Someone mentioned in a review of the last chapter they were worried about the hate Inuyasha was going to be receiving in this story and I just wanted to make something clear. This is NOT a story meant to bash on him. Yes, things will be hard for him in the beginning as he copes with learning a hard lesson many of us have to learn in life: sometimes you make a bad choice and it hurts others. And, yes, to some extent this will equivocate to the others being angry with him for awhile. In my eyes, there was no outcome in which the choice between Kikyo and Kagome wouldn't hurt someone and therefore him. He'll find his own path in this story just like everyone else, don't worry.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Inuyasha, but will continue to enjoy subjecting them to my fictional whimsy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had been two years since then. Two years since Kagome had vanished through the well and sealed it against them, a clear sign that she never intended to return. None of them talked about how much it hurt that she'd left them behind without a word. Hell, they didn't have to since they all had felt the loss keenly. Some nights were harder than others though, and when Sango or Shippo would begin crying in the middle of the night, the men would honorably pretend they were asleep and make no comment on the red eyes in the morning.

Surprisingly, very little was different now between the inutachi that remained. That isn't to say things started off fairly rough for them all, but in time Sango, Miroku, and even Kilala had made their peace with the hanyou. The only one who's relationship with Inuyasha had become somewhat strained was Shippo, although that was more due to the fact that he was still a child and couldn't comprehend much beyond the fact that Kagome had left and it was the hanyou's actions that had caused it. If anything, Inuyasha encouraged the dislike because it meant he wouldn't shift that anger towards his surrogate mother, even though he was devastated he had abandoned her.

That fact more than anything is why Sango was always the one to calm the kitsune if he went too far flinging insults some days. Inuyasha had never thanked her outright for her help with Shippo, who had latched onto his aunt and grandmother Kaede with fervor, just as Sango never asked why he was determined for Shippo's memory of Kagome to remain untainted. It was simply an unspoken agreement between them. In a way it was what Sango deemed as a fitting punishment for Inuyasha for his actions.

For Sango herself, her feelings towards the hanyou that had become her friend over the years struggled more than the hanyou realized, for he figured she'd never liked him much. He was very much wrong. She could even admit to herself she'd had a grudging respect for a young man that fought to overcome the fact the entire world seemed to be against him and still stand proud. While oftentimes his brash manner in general and towards Kagome had infuriated her, in her own way she cared just as much about Inuyasha as she did Kagome. And so when he had done the unthinkable and sent Kagome away with his choices, she fought hard within herself to not lash out immediately at him.

When Inuyasha had returned to their camp that evening, Shippo had been sent off with Kilala to gather wood so that Miroku and Sango didn't have to worry about the kit overhearing the heated exchange they were prepared to have with the hanyou. However when he walked into the clearing, the rage had died in their throats when the two saw his red eyes and the vial of shards hanging around his neck. Miroku had stepped forward and squeezed his shoulder before moving past him to gather the kit and firecat, no longer finding a need to confront his friend. At least, not right then.

"Why did you do it?"

He had expected the question but winced when her accusing tone hit his ears anyways. Her eyes no longer shone with anger but she was still as hurt as he was, if not more so for him being the cause of everything. He had never wanted to say anything about this to anyone except maybe Kagome someday, but after the past day he felt he owed Sango that much.

"Because I thought I could fix things with Kikyou and move on."

There was silence between them for several moments before Sango took first one and then another faltering step forward. Despite her balled fists and angry gaze Inuyasha stood his ground, knowing this was Sango's right as Kagome's sister of the heart. However when she finally reached him she didn't immediately strike out as he had been expecting.

"You made her go away!" Sango shouted in his face at last, a fist coming up slam down on his chest as her tears began to flow hot and heavy down her cheeks. "Why did she have to go away!?"

With a start he realized her question wasn't necessarily meant for him and he looked down to find the anger had left her eyes, leaving only a haunted look that made him want to shudder and turn away. And then he saw what Kagome's absence meant for Sango. The young woman that had held her together since discovering her family had been slaughtered, that had comforted her whenever Kohaku was dangled in front of them by Naraku, that had shown her it was okay to care despite her fears they would leave her too, was gone. The taijiya was hopelessly lost without her.

And so he'd stood there for minutes, or hours he wasn't sure, as Sango cried herself out while battering her fists against his chest - yet not one blow was strong enough to inflict pain. Eventually Miroku returned, although Inuyasha suspected that when the monk saw what was happening had waited to show himself until the woman had calmed somewhat, and ushered her away, encouraging Shippo to take a place in her lap as he took over making dinner for them all.

It was the fact he had said 'move on' and not 'atone for' that had moved Sango's heart and made her forgive him, although she was very slow to show it or even realize that she had. It took many months before she showed sympathy for the hanyou, wanting him to feel guilt for his actions. In her mind, had he simply told Kagome first, none of this would have happened.

Despite Kikyou rejoining the camp later that evening after Inuyasha had fetched the shards, he never handed them over to her. At first Miroku was been mildly concerned that he would try to use the shards and do something foolish, but later they would come to gather more shards which Kikyou now held, although she preferred storing them within the sleeves of her robes as opposed to around her neck like her incarnation had done. Yet the four shards that had been in Kagome's possession remained around Inuyasha's neck, even now. While Kikyou never commented on this, it almost seemed to bother her from time to time.

Some nights when one of the others would wake up, they could see the hanyou up in the trees, staring intently at the shards in his hand. No longer did he have eyes for the moon or the priestess resting eerily silent under him. The shards he held, they were all he had left of her. True, her backpack was still with them and so they still had some or her things, but she had left the shards specially for him and him alone. Because of that he had decided that if he could, he'd always keep them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next two years weren't quite the same without Kagome there. Inuyasha had the group returning to the village more often that they ever had when Kagome was with them, claiming that Kikyou needed to be with the villagers as their miko. Yet his actions proved otherwise when he spent every visit trying to figure out a way to break the seal on the well. He'd even convinced Kikyou to try and break it multiple times despite her statements that bringing Kagome back was unnecessary and that she wouldn't be able to anyway. The hanyou had even goaded her into it once by implying that Kagome must have been the better miko if she had placed a seal Kikyou couldn't overpower. That had resulted in an entire day of Kikyou standing in front of the well, eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried to break the seal, while Inuyasha stood behind her glaring angrily at the well. Yet despite his methods, nothing ever worked.

Approximately a year after Kagome left, it seemed Inuyasha finally resigned himself to the fact that she wasn't coming back. None of the others ever knew what prompted this revelation in him, but they realized he had come to it when he stopped wanting to return to the village. When Kikyou had questioned him on it, stating she should return, he snapped the she should just go herself. That night had been particularly surprising for all of them. For the tachi they were shocked at his conviction to not return, while for Kikyou she was amazed he would even snap at her at all. Despite the fact things had changed between them because of Kagome's absence, he still always listened to her and never spoke to her with the crude manner that he had her incarnation. It was enough to make her turn and leave without another word, her coldness extending to everyone that night, instead of excluding the hanyou from it as she normally did.

Still, Kikyou traveled with them on their journey to collect the jewel shards and defeat Naraku, but she was never really considered part of the group. Not even by Inuyasha. She didn't try to replace Kagome, which was a relief to the others, because she didn't have any desire to be one of them. She only wanted to achieve her own goals, even if it meant using the power of others to help her get there. Now, however, no one really knew what her end goals were. This left the tachi unable to completely trust her despite her continued defense of them in battle.

The jewel was almost complete. And, sadly, most of it was in Naraku's possession. At least, they assumed it was. Despite their wide sweeps of the land Kikyou could no longer sense any jewel shards other than the ones they themselves possessed. Yet, despite the assumption this meant the jewel was now held in pieces between Naraku and the inutachi, he made no moves against them. In fact, they had rarely seen him or his miserable incarnations in the last year. Miroku had reasoned this could only mean he was preparing for something, like his final attack on them all, and recommended they focus their efforts elsewhere. And so, nowadays, most of their days were spent in training instead in search for jewel shards. In the last few months, the group had hardly even left the outskirts of Kaede's village except when they heard rumors of youkai attacking nearby villages.

Kikyo didn't seem to mind that. She had come into the village later that day after Kagome's departure and explained most of her story to the villagers. They were more than happy to accept their beloved priestess back into their community, not knowing that she now possessed a darker side to herself. She spent her days healing the wounded and playing with the children while the others trained. Once when Sango had confronted her and asked why she wouldn't train with the rest of them, she had calmly and emotionlessly stated she had no need to better herself and would be strong enough to fight Naraku as she was now. The answer had done little to improve her relations with the taijiya and left Miroku with having to constantly ensure a safe distance was kept between then whenever they did travel.

Many things were forced into perspective for Inuyasha by Kagome's departure. While outwardly he remained just as gruff and youthful as always, there were many times the others would catch him with a hard look in his eyes that hadn't been there before. It was a look that signified that something had aged a man, and that event continued to live with him.

Miroku often remembered a night months previous when he'd finally convinced the hanyou to join him in drinking some sake they'd received as thanks for eradicating demons that had been tormenting a village they were passing through.

"Inuyasha..."

The only indication he'd been heard was a soft sigh and a twitch of one ear as the hanyou brought the bottle to his lips before placing it back on the ground and sliding it back towards his friend. At first there had been light banter and insults tossed back and forth as the drink first warmed their bellies, but eventually an uncomfortable silence had grown between them and Inuyasha became silent, choosing to stare at the stars with that same look in his eyes he always seemed to get when he thought no one was watching him.

"Do you miss her?"

The silence that stretched afterward was long enough that Miroku began to wonder if he would get an answer at all. He was just getting ready to suggest they turn in for the night when his friend's broken voice reached his ears.

"Yeah. I miss her a lot."

He leaned back on his hands, watching the shadows of the fire as they danced across Inuyasha, bathing him in an orange glow that did nothing to brighten the darkness in his gaze. He noticed the hanyou's claws as they unconsciously scraped at the ground, leaving small gouges in the earth that deepened with each stroke. It was a nervous habit he'd first noted years ago, the way his claws would pick at things without him really paying any attention. He'd often wondered if his friend had unknowingly picked it up from Kagome, who'd been prone to picking at her clothes when she was nervous, often leaving her sleeves fraying at the edges. Either way, Miroku had learned it was a good sign he wanted to say something that was bothering him.

"It's okay to miss her you know." the houshi prodded gently. Inuyasha bit his lip and nodded once, a jerky motion that failed to hide the way his eyes shone. Miroku had never seen him cry, but his father had once told him many years ago that sake could do strange things to a man.

"I'd choose to see her again if I could." Miroku started, not having expected him to say anything more. But it seemed once the words started coming out, he didn't need to worry about encouraging them.

"She's so stupid! She should've known better than to think I wanted her to go away. I miss her so much that I...if I had to choose between dying with Kikyo and seeing her again, I'd choose her."

Despite his own pain from losing the young miko he had considered a close friend, he made sure he never pulled away from Inuyasha so that if he ever wanted to talk through his choices, someone would be there. Yet, Inuyasha was no fool. In fact, Miroku's attitude towards him had made the hanyou grow to respect him just a bit more. He knew full well the monk was still angry with him, surprisingly probably more so than his fiancée was, yet forced those thoughts away in order to maintain his friendship with Inuyasha and give him support. He'd even been brave enough to ask the monk about it one night and had been given a simple response:

"What point is there to anger? I can only find my peace with you when you find peace with her, my friend."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Many a night Inuyasha sat on the edge of the well, peering angrily down into its depths and trying to understand the seal Kagome had placed there. Why had she done it? Had she been that upset with him? Had bringing Kikyou into that clearing been the right decision? These were the questions spinning through his head on this night also as he sat on the well.

She was the closest thing he would ever have to a best friend, and if she was he wouldn't say so for he didn't feel those were the right words for it. After she had left, his night wanderings had been cut down to only two places. The Goshinboku, where he often remembered the first day he had met Kagome, and to the well, to think of all the times he had spent before, waiting for her or jumping in there to get her. But either way, she had come back...she had always come back.

The day had been a particularly long one, filled with tasks that all seemed to remind him of Kagome. One of the village children had run off and scraped up his leg rather badly, and there was no Kagome there with band aids and soothing words of comfort, only an undead miko with a false smile that didn't reach her eyes as she told him to be strong. Sango had gotten irritated at Miroku, presumably for groping her one time too many that day, and Kagome wasn't there to ease the tension as quickly as it had appeared by ushering her sister away for a bath, only a rather disgruntled Kaede who berated the monk for his lecherous tendencies. Shippo had found a bird he didn't recognize but Kagome wasn't there to show him pictures of different kinds until he found the right one and delight in his innocent inquiries, only a surly hanyou that told him not to bother once he was sure it wasn't threatening in any way. And so, when the sun finally set and the stars began to twinkle one by one into sight, he was almost relieved to come to the well and leave the village behind.

The wind was cool but the air was warm, a sign that summer would soon arrive. He knew that it was right around this time of year that Kagome had left, and it would be yet another summer he would be spending without her by his side.

He wondered how she was doing in her time. If he remembered her birthday correctly, she had to be over twenty by now, just finishing up with "high school" he supposed. She had mentioned once that after that there was more "school" she could go to, and he scrunched his nose at the thought. He imagined that she had matured in two years, probably maturing into a very attractive female at that, although he'd never been one to admit he had ever found her attractive. Maybe he should have back then and she'd still be here with him. He angrily hoped that stupid Hojo boy was keeping his hands off Kagome, or even better, that she had completely rejected him.

Thinking of Hojo only made him remember how jealous he would get whenever Kagome brought up Hojo, or when Koga came breezing into their path. He never liked the thought of Kagome getting along well with other males, except for Miroku, because he knew the lecherous monk didn't stand a chance with her, and the monk was in love with Sango anyway.

One of Inuyasha's ears twitched uncontrollably at the word love. It wasn't one he used very often, in his speech or in his thoughts. It was a complex emotion, from what he could gather. And he remembered Kagome mentioning once that he was in love with Kikyo. The thought made him sniff in displeasure.

Love was not a word he would use to describe the relationship he had shared with Kikyo when she was still alive. They had both been outcasts and had no one to rely on, and because of that they were drawn to each other in the desperation to feel wanted. But it definitely wasn't love. In his mind he had always known quite clearly he had never loved her. If only he had said as much to Kagome, then maybe she wouldn't have left him all alone. Despite the absence of love, a bond had been formed between him and the now-undead woman that he simply couldn't ignore. Their choices back then had been young and foolish, and he felt he was honor-bound to at least avenge the death of the woman who'd been the first to show him some sort of positive emotion after his mother had died. He had matured enough now to know that they had both played a part in the betrayal of the other, and it was due to his lack of trust then that had him determined to defend her now. But it wasn't love. It wasn't anything like what he felt when he was with Kagome.

He sat up with a start when he finally came to the revelation that he was in love with Kagome. The idea had managed to creep into his heart and take hold and he'd never even realized it. Then again, he had never really thought as much about their relationship as he had these nights he spent at the well. He blushed at the thought. Love? Was it really?

"Am I...in love with Kagome?" the shock of his own realizations causing him to speak his final thoughts out loud. It was a good thing that he was truly alone that night. He knew full well that many nights when he came out to the forest Kikyou followed and watched him, although he was sure she thought he couldn't detect her presence. Despite proving himself in battle many times since her resurrection, he suspected she still thought of him as he had been when she was alive. While clever and fueled by his determination to survive back then, his innate skills as a youkai, and a predator youkai at that, had yet to really develop.

But before the subject of his emotions for the young miko from the future could be given any more thought, he was distracted by the sound of shattering glass from inside the well. Glancing down it in confusion he was almost blinded by the burst of blue light that erupted from it, causing him to fall backwards into the soft grass, cursing loudly as he did so. The light shot up into the sky like a beacon, illuminating the entire clearing and he was forced to hold his hand up in a weak attempt to protect his sensitive eyes. He could hear the animal life quickly retreating from the area in fear but was too distracted by the light to discern if he could be in any sort of danger. After a minute it finally faded enough for him to see without wincing and he jumped to his feet, clutching the lip of the well and leaning down into it, watching the sliver of light that still remained shrink farther until it disappeared entirely, waiting to see the woman who'd plagued his thoughts for so long to appear there. After all, if something was happening to the well, who else could be behind it?

"KAGOME!" his desperation finally overflowed from his lips and the cry echoed throughout the night, startling what few creatures that had been brave enough to remain to finally scatter. But no matter how hopefully he stared into the depths of the well, nothing emerged. He sniffed slightly, trying to squelch his disappointment, and a scent on the wind caught his attention. Eagerly, he put his nose to the ground and began to follow the scent around the clearing.

"Inuyasha! What's going on?" A full-grown Kilala burst into the clearing growling in anticipation, the remaining inutachi astride her. The two adults were ready for battle with weapons at the ready and Shippo perched on Kilala's head nervously, his small paws grasping at her fur in a gesture more seeking comfort than it was to steady himself. Inuyasha ignored them, too absorbed in the scent he had discovered.

"What magic has been done here?" Kikyou asked coolly as she stepped down lightly onto the grass across the clearing from the others, her soul stealers releasing her and slithering away into the night sky. Sango winced at the sight of them but said nothing. Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder, giving a gentle and reassuring squeeze. Shippo whimpered. Kikyou simply continued looking at them, waiting for an answer.

"I don't know." Sango replied uncertainly. "We saw that flash of light then heard Inuyasha scream Kagome's name so we came straight here."

Kikyou's eyes widened marginally and she swiftly moved to the well, apparently done interrogating her comrades. Placing a hand on it she narrowed her eyes and sent pulses of her own power into it as she tried to investigate for herself.

"It's gone." She said finally and with a slight trace of reluctance.

"What's gone?" Miroku asked in confusion.

"The seal."

Those two words had such an impact on the group that for many moments no one moved, not even Inuyasha, who had been stilled from his movements by the miko's arrival.

"The fuck? How!?" Inuyasha was by Kikyou's side in an instant, cheeks flushed with anger and ears twitching back and forth. It was clear the news had taken him enough by surprise that he wasn't able to curb his language, which Sango was secretly pleased to note made the miko wince slightly at him. "I thought you said it couldn't be broken!"

"It seems it can be." the old voice of Kaede spoke up clearly from behind Kilala and the group turned to see her riding into the clearing on the back of her favored mare. No doubt she had been gathering herbs on the outskirts of the village and heard the commotion.

"What's that supposed to mean old woman?" Inuyasha demanded more than asked, and Kaede took a moment after she dismounted to level him with a glare before continuing.

"Calm yourself Inuyasha! I merely implied that the seal could be broken, I did not say how. Although, it would be wise to determine such."

"How do we do that, then?" Sango spoke up from Miroku's side, muscles tensed in anticipation.

"Who cares?" Inuyasha replied as if that point should have been obvious. "If the seal's broken I'll just go through and get Kagome to tell us herself!"

As he tensed to jump into the well a barrier rose up around him. Although weak and fading fast, it seemed to perform its purpose of effectively halting the hanyou in his tracks. What was most surprising, however, was that it wasn't Kikyou that raised the barrier, but her sister.

"The hell old woman?"

It was clear her strength was fading fast but her face was set in an expression of grim determination as she stared at Inuyasha. She did not drop the barrier however, choosing to speak instead.

"Inuyasha, it has been many years since the Lady Kagome left. We do not know why the seal broke this eve or what her life is like on the other side of that well. To go after her now is foolish and unwise. Swear ye shall not do so now and I will release ye."

Dumbfounded by the sheer will in her voice, the hanyou nodded mutely at her, staring longingly towards the well as the barrier fell. Miroku and Sango rushed to Kaede's side when she began to falter, her bow digging into the ground as support. After a few minutes the woman waved them off, standing straight and proud again despite her old age. Even Kikyou seemed to hold a touch of approval in her gaze.

"Now, what happened here before the seal broke?" everyone's gaze turned and promptly locked onto the hanyou at the old woman's question and his ears flattened to his head under the scrutiny.

"Nothing. I was sitting here and then that light went off."

"Ye did nothing at all Inuyasha?" Kaede pressed further, causing him to growl at her in irritation.

"What's the supposed to mean? I didn't do anything!" he shouted at her in defense of himself. What was with her, acting like he did something suspicious?

The old woman paused before speaking again, realizing she was getting nowhere with her current approach. Not when she was speaking to someone who would see everything as a personal attack against himself.

"I do not think ye did anything wrong Inuyasha. There are many seals and just as many ways to break them. I simply seek to see if it was something ye had done that triggered its release."

Inuyasha sighed and relaxed, ears twitching guiltily for his overreaction to the old woman, although he would never say as much. "I was just talking out loud, that's all. Then the light went off."

"A spoken release, then?" Miroku suggested. Kaede nodded at him.

"What's a...spoken release?" Shippo asked quietly, his first words since arriving in the clearing. Miroku cleared his throat, taking it upon himself to explain in Kaede's place.

"It's a way to release a seal when a person says the correct words."

"So anyone could have come up to the well and said the right words? We could have removed the seal years ago!" Sango exclaimed in frustration. However, Kaede rested her free and on the young woman's arm, startling her into silence. When she turned to look at her elder, she was met with a slowly shaking head.

"It is not quite so simple. Not only would ye need to know the right words, but the right person would have to say them. Most likely, Inuyasha was the only one that could have released the seal, as he did."

"But isn't that dangerous?" there were varying degrees of surprise and confusion on everyone's face as Shippo voiced his question aloud. "What if no one ever figured out the person and the words? No one could ever break the seal."

Kaede seemed to nod in approval at the young boy's quick wit. Since Kagome's departure she had taken it upon herself to help rear the kit and found herself as proud of his progress as she had been with Kagome's. "Normally some sort of message is left behind as a key. Since the Lady Kagome did not leave one, I suspect she did not want it to be broken."

That realization crashed down hard on all of them, with the exception of an undead priestess who glanced at them all as if she could care less. Despite her own pain, Sango picked up on this fact quickly and decided the woman would make a good punching bag.

"Why didn't you tell any of us about this?" Sango asked Kikyou accusingly, pointing a finger at her in anger. Kikyou just stared back, as emotionless as ever.

"She likely did not know of this power Sango. This particular type of seal stopped being used quite some time ago. The only reason I am aware of its existence is from an old monk who passed through our village some years after my sister's death." at this she paused and glanced at Kikyou, who by now mentally and physically was the younger, but was still shown respect due to the old miko's discomfort with the entire situation. "He was very knowledgeable in old magics and had much to share with me during his time here."

"It appears to be a seal fed off the girl's essence in order to form the lock that could break it." Kikyo broke in, either tired of the conversation dragging on for as long as it had or wanting to prove her worth after her sister had basically admitted to her being lacking in knowledge. "That much is clear now that it has been released. It seems that once the seal was broken, its power was released, and the essence of the one who cast it was as well."

"That explains why I can smell Kagome all over the place!" Inuyasha added in excitedly, finding sense in Kikyou's words and drawing on it almost hungrily. His life had suddenly become an unknown when it came to Kagome and he found he didn't like it one bit. He was surprised to see that the others found his statement not as clear as he had, staring at him shock.

"That can't be right." Kaede stepped forward and looked at Inuyasha warily. "Are ye sure it's Kagome's scent?"

"Of course i'm sure you old hag!" the hanyou retorted angrily before flushing slightly and staring at the well with that ever-telling hard look in his eyes. "I...I could never forget it."

"Why Kaede? Does this mean something?" Miroku asked the aging priestess after shooting the hanyou a questioning look at his antics. While he knew about seals to a degree, they had long passed the realm of his knowledge, and so he was as lost as the others by the elder woman's concern.

"The power and essence will be released from where the spell was cast. If Kagome's scent is here in this time, it could only mean..."

Sango and Miroku looked at each other in surprise as the pieces clicked together. "That Kagome cast the seal from this side of the well!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There, I finally got it out! For some reason, this chapter was particularly difficult to re-write and it took me forever to get over the lovely bout of writer's block that seemed to plague me whenever I looked at this particular chapter. I think it was, in part, because I am so excited and ready to move on with this story that I couldn't focus on it well enough, but I finally got it done.

Hopefully it won't take nearly as much time to get the next chapter up. The next few chapters will definitely focus more on Inuyasha's relationships with his friends. No doubt those bonds will be tested soon and we'll see just how far their forgiveness goes...

Just as an added clarification, this story is now taking place almost five years after Kagome first fell through the well. She was travelling with the tachi for three years, and it has been two years since she left, placing her at about 20 years old.

If you enjoyed, please let me know! I always enjoy reading through reviews :)

Until next time!

-Lu