Just so all of you know, this is the last summer fluff with Ikuto out of the picture that I'm going to write. I've got to get back to the juicy stuff!

Oh and I've got questions!

Q. Are you going to explain what happened to all of the demons?

A...Um...I'm not exactly positive, because I don't know if I want to go that much in depth with that subject.

Q. Can you put more Kouga in the story?

A. I absolutely despise Kouga! Do you realize how much will power I have to use not to write in every single last one of my stories "Kouga is dead"? I hate him and I'll only use him when I need to spice things up.

Chapter 36

I don't own Inuyasha

One Month Later…

Michael began to cover his ears as he heard his roommate moaning in his sleep. He was keeping Michael up with his noises. The more Michael tried to ignore him, the louder Ikuto's moans were. "What is with this kid?" Michael was sleeping on the bottom bunk of the bed so be began banging on the top of it to get Ikuto's attention to wake him up, but Ikuto wasn't listening. "Kid, what's up with you? I knew I shouldn't have shared a room with a wannabe freshman. Can you hear me?"

"No..." Ikuto said silently.

"What?" Michael asked. 'He's having a nightmare.' "Ikuto?"

"No!" Ikuto yelled and eventually rolled off of his bed and had a hard landing on the floor, but upon impact, he didn't full wake up. He was in a dazing panic as he stood up.

"Ikuto" Michael got out of bed. "Are you alright?" He realized how much of a panic Ikuto was in, but it was an angry panic, which frightened Michael. It wasn't that Michael was afraid of Ikuto, but he was worried. He had never seen anyone like that before. "Ikuto?" He reached out to touch Ikuto, but Ikuto gave Michael a right hook in the face and knocked him down. Michael touched his burning face in shock. "What's your problem?"

"Shut up!" Ikuto yelled. "What do you know?" he yelled. "What do you and your God know?"

"What?" Michael was offended above all, but he could only wonder what was wrong with Ikuto as his eyes dimmed and he fell flat on the ground. "Hey kid!" Michael began to shake him, but Ikuto wouldn't wake up. "Some one help!" Michael yelled. "Somebody!"

When Ikuto finally came together fully awaken, he was in a hospital room. "Oh great" he muttered groggily. He looked over to his right to see Michael and Sidney sitting by his bed side. Sidney looked happy to see him awake, but Michael looked a little angry, but a little worried. "What happened?" Michael asked.

"Shut up!" Sidney yelled. "I'm just glad he's alright."

Ikuto was embarrassed so he turned his head from the two of them. "I'm sorry that I hit you" Ikuto cursed himself. "I didn't mean to."

Michael knew that to be true. "Sidney, I would like a word alone with Ikuto, if you don't mind." She was about to protest, but she decided not to once Ikuto signaled her that it was alright. She said nothing more and walked out of the room and left the two of them alone. "Ikuto" Michael began "I know that you're a touch guy and you like to hide your insecurities. I've seen you angry when I've tried to get too close, and I've seen you happy when you were accepted. All of the attention that you've been getting has so far been positive." He sighed. "You weren't really accepted at home, were you?"

"Leave me alone!" Ikuto barked. Ikuto began to calm himself once he figured out he was proving Michael's point.

"You don't like to talk about your home life too much. When you say anything about it, I'm surprised. Sure, you might speak of Kagome, but otherwise, I'm surprised, like when you told me that you often dream of your mother."

"Michael, just drop it."

"Ikuto...what did you dream about last night?"

Ikuto had to hold in his anger and frustration. The more he thought about it, the more he thought he was going to explode. Being angry about it, took away the fear of it. He couldn't hide in his anger forever though. "Michael" Ikuto spoke quietly, still trying to figure out if he should really tell him. "Your father is a pastor. I guess I've always had a grudge against God, if he's even real, God or whatever higher being there is in the universe. Whatever is in charge, I hate them. I've been under the radar and the number one target ever since I was a little boy."

"Ikuto" Michael began to say "you know, whatever you've been through, there are others that have..."

"Michael" Ikuto had begun to dig into his thighs with his fingers, trying so hard not to lose it. He wouldn't even look at Michael. "Have you ever...have you ever been afraid? I don't mean scared. I'm talking about the things that keep you up in the middle of the night and makes you wonder if you'll ever truly be safe."

"Ikuto..."

"I'm talking about being traumatized."

Michael shook his head. "No, I can't say that I have."

"Well, I'm afraid of fires, Michael. My father died trying to save me and my mother from one, and yet they both died." Ikuto sighed. "Man, I feel like I'm at confessional or something."

"I'm not Catholic" Michael pointed out.

"Neither am I. I'm just comparing the situation. Is that okay?" He asked angrily. He quickly calmed himself down though. "My father was a good man. He wasn't religious, but he always helped those less fortunate than him, he raised me well, as well as Suno. He cared for us, took care of us. He was always provided a nice home for us, and made sure that it wasn't some nanny or somebody taking care of us. He was always busy, but he made time for me, my brother, and my mother. He did a lot for us. He made us happy, and in the end, he died for me and my mother. He's a hero." Ikuto looked at Michael with such sad eyes. He was so unhappy deep inside. "Michael, is my father burning in Hell right now? Did he leave one fiery pit to join a worse one? In his last few moments of life he was surrounded in darkness only to be consumed by it again, and for eternity?"

"Ikuto..."

"Don't lie to me either, Michael!"

Michael really didn't want to say this. "I wasn't going to lie to you, but I believe that you already know the true answer."

"But it's not fair! He was a good man!"

"Hell is full of good people. The only way to escape the fires of Hell is to-"

"Don't finish it" Ikuto rudely instructed. "I know what you're going to say. My mother said it enough." Ikuto wouldn't look or even speak to Michael again. How could he? 'I had a nightmare, a horrible nightmare about my father burning forever. It's not fair. He doesn't deserve it.'

'Oh Ikuto, I am very sorry about your father. Will you too suffer the same fate?'

"Guys?" Sidney entered the room again. "Is everything alright? I heard you boys shouting, and this is a hospital." No one answered her. "The doctors say you can go, Ikuto. They say it was just a panic attack. There's nothing seriously wrong..." Neither of the two would speak. "Ikuto...Michael...whatever you two just talked about isn't worth wrecking your friendship over. We only have a few weeks together before Ikuto goes back to Japan."

"You're right" Ikuto finally said. He didn't sound too enthusiastic though. "Let me change and we'll get going."

"Sure" Michael told him. He really did feel bad for Ikuto. Usually when people come to Michael about death, he can usually be positive, but there is no happy home in the afterlife for someone who believes in nothing. Michael left out the room, but Sidney took a seat close to Ikuto.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"Mind about what?"

"Us abandoning you this afternoon?" Ikuto didn't look like he understood what she was talking about. "Michael didn't tell you?" Ikuto shook his head and Sidney began to blush. "Oh, well what's wrong with that little boofhead? Doesn't he have any sense?" She turned her head. "Well um...we're going out this afternoon...just me and him…"

"On a date?" Ikuto asked.

She nodded. "Well, not exactly a date. It's more like a see if I actually have a good time thing rather than a date." Ikuto still looked depressed and worried. "If you would like to have someone keep an eye on you..."

"No" Ikuto told her "its fine. Go out on your date. I don't need anyone. By all means, go and enjoy yourself."

She smiled. "Thank you." She got up and left out of the room and left Ikuto all alone.

'Man, even their hooking up. I wish I could snag Kagome already. My life is getting ridiculous.' He sighed. 'But she's probably been spending the whole summer with Inuyasha. She probably doesn't even want to be with me anymore. I bet the two of them are inseparable now.'

"We're hot on his trail!" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome was on top of Inuyasha's back and Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were on top of Kirara, chasing down the scent of Naraku that they had begun to follow. He was only a few feet ahead of them now. "I've got you now, Naraku!" Kagome jumped off from Inuyasha's back, so he could use the Tetsusaiga.

"Get him Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. She began to prepare herself for shooting Naraku with her arrow. "Let's stop him this time!"

"Agreed!" Miroku jumped off of Kirara and opened up his wind tunnel. "Today we finish this, Naraku!" Naraku was not about to be pulled in so easily. Naraku's poisonous insects quickly came to his rescue and Miroku regrettably closed his wind tunnel. "Darn it!" Miroku yelled. "When will you stop cowering behind your poisonous insects and face me like a man, Naraku?"

"There's no point trying to reason with him!" Sango jumped off of Kirara and threw her boomerang as hard and fast as she could. Naraku easily dodged it though. "Curse him!"

"Don't worry!" Inuyasha yelled while running in front of all of his friends. "I've got him!" He held the fully transformed Tetsusaiga in the air and swung it forward. "Wind Scar!" The powerful light began to rip up the land until it reached Naraku and consumed him. "Direct hit!" With that, Naraku was ripped apart until he disappeared.

"That was too easy" Miroku replied.

Inuyasha ran to see what was left, and found a broken demon puppet. Inuyasha was so aggravated at this time now. "I'm so sick of him! Can't he have a spine for five minutes and fight us for real?"

"Don't fret" Miroku said. "You have told us that you are picking up Naraku's scent. If you truly are, then we should continue to search the area and we eventually will find him."

Kagome looked so disappointed. "What's the matter Kagome? You seem a little more upset than the rest of us" Sango said.

Kagome sighed heavily. She didn't mean to complain. After all, all of her friends had to endure more than what she did. Kagome just got dragged into it. "It's just that I'm a little tired. I know we all are, but I thought with spending so much time in the Feudal Era, we'd be able to at least kill Naraku. He's sent countless of demons after us, we ran into four detachments, met up with Kohaku twice, ran into Kagura four times, I almost got my soul sucked out by Kanna again, and we still haven't found Naraku. We keep running into stupid puppets. Not even Kouga has found him, and we've seen him what? He's come to flirt with me at least three times now? Inuyasha even almost got killed by Sesshoumaru again!"

"Hey!" Inuyasha yelled. "I did not almost get killed by Sesshoumaru, and what's with this again stuff? I always defeat Sesshoumaru!"

"That's not how I remember it" Shippo said. "You hadn't managed to scratch him and you were the one with the gapping hole in your gut."

Inuyasha began to pound Shippo on the head. "Shut up!"

'I wish I could still sit him. Maybe I should talk to Kaede about it. I'm sure she could help.' Shippo had begun to cry. 'But then again, Inuyasha would be mad at me, and this might be the last few moments I spend with him.' "I just wish we could have stopped him by now. I mean, how much longer will Kohaku have to be controlled by Naraku, and we've got to stop him before Miroku's wind tunnel kills him."

Sango was depressed at the mention of her brother. "Don't worry Kagome. We'll get him. Miroku's not going to die. We'll get Naraku before that happens."

"Yes Kagome" Miroku assured her. "We shall defeat Naraku before that retched fate comes upon me."

"What about the jewel shards?" Kagome asked. "I'm going to have to leave you guys really soon."

Inuyasha stopped his assault on Shippo at the mention of Kagome leaving them. "But why?" Shippo asked.

"Because things are getting too dangerous" Inuyasha told him. "Stop being a baby Shippo. Think about someone else besides yourself."

'Poor Inuyasha' Kagome thought to herself. 'He always puts on a tough face, but I know for sure that he hates the thought of me leaving. He takes it worse than the rest of them, but he can't show it.' "Don't worry though" Kagome managed to smile. "We've still got a few weeks left. If we don't find Naraku by then, then we'll just never find him!"

"Hello" Ikuto said on his cell phone, alone in his room. "Is Kagome there?"

Kagome's mother had picked up the phone. "I'm afraid she hasn't been home all summer. She's been with her friend Inuyasha."

"That long?" he asked. "Wow." 'I wonder if Kagome's mother actually realizes what Kagome does over in the Feudal Era. I mean, she treats it like a summer retreat and their just going out for a friendly hike everyday.' "Well, thank you very much. I'll try again later."

"Alright dear. Goodbye."

"Bye." Ikuto pressed end on his cell phone and almost felt like throwing it out the window. 'Are you alright Kagome? Are you in any danger?' He really did miss her, but he was beginning to lose all hope of having Kagome. Kagome did love Inuyasha and she was spending three months straight with him. 'I swear if Kagome gets in any danger, I will personally kill Inuyasha myself.'

Ikuto really did miss Kagome. He not only missed Kagome, but in a strange way, he missed Japan. He didn't miss most of the people, but he missed his country. It was strange not being there with his family. Even though he had wanted to get away his whole life, he now was beginning to miss everything. He still wanted to stay in the U.S. but he couldn't help but be a little home sick. 'Isn't this strange? I actually miss it all.' He thought it to be amusing. 'I bet I'll hate it as soon as I land.' He smiled. 'Only a few weeks left and I'll be home.'

Three Weeks Later…

"Wind scar!" Inuyasha yelled as it ripped through the ground straight for Naraku. This time he was sure that this was the real Naraku. Naraku had managed to perfect his body and had created a very strong barrier that Inuyasha had trouble breaking through, but this time, it worked. "Alright! Direct hit!" Naraku's body had exploded, but he obviously wasn't done yet. He quickly placed his body back together. 'This is the real Naraku, but this is still too easy.' "Is that all you got, Naraku?"

Sango flung her weapon straight towards Naraku, but he put his barrier up right before it made contact. "Curse him! Do you really have to hide behind that barrier Naraku? You are a coward!"

Naraku only began to laugh. "You are angry because you lack the strength to defeat me. There's no need to look for excuses."

"Excuse this!" Inuyasha hit him with the wind scar again, but once it made contact with the barrier, it had trouble breaking it. 'Come on!'

"Take this Naraku!" Kagome fired an arrow straight to Naraku and it was filled full with Kagome's spiritual powers. 'Come on! This has to work!' "Die Naraku!" The combination of the wind scar and Kagome's sacred arrow began to rip through the barrier. "Yeah!" she yelled with excitement. Once it hit Naraku, he exploded until he was nothing but smoke.

"It's not over yet!"

"For now it is Inuyasha" replied Naraku. "But before I go, might I ask where you reincarnation has been, Inuyasha?"

Kagome's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Ikuto. Inuyasha was only more riled up. "And why would you want to know? What are you planning?"

"You shall see later, Inuyasha…"

The miasma was different this time. 'What is this?' Kagome thought to herself. 'This is different than before.' Kagome inhaled some of the miasma on an accident and started coughing.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's thoughts about Naraku escaped him and he ran to Kagome's aid to jump out of the miasma. "Everyone, get away from that!" Miroku, Kirara, Sango, and Shippo obeyed and fled from the miasma. Inuyasha sat Kagome down a far distance from Naraku's gases. "Are you alright, Kagome?"

Kagome was still coughing, but she nodded. "Yes" she finally stopped. "I'm fine, but what about Naraku? I have to go back home so let's…"

"Kagome, he doesn't matter."

She was surprised at that. "But I don't want to slow you down and I've got to go home. I want to help while I-"

"Kagome, none of that matters if you're hurt!" She immediately began to blush.

"But Inuyasha…"

"As long as you're alright, I can go on. Sure, he got away, but my revenge…it isn't worth your life Kagome. If I got Naraku, it wouldn't matter if you were gone…" He knew he was about to lose her, but it didn't matter. He was just so scared for a moment that she wouldn't make it. "We've had so many close calls Kagome, but we've always gotten through. Now even though you're about to leave me…I just couldn't bare the thought of something happening to you, Kagome. If Naraku got you, then he would win after all."

"Inuyasha…" They both realized that they were being watched by their friends. "We weren't doing anything!" Kagome yelled.

"You could warn a guy!" Inuyasha yelled and turned his head from Kagome. "So anyway, we'll search on for him another day. He'll probably want some rest, since he was so injured."

"But didn't that seem too easy?" Sango asked. "He usually puts up a better fight than that, especially since he increased the power of his barrier. What do you suppose was wrong?"

"I agree with Naraku" Miroku stated. "Naraku is up to something and…" They all noticed Kagome's sad expression. "Kagome, what's the matter?"

"Why are you so sad?" Shippo asked.

"I have to head back home today."

Shippo jumped into her arms. "No, don't leave me, Kagome!"

"I have to." She gave Shippo a pat on the head. "Come on Shippo, don't be sad." Shippo started crying. "If you cry, then this is going to be even harder than what it already is. I'm only leaving because I have to."

'This is for the best' Inuyasha told himself. 'Everything will be gone if Kagome stays in this world and I would much rather not see her than have her lose her life. I couldn't bear to see Kagome die.' "Come on Kagome, it's time for you to leave." Those words were so hard for him to say, but he couldn't deny the things that Kikyou said. It wasn't just because Kikyou had said them, but because they were true. Inuyasha just knew it somehow. 'I've got a bad feeling about Ikuto. It's better for everyone that we never see either of them again, especially with Naraku curious of Ikuto's whereabouts.' "It's time for goodbye."

"I'm really gonna miss you kid" Michael stretched his hand out towards Ikuto and waited for him to shake his hand. Michael and Sidney were at the airport seeing Ikuto off. They had all become very close and saying goodbye seemed hard for them. "This place won't be the same without you."

Ikuto shook his hand. "You did a lot for me. I really appreciate it."

"You did more for us." Once Michael and Ikuto finished their handshake, Sidney gave Ikuto a hug. "Thank you for that lovely lunch with your brother."

"Yeah, but do you realize how much I got chewed up for once you guys left?" He let go of her. "My brother told me that I was being an irresponsible fool who so desperately wanted friends that I'm being blinded and can't see the pure fact that I was only introducing you guys to him because I wanted you two to make it in business." He chuckled. "He probably would have fired me if Sarah didn't like all of your designs. Suno actually started listening to what I was saying afterwards."

"Well, just remember us when you're in Japan. I'm going to miss you. Meeting you has been like finding a long lost friend. Do you know what I mean?"

"The same goes for me" Michael stated "but you've been more of a bother though" he teased Ikuto. "So, are you going to Berkeley for school here next year or what?"

"I don't know" he answered honestly. "I might just jump on the train right into profession. I mean, my brother offered me an opportunity. I'm not going to blow it. I would much rather wait until I get back home and see what my brother suggests. He's putting a lot of faith into me."

"Well" Michael grabbed a hold of Sidney's waist "at least come visit our humble home in a few years. You can play with all of our darling children."

"Let go" she forced his arms away. "I said we could date, but I didn't say anything about us being together for the rest of our lives, so don't confuse things!"

"Alright my dear, but its fate and you can't escape it."

'How right you are Michael. If you only knew how right you were…' "I'll check up on you guys whenever I'm back in the country. I swear I will." Ikuto grabbed his carryon bag and started making his way towards his gate.

"There he goes" Sidney sighed. "I can't wait until we see him again."

"When he comes back here, people are just going to eat him up." Michael smiled. "People will love him. I'm glad we're his friends. I wouldn't want to make him my enemy. He has a lot of opportunities ahead of him."

"I know what you mean Michael" she sighed. "I just hope we can all be this close when we're older."

"Well, I'd like to be a little closer" he reached for her waist again, but she slapped his hands.

"Get a hold of yourself! This isn't the time!"

"Get a hold of yourself!" Sango said as she slapped Miroku for groping her butt once again. "This isn't the time, you perverted monk!"

"My apologies" Miroku held his burning face. "I shall miss you, Kagome. Keep in good spirits. I wish you the best."

They were standing by the well. Kagome glanced down into it. 'Here we go.' "I'm really going to miss all of you." She was holding Shippo in her arms. "Goodbye Shippo."

"Goodbye Kagome." He jumped off of her.

Inuyasha had yet to say his final farewell. He wanted to embrace her, but he wasn't about to do such a thing in front of Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara. "Be safe, Kagome."

Kagome knew that there was so much more to say. There was much she wanted to say, but it was all over now. "I uh…I'm really going to miss you, Inuyasha." Kirara purred as she nuzzled her neck against Kagome's leg. "And I'll miss you too, Kirara." She smiled. She didn't know what else to do. "I'll miss all of you." She was of course looking at Inuyasha when she said it. If there was any of them that would often plague her mind, it would be none other than him. "I know you guys can defeat Naraku. You can do it. I believe in you guys." She threw her bag down the well and Inuyasha threw her bicycle down their as well. 'This is it…' "Stay safe."

"Goodbye, Kagome." Inuyasha said once again, so very sad.

"Cheer up" She told him. She put on a brave face. "You'll always be in my heart, Inuyasha." Before she turned completely red, she jumped down the well, leaving Inuyasha with a burning face and his companions glaring at him.

"What are you all staring at?" he yelled. "We've got jewel shards to find and a demon to kill! Get off of your lazy butts and let's go!" Inuyasha turned away from them all, so they couldn't see his face.

"Poor Inuyasha" Sango replied. 'I wonder if this is truly the last time we shall see Kagome again.'

Kagome looked up to make sure that she had successfully made the journey through. "I'm back home." 'I can't get back either. I gave Inuyasha the Sacred Shikon Jewel Shards. I'm officially stuck now.' She sighed. "Home sweet home."

To Be Continued….

A/N: This isn't the end for Inuyasha, and I promise you that, but you've got to read the next chapter! Review everybody!