"Run away, Kagome!!" Inu Yasha called out to her, as he pulled out his sword and faced off with a particularly bad sort of Youkai. She nodded and threw one leg over her bike seat. Leg cocked to put pressure on the pedal, she looked over her shoulder.

"Come on, Shippo!" He broke away from his staring at the scary youkai and hopped over onto her bike. She swiftly pushed forward, trying to gain speed over the uneven terrain.

"Kagome!!" Taking her eyes off of what lay before her, she looked behind her.

"Ahh!" Shippo yelled, wrapping his arms around her neck. The youkai had decided that this pair would make better food, apparently, for it was right behind them, and gaining, Inu Yasha speeding after it.

Kagome put all she could into going faster, and miraculously, she put further distance between them and it. At that point Inu Yasha swept up behind the youkai, and in its distracted state at not achieving its goal, had its head chopped off.

Breaking, Kagome swerved to the side,stopping and looking back. She sighed in relief at what she saw, Shippo loosening his death grip and mirroring her sigh. Jumping off, he slid one paw across the chrome of the bike.

"This bike saved us, Kagome! It made us go faster with it's magic!" Looking down at him and his awe, Kagome didn't have the heart to burst his little bubble. Inu Yasha came down beside them.

"Feh! What a waste of time. Not even a shard to have even bothered with." His eyes slid over the pair. "Since you're fine, let's go." He walked off in the direction they had been walking today, and the day before.

Kagome stared at the fire from her position in her sleeping bag; little Shippo nestled in her arms. For some reason, she had felt restless the last few days. Also, her dreams were broken, not well connected, even for dreams. Her Grandpa would say that this was a sign that something big was about to happen. Then, as he walked off, she and her mother would giggle and agree that it was just last night casserole.

Kagome smiled at her musings, pulling Shippo tighter against her. He smelt of her mother's perfume, for she had borrowed some before she had left this time, and Shippo had gotten into it that day. Inu Yasha had certainly laughed it up, as Shippo walked around on the verge of nausea from the extreme amount of scent that wafted up from his body.

Sighing, Kagome released her hold on Shippo and rolled over onto her back. The stars were so beautiful tonight, so different from her time where one could hardly see them at all. A cloud drifted across the moon and a glimmer caught her eye. She sat up quickly.'Yes… Yes, there goes another one! Those are Kikyo's soul stealers!

Kagome's eyes darted about the camp, searching for a familiar bright red haori. Inu Yasha was not there! A breath caught in her throat and she made her way to her knees before she stopped what she was doing.'What am I doing? I know what will happen. Why do I even bother? Just so I can witness his declaration of love to her again and feel my heart tighten in pain?'

Slowly, she lay back down again. Pressing her face into the fluffy tail fur of her little friend, she forced herself to get some rest.

The next day, both Inu Yasha and Kagome were silent in thought. Shippo, oblivious, proceeded to bounce around like a good little hyperactive fox demon.

"Kagome, what's for breakfast? Where we going today? Why you so quiet, Kagome?" *hop hop hop* "Kagome, why is the sky blue? You said you knew why, but at the time I didn't care but know I do, so--- Kagome, can I have another sucker?" *whap*

"I think that six is enough for one morning, don't you, Kagome?" Kagome mumbled something, looking off into the distance. "What was that?"

"I SAID… I was saying, as you please, could we go back to Kaede's village, now?" She asked, not looking at them. Shippo hopped to her shoulder, hugging her neck.

"KAGOME!! Why do you wanna LEAVE me? Why-

Shippo was pulled from her shoulder. *Whap whap* Kagome turned to see Shippo sitting on the ground, two bumps on his head, grumbling unintelligibly and glaring up at Inu Yasha. Red. She looked up, meeting his golden eyes, and things were said and understood on both sides. His mouth opened and she almost flinched at his upcoming words.

"Okay. Let's go." She sighed in surprised relief as he turned and went to the edge of the clearing, showing his back to them. Kagome quickly gathered her sleeping bag and pack, and hoisted them onto her bike. She followed Inu Yasha's lead, little Shippo hopping to her shoulder as she passed.

Kagome looked at each of her friends before her, meeting their eyes one by one… Except for one pair of golden eyes, which were fixed on some point to the side. She sighed, looking away from all of them.

"I'm leaving." Shifting and disgruntled noises emanated from the group. "Only for a short time. I need some space, regular routine, and normalcy to get my thoughts sorted. I'd appreciate it if a certain someone would NOT come after me. I need this and I WILL return, don't worry. Well… goodbye and good health." She stepped out the doorway, and Shippo made as if to follow her. But his tail…

"And where do you think you're going?" He heard growled at him. Shippo turned and pointed at Inu Yasha accusingly.

"I don't know how and when you did it but you made Kagome mad at you again!" *whack* Shippo fell to the floor and he scrambled away.

"Uh! What'd you do that for, Miroku?!" Inu Yasha demanded, standing and glaring at the monk, who was now safely (supposedly) across the room.

"I share the little fox's sentiments exactly, Inu Yasha." Kaede and Sango echoed his words. "When will you learn the art of two-timing if you keep being so obvious?" *whap* Sango knocked Miroku, eyebrow twitching. Kaede just shook her head slowly from side to side.

Kagome left her bicycle leaned against the hut. 'No need to bring it back. Mom fixed hers so I could have one in both times.' The well coming into sight, she felt the tenseness drain away just seeing it. 'Home.'

All the warnig she got was chuckling from the side. Her head made it around just in time to see Naraku's leering face right before darkness overcame her.