$A/N: Well lookie lookie! I finally updated. Not sure why it took me so long. I've had most of this chapter done for quite a while. The story unfolds more as we learn more about Inuyasha's past. (please don't hurt me...)Anywho...Happy be-lated Valentines everyone! In the spirit of the day I decided to put a little lovey dovey towards the end. hehehe.

I apologize to those who have already read this chapter for removing it and then reposting it. Theres something wrong with my account I think. Chapter 8 is well on it's way, I promise!

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Chapter 7

The reunited companions walked along the forest road leading away from the village. All were silent, with the exception of Shippo and Kilala as they were playing tag. Listening as they walked to the breeze rustling the tree's as the birds chirped.

They were thinking about staying in the village a little longer to question the villagers more, but as Miroku pointed out, none would be returning as long as they knew Inuyasha was there. Since there was nothing more they could do they decided to head back to Kaede's village.

They showed Inuyasha the grave Kagura had robbed to steal the old Lords bones. Watching as he smelled around. He had no reaction to it, not to the scent of the human remains, nor the area. Sango did not wish to tell him the story the elder had told them just yet. She thought it would be best if one of them discussed the matter with Inuyasha alone first. If it was true, then it would be a very upsetting and private matter for him.

Inuyasha was walking ahead of the rest, apparently caught up in thought.

Kagome... He hated it when she was angry with him. He knew he shouldn't have said those things to her. He was angry at Koga; not her. Damn that mangy wolf! He was thinking of the many things he would like to do to Koga when suddenly his thoughts were disrupted.

"Inuyasha..." It was Miroku. "Sango and I lied when we told you that the villager's told us they knew nothing about what Kagura had taken."

Inuyasha turned to the monk."Huh? Why did you do that?" Miroku dropped his eyes as he continued to walk ahead. Inuyasha looked back, seeing how Sango was getting Kagome and Shippo to help her gather some berries. Turning back at the monk he realized that this must be something serious. He walked ahead a good distance with Miroku.

"Your right Sango, these will make a great snack for the road." Shippo laughed as he popped a few into his mouth.

"They're so sweet and ripe too." Kagome smiled.

Sango had noticed the distance between Kagome and Inuyasha. Usually they walked side by side. Today Kagome lagged behind, her eyes diverted anywhere but on the hanyou and she had barely spoke. "Kagome, is there something wrong?" Sango asked, watching as her friend tryed to avoid answering her.

"Koga came and took off with Kagome. Inuyasha got mad and acted like an idiot; they got into a fight once Koga finally left." Shippo answered for Kagome, as he casually popped a handful of berries into his mouth.

"I see." Sango felt sorry for her friend. "Oh Kagome, it's our fault that Koga came to you this morning. Miroku and I told him you and Inuyasha were alone together to get him to find you both and send you in the direction of the village as soon as possible. I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault Sango. If we didn't fight this time it would be the next time Koga came." Kagome said trying to make light of the situation. But Sango could tell she was still upset.

"THAT FUCKING BASTARD!" Inuyasha roared from where he stood with a highly nervous Miroku standing next to him down the road. "We must know Inuyasha, what happened in that place so long ago? It's the only way we can figure out what Naraku is planning!" He pleaded to the Hanyou.

Inuyasha paced left then right. Anger filling every part of him. He needed to vent; turning to the nearest tree he began to punch it uncontrollably until he felt the stinging sensation as his knuckles began to bleed.

"...Inuyasha?.."

Panting from his exursion he tweaked an ear in her direction. He looked down the road, past his friends to Kagome. A confused expression spread across her beautiful face. The small breeze blowing her hair as she sat. Surrounded by berries and blossoming flowers as leaves dropped from the tree's around her. He felt his eyes soften at the sight of her, but his anger was suddenly replaced by pain and dread.

He turned away from them. Speaking in a voice only Miroku could hear. "Don't tell her." Before he ran into the forest leaping through the trees.

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Inuyasha... where did you go? I don't understand What does Miroku need to know?. Kagome thought to herself as she sat in the hotspring.

It was late, they waited over an hour for Inuyasha to return to that spot on the road before Sango finally spoke up that they should probably keep going. They had travelled all day since then and had finally returned to Kaede's hut by nine that evening. The others stayed back to eat, but Kagome didn't feel much like eating anything, saying she would much rather soak her weary leg muscles in the hot spring for a while.

She floated in the water, feeling the warmth as it surrounded her naked body, losing herself in her worries. Kagome would have much rather waited there on that road for Inuyasha to return but she remebered that it wasn't her place to wait for him. After all he really wasn't her boyfriend and she really shouldn't pretend that he is. Even though I do back in my time. She thought remebering how she had told all her friends and Hojo that her an Inuyasha were an item.

She sat up, her dark wet hair smoothing back as she lifted her head. She was so frustrated, Miroku wouldn't tell her why Inuyasha had run off like that. He looked nervously to Sango everytime she tried to get him to tell her what was going on. It seems like I'm the only one in the dark on this. She was getting the feeling like people were treating her as though she needed to be protected from something again.

"Oh, Inuyaasshhaaabababababa", she said pressing her lips into the water, erupting bubbles with his name. I wonder what's taking him so long to return. Where could he have gone? She suddenly felt sick as a thought crossed her mind. ...Kikyo... thats where you went. You need her to talk to; to tell her what's troubling you.

A small whimper escaped from her, as a flow of tears dripped into the steamy water surrounding her. Inuyasha, don't you realize you can trust me with your secrets...

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At that same moment. Deep in the forest, Inuyasha found who he was looking for. At first he didn't intend to look for anyone, he just had to get away from the thought of what Naraku had done. What Naraku might be going to do, and how he had found out about one of the most difficult... DAMN THAT BASTURD! The hanyou yelled furiously inside his head, not wishing to relive that memory.

Inuyasha had run around with his own thoughts long enough. He needed something, he needed to be calmed down when he caught her scent on a slight breeze.

The priestess stood. Her soul catchers circling around her in the night air. The smell of bones and graveyard soil surrounding her. He closed his eyes, remebering the way she used to smell, like tea and mint mixed with the scent of incense. He cautiously walked towards her, wondering if she knew he was there.

"Kikyo.."

The miko slowly turned to face him, the coldness in her eye's always shocked him. Remebering how they once danced at the site of him, but now they remained indifferent.

"Inuyasha." She said with no reaction to his presence. "What is it?"

Inuyasha took a few steps closer to her. "Naraku is planning something. He's been sending Kagura out to get demons to find something for him, and.." he added as his voice fell slightly; looking down towards the earth as he continued "he may have found it."

"Did he gain yet more jewel shards?" Kikyo stepped forward. Anger rising in her eyes. Naraku already possessed more shards then any other. Finding more only brings him closer to his goal.

"No. He took the remains of a human." Inuyasha raised his eye's toward hers.

Kikyo was puzzled, why would Naraku do such a thing? "Who was this human? Did he possess strong spiritual powers?"

'No." Inuyasha stopped. He didn't want to go on further in telling her. But he knew he had to say it, he needed someone he trusted to know at least part of the truth. "He was my grandfather."

"I see." Kikyo said, turning away from him. "Inuyasha, why did you come here to tell this to me?"

"Because..." Inuyasha muttered, trying to answer her question as best he could, " ...your... Kikyo... "

The preistess smiled weakly before sadness spread across her features. "Inuyasha, I am no longer that woman I was so long ago."

She looked toward him, the love of her life. Remembering that fateful day they had betrayed each other and how her life had ended there, and that was where it was suppose to remain. The whole point of her exhistance now was but to get revenge upon Naraku so she may rest in peace, nothing more.

Inuyasha took a few steps forward reaching his hand out to touch her. She watched him as he moved, her eyes turning cold as stone before she turned away from his outstretched hand. Her soul catchers coiled themselves around her body and lifted her into the night air.

"Farewell Inuyasha... "

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Back at Kaede's hut, Miroku and Sango were trying to make sense of the situation. Once little Shippo was sure to be sound asleep they began. Myoga the flee demon knew more about Inuyasha's past then anyone else they had ever known, so they shared with him the story they had heard from the neighboring village to the north of there.

"Inuyasha's mother is a very difficult topic. In all truth, I too do not really know what truely happened the night Lady Izayoi died. I can only offer you my account of what happened.

I stayed close to master Inuyasha after his father's untimely death to watch over him. Living in the Castles stable with the horses. Young master Inuyasha often came to me for advise at times when he felt out of place because of his demon blood. His grandfather, the Castle Lord, did not take kindly to him.

That fateful evening I was enjoying a good bite on one of the finest stallions when Master Inuyasha burst into the stable. He was covered in blood from top to bottom which I recognized from scent immediatly to be his mothers. He was panic-stricken, begging me to help him. His mother had died.

Inuyasha's father wished for nothing more before he died then for Izayoi to live a long and happy life with Inuyasha, he knew that she would be the only thing in this world that would bring love and compassion into his youngest sons life. It was my masters last wish so I did the only thing I knew that would possibly save her. I told Inuyasha to go to Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha knew nothing of his older brother, and thats the way Sesshomaru wanted it. So I told him very little along the way. Master Inuyasha dashed through the forest, darting this way and that for a very long time. I suspect he was trying to make use of his demonic powers. Before that moment I'm sure he hardly knew how. After living with mortals for his entire life to that point he really didn't use need to use them. The night was clear and there was no wind, which was promising since I was the only one at the time who knew Sesshomaru's scent. Finally we reached the river, the water at that time flowed slowly, glistening in the moonlight.

There stood Lord Sesshomaru. It was plainly obvious he was disgusted that I had brought the young master to him. I begged and pleaded and begged Sesshomaru to save the Lady, but he would not be swayed. Inuyasha broke down into tears, falling to his knee's before his brothers feet. I can still see the maddening hatred growing in the Inu youkai's eyes.

"Your disgusting!" he yelled striking the young master to the ground. "I despise the fact that my father's blood runs in your veins! A weak, pathetic half-breed like you! It's your fault your mother died, your the one who should have protected her! If you cared for her so much you would go avenge her death instead of trying to bring me into something so trivial."

He left Master Inuyasha. Even I had no idea how cold Sesshomaru truly could be until that moment. He truly resents master Inuyasha and blames him for his fathers death.

But as he was leaving he left a surprising remark, which I think may have been his way of consoling Inuyasha or to perhaps justify himself for not trying to save the thing his father, the most powerful demon in the land had died himself for.

Without looking back at the young master, he said "By the smell of you, your mother has been dead for too long, there would be nothing I could do."

"Thats horrible." Sango could barely hold back her tears.

Miroku stared towards the floor, feeling as though he had truly misunderstood Inuyasha. "What happened next?" He asked the flea-demon.

Myoga sighed, shaking his head. "From there I don't know. The young master ran off into the forest, back towards the castle grounds. It was years before I saw him again. But master Inuyasha loved his mother dearly, I believe he has tormented himself over the years, doing anything in his power to become stronger, because he truly blames himself for not being strong enough to save his mother."

They heard footsteps coming down the path in the moonlight, knowing it was Kagome the others looked at each other across the room as if to say this conversation is over. They knew she should know about this, but none felt it was they're place to tell her.

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The night seemed to go on forever in Kagome's mind. All of the others were asleep in the hut, but she knew she couldn't even if she wanted to. She laid in her sleeping bag, staring in the dark towards the bamboo doorway. Shippo laid beside her, she listened to his breaths, counting as he inhaled, exhaled, inhaled, exhaled. Why hadn't Inuyasha come back yet, she could barely stand it.

She pushed back her covers and slipped out of bed. She froze as she heard Miroku stir at the other side of the room. "...Would you ladies do me the honor of bearing my...child?..." She heard him murmer through his blanket as he turned over in his sleep.

She slowly made her way towards the curtain, careful not to make a sound as she stepped into the night air. It was colder now then it was earlier in the evening. She walked down the path to the outskirts of town and sat on the hill leading down towards the forest.

She shivered. The long grass was damp and cold on her bare legs. She knew she shouldn't be out by herself, espeacially so far from her friends and in the middle of night like this. But she wanted so desperately for Inuyasha to be there. She felt so bad about all the things she had said to him. There was obviously something going on and he was at the center of it. He was upset and he wouldn't come to her because of all the things she had said to him. He went to Kikyo. He loves Kikyo. Kikyo understands him, she wouldn't say things like that to Inuyasha.

Kagome felt a hard lump forming in her throat. She tipped herself over on her side, pushing her legs up into her chest to keep the pain forced back. She squinted her eyes shut trying to fight back the tears forming behind them when she heard a familiar voice. "Kagome?"

Inuyasha called out across the feild from where he stood by the forests edge. His voice mixed with anxiety at the fact she was out by herself. Any demon from miles around could have attacked her. He could smell her easily a few yards in the forest because of her lavender scented shampoo. He remebered the first time he had caught her scent. She smelled of the lavender mixed with tea and other scents she must have come in contact with around Kaede the few days she was in his era while he was still pinned to the tree by Kikyo's arrow. He remebered how he had thought she was Kikyo at first, but over time he realised her scent was different. She did have some aspects that smelled like Kikyo did, but her scent was much different, sweeter.

"Kagome, I know your here" he called out again, waiting for her to answer.

Kagome raised her head up out of the grass, trying to hide the tear streaks running down her face. She was a little ashamed of being caught out by herself. Knowing Inuyasha would likely be angry that she acted so foolishly.

He felt a calm feeling wash over him the instant he saw her. The feeling he realized he had been searching for all night. Inuyasha could smell her salty tears. He felt the pang of guilt in knowing he had worried her. He walked through the grass over to where she sat. Her face down, unable to look at him. He crouched down in front of her. Taking in her scent. He wanted to hold her, to make her pain go away. "Kagome... did you wait up all night for me?"

Kagome looked up into his amber eyes, she was so worried about him. She could tell still that there was something there troubling him, something that happened to him, something he would much rather not have to deal with ever again. She hardly knew what her body was doing before it took over her. "Inuyasha" she cried, pushing herself forward, wrapping her arms around him as she buried her face into his haori. She wanted to comfort him, wanted him to know she was there for him, even if what she was doing wasn't right.

The move startled the hanyou. But the warmth of her body against his gave him a feeling of peace. His arms slowly enveloped around her, bringing her closer.

There was nowhere else in the world either of them wanted to be at that moment. They stayed that way a long time, neither speaking.

Inuyasha pressed his face into her thick dark hair. Taking in her scent more as if it were intoxicating. She sighed in the joy of that serene moment, not daring to pull herself away, afraid that it would end. Inuyasha turned her body, so she leaned against him, wrapping his arms around her once more, covering most of her with his long red sleeves. "Inuyasha... " Kagome murmered, feeling herself drifting away in the warmth. "It's okay Kagome, I can tell your tired. We'll just rest here for a bit..." Inuyasha smiled as he nuzzeled his face into her hair again, taking in everthing Kagome...

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A/N: Well... that chapter jumped around alot. Leave me a review please! I want to know what you think. Besides the more reviews I get, the faster I will update!