Hello everyone! It is now summertime and about time that I started the sequel to A Simple Wish. If anyone even remembers what that story was about, it was so long ago! It ended with our two favorite lovers parting to their separate eras, remembering fondly their first, and hopefully not last, kiss! Enjoy chapter one of Separated, but Never Apart. Sorry that it is so short, but it is just to give you a taste of what is to come! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. Those belong to Rumiko!
Chapter One: Just Breathe
Kagome sighed as she stood alone before the large building. She wasn't really alone, of course, as there were many students filing into the building around her, all with happy smiles upon their faces. The wind kicked up and blew Kagome's hair around her. The same green skirt that she had worn to middle school fluttered around her legs. With one last look at the high school that she would be attending for the next three years, Kagome gripped the shoulder strap of her familiar yellow backpack and made her way inside. She couldn't help but think about how she would rather be back in the feudal era. She would even sleep with bugs and be fighting a nasty, smelly demon. If only it meant that she could see him again.
She told herself to simply breathe, that taking one breath at a time would get her through this day.
Before Kagome could reach her new classroom, her three middle school friends caught up to her, chatting happily to one another.
"Kagome!" Yuka cheerfully called, waving her hand at Kagome. Kagome forced a smile on her face and waved back, waiting in the hallway for her friends to catch up. The three of them instantly formed a circle around her.
"I'm so glad that you made it through your entrance exams, Kagome. We were surprised, considering all of the absences you had," Eri said, meaning no insult. Kagome felt a twinge of sadness when she thought about the real reason that she had missed so much school. Inuyasha…
"Yeah, well, I still have to take lower level math and English," Kagome mumbled, embarrassment coloring her face. Ayumi smiled and put her arm around Kagome's shoulder. Breathe, just breathe.
"Don't worry Kagome, I will help you study. And taking lower level classes is nothing to be embarrassed about. How was your summer?" Ayumi asked, effectively changing the subject. Kagome felt the smile on her face falter. She remembered being with Inuyasha, floating between worlds. It almost felt like a dream to her now, that brief moment that he held her tightly, afraid of her disappearing. The one thing that kept her from dismissing it all as some fairytale dream was the kiss they had shared.
Her face felt hot at the memory and she could almost feel his kiss upon her lips once more. She blushed once she remembered where she was. Her face turned an extremely bright shade of red as she met the looks of her three friends.
"I…uh…it was…good," Kagome managed to stammer out, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. Her three friends giggled, interpreting the blush that had grown on her face for something else.
"Ooo, did you spend it with that bad boy boyfriend of yours, Kagome?" Yuka questioned, a slight smirk on her face. Before Kagome could answer, the bell signaling the beginning of class went off and Kagome let out a sigh of relief. Saved by the bell, once again…
"Well, we better get going to class!" Kagome hastily walked away, not waiting to see what else the three could come up with to ask her. Once safely in her classroom, with the teacher droning on about math equations, Kagome's mind fell into daydreaming. She stared mournfully out the window, remembering all of the true friends that she had left behind in the feudal era. She wondered if Sango was pregnant by now and if her and Miroku had a beautiful wedding. She imagined Sango in a beautiful white formal kimono and Miroku in traditional black robes. A smile grew on her face at the thought.
"Higurashi? Are you with us?" Kagome snapped back to reality at the sound of her teacher's voice and she embarrassingly stumbled to her feet hastily, pushing her chair back with a screech.
"Sir!" Kagome read the problem that the teacher told her to; she even knew the correct answer. Sitting down, Kagome's mind drifted once more, 500 years into the past. An image of a tall half demon with silver hair and a red robe of the fire rat drifted into her mind and her spirits dropped. She sighed and reminded herself to just breathe. So she took in a large breath and attempted to listen to the teacher, ignoring the pain that throbbed in her heart.
Inuyasha's ear twitched, and he wiggled his body in an attempt to stop the itching, for the hundredth time. The black formal attire that Miroku had forced him to wear was itchy and bothersome, but Inuyasha grudgingly conceded to it once Miroku had given him that pleading look and that damned "you're like the brother I never had" speech.
His breath hitched in his throat when Sango made her appearance for the first time. He had seen her destroy demons with ruthless efficiency, but he had never seen her look so much like…a girl. She looked beautiful, and he was proud of her as if she really was his sister. He couldn't help but image what it would have been like if Kagome was still around. He imagined her in the flowing and glimmering fabric that Sango was wearing. In his mind, he could see her hair in ringlets, falling down her smooth back. He could picture the white dress hugging the curves of her body perfectly, moving gracefully with every step she took.
In an attempt to bring himself back to the present, Inuyasha glanced over at Miroku. Tears glistened in the monk's eyes as he witnessed his bride. His smile only faltered for a moment, in tune with Sango's. They both looked solemnly to the spot where Kagome would have been standing, if she had been around. Sango locked eyes with Miroku once more, and their smiles returned. It had happened in a few seconds, but the pain Inuyasha felt dragged out for what felt like eternity.
"I wish Kagome was here to witness this, Inuyasha," Miroku muttered under his breath. It was barely more than a whisper, but Inuyasha's ears caught what he said perfectly. Not trusting his voice to speak, the hanyou simply nodded his head, swallowing hard to force back the tears that threatened to fall. He watched the entire wedding ceremony and did his part, but his mind was elsewhere, 500 years into the future.
After the ceremony, Inuyasha politely excused himself from the celebrations. At least it was polite for Inuyasha. He gave Miroku and Sango a mumbled congratulations and hastily made his retreat, not saying goodbye to anybody in his haste. He wasn't in the party mood and besides, he wanted to distance himself from the newest hut in the village before nighttime fell and the newlyweds retired for the evening. Good hearing could be such a curse sometimes.
The red clad dog demon simply ran, with no destination in mind. It didn't surprise him in the least when he realized that his feet had led him directly to the sacred tree. Slowing to a walk, he approached the large wooden plant and placed a palm on its smooth surface. He could almost feel Kagome's presence, as if she was standing right beside him.
"I miss you, Kagome. I wish you were here. You would have loved the wedding," he whispered softly, which was a rare thing. He doubted that Kagome would even recognize his voice without some form of snarl to it. He sighed longingly, remembering all the times that they fought and all the memories that they had logged together. He imagined what it would be like to hold her in her arms and he imagined how much she would have loved helping Sango with her wedding. He pictured her rushing to and fro, doing Sango's hair and helping him into his dress clothes all at once.
He closed his golden eyes and brought her face to life in his mind. He envisioned her chocolate brown eyes and her raven hair, blowing slightly in the wind. He could see the annoyed look on her face as she attempted to control the unruly mass and he heard her sit him for laughing at her foolishness underneath his breath, which apparently wasn't quiet enough. He'd give the world for her to be back, even if it was only to sit him. It would be worth it to hear her voice, see her soft lips move gracefully and watch as she cockily placed a fisted hand upon her waist.
"Please come back soon, Kagome." With those final words, he rested his forehead against the truck of the tree—their tree; the tree that connected their two worlds, and therefore, connected the two of them as well. Sighing in remorse, he turned and made his way back towards the village. He might yet get some entertainment this evening, if Miroku had drank enough saki to forget that he was married and could no longer hit on the village girls. He could practically hear the Hirakotsu breaking over the dumb lecher's head, and a small smile rose to his lips. You will return to me Kagome, I just know it.
A short first chappie, I know! Please forgive me? I just had to get something up before you all forgot about me! Look for the next chapter to the story, which should be up before too long, hopefully! Thanks for reading!
