AN: Well hello again everyone! I hope everyone had a very good Halloween. I personally had a really really good weekend all together involving road trips and the such. Hence, I am extremely exhausted. But it was worth it! I am sorry that this chapter took so long for me to get out, I have been very busy recently, I will try to write faster in the future.

Dev- Thanks for all the support I really do appreciate it!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't even own the computer I am typing this on.

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Love Isn't Just a Memory

By: Nimerin

Chapter Nine: Something Slightly Off

Kagome peered up at the clear blue sky, a delicate hand shielding her eyes from the brilliant sun. 'I wonder how much I missed in school. I hope it isn't too bad. I really don't feel like locking myself in my room surrounded by books.' She sighed heavily and continued walking listlessly until she set foot on school property. Suddenly she was bombarded on all sides by rabid squealing monkeys, otherwise known as her friends.

"I am so glad you are back! Hojo really was worried." Ayume was the first to make any sense amid the rapid chatter.

"Oh yeah. He wanted to visit you but your family said it wasn't a good idea; like usual you know." Eri had now calmed as well.

Yuka snorted. "They probably just don't want to leave Kagome alone in her room with him."

"Yuka!" Kagome gasped as her friends giggled.

"Relax. It was just a joke, you just looked a little out of it earlier, I needed something to bring you back to reality." Yuka placated.

Kagome slapped her forehead and shook her head slightly. "Did it have to be that?"

"Well, it worked." Eri supplied.

"Okay, well moving on. New subject. How much have I missed in school."

"Oh, nothing too bad, about the usual you know." Ayume shrugged.

Kagome bit her lip in utter frustration. 'That doesn't explain anything at all I don't remember ever missing before.'

"Oi, Dajibou?" Eri queried.

Kagome nodded mutely but gained her bearings a moment later with a small smile. " I hate playing catch-up is all."

Her friends nodded and they started on their way to class. Just as she was about to enter someone called her attention. "Higurashi-san?" Hojo stood smiling sweetly with a small parcel grasped in one of his hands. "I am glad that you are feeling better. I got you something to help with your headaches."

"Arigato, Hojo-kun." She accepted the gift happily. "How have you been?"

Hojo's smile became even more prominent. "I have been well, I appreciate your concern."

She watched him for a moment in awkward silence. He seemed to be studying her and it was slightly unnerving to say the least.

"Higurashi-san, I dot believe that you eyes are grayer than the last time I saw you." He finally breached the impregnated silence.

Kagome cocked her head to the side slightly and blinked. "They are?"

"Hai, around the edges. It is not really all that noticeable though."

"Oh, well, that's new. I have to get to class now Hojo-kun. Nice seeing you again." She smiled and stepped into her class.

He returned her smile coupled with a small wave. "See you around Higurashi."

'If it isn't that obvious then how did someone as dense as Hojo-kun spot it? Oh no! He can't like me that much can he?' Kagome walked to her seat at the back of the class near the window. She proceeded to get ready for class while ignoring her friends incessant babble. Finally, the teacher arrived and she set her mind to work.

~*~

The surroundings swirled drastically as they were lurched forward into a more solid reality. They were now standing in the courtyard of Kagome's family shrine; only something about it seemed slightly off to Inuyasha. He sniffed tentatively as the others observed the strange surroundings. He couldn't smell anything amiss, but it was there, scratching at the corner of his mind.

"Amazing. There is weird gray stone everywhere. Where did all the grass and trees go?" Miroku pondered.

"Um… I think Kagome-chan called this stuff 'pavement'." Sango replied as she eyed the odd beasts zipping around on the stone. "What are those creatures? They move like demons but the humans are in them?"

"I don't know, but they are loud and scary!" Shippo wailed as he hid within her arms.

"Cars." Was Inuyasha's gruff reply.

"What?" Sango glanced back at the distracted hanyou.

"The things with humans in them are called cars. Kagome said they are like a carriage."

"Oh."

Kirara was walking around in her smaller form sniffing the air. "Mew." She looked at Inuyasha pointedly.

"Yeah, I know, it stinks. Kagome said it had something to do with those metal carriages Sango and Shippo are so worried about." He was patiently, I know it's a rare occurrence, waiting for his companions to adjust to their surroundings. He desperately wanted to see Kagome and make sure that she was okay; but one sniff had told him that she wasn't there, but had been recently. 'She's probably at that damn school she I so worried about. Stupid wench should be here trying to fix whatever the hell is wrong with the well. I would go there and drag her ass back but I can't just leave everyone else here; I would get sat forever for leaving them alone in a strange place like this.' His trademark scowl was plastered on his face as he impatiently tapped his foot.

Sango was actually the first to get over her initial wonderment. She and Kagome often talked about Kagome's time on their trips to the hot springs. Everything had fascinated her as she questioned Kagome endlessly; luckily the girl from the future didn't mind and was able to give detailed descriptions that could be easily understood. The others sometimes asked questions but weren't quite as interested. It was all as Kagome had explained making Sango feel more comfortable. Now she was able to focus on finding her best friend. She set the quivering kitsune in the gaping houshi's arms and strode over to the anxious inu-hanyou. His attention seemed fixed at some location in his mind. "Inuyasha?"

He snapped his intense amber eyes towards her. "What?"

"Sorry to interrupt you when you are thinking, but aren't we going to find Kagome and make sure she is alright?"

"She isn't her, she must be at school or somewhere else."

"Aren't we going to go see?"

"No." He growled.

"Why not?" Sango was getting frustrated, she wanted to see her friend now.

"Demons don't exist in her time."

"Oh…" She was crestfallen for a moment before an idea struck her, "But why can't Houshi-sama and I go look for her?"

"Because." He snarled.

"Because why?" She demanded. At this point their other companions had turned to watch the showdown.

'Because you don't want them to.' His mind mocked. 'You want to see her too. You want to see her the most.'

'Shut up! Damn voice!'

'You want to hold her and smell her wonderful scent and make sure she never leaves again.' It taunted.

'Shut up! Iie, I don't!'

'You know you do. She said she wanted to be with you all that time ago; admit it, you feel the same.' the annoying voice was practically screaming at him now.

'Iie!'

'Hai'

'Iie.'

'Hai'

'Iie'

'Hai'

'Iie, damn it. If I agree will you stop arguing with me?'

'Sure, but you realize you are arguing with yourself, and you lost.' The voice snickered.

'I didn't lose, I just can't take this insanity anymore.'

'Yeah sure, I believe you.'

'Why you, grrrrrrrrr……..'

'Grrr to you too, now admit it.'

'Fine! I want to see Kagome again.'

'And?'

'And what?'

'And you want her to stay by your side.'

'I am not saying that.'

'Oh yes you are, or do we have to start arguing again.'

'Grumble, grumble.'

'What was that?'

'You heard me.'

'A little louder this time or you will never have your brain back to yourself again.'

'You will go away if I do this?'

'Possibly.' The voice mumbled the last part, 'until I feel like annoying you again.'

'What did you say?'

'Hmm…? I didn't say anything.' It replied innocently.

'Hai, you did, what was it?'

'I didn't, and you are stalling.'

'Am not.' Inuyasha pouted.

'Then say it.'

'Fine I want Kagome to stay by my side.'

'Because you love her.'

'Because I …wait … the hell?! I do not! I am going to kill you, you annoying little voice.'

'I am leaving now, let me know when you are ready to admit it.'

"Inuyasha? Hello? Anyone in there?" Sango was standing in front of him trying to catch his attention and bring it back to the world of the sane.

Inuyasha, for his part, blinked dumbly before realizing he had zoned out in the middle of a conversation. "Feh. What are you babbling about wench?"

Sango quickly put on her 'You-are-so-going-to-die-a-slow-and-agonizing-death-by-my-hands' glare. Oh the wonders of a good expression.

"You two can't go because you don't know where you are going, are dressed strangely, an know nothing about this time."

"I know plenty about this time, Kagome explained a lot."

"Oh, fine then; how are you going to find her?" He smirked smugly as he questioned her.

Sango quickly lost her confidence. "Um… I don't know how. I just wanted to see her so bad I didn't think about it."

'Baka, he just has to be right.' She sighed heavily, "You are right Inuyasha, I am sorry."

"Of course I am right."

Sango merely glared tiredly at him. 'If Kagome were here she would have sat his arrogant butt.' She huffed and picked Kirara up, stroking the fire cat's soft fur and allowing the tension to seep away during her ministrations.

"I wonder how much of a time difference there is," Miroku finally spoke, "I mean other then the obvious centuries."

"It would have been night in our time, only it looks about afternoon here." Sango replied as she checked the position of the sun.

"Hai, but I meant in terms of days, weeks, months. For all we know it could have been years and Kagome-sama is now a grown woman with a family of her own." Miroku replied ominously.

At this statement everyone paled considerably. 'Could we possibly have gone that far forward in time. That could be what I felt was off.' Inuyasha pondered horror-stricken.

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AN: I know that some of the dialogue was a little drawn out, especially Inu's internal one. If you really hated it just tell me in your review and I will try to keep it to a minimum in future chapters. THANKS FOR READING AND ENJOY YOUR WEEK! NOW PLEASE REVIEW, YOU KNOW ITS FUN TO CLICK THE PRETTY BUTTONS AND SEE WHAT THEY DO!