Thank you for your understanding, everyone. I appreciate your support and prayers for my mother and our family more than I can say. My mother is currently going through chemo in a last ditch effort to kill the cancer, and we're all hopeful and continuing to pray. I will continue to write when I have the time, at Mom's insistence. Again, thank you for your never-ending understanding and support.

On-topic, what you have here is Silhouette chapter three, obviously! : ) I'm glad you guys are enjoying this so far. There's more angst and Tessen-being-mean-to-her-muses in this chapter, and in the chapters to come! Please forgive the lateness of Inuki; I finally managed to uncover the road Im taking in that story, but am still hitting every pothole there is to be hit. TT;;; I will try to have it up before the end of the century, okay? ;p

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette

Chapter Three :: Eclipse of the Heart

The color of the sky began to slowly brighten from a starless black to cloudy gray as the sun rose, shimmering gold light around the endless clouds that had drawn over the small village. They seemed to hover over a particular house, and tell of the mood that most everyone within the small hut were experiencing. Kagome was convinced it was her own uncertainty and grief that had summoned the impending storm.

She lay on her side, a blanket pulled up nearly over her head. She curled up in the fetal position, arms locked around herself. Her heart ached painfully within her, the miko feeling as though it would shatter if she took a breath. She felt like crying out all the frustration, all the sadness, but the tears wouldn't come.

The same way the rains hadn't yet fallen, neither would the tears.

The hourglass is with Inuyasha. I know that if I go to him, my presence will stir up painful feelings for him. I don't want to see him. But if I ever want to get back to my normal time… what passes for normal for me, anyway… I have to get back that hourglass.

I feel so lost. I wish Inuyasha were here. My Inuyasha. Just seeing him the way he was would help strengthen me.

Kagome…

Inuyasha?

Kagome!

Inuyasha!!!

"Kagome-sama, wake up!"

Kagome snapped awake, unaware that she had been asleep. Kohaku was leaning over her, his youthful face concerned. Concern for her. She sat up, rubbing at her eyes, still feeling sleepy. Of course, she hadn't been able to sleep all night, the dark bags under her eyes proving that. But somehow, going over her situation in her mind had allowed her the ability to slip into slumber. Well of course it did. It's exhausting, thinking about this.

"Ohayo, Kohaku-kun…"

"You were mumbling in your sleep. Was it a nightmare?" the teenager asked, and she shrugged, forcing a half-smile. "Something or another. I don't really remember much of it. I'm okay now though." He nodded vaguely, and she could tell by his expression he didn't believe her. He didn't push it though and she silently thanked him for it. His mouth broadened in a grin instead.

"I was about to go fishing. It's really peaceful where Chichi-ue takes me, and I thought, with everything you've had to deal with since yesterday, that you might not mind coming with me? It might help clear your head." Kagome glanced back at him, eyebrows raised. Then she smiled. "Sure."

.n.

The overcast sky made for a distantly warm day, the air around the two teenagers more chilly than it was anything else. Every so often, a breeze would rustle the tree tops, sifting gentle winds that felt as though they were laced with ice past Kagome and Kohaku. A cloud would shift, uncovering the sun and warming one patch of ground, and then another would take its place, bringing back the soft cold.

After walking for what seemed forever through the woods, they came to a bunching of willow trees. Within the curtain-like branches Kagome could hear the bubbling and gurgling of water. "In here," Kohaku told her, holding up the willow tree's long limbs so Kagome step through.

She caught her breath at the beauty of it. There were 4 willows in all; two of them on either shore standing over the river vigilantly, their branches caught in the slow current. The leaves rustled together with the wind, the quiet noise being the only sound other than an orchestra of a few birds twittering every now and then in nature's cheerful symphony. The shade created by the branches was especially dark; Probably, Kagome thought, because of the clouds…

Without saying anything as Kagome settled herself by the stream, Kohaku walked over to the shore and got into the shallows, waiting hands held up as he inched forward, silty mud squishing through his toes. Kagome pulled off her shoes and socks, laying them nearby and slipping her feet into the water, kicking lightly at the still waters.

Kohaku was a good fisherman, his hands easily darting into the waters and snatching up an unlucky fish. It wasn't long before he'd snatched five, and he grinned at Kagome proudly. The miko applauded his efforts with a genuine smile, as he looked especially like Miroku with that incredible grin he had. It brought back good memories.

As he climbed from the water, five fish in tow, Kagome looked up at him from her place on the ground. "What are the fish for, just out of curiosity's sake?" Kohaku opened his mouth to reply just as Kagome felt a caress on her rear end. A particularly familiar caress that was part rubbing, part squeezing. With a squeal she leapt up, twisting to see who was behind her.

Choumei, Miroku and Sango's second son, had a mischievous grin spread on his young face, his right hand twitching reflexively. Behind him were the twins Minoru and Satoru, both stifling giggles with their hands clapped over their mouths. Kagome gaped at the boy, eyes narrowed and brows raised in an expression of outright horror that a boy of thirteen was groping women.

"Forgive my little brother, Kagome-sama, he inherited the more.. delinquent side of our father." Kohaku, as the oldest brother, was trying to look disappointed and reprimand his younger sibling, but was too busy suppressing his laughter at Kagome's reaction. He cleared his throat. "Choumei, you know better," he snickered, and Choumei shrugged. "She's got a nice butt."

"Now you look here!!!" Kagome jumped to her feet, skirt flaring as she stamped one bare foot. "I'm older than you! How can you just start groping your elders like that!"

"I'm thirteen years old," he argued in his defense, "And you're younger than my SISTER. Not that big of an age difference." Kagome's flair was lost immediately. The child was right. Now, in this time, she was younger than she was supposed to be.

How old would I be? 35, almost 36. She winced as she wondered what she would look like as she started catching up to her forties. Then the wince went away as she realized she probably wouldn't look much different than Sango did now. She watched as the boys went to a small spot not far from the river, where fist-sized rocks were laid in a circle, the ground within the circle already blackened dust and soot. It didn't take much thought to realize that they came here often, the frequent fires allowing not even the smallest blade of grass to grow within the barrier of rocks.

Taking up her shoes and socks, she walked over and sat by Kohaku. Without really knowing what she would say, she began to speak. "Kohaku-kun, did your parents talk about me?"

Kohaku blinked, as if confused by the sudden question, but continued his task of lancing the fish he'd caught to set over the fire. "They did. Often. Haha-ue less than Chichi-ue, but only because I think that for a long time, she was still mad at you."

"What about Shippou-chan?"

The young man shook his head. "He never did."

Kagome's heart sank as she came to realization that Shippou had also had a great deal of hurt and anger baggage with her name all over it. She had sensed it the night before, but she hadn't comprehended its depth. Even now, she knew she didn't understand it, but…

"And Inuyasha?"

Choumei looked at her funny, as though he was wondering why she was interrogating them and not someone older, who had been old enough at the time to be involved. Kohaku, mature male figure that he was, just shook his head. "I never met Inuyasha. I might've been around him as a baby, but since I learned to form coherent thought, never." He and his brothers cracked smiles as he passed over the phrase about coherent thought, but its mirth passed by Kagome without looking back.

"I see," she said, her face drooping. I had hoped someone might've been able to tell me what he was like… Someone who was apart from the group…

The boys ate in quiet chit-chat, giggling and talking amongst themselves. Off in her own world, Kagome pondered her dilemma. It was an obvious problem, being trapped in a warped reality in which your closest friends resent you, and Kagome knew a thing or two about warped realities. This was awful to the enth degree, and she knew the only way to fix it was to face her fears.

Face Inuyasha.

And she'd never been good at facing either, her fears or Inuyasha. Especially when what she was facing dealt with both of them.

She was so afraid. Afraid that she wouldn't be able to find him. Afraid that if she did, that he wouldn't want anything to do with her. She knew how he was, and she knew his past history with being betrayed. Inuyasha had hated Kikyou with all his heart when he thought she'd been the one to betray him. Kagome wasn't sure she would be able to bear him telling her he hated her.

But if she could get the hourglass from him, she could fix this. They would be able to escape this nightmarish reality and go back to their time.

Kagome clenched her fists. "Kohaku-kun?"

He tended the fire, not really looking up at her even though she knew he was listening. "Yes?"

"Do you know where Inuyasha lives?"

It took a millisecond before the words sank in, and the eighteen-year-old turned to look at her. She felt a great release at the expression on the young man's face, a great wash of relief replacing the cumbersome weight on her shoulders. He looked sympathetic and… proud? He understood why this was a big deal for her. Silently she thanked him, and then promised herself that she would have to thank him for real next time.

"No, I don't," he admitted, but before Kagome's hopes could be shattered, he added, "But I know who does."

.n.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!"

Kagome closed her eyes, slamming foreign barriers into place. She couldn't, wouldn't, handle this from the adult kit. He had no right to demand anything from her, not really. Even though everything inside her screamed that he did. After all, she abandoned him…

I didn't! I only left for three days!!! This is an illusion!

"Haven't you caused enough hurt?" Shippou demanded, his clawed hands clenching. His eyes quivered with anger, shimmering with wetness that couldn't yet be called tears, and they glittered icy blue with it. "When you left twenty years ago, it damn near killed him! Killed all of us!! And you want to do it again?"

"Shippou." Miroku admonished, but the kit didn't stop.

"What do you think it's going to do to him when you suddenly show up? You think its going to be flowers and rainbows and a dulcet choir of birdies?! Think again, Kagome! What you did drove a blade right into our hearts, especially Inuyasha's! He's not going to be happy and leap into your arms or anything."

Kagome looked up at him, her fists tightening. Pleadingly she looked up at Shippou, searching his face to try and find in the hardened adult some semblance of her little kit. He quieted long enough for her to get her say out, and she took full advantage. "Shippou-chan, I need to see him!! I know what his seeing me will do to him, but I need to see him! I'm being selfish, I know, but I need to know what's happened in his life! I need to know how he is!"

"You wanna know how he is? I'll tell you how he was the last time I saw him. He stayed outside by the well day in and day out. Didn't eat much, didn't sleep except when he passed out from exhaustion. He waited for you till he got sick over it." Shippou said bluntly, "That should be a good enough image in your selfish little head of how he is!"

Instantly Kagome paled, drawing back physically as though Shippou had struck her. She told herself not to cry, don't cry, don't cry, but the mantra ended when she realized again, that she didn't want to. The urge to cry was there, but the tears were not.

Like the rain that still had refused to fall.

"Shippou!!" Sango yelled, finally losing her patience. The auburn-haired teenager spun on his second set of adoptive parents. His temper finally snapped. "WHAT?! We can't sugarcoat this! She needs to know what happened! She's asking for it!"

"Not in the great detail that you insist on putting on it," Miroku scolded. Shippou cursed violently, going to his feet in an instant. "This pisses me off! You guys have been coddling her since yesterday! You felt the same way when she didn't come back! How can you just forget the past twenty years?!"

"Shippou!"

The kitsune glowered down at the miko, who was hunkered in on herself, her hands to her face. "Don't take this wrong, Kagome, because I am glad you're back. But you can't expect me to just forget that you abandoned us! And don't expect Inuyasha to forget it either!"

And with that he stormed from the house. Sango and Miroku kept quiet, and the only sounds in the small house were the crackling and popping of the burning wood in the hearth.

Kagome still did not cry.

.n.

The orange light of sunset had shifting into that of navy twilight when Kagome finally decided to look for Shippou. She wandered the forest, her ears perked for any sounds that were Shippou-like. It was difficult, not only because she wasn't a youkai with enhanced senses or a hunter who was attuned to such noises, but because the air still felt off, like the first few days after a room is remodeled.

Somehow she could feel it in the air and the auras of the villagers. The trees themselves gave off an older feeling, and she picked up on it. It was disturbing and uncomfortable.

A sound piqued her curiosity, and as quietly as she could, the miko made her way towards the river. She knew she'd hit paydirt when the eerie blue glow of kitsunebi lit her path, and she looked up at Shippou, who was sitting on the shore, his head turned over his shoulder to look at her.

She followed the blue-lit lead, and went to sit by the kit. He was about as big as Inuyasha now, but still had his own mannerisms. The way he sat, the half-bored expression on his face, the rhythm at which his tail swung. Even the way his did his hair --even if it was longer now-- still fell the same way. It was like a very big version of her chibi fox.

He was skipping rocks, flinging a couple of them with such force that they didn't even skip, just dove straight under the surface. He cursed quietly when they did so before scooping up another rock to try his hand at.

"Shippou-chan…"

"Hn?" The sound was a grunt, more or less. He still sounded pretty upset.

"I'm sorry. I've been saying it since I got here, what more do you want me to say?"

She looked up at him. He was staring at her, much in the way Inuyasha used to: his face entirely blank as he quietly contemplated her. Slowly his broad shoulders rose and fell. "I'm not sure. It feels really empty in here, you know?" He tapped his chest, the place over his heart. "I guess I was just hoping that if you said sorry enough, if I yelled at you enough for it, it would fill it up."

"I get that," she whispered, "I feel really hollow right now. Like a shell."

"Why?"

Kagome drew her knees up to her chest, stretching her arms over her knees. "I feel displaced. I just fell into this world, and I feel like it's not my home anymore. You and the others, even the environment, all changed. It doesn't seem right. And no matter what…" She lowered her face. "I can't seem to cry about it."

Shippou nodded, and cocked his arms, slinging another rock. It skipped twice and sank. "I didn't cry when you left. I kept thinking you would come back. So I never cried." Skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-splash went another one. "But just the same, part of me did, I guess. I suppose that's why it feels so hollow in me too."

Both miko and kitsune were quiet. Nothing but the sounds of skipping stones, cicadas and crickets. The occasional bullfrog croaked out a welcome to the other nocturnal creatures. After a long moment Kagome spoke again.

"I need to find him, Shippou-chan. If I can get the hourglass, I swear on everything that is sacred to me that I will fix this."

"He lives in the forest."

Kagome's head snapped up, and she looked at Shippou. He didn't return the glance, but instead tossed another stone. "No one knows but me… and I only know because I go to see him sometimes."

Kagome gasped softly in surprise. Shippou tilted his head, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Miroku and Sango know I do, it's not as if I'm hiding it from them. But they've never asked me to tell them. I'm not sure if it's because they don't want to see him, or if they know he doesn't want to see them. Either way, I…. I don't know, I just don't think I could even if they did."

Kagome stayed silent as Shippou continued, and the kit tossed another rock. "You don't what it's been like for me and Inuyasha. It was harder for us. I'm not saying that Miroku and Sango didn't love you, but…" He stopped, hands dropping to his lap. "The bonds youkai make are stronger than the ones humans make. We live a long time, and the memories… the feelings… stay with us for a long time. So it hurts a lot more when they're broken."

Kagome turned her gaze to the ground. She wasn't sure what to say, and she didn't want to press the matter. The teenage boy paused, as if waiting for her to say something, or deliberating his decision.

"But you know," he said, "I just know that if it's you, this'll get fixed. And I want that back. The way it used to be." He sighed. "So I'll take you."

Kagome blinked, quite bewildered for a moment. Then she let out a heavy sigh, and looked at Shippou with a wan smile. He smiled back, the sad gesture just barely reaching his eyes.

…To be continued

a/n :: I lub writing for adult Shippou. I have this mental (and finally on paper too; I drew big Shippou-chan a couple of days ago. ;D ) image of him looking like an Inuyasha-sized Shippou. Is so cute!

Ohayo - Good morning. The full phrase is "Ohayo gozaimasu."

omg Thanks for the reviews! I really love them. (Im not kidding, I do little excited dances in my chair when I have reviews, lol)

Black Betty ( ::gives you trampoline:: Now, when you flip, you wont hurt yourself. lol. And is okay to be dramatic. I am all the time. ;p )

Valdimarian ( o.0 Wonder much? rofl ::re-reads all questions:: Okay.. cant answer that yet.. cant answer that one.. Naraku is an ebil bastard, how many do you think he left? lol Suzuno Kanna's reincarnation? Creative, but no. She's just very quiet, lol. Okay, any more? Ah, Sessy and Rin. Hmm.. Sessy and Rin. Welp, you'll just have wait! XD )

Kainaku Hotaru ( Mhm, teh pocky! Love teh pocky! ::huggles the pocky:: Thanks for reading, and I wish you luck on your story! I totally get that "Its not past chappie 1" phase. Drives me to Bonkers, USA. )

Inu Faceness ( ::hands you tissue:: Relax! You're hyperventilating! The hanyou-ness is coming. Please! He is my favorite charrie, you think I would intentionally write him out of a story when I could intentionally torture him and have so much more fun?! Mua ha. You dun know me very well, do you? )

Inu-Tachi Clan (::hands you a tissue too:: Thanks for reading! )

Defafaeth Mechqua ( ;p )

lyn (Okay.)

Silver Rain Drops (I'm glad you're into it! Is my intention and my total wish! XD )

JasmineUnicorn (Thanks! I'm glad you like.)

anna-7 (Thanks for reading.)

priestessmykala (You might be surprised how I've written Inuyasha… ::ish nervous:: )

cartoonfan (Am glad you like it! Thanks for reading!)

May-ShadowZ (Sometimes is all that needs to be said. Thanks for reading.)

;p

.Tessen.