A/N: To say that it's been forever since I last updated would be an understatement. In the last six years since I looked at this story, I've graduated both high school and college. I now find myself with a rare amount of free time. I've always enjoyed writing, but throughout college I only ever had time for papers (lots of them). I'd really love to be a writer one day, but I need to get back into the swing of creative writing. So, I've decided to resume this fanfiction as a way to practice. My apologies if the style comes across as overly formal at times. That's part of the academic writing habit that I'm trying to overcome. For now, I only plan to work on this story, but I may decide to continue the other fanfiction I'd left off if anyone shows any interest in it. (Who am I kidding? Who is still reading after a 6 year hiatus? Oh well, I may pick it up again anyway.) As always, please review!

Where Broken Hearts Go

Chapter 4: Psychic Vibrations

By: Aya Kiana

The next few days of Inuyasha's life were stressful to say the least. Wherever he went, the ghost of Kagome Higurashi seemed to follow. He saw her reflection everywhere, in his bathroom mirror, puddles on the pavement, shopping windows when he walked down the street, even in the water glasses he served at work. It was like living in a horror movie. However, very rarely was Kagome herself visible to him. Her tangibility seemed to be linked to her emotions. After all, she never appeared to him in any sort of a regular mood. Early on he only saw her when she was crying and in distress. Then, the day after the incident at the pub, Inuyasha was in the middle of changing when he caught something moving in the corner of his eye. He turned to find none other than Kagome Higurashi sitting on his desk, her face a deep crimson and her eyes gazing at him very intently. After a moment, she seemed to realize he was looking at her and began squirming around uncomfortably, shaking her head back and forth as if she wished she could disappear.

Suddenly Inuyasha felt his own face heating up. Why am I embarrassed to be seen by a ghost? He didn't like the thought that a ghost could get him worked up, even the ghost of a girl as cute as Kagome Higurashi. Nonetheless, he made a point of changing in his bathroom from that point on.

The following evening, Inuyasha lay awake and thought back on the events of the past week. Despite his promise, the last couple days had been too full of prep class and work for him to put much thought into what he was now calling 'The Higurashi Situation.' He didn't really feel that they were on first name basis yet. Not only had he been busy, but there was also the little problem that he still didn't know exactly what it was that Kagome wanted him to do for her. Honestly, how do you help a ghost? Did she need directions for how to cross over? Inuyasha wasn't exactly in the know when it came to matters of the occult.

"Oi, Higurashi-san!" He called suddenly and waited. The room remained still around him, and Inuyasha realized he wasn't even sure what he was waiting for. Hard to tell if you've gotten the attention of a person who can't respond vocally or be seen.

Unbeknownst to Inuyasha, Kagome was closer than he thought. As he lounged stretched out on his bed, Kagome sat next to him, so close that they were separated by a mere few inches. Hearing Inuyasha call out suddenly tore Kagome from her reverie, and it was a moment before she recognized the name he'd spoken as belonging to her. She watched him intently and waited for him to continue.

"So... I've been thinking. I know I promised to help you, and I still intend to. Thing is, it'd probably help if I knew what you want..." Inuyasha couldn't help but feel like an idiot. He'd never attempted to speak to her before without being able to see her. He was sure she was there, and yet if anyone had been looking down on him at this moment, it would have looked as though he were carrying on a conversation with his ceiling.

Kagome frowned. Even if she were capable of answering him, she didn't know what to say. What did she want? She wasn't exactly sure what it was that was wrong. It's not like she was any kind of expert on the after life, but she was fairly certain it wasn't supposed to be this way, wandering and lonely and without a soul living or dead that she could talk to. What Kagome wanted were answers, only she was sure that Inuyasha was even more lost in all this than she was.

Still, Kagome thought as she cast a glance at Inuyasha, I'd rather have him here than nobody.

Inuyasha abruptly resumed their one-sided dialogue. "I have no idea how to proceed with this, but I'm guessing you can't exactly tell me..." Kagome thought he looked frustrated. "All I can think is to talk to that Yuka chick again. But it's already December 21st! Schools have let out for the year by now. I don't know how I'd track her down, and without her uniform on I doubt I'd even recognize her if she happened to pass me in the street." By this point he was practically growling. Kagome didn't know whether to feel guilty for causing him all this trouble or grateful for the fact that he was so interested in her problem despite apparently not knowing her at all.

Inuyasha seemed to think their situation was pretty hopeless, but what he said gave Kagome an idea of her own. After he had finally dropped off to sleep, she soared out into the frigid night air in search of her family's shrine and something she hoped would shine a light on their quest.


The next morning, Inuyasha went about his routine as usual. Since it was a Sunday, he allowed himself the luxury of a couple extra hours of sleep before heading for the shower. All week he had intended to devote Sunday to delving deeper into the Higurashi Situation, but now that it had arrived he still didn't know where to start.

Inuyasha figured the shower was as good a place to think as any. Besides, his crap apartment always stayed so damn cold this time of year that it was hard not to linger under the faucet of steaming water. He ran a hand through his short hair as the water cascaded over him and tried to focus on the problem at hand, but no new ideas came to him. Ten minutes passed this way to no avail.

Whatever... Inuyasha thought to himself as he gave up trying and turned off the faucet. He stepped out into the steam-filled bathroom and began absently toweling his hair when the mirror suddenly caught his attention. Thanks to a certain restless spirit, he had been trying his best lately to avoid anything that showed a reflection, particularly when he was in the middle of a personal moment such as, say, standing around mostly naked. This time, however, it wasn't Kagome in the mirror. Large, sprawling letters jumped out at him from the steam-fogged glass that read "Kurenai Yuka" followed by an address. Inuyasha could hardly believe it, but he had his lead. He made sure to pull on boxers before stepping hesitantly out into the chilly apartment air and mumbling, "Umm, thanks," to the solitude of his apartment.


About an hour later, Inuyasha found himself standing outside the door to Yuka's home. Despite being his idea, the somewhat anxious teenager wasn't crazy about this arrangement. How exactly was he supposed to broach the subject with her anyway? She'd jumped all over him on the train just for asking her friend's name...

Reminding himself that, yes, this really was his only option if he wanted to learn anything about Kagome, he rang the doorbell. He didn't have to wait long. A moment later, the same short-haired girl he'd met on the train was standing before him. "Hi..." he began lamely.

"The guy from the train?" The question sounded more directed at herself than Inuyasha. In his opinion, she half looked like she wanted nothing more than to slam the door in his face.

Before she had the chance, Inuyasha blurted out, "I was wondering if I could talk to you about Kagome Higurashi." That certainly got her attention, he thought as a clearly surprised expression passed over Yuka's face, and she opened the door somewhat wider.

"What did you say?" she asked skeptically, as if making sure she hadn't imagined it.

"I was hoping I could talk to you about Kagome Higurashi. I know the two of you were friends." Inuyasha repeated, trying not to sound too dramatic. If at all possible, he really hoped to get through this conversation without revealing to the girl before him that he was a weirdo who got stalked by dead people.

"Come inside." She said simply before turning and leading him into a sitting room. Inuyasha assumed her parents were gone to work or something, because Yuka appeared to be the only one home at the moment. At least he wouldn't have to worry about explaining himself to her entire family. "You knew Kagome?" She asked after taking a seat at a low table.

Inuyasha sat on the cushion across from her and looked down at the table as he answered. He'd never been the best at looking right at someone while lying, and somehow the fact that she was a total stranger only made it worse. "Yeah, you could say that." He really hoped she wouldn't press him on that point. Things could turn sour quick if she caught him in an out right lie, and of course the truth was out of the question. Luckily, Yuka didn't really seem to care that much.

"Then you... know about the accident?" Just like on the train, Yuka's whole persona fell as she began discussing her friend's unfortunate demise.

"Yes..." Inuyasha tried to look equally crest-fallen. "Actually, that's sorta what I wanted to talk to you about. I was hoping you could tell me exactly what happened."

"Why not go to her family?"

This question caught Inuyasha completely off guard. Why didn't I think of that? He berated himself. At that moment, he noticed the form of none other than Kagome Higurashi herself reflected in the glass of a picture frame across the room. She was standing in the doorway just behind him. She's here... figures. Yuka was clearly still waiting for an answer. "Well, they don't know me, and I figured they're going through a lot right now. Besides, I thought as Kagome's best friend you'd be the one who really knew what was going on." He sincerely hoped that librarian had been right about how close these two were or he'd probably just blown his cover.

Yuka simply answered with, "I see" and continued to look thoughtful. "So, you were her boyfriend then?" With these words, she looked up at him as if to gauge his reaction. Inuyasha wasn't sure but felt that he might be walking into a trap.

"Uh..."

Thankfully, she decided to elaborate. "Kagome had a few guys that were really interested in her, but she didn't pay attention to any of them. She already had someone; she must have, only he didn't go to our school. I always thought there was probably something about him that kept her from bringing him home and showing him off to her friends. So what, are you a delinquent or something?"

"Hold on a second..." Apparently, Yuka had made up her mind as to the nature of his and Kagome's alleged "relationship." He was on the verge of setting her straight when she blurted out something that completely stole his attention.

"Was it your fault, then? You know she was really upset! She would have seen that car! She may have even had time to get out of the way, but all the witnesses said it was like she was oblivious to everything around her!" Yuka was on the verge of tears at this point. As for Inuyasha, he really didn't expect to come into this little interview and practically get accused of murder, but at least now they were on to something. Maybe whatever had upset Kagome also had something to do with what was continuing to bother her even now, beyond the grave... Something that was preventing her from resting peacefully. To find out more on that score, Inuyasha apparently had no choice but to play the role of negligent boyfriend.

"You think I had something to do with it then? Did Kagome say anything like that?" It was strange to be using her first name like this, but somehow it felt so familiar.

Yuka had calmed down a little. "No, not exactly... it was just this feeling I had." Inuyasha waited, hoping she would continue. He threw a glance at the picture on the wall and realized Kagome hadn't moved. "It was just like she was so far away."

Inuyasha was suddenly reminded of the epitaph on Kagome's headstone. 'May her spirit return to where it truly longs to be.' He decided to ask Yuka about it. "So what was up with that? Know anything about it?"

"The headstone?" Yuka seemed a bit unsure as she answered, "You'd probably do better to ask her family, but as far as I know... Her younger brother told me a bit about it, and well..." Either she was having trouble remembering or she really didn't know just how to word what she was about to say. "Kagome was pretty sick over the past year. She missed school a lot because of it..."

Seeing as how Yuka was taking her time, Inuyasha decided to cut in. "What did she have?"

"I'm really not even sure. Rheumatism maybe? Anyway, she must have been delirious or something, because she woke up from a fever one morning and apparently insisted that she was supposed to be somewhere else. Souta said she got seriously upset about it, like she honestly expected them to know what she was talking about."

Inuyasha was no longer following the conversation. "So, what is it she was talking about?" He asked, hoping Yuka could do a better job of explaining. He got the feeling that this went to the very core of the current situation.

"I have no idea. The only other thing Souta told me is that she was acting so crazy she jumped into the well and sprained her ankle." The well? Now Inuyasha knew he was on the right track. There was no way it was a coincidence that he had seen that well in his dreams before meeting Kagome. Whatever it was that was going on, he was sure that well had something to do with it.

It was clear that Yuka didn't know anything more on that score, and Inuyasha decided to take advantage of the lull in conversation to politely take his leave. Now that Yuka brought it up, it seemed so obvious to him that he couldn't believe he hadn't made the connection before. Those dreams were what originally led him to Kagome, so clearly they must have some sort of meaning or hint to what was going on. The well was definitely a clue, and not just the well but also the tree. Still, Inuyasha couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something important. "Did you forget me, Inuyasha?" YES, I admit it, okay? Geez... still, maybe the biggest clue around here is me?


Throughout the conversation between Inuyasha and Yuka, Kagome remained in the doorway attentively taking in every word. She wanted answers so badly. Why was she here? And why Inuyasha?

The name Yuka meant nothing to her. It didn't stir even the tiniest hint of a memory. Still, when she'd heard Inuyasha talking about her connection to a girl named Yuka she'd remembered an address book on the desk in her old room which, despite the fact that she'd been dead for more than two weeks now, her family had yet to touch. Sure enough, in flipping through the pages of the notebook she'd quickly come across one Kurenai Yuka. It was so obvious that Yuka had cared about her, that they had been close friends. Then why was it that only Inuyasha could see her, when he was only pretending to be in mourning?

And then of course, there was the well. Kagome had figured out long ago that the cause of her death was a car accident. Everyone at her wake had been talking about it. Yet when she first awoke to this ghostly existence she was sitting in the bottom of that well, miles from where she assumed her body to be. Since that moment, she'd gone back to the well again and again. She'd tried everything, looked everywhere, but it was just an ordinary dried up well with nothing special about it that she could see. But Yuka said I jumped into it? Strange, why would I do something like that?

Kagome replayed the conversation again and again inside her head as she drifted down the street behind Inuyasha, but it refused to reveal any genuine answers. Actually, she now had even more questions demanding to be answered than before she'd encountered Yuka. Honestly, I hope Inuyasha got more out of that than I did, she thought as a sigh escaped her lips.

As they turned the corner toward the subway, Kagome felt an unusual chill pass through her. It was impossible to mistake seeing as how it was the first time since dying that she could truly apply the word "feel" to anything. This wasn't a sensation that required a body, and in spite of her surprise Kagome had to admit that this feeling was somehow familiar. It was pulling her in, drawing her toward some particular destination. Without understanding how or why, she could sense where it originated. She absolutely had to find out what was there. The only difficulty would be how to alert Inuyasha...

Inuyasha walked toward the station as though on auto pilot, more or less oblivious to the world around him. Like Kagome, he was analyzing all the information he'd collected over the past few days, trying to make the pieces of the puzzle fit. But there were still so many holes in the story, still so many dead end leads and random variables he couldn't interpret. Had he been paying attention, he would've seen Kagome waving at him from the windows of cars parked along the street or attempting to yell at him from display windows. As it was, not until Inuyasha pulled out his cell phone to check the time did he notice Kagome screaming at him in the reflection, floating practically above his head.

After retrieving his cell from the pavement, he watched in the shop windows as Kagome pointed down the street in the direction they'd just come. She waited only a moment before her reflection in the glass began moving away from him, beckoning him to follow. It wasn't easy tracking an apparition, and there was a brief moment of confusion when Inuyasha lost sight of Kagome as she crossed the street. In the end, however, he found himself standing in front of a comic shop with Kagome's reflection staring back at him. Taped to the door was a hand-written sign that read "Psychic Readings – 500 yen."

Is she serious? Inuyasha asked himself as he pushed his way into the shop.

From all appearances, it was an ordinary comic store. Dimly lit, not many customers around, just boxes and shelves stuffed to bursting with manga and comics and display cases featuring scantily clad models of anime girls. Toward the back of the store was a curtain hanging in a doorway and a sign with the same scrawling print, this time featuring the words "Miss Sachiko, Psychic."

Well, what have I got to lose? Aside from 500 yen... With that thought, Inuyasha brushed the curtain aside and stepped into the small, dark room. His first thought upon entering was how ridiculously cliché this "psychic's" set-up was. The room had clearly been converted from a janitorial closet, as attested to by the mop and bucket tucked discreetly into the corner and the tiled floor complete with a drain. The only furniture was a small round table hung with a dark table cloth and two oppositely facing chairs. To complete the picture the table was decked out with, you guessed it, a crystal ball. The only light in the room apart from what crept past the curtain came from a piece of reflective glass hung to the ceiling that created a disco ball effect, spraying tiny beams of light in all directions.

As if the room wasn't disappointing enough, the seated figure fiddling with a Gameboy was decked out in a set of cheaply made velvet robes that Inuyasha was absolutely sure he'd seen last Halloween in about a million different stores. The robes were star spangled and seemed to be purple, though it was hard to tell with the lack of lighting. In flagrant disregard of character synchronicity, this psychic was also wearing an oversized pointy black witch's hat.

"Be with you in just a moment!" A high voice chirped from within the darkness. The figure beneath the hat hadn't even bothered to look up when he'd entered. Inuyasha just stood there waiting for a few minutes as lively game music filled the compact space.

Minutes later, the music shut off as the self-proclaimed psychic set the video game to the side and hopped out of the seat. From the size of her, Inuyasha realized that she couldn't be more than 12-years-old. "Hello! I am Miss Sachiko, psychic extraordinaire! Name please?" She was pretty upbeat for a psychic...

"It's Inuyasha."

There was a brief moment of silence. "Are you serious?"

You expect me to buy into a grade school psychic, and yet you want to know if I'M serious? That may have been what he wanted to say, but Inuyasha only replied with, "Dead."

"Okay then, have a seat!" Miss Sachiko was evidently an easily appeased person.

Only now did Inuyasha notice the cat curled up in the other chair. Sachiko shooed it away and motioned for him to sit down as she too resumed her seat. Even seated, Inuyasha towered over the girl before him.

"What is your will, client? Oh, and I'll need to take your payment in advance." Inuyasha found himself grudgingly handing over a 500 yen piece. Oh well, least it's cheap...

"So by psychic, do you mean you're a mind-reader or you can tell the future or...?" A part of Inuyasha wondered how he had gotten roped into playing make believe with some midget and actually paying for it.

"Fortune telling is my specialty!" The girl beamed at him as she answered, evidently very pleased with herself.

"Oh, well that's too bad. My problem was more ghost related." Inuyasha was already half out of his seat before Sachiko fired back without missing a beat.

"Communing with the dead is my specialty!"

All he could do was blink and reply skeptically, "Is that so?"

"Yes!"

"Well, I need more than just communing. Y'see, I'm actually trying to find out what happened to her. She's having trouble moving on."

By the rays of light spinning in the darkness, Inuyasha suddenly caught sight of Kagome perched in the corner. Not a reflection either, it was Kagome Higurashi in the flesh, or well... spirit. She wasn't paying any attention to Sachiko and didn't seem to notice Inuyasha watching her either. She was looking at something on the floor, really scrutinizing it with a puzzled expression. It was hard to make out in the shadows... just what was it?

At that moment, a ray of light flitted across the object that had gripped Kagome's interest. Inuyasha nearly fell out of his seat at the revelation. The cat?! Sure enough, Kagome was gazing quizzically at the small feline that had been perched on his chair a few moments before. Apparently, the furball had decided to resume it's slumber in the corner. That's what she dragged me in here for? Sachiko continued to chirp away in the background, but Inuyasha was no longer listening.

What the hell is she doing? Inuyasha couldn't understand it. Sure, maybe she just liked cats. It was kind of interesting, looked almost Siamese from what he could tell, except that it was long-haired. But that wasn't it. Kagome wasn't looking at it with one of those "aww, how cute" expressions that were typical of girls around cats. She seemed so transfixed by it that it was like she was trying to solve the riddle of the Sphinx.

Inuyasha interrupted Sachiko mid-sentence. "Hey, what's with your cat?" The frustration he felt had seeped into his voice.

"My cat?" The girl turned her attention toward the feline. She looked back up at Inuyasha and replied "Just a cat." in the same tone that most people would've used to say "So, you're on acid?"

Inuyasha couldn't take anymore. He ruffled his hair violently and fought back the urge to start pulling it out. "Whatever." He stated, clearly aggravated, and began to rise from his seat once again. "Thanks for your time."

"Wait!" Sachiko jumped to her feet and practically pulled his shirt to keep him from leaving. "I haven't fixed your problem yet!"

Inuyasha was done playing games. "Look, we both know you're not really a psychic. Keep the money. I'm going home." Sachiko, for her part, was having none of it.

"I am so a psychic!" She seemed on the verge of having a tantrum. "How else would I know there's a ghost in this room?"

Inuyasha cast a glare at her from over his shoulder. "Lucky guess."

"I can prove I'm a psychic." She bragged in that "so there" tone little girls were so expert at. Without waiting for his reply, she ran to a corner and began digging through a cardboard box. After a moment, Sachiko extracted what looked like a necklace and handed it to Inuyasha.

Upon closer examination, he saw that it was nothing more than a little silver bell tied to some string. "That's a spirit bell!" Sachiko said in her high pitched voice, as though she expected him to be impressed.

"And what is a spirit bell?" If she thought he was gonna pay for this, she had another thing coming.

"It's a super special device that lets you see and talk to ghosts. Actually, one ghost. Just put a lock of hair inside that bell and then have your ghost wear it. You'll be able to see and talk to it, but only you. Since this ghost is following you, I assume it won't be a problem for you to give it the bell." She said all this very matter-of-factly.

"So what, ghosts wear jewelry now?" Inuyasha remarked snidely.

"Dummy!" was Sachiko's intelligent and mature rebuttal. "That isn't jewelry. It's an authentic paranormal device." She stumbled over the word "authentic," which didn't exactly help improve Inuyasha's confidence in her.

"I'm not buying this."

"Take it! Once you've realized how magnificent I am, you can come see me again and I just might help you with your problem. Maybe. If you beg."

"Whatever." Inuyasha repeated as he turned to leave. He didn't even bother to check if Kagome was still around. She knows where I live. She can catch up. I need a break.