Chapter 17: Memories.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
A/N: Here's a chapter early for you! Hope you enjoy!
White.
White was all Inuyasha could see as he stood on the platform waiting for Kikyo to walk down the aisle. White floors, white whiles, white decorations, white curtains on the windows, white chairs, white tables, hell - even the guests were instructed to wear white.
Not one ounce of color in the room but white, it was really giving Inuyasha a headache as he grumbled under his breath with his hands balling up into fists. He prayed with everything he had that the great Lord would strike him down instead of having him marry this god-awful woman. All of his thoughts were on Kagome and Hiro, his heart cracking over everything that they had been put through because of him - he seriously hoped and prayed that they were going to be okay once this whole shit show was over.
'Kagome.' He thought as he closed his eyes and bowed his head as he took in several deep breaths.
He thought about the first time they met, it was almost the same as right now - he remembered waiting on Kikyo, he remembered seeing the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen walking down the aisle in a white sundress with just a touch of make-up dusting her face - she looked absolutely mouthwatering to him, and he couldn't wait to make her his. He remembered the priest calling the woman Kikyo and then her correcting him.
As she reached the alter, Sango had let go of her arm so she could stand behind her. The priest smiled warmly at her before saying, "good evening, Kikyo."
"Oh, uh, good evening, but I'm not Kikyo." Kagome said before pointing to a black-haired woman in the crowd. "That's Kikyo, she's my half-sister and due to personal reasonings, I'm going to take her place and marry Phantom." She said before bowing at the waist towards Inuyasha. "Please accept me as your wife."
He remembered being surprised as the woman in front of him bowed in front of him and begged him to marry her instead of Kikyo, he didn't even know her name and she already had him wrapped around her finger in a way that he knew he'd never be able to say no to her or deny her anything. He looked out into the crowd towards where she had pointed and found the woman he was supposed to marry, she was pretty though he could tell there was malice in her eyes. The woman in front of him, though he only had a small look, he didn't see any ill intent in her eyes. He looked at the priest with a nod to go ahead with the wedding.
"We are gathered here today to unite Phantom and?" The priest stopped and gave Kagome a questioning look.
"Oh, uh, Kagome Higurashi." Kagome answered.
That was the first time he heard her name and remembered him repeating her name in his head as his heart melted at her soft-spoken voice. He vowed right then and there that he'd protect her with everything he had in him and now look, she's seriously injured, and her son is still missing - he failed miserably in protecting them both.
He let out a sigh as the memories still came to his mind, he felt as his muscles started to relax as he pictured Kagome in his mind as he remembered their first day together.
"Tell me about yourself." Inuyasha said.
"Um, well, my name is Kagome Higurashi, I'm twenty-four years old and I lost my job last month due to too many call ins." Kagome started before placing her finger against her check and looked up in thought. "My favorite color is green, any color of green, my favorite food is taco pizza, my favorite drink is fruit punch Gatorade, my favorite shows are sMothered, I Love a Momma's boy, 1000-pound sisters and Hell's Kitchen - I also like to watch murder mystery on YouTube - my favorites are Stephanie Harlowe, Bailey Sarian and Explore With Us. I also like to watch kallmekris, selinaspookyboo, Sam and Colby and Brandon Farris. I love working on cars and hope to one day be able to open up my own mechanic shop. I hate it when it gets too hot but also hate it when it gets too cold, I like whether warm, I love thunderstorms and always dreamed about having one of those round rooms that are made out of just glass with a huge bed in it and just lay there watching the storm. I have an old beat-up Chevy Bel Air that my dad and I worked on since I was five that he gave to me before he passed away shortly after my sixteenth birthday. Um, yeah, I can't think of anything else that I feel comfortable telling you." Kagome said. "What about you, Phantom?"
He remembered as he soaked up everything that she was willing to let him know and wanting what else he could learn about the woman sitting in front of him. He was curious to know what made her uncomfortable that she didn't want to tell him, however, he didn't want to push her to tell him something that she wasn't ready to tell him - she didn't know but he'd wait forever for her to feel comfortable with him.
"There are a few rules that I must ask that you follow." Inuyasha said taking Kagome's look away from his ears.
"What are they?" Kagome asked.
"While in public you are to call me Phantom, only in private can you call me Inuyasha." Inuyasha instructed.
"Okay, easy enough. What's the next one." Kagome asked tilting her head.
"We can live separate lives, meaning you do your thing and I do mine, however - I would hate to learn that my wife is pregnant with someone else's kid." Inuyasha said as he eyed her.
"Ain't no one rushing to be with me like that anyway, so there's no problem with that." Kagome said feeling a twinge of guilt about not telling him about Hiro. Soon, she told herself, as soon as she could find a job so she could financially support her and Hiro - she would tell Inuyasha then. "Anymore?" She asked him as she raised an eyebrow.
"I'll let you know if I come up with anymore." Inuyasha said with a smirk.
He remembered giving her the rules, remembered her telling him that no one wanted to be with her in a way that she'd get pregnant - he remembered having to bite his tongue in order not to tell her that she was wrong because he wanted to be with her like that.
'Hiro.' The name echoed inside his mind as he remembered meeting him for the first time.
Kagome nodded her thanks before flipping her phone open and pressing the green button to answer the call. "Hello?" She said as she placed the phone to her ear. A few minutes passed before she gasped as she shot out of her chair so fast that it pushed the chair back a few feet before falling backwards. "What do you mean he's in a coma!?" She shouted before listening to the other line. "Oh God, I'm coming, I'll be there soon!" She hung up the phone before shoving it back in her pocket and excusing herself from the table and conversation stating that she needed to go to the hospital right now. She grabbed her purse and dug for her keys while she ran outside, unlocking her car she threw herself inside before jamming the keys in the ignition and turning the key - however, instead of her car starting, she heard a loud bang and black smoke coming from the hood. "Shit!" She screamed, hitting the steering wheel. "Shit, shit, shit!" She said with every bang to the steering wheel. Tears fell freely from her eyes as she wondered how the hell she was going to get to the hospital. A knock on the door made her look up and saw Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango standing there, she opened the door and stepped out.
"Get in my car, we'll take you to the hospital." Kagome nodded as she climbed into Inuyasha's car.
He remembered looking at Kagome as she sat in the back seat as she looked out the winder nervously biting her thumb nail as she tried to keep the tears from falling down her face. He remembered being confused but also feeling his heart crack in his chest as he tried to think of a way to put a smile back on her face.
Inuyasha walked up behind her, with Sango and Miroku following close behind him, before placing a comforting hand on her back. "Kagome, who is he?" He asked.
"I was about to tell you this morning, but the phone call interrupted me." Kagome began as she sniffled and wiped her eyes. "This is Hiro, he's my seven-year-old - almost eight here in a few days - he has leukemia."
"Why didn't you tell me after we got married, don't you think I deserved to know that my new wife had a kid?" Inuyasha asked with an emotion in his eyes that Kagome couldn't quite name.
"I-I don't know, I was afraid of how you might act if you found out." Kagome answered looking at the floor in shame.
"You still should have told me." Inuyasha huffed out.
"And tell you what, Phantom, huh!?" Kagome snapped losing her cool. "That some weird woman that came up begging you to marry her, a complete stranger, in place of her sister - and, oh yeah, let's not forget that you're a stepfather now to a little boy who has cancer! How crazy would that have been for you!? How would I even come to bring up that conversation with you! So, yeah, I hid it from you because I was scared that you would kick me out and I would have abso-fucking-lutely nowhere else to go because another thing my landlord kicked me out of my apartment! I am behind on everything because I got fired from my job because my boss gave zero fucks about the doctor's notes that I had! I have no money, no food, about to have no car because I was forced to take a loan out on it in order to pay a hospital bill - oh God, I can't lose my car!" She yelled as she crumpled to the floor as deep bodied sobs wrecked her slim form.
As he remembered Kagome losing her temper with him, the corner of his lips curled in a smile as he remembered how cute she was while she let go and argue with him while still remembering his rule about calling him Phantom while in public. He knew right then and there that he was a goner and would do anything for the woman that was in front of him. He then remembered the reason Kagome had married him in her sister's place.
"Wait, wait!" Kagome said, standing up. "What do you mean the bill hasn't been paid?" She asked.
"Um, you said that your bill would be paid Friday night, though, we never received any payment." Dr. Hojo explained.
"Those mother fuckers!" Kagome shouted before stomping out the room and out the hospital with the others following behind her. "I'll kill them!" She screamed as she got into the car before she slammed her door shut.
"Kill who?" Inuyasha asked as he shut his own door before starting the car.
"My half-sister and stepfather." Kagome answered looking out the window. "Kikyo was supposed to marry you, I needed money and asked my mother if I can borrow the money, Kikyo said that if I married you in her place then they would let me have the money. They were supposed to pay the bill after we got married but they still haven't."
He remembered feeling sick to his stomach that her own family would do that to her while her son was on his death bed, he then vowed that he would support her financially as well as emotionally seeing as her own family didn't seem to care much about her. The memories kept coming as the memory of their argument that they had outside of her parents' house played next in his mind.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha called again. "What are you doing? Where are you going?"
"I'm going home." Kagome answered as she started walking again. She could hear as Inuyasha started to jog to catch up to her, she felt as he gently gripped her shoulder so he could stop her and turn her around.
"Talk to me, Kagome." Inuyasha said gently. "What happened?"
"What do you think happened, Phantom!?" Kagome snapped not meaning to, it's just she was over her limit at the time and not able to control her emotions. "They won't pay for shit that has anything to do with me! But, as we were fighting, I get this message saying that the bill has been paid by no other than Phantom himself! Why would you do that without talking about it with me!? There is no way I can pay you back!" She screamed as more tears came falling down her face.
"Who said you had to pay me back?" Inuyasha asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"I'm not a fucking charity case!" Kagome yelled as she shoved Inuyasha making Sango and Miroku to step forward to stop any other type of physical altercation, however, they stopped as Inuyasha put his hand up in a stopping motion.
"And who said you were?" Inuyasha asked calmly, trying to contain his amusement, no one has ever had the balls to ever stand up against him and he found himself really enjoying her spitfire side. He also knew that with everything going on what with Hiro's health declining and, if he were to bet, he was pretty sure that there was a fight between her and her mother, so he knew her emotional state right now was hanging on by a thread and he wanted to let her have a chance to let out all her frustrations, even if he had to have him be her personal punching bag - he'd gladly do it, if only it meant that she would feel just a little better when she was done.
"I never asked for anyone's pity! Just file for divorce like I know you want to, get it over with now while I'm already on the fucking ground." Kagome said as she turned to walk away again, Inuyasha never gave her any sign on wanting to get a divorce, and logically she knew that - it's just, she was mentally taxed out and not thinking straight. She thought that once he saw her actually broken like this, he wouldn't want her anymore, and who could really blame him? However, she didn't get far at all as Inuyasha grabbed her arm and jerked her back to face him.
"Hey!" Inuyasha growled feeling his patients start to snap. "Who the fuck said anything about a divorce!? We are married, and that's that! For richer or for poorer, for sickness and in health was in our fucking vows! What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine! That means it's not my fucking money that I used to pay the hospital bill, it OUR money that I used to pay for OUR son's hospital bill! Do you understand, Kagome, OURS, you do not have to repay your own fucking money!"
He remembered her breaking down in front of him as sobs overtook her making it impossible for her to talk so he just took her into his arms, holding on to her tightly as she tried to calm down. He remembered how perfectly she fit inside his arms, thinking that she must have been made for him and he for her. He remembered how pissed off he got when he saw the slap mark on her cheek and how much rage built up inside of him when she said that both her stepfather and mother had slapped her, the only thing running through his mind right then was murder, killing the asshats that had the audacity to put their hands on her. He remembered Kagome stopping him and begging him to take her away from that place and surprising himself, he nodded but ordered Miroku to ruin her mother's business before the next memory took over his mind.
"Um, I know I don't have a lot, but it got me by." Kagome whispered as she stared at the floor.
"Got you by?" Inuyasha asked. "You don't have any food; how did you eat?"
"I told you." Kagome said with a shrug. "Hiro's treatments came before me eating, I haven't had anything besides ramen and crackers for over a year, I just couldn't afford food." She said as she looked up at Inuyasha. "Can I ask you one more thing and I promise not to ask for anything else?"
Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow. "Kagome, you don't have to ask me for anything, this thing doesn't have to be the last thing either, you can have whatever you need." He said as he took out his wallet before taking out a card and handing it to Kagome. "That card has an unlimited amount on it, use it for whatever you need. No need to ask permission to use your own money."
He remembered how his heart had dropped in his chest when he saw that she didn't have anything to eat and was practically starving herself. He remembered feeling his heart crack as he walked through Kagome's small apartment seeing that she had nothing, she had no one but herself. He vowed right then and there that she'd never be alone again, he felt some comfort knowing that he more or less kept that vow because she still had Sango and Miroku and he took comfort in that, he just wished it was him with her - he sighed as the next memory come into his mind.
"Aww, Kaggy, don't be like that." Kio cooed as he tried to reach for Kagome's hand, but she snatched it away before he could grab it. "Oh, come on! I really do want to know how he's doing! I've been thinking about you both a lot lately and really want my family back."
"Don't Kaggy me!" Kagome yelled. "And no! You don't just get to show up out of the blue and ask how my son is that you abandoned six years ago! And hell naw! We are never getting back together! You left me to struggle on my own for six years! You left Hiro to have to go through this without a father! There is no coming back from that! And besides I'm married! Happily married!" She said as she grabbed Inuyasha's hand.
"Why do you have to throw that in my face!" Kio snarled making Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango ready for a fight should one happen. "Do you know how it looks to have a sick child!? Everyone looking at you with pity, no one will hire you when you have a sick child because they know you won't put the job first, you'll put your child first! And what about me, Kagome!? What about all the things that we talked about doing together!? All the traveling we were going to do! You just threw that all away for some kid! When I said I didn't want to raise a sick child I was expecting you to say the same thing so we could do all of those things! You took that away from the both of us!"
"Excuse me!?" Kagome yelled in outrage. "Some kid!? That's not just 'some kid' that's my son that I refuse to abandon! I expected you to put those dreams on hold for a little bit and be the father Hiro needed, but no, you just ran away from your responsibility." She screamed then stood behind Inuyasha silently telling him that she was done talking to this asshat. She took a fistful of Inuyasha shirt as she pressed her forehead in between his shoulder blades as she tried to take deep steady breaths. It was too much for her, she felt ready to fall apart at the seams, what with the condition of her son and the unexpected arrival of her baby daddy, it was too much to handle - and she needed Kio to be gone.
"We're done here." Inuyasha said as he closed the trunk with one hand, so he didn't have to move away from Kagome before crossing his arms over his chest, Miroku came to stand by Inuyasha with the same stance while Sango placed a comforting hand on Kagome's back sending a glair in Kio's direction.
The memories kept flowing through his mind as he waited for this doomed day to get started, he gnashed his teeth together as he tensed his muscles up at the thought of Kio as he wished that he'd just killed him that day then none of this shit would be happening right now, that thought left his head as the next memory took up residence his mind.
Inuyasha cracked a half smile as he brought up his free hand to run his claws along Kagome's cheek bone then ran them through Kagome's hair moving it out of her face, he then brought his hand down to run the pad of his thumb along her bottom lip making her let out a small gasp. He really wanted to taste her, he wanted to feel her lips against his - would she let him? He sat up, pulling her in his lap in a way that she straddled his legs and bring his face close to hers as he tested the waters to see where she stood and to see how far she would let him go.
Sango and Miroku woke up about twenty minutes ago, but they had gone to their room for some privet time, so they were alone in the living room.
Kagome's heart started to race as she watched as Inuyasha face got closer towards her own, she felt as Inuyasha buried his hand in her hair before gripping a handful of her hair gently keeping her head where it was. She brought her hands up to grip his shoulders to have something to hold onto to keep her grounded. She felt as his lips connected to hers in a slow and gentle matter.
Their first kiss.
The kiss that made him absolutely crazy for her, the kiss that filled him up with want and desire for her. The kiss that made him fall for her. He felt his heart crack in his chest, they've been through so much together and he's never told her he loves her. He fell for her the moment their lips connected, she held his world in the palm of her hands, she made his usually dark and cold world colorful and bright and now they were being ripped apart.
Before any other memories could make their way into his mind, the pianist started playing 'Here Comes the Bride' and his jaw clenched as his muscles tightened when the double door swung opened revealing Kikyo in a dark purple ballroom gown as she laced her arm with her father, who was also wearing a white tux, however, his vest was the same color as Kikyo's dress.
He stared at Kikyo absolutely horrified as she started walking down the aisle as the song continued to play, all too soon for Inuyasha - Kikyo was standing in front of him and the ceremony started.
"We are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony." The priest began making Inuyasha grind his teeth and his muscles tense even more as he had to force his feet to stay where they were and not book it out the door. "We'll start with Kikyo, repeat after me - I Kikyo Higurashi."
"I Kikyo Higurashi," Kikyo answered as she repeated what the priest said, "take you Inuyasha Takahashi as my lawfully wedded husband. to have, to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us both part."
Inuyasha gritted his teeth as his real name was called out for everyone to hear, he knew it was going to happen but now it was real, now everyone knew who he was as everyone let out a collective gasp and started whispering with each other.
"Your turn." The priest announced as he faced Inuyasha. "Repeat after me, I Inuyasha Takahashi take you Kikyo Higurashi as my lawfully wedded bride."
Inuyasha let out a sigh as his heart dropped in his chest. "I Inuyasha Takahashi take you Kikyo as my lawfully wedded bride." He had to force the words out of his mouth through gritted teeth.
"To have, to hold from this day forward." The priest went on giving Inuyasha a look.
"To have, to hold from this day forward." Inuyasha said as he gnashed his teeth together and balled his hands in fists so tight his claws pierced the palms of his hands.
"For better, for worse." The priest said as he cleared his throat.
"For better, for worse." Inuyasha growled out as his fists grew even tighter, he hated this - hated that there was nothing he was able to do, and Kikyo was pulling him away from Kagome and away from Hiro.
"For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health." The priest said not caring that Inuyasha was having a hard time right now.
"For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health." Inuyasha grunted out.
"To love and to cherish until death do us both part." The priest finished before giving Inuyasha an expected look.
Inuyasha sighed as he looked down towards the floor. This was it, after he said this last line, he'd be married to Kikyo. He felt like he was about to get sick as he swallowed a few times before he could talk. "To love and to cherish until death do us both-"
"I object!"
As the words were shouted throughout the whole room, Inuyasha sighed in relief as he slouched forward. "Oh, thank God!" He murmured to himself, not even registering who it was that had objected. He let out another sigh as he looked up at the double doors, when he saw who it was, his heart picked up as it hammered against his chest.
"Kagome." He whispered as he took her in. Her chest heaved as if she ran all the way here, she was still in her hospital gown which told him that she broke out of the hospital to come here, there was blood on the front of the gown letting him know that she most likely reopened her wound. Her wrists were still in wraps, her face was still bruised from where Naraku had struck her - though it wasn't swollen anymore, her hair looked like it hadn't been brushed in a few days. None of that mattered to him though, all he wanted to do was go to her and hold her and never let go.
"On what grounds do you have to object to this wedding?" The priest asked with a raised eyebrow.
"On grounds that he's mine and I'm not ready to let him go." Kagome said as she started walking down the aisle.
"What's the meaning of this!?" Naraku roared as he stood up from his seat.
"You're not welcomed here, get out!" Kagome's mother said as she also stood up.
"Kikyo gave him to me! I'm not going to let her take him away from me, not now, not ever." Kagome said as she still continued to walk down the aisle. "I am not leaving here without him." She said as she walked to the alter before Kikyo blocked her way making her stop.
"Be careful, Kagome, we still have your son." Kikyo threatened.
"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, dear sister," Kagome said snidely, "I have my son back. You have nothing, now move!" Kagome ordered as she pushed Kikyo out of the way so she could walk the rest of the way to Inuyasha.
Inuyasha was so dumbfounded that he couldn't move his feet, he watched as Kagome pushed Kikyo out of the way before making her way to him. "Kagome." He whispered again before he could finally move. He took her into his arms and held on tightly. He pulled back as he brought his hands up to brush her hair out of her eyes, he looked deep into her eyes with a smile on his face. "You're here."
"I'm here." Kagome said as she brought her hands up to grip Inuyasha's wrists keeping his hands on her face as he brought her in for a kiss.
Sango, Miroku and Shippo came running through the door as Kagome and Inuyasha were pulling away from their kiss. Shippo started jumping as he whooped with his fists pumping in the air in victory.
"She made it!" Miroku said excitedly as both he and Sango irrupted with happy laughter as they hugged.
Inuyasha and Kagome walked to where the others were standing as Miroku looked around.
"Uh, where did Kikyo, Naraku and Kagome's mother go?" Miroku asked as he continued to look around as the others started to look.
"Shit." Sango muttered. "They must've snuck away."
"This isn't good." Miroku said as he threw his hand though his hair.
Before anyone could say anything else, all of Kagome's adrenaline faded away making her gasp out in pain before doubling over as she clutched her stomach.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha said worriedly as he caught her and supported her slight weight to keep her from falling all the way down. Her breathing was labored as a pained expression painted her features. "Naraku and them are going to have to wait, we need to get her back to the hospital!" He said as he bent down to pick Kagome up bridal style before leaving the church while the others followed.
Hope you enjoyed this early release! Until next time, bye!