Chapter Seven

The graduation went without a hitch. They all received their Jr. High diplomas, their parents got hundreds of pictures, and after that the school gave all the graduating students a go away party. The students honored their teachers by giving those gifts, and other things to show their gratitude. At seven o'clock there was a party in the gym. All junior high students where welcome, giving them a chance to say good-bye. At midnight the party ended and the students were sent home to start their summer vacation. Yuri, Ami, and Eri gave their final notes to Kagome, saying where'd they'd be if she needed them, before going home. Kagome's mom came and picked her up from school. She went straight to the bathroom, took a shower and got ready for bed. She laid there looking at her ceiling, sighing again, Kagome got back out of bed, pulled out the notes from her friends and started to them.

"I might as well start planning out what I'll be doing for the summer, it's no use now trying to fall asleep, and I'm to up tight." Kagome said out loud. She heard a scratching at her window, looking expectantly at it, hoping that it was Inuyasha; she was disappointed to see it was just the family cat, Fu. Kagome opened the window to let the cat in. Liking the light breeze coming from the window, Kagome pulled her chair to the window side, leaning against the windowsill Kagome put her head onto the side of it. She could just see the stars from that position where the tree didn't reach. Closing her eyes, Kagome listened to the night's sounds; falling asleep after awhile.

The clock reached two, when the well shrines door opened to let a shadowy figure exit. This figure snuck across the distance in a few leaps; so quiet that it didn't even bother the leafs in the tree, as it jumped into its fourth highest branch, or the sleeping figure by the window. The figure watched Kagome for a few moments; then entered into her room. Picking up Kagome, the figure carried her to her bed. Just as he was covering Kagome up, the door opened and Mrs. Higurashi stood in the light from the hallway.

"Kagome are you-, oh it's you Inuyasha. I just thought I would check and see if Kagome was asleep yet." Motioning to him, Mrs. Higurashi left the door open for him to follow. Inuyasha looked one more time at Kagome before following her mother down the stairs and into the kitchen. Mrs. Higurashi turned the lights on, and started the stove so that she could boil some water for tea. Pulling out a chair at the kitchen table, she motioned for him to do the same. He hadn't said anything yet, so she encouraged him by starting. "So it seems you've finally come back. What have you decided?" Inuyasha was a bit surprised that she knew, but remembered that Kagome kept very few things from her mom. Inuyasha knew the best thing was to tell the truth.

"I want her to come back." They looked one another in the eye, as they spoke to each other.

"Are you going to tell how you really feel then?"

"I just know that I can't keep her from coming here, and I don't want to force her to have to make a decision like that. I want to stay by her, and protect her like I promised. I don't want to hurt her anymore. I just don't know how to say that to her. She brings out the worst and the best out of me." Inuyasha heard Mrs. Higurashi chuckle; he smiled in return. "We got the last jewel shard, and we're all ready to make our wishes, but it doesn't seem right without her. But I don't know what we'll all do once our wishes come true. Will the well seal up, or will Kagome keep coming through the well. Will she be able to? I can't tell you that I know because I don't." Inuyasha got a real serious, yet day-dreamish look on his face. "I have deep feelings for your daughter, and that scares me."

"Why don't you just tell her that?"

"Like I said, she brings out the worst in me. I get all cowardly and embarrassed and really confused when I'm around her. But I'm lost when she isn't, does that make any sense?" Mrs. Higurashi nodded her head.

"I know exactly how you feel, and I know Kagome feels the same. It's called love, Inuyasha. It's hard to describe how you feel about the person you're in love with. I know I always got tongue tied around Kagome and Sota's father. It was exciting and yet nerve racking to be around him, but I always felt lonely when he wasn't in the same room with me. When I was with him, he made me free." Mrs. Higurashi got that really dreamy look on her face that most parents get when they think of happy things in their life. Inuyasha knew what she meant.

"I think your right." Then he did what he'd never done before, he asked for her advice about love. "How can I tell her that?"

"You just say what's in your heart. Don't hold back; let it all out into the open. That's the only way that I can think of." Mrs. Higurashi gave a smile that reminded Inuyasha of Kagome. He nodded taking what she'd said to heart. Mrs. Higurashi got up and made them both tea, and after a while said that they should get to sleep. She brought a pallet from the downstairs closet and gave it to Inuyasha. "You can sleep in here." She opened the living room door.

"Thank you, Mrs. Higurashi." He gave her a slight bow, another thing he rarely did. When she giggled, he asked her, "What if she doesn't like what I say and it's to late to fix it?"

"Don't worry Inuyasha; I'm sure whatever you say it'll come out right." She turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "By the way if you want you can call me mom or Hitatome, that's the two names, everyone calls me." Inuyasha was surprised at the offer and it made him happy. Nodding to her in reply. "Goodnight Inuyasha, sleep tight, and don't worry everything will be fine."

"Thank you, Hitatome." Inuyasha said. Then rolling out the pallet, laid down for a couple hours sleep.

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