Author's Note: hello all! The next installement is up! Enjoy and Review. Until then...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or anything associated with it. I just love to think of ways to torture them. LOL.

CHAPTER 4: RUNNING

If Kouga had not been watching he would have completely missed that fact that Inuyasha could run like the wind. He watched two very hysterical and very emotional women nearing maul his partner, and begin ranting about some woman running out of the dorms. 'Shit! I'd run to if I knew there was danger. Women! They get all paranoid for nothing.' Kouga laughed at them silently. However, Inuyasha wasn't taking whatever the one chick was saying very lightly. In fact he looked down right pissed, while his eyes belied the fact he was scared. Kouga shook his head to make sure what he was seeing was correct. The other girl, slightly smaller and petite, was pointing at the path of white roses which he some how missed. Kouga watched Inuyasha's eyes tinge red in an eerie charge went spiking in the air, and it made the hair on the back of his neck raise to attention. Then the freakie feeling started down Kouga's spine, but as soon as it started it left. Along with Inuyasha.

A violent breezed wiped through the area, lifting Kouga's finely coffered locks wildly about. His piercing blue eyes narrowed as he watched partners figure disappear into the morning light. "DAMNIT INUYASHA! Wait!" Kouga bellowed and then he chased his silver head partner down.

Inuyasha was torn between rage and worry. More rage because the bastard was still after Kagome since all these years. Inuyasha could feel his youkai break through his control as he ran down the path following the white rose petals that was laced with Kagome's scent. A scent that was forever etched in his memory, sandalwood with just a tint of vanilla. But, there was something interfering with it, it was the odor of decay. Of death. Inuyasha followed the trail till it veered of the cement path into a secluded, cluster of trees well hidden from view. The foul odor permeated this area like a thick blanket of soot. Inuyasha stopped running and pulled his glock fire arm from his holster. He clicked the safety off the gun, and readied himself for whatever he would find inside the dense brush. 'Kagome.' His thought yelled. 'Please be alright! Please be alive!'

Kouga could barely keep up with Inuyasha but he could smell the scent of death coming closer with every step. He pulled out his black communicator that was linked to the police department, and fire department. "We have a body! Send the coroner." He panted into the receiver as he continued to run. Koga pulled out his fire arm from his holder and crashed through the underbrush.

Inuyasha growled a low gutter tone that sounded like a wild feral animal on the loose. His ears twitched trying to listen for any indication that someone was lurking in the dense greenery. Nothing. Inuyasha's aimed his gun out before him. His heart was pounding wildly within his chest that he could hear it in his ears. Inuyasha inched over to the large oak tree where the stench of death was overwhelmingly coming from. He shot out from behind the tree, eyes tinged red, ready to kill.

He watched in the distance, safe and away from Tokyo's finest. Romeo could feel the thrill creeping into his body. He would yet again pull one over on that cocky ass of a detective. The look on Inuyasha's face, even though afar, was worth it. Romeo could see the hanyou's eyes blazing like the fire of hell. A smile lit his face. 'Yes, Inuyasha, I took the life of your love. But, I have taken more. If you're not careful take something else more precious away. I will take it away!' Just than he heard the call for the chief crime scene medical examiner come over the University of Tokyo. 'Ah, duty calls.'

She thought she heard people around her but her head hurt so bad that she didn't want to open her eyes. Kagome groaned when she felt a hand on her shoulder and shake her vigorously. She felt her body being rolled over and then was met with a bright beam of sunlight in her eyes. If Kagome could have, she would have brought her hand to cover her face. The only thing was that she had no control of her limbs, but Kagome could still hear everything that was going on around her.

"What the hell is going on here mutt face?" A loud annoyed male voice rang out. "Fuck! The bastard killed two of them."

Kagome didn't recognize that voice, but what startled her was the next one.

"She got a pulse! She still alive, damnit!" A low pitch growl answered in response.

Kagome felt the reverberation of the voice go through her body as the individual spoke. 'No! It can't be.' She thought despairingly. Kagome thought she was hallucinating. The voice she heard couldn't possibly belong to the man she so desperately longed to see for years.

"Kouga, call for a Medic!"

'Inuyasha?!' Kagome thought in disbelief. Just then she felt rough callused hand brush against her cheeks in a tender manor. Kagome urgently wanted to open her and look at the man she had been dreaming of.

"Kagome." Inuyasha's voice was bursting with a mix of sorrow and longing. "Please don't leave me again." He held her close to his chest. Part of him thought that if he let her go it would turn out to be an illusion. Inuyasha whispered words of encouragement that would vary between pleading, but was more an all out demand for compliance. He was trying to keep control on his emotions. The past ten plus years came back in a flash while he looked intently as the unconscious female in his arms.

"Medics coming through!" With that announcement all pandemonium broke loose, and Kagome could not longer hold on to consciousness.

While Kouga was at Tokyo Memorial Hospital, his partner, Inuyasha wasn't. Instead he was back at the precinct giving two people a piece of his mind. Inuyasha was giving them his undivided, unadulterated wrath on the both of them. "Why the hell didn't you tell me she was still in Tokyo!"

Sango and Miroku couldn't look him in the eye. In fact they were looking anywhere but at him. Sango and Miroku ears were ringing with from Inuyasha screaming at them at the top of his lungs. Inuyasha was so loud that even Chief Myoga had to step in and calm the hanyou down. Then once the Chief had reigned in Inuyasha, he gave Sango and Miroku a pity look before shutting the detective's door.

"Inuyasha, we couldn't tell anyone." Miroku tried to reason with Inuyasha.

"That's bull shit Miroku." Inuyasha slammed his hand on his desk. His voice was no more then a harsh whisper. "You two let me worry for ten years about Kagome and all the fucking time you knew where she was!"

Miroku wasn't at all scared by Inuyasha intimidation tactics, and nether was Sango. She felt for him. Sango knew how it killed Inuyasha not knowing what happen to Kagome for all those years. "Inuyasha we happened to find Kagome's whereabouts out purely on accident." Sango spoke in calm manor. "So beating your desk isn't going to help matters."

Inuyasha just glared at her. "Damnit Sango! How…"

"Don't you think we wanted to tell you?" Miroku interrupted. He stood up from the hard wooden chair located on the other side of Inuyasha's desk. Miroku stretched his long, lean frame while talking. "Sango and I went up the coast to Mito one weekend to get away…"

"How long ago?" Inuyasha growled.

"About three years ago."

Inuyasha started scoring a heavy trail claw marks down is desk when Miroku gave the answer, but remained quiet.

Miroku looked at Sango before continuing with their story. She gave him a reassuring smile and reached out to take a hold of his hand giving it a gentle squeeze. 'Kami!' Miroku thought. 'this is why I love her…' However, an angry Inu wanted their undivided attention. "Well, when we arrived in Mito, Sango and I decided we would stop in at this antique store. Once we walked in to the store…um…you see…I didn't know…" Miroku stumbled over his words. He was trying to figure out how to tell Inuyasha how they actually found Kagome. Or, rather how he, and his wandering hand found her.

"Would you stop you mumbling Miroku!" Inuyasha snapped.

Sango intercede for her boyfriend but gave him a rather heated glare upon the memory, and the event the two shared. The look she shot him was 'You are so in for it.' Sango stood and position herself between Miroku and Inuyasha. "You see Inuyasha, our ex- houshi, was browsing around the old scrolls and mantras in the back of the store, when he happen to find a woman busy filing sutras away." Sango stopped and moved into a more fighting stance and a relaxed one. But apparently Inuyasha didn't seem to notice Sango's change in tactics. She was getting set for the moment Inuyasha decide to beat Miroku to a bloody pulp.

Thump, thump, thump, thump! Inuyasha was pounding his fingers on the already abused wooden desk. Inuyasha's already short fuse was making him more impatient by the second waiting for Sango to go on.

"As I was saying, Miroku notice this woman putting things away, and for the life of me I don't know why, but he went over to the unsuspecting woman and coped a feel."

"But, Sango sweets, I couldn't help myself. It is this cursed hand." Miroku argued.

Sango shut her eyes as her imagination began to replay the scene in her mind. She brought a shaking hand up and made a fist with it as she continued. This all to tell action Sango made, made Miroku gulp rather loudly and sit back in the chair. "So as the story always goes, our ex-houshi received a resounding smack and a rather good tongue lashing for his antics."

"GET TO THE POINT WOULD YOU!" Inuyasha snarled leaning over the desk a little more.

"Well, imagine our surprise when it turned out to be Kagome." Sango stated in a shaky breath.

Kouga let out a rather loud yawn as he leaned his well toned body against the side of the wall. He was bored out of his mind and was dying for a little action. Kouga was in the midst of planning his escape when a red head nurse walked by him and eyed him rather conspicuously.

Kouga's head shot up and took in the sight before him. He let out a low whistle in appreciation of the lean long leg nurse. Kouga watched her turn her head back at him and smirk. That's when he noticed her dazzling green eyes, and from that moment Kouga was taken with her.

Ayame couldn't help but notice the police detective leaning casually against the wall. He was nothing but the finest specimen of male she had ever seen. Ayame loved his sparkling blue eyes that shone with an underling lust. Ayame glanced at the clock on the wall. She had a break coming up in ten minutes; why not make good use of it? Ayame turn the rest of her body around and made her way back to the dashing male.

"Hello there handsome." Her soft voice called out.

Kouga pushed off the wall and straighten himself up to his full height as the beautiful red headed goddess came near to him. He gave her a wolfish grin before answering. "Hey there babe, name's Detective Ookami, but you can call me Kouga."

Ayame smiled up at him coyly while holding a pile of patient's charts to her chest. She managed to free up one of her hands and thrusted it out to Kouga. "Nice to meet you… Kouga. I'm Ayame."

Kouga watched her offer her hand to him, and he took it. However, instead of shaking it, Kouga brought Ayame's hand to his lips and kissed it. He smiled when he noticed a blush tint her cheeks as Ayame retracted her head, but then Kouga felt himself being pulled forward.

Ayame didn't know what came over her. But, instead she grabbed Kouga's neck tie and brought him closer to her. She turned her head to his ear and whispered into his ear.

Kouga felt Ayame's heated breath dance across his ear before he realized she was talking to him. He could barely decipher her words because of her nearness was driving him to distraction.

"I have a break in less than ten minutes."

Kouga fought the urge to pick up Nurse Ayame and run to the nearest room, but he was on duty. He could feel Ayame press herself up against him. Kouga's mind turned to mush as he tried to figure out why he was physical responding to this women in such a way. 'Why not have a little fun? What was the harm? No one will notice that I'm gone.' Kouga thought silently. He got stuck babysitting, while Inuyasha was downtown interrogating. Babysitting wasn't part of his job description. "Yeah."

Ayame licked her lips. "Meet me at the cafeteria." Then with that, Ayame left a very aroused Kouga lusting after her.

Kagome awoke later to dim white sterile walls, in a small metal bed with a monitors connected to her body like a second skin. She blinked her blurry eyes so that she could focus in on her surroundings. Kagome was slowly registering the fact that the sun was setting out her window and that she would be cloaked in darkness. But, also that Kagome would be alone, in a hospital.

'Just breathe in and out, Kags.' Kagome was telling herself. 'In and out… It's okay that you're in the hospital. You're still alive. Breath, Kags.' She was trying to give herself a pep talk.

The heart monitor indicated an irregular increasing heart rate with a racing green marker. Kagome nearly shot out of bed when she inhaled the sickly sweet scent. Blue-silver eyes widen in terror. Roses, and lots of them. They were everywhere. Kagome's thoughts became wilder by the second. 'No! He's been here. He knows where I am!'

Kagome moved out of the bed with the speed of light only to be remained that she was still connect various monitors. Kagome's hand tore at the connections that were taped on her body. 'Out, I need out!' When she pulled the last of the heart monitors off the screen showed that Kagome had flat lined.

RINGGGGG

"Code blue! Attention! Room 405 has a code blue!" The automated speaker system called through the air.

Kagome cursed her dumb luck. 'I should have known better.' She chastised herself, but then again Kagome had only one goal in mind. That was to get the hell out. Kagome looked through the small glass window on the door and saw mass of hurried nurses and doctors running around outside. She knew she would only get one chance, but she would have to take it.

He watched the scene with interest as nurses and doctor ran around the hospital wing like chickens with their heads cut off. Romeo knew that Kagome had awakened, but was no where close to her room. He had just go done talking to his father when the code blue came blaring over the speaker system. Romeo, as inconspicuous as could be dismissed himself from his father and started to make is way to Kagome's room. He couldn't let her get away from him.

"Get out of the way!" Yelled a nurse who was running full steam ahead pushing the cart that contained the electro shock paddles.

He side stepped the chaotic masses before they ran him over. Romeo was deep in thought as he watched his surroundings. He knew better. Kagome wasn't dead. No. She was far from it. If he knew any better, which he did, Romeo surmised that Kagome was planning her escape right that this moment. This was and had always been her M.O. (modius operandi). Kagome would run and try to hide, but he would always find her.

Then an evil menacing smile came to him. Romeo pulled out his cell phone and dialed the police station phone number.

The telephone ringing in Inuyasha's office was the only thing that had saved Miroku's life. For the Inu-youkai had him by the throat and was threatening him in more ways then one. Inuyasha was threatening dismemberment to Miroku if he couldn't get his damn hand under control.

Miroku gasped a heavy sighed when Inuyasha tossed him back into the chair, so he could answer the phone.

Sango just rolled her eyes at Miroku and then re-adverted her attention from her amoral boyfriend to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha picked up the phone and brought it to his ear. "Detectives Tsuwamono and Ookami's office, Detective Tsuwamono speaking."

Sango and Miroku both watched as Inuyasha went tense all over.

Kagome had her chance. She slipped out of the room that was holding her like a prisoner of war, and then she ran. Kagome ran like the fire of hell was at her heels. She clutched the hospital gown tightly to her, but every step she took Kagome knew she was flashing her backside. 'These damn gowns are humiliatingly indecent!'

But, right then Kagome didn't care too much. She had other things to worry about. Kagome turned right at the end of the long corridor looking for an exit. There it was, the stair way that led out of the hospital and way from her so-called stalker.

"Romeo, Romeo! Where for art thou Romeo?" His menacing voice came over the line. He really was enjoying this, taunting Detective Tsuwamono, or rather Inuyasha.

"Bastard!" Inuyasha hissed. The more he listened to this fucking psycho the more incensed Inuyasha became. He heard something else coming across the line and strained to hear what it was. 'Code blue.' Was all Inuyasha could hear.

Romeo heard Inuyasha growling out obscenities in a most intimidating way, but he didn't care. "Hark, our villain Romeo is at Tokyo Memorial where our fair Kagome is at. Yawn, maiden is in room 405 in the western corridor of Tokyo Memorial Hospital while her heart maybe giving out."

Inuyasha gripped the phone in his hand in a death grip wishing it was that bastard Romeo he had in his hands. Inuyasha swore he could hear the amusement in the fucker's voice, but said nothing. Instead, he walked out side his office and motioned for another officer to come to him.

"You know Shakespeare's famous play Inuyasha?" Romeo smiled as he spoke. "It's a tragic story about how two young lovers would kill themselves to be with one another."

"I know the play." Inuyasha said, trying not to lose his cool. He had to keep this asshole of a murderer on the phone long enough so he could trace the call.

A red headed, rather young man came jogging up to Inuyasha, dressed in patrol uniform. His green mirrored his confusion when Inuyasha mouthed to him what he wanted. "I need a phone tracer."

The young man nodded in understanding and took off.

"Detective Tsuwamono, how does it feel knowing you will lose another Juliet to me?"

That tightly reigned control snapped with that comment. "What makes you think, you asshole, that Kagome would die for you! As the play goes, fucker, that Juliet killed herself to be with the person she loved. Kagome doesn't love you!"

In response, Romeo just laughed at the hanyou. "Kagome doesn't know who I am, and come to think about it, neither do you." He sneered when he made that last remark. "So, she could be in love with me, and not even know she is in danger."

With that Romeo disconnected the call. He then disassemble the phone and took out the memory card and then walked to the nearest trash can and threw it way. He laughed as he walked past Kagome's room. Romeo could hear the frantic shout of nurses and doctors questioning where the patient had gone. He on the other hand knew full well, of said patient, and her planned flight to leave the hospital. Romeo would find her. He always found 'his' Kagome.

Inuyasha was shaking with an unknown rage that he had never felt before. The plastic casing of the phone shattered as he slammed it down on to the receiver. He emitted a low guttural growl. Inuyasha reached for his jacket that was tossed on his chair and put it on. Next, Inuyasha roughly pulled open the side drawer of his desk.

Both Sango and Miroku shuddered as they watched Inuyasha undergo a dramatic change. It was like Inuyasha's inner best was unleashed, and his youkai was surging around the small confines of the office. They needn't bother to ask who was on the other line. Sango and Miroku knew it was Romeo. Neither said a word to the hanyou but watched him intensely. The couple's jaws dropped when they saw the magazine clips Inuyasha was withdrawing from the desk.

"Inuyasha, do you think it wise to pack an arsenal just because of one phone call?" Miroku asked in an attempt to have Inuyasha tell them what Romeo said.

His only response was a hard glare from Inuyasha, who was now leaving out the door in a rush.

"Wait! Inuyasha! Where are you going?" Miroku yelled at the retreating form.

"The hospital!"

Miroku took off after his friend, as did Sango.

Kagome's lungs were burning when she reached the first floor of the hospital. Her mind was working over time trying to figure out how to get out of the entrance without being noticed. 'Ha! Come on Kags! With this hospital gown on you will attract nothing but attention. Which is something we so don't need right now.'

She molded her body so that she was hugging the wall. It was like she was trying to become one with it. Kagome slowly came up to a corner and peered around it cautiously. There she saw her freedom, and it came in a form of a dull blue door that had bolded black letters scrolled across it reading 'Linen Closet.' With frantic eyes, Kagome double checked to make sure that no one was around before darting to her god send. Kagome's fingers palmed the handle of the door, all the while praying that it was unlocked. Kami must have heard her because Kagome wrenched it open with all the speed she could muster, and as stealthily as Kagome could manage quickly shutting it behind her.

There inside the linen closet there was a variety of scrubs, for which Kagome could technical borrow from. She swiftly shed herself of the hospital gown in favor of the more modest scrub outfit, minus footwear. Or, underwear. The pants were long enough to conceal the fact her feet were bare, but the shirt did nothing hind the fact that her bosom was unbound. Once, partially dressed, Kagome stepped out of the closest and tried to act as inconspicuous as possible.

All she wanted to do was to leave the hospital, and do so now. As Kagome began to sink into thought she was sure she wasn't thinking straight, about anything. But then again Kagome didn't want to rationalize anything right now. It would only prove how demented she really might be. 'Why on earth did you run to find him in the first place Kags? That's what the bastard wanted you to do! And you fell for it!' Kagome's kept replaying what she could remember the morning's events. There was one vague memory that was bothering her. Kagome still thought she was dreaming, or hallucinating when she heard Inuyasha's voice speaking to her. Kagome hadn't heard of him or seen him in years, so why would she think of him now? It made her long for things, things she would never have. For all she knew, Inuyasha probably thought she killed Kikyou. Kagome shook herself out of her thoughts, for in the distance she could hear the specific sound of a sliding glass door that was companied by a mass of people talking in a near by waiting room.

It was a blur as she neared the large sliding glass doors, Kagome could taste her freedom coming within her reach. Her bare feet touched the tarmac which triggered the sensory that allowed the glassy panes to part like the red sea. Kagome made a tentative step closer the outside world. She could feel the breeze from the outside caress her face lulling Kagome farther outside. Kagome noticed the coarse cement on the bottom of her bare feet as she walked away from the hospital building. She looked behind her once more to make sure no one noticed her leaving, but a cold chill seeped into her. Kagome felt her breath hold within her lungs as a familiar feeling took over. It was starting again. Kagome knew he was on the grounds. The question was, where? She shuddered at the thought that he was watching her again as she ran away. 'Why disappoint him?' Kagome thought cynically, and with that she took off.

"INUYASHA!" Sango screeched from the back seat of his Porsche. "Slow down, or we will be in the hospital requiring medical services!"

"Feh!" Was the only response Inuyasha gave her as he turned a sharp right which tossed his two passengers to one side of the vehicle.

They were only a few blocks away from the hospital when Inuyasha tried to call Kouga. 'Damn Kouga! Answer you fucking phone!' Inuyasha thought harshly as he listened to Kouga's voice mail pick up. He hung up his cell phone in frustration.

Inuyasha could see the top of the hospital coming into view, but it only made him more ancy. He wasn't sure what the hell was going on there, and was worried that something had happened to Kagome. He couldn't loose her so soon after he found her.

The entrance for the hospital came up fast and Inuyasha once again to the turn faster and hard causing the occupants to thump against the side.

"Sango?" Miroku moaned in pain. "As much as I love your hot little ass," he paused for a moment. "It is rather bony and digging painfully into my side."

Sango blushed, but elbowed him in the ribs for that comment, and then moved while looking outside the window. What Sango saw she had a hard time believing. There was a woman who looked like Kagome, a lot like her, running as fast as she could away from the hospital wearing scrubs. Sango shook her head in disbelief. 'No, it can't be.'

"Stop the Car!" Sango bellowed.

"What?" Both the men in the car asked in disbelief.

"I know your hearing is perfect Inuyasha! Stop the car!"

"Sango…" Miroku started to say but was cut off.

"I saw Kagome!" Sango yelled at them. "Over there!" She pointed over to the right in the distant.

"Shit!" Inuyasha muttered darkly as he saw a form running like the fire of hell was at her heels. He brought the car to a sudden halt which left tire marks on the street. Inuyasha jumped out of the car without turning the car off and took chase. It was her. Inuyasha could smell her scent through the pollution of others, more toxic scents.

"KAGOME!" He roared.