Author's notes: Well, I was finally able to update! I'm sorry that it took me so long. Thank you everyone for your reviews. Your constructive criticism was very helpful. I also felt that the prologue was a little repetitive. I was trying to make it longer. But I do plan on redoing the prologue later. I hope that this chapter isn't repetitive this time. Well I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please R & R

Second Chances for Love

Chapter I: Healing Old Wounds

She could feel the cold breeze on her skin as she continued to free-fall, plummeting towards the earth. She convinced herself to pass of the feeling of free-falling as one of those flying dreams that she had experienced so many times before.

"Yes, any moment now, I will wake up warm and safe in my bed" Umi proclaimed, trying to convince herself.

Umi slowly opened her eyes only to see the ground quickly approaching

Okay…. This is getting weird. Maybe I just need to pinch myself to wake up. Umi thought, remembering the time Fuu pinched her when she believed that Cephiro was just a dream.

Ow! She winced, this pain was no dream, it was definitely real.

Umi began to panic. She was only 18; there were so many things she was looking forward to doing in her life.

"I can't die now. It can't possibly be my time to die… right" Umi thought to herself

"I know" she exclaimed Fyula! Any second now Clef will summon Fyula to come and rescue me.

But, Fyula never did appear, and the ground was only getting closer by the second.

"This isn't happening, this isn't happening" Umi screamed

Umi closed her eyes tightly, so she wouldn't have to look at the ground that was quickly approaching, and waited for death. She could hear the sounds of the branches from the trees breaking, and she could feel the branches scratch her as she fell. Than she felt nothing but the cold, hard ground…

She could barely make out the deep and rough voice in the distance asking if she was all right. But, the only thing she could do in response was to give a soft moan. She suddenly felt her body being carefully lifted up and held securely by a pair of warm and strong arms. She managed to open her eyes slightly, only to see a pair of white, soft looking dog ears (and cute) and a mass of silver hair.

Than the world around her turned black as she lost consciousness …

Inuyasha was woken from his daydreaming when his sensitive ears picked up the sound of a woman screaming. Deciding he had nothing better to do he jumped down from his branch on his tree and ran toward the sound of the scream.

By the time he got there though, he was too late, for the girl's fall was broken by the trees, than she continued to fall onto the ground with a loud thump.

"Crepes" he thought, as he rushed over to help the girl. He cringed at the thought of having to undergo a fall like that. He remembered the pain (especially on his back) after Kagome would shout those stupid "sit" commands.

"Hey! Are ya all right" he yelled out to her. Though he didn't catch any words from the girl; His sensitive ears picked up the sound of a soft moan, that wouldn't have been picked up by a normal human.

He assumed that besides cuts and bruises that she would have a few broken bones. He would have to see if she had any internal bleeding. As he was checking her for injuries he noticed that her clothes were strange just like kagome's were. "Could she be from the same era as Kagome" Inuyasha thought to himself.

Inuyasha found a weak pulse in her wrist, finding that she was indeed still alive, despite the horrific fall she underwent. He knew he had to get the girl someplace, so her wounds could be taken care of. But where. . .

"It would be better to take her to old lady Kaede. But, Kaede's place is too far from here even if I run. Her wounds are pretty severe; they need to be taken care of quickly. . . . I guess I could take care of her until she's healed. . . .He said to himself

Upon his decision, he gently lifted the girl into his strong arms, with her bag on his shoulder; he went off in search for a place where the injured girl could rest…..

Inuyasha had been searching for hours for a place to rest, and he had yet to find one. "At least this can't get any worse" he thought to himself. At that moment a raindrop fell on his sensitive ear causing it to twitch. "Oh, just perfect" he sarcastically remarked

In the distance Inuyasha made out an out line of what looked like a small house. He took off in to a run in hopes of not getting soaked by the rain. But, when he reached the house he and the girl were already soaked to the bone.

Inuyasha kicked the door opened and took in his surroundings. By the looks of things it look liked the house was abandoned. He saw a fireplace with wood for a fire, a small cooking area, one bedroom and a main leaving area.

Inuyasha gently laid the mysterious girl down and went to start a fire. He found blankets and a few pillows, and made a make-shift bed for the injured girl. He than took a better look at the girls injuries.

Inuyasha look in the girl's bag in hopes of finding some kind medical aid. To his surprise he found the same stuff that Kagome used. "Who is this girl?" he wondered He knew he had to get the girl's wet clothes off or she could easily get a cold especially with her injuries. He began to undress the girl and put her in a new pair of clothes he found in her bag.

Inuyasha blushed slightly while thinking: Why didn't I just get somebody else to help her. He tried to dress her wounds like how he saw Kagome do some many times for him.

After Inuyasha made sure that the girl was taken care of, he sat up against the wall and thought about everything that happened that day.

"I hope that this girl will be okay "he thought before he too fell asleep. . .

Late into the day Umi slowly awoke, though still in a daze. When her vision came into focus she noticed she was in a strange place. She set up to get a better view of her surroundings. But, when she did she felt a sharp pain in her side and winced as she fell back.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, your wounds have yet to heal" came a voice from behind her. Umi turned to the voice only to be greeted by a boy roughly around her age in appearance with gold eyes and dog ears.

Till next time. . .