He wandered back outside with her, handing a coffee to her as he went.

'Thanks.'

He shrugged. 'No problem.'

He watched her as she took a sip.

'So then, do you have anywhere to go?'

'The bridge?' She suggested bleakly.

He gave her a slightly irritated look.

She looked back down at her cup quietly, shaking her head no.

'School,' he suggested, 'friends place,' he looked her up and down for a moment, and raised an eyebrow. 'Boyfriend?'

She shook her head no again, more slowly this time.

'What are you, fifteen? Sixteen? You've still got another year or three to go, don't you?'

'Don't go anymore.' She said quietly.

'Why not? You could go to uni, get a job, and some green, which usually helps.' He rubbed two fingers together, and nearly smiled.

She shrugged, and looked away.

He cocked his head to the side as if considering her.

'What are you, some sort of drugged up school dropout?'

'No…'

'Then what? How come your life is so terrible you don't want to live it?'

She looked back at him defiantly. 'What are you, a social worker? A head-shrink?'

He very nearly did smile that time.

'Nah, I got community service. Random acts count, you know.' He added.

She gave him a disbelieving look.

'Assault. The usual.'

Her disbelieving look froze as she took a step back.

'No, no, it wasn't like that.'

Another step.

'I'm serious. He hit me first.'

He followed her, matching her step for step.

He seemed to be enjoying himself, tormenting her, and grinning when she ran into the park bench and fell into it.

She crossed her arms tightly and looked cross, sealing her lips together.

'Jeez. I'm having you on.'

She glanced up at him, but dragged her gaze back down to the ground, still pouting.

'Oh, go away. I don't need you anymore.'

He rolled his eyes.

'Then where will you go? Oh wait, I know this one,' He said, turning her back towards him by the shoulders.

'To the bridge.' They said at exactly the same time.

Neither laughed, they both were serious.

And neatly, his phone rang.

Slowly, he pulled it out of his pocket and when she got up to leave, he pulled her back down by the arm and would not let her go, no matter how much she struggled.

'Hello?'

She shot a glare back at him, and started trying to pry his fingers off her.

'Yeah, I know. Just make up some random excuse.' He paused. 'No, no way, absolutely not.'

Seemingly she gave up and pouted.

'No, Miroku. Seriously. If you tell them that, you die. I know where you sleep.'

In reward his fingers slackened, and she snatched her arm away and jumped up, only to be seized and dragged back down again.

'Hey!'

'That reminds me, how much was random acts worth again?'

'Let me go already! I don't need you!'

'That much?' He sounded disappointed. 'Not much. Saved a girls life. Hey, shut up!'

He flushed slightly, enough for Kagome to stop pouting and glance curiously at him.

She wanted to get away from here, fast.

She returned her gaze fixedly to the ground, whilst he continued his conversation with his friend, this 'Miroku' person.

Perhaps, if she kept her head down, and wearing this hood, she wouldn't be spotted.

Luck was most certainly not with her.

'Kagome?' A biting, accusing voice spat at her from behind, and InuYasha finally had the sense to drop her arm.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Footsteps, and a face appeared peering up at her.

She recognised this face.

Kouga.

He dragged her to her feet, and skilfully slipped a hand around her waist.

Another second, and his face changed completely.

'What the hell is this?' He asked, fingering the collar of the jumper she still wore.

And, before she could react, he had ripped it over her head and thrown it to the ground.

'N-Nothing.'

'Like hell it is. you'd better tell me, you little wench, or I'll-' He whispered the rest of the threat, and she turned ashen.

'I-it was my brothers. I-I stole if off him.'

He thought it over, then gave a dissatisfied snort.

Suddenly, he was calm again.

'Come on back to my place then, we can, watch a movie.' He ended suggestively.

'N-no, thank you. I just,' she paused, 'wanted to finish my walk then go home. I'm not feeling, so good.'

He looked suspicious for a second, then flew into a rage again.

He pulled her close, and whispered.

'Are you,' He trailed off, looking murderous.

It took a second for her to realise what he was talking about, and he took it as a hesitation.

'You'd better not be, wench. I'm giving you your only warning. If you've been sleeping around…'

She couldn't believe her ears.

He was talking like she was pregnant, and that he had never been with her before, so it was obviously someone else's.

The nerve of him!

Her face must have looked defiant, she knew he hated that, so he raised his hand and brought it swinging round.

Suddenly, it stopped, an inch from her face where she had flinched, but it was not willing.

'Didn't your mother ever tell you not to hit girls?'

Kouga looked confused for a second, then rage overwhelmed him again.

'What the hell? Get lost!'

InuYasha shrugged, but did not let go of Kouga's wrist.

Kagome opened her eyes again to see the two glaring at each other.

'No, no, go away. I don't need your help.'

'What are you talking about?' Kouga accused, glaring back down at her. 'Don't tell me…'

She tried to push InuYasha away, to no success, honestly worried for his safety.

'It's not like that.' She said, shaking her head. 'Y-you're being silly.'

Using his free hand, Kouga wrapped it around her shoulders and pulled her crushingly close, he was so angry he was calm again.

This was the times that scared her most.

'I-its alright, now.' She looked back at InuYasha, who was looking confused but indignant. 'Goodbye.'

She had called him silly, and now she knew she would pay the price.

She also knew she was making it worse for herself, but as long as he didn't follow them, then he should be alright.

She let herself be dragged away, leaving InuYasha standing there, phone still in other hand, deeply suspicious.

xXxXx

'Hey Miroku,'

'Yeah? Oh and where are you? You're supposed to be-'

'Shut it, I know. Anyway, You're dating that cop, right?'

'How do you think I got off so well?'

InuYasha paused to roll his eyes. 'I know. Does she have access to the missing persons thing?'

'I think so. Why? Got someone to add?'

'Nah, think I've found someone. Don't ask me how. Next time you see her, ask about a girl named Kagome.'

'New girlfriend?'

'No!'

'Some-'

'Just do it, alright?'

Miroku snorted down the phone. 'Sure sure. See you later.'

InuYasha hung up, sighing.

He was deeply regretting not following her, and now had no way to find her.

She had looked scared, yet determined, and he was sure that if he imposed then she would get it worse.

Whatever it was, and he had a pretty shrewd idea.

He hadn't known her for twenty-four hours and yet he already liked her.

Not like liked her, she was just enough of a handful to keep him entertained.

So he figured, she was tough, or tough enough to find a way to escape, and there was one place she would go.

InuYasha clenched his teeth, not liking it at all, but turned and started backtracking his footsteps.

Next Chapter!

Anyway, like I said in the summary, the rating's for laguage, and hinting at darker themes, and this is one of them.

As per usual, reviews, please! Will update soon(ish)!