I do not own Inuysha

Chapter 4

Choices, Choices

So, Inuyasha thinks I'm selfish? And here, I came back to apologize, just to appease to him and move on with our search. "Sit! SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT,SIIIITTTTT!" The word couldn't come out of my mouth quick enough for the anger I had within me to be pleased. At least ten minutes went by before I was finished with the command. But not because my anger had vanished, no, it was merely because I grew tired of saying the command. "Inuyasha, you're lucky I've grown tired of the word. If I had it my way, I would say the word until your body was beaten and bruised with broken bones."

"Kagome you're back!" Sango seemed so excited to see me. She rushed over and hugged me, with Miroku at her heals to receive me as well.

"Lady Kagome, I didn't think you would return this time. At least, not without Inuyasha first apologizing to you. It's good to have you back my friend."

"Well, Miroku the I came back to be nice to Inuyasha and apologize even though I know I did nothing wrong. I just wanted to finish our hunt for the jewel shards. Not to say, I still need to give Koga my answer, seeing as some hot-headed dog decided to interrupt us." I smiled smugly as I said this. Making sure to sound cheerful with the thought of being with Koga, I wanted Inuyasha to feel angry with me. To feel pain for calling me selfish, how arrogant can he be? "Have you seen Koga since I've left?"

Sango thought for a moment, but it was Miroku who spoke first. "Well, he left after you. He fled from battle, probably knowing that it had hurt you to see him and Inuyasha fighting over you."

With that Inuyasha jumped up from the ground and laughed cold-heartedly, "Me? Fight over Kagome. I would never do that! Koga can have her for all I care. I just need her to find the jewel shards and that is it!" With that Inuyasha stormed off. There was however, a strange expression on his face. It made me not completely trust what he had just said. Could that possibly mean that he does have feelings for me then? Perhaps it did bother him to see Koga with me, holding my hand, his lips close to mine and he asks me to be his mate, his partner, his wife.

I suddenly found myself feeling neglected. I shouldn't care what Inuyasha said about me though. Unless, I really do care for him. The thought of me, having feelings for Inuyasha, felt absurd, silly even, and yet, why did I feel butter flies in my stomach when I thought about he and I together?

"Kagome," it was Sango who spoke to me this time, "If you need help finding Koga, I don't mind lending you Kirara so that you may search for him." Kirara meowed as Sango proposed this. Kirara loved adventure. She also seemed to have a fondness of Koga, maybe because he wasn't as rude and big-headed as Inuyasha. Then again, Koga wasn't exactly Mr. Humble either. "With Kirara's nose, you two should be able to find Koga in no time."

I thought about this and even considered it. Then I remembered that I still haven't the slightest clue as what I would say to Koga when I did find him. I looked down on my ring finger, Koga had slipped it on as he popped the question. I didn't take the ring off because I knew I had to return it to him. I could not accept his offer. If I had taken the ring off, I knew I would lose it. So, better keep it on so that I can return it the next time our two path cross.

"No Sango, it's ok. I know we're bound to run into Koga again soon. Especially since I never had a chance to give him my answer."

"Kagome, if you don't mind my asking, what is your answer going to be?" Sango smiled, I could tell she was curious and just wanted to see me happy. Miroku stared at me, waiting for the answer to Sango's question.

"Sango, if you don't mind, I'd much rather talk to you about this stuff in private. No office to you Miroku, you're like abrother to me with how long I've been here. I just feel like I need a woman's take on things."

"Not a problem Kagome," Miroku smiled at me and turned towards our shack, "I'll be in here with Inuyasha. We'll plan out our next journey." And with that last comment, he entered the hut.

"So Kagome, where would you like to go for our little chat. I know of a spring that is near, it's not our normal hot spring so Inuyasha and Miroku won't be able to find us. So we won't need to worry about any interruptions."

"Sounds good to me Sango! I could always use a visit to a nice hot spring." We hopped onto Kirara's back and flew to the hot spring. It was beautiful. There was a 15 foot waterfall, and lilac flowers around the spring. The rocks were smooth but not slimy, there were few fish in the spring, so it felt more like a bath in a tub rather than in mother nature's crevices.

"Sango, this place is beautiful! How did you find it?"

"I saw it one day when I was traveling back from my village after repairing my weapon. You were in your time when it happened, so I just never thought of it until now. It's pretty isn't it? It's the best one I've ever seen. And the water feels great." Sango stuck her toes into the water before first undressing. Testing the water to see if it was just right. When I saw her undress, I began to undress too. The water must be just right. I slowly put my feet into the spring, after first setting my clothes next to Sango's on a nearby rock that luckily, was dry. Then slowly I seeped down into the warm mist. The water was perfect, it felt wonderful as it caressed my body. I could tell Sango was satisified with the water as well. She let out a sigh of delight then looked over at me.

"Kagome, what are you thinking about? I can tell something is bothering you. I was able to tell it the moment you came back. I know part of it has to do with Inuyasha calling you selfish, I'd be pissed about that too, but it looks like there is more to it that just that." She looked worriedly at me. Nothing but concern in her eyes.

I sighed, did this conversation have to start so soon? I know it's the reason we came here, so that I could talk to her about it all. However, I still wish I didn't have to, then again, I really do need an outsider's opinion on the matter.

"Kagome," She began, "You're my best friend, and I like to think myself as yours. You can tell me anything you know, and I promise to you that I will not judge or share your secrets with anybody."

"I know, and I really appreciate that about you. I know that I can trust you with anything. That's why I asked to speak privately with you." I sighed a long, hard sigh and I thought about where to begin. Looking into Sango's smile encouraged me. " It's true that seeing Koga and Inuyasha fight made me angry. This was because Inuyasha wouldn't let me make my decision. He just jumped up and took charge. I am my own person and he should respect that. Yah know?"

"Yes, I understand. So does this mean that you would have accepted the offer presented by Koga?"

"No, yes, I mean, I don't know!" I huffed in aggravation. "I mean, I'm sure I wouldn't, but I just don't know."

"So, you have feelings for Koga then?" Sango teased such as best friends do, shooting me a wink as she asked the question.

"Well, I mean, he is nice, and strong too. He's also a lot more caring than Inuyasha.." I trailed off. I needed to think about what I was going to say, about how to explain it to Sango, my thoughts were cut off.

"Kagome, I know you said you came back to apologize sand search for the shards, but I could tell there was something else. What is it?"

Man, Sango is more perspective that I thought. "My mother made me realize something. And she told me to come back here. She told me to go home."

"What?!" Sango jumped up in surprise. "Your own mother kicked you out? How could she do such a thing?"

"No Sango, not like that. It's nothing like that. She said that she could tell that I was happier here, in this time, with my friends…With Inuyasha… She pointed all of this out to me." I blushed a little when I said Inuyasha's name. "She told me that she wanted me to be happy, and if that meant being here with Inuyasha, she was going to allow me to do that."

"Does this mean that you're going to decline Koga?"

"Yes, I just have yet to figure out what to say to him. He's just so nice, and handsome…and I find it strange that the ring fits perfectly." I showed her my hand so that she could see the ring.

"Kagome, that ring is beautiful, truly magnificent. You must really love Inuyasha to give back such a wonderful thing."

"I didn't realize it before I spoke with my mother, but yes. I do believe that I love Inuyasha. I know that he could never feel the same way for me. So for the rest of my life, I just want to be by his side, and seeing as I can't be his mate, I want to at least be a near and dear friend." I put both of my hands over my heart. It hurt me to think that I could never had Inuyasha as mine.

Sango and I then got up and dried off before dawning our clothing. She gave me a tight hug. When released, she looked into my eyes, "Kagome, don't be so sure of Inuyasha's feelings without first speaking with him. From all of the things I've heard from Miroku, Shippo, and yourself, I know that you've changed Inuyasha from the way he was before Kikyou struck him with her arrow. Only love can make somebody softer. Especially when that somebody is a demon."

And with that she left me to think. We both hopped onto Kirara's back and rode of towards our hut. Thoughts running through my head of what would happen when Inuyasha and I finally saw each other again.