So I promised a longer chapter, so here it is! Woohoo! Intense. Love. Confusion. Hope you enjoy!

,"~Chapter 2~",

The pain…tears run down me face….I just lay there, in my bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. I get up and walk out my front door making sure not to wake up my grandfather. A couple weeks ago my grandfather came to the village with me, so I make sure to stay clear of anyone that he may know. The dark sky hangs over me in a mocking way. It feels like it is saying to me "you have brought darkness here in this village, for it is your fault Sango is gone". Anger, sorrow, and pain curse through my body. I curse my self for what pain I have brought on this wonderful village. I continue walking, I head toward the lakes and look at my reflection in the water. I bend down and splash my image, watching it change and then reform back to the normal reflection.

"I don't believe this is Inuyasha's doing. He could never hurt these villagers. I mean…they were kind of unsure if he was safe to be taken in but…" but….that word runs through my mind. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought him here. Maybe the villagers were right to be unsure about him, but he's kind and sweet and, yet he has harmed so many in one night. But how?"

I stare up at the moon, trying to figure out what's been going on. A dark figure goes through my sight of the moon and then is gone. I feel hands on my shoulders and my instincts kick in. I turn around and throw my fists at whoever is behind me. Immediately my punches are blocked and my fists are grabbed so I am unable to move. Anger goes through my body and I yell at the figure.

"Let go! Or else-" my sentence is cut off.

"Or else…or else what?" I don't recognize the voice for some reason, but it has the tone of a young man. "Or else you'll kill me? Throw some more girl punches? Or cause more pain in this village?" He lets go of my fists and I let my arm drop. Or cause me pain to this village…tears blur my vision but it doesn't matter, even in the moonlight I am unable to see the face of this man.

"What do you want?" My head sags down a little and I just stare at the ground letting tears fall from my eyes.

"Why are you crying?" He lifts up my chin so I look at him, but I am still unable to see his face. I turn my head away, taking his hand off my chin. Walking away I try not to act scared of him. "Stop." his voice is serious and demanding. My body stops and I find no power in me to move. It feels like all my energy is gone. "Answer my question. Now." I listen to his footsteps, lightly they come closer to me.

I feel energy curse through my body giving me the ability to sprint off at any moment I need to, but I stay and speak clear and loudly. "I am crying for my friend who's life has been taken." I turn around to find his face only inches away from mine. I step back and clear my throat. "I cry for my lost honor. For my lost trust." tears start to built up in my eyes again. "And for myself" I break down. The stress and pain that has happened today is taking a tole on my mind and body. I fall to the ground on my knees. I bring my hands up to cover my face and I cry into them.

"I am sorry, but that is no a reason to take your anger, pity, and despair out on me. For I am not the one who has harmed you." He kneels at my side and puts a comforting arm around me. I am unsure how to react to this man. My mind and body are week, so I collapse in his arms. He pulls me closer to him and cradles me like a baby. While using one arm to keep my head and body near his chest he uses the other to push my hair out of my face and wipe away tears. "Tomorrow night. Things will be better. I promise. But don't forget to come tomorrow." he starts to put me down

"No!" He stops and gives me a questionable look. "I mean…" I think of what I really want to say. "I don't want you to leave…" I blush but luckily the darkness hides it.

He chuckles and stands up. He pulls me to my feet and holds my body up against his. Whispering, he says. "Tomorrow. You'll feel better soon. I promise." he kisses my forehead and starts to walk off. I stare and let him walk away a little.

When he is far enough that I can still see his figure, but he cant hear my steps, I start to follow him. The night air gives me chills but I push on to know who he is and how he showed up. He goes near the sacred tree and just stares at it. Then walks off. His speed picks up and I need to do a light jog, making sure I stay silent. He slowly gets faster and I'm now sprinting. I don't know where I am but if I'm near him I'll be safe. I hope.

I'm breathing heavily as a sprint after him at a distance. Then he stops and whips his body around and stares right at me. I freeze in my spot and stay as silent as possible, trying to catch my breath. He disappears then I feel a blade go across my face. I'm on the ground, on my side just laying their. I breathe heavily, knowing my cover is blown and not caring. He hovers above me, in a dark cloak. I look away from him.

"What are you doing?" He grabs the back of my shirt and rips me up off of the ground. My body shaking, fear running through me. "Why did you follow me?" I wince at his yelling and put my arms up ready to block any hits. He sees I am scared and relaxes, but I can feel the tension in him. "I'm taking you back to your hut." He tosses me over his shoulder and I let my body go limp for I know he is stronger then me. He starts a jog and it easily goes to a sprint, but everything goes so fast. In seconds were at the village. He puts me down and I feel him glaring at me.

"You should go to sleep." He looks down and is unsure what to say to me now. An awkward silence takes its presence and its clear I have to break it.

"You…you cut me…" I say with my voice shaking. I reach up and touch where the cut is on the side of my face, feeling the hot liquid on my finger tips. "Why would you do that to me? I-I-I trusted you…and yo-you cut me…" I look at him. And he doesn't know how to respond. I turn around and start to walk towards my hut.

"Come here…" He says with a saddened voice. But when I continue walking he comes up behind me and carries me like a baby, in the direction of my hut. How does he know the path to my hut? As he walks he starts to clean my wound with a cloth. Gently he cleans away the blood.

"How do you know where I live?" I say gently trying to get an actual answer from him for once. He continues on the path to my hut and puts me on my feet when were at the front door.

"You should get some sleep and stop following me around." He opens the door to my house and ushers me in. I grab his hand and pull him inside with me, wanting him to answer questions before he leaves. He tries to lightly pull his hand away from mine, but I only tighten my grip and he lets me lead him to my room. I sit on the bed and pull him down to sit with me. My grandfathers room is luckily on the other side of the house so worrying about waking him isn't a big deal.

We just sit on my bed. I forget what I want to ask him. He hasn't pulled his hand away. We stay in silence for a couple more minutes. Then he turns and looks at me, grabbing my other hand with his. Holding both my hands he puts them together with his and stares at me. The moonlight reflects a tear on his face. "Oh…Kagome…" he whispers. Then he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. I wrap my arms around him, trying to comfort him like a child. In gasps between his crying he says. "I miss…I miss you so much! I'm so sorry I cant be with you…I'm sorry I cut your face…I'm sorry about Sango…I'm so sorry…" he whispers the last words, holding me closer he cries into my hair.

"Please relax. Its not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. Its going to be okay." I recall his words, I'm sorry I cant be with you…, who is he? "What's your name?"

He stiffens a little at my question. "Kagome…" he says my name softly and I hear the pain in his voice. "I wish I could tell you…to tell you everything would be so much easier for me. But I need to keep you safe. I can only see you at night. And I have been for the past month. Watching you as you sleep, wishing to hold you like I am now. The comfort you give me, safety and security. Everything is being taken away from me. But I'm allowing it to happen for your safety…if anything happened to you…if anyone hurts you…k-k-kills you…I would die, but I would seek revenge for your sake. I cant have you out of my life…"

"I need to know who you are! To help you! Please!" my voice is shaking and tears come to my eyes now, my voice pleading. "Oh please! I don't know you, but I don't want you hurt! Tell me your name! Please…" now we are crying into each other. Its comforting, but so familiar.

Then he kisses me. And I kiss back. Passion going through me. We kiss and kiss, not let each other go. The comfort he brings me. The life I give him. I still need to know who he is. But I'm kissing a stranger, a familiar stranger. He entangles his fingers in my hair. A wrap my arms around his neck. When we stop we just rest our heads on each other. It felt good and so right to kiss him, so normal and too familiar. I pull down his hood on his cloak and feel his long hair. I wrap my fingers in it like its nothing. Gently and lightly I pull a strand at a time. He doesn't seem to notice…or he wants me to continue to do what I'm doing…to let me know who he is…

He straitens up a little and looks at me. He kisses me one last time, gently. And gives me a big hug. "Tomorrow night, lets meet by the lake again." I can tell a smile has been placed on his lips. "Please…I would like to see you again." we let go of each other, I hide the little strands of hair from his sight.

"I will be there. Same time…ish?" a giggle comes out of my lips and I blush.

"I'll see you then." he turns and leaves my room. I hear the front door shut lightly, then his footsteps. And when all is silent I lay on my bed, looking up at the ceiling, I cant see, and smile.

A while ago I was laying here alone crying, but now I am happy and in love with a familiar stranger. I turn over on my side and put the strands of hairs under my pillow, for now it is still too dark to see who's they could be. I shall wait till morning to see who my wonderful lover is. I smile and drift off into a blissful sleep…

A/N- Okay, romance, mystery, and action! I promised this chapter would be longer then my first and I have kept my promise! So, mysterious/familiar stranger, hair under the pillow. Till the next night. Ahhh so intense now….ish, haha sure. Well hope you liked this chapter.

Signed, IXshadowkissedXI

Lisa Roza