She had had enough. Kagome watched helplessly as Kikyo and Inuyasha embraced. 

"I'll protect you. You don't have to fight anymore."

"And what about Kagome?"

"She can handle herself. Nothing matters now but you."

Tears ran down Kagome's face. 'Why,' she thought, 'why is he doing this to 
me.' Kagome was sitting in the tree above them. She was there before Kikyo 
showed up...before InuYasha found her. Kagome scooted further down the  branch, 
not noticing how the branch was about to break under her weight.

"Inuyasha?" Kikyo asked him.

"Yes, Kikyo?"

But what Kikyo wanted to know, Kagome would never find out  because the 
tree branch snapped and she came crashing down. Kagome hit the  ground hard, 
knocking the wind out of her. Her wrist snapped, and hurt like no tomorrow. When 
Kagome opened her eyes, she saw InuYasha looking down on her with genuine 
fear on his face. "Kagome..I,"

"I don't want to hear it. I'm through with you. Burn in hell,  InuYasha!"

Kagome got up and ran off, she knew InuYasha was  following her, but she 
just couldn't look back. By the time she got to the  well, InuYasha had 
caught up to her.

"Kagome, STOP!!"

"InuYasha, SIT!!!"

Kagome took her chance and hopped down the well. Not thinking she 
took her bow and arrow that she had left by the well  before she left and 
sealed off the well so InuYasha couldn't get through. 'I'm  glad I didn't take my 
things this time,' Kagome thought, 'I was only going to tell InuYasha I'd be gone 
for a couple more days...but who knows how long I'll be gone now.'
 
Kagome went into the house,  unsure of what her family would say. Her 
mom was sitting at the table, reading  the newspaper, unaware of Kagome.

"It says that that Little Slugger is on the prowl again, and that he comes for those  
who are backed in an emotional corner. You know, I remember this happening a 
few  months ago, I thought it was over, but apparently not."

Sota was at the TV playing video games, "That was scary. I hope they  find 
the guy again."

"You know, Sota, that case was very strange, it was actually a figment of  
imagination, but very hard to explain. The really Lil Slugger was just a boy in 
high school, but he only attacked two of the victims. When they brought him 
in for interrogation, he was murdered by the other one. The policemen lost  
their jobs, but I don't know what happened to them. The first  victim, Tsukiko 
Sagi, was actually the creator. A very strange  story.. " She held up the paper 
to show a young boy with a red baseball cap  on, gold roller skates, and a 
golden metal bat bent like a dog's leg.

"Hey, Mom, I'm back." said Kagome, not thinking that Lil Slugger  could have 
anything to do with her.

"Hey, sis...did anything exciting happen while you were there?"

"No," Kagome lied. "But I think I'll be staying here from now on."

"What? Why? What about Inuyasha?"

"What about him?"  and with that, Kagome went up to her room.

So this Lil Slugger comes for  those who are in an emotional corner, 
he surely wouldn't come for me. I mean...I  can't stay away from InuYasha 
forever...but I heard him...he said I didn't matter.  I wonder is he's thinking about 
me. Kagome got into bed, thinking over everything that had happened. It 
wasn't fair, what does Kikyo have that I don't? How could he like her more than 
me? Does he even miss me? I bet he  doesn't.
                                       

 She didn't know how wrong she was.

 
 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   

The next night, Kagome went out for a walk to clear her head. School that day
was miserable. She couldn't focus on anything. Everything reminded her of  InuYasha,
and Hojo wasn't any help either. It killed her to say that she was over her sickness 
and that she and her boyfriend were over. Kagome had turned on the radio when she had 
gotten home, and the songs tore her up inside:
 

Swallow me then spit me out
For hating you I blame myself
Seeing you it kills me now
No I don't cry on the outside anymore *Kelly  Clarkson, Behind these 
Hazel Eyes*
 
Listen to your heart when he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart, there's nothing else you can do
I don't know where you going and I don't know why
But listen to your heart, before you tell him good bye *D.H.T,  Listen To 
Your heart*  
 
   Finally, Kagome had to just turn it off. 

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~    

Kagome woke up in the hospital. A far too familiar face  hanging above her. "Inuyasha..what--" "Shh, don't talk. That was smart sealing off the well that way, but I  had to see you again, and no stupid seal was gonna keep me away."     

 Kagome felt her head. It was bandaged heavily.  "What happened?"

"It was Lil Slugger, whoever he is. I saw it happen. Your mom told me all  about it. Anyway, I'm so sorry, Kagome. Can you ever forgive me?"   

Kagome took a deep look at him. He truly did seem sorry. She nodded. Inuyasha  smiled. And at that moment, nothing else mattered, not Kikyo, not Naraku, not  the jewel shards, not Lil Slugger, not even their other friends. And for the  first time, Kagome and Inuyasha kissed.

"I love you," Kagome told him after that  magical moment.

"I love you, too, Kagome."   

                                                        THE END