Heart

Taken in Hand

"Tell me where you've been and what you did Inuyasha; I was worried when I woke and found you gone."

"Feh! I'm alright Kagome; I just had something to do." Inuyasha said, not wanting to fight and yet he knew that it was coming.

"You don't look alright, you are upset, your aura is subdued and you are expecting me to be angry."

"How do you know all that?"

"I know you mate; you were often like this when you upset me, it doesn't happen much now, but I remember so..?"

"So... what?"

"So, spill the beans mister." She waited and ignored his 'being put on' expression and the lowered ears and after the heavy sigh, Inuyasha came clean and told her of his night sitting in Goshinboku while her younger self cried for him. Kagome's eyes flashed with angry amusement; Inuyasha was acting like a child but she knew he couldn't help himself sometimes.

He had been on tenterhooks for the last three years and as the time came closer to Kagome's return to the past, the more nervous he seemed to get. Unfortunately she was on her own when it came to reasoning with him as their pups too were stricken with the possibility that her young self might change their history.

Sometimes it was only Rin who could save her sanity, but her counsel was to just ignore him, while she laughed and said that Inuyasha wouldn't risk getting involved; he was too worried to do anything and besides, Sesshoumaru was keeping an eye on him.

"I remember that night; I blamed Buyo for upsetting me by making me think it was you." She couldn't stay cross; it was obvious to her that he had also been miserable and she did know him very well after all. So instead of getting angry, as he was expecting her to, she came and put her arms round him; he responded by returning the embrace in a form of desperation.

"I know that it would have killed you, not being able to comfort me last night; you have punished yourself more than I could do. You can hold me now and make up for all those years ago, better late than never. For Inuyasha it was such a relief to hold her, even though he knew she wasn't the little girl who had cried herself to sleep last night, his instinct to comfort his mate was difficult to ignore.

Kagome just held him as he shuddered in her arms with the emotion he had held back rigidly to stop himself making an irreparable mistake and revealing his existence to the young Kagome. Eventually she managed to shush him, and then led him back to the bed he had left stealthily that night and fairly soon his grief had changed to another, happier passion.

When Inuyasha awoke later that day, he found Kagome dressed and ready to go out; to his surprise she insisted he go with her after he had eaten. Sesshoumaru merely smirked at his brother, knowing all that had happened; he hadn't left Inuyasha alone for long last night and had kept vigil over him without his knowledge, ready to stop him if he were foolish.

Keeping a tight hold on her hanyou, Kagome led him back to the shrine much to his consternation. She told him not to worry, her younger self was alone that afternoon and her older self was very good at making a shielding barrier that younger Kagome couldn't yet detect. But they were not in a hurry and she walked Inuyasha through the park where she made sure he noticed the cute heart and arrow cut outs on the trees. Some were initialled, some had full names, but all had been carved with hope.

Of course modern Inuyasha was familiar with these sorts of romantic symbols, indeed he had seen many carved, some even on trees in the Western Palace. He didn't admit to Kagome that he had carved one himself one day in a fit of melancholy, while he was out of favour with her for something or the other; he felt he was on rather thin ground again at the moment.

But Kagome's smile was warm as she turned to him, she loved him so much, she only hoped he would understand that she had always loved him and had never once, not wished she could return. The old insecurities that everyone thought extinct had proved only to be long buried and Inuyasha still needed to be reassured; at least Sesshoumaru assured her that it would only be until the well re-opened and the young Kagome left.

As they reached the shrine, Kagome squeezed his hand and pointed to Goshinboku and Inuyasha jumped them to the lowest branch where they sat together and waited, safely hidden behind a barrier. They waited ten minutes and Kagome came out of the house, her face was sad and even though most of the traces of her unhappiness were gone, there was enough to make Inuyasha whine in his throat.

Seeing herself so young was no longer a shock to Kagome, she had been here many times just to see her mother and brother over the years. Her younger self walked to the tree and reached up to the scar on the trunk where Inuyasha had been sealed; she put her finger to the arrow hole and then her head in her hand as she started to cry again. Older Kagome gripped Inuyasha's arm and shook her head.

"She's alright, she's just thinking."

"She's not thinking, she's crying...do something...stop her."

"She's fine Inuyasha, and I should know; in fact I know what she's thinking."

"What then?"

"She's looking at that scar and remembering how she freed you from the arrow and how much that mark on the tree speaks of a deeper and greater love, far more than any of those carved hearts on the other trees. She's remembering how she saw Kikyou do the same thing she has just done and the sadness on her face. She's thinking how that scar represents a deep and tragic love between three young people and she is mourning for Kikyou."

"Oh Kagome, still; she doesn't know how much I love her yet?"

"Yes she does, she just now understands far more than she did while we were all travelling together." She looked once more on herself and told him to listen to the young Kagome who was stopping her tears.

"Oh Inuyasha, I want to be with you so much; I've finished school or will in two weeks. Do you still remember me or have you moved on; is someone else holding you at night? I miss you, I really miss you. I need you, please hear me Inuyasha." She of course couldn't hear Inuyasha answer with tears in his voice.

"Soon Kagome; very soon. You silly girl, who else would put up with me? No one else would ever come close to what I feel for you, or would cause the despair I am often in, on the other side of the well." Inuyasha realised he'd said more than he meant to do, when he heard the silence from his mate.

"I think when we get home Inuyasha, you are going to tell me all that happened with you while you were waiting for me. I know I've not heard the full story and now you have the advantage of me. If you don't tell me I shall ask Sesshoumaru."

"Huh! As if he'd tell you anything."

"He'll tell me Inuyasha, believe me he will tell me."

Lj Community First Tweak. Love Takes Shape Challenge; Heart.

A/N If there is any confusion please do not hesitate to ask me. Sue