Caroline: Well... not much to say.
Chapter 53: Broken Trust
"When do you think they'll return?" Shippo asked, perched on the wooden fence behind Kaede's hut.
"Beats me," Kagome said, pulling up an assortment of plants for stew. "What do you think, Sango?"
Sango shrugged.
"Do you even think they'll come back?" Kohaku asked, playing with Kirara as he sat on the fence beside Shippo.
"It'd be a shame if they didn't," Miroku said, leaning against it. He sighed. "Those two girls really were beauties."
The other four ignored the bashes.
"What do you think, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, looking up to the hanyou on the roof.
Inuyasha stared at the clouds, & said nothing. Kagome went back to her work.
'He must really be upset,' she thought. 'Every time we get on the subject, he acts as if it never existed. Hopefully when they return, he won't be so stubborn.'
Kagome was broken away from her thoughts as she sensed something.
"Oh great," Inuyasha said.
Kagome stared out into the distance for a few minutes & then saw four figures walking their way.
"Kagome!" Shippo yelled jumping into her arms. "They're here! They're here! They're back, Kagome!"
Kagome smiled, & the two ran off to greet them.
"Hey guys!" Kagome yelled, waving at them. "Welcome back!"
Roy gave a small wave as the two ran up to them.
"I missed you guys!" Shippo exclaimed, jumping into Jordan's arms.
"We're glad you're back," Kagome said smiling, then noticed Caroline hide behind her big brother, looking timid.
'Poor thing,' Kagome thought. 'She must still be feeling guilty. I can't even begin to imagine what I'd feel like if I were her.'
"Come on," she said, smiling. "Why don't we go & fix something to eat. I bet you're all starving."
---
Kagome laughed with the others as they sat around the pot & ate their dinner. She reached for the ladle, & filled her bowl up with some more. She had just eaten another bite, & then she gagged.
"Ugh..." she exclaimed. "The stew's getting cold."
"That must mean the fire's going to die," Roy muttered.
"I'll go get some more firewood," Caroline said, her voice stone cold.
They all looked to the corner, where she had been sitting all day by herself. The girl had stood up, & was staring at the ground, her expression matching her voice. All was silent.
"Actually," Inuyasha said. "I think I'll go instead. It's almost dark anyways."
"I'll go too," Miroku said. "Just incase trouble arises."
"I suppose I'll have to go too," Sango said, sighing. "There's enough trouble with just the two of you."
"Wait for me, aneue!" Kohaku exclaimed.
The four left, Shippo & Kirara prancing behind.
All was silent again.
"So... um... how's Al?" Kagome asked, looking at Ed. "You haven't said much about him on your trip back."
"Oh, uh..." Ed looked surprised that she asked. "He's fine, I guess. He probably has about a hundred kittens inside of him right now."
Kagome laughed.
"Then I bet he'd freak if he saw Kirara," she said.
Ed laughed too. "Probably."
A man burst into the hut, panting.
"Lady Kagome, my son... he's... fallen ill," he said. "Lady Kaede said she was busy with a woman giving birth, but to come & find you. She... also said there was something that needed to be delivered to the farthest hut in the village."
Kagome gasped, then nodded.
"Go now & make sure he's okay. I'll be there in a minute," she said. "I'll get the medicine. I need two assistants to come with me."
"Me & Roy can go," Jordan said. "Right, Roy?"
Roy nodded.
"I'll deliver," Caroline said from the corner again. The second thing she had said the whole time she had been there.
"Uh... I think Ed's faster," Kagome said. "Just... make sure Kaede's hut stays safe, alright?"
Caroline opened her mouth to say something, then looked down, her expression sad, & slowly nodded.
Kaogme, Jordan, & Roy left quickly. The two Elrics remained, & Ed rushed around the hut, looking everywhere for what Kaede wanted him to deliver. Caroline pulled her knees up to her chest.
"Aha, found it!" Ed exclaimed. He turned around, & his expression fell. "Hey... you okay?" he asked, going & kneeling beside Caroline.
She nodded.
"I just feel kinda sick, that's all," she muttered.
Ed knew that wasn't it, but he rubbed her cheek lovingly.
"It's okay," he muttered. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
She watched him leave, & now when she had the opportunity, she hid her head between her knees & screamed as she began to cry.
---
What she didn't see would bring her down though, for little did she know, someone was peeking through the window.
"Now that they don't trust you..." the same man who had been there earlier whispered. Slowly his form shifted to a long haired teenage boy. "Let's see if they'll even come to save you..."
To be continued...
Caroline: R&R please! 2 chaptrs in 1 day bettr get sum!
