Wow, you guys are amazing!! =D

Review Responses:

puffin: Ah...well, hopefully this chapter will answer as to why Kagome rushed out of the cave. As about why Kushi had a rush of déja vu, well, Kushi asked Kagome to hold the infant, and then Kagome later asked Kushi to hold it...yeah. About Sango, Miroku, and Shippo...we shall see.

Sess: Yeah...I read something that isn't in favour of Inu, and then I hold a grudge...that goes away in about a day.

jammies2000: Yup, insightful is a word! =) Thanks for the compliment!!

Suicidal-Typos: Interesting pen name. Thanks!

hentai killer: Lol, I'm glad you like the story ::stretches arms as far they can go:: that much!! :)

Ceaseless Cloudy Days: Thanks! ="3 I'm more of an IY/Kag fan too, but Kouga deserves Kagome too!!

Theatre of War: Doesn't everyone get high off ramen? Lol - yeah - vitamin tablets!! All my friends think I'm insane. They're probably right too...::sweatdrop::

MichelleAnneSummers: Ah...I see. =) When I'm sick, I can hardly get 1 1 right...but that's ok...right?

Pinayazngrl: We shall see what Sango and Miroku do. ;) Of course Kagome would heal!! I can't her sad the whole way, now, could I? Lol, or else Kouga would probably try to...kill me...maim me...o.O;;

YSM: Yay! Another fan of the female wolves!! XD Yeah, Kagome was sorta...yeah...but - keep in mind that the person she loved most turned his back on her for her rival. And when Tanoshii mentioned it, it dug up old memories...especially Kyoko blamed Tanoshii, it reminded her of all the Inu-Yasha would blame her...so...it's the memories, and what it felt like when Inu-Yasha chose Kikyo over her. I would have put a flashback, but I didn't...::sweatdrop:: =)

ahanchan: LOL! Yeah, that's true. But 'Kushi' is based off 'utskushii', which means beautiful in Japanese. So...she's actually quite pretty...but vain...but nice...Ah well. I've finally updated CITR!! ::Tears of happiness:: It seems that TAB is doing much better than CITR. Yup, Kagome really needs a backbone where Inu-Yasha is involved...::sigh::

cristine 44: Continuation? You mean, update it, or a sequel? o.o

Rushyuo: ...Indeed, Kikyo is very...irritating...(I'll let you add on to the insult). But constructive critism is where you spot a few glitches, and point them out politely. Lol...no matter what though, I can tell you'll always hate Kikyo...

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So many reviews!! I'm still so amazed at how many readers this fic is attracting!

I have another fic coming up, all I'm telling you is that it's an AU, romance/humour fic. It's very carefree...lots of fluff.

Okay, in this chapter, Kikyo is totally OOC, but it's necessary! Gomen!

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Disclaimer: Alright, let's try that again. I don't own Inu-Yasha. Lawyers, you back away now. Yes, now.

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Trust and Betrayal

Chapter Five: She Loved You

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"Kouga-kun!"

Kouga looked up from where he was rinsing his hands in the river. "Kagome?"

Kagome took some time to regain her breath before talking.

"Let's go take a walk while I explain things."

"Uh, sure."

'What does she need to talk about? Is she leaving? ...she can't be going back to mutt face, can she!? I hope not...'

Kagome and Kouga walked in silence for a while, before Kagome decided to speak up.

"Umm, Kouga-kun, how to I say this...?"

"What is Kagome?" Kouga stopped and took her hands into his. "If you are leaving to go back to mutt face or something...I won't hear of it."

Kagome smiled. "No, Kouga-kun. Alright. Let me explain. I'm not from around here. I mean, I'm not even from this time period."

Kouga stumbled back, shocked. "W...what!?"

"I come from 500 years into the future. I was pulled into the Bone-Eater's well by a demon. In this time period, I accidentally shattered the Shikon no Tama in an attempt to recover it from a crow youkai. Because of that, I had to help collect the shards. I traveled back and forth through time using the well."

Kouga tried to process all the information in his head.

So the girl he loved was actually from 500 years into the future. Okay, got that.

It was Kagome that shattered the Shikon. He already knew that.

The only reason she was here in the first place was to collect Shikon shards. Okay, got that too.

She traveled back and forth between time dimensions. Whoa.

"And," Kagome went on. "I have to go back to my time to visit my family and all...and get provisions and stuff. Not that I really need much now that the Shikon no Tama is whole."

A horrifying thought struck Kouga.

"Wait a moment. Are you deciding on staying there for good?"

The question hit Kagome liked a ton of bricks. 'Am I...?'

"I...I don't know..." Kagome looked away. She had wanted to leave before, but now she didn't because...because what?

Suddenly, Kagome found herself in Kouga's embrace.

"K...Kouga-kun!?"

"Please don't leave." He whispered. He inhaled her scent of sakura blossoms. "The females wouldn't want you to...the pups wouldn't want you to...I don't want you to..."

Kagome didn't know what to say. In truth, she didn't want to either...but what if Kikyo came back, demanding her soul? In her time, she could be safe.

But at the same time, she knew Kouga would keep her safe.

She didn't what to do, or say.

She didn't return Kouga's hug.

Yet she didn't pull away.

--

"You, girl. Go fetch some firewood."

Sango radiated anger. For the whole day, Kikyo had been bossing her around, as if she was some slave. It took up everything to restrain herself from just hurling Hiraikotsu at her.

"I said, go fetch some firewood!!" Kikyo demanded.

"NO!!!" Sango hollered back. "You get it yourself!"

Kikyo's eyes narrowed. She cleared her throat. "Inu-Yasha!!" She called in a fake, sugary sweet voice.

The said hanyou came over in a flash. "What's the matter?"

Kikyo put on a pouty face. "I asked Sango to go collect some firewood for me. I even asked nicely! But she yelled at me to get it myself. You know my condition. I get tired so easily...!"

Miroku scowled at the miko. He had long discarded trying to be polite to Kikyo. Who did she think she was, bossing around Sango?

But before he could finish his train of thought, Inu-Yasha had picked Sango up by the collar.

"You will do what Kikyo says, or else..." Inu-Yasha growled. Sango glared up at him with determination. She wouldn't back down. Abruptly, he dropped her. Sango landed with a thud on the ground. From behind Inu-Yasha, Kikyo smirked.

Miroku was nearly trembling with rage. There was a line, and the two had just crossed it. He stood up and rushed over to where Sango was. The monk looked up at the hanyou.

"Inu-Yasha! That was completely uncalled for! What did Sango do?"

Inu-Yasha growled him. "Everyone listens to Kikyo. Kikyo asked her nicely to help get some firewood, yet the wench yelled at her."

Sango got up and walked up to Inu-Yasha.

"Just WHO do you think you are, thinking you can handle me like that!? YOU weren't even there when it all happened! For your information, she just commanded me out of nowhere to go 'fetch' firewood. You two treat us like shit, and we can't even stand up for ourselves? You are such a bastard for making Kagome going away! And this is what you traded her away for!" Sango pointed toward Kikyo. "A pile of dead bones and DIRT!"

"But then again, we can't expect him to make the right decision, hm? After all, I wouldn't exactly call him much more than dirt myself." Shippo suddenly spoke up. Kirara growled at Inu-Yasha.

"Kagome tried so hard to stay with us - with you. But you drove her away," Sango had tears streaming down her face now. "You have no idea, do you!? For god's sake, she LOVED YOU!!"

A stunned silence hung in the air.

"Don't tell me you didn't even know!? What's your problem? You ignored Kagome's devotion. Don't you see? We were all brought together by Kagome. When you two argued, it was always Kagome that came crawling back. Always. We laughed together, cried together...because of Kagome. If we never met Kagome, we wouldn't be here now. Miroku would still be hopelessly searching for Naraku. I would still be trying to kill Naraku to get revenge. You would still be pinned to the tree. Kikyo wouldn't have been resurrected. You would have stayed on that tree forever. Forever. Why are you so...blind!?"

Sobbing, Sango ran off into the woods nearby, Miroku closely following.

Leaving Inu-Yasha feeling guilty.

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Eeek...

No, Sango and Miroku did not 'leave'...

Sesshoumaru: They probably will.

Saki: ...

Kagura: ...?

Rin: Why's everyone silent?

Saki: ...where you do keep popping up from!?

Sesshoumaru: Someone needs anger management...

Saki: Shut up.

Kagome: ::runs in, followed by IY, Kouga, Sango, Miroku, and Kikyo:: We're here!!

Saki: Yeah, now you are.

Sango: Are we late?

Miroku: I'd believe so.

Inu Yasha: ...feh.

Kouga: Feh yourself, mutt.

Inu Yasha: What was that!!?!??!

Kikyo: Calm down, Inu-kun.

Inu Yasha: I thought I told you to stop with the pet names!!

Sango: ...he doesn't love her?

Miroku: ...he doesn't love her?

Kouga: ...he doesn't love her!?

Kagome: HE DOESN'T LOVE HER!?!!??!?!?!?

Inu Yasha : ...O.O;;;

Kikyo: ::sobbing in the corner:: T-T

Saki: ...-.-; R&R please!! Ja ne!