I just noticed that I've got a few chapters going and I haven't added any angst to any of them. Most of them have been drama or comedy. J Wow, have I gotten side tracked! I just haven't felt the urge to put it in. Anyways I'm gonna try to add some in ( eventually ) but hey, if worse comes to worse; I'll just change my listing! ^_^

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On the other side of the well, a young man turned away from a doorway disappointed once again. He had been here every other day for the past three and a half months trying to get in touch with the young lady of the house. While the reasons given for not being able to see her ranged from reasonable to downright ludicrous, he continued to come in the hope of it being the day he could be in her company again. With a small sigh he pulled his shoulder back and thought, Well there's always tomorrow. Maybe I should try back then. So with a more cheerful disposition he began his trip back home.

"Was it him again?"

Sota turned to face the owner of that voice. "Yes grandpa. It was him. He left Kagome another gift." The grandfather came up to see the newest edition to the Hojobox. Sota held the package out to him. "Do you want to do the honors grandpa?" "Humm. Let me see it." The package was smaller then the last one. Removing the wrapping exposed a cellular phone. Attached to it was a note:

Kagome,

I am sorry to hear you are still not feeling well enough to have visitors. I hope the salve helped to relieve some of those aches in your joints. Maybe now you can eat solid foods again. In the event you should get your powers of speech back, I thought you might put this phone to use. It even allows you to send short typed messages if you are still having problems speaking. My numbers have been programmed into it so you can reach me at anytime. I still owe you a movie. I hope you feel better. Hojo.

"He seems to be carrying this relationship on his own. Now he writes as if she's actually talking back to him." Grandfather said.

"What do you have there grandpa?"

Both Sota and Grandpa turned. There coming down the stairs was Kagome's mother.

" Oh um nothing really." the old man said.

" I thought I heard the doorbell." she half stated. "Is that another gift for Kagome?"

The old man guilty handed it to her. "Grandpa! Shame on you, that was not meant for you."

"He is persistent." Grandfather said.

"Yes, he is." with that Kagome's mother turned back up the stairs to place this newest acquisition in with the others. Grandpa and Sota watched her disappear up the stairs before saying anything. "Grandpa, do you think Kagome's ever going to come back home?"

"Of course she is! Don't be silly. She's probably too busy exorcising demons to be able to come home. My granddaughter, a legend in the making. She'll make a fine miko to take over the shrine when I'm gone…"

"But Grandpa, what if maybe the reason she hasn't come home is because she's.."

"Nonsense. Don't even finish thinking that! There's no way my granddaughter would let a demon take her life! NO WAY!" Grandpa exclaimed.

"I hope you're right Grandpa. It has been months and Kagome never stayed away so long before. I know Mom's gotta be thinking the same thing."

"Sota, you just have to have faith your sister will come home."

Opening the door to Kagome's room, her mother let out a small sob. Looking around she walked up to the desk and placed the phone and it's note in the middle of it. Off to the side sat a rather large box, holding Hojo's other 'gifts' he had brought to cheer Kagome up. The box itself was full and soon there wouldn't be any balancing act discovered to be able to place any more objects into it.

I suppose I should get another box and move some of those into it.

Kagome's mom thought. Moving over to the window she opened it to let the small breezes blowing outside to come in. Just visible from the window was a corner of the shrine housing the well. The well that took her daughter away. Moving methodically she absently took stock of what need dusting, and what needed changing.

"Kagome's sheet need to be changed. " even if she hasn't slept in her bed in weeks. "The carpet needs to be shampooed as well, I'll have it done later today.." Finding herself at the window with the intention of closing it she saw the shrine roof once more.

She stood there, not thinking merely watching it, trying hard not to hope to see her daughter come out. Trying to picture in her mind's eyes Kagome carrying an empty yellow backpack. Seeing her come through the door and saying…'Mom I'm home! Geez, I gotta take a bath.' Then hearing herself saying, "It's good to see you home Kagome." and Kagome's usual response of, 'Yeah. I'm gonna stay here a whiles before going back. I got that big test coming up. Did Sota leave the lecture notes on my desk again?' Then hearing herself tell Kagome that dinner will be ready soon, so not to take too long in the bath.

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Darkness. Her first impression was of total darkness surrounding her. Then, slowly, as her consciousness became more substantial, she noticed that that there was some varying shades to this darkness. Lifting her head up she saw red. A square shaped area of red that demanded her full attention.

'NO, this isn't right. Why is it red? '

Weakly, she lifted her arms up and tried to feel for anything. Only air met her touch until she leaned forward and feels cool damp earth.

'What? Where am I?'

Open your eyes.

A well. I'm in a well. What am I doing here?

She tried hard to stand, but the effort was too much for her legs. She fell back with an ungracious thud, hitting her already abused head on the wall of the well. Pain exploded throughout her body. It felt as if her heart would stop, it was so intense.

GET UP!

She didn't want to. But it was getting more uncomfortable by the minute where she sat. Taking in a deep breath she awkwardly, painfully, pulled and rolled herself into a standing position. Okay, I'm standing. Now what? Lifting her head once more she saw her objective, to get out of the well. Basing the distance she would have to climb on the patch of red she saw, it tempted her to sit back down. The effort it took to stand was enough to convince her to try and climb out. If she sat back down, she would not be getting back up, ever.

HURRY UP!

Slowly and carefully she placed one hand above the other and began her arduous journey up. Don't think. One hand up, grab, now the other, pull. One hand up, grab, now the other, pull…. She chanted the mantra in her head. Halfway up it became even harder to catch her breath. Adrenaline began to make its way through her veins as her body tried to give her the strength to continue on. Shakily, her hand reached for it's new hold. As it connected, she felt an overpowering wave of fear course through her. Her body, already tired from its exertions began to shake uncontrollably.

Stop it or you'll fall!

Her breathing becoming more erratic and she felt an odd sense of déjà vu. A pain filled moan left unnoticed by her from her lips.

Almost there!

Hojo who had been on his way back home slowed his walk as he passed the small shire. And he felt an unaccustomed chill run down his spine. He stopped to think on why such a harmless bit of wood, would give him such an odd feeling, when he heard it. At first thinking his mind was playing tricks on him, he continued to stand there. Whatever it was, if it wanted to be found out it would make its presence know again.

Sure enough, there it was again. So being one to seek things out to its end, he followed the direction he thought the sound was coming from. And stopped before the closed doors of the shrine that no one paid much attention to. The noise he heard had ceased. He paused, thinking if it were wise to open the door. He didn't want to be accused of vandalizing the temple, trespassing at the least. But with the knowledge that the Higurashi family would know his business was Kagome, by ways of his frequent visits, they would appreciate that he heard something suspicious and was making sure no one was indeed vandalizing the shrine, he pushed the door open.

He stood silently within, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Looking around he saw nothing out of place. As he turned to leave, a moan stopped his departure. Turning slowly, he finally noticed the steps leading down to a …well? Had some poor cat got itself trapped down there and was now trying to call for help? Well, in any case, the least he could do is help the poor creature out of its predicament. So with that in mind, he took the final steps down and placed his hands on the outer rim of the well.

"Don't worry, I'm here to help you." Hojo said out loud, hoping the cat wouldn't be too frightened to come. As he leaned his face in to actually look down into the well he came face to face, not with a cat as he was expecting, but with a bloody mass. He screamed and fell back. He couldn't help it, anyone in their right mind would have reacted the same. But beyond the small haze of shock that was quickly beginning to form into panic, he realized that cat or not, his help was still needed.

Kagome who, at this point was trying her hardest just to stay conscious, thrust her hand up to get another hand-hold was caught off guard when instead of stone wall she felt warm flesh. The fear that was already constricting her throat, flare out completely, and she managed to get one good scream out before her throat closed off. And as the haziness of her vision cleared for a brief moment she saw not the demon who rushed her but Hojo's unexpected face. And she saw the fear and lack of recognition in his eyes.

Please, just let me survive this and I promise that I'll never shrug him off again. I'll tell him everything. Just let me live through this….

Swallowing hard a time or two, she managed to get her throat loose enough to say one word….

"Hojo.." Then the red of her vision was eaten up completely by the blackness she fought so hard to keep at bay.

"Oh my god! Kagome?" Disbelief made him hesitate. But not for very long as he realized that this was indeed his friend.

"KAGOME!"

With jerky moments he rushed over to pull her out completely from the well.

Slow down before you cause her more injuries. My god all the blood! What happened to her? I got to get help, but I can't leave her here.

He carefully lifted her from the well. With Kagome safely in his arms he moved as quickly as he dared out of the shrine. Upon exiting he yelled as loud as his lungs would permit for help. The light of day was not kind, as her injuries were shown to run the entire length of her body. Her uniform shredded, only bits of it half-hazardly hanging. A sob raked his body as his feet rushed to the Higurashi house.

Kagome's mother was the first to come out. She saw Hojo in a state she would have not believed he would ever be capable of being in, hysterical. Then she saw he carried something. Sota and her father had joined her by now and it was Sota who turned back into the house. Grandpa would later say that if Sota had not done so all would have been lost. Because the exact moment that she realized that Hojo carried a person, and that person was her daughter, Kagome's mother suffered a stroke. The shock too much to be bore by her.