Chapter 1- Freedom brings Fear

She stared around her as she made her way down the street. She knew Sango stayed around here somewhere. Sango had been her closet friend, her confidante', and also in a odd, roundabout way, her cousin. Blue eyes wide ,she scanned street names and numbers. The page she'd tore out of the phone book proclaimed that yes there was a Hitachi, Sango who stayed at 67a Hunders lane.

She'd ignored the phone number because she didn't feel that Sango would believe her. Who would believe that the person who'd ignored them for four years suddenly calling them and saying that the boy she married had turned into this horrifying monster?


She stood outside the door of the apartment. 67A. Looking at it now, she lost all her nerve. Her newfound independence. Just as she was turning to leave, the door opened and out into the sunshine backed Sango Hitachi.

"….Hate that damn cat. She's always running off, and she doesn't appreciate shit. I should just give the thing away." Sango grumbled as she locked the door. Huffing angrily, she jerked it and then smirked when the lock caught.

"Bout Tuckin Fime." she mumbled.

"Sango?"

Sango turned and glared at her, but all the angry color in her face drained when she saw the eyes staring back at her.

"Kagome? Kagome, is that you?" she asked taking a step forward, and cinnamon brown eyes widening in shock when the girl took a step back from her.

It was then that Sango noticed why her eyes stood out at her. They were lifeless, and dull. Like a wounded animal or a kicked dog. It was always wary of anyone or anything.

"I'm sorry for intruding like this. I see you're busy, so I'll go." the girl said hollowly almost like a puppet.

"Kagome, I- Come in?" she motioned at the door.

"I can't. He'll find me." she whispered as fear over crept the dullness.

Sango jerked to a stop as she tried to process that information. Then she took in the girl's appearance. The baggy clothes hid any trace of her femininity, and she almost looked like a homeless person. This wasn't the Kagome she knew.

Sango seemed to think for a moment.

"I'm going to have lunch at a Tea Shoppe near here. Want to come?"

The girl looked at her for what seemed like hours before nodding.

"Kagome-"

"Don't call me that."

Sango looked confused. "It's your name, Kagome."

"Kagome isn't here anymore. I don't have a name."

"I'll call you Katsumi or Azami. Which one would you like?"

"My name is Yori."

Sango looked doubtful. "You want a name like Yori?"

"I want the meaning. Katsumi and Azami are too good for me."

"Very well then. Yori, Come on."


He sniffed the air when he got home. So she was gone huh? But after the first couple of sniffs around the drive way, he realized he only smelled himself.

"So you got smart, eh Bitch?"

He strolled into the house. The front door was still locked. And no windows were broken, then he stepped on something.

Glass. Glancing up, he stared a the broken door. She'd broken out of HIS house. The house HE'D told her to stay in. Bitch, you're in for it now.


Sango chattered away as she watched Yori eye the entire surrounding area before she sat down.

"I always get the burger and fries when I come here. You might want something else though. You always ate Sushi when we went out." she supplied as Yori frowned at the menu.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of her next stood on end. Her first conscious thought was he'd found her. Until she realized the aura was not the same, but held trace of brotherhood. They were related.

Sango watched as Yori stiffened suddenly, then seemed to force her body to relax, and calmly glanced around.

"His name is Sesshoumaru. He runs a business in the area, and Sesshoumaru-sama and HIM are half-brothers."

Yori didn't say anything, but she filed the information away.

Suddenly, the aura exploded over their table.

"Mutt, I have been trying to get into contact-" he trailed off as he sniffed.

"You are not the Half-breed." he stated.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." the other woman at the table spoke. He recognized her. She worked for him, didn't she?

"This is Yori. She and I are old friends."

Yori looked up at him with eyes similar to those of a kicked puppy. Almost as if she expected him to strike her for simply sitting there, breathing the same air as him, or for just being her.

Her eyes were blue and familiar though he'd never seen them like this.

"Your name was Kagome when I last met you." he said as he pulled a chair to the table.

Sango spoke.

"Kagome died. He killed her."

Sesshoumaru didn't have to ask who HE was. He knew that the mutt had an explosive temper. He never expected it to turn to woman beating, the lowest of life-forms only hit women.

"I-" Yori spoke, but fell silent immediately when he looked at her.

"This Sesshoumaru bids you continue." he said as she stared at her plate.

"I don't want him to know where I am." she said quietly.

"Hn." he said simply. It was obvious to why. But he'd see to it later.

"Very Well. How did you come across Hitachi-san."

Yori looked at him. Then her plate, and back at him before she spoke.

"I ran away."

"He is your husband is he not?"

Yori nodded.

"Then You are pack. I will not tell him where you are, though I will punish him in the way I see fit."

Yori glanced up sharply.

"Hm."

Sango spoke quietly.

"Yori, do you have ID?"

"No. She mumbled quietly, and sighed.

"So you will need ID?" Sesshoumaru asked.

She nodded.

Sesshoumaru pulled out a paper and scribbled something on to it.

"Go to this address and ask for Shippo. Tell him that I sent you."

Yori nodded and then stared at him.

"Yes."

"He hates you. Why would you help me?"

"I am a real man. The half-breed simply plays at one. Men look after the weaker."

With that, he turned and strode out of the coffee house.

Sango turned to her.

"Wanna order take out and go shopping?"

"With what?"

Sango held up a small plastic rectangle.

"He left it, and said to buy you some clothes."

"I don't want to."

" I say we do. I'll order them myself. But I'll use my clothes to measure you."

Yori smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.

Sango sighed.

We've got a long way to go, Kagome. But you will be Kagome.


(A/N) I wanted to point out that the asterisks by the words mean they have a definition at the bottom.

Yori-dependence

Katsumi- victorious beauty

Azami- thistle flower.