InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ When Lights Go Down ❯ Chapter 10

The next morning, as requested, InuTaisho carried his five-year-old son into the courthouse, his lawyers and the boy's doctors trailing behind him. Inuyasha had a surgical facemask on as they entered, the only thing that InuTaisho could think of to keep his son from having an asthma attack, and already his son had started to become lethargic. The boy clung fearfully to him, his sightless eyes darting about in unison with his ears.

 

“Don't worry, pup,” he soothed, petting the child's ears, and doing his best to ignore the rank smell of cigarettes coming up behind him. “We'll be going home soon. I promise.”

 

“You mean he'll be going home with me,” a female voice declared.

 

“Hukara-sama,” another voice interjected, “please refrain from speaking to Shimizu-san. The case hasn't been won yet.”

 

“I'm just stating how it's going to be,” Izayoi professed innocently. She and her lawyers quickly passed his group then stopped in front of them. Immediately, she reached out to Inuyasha.

 

“I want to hold my son,” she stated. “And what's that mask doing on his face? He should breathe freely. What kind of a father are you?”

 

Something in her voice triggered something in his son, for at that moment InuTaisho felt tiny fingers digging into him. The boy's fear spiked. Instinctively, InuTaisho wrapped his arms around the boy and turned his body so she couldn't touch him. He narrowed his eyes at her.

 

“The mask is on because of you, because you still smoke,” he hissed. “And do not touch him. You frighten him.”

 

“Why you . . .”

 

“Hukara-sama, please,” came the interjection. “Behaving like this is going to get you nowhere. Come. We're going to be late.”

 

The lawyer who had spoken grabbed her arm and tugged on it. She gave him one final glare then stormed off with her lawyers. In his arms, Inuyasha trembled and whimpered. His shirt started to become damp from tears.

 

“This is not a good reaction,” Dr. Sugara stated. “Does she not realize what she's doing to him?”

 

“No,” InuTaisho shook his head, rubbing Inuyasha's back soothingly and hoping to prevent the onslaught of an asthma attack. “She doesn't. All she cares about is getting her way. Never mind Inuyasha doesn't know her. She just wants to punish me for caring about him and wanting to keep him away from her, which is what's best for him. She's not fit . . .”

 

“We know, Shimizu-sama. We know.”

 

They entered the courtroom and took their places. Once again, the bailiff swore them in then announced the judge presiding. When the judge had seated herself, she quickly glanced at both parties, her face scowling when her gaze fell upon Inuyasha.

 

“What is that mask doing on his face?” she demanded.

 

“Your Honour told me yesterday to ensure that my son does not have an asthma attack during these proceedings,” InuTaisho stated, bowing slightly. “It is the only way to keep Hukara's cigarette smells from aggravating him.”

 

“I see . . . Take it off him, Shimizu-sama.”

 

“What?”

 

“I said take it off. The mask has no place in this courtroom.”

 

“Your Honour, I must protest this action,” Dr. Sugara interjected, rising to his feet. “Shimizu-sama has done as you have asked. He has brought this child here, and is doing what needs to be done to prevent the boy from having an attack. Do you really wish to be the cause for this boy going to the hospital?”

 

“And you are?”

 

“Sugara Miroku, Inuyasha's doctor. I have been since the day of his birth.”

 

“I seriously doubt the boy's asthma is bad enough to detect cigarette smoke from halfway across the room, Dr. Sugara. I want the mask removed.”

 

InuTaisho growled at that moment, his eyes narrowed. No way was he going to allow this to continue.

 

“I refuse to remove it, your Honour,” he spat, standing up. “Just as I refuse to stay here and continue this . . . this farce. Hukara-sama abandoned Inuyasha the day of his birth. She continued to indulge in her habits instead of making sure that her son was cared for. By those two instances alone, we shouldn't even be here.”

 

“Sit down, Shimizu-sama, or I will hold you in contempt!”

 

“No,” InuTaisho stated coolly. “I will not sit down. You may hold me in contempt . . . just as I hold you in contempt . . . Contempt for endangering my child's life, contempt for your callousness, contempt for doing what isn't in this child's best interest.”

 

“Then you leave me no choice, Shimizu-sama . . . Bailiff, take the child away from him and give him to his mother then arrest him. Shimizu-sama, your rights as a parent are now declined.”

 

Before he knew it, Inuyasha had been ripped from his arms while he was dragged away, Inuyasha's terrified wail echoing throughout the building.

 

* * *

 

The moment her child had been placed in her arms, Izayoi took off, gloating silently to herself. She'd won. She'd actually won. But then she knew that she had. InuTaisho hadn't stood a chance, not when the judge was a good friend of her family. As she approached her limo, she handed the screaming boy to her mother.

 

“Let's go.”