Full Throttle by razzaroo

Chapter One

Full Throttle

By: monogurui

Summary: The garage was her home and he was invading it. An automobile connoisseur and mogul, she cared nothing for his lectures. His, cars however, were a different story and the midnight meetings were another...

Chapter 1

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Radiator fluid and antifreeze dripped languidly to the floor and Jimmy Hendrix blasted through the worn speakers on the stereo. The metallic grinding served as an appropriate undertone as tools twisted, turned, and cranked underneath the hoods. The humidity left the air heavy and muggy and the sun slanted through the windows, bouncing off the polymer finishes on the automobiles.

Stilettos clicking smartly against the concrete, she strode into the garage, flinging her jacket onto the hood of a nearby car. Quickly popping her locker, she pulled out her uniform and hurriedly made the business suit and heels disappear.

"Looks like someone's day in corporate America didn't go well," called Kouga from his station, leaning down over the old Honda. She smirked.

"Corporate America has a stick up its ass," she said wryly, kicking her toolbox open with the toe of her boot, picking out a few select tools and slamming it shut. Kouga laughed above the music and the fan that was whirring in the corner.

"That's the entire world, babe. But Doc wants to see you after you finish that Chevy. Says it's about some assignment or something."

She nodded and set to work on the old 1953 Corvette, tuning and updating, admiring the car's antique charm. It was a sweet car, she decided as she closed the hood. Her eyes roamed over the body- the custom painting job was starting to chip and peel but it was still beautiful in its own right. It wasn't rare to get cars like this, antique models to prototypes, she'd seen them all, but it was still nice to see that people cared about their cars.

"Hey, can we turn that fan over here?!" she yelled, wiping the backs of her hands across her damp forehead. Her request was promptly denied; she scowled and squatted on the balls of her feet. "You've had the fan for the whole day!"

"Yeah and you've had the AC of an office building for half. Deal!" called one of the guys from underneath the body of a Hummer. She smiled wearily and took the bandanna from her back pocket and tied her hair up, glad to have her sweat matted bangs away from her face.

The afternoon lazily transitioned to early evening and by the time the garage was ready to close there was a pile of t-shirts and wife-beaters by the door. As the machinery was shut off and tools put away, the half naked workers filed toward the lockers.

"Monkey! Get in here!"

The woman looked up from her current car and groaned. "In a minute!"

One of the guys passed by and ran his hand down her spine, making her jump; he snickered as he dodged an Allen wrench that whistled past his head. "A little bit too friendly there, don't you think Kouga?" she said loudly.

He shrugged nonchalantly and smiled. "What do you expect? You look like you just stepped out a soft porn video. My fingers," he wiggled the aforementioned appendages suggestively, "just couldn't resist."

Her jaw dropped. "You son of a"-

"MONKEY! I said now!"

Glaring at the office door, she flipped Kouga off good naturedly and slouched into the office, shivering at the sudden draft against her bare midriff. Behind his desk sat a dark skinned man shuffling through a stack of papers. By the look on his face, she could tell something was wrong.

"Hey, Doc, you said you needed me?" she ventured, wringing her gloves in her hands.

He didn't look up but moved to the computer, the screen reflecting in his rectangular spectacles. "There's something important we need to discuss concerning your job."

Swallowing hard, she managed a small, "Okay." Whilst at first she had thought there was a client that was requesting her personally, now those seemed like wistful fantasies. Her stomach had knotted itself impossibly.

"It's come to my attention that you're looking for a new job," he said evenly, jotting something down in a ledger.

She nodded and instantly felt foolish for he wasn't even looking in her direction. But surprisingly enough, he replied.

"I've heard a lot of crap from the guys but what it boils down to is that I aint payin' you enough. Is that it?" his voice still remained calm but he had dropped the professional dialog in favor of his normal way of speaking.

She looked horrified. "No! No, it's not that. It's just that my school upped its tuition fees and I need the extra cash. I can work two jobs now that Souta is old enough to stay home by himself. I was meaning to talk to you about my hours... but I think I can work it out!" she breathed out hurriedly, gaging his face for any kind of reaction. She soon got one.

"Goddammit, Monkey!" he slammed his fist on the desk, "I told you I would pay for your tuition and all that jazz as long as you worked for me! Don't come to me with this bull crap about needin' extra cash!"

She immediately felt guilty and lowered her head like a child that had just gotten scolded. When she'd been caught trying to hot-wire one of his cars, he'd taken her in and offered to pay for her education as long as she agreed to work for him and stay out of trouble. But, being the independent person she was, she decided to pay her own way because she owed him at least something for giving her a fresh start.

Shaking her head, she said, "Doc, you know I couldn't- can't. It just doesn't feel right."

He sighed, releasing a gust of air that ruffled the various stacks of paper on the mahogany desktop. "Y'know, Kagome, I took a lot of heat for you. Over here it's illegal to hire minors but I took you in anyway. I've bailed you out time after time and... you lookin' for another job for whatever your reasons seems like an insult to me, you get where I'm comin' from?" he asked, looking up at her with grey eyes wearily.

She bit her lip when she heard her real name. As long as she could remember he'd always called her Monkey, it was even on her name-tag. For him to use her real name meant he was beyond serious. He was right and she could understand where he was coming from, but she needed the money and short of outright demanding a raise, she needed to find a new source of income.

They remained in a silence that was louder than any noise. It slowly wrapped around her throat and constricted, trapping any words she might have said. She didn't know what to say to him- he'd been like a father to her from when she was a teen and she felt like she was stabbing him in the back. Her hear twisted sharply.

"Look, we'll talk about it some other time, 'kay? I aint in the mood to argue right now, I got enough troubles running this dump," he murmured somewhat playfully, his gravelly voice lightening in tone. Kagome eased a small smile onto her lips and silently thanked him for breaking the ice.

"About that, you really need to do something 'bout this air conditioning! Man, we're dyin' out there!" she exclaimed, finally flopping down in the chair she'd been eyeing since she first walked in. Doc eyed her critically.

"I guess I do. You only get like that when it's like Hades out there," he said thoughtfully, gesturing to her hardly confirming to regulation uniform.

While it was customary for employees to tie the top half around their hips, it was not customary for them to be wearing only a sports bra underneath. Especially when one's normal bra size was in the upper C's and one had an... appealing body type. It was hardly professional, but the male customers and workers hardly seemed to mind. She hadn't ever received a complaint from a single client. She smiled deviously.

"Like you don't appreciate the view," she said smugly. Doc chuckled.

"I'm not gonna lie," he laughed, "but I think my pocket book appreciates it more than anyone else."

Kagome looked confused. "This is an auto repair and customs shop."

When she still didn't reply or make any notion of understanding, "Most of the clients here are men between the ages of 19 through their fifties. Have you ever noticed that business always booms in summer?" he finally said somewhat exasperatedly, fixing her with an expectant stare.

Her mouth formed an 'o' as realization washed over her features. And immediately she smiled at Doc. "Well, at least I know I'm not going to be fired anytime soon. Don't think my admirers would like that very much, would they Doc?" she asked teasingly.

Before he could reply, the door rattled as someone knocked on it. Doc motioned for her to get it and she scowled, muttering something that sounded like "Lazy bastard," under her breath before yanking the door open. She stepped back almost immediately and fell onto the chair as the person strode in. Doc looked morose.

"Mr. Taisho, I wasn't expecting you so soon. I take it your flight went well?" he asked in what Kagome could tell was supposed to be a pleasant voice but it sounded rough and strained. The man inclined his head.

"We arrived here early so I thought it would be best to drop by now instead of waiting until next week," he murmured nonchalantly.

"Well by all means sit down," he told her with his eyes to move and move fast from the seat she was currently occupying. She got up and stood in the corner, the man not even giving her a second glance as he settled in the worn leather chair, his spine unnaturally rigid.

"I suppose you're here to discuss your offer?"

"Yes. I assume you've held your word?" The way he said it that made Kagome bristle. The arrogance and holier-than-thou personality simply rolled off him in near tangible waves. She didn't like it and nor did she like how he was addressing Doc.

"There aint no reason why I shouldn't have," he gritted out.

He looked at Doc long and hard, his strange golden eyes gleaming the fluorescent lighting before he finally replied. "I was hoping to catch Higurashi-san today but obviously it seems I'm too late. Am I right to assume that he'll be working tomorrow as well?"

At this Doc smirked, as though laughing at his own personal joke. Kagome could see something in the stranger's eyes, perhaps confusion, before they hardened again and became completely unreadable. He slipped a glance at her from the corner of his eyes, frowned, and rotated himself so that she was staring at the back of his head; his peculiar platinum hair to be exact.

Across the stranger's shoulder, Doc rolled his eyes and made a gagging face while Kagome giggled. A little too loudly because the man turned around to glare at her. She returned the glare but found it hard to keep a straight face; the man's frown deepened.

"Is there something you find amusing?" he asked coldly, his lip lifted in a grimace. She shook her head.

"Not a thing."

His expression only turned stormier. "Then could you please leave me and Mr. Williams alone for a moment? We're discussing something of utmost importance."

She cocked her head to the side thoughtfully, even going as far as to put her finger to her chin. "Well, I could, but I do believe I was here first, Mr. Taisho," she drawled, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed smugly over her chest.

"While I applaud you for being able to state the obvious this discussion is in no need of an audience," he replied forcefully, narrowing his eyes when she did not move.

Kagome grinned felinely. "Well you were and still are interrupting my conversation with my boss. Since it was so obvious I thought I should point it out to you," she shot back sarcastically. The man stood from his chair and took a step toward her, his golden eyes glinting dangerously underneath silver brows.

"Your petty conversation is of no concern to me," he bit out. She scoffed.

"Like I give a rat's ass about yours."

He scowled darkly. "You are treading on thin ice, woman, and I advise that you leave now before it breaks and you drown," he murmured threateningly. Kagome remained unfazed.

"Don't go usin' yer fancy metaphors on us simple folk. You might overload us with your sophisticated brilliance," she spat sardonically.

He stepped up to her so close that her chest brushed lightly against his own and had this been under different circumstances, she might have been pleased. But the man was an asshole. An arrogant asshole. And she did not need his arrogance or his assholey-ness in her life.

"Well then let me make it clear," he leaned down until they were nose to nose, gold to blue, "if you don't remove yourself from this office in the next five seconds, I will ensure that your job and your future will be forfeit. I am not one to be toyed with and you cannot win this game."

Rage and indignation bubbled up inside and poured out through her mouth. "Who said I was playing a game, you son of a bit-!"

"Mr. Taisho," Doc chimed in pleasantly, a broad smile cracking his face almost in half. "Meet Higurashi-san."

His eyes widened in shock, horror and disgust. Kagome smirked triumphantly, although Doc's words probably didn't fully sink in. Looking up at him like a lion that had just caught an antelope she said, "Game over."

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"I'm glad you decided to grace us with your presence, Higurashi. I was beginning to doubt that you would come."

She grimaced at him as she entered the airy conference room, sliding her sunglasses to the top of her head. Sunlight streamed through the ceiling high windows and reflected off of the long glass table that occupied much of the room. With a relieved sigh she saw that Doc was seated at the table, next to, she noted with a scowl, the man from yesterday.

Taking a chair opposite Doc, she leaned forward on her elbows. "So what was with the anonymous note thing? Why didn't you just tell me to meet you here?" she asked. Doc frowned.

"This wasn't exactly planned. I only got here about a half hour ago when Mr. Taisho called and requested your presence," he said agitatedly, leaning against the high-backed chair. Mr. Taisho, who had remained silent up until that point, decided to add his own input.

"I called you here, Higurashi-san, to discuss your future. It has come to my attention that you are quite skilled in your line of work and that you are looking to expand your career," he said detachedly, his chin resting lightly on the tops of his laced fingers. Kagome gaped at him openly, shock clearly imprinted on her face as her eyebrows shot up.

"I'm glad you know these things! And I'm happy that your sources were nice enough to inform you about this 'cause I never got the memo!" she hissed heatedly, her eyes narrowed to smoldering navy slits on her pale face.

"I am incorrect in my assumptions? In which case, would you care to explain the situation to me? Obviously my information is flawed."

She spluttered for a moment, trying to find the words to say. "Obviously. Is there anything you'd like to inform me on about my life? I've been feeling kind of out of the loop lately."

Mr. Taisho's expression remained as calm and detached as it was when she first came in, though she could have sworn that his brows had risen slightly in surprise, maybe? It didn't matter because she was still on the fact that this man she didn't know from Adam was suddenly so up to date on her life. She turned to Doc.

"Doc, what's going on?" she asked shakily, anger still lacing her tone though slowly ebbing and giving way to uncertainty. When Doc didn't reply, she flopped back into the chair and put her fingers to her temples. Ideas were racing through her mind but for the life of her she couldn't form a coherent thought from any of them.

"Sesshoumaru, dammit, this was not part of the agreement! Don't lead her on with fancy, meaningless words!"

"Dante, my intentions are purely business and I say nothing I cannot back up. And if you would like to refer to the contract, you will see-"

"I know what's in the goddamned contract, Sesshoumaru, I signed it myself. But don't beat around the bush with this crap- you'll only confuse her more than she needs to be!"

Kagome listened as they argued and tried to piece together the puzzle; however, such a feat could not be accomplished when all the pieces weren't in the box. She groaned.

"While your concern for your employee is touching, your emotional attachment clouds your judgment. You know as well as I that she has no future here and to keep her working at her current dead end job would be punishing her unnecessarily. I am here to offer her the training and education she needs to be great!"

There was a long pause before Doc said, "My emotional attachment may cloud my judgment now but you weren't complaining when it got you outta the shitholes you managed to get yourself into. I care about her future more than anyone else and that's why"-

"And that's why you're letting her go," finished Sesshoumaru solemnly, resolutely.

"So, this is what it boils down to. You've forgotten all about how you got here and whose toes you've stepped on to be great," Doc chuckled bitterly, "I'm not gonna say you're a disappointment but you've sure as hell let me down, Sesshoumaru."

"SILENCE!" he roared, "I will not have you tell me who I am or what I am. You know nothing about me, Dante, and you will hold your tongue lest I hold it for you." His eyes flashed for a moment "This meeting is over."

But Doc wouldn't let it go, calling out after him as he made for the door.

"So, you're gonna run away again? Can't teach an old dog new tricks, eh Sesshoumaru? Don't think for a second that I don't know what you're trying to do- living out your dead dreams through her won't work, she's too strong. But you go ahead and try and I'll enjoy laughing at you when you fall flat on your face. You can't run from your past, Sesshoumaru."

"I'm warning you, Dante, you know not who you trifle wit-"

"Someone," Kagome growled menacingly, "is going to tell me what the fuck is going on!"

She looked up to see Doc with angry tears streaming down his creased face and Sesshoumaru trembling with rage but looking dead at her with churning amber eyes. She was fed up with not knowing. If this was about her, then she had every right to know, whether they felt like giving the information to her or not.

"You are now under my employment. You have three days to tie up any and all loose ends you may have here and on November 23rd, you will be at Richmond International Airport at 5:00 AM sharp. We will be departing for Tokyo; pack only the essentials and the rest will be taken care of upon our arrival," he bit out, suddenly all business, all traces of any of his previous rage vanished.

"I'll be damned if I let you order me around. I don't know what the hell you and Doc have goin' on but leave me the hell out of it," she said as she shoved herself away from the table and stormed toward the door. Frustrated and distraught, her hand only reached the handle.

"Kagome. I'm sorry but this..." Doc started, his voice strained and terribly weak.

She looked at him over her shoulder and seeing how pained he was and the tears shining like miniature crystals against his dark, wrinkled skin made her eyes burn with tears of her own.

"I'm sorry what, Doc? What are you apologizing about"

He looked away. "You don't work for me anymore, Monkey. Now... now, you work for Mr. Taisho," he said shakily, not able to regain his bearings enough to sound at all professional.

The first tear slipped down her cheek, burning a trail down to the hollow of her collarbone: soon, another and another joined the first until her neck and cheeks were gleaming with the opalescent liquid. "W-what do you mean I don't work for you anymore? What, did you just trade me over to him like I'm some kind of collectible?" she said disbelievingly, her voice rising with every word.

Doc didn't answer and she shot a glare to Sesshoumaru, her eyes wet and burning. "And what about you? Huh? Who the fuck do you think you are to just waltz into my life and start making decisions like that? You don't know me, Sesshoumaru, you don't know a damn thing about me!" she cried loudly, the echoes bouncing off the high ceilings.

Her eyes, smoldering cobalt slits, burned with searing tears and she trembled with rage. Nails digging into her palms, she shook her head in denial and disbelief. He was getting rid of her. He was firing her, trading her off to this arrogant bastard without even a second thought. The guys at the garage were her family and Souta too. What was she supposed to do about them?

"You can't just... just take me away from them! They're all I have left! They're all I have left; you can't take them from me! I can't afford to lose another family!" she choked out in a strangled whisper.

Staggering up and toward the door, she gripped the handle until it was hot to the touch; Doc and Sesshoumaru were locked in yet another intense argument that she only half listened to. Her throat constricted and her heart wrenched and twisted painfully inside her chest: The feeling was too familiar, too bitterly nostalgic and raw.

A melancholy realization dawned on her as began to comprehend fully what she was being offered and what that could mean for her, for Souta and his future. There were so many things, so many possibilities that she could take advantage of... it was...

Too good to turn down, no matter the circumstances.

She looked up and saw Sesshoumaru and Doc locked in a heated glaring match. It was too much. Doc would keep fighting and Sesshoumaru would keep fighting back and she would be stuck in the middle, the innocent bystander who didn't have a say in anything. She laughed bitterly at her predicament.

Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed the number that came naturally to her fingers and waited as the dial tone sounded like a funeral bell in her ear. "Hey, Souta. No, no I'm not in trouble again. But uh, it looks like I... looks like I won't be home for the holidays this year..."