Chapter 1

He sat on the roof watching the sky in silence. He sighed heavily and looked around the Higurashi shrine. The soft sound of a door closing came from below and two forms walked from the house on which he was perched. One a girl the other a young boy, both oblivious to their watcher. He silently leapt from his perch, landing next to the girl. He took her hand, causing her to halt, leaving the boy who didn't notice her sudden stop.

"Kagome... Are you okay?" he asked, golden optics showing concern and worry.

Kagome turned to him, glancing at their linked hands then to his eyes, as her own filled with tears. "InuYasha.." she whispered and wiped away a tear with her free hand, only to allow another to follow.

InuYasha pulled her into an embrace at the sight of her tears. "Please don't cry Kagome." They both stood there for what seemed like an eternity warm in each others arms.

Kagome pulled away and looked back into his amber orbs. " Thank you InuYasha," she forced a small smile then looked to the ground " Its still hard to believe their gone." She wiped her eyes again and looked down the stairway leading to her house. " I guess I should go after Sota." She stated, looking back to the hanyou. He reluctantly released her hand from his, "I'll be here later, then." he replied with a small nod.

Kagome watched the hanyou walk towards the well house, then walked down the steps and up the sidewalk, deep in though, recounting the past week. First off, her grandfather had suffered a major heart attack and had died the same day. While on top of that, her mother had fallen gravely ill with an unknown disease and also passed from this life.

As Kagome came to the third corner, she stopped dead at the sight before her. The small form of her brother lay on the other side of the street, a pool of crimson blood surrounding him, but no sign of an attacker.

InuYasha jumped into the well, worry still clouded his mind. As the warm blue light faded he jumped nimbly toward blue skies. He hoped the others weren't around, not wishing for an interrogation. He landed silently atop the mouth of the well, giving a quick glance around for the demon slayer, houshi, or kitsune. He gave a sigh of relief upon their absence and started walking back towards Kaede's hut.

No sooner had he gone two steps, the sound of the houshi's staff and the neko youkai's call reached his ears. He inwardly groaned and turned to a very bruised monk and an angry but blushing exterminator.

"Lecherous monk." InuYasha stated shaking his head.

"You can say that again." Sango agreed glaring evilly at Miroku.

A small kitsune ran up looking happy until he noticed something missing. He looked around slowly as if he lost something, then looked to the silver-haired hanyou. "Where's Kagome?" he asked.

"Yes, I figured you would come back with her InuYasha." Miroku added rubbing the red hand print on the side of his face.

InuYasha sighed, knowing this would come, so he took a deep breath and told them of Kagome's grandfather and mother. All the while thinking of his own mother's death and Kagome.

Sango and Miroku stared and InuYasha, both held sympathy and concern in their eyes. Shippo sat on the edge of the well with Kilala, small tears in his eyes. "Poor Kagome." Shippo stated,breaking the silence.

Kagome sat nervously in the hallway of the hospital. tears silently cascading from her brown eyes. The doctor came out a few minutes later; Kagome immediately stood, looking hopefully at the doctor. " Miss. Higurashi," he stated,"Your brother is in very critical condition we found large amounts of strange poison in his blood, which we've sent to the lab for studies. He's very lucky to had survived." the doctor added sympathetically.

She walked into the dimly lite room, holding back a gasp at the sight of her brother attached to many different machines all accentual to keeping him alive. He laid motionless, his breathing shallow. Kagome sat in chair next to his bed. 'Please not again.' she begged new tears falling from her eyes. 'This is all my fault.' she told herself.

InuYasha walked back to Kaede's with the others, he knew the others were concerned about Kagome, but not as much as him, he didn't even care if they noticed it.

Sango walked beside Miroku still trying to get over the shock of InuYasha's story, 'Kagome please be all right.' she thought, knowing first hand what Kagome was going through, remembering the loss of her father, brother, and her entire village. She looked to the ground thinking about how long it had been since she last saw her village let alone her brother. Tears came to her eyes which she tried desperately to force down.

Suddenly, she felt a strong yet comforting hand on her shoulder, she gazed up into his deep violet eyes full of concern. "Are you okay, Sango?" he asked.

"Yes, Miroku," She replied,"I'm fine." she added giving him an uneasy smile.

"Okay, I'm just making sure." he responded knowing the wrath of the demon slayer and wasn't about to press the issue further and get her mad. It took all his will power to keep his hands from groping her, but he resisted, grinning smugly at his restraint.

Reaching Kaede's hut InuYasha had to retell the reason for Kagome's absence. Kaede was just as shocked as Sango and Miroku but hid it well.

"How is Kagome handling all of this?" she asked taking a sip of her tea.

"She seemed to be taking it pretty hard," he replied," When I went to see her she was really depressed."

"Poor child," Kaede sighed shaking her head slightly, "Will ye be going back to check on her?"

"Yeah in the afternoon." he responded from his spot in the corner of the hut, Tetsusiaga resting against his shoulder.

Kaede nodded "I think she needs ye InuYasha now more than ever."

InuYasha said nothing in reply, instead he just gazed at the wooden floor following the swirling lines, taking in Kaede's words.

Kagome walked home, having spent all day at the hospital . The whole way she thought about Sota. Coming to the top of the Shrine stairs, she looked at her house, 'I guess life's going to be different now.' she stated to herself walking into the house immediately waiting to hear her mother or grandfather say hello or for Sota to run up to her. Knowing none of those things were going to happen she sighed and slid to the ground pulling her knees to her chest and began sobbing, letting everything out.

"K-Kagome..." a voice broke the unwelcome silence.

Kagome looked up and saw the silver-haired hanyou then quickly wiped her tears away only to allow other to flow through. She stood, never taking her eyes from the hanyou.

Looking around InuYasha noticed something or better yet didn't, "Where's So-" he was cut off as Kagome caught him in and unexpected embrace.

"Oh InuYasha I can't take it anymore." she sobbed, muffled as she cried into his kimono.

InuYasha wrapped his arms around her running a clawed hand through her raven hair in attempt to soothe her, waiting patiently until her sobs receded.

After five minutes, her sobs softened and she gazed up into his golden orbs, giving a heavy sigh. "InuYasha,...Sota isn't here because... not long after you left for the Fudeal Era," she paused, wondering if she could say the dreaded words, "he was... at-attacked and he was hurt really bad." she forced back new tears but buried her head in InuYasha's chest.

InuYasha's eyes went wide then he held her "I'm really sorry, Kagome." he replied sympathetically, "I should have stayed." he growled at himself softly.

He knew it was a bad time but maybe it would help take her mind off things. "Kagome, do you want to go back? You know Kaede and the others are worried about you." he asked, seemingly holding his breath, waiting for her response.

Kagome nodded slowly "Let me go get changed and a few things first." she added walking up the stairs slowly.

InuYasha knew she would take her time, so he went outside, stretching once there. He looked toward the slowly receding sun, suddenly getting an idea. He quickly jumped into a nearby tree and scanned the surrounding area.

Spotting what he hoped was the right area, he leapt to the spot avoiding the yellow caution tape. He glanced around making sure no one was around, then sniffed the air immediately sensing something weird. He couldn't place it but he was sure he had encountered the scent before, but never here in Kagome's time. Spotting something on the ground he walked toward it and picked it up, then growled as he realized what the object was and he only knew one monster that controlled them: Naraku!