Disclaimer – If I owned Inuyasha, I would be a lot older and more mature, but alas, I'm only just a teen and immature for my age, or so Kodaku says.....But I'm proud to be myself!

Suzu – Hi everyone! This is the long awaited (sort of) chapter 15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would give you all virtual hugs, but I'm feeling nervous. This story is starting to fill out it's resolution. Everyone, don't panic. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter....please do.... (Starts panicking herself)

Kodaku – You okay? (Looks at the worried audience) Oh, dear. Don't worry everyone, she'll be okay. (Stuffs Suzu in a large pillowcase and puts me in the closet) (Smiles at audience) There! Now she won't have to worry!

Suzu's muffled voice- Thanks, Kodaku! On with the show...um...fanfiction!

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Last Time

Behind her, she heard the door click. Someone was here. Oh no, she'd forgotten to lock the door, but for some reason, she didn't really care. Her mind felt faint, but clear at the same time.

A voice called out. "Kagome"

That was all she needed. Turning around, seeing him... Kagome's eyes lit up and flashed suddenly. They became clearer. The sky overhead darkened for a split second.

That was when everything came back to her.

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Chapter 15

Kagome collapsed on the balcony. She shivered against the wind. The moon leered at her, the sky was menacing, and the world was no longer covered by an aura of ignorance.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha ran over to Kagome's side. "Hey," he whispered gently. "What's wrong?" She didn't look so good. Her skin looked pale, especially under the moonlight, and it felt clammy.

"I-Inuyasha....you....why did you leave....I...I wanted to come back....but I don't know....anymore..." Kagome shivered again, cold sweat drenching her face. Tears welled in her eyes and ran down the course of her cheeks.

"Inuyasha, why did you do this to me?! Why did you have to come back?!" Kagome bit her lip. Everything was starting to grow hazy again. "Don't you want to live a normal life? Don't you want me to live a normal life?" Kagome's voice was full of anguish.

The hanyou's vision began to blur. In Kagome's place, he saw the priestess Kikyo. She had just been brought back from the dead, literally. (A/N- End of Volume 5 in the manga series) The pain and confusion, and, yes, even hatred was radiating from her eyes.

Flashback (A/N- I'm improvising on the lines a little)

Clutching Kaede's bow, the undead priestess advanced upon Inuyasha. Urasue's head was on the ground, still conscious for the while. But Kikyo paid no heed. Her attention was focused on the man whom she'd loved, and had been betrayed by.

"Inuyasha! Why did we have to meet? We weren't supposed to see each other ever again!" Kikyo closed her eyes momentarily then looked back at the hanyou. Her face portrayed the very silence of death being dragged back among the living to experience the cycle of mortality all over again.

"I died hating you! I wasn't supposed to be forced back upon this earth! Shall I not even be given the peace of death?"

Inuyasha was taken aback. "Kikyo..." he started, but was cut off.

"Don't say it, Inuyasha. I thought I could live my life with you, but you betrayed me. It wasn't supposed to be like this...we were never destined to meet again."

End Flashback

Inuyasha looked back at Kagome's shivering form in disbelief. But Kagome's eyes held no hatred...

"Kagome, do you call moping after the one you want to spend the rest of your life with a normal life?" He paused, and then laughed gently, but with remorse in his tone. "Maybe I'm too late, huh? I guess I can't expect someone like you to come back to the likes of me. But...think about Shippo! He needs you! I...I can't give him what you can for his life."

"Shippo...." Kagome's tears came back full force. The young kitsune saw her as a guardian who would take care of him. How could she abandon him?

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. He loved everything about her. Maybe he'd once loved Kikyo, but he loved Kagome now. He'd do anything to make her come back. On a sudden impulse, the hanyou pulled her small form into his.

"You may not love me, Kagome, but I love you! I can't live without you there for me! So come back!" The half demon let his barriers down. If they separated him from Kagome, he didn't want them.

Kagome caught her breath. "Inuyasha....You lo-?" She stopped abruptly. Closing her arms around Inuyasha, she let her tears run over his shoulder. "I can't, Inuyasha. I can't go back. Just, let me live normally." Clinging to the hanyou with all her strength, Kagome let her face come up to Inuyasha's in an innocent kiss on the cheek.

Kagome settled quietly into the half-demon's lap. Smiling sadly, tears trickling down her cheek, she looked at the one she loved...and would always love, even if it was tucked away for eternity.

"Inuyasha...I hope you won't mind. But I'm not ready... Live a happy life for me instead, okay? The Shikon No Tama is gone now, and that's the way I choose things to be. I'm sorry...I'm not ready..." she finished as Inuyasha stared back at her, disbelief and tragedy written across his face.

Silently, her memories that had come back to her for that brief time period slipped back into oblivion.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, who was sitting in his lap. Her head was resting on his shoulder and her even breath showed that she was asleep. Yes...fast asleep. Asleep physically and spiritually. Her soul was wrapped in the false bliss of unawareness and seclusion. The reality was too much for her.

Pulling her closer, Inuyasha hugged Kagome to him once more. He felt so confused. All he wanted was for Kagome and him to be together always. But was that really the right thing?

Flashback

(A/N- Again, I will improvise, but it will be largely based, of course, on the actual manga. This manga volume is not in America yet, so...)

The deathly white demon baby smiled. His voice sent shivers up Inuyasha's spine. "Kagome, eh? She was a pure girl, and it was almost impossible for me to find a trace of darkness in her...."

The demon smiled again, eyes on Kagome, who was cradled in Inuyasha's arms. (A/N- My memory's a bit hazy here...was Kagome on the floor instead?)

"Except for you, Inuyasha. You were her downfall." The baby's eyes shimmered in a cold, icy way. "Because of you, I was able to find the dark spot in her heart: her love for you...the love that provoked that single shred of jealousy in her. I'd have to say thank you, for without you, I wouldn't have been able to use her."

End Flashback

She was fine without him, better off, actually. It was because of him that she had to put herself in danger, for him that she'd suffered endlessly. It wasn't fair to her, she'd never deserved this.

Still cradling her in his arms, the hanyou stood up and carried Kagome to her bed. He then walked over to the balcony door and closed it, with some effort, that is. Drawing the drapes, he walked back to her bedside and gazed at the schoolgirl's every detail.

After gazing at her for an eternity, Inuyasha silently walked out the door and back into the boy's dorms, heavy hearted.

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Kaede was strolling about Sango and Miroku's garden. Since Sango was getting had started getting morning sickness and such, she'd visited the two daily to check on them. Since she'd come that day and stayed pretty late, Miroku had insisted she sleep at their hut, and she'd obliged.

But she couldn't sleep. The cool night's air chilled her weary bones a little, but she paid no heed. The moon leered at the earth, glowing intensely. For a second, Kaede could have sworn that the sky had darkened. That was why she had come to investigate.

The only other time that that same thing had seemed to happen was when Kikyo, her elder sister, had recovered from the harsh training put upon her to become a miko, but she was still quite young then, and she couldn't remember well. Kikyo had just recovered from mental and physical shock that the training had given her.

Kaede looked back up at the sky that had changed back to normal. Maybe it had something to do with Kagome. Maybe something about her had just changed. But whatever it was, it was gone now.

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Kagome felt herself being shaken up by several hands. She stirred, time to get up already? Unwilling settled back into the hotel bed, pulling the covers firmly above her head.

"Higurashi, c'mon! Wake up!" The teachers around her shook their student worriedly.

The superintendent came back from the bathroom with a glass of water. "No other choice, guys," she mumbled. "We have to tell her."

Drawing back, the other teacher's solemnly pulled back. Among them were Inuyasha, already awake, in complete gloves and hat. His head spun from everything that had happened recently, but his heart no longer cared, really. However, the recent news had set him in a nervous wreck.

Leaning over, the superintendent pulled down the covers, and, before the student had a chance to do anything, sprinkled the cold water on Kagome's head. "Wake up Higurashi," she stated firmly.

Kagome blinked open an eye. Oh, it was still night. She peered at the staff and teachers around her- Inuyasha too. She silently wondered why he had on a hat. Sitting up, she mumbled groggily, "What's wrong, Mrs. Yoshigiru?"

"Get up immediately, Kagome. It's your family, and the shrine." The adult took a deep breath.

"There's been a fire at your family shrine."

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Suzu- Whew! Good to be typing again! Bet'cha wanna know what happens next, huh? Well, no worries! Just leave a review and tune in next time. Some people might think an author won't really care if they review or not, because other people can do it for them, but that's not true, at least not with me! I love reading my reviews, even if it's not all praise!

Kodaku- Yah.

Suzu- Tune in next time everyone! I don't think I'll be updating my other story until I finish this one, but it's not a fact yet! So, stay in touch! Byo!