"Flight 93 is now boarding." Glancing up at the flashing letters of destination and departure time, a young solider tossed his empty water bottle into the nearest trashcan before hauling up his olive green duffel bag with ease. Following the stream of people, he nodded curtly to the kind lady wishing everyone good flights and giving fussy children compliments to calm them. He admired her for being able to keep a happy face up for such a long time; if that was his job, he would be snapping and growling until everyone was too scared to even get on their planes.

Stepping over the small crack that separated the bridge from the plane, he found his seat, a window seat. For that he was thankful; one, he wasn't near the bathrooms, his sensitive nose couldn't take the smells; two, he hated reading and he had no way to play music- not that any normal headphones would fit him, but that was beside the point. Another point was, however, that his own headphones were smashed somewhere between his first camp and where he was stationed for the second round.

The silver-haired man only looked up once, watching as an old man settled himself down in the seat over. He had never minded the elderly; he had been raised by a woman in his town, old Kaede, after his mother died. He found that older people tended to be more accepting, almost, as if they knew what you had gone through. There was the occasional one that detested Hanyou's, as was almost expected, but somehow the amber eyed young man doubted this of the man that sat quietly to his right- he had actually sat down.

-------------------------------------------------------

Pushing a raven wave of hair from her eyes, the young woman leaned against the wall, staring down into the gate of the plane that should have arrived two hours ago. It was bad enough they were late; two hours had never seemed so long. Finally, she watched as the doors were opened and people were let out, beelines formed as people rushed to get to family members and lovers. She was waiting for not a lover or family, just an old friend, her best friend, the one that had surprised them all when he enlisted- Inuyasha was not one for discipline. Everyone had joked, saying that maybe it would teach him manners. Maybe he would grow up and learn something. Become more mature. She had laughed as well, but there was a dull ache in her heart.

She knew that there would be an upcoming war; he was just going to training now, but what happened if he was sent in?

What happened if one day, her Hanyou did not come back?

The thought had nagged at her, growing for nine months until she got word he would be coming back for a visit in three months. She had missed him terribly; the boy that always teased her, protected her, and made her lose dates. But she had grown to adore and need him, a crutch. He needed her just as much, maybe more, but could never admit such a large feeling of desire and want and need, love or lust. It did not surprise anyone that they had grown to love each other- just that he left before he did anything about it.

Never had anyone thought for a moment he left to escape in an attempt to make her forget; she was worthy of more than a Hanyou. Maybe being away would make them both forget, and allow her to move on without his claws and fangs getting in the way.

Snapping out of her reverie, Kagome focused back on the soldier's exiting the bridge. There were quite a few of them, her eyes skipping to each one. Her solider would be instantly recognizable, unless he decided to go and dye his hair. If he had, she would have killed him. He had reported that he did not have to cut it- he was allowed to tie it back in a tight bun like a girls, a rather big sacrifice for him because of the teasing, but he kept it for her. She loved playing with his silky hair.

Finally, her eyes landed on the one solider with the amber eyes. Smiling, she waved and he saw her immediately, probably by her smell. That's how he always found her. Her smile widened as he walked over, stopped about eight feet away and dropped his bag. "This the welcome I get, wench?" he demanded, his hair shaken lose of the ponytail that had been confining it during the plane ride. Kagome laughed and bounded forward, encasing him in a hug. The strong arms- more muscular than they had been when he left- lifted her up and she squeaked, making him chuckle lightly and set her back down. The duffel bag was quickly picked back up again, slung over his shoulder with ease.

"You've grown," Kagome said, looking into his ember eyes. "Not physically, in other ways. I can tell."

"Oh?" Inuyasha lead the way towards the exit- everything he had was stuffed in the duffel. "How?"

"I just can. You would have never given me a hug like that before," Kagome said happily. "It's good to see you!"

"Likewise. I've missed you, and your curves." Seeing her astonished expression- she expected something like that from Miroku, not Inuyasha- he just kept walking. Being a solider changed you more than just physically. Mentally he had been challenged and expected to grow up. There was no more blushing at his own expense when he was joked, no more getting angry at the drop of a hat, and he even learned how to crack his own joke or too. Dirty, or slightly dirty or even not-so-dirty-but-almost-slightly-dirty, jokes and comments were a forte of a bunch of testosterone shut up in camp, the only estrogen the women they considered comrades. Relationships were not forbidden, but they were frowned upon, and the women dress had not helped their imaginations at all.

Kagome stared at him, wearing that same crooked smile he always had. At least he still smiles like that, she mused, smiling to herself as she caught up with him. It was a crooked smile that showed one fang, poking over his lip. It had always been extremely adorable, especially when he was little and they first met.

"So, who am I staying with?" Inuyasha asked, not pausing as the automatic doors slid open.

"Me." She grinned. "I doubt you want to stay with Miroku and Sango- they finally got together. Well, moved in with each other." She nodded towards her car, pulling the keys from her purse.

"Ahh…So Sango moved out?" Stopping at the car that she pointed out at hers, she watched him as he set the duffel in the back, shutting the trunk. When he looked back at her, she nodded an affirmative answer. "Your place sounds great."

"Good, cause you have no choice," she said happily, getting into her drivers seat. It was just an old Toyota, but she loved it. It had been getting her places for years. "We are meeting them for dinner, though. Do you wanna change first? I've got some of your old clothes at my place."

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "You've thought of everything, haven't you?"

"There's ramen in the cabinets and beer in the fridge."

Yep, that was everything. Grinning his crooked grin, he set back and let her start talking, filling him in. He'd ask small questions, insert his "keh's", and just listen- she didn't know how great it was to hear her voice again. "Kags." She stopped, looking at him and smiled. "You've talked about everyone except yourself."

"You haven't talked about yourself, either," she pointed out, flicking her eyes back to the road.

"You haven't asked."

"Neither have you." She grinned triumphantly and added, "You first."

"I went to training. Weaponry, boot camps, you know, that kind stuff. Not very interesting. We ate MRE's everyday and joked around. Trained and were exhausted."

"Oh." She smiled. "Well, I'm a photographer. Take pictures for anyone that wants them- portraits, newspapers, magazines, tourist brochures, and hope they get accepted. I…" She paused. "That's it, really. I'm teaching art to some kids and…" She shrugged. "So you haven't missed much with me."

"No boyfriends?" he asked, lifting a brow.

"Well, there was Hojo, but he didn't really last that long," Kagome said. "He got kind of annoying- he was always there, fawning over me. Clingy." She shook her head and turned into her apartment complex. She ignored or didn't notice the frown that passed over his face when she admitted there had been a guy, though the look was gone as quickly as it came. He didn't want to seem jealous of a guy she wasn't seeing anymore. Plus he couldn't be jealous- wasn't that the reason he went away, to get over her?

Looking up at the familiar buildings as Kagome parked in her usual spot, he looked over to catch her smile before she got out of the car. "You've grown to, Miss Higurashi," Inuyasha murmured to her without her hearing, watching as she went to open the trunk. Opening his car door, he looked at her. "You won't be able to carry that thing." Walking over to her, he watched as she yanked the thing from the trunk, stumbling forward with it. Grinning, he took it from her and slung it with one hand back behind his shoulder, steadying her with the other.

"What do you have in that thing?" she grumbled, shutting the trunk. "How much stuff can you possibly need?" Not waiting for his answer, she led him towards the building, leading him to the stairs. "Do you remember which one is mine?"

"Third floor, second door to the right."

"Left," Kagome corrected, smiling. "After Sango and Miroku got their own place, I downgraded to a one bedroom to save on rent." She stopped on the stairs, looking at him over her shoulder. "You don't mind the couch, do you? You can have my bed if you'd like."

"'Course not. The couch will be fine after the bunks," he said. Going past her, he let her jog up the stairs to keep up. He wanted to change and shower. Waiting at the door, he grinned his crooked grin when she caught her breath. "Tired?"

"No," she replied shortly, knowing he was teasing- she was in no where's near as good as shape as him. Making a face, she unlocked the door and pushed her way in. Buyo mewed from the back of the couch although the overlarge cat made no effort to move. "Uhm… You can use my room while you get ready," Kagome said, suddenly aware of how small the place was. "If you want your own bedroom, Sango and Mir-"

"This is fine, Kagome. Thanks." Walking past her, he went into her bedroom and shut the door. Sharing a bathroom would prove very interesting.

Kagome watched him and sighed, sinking down on the chair. He was different, yet the same. His behavior was different- he was not as cocky, which wasn't bad. He wasn't as loud or obnoxious, and he didn't open his mouth to say every stupid thing that came out of is mouth. He had gotten quieter, stronger. He had the same smile, but he eyes were different. They looked at her differently than they had before. He was her Inuyasha all grown up, but he was hiding something from her. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice it as she fell asleep, stroking Buyo's back.

---------------------

Inuyasha let out a stifled groan as the good water pressure beat hot water onto his back. The woman had even gone out of her way to get unscented soap and shampoo for his sake, knowing that he hated the smelly kind. The same old Kagome- always thinking about others before herself, going out of her way to do things no one else would think of. Like in their senior year, when he had lived with her and her family in their house because his brother had kicked him out, she had lain out his homework every night so he wouldn't forget it. It was probably because of her he was actually able to graduate, her watching him from the crowd, just as he did for her one year later.

But at the same time, she was different. Grown up, not near as naïve as she had been. Smarter, as in common sense wise. His Kagome, the girl that was deathly afraid of lightning in sixth grade and called him just to have him yell at her. The girl that he had met in first grade at recess, giving him one of her cookies after some demon kid had taken his, calling him dirty. She had never even cared that he was a half-demon, even as a Kindergartener.

It was funny how eleven months out in the real world could change you. He had realized what she had meant to him, what she still means to him, after losing so many people. He'd already seen battle. The upcoming war was arising because of random attacks- one had been on his base. A good friend that he had met had died in that fight- a blow to all of them. He hadn't even gained any ranks yet, innocent and murdered for no reason than because those bastards could kill. After that, Inuyasha had found himself worrying about Kagome. What if something happened and he wasn't there? What if war broke out before he got home and she was hurt?

Pushing thoughts from his mind as he washed his hair, he rinsed with a happy sigh and cracked his neck. Squeezing out his locks, he fastened a towel around his waist and placed another over his shoulders to keep the hair from dripping. Going into the bedroom, his thoughts continued to wander as he slipped on a pair of boxers and some jeans, folding the towel and placing it on the rack that Kagome had his clean towels on (he had been forced into being organized in training), washed with the detergent that didn't smell and make him sneeze.

Shaking more water from his hair, he tossed that towel to the side and ran his fingers through it to get the knots out. Going back to the main portion of the apartment, his mouth twitched when he saw Kagome, curled up in a ball, her head resting on the chair. Standing behind the back of the chair, he shook her gently. "Kagome." When that didn't seem to work, he tried a different approach. "Kags, get up, lazy wench." Her eyes fluttered then opened, meeting his. Smiling, she stretched and he grinned. Figures she would respond when he called her a name. "Sorry. Dozed off." She yawned quietly and sat up. "Can I comb out your hair?"

"Not even home for two hours and you want to play with it," Inuyasha grumbled, producing the comb he had brought with him. "No touching the ears." Plopping down obediently before her, he crossed his legs and arms and waited, not showing that he actually enjoyed her pulling the comb through his hair. It felt good- but he wasn't going to admit that. When she was done, she held out the comb to him, smoothing down the hair. "There! Now hurry, we are supposed to meet them in half an hour." Standing up behind him, she gently tweaked one of his ears. Letting out a playful growl, he lunged at her and she shrieked and headed towards her bedroom, giggling.

---------------------------

Dinner had been an interesting affair. Their table had been the loudest, telling jokes and old stories, ordering 'just one more round'. People that saw him offered their welcomes to Inuyasha, making them all realize how much he was missed. When they finally left, several entrees, appetizers, deserts, and drinks later, everyone felt like it hadn't been a year since they were all sitting around the table together. Pulling into the apartment building parking space, Inuyasha looked over at his passenger. He had driven because alcohol didn't really affect him, with his demon blood, and Kagome was tired- she had never been the drinker, so that wasn't the issue.

Getting out, he went over and opened the door as she started unbuckling herself. "Long day?" She nodded, using the car to haul herself out. "Mhmm…Had to get up early to get a story, a car accident…Cleaning and shopping…You…" He had no doubt who the shopping was for.

"Keh, you didn't need to do so much for me," he chided, picking her up easily. She was so small. When she protested and ordered to be set down, he just bumped the door shut. "If you walk by yourself, it'll take you two days. Stop fighting, wench."

When she did, he was slightly surprised. Instead, she let him carry her, going slowly so he wouldn't jostle her…and to make the contact draw out. Once they were inside- getting the keys from her purse had been a feat- he settled her on her bed, waking her up by shaking her arm. "'Night, Kagome."

She murmured something inaudible before getting off her bed, and he quickly left before she completely spaced and stripped right before him. As much as he would not have minded, he didn't think that Kagome would appreciate it much.

------------------------

The sounds of the battlefield surrounded her, the gun shots, the moans of the wounded, and the screams of the dying. She covered her ears and ran, dodging the men that were stabbing at something, their limbs penetrating through her body. A flash of silver caught her eye and she turned, watching as her solider jumped, tossing a grenade into enemy lines. Hearing a shrill whistle, she looked up to see a grenade flying towards her and opened her mouth in a frantic call. "Inuyasha!"

Turning, the man watched before he was blown to bits, and she was falling… "You killed him! It's your fault!" Sango was staring at her, pointing accusing fingers. "Your fault!"

"You called his name, Kagome," Miroku said in his calm voice. "It's your fault he's not coming back…"

"No," her mouth uttered no sound. "No, no…"

Suddenly, the man that she briefly saw at the battlefield was looming over her, laughing. His long, dark wavy hair and red eyes made me tremble as he laughed coldly, his long hands reaching…

"No!" Kagome sat up, clutching at herself, covered in a cold sweat. She was trembling; the sheets kicked haphardzardly from her body. "No, no…Inuyasha," the name kept dripping from her mouth as she rolled from the bed, blindly feeling her way towards the couch. "Inuyasha…" She stopped, still clutching herself, watching as the mound huddled beneath the blankets stirred.

A silver head popped up, examining her through bleary eyes. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, stretching. Looking at her again, his hard eyes softened. A clawed hand was extended and she bounded forward, grabbing the hand and contacting with his chest. Snuggling into the warm skin- she didn't register that he was shirtless- she tried to stop the tears that ran down her cheeks. "You…I didn't mean to call you…I'm sorry," she mumbled, a rambling mess into his chest. "I'm so sorry. It was my fault."

Figured she would take a dream so literally. It was Kagome. "It's not your fault," Inuyasha replied, his voice neither hard nor soft. "It was just a dream." Placing her between him and the back of the couch, he wiped away the tears that were becoming less and less. "Hush."

Placing a kiss on her forehead, he pulled her towards him, ignoring the fact that her nightgown was extremely thin. Her sobs died down into sniffles with soon stifled, though her head stayed rested in the crook of his neck.