***A/n : Haha, you won't believe my teachers. On Monday: my science teacher says, "Big project due Thursday and midterm next Wednesday." Math, "Oh by the way, you're midterm is on Thursday and Friday. Don't forget to study!" Spanish, "Midterm Wednesday!" Social Studies, "Midterm AND Big Project Friday!" Language arts, "Two essays, 100 or so pages of our book and 8 essay questions on it, 2 poems, and two tests!" *Sweat drop* Haha, everything's done...I'm sorry. When I wasn't studying, I was running emergency cram sessions for my friends...Lily's computer isn't working well either (there's a delay as I'm typing this), and I'm amazed she hasn't electrocuted herself. She fell down some stairs though...she's okay though. It isn't the first time she's done that either. I'm still waiting for my report card (haha, I did well on all my finals, but with some reports...I'm just waiting for that dreaded B to find its way into my grades). I'm still tired, too, fucking insomnia...

*Disclaimer : I don't own Inuyasha. At all. Nuh uh.

One Day in Social Studies Class...

Last time...

This isn't right...

__

Chapter 11 : Thoughts of His Fallen Love

Inuyasha...What happened? Where are we? What are we doing here? Why is it when I move it feels like when I step in water in tennis shoes except with my entire body? Why aren't you answering me? I smell your scent; it has me enveloped. I can't get up; I keep slipping on something...It's slushy and metallic-smelling. Kami-sama, it's blood. Whose is it? It's yours, isn't it?! There...there's so...so much of it. This is only my haori I'm holding, am I right? Then where did you go? I can't see you; you're not here. I thought you said you weren't leaving me alone!

Running up to his foster mother with a nature fervent in manner, the kitsune wrapped his arms around her. Tears, that had long remained dormant, were finally spilled over where they mingled with the sea of blood. Overwhelming her, a torrent of emotion hit Kagome, and she clung onto Shippo as her only pillar of support.

Glancing up at him, Kagome's eyes held an expression that cried 'please don't confirm this' as she asked in a choked sob, "Is…is Inu…he dead?" Her voice shuttered as each word left her.

Shippo answered to the best of his ability, "There's no body." Only then, did he realize what he was saying and tears began to cascade down his face.

A smile was faintly visible on her lips as she responded, "He can't be dead…I'd feel it…He's still here. Somewhere. He's just got to be." Whether her words were of truth, Shippo knew not, but he knew that Kagome truly believed it; her eyes were burning with the undying passion that lead him to think as such. "Where's Sango and Miroku, and how'd you get here anyway? We didn't take you with us…"

"I sent them back with Kirara…and I knew something was wrong with this situation, so I had to come…something was wrong…Something is wrong…" Shippo trailed off.

Rising to her wobbling feet, she set Shippo down on the ground as she chose her next words, "Shippo, go back and take care of the others…I'm going to find him…Tell them what I'm doing." Her tone prevented him from doubting and questioning her intentions, but he didn't want to let her venture off by herself.

His opposing words meekly left his lips, "Kagome, you shouldn't just go alone…"

Into the forest, the young miko started through the forest without concern for herself, but silent tears slid down her face. "Shippo, I'm sorry, but I have to go…I can't sit here and do nothing. I have to go; it's an inkling that exists in my being, and I don't think it'd be possible to walk forward unless I find him. Alive or…" her voice shook upon the words leading up to it, "dead…I must know. I must. I love you all, and if I don't come back make sure the others know that. Shippo, you're like my son, but I can't let you come with me…" Her fingers twirled the light green stone that was around her left ring finger as she started to leave Shippo's now-cloudy line of vision.

Realizing something important, Shippo ran to catch up with her and yelled, "Kagome! You don't have the Sacred Jewel, do you?"

In a quick turn around, the kitsune was able to see Kagome's red, blotchy face and determined eyes. "What? No. Why?"

Relieved that this was indeed, actually important, he continued, "Sango and Miroku didn't have it, and if you don't have it…"

"Then it's gone missing…" they trailed off simultaneously.

Inuyasha's missing, too. Could that mean that Inuyasha took it? And left? He wouldn't do that, would he? At the beginning of our adventure, that's all you wanted to do. I thought what with all of your demonic possession that you didn't want to attempt that anymore. I thought you didn't want to become a demon, was I naive to think that? You surely don't want to become a human; I know how you don't like feeling weak.

Was it all a lie? Did he just lie to continue this? To control my feelings? No! Don't think of such things! Especially since you know that they aren't true. He wouldn't have risked his life over and over to save me; he wouldn't have left me with his fire rat robe or this ring. I don't want to think such terrible things of him…No, he's injured, he's been kidnapped! Something!

There's no blood leaving the main battleground, either. That either means he was taken, or left, by air or that he never truly left. I don't think hed leave without a body…He's too durable…he'd have to, you know, combust?

And if he was taken, that means that whoever took him has the Sacred Jewel!

"Oh, and Naraku really is dead this time around! Miroku's wind tunnel is gone!"

"Shippo, thank you! I really have to go this time! Tell the others about the situation; I might need backup!" With that, Kagome fully disappeared from Shippo's line of vision, and with a final, sniffled sob, he started to walk back to Kaede's village.

Each bloody step, in blood that was not her own, left a footprint that only moved in one direction: forward. There would be no looking back upon this endeavor, and this particular path would never be taken again even once the destination is reached. No looking back, no regrets. This was the path she had chosen, to look for her lost love, and though she would miss those she left behind, she knew deep in her soul that this is what she should be doing with her life. If she didn't go through with it, then she wouldn't be able to ever forgive herself.

She honestly did love the others, but if she could, she'd prefer to pull this off on her own. For the first time, she was physically alone, but the thought left behind of Inuyasha was left embedded in her mind. His haori and his mother's ring were a constant reminder to her, and gave her the temporary strength to move onward.

Sloshing through the sticky mud, her feet drudged on and felt as if they were about to fall off. As if the rest of her body didn't feel that way. Inuyasha had blocked many hits from making it her way, but that hadn't fully prevented her from being battered around a few times. "Ugh," she groaned, "I forgot how sticky the mud gets…how long was I out? The mud should be slushy."

Where she was going at this moment in time, was unknown to even her. She would follow the path that she felt she should follow, and from then on, she hoped she could sense the Sacred Jewel on proceed on from there.

End of Chapter 11

***A/n : Haha, that should make more sense, but as to where Inuyasha is...or his state...is something I won't release yet. xD This chapter is short, but I'll update again within these next few days as compensation. This new computer works well (I finally got to type the rest of the chapter on it, I don't think my previous A/n matches), and I'm sorry to say that I had to retype this chapter about half a dozen times because ever time I saved on the Document Manager, it logged me out before it could save. If someone's on the Document Manager, it shouldn't be allowed to log you out. Wouldn't you guys agree?

~Mitz