"Kikyou," Inuyasha's throat felt like it was closing and his voice left him. He stood looking down at the Jewel in his hand dumbly. He wanted so much to have his former lover back in his arms and to feel her warm, living flesh again. But what about Kagome? She was already alive, and he had become so close to her. Kikyou had wanted to use the Jewel to change him into a human, while Kagome didn't seem to care either way. Kagome… He wondered what she was doing now; probably still crying from the pain in her arm. Come to think of it, wasn't it the same arm Kikyou was bleeding from when she died?
Kikyou began to walk away after a few minutes of waiting for Inuyasha's answer. "Inuyasha, come find me if you ever make your decision." As she walked away, the breeze lifted her hair, and brought her scent back to him and he inhaled it deeply. He never paid much attention to it because Kagome's scent lingered everywhere and distracted him, but Kikyou's wasn't as sweet as it was when she was alive. Her real scent mixed with earth and clay. It almost repulsed him, but he still didn't want that scent to leave him again.
"Kikyou, will you stay with me tonight?" He whispered finally finding his voice.
She turned to look at him, her dark, dead eyes seemed to have a sudden spark of life and Inuyasha's heart ached. He wanted to bring Kikyou back, but he couldn't until he knew what Kagome felt. As he walked toward Kikyou he made the decision to go to Kagome and ask her how she truly felt. But, for now, he was with Kikyou and he was going to make the most of it. They walked side by side in silence towards the tree Inuyasha was pinned to.
Inuyasha grabbed Kikyou by the wrist and pulled her to his chest, holding her there as tightly as he could. Feeling her cold skin bothered him, but the contact between each other was still comforting. Kikyou held onto Inuyasha's kimono as fireflies began to appear in the twilight. Once he was sure she was safe in his arms, he leapt into the tree. He lounged it the tree with Kikyou leaning in his chest. It wasn't long before his tiered eyes closed and his confused, worried mind went to rest, the jewel held in is Kimono. . .
"Miroku," Sango said as she walked out of Kaede's hut to sit next to the monk. "Don't you find it odd that Inuyasha isn't back yet?"
"No, I'm not at all actually." He replied stoking the fire.
"Why not?"
"Think about it, you saw how much he was beating himself up for what happened to Kagome. Inuyasha probably hasn't left her side this entire time." Miroku said with his eyes closed.
Shippo jumped onto Miroku's head. "Inuyasha should be upset. After all, it is his fault. He should have protected her better!"
"There's nothing he could have done to protect Kagome from that Shippo."
"He could have smelled the demon's scent!"
"Why didn't you?" Miroku asked. When Shippo didn't answer, he continued. "It's my guess that Naraku produced the demon specifically to have no scent for the exact purpose it served. Naraku knew Inuyasha's weakness and he took advantage of it. However, it didn't work as Naraku had hoped."
"What do you mean?" Sango asked.
"It didn't weaken Inuyasha. It just made him even more determined to get the job done, so Kagome could get the help she needed."
"It makes sense. Poor Kagome though, she must have been in such pain. I don't know how her mother is able let her daughter return to such a dangerous era."
"What if Kagome doesn't come back?" Shippo whispered, scared.
"Then there wouldn't be anything either of us could do. Except for Inuyasha, he's the only one who could bring her back." Miroku answered.
"But what if he can't get her to come back… What would we do?"
"The Jewel is completed, so there really isn't anything left for her to do here. Naraku is dead and our mission is over. We'd all lose a good friend. I'm more concerned about what Inuyasha would do."
"Kikyou…" Sango realized.
"Yes, with Kagome gone, Inuyasha would have nothing to prevent him from returning to her."
"But she's dead, why would he want to be with a dead girl?"
"The Shikon no Tama." Sango said. "He could bring her back to life with the Jewel."
"Would he?" Shippo asked.
"That's for him to decide…"
Kagome rubbed her tired, red eyes. She had cried herself to sleep last night wondering what would become of her and Inuyasha. Her arm was stiff and sore, as she struggled to pull on her clothes to get ready for school. At least she had actual proof of what was wrong with her this time. Unfortunately, Hojo would be all over her. She liked Hojo. Every girl in her school liked Hojo. But she didn't like him in the way other girls did. She just wanted to be friends with him. But maybe she hadn't been fair to Hojo. She'd never really given him a chance, and maybe they could get to be good friends, if not more. It would take the pain away from Inuyasha. She sighed at the end of her thoughts as she had finished pulling up her socks, and headed down to the kitchen where her mother was waiting.
"Good morning, Kagome." Her mom said in her usual happy tone.
Kagome couldn't believe how she could be so happy seeing her only daughter so miserable. She turned away after grabbing her apple putting on her shoes and heading out the door.
"Kagome!" her mother called. "You're not going to school. Your arm is too hurt and your medication will make you too tired."
Kagome grumbled and stomped back up the stairs to her room. So much for talking to Hojo, she thought. She thought more and more about Inuyasha, and why she couldn't get over him. Why she couldn't stop thinking about him. She changed out of her school clothes and into her jeans and a sweater loose enough to fit her arm. She never thought it would hurt this much to not see him in such a short time.
Inuyasha awoke the next morning, his eyes straining against the sunlight. He felt the cool air against him where Kikyou had laid. He sat up quickly, looking for any sign of her. When he didn't see her, his heart skipped and his hand jetted into his kimono in search of the jewel. It wasn't there. Kikyou had betrayed him again. He felt lonelier than he had the night before. Kikyou hurt him again, but this time, Kagome wasn't there for him to run back to.
He jumped out of the tree and walked towards Kaede's hut. His feet were reluctant to move as he forced himself to move forward. Already he could hear Shippo crying, Miroku muttering and Sango sobbing. He reached the hut and walked inside. His friends were fast asleep, with Sango and Miroku closer together than he had ever seen before, and Shippo pressed hard against Sango's belly. They were comforting each other until they heard the news. What had made them so worried, he wondered? All that was wrong with her was a busted up arm. He sat back in his regular corner and leaned on his tetsusaiga waiting for his friends to wake up, to deliver the bad news. Kagome wasn't coming back, and as much as he couldn't admit it vocally, he couldn't deny the pain in his heart. He missed her, more than he had ever missed Kikyou. What was he going to do. . .
Okay, I apologize for the extended absence and the short chapter to come of it. I promise the next will be longer and will come sooner. How soon however, I can't say. Review and Fave please!
