I'm not dead. I am, unbelievably, alive. I can't stand how I've become one of those authors who never update their stories. I haven't seen an episode of Inuyasha in half a year, and right now, I can barely grasp what my own story is about.

But I will re-do and fix all the chapters, and I will continue with this story. I'm starting back in nice and slow, so this is going to be a small chapter. But at least I'm starting to actually do something…

This is basically going to be a recap chapter and an interlude so that we can all get caught up with what has been going on. Please, please… if you notice something off, tell me. WARNING: I'm going to be using a lot of flashbacks.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Aftermath's Destruction

Chapter Twenty: Interlude

Kagome hung back from the group as she watched her mother embrace and cuddle the little redheaded child. She sighed, her blue-gray eyes troubled. How could she have taken moments like these for granted before? The sweet times in life when family was able to love and take care of each other were the most precious.

From now on, she knew, that whenever she was with her friends and family she would always think about what if something were to happen. What if another person was taken from her? Would she ever be able to enjoy life again, or would she always be too worried?

"Hey, you ok?" Asked a gruff voice as Inuyasha jostled her with his elbow.

"…Yeah," Kagome answer reluctantly. "I'm fine." She forced a smile as she looked up into his concerned eyes.

He didn't believe it for a second. "Sit down," he ordered, "I'll go and see if I can get some food for dinner, it's almost that time."

"Ok," she replied gently, watching him leave. Finally making her way over to Mama and Shippou, she hopped on the bed and felt it bounce lightly under her. "Hi, Mama."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled that 'mother' smile that lit up her doe brown eyes, and leaned forward to wrap her arms around Kagome's shoulders. "Oh, my dear, I missed you."

"I know, Mama, I missed you, too."

"I missed her!" Shippou announced, climbing into Kagome's lap and settling there.

"So we've established that we all missed each other!" Mrs. Higurashi announced with a soft laugh and another smile.

Kagome slipped her small hand into her mother's and they all sat on the bed looking thoughtful… until, that is, Shippou couldn't stand it any longer. "Was it real boring having me gone?" He asked innocently. "Like as boring as this is right now?"

"Terribly," Kagome answered with a dramatic flare, resting her hand on his tiny shoulder. "We were just about to die from boredom. No one around here is any fun at all!"

"I knew it," the redheaded boy said proudly.

"Kagome, dear…" Mrs. Higurashi started hesitantly, speaking to her daughter but looking at Shippou. "I… I would like if we could talk." Alone, she added silently.

"We are talking, Mama," Kagome said, an edge to her voice. She tucked a strand of her hair behind an ear before sighing heavily. "Shippou? Go outside and find the nurse, she should be just right by the door. Get her to help you find Inuyasha, ok? Then help him pick out what we're all going to eat for supper."

Shippou grinned and bounced off the bed, as energetic as ever. Both women watched him go before turning back to each other, one pair of eyes prodding while the other remained avoidant.

"Kagome…"

"Alright, where should we start?" She interrupted.

"At the beginning. We need to get everything out in the open and explained so we can start to figure out what to do," Mrs. Higurashi stated firmly. The two made themselves comfortable.

"Let's see," Kagome started. She rubbed behind her neck for a minute before finally forcing herself to start. Maybe Mama was right. If she talked and got it all out, a solution would show itself. She might even end up feeling better. "I guess the start would be when I was Inuyasha's house, two weeks ago. I'd gone over there to get away from work and the boys and watch a movie. And the next morning, the call came. It was Sango."

"Moushi moushi! Youkai residence, can I help you?"

"Kagome?"

Said girl frowned into the phone. "Sango?" she asked uncertainly. It sounded like her friend...only this time the brunette sounded frantic and worried.

A pause passed as the young woman on the other side of the line yelled something to her blue-eyed friend.

Inuyasha whipped around just in time to see Kagome go limp and to catch her.

The last words that ran through Kag's crowded mind were the echo of Sango's previous statement.

""Oh Gods! Kagome! You have to get here! I've been trying, we've all been trying, to find you! Something happened to the boys!"" Kagome repeated dully what Sango had said. It was as if she had the words memorized by heart.

Mrs. Higurashi reached over and patted her daughter's hand comfortingly. "It's okay dear, you got through it."

I did, Kagome thought. After that, she and Inuyasha had rushed to Sango's and had found the entire place crawling with policemen. They were searching the area and Kagome had instantly felt an internal warning bell sounding. "At Sango's, the policeman that helped us with the Naraku case was there, Detective Yagi… He told us what happened. He was so genuine…"

"Well, 110, now 112 counting your son and brother, children have gone missing." Detective Yagi filled in.

Kagome felt her heart sink. "Yes," she squeaked.

"They aren't... aren't... normal kidnappings, though." The policeman struggled for the right words. "In the last month, 112 children ages six to thirteen have gone missing all over Japan. Each kidnapping was carefully thought out, executed flawlessly. Details were known horribly well about the children and their families."

Kagome nodded glumly. They weren't dealing with amateurs she figured. "Why Shippou and Souta? And how and when were they taken?" her brow creased with frustration.

"We, the cops, are still trying to find the connection between the kids."

"Mama, 112 kids, can you imagine? What kind of a monster would take one kid from his parents, let alone over a hundred!" Her fingers curled into a fist and her fingernails bit into the soft flesh of her palm. Kagome took a deep breath and forced the rage to fade.

Her mother reached forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing her thumb in soothing circles. "I know, sweetie, I know. People can be terrible sometimes… So you found out the kids were gone…"

Kagome sighed and hung her head. "Then came the reporters. They were everywhere-- asking all these questions. Nonstop, I mean. The flashes of cameras with haunt me for life, I swear."

"Don't insult people, Kagome, the reporters were just doing their jobs," Mama reprimanded softly.

Kagome rolled her eyes. Yeah, their jobs as blood sucking evil vampires, she corrected in her head. "And then after that, I just lived life, I guess. Or tried to, I mean. Inuyasha made me move in with him… Oh, the joy," Kagome said snidely.

"Home? Wait, where are we?" Kagome looked out her window and then reverted her azure gaze back at him. "Inuyasha... we passed my place ten minutes ago. What did you mean by 'home'?"

"Easy. My home, where you'll be staying for a while," he kept his purple orbs on the road ahead of them.

She gaped at him. "I'm not staying there! I have my own home, what if they call!"

He sighed. "Look, Kagome. While you were upstairs, Sango, Miroku, Detective Yagi, and I all talked about what would be best for you. They don't want you staying alone, so you need to stay with one of us. Sango is housing almost two dozen cops at her house, and I don't think you want to live with Miroku."

"So that leaves you." She said slowly. "But what if the boys call? I need to be home!"

Inuyasha glanced at her out of the corner of a lavender eye before taking better care of turning onto his driveway. "In fact... I was the one who asked that. They'll have a technician brought in to trace all calls directed from your house to Sango's, and mine too. That way the police will always know if the kidnappers contact you."

"I swear that man's goal in life is to drive me insane until I die," Kagome muttered.

"Or do whatever he can to protect you," Mrs. Higurashi replied gently. She and her daughter's eyes met. Kagome's dropped first.

"Sango and Miroku have been helping me a lot. They're so supportive. That, however, does not change the fact that they drive me nutty when they're together. They have so many corny romance lines that they should write a book…" she grumbled, rolling her eyes for added effect. "… Kagura also came. She's been… so helpful. I mean, even after Naraku, she's kept in touch. It's almost like have a protective older sister who knows everything. I still can't believe she left hiding in France to come here to be with me."

Kagome scrunched her eyebrows together in concentration before they lifted in realization. "Kagura?"


"Of course," the scarlet eyed woman drawled.

"Hey! I haven't heard from you in two months!"

"I know," Kagura muttered, reaching down to hold Kanna's hand so as not to become separated from her in the crowd. "Sorry about that."

"No problem, just glad to hear you're doing okay," Kagome happily leaned against the kitchen wall. "You are okay, right?"


"Yes. I have a surprise for you," Kagura remarked casually.

"Really? I love surprises!"

Kagura chuckled, "I know."

"What is it?"

"You'll have to wait. You can see it tomorrow morning."

Kagome giggled. It really was a surprise. She'd been expecting something in the mail. A letter or a package or even another call from Kagura, but to find the woman herself standing at the door? It was priceless. Having all the support she could at the time was crucial.

She stopped for a second, a wave of guilt washing over her. If Kagura got caught by the police… they were, after all, still looking for her as an accomplice of Naraku's. Kagura was being so unselfish, how could Kagome do that to her?

"Kagome…" Mrs. Higurashi tapped her daughter's hand until the blue-eyed woman was brought out of her thoughts. "Go on with your story."

"…Right. I was getting so much support from everyone. Even Sesshoumaru didn't mind having me live there with him again. I can't believe everyone's so…"

"They love you, dear. Just like I do. We all care about you. You've had to put up with so much that we're just worried what would happen if you thought for one second you were alone in this. You're not."

Kagome felt her lips curl up in a real smile. "I love you guys, too." Tears stung her eyes but she fought them until she was sure none would fall. "I've been so out of it lately. I have these terrible mood swings and I'm always so sensitive and…"

"That's ok. Anyone would be if their brother and son were taken from them. You're allowed to be sad, Kagome. No one's blaming you. If you cry, you will always have a shoulder to cry on."

The tears did eventually fall. And Mama was there with her shoulder and her kind words.

"I think you don't have to finish what happened after that. Now you can just tell me what's going on with Shippou right now," Mrs. Higurashi smiled mentally, feeling that although it had made Kagome sad… talking about the past week or two had made her realize how much everyone was there for her.

"They let Shippou go so he could bring me a note… all the kids are alive."

"Thank the heavens."

"They want the Shikon no Tama in exchange for Souta and the other children."

"That's ridiculous!" Mrs. Higurashi started, her eyes gaining that motherly fire. "You don't have that silly jewel anymore. You got rid of it months ago, after Naraku… after he died."

"I know… but, apparently," Kagome's tone darkened, "Inuyasha bought it from the museum without telling me."

Her mother blinked… "Wha—when?"

"A while ago," Kagome frowned. "He and Sesshoumaru both never told me."

"That's absurd, they both need a--"

"Mother talk them later, Mama, please." Kagome grinned. It was wonderful that someone took her side on the issue. The jewel had been a big part of her life. It had been involved so deeply with the Naraku situation that she deserved to know why and when it came back into her life. "They want me to deliver them the Shikon, which they somehow knew Inuyasha had gotten, by the time they contact me next."

Mrs. Higurashi opened with mouth… paused… and then shut it again. She turned her child's words over in her head and thought about all the information on the kidnappers that she'd been given over the past two weeks. "Obviously, you can't give them the jewel."

"I…" Kagome stopped. What had she been expecting? To be honest… for her mother to agree with her. Mama agreed with her on so many things and they were so close… It was hard blow. She was officially wrong about how she thought to handle the situation. Inuyasha could argue all he wanted, but she never would have fully believed him until her mother finally said her piece…

"Yes, Mama, we won't give them the jewel."

…That was an unbelievably short chapter, huh? But it's something. And a nice recap about everything. I feel more caught up now, don't you?