Disclaimer: Still don't own 'em…

Mrs. Higurashi hummed softly as she busied herself around the kitchen. She could hear Sota and Gramps in the living room, idly chatting about the news. Something about the police reached her ears, but she paid it no mind. As she placed the last dinner dish in the cabinet, her eyes wandered over to the clock on the wall. It read five of six.

I wonder how Kagome's date is going?

A sharp sound brought her out of her thoughts, and Kagome's mother turned to the culprit. On the wall across from her, the phone rang loudly, screaming for someone to come and answer it. She quickly picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hello, Mrs. Higurashi?"

Brown eyes widened in surprise when she recognized the voice. "Hojo? Is that you?"

"Yes," the nervous voice answered. "I was wondering if perhaps Kagome was still home?"

"No, Hojo. I'm sorry; Kagome is not home right now. I thought that she was out on a date with you?"

"Oh, dear. I just wanted to call her and let her know that I am afraid I must cancel our date tonight. My aunt has fallen very ill, and my family and I must visit her."

"I'm sure she'll understand, Hojo." Mrs. Higurashi quickly finished the conversation and hung up the phone.

Oh, Kagome…she thought as she chewed on her lower lip. "Grandpa, Sota! Grab your coats! We have to go out and look for Kagome!"

The youngest Higurashi poked his head around the kitchen door. "Mom? What's wrong? I thought that Kagome was out on a date?"

Sota's question was not answered by his mother. Instead, he heard a low growling come from behind him. The boy turned and yelled in shock when he found the source of the sound. "Inuyasha! What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for your baka sister, that's what I'm doing. What is this 'date' thing, and why is she on it?"

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head. "That's just it. Hojo, the boy she is supposed to be on a date with, just called and said that he was out of town. Kagome must be getting worried about him. I want to go and pick her up before it gets much later."

"Keh. Forget about it. I'll go get her. Just tell me how to get to this 'date' thing."

H

"Oh, hi…." Kagome eyed the man who approached her. After a moment, she recognized him as the man who had been staring at her on the bus. "Are you waiting for someone?"

The man smiled warmly and leaned against the wall next to her. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. How about you? Waiting for Prince Charming to arrive?"

Kagome laughed nervously and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." The man did not respond for a moment, and Kagome began to feel uneasy. He appeared to be at least twice her age, possibly more. The stranger wore dark slacks and a grey short sleeved shirt, which exposed his strong arms. "Look, my date should be here any minute…."

"Well, I have nowhere pressing to be. Maybe I could keep you company?"

"Uh…that's very nice of you to offer, but I really should move closer to the door. I don't want him to pass by and not see me." Kagome looked around and realized that she had chosen a spot awfully close to the alley. She straightened and began walking toward the brightly lit doorway when he grabbed her arm.

"Leaving so soon?"

Inuyasha sped across the rooftops, growling all the way. Stupid Kagome. I can't believe she came back here to see that jerk Hogo. The hanyou leapt into the air, his eyes searching for the landmark Kagome's mother had given him. He knew that it was useless to try and catch her scent; it disappeared at the thing that Sota called a 'bus-stop'. So he was using his sight to track her down this time.

Damn wench! Inuyasha hated to admit it, even to himself, but every time Kagome mentioned the boy from her time he felt something strange tear at his heart.

He shook the feeling away and concentrated on where he was going. Nothing in the streets below seemed familiar; in fact, he didn't even recognize most of the objects on the brightly lit paths. Damn it, this is gonna be harder than I thought….

"What are you doing?" Kagome's eyes went wide with fear as the man's grip tightened. "Let me go!"

The stranger glanced around, but no one had heard Kagome cry out. He leaned in close, the warmth disappearing from his gaze. "Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I let a pretty little lady like you out here alone? Some creep might come along and hurt you, ya know."

Kagome struggled to free her arm, but the man's grip refused to yield. "How about we take a little walk? I promise you'll be back before your boyfriend gets here."

"No! Let g-" her protest was cut off when a rough hand clamped over her mouth. The man pushed her away from the theater and the safety of the bright lights and toward the nearby alley. As they rounded the corner, Kagome managed to sink her teeth into the man's hand, and he let go with a sharp cry. His other hand pushed her into the alley before grasping the injured appendage. "You little bitch!" he growled.

Kagome flew backwards as his good hand crashed against her face. She landed roughly, and the uneven pavement ripped at her silk skirt. "Get away from me!" she screamed while staggering to her feet.

The man smiled at the tears that now streaked her reddened cheeks. "Come here, little girl, and maybe I won't make it hurt too much!"

He charged at her, his strong arms once again reaching for her. But this time she was ready for him, and Kagome ducked just in time to avoid being grabbed. A small fist flew through the air, making contact with the man's face with a sickening crunch.

Kagome did not wait to see if she had caused any damage. She took off, trying desperately to reach the opening of the alley. Freedom was just a few steps away, and then suddenly the world flew upward. Kagome felt the rough hand latch around her ankle, dragging her down onto the pavement. With a thud she landed on the ground.

Once again, she tried to struggle to her feet. This time, however, the man was determined to keep her down. A heavy weight dropped on top of her, and when his fist once again connected with her face, darkness overwhelmed her.

Inuyasha was lost. He currently sat on a random rooftop, scratching his head angrily. In his other hand he clutched the baseball cap that Kagome's mother had tossed to him on his way out. Damn it! Why does everything in Kagome's time have to be so fucking complicated? The hanyou huffed in frustration, and then slowly drew in a deep breath. Losing his temper now was not going to help him track Kagome down any faster.

Many smells assaulted him when he breathed in the city air, but this time one stood out above the rest. It was a mix of fear, so intense that even from this distance it caused his nose to wrinkle in distaste. He sniffed again, noticing another scent mixed in with the first. It was blood.

More specifically, Kagome's blood.

Panic clutched at his heart. For a moment, Inuyasha stood frozen on the rooftop, his legs unable to move. Then the scent teased his nostrils again, and the spell was broken. He sprang into the air, a vicious growl burning in his chest and throat. If Kagome were hurt….

He blocked the thought from his mind and concentrated solely on following the scent. Inuyasha swore that she would be all right. And if she wasn't, someone was going to pay dearly. Hold on, Kagome. I'm coming. Just hold on!