Hello again! I know last chappie was short and very much a cliffie, but I PROMISE this one will be longer and more…dramatic. Promise! Here's chappie 7!

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Kagome knelt at the foot of the well, her head bowed low. She had tears that threatened her eyes, but would not fall. She felt something cold touch the top of her head, so she lifted it to the ceiling, watching the snowflakes flitter through the cracks of the old shrine's roof. She pulled herself out of the well slowly, finding it hard to produce any will at all. She walked up the steps to the shrine doors in absolute silence. Pulling the doors aside, her feet began to crunch in the deep snow as she made her way back to her home…well…her home in this time. Funny, the more she went to the Feudal Era, the less this seemed like her home, and more Inuyasha and the others seemed to be her family. She opened the door and made her way back to her room, climbing the steps slowly and thoughtfully. Her mother, Sota, and her grandfather had been hurrying to get ready for Christmas. There was a loud bustling, but it all seemed so distant to Kagome, it was as is if it never existed. She closed her door behind her, sitting delicately on her bed, her eyes dull, her posture drooped. Tears stung her eyes.

"Inuyasha…why?" She shut her eyes tightly, hugging her knees to herself. Her legs were bathed in her tears, her sobs somewhat loud but muffled.

"Why do I have to say goodbye? I…I don't want to…to ever leave…y-you, but…but I don't have much choice." She continued crying deep into the night, trying to figure out which was more important: The Feudal Era, or her friends here? She pictured Yuka, Eri and Ayume. The more she hung out with them since she started going to the Feudal Era, the more she realized what nosy preps they were. And Hojo…Hojo was just a stalker. She then pictured her friends in the Feudal Era. Sango's sisterly behavior towards her, and how she always understood what she was going through (girl wise, anyway). Miroku (though a pervert to Sango) had shown nothing but respect to her. Shippo's innocent, childish behavior and the way he was always looking up to her as a mother. Kaede, who she had developed to consider a grandmother or guardian, and all her wisdom and power. Kirara, who she was very attached to over time. Then…there was Inuyasha.

Inuyasha, who she had fallen in love with. Who she had dreamt of being with for the longest time. The one whose feelings toward her still seemed unsure, unconfident. But did she really love him as much as she did before? Did she love him as much as when she risked her life to hug him, kiss him, save him from himself?

No.

She loved him even more than that. She loved him so much more than that. Her heart was so full of happiness when she was near him it hurt. That's when it occurred to her: the Feudal Era was where her real friends were. The Feudal Era was where her true love was. She would still come to the present and see her family, and maybe her friends, definitely graduate high school, but there wasn't any other thing holding her back. She would still travel in between times, but she knew where her heart truly lay. She knew all of this, but was so afraid that rejection would ensue. What if that wasn't what Inuyasha wants? What if all he wants is for her to find the shards and then go away?

"Kagome…"

"Inu…yasha…?"

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Inuyasha knelt at the side of the well and wondering how things had gotten this bad for her. A harsh, cold wind blew, causing him to pull his haori a little tighter (And to InuNightWalker, YES he was clothed, otherwise Kagome would have shrieked) around himself. Normally the cold wind wouldn't have phased him, but the cold was affecting his wounds. He thought of how he had tried stopping her. He should have said something else besides "Just…wait-!" in order to stop her. He could have said "Please let me say something before you go" or "I want to tell you something" but nooooooooo. He had to be an IDIOT and say "Just…wait-!" He groaned in frustration, turning and pounding the nearest tree beside him. The tree's base shook, causing its branches to quiver and a few leaves fall. His eyes were dull, absolutely no glitter at all, exactly like when Sesshomaru had imprisoned him. He had that same empty feeling inside him, like there was no point in even existing. He let a sigh pass his lips.

"Gods…what do I do?" He whispered quietly to himself. Sango and Miroku came into the clearing to see Inuyasha.

"Where's Kagome?" Sango asked him, though she knew the answer to that. Inuyasha just sighed again.

They never knew when to quit, did they?

"She went back into her time, said she needed to think." Miroku nodded, leaning to grope Sango. The instant his hand made contact with her bottom, Sango had an X on her head (Those always crack me up!), though didn't stop him herself.

"Kirara...get him." Kirara was engulfed in flames and appeared ten times her size, pouncing on Miroku. She picked him up with her fangs by his monk robes and began tossing him around like a rag doll. Sango went into a laughing fit, watching Kirara drag Miroku away. She instantly sobered when Inuyasha simply sighed, his eyes showing that clearly he wasn't in the mood for laughing, or even being happy. She understood his pain, though he'd never admit he cared Kagome had left. Knowing he needed to be alone, she followed Miroku's girly screams of mercy. Inuyasha began to take a walk, but stopped in front of where he had first met his Kagome.

Goshinboku. The Sacred Tree.

He walked up to the tree, stepping over a few roots that were uprooted here and there. He looked up into its high branches longingly. A small smile began to tug at his lips as he closed his eyes, a single teardrop rolling down his tanned face. This tree held so many memories of him and Kagome. They had often argued in front of it when she had wanted to go home. When she had been home, he would sit in its high branches and wait for her to come back. The night that she had kissed him in Kaguya's Dream Castle, he had spent the rest of the night sitting atop Goshinboku's highest branch and gazed at the stars, relaying that moment in his mind over and over, feeling the tingle on his lips even after all those hours.

Go to her.

He opened his eyes in shock. That voice wasn't his thoughts, and there was no one else around. Who could have…?

"Goshinboku…?" He whispered incredulously. There was no definite response, but the voice went on, a tiny blue glow emitting from the tree's falling leaves.

I have watched you. You truly need her. As she needs you just as much.

"But…how…?" The rest of the world seemed to turn into a white abyss. Only him and Goshinboku seemed to exist.

Do you not think that I was not observing you as you sat in my branches, awaiting for her to return to you? I have watched your heart melt right into her hand. You must return to her.

"But…but she said she…she was going to seal the well…" If Goshinboku had a face, it would have smiled.

Listen. She's calling out to you.

His ears swept over in the tree's direction. He heard nothing.

"I don't see…"

"Inuyasha…why?" His left ear twitched at the sound of her voice. His heart broke hearing her voice sound weak and shaky.

"Why do I have to say goodbye? I…I don't want to…to ever leave…y-you…but I don't have much choice."

"Kagome…" He bowed his head and closed his eyes. Now he knew why she had been so hurt before. Now he knew that he needed her. Now he knew he was going to go back to her. He lifted his head, his eyes glimmering in the light, a warm smile on his face.

"Goshinboku…Arigato."

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Longer…much longer. Hope you guys like it! I had a little writer's block, but it's all good now! R & R!