart slowed its rhythm and the sadness cleared with her sleep.
It took him a measured moment, the battle inside his head took longer, before Inuyasha lifted an arm to pull the girl closer.
He told himself it was because she was cold, shivering on like that. Told himself it was because she was so tired, might fall over if they'd make a sharp turn, eventually he stopped telling himself anything and just held her.
The light from the streetlamps bathed her in their passing glow, she looked tired, circles developing under her eyes from her exhaustion. Solemnly, Inuyasha noted that he had yet to see her in any other light, every time she was with him the girl was always drained from things she should have never had to deal with.
In an act that was entirely out of character, Inuyasha lifted his free arm to press the call button, keeping his voice light so as not to disturb the slumbering girl.
"Change of plans, take us to the shrine."
There was no answer of reply, the limo simply changed courses.
Arriving shortly, Inuyasha carefully gathered her in his arms, even with his superior strength the girl was far too easy to carry. With no one around to witness, he threw them both into the air, taking the shrine's steps in one giant leap.
Inuyasha walked straight into her home, knowing the girl had not bothered to close her doors, also knowing she had stopped doing so after he left.
It was odd for him to willingly enter her room, having sworn when he left never to return to her, yet here he was; tucking the sleeping girl in her bed, watching with fascination as she curled in deeper into the mattress as if she already knew where she was.
Running his hand through his hair in agitation, Inuyasha allowed himself a few lingering minutes, staring at her sleeping face. The way it was so relaxed and carefree, as if the day had not taken its toll.
"God damnit kid..." He sighed, rolling his shoulder to rid the tension there "...What fucking mess did you step into."
She was fucked, if Sesshomaru had a mild interest in her before, now... Now he would want a closer look, Kagome was as good as gone.
Unable to watch her any longer, Inuyasha shook his head, storming out of her room. The house was the same as before, haunting him with all the loving pictures with happy memories, of all that he was stealing from her.
Scrubbing his hands over his face, Inuyasha resigned himself to take a seat on the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table.
His mind was busy, swirling with his indecisiveness, he just needed to think. Given time he would figure out what to do with her, sitting in her home awaiting the morning, haunted by her memories.