Title: He'll Never Tell

Summary: A little innocent contest is harmless right? Oh,how wrong they were. Confession leads to passion... Soon InuYasha and Kagome find their love being put to the test by enemies who don't approve of this new bond between a human and a half-demon.

Disclaimer: After finally getting real batteries for my flashlight and making it back into the tunnel I've found a second doorway (pulls out large explosives kit) I hope this works. (raises finger to switch that will set off fireworks) I don't own InuYasha... I sure hope he's in here and this is all worth it. Alright guys, this is mostly a fluff chapter but there is something important in it so pay close attention. It's like a diamond in the fluff... Get it? Hahahahah! (reader shakes head) You know... (again, reader shakes their head) Come on, don't tell me you've never seen Aladdin?!

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It was impossible for him not to give in. When she looked at him like that it was just...

Chapter 4:

A Stranger in the Trees

The sunlight was bleeding through the trees as the large group of travelers walked and rode their horses. The horsemen pranced through the woods and down the path on their horses while InuYasha and the others walked due to a lack of extra. It was hard knowing they would have to walk such a far distance, but for Kagome and her hanyou, not so much. They didn't mind walking quietly next to each other, even without words. The others chattered but the two simply remained silent, not angry or shy, just peaceful. And it got even better when InuYasha reached over for her hand and laced his slender fingers with hers.

"Kaede, you old crow, what the heck do you think you're doing coming along with us?" InuYasha spat rudely, "You tryin' to get yourself killed?"

"InuYasha, she's just trying to help," Kagome soothed gently, "Be nice."

He smirked at her from the corner of his eye, and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"As Kagome said," Kaede smiled at the two who seemed to be fully enamored with each other, "I'm only coming along to be of assistance."

InuYasha scoffed, "Keh!"

"I still can't believe it!" Miroku whispered to Sango, in which being sure he was well out of earshot, even for InuYasha.

"Believe what?" She asked, nearly pouting with envy of Kagome. Why didn't the houshi ever hold her hand?

"That they-..." Miroku broke off suddenly remembering the young fox on his shoulder. He was so light, he was hardly noticeable.

It was true. Those who knew of what happened between the hanyou and miko found it hard to believe that those two, those two, had committed fornication. It was easier for InuYasha to believe, him being older, than for Kagome. There was always the occasion when she caught him staring blankly into the distance with glossy eyes. She knew where his mind was... In the gutter... Though, was it? They had "mated" (as the demon-slayer referred to it) so was it really wrong anymore? Could she 'sit' him for it anymore? Was it alright for him to drift-off and recall that night? It did seem odd. InuYasha was always one to hide his feelings. Kagome guessed she could refer to that as the 'shy stage' of their relationship. Now that they had surpassed all restraints, InuYasha was much more open with her. This included drifting off into memories. Speaking of which...

"InuYasha!"

He snapped back, "Wh-What?"

"You're doing it again!" she growled.

"Can't help it," he grinned at his all-knowing-mind-reading Kagome.

Mind reader... That was what she had called herself just before they-...

"InuYasha!"

"Sorry, sorry, I'll stop."

Walking only a few feet behind them, Koga wasn't so happy. Why did he get to hold her hand? ...They had mated. Why did he get to laugh and talk with that beautiful creature? ...They had mated. No, it just wasn't fair! What had that half-dog done to deserve such a wonderful person as Kagome? Koga was a prince! He should have been the one holding her hand. He should have been the one talking and laughing with her but... they had mated. There was nothing he could do now. By the laws set down by their demon ancestors, Koga couldn't touch his precious Kagome. 'His'... Ha! She wasn't his anymore. She and that dog... They had mated.

"What can't you believe Miroku?" the young fox asked curiously, "Is this about that whole 'made-love-thing'?"

"Shippo shush!" Sango whispered and yelled at the same time.

"Why? What is it?"

"Oh, no," the monk groaned

"You're the one who had to mention it," Sango shrugged.

Later that night was quiet. The only sounds were the horsemen's snores and a few others turning over. Everyone was asleep... all except two. InuYasha who was up in his tree, already missing the feel of Kagome in his arms, and Kagome who was curled up in a sleeping bag with Shippo beside her. The little fox was no replacement for the warmth InuYasha had. She missed his strong but gentle arms around her waist. She craved his soft breathing against her ear and his lips against her neck.

She looked around through the darkness. If only she could just see his sleeping face. But what she didn't know was he was keeping a close watch on her, making sure of her safety. He was sure she was asleep. If she was sleeping and they were all asleep, he would just sleep lightly. It would be easy for him to wake if there were any enemies around.

He closed his eyes and waited, thinking he would fall asleep instantly. But sleep never came. He repositioned himself in the tree, but it was no help either. He just couldn't rest without Kagome beside him. It was torture. Not only for him, but for a certain miko as well.

She couldn't help it. She just couldn't take it anymore. So quietly, she crawled out of the sleeping bag, careful not to wake Shippo, and looked around for her hanyou.

She cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered, "InuYasha?"

His eyes shot open. He could recognize that voice anywhere. Kagome was calling him.

Kagome was shocked when a figure jumped down in front of her out of a tree. A small squeal escaped her when the tall figure appeared in front of her sleeping bag.

"Shh... Kagome it's me," InuYasha whispered soothingly.

Kagome sighed a placed a hand on her pounding heart, "Oh, you scared me."

He took her hand and led her away from the other sleepers, "You couldn't sleep either?"

"Not without you..." She whispered shyly.

He stopped walking, smiled and leaned forward. Placing a finger under her chin, he pulled her up to him and met he lips gently. Kagome melted completely into his sudden kiss, slipping her arms around his neck. He sought entrance with his tongue, but was denied.

"Not here, InuYasha," Kagome whispered

He growled in annoyance. She giggled.

"We'll just have to go somewhere else then. Won't we?" he whispered.

"What are you-" but before she could finish, he had her scooped up in his arms, and jumped back into his tree.

He held her steady between his knees, leaning against the trunk. Her soft hand fell onto his chest as their lips met again and again. His tongue finally received its wanted entrance. She didn't mind. Everyone was asleep and no one could see them in that tree. She let out a soft moan.

InuYasha pulled back, "You're teasing me!"

"I'm not," she whispered firmly, "I just can't help it." She paused for a while, "...You're just a good kisser."

His head snapped around, "How would you know? You've never kissed anyone else before."

"And how would you know? You've only known me about a year."

"Have you?" His voice suddenly filled with worry, "Kissed anyone else I mean."

She didn't answer.

"Kagome?"

"I'm just messing with you," she giggled. "No InuYasha, you're the only one I've ever kissed."

This made him smile. He was the only one.

Her head dropped onto his chest as she held tightly to his waist. Meanwhile he gently stroked her hair.

"I love you," she whispered through the darkness.

He kissed the top of her head, "Me too, Koi, but you'll fall out of the tree sleeping like that."

"No, you have to say it," she whispered.

"Turn over first," he ordered, knowing what she meant by 'say it'.

"Say it," she grinned playfully trying poke his stomach.

"Not until you turn over," he smiled catching her hand.

"Fine," she whispered pretending to pout, and instead pressed her back against his chest.

He smiled, "Good," he said simply.

The hanyou sank down and began nipping at her neck.

"Oh, I'm glad I did what you said," she whispered with a soft smile.

"Do the right thing you get rewarded," he winked.

After a short while she reached a hand back and scratched his doglike ear. "InuYasha?"

He grunted in response.

"You still haven't said it."

"Cold?" he asked quietly, and received a nod. "Hold on tight, okay?"

He didn't say it. Sometimes she wondered if he would ever tell her he loved her again.

Again, she nodded and gripped the branch under her as he pulled off his red horai and draped it over the both of them like a blanket.

Now they could sleep... But something stirred InuYasha's senses. He knew something wasn't right. He could smell it... a demon. Kagome sat up quickly, asking him if he had also sensed the demon. He nodded.

"Stay here, I'm going to see what it is."

"I'll come with you," she whispered at the hanyou who was now on the ground.

"Stay there," he ordered.

"At least take your horai back," she pleaded.

And he ran to the edge of the clearing.

Kagome gripped his shirt nervously in her hand. She watched intently for any sign of movement and reached out with her senses for any sign of demon or shard. Something flashed again on her nerves. It was getting closer.

InuYasha placed a hand on tetsusaiga. He could smell the demon, but something wasn't right about it. There was a human close by. Could the demon have kidnapped the human? Was it possible there was another half-demon hidden in the trees, or did he just smell the other humans around him?

A stick snapped.

The hanyou jerked his head around pulling tetsusaiga from it's sheathe in one smooth motion.

Nothing was there... At least, nothing he could see. But he smelled it... There was a flash of green. It shot passed his head. He was quick enough to dodge it, but only just. It was some kind of a beam, a beam if light.

InuYasha paused with tetsusaiga pointed at the trees. No wind rustled the leaves... It was too quiet...

"InuYasha behind you!" Kagome yelled waking a few horsemen in doing so.

Again, he turned around, with the beam of light coming straight at him. The tetsusaiga was his only protection, absorbing the light, and knocking him backwards.

"InuYasha!" the miko called in worry, but he had already returned to his feet.

"WIND SCAR!" The hanyou yelled shooting his own ray of light into the trees.

A few birds flew off the wind rustled the leaves once again. Whatever it had been, it was gone. InuYasha told them all it retreated, called whatever it was a coward, then told them all to go back to sleep. He did, in fact, tell all of them since they were now all awake.

Even the wolf-prince growled in suspicion at the trees. His growl grew even louder when he saw the miko in the tree clutching the hanyou's shirt. Had they been together this whole time? If he wanted to win Kagome back over, he would have to be sharper than this.

InuYasha returned to Kagome in the tree. He leaned back against the trunk and beckoned her back into his arms. She was truly grateful he was alright and that he had returned to her unscathed. She sighed with her back pressed against his chest once again. He closed his eyes and smiled, stroking her hair for the second time, not only caressing, but also using it as a calming effect. He could feel her heart pounding. She must have really been scared.

"You're not going to sleep are you?" Kagome whispered in more of a statement than a question.

He shook his head, "I gotta' watch out for you, Koi. Just in case that thing comes back."

"But you'll be tired tomorrow," she said worriedly receiving a "shh!" from someone below.

"I'll be fine." He kissed her forehead, "Now, go to sleep."

"Well, why not let me stay up and you can just carry me tomorrow. I can sleep then."

"No, no, just go to sleep and don't worry about me." he whispered firmly.

She sighed in frustration, "I won't. You go to sleep, because there's no point in us both staying awake."

He gave a soft laugh, pecking the top of her head one last time, "You're so stubborn."

"Get used to it," she whispered. "Now shut-up and sleep."

He smirked, and did as she said.

As the sun rose, the hanyou's eyes fluttered open. How was he supposed to sleep through all this noise? The noise of a few horsemen packing up camp. To a human, the men were being extremely quiet, but to an inu-hanyou, it was another story. Then he remembered.

"Kagome? Have you been awake this whole time?"

The glossy-eyed miko nodded. She looked terrible. Her eyes had dark circles. Her hair was messy. She looked as if she had truly been awake all night, but in battle the whole time.

"That thing never showed up again did it?" he asked observing her appearance. If those men woke him so easily, he wouldn't have missed a demon.

"No," she answered simply

"InuYasha!" a familiar voice of a monk called.

"What?!"

"Is Kagome up there with you? Shippo said she was asleep down here last night."

The hanyou groaned in annoyance, "Hold on."

He turned to Kagome whose eyes were now closed. She looked so peaceful. He kissed her forehead. "You just sleep, Koi," he whispered pulling his kimono over her shoulder. Giving one last glace to his beloved miko, InuYasha left the tree landing in front of Miroku.

"Oh," he said in surprise, "There you are. So I'm guessing Kagome is up there."

"No," InuYasha muttered sarcastically, "I was talking to myself up there."

"You were talking?"

The hanyou rolled his eyes.

"So," Miroku began lowering his voice, "Get any more action last night?"

InuYasha turned bright crimson smacking the monk over the head, "Shut your mouth."

"That's a 'no'," he muttered massaging the newly forming bruise on his skull.

"Is everyone ready?" the lead horsemen asked, "We will be leaving soon."

"Yeah," InuYasha sighed, "Hold on let me go get Kagome."

Sango stepped up behind Miroku, "What's he mean by that? Did you find her?'

"Yes, apparently she's been with InuYasha this whole time."

The demon-slayed raised her eyebrows, "Really?" she said trying to hide her smirk, and sound fascinated. She hadn't exactly been asleep when InuYasha and Kagome met up. She had seen everything, even how InuYasha really acts, and not the usual tough-guy act he puts up for the rest of them. He acted as if he were in love. This was exactly how it should be.

When Kagome awoke, she was moving. She didn't know why or how, she just knew she was moving. Fast. Her eyes eased open and she realized she was riding InuYasha's back through the woods at the speed of the fastest horses.

"InuYasha?" she mumbled through sleep.

He glanced over his shoulder, "You awake?"

"How much farther till we reach the village?"

"Not too much longer. Go back to sleep."