-1"Bye mom I'll be back in a few weeks" Kagome yelled as she ran toward the front door. She stopped to pull on her brown loafers and sling her enormous yellow back pack over her shoulders.

"Be careful Kagome and tell everyone we say hi" Mrs. Higurashi told her daughter as she gave her a hug and a kiss and saw her off to the well. The sun was setting. The sky was painted with yellows, reds and oranges with a hint of blue and violet.

Kagome reached the well and turned to look at the sky once more and then she threw her pack into the well and quickly followed it. She hoped Inu-Yasha wouldn't be too mad at her for staying away for a week. Although she found it odd that he hadn't come to get her, but she knew he was being stubborn as usual. As she climbed to the top of the well in the feudal era, night had already fallen and the sky was dotted with twinkling stars. As Kagome hauled her pack out of the well a soul collector passed in front of her face. Not just any soul collector, Kikyo's soul collector. Immediately Kagome's heart sank. She took her pack and ran to the village hoping she would find Inu-Yasha there waiting for her.

When she arrived she saw Miroku and Sango standing outside the hut observing the ghostly soul collectors gliding to the forest. Miroku noticed Kagome first.

"Ah Lady Kagome you have returned" Miroku asked nervously trying to distract her from the scene of the dimly lit forest, but Kagome wasn't listening. "Where is Inu-Yasha, is he here?" hoping despratly against her fears. When she got no response she knew and ran toward the forest.

"Should we go after her?" Sango asked.

"No I think it would be best if we waited here"

"But…but Miroku…"

"I know, but we have to let these things play out for themselves."

Kagome could feel tears rising to her eyes as she ran through the forest following the soul collectors. Would Inu-Yasha really go to hell with KiKyo? When they were just so close to finding Naraku, he wouldn't, would he? So many thoughts rushed through her head as she ran. Would she be too late to tell him how much she needed him. That her heart and soul was at ease when he is near. Hot tears began to stream down her cheek. She pushed the thoughts from her head and continued through the forest.

Finally she came upon Kikyo just as she had suspected, Inu-Yasha was there as well.

"Are you ready to accompany me to hell as you promised." Kikyo said with an empty voice. She walked toward Inu-Yasha and put her arms around him bringing her face to his. Kagome could barely watch, she gripped the tree she was standing behind. It was the only thing holding her up.

"Why am I here, I've done this before , Kagome you idiot. Your putting yourself through this pain all over again, why?" She mentally scolded herself. Ever with every inch of her telling her to turn and run away. She probably would have if she had any faith in her knees not giving out.

"Kikyo you know I can't do that" Inu-Yasha said as her unwrapped her arms from his neck and pushed her away.

"I don't understand, you gave me your word, Inu-Yasha I thought you loved me" she pleaded

"No I never loved you. You are nothing but the shell of the woman I once loved. You no longer have a soul KiKyo you rely on the souls of dead maidens to remain here." he told her with no regret. In a matter of mere seconds the priestesses empty cold eyes became aflame with anger.

"It's that Kagome isn't it? That pathetic wench that is my reincarnation, but that's all right even if it is her you love. Her and I are one soul, the one and the same."

"No your wrong Kikyo" Inu-Yasha replied with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" she asked with , her anger flaring up again.

"She's more of a woman than you ever were." he stated simply.

"Are you so sure of you feelings, has she ever confessed any feelings for you Inu-Yasha? Why would any human woman with her sanity intact love you, a hanyou, a filthy half breed!" she screamed.

"You did at one time Kikyo"

"Yes, but remember you were prepared to become human to remain with me." she said coldly.

"Kikyo I've learned a lot this past year. When you love someone your willing to make sacrifices"

"Hahahahaha, Inu-Yasha I do believe you've grown weak and soft over the time you traveled with that human girl." she said with a shrill laugh. By this time Kagome could no longer hold her tears back. They flowed freely. She cried because she knew what Inu-Yasha was saying was the truth. At that same moment she realized that she did truly love that hanyou. She had given up her entire life in the future to be in the past with him. To stay with him on their journey.

"Inu-Yasha , what a fool you have become"

"No Kikyo I just realized what was more important in life." Inu-Yasha told her. He started to leave the soulless walking corpse in her amusement of mortals and their emotions. For he knew she was no longer would be the Kikyo he once loved. Inu-Yasha felt hurt and relieved at the same time , but now he could freely love Kagome without feeling guilt. As he turned to walk away he caught Kagome's scent and his heart leapt in excitement.

"Kagome you can come out, I know your there." Kagome couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Did Inu-Yasha really just tell Kikyo off, did he really just choose to live rather than accompany the dead priestess to hell. Kagome slowly and carefully walked out from behind the tree , she still didn't quite trust her knees just yet. She now stood beside the tree and brought her eyes to Inu-Yasha's and for the first time saw true happiness in them. She didn't see sadness or regret as she saw many times before.

"Inu-Yasha, is…is…this what you really want?" she asked still in disbelief.

"Yes" he said. As he walked toward her. "Kagome, I know I'm not smart and I'm a bit slow in figuring things out." he said.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked.

"I'll explain everything later, at Kaede's." he said as he wrapped his arms around her and held her. Kagome, almost as if she could read his thoughts, understood him. For the first time she felt complete. This time tears of joy ran down her face.

"Are you ever going to stop crying wench?" he said as stared at the beautiful creature in his arms. Kagome just laughed, it was true she had been crying since she got back from her time. As she brought her head up to say something her lips were immediately occupied by Inu-Yasha's. A shockwave thundered through Kagome's entire body. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood up on tip-toe to deepen the kiss further. He ran his tongue along her lower lip begging for entrance. She willing granted it. His tongue explored every inch of her mouth as she mimicked his actions. Finally they broke due to the lack of air. Inu-Yasha stared deep into the beautiful brown eyes of the girl in his arms. Which in turn made him extremely more nervous than any battle he had ever been in.

After what felt like an eternity to Inu-Yasha he finally gathered his courage to tell her what he had been dying to tell her for months.

"Kagome…I love you."

Kagome didn't think she could have been any happier.

" Inu-Yasha , of course I love you too." she said

Giving him hug as he nuzzled into her neck with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

…Mean while…

With all of that was unfolding in front of her, something snapped inside of Kikyo. Was it rage, hurt maybe, or betrayal? No it was pure jealousy she felt.

… Kagome held his head to her neck and simply enjoyed being near him. As she opened her eyes to take all of this in, she saw Kikyo. In the midst of Inu-Yasha's confession she forgot entirely about Kikyo even being there.

She saw Kikyo begin to nock an arrow and start to pull it back preparing to fire. She was aiming straight for Inu-Yasha's back. Without any hesitation Kagome grabbed the sleeves of Inu-Yasha's shirt and using his weight against him, spun him around so now her back was to Kikyo.

"Hey wench what are u doing?!" Inu-Yasha asked as he was just

about ready to yell at Kagome. He heard Kikyou laughing shrilly.

"Well Inu-Yasha it seems you will get to watch another woman die"

"What ?" he thought to himself, he looked down at Kagome, it took him until now to realize she had gone limp in his arms. Then he saw it, the end of the arrow sticking out of Kagome's back. Without another thought Inu-Yasha set Kagome down gently on her stomach.

"Don't worry, Kagome everything will be ok, I won't let the soulless bitch live any longer" as he said this he unsheathed tetsigua and stood before Kikyo.

"Oh Inu-Yasha what's the matter going to kill me, just to avenge that pathetic human girl?" Kikyo said as she knocked another arrow and sent it straight for Inu-Yasha's heart.

"I'm going to send you to hell once and for all you heartless bitch!,

WINDSCAR!!!!! At that moment Tetsuiga was unleashed upon the soulless priestess made of earth and clay. All that remained was a pile of dust and her sacred arrow.

"Find peace in the after life Kikyou, where you may forever rest." sending the words into the wind. Sheathing Tetsuiga, Inu-Yasha gently picked up Kagome. She was still alive but her breathing had become shallow.

"Hang on Kagome, please don't leave me" he pleaded. Inu-Yasha rushed back to Keade's hut as fast and as carefully as he could. When he arrived Sango, Miroku, and Shippou were outside.

" I guess they were waiting to see what would happen." Inu-Yasha said to himself

Inu-Yasha stopped next to Miroku, "Keep Shippou distracted so he doesn't come into the hut and see Kagome. Sango had tears welling in her eyes at the sight of her friend. Miroku put he arms around Sango and held her.

"Don't worry you know Inu-Yasha would never let anything happen to Kagome." Trying his best to reassure the demon slayer in his arms. Sango stopped crying but continued to sniffle a bit.

"There you are much more beautiful when you are not crying." he said, as he wiped the tears away from her eyes. She gave a little smile feeling a little better.

"Hey guys, what going on?" Shippou asked a little out of breath from playing with the village children.

"Oh nothing Shippou" said as she wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes.

"We're just having grown up talk."

"Is it supper time yet, I'm hungry"

"Hey I've got an idea why don't we eat at a vendor in the village tonight, my treat" Miroku suggested.

"YEAH that sounds great" Shippou bellowed as he ran toward the village.