Chapter 4: Searching for the Shards of the Shikon no Tama

"You will help me find the shards you wench," Naraku threw Kagome to the hard ground.

She glared up at him, "Why the hell should I help you? And what the hell makes you think that I would even consider helping you?" Kagome turned away from Naraku.

"Kanna, come," Naraku called out into the darkness of the forest. Kanna slowly stepped out of the darkness and approached Kagome. She held her mirror up to Kagome, it reflected all of her friends and Sesshoumaru and Rin and Jaken. Kagome fell to her knees and began to cry. "I knew you'd come to your senses," Naraku held an evil grin across his face.

"You bastard, you will get yours eventually," Kagome whispered under her breath as she continued to look down at the ground as she sobbed silently to herself.

With that, Kagome's new adventures began. She now lived with Naraku. She slept in the room across the hall from his own. She searched with Kagura high and low for shards of the Shikon no Tama. She knew that she must do as she was told in order to protect her friends. InuYasha had Kagome's vile with her shards, so she always knew where he was, but never revealed her secret knowledge. "InuYasha, I miss you so much. I miss you all so very much," Kagome was lost in her own world.

"Kagome, do you sense any shards? It's almost dusk and I don't plan on being out searching much longer today," Kagura spat bitterly.

"No, I'm not sensing anything near here. Can we just retire for the day, I'm tired. We can continue tomorrow," Kagome lied through her teeth. She could sense InuYasha's shards and Kouga's shards as well, but she would never turn her back on her friends.

"We might as well, let's go," Kagura changed her direction and flew with the wind back to the castle.

It had been months since Kagome had been taken away by Naraku. She still wasn't used to sleeping in his creepy castle, much less across the hall from him. She hated the fact that she couldn't see her friends anymore. She grew depressed anytime she thought of her family and friends in her own time, "They must be so worried. I wonder if InuYasha has told them anything that's happened? Or are they just being left in the dark? I wish I could escape to the well, just one time to ensure they're okay. Damn you Naraku, you bastard. I swear, I will kill you myself," Kagome's hatred toward Naraku grew with each passing day.

-Meanwhile-

"Hey, you think you guys can take care of yourselves for a few hours? I'm gonna go check on Kagome's family. See how they're holdin up," InuYasha turned to his comrades.

"Oh yes, give Kagome's mother my love," Sango waved InuYasha off.

"Damn, it's been eight months since Kagome was taken. Since we've even seen her. But she's still okay, I can sense it. Don't you give up Kagome, I will get you back! Your family needs you, I- I need you," InuYasha was almost to the well. Once he reached his destination he looked down the well and stared for a long moment.

*FLASHBACK*

"KAGOME!!!" InuYasha cried out. That night he drug himself to the well from which Kagome came from. He stared down the well, "I've got to tell them, they're not going to take this well." InuYasha jumped into the well and vanished. He was soon in modern Japan at the Higurashi Shrine. He crept into the house and found Kagome's family sitting in the living room watching the color box, Kagome had called it a television. He slowly stepped toward them, they all looked at InuYasha confused.

"InuYasha, where is Kagome?" Kagome's mother was the first to break the awkward silence. InuYasha's eyes were cast downward with a single tear. "Wh-what happened? InuYasha, what happened to my daughter?" Kagome's mother had to sit down.

"That idiot!" InuYasha clenched his fists, "She traded herself in place of some half pint kid! She gave herself to Naraku! All because of that Rin, that stupid kid! What the hell was Kagome thinking? AH! DAMNIT!" he punched the wall, putting a hole in the drywall.

Tears began to stream down Ms. Higurashi's face, "InuYasha," her voice was weak and wavered, "InuYasha you have to get my Kagome back. You must bring her back to me."

"InuYasha, you gotta get Kagome back! I know you can," Souta, Kagome's younger brother, was pulling on InuYasha's sleeve.

"Don't worry. I'll get her back, I promise you that," InuYasha looked at each person, passion burning in his eyes, "I swear I'll bring Kagome back if it kills me!"

*END FLASHBACK*

InuYasha jumped in the well. He would check in with Kagome's family once a week. It was becoming harder and harder to face her family. He saw Gramps sweeping around the shrine. He walked over to speak with the old man when he was interrupted by two men in strange uniforms.

"Mr. Higurashi?" the taller man walked over to Gramps, "I'm Officer Koju. We are here about your missing granddaughter. I'm afraid we still have no clues to her disappearance. Are you sure she was kidnapped?"

"Of course I'm sure! Kagome wouldn't just leave, she's more responsible that that. Besides she has a future ahead of her, and she know that!" Gramps yelled at the man and swatted at him with the broom.

"Ah, my apologies sir. It was just a routine question. We'll be leaving now," the man bowed and he and his partner started toward the stairs.

"Hey old man, what the hell was that about?" InuYasha walked over to Gramps.

Gramps sighed heavily, "We have to keep this story up so that people don't get suspicious. It is very tedious, worse than when I was just coming up with illnesses. InuYasha have you come with any good news this time?"

"Unfortunately no, we still haven't seen nor heard from Kagome. But I know that she's alright, I can sense it. So you at least don't have to worry about that. I just don't understand why it is taking me this long to get her back. I can't seem to locate Naraku's whereabouts. Old man, can you offer any words of wisdom?" InuYasha looked down at Gramps.

"InuYasha, all I can offer is hope. All we have left is hope. I believe that you will find her, that or she will find her way back to you," Gramps looked over to the large tree in the courtyard, "That tree is where you two first met. And I believe in the tree and believe that it will bring you two back together."

"Thanks old man. Oh and tell Kagome's mom that everyone sends their love. I'll see you soon," InuYasha took off back to the well.