It's in the Blood by Fury

1. Close Calls

"Ka-Go-Me!" The scream tore across the battlefield, one voice amidst so many cries, not reaching the ears the call was meant for. Sango knew she would never reach the younger girls side, but she had to try, she would not let the woman she considered a sister die alone.

Miroku's head snapped around at the sound of Sango's anguished cry, violet eyes searching for the girl who's name echoed across the bloody field. With her shinning aura she was easy to find, and left open for the tentacle that was shooting for her. Their eyes met over the distance, her eyes filled with sorrow, but no fear, and as the sweet smile graced her face, she broke eye contact to watch as her death approached.

"Fox fire!" Shippou shouted as he sped towards Kagome, but no matter how hard he tried, or how fast he ran, he would never reach Kagome in time. Tears of pain flowed down his cheeks as he separately tried to reach her before she fell.

'What they say is true,' Kagome thought with a hint of amusement, 'time really does seem to stop when you're going to die.'

And Kagome saw everything. She watched as Naraku sent one of his tentacles at Kikyou, luring InuYasha away with the threat to his first love, leaving Kagome herself completely defenseless; Sango screaming her name, the sound lost long before it could reach her ears, knowing that the older girl would never get to her in time, not with the remaining demons attacking her so fiercely; the look on Miroku's face as their eyes met, and she smiled for him, her dear friend who was trying so hard to reach her; and dear Shippou, she wanted nothing more than to tell him how proud she was of him, and how much she loved him...

She heard nothing but the wind whispering through the trees behind her, and the quietly cackling hanyou in front of her. Pure evil seeped from Naraku as he absorbed the tainted Jewel. In that moment she KNEW what had to be done to defeat Naraku. A sigh escaped her; they would just have to figure it out themselves.

Still Smiling she closed her eyes, waiting for the killing blow. She had cheated death so many times... but it was time to pay up. She was going to die...

'Any minuet now,' an eternity passed y in a heartbeat. 'I'm waiting...' Another heartbeat. 'Not dead yet.'

Kagome opened one eye and looked down at herself. No blood. She always thought a tentacle through the stomach would be a little messier. Her one blue orb moved up and saw pristine white.

Maybe she died instantly, missed all the excitement, and was already standing at the gates of Heaven... wait a second... were the gates of Heaven covered with silver?

Kagome raised her eye up further, checking off on her mental list what she saw: yellow sash thing, check, spiked armor... check, piercing gold eyes... double check... wait, what?

Said golden eyes glared down at her, his mouth moved, but nothing was registering. The little 'Back in Five' sign was definitely up.

Something slammed into Kagome's side and she went tumbling down. Her side felt like it was on fire, and you didn't feel pain when you were dead.

Opening both eyes Kagome looked down at herself, her mouth forming a perfect 'O'.

"Nope. Still not dead yet." Kagome whispered in awe.

Time seemed to come back with a vengeance at that point, everything happened so fast; Sango fell to her knees, tears staining her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around Kagome, Miroku leaned on his staff, a look of relief and sorrow etched into his face, and in the back ground Kagome heard the Wind Scar, and felt something far more powerful fill the air, joining said Wind Scar in it's path of destruction.

The earth shook a it was ripped apart while wind lashed at the landscape and threatened to rip flesh from bones. Miroku, ever gallant when the situation called for it, threw his body on top of Kagome and Sango, with Shippou nestled tightly against Kagome's stomach, acting as a human shield. If he had to die, he was going to die very happy.

Just as Miroku thought that he could take the pain no longer, the wind parted, giving him a bit of peace for his tortured body. Raising his head, Miroku spotted Kanna and Kohaku only a few feet in front of him, and in front of them stood Kagura, forcing the wind away.

"Why?" Miroku asked quietly.

Kanna turned her pale head, eyes completely vacant, "Naraku has lost his control over us."

"We have our hearts!" Crowed Kagura.

Slowly the wind died down and a sizzling hiss filled the silence as the earth settled back into place, leaving jagged scars and scorched earth for as far as the eye could see.

Forcing her way past the protective bodies of her friends, Kagome raised herself up, looking down on where Naraku had been only moments before. The ground was charred black in a gigantic circular hole, broken lines of earth from the Wind Scar running through it. In the center was the Jewel. Tainted, but whole.

Still in shock, Kagome watched as Kikyou made her way through the destruction to where the tainted Jewel lay harmlessly in the ash that was once Naraku. Picking up the troublesome orb, Kikyou's fingers caressed it gently, purifying it to shine beautifully once more. As Kikyou took a step foreword the Jewel burst from her hands to hover several feet above her head, floating for a second before it...

Shattered...

The Jewel of Four Souls shattered for a second time.

Kagome felt an almost overpowering urge to scream out 'it wasn't me!', but held it in a she watched the shards fill the sky with fireworks of holy light.

Kagome quickly sobered as her thoughts moved forward. Naraku was finally gone, but the Jewel remained. It had been housed in her body. She was the reason the Jewel was even in the feudal era again. Her journey was starting over again...

Off to the side Kagome could hear Sango crying over Kohaku, the young boys sobs muffled against his sister's shoulder, and Miroku's exclamation as the wind tunnel disappeared. Kagura and Kanna stood behind the group, both unsure of what to do now that they had their hearts, and their freedom. And Kikyou, she remained where she was, her face a blank mask, but if Kagome was to say anything, she would have to say that Kikyou was in shock. Even InuYasha, who stood behind Kikyou stared into the sky, his shock, and displeasure, written clearly on his face, would have a hard time believing that it was Kikyou this time that shattered the Jewel.

And then there was Sesshoumaru. Kagome turned to look at the Demon Lord where he stood alone, his hair flapping gently in the light breeze, strength and power radiating from him. She wanted to ask him why, but knew that she would get no answer from him, so instead when Sesshoumaru looked her way, Kagome bowed low in thanks. Their eyes met, and he had answered her question. She had saved a life, he had saved her life, and he owed her nothing more. And then he was walking away.

Another nonverbal message that Kagome read clearly. The past was the past, put it behind you...

"Oh, InuYasha!" She cried out. Kikyou was gone and InuYasha had been trotting her way until he had caught the tone in her voice. At the overly sweet sound he checked his stride, ears flat against his head.

"SIT BOY!!!"

....but not before you've had a little revenge.

* * *

Kagome was eighteen when Naraku had been destroyed and the Sacred Jewel scattered across Japan for the second time. During those first three years Kagome had learned very little about controlling her Miko powers and the weapons she needed to survive in the feudal era, but that last battle made her think. She could not always count on someone else to save her, so she spent less of her time in the modern world, and more time with Miroku, Sango, and Shippou looking for shards and honing the skills that she needed in this era. InuYasha split his time between groups, often traveling with Kikyou after they had come to a truce; Kikyou felt that the Jewel was her responsibility until it was whole, and InuYasha felt that it was his responsibility to protect Kikyou, whether she liked it or not.

And so it was that two more yours passed in the search for the Sacred Jewel shards. Two years of hard work and brutal fights. Fortunately for the Shard Hunters they never came across anything quite as powerful as Naraku, though they did find themselves surrounded by more demons than before. Naraku, though evil, had gathered shards himself, cutting down the number of lesser demons with their own shards. And still, after so long, only half the Jewel had been found, there were still so many shards out there that were being used by evil....

* * *

"I really do need to head back guys."

"Do you have more tests to take? I thought you were done with those." Miroku said, his eyes focused on a tree to his left.

"I'm done with school, and have been for a while. Those bad grades and all those absences when I was younger did not help me. But I'm glad. As much as I love being with my family, this era has always felt more like home for me."

"Then why leave so soon? You only just arrived last week."

Kagome smiled at Miroku. Sango had just informed the poor man that he was going to be a father. Poor man because he had celebrated so hard he had passed out for an entire day. When he had finally come to he had a pounding headache and a hangover that pained him to even move... and here he was trying to have a serious conversation about why she wanted to leave again.

"I'm going home because it's my birthday in two days and I promised Mother that I would be home to celebrate with the family."

"Oh."

"Okay, Miroku. You take that drink I made you, and drink it all! It may taste horrible, but it'll help that hangover."

"Yes, Lady Kagome." He answered meekly.

Kagome smiled and waved as she walked out of the village and towards the old bone eaters well. Along the way Kagome couldn't help but let her mind wander. Keade's village had grown a great deal in the last five years, though it was still tiny compared to what it would become one day. This village was now Kagome's second home, and when she was not traveling in search of Jewel shards, people were coming to her for all reasons. And one day they would build a shrine that would become her home in the future.

Kagome ran her fingers through her thick, waist length hair and smiled. She would be twenty in two days, and boy had she grown since she first fell into the well five years ago. At 5'7" she stood above most of the petite women of this time (and her own time), with long, shapely legs and curves that were illegal in most countries. Her hair had not lost it's unique wave as it grew down to her hips, thick and as glossy black as a ravens wing, with bangs that framed the sides of her face, no longer hanging thickly over her eyes. Thick black lashes framed vivid blue eyes, and dark pink lips always with a smile tugging at the corners completed a beauty that was unrivaled by any. She could no longer be confused with her former incarnation, she, Kagome, was a stunning young women in her own right, not some copy.

The physical changes were not the only changes in Kagome, she was a woman who knew her worth. Confidence and grace had come with age and the fighting skills she had learned over the years. A deadly yet gentle and innocent grace all at once.

And she had finally put her old school uniform away. It may have been the fantasy of every male on the planet (and some women), but it was never very practical. Now she dressed more appropriately; simple blue jeans, comfortable shoes, and depending on the weather a tank tom or sleeved shirt, sometimes decent shorts. But the biggest change in her life in the last five years was when she was able to look at InuYasha as only a friend, and not as a love interest. Letting InuYasha go was the right thing to do. It had been painful, but InuYasha needed to be with Kikyou, and Kikyou needed InuYasha.

"And I just need to get home before the light is complexly gone."

Continuing her walk, she increased her speed. Mama would be furious if she was late.

"Why in such a hurry, Little Princess?"

* * *

There it was again. That scent that nearly drove him insane. Embarrassingly when the scent first came to him, it nearly knocked him out of the sky. Now he was sitting on a branch high in a tree, starring in the direction where that tantalizing smell came from. That strong, powerful, delicate, scent. He took to the air, only one thing going through his brain.... Ramen.

* * *

"you didn't have to hit her so hard." The man snarled at his female companion.

"She was strong. And no matter, she'll get far worse. Won't even feel that little bump when he's through with her."

* * *

It was in her head. The pain made it so hard to grasp it. To chase down that creature and hold it. So hard... No. No!

"NOOO!"

* * *

There it was again. The disturbing flash of aura that had the feeling of evil about it. An evil that did not belong in this world.

* * *

The scream drove him faster. It was full of such terror and pain. His skull pounded. He could hear someone behind him, following him, but he had to get to her. He had recognized that scream.

* * *

He hadn't been that far away when the sound came to him. With no thoughts what-so-ever, he sped towards the scent of the one he loved.

* * *

Well, I hope you liked it. I'm very new at this so please be gentle. I bruise easily.

Oh, and thank you to those who read this first chapter. I appreciate it, and I hope you enjoyed!!