On with the angst...

Ja ne!

~Sabichan~

But I can't help it if I'm just a fool

Always having my heart set on you...

Two people stood in the living room, in shock from the sorrowful noises they could hear faintly from the room down the hall. Finally one of them broke the silence.

"Miro. Tell me everything."

The young man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the headache making itself known.

"You should sit down Shiori. It's kind of a long story."

They walked over to the couch and sat down facing one another. He glanced over the worrying face of the woman before him. She was still wearing her formal dress from the night before.

The moment they had been contacted by the hospital about Inuyasha, he had rushed over the ball where she was with Naraku. He found them out on the terrace of the ball room, embracing. He had been quick to break up that moment when Shiori had noticed his presence. One look at his face and she knew something was very, very wrong. At that moment, Naraku's cell phone began ringing. Almost immediately, they all seemed to make the same conclusion-that this was not just a coincidence.

They arrived just as they had started cleaning up the two boys. There seemed to be so much blood, especially from Kouga. A thousand different scenarios ran through his head. And the second he led Shiori into the waiting room, a whole new one popped up. Hitomi and Souta sat in the waiting room already. Things did not look good.

Before any of them could say a word to each other, the doctor had called the two to go see Kagome.

Then earlier, when they had brought Inuyasha to see her, Shiori had been frantically asking what was going on, and who this poor girl was.

"Who did this to her?" She had asked him.

"Kouga. That's why Inuyasha is here as well." After she had stared in shock for a few moments, she asked.

"How does Inu know this girl?"

"We'll talk later."

Then Hitomi had asked them to step out in the hallway. They had all heard the heated argument, but none could make out what each was saying. Just as he was about to step in, Inuyasha had been about to leave.

Now it was all up to him to tell his mother what they had all been keeping from her for months.

"Well a couple of months ago Inu met a girl. At the bus stop, in the morning. It turned out they both had the same schedules, him coming to the restaurant, she on her way to school. So they saw each pretty much every morning. They really hit if off and they became good friends. They both started coming earlier to meet each other, to spend more time together- he told you my mother just wanted him to come in earlier.

"Well yesterday was her birthday and Inu had told her so much about us, she wanted to come and meet us. So we closed earlier last night, and Mom made dinner for all of us and Kagome. That's why Inu asked for that night off, why we showed up here so early. I mean, She's a wonderful girl, Shiori really. I mean you should see how well Sango got along with her, and she hates other girls! Um...anyway. Dad let Inu borrow the Cadillac to take her home, and then all this happened."

She was silent for a moment, and he patiently waited for the obvious question that would follow.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

He took a deep calming breath and called upon all the strength his mother had taught him.

"Because we didn't think you'd be very...supportive."

"Well why not?"

"Because...Shiori. You've been so...gone. Mom's been so worried about you for years, and frankly, since Shoji vanished, you've kind of just checked out. Then when Sesshomaru left, you only got worse. Shiori, you've been holding onto Inuyasha for dear life all this time. You-what you're doing is suffocating him, but he's so used to it, that he doesn't even notice it! He's already assigned himself to live his life with you forever, to always work for my mother, to never leave you. It's not right Shiori- he deserves to have a life away from you."

"Are you saying I've ruined his life?"

"No, but you haven't done a thing to give him one."

"Miro, you don't understand! Shoji left me to raise the boys on my own! How am I supposed to do it all by myself?! I don't even know why he left!"

"No one does and Shiori, I don't know if we ever will." She chocked back a sob. He took her hand comfortingly.

"Look, we're not blaming you for not wanting to give up. None of us have either. But you've become so victimized, so depressed, you've already driven away your oldest son. Now your youngest doesn't even want you know that he has hope to live life on his own. He begged us not to tell you. Well he threatened me, but he really begged my mother. It's been hard for her not to say anything."

"Why doesn't Inu want me to know?"

"Because he knows what it'll do to you. You'll start to suspect that he's going to leave you, just like Shoji, just like Sess. Admit it, you're thinking it even now."

She cast her eyes downward, guiltily.

"Have I really become such a shell of a woman? Am I that pathetic, Miro?"

"You let it happen. You never let us help you heal. There's a difference between

hope and obsession. You crossed that line a long time ago."

They sat silently for a moment. The noises had stopped.

"Is he in love with her, Miro?"

"I think he's been in love with her since they first met. But try and get him to admit that."

"He is stubborn...just like his father. But maybe that's a good thing. Maybe he won't give up either, even though they argued-"

"He gave her the Shikon no Tama." Miroku blurted out. This drew yet another gasp from Shiori.

"He...gave her the Jewel?"

"He didn't tell anyone he was going to do it. He surprised us all. She doesn't know what it means though. She doesn't understand what that symbolizes. I only found out myself last night after they left."

"Someone needs to tell her." He nodded in agreement before adding

"I think you should." She winced in shock.

"Me? I don't even know her!"

"You do now. You saw Kouga. You saw what Inu did to him. He's never hit anyone in his life, and pardon my language, but he just beat the shit out of him, . She means more to him than anything else in the world. She needs to understand that. If she doesn't...I think Inu may be quick to follow in your footsteps."

Her eyes were steadily trained on the door at the end of the hall. She thought about the heartbreaking sounds that had been coming from the only family she had left in the world.

" I need to talk to Faye."

He nodded as she rose from the couch.

"I'll take you."

"I'm going to get myself a little cleaned up first. I look like hell."

She disappeared into her room.

**K POV**

"Kagome? Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah mom."

Souta pushed the wheelchair into the hallway, towards the nurses' station. I couldn't wait to leave. I needed to get out of that room, out of this hospital. I wanted to go home, take a long hot bath, and then sleep in my own bed. I would've been smiling just thinking about it, if I wasn't trying so hard not to cry.

Inuyasha's words still rung in my ears and I found myself fingering the jewel again. I was so confused. What was I supposed to believe? What did he mean how much I meant to him?

Absentmindedly, I signed my name on the release forms, and was on my way home. I was silent the entire time, staring out the car window at the scenery passing by. We drove past the bus stop, but I looked the other way.

We pulled into the driveway and Grandpa and Souta helped me walk into the house and up the stairs. Meanwhile, my mother was digging through the storage closet for some crutches she was positive we had from when Grandpa hand broken his leg. He had fallen down the old well after chasing Buyo in there.

"Speak of the devil." I muttered as I glanced at the chubby cat lying on my bed.

"Cursed Feline, move from there!" My grandfather tried to shoo him to no avail. I sighed in annoyance.

"Move, Buyo." The cat cheerfully meowed and jumped to the floor, sauntering out of the room. I plopped down on my bed.

"Thanks guys. I can take it from here." I did my best to sound sweet. I could tell they didn't buy it, but they hesitantly left as my mother walked in.

"See! I knew we had them! Let me just adjust them for you." She bustled about, murmuring to herself about my height, compared to my grandfathers, then that the buttons were so hard to press. I sat silently watching her, trying to find at least some amusement from my mother talking to herself. Nope. Nothing

When she was satisfied, she looked up at me. She sighed and sat down nest to me, taking my face gently in her hands.

"Oh, my poor baby...Look what he's done to you...."

"I'll be fine Mom. It'll heal."

"Everything?" Her question caught me off guard.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

She pressed her hand over my heart and smiled lovingly.

"Will everything heal?"

"Mom...don't." my voice wavered.

"Talk to me Kagome...What happened earlier?"

"Kouga beat the crap out of me-"

"Kagome, I mean today.. with Inuyasha." I stiffened at his name. I was ready to start bawling.

"I-I ..I can't right now..."

She nodded and smoothed down my bangs. Then she leaned forward and placed a kiss on the top of my head.

"You talk when you're ready. I'll be waiting."

She stood and left the room. I exhaled sharply, still holding in the imminent tears.

I grabbed the crutches and hobbled my way to the bathroom down the hall after I had gathered some clothes.

I settled into the steaming water I found waiting for me. `Thanks Souta...' I whispered mentally.

My body began to unwind, and my aching muscles sighed in relief.

Before I could realize what I was doing, tears streamed down my face. I gave in and let it all out. My anger, fear, my frustration and my confusion...my heartbreak.

"If you had told me, this wouldn't have fucking happened!"

The anger I had felt when he had said those words. Everything I had had believed about him came crashing down. How easily I had trusted him and how easily he had thrown it back in my face.

The nerve, trying to blame this whole ordeal on me, to try to tell me I could have prevented it! And after what we had done, after I had let him...

I began to cry harder when I thought about what had happened under the God tree.

He had asked me to sing for him, and I had found that I couldn't refuse. So I did, a song my father had taught me long ago, the words springing to my lips before I knew it. And afterwards, the way he had looked at me. Then he had kissed me. I couldn't have stopped myself from kissing him back if I had tried. I was drawn to him.

It was perfect. He was shy, somewhat hesitant, and that alone made me bold. I took charge and deepened our kiss. He reacted and before I knew it, he was the dominant one.

I'd never been kissed like that before. Never with such intensity, that I could feel it all the way down to my toes. I found myself wanting to get closer to him, closer. I didn't think too much of it when I felt his hand slip under my dress-but when I felt his other hand on my breast...well that kind of got me.

I'd never really been touched there. I had never let Kouga get that far, not even when he was still a sweet gentlemen.

This was uncharted territory for me. His equal tenseness told me it was the same for him.

I think all of two seconds passed before I moved again. I pushed forward into his hand, finally deciding that I wanted him to touch me, I wanted him to be the first.

For the first time, I had felt myself become aroused. I tried again to get closer, but my knees were so weak. Then he lifted me so effortlessly onto his lap, like I weighed no more than a child. I didn't know he was so strong.

A shiver ran through my body as I thought about what had happened next. I could feel him beneath me, and he was just as excited as I was, if not more. He brushed his erection against the pleasure spot between my thighs, and I just lost it. I starting grinding myself against the hardness below me, tendrils of pleasure coursing through my body. No one had ever made me feel that way, and for some reason it made me happy that he was the one causing it.

"Inuyasha." I whispered as more tears made their way down my bruised face. I had called his name last night, called to him for help. And he had answered. I didn't know the full extent of the damage, but I knew he had really kicked the shit out of Kouga. He had broken his jaw, knocked him unconscious. Souta had said that even after he was out, Inuyasha just kept hitting him...

I sighed aloud.

This was so hard to understand. Weighing all of his actions against the single sentence he had uttered. But I couldn't forget it.

Maybe because deep down inside I realized he was probably right. Maybe it was all my fault. Maybe I was lying-maybe I didn't trust him.

"No..." I whispered.

That was impossible. If I didn't trust him, I would never have called out for him. I would have called for Souta, or Grandpa. But no...I called out for him....

**I POV**

I woke up a few hours later, still slumped against my door. That position certainly did nothing to ease my already aching muscles. I pulled myself up and unlocked the door.

"Mom?" I called out. My voice echoed unanswered through the empty apartment.

`Where did she go?' I stumbled into the bathroom and found a note taped there. I read it aloud.

"Inu, I'm sorry I`m not home with you, but there are some things that I have to do. There are things that I need to make up for. I am at Faye's, so call if you need anything. And don't worry sweetie, Miroku explained everything. I'm sorry for the last eleven years.

Love, MOM X O X O."

"What the hell?" I muttered. I wasn't sure what she meant by making up for things.

I shrugged and set the note back down.

I took a hot shower, washing the stains of blood from my hair, and letting the steam carry away all of my ridiculous hopes and dreams of being happy with Kagome.

I tried to bite back the second onslaught of tears, but failed.

I hadn't realized it would hurt this much. I had opened myself completely to her, even told her about Kikyo, my deepest, darkest secret. And she kicked me out.

Said she didn't want to see me.

And it was all my own fault. If I hadn't let that stupid remark slip out, then she wouldn't be so angry at me. She wouldn't have made me leave her...

Last night had been the greatest night of my life. And also the worst since the night my father didn't come home.

I had held her, felt her, tasted the sweetness of those lips with a hunger she seemed to share. I began to wonder what would have happened if Kouga hadn't decided to make his grand entrance.

I would have told her. Told her what my gift meant, what she meant to me. Told her how I couldn't stop thinking about her, how she haunted my dreams. How just the thought of her name had filled me with such peace.

Now it only filled me with pain.

She would never want to see me again. The look in her eyes said as much.

Perhaps it was for the best. What could I offer her anyway? I worked two jobs, lived with my mother, and had never made any plans for the future, let alone even thought about it.

All I had to give her was myself.

And right now, I felt completely worthless....

Tbc…

sniff...sniff....how sad...