Inuyasha hated snow. He figured he'd use the terrible weather as a great excuse to work out. He'd been down in his home gym for an hour lifting weights when his phone rang. He stopped lifting, took a deep breath and exhaled before answering the phone.

"Yo."

"Inuyasha?"

He could hear Kagome's voice cracking on the other side of the phone and got worried. "What's the matter, Kagome?"

"I was just going to fill my prescription for my migraine medicine. I shouldn't have gone alone." She sobbed into the phone.

Inuyasha began to panic. "What happened? Where are you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm safe. I escaped to a convenience store away from Shiro's house. I'm waiting for the police to come. But I'm so scared. I need you here."

"I'll be right there."

"I'm so sorry."

"No! I'm the one that should be sorry. I promised to protect you and I wasn't there."

"Please don't blame yourself. I thought I was going to die—"

"Don't talk like that!"

"Let me finish, Inuyasha. I thought I was going to die without telling you how I felt. Please. Get here when you can."

"I'm coming." Inuyasha quickly rushed up to his room, threw a shirt and his sweater on, grabbed his keys

"Fuck this. I ain't driving!" and he ran out the door.

Inuyasha was scared as he ran through the city. The thought of losing Kagome ran through his mind over and over again until his eyes flashed red. 'This is all my fault. I need to get to her.'

He started to run faster. So fast, in fact, that he probably looked like a blur passing by. He didn't care about the snow, he didn't care about the cold, he didn't care about anything except getting to Kagome.

Once he finally reached the convenience store, he swung the door open.

The cashier screamed like a little girl when he saw Inuyasha force himself in. Angry, huffing, snow all over his clothes and eyes red. He looked terrifying.

"Uh...we're c-closed, sir!" The cashier said, the evident fear in his voice.

"Where is she? Where's the girl that came here?" He growled out.

Kagome slowly stood up from behind the counter and ran into Inuyasha's arms. "I'm so glad you're here! I was so scared!"

Inuyasha held her tightly and calmed down. He was relieved that she wasn't bleeding or injured in any way, but the fact that she was still attacked was unsettling. He continued to hold her as they waited for the police to arrive.

Kagome was brought to the precinct for questioning and Inuyasha was right there with her. He was on the phone with Sango who was cursing like a sailor on her bus ride there. Kagome had to wait for her mother before she could go home. She sat, waiting for her mother holding Inuyasha's hand. She was still wrapped in the blanket that guy gave her from the store until Inuyasha offered her his sweatshirt and stayed in his thermal shirt.

Her mother stepped out the elevator and Kagome ran into her mother's arms.

"Mommy I'm so sorry. I caused more trouble."

"Oh, Kagome this isn't your fault. I'm so glad you're okay."

Kagome's mother walked up to the detective and gave him a piece of her mind.

"This is your fault. My daughter called you people months ago and told you he was after her. She was just going to get medicine and he attacks her because it took her almost dying for you to "look into it?" This is not acceptable!"

Kagome never saw her mother get like that unless it had something to do with her or Sota, or even her grandpa. While her mother was ranting, Sango had shown up with Kohaku. The two both ran up to Kagome and hugged her, glad to know she was okay.

"Ma'am please calm down. Maybe if your daughter wasn't alone—"

"Hold on!" Sango cut in. "It was 1 in the fucking afternoon in broad daylight. Why is it her fault that she got snatched? How dare you blame her for this! Mom!" She turned to Kagome's mother. "You need to file a lawsuit against this police department."

Kagome's mother nodded in agreement. "Let's leave everyone."

They all got in the elevator and left the precinct.

Kagome went straight in her shower when she got home. She wanted to wash Shiro off her skin. She wanted to wash his face out of her mind, his voice out of her head and his existence out of her life. She told Sango and Kohaku it was alright for them to go to his appointment because she would be okay. Especially if Inuyasha was with her.

Inuyasha.

She was so glad she was alive. She didn't want to die without telling him she loved her too. She believed Shiro would be out the picture for good this time and maybe it was finally okay for her to love him. Maybe everything happened for a reason. Maybe.

"Mrs. Higurashi, Sota. I am so sorry for what happened to Kagome. If only I had been with her..."

Kagome's mother rubbed Inuyasha's shoulder in comfort. "Inuyasha, you can't blame yourself for what happened. Kagome wants to be able to live her life and get around by herself. She shouldn't have to always have someone with her. Shiro is the blame. He shouldn't have been terrorizing her like that."

Sota nodded in accord. "Yeah. Besides, Kagome saved herself! Maybe she's stronger than she thinks she is. I hope she finally sees that."

Inuyasha couldn't help but feel guilty and uneasy about everything. He knows he can't be attached at the hip to Kagome, but he still feels like he's responsible because he promised to protect her. Still and yet, Sota was right.

"Yeah. Me too." He agreed.

Kagome came downstairs to see everyone looking at her with somewhat optimistic smiles on their faces. She sniffed the air and made a displeased face.

"I still smell like him." She groaned. "I'm going to take another shower...or three." She went right back up the stairs.

Everyone looked at each other awkwardly.

"I guess I'll go home for a while." Inuyasha said as he stood up. "Maybe Kagome will want to get out the house. I don't want her sulking in bed."

Kagome's mother nodded. "She definitely does not need to be sulking around all day but being with you seems to make her happy." Her mother gave him that strange smile again.

Inuyasha returned the smile. All he wanted to do was make Kagome happy.