O la la! So many ideas bubbling in my head :D I'm getting really excited about this story! Thank you sooo much for reading, it means a lot to me. If you like the story please leave me reviews and I will be even more motivated to write faster ^_^

Chapter 3

Back in the feudal era, Inuyasha sat silently by the fire, arms crossed and hands tucked into his sleeves, with his eyes focused intensely on the burning coals.

"Don't think too hard Inuyasha, you might hurt yourself." Shippo teased, met back with a brief yet menacing glance.

Normally Inuyasha would take the bait, but he wasn't feeling particularly playful this evening so he continued staring, lost in thought, and ignored the kitsune's try for attention.

"Inuuuuyaaassshhhaaa…" Shippo whined, trying again to engage the hanyou, "I'm bored. When is Kagome coming back?"

"Five days." Inuyasha responded bluntly without averting his gaze.

Shippo lept onto Inuyasha's shoulders, grasping his hands full of Inuyasha's thick white hair. He proceeded to climb on top of the hanyou's head, and peered down directly on Inuyasha's face, blocking the view from the fire.

"What's your deal?"

This time Inuyasha couldn't resist an impulsive reaction and grabbed the fox-demon by the tail, hurling him across the room. "It's none of your business!" He exclaimed, rising from his meditative stance. Inuyasha clenched his fists and stormed out of the hut, leaving his friends confused.

Being wise enough to know that Inuyasha was not an easy person to calm down, the crew left the hanyou to his own devices, knowing that whatever was bothering him was better left alone, at least for now, while he was clearly too angry to discuss it.

"I wonder if this has anything to do with Kagome..." Shippo asked out loud, looking to Miroku and Sango, who just shrugged in response, seemingly just as perplexed.

Outside, Inuyasha had already made a quick escape through the treetops, bounding from tree to tree, until he reached a small pond that he often visited in times of introspection. He jumped down towards the water, and took a seat on a boulder that expanded out into the pond so that the water kissed the latter side.

Looking across the pond and embracing the quiet serenity, Inuyasha felt his anger dwindle down and his mind relax. Finally, a moment to himself.

The hanyou sighed and sat down on the edge of the rock, hovering over the clear water. Although nobody had acknowledged it, today had been a year since Kikyo's death. Well, her second and real death. It still haunted him. Of course the others had remembered that it had been last spring, but perhaps they had not taken account of the date like he had, ever since Kagome had shown him the calendar they use in her time to keep track of the days.

Even though her death did bring him some closure to his fate with Kikyo, it still did not comfort him. His first love, Kikyo… The time they spent together, in love, was so short compared to the time he had spent trying to forget her, unsuccessfully. Of course, he wasn't alone in life. He had his friends.. Miroku, Sango, that annoying little kitsune Shippo, and, of course…. Kagome.

Kagome meant so much to him. But she was so hard to read. Such a confusing woman… He feared of what would happen after they completed their quest... would she leave him too? Would she go back to her time and disappear completely? She seemed to spend so much time there, always talking about her future in her era… was she going to stay there? He remembered how Kikyo talked of a life together, how they planned to make him human so they could live side by side. Kagome never spoke or hinted of such a thing. Was his chance at companionship in life over?

"Bah." He said out loud to himself, frustrated that he was thinking of such things. He once wanted to become a full demon, but then he fell in love and wanted to settle down with Kikyo. After that fell apart, and he saw what his demon blood turned him into, Inuyasha realized both those dreams were unreachable. What did he want now?

At this time, Kagome's face flooded his mind.

Inuyasha shook his head, frustrated. She made him so aggravated, she was such a bitch at times, always managing to get a passionate response out of him. Being with her wasn't like being with Kikyo at all. Kagome was so emotional, so demanding… the thought of her 'sitting' him made him clench his fist. She didn't belong to him though, and she never could. Unlike Kikyo, who was tied to the fate of the jewel, somehow Kagome was so free. She was tied to herself. And that meant she didn't need him to escape her fate, like Kikyo needed him to escape the jewel. Kagome didn't need him at all, once they completed their quest. Which meant she could choose to leave him…

"Hah," he snorted, realizing how childish his fears were. If she was to leave him, he would still live and survive, like he always had. But he would still protect her, and while she was by his side, waiting for the day they could destroy Naraku and avenge their loved ones, he would treasure her. Although, of course, he would never tell her how much she truly meant to him.

Kagome…

He remembered her sweet smell that infiltrated his senses when he had hugged her earlier that afternoon. She was so small, warm, soft, and delicate. Indulging in her memory, Inuyasha smiled, but quickly was overcome by a sense of guilt upon recalling Kikyo's memory once again. A sense of duty to the dead priestess left him ambivalent… he had once promised himself to her. How could he think of loving another?

Inuyasha looked up at the sky, trying to disperse the cloudy thoughts in his mind until they were as clear as the day. The sun was pouring down on him, reflecting off the murky waters and his long white mane. He closed his eyes and lay back against the hard surface of the boulder, letting the sunlight bathe his skin. Something about this pond really was magical… it was the most relaxing place he had known. Inuyasha felt at peace.

Yet suddently, he heard a soft giggle. A familiar one. Sitting up abruptly, Inuyasha opened his eyes and looked around him, and then out onto the water. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"…Kagome?"

She giggled, and swam towards him. "Come into the water, Inuyasha. It's amaazzing." She dipped her head underwater and bobbed back up, with her dark ivory hair slicked back, her face painted with a sultry smile.

Inuyasha froze, uncertain how to respond. All he could do was stare at her. What was she doing here? How did she get there? And what was she…NOT… wearing? After the initial shock had passed, it was only then Inuyasha could see the faint reflection of her body under the water. The reflection of delicate, porcelain skin... and nothing else. She was nude.

"Inuyashaa…" She called playfully, looking up at him under her long, wet lashes.

A hot, red blush rose to Inuyasha's face and he felt like the boulder he was standing on was pressing down on his chest. Unable to respond or hardly breathe because of the frog in his throat, Inuyasha just stared wide-eyed in shock. It wasn't long before the blood that had rushed to his head began to rush elsewhere.

Kagome just laughed and floated about, seemingly unembarrassed and completely unaffected, leaving Inuyasha dumbfounded.

"So are you going to come in or do I have to come get you?"

Inuyasha was too shocked to say a word, his body burning with desire, excitement tingling up and down his limbs, butterflies fluttering incessantly in his stomach. He was paralyzed, overcome by hormones rushing throughout his body and emotions running wild.

Kagome turned from him and looked back over her shoulder. But this time he didn't see a smile on her face. What he saw confused him even more.

….Kikyo?

The priestess looked at him with what would have appeared a stoic expression, if it were not for the pained, melancholy look piercing him with her eyes.

"Kikyo!" He cried out, but within what appeared to be a flash, Kikyo was submerged into the water, dragged by an invisible force, gone from all sight. And then the water was still again.