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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters in it.  This story though IS MINE.  Any person who copies this story will find my wrath upon their doomed heads (and a bottle of Coke up their nose).  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

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Chapter 4

Sengoku Jidai

            Souta looked around taking in the sheer beauty of the forest, disbelieving that all this beauty would be gone and turned into a busy, bustling city.  He also couldn't help but feel just a little sad too.  So much beauty wasted.  Kagome meanwhile bean walking, all the time one arm around the napping Shinju, whom she'd taken from Souta while he was taking in everything, and one hand firmly placed on her inhaler.  Of course, it wasn't long before she had to use it, and they were only about half way to Kaede's village before she had to sit and rest.  Unable to bear sitting quietly and not knowing what was wrong with her big sister, he sat down next to her and looked her straight in the eye.

            "Kagome, what's going on?  Why are you having so much trouble breathing?"  The look of mixed concerned and terror on her brother's face told Kagome that she had to tell him the truth, here and now.

            "Because Souta, I've got an infection.  In my lungs.  The doctor's have never seen it before and there's nothing they can do about it."  Souta's eyes increased about hundred fold, as he tried to grasp what this meant for his sister, Shinju. . . and him.

            "S-s-so, what's going to happen to you?"  Souta whispered, near tears and afraid to hear the answer that he already knew.

            "I'm going to die Souta, and in a very short time."  Hearing the words, saying them, made her whole situation really sink in for the first time, and Kagome allowed herself to think the truth she already knew, but was refusing to accept, I won't make it home.

Meanwhile

            Inuyasha tromped along the forest muttering under his breath as Shippou struggled to keep up.  Four months.  Four months they had been trying to search for the jewel shards without Kagome, going further and further away from the well each time, always stopping and waiting for Kagome to catch up to them.

But she never came.

And now it was time to return home to Kaede's hut and rest, while Inuyasha went after Kagome and, if necessary, kidnap her and drag back here by her hair.

At least that was Inuyasha's plan.

Also Meanwhile

            Kagome and Souta walked in silence, each wrapped up their own, miserable thoughts.  Finally, Souta said quietly, "If she doesn't help him, I will."

"What?"

"If Mom doesn't help Inuyasha, I will.  He'll need somebody to help him, without_" He couldn't even bring the words to his lips, the thought  so thoroughly depressing to him.

            A girl definitely needs her mom, he thought as he watched the sad, pained expression come over Kagome's face as she stared at Shinju, who had woken for a moment and was smiling sleepily back at her.  Finally, Kagome turned to Souta and just smiled weakly, and whispered her thanks.  The two continued to walk in silence

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Author's Note:  Second update in a week!!  Woot!  Sorry So Short, but I really wanted to get this chapter up, and since FFN has been having problems with the server, and I only have about 15 minutes between crashes. . .  Well, anyway, I' promise a long chapter some time within the next week, and I WILL be revealing Inuyasha's reaction to his little "pearl," and sadly, the loss of Kagome in the next chappie.  So bare with me!  I love you all!

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