Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha... or at least... not yet -evil laughter-

They did it… they finally did it…it had taken them a year and a half but they finally completed it…

The Shikon no Tama was in his hands…

He finally had what he had been waiting for…

Yet… why wasn’t he wishing to turn into a full demon now?

He looked over and saw that his friends were all looking at him expectantly, all with looks of sorrow on their faces.

Then he realized… he couldn’t leave them, not after all their times of traveling together. He couldn’t leave them, his friends, his family, his pack. He could never leave them… He couldn’t leave them….

“Feh…” He muttered simply, tossing the jewel back to the shocked miko who caught it. “You use it… you did more work them me and you’re the one who put it back together. So go on… use it already…” He snapped irritably, looking away from their stunned gazes.

Kagome looked down at the jewel once again. ‘But what can I wish for? I have everything I want… friends, family, I couldn’t possibly wish for anything… and I didn’t do any work, they were all the ones who fought…’ She thought, sighing. “Sango… you use it.” She said, handing the jewel to an even more stunned demon exterminator.

“But I- Kagome… I don’t have anything to wish for…” She said, smiling. “Naraku’s dead… I have avenged my family and my brother is out of his control again.” She said softly, smiling. “I couldn’t wish for anything…” She said, before handing the jewel to Miroku.

“I don’t have anything to wish for either… now that Naraku’s dead… my wind tunnel has disappeared. And even the jewel couldn’t give me the one thing I want.” He said, grinning as he wrapped an arm around Sango.

Sango blushed and was rather shocked at his gesture but scowled as he felt his familiar hand run over her ass. “Mirokuuuu….” She growled, a red tick mark appearing on her forehead as she shut her eyes and scowled.

Miroku laughed nervously and quickly removed his hand, not before getting a hard bump on the head.

“I’m sorry, but I must decline the use of this. If it were to truly belong to anyone it would be to either Kagome or InuYasha.” He said, handing the jewel back to Kagome who sighed.

“So what are we going to do with it?” She asked, shaking her head.

“Feh, leave the thing here while you go off to that school of yours again… We’ll watch over it and you can finish your learning or whatever.” InuYasha said, shrugging.

“But what if…?” Kagome started, biting her lip.

“If you can’t get back through the well then I’ll come get you, alright? How much longer do you have to be at your school anyways?” The hanyou asked curiously, looking at her through his golden orbs.

“Thee years…” Kagome said, ready for the explosion.

“Three years!” The hanyou growled. “What the hell do you need to do there for so long?” He asked, folding his arms into his red hiori sleeves. His eyes showed mostly anger and irritation, but Kagome could tell after being with him for so long, it was only a way to cover up his sadness.

Kagome knew she had to be strong about this, it was important for her to finish High School, at the very least. “I have to finish school! And I have to take a make-up year because I missed so much!” She pointed out, folding her arms as well.

InuYasha growled softly for a few seconds, as though thinking what to do. He knew Kagome was too stubborn to back down off of this. And he knew how important her education was. ‘But why do you need her back here so much?’ that little voice asked inside is head. ‘We have to use the stupid jewel and she’s going to have to make the wish!’ He argued back. ‘Sure… you just keep thinking that…’ That voice answered smugly.

“Fine, go back to your stupid school.” InuYasha muttered, looking away irritably. He blinked in surprise when Kagome walked over and took his hands from his hiori sleeves, holding out his palm and putting the jewel in it before closing his hand over it.

“Keep this for me… don’t use it until I get back… alright?” The miko asked softly.

InuYasha looked at her and blinked before slowly nodding “Sure…” He said, his voice holding a rare tone of caring and compassion which he rarely showed.

Miroku couldn’t help it. He sighed “It’s so nice to see a young love bloom even more right before they part…” He said. And Sango nodded in agreement.

This made both InuYasha’s and Kagome’s faces turn a beet red. InuYasha determinedly looked away from everyone and Kagome was stuttering over words. “T-That’s not it… I just want to see what happens… and I want to be here when it does.” She said, trying to think up an excuse.

But there wasn’t one… she knew it full well by now. She knew leaving InuYasha would be the hardest thing she’d have to do. And part of her was terrified that she’d never be able to return and they’d never come to get her again. Mostly… she was terrified of never being able to see InuYasha again…

“I… I guess I should go now… before it gets even harder to leave…” The miko said sadly, looking at the ground. Before she knew it she was wrapped in Sango’s arms that were shaking a bit as tears fell down her face. “Don’t forget us, alright?” She asked.

Kagome nodded and before she knew it she started to cry as well.

“Now, now… this isn’t a time for tears… we should all be joyful that the Shikon no Tama is at last complete… and Kagome is free to go back to her own time and finish her education with ease.” Miroku said, looking over at the both of them.

“As much as I hate to admit it, the monk is right. Stop with your blubbering already… it’s only going to be harder to leave and the faster you leave the sooner you can get back.” InuYasha said; folding his arms again, the Shikon jewel still clutched in his hand.

Kagome nodded and wiped the remaining tears from her face. “Your right… and I’ll come back… just come visit me sometime, alright?” She asked softly, looking around at them.

Miroku and Sango nodded while InuYasha just gave another ‘feh’ which was supposedly an agreement.

“Alright… I’m off… take care!” Kagome said, waving to them and picking up her huge yellow backpack before heading off into the forest, tears streaming down her face.

It was only when Kagome had disappeared into the trees that InuYasha remembered something. “Damn it…” He muttered, heading after Kagome while reaching into his hiori for something.

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Sango gave Miroku a curious look and he merely shrugged. “We may both me males but that doesn’t mean I know what he’s up to. Although I have a hunch it’s something that involves the two of them to not be disturbed anytime soon.” He said.

Sango glared at him “Miroku you pervert! Get your mind outta the gutter!” She said, hitting him on the head again. “Kagome and InuYasha have a long way to go before even really expressing their feelings, and you’re suggesting THAT!” She asked.

Miroku put his hands up in defense. “I didn’t say anything! I meant that he was probably going to give her a gift or something!” He said, putting on his best ‘I’m an innocent monk’ smile.

Sango scowled, the smile not fooling her. She sighed and folded her arms “Although it wouldn’t hurt for them to move things along a bit faster, they aren’t getting any younger and it’s about time InuYasha realized just how much he loves Kagome…” Sango said softly.

Miroku nodded “Yeah, sometimes it’s hard to see a possible love, even though it can be right in front of you.” He said his arm next to hers and gently grabbed her hand in his own.

Sango’s face turned a bright pink, but she didn’t pull her hand away. She waited for his other hand to start rubbing her butt again, but it never came. ‘Yeah… sometimes…’ She repeated in her head, looking at Miroku before back at the forest.

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InuYasha continued through the forest, finally taking out what he had planned. He got a sudden idea and grabbed the Shikon jewel, taking his nail and chipping off a small piece of it. It was small enough so no one would notice it missing, but was big enough so the jewel wouldn’t be complete. He gently put the chip of the jewel inside what he had taken out and made sure it was firmly closed before running off towards the well.

InuYasha sighed as he stopped running and made it towards the well, glad to have made it just in time as Kagome was about to jump into it.

“Wait…” He said, walking over to her.

The miko stopped, a look of surprise lit her features as she pulled her leg out of the well and sat down on the lip of it, looking at him. “InuYasha, what are you doing here?” She asked, looking at him.

“I-“InuYasha stopped, his cheeks turning red so he looked away. This was harder then he thought it would’ve been.

“I just came to give you this…” He said, walking over and handing her a silver locket. He had gotten it for her on this weird holiday called ‘Valentines day’ and her mother had suggested that he gave her that and then walked off, giggling about little puppies with dog ears. Sadly he had lost it during that time and instead gave Kagome a few wildflowers that she seemed so happy to get. He was surprised he had stopped blushing, especially after all the monk’s and slayer’s side comments to him.

The locket was silver and in the shape of a heart. It had an ivy engraving going up the side of the heart and then there were small flowers along the ivy as well.

Kagome looked at it in awe ‘Why is he giving this to me? Maybe he does- no… he doesn’t… he likes Kikyou…’ she thought sadly.

InuYasha noticed the sadness in her eyes and his own widened “Oi! If you’re going to be upset over it then don’t take it!” He said, folding his arms again.

Kagome smiled “No… InuYasha I love it… I really do.” She said, grinning at him. ‘But that look he had… he wasn’t doing it because anyone made him… he knows it’s a special gift and he’s giving it to me.’ She thought, looking at the locket.

“Thank you…” She said; her brown eyes glossy again with tears as she looked at him.

“Ah! No crying!” InuYasha said, looking at her.

The miko laughed and shook her head “I’m crying because I’m happy… and sad… I’m happy because it’s really nice of you to give this to me… but I’m sad because I still have to leave.” She said, looking at InuYasha and wiping her eyes.

Kagome looked back at the locket and her hand moved over to it to open it. InuYasha’s hand quickly stopped her own and he looked at her. “Not yet… you can’t open it until I come back.” He said. He blushed and quickly removed his hand when he realized he had been holding her hand.

She smiled and stood up, hugging InuYasha tightly which only made him blush even more. Having Kagome’s arms around him… felt so right… He wrapped his arms around her as well, hugging her closely. Suddenly he felt pain grip at his heart, he didn’t want her to leave… and certainly not for so long.

“Bye…. InuYasha…” Kagome said softly, taking her arms off around him and he did the same. She kissed him softly on the cheek before walking back towards the well.

InuYasha’s heart gave a painful throb as he saw her walk towards the well. A soft whine escaped his lips as he saw her. He hated this pain more then anything… He knew he’d see her again… but right now it felt as though he’d never see her again. “Kagome…” He said softly, watching her walk over towards the well.

‘Don’t turn around… it’ll only be harder if you do…’ She thought, putting the necklace on herself and looking at the well, fighting the urge to look back at InuYasha. She heard him whisper her name and closed her eyes, tears threatening to fall again. She sat back down on the lip of the well, looking down into it before moving the rest of the way and falling into it. The blue light surrounded her for what she thought might be the last time ever. “InuYasha…” She whispered, tears streaming down her face once again.

Please review what you think so far!

Flames are welcome, just be prepared to be flamed back ;)

I should have the next chapter up soon, and the one after that as well.

Until then... Ja ne!

Mimbleh