A new chapter. Yay! Ok, I've decided that I can't procrastinate anymore! I'm going to finish this chapter beforehand and make sure I stick to my updating schedule! But now that I say this, I bet I won't finish it on time and then I'll procrastinate again.

Oh, guess what, though! I just watched Star Wars, Episode I and Episode II... You may see that leaking into my writing.

Save Me From Myself

Chapter Seventeen: Hope

After the curse, that was one of the few times that I actually laughed. It seemed that for a while after that, everyone was happier and things were going back to normal.

But, things don't always stay the same, and there's always the jewel to take care of.

Both of them.

- - -

It took them a few more days to reach Kaede's village. Once there, Kagome decided that she needed to go home and rest up a bit. She didn't complain much when InuYasha said that he was coming as well.

Five minutes after Kagome got into her room to work on some homework, InuYasha said, "I'm bored!"

"Be quiet, InuYasha! I'm trying to work!" Kagome shouted, turning around and glaring at InuYasha.

"Keh," InuYasha spat out, glaring back at Kagome and relaxing on the bed.

Kagome huffed in annoyance and turned around, looking at her homework. "You don't have to be here, you know!"

InuYasha didn't answer, but just continued to look at her, his glare slowly leaving.

The small amount of youki that surrounded Kagome made InuYasha sick. He hated seeing her like this, though at the moment, it didn't seem to bother her.

Kagome was just happy that her friends hadn't told anyone of Kagome's time traveling, because if they did there would be cops searching her house and the surrounding area, or her friends were in an insane asylum. Though, she couldn't be sure that the last one wasn't true.

The hanyou continued to watch Kagome work, not saying anything and being patient for once. It seemed that she had forgotten that he was there, and he was fine with that at the moment. He just wanted to watch her.

After a while, Ms. Higurashi called the two of them down for dinner. Though, it seemed a bit odd that InuYasha had to drag the miko away from her studies to feed her.

Their dinner was a bit happier than most dinners that Kagome and InuYasha had been experiencing. This time, Kagome was not unconscious, she was not killing anyone, or she was not trying to pretend to be emotionless to protect everyone else. She was just being herself.

Ms. Higurashi couldn't help but notice the frequent glances that InuYasha gave to Kagome. It wasn't one of lust or love or anything, it was just concern and worry.

"So, InuYasha, have you been taking good care of my daughter?" Ms. Higurashi asked, smiling brightly.

InuYasha looked up from his food and at Kagome's mother. He had been rather quiet during dinner. "Uh... I guess you could say that," InuYasha said.

"What do you think, Kagome?" Ms. Higurashi asked.

Kagome looked at her food and tried to hide the blush creeping on her face with her hair. "Yeah," Kagome said, not looking at anyone.

"Yeah" didn't seem much like an answer to the question, but Ms. Higurashi took it nonetheless.

"Have you finished whatever you're doing there, yet?" Souta asked.

Kagome looked up at him and blinked. "You mean putting the Shikon Jewel back together?" Souta nodded at the question. Kagome shook her head in reply. "No, I'm afraid not. We've got a long way to go," Kagome answered.

Though, she had realized that nearly everyone in their group had a reason to fight Naraku now. Shippo didn't really count, he never fought, but the others had something to fight for.

Miroku has the wind tunnel, Sango had her family slaughtered, and InuYasha's and Kikyou's lives were ruined, not to mention Kikyou died twice. And it was all done by Naraku. And now he's done this to me... I suppose that the only thing we can do is stop him before he hurts anyone else, Kagome thought, her eyes lowering to her barely touched food.

Kagome's stomach growled and she realized how hungry she actually was. With all the transforming and being knocked out for who knows how many days, she hadn't eaten much lately. The miko started shoving in her food in a manner reminiscent of InuYasha.

Once they were all finished, Kagome went upstairs to study some more and InuYasha came along, watching her study until he fell asleep on her bed.

Kagome watched him sleep for a while. He seemed content laying on her bed, so she left him and just curled up where there was room, not even changing out of her clothes.

- - -

"Crap! I'm late!" shouted Kagome as she shut off her alarm that had been ringing for almost fifteen minutes. Kagome quickly packed up her stuff and straightened her hair, readying herself for the school day.

InuYasha groggily walked to the table in the dining room and started eating the breakfast that was set out for him, but Kagome just grabbed her stuff and a piece of toast.

"InuYasha, don't go outside unless you're wearing a hat, okay? Bye!" Kagome said, not waiting for answers from him and sticking her toast in her mouth.

She ran off to the school, chowing down her toast as fast as she could and wiping away any crumbs that accumulated on her shirt or face.

Once she arrived at school, all of her friends, Eri, Yuka, Ayumi, and even Hojo, ran up to her and held out a small folder of papers.

"What's this?" Kagome asked, taking the papers from Eri, who had handed them to the miko.

"It's information about the Bachiatari Jewel," Eri said, holding up a finger in explination.

Yuka chimed in with, "We couldn't find much information about it on the Internet, but we did find some."

Kagome smiled. "Really?"

Ayumi nodded. "There are two and a half ways to get rid of it.

"... Two and a half?" Kagome asked with a dry tone.

Hojo smiled and explained, "She means that there are two ways that we're mostly positive that will work, and one that we're not really sure of."

"And you needed a folder's full of pages to tell me these three things?" Kagome asked.

"No," Eri said, frowning. "Those are the different legends we could find about it. Some of them are pretty long."

"Well, what are the ways I can get rid of the jewel, then?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"The one we're not sure of is killing the demon that put it in your back," Yuka said carefully.

Like I couldn't figure that one out, Kagome thought to herself. "We're already trying to do that," she explained.

"Oh... Well, the one that you don't really want to do, but is an option anyway, is dying," Eri said, looking at the ground and cringing at the last word.

Kagome looked down. I could figure out that one too.

"But the last one is the good one, but it might be a bit hard," Hojo said, blushing a little bit. "The last way to get rid of the jewel is to have someone love you," Hojo said, looking at the ground.

Love? Kagome asked herself. I've got a couple of pursuers, Hojo and Kouga, but do they really love me? Kouga says he does, but I'm not sure. And Hojo just has a crush on me. He doesn't know me well enough to love me. And InuYasha... He doesn't love me. That would be too much to hope for. Kagome's thoughts wandered over the subject before the school bell brought her out of her reverie.

The rest of the school day was the usual. Though, people seemed to either ask Kagome what that thing was about before, or stay away from her. She didn't really care anymore, though. It didn't matter to her.

Soon enough the school day was over and Kagome went home, glad that she could relax for a little bit before going back to the Sengoku Jidai.

She decided she would take a nap before dinner, so she did. Kagome was shaken awake by none other than the impatient hanyou that was visiting. No doubt Mama told him that we couldn't eat until I was at the table, Kagome thought.

The dinner was good for Kagome, the meals that they had while traveling got boring quickly. They didn't have anything new ever.

So, after dinner, Kagome went upstairs and studied again.

The school girl was so immersed in her studies that she didn't notice the footsteps come into her room, or someone sit down on her bed. Though, she did notice InuYasha clearing his throat.

Kagome turned around, not at all angry, but a bit surprised. That was unexpected. Now, InuYasha was the one surprised, since she wasn't angry.

"Yes?" Kagome asked patiently.

InuYasha cleared his throat. "I... uh..."

Suddenly Souta popped in and said in a deep, hoarse voice, "A nerd, Kagome is!"

"Ha ha, very funny, Yoda," Kagome mocked. She stuck out her tongue at Souta and said to him, "Run, should you do, or kill you, I will!" Kagome's threat hung in the air and Souta scurried off to his room, giggling a little bit.

Kagome sighed and rubbed her forehead. Her brother could be so annoying!

The miko turned to InuYasha. "What did you want to say to me, again?" Kagome asked, her head turning sideways a bit.

"Oh. Yeah," said the hanyou, looking at his right hand.

"See, your mom was looking through this stuff, and I saw something in there that I thought that you might like," InuYasha said, holding out his fist. Kagome put her hand under his and he opened it, dropping something hard and warm into her palm.

Kagome looked closer. There was some white, silky ribbon and a small, round piece of metal on it, much like a dog collar except not as sturdy. The metal said something, and Kagome read it out loud. "Hope," she said quietly. It was very fitting for the circumstance.

"Oh, Kagome! Don't cry!" InuYasha said, waving his hands out in front of him. "If you don't like it, you don't have to keep it!" he finished hurriedly.

Kagome looked up at him confused and wiped at her eyes. "I didn't realize I was crying," Kagome said, laughing a bit. She smiled and tied the ribbon around her neck, making sure it was secure before looking up at InuYasha. "Thank you, InuYasha. It means a lot to me," thanked Kagome before turning around and looking at her papers.

Though, she couldn't really think anymore.

But maybe...

No.

Kagome pushed the thought out of her mind.

She knew that it wouldn't happen, not in a million years.

But she could hope.

End Chapter