A/N: I'm sooo sorry it took so long for me to get this update out. Life sort of got in the way…you know how it goes. Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed. It's nice to know that the last chapter was received well. One announcement I'd like to make, I will be posting any notes regarding my current writing status on my profile so check there if I haven't updated for a while for an explanation. Also, if anyone who submits a review has a story they would like me to review I would be happy to return the favor. Ok, now on to Chapter 5!

Chapter 5

"Is everything in order?" asked a tall, cloaked figure of the man standing behind him. His back was turned as he stared out a window over the dark landscape.

"Yes my lord, all preparations are going according to schedule."

"Good. It won't be long now. The end of The Guard is fast approaching."

"The others await your orders."

"Tell them to hold their positions. There is no rush. The target is now under our surveillance."

"Very well my lord." The servant bowed and scurried out of the room to take up his post once again. The cloaked man smirked.

Yes, those fools are playing right into my hand.

-:-:-:-:-

InuYasha couldn't sit still. He was currently in math class, drumming his pencil against his text book and not taking in a word of the teacher's lecture. After Kagome had passed out, one of the students had returned with the school nurse. The nurse promptly had Kagome carried down to the health wing. That was the last InuYasha had seen or heard of her and he was worried.

Damnit! You are not worried about that stupid girl, he berated himself mentally. You've no reason to worry about her anyway.

"Mr. Tashio, perhaps detention would hold your attention better than my current lecture." The teacher snapped as she became impatient with InuYasha's continued mental absence. InuYasha let out a loud "humph" as he crossed his arms over his chest and turned his attention back to the front of the class. The teacher droned on with her lecture and InuYasha struggled to remain attentive. It didn't take long for his mind to wander back to the earlier events of the day. Maybe she's sick or something, he thought intelligently. Maybe I should go check on her. InuYasha squirmed in his seat, a little uncomfortable with the idea. After all, she is my friend. At this he shook his head. Was your friend, you idiot. You've no obligation to go check on her.

InuYasha's thoughts continued along the same track for the rest of the period. He did, however, make one more conscious effort to tune in on the lecture after he received a rather nasty glare from the teacher. But it was no use and the teacher finally gave up, figuring that it really wasn't worth the trouble.

Twenty agonizing minutes later, the bell rang signaling the end of the class. The students packed up their book bags and filed out of the room, InuYasha somewhere in their midst. He exited the classroom and turned down the hall, not really aware of the direction in which his feet were taking him. InuYasha stopped short as he realized where he was; standing in a relatively quiet hall outside a door with "Nurse" stenciled on the window pane. He cast a confused glance down the hall. How had he gotten there? Figuring that he might as well go in since he was already there, InuYasha reached to open the door. However, he hadn't expected the door to fly open on its own accord and hit him square in the nose.

InuYasha cursed loudly as he took one, rather large, step backwards. His hands flew up to his throbbing nose as he searched for the person who had so rudely shoved the door into his face. He was greeted by the sight of a boy, roughly his age and height, sporting a long black ponytail and a high school uniform.

"Well, well," The boy started as a grin began to appear on his handsome features, "if it isn't the famous InuYasha."

"Do I know you?" InuYasha asked, in a somewhat nasally voice.

"I wouldn't expect you to." The boy replied with an arrogant tone. "My name's Kouga. You're the one who was with Kagome when she fainted." It sounded like more of a statement than an actual question.

"What of it?"

"Oh, nothing really. Just getting my facts straight. Is something wrong?" Kouga asked, gesturing to InuYasha's hands, which were still covering his injured nose. Noticing this, InuYasha quickly removed his hands and let them fall at his sides.

"I'm fine." He replied curtly. He really didn't like this Kouga guy.

"What are you doing here anyway? You're not here to see Kagome are you?" InuYasha looked off down the hall, obviously avoiding the question. "Look, she doesn't need you to worry about her." At this InuYasha snapped his head around to glare at Kouga.

"Who said anything about being worried? She collapsed on me, remember? I was just following up on her." Kouga narrowed his eyes.

"Well, you're too late. Her mom already came to pick her up fifteen minutes ago. Not that it's any of your business. You'd do well to stay away from my Kagome." He said as he pushed past InuYasha and continued down the hall.

His Kagome? InuYasha thought with a confused look. Shaking his head, InuYasha turned towards the front entrance of the school and hurried out, fully intent on skipping his final class. Who needed Gym anyway?

-:-:-:-

Kagome sat at the kitchen table, sipping a steaming cup of chamomile tea. Her mother had said that it would help calm her down, but so far it wasn't working. No matter what she did she couldn't get the image of the burning shrine out of her mind.

What does it all mean? She thought as she pinched her eyes shut. She had spent the last twenty minutes trying to come up with reasons for that horrible vision. What made it worse was the fact that she had never had visions before. She had never displayed even the slightest hint of precognition during her time at her aunt's. Why now? After a few more minutes of contemplation the door bell rang.

"Mom, you got it?" She called down the hall. All she got in response was silence. As the door bell rang a second time, Kagome sighed and got up from her chair. She trudged down the hall, not really in the mood for any human contact. Once she reached the door she grasped the knob and turned it, granting the person on the other side admittance. What she saw caused her to stop dead. Standing on the other side of the door was InuYasha, looking a bit sheepish. Her eyebrows drew together in a confused frown. She had expected Sango to show up at some point in time, but InuYasha? She couldn't help but stare.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare all day?" Kagome jumped as InuYasha's gruff words pulled her back into reality.

"Sorry." she replied quickly. "Don't take this the wrong way, but what are you doing here?" InuYasha fidgeted while he tried to come up with a plausible answer. He couldn't just tell her that he came to check up on her.

"I…well," he struggled for an explanation. Come on, think! "You left without the lab data. I figured you'd need it to write the report." He blurted out. He pulled off his backpack and reached inside for his lab notebook.

"Oh, thanks." She felt a little disappointed. Part of her had hoped that he had been worried about her. She chased that thought out of her head as she stepped aside to let him into the house.

"I'll go get my notebook so I can copy down the information." She said as she made her way back towards the kitchen, motioning for InuYasha to follow. He did so a little reluctantly. When they reached the kitchen, Kagome picked her book bag up off of the floor and pulled out a notebook and pencil. InuYasha handed her his notebook, which was already open to the page with the day's lab results. Kagome sat down at the table and began to copy the notes.

While Kagome worked, InuYasha occupied himself by looking around the kitchen. It looked a lot like it did when he had been inside the house last. The large dinning table was still in the same place it had been years ago as were the other large appliances. The walls had been repainted from their previous off white color to a somber blue with white accent. The patterned linoleum was still the same. InuYasha became aware of footsteps making their way towards the kitchen. He glanced up to see Mrs. Higurashi walking down the hall.

"Kagome, who was at the door?" She asked having yet to notice InuYasha. Kagome looked up from her notebook and nodded her head in InuYasha's direction.

"Well, it certainly has been a long time since I've seen you. How have you been?"

"All right."

"What brings you here?"

"Kagome left without the information from today's Chemistry lab. I figured she'd need the data since the report is due tomorrow."

"Well, that was nice of you." Mrs. Higurashi gave him a warm smile. "Can I get you anything to eat or drink?" It was then that the door bell rang, signaling the arrival of another visitor.

"I'll get it. You two keep working." Mrs. Higurashi walked back down the hall to answer the door. Kagome nodded to her mother and then looked up at InuYasha noticing the state of his nose for the first time.

"Umm...what happened to your nose?" She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"What are you talking about?"

"You nose, it's all bruised and swollen."

"It's nothing. You almost finished?" InuYasha asked in an impatient tone.

"Just give me a few more minutes." She replied in an exasperated tone. This guy had absolutely no patience.

"Kagome, you have another visitor." Mrs. Higurashi said as she returned to the kitchen. Kagome looked up from her work to see who her mother was talking about. It took all her self control not groan and bang her head against the table. Today just wasn't her day.

"What do you want?" InuYasha asked as he stared Kouga down.

"InuYasha." Kagome said in a warning tone.

"I just figured I'd stop by and see how Kagome was fairing. You see, I actually care about her wellbeing." InuYasha let out a rather intimidating growl at Kouga's words but Kouga chose to ignore it as he walked around the table and stood next to Kagome's chair.

"Are you going to be here much longer? There are some rather important things I need to discuss with Kagome."

"And what would you have to say to her?"

"None of your business Dog Turd."

"Feh, whatever. I'll see you in lab, Kagome." InuYasha said as he slung his bag over his shoulder and let himself out. As soon as she heard the door slam Kagome rounded on Kouga.

"What do you think you're doing?" She hissed. "You had no right to talk to him like that." Kouga just shrugged and sat down at the table.

"Well, unless you have some urgent news to relate, I would appreciate it if you left. I'm still not feeling too well."

"Actually, there was something I'm supposed to discuss with you. You're little stunt today is bound to have some serious repercussions." Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was actually blaming her for that horrible vision.

"I didn't do it on purpose you know."

"It doesn't matter how it happened. All that maters is that every Guardian in the area felt the flare in your power. And it's doubtless that the incident went unnoticed by the Order."

"Wait; there are other Guardians in the area besides us?"

"Of course, didn't your trainer tell you anything? There's always more than one team of Guardians working in the same area."

"Then why wasn't I told who they are?"

"For protection of course. The only people who are aware of a guardian's identity are the person's partner, trainer, and senior officer. That way, if one of us is captured the identities of the others are kept secret." Kagome nodded. It made perfect sense. "But I'm getting off the subject. The problem is that you have given away our position to any agents of the Order in the area."

"Again, I didn't do it on purpose. It just sort of happened."

"Either way, we're going to have to be extra cautious now that the Order has been alerted to our presence here. I think we should do a sweep of the area tomorrow night. Maybe we'll run into something."

"Well, if you think that's what's best…" Kagome conceded reluctantly. She really didn't want to spend the whole night looking for demons that may cause trouble.

"I do. Now, I should be going. There are some things I need to see to. I'll talk to you tomorrow at school." Kouga said as he stood up from his chair. Kagome got up as well and saw him out the door. After he had left, Kagome flopped down on the living room couch. Things couldn't get much worse.

-:-:-:-:-

A/N: Okay, there you go. Sorry for taking so long. Now, push the little button and leave a review if you want to see the next installment.