Kagome finally got home. She locked herself in her room, and cried for a bit. But, then, she got up, and began to pack. If what Koga and InuYasha had told her was true- and she didn't doubt for a minute that it was- she had precious little time, and too much to do in that period.
She had to make arrangements with Kaede for Rin and Shippo. She had to talk to Koga- really not looking forward to that one, oh, no she wasn't- somehow convince InuYasha to make his peace with his brother, purify Kohaku's shard, she had to make her peace with the stupid, clay pot whore- no, no, mustn't think about her like that- Kikyo, and …
Kagome sat down at her desk. She pulled out a sheet of paper, and a writing utensil. Her eyes welled with tears again, but through the haze, she managed to write a single line.
'I, Higurashi Kagome, being of sound mind, and equally sound body, do so write my final will and testament.'
***~~~***
InuYasha showed up the next day. "Come on, wench." he urged. "We're not gathering shards by you just sitting there." He glared at her textbooks, which were, in his opinion, much more evil than Naraku, for keeping Kagome away from her job. "Hey, what's this?" he asked, picking up a sheet of paper on the desk.
Kagome walked out of the room to get something for her gigantic monstrosity of a backpack.
Nothing against the backpack. I have one in a lovely shade of neon green and sky blue.
But this is not the point. Moving on.
When she returned several minutes later, InuYasha stood frozen in the middle of her room.
"Kagome…do you think I'd let something happen to you?" he asked. "Do you think I'd let you die?"
She looked surprised. "What? No, InuYasha, of course not."
"Then, what is this?" he demanded, waving the piece of paper she'd written the night before at her.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Damn, she knew she should have hidden that before she went to sleep last night. Sometimes, InuYasha was far too inquisitive for his own good.
"N-no…It's just that, you know…just in case something happens…Not that I think anything's going to happen! Eh heh heh…It's not that I don't trust you to protect me, InuYasha."
He looked at her, totally unconvinced. "Something's going on." he said finally. "Something you're not telling me. Why do you think you're going to die, Kagome? What's going on?"
A single tear ran down her face. "I-I can't t-tell you, InuYasha. You'll know when it happens, and…just, please, know it's not your fault. You couldn't have stopped it."
He stared at her. "You're kidding, right? Kagome, please tell me you're kidding. I can't- We can't lose you…We need you…Who'll find the shards if you're gone?"
She turned away from him. "Kikyo can. She'll probably do a much better job at it, too." she said, a little bitterly. "Please, InuYasha, don't ask me to tell you. I can't." She hefted up her backpack. "Let's go."
InuYasha pushed her gently back down. "No. If something's going to happen, you need time with your family. They barely see you, as is." She opened her mouth to argue. "No." he cut her off. "The shards can wait a day. I'll see you tomorrow." He leaped out the window, and was gone.
Kagome waited until she thought he was out of earshot, to burst into sobs.
InuYasha, perched above her window, on the roof, listened to her cries. Suddenly, he stiffened, and sniffed the air. Approaching the shrine was a scent he was quite familiar with, one he wasn't expecting in this era.
The Aristocratic Assassin, the Killing Perfection, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands was walking up the stairs to the shrine.
'Why is that bastard here? And why now, with Kagome so upset?'