Chapter 36: Rescue OP

We helped Shippo fortify the church a bit more before we left. After all, we were going to be leaving Sango behind and we couldn't risk the church being breached by someone or walkers while we were gone.

Inuyasha had sat with Rick at the front, to direct him where exactly we were going. At the back of the trailer it was me, Sasha, Daryl, Sesshomaru, Tyreese, and Noah. We sat in silence as Noah explained to us more the layout of the prison. The more we knew the better it was for all of us to get this done.

My mind wandered back to the other half of our group that left. If Maggie had just waited a little bit longer, she would know her sister was alive. For sure alive. Not just some hope. But she had turned around and left. I wonder how long into their trip would they would know that Eugene had been lying.

That also made me wonder, would Abraham kill him?

The tall muscular ginger was like a wild bull. Calm one moment, vicious the next. It would definitely be a bloodbath once the truth would surface. The ones I had seen that were doubtful about leaving had been Tara and Glenn. Their hesitation had been so obvious, but Glenn would follow Maggie to the end of the earth and Tara felt she owed Glenn something and followed as well. Sophia's cries... now that was something I couldn't get out of my head.

When we reached the city, old memories started to go through my head. I never thought I would be back where basically everything started. How long ago was it? It's hard to keep track nowadays. This is where I met Glenn, Andrea, Jackie, T-Dog, Merle, and Morales.

Now Glenn was left from that group and he was gone too.

The truck came into a stop and we all quickly rushed out. We each carried our supplies and we took point at a tall building where Inuyasha had taken post to watch the cops that would circle around the streets.

Running up the stairs of the empty abandoned building with the heavy pack on my back was making my ribs throb more. After all, it had just been a few days after the prison fell and my ribs weren't healed yet.

Daryl gave me a look and with his hand motioned for me to give him the backpack. However, I could feel the familiar shiver going down my spine as the demon lord was watching my movements.

I shook my head at him. I wasn't going to be giving Sesshomaru that satisfaction of handing my backpack to someone else cause I was tired. I gave him a small smile and shook my head. He seemed to have believed me and we continued going up the stairs.

We watched with our binoculars for a while through the broken glass on the windows, seeing whenever they would get to the hospital, when they would switch on. We took into account everything. Once Rick felt we had watched for long, he had us come into a circle to workout a plan.

However, as Rick was saying his idea, Tyreese spoke his concern.

"All it takes is for one of the cops to come around the corner and it is all hands on deck. We can just grab one or two of her men and do an even trade. No one has to die."

"If you haven't noticed," Sesshomaru's deep voice cut in, "It is survival of the fittest now. Who's to say they won't fire after you do your even trade? Humans hardly ever keep to their word. It is a waste of time negotiating with someone that has one of your own as hostage."

"But his idea could work," I said quickly from across him, "Dawn has to take care of her men and women that work under her. If she loses cops, she's powerless. It would leave her vulnerable with all the other workers that are forced to stay there and work for her."

I could see the doubt in Rick's blue eyes. After everything we had gone through, negotiating was the last thing in his head.

"Still trying to preserve life I see."

My eyes snapped to his, "I'm a miko after all."

He snorted slightly, "A powerless miko."

Inuyasha growled immediately. I had to put a hand on his arm to stop him from jumping over and start a fight.

Now that would be one way to catch the attention of the cops. Seeing a building collapse because of two demons.

The plan was set on motion once we were ready. I wasn't too sure about letting Noah take off running with his already messed up leg, but it was the only thing that would catch their attention. We waited inside a dark building when we could hear the engine rumbling going after Noah after he had fired his gun twice. We moved quietly and low with our guns when the two cops, a man and a woman, got out of the car and had Noah with them.

Rick whistled, and the two of them turned around with their guns raised, but their eyes widened at the number of us. The man had complied quickly and lowered his gun. The woman didn't take long to follow her partner's actions. We bounded their hands together, but then I noticed both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru staring into the distance where the two cops had come from.

"Someone's coming."

A few seconds after Sesshomaru said those words, another car came into view, tires screeching as the cop stepped on the break and turned. Fires were shot quickly and all of us immediately took cover to not get hit. As they drove of, I was ready to throw my knife at the wheel but Sasha had fired first.

We found the car, but it was empty.

The lot was filled with walkers on the floor. Some were dead and others were alive, but could barely crawl. Their skin was pink and falling off, like if they had been melted. I could feel my stomach making turns at the vile smell. It was disgusting.

Inuyasha quickly made a move as the two we had captured made a run for it. The rest of them followed, but I saw Daryl approaching the broken down trailer that I decided to stay with him. After all, we had seen two of them, one was still missing. Daryl was holding his rifle as he covered me. I took a deep breath when I yanked the door open and both of us pointed our guns, but it was empty.

But of course, something always happens.

I felt myself being thrown as the door slammed on me, knocking the air out of me. I heard ruffling from behind me and my eyes widened when I saw the third bald cop attempting to choke Daryl. I ignored the sharp pain that went through my ribs and I lunged at him, like a cheetah when it's found its prey, and knocked him from being on top of Daryl. The man was much larger than me, so he was able to grab me by the back of my my shirt and flip me over. I winced when I landed on the concrete but my blood went cold when I heard the snarling of a walker just a few inches away from me.

It was crawling towards me.

I reached for Tenseiga but the cop had snatched it from my belt. He kicked me, right on my lower abdomen, and I cried out. He removed himself from me and I ripped the walkers head off by digging my fingers inside its eye socket, to prevent it from biting me. I looked up again and he was bringing the sword down on me, attempting to kill me with it.

The shocked look on his face when I brought up my forearm to cover my face was priceless. Because Tenseiga didn't cut me. It can't harm living beings. I took advantage of his shock and yanked Tenseiga back to me. I quickly wrapped my legs around one of his and turned my body, making him fall face flat on the ground. He attempted to get up, but Daryl got to him again and punched him twice on the face until Rick got there with his gun pointed to him. The look Rick had in his eyes was slightly insane.

Daryl helped me up, "Are you ok?"

I looked at my forearm. The nasty bruise from the hit already forming. The sword can't cut me, but stopping it when coming full force on me was bound to leave a mark.

"Yeah I'm fine," my eyes warily looked at the cop and back to Rick, "Well, more leverage for us."

Surprisingly enough, the three cops wanted to work with us. Although two of them claimed they could take care of Dawn on their own and let Beth go. But Lamson was sure our plan would work and all of them were willing to work with us. It was way too easy. As much as they said they didn't want Dawn in charge anymore.

I wasn't fully convinced by their sudden want to help us. After all, we had exchanged bullets and got into a fight with one of them. Something was just off for me.

Sasha and Tyreese went back down to the car that had come in, barging in and attempting to kill us, trying to find anything useful. When they got back, after Rick talked to Lamson for a while, I was curious about the man. But the moment I moved from away from the window, I felt intense cramping from my lower abdomen. It made me nauseous and frustrated. I thought the cramping was finally over with.

I saw Sasha approaching me with a concerned look on her face, "You alright?"

I nodded, "Yeah. Probably because I haven't eaten much."

My eyes wandered to her face to Lamson. I heard him saying to Rick that his name was Bob.

"Why don't you talk to him?"

The hesitation was evident, but eventually she did. I heard them talk for a while and I let them be while the pain subsided. However, when Sasha was going to help him take down a walker that he once knew, I couldn't leave her by herself with him. I admired her will to help him take down the walker. After all, she hadn't been able to stab Bob when he passed. She probably felt that maybe helping this Bob would make up for it. It was sweet and I knew the memory of Bob kept playing in her head.

We walked into another area of the building. The metal of the pipes and containers already rusty were all over the room. We went over to the window while Sasha readied her weapon, since Bob had pointed out the walker.

Everything happened so fast, I had no time to react.

He slammed Sasha onto the window, knocking her out, and I saw and heard the glass breaking. He immediately took off in a quick sprint. I started to run, but I couldn't leave her. So I did the only thing I could.

"INUYASHA!"

I went back quickly to Sasha, trying to get her to regain consciousness. She had a small gash on her forehead and I ripped part of my shirt to clean it up.

It was within seconds that Inuyasha got there. His golden eyes were wide in panic as he looked at me and down at Sasha. His hair was messier and that just confrimed that he had taken off immediately after I screamed his name. Thank Kami for his demonic hearing.

"What the fuck happened?"

"Lamson tricked us. He slammed her against the window but I couldn't leave her. He went that way!"

The moment I pointed, Inuyasha left immediately. A couple of minutes passed as I was slowly making my way out the door as I was trying to carry Sasha. I heard footsteps and I tensed, until Sesshomaru and Daryl came into view. His blue eyes widened and he quickly picked up Sasha from me. His gaze turned to me, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Where's Rick?"

"He took off after Inuyasha."

I nodded in response, but as I took another step forward, the same pain came back. Daryl gave me a curious look since I wasn't walking behind him as he was leaving.

"I'm going to get her gun! I completely forgot it. Take Sasha back upstairs, I'll be there in a second."

My voice was far too chirpy, I wanted to smack myself. He didn't seemed too convinced so his eyes turned to Sesshomaru, "Stay here with her."

He didn't wait for the demon lord to reply. He turned around and left with Sasha. My eyes went to Sesshomaru and I could clearly see the annoyance at Daryl's command.

"You are naturally attracted to bossy idiots."

I snorted at that. I walked back to get Sasha's gun when the pain came again. I looked behind me and I saw Sesshomaru wasn't looking at me. I placed my fingers in between my legs and sure enough, there was some blood. I silently cursed and reached for the pouch that was strapped onto my belt. Shippo had found a couple of pads that have been helpful ever since I had the miscarriage. I thought the bleeding had lessened, but probably because of that kick the other cop gave me triggered the bleeding again. I moved in between the boxes to have some privacy and quickly changed, grateful that Sesshomaru wasn't one to pry.

Or at least I thought so.

We were going back up stairs when I heard him from behind me, "You were with child."

I silently cursed. So much for not prying.

"How did you know?" I hissed at him with a whisper as I turned around. He gave me a bored expression as he pointed at his nose.

"Your blood smells different. Does the hunter know?"

I looked back at the door that had come into view, where I could hear their voices already.

"Not yet."

He snorted and after a moment of silence he shrugged his shoulders, "It's none of my business, so rest easy that I won't say anything."

Relief spread through me and when we finally came inside, Rick and Inuyasha were there already, talking to Daryl. I handed Sasha back her gun, who gratefully accepted it, and we waited for what was to come next. Lamson was dead. I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. After all, I had been the one that told Sasha to talk to the man. But his nice voice and his sob story had been too good. We had been tricked but I still felt guilty.

The cops wanted to help us. The woman was exceptionally good at lying, but the way she saw it, she valued her life more.

Daryl wasn't convinced however.

"If this is some bullshit you're spinning and things go south-"

"I know," her eyes were wide as she looked at Rick, "I know the good ones from the bad. Let us help you."

Rick's eyes turned to the bald cop, "How bout you? You wanna live? How much?"

The man's eyes shifted to me and Daryl viciously glared at him as he covered me with his frame.

"Dawn doesn't want to to look weak in front of us. She could see this whole thing as a rip off if she think you took out one of our guys," his eyes connected with Rick's, "So it's a good thing Lamson got aced by rotters."

And that was everything we needed.

To say that I was not nervous it would be a lie. I was extremely nervous. Even as I saw Rick talking to the other cops that had come after he had talked to them over the radio. There was no way I could hear them, but Inuyasha was telling the rest of us what they were saying.

"They're falling for it. They're going to take us to her."

I saw the way his golden eyes flashed and I softly smiled. It was the same look he always had when he would come to my rescue as a teenager. I could practically feel how anxious he was. And going back to what he had said, it was true. If he had his sword he would've destroyed the entire building to get her back.

Because that was who he was. A protector.

As we made our way to the hospital, Inuyasha took in at the front with Rick as they had the two cops we captured as one of the officers that talked to Rick led us. I could see Inuyasha's fingers twitching, and if his claws were visible, they would be shining slightly with the sunlight.

The hospital almost looked abandoned. Blood was splattered on the concrete, on the chainlink fence, and on the walls of the hospital. I could feel the sword slightly vibrating, probably detecting the walkers that were nearby. The hallways felt eerily cold. So much death happened in here.

When we made it to the main hallway where Dawn was waiting for us, we could see her other three officers lowering their weapons. We did the same as the doors were then opened. I could see Beth, her eyes filled with gratitude and worry as she looked at all of us, there to get her back. I was right behind Inuyasha and I could hear the soft growl as he took in her appearence. She had stitches on her forehead and across her cheek.

Dawn's blue eyes were looking at her officers, "Where's Lamson?"

Shepherd answered, "Rotters got him."

"We saw it go down," the other added in.

Now seeing her in front of me, they were right. She was cracking already. She had that desperate look in her eyes.

"Give me one of mine and I'll hand her over."

Rick looked at Inuyasha, "Alright."

Inuyasha walked forward with Shepherd, handing her over as Dawn got a hold of Beth and walked with her. As soon as Beth was next to him, Inuyasha grasped her arm gently and led her back to us. When they were back in our group, Rick let go of the other man. He turned back around, for us to finally leave this cold place and finally be together.

But Dawn's next words made everything take a different turn. She wanted Noah, just because we were taking Beth away.

"Are you out of your mind?" I spat out in disgust, "The kid wants to go back home. You're no one to be treating him like cattle."

"My officers were put on the line to find him. One of them died. He's staying."

Shepherd tried reasoning with her but Dawn shut her down quickly. But Noah, a sweet kid that the whole time had been worried about Beth, limped forward.

"It's okay. I can stay."

He was trying to avoid an altercation.

Daryl shook his head as he pushed Noah back, "He ain't staying."

His voice was serious as he stood next to Rick, shielding Noah from her.

"You have no claim on him."

As the words came out of her mouth, Inuyasha pushed Beth next to me and he joined the other two at the front.

"I think you need to step back," he growled, "The kid is coming with us."

"Then we don't have a deal."

Rick's voice got louder, "The deal is done. We gave you two of your officers for Beth. This isn't up for negotiating."

My eyes kept darting between all of them and my heart broke as Noah pushed his way forward, "It's okay. I got to do it."

He handed Rick his weapon and I heard Beth whispering, "It's not okay…"

As Noah moved to be next to Dawn, Beth caught me off guard as she walked quickly and enveloped Noah in an embrace. This was such bullshit. Noah shouldn't be staying here with them. He's a kid that just wants to go home.

She clung to him, her hug speaking a thousand words.

Thank you for leading them here.

But as they parted from their hug because of something I couldn't quite catch from Dawn, Beth stood in front of her and all hell broke loose.

Beth stabbed her with a pair of scissors that she had been hiding underneath her cast on her hand and Dawn fired the shot.

The bullet went right through Beth's head.

I don't remember if I screamed as I saw her body fall down to the floor, a puddle of crimson blood immediately appearing from underneath her head. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. We were supposed to walk out of here, together.

An anguish snarl snapped me out of my horror and I saw Inuyasha, barrier dropped, as his claws were visible and he stabbed Dawn right through her face with them. It was a horrofying sight to see as the blood splattered everywhere. But he wasn't done. With his other hand he ripped out her throat and tossed it on a bloody puddle. There was a disgusting gaping hole on her head, filling the white floor with more blood. His entire body was shaking and I panicked the moment I saw his eyes shifting color.

Sesshomaru was on him in an instant, slamming him against the wall, "Miko, calm him down or he will murder every single human in here."

I was breathing heavily as my eyes darted to the other officers. They had their guns raised but they were shaking in pure horror and fear. My hand subconsciously went to the hilt of Tenseiga and I gasped when I felt it vibrate. I removed it from my belt and pointed it at her dead body.

It was like everything around me took a darker hue, her body slowly glimmering, and I saw the chains being put slowly around her. Three imps, their skin green, scaly and disgusting, were giggling as they were making work of dragging her soul to the underworld.

My eyes moved back to Inuyasha and I went up to him. His eyes were shinning with unshed tears as they kept flickering from the aqua blue to the gold color. I got a hold of his face and pulled it down towards mine.

"Inuyasha listen to me. I can bring her back but we need to get her body out of here now. She doesn't have much time left. We need to take her outside!"

I prayed that my panicked voice could make sense in his head and I almost cried out of happiness that it did. Sesshomaru let go of him and Inuyasha didn't think twice as he picked up her body and dashed outside. I ignored the cramping that was coming up and I sprinted after him. I felt someone picking me up and my eyes widened when it was Sesshomaru.

"You're too slow."

We were outside in an instant. He placed her body on the ground and I lifted the sword. I could see the imps and I remembered everything Sesshomaru told me on how to kill them. But as I slashed one imp, another one would immediately appear. I swung the sword over and over but more imps kept on coming.

"The more I kill, the more others come. It's like they're fighting me to take her away."

I looked at Sesshomaru for help, "It needs your demonic energy. I'm powerless and I can't feed the sword more energy to bring her back. Please Sesshomaru! There's a reason why the imps want her soul and I can't let that happen. If you don't do it for me, do it for your brother!"

Right when I said that, Rick and the others had gotten back outside and not soon after I could hear a truck coming to a stop. I turned my head and my eyes widened when I saw everyone back. Maggie was here.

And just like that, I could hear the horrible scream of seeing her dead sister on the floor.

Inuyasha was growling louder and his eyes kept moving from Beth's dead body and to the entrance of the hospital.

"If I do this, you will fight me," Sesshomaru cut in, "The sword picked you but you are useless. I will not be able to do this again."

He was talking about the sutra on my chest. I nodded, "Yes! I will!"

He glared, "It could cost you your life if you lose."

I felt Daryl coming from behind me, "Kagome-"

"Don't agree Kagome!" That was Rick.

My eyes darted from her dead body to Inuyasha's own internal fight. My eyes turned back to Sesshomaru and I nodded. I had to do this for him. I couldn't just say no even if I was afraid of the power of the demon lord. Who wouldn't be? But that fear, I will shove it away- as far as I can in my head.

"I agree to your terms."

Inuyasha started to walk back towards the entrance his eyes no longer golden. Shippo appeared in a flash, but Inuyasha had thrown him off like a rag doll. I heard some of them gasping and others cocking their guns. I flung Tenseiga to Sesshomaru and I tackled Inuyasha who was on the verge of going in there and causing a blood bath. As I made contact with his body and wrapped my arms around him, I said it.

"SIT!"

He yelped and I suppressed the scream that wanted to slip out of my lips. I groaned as we both crashed onto the ground, his body immediately creating a crater. My head was pounding and I could hear the shuffling of feet. I felt arms wrapped around me as I was slightly disoriented. I was pulled away from being on top of him. I tried removing whoever had their arms around me.

"No," I complained as I groaned. If I was hurting from sitting Inuyasha, I can't imagine how he's felt all the times I did it to him, "Let me get to him. I'm the only one that he can listen to!"

Daryl snapped at me, "Kags, he could kill you!"

"Let her go. She's right. He won't harm her."

Shippo. That was Shippo's voice.

I felt Daryl letting me go and I could just feel the disapproval rolling off of him as I moved towards Inuyasha, who's eyes had turned back to gold thanks to me sitting him. But the internal battle was still there. That was as clear as water.

"Inuyasha," I said softly as I held his face, making him look at me again, "Sesshomaru is helping her. She'll be back."

"...Kill them…"

I shook my head, "No. You already killed Dawn, who was at fault," he snarled at the name, "You don't have to kill any more."

"Oh my God, she's breathing! She's actually breathing!"

Maggie's cries of happiness for what she yelled out seemed to be exactly what he needed to hear. His body stopped trembling and his eyes widened. He was regaining control.

I smiled at him as I felt the tears falling, "See? She's alive."