How Will I Know

Disclaimer: I do not own rights to or any part of InuYasha. Thank you. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Higurashi Shrine

The grounds of the Higurashi Shrine were alive with life, from the birds to a little boy, kicking around a soccer ball. There was the slight and distant sound of Tokyo as the soccer ball bounded around, and the boy chased after it. He caught up to it and punted it as hard as he could. Unfortunately, it headed straight for one of the most sacred places in the shrine, the well house. Just before it hit, the door to the well house slammed open, revealing a tall teenage boy, dressed in red, whose silver hair sloped down his back gracefully. He was turned slightly, to a teenage girl behind him dressed in a green and white sailor suit school uniform. Before the young boy had time to call out a warning, the ball hit the teen boy forcefully in the side of his head, and bounced off, suddenly forsaken.

"InuYasha!" called Sota, the young boy and the girl's little brother. Kagome had let out a small squeak of surprise when the ball hit, and was now inspecting the side of InuYasha's head.

"I'm fine, already." InuYasha repeated for the millionth time, it seemed, as he sat on a cushion in front of a table. He was getting annoyed at Kagome's kid brother, who kept apologizing. It's not like that hurt anyway… at least not more that Kagome's 'sits'. Kagome's mom was coming up to him now, with a cool icepack, to put on his head. Her grandpa brought in a healing sutra, and placed it on the ground; he began muttering a 'healing spell'. InuYasha just sat there while everyone fussed over him, getting more and more annoyed. Where is Kagome?!? He began growing impatient, and drumming his fingers along his crossed arms.

Kagome was upstairs in her room, unaware of the fuss downstairs. InuYasha had been hurt more than that before. She'd said hi to her family, and that she was going to stay for only a little while, like maybe spend the night, but she'd have to be off soon. At the moment, she was packing her backpack with a few medicines, like bug bite cream, antibiotics, and painkiller. She took out the empty lunchboxes from her backpack and put them in the dishwasher in the kitchen. . She'd fill them tomorrow morning. She glanced up at the clock. 5:00. I've got time to take a bath tonight! I should probably call one of my friends… I bet they have all the homework I missed. Ayumi is probably my best bet.

As Kagome left the kitchen, she walked through the living room and saw InuYasha. Her mom had left to go get some gauze and bandages from the store for Kagome to take with her to the feudal era. Her grandpa had gone to sort through his sutras, because maybe it wasn't a healing scroll after all. Sota sat across the table from the impatient InuYasha, trying to apologize still, and get InuYasha to hold the icepack on his head. InuYasha turned towards Kagome, and he immediately softened, if only a little. Kagome reached out to feel his head, and was a little surprised to feel a large lump there. Sota must be getting really good… except for his aim.

"InuYasha, you should put the ice pack on it. Trust me, it'll feel better." Kagome insisted. InuYasha looked disgusted, as if Kagome had been the person he was sure wasn't going to fuss over his injury. Kagome sighed, and picked it up for him. She placed it softly on his head and held it there with one hand. She took InuYasha's other hand and moved it to the ice pack to hold it there. InuYasha sighed defeat, and sat bunched up in his miserable inaptitude to help himself. Kagome squeezed his shoulder gently, and he looked up at her. She was smiling, and he came out of his bottomless pit. The ice pack did help, a bit, anyway. It was one of Kagome's 'future oddities'. He sighed, a slight smile playing on his lips now, and turned back to the table in content.

Kagome gently squeezed his shoulder again before walking to the doorway and upstairs.

Okay… I got my homework packed, thanks to Ayumi. Tomorrow, I should be able to make a breakfast by 10, and then InuYasha and I can go by 11. Maybe I should also pack some more soap or my bathing suit, now that the weather's warming up. I also need matches and… Kagome's mind buzzed with things she should pack. She sighed, and sank deeper into the warm water, clearing her mind. She sank in up to her mouth, and took a deep breath. No need of getting all worked up over packing. I can always come back if I forget something. She closed her eyes, and relaxed.

Kagome got out of the bathtub, and dried herself off. She picked out a lotion (vanilla- a moisturizer) and covered herself in a thin layer. She wrapped herself up in her towel and pressed her ear up against the door. She didn't hear anything, and opened the door. She half-ran upstairs and to her room. She wasn't taking any chances with InuYasha in the house. She got to her bedroom and pulled open the door, thinking InuYasha would be downstairs in the living room still.

Wrong.

"InuYasha! Out! Out-out-out-out-out-out-out!" Kagome shouted at the half demon who'd been sitting on her bed. She pulled her towel more snugly around her, and stepped aside from the doorway, pointing him out. InuYasha sat on the bed, stunned for a moment, then scrambled up and out the door, which he helped Kagome slam behind him. No time to incur her wrath…He thought, bitterly, but understandably. Kagome threw on her pajamas, a light blue tank top with matching pants, and went downstairs to hang up her towel and blow-dry her hair. When this was done, she came into the living room and saw InuYasha sitting there again.

"Hey, what were you doing in my room?"

"Waiting for you to get back." Came his simple answer.

"Well, why were you waiting for me?"

"Because I couldn't sleep."

"It's ten O'clock. You should get some sleep. We have to make it all the way up that mountain tomorrow. You're starting to sound like Sota."

"I couldn't sleep because I… I was wondering if you were okay. You didn't smell like yourself anymore. You smell like- something wonderful." InuYasha admitted, embarrassed.

Kagome also turned away, bashful, and sat down next to him, making a mental note to herself to use that shampoo more often.

"You're sleeping in Sota's room tonight, right?"

"Yeah…"

"You know everyone's asleep?"

"Yes. Why?"

"You should be sleeping too."

"Well, you're up."

"I took a longer bath then I thought. I'm going off to bed now. Come on, time to go." Kagome pulled InuYasha up with her, and they walked upstairs. At the top of the stairs, Kagome walked towards her room, and InuYasha stared after her, thinking quickly. Kagome suddenly felt someone grab her arm and spin her. Before she knew it, she was in InuYasha's embrace.

"Goodnight, Kagome." InuYasha said as Kagome hugged him back.

"Goodnight." Kagome said as her heart sputtered in her throat. She and InuYasha broke apart, and she headed to her bed. As Kagome lay down, she felt the presence of a shadow, and looked at her doorway to the outline of a dog-eared half demon. He moved over to the side of her bed and stroked her arm softly. She pulled her hand out from under the sheet and took his hand, and squeezed once. She felt him give off a small, satisfied grunt, and watched as the shadow left. She faded into a full, deep sleep.

Hey! Welcome to the first chapter of my new story, sequel to The Sun and the Moon! I hope you enjoy… I believe I'm writing it with a slightly different style… I need another Beta! Please, anyone with too much time may apply for this job by sending an e-mail to me at Ok, hope you look forward to the next chapter. I don't know what it's called yet.