Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…or half of everything in my room, most of it belongs to my parents…or my sister…or various friends.

A/N: So here it is. Chapter 11…yay! I worked hard, didn't stay up till 5 though. Enjoy!

Cigarettes and Lavender

Chapter 11-Almost Like a Dream

Bi Polar

Kagome's heart literally broke in two when Inuyasha ran out the front door. She wanted to believe the story that he told to her family a couple of days ago, not the one on the television just moments ago. Without her permission tears fell from her eyes and slowly moved down her pale cheek, leaving a salty trail behind. Mrs. Higurashi sat next to her daughter, dumbstruck; while Souta impatiently pulled on his mother's sleeve begging her to know if his adoptive brother was in trouble.

Kagome stared at her lap, tears freely flowing, while her mother ushered her brother upstairs whispering comforting words. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that such things were too good to be true.

Mrs. Higurashi came back downstairs with a solemn expression on her face. She walked into the kitchen and returned with Inuyasha's leather backpack. It was so tattered and dirty that it looked like it could fall apart right before their eyes.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked, her voice wavering and getting hazardously close to leaving her entirely.

"We might as well check and see if it's really him."

Kagome gave her mother a stern glare. "Now mom, not many people have silver hair and golden eyes."

"I know…it's just so hard to believe. And, somewhere deep inside my heart I just…don't want to believe any of it." Kagome's thoughts were spoken out loud and she nodded in understanding and also in consent to allow her to empty the backpack. She was, of course, naturally curious.

Mrs. Higurashi turned the leather bag upside down allowing all the contents to spill out on the living room floor. The two women knelt down and looked at the mess they had just made. The torn clothes that Kagome had found him in lied on the bottom, all covered in blood. Then on top of that laid an array of other things, a notebook bound in leather similar to the backpack it had been carried in, a Swiss army knife, cigarettes and in an ironic twist nicotine gum and patches. Not much, but enough for them to cry over. Neither quite knew why they were weeping, perhaps it was because the cigarettes that were sitting before them confirmed their dread that Inuyasha was indeed a teenage runaway.

One could not tell how much time they spent sitting in the living room crying over what looked like a pile of crap, but it must have of been some time; for when Kagome finally wiped her eyes and stood up it was growing dark. Mrs. Higurashi got up from the floor as well and went in the kitchen to return with two hot cups of tea. She handed one to Kagome and both women sat down on the couch.

"I've got to go look for him." Kagome said quietly. Mrs. Higurashi gave her a look but didn't say anything. "I don't know if I can explain why…it's just, a feeling I guess. Something doesn't feel right."

Mrs. Higurashi gave her a knowing smile and an accepting nod as Kagome got up off the couch, slipped on a jacket and left the house.

The room was silent, nauseatingly silent. Sango pulled the blanket that hung around her shoulders closer to her. Miroku sat on the edge of his bed staring at the television set, which was now turned off. It had been an hour since either one of them talked.

Both stunned to see their friend's face pasted on the currently blank television screen. They shouldn't have been surprised but they were and in this state of shock they decided to sit quietly.

Miroku looked up as Sango came to sit next to him. She pulled the blanket that was around her shoulders off and wrapped it around both of them. "You looked cold." She said quietly.

"Thanks." He muttered.

"It's almost like a dream, huh?" She whispered. He could feel her breath on his face and had to calm himself before answering.

"Almost." She nuzzled into him and he welcomed it.

"Should we go out and look tonight?"

"No…we need some rest, tomorrow we're leaving."

She pulled away from him, alarmed. "What do you mean?"

"We've been away for 4 and a half days. School is going to start you know." He stated matter of factly.

"And what do you think is more important Miroku? Our school or our friend?" Her face red with irritation.

"Well, uhh, our friend of course."

"Then we're staying here!" She stated before burrowing into him once again.

He didn't dare fight back instead he just gave a quiet laugh and held her against him tightly. She smelt lovely. "Sango…" She didn't answer instead she snuggled up closer to him. He grinned mischievously.

"Don't you dare Miroku. If I'm going to sleep in your bed then you better not try anything." She said softly, her eyes still closed.

"Why my dear Sango, whoever said you were sleeping in my bed?" Miroku looked down at Sango, a small smile on his face.

"I did…just now." She stiffened then relaxed before quietly adding. "It's too cold over in my bed, and its so warm right here."

He gave a small laugh before nodding and getting up.

"Where are you going?" She said slightly panicked.

"Well, I don't know about you but I don't find sleeping sitting up very comfortable."

Miroku walked over to the side of the bed and pulled down the covers for Sango and himself to climb under. Both were in their pajamas having changed into them as soon as they got home from searching for Inuyasha.

They sat there for awhile, Sango dozing off then reminding herself to wake up and Miroku staring blankly at the ceiling. She nuzzled into him again and he held her against his chest. Sighing deeply and gently thanking him Sango fell off into a deep sleep. "No need to thank me Sango…no need at all." He looked at her sleeping face and gave her a modest kiss on the cheek.

Kagome walked down the street apprehensively, taking notice of everything around her. She wasn't sure of anything anymore, except the fact that she needed to find Inuyasha. The looming buildings and eerie glow of the street lamps only caused her paranoia to increase.

An hour later, Kagome stood in front of the old park. Hardly anyone played there anymore; it was rusted and moldy; scaring most children away. She found herself staring and was taken aback to see two black sneakers sticking out of the end of the enclosed slide, two black sneakers in which she recognized.

The anchor women's words ran through her head "…known to have self destructive habits. Inuyasha is known to rely on alcohol and cigarettes, as well as other negative substances." She felt a wave of sickness flow over her, but held it down as she marched towards the black converse shoes.

She stopped a foot away from where Inuyasha lay curled up into a ball. She could hear him, but just barely. He was rocking back and forth and mumbling something incoherent. "Inuyasha…" She spoke cautiously.

He looked up at her surprised, his eyes bloodshot and alarmed. He wiped his nose with his sleeve before returning to his former position.

"Inuyasha..." This time she spoke louder and more persistently. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" He mumbled; his face still buried in his arm.

"Don't play dumb. Why did you run away from home?" She crossed her arms and watched the boy rock back in forth. She felt something within in her stir for the boy's situation but it went away quickly as she remembered her deadly anger towards him.

"Just leave me alone." He whispered.

"Just leave me alone?" She repeated his words slowly like she speaking to a disobedient child. "I saved your fucking life and all you can say to be is 'leave me alone'?"

She could tell he was embarrassed because he buried his head deeper into his arm. "Why did you run away from home?" She persisted.

"I…I can't, tell you…" He shook his head getting his jacket wet with tears.

Why? Because I can't handle it?" She said mockingly her arms still crossed over her chest.

"No…" He said softly, then added. "I don't want to get you involved."

"Get me involved?" She nearly shouted. "Getting me involved!" This time she really did shout. "The moment I found you I was involved. Damn it, Inuyasha, don't you understand! My family is involved, whether you like or not!"

"I…" But Inuyasha didn't get a chance to finish his sentence.

"You lied…" Her voice wasn't as fierce as it was a minute ago, in fact she sounded almost like a lost child. "You lied to my Grandpa, my mom, my brother….you lied to me Inuyasha." Her eyes watered but she refused to let tears fall.

Inuyasha looked up from his fetal position, he looked scared. "It's…I'm…" He didn't say much anything else; instead he just stared at her.

"Why did you run away? Why did you lie?" She became fierce again, her eyes flaring.

"I told you just go let it go!" He yelled back with just as much power.

"'Let it go!' For God's sake! You fucking lied to me! I trusted you! Now tell me why the fuck did you ran away from home and then lied to me about it!" Kagome came closer to the tube slide Inuyasha laid in. He didn't move, instead just pulled his knees closer to his face. "Why did you lie Inuyasha?" She came closer and closer. "Why did you run away?" She was almost touching his feet now.

His head was spinning, more tears sprang as he closed his eyes and buried his head underneath his arm. Kagome's voice prodded his mind, it was almost like a broken record player. She kept yelling and questioning and he couldn't take all of it. "Why did you do it Inuyasha!" She roared.

"Because they beat me!" Inuyasha sat up and glared at Kagome with the most intense gaze. "Is that what you wanted to hear? Are you happy now!" He stared at her for some time before lying back down and curling up into a ball again.

Kagome couldn't breathe and she was sure that she was going to pass out. She stared at the sobbing boy lying in the red tunnel slide. Her heart picked up, trying to register what Inuyasha had just bellowed. 'Beat…they beat him?' Inuyasha continued to shake with sobs; she had never seen him so fragile even when he was beaten to a pulp in the alley. The tears which were burning to get out finally fell, and fast. A strange cold had taken over her body and she felt herself shiver.

Kagome sat on the edge of the slide; he didn't take notice. She touched his shoulder and her heart dropped when she saw him flinch, she withdrew her hand and wiped her eyes clean of tears.

"Why don't we got back home and have some tea? You…you can explain everything there." He looked up at her with a panicky gaze. She understood right away. "We won't call the police, I promise." He relaxed and sat up, nodding silently. He wiped his face and got up, wobbling a bit, only to be surprised by Kagome holding him around the waist, letting him lean on her.

A/N: This came out rather fast, I'm proud of myself. 32482084203 gold stars to me. :D So anyways! Cheers to my reviewers! (I reply every so often. So since it's only 2 in the morning I'll send you reviewers a nice little note.)

HayLin4: Me too…especially when they're on the news and then like 3 weeks later they're on the news again, arrested for child abuse. hint, hint Anyways! Thanks for reviewing.

DemonSaya: Thank you. I did that purposely, tee hee. I'm so deep. I read some of your stories; they're really lovely and charming. 3

Amber: I'm glad you like it so much. :)

Nanirain: Well…I thought I should add some angst after that kind of slow chapter before it. I'm so glad you adore it; it makes me feel really loved.

Inashosetai: I took your advice and went for it and I'm glad I did so. So I guess in a way I owe this chapter to you. So cheers to you!

SeeC: I get hyper…all the time. Thanks for the review.

AnimeAngelz: I'm very flattered that you feel that way about my fic. Thank you.

Peoplekityo: Lucky you, I decided to get an early start on this chapter and finished it faster than I thought, hehe.

Whitewolf33: It's a surprise…not really…but just you wait.

GIRL IN STORY: haha. I'm more of a tea person myself, but sometimes coffee is necessary to survive.

Heavens lil cherry: Thanks, I try to work hard at my writing, I can only become better, right? I'm currently working on 3 other stories (not including this one) at the moment, so after Cigs. And Lav. I'll be able to put out many more fics.

Kasandra: Thanks I really appreciate the compliment. :D

Luv,angel-muzik,baby: I wanted to make his parent's complete assholes but at the same time a little terrifying. Do you think I got it (even if it's only to a certain extent)? Thank you for the review!