Disclaimer: Throughout this whole piece, please beware that I don't own "Inuyasha" or any of the characters there of. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~*~Kagome's PoV~*~ Though it was nice to be upon my bed instead of on the ground; I found I couldn't sleep at all. My mind kept replaying my fight with Inuyasha; and refused to stop. How could he think I wouldn't notice he was sneaking off to see Kikyo at night? I didn't even bring that point up; it still hurt me too much just knowing it. But then, I suppose that pain is my fault for spying on him, ne?

"No," I scolded myself firmly," don't make excuses for him!"

The truth was, he had betrayed my trust; right or wrong. I knew I couldn't even look him in the eye at all; and I really didn't want to be around him anymore; only my obligation to the jewel insured my return. I sighed to myself; knowing how it would hurt Sango and the other's to know how easily I could force them out of my memory. I closed my eyes; I didn't want to think anymore.

"Sleep, please," I begged," claim me and give my mind rest."

And though it did claim me as I had asked, it delivered dreams of Inuyasha and Kikyo. That's when I knew I couldn't escape my heartache, no matter the place or time I ran to; that it was useless to do anything but live with it.

~*~ Inuyasha's PoV, two weeks later ~*~

I couldn't help but growl lowly to myself; Kagome was practically useless anymore. All she does is mope around and looked at me all funny like. It's almost like she thinks I've done something wrong; and by the look she just gave me; something really wrong. It's almost the same as the one I get when I think about Kikyo; but then I'd had to have betrayed her. Feh, I don't care...

I stop and jump into a green, and glare down at the others; who are looking up at me. "We camp here tonight; it's the closest we can get to a river." It's not that I like them bathing all the damn time; but I'd rather not listen to them bitch when it's avoidable.

"Why, Inuyasha," I hear Miroku chime in, "how sweet of you."

"Feh." I snickered and looked away. Good thing too, that's when Kagome said something that really did hurt.

"No, Miroku, Inuyasha doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"Lady Kagome, surely that is not so."

If I would have been a kinder man, I would have thanked the bouzo for standing up for me; but I'm not and I didn't. I just looked down to her and she glared daggers back at me.

"You're right, Miroku, he cares about you if you're dead." Kagome run to the river after that, but I could smell the salt trailing her. Kagome was crying, and deeply from the amount of the salt's scent. No one followed her, and were well asleep when I heard her creep back to camp. Something was with my Kagome; and I hadn't an idea what it was.

The next morning wasn't much better; Kagome was silent to everyone and seemingly lost in her own world of thought. Sango couldn't even get through to her; whatever was bothering her was starting to worry me. It seemed like the only thing she was capable of doing is locating the shards; but everything else diminished quickly and greatly. Her miko powers where growing deemed and harder to feel, let alone see. It was as if she were dying slowly; a piece of her soul gone everyday. This upset me, Kagome was not weak by any means of the word; but this thing had conquered her without a fight. Truth is, everytime I looked at her, she looked more and more like Kikyo; sad and defeated, instead of spirited and non-failing. I thought as much as I could, and found now solution or cause for what ailed my Kagome.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That's the intro for now; I'll write more later (though it will probably be the 11th or so; I'm going away for Spring Break. ^o^).