A/N: I don't know what genre this would be considered! If you have any ideas, please let me know!

Chapter 3: Reality Sinks In

"Lord InuYasha! Lady Kagome is in great danger!" "WHAT?!" InuYasha cried incredulosly. "Why?!" Myoga sighed deeply. "I'm sorry. I can't tell you exactly why. I suggest you ask your companions..." Myoga trailed off as he realized that InuYasha wasn't there anymore.

Sango and Miroku were abruptly startled out of their charming moment when InuYasha burst into the hut. "Spit it out!" he rudely demanded of the two. Genuinely confused, the two simply stared at the inu hanyou before them. InuYasha looked from Sango's face, to Miroku's, and back again. Losing his patience, he shouted, "Tell me!" That was when Sango lost it. "You jerk!" she shouted. "I hope Kagome never comes back just so you can suffer! After what you did to her, I hope you die!" The taijiya then proceeded to attempt to beat InuYasha into the floor of the hut with Hiraikotsu. Miroku and Kirara quickly rushed forward to restrain her before any serious harm could be done. After the hysterical girl had calmed down somewhat, they released her - but they still kept her giant boomerang far away from her... Miroku looked at Sango in the same instant that Sango looked at Miroku. The monk nodded resignedly. They would have to tell him sooner or later.

Kagome sighed, looking at the letter she had just finished writing. She read it over silently once again.

Dear Everyone,

I'm sorry. I never meant for things to end this way. First, to my family in this time. I love you all. Do not blame yourselves. Sota, do well in school. Mom and Grandpa, I love you forever! Do a good job raising Sota.

Now, for the hard part. My family from the past. Shippo, you probably won't understand this. That's okay. Just remember that I will always love you. Sango. You were like the sister I never had. I know this must be hard for you, and I'm sorry. Tell him! Miroku, you were perverted at times, but very kind as well. I know you secretly love her! You had best tell her, before it is too late. Kaede, you were my mother away from home. I love you so much!

InuYasha... I don't really know what to say to you. I guess I should apologize. After all, it's my fault you've been stuck with me all these years. But I'm sure you can complete the jewel even without me... You were always telling me how weak and pathetic and annoying I was. I guess I finally realized that all of that was true. Even now, in my final moments, I am weak. And I suppose I should thank you. For what? Well, for giving me this idea, for one. And for letting me travel with you. Those were the best times of my life. I'll miss them greatly. And finally, there's something I need to tell you... InuYasha, I know you won't return the feeling, but I love you. I hope you will be happy.

Everyone, I love you dearly. I hope you will be able to move on with your lives. Mom, I would like you to be the one to tell InuYasha. I was also hoping that you could arrange for them to get at least a copy of this letter. And please, if at all possible, bury my by the Goshinboku. That's where I first met InuYasha, and it holds a very special place in my heart. Good-bye now.

Love,

Kagome

Her nose wrinkled in disgust. 'I can't believe I wrote this!' Kagome sighed yet again. Oh, well. It really wouldn't matter in a few minutes, anyway.

Miroku was the first to break the tense silence. "InuYasha, think back on what you said to Lady Kagome." It was InuYasha's turn to look confused. "What does that have to do with anything?" Miroku sighed. "Everything." Sango burst into tears again, and InuYasha was once agian appalled. Rarely if ever did the taijiya cry, much less out loud... Something must be really wrong. "Just think," Miroku commanded him softly. "You will find the problem shortly." He turned to the sobbing Sango and whispered words of comfort in her ear. InuYasha quickly left the hut, already beginning to replay their earlier conversation in his mind.

"Leave me alone, wench! I would have been perfectly fine without you!" he shouted. 'Sensing' a fight, InuYasha braced himself for the long string of sits he knew was coming. "You would still be pinned to that tree by Kikyo's arrow if it wasn't for me!" Uh-oh. She was really angry. "Someone else would have come along eventually! Maybe someone I wasn't BOUND to by this STUPID NECKLACE!!!" Then again, so was InuYasha...

"And anyway," he started before she could speak, "Kikyo was much better than the likes of you!" He shut his mouth quickly. He hadn't meant that, but it was too late to take it back... or was it? "Kagome-" InuYasha started, only to be cut off by said girl. "No." Just one simple word, but it cut him to his core. In his mind, it was a sign that she was rejecting him and everything they had been through. It was a sign of refusal. "At least she didn't go running off and getting attacked by demons so often! Maybe you should just go home and kill yourself or something! Save some demon the trouble..."

InuYasha smelled the tears before he saw them, as Kagome's head was down. When she looked up her eyes looked so fierce and yet so calm that he took a step back, away from her. "Maybe I will." Her voice was like ice, chilling his very bones...

That was as far as he needed to recall. Muttering enough curses to make a sailor wince, InuYasha redirected his course to the well, hoping he wasn't too late.