Kagome walked out of the bathroon. She was fully dressed, and although her shirt was damp it was clean.

She looked around the room and counted off the people that were in the room. Sango. Miroku. Shippo. There was no Inuyasha.

"You guys, where did Inuyasha go?"

Sango and Shippo looked away and Kagome raised an eyebrow in their direction, "Sango. Shippo. What did you do?"

Miroku spoke up, "He left when they said he was as diseased as me." He said calmly.

Kagome giggled, "He's not quite as 'diseased' don't worry your title hasn't been taken from you."

Miroku took one look at Kagome and the other two then turned his back on them.

"Oh, we won't talk about how 'diseased' you are Miroku!" said Kagome guiltily.

Sango walked over and stood beside Kagome. "Yeah, me and Shippo" she shot the giggling Shippo a look that told him to shut up, "We won't laugh anymore."

Miroku only nodded his head, as if to say 'yeah whatever', but kept his back turned.

Kagome sighed. Where could Inuyasha be? "Guys, which way did Inuyasha go?"

Miroku turned around and watched as Sango and Shippo pointed to the door. He rolled his eyes. "I think she knows he went out the door." He said calmly.

"Yes I did." Kagome said quickly as she watched Sango get ready to hit Miroku. "Did anyone see which direction he went in after he walked out the door?" Sango stopped with her hand in mid air she and Shippo shook their heads. "Miroku, do you know?" Kagome asked turning to the monk.

Miroku looked at the Sango's hand which was still aimed at his head and she quickly dropped it. "He went left." He said and Kagome headed to the door.

"Your not seriously going out there, are you Kagome?" Asked Shippo.

"Yeah, I want to find Inuyasha." She said as she stopped at the open door and looked left.

"But the d-demons?" he whimpered as he hid behind Sango's legs.

"Oh Shippo don't worry so much." She laughed and walked to Shippo, picking him up. "I think I'm safe." She assured him as she hugged him and then placed him back down on the floor.

"Kagome, Shippo's right." Sango told her friend as Kagome stopped by the door.

Kagome shook her head quickly looked back at the others. "Don't worry." She repeated as she walked out the door.

Inuyasha sat in a tree by the river. He watched the stars pop out in the sky, one by one. Bah, stars are boring! He turned his head away from the sky and watched as a figure approached his tree.

"Do you feel safe in trees?" Asked the figure without looking up.

What's he doing here? Inuyasha asked himself as he hopped lightly to the ground. "Sesshomaru, what are you doing here?" he growled.

"Why that's not a very nice welcoming." Sesshomaru said as he smiled slightly.

"Yes, and you deserve such a welcoming." He muttered.

"Ouch, that cut me to the core." Sesshomaru said and took a step back and nearly stumbled as he pretended he had been shot in the heart, however he regained his footing easily, "When you hand over the Tetsusiaga, I will leave."

Inuyasha looked down at the Tetsusiaga and then at his brother, "When are you going to give up? I won't give it to you!" he yelled. "Besides you can't even wield it!"

Sesshomaru grinned, "Yes that is true, but it will be mine…or she dies!" he pointed to his right.

Inuyasha gasped as he noticed the figure beside his cruel older brother, "Kagome."

Sesshomaru laughed at Inuyasha as leapt to the ground and tried to reach out to grab Kagome away. Sesshomaru held his grip on Kagome's collar and yanked her away from Inuyasha's grasp. "Tick tock, tick tock…time is wasting the Tetsusiaga or your little human?"

Inuyasha stared at Kagome and then at the Tetsusiaga. With this he'll be too powerful. He touched the hilt of his sword. He looked at Kagome. But I can't lose someone else I care about! He looked back down at the sword that hung by his side. I can't choose! "Will you release her once I choose?" he asked.

"I'm a demon of my word." Sesshomaru said calmly. But once I get the Tetsusiaga there's nothing stopping me from kill you both. He smiled at the little tick in his mind that only he knew.

"Miroku, do you think she's safe?" Sango asked worriedly as she watched the door.

Miroku looked at the open doorway. "She's probably fine." He said but he was just as worried as Sango was.

"P-Probably?" Shippo stuttered. "Probably fine? What if she's not? What if a demon got her? What if---"

"Woah Shippo, calm down!" Said Sango, "We'll go look for her." She looked at Miroku, "Right?"

"Hmm?" Miroku replied as he came out of his trance.

"We'll go look for her." Sango repeated pointedly.

"Oh yes, yes we will." Miroku replied.

Sango and Miroku got up from there kneeling position by the doorway. "Do you really think she's OK?" Shippo asked.

Miroku nodded. "Yes, I don't feel an evil aura."

Shippo sighed in relief and got up. "That's good."