Once again I'm starting off with a thank you for all the encouraging reviews. One of you mentioned that Uryuu was in the same class as Ichigo, Orihime and Rukia, That is probably true, but when I first started writing this I for some reason though that Uryuu was younger than Ichigo and his classmates. I've covered up that slip with having the History project being worked on by both classes. On another note on the same subject Japanese classes are different than those in the US. Where as in the US students change classrooms for different classes, in Japan it is the teachers that change rooms, home ec, phys ed and science labs being the exceptions to this, I think music may be also. There are no elective classes in Japanese schools; clubs are the closest you get.

Anyway I'm sure I bored you all stiff with that so with the story.

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The rest of the week went by rather well for Kagome and her new friends, the only thing that rather got on her nerves was when about halfway through the week Ichigo had decided to dog her every step and followed her around in a way that angrily reminded her of a certain dog-eared hanyou. This eventually resulted in her pounding on Ichigo and huffing off with an angry pout.

The reason for Ichigo's pestering of the miko was due to his notice and realization that Uryuu was making moves towards her and in like manner his jealousy flared as he also realized that he didn't want to share the special bond he felt between them. After Kagome had beaten him off though he decided that discretion was the better part of valor and instead tried more tried and true methods of winning ones affections, and so the fight for Kagome Higurashi began anew in a new era.

Rukia meanwhile had been watching the whole thing with great interest and couldn't help but laugh as Kagome pounded Ichigo into the ground for trying to follow her into the bathroom unwittingly. Rukia had also taken it upon herself to introduce Kagome to Orihime and the two quickly hit it off as close friends and now the three women ate lunch with Orihime's friend, Tatsuki, discussing various happening around the school. Rukia also soon realized that Kagome was completely oblivious to the attentions she was getting from the two sometimes friends and had great fun poking at it without revealing anything of their silent competition to win her over.

Kagome had also jumped at the chance to join the school's archery club when she found out about it and was quickly accepted after displaying her prowess with a bow. When asked where she had learned to shoot so well she shyly said that it had been part of her training to take over her family's shrine. The excuse when asked to elaborate was that he grandfather was a tad old-fashioned and she felt no reason to not humor him.

Outside of school Kagome had managed to convince Urahara that she deserved training, if only so she could control her reiki and not attract as much trouble. The final argument had been made after Kagome had been attacked 4 times in one day by hollows that wanted to suck out her soul like a serving of escuargo. As such she spent her free time out of school and on that weekend training in Urahara's special training area with Ichigo and Tessai. Ururu would help every now and then also.

When the next week rolled around it was already the time for their History projects to be presented. Kagome, due to her late start on the project had been saved a slot on the second day of presentations, where as Uryuu went on the first day.

"Ishida-san, please come to the front of the class and give your presentation."

He nods and moves quickly to the front of the class. ever since Ichigo had made it clear to him that he would not let him have Kagome without a fight, Uryuu had worked even harder on making his presentation perfect, finding a few new details that his grandfather had not been able to tell him about. At this moment, as he stood before the class, he was glad that Urahara had given him the suggestion of telling Kagome about his family's legend of the early quincies. "I choose to do my research on a legend that my grandfather told me when I was young. It is the tale of a powerful jewel that was coveted by many. When a young woman accidentally shattered the jewel, scattering it to the four corners of Japan she teamed up with an outcast demon, a monk and a demon slayer to gather the scattered pieces. But a demon of darkness also sought the shards and the two groups were in constant struggle to gain more than the other. Eventually they met in a fierce battle, the young woman and her companions championing the day. But just as the jewel was completed the young woman, and with her the jewel, vanished. Her companions searched valiantly to find her, the outcast demon more so than his human companions. They found no trace of her and the monk settled down with the demon slayer while the outcast demon simply disappeared into the forests, never to be seen again." As Uryuu finished his story he heard the door slide open and shut, almost slamming and saw that Kagome was no longer in her seat.

The entire class had watched as the new student fled the room, her face ashen. Uryuu looked to the teacher and she motioned for him to go and make sure she was alright. He quickly left to go find her and met Ichigo in the hall. His room's door had been open so he had seen Kagome run past in tears. Seeing this he didn't even ask the teacher permission to leave the room and had gone after her, only to run into Uryuu in the hall.

"What the hell happened, Ishida?" The two were standing an arms length between them. Ichigo glaring at the quincy, somehow knowing this was his fault.

"I'm not sure myself. I was just giving my presentation to the class when she bolted from the room."

"That's weird, what was your legend?" Ichigo looks at him more confused than anything for the moment.

"It was the legend of the Shikon no Tama and how it disappeared."

"Well no wonder she ran off. Idiot." Not elaborating further Ichigo takes off down the hall to look for her. Uryuu just looks after him confused and angry at having been called an idiot. He quickly followed suit and began searching for Kagome.

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Kagome found herself on the roof of the school. She had tears flowing freely and heavily from her eyes as she thought over the end of the story that Uryuu had shared with the class. Part of her was happy to hear that Miroku and Sango had settled down together. She realized that they most have stopped searching when they realized that she must have been sent home, to her own era. But what tore her up inside was having heard that no matter what Inuyasha had not stopped searching for her no matter what, or maybe that was just her wishful thinking on her part. She wiped away a few tears that were quickly replaced, 'He must have gone to hell with Kikyo.' That would explain why no one had seen him after he disappeared into the forest. A new well spring of tears fell from her glistening blue eyes and she hardly noticed the door to the roof open and two set of footsteps walking towards her.

"Kagome."

"Higurashi-san"

Ichigo would have turned to glare at Uryuu for interfering and causing her this pain in the first place but stopped before he even could begin at seeing Kagome stiffen at their approach.

"He went with her..."

Uryuu looked even more confused at her words while Ichigo moved to stand behind her, his arms opening for her if she wanted them. "Then he's a jerk that doesn't know what he gave up." He pauses as she turns into him and he rubs her back gently. Uryuu suddenly feels like an intruder. He new nothing of this young woman that so easily took up the embrace of the other young man. He felt ashamed; somehow he knew he caused her pain. "He knew he could have waited for you." Despite the truth in his words she shook her head against his chest.

"He was only a hanyou, he may not have, and even if he had he would have been old. I think he realized that." She snuggles further into his embrace and Uryuu winces at the pang of jealousy, this was not the time or place to act childishly. "I broke his heart by leaving. It's my fault he died. If only I had fought harder to stay, anything!" Her sobs doubled in strength and Ichigo gently lowered her to the ground so she could curl up in his lap.

Uryuu watched as the girl spilled her heart out. He now realized why she was so torn up over her friends. She had loved one of them and hadn't been able too even say goodbye. He suddenly felt like crap for doing whatever it was he had done to remind her of him. Ichigo saw Uryuu collapse in on himself slightly and sighed silently before motioning with his head that he should join them on the ground. He shushed Kagome and petted her hair to sooth her.

"Kagome?" She pulls in her tears a moment to see Uryuu hesitating to sit down and realizes what Ichigo is trying to do. She nods at them, sniffling as she wipes her eyes. Uryuu sits down next to them and waits for whatever he is going to be told, the intimacy of the moment engulfing him for now.

"Thank you Ishida-san." Both boys look at her confused at what she meant by that, "The story you told in class, I know it very well and I am grateful that I know how at least two of my friends lived out their lives. I was the young woman that broke the jewel the one that vanished after we defeated Naraku."

Realization at her words hit home like a sledgehammer. This is why the story had upset her so much. It was about her and her friends. He looked at her apologetically and felt that he knew even less about this woman. He had only wanted to help her, she had said thank you but he could have told her in such a better way. Hesitating he opened his mouth to speak, "Higurashi-san... I... That story was one my grandfather always told me. He said it was about our ancestors, some of the earliest quincies..."

Kagome looks at him in shock before smiling sadly, "Well at least Miroku's wandering hands weren't genetic. Sango must have beaten it out of him." The sadness in the air left them and the three sat there in companionable silence. Eventually Kagome closed her eyes and let herself drift off to sleep, exhausted from crying so much and the two boys worked together to get her to the school's clinic so she could sleep more comfortably.

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That was longer than expected but worth it, ne? Hope you all liked this chapter, next one should be out soon I hope.