Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Bleach.

Author's Note: I recently started watching Bleach…and this was the result. I've seen a couple – maybe three – Inuyasha/Bleach crossovers. However, I haven't seen one with a crossover pairing yet. So, despite some misgivings, I'm going to give it a shot. Please bear with me.

First Encounter

4/28/07 – 5/7/07

"It's only for two weeks, Inuyasha. You'll hardly notice I was even gone."

"I don't freaking care, stupid! You're not going anywhere! We don't have time for a vacation! We have more important things to do! Or did you forget all about Naraku and the shards?"

"Be reasonable, Inuyasha. It's only two weeks."

"Keh, no!"

"It's important!"

"Over my dead body!"

"Be reasonable, Inuyasha. I'm only asking for two weeks – not two months. I'll be back before you even knew I was gone."

Inuyasha's ears twitched irritably atop his head. Did he think he was blind, deaf, or stupid? How could he not notice that someone was missing from their group? Snarling, he loudly growled, "NO!"

"SIT!"

Inuyasha's eyes visibly widened as he reflexively cringed. It took him a moment to realize that…nothing happened.

He blinked, feeling like an idiot.

Narrowing his eyes, he cracked his knuckles, and calmly took a step forward. Then, without warning, he lunged (rapidly closing the distance between them) and roared at the top of his lungs, "Damn you, Miroku!"

"Gyah!" Miroku shrieked, holding up his hands in defense as stumbled away from the irate hanyou. "It was a joke!"

"I'm going to kill you, you damn monk!"

"It was a joke!"

From afar, Kagome and Sango watched with fascination as the argument rapidly escalated from a small disagreement into a full-blown brawl. Surprisingly, the argument was quite vicious (given Miroku's usually peaceful nature).

Yet, it was oddly reminiscent…

Feeling Sango's eyes on her, Kagome immediately tensed.

"Ne, Kagome-chan," Sango softly intoned, keeping her eyes trained intently on the boys. "Doesn't this remind you of something?" Even though her face continued to remain neutral, the amusement in her voice was unmistakable.

She was mocking her.

Kagome sweat dropped. How could she not remember? She just had the same argument with Inuyasha three days ago. "You know," she snorted, hoping to change the subject, "I really can't understand why he has to get so worked up about us leaving every time we decide to go home for a while. It's not as if we were planning to go and never come back." He should be able to trust us. He should be able to trust me. Frowning, she darkly added. "Plus, after all these years, you'd think he would have finally learned something about trying to stop us from leaving."

"Well," Sango mused, contemplating her friend's question, "Maybe it's pride."

Kagome shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Still," Sango mused aloud, "Wouldn't it be easier for him to just let Miroku go? I mean, their dispute has already wasted half the morning."

Kagome silently agreed. If Inuyasha would just allow Miroku to leave, then he'd probably be able to finish his business sooner. Then, once he finished his business, then he would probably be able to return sooner too. "I guess Inuyasha's just being Inuyasha." I'd actually be worried if he let Miroku go without a fight. But, despite that, it still didn't change the fact that Sango brought up a valid point.

Just when was Inuyasha planning to grow up?

Some time later, Kagome found herself sitting stiffly beside Sango as she tried to dissipate the awkward silence. "You know," she huffed, casting Inuyasha a quick glance from the corner of her eyes. "This isn't exactly the end of the world. Miroku's only going to be gone for a few days."

Inuyasha grunted.

"All right, maybe it's more than just a few days. But two weeks isn't all that long either, right Sango?"

Sango blinked. Why did she always have to insist on dragging her into these pointless discussions? Sighing, she mutely nodded her head.

"See," Kagome smiled, turning her head to face the sulking hanyou "Two weeks isn't that long, ne?" When Inuyasha failed to reply, Kagome's smile immediately faded. A dark frown gradually replaced her smile as she stared speculatively at his back. Sighing, she quietly mused, "Why does he always have to act like a petulant child when things don't go his way?"

"Kagome-chan…?" Sango asked worriedly, noticing her friend's sudden shift in mood. "Don't let Inuyasha bother you. He sulks like that all the time. Actually, it's even worse when you go home. So, pleased don't let his mood bother you too much. He'll get over it eventually."

Inuyasha glowered, keeping his eyes trained intently on the wall.

Shaking her head, Kagome quietly got up and murmured, "It's all right, Sango. I understand. I'm just going to go home to pick up some more supplies for us. I'll be back tonight." Without another word, she quickly turned and walked out of the hut.

What will it take for you to notice me, Inuyasha?

She knew it was going to happen someday, but she didn't think it would be that soon. She had been prepared for it…but for some reason, it didn't seem to lessen any of the shock. Picking the letter off the ground, her fingers trembled as she quietly reread it to herself again.

"Kaa-san…?" she asked questioningly, turning her head towards her mother. "What are we going to do? Are we really going to sell the shrine and move to America?" Before her mother even replied, she knew the answer.

"I'm sorry, honey."

Kagome clenched her hands. "Then, what about the well?" She immediately felt selfish for asking that question, but she knew that she needed to hear the answer. After a moment, when her mother failed to provide her with a solution, she quietly added, "What am I supposed to do about the shards?" How could she abandon her friends like that? "What am I supposed to say to Inuyasha?" He would never let her go.

"I don't know, honey. I really don't know." her mother replied helplessly.

Kagome felt the color drain from her face as she dropped numbly into her seat. How could they expect her to choose? Between her friends and her grandfather, what was the right decision? Should she abandon her friends and leave them to Naraku's mercy, or should she abandon her grandfather and turn a blind eye to his deteriorating health?

"Kagome, whatever you decide to do, I want you to know that I – we – support your choice. Your grandfather understands that you have a responsibility to complete the Shikon no Tama…He won't hold your absence against you."

We will always support you.

Bowing her head, hiding her tear-stained face from her mother's sharp eyes, she softly whispered, "I'm sorry, Kaa-san." Pushing away from the table, she quickly turned and fled – careful to avoid her mother's eyes. She knew that if she had looked, she would have found understanding and acceptance in her eyes…

However, those were the last things that she wanted to see in her mother's eyes when she had just betrayed them by choosing her friends over them.

She wasn't worthy.

I'm sorry…Kaa-san.

Racing out of the house, she immediately headed for the well-house. Without a backward glance – afraid that she would lose her resolve to leave – she promptly slipped into the well-house and jumped down the well.

A moment later, her feet touched solid ground.

Leaning her back against the well's wall, she slowly tilted her head upwards and gazed into the quiet, gentle night. It was a beautiful night. Everything was calm and sweet. The air was pure, and the breeze was gentle. If it had been any other day, she would have considered it romantic.

However, when you're heart's dying, the scenery hardly seems important.

Retreating to a small corner in the well, she promptly curled into a small ball and wrapped her arms tightly around her legs. Why…why did things have to turn out like this? Burying her face into her knees, she closed her eyes and cried.

I'm sorry…

She had just betrayed some of the most important people in her life – her mother, her brother, and her grandfather. She knew that when she had chosen to stay with her friends, she had, in essence, placed her own happiness above her family's well-being. She knew that beneath all her lies about duty towards the Shikon no Tama, she had ultimately chosen to stay in the Feudal Era because she still clung to the hope that Inuyasha would return her feelings one day.

She had chosen to stay because she loved Inuyasha.

She had decided to stay because she was selfish…

…and she hated herself for that.

Inuyasha paced restlessly back and forth in front of the hut, alternating between growls and curses (much to some of the village women's displeasure). From an outsider's point of view, he would have looked very much like an anxious father waiting for the birth of his first child.

However, that wasn't the case.

"Inuyasha, can you stop pacing already?" Shippo growled, glaring heatedly at the hanyou. "You're giving me a headache, and you're not helping Kagome at all!" Fisting his small hands, he added, "I don't care what the others say; I still think you're the one who made Kagome cry! So, spill it, Dog-Breath! What did you do to Kagome?!"

A threatening growl ripped from Inuyasha's throat. Grabbing Shippo by the scruff of his neck, he immediately proceeded to pummel the young kit's head into the ground. "Shut up!" he growled. "Shut up! You don't understand anything! I already freaking told you, I didn't do anything to her! I found her like that three days ago at the bottom of the well. It's not my fault! "

It had been three days.

Although he tried to keep on an aloof appearance on the outside, his mannerisms betrayed him. Everything he did – every word, every gesture, every growl – betrayed his internal anxiety.

He was worried about Kagome.

When he had found her three days ago, curled in a small ball at the bottom of the well, he had thought she had been attacked by a youkai on the way home. Immediately, his mind jumped to the worse conclusion. He clearly remembered wondering if she had been killed. At that time, he had been afraid – terrified that he would lose her (not that he would ever admit that out loud). However, his fears were immediately allayed when he heard her calm, even breaths.

She was physically unharmed.

However, she hadn't smiled since that night. Every time someone tried to ask her what was wrong, she simply shook her head and whispered, "It's nothing." She told them not to worry about it, but it only made them worry more.

What happened that night?

She knew she was acting childish. It wasn't as if her family had disowned her (or something drastic like that). They were simply going to be separated for a while. After all, parting didn't mean it had to be eternal.

She knew that she could – would – see her family again someday. However, that didn't mean she knew when she was going to see them again. After all, America wasn't exactly near Japan. It was on the other side of the world. To visit her family, she would need time and money – neither of which she had. At best, she probably wouldn't be able to see them again until after the Shikon no Tama was completed.

However, the question of the Shikon no Tama was another problem in and of itself. No one knew what would happen once the Shikon was completed. Would she be sent home, or would she be trapped here?

Or, would she be given a choice?

Out of the three possible outcomes, she dreaded the final possibility the most. The last thing she wanted was to be given a choice again – to be forced to choose between her family and her friends. She didn't want a choice because she didn't know what to choose. Should she stay with her family, the people who had raised and nurtured her – or should she stay with her friends, the people who had risked their lives to protect hers? Neither possibility sounded appealing to her because she knew that to choose one would mean abandoning the other. However, it didn't change the fact that it was a question that she would have to face sooner or later.

When the time came, what would she choose? Would she sacrifice her family to stay with Inuyasha again? Or would she sacrifice Inuyasha (and her love for him) in order to stay with her family?

Sighing, she wearily picked herself off the ground and stretched. Tossing a quick glance to Sango, who was eyeing her curiously, she murmured, "I'm going to take a walk. I have a lot of things on my mind tonight."

Nodding in understanding, Sango quietly mouthed, "Be careful. It's getting dark."

"Don't worry, it won't take that long," Kagome answered, slinging her quiver of arrows over her shoulder. "Take care of Shippo for me," she added softly, tilting her head towards the sleeping kit. "I'll be back soon."

Stepping out of the hut, she immediately jumped (barely stifling a yelp of surprise) when Inuyasha suddenly landed in front of her. "Where do you think you're going?" he snapped irritably, crossing his arms imperiously over his chest.

"I'm going for a quick walk." Kagome answered shortly, sidestepping Inuyasha's blockade. "Don't follow me." she quickly added as an afterthought, shooting the hanyou a dark look. Noticing the angry scowl etched on Inuyasha's face, Kagome quickly turned and left. She really didn't have the energy to argue with him at the moment.

She needed the time to herself.

She wasn't exactly sure how long she had spent wandering through the forest, but she knew that it definitely hadn't been a short walk. If she had to estimate, she would say that she had probably been walking around aimlessly for at least three to four hours. But then, that would mean that it's probably midnight now.

In her mind, she had no doubt that Inuyasha was going to be pissed.

Actually, she was surprised that he hadn't come to look for her yet. Maybe, (just maybe) for once, he was respecting her need for privacy. Still, it's probably better not to test his patience. Turning around, Kagome quickly retraced her steps through the forest and made her way back to the village.

I wonder if Sango's still awake…

She was nearing the outskirts of the village when she suddenly sensed something weird heading in her direction. Tilting her head back, she gazed confusedly into the sky as she tried to locate the origin of the disturbance. However, what she saw immediately made her wish that she hadn't looked at all.

It was the Shinidamachus – Kikyou's Soul Stealers.

Swallowing the sudden lump that had formed in her throat, Kagome quickly turned and followed the Shinidamachu back into the forest. Praying fervently, she silently begged, "Please…Please don't be there, Inuyasha."

Please…don't do this to me.

She knew it.

She knew she would have found them there, but it still broke her heart to see them together. Similarly, just as she already knew that Inuyasha still loved Kikyou, it still hurt to hear him admit it out loud…

…Because simply knowing something didn't dull the pain.

Pressing her hand to mouth, she quickly muffled her sobs so that the two lovers wouldn't notice her presence. The last thing she wanted (at the moment) was for them to catch her spying on them…again.

Closing her eyes, she quickly took in a shuddering breath and exhaled. She should leave. She needed to leave. She didn't need to watch this. She didn't need to watch them. She didn't want to see them together.

Taking a step back, she was fully prepared to leave when she suddenly noticed something lurking in the shadows. Squinting slightly to get a better look, Kagome's eyes immediately widened when she realized that the person lurking in the shadows was a man – a human.

Despite the situation, Kagome found herself shaking her head in disbelief. Did the man honestly think that he could sneak up on Inuyasha – a hanyou? Snorting softly, she quickly turned and left. Inuyasha could deal with the man himself…and she trusted him not to hurt a human.

However, she had taken less than three steps when she suddenly heard Kikyou scream out in pain. Turning back towards the scene, Kagome's dark-blue eyes instantly widened with surprise when she realized what had transpired. The man – a human – had succeeded in getting close enough to the couple (somehow bypassing Inuyasha) to slash Kikyou across the back. He had narrowly ended Kikyou's life.

"Kikyou, what's wrong? What happened?" Inuyasha shouted frantically, looking around frantically for the enemy. Pushing Kikyou behind him, he immediately began to swing Tetsusaiga wildly around.

It took Kagome a moment to realize that Inuyasha couldn't see the man who was standing beside him. Was the man…invisible? Reacting on instinct, Kagome immediately strung her bow and fired.

However, the man easily sidestepped the attack.

Kagome's eyes widened with horror when she realized that the arrow was (now) heading directly for Kikyou, who was leaning defenselessly against the Goshinboku tree. Her lips immediately formed a silent scream; however, before she could even form a coherent word, Inuyasha suddenly pushed Kikyou aside.

The arrow connected.

Kagome's grip around her bow immediately slackened, allowing her weapon to clatter uselessly to the ground. She had shot Inuyasha. She had shot Inuyasha. Her heart pounded erratically in her ears as she sagged lifelessly to the ground.

Feeling Inuyasha's eyes on her, Kagome slowly lifted her eyes to meet his golden gaze. She immediately felt her heart break and shatter into a million pieces when she saw the conflicting emotions reflected in his eyes. Whereas her eyes were filled with tears, his eyes…his eyes were filled with betrayal.

Kagome opened her mouth to protest – to explain; however, all she managed was a chocked sob. It's not what it looks like! "I-Inuyasha, I…" I…I didn't mean to! I didn't want to kill Kikyou!

"Stay away from us, Kagome!" Inuyasha snarled, fisting his hands by his side. "Just…stay away." Clenching his jaws painfully, he quickly scooped Kikyou into his arms and left. He didn't know what was going on, and frankly, after what happened, he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to know.

Left behind, Kagome continued to stare blankly at the area that Inuyasha had previously occupied. She had heard what he said; however, her heart stubbornly refused to accept it. She loved Inuyasha. She had to explain that it was an accident…

"So, you can see me."

Kagome's head immediately snapped up. When had he gotten so close? Terror gripped her heart as she quickly backed away from the man and stumbled to her feet. She instinctively reached for her bow; however, he easily blocked her path.

Realizing that she was trapped (since she probably wouldn't be able to outrun him), Kagome slowly lifted her eyes to meet the man's gaze. Her mouth immediately ran dry when she took in the man's strangely handsome, aristocratic features.

He didn't look like a killer.

TBC

Author's Note: So, what do you guys think? Should I continue? Oh, can anyone guess who Kagome met? It's a character from Bleach. :)