Chapter 7 – Missing

Miroku felt the buzzing in his pocket. Pulling his phone out, he fumbled to connect his hands free, never taking his eyes off the road.

"Hello?"

"Miroku, it's me!" Sango sounded panicky.

He gritted his teeth. "I take it there's no sign?"

"No, nowhere!" she sounded terrified. "Please tell me you've found something!"

"Sango, I'm sorry, I've driven all over downtown. She's not here."

"But where could she be?!"

"Where are you now?"

"At the demon slayer's headquarters. I'm trying to get permission for a search. They keep telling me to go to the sodding police, but she's a miko! They're not gonna be able to find her!"

"Sango," he said gently, "I can't find her. I can't even sense her spiritual power. She's thrown it everywhere; it's impossible to trace."

"What do you mean?!"

"Kagome is very powerful. She's thrown her… her signature everywhere, so we won't be able to trace her to one particular source… it's almost as if she doesn't want to be found. Nobody is going to be able to find her; not even the demon slayers would be much better off than the police."

"What do you mean she doesn't want to be found?! She's gotta realise how worried she has us!"

"Yes, but clearly something is more important than that."

"Why?! Miroku, why?!"

"Well… maybe she's trying to protect us from something?"

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. Followed by silence.

There was the sound of a car revving.

"Sango?"

"Meet me at Kagome's house."

The line went dead.

…

She was running. As long as she ran far and fast enough, they couldn't find her. She couldn't risk them getting hurt. Not for her. It had happened before. Kanna had been in ICU for weeks after what they had done to her. Kagome had moved before she had come out. She hadn't wanted… not to look at the pity every day in her eyes. Not the anger. Not the pain. Not the betrayal. Especially… not the doubt. It was enough to drive someone crazy.

She didn't know where she was. She didn't care where she was. She could smell the wet ground, and was glad that it would make it hard for a demon to follow her scent. She had scattered her powers around, so no one could trace her. It was better that way. Safer. Kagome just hoped… she didn't know what she hoped. She just wanted to get away. Or meet them. Just… whatever happened, as long as it was far away. Far, far away from anyone she cared about. Then they would be safe.

Oh God, she hoped they would be safe.

…

"What are we looking for?!" Miroku asked Sango exasperatedly. He couldn't help it; a slight edge crept into his voice. He was worried. No, scratch that, he was terrified. Kagome was missing, probably lost and helpless, in this place that she had no idea about, no sense to find her way around, and Sango was digging through her room.

"Anything!" Sango yelled, throwing the sheets off the bed, then ripping the mattress off in a frenzy. "Anything malicious, anything unexpected, anything…"

"Like this?" Miroku whispered.

Sango looked over to him. "What the hell were you doing in her clothes draw, you hentai?!"

"Sango…" Miroku whispered.

She came over and looked at the object in his hand.

A knife.

"What kind of girl keeps a dagger in her bedroom?" Miroku said. He sounded… disbelieving. Like he couldn't believe in the object he was holding in his hand.

"A terrified one," Sango breathed.

Miroku turned to her. "Why would Kagome… I mean, Kagome?!"

"She… she had… a bad experience," Sango said. Dodging the bullet.

"Bad experience my arse."

"People… they came after her. That's why… why she moved here. She… she was running away." Sango whispered. Even her own voice seemed far away.

She turned back to the room, staring without seeing at the mess she had created. "Miroku, you have to help me. Just… just look."

…

She finally crumpled at the base of a tree. She didn't know where she was; she didn't care where she was. Kagome finally let go, and empty, heart-wrenching sobs echoed across the clearing. She must have run miles. When her strength had run out, her spiritual power had held her up… until that, too, had run out. And here she was.

"Well, well," said a voice in her ear. "A knife in the pantie draw; nice touch."

Kagome whipped her head around. There was no one there. But she knew better than to dismiss it. Her heart thumped in terror. She should run. But she was just… so… exhausted.

"Kinky, I daresay," the voice continued, "But I moved it for the monk and the demon slayer. We wouldn't want that hentai's hands in your personal effects, now would we?"

The tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She wished… oh God, if it had to happen, she hoped he would kill her quickly. But Kagome knew better than that. The woman had all been for killing her quickly… but he… he wanted her to suffer. He wanted to taste her fear. He wanted to… oh God…

"Thinking about it?" she could feel his hot breath on her ear. She closed her eyes, and cringed away from the warmth.

"You know, she told me not to come today," he whispered, "But I couldn't resist seeing your pretty face. You didn't think you could hide forever, did you? You didn't think that moving house would save you? Pathetic."

She couldn't move; couldn't respond. He could feel her trembling under him, and chuckled. He liked it.

"Now, where were we the last time? Hmm, I think, I remember…"

Something silver flashed by her face, and she felt the metal biting into the skin on her face. Then, a spreading warmth through the numbing cold.

"You taste nice…" he ran his tongue up her face, licking, lapping at the blood.

…

"Miroku! Miroku, come here!" Sango called from where she was emptying the bin under Kagome's desk. Balled up paper flew everywhere.

Miroku read one over her shoulder.

Mom,

I'm sorry. I lo-

"A note? Why did she leave a note?"

"She didn't, idiot. She threw it in the bin. Look, there's more."

Please believe me when I say this is the best thing-

"She was planning to run away?" Miroku asked, aghast. "But then why did she leave it until we were at school? And the way she disappeared – well, it wasn't exactly an orderly exit."

"I don't think she was planning on it. My guess is she got scared. Changed her mind."

I love you all, and if things were different. Please don't come after m-

"But… why now? If she was so terrified, why did she leave it?"

"I don't know." She continued to furiously un-ball and then re-ball the scraps of paper, throwing them everywhere. "Come on," she muttered. "There must be a clue here. Somewhere. Come on Kags, why'd you leave us?!"

She was just about to add another scrap of paper to the growing pile, when Miroku's hand on her wrist stopped her. She looked up at his face, and saw he was frowning at the paper.

"Sango, does that look like Kagome's handwriting to you?"

On the paper were two words. Any vague hope the two friends might have felt for Kagome's safety vanished. They stared in absolute horror at the cursive lettering.

Found you.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Okay guys, I'm sorry it's so short, but I had to split this up into two chapters! It was practically begging to be in seperate parts! Also, this being in two parts means I get to leave this amazing cliffie. :D

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has reviewed; you guys keep me going! Thank you!

Also, as a mini poll/questionnaire-type thing - What has been your favourite Inuyasha/Kagome moment so far? I know they aren't even together yet, but I hope that I've put in enough. Not particularly romantic, just the interaction between the two of them you liked the best! (No pressure here - I'm genuinely curious!)

Thank you!

Libra Sorceress xx