Lost and Found 7

Chapter 7

Those Golden Eyes

A/N: Alright folks, life update. I am out of the hellhole, and into my mother's house, exciting, I know! It leaves me with more time to write, but I'm honestly just trying to get settled. Anyways! Reviews are still life, and in this chapter we get to meet some old friends. Tell me what you think! - BabyK

"And I've lost who I am, and I can't understand why my heart is so broken, rejecting your love. Without, love gone wrong, lifeless words carry on; But I know, all I know, is that the end's beginning; Who I am from the start, take me home to my heart. Let me go and I will run, I will not be silent. All this time spent in vain, wasted years, wasted gain All is lost, hope remains, and this war's not over; There's a light, there's the sun, taking all shattered ones, To the place we belong, and his love will conquer all." - 'Shattered', Trading Yesterday.

*

Light and darkness. Two sides of a coin. Without light, one would never know darkness, and it seemed the more light, the more painful the darkness seemed to feel.

Kagome sat in her room, her knees drawn up to her chest, head buried in her arms. The darkness had crept up on her again. When she awoke from her slumber she was screaming, wailing for help. It wasn't until her mother splashed her face with cold water that her eyes sprang open, but there were void of light. The poor woman's mother prodded, begged for her to tell her of the dreams that plagued her daughter so badly, but the young miko fell into a dead silence, her eyes seeing but at the same time not. It wasn't until the doorbell rang that Miyu left her daughter's side. She peered through the peep hole to see none other than Kouga standing there, hands jammed into his pockets, the toe of his black boots tapping the welcome mat under his feet. Miyu heaved a heavy sigh as she pulled the door open.

"Good morning Kouga." She said softly, her smile springing onto her face.

"Mornin' miss Higurashi -"

"How many times have I told you, it's Miyu." Said the woman letting Kouga inside. As he stepped in he let his enchantments fade, something that she'd become accustomed to in the last few weeks.

"Uh - Miyu. I know there isn't work to be done, but I thought I'd stop by anyways." He offered Miyu a smile, but hers faded immediately. Kouga's heart sunk. He'd awoken covered in a sheen of sweat, a terrible feeling rooted in the pit of his stomach. It seemed his feeling was correct. They'd built three of the buildings Kagome had planned, and started the fourth when the funds ran short. Kagome had been using her school fund to pay for the renovations to the shrine, and he only had so much to spare without digging into old savings. Of course Kagome wouldn't allow that. With no work to keep her mind occupied, her mind was free to wander, to both good places and bad. Miyu had expressed her worries to Kouga a few days before. She knew her daughter.

"Kagome is not well." Said Miyu shutting the door with a quick snap. "I don't know if seeing you will make things better, or worse." Kouga nodded.

"It doesn't mean I can't try." He grunted, his voice barely more than a growl.

"Please, do." Miyu watched as Kouga stepped out of his boots, not bothering to take off his jacket as he climbed the steps to her room. The scent of tears soaked the air, despair rolled out of the open door in waves. Nothing he could have done would have prepared him for the sight he walked in on. His knees gave out under the weight of her heavy aura. It was crushing him inside and out, he could only imagine how the young miko felt. Crawling like a babe, he pulled himself closer to her, drawing her into his lap, his arms curled around her along with her heart. How could he protect her from the demons that he could not see?

He was never coming for her.

The darkness. He was gone. She didn't have the strength to fight the darkness alone.

It was so cold. Her very blood was frozen in place, her heart barely beating. She couldn't see passed the darkness, there was not even the light from the jewel. She couldn't feel it any more. She hadn't felt it for ages, no matter how many times she told, waiting for that familiar echo of it's power. There was no light left. The light was gone. Her light. Kikyo. Was she with Inuyasha now? Had they found peace together in the after life? If only she had saved the ancient priestess, Inuyasha could have been with her instead of being alone for five hundred years. She was so useless. She couldn't even save one woman, how could she fend off this endless darkness? She was so goddamn useless. She was so alone.

"Kagome..."

Her body stiffened. Inuyasha? Had he finally come for her? No. It couldn't be. He was dead, unless... Unless she was dead too. How bittersweet.

"Kagome... I'm here..." No. That voice wasn't Inuyasha's. It was different. So warm. Like a wave, heat washed over her, crashing into the darkness. Her limbs began to thaw.

"Who's there?" She whispered, her eyes darting around the darkness. So warm, so familiar.

"Kagome, it's me." Who! Who are you?! "C'mon kagome, come back to me. You can't leave us now. The pack is so excited to see you." Pack? Like a pack of dogs? No... A pack of wolves. Like the shattering of a mirror, her body jerked upright, the light blocked by the darkness exploded into view. The sunlight burned as a sob escaped her lips, curling into the figure that held her so tight.

"Kouga...' She whined, her hands gripping his jacket with such fierceness that she might have torn right through it.

"Shhh, it's okay, I'm here now." He cooed, his clawed fingers running through her hair. "I'll always be here, Kagome." As long as she wanted him to be, he would be what she needed, whether that was a fighter, a friend, a light in her darkness, a shoulder to cry on or even a punching bag. He had waited half a millennium to see her again. If she needed a doormat, that's what he would be. As long as he would see her smile once more.

"Kouga..." She managed a while later, peeling her face from his tear soaked jacket, and she meant soaked. Her cheek has stuck to the leather, making an odd sound as it detached. She blinked up at him. "You came... I - when did you get here?"

"This morning." Grunted the wolf, his gaze avoiding the glowing red numbers of her alarm clock. It was well into the afternoon. He held her for so long, his limbs were nearly asleep from sitting in one position, but he dared not let go. He would not leave her on her lonesome. Not when she needed him the most. She turned to the numbers that he was clearly avoiding looking at. Her eyes widened. It was just like that time in the jewel. It seemed like long minutes had passed, time stretched like cold butter scraped across hot bread. "Kagome... you can talk to me y'know? You mother, she's worried."

"She won't understand. None of them will, they never - they can't even fathom the world of your time. They -"

"I can." There was a simple truth to his words, he was right, of course he was. He had lived those times and years after. He had witnessed the darkness that was Narraku, he knew of the evil in the world, the dark magic that existed beyond what could be seen with the naked human eye. She sighed, turning so her legs were no longer draped across him, instead stretched out in front of them, her back pressed into his chest, his arms not once breaking the circle they had made around her.

"When Narraku was killed, I was trapped in the jewel, surrounded by darkness. No noise, no ground or sky, just the endless void. The void, and the jewel. It whispered awful things to me. It fed my fear, and I almost gave into it. What I didn't know was that I'd been trapped there for three days. Three days of nothing but darkness. I was so alone. So lost. The only reason I didn't wish myself free of the void was -" her voice caught in her throat. "- I made the right wish in the end, and the jewel brought me here... But the darkness... I still find myself lost in it." Kouga listened, his arms squeezing tighter around her. Guilt washed over him. He had turned away from the search for Narraku, he had turned away from her, and he wasn't there for her.

"You're not alone." He managed, his voice barely louder than a growl. "You never will be."

"Kouga..." She whispered as his head drooped onto her shoulder. He gave a small tremble.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't there, I should have been. I should never have left your side I-" his voice cut off, he seemed to choke on his words. Carefully she wound her arms around his. "I should have been there." He snarled.

"You're here now. We're here now. That's all that matters OK?" Her words were meant to be comforting, and they were, slightly; but the guilt lingered, like a deep fog in his mind.

They stayed like that for a while, in a comfortable silence, until the doorbell downstairs wrenched them from their solitude. Kagome stretched, Kouga helping her to her feet.

"What an unproductive day." She mumbled as she fixed her kimono, brushing her hair over her shoulder. Kouga snorted.

"You need a break. All I ever do is see you working on something." He grumbled.

"When I have nothing to focus on... my mind wanders too much." She stared down at the ground until Kouga grabbed her attention, tilting her head to look at him. Just as Miyu had said.

"Than we'll do something." He said simply. It was never that simple.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, we' go for dinner or something, get out of the shrine for a bit hn?" He let go and she felt her smile surface again.

"Yeah, I'd like that." She opened her mouth once more when her mother's voice called from downstairs.

"Kagome! There's a visitor here for you!" The miko turned towards the door. Who would be coming to visit her? She reached out, her reiki stretching down the steps ahead of her, realization dawning on her as Kouga let out a soft growl. No words needed to be spoken between them, they could both feel the demon that stood impatiently in the living room. As the Miko rounded the corner, she was somewhat surprised at the figure perched on the couch. A man, perhaps in his late flurries, bald with large yellowing eyes stared at the stairway. There was something... familiar about him, but her memory seemed to fail her.

"Good afternoon." Chirped Kagome giving her head a bow in respect. The man didn't bow back, but stood at his full height. He barely came up to her stomach.

"Miko." He said back, his voice oddly squeaky, almost a high croak. Her eyebrows knitted together. "I have come on behalf of my m- employers. The Taisho Pharmaceutical Company wishes to make a donation to this shrine. The restoration of this shrine, and the historical figures connected to it has become of great interest to them." Kagome was stunned, staring down at the little demon. The company he spoke was the single largest medical company in all of Japan.

"I- thank you." She bowed her head deeper, straightening up after a long moment. "This means so much. Restoring this shrine... remembering the forgotten history the world should never have left to gather dust." The little demon stared at the Miko, a perplexed look in his eye. It didn't last more than a second before he straightened up, narrowing his large eyes.

"An honorable task." Said the man, nodding as looked down at his watch. "They will be glad to hear of your plans. Ready yourself, they should be here momentarily." Kagome looked over her shoulder at Kouga, there was a strange look on his face, stuck somewhere between amusement and worry. What was that look? Who was this little demon? Her gaze darted back to the demon disguised as an old man who stared blankly at her. What was going on here? The doorbell crashed through her thoughts like the point of an arrow. Who was at that door? Why wouldn't Kouga look her in the eye? The door, from the other side she could feel an aura, like a mist of ice droplets that crashed into her skin. A gentle hail against her own aura.

Kagome hadn't realized that she'd been moving until her palm pressed against the cold door handle. Her heart leapt into her throat. It was far from Kouga's warm wave, but it was... It was so familiar. With a hard yank, she pulled the door from the frame, swinging it open and letting out a short squeak, her hands clapping tight over her mouth as she stared into a deep gold. A gold she thought long forgotten to time.

"Are you going to stare for an eternity, or let us enter?" The stern voice snapped her out of her gaze. How long had she been staring?

"Stop that, Sesshomaru. There is no need, the poor girl is probably as shocked as we were." Came another voice as Kagome stepped back, a black haired woman stepping out from behind the suit-clad demon, and offering the bewildered woman a wide smile, her eyes closing. An image flashed through the miko's mind. A young girl clad in a checkered orange and yellow kimono.

"Rin?"

"Lady Kagome, it has been too long."

The dam broke. Kagome launched herself forward, an arm wrapping an arm around the woman, squeezing her tight, the other, without thinking looped around the stoic demon lord who stiffened, clearly uncomfortable by the tight embrace holding the three of them together. He moved to push the woman off, but a glare from his mate made him still, though he made no move to console the sobbing woman as Rin had.

It had taken several minutes, prying of fingers from a suit jacket, a growl from a daiyoukai and many hugs from a smiling Rin to move Kagome to the living room. She still sniffled loudly, dabbing at her face with a handkerchief.

"S-so you saw the news report?" Kagome said through her tears, giving a little hiccup.

"Yes, we didn't think it was you at first, but clearly we were wrong." Rin spoke, seated on the couch next to the watery miko, their knees touching.

"I didn't think - I didn't know if - it hadn't even crossed my mind that you could be alive still." Kagome let out a sigh, letting out another sob of laughter. "Especially you Rin, you're human, you're like me."

"But I am mated to a demon." Rin's words caused Kagome to jerk her head up, eyebrows raised. The cold demon lord gave a short nod. Of course. Kagome's face burst into a brilliant smile.

"Im so happy for you!" She said, taking Rim's hands in hers. "I knew he couldn't be all bad, y'know." Kouga, who Kagome had almost forgotten about let out a snort, a growl ripping through the room.

"He's a big softie under all those glares." Said Rin with a giggle.

"Watch it, woman." He snarled, but as Kagome looked back to him, his face was not angry. That little human girl had melted the ice prince's heart. Kagome laughed again, this time loud and bright. "What is so funny, miko?" Snapped the demon lord.

"She's just happy." Said Kouga, his voice strained as he watched the little miko hold onto Rin, asking a million questions. How many children did they have? How was their lives in the new times? His eyes burned as he saw his woman light up, throwing her hands into the air as she spoke, occasionally turning to ask the dog something. A gentle hand on his shoulder made the wolf turn, Miyu was smiling up at him, a tissue in her hand. Kouga almost denied it, but as Kagome's laughter rang through the room once more, he forced himself to turn away from the demon lord, taking the piece of cloth and holding it behind him, just in case.

"...well, we'd like to help." Said Rin after having asked Kagome of her project for the shrine. They had listened to the young woman tell her story of the closed well, and her journey to find herself once more. The miko felt her eyes prickle, but she was sure that she couldn't cry another tear.

"Thank you." Kagome's voice cracked.

"It's the least we could do." Said the woman shaking her head.

"Jaken. Fetch the trunk and documents." Barked the lord, the short older man scrambling out of the room, the front door shutting with a snap behind him. They fell into a comfortable silence as Sesshomaru took a seat beside his mate, a hand gently wrapped around her free one. Rin sighed, leaning back on the couch, pulling kagome back with her, resting her head on the miko's shoulder. Kouga gave up watching, taking a seat beside Kagome. Her hand, without thinking reached for his, their fingertips resting against one another.

"So." Started Rin, a smirk spreading to her face. "When did you stumble upon Lord Kouga?" The wolf prince flushed at being called lord by the mate of THE great lord.

"Actually... he found me." Kagome managed with a smile, turning her head to him. "He and some of the pack have helped me with the shrine. Even donated a few old pieces of armor to the collection. I uh... I don't know if I could have done all this without him. It took me days upon days to get half a building up."

"Don't kid yourself Kagome, you work just as hard as me and the boys." Said the wolf prince gently clapping a hand to her knee. She felt her face heat up, unable to look at him. He grinned. The daiyoukai cocked an eyebrow at the wolf over the women's heads. "You should see it. She uses her reiki to give her strength. The first time she lifted one of the huge beams I nearly dropped a load."

"Kouga! That's gross!" She hissed, slapping his chest. He let out an 'oof' followed by a laugh.

"Impressive none the less." Kagome was shocked, none other than the ice lord himself had spoken.

"I uh - thanks." She said with another blush. To be complimented by him of all people was an honor. The front door opened again followed by heavy huffing and puffing. Kouga turned his head, letting out a sigh as he watched the little demon struggle with a trunk that he could easily have stuffed himself in twice over.

"Hold on, Kami, you're going to scratch the floor to hell!" He grumbled getting up.

"I can do it you foolish wolf!" The little demon shouted as Kouga moved over to him, easily hoisting the trunk. It was heavier than he had expected, but not too bad. "How dare you boy! I, the servant of the Great Lord Sesshomaru can complete the task he has asked of me, there is no need for your interference!"

"Shut up." Kouga barked his foot knocking the little demon back. "I'm not going to let you ruin Mrs. higurashi's floor because of your tiny little pride." The demon let out a huff and raced passed the wolf, at least he could hand the miko the other of the things he was asked. He skidded to a halt in front of the miko, an envelope extended. She laughed at his determination. "What are you laughing at human?" He chirped, clearly annoyed.

"Nothing Jaken. Some things just never change." Said Kagome taking the envelope.

"Yeah, I grew up and he stayed just as small." Said Rin, causing a loud outburst, making them laugh. Even Sesshomaru gave a little smirk, much to Kagome's amusement. Kouga set the trunk down as Miyu set a tray of tea on the table.

"I'm not sure what demons eat, but I thought I'd offer." Said the woman , offering the daiyoukai and his mate her smile, the one Kagome had clearly inherited. The lord stared at the woman for a moment before nodding a thank you. She had no qualms with a demon being in her house, serving them as she would any other guest. She gave a bow of her head and turned, taking a seat on an arm chair near by.

"Are you going to open it?" Asked Rin, looking at Kagome who had calmed her laughter, but was still gripping at her sides.

"Alright, alright." She said, wiping the tears from her eyes before gently tearing at the envelope, pulling out the sheets inside before letting out a loud gasp. "I can't accept this." She whispered.

SO, What are these gifts the Great Lord will bestow upon our little Kagome? Who knows? Care to guess?