A/N: Awesome! Me likes reviews!

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My Only Hope
Chapter Eleven

"I never realized how…creepy this place was," whispered Kohaku. "Where are the shards?" He sped up to be closer to his sister.

Kagome pointed. "They should be up here…with Midoriko."

"With…Midoriko?" Inuyasha repeated. "Are you sure?"

Kagome nodded again. "She let us in, didn't she?" Kagome smiled. "Obviously, she thinks we're all right. We'll have to see what happens. Then, as soon as we have the rest of the shards, we need to get them to Kaede. I'm not sure what I am supposed to do with the jewel, so I'm hoping she has an idea about what I am supposed to do."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Now that Naraku is gone, I think we can expect at least a couple problems on the way there. However, once we are safely back on my lands, everything should be okay."

Miroku groaned. "I killed him," he frowned. "Why isn't it gone?"

"What?" asked Kohaku.

"The kazaana," Sango explained. "It should have disappeared when Naraku died, but it hasn't." Sango paused. "I wonder why?"

"I'd rather not think about it," Miroku smirked under his breath.

"I understand," sighed Sango, patting him on the shoulder. "I'm sure that it will be okay."

"There she is…" smiled Kagome. "And there is the rest of the jewel."

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"Souta is coming with me, Gramps." Akira announced. "Kagome hasn't been home in three weeks. I'm hoping Kaede can tell me how she's doing." She paused a moment. "If you don't want to come, that's fine…" she added under her breath.

"Wait, Ms. Higurashi!"

Akira turned. Kagome's friends Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka were running toward her as if something had happened. She stared. "What is it, girls?" she asked.

"Are you going to see Kagome?" they panted as they caught up with her outside the well house.

Akira's jaw nearly dropped open until she realized that the girls had indeed been to the feudal era, and knew what was going on with Kagome. She closed her mouth. "Why? Do you want to come with us?"

Yuka nodded. "Can we come?" she smiled. "We won't tell anyone!"

"We heard that she wasn't coming back to school!" Eri frowned.

"She won't be coming back. I've already called." Akira smiled. "I'm sorry girls. I know that the three of you would understand, but I also know that you would be the only ones. I cannot put Kagome through that after all that she has already been through."

Again, Yuka nodded. "We understand, Ms. Higurashi. We still want to be Kagome's friends, no matter what." She smiled. "When are you leaving?"

"Now." Akira nodded.

"Well, let's go!" Ayumi smiled.

Akira and Souta jumped into the well, followed closely by Kagome's friends. When they emerged on the other side of the well, the old woman Kaede was already waiting for them.

"Kaede…" Akira bowed. "How is Kagome?"

"She is on her way back to the village as we speak with the jewel of four souls. She will probably take a while getting back, so you can stay with me if you wish until she returns…"

"And why exactly did you meet us here?" asked Eri.

"In case there were any demons here waiting for us. I wouldn't be surprised, being around here, actually…" Akira commented.

Eri paled. "Demons?"

"Eri, did you miss everything the last time we were here?" Yuka smirked.

Eri blushed. "No…I…I didn't think about it." Smirked Eri in response.

It was Ayumi's turn to glare in surprise at her friend. "You are so not funny," she growled.

Eri was now very red. "Leave me alone!"

"Children…let's get back to the village before you attract the demons…" Kaede sighed.

It was nearly two days before Kagome and the others finally returned to Kaede's village. Sesshoumaru had been quick to leave their company the minute they got back onto his lands. Miroku was still amazed at the continued existence of his troublesome kazaana. Sango was exhausted, as was her little brother Kohaku, who was sprawled across Kirara's back as if she was a giant pillow.

Inuyasha and Kagome looked tired, but were otherwise unharmed. Inuyasha looked rather relieved. Around Kagome's neck was the completed jewel of the four souls, which glistened in the sunlight as the group slowly approached Kaede's small hut near the edge of the village.

"Ye did it!" Kaede couldn't help but jump in happiness when she noticed the jewel dangling from Kagome's neck. "Have ye purified it yet?"

"The pieces? Yes. However, as long as the jewel still actually exists, we still have a huge problem." Kagome reminded her. "I was hoping that you would know how to get rid of it?"

Kaede couldn't help but frown. "Child, haven't ye heard? The jewel is a curse. In order to get rid of it, it must be purified and used…" Kaede paused. "You have done half of that…"

"The other half…" Kagome gasped. "Use it? We can't use it! It has never done good before…"

"It kept me alive…" Kohaku reminded her.

She nodded. "That's different. We're talking about the whole jewel now…not just a shard of it. Imagine what the whole jewel could do if the one small shard in your back could sustain your life for so long?" Kagome looked very worried.

"Don't get upset, Kagome." Her mother came out of Kaede's small hut with her younger brother and her friends. "You'll figure out what to do…" She wrapped her daughter in a tight hug, and Souta attached himself to Inuyasha's leg.

"Get off!" he growled.

Kagome's mother was staring intently at the sword in Kagome's hands. "That was one of your father's swords…" she realized. "He must have known you'd be coming back here…"

Kagome nodded. "I guess…" Suddenly a smile came across her face, and she grabbed Kaede by her shirt and dragged her away from the group.

"What is it, child?" Kaede asked in worry.

"I have an idea." Kagome whispered. "My mother can use the jewel. She is a neutral party as far as the jewel goes, right? Do you think it would work?"

Kaede thought about this for a moment. "I think ye are right. It just might work. But child, what do ye think your mother would wish for?" Kaede asked in curiosity.

Kagome smiled. "I might have an idea…" she laughed. "But I think I have to talk to Sesshoumaru about it first."

"Why?" asked Kaede, her eyes growing wide with interest.

Kagome sighed. "I want to make sure it's okay with him. We don't need any more conflict. I need to talk to my mom before I leave, though…"

Kagome pulled her mother aside. When Kagome told her mother her proposal of what to do with the jewel, she began to cry, and wrapped her daughter in one of her tightest hugs yet. When Kagome managed to free herself from her mother's death grip, she found Inuyasha sitting on a log outside Kaede's hut.

"Hey! Are you coming with me?" Kagome asked.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To see Sesshoumaru." She finished, and Inuyasha's eyebrow rose in suspicion.

"I'm beginning to think you like Sesshoumaru more than you like me." He commented.

Kagome gasped. "Inuyasha…I do not!" Kagome blushed. "Are you coming or not?" she quickly changed the subject as she felt the heat rising in her cheeks.

He nodded. "All right. What for?"

"I'll tell you on the way…" Kagome promised.

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A/N: Sorry for the time between updates, but I've been a bit busy. I'll update soon, if you review, that is…(smiles)