Chapter Three

The sun rose early the next morning, it's rays just as warm and inviting as the morning before, and brought the promise of another glorious spring day. The fresh dew glistened in the sunlight, making everything shine like it was the first day of all living. A thin layer of it rested over InuYasha, the tiny droplets pooling in the folds of his kimono and dusted throughout his hair. Despite the weapon he held against his chest, the look of complete peace, tranquility and overall innocence of him was enough to leave someone awe struck.

This look was broken however as he moved, first grunting in his sleep and starting awake so fast he almost fell from his tree branch.

"Kagome," he said breathlessly. His eyes scanned his surroundings, searching for the girl but finding nothing but bark and leaves. He frowned and settled back against the trunk, closing his eyes to re-steady his sense of awareness.

He had been dreaming but it had seemed so real. She had been sitting against the tree in her yard, the one that looked like the Tree of Ages from his time. He had seen it only a few times before, when he had travelled to her time through the well, but recognized it instantly.

At the base of it, Kagome was curled up and looking almost unconscious. This proved untrue when she moved, looking up at him, or so he thought because he could not see anything behind him. He tried to call her name, to call her stupid for just sitting there, to say something, but his lips were stuck fast and no sound came out. She just watched for a moment, her eyes becoming dark and…sad.

InuYasha tried to fight against whatever bonds were holding him. He couldn't move. He couldn't talk. He couldn't reach out to comfort Kagome.

"Oh InuYasha," she whispered before dipping her head once more and letting tears stream down her cheeks. It was then that InuYasha had woken.

"Just like before," he muttered, remembering the similarities between this dream and the two nights earlier. This was the only time however where Kagome had completely broken down. Before she had just sat there, staring at the ground, unmoving.

Opening his eyes, InuYasha moved his gaze to the road which was now being bathed in light. The shadows where being pushed back, revealing everything that they had been hiding within their depths. Everything looked anew and it made something within InuYasha snap.

"Why aren't you here," he demanded, clenching his fists around the Tetsusaiga. "WHY!"

The tree shook around him and a flock of birds took flight. InuYasha growled at them and leapt from his perch, hitting the ground running. Someone called his name but he paid no heed, focusing wholly on getting to the well. The rice fields flew past him as he ran, his anger and desperation growing with every step. Dodging trees, he sped through the forest .

'I can't wait any longer,' his mind told him, his reason lost long ago. The words gave him fuel to gain more speed. 'She better have a good explanation for…'

As the well came into view, InuYasha came to a dead halt. His feet stopped, his body relaxed, and confusion replaced his anger. Have an explanation for what? What did she need to explain?

It dawned on him. It was so simple. He nearly struck himself for his blindness.

"She doesn't want to come back," he whispered to himself. His body had suddenly gone cold, almost like someone had filled him with icy water. "She doesn't want to come back to me."

The reason he thought to be gone suddenly returned, trying to force its way back into his thinking. 'It had only been three days. She would came back with time. Just like Kaede said,' it pleaded. But it was no use, InuYasha's shock overpowering every thought.

He took a step forward, attempting to pursue her. If he could only track her down, find out what was wrong, why she was crying. Maybe…

No.

InuYasha shook his head and stepped back again. His head fell into his chest and his hand let loose the Tetsusaiga, dropping it to the soft grass. He could feel his heart sinking with every passing moment, becoming so painful that one of his hands flew up to clutch his chest. What was this ache? He remembered it from once before, when Kikyou…

Another wave of shock washed over him and his gaze shot back up at the well before darting towards the woods. Betrayal flooded through him once again.

"No," he whispered. "Not again."

Kikyou. The sacred tree. Kagome. The well. They abandoned him both.

Scooping up his sword, InuYasha darted from the clearing leaving both the well, the tree and a dark, unseen figure behind. They watched him flee, stepping into the light only after he was gone.

"She doesn't belong here InuYasha," Kikyou said quietly. "She's better off in her own world. You will see that in the end."

Author's Note: Well, here's another chapter. I hope you like it because I'm actually really enjoying writing it. Thank you so much for your reviews. They mean a lot to me. Please keep R&Ring:)