DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Inu Yasha, but -sniffle- I don't.

A/N- Thanks for the review ms uniqueful. (Even though I'm not sure what it meant. I guessed you like it.) Here's the next chapter.

Memories

Chapter 2

A pair of dark eyes looked on a bright star in the sky. 'Someone is talking to me, but I can't understand. I wish I could help.' "Ayomi, you should come in dear. You've been sick remember."

"Yes, father." The young girl stood and went into the house. Her father embraced her. She smiled weakly. "Really, father, I'm feeling quite well now, except for the headaches." She rubbed at the now imperceptible bump on her head.

He frowned. "Perhaps I should send for the healer."

She shook her head. "It's not that bad." Her gaze returned to the sky. 'Someone is talking to me, I can feel it.'

"Ayomi, is something wrong? You look so distant."

"It's nothing, father, just a strange feeling I have sometimes." She looked back at him. "Tell me again, father, about my childhood. I feel so empty."

"Of course, my dear." They settled down in the house and he put his arm around her, preparing once again to tell the tale that came so easily.

- - - -

Inu Yasha crawled across the ground his nose inches from it. "I think I have something."

Miroku sighed. 'It's just another hunch, but he won't give up.' Their group had left camp as soon as the sun had begun to rise and there was enough light to move on. Sango yawned beside him. Inu Yasha had really been pushing them lately, and it had begun to feel like they weren't getting enough sleep. Sango had begun to fear that Inu Yasha hadn't been sleeping at all.

"What did you find?" Shippo hopped down and sniffed the ground next to Inu Yasha. "I don't smell anything."

"That's because your nose isn't strong enough. Now, get…" He broke off as he froze over a nook in some craggy rocks.

Sango stared at the hanyou growing concern in her. "Inu Yasha?" He sat back holding something in his hand. "What is it?"

He stared down at the item with a strange look in his eye. He revealed the treasure to the others. It was a green piece of cloth. "It's a piece of Kagome's skirt."

"That's good, isn't it?" Shippo hopped on a nearby rock to take a better look.

"I…I don't know. It has blood on it." Inu Yasha felt his gut twisting again.

"Inu Yasha, don't look so defeated, maybe it was just a scratch." Miroku was beginning to believe his companion's stubborn streak had finally paid off.

"Well, it's the first piece of hard evidence we have that she was here, or at least her clothes were." Sango's comment bit into Inu Yasha's heart. 'Does she mean that she was torn up in the river?'

"Come on, Inu Yasha. Let's go find her. There has to be a village near by. Look at all the foot prints." The little kitsune pointed at a layer of disturbed dirt.

"Yeah, but I'm not picking up her scent from the ground, just from this." He clutched at the cloth. 'It's better than nothing. Maybe someone's seen something.' He stood. "Let's go." He turned and started off towards the village.

After some time, they came to a road that divided the fields of vegetables. Two men were busy at work plowing the earth. Inu Yasha and the others overheard their conversation as they neared.

"So, you'll try to woo her will you? I'd be careful, brother. The lord is very protective of his daughter."

The man's brother, who seemed just slightly older but a great deal larger, laughed. "I don't think he'd refuse my proposal, after all I am the strongest and bravest man in our village. He'd be a fool to decide otherwise."

"You're so arrogant, Tatachi. What if the young lady does not agree? She has rejected all advances at this point."

"I'm not arrogant, just confident. I'm sure she will come around, and if she doesn't her father shall see reason and force the matter. After all any woman would be proud to have me as their husband."

"Now, brother, that's not…" Hotan stopped as the travelers came to a stop on the road near them.

"Hello, there. May we ask you some questions?" Miroku waved at them. The two men exchanged looks. The travelers were a strange group and it seemed two of them were demons.

Tatachi moved forward until he was standing beside the road. "What can we help you with?"

"We are in search of someone, my good man. She's a young woman, slightly younger than her," Miroku indicated Sango, "and about this tall." He judged the distance from the ground to his chin, trying to remember Kagome's exact height. "She also wears strange clothes. You see, she is our traveling companion and was swept down river. We have been searching for her for quite some time."

Tatachi folded his arms. "Sorry, haven't seen anyone fitting that description, except the lord's daughter." He neglected to mention that he had pulled the girl from the river. Or that they had taken her to the lord and upon seeing the girl, who had resembled his own daughter so closely, had accepted her as his foster daughter.

Inu Yasha made a face at the man. 'He's lying or hiding something.' "Are you sure you haven't seen her?"

"Sorry, Ayomi is the only girl in this region that comes close to your description."

"Thank you, anyways. If you don't mind we'll ask around the village, perhaps someone else has seen her or has news of her." Miroku and his companions started on their way again.

Once out of ear shy, Inu Yasha began to grumble. "Miroku, couldn't you tell he was lying. That man knows something, but he isn't saying what."

"Yes, Inu Yasha, I could tell he was hiding something as well. But we weren't likely to get any more information out of him than that. So, we might as well ask around the village."

"Did you hear the way he talked about that poor girl? As though she were some sort of commodity." Sango fumed. 'It's sad to think that the world still hasn't evolved enough to let women make their own minds up!' Here three male companions kept their mouths closed. It was still a very common practice to have arranged marriages, even if the woman wasn't for it.

"Damn this wind. If it weren't to our backs, I could've picked up on Kagome's scent by now." Inu Yasha tried again to sniff the air, but they were upwind from the village.

"That's assuming she's here." Miroku pointed out as the village came into sight. Ahead of them they could see a good size village with many huts and a large mansion off to one side. On a hill not far from the mansion, children could be seen playing with a young woman. Her back was to them, but her dress was that of a young noble woman.

Inu Yasha froze as the young woman turned to pick up one of the small children. She smiled as the child laughed. "Inu Yasha?" Shippo asked as he landed on the hanyou's shoulder and followed his gaze. "Kagome? Kagome!" The fox sprang off the shoulder and took off ahead of the group.

"Is it…is it really her?" Sango asked hesitantly.

"Yes, it is." Miroku assured her. There was true relief in his voice.

"I knew it! I knew she was alive!" Inu Yasha took off in hot pursuit of the fox. 'I can't wait to hold her in my arms!'

Ahead of Shippo, he could see the young girl set the small child down and pat him on the head. She then spoke to all the children and sent them on their way. "Kagome! Kagome!" He called to her, but she didn't seem to notice. Instead she turned and began to walk towards the mansion. As she neared the house he caught up with her. "Kagome! We found you!" She turned and eyed him curiously. He jumped into her arms. "Kagome, I'm so glad we found you." He hugged her.

She pushed him away slightly. "Do we know each other, little one?"

Shippo felt suddenly dizzy. "What?" Behind him he heard Inu Yasha come to a stop, panting slightly.

"Kagome, thank the gods. We've been searching for you for weeks. I'm so glad, you're okay." He took a few steps forward.

The girl frowned and looked back at the kitsune. "You said something like that too. Who is Kagome?"

"You're Kagome."

Her frown deepened. "No, my name Ayomi. I have never heard of this Kagome. I am sorry."

"What are you talking about? Of course, you're Kagome. You look like her, you sound like her and you have the same scent." Shippo insisted, his heart racing.

She shook her head and set him on the ground. "No, I've already told you. I am not this Kagome. You are mistaken." Behind Inu Yasha the rest of their party arrived. "It's late. I must be going. If you wish lodging you can stay in the inn in the village." She turned as if to go. But Inu Yasha caught her wrist.

"We're not going anywhere without you. We've been searching for you for three weeks. I don't know what kind of sick game you're trying to play, Kagome, but you're coming with us."

She fought against his grip. "I've already told you, my name is Ayomi. And I am not going anywhere with you! I don't know you!" She jerked her wrist free and sprinted toward the house.

Inu Yasha watched after her, dumbfounded for a moment, and then took off after her. "Kagome, stop!"

"Father! Father!" She cried as she came to the porch. An older man stepped out of the house. She flung herself in his arms. "Father, they're trying to take me away!" She sobbed softly in his chest.

"Now, now, my dear, calm down. Who is trying to take you away?" As if as an answer Inu Yasha, Miroku and Sango approached. His eyes narrowed at the hanyou and his dog ears. "Who are you? How dare you frighten my daughter?"

"Your daughter? She's not your daughter. I know Kagome's family and her father died years ago." Inu Yasha protested.

"I am the lord in this region, so watch your tongue or I shall have it cut out." The girl stiffened in his arms slightly. "I don't know who you believe my daughter is, but her name is Ayomi, not Kagome. Now I think it would be wise of you to leave."

Miroku moved forward. "Sir, forgive my friend's rudeness, but this girl is a member of our travel party and our friend. There is no mistaking it. My friends have keen noses and if they say this is Kagome, then she must be."

The lord frowned. "Perhaps she only smells like your friend. It's possible."

"No, it's not. Every human has a specific scent that only they carry. And there's no way in hell that I could mistake Kagome's scent. So why don't you just come out and tell the truth. She was pulled from the river, wasn't she?"

"That matters not. She is my daughter."

The young girl raised her head from his chest. "What do you mean, father?"

"He's not your father, damnit!" Inu Yasha spat.

Sango put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down Inu Yasha. You'll only make matter's worse." She turned to the lord. "Sir, let us at least tell you our side."

Kagome looked at the demon slayer. 'She called him Inu Yasha. Why does that name make me feel anxious?'

The lord sighed. "Very well, let us speak inside." With his arm still around Kagome, he led them inside into the main sitting room. The others followed and seated themselves before the platform where the lord and Kagome sat. The lord took a deep breath. When he finally spoke there was great sadness in his eyes. "It is true that my daughter was pulled from the river, unconscious. And it is also true that she is not flesh of my flesh. But she is my daughter in every other capacity." He looked at Kagome, who was staring at him tears filling her eyes.

"You lied to me?"

"Ayomi, have I not treated you as my own daughter? Have you not been happy here? Did I not nurse you back to health when you brought to me, and did I not comfort you when the nightmares came? You are my daughter and I love as such."

"Yes, you have treated me well and I love as my father." Kagome gave him a warm smile.

He touched her cheek. "My own daughter died a year ago. She was always a sickly child and when this past winter hit, she became ill and died. When I saw you, the fire in your eyes to survive reminded me of her. I am sorry that I lied though. I thought it best at the time. I thought it easier to fill your memory loss with my own memories of her."

"Well, now that that's settled. Let's go." Inu Yasha stood.

"I have no intention of letting you leave with her. As you can see, her mind is blank and so she does not know you. You could be lying and say that you are her friends. I will not allow her life to be put in danger." The lord turned his gaze back to Kagome. "You are welcome to stay with me as my daughter as long as it pleases you. Until you decide to leave of your own accord, I will not let anyone take you by force."

Kagome nodded and gave him a warm smile. Shippo who had been sitting in front of the others, spoke up for the first time. "So, all we have to do is help you remember, Kagome. We can do that easy, so why don't you come with us and we'll help you."

Kagome frowned at the fox. 'What if they're lying and they're not friends at all. The lord will continue to protect and take care of me. It's safer here.' "I think I would rather stay here, little one."

"Damnit, Kagome! I've had enough. I know you're mad at me, but this is ridiculous. Now come on." Inu Yasha stormed forward and tried to grasp her arm. She moved away from him and clutched at the lord's arm. 'Is she frightened of me? Or does she really not remember me.' Inu Yasha's heart broke at the thought that Kagome would forget even him or worse that she would fear him.

The lord put his arm around her again. "I have already told you I will not let you take her by force. If you continue this behavior, I shall have you removed from my house."

"Inu Yasha sit down and calm yourself." Sango turned back to the lord. "Sir, would you mind if we remained until we are able to bring Kagome's memory back."

The lord looked down at his foster daughter. "Is that all right with you, Ayomi?" Kagome nodded slowly.

Inu Yasha flopped back down in his spot. "Her name is Kagome, so stop calling her Ayomi." He mumbled, folding his arms over his chest.

The lord looked saddened. "Agreed."

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