Disclaimers: Same as the previous part. Don't own 'em and never will.

Author's notes: Here's part two. Enjoy!

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Part two: "I don't know what it is..."

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They left early the next morning, still heading west towards the last clue they had on Naraku's whereabouts. Sango and Miroku led in front, with Shippou hanging precariously from the monk's shoulder, while Kagome and Inu Yasha brought up the rear. After the night before, they were both a little quiet around each other. It had turned out that they had both fallen asleep shortly after their conversation, and of course didn't wake up until Sango giggled at some comment Miroku made. Their departure had been further delayed when Inu Yasha took the time to chase the three giggling spies all over the yard, yelling threats. But depart they did, and they were on the road again.

Inu Yasha shot a quick glance at the silent girl beside him, and quickly turned his head away when she turned inquisitive eyes on him. A slight blush stained his cheeks, and had he been alone, he would have been really tempted to hit himself on the forehead-repeatedly.

"Hey, Inu Yasha?"

"What now, wench?" He growled, but without feeling. She ignored the tone, and the uncomplimentary name, and turned to look up at their friends walking ahead of them.

"Have you ever noticed how natural it is, all of us together like this?" At his blank look she laughed. "Even in my time, sitting with my friends, I don't feel as... safe as I do here. And that doesn't really make sense, does it? At home all I have to worry about it homework and tests. Here I have to worry about some random demon trying to chop me in half."

Inu Yasha smirked, his chest expanding at her confession. It had to be because *he* was here that she felt so safe. "That's because I'm here to protect you."

She laughed again, though softer this time. "I suppose that's true. No," she shook her head, "I know it's true. You've never let me down, Inu Yasha. Even if you are a baka at times."

His smirk turned into a scowl. "That's because you get so mad at everything!" Liar, something whispered to him. Oh, shut up, he growled back. I'm having fun making her mad.

Kagome narrowed her eyes, but her smile stayed in place. "Well if you didn't say stupid things, I wouldn't have to si-"

"Don't!" Inu Yasha suddenly yelled, throwing his hands over his ears, and closing his eyes.

"-lence you," Kagome finished primly, grinning from ear to ear when he peeked out from one eye at her. He scowled at her, and stiffly put his arms in his sleeves.

"Not funny."

"Hai, hai," she laughed, and turned back to look at the road. Inu Yasha tried, he really did, to stay mad at her, but after a few minutes had also found what could pass as a smile on his face.

//She's got a way of talkin'
I don't know why it is
But it lifts me up when we are walkin' anywhere //

Because he was so busy looking at her, he didn't see Miroku until he bumped into him, sending the monk flying. Inu Yasha looked down at the sprawled monk, annoyed.

"Oi! Watch what you're doing, monk!"

"I believe that is what I say to you, Inu Yasha," Miroku complained, brushing off some dust from his back side. Inu Yasha just snorted.

"Whatever. Why the heck did you guys stop?"

A soft gasp was uttered beside him, and Inu Yasha turned his head to see what Kagome had seen. It was a glen, hidden from the trail by dense foliage of trees except for a small entrance that showed the lake and meadow beyond it. Sunlight streamed through the tree's branches and highlighted the emerald green grass dotted with bright colors of flowers. A soft breeze stirred the lake's surface, and sent gentle ripples to the shore that caught the light and looked like a tiny million diamonds rolling on the waves. The grass was also stroked by the breeze, and swayed as though to some silent music. Birds cooed softly from their high perches to the small band of travelers, completing the wholesome beauty of a place.

Already Inu Yasha knew what was coming, and though the glen reminded him of past memories that weren't as beautiful, he gave in without a fight when two large brown eyes landed on him.

"Fine, but only for ONE hour, got it?!" Inu Yasha grouched. Kagome smiled brightly, dismissing Inu Yasha's silent threat, and ran off with Sango towards the glen, leaving behind the males to grab the stuff. Inu Yasha grumbled but hefted the bike with little effort. "Keh!"

Miroku smiled beside him, and lifted Sango's hiraikotsu from where she left it. "Isn't it refreshing how the innocence of beautiful women such as Kagome puts everything into perspective?" Miroku mused. Inu Yasha turned to growl at the monk, but it died in his throat when he saw it wasn't Kagome he was looking at, but Sango. So instead he just snorted, and started walking towards the glen.

Miroku smiled knowingly. "Of course you know what I mean. How silly of me." Before Inu Yasha could turn to tell Miroku where he could shove his silliness, the monk had already sprinted ahead, crowing at the top of his lungs. "Ooooohhh, my dearest Sango! Let's steal away together into a more private place, and discover a new type of natural beaut- ouch!"

Inu Yasha shook his head at the stupidity of his friend, and set the bike down at the entrance of the glen before jumping up into a tree to watch the activities from there. He did not share his friends' enthusiasm when it came to glens such as this. It brought back too many memories of his mother... and Kikyo.

//She comes to me when I'm feelin' down
Inspires me without a sound
She touches me and I get turned around//

Though he wanted to be alone, it didn't surprise Inu Yasha in the least when Kagome left their friends to play in the water, or get smacked by another member as the case may be, and come to stare up at him from the base of the tree. The breeze played with her hair, dangling it in front of her face, and Inu Yasha watched as she impatiently pushed the stands behind one ear. All for naught since her hair enjoyed being caressed more than staying put, but nonetheless was a strangely soothing sight to him. He shook his head slightly, and cocked an arrogant eyebrow at the girl 20 feet below.

"What do you want, wench?"

She frowned up at him, the heat lost with the fact she had to tip her chin almost completely back. "Why aren't you joining in the fun?"

Inu Yasha snorted. "Because I don't want to."

"Why?"

He tried to search his mind for a good reason that would make her leave him alone to his thoughts (meaning his sulk), but couldn't come up with something that didn't sound completely stupid. So he settled for the universal answer.

"Just 'cause."

Kagome blinked at him, and then suddenly got a determined gleam in her eye. Before he could say anything, she had grabbed the lowest branch on the tree and started to pull herself up. Inu Yasha snapped his mouth shut, too worried that if he said anything now that she would lose her grip and fall, and watched nervously as she slowly made her way up to him. She almost made it too. If her shoe hadn't slipped, causing her foot to dangle and pull her weight down, she might have very well made it. But as the case was, Inu Yasha shot one hand down with inhuman speed to catch the back of her skirt before she could fall. He swung her up in front of him with little effort, though his heart was pounding, and opened his mouth to start yelling at her. His tirade died on his lips, however, when he took one look at her smiling face devoid of any fear her fall should have caused her.

It took a few seconds of silent gaping at her before Inu Yasha remembered his anger. "Are you crazy? Do you want to die, wench?!"

Kagome waved a careless hand, her other in the process of smoothing out her skirt. "Oh please, Inu Yasha. I knew you wouldn't let me fall."

That brought him up short, but since his heart was still pounding wildly, he growled and poked her in the arm. "Yeah? Well what if I missed?"

She turned big brown eyes on him, and again he was struck by the look of absolute confidence in his abilities that glowed in her eyes. "You wouldn't have," she replied, and smiled at him softly.

Inu Yasha closed his mouth, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. It was nice to know that she had confidence in him, really nice actually, but what if he had missed? She would have fallen over 15 feet, and more likely than not have hit a few branches on the way down. It wouldn't have killed her, but she wouldn't have come out unscathed. And the thought of her hurt made his throat squeeze painfully. So far he had always managed to save her in time, and to avoid letting her get hurt. But what about the next time? Would he always be there to save her, to catch her when she fell, or to chop some miscellaneous demon's head off before it tried to do the same to hers? In the deepest corner of his heart, he wished she didn't have so much confidence in him. It was bound to betray her, and make her bright eyes dim with pain. When... if he failed, that blow alone would bring him to his knees.

"Inu Yasha? Daijoubu?" She asked, bring him out of his silent musings. He blinked at her, and quickly covered the look of hesitant fear with annoyance.

"I'm fine. Why'd you climb up here, anyway?"

She shrugged, and pushed another tendril of silky ebony behind her ear. "No real reason. I just wanted to talk with you."

"Why?" Inu Yasha grouched, keeping a careful eye on her balance. He didn't want to have a repeat performance of before. He'd rather not test his theory about failing.

"Do I have to have a reason?"

"Yes."

"Oh," she said. She tipped her head to the side, looking contemplative, before smiling at him. Her eyes twinkled with some hidden joke.

"Well?" He demanded impatiently when she didn't say anything. He felt his heart pounding. Though he wouldn't admit it, he wanted to hear her reason. It couldn't be... *that* could it?!

She winked at his nervous expression. "Then my reason is-"

Inu Yasha leaned forward expectantly.

She grinned. "Just 'cause."

Inu Yasha blinked, and then shook his head, leaning back against the tree. He would *never* understand her. Inu Yasha blinked again when she slowly closed the distance between them. Hesitantly, she took one of his hands into her own, and stared at his claws. Inu Yasha had the urge to yank his hand back, but he resisted for fear that the action would upset her pathetic human balance. And then he would have to go through the whole 'save Kagome' routine again. Not something he liked to do that often, truth be told.

"You have such gentle hands, Inu Yasha," she whispered, running a soft hand over his own. Inu Yasha twisted his face the side.

"Huh? Did you hit your head or something? My hands are anything but gentle!" He spat that last part out like it was an insult. Kagome frowned, but did not relinquish his hand.

"It wasn't an insult, Inu Yasha," she said. She looked down at their hands, and compulsively closed her own over his. "You could have hurt me so many times with these hands, but you haven't. You've never hurt me, or the ones you've cared about."

Inu Yasha stared down at their hands too, noting that even though both of her hands covered one of his, it wasn't fully concealed beneath her hands. They're so small, he thought with a surprised frown, and used his other hand to cover hers. She barely shifted her hands, but when she did, she held one of his hands in each of hers. It was a loose hold just in case he wanted to pull back, but Inu Yasha didn't feel inclined. Instead he squeezed hers gently, and turned to look at her eyes. They glowed with warmth and something else, and he was struck how natural this felt. Almost like their hands were meant to hold the others. Almost like their hands were one.

//She's got a way of showin'
How I make her feel
And I find the strength to keep on goin'//

A shout brought their attention from each other's eyes down to Miroku and Sango standing at the base of their tree. They were both grinning like Cheshire cats, and the both Kagome and Inu Yasha snatched their respective hands back.

"It isn't what it looks like," Kagome called down to Sango, blushing a deep crimson. Inu Yasha fared the same, and their two companions on the ground grinned wider.

"I'm sure it's not, Kagome-chan," Sango yelled up, an evil gleam in her eye. Kagome groaned but didn't protest anymore.

"Should I take this to mean that we will not be going any further today, Inu Yasha?" Miroku asked in a sing-song voice. Inu Yasha let out a rumbling growl and jumped down, intent on chasing the already fleeing monk. He only went forward a few steps before he turned immediately back around when he heard Kagome call out his name. He positioned himself directly below her, making sure no branches were in the way, and told her to jump. She looked at the height and told him no in no uncertain terms.

"What, scared I'll drop you?" Inu Yasha taunted, throwing her earlier claim back at her. She frowned and bit her lip.

"No," she said, still looking nervously at the drop. But then her eyes hardened, and she pushed off from the branch without hesitation, falling straight into Inu Yasha's arms. He put her down carefully, but took more time than was necessary to do so. They both blushed softly and took a step back from the other.

"Thanks," Kagome whispered, still blushing. Inu Yasha shrugged and opened his mouth to reply, but Miroku's wolf whistle reminded him of his original objective. He swiveled on his heel and bounded after the monk. Sango and Kagome's laughter followed him as he chased the frantic monk around the lake three very satisfying times.

//She's got a light around her
And ev'rywhere she goes
A million dreams of love surround her ev'rywhere//

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