Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of InuYasha and the ideas and concepts created by Rumiko Takahashi.

A/N: To let everyone know, This story is extremely similar to "There's Gotta Be More to Life" but in no way is this going to be the same story. It will be going in an entirely different directions soon after this prologue. I am discontinuing that particular fanfiction due to a total case of writer's block. But I will keep it up for the people that would like to revisit my past attempt at fanfiction writing.

Prologue - I Want More

I deserve more. I need more. I can't keep living like this, Kagome thought heatedly.

Why am I settling for this second rate existence when I can have so much more? Her thoughts were running wildy through her head.

This isn't what I wanted. I used to have dreams. What happened to them? What happened to me? She stopped running and realized she had reached the clearing.

She dropped down to her knees. Looking behind her she noticed that no one was behind her. Of course, she thought ruefully. No one would follow her. It was a futile hope to think that he cared. He didn't care about anything but her.

I can't do this anymore. I'm not happy, covering her face with her hands, she wanted her thoughts to stop. She wanted to run from everything, even herself.

Flopping down onto her back, she looked up. The blue skies were free of clouds. A light breeze played on the grasses around her. Her sighs whisked away by the gentle winds, never to be heard. She closed her eyes. Inhaling deeply, Kagome took in all the smells around her.

This wasn't her Tokyo. This was the Feudal Era and she knew she didn't belong. They don't need me. Naraku has been gone for two years and yet here I am. What do I do now?

Tears formed at the edges of her eyes. Should I just leave?

Before she could answer her own question a sound was carried on air's wings to her. It was a child's laugh. She sat up and quickly dried her eyes.

"Kagome!" Shippo yelled as he entered the clearing.

"Shippo? What are you doing here?"

"You can't leave, Kagome. InuYasha didn't mean it," he said as he ran to her and hugged her tightly.

Kagome was skeptical on that point. He meant every scathing acidic word that came from his mouth. She had no doubt. But she wouldn't tell Shippo that.

She instantly wanted to reassure him that she wasn't leaving but with her whole heart, she knew she couldn't. Instead she hugged him closer to her body. He was one of the only reasons for dealing with the ever escalating arguments she had with InuYasha. Every time she was at the end of her tether, she would think of Shippo, Miroku and Sango and knew she couldn't leave. Yet.

"I'm not leaving any time soon, Shippo. But I think with InuYasha in one of his moods that I should go home for a while."

His arms tightened around her waist. She gently smiled as she patted his head. "When I come back I'll bring you boxes of Pocky and a new set of crayons. How does that sound?"

Shippo instantly loosened his hold and looked up at Kagome. One of his eyebrows rose up and he had a suspicious look on his face. "You promise?"

Kagome almost laughed out loud. She made her face become serious. "I promise." She stood up with Shippo in her arms. "Now it is time for you to go back to Kaede. She must be worried sick about you just running off."

"No. She heard you and InuYasha arguing all the way from the shrine. She told me to come check on you. How long will you be gone?"

"Oh, not more than three days, I am sure. Now, go on," she said as she set him down.

He gave a solemn nod and waved as he left the clearing. As soon as she knew he was safely out of sight, a frown descended upon her face. Closing her eyes once again, she could hear InuYasha's hurtful words, echoing, on a constant loop.

"You'll never be like her. If she was the one helping us, we would already be done. You are useless." She shivered as they made her heart tighten.

She was so stunned when those words left his mouth, she couldn't even think of arguing back. The words felt like a dagger piercing her very soul and her silent fear was finally realized. He turned around and she finally came back to her senses.

"Where are you going?" Her voice sounding weak and vulnerable.

"Where do you think I am going?" His sarcasm and venom made Kagome flinch.

"Don't expect me to be here when you come back," she whispered.

His laugh sounded sardonic"Don't lie to yourself."

He jumped onto a branch and Kagome knew their argument was over.

"Why InuYasha? Why are you acting like this?" she asked herself before she dashed away.

Kagome opened her eyes. It had been like that for the last year. They fought like bitter enemies with Kagome always losing. The words hung heavy in her mind like all of his other tirades.

He clearly doesn't want me here. What do I do? I can't stand his criticism and his unwarrantedhatred. I have done everything he's ever asked of me. I want more than the Feudal Era can give me. I have no life here but what about Shippo and the others. What can I do?

A/N: So did you like it? I recently fell in love with the InuYasha series all over again and decided to start writing again. I hope you liked the start and will receive it as well as my past fanfics. So please give me feedback and I will be updating again in the next couple of days. Love :: (courtz) a.k.a. ((LoveAnime35))

A/N (#2): I have changed some facts that are minor such as dates like Naraku's death from one year to two years ago. That's about it.