Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, anyone, or anything affiliated with it. No copyright infringement intended.

"What took you so long?" he asked as he ran with me on his back. "You were only supposed to be gone for a day and now it's three days later, I was about ready to go get you my self" He shook his head angrily.

"Something happened…" I tried to explain before he cut me off.

"You know we have to find the jewel shards again," He complained.

"What!" I yelped in surprise. He came to an abrupt halt and turned to look at me, confusion written all over his face. I explained to him that the last thing I remember before I woke up in my own time was releasing my purifying arrow toward Naraku and a blinding light.

"Alright," He sighed, "let's get to back Kaede's and we will fill you in." I nodded, climbed up onto his back, and we headed for the village.

I pushed aside the mat covering the door and stepped inside the small hut. As I sat down in the circle of my friends, they began to fill me in. As they explained everything, I seemed to remember it as if it was a dream but did not actually happen.

I released my arrow, and there was a blinding flash of light. As I fell to the ground, weak from using so much power, Naraku said something that I couldn't hear and then laughed maniacally as he slowly purified. In the wake of the light, the Jewel hovered in the air for a few seconds before shattering. A small fragment fell to the ground beside me and as I reached for it, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was laying on a futon in Kaede's hut. After arguing with Inuyasha, I finally convinced him to let me go back home to take a test. As I jumped into the well, though, something was not right. Instead of the usual comforting light swallowing me, an overwhelming darkness seemed to devour me. It felt like ages that I was stuck in the well, repeating that last night of Naraku's life… until I awoke in my own time.

"Kagome? Is everything alright?" Sango asked timidly. I nodded and stood up. Muttering about needing air, I walked outside and hid behind the back of the hut. I didn't want them to have to see me going to pieces. It was just too much to comprehend at once. I still didn't fully believe i was awake and not dreaming.

Looking up at the sound of footsteps, I saw Inuyasha standing over me, his arms crossed. "Sango said I had to come check on you," he explained sitting next to me in the grass.

"Thank you..." was all I could say.

He looked at me, confused. "For what?" he asked.

Blushing, I hid my face behind my hair. "For coming to check on me" I whispered.

Suddenly his face was just inches from my own as he stared into my eyes. "Are you?"

"Um... What?"

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know." I answered honestly, looking down at my hands in my lap. "It's all so much to take in at once."

"I'm here for you, y'know" He said softly.

"Oh Inuyahsa," I flung my arms around him, unable to hold back my tears any longer. "I was so scared you were not real. Everyone said it was just a dream."

He awkwardly patted my back. Hesitantly, he asked, "Why would it matter if it was just a dream?"

"I… I care about you, Inuyasha, and I care about Sango, Shippo, Miroku, Kirara and Kaede. You guys are my family just as much as those I care about in my own time. I think if I had to choose between staying here for the rest of my life, or going back, I would stay here" I said the last part all in a rush, my blush deepening.

"Ka… Kagome…" Inuyasha started.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried hurtling himself towards me. "Are you ok? Why are you crying? Inuyasha, Did you make her cry? I'll hurt you if you did…"

"What! I didn't do nothing. Kagome tell him."

"Shippo," I said gently "I'm okay."

"But Kagome, you are crying"

"It wasn't Inuyasha's fault. I'm just having a hard time and he is actually helping me. Can we please have a few minutes alone?"

Inside the hut, we then heard Sango's voice. "Where did Shippo go?"

Miroku answered, "I don't know he said he would be right back"

"Why did you let him go? I bet he is bothering Kagome and Inuyasha. That's so not what she needs right now. If he is I'm going to kill him…" We heard scuffling and scraping and then footsteps "Shippo! Get your furry tail back here," Sango yelled.

"Hurry up," I shooed him. "maybe if you hurry and find some berries you can convince her you were in the woods."

"Are you sure your okay?" he asked quietly

"I will be, now go." I smiled as he quietly bounded off into the woods just as Sango called for him again.

We sat in silence for a while and watched the sun set.

"We should probably go inside." He finally said after it was fully dark. Standing up he offered me his hand. I took it and he pulled me up to stand by him. "If you need me…"

"I know. Thank you Inuyasha" I smiled as I followed him into the small hut.

A.N: I had to fix a few errors I found in this chapter, Sorry it has been so long since my last update, but I had some problems with my computer, but I finally got it back now so I'm starting chapter 5 tonight, and I'm going to try and have it up in the next 24 hours.