A/N: I just got an excellent idea for a story therefore I am proud to announce that this story will soon be coming to a close! And NO I will not tell you my ideas…bwahaha…your just gonna hafta be patient!  XD

Disclaimer: Nope -.-''

Don't Say a Word

Chapter 6: Secrets Revealed

The next few days were quite uneventful, due largely to the fact that Kagome's wounds from her apparent "fall" were still mending. If it weren't for Kaede and Sango's warnings, Inuyasha would have marched them all into the forest in search of Shikon Shards.

Miroku took this time to continue doing what he had done before he had met Inuyasha and Kagome, performing simple exorcisms and such for neighboring villages, most of which he acquired a hefty reward.

Sango spent most of this free time trying to coax Kagome into going out into the village to help her with odd jobs. But after seeing that Kagome could not be coaxed into leaving Kaede's hut, Sango decided that it would be best if she did not force her and stopped asking. Shippo mostly tagged along with Sango, trying to remove Kagome's sad face that was imprinted in his mind.

Inuyasha on the other hand was rarely seen, usually spending most of the day in the trees, only revealing himself to eat a meal or to check on Kagome.

Kagome's depression had been deepening and deepening, taking advantage of the solace she spent inside of Kaede's hut.

Kagome reeked of sadness. Something that no matter how hard anyone tried could not be cured so easily. Kagome's constant thoughts of home did not help either, causing her to feel even guiltier than before.

Tonight would again be another night that Kagome would spend alone. Or so she thought.

***************

"Where's Miroku?" Sango asked quietly, afraid that if he spoke any louder it would disturb Kagome who was staring absentmindedly out the window. Again.

"Who knows? Probably off searching for someone to bear his child…" Kaede muttered as she wiped off a few dishes with a cloth.

At this comment, Sango rolled her eye's and turned to gaze out the same window that Kagome was staring out of, seeing nothing but the dark night that seemed to crush the room.

Sango sighed sadly as she watched the younger girl stare hopelessly out the window, as if there was nothing left in life. She began to remember how it had been before Kagome had left. Happy, bright, everything was a dream compared to how everything was now. All because of….well…no one knew. No one knew what had caused things to change so drastically, and part of Sango did not want to find out.

Suddenly an urgent tapping was sounded at the front door, causing everyone to jump, including Kagome who was snapped out of her trance.

Sango hurriedly jumped to open the door, allowing a young girl of about 11 to rush in with a most fearful look on her face.

"Kaede-baba!" The young girl cried, rushing straight past Sango to take Kaede's hand.

"Suchika-sama is ill! You must hurry and bring your medicinal supplies!" The girl gasped between heavy breathes, obviously over exerted from her run.

"Sango I will need your help." Kaede said promptly, bustling about to gather odds and ends as the girl waited by the door impatiently, sending curious glances towards the girl who sat near the window, stoic and unmoving.

"Shippo and Kirara should be back soon, and if not Kagome will be fine." Kaede continued hurriedly, almost reading Sango's thoughts.

Sango nodded reluctantly, accepting the large bag that Kaede handed to her as they made there way out the front door.

"We will be back later Kagome!" Sango called, looking to Kagome one last time before allowing the hanging door shade to swing shut, leaving Kagome alone in the darkness.

'Don't go…..Don't leave me here alone..' Kagome thought sadly, wishing that the words would have actually left her tongue.

'This feeling….' Kagome thought sullenly, 'Is this how Mama and Souta are feeling right now?'

Kagome gathered her knees to her chest and rested her head against the wall, allowing the darkness to seep into her. But no matter how hard Kagome tried, she could not get her family of her mind.

The everlasting guilt that plagued her heart was almost overwhelming to the point where Kagome felt so low she could be considered at the same level as Naraku himself.

'I ran away…I am a coward….' The thoughts continued to plague her, as she squeezed her eyes shut trying to drown out the thoughts that ran through her head.

"I couldn't…protect them." Kagome whispered, admitting defeat as the depression sank even deeper. Kagome hugged her knees even tighter, fully understanding the feeling of what it meant to be alone.

It was then when Kagome finally freed what her eyes had been holding back so long.

***************

Inuyasha sighed heavily as he leaned his head against the trunk of the large tree in which he sat, dangling his bare feet over the side of the branch.

Even though Kagome was here, it felt to Inuyasha that she was back in her own world, in her own time. So far away and disconnected from everything. No matter what Inuyasha did, he could not figure out what was wrong with Kagome.

Telling him was completely a different story, for Kagome barely even spoke to him, less anyone, as of now. It was like she was a different person. The same body, the same face, yet a completely different soul. It was as if Kagome had morphed into something strange and unnatural.

 Something that reminded him distinctly of someone who he immediately regretted remembering.

Kikyou.

It was then when the memories surrounding this familiar yet foreign name began to flow back to him, causing the hanyou to shake his head rapidly.

"I will not remember." He stated firmly, as if commanding his mind to stop the memories from returning to him. Yet through this denial,  his thoughts turned inwards, once again drawn back to the day when Kagome had first returned from her time.

'What happened?' Inuyasha thought, wondering what could have happened in a 5 day period that would change Kagome's personality so drastically.

One minute happy, bright, full of life, the next…depressed, hopeless, Kikyou.

"GAH!" Inuyasha exclaimed angrily, banging his fist down upon the branch forcefully.

"Kagome is not Kikyou!" He reminded himself, shaking his finger in the air as if to put more emphasis on his words.

Yet for some reason, even Inuyasha was starting to have a hard time differentiating between the two.

Sighing sadly, Inuyasha once again rested his head against the trunk of the tree, hoping earnestly to get some much needed, worry free sleep. Yet even this Inuyasha was not given.

As soon as the hanyou closed his eyes, a familiar and detestable smell began to swim around his sensitive nose.

It was strong, heavy, and…salty.

Before Inuyasha had time to think, his body had automatically reacted to the smell, sending him gracefully to the ground.

Kagome?

***********

Kagome had tried her best to keep the tears from falling, but the pressure and pain that had been weighing on her heart the last few days was starting to become too much to bear. It felt as if the weight on her shoulders was growing heavier and heavier as the day's past, with no intention of lightening anytime soon.

The dark aura that seemed to penetrate through everything only increased the depressing mood in her surroundings, causing the sadness to increase even more.

"I'm Sorry…" Kagome whispered, leaning her head against the wall of the hut, wishing that she would just blend into it and dissolve into nothingness. But cruel reality had other plans for her.

But the thing that hurt most was not the fact that she was alone and I pain, but the fact that she had deserted her family, the ones who truly depended on her.

Kagome's family needed severe help, and Kagome had fled for her own well being. Not only had she fled her mother and Souta when she knew that Mr. Toda was around, but she had deserted her family when her grandfather's days were numbered. Her own fear and selfishness made her forget about the things that were most important to her.

'Besides…. when your grandpa dies you wouldn't want us not to get along huh?'

Mr. Toda's words rang clear through her troubled mind, causing the girl to close her eyes tight trying to push the thoughts out. But they remained relentless; causing Kagome to finally think about what she was worrying about most.

'If Jii-chan….dies….' Kagome thought shakily, affected deeply only by thinking about the possibility of her grandfather's death.

'Would it be my fault…….?'

As if on queue, Kagome's dream came back at her in a rush, throwing images in her head which Kagome did not want to remember.

'He's dying Kagome…he's going away forever.'

'Good bye Kagome…Say good bye.'

Suddenly all of Kagome's thoughts, fears, and regrets started to come true. Everything that she had been denying this entire time had turned around to smack her in the face.

"It's my fault…if he dies…its all my fault." Kagome whispered, lowering her head into her arms as she squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears from flowing freely.

Only was it until Kagome felt Inuyasha's hand on her back was when she was brought back to reality. Kagome jerked forcefully, recoiling blindly away to press herself into the corner of the room.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha inquired, moving forward to see the girl's face in the moonlight. Yet what he saw he did not expect at all.

Across Kagome's tear stricken face held an intense expression of fear. Her knees were brought up to her chest and she was pressing herself as far into the corner of the room as she could.

A look of deep concern crossed the hanyou's face and he moved forward in one fluid movement to touch the girl gently on her shoulder.

"Kagome what's wrong?" He asked urgently, wanting to get rid of what was distressing her as fast as he possibly could, the idea that her fear was deeper than anything he could ever kill not once crossing his mind.

"D-don't touch me!" Kagome choked out between heavy forced breaths.

Inuyasha was taken aback at her demand, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion at Kagome's strange and flighty behavior.

Yet his confused thoughts at Kagome's behavior were rudely interrupted by the most disturbing sound that he never thought Kagome would ever emit.

Kagome's body racked with sobs, her hands shaking as she folded herself into a tight ball. The tears streamed down her face freely as she choked on her own sobs between heavy, uneven breathing.

Kagome wanted nothing more that to disappear, the heavy sorrow and confusion that plagued her heart becoming too heavy to bear, the little comfort she could find within the sanctity of her own arms which were wrapped tightly about her.

Inuyasha on the other hand, was even more disturbed by the feeling that now possessed him.

Fear.

He was afraid. He was afraid for Kagome. Never since the day they had met had he ever seen Kagome so emotionally unstable. The fact that Kagome was crying like there was no tomorrow gave Inuyasha a deep sense of anxiety and anxiousness. For once in his life, he felt what it truly meant to feel helpless.

Yet the fear that drove Inuyasha was not deep enough to handicap his instincts.

Against Kagome's loud sobs of protest, Inuyasha moved in quickly and gathered the hysterical girl in his arms, cradling her to his chest as a mother would to a child.

Kagome did not struggle.

Surprisingly she latched onto him tightly, digging her fingernails into his arm as the pain and anguish flowed freely from her presence, causing the hanyou to be even more concerned and worried then before.

Inuyasha knew it had to come out and that Kagome would not- no could not keep it inside of her any longer. The pain was tearing her apart.

But surprisingly, Inuyasha would not have to inquire.

"I-It's all my fault…..!" Kagome gasped, her tone high and strained as she clenched her jaw to keep from sobbing again.

"H-hes…..dying!" She continued, bowing her head as she grit her teeth, not once releasing the firm hold that she had on Inuyasha's arm.

"Who's dying Kagome?" Inuyasha inquired, firmly but gently, not wanting to send Kagome into a frenzy. When Kagome did not answer, Inuyasha tightened his grasp on the girl, who became disturbingly limp in his arms.

"Kagome tell me!" Inuyasha rose his voice slightly, the fear and anxiety slowly starting to rise.

Kagome's face deadened, and her gaze was far away and incomprehensible, giving the disgruntled hanyou even more reason to be worried. He could stand her pain and suffering no longer, and he did not care whether or not he had to force the truth out of her.

"He hurt us…" Kagome whispered, loosening her grip on Inuyasha's arm, leaving fingernail marks on his skin.

Inuyasha was silent. The sheer fact that Kagome was even talking about someone hurting her gave him the sudden instinct to kill something.

Kagome suddenly began to grow fearful, as she felt Inuyasha's arms tighten painfully around her, in a protective almost possessive way. What frightened her the most was the deep growling sounds that were emerging from Inuyasha's throat.

Suddenly everything clicked.

"Y-you lied to me…" Inuyasha growled, his voice dangerously low, almost in a painful sort of tone.

Kagome remained silent, shifting slightly so that she could move from Inuyasha's lap. Inuyasha however would not release her.

"…You hid it from me…. Why?" His voice softened as he bore into Kagome's eyes, that were swimming in shame and apprehension. Kagome wished that she could just disappear, to escape from the disappointment that lingered in Inuyasha's eyes.

Kagome could not draw her self to speak, finding that she had no excuse at hiding this from Inuyasha, from everyone, for so long.

"……You fell……That was all a bunch of shit, huh?" Inuyasha continued, looking straight at Kagome, who was dodging his gaze.

"Answer me!" He boomed, not getting the full effect that he had hoped for, on account that his voice had cracked painfully.

It was then when they were eye to eye when Inuyasha realized his fault.

Kagome was not him. Kagome could not fight, kill, or do what Inuyasha would have done in her position. She did what anyone would do. She ran and she hid.

The envisions of Kagome as a strong, brave, woman began to melt. What he saw before him now was a sad, broken girl, who had run away and came here to find solace and protection.

And what was Inuyasha doing? He was yelling at her and she was not protesting one bit.

This nearly drove him mad.

Inuyasha stood abruptly, moving about the room in a frantic sort of way, clenching his fists as his arm muscles pulsed dangerously. Seeing Inuyasha so distressed caused Kagome to also stand, keeping her distance from the disgruntled hanyou as not to anger him even more than he already was.

Seeing her stand, Inuyasha strode quickly over to Kagome and grabbed her arm gently but firmly.

"You are going to take me with you back to your time Kagome. You're going to show me where this bastard is and I am going to rip his fles-" Inuyasha's hand tighted about her arm as he went on, causing Kagome to pull away from him abruptly.

"Stop it Inuyasha!" She replied angrily, her voice rising as she looking up into his shocked face.

"You can't do that Inuyasha…you can't." She continued, her tone softer as she sighed to herself, almost wishing that Inuyasha had never found out.

"What the hell do you mean 'I can't'!? I can do whatever the fuck I wa-." His voice began to rise again, before Kagome once again drew the line.

"Are you listening to a word I'm saying!?" Kagome's temper suddenly erupted, her new short fuse getting the best of her.

"Don't you understand Inuyasha? My world is not your world! You can't just go in and kill someone!" She continued, watching the hanyou's face as she poured out the most she has said in the last few days.

"All your doing is telling me what to do and demanding things from me! Why don't you ask me how I feel once in a while and stop being so Selfish!!" Kagome's voice echoed in the darkness, causing a deep in bearable silence to follow.

Inuyasha just stood quietly, a hard indecipherable expression on his tense face.

He could not believe what he was hearing.

He had finally found out the terrible truth, and Kagome was telling him that he could not set things straight the way the he usually did it. This was something that he could not understand, and refused to accept.

"I won't." Inuyasha replied finally, lifting his head to stare intensely into Kagome's troubled eyes.

"I won't sit around and do nothing when you're getting hurt. I won't keep your damned secret either. I won't run away Kagome…and I won't let you either." Inuyasha's decision was final, and Kagome knew that when Inuyasha made up his mind about something, he was not likely to change it.

"Y-you don't understand!" Kagome yelled curtly, feeling the angry tears start to well up in her eyes.

'He doesn't know what it's like! He doesn't know how mama…Souta…or Jii-chan feels! And now Jii-chan is sick….and it's all because of me!'

But before Kagome could react, or even speak for that matter, Inuyasha strode forward quickly to envelope Kagome in a tight embrace. Surprised and a bit angry at this Kagome remained as stiff as a board, not wanting Inuyasha to think that she appreciated this sign of "comfort". This embrace, however, was given mostly so that Inuyasha could feel some sense of comfort from Kagome. Her stiff disposition led him to feel otherwise.

"Kagome…Tell me what happened. I need to know….It's driving me mad…" Inuyasha pleaded, wrapping his arms around her even tighter which proved to Kagome the extent in which he meant when he said it was 'driving him mad'.

"What is it to you…You don't understand." Kagome muttered, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as the angry tears that had been building for so long began to escape from her eyelids.

"Because I…I…" Inuyasha paused, suddenly becoming confused with his own thoughts.

'Why do I care? She's just the Shard Detector right? Right?' Inuyasha questioned himself, becoming even more panicked when the thought he was trying to avoid popped into his head.

'Is it because I…..love her?' Inuyasha's face softened as the realization he had been denying for so long finally began to fell into place. But the stubborn hanyou was not going to give in that easy.

"Kagome……tell me what happened when you left. When you went back to….your world." Inuyasha implored, trying to forget about the previous thought.

Kagome immediately went stiff as soon as Inuyasha made reference to what had happened while she had been back visiting her family, but she knew there was no way out now.

Inuyasha let go of her softly, backing away from Kagome to sit down on the floor and lean against the wall. Kagome reluctantly followed suit, seating herself a little farther away from Inuyasha than usuall, turning her back to the hanyou who sat patiently waiting for her to speak.

"It was the day I went home…..10 day ago….." Kagome started, her voice distant and strained, almost reluctant to even speak.

"I came out of the well and….he was there. In my house."

"Who was there?" Inuyasha asked slowly, his voice lowering to a tone that Kagome would not have heard if it were not for the silence that filled the room.

"….Kagewa…."

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About 2 more chapters left! Review and I might change my mind!!