Disclaimer: Nope, still have no rights to him.

Inuyasha: Can we leave yet, wench?

Um…nope. Everyone seems to enjoy your suffering.

Kagome: What can we do to get you to let us go?

(Whispers to Kagome) Get him to admit that he loves you.

Kagome: Yeah right! That will never happen.

Then you are stuck here.

Sango: What was her answer Kagome?

(Kagome whispers to her other friends)

Sango: (laughing hysterically)

Miroku: (laughing hysterically)

Shippo: (crying) We are never getting out of here are we?

Inuyasha: What was the answer?

All: Never mind!

Chapter 12

It had been nearly three months since Kagome had vanished. Although in the beginning, we thought our hanyou would begin healing when he moved from the well. In some aspects, he seemed fine. He put his time and effort into helping build our home and slaying random demons that attacked the village. From the outside, it appeared to all that he had moved on with his life. That not having Kagome around didn't bother him much, those close to him knew better. Much better.

Three times a day. That is how often he checked the well. He never gave up hope that he would see her again. He didn't know when, he didn't know where, but they would be together again. He tried to hide what he felt from Miroku and Sango; they had enough concerns in their lives. He had promised himself long ago not to become another burden to the couple. Between Shippo and Kohaku, the pair had enough concerns. Not to mention the monk had informed him he had successfully impregnated the female taijiya. They definitely had their own problems to deal with.

Inuyasha leapt out of the Goshinboku tree, his home. The tree and the well both survived in Kagome's time at her home. Each of them had played such a large part in their relationship on both sides of the well. Sighing, he glanced into the well and mentally prepared himself for the heartache that hit him every time he leapt into it. No matter how much it pained him, he refused to stop. It was too important to him to get to her. He had accepted long ago that the well would not be opening again, but hope remained.

He leapt in and hit dirt for approximately the two hundred and fiftieth time since this all began. It ripped him apart like it had been the first time. He yanked Tetsusaiga out of its scabbard and attacked the ground with every attack he could think of. He blindly did this every few days, out of pure frustration. He had damaged the well to a degree it almost was unrecognizable. Anger at the inanimate object filled him. It needed to be rebuilt, but he would not be the one to do it. He hated it more than he had hated anything before in his life.

He took a moment to collect himself before heading to the village, for his friend's sake. He suspected they realized why he spent all this time out here; they had seen the state of the well. No one had mentioned it to him though. Each had their own way of mourning Kagome's loss. He never interrupted them when they visited the well, he didn't want to impose on their privacy.

It had almost turned into a burial site these past three months, which he found ironic. A burial site for a girl who wouldn't be born for close to five hundred years, if others knew, they would think they were crazy. Shippo brought her pictures he drew for her and placed them next to the well. The kitsune still missed the schoolgirl greatly, but Sango had made a good replacement. Sango brought flowers, placing them in the well. Besides himself, she probably spent the most time there. She would sit and talk as it Kagome could hear her. Miroku stopped by occasionally, more to check on Inuyasha than the well.

He got out of the well, though the urge to stay there all day remained. He needed to get to the village; Miroku would be waiting. They had almost finished the last of the house. The couple found themselves anxious to move into their own home with their new family.

Suddenly Inuyasha found his senses on overdrive. He could distinguish two distinct smells in the air. "Shit!" He cursed, not wanting to deal with either of them. He had forgotten one had planned on arriving today. The other still had not arrived yet. At least I won't have to deal with them together, he couldn't help thinking. As he arrived in the clearing, their visitor turned and faced him. Even with this person's frequent arrivals and departures of late, Inuyasha still found his presence as a nuisance that disrupted what small peace he had.

"My worthless brother, you decided to emerge from your perch waiting for that human wench of yours."

"Sesshomaru, I thought we agreed if you dropped Rin off with my friends you would not come into the village." Inuyasha bit out, annoyed that his brother had broken their agreement.

"Rin wished for me to accompany her."

"You have brought her, now you can leave." Their relationship had improved immensely, he thought. Neither had drawn their swords yet.

"Does it matter to you, half-breed? You will return to your tree soon enough." Sesshomaru said before pausing to note the scent in the air. The bastard almost smiled before he continued. "I have no wish to associate with you impending visitor. He gives this Sesshomaru a headache." The Demon Lord of the West turned and left, leaving his charge staring Inuyasha in the face.

"Hi!" she squealed at her guardian's brother. "Lord Sesshomaru always leaves Rin here with Inuyasha and his friends."

After all the time the kid had spent with his brother, Inuyasha still had trouble believing his brother had actually taken in a "loathsome human". Inuyasha didn't blame him, the kid reminded him of Kagome. She could befriend anyone, and apparently, that is just what she had done to his brother. "Should we go find your friends?" He asked the girl. She nodded and climbed on Inuyasha's offered back as they headed toward Miroku and Sango.

Suddenly he heard her say, "Rin misses Lady Kagome too. She was always nice to Rin."

He had forgotten that the girl knew Kagome. "Thanks Rin. I am sure she misses us all too." He answered the little girl. Inuyasha still found the fact that Sesshomaru decided the girl needed to spend time around humans stranger than the fact that he had taken the girl in. About three weeks after the battle with Naraku, he dropped her off in front of Kaede's hut without a word. Several days later, he had picked her up as quickly as he had dropped her off.

Not that Miroku and Sango minded the girl; they had a nice collection of orphaned children living with them already. One more wouldn't hurt. Strangely, when Rin visited, Kohaku pulled out of his depression for a short time. They would never turn the girl away if it helped Kohaku at all. They wished he would stay close by and heal. Inuyasha knew that he would feel the need to leave and slay his personal demons himself, before he could heal.

Arriving at Kaede's hut, Inuyasha set the little girl down and watched her run into Sango's arms with excitement. Miroku emerged from the hut, grinning at his friend. Inuyasha wanted to discuss something with the monk today, but the imminent arrival of their next guest placed those plans on hold.

"Company is coming." He growled, watching his friends look up in surprise. The only guest they ever received currently sat in Sango's arms.

"Who?" Sango asked looking up from the young girl.

"The mangy wolf is in the area." He growled.

Sango's mouth formed a surprised "O" and Miroku nodded, "We have been expecting this."

"I am not surprised. He never did know the whole story." Sango added.

Inuyasha nodded, he didn't need this now. They couldn't very well fight over her when she couldn't be with either of them. He sure as hell didn't want to explain the well to the stupid wolf. It was unavoidable. The wolf would be there any moment and would want his answers.

"You can't kill him. You know that right."

Inuyasha growled in frustration, Sango was right. "I know, dammit. Kagome would kill me."

"Are you going to tell him everything?" Miroku asked as the wolf tribe approached from the forest.

"Like that idiot would understand." He turned to face the wolf prince. "Your in my territory you bastard."

"Where is Kagome?" Kouga demanded, glaring at his nemesis.

"Not here, you stupid wolf."

"I came to claim my woman, Dog-turd. What did you do with her?"

"She's not here anymore! Besides, how many times do I have to tell you? She's not your woman!" Inuyasha hated the fact that the wolf just thought he could get Kagome by saying she belonged to him.

"I've got a nose, dog breath. I know she's not here anymore. Where the hell is she?" Kouga growled, frustrated at not being able to sense the girl anywhere.

"You moron! Didn't you sit there and watch her disappear when she put your shards with the rest?"

"She has to be somewhere! My Kagome can't just vanish into thin air, never to be seen again."

"She went home, you mangy wolf! She didn't belong here! She's not your Kagome anyway. She loved ME!" Inuyasha yelled in frustration. If the bastard claimed her as his one more time, he didn't care what Kagome thought. He would kill him.

Kouga reacted like he got punched in the stomach, even though Inuyasha hadn't thrown a punch. "Explain yourself, dogbreath."

They hanyou couldn't help smirking, so the wolf prince had a brain after all. "Which part? That she is gone or that she loves me?"

Kouga growled, apparently he didn't like to hear that. Inuyasha hadn't felt this good in months. No matter, the pleasure would quickly fade. "The fact that she didn't belong here, dog-turd. I don't give a crap about your fantasies of getting with my woman. Where is Kagome?"

Sango stepped in front of Inuyasha, facing Kouga. "Kouga, you may need to sit down as we tell you the truth about Kagome."

Inuyasha: Why won't anyone tell me?

Sango: Because it will never happen, you are too stubborn.

Inuyasha: What makes you think I wouldn't do anything to get out of here too?

Miroku: Fine, to leave you must inform Kagome of your real feelings.

Inuyasha: What? I think she is a stupid wench. See that wasn't so hard.

Kagome: You are such a baka! That isn't the feelings they are talking about. Osuwari!! (slam) Stay there and think about what you are really feeling.

Inuyasha: Right now, I feel that you are a power hungry bitch! Knock that off!

Alright...everyone. Here I am. I just wanted to say a couple of things. First, I am not sure weather or not Kouga KNOWS Kagome is from the future. I missed it if he has. My apologies. Just go with it for me okay? Second...yes, they will be reunited...and soon. I think in the next 3 chapters...or 4. Hang in there. Kagome still has to explain herself to Hojo (hee hee) and the shard hunters have to explain Kagome to Kouga (hee hee) and then I will bring them together. I PROMISE! Next...Kagome explains about leaping to the past to Hojo (and he thinks she has spent the last year in the mental hospital. Poor Kagome)