Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter Five

Inu Yasha looked to Kagome and then back to the road. They had been cruising in the car in silence, neither one having spoken since the girl had given him her address. She was staring out the window and shivering, despite his jacket. He himself felt fine, but he flipped the heater on anyways. Inu Yasha hoped it was just the shock of the experience and that it would wear off soon and that nothing was seriously wrong.

More time passed and finally the silence and curiosity were too much. "What were you doing there?"

Kagome didn't answer him right away. She continued staring out the window then sighed, "My mom can't afford to raise us. My dad died when I was little and for a while we were making do with her salary. But six months ago she got a pay cut. My grandpa lives with us, but his social security wasn't enough. None of them liked it, but I got a job to help support the family." The whole time she hadn't looked at him. In fact, she had almost sounded bored, like it was a much-recited speech.

"Oh," was all Inu Yasha could manage. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but that hadn't been it.

Silence passed between them again. He looked over and saw that she was sleeping. Something about looking at her made him smile. The young man hadn't felt like that in a long time.

Nine more minutes passed. The whole trip had only taken fifteen, but it had seemed to last an hour. He pulled up at a curb at the base of a hill. He looked up and saw the shrine she had mentioned. It wasn't rundown, but it had a tired and shabby feel. Inu Yasha leaned over and tapped her shoulder while whispering, "Kagome."

Without warning the knife he had forgotten about was pressed against his neck. He held back the laughter building in his throat when she finally realized what was going on and began to apologize profusely.

Kagome stumbled out of the car. Inu Yasha was waiting for her and she leaned heavily on him and looked like she was about to doze off again.

Together they climbed up the stone steps leading up to the house off to the side of the shrine. The girl rummaged through a pocket in her skirt. "Damn...I lost my key."

She sighed and hesitantly rang the doorbell. A light flicked on upstairs and Inu Yasha could hear someone coming down.

The door flew open and a boy was standing there, looking up at them. "Kagome, what happened to your face?"

"Souta, you idiot!" she responded to who he guessed was her little brother, "What if I had been a home invader or a robber?!"

"Then why would you ring the bell?"

Before the girl could answer, or more likely whack him, a woman had appeared. "Kagome? Oh my God Kagome! What happened?"

Inu Yasha's insides squirmed in annoyance as the woman, he assumed her mother, looked form the girl's bruises to him. It wasn't like he'd rape a girl then walk her home to be courteous.

"Oh, there was a problem at the restaurant and he helped me," she explained. The girl didn't feel like divulging the story in front of her little brother and by her mother's look, she knew it too.

"Why don't you come inside?" her mother asked him.

Inu Yasha shook his head and answered, "No thanks." He turned and left before anymore could be said.

"Wait!" Kagome called. He turned back and looked at her. "What was his name?"

Inu Yasha looked at her for a moment before answering, "Naraku."

A/N: Yep, who didn't see that coming? After this things should get much more interesting, or maybe after the next chapter...which, by the way, is way longer then this one.

Oh yeah, someone asked me if Fluffy was showing up later and he does, but briefly. At least I plan to have him make an appearance, I might just change it. I'm still not sure where I want this story to go...it's just flowing at the moment.