See! I'm stubern that way. i wanted to update so i found a loophole to my problem! who is GOOD, correction...who is GREAT. ok enough of my ego. Here is the story.

Ch 18

Kami let me be wrong. Please! This is no threat to me but…KAMI!

"A shard…" Kagome breathed too low for anyone to hear. Before anyone had a chance to blink a wind blew by them and a wolf demon stood before them.

"Kouga-kun." Kagome wined.

"Kagome, I thank you."

"Eh?"

"I went to the mountains. I helped Ayame and her grandfather get back what was theirs. She came down from the mountains." Kagome let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"I'm happy for you Kouga-kun. I would like to introduce my friend Ayumi. She is from my time." Kouga looked the girl up and down. Ayumi stood in aw the whole time.

"Humph. Not much of a talker are you."

"Eh? Oh, nice to meet you Kouga-kun. Why don't you have ears like Inuyasha's?" Kagome gasped. Kouga coiled up and was about to burst.

"I'm not like dog shit!"

"Kouga! Please calm down, she doesn't understand. She's never seen Youkai before. Please." Kouga relaxed a little. And Ayumi peaked out from behind Kagome.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I like your ears too. They're pointy." Kouga raised a brow at her.

"Hm…Kagome, I will take my leave. Ayume and I are moving to start a new pack." Kagome perked up.

"Ah, before you go Kouga…do you think, maybe…I could have the shards in your legs." Kouga pulled a pouch out of his shirt and gave it to Kagome. She smiled to him.

"Thank you. I wish you and Ayume the best of luck. Bye bye." Kouga waved good bye and ran off in a tornado of wind. Kagome sighed.

"Thank god Inuyasha wasn't around. The last thing I need is a fight to break up. But he will be happy that I got the shards from him." Kagome's smile faded. There is only one shard left, Kohaku. Oh Sango. This is going to be hard. Ayumi tapped Kagome on the shoulder.

"Kagome-chan? Are you okay, you look a little depressed?" Kagome mentally shook herself and smiled to her friend.

"I'm fine. Come on let's finish up with the herbs and get back to the others." Ayumi nodded and continued to watch and listen o Kaede tell her about the different herbs what they are used for.

WITH THE REST OF THE GROUP

"Ooi! Kagome what the hell was Kouga doing here?" Inuyasha had a scowl on his face. Kagome heaved a sigh and pulled the pouch out of her pocket and took the Shikon no Tama from around her neck and dropped the fragments into her hand and showed them to Inuyasha. His mouth dropped open.

"How the hell did you get those from him?"

"He gave them to me Inuyasha." He snorted and straightened out. He watched as Kagome looked at Sango with mixed emotions, sadness and dilemma. Then he realized. He urged Kagome to walk with him to talk.

They made their way through the forest to the well.

"Kagome. Do you know what you are going to do?" Kagome looked at him in surprise.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Kagome I'm not stupid I saw you looking at Sango. We have all the shards except for the one in Kohaku's back. I will ask again. Do you know what you are going to do?" Kagome shook her head. She was on the verge of tears.

"I don't know. Sango is like my sister. And she has been through so much with Kohaku and his memory. He still looks haunted. When ever I see him walking through the village I feel so bad."

"Kagome you shouldn't, you didn't do anything."

"That isn't the point. What will happen to him? I have a duty to complete the jewel. But I can't let Sango get hurt. Inuyasha this is so hard." Now she broke down into tears. Inuyasha started to fidget. He walked over to her and sat down next to her but didn't reach for her.

He couldn't think of anything to say to ease her pain. He just sat there incase Kagome needed him. Which she did. She leaned up against him and he took that as a sign. He wrapped his arms around her and patted her back.

In the trees Ayumi sat and watched the scene. Kagome you go through so much here. Ayumi started to wonder if Inuyasha could smell her. But she didn't really care; if he didn't want her there he would be blunt about it.

"Kagome might need you with her, so stop hiding." Inuyasha spoke into the trees. Ayumi shuffled out of the bushes towards them and sat down in front of Inuyasha. She reached for Kagome's shoulder and made herself noticed.

"Kagome-chan? Please let me help you." Kagome looks up at her friend with puffy eyes.

"Ayumi-chan. Sango's little brother has a shard in his back. It's the only thing keeping him alive. I can't take him away from Sango. She was so miserable when he couldn't remember anything. I can't take him from her when she waited so long to get him back." Ayumi nodded and took in all the information.

"Well, I'm sure there is another way around that. There has to be. Don't worry yourself about it." Kagome sniffled a little more and managed a smile.

"Thank you Ayumi-chan." Inuyasha looked at the two of them.

"Kagome? Are you alright now?" Kagome nodded to Inuyasha while whipping away her last tears.

"Good…Why the hell did you bring her here! This is no place for her. And you had your mother try to lie to me. That doesn't work Kagome I could just smell that she was lying. Don't try and lie to me, dam…"

"OSUWARI!" SMASH. Inuyasha twitched on the ground. Ayumi sighed, used to this by now.

"You brought it on yourself Inuyasha. She just gets over crying and you shove another problem in her face. That isn't smart at all." Inuyasha grumbled a few curses under his breath.

"Inuyasha, I know that it was risky. But she is tough. And besides we are all here to watch each other."

"Whatever." Inuyasha walked back to the village followed by the two girls.

A/N: well I think that worked out nicely. Read and review please. I told you I was great. Here comes the next chapter!