I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters. So please don't sue me.

She had been up all night, sitting with her back against the wall, staring at the window which Inuyasha had fled from.

The shikon jewel was gone. Gone. It just wasn't there. She couldn't sense it anywhere. And Inuyasha...

She shook her head, hair falling into her eyes as she leaned forward and buried her face in her hands. She couldn't think about that anymore. He was gone, again, and she was now left with even more questions. A part of her wished he had never come there. But just a part.

When the sun started to shine through the open window, slowly inching its way across the floor towards her, she finally climbed to her feet and went to take a shower. And then she did feel a bit better. She felt human again, at least.

And it was her day off, too. That was something positive to think about. After the few errands she needed to run, she could finally finish reading the novel that had been collecting dust on her night table. Or she could work outside in the garden for a couple hours. Or both!

Pulling her damp hair back into a ponytail as she went down the stairs, she waved goodbye to her mom and Souta before heading out the door...

...where she promptly tripped over the sleeping form of Inuyasha.

"Hey, watch it woman!" He complained.

Kagome made a sound low in her throat, annoyance killing the butterflies she ordinarily would have felt upon seeing him.

"I thought you left. Again." She said before gritted teeth.

"Feh!" Inuyasha sat up, glaring at her through slitted eyes. "Your stupid well is broken."

"Inuyasha, please, just go away."

"I can't. It didn't work." When Kagome rolled her eyes, he stood up, crossing his arms across his chest. "Go see for yourself."

> > > > > >

It really wasn't working.

Kagome frowned as she climbed up the ladder from the bottom of the well. Inuyasha was perched on the edge of the stone, looking down at her with a smug expression on his face.

"If you say I told you so," she warned. "So help me..."

"So help you what?" Inuyasha grinned. "I'd like you to finish that statement. Go on. I dare you."

"Smart ass."

"Has this happened before?"

"No, I don't think so." Sighing, she climbed the rest of the way out of the well and brushed the dirt from her knees. "Ever since that first time I was pulled through by that centipede demon, it's always worked."

"That really was a long time ago, wasn't it." She glanced up at him, and found him searching her face. She wasn't sure what he was looking for.

"Seven years ago." Silence fell between them again.

God, he was handsome. Wasn't he? All that long silvery hair, those flashing eyes. And there was something else, something else that hasn't been there before. The way he held himself, the way he met her eye... He had grown up. They both had. Maybe it wouldn't have worked out between them. Maybe they would have fought, and broken up, and she would have ended up back at home anyway. But she really, truly, desperately wished, now more than ever, that they had at least tried. Looking at him now, she wished she could have known what it had been like to see him finish growing up, and become the man that stood before her now.

"So..." Inuyasha cleared his throat. "What's different now? Why doesn't the well work now?"

"I don't know." Kagome bit her lower lip. She didn't notice that his eyes followed her movements. "I wonder if it has something to do with the sacred jewel disappearing."

"You're sure it's gone?"

"I can't sense it anywhere." She said, shaking her head as they slowly walked out of the shrine and into the sunlight. "But no one came into my room last night, I swear. It's like..." She gestured helplessly. "It's like it just ceased to exist."

Inuyasha fell silent. She waited for a moment, then continued to walk down the path towards the stairs that would lead her to the street.

"Hey! Where are you going?" He demanded, jogging to catch up with her.

"I have shopping to do."

"You can't just leave me here!"

"You're a big boy, Inuyasha. I think you're perfectly capable of entertaining yourself for a couple of hours."

"No." He stepped in front of her path and stopped, causing her to walk straight into his chest. His broad, strong, oh-so-touchable chest.

"Excuse me?" She stammered.

"Take me with you." Inuyasha demanded. "I've been into the city before. I know how stuff works."

She considered arguing with him, but realized it may be a good idea. Maybe he'd loosen up, relax. Maybe then he'd finally explain why he had left.

"Fine." Inuyasha grinned. "But you can't go like that. We're going to have to put you in some different clothes."

> > > > >

Inuyasha wasn't smiling now.

"I can't wear this!" He shifted uncomfortably in the jeans she had given him. Luckily, Souta had been growing like a weed since he hit puberty, and was nearly Inuyasha's height. She had been able to just borrow some of his clothes for the time being. They were not, however, the same in the body weight and muscle department. Inuyasha's arms and chest looked positively ripped in the t-shirt she had given him, and she was trying her best not to stare.

"Just... don't move your arms."

"Why not?"

"You might rip your shirt."

"So this clothing is not supposed to be so confining?" Inuyasha looked visibly relieved.

"Well, the jeans actually look like they fit you." She motioned for him to turn around, and he scowled. Obliged, but scowled. My yes, did they fit. A bit snug in the butt, but that was fine with her. "But we need to get you some bigger shirts. And shoes. And I suppose we could get your new pants, if you're really that uncomfortable."

"Shoes?" He cocked an eyebrow at her as she put a baseball cap on his head to cover his ears. "Are you joking?"

"People here wear shoes." She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "We could get you some sandals." He gave her a blank look, so she explained what they were.

"If I must." Inuyasha sighed.

"Well... let's go. I have a lot of stuff to do." And with you along, I'm going to be very distracted, she added mentally.