A/N: I realize it's been a while, but work was hectic and I needed time to plan out the actual plot. I'm good now though. Should have an update out every 1 to 3 days. Around there.

~5~

The air was cold around her as she slowly made her way to the small village. Kagome regretted not being able to convince Inuyasha to come with her, but she realized it was more important at the moment to get a call out. Once she had the authorities aware of her location, she could tell them about the lost boy and then everything would be fine. She would go back to her teenage life, take that big math test on Friday, and maybe even finally allow Hojo to take her on a date.

But first she had to find the police box in the village and call home.

The night was turning out to be quite cold and she was glad when she finally came upon the first house. Her uniform didn't offer much protection from the elements and she was starting to shiver as the cold wind picked up around her. The howling was foreboding and she was dearly hoping it wasn't a prelude to a rainstorm. That was just what she needed, being stuck in a storm on top of being lost.

As she approached the lone shack Kagome suddenly grew nervous. Who built buildings like that anymore? It was literally made out of pure wood and hay; there wasn't even a front door, only a hanging cover. If she wasn't so desperate, Kagome had no doubt that she would have normally moved on.

"Hello…?"

He voice was almost drowned out by the growing wind. She wasn't sure if she should knock on the wood wall or just peek her head past the hanging tweed. But she really wanted to get somewhere warm. They wouldn't turn her away, would they?

"Um…hello? Is anyone inside?"

She was about to knock on the wooden frame when she finally heard something, a distinct, rough voice coming from inside the walls.

"Who is it? Who's the one waking this old man up from his sleep?"

A greying old man with a hunched over back shifted the tweed grumpily to the side, old eyes squinting in an attempt to make out Kagome's form. His skin was wrinkled and with a leather-like quality, deeply tanned from what she assumed was years of working under the sun. She already felt horrible for having to wake him up, but she had to use his phone.

"I'm really sorry, but can I use your phone? I got lost and need to contact my family."

The old man huffed as he stared up at her, clouded eyes weirdly sharp as they stared up at her. His body practically radiated irritation.

"Phone? What is that? Didn't your elders teach you better than to mess with an old man when he's trying to sleep? Go away, girl."

He turned away from her and started heading back into his hut.

"No wait, please! I really am lost! If I could just use your phone—"

"Bah! Be gone girl! Go back to your family!"

Kagome watched helplessly as he stormed back into his hut, not able to comprehend the way he acted. Fear started to creep up her spine. Surely he knew what a phone was; this village couldn't be that isolated. How was she going to get home now?

She was shaken from her thoughts by a crack of thunder and the sudden onslaught of rain. She shouted in surprise as she scurried to lean against the wall of the hut and huddle under the meager protection the roofing provided. It was as if nature was conspiring against her; if she was caught outside at night in this rain she was sure to catch hypothermia.

The need to cry was sudden and overwhelming. She was supposed to be at home, getting ready for bed, taking a warm bath. She would have already finished the homework due tomorrow as well; Kagome always made sure to finish it on time. They had a test tomorrow—she needed to be there or her teacher would yell at her—Hojo would miss another chance to ask her out—and—and—

The small hiccups that escaped her as she cried were pitiful and she tried to stop and be a big girl, but she was scared and alone and she just wanted to go home!

"Oh dang-nabit."

Her hiccups stopped suddenly as the old man appeared in the doorway. She swiped at the tears still flowing down her cheeks as she turned to face him, face red and hot from both crying and embarrassment.

"I'm not so cruel that I'll leave you crying out in the rain. Hurry up and come in, girl."

Her feet shuffled as she followed after him, glad to finally get inside and away from the rain. It was small but warm as she stood awkwardly next to the fire pit in the center of the hut. The warmth was comforting after walking under the cold night sky, soothing her shaken nerves and calming her tears.

The sound of the old man digging through a wooden chest drew her attention and she watched as he pulled out what looked like a straw raincoat, his weathered hands folding it up as he walked back over to her. Her heart dropped.

"Um…sir…if I could just use your phone?"

She got the same response as last time. A grunt and a stink eye.

"Listen girl, I don't know what you're talking about, but there's no such thing as a phone that I've ever come across."

Deciding that their argument was done, he grabbed her hands and dropped the raincoat in it. She had no choice but to take it, holding it to her chest as nervousness started to creep back into her heart.

"Now you put that on and walk further up the path. Keep on going until you hit the main village. Head to the largest building, that's where the village headman lives. He will provide you shelter."

"B-But—"

"Get going girl! I don't have room for another soul in this poor farmers shack!"

Her eyes were wide as she stared helplessly at the old man but his gaze was hard and unwavering. Kagome sniffled before nodding and slowly throwing the straw raincoat over her body, hood covering her head completely as the rest settled around her body, bare legs the only thing left visible. A whisper from the old man about her clothes being indecent made her blush. Her uniform wasn't that bad, was it?

She hesitated just before the hanging tweed, not able to make the last step back out into the pouring rain. The fear of having to forge out on her own again was overwhelming. Her hands held tightly to her uniform shirt as gathered her courage. Her family were probably already wondering where she was, she had to get home; and she needed to be brave to do that.

Taking a deep breath she forced a foot outside of the hut followed by the other, cold rain replacing the soothing warmth of the hut's fire. The sound of the rain hitting the straw coat echoed in her ear drums as she slowly made her way towards the dark shapes in the distance, buildings barely visible through the curtain of rain.

She could do this. Maybe the headman would have a phone. Someone had to; this was the era of technology, after all. There were probably just limited phone lines. She would ask for the headman's help, they would laugh about senile old men, and Kagome would be whisked off back home by dashing rescue men.

Momma will be so glad to see her again.