Here you go. The long-awaited sequel to Imaginary.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Author's Note: I recommend that you read Imaginary before this story. It is possible to read this without reading the first, however, this chapter as well as some aspects within it, won't make sense to you right away -if at all. And thank you, to all of my loyal readers and to those that review. I appreciate everything you've done for me as a writer. Much love.

Ordinary

Prologue: Homecoming

She thought it had been a normal night. Nice and normal. Clean and simple.

"I know, love. I'll be home soon."

"I miss you. Why not leave and come home now?"

His voice… She loved the sound of it. Deep and masculine. Strong and secure.

"I wish," she laughed, tucking a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. "It's only two more days."

"Two more days? That long?"

She laughed, knowing he was acting up to make her feel better. She never liked being alone. Isolated and single. Frozen and terrified.

And with good reason.

"Look babe, it's almost midnight. I have to sleep."

He chuckled at the other end. "Oh, I know. I do too. Sleep well love. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Good night," she whispered, smiling. "I love you."

"I love you too."

The soft click told her that she was now alone in the small hotel room. And alone, she turned off the lamp light and snuggled deep under the covers.

That won't hide you.

She took a deep breath, feeling the cool sheets against her face.

You've been a bad girl.

A bad, bad girl.

She didn't even have time to scream.

She thought it was a normal night. Nice and normal. Clean and simple.

"I know, love. I'll be home soon."

"Damn right you will be. I miss you."

His voice… She loved the sound of it. Deep and masculine. Strong and secure.

"Damn right," she laughed, tucking a raven strand of hair behind her ear. "It's only four more days."

"Four more days? Woman, I better see you in half that time."

She laughed, knowing that he was acting up because it was his sole way of hiding his emotions. But she knew better. Far better.

And with good reason.

Something was wrong.

"Babe?"

"Hmm?" she said, taking a moment to collect herself. It was nothing. Absolutely nothing. "Oh sorry. I'm just so tired I'm practically half-asleep now. I should probably go to bed, it's past midnight."

He hesitated but then chuckled lightly. "Yeah I should go too. This town is too small, with limited excitement. Tires the hell out of me."

"Good night," she whispered, smiling. "I love you."

"I love you too. Remember, two days and I better be seeing your face."

The soft click told her that she was now alone in the small hotel room. And alone, she turned off the lamp light and snuggled deep under the covers.

That won't hide you.

She took a deep breath, feeling the cool sheets against her face. She wasn't going to listen. She couldn't listen. Wouldn't listen.

You've been a bad girl.

His voice sung sweetly like a lullaby. And then there was the echo behind that lullaby, like the harmony to the melodic line, chanting and soothing.

A bad, bad girl.

It happened so fast she didn't even know what to do. All of a sudden, the harmony grew louder. The song, so loud, it cried in her ear and what was worse, the booming voice whispering taunts of violence and pain.

So loud.

It was getting so loud.

We're baaaaackkkkk…

She didn't even have time to scream.

If Miroku Tsujitani had been awake, he would have noticed three things. For starters, he would have realized that his head was on the opposite side of where it should be. His bare feet were resting on the soft pillows that the hotel provided and his face was practically hanging off the other side. Ever since moving in with Sango, Miroku had a hard time sleeping alone. Sure, it was easier to sleep because there were no distractions such as lingerie and soft skin and…well, you know. But he had grown accustomed to sleeping with someone beside him and now that that someone was no longer there, he slept backwards.

Secondly, Miroku would've realized that the neighbours beside his hotel room where having sex. Very loud sex –and as much as that would've been free porn instead of the crap the hotel provided for ten dollars, he was sleeping and therefore, unaware.

And finally, he would have noticed that there was a puddle beside his mouth where the drool was spilling. Not an attractive thing drool is and he was very lucky that Sango wasn't around to see that.

But none of this mattered because the main thing was that he was sleeping and that his life was, once again, back to normal. Or so he thought.

At first, Miroku wasn't sure what had woken him up. There was a strange, rather repetitive noise coming from the hotel room beside him, but surely that wouldn't have been enough to startle him from his deep sleep. He rolled around on his bed, lying on his back. He blinked a few times, feeling the lull of sleep overcome him once more and the image of Sango, so perfectly posed was so vivid in his mind…

Again, that noise. What the hell was that noise?

It sounded like something was…booting up.

Miroku sighed, wondering how in God's name he was supposed to sleep. There was a strange noise that seemed to be powerful enough to wake him and two sex-addicts banging that damned headboard in the next room. Wait…were they having sex?

Beep.

More noise, from the other room to the right of him. The room that he was joined too… Kagome's room. All of a sudden, a wave of clicking noises filled his delicate ears, and Miroku searched the dark room for the light switch. He found it, just beside the wooden headboard by the clock that stated four-oh-six a.m.

What the?

Miroku had never felt so confused in his life. He rolled out of bed, dragging the sheets he had so snugly wrapped around his body with him. They fell off by the time he had pushed open the door to the next room and Miroku was hardly surprised to see Kagome sitting up on her bed, typing on her computer.

"Kagome," Miroku sighed, resting one hand on the door frame. "Please tell me this is important because you need your sleep."

Kagome didn't respond.

"I bought you seven different notebooks for times like these Kagome. I know you get ideas when you sleep, but seriously. It's four in the morning and you have a greeting tomorrow at that bookstore on the other side of town."

This time, Kagome did answer him, but not at all in the way he expected her to.

"When I see you again, it'll be with arms wide full of love. And I'll see you again; it'll be day I'll live for, even when I'm…"

She was singing. If Miroku thought he was confused before, he was surely wrong because this –this was a whole new level of confusion. Kagome was singing, and he didn't know why. Until she screamed.

"–DEAD!"

In that instant, he knew, even though he wished he didn't. The Kagome he said goodnight to more than six hours ago was not the same Kagome he stared at. This was the Kagome that was too deep in her subconscious to understand what she was doing. This was the Kagome that was psychic.

"DEAD!" she screamed, again, her voice so high pitched it hurt his ears. He didn't even know that she (or any human for that matter) was capable of such a pitch. But then again, she wasn't human right now.

"Kagome!" Miroku yelled, jumping on the bed and grabbing her sides. He shook her so hard that her head bashed against the headboard and she collapsed somewhat dramatically to the side, her hair fanning out along the pillows and her face so pale, she looked like she'd seen a ghost.

But Miroku knew better. She hadn't seen a ghost. She had heard a ghost –and not just one, but millions. All of the ghosts that wandered through the Grey Time –a place that was forced into limbo, where spirits could not live or die– were singing with her, screaming with her.

He watched her, all too aware of the silence that surrounded him. Miroku held his breath and his chest hurt from the lack of oxygen. "Kagome?" he whispered.

Slowly, pale eyelids flickered and dark chocolate eyes were revealed. For a long, painful moment, Kagome didn't move. She just lay there, staring at the blankets that were right by her face. And then, even slower, she moved, sitting up carefully and looking at her best friend and agent with marred eyes.

"Kagome," Miroku sighed, grabbing her and bringing her to his chest. He hugged her tightly. "Are you okay?"

She was shaking violently, her skin ice cold.

"Miroku," she said shakily. "I can hear them. The voices. They're back."

"I know," he replied, rocking her slightly. "I know."

"They –they've come back to haunt me. Another story… Another death."

At that moment, the both of them turned away from each other to look at the computer screen. Miroku studied it, noticing the battery was charging from five percent.

"It died when I wasn't finished," Kagome said, answering his question. "I don't remember plugging it in though."

Miroku nodded, realizing that was the sound that had awoken him. The sound of the computer re-booting itself after it had hibernated. He didn't want to ask, but knew he had to. "Who, Kagome?"

Kagome shivered. "Sasara Fumito. She's dead. Here. Two floors down. 9-C"

"In this hotel?"

Kagome nodded.

"We need to call the police," Miroku said, rushing up to get to the phone.

"We need to call Inuyasha."

Miroku nodded again and left the room. A few moments later, Kagome could hear him talking on the phone, explaining the situation he only knew vaguely himself. Kagome just sat there, numb. She didn't know what to do. The voices inside her head were too loud, much too loud. What could she do when they were screaming and wailing at her to do so much?

Find me, help me…She's dead. She's dead…Oh my God, I didn't know…Touch me there, like that…You selfish, arrogant bastard. How could I ever love you?

The hotel room was like a train wreck of emotion. How many people had been in this room? How many people had slept on this mattress? Made love on this mattress? Cried and screamed on this mattress?

She had to get out. She couldn't stay there any longer.

Jumping out of bed and putting on a pair of yesterday's jeans and a new top, Kagome stepped out of the hotel room. She leaned against the wall by the door and closed her eyes, breathing in and out slowly. The story, so beautifully written, was sitting there on her bed, typed up to the perfection her subconscious stories always were. This was the eighth story she had ever written subconsciously, even though it was supposed to be the ninth. Two years ago, Kagome had been hunted by her half-sister, someone she had never met in her entire life. Seven years ago, Kagome had started writing these murder stories –subconscious stories that she only wrote when a murder was occurring– and from them got involved in a chase to catch a killer with Inuyasha Taisho, Chief of Trite police and her love. Though it took a while before it got that way…

But now, here she was again. Waking up from what seemed to be a terrible nightmare into yet another nightmare, and seeing a laptop with a new document, saved and titled, of another's death.

Fate must have had a field day with this one. Kagome didn't know what she was going to do. The last murders were so close to her, they were on a personal level even though she wasn't aware of it. But, how was she connected to these murders? How did she write these murder mysteries when she wasn't connected?

Nothing made sense, and at this point, she didn't expect it to.

"Kagome?" she heard Miroku call frantically.

"I'm right here, Miroku. Calm down."

Miroku gave a visible sigh of relief. "Well excuse me. But as I last recall this happening, you disappeared for a good while after you wrote the first mystery in Trite."

Kagome grimaced. She forgot about that detail.

"Did you call?" she asked, watching Miroku's violet eyes dim.

"Yeah. They'll be here soon. I called anonymously though. I would rather we stayed out of this mystery."

Kagome knew that that wasn't possible. If she wrote these stories, she wasn't off the hook. The voices made her write these stories for a reason, and usually that reason included getting overly involved. Miroku knew that too, which is why he was acting the way he was.

"Do you know this girl?"

Kagome looked up at him, staring at what she considered her older brother. He was only two years older, with a muscular build and chin-length black hair. Usually, it was in a neat style that looked like a rat's tail on the back of his head.

"No," she answered slowly, shaking her head. "The name…not really. It's not something I think I've come across but you never know. You don't know the name of every person you meet, right?"

Miroku nodded solemnly. "I decided to let you call Inuyasha."

Kagome groaned. She knew what his reaction was going to be once she told him. He was going to freak out, demand that she returned home and she would argue with him, knowing full well that she couldn't. The voices didn't make her tell a story for no reason and although he understood that –to a certain degree– when it came to her safety, he wouldn't really give a damn. And she understood –to a certain degree– that that was his nature. There was nothing she could do.

The phone felt heavy in her frail and weak hands. She stared at them, watching the pale flesh shake visibly under the weight of the tiny black touch-screen Razor cell phone. But she knew she had to call Inuyasha. Even though she knew it was going to be like walking through a storm of fire and brimstone.

She dialled the number that was all too familiar. It was only a few moments before the sound of his voice filled the speaker and Kagome instantly felt her eyes well up with tears. Miroku, who was beside her still, put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Kagome's body slumped a little as she used the wall for support.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, after hearing his weak and sleep-filled hello.

Instantly, she could tell that he was worried. The sound of his voice was stronger but gentler, and it did nothing to slow the tears that were leaking down her face. "What's wrong Kagome? What happened?"

"They're back."

A simple statement; and one that didn't need any explaining. She could feel her heart racing in her chest and the voices… They were so loud. So taunting. Like a very loud party in the next room, with only the insulation to stop how loud it truly was. But the noise wasn't music or singing or loud, drunk voices –it was the quiet whisperings of the dead. And together they were screams from hell.

"How is that possible? Kagome… You didn't, did you?"

Inuyasha, her love, her strength…

He knew her well enough to know about the voices and why they came. He knew what the voices did to her. He heard them more than a few times two years ago, but by accident surely. They were connected, psychically and emotionally. He saved her life then, and she was sure that if he hadn't come at that moment, or if he hadn't communicated with her on that special level, that she would've died.

"Yeah, I did."

"Who? Where?"

"Sasara Fumito and she is –was– staying here, two floors below me."

"Shit. Kagome, you have two choices."

Here they went again. Whenever there was a large problem, instead of losing his temper, he would give her choices. He was trying at least, but it was only a short time before fire and brimstone fell from the skies.

"Either you come here or I come there."

"I can't leave, Inuyasha. Of all the murders occurring in the world right now, and of all the murders occurring in this large city, why did this murder affect me? Why am I connected to this? I can't leave, I'm sorry."

"Then I'm coming there."

Kagome felt slightly better, knowing that he was on his way. But something nagged at her. "You can't do anything about this, you know that right? You're the Chief of Trite and nowhere else. You can't solve anything here."

There was silence for a little while and Kagome smiled. "I knew that that was going through your mind."

"I thought you couldn't read my mind through the phone."

Kagome laughed, despite the fact that she was shaking. "I just know you."

"Dammit. Well, it doesn't matter. I'm coming anyways. I'll be there in a few hours. Stay there, will you? Don't move and please, please don't do anything stupid."

"Like run into another body?"

"Yeah, that would qualify."

"Okay, I'll see you soon."

"I love you," he said quickly, and she could hear him rummaging through his drawers. He was probably packing to leave.

"I love you too. I'll be safe, promise."

The soft click of the phone sounded soon after, and Kagome gave Miroku a wry smile. "He's coming."

"I wouldn't expect anything else," Miroku replied, taking the phone from her shaking hands. "Come on. Let's go back into the room. Let's not bring any more attention to us than necessary."

Kagome nodded and together, they moved into the room. She soon lay down on the bed, massaging her temples and praying desperately that the voices, so loud in her mind, would quiet down.

But they wouldn't and she knew it.

"Miroku?" Kagome asked quietly. "Can you give me a minute? Please? I need…to think."

For a long moment, Miroku did nothing. Her eyes were closed but she could feel his calm violet eyes staring at her.

"I'll get you if I need you," she reassured and Miroku, unsure and unwilling, nodded and walked into the joint bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

In the silence of the bedroom, Kagome felt the ripping headache she knew would come soon after. It always came. Hard and fast, making her head feel like it was being hit with a hammer repeatedly. She opened her eyes and reached toward the night table by her bed, grabbing the bottle of aspirin she always kept with her and the glass of water she had been drinking earlier. She swallowed four pills, the same amount she took the last time the voices returned. Funny, how often terrible things occurred in a repetitive cycle. How her movements were identical to those two years ago and of that seven years ago, when the voices first appeared.

When the aspirin was down her and the queasy feeling in her stomach started to ease, Kagome sat up and dragged her laptop towards her. Her headache still pounded and the light off the screen didn't help to slow the thud. But she had to read her story, she had too. So she scrolled to the top, and read the work that she had created unconsciously.

It was beautiful. So dark. So evil. So bloody. And yet so damningly beautiful.

Sasara Fumito had the perfect life. Blonde hair and blue eyes, she could have any man she wanted. Instead, she stayed with her high school sweetheart, the captain of the Chess Team. They were together for five years before he went down on one knee and it had been their seventh anniversary last month. She had a successful job in the marketing business, and she was adored by everyone.

But apparently not, because someone wanted her dead.

Dead enough that the bullet was deep in her skull.

Dead enough that her eyes were open, glaring accusingly at the white ceiling above her.

Dead enough that her lips, chapped and parted, echoed a scream that didn't have enough time to surface.

Dead enough that killer had cut her open, taken her blood, and drew a five letter word on her uncovered stomach…

Bitch.

And then, the room spun.

Kagome felt her breath catch in her throat and her hands, once steady and raised above the keyboard was now shaking uncontrollably. She couldn't understand what was happening to her, other than it had never happened before. The room she was in no longer existed. It was now just an inky blackness with no meaning, no shape or texture, to define its reality.

She was losing herself to her mind. The mind that screamed with voices. The voices that wanted to use her so they could take her body over. And live.

While her soul died.

Kagome tried to scream; to open her mouth and yell Miroku's name. But her voice never came –it was simply drowned out by the other, loud and wailing voices of the dead. Until, the darkness disappeared and the voices went silent.

More will die.

Kagome felt frozen. This couldn't be happening. Not again. Not now. "Who are you? Kikyo's in peace. There's…no one else. Who are you?"

Me? Who am I?

The strange, haunting voice laughed without humour.

I'm your worst nightmare.

And so it begins. Please review and let me know what you think. It really helps me and inspires me to write better and faster.

Thanks again,

WitchyGirl99