InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pandora's Box ❯ Healed ( Chapter 2 )

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"Excuse me Ms. Higurashi? Kagome Higurashi?" a deep voice called cutting off her train of thought. He was currently walking through the crowds towards her from an apartment building. She couldn't see him and was tempted to keep walking so she could get home to her bath, when he stepped through the crowds and was suddenly in front of her. She gasped. `No it couldn't be... Not after all these years... All the precautions I took, all of it wasted with one glance. Damn him!'

Healed

She wanted to run home and weep, but judging by how snugly he fit in his clothes he still had his predatory instinct. No doubt he could track a falcon on a cloudy day.

She had practiced this, it was easy, she could do it! But no matter how much coaching she'd had, it still took a fair deal of effort to compose herself, smile winningly and reply.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha Youkai, is that you? Wow you haven't changed a bit!" she giggled. Yeah right, as if she hadn't recognized him. She would never forget.

"I'll take that as a complement I suppose. How have you been? I haven't talked to you in what, ten years? We were just kids then, I guess times have changed a bit." he chuckled warmly.

"I sure hope so. Was I as thin and stalky as I remember myself to be?" she questioned jokingly.

"More so." he laughed quietly, then sighed, "This is just what I needed. I haven't seen you in ages Kag, and suddenly you appear on my doorstep like some fallen angel come to save my soul. Just like the good ole days."

"Who says I've come to save your soul, Mr. Youkai? I don't recall saying anything about saving... Hmm... I'll have to think on that one a bit." she said sternly but he could tell by the way her eyes sparkled she was teasing. Finally he had his best friend back.

"Well Inuyasha, it's been nice, but I have to get going. You are in between me and my shower, I've had a long day, and I'm prepared to kill." she smiled taking the edge from her words.

"Oh no, I'm not letting you off that easy. Dinner? Say 7:00 at Ramona's?" upon seeing her doubtful look he hastily added, "To catch up on old times. I haven't seen you in ten years, I need to know what boyfriend I'm going to have to `question'."

"Alright, but I might be late, I wasn't kidding about my shower." she answered warmly. This wasn't as hard as she'd thought it would be. Apparently her heart had finally healed. `About time!' she thought triumphantly.

"No problem. See you then!" Inuyasha threw over his shoulder as he turned and entered his apartment.

Kagome absently looked at her watch, 5:40. She had better hurry if she wanted to have that nice long shower, and be ready for her date with Inuyasha.

Ramona's Deli: May 2004

"Kag, over here, I got us a table." Inuyasha announced enthusiastically. Smiling exultantly, he pulled out her chair for her. This was one of the best restaurants in the city and they both knew how difficult it was to get tables here. There were always celebrities, and producers of all sorts, but Kagome guessed that made sense. Inuyasha was a producer/director/play write now. Funny how he had never really shown an interest in the arts in high school, and now he was internationally acclaimed. Fate plays a strange hand…

"This is amazing Inuyasha! You must have some pretty influential connections to get us a great table at Ramona's!" Kagome commented as she looked around in wonder. It was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. The designer was obviously very talented. It was made to look as if you were under the sea, but not a cheesy version like you often see now a days, it was a beautiful splay of color and light. The artist's blending and mixing of blues to form sea spray and the churning waves of the ocean. The skillfully crafted clown fish, swimming playfully, fighting the current; and the mermaids elegantly beckoning sailors to their deaths. From the largest beluga whale to the smallest piece of coral, all of it played a crucial part in the coming together of this masterpiece.

Inuyasha looked at the awestruck expression on Kagome's face and felt something clench in his chest. He had brought her here to impress and mystify her and by the looks of it he had done an excellent job. His intentions had been to discover what had made her so mad that it had temporarily ended their friendship, but the exquisite smile on her face and the happiness shining in her vivid eyes was more than his just reward.

After they had ordered and were waiting for their main course to arrive they began to reminisce on days of old and the wild adventures of their youth. Inuyasha began to describe the time he had put bubble gum in Kagome's hair on the first day of grade four and Mrs. Higurashi was forced to, ultimately chop off ALL of Kagome's hair to get the gum out. When Kagome had come to school with a buzz cut and her head held high, they had become best friends immediately. Both chuckled (and Kagome blushed) at the memory, bringing warm feelings to both their hearts.

Kagome began to retell of the time Inuyasha had saved her from a bunch of boys in high school...

"Hey sweetheart. Where ya goin' cutey?" a boy in grade ten called to a frightened niner Kagome. When she didn't reply and tried to walk past him, he had pinned her against the wall with his arms and tried again.

"I asked ya where you were going. You thinkin' you're to good for us grade ten's? Hmm? That we ain't worthy of being in your presence?" he leered at her lustily.

"You sure you're in grade nine? You got a better bod than any of the grade ten girls I know..." one of the other boys in the group called.

"Yeah but how can ya tell when you got all them clothes on?" the third boy questioned rhetorically. The first boy chuckled and began to unzip her sweater, as tears leaked from her closed eyes. She wasn't sure what they were about to do but when they did it she didn't want to see. Luckily for Kagome she never found out. One minute the boy was attempting to kiss her, and the next she was being picked up into strong arms. When she looked back she saw the boys on the ground all clutching some area of their body in pain. When she looked up into the face of her rescuer, Inuyasha's deep amber eyes were there to greet and comfort her.

"Are you alright Kag?" He asked while he kissed her forehead in a brotherly manner.

"I-I'm f-fine..." she replied shakily. She hadn't known what they were going to do, but she suspected it wasn't a good thing, and Inuyasha had saved her.

"I'm going to take you home ok? I'll tell the principal you got sick or something." Inuyasha told her as he began to walk to the office.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks..." she stated then promptly snuggled into his chest and fell asleep...

Kagome blushed crimson when she told Inuyasha of how she had thought him to be her knight in shining armor, and before Inuyasha could comment the food arrived.