Chapter 20: Gone

The campus was packed with visiting miko and students taking exams. After the first two exams students were given a break; now instead of the classroom students sat around various courtyards eating lunch or studying for their next exam. Kouga and Ayame were the first to be finished and they found a nice shady spot in the south courtyard. It was under a tree, right where Sesshoumaru and Kagome could see them if they looked out the window.

"So stalker girl … what's wrong you've been down all morning?"

"I wanted to do an all day girls thing with Kagome you know before the dance," Ayame shrugged before taking a drink of water. "But she said no. I guess she is going to be busy you know."

Kouga chuckled and pulled one of her red ponytails. "You should know stalker girl that Kagome has a problem with lots of people all together in one place. Even when we were younger she would pick a place farthest from everyone else to sit. I don't think that has changed any, Ship seem to always encourage it." Kouga shook his head and quickly took a bite of Ayame's sandwich gaining him a frown.

"But Sesshoumaru -"

"Is too busy pounding his chest and proclaiming her his," Inuyasha laughed as he dropped to the ground beside the two.

"You …you heard?" Ayame blushed.

"Yea but don't blame him. I don't think he's ever dealt with a girl quite like Kagome before."

"I don't think any of us has," they laughed. "Where are they anyway?"

"There they are…HEY" Ayame waved them over seeing them exit the main building.

"Damn Stalker girl your eyes are getting better and better." Kouga and Inuyasha laughed at Ayame's blush.

"What up Sesshoumaru so how did it go?"

"Fine," Sesshoumaru sighed as he sat down leaving enough room so Kagome could sit behind him. She looked at Ayame sitting between Kouga's legs. She had seen her do this enough times to wonder about it. No one seems to notice Inuyasha's slight gesture but Kagome. And to Sesshoumaru's surprise Kagome settles between his legs, back against his chest. For a little while everyone was silent scanning their papers when Ayame looked up and sighed.

"What is it Stalker-girl?"

"Those Miko, they are doing it again," she brought everyone's but Kagome's attention to a group of miko that had stopped not too far from where they sat. "This morning when we arrived at school, then in between exams. I think they are stalking us or something."

"No they are not stalking us Ayame. Call it a tradition but when ever miko higher or lower visit campus they always walk where I can see them. If I was sitting somewhere alone they would come over and introduce themselves if they didn't already know me," Kagome finished in a whisper.

"Can you get them to go away its kind of creepy," Ayame whispered back.

"Not really it's sort of like …a showing respect. But with Sesshoumaru's help I can get them to move away some. Um. .would that help?"

"Sure that's just creepy them being so close. Like they think we are going to hurt you or something."

Kagome moved closer to Sesshoumaru and pulled her legs close to her body and with a sigh suppressed her aura and energy. Sesshoumaru leaned his head into her hair taking in her contented scent. "What am I supposed to do? Besides act like a shield?" his warm breath ghosted across her skin making her tremble a little.

"Flare your energy just a little like a warning," she whispered. She felt his chuckle as he did as she asked. She wasn't even aware of the laughter around her was she sunk into the feeling being created by Sesshoumaru's power, and scent. She wanted to sink into him and lose herself in the warm feeling. She heard the whispering of his thoughts adding to the warmth.

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but tighten his hold on Kagome and returning the small sound of pleasure that slipped from her throat.

Inuyasha looked at his brother and Kagome with a toothy grin knowing only he was seeing something few witness before. His brother smiling a true smile of happiness mirrored a few seconds later by Kagome. The two clearly in their own world until the thought hit him.

"Ayame," he started and scratched the back of his head trying to figure out how to phrase his question. "Is it possible to only feel happiness through another persons feelings?"

"Um . . . I guess its possible but-" the bell ringing stopped anything else Ayame was going to say. The next exam was starting.

Kagome was just leaving her last exam when her phone vibrated. She hit the button and brought up the picture message it took all but a few moments between her gasped of horror and her streaking from the building. Her heart was pounding in her ears to the point she didn't see or hear Ayame as she rushed from the school and off the grounds without a backwards look or thought. .

She fell to her knees when she reached the spot in the picture, her scream echoed around the area and stopped. She felt something inside her slam shut and than nothing...

*HDA*

The school was in a panic the miko teachers were passing out one after another.

Ayame searched through the chaos for her friends and Kouga only to learn they were rushed to the hospital wing. They all passed out as well moments apart from one another.

Across town Yuu was frantic as well he and Ryuu had been in a meeting when his son stood up only to pass out.

Fei on the other hand was rushing to the hospital after the cleaning lady called him at the office. His mate Rin had collapsed and she had been taken to the nearest hospital.

"Help her" was whispered into their unconscious minds "you have to help her"

In the darkness they raced toward a figure that seems to be dissolving into it. The dull eyes seem so familiar to them but no matter how they yelled the figure never answered. Twenty minutes later they all jerked awake each screaming out "Kagome"

*HDA*

If asked later how they knew where Kagome was no one would be able to answer it. They would just say that they knew. The two cars rolled to a stop as the four friends jumped from the cars. They all followed Sesshoumaru into the wooded area behind the shrine. Sesshoumaru was surprised there was no barrier. The smell of smoke assaulted everyone as they reached the top of a small hill. Their eyes widen taking in the scene that greeted them. Headstones were broken and there pieces scattered around the area. Three of the graves had been dug up the shattered remains of their caskets beside the holes. Smoke rose from a blazing fire sticking out from the flames a burning hand.

They all spotted her at the same time and rushed down the hill. She was sitting on her knees in front of the fire staring blankly at a burning half of skull.

"They . . .they"

"Who . . .who would do something like this?" Ayame gasped out.

They all heard Sesshoumaru trying to get Kagome to snap out of the state she had fallen into. It was Inuyasha that noticed it first a note lying on the ground being held down by a rock.

"Hey check this out"

'You can't hide anything from me girl. This is the last time I will ask nicely'

Ayame moving closer to Kouga and Inuyasha that let them know something was wrong.

"What is it Stalker girl?"

"We're surrounded," Ayame whispered.

A hail of gunfire forced the group away from Kagome as a group of youkai rushed the area.

"Where did they come from?" Inuyasha whispered. No one had sensed the group at all.

"You did this," Sesshoumaru growled.

"Haha Haha of course," the group of friends looked to a dark-haired youkai missing his right hand. His laughter stopped as quickly as it started he signaled his group to take aim again. They fired yet again forcing the group farther away.

The now smirking youkai strolled up to the unaware Kagome and kicked her, knocking her to the ground and almost into the now smoldering fire.

"Pathetic," he laughed at the combined growls of Kagomes friends. 'The bitch thought she could take my hand and get away with it' he poked her with his foot and laughed again. "The bitch is broken. I told him didn't I boys? I told him I could break the bitch. "He kneeled down besides Kagome and stroked her face with his only hand looking into her blank eyes. "To think someone so powerful being all sentimental over a few corpse. Pathetic! Now I'm afraid its time to finish the job. What do you think?" he questioned Kagome.

He looked at Kagomes friends and gave his group the order to open fire.

Sesshoumaru leapt forward and next no one can say for sure what happened. Ayame would say later she saw a black shadow, and Kouga would say he smelled acid. Inuyasha would tell everyone he saw Kagome attack. But who believes him anyway.

Ryuu and his father rushed over the hill and came to a dead stop having to cover their noses. The smell of blood and acid hung heavy in the air along with burning flesh. Their eyes widen taking in the bloody carnage before them and in the center of it sat a very bloody Kagome rocking back and forth, eyes wide and blank. Everyone including Inuyasha, Ayame, Koga and yes even Sesshoumaru on the ground bleeding.

Ryuu wasted no time in dropping to his knees beside his big sister in tears.

"Ryuu?"

"She not here Father. . . She… she's gone"

"What happened here Ryuu? What did you see back there?"

"Nothing father after she runs over the hill…there's nothing"

Yuu shook his head as he checked over the four friends for a pulse. He sighed with relief, there was no way he was going to call Inu Tashio and tell him his sons had died. Pulling his phone he called the police and the pups' families. Yuu swallowed thickly and turned to his little dragons quickly making up his mind. "Take your sister to our home Ryuu hurry before anyone comes. We'll figure out this mess once these four get seen too"

"Right" and with one last look over the carnage Ryuu lifted his big sister into his arms and walked away frowning. He felt real fear for the first time about his big sister. He knew better then anyone about her fragile state of mind when it came to Shippo's family. Lady and Lord Sano took care of her in a way becoming her family. Lord Sano was a physician; he tried to heal the wounds inflicted by her real family. Lady Sano was a psychologist; she tried to fix the wounds inflicted mentally by that same family. And they were making progress to until Rasan blew back into town. Weeks later they ended up dead a car bomb no one charged or found. But he knew and Kagome knew it was Rasan. He was the only one with something to gain.

Ryuu sighed as he drove away from the shrine passing the emergency youkai unit and the police. He looked in the rear view mirror at Kagome. If he didn't know better he would have thought she was sleeping. But he knew this is how it started last time after a while from no eating or real sleep everything within her will start to shutdown until she was comatose yet again. She almost died. He couldn't understand what brought her back from the edge. Ryuu wiped the tears from his eyes.

"No, I swear if I have to tie my soul to your's big sister I will not let you suffer like that again. Fei will not stop me this time I swear it"