A/N: Sorry this chapter is short.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and co. If I did, then… aw, I give up. Let's get on with this.

Oh, oh, oh! Cheesy chapter titles are back!

oOo

Back to the Future

oOo

Inuyasha and Miroku were sprinting through the forest, Shippou on Miroku's back. Inuyasha had wanted to stay and ask around about Naraku, but Miroku had convinced Inuyasha to return. It was not easy to change Inuyasha's mind however, and they had left in the morning after asking about Naraku's whereabouts. Inuyasha was grouchier than usual as their interrogation had led to the same old answer which went along the lines of "bees surrounding a cloud going northeast."

As they neared the village where the octopus demon had been, Miroku began to slow down, and finally came to a complete stop, his mouth open to suck in air. Inuyasha stopped too, and turned to glare at him. "Hurry up, Miroku." Miroku held up a palm, the other on a knee. "Just a moment, Inuyasha… you go ahead, I'll catch up with you."

Inuyasha looked like he was considering it, but "feh"ed and kneeled down. "Get on."

Miroku's open mouth stayed open. "Are you going to carry me, the bag and Kagome's vehicle?" he asked incredulously. Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut, getting impatient. "Just get on, monk."

Miroku didn't argue any further. He scrambled onto the bike, and sat sideways on its seat. Shippou gulped. "Are you sure you won't fall off, Miroku?" he asked nervously.

Before Miroku could answer, they were off, bounding through the Forest of Inuyasha. Shippou yelled and dug his nails into Miroku's shoulder, who gasped and dug his nails into the bike handles, which turned the front wheel sideways and hit Inuyasha on the face.

They stopped to rest in a clearing halfway through the forest, and Miroku got down. As soon as his feet were on the ground, Inuyasha jumped up on a tree and sat there, with an irritated look and a red and brown patterned mark on his face.

It was evening, and they hadn't had anything since yesterday's lunch. Miroku threw a look at Inuyasha, and then at the bag. He sighed and ruffled through it, hoping to find some food.

On the top were large amounts of ramen in packets. Miroku ignored them, as he didn't know how to cook it. He delved deeper into the bag, and pulled out another package. On it was a stick-figure sketch of a prancing woman. He squeezed it; it was soft. Not food. He kept it at the side, and looked again. A couple of books were at the bottom…

"Forbidden Love – A Tale of Two Boys."

Miroku's eyes widened when he saw the cover of the book. Did Kagome carry around these kinds of books all the time? And people called him a pervert. Before he could open it, the book was out of his hands. He looked up and saw Inuyasha, who had the most horrible look on his face.

"Why the fuck…? Why did Kagome keep this book…?" he sputtered, turning it around. A note fell out of it. Miroku picked it up before Inuyasha noticed it, and observed it while Inuyasha was busy cursing at the book.

It was written by someone who seemed to have taken a lot of effort in just writing the words.

Dear Kagome

I will do anything to make you happy… remember that.

The note looked well worn, as if it was open and folded back many times. Miroku glanced up at Inuyasha again, and tucked it away in his robes. If his guess turned out to be correct, then Inuyasha would be better off not seeing this.

He stood up, and grabbed the book from Inuyasha's hands before he tore it to pieces. He stuffed it back into the bag. Inuyasha lunged at it, but Miroku slid the bag out of his reach. "It is lady Kagome's, Inuyasha. Maybe you should ask for her permission before you tear her possessions." He said calmly.

Inuyasha stopped flailing around and sat down crossed legged, pouting. Just then, Shippou returned with a few twigs in his arms. "Firewood!" he said cheerily and dumped them in the middle of the clearing. Miroku sat down cross legged too, and began to read the instructions at the back of a ramen packet with great difficulty.

Inuyasha glanced at him. "You can read that?" he said. Miroku didn't even look at him. "Yes, but this is a bit hard to read," he said, nodding at the packet. After a while, he reached for Kagome's bag. He took out a vessel, and told Inuyasha to make a fire.

He carefully poured some water into it and dumped the contents of the ramen into it. He set it on top of the ring of stones surrounding the fire, and then sat back down.

A while later, the ramen was devoured by all, even though it was undercooked. Inuyasha was glaring at Miroku the whole time he was eating. After he was finished, he bonked the monk's head with his bowl. "You didn't cook it enough, stupid!" he yelled into Miroku's ear.

Miroku gave him a meek smile. "I didn't know how long three 'minutes' are, so I had to guess…" Inuyasha just glared at him one last time and they were off again, bounding through the forest.

Inuyasha's pace was relentless, and they covered large amounts of distances in a very short time. But even then it was getting dark, and not before long night had fallen.

The almost full moon was shining brightly on the village when Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippou reached the edge of the forest. Miroku leapt down, and Inuyasha set down the bike. Miroku hopped onto it and started pedaling.

The village seemed unnaturally quiet, and they proceeded to Kaede's hut warily.

oOo

Inuyasha's ears perked up when he heard Kagome's voice coming out of the hut. She was crying. His stomach dropped, and he forced his exhausted legs to move as he sprinted towards the hut at full speed.

He tore open the flimsy bamboo curtain. "What is going on here? Why is Kagome…" Immediately, he was shushed. He quietened down and took in the whole scene before him.

Kagome was holding an unconscious Kouga as she dabbed his chest wounds with wet cloth. She was sobbing all the while as the blood kept on flowing. Sango too was doing the same thing, but to his back wounds. Kaede was making an herb mix while another woman was applying it to Kouga's head.

Guilt tore through him not when he saw Kouga's broken form, but Kagome's tear streaked face. I have made her cry, he thought, his shoulders drooping. Not for the first time… his subconscious added.

But I haven't made those other wounds, he argued with himself, but that didn't seem to be enough justification. He was shaken out of his thoughts when Miroku entered. He stared at Kouga, and immediately went to Kouga's side.

"How did this happen?" he asked to no one in particular. Kaede was the one to answer. "It was a demon, an old rival of Kouga's." Miroku nodded, not needing any further explanation.

Just then, Kagome lifted up her head and looked directly at Inuyasha. He flinched when he saw her hurt-filled eyes, worse than any other time he'd seen. He avoided her eyes, and she turned her attention back to Kouga, who was now bleeding afresh from his mouth.

Kaede looked at it, and she seemed a bit more worried. "It seems one of his ribs have broken and punctured his lungs," she muttered. Inuyasha strode up to her and said gruffly, "Can you do anything about it?"

Everyone looked at him, surprised. He ground his teeth and ignored it. Kaede looked up at him. "No. I have never succeeded in healing these types of wounds… the body would have to be cut open, and I do not have experience in that."

oOo

Kagome's sobs got louder, and Sango moved closer to pat her back. Suddenly, she stiffened. She had an idea, but she wasn't sure if it would work… "Inuyasha." She said firmly. He looked at her with guilt-ridden eyes.

"Help me." With that, she struggled to stand up, and Inuyasha was immediately on Kouga's other side. He lifted the wolf demon up with ease. He put Kouga's arm around his shoulder, and everyone exited the hut, curious as to what Kagome was up to.

They walked to the well, and Inuyasha gingerly stepped over the edge and aimed his jump carefully so as not to jostle around Kouga too much. Kagome waited till he disappeared down the well, and she followed them.

When she climbed the ladder and got out of the well house, she saw Inuyasha waiting for her. She walked past him towards the house, and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Higurashi opened the door, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Kagome! It's been a while! Come here, give your mother a hug…" Kagome stepped back so that her mother could see Inuyasha and Kouga. Mrs. Higurashi's eyes widened as she saw the blood pooling on the ground around Kouga.

"Oh sweet heavens! What happened…?" she began, but Kagome interrupted her. "Mom, there's no time; we have to get him to the hospital!" her voice was high-pitched, as if she was about to cry again.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded and hurried inside to grab the car keys, and they were on the road in a matter of minutes. Kagome was sitting in the back with Kouga and Inuyasha was on the front, trying not to appear too amazed.

They had not called for an ambulance as it would have taken too much time, but now it seemed like a bad idea. Traffic clogged up the highway and the sound of honking filled the air.

Kouga's breathing had become laboured and he coughed. The action made him choke and he began coughing even more loudly. Kagome looked at him fearfully.

Inuyasha got down and opened the door on Kouga's side. "I'll take him. Come with me, Kagome," he ordered, easing Kouga out of the car. Kagome got on Inuyasha's back and she held Kouga. Inuyasha bent low, and sprang up onto the tops of high-rise buildings.

Kagome shouted directions into his ears as he jumped from terrace to terrace, and they reached the hospital in no time. Inuyasha landed in the ground, and they entered the building.

Kouga was quickly mounted onto one of the stretchers and was carried into the operation room by a group of nurses and doctors. They were efficient; not even asking Inuyasha about his or Kouga's strange appearance or pausing to ask what happened. Kagome had asked them hurriedly to not pay any attention to the tail, and they had left them to wait.

The red light above the operation room door lighted up, and Kagome sighed and sat on a bench lining the hallway. Inuyasha sat beside her, but she didn't look up at him.

They didn't say anything for a moment. Then Inuyasha spoke up. "Why do you still have that book?" Kagome felt like her stomach was contracting. How could Inuyasha bring that up at a time like this?

She should have known better than to expect an apology from him. He probably must be thinking that he was justified in hurting Kouga because he was kissing her.

She thought back to the book, and the note inside it. She didn't know Kouga knew how to read, let alone write. Tears formed in her eyes when she thought about Kouga, and she turned away from Inuyasha, sniffling.

About fifteen minutes later, Kagome saw her mother walk up to where she was and sat down beside her. "Oh mom!" she cried and hugged her. Mrs. Higurashi wrapped her hands around her daughter and patted her head. She didn't say a word, just comforted Kagome silently.

Kagome tried to calm herself down by thinking something other than Kouga dieing, but all she could think about was the time he had kidnapped her; how he had tried to persuade her to be his mate.

"Once you've been with a real warrior like me, you'll never go back to tablescraps!" Kagome smiled sadly. Kouga was never the subtle one. It was just recently that he was acting all strange… he must have had help or something…

Exhausted, Kagome drifted off to sleep. She could feel faintly her mother laying Kagome's head on her lap and stroking her hair.

oOo

Kouga could see Kagome through the leaves. She was standing with Inuyasha in the clearing. He took a quick look around him; he was in a forest whose ground was covered with dried maple leaves. He took care not to make the leaves crackle underneath his feet and looked back at Kagome and Inuyasha.

Suddenly, Inuyasha's hair went black, and his ears receded. Kouga watched on as he transformed into a human. He looked up, and saw the full moon shining down the narrow space in the treetops.

Kagome took two steps forwards towards Inuyasha. He held out his arms, and she hugged him. "Oh, Inuyasha… will you become human forever? Then you and I can be together for the rest of our lives…

But before that, you can get rid of that horrible demon KOUGA!" she shouted out the last part, and turned to where he was hiding. Kouga stood up. Kagome drew an arrow and strung it on her bow. "Why don't I do it now, since you're so impatient, hm?"

She let loose the arrow and it raced towards him.

"NO! KAGOME! I PROMISE I WILL BECOME A HUMAN FOR YOU TOO!"

"Liar."

"NOO!"

"NOO!"

Blinding light flashed above him as he thrashed about. "NO! KAGOME!"

"Please sir. Stay still. You are gravely injured." Someone's voice pierced his ears. Kouga scrunched up his eyes and tried to clear his vision. "Who are you? Where is Kagome?" Kouga sat up, and a jolt of pain made itself felt in his chest. A pair of arms forced him down.

oOo

A/N: Hehehehe… I really did shock you people, no? I'm a rabid fangirl, too.

Bish (okay, okay. Two) of the day: Touya Kinomoto from Card Captor Sakura. Or Tori Avalon for illiterate people. Hey, I hate Cardcaptors. Can't stand it. The other is Yamato Ishida from Digimon.

You notice I've cut down on my rants? I'm improving. Yeah. THANKS TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED, YEAH, EVEN YOU, LYN, FOR SAYING "WRITE MORE" FOR EVERY CHAPTER! YOU'VE MADE MY DAY! WHOO HOO!

About the prize in the last chapter, well, I forgot one detail. The sheet slips off somehow… .:gurgles:.