Chapt. 17 Fighting Back
I don't own squat…
"There are people in this world that were meant to be alone. You are merely one of them."
That is what a particularly bitter andcruel teacher told Kagome in passing one day as she sat alone at lunch, something that was no out of the norm of her day to day life during her high school years. And for a very long time, she believed him. She accepted the fact that she was meant to be alone.
But as spent more and more time with Sesshoumaru, she began to feel less and less alone. When Kagome stepped into her apartment she thought 'this can't go on.' She couldn't keep doing this. The bruises, the pain, the lies… they all needed to stop if she was going to survive. And as much as she hated to admit it…she needed help.
But how?
Dec. 1
Kagome stretched in her fluffy bed and the covers slipped past her shoulders to her wast. Dazed, she shivered and stepped onto her shag carpet. It wasn't until she looked out her window, did she realize that during the night, there had been a snow storm. She took a moment just to enjoy the white and loveliness of it all. Elated, she ran into the kitchen as fast as she could, turning on the radio just in time to hear that all of Tokyo University's classes had been canceled. With an impish smile she picked up the phone off of the coffee table in the living room.
Brrring….BRRRRINGGGG.
" 'ello'" a drowsy voice spoke into the phone.
"Sango look outside!" Kagome said excitedly.
"What? Kagome? 's that you?" She asked, sounding slightly more awake.
"Yes, now look outside."
"Holy shit. When did that happen?" she asked.
"Last night. Can you be here in an hour?"
"Yeah, but why? Don't you have class in a couple of hours?" Sango's first class didn't start till ten.
Kagome gave another grin. "The Radio said that we have a snow day…"
"Sessho," Rin called, knocking on his bedroom door. "Will you come outside and play with me? Pretty please? With sugar on top?"
"Rin," Sesshoumaru said, opening the door, dressed in khakis and along sleeved black shirt. "I've got a lot of work to do today. I have an English paper to get started on and I still don't have a clue as to what I'm going to write about." 'It's a good thing that paper isn't due till the end of the year...'
Rin's lip jutted out in a put, water welling up in her eyes. He sighed before swooping down and picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. "Come on Peabody. Why don't you ask the Inu Baka if he'll take you outside to play." He walked down the steps and started heading towards the kitchen, intending to find something to eat when the doorbell rang. Stifling a groan, he set his half sister down and went to open the front door. When he did, his jaw dropped an inch at the sight.
In front of him stood Kagome, buried somewhere amongst ungodly fluffy snow pants and a coat…all in white. The only part of her body that wasn't covered were her eyes, two orbs of icy blue amongst all that white. She tried to say something but the scarf over her mouth muffled it. She brought up her mitten to clumsily pull it down. 'Even her mittens are white' he thought absently. But instead of saying something to him like he thought she would, Kagome shouted, "Hey you guys, hurry up!" That was when Miroku, Sango and Shippo all ambled up the walkway. Shippo looked similar to Kagome, just without the abundance of white. Miroku looked amused and Sango just looked tired.
Rin tugged at his shirt from where she had been hiding behind him. "So," she said smiling, "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" He scowled and looked back at Kagome.
"You look like a Marshmallow." He told her simply. She just smirked, her eyes glittering.
"Camouflage," she said slyly, before clapping her mittens together. "Now where is Inuyasha? You al need to get dressed!"
"Alright, that it," said Sango. "I feel like my toes are going to fall of. I'm heading inside."
"Yeah I think that I'll head in too," said Miroku.
"Kagome, where are your mittins?" asked Inuyasha.
She blushed. "It was too hard to roll snowballs with them on so I took them off. When I went to put them back on I couldn't find them in the snow." Her fingers looked almost blue.
"Perhaps we all should head in," suggested Sesshoumaru. Already nudging Kagome into the house. When they were inside, the group found the kids napping peacefully by the fire. Hot cocoa was sitting on the coffee table.
"Now they have the right idea," said Miroku enviously.
"Come on Inuyasha. Let's go make hot cocoa for everybody," said Kagome, already out of her snowsuit. Shrugging, he followed her into the kitchen after removing all of his own things.
Inside the kitchen, Kagome silently began to assemble the ingredients for the hot cocoa. Unnerved by the quietness, Inuyasha reached into the cupboard to grab the cups.As Kagome dumped the packets of mix into the cups she suddenly said "I'm sorry Inuyasha. Will you forgive me?" She never lifted her eyes as she poured milk into the mugs.
He stilled her hands and turned her to face him. One of his hands left her shoulder to life up her chin. "What are you talking about Kagome?Whatwould I need to forgive you for?"
Kagome wanted to cry, but as much as she wanted to, she wouldn't let herself. Not even in front of Inuyasha. The hurt look in her eyes terrified him. "Ever since the day that I left to live in my apartment, you have been distant," she told him. "I made you mad that day when I lost control of my temper. I'm sorry." And his heart shattered into a million pieces.
"Oh Kagome," he pulled her into his arms. "I…I'm sorry. I'm…so very sorry." He said rocking her in his arms. "It wasn't you Kagome. It was never you." 'I've been a jackass. I never thought that I would be hurting her. Oh God…I was a fool. Sesshoumaru doesn't have her yet...and I won't let him!'
They stayed there a few minutes, just a few, just enough for Kagome to realize how long it's been since someone has held her like this. No one ever had except for Kaede. It…felt nice… better than nice.
When they had finished the hot cocoa and entered the room, Sesshoumaru had just added more wood to the fire, and now there was a stack of blankets for anyone who wanted one. After everyone had their hot chocolate, Kagome grabbed one for herself and settled on the ground a little ways away from where Rin and Shippo slept. Sesshoumaru sat down next to her while Miroku and Sango sat on the couch. Inuyasha was seated on the lazy boy chair.
'mmmmm,' Kagome thought, taking a sip of her hot chocolate and being careful not to burn her tongue. 'Yummy.' She wrapped her still frozen fingers around the mug, soaking up the warmth like a sponge.
"Let's play a game," said Sango, who was snug in her own blanket. "How 'bout Truth or Dare?" Kagome frowned. 'Truth or Dare? It couldn't hurt…right?'
"I really don't feel like getting up outta this chair," said Inuyasha.
"Then just pick Truth," she quipped, and underneath her breath muttered 'moron'.
"I think that's an excellent idea," said Miroku. "Sesshoumaru, Truth or Dare?"
He had sat his mug of hot chocolate on the table and was leaning back on his elbows. "Truth," he replied.
"What was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?" he asked. Sesshoumaru gave him a glare.
"Nothing," he answered.
"No way, Sesshoumaru. You need to give an answer better than that." Inuyasha complained.
"We also need a punishment incase anybody won't answer a question or do a dare," said Sango. "It has to be somethinghorrible so no one will want to do it. Anybody got any suggestions?" she asked, looking around the room at everyone. Many thinking, ' "punishment"? That sounds ominous…' "How about-"
"How about the person has to run around the house naked?" suggested Miroku, wiggling his eyebrows. Sango hit him upside the head.
"No, you perv. How about… they have to kiss whoever it is doing the asking on the lips, no matter they're gender." The guys looked at each other warily. "Oh come on," said Sango, "It's only if you don't complete your Truth or Dare." 'Pansies' she muttered just loud enough for them all to hear and smirked when they all agreed.
"So does that mean Sesshoumaru has to kiss Miroku?" Kagome asked. Everyone fell silent and looked at Kagome…well Sesshoumaru glared.
"No it doesn't," he said shortly. "My most embarrassing moment was in third grade when I tripped on my way to the swings." Everybody stared.
"That's not embarrassing," said Miroku.
"It is when your pants fall down when you trip in front of the most popular girl in school, who you just happen to have a crush on," said Inuyasha, trying vainly to hold in his laughter. Miroku and Sango started to laugh with him and even Kagome had a chuckle. At Sesshoumaru's sulky silence, Kagome gave him a nudge and whispered, "You have to admit, it'spretty funny." He said nothing, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
"Okay Sesshoumaru, it's your turn," said Sango and he smirked.
"Inuyasha," he said turning to his brother. "Truth or Dare?" Inuyasha eyed him suspiciously.
"…Truth."
"Who was it that you had a crush on in10th grade?"
"Oh God," he said, hiding his face in his hands.
"What? I didn't quite catch that," Sesshoumaru mocked as he put a hand behind his ear. "Could you repeat that please?"
"Yura Manatoba," he mumbled.
"That girl the hair fetish?" Sango all but screeched. It was a wonder that the kids hadn't woken up by now.
"I was young and stupid," was Inuyasha's excuse. Sesshoumaru snorted.
"Your still stupid."
"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha grumbled. "Sango, Truth or Dare?"
"Truth."
"Do you like Miroku?" The group held their breadth.
"Of course, he's my friend. Why wouldn't I like him?" she replied, playing dumb.
"No, you know what I mean," he scowled. Out of the corner of her eye, she snuck a peek at Miroku's face. She couldn't read his expression.
"yes." She looked away to hide her blushing face. Miroku didn't say anything for a second, but when she felt a hand around her waist, pulling her closer to him, she smiled and wrapped the blanket she had around both of them.
Kagome smiled to herself, and mentally reminded herself to say thank you to Inuyasha after this. But looking upon them, so close and happy…she could help but feel, well, lonely.
"Kagome, Truth or Dare?" said Sango, her smile dropping slightly, not enough to be noticed though, when she saw her friend. There were so many things that Kagome kept from them all. Maybe she could…
Kagome sighed inwardly, bracing herself for anything. "Truth,"
"What's the largest secret that you're not telling us?" Kagome fell silent. She was wrong. She couldn't prepare herself for this. Should she lie? Could she lie?
"There are three. Which do you want to hear?" She asked in all seriousness. Sango was startled by the intensity of her stare.
"I..I don't k.know," she stuttered. "Which do you want to tell me?" Kagome stood up and walked over to Sango and Miroku, who was staring at her wide eyed.
"None of them," she whispered with a sad smile, as she leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss upon Sango's lips. When she turned to walk back to her seat, Shippo was sitting up and staring at her.
"What's the third?" he asked tensely. "I know what the first two are…what's the third."
Kagome frowned. He didn't look like he was seven when he asked her that.
At first she didn't answer. When she sat down, she held open her arms and he settled himself in her lap. She leaned in close, aware that every eye was on her, and whispered so that only he could hear.
"I'm going to fight back."
And he smiled .
A/n: FINALLY! And guess what! I've already begun writing the next chapter! Special thanks to Fall3n 5akura. It just goes to show that Reviews totally help. Anyways this chapter went in a totally different direction than I was planning. I was pretty surprised that Kagome's first kiss is with a girl. Lol. (Not that there is anything wrong with that or anything)
Okay. Really sorry that I haven't been answering your questions but I absolutely PROMISE to answer any more that you all come up with.
One last thing. I am in need of a Beta Reader. I know that last time it didn't work because of E-mail difficulties but I'd like to try again. So if anyone's interested, I'd be much obliged.
Thing's I'm looking for. 1) Good with Grammar/Vocabulary 2) Enthusiastic 3)Detailed/someone who can say more that they thought it sucked or that it was great. 4) Somebody who will get on my case, but not be mean about it.
I know it's a lot to ask but I would really appreciate it if anyone is interested. Thank you.