Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, names or characters. All rights to Inuyasha are ownedby Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise studios, and VIZ.

Notice: This chapter is really long, so you might want to read this offline. Just a suggestion.

In The Rain

A Mother's Wish – The End –

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It was now the next morning. Sesshoumaru gets up and walks away from the tree he was sitting under and, walks up to the lip of the bone eater's well. He looks down into its deepest reaches, and wonders if Kagome would still be in the same sad mood she had left in. Sesshoumaru knew that even if he had tried his best to be loving and considerate towards her; he knew that the wounds in Kagome's heart would take some time to heal. They were after all inflicted by one close to her.

He sat down on the lip of the well and looked up at the morning sky that was slowly getting brighter, as soft rays of gold streaked across a purple and pinkish sky. Sesshoumaru was just wondering when Kagome would return to this side of the well, when his highly sensitive sense of smell, picked up a very familiar scent. Sesshoumaru calmly brought his gaze to the trees in front of him and, softly said, "So, the hanyou proves that he has some speed." Sesshoumaru took a quick glance down the well and then stood up, and calmly, he took a step forward to say, "I am surprised at your speed hanyou, I presumed you were always slow."

Inuyasha came out of the trees, drenched in sweat and holding Tessaiga in his right hand and, growled, saying, "I've come to reclaim what is rightfully mine, you stray dog!"

Sesshoumaru merely arched an eyebrow in amusement and, said, "Interesting… and the thing you have come to reclaim… it would not be Kagome, by any chance?"

Inuyasha held his sword up, with both his hands, ready to strike his insolent half-brother down at any time and, retorted, "You got that right. Kikyo belongs to me, like hell I'm gonna let any other man take her away from me."

Sesshoumaru looked almost bored, as he answered, "Grief has certainly addled your brains, little brother. Your Kikyo has died… Kagome maybe the miko's reincarnation, but Kagome is Kagome, she is not your Kikyo."

Inuyasha held Tessaiga up, so that the tip of the massive sword, pointed towards the sky and said, "Kagome and Kikyo are the same! I will never let anyone else have her! Not you! Not even that wimpy wolf!" with that, Inuyasha jumped towards Sesshoumaru and held Tessaiga over his head. When he brought it down to where his brother stood, Sesshoumaru quickly parried Inuyasha's forceful blow with his own sword, Tokijin. For a brief moment, Inuyasha was held aloft in the air, as Tessaiga's mighty blade rested on Tokijin's oddly flat and straight blade, which was not usual in their land.

With just a gentle flick of his wrist, Sesshoumaru pushed Inuyasha away and watched the hanyou fly backwards in the air. Inuyasha landed about five feet from his brother, but he jumped back a further 3 three feet to put some distance between himself and the Taiyoukai. Inuyasha straightens up and pointed his sword at the well and yelled, "So, you're going to fight me for Kikyo are you?"

Sesshoumaru paid Inuyasha another bored look, but his liquid gold eyes betrayed his annoyance, as he answered his brother in a monotonous tone of voice, saying, "No, you pathetic worm, this Sesshoumaru has no desire to fight over a dead miko."

Inuyasha smirked and said, "So, you don't mind if I break that well do ya? That way, you won't get your filthy hands on my Kikyo."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and said, "That… I can't allow."

Inuyasha barred his fangs at his brother and, said, "You bd, so you are after my Kikyo!"

"Humph!" said Sesshoumaru coldly, "the only female, who I have any desire for is Kagome, and not your dead miko, Kikyo!"

Inuyasha held his sword in both hands, ready to attack his brother, and yelled, "I'm gonna break that well and kill you, then Kikyo will be mine again!"

- - - - - -

Kagome begin to stir out of unconsciousness and felt her back lying on something nice and soft, something that felt just like her bed. Her eyes opened, and Kagome found that she was in her room. She sat up in bed and saw that she was in her red Kimono, but that it was minus her pure black obi. Kagome looked to the side and saw her mother sitting on a stool by the side of her bed.

"What happened, mama?" Kagome asked her mother.

Asami gave her daughter a worried look and slowly, said, "Kagome, you fainted… don't you remember?"

Kagome raised her right hand up to her face, and said, "No… I don't… gosh, I feel like I have this tremendous headache."

Asami placed her hand gently on her daughter's right arm, and sat closer to her and said, "Kagome, you fainted when you heard that our shrine is actually Sesshoumaru's tomb."

Kagome's eyes widened, as she said, "Oh yes… I remember now," and as she said that, she felt her blood run cold. She held her hand down a bit, and stared into space. After a while, Kagome said, "I can't believe this… I've lived my whole life here and I have never known what was enshrined in our family shrine. How could I not know that… if I did, if I knew that, I would have never have fallen in love with Sesshoumaru."

"Kagome," said Asami softly, "even if you did know that our shrine was Sesshoumaru's grave, would you have not fallen in love with him, or not known him just because he would later be dead?"

Kagome looked at her mother in surprise, and as tears started well in her eyes, she said, "No… I would still love him… and I would find anyway possible while I was on the other side to stop his death."

Asami held Kagome's black pre-tied obi up and, said, "Come on, you should get dressed." After Asami had secured the obi onto her daughter's waist, Kagome left her room and walked to the shrine. When she stood at the part of the shrine, where people came to offer their respects to the kami enshrined; she gazed at the building with sorrowful eyes, and said, "Oh Sesshoumaru… you have always been by my side haven't you? I wish," she said, as silent tears poured from her eyes, "I could have been by your side for just as long. Why," said Kagome as she cried into her hands, "why Inuyasha… why did you have to kill him?"

- - - - - -

"KAZE NO KIZU!!" Inuyasha yelled as he brought Tessaiga down in a single and straight slash in front of him, unleashing his signature move on towards his brother.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and quickly twirled his sword, Tokijin, in the air before he quickly stabbed the sword into the ground, and knelt down before its blade and held its crimson hilt tightly, as Kaze no Kizu thundered towards him.

It was in a blink of an eye, that Sesshoumaru preformed the impossible. Tokijin's blade crackled blue just as the three claws of youki drew and inch or so from him. And in an instant, there was a blue flash, and the move, Kaze no Kizu was cut into two; both halves of the move, dissipating at Sesshoumaru's side like strong gusts of wind. However, the force of Kaze no Kizu, which dissipated at Sesshoumaru's left side, was so powerful that it destroyed the left flank of the bone eater's well.

Sesshoumaru heard the crunching of wood behind him and turned, and saw part of the well breaking into small pieces and splinters that sprayed high over the well.

Sesshoumaru's eyes went wide for a brief moment, before he recovered, and thought, 'I can't let the fool destroy the well!'

Sesshoumaru stood up coolly, and without warning, he jumped towards Inuyasha, who could only hold Tessaiga up in defense, as his brother crossed the distance between them in a single leap and in an instant. When Sesshoumaru reached Inuyasha, he made a forceful blow towards Tessaiga, and sent its master backwards into the forest and away from the well.

'I'll push the fool away,' thought Sesshoumaru, as he leapt again towards Inuyasha, who had just landed about a couple of meters away. 'Far away from the well… if the well took another hit like that the precise time Kagome returns… she would be injured by the falling debris. I'll take the idiot somewhere far, and there, beat him till he can't move. I doubt talking sense into him works!'

With each blow Sesshoumaru landed on Tessaiga, he pushed Inuyasha further into the forest and, farther away from the well. All Inuyasha could do was to hold his sword up, so his brother wouldn't slash him in half. Sesshoumaru stopped, when he found himself at a small little clearing in the woods, near a tall and old tree. 'This place will do,' thought Sesshoumaru as fitted Tokijin into his dark blue obi and cracked his knuckles and stretched his fingers, readying himself to beat the living daylights out of his idiotic half-brother.

"Hey," said Inuyasha, lowering Tessaiga. "You wanna die Sesshoumaru? Pull out your sword."

"Don't need it," Sesshoumaru replied coolly, as he held his only hand up, his honey golden eyes set on Inuyasha with a gaze so intense that it would make anyone run in the other direction without a moment's haste.

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, annoyed, "don't get too cocky you stray dog, haven't you forgotten how many times you were defeated by me?"

"I remember well… however… this Sesshoumaru has not fallen to you since you became more stupid," said Sesshoumaru, with his lips in a very gentle curve that almost looked like a smirk.

"SESSHOUMARU!" Inuyasha bellowed, as he jumped towards his brother, with Tessaiga raised. When Inuyasha was above Sesshoumaru, he swung the mighty blade down, in an attempt to slash Sesshoumaru in half. But, when the blade of the sword came down; all Inuyasha felt he had cut was air, as Sesshoumaru's image disappeared in a blink of an eye.

"Where do you think your looking?" Inuyasha heard Sesshoumaru say from somewhere above him. He looked up in time to see Sesshoumaru's acidic green whip come down towards him, catching Inuyasha on his right cheek. Inuyasha moved at once, his arm coming up to shield him from any more attacks. He heard Sesshoumaru land gently on the ground and, brought his arm down to see Sesshoumaru looking mildly amused at him.

When Inuyasha had lowered his sleeve, Sesshoumaru saw a burnt mark on Inuyasha's face where his whip had caught him. "You are as slow as ever," said Sesshoumaru.

"Keh," said Inuyasha, his cheek stinging badly, "I've gotten a whole lot better, wise guy, watch your self… I'm gonna get serious now."

"Hmmm?" said Sesshoumaru in mock amusement, "So all that talk about killing me and taking Kagome was a lie?" This comment made Inuyasha even more furious. But high above the dueling brothers, Kirara flew, with Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, looking down at the inuyoukai brothers.

"Gyaaah!" Shippou exclaimed, "Inuyasha what are you doing? You're just falling into Sesshoumaru's trap!" The little kitsune held his little head with both his hands and squeaked, "I wish Kagome was here!"

"Speaking of Kagome-chan," said Sango, scanning what she could see of where the two brothers stood, "Where is she?"

"Maybe she's returned to her own world," said Miroku calmly.

"Right," said Sango, "Kirara, can you take us to the well?" Kirara gave a purr and flew off to the bone eaters well where she landed and transformed into her cute kitten form.

When Miroku, Sango, and Shippou, saw the state of the well, they were stunned. Miroku walked up to the well and bent down to where he noticed three familiar gashes into the ground before the well. "No doubt about this," said Miroku, as he placed his hand on the ground and felt one of the gashes, "this is Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu." He then turned on the spot and saw where it abruptly ended, "But… here… it looks like it just… disappeared." Said Miroku.

"Hey Miroku!" said Shippou, standing in front of what remained of the well and, in front of the gashes on the ground, "Look there's a small little hole here in the ground." Miroku stood up and walked to where Shippou stood. He then knelt down, and saw the small hole that Shippou talked about. "This hole," said Miroku, as Sango with Kirara on her shoulder came up to him, "it looks like it was made by a sword." He pushed his hand down to the small hole but, quickly, he pulled it back and said, "And it's not by any sword… this youki… it belongs to Sesshoumaru."

"Sesshoumaru?" Sango and Shippou, asked at the same time.

"Yes…" said Miroku slowly, as he looked up at the well, then back at the small hole on the ground. He then stood to his feet and turned around and looked at the scars left on the ground from Kaze no Kizu. "I know what happened here," said Miroku softly.

"If I'm right," said Miroku continuing, "then Sesshoumaru's regard for Kagome-sama is indeed real."

"What?" said Shippou, shocked, "but there's no way… Sesshoumaru doesn't have a caring bone in his body!"

"But," said Sango slowly, "then how do you explain Tenseiga working for him. Remember… he revived that little otter's dad?"

"Oh, that's right," said Shippou.

Miroku then spoke, saying, "Inuyasha attacked Sesshoumaru as he was standing in front of the well… but… somehow… using Tokijin and his youki, Sesshoumaru defended not only himself but the well when he stopped Kaze no Kizu here."

"He defended the well?" Sango asked, "But why? Not unless…. he knows that Kagome-chan…"

"That could be the reason why Sesshoumaru defended the well," said Miroku. "Sesshoumaru could have very easily jumped out of the way… but… he chose instead to stop Kaze no Kizu. Ask yourselves… if you were Sesshoumaru… would you protect this well?"

"No," said Sango, "unless he knows that Kagome uses it to return to her world… and not unless… he… truly… cares… for her."

"Exactly," said Miroku looking straight at Sango.

"Wait, wait, wait… so you guys are saying," said Shippou, trying very hard to understand what was going on, "That Kagome and Sesshoumaru are really really in love???"

Miroku and Sango looked at each other and then turned to the Kitsune, with Miroku going first to say, "This might sound odd… very odd," he then turned to Sango, who said, "But Shippou, we are going to have to come to terms that Sesshoumaru really does have real feelings for Kagome… I can tell for a fact that Kagome loves Sesshoumaru, perhaps even more than she had ever loved Inuyasha."

Miroku then spoke up, saying, "There's only one way to confirm that. We have to go and witness the fight between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha."

Sango reached for Kirara on her shoulder and placed the little kitten on the ground and, said, "Kirara, watch the well and when Kagome-chan comes back, please help her out from it, part of the well is broken, so it'll be difficult for her to climb back up." Kirara gave a mew, saying she understand, and then, Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, ran into the forest and towards the fight taking place, but as they got nearer to the sounds, they spotted lady Kaede and a few village men running towards the similar direction.

"Oh!" said lady Kaede, "So you have returned. What is happening here? We can hear the sounds of a battle, all the way from the village."

"Oh hello lady Kaede," said Miroku pleasantly, as he ran pass the old miko, "it's only Inuyasha fighting his elder brother, Sesshoumaru, nothing new!" Sango then passed her by, and when Shippou reached her, she, the kitsune and the men went towards the sounds of the fighting.

"Why, pray tell are they fighting again?" Lady Kaede asked, as she moved as fast as her old body would allow.

"Oh," said Shippou answering, "Kagome's no longer in love with Inuyasha, she's in love with Sesshoumaru."

"Eh?" said lady Kaede, stunned by that bit of information, "Yeah, I know weird," said Shippou, "but it gets weirder, Sesshoumaru may really like Kagome and he's fighting for her… I think."

"And Inuyasha?" lady Kaede asked.

"Oh," Shippou replied, "He thinks Kikyo and Kagome are the same, so he's fighting for Kagome too… I think."

"My," said lady Kaede, "what a complicated mess."

When they reached the fight, Sango and Miroku saw a flash of something green and bright whipping through the air between both brothers. Sesshoumaru was standing calmly and looked quite unruffled, as his bright green, neon whip returned to him. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was marked with numerous flash wounds of where the whip had caught him on many occasions.

"Da-mn you… Sesshoumaru… I'm gonna get serious now!" said Inuyasha, with one eye open. The last time Sesshoumaru had brandished his whip at Inuyasha, he had caught him on his right eye.

Sesshoumaru let out a hiss of breath, and looked bored as he said, "Yes, yes…" he uttered monotonously.

"What's with that tone?" Inuyasha asked, as he used Tessaiga as his support to keep himself standing. "You don't believe me do ya?" Inuyasha asked irately.

"Nope," Sesshoumaru answered coolly.

"You think you're smart don't ya?" Inuyasha asked, with annoyance deep in his voice.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru answered coolly again, as he looked at the spectators who had come to witness this, as Sesshoumaru thought, silly fight.

"WHY YOU!!!!" Inuyasha shouted, as he held Tessaiga high up and then brought it forcefully down onto the ground, sending a hail of sand, stones, and pebbles at Sesshoumaru, whose eyebrows rose, making him look like he was mildly impressed. Then from behind the debris he had sent towards his brother, Inuyasha emerged, with Tessaiga drawn in front of him, like a spear towards its intended target, Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru side stepped Tessaiga's blade and his movements was so quick, that no one saw him, when he kicked Inuyasha in the stomach and, sent him flying into a small nearby tree, breaking it in half. Sesshoumaru calmly tucked a stray lock of platinum hair behind his ear and walked up to the audience that watched the fight. His audience seemed to panic at his approach, but without a single trace of emotion on his face, Sesshoumaru walked up to lady Kaede, and asked, "Are you the sibling of the dead miko, Kikyo?"

"Err… yes," lady Kaede answered.

Sesshoumaru's eyes then traveled to Miroku and Sango and asked, "Have you told her?"

Sango didn't know how to respond, but Miroku answered, saying, "No, net yet… we have just returned here ourselves."

"I see," said Sesshoumaru gallantly, he then turned back to Kaede, and said, "My condolences to you." Sesshoumaru then turned around, and walked back to the battlefield.

Lady Kaede turned to Sango and Miroku with a confused look on her face, but saw them looking away from her.

"Kaede-sama," said Miroku somberly, "I'm not the one to tell you this… but… Kikyo… is truly dead. She died after she had purified Naraku once and for all. But she did die with a smile on her face… she was finally happy."

"I see…" said lady Kaede softly, "and now, I understand what is happening here. Oh Inuyasha… you can't see can you?" said lady Kaede as she watched Inuyasha getting to his feet. "That Kikyo and Kagome are not the same people though their souls may be same. My sister Kikyo, was her own special self… and Kagome is a very different person from my sister Kikyo. Kagome is a very special child, it's no wonder you lost her."

Everyone who heard her, stared at lady Kaede with wonder. But all of a sudden she turned around and, to her village men, she said, "Come, there is no need to witness this fight… its victor has already been selected." The old miko then walked off, leaving everyone staring at her in surprise. The village men then followed her, if there was no need to watch the battle, then they might as well return to the fields.

That left only Miroku, Sango, and Shippou to watch the battle.

Inuyasha got back up on to his feet and dropped Tessaiga on the ground. "Keh, I don't need this sword, it's in the way," then wiping blood away from his mouth, Inuyasha smirked and said, "Get ready Sesshoumaru, I'm gonna fight the way I know best."

"Interesting… bug… show me," said Sesshoumaru, his eyes glimmering dangerously at his younger half-brother.

Inuyasha ran towards his brother and then jumped up, as he raised his fist. Sesshoumaru sighed and said, "Same as usual."

"Like hell it is!" Inuyasha yelled, as suddenly, he twisted his body in the air and raised his right knee up, to kick Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru caught Inuyasha's right leg before it could hit him in the face, but Inuyasha surprised Sesshoumaru, when he kicked the back of his head using his left foot.

"AH!" Exclaimed the last three people watching the fight. "Look at that," said Shippou, "Inuyasha actually managed to hit Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru jumped away and turned in midair, and cursed under his breath for underestimating Inuyasha. 'I should remember not to do that,' thought Sesshoumaru as he glared at Inuyasha who smirked at him, 'the last time I did that… I lost an arm.'

- - - - -

It was now evening, and at the home of the Higurashi's, the family just sat down to a hot meal of claypot beef, with leeks, carrots and onions, cooked in a mild soy sauce. Asami had just handed Kagome a bowl of rice and started to dish out some more for her self. Kagome watched as Souta and Jii-chan started to pile small bite sized pieces of asparagus onto their rice. Actually, though Kagome did not have much of an appetite, the aroma rising from the asparagus that her mother had cooked in oyster sauce and garlic, made her stomach growl, indicating she should feed it. A small smile formed on Kagome's lips as she reached for the vegetable and started to place a couple of pieces on her rice.

Where Jii-chan and Souta ate and chatted animatedly about the latest happenings in J-league soccer and the English Premiership, Kagome ate in silence and munched on her food slowly. Though the aroma of the food, tickled her nostrils… the food that Kagome consumed, had no flavor in it. Her mother had just rebuked Jii-chan and Souta for being to loud at the dinner table, when Kagome place her half full bowl of rice down and, excused herself for the table. Jii-chan, Souta and Asami, watched silently as Kagome left the room and went outside.

"Ne," said Souta, "I thought we were cheering her up."

"Yeah," said Jii-chan, "I thought so too."

Asami continued eating and said, "Now, now, the both of you did your best."

Kagome wandered in the darkness that engulfed the city of Tokyo, but it wasn't as dark as it was back in the Sengoku jidai when night had fallen. Here, night was rather bright, as many colorful neon billboards of the city, illuminated the night sky. When Kagome stopped walking, she found herself standing in front of the small shrine that held the bone eater's well. She looked longingly at its doors and for a while, just stared at it.

"Ses…shou…ma-ru," she uttered his name softly.

Slowly, Kagome climbed the three short steps to the door and placed her hand on the door, but stopped short of sliding it open. "I want to go," said Kagome.

"I want to go… I want to go back there… but," said Kagome, looking down at her hand, "but I'm afraid of what I might find there." Just then she pictured Sesshoumaru lying in a puddle of his own blood.

"No!" said Kagome to herself, "don't think that!" and with that, she slid the door open, and looked down at the silhouette of the well illuminated by what little light that came through the doorway. Kagome walked into the well house and down the steps to the well. She placed her hands on the lip of the well and looked down into pitch-black darkness.

"Please…" said Kagome, into the darkness of the well, "let me through." She then threw one of her legs over the lip of the well and sat down on it with both her legs hanging on the inside of the well. She pushed her self into the well and fell into pure black darkness. Kagome fell fast and closed her eyes in disappointment; the blue light had failed to appear. When she landed at the bottom of the well, Kagome opened her eyes and looked up, but everything was so dark that she couldn't see a single thing. Kagome felt her way down in the pitch-black darkness of the well and then began to climb up its black walls. Once she was near to the top, Kagome could begin to see again. When she pulled her self up, Kagome looked down into the well, and said, "Please let me through… please… I have to go back… please!"

But all Kagome heard was her own voice echoing back to her.

"Please…" Kagome begged, her voice starting to break. Before she could start to cry again, Kagome gripped the well and threw herself into it, but once again, she fell into pitch black darkness. The blue glow that allowed her to transcend time, did not appear. When she fell to the bottom of the well, Kagome pushed herself to one of its walls, and as tears began to roll down her cheeks, she asked the well in a tearful voice, which was deep with sorrow, "Why?"

"Why? Why won't you let me through… please, I beg you… please let me through. I have to go to him… I have to go to Sesshoumaru… please, please I have to go… he's going to die, please let me through… please… ple-ase!" Kagome sank to her knees as she lost the will to speak and cried her eyes out at the bottom of the well.

However, in the Sengoku Jidai; Shippou was currently asleep in Sango's arms as she cradled him. She and Miroku were still watching the fight between the two brothers. Sango turned in the direction of the well, and said, "Kagome-chan… hasn't come back."

Without turning his eyes away from the fight, Miroku answered, "Most probably because the well is damaged. This happened once before when Inuyasha stuck a tree down the well… however somehow… Kagome-sama came back… but it took her sometime to do that." Sango turned her worried eyes back on the brothers and watched them fight on into the night.

Sesshoumaru had just jumped into the air, and using his tail, he coiled it around Inuyasha, and brought him up into the air. "Damn you, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha growled, "don't use your filthy tail to touch me."

"Do not think that I enjoy having you anywhere near my tail!" said Sesshoumaru, as he threw Inuyasha towards a tree, where he fell violently to, breaking at lest two smaller trees as he fell onto them. Sesshoumaru landed gingerly onto the forest floor and turned in the direction of the well, wondering why Kagome had not returned yet. "Ka-go-me," said Sesshoumaru, as he uttered her name softly under his breath.

"I'M GONNA GET YOU FOR THAT!!!" Came Inuyasha's voice, turning Sesshoumaru's attention back to him.

Sesshoumaru turned around to see Inuyasha's leg coming towards him. But quickly, Sesshoumaru ducked down, avoiding Inuyasha, and just using his right arm to balance himself, Sesshoumaru flipped his long legs into the air and caught Inuyasha in midair, but Inuyasha expecting that from Sesshoumaru, turned himself in Sesshoumaru's legs and brought the taiyoukai into the air and threw him a good couple of feet. However, while Inuyasha landed roughly on the ground, making quite a sound as he did; Sesshoumaru landed gingerly like a cat on his feet, facing his brother.

"That was rather impressive," said Sesshoumaru, as he stood calmly up and straightened his clothes out. Inuyasha, however, sat on the ground panting and said, "Keh… I just came up with that move; don't think I'm an idiot, Sesshoumaru!"

"But," said Sesshoumaru, his voice changing to frigid from monotonous, "Never ever do that in my legs again!"

"Wha?" said Inuyasha, "don't you have women who do that?"

One of Sesshoumaru's eyebrows twitched, he then bent down and picked up something from the ground and flicked it at Inuyasha. A small stone hit Inuyasha squarely on his forehead, tipping him back to the ground. Miroku and Sango stared wide-eyed at the Taiyoukai, Inuyasha's comments must have really touched a nerve for him to do that.

"WHAT YOU DO THAT FOR!!" Inuyasha yelled, as he rubbed his forehead and jumped to his feet.

"You have a mind that goes equally with that dirty mouth of yours," said Sesshoumaru, back to his usual monotonous tone of voice.

"Huh?" said Inuyasha, who did not quite understand what Sesshoumaru had just said, however, behind him, Miroku and Sango gave huge sighs.

Inuyasha, who was breathing hard, looked at his elder half-brother who hardly looked exhausted. "Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha called out, "for now, this is the end of our battle." Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose up in question. "But don't make any mistakes, I ain't giving up. I'll be back tomorrow to kill you and destroy the well," said Inuyasha, as he turned and started to walk towards his sword, Tessaiga, which was lying abandoned on the ground.

"So," said Miorku softly, "I was right."

However, Sesshoumaru moved so quick that no one saw him leap to Inuyasha and hit him at the back of his neck. Inuyasha's eyes rolled back and he fell to the ground, with Sesshoumaru standing behind him. Thinking that Sesshoumaru was going to take this opportunity to kill Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango ran into the battlefield, but to their surprise, Sesshoumaru turned around and said, "No one turns his back on this Sesshoumaru in a fight." Sesshoumaru, then rather coolly walked past them and went in the direction of the well, leaving Sango and Miroku staring at him in surprise.

When Sesshoumaru returned to the well, he saw Kirara in her kitten form, sitting on what remained of the well. When Kirara saw him, she hissed at him as her hackles rose up, however, that hardly sent any warning bells to Sesshoumaru, who walked calmly up to the youkai cat, and said, "Your mistress will be needing your services in taking my half-brother back to the human village."

Surprised, Kirara mewed gently at him.

Sesshoumaru looked at Kirara and said, "Go, I shall keep watch until you return." Kirara, sensing that what Sesshoumaru was saying was the truth, mewed at him again before she jumped away and ran into Sango's direction.

Sesshoumaru stared down into the pitch darkness of the well, and asked, "My love… why have you not returned?"

- - - - -

The next morning, right after breakfast, Kagome ran out of the home and towards the well house. When she got inside, Kagome was wearing the Shikon no tama in full, around her neck, and she was dressed comfortably in a pink t-shirt with Hello Kitty on it and a matching pair of pink shorts. "Yesterday, I wasn't thinking straight," said Kagome to herself, as she looked down the well. "I didn't come in here with the jewel. Now that I have it with me, the well will work… I hope."

Kagome sat on the lip of the well and threw her legs over onto the other side, and pushed herself in the well, but she fell too fast and the blue light did not materialize. She landed at the bottom of the well and looked up, saying, "I can't belief this… even with the Shikon no tama… the well won't work." Kagome climbed up and sat on the lip of the well, and stared at the jewel. "What's going on here?" Kagome asked herself.

"The well won't work even if I'm wearing the Shikon no tama…" Kagome looked back down into the well and tried to use it again, however, the results were the same and she climbed back up again. Kagome took the necklace off that held the jewel it in front of her and said, "What's going on here?"

Meanwhile, back in the Sengoku Jidai…

Sesshoumaru was sitting under the same tree he had sat under the night before, waiting for Kagome to return… but… she did not, and he debated why she did not for the entire night. Sesshoumaru was still sitting calmly under the tree, when he smelt the monk that followed Inuyasha approaching.

When Miroku came into the clearing where the well was, he was surprised to see Sesshoumaru sitting peacefully under a tree. He and the Taiyoukai stared at each other for a moment, before Miroku asked, "Kagome-sama hasn't returned has she?"

"No, she has not," Sesshoumaru answered calmly, as he got to his feet.

"I thought so," said Miroku calmly.

That caught Sesshoumaru's attention as he asked, "Monk, do you know why Kagome has not returned?"

"Umm…" said Miroku, "I'm a priest."

"My apologies," said Sesshoumaru respectfully as he came up to Miroku, who said, "I think the reason why Kagome-sama has not returned is that the well is damaged. The last time the well was damaged, the same thing happened. Kagome-sama could not return from her homeland."

"Then," said Sesshoumaru calmly in a velvety tone of voice, as he turned his gaze to the well, and said, "we must repair it, so she can return."

"True," said Miroku, "knowing Kagome-sama, she must be pretty worried on the other side by now."

However, all of a sudden, Sesshoumaru grabbed Miroku around his waist and jumped out of the way, as Kaze no Kizu, came rolling out of the forest. There was a loud sound of wood crunching and, that made both Sesshoumaru and Miroku turn in the air, and to their horror, they saw Kaze no Kizu decimating what remained of the little wooden well.

Miroku gasped loudly by Sesshoumaru's side, as he couldn't belief what he had just witnessed. When Sesshoumaru landed on the ground, he placed Miroku on his feet and the both of them watched, as Inuyasha appeared from the trees looking victorious and smug.

"Hehehe… see… I told you, I could destroy the well. Now it's time for you to die SESSHOUMARU!" Said Inuyasha loudly, as he held his sword at the ready for any attack his brother may throw at him.

"OII!!" Miroku shouted at Inuyasha, "DO I LOOK LIKE SESSHOUMARU??? YOU ALMOST KILLED ME THERE!!"

"Miroku," said Inuyasha, addressing the Buddhist Priest, "get out of the way if you don't want to die."

Miroku looked begrudgingly at Inuyasha and, muttered, "It's a little too late to be saying that, you are so lucky I don't have the Kazaana anymore."

"Priest," said Sesshoumaru, snapping Miroku's attention to him, "I will push Inuyasha back into the forest… and when I have done that… rebuild the well. Kagome is the only person who is able to stop that fool."

"I will," said Miroku, sounding serious. Then as Sesshoumaru walked towards his younger half-brother, Miroku took quickly into the forest. He had to act fast; he needed to get supplies from the village to rebuild the well, and hopefully, thought Miroku, there would be a couple of villagers who would be brave enough to help him.

"Heh… that's it," said Inuyasha smugly to Sesshoumaru, "come and meet your doom."

"Hanyou," said Sesshoumaru warningly, "know your place you insignificant pest… just because you have a powerful sword, that does not make you a kami, remember who you are and where your place is in the circle of life."

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, pure annoyed, "Talk, talk, talk, talk… know my place, blah, blah, blah! To hell with knowing my place! I make my own place in this world! And no one, no one is gonna tell me where I belong! I belong where I make a place for myself and that's killing your sorry hide and becoming Taiyoukai!"

Sesshoumaru's features grew cold, as his eyes flickered with anger, "A pompous show off like you has no right to become Taiyoukai… you do not deserve the title, nor the power," said Sesshoumaru as he pulled Tokijin from his side. "Since you do not know where your place is… let your big brother show you where that is!"

When Sesshoumaru ended his speech, he leapt to Inuyasha, and brought his sword down to Inuyasha's in one swift and forceful blow that sounded so loudly, that those in the village heard it clearly. Sparks shot off the great youkai blades as they crossed, and Inuyasha found that Sesshoumaru's initial blow was so strong that it forced his feet into the earth.

Sesshoumaru jumped away and then came back quickly, as he held Tokijin above his left shoulder and brought it down in a powerful sweep that sent Inuyasha crashing into the trees. "Damn you!" Said Inuyasha as he knelt down and said, "Kongousouha!" but Inuyasha did not have time to complete the move and sent only a small number of somewhat smaller versions of the diamond spears towards Sesshoumaru, who easily deflected them.

That gave Inuyasha only time to get to his feet before Sesshoumaru came barring down on him with Tokijin's point flying towards him at a great speed, which no human eyes could detect. All Inuyasha could do was to hold Tessaiga in a defensive position to deflect his brother's sword stroke. The two swords met again, and sparks flew off the blades once more. Gritting his teeth tightly, Inuyasha used all the strength his could muster and, pushed Sesshoumaru away.

Sesshoumaru flew backwards and saw Inuyasha holding his sword up above his head in usual fashion and shouting, "Kaze no Kizu!"

Sesshoumaru landed gingerly on the ground as always, and as Kaze no Kizu roared towards him, his sword Tokijin, began to crackle with his blue youki, looking like thin strings of lightning, dancing on the swords blade. When Kaze no Kizu came near enough, Sesshoumaru made a wide sweeping movement with his sword, releasing his blue youki to engulf all of Kaze no Kizu into a blue ball that was pulled towards Sesshoumaru's sword.

"What the!" said Inuyasha, stunned.

Sesshoumaru then swung his sword around and sent Kaze no Kizu, now engulfed in his own youki, back towards Inuyasha.

"He's returning Kaze no Kizu back to me!" said Inuyasha, but he smirked and said, 'Keh, Sesshoumaru… that's your undoing!" Inuyasha jumped towards the apex of the move and swung his sword across, shouting, "BAKURYUUHA!"

- - - - - -

Miroku ran as fast as his feet could take him, and that was pretty fast, towards the village. Sango and Shippou met him out side the village, and so did some of the village men.

"Are Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha fighting again?" Sango asked.

"Yes…" said Miroku, coming to a stop in front of her, "but, more importantly, Inuyasha has managed to destroy the well." Immediately, all who heard him, gasped.

"No way," said Shippou, coming up to Miroku, "that means… Kagome can't come back!"

"No," said Miroku, "she can… if we rebuild the well!"

Sango and Shippou looked determined, but, the village men shirked away from the three of them and glanced away. Miroku stepped to them and said, "Friends, can I ask you for your assistance?" But the village men, looked down at their feet and did not answer. Miroku's features fell as he knew what their answers were, it was in their silence.

"I see…" said Miroku disappointedly. It was then that one of the village men, said, "We are too afraid to go into the Inuyasha forest. We might get killed if we do so… but… we can give you what you need."

Kirara turned into her huge Saber-tooth cat form and the village men tied planks of wood onto her side. Once that was done, Kirara took to the sky with Sango, Miroku, and Shippou on her back.

"Houshi-sama," said Sango, as Kirara flew towards the Inuyasha forest, "once we get all this wood off Kirara, I'll go back to get the saw, hammer and nails."

"Thanks Sango, I owe you one, my dear," said Miroku lovingly replied to his fiancée.

When they were over the clearing where the well was, they heard Inuyasha shout, 'Kaze no Kizu,' and then saw how Sesshoumaru used his own youki to engulf Inuyasha's move and then threw it back to it's point of origin.

"OH NO!" Said Miroku, loudly.

"Kirara!' Said Sango to the youkai cat that knew what to do. Kirara went higher as she flew backwards, knowing what danger was about to come forth.

"BAKURYUUHA!!" Inuyasha shouted, as he used what long ago used to be his trump card.

Swirls of youki, extended high into the sky and then tipped downwards as it headed towards Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru held his sword at the ready, as a bright orb of light appeared at his sword. As the swirls came nearer, he swung his sword across, releasing that bright orb of energy, which flew to the spirals of youki, deflecting them and sending the spirals in all directions. But one small and weak spiral of youki, came straight towards Sesshoumaru, and hit the sleeve of his spiky shoulder armor, breaking it. Most of the swirls of youki flew up into the air where it vanished, two swirls, returned to Inuyasha, who had to hide behind Tessaiga's massive blade. Some of the other swirls of youki, tore the ground and some of the trees nearby, as the ferocious energy of Bakuryuuha unfolded, near Sesshoumaru, ripping the ground apart as it unleashed its energy onto the innocent forest.

Once the destruction was over, and the dust and debris had started to settle, Sesshoumaru, walked calmly towards Inuyasha, saying, "Our father's ultimate move… Bakuryuuha… how weak it is in your hands."

"Ah, shut up!" said Inuyasha, emerging from behind his sword.

"Father's Bakuryuuha," said Sesshoumaru, continuing, "would have never been deflected by such an insignificant ball of youki. It would have shot through, and killed me where I stood and destroyed this whole forest. That was the scale of father's Bakuryuuha. Yours is nothing more than a gentle breeze."

"Oh, shut up, Sesshoumaru," said Inuyasha, as he pulled Tessaiga out of the ground, "Who cares if the old man's moves were stronger, I surpassed him and made this sword even stronger, and I killed Ryuukotsusei when he couldn't. So don't compare me with him!"

Anger crossed Sesshoumaru's features as he came towards Inuyasha and, said, "Don't get too full of yourself, hanyou!" When he was near, Sesshoumaru thrust his sword, Tokijin, directly at the broadside of Tessaiga's blade, pushing Inuyasha into the forest once more, then, Sesshoumaru held a blue and glowing Tokijin, aloft, and said, "You have not surpassed father, you insignificant worm! All you have done is to kill the enemy that father could not! You have not surpassed father in skills, in power, in tact, or in life. You are no where near father even at the prime of his life; and, you are no where near me!" At the end of his sentence, Sesshoumaru released another ball of youki at Inuyasha, but the ball exploded before it could hit him. However, the blast from the explosion was so great, that it propelled Inuyasha deeper into the woods.

- - - - - -

Kagome had walked out of the well house and was currently standing in front of the shrine, staring at the Shikon no tama in her hand. The jewel, glimmered soft in her palm, and as she looked at it, she thought, 'I don't understand why the well doesn't work. But I know right now, as I'm standing here, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are fighting. In… five days time… Sesshoumaru… will die when… Inuyasha kills him at the end of the battle… I want to go back before that happens. I want to go back before Inuyasha can kill Sesshoumaru… I want to save him… I want to save Sesshoumaru.' Kagome then gazed sadly at the shrine and said, "I know… I'll be changing history… and there might not be a Higurashi shrine anymore… but… I want to save him." Kagome then closed her eyes and closed her palm around the jewel and held it close to her heart. As she held her hands together, Kagome thought, 'I haven't made my wish on the jewel yet… but now is the best time to do it in.'

"Shikon no Tama…" said Kagome softly, "Please, grant me my wish. Please allow the Bone Eater's Well to send me back to the Sengoku Jidai to save the man I love the most. Please, Shikon no Tama, help me save Sesshoumaru!"

Kagome waited for a while, but nothing happened, she sensed nothing, no power coming from the Shikon no Tama. Kagome opened her eyes and held her hand down to gaze at the jewel. She looked at it and the jewel still looked the same with its like pinkish cloudy core deep inside. "Even you won't work for me?" Kagome asked the jewel, as she sunk to her knees.

Kagome continued to look at the jewel and slowly her vision became blurry, as tears started to well in her eyes, "Why…" she asked, "Why won't you grant me my wish?"

Kagome dropped the jewel and held her head that ached badly as she tried to keep herself from crying. But far away, watching her sadly, were her mother and grandfather, who knew they could do nothing to help her.

"I'm not going to cry…" said Kagome, who found it hard to speak, "I can't…" but she began to sob, as she said, "All I want is to save the man I love… so why won't you grant me my wish!"

"Not fair!" said Kagome, as her tears started to drop to the ground one by one, "you made Naraku so powerful; but, why won't you help me save one person! You helped Naraku destroy so many lives! Why won't you help me save the life of the person I love!" She fell into silence as she allowed her tears to pour forth. After a while, Kagome rubbed the tears away from her eyes and looked up at the shrine and, said, "Sesshoumaru… I want to be by your side."

Asami turned away, unable to look on at her daughter's grief anymore and walked away with her head down. Jii-chan watched her go and knew the pain that Kagome was going through right now, was bringing back a lot memories for Asami. Jii-chan, turned around and saw Kagome getting to her feet, he knew then that she had stopped crying and, walked away, not wanting Kagome to see him.

When Kagome stopped her tears, she picked up the Shikon no Tama and stood up, it would look bad for her Jii-chan if any of the parishioners saw her crying. Rubbing her eyes even more, Kagome stared at the shrine and knew... if she could not go back and save Sesshoumaru, she didn't think she could continue living at the Higurashi shrine, knowing it was the place where he rested.

Kagome started to walk back to the house and when she came across the Go-Shimboku, she stopped under it's shade and looked at the mark on it's bark, the mark of where Inuyasha used to sleep, before she had awaken him.

"Inuyasha, why did you have to kill Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked the tree, speaking to it like she was speaking directly to Inuyasha. "Can't you understand… I'm not Kikyo… I'm my self and I love Sesshoumaru because he sees me as me and no one else."

"This is ridiculous," said Kagome to herself, "I have to say these words to Inuyasha, if I can go back there… but if I do… I'm going to give him a talking too that will make his ears hurt." She then continued to the house.

That night at dinner, Kagome hardly had any appetite to eat, but she forced the food down her mouth to please her mother. Jii-chan and Souta stayed silent this time, and pretended to ignore her, but Kagome caught them when they stared cautiously at her. Her mother; however, just ate happily with a big smile on her face. That made Kagome feel even worst.

Kagome forced food down until she felt that she was going to be sick, at which she placed her three quarter full bowl down and excused herself from the table and went straight to her bedroom. Without even turning on the light, Kagome entered her room and closed the door behind her and went to the window, and pulled her bedroom curtains to the side and allowed the city lights to illuminate her dark room.

"This feels so… unnatural… being here with my own family… it feels odd," said Kagome softly to herself as she stared out of her window.

She then leaned against the window, and placing her hand against the reflection of her own hand on the glass, Kagome looked forlornly at it and said, "Everything here… feels empty."

"Somehow…" said Kagome as she stared into space, her eyes seeing nothing but Sesshoumaru, "I feel like I don't belong here… in my own home."

"Why?" Kagome asked, her eyes staring at an image of Sesshoumaru playing in her mind, as she stared at empty nothingness in her bedroom. Kagome turned against the window and leaned her head against it, closed her eyes, and said, "Why does the other side now feel like home?"

Kagome slid down to the floor, and lying down on the floor by the side of her bed, she stared at the thin line of light at the bottom of her door. Kagome felt so lifeless at that moment, she even wondered if she was alive, as she couldn't seem to feel anything at the moment. The overwhelming feeling of bliss that she usually felt when she was at home was not present. The feeling of warmth that she got when she was around her family was also missing. All there was in her heart was emptiness, a deep void, a void that felt bottomless. She felt like a part of her heart was missing and right now, Kagome felt half alive.

Kagome then saw a shadow come to her door and stood outside it. Staring at it with eyes that hardly held any life, Kagome softly whispered, "Don't come in." The shadow moved, like it had heard her, and walked away, leaving Kagome staring at the light at the bottom of her door, on the floor of her bedroom.

- - - - - -

Miroku was snapped out of sleep, when the earsplitting sound of metal clashing against metal, clanged through the forest. Miroku sat straight up and forced his eyes to open, his vision still blurry, as he stared through the gloom of the Inuyasha forest in the early morning.

"Damn you! Sesshoumaru!" came Inuyasha's voice, as Miroku laid back down onto the soft lush grass he made his bed the night before. Miroku closed his eyes and relaxed, saying, "I got to complete the well today… though Sesshoumaru-sama is youkai… he's been fighting for three days now, even Inuyasha has got to be tired by now."

Another clash of swords clanged through the air as loud as thunder, and that woke Miroku up fully now. "This is not a time to get one's sleep," said Miroku, as he sat up again, and saw that Shippou was fully awake by his side. "Shippou," said Miroku, "did you sleep last night?"

Shippou brought his sad eyes up to the Buddhist Priest, and said, "Yes… but the fighting kept waking me up." Miroku looked surprised at Shippou, and said, "You mean… they fought through the night?"

"Yes," Shippou answered.

Miroku took a deep breath and got to his feet and, said, "If Sesshoumaru has been fighting Inuyasha to keep him from the well while we slept, then we should repay him by finishing this well today. Believe it or not Shippou, but right now, Sesshoumaru is actually protecting us from Inuyasha."

"Yeah, I know… its odd, like the whole world has just turned upside down," said Shippou. As Miroku started for the well, he said, "I wonder how Kagome-sama is right now."

Sango could not sleep peacefully that night either, as the blows exchanged by either brother echoed loudly down into the village, keeping most people awake when they should be comfortably asleep. So she got up before the crack of dawn, put on her Kosode Kimono and her skirt, and carried a sleeping Kirara in her arms before she headed towards the Inuyasha forest with Hiraikotsu strapped to her back. The first place she went to, was towards the Bone eaters well, when she arrived, Sango saw that it was half built, and that it's builders, Miroku and Shippou, were sleeping under a shady tree on a particularly thick patch of grass. Sango smiled at them before she walked away, and followed the sounds of fighting, to find the two Inuyoukai brothers.

Sango saw that Inuyasha was covered in scratches, cuts and bruises all over, while Sesshoumaru was now missing one sleeve. Inuyasha, who was also covered in sweat, leapt towards Sesshoumaru; and Sesshoumaru to him and when their swords met, it produced an earsplitting clash that pierced Sango's ears. She unwittingly dropped Kirara to cover her ears. Kirara fell gingerly on her small little paws, which she held over her ears, trying hard to protect her rather sensitive ears.

Both brothers jumped away from each other and landed about 7 feet from each other. But Sesshoumaru did not waste anytime in attacking his brother; he stabbed Tokijin into the ground and flicked his whip towards Inuyasha, who held his hands over himself, protecting him body, but not his arms that took on the brunt of Sesshoumaru's merciless acidic whip. Sesshoumaru knowing there was no use of attacking Inuyasha's upper body which was protected by the Fire-Rat coat, raised his arm and then, brought it down with a swish, flicking his glowing green whip into the air and then bringing it down in a flash, to strike Inuyasha's right thigh, singeing the red fabric, cutting and burning Inuyasha's skin right off.

Inuyasha dropped Tetsusaiga and shouted, "Damn you! Sesshoumaru!" as he fell, clutching his right knee and hissing in pain.

Sesshoumaru, seeing that his brother was in much pain and unable to move, retracted his whip and, pulled Tokijin out of the ground and said, "Have you had enough… hanyou?"

Sango stared at Sesshoumaru, and she could see that he looked like he was rather fed up of having to fight Inuyasha this long and not try to kill him at all. All Sesshoumaru was doing was injuring Inuyasha, so he could not move. All of the blows that Sango had seen Sesshoumaru give his brother were short of being fatal. Sango knew that Sesshoumaru's whip was potent enough to have sliced off Inuyasha's leg in one stroke. Sango looked at Inuyasha, and for once, she was actually praying that he would be injured badly enough to not fight anymore. But just then, she heard someone huffing and puffing by her side. Sango looked down and saw Jaken, gasping for breath by her side, and trying to say, "Se… Se… Sesshou-ma-ru-sama… I've… f-found… -wheeze-… found… y-you at last!"

However, Inuyasha, though his leg was hurting badly, jumped towards his brother and again, swords clashed.

"AH!" Jaken exclaimed, "S-S-Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Enough?" Inuyasha asked Sesshoumaru, as both swords grinded against each other, "I'm just getting warmed up! Keh, don't tell me you're tired, Sesshoumaru?" The only answer that Inuyasha received from his brother was an anger filled glare, then a kick to the stomach that sent Inuyasha flying backwards.

- - - - - -

Asami was getting steadily worried about her daughter. Kagome hadn't been eating properly since she found out she could not return to the Sengoku Jidai, and that their family shrine was actually the grave of the man she had fallen in love with… and as fate would dictate, he was killed by Kagome's best friend and former love interest.

Why was fate so cruel sometimes, Asami asked her self as she wiped the last cup in the basin and put in on the rack. Asami walked to the living room and found Kagome sitting silently there. The TV was on, but Kagome was staring off elsewhere into space. Asami's eyes gazed at her daughter with sadness and pity, knowing she was going through what Asami did years ago. Asami took a deep breath, and then placed a smile on her face and said, "Kagome, it's such a lovely day outside, why don't you go out?"

Kagome was snapped out of her reverie; she turned and gazed at her mother. "Go out?" she asked.

"Yes," said Asami, still beaming at her daughter. "It's been a long time since you were here, and the city has changed much since you were last here." Kagome blinked at her mother and knew she was just trying to cheer her up. Kagome, then stood up and said, "Yes, I think it would be a good idea."

"Come on," said Asami, holding her hand out to her daughter, "let's pick out something for you to wear." said Asami warmly.

Asami picked out a cute blue sundress for Kagome to wear and gave her a hat to wear that had a matching blue bow on it. When Kagome stepped out of the house, she tried her best to smile and, said, "I'm off… Mama!"

Asami, seeing how hard it was for Kagome to smile for her, returned her daughter's smile and said, "Have a good time!" Still smiling, Kagome turned around and began walking to entrance of the shrine. Once Kagome started on her descent down the tall steps of the Higurashi Shrine, she said, "Have a good time… huh? I don't know if I can."

When Kagome came down the steps, it didn't take her too long to walk into the metropolitan part of the city and found that her mother was right, she did notice a few changes. A vacant shop lot was now turned into a bakery that had the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread wafting out of its premises. Kagome walked further on and felt alienated in her own hometown, her own city. Somehow, walking among the crowds of people that traversed the city felt absolutely strange and almost claustrophobic. Kagome wondered if she stayed too long in the Sengoku Jidai.

Kagome walked into her favorite mall and thought, 'I haven't visited this place in ages… I wonder what's new.'

Kagome walked around, but stopped in front of a shop, which displayed a mannequin that was wearing a crème jacket that had faux white fur on its collar and at the cuff of its sleeves. The mannequin also had a furry white boa draped over its arms, and that reminded Kagome of Sesshoumaru's fluffy white tail. "Sesshoumaru…" Kagome muttered, but she quickly shook her head and walked away from the shop, but when she passed a shop selling Kimono's she stopped and stared at one particular Kimono, displayed in the store's window. It's was mostly white, except for the right shoulder and the sleeves, and at the lower half of the kimono, where it was in a shade of brilliant crimson and, it had small patches of sakura flowers on the red parts. That was enough to remind Kagome of the kimono that Sesshoumaru wore.

"Oh…" said Kagome staring at the kimono sadly.

But suddenly, Kagome's eyes open wide when she heard someone who sounded like Sesshoumaru, say, "Now, doesn't that look like my old Kimono?" Kagome turned around and saw a couple standing slightly behind her. The man, who stood beside a woman with stylish short black hair, had hair that was incredibly the same color as Sesshoumaru's. Kagome stared at the man, who was standing sideways to her, so that she couldn't see his face. However, while this tall man had hair the same shade of platinum as Sesshoumaru, his hair was short, plus he had both his arms. The woman by his side then jokingly said, "Why yes, but dear, that's a woman's kimono!"

The couple then laughed together and walked away, holding hands. Kagome looked sadly at them as they walked away and wondered if Sesshoumaru lived, could they have been as happy as the couple she just saw.

"Honestly mama…" said Kagome softly as she faced another direction, "I'm not having a good time at all." Kagome walked around some more as she tried desperately to get Sesshoumaru out of her mind. After a while, Kagome bought an ice cream and sat on a bench in one of the walkways of the mall and began to eat her ice cream in front of a shop selling gifts and all sorts of knick-knacks. Kagome was half-way done with her ice cream when two boys ran in front of her waving plastic swords. They stopped in front of her and began to play fight. Just then in her mind, Kagome saw Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha fighting… they were probably fighting right now as she sat there eating ice cream.

Kagome placed the small paper bowl of ice cream on her lap and looked sadly at the boys, who giggled as they ran off to their mother calling for them in the distance.

"Everywhere I look," said Kagome looking down at the ice cream in the bowl, "I see Sesshoumaru..." she looked up and said, "This isn't working." Kagome got up and trying her best, she managed to finish the ice cream and walked out of the mall and decided to return home. But, on her way back, Kagome walked into Ayumi, her curly haired friend and Hojo.

"Oh, Higurashi!" said Hojo, when he had spotted Kagome.

Kagome almost winced when she saw them heading to her hand in hand. "I guess when I was away… they became a couple," she said, softly under her breath.

"Kagome-chan!" said Ayumi happily. "When did you get back?"

"Huh??" said Kagome.

"From your operations overseas?" Ayumi asked.

"Oh!" said Kagome, catching on, "A couple of days ago," said Kagome, trying hard to sound convincing despite her current glum mood.

"Oh," said Ayumi, cheerfully, "I'm so glad. Guess what Kagome-chan?" Kagome just looked cheerfully inquiring and waited for Ayumi to continue, "Hojo and I are a couple!"

Kagome raised her eyebrows and thought, 'Talk about understatement of the century!' She then tried her best to sound and look cheerful, and said, "Oh wow, congratulations!"

"Thank you!" Ayumi spoke as she giggled.

Hojo cuddled Ayumi and then released her and said, "Yumi-chan, wanna go to our favorite place?" Ayumi giggled and answered, "Sure thing, Ho-chan!"

Kagome almost retched from hearing them speak in that manner, it was enough to get them killed by Sesshoumaru for acting that way. "Kagome-chan, want to join us?"

Kagome recoiled from them and said, "Oh, no thank you, I have to go home and take my medication!"

"Oh, okay then," said Ayumi as she and Hojo turned around and walked away, giggling and smiling at each other, while the other's arm was around the other's waist.

Kagome couldn't take it anymore; she spun around on her heels and ran as fast as her feet could take her, while her eyes began to sting with unshed tears.

'I want to go home… home where Sesshoumaru is!' thought Kagome as she ran in the direction where the shrine was.

'This isn't my home anymore! I don't feel comfortable here anymore! Why? This feels so weird! Everything here feels so unnatural! Sesshoumaru… Sesshoumaru… I want to go home to where you are!'

Everything around Kagome became a blur, as she ran and hardly noticed where she went, all she knew was she wanted to put this foreign place behind her. As she ran home, nothing she passed brought any sort of relief to her heart. She ran through a blur, a blur that was her home city that now felt strange. Kagome reached the bottom of the steps and began to run up.

"Please work for me, please work for me," Kagome chanted over and over again as she ran up the steps. "I want to go home… I want to go to where Sesshoumaru is!"

When she reached the shrine, Kagome crossed the ground and dashed up to the well house and opened the doors with a bang. She threw her bag down and ran down the steps to the well and looking down to its empty bottom, Kagome cried, "PLEASE! Please let me go home! I want to go home to Sesshoumaru, please let me see him again!"

Kagome then jumped into the well and fell down to its bottom… again… again the well did not work.

Kagome sat down at the bottom of the well and leaned her back against one of it's rough walls and said, "I guess…" said Kagome with eyes that were lifeless, "I have to begin to accept that I'll never be able to see him again…" as a stray tear rolled down her cheek, Kagome said, "Sesshoumaru…"

When Kagome finally climbed out of the well, she dusted herself off, walked up the steps to her bag, collected it and walked out of the small shrine and shut its door close, with eyes that looked absolutely empty. Everything around Kagome felt unreal and like a big blur, as she walked towards the house. When Kagome walked in, she said, "I'm back," but her voice was so soft, like an empty whisper.

No one heard her. She stood at the entrance and stared into her house. She felt that she didn't belong there anymore… and that was such a painful feeling.

Kagome kicked off her shoes and walked into the house. Asami who was in the living room saw her daughter passing by in the corridor and called out, "Oh, Kagome! I didn't hear you come in! How was your day, honey?" said Asami cheerfully, as she rushed to her daughter.

However, Asami stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Kagome turn around to her with an empty look on her face and eyes that looked like they belonged on a dead person. Her daughter's once lively eyes that were filled with energy, was now completely lifeless.

In a voice that was barely a whisper, Kagome answered, "I had… a good time… mama…" Kagome then tried to smile, but the smile hardly appeared on her features. She then turned around then went up the stairs.

Asami held her head down, and closed her eyes, saying, "Oh, Kagome…"

- - - - - -

It was after dinner, and Asami was washing the cups and plates in the sink, when Jii-chan returned to the kitchen and heard Asami sobbing as she did her work.

"Asami…" Jii-chan called out softly.

Asami sniffed loudly, before she wiped her hands dry and turned around rubbing her eyes. Jii-chan looked worriedly at her, and said, "I too am worried about Kagome… she hardly touched her food tonight… if she doesn't start eating properly soon, she's going to make herself sick."

Asami looked down at her apron and said, "I doubt that makes any difference to Kagome right now. I know how she feels."

"Yes," said Jii-chan coming up to the table and pulling a chair out and sitting down, then saying, "You went through this similar grief as well." Asami surprised jii-chan when she fell to her knees in front of him and leaned her head against his knees and in a tearful voice, said, "I never wanted them to experience this feeling of losing the person you loved the most." Jii-chan started to pet Asami's head and said, "Yes, I know it too, when my wife died, I thought my whole world had just ended." Said Jii-chan.

"It's a cruel feeling," said Jii-chan, continuing, "that one day anyone of us will feel, some of us later in our life, some earlier."

"I know…" said Asami sobbing at grandpa's knees, "when Junichiro died, half of me died with him… but the way he died, I couldn't belief at first that he was gone… that horrific airline crash… I thought for sure it was someone's sick idea of a cruel joke… but then… it was on the news and, when the airline number came out… my whole world ended then! But, I pulled myself out of my misery for the children. They were so young when he died. Souta hardly even remembers him."

"Yes… our grief came when our life partner's died." said Jii-chan, "But, for Kagome, she is grieving for someone who's still alive, but shall die in four days time. Asami… if you were in her place, what would you?"

Asami lifted her head just a little and said, "If I knew what would happen to Junichiro then… I would have done everything I could possibly think of and stopped him from boarding that flight."

"Yes…," said Jii-chan, "that's why Kagome is trying her hardest to return to the other side of that well."

"But," said Asami tearfully, "the well…isn't letting her through. The pain that Kagome must be going through, it must be horrific." Asami then leaned her head against Jii-chan's knees and, said, "I never wanted Kagome to feel this… but now… she's feeling it worst then I have ever felt. Why must she feel this at such a young age… she should be happy and in love. Not grieving, not knowing that the person you love the most is going to die and you can't do anything to stop it… I don't want Kagome to endure this pain!"

There were no words of comfort that Jii-chan could offer to ease Asami's tears, all he could do was to hold his daughter in-law as she cried her heart out.

Meanwhile, in her room, Kagome was in the midst of wearing the similar kimono she had worn the day the well stopped working, and she found out the horrible truth of the Higurashi shrine. Once she had secured the obi in a bow behind, Kagome stole quietly downstairs and snuck out of the house to the shrine. She entered the shrine through the office area and walked deep into the building and stopped short of walking into the inner sanctum, where Kagome suspected, Sesshoumaru's remains laid. Kagome sat down on the floor, by the door, and leaned against it. She placed her hand against the door, and concentrated her powers and felt what was just a brief whisper of Sesshoumaru's lingering aura that still hung around his remains.

Kagome closed her eyes sadly, and said, "So… it's true then…" She leaned her head against the door, brushing her bangs up against it, and said, "I'm sorry I didn't come back, Sesshoumaru… but I guess my words don't really matter now… 500 hundred years later. How ironic it is that I would be born to the family that lived and cared for this shrine. But how ironic it is that I would know you for almost as long as I do Inuyasha … but, I'm sorry it took me so long to love you. For the longest time I was in love with Inuyasha… that name… it brings me so much sadness now… I don't think I could ever forgive him for killing you… but now that I think about it… the pain that Inuyasha felt when Kikyo died in his arms, I know now how he's feeling, driven by grief; he couldn't part with her, even if she died happily in his arms. He's still in love with her as I am with you… even if you've been dead for over 500 years, I still love you, Sesshoumaru."

"I told you that I would teach you how to love…in the end, I hardly thought you anything, did I?" Kagome closed her eyes and said, "But that last time we were together, Sesshoumaru… you did not need me to teach you how to love, you already know how to."

"I miss you so much… Sesshoumaru… I wish our time together was longer," but as tears began to well in her eyes, Kagome said, "I want to go back to the Sengoku Jidai… to the time you were alive and stop your death… but I guess, I'm not allowed to meddle in history anymore."

And as the tears began to roll down her cheeks, she said, "It's not fair… it's not fair… why was our time together so short… we were just starting… yet the pain inside me is so deep, that it hurts so much!" But, just then, Kagome lifted her head, when she heard the pitter-patter sound of rain starting to fall outside. And as the rain started to fall harder outside, Kagome remembered the time when she met Sesshoumaru in the rain. He was taking shelter under a tree and no matter what she tried to do; he wouldn't accept the umbrella she was trying to offer him.

"That was the time," said Kagome looking up at the ceiling and listening to the sounds of the rain outside, "that I acknowledged that I had feelings for you, Sesshoumaru, especially when I looked into your golden eyes and got lost in them." Kagome leaned back against the door, and said, "I can never look into your eyes that I love so much."

"Your eyes, your hair, the softness of the fur on your tail… they were my treasures, treasures I will only see in what little memories I have of us," said Kagome as she stayed by the door and listened to the music the rain made, and there the whole night, Kagome stayed; by the door, and never leaving, feeling that it was the only way she could ever be by Sesshoumaru's side.

- - - - - -

The golden rays of the rising sun; burst through a large cloud high in the morning sky, furnishing the cloud with a golden halo. Down on the lands that started to change color from black to green, and the features of a sleepy little village came into view, it all looked like nothing bad could ever happen at this peaceful setting when the harsh cry of 'Kaze no Kizu' rang through the peaceful morning air, breaking it's peace, as a forest nearby, had its marvelous green and tall trees ripped from the ground in a single movement and reduced to mere splinters.

Debris, rained loudly down onto the path of destruction that was carved through the forest, scaring what animals remained, as murders upon murders of crows took to the morning sky, cawing loudly in protest, while other birds fled the area for their lives.

Sango, Shippou, and Jaken, who were thrown down to the ground by the force of Inuyasha's favorite move, sat up and looked around. "Where's Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked as she looked around for the regal Taiyoukai. Jaken, fearing for his master's life, jumped up and ran past Sango and Shippou looking wildly around for his master, who stabbed his sword, Tokijin in the ground and pulled himself up to stand.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" said Jaken, with relief.

CHINK!

Sesshoumaru looked down at his sword and noticed that there was a crack that ran across the blade of the sword.

"ARGH!" Said Jaken, fearfully, "My lord, your sword… it has a crack in it!"

"That's not good," said Sango, "if he continues to fight… the sword will surely break, it definitely won't stand up to another powerful attack from Inuyasha."

"Be quiet!" said Jaken, "Don't say such things!"

"Sango," said Shippou, looking up at her, "we should go and see if Miroku has finished building the well."

"Yes," said Sango, "if Kagome-chan doesn't come back soon… I fear that this fight will take a bad turn for Sesshoumaru." Quickly, Sango got to her feet and with Shippou jumping onto her shoulder, she ran towards the well, where Miroku and Kirara were. In their wake, they left Jaken alone, to witness the fight between the two brothers.

"Hey," said Inuyasha, sounding smug, "your sword just cracked, you wanna stop so you can go and fix it?"

"There's no need too," said Sesshoumaru, pulling Tokijin from the earth.

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, "Doesn't matter to me… this will make killing you easier!"

- - - - -

Kagome was late in getting up that morning, so Asami went up stairs to her daughter's bedroom. She had knocked on the door, but there was no response of 'who is it?' or 'come in,' that came from her knock. Asami began to worry and opened the door and walked into the room to find it devoid of her daughter. In fact, the bed looked hardly slept in. "Oh Kagome!" said Asami as she ran out of the door and down the stairs to the kitchen where Jii-chan and Souta were seating. When she came into the kitchen, looking like something horrible had happened, they turned to her and asked what was wrong, and Asami answered, "Kagome is missing!"

Both Jii-chan and Souta stood up at once, and at the same time, they said, "What?"

Asami caught her breath and said, "She's not in her room and her bed looked hardly slept in." Both grandfather and grandson looked at each other, both exchanging stunned looks. "Quickly," said Asami, "we have to search the grounds for her!"

"All right," said both Jii-chan and Souta as they quickly left the kitchen. Asami untied her apron and headed out the kitchen door and asked herself, "If I was grieving like Kagome… where would I go to seek solace?" Then she saw the main shrine complex and stopped, and said, "I would go to see the only one who can take my grief away… and the only person capable of taking Kagome's grief away would be Sesshoumaru." Asami then ran towards the shrine and entered the building through one of the ceremonial halls. She looked all over the place, but Asami's guess was right when she found Kagome asleep at the door into the inner sanctum of the shrine.

Asami let out a breath of relief and walked up to her daughter, she then bent down to shake her awake, saying, "Kagome… Kagome, wake up!"

Kagome opened her eyes and looked up at her mother's face, which had a relieved look on it. "Mama…" said Kagome groggily, "I guess I fell asleep here… I'm sorry, but I just wanted to be near Sesshoumaru."

Asami sat away and looked sadly at her daughter; she wished for some way that she could take Kagome's grief away. Asami's eyes opened wide as an idea struck her mind. She stood up, turned around and ran away. Asami came running out of the shrine and almost knocked into poor Jii-chan. Apologizing, Asami quickly told Jii-chan that Kagome was at the inner sanctum of the shrine, and asked him to get her out, and then hastily left him standing at the doors of the shrine hall looking, puzzled.

- - - - - -

When Sango and Shippou reached the well it was to see Miroku hard at work in fitting the last piece to the newly completed well. "Ah!" said Sango, happily, "Houshi-sama, you're done!"

"Almost!" said Miroku. "Hey, Sango…" Miroku called out.

"Yes?" Sango replied.

"If we're going to get married… then, I would like you to address me by my name, rather then my title."

Sango blushed a bright shade of magenta and, said, "Oh… I'm sorry, Hou…Mi-Miroku."

"There!" said Miroku happily, making Sango to stare at him in surprise, and further blushing, "It's done!" Sango's blush disappeared, as she let out a sigh of relief and walked up to him. Shippou jumped away from Sango's shoulder and ran to well by himself and looked down into it and said, "Wow, Miroku, this is really good work, I think it's stronger then before!"

Miroku smiled at Shippou and said, "Thanks," but just then, the three of them, turned around in horror as the sounds of trees breaking apart came towards them. But, what they saw coming towards them, made their blood turn cold. "IT'S KAZE NO KIZU!" Shippou screamed.

Miroku stepped forward and stabbed his staff into the ground, then he pulled three o-fudas out of his robes, and threw it at his staff and began to recite a mantra that created a powerful barrier, which encompassed the well and him, Sango, Shippou and Kirara.

When Kaze no Kizu's blast came forth, it destroyed everything… except what was protected by Miroku's barrier. Once the blast died down, Miroku pulled his barrier down and looked around. All the lush green grass in the clearing was gone except what was in his barrier, the trees were left in mangled bits and chunks here and there, while three more large gashes in the ground marked the earth.

"What's Inuyasha doing?" Miroku angrily asked out loud. "Was he trying to kill us as well?"

Suddenly, Sango gasped loudly and said, "Oh no! I hope Sesshoumaru avoided that move rather then defend against it!"

Miroku turned to her, looking alarmed and asked, "Why Sango, what do you mean?"

"Tokijin cracked as a result of the previous attack!" said Sango.

Miroku's eyes went wide, as he said, "That's not good, come on!" Shippou quickly jumped up Miroku and climbed to his shoulder, while Sango picked Kirara up and held the cute little youkai cat in her arms as she followed Miroku back to where Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were.

- - - - - -

Asami stopped in front of the well house, clutching a stitch in her side. But, still clutching her side, she walked up to the doors and slid one open and walked to the top of the steps, staring at the well. Asami took a deep breath and, descended the steps to where the well laid silently.

When she stood in front of the well, Asami placed her hand on the lip of the well and stared down into its dark abyss, and said, "PLEASE!" she then heard her voice echoing back to her, "Please," Asami repeated again, "I beg you… please send Kagome back to the Sengoku jidai where Sesshoumaru is!"

Asami thought herself foolish, the well couldn't hear her, it was just an inanimate object that couldn't understand people's feelings… but it was something that seemed able to take Kagome back 500 years in the past. "I can't stand it," said Asami, "I can't stand watching my daughter like this! Please send her back to where Sesshoumaru is and allow her to do what I couldn't!" All Asami heard was the echo of her voice bouncing off the bottom of the well.

"I know you are not an ordinary well! Most wells provide water, but you bring the bones of dead youkais to modern times and take my daughter back to the past! You always did! Even without my permission, you just took her away one day! But now, when she truly wants to return there! YOU STOP WORKING! STOP BEING SELFISH!" Asami shouted into the well.

"People's lives are precious; we aren't toys in a game that you can control! Right now," said Asami, fiercely at the well, "I'm giving you my permission to take my daughter to the place she wants to be! I don't care if that changes history, or if that means this shrine will cease to exist! Please, I'm begging you; help my daughter save the man she loves!"

Asami sank to her knees before the well and said, "I'm begging you, I'll give you anything if you'll just work for just this one time. Even if… if Kagome gets stuck on that side… it doesn't matter, as she'll be happy, I know Sesshoumaru will protect her and, keep her safe. Though I have never met him, somehow I just know that he will do that. So please," said Asami softly, as she pushed her self up on the lip of the well and looked down into it's depths, "work, even if it's just for this once. Kagome has an opportunity to change history and safe the person she loves the most. Something I could never do." Without her knowing, Asami began to cry, her tears rolling down her face and falling into the well.

"Please…" said Asami tearfully, "please, work again and send my daughter Kagome to the place she wants to be. I beg you." Asami closed her eyes, as more of her tears fell from her face and dropped to the bottom of the Bone Eaters well.

All of a sudden, a blue glow appeared at the bottom of the well, surprising Asami and halting her tears. The blue glow rose up and suddenly, a woman's voice, that sounded booming, spoke from deep within the blue glow, saying, "Higurashi Asami… I shall grant your wish in exchange for the payment you have bestowed."

"Payment?" Asami asked the voice coming from the blue glow.

"Your tears were your payment." The voice answered.

"My tears…" said Asami in awe.

"However," said the voice, "there is a condition."

"What is it?" Asami asked, sounding anxious.

"Once your daughter, Kagome, passes through time, she shall not be able to return to this era using me. This shall be the last time I will be able to function." Asami gasped, that was indeed a heavy condition.

"Do you agree… it was after all a term you spoke yourself," said the voice from the well.

"Yes…" said Asami looking at her hands on the lip of the well, "I did say that."

"Do you agree to the condition?" The well asked her again.

Asami stayed silent, and asked herself, could she really stand not being able to see Kagome ever again? Asami gripped the lip of the well, as part of her heart said no, while another part said, if that made Kagome happy, then so be it. "But…" said Asami, softly to herself, "I said it myself just now… didn't I? I said 'if Kagome gets stuck on that side… it doesn't matter, as she'll be happy' am I going to go back on my words?" Asami asked herself as she smiled and pushed herself up. She looked down into the blue light and sighed, and said, "I knew this day would be coming… the day I give my daughter up to the man who would take care of her… I just never considered that it could have come so soon."

"Is that your decision then?" the booming voice from within the well asked.

"Yes," said Asami, "I agree to the conditions."

"Then," said the booming voice coming through the well, "I shall stay open for a while, fetch your daughter with haste Higurashi Asami, or I shall close and your daughter shall stay in this era forevermore."

"No, please," said Asami, begging the well, "Please stay open till she goes through!" However, there came no answer from the well. Quickly, Asami dashed up the steps and ran out of the well house towards the shrine as quickly as she could go. When Asami got to the shrine, she saw Jii-chan and Kagome walking out of the hall, with Jii-chan trying to cheer Kagome up by telling her that he was going to treat her to Wacdonalds. However, Asami, ran up to her daughter and without saying anything, pulled her away and started running with her daughter in tow, towards the well house.

"Mama?" Kagome inquired, she was wondering what was wrong with her mother.

However, Asami, breathlessly answered, "The well has opened!" Kagome gasped and quickened her pace to the well house where she and her mother entered the building at the same time. When Kagome stood at the top of the steps, she was surprised to see the well glowing blue. But before Kagome could feel any excitement, her mother pulled her down to the well and said, "Kagome, listen to me very carefully. Right now you have to make a decision that will change your life forever."

"Mama?" Kagome asked, not knowing where her mother was going.

"Kagome, I made a wish and the well has granted it by opening its self for you, but now listen Kagome this is very important, you can only use this well once, meaning if you go there now, you can never return home again using this well."

Kagome looked at her mother and said, "Its okay mama… I'll get over Sesshoumaru, I'll stay here."

"No!" said Asami and this surprised Kagome, who said, "But mama, this is my time, I belong here with you, with Souta and Jii-chan, this is my home."

"Are you sure?" Asami asked, "Are you sure you are willing to let Sesshoumaru die, just for that?" Again, Kagome stared at her mother and thought why couldn't she have both her family and the man she loved. "If you are willing to let the man you love die just to be a good daughter and stay by your family's side, then you are not my daughter!" Kagome's eyes went wide, she couldn't believe her mother had just said that to her. "If I had a chance to go back in time and save your father I would! I would have given anything to have saved him. Kagome, let me ask you something, can you love any man here in this time the same way you love Sesshoumaru? I you say yes, then stand here and watch the light from this well fade away, knowing you had a chance to save Sesshoumaru but didn't and allowed him to die."

"But," said Kagome, "wouldn't you think me selfish if I left you and everyone here just to be by Sesshoumaru's side?"

"No," Asami answered, "Every woman does that in her life when she marries the man she loves. She usually leaves her family to live with him and make their lives anew by creating their own family." Asami placed her hand through the long locks of her daughter's hair and, said, "Every woman knows that when you have a daughter, you have to eventually give her up, that's why mothers always treasure their daughters the most."

"Mama…" said Kagome smiling at her mother, and at that point, Asami knew her daughter had made her choice. "Kagome," said Asami softly, "promise me you'll make a good wife to Sesshoumaru. Always be by his side and support his decisions, remember a good marriage is all about give and take, but don't make the mistake and give too much otherwise one of you will come to take advantage of the other and end up hurting each other. My dear daughter… now… go and do what I couldn't and save the man you love, stop him from dying."

Kagome placed her hand over the Shikon jewel in her kimono, and said, "I will," and then Kagome hugged her mother for the last time and said, "Mama… I will always love you."

Asami hugged her daughter tightly, and replied, "And I will always love you too Kagome, you will always be in my heart." They pulled away from each other, and Kagome sat on the edge of the well and pushed her legs around into the well; then Kagome turned and gazed at her mother for one final time, and said, "G-good…bye."

"Farewell…" said Asami.

Kagome turned around and painfully pushed herself from the lip of the well and into it, right into the awaiting blue light. The well flashed brightly and then, without warning, the light disappeared. Asami wondered what had happened and ran to the well and looked down into it; the blue glow had vanished and so did Kagome, with the light. Asami breathed a sigh of relief and sunk to her knees, and softly, she uttered, "Kagome…"

- - - - - -

When Kagome landed at the bottom of the well, she landed on rubble; on broken pieces of planks. "What the?" Kagome asked, as she stared at the condition at the bottom of the well, "What's been happening here since I was away?" Kagome took off her slippers and tucked them into the folds of her kimono; she then began to climb up the well. When Kagome reached the top, she didn't prepare herself for the sight that greeted her. She gasped loudly when she saw the destruction around the well. Kagome pulled her self up and hitched her kimono up, as she climbed out of the well. When she was finally out, she threw her slippers down and slipped her feet in as she stared at the ground; it was almost completely devoid of the lovely and lush green grass that grew in the clearing around the well. The trees that surrounded the clearing, were all either broken in half, like a giant came out of no where to snap the tops of the trees, or they were ripped right out of the ground. Kagome then saw the telltale signs on the ground of who was responsible for all this mindless destruction. "These marks… they're from Kaze no Kizu… That idiot Inuyasha, I am going to sit him so much that he won't be able to get up for at least a day once I'm through with him."

"KONGOUSOUHA!" Inuyasha's voice echoed through the trees.

Kagome stared into the forest with horror when she heard Inuyasha shout out one of his moves that usually killed any of his opponents he used it on. As Kagome took a step forward, she saw a bright flash of light, and proceeding that, a loud explosion, and then the sound of metal snapping. For some strange reason, that sound sent fear coursing through Kagome's heart. She quickly ran towards place the sound had originated from.

Her path to the battle was marred by destruction, but it guided her straight to where the battle between the two brothers was taking place. As Kagome drew nearer, she heard Jaken shouting, "Sesshoumaru-sama! No more please, stop fighting, you lost your sword! Please stop my lord, if you continue, you'll surely die!"

"No…" said Kagome as she ran even faster, and as she came to a high bank, she stood there and saw the two brother's clearly. Kagome gasped when she saw the condition Sesshoumaru was in. His long platinum hair was out of place, his clothes, stained with his blood that was pouring from a wound he had in his middle. His armor was broken, and the sleeve of the arm that was severed, was missing. She saw Sesshoumaru stand up, but then fall to his knees and to the ground, as he continued to bleed profusely.

Kagome then saw Inuyasha laugh, as he walked to his brother with Tessaiga raised. "Sesshoumaru," said Inuyasha, "Go to hell!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Kagome screamed loudly from the top of the bank she stood on.

Immediately, everyone's attention was turned to her.

"Kagome-sama!" said Miroku happily, "She's return… and wow that is one fetching Kimono!" But Sango pulled on his ear and said, "I hope Inuyasha did not hear you say that!"

Inuyasha turned around and happily, he looked at Kagome, looking absolutely stunning in the pure red kimono she wore with that rather wide looking obi. "Kagome… you've returned to me!" said Inuyasha.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha and knew she had to do something to subdue him or he'll kill Sesshoumaru. "OSUWARI!" Kagome shouted, and Inuyasha plunged head first into the ground with Tessaiga falling down to the ground and transforming into a normal sword. Kagome dashed down the bank and ran past Inuyasha and to Sesshoumaru, when she fell down in front of him and hugged him, despite the fact that he was still bleeding.

"Kagome," said Sesshoumaru, over Jaken's shouts of, "You filthy human, how dare you touch lord Sesshoumaru, get away from him!"

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru," said Kagome, completely ignoring Jaken, who continued, saying, "Hey, are you listening to me? How dare you put yourself in such close proximity of my master!" However, over Jaken's fruitless complaining, Kagome said, "I came back so late, but the well wouldn't let me come back!"

"I know," said Sesshoumaru weakly, as his bleeding finally stopped, "the useless bum over there destroyed it." Kagome turned around to see Inuyasha trying to get up. Harshly, Kagome shouted, "OSUWARI!"

BOOM went Inuyasha as he went back down to the ground.

"Ah!" said Jaken completely stunned by his lord's behavior towards Kagome, "Sesshoumaru-sama, why are you entertaining that human wench." But the moment, Jaken uttered the word 'wench' Sango and Miroku proceeded to shut the little imp in a rather… painful way.

"Oh Sesshoumaru… have you been fighting all this while?" Kagome asked as she gazed tenderly at the one she loved the most. "Yes," Sesshoumaru answered, "it was necessary, it was to protect the priest as he rebuilt the well so you could return to me, my love." Kagome moved towards Sesshoumaru and rested her head against his right shoulder; his long, white and fluffy tail was currently resting on the ground. Sesshoumaru wrapped his right arm around Kagome and held her close, and said, "This Sesshoumaru is glad that you have returned. I have missed you greatly."

"And so have I… Sesshoumaru," said Kagome softly, so only Sesshoumaru could hear.

"Come," said Sesshoumaru, "let us leave this place so I can heal in peace." Kagome sat away and smiled at Sesshoumaru, and said, "Sure… but first there is something I need to say to someone here." Kagome then stood up and turned around and faced Inuyasha, who was again trying to stand up.

This time, Kagome allowed him to stand, and as he did, Inuyasha turned around and said, "Darn it, Kagome, what was that for?"

"What was that for?" Kagome yelled at him, "Look around you! You have destroyed so much of this forest."

Inuyasha looked around and was shocked, it was as if he did not comprehend the destruction he was inflicting on the forest around him. He seemed guilty and unable to speak, before he said, "Well… I-I had no choice… I was fighting Sesshoumaru after all!"

Kagome placed her hands on her hips and asked, "And why were you fighting with Sesshoumaru?"

Inuyasha glared at her and answered, "You know damn well why. Kagome, I will not let Sesshoumaru have you. You belong to me, you're Kikyo, you share her soul; you belong to me."

That got Kagome as mad as a swarm of hornets, "Listen you," said Kagome gritting her teeth and trying to control her anger that was beyond boiling point underneath, and said, "I'm going to say this, it's very important, so listen carefully." The only reason why Kagome had contained her anger, was that she remembered her mother's words and the promise she had made earlier to her. "I am Kagome, I am not Kikyo. I maybe Kikyo's reincarnation and my soul was hers, but I am myself. I am not Kikyo, and I most certainly do not belong to you."

"But," said Inuyasha looking lost, "You and Kikyo are the same. You both look the same, you both smell the same, you both fell in love with me, you…" that was all that Inuyasha managed to say before Kagome cried out, "We're not the same!" However, Sesshoumaru surprised everyone, when he stood up, and moved to Kagome's side, and looking at his brother said, "You… really are an idiot!"

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Inuyasha shouted angrily at his brother.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, and then opened them again and said, "Anyone who has seen both Kagome and your miko would say… they look nothing alike… though there is a slight resemblance. Inuyasha," said Sesshoumaru addressing his younger brother by his name; a first, since he usually addressed Inuyasha as, bug. "Kikyo is dead… she has been since 50 years ago, what died in your arms, was her, yes, but she was never truly alive in the first place. What you are doing… isn't it considered a betrayal to her memory? You should grief, and mourn her loss; it was something you could not do when she sealed you 50 years ago."

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, she couldn't belief that he had said that, but what he said, was correct. Kagome supported Sesshoumaru to stand, and looking back at Inuyasha, her voice was kind, as she said, "Inuyasha… you are right… like Kikyo, I did love you, but… you always pushed me away, but, I'm not angry at you for doing that, I always knew that the person you truly loved was Kikyo, but I always wanted to be by your side because I found that I liked being your friend better. Inuyasha you are my friend, and I love you as my friend, but please stop what you are doing, isn't this place full of memories of Kikyo? Are you sure you want to destroy it?"

"But," said Inuyasha feeling confused, "I'm not destroying this forest, I'm trying to kill," he pointed the non-transformed Tessaiga at Sesshoumaru, and said, "him!"

"Because," said Kagome calmly, "you think that if you killed Sesshoumaru, I would be in love with you again?"

"Yes!" said Inuyasha.

Kagome looked sadly at Inuyasha and said, "Inuyasha… Naraku killed Kikyo didn't he?"

Again, Inuyasha answered yes, "So, don't you hate him because he killed Kikyo, the woman you loved. So Inuyasha, how can I fall back in love with you, if you killed Sesshoumaru, whom I love dearly with all my heart?" Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome and smiled at her; no one has ever called him dear, nor has ever said that they loved him with all their heart. When Jaken heard Kagome's words, he opened his mouth, but no sound came out of it. So he closed it, but again he opened it and tried to say something, but he could not get a single syllable to leave his mouth, so he decided not to say anything, fearing the priest and the slayer would pound him into the ground again.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, stunned. He then looked at his brother and for the first time since he began fighting him, he looked into Sesshoumaru's eyes and saw no malice, hate or coldness that was usually present in his eyes. "Hey, Kagome…" said Inuyasha, "you really love this guy that much?"

"Yes," Kagome answered, "that and much more."

Inuyasha stared at Kagome and saw the shikon jewel glowing brightly under her red kimono. Inuyasha can't remember the last time he saw the jewel shining that brightly, but then he recalled one time, when Kikyo was still alive, she had taken him into the shrine, where the jewel was kept, and he remembered seeing the jewel glowing brightly in Kikyo's hands. It was then that Inuyasha understood something… the jewel glowed that brightly because the miko guarding it was in love… and the man in love with her was there in front of her.

"Hey," said Inuyasha to his brother.

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Do you really love Kagome as much as she does for you?" Inuyasha asked as he looked away.

Sesshoumaru stared at Inuyasha for a moment before he said, "Yes… Kagome," he spoke as he turned and looked at Kagome, "is the only creature for whom this heart of mine beats for. I would not battle so long for any other… if needed, I shall do battle for a hundred days if it meant it would keep her safe." Though Inuyasha looked away, his eyes widen in shock, he did not think he would hear such words being uttered by of all person's Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru's words were Inuyasha's exact feelings for Kikyo… Inuyasha hated to admit it, but, Sesshoumaru really and truly loved Kagome. "Keh!" said Inuyasha as he turned around and pulled Tessaiga's scabbard out of his hakama straps. He sheathed his sword and turning around with his head held down, he walked towards Kagome and Sesshoumaru and suddenly held Tessaiga towards Sesshoumaru and said, "Here, for you!"

Both Kagome and Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha, who continued, saying, "Your Tokijin is broken… you'll need a good sword to protect Kagome. The old man made this sword to protect my mother who was human. You'll need it to protect Kagome."

"The sword," said Sesshoumaru, "is yours, it seals your youkai blood from taking over your mind."

"Keh!" said Inuyasha, "won't need this sword any more, Naraku's dead, the Shikon no Tama is whole, I ain't fighting no more, you on the other hand, your fight just started." Inuyasha then pushed Tessaiga to his brother and said, "Take it, I don't need it anymore."

But just as Sesshoumaru reached for the sword, he coughed up blood and fell to the ground. Kagome fell to the ground beside him and pull Sesshoumaru up onto her lap and looked at him, he looked so weak and in pain. "Sesshoumaru?" said Kagome softly to him. As Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Jaken came up to the three of them, Sesshoumaru said, "My body… it isn't healing." Kagome's eyes went wide, while Inuyasha said, "Wait a minute, I'm hanyou and even my body would be healing by now, you're pure youkai! Why isn't your body healing by now?"

"Easy… fool… my lifespan is coming to an end." Said Sesshoumaru with a smile, shocking everybody.

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked. "You're not more then what? 760 years old?"

"Fool!" said Sesshoumaru coughing up more blood, "I was 760 the year our father died."

"Wait a minute," said Inuyasha, stunned, "Then… that would make you more then 960 years old? But that can't be… you look so young."

"Even father," said Sesshoumaru, "Looked young when he passed."

Suddenly, Sango said, "Youkais live only 1000 years and not more."

Tears fell from Kagome's eyes, she had come back to the Sengoku Jidai, she was able to stop Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru from fighting, but… it looked like she couldn't stop Sesshoumaru from dying. "No," said Kagome, as she bent down to Sesshoumaru and placed her head against his, and saying softly into his silver hair, "you can't die, you can't… I decided, I decided that I would spend my life with you, you can't die… I finally came back."

Softly, Sesshoumaru said, "Kagome…I'm glad that you've come back, I wanted to see your face again, I wanted to see you again."

"It's not fair," said Kagome, "It's not fair, I want to be by your side longer then I have been allowed to." Sesshoumaru held her hand and said, "I'm sorry... Kagome… it seems all I have brought to you is misery." However, Kagome did not answer him and instead, she gripped the shikon jewel in her other hand and said, "Please, please save him, I know I made a wish on you before to help me save Sesshoumaru, but please, please grant it. I love him and I want to have a life with him, to be with him everyday. I don't care if he is youkai, I love him, so please, save Sesshoumaru and allow us to live together!" One of Kagome's tear drops, landed on the jewel, while in her heart, Kagome made another wish; a wish to introduce Sesshoumaru to her mother.

All of a sudden, Inuyasha, Sango, Kirara, Miroku, Jaken and Shippou, found themselves flying through the air as a bright light came forth and enveloped both Sesshoumaru and Kagome in sphere of white light.

In side the sphere of light, Kagome held on to Sesshoumaru's hand tightly as a miko with long black hair, materialized in front the both of them. "I am Midoriko." Kagome gasped and said, "You're the miko who created the Shikon no Tama!"

"Yes," Midoriko answered, "Finally, I have heard a wish that is worth granting."

Kagome's head shot up, as she said, "You're going to save Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes," Midoriko answered, "So you may present him to your mother."

"Huh?" Kagome asked.

Midoriko looked at her and said, "The wish I choose to grant is for you to present Sesshoumaru to your mother. I shall give you both lives and youth to live to the time you come from Kagome, then after you have presented Sesshoumaru to your mother, my powers shall cease and the both of you will age as the rest around you do and then die."

"You can do that?" Kagome asked, unable to belief what she has just heard.

"Yes," Midoriko answered. She held her hand up, and said, "Sesshoumaru, lord of the West, you shall live longer than any youkai, and all your wounds shall now heal and I shall restore the arm that was lost, and to you Kagome, you shall age no more after you come to your twentieth year. From then, your youth and age shall stay with you until you meet your mother again. Sesshoumaru as usual, you shall choose how you age."

When Sesshoumaru's wounds were healed and his left arm restored, Midoriko vanished, so did the light and the Shikon no Tama. The rest were hardly affected by the time that passed for Sesshoumaru and Kagome inside the sphere of light. For those outside the sphere it was only an instant, for Sesshoumaru and Kagome, it seemed quite a long time.

Inuyasha saw Sesshoumaru's restored arm and almost fainted. When the shock of seeing Sesshoumaru completely healed and his left arm returned, Kagome and Sesshoumaru explained to the others what had happened in the flash of light. Everyone was surprised, they couldn't believe that Midoriko herself had come to grant Kagome's wish. Sesshoumaru, now being able to hold Tessaiga without the sword burning his hand, accepted his brother's sword as his own. After that, Inuyasha, and the other's plus a reluctant Jaken, left Sesshoumaru and Kagome who were seated under the Go-Shimboku.

Sesshoumaru was seated on the ground, with Kagome on his lap and resting her head on his shoulder, his both arms around what was his. "Sesshoumaru," said Kagome softly, "I can never go back home to where I came from."

"Why is that?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"That was the last time the well would function, I can't use it to return to my time." Said Kagome.

Sesshoumaru gazed at her and asked, "Did you know that it would be the last time the well would work?"

"Yes," Kagome answered.

"Then, why did you come?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome looked at him and said, "Because I wanted to be by your side."

Sesshoumaru was surprised by what she said, and spoke, saying, "But your mother…" Kagome placed a finger on his lips to hush him, then said, "My mother was the one who told me it was okay to come here… and she said it knowing she could never see me again."

"I see," said Sesshoumaru smiling, "and we have how many hundred years to live together?" he asked.

"Umm… about 500 years," Kagome answered as she found herself being lowered to the ground by Sesshoumaru who remained on the top, and said, "That's a long time… where do we start?"

"I don't know." Kagome answered.

"Then let me begin," said Sesshoumaru, he then leaned down to her and asked, "Kagome, will you become my mate?" Kagome widened her eyes at him, as she said the only word that came into her brain, "Huh?"

"My apologies," said Sesshoumaru rather gallantly, "You humans have a different term for it, let me rephrase my question. Kagome, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and will you be by my side for the rest of our lives?"

Kagome's eyes sparkled as she smiled and looked deep into his golden eyes and immediately became lost in their depths. Finally, she answered, "Yes."

Sesshoumaru then leaned down and kissed her under the shade of the Go-Shimboku, where they were left to themselves.

The End.

---

Yes, my dear readers; this is where In The Rain ends.

Now, a lot of you must be wondering, 'Hey Advi, who were the couple that Kagome saw at the mall?' well to answer that question, the couple that Kagome saw in the mall was the future Sesshoumaru and Kagome. Yup, the tall guy with short silver hair was Sesshoumaru in the future and his lady companion with the stylish short black hair was Kagome. I decided to give them new hair styles because… hey think about it, who wants to live for over 500 years with the same hair style?

Oh, I gave Kagome's almost non-existent dad a name here. I actually took his name from the former Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi. I liked that guy, he had a cool hairstyle!

Oh yes, before I forget, thank you so much to Cindygirl for proofing this chapter. I know without her help it would have taken longer to crank this chapter out.

Now, I know a lot of you must be asking, but did Kagome and Sesshoumaru have children?

My answer: hey that's up to your imagination!

I'm leaving the ending the way it is as a tribute to the creator of the series, Rumiko Takahashi. You know what I'm talking about if you've read her other stories.

I will not be writing a sequel to In The Rain as I do not have the time to. But I'm not going to quit writing for Fanfiction either. My next story will be the much awaited sequel to Traveling with Sesshoumaru, the Rin and Inuyasha fic, which I will start to post once I have completed proofing my novel.

Wish me luck!

Advi.