Ch.4

Kagome ran until she could run no more. She came to rest in a clearing. She sat on a rock, breathing heavily, trying to get her bearings. Well, this was just great. She was lost. She thought about the fight she and Inuyasha had had. How dare he? He had said that he had wanted to kill her!? He had probably meant it, too. He didn't love her. But she loved him.

'Funny,' Kagome thought, ' I've always loved Inuyasha, no matter what. We've had fights before, and he's been angry. I've gone home lots of times.....' She trailed off as she thought of her home. She missed them so much. To stop herself from sinking into another depression, Kagome thought about their fight again. ' Where can I go now? Inuyasha hates me, Sesshomaru wants to kill me, Koga's new mate would kill me, and it seems that everyone is after me. It looks as though I'm on my own.'

Kagome stood up, stretched, then fell to the ground in despair. Curled up in a ball, where no one could hear her, Kagome let herself cry for hours for her family, herself, her friends, and the hanyou she would love forever.

Inuyasha was furious. She-he refused to say her name- had killed Kikyo! Then the rest of the group had walked out on him, too. Literally. Stepping on him while he was still pinned by the necklace. Shippo had even spit on him as he passed. Well, he was obviously better off without them. Without all of them. 'I hope demons eat them all.' He thought. "Feh! Why did I even bother with those pathetic humans?"

But there was something Kagome had said.

FLASHBACK:

Kagome: It was time for her to go; she was an empty shell.

END FLASHBACK

Inuyasha knew that she was right. Kikyo had been dead for fifty years. But he couldn't let go. That's why he let Kagome stay, why he protected her so fiercely. Because she reminded him of Kikyo. But that wasn't right. Whenever he looked at Kagome, he got a funny feeling in his chest, like butterflies. He had never felt that with Kikyo. Could he actually love Kagome?

'NO!' his head screamed. But his heart said otherwise. Which to listen to? This was so confusing. 'Kikyo wanted to turn me human. She didn't love me for who I was. She has also tried to kill an innocent girl to get back her soul. She had on multiple accounts tried to drag him back to Hades with her. That wasn't the Kikyo he knew. Kagome, on the other hand, had always fought for his life. She wanted him to live, to be happy. Sure, they had fought a lot, but who didn't? Until now.'

Inuyasha winced as he remembered their last fight. There had been something in her eyes that night. Sorrow, yes, and anger. But there was something more. Anguish. And pain. There had been so much pain. He remembered the things he had said to her. That he had wanted to kill her! "Kagome," he said, "What have I done?"

Where could she have run off to? She couldn't have gone home, that was impossible. To Koga's? No, his new mate would kill her. Where could she be?

Who would find her? There were always wild demons around. There was Naraku, who was also after her. And.......... Sesshomaru. His brother was after her, too. Inuyasha sat up- what if Sesshomaru found her first? His heart clenched. He jumped out of his tree and headed off in the direction the others had gone. He had to find her before his brother did. He had to!

Sango, Shippo, Miroku and Kirara were looking for Kagome. "Kagome! Kaaaaaaaagooooooooooooooooooomeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" yelled Shippo. "Where can she be?" whispered Sango. She looked down at Kirara, on whom they were all riding. "Kirara, have you picked up any trace of her yet?" The neko kagati shook her head.

"Let's land for the night." Said Miroku. "We will continue to search for her in the morning." The quartet landed and started to make camp. "I'll go get firewood." Said Shippo. He bounded off into the woods. "Don't go far!" called Sango after him.

When the kitsune was out of hearing, Sango looked back at Miroku. "Miroku, what if Sesshomaru comes back? We still don't know what he wants Kagome for, and if we can't pro......" Sango broke off and gave a startled gasp, clutching her hand to her mouth. She was staring with eyes wide over Miroku's shoulder. The houshi whirled around and there, of course, stood Sesshomaru. "So. The wench has gone off on her own. This will make things much easier." He said, and rose into the air. Miroku heard a sob behind him and turned back towards Sango.

She was hunched over, sobbing her heart out. "No! What have I done?" Miroku looked at the girl he loved more than life itself. What could he say to her to ease her heartbreak? He bent down next to her. When she threw herself into his arms, Miroku was completely shocked. He held her tight. "Shhh. It's okay, I will always be there for you. I love you. Don't cry my beautiful Sango." He wasn't sure if she could hear him, but it felt good to finally get that off his chest. He continued to hold her close and whisper endearments to her throughout the night. That was how Inuyasha found them at dawn the next morning.