"Inuyasha. Get the jewel." Kagome said from her standing point behind him.
Inuyasha obediently walked over to where the jewel lay and picked it up. He walked to Kagome's side and handed it to her. She pulled the necklace holding the remaining jewel shards from around her neck and fitted the two halves together. "Three shards are missing." she said quietly.
"Great! How the hell are we gonna find three little shards!" Inuyasha whined.
Kagome stood in silence momentarily and then answered. "I know exactly where they are." she said.
Inuyasha looked at her astounded. "How?" he asked suspiciously.
"Koga has them." she said simply. "I'm sure he'll give them to me...if I ask for them." she said.
"We should get back. The others are probably worried." At that Inuyasha picked her up bridal style and jumped through the trees in the direction of Kaede's hut.
Inuyasha walked into Kaede's hut, still holding Kagome, and sat down against the wall slightly out of breath. Kagome leaned back against his chest in content.
"Where have you been? We were beginning to get worried!" Sango said, concern in her voice, as Shippo jumped into Kagome's arms.
"We were attacked." Inuyasha said. "He didn't say his name. But he wanted Kagome to find the other jewel shards. I killed him and it turns out he had the other half except for three shards."
"Well who has..." Miroku began.
"Koga." Kagome finished. "He has the remaining three. But don't worry. I will get them from him." she said.
Night fell and the others quickly and easily fell asleep. Sango and Miroku laid comfortably in the upper corner of the hut.
The night breeze was cool and comforting to Kagome, who couldn't sleep. She walked out of the hut quietly and walked towards the direction of the well.
Inuyasha had been sitting on the roof on guard and followed her. He sat in a close tree as Kagome stopped in front of the Bone Eater's well.
Kagome collapsed to the ground. Inuyasha began to rush to go to her, thinking she was in pain, but then smelled salt and saw her body shaking heavily. Kagome felt a comforting hand on the top of her shoulder. She turned to see a familiar, worried and concerned, amber eyed hanyou looking down at her.
"Kagome? What's wrong?" he asked softly, sitting down next to where she'd fallen and leaning his back against the well.
Kagome shook her head. "Nothing Inuyasha." she replied, equally soft, and wiped away her tears.
"Kagome?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he gently rubbed her arm and his other hand laced in hers.
"Oh Inuyasha!" she said as she threw herself into his arms, crying heavily into his chest as he hugged her close.
"The jewel is nearly complete. When it is...it'll have to be purified. And then...the well will close up." she cried as she hugged tightly to him.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha said, gently pulling her chin so she would look at him. "I want you to go back to your time and go to college before the jewel is purified." he said with a sad smile across his lips.
Kagome shook her head as tears freely fell down her cheeks. "No! I can't just leave and never see you again. I can't." she sobbed. "I love you too much."
Inuyasha kissed the top of her head and gently rubbed her back and arm. "I love you too Kagome. But...I can't allow you to leave your family just to stay here with someone so worthless as me."
Kagome shot up, disagreement strong in her features. "No! Why would you say that Inuyasha? You're not worthless. Not to me. You could never be that to me." Kagome looked down, ashamed that she'd made him feel that way.
Inuyasha slowly pulled her chin up to make her look at him. "I love you Kagome. "You didn't make me feel this way. You make me feel like...like I'm on top of the world when I'm with you." He smiled warmly at the now blushing miko in his arms.
"I'm going to stay Inuyasha." she said with a saddened, yet triumphant smile. "And you can't stop me."
Inuyasha sighed. "Feh." he said, trying to brush off the seriousness of the situation.
Kagome reached up and kissed Inuyasha full on the lips, filling it with more love and happiness than she'd ever done before.
"Kagome?" he said with a questioning tone, wondering what he could've done to deserve such a kiss.
She just rubbed his ear and caressed his cheek, smiling at him. But there still remained a sadness in her eye that she could not hide from Inuyasha.
He knew she was thinking about her family, and how she would never see them again if she closed up the well. "Well!" she said, suddenly smiling brightly. "We'd better get back. I smell food."
Inuyasha was surprised at her comment. He sniffed the air, indeed smelling the scent of stew from Kaede's hut. He was surprised Kagome'd smelled it when he himself hadn't even noticed it. He confusedly followed her as she dragged him behind her at the hand.