A/N: Hey you guys! I'm back with an update! So I'm leaving early in the morning on Wednesday on another camping trip. This one is three nights and four days so I'm going to be gone. Hope you like the chapter.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me.

Chapter 19: Kikyo's ruin

Once school was over, Inuyasha was quick to interrogate me. I dodged his questions and tried to placate him, but I knew that he could see I was hiding something. I didn't go to bed early, since it was Friday and the store was going to open late tomorrow, on account that there was no manager. Hopefully, the supervisor finds one who doesn't hate their employees. So when I finally dozed off, it felt like only a couple of seconds when my cell phone started to ring.

I grunted and woke with a start. I tried rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and noticed the faint light in the sky. It looked like it was barely dawn. I rummaged through my nightstand, trying to find the phone that was ringing so loudly. My fingers found it and I flipped it open.

"Hello?" I answered groggily, scratching my head. Really, who would be calling my at this hour in the morning? I tried to hear the voice that was talking.

"Kagome! Are you awake? You better be! It's Ayame!"

Ah, so that explains the early morning wake up call. Ayame sounded very bright and chipper, something I just wasn't in the morning.

"Ayame? Do you know what time it is? The store doesn't open for at least four hours!" I tried to sound nice, but my voice raised a few octaves at the end.

"I know, I know. You are not a morning person but, trust me, this is historical!" She squealed loudly, and it resulted in me distancing the phone from my ear.

"What happened that you have to wake me up this early?"

Ayame paused and then yelled even louder, "Kurena is back!"

I almost dropped my phone. Kurena was back?

I jumped out of my bed and started to put on some clothes. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I grabbed my comb and tried to comb through the mess that I called my hair. I think I might've pulled some hair out in the process.

Ayame sounded pleased. "Everyone is happy too! They're all here and to welcome Kurena back, we're having a party for her." She paused for a second and then continued excitedly. "Just think about it Kagome. . . No more ugly red uniforms! Kurena said we could go back to the old uniform and I only have to wear the green apron!"

I tugged one my old worn black converse and grabbed my coat. "Well, that's great and all, but I need a ride. Can you send someone?"

"Oh, I'll send Sango. She's on her way right now."

"Thanks,"

I clicked the phone closed and almost tripped down the stairs. I was happy that Kurena was back. Maybe life could back to normal, where I could go to work without looking over my shoulder constantly.

But both you and I know that's not possible at the moment.

I fell onto my chair and breathed in deeply. I felt that the problems I kept getting were snowballing, that it would end up being too much and I'd snap. Hey, it could happen, especially with all those death threats. I mean, don't those people who send that kind of stuff have anything better to do than list possibly cruel, slow, brutal and painful ways to die? Am I that important.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car beeping outside. I scribbled a note on the kitchen note pad, telling my mom where I was and what I was doing. I rushed outside and hopped into Sango's car. She gave a me a smile.

"Kagome, you can't believe how cool this is. I was the first one to know," Sango smiled proudly and I smiled. "so I organized all of this, of course with Ayame's help."

I nodded. "Did the party already start?"

"Yeah, we're just waiting for you to start the big stuff."

We pulled up to the store and I didn't wait to hear Sango's next sentence. I hurried to the door and turned the knob, wrenching the door open.

I saw Kurena standing in the middle of group composed of Ayame, Miroku, Kouga and Bankoutsu. I suddenly had a gut-wrenching feeling course through me. I had felt horrible when they had fired her and that was because of me. I felt like I didn't deserve to even talk to her. Tears pricked my eyes but I didn't let them fall. Kurena then caught sight of me and she walked toward me, a smile on her face.

"Kagome, I'm glad you still here!" Kurena grabbed me in a hug, clutching me so tightly I thought my bones would break. Despite my efforts, the tears rolled down my cheeks but they were tears of joy.

"I'm so sorry, Kurena." I sniffled, looking at the floor. "It was my fault in the first place you got fired." I glanced at her but she continued to smile. She pressed a hand to my cheek.

"Kagome, it's okay. I told you I didn't care and I didn't. I knew eventually you guys would boot Naraku out and I'd be back. Actually, I took a vacation to the Bahamas, you won't believe how great it is there, and then . . ." Her face brightened as she began to talk about her weeks off. I knew it was mostly just things she saw so I didn't listen to her word for word.

After a while, I glanced around and shoved my hand into my pockets, walking around and saying hello to everyone. Sango found me later near my register.

"Kagome, are you okay?"

I glanced up to see Sango, her eyes full of worry. I bet she could tell something was wrong. Sango and I are best friends so telling her my problems wouldn't be out of the ordinary, but to tell her everything? It'd only make her worry even more.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Sango frowned and walked toward me. "Kagome, don't lie to me. Is it about that person who sent you that flower as a warning?"

Well, that was part of it, at least I thought it still might be. I nodded. "Yeah. . .it gives me the creeps whenever I think about it, so I try not to. My life seems so complicated." I said, and laid my chin in my pal. Sango sighed and patted me on the back.

"Hey, why don't we go back to the party. Maybe it'll help keep your mind off of it."

I glanced at her and nodded, following her back to the party. Needless to say, I had a great time and everything that troubled me stopped for a while. I had fun but I was still tired, even four hours later when the store opened.

I downed at least three cans of soda to keep from falling asleep. Coffee wouldn't have worked, it only makes me more drowsy. So by the time Kikyo walked in with murderous intent gleaming in her eye, you could say I was at my wit's end. I wasn't tolerating anything. I didn't want to follow her as she made her way to the back, but my curiosity got the best of me. I shoved the items I had just scanned into the plastic bag and hoped the old lady wouldn't noticed the eggs had broken.

"Get away from me, you little twerp!" Kikyo was yelling at a small child that was crying and was following her. I stopped, but then sped up when I saw her raise her hand.

"Don't you dare hit that child, Kikyo. He didn't do anything to you!" I pushed her out of the way and picked up the crying child. He had pretty orange hair and he was so adorable! Who would ever want to hit him?

Kikyo was angry and she lashed out on me. "You sent my father to prison, you stole my man and now you push me?" To say she looked as if she wanted to kill me would be the understatement of the century. She was livid and breathing fire at me.

I stood my ground, while the kid in my arms continued to cry. "Your farther deserved what he had coming!" I advanced on her and she began to back up, "And Inuyasha would never want to be with someone like you!"

If it hadn't been for the kid in my arms, I would have beaten her to a pulp. Forget morals, I was going to sling her all the way to Pluto! Kikyo didn't waste any time on leaving. She slung her purse strap on her shoulder.

"I don't think you know anything. And I'm not leaving until I've spoken to the new manager, even if it is Kurena." She crossed her arms, but the way she said Kurena's name really made me steam. I turned away from her and walked away.

Once we were a safe distance away, I set the little boy on the ground. He clung to me like Velcro and wouldn't let go.

"Hey, kid, why don't you let me go and we can find your mommy? She must be pretty worried about you." The little boy let go an sniffled, glancing up at me. It occurred to me to ask him his name. "Hey, what's your name?" I smoothed out his hair and was surprised on how soft it was.

"Shippo." he replied, his voice quiet. I tried to smile at him and I picked him up again. "Come with me and we'll find your parents."

I walked with him to Kurena's office, hoping to make an announcement on the intercom, but even before I got there, I could tell Kikyo was already by the words she was shouting. Thinking on the spot, I spun around and headed for Sango's photo developing area. I found her munching on chips and reading a magazine. I had a plan cooking in my head but I would need some help.

"Sango?" She looked and through her full mouth said,

"What?"

I leaned back onto the counter. "Do you still have some of that leftover glue?"

I smiled mysteriously as Sango and Miroku took their allotted spaces. I told them both in detail what we were going to do. Hopefully, Kurena would go with the flow. I marched to her office, Shippo's hand clutched in mine. In the space of only ten minutes, he had me wanting to take him home.

"Kagome. . . Where are we going?" he asked, in that little cute voice of his. I wanted to squeal but I kept my cool.

"Oh, we're going to see if we can call your mommy and she can pick you up. She's probably looking for you right now."

We quickly made it to her office again, and for a second after seeing Kikyo, I wanted to turn back. I so didn't want to deal with her, but the next few minutes would be totally worth it. I nudged her aside, as if she wasn't there and ignored her gasp as I began to speak to Kurena.

"Oh Kurena! We have a kid here who's lost. His name's Shippo. I was wondering whether we could make an announcement on the intercom?" I smiled and watched Kurena blinked and then smile in return. She glanced at Kikyo, who then found her voice.

"How dare you! You should all get fired! I'm much more important than that. . . Kid!" She pushed me, while she said it and it took me all the will I could muster to not slam my fist in her face.

Breathe, Kagome! BREATHE! You do not want to go in jail for murder!

I chanted this as I glared at her again. "Would you mine keeping your hand off of me? I don't want to have to take a bath."

I turned sharply, leaving Kurena and Shippo behind. I balled my fists, but I stayed as calm as I could. I could hear Kikyo's high heels click behind me and a small smile crept into my face when I stopped and turned to her.

I crossed my arms and glared daggers at her. "What do you want Kikyo?"

Kikyo fumed and crossed her own arms. "I want you to leave Inuyasha."

I smiled falsely at her. "Oops. I can't. But why would I? We're very happy together." I took a cautious step backwards and glanced up to the top of the shelves. Sango and Miroku should have been there by now. . .

Kikyo took a step toward me. " Whatever it takes to get him back, I'll do it! Mark my words, Kagome Higurashi."

"He was never yours in the first place!" I screamed. I glanced around and noticed we were starting to attract a crowd. In the same instant as Kikyo looked as if she was going to lunge at me (I would have welcomed her with open arms, but this was going to bring way more satisfaction.) I caught the sight of Sango's camera and I whistled.

Down came the glue that had been sitting in the sun for hours, and I couldn't suppress my laugh as it dripped down Kikyo's black mini dress and her long black hair. She stood with her mouth open and tried to wipe the glue from her face.

"Why you little bitch! I'll kill you for ruining this dress!"

I laughed at her. "Oh, that's not all. Miroku?"

He nodded and dumped the feathers form the old pillows we had lying around. She gasped as she realized the crowd that had gathered was laughing at her. She stomped on the ground, effectively breaking her own heel and she whined.

"Look at what you made me do! You'll pay for this!"

I shrugged. "Whatever." I walked up to her and flicked a feather that had stuck to her shoulder. "And this isn't the end. Look up and smile."

The funny thing was, she actually looked up and smiled, but it was quickly wiped away when she saw Sango catch her on film. Her expression went from shock, to confusion to horrified and she dashed out of the store, limping as she did.

I'd like to see her come back from that.

Sango climbed down from the shelf and waved the camera in the air. "We did, Kagome! I finally have some good dirt on her!" She danced joyfully and then paused to give a thumbs up to Miroku. "Bye! I've gotta develop this film if I want it for tomorrow!" She ran past me and as I stood there, I smiled.

I went back to Kurena's office to check on Shippo. Turn's out the parents had been looking for him and had spotted him from afar in my arms. They thanked me and when they asked me what I wanted in return, I only asked if I could spend some time with Shippo. They gladly agreed and I left for my register very happy. The day had gotten a lot better, and I thought it would stay that way. But good things never last right?

At the end of my shift, after I had punched out and waited for Inuyasha, I suddenly felt a chill go up my spine. I glanced around and saw no one. Inuyasha's car had barely come into view when suddenly I felt a gloved hand cover my mouth.

"Don't move."

I couldn't scream as he dragged me into the shadow of the now moonless night.

A/N: Cliffy! I know you guys will hate me but, what can you do? The end is high and near you guys, only a few chapters left. I will make them the best yet! (hey, that rhymed!) And I mentioned I will be gone until Saturday so don't expect an update until next week! There's archery, so guess what I will be thinking as I shoot an arrow? Until next time!

-Daichi