Inuyasha continued to pierce Kagome with his amber eyes. He crossed his arms as he glared at her. "When the hell were you going to tell us?" he spit out, venom lacing his voice. Kagome stayed quiet and looked at the ground.

"So it's okay to discuss this with Naraku but not with me? When the hell were going to tell us Kagome?" He yelled at her. Kagome sighed and looked at him. "This has nothing to do with speaking to Naraku or not."

"The hell it doesn't!" He yelled. Kagome flinched. "When were you going to tell us that you were hurt worse than any of us knew!?" he yelled. Miroku and Sango awoke from the yelling and sat up, looking up at Kagome and Inuyasha.

"I wasn't. I was hoping I could defeat Naraku and not have to worry about it. You all have enough to worry about without throwing me into the mix. You didnt have to worry about me too."

Inuyasha scoffed angrily. "So you thought that it was smarter and better to keep secrets from us?" Kagome looked back at the ground. "How could you keep this from us!? From me!? We're your friends!" yelled Inuyasha.

Kagome looked at him. "Inuyasha this wasn't about keeping a secret from you. This was about destroying Naraku." Inuyasha looked at her. "Wait, you were never going to tell us this." Kagome looked at him. "No, I already told you that I never planned on telling anyone this."

Inuyasha looked at her with hurt in his eyes. "You weren't going to tell us because you didn't plan on living." Miroku and Sango looked in shock from Inuyasha to Kagome. Kagome looked back at the ground.

"The plan was to not say something to anyone. I wanted to destroy Naraku for you so you can all live." Kagome looked from Inuyasha to the ground and over to Miroku and Sango. "That way you guys can be free to get married and be together without the curse of the wind tunnel hanging over your head."

She looked back to Inuyasha. "You could live your life. The way you wanted. Not how Naraku thinks that you should be living. A constant fight between you. I just wanted to help. And yes, I was willing to destroy Naraku and die in the process if it meant that you all lived."

Inuyasha shook his head. "That isn't your decision to make Kagome." She looked at him with shock. "It's my life. You don't get a say in how I live my life either." Kagome shook her head. "It is my decision."

Inuyasha glared at her. "My life, my choice. If I want to sacrifice my life for you all then that is my decision." Inuyasha shook his head. "No either we all live or we all go down together." Kagome shook her head.

"No, I want to defeat Naraku alone. I don't want Naraku hurting anyone else like he has me." Inuyasha shook his head. "No, either you are with us or you're not. We all go after Naraku. So either you join us or you go back to your time."

Kagome scoffed. "So that's it? Either I do your terms or I'm out?" Inuyasha's head snapped to her. "Yes, you gave up that right when you lied to me." Kagome shook her head. "I didnt lie to you to be mean. I did it to protect you."

Inuyasha looked at her. "Whether you lied to me, to us and you thought it was for a good reason, you still lied to me." Kagome shook her head. "This is why I didnt tell you. I knew that you were going to get angry."

"And why shouldn't I be!? You LIED to me! You kept SECRETS from me! You went on and on the other day about how we are companions and here you are keeping secrets from your companions."

"You should go back to your time. Let us take care of this." he said, turning from her. "Oh, so now I don't get a choice." Inuyasha turned around. "No! You don't belong here! This isn't your time! Naraku is OUR enemy!"

Kagome backed away from him. Inuyasha felt bad for what he said but he kept the stern look on his face. "After everything that we have been through together, that's how you feel?" Inuyasha turned away from her.

"You don't really have a connection with Naraku. The rest of us do." Kagome scoffed and looked away from him. "Whether I go back to my time or not, this miasma is strong and is killing me. Whether I am here or there this miasma will kill me if Naraku isn't stopped."

Inuyasha sighed deeply, and angrily. He tried to get his feelings under control. "How long do you have? Before the miasma is too much?" he asked. Kagome sighed. "Two days. Maybe three. The miasma is already licking at my lungs. It's getting harder to breathe."

Inuyasha nodded. He turned to look at her. "Then we will have to defeat Naraku before then. But after that, I am taking you back to your time. Permanently." Kagome gasped. "What if I want to stay here?" she asked.

Inuyasha looked at her. "You don't belong here. You belong in your time." Inuyasha looked at the others. "Come on, let's get ready to go." He walked away from Kagome. Kagome dropped to her knees and she started to cry.

Sango looked at her and she walked out of the hut. She didnt know what to say or do. "Sango." said Kagome. Sango turned and looked at her. "I need your help with something." Sango walked over to her.

"What do you need?" Kagome looked at her. "I need to make sure that my wound doesn't reopen." Sango nods. "Okay, what do you need?" Kagome looked at her. "I need you to cauterize my wound."

Sango looked at her. "I know from experience how much that hurts." Kagome nodded. "I know. But I have to make sure that it doesn't open again easily." Sango sighed and nodded. "Okay, do you want me to get Inuyasha?" Kagome shook her head. "I don't think that he's ever going to forgive me."

Sango sighed. "He will. He just needs time." Kagome sighed. "Let me just go and talk to him." Kagome nodded. She walked out of the hut. Sango walked over to Inuyasha. "Are we ready?" Sango shook her head.

"Not yet, Kagome asked me to do something first." Inuyasha looked at her. "And she's going to need you." Inuyasha scoffed. "What does she need me for?" he asked. "She asked me to cauterize her wound. To make sure that it doesn't reopen so easily. And it hurts a lot."

"What exactly is that?" Sango sighed. "Basically I put a hot blade from the fire and I put it on her wound, basically sealing it." Inuyasha looked at her. "Will she be able to take it?" Sango shook her head. "I honestly don't know."

"I know that you are understandably angry with her. But she needs you for this. My father used to do it when the demon's wounds would be deep. It's excruciating." Inuyasha sighed and nodded. "Fine."

Sango and Inuyasha walked into the hut. Sango made the preparations. "Okay, Inuyasha. I need you to put your hand in the center of Kagome's chest. She's going to writhe and I need you to keep her still."

Inuyasha nodded. He did so. Kagome reached up and grabbed the sleeve of his haori. Inuyasha looked at her and looked back at Sango. Sango picked up her sword blade and she looked at Kagome. "Are you sure?" Kagome nodded.

Sango put the blade on her side and Kagome screamed. She clenched the sleeve of Inuyasha's haori. Inuyasha looked at her in horror. Her screams ripped through his heart. Kagome gasped for breath after Sango pulled the blade from her side

Inuyasha looked at her. "Are you okay?" he asked. Kagome nodded. "I will be. Just need a little time." she said, closing her eyes. Inuyasha looked at Sango and back at Kagome. He never wanted to hear Kagome scream like that again.

"We may have to wait a few hours for that." said Sango. Inuyasha nodded. "You and Miroku go ahead and maybe take a fly around or something. I'll stay here with her." Sango nodded. She stopped at the doorway.

"You know, I don't think that she was right for keeping her wound a secret. But I understand her reasoning behind it. She didnt want to scare you after it being so close to you losing Kikyo again. She had good intentions."

Inuyasha turned to look at Sango. He said nothing as he turned back to Kagome. Sango left. Inuyasha looked at her as she rested. Inuyasha clenched his fist by his side and he allowed a single tear to fall down his face.

'I can't lose you Kagome. I can't.' He said he bowed his head.

REWRITTEN FEBRUARY 2024