Experience is a Hard Teacher by Phoenix Night

Oh, the problems I have...

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any related characters; they belong to Rumiko Takaashi, Sunrise Studios, Shonen Sunday and Viz Communications.

How in the world do I end up in situations like these? Kagome thought, attempting to squirm out from under the weight piled up on top of her. After a few more attempts she realized she couldn't budge and her poor ribs would have to bear the weight.

"Unnnnn... umph.. what happened?" A moan from next to her ear brought her attention to Sango, who was currently lying on top of her facedown with her head next to her left ear. Sango lifted her head enough so she could look in her friend's face. "Kagome-chan? What-" A violent shake of the miko's head stopped her from saying anything more.

"Don't talk loudly, we don't want to wake him just yet." Sango stiffened as she realized for the first time that there was something on top of her. "Who?" "Sesshomaru." was her friend's reply. The poor exterminator's eyes widened, and she swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. "Are we in your time?" "Yes, and that's what I'm worried about with the well sealed I've got to find a way to unseal it, and at the same time make sure Sesshomaru doesn't go on a killing spree!" Sango nodded, it made sense and it only added to their growing list of worries. "Wait, where's Kirara?" Kagome gave a small smile. "On top of Sesshomaru." Then her smile faded as she remembered how she got into this mess in the first place.

Kagome knew she had to remain calm if she wanted to go home; it wouldn't help to get Inuyasha angry. So, she waited until after dinner to tell him, when the hanyou was usually in a fairly good mood. "Inuyasha? I have a favor I need to ask you." The amber eyes and dog ears swiveled to focus on the girl, who was sitting across from him on the floor of Kaede's hut. The other members of their group where scattered around the fire and they focused their attention on her. Kagome took a deep breath. "I need to go home for a week."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in anger and he was quick to snap, "NO WAY! A week?!! There's no way your going home and staying for a week when there are shards to be found!" Kagome closed her eyes and her jaw tightened in an attempt to stave off her anger and the flood of "osuwari" that was threatening to break loose. She was rewarded for her efforts when her jaw flared in sudden pain. "OW!" She cried, her hand flying to her jaw.

Inuyasha stopped his ranting to give her a look of concern and confusion. "Kagome-chan?" Sango asked. "What's wrong?" The miko took a deep breath, absentmindedly rubbing her jaw. "This is why I need to go home. Its for medical reasons." "Medical? Are you sick or something?" The hanyou asked skeptically taking a sniff at the girl. She smelled healthy.... Kagome shook her head. "No, I need to go back home to have my wisdom teeth removed."

The monk, Miroku blinked in confusion. "Wisdom teeth?" "You know the teeth humans get when they're around our ages?" Kagome asked. Miroku nodded. "Well in my time those teeth are called wisdom teeth and sometimes people don't have enough room in their mouths for those teeth to fit in comfortably. That's the way it is with me, if I leave the teeth in then their only going to cause me more pain and eventually they'll start to do damage to my other teeth, so its better if I get them removed now when its easier." Kagome explained patiently.

"So do you see why I need to go home for a week? Recovery time is usually about a week and after a week I'll be just fine, and ready to come back and shard hunt." Inuyasha's ears twitched back and forth as he mulled over the information. "Keh, fine you go home for a week." He said grudgingly. Kagome rolled her eyes, but thanked the hanyou anyways. "I'll leave in the morning." She said.

"Kagome you're leaving again?" A sad voice asked. They looked over to see Shippou who had been sleeping curled up next to Kirara, staring at the miko with sad eyes. "I'm sorry Shippou-chan, but I have to." "Why?" Kagome went over and picked the kitsune cub and explained why she was leaving. "Oh, well I don't want you to hurt anymore so it's okay." He said. Kagome smiled at the cub and ruffled his hair. Well at least I got that done...

The next morning Kagome headed to the well, deciding to leave her large yellow backpack behind and only take a smaller bag with her homework and schoolbooks and most of her clothes home with her. The group traveled with her and everyone expected it to be a simple quick farewell with no problems.

Sesshomaru watched the small group as they headed into the clearing, his golden eyes locked on the sword at his brothers' side. Today I will finally get what is mine....

Across from the Demon Lord the undead miko Kikyou watched the group with rage and hatred in her eyes. This would be the last time her reincarnation would go home, she would get the girl's Shikon shards and permanently seal her out of her time. She took two arrows out of her quiver and stuck the head of one of them in the dirt at her feet. The other she put her bow and aimed.

Kagome smiled at her friend's and prepared to jump in the well, but a familiar feeling crossed her senses and she paused at looked over to the side. Her eyes widened and she barely managed to jerk back in time in order to avoid the arrow flying at her throat. The arrow caught on the chain that held the shards, and the force of it snapped the chain in half and it flew into a tree where it stopped with twang. Kagome whirled to her left and her eyes widened. "Kikyou?!" Sango and Miroku wasted no time in sprinting to their friend's side standing in front of her protectively. Inuyasha hesitated, confusion evident in his face. He was about to say something when a familiar smell hit his nose.

He turned just in time to see his brother leap out at him. The three humans eyes widened in horror and panic started to set in as the monk and exterminator tried to figure out which of their friends to help. Inuyasha was losing against his brother and Kikyou was putting another arrow to the string. Miroku finally snapped. He dashed forward towards the two demons leaving Sango to defend Kagome. He ran and managed to hit Sesshomaru as he leaped at his brother, claws out for the kill. Unfortunately, this propelled the demon directly into the two girls and that in turn caused them to trip and all three fell into the depths of the well, just as Kikyou released her sealing arrow.

The arrow flew and landed on the lip of the well, the spell expanding to cover the entire mouth of the well. Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippou could only stare in horror as they realized what happened.... Kikyou had sealed the well. Kagome, Sango, and Kirara were sealed in Kagome's time with no way back... with the Demon Lord of the Western Lands.

Kikyou simply ignored the three as she went over to the other arrow and pulled it out of the tree, the Shikon shards falling into her hand. She took one last look at the well and the three males and calmly walked away into the dense forest.

As for Kagome, her mind was still reeling from the events of the last few minutes and when the back of her head connected with a protruding rock, she welcomed the blissful blackness of unconsciousness, only to wake several hours later on the floor of the well with Sango, Sesshomaru and Kirara stacked on top of her. Only then did she realize how much trouble she was in...

Kagome shook her head out of her hazy musings and sternly told herself to focus on the problem at hand. "We need to get out from under Sesshomaru." She told Sango. "Can you get out?" "I think I can, He's lying on top of Hiraikotsu if I can get it off maybe I can get out from underneath him." Kagome nodded. Sango carefully eased the strap of her weapon off her shoulder and held the weapon in her hand. She carefully moved her left leg out from under the youkai and then her right leg. She then eased her torso off of Kagome, who took the opportunity to finally squirm free. Kirara jumped onto Sango's shoulder. "Now what?" The exterminator asked. "See if you can get him leaning up against the wall, we may need Hiraikotsu if he wakes up and decides to go crazy." Kagome said. Sango, nodded. "I'll try, but it's going to be a little hard in this cramped space. There's barely enough in here for us." Sesshomaru however solved their problem for them.

Still in a deep sleep the Youkai, shifted off of Sango's weapon and leaned back up against the wall. The two girls looked at each for a moment, then back at Sesshomaru. Kagome shook her head clearing her mind of the daze it was in. "Now's our chance! Grab Hiraikotsu and let's get out of here!" Sango nodded and grabbed her weapon then followed Kagome up the ladder as quickly as she could. If they had to fight Sesshomaru better to do it out in the open...

Kagome didn't breath easy until she and Sango, where out of the well house with the door closed behind them. She turned to her friend only to find her staring in amazement at their surroundings. She sighed. She really hated to do this to Sango because she knew the other girl had be excited and curious to finally see Kagome's time after hearing so much about it, but Sesshomaru required their attention more then anything else. "Sango-chan? We need to figure out what to do with Sesshomaru." Sango gave a start, a guilty look crossing her face. "Your right. What do you-" She stopped as the unmistakable sound of an angry growl cut her off. She and Kagome looked at each for a split second then threw themselves to the ground just as the well house doors splintered open.

Sesshomaru jumped out of the well house out into the open, his eyes blood red and his claws extended. He looked around growling, but he started to calm down as he realized something was different about his surroundings. Kagome sat up took and took a deep breath. "Sesshomaru-sama?" She said, figuring it couldn't hurt to show him respect. The youkai's amber eyes shifted to look at the miko. His eyes narrowed as he recognized the two girls as the ones who traveled with his hated half brother. "Girl, where are we?" "We're in my time." The golden eyes narrowed further. "Explain yourself, human." He growled. Kagome nodded and carefully explained to him about the well, how she originally ended up in his time and how she suspected that Kikyou had sealed the well, and how none of the could get home without a Shikon shard.

"Are you sure, Kagome-chan?" "The spell Kikyou had on the second arrow was a sealing spell. She must have sealed the well to keep me from coming back, that's why she took the Shikon shards." Kagome said. "And without the shards none of us can get back can we?" Sango asked, looking dejected. The miko shook her head. "We'll have to look for one in this time." "Are there any shards in this time, miko?" The youkai lord asked. "Yes, there was once. That was a while ago though, I haven't felt any since then." "Then we'll have to start looking as soon as possible." Sesshomaru said. "Um, can it wait until the day after tomorrow at least? I have to have surgery tomorrow." The miko said timidly. The demon lord glared at the girl, then gave a curt nod. "Fine."

Kagome sighed. "So is it safe to assume that we've called a truce for now? I hate to say it but the three of us need to work together for now at least until we can find a way back." "I don't like it anymore then you do, but your right Kagome-chan." Sango sighed. Sesshomaru growled, not liking the idea but the humans were right. Judging from the strange surroundings, he was very likely to run into things that even he Sesshomaru might not be able to handle. Though he would never admit. "Fine, we have a truce for now." He said arrogantly. Then turned his back on them and started to look around him. The two girls looked at each other and sighed. It was going to be a long week. Somebody must have a really sick sense of humor or I've really angered some god to get stuck in this mess... Kagome thought.