The Ledge by Erin M.

The Ledge

Kagome Higurashi took her final step outside the 17th story window of her 26-story office building. She didn't dare try and close the window. She slowly crept along the foot long cement ledge that lined every floor of the building until she stood dead center between the two windows on either side of her.

"Well God..." She said aloud to the gray rain filled clouds above her, her voice trembling slightly, "here I come."

Kagome outstretched her arms and looked down at the bustling street 2,000 feet below her. Her heart gave a huge leap as she gulped back her immense fear of heights.

'I...can't...' she told herself as she closed her huge brown eyes in frustration.

She felt the cold fast wind whip her long raven black hair about her as she pressed herself to the dull white building.

"Okay..." She whispered to herself, continuing to keep her eyes shut, "You can do this Kagome...this time it's going to be different...just...jump."

Kagome opened her eyes and took a deep breath, ready to take the plunge. She spread her arms open again and took an unsure step forward, unable to keep her eyes open. But once again, she feverishly backed herself up against the cold concrete wall behind her.

"No no no..." She said angrily, throwing her hands up over her face. "What's wrong with me? Just do it!"

"Hey!" She heard a deep voice say from her right. "What are you doing?"

"God?" She asked, lifting her hands and opening her eyes. "Is that you?"

"Uhhh...no." The voice answered.

Kagome turned around and slightly jumped when she saw a tall man with abnormally long silver hair and yellow eyes leaning out the window.

"Who...who are you?" She asked somewhat annoyed. She was trying to do something important.

"What are you doing out here?" The man asked her. "Why don't you come back inside?"

Kagome noticed that he was wearing the same business attire that the men in her office wore.

"Do I know you?" she asked, feeling as though she may've met this silvered haired guy before.

"Well...uhhh...yes and no." The man said. "I work in this building. I...uhhh...actually work in the cubicle next to you."

Now Kagome remembered. This was the guy that every single girl in the office building gushed over on their coffee break. She had no idea that she worked next to him.

"Oh..." Kagome replied.

"I'm Sesshoumaru Matsumoto." He said, extending a hand out the window, expecting Kagome to grab hold of it and shake it with what pride she had left.

"Uhhh...okay." She said, ignoring Sesshoumaru's hand. "Could you please excuse me? I...kinda have an appointment with someone."

"An appointment? With who?" Sesshoumaru questioned.

Now this guy was just starting to get on Kagome's nerves.

"I have an appointment with God if you must know." She said curtly. "Now could you possibly leave me alone?"

"Wait!" Sesshoumaru said. "You're...you're not going to jump are you?"

"Thanks for reminding me..." Kagome mumbled.

"Hold on!" Sesshoumaru cried, leaning farther out the window. "Please don't jump!"

"Why not?" Kagome said, preparing herself to finally jump...but still feeling very unsure of herself. "I mean...I just got fired from my job. My boyfriend finally broke up with me and on top of that...I am completely and utterly...alone."

There was an awkward silence between the two of them as the wind started to blow hard again. Kagome pressed herself harder against the wall.

"Did you know?" She started again. "Did you know that this is my fourth time out here? Four times! And each and every time I ran back inside...too scared to actually go through with it...but not this time."

Kagome quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and stood up from the wall.

"So here I go..." Kagome said, extending her arms once again.

"WAIT!" She heard someone cry from the window.

Kagome whipped around to find an extremely out of breath woman leaning outside the window.

"I finally found you!" The woman said, trying to catch her breath.

"Uhhh..." Kagome was completely confused.

"Do you know her?" Sesshoumaru asked the woman.

"I do now!" The woman said happily, fixing her long black hair into a ponytail.

"Great!" Sesshoumaru said. "Are you a friend of hers or something?"

"No...I'm Kikyo Hamasaki from Channel 2 news." She answered bringing out a large microphone.

She cleared her throat and brought the microphone to her mouth.

"This is Channel 2 news with Kikyo Hamasaki and I've just arrived at the site where...umm what's her name?"

"Uhhh Kagome..." Sesshoumaru said, shocked beyond all belief.

"Where Kagome will dive off this 2,000 foot high ledge in a attempt to leave this world behind."

Kikyo turned off her microphone and pulled her hair out of the ponytail.

"So you're an anchorwoman?" Sesshoumaru asked, slightly annoyed.

"Absolutely!" Kikyo said, completely enthusiastic. "And this story is going to be the "hit" of the 10 o'clock news."

Sesshoumaru wasn't amused by Kikyo's joke.

"HEY!" Kikyo yelled down at the street, leaning halfway out the window. "MAKE SURE YOU GUYS GET THE SHOT OF HER FALLING! YOU'LL ONLY GET IT ONCE!"

Sesshoumaru could start to see tiny dots moving around a small Channel 2 van, getting their cameras out and positioning them on the sidewalk.

"Well toodles!" Kikyo said flashing a pearly white smile at Kagome. "I'll see you down there sweetie!"

She waved goodbye to Kagome and Sesshoumaru, then headed out the office door. Kagome was stunned, as was Sesshoumaru.

"Yeah that's right!" She shouted down at the street. "BE SURE YOU GET ME HITTING THE GROUND TOO!"

"That's not really the reassurement was hoping for." Sesshoumaru murmured.

"Well..." Kagome said, stepping back up to the edge again. "I can't let down all my adoring Channel 2 fans."

"Hey come on Kagome!" Sesshoumaru said again, his voice full of worry. "Please don't do it! I know you'll regret it."

Kagome rolled her eyes and prepared to finally jump off.

"HEY WAIT!" another voice said from the window.

Kagome turned around again and saw a small orange haired man leaning out the window, squeezing his way through Sesshoumaru.

"You can't jump! We need you!" The man squeaked.

"Ex-Excuse me?" Kagome stuttered, not having the slightest clue who exactly needed her or what this guy was.

"Do you know her?" Sesshoumaru asked, hoping that this was Kagome's cousin or something.

"Well...no." The guy said. "But I will!"

"Who are you exactly?" Kagome demanded.

"My name is Shippo Kitsumuto." He answered happily. "And you're Kagome Higurashi!"

"How-How'd you know my name?" Kagome asked, kind of freaked out.

"We sent you a flyer a couple weeks ago telling you about our youth group!" Shippo piped. "But you didn't respond or come to any of the meetings. So I thought I would come and tell you myself how great it is! The nice Channel 2 lady told me where to find you."

Kagome was shocked beyond all belief. All she wanted to do was to jump off the stupid ledge without any distractions.

"Sorry. I'm a bit busy here." She said, the wind blowing dangerously hard now.

"Well, okay. But please take this pamphlet." Shippo said, taking a large booklet out of his coat pocket. "It tells you all about us and what we do."

Shippo tried to reach out the window to hand it to her, but his arms were to short.

"Why don't you come out here and give it to me?" Kagome said with a slight grin.

"Uhhh...no that's okay." He said nervously. "Hey! I'll throw it to you! Be sure to catch it!"

Shippo extended his arm to the furthest and threw the pamphlet right to her. But Kagome didn't make the slightest effort to try and catch it. The pamphlet caught the wind and fell 17 stories below her, hitting the sidewalk.

"Whoops." Kagome said carelessly.

"Uhhh...that's okay." Shippo said disappointingly. "Hey! Wait here and I'll run down and grab it!"

And with that, Shippo disappeared from sight.

"That's okay! I'll just meet you down there!" Kagome yelled.

Kagome positioned herself against the edge again, the tips of her shoes hanging off the side. There were no more distractions to stop her now.

"Kagome please don't jump."

Oh yeah.

"Are you still here?" She snipped, turning around and facing Sesshoumaru, who was still leaning out the window. "Why don't you go do some do some filing or something?"

"I'm not going to leave you here." He replied sternly.

Kagome was taken aback. She didn't even know this guy, even after work next to him for all these years. And yet...he was standing by her side, helping her when no one else would.

"Ahem." Said yet another voice from the windowsill. "Is there a Katsumi Higaroshi here?"

"Uhhh..." Sesshoumaru said baffled.

A young man with short black hair and a black suit suddenly leaned outside the window.

"Oh yes..." He said in a drawling English accent. "There you are."

"You know her?" Sesshoumaru asked once again.

"Not at all." The man said. "We go to the same church."

"We do?" Kagome said confused.

Sesshoumaru threw his arms up in frustration. Clearly, none of these people were going to help him.

"Look would you please stay here with her?" Sesshoumaru pleaded. "I'm going to go get some help."

"Of course." The man drawled.

"I'll be right back." Sesshoumaru said to Kagome. "Don't move."

Then Sesshoumaru turned away from the window and left the empty office.

"Ahh...boyfriend?" The man quirked.

"No!" Kagome said angrily. "And who the heck are you?"

The man cleared his throat and began.

"My name is Miroku Hoshi." He stated. " I am affiliated with the church's parish council. In fact I'm the head of the council."

Then he gave himself a wistful smile and stood up a bit straighter, admiring himself

"Uhhh...alright." Kagome said. "But what are you doing here?"

"Oh!" Miroku said, snapping out his daydream and, clearing his throat again, started to read off a clipboard he was holding. "I am here for your counseling session."

What the heck was this guy talking about? Kagome didn't need counseling. She just needed to jump off this thing and end it all. Couldn't people just accept this?!

"I know...you're probably thinking, 'why in the world would someone as significant as the Head Council want to council me?'"

"Well actually I wasn-"

"Well...I'm not really supposed to. But our counseling director decided to take the day off. And since I am the highest of stature, I gladly took his place..."

He suddenly stopped when he saw the dazed look on Kagome's face.

"But surely you wouldn't understand." He said looking back down at his clipboard.

"Ummm...sorry." Kagome bit out. "But I don't think right now is the greatest time for counseling."

"Oh come now." Miroku said, not even looking at her. "Tell me...what's bothering you Katsumi?"

"Katsumi?" Kagome said. "My name is Kagome!"

Miroku looked her with utter bewilderment, then frantically flipped through the papers on his clipboard.

"You're not Katsumi Higaroshi?" He asked.

"No." Kagome fumed.

"Oh bother." Miroku said, dropping his arms and letting the clipboard hang uselessly at his side. "Sorry miss."

"Oh no..." Kagome said annoyed. "It's no problem at all."

"Well I best be seeing a Katsumi Higaroshi now." Miroku said in his English accent. "Maybe I'll see in you church?"

"Just maybe..." She replied crossing her arms.

"Well cherrio!" Miroku called out the window before leaving.

"Yeah cherrio..." Kagome mumbled angrily.

Finally, everyone had gone and Kagome had no more disruptions. She could finally do it...but something held her back...that Sesshoumaru guy...he said he wouldn't leave her.

'Well so much for that...' Kagome thought coldly.

"Hey what happened to that guy I left you with?" said a familiar low voice.

Kagome turned towards the window and saw Sesshoumaru, his yellow eyes shining back at her.

"Oh..." She replied bitterly. "He had to go do some "High Council" work."

That's when Kagome felt a small drop of water land on her face. The dark gray clouds were finally letting the rain fall from their depths. Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru was attaching himself to something that Kagome had never seen before.

"What is that thing?" Kagome asked testily.

"This..." Sesshoumaru started, hooking himself on to the contraption, "is a rock climbing rope that I got out of the back of my car."

Sesshoumaru hoisted himself onto the sill on the window, rocking back and forth on the rope, making sure it was stable.

"See I just latch a hook onto something in that office, then hook on another one on my belt loop here," he continued, patting the side of his pants. "And then I take this hook on this rope and latch it onto you."

Sesshoumaru made a lunge for Kagome, but she quickly took a careful step back.

"Come on Kagome..." Sesshoumaru said, his face falling. "Please let me help you."

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome asked. "Why are you going through all this trouble to help me when all I want to do is end my life?"

"Because..." Sesshoumaru said slowly. "Because I don't want you to end your life."

Kagome looked up at him, his long silver hair blowing in the wind.

"Because..." He said again. "I don't think you really want to end it either."

Kagome couldn't believe this guy. How dare he try and judge her.

"You have no idea what I want!" Kagome shouted, continuing to back away from Sesshoumaru.

The rain started to pour down in heavy sheets over Sesshoumaru and Kagome, soaking the both of them into cold shivers.

"All I've ever wanted from life..." Kagome whispered, letting the rain drench her from head to foot. "All I've ever wanted was for someone to care about me. For someone to wrap me up in their arms and whisper those three little words in my ear...so I could feel something besides hatred and grief..."

Kagome's throat started to tighten and her brown eyes started to spill with tears. Sesshoumaru took another step towards Kagome, his eyes glowing back at hers.

"I love you." He said softly

Kagome choked. She couldn't believe it. Did he just say he loved her?!

"What?" She whispered, completely shocked.

"I love you Kagome." Sesshoumaru said again.

There was so much meaning in his voice, Kagome couldn't help but believe him...or did she?

"You...you do?" Kagome breathed, raindrops dripping off her face.

"Yeah..." Sesshoumaru said, giving her a smile and taking another step. "Now give me your hand..."

Slowly, Kagome extended her hand and felt Sesshoumaru grasp it firmly, pulling her carefully to her. Still holding on to her, Sesshoumaru fastened the hook on to Kagome's belt loop.

"Come on..." He said, letting go of her hand. "Let's go back inside."

"Oh..." Kagome gasped, stopping in her tracks. "Now that you mention it...I am feeling a bit dizzy."

Kagome's legs wobbled dangerously. Sesshoumaru turned around quickly and grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him.

'Now!' Kagome thought.

As soon as she was close enough to Sesshoumaru, Kagome suddenly grabbed the hook latched onto him and swiftly detached herself from him

"Hey!" Sesshoumaru cried. "What are you doing?!"

Kagome unfastened her own hook and dangled the rope in from of him.

"You think I actually believed you?" She laughed. "You just said that so you could save me!"

Kagome let go of the rope and watched it fly 17 stories below her.

"Oops! Sorry!" She said. "Guess that kind of factors out that plan!"

Sesshoumaru tried to reach her, but she was too far away. The rope wouldn't go any farther.

"Please Kagome!" Sesshoumaru panicked. "I can't go any farther."

"Oh gee..." Kagome pouted. "That's just too bad. Now if you'll excuse me I gotta hit the road."

Sesshoumaru flinched at the sick joke. Kagome got back onto the edge again as the rain whipped her across the face. Finally...she was going to do it.

"Here I go!" She exclaimed.

"STOP!" Sesshoumaru screamed.

Kagome turned and looked at him. His face was full of fear and worry and his eyes...did they have tears in them?

"Please..." Sesshoumaru whimpered, his fists clenching at his sides. "Please don't jump..."

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru grabbed his hook and quickly clicked it off of him. The rope fell uselessly from his side and hung down the wet building.

"I said I loved you and I meant it!" He cried, taking a nervous step towards Kagome. "I wouldn't risk my life if I didn't!"

Kagome couldn't believe it. Here she was, completely soaked, hanging off the side of 12-inch ledge, listening to this guy...this perfect, silver haired, golden eyed, guy who she barely even knew...and yet he was telling her that he loved her! And for once in her life...she believed him.

"Take my hand Kagome!" Sesshoumaru said, reaching out his hand to her, gripping the side of the building.

Here was this guy...who would do anything for her, even risk his life, just so she could live. And if this guy truly actually loved her...well then...wasn't that enough reason to keep on living?

Kagome stretched out her hand and placed it into his. Then slowly, they made their way back to the window. Sesshoumaru climbed in first, then, still holding Kagome's hand, helped her back inside through the window and into the empty office.

As soon as Kagome had landed safely in the office, Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms tightly around her cold shivering body.

"Hey..." Kagome said softly. "How'd you know I wouldn't jump?"

Sesshoumaru let go of her, taking her hands in his.

"Because I know that you love me too..." Sesshoumaru whispered back.

And for the first time in years, Kagome let out a smile, knowing that Sesshoumaru was speaking the truth. Slowly, Sesshoumaru head bent down and his soft lips met with hers, sharing a passionate kiss.

And even though sometimes things didn't always go her way, she now had something to live for.