What would happen if Kagome jumped though the well instead of meeting up with Inu-Yasha? Hmm I wonder…

Prepare yourselves…this is the alternate ending to the story :]

Meanwhile

"I…um…", Inu-Yasha whispered as he moved closer, his lips inches away from Kagome's.

"Yes…Inu…Yasha?"

She closed her eyes, feeling Inu-Yasha's warm breath brush against her soft lips.

"I…need my haori back before you leave…"

She opened her eyes and stared at him.

"Your…your haori."

"Uh…yeah, when you're finished with it that's is…", He pulled back and looked at her blankly.

Kagome pushed away, closing her eyes tightly in embarrassment.

"Th…That's what this was about. Your haori?!"

He blinked and continued to stare, a look of utter confusion forming on his face.

"Y...Yes?"

She turned away and sighed, removing his red haori top quickly and handing it to him without looking at his face.

"Here. Take it."

She sighed again and started to walk away, not bothering to look back.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

"Home!"

Kagome walked faster, quickening her pace until she found herself, jogging, then running towards the well.

"This is so unreal! What did I think was going to happen back there, anyway?! I feel like a complete…idiot!"

Inu-Yasha watched her leave in shock, still clutching the red haori top in his arms.

"Eh?"

"He really is hopeless, isn't he, Sango?" Miroku waited for Inu-Yasha to run after Kagome then stood up, releasing his grip from Shippo's eyes.

"HEY! I thought you two were supposed to be asleep!", Shippo cried once free of Miroku's grasp, "What'd you do that for?!"

Miroku shook his head and walked away.

"Don't worry, Shippo. You didn't miss anything at all."

Shippo blinked in confusion. "Huh?! Then why'd you cover my eyes so I couldn't see, huh?!"

His curiosity grew as Sango stood up and followed Miroku back to camp.

"I agree, Miroku…", she admitted flatly. "Inu-Yasha is as hopeless as he is stubborn."

"WAIIIT!!", Shippo yelled as he ran after them. "What happened?! I wanna know!!!"

"What's her problem?"

"Hey, Kagome!!"

He returned to his senses and took chase, but he was already too late.

Kagome had reached the well and sighed, lifting one leg over the edge, preparing to leave the Feudal Era with one leap. She looked behind her briefly and whispered.

"Inu-Yasha…"

Then she jumped into the well.

"Well, I guess it could have been worse…"

She sighed as she climbed out of the well. Rays of morning light began to show through the cracks in the double doors that sealed up the well.

"Oh no! It's morning already? I'm in for it now!"

She turned her back to the well when something grabbed her from behind.

"HEY!"

She turned around swiftly and froze in shock.

"How…", she gasped.

Inu-Yasha held her by her shoulders and glared at her, flashing his demon canines in anger.

"Wha…Why did you….", she gasped.

Before she could continue he Pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, a pained expression on his face.

"Hey! Will you hear me out already!!! I'm…I'm…" he winced as he felt his pride shatter. "I'M SORRY, OKAY!"

She stood frozen in shock, wrapped tightly in his arms, unable to respond.

"He's…actually apologizing!"

Still holding her firmly, he lowered his head until it rested on top of hers.

"I know…how difficult I've made it for you…finding those shards…with…", he choked on his words, fighting his ego and lowering his guard momentarily. "With all that I've said to you…"

Kagome opened her mouth in shock. What was he trying to say to her? She tried to speak but the words didn't come out.

"After…All those times you left through the well…because of me…" He shut his eyes tightly and winced again before yelling out.

"I couldn't watch you run away again, Kagome!"

"But…", She squeaked, still startled.

He pulled away to look at her, his eyes filled with sincerity.

"I…", Kagome began. "I want you to know something, Inu-Yasha…"

"…"

"Those flowers you gave me…", she began. "They meant nothing…"

"WHAT?!" He felt his blood boil after hearing Kagome's words. How dare she…after what he had fought to admit to her…

"Oh, Will you let me finish!…I mean they meant nothing, compared to what they represented!" She smiled lightly as the memory crossed her mind. "Kindness."

"Kagome…"

She approached him slowly, placing her hands on his chest and looking up at him, beaming as she realized what this was about. "You never had to say it…", She whispered softly, "I just knew. I feel the same way about you."

"You…You do?"

He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward. "There's…something I've wanted to say…uh…I…I…"

"I know. I love you, too , Inu-Yasha."

Kagome gasped lightly as he gently pressed his warm lips against hers, pulling her close to him while he gently wrapped his arms around her waist. His wild bangs running across her cheek, as he turned his head slightly.

Inu-Yasha's pulse accelerated as he breathed in Kagome's rich scent. Her lips reminded him of rich silk, soft and delicate, her taste sweet and fragrant like wild honey.

He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, both of them breathing erratically.

"I…have to get back…", Kagome breathed apologetically as she gazed into the exotic amber glow of his eyes.

He turned his head and brushed his cheek against hers, whispering in her ear.

"Will you came back and see me again, Kagome?"

He stroked her chin lightly with his claw and lifted her face up to his.

She blushed and whispered back.

"…Yes."

He nodded and slowly pulled away, walked to the opening of the well and smiled lightly before leaping down.

"I promise…Inu-Yasha"

"Kagoooomeeeeee!"

She flinched as she heard her brother's voice from outside the shrine. He was calling out her name repeatedly, as though looking for her…

"I must really be in for it this time to send Sota to look for me…"

She sighed and slid the doors open slowly, stepping into her sunlit yard.

"Kagome! There you are!"

Her brother dashed over to her, his friend, Satoru at his side. Both were in school uniform, book bags flung over there shoulders.

She gave them a puzzled look and Sota continued.

"Geez sis! You went to the Feudal Era without telling Mom or Grampa?", he blurted, out of breath.

"I…Uh…Well…", she stuttered in shock before he interrupted her.

"Yeah, well, They're looking' for you!", he stopped talking and stared at her uniform. Her skirt and top had been stained with muck from the river, water ferns tangled in her hair.

"What…happened to you?", he gasped.

"I…", Kagome whispered, staring at the house as though in a trance. "I HAVE TO GO!"

"Hey…Wait! Are you goin' to school?", he called as Kagome ran for the house.

She winced as she slowly slid open the back door and stepped into the dining room. The house appeared empty, quiet…too quiet. She took a deep breath and snuck around the dining room table…down the hall…into the living room and up the stairs. A floor board creaked as she stepped up the stairs…but no one seemed to hear.

"I made it…", she thought to herself as she wrapped her fingers around the doorknob to her bedroom.

"Kagome Higurashi!"

She jumped as she heard her mother's chiding tone and spun around to face her.

"M…Momma…I…", her voice trailed off and she lowered her head in shame. She heard her Grandfather's voice in the other room…he was arguing on the phone.

"Yes, that is correct! Kagome cannot attend school today because she has contracted…neuritis! Yes! It is very contagious!"

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"As if I couldn't feel any worse…now Grampa has to make more phony medical excuses for me…"

"Kagome!", her mother cried in another chiding tone, "Where have you been? What happened to your uniform? It's filthy…"

"Momma….I"

"You went to the Feudal Era on a school night without telling me where you were going?"

Kagome gasped at her mother's tone. She sounded worried. Everyone was worried about her and it was all her fault. She sniffed and felt warm tears fill her eyes.

"I'm…S…Sorry momma…", she choked.

"Kagome…", her mother whispered as she walked towards her and wrapped her in a hug. "I worry about you…The Feudal Era is dangerous, I need you to tell me when you leave…please…"

"You…You're not angry with me?"

Her mother pulled away and smiled warmly, her deep brown eyes twinkling, "Angry? A little. Worried? Very. I'm just relieved to see you back safely…"

"Oh…" Kagome breathed silently.

"Now I'll run you a hot bath and you can change out of that uniform, how does that sound?"

Kagome nodded slowly and ran her fingers through her hair, pulling out strands of water fern.

She turned to her bedroom door when she heard someone call her name…

"Kagome!", it was her grandfather. He had finished with his phone conversation and ran up to her with surprising speed. "Is that…Fissidens Grandifrons?!"

"What?"

"Those.", he pointed to the bright green ferns she had pulled from her hair. "Those ferns…are rare. From the Sengoku-Jidai, no doubt?"

"Uh…yes?", she blinked in confusion. Grampa was getting stranger everyday.

"Well, if you're going to throw them away, then give them here.", He took the ferns from her hand and pulled three more from her long hair and smiled. "The legend of these ferns is that…"

She smiled dryly, opening the door to her room and replying quickly before shutting it., "Yes, Grampa…I'd love to hear all about them but…maybe later, okay?"

"Well…yes…later then.", he mused while scratching his wrinkled brow.

Once inside her room, Kagome sighed and removed her dirty uniform, throwing it in her clothes hamper and wrapping a towel around herself.

"A hot bath…sounds heavenly…"

She looked out her window, which had begun to fog up. The cheerful sunlight had dissipated and the sky had grown gray with rain clouds. Thick sheets of rain now fell outside and the sky became dark and uninviting.

"Wow…", she gasped, "I'm lucky to have gotten inside when I did…"

She turned from the window and began to remove her towel when she caught a shadow from the corner of her eye.

"Wha…", she gasped as she wrapped her towel back around herself.

A dark shadowy figure clothed in red sat by her closed window, rapping it's fingers against the glass. The fog on the window made it impossible to make out who it was, but Kagome had a suspicion.

"Inu-Yasha!", she cried as she pulled open her window. He leapt in her room and shook the rain off violently, causing Kagome to shield herself with her arms from the water.

"Hey! You're getting me wet!"

He glared at her and wrung the water from his hair. "Well, How else am I supposed to get dry?!", he stopped nervously and stared at her and the short towel she had wrapped around her. "Whoa…"

Kagome blushed and crossed her arms tightly around herself.

"Wha…What do you want, Inu-Yasha!", she shrieked, her face still red with embarrassment.

"Feh. Don't flatter yourself!", he muttered, turning away quickly and reaching inside his haori top. He pulled out the white orchids he had given her the night before. "I said I wanted my haori back, not these things."

"Oh…", Kagome gasped as he handed them to her. He looked away from her swiftly and re-crossed his arms. "I must have forgotten them…thank you."

"Yeah, well…", he muttered in response, looking down at the floor.

He looked up in surprise as he felt her arms wrap around his neck. She brushed her cheek against his, which caused him to blush also.

"You didn't have to…I mean…It's raining…"

She gasped as her spun around and stood up, looking directly into her eyes. He held her by the shoulders, his face inches away from her own.

"Inu-Yasha…"

"Kagome…", he breathed. His shallow breath warmed her lips, causing her to shiver. He hesitated, then pulled closer…their lips almost touching.

"Kagome!", her mother called, knocking on the door. "Your bath is ready…do you have that uniform for me to wash?"

"M…Mom!", Kagome gasped as she shoved Inu-Yasha away forcefully.

"You have to hide!", she hissed as she pointed to her closet. ""In there! Hurry!"

He nodded nervously and dashed into the small closet, only to have Kagome shut the door on him. "Wait a minuet!", he hissed back at her.

"Shhh! Shutup!", she whispered through gritted teeth.

"Kagome…Unlock this door!"

"I'm coming Momma!", she called as she ran to unlock it. Her mother walked into the room, clean uniforms under her arm. She raised an eyebrow at her daughter, who smiled nervously at her.

"Here are the clean clothes I washed for you, do you have that dirty uniform?"

"Y…Yes!", Kagome gasped quickly as she dashed for her hamper. She picked up the uniform and handed it to her mother, still smiling nervously.

"Kagome…are you…alright?", her mother questioned as she made her way to Kagome's closet with the clean clothes.

"No!!", Kagome jumped in front of the closet doors and took the clothes from her mother. "I mean...Let me hang these up!!…you don't have to do that…"

Her mother jumped back and gave her a startled look. "Alright…if that's what you want…" She picked up the dirty uniform and walked out of the room, smiling and shaking her head. "Teenagers…so strange…"

"Hey! Let me outta here!"

Inu-Yasha rapped roughly on the closet door until Kagome opened it.

"Shh! Do you want someone to hear you?!"

He pushed her aside and stepped out of his cramped hiding place, glaring at her.

"You don't have to say anything!", he spat, "You're ashamed of me! I get it!!"

"What?!"

He snorted angrily and sat Indian style on her bedroom floor, crossing his arms stubbornly and looking away.

Kagome stifled a laugh and sat beside him.

"Now who's the one making things difficult?"

"Inu-Yasha…", she whispered, touching his shoulder gently, "You know that isn't true…"

He turned to look at her and frowned, brushing her hand off his shoulder with one gentle sweep.

"Then why'd you lock me in there?", he muttered, motioning his head over to Kagome's closet.

"I…", she began softly, shocked that he'd brushed her hand away. "I wasn't…supposed to go to the Feudal Era last night…I broke a promise…"

"Hmph…Then why'd you go?"

"I wanted…to see you."

He stared at her blankly in shock.

"She wanted to see…"

"Me?"

Kagome smiled and slid her hand in his, moving closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yes."

He nodded silently and held her hand leaning close to her. They remained like that for a while until a loud knock startled them.

"Kagome dear! Your bath is getting cold! Why do you keep locking your bedroom door? Kagome?" It was her mother and she sounded impatient.

"Oh!", Kagome gasped as she pulled herself to her feet. "I'll be right there, Mom!" She Grabbed Inu-Yasha's hand and pulled him to the window in panic.

"Hey! What are you doing?!", he cried in protest.

"Shh!", she hissed, "I'm sorry but you have to leave before my mother finds you!"

"But…but…"

A memory from earlier that morning ran through his mind.

"Will you came back and see me again, Kagome?"

"…Yes."

"Wait…", he whispered, grabbing her shoulders again. "When will I see you again?"

She blushed at his question and lowered her head. "I…don't know…not for a while…"

He nodded solemnly and lifted her chin gently to look at her. "Until then…remember this."

He moved forward and caught her lips in a light kiss, his lips soft, warm against hers. She gasped then returned his kiss gently, deepening it as more passion arose.

"Inu-Yasha…", she gasped as he pulled away and broke the kiss.

He pulled open the window and looked out. The rain had stopped…scattered gray cumulus clouds spread across a blue sky.

"Goodbye…", she whispered, smiling.

"Kagome…", her mother scolded as she unlocked her door. The room was vacant, just as before only now the window was wide open and wet footprints were tracked across the carpet.

"What in the world…", she gasped, "Kagome…I heard strange noises…are you alright?"

Kagome smiled and touched her blushing cheek, a dreamy look on her face. "No…everything's fine."

She looked at Kagome in suspicion then sighed. "Alright. Your bath is waiting…Hurry in before the water gets cold."

Kagome smiled to herself and nodded. "Yes, thank you." She walked down the hallway into her bathroom and sank into the hot bath with a sigh. After her plunge into that freezing river the night before… hot water seemed luxurious. She slid her back lower into her tub until the water rose up to her chin, the hot steam of the water rising in wisps. Her long black hair sank into the water and she closed her eyes in bliss.

"Inu-Yasha…"

She smiled as she remembered his words.

"Until then…remember this."

She touched her lips gently, remembering his kiss…it had consumed her. It was…overwhelming…

She sighed and smiled slightly at her thoughts…

"I will remember…always…"

Sango sat on a fallen log, the glowing aura of the rising sun illuminated her face. She was in her demon exterminator suit, her boomerang at her side. She sighed and stroked Kirara, who sat in her lap. Miroku stood close by, extinguishing the bonfire and preparing to leave.

He picked up his staff and turned to Sango.

"We should search for the others."

She nodded and threw her boomerang bone over her back, Kirara jumping from her lap and transforming into her larger form.

Miroku nudged Shippo, who lay curled up in a ball by his feet.

"Ngh…huh?", he yawned, rubbing his eyes with his small hands.

"Shippo…we have to search for the others…we're leaving."

Shippo nodded, yawning and stretching before running after Sango and Miroku, who had already began to leave camp.

"Heeey!", he called sleepily, "Wait for meee! You looking for Inu-Yasha?" He caught up and leapt onto Sango's shoulder to catch his breath.

"This is where we last saw them…", Miroku stated plainly. "This field."

A spectacular green field spread before them, bright purple lilies glistening in the rising sun.

"Oh.", Sango remarked, "I didn't notice the beauty of this field last night…" She trailed off. She felt her skin crawl and a familiar voice sound behind her.

"Where you last saw us huh?…You were…SPYING ON ME!?"

"Spying?!", Shippo muttered, "Not me…Miroku covered my eyes the whole time!"

Miroku felt the color drain from his face as he turned around to confront the voice.

"I…Inu…Yasha…", he choked nervously.

"I…We…", Sango stuttered, lowering her head.

Miroku stepped forward and pushed her aside. "Let me handle this, Sango." He cleared his throat to explain himself. "I assure you Inu-Yasha…", he began, "We did not spy on your love tryst with Lady Kagome…" He stepped back quickly when he saw the look on Inu-Yasha's face.

"Love tryst…." Inu-Yasha clenched his clawed fists and began to shake with rage.

"I…I think…", Sango stuttered. "That wasn't the wisest choice of words…"

"LOVE TRYST!", Inu-Yasha yelled, now infuriated.

"I think….Sango…", Miroku choked. He grabbed her hand and swept Shippo up with the other arm. "Run away!"

"HEY! COME BACK HERE! I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!"

The group ran from the infuriated hanyou while Shippo screamed at him.

"YAAA! GEEZ GROW UP ALREADY, INU-YASHA! YOU'RE SUCHA BIG BABY!!!"

Glowing embers from the bonfire orbited and faded into the black of the night sky. Around the fire sat Sango, Miroku and Shippo, exhausted from their flight to escape from their demon companion's fury. Inu-Yasha sat away from the fire, on a grassy knoll facing the moon, arms folded but face calm.

"It looks like Inu-Yasha has finally calmed…", Sango breathed as she rubbed her sore leg muscles.

Miroku nodded thoughtfully, rubbing the back of his head where Inu-Yasha had pummeled him. "I agree…", he whispered as a smile crept across his face. "That enlightened look he has now…I only wonder what has caused it."

Shippo blinked up at him, his dark orange hair glowing from the light of the fire. "You mean Kagome is the cause?" Miroku and Sango jumped to silence him before Inu-Yasha could hear, but it was already too late.

Inu-Yasha rose to his feet and clenched his fists, his back still facing the group. "Hey I can HEAR you, ya know!"

"He can hear us all the way from over there?!", Shippo gasped, "What a bloodhound!"

"Just remember!", Inu-Yasha yelled as Shippo jumped in surprise, "CANINES ARE CARNIVOROUS!"

Inu-Yasha began to dash into the woods, calling over his back to his companions, "Don't FOLLOW me!" He leapt and landed on the forest floor, taking off at an incredible speed, dust from the ground rising in clouds from the force of his sprint.

"Where is he off to?", Miroku mused.

"I'm betting on the tree.", Sango whispered, staring into the darkness of the forest.

"The tree…", Miroku questioned, "That faces the bone eater's well?"

She nodded and he returned the action, grinning ear to ear as he pondered what it meant.

Sango sighed and observed Shippo, who had curled up in a ball by the fire, now sound asleep.

"We had all better get some sleep for tomorrow", she yawned.

Miroku nodded and bent to unroll his mat as Sango did the same. She unrolled her mat and spread it on the ground, bending down slightly to even it out before laying down.

"UH…", she gasped loudly as she felt something caress her backside.

-SLAP-

Miroku retreated to his own mat and rubbed his sore cheek, which throbbed with a red imprint of Sango's hand.

"What! What did I do?"

"Stay away from me, MONK!" , she hissed as she pulled her mat further away and lay down.

"I don't understand…It was like she was asking to be touched…"

He sighed and lay down as Sango glared at him.

"I'll never understand the whims of…women.", he thought to himself as he drifted off to sleep.

A/N

That was a long one…I wasn't sure which ending I preferred more so I posted them both :]

So there you have it…the alternate ending!

Well, Now that I'm done with this story I can work on some other ones...

Hope everyone liked it!

Mata ne

-Ryosei

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