Here's chapter 21! God I can't believe I have 21 chapters! Woot! And All the REVIEWS!!!! Thank you all SO very much! The reviews are my motavation to keep it going! And don't be afraid to throw in some corrective critism, I welcome ALL your opinions!

I DONT OWN INUYASHA

Chapter 21:

God I Believe Her Now

Kagome sighed as she sat in the toasty hut. Kaede had a nice fire going and Kagome was wrapped up in Inuyasha haroi and a blanket. She stared at the fire. The group, excluding herself, Amaya, and Kaede were outside. Amaya was resting on Kagome's lap, purring in her sleep while Kagome petted her. It was getting late. The sun was beginning to set. She hadn't seen the group since Kagome told Sango to leave with Miroku. No one, not even Shippo had come in to see her. Inuyasha hadn't been there either when she woke up. But she knew they were out there. She could hear them talking, and the occasional slap that was given to Miroku.

She continued to stare at the fire like it would give her the answers to her million questions. Why was it that, having her memory back raised more questions than when she lost it? She thought about Inuyasha, and what he said when she was going to pin him to the tree. 'Did he mean it? Or was he just saying it to get me to stop?' She brought her fingertips to her lips. He had kissed her. 'Like that means anything. He'll say the same thing he did when I kissed him when he was transforming. I didn't mean anything! I was just trying to stop you.'

"Blah blah blah...fucking asshole...." She sighed. She looked up and blushed when she realized Kaede was sitting there. "Sorry." She stated. Kaede smiled. "I hope ye are not talking about I?" Kaede joked. Kagome blushed harder. "N-No! Of course not Kaede! Never!" Kaede waved her hand. "Only a joke. How are ye feeling?" Kagome winced when she thought about the pain. "I'm fine. Just a dull pain." She lied. Truth was it was a burning pain. It felt like she was being stabbed over and over again.

"Kaede," Kagome started hesitantly. "Hai?" "Ummm...well...w-why are they out there?" Kaede raised up her head and saw the group outside. Inuyasha was laughing at Miroku while he hid behind him to hide from a raging Sango. Kaede shrugged. "Probably trying to give ye some peace so ye can rest." Kagome looked at her. "What do you really think." Kaede sighed. "They're giving ye space Kagome. They are ye's friends. They do care deeply for ye. But, if what they said is true, They're probably a little hurt." Kagome looked back at the fire.

"What I did...I didn't want to do. I mean...I kind of thought those things. But it was like...a passing thought when I was dying! I never EVER wanted to act on them. I wouldn't care if Inuyasha went out right now and married Kikyo, I'd still love him and I'd still give my life for him....not that I really have one to give anymore." She muttered. Kaede sighed. "Maygosu is a powerful demon. Ye must be careful of ye's thoughts and feelings! For ye could do something like earlier, or worse."

Kagome stared at Kaede and nodded. "True, just because he was stopped earlier, doesn't mean he'll stop completely." Kagome picked Amaya up and laid on the futon. She received a mew in protest. Kagome slowly stood up. Masking her face from the pain. She slipped her arms into the haroi and walked out of the hut. She shivered as a gust of wind hit her. 'I wonder what month it is.' She thought as she headed over to the group.

Inuyasha was discussing what they should do about Kagome, when a full grown Kirara growled. Inuyasha looked over and saw Kagome stop dead in her tracks. Kagome looked hurt from the way Kirara acted. 'I can't blame her.' She thought and looked down.

"Kirara, stop that." Sango scorned. "Kagome, you should be inside resting." Kagome looked up at her friends, but didn't move. She suddenly felt like an outcast. Not even when she had no memory of them did she feel so alone. Kagome bit her thumb nail nervously. She looked at the group. Inuyasha sighed, he had zero patience today. "Ya got something to say or what?! Out with it!" Kagome jumped at his outburst. She looked down and shook her head.

"I just...woke up and no one was there...I got worried..." She said and turned and walked back to the hut. "Didn't Kaede tell you we were out here?" Miroku asked. Kagome inwardly cursed the monk. She decided that, instead of making the fib bigger, she'd act like she didn't hear anything. She walked into the hut and sat back down.

Sango glared at Inuyasha. "What now!" He growled. "Did you HAVE to be so rude. She had something she needed to say!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "If I hear one more fucking apology come out of her mouth I swear I'll scream!" "Well what the hell else do you want her to say?" Inuyasha shrugged. Shippo looked at Inuyasha from his place on the fence. "I dunno Sango. Kagome kind of scared me before. Like even more than when she was working for Naraku." Sango gasped. "Shippo! Don't think that way! Kagome loves you."

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah she loves me too. Obviously, I mean, she was only about to shoot a fucking arrow into my chest. Ya know, I wouldn't even had been so angry with her if she had chosen another way. Hell I would've been a little better if she hadn't picked that tree! I think she knew what she was doing. She's always pissed off when people compare her to Kikyo. Hell, if I were her I'd take that compliment. Because if anyone saw that today, they'd find her to be the lowest of the low. Kikyo looks like an angel compared to her."

Sango's mouth fell open. She slapped Inuyasha across the face. "Don't you EVER EVER say that again. Do you understand me? Kagome is our friend! It hasn't even been a month since she dove in front of an arrow to save your fucking life, and I know that if she heard what you just said, and then had the choice to jump in front of another arrow to save your life, she'd do it in a heart beat. I've watched Kagome, time and time again, laugh in the fucking face of death to save each and every one of us, countless times. And she NEVER asked for anything in return! I KNOW Kagome had no control over her thoughts or feelings when she fought us and said those things. But ya know what? If she actually did really want to say all of that, and pin you to a tree, and kill me, I think we'd owe that to her. You know damn well Inuyasha, that Kagome has done so much more for you than you have EVER done for her. And if you EVER put Kikyo up on a fucking pedestal while your in my presence, I will not be held accountable for what I do next. Got that? Just because I haven't slain you yet, doesn't mean I can't. So watch your mouth." She warned.

Every one just stared wide-eyed at her. Sango hmpf'ed. "Now, I'm going for a walk. Anyone BUT Inuyasha can join me if they so choose." And with that, Sango stormed off, followed by Kirara, Shippo and Miroku. "Oh gee thanks! Leave me alone. Buncha assholes." He growled and looked at the hut. He sniffed the air. 'Salt? Is Kagome crying? She didn't hear me? No she couldn't have...she's too far away.' He sighed and started to walk towards the hut.

Kagome furiously wiped away her tears. She wouldn't cry. How dare Inuyasha snap at her like that! She watched Kaede get up and walk out of the hut. Just then Inuyasha walked in. 'Great.' She thought as he sat down next to her. "Why are you crying?" He asked.

Kagome rolled her eyes. Leave it to Inuyasha to get straight to the point. "Don't worry about it." She grunted. Inuyasha growled. "Don't tell me what to do! I'll worry about you if I want to!" "Why do you have to be so rude to me!?" She cried. Inuyasha's expression softened.

"I already feel bad enough." She whispered. Inuyasha sighed, "I'm sorry." He whispered. Kagome looked at him. Tears welled up in her eyes. "What can I do?" Her voice cracked as she tried to hold back a sob. Inuyasha raised a brow.

"What are you talking about?" Kagome bit her lip. "To...to make you believe me." Inuyasha blinked, he was about to ask what she meant but she beat him to it. "I heard what you said. How Kikyo looked like an angel compared to me..." She couldn't help it. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. Inuyasha's heart instantly weighed about a million pounds.

He looked at her, desperately trying to figure out what to say. "Kagome, I....I didn't mean...don't cry..." Kagome wiped the tears away and nodded. "Okay, sorry." He watched as fresh tears would fall, she'd roughly wipe them away; causing her cheeks to become red and irritated.

"Did you mean what you said?" Kagome whispered. Inuyasha looked at her, but her eyes were glued on the fire. "About what? Kikyo?" Kagome nodded. Inuyasha grabbed her arm to stop her from wiping the tears. "You're going to irritate your face and then it's going to burn." He sighed and grabbed a wet cloth out of a bucket. He rang the cool water out and pressed it to her cheeks gently. Kagome gave him a small smile and took the cloth.

"Well I don't believe you either, so it's okay." Kagome stated. Inuyasha raised a brow. "Believe me on what?" Kagome looked at him. "What you said at the tree." Inuyasha instantly blushed. That's right, he had forgotten that, in the heat of it all he not only told Kagome that he had chosen her over Kikyo, but he had also kissed her! 'Wait, did she just say...'

"You don't believe me?" Kagome laughed, it sounded forced. "Nah, it would be a cold day in hell before you chose me over Kikyo. I figured that out long ago. And I told you before, it's fine." Inuyasha snorted. "You didn't act like it was fine before." Kagome looked down.

"I told you Inuyasha, I didn't want to do that stuff. It was odd It was like...when I first woke up, I felt like I had just died, like I didn't remember being with Naraku, or anything. I just remembered lying there thinking about things. Horrible things that plagued my thoughts. I had tried not to think of them, but when you're dying...you'd be surprised how little control you have." She gave a short laugh.

"I remember thinking that I should've never came here. I should've never released you. Then I thought how I shouldn't care about Sango's feelings. But, I never in a million years wanted to act on it. It was like, those thoughts all happened in a split second before I died, and I thought they were gone. But for some reason, it's all I felt. All I could hear were those thoughts in my head. Screaming in my head. I'm sorry." Inuyasha wrapped his arm around Kagome and brought her closer to him.

"I don't know if you care or not, but, I do accept your apology." He stated. Kagome smiled. "And I accept yours." She snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes. "Inuyasha...you never answered my question." Inuyasha closed his eyes and rested his head on hers.

"No Kagome, never."

A little more fluff. Hope you all like it.

R&R