Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha. For the thousandth time!

A/N: Ok, so I was thinking about it and it'll take more than one or two more chapters to have the story go the way I want it to. Thanks to Esko Pa, Chibi-Yomi, Kagome M.K., and Evil-Hans for reviewing the last chapter! (Evil-Hans, did you read Language Barrier before this one? If you're lost that might help a bit.) Everyone that reads but doesn't review please review, I'd like to know that you're enjoying my writing or if you hate it tell me! Please have a reason though. -

Chapter 9- Something's A Miss

"Am I accident prone or something?"  Inu-Yasha asked as he lay on the guest bed in the Becker's house.

"Apparently" Ayame said. She was next to the bed and had some Ramen in her hands. Inu-Yasha could only sit up and move his right arm seeing as it was his left side that got punctured and whenever he raised his left arm the side would hurt. "Here" she put the ramen down on a table that extended over the bed and put a fork beside the bowl. Then she walked out of the room not looking back.

He stared at the closed door quite shocked at Ayame's behavior. She had never acted so cold to him in all his life. 'Now that I think about it it's not surprising actually. She had to see her sister die twice, once by unfortunate events and once by the person she had admired. Wait she admired me?'

'Stop stroking your ego'

'No! Dammit, you again? I thought I got rid of you in therapy'

'Yeah it's me, but I'm your conscience for crying out loud. You know? The little voice in the back of your head making sure you don't do anything STUPID!'

'Well you didn't do such a great job then!'

'URUSEI!! That is not the case right now. So why don't you eat your damn soup and get up! You're not hurt THAT bad! You're a hanyou, you should be healed by now!'

'Key word I SHOULD. Now shut up, I'm blocking you out!' True to it the voice did not speak again. Inu-Yasha ate the soup and heard a knocking on the door as he lay down to go back to sleep. He heard muffled voices then someone running urgently up the stairs. Next thing Inu-Yasha knew he was face down on the floor with someone's foot weighing down on his back.

"Hello little brother" The calm voice floated down to Inu-Yasha's ears. "Have you been hindering this family with your presence?"

Inu-Yasha grumbled and Sesshomaru (A/N: Did you know that Sesshomaru means "the killing pill"? Well it does!) released Inu-Yasha from under his foot. "Not really. I helped prevent a murder at my own personal risk"

"Is this so? Well at least you are useful for something these days" Sesshomaru stared vehemently at Inu-Yasha as he struggled to get up. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes, I got stabbed" Inu-Yasha grumbled, his voice full of hate. He held onto the side of the bed and stood shakily up.

"Pitiful. Why aren't you healed then?"

"I don't know. It was a weird dagger. Left no mark whatsoever and it was glowing green!" At this Inu-Yasha sat on the bed. Sesshomaru's eyes lit up with realization but before he could say anything someone entered the room.

"Sesshomaru" Said Mrs. Becker who had entered the room. "Why don't you leave your brother alone for now? Hmm? Let's go downstairs and I'll tell you all about what has happened." She guided him, much to Inu-Yasha's relief, down the stairs; their voices becoming mere distant sounds.

As darkness enveloped the land a lone figure could be seen standing at a grave. She wore an old fashioned cloak and her face had never been seen by anyone. For the people that lived near the graveyard they just believed her to be a very strange young girl that, as the years went by, never really changed. Well, what they saw of her didn't change.

On this conspicuous cool summer night that lone figure was, as usual, there but something about her presence made the air around her unsettled-- it felt as if even the dead were fidgeting in their graves. She stayed only for a few minutes and then decided what she would do now that her plans had gone miserably wrong. "Well, I suppose it was foolish of me to have someone else do my bidding" She whispered to the wind. At that she turned and disappeared into the darkness.

"Be back in a few!" Inu-Yasha yelled through the house as he walked out. He got on his bike and started pedaling down the street. He had to go get some stuff for his house. They had run out of milk, bread, and butter so he volunteered to get it. It was a beautiful end of summer day and it was nice to get out once in awhile.

It had been at least a month since Kagome had come back, killed, and was killed but not before stabbing someone else, namely him. Inu-Yasha had stopped going to therapy since it just wasted money and now he felt better about telling people what he feels. His brother Sesshomaru came back and had not left since, a new record.

Inu-Yasha had gotten over the stab wound within two weeks and went back to live in his house thanking the Becker family profusely with some help from his brother.

Flashback

"Thank you for... " Inu-Yasha trailed off mumbling as he stood on the threshold of the door.

Say it louder!!" Sesshomaru yelled at him.

"Thank you very much for letting me stay with you" Inu-Yasha said in a normal voice.

"That isn't good enough! Is THIS how you give thanks??" Sesshomaru then proceeded to beat Inu-Yasha up until he was screaming it so the whole town could hear it.

End

Good thing the school year would be starting again in one week's time. It was the first time Inu-Yasha had EVER wanted to go to school in his life. I guess the change of heart came when his brother came. They had cleaned non-stop for a week at one point. Everyone else in his life was basically the same except for the few very sensitive Beckers.

Ayame now looked depressed all the time, Shippo avoided Inu-Yasha at all costs and whenever he saw Mr. or Mrs. Becker they looked a bit like their smiles were forced. At least he Inu-Yasha didn't have to worry about friends too much. Unless you count Sango whom he was not on very good speaking terms with since the beginning of the summer.

All in all it had been a crappy summer and he had been welcoming fall for the longest time.

The only downfall was that the school he currently attended changed their clothing policy. Instead of letting students wear whatever they wanted as long as it was decent (that didn't stop some people though) everyone was required to wear a uniform. This was a public school but apparently the school got complaints the last year because their child was being made fun of because of what they wore was hand me downs (A/N: I wear hand me downs; just so people who are like "But I wear them too."  So do I!!).

Inu-Yasha turned his bike into the parking lot of a convenience store, put it in the bike rack, and locked it up. He then went inside, got what was needed and stood on line. As he stood on line a girl with blonde hair and crystal blue eyes got on line behind him. She was holding and slushie drink in her hands and looked a mix of nervous and bored. He had never seen her before so he decided to ask if she was new.

"Are you new in this town? You don't look like you know the area" He asked turning to her.

"Well I don't go out often but I've lived in the area for most of my life." she answered clearly.

"Oh, sorry, It's just I've never seen you in school but oh well just thought I'd ask"

"Hmm... I go to a private school but starting this year I'll be attending the public school, I heard the public school was better anyway."

"What's your name? Maybe I'll see you in school sometime then."

"Oh, I'm Lauren Viselli. You?"

"Inu-Yasha Osaka. Well I guess I'll see ya around then" He had paid for his items and was backing out the door as he said this.

"Maybe..." Lauren said. Once he had disappeared a smirk crossed her lips and then she turned to the cashier to purchase her drink.

A/N: In the next chapter: School's started again and no one is happy about the uniforms even though they're not very ugly. Inu-Yasha starts being social and what's up with this Lauren character? Ok end of summary. Hope you liked this chapter and please review. Oh yes there IS something I'd like to alert everyone about.

ATTENTION: I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO UPDATE FOR A WEEK STARTING JULY 3RD AND ENDING JULY 9TH! I am going to Seattle in Washington State for an outward-bound course. Should be fun but I have to get up at around 3:00am to go to the airport for my flight -- ugh! Well, see ya later! Tomo