A/N: Hi all! Wow, I am a horrible person for waiting so long to update! The best excuse I can give for this is just being busy... School is FINALLY over for the summer (woo hoo) and now I have more free time to commit to writing this...

Also I've been seriously spending all of my set aside "writing" time for my manuscript (hoping to have it done by the end of this year). I'm trying to get it published... I figured that maybe I could do this professionally after all of you reviews gave me the confidence in my writing ability also big thanks to the people who sent me PMs and reviews stating that I SHOULD write an original story. Thanks for your confidence in me!

Anywho, read this chapter and review! I'm writing the next one as we speak!!! :-)

Chapter 9 – Riverbank Conversations

Kagome limped through the mud towards the camp, Inuyasha had chosen to jump from tree to tree instead of walk beside her, his once black hair now a bright white again. The sun was shining brightly against the joyous blue background of the sky, but Kagome had never felt more miserable. Not only were her clothes wet and dirty, but she and Inuyasha were fighting, again. A sigh escaped the opening of her dry lips, and she let out a yelp as she slid through the mud, landing on her backside.

She looked up at Inuyasha, who had stopped to make sure she was okay.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

Frustration filled her as she pulled her injured leg out of the mud. He had offered to carry her, but she had stubbornly refused, she couldn't stand the possibility of being close to Inuyasha after the recent turn of events.

"C'mon Kagome, just swallow your pride and let me carry you," Inuyasha sighed, as he jumped from one branch to another, "You're going to get hurt."

She huffed and continued to drag herself through the slippery mud. Suddenly out of nowhere she heard a roar.

Looking up she saw the flying form of Kirara floating midair, Sango and Miroku rode on top of her, searching around the treetops.

"INUYASHA!!!" Miroku bellowed.

"KAGOME!!!" Sango yelled following suit.

"Down here, you guys!" Kagome called, waving to her rescuers.

Inuyasha brooded on the tree branch as Kirara landed beside his angry counterpart.

"Kagome, we were so worried about you!" Sango cried, hugging her, "We saw that it was the new moon last night and we were worried about Inuyasha becoming human again.

"Oh it's okay Sango," Kagome said with a grumble in Inuyasha's direction as she stuck up her nose to him. "Nothing happened," she said, hoping he would catch the double meaning.

He ended up not being the only one who caught on to it's double meaning, but both Miroku and Sango caught on as well, causing a long awkward silence.

"Keh, let's go back," Inuyasha grunted, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Kagome, why don't you and I ride back on Kirara, so you can rest your injured leg?" Sango asked, looking back at Miroku, who cocked his head confused.

"Why can't she just ride on Inuyasha's back?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms stubbornly and Kagome snorted.

Sango turned around, obviously irritated. "She's riding with me, monk…" she said, a livid fire in her eyes.

"Uh… sure… Sango…" Miroku said, frighteningly climbing off of Kirara.

Kagome and Sango flew off together in the direction of camp, leaving Inuyasha and Miroku behind.

"He what?!" Sango asked, as Kagome and her soaked in the hot springs. Kagome's long raven hair was pulled up in a loose bun so to keep it out of the water.

"I don't understand him, Sango," she said, blowing bubbles with the water, which was swishing back and forth across her pink lips, "I would have given anything to make love to him in the rain like that, while we're both human."

Sango took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

"It should show you how strong of a man he is to be able to resist you, even at his weakest moment."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked, her eyes questioning.

"It's obvious that Inuyasha is completely devoted to you," she started, her voice lowering to a whisper for fear that someone would hear them, "and when he becomes a human, those emotions and feelings are amplified tenfold."

"What's wrong with me then? Why didn't he make love to me last night?"

Sango smiled at her, knowingly. "Inuyasha didn't think it would be appropriate for your first time to be in a mud hole."

"I don't understand, what's so important about my first time?" Kagome asked, pouting.

"Trust me, you'll be glad that he waited."

"You what?!" Miroku stammered, his mouth agape.

"I told her no." Inuyasha muttered, annoyed at the fact that Miroku was so surprised. Shippo was sleeping with Kirara close by.

"Let me see if I get this straight…" Miroku stammered, still unable to believe the story he had just been told, "the girl of your dreams asked you to make love to her in the rain and you said no?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and threw a stick in the fire. Miroku was making lunch for the girls while they cleaned up in the hot springs.

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

Miroku couldn't seem to fully fathom the man-crime that Inuyasha had committed.

"Why?!"

Inuyasha huffed, obviously annoyed. "Keh, I dunno, her eyes just got really big and I just felt guilty…"

"Guilty? For giving the poor girl what she wanted? It's no wonder she's moody…" Miroku said, his head shaking.

"Listen Miroku, not every man looks automatically for the quickest way to bed a woman," Inuyasha snapped, "Kagome's different, it… it just didn't feel right last night."

Miroku chuckled and shook his head. "You're stronger than you let on."

Inuyasha growled, baring his teeth. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Miroku held up his hands in surrender but the noise of the chattering women approaching them interrupted Miroku's response.

"Welcome back Sango, Kagome." Miroku stammered, a little surprised by there sudden entrance. Kagome had put her hair up into a bun, letting tiny tresses of ebony hair dangle around her face and neck. She was wearing a heavy white robe.

"Thanks for making lunch you two!" she said, a sweet smile on her lips.

They were forced to move the camp back a few feet due to the swollen river and it's murky, churning waters. After the storm last night, many trees and branches had fallen, littering their paradise.

Now the fallen branches were piled in a neat pile around the campfire. Kagome sat beside Inuyasha, her heart a little lighter. Miroku handed her a bowl of flavored rice and eggs for her to eat.

"Thanks, Miroku."

Silence fell amongst them as they ate, not even Shippo or Kirara made any noise as they slowly devoured their lunch.
Kagome felt Inuyasha's stare on her as she slowly placed her chopsticks against the empty bowl. She stood up and stretched.

"I think I may take a nap," she stammered, heading towards her mat underneath the tree.

When she walked away Inuyasha centered onto Sango.

"So is she still angry at me?" he asked.

"I'm not exactly sure," Sango said, scratching the back of her head.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, looking back at Kagome, who was leaning her hand against the far away tree, the wind blowing her heavy dark tresses.

"I think she understands," Sango explained. "She just doesn't like it."

Inuyasha blushed. He turned away stubbornly.

"I wish she would just talk to me."

Shippo rolled his eyes. "You really made her angry this time, what did you do?"

Inuyasha growled. "You need keep your nose out of adult affairs."

"Hey, I'm not a kid anymore!" he exclaimed, before pouting.

"Yeah okay, well maybe you need to clean you mouth Mr. Adult," Inuyasha teased, gesturing at the rice that was smeared all over Shippo's mouth.

Shippo's eyes narrowed and he stomped off to the river to carefully wipe his mouth.

"Shippo no!" Kagome suddenly yelled, but before Shippo could turn around, the heavy current sucked him into river.

Without thinking Kagome ran towards the riverbank, the swollen water dragging Shippo under.

Inuyasha caught her before she could get there, holding her by the waist.

"Let me go! He'll drown!" Kagome bellowed.

"Don't be a hero! You could drown too!" he yelled, clamping his hands over her chest, holding her tightly.

"LET ME GO!!!" she begged. Shippo's head resurfaced for only a second before it went under again.

"Shippo hang on!" Kagome yelled, and she shoved on Inuyasha and clawed at him, but he wasn't budging. Then finally she did the last thing she could think of, she leaned down her head and bit him on the arm.

"Ow! Hey!" he yelled, but in the rush his grip had loosened, and she had broken free.

Within seconds she hit the swollen water without a thought of removing her shoes. The water rolled swiftly around her, dragging her under and then up again. She swam with all of her might towards the tiny piece of fur floating above the water.

"I'm…." she was dragged under by the current. "Coming…" she was dragged under again. "Shippo!"

She could feel her lungs filling with water as she fought the current. Her legs and arms were burning and her head was pounding but she finally reached Shippo, grabbing him by the tail.

"Shippo!" she yelled, fighting to stay afloat. "Are you alright?!"

"Yes!" he yelled back, coughing up water. They looked ahead of them, there was a break in the water and a waterfall.

"Is that…?" Kagome asked.

"SWIM KAGOME!!!" Inuyasha suddenly bellowed from the river bank.

"I'm… trying!!!" she yelled, but her body was wore out. She could barely keep afloat, let alone swim.

With one last burst of her strength she threw Shippo to the shore. Her strength was spent, and the water swallowed her up.

"KAGOME!!!"

Kagome's eyes opened, and she realized she was under water. Her eyes burned in the murky water. She heard what sounded like muffled screams and wondered if it was her. Her air was slowly escaping her lungs. It made her lungs burn and her eyes close tight.

Is this the way she was going to die?

Then suddenly she felt herself go off the waterfall. She jumped as hard as she could and got out into the open air, taking a deep breath, she prepared to hit the water, but she never did.

She opened her eyes and saw that she was Inuyasha's arms.

"You idiot!" Inuyasha yelled, holding her tightly against him as he jumped from tree to tree. "You almost died!"

"I thought I could make it."

"Well you thought wrong! Does your life have to be in jeopardy every day? Will I ever get a vacation from saving your life?"

"I didn't ask for you to save me!"

"You know that's not the point Kagome," he said, his temper growing.

"Put me down," she snapped.

"No, and we're not going back to the camp until we talk," he said, climbing to the top of the highest tree in the entire forest, knowing that Kagome wouldn't be able to climb down from the high heights.

He set her down on the branch and sat beside her. Her clothes were soaked and her hair was weighing heavily on her neck and shoulders.

"I'm listening," he said.

"You took me all the way up here against my will, and you expect me to talk?" she asked, incredulously. "What do you want me to say, Inuyasha? You're a good person? You have my best interests? I love you? What do you want me to say?!"

Inuyasha turned away and growled, becoming impatient. "Well, if you're going to be like that, then just forget it."

Silence ensued for a few minutes between them, neither one wanting to start a conversation.

Finally Kagome turned to him. "Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Why am I not enough for you?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, the shock evident on his face.

"Why am I never strong enough, courageous enough, smart enough, or pretty enough for you? Why?"

Inuyasha's mouth gaped. "What makes you think that your not good enough?"

"You do!"

"Listen Kagome, I denied you last night for a reason. It wasn't because I didn't want to, and trust me, I did," he said. "You don't understand."

"Don't understand what?" she asked. "If I don't understand then explain it in a way so I can!"

"You don't understand how sex works Kagome," he said. "Do you even know what to do?"

The subject caught Kagome off guard. Her cheeks reddened and her heart began pounding in her chest.

"Of course I do—"

"No… you don't." he said, his eyes centering on her.

"In school we—"

"School? That's not even close to the real thing."

"I know what happens Inuyasha, it's simple—"

"Okay then Kagome, tell me, what happens first?" he asked, his head hovering over hers.

"I…I can't think when you're so close to me."

"You don't know."

"Why does it matter? You know! I figured I'd just follow your lead." She said, frowning.

"It doesn't work that way, Kagome."

"Is that the problem?" she asked suddenly, her eyes looking sad. "Am I not experienced enough?"

Inuyasha growled angrily at her. "You know it's not that."

"Then teach me! Show me!" she demanded.

"One day."

Kagome crossed her arm angrily. "I can't believe this."

"You know, it'll hurt right?" he asked, and she fell silent.

"What?"

"Guess your schooling didn't teach you that," he snapped, turning to her. "It'll hurt the first time."

"Hurt you?"

Inuyasha almost chuckled. "No Kagome, it'll hurt you, not me."

"Me? Why?"

Inuyasha slapped a hand over his face in exasperation. "You know nothing."

Kagome turned away then, shuffling across the tree branch.

"Listen to me Kagome, I'm waiting until we're married because I want to make sure you're ready. It's the way it's supposed to be."

"Maybe in this era, but in my era—"

"Well, you're in my era, remember?" he said. "So we're following my era's traditions."

"When are we getting married?" she asked.

"I'm ready whenever you are," he told her.

"Just like that? Like if we got married today we could have sex tonight?"

"Geez woman," he growled. "I feel like I'm protecting my virtue instead of yours."
"Is that a yes?"

"It's a 'I don't want you to marry me just so you can get these feelings out of your system.'"

Kagome nodded finally.

"Well then you choose the date," she told him.

"It doesn't matter to me."

"I don't care either."

Inuyasha sighed. "Fine, how about a month from now?" he asked.

"A month? Isn't that kind of long?"

"I though you didn't care?"

"How about a week?"

Inuyasha sighed. He was growing tired on finding excuses to stay away from Kagome. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him, probably more. Which is why it was so hard to tell her no all the time. "Fine," he said. "One week."

A/N: There you go! Please review and let me know what you think about this chapter!!