A week had all ready past and Kagome was being released from the hospital today. The sun was up and shinning down upon the damp earth. The rain had not let up for all most the whole time she was in the hospital.

Kagome was in high spirits about getting to finally walk around. Inu-Yasha had not let her get up or move around out side of her bed for the entire time she was being hospitalized. And not being able to 'sit' him with all the people and security cameras around just added to the tension.

Inu-Yasha was happy about Kagome being alive and in an optimistic mood herself. But like hell, would he let it show!

The car ride home was pretty uneventful.

{So let's skip to something worth reading shall we? . ^_-. }

"Bye Mom, Sota. . . Gramps!" Kagome screamed while entering the well house.

"BYE!" They called back in unison.

She walked inside to find Inu-Yasha staring up at her. . . kinda' weird. But in a flash it was gone. He grabbed the bag that was behind him. Then turned to face her once again but, only with his intent to take the jewel back showing on his face.

"You're late. . . AGAIN!"

While walking down the steps -slowly- she replied quickly and quietly, "sit." The big mouthed hanyou promptly obeyed and ended face flat on the floor. A mumbling that sound much like "bitch" was heard from Inu-Yasha but, was soon covered over by Kagome stating.

"Man, that felt good!" Kagome was now standing in front of Inu-Yasha in sweat pants and a heavy winter coat. Inu-Yasha at this point began to peel himself off of the floor and stood in front of Kagome.

"Keh. . ." Was the only word heard from him as he jumped out of the present and into the past. Kagome was about to follow when she noticed her pack behind the well she was standing in front of.

"HEY!!! WHAT ABOUT MY BACK PACK???"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In the Past with our oh so loved hanyou~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Right about now she's probably noticed I didn't take her pack.' Inu-Yasha smirked evilly then he noticed something. The air was heavy like a large amount of smoke had just recently passed through the area. 'Maybe I should tell Kagome to stay. . .'

"Inu-Yasha!!!"

'To late.'

"Can you take my pack?" She was all ready tying to haul her new green back pack out of the well.

"You know you don't need half of the stuff you put in those retched things." He retorted only partially listening. Most of his mind was on trying to figure out what had happened while they were gone.

By now she had made it out of the well in one peace and with a THUUD~ the pack in question was placed right in front of Inu-Yasha's feet. With out even a second thought he picked it up and started walking to Keade's village hoping that everything was going all right

"Inu-Yasha. . . Is everything okay?" Kagome asked a little timidly.

"Feh. . ." Was her only verbal answer but, the look on his face spoke volumes more. His back was strait, with Kagome's pack thrown over his shoulder, and eyes dead set on searching and looking for any sight of life.

And that's when she noticed it. . .

There was no wildlife- ANYWHERE. It was like something just came through picked up all of the animals and left.

They were nearing the village now, just over the hill and she would have seen the peaceful group of houses that she had begun to think about as a second home.

But that wasn't what she saw.

What met her instead was a half burnt down- mess. That was the only thing she could think of to describe it, a mess. They both stopped on the top of the hill over looking the once was village.

"It can't be. . ." Kagome's mind reeled with 'why and how' this had happened.

'Could it be that demon from earlier that did this?' Inu Yasha questioned to himself.

"No. . ." Kagome whispered, bringing her hands to cover her trembling lips.

'He all ready has the shards what more does he want?' "Come on Kagome." Inu- Yasha began to walk down to the "mess" but, Kagome couldn't take it. As soon as Inu-Yasha moved Kagome leapt off ahead of him. Making a mad dash for Keade's hut (or what had been Keade's hut).

She was running so fast that Inu-Yasha just stood there like a rock and stared at her. When she was about 3/4 there he jumped off after her. By the time he reached her, she was all ready on her knees bawling her eyes out.

"Kagome. . ." His voice was shaking and didn't know what he could or would say to her.

What do you say to some that just lost all of her friends to some unknown enemy that's still out there?

***************************

"This can't be happening... This can't be happening... This can't-"

She had been like this for hours. Just chanting like this; hands over her eyes, rocking slightly back and forth. Hoping that it was all just a bad nightmare. 'Inu-Yasha promised me that nothing bad was going to happen. He promised!'

That was it.

She had cracked and now was flat out bawling at Inu-Yasha's feet.

Inu-Yasha was panicking by now. 'What happened. . . Well, I know that she shouldn't be happy about all this but. . .' He leaned over and pulled her into a kneeling position so that his face was level with her's. "Kagome SNAP OUT OF IT!!!"

This did not solve anything. She stopped for a brief moment and then put her arms around his neck and cried softly into his shoulder. But he could hear her mumbling something to him. He pulled her back and tilted his head so that his ear was almost brushing up against her nose.

"You.. . . You said. . . That it was all okay now. N-Nothing bad was going to happen." She mumbled this out just in time as she was pulled back into his embrace.

"There was no fucking way I could have known that something like this could happen." He slightly yelled back at her, then he mumbled to him self, "No fucking way in hell."

Back at camp with the rest of our not so dead crew

Kaede Knew what she had to do and it wasn't going to be pretty. She stood upon a rock while all of the village waited for what she had to say.

She took a deep breath of air and then with everything in her she began her speech. "We cannot stay here any longer. The fields are burnt and our houses destroyed. The winter 'twill be upon us soon and we need to find shelter before the first snow fall." [Another deep breath] "That 'tis why I propose we move as close as we can to our emergency storages. 'Twill be leaving by noon today and 'twill reach them by sun down tomorrow."

There was slight murmur in the crowed when Kaede stepped down from her rock. And began to walk to where Sango and Miroku were packing to leave.

Miroku looked up and nodded in agreement where Kaede looked at him. But others in there group were not as solemn as the monk.

"I agree with you Kaede on your decision but, what should we do if Inu- Yasha and Kagome were to return while we are gone?" Sango inquired as Shippo looked up to hear her answer.

"Hopefully Inu-Yasha will be able to track us. If not they will have to be on there own for the time being."

"So we should just leave them?!" Shippo blurted out.

"We are going to have to. The villagers need our help right now more so then Inu-Yasha." Miroku answered sagely.

Shippo nodded in understanding as he left to help some of the villagers as Miroku suggested.

Sango, Miroku, and Kaede all finished packing what little they had left in relative silence. Then they gathered every one together and were soon off to their new home.