Ch 4 – Where Is She?

The next morning Inuyasha was in the kitchen getting Kagome's lunch together.

"Do you think I could go with you Inuyasha?" Miroku asked. "Maybe the two of us can get her to open up."

"I don't know, she is very shy, and looks like she is always afraid of something." Inuyasha said thinking of how Kagome might react to meeting someone new.

"How about I tag along and if you think she is uncomfortable I will leave." He said

"No, let me just go alone and I'll talk to her about you coming tomorrow." Inuyasha said, Miroku nodded then stopped

"Tomorrow is work! Or are you skipping out again?" Miroku asked

"Dude, priorities, I'm going to make sure Kagome gets food!" Inuyasha said offended.

"Oh, right…sorry. Yeah ask her and if it's okay I'll come."

Inuyasha closed the basket and left. He walked to his place under the tree and waited. And waited. And waited. She was late but he tried not to get worried, she could've gotten held up. Finally the sun was at mid sky and it was the time she usually had to go. He thought about looking for her but shook his head. 'I'm probably worrying about nothing, I'm sure I'll see her tomorrow…' he thought.

He came home and Miroku saw him set the full basket on the kitchen counter "What happened?"

"She never showed up…" Inuyasha said turning to him

"I'm sure she just got stuck at home, doing chores or something…" He tried to reassure his friend but they both had a sick feeling in their stomachs. Inuyasha didn't sleep that night.

The next morning he grabbed the basket and left for the forest. Miroku was already at work and he knew he would cover for him again. He really was a good friend. Inuyasha sat down and waited.

The rose to the top of the sky. "Something's not right" He said standing up, he started walking with the basket in hand. He looked all around the forest, after an hour of walking blindly through the forest he found a house "I bet that's it" He looked around, it had to be her house, it's the only house for miles outside of the village. He snuck up to the window and peaked in. He saw a man sitting on the couch. He had long black hair that went all the way down his back, he was pale skinned and had dark eyes. He had on pajama bottoms and nothing covering his chest. He moved around the house and saw a room with bars on the window, it was on the second floor but luckily there was a tree right beside it, Inuyasha climbed up the tree and looked inside. There she was. She was laying on the bed she was wearing the same clothes again…he gently tapped on the window and she jumped. She walked up and looked at him through the bars. She had a giant cut on her cheek. Inuyasha looked around the bars and cursed to himself. She placed her hand on the window glass. She didn't say a word in fear she'd be heard she covered her mouth with her finger and pointed down stairs. Inuyasha first instinct was to start bashing stuff until he got her free but he knew this guy was probably dangerous and didn't want to endanger Kagome any further. She turned her head to look at the door and Inuyasha saw new bruises on her neck, she turned back to face him, she looked worried. He covered his mouth with his finger mimicking her motion earlier and mouthed 'I'll be back, just wait' and carefully and quietly got out of the tree and raced back to the village.

He ran up to the farm him and Miroku worked and grabbed his shoulder. Miroku was in the middle of hoeing the rows and turned to see Inuyasha flushed and out of breath, he grabbed his shoulders as well. "Inuyasha what's wrong?"

"Kagome, we have to save her!" He said panting "He has her, and he's hurting her!" He was breathing hard trying to catch his breath. Miroku nodded and followed him back into the forest.

"So what happened?" Miroku asked as they ran

"She didn't show up again so I went looking for her, I found her house…." He recalled the deep cut on her cheek "It's bad Miroku we need to get her out."

They stopped before the house "Inuyasha, it sounds like this guy is dangerous, what's our plan?" Miroku asked, bending over to catch his breath. He was in blue jeans and a flannel button down shirt, it was hardly running clothes.

"We go in there, kick his ass and get her out!" Inuyasha said bluntly

"Okay, um, good plan, now what if he has a gun or other weapons?" Miroku said being sarcastic at his friends rash thinking.

"Then let's not let him get to us" he said, just then they heard a scream come from the house and ran up to the window, they peaked in and saw him grabbing Kagome at the top of the stairs with the basket in hand. Inuyasha's stomach sank, he left it outside her house without thinking. Just then they saw him lift her in the air and toss her down the stairs, she fell face down and blood began to pour on the floor.

"Let's go" Inuyasha said standing up and heading to the front door.

"Yes, let's not get reinforcements, he looks harmless" Miroku sarcastically said to himself following his friend.

Inuyasha tried the door but it was locked, he began to bang on the door. Trying to kick it in.

"Who's there" a dark voice called

"your worst nightmare, open up!" He yelled,

Miroku looked around for anything they could use to open the door. Just then the door unlocked and swung open. "Who..?"

BANG! A rock nailed him right in the head, Inuyasha looked at Miroku "Nice shot"

The man fell to the floor and Miroku grinned running in. Inuyasha got on top of him holding him down "Get Kagome out of here!"

The man began to fight Inuyasha off of him. As the two struggled, Miroku approached Kagome and shook her "Ma'am are you okay?"

No response. Miroku grabbed her arm "At least she has a pulse" He said picking up her unconscious body and running out of the door

"BRING BACK MY WHORE!" He shouted

"What did you say?!" Inuyasha said punching him square in the nose.

He threw him off and got up to his knees, trying to stand and go after Kagome, "Oh no you don't!" Inuyasha shouted grabbing a bloody knife on the table, "So you like cutting girls do you?!" He said stabbing him in the back, the man shouted falling back to the floor. Inuyasha jumped over him and took off after Miroku and Kagome. The man laid there on the floor trying to reach the knife. By the time he pulled it out of his back they were long gone. He pulled himself up and wobbled to the bathroom and started tending to his wounds.

"Damn them, they will not get away with this. I will get her back, and she will pay" He said wrapping up the wound on his back.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Lay her on the bed!" Inuyasha instructed heading toward the phone

"Who are you calling?" Miroku asked as he laid Kagome on the bed

"I'm calling Kaede, she'll know what to do" Inuyasha said looking at Kagome, she had a big gash on her head and the blood was still running out of it. "Will you put something on that? Try to keep the blood in" He said panicking with each ring that had no answer.

"Hello?" Finally Kaede answered

"Kaede, it's Inuyasha, can you get over here, I have a girl that's really hurt!" He said, she said she'd be right over and hung up. Inuyasha walked over to Kagome and held her hand "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner"

Miroku placed a warm rag on her head to hold in the blood. Inuyasha held it there and Miroku stood outside waiting for Kaede and watching for him.

Kaede finally came in "Where is she?" she asked

"Over here!" Inuyasha called out. Kaede came over with her bag

"This looks bad… We need a doctor Inuyasha." She said as she began to disinfect the wound and took out bandages to wrap her head.

"You're the best nurse I know. I trust you." Inuyasha said

"Then trust what I say, get the car ready we are taking her to the hospital now!" She commanded. Inuyasha ran outside and got the car started. Kaede drove and Inuyasha sat in the back with Kagome laying in his lap. Miroku rode in front with Kaede and kept looking back at them.

"Do you think she will make it?" Miroku asked,

"Yes, but she is severely hurt. You two should've taken her here in the first place!" She said scolding them.

Inuyasha just looked down at Kagome, guilt filling his stomach. Why hadn't he gone to her house yesterday? Why didn't he try to save her when he was there the first time? Why did he leave the basket there? It was all his fault she got hurt.