Kagome's mind raced rapidly, trying to process what Dr. Christan had just told her, trying to make sense of it.
'For a moment…I could have sworn…Dr. Christan had said that I wouldn't see…but that can't…'
"What?"
'Ok, that wasn't the smartest thing to say…'She thought.
Dr. Christan sighed, looking at her gently, as if he were trying to avoid her anger, but knew he couldn't. "I don't want you to think I am angry. I understand what is happening…and it isn't your fault." He smiled. "Please understand that…you are not at fault here."
Kagome frowned. "What exactly 'isn't my fault'?"
The shrink ran his fingers through his hair, staring out as Sandy played with Kirara, the cat meowing up a storm. Inuyasha was trying to keep Mark from beating his 'wandering hand' for it's sudden need to be grabby. Shippo was clapping his hands, racing about the group.
"Kagome…when someone loses someone close to them…there is a need to…replace them. In dating, it's called a rebound."
"What does that have to do with me?"
He sighed once more. "There are other times…where the person not only seeks out people to replace their friends…they begin to try and sculpt the new friends to resemble their old friends."
Kagome paused, letting this sink in. 'He thinks…I am taking advantage of them…making them think they are Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku. He doesn't realize…and why would he?…that they are reincarnations.'
"Dr. Christan…"
"Kagome, please don't try and talk your way out of this." He said gently, trying not to sigh yet again. "I have been watching you too long to not notice that you are still very…scarred…in the mind." He gleaned at her, watching as she tried to keep her emotions in cheek.
"I wasn't…"
"Yes, you were!" he snapped, regretting it instantly. The girl was mentally unstable…she didn't realize her mistakes. "I am sorry…but tonight, I am having Ian, Mark and Sandy transferred to separate Child homes in America. I can't risk them being together anymore." He watched them. "It's not healthy for them to be around each other…thinking that what you have told them is true." He looked at her. "It would have been easier, had they not already had their previous problems to deal with and had been stable…"
"You can't do that!" She shouted, grabbing his arm. "They are my friends!"
"No, they aren't. You just want them to be."
"You don't understand…"
"I do understand." He said, letting out a sighed, unable to hold it. "Kagome…I have told you mother that you are moving into one of our wards." Kagome's eyes bugged out of her head as her grip became harder, forcing Dr. Christan to force her to let go.. "We can't have you running around…like this."
"I won't let you….my mom won't.."
"It's not up to either of you. This is now a government thing. You have no say." He gently gripped her shoulder. "It will only be a few months…then everything will be better…ok?"
"I hate you." She hissed, catching him off guard. She wasn't even sure where it had come from…but not even Inuyasha had made her this mad. But right now, she knew she couldn't let him do this.
"Kagome…"
"You shut you mouth." She said, her voice eerily calm. Dr. Christan stared at her, and she looked back at him, horrified by not only what was happening…but what she had said.
'What is happening to me?' She thought, trying not to give into the urge to sit down and cry. "Ask to say goodbye"Kagome blinked, confused by the voice in her head…her own voice…was she thinking…she shook her head ad looked at Dr. Christan, her face shifting between hard and full of fury to confused
"You won't once we are done…you'll thank me.."
"I want to say goodbye." She said gently. "And to tell my…brother, Shippo, that he needs to wait for mom to pick him up."
Dr. Christan nodded, and Kagome walked back to the group, who were currently chatting about one of the stories Kagome had told Ian/Inuyasha, Shippo adding his own comments. From what she could tell, it was about the time Shippo had been kidnapped by the last Thunder brother that was really a sister. Mark and Sandy sat there, captivated by the tale that was being told to them.
As she neared them, they paused, noticing she seemed distressed. They all asked her what had happened, and she tried not to cry, tears stinging her eyes and threatening to spill out.
"Guys…something bad has happened." She said quietly. She related what she had learned from Dr. Christan, and everyone grew rigid. Inuyasha growled softly, and even Sandy and Mark were pissed.
"He…like…doesn't have the right to make us leave!" Sandy said. "For the first time ever…I feel…"
Mark nodded. "As much as I want to say he is doing the right thing…he isn't. he is going to make things worse…I know it."
Shippo was sobbing, clutching kagome's leg. "what are we going to do Kagome? I don't want you to leave….isn't there something we can…"
"Run."
'What'? Kagome thought. She knew that voice…she had heard it before. It was like her own…yet older, calmer…
"Run!"
'That voice…this doesn't make sense…what is going on? Why does it keep saying to run? Am I really crazy…'
"The bushes Kagome. They lead to the street. Get them all out of here." The voice commanded
'I can't…'
'…Kikyo?'
Kagome suddenly felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her body jerked rigid, then she relaxed, her body rapidly becoming fluid. All of her new friends looked at her, startled.
"Lady kagome?" Mark asked, only pausing to wonder why he had suddenly called her 'Lady'. "What is wrong?"
"Do you want to know the truth about our pasts?" She asked, her voice lower, smoother, showing a greater age and wisdom.
"Uh…Kagome…are you…" Shippo asked. He knew that voice…but it couldn't be…could it?
"Do you?" She asked. All nodded gently. She picked up her bags, handing one to Ian. "Run." They paused, and she looked up, her eyes wide. Before they could say a word, Kagome held out her hands, and a blast of light shoot out, blinding everyone except her and her friends. "RUN!" She screamed at the top of her lungs
They didn't stop to ask what they were doing…they all just bolted. Mark grabbed Shippo, Kirara in Sandy's arms. Kagome and Ian/Inuyasha handled the bags as they dove into the bushes, falling into the street. It took them only a minute to race into the crowd, out of sight.
Dr. Christan blinked…wondering what had hurt his eyes…only to see kagome and the group gone. He frowned, mentally cursing, and took out his cell phone. He dialed up the Tokyo police.