Sango defeated the demon with ease. Miroku decided it was her way of venting her impatience with him and he left her to it so as to avoid any stray particles of wrath. Shippou cheered and cowered at the appropriate moments and when it all had ended, the lot settled down so that they might continue worrying over the hanyou. Near dawn, Sango and Miroku finally gave into sleep, Shippou having done so several hours ago.

Kaede left them to rest even after Inuyasha and Kagome had returned, both in a foul mood. Inuyasha suffered from several bruises across his back where a frustrated Kagome had hit him in protest to her being carried in such a fashion all of the way back to Kaede's village. Kagome merely put up with a few claw marks, all of which were already healing.

'You are so- so...' Kagome stuttered at a loss for the right word.

'I'm so what? You should be thanking me.'

'I thought I heard you're voices,' Miroku said as he emerged from the hut.

'Sango... Sango! Kagome's back,' Shippou cried.

Moments later the demon slayer joined Miroku and Shippou in their rejoice. 'Kagome! You really are back. You're safe now... with us.'

'Sure. Let's all of us ignore the half breed whose ordeal I'm sure was much more treacherous,' muttered Inuyasha. 'I only put up with Kouga for two days and fought horse-demons and lived through yet another new moon.'

Kagome turned once again to the hanyou and started, 'You wouldn't have had to do all that if you had just let me be.'

Inuyasha glared. 'Fine. If that's how you want to be, then fine!' And he tramped off away from the group.

Kagome closed her eyes and sank to her knees. 'What have I become? I'm so- so...' Sango crouched down beside the girl. 'I want to go home. I want this hatred to go away.' Kagome sniffled, trying to hold back tears. 'Look at me. I'm just returning, and already I'm a wreck.'

'Kagome, are you okay?' Shippou peered up at Kagome through her bangs with a curious look on his face.

'It's okay. We're just glad you're back,' Sango consoled.

'We missed you,' Shippou said in a very childlike way. He paused and counted something on his fingers. 'Well, you were gone for a really long time.'

'I can't never go home,' she said, tears leaking form the corners of her eyes.

'I suppose you could consider this a home,' Sango pointed out.

'But Mom and Souta... and Grandpa.'

'I know.'

'What can heal me? Something must heal me,' Kagome said in a determined voice. She sank back until she sat completely on the ground, staring up into the endless sky.

Shippou opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. He tried again. 'What about the Shikon no Tama? Can it heal?'

Kagome stared at the little youkai and sighed. 'I don't know,' she admitted. 'It could be dangerous... deadly. It might not work. Knowing me, I'd mess everything up all over again.' The school girl made a face as if she could see the result already. If I wrecked everything up again, what would become of Sango? And Miroku? Shippou? Inuyasha? Rin? Rin... Then, it dawned on her. Inuyasha had a sword for destruction. Sesshoumaru... had a sword for healing. Kagome jumped to her feet. 'I have to find Sesshoumaru,' she stated.

'Are you purposely doing this to annoy Inuyasha. 'Cause I think it's really hurting him,' Sango informed her.

'No,' she said absent-mindedly, not really thinking of Inuyasha right now. 'Sesshoumaru has Tenseiga. I need to find him.'

'You think too highly of him,' Miroku piped up, having gathered enough courage to join the conversation. Emotional girls could be hazardous. 'He doesn't like humans... or half breeds... or come to think of it, other demons. I don't think he'll do it.'

Sango turned sharply on the monk. 'Don't you go discouraging her! We can at least let her have hope,' she added in a whisper.

By night fall, Inuyasha had returned, though he continued to ignore Kagome who, from the looks of it, was trying really hard apologise without any more yelling.

'How am I supposed to talk to him if he won't listen?' she asked Sango.

'Oh, he's listening,' Miroku cut in. 'You can tell by the look on his face.' Kagome glanced back over at the hanyou. He had indeed wrinkled his face up in an effort not to snap at her.

'I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try again,' Sango offered.

'Right,' she said as she picked herself up from her seat.

Inuyasha looked up at her approach. 'What do you want now?'

'I've been trying to say I'm sorry, but you won't give me a chance. I guess, though, now you know how I fell, trying to put up with your temper.'

'I do not have a temper.'

'I don't know who you're trying to fool, because it's not working.' Kagome looked at the ground and fiddled with her fingers, trying to find the right words for such a sensitive hanyou. 'Look, I know I've been a bit harsh-'

'"Bit harsh"?'

'Alright... more than harsh, but I am sorry. I just don't know... well. There's something wrong with me.'

'No,' Inuyasha said after a moment. Kagome looked up and started at how close the half demon seemed to have gotten without her attention. Inuyasha looked closely at the school girl before saying, 'I don't see anything the matter.'

'But-' Kagome paused.

Inuyasha bent down and kissed her gently on the lips, then pulled away blushing. 'I... um... well. Sorry.'

'You don't need to apologise,' said Kagome who had resumed staring at the ground. She too was blushing.

'See, why can't we be like them?' Miroku pestered Sango. 'They argue just as much as the two of us and look where that leads.' Inuyasha and Kagome spun around to greet their audience with wide eyes. Kagome's blush deepened.

'What do you think you're doing spying on us like that?' Inuyasha shouted.

'What do you mean! You're right out there in the open,' Miroku said in his own defence.

Sango and Shippou giggled. 'It's not funny,' squeaked the inu hanyou.

Sesshoumaru watched the sky with an unusual interest. Something out there was tugging at him, and he couldn't quite identify the source. A thousand questions poured through his mind, all of which annoyed him greatly, and as he continued on the pull grew stronger.

Chapter Info: Kagome's acting the way she is because of the demon blood she's recently obtained. Oh... and isn't their little kiss so kawaii!

Silverwolf186- -laughs- Kouga's always obnoxious.

JulieMRose989- Yea. I start school soon. Tuesday. Meh. And, yes, Inuyasha probably deserves better... um... let's think. Me! -grins-