Disclaimer: Don't own him

Chapter Twenty-Four: Answers

"He'd…lock you in a closet?" Inuyasha asked; reaching out for her arm but when he touched it she shrugged it off.

Kagome nodded. "It was my punishment. At our old house we used to have this small closet that we hung our jackets and stuff in. When my father was finished beating me, he'd drag me there and throw me in. My mother would always protest but she couldn't do anything about it. He had threatened to kill her if she went even ten feet of the door and she knew he was too smart to let me actually die in there, so she did nothing.

"For days I would go without food and water, just sitting there alone in the dark small closet waiting to be let out by my father. I would constantly cry, thinking that one day he'd just forget me and leave me in there to either starve or suffocate. One night, it was really bad. He beat me so hard I blacked out and then, angry with himself, he threw me against the wall. When I woke up, I was in the closet, all alone once more.

"That was the final beating he ever gave me. At two-oh-five in the morning. Eventually, when my mother had enough money to support herself, she divorced him and got a restraining order, protecting us from him. We went to court as well, and won. He was put away for child abuse and other similar things. For years afterwards, I never saw him. A coupe times I heard he was in and out of jail but I tried to stay out of it. As far as my father went, he was as good as dead to me. I preferred it that way."

Inuyasha waited in silence, knowing there was a lot more to the story then what she was telling him. "That wasn't the end of it though, was it?"

For a second, Kagome did nothing but stare at the ground. And then, Inuyasha heard the first sounds of a sob escape her and before she had the chance to huddle herself in a ball and cry all alone like she had done for years, Inuyasha grabbed her and pulled her to him, letting her cry all her tears on him.

He rocked her and soothed her like a little child, stroking her hair and making promises that he vowed to keep. Like keeping her safe and keeping her loved. When Kagome finally pulled her self together, and the sobs were more whimpers than anything else, she pulled away slightly and brushed the tears off her face.

"He…H-He came back."

"Your father?"

Kagome nodded, her lower lip trembling but remaining strong. "Five years ago."

"The file in the database," Inuyasha whispered, everything starting to make sense.

Kagome just nodded once more. "I had already long been friends with Miroku and it was already after the first murder. Actually, it was the night Rin was murdered. I was up after writing the story and went to call Miroku. Then…I heard footsteps and then he whispered something to me."

Inuyasha, despite the fact that she had already pulled away several times, brought her back to him and this time, she didn't move.

Kagome's face twisted. "Boo. That's what he whispered. The same thing he whispered to me the night of the final beating before we left. It was just like I was living the past because he came again at five after two."

"What did he do?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

"He beat me, threatened me with a knife and cut me up. He threw me against the walls and over counters. He was so angry…just so, so angry. I remember I was bleeding and before he left me he shoved me in the main closet of my house. If I hadn't been talking to Miroku on the phone when he came and the ambulance didn't get there when it did, I would have died due to blood loss."

Inuyasha felt a shiver run through him. No wonder she had been alone all those years. It must have been terrifying to have experienced that and the dark… No wonder she hated it. No wonder she panicked when she had been enclosed and trapped in the black void of her mind. It reminded her of being alone in the closet, locked up and forever left alone.

"Miroku is the only person that knows about this and I probably wouldn't have told him if it hadn't been for the fact that he became involved. My father's locked in jail for good now. Attempted murder, trespassing, violation of the restraining order and such. If I'm lucky, he's probably already dead."

"So, for years you and your mother suffered alone with him? No one should go through that Kagome, no one."

"On the final night, when he threw me against the wall for the last time, Miroku claims that's how I became a medium. His mother had once explained to him that all of us have paranormal abilities, locked in a room within our mind that we don't have the key to. Some of us our born with that key and we grow up using the talents. Paranormal abilities have also been known to be hereditary."

"So, if you ever had kids, there would be a good chance that the child would be psychic?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes but they might not have the same 'power.' Like if one mother had two children, one could have the ability and the other wouldn't. Like Miroku. His mother had The Sight but he doesn't have anything. Psychic abilities can also be brought on by a deep trauma, or head injury. That's why they believe I can talk to the dead."

"Because your father threw you against the wall? Confusing."

"Very," Kagome agreed, taking in Inuyasha's masculine scent. "Inuyasha... Thank you, again."

"Please, don't," Inuyasha whispered. "I don't exactly deserve it."

"True."

Inuyasha sighed and stroked her hair a little longer. "Truce?"

"Truce," Kagome said. Then, a thought struck her as she looked up at him. "Hey, it's only an idea but whoever has the second half of my jewel has to have either gotten it from my mom or it's a really close replica, right?"

"Right," Inuyasha confirmed, nodding for her to continue.

"So if it was from my mother, it wouldn't be buried with her and wouldn't her will say where the other half goes?"

"That's one idea," Inuyasha agreed. "It gives us a pretty good lead to follow anyways. We hadn't really thought to look at the jewel, did we?"

Kagome just shook her head. She opened her mouth to walk into dangerous territory but hesitated. What would happen if she asked? She decided against speaking. The decision she and Inuyasha had made was final. Nothing was going on between them.

Nothing. They were just friends now and again. And that was the end of the story.

"So," Kagome said, pulling away from Inuyasha's warmth. "It's almost two in the morning. Are you hungry?"

It was then that Kagome got a call. Her face paled and she handed the phone to Inuyasha slowly.

"Hello?"

"Trying keeping your phone charged, will you? I haven't be able to reach you for the past couple hours and we needed you."

"Whoa, Sango, relax."

"Relax?! Relax! With Naraku confessing to the murders, Korari shot and now in the hospital and NARAKU DISAPPEARING behind our very eyes, I think not! Get your ass down here or I will personally shoot you."

Inuyasha and Kagome made it to the station within fifteen minutes and by the time they got there Sango was practically having a heart attack. She was talking to Hiten and Manten, cursing them for letting Naraku escape.

"This isn't the bloody olden days, you idiots! How the hell could he have gotten out?" Sango screamed.

Manten put his hand up and opened his mouth to speak but Sango gave him a look so dirty and so vile that he shut it back up again.

"We have a spare uniform in the far back so it was easy for him to sneak out, even without the uniform. But you, you were supposed to be watching him. Goddammit!"

"Alright Sango," Inuyasha said, putting a hand on her shoulder and startling her. "Come on. Give me a full report of the last eighteen hours."

If looks could kill, Inuyasha would already be forty-feet under.

"You want a report? Fine. While you went gallivanting off to solve your non-existent love life, I did some work. Naraku had confessed to killing Yuri, Kirara and Nazuna. But, he had no ties to both Yuri and Kirara so we went to Korari Takeda to find them. She went back on his schedule for us and I was talking to her for about twenty or so minutes when Miroku burst in. At that moment, someone shot from behind. If Miroku hadn't got me out of the way, I would have died."

"And what about Korari?" Inuyasha asked.

"Critical condition at the hospital," Sango whispered. "They don't know if she's going to make it. She took a shot to the chest."

Inuyasha grimaced and said, "Did you get a good look of our guy?"

"Yeah, it was Naraku. I wasn't sure at first because I thought he was at the station but these two freaks screwed up."

Hiten and Manten cringed when she looked at them but Inuyasha paid no heed. "Alright, I want everyone out there. On the outskirts and block every route out of Trite. No one gets out today until I give word."

"What about the people Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. "Surely they'll know something is going on. What if it starts a riot?"

"Shit," Inuyasha cursed. Looking towards Hiten, Inuyasha ordered, "Get the mayor on the phone, now."

"Yes sir, chief."

"Sango, I want you to organize teams. I want people in cars and I want people on the streets taking care of things. I'm not sure how people are going to react but I have this funny feeling it won't be good."

"It shouldn't be too bad," Miroku finally commented. "It is almost three in the morning. If we're lucky, no one will ever know."

"Oh trust me," Inuyasha said with a rueful smile. "They will."

"Kagome, we need to talk."

Kagome lifted her head from the cradle of her arms and groaned. "What Miroku?" She was tired and cranky, it was five in the morning, and all she had done so far was drink cups upon cups of coffee.

Crappy coffee, more specifically.

"How did you know about Naraku?"

Kagome had been expecting that question, knowing that sooner or later, Miroku would've caught on.

She had been hoping for later though since she was asking the same question herself.

She decided that honesty was probably the best factor in it. "I didn't," she admitted. "I got a phone call from a woman. She was begging me to call you and tell you to go inside. I don't know who she was but…she sounded desperate. Then my imaginary friend told me that I should trust her. God only knows how many people I've learned to trust lately."

Miroku stared at Kagome deadpanned for a couple minutes before standing up. "I need some coffee."

"Good idea," she agreed, lifting a paper cup from the table. "Could you get me some too?"

Miroku took her cup and left the conference room to get the coffee. The room was silent, everyone out patrolling the streets for Naraku. With Inuyasha's phone still dead, he took hers and now Kagome felt like she was left in the dark.

All Kagome wanted to do right now was sleep and pray that when she woke up, it was all just one big nightmare.

One big nightmare…

It's a lie.

Kagome sighed and banged her head on the wooden table. Of all the times for her imaginary friend to show up, now was not a good time. She had practically disappeared for the last couple days and then talked to her once this morning, almost twenty-four hours ago.

I hadn't left.

Well obviously. The universe wasn't that merciful.

Naraku didn't kill them.

'Naraku didn't kill Yuri, Kirara and Nazuna?' Kagome thought, letting the information sink in. 'How do you know?'

I'll consider that a rhetorical question.

Even her imaginary friend was grumpy. Wasn't the world all smiles and sunshine?

You know it's not.

'But what do I do? If they put Naraku away for murder and that means the real killer is still on the loose… Still able to kill.'

Naraku won't have an alibi. Everything will fall into place. It's a jigsaw puzzle and all the wrong pieces are fitting to create a new messed up picture.

Well whoever said life was fair?

It's a picture of death Kagome. The pieces of this new twisted puzzle create death.

Picasso painted twisted pictures. They were all pieces too and they are still famous today. It couldn't be any different.

You have to break him Kagome. He didn't murder them though he did try to shoot Sango.

'But he got Korari instead. Was it because Sango was trying to find his alibi and Naraku couldn't have that? Because if Sango did find it, then he wouldn't be suspected of murder.'

Exactly.

'Then how do I make him confess the truth? How do I get him to admit?'

Kagome was stirred out of her thoughts when Miroku came back, panting. "They found him Kagome. They got Naraku and they're bringing him in."

You better think fast. Time's running out.

How many times had she heard that one today?

"Why did you try to kill Officer Houko? Why?" Inuyasha yelled, banging his hands on the table and staring Naraku directly in the eye.

Naraku said nothing, refusing to speak. He had not yet called for a lawyer and he still claimed that he was guilty on the count of killing the three girls for the reason that they reminded him of Kikyo. Right now, Inuyasha was trying to figure out why, if he had readily confessed to killing them, that he would break free and try to kill Sango. He was going to jail anyways.

"Was Sango your final intended target?"

Naraku still remained silent and Inuyasha growled, kicking one of the chairs over and leaving the room, slamming the door shut behind him. From behind the one-way looking glass peeking into the interrogation room, Kagome and Sango sat.

"He's not cracking," Sango hissed. "That bastard."

Kagome, like Naraku, didn't say anything. She merely wandered in thought about what to do. Her imaginary friend's words still haunted her mind.

"By the way," Sango said, turning to face the still silent Kagome. "That was a good idea you had about the jewel. We hadn't thought about looking from that point of view."

Then, it clicked.

"Sango, I need to talk to Naraku."

"Whoa, what?" Sango asked, completely thrown off balance by Kagome's declaration. "You need to what?"

"Talk to Naraku. Now."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Sango said uneasily.

"I know how to make him talk."

"Then talk to Inuyasha, not me. But I warn you, he's pretty pissed off."

"When isn't he?" Kagome remarked sarcastically and left the room with a confused Sango.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted; walking into the police chief's office without reluctance. "Inuyasha!"

"What do you want?" Inuyasha hissed. He was sitting at his chair, his head in his hands and his silvery bangs covering his eyes.

"I know how to make him talk."

"And pigs can fly."

Kagome smirked. "I think I see one just outside the window."

Inuyasha glared at her, shaking his head. "This isn't a game Kagome. Sango was right; I haven't been paying enough attention. I haven't been doing enough."

"There was nothing you could do," Kagome retorted. "We had zilch for leads until this showed up. But trust me Inuyasha I know how to make him talk."

"And how's that?"

"The jewel," Kagome repeated. "Sango said that Naraku didn't have an alibi for any of the night's the three girls were killed. His motive is fair and I don't doubt he has the ability to kill someone without remorse. Mr. Mizuka, the only person that Naraku saw before the murder of Kirara. The timing was perfect and Naraku almost had an alibi but after checking with Mr. Mizuka, we learned that Naraku had cancelled just an hour before."

"And your point is?"

"That if Naraku really is the killer, he'd have the jewel. He'd have a reason for having it. I think you should play it dumb. Ask about the little 'tokens of affection' and why all the 'secretive clues' left behind every time. Make him answer Inuyasha and I'll bet you'll find that we only have a broken minded man who you can only charge for attempted murder."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome before smirking and standing up. He didn't thank her which Kagome would digress about later, but for now, she just watched him go back into the room.

His words were fierce, every second calculating and meaningful. Sometimes Inuyasha would wait for an answer while others how would cut him off just before Naraku could speak. By the end of it, Naraku was confused. He had no idea about the jewel shards. Naraku was no more apart of the murders then the mayor was.

When Inuyasha came back out of the room, Naraku wanted a lawyer but Inuyasha had gotten his information. Naraku wasn't the killer.

The killer was still out there, waiting and watching.

He had made a fool of them all.

By the time Inuyasha had come out, it was seven in the morning and many officers were going home to sleep for a bit. Inuyasha ordered most of them because they didn't want to leave but the chief knew none of them functioned well on three hours of sleep and bitter coffee.

Just then, the door to the police station opened and inside walked a woman that looked to be around thirty. She had dark brown hair and a patch around one of her eyes. A searching brown eye was there for the other one and when she walked in, the first thing her good eye landed on was Kagome, who looked at the woman in curiosity.

"You must be Kagome," the woman said. "I'm sorry for bursting in like this but desperate times call for desperate measures. Let me introduce myself: my name is Kaede Hidaka. I was Kikyo's little sister and I am here to bring important news."

Next Chapter: Surprises- If only Kagome knew the danger that was to follow. If only Kagome knew the consequences. If only Kagome knew the blackness that surrounded her would soon be permanent.

Please Review! And Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you have a good one!