Back with another chapter! Thanks for all the love. You're reviews have been great and encouraging. Sorry for the not so surprising cliff hanger, what can I say? I like the shock value. Don't forget to R&R!

Kagome quickly pulled the curtains closed around the room as she backed away from the window.

The anxiety was coursing through her veins, bubbling in her stomach and making her feel light headed. She was panicking. Her breathing was frantic, coming and going in infrequent bursts. Kagome watched as Inuyasha straightened the tree and Sango fussed around her, leading her to the sofa by her shoulders. Kagome clung to Sango. Not hearing her over the roar of blood in her ears.

He found me. I didn't kill him...

Kagome didn't know how to feel about that thought. Part of her felt relieved. She didn't want another person's life on her hands. She felt almost clean. But now that he knew where she was, she was dead.

Sango continued talking but Kagome was gone. Her mind lost in the seconds that she gazed upon her father's face.

Up turned, it caught the street light; the anger was clear in his eyes as they glowed red. Kagome could feel his anger; she could feel the bruises on her body resurfacing like a bad memory. Kagome could feel herself shaking. She withdrew from Sango and pulled her knees to her chest. Kagome tried to focus. But her heart was racing. She was pulled against someone. She looked up. Inuyasha held her, his grip steady and firm. He leaned her head against his chest. Kagome struggled, his grip was too tight, she couldn't move. But he held firm anyway. Sango knelt in front of Kagome. Sango's eyes were wide with fear as she gripped Kagome's hand.

"Kagome are you listening?"

Kagome nodded numbly.

"Are you sure it was your dad?"

Kagome nodded.

"Okay, what's your Dad's name?"

Kagome swallowed painfully. Her mouth was too dry.

"Naraku."

Sango abruptly dropped Kagome's hand, her eyes going over Kagome's head. Inuyasha stiffened against her and his grip loosened.

Miroku came and stood behind Sango.

"Naraku?"

Kagome nodded, looking at the two of them carefully.

Inuyasha pulled away from her," Are you sure?"

"I know my own father's name." Kagome heard herself snap.

"What's wrong?" Kagome surveyed their faces.

Sango looked to Miroku. Miroku met her gaze and Kagome watched as Sango gave him a look she couldn't quite understand.

"I'll go call Sesshomaru," Miroku said as he turned to leave.

"We have to move her." Inuyasha stood and began whispering to Sango.

Kagome was confused.

"What's going on?"

They ignored her. Kagome could feel her face growing hot as her annoyance morphed into anger.

Sango nodded before stepping away from Inuyasha and sitting beside her.

"It's not safe for you here. So we're going to move to Sesshomaru's house for now."

Kagome couldn't say she wasn't happy. She didn't want to be anywhere her father.

"Sango, this is your home though, what about it?"

Sango smiled, but her eyes held a weariness that made tears prick the back of Kagome's throat.

"I'm going to stay here tonight to pack some of our things. But it's no big deal. I've left it before," Sango shrugged.

Miroku came and sat on the other side of Kagome, draping his arms around her lightly.

"Sesshomaru is on his way to fetch you."

Kagome rolled her eyes at Miroku's word choice but said nothing. Kagome sat, wedged between her two friends, on the loveseat. She closed her eyes and leaned in to Miroku. Her panic had subsided, and all that was left was a nugget of fear in the pit of her stomach. A feeling she was sure wasn't going to go away.

He hasn't caught me yet. I'm okay as long as he doesn't catch me.

Kagome sat up when she heard a knock at the front door. Kagome must have fallen asleep, Miroku and Sango were gone. She peaked over the back of the loveseat to see her friends huddled over the bar speaking in hushed voices. Inuyasha met her gaze before turning to open the door.

Sesshomaru breezed by Inuyasha without a greeting.

"Where is she?" It was more of a demand than a question. His tone made Kagome sit all the way up.

"Gather a few of your personal belongings. Clothes will be provided for you. We leave in five minutes."

Though he spoke calmly she found herself rushing anyway. She quickly got to her feet and headed to her room. She flipped on the light and found her backpack lying on her bed. She unzipped it quickly and checked the contents. Her phone, head phones and books were all there. She zipped it back up. As much as she loved this room, all her personal belongings were already packed into a two pocket book bag. Kagome slipped on some shoes and grabbed her sweater.

She turned off the light without looking back.

"I'm ready."

"Let's go." Sesshomaru turned and left, while Kagome stood there for a second.

"Don't worry, we'll see you tomorrow, Kagome," Sango offered her a reassuring smile.

Kagome tried but just couldn't quite muster a smile in return. Kagome turned to leave. She felt a gentle hand grab her arm, and she looked back.

Inuyasha quickly dropped her arm, his mouth open as if to say something. She waited. His expression was almost troubled. He shook his head.

"Never mind."

Kagome hesitated for a second more before she lightly punched his arm. His eyebrows were knitted together and, for him, she was able to muster a smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Kagome left the apartment.

Sesshomaru was leaned against the wall just outside, a small smirk on his face. He regarded her with no more than a look, before his smile fell away and he began walking. His strides were long and Kagome had to speed walk to keep up. Her long skirt danced playfully around her ankles. Sesshomaru offered her no words. Not even a look back as he walked briskly down the stairs.

In Kagome's haste, her foot caught on the hem of her skirt causing her to trip and fall against the railing. Sesshomaru continued walking but threw a glance back over his shoulder.

Their eyes met and Kagome felt her jaw practically drop when he turned away and kept walking. Kagome straightened up, adjusting her bag on her back she continued down the stairs no longer rushing to keep up with him.

He wasn't going anywhere without her.

She pushed open the door to the garage a few minutes after she heard it close. Sesshomaru was standing in the driver's side door of a nondescript black Honda Civic. Kagome was a little surprised. With the flashy mansion, maids, and giant garage, Kagome had basically assumed he'd be driving the nicest, biggest thing out there. She approached the car quickly and climbed inside. Kagome placed her book bag between her feet and buckled herself in.

The interior of the car was clean; as if this was the first time it had been driven. Kagome wasn't surprised, as she side eyed Sesshomaru, it was very clear he was a neat person.

His hair was perfectly brushed, not a hair was out of place even with the windy garage. He wore a suit that Kagome could tell, just by looking, was expensive. Not a wrinkle in sight. Kagome couldn't help herself and she casually leaned on to the arm rest, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sesshomaru's shoes.

I can't see anything. I bet they're spotless.

Kagome sat up straight. The silence was becoming almost unbearable. The sound of the car sloshing through the snow on the ground offered Kagome no comfort. She was tired, and the longer she sat there listening to nothing more than the sound of Sesshomaru moving his foot from the brake to the accelerator, Kagome felt she might go mad.

She pictured her father's slumped body, leaning against the dented wall of their house. The stench of his burning flesh was stuck in her nose. The fear was still fresh in her veins.

Why did I think he was dead?

She knew how strong he was. The energy that left her was massive, but it wasn't stronger than the energy she had felt swirling around him.

I'm an idiot.

She had thought she was safe. She was an idiot for that too. Kagome could feel herself sinking into misery.

"Kagome."

Her head snapped towards Sesshomaru. She hadn't expected him to speak. Her name sounded different on his lips. It sounded almost regal.

"It would help me to protect you better if I knew what your father did to you."

Kagome cleared her throat before speaking, "He was abusive. He-"

"Start from the beginning, as far back as you can remember," Sesshomaru cut her off easily, and Kagome felt like a kid. She quelled her annoyance with a short huffed breath and started again.

"I've been calling Naraku, dad as long as I can remember. But he's not my real father. Mom met him sometime when I was about two or three. I don't remember him being abusive until my mom got pregnant with Souta."

"You have a brother?" There was no inquiring inflection but Kagome answered him anyway.

"Yeah. Somewhere. My mom disappeared with him when I was kid. My dad told her she could be free as long as she left me behind. She had to protect the baby."

Kagome could hear herself defending her mother against the implied accusations. She didn't want anyone judging or hating her mother. Kagome didn't. Though Kagome didn't have very many memories of her mom she always had a warm feeling when she thought about her. From what she could remember, her mother was kind and loving.

"Do you find it weird that you still refer to him as dad?"

Kagome had never thought about it. His real name was foreign on her tongue. She sampled it and found it odd and bitter.

"He's the only dad I've ever known. He raised me well for the first few years after my mom left. It was when I turned twelve that the abuse started. I know it's not much but I do have some good memories of him."

Sesshomaru remained quiet but it was just as well, Kagome was lost in her thoughts again.

She did have a good memory of him. Just like she had good memories of her mom, and could never hate her for leaving her.

She remembered sitting on her dad's shoulders as they peered over crowds in the crowded toy store. She didn't remember how that trip ended but it always brought a smile to her face. She could never forgive him, but she would hold on to the thought that her dad, somewhere deep down, loved her. Even if it was for a brief moment in a toy store.

The road was stretching on in front of them. Sesshomaru was terrible company and eventually Kagome fished her head phones out of her book bag and disconnected completely from further conversation.

Her phone was on shuffle as she flipped through song after song trying to find something that fit her mood. She decided to listen to a soft acoustic song. Kagome always had a love for sad songs mourning lost love. She listened to them and envied them. She didn't know why exactly. Kagome had experienced lost love but it seemed so different from the love written in tearful lyrics. Kagome closed her eyes and leaned her head against the window. The window was cold but she leaned against it anyway. She listened to the music and tried to clear her mind.

She didn't want to think about anything anymore. It was too much, and it was too painful. But try as she might the thoughts still tainted her mind.

She never thought she would be so happy to see that obnoxious mansion again. Sesshomaru parked the car in the garage and got out of the car. As Kagome scrambled to unbuckle her seat belt she dropped her phone.

"Shit." Kagome hissed out, before fishing around the dimly lit floor for phone and head phones. Her door opened and light illuminated the car. She could see Sesshomaru's perfectly unmared shoes out the corner of her eye. She mumbled out thanks as she easily located her phone and dropped it into her book bag. Kagome climbed out of the car and found it odd that no servants were there to greet them. Kagome looked around puzzled. She followed Sesshomaru inside. As she stood in the hall she recognized from the time she stood here with Inuyasha, it felt different. She eyed Sesshomaru.

Very different.

Sesshomaru looked at her and Kagome felt her face flush. She'd been caught. His mouth twitched into a small smirk and he turned fully to face her. Kagome took a step back. Sesshomaru followed her. She felt her back hit the wall and she looked up at him with wide eyes.

Kagome wasn't scared but she felt her heart beating fast in her chest. Sesshomaru leaned down quickly and kissed her. Kagome tried to jerk back, but the wall held her head in place.

She felt lava in her veins, her heart stopped in her chest.

Sesshomaru pulled away from her, just enough so he could look her briefly in the eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but he silenced her by standing up and walking away. Kagome followed behind him quietly with a little difficulty, she couldn't feel her legs. She followed blindly, trying desperately to remind herself to breathe.

Sesshomaru stopped in front of a door.

"This is your suite. I advise you get a good night's rest, we have much to discuss in the morning. Should you need me, my room is located there."

Kagome nodded quickly and watched as he walked away. She entered her room and closed the door behind her, not bothering to turn on the light. She felt the panic welling up. She sat in front of her door, buried her face in her knees and cried.