Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me.

-X-

You Were There

"I said no, bitch! And that's fucking final!"

"News flash, Inuyasha, you're not the boss of me! I can do what I want, whenever I want and I want to go home right now!"

"I don't give a flying fuck what you want, wench, you ain't leaving! I'm bigger, faster and stronger than you so you can try anything your puny little ass wants because in the end you'll just end up right back where you started: here!"

"Oh, so now it's a 'my sword's bigger than your sword' thing, is it? Hate to break it to you Inuyasha, but I'm not as weak as you think I am. You and I both know I could purify your ass right now if I wanted to!"

A snort. "Bitch, please. You think I'm scared of you? Fat chance of that ever happening, especially since you can't even use that smelly rotten piece of wood that you call a weapon, let alone even aim it. Stupid bitch. Should've guessed that you'd never be good as—" He abruptly cut himself off, golden eyes wavering.

Her back stiffened and her teeth clenched, her grasp on the "smelly rotten piece of wood" tightening until her knuckles turned white. Don't say it…please don't say it…

Amber orbs hardened in resolve; his jaw set determinedly as he finished. "…Kikyou."

Liquid brown eyes widened and they filled with unshed tears that threatened to spill down flushed cheeks. A tiny gasp escaped past a pair of pink lips and her bow dropped to the ground, forgotten.

"How…how dare you," she whispered vehemently with a glare aimed at the half-demon before her, hands once more fisted tightly at her sides.

The name left a bitter taste in his mouth and he swallowed thickly but didn't say a word to take it back. Nor did he move when the woman he loved spun around and ran for the well, the scent of her tears burning his sensitive nose and the sound of her quiet sobs echoing in his ears.

"…Kagome…"

-X-

"Damn you, Inuyashaaaaa!" Kagome screamed as soon as she landed at the bottom of the well in her time, the tears streaming down her cheeks and choked sobs escaping her mouth. "Stupid, stupid boy!"

Then, out of nowhere Kagome felt drained and she slid down the wall to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them before burying her face them. "Stupid, stupid me," she mumbled and closed her eyes, trying to stave the tears that still leaked down her cheeks.

She hadn't meant for it to go that far. She certainly hadn't expecting Inuyasha to…say such a thing. If worst comes to worse, she would have just sat him a few times, thus ending the age old argument, before leaving for her own time.

But after what he said… God, she'd been so angry, so…so heartbroken that she couldn't do anything except run away. Kagome hadn't wanted to leave things like they are before she left, but…she just couldn't bear to face him after what he'd so carelessly said. But what made it that much worse, that much more heartbreaking…was that he'd said it anyway, even after cutting himself off.

A heavy sigh sounded from the distraught young woman and she sat there for God knows how long before finally deciding she'd spent enough time stewing in the past and she stood up on shaky legs, still sniffling, but the tears had stopped, thankfully. Drying her cheeks, hoping that her family wouldn't ask why she looked like such a mess, Kagome climbed up the old well with practiced ease and heaved herself out, making sure she looked somewhat presentable before going up the stairs and sliding the doors open.

Instantly a feeling of dread passed over her and the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and gooseflesh igniting on her arms and legs. Kagome's heart skipped a beat as she slowly exited the well house and made her way across the court yard, a frown marring her features. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong, but for the life of her she couldn't quite make out what it was. A sense of foreboding swept over her as she neared her house, and it increased tenfold when she spotted none other than her mother kneeling before the God tree, head in her hands and shoulders shaking as she openly wept.

"Mama," Kagome whispered, wasting no time in darting toward her mother and dropping own beside her. "Mama, what happened? Are you okay?" she asked frantically, her hand on the older woman's shoulder and her mind going a mile a minute.

Mama Higurashi paused in her sobbing and lifted her face toward her daughter and Kagome was taken aback and how older her mother looked in that moment. Her face was pale, her mocha eyes lacking their usual sparkle and luster and the crow's feet at their corners suddenly seemed a lot more defined.

Sucking in a breath, Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat and questioned softly, cautiously, "Mama…?"

"Kagome," her mother finally rasped and a fresh bout of tears poured down her cheeks. Seeing her mother cry always choked Kagome up and she could feel her own tears prickle at the back of her eyes. "Kagome," she said again desperately and dropped her face back in her hands. "He's-he's gone! Dad is gone!" More sobs followed this statement as her strong, wise mother broke down right before her.

Kagome froze the blood in her veins going cold and the color drained from her face. A fine tremble seized her limbs and she tried frantically to swallow the lump in her throat that suddenly hindered her breathing.

"G-gramps…?"

-X-

Twin fuzzy canine ears twitched frantically atop a head of silver hair and Inuyasha snapped his head toward the direction of the Bone Eater's Well. A shiver crawled along his spine, like icy fingers stealing whatever body warmth he had and leaving him feeling cold and bereft. Unbidden a name flash before his mind's eye and his heart thudded in his chest.

"Kagome."

Inuyasha frowned, wondering what had compelled him to say her name aloud like that. Then out of nowhere the sudden urge to see her seized him and before he knew what was even doing, the half-demon was sprinting toward the time traveling device, his feet seemingly having a mind of their own. Their argument was still quite fresh in his mind and he was still beating himself up over it. He'd had no right to say what he had, but he'd gone and did the most stupid things that they both knew he was capable of.

Compared her to her predecessor, Kikyou.

God, I'm a first class idiot, he mused to himself, finally reaching he well and stopping a foot before it.

What was this feeling? His gut was telling him that something was wrong, that same feeling he always got whenever Kagome was in danger. But she was supposed to be safe on her side of the well, wasn't she? Her time was hundreds more safe than his own.

So why was his instincts telling him to get to her as soon as possible?

Even though Inuyasha followed his gut instinct ninety-nine percent of the time, he still hesitated in jumping in and finding out for himself if his love was in danger or not. He knew that he was probably the last person she wanted to see right now after what had happened earlier, and Inuyasha definitely couldn't blame her.

But still…Inuyasha would rather have an angry Kagome than an injured Kagome.

With that thought in mind and decision made, Inuyasha nodded to himself and jumped and fell into five hundred years into the future.

-X-

"Last night," Mama sniffled, trying to pull herself back together for the sake of her daughter. "He was complaining that he was having trouble breathing, and he was having chest pains, so we took him to the hospital." Taking in a shaky breath, the older woman finally composed herself and turned to stare into concerned and frantic eyes that were so much like her own. "Do you remember how he always had that nasty cough that he couldn't seem to get rid of?"

Puzzled at the seemingly irrelevant question, Kagome frowned and nodded.

"As it turned out," Mama continued, closing her eyes and facing forward again. "Shortness of breath, chest pains, and a cough that won't go away…are symptoms of lung cancer."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat and she fell back on her knees, her eyes impossibly wide and her mouth parted in shock. She felt cold all over and she seemed unaware of the tears that leaked from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. "L-lung…"

"He died peacefully in his sleep," she continued softly. Her daughter didn't need to know just how exactly he did die; her father's lungs had ceased to function, then his organs had shut down. "He didn't feel any pain. He was under heavy medication so at least he didn't suffer." She glanced at her daughter again and her heart broke all over at the crestfallen, lost look upon her features.

"Oh, Kagome," she whispered and leaned over to embrace her oldest child. Kagome was unresponsive, no doubt still in shock. "I'm so sorry you didn't get to see him one last time, dear. " Kissing Kagome's pale cheek, Mama exhaled shakily and stood up, sensing that her daughter probably needed a little time to digest this terrible news. "I love you, baby." Sweeping a hand down Kagome's raven hair, Mrs. Higurashi stepped back then headed toward their house, her arms going around her stomach as it to hold herself together. Her children needed her right now, and she'd be damned if she was going to be selfish and wallow in her own misery while both her son and daughter were suffering just as much as she was.

"Rest in peace, Daddy. I love you."

If Kagome noticed the retreating figure of her mother, she didn't show it as she just sat there on her knees, her form trembling, her face pale and her chocolate eyes, staring ahead at nothing, wide and liquid with tears. She still trembled, either from shock or cold, no one could tell as she tried to register what she had just been informed. Gramps…her dear, wise, old, crazy grandfather was…dead?

That word seemed to snap her out of her shock, however, and Kagome's whole body jolted as it waking up from a bad dream and her hand lifted to press against her mouth, her eyes once more overflowing with tears and making her vision go blurry.

No. No, it couldn't be true. It had to be false. Kagome refused to believe that her grandfather, her crazy, sometimes deluded, beloved gramps had passed away overnight and she hadn't even been aware of it. He'd always been there for her, with his dry humor to get a smile from her when she was down, with his crazy stories to distract her from disheartening thoughts, with his sometimes weird and strange gifts that oftentimes went to Buyo…with his calm and reassuring presence, always ready to give a hug and always asking nothing in return. It just wasn't possible…

"No," she breathed, shaking her head frantically, wrapping her arms around her stomach and doubling over. "No!" Kagome screamed hoarsely and rocked back and forth, sobbing out her sorrow and mourning the loss of her beloved grandpa. "Gramps…no!"

She didn't hear, from somewhere behind her, the sound of wooden doors sliding open, nor the muffled sound of bare feet walking across the pavement in her direction. It was only when the color red filled her vision and familiar fire-rat clad arms circled her shaking form that Kagome finally reacted and she clung to him desperately, smashing her face into his chest and crying for everything that she was worth. Hateful words, painful accusations, and ill will toward one another was in that instant forgotten and all that mattered that he was here, she was safe, and they were together again.

Holding her tightly against him, closing his eyes and resting his chin on her head, Inuyasha didn't say anything and just let her cry, rubbing a hand up and down her back soothingly, wishing there was something he could do, anything to take away the pain she was feeling. He wasn't an idiot; he'd heard that last mournful cry for her grandfather from within the well house and it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

Rest in peace, you crazy old coot, he thought fondly and tightened his hold on the woman in his arms, her sobs tearing at his heart. "Kagome," he whispered and inhaled her scent, laced with tears and sorrow. "I'm sorry."

Kagome didn't know if he was apologizing about their earlier quarrel, or for her very recent loss, but either way she was grateful. Perhaps it was both and for that Kagome's love for him increased and she hugged him tight, mumbling is name. She'd finally settled down a little, though a few hiccoughs and sniffles were inevitable.

"Thank you," she breathed and in response she felt a pair of lips gently press against her forehead and a small, watery smile graced her lips. Her beloved grandfather may not be there for her anymore…but she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Inuyasha would be, no matter what.

The next thing she knew she was being lifted up and cradled against a strong chest and her arms automatically swathed around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. Inuyasha started for the house with the woman he loved secured safely in his arms and Kagome closed her eyes, taking in his calming scent and allowing the soothing rumble emitting from his chest to relax her.

"I'm glad you're here." It was barely above a whisper, but he heard it all the same and he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"So am I."

-X-

This one-shot is dedicated to all beloved grandfathers and grandmothers who have since passed on and will forever remain in our prayers and hearts, my dear Grandfather Raymond included. I love and miss you lots, Grandpa. I know you're happy up there with Grandma Joyce, and are looking down on us and keeping us safe.

Moving on, this has actually been an idea of mine that I've wanted to do for a very long time, but I've never had the inspiration to write it out until just recently. I'm going to take that as a sign that my grandpa is thinking about me and giving me the inspiration I needed to get me out of my block. Thanks, Gramps. Much appreciated. 3

Hope you enjoyed it. Lame title, I know, but eh. Whatever. And I don't want to hear about how I made Kagome overreact, or how she's being a drama queen or whatever. She just lost a beloved grandparent and she wasn't even able to see him one last time before he passed away. It's completely possible to totally break down like that. Feel free to correct me if you think I'm wrong or overdid it.

Oh, and, one more thing guys… The emails and reviews harping me on when I'm going to finish or update a particular story? Not appreciated.

Until next time,
Keiz