Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not a product of Biatch Industries.

Just to clear up some stuff, I never said Kikyou was evil. That springs from some stuff that will happen later. You will see. Just for the record, here is my philosophy on the whole Kikyou-Inuyasha thing:

1.Kikyou and Inuyasha really did have feelings for each other.
2.They were ripped apart because they didn't trust each other.
3.Kikyou didn't have to tend that criminal. She didn't listen to Inuyasha when he warned her about it, and paid for that mistake.
4.Kikyou wanted Inuyasha to change who he was for her. This was because she couldn't be with him because of their situation. This tells me one thing: She didn't love him with all her heart. If she did, nothing would have stopped her.
5.Inuyasha made a promise to protect her. So he feels responsible for her death, and his conscience haunts him because of it. This is because of his morals and such. However, this doesn't mean he is hopelessly chasing after a dead girl; he just wants to put her to rest. He has a stupid way of doing it, but it is kind of like the situation with Kohaku.

I guess I should say this is primarily a Inuyasha-Kagome based paring, but this is a angst fic, and we all know what that means: pain. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel...

WARNING: Some spoilers are present, along with allusions to events in the manga later on. I suggest you have read all of the currently released manga. However, it does not matter too much, only for the start of this fic, and you can get the gist of things without reading it.

Chapter 1

The jewel was not happy. Naraku had lost the last shard to the Inuyasha group, and been defeated as well. It sensed the end coming near, and would have to act fast, or be purified and used for a wish. That was not going to happen if the jewel had anything to do with that. Naraku hadn't been completely destroyed, he had another part of his body hidden somewhere else, so he could regenerate. He at least wasn't out of the picture yet. The jewel would have to act fast if it didn't want to become whole again...

Returning home to a nice hot shower and a warm bed. That was all that was on Kagome's mind. She was tired after her last battle with Naraku. She was rather proud of Inuyasha for gaining a new attack, it meant they had that much more chance of finally finishing of the jewel, and she could end this nightmare. "That isn't completely true," she berated herself, "Just look at all the great times you had here." She remembered all of the fun times, Inuyasha's first reaction to ramen, that time she scared the group with her camera she brought with her from the future. They thought it had sucked up their souls and put it on paper. She had a hard time explaining to them all the processes involved in that. She couldn't help but smile at all these happy memories. "Oi, wench. What are you so happy about?" Inuyasha always knew how to ruin a perfectly good moment. "Just remembering," She hoped Inuyasha would catch on and leave her in peace. Luckily he didn't press her any further. She wasn't in the mood to get into any arguments today. They continued on the path back to Inuyasha's forest...

Naraku wasn't pleased. Inuyasha not only had managed to defeat him and his barrier, but he had gotten the last shard. Now all they had to do was find him and he would lose. He was fortunate enough to have created a younger him. It would be harder to be destroyed with 3 of him wandering around. He would have to find their ultimate weakness before he could chance coming out to destroy them himself. He had underestimated them for far to long. He was going to find out everything he could about them, and exploit every weakness to the fullest...

They reached Inuyasha's Forest, and soon were back at the village. Sango and Miroku settled down and waited for the inevitable squabble that would eventually occur between their other two companions. Miroku snuck his hand in for a quick grope. He was met with a quite a slap, one that knocked him of the fence they were sitting on. "You'd think you'd be able to keep your hands to yourself for even a little while." "Force of habit I'm afraid, my dear Sango," Miroku apologized as he untangled himself from the fence. Sango sighed, and waited for the inevitable eruption from Inuyasha...

Kagome was tired, impatient, and wanted a hot bath very badly, so she wasn't going to let a little thing like Inuyasha stand in her way. Right like clockwork, he was in front of her, preventing her passage to the well. Inuyasha, if you want to keep any semblance of the face you have, I suggest you get out of my way. I am just going to go back to freshen up, get more supplies, and catch up with my work. I'll be back soon." Inuyasha, of course, couldn't take a hint if it was smacked in his face with a bowl of ramen. "But we still have to find the last half of the jewel!" Inuyasha came very close to sounding like he was whining. Kagome, of course was fed up with it, having put up with it for so long. "Inuyasha, the jewel is still going to be here when I get back, sheesh. Sometimes I wish you could be a little more considerate of others. It couldn't hurt you being a little nicer to others." Kagome pushed passed him. Inuyasha caught her arm and swung her around. He had a strange look in his eye, something Kagome had never seen before, and couldn't quite place it. It looked like he was remembering something mixed with some intense hurt, like her words had deeply moved him. "Do you really want me to be all nice and considerate?" Kagome was baffled by this sudden question. Never one to turn down a golden opportunity when it presented itself, she nodded her head yes. "Then you have one week. Promise me you will come back after one week is over." He had a sort of pleading look to his eyes. Kagome didn't know what to make of this sudden change, but figured it was all for the good. "Inuyasha, you know I will always come back." Inuyasha didn't look like he believed that. "Just promise me." "Okay Inuyasha, if it makes you happy, I promise I'll be back after one week." He let go and started of towards the god tree. Kagome looked back once, doubted leaving for a split second, then remembered the hot bath awaiting her, and jumped into the well. She heard Inuyasha's voice follow her down, "Don't be late. It might cost you more than you think." That was the last thing she heard from the feudal era as she found herself back home. What he said disappeared from her mind as she headed for that hot bath she wanted...

One of Naraku's puppets was lurking near the well. Far away, at the other end, Naraku had observed the interaction. "So, that is where the girl disappears to. I always wondered why they always seemed to stay put for a while there. Well, well. I think I know what to do to that girl. She has been a thorn in my side long enough." Naraku ordered his puppet to spy on Inuyasha. "That mutt never moves from there. Getting him away will be difficult." Naraku exterminated his puppet, and went of to assemble more plans against Inuyasha and his group...