The Pain of Memories : Shadow Lurker The Pain of Memories Shadow Lurker

The group finally made it to the old Miko's hut. Kaede made quick work of cleaning Kagome's wounds and replacing her clothes. It had been at least a day and a half, and Kagome had yet to wake. The whole time, Inuyasha never left her side. He refused to eat, sleep, to do anything that ment he would have to leave Kagome's side.

"Miroku, we need to get Inuyasha out of there. He's going to make himself ill and if he's not well and Kagome wakes up, who knows what could happen!" said Sango, as quietly as she could knowing fully well that a pair of demonic ears were bound to be listening in to their convosation.

"I agree. But how do you suppose we get him out?" asked Miroku.

Sango tapped her chin with her finger. She had quite a few ideas, but none that would mean he was awake to know what happened. She wracked her brain but could think of nothing. She was about to give up when Shippo said something.

"Why dont you just tell him that." chirped Shippo.

"Tell him what?" asked Miroku, shocked a bit as he didn't know the Kitsune child was in on their convosation.

"That if he doesn't do something he'll get ill and won't be able to keep Kagome safe. That should work. You know what Inuyasha's like when it comes to the saftey of Kagome."

Sango picked up the Kitsune boy and hugged him tightly.

"Oh Shippo! Your a genius!" she squealed hugging him tighter.

"Uff! Yer...But i'm gonna...Be a dead one...If you...Don't let go!!"

Just as quickly as she grabbed him she let go, apologising and sporting a nice new blush on her cheeks. Miroku had been watching the whole time and a light wave of jealousy raged through him. Watching Shippo's face being pressed against her large breasts was practically killing him.

"Now if only i could get her to do that to me..." he thought, a peverted grin on his face and a misted look in his eyes.

He was soon snapped out of his little trance when he realised he was sat alone. Sango and Shippo had marched into the hut and practically dragged Inuyasha out by his overly sensitive ears. Ignoring his yelps and empty threats, Sango threw him against a large tree.

"Uff! Hey what the hell was that for!?" Inuyasha roared.

"What does it lok like we're doing? We're saving you from yourself!" argued Sango.

"Keh! I ain't some pathetic wimp you know. Anyways i have to get back to Kagome."

As he stood up he went to walk past the angered Taijiya. In an instant he was on the ground, face in the dirt. With Sango's knee's pressed firmly into his back and his hands pinned behind him, there was no chance he could escape, not in the weak condition he was in.

"Urg! Get off of me! I swear if you ain't off me in, like two seconds, i'm gonna throw you off!" he bellowed.

"Inuyasha, this is for your own good. If you stay in there all the time, your going to make yourself ill! Then what good will you be to Kagome?" stated Sango, her grip tightening.

The Hanyou growlled and went to open his mouth to answer back. Taking a quick glance at Miroku, who was silently advising him not to say anything more, and then at the old hut, in which Kagome was sleeping in, Inuyasha chose to keep quiet. Although he hated to admitt it, Sango was right. If he was at his full strength, meaning he had been eating and sleeping, he could have easily thrown Sango off by now, or he could had dodged her sneak attack.

"You give?" she asked.

The irritated Hanyou gave a curt nod. Slowly Sango let go and stood, ready to pounce on him again if he was to so much as even go near the hut. Knealing, Inuyasha rubbled his face in exhaughstion (sorry about spelling!). Shippo had gone for only a moment and was back holding a packet of potato chips from Kagome's time and a bottle of water.

"Hmph! I'm a Hanyou, remember? I can survive without food and water!" he scoffed, trying to keep hold of what dignity he had left.

Sango rolled her eyes and bonked him on the head with her fist.

"Just take them..." she sighed.

Honestly it was like dealing with a small child sometimes when it came to Inuyasha, instead of a near fully grown Hanyou! Again Inuyasha growlled, but before he could say anything else, something caught his attention. His little white dog ears pricked up and swivlled side to side, trying to catch the strange sound and find out where it was coming from.

"Inuyasha? What is it?" asked Miroku, after noticing his friends strange behaviour.

Just as he was about to answer, the bamboo netting that was the door to the small hut was pushed aside. Standing in the door way was a small fragile looking girl, who was rubbing her eyes sleepily with loose fists.

"K-Kagome..." mummbled Inuyasha.

Sango, Miroku and Shippo turned quickly to face the child. Tears began to fill Sango's eyes and Shippo squealed in delight. Miroku gave a sigh of releaf and Inuyasha ran to Kagome.

"Mama, where's Mai?" Kagome yawned, still half asleep.

Inuyasha felt a tug at his heart strings. They had still yet to tell her of her sisters fate. That Sango was not in fact Mai, and that unless something was sorted out she would probably never see her family again. When she opened her eyes fully, Kagome was shocked to see a Hanyou boy infront of her, instead of her mama who she thought was there.

"Finally! I thought you'd never wake up!" he cried, embracing her gently.

He pulled deeply on her scent and could feel his whole body relaxing. Her scent was no longer dull and almost non-excistant but full of life and filled with that oh so inticing Miko engery. He had never noticed how strong it was before now. She was overflowing with the stuff, and it was surprising her tiny body could with stand such power. Kagome's body stiffened. She had no idea who this strange man was, nor did she know why he was hugging her.

"W-who are you?" she asked, taking a step back.

Inuyasha's eyebrows creased together. Maybe she was still asleep. Yer that had to be it, there was no way she could have forgotten him...Again. Was there?

"Kagome, its me, Inuyasha. Remember?" he pleaded.

Again Kagome took a step back. No memories of this 'Inuyasha' was coming forth in her mind. The last thing she remembered was being at home with her mama and Mai. Thats when she noticed where she was.

"W-where am i? Wheres my mama?" she cried.

Inuyasha shot a worried glance at his friends. It was like being back at square one. Returning his focus on Kagome once more, he gently placed a hand on her cheek. Instantly she jerked back, as if his touch burned her skin. Tears rimmed her eyes and her bottom lip quivered. But as soon as the tears formed her face went into utter shock.

"Does daddy know i'm gone?" she asked quickly.

Inuyasha sighed deeply. His heart aching from the strain of emotions begging to be rleased. This was not suppose to happen. Kagome was suppose to wake up, feeling better than ever and remember everyone and know that she was no longer in any danger from her monster of a father.

"Kagome...Your dad can't get you anymore. He's gone." said Inuyasha.

As much as she wanted to, Kagome couldn't force herself to beleive that he was really gone. Her mother had told her once before that he was gone, and once life started getting better he was back again. She wasn't prepared to go through all that pain again, and she was only six for goodness sake!

"Kagome, Inuyasha's telling the truth." said Sango.

Kagome's eyes met with the Taijiya's and she ran towards the older girl. Wrapping her arms around her leg she sobbed, begging to go home, back to her mama and she wanted 'Mai' to take her now. Sango pried the weeping girl from her leg and looked her in the eyes. No matter how much comfort it brought the younger Kagome, it just wasn't right to lie to her.

"Kagome, sweetie. I'm not Mai. I'm Sango." she said softly.

"B-but where's M-Mai?" she stuttered, wiggling out of Sango's hold.

Debaiting on whether to tell her or not, Miroku took charge.

"Mai is dead Kagome, remember? She died not long ago."

Miroku had remembered that with this Kagome only being just over six, in her time Mai would have only just died. As hard as it was to tell her that her older sibling was dead, it had to be done. It wasn't fair to anyone to keep this Mai girl alive when in fact she was dead. It would only make things worse in the long run.

"No...No! Mai...Mai isn't dead! She can't be! No!!" she wailed,

All of the companions tried to calm Kagome but nothing was working. Everything was getting too much, getting too crouded and doing the only thing she knew of that had ever worked for her in the past, Kagome ran. She ran into the forest as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Kagome!" cried Inuyasha.

The Hanyou went to go after her, but was stopped by Miroku.

"Let her go. She needs time to process all that information. Kirara, you go with her and make sure she's okay." he ordered.

The tiny Neko Yokai mewed in reply and darted off in search for her new charge. Nearby in dense brush, behind a concealing barrier, stood a woman. Her eyes glistened brightly in the dark surroundings. She smiled wickedly to herself. She had whitnessed everything and had gained a fair amount of information that would help her in her mission. The plan was going to work better that expected, and a lot sooner aswell...

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