A small insistent tugging nagged on Kagome's consciousness. IT was an annoying little pulling from some unknown source. She moaned slightly, and turned over, trying to escape it, but it just got stronger.

            "Kagome." A voice called her. "Kagome."

            She moaned again, trying to escape the voice, turning over yet again.

            "Kagome!" The voice said, getting harsher, and the tugging increased. "C'mon!" Get up!"

            Kagome opened her eyes slightly, and saw InuYasha standing above her, nudging her with his foot. "C'mon, lazy!" HE said. "We gotta go!"

            Kagome gave another moan, and buried her head in her blanket. "Coffee!" She demanded.

            InuYasha blinked, and nudged her a few more times.

            "With lotsa cream!" 

            InuYasha sighed, then reached down and grabbed Kagome's arms. The young miko gave a complaining squeak as she was bodily lifted from her little spot on Kaede's hut, practically dripping with sleepiness and lethargy.

            "InuYasha?" She said, plowing through a yawn. "Why are we up this early?"

            InuYasha set her on her feet, and she stood there unsteadily as he gave her a long even look. "We're looking for Vadise… remember?"

            Kagome cocked her head, and blinked at him. Then, like a lighting bolt, all that had happened in the past two days erupted on her. "Oh." She said meekly, all the sleepiness dispersing like vapor.

            InuYasha looked at her understandingly, and nodded. He turned and led the way out of the hut, not bothering to wake Kaede.

            Shippo and Miroku were already getting ready to go when InuYasha and Kagome arrived. Briefly, Miroku looked up from stuffing food in a pack, and nodded at them.

            Shippo, quite a bit more exited to see Kagome, immediately jumped into her arms, and gave her a huge hug.

            Miroku looked up at InuYasha "Have you seen Sango?" He asked.

            InuYasha blinked and shook his head. "Nope. Why?"

            Miroku stroked his chin in thought. "Well… she said she was going to look for Kirara."

            As if on queue, Sango walked up, looking dejected. "I can't find her anywhere." She said, her voice radiating depression. "She never runs off like this."

            Miroku stood up, and lifted the pack to his back. "Well, even if we don't know where she is, we need to get going."

            InuYasha nodded. "Are we al ready?" He asked.

            All eyes turned to him. "Well, I'd like to know where we're going." Miroku prompted.

            InuYasha coughed suddenly, and looked slightly nervous. "I know where we're going!" He said defensively.

            Miroku cocked an eyebrow at him. "You said something about it making sense that only 'he' would know about Vadise." Miroku said. "Dare I ask who 'he' is?"

            InuYasha suddenly got much more nervous, and muttered something indecipherable.

            "What?" Sango asked, leaning closer.

            "Sesshoumaru…" InuYasha said very softly.

            Everyone blinked. "You mean that were taking directions from Sesshoumaru?" Shippo demanded.

            InuYasha's temper flared. "Shut up!" He yelled. "He wasn't in much of a position to lie when I asked!"

            Kagome looked at him. "You fought Sesshoumaru?"

            InuYasha nodded. "He said he wanted to fight me as a full demon."

            They waited for a moment. "And.?" Sango prompted.

            InuYasha shrugged. "I fought him." HE said, as if it was obvious."

            Kagome smacked her forehead, and the rest just sighed. "You purposely threw aside Tetsusaiga and fought him as a full demon?" The miko demanded.

            InuYasha scowled at her. "Shut up! I was annoyed, okay!" He yelled.

            Kagome seemed to get angrier by the second. "I can't believe you pulled me away from my family just on some stupid hunch that Sesshoumaru gave you!" She yelled. With that, she stood up. "I'm going home!" She declared, much to the dismay of everyone. "I'll be back in a few days!" She said, stalking off.

            Sango, Miroku, and Shippo stared at her, then at InuYasha. The hangout, however, seemed to not be getting angry. In an almost calm manner, he stood up, and ran after Kagome.

~~

            Kagome stalked into the forest towards the sacred well, not really angry, just annoyed. How could InuYasha have been so idiotic? He actually trusted his brother, the one who had tried to kill her so many times. He was just wishing for the impossible. She was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it. She couldn't really blame the guy for being down.

            Her thought were interrupted as she ran into something red… with amber eyes and silver hair. She looked up at InuYasha, and gasped. "InuYasha…" She said.

            InuYasha looked down at her, and sighed. "You aren't going home." He said… his voice gentle, yet stern.

            Kagome's eyes narrowed. "InuYasha…" She said threateningly. Before she could 'sit' him, however, he reached forward, and grabbed her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Kagome's eyes widened in shock as his arms encircled her, and trapped her in a warm, gentle embrace.

            "You probably hate me…" InuYasha whispered, so soft that Kagome had to strain to hear. "I don't blame you… but please… trust me. It's my fault you're like this. I was to damn proud. It's my fault that you ended up running home. But please, trust me."

            Whatever Kagome was about to say died in her throat. "InuYasha."

            "I tried to strike a bargain with him." The hanyou said. "I tried to get Tensaiga… but he wouldn't give it to me. He's changed. HE had a human girl with him, and protected her more than he guarded himself…" His breath was coming in shuddering breaths now, and his arms held the young miko tighter. "He said that he had learned to appreciate his birthright. He said he couldn't go up against Atma personally. The only thing he could do was give me a name… Vadise."

            Kagome was at a total loss for words, tears starting to form at her eyes.

            "Please… I know that Sesshoumaru isn't the best, but we can trust him this time." The hanyou said.

            Kagome looked up in the hanyou's face, then collapsed fully in his arms, crying, burying her face in his warm red coat.

            "InuYasha…" She stuttered in between sobs. "Please… I don't… don't wanna die."

            InuYasha held her close, stroking her head comfortingly. "I won't let you…" He said. "I won't let you."

            After a few moments, Kagome rubber her face on his sleeve, and smiled up at him. "InuYasha…" She said. "Thank you."