*What happens when your mask is destroyed?*

Tears ran down Kagome's face as she ran from her home that was now being consumed by flames.

*Your façade demolished, leaving you vulnerable and insecure?*

As much as she wanted to turn back and run, screaming, into the fire she couldn't.

*Will you make a new mask, stronger, more realistic?*

Her family was dead; it would be to no avail.

*Could you even do that?*

She had seen them murdered before her very eyes, brutally, so even a cold- blooded murderer would be ill.

*Or would you decide to leave it the way it is, so you could cry, mourn?*

But he hadn't, no; he had just laughed and turned his eyes to Kagome.

*How? Do you even know how to cry?*

As she scrambled backwards, he laughed. 'I'm not going to kill you now. No, I think I want you to suffer the pain of loss, like I had to because of you.' He had said.

*Have you forgotten over the years of loss, of pain?*

Then he had set the house on fire and left, leaving her to escape or die in the flames.

*Will it matter? One day, will you remember how to cry?*

And so, Kagome had run, leaving the home she had always lived in.

*If you do, will someone be there to wipe off the tears?*

She only had some money and the clothes on her body to start over with.

*Someone to let you lean on their shoulder?*

And start over she would. Only, this time, she would stronger, have less emotions.

*No, they are gone, and your tears have gone with them.*

Higurashi Kagome would survive.

~!@#$%^&*()_+ A.N. I did this on a whim; tell me if you want me to continue it. There will be choices on pairings, eventually. The only one I will not do is Kagome/ Miroku, or yaoi/ yuri. I will do Koga/ Kagome, but I won't like it.