Summary: This story takes place six years after Naraku's defeat, and the err… putting together of the Shikon Jewel. Right after Naraku was killed, the Shikon Jewel was completed, and once this happened, Kagome was sent home against her will, seeing that she had no purpose in the feudal era any longer. Desperate to get Kagome back, Inuyasha made a wish using the Shikon Jewel which he never expected to make. This wish ultimately caused him to be reincarnated in Kagome's world as a human, while his soul slept soundly within this human reincarnation, waiting to be awakened by someone cough Kagome cough. Now six years later… Kagome is a college student living in the city, and she is about to run into an old friend :)

- Shattered -

- Chapter 1 -

Kagome stared absently out her apartment window at the raging city beneath her. She sighed, almost depressingly as she thought of her old quiet home in the shrine. Even though it had been six years, she still missed it, and still wanted to live there more than any other place in the world.

"Just… too many memories," she mumbled to herself, still staring absently out the window.

It was six years ago when Inuyasha had finally defeated Naraku, and put together the final shards of the shikon jewel.

It was six years ago when Kagome's purpose in the feudal era had ceased, and she was forced to return home.

It was five years ago, when Kagome's home was bought out by the government, and torn down, forcing her entire family to move into the city.

Kagome was crushed at that time. Her only means of ever seeing her friends again – her only means of seeing Inuyasha, had been bulldozed right in front of her eyes. Of course, Kagome would never show her pain. She pretended everything was ok, and forced herself to continue smiling in the presence of her family. Her mother insisted moving into the city would be a nice change for everyone, and would make college a much more convenient option for Kagome. Always wanting to be the good daughter, Kagome agreed with her mother, only to see her happy.

And now, here she was, Kagome Higurashi; a twenty one year old college student who appeared to have everything from the outside. She was smart, attractive, friendly, hard working, capable, and apparently well balanced. But what the rest of the world didn't see was Kagome's inner battle, tearing her up from within. Inside, she was shattered.

Her life had become nothing but a boring routine. Wake up every morning, go to class, come home, work, study, get minimal sleeping hours, and wake up the next morning only to repeat the previous cycle. Although most people never saw anything wrong with Kagome, some of her closer friends were beginning to see the evident changes in the once energetic girl's personality. They always told her she didn't go out enough, and that she needed to have more fun. Kagome insisted she was simply focused on her studies.

"But Kagome, just look at you! You're a ghost of what you used to be… I mean you've lost so much weight, you barely eat anything… you're face is practically gray all the time with those awful rings around your eyes, and you never laugh or smile or joke anymore! You don't even look at the opposite sex!" they would all say.

Of course, this only frustrated Kagome, as she had grown tired of reassuring them everything was fine. Evidently, it wasn't. It was lie even she couldn't pull off anymore. Then again, Kagome was never really all that good at lying to her friends anyways.

Even Hojo, who had conveniently managed to end up in the same college as Kagome, was worried. He constantly asked her if she was getting sick again, like she used to in high school, and brought her herbal teas and all sorts of weird, apparently natural remedies for her grievances. Kagome would only smile and thank him politely, throwing out the medications once she reached home.

The college student's brain registered the sound of her lock clicking, as she unconsciously turned the key, locking her front door. Her mother and Souta still slept soundly while Kagome left the apartment early to catch the bus to school every weekday morning. The journey was about two hours, including the bus ride, and the five-mile hike to the college - not to mention a lot of walking through the campus itself. Sometimes Kagome wanted to be irresponsible, and simply not care, having the will to skip her classes and just fail. They said that in Japan, if you were a university student and slept for more than three hours, you would flunk out. Well, that's what her high school teachers told her anyway. Being somewhat of a perfectionist, Kagome couldn't even fathom the idea of failing, so every morning she'd drag herself out of bed like this, and make her way down the street towards the bus stop.

When she got on the bus, she usually had to stand, since every single bus and subway car was always crammed full of people. Even if she did find a seat, Kagome usually felt the need to give it up to an elderly person, or a young woman with her baby.

After an hour and a half on the bus, Kagome would get off and walk the rest of the way, passing a messy construction site each time. Occasionally, a construction worker or two would whistle at her from the high metal beams above, but the girl never paid them any attention. They used to make her blush and look away, but now she'd only sigh, look down at her feet and keep walking.

But today was different. The sun was only beginning to rise, and for the first time in what seemed like weeks, the sky was clear. Kagome's mood lifted a little when she saw this. She hated cloudy days, especially when it rained. A smile tugged on the young woman's lips. 'Let's try and make the best of it.' She thought to herself, not wanting to waste the good weather.

Finally reaching the annoying construction site, which seemed to have been there for an eternity, Kagome could hear drilling followed by men shouting. It was always loud and obnoxious, but at least this time they weren't whistling at her shamelessly. Kagome kept walking without sparing a glance, despite the loud crashing sounds that came from above her. More drilling sounded, followed by more yelling, this time louder.

"HOLY SHIT!! LADY WATCH OUT!!" came the warning from one of the men working on the metal beams above.

Kagome stopped to glance in the direction of the warning, but what she saw had her frozen to the ground.

A large chunk of something, presumable metal, was falling, and it was going to fall right onto Kagome. Not being very reflexive, the young woman closed her eyes and averted her gaze, expecting to be hit by the large piece of construction work within the next millisecond, and be crushed to her death.

At that moment, Kagome was hit full-force by something hard… only it wasn't where she expected. Instead of coming from above the force came from her side, throwing her out of the large metal object's path.

Kagome let out a strangled cry as she felt her small frame crash into a puddle of mud near the construction site, covering her in the brown viscous liquid. (Not too pleasant smelling either.) Her eyes were closed and her teeth were clenched, not knowing whether to be happy, angry, or embarrassed. She knew her new coat was covered in mud, as was her freshly washed hair and face. Not only that, she was late for class, which in a Japanese college student's world, meant falling about three decades behind.

"Hey, you better watch where you're going lady - construction sites aren't exactly playgrounds you know," a gruff and familiarly rude voice lectured from above her.

Kagome slowly opened her eyes and looked up, squinting. The sun was directly behind the figure speaking to her, making it difficult to see his face – but judging from the toned shape of his body and the sound of his voice, he seemed to be quite young.

"And what the hell is this?" he asked, imitating Kagome's position when she attempted to shield herself from the incoming chunk of metal. "A little girl like you couldn't stop a thing like that… you would have been crushed!" he exclaimed, even more roughly this time.

Kagome wasn't quite sure what it was, but something about this guy was extremely familiar…. But right now wasn't the time for that. He was insulting her, and the continuous personal attacks were making the young woman's blood boil. What was she supposed to do? She was scared! Or maybe she didn't WANT to get out of the way!

"Hey, now you listen here…" she began, pointing an accusing finger at the towering figure in front of her. "I never asked for your help! You just… flew in out of nowhere and pushed me out of the way on your own accord! So don't lecture me as though I MADE you protect me!! I never asked for it!" she shot back angrily, her eyebrows furrowing as she furiously tried to make out the man's face.

"Feh," he grunted, "Whatever… you're alright though, aren't you?" he asked monotonously, stepping forward ever so slightly and looking to the side, his face finally out of the sun's angle.

At that moment, two things had registered in Kagome's mind. The first: he had just say 'feh,' something only one person she had ever known used to say. Second: What Kagome saw standing in front of her had her pulse stopping and her brain spinning in complete and utter confusion.

On a Monday morning in the twenty first century Tokyo, Japan, stood none other than Inuyasha himself in human form.

Kagome was frozen. She stared at him, expecting some kind of sign or evidence of recognition on his part, but it quickly became apparent that there was none.

The girl blinked as one last thought burned its way through her mind before she slipped out of consciousness:

Inuyasha was a human construction worker in modern day Tokyo… and he had no idea who Kagome Higurashi was.

A/N: yayyyy first chappie is done! Now just for the record… this Inuyasha not knowing who Kagome is thing is only temporary. And no, he won't be human forever either… do not mourn the doggie ears just yet :) I promise I'll give them back. R&R PLZZ!!!