Disclaimer: Damn i hate these things! But I'd hate being sued more so… NO! I do NOT own Inu-Yasha! This is a very good thing because if I did, I'd probably ruin it anyway.

Chapter 1- The Day Before

"Inu-Yasha, look out!"

The half demon turned just in time to see and avoid the spider demon's attack. This demon was proving to be difficult to beat, having acquired two shikon shards and had managed to catch the group by surprise. Sango and Miroku had been knocked out and Inu-Yasha had several feet of strong sticky spider web binding his arms behind his back, somewhat restricting his movement. The spider, which was about the size of a small house, was trying to crush the cursing Inu-Yasha under one of its eight legs. Inu-Yasha ripped through the web binding him and leaped, claws exposed, towards the spider. But this attack didn't work as the spider shot out more of the sticky web which this time covered his entire body and bound him to the ground. Now his prey was unable to move the spider raised two of its legs to crush the trapped half demon. "Hey! Ugly!" Kagome yelled, raising her bow and shooting at the oversized arachnid. The arrow sliced off the two large hairy legs and the spider demon screeched in pain before turning and fleeing into the forest. Kagome ran to the moving pile of sticky spider web which was Inu-Yasha and proceeded to peel the substance off of him. It took a while but finally the half demon was free. He jumped up and looked around franticly.

"Where is it?" He asked.

"It ran off into the forest." Kagome answered, very aware of what was coming next.

"Oh great!" He sighed sarcastically, "Tell me you got the shards." She looked at the ground,

"Sorry, the shards were in its body, I only managed to hit its legs." There proceeded a large argument, just like many before, and about halfway through it Miroku and Sango revived.

"Oh no," sighed Sango after sitting up and rubbing her head, "they're at it again!" Miroku nodded solemnly, before lying back down on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Sango asked him.

"Well we both know this fights going to last for a while, and I think I'd rather stay out of the way, for my own safety." She saw his point and lay back down on the grass. There the monk and the warrior stayed until the other two had finished their dispute.

Later that evening

"Well, we'll just have to find that damn spider tomorrow." The group were resting in Kaede's hut, bandaged up where needed and joined by Shippō, who had remained behind on this particular mission due to previous injuries. Kagome's head snapped up at Inu-Yasha's words,

"Tomorrow! But I have to go back home tonight!"

"WHAT!"

"I've already packed," she indicated the huge bag next to her, "I have to leave tonight."

"Why? Is it another one of those exams?" Kagome picked up her bag and turned to the door, which was promptly blocked.

"Inu-Yasha." Kagome sighed.

"You're not leaving."

"Oh yes I am, now get out of my way." "NO! We need to get those shards!" "Inu-Yasha…" she growled, fuming "SIT!" The angry half demon found himself crashing to the ground, cracking the wooden floorboards below him. "I'm leaving!" Kagome announced. "I'll be back in a couple of days. Sorry about your floor Kaede." She left the small hut and went to the well.

"That wench!" Inu-Yasha shouted as he jumped up, "why did she leave now? Why couldn't she have waited until we had gotten the shards off of that damn spider!"

"Now now Inu-Yasha," Miroku said calmly, "don't be so ungrateful. Lady Kagome has been with us five days now, and remember, her family and home are on the other side of that well."

"Poor Kagome," murmured Shippō, "she must get homesick a lot." Inu-Yasha huffed and turned away from the group, but secretly he felt a little guilty. I never thought about it like that he thought maybe I should apologise… After a little more thought he made up his mind, he would give her tonight to calm down and he would visit her tomorrow. Meanwhile Kagome was in her room fuming at Inu-Yasha's selfishness. She was one step away from being angry enough to throw things, when her mother came in.

"Now now Kagome," she said gently, "this is no way for a girl to be on the night before her birthday. You're supposed to be happy and excited."

"Oh I'm sorry mum," Kagome apologised, "Inu-Yasha just makes me so mad sometimes."

"Well that's a shame, I was hoping to see him at the party tomorrow." Kagome laughed at her mums words.

"There's no chance he'd come even if I did invite him, I can assure you mum." Her mum left and Kagome flopped down onto her bed, trying to focus on the reason she had come back home. Her 16th birthday. She had planned to tell the others and maybe invite Inu-Yasha over, but then decided that he would probably just see it as a waste of time while they could be looking for shards. So in the end she didn't tell any of her feudal friends that it was her birthday. Sighing, she went to get ready for bed, maybe the party tomorrow would make her feel better.