"Are you sure she isn't just in the bathroom or something?" Sango asked Inuyasha worriedly. They have been waiting for at least fifteen minutes in the parking lot, the buses long gone and the other vehicles departing. Miroku was there as well, the only one missing was Kagome, the reason they were still in the parking lot.

"Yes I'm sure, for the last time already I swear I saw her leave the school! She headed straight to the main door, I saw her!" Inuyasha all but shouted. He was beginning to get worried as well. He even offered to walk out with her, but she just smiled her smile (which he knew was fake) and declined, walking out alone.

And now they couldn't find her.

It was quiet for a few more minutes until Miroku's phone rang. Quickly grabbing it he checked the caller ID. It was unfamiliar. Still in a bad mood from Kagome's vanishing act, he answered somewhat harshly. Sango and Inuyasha watched him, nothing better for them to do, and saw Miroku's expression change from tetchy to shock, and from then to glee. They couldn't hear what was being said, but Miroku's words were enough for them to guess

"Hello?"—pause— "Kagome! Where are you? We're still at school, where'd you go? We've been waiting and waiting…"—pause— "What? Ok, ok, hold on a sec." Miroku turned to the others staring anxiously back. "She's ok, she took the bus home and just forgot to call." Although they were still confused and had many unanswered questions, they all seemed satisfied with this answer and decided to ask her later.

Miroku turned back to the phone, the smile still on his face, happy to be talking to his cousin after worrying frantically about her. "Yeah I'm here. Listen, we're pulling out of the school now, we should be there in like five minutes or something, wait what?" Miroku asked confused by the sudden 'NO!' Kagome had exclaimed. There was another pause. Then the smile went off Miroku's face as he turned serious and spoke once again. " You got on the wrong bus? Where are you calling from?"—pause— " …Ok… so your calling from a pay phone? Do you know where you are?" Miroku asked, although he already had an idea what she would say.

VVVV

Kagome sighed as she hung up the phone. After seeing Kouga like that, she just snapped. She ran, ran as far and as fast as she could. The pain was searing through her body, but she ignored it as she ran. All she knew was that she had to get as far away from Kouga as possible.

She didn't really know where she was going, just that she had to get away.

Eventually her senses came back to her and she realized that running wasn't going to do anything. Although the immense pain her legs probably had something to do with it. She didn't really know how long she had been running, maybe twenty minutes? She wasn't sure. By now she had slowed down to an almost walk, but nonetheless the pain in coursing through her body was enough to make her cringe. She panted as she leaned against the wall of an unfamiliar bank for support. She could barely feel her legs as she sank down curling up into a ball as tears started to fall down her face

It wasn't just the recent…rape… No, her life was a mess before that. Her family was dead because of her, nobody wanted her, and now this, it was too much. She never got over her family's death, how could she possibly get over this? She just shook her head and wiped her eyes, sniffling as she remembered something.

She wasn't alone.

She did still have Inuyasha. She had Sango, Miroku, and Mushin. They still loved her, right? They were better then that, right? They wouldn't care if she had sex with Kouga or not, right? She sighed as she tried to forget about it and looked around for a pay phone or something to use. She was going to call Miroku, then she was going to go home.

Except, it wasn't her home. It was just a home. She didn't belong there, never did. It was Mushin's and Miroku's house, she had no right to be there. She was the reason her family was dead, and Mushin only took her in because nobody else would. She was a burden to them and she knew it. It wasn't her home and it never would be.

She blinked back the tears she could feel pricking at her eyes. It wasn't fair, what did she do to deserve this, this fate?

VVVV

"Hey girlie, what's a pretty thing like yourself doing out here alone?" She blinked and looked up, shivering under the man's steady gaze, Quickly turning away, she hugged her knees to her chest.

"No-nothing. I'm just waiting for my friend." She stammered in a quiet whisper.

The man raised an eyebrow and grinned. "A boyfriend? Come on princess, I can show you a much better time than he could." He smirked, taking a step towards her.

Kagome's eyes widened. No! no, this wouldn't happen again, it couldn't! "That, that's ok… I'll just wait here for them. It really shouldn't be long…" She trailed off, hoping, praying that the man would just leave.

But as usual, nobody seemed to have heard her prayers.

He only smirked again. "Well then darling, I'll just 'wait' here with you." He grinned getting down next to her. She cringed as he put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She tried to push him off—she really did—but she was too weak and he was too strong.

She felt the tears well up again and she silently prayed that somebody, anybody, would help her. She flickered her eyes across the road, searching for a familiar car of her friends or anyone else she knew. She looked down when she felt an added pressure on her shoulder, and was surprised to see the man's head leaning on her, snoring quietly. Disgusted, she tried once again to push him off her, but before she could blink his grip on her tightened. She sighed and turned her head, trying to think of something else. Like where her friends were.

Except it wasn't there fault, it was hers. And she knew it. If only she wasn't so weak, she should have just gone in the car with Sango, even if Miroku and Inuyasha were there. If she was stronger, she wouldn't have run away like she did. But now she was here, alone, except the sleeping drunk man on her. She sighed as a teardrop made its way down her cheek. No, she would be stronger than that. She had to stop crying, she had to. She sniffed and wiped her eyes before hearing a familiar voice.

"What the hell? Get the fuck off of Kagome, you bastard!

That voice… it couldn't be! She quickly turned her head in the direction the voice was coming from.

But it was true. Her knight in shining armor was here, and he was none other then Kouga.

"Huh, what? What happened? I didn't do it, I swear!" The man slurred, waking up and slowly taking in his surroundings. He didn't mind the pretty lil' lass under him, but he could do with out the man yelling, that was getting annoying.

"You heard me! Get the fuck off her!"

Kouga was absolutely seething. How dare that, that vermin touch Kagome! She obviously didn't want him on her. He was drunk, he probably couldn't comprehend anything other then what his mind wanted, which was no doubt sex. And that made him even madder. That, and Kagome's tear-stained cheeks and horror-stricken expression. He glared daggers at the man before sauntering towards the two, ripping the man off her and shoving him against the wall. He growled at the man, shouting at him, but not noticing Kagome's flinch.

"How dare you! When a woman says no, she means no! Now get your sorry ass out of here!" Kouga yelled, a small flutter of triumph as the man quickly walked off like the scum he was. Quickly remembering the reason he was there, he turned to face Kagome, the worry evident on his face. He didn't miss the flinch she made as he walked towards her, noticing that she cringed under his gaze.

"It's ok Kagome, it's me. I won't hurt you, I promise." He grinned, reaching his hand out towards her. He watched as a look of shock came across her face, but as quickly as it came, it vanished, quickly replaced by the tears.

Because that, that was when she lost it.

The tears sprung out of her eyes and tumbled down her cheeks, her body shaking with each sob as she hurriedly tried to sit up straight, getting in a position to scurry away.

Kouga frowned. He could understand her hysteria, but she wasn't this hysterical when the man was actually on her, so why was she this upset over him? He tried to shrug it off as a slow reaction time; that maybe the realization of the situation suddenly hit her full on. He put on a reassuring smile again and took a step towards her, kneeling down so he was at eye level with her.

"I swear Kagome, I won't hurt you."

Kagome was terrified. And confused. She could clearly hear what Kouga was saying, but she couldn't comprehend it. Or believe it. This was Kouga wasn't it? The same Kouga that ruined her life. The same Kouga that caused her so much pain and suffering. The same Kouga that raped her. So what was he saying? Was this some kind of sick joke? Was he making fun of her? He didn't know anymore, so she just continued doing what she does best as of late.

She cried.

And she did. She cried, and she hated herself for it. She felt so weak, why couldn't she be stronger? She frowned as Kouga got closer to her. She didn't want him there, couldn't he see that? Her mind was screaming at her to run away, but she couldn't. A part of her remembered the old Kouga, the Kouga she was friends with, and although she hated herself for it, she missed him. She missed the Kouga that would beam a warm smile down at her everyday, his protective gaze he shot down at her with those deep blue eyes. She felt a hint a of a smile crawl upon her lips as the memories flooded her mind.

Except that wasn't the Kouga she saw last night. The Kouga she saw night was a monster. But she didn't know why. She had thought he was a sweetie, but he sure proved her wrong. She shook her head, the smile quickly disappearing, as she tried to scoot away.

But then he did it.