InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chance ❯ Something Remains ( Chapter 31 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: No!. Don’t own it. Oh well. Le Sob! Le Cry! Le Whimper!!


Author’s Notes: The Little Muse (the trouble maker that she is) says that the countdown for the story begins with this chapter. Um. . .(looks through notes) Oh, this is #15 of the countdown.



(I)


Two weeks had passed since the fire and Kagome was still no closer to finding a way to repay Sesshoumaru’s kindness. She had taken a whole two weeks off, using up half of her vacation time in the process, and watched for any insignificant way to help out in daily affairs. Everyone involved with the corporate building was kind and friendly and -thanks to them- Kagome felt herself quickly becoming accustomed to the workings of the building itself. Shiori and Kagome had become fast friends and Kagome included the smaller woman whenever she and Sango found the time to hang out.


Time that was sorely needed thanks to Sesshoumaru’s ‘insisting’ on helping her get back on her feet. “It is nothing,” he explained to her when she called, distressed about the numerous boxes of household wares that suddenly appeared at her new apartment. “It is only money and you will receive it without complaint. It is an insult to do otherwise.”


That she could live with, though with a slightly guilty conscious, but the clothes and shoes that began to trickle in afterward were what Kagome called the last straw. Again she refused and again she was told about the insignificance of money and how she shouldn’t worry. She was beginning to feel like a trophy girlfriend and was ready to return every single package when Inuyasha-jovial, sweet Inuyasha- explained to her why his brother felt it so important to see to her every comfort.


“The day you two met,” he once explained as he helped her sift through a box of work clothes from a high end fashion company. “Was under the worst of circumstances. See, he has a really bad addiction to those ‘Mystery Dinner’ things that you see the older people go to on tv. Well, I tricked him into going to this really dark, really remote place not far from where you used to live. I waited until he got out of the car before jumping behind the wheel and speeding away.


“How was I supposed to know that he’d get mugged, huh? I don’t even think he knew how bad off he was until you came along and looked after him. For all we know, Sesshoumaru would have died, and I would have never known. If you want, you can take back some of the clothes, but just make sure to keep something , just so he won’t feel too bad, OK?”


Now how could she refuse a request like that?


Even now she was delegating a place for Sesshoumaru’s latest gift, a pair of beautiful navy blue ballerina slippers that reminded her of the pair she had before the fire. She turned away from her closet, deciding to figure out what to do with the shoes another day, and glanced toward the darkening sky.



“Hey Kagome!”


She jumped slightly, her hand flying to her heaving bosom while she waited for her heartbeat to settle back to it’s normal rhythm. She rushed into her living room just as the elevator doors closed, her nerves still on edge as Inuyasha smirked at her from across the room.


“Jeez Inuyasha!” Kagome furiously growled. “You scared me half to death!!” Chance looked up at her outburst, locked eyes with Inuyasha, then snorted in what could have been canine disgust before rolling over and going back to sleep.


“Oi woman,” Inuyasha griped as he loosened the deep purple tie around his neck and flopped down on her couch. “I wouldn’t have to scream for ya if you’d come the hell on when I call ya!”


“Excuse you!” Kagome countered and shoved him toward the other side of the couch. “And you’d better not put your feet on the coffee tabl-“


“So,” Inuyasha interrupted as he plunked his feet onto the coffee table and popped a fry out of the white paper bag in his hands. “What’cha been doin’ all day?”


“Well, I’m getting ready to go to work next week,” Kagome replied, her eyebrow twitching as his feet wiggled happily from their forbidden place of rest. She reached out and knocked them off, earning a “Hey!” from Inuyasha as she leaped to her feet and shook her finger at him.


“I’m not going to say it again, Inuyasha,” Kagome growled, her finger blurred slightly from the shaking. “Keep your feet off the furniture and-“ She reached down and jerked the bag from his hands, ignoring his shouts of protest as she frowned at the amount of grease soaked into the bottom of the bag.


“How on earth do you eat this stuff?!” She wondered in disgusted awe. “I mean, it’s burgers and fries one day, ramen the next and I don’t even want to know what it is after that. How do you eat this stuff day in and day out? Don’t you get tired of it?”


“No one,” Inuyasha began before reaching up and snatching the take out bag out of Kagome’s hands. “And I mean no one could ever get tired of ramen. It’s just not possible. Besides,” he said as he sheepishly scratched a little place on the crown of his head. “I don’t know how to cook.” He glanced up at Kagome and balked at her sympathetic gaze.


“Eh, don’t worry about it,” he told her as he quickly made a beeline toward the elevator. “I like this stuff better than my own cooking anyway. See ya tomorrow!” He disappeared without a word, clueless to the sudden blossoming of in idea as Kagome sat down and smiled.


()


“Well, what about her charts? What do they say?” He listened as the lab tech on the other end sighed, the regret and finality of what weighed on the young human’s shoulders settling onto his own as Inuyasha waited as patiently as he could.


“I don’t know what physician who first treated her told her, but he apparently didn’t tell her that three or four months was a best case scenario. Taishou-san, I would like to tell you better news but I can’t. If she made it to August I’d be shocked. I’m really, really sorry.”


“Stop apologizing,” Inuyasha growled irritably. “What can be done?”


“At the most, all we can do is make her comfortable.” The lab tech sighed again when Inuyasha didn’t respond. “I’ll call her later and let her know as soon as-“


“No, call her now,” Inuyasha demanded then. “Call her now, then tell her that I’ll call her shortly.” Inuyasha hung up without another word, almond shaped violet-brown orbs downcast as he sat down at his desk and numerous contracts waiting on his attention.


‘It’s official,’ he said to himself as the red hued second hand jerked between the one and the two on the clock’s white face. ‘She’s . . .really going to. . .and there’s nothing we can do. . .’ Guilt, heavy and suffocating, weighed down on him, remembering as he insisted on performing the late Eastern Tai’s last wish. It had been his influence that convinced the other tai to allow the woman to raise Shippou, to love the little fox cub as if he were her very own grandchild, and yet they had not thought of the consequences. The kit had learned so much under her care, and Inuyasha was sure she had more to teach him, more that could help him in this world of increasing human madness.


The second hand finally jerked to two then carried on, it’s loud metallic footsteps drowning out the elevator as the doors ‘bing’ed open and Kagome flounced out. He didn’t blink at her happy, “Good morning!” nor did he take notice of the small plate in her little hands.


“I know what you said about not worrying about you not being able to cook, but I thought you would like a little breakfast!” She sat the plate down in front of him, then fished a pair of chopsticks out of a small bag at her side. “Now I didn’t know what you liked, so-Inuyasha?” she whispered once she noticed his melancholy mood. “What’s the matter?”


“Nothing,” was his growled reply as he continued to stare into space.


“Yes there is,” Kagome disagreed softly. She kneeled down beside him and placed her hand on his, giving him a light squeeze as she asked again, “Now what’s wrong?”


“I said nothing!” he snarled angrily, his lack of control over his current situation. He glared down and didn’t see Kagome. Instead he saw nothing, a sign of how helpless he felt and how little power he truly had. He shook Kagome’s hand free, nearly knocking her down in the process, and tossed the plate to the floor. Kagome gaped, shock leaving her speechless as the plate bounced, food flying across the polished pinewood floor, then shattered into millions of pieces. “Now get out! Leave me alone!”


Inuyasha blinked when she sniffed, his fury finally dissolving as Kagome fled toward the elevator. She sniffed again before she finally disappeared, leaving Inuyasha with the scent of her tears.


“Oh great,” Inuyasha growled to himself and hit his head on his desk. “G-r-e-a-t.” He stood up and immediately boarded the elevator, his foot thumping nervously against the metallic floor. He stepped off the moment the doors opened and stopped just as Sesshoumaru appeared in his line of vision.


‘What have you done?’ Sesshoumaru demanded, his golden orbs narrowed angrily as a snarl rippled over his body.


“Look, I can explain. I’m trying to get through something right now-“


‘Your-explanations-are worthless,’ he replied without fail. ‘I will not hear them. How do you expect to be an efficient tai if you allow your emotions to rule over you-’


“Yeah, but you forget,” Inuyasha snarled as quietly as he could, the glamour spell covering his youkai features wavering in his anger. “I never wanted to be taiyoukai. That was your dream. I would have been perfectly happy to be the worthless hanyou you take me for. Now excuse me.” Inuyasha walked past Sesshoumaru toward the kitchen, not caring if his older sibling followed or not, and stopped at the kitchen threshold. He sighed as Kagome stood there, her back to him as she furiously scrubbed the pots and pans in the kitchen sink. Her anger and the salty aroma of her tears clung heavily to the air even as water continued to fly around her.


Inuyasha slid a nearby dining room chair across the floor, the chair’s ear-piercing scrap across the stone tile floor abusive to both hanyou and onna as Kagome froze in her frantic attempts to clean. He sat down heavily, watching for her reaction, and winced when she hung her head and sighed.


“Before you yell at me again,” Kagome began and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. “I just want to say that I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snuck up on you, and I shouldn’t have just brought you-“ She sniffed again and again Inuyasha was washed in the sea of her despair. “S-sorry,” she barely stuttered out, her voice soft and strained to his sensitive hearing.


Inuyasha sighed heavily, not liking this sudden feeling of regret, and said, “You ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry for.” He waited until Kagome turned to him, her face red and tearstained, before continuing. “I. . .I’m dealin’ with something right now. A friend of mine is. . .well, it doesn’t matter really. What matters is that I goofed, not you, ok?” He waited until she nodded, cobalt blue eyes round and innocent like a child’s, and smiled. “You didn’t do a damned thing wrong. It was me, ok? Besides, who in their right mind turns down free food?”


“You do, apparently,” Kagome replied with a watery laugh. Inuyasha’s smile became a smirk as he said, “Well I never said I was in my right mind, did I?”


Kagome shook her head. “That’s great,” she replied with a roll of her eyes. “I’m living two floors above a certified nutjob.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Inuyasha brushed aside and sniffed, his nose finally attuned to the remnant scents lingering in the kitchen. Whatever he threw at the floor smelled good now, so good his mouth was beginning to water. “Hey,” he began after a thick swallow. “Just what was that you tried to poison me with anyway?”


“Jerk,” Kagome grumbled and tossed her dishtowel in his direction. “I didn’t try to poison you. Anyway, that was French toast, bacon and raspberries Your Highness decided wasn’t worthy of his attention.”


“Hey, um...” Inuyasha said as he continued to sniff around the kitchen. “If I say I’m sorry, will you make some more?”


“Don’t worry about it,” Kagome replied with a happy smile. She reached into her dish rack for her frying pan, now sparkling from her insistent scrubbing, and placed it on the nearby stove. In her eyes he was already forgiven and she opened the refrigerator door, Chance settling on the floor beside her, as she began a repeat performance of the culinary dance she performed just hours before.


(II)


“This is bullshit,” Kouga growled as he glared at the small television set up in the evidence room. Ayame glanced from the TV to Kouga and back again, her hand resting lightly over her lips as she considered whether to tease Kouga about his performance or be angry right along with him.


“Complete and total bullshit,” Kouga continued to complain, his fist balled angrily as Ayame leaned over the table and turned off the VCR.


“So,” she said as she handed him the tape. “What are you going to do about it?”


“What do you think I’m going to do?” Kouga snapped angrily and snatched the tape out of her hands. “I’m going to have a talk with that asswipe. Is he still in interrogation?”



“Yup, the first one,” Ayame asked and giggled when Kouga stormed out, only pausing to slam the door behind him and severely rattle the glass plate. Ayame shook her head, then turned back and inserted another VHS into the tape player.


Kouga stormed down the hallway, tape in hand, nearly growling in his frustration as he opened a nearby door and stepped into the room on the other side. The detective inside raised his chin in greeting, then sighed as Kouga stood in front of the one-way mirror.


“Has he said anything?” Kouga asked.


The detective shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what we do, or what we threaten him with. This guy just smiles and keeps repeating the same thing-“

“His name, his birthday, and his social. Yeah, I know,” Kouga interrupted, then glanced away when the detective sighed.


“Man, I swear,” the detective complained moodily. “This guy is like Teflon. We’ll never be able to get any of the charges to stick on him unless he confesses.”


Kouga glanced down at the tape in his hands, and idea suddenly coming to him as a confidant smirk graced his features. He opened the door to the interrogation room and paused at the threshold, indigo orbs narrowed slightly as he took in the prisoner sitting at the large table in the center of the room with his back toward him. Kouga trained his mouth into a friendly smile and approached Naraku, his hand brushing against Naraku’s orange clad jumpsuit.


“Hey man, how are you?” Kouga asked as he patted Naraku’s shoulder and sat down across the table from him.


“Um...fine I suppose,” Naraku answered warily, cinnamon eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Kouga insert a VHS tape into a nearby tape player. “What’s that?”


“Oh, that’s nothing,” Kouga replied with a flippant wave of his hand. “I’ll tell you about it later-Hey,” he snapped his fingers suddenly. “Don’t we know each other?”


“No,” Naraku shook his head. “Not that I remember?”


“Man, I was so sure,” Kouga said and shrugged. “Maybe it’s because you and I are in the same boat.”


“Huh?” was Naraku’s intelligent answer.


“Oh, you know,” Kouga replied with an angry growl. “You and I both know that witch, Kagome.” He smiled when Naraku grinned. “Yeah, that’s what I mean. Man, I tried my hardest to hook up with that chick, but she was so frigid.”


“Trust me, she’s not frigid,” Naraku smirked knowingly. “You can get her to do almost anything if you’ve got pockets lined with money.”


Kouga bit back his smart remark, his eyes flashing angrily before calming down. “That’s what I’m talking about! Have you seen that pretty boy she’s dating now? Who the heck is he anyway?”


“Don’t have a clue,” Naraku laughed easily. “I’ve been trying to figure that out myself. He introduced himself once but I thought he was a passing fancy, someone who would turn her nose for awhile before skipping along his merry way. Imagine my surprise when he stuck around.”


“Yeah, tell me about it,” Kouga nodded in agreement. “The two of them just don’t seem to click, do they?”


“I think he’s an arrogant, smug son of a bitch, and he’s got that little tart wrapped around his little finger,” Naraku growled furiously. “If she wanted to be used and tossed aside then she should have just asked.”


Kouga laughed, but on the inside he was fuming. The only thing that kept him from sucker-punching this obvious pervert (other than his badge) was Kagome and all the other tenants who’s homes he bugged. Kouga kept a cool head and continued to smile but his fists remained clinched underneath the table. “Man,” Kouga sighed wistfully, his chin propped on his upturned palm as he gazed toward the clock overhead. “I would have loved to see what she looked like without clothes.”


“She’s a real goddess, that I can assure you,” Naraku winked lustfully. “Beautiful curves, a nice rack and legs for days. She has this nightly routine when she takes a bath, where she just sits there with her eyes covered and her breasts heaving just over the water’s surface.” He shivered, his eyes sparkling with unfulfilled intentions. “I’m telling you, it left me hard for weeks on end.”


“I’m sure,” Kouga laughed again, though this time he wanted to gag. “Man, are you sure we don’t know each other?”


“No way man,” Naraku smiled good-naturedly. “I’d easily recognize a guy like you. You and I have a lot alike.”


‘I seriously doubt that,’ Kouga disagreed, but instead turned to the TV and pressed the play button. “I think maybe it’s not that we know each other, but that you know me.”


“I. . .do?”


Kouga said nothing, but nodded toward the TV set and smiled. Naraku turned as well, not knowing what to expect, and frowned when an empty shower stall appeared on the TV. “You see,” Kouga explained as a man stepped underneath the running water and began to wash. “It’s not that we know each other. It’s that you know me.” The man looked up, Kouga’s bright blue eyes staring directly into the camera’s lens, before Kouga turned off the TV.


“We have you for twelve counts of illegal surveillance already,” Kouga explained as he grabbed the tape out of the player. “But this tape gets you something a little harsher: Illegal surveillance of a public servant. That’s a felony. Oh, and let’s not forget arson, which is another felony. Wow,” Kouga replied and stood up. “With this, plus what you’ve just told me, you’re looking at maybe ten, twenty years tops.”


Kouga shook his head at Naraku’s fury and smirked. “You know you’re gonna fall for this,” he whispered as Naraku’s heated glare settled on him. “And you’re gonna go by yourself, if you don’t tell me who else uses that little secret play area at your house.”


“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Naraku mumbled quietly, his talkative mood soured suddenly as he glared at the one way mirror beside them.


“Yes you do,” Kouga disagreed. He stood up then, a satisfied smirk on his rugged features, and patted Naraku on his shoulder. “I’m leaving, but I thought you’d like to know that first. Maybe you’d better sleep on it.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Kouga said as he opened the door to the hallway beyond. “You and I, we’re nothing alike.”


“Are you sure?” Naraku asked and turned around, a devilish smirk on his lips as he pinned Kouga with a knowing glare. “Are you sure you’re not at least jealous? After all, I’ve seen what you can only imagine and I’ve done more than you’ve ever dreamed. Sooner or later though, I’m going to get to taste that dream of yours.” Naraku laughed when Kouga slammed the door and shook his head.


“Yes, it won’t be long now,” he whispered to the empty room. “Soon, I’ll get to taste that dream.”


(III)


Kagome lay stretched across the small bedroom’s carpet, a Lightening McQueen pillow firmly secured underneath her torso as she flipped through the pages of Shippou’s progress review. She shook her head, wondering to herself when math problems for a second grader became so hard, while Shippou bounced on his bed like an orange rubber ball. He was supposed to be studying for his end of the year exam, supposed being the key word.


“OK Shippou,” Kagome began while the bed groaned in squeaking protest. “This problem says that Anna, Jack, Jenny and Ken had a race. Jack came in after Jenny, but before Ken. Jenny came in second. What place did Anna come in?” Kagome waited for Shippou to answer, then looked up and rolled her eyes. He stopped jumping on the bed to stare into his fish tank, his little cheeks puffed out and his face pressed to the glass.


“Shippou,” Kagome groaned and sat up. “Were you listening?”


“Yeah, I was listening,” Shippou said as he continued to gaze into the underwater world. “Anna came in first.”


“Oh, that’s very good,” Kagome praised happily. “Are you ready to go on to something else? We’ve been on math for a while now and my brain’s starting to throb. See?” She made a show of holding the sides of her head, her fingers threaded in her hair as she groaned in pretend misery.


Shippou laughed and shook his head, wondering to himself if all humans were as silly, and plopped himself into Kagome’s lap. “Um. . . actually, I kinda wanna take a break,” he said as he began to pick at the ends of his fluffy tail. “I wanted to ask you something anyway.”


“Ok then,” Kagome said and grabbed a nearby brush. She untied the ponytail holder at the crown of his head and began to brush, making sure to be mindful of his elfin ears. “What do you want to talk about?”


“Well. . .I. . .” Shippou began shyly, a rosy blush staining his cheeks as she continued to brush. “I think Obaa-chan’s hiding something from me.”


“What makes you say that?”


“It’s weird,” Shippou continued. “A couple of weeks ago she was all sad, but now she’s got this weird smile on her face, like it’s fake or something. Plus her scent’s too perfect.”


“Ok, that I don’t understand,” Kagome replied and paused in her brushing. “What about her scent and how can it be too perfect?”


“Youkai like me,” Shippou began and puffed his tail proudly. “Are really sensitive to smells, like food or other stuff. Everybody has a different scent and one of the ways we learn about the world is by it.”


“Oh really,” Kagome replied. “And just what do I smell like?”


“Your scent is perfect, but in a good way,” Shippou responded dreamily. “It’s like vanilla, but different. You can smell your shrine on you too. Right now you smell more like the shrine-y smell.” Shippou blushed suddenly, the light pink dusting darkening all the way to his hairline. “You smell that way when you’re really happy.”


“Really?” Kagome replied, amazed at how much the little kitsune could catch with something as insignificant as the way something smells. “Wow. And you say her’s is too perfect?”


“Yup,” Shippou nodded. “It’s like she’s stopped aging or something. It’s weird. I . . .I don’t like it.”


Kagome frowned at the distress in his little voice and turned him around. His bottle green eyes were lowered, his gaze away from her and his little paws returning to his tail. “You’re really worried about her, aren’t you?” Kagome asked and gave his cheek a loving caress. She wiped away the lone tear she found resting there and gathered him in her arms, his small body fitting snugly against her as she began to gently sway from side to side.


“Don’t worry, ok?” Kagome said as she wiped away another tear. “I’m sure she’d tell you if it were anything serious.”


“Yeah, but,” Shippou sniffed miserably. “What if she doesn’t? Why do humans have to keep things to themselves anyway?”


“Well, there are many reasons,” Kagome supposed while she continued to rock him. “For one, it may not be anything serious and she doesn’t want to worry you. That’s just how we humans are. I’m not sure how youkai are, but we don’t want to worry our children. The world is hard enough and you don’t get to be a child for long. You should be happy for as long as you possibly can be.”


“Yeah, but what if something’s wrong?” Shippou asked. “What if it’s something serious?”


“Then I’m sure she’ll tell you.” She released him at his word and watched with a reassuring smile as he sat down beside her. “And when she does you’ll realize that you worried for nothing.”


“You sure?”

“Yes,” Kagome nodded. “I’m sure and I’m rarely wrong about anything.”


“Oh, ok then,” Shippou replied, convinced in the wisdom of Kagome’s words, and opened his hand. “Hey, you wanna see something?”


“See what?” Kagome asked. Shippou grinned and pointed to his hand, making sure to wait until her face was almost pressed against his hand to make his move.


A small blue fire erupted in Shippou’s hand. . .


And Kagome’s terrified scream. . .


And Shippou’s delighted laughter. . .


Could be heard from halfway down the street.


(IV)


Kouga waited anxiously in the hallway entrance to the police station, his eyes jerking from the polished bamboo floor underneath his feet to peer out of the glass entry doors. He looked away with a sigh and continued to pace, his co-workers shaking their heads in amusement as they walked pass. Kouga looked up again and sighed, this time in relief, as Kagome made her way up the stairs. He rushed to the door and held it open, her appreciative smile the first thing he noticed as she walked into the building like a fresh summer breeze.


“OK Kouga,” Kagome said as she smiled at him. “I’m here. Is everything alright?”


Kouga merely stared at her, drinking in his beloved while she waited for him to speak. She appeared to have just gotten off from work, the scent of recycled air still clinging lightly to her form. She tugged the bottom of her suit jacket nervously, the movement jerking Kouga out of his stupor long enough to explain himself and motion for the pair to begin walking down a nearby hallway.


“See,” Kouga began and quickly diverted his eyes when she turned to him. “The firemen found something in the house last week and they brought it here so our CSIs could check it out. They’re through with it so. . .I asked the chief if you could have it back. He said yeah.”


“Thanks Kouga!” Kagome replied ecstatically. She moved to hug him and blanched when he stepped back, his eyes lowered to the floor, the other end of the hallway, anyplace other than Kagome’s petite form. “Kouga,” Kagome began and reached out for him. He stepped away again, only to finally look up when Kagome sniffed miserably. He found eyes bluer than any sapphire staring back at him, their endless depths rapidly filling with unshed tears.


“No, don’t do that!” Kouga quickly blurted out. He grabbed her roughly by the upper arms and hugged her, his arms tightening fiercely as he fought to keep her tears at bay. “I’m sorry Kagome. I just. . .I don’t know. I just don’t know how to act around you now, that’s all.”


“But why?” Kagome wondered aloud. “Why would you have to behave any differently?”


Kouga refused to answer, choosing instead to hold her tighter still and rest his cheek against the crown of her dark head. He closed his eyes and winced, weeks of watching her from Naraku’s cameras still flashing in his mind’s eye beginning their slow torture on the young detective. The guilt was beginning to eat at him, knowing that he was watching her every private moment in the burned out condo she once called home. Her hopping around half dressed in the morning, her loving kisses to Chance, even the three and a half months her brother managed to sneak the massive hound fast food had been seen, reviewed and cataloged by him.


It was her nightly bathing rituals that left him scarred, knowing that he would never be able to look at her the same way again.


The images Naraku found so erotic left Kouga feeling shamed, something deeper than shame as she performed the same rituals night after night. The Kagome on the tapes would run her bath water and gather her bathing supplies, then submerging herself as deep as she could inside the small tub. Most nights she would just relax, then wash and leave the bathroom. Then there were other nights, nights where whatever happened during the day finally caught up with her. She seemed to crumple the moment she sat down, her knees drawing up to her chest and her head dropping into her waiting arms.


Kouga was thankful then, grateful that Naraku had not thought to install cameras with microphones as he watched her weep silently, her tiny form trembling under the enormous emotional weight that settled so heavily on her shoulders. Imagine his surprise to find out that the Kagome he knew, the smiling, laughing, and comforting Kagome that always seemed like home to him, was struggling with her inner demons alone. The one person she chose to confide in wasn’t him, but her raven haired suitor. He watched as this strange millionaire hugged her, comforted her and made her laugh. Kagome was happy with him, whoever he was, and even though Kouga was unhappy about not being her choice he was glad that there was someone around to help her.


Now if only he could get over the guilt. . .


“Kouga. . .”


Kouga leaned back, unwilling to let go of her as she struggled to gaze up at him. Large blue eyes connected with his frosty gaze and though the color itself resembled glaciers and snow the soul beyond them radiated nothing but warmth and concern.


“When all of this first went down, when I finally realized that someone other than myself and my brother would have to look at those tapes I nearly panicked. I mean, its bad enough that Naraku managed to get the cameras inside a place I thought was safe, and that he was watching us, but its worse to know that other people will look at it too. Can you imagine total strangers watching you go to the bathroom?


“But when I remembered that it would be you, not anyone else, looking at those tapes I immediately felt better.” She smiled up at him, then stood on her tiptoes and gave his cheek a soft peck. “You’re my dearest friend Kouga and knowing that you’re over my case makes me feel a lot better.”


“Man,” Kouga breathed as he hugged her again. “You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that.” He squeezed lightly and was delighted when she squeezed back. They soon continued down the hallway towards the evidence room at the other end, Kouga’s spirits considerably lighter. He hadn’t known that she felt that way and he couldn’t help but smile at the thought as he draped an arm around her shoulders and opened the door to the evidence room.


They stepped into what appeared to be a large storage room with boxes stacked up on metal shelves painted green with file cabinets lined up along the back wall. In the center of the room, among the collection of boxes still scattered along the floor, sat a large safe wrapped in plastic. Kouga pulled the plastic away and coughed, the soot and ash still clinging to the safe itself flying into the air. Kouga waved the air in front of him clear, then turned to Kagome and grinned. “Well? Whatdaya think?”


Kagome blinked, then tipped her head to the side and blinked again. “Um. . .” she said as she continued to stare at the safe. It was a deep emerald green and thin, like her old gym locker in high school. It was taller than her by at least half a foot.


“They found that in the fire?” Kagome asked after a few moments. Kouga nodded enthusiastically. “Yup, and I couldn’t wait to give it back to-“


“It’s not mine.”


“Say wha?” was Kouga’s intelligent reply. Kagome shrugged in answer, then approached the side of the safe and shook her head.


“Nope, it’s not mine,” she repeated. “I don’t know what it was doing there. Are you sure?”


“Yeah I’m sure,” Kouga began to pout. “They said that they found it in the downstairs closet. Are you sure you’ve never seen-“


“Hey,” Kagome breathed quietly. “There’s numbers on this side.”


Kouga frowned but placed himself in front of the steel door and placed his hand on the tumbler lock. “Read them to me,” he replied, not caring that this-perhaps-wasn’t Kagome’s property. Whoever put the safe in her home placed it there for a reason and Kouga felt good vibes coming off of it.


A police officer had to go with his gut instinct after all.


He listened as Kagome read off the numbers, turning the knob according to her directions, and stepped back when the door cracked open. He pushed it open the rest of the way and peered inside, his brow furrowing in confusion as he picked up a cardboard box. “What the hell’s this?” he asked as he sat the box onto a nearby table. He plucked the first thing he saw out of the box and palmed it, then turned to Kagome.

“What’s this?” he asked and passed her the velvet navy blue pouch. Kagome recognized it immediately. “I think I know who’s locker this is,” she replied as she reached inside the pouch. She fingered the small stones inside and moved to Kouga’s side as he continued to rummage through the box.


“Yeah, well whoever it is they have weird taste. Check out these old tapes.”


Kagome reached for the first tape and gasped. The velvet pouch slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor, the diamonds inside rattling harshly against each other. In her hands was an old tape, one made long before the idea of DVDs.


“What is it?” Kouga asked as she returned it to the box and picked up another. She counted them mentally, ticking off not only the tapes but the titles while Kouga looked on in confusion.


‘Westside Story, The Sound of Music, The Music Man, Singing in the Rain, Mary Poppins. . .Cabaret. . .’ “They’re all here,” Kagome whispered, her voice thick with unshed tears. “All of Daddy’s tapes. . .he saved them.” She turned away before Kouga could say a word, reached inside the safe and burst into tears before her fingers could come back out. Kouga rushed to her when she collapsed, her sobs echoing in the room as she grasped an old violin case and refused to let go.


“Kagome,” Kouga said and kneeled down in front of her, his arms open as she continued to cry. “What is it? What’s going on?”


“It’s,” she sniffed, her tears streaming down her cheeks despite the huge grin that suddenly spread on her lips.


“I can’t believe it. I haven’t even thought about it and he saved them. It’s Daddy’s violin.”


(End Chapter)


SF: I’m really sorry about not leaving the notes at the end of the last chapter. I’ve been so wiped lately.


Silver: Well if you need any help SF-


SF: You’d be willing to help?


Silver: Hell no! I meant for you to ask on of the other cast mates. There’s no way I’m writin’ some of that sappy crap you like to put down.


Kagome: Hey, leave SF alone! She’s tired! We’ve all got to pitch in! I’ll cook-


Inu-chan: Then we won’t eat. (Snickers with Silver)

(Kagome starts to cry)


SF: Grrrrr...


ZAP!!!


SF: Jerks.


Shippou: We’re all gonna pitch in! I’ll go get the summary TV!


SF: Thanks little man. Jeez. (Glares at Silver and Inu-chan) You guys are jerks. Anyway, the summary is below. Hey Silver! Get up and get to work man! Those third degree burns aren’t that bad!


Chapter summary: Love’s labors lost, but what if for once it wins? What was done as a selfless act comes back ten fold for Sesshoumaru and he learns the depth of his charge’s heart.


Next chapter-Chapter Thirty-Two: Love’s Labors Won


*Oh, and don’t forget to check the bio page! There’s a new summary!