AN-Wow, alerts and reviews; Thankyou! Glad to see people are interested, Lots of things floating around in my head for this fic so hopefully I will get them down quick, fingers crossed.

Chapter 3 - Strange Similarities

Cooking with Kasumi was strangely soothing. The repetitive motions involved in chopping vegetables were almost hypnotizing - for once Kagome wasn't trying to hush her thoughts every second, because for once she didn't have to. Kasumi was humming softly to herself. Kagome was grateful for Kasumi's soft nature, she didn't ask questions or try to engage her in conversation like anyone else would have, she just let her be. She began to relax.

But when everyone was seated and starting on the dinner she and Kasumi had prepared, Kagome started feeling uneasy again. She could feel the eyes on her as she picked at her food even though her own were firmly trained on her bowl. "So anyone seen Grandfather Happosai?" Akane asked. "Huh, strange I haven't seen the little creep for days, he's probably busy sleazing his way around town," Ranma said this all with an air of indifference before shovelling the rest of his food in is mouth. He eats like an animal, Kagome noted. Or like a certain demon I know, her treacherous mind supplied. So it was back to this was it? Kagome wished herself back in the kitchen, wanting an end to her constant battle against her own thoughts. "So, Kagome," came Nabiki's languid voice, distracting her from herself. "Who gave you that jewel? You keep tugging at it... must be special." Kagome brought her hand to her throat, only to find her hand was already there, closed tightly around the Shikon Jewel. She frowned. She didn't realise she did that. "Earth to Kagome?"
"Umm, it's nothing just a trinket is all." Nabiki frowned. "Really? Looks expensive, like an opal that size?." Kagome groaned mentally, just like Nabiki to be thinking of the money. In a flash she saw Miroku scheming money out of poor in-keepers. She shuddered and rubbed her hand over her face, suddenly feeling very stressed. She knew they were all waiting for an answer though she was reluctant to give one, she couldn't talk about the jewel and not think. But thankfully she was saved by a loud squealing that erupted out of nowhere.

The sliding door was thrown open and slammed unceremoniously against the wooden frame. A tiny old man flung himself through the room, ending up a crying heap on Akane's chest. "Your pig attacked me! Akane, won't you get rid of it?" Ranma and Akane both looked as if they'd swallowed something sour. "That's Grandfather Happosai, he taught Mr. Saotome and father." Kasumi told Kagome, not noticing Kagome's tense, rigid posture. In one fluid motion Ranma ripped the old man from Akane and threw him to the ground. Akane's pig raced into the room and Akane held him tight against her. "What the hell were you doing to make P-Chan freak out like that anyway?" Akane yelled at the still wailing man. P-Chan squealed indignantly. "Nothing! Oh poor me! Not an ounce of respect for an old man, not even from the pig!" Ranma snorted derisively, "Yeah right, probably stealing from your underwear drawer," he told Akane. He launched himself at Happosai, who was now trying to escape. He caught him and pinned him to the ground with a foot, knocking a bowl of the table in process. The loud crash it made when it hit the ground made Kagome jump and everyone turned to look at her again. "I'll um, get that," she muttered as she picked up the large shards the bowl had broken into.

Ranma turned his attention back to the old man. "I didn't do it!"

"Whatever, you're nothing but a sleazy robber." Kagome froze, the shards she had picked up fell from her limp hands. She could remember exactly, a day when he'd said that same thing, protecting her and the Jewel. She could see everything so clearly. She remembered the light weight of Shippo on her shoulders and she could feel the hot blush that had crept over her cheeks when Miroku had said InuYasha loved her. Oh god, InuYasha, Kagome began shaking violently, trying to suppress the floods of tears that were threatening. She wrapped one arm around herself, while her other hand clutched at her head like she could force the memories out that way. "Kagome?" she could hear someone say and she felt a warm hand at her back. Kagome leapt up and pressed against the wall, staring wild eyed at the room's occupants. Happosai had stopped struggling against Ranma to stare at her suspiciously. "Kagome?" said that voice again. "You're safe okay, it's all right Kagome." Kagome choked back a sob, desperately wishing she were safe, safe and warm in InuYasha's arms. Only she also wanted to not think that because it was only making things worse. "Kagome? It's all okay." Kagome turned and fled the room.

She stumbled through the house trying to remember where Akane's room was – she just wanted to go to bed. After all that time of just feeling nothing, suddenly her emotions were everywhere, she was scared and lonely, confused and … kind of queasy. She turned away from the door of Akane's room and went to the bathroom instead – emptying the meagre contents of her stomach into the toilet.

She rinsed out her mouth and then, feeling exhausted she trudged back to Akane's room and settled herself on the top bunk. Her bags were already in the room, piled in the corner by Akane's desk. She fingered the Shikon Jewel, watching it shine greens, blues and pinks in the light. It used to be pink, she mused, not quite remembering when it turned white like that. It did look like some kind of opal now. She stared at the opposite wall, tracing invisible patterns with her eyes.

"Kagome?" Akane whispered, slipping into her room. She seemed to be sleeping, but Akane didn't think so. "Kagome, I know it's hard. Losing someone I mean. There's not a lot that can make it better, all you can do is try to move on. You can't live in the past Kagome, it's okay to think of them and you should cherish the time you had, but you have to go on and live. That's all I wanted to say. It really is good to see you."

Kagome heard the door close. She knew she couldn't live in the past - she'd said that much to her friends. That was the whole reason she was so alone and miserable now.