Alright. Its afternoon now and I'll probably be working till dinner. So let's get to it, guys.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except, of course, the children. They are my child laboring slaves. Watch me laugh evilly. muahahaha

God I wish I had more time to write. And sleep.

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Inuyasha's feet beat the earth in a slow rhythm. He jumped again and again through the forest. His feet came to rest before a well he knew all to well. He knelt by it and touched the aged wood. He could find no evidence of its use for a long while. He stood and readied himself for the trip he hadn't made through the length of 7 years. He put his foot on the lip of the well.

Inuyasha froze. He turned sideways as fast as he could as something hit him hard, making him fall backwards. Inuyasha's eyes opened quickly and he found a creature on his chest. The youkai growled, baring sharp teeth, and snapped near Inuyasha's ear. "What are you doing here, hanyou? You have no business near this well, nor anywhere near this village."

Inuyasha sneered. "When did you get so high and mighty? Do you think you could beat me…Shippo?"

The teenaged youkai was crouched over Inuyasha. His brown hair was tied back in a brown piece of cloth, no longer in a bow. His vest was the same brown as his hair, but he didn't wear a shirt beneath it. Revealing a new, well-sculpted upper body. He was wearing dark leggings. He had sweat bands around his wrists.

Shippo's physical changes were few but pronounced. His fangs were longer and sharper (though not as long as Inuyasha's). His hair was darker, as was the rest of the fur on his body. He was strong and sculpted and Inuyasha could smell blood from Shippo's last meal all over him. None of it was visible now. He had changed.

Shippo growled once more at the use of his name. "You…" Shippo seethed, panting with anger. "Traitor! Liar! Deserter…You have no business here!"

"Get off of me, brat." Again Shippo's teeth barely missed Inuyasha's ear.

"What'd you call me? I'm more of a man than a traitor like you could ever be!! How dare you leave us alone, then come back and expect to be welcomed!? I hate you. She hates you. We all hate you. So leave. And never darken our forest with your presence again." With a final distasteful perusal of the inu-hanyou, Shippo pulled off of him and crawled away. Inuyasha sat up. His chest was heaving. His blood was boiling. His heart's swift beating was on fire. Because the boy had had the nerve to say it…and because he knew the boy's hatred was warranted.

Inuyasha stood. "I have to get to the other side. Else Kagome will die."

Shippo froze at this. He eyed Inuyasha, trying to judge if he was telling the truth. Finally he eyed the well. "She told me not to allow anyone through. Ever. Kagome said it was no longer safe."

"Are you willing to risk her life for mine?" There was a pause.

"Alright. You can try." Inuyasha nodded. He placed a hand on the edge of the well and in an instant had jumped over the side, dropping into the unknown.

Inuyasha flew downward, waiting for the strange blue light to engulf him, and usher him to the future.

But it never came.

Even when he touched down to the ground of the well the smell hadn't changed. He leapt out of the well and peered back into it. He frowned. He had failed. He turned his back on the well without a word and walked away. Shippo followed on all fours. Inuyasha eyed him but said nothing

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Inuyasha lifted the flap to Kaede's hut. Myna and Sango were sitting next to Kagome and looked up at his entrance. There eye's flew to Shippo as he walked-er-crawled in. The boy stared at Kagome's body, then hurried to her. He crouched down next to her and looked to Sango for information. She evaded the gaze. He said Myna's name, but she didn't answer. He turned on Inuyasha, teeth bared. "What's happened?!"

Inuyasha calmly explained, then dodged as the boy launched himself at him.

"What did you do to her?!! What did you do?!!?" Shippo made to launch again but a hand flew from the opening of the hut and took him around the middle.

"Now, now Shippo. Don't assume. Haven't I told you about that temper?" Inuyasha knew the voice instantly. A tall monk walked in and smiled at Inuyasha.

"Hello, Inuyasha."

"Miroku…I'm sor-" Inuyasha stopped as a small child ran screaming into the room.

"Masaki!! Put Mae down!!"

Inuyasha now realized that it wasn't the child-Masaki- that was screaming, but a child in his arms, who he guessed was Mae.

Masaki had dark hair, long, and tied back. He held another dark-haired child in his arms. The girl's hair was the same as her brother's, just longer. They were both garbed in black kimono's. Mae's was longer, though, and was subtly female.

Masaki was clinging to his younger sister, who was already crying. Sango was above the two in a second and lifted Mae. Masaki pouted, "I had her!" Sango touched his head and pushed him towards Makio who had just entered. Makio grabbed the boy and turned him around, clutching his shoulders to keep him still.

Miroku was still holding Shippo off the ground. He was 14 now, but still not as tall as either of the boys. "Are you calm now, Shippo? Or do you need to go outside?" Miroku asked. The boy struggled and was placed on the ground. He grabbed Makio's shoulder and the two boys walked outside together. Miroku pulled Masaki into his arms. With Mae and Masaki restrained by their parents and Makio with Shippo outside the hut was silent. What had happened was quickly and quietly explained to Miroku. Mae was sleeping in her mother's arms and Masaki wasn't listening. (Myna was showing him different herbs and the boy was staring, captivated).

"You did this, Inuyasha? Don't tell Shippo." Miroku said.

"That'd be a great idea." Inuyasha grumbled.

"Well, right now we have bigger fish to fry. I'll try to work on Kagome." Inuyasha nodded and mumbled his appreciation.

"I don't do this for you Inuyasha. I do this for her." Inuyasha nodded, understanding as the monk went to his friend.

It was late in the night when Miroku announced that he could do no more, saying that it was now up to Kagome. That didn't help Inuyasha's nerves any. She's a weak human!, he wanted to scream, She can't do anything on her own, without me! But he knew he'd be wrong. This woman had did something without him.

She had lived.

She had survived in an unforgiving world, and even excelled. When he ran away and shirked his responsibilities, or what she believed were his responsibilities, she had stood strong. If this was up to Kagome then she would win against her illness. On her own strength.

Sango walked in with Makio and Shippo in tow. Mae was asleep in her arms and Masaki was laying on a nekomata's back, also asleep. Inuyasha guessed the young animal was Masaki's own. "Miroku, we've found a place to sleep. A woman in town will keep us at her place."

Miroku nodded to his wife and stood. "Myna. Come with us." The young priestess in training opened her mouth to protest but Miroku shot her a look. "I think it best Kagome gets her rest."

"But the hanyou-"

"Now, Myna. Inuyasha will protect her in her weakened state. Right Inuyasha?" said man waved his hand from his place against the wall, pretending to be indifferent. Miroku took Myna's arm and led her out.

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Inuyasha didn't sleep. Instead he watched Kagome for a long time. She didn't move except for the subtle movements that her breathing made. He touched her cheek, pushing dark strands of long hair out of her face. He slid the back of his knuckles across her cheek. That is, until his finger slipped and the long claw of his index finger cut a tiny scratch on her cheek. She winced, even in her sleep. Inuyasha ripped his hands away from her and angrily fisted them until they cut into his palm. He bit his lip to keep from spouting curses at himself. He placed his forehead into his palms and a younger Inuyasha would have ripped the hut apart for frustration. He couldn't even touch her without hurting her!

Inuyasha stood, chest heaving with his powerful emotions and paced the hut. It proved too small a cage though and he went outside. He jumped towards the forest, letting the cool air calm him. He stopped by a small, clean pond in the forest and washed his face in it. The cool water brought back a measure of his calm and he sat down to wait until he could go back without killing someone when he saw the scratch. He breathed hard for a long while.

Suddenly something wafted around his nose. A scent, a familiar one. Inuyasha stood and whipped around. He could see clearly the white ball that hung in the sky. Kikyo!

Inuyasha ran as fast as he could towards the village…

But he would be too late.

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This chapter is small, I know. Gomen nasai. I'll go start on the next right now though.