……. :eye twitch: Alright, I re-wrote this chapter 3 freaking times because my damn computer kept crashing whilst writing it! So yeah, sorry for the delay. I promised myself that I would try and update every few days or so, but that obviously wasn't happening :bashes head against computer desk:sigh: Mmkay, well, anyway, I guess I can answer some questions I was asked by "cheza."

1. Yes! I'm depressed… Eheh, VERY depressed…

2. I'll have to think about that. Since "Still Can't Find What Keeps Me Here" and this have to do a lot with Kasumi's life, I don't really see a point in writing another story with her in it. :shrug: I'll keep it in mind though.

3. Of course I'll keep updating. I'll keep updating until it's finished. And, I don't get many reviews from different people anyway so :shrug: it really doesn't matter. But! Like I said, I will try and update every few days or so. Thank goodness I'm almost done with this…

Chapter 12: Falling Away From You

Kikyo stood before Kasumi and nodded. "Are you ready?"

"I don't think I've ever been more ready for anything…" Kasumi replied dryly.

"Alright," said Kikyo, "have fun searching the jewel shards out."

With a wave, Kasumi was gone. Her soul, returning back into her body.

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Inuyasha sat with his hands behind his head, resting in his favorite tree by Kaede's village. His eyes shot open when he heard Kikyo's voice.

"Kikyo? Is that you?" Inuyasha asked himself, glancing around in all directions.

"Inuyasha, I am speaking to you through your mind. I don't have much energy left, so I better make this quick," Kikyo replied coldly.

Inuyasha tilted his head in confusion. What was going on…?

"The jewel shards, Inuyasha…"

"What about 'em?"

"Sorry to say, but you must find them once more."

"Yeah, yeah, we're already working on it," Inuyasha said, relaxing once more. "Naraku's gone, so, it would be much easier to collect the shards for me to become full human."

"Am I hearing this from your mouth, Inuyasha?" Kikyo asked slyly.

Inuyasha growled, keeping his eyes closed. "Who else would it be, wench? Becoming full demon no longer interests me…"

"Because of Kasumi's death…" Kikyo answered.

Inuyasha tensed and kept silent. Kikyo was right once again.

"But Inuyasha," Kikyo said, snapping him out of his thoughts, "that's why you need to search for the Sacred Jewel."

"What good is it gonna do? She's passed, and I'm not using the jewel to bring her back…"

Kikyo sighed. "That's not why I need you to find the jewel shards. She's already been resurrected. I saved you the trouble. The reason why-"

Inuyasha stopped her and jumped out of the tree. "She's alive! Are you serious!"

"Calm down Inuyasha!" Kikyo snapped. "It's not that simple! Her memory-"

Inuyasha wasn't listening. He was bolting off in the direction of Kasumi's grave. There, he saw a naked, and tired, Kasumi Higurashi. Inuyasha instantly ran up to her and hugged her.

Kasumi was utterly confused. She's never seen this guy once in her life. That is… if she really had a life. She couldn't remember…

Kasumi tapped Inuyasha's shoulder and tilted her head. "I'm sorry… have we met?"

Inuyasha took her shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes, still panting. "Kasumi! It's me! Your Father! Don't you remember?"

"……Kasumi? Who's this 'Kasumi' you speak of?" she asked.

Inuyasha's eyes gaped wide, staring intently at her. "That… that's your name…"

Kasumi put a hand to her chest and replied, "That's MY name? You're kidding me."

Kikyo tuned into Inuyasha's mind again and went on groaning. "Inuyasha, you're so stubborn. What I was trying to tell you, was she wouldn't remember a thing."

"But why!" Inuyasha called out.

Kasumi tilted her head. "Why am I kidding…?"

Inuyasha blinked at her for a moment. "No! I wasn't talking to you."

This guy's nuts… who the hell is he? Kasumi thought in her head. …who the hell am I…?

"Inuyasha, do you remember the incident with Naraku a while back, when he kidnapped Kasumi and the only way to bring her back was through the jewel? Because it had her memories?" Kikyo asked. "Well, it's the same issue. Each shard of the Shikon Jewel possesses a memory of Kasumi's. Slowly piece each shard together, making sure the memories are put in chronological order, so her life isn't screwed up. This, is why it wouldn't have been a good idea for you to find the jewel, and just use it to bring her back."

Inuyasha paused and thought for a moment. "So, if we would've found the shards, pieced together the Sacred Jewel, and used it to bring her back to life, she would still be in the position she's in now."

"Good job, Inuyasha. You're catching on better than I thought you would," Kikyo commented.

Inuyasha grunted in response.

"So! After each shard, give it to her, and ask her what she remembers," Kikyo went on explaining. "If the order sounds right, leave it inside her body so it could transfer the memory from the jewel, to her brain, so that when everything is complete, the Jewel won't have an affect on her life anymore, and she can go on living a normal life again. Not to mention the jewel can be used for whatever reason… if used carefully… Inuyasha…"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, sure," Inuyasha answered quickly. He wasn't listening to Kikyo's warning. "Man, I gotta tell the flea bag."

With a sweatdrop, Inuyasha removed the top part of his Fire Rat fur kimono and wrapped it around his daughter. "But first, lets get you some clothes."

Kasumi nodded and followed Inuyasha to Kaede's village. There, Inuyasha rummaged through some of Sango's clothing and tossed them to Kasumi.

"Here, put that on," he said looking away. "I'm sure Sango won't mind… in this case…"

Kasumi did as she was told and waited for Inuyasha to say/do something. Inuyasha walked outside the hut and started heading in a certain direction. He called from behind him, "You comin' or what?"

Kasumi flinched and immediately ran outside. The clothes she was wearing made her feel strange, but, this whole situation was strange. Perhaps it fit the moment…

Inuyasha led the way to the wolf den. Kasumi kept pausing to look at wildlife. This irritated the older dog-demon. Still, he had to admit it was pretty cute to see how curious his daughter was.

Inuyasha sighed. "We gotta hurry up, okay?"

Kasumi nodded and directed her attention away from an owl and back to her "father."

Finally, the two were at the den. It sounded as if Koga and Tatsune were having some sort of dilemma. Back and fourth, they would spit out rude comments or warnings to each other. Kasumi wrung Sango's kimono in her hands out of nervousness. She definitely didn't want to meet the two men inside. But, Inuyasha knew what had to be done.

"Tatsune! Flea bag! Come here," Inuyasha called inside. "I gotta show you something!"

Tatsune gave Koga a sneer as he passed him and stood before Inuyasha. He looked beside him and saw Kasumi standing there, leaving him wide-eyed.

"Mom!" he squeaked, giving her a huge hug. "Is it really you! Wait, no, it couldn't be… she's… she's dead…"

Inuyasha gave Tatsune a pat on the back and said, "It is your mother, Tatsune… but, she's not herself."

Kasumi tilted her head at Tatsune's behavior.

"Not herself…?" Koga echoed, hearing the conversation. He wanted to tackle Kasumi in a giant glomp and give her a big fat kiss, but, he wasn't too sure if that would be a smart idea…

Inuyasha went on explaining everything. When hearing the news, Koga's jaw dropped in sheer disbelief. Kikyo was letting Kasumi roam free again, and she could have her life back.

"But it will probably take months or even years," Inuyasha finished.

Tatsune wrapped an arm around his mother's shoulder. "And that's fine with me. As long as we get her back to her old self, I don't care how long it takes."

Koga just smiled and nodded. He wanted to say the same thing… but it wasn't true. He DID care how long it took. He couldn't show Kasumi his affections. He loved her more than anybody he's ever known. And she doesn't even remember him…

Kasumi spoke up. "Okay, so… Koga is my husband… and Tatsune is my child. And you, Inuyasha, are my Dad."

The three men nodded in response. Kasumi beamed.

"I think I'm starting to get the hang of this 'memory' thing!" she cried out excitedly.

Inuyasha wanted to test the Jewel's power, wondering if what Kikyo was saying was really true. He took a little brown pouch from the inside of his kimono and emptied its contents into his hand. He took a shard of the Sacred Jewel and put it in Kasumi's palm, curling her fingers around it like a protective cocoon.

"Now," Inuyasha said sternly, stepping back to Koga and Tatsune, "what's the first thing that comes to your mind when holding that shard?"

Kasumi closed her eyes and began to get deep in thought. "Hm… it looks like I'm standing with another woman. I think that's Tatsune in my arms… he's a little baby. There are people standing in front of me."

Koga's eyes got wide as his ear twitched, knowing the event.

"Everyone's sad… I don't know wh- wait…" Kasumi began opening her right eye slightly. "Koga kissed me. We're leaving somewhere. Inside some well…"

Inuyasha and Koga both winced at the thought. That event was horrid. A goodbye ceremony.

Inuyasha took the jewel back and asked Kasumi what she remembered.

"Eh, nothing. I can barely even remember what I just said," she replied uneasily.

"Then we know Kikyo's not lying," Inuyasha said; more to himself than anyone.

Kasumi stepped up to her father. "Wait… Um, Dad… I don't wanna forget anymore… please help me get my memories back. That memory seemed nice. Well, kind of. The event seemed depressing, but, just the thought of having memories seems great. Good or bad," she paused and gulped, "I want them. I want them all."

Inuyasha smiled sweetly and hugged her. "I know… we're gonna help you, alright?"

Koga left the den saying he was out to search for the jewel shards, but in reality, he was going to sit on the boulder near the little lake by the den. It was his area to think. He was going to think about Kasumi. He was SO happy to hear that she was alive and well again, but the fact that she doesn't remember him gives him a putrid thought and sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He can't kiss her, hug her, or even hold hands without the awkward feeling hanging like a velvet curtain in the air. She wouldn't recognize the feeling. She would even probably reject it. And he feared rejection from his life bonded mate more than anything… She was slowly falling out of his reach…

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Hehe, alright! I managed to write it and not have my computer crash or all of a sudden have the memory be taken away:laughs: well, hope you liked. I feel so bad for Koga right now… poor guy… Tatsune seems to be taking this well, and as for Inuyasha… well, you never know with him. Heh. Reviews are nice ya know… o.O