DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha. If I did, boy, Sesshomaru would be in it a lot more.

Side notes:

Thoughts are written like this.

"Talking is written like this."

Flashback…

Sitting next to the well, Kagome and Inuyasha looked down at the ground while talking to each other. It was time for her to go back to her time again, to refresh and come back prepared to fight. Their talk was serious, nothing like they usually talked about. Inuyasha had asked her, in all seriousness: "You won't leave me, right? After we get the jewel shards, I mean," and Kagome shook her head.

"I promise to be with you, Inuyasha, forever," Kagome smiled as the man she loved smiled back, "I'd never leave you, no matter what," and Inuyasha nodded. Never had a woman spoken to him since he fell in love with Kikyo. Inuyasha looked at his female companion and took her word. He grabbed her hand with trust in his heart and she looked up at his face. "And you won't do anything to upset me, right?" She asked in a sincere voice.

What could he say to her, that he couldn't? Kikyo was still alive! There was no way to promise her something like this, not like his promise. But he couldn't say no. "Aw, you know me Kagome. I'm no Miroku now," and she slightly giggled. He had to continue, though. Why? Instincts. "I'll be here when you get back, just like this."

She smiled. She had to trust him. With one last tug with her hand, she said her farewell and jumped into the well. Inuyasha watched her disappear into the darkness and looked back at the forest. She came from around a tree and smiled. Inuyasha knew she was there the whole time, and felt so guilty, but he soon forgot about Kagome and left with the one he truly loved.

Kikyo's eyes slightly opened at the new voice in the hut and came to find Kagome standing in the doorway, hands clenched in anger. Her face was covered by the hair falling from her forehead. Kikyo thought nothing and closed her eyes once more. Inuyasha looked down at her and slyly moved underneath her, to try not to disturb her sleep (although she was never asleep in the first place) and stood from his place.

It was a tense, cutthroat silence, something Kagome never felt with Inuyasha, not in a long time. Probably the first time was when we met, she thought. She just stood there, not trying to look up at Inuyasha, and tried to piece everything together.

Inuyasha, too, was trying to find out why she had come home early rather than later. He was told a few days ago that she would be back in two more days, so it meant more time with the one he loved. It wasn't like he wanted to hurt Kagome, no, that wasn't the plan. Kagome knew about the affair but always accepted the fate she was to have. So why the sudden change of emotion? Inuyasha couldn't figure it out.

Inuyasha began to walk towards her but Kagome moved back. The distance between the two was just enough for Kagome to feel somewhat relieved to not feel in danger. "Kagome, I-" but Inuyasha couldn't find the words to explain his situation. He would start with that numerous times, and yet somehow, there was nothing to say. Kagome felt her tears fall from her chin and knew that he was not going to be honest with what he was going to say, if and when he did. She looked at him through his bangs—he could not tell—and saw the guilty look on his face. No reason why it shouldn't be on there, either, she thought.

She let herself fall to the ground. I know he's not worth any tears now, but it doesn't mean my heart isn't broken, she thought. Inuyasha bent down on his knees and inched his face underneath hers. Oh, how he wished to take those tears away and never see them on her face! She instinctively pulled back. There was no point in letting him see his damage; he could already feel it in his own heart.

Then a voice cut through the tension. "Were you not prepared for this?"

* * * *

Sango and Miroku came into the village again to find Shippo sitting in front of the hut where Inuyasha and Kikyo were. It was only natural to assume Kagome was there in the same hut now. Kirara purred towards Shippo and he looked back to his other friends. They had the same look on their face: worry and shame. Worry, because their friend had found out a secret that had been going on for a long time. Shame, because they didn't warn her.

Sango knelt down on the ground behind Shippo and rubbed his head. He couldn't help it, he had to cry for her. It was a part of his instinct and a part of his heart; Kagome would always be in his heart no matter what, dead or alive. And now his heart was breaking, only because her heart was breaking in the same matter: it was a hopeless love from the beginning, but she fell for him anyway.

"I feel as though we are at fault," Sango whispered as Miroku knelt beside her and Shippo. Indeed, they had a chance to tell her the truth so many times, but they kept to themselves because they did not want to get between the relationship.

Miroku could only nod. She was right, after all. It was not her fault for having her heart broken, nor was it Inuyasha's fault for not telling her (although, he could take the blame for the most part) but it was her friends that did nothing to act on the problem. It was a shot in the dark, a shot at betrayal. "We should," he whispered back. Shippo continued to cry. He could smell her tears, and his own mixed with the sadness in the air.

They couldn't see inside, but it was the mixture of sounds floating ominously in the air. They could hear her sobs, the pleads of Inuyasha, the voice of Kikyo, and the tension between all three. "I don't like this," muttered Shippo. Sango rubbed his head again and he continued to cry. Even Sango had tears threatening to come out of her eyes, and she was tough when it came to these situations.

"We all don't like this," Sango slowly replied, "but we knew it was going to happen, right?"
"Right. The Fates had planned this from the very beginning, it seems. I'm sure some good will come out of this," I hope, he added to his thoughts. Sango sighed and looked down at the little demon ahead of both of them. Shippo shook his head and started to cry even more. It was Kagome's pain coming to him to resonate.

"It's not fair! She did nothing wrong! Why does she have to feel this way when Inuyasha is always the stubborn one!" Shippo stood up and began walking towards the hut in anger. "He doesn't deserve her!" He screamed. Sango and Miroku sat there in shock as their little demon—who was always so full of energy and happiness—was now torn by the fact that Kagome had been hurt.

He was courageous, to say the least. No one else had the strength to yell what they had in their minds, what was right there on their tongues, waiting to be called out. But they couldn't do it. Who knew what Inuyasha would do to all of them if they took Kagome's side rather than his own. Now, they had to wait for what was going to come through the door any minute, to see a reaction of any kind from any of them.

"You can't have her anymore, Inuyasha! She has been hurt enough from the likes of you!" Shippo fell to the ground and cried again. How his heart ached in pain from what she was feeling! If only he was there with her, so she had some kind of support.

She was the one that needed it the most.

* * * *

Inuyasha looked back at the woman on the ground and saw her sitting in the direction of Kagome. Kikyo was deeply staring at the girl who was crying and felt no remorse for her. "Tell me, how does one accept the fact that a person loves another and not prepare themselves for the worst?" Kagome blinked.

She was right, after all. She knew Inuyasha loved Kikyo with his heart and soul, but somehow, her heart told her to try anyway and make him love her, no matter what. She didn't want to feel heartbroken like she was now, and she could see why. She was a mess, an absolute fool from the very beginning. Even when Kikyo was dead, Inuyasha still held onto the love of his life in his heart; Kagome could never change that. Inuyasha turned back to Kagome and reached out to touch her hand. She pulled it back before he could even graze it.

Kikyo continued, much to her desire to continue. "You wished to have Inuyasha love you, did you not? If that was your true intention, and yet you knew he would never come to your terms, why would you continue on a fruitless quest? There was no reason for him to love you," Kagome looked up at both of them, and saw Kikyo with an expressionless face and Inuyasha with a pained one. She probably mirrored Inuyasha, only worse.

She simply whispered, "Because it's a nightmare to see him with you." Kikyo grunted and then started to laugh. Inuyasha's ears drooped and started to scoot closer to her. He was pleading—perhaps begging—her to please let him console her, but she kept inching further and further away from him. She couldn't deal with more pain at the moment.

"A nightmare?" Kikyo asked. Inuyasha looked back at Kikyo.

"That's enough, Kikyo!" He turned back to Kagome and saw her crying even more. Her eyes were a bright red, her cheeks flushed from crying too much, and her tears still falling from her face. Her raven-colored hair was wet from her tears and stuck to her face. Inuyasha felt more pain in his heart. "Kagome, you can talk," he whispered. Kikyo relaxed and stared at Kagome.

What could she say? There was so much running through her mind and her heart was beating a mile a minute and in so much pain that she could find no words. But, she managed to conjure up something. "There is always a reason to love someone," and Kikyo bit down on her bottom lip.

"And yet, there is also a reason to hate someone at the same time," Kikyo angrily whispered back. Inuyasha growled. Two women in his life, and he had to face something like this. Kikyo, however, continued. "You are weak. In the demon world—no, half-demon world—they look for power and willpower. You have neither. You are poorly trained and compared to other priestesses, you are nothing more than an apprentice."

Inuyasha turned back to Kikyo once more and growled even louder. Kagome let out a painful sob when those words registered. How hurt was she when she was told that she was nothing better than garbage. Kagome looked up at the vicious woman and saw no remorse for what she said. She was serious and Kagome believed her. Then, Kagome began to yell. "Is that all you are here for, to cause pain? Are you here for hardships for everyone!" Inuyasha turned his head towards Kagome.

It came from the heart, but he caught more words from outside. He merely caught the end, but it was enough to catch his attention. Kagome looked at Inuyasha and shook her head. "I came to live here with you, forever…" She didn't even bother looking in his eyes to see a slight change. "Just go, Inuyasha. I can't be around you right now anyway," and she continued to cry. She didn't bother listening to anyone, at least for a while. She never heard the comfort of her friends.

Inuyasha, however, heard everything and stood from the ground. Kikyo looked up at her lover and saw his eyes rimmed with red and staring outside. He growled and angrily whispered: "Damn it all!" and rushed outside. Soon, you could hear Inuyasha yelling.

"Oi! Quit with your yelling out here!" Shippo growled and stood proud against Inuyasha. It was like he was not afraid of him, even if his demon side was showing just a little bit.

"I will not! Inuyasha, you are a stubborn brat!" Sango and Miroku ran to the battle between the two demons and Inuyasha pushed Miroku out of the way. Sango brought her weapon between the two and stared down Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, stop! You knew this was going to happen anyway!" Inuyasha growled and pushed Sango back to stare back down at the little demon. Sure, Shippo was terrified of Inuyasha, but not this time. Kagome's heart hurt so much that this pain gave him a new attitude against Inuyasha. "Inuyasha!" Sango cried out again, but it was no use.

Shippo screamed once more: "You don't deserve her!" and Inuyasha grabbed the little demon before throwing him far down the path. He collided—hard—with the dirt ground and felt the rocks scrape against his face. It wasn't too much pain, but enough to make him feel something. There was blood coming from a small cut and Shippo continued to yell. "You can't even deny it, Inuyasha!" He wiped the blood away and Sango ran to him while Miroku stood in front of Inuyasha. Inuyasha looked at Miroku.

"Inuyasha, you must stop! We mean no harm!" And Miroku was right: they did mean no harm. They were only trying to help Kagome however they could. Inuyasha's growling in his stomach started to subside and he just stood with Miroku. Of course, the red in the eyes had not yet gone away, but there was pain written on his face. "I know, Miroku, and…" Then, his ears drooped, "I'm just guilty."

Kagome, in the meantime, wanted nothing to do with what was going on outside. She could hear the fights and vicious attacks to one another, but she had made sure to not look out. She was left alone with Kikyo, the one that had caused this pain in the first place. Surely, the Gods were against her today. Kikyo did not hesitate to take advantage of the situation at hand: yes, the Gods were against her.

"'You won't leave me, right?'" Kagome blinked. She slowly lifted her head to see Kikyo smiling and carrying on about that night. "'I'd never leave you, no matter what.' What now, Kagome?" Kikyo continued to smile. Kagome's mind went blank. Her heart was now angry at the fact that Kikyo was there when they promised each other something. Not to mention Inuyasha lied to her and stuffed it down her throat at the same time.

Kagome moved just enough to be a few inches away from Kikyo now. She didn't know what she was doing, but she knew what she had done: she slapped Kikyo. Normally, she would be terrified of doing something like this. But she heard Shippo injured outside and felt his pain out there. It was war. Kikyo just sat there, staring into the air as Kagome started to yell again.

"You have no right to mutter those words to me!" Kagome rose from the ground and stood over Kikyo. She looked up at her. Kagome felt her breathing start to get heavy from her anger, but she found that she had no emotions left for Kikyo. "You know," Kagome began, "I first thought you were someone to look up to so I could get stronger. You are no better than I am."
"Oh? And how so?" Kikyo's voice was laced with anger.

"Because I, at least, have some kind of a heart with no power. You just have all power and no heart to love," and Kikyo bit down on her lip once more. Of course she had no heart; she was made merely of clay and bones. But, to say she could not love? It was absurd to believe a living soul could have no feelings.

Soon after, Inuyasha rushed back inside the hut after the slap was heard and Kagome turned around. There was a red mark on Kikyo's face, where Kagome had struck her, and he put two and two together. How was he so blind to not be able to protect the one he loved? He ran to Kikyo and she walked to the doorway. I'll start a new life. Yes, that'll be nice, she thought. She still had tears flowing, but it was full of anger. He started to growl and looked back at her.

"You can't touch her!" Kagome turned around and suddenly felt frightened by Inuyasha. More red was bleeding into his eyes and his teeth were bearing down towards her throat. Kagome soon rushed outside to find Sango, Miroku, and an injured Shippo just outside. They saw her face, full of fear and pain, and soon found the source come outside. Kikyo stood in the darkness and watched it all unfold. The rest of the group stood in front of Kagome in protection as she began to step back towards the forest. He repeated his words and snapped.

"You can't touch her!"

Uh oh. Inuyasha's getting intense.

Wow! I actually updated this story! I'm so proud of myself. I actually felt bad for leaving the story to die again, so I crapped this out. Is it what you wanted? Probably not, since Shippo is OOC and I can't help that. It's my story, so shut up XP

Again, the next chapter will be all about Kagome, Inuyasha, and Kikyo. No Sesshomaru yet, although I might just introduce him as travelling or something. He'll come in around the fourth chapter, so sorry if you think this is TOO slow. I really don't feel like rushing love, you know? After that, who knows. Something will happen, I just know it.

OH! Just to say something here: Naraku's dead. Yeah. He's dead. I'm just telling you now so you aren't confused when I say "looking for the jewel shards" from now on. I'll explain that in the next chapter, in case you ARE confused. So..yeah, you know, I'm just going to stop.

I'll try to update soon! Maybe Wednesday? Who knows! It depends on my mood, I suppose. Well, enough of that, I guess.

Please review! I'll reply as soon as I update next time! I don't mind a bit of criticism, I swear! 8) And I don't bite.

Until next time!

TLS