And here is chapter two of Extraneous! I hope you enjoy, and please don't forget to review!

~'~

The stars twinkle in the night sky, their light the only guide in the darkness of the new moon. Shining bright, this is their moment in the spotlight, and so they put on a good show, light the dirt path as the couple hand in hand walks along it.

The male of the couple was tall, in red clothing, bare feet stepping one in front of the other. This night, unlike many nights or days, his fingernails aren't pointed and clawed. They are the soft, blunt nails of a human. Just like his ears. They're rounded parts on the side of his head, not fur-covered triangles poking out from his mane of white hair. And his hair. While it still reaches his back, it is softer in comparison to how coarse it normally is, and instead of a greyish-white, it is black like the night sky. In the darkness, one could hardly see his eyes, but rather than the sharp amber hue they normally were, they were a soft, gentle brown.

Beside him, the woman holding his hand, had black hair and grey eyes. She was human, not just for the night like he was, but forever. Human, mortal. A miko. A time-traveler. She was so many things, maybe not hanyo like him, but the rest of her made her just as interesting as him. And he loved all of it, from her occasional slip up into unfamiliar words to her strange mannerisms, to him, it made her perfect.

Inuyasha and Kagome.

They walked along the path, the through woods, beneath the brown tree branches and green leaves. He couldn't hear the bird, bugs, and small critters rustling through the underbrush like he normally could, and was glad for that. She, who never heard such things, but didn't feel the nasty aura of demons was also glad for that. She didn't want to have to fight, not when he was human and weak, and this was the first time in three years that she had seen him.

"I didn't think you'd come back," he finally murmurs. She looks up at him, grey eyes wide as she stares at the hanyo turned human. She squeezes his hand, feels his blunt human nails against the palm of her hand, and smiles at him. He smiles back.

"I didn't think I would."

For three years, she shared his sentiment. Of course, in those three years, he too didn't believe she would come back. But those three years were over, school was done, she had a useless high-school diploma. Her friends were off to college. Her brother was in middle school. Here she was now, in the past, the present to her forever now, no longer with tests to study for, or a social life to keep up with, or stress over whatever crazy illness her grandfather had come up with. She was in the past now, safe, belonging.

"I'm glad you came back though."

For three years, he hadn't believed he'd ever see her again. He had been prepared to go on the rest of his life believing that, knowing that. He would've never given up on her, he'd always stand by the well, peering into its dark depths in hopes of catching a glimpse of what was happening on the other side. He would've gone on hoping for the best life for her, hoping that she finished high school, got good test scores, went to college, settled down with a good man, had many lovely children, and so on.

But he didn't have to do that anymore. She was here, real, holding his hand, breathing in the same air he was, taking in the same sights that he was. She wasn't in the future anymore, beyond his grasp. She was in his grasp.

She smiles at him, eyes shutting tight with happiness. "I am too."

~'~

Arms are thrown around the cool metal of his armor, and he glances down to the sixteen year old human that was once the eight year old girl he brought back from the dead. He stands stiff, uncomfortable in her hold for such displays of emotion weren't familiar to him. Foreign. Human. That was what they were to him. But this was Rin. While she was foreign, her kindness and good heart was unlike what he's always come to know, and she was human, there was not a doubt of that, she was still Rin.

"My lord, it is so good to see you!" she happily exclaims, pulling away from him to stand at the side, looking up at him with joy and devotion. She rocks on the balls of her feet, barely holding herself back from hugging him again by clasping her hands behind her back. Her lord looks down at her, emotionless as ever, but she sees the small hints in his golden orbs that is seems only she can pick up on. He is annoyed because of what has brought him here, but he is glad to see her.

"Hn," he sounds.

She knows her lord. As silent and as cold as he comes off to others, she knows that he has feelings, and she knows just how to read them. She knows when his lip twitches slightly upwards, he is thrilled with a victory, typically from a fallen enemy. When his eyes narrow ever so slightly, so slight that most people don't even notice, she knows he is upset. And she knows, when there is a small glimmer in his eyes, he is relieved. Anytime she has seen the glimmer, it has been because she was in danger and now she is safe.

"My lord has come from Kagome, correct?" she asks. He nods minutely, but she sees is quite plainly. "Miroku came back to the village and told us of your conversation with him. Kagome was quite displeased by the news, and threw a tantrum. She locked herself away in hut, that she did. Rin has tried many a time to talk to her, but she is being stubborn. Perhaps my lord could speak to her and convince her that this is for her own good?"

Sesshōmaru is not surprised when Rin relays the news to him in her strangely happy diction. It is characteristic of the miko in his eyes, to be stubborn and ridiculous. He is aware to some extent that she is not from here, and so she isn't very familiar with their customs. But he also knows that to some extent she knows them, and from what he has observed, she tries her hardest to follow their customs. He supposes though that grief has broken her of that, and grief is playing up her stubborn streak. While he does not like the idea of the task at hand, he must complete it anyway.

He begins his trek towards the miko's hut, Rin following close in toe. He casts a glance over his shoulder at her occasionally, knowing as she keeps her brown eyes locked on the ground, that there is something she is holding herself back from saying. Does she expect a present? He has not brought her a kimono like he usually does, and mentally scolds him for such. He should've.

When he pushes back the shingles covering the door, he for a moment thinks he has the wrong hut. Not a candle flickers in the darkness of the room, and the window is boarded up to keep the light out. He thinks that this is an abandoned hut, and almost turns to head to the hut next door, but the ripe scent of the miko reaches his nose and he knows he is in the right place.

"Go away," he hears from the miko, curled up in the sheets of her futon. His eyes narrow slightly, as he represses the urge to sigh at her behavior.

Kagome lays in sheets, curled up around the pillow InuYasha always slept on. She knows that Sesshōmaru and Rin have entered her room, that she is no longer alone with the last remaining bits of her husband. She wants them to leave. She doesn't want to go with Sesshōmaru, she doesn't care about whatever damn tradition dictates that she should leave with him. She's not going. And she knows Rin is trying to be her sweet, helpful self, but she doesn't want Rin. She wants InuYasha.

"Lady Kagome," murmurs Rin as she approaches the miko. Sesshōmaru remains standing in the door, annoyed at the state that the miko is in. Rin, knowing her lord, knows that it is better for her to speak. Sesshōmaru doesn't quite have the grasp of being comforting. Rin places a hand on Kagome's shoulder as she sits beside the woman. She squints in the darkness, wishing for more light than the door provides. "Please get up, you haven't eaten or drank anything in three days. It's unhealthy, and we are just concerned for you."

"It hurts," moans the miko, shrinking into her sheets.

"Of course it hurts," says Sesshōmaru with a humored snort. "Even I, a being who needs little food, knows that it hurts when you go without it for long."

Rin cuts him a sharp glare, exhaling in exasperation. She tries to tell him with her eyes to just let her handle things, that she doesn't need him stepping in and making things worse.

"Lady Kagome, we know it hurts. Rin lost her parents when she was younger, and it still hurts to this day. But you must go on living for them, they wouldn't want to see you like this." When Rin gets no response from Kagome, she sighs. "What would InuYasha tell you if he was here? What would he want you to do, huh?"

"That everything will be okay…" she whispers, before curling up into the pillow again. Rin sighs, again. "InuYasha would've told me that everything would be okay and that I just need some food and sunlight…"

At least it's a start.

Kagome shrugs off Rin's hand as she sits up, the blankets falling to pool around her waist, her white haori hanging open. Kagome closes the haori, and the turns to look over her shoulder at the imposing figure of InuYasha's brother. The man meets her eyes, grey clashing with dull gold. Her lips are drawn into a thin line, she is not pleased with the sight of him. He does not care, his eyes are narrowed, the only emotion he is feeling for the woman annoyance.

"Please leave," she grits out in the politest voice she can manage. She then glances at Rin to have the girl back her up. Rin nods and looks towards Sesshōmaru who nods his head at her insistence and leaves the hut.

"C'mon," Rin says, instantly wrapping her arms around her shoulders, "let's get you some water and food."

"I want to go outside," says Kagome, pushing her way off the bed and away from Rin's arms. Stepping down on to the wooden dirt floor, she nearly topples over, and would've if Rin hadn't rushed to wrap her arms around her waist. "But food and water first," she mutters, reaching out to find the edge of the platform.

Rin scrambles to collect water from outside, checking on the fire she is kindling inside every few moments. She isn't really checking on it to make sure it doesn't get out of hand like she has told Kagome when she asked, but more because she fears Kagome might try to hurt herself if she doesn't check. After all, as soon as the last spark died in the wee hours of the morning, Kagome was digging her fingers through the smoldering ashes, crying and wincing as she burned herself to collect the bones. Rin really didn't want a repeat of that.

The miko watches the sixteen year old girl as she scrambles to get her water and food, checking on the kindling frequently. When the girl is out of sight, she turns her gaze to the fire, the dancing flames of orange, red and yellow, licking at the bottom of the metal pot. She is curious, curious how the flames would feel against her skin. But she also knows that as soon Rin comes back into check on the pot, she'll pull her hands out of the fire, shove them in a pot of water, scold her, and make sure that Sesshōmaru takes her away from here. So she keeps her admiration of the flames in her mind, and keeps her hands clasped in her lap.

But the fire still burns.

~'~

The sand beneath her feet is warm and gritty, the sun baring down on her, warming her skin through her white haori.

"In the future, we have nude beaches where your free to let it all hang out," she says, opening her eyes to look out at the ocean. The grey waves crashed against the shore, in and out, in and out, dragging away with it the grains. She felt like running up to, sinking her toes into the moist muddy substance and letting the water tickle her ankles. But she doesn't, she glances back at Inuyasha who is sitting on the blanket she spread out for them, shoving rice balls into his mouth.

"I wouldn't mind seeing you nude," he says after swallowing down the rice ball. She rolls her eyes, and returns to his side, kneeling down on the blanket and grabbing a rice ball. She nibbles at the food, watching him as he observes the ocean.

"What did you call this again?" he asked, looking back at her.

She finishes chewing the rice ball, and swallows it down. "A honeymoon. Newly wedded couples go on them in my time to spend time together."

He nods, reaching for another rice ball. She swats away his hand, sticking her tongue out at him. He makes another grab for the food, and she grabs onto his wrist, and pulls it to her as she walks on her knees to him.

"If you want to see me naked," she whispers, eyes slanted as she leans into the hanyo. "Take them off of me."

~'~

"Is the miko ready?" Sesshōmaru asks as he approaches Rin who is bottling more water from the river.

Rin glances up at her lord, a sigh on her lips. No, she feels like telling him, and signals by shaking her head. She does not say the word, because she knows she'll go on a rant that will just annoy her lord. But she so wants to rant, to the point where she has to bite her lip to keep the angry words from spilling out.

Kagome is just so needy and listless. She needs water, cup after cup after cup. She's already had to go down to the river three times now to fetch the water, and as soon as she's got it, she'll have to boil the water outside. And then Kagome will complain that it's too warm, and that she's hungry. Rin will then pour the soup, and then Kagome will grimace every time she takes a sip, glaring at the food because she doesn't like the taste. And then, as soon as Rin steps out to do other things, and she comes back to check on the "fire", Kagome will be staring at it unnervingly, or staring at her hands and Rin won't be able to get her attention.

"When will she be ready?" asks her lord. She sighs again. Her lord is being impatient, and this just isn't what she needs right now.

"I don't know," she replies. She screws on the last lid of the "plastic" bottles that Kagome had brought with her so many years ago from the future. She holds them in her hands, barely able to grasp the five bottles. Sesshōmaru grabs one from her.

"You will inform me when she is."

Rin sighs, and feels like sarcastically replying with a yes, my lord.

~'~

The grass tickles her skin as she lies on it, the cool air tickling the rest of her body. She is naked, her body free to be seen by the world. But there is no one here… well, no one besides her husband who is just as naked as her, also laying in the grass, also letting the wind tickle every part of him. White hair blows in her face, and she spits it out.

She glances over at him, meets his amber gaze. His eyes are so warm and so loving. This man is her husband, he shows that in his face. His kindness and warmth. She leans over and kisses him, presses her pink lips to her.

She is so glad she is back here, with him. She is so glad that she is in his arms, she is glad that she can lay with him in the grass, let the breeze blow over them. She is glad that she can cook for him, that she can make the bed for the both of them. She is glad that she is with him, with her love. She loves her family, but she gave them up for him and she finds that she doesn't regret giving them up to be with him. She regrets nothing, because she is with him.

She'd never give this up. She'd never give up the soft feel of his lips, or the way his eyes flutter shut when he kisses her. She would never give up the way he laughs or the way he talks. She would never give up his baggy red clothing and calloused feet. She would never give him up.

She smiles.

~'~

Kagome cries out, her breath barely escaping past the lump that had formed in her throat. Her eyes sting with tears, one sliding down her cheek, tickling as it falls. She grasps out, falling off the platform. She clatters against the stove, the pain of the fires burning her.

They fires lick at her; they are so painful. But she likes the pain. It makes her real. She enjoys, resting in the flame as they grab onto her hair, and caress her skin, marring her neck and her arms, eating away at the white and red silk. She closes her eyes, the corners of her lips turning upwards as she feels the fires ease away her pain.

But then she feels coldness. Cool water flowing over her. She gasps, eyes snapping open. Water pours into her mouth, hits the back of her throat. She starts coughing, rolling over, grasping her neck as she looks into the clumpy ashes.

"Are you really that pathetic?" asks Sesshōmaru.