Had she ever even left?

Kagome had spent enough time bouncing between worlds, between two drastically different lives that she had no illusion that life simply stopped when she wasn't around. She was used to being away for only a few weeks and returning to find drastic differences. Buildings torn down, shops closed and new ones in their place, families that had lived nearby gone, forgotten soon after they'd moved.

Stepping off the train to begin the journey home on foot she had been expecting that sort of drastic change, considering she'd now been away for several months. But it wasn't the differences that struck her as she followed Sota down the crowded sidewalks this time, though she was sure there were some she was simply overlooking, it was all the little things that were the same. She recognized the various shops and stands that lined the streets, even some of the employees manning them, though she didn't know their names, had probably never shared more than a few pleasant greetings and parting words with them, but their faces remained in her memory, even the din of ringing voices and rushing automobiles sounded exactly as she remembered, and it brought a small smile to her lips.

Was this what coming home was supposed to feel like? Like she was suddenly lighter on her feet, floating almost? Every time she'd returned after long absences before there had been an undertone of desperate apprehension that was missing now as she wove her way through the crowds, a little bubble of excitement fluttering in her stomach, her little brother dancing in and out view ahead of her in an unofficial game of hide and seek, and Shuichi smiling quietly as he strolled along beside her, apparently content to just follow along and quietly observe their surroundings with her in comfortable silence.

Kagome hardly noticed when the commercial buildings filtered into residential ones, front yards and mailboxes instead of storefronts, apartments instead of storerooms, or the crowds thinning as they continued, didn't realize how close to home she actually was until she looked up to repeat a warning of not getting too far ahead to Sota, who had been slowly putting more distance between them for a few blocks and was about to cross the street. A warning that died on her lips the moment her eyes caught it, rose to the green branches looming high above her and the other trees in the area. The small smile she'd been wearing without realizing stretched as her caught breath released. "There it is."

"There what is?"

Kagome didn't pull her eyes from the limbs above, still several blocks from them but so much closer than they had been for so long now, in response to the bemused question, didn't even look at him as that little bubble of excitement, of happiness broke open and practically lifted her from the ground. "The sacred tree," She announced, reaching out without thinking to grab his hand, not wanting to leave him behind as her suddenly weightless feet carried her forward, "that means we're practically home." She tugged, not relinquishing her hold as she broke into a jog, those joyous swooping feelings only carrying her higher when the warm hand in hers tightened its grip and he easily sped up to match her pace, staying close by her side as they darted through an opening in the traffic to cross the street, and continued on.

Sota had already started up the long flight of stairs by the time they reached it and slowed to begin the ascent themselves, Kagome's smile only brightening as the fingers she'd been gripping shifted to slip between her own, interlocking them more firmly, and somewhere in the back of her mind she was sure his hold was the only thing actually anchoring her to the world as she strolled toward being on the top of it.

XXXXXX

She would check the well house before leaving, even if it was nothing more than a quick glance, but she would check the well house, that much was certain. She always at least looked toward it on her way past, and he'd placed the mark very carefully, waited until after she'd arrived, and disappeared into the house. Just the smallest set of gouges, claw marks that were highlighted with only a trace of blood, something anyone else would pass up as a shadow, a natural defect of the wood, old damage. But Kagome, Kagome who looked at it so often, who knew that door better than anyone else might know their own hand, Kagome would surely notice. And brave, curious, hopeful little fool that she was, she would ignore the implication of danger and stroll right in to investigate. Really it was only a matter of time before she came across the gift he'd left her.

All it would take was time, and he could be patient, nestled here in the shadows where even she, with her gifted eyes, wouldn't see him. It would not be necessarily easy, but he could wait, would wait. To be sure she found it.

Truthfully it hadn't been very long when he heard her coming, only a few hours, surely it was only nearing sundown and he'd been prepared to wait until the next day. But here she was, running footsteps approaching the building, and who else but Kagome would have noticed the damage, would come to check? And with her here, there would be no one else quite that frantic to discover what was on the other side of that door.

She hesitated on the far side of the door, he could picture he examining the marks, trembling fingers reaching to touch, but hesitant to make contact, wavering in her decision, but only temporarily, because she was a hopeful little fool, probably trying to make herself believe she was mistaken, that those had always been there, when she knew better. It was almost too easy. Only seconds of hesitance, and the door slid open, thumping lightly against the frame and letting the red-orange light of the fading day fall into the darkened space, repelling the shadows across the ground and spilling across the well waiting at the bottom of the stairs like glowing paint.

Her shadow preceded her, a dark void in the center of that red swatch as she moved with steps she certainly had to wish were steadier, but cautiously into the building, eyes obviously swiveling in search of a trap. One step at a time she descended, eyes steadying when she, foolishly, believed herself to be alone in the well house. Not that it mattered; he didn't intend to confront her directly, not this time. That hadn't worked well so far, and a change of tactic was clearly called for.

He knew the second she saw it, really realized what she saw, as she froze at the bottom step, drawing in a long breath. The next step was even more unstable than those first ones had been. All pretense of caution abandoned her as she ran on clearly weak legs to the edge of the well. "No… please someone tell me he didn't…" There were other whispers, variations of the same quiet plea continuously spilling from her lips, face stricken, eyes swimming with tears as her fingers, shaking as badly as her steps had been, stretched out to claim the gift left for her on the lip of the well.

Slowly she lifted the missing shard of the jewel, still tacky with slowly drying blood.

XXXXXX

He was fuming.

He was doing it discreetly of course but that only disguised the fact that he was severely displeased. An entire day, including several instances where he'd been left entirely alone and, he was only marginally ashamed to admit, had searched in some places that were really none of his business, but even that had earned no new results.

It was perfectly normal. True her grandfather was… eccentric, if it weren't for his own personal knowledge of demons existence he would have thought the man was delusional. And he wasn't exactly happy about the pieces of his hair that had been ripped out or the sticky residue that had been left in the sutra's wake. Although it had been amusing to see the old man cower in front of Kagome, who he had never seen resemble Yusuke more in the months since he'd met her. That alone had been worth the annoyance of accepting the attack, if it could be called that, passively. And the ghost of her fingers locked with his, of that smile dancing behind his eyelids, well worth the morning on the train. But he had hoped for more coming here. For reasonable solutions as to why Kagome had albums full of pictures of demons, had poisons and sutras hidden in her dresser, herbs in her first aid kit that had long since been replaced with prepackaged ointments and pills, why she disappeared when there were strange surges of demonic and spiritual energies, and was recovered in the company of powerful, dangerous demons. There had to be more than just that she lived at a shrine. Kurama had long been very good at reading people, and Kagome was hiding something. He knew that, to the depths of his being. That there was some bigger strand tying all these little puzzle pieces together and that he had still yet to figure it out was infuriating. This curiosity was rapidly becoming an obsession, one that was only amplified by the fact that he honestly found Kagome… intriguing, endearing, pleasant… had he been prone to romantic rambling he might say irresistible, magnetic, a flame and he the helpless moth. Thanks to whatever power resided above that he was not prone to romantic ramblings.

Hefting Kagome's backpack, which he had insisted on carrying for her, and had honestly expected more of an argument from her about as they had left the shrine, Kurama chanced another glance at the girl walking beside him. Far from the glowing joy that she had exuded that morning the girl was now withdrawn, sullen. Understandable considering no one would be overjoyed at leaving home, but still… unsettling. The change had been startlingly sudden and happened only moments before their departure. She had been, less than happy about leaving certainly, but still cheerful as they'd gathered their things in preparation to leave. He'd been exchanging pleasantries with her mother, and grandfather, though he was still less than pleased with the man, but his own mother had taught him better than to be a rude guest, when it came to attention that Kagome had disappeared, leaving her backpack where she'd been standing moments before. He found it odd that he hadn't noticed her leaving.

They'd found her only a few minutes later, standing outside, next to what she had pointed out that morning as the sacred tree, but that half bittersweet smile, that she had been wearing earlier was missing. Pale, more so than usual, her mouth that he was so accustomed to seeing in varying degrees of smiling, pinched into a stern line, eyes big and… strangely dull, just a bit more lifeless than he remembered. It was clear, contrary to her assurances that something was wrong; something other than sadness at leaving her family again. So now on top of his annoyance at the lack of progress, there was concern, bone gnawing concern.

"You could stay." He offered again, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, "There are trains tomorrow that you could take."

Kagome blinked several times before answering, as if she'd been drawn out of a trance and it took her quite some time to actually answer. "Oh… they run at the same time so I wouldn't get back until really late. I definitely need more than two or three hours of sleep before school." She tried to force a smile, and cheerful tone that wasn't quite believable, but he chose to play along anyway.

"Missing one day wouldn't kill you Kagome, I would be happy to collect your assignments for you." He knew even as he made the offer that she would turn it down.

"Oh, Shuichi, I couldn't make you ride the train all the way back on your own. You only came to keep me company." She directed another of those false smiles at him and went back to staring at her feet. Absently Kurama wondered what could have possibly happened in those few minutes to change her demeanor so drastically. Pressing her wasn't likely to get him anywhere though, so he fell silent, observing her quietly from the edge of his vision as they followed the path back to the train station in strained silence that followed them all the way to their seats.

They had already been in motion for some time, so far as he could tell alone in their car of the evening train when he could take no more of the waves of subdued misery escaping the small form that had dropped into the seat beside him. Prepared to ask again what was wrong, make some small offer of halfhearted consolation, Kurama was halted as his attention was captured by the small hand squeezing the armrest between them. Annoyance melting in face of concern he soundlessly reached out, covering her hand with his own.

He was prepared for her to pull away, to ask what he was doing, maybe even for her to just sit there. He was not prepared for the sob that escaped her as her backpack slipped to the floor and her body curled in on itself. "Kagome…?" He tightened his grip on her hand as she brought the other to her mouth, trying to muffle the sobs she couldn't seem to swallow. It was a split second decision, because no answer to his partially asked question appeared to be forthcoming, and he was sure hollow words weren't going to accomplish anything. Reaching out he placed an arm around her shoulder. Kagome curled into the comforting contact, letting him pull her closer and wrap both arms tight around her, more interested in trying to sooth than actually questioning what was wrong.

XXXXXX