Okay so I lied in the last author's note....I just confused myself.

Man you guys are gonna love this!!

Here we go, the precursor to my big fat twist.

You know, it's proabably not all that bad, but to me it is. I had a lot of ideas to throw in here, but this one turned out to be the very best, and really gave the story a whole new side to it.

Also, the first part of this chapter will explain the whole deal with the Shikon no Tama, and I hope you like what I've done with it. I really wanted it to have a special meaning, because in all honesty, it's the one thing that brought Inu and Kag together in the first place (In the actual anime/manga I mean)

*vibrates with excitement*

I've had a few people request that I send them e-mails to let them know when I update this story, and I honestly wouldn't mind doing so. So if you want it too, just let me know, it's really not a problem. Makes me feel special.

*head doubles in size*

**Still vibrating with excitement**

So here we go!

Ja ne!

~Sabichan~

I stopped an old man along the way

Hoping to find some

Long forgotten words or ancient melodies

He turned to me as if to say...

..."Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you"

**K POV**

We pulled up in front of the Fukai Mori, and I turned to look at Sango questioningly.

"Who's here that I have to talk to?"

"You'll see...Jeez `Gome, you've sure got a lead foot on ya."

"Yeah well you drive like an old woman. All hunched up around the steering wheel, squinty and slow." I teased as I imitated her.

"Stop being such a bitch and get out of the fucking car. Before I pull your ass out."

"Such profanity. You're a bad influence." I unbuckled my seatbelt as she rolled her eyes at me.

"Whatever, don't act like you're a curse virgin. If anything, you're the bad influence. Making me ditch work and all."

"Hey we had fun didn't we?"

I thought back to the day I'd asked Sango to call into work to spend the day together. It had been great, yet still failed to compare to the day Inuyasha and I had. Nothing could compare to that.

Sigh.

We walked into the restaurant, and the knot in my stomach grew tighter. She was so adamant about me talking to whoever she'd brought me to see.

Faye stood at the podium, mulling over an inventory form. She glanced up and smiled when she saw me. She walked over and gave me a warm, motherly hug.

"Kagome! Good to see you, you look well."

"You too Faye."

Sango walked away to the break room as I chatted with Faye, even though I'd seen her just the other day. I came by a lot-taking a leave of absence from school and work had left me with a lot of time to fill. Still it was better than going and facing all the stares I got from the way I looked. Remnants of bruises still covered most of my face, and I had a small scar healing on my left temple.

`Don't kid yourself, girl'

Okay, so I just didn't want to go anymore. And I wasn't sure if I was going to go back. Somehow, after all that had happened, school just seemed so...pointless. Like Inuyasha had said, why bother making all the effort for something that wasn't really going to improve my life? Who was going to hire me just because I had a bachelors in History? I wasn't even sure what I wanted to do with my life in the first place...I needed time to think.

Still I was glad to get away from the house. My aunt had been staying with us for a week now, and I could barely stand the woman. I couldn't understand why my mother had taken her in. Sure they were related and all, but she was so cold and bitchy all the time. All she did was brag about how good of a miko she used to be when she was my age, all the while implying that I was worth shit compared to her.

Then again I wasn't the one who had been divorced three times and flat broke. Not to mention I wasn't a whore.

"Kagome?"

My train of thought was broken by an unfamiliar voice calling my name.

I looked up and met the eyes of Inuyasha's mother standing in the doorway of the break room.

I hadn't seen much of her all the times I had visited. Mainly because I had made a point not to. I

was...afraid of her for some reason.

She smiled and gestured for me to follow her.

"Please join me. I think you and I need to talk."

I nodded and swallowed hard. I walked past her into the small room and sat down. She asked Faye to bring us some tea, then closed the door behind her before joining me at the table.

"We may have gotten off to a bad start. I can't imagine all the things my son has told you about me." I noted the way she avoided saying his name.

"He really didn't like to speak about anything like that." I said, staring at my wringing hands.

"You can be honest with me Kagome-you and I-we're two of a kind."

I looked up with her at that.

"What do you mean?"

"We both love one person more than should be possible."

Faye bustled in just then and placed the tea before us, then left without a word. I took a sip, hoping it would calm my nerves a bit.

"Kagome. I know you're in love with Inuyasha. I only hope you know he loves you too." I sat frozen in shock for a few moments, the cup still pressed against my lips. Finally I snapped out of it.

"I...I can't see that being true."

"You should see him. He thinks about you all the time. You've changed him so much, and in the process, you changed me too."

"I feel like I've wrecked his life."

"No, you've become his life. You mean so much to him, more than he realized before all of this happened. After all, he gave you the Jewel."

My hand went instinctively to my necklace. I hadn't taken it since he'd put it on me.

"What...Why is it so important? Inuyasha said there was a story behind it."

"It means something to our family, Kagome. Much like the shrine you live on, it is a part of our history. I understand that you are confused about what it means, but first I should tell you where it came from. A long time ago, there was a miko, like yourself, and a half demon who fell in love with her."

As soon as the words fell from her lips, I froze again, mid sip.

"You know this, don`t you?" I nodded.

"I know this story, Mrs. Shingetsu. But I've never heard of the Shikon no Tama or anything like it."

She smiled coyly and stirred her tea.

"That is because it is a Shingetsu family secret. Legend says the family is descended from a long

line of Demons, and it's said that that's where our men get their unique looks. You know the story then, so all I'll have to say is this: That half-demon, he was one of our ancestors, part of the great demon family that ruled the western lands, where this city is now built."

"So where does the jewel come in?"

"It is what that half-demon was going to use to become human. The Shikon no Tama is mysterious, and rumored to have magical properties. And if one to make a wish on it, he would be granted his hearts desire. He acquired the Jewel and made his way back to the Miko that he loved so dearly. You know how the rest turns out. They both died so tragically and the jewel fell into the hands of the half-demon's family. They came to realize just how much the jewel had meant to him, and they started a tradition that has been continued to the present day. A tradition that you are now a part of, Kagome."

I had been listening with rapt attention, occasionally sipping my tea. This story was all new to me. Grandpa, nor any of the other priests or mikos in our family had ever discovered the way the half-demon was to become human. It had just become a minor detail to a tragic love story.

"What do you mean?"

"You should be asking what the jewel means." She took a sip of her tea, then took a deep breath.

"He's given you his soul Kagome. That's what the jewel means to us. This is the way the Shingetsu men declare their total and undying love to the woman they want to spend the rest of their lives with. My husband gave me the jewel. Now my son has given it to you."

I stared at her blankly for a moment. I didn't know what to say. I was so shocked, and I began to realize what he had meant that day he'd left my hospital room, crying.

"Maybe someday it'll help you realize how much you meant to me."

"But...he hardly knows me. How can he give it to me? How can he be so sure?"

"I often wondered why Shoji gave it to me when he did. It was his first gift to me, on our first date. So long ago...I was in your position, just as confused. Later when I met his mother she explained it to me. She said that the men in our family can just sense the woman they are meant to be with. And when they do, they don't give up, ever. And they are never wrong. There has never been a divorce or separation in the history of the Shingetsu family. When Shoji gave it to me, and when I learned what it meant...I know just how you feel, Kagome. But they are never wrong. My son is no exception."

"But...the jewel...then it's still yours."

"No. I took it off the day I signed over the company. I hid it away where I would never come upon it, but could never bring myself to sell it or give it away. I couldn't take that tradition away from my boys. It was all they had left of Shoji. No, it's yours now. It hasn't been mine for a long time."

I sat silently for a while, fingering the pink jewel around my neck, letting it all sink in.

He loved me. He loved me beyond any shadow of a doubt, and had given me the Shikon jewel to prove it.

But, much like the legend, someone had come between us, right when we were on the cusp of admitting our feelings-and in the end, had succeeded in turning us against each other.

The miko and the half-demon. The Shikon no Tama. The jealous man-turned-demon.

Me and Inuyasha. The Shikon no Tama. Kouga.

History was repeating itself. It was eerie to say the least.

Suddenly an even bigger realization came upon me.

Inuyasha loved me!

I gasped aloud and Shiori let out a small chuckle. I opened my mouth to speak but found no words with which to do so. She just smiled knowingly and nodded.

"Shingetsu men are never wrong. My son is no exception."

I rushed forward and embraced her as I let out a girlish giggle.

"Thank you Mrs. Shingetsu!"

"Shiori. Just call me Shiori"

I nodded as I pulled away. I turned and ran out of the room, only stopping to yell to Sango that I was leaving. Then I ran out to my car. I half realized that Sango had left her car at my house, but was in too much of a rush to care.

I sped to my house, weaving in and out of traffic. I smiled even wider as I passed the bus stop.

I had to see him. I had to tell him I felt the same way. Even with the short time we had known each other, even with all the time we had spent apart-I loved him too.

I'd never felt as happy as I did then, driving down that road twenty above the speed limit, trying to get home so I could get ready to go see him.

I had something to give him too.

Something that meant just as much to my family as the Shikon jewel meant to his

My father's prayer beads.

They had belonged to the same Miko from the legend of the Goshinboku, of the Shikon no Tama.

They were passed down through the generations from priest to mko. It was said to be the bind of love between two people, and each priestess would place it on her husband on their wedding day to bind them together forever.

To give it to Inuyasha would be like giving him a part of me. Like he had given me a part of himself.

I pressed the gas pedal a little more, mentally thanking Naraku for buying me a car with such wonderful pickup.

`Almost makes up for me having to take the bus for two years....Almost.'

....Meanwhile.....

**I POV**

I arrived at the Shrine a few minutes later. My heart was racing and my palms sweaty. I was nervous and excited and scared all at once.

But I took the first step up the long staircase that would lead me to woman I loved.

And the moment I saw her, I was going to tell her just that.

I walked up each step punctuating each pounding heartbeat. I came to the top and I saw the Goshinboku in the near distance. Suddenly I felt drawn there-something about just the sight of the huge tree was calming me.

"Is that you Inuyasha?"

I turned to see the old man staring at me in surprise. I stared back in equal shock when I noticed the cat sleeping on his lap as he sat cross legged on the grass.

"Yeah. Is Kagome here?" I walked over to him.

"No. She left with Sango a while ago. But she did say she'd be gone for only a short time. Not more than an hour...and that was almost an hour ago."

"Is it alright if I wait here for her?"

He looked at me for a moment, before looking down at the sleeping cat. He stroked it gently, then began to speak.

"This cat's always hated me. Sometimes I think Kagome only kept him to torment me. But she's always had a strong connection with Buyo. Like the cat could tell what she was feeling. And he'd comfort her when she was crying, keep her company when she was lonely, distracted her when she studied too hard. Then he'd annoy me just to entertain her. But since that night, her birthday, Buyo has been quite...civil to me. I think it's because he realizes that no matter what he does, he can't help Kagome this time. Only one person can. So, now I am the target of his affection. It's annoying really...."

He sighed and looked me dead in the eye.

"What is your intention with my granddaughter?"

I stayed silent for a moment, not sure how to answer him. I chose to be myself and be blunt, and say the words I'd been wanting to say for so long.

"I'm in love with her."

I could see him trying to hide his smile as he lowered his head back to look at the now stirring cat. It meowed lazily and turned on it's back, batting at the ties on his robe.

"Good luck."

I nodded and started to walk away. I called back to him.

"Please tell her to come to the Goshinboku. I'll wait there."

"If you see my other daughter, tell her to come help me sweep the shrine steps."

I barely heard him, briefly wondering what he meant by other daughter. Did he mean Hitomi had a sister?

I turned the corner of the house and saw the God tree. I slowly stepped toward the stone bench below it, mentally replaying all the events that had taken place that night. I thought back to what she had said that night, when she had told me about the legend, the one I'd already known, but didn't admit.

"Can you imagine what it's witnessed?"

I sat down and traced my hand over the cold stone next to me nostalgically. I closed my eyes and imagined her sitting next to me, holding my hand, looking up at the stars together. Something I wouldn't mind doing for the rest of my life.

This time, I was going to tell her about the jewel. About what it meant to me, what it meant to my family. About how it tied into the story of the Goshinboku. How we were always meant to be.

The shrine was passed down through her family. She was then a descendant of the tragic miko.

My family was descended from the half-demon who had fallen in love with her so deeply, he had searched for the Shikon no Tama to become human for her.

Kagome and I were the culmination of history. We had always been meant to be. That's why I fell in love with her so quickly. She'd always been mine. I just had to find her.

Luckily she found me. Fate had led her straight to me, by way of the bus stop where we had first met.

A simple twist of destiny, all of it leading up this very moment were I would declare my love for her.

I heard shuffling behind me. Someone was coming. I braced myself, but did not open my eyes. My heart began to race again, and each moment felt like a life time. The shuffling stopped.

I waited.

Then a voice I thought I'd never hear again in my life broke the silence.

"Inuyasha?"

My heart stopped racing and made a dive straight down into my stomach. I swallowed hard and

opened my eyes. I gasped aloud when my eyes fell upon the figure standing a few feet away from me. Brown eyes, brimming with questions and curiosity bore into my own. My mouth opened and closed a few times before I finally found the ability to speak her name.

"Kikyo?"

tbc…

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN!!!!!!

oh, Sabichan, what have you done??!!!

Now if I was as evil as I wanted to be, I could just leave you all with this until tomorrow...

But, I now how it feels to be left a such a cliffy. Please read on......