This Kind of Pain by Inumaru_Rapture

This Kind of Pain

This Kind of Pain

By inumaru_rapture

A/N: Dedicated to all those who have lost, know someone who has lost, or are affected by school shootings.  This is most specifically dedicated to those victims of December 14th, 2012’s elementary school shooting in Connecticut.  My heart bleeds for your loss.  No one should ever know that kind of pain.

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            The Taisho household was an ordinary household.  It had a father and a mother, three young children, and an overweight cat named Buyou.  Their home was nestled in a quiet unassuming neighborhood in a small town in the corridor between two large cities.  The neighborhood had three parks, an elementary school, shopping close by, and a library.  It was the ideal place to raise a family.

            Taisho Sesshoumaru, the father and head of the household, was a tall pale man of 6’ 2”.  He had short cropped silver hair, sharp features, and thin wire-rimmed glasses perched upon his pointed nose.  He was a busy and important man, the CEO of a major corporation whose international headquarters were in the large city to the north.  He commuted over an hour to work every day; leaving in the dark and, more often than not, getting home after dark.

            Taisho Kagome, the mother of the household, was a homely woman of 5’ 4”.  She had a kind heart-shaped face, bright blue eyes, and a quick, easy smile.  She was a stenographer, or court reporter, for the county clerk’s office.  She had the tedious task of documenting each and every moment in the courtroom and was very good at it.  Despite working 40 hours a week, Kagome also took care of all the household chores, the children, the shopping… you name it, she did it.  Though it was tiring, there was nothing Kagome wouldn’t do for her family.

            Their three beautiful children were intelligent, humorous, and kind.  The eldest, Inumaru, was a spry boy of 8 who was the spitting image of his father.  The middle child, a girl, Ithaca, was a bundle of trouble wrapped into a 6 year old’s body.  The youngest, another son, Iroh, was a tottling youngster that constantly had his mother jerking to catch him, chase after him, or find where he had hidden himself.  He was 4, and in preschool at a different school than his siblings for just one more semester.

            Just like any family, the Taisho’s had their share of problems, arguments, and chaos.  But despite everything, the glue that held them together was their undying love and affection for each other.  It is this bond that would be tested so profoundly.

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            On a simple, cold day just weeks before the winter break and Christmas holiday, the Taisho family household was just waking up.  It was 6am.  The temperature outside was a chilly 23 degrees Fahrenheit.  Some snow had fallen during the night, but it was barely enough to cover the grass.  Outside the modest two-story home, the grass looked checkered of gray and white, as if the color had been bleached out of it.

           Kagome lay in bed, nestled warmly in a cocoon of heat, pressed luxouriously against her husband’s naked back.  The cat was curled in the bend of her knees.  She was awake.  She knew she had to get up.  She knew he had to be up as well.  She knew she had to get breakfast going.  The kids up.  The lunches made.  The day needed to get going, but all she wanted to do, was lie next to her husband, drink in his masculine scent, and do nothing.

            “Love,” he murmured sleepily, “you have to get up.”  Kagome grinned into his back and pressed a few kisses around the shoulder blade she had access to.

            “I’m up.  I just don’t want to get up,” she replied.  He mumbled something incoherently and reached around, groping in the sheets for her.  He pressed his warm palm to her thigh before gripping the sheets and flinging them off her.  The cat hissed as he was thrown from the bed.  She shrieked as the cooler air of the bedroom assaulted her.

            “You ass!” Kagome cried as she sat up, groping for the blankets.  Sesshoumaru rolled, wrapping the blankets around himself until he was completely covered—only the smug look on his scrunched face peeking from the blankets.  Kagome growled at him and pushed him off the bed.  He landed with a room-shaking thud on the ground.

            Kagome threw her legs over the side of the mattress and grabbed her robe from the side of the old rocking chair next to the window.  A small knock came through the wood of their door.

            “Momma?” a little voice asked.  Kagome opened her bedroom door, ignoring her husband untangling himself from the sheets on the floor.  She looked down at her 4 year old son.  His black hair was tousled ever so cutely and he was cuddling his old and very loved white dog to his chest as he rubbed a little fist in his eye.

            “Good morning sweetie,” Kagome said, stooping and scooping him up.  She hugged him long and hard as she carried him through the hallway back to his room.

            “You kick dada out of bed again?” he asked, still rubbing his eyes.  Kagome grinned.

            “He stole the blankets again,” she replied and set him back on his bed.  From their bedroom, she heard the sound of the shower turn on and the accompanied happy groan that told her that her husband was beginning his morning ritual of a 20 minute hot shower, teeth brushing, coffee making, and breakfast eating.  She smiled fondly as she opened her son’s dresser drawer.

            “What do we want to wear today, hm?” she asked, going through the clothes.  Iroh, stuffed dog tucked under one arm, pulled open the drapes to look at the temperature gauge outside his window.

            “Says it’s 23 degrees, momma.  Pick sum’thin’ warm,” he said, looking outside.  “Ooh, it snowed some!”

            “Really?  How much snow, do you think?” Kagome asked as she pulled out a long-sleeved shirt and a sweater with a great white dog stitched lovingly into it.  Her mother had made it, and others like it, once Iroh had started carrying his Fluffy around with him everywhere.  She pulled out a pair of dark blue courdroy pants and funky green striped socks.  She laid them out, listening as he explained how he thought snow happened—which involved a large white dog shedding.  Kagome smiled and patted him on his head, telling him to get dressed, before she went next door to wake up his sister.

            Although a modest size, the Taisho family was fortunate that everyone had their own, albeit small, bedrooms.  Kagome opened Ithaca’s door, only to find her daughter up, dressed, and coloring.

            “You’re up early,” Kagome said by way of greeting.  Ithaca looked up and beamed at her.

            “It’s movie day in class,” she explained.  Kagome couldn’t help the grin that spread over her face.  Ithaca had been speaking about nothing else for the last week.  “I was too excited.  I woke up a while ago.”

            “Why don’t you help me with breakfast then, hm?” Kagome asked.  Ithaca’s caramel eyes lit up and she jumped to her feed.

            “Oh yes! Please!” She took off running out of her room, down the hall, and down the stairs.

            “Just get the bowls out.  We’ll start the eggs when I get down there,” Kagome called after her.  She opened the door to her eldest’s room and sighed in exasperation.  His room was still pitch black, and he was snoring away happily.  Inumaru would sleep through a natural disaster if given the chance.

            “Inu, wake up baby,” she cooed as she made her way through the chaos of his room.  She stubbed her toe on one of his toys.  “Ouch!”

            “Whassamatter?” he asked, sitting up, silver hair sticking up on the side he had slept on.

            “I told you to clean up your room, Inumaru,” Kagome growled as she held her toe.  “That really hurt.”

            “S’sorry,” he replied, yawning.  “”Morning tho…”

            “Yes, good morning,” she replied as he reached up and pulled the blinds.  Bright morning light streamed into his room, causing him to blink rapidly, his face scrunched up.

            “Ithaca’s helping with breakfast.  D’you mind checking on your brother to make sure he gets dressed alright?”  Inumaru yawned largely, his arms stretching above his head.

            “Sure mom,” he replied, scratching his head.

            “Don’t go back to sleep,” Kagome warned.  Inumaru grinned.

            “Oh alright,” he said, swinging his legs off the bed.  Kagome smiled at him.

            “There’s my boy,” she said, kissing him on the crown of his head before carefully making her way out of his room.  “Sometime today, can you clean this mess up?”

            “Mooom,” he complained as she left his room.

            “Don’t Mom me,” she replied, heading down the stairs, listening to the sounds of pots and pans banging and cabinets being shut.

            She walked through the living room to the kitchen where Ithaca had put almost every pan on the countertop, with every pot, and every flat cooking tray.

            “Which ones are we using?” She asked excitedly.  Kagome pressed a hand to her chin, stroking it as if she had a beard, and observed the choices.

            “So many exquisite choices, young chef,” she replied.  “But for scrambled eggs, I think we will only need a medium bowl and a medium fry pan.  What do you think?”  Ithaca nodded twice.

            “I think I have just what you need!”  With a clatter of metal pans, she pulled out the exact medium fry pan and bowl Kagome wanted.  Kagome nodded in encouragement and set them aside.

            “If you would also gather the following ingredients,” Kagome said, making her way through the kitchen to the laundry room.  “Eggs, shredded cheese, a loaf of bread, and butter.”

            “Eggs,” Ithaca said, pulling the refrigerator door open as Kagome set to work switching loads.  “Do you want milk too, mommy?”

            “Sure thing,” she replied.  The sound of little feet above her head sounded like Iroh was running into his brother’s room.  There were the muffled sounds of a scuffle followed with an outraged “hey!”

            “Boys!”  Kagome’s voice carried upstairs through the vent.  She heard the youngest say ‘how does she always know?’ back through the vent.  She heard the sound of her husband’s shower cut off.  She started the water for a load of laundry just as a squishy ‘crack’ came from in the kitchen.  Kagome sighed softly as a little ‘woops…’ followed.

            “Mom,” Ithaca called.  The sound of a stampede shook the house as the boys ran down the stairs.  Kagome left the clean clothes in a basket on top of the dryer and went to help clean up the broken egg on the floor.

            “Boys,” Kagome scolded as they ran through the kitchen and into the dining room, laughing uproariously.  Iroh was chasing his brother, one of Ithaca’s pink tiaras in his hands.

            “Hey!” Ithaca cried out.  “That’s mine!”

            “Iroh!  Inumaru!”  Kagome stood right in the middle of the doorway as Inumaru careened down the hallway.  He skidded to a halt.  Seconds later, Iroh slapped right into his back and landed on his butt.  He started crying right away from the shock of it more than the pain.

            “You’re okay, Iroh.  Get back up,” Kagome said kindly.  She turned her bright blue eyes to her eldest son, who had the wherewithal to look ashamed.

            “Please help me with the laundry, Inumaru,” she replied and went to continue cleaning the egg mess and putting breakfast together.  She glanced at the time.  6:40. Shoot.  They were running out of time.  She cracked a number of eggs into the medium bowl and began whisking them with a fork.

            “Ithaca, please grab your backpack and lunch bag and bring them here.  Iroh,” she glanced over her shoulder at her son, still sitting in the hallway.  “Would you grab yours as well?”  Iroh jumped up and ran to get his bag.  Anything that reminded him he was a big boy like his siblings was a good distraction. 

            “Ithaca!”  Sesshoumaru’s baritone voice boomed from upstairs.  Ithaca went to the stairs and shouted up.

            “Dad?”

            “Up here, now,” he boomed down.  Ithaca ran up the stairs.  Kagome turned the heat on the stove on with one hand, balancing the bowl against her hip with the other, and, as soon as the heat was on, put the pan on the stove.  She popped two pieces of bread into the toaster.  Using skill only mothers have, she added cheese to the eggs, opened the butter, and started grabbing down plates from the cabinets.

            Within minutes, the eggs were poured into the pan, new bread was added to the toaster, and fresh toast was buttered.  As the smells of breakfast wafted through the house, both boys ended up with their school things at the table, Ithaca and Sesshoumaru had come downstairs, and Kagome put in more toast.

            “Good morning,” Sesshoumaru rumbled as he set about making his cup of coffee.  He was wearing a standard black suit, white shirt, and a blue tie today.  It was the tie Ithaca had gotten him for his birthday last month.  He kissed Kagome on the cheek as he reached around her for a coffee mug.

            “Hi,” she replied, grinning at him.  He smirked at her and grabbed the kettle.  Kagome switched out the toast and started serving up eggs to the five plates.

            “Mom, Inu’s touching me,” Ithaca complained.

            “No I’m not,” he replied, sticking his tongue out at her.

            “Kids!” Kagome snapped, burning her finger on the pan.  She hissed and stuck it in her mouth.  She put the pan in the sink and ran water over it.

            “You alright?” Sesshoumaru asked, placing his larger hand over hers and setting the pan in the sink.  He turned her to face him and took her hand.  Her finger made a ‘pop’ sound when it left her mouth and she grinned at him playfully.

            “Hn,” he said before sticking her finger in his mouth.  Kagome blushed slightly.

            “Sess,” she chided, trying to take her finger back.

            “Ew, dad!” Ithaca said as she handed out plates of eggs and toast to her siblings.  Kagome stole her finger back, pressed it to his lips, and then went about getting milk and oj for the kids.

            “Milk or Oj?” she asked, grabbing both out of the fridge.

            “Milk!” Iroh said as Ithaca said “Juice!”

            “Juice, please,” Inumaru stated, mouth full of egg and toast.

           “Coffee,” Sesshoumaru murmured, rinsing the French press in the sink.  Kagome rolled her eyes at her husband.  She poured the glasses for her kids and noted the time.  7:00.

            “Sess..” she murmured, gesturing with her chin at the clock.

            “Kuso,” he said through a mouth of toast and egg.

            “DADDY SWORE!” all three kids yelled.  “OOOH!”

            “Mou, honestly!” Kagome huffed as she stuffed toast in her mouth.

            “Love you,” Sesshoumaru murmured in her ear as he kissed her cheek.

            “Love you too. Drive safe,” she kissed him on his way past.  He made his way around the table kissing each child’s head, getting a random hug or two, and then, grabbing his briefcase, was out the door in the laundry room that connected to the attached garage.  The sound of the garage door rumbling to life vibrated the glasses in the cabinets.

            “Hurry up and finish eating,” Kagome said as she ran upstairs to get dressed.  She pulled out the pant suit she had chosen and ironed last night and stripped down.  She got dressed quickly, without real thought behind it, and went into the bathroom.  She applied the littlest amount of makeup, brushed her hair, and pulled it into a professional bun.  She fixed her bangs and was back out the door.  She sat on the edge of her bed and pulled on pantyhose as the sounds of her kids acting up reached her ears.

            “You better be done eating by the time I’m down there!”  Kagome called, getting up.  She heard the chairs scraping on the hardwood floors.  “Here I come!”

            “Quick!” she heard Inumaru say to his siblings.  There were sounds of mad scrambles as they finished their food and hurried to put their dishes up.

            “Get your shoes on!  Coats, hats, mittens!” Kagome called, coming back into the kitchen.  She stopped Iroh and wiped his face with a dish towel.  He yanked away from her and ran to get his Velcro shoes on.

            “Dishes! Ithaca!”  Kagome called as she pulled the prepared lunches out of the fridge.  She put them in each kid’s lunch bag, scribbled a random note of love and encouragement, and stuffed one in each lunch.

            “Lunches!”  She called as she walked towards the laundry room and handed the lunches to each kid.  Iroh was struggling with his shoes, so she helped him with them.

            “C’mon mom!” Ithaca called from the garage where she was climbing into the station wagon.

            “Your backpack!” Kagome called.  Ithaca raced back into the house for it.  Inumaru helped strap Iroh into his chair.  Kagome grabbed her purse and checked for her wallet, checkbook, phone, and keys.

            “Bag check: backpack!”  A choir of ‘check!’s’ filled the car.

            “Lunch bag!”

            “CHECK!”

            “Seat belts?”

            “Check!” all three cried again.  Kagome started the engine.

            “Forget anything?”

            “You forgot to shut the door, mommy!” Iroh said laughing.  Kagome laughed, got out of the car, and shut the door to the house.  She got back in and double checked their seat belts.  After applying her own, she backed out of the garage and drove the few blocks to the elementary school.

            The Shikon Elementary School was a single-story, brick building surrounded by playgrounds, blacktop, and green space.  By the time they pulled up, there were already a couple hundred kids playing on the playground, several watchful teachers mingling within their colorful racing bodies.

            “Be good.  Have a good day!” Kagome called back to them.  She put the car in park, got out, and got hugs and kisses before waving them off to play before the bell rang.  After a moment of watching them, she got back in the car and drove Iroh to his preschool.

            “I can go there too, next year, right?” Iroh asked happily, hugging Fluffy to him.

            “Yes you can.  You’ll all be in the same school, then,” Kagome added happily, looking at him in the rearview mirror.

            She parked in the preschool’s parking lot and helped Iroh out of his seat.  They walked, hand in hand, into the building and to his classroom.  They were early yet, but the teacher, Ms. Sango, was there with a few other students.  They were coloring with crayons.

            “Good Morning Ms. Sango,” Kagome said happily.

            “Well, good morning Mrs. Taisho,” Sango replied with a wink.

            “I’m sorry I can’t stay to help today,” Kagome started right in, only to be interrupted by Sango.

            “You told me last week, Kagome.  You’re fine!”

            “Bye mom!” Iroh called over his coloring page.  He was sitting next to his friend, chatting happily away.

            “Bye sweetie,” Kagome said, kissing him on the head and waving good bye.

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            Work was a blur.  She had had 9 different hearings already this morning and her fingers were hurting.  There was a slight lull between the 9:30 and 10:00 hearings, so Kagome was just sitting at her desk when her coworker burst into the room.  Kagome’s eyes widened at the speed at which the older woman moved.  She hurried over to the Judge, whispered in his ear, and then turned to Kagome.  The Judge’s face had turned stark white.

            “What is it?” Kagome asked, standing slightly, a hard feeling of dread in her stomach.  She had never seen Kaede move so quickly.

            “There’s been an incident at Shikon Elementary,” Kaede wheezed.  Kagome felt the ground drop away from under her feet.

            “What do you mean?” she asked deathly calm.  Her heart was hammering; a sick icy feeling gripped her stomach.

            “I was talking to Officer Houshi,” Kaede began to explain quickly, her arms moving quickly in her distress.  “Said shots fired… Requested all hands…”

            “Shots…SHOTS fired?” Kagome clarified, her voice rising.  She didn’t even wait for confirmation or approval from the Judge.  She jumped up, grabbed her purse, and bolted from the room.  She yanked her phone from her purse and tried to call the school.  She whirled past people, her heels clacking loudly as she went.  A security officer shouted at her as she ran pell-mell through the front lobby and out the doors.

            No one answered at the school, so she tried Sesshoumaru.  Voicemail.

            “Son of a bitch, Sesshoumaru!” She growled into the phone and ended the call, huffing as she turned the corner towards the parking lot.  She was winded, but she couldn’t feel it.  Panic gripped her as a series of police cars whirled past from a neighboring county.  She jabbed the key into the metal of the door and scraped a large scratch into it.

            “Come on!” Her hands were shaking so badly it took four attempts to get the key in the lock.  As soon as she opened the door, she jumped in and fumbled for the ignition.  Her phone started ringing.

            “Hello?” She asked her voice frantic.

            “Kagome? What’s going on?” Sesshoumaru sounded irritated.

            “Something’s happened at Shikon,” she breathed, starting the car and turning the radio on.  “Kaede said something about shots fired.”

            “What?”

            “Hold on,” she said, cranking the radio.

“…said that there is an emergency situation at Shikon Elementary School.  Parents are advised not to panic.  The situation is being contained as we speak.”

            “I’m coming,” Sesshoumaru said and hung up.

            “Not panic? Yea right…” Kagome growled and slammed the car into gear.  Somehow, she got all green lights on the way to the school.  As she got within five blocks, she ran into a traffic jam.  She eased her car to one side to look and saw that police were detouring people down a side street.

            Filled with dread and anxiety, Kagome pulled into someone’s drive way, parked, and jumped out of the car.  There was an old man standing next to his garage.

            “I’m sorry,” Kagome gasped.  Her face was itchy, and she realized she was crying.  The old man looked at her.  “My kids…”

            “Just go,” the man said, waving her on.  Kagome tore her heels off and, phone clenched in hand, ran as hard and fast as she could go towards the school.  She ran right past the police detour.  She ran hard for three blocks.  One block from the school, she found a group of anxious parents being kept from nearing the school.  Their anxious cries and protests loud.  Kagome clamored into the group.

            “What’s happening?” she asked, grabbing onto one of the dads in the crowd.

            “There’s been a shooting.  They won’t let us get to our kids,” he shouted over the din of angry cries.

            “Oh god,” Kagome murmured to herself.  Her phone started to ring.  She moved away from the crowd and answered it.

            “Hello?” she asked, pressing a hand to her open ear.

            “Kagome,” Ms. Sango’s voice had Kagome’s knees failing.  She shook slightly as she leaned against a barren tree.

            “Sango, is everything okay over there?” she asked, voice quivering.

            “Yes, we’re in lockdown.  There is nothing happening over here, but it is a precautionary measure.  I was calling to let you know.  I’m going down the list.  Are you okay?”

            “No.  Not yet.  They won’t let us near the school.”

            “I can let you know what we’ve been told.  We were told that, just minutes ago, the police found the gunman responsible.  He killed himself.  They are checking for others in the building.  It looks like it was just one person.  The preliminary numbers coming out are that only three people were injured.”  Kagome released the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.

            “Thank you, Sango.  I’ll keep you informed.”

           “Back up! Back up!” officers were shouting.  The crowd’s volume increased suddenly and they surged forward.

            “Sango, I have to go,” Kagome had to shout into the phone.

            “Stay safe,” she replied before the line went dead.  Kagome stood back for a moment and watched as the crowd suddenly got quiet.  A familiar officer was standing holding a bull horn.  He had short black hair tied in a low pony tail and kind features.

            “Quiet please!”  He called over the crowd.  In moments, the crowd complied.  “Thank you!  My name is Officer Miroku Houshi.  I’m going to let you know what is going on.  Thank you for your cooperation.

            “We can confirm a lone gunman has entered Shikon Elementary around 9:20 this morning.  Currently, scouts are securing the building.  Students have been moved to the Library on Grant.  Before you leave!” he shouted this last bit because as soon as he had mentioned where students were going, parents started turning to flee.

            “Before you leave, please note that there have been fatalities.”  A chill went through the crowd.  A few women started sobbing loudly.  “We will be asking all family members to go to the library where you will be asked to stay once you find your children.  Please try to maintain a sense of patience.  There are over 300 students and 300 families.  There may be long lines.  Your patience is vital.”

            He nodded as he put the bullhorn down.  Kagome turned and started jogging towards the library.  Several parents kept pace with her.  Her phone rang again and she glanced at it.

            “Sess,” she huffed into the phone as she continued to jog.

            “Did you find them?”

            “No.  Not yet.  I’m headed to the library.  Get Iroh and meet me there.”

            “I love you,” he said.  Although married for years, it wasn’t often he said those words.

            “I love you too,” she replied quietly.  She hung up and concentrated on her breathing to get her to the library.  The repetitious foot falls kept her mind on something other than the possibilities.  Each time she found herself wondering, she would start counting her steps.  Each time she passed a panic stricken parent, she counted her steps.  Every step brought her closer to her children.

            Rounding the last corner, she groaned in exasperation.  There was a large crowd, many ambulances, and vans unloading children into the library.  She struggled to see over the crowd.  She wished for her husband’s height.  She wished for some supernatural ability for her to sense if her children were alright or not.

            She spotted her neighbor and made for her through the crowd, her flaming red hair a beacon. 

            “Oh, Kagome,” Kiyumi sobbed, grabbing hold of her.

            “I’m sure Shippo is alright.  You know Inu would never let anything happen to him,” Kagome said automatically, wrapping her arms around her friend.  Kiyumi shuttered a heaving sob.

            “I know,” she said between large gasps for air.  “I’m just so worried!”  Kagome looked down and saw Suki, Kiyumi’s little three year old daughter, staring up at her.

            “Suki,” Kagome smiled and released Kiyumi.  She reached down and picked Suki up.  “Can you be a big help to Aunt Kagome?”  Suki nodded shyly.  Kagome hoisted her up on her shoulders.

            “Do you see your brother’s hair?  Or Inu’s hair?”

            “No,” she said softly.

            “Keep looking baby, okay?”

            “’tay.”  Suki held onto Kagome’s hand near her ear.  Kagome held onto Kiyumi’s hand with her other.  They waited.

**        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **       

            “Name,” the weary volunteer asked.  The woman had tear stains down her cheeks.

            “Taisho, Kagome,” Kagome  murmured.  She had been standing in line for over an hour.  The line behind her was almost three hours long by now.  She wondered if Sesshoumaru would ever find her in the crowd.  Clouds had begun to obstruct the sky and there was a general murmur through the crowd of impending rain.  Kagome was numb.  Although she had been standing with Kiyumi and Suki, she found it near impossible to comfort the child or her friend.

            “Your children are Inumaru and Ithaca Rose?”

            “Yes,” Kagome replied, a lump in her throat.  Behind her in the other line, a woman screamed and started sobbing wildly.  Kagome swallowed hard, demanding herself not to look as the volunteer checked her lists.  She read the names upside down.  The volunteer went on the handheld walkie-talkie.

            “Inumaru Taisho, grade 3,” she said into it.  She looked up at Kagome with tears in her eyes.  “Officer to line.”

            Kagome’s heart plummeted.  Vaguely, she could hear the one mother still screaming and sobbing.  Vaguely, she was aware of Kiyumi grabbing her and holding on, sobbing.  Vaguely, she was aware of words being said to her, but her world had shattered.

            “Mom!”  A voice broke through her immediate despair and she turned towards the voice.  Inumaru, silver hair shining, caramel eyes filled with tears, was running towards her.

            “Oh god,” Kagome whispered, running forward and landing hard on her knees, her arms quickly grabbing him and pulling him to her.  She choked back the sobs as she hugged her son close.  He burst into sobs as soon as he was wrapped in her arms.  He howled as he sobbed.  She was oblivious to the words being said to her until a hand landed on her shoulder.  She looked up through her tears at Officer Houshi’s pale, grim face.

            “You need to come with me,” he said softly.  Kagome picked her son up, who wrapped his legs around her hips like a much smaller child, and without looking back, followed the officer into the library.

            As soon as she entered the library, her phone rang.  She had half a mind to ignore it, but then she recognized the ring tone.

            “Wait a second,” she said as she fished it from her pocket.  She held it to her ear.

            “Sess,” she choked.

            “I’m here.  Where are you?” he demanded.

            “The library lobby…” her voice sounded strange—too tight, too choked up.

            “We’re coming.”  The phone went dead and Kagome, with blank eyes, looked at Officer Houshi.

            “My husband…” she murmured.  Officer Houshi nodded.

            “Is he on his way?” he asked.  Kagome nodded.  Officer Houshi waved over another officer.  “Mr. Taisho will be arriving momentarily.  Please escort him in.”  The officer nodded and waited by the door as Officer Houshi lead Kagome into the library.

            “Where’s my girl?” Kagome pleaded, hugging her son to her in a death grip.

            “Her class and the one across the hall were the classrooms involved…” Officer Houshi said softly as he led her towards one of the smaller study rooms.  “I’m sorry to say that she has witnessed the shootings.  She is uninjured, but emotionally shocked.  We have had to keep her separated from the others.”  Kagome gasped for breath as she nodded.

            The room was dark.  Officer Houshi knocked once before opening the door.

            “Someone here to see you,” he said softly.  Kagome stepped into the room and saw her daughter sitting on the lap of a female officer, head buried into her chest.

            “Ithy,” Kagome voice broke as she went to her knees again to grab her scrambling, sobbing daughter.  She held both children to her as they sobbed into her shoulders.  She was vaguely aware that Officer Houshi helped the woman to her feet.  She was vaguely aware that they were leaving them in the dark.  Seconds later, the sound of hurrying feet met her ears and a body scooped them all into a heated embrace.  Kagome looked into her husband’s stricken eyes and felt relief.  Finally, despite it all, they were all together.

**        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **        **       

             Hours passed, and Officer Houshi brought lunches made by some of the concerned people in the neighborhood.  Kagome was sitting on the ground with Inumaru curled against her right side, Iroh on her left, and Ithaca plastered to her torso, face buried in her neck.

            Sesshoumaru was talking with Officer Houshi out of the room and, though their voices were subdued, Kagome could hear tid-bits of their conversation.

            Current number of victims was ranging around 20 children and 6 adults from two first grade classrooms.  Out of Ithaca’s class, she was one of five that survived.    When they found her, she was trapped under the body of her dead teacher, who had protected her.  She was very lucky, but would require intensive therapy.

            Kagome looked down at her children and shuttered to think of how close she had been to losing her daughter.  The door to the room opened and Sesshoumaru stepped in.  His tie was gone, shirt sleeves rolled up, top buttons of his dress shirt unbuttoned.  He was a waxy pale, with stress lines around his eyes and mouth that hadn’t been there this morning.  He sat down beside her and pulled Inumaru into his lap.  Then, he scooted close and put his arm around his wife.  Iroh crawled over his mother’s legs and curled right in between both siblings and parents.

            Kagome leaned into her husband.  Although the shooting was over and her family together, their healing process was far from over.