Disclaimer: All characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me. This is an Alternate Universe story. Events that happened in the manga and anime have not happened in this universe, so slight differences in character should be expected.

Chapter Four: Listen With Your Heart

"She's flat lining."

Miroku turned his attention to the nurses' station where the three nurses sat. His heart stopped and he nearly dropped the flowers he was holding. How would he ever explain this to Sango? She loved Kagome. And Inuyasha! The man was would go insane. It was going to break him.

"Again?" asked one of the other nurses.

"That's the fourth time today," sighed the third as he stirred his coffee. "I went in last time. It's your turn, Eri."

"No way. Forget it. It's time for my lunch break."

Miroku was horrified. Suddenly he was glad that Sango decided to take a short detour to check out the nursery. Let her go all googley over the babies while she can. 'Cause as soon as she hits this floor, well... she'd go all she-lion all over those nurses.

"Fine," snapped a nurse, "I'll do it. But you owe me big time."

"Good luck, Yumi!" snickered the other two in unison.

The nurse rolled her chair back and picked up a chart and held it to her chest. Miroku would bet she didn't even know what chart she grabbed. It looked like she was using it as a shield. Miroku decided to follow. He would have to complain about the attitudes of the nurses in this hospital. It was atrocious how callously they were treating the death of one of is best friends. Anger was not an emotion he felt often, but it felt it now.

The nurse straightened her spine and glowered at the door. Then she shoved it open forcefully. Miroku stepped in behind her.

"If you can not control your husband, we will have to ask him to leave."

Miroku's knees gave out, and he dropped into a nearby chair in relief. Kagome was sitting in bed reading a textbook as Inuyasha looked up at the nurse innocently, wires in his hands as he froze in mid poke at one of the machines.

"These are NOT toys."

Inuyasha dropped what he was holding and glared right back. "Feh. They were hurting her. I took 'em out."

"You WILL leave them in her or you will be asked to leave."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Inuyasha..." warned Kagome without even looking up from her book. She flipped the page and used her pencil to make a note in the margin. "Be good."

"Feh."

The nurse sniffed. "The doctor will be hearing about this."

"I ain't afraid of that Hobo guy."

"Dr. Hojo," the nurse snapped. "And this is the last time we're telling you. STOP messing with the machines."

She would have slammed the door if it was possible, but had to make do with walking stiffly away. Miroku watched her walk away. It was a nice walk. He was married, not dead. Though if Sango caught him that might change.

"Making friends?" he asked.

"They should just let her come home already. I hate this place. It smells. And they keep poking things in her. She's fine." He stood and crossed his arms over his chest, looking out of the hospital window. "They should let her come back home."

Miroku felt uncomfortable as he saw the look on Kagome's face as she smiled at Inuyasha. There was an uncontrollable desire to tease Inuyasha about Kagome, but knew that the man was already walking a fine line with his temper. Regardless of how long they had been together, he still hated it when he was teased, especially when it came to anything as soft as emotions. It wasn't healthy to repress emotions, but Miroku decided he'd wait until things were a little more calmed down before 'helping' Inuyasha to deal.

"They are simply looking out for her health, Inuyasha. They want to be certain that she is well before they send her home." He set his flowers on an empty spot of counter space. The room was filled with flowers, all with no cards. All from Inuyasha, though he'd never admit it. "She was shot, you know."

"I know she was shot," he said through a clenched jaw. "I was there."

"Whatever happened to Kouga?" Kagome asked as she closed her book. "You can't hide it from me forever. Inuyasha won't tell me a thing."

Miroku glanced nervously at his friend. He got a slight nod as his answer. "Kouga is currently undergoing psychological evaluation, then there will be a trial. It is likely his lawyers will plead insanity."

"I shoulda killed him when I had the chance," Inuyasha snarled.

"He was hurt pretty badly. Lots of internal injuries." Miroku managed to hide a smile. "He also did have to have several stitches from where he was hit in the head with a club of some sort."

This made both grin.

"So as soon as I'm out of the hospital I've got to go testify?"

"I am afraid so."

Kagome snuggled further down on the bed and turned her head to the side. "Suddenly I'm not so anxious to leave."

Inuyasha pulled a chair next to her and took her hand in his. Miroku looked away. As rare as it was to see Inuyasha vulnerable, it almost hurt to look at them. Their troubles were far from over. The trial would be difficult for Kagome. And for Inuyasha as well. At least things for the couple could not get worse.

"Kagome?'

Miroku winced at the voice, and cursed himself for cursing them with his last thought. Of course things could get worse.

"Kikyo?"

"I heard of your... unfortunate encounter." She set a card on the counter next to Miroku's flowers. "I am pleased that you are well."

"They pulled a bullet out of her side two days ago," Inuyasha growled. "I would hardly call that 'well', Kikyo."

"She is not dead." Kikyo gave him a cold look. Then she gave Kagome a gentle smile. "I am glad. And I am glad I got the chance to say good-bye to you before I left."

"I heard about your move. Congratulations, and good luck."

Good riddance, Miroku supplied in his head. When Kagome woke up from the anesthesia, Inuyasha had gone into a very quick, yet heartfelt, explanation of everything that had happened. Between pleas for forgiveness and a generous supply of 'I love you's', somehow his friend managed to explain about the misunderstanding of Kikyo's goodbye kiss, the job hunting, and the plan to move her closer to her family.

The explanation had to be repeated the next day since the medication had made Kagome groggy and she hadn't recalled much.

Kikyo took a step forward, and lowered her head to hide a smile as Inuyasha took a panicked step backwards. Even Kagome seemed amused.

"I will return for the trial," she said, effectively banishing Kagome's smile. "I have been asked to be a witness. I was there when Kouga saw the innocent token of friendship as I bid a dear friend good-bye." Read 'kiss' into that, Miroku grumped. "I also spoke to him shortly after he found that Inuyasha was let go from his former position." Fired because of his short temper and foul mouth, translated Miroku. "I shall tell them of his obsession and distortion of truth."

"Thanks," Kagome said before she yawned. "Mmm sounds good."

Suddenly Inuyasha was standing between Kagome and the others, looking at them threateningly.

"She's tired. Leave. Both of you."

Miroku shrugged. He stood up and held the door open for Kikyo. She paused at the door, then narrowed her eyes. She whispered a threat of dismemberment if he so much as looked at her rear on her way out. He chuckled, then stood further back.

"I love you, Kagome," Inuyasha whispered as he kissed her lightly. "You are my life."

"I love you, too." She yawned again. "Don't leave me."

"Never." He brushed the hair from her face. "I'll never leave your side, Kagome. I swear it."

Miroku closed the door slowly, taking the opportunity to gaze at his friends. Everything was going to be fine. Kagome was healing. They would both heal. Kouga would go to jail, or at least will be institutionalized. They would have their happily ever after.

His friends would be moving though. That put a kink in his own happily ever after. Sango would miss them terribly. Maybe... maybe it was time for a change of scenery. Living near Kagome and Inuyasha would be like living near to built in babysitters. Home, Miroku knew, was not a place, it was the people.

Speaking of Sango...

"Did I miss visiting hours?"

"No, my love, but they are currently having a private moment."

"They have five minutes before I bust in there. Hey, I passed Kikyo in the hall," she said as she rubbed her back, causing her to arch provocatively. He couldn't help but leer a little. "Is everything okay? Do I need to go kick her butt?"

"Everything is fine."

He placed a hand at the small of her back and began to rub at the soreness. She groaned in a way that made him really wish they were not in a public place. Without Kagome and Inuyasha around, it was going to be difficult to get his wife alone once the baby came.

"Have you ever thought of moving to Tokyo?"

No reason why they shouldn't all have happy endings...

Fin

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Author's Note:

Thanks for your reviews. I'm glad you read the story all the way to the end and hoped you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. It's always sad when a story ends, but there are still lots of stories to tell.

Thanks for reading!