A/N: I promised monthlyish updates. This is the best I can do for now. Do enjoy :)


Chapter 2: Hidden Truths in Secret Places

Kagome found herself outside Inuyasha's room an hour later. She was feeling a little better compared to her earlier breakdown but was thoroughly embarrassed by the fact that Mr. Mori and the doctor had to bear witness to it. Mr. Mori hadn't left the hospital and kept her company in the hallway though she wasn't sure why. Neither of them had needed to stay expect of course for the visit from the police officer that afternoon- if the police officer in charge was going to visit them. It was nearing three in the afternoon now and she was hungry. She hadn't eaten since arriving in Aomori and while she had no appetite, her new found knowledge about the pregnancy reminded her that she had to eat soon. It wasn't good for someone in her condition to go without food for so long.

"Mr. Mori, Mrs. Tanaka?" They both turned to greet the officer whom Sesshomaru recognized as the officer who had visited him earlier that afternoon. He was young and looked to be a new recruit as evidenced by the way he shuffled his feet in front of them.

"We need you to come with us to the police station. We identified some evidence but the rest of the belongings in the car- your spouses' personal items- can be taken back. If you would like we'd ask that you come to the police station to pick them up."

Sesshomaru nodded, his jacket clutched tight in his hands. He wondered what sorts of personal things he'd find in the car. Kikyo was known to be meticulous when it came to her personal belongings- she never left some of most prized possessions unattended. Would he find something in that pile that might not be something he recognized? Something that Inuyasha had given her? He slipped into his jacket and nodded to the young officer indicating that he understood and wished to follow him to the police station. He did drive here after all. And the route would be familiar to him if he drove once. A quick glance at Mrs. Tanaka had him wondering if should offer her a ride.

"I need to pick up my suitcase from the front desk." Kagome stated her motions mechanical. Her body was physically with the other two near her but her mind was somewhere else. Her eyes were dry and she knew that even if she wanted to cry, tears would water her eyes but not flow from them for a while. All she really wanted to do was sit- by herself- and think about everything that had happened. And maybe, if she could, she wanted to call her mother.

"We'll pick it up ma'am." The police officer stated pulling her mind back to the situation at present. "Do you need a ride to the station?" Kagome nodded and the officer granted her space in his car. Settled with the task the three made their way downstairs to the lobby where the nurse who greeted Kagome still ran her shift. Kagome was glad for that, she didn't want to talk to anyone for a while.

"Ma'am." the nurse stated when Kagome walked up to the desk. She didn't wait for Kagome to say anything and instead left to get what Kagome wanted. The lady looked distraught and she didn't want to tax her. She scurried away and left Kagome alone for a moment before she returned, dragging the suitcase behind her. "Here you go."

"Thank you." Kagome's response was automatic and she realized that she would have to give responses like that many more times over the course of her stay in Aomori. Especially today, to the nice police officer and the people of the hotel she stayed in. She didn't say anything else and instead turned back to the other two indicating that she was ready to leave.

Her suitcase now with her, Kagome followed Mr. Mori and the police officer out of the hospital. The drive to the police station was silent, no words uttered between the officer and her. She liked it that way- she didn't think she was capable of proper speech at the moment. Her husband was in dire straits, had possibly cheated on her, and the police officer next to her obviously didn't know how to offer her comfort but be objective at the same time. She didn't blame him for her situation but she did wish that he could drive a bit faster to the station. A few minutes after that last thought, the officer pulled up to a large brick building that had the words "Aomori Police" attached in front of it. The sign and building looked old; reminding Kagome of just how isolated the area was compared to Tokyo.

"Let me help you Mrs. Tanaka." The officer held out his hand to her as she descended the car and she realized why. Ice- lots of it- coated the sides of the police station walkway. They had cleared the walkway to the best of their ability but a person in her condition couldn't risk a fall. Taking his hand, Kagome followed his lead into the building.

The police station was quiet- not a stark chilling quiet like the hospital, but a different kind- one that only the hum of computers or the rattling of the radiator managed to penetrate. The young officer led her to a side room and let go of her hand once they were inside. Mr. Mori had followed them and he stood beside Kagome as the officer bustled about and busied himself by the table. The table itself was nothing more than a large flat rectangular one- the kind that was used by event management companies- and on it were various items all belonging to either Inuyasha or Kikyo. From her position, Kagome recognized a few things- Inuyasha's scarf, his watch, his camera bag.

"Here- I'm sorry, but this is all we have at the moment." Kagome and Sesshomaru reached forward, taking the clear Ziploc baggies that the man held out. It was fine for her; she would just dump his items in there and go through them later. And it seemed it was fine for Sesshomaru as well.

Kagome approached the table a heaviness forcing itself upon her. Licking dry lips, she reached for the first item she recognized, his scarf and reverently folded it to store away- or wash- there was blood on it after all. Swallowing, she reached for the next item- his watch- the one she had given him for Christmas. Following that was a wallet, his cellphone, and finally his camera bag. The last one she didn't place in the bag given to her by the officer. Inuyasha had been fond of photos and had bought his Canon SLR as a birthday present to himself years ago. It wouldn't fit in the Ziploc bag. Double-checking to make sure she had grabbed everything that was there, she turned to leave when the officer spoke again.

"His suitcase is here Mrs. Tanaka."

Suitcase: that was right, Inuyasha was here on a trip wasn't he? Kagome approached the suitcase- a battered gray one that she had many memories with; it was the one that they had used to pack souvenirs in on their honeymoon. She grabbed its handles and dragged it forward a little before stopping. She was tired and her current health condition was finally taking its toll on her. Holding up a hand to her face, Kagome took a few deep breaths and steadied herself.

"Mrs. Tanaka?" The officer asked his arm going out to steady her. "Are you alright?" Behind her, she heard Mr. Mori take a few steps towards her direction as well.

"I'm just tired I think." She stated. "I should have eaten something today but I haven't yet. I'll be fine." The officer nodded but didn't let go of her arm yet and Kagome leaned on it grateful for the extra strength. The officer took the suitcase handle from her hands and Sesshomaru held the door open for them as they walked out of the room.

"Do you need some help? Have you found a place to stay yet?" She shook her head, an action that had her feeling dizzy. She needed to eat and find a room to stay in. After that, she had to call her doctor. She was supposed to take a few pills now and she thought that she might have forgotten to pack them.

"No, I need to sit down and eat first." And it was true. She needed the food not just for the baby growing inside her but for herself as well. She had to have energy to keep moving forward.

"Are you sure you are alright?" The officer asked again coaxing her into a seat.

Kagome nodded as she took the seat and placed a hand on her stomach. Her baby- Inuyasha's baby. Would it ever know its father? She shuddered, not from fear or cold but from an odd feeling in her gut. Maybe, Kagome realized, this was what happened when someone started going into shock or finally understood what had happened. A movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Mr. Mori was talking with the young officer about decent places to stay. Another officer, an older man, approached her. He had graying hair and kind brown eyes that made Kagome feel safe.

"Miss," The man began standing by her, "I couldn't help but notice that you seem a little tired. If you don't mind me asking- how far along are you?" Kagome turned sharply to look at the officer wondering how he knew. She hadn't really shown any signs yet: no large protruding stomach, no early symptoms of morning sickness. Just an aching tiredness that made her want to sit or sleep.

"My wife- when she was pregnant with our first child- was just like you." The man explained. "I'm not sure what I can do, but if you need something I can uh try to get it for you." Kagome's eyes softened and she realized why she felt so safe with this man- he was nice and reminded her of her father. She smiled softly and though hesitant, took him up on his offer.

"I haven't eaten since breakfast. I'm afraid my mind has been preoccupied lately. And my medicines- I think I forgot them so I need to find a pharmacy." The man nodded and looked to the younger police officer and Mr. Mori who were still conversing.

"I'll have Fujita take you to a hotel and tell him to get you something to eat. He's been assigned to your case and well- we don't get a lot of work around here. He won't mind."

Kagome nodded, finding it pointless to protest. At this point, she had to be strong enough to take care of Inuyasha. Well, take care of him as well as she could- she wasn't a doctor after all. The older officer motioned to the now known Fujita and Mr. Mori who made their way over. Fujita looked nervously at Kagome. Mr. Mori however, asked the other office why he had called them over. It made Kagome feel like she was being judged. Really, she needed only two more weeks, then she would be fine according to her doctor.

"Mrs. Tanaka needs to eat. Take her and Mr. Mori to a restaurant and then see that they find lodging." Fujita nodded and held out a hand to Kagome. Mr. Mori looked at her indifferently and she found that she didn't like it. She refused Fujita's hand to stand up on her own and the other officer admonished her.

"In your condition Mrs. Tanaka, you know better. It does not matter what others think, you need your rest because you care for two people now!"

Kagome flushed but still managed to raise an angry glare to the officer. Now she was embarrassed and the entire police station knew why she was tired. Did he have to do that? Still, she grabbed the arm offered to her by Fujita and leaned on him for support. A part of her wouldn't allow herself to depend too much on others right now and so she grabbed the suitcase handle behind her and followed Fujita out of the police station. It seemed the others understood her silent actions because they left her alone as she exited. Once outside, Fujita helped her into his vehicle and, once the both of them were settled, began driving.

"I'm sorry Miss." He stated as he turned onto a side street a few minutes later. "If I'd have known about your condition, I would have made the situation less taxing."

"It's fine Officer Fujita." Kagome stated frustrated at his attitude and the attitude of the others at the station. "After all, what you did was hardly compared to what my husband did."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Kagome wished them back. She hadn't meant them- or rather she had but she didn't want to blurt them out now. And not in such a disgraceful manner where her words came out as an insult. A frustrated huff left her throat, her body finally giving in to the need to do something. She sobbed- an odd mixture of dry tears and frustration- because it hurt and she was frankly at a breaking point. Her husband had possibly cheated on her and was maybe on his deathbed, and she was stuck here, crying in a police officer's car. And she couldn't do anything strenuous- the baby!

"Mrs. Tanaka," The officer parked the car and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "it's okay. I'm sorry for mentioning it." He hesitated but continued. "Listen, there's a restaurant here, how about we get you something to eat? Then I'll show you to a nearby hotel and you can take some rest." Kagome composed herself before she turned to the officer.

"I'd like that thanks."


A tired Kagome lay on the bed in her hotel room hours later. She had managed to eat something in the restaurant with Mr. Mori and Fujita. Fujita had kept her company while a tired Mr. Mori asked the officer for directions and left the restaurant to head to the hotel. After she had eaten her meal, Fujita had helped her check into the hotel- a decent inn owned by an aging older couple. They were nice and Kagome knew that for as long as she was to stay in Aomori she would be fine in their care. A yawn escaped her mouth and she stood from the bed and left the place of her impromptu nap. When she had come to her room, she had collapsed on her bed from exhaustion.

Kagome made her way to the adjoining bathroom and took a look at her reflection in the mirror. Was that what she had looked like all day- puffy eyes rimmed red with droopy bags underneath them? She hurriedly splashed cold water on her face willing some vitality back into her face. When she felt better, she wiped her face and reached into her purse. She had found her medication earlier in the restaurant when she had paid her bill. Glad to have the pills with her, she took the vitamins she was supposed to and debated about what to do now. Maybe, she thought, she could go through Inuyasha's things and clean some things to put into his suitcase.

Kagome reached for the bag that she had left on the bedside that contained the items from the police station. The scarf was promptly taken out and she placed it back on the table to clean it later. His watch was still working and she placed it next to her on the bed. Inuyasha had probably left its case in his suitcase and she could easily put it in there later. His wallet was battered and out of pure curiosity, she opened it. All his credit cards were there but there was also something that slipped out when she opened it. Condoms- why did Inuyasha have them in his wallet? She and Inuyasha hadn't needed them for a while. In fact, he was the one who had made a show of throwing the box in the trash a few months when they had decided to try for a baby.

Placing the wallet by the watch, Kagome moved on to his cellphone. She turned it on but noticed that it was dead. Grumbling, she reached for her phone charger and plugged his phone on it. Before she had fallen asleep, she had been able to charge her dying phone at least. It was a good thing she and Inuyasha both had phones that shared chargers. Well, that finished everything in the bag- now all that was left was the camera. Sighing, she stood and opened Inuyasha's suitcase deciding that she might as well pack his watch away while she was up.

His suitcase was a mess, not that she expected otherwise. She shuffled through the mess and found the box that housed his watch perched on top of a folder. She pulled the box out and reached for the folder as well. Did it have to do with Inuyasha's work? Closing the suitcase again, she took the camera bag resting beside it and made her way back to the bed. Collapsing onto it, Kagome placed the watch reverently into its case and then reached for the camera bag. She had been curious when Inuyasha had mentioned that he needed to take the camera on a business trip but she had let it go. Inuyasha had been obsessed with his camera hobby recently, even going as far as hiding all his work in a dark room in their house. She respected his privacy but sometimes wondered what he hid in there.

The camera turned on and the first picture surprised her but she breezed past it. Maybe, she mused, she'd know why Inuyasha was in Aomori instead of Osaka if she took a look through his camera. As she looked through the pictures, one caught her eye. The woman's face had been hidden in the other pictures but in this one, she clearly saw the face of the woman whom she had assumed was her. The woman looked like her- enough to make Kagome freak out a little. But that wasn't all. She was smiling at the camera and had her lips formed in a pout as though she was angry at Inuyasha for taking the picture. The words of the doctor came back into her head and she desperately prayed that it wasn't Mrs. Mori whose face she saw back at her.

Hitching a breath, Kagome went through the remaining photos and lifted a hand up to her mouth as the images played before her. Whoever this was, and she was now beginning to suspect it was Mrs. Mori, was obviously having an affair with her husband. She wouldn't have minded Inuyasha taking photos but it was now making sense why he had never let her into the darkroom. The pictures before her showed a woman who was obviously making poses for the camera naked. If the state of undress didn't alert Kagome to what was going on, the love bites on the woman's skin did. It was sickening to watch but she couldn't tear herself away from the sight. When she finally reached the end, she realized why Inuyasha had come to Aomori. It was to spend time with his lover instead of being back home with his wife.

She threw the camera onto the bed behind her. Even in her rage, she knew better than to hurt that equipment. But it wasn't just rage- it was an overwhelming sense of betrayal and sadness. Why had Inuyasha done this? She pushed a frustrated hand through her hair and thought about what she had seen. It didn't have to be true did it? Maybe it wasn't Mrs. Mori? Maybe Inuyasha was looking for a career in photography and was trying to build his portfolio. She looked at the charging phone and thought about it. Yes, Inuyasha wouldn't cheat on her like this- he was happy in their marriage and so was she. Right?

Hastily, Kagome reached for the charging phone and skimmed through its messages suddenly needing to know if everything she had seen was some trick of the eye. Tears blurring her eyes she opened the folder in his phone that held recent messages and promptly wished she hadn't. Lots of messages from a name unknown to Kagome appeared before her eyes. The woman's name was Kikyo and she and Inuyasha had been communicating frequently. Knowing that she shouldn't but still doing it anyway, Kagome opened the most recent set of messages.

Inuyasha, she read, when are you coming to Aomori? I have a surprise for you. She scrolled down to read her husband's reply.

Soon Kikyo- I promise this will be a Valentine's you won't forget.

I'm waiting for you at the hotel. Did you pack the condoms?

In the bag. Can't wait to see you.

Disgusted, Kagome threw the phone away from her. So that explained the condoms in his wallet. And the reason he was in Aomori. She looked at the phone and remembered the pictures from the camera. That woman was Kikyo. She was the woman Inuyasha was cheating on her with. She brought a hand up to her mouth and bit her nails to stop the scream from leaving her mouth. She turned her eyes to the last item she had placed next to her- the folder. Just what was in that folder and why had Inuyasha taken care of it so carefully? She knew by now that it didn't have to do with work but she was curious. And she had to know just how many more secrets he was keeping from her.

Shaky hands opened the manila cover to look at the papers inside. A doctor's report- no, not just a doctor's report- an obstetrician's report. She held her breath as she skimmed through the details. Had Inuyasha known she was pregnant? Was he trying to salvage their marriage? She glanced through it and stopped when she saw the patient's name: Kikyo Mori. Everything that had happened that day couldn't compare to the feelings she had now. She was angry and hurt and above all, she was left feeling hollow.

She was pregnant. If Inuyasha had waited he could have heard the good news from her. Instead, his arrogance and greed were giving him a child with Kikyo? And the doctor- the doctor from the morning who had told her the news. She was right! She crumpled the papers of the folder in her hands and threw it against the wall before letting out a scream of rage and frustration. Her life as she knew it was over. Her marriage had crumbled into pieces just like the glass she had dropped yesterday at home. Sobbing, now that she couldn't go against the facts, Kagome's hands fumbled for the phone to dial a familiar number.

"Hello?" The voice of Mrs. Higurashi came through on the phone.

"Mama!" Kagome sobbed needing her mother more than anyone else did at the moment. "Mama, I need you!" She knew that her mother probably knew about the accident but had no idea about the seriousness of it. But her mother always knew when she was needed and Kagome just had a feeling that she would show up and not keep her daughter waiting long.

"Kagome! Dear what's wrong?" When she didn't reply her mother continued. "Kagome- tell me where you are, I'll be there on the next train." The words were clear and Kagome rushed for an answer.

"Aomori mama, in the- the Matsuda Inn." Kagome collapsed into sobs again and her mother let her go promising her that she would be there. She hung up when she heard the dial tone and collapsed on the bed amidst all the things she had unearthed. And that was where she would stay for the rest of the day until she could figure out what she wanted to do now.


Sesshomaru opened his bleary eyes trying to reacquaint himself with his environment. A few blinks later, he remembered. Kikyo was in the hospital and after he left there, he went to the police station. On instinct, he turned to look at the table beside his bed. The bag was still there. Taking a deep breath, he let it out and sat up slowly trying not to make himself dizzy. The lack of sleep from the night before had caused his body to tire and exhaustion had forced him to sleep as soon as he checked into the hotel. He was grateful to the officer Fujita who managed to tell him where to go. Now though, he wanted to sort through some things of Kikyo's and call Rin and Kaede. They were due to come by train in a few days and he wanted to let them know where to find him.

He walked with lethargic strides to the adjoining bathroom and freshened up before taking a seat back on the bed. The hotel room wasn't bad- a decent bed, a cozy lamp, a bathroom with hot water. Really, it could have been worse. Stifling a yawn, he reached for the bag and emptied its contents onto the table. He hadn't been paying much attention when he had gathered the items and wanted to sort through them again. If there was anything important he'd prefer to have it stored away in his suitcase.

Kikyo's leather gloves were the first items that he recognized. Placing them to the side, he reached for the cell phone. It was still running which surprised him, and he opened it to see if there was anything of value stored inside. There was a picture on it that he didn't recognize but still it surprised him. Kikyo was kissing another man and it was obvious that it wasn't him. Remembering the warning that the doctor had given him at the hospital he had to wonder: was this Mr. Tanaka? Rage bled through him and he placed the cell phone to the side to look through her things. Her sudden trip was now making more sense. What else was she hiding? He needed to know and he was going to find out.

A map of Aomori and the surrounding area along with a few papers were the next few things to add to the growing pile of materials that he picked up from the station. Kikyo's favorite nail polish and a copy of her favorite music CD followed them until the Ziploc bag was empty. Nothing- nothing else that suggested she had been cheating on him! But the evidence was there in her phone! He curled one hand into a fist as he tried to figure out what was really happening between Kikyo and the man. If only there was something else- some other piece of evidence. His eyes found her purse littered among his bags. Hadn't he picked that up at the station? Standing, he retrieved the purse from its location and dumped its contents onto the bed.

Her wallet tumbled down taking some papers down along with it. He recognized a hospital logo on them and his eyes narrowed. Another shake and this time pencils and a box. Sesshomaru scanned the items that fell and felt the air rush out of him at what he saw. That wasn't a box- it was a pregnancy test. His knees gave out and he collapsed onto the side of the bed as the realizations sank in.

He loved Kikyo- albeit it wasn't a flowery romance. He had thought she was fine with it, she never mentioned otherwise nor did he notice- anytime in their seven year relationship- that she was unhappy. But she'd been distant lately and her missing Valentine's had worried him. Still- he would have never expected this. He wouldn't have thought- no he could hardly even imagine- that she would go so far as to cheat on him, have a child that was not his.

Sesshomaru had noticed that her presence within their marriage bed was different. Where a year ago, she had actively asked him about starting a family, a few months back she had altogether banned intercourse between them. He was still able to hold her, kiss her, cuddle her- he hadn't thought that she was faking those. For a moment he felt angry tears cloud his eyes. He had been played a fool. A stupid, idiotic fool. He was going to woo her when she returned and had planned a weekend free of interruptions where he would love her and tell her what she meant to him. But what was the point, when it was obvious that he was the only one who felt this way.

His hands reached for the box and the papers that he recognized as being from a hospital. The box first- he reasoned, after all, Kikyo's secrets obviously centered around the test inside. He pulled it out, and read the results, faded but still there. Positive. Of course she would be. Carelessly tossing the test aside, he reached for the papers. With shaky hands he opened it and grimaced as he read the words. Kikyo was indeed pregnant. Considering that he hadn't made love- was it even that anymore- to her in at least four months he knew that the child wasn't his. Crumpling the papers, he tossed them against the wall and then punched the bedspread to let loose some anger.

Citrine eyes that were laced with betrayal looked around the room and its ghastly contents before he stood. No, he couldn't stay here. He needed to go somewhere. Not forever, just for a while. He needed to get away from the reality and go punch something. Because really, it wasn't fair. He'd given her a stable marriage- he was willing to start a family with her. He had gone into a relationship with her knowing that if he married her he would be saddled with her sisters' futures as well. And this- this was how she repaid him?

He snatched his coat off his suitcase and slipped it on. Once he knew his wallet and keys were with him he stepped out of the room and slammed the door finding immense satisfaction when it shut with a bang. Somewhere down the hall, he heard a yell and it startled him but didn't quell his rage. Did Mrs. Tanaka know, he suddenly wondered. At that thought, his fisted hands dug into his palms. She didn't deserve to have this happen to her, just as much as he did. His mouth set into a snarl, he turned and fled. He was done here.


A/N: Acknowledgement needs to go to my beta: NeoChaotic (on Dokuga). Thanks a lot! Also, Kagome's mother line- after I typed it I noticed it's resemblance to a line from "The Gilmore Girls" theme song. Any coincedence such as that is purely unintnetional. Also, I know, I know the betrayal thing is cliché, but I promise this story will be different!