Disclaimer: Don't own, yada yada ect ect. But I do own this story line and alllll original characters, so there!

A/N: Hello all and ta-da! a new chapter! whoot! I actually had to re-write this about three times so yes I loves you all! And I love this story. lol. So, here it is and I do hope you enjoy this change of pace!

Chapter 8
He's Gone?!

Kagome smiled as she examined the small trinkets laid out upon the cloth before her. "Souta is going to love this stuff." she whispered to the little fire neko before her, her eyes glittering in excitement. Kirara opened a large tired eye to gaze up at the blue eyed miko beside her. After a long moment the small creature yawned and curled back up again to sleep. Kagome couldn't help but giggle softly as she looked back to her found prizes proudly. Upon the small silk handkerchief before her that would be her mother's gift, laid four simple items, a single yen piece that she had managed to beg off Miroku, a small half hand of various herbal seeds, the feather of a Raven youkai that they had defeated a few days ago, and finally a newly hand made writing brush. 'Who ever said you need to have a job and a paycheck to get pure epic gifts for your brother's birthday that are beyond priceless.' she thought to herself in pride as she carefully folded and rolled the cloth up again, using the bamboo piece to tie it secure. Tucking the gift away she looked around the small campsite. Sango and Miroku were long asleep, both planning an extra early wake. They were less than 3 hours away from Keada's village, but the early nightfall promising an early and extremely harsh winter was to come, had convinced them that an early camp would not be a bad idea.

It had taken her a good month to wrangle this single week off from InuYasha. Alot of begging, bribing of ramen, and a little bit of bloodshed had earned her this small grace to attend her brother's birthday party. Before dawn Sango and Miroku would be off to first his father's grave before going to her village for the week to work on repairs. Smiling to herself she settled back into her sleeping bag, drawing Shippou's small sleeping form close to herself in warmth and parental love. Once again she sorrowed at her inability to take the little kitsune with her to her home. She had come to love the young youkai as her own son, and she would have loved to introduce him to her mother and brother. Cuddling him close to herself she laid back into the warmth of the sleeping bag and looked up to the tree branches that she was laying beneath. With ease her ocean blue eyes found the crimson embraced hanyou above and she smiled softly to herself. Even going to 'bed' grumpy, he had not gone to sleep without saying his good nights to herself, and that small action touched her heart.

-

Humming a happy tune to herself Kagome pulled herself over the well's edge, lugging her slightly beyond too heavy bag with her. She had made perfect time, even with having to stop and borrow a set of miko robes from Kaede. At the passing thought she shuddered, remembering the feel of the youkai guts upon her after seeping though her other cloths just a few moments earlier. 'Kami bless that woman.' She thought happily as she perched on the edge, taking a few moments to free her hair from the white tie in her black hair. 'Though I could go without the added accessories.' she thought in gentle fondness as she combed her fingers through her clean silky locks. She was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of voices, making her pause and listen.

"Higurashi-san, konnichiwa, we are here to ask you a few more questions and perhaps see if any further leads could be found in the case."

"H-Hai...of course. My daughter Kagome should be home any moment from her miko training duties. I...I still have not been able to contact her...tell her what happened." The sob that escaped her mother made her insides go cold and her heart stop. As quickly as she dared she adjusted her bag and moved to the back door of the well house. The door had been a surprise gift from Souta a few years ago, as well as the privacy pathways that he had added so that no matter what time, or state she got home in, or even if InuYasha came with her, she could go to anywhere upon the shrine grounds without being noticed, and never before had she been more thankful for his carefully constructed pathways than she had been now as she moved quickly through the grounds around to the front of the shrine, grabbing her hidden 'travel' bag along the way.

Coming around the back of the buildings Kagome's heart dropped further as she police car parked down upon the street, the mere sight of it making her blood run cold. "Okaa-chan?!" Kagome's voice was a terrorized cry as she sprinted the rest of the way to her mother and the two people of law enforcement. At the sound of her daughter's call, Asumi turned and darted into the arms of her eldest child crying. At the same moment both detectives turned and paused staring at the young woman before them holding her mother close. The years of shard hunting and trekking by foot across feudal Japan had been surprisingly kind to Kagome. Standing taller than her mother she was now just as tall as InuYasha when within his human form. Her hair that at norm she had taken to wearing in a tight controlled braid, was loose, falling in glistening waves of raven's feathers down her back and to her knees. Her crystal blue eyes stared at the strangers before her in fear and worry as her heart clenched.

Never would she forget the last time she had returned home to her mother's tears. The day that they had found her Grandfather's body, and just the next day, he had died, never waking up. To her heart the pain was still fresh, the memories still just as strong as if it happened only a few days ago. It was the first time she had begged and pleaded with InuYasha to get Sesshou-maru to actually attempt to come and use the Tensegia to bring her Grandfather back to her and her Mother. To his credit InuYasha actually seemed to hold understanding and instead of becoming angered with her, he had held her as she cried her heart out. The police had never caught the ones who had mugged and killed the elderly man and now with her mother's tears and the detectives before her, it was taking everything she had to keep her own control and not fall into panic.

"What is going on?!" she finally demanded, her hands starting to tremble upon her mother's back as she stared at them.

"I think, Miko Higurashi, we could first help your Haha-ue inside, so that she can sit down. Do you not think so?" the female detective asked softly as she reached a hand to them, to help guide the woman inside. Kagome hesitated as she looked into the gentle light purple eyes of the woman before looking to her mother before deciding.

"H-Hai...you're right." she mumbled as she adjusted her hold upon her sobbing mother, letting the woman take her free side and help her guide her within the house.

Once inside the house and getting her mother settled at the kitchen table, Kagome watched with a silent morbid fascination as the strange woman moved about the kitchen with frightening familiarity, making a cup of tea for the silently sobbing woman. Before she could speak the man finally turned to her and spoke with an age worn voice. "Miko Higurashi, I think you should sit as well." he said softly triggering a calmness that was indescribable to rush through her to her very bones. Slowly as she sat he bowed his head respectfully "Arigato, Miko Higurashi." she said gently . As she slowly sat beside her mother, her eyes never left him as she moved to sit across from both of them, the woman setting the cup before her mother. 'They shouldn't be this familiar with our home...' she thought as the cold rock in her stomach grew.

"Miko-sama, I know this will be quite a shock for you to hear, but your otouto-san, Higurashi Souta, has been missing for a month now..."

It was as if Kagome's world had suddenly tilted on it's axis. She knew that he continued to speak to her, but the roaring in her ears blocked everything. It was as though someone had drenched her in ice water. Those few moments of pure shock felt like an eternity to her. Suddenly she stood, the chair clattering off its feet bringing an abrupt silence to the room as all eyes followed her.

"Iie...I...I don't believe you!" she shouted, before she turned and was running from the house, her long legs taking her in full strides as she ran towards the stairs, not even noticing when her feet slipped into her sandals haphazardly. There was only one place he could be if not at school or at home. With the grace that came from years of scaling cliff sides, mountains and steep hills. Kagome took the steep stone steps three at a time, leaving the suddenly bothersome sandals behind her upon the steps. By the time that she was on the side walk, tears were streaming down her face, but she didn't care or take any notice of them. There was one other thing Kagome didn't take notice of, as she took off down the street , and that was the black tinted car that pulled to a rolling stop before the steps of the shrine.

"You cannot go after her, not just yet Onii-sama, nor you, my beloved." the green eyed woman gently and sadly reminded the two powerful men that she shared the vehicle with. As one they all three watched the young miko race down the stone stairs, her sandals falling forgotten behind her upon the steps. At the bottom of the stairs, she paused long enough to looked around herself as if orienting herself, her face glistening in tears before she ran down the street.

"Hai, I know my love, but it does not make it any easier." the man muttered softly as he turned to his wife drawing her into his arms softly, his gaze turning to his brother. "We knew this would happen Onii, all we can do is wait now." he spoke with quiet understanding and reminder, only gaining a silent nod from him as he watched the young miko disappear down the street.

Kagome ignored the glares and mutters from others as she ran down the street. She didn't care, she just had to get there. Her mind was blank as she ran non-stop the four miles to the dojo, even ignoring traffic as she ran as quickly as she was able. The moment the dojo came into her view, hope rose in her chest. Quickly she swung herself over the waist high fence ignoring the gasps from the passing women. Sprinting the final few yards she used all her weight to throw open the large double doors. "Souta!" at the sound of her voice the class of small children froze, wide startled eyes turning from their sensai to the panting miko in the doorway.

"Yuki...why don't you lead everyone outside and Sensai Kyou will continue with today's lesson." the calm baritone of his voice broke through the stunned silence with surprising ease.

"H-Hai Sensai." the small child mumbled as he turned and led his classmates out the back door. After seeing that all of his students had left he turned to her, his eyes sorrowed for the young woman before him.

"He isn't here Kagome-san..."he said softly as he moved to her, taking in her disheveled appearance and flushed face. At his words Kagome's face twisted in fear, sorrow and pain as her body finally crumbled, the non-stop run, and her heartache catching up to her. In a fluid motion he had gone to his knees with her, gathering her into his arms and keeping her from hitting the floor as she sobbed her heart into his haori.

-

Lin looked at the young woman curled in her passenger seat staring out the window with a blank dazed expression. After calling and letting her mother know of her location and safety, he had managed to get her into the car, but at her plea he had spent the last few hours driving around with her. "Kagome-san, I need to take you home now." he said softly as he came to a stop at a stoplight. Slowly Kagome looked up at him and nodded, her voice weak and watery as she spoke.

"I understand, Lin-sensai." she whispered faintly. With a quiet nod he turned his attention back to the road, in silent concern for the young woman beside him.

It took a few minutes to reach her home and in the silence of the car it felt a life time. Parking he tanked the Kami for that days traffic, not wanting to make her wait within the car longer than she had too. Quickly coming around the car he gently helped her out, cradling her arm in a hand and his free one gently to her back. If this had been a kinder situation he would have gathered her into his arms and carried her up the stone steps to the shrine above. Instead he gently guided her to the stone steps, again thanking Kami though this time for the silent calmness of the surrounding street. Taking slight advantage of her dazed stare he slipped his larger sandals onto her own small bruised and slightly bloody feet. Once she was situated he carefully guided her up the stairs to her home, sweeping up her long discarded sandals along the way. His heart went out for the young woman turcked securely into his arm and side, he more than understood her pain and her current loss at this moment. As he guided her gently his mind frantically searched for what to say to her, how to ease her. he had never been one who was good when it came to personal emotions or expressing them. Just as he was opening his mouth to speak the sound of a voice that made the hairs on the back of his neck rise, echoed out across the shrine grounds, causing his to tense and his lips to thin.

"Kagome!"

At the sound of InuYasha's voice Kagome's head snapped up, her dazed sorrowed trance snapping. "I-InuYasha!" his name spilled from her lips into a sob as she pulled from Lin, stumbling over the large sandals before running directly into the hanyou's arms, her body wracked in hard sobs. Lin couldn't help the slight narrowing of his eyes as he watched the silver haired male gathered her into his arms. Taking a breath he gently set her sandals where she would see them easily. After a moment of hesitation he gently slipped his card into them before heading silently back to his car.

-

At the sob from Kagome, InuYasha's ears went back flat to his head beneath his red hat, but still her gathered her deeper into his arms. He had found her dropped school book and both at his own hidden desire, and Shippou's begging he had come to return it. It was in those few moments he was alone at the well, that he had caught the faded scent lingered within the wood of the well. When he had come through the well he had all but run into Asumi. From there he had learned about what had happened in the month that she had bee away from her family and it sent fear rippling down his spine. Closing his eyes he pulled her closer to himself, embracing her deeply as his head bowed to rest atop of her own. "It is going to be ok Kagome." he said in his soft gruff voice as he held her tightly. Kagome cried harder as she gripped his haori tighter.

"He's missing InuYasha! I couldn't find him! I wasn't here!" she sobbed as she looked up at him, her eyes wide and panicked as her body shook, her breath coming in harsh gasps, barely keeping from falling completely to hysterics. InuYasha's heart broke as he gazed into her frantic blue eyes.

"Kagome, we will find him." he said firmly, as he met her eyes, his own bright gold eyes steady and firm in his belief. As the tears streamed from her eyes she looked up to him and slowly felt herself start to calm down as his presence reassured her deeper than any others could. Slowly she nodded before she buried her face back into his chest, crying silently, her small hands and fingers curling into the back of his robe, gripping him like the life line he was to her right now. In one swift motion he crouched and rose, his arm hooking beneath her knees sweeping her into his arms and against his chest. At the sudden movement Kagome gasped, a blush painting her cheeks as for a breath of a moment her mind was calm and quiet. As InuYasha turned to carry her back inside he glanced down to her, meeting her wide surprised eyes, causing a red stain to grow upon his own face. "It's getting cold." He muttered as he carried her back into her house.

Kagome paced her living room her eyes worried as she listened to her mother explain all that had been found so far in the disappearance of her brother. As it turned out, most of the police force had after the first week written him off as a run away due to the face that no physical evidence had yet been found of him being taken, and his last sighting had been at school. "He wouldn't run away!"She exclaimed as she pushed her hair back in frustration.

"Kagome...I know this." her mother said softly as she looked at her oldest daughter, her fingers wringing a slowly thinning hanker chief between her fingers. At the sight of the cloth Kagome paused, the flash image of the small gifts that she had been admiring just last night and tears returned to her eyes and cheeks.

"I think...I know where he is Kagome..." InuYasha's voice came in slow hesitancy as he sat on the floor, his legs folded and his arms in his sleeves with his eyes darkened. At his words both women turned on him, fear and hope in their eyes as they stared at him.

"H-How InuYasha? Did you see or catch his scent at some point?"Kagome quickly dropped to her knees before him, her hands gripping his sleeves and arms in plea and fear. She trusted him, he would never lie to her about this, ever. He looked to her, his arms unfolding as he took gentle hold of her arms, knowing that she would need the bracing once she heard what he had to say.

"I caught his scent." He said, pausing a moment to swallow before he continued meeting her eyes dead on. "Kagome...I caught his scent, on the well...on my side."