Naraku pulled a key from inside the breast of his blue grey kosode. The soft, silky material was always his favorite. The loose, freedom of the cloth was something he approved of more than slacks and dress shirts. When at home, Naraku always preferred the more traditional style of dress. It suited him better.

With a click, the door slid open. Naraku took a step back when he glanced inside. His eyes twitched. Kagome, whom was supposed to be his devastated prisoner, was currently dancing across the floor. Her eyes were closed and for once she wasn't tripping because there wasn't really any furniture. She had rolled up her futon and put it in the chair he had left for himself to sit in. The water bowl rested beneath it in between the feet. Naraku looked back at the twirling girl with an odd sense of fatigue. Kagome wasn't one to ever submit easily. Last time she was stubborn and her fear drove her past anything he threw at her. Now…now she was dancing while humming to herself some tune. Naraku continued to observe her. His only thought, 'How can her friends stand her?'

Kagome kept her arm raised gently stiff where it would rest against an invisible shoulder. Her other stretched out to grasp a hand that wasn't there, but in her mind she could almost feel his soft skin against her own. Lightly she reenacted the music of their dance as her steps remained short. Right now, Kagome wasn't in a dingy, scarcely decorated room. She wasn't gliding across the room in bare feet and a sleeping yukata that had been left for her by the door. Rather, she was elegantly composed in her yin yang kimono and petal soft slippers allowing Sesshoumaru to lead her across the floor. Their steps were light and quick, despite the limited mobility her clothing permitted.

His long hair would absently touch her arm now and then when they changed directions. His molten eyes pierced hers with a lazy intensity that made a content smile cross her lips. Kagome could still feel the warmth and strength his very being radiated. Her head fall against his shoulder as the music slowed and his arms wrapped around to touch her lower back. Sesshoumaru's head dipped to smell her hair pulled back into an elegant bun courtesy of Sango. A butterfly kiss slanted against her slender throat eliciting a gasp from the circle of her lips. Sapphire eyes glistened happily in the dimly lit room that was slighted only in the polished area of the dance floor. A perfect smile of straight teeth widened with bliss when her Sesshoumaru's thinly masculine lips blessed her with the rarity of a grin all his own.

Kagome stiffened, sensing another presence in the room with her. Suddenly, her vision disappeared with the opening of her eyes. The glowing candles and table of delicious sweets was swept away. All that remained was the pristine, light-colored dorm she was currently trying to escape from. There in the corner, leaning in the doorway was her so-called captor. His eyes were slanted with amusement and a smoldering smirk lay across his face.

"My, my…who was it you were dancing with? I simply must know."

Kagome blushed being caught in such a childishly naïve act. To play make believe in order to evade reality, hadn't she decided she wasn't going to do that? Didn't she promise to take her life and problems head on? Wasn't that partly why she came? Kagome sighed. It was such a lovely dream though, one that was worth going back on her word. The memory of his eyes that night, how he held her so daintily like she would break, and the kiss she willingly gave would be forever imprinted in her dreams. After all, Sesshoumaru was out of her grasp and he wasn't the type that, as he would put it, 'lower himself' to be with another person especially if they were below his status. Kagome smiled.

"What's that old saying? That's for me to know and you to find out."

Naraku's smirk disappeared, replaced by a disappointed frown. Kagome was mocking him. That was something he would not allow. It was clear to him that she was thinking of someone. A memory was recalled in his mind of a certain pair walking through the park behind two little children. The foursome was heading towards the city, for dinner most likely. Naraku closed his eyes briefly. It was the first time he'd seen Kagome in the flesh since his plan began.

Kagome grew wary at his silence, even more so when he chuckled at her expense. Kagome took a cautious step back. Whenever Naraku laughed, it was similar to the majority of Sesshoumaru's smiles, nothing good ever became of them. Both were similar in that respect also. Those who faced that reaction always came out for the worse from the passive aggressive behavior than their anger. Naraku slowly advanced, surprised only minutely when Kagome stopped retreating. It was so like her, he knew better than to expect his little kitten to back down. When cornered, given the right circumstances, Kagome could become quite the lynx when the need to for protection arose.

Good…I'm looking forward to it.

…With Miroku and Sango…

"So you actually believe us!"

Sango nearly dropped her coffee cup in shock. Her cinnamon eyes were wide and unbelieving. Currently the three were sitting in a booth in a secluded corner of a coffee shop. Music, that at this time was popular, played in the background. There were several chatting groups of girls all huddled around their tables giggling about something. Then the guys would lean back in their booths and check out the girls that were unknowingly doing the same, just a little less obviously. The cashier was singing along with the radio as she filled out the next customer's order. The last one in line, then she could finally take a break.

Miroku put an arm around Sango's shoulders, sighing at the warning in her narrowed eyes. He pulled her back against the seat, close to him. She held his other hand under the table. Something about being in his embrace seemed to calm her. Still, Sango was surprised, happy of course that their story was believed, but still shocked. This wasn't just anyone they were accusing. It was Sagakara Naraku! A multibillionaire businessman whose company was responsible for producing the medicine she took for headaches. He was constantly in magazines and was said to be one of the most eligible bachelors along with Takarashi Sesshoumaru, of course.

Inuyasha used to be one of those as well, despite his well established temper. They just called him 'sensitive' and the opposite of his unemotional half-brother. The girls fawned over him dreaming some nonsense of him being sweet and caring under his angry façade, just like Sesshoumaru. Girls today were really stupid. Inuyasha was arrogant, impulsive, and somewhat annoying. He wasn't some prince to sweep you off your feet. He'd most likely drop you to go take care of some dirt speck on his beloved car. Sango knew him from high school. They'd both gone to a prep school, except he was forced. The guy did have a good heart under all the crap, but it sure was a long dig to find it. Sango sighed. She never did tell Kagome she knew Inuyasha personally. At that thought, Sango choked. Miroku patted her back at which she gave a smile. Sango was never involved with the idiot, but they had been friends once.

We actually haven't spoken for…wow…four years? We lost contact after high school graduation.

Sango growled at herself then. Kagome was definitely wearing off on her! The woman turned her attention back to the man in front her, who was taking a long gulp of his coffee. Sango wondered how he could do it because the drink was still steaming hot. Miroku had just told Hiten all of their suspicions about Naraku and Kagome's disappearance. Hiten took everything in and acted as if it was an everyday occurrence, though from what they read of Naraku in Kagome's journals it very well could be. Hiten cleared his throat, grabbing Miroku's attention from Sango's breasts.

"I'll need those journals, just the ones with evidence against him and a testimony from your friend. It's possible, with his lawyers, that he'll be able to turn it all against Kagome."

All three were careful not to say Naraku's name out loud during the whole explanation in case someone was listening. Sango was immediately averse to this course of action only because she didn't want to involve Kagome anymore than she already was. This however, left few options open to them. Naraku couldn't be allowed free. Most likely he wasn't imprisoned last time because Kagome didn't want anyone to know. She was either embarrassed or ashamed, but this time Sango would make sure he wouldn't get away with it.

" We've been after him for awhile. Each time he's escaped on insufficient evidence. With a captive, he'll be incriminated for certain." Hiten folding his hands on the tabletop.

"But we don't even know where Kagome is or if she'd be with him directly. You'd think he'd hold her somewhere else."

"Kagome was kidnapped before, or at least imprisoned since last time she went of her own free will. Perhaps he would take her where he did before as a way to bring back memories." Miroku concluded.

"That would make sense. Naraku is manipulative. He goes to great lengths to inflict upon others, but most times that isn't in the physical sense. In those diaries, on this girl, he was actually physically abusive. That is were he will slip up. If by the chance he does rape her, all we need is one DNA sample to link him to the case." Hiten spoke quite authoritatively.

"If she was being kept at the same place as before, it would be at the country estate that, in the end, his grandparents left him in their will. In Kagome's journal, he was there cleaning up the place. It ended up his when his grandparent's will was read. That house, newly renovated, is the only thing of his past he still keeps around. There has to be a reason." Miroku said.

"In his grandparent's house? How awful to corrupt their memory so."

"Sango, calm down, we are going to find her."

"We can't just knock of his door. We'll need a warrant. I'll have to take those with me as evidence. I can't just ask for a warrant without a verifiable reason." Hiten spoke.

Sango with a hesitant look handed them over. She was so dead when Kagome found out. However, Sango trusted Miroku and this was a friend of his then Hiten could be trusted as well. Hiten gave a nod, but before he left gave one last response.

"I've notified Takarashi Sesshoumaru. Remember from before in the park? I thought it best to let him know since he seemed awfully concerned about her that night." Hiten whispered.

With that, he placed his hat back on his head and walked out the door with a wave, his coffee still in hand. Sango sat confused as Miroku looked at her in question. Then like a light dinging in her head, Sango remembered. Rin had come running into the Chikujitsu late at night. She had been attacked by some thugs and by pure chance, Kagome had been walking by. Of course the dumb idiot stepped in, crutches and all, to try and stop them. All she accomplished was being beaten up two while protecting the small child. Sesshoumaru had been there and so was the familiar face of Hiten. He was the officer who had been sent when Kohaku had called for the police. Sango explained all of this to Miroku and laughed lightly when he shook his head.

"That is so like Kagome."

"Yes, it is."

"We had better let Hiten and the police handle this. We may only make things worse."

Sango gave him a worried glance, but nodded her head in agreement. He gave her hand a squeeze before waving to a passing waitress. The girl, who could be no more than eighteen smiled as she approached. Her uniform was a short black skirt along with an apron over top of her sweater with the shop's logo in the center. Miroku grinned reaching over to clasp her hand. However before he could get any words out, Sango had punched him one to the back of his head. The waitress jumped back, but a blush still painted her cheeks.

"Could we have a refill? Decaf for him, please."

The waitress nodded and walked away giving a cagey glance over her shoulder. Sango slapped Miroku once more for good measure, an angry blush on her face.

"Lecher."

Still, his antics always managed to brighten her mood somehow. Sango looked out the window at the darkening sky, wishing for her friend's safety and return.

I planned to have more in this, but…next chapter, ne? Next chapter, Sesshoumaru's visit. Read and review!