NEVER TOO LATE

PART 2

PRESENT

"Myouga was right..." the strange apparition started, her voice quiet and sad. "The demons attacked Kagome..."

"Yes.. and I didn't listen to his warning," InuYasha hung his head, "How can I ever forgive myself?! How could I let my stubbornness cost Kagome her life...?!"

"If you could do it again, would you go after her?" the apparition asked.

"YES!" InuYasha replied, his voice hoarse with emotion. "If it meant saving Kagome, I would go after her. I would even apologize!! I would do anything!! As long as I could get her back!"

The apparition in front of InuYasha became clearer. Soon, he could see a face. A beautiful, sweet face. He looked at the picture in his hand. Yes. It was the same face. InuYasha's eyes went wide as he turned back to the apparition. The beautiful spirit smiled, "Then it can be undone. What was not meant to be can be undone..."

"K-Kagome..?" InuYasha gasped.

The figure shook her head, and InuYasha noticed hair longer then Kagome's had ever been. Upon closer inspection, the face - though so much like Kagome's - was not hers either. It was a face from his past. 50 years in his past, "I am not Kagome, " the gentle voice said, "but I am inside her, InuYasha. I am always inside her. You lost ME once. I could not let you lose HER too..."

A bright flash of light blinded InuYasha briefly. Then... it faded. In a split second, InuYasha found himself back in front of the Well...

* * *

ONE MONTH AGO

"Every time I want to go home, you give me a hard time about it!" Kagome replied, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, "Can't you understand?? I can't DO this all the time!! I just want to be a normal girl!! I want to do well in school! I don't want to run around the past looking for jewel shards! I can't do it! I just can't! I need to have a break once in a while!!"

InuYasha blinked. For a second, he felt disoriented and dizzy. He took a moment to look around... trying to focus again.

"WELL?" Kagome pressed.

InuYasha finally turned his attention to her, and remembered what they were arguing about. "FORGET IT!" he snapped, "You can't! We have to find the jewel shards!"

"I'm not saying that I won't help you... but I need to take a rest! Just for a few days! PLEASE... please understand!"

"NO!!" InuYasha replied. "I'm not going to give up my search just so..." he stopped. Why did this seem so familiar to him??

He looked at Kagome, confused... and noticed tears flowing freely from her usually bright eyes, "YOUR search?!?" She started, "Is that what this is all about?? YOU?!?! YOU want the jewel shards??! Forget about protecting the rest of the world... forget about worn-out Kagome, who asks for nothing more then a few days rest! As long as YOU get the shards, then that's all that matters, is that it??!!" Kagome snapped, her voice fierce. "FINE!! I'll leave you to your stupid search!!! Have fun finding the shards without me!!" she shouted, then ran to the Well and jumped in.

InuYasha stared at the Well... and suddenly a great fear seized him. Images of her scarred and bloody body flashed in his mind. A strange sense of dread... of possibly losing Kagome forever... weighed heavily in his heart. No!! He couldn't lose her!!

Shippou, who had watched all this from a distance, decided to finally speak up, "Shouldn't you go after her??" the Kitsune asked.

InuYasha turned to him, and blinked.. wondering where the strange feeling and images had come from, "Yes..." he said quietly. "I have to go after her... "

Shippou was surprised. He wasn't expecting InuYasha to be so agreeable! It was good sign.

InuYasha quickly ran to the Well, and jumped in.

* * *

"Kagome.. WAIT!" InuYasha shouted as he crawled out of Kagome's side of the Well. Kagome stopped in her tracks.

He followed me?? He actually followed me?! she thought, surprised. "What is it??" she asked aloud.

InuYasha said nothing as he walked up to her. In a swift movement, he grabbed her and hugged her. "I understand..." he said. "I'd rather have you leave once in a while then never come back again..."

Kagome was taken aback. A sudden change of heart from the stubborn youkai?! How was that possible?! And... WHY was he HUGGING her??! "I'm sorry for blowing up like that," she started, a little flustered at InuYasha's actions. "I mean... I WOULD come back. I'd always come back... but..."

InuYasha quickly let go of her and stepped back, "For some reason... I had the strangest feeling that you WOULDN'T come back..." he furrowed his brow in confusion, "I don't understand.. but this strange image of you filled my head and..." he didn't finish his sentence.

Kagome smiled, "You were really worried that I wouldn't come back??" she asked.

"I..." he couldn't explain it. "Feh. Whatever. How long are you planning on staying here??" he asked.

"Just until the end of the week..." Kagome explained.

"Ok.. I'll come and get you at the end of the week!" he said.

"I SAID I'd come back!! You don't have to come get me, you know!" Kagome snapped.

"Yes I do!" InuYasha replied. "It's safer that way!" Kagome didn't know what he was talking about, but quickly realized he was speaking out of concern rather then lack of trust.

InuYasha didn't dare tell Kagome about the horrible image he suddenly had of demons laying in wait for her. Demons that only HE could destroy. He didn't even know where that image had come from!

"Ok... come get me at the end of the week then..." she replied.

InuYasha nodded, and headed back through the Well. Kagome smiled. Even though InuYasha didn't come right out and apologize, she knew what he meant.

Now it was time for Kagome to have a few days of rest and relaxation... and to catch up on my homework she thought, groaning inwardly. Then she remembered InuYasha's hug - and the concern in his voice when he insisted on escorting her back through the Well. She smiled once again.

For once, she was looking forward to returning to her mission.

T H E E N D