Thank you all for those wonderful reviews!

Well, I got a muse! Her name is Kiki. She does not talk much, but she sure as hell is a smart-ass when she does! And boy is she useful! I just hope she does not get lost like my last one . . . poor Mister Wink-wink! Sorry for the long time with no chapter updates, I do try, but I think the only times you can expect chapters are Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and occasionally Fridays.

Anywho, Kiki, the disclaimer please?

'Shut up ya pyro!'

You can see why I adore her.

Disclaimer: Lil' Pup does not own Inu-Yasha, though she needs to own a life. Anyone who happens to have a spare one, allow me to buy it for my poor mistress.

Kiki!

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Kikyo. . . why now? Naraku's been dead for weeks. I just needed a little more time and I could get this whole damn thing straightened out. Or at least be able to say good-bye to Kagome. I owe her that much at least.

Gray fogs everywhere, giving the forest an ethereal glow. Inu-Yasha ran through it all, barely registering it after having gotten so used to it. It was always like that whenever Kikyo was around. He had to think of a way to buy more time, but he could not take his mind off why now and if he could manage to say good-by to Kagome before he left.

There, just up ahead, where Inu-Yasha first took a glimpse of Naraku, stood Kikyo. Her soul skimmers flew around her, offering her the dead souls. Inu-Yasha could not help but notice that there were more souls than usual.

So he appeared. He and I must go soon.

"Inu-Yasha." He did not respond for a few moments. When he did, he just said what anyone would say to an old friend.

"How have you been?" Kikyo's curiosity now was held firm by his question. He never asked her things like that until he got over the shock of seeing her and muttering nothing but 'Kikyo' for the first three minutes.

"All right, I suppose. Tell me, what ails you?" Inu-Yasha's ears seemed almost ready to jump off the head that held them, they perked so quickly. He did not think of what he was saying, and so did not realize until then that his actions must have caught her attention.

"Nothing. I just . . . I didn't realize you would decide today is the day, so I didn't bother saying good-bye to anyone." This seemed to satisfy Kikyo, though she did not really believe that was what was bothering him.

"You never did think of things until the last minute. Well, Inu-Yasha, it is time to go to hell."

"NO!" Inu-Yasha howled. Kikyo now quirked an eyebrow at his strange behavior. Something was definitely not right. If he had just gone to hell with her, than she could have overlooked it. But now was not the time for him to be pushing her buttons. It was no longer a choice as to when she and him would go to Hell, although it had to be soon. Seeing her look at him in such a strange manner, he had to find a way out.

"Not yet, no. I-I need to finish getting the Shikon Jewel back together and back to Kagome before I do anything. If I don't, someone like Naraku could come back. I-I need to make sure that that doesn't happen. Otherwise, I can't go on." This was not the real reason, but it was the only way he could think of that she would allow him to stay without pressuring him too much. And for her, it would explain his odd behavior. She nodded in understandment.

"Yes. I understand. We cannot leave until the jewel is safe. But Inu-Yasha?"

"Yeah?"

"You must hurry. The souls are no longer sustaining this body the way they used to. My time in this realm is not mine to chose any longer. If you do not hurry and finish whatever it is you need to, by the time you do, I will have unwillingly left this place."

"I understand."

"Good." With that she walked away, allowing the mist to help her disappear, along with her soul skimmers.

If only talking to Kagome were that easy. Oh Kami! Kagome! Shit, with all that's happened, I completely forgot about our argument.

With that in mind Inu-Yasha ran through the forest with more speed than before, the scenery just a blur.

I have to go to her! I have to apologize! Even if it means giving up my dignity!

With that final thought, he pushed himself as hard as he could only to realize it would be at least a day until he made it back.

Kagome sat at her window, not really looking at the dipping sun. a long sense forgotten book on her lap. The door to her room opened, and Sota stepped in.

"Sis?"

"Yeah?"

"When are you going to go back?"

"Why do you care?"

"It's just . . . you love Inu-Yasha and have never stayed very long before you either left or until he came back."

"I do not love Inu-Yasha! What would a little brother know anyway?"

"Often one spends so much time looking at the large picture that they don't always notice the little details that forge it. Especially when the picture is their own." Kagome just stared at her little brother in pure and simple shock. She did not realize until now how much her traveling through time had changed him. Just like her, he had been forced to grow up quickly.

"All right. What does the little detail of the picture say?"

"It says you need to learn to open your eyes. I hear about what Inu-Yasha does. But did it ever occur to you that he is just as hurt when it comes to this subject as you?" Kagome frowned at this.

"What does he have to be hurt abo-."

"He doesn't know what he wants maybe. His old love is dead, he is attracted to the reincarnation, not for being a reincarnation, but for being her. Then, his old love is brought back as a clay doll, and between these two is him. He has to choose, and maybe he doesn't exactly now what you would do if he choose you. He knows what will happen if he chooses Kikyo. So maybe she's just the 'safe side.'"

". . . . . Maybe. Thanks Sota. I'll think about it."

"You better. I am sick and tired of all your guises arguments." Sota said grinning.

Kagome laughed as he stepped out. She doubted Inu-Yasha's reluctanse was for that, but it did give her the idea to put herself in Inu-Yasha's place. With her happiness renewed, she realized how hard it was for Inu-Yasha. She aslo realized that never in a houndred years could she make a choice like that. With these new ideas to calm her down, she crawled onto bed, resolved to talk to Inu-Yasha and apologize.

Inu-Yasha.

With that final though, she drifted off to sleep.

Well? I am not exactly sure what brought this on, but as long as it works who in all the seven bloody hells cares?

Kiki: I do. You have quite a mouth on ya.

Yeah, well, that explains why I got you for a muse doesn't it?

Well, see ya!

Lil' Pup out