When Kurama and Inuyasha returned, they were beat. Inuyasha was in good repair, but Kurama had seen better days. His eyes were red, his hair was filled with blood and twigs, and his clothes were a mess with mud, blood, and gunk. He tottered into the clearing where Sango, Kagome, Shippo, and Mukuro had made camp, and collapsed near the fire. He sighed heavily and fished around in his bag pulling out a big water bottle, downing about half of it.

Inuyasha held up a little leather pouch. "We got it. It was stuck in a tree that decided to beat the shit out of Kurama while I snagged the shard."

"Where did the blood come from?" Miroku asks, looking over Kurama.

"He killed a couple demons on the way back." Inuyasha yawned and settled down. "How did you guys do?"

"We got one also." Kagome smiled brightly and held up the bottle. Inuyasha tossed the shard over to Kagome and she put them together.

Kurama shivered and curled up tight as his limbs twitched. He groaned a little, nearly talking, but he didn't actually manage to say a word.

"Is he alright?" Kagome got up to go over to him.

"He's fine. Don't touch him. I've been calling it phantom dreams, but he wakes up really bad when I touch him, so just leave it." Inuyasha held out a hand to back Kagome off her target.

Kagome watched Kurama curiously as he twitched and jerked. "What did he say about it?"

"I haven't told him," Inuyasha replied softly. "You remember what he said, don't you? He was in a rage right now, in Demon World, and he doesn't remember much of it? I think he's merging with his other self when he's like this, or seeing what he was seeing, at least."

Kagome sighed, "I hope he's alright."

The group stayed quiet to give Kurama time to rest. It was morning before Kurama woke up. He groaned and grabbed his head looking around. Camp was mostly packed up and some food was lain out for him.

"Morning sleepy head!" Kagome chirped. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was just smacked with a two by four." Kurama grabbed his water again, before downing the food. He took a slow deep breath, and carefully let it out. "How did you do here?"

"Good." Kagome smiled. "Your plan worked well. Now we have to get home."

"You've had time to complete your homework, right?" Kurama asked softly.

Kagome nodded with a smile. "Yeah. I don't understand some of the science or math stuff, but I figure we've got a while for you to explain it to me, right?"

"Yeah. This isn't the path we left you on," Kurama remarks as he looks around. "You're some miles west of it."

"We were chasing the jewel, now we can search while we head back to the well."

"Wow, we're actually going back to the well on a schedule!" Shippo exclaimed. "Typically we just go back when Kagome runs out of food or she gets too pissed off at Inuyasha to take it anymore."

Kurama laughed and smiled. "You know Kagome, I don't think I can keep time jumping like this. I need time in our time too, for work. I've done what I can here, gathering all the shards I can feel. I don't think I'm coming back until you need my help to kill Naraku."

"Thank you Kurama. We appreciate your assistance. Since I can trust you now, would you mind holding on to this?" She held up a leather pouch.

Kurama took the pouch from her and peaked inside. He frowned. "Don't you need these to jump?"

"I'm keeping one. The rest can stay with you and be safe there."

"What if you complete it suddenly?" Kurama asked softly.

"Naraku has most of the jewel shards actually. I think there are only a few left. Some of them are with Koga, another is with Kohaku, and then just some scattered ones."

"So it will be soon," Kurama offered. "The face off will be soon," he clarified.

"It will be. We have to find him, and then we can take him out. After that, well I don't know." Kagome smiled as she picked up her bag. "We'll see when we get there."

She pulled out a twig from Kurama's hair as he picked up his own bag. He sighed. "Alright. Let's get home. I'll explain what you've missed while we get there."

They got back to the well before they realized they were traveling. Kagome watched the group nervously, but took a deep breath and nodded. "Inuyasha, come after Kurama to bring him up, please."

Inuyasha just nodded and Kagome jumped through the well. Kurama waited nervously on the other side, his tail twitching in agitation. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched the lip of the well, pensive.

"Hey, you'll be fine."

"Thanks Inuyasha. Just put me by the tree and let me be." Kurama leapt clear over the well. A pained yelp grunted out of the well as he struck the bottom. He growled viciously and vanished. Inuyasha waited for a minute or so before he followed. He picked up the bloody fox on the other side and bolted for the tree. He lay the silver haired fox beneath it looking him over. He was bleeding from the same spot as before, the chest, but with the other bumps and bruises, he looked worse off. Inuyasha knelt in front of him and waited. He didn't have to wait long as Kurama let out a pained scream and twisted. He grabbed his chest and folded himself forward as his ears vanished. His hair bled red and his form shifted, breaking down to size.

Inuyasha carefully held Kurama's shoulder, a gentle comfort he could give.

"Inuyasha!" Souta called as he ran out of the house.

"Stay back!" Inuyasha instructed as he felt Kurama tense up and growl. The long limbed preteen froze and slowly moved back. "Just stay in the house for now. Kurama needs some time to wake up," Inuyasha told the kid.

Kagome came out when the door shut tight behind Souta. "Is he alright? I brought some clothes he can fit in, in case his are all torn."

"He looks fine. I think he just needs some sleep."

"That's a relief. It would suck if what he was doing for us, hurt him."

"It does hurt him, but not permanently," Inuyasha whispered looking over the fox. Inuyasha looked up as he felt a strong energy zipping towards him. He backed away from the fox and stood protectively in front of Kagome, "Get in the house!" he urged.

A black figure landed between him and Kurama. The man was short, with blood red eyes and black spiky hair. "What the hell did you do to Kurama," he demanded.

"Kurama? You know him? You know Kuwabara too right?" Kagome interjected, pushing past Inuyasha and the Tetsuigua.

Before Inuyasha could react, Kagome was in his grasp, on her knees with her neck against his sword, unable to balance herself. "Talk!"

"Kurama found me! I didn't do anything to him. He's like this by his own choice! He knew!" Kagome gasped as she grabbed at the small man's arm holding her neck. He caught her hands instead, nearly cutting her shoulder as he rolled his sword between her shoulder and her neck. She whimpered.

"Let her go!" Inuyasha yelled as he tried to swipe at the small demon, but he stopped mid swing when he saw blood on Kagome's neck. "I said let her go!"

"You listen to me, dog! I'll let her go when I damn well feel like it!" The red eyes focused back on Kagome, his dragon tattooed arm pulling the blade away a little now that Inuyasha stumbled back.

"Tell me what you know."

Kurama groaned and he panted. "Hiei, stop it." he spoke like his nose was plugged. "I just need a nap."

Hiei let go of Kagome and sheathed his sword as he went over to Kurama. He reached down and tipped up the fox's chin. "What happened?" he asked looking over the man.

"I went to the past." Kurama opened his tired eyes and smiled. "It's wonderful," he moaned in delight and leaned forward. "It's like finally being back in Demon World, but without the stench of sweat and decay. It's just the sweet nature." he shivered in delight as he leaned against Hiei's shoulder with his head.

The smaller demon pushed Kurama back. "Do you want me to take you to your park?" He asked quietly as Inuyasha and Kagome retreated towards the house.

"Oh that would be nice. Put me under the pine there." With that, the demons vanished.

Inuyasha relaxed and sheathed his sword turning to check on Kagome. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah." She nodded touching the slight cut on her neck. "It's a paper cut," she whispered. "He didn't actually want to hurt me or I'd be dead. Did you see that? He's… deadly." Kagome shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. "He's so fast. He didn't even hesitate for a moment."

"Yeah. I couldn't have stopped him if I tried. I couldn't even see him move," Inuyasha whispered.

"I'm glad he's on our side." Kagome slowly pulled open the door to her house to see her family standing there, watching with worried faces.

"I'm fine! Why do you all look like you've seen a ghost?" Kagome exclaimed in frustration.

"That demon just had you by the neck - a sword to your neck sis." Souta reminded her. "Are you alright? What did he say?"

"He was here to protect Kurama," Inuyasha offered the worried family.

"Protect him from what?" Kagome's grandfather asked as he came forward with some antibiotics and a bandage. "We can't hurt him."

"Probably me." Inuyasha replied. "Kagome, I'll be back in a few days to pick you up, alright?"

"Stay with me, tonight?" Kagome asked quietly, taking his hand. She was still visibly shaking, and her grip on his hand was weak.

Inuyasha blinked, frowned but nodded. "Alright. I need to get back in case Naraku shows up while you're gone after that."

Kagome smiled and sighed pulling him into a tight hug. "Thanks."

As the family sat down for dinner, Kagome's mother popped up and smiled brightly. "Kagome! I have great news. I met with Shiori and she was so relieved to find out about her son that she wanted to know the moment he got home! I have completely blown that bubble, but I can call right after dinner and tell her you're back. How long do you think it will be before Shuichi gets home?"

"Shuichi?"

"Yes, your demon friend."

"Kurama?" Inuyasha questioned.

Kagome's stomach dropped. "You told his mom? I thought you were just going to tell her about me."

Inuyasha watched the two skeptically as Kagome's mother read her reaction, and began to try to reassure her. She shifted in her seat to lean forward further.

"I did tell her about you. She put it together. She realized that I knew her son somehow, and that there was a reason I was telling her. Shiori's actually a very intelligent woman. She was just guessing the wrong extreme. Actually, she took it very well."

"Uhh," Kagome sighed and sunk down on the table some. "Poor guy."

"What's wrong Kagome? I thought you would be happy," Mrs. Higurashi questioned.

"He's been a really big help in the past." Inuyasha remarked.

"We found a jewel shard in a month, that would have taken four months to get to before. I don't even have that long in summer!"

"So you're saying that you'd rather I respect his wish to keep her in the dark?" Mrs. Higurashi let Kagome stew in that as they nibbled at dinner. Kagome just pushed it around, her hand still shaking some. "Kagome I don't believe that for an instant." The mother focused on Kagome.

"Well," Kagome sighed. "He's going to be hurt by this. He barely told us anything because he didn't want it to come back to haunt him and now it has."

"You never know, he might come around. It wasn't you who did it after all, it was me." Mrs. Higurashi replied warmly.

"I doubt it, but maybe," Kagome muttered.

Kagome's mother sighed and got up. She went over to the phone and picked it up dialing. Kagome stiffened when she heard Shiori's name. She ate quicker and they were out the door before Souta and Inuyasha finished eating the leftovers.

"Mom, why are we going over there?"

"Well, Shuichi isn't back yet, and I plan to be there when he does get back."

"How do you know he's going to visit tonight?" Kagome asked quietly.

"She is calling him up to invite him over. This way, Kagome, you can see that he's going to be fine and I can explain that you had nothing to do with it."

"Thanks Mom."