Hey guys! I'm reeealllllllllly sorry about missin glast week. My English project is done, now, so I can get back on the job. So, this week, I'm giving you two chapters (at Bean's orders). The second isn't long at all.

Disclaimer: ChibiBean does not own nor claim rights to InuYasha or any of its characters nor do we own the lyrics by Relient K. Thank you.

Enjoy.

…Or Maybe Not
"How sad I just got…I'm just missing the sun."-Relient K.

Sage yawned widely. She'd been living with Azurine for ten days and each day, Azurine became more and more frantic over something she 'missed'. Sage was currently her sister run around the hut looking for her coat.

"Sister," Sage finally said, "your cloak is on the hook by Miroku's side of the bed. You put it there on accident when you came home from Auntie Sarah's."

Yesterday, Azurine had taken Sage to visit with Yuto, but really, in the back room, Azurine had had a heated discussion with Sarah about what it was that she was 'missing'. Sage hadn't said much to her father and still didn't feel very comfortable around him.

Azurine bent down and kissed Sage's forehead. "Where would I be without you? Sarah and I are going to the river today. Want to come?"

Sage's face lit up. "Really? Can I? Can I play in the water?"

"Of course!" Azurine slipped her coat on. "Didn't mom ever bring you out?"

"Mommy didn't like to let me swim. She said that having fun wasn't a privilege I'd earned yet."

"Really now? Well, privilege earned, I'd say. I don't think you want to go swimming in your kimono, though. Here, use this." Azurine handed the child an oversized T-shirt. "I used to swim in this when Miroku was around."

Sage giggled. "Miroku's silly."

"I wouldn't use silly, but it's your choice."

The water was cool and only ran up to 'Kito and Sage's middles, so the older girls could relax.

Kagome had been invited as well and met them there.

"You're out of school now, right?" Azurine asked her.

"If only. Spending all my time in the feudal era has caused me to get held back," she answered. "I don't think it matters much anymore. I'm starting to think my future's in the past."

"You mean to stay with InuYasha, then, right?" Sarah asked, grinning widely.

Kagome blushed. "Hey!" she cried, splashing water at the young mother.

She shook the water out of her hair. "No splashing the pregnant woman!" she joked. Turning to Azurine, grinning mischievously, she said, "speaking of pregnant…"

Azurine's face reddened in seconds. "You said you wouldn't tell!"

"Ah! You are?" Kagome squealed in surprise.

"We don't actually know yet," Sarah amended, "but I think she is."

"Miroku will sure be happy!" Kagome laughed. "This way he'll finally get that child."

"And he can stop asking other people." Azurine rolled her eyes. "I can't believe he did that the other day! I was right there! He was punished most severely." She nodded once gravely.

"Wha'd ya do?" Kagome asked.

"She slept over my house. Sage came, too," Sarah grinned.

"Ouch, poor Miroku," Kagome giggled.

Azurine sighed and stretched, shedding her cloak and standing. "Sage, what are you doing?"

Sage looked up from her place near the tree line where she squatted down. Tears were streaming down her face and she held up a dying baby bird. "Sister! It's hurt! Fix it, please. Make it better."

The bird had a burnt wing and was cheeping pitifully. Upon closer examination of the surrounding area, she found a tree demolished by a lightening strike.

"Sage, I don't think I can fix it, but…I can make the pain go away." She removed her right glove and used her powers to stop the creature's struggle. The bird chirped once…twice…and went silent.

Sage cried heavily into Azurine's shirt. "Why do things have to die?"

"Sometimes things are in pain, Sage. Sometimes they can't be healed." She began to tear remembering Yukito's death. "You can't tamper with life or death. Things go wrong."

After a moment, Azurine heard what sounded like a muffled struggle behind her. Turning, she spotted three burly men. It was the same three traders who had captured her and Sarah before.

"Sage, hide," she whispered. She knew that she'd been spotted, but Sage was still unnoticed. "Stay behind this tree and don't make a sound until we're gone, then I want you to find the men and tell them what happened."

Moving away from sage's hiding place, she swooned from the smell of Chlorophorm. Just before she collapsed, she saw that Sarah, Kagome, and 'Kito had been taken.

No…

All went black.

"Azurine! Wake up! Hurry!"

When Azurine opened her eyes, it was to see Sarah standing over her and shaking her violently. "Whad'ya want?" she asked groggily.

"Hurry and put this on. There's a curtain over there."

Azurine obeyed while Sarah explained the situation. "We're at Silas Rouge's again. This time, though," she paused to collect herself. "This time we're a part of his brothel."

"Sarah," Azurine said from behind the curtain, "you're seven months pregnant. They can't…"

"They aren't. I'm…well, I'm like a guide."

"Oh, so you're telling people where they have sex, then?" Azurine asked, stepping out in dressed in the kimono Sarah gave her. "Fun."

The dress was dark green a more than a tad too revealing for her tastes. It slid down leaving her shoulders bare and she had to tie the waist very tightly to keep it on at all. She was thankful that Sarah was able to tie the chest closed, however, the bottom was still pretty open. She saw Kagome nearby wearing something similar in white. Sarah's dress was more modest, closed up to hide her skin.

"To be blunt," Sarah replied, "yes. I keep track of favorites, sort the newbs from the more experienced and so on."

"How are you two so casual about this?" Kagome cried.

Azurine turned to her, perfectly straight-faced. "I'm not. Inwardly, I'm screaming like hell and crying hysterically. Panicking wouldn't do much good here, though." She tried to smile. "Think of it this way: Sage has to have gotten the men on their way by now."

Earlier

"Sage, calm down!" Miroku pleaded, kneeling down before the girl. "Tell us what happened."

Sage stemmed her sobs momentarily before shouting, "The three bid men took sister! Sarah and Kagome and 'Kito, too!" She hiccupped and continued. "We were playing in the river and they came and made them go to sleep and took them away!"

"Show me where you were when they took them, Sage." Miroku stood and followed, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his staff. This can't be happening.

Sarah led the way to a dimly lit room. Two other young girls were there, both pale and frightened, and looked up when they entered.

Sarah smiled kindly at them all. "Don't worry, as I've said: Silas keeps all of the first-timers in one room. Not many men are interested in the 'inexperienced' so this is the safest place to be. Only a few men come here."

The time passed slowly while they waited, but the inevitable eventually happened. It was two in the morning. Sarah rested at her post when a man walked up to the counter. He had dark red hair and black eyes. "Well, I didn't expect to find you here…Tanpopo."

Minutes later, the girls heard footfalls stop outside and the door clicked open. Azurine shrunk as far into the corner as she could.

Sarah stepped through the door. With a solemn face, she asked, "Would anyone like to volunteer?" She gave a horrified glance at Azurine.

Azurine shrunk even farther as the man entered and scanned the tiny knot of more visible girls. His eyes landed on Kagome. Lifting her chin, he looked into her terrified face.

"Sarah, I'll take this one," he announced in a bored voice.

"No," Kagome gasped, pulling back. "Please, no."

Sarah, trying to hide her fear (it was professionalism or else) and answered. "Yes…Cain."

Azurine was shaking violently, but stood. "No, Cain. Leave us, go home." Her head was bowed letting her hair fall in her face.

Looking only partially surprised, Cain turned to Sarah. "Well, then. Sarah, dear, I've changed my mind. Azurine," he said, turning back, "come with me."

Azurine gulped. "Wh-what?"

"Come…with…me," he repeated, pulling her by the arm.

"You can't! I'm married, now. You can't do this!"

"Of course I can." He pulled her towards the door.

"Cain, please stop," Sarah pleaded. "There are plenty of women in this place that are surly more suitable."

"Sarah," Cain warned. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Do not forget who you're dealing with. Pregnancy would not stop me. Would you prefer I choose you?" He placed a chilling hand on her stomach. "Who knows? The child could end up dead. Of course, I'd never do that to you, my dear. I'll just wait until the brat is born. I'll come back for you when that time comes." Backing away, he smiled coldly. "I can find my way from here. Thanks, Tanpopo. I owe you one, bringing me here like that."

The door shut and Azurine could be heard down the hall. "No! No you can't! Cain, let…No! LET ME GO! STOP, PLEASE!" With a final piercing shriek she was silent to the others, as she had dropped into quiet sobbing, unable to stop Cain's intentions.

Back in the room, Sarah collapsed to the ground in great, racking sobs while Kagome slumped against the wall in shock. "That…that man was her guardian, wasn't he?"

Sarah nodded through her tears. "Great job he did, didn't he?" She broke back into sobs, pounding the floor with her fist.

Back with the guys, Miroku, InuYasha and Yuto were on their way.

Unfortunately, they got lost.

And all three of them being men, they wouldn't stop for directions, so they arrived much too late.

It was three in the morning when they arrived. The brothel was closed for an hour to give the girls a break. All of the women dispersed from the area.

All but three.

Sarah and Kagome sat with Azurine, who was bundled in a dark velvet comforter.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked for the millionth time. Sarah was too scared to say much since her friend's return.

"I'll be fine. I just have to get over it. I'm still a little cold. That's it," she answered.

Kagome nodded. Sarah unconsciously picked at her dress where Cain had touched her as if she tried to pick him and her dread from her.

Heavy feet tromped up to the door. There was a crash and InuYasha stood in the frame. "Alright, where's Ka…Kagome! Are you okay?"

Kagome nodded silently.

Yuto came in next. "Sarah! You're safe." He knelt down and embraced her. Neither girl had left Azurine's side yet.

Miroku walked in last. He silently made his way to his wife. Dropping to his knees, he embraced her. "What have they done?" The girls finally left her to be with Miroku.

"Cain came," Azurine replied. "I'm sorry Miroku."

"We should go now," Kagome said.

"I have to get my son, first." Sarah and Yuto rushed off down a hallway, looking for 'Kito.

A small nursery was built into the back of the main building, really small and also unattended. Little kids were either beating each other up or sitting sadly in a corner.

All but one. Little 'Kito stood on tiptoe by the gate, hopelessly scanning the hallway for his mother.

Just then, the others came racing around the hallway. His face lit up and he jumped up and down happily. "MOMMY!" he cried. "Mommy and Daddy did come!"

"Yukito!" his parents cried.

Yuto picked him up and hugged him. "Oh my big boy," he sighed.

Azurine looked up at Miroku who was holding her tightly as if he could bring her back from what had happened. He was worried enough as it was. She didn't need to distress him any further with the information Cain had given her before he left.

She looked back at Sarah and Yuto and saw that 'Kito was squirming in his father's arms. "Daddy, we can't go yet! What about Cana?" he asked.

"Kanna? Kanna's here?"

"Cana." The boy pointed to a little girl curled up in a corner. "She doesn't got a mommy," he explained. "Her big sister works for Mr. Silias in the big, sleepy-bed place, but someone took her away. She's not commin' for Cana."

"Well," Sarah decided quickly, "we'll take her with us." She went over and tried to bend down to pick her up. InuYasha was there first and cradled the girl. Even he was worried about Sarah's baby and took the young six-year-old for her.

Back in the village, Azurine embraced Miroku. "I am so sorry, Miroku. I didn't mean to!"

"Hey, hey, it's alright." The monk took her in his arms. "You rest now. Let me take care of you." He picked her up and laid her on the bed. "Do you want me to sleep in the other room for awhile?"

Azurine kissed him. "You offer me this? No, it's okay. I'm not afraid of you."

He smiled. "I've got to go get Sage back from Kaede, quickly. You rest, got it?"

She nodded. Even before he left, Azurine felt herself drifting off to sleep.

End Chapter

There ya go! Another one comming right up!