Cacat-angel- Hey! Thanks for the advice and comments and such! See, the point is it isn't just a coincidence that they all are together and have similar traits/situations. Something is causing them to come together, etc etc. What? Who knows...except me D

Nekomon- Yay! I'm free of the army for now!! Thanks for your concern about my kitty! He feels very special and says meow! Yeah...Inuyasha is big eye candy! I'll try my best to update as much as I can but during the week I'm usually way filled up. I'll try hard though!! I'm writing as much as I can today so I can post it later.

Jupiter's Light- *snicker* Inuyasha....and Relena Peacecraft.....BWAHAHAHAHAHA!! Wow...that's a major freaky mental picture. Eww...get it out! Get it out!! ^_^;; Don't worry Inuyasha, I'll try my best!

yui-girl- So far Kaede's not in the story just yet. Can't forget about Kikyo's little sister!

Sakura-san- AHH!! I want to see the movie SO bad! Did you know they're coming out with another Inu-Yasha movie? It looks REALLY good! It won't be out in Japan though until like December 20th.

Inez- Oh my god. When I read your review I cracked up laughing!! No, sorry to say but I don't eat, sleep and pee next to my computer, although it is in my room. I had a four day weekend and absolutely NOTHING to do except a few little things like go out to lunch and such. I know I'm going to have a busy week so I'm trying to write the chapters in my time that I have now. Believe me, it won't be this fast when I get back in school. I know it said that her grandfather had died from a sickness but that is what everyone said. Only a few people knew the truth, which wasn't revealed until recently. (It was to throw you off). And the movie I ordered is the original Japanese version with subtitles.

B-chan- As I said in the last note, it has English subtitles. I ordered it here: www.discountanimedvd.com for only $13.95! (Not including shipping/handling). The have a bunch of really good movies and for cheap too! I also ordered the whole Karo Kano (Her & Her Circumstances) series, 26 episodes, for only $38! Good deals there!

~*~ Where Did You Go? ~*~

~By: Lauren~

-Chapter 8-

"Story Telling Time"

"Miroku...leave the poor nurses alone for once!!" Inuyasha lectured the lecherous man. "Jeez...I'd laugh my ass off if you became a priest!!"

"Which is why I'll never become one." Miroku crossed his arms behind the large white desk he was sitting behind. "So what have I missed while I was gone?" His hand was wrapped up in white bandages.

"Nothing. I've got a new patient who has the weirdest story. I'm so happy to be rid of Kikyo but I still can't believe Naraku accidentally put a hole in your hand though! Your hand just happened to be there when he slammed his pen down and he didn't notice it there. Feh, that guy is a freak." Inuyasha shook his head.

"I know. Then it ends up he injured some of my veins and I had to get surgery. He's going to pay for it or else I'll sue him!" Miroku frowned. "Eh...but it attracts the ladies! I tell them it was a battle wound I received while protecting my 'little sister' from an attacking dog!! I valiantly dove in front of her, taking the blow and protecting her!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and snorted. "You don't even have a little sister so don't feed me that crap. Nah, but do they seriously fall for it?"

"Like a charm" Miroku held his hand against his chest while he stared out at a passing nurse, grinning like a fool.

The nurse turned, giving him a sweet smile. "That was so brave, what you did for your sister." She blushed, obviously eyeing him over.

"I would do it for any lady in trouble." He smirked, edging closer to her over the desk.

"EXCUSE ME!!" Sango screeched, stomping into the room. She sneered at Miroku. "Glad to have you back." She dropped a tiny box of chocolates in front of Miroku. "For you to get better." She then glared at the nurse who ran off at the woman's scold.

"Feh, What are you doing here? You don't have an appointment. I can only take seeing you so much." Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, getting ready to go see Kagome.

"I forget my purse last time I came here." Sango stood up, setting up an air of dignity about her.

"Then why didn't you come for it yesterday?" Inuyasha gave her a triumphant look.

"B-Because...because...." Sango searched for an excuse. "BECAUSE I WAS BOOKED ALL YESTERDAY!! MICE ARE RUNNING RAMPANT!" And with that said, she turned on her heels and entered Inuyasha's office. She came back out with her black purse but before she left she paused at Miroku's desk and began to chat with the man.

"See you both later, I've got some business I need to attend to now." Inuyasha smirked. Sango only had come to see Miroku. He yawned, wandering up the stairwell and through the many hallways until he came face to face with Kagome's cell.

"Be careful." Kouga warned Inuyasha. Kouga's shifted had changed and so he was currently helping the doctors with the area Kagome was in.

"Like you need to tell me that." Inuyasha snorted while Kouga unlocked the door with a huge set of keys. That stupid Kouga doctor was such a nuisance. Last Inuyasha had heard he was going out with some girl named Kagura who was somehow related to Naraku. Like his cousin or something.

Inuyasha peered into the cell. Kagome was curled up in the corner of the room, her blanket wrapped around her. When she heard the door, she jumped up to her feet as if she was on alert the whole time. When she noticed it was Inuyasha though, she relaxed and moved to her bed, sitting down on it.

"Great. More fun." She remarked, sending him a glare.

"Very funny. It's nice to see you too." Inuyasha pulled open his chair and placed it next to the bed. "Now I want to talk with you."

"What else it new?" Kagome snapped, crossing her arms.

Inuyasha frowned. "I read some interesting things in your REAL files. What I'd first like to ask is...where did you disappear to for months? Think hard, you know what I'm talking about."

Kagome began to chew her lip.

Inuyasha sighed. It was like talking to a dead telephone. She had tuned him out. Nothing he could say was going to change anything.

Except she surprised him when she spoke. "I went to feudal Japan. I already told you that."

"But that's-"

"Impossible? I know." Kagome crossed her arms. "But sometimes you have to believe in the impossible, even when you don't see it for yourself." She paused, as if in deep thought. "...D-Do you want to know the story?"

"Sure." Inuyasha leaned back in his seat. It wouldn't hurt to listen to her- in fact it might help him figure out what really had happened to her when she was missing.

Kagome smiled, making herself comfortable on her bed. Her eyes glazed over as she filed through her memories until she reached the beginning. The moment she had fallen through the well and the centipede creature attacked her. She went on, speaking of her arrow shattering the Shikon no Tama that had been inside of her. She told of everyone and went on about their adventures. Kikyo, the priest who had died protecting the jewel, Kaede, the priestess's younger sister who put a rosary around Inuyasha's neck so he wouldn't cause any damage to Kagome. With one word she could control him. Shippo who became an orphan along with Sango. Miroku, the monk with a hole in his hand. And all the troubles they ran into. But she left out all mention of Kikyo and Inuyasha's love. She left out the fact that she had also fallen in love with Inuyasha. Soon, the sky outside began to turn dark. But that didn't stop them. Kagome went on telling the story while Inuyasha listened with his full attention. His pad of paper and pen had dropped to the floor as he scooted closer to her in his chair. Absently, he gripped her hand when she began to quiver lightly.

They sat like that for hours into the night as she spoke. Finally, Kagome paused in her story, unable to go on anymore for her throat was stark dry and she was tired. She had left off at the part where Inuyasha had defeated a giant dragon-like demon that his father had sealed away many years ago. It was to make his sword stronger.

Together- for hours into the night- they had cried at certain parts, trembled at the dangerous moments, they had laughed at the funny parts, they had growled at the angry parts and smiled at the sweet moments. They had relaxed when the characters in the story were safe but went rigid when an enemy attacked. And Inuyasha had held her hand whenever she needed his support in telling the story.

Inuyasha rubbed his eyes but his attention was still on the girl. This Kagome was truly full of surprises. He was in awe, stuck in her story. Could it be true? He shook his head. It couldn't! It had to be impossible! But everyone's situations were so a like... the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly.

Suddenly, Kagome looked up at him, tears brimming her eyes as her body began to shake.

"What's wrong Kagome?" Inuyasha questioned her as worry filled his voice.

"I miss...that time...it's been so hard since then..." She murmured. Inuyasha reached forward tentatively, resting his hand on her shoulder. He saw huge tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes were closed tightly and she was chewing on her lip. He shook her a bit and this time, her eyes flickered open. A pair of sorrowful cinnamon colored eyes stared at him. Her eyes shone with so much pain that Inuyasha felt his heart stop at the sight of it. She was lost to what she had seen, what she had felt and he could now see that.

And he wanted nothing more than to make her smile.

Suddenly, Kagome felt a warm hand cup her cheek. She looked up as he brushed her tears away tenderly with his thumb. She collapsed into Inuyasha who only held his arms open in shock. Kagome wrapped her arms around him, gripping his shirt tightly while she buried her face in his shoulder. He could feel her tears already soaking through his shirt while her body shook with sobs. Inuyasha didn't know what to do so he wrapped his warm, strong arms around her. With his hand, he absently rubbed her back. He rested his chin on the top of her head while he breathed in her sweet scent. Quietly, he whispered into her ear, "It'll be ok Kagome, it'll be ok..." over and over again. Kagome held onto him as if for dear life, which in truth, he was like a lifeline to her. She clung onto him as tears poured out. They wouldn't stop coming- it was like an endless flow. It was as if all of Kagome's sorrow and pain were put into those tears and they were now being taken away by Inuyasha. Inuyasha pulled her onto his lap while he leaned into the chair for support. No one had held Kagome like that since she was a child, long before her father's death. She remembered waking up from terrible nightmares and having her mother or father rush to her side, holding her like this until she went back to sleep. She always seemed to feel so safe there- sheltered in the strength of her parent's arms. She was protected from the world and all of its cruel pain. It had seemed like maybe...somehow... everything WOULD be all right. It was as if she didn't have to hold everything on her own shoulders. Like maybe there was someone else there along with her, looking out for her and making sure she would be all right. But Kagome couldn't pretend to me strong anymore. The tears swept down her cheeks in streams of grief, agony and release. They stained Inuyasha's shirt dark while shaking the strong, warm arms that held her.

Kagome didn't know how long she lay there, crying into Inuyasha's chest, feeling the protective arms around her but...eventually the tears began to subside. The sobs began to slow and gradually the pain began to lift from her heart. It didn't leave but then Kagome didn't expect it to disappear and she didn't expect it to for a long time. But for now, with the tender arms around her and the tears still warm against her cheeks, the hurt had sunk to the lowest areas of her consciousness. It would hide there for a bit, waiting and recovering, gaining strength and then, the next time Kagome showed the slightest bit of weakness or break in defenses, the pain would return, shuddering through her with the wrath of sorrow and anguish on its side. But for now...at least...it was gone.

A long silence passed as Kagome snuggled against Inuyasha, letting her breathing slow down to its normal pace. He stopped whispering to her but he kept rubbing her back as his head lay on top of hers. Finally breathing softly, Kagome lay still and quiet in Inuyasha's arms, listening to the comforting thud of the man's heartbeat in her ears. Despite the fact that the tears had currently passed, Inuyasha didn't lift his arms and neither did he open his mouth to question her, instead, he only sat there, strong and solid and real, and let Kagome be held.

Finally, Kagome lifted her head, brushing the streaks of tear-stained hair from her face as she sank back a bit from him but still held on tightly. She let out a tired chuckle at his wet shirt but Inuyasha merely sat there, holding her in his lap giving her a lopsided smile. Her eyes began to close as Inuyasha stood up, laying her out on the bed before tucking the covers around her once more.

Quietly, he left the room, locking the door behind him.

~*~

Lauren: Hehe...^_^ so what did you think?

I – WANT – BERNARD –

-THE HEAD ELF FROM THE MOVIE THE SANTA CLAUS!-

AND INUYASHA!

Ok...glad I got that out of my system. ^_^; Sorry if I scared you there! Thanks for all the great reviews!