A/N: So, since we have withstood the tradition of glitches here on FF . net, I can FINALLY update this chapter. Here you go.

Chapter 20: Longing

The village headman, his arm in a sling and a bandage around his head, bowed towards the Miko in front of him. "On the behalf of our village, we thank you, Miko-sama. If you hadn't come at the right time, none of us would have made it." They stood outside of the headman's hut, as the morning sun was rising in the sky.

A smile came on Kikyou's face. "Think nothing of it. I help those who are in need. That alone is my duty."

"Well, then bless you and your duty, Miko." He said, bowing once more. "Is there anything at all our village can do for you to thank you for your services?"

She shook her head politely. "Nothing at all. But…you can describe the youkai that attacked you once more."

The man sighed and tugged at his beard, remembering. "It was unlike anything we had ever seen before. It looked like a man…except for its silver hair and the horns or whatever it had on its head. It had red eyes, with blue pupils clouded in senseless rage. That youkai had…purple stripes, I believe on its cheeks, and claws and its long fangs."

Kikyou's eyes narrowed. Just as I had suspected. "And which way did it go?"

The headman pointed towards the woods. "Through there, heading North."

The calculating face was replaced with a kind smile. "I must leave now. I hope that your village is more fortunate in the future."

"As would I, Miko." He said, as Kikyou went the way he had directed her, out of the sleeping village. As she walked away from it, she noticed the numerous graves that had popped up in the fields overnight. The innocent villagers slain for something they weren't even a part of.

Inuyasha, she thought. This will be the first time I will see you in that form…and my last.

I'll make sure that you are never allowed in that form again…whatever the consequences.

Kagome thought, Inuyasha…I'm sorry…

"Don't say you're sorry, Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered. "Because, then..."

She cried with her mind, Inuyasha!

"I'd have to say sorry too." Then he kissed her, their first real kiss, showing how much he loved her in one simple gesture. Kagome kissed him back, melting in his strong arms, wishing she would never have to let go.

She gripped her yellow backpack strap, looking down at the concrete before the entrance to her school. Inuyasha...

"Kagome!" her three friends yelled from behind her. Kagome turned around and saw them, her face lacking her usual smile. Her friends noticed it instantly.

"Kagome-chan, what's wrong?" Yuka asked. "You were so happy a week ago. What's wrong?"

Everything. "No, I'm fine!" she said, putting on a fake smile. "Everything's fine."

But they were not convinced. "Kagome," Eri asked, "You're not really smiling, are you?"

So they know. Kagome's false smile lowered. "No, I'm not."

"Did something happen?" Ayumi asked. "Did someone die?"

Kagome sighed, looking down. "No, no one died."

Yuka demanded, "Then what's wrong?" When Kagome didn't answer, just giving a revealing sideways glance, she asked, "Does it have to do with your boyfriend?"

My…boyfriend? Kagome's heart sunk a few inches at the use of that word. That's right, he used to be her boyfriend, before…She never knew how much things could change in one week. How only seven days before, she was in complete bliss, with Inuyasha loving her as much as she loved him, and now…

Gripping the yellow strap tighter, for courage, she said, "Yes." Kagome blinked away a tear forming in her eye.

Eri gasped, "What did he do to you, Kagome?"

After a pause, Kagome replied painfully, "He changed."

"Changed?" her friends repeated.

Nodding, Kagome replied, "He's not the same anymore. He's different." Another tear formed in her eye as she said, "I had thought…I thought what we had was forever, but…it wasn't…"

"Did he break up with you?" Yuka asked.

"No, he—" Kagome cut off just as she remembered Inuyasha's youkai face smiling insanely, chuckling at only the thought of her death. She bit her lip as a tear fell down her cheek.

"Kagome-chan?" Ayumi asked, as they all watched their friend seep into hysterical crying.

"It would have been easier if we had broken up! But now he's different, and I know I can't stay with him, but I want to!" She half yelled, half cried. "I keep telling myself to be strong, to stop crying, but I can't! I keep telling myself that he's changed, that he's never coming back, but I still just want to be with him more than anything!"

Kagome looked up at the sky, knowing that the same sky had seen the past, where Inuyasha was. No matter what time period she was in, because of their bond as mates, she could know he was alive, despite not being able to feel his presence from far away. Just knowing Inuyasha was there was enough to drive Kagome over the edge.

Her friends were silent as she continued. "I came back to make myself stop thinking about him, but it didn't help, that's all I ever do! I need to be with him, because if I stay here…It'll haunt me forever!"

Without thinking, without a care in the world about what she was doing, Kagome ran from the schoolyard, back towards her house, leaving her confused and concerned friends behind, yelling "Kagome-chan!"

She ran all the way home, not letting fatigue get to her. As she ran, she could only think of Inuyasha…It didn't matter that he was a youkai now, it didn't matter if that was all he'd ever be, Kagome still wanted to be with him.

As she ran into the shrine courtyard, she stopped in front of Goshinboku. A glittering tear filled her eye just as she looked upon the tree. Inuyasha…This is where I met you…almost a year ago…

She could almost see him, where he was, pinned to the tree by Kikyou's arrow. She remembered how she had thought he was only sleeping when she first saw him…how he looked sleeping when she tried to revive him after the Numa-eki's attack. Inuyasha…

Kagome heard a sound behind her. "Kagome…"

She gasped. I know that voice! Slowly, Kagome turned around, dropping her backpack when she saw who it was.

Inuyasha stood there, in his hanyou form, looking as loving as ever. He smiled, while his amber eyes twinkled in love at her. "Inuyasha…" she said, her eyes tearing up. How…and why?

Inuyasha held his arms open for her. "Kagome…I love you. I love you so much." He repeated, those words making Kagome's heart rise from the blackness it had been in, making it start to float in her chest. "I'll never leave you."

In a dream-like state, Kagome ran towards her lover. "Inuyasha!" she cried running into towards him. "Inuyasha, I love you too! I missed you so much!"

But instead of falling into his protective embrace, she felt nothing. She fell through where he was supposed to be, onto the ground, scraping herself in the process.

She didn't even bother to lift herself up when the tears came. Kagome knew that Inuyasha had never been there. She was seeing things, because she was so lonely for his presence.

She reached for her backpack, and pulled out the rumpled haori which she had stuffed inside of it that morning. Inuyasha…

Glancing up at her house, she thought, I'm sorry Mama, but I have to go back… Without a second thought, she took off towards the well house, in such a hurry that she left the door open as she jumped into the well.

"Kagome, I'm so glad you're back!" Shippou cried, as she sat in Kaede's hut.

A small smile came onto Kagome's face. "I couldn't stay in my time for too long. I just knew I had to come back."

"Yes, we're all happy you're back, Kagome-sama." Miroku said.

Sango spoke up, "Kagome-chan, are you all right?" By seeing Kagome's look after that comment, Sango said, abruptly, "I meant are you…feeling better?"

Though Kagome didn't want to talk about it, she gave a small, sad sigh, and replied. "I guess you could say I'm feeling better. I just wanted to come back." As her eyes fell on the haori, which she never let leave her side, she asked, despite the pain it gave her in her heart, "Did anyone hear anything of..." she didn't finish, but everyone knew what she was talking about.

"No." the monk replied. "We have heard and seen nothing since when he attacked the village. I think he's still around, but he hasn't come out yet, because…you weren't here, Kagome-sama."

Kagome gasped. "What?" Inuyasha…is coming to attack because of me?

Sango saw Kagome's pain. "Houshi-sama!"

"I'm sorry Sango, but I have to say it!" Miroku declared. "It is possible that Inuyasha attacked the village because Kagome-sama was in it! Now that she's back, it's very probable that he'll attack again!"

Tearsfilled Kagome's eyes. Now that I've come back…we're going to be attacked again?

The youkai exterminator roared, "Houshi-sama, that's enough! We don't know that!"

Miroku did not relent. "Sango, these are dangerous times! We must be aware of all the possibilities, to keep anyone from getting hurt! I don't want Kagome-sama getting hurt! Because Inuyasha's not here, I have to protect her!"

Those last nine words hit Kagome hard. "Because Inuyasha's not here, I have to protect her!" She knew Miroku was just looking out for her, out of friendship, but the only one that Kagome wanted to protect her was…

An image of her hanyou popped into her mind, yelling at her angrily from inside of a tomb, "Shut up, and let me protect you!"

Sango had just started in on Miroku, when Kagome yelled, "Shut up! You both, just shut up!" They quieted instantly. "Please…stop fighting…" she begged, tears in her eyes. "Inuyasha would tell at you to shut up at fighting over something so stupid…"

A tear fell onto her cheek, as she grabbed his haori, and buried her face into it, stemming the imminent flow of tears.

Night had fallen, and Inuyasha sat in a tree, looking at the stars. His eyes briefly glanced over his mating mark, and an image of the girl he had seen floated in his mind. I don't care if she is my mate, that girl is too annoying for her own good!

A grin lit his face, his fangs only adding to the cruel smile. That girl will wish she had never been mated to me!

Suddenly, a strange scent filled his nostrils. He quickly jumped down from the tree, and put himself in a fighting stance. He glanced around with his red eyes. "Show yourself." He ordered in his deep voice.

A woman's chuckle filled the air. "No matter what form you're in, you're still the same, Inuyasha." Kikyou moved out from behind a tree, a smile on her face, her bow already drawn, with an arrow ready to fire.

A/N: Oh, what's Kikyou up to this time? I do a lot with her in this one…as you'll see later on.

So yeah, Kagome, cry much? But she's starting to try to get over it, at least. She won't cry as much in the next chapter.