Again, thank you to everyone who has reveiwed. I almost didn't do this one today...but decided to try to get it out while my husband is gone. I am not sure when the next chapter will be coming...but it is the start of something big. So hang in there.

Disclaimer: I don't own much. What I do own, doesn't include Inuyasha. Don't sue.

Inuyasha: Why can't I kill the kitsune?

Sango: He only does it to get on your nerves.

Yeah, he has a knack for knowing just what pisses you off.

Inuyasha: He drew a picture where you all murdered me!

(Silence from all parties)

Sango: Um…So?

Miroku: We all care about Kagome, Inuyasha.

Inuyasha: You!! Stay away from Kagome!!

Jeez, he's not anywhere near her. She's with Shippo. Just look what he is doing!

Inuyasha: W..what?!

Sango: HEY! HENTAI!!

Thwak

He just can't seem to keep his hands to himself, can he?

Inuyasha: With all the hit's he has taken, sometimes I wonder how he can continue to do it.

Miroku: rubbing head at least I go after what I want, unlike a half demon I know.

Inuyasha: Oi! What is that supposed to mean?

Chapter 11

Making her way downstairs to head to the well, she had an hour before her mother called her down for dinner. She planned to get that whole hour of reading inside the well before coming inside. Sometimes fate throws a strange wrench into your plans, denying you of what you wish to do. For instance, fate had already separated her from her friends and sealed the well. What else could it possibly have in store for her?

"Higurashi?" A small male voice came from behind her.

Dammit! She immediately stopped in her tracks when she opened the front door, seeing Hojo standing there with one of his dopey expressions on his face. Why can't he just leave me alone? I am not in the mood for this right now. "Hojo-kun. What are you doing here?" She asked, clenching the book in her hand a little tightly for something that had become so fragile after 500 years.

"You have been so sick lately, I rarely see you anymore. I saw you in school today, but did not get an opportunity to speak with you. It looks like your shoulder has healed pretty well since the surgery." The handsome boy replied, happy to see Kagome looking so well.

Shoulder surgery, Grandpa? "I am sorry, Hojo-kun. I have been a little distracted these past couple of days." Kagome replied truthfully, racking her brain for a way to get away from him yet again.

"It is alright, Higurashi. Are you feeling better?"

Kagome saw the concern in his eyes, and cringed in response. As much as she wished to let him down, she couldn't do it. She plastered a fake smile on her face and gave him her best bold-faced lie. "Yeah, everything is fine. I haven't felt better." I've been separated from the most important people in my life, never to see them again. Not to mention, find out after I leave that the jerk I have been in love with for the past year loved me too. I feel great.

"I am glad to hear that. You really have had a difficult year, getting sick so often for so long." Hojo went on. Kagome couldn't help as she began to zone out his voice, not listening to him anymore. She wanted to drop the formalities and scream, Sorry but I have to go read this book that friends left for me five hundred years ago. They are telling me what happened to the demon I fell in love with after I disappeared. That would shock him for sure. He would find her crazy and tell people she needed to be locked up. She would never be able to show her face in school again.

Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea.

The idiot rattled off all of the illnesses she had "contracted" in the past year, according to Grandpa. She quickly found her patience at the end of its rope when she heard him ask her a question. "Um…I am sorry. What did you ask again?" She hadn't been paying attention in the least to the conversation. She just wanted him to leave.

"I wanted to know if you were planning on going to the school dance this weekend." He answered, blushing.

Dammit, she thought to herself. "Um…a school dance. I didn't know there was going to be one." This was the last thing she needed. She knew he would be asking her to it. What should she say? I am sorry. I fell in love a dog demon who happens to be the biggest baka on the planet. Although I can't ever see him again, I can't go with you. I am still getting over losing him. Yeah, that sounds convincing.

"I thought that you might like to go to it. Get your mind off how sick you have been lately. I would like it if you came with me." He smiled at her encouragingly. He looked so hopeful; she didn't want to crush his hopes. She couldn't go with him yet. Maybe in a few months after this pain in her chest stopped, probably not even then.

She felt bad turning him down, but she had to do it. "Hojo. I am sorry. I have been through a lot of stress lately and I think I just want to rest this weekend."

"Oh…alright. I understand." He responded. "Your necklace is new, isn't it? I don't think I have ever seen anything change colors like that before."

His comment had thrown her for a loop. Her necklace? She looked down. The shikon no tama had turned bright pink. "What? It is supposed to be clear." She cried, panicking at the sudden change in the jewel. Somehow, it had recharged, apparently, she hadn't actually destroyed it.

"It was clear a moment ago. Is it supposed to be a mood necklace?" Hojo asked, staring at the jewel on her chest.

Kagome couldn't help thinking that maybe he was somehow related to Miroku, except the guy actually looked at the jewel. "I wish it was." Suddenly she remembered the well. She took off running, hoping that the jewel had opened it. She never made it to the well house. Something sliced into her upper arm, she vaguely heard Hojo gasp in shock.

She had fallen in the grass in the middle of the shine grounds, shocked that something had hit her. Looking around for the culprit, she found someone on top of the house. "Give me the jewel, Kagome." The demon yelled as she threw another ninja star at her. Kagome rolled out of the way to avoid the weapon.

Since when do demons live in my time? " Who are you?" She yelled at the female demon standing on her roof. Motioning for Hojo to remain where he was, she tried to plan to best way to get to the well. She had a bow and quiver of arrows stored in there, in case she felt like practicing when she was at home. She hadn't actually thought she would ever need to use them before.

The demon laughed, "The demon to finally make you fall. That is all you need to know little Kagome." She tossed two more stars in her direction."Give me the jewel, little girl"

Kagome dodged them and ran for the well house to grab her bow and arrows. This can't be happening. She thought to herself, but she knew she would be able to defeat this demon even without Inuyasha. She didn't have a choice right now. Locating the bow and quiver, she grabbed them, strapping the quiver to her back.

Hojo had remained hidden where she asked. She was grateful he didn't try to help her, he would only get in the way. "Who are you?" She yelled again.

"I am Katnu. You have the jewel I want. Hand it over little girl." The demon's red eyes glared at her. She almost reminded Kagome of a combination of Kagura and Yura the hair in appearace. "Too bad your hanyou isn't here to save you." She laughed.

Kagome saw red, "What do you know about Inuyasha?"

"Everyone knows about the miko from the future who traveled with Inuyasha. The mortals who lived at the time were so stupid to think that you were nothing special. I have waited a hundred years to get the jewel from you. Now that you are no longer under his protection, you are alone. You can now be defeated." Katnu smirked at her, angering Kagome more.

"I no longer need his protection. I have my own powers and I can use them. He may not be here, but he taught me a thing or two about how to kill pitiful demons like you." Kagome dodged a couple more stars as she yanked an arrow from her quiver and cocked the bow.

"You are nothing without the half-breed. Don't try to fool yourself, little miko. Your time guarding the jewel is over. It will be mine. He can't save you from harm anymore. If it isn't me who kills you, there will be others."

Kagome released the arrow quickly, forgetting to put her magic in it. She could do nothing as her arrow flew right over the demon. Use your miko powers, Kagome. She thought to herself as she watched the demon toss down three more stars, one of them hitting Kagome in her leg. The impact and pain knocked her to the ground. "You are going to pay for that." Kagome yelled at her opponent, who laughed in response.

"Little girl, I will not be paying for anything. I will be taking the shikon no tama that rests around your neck. You will not be getting anything in return." Katnu laughed, "Except maybe a couple of these cutting you apart."

Kagome quickly checked the damage to her leg, it had only been nicked in the shin, She found herself dodging two more of the stars, and cocked her second arrow. Drawing on her miko powers, she lit up the arrow blue. The light streaked through the air as she released it, nailing her target. "Bullseye." She muttered watching the youkai shatter from her powers.

She turned to see Hojo cowering in the corner by the bushes. He looked at her with frightened eyes. She sighed, knowing she would probably not be getting much reading done tonight. He would want an explanation. She wondered how much he understood already and if there would be a way to get out of the conversation. She wanted to check the well to see if it had opened yet. "It is safe now, Hojo. She is gone."

He slowly crept out of the bush and surveyed the scene he had just witnessed, in disbelief. "Are you hurt, Higurashi?"

The fact that after all he had seen, that was the first question out of his mouth came as quite the shock to Kagome. "Not too bad, Hojo. I have had worse injuries inflicted on me."

He nodded, "She wanted your new necklace?"

"Yes, it is pretty powerful." She muttered, fingering the jewel nervously.

"Um…Does this mean you haven't really been sick for the past year? Is that really the shikon no tama?"

She sighed, preparing to tell him everything. "Yes, to both questions. I can explain." She stopped suddenly, not needed to say anything else. Her friend had fainted dead away in front of her.

For some reason she couldn't help wondering if there would be a way to get him home, and he would just think it was a dream. She sighed, it wouldn't work. She walked over to the well to put her bow and quiver away. This night had not turned out like she had expected.

Inuyasha: What a wuss!

Kagome: Hey! For the past year, he had brought me gifts thinking I was sick. Now he finds out I have been lieing. Instead, I have traveled through time. You would faint too.

Inuyasha: Gifts? What? Is he your boyfriend?!

Kagome: No! Like I dare ever have a boyfriend. You would kill anyone who even attempted to be nice to me.

Inuyasha: Keh! I don't care if you have a boyfriend.

Kagome: Really? Hmm…maybe I will go find Kouga-kun. He keeps saying he want me.

Inuyasha: What? You said you didn't like him like that. You lied to me.

Kagome: I did not! He can be nicer than you.

Inuyasha: I am going to kill that mangy wolf.

Kagome: See what I mean…killing anyone who is nice to me.