Kagome had slept in his room all night, with the same blankets cover over her body trying to keep warm while she slept with a half smile, and the dog now laying against the wooden floor with the note still by her side. She was so attached to the room, and didn't want to be woken up because her dreams were the only thing that brought her close enough to him, to the point it almost felt real. The alarm buzzed for a moment which she didn't hear. She was too busy dreaming her life away to even realize what was going on around her.

Mark barely could get motivated for work, he was too damn tired and bored to really do anything. He just looked out the kitchen window that revealed the driveway and the forest surrounding the dead highway while the sun was just rising that shone a bright orange that blinded him for a moment. He took a quick sip of coffee from his mug, seeing it was already turning into seven and Kagome needed to be woken up and go back to school again.

" I better get her up. I mean it's a school day for her. Poor Kagome. All she ever had and needed is gone, just like Kikyo was to us. Still I'm glad she's home, but it will take forever before things are considered normal again for her."

He told himself placing the mug stained with coffee, walking up the stairs already dressed in his other uniform that was black and blue which he hated a lot. Marla was already gone to work herself, while he crept open the door to which had once been his room and opened to see a peaceful looking Kagome sleeping silently seeing dust, and sun light peaking through the blinds. He didn't want to disturb her, she looked to peaceful to. Her hair was messy, wearing only a small tank top and plaid boxer like shorts she was comfortable sleeping in. He bent down, and pitied her more than ever before. He gently whispered her name, as her eyes flickered open seeing that she was still partly asleep.

She yawned stretching out on the mattress, as Mark delightfully smiled trying to cover up the look of pity written all over his face.

" Kagome, I'm sorry. You know you still have to school right?"

Kagome wiped her eyes softly, laughing at the dry humor as she threw the blankets over with her backpack and things shoved in the corner.

" I know, I know. I'll be ready don't worry!"

She chirped, while she grabbed a short sleeved t-shirt that was a sea color green, and dark blue shorts that were ripped at the ends. She threw her hair quickly into a messy ponytail, as she dashed for the bathroom with a smile plastered on her face. Mark smiled and stopped her before she slammed the door on his face.

" Ya?"

She wondered with a hairbrush half way through her knotty, ratty looking bed head hair that was looked completely ridiculous. He shook his head and laughing seeing she wasn't complaining, crying or even mentioning Inuyasha like he had expected. She made it seem like it was any other day, almost like Inuyasha had never existed in the first place.

" Kagome, there's some breakfast on the table for you. Oh and I'll drive ya if you-"

Kagome shook her head delighted by his kindness, smiling until her eyes practically disappeared. She had a toothbrush half shoved her mouth while she spat into the sink wiping her mouth clean.

" Nah, I'll be fine. I can walk, I mean it's nice out anyways. There's no hurry to really go to school early."

Mark nodded, as he had his hands on the railing fixing his uneven strands of bangs that flew straight up. He cocked his head around catching Kagome in the mirror.

" Alright, if you say so!"

He threw himself down at the table with newspaper in hand, shaking his head knowing she was acting all happy, all tough like nothing had hit any of them at all. He was surprised she didn't bring anything up about him. Less than a day of his death, she was smiling feeling strong, and to him it was way wrong. Way wrong. He took a quick bite of his toast, and heard her feet hitting the floor rushing to get her bag and everything else for school.

" She's a tough girl, but how could she wake up with a smile on her face after the closest person to her died, not even four-eight hours ago? Anyone couldn't do that. They'd be bawling their eyes out, but why isn't she?"

He could only wonder, what held her together since the beginning and now. She lost her family, she lost her friends, taken from her town, and now the guy she grew to be close with was gone. Still she smiled. He couldn't see how, if anything he could guess that smile was fake but it looked pretty much real.

She flew down the stairs with her bag slung over she shoulders, covered in sunscreen; he could smell it. She glanced at the clock in a panic, popping the toast he left for her into her mouth and hugged him real quick as he refused to let go.

" Kagome, are you ok? I mean-"

He could barely finish his sentence without her cutting him off. She knew exactly what he was trying to say, but she beamed brightly swallowing the toast that was left in her mouth.

" Don't worry I'm fine! I've never felt better!"

He pretended to take her word for it, as she dashed towards the door knowing she was meeting Sango on the way while he could only look at her with pity and sadness more then themselves. She waved off with her flip-flops barely on her feet, saying her sweet good-byes as she rushed off to meet Sango and headed off to school. He knew if anything, Kagome was in a sense in denial, trying to reassure that everything was ok, when it plainly wasn't.

" I guess this is my life now isn't it? Wake up alone without him, and continue my day like it was any other. What could be better than this?"

She asked herself seeing a flock of geese flying by directly into the sunlight, as she shielded her eyes from it. She walked against the shoulder of the road passing by where she had slept half of the night in the thick forest when she ran away. She had been there for days using the change in her pocket to buy food from variety store to hold her over. She was for sure, she was going to run away and never look back. Start her life fresh, leave behind everything and race for everything new and unfamiliar. For some reason she couldn't really let herself go. She'd start all over again from scratch, and plus she'd be leaving behind Sango, Mark and even Marla who was considered a bitch in Inuyasha's eyes. She couldn't do it. She felt to weak to, as much as she wanted to leave. She just couldn't.

Finally she saw Sango, as Sango flew towards her with her lunch bag in hand, giggling and throwing her arms around her tightly to the point she couldn't breathe. She realized Kagome had disappeared for awhile, and finally she had came back, hopefully to stay.

" Oh Kagome! I thought you ran away for sure!"

Kagome smiled at the fact she was so lucky to have a friend like her, who truly cared inside out about her, more than herself. They hugged for a straight minute seeing Sango red with sunburn on her cheeks and chest, as Kagome rested her head calmly on her shoulder as they stood in the middle of the road.

" Me? I thought I was going to, after what happened. But I mean I can't. I'll be leaving people who have given me a chance and besides I'd have to start from scratch again."

Kagome pulled away lightly, as she glanced at Sango in a bloody red tank top still seeing the strong, dark red hank mark against her skin that was now bruised purple and black. She couldn't help but look at it, feeling like such a jerk for doing that to someone who only tried to help. Kagome almost felt like she didn't deserve a girl, or a friend like her for that matter. She felt at that moment she deserved to be alone.

Sango yakked on about how worried she was, as she took a quick bite of her chocolate bar that was slowly starting to melt. Kagome nodded her head and couldn't help but keep her focus on her mark, feeling like such a monster for it.

" Kagome, did you hear me?"

Kagome looked over at her, seeing she was wearing girly looking earrings as they were a block away from the huge high school.

" Kind of."

Sango sighed wanting to punch her in the head. She hated to repeat herself, but she let that slid understanding Kagome wasn't herself and wouldn't be for a long time. She needed time to heal and relax, and that was plainly written all over her face.

" Don't you miss him? I mean I'm sorry for bringing it up but you seem to cheerful, too happy and I kind of expected you to be crying and still mourning about him. I mean it hasn't even been a full week he's be gone."

They were now walking into the huge crowd of high school people who were laughing, smoking mostly as they choked on the nasty air as they finally got a taste of fresh air around them. Girls were gossiping and laughing, acting like life was so normal when to her it seemed so out of place, so fake. Like this wasn't real at all to her anymore. Sango and Kagome lingered outside near the small playground placing herself on the swing, as Sango dragged her feet along the gravel.

She just placed her head towards the sky, and took a deep breath trying to be calm about it.

" Ya well, I can't cry about him forever now can I? Besides he's gone and he won't be coming back that's for sure. Life goes on, and so do I."

Sango was stunned by what she said, she couldn't get over the fact she acted completely normal and fine, even able to talk about his death that was caused by him. It was so blunt, so harsh almost like it never affected her in the first place. It wasn't normal of her to be so delighted, after someone she loved and respected was gone and had slipped away through everybody fingertips, especially hers. Sango had cried about it for her sake more than Kagome seem she had. Nobody could have a positive upbeat that quick after someone close to them died. Sango knew it took her practically six months to get over the death of her grandmother, and there was Kagome over her friend's death in less than a week; or what it seemed.

The bell rang, as she jumped off graciously from the swing heading inside seeing people gathering about grabbing there stuff and chatting. Kagome headed straight to her locker, while Sango had already had everything she needed as she raised her eyebrow.

" How are you so calm about this? I mean it takes literally forever to be calm over a death of a loved one! It took me like six months to get over the death of my grandmother, and that wasn't too long ago either!

Kagome closed her locker, locking it tightly holding a few binders that were loaded with homework, and papers she needed to catch up on since her disappearance. They slowly walked down on end of the hall, heading up the stairs as they quickly sat near their classroom door earlier than expected.

" Sango I know. But why should I worry? He isn't really gone afterall."

Sango rose an eyebrow even more, feeling worried thinking this girl had finally snapped, and becoming a basket case. It stunned her; she knew this wasn't the Kagome Higurashi she knew, and especially one that Inuyasha didn't know either. She wanted to smack her so hard, because of all the things she said. It's not like she wanted her to be sad, she expected it and seeing her enlightened and happy out of all things got her madder than hell. Sango sighed thinking, " She's finally snapped."

More people lingered in the halls waiting for their classes, while other didn't care if they were late. She just looked at the sparkle in her deep brown eyes hugging the binder close to her chest making it seem like something magical and wonderful happened to her, when that wasn't even the case. Sango felt her blood boil, wanting to dug her knuckles into her head to make her wake up and realize what she was saying.

" What the hell do you mean he isn't gone? Kagome he is! Can't you see that?"

Sango screamed in her ear, and Kagome didn't seem to mind. She just chuckled and hugged the binder close having the look in her eye as though she had gotten the best boyfriend in the world, or aced everything in every class. This wasn't her at all. As far as Sango knew, the real Kagome Higurashi was buried at least six feet beneath the one she was seeing now. She fixed her long ebony black hair, and adjusted the earrings in her ear.

" Sango he isn't gone. I still see him; almost every night in my dreams, and in the sky. That's the only way I can see Inuyasha. Otherwise I can't see him at all. Maybe you don't understand it, but I sure do. "

Before Sango could said another word, the door opened with the teacher dressed lazily as one guy yawned and flew himself into the room.

" Fuck, about time!

Kagome sat there swinging her pencil between her fingers, staring towards the clock looking as though she was in ' la la land' for a complete hour. Sango had been worried even more than ever before. The way she talked about his death, it just blew her away. She knew if it blew her away, it could do that to anyone.

The announcements had kicked on, talking about teams to sign up on, donations things plainly like that everyone was sick of hearing. Then everybody went silent when they heard another announcement that was new, and made everybody shut up when they caught it.

" We also have tragic news. One of our students, that was brand new to the school wonderful and a great guy now gone from our world. Inuyasha Hanashi."

Everybody dropped dead for a moment when they heard a death through the school. There was no talking, no comments, no nothing. Kagome automatically snapped out of her daze when she heard his name spoken. It was though she was brought back to life again. Even in the time he was there, a lot of people knew him. They respected him a lot. Many girls were fond of him, and basically everybody was.

' I'd like all of us to take this time and stand in a moment of silence.'

This was brand new to everyone. Nobody had ever died that attended this school. Maybe hurt themselves, but nothing like this. Everybody stood quietly, standing in a dark silence that was so awkward and odd. Many closed their eyes, as many looked over at the beautiful girl Kagome, who they knew as one of Inuyasha's closest friends. He had bragged about how he pulled her from hell, and how they made it all the way from there on out. Kagome felt the stares and heard the whispers but didn't bother to react. They watched her not even whimpering, or shedding a tear. Everybody understood they were so close practically jointed at the hip.

They all watched her in 'awe' feeling sorry for her sake that her best friend in the whole world died, just like that. She stood quietly biting on her lip, flipping the pencil still in hand as Sango watched her also seeing no sad emotion what so ever.

Finally, everybody sat down. Chairs dragging and tables moving were the only thing that was heard after that. There was one empty desk now on her left, that had been his seat that she stared at constantly. Trying to piece together now what was missing from her life. She worked hard, as the bell rang finishing her long essay on a story about two different people coming together and loving each other by a twisted fate.

" See you tomorrow! Oh Ms. Higurashi?"

Kagome listened with her books pressed against her chest, as Sango knew she'd wait quietly outside knowing exactly along the lines what she was going to say. It was bound everybody was going to say it; teachers, friends, people…everyone basically in the school that knew her, and him extremely well.

" Yes miss?"

She walked inside as the door was shut quietly, leaving Sango waiting patiently seeing only an outline of a thin young looking girl looking up at the teacher that gently touched her shoulder with a sad compassionate look lingering in her hazel eyes. Sango rolled her eyes, as she saw the guy who always hit on her and never understood the word 'go away.'

"Hey Sango." He laughed, as she expected him to grope her in any way possible. Instead his voice sounded sincere and kind glancing at Kagome for a moment, with a crooked smile and back to her.

" Look I'm not going to bother you. I can't believe Inuyasha is gone. I mean this struck everybody as a surprise, and especially Kagome. Look I'm sorry because I know you were close to him too. "

Sango blinked and smiled with thanks, feeling her cheeks flush for a moment while the talk between the two escalated. Sango had acted mostly like she had hated him when it was during classes, or around loads of other people. After all Miroku had a reputation to keep, as well keeping her virginity and self-respect as well. Sango latched on to his hand for a moment and looked at him concerned, and agitated.

" I don't think Kagome is surprised by this. I mean, she was upset and ran away when she first heard the news. She hadn't come back for days. She was found sleeping in his room, and practically woke up with a smile on her face. Acting as though his death meant nothing at all. She's really scaring me Miroku, seriously I think she's snapped. She's not the same."

People dashed by with food in their hands, guys throwing popcorn at a couple of girls who walked by and squealed hoping it wouldn't get caught in their nice looking hair. Sango held onto his hand without even realizing it, seeing the serious look planted on her face. Miroku almost didn't know what to say to that. He just embraced her for a moment, basically getting close enough to whisper in her ear.

" Look, you really can't blame her. It sounds like she's in denial. Sango, she needs somebody to help her and I know you can. Look, I promise you this will slowly work it's away to being considered normal again. I know deep inside she's hurting, I mean I heard a lot of Inuyasha's stories myself and I can tell how close they were. I miss him a lot, maybe not as much as her but still. I know you can help her, and I will too. Alright, Sango? Trust me on this…"

If it was another other day Sango would have secretly enjoyed his embrace, and then try to make it less obvious by throwing him away into a wall, and bitching at him. This time she let it slip. Tears slowly formed on her cheeks, as Miroku seemed like the only one that gave her enough strength to carry on. He may have been a jockish pervert, but still when he came down to it he was way more than that.

" Thanks Miroku."

She commented as Kagome now was waltzing towards the door with no expression on her face. Miroku had rushed off before Kagome had came back. She just smiled barely knowing lunch was close to being over. Sango didn't bring anything else up, she just looked at her and sweetly offering something to cheer her up.

" Kagome, you wanna go out for lunch my treat!"

Kagome staring out the small window, looking down on the beautiful flowers and trees down below. She caught of a glimpse of Miroku with a bunch of his jock looking friends laughing and punching each other in the arm, with a lit cigarette in Miroku hands. She looked into the sky, and then back to her again.

" Nah. Class is going to be over soon anyways. Come on, we might as well get ready for our afternoon classes."

Sango nodded as Kagome took another deep breath before, ready to take on her life once again.

" I miss him a lot. But I know it won't be long before I see him again…Wont be long now..Won't be long now.,…."