A/N: Yo, Inuyasha fans! I, UltimateOtakuGirl100, have returned again, and with another Inuyasha fanfic! ^.^

I'll admit, I was hesitant to write this when I first came up with the idea. It seemed… kinda tragic. I don't do tragic. I do happy endings and romance and adventures and happy stuff, even though I throw in conflict and stuff (what good writer doesn't?). But regardless, my mind kept returning to the idea, and adding to it, and when I recently finished the Inuyasha series and The Final Act, I suddenly knew how this was going to play out.

And, I promise you, it isn't a tragedy fic.

Although it will seem kinda… dark at the beginning, don't be fooled; read the entire chapter before you go away, please. Thank you.

Before anyone asks, OF COURSE I don't own the cover. How could I?

And finally, this will be the first story where I (try to) put a song recommendation for that chapter every chapter, having it fit in with the story. So, read on!

Song rec for this chapter: Back to Your Heart, by Backstreet Boys

I lay on my back, drained, gazing forlornly at the sky. It was raining heavily, which seemed quite fitting, considering my downcast mood. The clouds were a dark gray, but quite frankly, they could've been purple and I still couldn't have cared less. All that I could see now were black and red—blood red.

The rain dripped down my face, but I didn't care. The only thought that went through my mind right then was, Why?

I stood up shakily, but I felt numb. Mindless, even. Trembling, I walked past a puddle, and saw my own dull eyes reflected back at me before I continued on; my face had looked just as empty as I felt.

I felt my silver-white hair cling to my face, and my ears were flattened against my head so much that they'd practically melded into my hair. Nonetheless, I trudged onwards, my mind blank.

Again, one word danced through my mind: Why?

I could still see her face in my mind. Her beautiful, forgiving, caring face… no, none of those words could do her justice. In fact, it was so real, I felt like I could reach out and caress her pale yet lovely face. But no, it was an illusion; it disappeared with the rain, much like she did all those years ago.

I knew that she was never coming back. Ever. The days had turned into weeks, then into months, then years. Regardless, a small part of my mind wished desperately for her to return, even though I knew even then that I was lying to myself. But now… even that small part of my mind, that tiny fragment of hope, had vanished.

One hundred years. That's how long she'd been gone. A hundred years. Even if, by some miracle, the well started working again, I would never see her again. A human, despite her incredible powers, could never last that long. I knew it, my heart knew it, and I felt heavy, lifeless. She's gone…

Why did it always turn out this way? With Kikyo, who I'd once thought I loved, I was ready to become a human and live with her. But then Naraku came along… no, not just him. The Shikon Jewel came along and cursed us to fight, to betray each other, and Kikyo died after sealing me to a tree. Now, the Shikon Jewel had worked its magic again; only this time, it had managed to tear me away from the one I truly loved by sending her five hundred years to the future, forever. Then the well stopped working.

I don't know why I even lied to myself for this long. A hundred years is hard to accomplish, even for a priestess like herself. I'd only seen one human, ever, who'd lived a hundred years without demon support—Old Kaede—but even she died on her hundredth birthday. Inuyasha, face it—she's gone. The one you love is gone.

Miroku and Sango had long since died, and their children were old and withered. I'd distracted myself years ago with demon-slaying and protecting Miroku and Sango's family, but that time had passed.

I dragged my legs through the mud, not caring that my Fire Rat Robe was covered in filth. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered. She was gone.

I tripped over a root sticking out of the ground and face-planted in the wet soil. I was forced to remember other times that I'd face-planted into the ground, but imagining it… it hurt. Imagining her, even flustered and angry, hurt. But I buried the feeling under the emptiness I felt and continued on.

Sesshomaru and Rin were somewhere else, probably enjoying life. Rin, whose life had expanded widely due to mating with my half-brother, looked too much like she had all those years ago, and so I avoided my brother and sister-in-law as much as possible.

Because… she… was gone…

Suddenly, the pain flooded through my body, and I toppled over again, clutching my chest. I gasped loudly in pain, and then rolled over onto my back, still panting.

I reached for the sword at my side limply, still lying on the ground, and unsheathed Tetsuseiga. It pulsed, and I felt it resisting, telling me no, but I ignored it. If I can't be with you… then I'll follow you in death…

"Tetsuseiga," I whispered, determined now, "you are the sword that protects…" Tetsuseiga fought harder, shaking, and repeatedly sending the same message into my brain, but I wasn't fazed. It was over for me.

I narrowed my eyes and tightened my grip on the sword's hilt. "So, please, protect me from one last thing…" I could see how she'd looked the last time I saw her; sad, fearful, desperate and lonely, watching as I disappeared into the well against my will. I supposed that it was my mind, trying everything to prevent me from going through with this, that had conjured this image. So be it. I wouldn't falter, I needed to see her again, even in the next world.

I held Tetsuseiga tightly, pointing it downwards at myself. "Protect me from this pain of being without her!"

And I conjured all my might and thrust my own sword at myself.

"Wait."

My hands froze. No, like, literally, froze. Tetsuseiga was just barely over my chest, dangling in my hands, but I couldn't move. My whole being was paralyzed.

Then the land around me disappeared. Everything. I was suddenly floating in a white nothingness, my arms limp at my sides and my Tetsuseiga somehow back in its sheath. Wh…What the…?!

"Hello, Inuyasha."

I spun around, shocked and angry, and made eye contact with a woman. A priestess, she looked like. Her unyielding eyes bore into me.

I wasn't fazed.

"Who are you?!" I demanded furiously, glaring at her angrily.

The woman smiled. "I am the priestess who destroyed countless demons in an attempt to protect the land. I am the priestess whose life was taken in the same battle. I am the priestess who created the Shikon Jewel over a thousand years ago. I am known as Midoriko."

I stared, shocked. "Midoriko?!" I repeated, taken aback.

Midoriko continued to smile, a little wider now, and nodded.

My eyes widened in disbelief. "B-but I thought you went to heaven after the Shikon Jewel was destroyed…!" I stuttered, overwhelmed.

Her smile faltered momentarily, but then returned when she replied, "Yes. It is true. When your beloved made the wish on the Jewel, my soul was saved." She paused as she appeared to be having a pleasant memory, while I winced at the mention of her and particularly how she referred to her. "However," she continued, "I returned to this world momentarily to prevent you from making a grave mistake."

I remembered myself at this and glared. "It's no 'mistake'," I spat.

Midoriko chuckled lightly. "Inuyasha," she said, voice tinged with mild humor, "She of Another Time is not lost."

My anxiety vanished. "Wh…What?" I breathed.

Midoriko's gaze continued to linger on my face, humor gone but still looking mildly happy, and she continued. "Don't misunderstand me. She, in the way you knew her, is no more—at least, you will never see her again."

I'd gotten my hopes up despite myself, and now they came crashing down. Disappointed as I might be, I couldn't help but be confused.

Seeing my confusion, she explained, "When She of Another Time was first dragged into the well and entered our time, it resulted in a… time paradox, shall we say."

My eyes narrowed. "Don't talk about her like she made a mistake!" I shouted angrily.

To my surprise, she laughed. "Inuyasha, I mean no offense, nor is it my intention to seem to direct anger at your beloved." I continued to stare in bewilderment. "Believe you me, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. Leaping through time is actually more sought-after than one might think. Time isn't a straight line; it can bend itself into all sorts of different twists and turns and shapes. It was going to happen, and even if she hadn't, another would have. Now," she went on, "as I was saying, it resulted in a time paradox of sorts, and time was split; one timeline was her world, and another timeline hosted your travels."

I stared blankly, struggling to understand.

"Afterwards, when she completed her mission, she was sealed on the other side of the well."

I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. "So, did you do all this to give me a science lesson, or is there a point to all this?"

Midoriko laughed good-naturedly. "Of course. See, while she was sealed on her side of the well, on your side, you'd already met her. You knew her, a girl of the future. That in and of itself was part of the time paradox. That's where I come in."

Even more confused now, I waited for her to continue.

"Did you ever consider to wait out the time difference?"

I blinked. No, I'd never thought about that… I'd always been so focused on the well re-activating that I never really thought about what could happen if I'd waited 500 years… it seemed so obvious now… I felt stupid.

"I didn't think so. But, you see, in this timeline, you are aware of her presence. In hers, you've been in hiding for years after breaking the seal of your own power. But that's not important. What matters is that you have the chance to meet her again."

My heart skipped a beat.

"You can wait out the time. Watch her grow again. Befriend her and her family, without the difference in time. However…" Midoriko hesitated, looking concerned. I waited, but excitement and determination fought its way to the surface. She continued. "However… things may not turn out the way you hope." I patiently awaited an explanation. "We're messing with time. Time is unpredictable; I cannot know if things will turn out positively, or if your beloved… will not feel the same way in this timeline."

A pang went through me, but I thought a moment and it disappeared. "It doesn't matter… Midoriko, please…" I looked at her pleadingly. "Please allow me to see her again."

Midoriko smiled again, this time much wider than before, and she vanished. The white disappeared, and I was once again lying on the ground, soaked, holding my sword barely above me. It was like it had never happened.

But I lifted my sword and sheathed it. I stood up with determination.

There was no way I was going to die now.

"I swear to you," I muttered under my breath, "I will see you again. And I will protect you with my life." I looked up at the sky, and fittingly, it was no longer raining—it had died down to a light drizzle. I could wait out the time—four hundred years. I would watch for the Higurashi family for the next four centuries. Then I would be able to protect her…

I then shouted my promise into the wind. "I will return to you, Kagome!"

A/N: So, like it? I certainly did ;D Writing it, I mean.

Anyway, so, this story was just a result of some really deep thinking by yours truly (and a week of boredom and slight depression). I was watching an episode one day and suddenly thought, "Hey, wouldn't traveling through time like that cause a time paradox?" and later, "If that happened… would it create a split timeline?" Thus, this was born.

Moving on, if you like this story, PLEASE review! Reviews are like discovering a big bag of candy in your purse when you're starving. Right then, at that very moment, you wouldn't trade anything in the world for it… except maybe a million dollars. ;) Of course, we all know this is a fanfiction, so I'm not getting paid. So… reviews are a welcome substitute!