Author's Note: This should please the Kikyo/Inuyasha fans. I myself am a fan of the Kagome/Inuyasha paring, but fifty years before Kagome came to feudal Japan, Inuyasha and Kikyo belonged to each other. He truly loved her, and I respect that. Then, they had something special like Kagome and Inuyasha have now (though Inuyasha admitted he liked Kikyo and she him unlike he is with Kagome). So if you ask me "Do you like Kikyo and Inuyasha parings?" I will say "yes" and "no." Yes, I like them together fifty years before Kagome's arrival, but no, I don't think they should be together when she's dead and Kagome comes. Rumiko Takahashi makes it obvious that Kagome and Inuyasha like each other even love one another. The creator even wants them together, why can't people accept that?

But that above is turning into a rant.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Any characters in it are copy righted to Rumiko Takahashi.

A Long Time Since

Fifty Years Ago…

She skillfully applied the herb to the man's wound as she had done many times before to different people. She sat back onto the heels of her feet and wiped the sweat from her brow, smiling in satisfaction.

"You're husband is going to be all right now," she said in her calm, soothing voice. "Change his bandage daily and apply the rest of these healing herbs to the wound." She placed the rest of the herbs in the woman's hand.

"Thank you so much, lady Kikyo!" the woman said gratefully, bowing with respect. "You are a blessing, priestess. What would we do without you?"

A loud thump on the roof outside brought the two women's eyes up to the ceiling.

"What was that?" the woman asked, but Kikyo smiled, for she knew what it was, or rather who it was. She stood, gathering her priestess robes into her hands so she wouldn't trip over them as she did so. She bowed courteously to the woman and said goodbye. It wouldn't look proper for her to run outside, so she walked, restraining her growing excitement best she could.

Kikyo pushed back the curtain over the doorframe and stepped into the afternoon sunlight. She smiled at the boy in red as he hopped off of the roof and stood just a foot or so away. Turning her back to him she glanced over her shoulder and smiled warmly before dashing around to the back of the house. He followed close behind her.

"You're not supposed to be here, Inuyasha," she tried scolding as she turned to him. But she was so happy to see him she couldn't be cross with him.

Inuyasha turned halfway around and crossed his arms. "I wanted to see you," he pouted, the cutest sulking expression on his face.

"The villagers don't need to see their priestess with a hanyou," Kikyo reminded with a firm tone in her voice. She stepped towards him with a smile. "How did you know where I was?"

"Don't you think I can't smell where you are?" he replied with a question of his own.

Kikyo gave him a knowing look. "I've been dealing with wounded warriors and herbs all day. The smells from the would have covered my scent by now."

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose to keep from smiling. "Okay, so the brat told me where you were," he admitted. He smiled at her and repeated, "I wanted to see you."

"You asked Kaede," she muttered. Glancing around she sighed. She couldn't let the villagers see her parading around with a hanyou. What would they think of their priestess then? Smiling warmly she gave her full attention to Inuyasha.

"So you're helping people again, are you? That's just like you," he mock scoffed, turning his back to her. He smiled shyly at her over his shoulder, but turned his face away when she walked towards him.

Kikyo placed her hands on either shoulder and leaned up to his ear. She whispered, "Meet me in the forest after I'm finished here," before walking away.

He starred after her, a light blush upon his cheeks. He'd never felt this way about anyone before. He doubted that he would ever have these feelings for another. But Kikyo'd eventually die, so that was possible—wasn't it?

He shook the thought from his mind. He idea of Kikyo dying tore at his heart so he thought it would brake. But as long as she was with him, he'd never lose faith in their love for each other.