Inuyasha gave no answer. "Inuyasha?" Kagome called him quietly. He simply grunted in response. "Inuyasha…why did you follow us? You knew I was safe, you knew I was with Sango and Kirara! You said it yourself! You said Kirara was strong…that she would never purposefully let anything happen to us! You just said it last night- I know you didn't forget!" Kagome spoke firmly, beginning to raise her voice. "No, I didn't forget, but I just…" Inuyasha broke off, looking pleadingly to the ground, as if it would give him the answers to all of his problems. "But you just what?! You just wanted to know what I was telling her about didn't you? Well it just so happens that if you would've been patient for once, then I was going to talk to you about it when I got back to the village. And I know that we were here for less than half an hour. So…I've pretty much said everything I needed to say to you to Sango. So do you wanna talk about this or not?" she asked, her voice becoming much softer than before.
"I wanna talk to you about it…but will you listen? You kinda got a tendency to space out while people are talkin' to you." Inuyasha joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit. Kagome sent him a playful glare and shoved his arm. "I'll listen…I promise." She said softly, intertwining her fingers with his. "You start." She told him. "Okay…how 'bout I start with you thinking I'm not happy with you. How the hell could you even think that?" he asked incredulously. "Because…you just seem so distant and angry lately. I thought it would've been because of me. Even Sango and Miroku think we've been in a lot more arguments lately." She confessed. "Miroku?! When the hell were you talking to him about this?" Inuyasha asked very surprised. "Earlier this morning when we got back. He was very supportive and told me I hadn't been paying attention to the amount of affection you've showed me since…since we've traveled together…even those rough fist weeks together. Wow…can you believe that we both hated each other at one point, and then that in just six years of traveling together, we'd end up together. It's funny how opposites attract."
"What'dya mean 'opposites' attract?" Inuyasha fished for compliments, knowing exactly what she meant. "Well, for one…you're kind of angry at the world, and always ready for a battle, while I'm more cheery and more of a peacemaker." She insulted him purposely. "Oh is that what you think about me? Well I could tell you worse things about you." He said playfully. "Try me." Kagome said with a sly smirk on her face. "Well that's why I said that I could…not would tell you worse things." Inuyasha joked. Kagome giggled lightly. "What's so funny?" Inuyasha asked seriously. "Us." Kagome said simply. "Care to elaborate?" Inuyasha asked stupidly. Kagome giggled once more. "Well I mean we're sitting here telling each other to insult one another. We started out hating each other, then we were best friends and bitter enemies at the same time, and now we end up as lovers. I guess I got my happily ever after…what about you?" Kagome asked and confessed openly. "Yeah…I got my happily ever after with you." His voice began to soften. "What do you mean by 'with you'?" Kagome asked confused.
"I mean…I always thought I would find my so called 'happily ever after' with Kikyo. But it turns out she was no good for me." Inuyasha stated flatly. "Gee, I wonder what gave you that idea." Kagome said sarcastically while making a face and tapping her chin. Inuyasha laughed happily and then wrapped his arms around Kagome's waist. Kagome gasped quietly, but Inuyasha still heard. "What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked seriously, beginning to let her go. She grabbed his wrists firmly and began to put them back around her waist, landing them on her nicely sculpted stomach. "It's nothing really…It's just that…I haven't heard you laugh in so long-unless you were laughing at me of course." She confessed. "Oh…" Inuyasha said, feeling a little defeated for not having anything to say to defend himself. 'Who am I kidding? She's right…I hardly ever laugh unless I'm laughing at her.' Inuyasha told himself. Kagome saw the look on his face and assumed he had nothing to say against it, so she decided to change the subject.
"Inuyasha?" she began. "Hnn?" he answered. "What do you think your life would be like if we never met?" she asked randomly. "Well it'd be a little boring since I'd still be pinned to a tree because of that sacred arrow that Kikyo shot me with." Inuyasha answered with another short burst of laughter. "True that…I know it was a stupid question, but I meant what do you think your life would be like if you were free from that tree and never met me." She explained. "Well in that case…if I'd never met you, I think I'd be dead by now." He answered truthfully. "Why do you say that?" she asked interestedly. "I mean there were so many times where you've saved my life, weather you know you did or not. Like all those times you cried for me when I was severely or fatally wounded in battle…I held on to life just a little longer…just for you. I would've let myself die a lot of those times if it weren't for you. So believe it or not, you're the reason I'm alive-because I never truly wanted to leave you, and I never truly wanted you to leave me, no matter what I had said to you, I always wanted you there by my side…and I always will…because I love you." He answered. "Inuyasha…that's so sweet. I love you too." Kagome told him before he captured her in a deep and passionate kiss. Kagome was completely taken by surprise, but when she realized what had happened, she was 100% okay with it.
The kiss lasted for as long as it could before one of them needed to breathe. That one was Kagome. She panted heavily and she looked a little red, possibly from lack of air. When she had her breathing back under control, she was once again taken by surprise by another deep kiss, but deeper than the last. She was completely aware of what might happen between them, and she didn't care. She loved him, and he loved her. They've been close friends for little over six years, and if she wasn't ready for him, then she didn't know who was. As the kiss grew more and more passionate, Kagome found herself lying on her back with Inuyasha hunched over her entire body, planting soft kisses along her jaw, neck, and upper chest. She moaned with pleasure and Inuyasha growled softly in her ear. This pleased her even more, causing her to gasp for air. He then pushed her hair back behind her ear and let his fangs graze over her ear lobes while he nibbled them softly. Although the extra attention felt great, Kagome couldn't help but think that Inuyasha was doing all the work. Thinking this, Kagome decided to make herself useful and began to remove his obi.
As Kagome began to remove his obi, Inuyasha stopped fully in what he was doing to please her and became very tense. His eyes became wide, as he got the feeling they were being watched. He was so caught up in pleasing Kagome that he hadn't even noticed the extra scent until now. Luckily, the scent was a little ways away, but getting closer nonetheless. Kagome, completely oblivious to what was going on in Inuyasha's mind, thought she had done something wrong. She became a little angry at first until she sensed the change of Inuyasha's aura. She read his aura as very angry and annoyed. 'But why would he be angry? He has no reason to be-SHIT! That's not his aura at all! Someone's here. Ohh…but why now of all times? I guess we could continue later, but this ruins the whole mood. Oh well.' Kagome thought angrily. "Inuyasha…I think we should stop now, before it gets any closer." Kagome told him quietly. "So you sense it too?" Inuyasha asked her, now thinking that it was someone, or something, very powerful if Kagome could sense it. "Not the creature itself, but I can sense its aura." She answered. At the end of her sentence, Inuyasha began to roll himself off of her beautiful, fragile body. He groaned heavily as he sat up. Kagome lay on the ground a moment longer and got up fully, brushing herself off of grass, dirt, and leaves. Although she recently felt great and like she was on top of the world, she felt dirty now.
"Kagome…you have your sacred arrows with you, right?" Inuyasha asked huskily. Kagome nodded and gave him a very breathy "Yes." Inuyasha simply nodded, adding to her confusion by not explaining himself. "Why do you ask, Inuyasha?" she asked for an explanation. "I want you to run back to the hut and keep yourself armed. Don't let ANYTHING catch you off guard, got it? When I get back to the village, I wanna see you again, okay?" Inuyasha told her softly yet firmly. "But…but I…I can't just leave you alone. I mean, doesn't this go against everything you told me before we…you know." She said, still feeling a little upset that they had to stop because of their unwelcome visitor. "I know exactly what I told you. But even knowing that, now that I know I'm your one and only and you're mine, I will always fight to protect you and to see you again…even if it is one last time…" he told her. "Inuyasha…I don't want this to be the last time…if it's what you really want, for me to leave, then I'll do it. But I just want you to be really careful. I don't wanna lose you…I'd be lost without you." Kagome told him quietly.
"I guess I'm not the only one who doesn't care about what I just told you. I told you that I never truly wanted you to leave me, no matter what I had said to you. I always have, and always will mean that. I don't want you to leave me; I want you to leave the situation. I don't want you hurt, now go before that thing gets here." Inuyasha spoke truthfully, not looking at her, but in the direction of the strange and unwelcome scent. Kagome simply nodded, kissed his cheek softly, and was quickly on her way back to the village. But she wouldn't stay there of course; she would simply tell the others what was going on and tell them to go help him. As if on cue, an enormous wild bore came literally crashing through trees and bushes, landing square in front of Inuyasha.
***
"Inuyasha…please hang on until I get back with the others. Please, fight it…I want to see you alive again…Please-" Kagome spoke to herself, knowing he couldn't hear her, but wishing he could. She was cut off by a very familiar face that she was more than glad to see: Koga. She stopped in her tracks and greeted her friend happily. "Oh, Koga…You don't know how happy I am to see you!" she shouted happily, hugging the wolf demon. "Well I'm always happy to see you too." He joked, taking the hug as what seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to hug her back. "Okay, I know it's a little sudden, and you've probably been running all day, but can you please take me back to the village? I need this really bad, please?" Kagome asked. "Sure, anything for you, beautiful." Koga complied before scooping her up into his arms and running towards the village. "Hey Kagome, can I ask you something?" Koga asked as he furrowed his brow. "Sure, anything…I think I owe you that much for doing this for me." She answered. "It's nothing really, I was just wondering who you were talking about before I showed up." He told her curiously. "Oh, that." She started. 'Man I need to seriously stop talking to myself.' She thought before answering him. "I was talking about Inuyasha." She answered truthfully, letting a small, hardly noticeable blush creep onto her face.
"Oh, dog-breath? What's wrong with him?" Koga asked. "I wish I knew. But that's why I'm headed back to the village: to get the others and tell them to go back to him and help him out. He told me to go back to the village and not to let anything catch me off guard because he wanted to see me alive and happy again; not all bloody and mangled somewhere on the ground. I guess I've already broken a rule by letting you catch me off guard, and another by being unarmed. But I guess I'm not really 'unarmed'. I mean how much more do I need to protect me when I have the ruler of the wolf demon tribe carrying me back to my village?" she rambled on as Koga listened whole-heartedly and intently. "So you were just worried about his well being over your own, huh? See, that's what I like about you, Kagome. You're loyal, giving, friendly, forgiving, protective when you need to be, kind-hearted, beautiful, smart, strong, and so much more…I think I could go on for days listing all the things I like about you." Koga complimented. "I'm flattered. Really, Koga, you're a sweet guy, you're funny, handsome, romantic, sweet, reassuring, strong, competitive in a good way, loyal, and obedient…no pun intended, but I…I've got Inuyasha. He's like that, too…if you add stubborn, of course." She giggled. "Koga, if I would've met you first, you'd probably be in Inuyasha's place." She became serious. "Actually, not to scare you or anything, but if you would've met me first, you'd be dead. Remember? You're the only reason I won't let my pack eat humans anymore." He responded truthfully. "Okay we're almost there." She told him. 'Oh, Kami, please let everyone be here…' Kagome thought to herself.
***
"Dammit! Die you bastard!" Inuyasha yelled. The boar seemed to be completely untouched, while Inuyasha was already bleeding, panting heavily, and now shirtless with a large gash across his chest from the boar's tusks. "I swear to god, I WILL kill you and see Kagome again! I…LOVE…HER!" Inuyasha yelled before hitting the hog with what felt like his most powerful use of the wind scar ever. When the dust had cleared the air, Inuyasha was very shocked to see the boar still standing. "What the hell are you?! Why won't you die?! I've hit you with the wind scar like ten times already! Go down!" Inuyasha shouted. 'Dammit! If I run it'll probably just follow me.' Inuyasha thought. "Keh! And you call yourself the son of the lord of the western lands!" the boar mocked him. "Shut up! You don't know a damn thing about me or my father!" 'That's it! I need Kagome! I shouldn't have sent her away. I'm gonna try and make a run for it…I think this thing has a few jewel shards. I hope she comes back…' Inuyasha thought hopefully.