Time Floats On by Smortz

Push It

A/N

Alrighty, this is another challenge fiction, written for TheLovelyMiko’s Quote Challenge.. Now, don’t get too excited, the story will only be posted when the quotes/prompts are posted.

>_>

Today is my last class of the week! I have a ton of reading assignments. >.> It went well except there was no AC... and in SoCal desert you NEED AC. HEHE.

Enjoy and review!

~SMO

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any characters from the manga or anime InuYasha.

Quote: There's no need to miss someone from your past. There's a reason they didn't make it to your future.

Prompt: Denial

Chapter 5

Her hands were shaking. Fear flooded her veins. Doubt flooded her head. Maybe, this was all a bad idea. Koga had warned her that this would be something she had never experienced before. However, she did not think it would be so difficult. The manners, the need to know who every one was and what they did was tiring. Still, Kagome focused on her goal. Her mission was far too important to fail.

“Kagome?” The voice caused her to take in a deep breath, as if preparing for what was to come. She let it out and turned to Koga, her fingers twisting around the paper she held. This paper was now her life. It held the testing results and conclusive analysis on what they had found in Inuyasha's body.

Kagome had to thank the hanyou. Not only had he allowed her to draw his blood, send cameras spiraling through his body, and approved of her publishing the results, but he had also given her a way to reach the top. This would be due to Inuyasha, the boy who had indirectly gotten her here in the first place. Kagome sighed, in a way, Inuyasha had made up for all the bad he had done, not that Kagome was holding him back from it.

“Sorry, I am a bit nervous,” Kagome released shakily. She pulled a professionally curled strand of her bangs back behind her ear. Her black nest of hair had been straightened, volumized, and then thrown up into a bun that only captured some of her hair length. The other strands that escaped were curled and rested along her back and shoulders.

Once more, she looked in the mirror to give one last glance along herself. She had never gotten this dressed up before, but then again, she had never discovered a potentially important method of healing others. The conclusive analysis was in Inuyasha, because he was a hanyou, and therefore had part human within him, his DNA was slightly mutated in a way that could be compatible with other humans without the demonic side effects. She had realized that, by taking his DNA and blood, they could cleanse a disease from another being. Shrugging her shoulders, she shook her head. No, they could not be sure of it.

“Everyone is waiting,” he added, setting a reassuring hand against the bare skin of her shoulder. The elegant, silk black dress she wore cupped her curves perfectly. A slit broke through the dress exposing her leg to mid thigh. It wrapped around her neck, tying in a bow and allowing the tendrils of ribbon to cascade down her exposed back. “You look amazing,” Koga whispered, wrapping his fingers around her hand and pulling it up to lay a delicate kiss against the back of it. “Ready?” He inquired.

Kagome drew in another breath and released it, nodding her head and filling the air with her sudden confidence. This was what she had wanted, and now she had to make the first move. This was the beginning of her revenge, of her proving that she could be whatever she wanted to be, and that should not effect who she chooses to stand beside for the rest of her life. Having that small reminder within her, she gave a nod of determination and stepped out of the small bathroom.

A large amount of youki slammed against her body. A small amount of her priestess powers leaked out before she wrapped her control around it once more. She knew that it was something she should not unleash in a room full of demons. Sighing, she focused on gathering herself once more and heading for the main floor once more.

The hotel they were having the charity and release of the research was large. A chandelier hung in the middle, marble flooring and wonderfully decorated crown moldings and golden paint lined the walls, giving it a rich feeling to it. She looked at the stage she would be speaking from. Right now, the greeter was introducing the sponsors of this event. The lights shined down on the man as he eyed her, nodding to her. Her name came off his lips, eliciting another crawl of nerves to run across her body.

Her silver high heels clicked as they took a step up the wooden stage. She walked to the podium and slid the only card she had made onto it. She adjusted the microphone quickly and smiled to the crowd who were already giving her questioning looks. She was young and unheard of, yet she was the one who had, along with Koga, found the strain in the hanyou. She cleared her throat, letting that be the one thing that pushed her to compete it. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” she greeted, scanning the crowd as she began to talk.

“I do not want to bore you with an in-depth report on what I have found. Instead, I want to express the importance of how it could potentially help the humans associated within your world,” she began, addressing the demons in the crowd. She knew the majority of them were demons because the facility was run by them. Still, as she spoke, she couldn't resist the need to find the familiar face. She knew one of them would be here, that it was just a matter of time before the news spread.

“...now have the potential to create cures and vaccines for diseases and illnesses rendered terminal...” The speech carried on as her eyes wandered the crowd. Finally, she spotted the head of silver. The short hair identified Daitaro, and he was on the phone in the back. She could only imagine who he was speaking with and she felt the comings of satisfaction. A smile came to her face as she continued with her speech. “That's why, with your support, we would like to continue the research surrounding this new discovery Dr. Koga and I made last month... Thank you, and we all hope you enjoy your evening.”

She pushed herself away from the podium and wandered off the stage to where Koga was standing. He had his arms crossed. His eyes narrowed on her being as he thought back on the speech she had just given. “You did not have to mention me,” he grumbled, knowing that it would cause light to fall on him as well. Academically it would be a nice touch, but he knew this was something she wanted. He was fine with being the head doctor, not a researcher. “Thank you,” he regarded nonetheless. “They definitely were intrigued by you, whether it be from the dress or your work, I don't know,” he teased, entangling their arms as they entered the crowd.

The orchestra began to play. Drinks were served. Sponsors were happily advertised along the stages. However, Kagome still didn't think this was enough. “I have a few people you should meet. They will help in your quest,” Koga informed her, not looking down at her as they made their way through the crowd.

The first person was a large man. His red and green eyes most definitely demonic. Still, he held a gentle look in his eyes, something she usually didn't find in a demon. “Dr. Jinenji,” Koga greeted, bowing his head to him. Kagome did the same as Koga introduced her. “This is Higurashi Kagome.”

“I am quite aware of who she is, Koga,” Jinenji murmured, a flush breaking across his cheeks as he bowed back to her. “I was very intrigued by your research. I am also in the same situation and find it remarkable that you were able to isolate such strands out of our dirtied system.”

Kagome tried to give him a gentle smile. The way he spoke made it seem as if he and Inuyasha shared the same past, filled with bullying and others pushing them down due to their heritage. “I appreciate your support and am glad you are interested in our research,” she added, giving him a rewarding smile.

The warmth touch of a hand cupping her shoulder pulled her out of her thoughts. It bothered her that she hadn't felt the person's presence with all the youki surrounding her. The fingers squeezed harder, telling her that this presence demanded her attention. Putting on a smile, she turned on her heels.

The smile was easily wiped from her face, being replaced by a look of unprepared shock. “Daitaro,” she got out. Instantly, she mentally smacked herself. She had seen him in the crowd, knew he was here. Yet, she didn't expect his older son to be standing beside him. Kagome and Koga had talked about it and had come to the conclusion that Sesshoumaru would not be interested until something big happened. Apparently, this was bigger than she thought.

“You have been busy,” Daitaro noted simply. To her astonishment, his voice was cold, as if she were just another client. Her brain kicked into thinking mode. Was this what she was pushing herself into? Daitaro no longer looked at her like the girl he had raised as his daughter, but a researcher that could do good for his company. Anger swept through her. Were family ties lost in this social class as well.

“How is Izayoi?” She asked, wanting to bring up some sort of familiar presence. Maybe, Daitaro had simply forgotten.

His only response was chillingly effective. He leaned down until Kagome could feel the ghost of his breath fan across her neck. A shiver raced down her back as his words floated through her ears. “I wish to speak to you in private,” he whispered quietly. It was as if he had injected the words straight into her head.

Kagome looked to Koga. His eyes were narrowed and filled with worry and concern for her. “I'll be back in a few minutes,” Kagome excused herself, bowing to both Koga and Jinenji and turning back to Daitaro. Her father-figure led her into a quiet room she had no idea existed. The lounge was equipped with a bar, and the stereotypical bartender was wiping a few glasses down with a rag.

A small table with four, red cushion-filled chairs awaited them in a vacant room. Daitaro pulled the chair back, pushing it back in when Kagome began to sit down. Kagome tried not to make eye contact with the other presence currently nearing her. It was hard to avoid Sesshoumaru's youki, especially when he wasn't holding it back. She knew it was his way of telling her not to ignore him, but she couldn't face him just yet.

“Are you enjoying your evening?” Kagome asked politely, yet her voice sounded cold. She watched as the two dog demons sat in the chair, leaving an empty space between them. Kagome had a strange feeling that she knew the person who would sit there. “What do you wish to talk about?” She added nervously when they did not speak.

“What are you doing?” Daitaro countered. His question taking her off balance. He looked as if he were analyzing her thoughts. Sweat began to pull in the center of her palms. She discretely wiped them along her thighs, ignoring the two pairs of golden eyes penetrating her.

“I don't know what you mean,” Kagome responded innocently. “I asked Inuyasha to make a donation of his blood. It was just a whim, but Koga and I ended up discovering an important strand of DNA that is a mystery of the genetic code-.”

“You are just an intern,” Sesshoumaru interrupted her. His voice was like a swift attack of cold ice. The frost bit into her. Kagome's body froze as her mind tried to decipher his words. She was just an intern, and therefore, should not be taking such credit for something she discovered with Koga. Was that it? Was she still not good enough?

“Which makes it even more amazing,” Kagome bit out, trying to hide the venom that lurked in her voice. She tilted her head to the side to feign curiosity. “Are interns not allowed to show their interest in their research? Are the main doctors the only ones that grab the credit? I have given Koga the credit he deserves,” Kagome explained, not giving time for him to add anything into her rant. “It was quite a hard discovery. Koga and I spent numerous late nights in the lab.”

She saw the way his fists clenched against the side of the table. A strange feeling of satisfaction and triumph entered her nerve system. For once, she felt like she held the control. That was, until his father spoke once more. “Kagome, it is not that we doubt your talent in this field. However, you don't seem to understand that this – this world you are entering is dangerous. It is not a playground for you to exact your revenge. I am afraid you will get hu-.”

“Daitaro,” Kagome cut him off. The mere fact that he was telling her that it was dangerous, that she didn't belong here, made her determination harden. She would do this to show the Taisho family that she wasn't a rare flower that had protected. They had trained her, been the final push to make her want to be better than everyone – than them. “I thank you for your concern. I understand just how dangerous demons could be,” she noted, glimpsing at Sesshoumaru. “After all, I have dealt with both of your sons and have ended up on the losing side. However, I was lucky enough to find this new specimen, and I will not be ...” She paused, her mouth twitching to the side. “What's the word I'm looking for?” She wondered, tapping her chin with a clean finger. “Oh! I got it,” she added, staring straight into Sesshoumaru's golden depths. “I will not be hidden.”

The two dogs' eyes widened slightly. Kagome couldn't resist the smirk that lit her face up with the malice she felt for him now. They truly underestimated her. Did they truly think that she would lay back as if nothing happened?

“Why are you doing this?” Sesshoumaru asked, his teeth clenched tightly together. He leaned forward, as if she would whisper it across the table.

Kagome sighed wistfully, leaning back in the chair and crossing her arms over her chest. “Are you truly so worried about me being known? Is it so hard for you to accept that I actually had a brain – that I wouldn't remain in your bed to answer your night calls forever?” She asked to herself, shaking her head in awe at the notion. “Sesshoumaru, are you worried that I will blab about our past... rendezvous?” She gasped out, covering her heart with her hand. “Don't worry, no one will ever know that you once spent your nights with a priestess. How... shameful,” she teased, waggling her eyebrows.

She had no idea where the confidence within her came from. The control she felt was something she had never experienced. It felt as if she could say and do what she wanted. Then, suddenly, a loud thud and the sound of glasses rattling caused her to jump. Daitaro's fists had slammed against the table, shaking the empty glasses before them. “I treated you with respect,” he hissed. His eyes flashed red for a few moments.

His denial only seemed to fuel her anger, her desire to see them both suffer growing stronger. “I can't pursue a career?” She questioned. “Daitaro, I understand you think of Sesshoumaru before everyone else, but I hardly see that what I am doing is effecting him. So what if I end up coming into money and power? Do you think I will use it against him ?” She asked. When she saw both their eyes narrow on her, she understood that they saw her as an enemy. She waved her hands to dismiss them. “It is true, I am enjoying seeing Sesshoumaru so angry. However, I am not going to destroy you, Sesshoumaru. I am going to ignore you.”

Sesshoumaru's eyes sparkled with red as it filtered through the gold for control. “You are overreacting to what I have done,” he growled out. “I understand that what Inuyasha and I hav-.”

“You were far worse than Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru,” Kagome informed him. “Once again, you have beat him. Not only did you treat me like an on-call whore, but you also made me out to be the other woman. You-You turned me into the thing that I hate the most. Not even Inuyasha could have done so well,” she cheered on. She saw him begin to retort, but another presence made itself known.

“I was wondering where you were,” the elegant voice of the female caused Kagome to shudder. She watched as Kagura sat in the empty seat. Her eyes glistened with warning when they landed on Kagome, who only returned the gaze with a gentle smile. “It was a wonderful speech,” Kagura commented.

Kagome bowed her head in thanks. “I am glad you could come,” Kagome returned. “I wanted to apologize about how I left during that dinner. It was very childish of me,” Kagome added, giving a smile.

“Have you thought anymore on my question?” Kagura wondered. The mere reminder of the wedding had Kagura reaching for Sesshoumaru's hand on his arm of the chair.

“I am afraid it just won't work out,” Kagome sighed, standing up from the chair to dismiss herself. She gave them a bow that was almost parallel to the floor. “I thank you, Daitaro and Sesshoumaru. This talk has only made me want to push harder, and I hope that you could come to understand my reasons behind it,” she added, before standing up and turning.

She almost bumped into an older man. A gasp left her. “Koga, you scared me,” she whispered, giving him a reprimanding look. Unfortunately, his gaze was directed on the demons behind her. “Come on, let's go back to the party,” Kagome suggested, wrapping her arm around his and pulling him back to the room.

He turned around and moved his arm, wrapping it around her waist and pulling her closer against him. Kagome flushed at the handling, but didn't push him away. It felt comfortable to be with someone, even if it was a close friend.

Unfortunately, the connection didn't last long. Suddenly, Koga was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and lifted into the air. Sesshoumaru's reddened eyes haunted Kagome, even as he snarled at the wolf demon. “Don't touch her,” he growled out viciously.

“Or what? She was never yours,” Koga countered, looking down at the demon. “You lost her, you idiot.”

Kagome lifted her hands, the priestess powers spiking as she curled her fingers around Sesshoumaru's waist. They flared, and Sesshoumaru dropped the wolf and pulled his hand back in reflex. His eyes stared at her, filled with disbelief. “Y-You attacked me.”

“What if I attacked her?” Kagome asked, looking past him to the wind demoness that watched with interest. She was definitely enjoying the drama that she had caused with Sesshoumaru. “Would you not defend your intended?"

“He is not your intended!” Sesshoumaru snarled out angrily. The mere thought of the miko and the wolf youkai together made him want to kill both of them. Kagome was supposed to be a frail human. He had never known this side of her.

“He is not, but I still will not tolerate you attacking him while his back turned,” she grumbled, wrapping her arm around Koga's once more. She turned around and began to walk out once again. Before they left the room, she tossed one last remark over her shoulder. “I thought you were much more honorable than that.”

Sesshoumaru growled as the door closed behind them. His eyes flickered from gold to red. She could destroy him. He knew she could. However, that wasn't the thing that bothered him. He had chosen Kagura because she had been powerful. She had a voice in the demon world and could birth him strong heirs. If Kagome climbed to the top, his need for Kagura would be useless. He knew Kagome could produce strong heirs, even if they wouldn't be as strong as full demons. He also knew that if she continued gaining favors by demons from her research she could gain power as well.

Turning around, he began to walk back to the table, collapsing in the chair. A hand ran its way up his face and into his hair. His fingers tugging at the strands in frustration. There was nothing in the world that could help him. He had angered the wrong human.

A low laugh caused them all to turn. Their eyes widened when Inuyasha entered, seemingly appearing from some other door. His black hair was pulled into a ponytail, exposing his human self in the new moon night. “Inuyasha,” his father greeted tiredly. “What does she want?” He asked. “Is it Sesshoumaru?”

His half-brother shrugged his shoulders as he past their table to go back into the party. “She wants to move on, but she doesn't want to remain the other woman,” he answered simply, shrugging his shoulders. “She wants her dignity back. You know, the one you took away,” he added, before the door closed behind him as well.

“I thought it was only one night, Sesshoumaru,” Kagura spoke from beside him, staring at him angrily. “It was longer, wasn't it?” She asked. Part of her knew already that during their courtship he had been cheating. He never wanted to sleep with her, or even spend the night with her. Like clockwork, Sesshoumaru had left her at dusk, returning in the late hours of the morning.

Sesshoumaru only gave her a simple nod. Kagura shrugged her shoulders. It was not unheard of for a demon male to stray. She simply had to adapt to the situation. “Then, what will we do about her?”

“Leave her alone,” Daitaro whispered quietly. He looked up to his older son. “You will leave her alone.”

Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru didn't want to do that. He wanted to know what had caused this drastic change in the innocent and pure woman he had known. The one that had given him such smiles, had looked at him as if he were the only one in the world that mattered to him. This Kagome – the one he had just met – smiled with pure malice and evil intent.

Without a word to his future mate and father, he left the lounge and reentered the party. With one sniff, he spotted her immediately. She was laughing and holding a glass of champaign while talking to more people. Koga stood by her side, protecting her with a loose arm around her waist.

The contact was too much to him. Kagome may not be his anymore, but he still did not wish to see another male hold her. “Sesshoumaru,” the voice sparked another form of hatred in him.

He turned once more to look into the red eyes. The black hair was long and in large waves over the suit . “Naraku,” he greeted. “What is you want right now?” He asked.

“I was on my way to meet the stunning woman who had made the initial discovery. I heard it was because of your half-brother too. How nice of him to donate a piece of himself,” Naraku taunted. “I heard that you two had quite the relationship.”

“I am sure Kagura told you,” Sesshoumaru returned. His mind was already working on different ways to get the demon out of here. Koga was someone he could deal with around Kagome. He was weaker, and Kagome would not go for him. Naraku, however, was manipulative and in her current state of mind would easily fall victim to his many uses. “Would you like me to help you find her?” He asked.

Naraku waved him off with a wave of the cane in his hand. The large, metallic spider was what his hand grasped on the polished black walking stick. “She can handle herself,” he replied, his eyes going to the priestess in question once more. He turned in the direction, and Sesshoumaru couldn't help but follow. He could not make a move, yet.

“Sorry for the intrusion,” Naraku announced, interrupting the conversation Kagome was indulging in with two other important demons of the Southern tribes. “I just could not wait any longer to meet the brains.”

Kagome giggled, flushing at the compliment. She bowed to him. “Higurashi Kagome, at your service,” she teased, glancing at Sesshoumaru from the corner of her eyes. She was curious as to why he was here.

“This is Naraku, Kagura's father,” Sesshoumaru introduced. He saw the way Kagome stiffened, but she seemed to take it all in other than the subtle change.

“Congratulations will be in order than. Your daughter found a wonderful mate and husband,” Kagome explained. “I am sure they will have a successful future.”

“I do not doubt it,” Naraku stated. He then stepped closer to Kagome, enjoying the way she backed up in order to look up at him. “I am curious, how does one make a donation to this research facility?”

Koga stepped between the two of them. “That is something you have to ask to the director of the facility. I can bring you over to him, if you would like?” He offered, wanting to get the devious spider away from Kagome.

Naraku hummed in thought, but nodded nonetheless. “I will accept. However, I hope to see a lot more from you, Higurashi, perhaps... tomorrow night?” He whispered.

Kagome gapped for a few moments. Then, she regained her composure and waved her hand at him. “I apologize but I am afraid I cannot accept the invitation. I have just been through a difficult relationship,” she lied, keeping her tone even to resist letting him know. He didn't have the same sense of smell Sesshoumaru had, which meant he wouldn't know she lied unless she was obvious about it.

Naraku smiled, bowing his head to her. “Remember this, Higurashi, there's no need to miss someone from your past. There's a reason they didn't make it to your future.” The words were actually rather comforting. She watched as he left her in a state of impressed shock. The demon rubbed her in all the wrong ways, but he had actually said something comprehensible and somewhat intelligent.

Unfortunately, their departure left Sesshoumaru and her alone in a room full of chattering people. “You do not know what you are getting into,” Sesshoumaru's warning had her thinking about the demon she had just met.

Kagome snorted, waving her glass at him, “Me? He's going to be your father-in-law.”

Sesshoumaru tried to hide his distaste. He hated the spider. Naraku had laid low at first, but had quickly announced his true self after Sesshoumaru had announced his engagement with his daughter. The greedy spider wished to have his company, something he would never get any of his legs on.

“Do you need anything else?” Her question brought him back out of his thoughts. She looked up at him with an unreadable emotion. It looked as if she were irritated with him.

“What happened to you?” Sesshoumaru whispered quietly, reaching up to cup her cheek. The contact caused her to jump. Tears that she had thought she'd run out of began to creep up below her eyes, stinging as they threatened to fall. Had he really done this to her?

“I am simply trying to show you, Sesshoumaru. I want you to know that I could be this too. You never gave me a chance! I could have done it but not with you anymore. Never with you.” Kagome whispered harshly, twisting her head out of his grip and pressing the glass into his chest. She let go, making his reflex kick in to gear as he grabbed it to keep it from falling. While he was busy, she dodged, cutting into the crowd and leaving only her delectable scent in her wake.