Disclaimer - If I said I didn't own Inuyasha in the last chapter, then I can promise you that I don't own Inuyasha in this one.

AN: Yes! I got this chapter up before a month passed! *dances excitedly* Ha ha! Is this like a record for me or something? But down to serious business, this chapter might have a slightly different feel then the others, since it is now set in modern times. I hope you like it just as much as you liked the others! And thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter! I look forward receiving them so it's a pleasure to read what you think so far.

EDIT: This chapter was revised on August 10th. Technically, it was finished being revised on the 10th, since in reality this took me several days (mostly because I was: a) too lazy to sit down and write it all at once and b) too distracted to sit down and write it all at once.) Much like the first chapter, it did more than double. From a little over 3000, to almost 7000. :) I'm quite happy with how it is right now. All I have to do is go back and do chapter 4 now! *grumble grumble*

Blah Kagome's Thoughts/Dream

Chapter Five.

The ticking of the clock was endless.

tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock

It droned on - never having a beginning, never having an ending.

tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock

It should have been a source of anxiety and pain to the girl who lay half-asleep on her bed, exhausted both mentally and physically after a full night studying.

tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock

But it wasn't. Instead of being something that represented endless time, Kagome viewed it as a consistent companion.

tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock

It was the only reliable thing in her mind. Time never stopped for anything, it went on, leaving behind broken hearts and dreams. It never slowed, never faltered.

tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock

Kagome's heavy-lidded eyes drooped shut and she was swept off into dreamland.

two years two years two years two years

Had it really been two years already? Two full years since she had last left the Feudal Era. Two years since she had hugged little Shippo, cuddled with tiny Kirara, chatted with friendly Sango, and joked with lecherous Miroku. Two years since she had hugged or teased or laughed at Inuyasha.

Two years since Inuyasha had died, and she had gone through the well for the last time.

Kagome felt empty, hollow. She had returned to her own time to forget everything that had happened. She had come back hoping that her time in the Feudal Era would fade into a dream once dreamed. When she had first returned, it had been unbearable. Everywhere she turned, there would be something that reminded her of the place she had come to consider home. She would see something that made her think of her friends, made her think of him.

It dwindled at an agonizingly slow pace, but she came to feel normal again. Like she used to be, before it all happened.

Still, though, the dreams of the Feudal Era and her old friends came far too often for comfort. Every night she would fall asleep, sometimes hoping for a glimpse of her old life, sometimes praying that she would have a dreamless sleep.

The dreams were strange, varying from clear memories to vague nightmares. Sometimes she would see her friends getting killed by vicious demons, or from the hands of humans. Naraku would often appear, his face shadowed by darkness. All the people she knew often wandered the plains of her imagination. She treasured the moments when she would experience once again a picnic or game with her friends, but dreaded the times when she would view a precious person fall in a pool of their own blood.

It was often an odd experience, falling asleep in her warm, comfy bed and waking up in the harsh but familiar Feudal Era. It was something Kagome had to grow accustomed to, much like falling into the well and popping out in an entire different world.

She was running down a dirt road, grass growing sporadically along the way. Greenery was lush along both sides, though it blurred in her vision as she raced along the pathway. Distantly, she could make out fuzzy shapes that were moving steadily in the same direction as she. Even though she could not clearly see them, she knew immediately who they were. "Hey, guys!" she called out eagerly, waving her hand wildly as a huge smile split her face.

Slowly, they turned, their faces still hard to make out though she could easily pick out one from the other. "Hi, Kagome!" they chorused.

Shippo ran to her, leaping into her arms as he called out her name. She returned the forceful hug happily, squeezing the small fox demon.

"You're late!" snorted Inuyasha indignantly, crossing his arms over his chest as he eyed Kagome disapprovingly.

"We almost couldn't stop him from going to get you," Sango informed Kagome. "It's good you came now, because we had a mutual agreement to let him go for you tomorrow if you didn't show."

"But we're glad your safe and looking as pretty as ever," said Miroku, smiling. The familiar lecherous glint in his eyes betrayed the seemingly innocent picture and comment.

Kagome's smile widened as she moved towards the half-demon. "It's okay," she said warmly, giving a startled Inuyasha a large hug. She lay her head on his chest and released a content sigh, though he had not responded to the gesture. "I wouldn't have minded."

"What are you talking about!" demanded Inuyasha, nonplussed. "You usually hate it when I come to get you." He gripped her shoulders and drew her away from him so he could peer into her face. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," said Kagome, moving a couple of steps back, not taking her eyes off him. "I just wouldn't have minded this time."

Kagome released a small sigh as she turned over in her sleep. She frowned slightly as she curled herself into a ball, mumbling nonsensical words as her dream continued.

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Inuyasha as the two sat together by a small stream, apart from the rest of the group. Kagome simply nodded, not bothering to respond as she chucked a stone into the water. "I don't believe you," said Inuyasha, being surprisingly perceptive as he sensed Kagome's inner turmoil. "What's wrong?"

Kagome was silent a moment, but she answered as she drew her legs up to her chest, arms around her legs, eyes staring straight ahead. "Inuyasha, are...are you ever - ever going to leave? I mean, after we defeat Naraku and gather all the jewel shards and everything...are you - going to just...well, leave?"

"Why would I?"

Kagome glanced over, noting that he looked genuinely confused. "Would you leave me?" she prompted. "For...for Kikyo?"

Inuyasha started slightly, his gaze flickering to Kagome's blank face. "Kagome," he began, "I'll always protect you. I'll always be there for you. And I won't leave you, not if you need me. I mean it, okay? I can't stop loving Kikyo...I'll never be able to stop loving her, but..."

"But you wouldn't stop loving me either, right?"

Kagome felt his hand on her cheek, turning her face to him so he could look deep into her eyes with his intense gold orbs. "I promise, Kagome," he said harshly, though is voice was barely more than a whisper. "I promise, I'll protect you with everything I have, and if something happens or if I leave...I'll find a way back. I swear."

Bring! The super loud, super annoying, far-too-close-to-my-ears-for-comfort alarm clock went off, the piercing noise breaking through the still, crisp morning. With an unearthly shriek that would've made any horror actress feel ashamed of herself, Kagome leaped up, got her legs tangled in the sheets, and tumbled out of her bed and with a painful sounding thump!...landed directly on the hard floor, face first.

"Oww," moaned Kagome miserably as she sat up, gingerly rubbing her backside with one hand while the other clutched her red, aching nose.

"Kagome!" called Mrs. Higurashi, banging open the door as she bowled into the room. "Are you alright? It sounded like you fell!"

"Mother! I'm fine!"

"Hey, Kagome!" said Souta as he stuck his head through the bedroom door, Gramps not far behind. "Are you dead?"

"Get out of here!" shrieked Kagome, jumping to her feet and grabbing a pillow. "I could have been undressed!" She threw the pillow at the doorway but it was already shut by the time it reached its target.

And so, with a swelling red nose, a headache that felt like cannon balls were being shot in her head, a fawning mother, a when-I-was-a-boy Gramps, a teasing brother, and an extremely bad mood, a new day had begun for sixteen-year-old Kagome Higurashi. The girl who really really really wished that she was still in bed.

Kagome trudged down the sidewalk in complete silence. Her shoulders were slumped and her head bowed, giving her the appearance of someone who dearly wished they were invisible. To the people who passed her, she appeared like an average high school girl, who probably just broke up with her boyfriend or a just got bad results on a major quiz.

These thoughts often crossed her mind, and she liked to consider them a big understatement. When she had been going to the Feudal Era often, she liked to imagine what other people would think of her if they ever found out where she had been. She would often giggle internally (and sometimes out loud, leaving people to eye her strangely and cautiously) at the thought, and the thoughts of how people never knew where she had been, or how special it was that she could go there, gave her great pleasure.

The past couple of years were different though. She frequently wished that she had never visited the Feudal Era, and she bitterly regarded her oblivious friends who had no clue what she had gone through. There had been a time when she had completely cut herself off from her peers, feeling that they just wouldn't understand, and knowing in her heart that they really didn't. It was a difficult time as she excluded herself from activities of all sorts and pushed away her family as well. The worst time had been when her mother had tried talking to her and had quoted, "It is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all." The resulting outburst from Kagome had left both in tears and Kagome had estranged herself from the whole world for almost an entire week, refusing to even leave her room.

She had recovered from this time, though she could always feel that aching sense of loss in her chest.

Today, however, her thoughts were drawn to the dream she had the night before. With all the chaos and hectic racing around earlier that morning, Kagome hadn't had any time to ponder the dream, and indeed had nearly forgotten it. But now, alone and blocking out the sounds around her, the memories of the dream came flooding back to her.

It was a curious dream compared to the ones she usually had. Normally, when they were visions of her talking with her friends, it was a memory, or a conversation very similar to one she had already had. She'd dreamed of many private talks with Inuyasha before, but never quite like that one. Usually, their talks were simple and normal, arguing over past events of the day, mutually complaining over annoying travelers they had stumbled on, wondering about what happen the next day...often Kagome would scold Inuyasha for something inane while he sulked, and other times they would chat over meaningless subjects. Sometimes they just sat in a companionable silence.

But never had their conversation drifted to Kikyo. In real life she was not often mentioned and the habit transferred into Kagome's dreams. Kikyo was often a forbidden subject, and it rarely crossed Kagome's mind to even think about bringing her up. Never before during her dreams had Kagome asked Inuyasha anything even remotely close to what she said last night. So where in the world had this dream sprouted from? Perhaps it was a sort of replay of some past talk she'd had with the now passed half-demon.

But he had never really promised that he would always protect me, thought Kagome grudgingly. And while he never actually really picked Kikyo over me, it always seemed like he...like he cared for her that much more.

It didn't make any sense, really. It had always been a secret hope that - if it ever came down to it - Inuyasha actually would pick her over the dead priestess, but she had never allowed herself the pleasure of imagining that this wish would - and could - really come true.

So why did I dream that? wondered Kagome miserably as she crossed the sidewalk, her school coming into view. Was it just something that I wanted to have happen, so I just dreamed it? After all, he chose me - though it was completely clear - over Kikyo, in a strange way. He promised he'd protect me no matter what. Was it just a deep wish of mine, or something else?

Was it something else? Kagome couldn't be sure as she neatly avoided crashing into a harried student. A sudden thought crossed her mind, and she stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk. He...he said in my dream that he would find a way back if he ever left me - he swore that he would find a way back...could that possibly mean...? Kagome roughly shook her head, jerking it from side to side harshly enough that she heard a small crack in her neck. She began scolding herself as she began walking furiously towards the school building. Just shut up, Kagome! He's dead, okay? There's absolutely no possible way he is ever coming back, or could ever come back. So shut up and start thinking about that test you have today that you're not really that prepared for! Remember that Henry VIII of England had five wives, okay? No, wait...was it six wives? Seven?

As Kagome briskly walked to her classroomm wracking her brain trying to recall if Henry VIII of England had five, six, or seven wives, she was easily able to push the dream completely out of her mind.

"I failed. I know I did."

"Now, Kagome," said Eri, her voice eerily resembling Mrs. Higurashi's as she turned around in her desk so she was facing Kagome. "you're just overreacting. I'm sure you did just fine. The history test was quite hard for all of us, but you studied, didn't you?"

"I did horribly!" groaned Kagome, slumping down in her chair so her head was practically level with the desktop. "I mean, I checked my books at lunch and discovered I wrote all the wrong things down! I mean, I wrote down Pitcan, instead of Pitcairn because I couldn't think of anything else! And for the ship? I just remembered it started with b, so I wrote down the Beauty. I mean, honestly! What was I thinking?"

"Well, you obviously weren't thinking," said Eri unhelpfully. "It's okay, Kagome. I totally flunked math. I don't think I did a single problem right!"

"But I failed history!" wailed Kagome, sitting up to face her friend. "I studied all night, and I still failed. I'll never make it into college." Kagome miserably lay her arms on the desk in the form of a cradle and dropped her head down onto. "I'm going to end up being the girl who fails high school and ends up marrying a garbage man whilst doing laundry for her old high school rival."

"That's not going to happen," Eri said comfortingly. "I mean, you don't have a high school rival!"

"Thanks, Eri, that makes me feel a lot better."

"Well, it's true! You know, unless you're interested in getting a major in history, this doesn't really-"

"Hey, guys!" Yuka called, cutting Eri off as she raced over. "Did you hear? I just found out! We have a new kid coming to school!"

"A new kid?" parroted Eri interestedly, jumping at the chance for new gossip. "Is it a boy? Why's he coming here in the middle of school? Where's he from?"

"He's a transfer," Ayumi informed them as she joined the three. "I don't think they mentioned where he was from, but apparently he's pretty smart. I think his mother got transferred in her job or something."

"It is a boy!" squealed Eri excitedly. "I wonder if he's cute. Ooh, I can't wait to meet him!"

"What do you think, Kagome?" said Yuka. "Maybe he'll be your type, cute, funny, has some issues, but still sweet."

"Yeah, maybe he'll be good enough to replace that old boyfriend of yours who dumped you."

"He could be even cuter than Hojo!" Yuka giggled madly at her own statement, already imagining the new kids face in her head.

"Thanks, but no thanks guys," said Kagome, standing up and stretching slightly. "I'll just go home and depress myself by thinking of my ruined future now that I'm failing high school. I'll see you guys later." With a half-hearted wave to her friends, Kagome trudged towards the exit feeling significantly more depressed than she had earlier that day.

Kagome couldn't remember how she came to stand here, barely even remembering the walk home from school. All she could recall was her thoughts flitting from her failed history test to the dream that she had had the night before. When she once again became aware of her surroundings, she discovered herself standing in front of the well.

Two years. It had been two years since Inuyasha's death, two years since she had last set foot in the Feudal Era. She still hadn't gotten over Inuyasha's death - she didn't think she ever would.

Kagome stepped forwards, staring down into the deep pit of the well. The darkness blurred the bottom so she couldn't even tell where it ended, though she knew exactly how far down it was from past experience. Kagome bit her lip as a traitorous voice rang out in her mind. Jump in. Just go and jump in.

It certainly wasn't the first time the nasty little voice had urged Kagome to give into her temptations and just leap carelessly into the well and return to the Feudal Era. It was why Kagome rarely visited the well - she knew that one day she wouldn't be strong enough to say no.

She wondered how things were going on there. It was impossible not to be curious about how the lives of her old companions were going. Several times she thought about Kikyo, wondering how the dead priestess was doing, and what the heck she was doing. Was she still wandering the earth? Did she still love Inuyasha? Was she searching for him, not knowing he was dead, or was she grieving for him, the love she had lost. Or perhaps, she had finally left the world she no longer belonged to.

And what about Sango and Miroku? Had they married and made a family together? Or there was a chance that they had split up after their group fell apart, Sango returning to rebuild her demon slayer village, Miroku falling back to his familiar lecherous and manipulative ways. Was Sango still grieving over Kohaku? Had Kaede finally given into old age? Was there a new priestess?

And Shippo! Dear, dear Shippo, who had no parents. Was he all alone now, or did he stay with Sango and Miroku? Was he doing okay? Was he growing up to be a fine, strong young fox demon? Was his fox magic better? Did he...did he miss her?

Did they even remember her? Did they remember Inuyasha? Could they recall the fond memories they had together, all those times they had spent as one group? Were they happy now, or did they miss her as much as she missed them. Did they wish they could jump into the well and come see her as often as she was tempted to do the same?

Kagome's lips twisted into a wistful smile, the expression on her face a mixture of bitterness and grief. She turned her body away from the well, almost as a sign of rejection, but one hand was left behind, lovingly draped over the edge so it sat just within the body of the well.

You could still go back, Kagome, her inner voice whispered to her. If you just dropped yourself over that edge, you could go and see them, find out how they are. You could see Miroku again, you could give Sango a hug, see if the two of them really have married. You could see Shippo and Kaede. Maybe you guys could go on another adventure. You might even run into Kouga and his friends. Maybe even Sesshomaru, Rin, Jaken.

Shut up! Kagome told herself furiously, choking back the sobs that suddenly welled up in her throat. She could feel her heart beating frantically, like something imprisoned that's struggling to rip free from its restraints. Just shut up! I swore I would never go back! And I won't! I won't ever go back there without Inuyasha! He's dead, remember? He died because of you! They've all forgotten me now! I'm never ever going to go back! That's what I told Sango, that's what I vowed in the forest with Sango there as a witness. It's what I promised myself. I'm never going back!

With a scream of despair, Kagome fell down in front of the well, her back pressed into the side, her face buried into her hands as her cries died away into silent sobs. She spilled her grief through the tears that cascaded down her cheeks, she rocked back and forth in the fetal position, her vulnerable heart feeling broken beyond repair.

"Why can't I forget?" she asked to the silent air. "Why can't I just forget that place! I left so that I wouldn't have to remember Inuyasha and the others! I left so I could forget Sango! Forget Shippo and Miroku! Forget Koga, Kaede, and everyone else! Forget all about the jewel shards and Naraku. I left so I wouldn't have to be faced with Inuyasha every day of my life!" Her voice was rising angrily as she snapped her head up, glaring furiously at nothing. Her voice was becoming more high-pitched and louder as she passionately yelled at empty space. "I still remember all of it! Why can't I just forget? Please, whoever is listening, I don't care who, just let me forget! Let me forget all of them! Please! I just want to be happy for once in my life! Is that really too much to ask? To be happy? To not have the memories that give me so much pain? Why do I have them? Is it because I'm Kikyo's reincarnation, and she's destined to live out the rest of her days unhappy? Did I lose Inuyasha because she did?"

Suddenly exhausted, Kagome drooped her head down so her bangs fell into her face, shadowing her eyes. "Let me forget," she said quietly. "Or let me have it all back. Please."

"Good morning, Kagome!" exclaimed Eri cheerfully as Kagome sat down behind her. "How are you feeling today? Still depressed?"

"No, I'm much better," replied Kagome, cracking her neck as she adjusted herself in her seat. After her breakdown by the well, Kagome had managed to pull herself together, blocking out all unpleasant thoughts. She'd spent the entire night studying her textbooks despite the fact that all their quizzes were over. She had had a dreamless sleep for the first time in what felt like years, and had woken up feeling refreshed and ready to face the new day. Oddly enough, she had a curious feeling in the pit of her stomach that had been there from the moment she woke up. Not certain what it was, she'd passed it off as an after-effect of the disgusting dinner her mother had served the night before.

"That's good, because the new boy's coming today. You have to be at the top of your game to get him interested in you. And if he's not your type, I've already called dibs."

"C'mon, Eri!" said Kagome, exasperated by her friend's annoying (but quite normal) behavior. "Why do you have to take so much interest in my love life? If you want to date him, and you called dibs before me, you date him before I do!"

"But you've always had such interesting love lifes!" said Eri sensibly. "And I've felt quite bored these past two years ever since you were dumped by your old boyfriend. The most exciting thing that's happened is last year when that boy asked you to the dance and you rejected him so utterly that he started crying, which made you feel bad, and you tried to soften the blow, but then his big sister came and -"

"Okay!" interrupted Kagome quickly. "I get it...but you enjoyed yourself when Ayumi got her boyfriend."

"...true," admitted Eri. "But you're still more fun."

Kagome scolded herself thoroughly for not being able to find a hole in Eri's somewhat logical reasoning. Ayumi - despite being the only one of the four who currently had a boyfriend - led a fairly boring love life.

"Class, please settle down!" The teacher's voice broke through the students' conversation and all the kids immediately returned to their seats. "I'm sure you've heard, but we have a new transfer student with us today. Please come in!"

Eri was muttering to herself, and Kagome only heard the door open and close, and the girl next to her say, "Wow, he's really cute," before turning her head to set her eyes on the boy.

She froze. She felt like a demon had punched her in the gut. Her breath was knocked out of her and her mind shut down. She couldn't move, couldn't hear, couldn't even breathe. She stared in disbelief. She could hear blood rushing through her ears and the murmurings of her peers faded into a dull humming noise.

Because there, standing in her classroom, alive, walking, breathing, and looking so adorably handsome stood him...

"Inuyasha?" Kagome didn't realize she had spoken out loud at first, her voice no more than a broken whisper.

Because it was Inuyasha. The boy was identical to him in practically every way. The last new moon before Inuyasha had been killed flashed into Kagome's mind. He was like a clone, they were so alike. It was Inuyasha in his human form. The minor differences made practically no change whatsoever. His hair was still so utterly black and silky, though it was shorter, cut into the popular fashion of high school boys. His clothes were wrinkled and messy, but he stood up straight, carrying himself like Inuyasha always had. The same deep eyes that switched between chocolate brown and indigo. The same crackling, flaming energy that radiated itself from his body...the same face, the same expression, the same height, the same stature...it was him! It was really him! There was no one else he could be other than Inuyasha!

It's really him, thought Kagome, dazed. But how...?

"Class, this is Katashi Fukuda. He's never been in this city before, so please make him feel welcome. Mr. Fukuda, there's an empty seat right there."

With wide eyes, Kagome followed the teacher's finger to the seat only four away from hers. Her breath hitched as her gaze snapped back to Inuyasha, sitting as still as a frozen statue as he walked down the aisle to the desk. He sat down, his eyes roving over the classroom, taking in the different faces. His eyes landed on her and she trembled violently as that familiar stare settled onto her face. But he gave no hint of recognition and moved his gaze onward, before turning to the front of the classroom as the teacher began his lesson.

Her breath was caught on her lips as she too returned her attention the the front. She could see Yuka from the corner of her eye, flashing a bright grin in her direction accompanied by a thumbs up. She was obviously suppressing an outburst of insane giggles. And Kagome found that for once, she didn't mind Yuka's rather annoying behavior. For two years she had been miserable, agonizing over the death of her closest friend - a boy that she loved. She had been depressed because the image of his blood-stained body would not leave her mind. And now - now, after all this time, he was sitting just four seats away, cool and composed, seeming so different than Inuyasha, but so alike that it was uncanny and heartwarming at the same time. Just looking at him made the long-forgotten tears of joy well up in Kagome's eyes. Three tears managed to escape from her eyelids, sliding down her cheek leaving a trail of salty water behind.

"Miss Higurashi," said her teacher, sounding concerned as he caught her attention. "Are you alright?"

Oh god, his eyes were on her, he was staring at her. The familiar burn of happiness in her chest seared through her mind, leaving her shaking and breathless. Those deep brown orbs were staring right at her. "I'm fine, sir," she managed to say. "I'm sorry, I just got something caught in my eye. That's all."

The teacher accepted her answer and turned away, taking his gaze with him. But the warm feeling remained. She didn't know why, didn't know how, couldn't possibly even begin to understand how this was even possible, but it didn't matter, because he was right there, just four seats away. He was back...he was alive.

Kagome rushed out of the school building, frantically searching for the lithe figure that represented everything she had lost. For a moment of breathless terror, she thought that she had missed him, but then she caught sight of the familiar dark eyes and latched onto the retreading figure like it was a beacon of light amidst a tempestuous ocean. "Hey, wait!" she shouted, practically flying over to the boy. "Please, wait!"

Inuyasha paused, wavering in between stopping and continuing forward. He hesitantly turned his head back, not certain if he was being called or not. He caught sight of her immediately - the two of them being among the first to leave - and looked at her quizzically as she ran towards him. "Higurashi?" he said, looking puzzled.

The look in his eyes changed to surprise when it became obvious that she wasn't going to stop. He opened his mouth, took an instinctive step back, and barely had time to brace himself before Kagome had reached him and flung herself towards him, arms wrapped around his neck, tightening him into a crushing hug. "Inuyasha!" she cried, her body shaking as she pressed her face into his shoulder. "Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha jerked back, his hands gripping her shoulders to push himself out of her encircling arms. He looked bewildered and bemused - as well as a little alarmed - and he was eying her uncertainly, as though not quite certain about her mental health. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, releasing her shoulders and taking a good two steps away. "But - I'm not...what did you call me?"

"Inuyasha! You're Inuyasha! I-I can't believe it, but you are! And you know me! It's just me, Kagome!" Her face was alight with happiness, tears of joy and relief brimming in her eyes as she beamed at him.

"Inuyasha?" he repeated, looking confused. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. My name's not Inuyasha, it's Katashi."

It was amazing how that single sentence could suck the pure happiness Kagome had been feeling right out of her. In an instant, the bright anticipation and burning desire to see this boy was suddenly drained away with the realization that he was - that he was...that he was serious. Replacing the glowing joy she'd been feeling from the moment she set eyes on him, was a familiar but hated coldness. Her mind froze in speechless denial. "Inuyasha, don't you remember me?" Her hands clenched into fists, her eyes staring directly into his wary ones. She spoke with quiet determination that didn't quite overlap the horror in her voice. "I'm Kagome! Remember? From two years ago? You met me at the tree...we traveled together, with a group. You have to remember Sango - and Miroku and Shippo!" Her gaze roved over his face, searching desperately for a flicker of recognition. "You have to remember!"

But he was shaking his head slowly. "I'm sorry, Kagome," he said softly, "but you have the wrong person. I just met you today, and I've never met anyone named Sango or Miroku or Shippo."

"What about Kikyo? Surely you remember Kikyo!" Kagome resorted to the name as a last stand, knowing that if he couldn't even recognize her name...she didn't know what would happen - because he was Inuyasha...he had to be. The dark coldness seemed to be growing to an icy blackness as she waited anxiously for his reply.

His face remained blank, except for the sympathetic expression that seeped from behind his mask. "You've mistaken me for someone else, Higurashi." His face softened as he looked at her, easily able to tell that this was a hard blow. "I'm sorry," he said again, taking another step back, obviously ready to leave this behind him.

"No!" Kagome gasped instantly. "It's you, I know it's you! Please - please try to remember! You have to! You honestly don't remember anything? Don't you even remember Sesshomaru, or Koga? What about Kaede, and Kirara! Inuyasha, please! You have to remember!"

Katashi backed away, his hands coming up in a placating position though the look in his eyes was anything but. He looked slightly freaked out by her panicked tone. "I'm sorry!" he said once more, gently, but firmly, the dangerous glint in his eyes warning her to back off. He clearly intended to end the conversation right then. "I don't know you, and I don't know anyone you're naming. My name is Katashi, alright? I'm not this Inuyasha person you seem to think I am. Just...please just leave me alone, okay?

He didn't wait for a reply, opting instead to swiftly turn on his heal and stride away - rather quickly, Kagome noted through her fogged daze - and did not glance back once, his steps never wavering.

Kagome stood alone, barely aware of the students that were beginning to pour out of the school. She stood alone by the entrance, a broken look on her face and a shattered heart in her chest. Every ounce of happiness had just been zapped out of her, leaving her with an empty feeling. She continued watching Inuyasha - Katashi - walk away, not taking her eyes off his back until he turned a corner.

It was him, she had been sure of it. Everything fit, the personality, the looks, the very way he carried himself...everything pointed to Inuyasha, except for the boy himself.

She hesitated, now uncertain of the boy who had vanished from sight. She began walking forwards grudgingly, the thought that the boy really was Katashi Fukuda entering her mind, leaving her to wonder if she'd just made an idiot of herself in front of a new classmate who happened to look uncannily like her deceased best friend.

But there was the other part that would not let go of the feeling she'd had when he'd entered that classroom. A part of her that had no doubt that that boy - despite his protests - really was the half-demon.

All she had to do now, was figure out if that was true...and what had happened to him to make him come back alive and forget everything he knew.

I'm very proud of this chapter, which is the longest one so far (if you care). It's my favorite so far. Um, just a few clarifications for you guys.

First, during the history part where Kagome is talking about how she failed her test, she is referring to the island Pitcairn and the Bounty. Also, I don't know much about Japanese schooling other than what I've seen off various animes or read in various stories so if I'm totally off, please tell me.

It took me forever to think of what Inuyasha' new name should be. I browsed through several different names but I couldn't find one that suited him very well. I mean, he's Inuyasha, and that's the most perfect name he could have. But I finally decided on Katashi, which is a name meaning 'firmness,' which I figured fits Inuyasha...sort of. I hope that's okay since I was not sure if I should call him that.

If you need anything else for me to "make clear" for you, just ask and I'll tell (unless it's a spoiler for some future amazing upcoming scene...if it is, too bad! You just have to wait and find out. Mwahahaha!)

^_^' If I haven't frightened you off, please review!