Chapter 4: What Is Going On?

Kagome cursed under her breath as the mug, as if in slow motion, was pulled by gravity towards the unforgiving floor that would ultimately make it shatter. She didn't hear the loud clatter, only saw the many shards of hardened clay sliding across the tiles. For a second, she saw the Shikon no Tama breaking into a million shards. Blinking, she shoved the image away and sighed as she bent down the pick up the remains of the mug.

"You alright there, Kagome?" A voice asked above her. She sighed again.

"Fine, just a bit tired." No way was she going to tell John or Sherlock what was really going on.

John watched her throughout the next few days with increasing worry as Kagome only seemed to get clumsier and clumsier. And she slept later than usual as well. She was always saying that she was tired when asked if there was anything wrong, and wouldn't say anything more. She was quieter too, and hadn't been taking any cases whatsoever. Not even Mycroft's cases, which, she had said, brought her a high level of satisfaction and excitement.

His brow furrowed as Kagome stumbled slightly before regaining her balance and continuing to the kitchen for more tea.

A frown turned down the lips of John's mouth when Kagome seemed to just loose her grip on a mug and it was sent tumbling down to the floor before smashing into a hundred pieces.

But when she actually cut herself with a sharp knife while cutting carrots, his eyes narrowed. He'd had enough. Kagome's sudden clumsiness was unusual and he had given her plenty of time to tell him in her own time. He glanced at Sherlock. It was about time he knew as well.

Sherlock had also been remarkably silent, though he watched Kagome with an intensity that he generally displayed in cases. John supposed that Kagome could be quite cryptic when she spoke about certain things and she did act strangely, but Sherlock wasn't the type to ask questions when there was finally something to keep him away from boredom. He still took cases, but he solved them quickly and reverted back to the Curious Case of Higurashi Kagome.

That evening John resolved to question Kagome about her strange behaviour the next day. Kagome retired to bed early and so he had the perfect opportunity to see what Sherlock had found out. Although, it couldn't be very accurate with how she'd been acting recently, but it's always worth a try.

On second thoughts… that may not be a good idea. It was most likely that the problem lay in the spiritual and demonic part of Kagome's world - a world which Kagome still kept mostly hidden from John, much to his irritation and understanding. Still, he was worried and Sherlock did need to know about Kagome's secret.

However, the next morning did not go as originally planned for John. For starters, he'd not planned for there to be an apple on the coffee table. Kagome walked in and froze for a second before pointedly ignoring it, as if doing so would erase it from existence. Unfortunately, this did not work and the apple still very much existed as Kagome got tea and sat down. Sherlock came in and saw the apple, looked between Kagome and John curiously, sat down on the sofa, and stared at it. As if it would answer every question the detective had ever thought of. Of course, he had just as much luck as Kagome, but he stubbornly persisted.

"Sherlock." Kagome said quietly and casually, though with a hint of threat and warning, speaking for the first time in two days. "Keep away from the apple." Sherlock had an awful habit of doing the exact opposite of whatever people told him to do, something that John felt had stemmed from being constantly monitored by Mycroft. His hand reached out to touch it. Kagome moved her head towards him and glared. "Don't touch it, Sherlock."

"Why?" Oh God, the dreaded question. Why oh why did it exist? John thought, rather dramatically. Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"Just don't. Keep away from it. Don't touch it. Don't even breath on it." And then mumbled, "Maybe it will go away." Kagome glared irritably at the wall.

"A physical impossibility unless someone touches it." And before Kagome could protest further, Sherlock reached out and picked up the apple by the stem. And then watched, stunned and disbelieving, as it carved something on itself. John and Sherlock recognised it before it was even finished. Kagome hissed and stood up, pacing.

"Idiot. Stupid. Moron." She said at the still stunned Sherlock. "Yes, I know!" She snarled at one corner of the room. "Thanks for making things so much easier for me(!)" She growled sarcastically. Then pointedly turned her back on whatever she was talking to.

"Kagome… do you know what's going on?" John asked, still staring at the apple. Kagome sighed as Sherlock threw the apple at her and caught it deftly. She looked at the letters carved in the apple and then snorted.

"I O U? A bit childish isn't it? And very crudely done." She said, obviously disappointed, and then laughed. Then she sighed. "Yes, I know what's going on, but I didn't anticipate it happening this soon, and I haven't even started getting rid of the problem." She narrowed her eyes at the apple. She went to the window and opened it, throwing the apple out and then closing the window with a satisfied glint in her eyes.

"What did you do that for?" Sherlock asked petulantly. She shrugged.

"It was annoying me." Both John and Sherlock's eyebrows climbed up their forehead in surprise. She turned to a corner of the room. "And so are you. I've let you do as you wish, but you are going too far." She looked away. "I was curious," She sighed. "And I should know by now to ignore it at this point." She laughed harshly and let the darker side of herself come out. Grinning and baring her teeth threateningly, she looked back to the spirit that was invisible to everyone else. "But if you try anything more that you have today, I will destroy you." She hissed. John's eyes widened. Well, at least he knew what this was about. The last time she threatened that was with Hayato.

"Hey, Kagome?" She didn't take her eyes off Moriarty, but she nodded.

"That's right, Kagome. Your master is calling." He taunted. She snarled loudly, startling Sherlock and John, but didn't respond.

"What is it, John?" She narrowed her eyes on Moriarty.

"Is this going to be another thing we don't talk about?" Startled, she turned her gaze to John. She frowned in confusion.

"Another thing?" Her eyes softened slightly. "We talk about everything though." Her eyes widened as she felt Moriarty move quickly towards her. She raised her barrier too late, he was already touching her. One hand rested on her stomach, causing pain to ripple through her body. Her mouth opened slightly, but nothing came out. She lasted three seconds before she fell to her knees, her legs unable to support her weight anymore. John stepped forward, alarmed, to help her.

"No!" She choked out, shuddering. "Stay there." Moriarty stroked her hair in mock sympathy.

"There, there. I don't usually like to get my hands dirty, but for you, darling, I will." She glared at him.

"Really? I hadn't guessed." She spat sarcastically. A small frown turned down the corners of Moriarty's lips. He tightened his grip on her stomach. Her eyes shut as she shuddered again, unable to stop a small whimper from escaping.

"Sarcasm, my dear? Is that really wise?" A sardonic quirk tilted her lips.

"Of course." She looked at him fiercely, her irises lit up with her power. "I will stop you."

Moriarty's lips turned up in a pale imitation of a cheerful smile. "No you won't." He sent a final pulse of power through her body and then disappeared. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. She had no idea what that power was about, but at least he had gone - and soon to return, she had no doubt. She got to her feet, swaying slightly, and looked calmly to the two men in front of her.

Smiling wryly, she said, "I've got a lot of explaining to do, obviously." Her eyes then rolled back in her head as she proceeded to faint on the spot. Maybe I should have stayed on the floor, she thought, rolling mental eyes at herself.

"What the - Kagome!" John barely caught her in time to cushion her fall. He sighed heavily. Sometimes he never understood why he stayed with her. He looked to Sherlock, who had his eyes narrowed in thought. "I guess I'll put her upstairs." Sherlock didn't bother to reply, and merely lay back and steepled his fingers under his chin - his universal 'don't-talk-to-me-I'm-thinking' position.

Sighing again, John pulled Kagome into his arms and made his way to his room and put her on his bed. He tucked her in, dragging the covers over her so she was comfortable, and looked down at her for a moment.

"What am I going to do with you?" He walked out of the room, losing the door, and rejoined Sherlock. Kagome could explain herself when she woke up. He had no right to speak of her secrets. For now, he'd just have to keep Sherlock at bay.


A/N: Okay, mini-torture scene didn't work out so well. Personally, I don't like it, but my brain refuses to come up with something else, so I'm stuck with it. L Still, let me know what you think.

BP