Blood Stained

There will be less "depression", but the romance will have to wait.



Thanks to Eve for Beta-Reading!



Blood Stained



Chapter 24: Check Up



Miyu had a huge pile of clothes in her arms as she walked in the direction of her daughter's room. She had spent hours digging them out and going through many boxes, even the ones out in the storage area. Miyu knew Kagome didn't feel like going outside and risk encountering people, but she wanted her daughter to be comfortable. Once she reached her bedroom, she knocked on the door softly waiting for an answer. After a few seconds the door opened revealing Kagome, who was still in her pajamas, since it was the most comfortable thing she owned.



"I found the clothes," she said, showing her the pile, a bright smile on her face.



Kagome smiled at her. "Thanks mom."



This was only her fourth day back home and she was still slowly adjusting. The third day had been a little easier perhaps, because a weight had been lifted off her chest since she had told her mother everything the previous day. Also, it hadn't taken her mother very long to realize Kagome spent most of her time in pajamas not because of depression but because it was more comfortable due to her current state. That was when she decided to look for the clothes she wore while she was pregnant with Souta, hoping it would help for the moment. They were not fashionable or anything, but they would do the job until Kagome got her own clothes. Miyu laid them down on the bed for Kagome to look through before going back in the direction of the door.



The more days that passed the more she could tell when Kagome wanted to be alone. Miyu just figured Kagome required some personal time once in a while, perhaps to deal with these things in her own way. Nonetheless, she always remained close by in case Kagome needed her. Most of the time Kagome wouldn't do much and she would stay in her bedroom. Going through her things or simply resting, perhaps trying to think things through. This morning, Kagome was acting very quiet and looked as if she was in her own little world. Not wanting to impose, Miyu decided to leave for now.



Kagome watched as her mother exited the room leaving her alone. As the door closed she moved in the direction of her bed, where she sat down on the edge. Not really caring how she would look she picked up the first shirt, which was a deep navy 3/4-sleeve baby doll maternity shirt. It had a black strip right under the breasts. She slipped it on quickly before moving on to the bottoms. Kagome put on a pair of black maternity leggings.



Today she had something to do and she refused to push it back any longer. Kagome knew it would probably be difficult and she could already feel tears coming to her eyes, but she pushed it aside. Slowly she walked in the direction of her bedside table and opened it. Grabbing Inuyasha's necklace she wrapped her tiny fingers around it tightly, before taking a deep breath. It was time to do this properly.



She made her way downstairs and felt the stare of her family, but she didn't turn around. She knew they wouldn't ask any questions and they would understand soon enough. Gently she opened the door feeling the ray of sunlight hitting her face, nearly blinding her. Her eyes were semi-closed as she walked outside with the tree locked in her sight.



Five hundred years ago she had buried Inuyasha's body there and it remained untouched and unmarked. She would change that. Although her gaze remained on the tree, she walked past it, to walk into the little shrine near it. Inside Kagome grabbed a large piece of wood and a big black marker before walking out, the necklace still around her wrist. It wasn't the most expensive gravestone there was, but she wanted to do it herself. Inuyasha had waited long enough in his unmarked grave.



All these times she had spent near the tree, never knowing Inuyasha was under her feet. Well, if his body still remained there since it could have been moved with time. Nonetheless, she considered this his burial ground and she would mark it.



Once she reached Goshinboku Kagome went down on her knees, dirtying her clothes before laying down her materials. She slowly and with difficulty, finally released the bracelet looking at it as it lay on the ground. There was so much she wished she could have told him and how she had hoped that once in his life he would have listened.



Kagome often thought her love for Inuyasha only brought her misfortune, but now the fog was lifted and she could see clearly. Inuyasha had truly loved her. He was hotheaded and often didn't listen to anyone. Going into things without thinking, but he did it because he cared. No matter what she had said the hanyou had refused to give up on her, going to his own death for her sake.



She could feel the tears burning her cheeks as she began to weep. Kagome would never be able to forget that this was her fault, at least part of it. Maybe if she hadn't screamed that she loved him he wouldn't have gotten his hopes up. She revitalized him and made him think he couldn't give in because they still had a chance at being together.



Kagome also believed that perhaps she could have stopped Sesshomaru. At the time, everything had been so confusing. Inuyasha showing up hadn't been part of the plan. Her desire to go home had been stronger than ever and he had shown up, causing Kagome to be hesitant. Trying to save him would have cost her everything, but not saving him provoked his death. Neither of them would have expected that Sesshomaru would be so quick. All she had the time to do was helplessly run in the direction of Inuyasha, only to be too late. If only her powers had been present then, she might have been able to save him.



The young miko felt her palm digging through the ground as her heart began to feel heavy. Inuyasha. There was a time when that boy meant the world to her and that memory would always remain. Inuyasha had been her first love, the first to catch her heart and it had been so hard to let him go.



He had made a few mistakes, but Inuyasha had done the best he could with what he had. After all, he had lost everything at such a young age and nobody had been around for him when he grew up. He had his flaws, but also his qualities and it seemed somewhere along the recent events they had been forgotten. There would not be any good enough explanations for what he had done on that day. But she couldn't help remembering the good times.



She took a deep breath before moving the necklace out of the way, so she could begin to dig. The necklace belonged to Inuyasha not to her. Slowly she dug, not too deep with her fingers, until she reached an appropriate depth. Once she did she dropped the necklace in the hole, her tears wetting it. Burying this object and re-living this moment was hard. Last time many things had been going on and she had been short on time, since night had been falling.



This time it was different, nobody would come and interrupt her and she could sit there as long as she wanted and needed. Gently, she covered the necklace with dirt until the hole was completely filled. Then, she placed the wood piece that she had made on top of it before slightly pressing on it, burying it a little.



So much remained unsaid between them. They never had the chance to get a last conversation. Yes, it was true that if she had left before he showed up and was killed, they would have probably never talked again, but there would have always been the possibility that one day, they would meet again. Now that would not happen, he was gone.



The whole time tears had been rolling down her cheeks and they did not stop as she picked up the large black marker. Her hand was shaking as she tried to steady herself before she could write down his name. As she bent down her stomach brushed against the ground and a tiny smile crept up through the tears. In some twisted way she would always have somewhat of a part of Inuyasha with her.



After all Inuyasha and Sesshomaru shared the same father and her child would have been Inuyasha's nephew or niece. That and the child would be a hanyou just like him. Often Kagome had seen the pain in Inuyasha's eyes as he had recalled his childhood and she would make sure her child would not feel the same. She would not let it be excluded or mistreated.



Inuyasha had never really been able to accept his hanyou status, yet she thought it was what made him… himself. She would teach her child to cherish the fact that he was part of both worlds, even if no youkais remained in this time. Although he was dead she would show Inuyasha that being hanyou was not so bad.



Another thing she remembered from him was how much Inuyasha loved his mother and she wanted to be the same kind of mother to her child. Be the one to shield her infant from the harm of the world and make it a safe place.



I'll make your nephew or niece, feel loved, don't worry.



She sighed heavily as she began to write down his name as neatly as she could. Once she was done she backed away a little, staring down at it. I'm sorry. I should have moved faster – I should have stopped him before he ever got to you. Instead, I just watched him as he walked towards you… I just never thought -. She sighed again. I didn't think he had it in him to kill you.



Her tears were staining the wood as she brought her hands to her eyes, covering her face. Kagome cried for his death, for the lost of her first love, for her friend and her companion. Inuyasha was all these to her and she had watched him die by the hands of the man who would never be any of these things.



I claimed you betrayed me, but I feel like I did the same to you..



The pain in her heart refused to leave as it was joined with guilt and she slowly broke down. As she began to lay down on the ground, her guts twisted. Her face was almost pressed against the wood as she was unable to stop the tears from falling.



It was at that moment that Kagome felt hands on her shoulders, but she didn't turn around. She knew who it was and she let her mother move her. Miyu sat down on the ground before moving Kagome and sitting her daughter on her lap. She pressed Kagome's head against her chest as she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.



It broke her heart to see her daughter in such a condition, but once again she kept it inside. Miyu's lips were sealed as she remained by her daughter's side no matter what. Anytime Kagome felt broken Miyu would be there in a blink, as if she could sense her emotions.



Not a word was needed, just comfort and warmth.



***



Cartoons. Everybody needs cartoon time, no matter how old you are. Forget your world and join theirs for a brief moment of escape. And if your feeling bad at least it numbs the pain and stops the mind from thinking



Kagome was sitting on the couch watching television, her eyes slightly red and irritated. The tears had stopped hours ago but her eyes were over exhausted from the strain she had put on them these past few days. They were slightly burning her but she pushed the pain aside since it wasn't the worst she had ever felt.



Her mother had held her for nearly an hour, or what felt like an hour before they had come back inside, in silence. Ever since then Kagome had been zapping through the channels, not finding anything that could catch her attention. She had decided to stick to the cartoons since most of them were from her childhood, and it brought back good memories.



"Are you hungry?" asked Miyu as she came inside the room.



Kagome shook her head; she was actually feeling a little nauseous. Nothing like when she had these horrible sicknesses, but still enough to prevent her from eating. She hadn't eaten anything today and knew she would have to but not right now. It was better to eat when she would be able to keep it down.



Miyu had a worried look on her face as she walked over to the couch before sitting down beside Kagome.



"Do you know how far along you are?"



In her opinion Kagome was about 4 months along, but it didn't make any sense since she had only been gone for two months. The only possibility would be that her daughter wouldn't be pregnant for 9 whole months.



"About 2 months." Kagome knew her mother's other question, so she answered it.



"Anywhere from 4 months to 9 months."



Miyu nodded.



"Maybe I could drive you to the doctor, we would be able to at least come up with a due date?"



Immediately Kagome turned her head in the direction of her mother, slightly panicked. She had thought about that herself, but it seemed like such a huge risk to take.



"I'm not sure it's such a good idea. I mean, the baby is half-youkai, what if they find out?"



Miyu pondered the issue for a few moments, wondering if they could detect the child's origin. After all, a simple ultrasound wouldn't be able to tell them such details could it? It would tell them how far along in development, but it shouldn't be able to tell such precise details.



"What if we only do an ultrasound?"



An ultrasound, no tests, it should be safe right? Plus she would have the chance to see her baby for the very first time and perhaps even find out the sex of the baby. She softly nodded.



"Just an ultrasound," she said as she put her hand over her stomach.



Miyu smiled at her before getting up.



"I'll give my old doctor a call. Perhaps she could find a spot for you." Not only had she been her doctor for both her pregnancies, but they were also long time friends. Miyu had no doubt she would be able to see Kagome today.



Kagome watched her mother leave and at that moment a box on the ground caught her eye. It was the one that had been delivered a few days ago. She could remember that day very clearly. For a few seconds she had seen Sesshomaru's eyes in the delivery boy's eyes. Obviously it hadn't been him. Not only did he look nothing like Sesshomaru, but also he had been barely 18. She had simply hallucinated.



On top of that, never in a million years would Sesshomaru work as a delivery boy; surely his pride would prevent him from sinking to that level. She had no doubt that if he was in her time, he would most likely still have a title of some sort, or at the worst a lot of money.



But, as she had previously told herself, she was hallucinating. Perhaps she was slowly losing it. Though she expected this kind of thing to repeat themselves. Kagome was so afraid to encounter Sesshomaru in her time that she would constantly be edgy, since there would never be a way for her to confirm he was not there. She would probably spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder.



Not even a minute later her mother came back, a smile on her face.



"She will fit you between two appointments if we leave now."



Kagome felt a tiny bit of stress stir inside of her at the idea of being in the outside world. It wouldn't be too bad since they would drive there and would not go to any other locations, but she couldn't help herself. Kagome felt like everyone's eyes were going to be on her and she didn't want to be observed by anyone.



Nonetheless, she softly nodded at her mother before slowly getting up. Obviously she needed to change since her clothes were dirty from her previous activity. Taking her time she went up the stairs, her mother carefully watching her.



Miyu already knew what was going on and she would do her best to shield Kagome from what she feared. Once they would reach the clinic it would be more difficult. Although, it wouldn't be as bad since every women in there would also be pregnant.



She knew her daughter might fear the judgment of other people. After all, it was obvious Kagome was still very young and you could tell just by looking at her. Not only that, but she would show up there without a father and the first thought in people's mind would probably be that Kagome was a knocked up teenager.



Though, Kagome was a strong spirited girl and Miyu knew she wouldn't let such thoughts bring her down. After all, she knew the truth and she knew what she had endured just to be able to come back home. Miyu wouldn't let them make Kagome uncomfortable.



***



The whole ride to the clinic Kagome had been extremely nervous, always looking around observing every person that they walk past. What had she expected? That Sesshomaru would jump out of the crowd and make his presence known? Of course, the ride there had gone smoothly and now they were in the waiting room.



The next one to go would be Kagome and she could feel some excitement fill her. She hoped her child was fine and that she would finally be able to name the infant since she would most likely find out the gender. At that moment, the memory of the time Rin had chosen a name for a little boy came back to her mind and she softly nodded to herself.



If it was a boy, she'd name him Kiyoshi. Just for Rin.



When the door opened Kagome jumped in surprise, considering how edgy she was. A woman doctor came out and smiled at her.



"You must be Kagome," she said, sounding somewhat excited. "I'm doctor Yuzuki." She could see Kagome was nervous, thus she was trying to put her at ease.



Kagome shook her hand before getting up. "Nice to meet you," she said, her voice nearly a whisper. Unexplainably she had suddenly lost her voice. Perhaps it was because of her current state of mind and body.



She followed her mother and the doctor into the white room, her heart beating like crazy inside of her chest. Kagome tried to take deep breaths to calm herself, but it was not really working. Soon enough the chair was revealed to her and Kagome took a seat in it, her body somewhat shaking.



"You don't have to be nervous, I'm sure everything is fine," said the doctor trying to re-assure her.



Kagome weakly nodded, not really believing the words of comfort. Something had to be wrong with either her or the child or she wouldn't have been sick all these times. Although she doubted the ultrasound would reveal anything about that.



The doctor slowly lifted Kagome's shirt and revealed her bulging stomach, before smiling at her.



"It might be a little cold," she said before applying the gel on her stomach.



Kagome slightly winced when she felt the coldness against her skin, but it quickly passed. Her anxiety had diminished and her excitement had grown. Once she saw Dr. Yuzuki turn on the machine her eyes were glued on the screen, simply waiting to see her child appear.



It didn't take too long for a picture to manifest onto the screen and Kagome's heart skipped a beat. Doctor Yuzuki's eyes were focused on the screen as she tried to locate the perfect position to give Kagome a good view of her child.



After a few seconds, she grinned. "There he is."



Kagome's lips slightly parted before she stuttered. "H-he?"



Dr. Yuzuki nodded.



"You're having a little boy." Then, she pointed at the screen. "That's his head, and here you can see the ears." Kagome's eyes widen slightly. "You're actually quite far along."



Kagome glued her lips together and all she could hear was her heart beating echoing inside of her head. Not only did she begin to tear up from the joy, but also she was at a loss of words. Seeing how Kagome remained silent her mother asked the question for her.



"How many weeks?"



"About 18 weeks."



Kagome closed her eyes as she registered the information in her mind. She was almost 5 months pregnant! But she wasn't very big at least not enough to be that far along. Then again if in 2 months her baby managed to be as developed that fast, there was no telling if her stomach would suddenly grow. Since she was shocked Kagome hadn't been able to hide her surprise which caught the doctor's attention.



"You must have already had an estimate," she said, offering her a smile.



Kagome nodded, nervously. "O—f course. I just, I guess – This makes it so much more realistic."



"Would you like a picture?" she offered, knowing how it was usual one of the first thing new mothers asked for.



"Yes, of course," said Kagome, a smile on her face.



"I will be right back."



As the doctor exited the room, Miyu walked closer to her daughter and grabbed her hand in hers, holding tightly. Kagome had mixed emotions stirring up inside of her at the moment causing tears to spill out of her eyes since it was the best way she knew how to deal with this kind of situation.



For the first time in a long time, Kagome gave herself some encouragement by telling herself she could do this. After all she wouldn't be alone, she would have her family by her side to help her if things got rough. If she could endure and make it through months with that monster, she could be a single mother. Not that she ever had any intention of giving her child away!



"And here we go," said the doctor as she walked back in.



She handed the picture to Kagome who nodded a thank you. She took the picture in her hands, a smile on her face, while she could hardly imagine such a precious being was growing inside of her at the moment. Miyu peeked and took a look, smiling as she put a kiss on her daughter's head. Then, Miyu helped her daughter get up from the chair as they were both escorted to the door.



"I'd like to see you in a couple of months, just to make sure everything is okay," said Doctor Yuzuki, before gesturing towards her secretary.



"Thank you Yuzuki," said Miyu, since she appreciated the fact that she had managed to squeeze Kagome in between appointments.



"My pleasure," she said, before walking in the direction of her next patient. Miyu was one of her oldest friend and she couldn't refuse her a favor. Though she had been surprised to learn that her 17 years old daughter was pregnant, but it was none of her business.



"Mom, do you think you could make the appointment while I go to the washroom?" asked Kagome, slightly swinging from one foot to the other.



"Of course," said Miyu, as she made her way to the desk.



Kagome began to look around trying to see any indication that there was a washroom nearby. When she found it, she made her way there quite rapidly, her bladder was killing her. As she walked her attention was on the ground, as she had done nearly since they had left the car. Since she wasn't paying attention she bumped into someone.



She raised her head only to find herself face to face with a very pregnant woman.



"I'm sorry," she mumbled, before quickly walking off. She felt a little bad for walking into a pregnant woman and was glad she didn't cause her to fall or anything.



Kagome sighed in relief as she finally reached the washroom, hurrying to relieve her bladder. As she went to wash her hands, she couldn't help but get a look at herself in the mirror. She noticed how terrifying she still looked. She thought after a few days her appearance would have improved somewhat, but she had been wrong.



Not only did she look extremely tired, but it almost looked as if she was older. Stress would do that to someone. She shook her head softly at her reflection before exiting the washroom. As she began to make her way down the hall her pace fast as if she was scared, she was stopped by a voice.



"Miss?"



Kagome turned her head to see who was calling out to her, only to be staring at a man. He closed the distance between them before handing her a picture.



"Is this yours?" he asked as she caught a glance of the picture from her ultrasound.



She gasped. "Hm-er yes."



It was most probably that she had dropped it when she had bumped into the woman and she hadn't realized it. She took the picture from his hands looking somewhat relief.



"Thank you," she whispered, before offering him a weak smile.



As she looked straight as his face her lips slightly parted, a gasp nearly escaping her. She closed her eyes and opened them again as if she wasn't seeing right. Apparently she was having another one of her hallucination because this couldn't be real.



The man in front of her had short black hair and dark green eyes, which obviously looked nothing like Sesshomaru, yet for an instant it was as if she had been staring at him. She breathed out heavily before gently backing away from the man, as if in fear.



It was obvious at that moment her eyes couldn't be trusted since she thought every man was Sesshomaru, it was like an obsession.



"Thanks for returning the picture," she mumbled before turning around and hurried to catch up to her mother.



Kagome couldn't bear to turn around and look at the man again. Obviously she was not ready to be outside again, because every stranger she encountered she mistook for Sesshomaru. She was more than relieved when she caught up to her mother and offered her a weak smile, trying not to show any sign of panic.



As both women began to exit the clinic Kagome couldn't help herself, but looked back trying to see if the man was still there. As a matter of fact, he was. She observed him as he sat down in one of the chairs, nobody beside him. Perhaps his wife was inside. She closed her eyes once more trying to bring her heartbeat down. This man was not Sesshomaru. It was only a few resembling features that had stuck out, making her think it was him.



Now that she was getting a good look at him, she knew it couldn't be Sesshomaru.



***



The whole ride back home, there was only one thing that had been bothering Kagome. Sesshomaru. She knew she was hallucinating, seeing his presence everywhere. Perhaps, somehow, he was there. Maybe he had lived throughout all this time and he was still alive in her time. Maybe the reason why he hadn't stopped her from going through the well was because he had no idea where to find her? It's not like he had clues or anything.



There was a way for her to perhaps find out, even though it was completely crazy and there were very few chances it would work. Nonetheless, every opportunity was worth looking into. As soon as they had gotten home Kagome had jumped unto the computer, much to her mother's surprise.



The Internet could be an amazing thing and many things could be found. Although she doubted the name "Sesshomaru" would get her anywhere, she would still try. The chances were that if Sesshomaru did live in modern Japan he would have changed his name. But, perhaps she would be lucky. After all the bad luck she had, it was time for her to indeed have some good luck on her side.



For the next half an hour Kagome did nothing but have her eyes glued on the screen, trying to find out anything she could about anyone named Sesshomaru. Perhaps if she could confirm he was indeed in this era it would make it easier to hide herself from him? It was far fetched, but it was worth trying.



After nearly an hour of researching Kagome managed to find only three Sesshomaru's, which was three more than she expected. Sesshomaru Okinawa. Sesshomaru Tottori and Sesshomaru Toyama. With the names there were addresses and she carefully wrote them down.



At the moment she didn't have many choices. Either she spent the rest of her life on edge, always wondering or she found out for herself. Although she was scared out of her mind to even think about seeing him again, she needed to find out. She closed her eyes for an instant before getting up from the chair and walking in the direction of the kitchen.



"Mom, can I borrow the car?" Somewhere in between all her travels back and forth from the feudal era, she had managed to get her driver's license. Granted she was not the best driver since she lacked experience, but she could manage.



Miyu had a worried look in her eyes as she nodded.



"Yes, of course. Do you want me to go with you?" She had no idea of Kagome's destination, but she had recognized the look of determination in her daughter's eyes.



"No, I." She paused. "I want to go on my own."



Her mother nodded before handing her the keys to the car. Kagome took them, a tiny smile on her face, which looked forced.



"Thank you."



With a determined pace she exited the house with the paper with the addresses in her hands. She couldn't prevent her shaking as she made it to the car and she wondered what her reaction would be if she found him. She would probably be terrified with fear. As she got into the car, she reminded herself she had to be careful when she investigated. After all, she didn't want to go knock at his door just to find herself face to face with him. No, she would have to park at a certain distance and simply observe and hope she would see a man walk into the house.



Kagome decided to start with Tottori since it was the closest address. She started the car and began driving as her heart pounded inside of her chest. The simple thought of Sesshomaru being alive in her era was enough to nearly make her faint. Considering the fact she didn't know what happened to Sesshomaru and his beast with the merging since she left, everything was to be expected. Did the merging stop? Would she face Sesshomaru alone, or his beast alone? What would he try to do to her if he found out she was there?



Although, it seemed insane that he wouldn't have found her. After all he had a 500 hundred years head start. He was bound to have been able to find some sort of information about her. Now that she thought about it, didn't she leave some of her books in her yellow bag? If she did, he had the name of her high school and most probably her address and full name! If Sesshomaru were alive in this time period he either didn't care about stopping her, or didn't want to. Why? She had absolutely no idea, but she had a feeling it would be nothing good.



After a few more minutes Kagome reached the first address and she parked a few houses down. It was actually an apartment and from the look of the neighborhood, it wasn't what you could call classy. Somehow, she had a feeling this wouldn't be the Sesshomaru she knew. After all, he would never settle for anything so cheap.



Nonetheless, Kagome decided to wait and see.



She indeed waited for over two hours until someone came out of the apartment. As soon as she noticed movement, she was on alert and sat straight in her seat. Her heart was beating like crazy as she watched a purple hair man come out of the house, wearing a black trench coat. He began walking down the street, and Kagome observed him carefully.



It wasn't too long until he passed her car and as Kagome got a good look at him, she confirmed what she already believed, this could not be Sesshomaru. She sighed heavily before turning on the car, ready to move on to the second one, Okinawa.



It was true that now that her powers were back she could try to feel his aura, but she knew it would be useless. She had deduced that if youkai's were indeed still alive they were hiding themselves, and she most probably wouldn't be able to feel Sesshomaru's aura.



It took her about an hour to reach the second place and this time it was in a much nicer neighborhood. Once again she parked a few houses down from her destination, before stopping her car and waiting. She hoped she would be luckier than last time and that he would not take as long. The wait was the worst part and it was enough to drive her crazy.



Unfortunately for Kagome the wait was much longer. It nearly took three hours, meaning it was near 5 o'clock, for some movements to come from the house. A little girl came busting through the door screaming in joy. She had big bright chocolate eyes and long black hair, which was up in a ponytail. Apparently she was running after a scared dog.



A few seconds later a woman and a man came out and it looked as if they were telling her to come back inside. The woman resembled the daughter a lot, as they shared the same eyes and facial features for the most part. Kagome focused her attention on Sesshomaru, who was a very short man, with scruffy black hair and very small almost charcoal eyes.



Once again, she sighed in defeat; this wasn't Sesshomaru. Even if his appearance was altered he wouldn't look anything like that.



Although no results were obtained she rather somewhat had proved to herself he wasn't there. Obviously it would haunt her and scare the life out of her if he was present, but now that she had gone this far, she couldn't turn back until she had verify all the possibilities.



It was time to track down the last one, Tomoya.



Kagome was slightly bummed out when she reached the area of the last Sesshomaru. It had taken her over three hours to reach her destination, making it extremely dark outside since the night had fallen. She clearly doubted that anyone would come out at such a late time, but since she was already there she figured it was worth trying.



This time she parked much closer to the house, just in case she could catch a glimpse from the window or something. Kagome was indeed in luck since not all the curtains were closed. Perhaps this issue would be resolved the same day as the others. Kagome tried to make herself as invisible as possible as she quietly waited. Her eyelids were extremely heavy and her mind was throbbing in pain from the recent events. Her body was also near exhaustion and all this time she had spent waiting that day didn't help. She was extremely sore from being in the same position for hours and her back was begging for a break. On top of that, she hadn't eaten yet that day and she could hear her stomach screaming for food.



Kagome rested her head but kept turning it from time to time, just in case. She blinked for way too long a few times, but she ignored it. Today had been quite a hard day and she decided that if nothing happened in the next half an hour she'd go home. It wasn't the best idea to over exert oneself at the moment. Nearly as expected, once the half an hour passed nothing had happened. Kagome sighed heavily as she repositioned herself, ready to start the car. Once she turned it on, she buckled her seatbelt before looking in the direction of the house one last time.



What she saw almost caused her to gasp. As she looked at the window, she found a man staring right back at her, but it wasn't any man. He was the one. The man who had given her back her photography earlier at the clinic. Kagome felt her heart beating like crazy as she found herself without words and her mouth became dry. It was just a coincidence right? No way he would have known where she was going, it was impossible. It was just a very unfortunate coincidence.



She began breathing faster, especially when he refused to break the eye contact. Kagome was so nervous that she was the one who looked away. Rapidly she put the car in drive and drove away as fast as she could, biting on her bottom lip.



No, this was not happening. It was a coincidence.



***