Inu-Yasha caught the scent of Kagome. He knew he should probably go back to the campsite and save the visit to Kikyo for later. He headed towards camp when he heard the familiar scream of Kikyo.

"Should I follow her? Well, Kagome already went on her date so I don't think she'll mind that much," Inu-Yasha thought, doubling-back, chasing Kikyo's scent. He reached there to find Kikyo chained up on the wall. As he reached to pull out the Tetsusaiga, the prisoner next to Kikyo caught his eye. He gasped.

"That's Kagome!" he thought. Then, he found the criminal-a toad demon, by the looks.

"You. HOW DARE YOU?" Inu-Yasha lunged at the demon with the Tetsusaiga only to have the sword bounce off of him. The demon smirked.

"Well, now. Inu-Yasha. I want to tell you, that, as you know, these types of chains can only be broken by their creators. Even your great sword, the Tetsusaiga cannot break through them. I offer you now with a choice."

"Huh?"

"You may pick one of these humans to take with you, unharmed, if you promise never to attack me or try and retrieve the others."

"Why, you…" Inu-Yasha shouted, working up his anger again, but the demon held up his hand.

"Now. Now. You get one of these humans for free, and you may pick. But, if you want both, there is a way…"

"And, what is that?" *uh-oh. The bloods rushed to his head.*

"Hand over the Tetsusaiga." Inu-Yasha looked at the sword in his hand. He knew who he wanted to save, but he can't leave Kikyo here either-not after the fact that she died because of him.

***

Kagome stirred and woke up to find the toad demon who kidnapped her talking calmly with someone. As her eyes came into focus, she realized the other person was Inu-Yasha!

Even after hearing just a little of the conversation, she knew what had happened. Inu-Yasha probably wants to choose Kikyo, but feels that he still should try to save Kagome.

"You bastard! And just what would you do if I don't choose one of them?"

"Well, I'll choose for you then," the toad demon replied.

"Inu-Yasha! Why don't you just choose Kikyo? What am I to YOU, anyway?" Kagome shouted with tears in her eyes. As she lunged forward from the chain while shouting, Inu-Yasha caught streaks of red where the demon had attacked her when she was caught. His inside burned with fury.

"You love her. There's no need for me. You don't have to feel like you need to save me, 'cause you don't! I'd rather stay here than have to step into you and Kikyo's love-life like I always due." Kagome laughed bitterly. "Bet you couldn't think of a better way to get rid of me, huh? Makes your life with her so much easier if Kagome's outta the way. That way you can kiss and embrace her all you want without annoying, pesty Kagome seeing you, too. I don't care about how she feels. Well, guess what? I don't care, either! I don't want to be saved!" Kagome knew that she was not making a convincing point. Tears streaked down from her eyes.

"So this is what she thought of me," Inu-Yasha thought, feeling as if he'd been stabbed in the heart. "She thought all I cared about was Kikyo." He looked up just in time to see Kagome faint from lack of strength. However, as he marched forward to make his choice, the toad demon stopped him.

"Well. Well. I see someone's picked your choices for you, Inu-Yasha."

"Huh?" Inu-Yasha asked, not understanding what the toad meant. He brandished the Tetsusaiga once again, but the demon only smirked.

"Take that dead miko," he said, motioning for the chains to release Kikyo and flown her at Inu-Yasha.