Hey, well aren't all ya'll surprised I updated so quickly? Ha…sorry, but this type of quick updation is rare. The only reason I've been with the computer this long is because (1) this is a Christmas story, and I want desperately to finish it by Christmas. (2) I owe it to you guys for suffering over a month without any updates, and (3) because I feel like being nice and writing, something I love to do.

So, with your support I should be able to finish it by Christmas unless my parents make me the official gift wrapper again this year. (Please…no!)

Hey, thanks schoolqueen for being my first reviewer!

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A Christmas With You

By: Sanci J

Chapter 2: Forgive Me

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He growled in response, showing his large fangs threateningly.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome choked and jumped into his warm arms. She held him tightly to her. 'It's been so long, Inuyasha.' She sniffed in the smell of his clothing and sighed in content. It had been so long since she had seen him. So long, and yet now that she was within his arms it felt like less. He was so strong and muscled, more than before. He radiated warmth that she needed in the cold weather.

She couldn't believe it. He was here. She was here.

They were together again.

She felt the arms around her back tighten and pierce through her coat into her warm skin. She gasped in pain and her head flung back. "Ah! I-Inuyasha…" Her voice stuttered throatily. Tears threatened her eyes, partly in pain and partly in shock and sadness. 'No…Inuyasha…'

He pulled his long nails out of her back and she screamed in white-hot pain. She gripped his haori.

The tears fell like they had never fallen before.

"Inuyasha! No, d-don't do this!" she rasped, staring helplessly up at his glaring face.

He let go.

She fell, looking up at her love. 'He'll kill me.' She thought and winced when her bloodied back crashed to the ground. She cried out in utter despair. No…he wouldn't kill her. He-he loved her. Right?

Kagome felt the tears flowing down her face and the cold breeze that froze them before they could dry.

She couldn't look at him.

She didn't want to face the facts that Inuyasha had officially given into his demon form, so she leaned on her right arm to lift her up, but as she tried the pain flared up tremendously and she collapsed back to the ground. "Please, Inuyasha…" Kagome pleaded and looked at him above her.

Something flashed in his red eyes, something she couldn't decipher. He glared down at her as if she were just another human. One who got in his way.

She lifted her arm up, hoping he would forgive her and help. "Inuyasha…please…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to leave you. I didn't want to-"

"Do you want to be tortured or killed wench?" he snarled without any emotion.

She stared up at him and swallowed. 'He's changed. He's really changed. They were right…Miroku…Sango…Kaede…' "Inuyasha, I'll do anything to have you back. Please…b-believe me…" she rasped, trying to regain control of her senses.

She felt herself becoming light-headed and dizzy. It was her back. The pain was too much. She couldn't stand it. She was losing too much blood. 'I…don't feel too…well…' she thought and her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

Inuyasha watched as the woman became unconscious. "Weakling." He scoffed.

Shaking his head, he proceeded to put the human out of her misery with his claws, but something made him stop. 'Kagome…'

Sadness came over him. It had been so long, and now she was here…again. Why had she come back? To taunt him for waiting and trying to get to her so long ago? Or because he gave up and secluded himself? He watched, seeing her changes over the year she had been gone. She was taller, and her body had more curves than before. She was more grown up, and he wanted her.

Wanted her to pay for her betrayal, that is.

He remembered her oh so well. That last moment before she left him. He had wanted to go to her time with her, his love, but she had told him no. He hadn't understood then. He had left himself vulnerable to heartache, and that's what he got.

She had left him with a promise that she would be back. A promise!

But she lied. The sick little wench betrayed him, leaving him behind alone. She had even told him he could get her if she didn't come back. And when she didn't, he tried. For weeks he tried to get through the well, but it wouldn't work.

He growled in anger. She had sealed the well to prevent him from coming, and had kept part of the jewel with her! She had no right to come back expecting for him to forgive her.

She was wrong. He would never forgive her.

He hated the squeeze of his heart when she was crying moments ago. Kami, he hated himself for still having any feelings towards her! He didn't want to love her anymore, but he did. He had thought he was over her, but every mushy feeling he had once held was back. "No!" he whispered to himself.

He looked at the Goshimboku behind her and his jaw tightened. 'Damnit. She had to dig the knife deeper and wait for me at the tree. She knew I would come here.' He hated her for being so damn smart and annoying at the same time.

Inuyasha was suddenly overwhelmed with the stench of her blood and fought the urge to pick her up and get her help.

No. She didn't deserve it.

'Next time I see you, wench, will be the last time you take a breath.' He thought with a smirk.

He stepped over her wounded body and let one last emotion show before putting his emotionless mask on.

Love.

"So go back to your home. You don't belong here, and you never did." He whispered into the wind and walked away.

"Miroku, did you find her?" Sango asked, her face written with worry. She stood up in Kaede's small but quaint hut.

An hour had passed without any sign of Kagome, and they were all apprehensive. What if Kagome ran into a demon? Or Inuyasha? She wouldn't stand a chance.

Miroku's pale face nodded. "Yes. I found her at Inuyasha's tree. She isn't dead, but there's a severe wound to her back. There's blood everywhere." He went straight to the big yellow bag they hadn't touched for months and put it on his back. "Sango, come with me." He ordered breathlessly and left the hut in his wake.

'I have to heal Kagome fast before she loses too much blood. She was lucky…any demon wouldn't have just wounded her and left, it would have killed her or captured her.' Miroku thought as he hurried to the tree. 'Could it have been Inuyasha?'

Sango grabbed Hiraikotsu and patted Kaede's weak body reassuringly. "She'll be fine." She said and ran after Miroku.

She stopped when she caught up and saw Miroku bent down next to Kagome's bloodied figure beneath the Goshimboku. She brought her left hand over her mouth with a small cry and sat down on the other side of Kagome. "M-Miroku…do you think she can be healed? There's so much blood." She looked into his shaded eyes.

"I don't know Sango." He looked back into her eyes. "Pray. Pray to Kami for the strength and help. We need it right now." He opened Kagome's first aid and searched around, taking out the gauze and medicines.

Sango laced her hand on Kagome's forehead. "Miroku, I don't think there's much we can do. Her body's cold and pale…how could we stop the blood from flowing out of her body?" she asked and bit her lip hard in pain.

Miroku stopped and looked at Kagome. He turned her over on her stomach, lifting her coat to see how much damage was done. He winced and looked away.

"What?" Sango asked, her fists tightening.

"We can't-" he cut off with a choked sob.

Sango felt tears gather and put an arm around Miroku. It had to be bad. She knew Miroku didn't cry over anything. She had never seen him cry before, and it broke her heart. "What Miroku?"

His lips thinned out, and Sango knew he was trying not to break down. He looked her straight in the eyes. "We-We can't do anything. Too much blood has already departed from her body."

Sango buried her head in his shoulder in agony. 'No. My best friend can't die. She can't.'

"Nothing can save her now." He whispered gruffly with his arms around her.

"Oh, Shippou will be devastated…" she said through her tears. 'I don't want Kagome to die. Who did this to her?'

"We'll find whoever did this to Kagome, Sango." Miroku said into her ear.

"Yes…" she said, and moved away from Miroku.

Her eyes shined with hatred. "The demon will be shown no mercy. I will tear it to shreds. Inuyasha or not."

"Let's pray…" Miroku said, and they bent their heads, offering up to Kami a sincere prayer to help them…all of them for guidance and healing.

I felt myself laughing as I ran in the field of wildflowers. They were white and yellow and purple. Healthy shades.

The sky was blue with wisps of white clouds and the sun kept my body warm. I was so happy here. Everybody I passed on the dirt road waved and greeted me happily.

Everyone was happy here. But I felt empty. Something was missing, and I couldn't think of what it was. I sat down on a beautiful smooth rock and looked out over the river. The warm breeze felt good and perfect and I inhaled in content. What was out there that I needed? Was I the only one feeling like this?

My back tingled and I rubbed it reflexively.

My heart was hiding something that I needed. I knew it. Somehow, I did. But it just popped into my head…as if I already knew. Did I know what it was? Why couldn't I remember?

I frowned and looked at a soft, pale yellow flower. I felt drawn to it, so I reached out and picked it up out of the ground.

"Little flower, do you know something I don't know?" I asked to the flower, knowing full well that I wouldn't get an answer. I just felt so compelled to ask. Who could give me an answer?

I twirled the fragranced flower in my hands, staring at it, looking for answers. None came, of course.

But I wanted them to.

As I looked at the pretty little flower, it changed. It turned red. A bright red. None of the flowers here were that color. I was confused, but not scared. For some reason I was comforted by this red color. In the flower I saw an image. It had red in it…and a white-no…silver color. I felt my heart pick up its pace. So, somehow I recognized this image.

Was this…person the thing I have wanted to remember? I squinted, wanting a better look, but it seemed to only get blurrier as I tried.

I got frustrated. "Show me." I ordered.

It did something unbelievable. The flower started to cave in. I gasped. It…it was dying. Flowers did not die here.

I saw another image. It was only my reflection. I stared at myself, noticing the soft fragrance of the flower changed to a rotten smell. I saw myself lying on the ground. There was red all around me.

"Is it him?" I heard what I had just said and my eyes widened. So that red image was a male? Was my heart speaking to me?

I saw the wound in my back. Five holes. The red stuff was blood. It wasn't a man. I was bleeding.

The tingle started up again in my back and I shivered.

"You don't belong here." I heard my own words. Why didn't I belong here? Was it because I missed something?

I knew something though. I had to get back.

"Wake." The flower said and it fell through my fingertips. A deafening pain erupted in my back and I felt myself collapse to the ground. I smiled. I wasn't going to be empty anymore.

I knew it.

Kagome woke up coughing. A warm liquid dribbled down her chin and she wiped it with her hand. Blood.

She gasped. 'It was a dream.' It was only a dream.

She sat up and held onto the tree. She pulled on one of the smaller branches and it broke. Her mouth opened as she fell into someone's arms.

'Inuyasha.'

"Kagome, who did this to you?" a strangled voice asked.

Kagome looked and saw who it was.

Kouga. Not Inuyasha.

"Tell me Kagome. Was it dog turd? I'll kill him." He seethed, looking at her with sympathy in his turquoise eyes.

She blinked and coughed. "N-No…" she rasped. "It…was me. It was an…accident." She drew in ragged breaths.

His gaze narrowed. 'Who is she sticking up for? Inuyasha.' "I'll take you to the old woman so she can heal your wound."

She shook her head. "No. Kouga…"

He stopped walking and looked down at her. It hurt him that she didn't want his help. "What Kagome? You want Inuyasha, is that it?" he asked sadly.

She averted her glassy eyes. "Could…could you take me to him?"

He remained silent for what seemed like a long time.

She swallowed a huge lump in her throat.

"If that's what you want…Kagome." He said and burst into a run, following Inuyasha's strong demonic scent.

'I hurt Kouga.' Kagome was saddened for hurting him, but she loved Inuyasha, and only him. She rested on Kouga's chest while he ran. She frowned when she noticed that her back wasn't hurting. It felt so numb that she barely even remembered she was wounded. 'Why has my wound numbed over? Was it from blood loss or something?'

Before she knew it Kouga had taken her into a dark forest. There were no sounds, not even birds or squirrels. A chill went up her spine.

Kouga pulled her closer to him. "We can go back you know."

"No. Put me down." She said and wriggled until he set her down against a tree.

He looked at her wordlessly.

"Kouga…Go. I'll wait here."

He tried to hide the hurt in his eyes, but Kagome saw. "I can wait with you. I don't want you to get hurt any more than you already have."

"No. I have to do it alone. I'm sorry." She said and stared at the dried blood on her hand.

He nodded slowly. "If you're in trouble, scream and I'll come."

She nodded with a smile.

He touched her cheek and then ran off in a blur.

Kagome leaned back against the tree and sighed, looking around at her surroundings. The darkness creeped her out. She hoped she hadn't made a mistake having Kouga leave her out here…alone.

What if Inuyasha hurt her again? She wondered why he hadn't even killed her. He must have remembered her. That gave her hope. Well, a little, at least.

"Forgive me, Inuyasha…"

Something wet landed on her cheek and she was alarmed. She touched it and felt water. Lifting her head back some, she watched bundles of snowflakes falling towards her. She smiled and closed her eyes.

It was the first snow.

Her brother would be so excited. Snow meant Christmas, and Christmas meant Santa and presents. What would they think when they noticed she was gone? She had been so excited for Christmas. It was when the stable birth took place.

Would Kagome even make it home for Christmas? It was the most important holiday one spent with those they love…

She felt a yearning to spend it with Inuyasha.

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Thanks to my reviewers! As usual, I'll answer questions here:

VampireGoddessAmaya: He changed into a full-demon in hatred and anger towards the cruel world and Kagome. After Kagome left, he treated the others terribly and ran off. They only reminded him of Kagome so he also hated them. All humans reminded him of her, so he became demon and killed human after human. He had no feeling until he sees Kagome came back. Thanks, I'm glad you like the story!

Overobsessy: Lol…I just love your long reviews. You pretty much said exactly what was happening. Inuyasha made any tension between the humans and demons worse. Exactly! You were dead on when you said that Inuyasha believes Kagome sealed the well off. You got straight to the point. So in his rage, he became full-demon…and poof…there's a war.

Thanks to the rest also: schoolqueen, Liizziioo, ixchen, Sambosaurus, Jamie, TaiOokamiYoukai, Shamanic Destiny, Inu's1fan, Granola Bar

Now that I actually think about it, this story seems a little too sad. Is it too depressing? If it seems overly melodramatic, then sorry. I try to put myself mentally into the situations and go by how my feelings would be and how the character would react. I mean, when Kagome was freaking out when Inuyasha hurt her, I was teary-eyed.

Thanks for reading, and please review. I need some to make me cheerful while I'm getting yelled at for being holed up with the computer over the holiday. Adios!