Chapter 4

Kagome stormed off, not really paying attention to whee her feet were taking her. Before she knew it, she was at the well. She collapsed beside it and cried. It was so ironic. This was exactly what happened when she left nineteen years ago...

Kagome bent over the well, her tears streamed from her eyes and down into the abyss. She couldn't understand it. Inuyasha had been so nice to her lately. They'd even shared a kiss in celebration of Naraku's demise. So why? Why would he wish for Kikyo? Kagome took a shuddering breath and stood up right. To her surprise, Inuyasha was there staring at her.

"Don't cry." the half demon murmured. "Please."

"Why shouldn't I?" Kagome snapped. "I love you Inuyasha. But you chose her."

"I..."Inuyasha began. "I didn't...It wasn't..." He couldn't bring himself to tell Kagome how he felt about her.

"Just stop Inuyasha." the girl said. "I'm going home. Naraku and the the Jewel are gone, thanks to you. You obviously don't need me anymore." She climbed into the well.

"Wait Kagome!" cried the half demon. "Will you come back? I need you to come back."

Kagome studied his face and then nodded. "I'll come back. I promise."

"I'll wait." Inuyasha whispered as he watched her drop down into the darkness.

Now Kagome looked up and saw silver headed half demon standing over her. It wasn't Inuyasha, but rather his son. "Taisho." she murmured. "You shouldn't be here. Your father..."

"Will be alright." he interjected. "He sent me to, and I quote 'male sure that she doesn't run away again' end quote."

"I thought that he would want me to leave." Kagome said.

Tai chuckled. "He doesn't know what he wants. Never has. Kita is too young to remember, but I saw it. Father loved our mother, but he wasn't happy. It was almost like he wanted something else but couldn't have it, so he settled for what he could have."

"He didn't want me." Kagome assured him.

"I think he might have." Tai countered. "There's a passion about him now that you're here."

Back at Sango and Miroku's, Inuyasha was being berated by his friends. "Do you just not know what you want?" the former monk demanded. "You used to moan about how much you missed Kagome, but now that she's back you treat her badly. Make up your mind Inuyasha."

The half demon growled at him, but he knew that Miroku was right. He wanted Kagome and he always had. He loved Kikyo, but he wasn't happy with her.

Inuyasha looked up from where he was playing with his two small children. Their mother, Kikyo was standing there with an expectant look on her face. "Inuyasha," she began. "It is nearly time for dinner and there are no fish. I promised the villagers fresh food tonight."

The half demon rolled his eyes. Sometimes he wondered if his woman cared more about the villagers than she did her family. "Fine, I'm going." Inuyasha acquiesced. "Can you take the brats inside?"

Kikyo shook her head. "I have to go help a woman deliver her baby. I'm sure you can handle them."

"Alright, I'll just take them with me." Inuyasha said through gritted teeth. Kikyo nodded and patted his arm. That was the most she'd touched him since they had conceived Kita four years prior. The girl burbled happily as her father scooped her up. Seven year old Taisho looked at Inuyasha.

"Are you okay Father?" he inquired.

"Yep." Inuyasha replied. "Just remembering how trying it is being with a priestess." Not all of them though, Inuyasha thought. Kagome wasn't like that. She was so full of warmth and compassion. Not all cold and distant like Kikyo.

Later that night, after the kids were asleep, Inuyasha turned to his woman. "How are the villagers doing?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

Kikyo turned startled eyes to him. "Why would you ask of such matters?" she wanted to know. "I am their priestess. They are my responsibility."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Figured I'd ask. We're together and all." He was remembering how he and Kagome would always talk about their days when they were apart. She would tell him about what went on at school and he would talk about what the gang did while waiting for her to return. Though he'd never admit it, Inuyasha enjoyed that level of communication. He shook his head to clear it of old memories and turned to Kikyo again. She was already asleep with her back to him.

Inuyasha came back to the present to find Miroku poking him in the head with his staff. "You need to talk to her." he said.

"Yeah well she's mad at me now." The half demon protested. "And I ain't got another nineteen years to wait for her to get over it."

"So apologize." Sango snapped. "Inuyasha there's been such a change in you over the years." she touched his shoulder. "You love her and you've gentled. Show her that."

Inuyasha sighed, that was easier said than done. he felt a hand on his arm and turned around to look into the eyes of his daughter, so much like his own. "Kita." He murmured. "I'm...sorry. I should've told you and Tai the truth."

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo exchanged surprised looks. When did Inuyasha ever admit he was wrong. Kita shook her head. "Papa it's okay. I understand now. If you love Kagome then you should be with her. Just go talk to her Papa."

"Stop being so damned stubborn." Shippo ordered. "You know you want her."

"Alright, alright!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Quit yapping at me. I'll talk to her." he paused for a moment. "Where is she?"

"Right here Father." Taisho said as he entered the hut with Kagome in tow.

Inuyasha got up and went over to her. His amber eyes were somber and his face was apologetic. "Can we go somewhere and talk Kagome?"

She nodded. "I guess we need to. You aren't going to yell at me again are you?" the girl asked warily. The half demon shook his head and started to lead her to his home. Kagome looked around with interest. "Things haven't really changed that much have they?"

"Old Kaede died not long after Taisho was born and Kikyo wasn't one for change." Inuyasha explained. "Since I was Kikyo's mate and she was their priestess, I'm sort of the headman of the village. I leave 'em alone and let them do as they've always done."

"Wow, you're the headman. That's...strange." Kagome replied. "You've plundered these people before. Though I suppose you've saved them as well."

The half demon rolled his eyes. "So are we going to talk or are you going to talk to yourself this whole time?"

"What happened to not yelling at me?" Kagome teased. The look on Inuyasha's face made her see how hard this was for him. "Alright, let's talk."

A/N: So Inuyasha and Kagome are going to have "the talk" next chapter. There will also be some more flashbacks from Kagome's time in her era and we'll see the birth of Taisho. Review!