I do not own Inu-yasha

Inu-yasha woke up and checked his wounds. They were all healed. Thanks to his hanyou blood.

He looked over at Kagome. She was sleeping peacefully. He put a hand on her forehead and compared it with his own. Her forehead was cool. That was good. They needed to get back. He put on the outer part of his top kimono and looked around the room.

His eyes fell on Kagome's desk. It was an interesting thing. With lots of knobs. He might not be a cat, but he had the curiosity of one. At least, he thought it was the cat that had curiosity. Oh well. He wasn't going to strain his brain to remember. He had much more interesting things to investigate. He opened a drawer and saw lots of books. He pulled out the top one. It was a small pink book with a picture of a cat on it. Using his few brains he had, he managed to read that the cover said 'My Diary'.

Diary? What was that? He opened the book, since there wasn't a lock or anything on it and began reading.

January 30

Today we fought some demons. Then Kikyo showed up, and like always, Inu-yasha got emotional and focused on nothing but the miko. It was annoying. Sometimes I still feel like I can't handle her being around. Then I remember that I can't hate her for having lived before me and taken Inu-yasha's heart with her. Early bird gets the dog, I guess. Inu-yasha looked at the sleeping girl for a moment before reading on.

Right now, Inu-yasha is messing with Buyo. I have no idea why he messes with that cat so much. Buyo doesn't seem to like it very much, but I guess Inu-yasha's like a little child trying to figure things out about his world. About my world, too. So he gets excited by the smallest things. If he likes playing with Buyo, then I guess it's all right with me. At least it takes his mind off the shards and Naraku for a little while. Sometimes I think it's all he cares about, then I'll notice him giving me weird looks and I guess he cares about our group as well. It makes me smile that he tries to hold these things back, but they show so well, and then he thinks we don't notice. But I do, and it makes me happy that he cares.

Inu-yasha turned the page, guessing that this 'diary' held the thoughts of Kagome. He felt a little guilty for looking at it, but he decided to worry about Kagome and the cursed beads around his neck-for she would surely sit him for looking at this-later. Right now, he wanted to know what made Kagome tick.

January 31

Inu-yasha has been yelling at me to hurry up so that we can get back to the feudal time. Sometimes I want to yell at him that I spend all my time in his world, can't he just live in my world for a day or two? Then I remember it's my fault that the jewel split, so I pack up my things and follow him down the well. Maybe one day I'll hide from him and watch him look for me, an angry look on his face as he calls out my name and calls me baka girl under his breath. Then I'll laugh and join him into the feudal era.

Inu-yasha looked up to make sure Kagome was still asleep and turned the page.

February 18

Today, we got a shikon shard. Inu-yasha was so happy, I could tell by the look in his eye. He even ate my cooking without complaining about it. That kept me in good spirits. Then Koga decided to join our little party. Him and Inu-yasha started fighting of course. Then the same old routine-Koga proclaims love for me, Inu-kun gets jealous, I have Koga leave, Inu-yasha makes snide comment. It's silly though, this jealousy of his. I don't love Koga. Inu-yasha just can't seem to see this. Can't he even try to control it a little bit more? That's all I really want for this year. I want Inu-yasha to be happy. I think I'll make that my birthday wish. Maybe he'll even lighten up some more. I like seeing his peaceful face as he sleeps on my bed, happy or at least content with the world.

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome mumbled from the bed. He quickly slipped the book in the desk drawer. He would read that some more later.

"Yeah?" he answered her.

Kagome sat up. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Much better," he said, smiling.

"You're smiling," she said. "How are your wounds healing?"

"They're all done healing. Once you're ready, we'll go back to the feudal era, unless you want to stay here for a couple more days."

Kagome looked at him. "Are you sure you're better?"

"I'm fine. Can't I be nice without you looking at me that way?"

Kagome shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's just an unusual change."

Inu-yasha could just imagine the diary entry...

'Inu-yasha was actually considerate today! What a surprise! Hopefully, this change will stay, but then I guess it wouldn't be the real Inu-yasha. So who knows.'

"I think I'll just get my stuff together and we get can get back. Once we get rid of that noise, we won't have to worry for right now. What was it anyways?"

Inu-yasha shook his head. "It's familiar though, almost too much."

Kagome got up and pulled open the door that Inu-yasha had only opened a few moments ago. Out came the diary. In the yellow book bag the diary went. That was good, now he could read it at his leisure. Kagome looked at him.

"I'm ready."

"How do you feel today?" he asked her.

"Much better, it was just a minor fever. Nothing compared to those wounds of yours."

"They weren't that big. Minor cuts and bruises."

"Well, since you call a gaping hole in your gut, merely nothing, I really don't trust you."

Inu-yasha shrugged. "Like I said, just some minor cuts and bruises."

Kagome shook her head. Then a thought struck her. "The others! What if it attacked them!"

"It wouldn't," Inu-yasha said. "I don't know how I know, but I just do. It only wanted me and you."

"Where could it have come from?"

He shrugged. "Naraku maybe, or Sessho-maru. I don't know."

"I don't think your brother really wants to fight you anymore," Kagome said. "He acts more like he wants to know about your youkai side."

"It doesn't matter, the sooner we get back, the sooner we can figure out what to do."

Kagome helped Inu-yasha out of the well, still not trusting his words of his wounds being healed.

Shippo walked up to them when they were out. "So you guys survived," he said.

"What's up with you?" Kagome asked. "Aren't you glad to see us?"

Shippo nodded. Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore and threw himself not into Kagome's arms, but into Inu-yasha's. The surprised hanyou tried not to drop the little kitsune who was proceeding to clutch at his fire rat kimono and bawl his eyes out.

"I WAS SO SCARED!" the kitsune said, tears falling onto Inu-yasha's kimono, making little spots of dark.

"Um...it's alright?"

Shippo nodded and started to rub away his tears. "You shouldn't scare everyone like that. We all thought you would die."

"Inu-yasha!"

He looked up from the sniffling fox and saw Sango coming out of the forest, a relieved look on her young face. "Um, hello."

"Are you alright now?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'm fine. Kagome was a good nurse."

Kagome nodded and waved as she spotted Miroku coming out of the forest too.

Miroku waved back and joined the group. "How are you guys, last time I remember, you had a high fever, Kagome."

"I got over that with some medication."

Inu-yasha put Shippo down. "Kagome, we need to find that thing and kill it."

She nodded. "Did you guys hear any weird noises while we were gone?" she asked the others.

They shook their heads. "We haven't heard anything," Miroku said.

"Kagome, I hear it!" Inu-yasha said, his ears twitching. "That way." He pointed to their left.

Everyone turned and saw a large, clear thing.

"Damn it!" Inu-yasha yelled. He knew what it was now. He ran to Kagome and pushed her to the ground as the thing attacked. Inu-yasha covered her with his body and yelled to the others. "Go to the village, now! This is something Kagome and I have to deal with ourselves!"

The others obeyed without a protest, seeing the fury in his eyes. They knew complaining would get them woken up roughly the next day.

Kagome breathed heavily, feeling the weight of Inu-yasha on her, and not understanding what was going on. "Inu-yasha?" she said.

He looked down at her. "Be quiet. It just wants you Kagome. I'm not going to let that happen, got me? I want you to stay on the ground, alright? Don't move, and whatever happens, I'll be right here with you, so don't be scared." He got up. 'I just want Inu-yasha to be happy.' Her words went through his head. Was that the most important thing to her? His happiness?

Inu-yasha turned to face the thing. Drawing out Tetsusaiga, he pointed the sword at it. "Okay, you thing. You're not going to get Kagome. What the hell are you, anyways?"

'I am a vengeful spirit of the priestess Kikyo. I want that girl dead.' The words weren't spoken, but rather went through his head. He heard Kagome whimper and figured that she had heard it too.

"Kikyo wouldn't do that, no matter how much she hated Kagome."

'Are you so sure about that, young hanyou? She hates Kagome more than anything, since that girl holds a piece of your heart.'

"I've heard enough!" Inu-yasha sliced the thing and watched it disintegrate. Sheathing Tetsusaiga, he went to Kagome and picked her up in his arms. Saying nothing to answer her string of questions, he started running.

"Inu-yasha, where are we going?" she asked.

He didn't answer her, but skidded to a stop and sniffed the air. He looked around and transferred Kagome to his back. "Hold on," he said and started running again.

Kagome gave up on questions and held on, holding her head against his back, his wispy, white hair sometimes getting into her face. She batted it out of the way and waited for him to stop.

The second time he skidded to a stop, she could hear the anger in his voice. "Did you send that thing after Kagome?"

She heard another voice. Kikyo. "I did."

"Why do you want her dead? Haven't I already promised you I'd go with you to Hell! Isn't that good enough for you? Kikyo, I swear, leave Kagome out of this."

"And yet it is her that constantly brings herself into it. With her gone, it would be easier."

"Leave her alone, or I promise you, I will kill you myself."

Kagome looked at the back of Inu-yasha's head with wide eyes. What had gotten into him?

"I don't think you could bring yourself to."

"Death changed us all, so who knows, maybe I could. So stay away from Kagome, because as much as I love you, I will not let you kill her. Just be content with the promise of my soul and wait patiently for the day. Kagome doesn't hate you, so learn to tolerate her." With that, Inu-yasha turned away.

For a brief second, Kagome and Kikyo's eyes met. Kagome could see the hate in her eyes, and knew that Kikyo could see the surprise in Kagome's.

Then Inu-yasha was off, Kikyo becoming a distant blur.

Inu-yasha set Kagome down. "Are you alright?"

Kagome nodded. "I'm fine."

He nodded. "Alright," he said, putting his arms into his sleeves and turning away. "I'm sorry, for surprising you like that."

She stood up. "It's alright, I guess." She went to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You stood up for me, that makes me happy."

He turned his head to her. She was smiling. He shook his head. "You really are a weird girl."

She shrugged. "Today is just a good day, I suppose."