Chapter 4:

Attention readers, as you all may know Cause and Effect includes Abuse, Rape and Self-harm.

A lot of things that are not answered in the first few chapters are answered later into the story.

The way this story works is this:

Chapters labeled CAUSE are Kagome's POV.

Chapters labeled EFFECT are Sesshomaru's POV.

Enjoy chapter 4 of Cause and Effect!

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Upon returning home I was greeted with a lovely sight of my mother yelling at my father about who knows what. Ignoring them all together I removed my shoes and hung my jacket up. Deciding I needed to make an appearance to stop the fighting I made my way into the living room.

"You were rude to her Kimi!" I heard Izayoi say as I made my way through the threshold completely. Making sure to stand a good distance in case my mother decided to throw something.

Izayoi scrunched up her face a bit while an inhuman growl could be heard from her, "She didn't do anything to warrant your anger and disrespect!"

"She is not worthy of my respect." I heard my mother say under her breath as she walked to the couch. I saw Izayoi move to the other couch next to father, falling back onto the couch.

Father rubbed his temples, his eyebrow twitching in irritation, "Please, enlighten us on why she isn't worth of the great Kimi's respect."

My mother looked at them before speaking, "She is hiding something. Did you guys not notice how she acts?" I looked at my mother before looking at my father who was looking at Izayoi. Izayoi looked between all of us before looking to the ground.

"You know something, don't you ma?" Inuyasha asked looked at Izayoi with widened eyes.

"I don't know anything." She said as she leaned back into the couch, looking at the empty space with dull eyes.

"Izayoi? Do you really not know anything?" Father asked as he moved to the floor between her feet, grabbing her hands in his. "You can't lie to me and I know you're hiding something. Please tell us?"

There was an uncomfortable silence while all Izayoi did was shake her head, "come on, just talk mistress!" My mother yelled as she stood from her seat.

Izayoi held her ground. Shaking her head and keeping her face covered, "NO! I won't talk!"

Father looked at her, "We need to know so we can help her. How will we help her if we don't know what you know?"

"Okay!" Izayoi said as she covered her face, "Just stop yelling at me already!"

I finally saw the opportunity to include myself, "What happened?"

Izayoi looked at me before shaking her head, "We were talking earlier, while everyone else was sitting down for dinner Kagome and I were standing in the foyer. She tried to tell me if she didn't call her father that it wouldn't result in anything good, but I didn't think much of it and I told her to just call him when she was done with dinner." She paused for a moment to move her hands.

"So? What does this have to do with her hiding something?" I asked as I folded my arms across my chest.

"Hush boy, let her speak before you turn into your mother." Father told me before turning back to Izayoi, "What else Izayoi?"

"A few weeks ago when we went shopping at the mall without you guys, she tried on a dress and I noticed a healing bruise on her collar bone along with a almost completely healed one on her shoulder." She paused for a moment before she continued, "When I asked her about it she said it was nothing she had tripped down the stairs and it did more damage than she expected."

Inuyasha flopped on the floor, holding up his head in his hand, "So what does that mean? She's hiding a few bruises from people. I would to."

I felt the urge to beat Inuyasha to a split line of his death, "She is worried about Kagome."

Izayoi nodded, "I fear something is wrong."

Father looked at me, "But without knowing exactly what is wrong we can't do anything. For all we know she could just have hurt herself on accident. It doesn't mean there is something she is hiding like your mother so kindly accused her of."

Mother looked over at father before snorting, "It is no concern of mine if she is indeed hiding something, but I will not let my son be dragged into something out of his control." She turned to me, "You will do the right thing or I will do it myself. Your choice."

"I will not do something to damage my relationship with Kagome because you feel that she is hiding something malicious from me." I took a breath to keep my beast under control, "We do not keep secrets from each other."

Mother looked at me before snorting and making her way through the living room to the foyer. A few seconds later we heard the door slam causing a few pictures to fall from the wall.

I looked at my father in hopes that he got the hint that we needed to talk before leaving the room. Walking my way to my room and shutting the door behind me. I walked by my computer, turning it on before grabbing a towel and going into my bathroom.

I stood in the shower, staring at the wall. I looked over what my mother was insinuating about Kagome. Certainly, of all people, Kagome wouldn't keep anything from me. Right? I would like to believe that we are very connected and I'd know everything. But looking over it again, she has been very distant the last few weeks.

She doesn't talk as much as she use to when we walk home.

She's day dreaming in class.

Finishing up my shower, heading for my room. I dried off, slipping into a pair of gray sweats and a t-shirt Kagome got me for Christmas last year. Looking down I smiled, "I am the 'World's coolest boyfriend' by far." I said to myself before sitting down in front of my computer.

Pulling my phone out of my sweats pocket I sent Kagome a text. Setting it down I scrolled through my emails, discarding what I don't need. Keeping the ones I need and replying to them.

Rapid knocks on my door brought me from my engrossed email system, "Come in."

Father opened the door, walking in and taking a seat on my bed across from my computer desk, "I am sorry about your mother Sesshomaru, she seems..."

"To be trying to run Kagome down into the ground until she leaves me? Yeah I got that much." I said turning from my computer, grabbing my phone and looking to see if I had anything.

Father looked at me, "Have you heard from Kagome?"

I shook my head, "No I sent her a text when I got home and then another just a few minutes ago." I scrunched my nose, "Usually she is very responsive within a few moments of my text."

"Perhaps she is asleep? It is only Wednesday and after a long day of school plus your mother I am sure she was tired." He said to me, stretching a bit before leaning back onto the bed.

I nodded, "It makes sense. She seems to be distant lately. Maybe she is not getting enough sleep."

"It would make sense." Father looked at me when I looked away from him, "Do you think she is hiding something?"

Before I could answer there was another knock on the door, "Sesshomaru, can I come in?" I hear Inuyasha ask through the door.

Thinking it over for a moment I decide it's alright, "Come in Inuyasha."

He hesitated when he opened the door before closing it and moving to stand near father and I, "Are you guys talking about Kags?" When we nodded he continued, "I think she's hiding something."

"What makes you say that son?" Father asked, folding his hands in his lap and leaning up a bit.

"Earlier tonight, when we were in the drive way, remember how she wasn't paying attention and I poked her stomach a bit?" Inuyasha asked as he paused long enough for me to nod, "Her reaction made it seem like she was in pain, maybe my ma has a reason to be worried. She let out a pained wine for Christ sakes!"

Father looked at me with wide eyes, looking for a conformation, "Yes father, she did. She said he just startled her and she needed a moment to breath." I turned to Inuyasha, "I don't know if anything is happening but I doubt she would hide stuff like that from me."

Inuyasha's ears flattened on his head, "I'm unsure of what it is, but I feel that she is hiding something." He yawned a bit and scratched his ears, "No one acts like that without a cause for it."

"He is right, Sesshomaru." Father said before sitting completely up, "She has to have a probable cause to act like that from being poked."

I looked between the two of them before mulling it over. Perhaps they are right, maybe there is something she is hiding from me.

"Call her." Inuyasha more-or-less demanded.

I looked at him with narrow eyes, "Excuse me? It is almost midnight, I am not calling her."

"Calm down boys." Father said standing between us, "Inuyasha," He said calmly as he got the younger sons' attention, "You have school in the morning, both of you. You can see her tomorrow and bring her here after school. From there we will talk to her and see what is going on."

I nodded, looking at Inuyasha who was also nodding, "Now get out of my room so I may retire for the night." I said as I stood from my chair and went for my bed.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Night guys." Inuyasha said as he left the room followed by father and his small declaration of a goodnight.

I lay in my bed looking up at my ceiling thinking over everything that I have learned in less than an hour. Was Kagome hiding something from me? If she was, why couldn't she trust me with it? Deciding that I wasn't going to get any sleep if I kept stumbling over my thoughts on this I turned over onto my side, closed my eyes, and let myself drift off.

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I wake up to the shrill of my alarm clock going off. Turning over I glance and see that it is 5:45. Letting out a groan I lean over and smash the clock to pieces before sitting up on the edge of my bed. Whoever came up with the idea that school needed to start at eight in the morning must have been a douchebag. After establishing that I hated the creator of alarm clocks and school I pushed myself to get out of bed.

Donning my school uniform I grab my phone and head down stairs. Once down the stairs I see Inuyasha, as usual, stuffing his face with whatever he can find before getting dressed.

"At least your smart enough to eat before you get your cloths on. Wouldn't want little bits of corn flakes all over your uniform." I say as I grab the box of corn flakes from in front of him.

Inuyasha snorts before stuffing his face with food again. "So what." He says between bites, "At least I know what makes a good breakfast choice."

"I hardly call corn flakes and half a bag of sugar breakfast." I state in a matter-of-fact tone, "I wonder why you are not dead yet. You eat enough sugar to kill the dead."

Before Inuyasha can say anything my father walks in dressed for work, "Alright boys, it's too early to brawl, can you guys at least wait until you get to school?"

I snort before I finish the task of making my breakfast. Sitting at the table with father and Inuyasha we discuss plans for the day, while Inuyasha and I have school father will be at work for half the day.

While father and Inuyasha discuss who knows what. Since it was 6:15 I decide to try and call Kagome, knowing she gets up at 5:30 every morning to meditate before school.

"I shall return." I state as I walk out of the kitchen. Dialing Kagome's number I put the phone to my ear and listen to it ring.

"Hi, you've reached Kagome! I'm sorry I couldn't answer but if you leave a message I'll try to call you back as soon as possible!"

Before the beep I hit the end button and try again, once more getting her voicemail. Letting out a sigh I move back into the kitchen and sit next to father.

"No answer?" Father asked me as I took a sip from my glass of tea. "Perhaps she is still asleep?"

I glared at him, "She is always on a schedule. There is no way she is still asleep." Inuyasha snorted a bit, "Do you have something to say Inuyasha?"

He moved uncomfortably in his chair, "I got a text at three this morning."

"Why did you not tell me?" I asked.

"Because you tend to get a bit angry when someone says things like this." He snapped back, growling a bit when I sent a glare his way.

I glanced between father and Inuyasha, feeling my grip on control slipping. I could feel my aura pulsing, "Out with it Inuyasha, what did it say?"

Inuyasha dug in his pocket and pulled out his phone. I watched him as he swiped a few times before sliding the device towards me. I looked from it back to him. "Read it you ice prince."

I looked at him for a moment longer, thinking over my options. If I read his text messages I'll know what I wanna know but then again if I don't look I'll drive myself crazy. Drive myself crazy trying to understand why she would text Inuyasha but not me, being her boyfriend, you'd think she'd text me instead. Weighing my options I decided to look.

Looking down I grabbed Inuyasha's phone, swiping the screen.

From: Kags

I need your help

Received: 2:59 am

I looked over at Inuyasha, "What is this suppose to mean?"

"I have no idea! If I did I would tell you Instead of watching you drive yourself bonkers over it." He barked at me.

I looked over at father, "I am leaving for school." I left without waiting for a response.

Walking into the foyer, grabbing my school bag and slipping my shoes on. The walk to school was as it always is, absolutely uneventful, the norm I guess. Inuyasha trailed behind me with his girlfriend who made me uncomfortable but it was only until we got to school. About twenty minutes into the walk we passed the shrine Kagome lived at and saw her mother getting into her car.

Thinking ahead of time and deciding to stop her I ran up to her car and tapped on the glass, "Mrs. Higurashi."

"Why hello Sesshomaru!" She smiled at me a bit, "What did you need dear? I don't have long I have to get back to work for a second shift."

I looked over my shoulder and then up towards the house, "Is Kagome coming down soon? I haven't heard from her since I dropped her off last night and wanted to walk her to school."

"Oh, I believe she already left. I didn't see her this morning so I assumed she left after she was done meditating." She turned the key to her car, starting the engine, "She may already be at school. If she isn't I can ask my husband if he's seen her."

I looked from her up to the house again. Glaring at it before I gave a curt nod and bowed a bit, "Thank you. Have a nice day." She waved at me as I walked away.

I walked slower than usual. Usually with Kagome here I walk a decent speed but now I'm walking slower than Inuyasha and his girlfriend, which they are usually late for school, I can't help but worry. Something is wrong. She never misses school and she never misses walking to school with me to walk alone except that day she ran into my father.

Looking back over the conversation he said something that worried me...

~*FLASHBACK TO 4 DAYS AGO*~

I walked into the living room to find father sitting in front of the tv next to Izayoi. Digging through my back pack I pulled out my progress report. Holding it between my index and middle finger I pushed it in front of my fathers face. He looked at me with a questioning gaze before taking it from me with a small not.

Making my way from the living room to the kitchen for a soda, sitting at the bar in the kitchen with my Chemistry book. Before I could continue with my homework I heard my father shift in front of me.

"Yes father?" I looked at him with a curious gaze.

"I want to speak about yesterday morning, when I called you to tell you I saw Kagome walking. Alone." He said as he walked around and took a seat next to me.

I gave a curt nod for him to continue. When he called me yesterday morning while I was sitting in the library before class to let me know he'd see Kagome I didn't think anything of it.

"I am concerned, her aura had a certain sadness to it. Did she tell you anything?" He was straight to the point with it. "She was acting, odd, is the word I believe I want to use for this subject. She was acting paranoid like someone or something was following her."

I looked at him and shook my head, "No she did not." I pushed my book to the side, "She didn't say anything about anyone following her or that there was anything wrong. She just confirmed that she saw you."

He just nodded before getting up and moving back to the living room. I looked after him with a confused gaze. Shrugging my shoulders I went back to my homework, planning on talking to Kagome about it later.

~*Flashback end*~

"Earth to Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha yelled in my ear.

I released a growl before snapping at him, "What!"

"Kagome isn't at school today." He said as he walked through the hall next to me, going for his locker.

I looked around and realized I had just walked all the way to school without being conscious about it. I walked towards my locker before looking over to Kagome's locker. "How do you know? Maybe she is just either running late or got here earlier than us."

"Sango said she wasn't anywhere, she's been searching for her all morning and hasn't found her." He said opening his locker before slamming it shut. Holding his books he pointed towards the girl Kagome is usually seen with before class. "I think she stayed home."

"Not possible." I said opening my locker, "Her mother said she wasn't there when she got up for work." I pulled my math book out and closed the locker, "So unless her mother was wrong I think she is just hiding somewhere from everyone. Father said she was acting odd when he saw her the other morning."

Before he could answer the bell rang. Going to the class, I sat down in the same seat I have every semester for 2 years. Looking at the board I thought over Inuyasha's answer. Maybe she did stay home? I didn't even smell her scent anywhere near her locker.

Looking at my watch I stopped my arm in mid air before my eyes widened. Thinking about it I'd only smelled her scent once, in the 8th grade, before we started dating. She had just came back from home school. Saying she was doing home schooling due to being sick. After that I hadn't smelled her scent since and I'd never asked her about it. Perhaps I should.

Before class started I pulled my phone out to text her, simply saying hey and locking my phone. Sooner or later she had to answer right?

"Alright class! It's time to talk about teamwork and your final!" The teacher said as she walked in, "Teamwork being you'll all have to pick a partner to do a class project with which will be worth half your grade. If you pass your final, you'll be cleared. So let's start the class everyone." She clapped her hands together before taking roll.

I looked towards the window, 'This is going to be a long day.'

A few hours later we were excused early for the day due to a busted water pipe. Standing at my locker I waited for Inuyasha to finish making his way through the hallway. All day, I haven't seen Kagome at all today, now I am worried.

"Calm down Sessh. I'm sure she's fine." Inuyasha said as he walked up to me before opening his locker, "Maybe she couldn't make it to school today."

"Maybe. But I am still going to worry." I said turning towards him.

We stood in silence for a few moments before Sango came over, holding her phone to her ear. "Yeah, I'll tell him." She paused for a few moments, I didn't use my demon hearing since it was rude to eaves drop on things. "Sure, thank you Mrs. H." She paused again before smiling, "Yes you too. Goodbye."

Inuyasha snorted a bit before speaking, "So what was that about?"

"Oh, it was Kagome's mom. Said her father said Kagome wouldn't be at school for the next few days." She said before looking at me.

I gave her a curious look before grunting.

"She said that Kagome was out of town with her father at her grandparents house." She looked over her shoulder at Miroku before continuing, "She said they don't really get service there so that would explain why she isn't answering."

Inuyasha snorted a bit, "She sent me a text this morning at three. Maybe she found a spot in order to send someone a text."

"But why didn't she tell me?" I asked before stalking away. I ignored Inuyasha yelling after me and continued on towards the exit.

Walking home I looked back on my mother's words. She is hiding something, otherwise she would have told me about leaving town. Pulling out my phone I decided I needed to talk to someone and I knew exactly who I needed to talk to.

After a few rings I heard a feminine voice, "Well Hello, Sesshomaru. Nice of you to call after so long."

"Enough greetings." I said with a snarl. "I need you to meet me at the secret spot... Don't be late." I heard a grunt for an answer before I hit the end call button and stuffed the phone in my pocket.

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I know, it took me a while to update. I've been sick with the flu. Curse you winter.

I'll try to write the next chapter without taking almost a month to finish it.

But enjoy the cliffy. Wondering who the woman is, are you not? Mwahahaha. Leaving you all to your own thoughts. Driving you insane!