-1Kagome rode throughout the night only stopping when it was absolutely necessary to. She wanted to get the hardest part of this ordeal over. Meeting Inuyasha and telling why she had been gone so long. She was still unsure if whether or not she would tell him of his two children who were waiting impatiently at home inside the safe barrier that protected the village. As Kagome rode she had flashbacks of when Inuyasha and her would ride together and he wouldn't let a single thing harm her. She thought so much of it she didn't notice that they were coming upon the village where her husband Hojo was suppose to be gathering goods for the village. She decided it would be best if she stopped and talked to Hojo before she went off after her ex-lover. She gently dismounted her white horse and walked to the Headman's house. He was working in the fields and when he saw her he couldn't believe his eyes that a fair beauty such as herself would be wandering around in the dirt. She was wearing a very tight red and white outfit that looked similar to that of a Demon Slayers mixed with a Priestess'.

"My-My lady. What brings you to this humble village?" The man bent down to pay his respects.

"I am searching for my husband Akitaki Hojo. Is he here may I speak with him?" Kagome began to look around expecting to see Hojo running up to give her a kiss. But he was no where to be found.

"I am terribly sorry my lady but your husband came here looking for goods we didn't have. He left with his two soldiers to another village about 5 miles from here. That was two days ago, he should have been back by now. Unless he ran into bandits, I have heard there was some running about making a mockery. Forgive me for not knowing of his whereabouts." The man turned and entered a house. Kagome stood not knowing if she had heard correctly. Hojo had left the safety of the surrounding area while bandits were near.

"We will head to this village. It's on our way to the Forest of Inuyasha so it won't hurt to stop by and check on Hojo." Kagome mounted her horse and rode of to the forest. They rode for about and hour when the horses became restless. The wind began to blow. Kagome looked to see a stream of blood. It wasn't fresh, whatever had been killed it had been dead for days. With that it struck her. Hojo had been missing for days. She leapt from her horse and ran through the underbrush when she came to the opening, the sight of blood and bodies came to her. Hojo and to two guards assigned to him were dead. The bandits wanted their horses and they got it. Kagome clasped her hands over her face and sobbed softly. She thought if only she would have told him that he should go out after the bandits had left.

"My lady it is not safe here, we must make haste and continue on before the bandits return."

"We will bury them first. Then we shall leave." With that Kagome began digging. It took about 45 minutes since they were digging by hand. But once they were complete Kagome felt much better that she did not abandoned Hojo. She climbed up onto her horse and rode on to Inuyasha's Forest.

On the other side of the forest Inuyasha and Sango practiced their fighting skills together.

"Hiraikotsu!!!" Sango whipped her boomerang around like a spinning top. Inuyasha, of course, dodged and countered the attack, insuring that he only made his point but didn't harm Sango and Kirara.

"Wind Scar!!!" With that Sango was sent flying through the air Inuyasha hadn't realized he had put so much power into it. He leapt and caught Sango before she was badly injured.

"Oops...sorry. Don't know my own strength." He set her down just as he caught a scent he thought he would never smell again.

"Ka-Kagome?" He then leapt with such an extreme speed that he left a cloud of dust in his wake.

"Um... Kirara? Did he just say Kagome?" Sango and Kirara stood dumbfounded.

Inuyasha stopped as soon as he reached the waterfall. There beneath it stood Kagome giving her horse the water it so greatly deserved. Inuyasha, so entranced, didn't realize he was walking forward. He continued until he stepped on a twig and the soldiers turned with their swords drawn.

"Who goes there? show yourself at once." The soldiers stood very close to Kagome. Kagome didn't look worried at all. She knew it was him. She was not afraid.

"If I were you I would put your swords down before I come out and rip you entire arm off." The soldiers were stunned yet they stood their ground.

"Discard you weapons." Kagome said in a soft voice.

"But my-my lady."

"Do as you are told. You wouldn't want to trifle with an angry demon would you?" Kagome nodded to them and assured them they would be safe. Inuyasha leapt from the trees and landed in front of Kagome and the soldiers. The soldiers gasped at the sight of a man who had an exact resemblance to Kagome's son.

"Leave us. Do not question me. Go on to the village now." Kagome signaled them to leave. The soldiers knew that she could handle whatever he had in store. They mounted their horses and made their way to the village where Kaede lived. Kagome watched as they left, her back to Inuyasha. When she turned around she was met with arms around her waist. Inuyasha was kneeling on the ground sobbing. She placed her hands around his head.

"I...I thought you were dead. I looked everywhere for you. Your mother said you hadn't returned and I couldn't find your scent anywhere. I went back to your world everyday to see if you had returned. But after a couple years I gave up hope. I am so sorry for pushing you away Kagome. Please forgive me." Inuyasha was so upset he could barely speak. Kagome now was so upset at what pain she had caused him that she knew she would have to tell Inuyasha about his children.

"Inu...yasha." Kagome tried to ease the words out.

"I need to tell you something. I believe you will hate me afterwards."

"I could never hate you Kagome, my life isn't worth living if your not there to share it with." He hugged her even tighter around her waist. Kagome pushed him away. Inuyasha looked as if he didn't understand. Kagome began to cry.

"I need to tell you something. And I KNOW you will hate me."

TO BE CONTINUED...