Old Feelings Die Hard
Chapter 2

"Miroku, do InuYasha and Kagome seem.. I don't know, somewhat more distant than usual?" Sango asked, looking back at him. Her and Miroku were seated on Kilala as they flew through the air, towards the next town, and towards a new demon to fight. Miroku looked down at InuYasha and Kagome. Though Kagome was being carried on InuYasha's back as he ran, she looked completely unaware of her surroundings, as if she had other things on her mind.
"Hm. Yes, I believe they do, Sango." Miroku replied, "Though I did happen to see a soul stealer, just before Kagome arrived. Maybe that has something to do with their distance."
Sango shook her head. "That InuYasha, such a two-timer." Sango huffed.
"My dearest Sango, does his behaviour not show you how much I adore you?" Miroku said, as he caressed her butt. Sango's eyes widened, then narrowed, and she slapped him across the face. "Now is not the time, you pervert."
"Hey, lovebirds. I can hear everything you're saying up there." InuYasha yelled.
Sango and Miroku looked down, but it seemed not even InuYasha's yell had broken Kagome's trance.
"It must've been Kikyo then.. look at how sad she is. I bet she caught them together, again." Sango sighed.
"It appears you can't teach an old dog new tricks. InuYasha didn't learn from the last time, it seems." Miroku replied.
"HEY. I SAID I CAN HEAR YOU UP THERE!" InuYasha yelled again. Sango and Miroku shook their heads, but fell silent.
Kagome was still lost in her own thoughts.

They had set up camp on the outside of town after taking care of a small hog-demon but gaining no shard in return. Kagome lay in her sleeping bag near the fire, across from InuYasha, who was casually leaning against a tree, Tetsusaiga beside him. They both watched the flickering flames, though while Kagome's mind was somewhere else, InuYasha was watching her through the flames. Sango and Miroku sat together on a log, watching the two of them. Sango just shook her head.
"I think I'm going to turn in. What about you Miroku?"
"Why Sango, are you offering-" "No, you pervert. I'm simply asking if you're going to sleep now, or if you're going to stay up and watch.." 'our friends grow apart.', she thought, but she finished with"uh, the fire."
"Oh, of course. I think I'll turn in now too." he replied, and they headed for their sleeping bags.
"Feh." InuYasha said quietly, scowling into the flames.
Kagome rolled over, away from the flickering heat and the watchful (though she didn't know) eyes of the half-demon. She let her eyes close, and a tear escaped them. 'Oh, InuYasha.' she thought miserably.
InuYasha could smell the salty tang rolling down her skin, but he ignored it, no matter how bad he felt, knowing he was the reason she was crying. 'It's not my fault,' he thought, 'It's hers for coming back so early.' though he knew he was wrong. InuYasha sat with his back to the tree, and continued to stare at the flames, seeing Kagome through them, and scowling again. He could smell her tears, stronger now. He looked to Sango and Miroku, who appeared fast asleep.
"Hey wench," he called to Kagome, trying to keep his tone down but managing to retain the rudeness, "Quit yer crying."
Kagome sniffled, and sat up to wipe the tears off her face. "I'm sorry, InuYasha. I just..miss my family, that's all."
"Yeah, whatever. Just stop crying, okay?" he answered a little softer now.
"Sure, InuYasha." she replied, and layed back down in her sleeping bag, shutting her eyes and making an attempt at falling asleep.
'Huh, that was weird. Normally she woulda yelled at me or somethin'..' InuYasha thought. "Keh." InuYasha continued scowling into the flames. His eyelids started to droop, and soon, he fell asleep.

Kagome was wide awake. She couldn't sleep. Everytime she closed her eyes, all she was was InuYasha and Kikyo, together under the Tree. Eventually, she gave up, and just lay staring into the forest. But then, she heard it.
InuYasha was snoring. And loudly.
Kagome giggled, despite her sadness. Quietly, she turned around and sat up, staring over the fire at her hanyou. She crawled out of her sleeping bag, and after feeding the flames of the slowly-dying fire, she tip-toed to InuYasha and knelt down infront of him. She looked up at his ears as one twitched, remembering how soft they felt the first time she touched them. Lifting her hands, she gently grabbed them and rubbed the softness between her fingers. She stifled a laugh as one tried to twitch beneath her touch, and she smiled.
"Wanna quit that out wench, I was trying to sleep." came a somewhat annoyed remark from InuYasha. Kagome gasped, and dropped her hands to her lap.
"Oops. I didn't mean to wake you."
"Well, whaddya expect, grabbing my ears like that?" he replied rudely.
"I didn't grab them!" Kagome replied, getting angry.
"Your hands were touchin' 'em!" InuYasha yelled.
"I was being gentle! Jeez, InuYasha. Why do you have to fight about everything!"
"You're the one that woke me up by grabbing my ears!"
"I DIDN'T GRAB THEM!" Kagome yelled back, and stood up. She huffed, and brushed the dirt off her knees. She walked around the fire back to her sleeping bag. "Whatever. I'm going back to bed."
"Good! Maybe now I can get some sleep without you being all touchy-feely." InuYasha said.
"If you don't remember, you're the one who's been touchy-feely. Jerk." Kagome crawled back into her sleeping bag, turning away from InuYasha once more. She was determined to fall asleep now.
InuYasha, on the otherhand, was taken aback by her comment. He looked off scowling, embarrassed. Then he noticed Sango and Miroku staring at him from their sleeping bags. Miroku had his head on his raised hand.
"What're you guys starin' at?"
"Nothing. We were simply intrigued by your lack of comebacks, that's all." Miroku replied, and settled back down in his sleeping bag.
"Goodnight, InuYasha."
"Whatever." InuYasha grumbled back.

Waking the next morning, Kagome turned over onto her back, stretching. Her shoulder ached from being layed upon all night, and she had some awful kinks in her neck. She sat up and looked over at InuYasha's spot by the tree, but was surprised to see he wasn't there. 'Hm. Wonder where he could've got to so early?' she wondered.
"Ah, Lady Kagome, you're awake." Miroku was sitting on the log facing the now-dead fire. Sango was sitting beside him, a still-sleeping Kilala on her lap. Kagome smiled at them, then decided she might as well ask.
"Miroku, Sango, did you happen to see where InuYasha went?"
Her two friend exchanged a look.
"Kagome.. this morning there were more soul stealers in the air," Sango replied, adding hurriedly "But I'm sure it's nothing to worry about! We must have just happened to follow.. her...path from yesterday. I'm sure InuYasha is nearby." Sango watched her friend closely.
Kagome felt her smile falter. "Oh.. did you see which way he was heading, then?"
Miroku pointed behind him, "That way. Towards the soul stealers." Sango punched him from behind, and a large bump appeared. "Uh, but, I'm sure it was just a coincidence, him going the same way as Kikyo."
"Miroku!" Sango yelled, hitting him again. Kilala awoke with a start, and mewed a little at her rude awakening.
"Thanks, Miroku." Kagome smiled again, and got up. She headed in the direction Miroku had pointed out, determined to find InuYasha. 'I swear, if he's with Kikyo again, I'll.. I'll..' "Ohh, I'll kill him!" she yelled, her fists clenching in anger. She could hear a commotion coming from the camp site she left, and she laughed a little. Sango was wailing on Miroku, she was sure of it.
As she walked, she'd look above every so often, checking for soul stealers. As one flitted ahead of her, she started to pick up her pace. There seemed to be a small clearing in front of her, and as she neared, she could hear the unmistakeable sounds on InuYasha yelling. Kagome paused near the opening to the clearing, listening intently.
"InuYasha, I had to see you. We have much to discuss, you know that." Kikyo's calm voice made Kagome sick.
"I know, I know. But ya didn't have to meet me at THAT tree! Kagome's really pissed now, and what if she decides to go back to her time again? I need Kagome to help find the shards, you know that!" InuYasha replied, his voice raised but still retaining the softness he often held for Kikyo.
"InuYasha, you could just as easily use me to help find the Shikon shards. It could be just us." Kikyo replied, stepping closer to him.
"Kikyo, you know I'd never put you in harm's way like that. What if Naraku appeared, and I couldn't protect you?" InuYasha said quietly, "I vowed I'd avenge your death, but I can't do that if I'm trying to protect you from dying again." he grabbed Kikyo to him in a hug. "I don't want to lose you again."
Kagome turned away. 'That.. that jerk. All he cares about is the Shikon jewel and that stupid, dead Kikyo! Even through everything.. how could I be so stupid? How could I.. how could I fall for him the way I have? Maybe these feelings.. really aren't mine...' Kagome turned back to the scene infront of her, watching InuYasha and Kikyo embrace.
"Sit boy." she said quietly, and watched as InuYasha crumpled to the ground. She had hoped he would be so stupid as to forget to release Kikyo, but unfortunately, he seemed to have remembered. Kagome ran for it, as fast as her legs could carry her, back to camp. She ran right into Sango, out of breath and with tears brimming in her eyes.
"Kagome..? What's..what happened?" Sango asked, though she knew what Kagome had probably found. 'That stupid InuYasha. Doesn't he care about Kagome's feelings in the slightest?'
"Oh, Sango..can you take me back? I really need to go home, to my time. I-I miss my family. It's stupid, but I really do." Kagome replied, tears spilling down her cheeks now.
"Sure, Kagome. Miroku!" Sango called, "Miroku, I'm taking Kagome back. You wait for InuYasha, and tell him where we're going. I'll be back shortly." Miroku, who had appeared coming back from the little stream near their camp site, nodded.
"Kagome?" he said, and she looked up. "Kagome..don't let InuYasha or his brazen actions get to you. He is part dog demon after all."
"Thanks, Miroku" Kagome replied, giving him a small smile. Kilala transformed, and soon her and Sango were off, headed towards the Bone Eater's well. 'I'm going to have a long soak in the tub when I get home.' Kagome thought to herself, 'And if InuYasha wants me to come back, he can wait. He'll be lucky if I do come back.'

(Thanks to everyone who added me or my story to their Alerts, or their favourites, I really worked to get this last chapter done after I saw all the emails notifying me of all that :] And thanks for the few reviews I got, really made my day. To clarify, I'll be posting a chapter a day, if I can manage to type it out and refine it just the way I want it. I *am* in college though, so if a chapter isn't posted one day, I probably have loads of work to do ^-^; Thanks guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter!)