DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Inu Yasha, but -sniffle- I don't.

A/N- Thanks for all the great reviews for "The Rain" and "Twisting Time". I promised I'd post this one as soon as I could, so here you go.

Memories

Memories are what bind us.

Memories tell us right from wrong.

They tell us who is friend or foe.

Without memories we do not learn or grow.

Without memories we shall remain stagnant, never moving.

Memories are what form our personality.

And bind us to those we love.

Chapter 1

"Inu Yasha, you should apologize." Sango tapped him on the back of the head.

"Hmph, I'm not apologizing to her. I didn't do anything wrong. She's the one that keeps wanting to go home." Inu Yasha folded his arms over his chest and refused to look at his companions. He shot a glance over his shoulder at the girl in question.

Kagome was walking very slowly, lagging far behind. She hadn't spoken to him since their fight. As a matter of fact she hadn't spoken to anyone. The idea worried him. 'Usually she would at least talk to Sango.' He went over the fight in his head...

"You're so selfish, always wanting to go home!"

"I'm not asking for long, just two days! Is that so hard! I haven't been home in almost three weeks! I need to catch up on my studies!" Kagome fumed.

"Studies-smudies. You just want to go home because you're selfish."

"It's important for teenagers in my era to go to school. Can't you understand that!"

"Well, it's not that important here. And here is where you belong."

Kagome had given him a curious look at that. "Inu Yasha, I have a life there too. And my family is there." She frowned. "I miss them sometimes."

"Once the jewel is complete you can go back whenever you want."

"All you ever think about is the stupid jewel!"

"You're the one that broke it."

"And I'm trying to help put it back together, aren't I?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to tell considering that you keep running home to your time."

"Well, maybe I should just go back and stay there! If you think I'm so useless!"

"Feh, you are useless. I'd do just as well without you!" He'd regretted the statement the moment it had left his mouth.

Kagome's face had dropped and had that been a tear he'd seen? "Fine." She turned away from him. "I'll stay, but not for you. I made a promise to find the jewel shards and I will." That had been the last thing she'd said to him.

At first, he had been proud of himself for winning the argument, but Kagome wouldn't even look at him now. 'It's been two days and she's still sulking. Maybe I was a bit too rough.' He glanced over his shoulder again. The girl kept her eyes locked on the path ahead of her, pushing the bike with extreme concentration. 'If I could just get her to look at me, I could tell whether or not she's angry or sad.'

"Look at that." Shippo hopped onto Miroku's shoulder. Inu Yasha turned his attention back to road. Up ahead was a bridge, it looked sturdy enough to hold their weight, even though it swung slightly in the wind. "Do you think it's safe?" The little fox eyed the bridge critically.

"Don't be such a coward. It's perfectly safe." Inu Yasha began to cross the bridge. His companions followed a little more cautiously.

Kagome watched the others out of the corner of her eye. She frowned. 'I can't believe him, telling me I'm useless. Without me he wouldn't even be able to find the shards.' Her frown deepened. 'Of course, I was the one who broke it in the first place.' She watched Inu Yasha's back. He always acted so agitated when she wanted to go home. 'Does he still want to become human for Kikyo? Is that why he's so insistent-for her?' The idea that Inu Yasha still may love Kikyo sent Kagome into a deeper depression. She barely noticed when she began to cross the bridge. 'I'm sure Kikyo wouldn't have broken the jewel. She probably would have found all the pieces by now even if she had.' His words echoed in her head, 'You are useless. I'd do just as well without you.' "Maybe I am useless." She mumbled to herself.

Ahead, Inu Yasha suddenly stopped and stiffened. "What is it, Inu Yasha?" Shippo asked from his perch.

He sniffed the air. "Demons." At that moment a swarm of demons came over the horizon. Inu Yasha drew Tetsusaiga. "Only Naraku would send so many demons at once."

"Perhaps, they sense Kagome's jewel shards." Miroku suggested.

'Kagome?' Inu Yasha glanced over his shoulder at the miko. She was in the center of the bridge. She seemed to be a bit disoriented and not notice the coming danger. He hesitated for only a moment, before his heart screamed in his ears. "Kagome!" His throat echoed the sentiment.

At first she didn't look up, but then she seemed to realize the fear in his voice. The demons swooped down attacking the group. Inu Yasha charged in sword at full force with Sango and Miroku on his heels. The majority of the demon band didn't bother with the formidable group, instead they headed straight for Kagome.

Still half in a daze Kagome watched as the demons launched themselves at her. Dropping the bicycle, she dove forward on the rickety bridge as a demon dived for her. It missed and swooped back into the air. She heard Inu Yasha cry her name. "Kagome! Stay down!" She felt the rush of wind and knew he had unleashed the Wind Scar. She looked up to see the remains of the Wind Scar's flames. Then suddenly the bridge moaned and gave way. The supports were giving way.

She clutched at the rope as the bridge fell apart beneath her. She swung wide and banged her shoulder into the cliff face. She heard the clatter of her bike below as it struck rock. Opening her eyes, she realized that she was dangling from the cliff. Inu Yasha was above her panic in his eyes. "Kagome, don't move. I'll come get you." He struggled over the cliff edge and began a very difficult descent. The cliff was very steep and there were few handholds. Kagome gasped as she felt the rope give way a little. Above her she heard Inu Yasha curse, the rope was frayed at the base and it was quickly giving way. Quickening his pace he made his way closer. There was another jolt to the rope and Kagome gasped again.

"Kagome you'll have to reach, give me your hand." He stretched his own as far as he could without loosing his grip to reach her.

She slowly reached for him, fear in her eyes. "Inu Yasha…."

"Reach Kagome!" He heard the rope snap above him. He tried to grab her outstretched hand, but missed. "Kagome!" But she was already falling through the air, headed toward the rushing river at the bottom. After a split second of shock, he dove after her. 'At least I may be able to break her fall.' He reached out to her as he neared.

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome reached out for him as well, but he wasn't close enough. The river caught her and the current pulled her under.

A strangled horrified cry from Inu Yasha was all Sango and Miroku could hear. Then he too was swallowed by the river. "Kirara, take us down there." Kirara had already transformed before Sango could complete her request. They mounted the demon cat and flew into the ravine.

"Inu Yasha! Kagome!" Miroku searched the foaming water for signs of life.

"Perhaps they were swept down river." Sango suggested. "I'll go check up river." She took off with Kirara without waiting for a response.

Shippo sniffed about on the shoreline. "I'm not catching his scent."

In the middle of the river Inu Yasha surfaced. He looked around panicked. "Kagome! Kagome! Marioku has Kagome come up yet?"

"No, you didn't find her?"

"Damn, the currents too strong she's probably way down stream." He swam to the bank. "I've already checked the bottom, but she probably would have gotten swept down stream instead of staying there."

"Sango has gone to check ahead."

"Let's go." Inu Yasha gave the bank on the far side a quick glance. He'd had to struggle to reach the shore. Kagome would never have been able to reach it, especially if she's hurt. The very thought of Kagome being hurt made his guts twist in a knot. He started running, speeding along the broken shore with ease. Miroku and Shippo followed. After quite some time, Sango returned, meeting them on the shore. "Did you see anything Sango? Did you find Kagome?"

Sango gasped. "You mean you didn't find her. I thought for sure you did, because I searched for a good distance."

Shippo began to cry. "Kagome's gone! No, no, no!"

Inu Yasha trembled. "No, she's not! Sango, you probably just missed her somewhere!"

"Inu Yasha, I doubled back along the river. I never saw her, not even a sign. That's why I assumed you found her."

"Kagome couldn't have lasted this long underwater. But maybe she came up and crawled away from the river." Miroku suggested.

"I highly doubt it. This ravine continues for another thousand yards or so. If she came up after that I would have seen her, because there's no foliage on the bank ahead."

"I'm not giving up! Kagome's a survivor! I know she's still alive." Inu Yasha protested. 'I'd feel it if she weren't.' "I'll search the whole river if I have to!" Without another word he sprinted off down the shoreline.

"Tatachi, come here quick!"

"What is it?" Tatachi came to his brother's side to peer over his shoulder.

"It's a young woman." The young man rolled the unconscious body over. "She's still alive. Poor thing must have gotten caught in the river."

Tatachi stared at the girl in the torch light. "She's dressed strangely, don't you think, Hotan?"

"She's probably too poor to afford proper cloths."

His brother knelt beside him. "We'd better take her to the lord, he may interested in this. Strange she resembles Ayomi." He scooped the girl up, discovering that she weighed next to nothing. "Pretty little thing, isn't she?"

"Now, Tatachi, she's obviously injured, so let her rest before trying to gain her affections." Hotan chuckled.

Tatachi laughed, but the thought had certainly occurred to him. 'She looks healthy enough to bear many children.' With that the two brothers carried the unconscious Kagome away from the river. Above them the sky cracked with lightening and the rain began to pour.

"Inu Yasha, you must see reason. It has been three weeks since Kagome fell in the river. There's no-" Miroku was cut off.

"Don't you dare say it! I'll rip your guts out! She's not dead! I'll find her!" Inu Yasha trembled as his fists tightened at his side.

Sango held Shippo, who looked very depressed. He'd been crying for Kagome for over a week and had barely eaten a bite for three days. "Inu Yasha your behavior is affecting Shippo, you know how he looks up to you. You must accept the facts. It hurts us all, but we have seen not a sign of her. That leaves only one-"

"Shut up! Shut up! I won't accept anything! And stop acting like she's dead, 'cause she's not! I'd feel it if she was!" Inu Yasha spun away from them feeling a blush cross his cheeks. 'I didn't mean to say that. Damn, now I look like a wuss.' "I'm going on ahead."

Miroku smacked him with his staff. "It's dark, you idiot. You need to rest too. If Kagome is still alive, what use will you be to her when you find her if your half dead from no sleep."

Inu Yasha snarled as he rubbed the back of his head. "What the hell are you talking about?" 'Is he saying she might be in trouble?'

"I'm saying if you're going to keep your wits about you, you'll need rest."

"Please, Inu Yasha. I can't sleep if you're not here." Shippo spoke softly, barely raising his head.

"Feh, fine I'll stay. But when the sun's up, I'll be too." Inu Yasha looked up at the stars ignoring the group that settled by the fire. 'Kagome, I know you're out there. I wish you could hear me. If you can, I'm sorry. If we hadn't have fought….I'll find you I promise.'

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Please be kind and I'll try not to rhyme. Woops, sorry. Please Read and Review. 