This chapter is dedicated to Raven Skye Blackhawk! I love all of my reviewers….

He stood up so quickly, he chair was knocked over sideways on the floor. Deep red eyes widened as his hands pressed hard against the desk to keep his balance. The scream was a high pitched shriek that it severely shocked him from his thinking state. He had been posed much like the thinking man, hunched over in his seat with his chin perched on a fisted hand. Except Naraku looked less like art and more like an ape, a handsome one, but an ape none the less. The sound died down after only a few seconds. It was brief, but the emotion in it could be practically felt. Naraku narrowed his eyes.

"I could never forget that voice."

Yes- he'd heard his precious Kahi-chan scream many times just like that. His sick pleasure was derived from those very arousing noises Kagome would make in her pain. The question was what was it that caused her to scream now? Naraku sighed, rolling his head from side to side all the while cracking his neck. The series of clicks gave away how stiff his neck had become. Did she attempt to hurt herself? That couldn't be right. There was nothing for her to even cut herself, unless she broke the water bin he'd left in there. Naraku would have heard the alarm if the window was broken or even scratched the one that only sounded in his office.

Naraku smirked, "Perhaps she's just frustrated."

With confident, yet lazy strides Naraku made his way out of the study that served partly as an office and a reading room. His destination was clear and obvious. His thoughts continued in a non-stop motion whirling through his consciousness. Perhaps this was an invitation to begin her lessons again? Kagome did seem to be one for torture if not by him then by implementing it on herself. There were so many examples he'd discovered so craftily through his contacts and the surveillance he'd had on her over the past couple of weeks since he'd seen her at the park.

Naraku had set up Kikyo to ask Inuyasha what he knew of Naraku's connection to Kagome. If this plan of his was to succeed, which was to take advantage of Kagome's appearance back in his life, then Naraku would have to make sure there were no interruptions. No surprise rescue parties barging in through his door. Of all the people Kagome knew Inuyasha was the most barbaric and hot-blooded. If he caught wind of it, no matter that they weren't dating anymore, Inuyasha would play her knight in shining armor. He might have a hell of a law suit that this time he couldn't avoid.

Back then Naraku worried, if at all, about being caught by the police. However, no case ever came up in the departments. So, after some digging on the internet, along with some not-so-legal hacking, Naraku found that Kagome was visiting a counselor. The notes said Kagome to be suicidal. The girl seemed to have divulged little to nothing to any person about what happened. The counselor's report was simply that Kagome was tired of living and had needed an escape, so she ran away from home.

This time, his relations with the police had come in handy and ever since he has kept them strong. It will be easy enough to quiet a girl who claimed he raped her by just stating that the girl was after his money. All would be well as long as the Takarashi's meddling sons heard nothing of it.

Now, envision his shock to discover what it is Inuyasha had to say. The fool always was like melted butter when it came to Kikyo. To Inuyasha's knowledge, Kagome only had one boyfriend in her past. His name was Hobo…or something of that sort. Some boy Kagome had felt was more like a brother than a lover. Inuyasha like most in Kagome's life knew nothing of Naraku and he was once someone Kagome considered her love.

Naraku chuckled, "Kagome, my dearest sweet. You've told no one have you?"

The male folded his hands behind his back, sticking out his chest as he walked. He looked the part of a noble in his ancient style robes of grey blue and tabi socks. A wicked smile rested on his lips. No one knew of him and that knowledge gave him even more arrogance than before.

…..With Kagome…..

The peace was unsettling, like a rapid increase of the tide. It was like a slow dragging rip-tide with waters that couldn't wash her away. The tepid, glass-like fingers of the liquid engulfed and swallowed her whole. The miniscule twisting of her soul that with each heart beat red was sent pouring from her eyes like tears. This unfathomable despair hauled her down and Kagome disappeared beneath the waves of unconsciousness.

Like an anchor locked around her ankles, her overwhelmed heart fell down to the ocean's depths to the very pits of her chest. Sinking…sinking forever as if there was no end to the turbulent chaos around her. Heavy lashes fluttered against drowning cheeks before opening to show the palest blue irises that reflected the dead. Eyes that couldn't see, that would never see again. There were two orbs of a mirror into the past and linking the soul, emotions frozen in time.

Her mouth opened and fleeing bubbles floated up from the cave of her throat to the shining surface above. Calm dappling highlights danced likes marionettes bound by the sun's wishes. Here and there, back again, add a twist and jump to the left. There was no beginning; there was no end of this dive into the dark. The light left behind as only a memory to stilled pupils that would never contract to their brilliancy. Water flooded her lungs, swarming the caverns and breaking the gates. Her arms felt heavy, she noticed somewhere in the mull of her mind. A soft tinkling of shells entered her ears as they brushed against one another on the bottom of the ocean.

Kagome's body was weary, tired, and made no struggle upon its descent. Down, down, Kagome's head began to spin. No long were thoughts invading the peace or confusing her about how she was feeling. No longer did she care about who would find out her secret. If they found out, would she be disgraced? Or would her captor be the one…to fall beneath his status? It didn't matter, she decided with a shake of her head, because she had already hit bottom. The seaweed swayed around her acting as a living mattress more comfortable then she ever thought possible. Her hair spilled and lifted, passing across her vision now and then. Dirtied like the sins of man, sand crept over her skin embedding itself in every nook and cranny. A cynical disbelief slithered into her heart to take a stronger hold on her mind, but with a simple smile all doubt was cast from her heart. Why did it matter? Why did she hide it? What was wrong with it? But mostly…why did it take so many years for her to finally let go?

Kagome thoughts were jumbled and she felt herself lying against the basin of the ocean floor. Images collaged together in one large continuous flash that contorted her face with the memories. One was of her father walking with her in their favorite park. Then it morphed to the vision of that same man lying limp on his hospital room bed. Her mother's laughter in the kitchen baking cookies with Souta to crying on knees holding her beloved husband's hand. Behind her eyelids, Kagome saw Souta running with the neighborhood kids, still too young to have ever met the first love of Kagome's life that had long been lost.

The water rippled over her bare flesh as a spongy sea grass ran along her frame in a passing surge. There was a sense of freedom welling within her belly. The fire burned with an intense strength that gradually grew from the pit of her being all the way down to her toes. The heat swept up to her neck in a single flourish that repeated itself with a stronger flame each time. A whisper spoke from within her breast and her heart beat once again. Over and over the same phrase, the exact words recurring in her mind until they leapt from her lips. Kagome's eyes narrowed flourishing with life once more. A devastatingly gorgeous smile, free of the sadness, hatred, and guilt she'd harbored for nearly a decade broke free of its restraints.

Before Kagome knew it, she was standing above her futon panting heavily. Her long hair tangled and in waves randomly possessing her shoulders for their reign. The curling ends reached for the ground in black tendrils of unmasked chaos that somehow made the woman's appearance that much wilder and irresistible.

"Never again….never…never again." Her voice was strained, almost guttural.

Kagome stood up from her hunched position. She lifted herself and stretched her arms high above her head. An urge welled in her breast and soon…she was laughing. It was a joyous tickling in her throat and stomach like a feather goading her on. Kagome held her sides and tried to muffle her mirth with her hand. It was too much. Kagome laughed, her face upturned towards the heaven. Her glee was uncontained and unstoppable. What brought it on, she would never know. Her body had finally broken down, but now the result? Kagome could finally rebuild. Her mind was clear of the painful memories and she understood them for what they were. It was a mistake, a horrible mistake that was connected with youth. With a sigh and a smile which seemed to be everlasting, Kagome let it go.

Like the ocean of her dream, her black, awful past was deleted from her heart. All that was left…was a warmth and true happiness Kagome had thought would never be achieved. Now, she wondered from where it stemmed, but that would be left for later. Kagome would bask in this for as long as it lasted for it truly was a gift to be free. Her father's death, her grandfather's illnesses, and her first love were filed away. Kagome couldn't forget any of them, for some were still present. Yes, her grandfather was sick, but he was still alive. Each call from her mother would still give her a heart attack, but hope would be dominant in her heart, no fear anymore. Kagome's father, the loving man, would remain perfect just as he was. Naraku…well to be honest he didn't matter right now.

"Because I…I am finally…finally free." Kagome whispered with that same beguiling smile.

...With Sango…

Sango was certainly shocked to see a rather delightful picture upon entering Kagome's bedroom. Miroku was on his knees and elbows with his head stuck the closet. The man was apparently digging for something. Sango suddenly had an urge and for once she just went with it. Miroku was her boyfriend after all. Very quietly, the woman crept up behind him and dropped onto her knees. Sango was having quite a time keeping her giggles in check.

Miroku's head shot up and he lifted himself off his elbows to rest only supported by his knees. Sango reacted immediately, pulling her hands from their frisky position on Miroku's rear.

"Why, Sango, I had no idea!" His voice layered with the usual lechery.

"I couldn't resist."

"I'm rubbing off on you…"

"That wasn't an invitation."

"Well, I've never seen a better invitation." His voice slightly hurt.

Sango laughed slightly knowing he was only joking. She reached her arms around his waist and laid her head against her back. Miroku heard her sigh behind him and covered her hands with his own.

"It'll be alright. I think I've found it."

"Found what?"

Miroku chuckled at her muffled response.

"Don't lose hope, Sango my dear. I've found the key."

"Are you serious!"

Sango peered around his shoulder and there lying in his hand was the key. She'd recognize it because it was very old fashioned with a large handle. The door to her art room was the only one where the locks weren't replaced. Kagome had all the other door knobs redone because they were rusted and some were even hard to turn. That door however was in the best shape and so Kagome, being the cheap, or rather poor, college student that she was, left it alone. This is what she briefly explained to Miroku before they both started searching for the treasure.

The handle had, ironically, a four leaf clover embedded in it and the brass was had a worn, aged look. What was important was that they had finally found it, but where? Sango then looked at her boyfriend strangely.

"Hey Miroku, where did you find the key?"

"In the closet like you said. You were looking in the hallway, so I thought I'd look in the bedroom."

"I get that, but where in the closet?"

"It was in this old jewelry box."

Sango's face contorted. She'd never seen it before, but the box was obviously old. There was another sturdier, newer jewelry box on top of it. Miroku had obviously put everything back as it was when he found it. This newer one had shining surface that was sanded, stained, and polished. There were black ink designs on the lid and a brand new brass hinge. Upon looking inside, Sango found it empty. She moved this one to the side and kneeled down next to Miroku. The two barely fit shoulder to shoulder in front of the small closet. The hallway closet was nearly twice the size.

The container Miroku had indicated was much older. The wood was slightly rotten and the corners cracked. A weaving vine design was carved all along the sides and on the top was another design, but this one was different. The double thick lines moved in what seemed to be a more determined pattern. With her finger tip, Sango traced it and as she did so, she began to understand what it was.

"H.H. for Higurashi Hiromi."

"Is that one of Kagome's relatives?"

"You could say that. Kagome only spoke of him once or twice."

Was this yet another item left to Kagome by her father? Hadn't her grandfather also been called Hiromi as well? Perhaps it went back another generation. With a slightly trembling hand, Sango lifted the lid. Inside were small, random things. There was a thimble, a set of matches partly used, a marble, a folded piece of paper, and a picture. Sango unfolded the paper. The note was simple, all it was: to my darling. Then it was signed with a set of the letter 'h' once again. The picture, once flipped over was someone Sango couldn't recognize. It was a young woman. However, Sango discarded it all back into the box. Now wasn't the time for this. They had the key that was all that mattered.

"Come on, we have to get those journals. We have to find out who 'O.N.' is."

"Wouldn't a phone book be easier?"

Sango scowled and swatted the man without even looking behind her. A few minutes later and the pair had entered the forbidden room. The door had opened easy enough with just a slight creak of the hinge. Sango had walked straight to the shelves that she knew rested behind the closed, sliding closet doors. Sango slid her hand carefully along the edge of the wall where she knew that one journal would be found. She stuck her tongue out with her effort. The book seemed kind of jammed, but one hard yank and it was released.

"I don't know where the others are. Maybe you could look for them while I skim this?"

"Why do you get to read Kagome's most personal thoughts?" Miroku whined.

"Because I'm her best friend and besides I don't think you can take her wrath."

Miroku shuddered and set about searching through yet another closet.

I would much rather be searching Sango for interesting hiding places…-

He grinned, but that was short lived since a paint brush was quietly chucked at the back of his head. Miroku laughed while rubbing his poor cranium.

"It was worth the pain."

….Later on….

"Any luck?"

Miroku asked moving to sit next to Sango. He handed her the glass of water which she took while still skimming the pages of the second journal. Miroku had just left for the kitchen wishing for a short break. He'd found six journals so far and honestly doubted there were any others. The first one Sango had found hadn't been the one she remembered before. Kagome had moved it and substituted it for another. However, he had unearthed it from underneath the other bookshelf. He'd caught a glimpse of it, but it took the good part of a half hour to wrench it out.

"No…nothing about the letters, but these four seems to go in order. They pretty much say what happened and from what I gather…"

Sango glanced up at Miroku with tears in her eyes. She bit her lip and tried to keep her voice even. Sango had been reading and noticed tears staining the pages in many places. Kagome hadn't accomplished this task easily. Some pages were even ripped out. There were many holes, but Sango was getting a pretty clear, gruesome picture.

"It wasn't pretty."

"What about the remaining two?"

"Well…that one is random thoughts," She pointed to the one in Miroku's hands, "and this one is all about some guy named Naraku."

"Naraku? Could that be the 'N'?" Miroku asked.

"Well, that's what I thought at first, but his full name is Sagakara Naraku."

"Hey, do you think she meant THE Sagakara Naraku?" Miroku's eyes widened.

"Yeah, the one who just overtook…Obaruka! 'O.N'!"

"Why wouldn't she just put 'S.N.'?"

"I don't know. Sometimes even I can't understand Kagome's logic."

"Maybe she thought someone would make the connection?"

"Or maybe when she wrote this in her journal, she didn't want anyone to make the direct link. So she put the name of his company instead of his actual last name."

"But Naraku didn't take over Obaruka Corp. until late last year."

"Yeah, that's what I don't get."

"Let me see it."

Sango handed over the book. He brought it close to his face and sniffed lightly. His eyebrows knitted. Then he handed it back.

"This one was written much more recently than the others."

"How do you know that?"

"The ink, you can still smell it."

Sango looked wonderingly at Miroku. Sometimes he could be so smart; she just didn't know what to do with him.

"Then she put 'O.N.' on the cabinets hoping I'd remember?" Sango asked.

"It's possible."

"Then we'll have to go with it. Do you think we should call the police?"

"Yes, if not just to state she's missing. I'll know someone on the force that might help us. Maybe he can help us."

"Oh…you mean it's not a 'she'? That must be a first."

"You wound me, dearest Sango."

"Oh save it!"

Sango marched from the room and grabbed her coat from the couch. Sango could hear Miroku talking with someone on his cell still in Kagome's art room. His voice was deeper and seemed to get right to the point. She was sure she heard Naraku's name some where in the conversation, but she wasn't sure. In less than five minutes, Miroku walked out and did the same.

"He'll meet us halfway at this coffee shop we always meet at."

Soon the two were on their way to the meeting place to talk with Miroku's friend. Sango hugged one of his arms close to her while her other hand grasped his as they walked. Her face touched his shoulder lightly. Miroku threaded his fingers with hers and a kind and honest look warmed his violet eyes.

...With Sesshoumaru…

"I do not appreciate being called at home."

"Yes sir, I understand that. I thought you just might want to know."

Sesshoumaru hung up the phone. The call had been short, but regardless, it was too long for his tastes. Hiten had called. He was the cop that had showed up at the crime scene when Rin had been attacked. Apparently, the man had wanted him to know that the woman who had protected his daughter was missing. As if he didn't know that already. The wench had missed work for the past two days. Tardiness was a loathsome quality, but absence was not understandable. Besides, the girl hadn't skipped a day before this, so Sesshoumaru supposed this was a little bit odd. Knowing Kagome, she'd come even if she was sick.

Hiten had also stated that her disappearance was brought to the attention of the police a few minutes ago. Her absence is being described as kidnap and there was a suspect. Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth at the name, Sagakara Naraku. The man was attempting to overthrow his company. Was this another ploy to try and corrupt him? Sesshoumaru paced in his office.

He could hear Rin chatting along with Kohaku in the living room. They were watching that English game show channel again. Only the gods know which one it was this time. The charade had begun a routine for the two kids. They tested their knowledge and interpretation skills of the English language. It was a race of some sort to discover the puzzle. Sometimes they figured it out fifteen minutes or so before the actual contestants, not including commercials.

Sesshoumaru sat down in his desk chair. He wouldn't act brashly. If this was about him, then Naraku obviously planned to use the girl against him. Rumors had been flying that there was some connection between Kagome and him. They were false. Kagome meant nothing to him. At least that's what his kind concluded, but those words left an uncertain emptiness in him that Sesshoumaru couldn't understand. Then there was his initial reaction when he heard it was possible she could have been kidnapped. First there was disbelief and he had asked who it was that alerted the police. A friend named Hirakata Miroku. At this name, Sesshoumaru began to take the threat a tad more serious. He felt a sinking in his chest, but the muscles of her shoulders and abs had indefinitely constricted in what could only be known as anxiety. Even now his hand and jaw kept clenching and unclenching. Was…he worried?

Sesshoumaru stood and prepared to give Naraku an impromptu visit. His mind argued that it wasn't because of the girl, but rather that the bastard was taking over his company. However, his heart was much more at ease knowing that he was at least going to make certain it was just a rumor. Sesshoumaru sighed.

"This is definitely not good news."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, for once allowing himself to do so. He seemed to be inflicted with too many headaches as of late and they are all because of one slip of a girl named Kagome.

Nearly twice as long. Do you love me? Tell me!