I heard her rustle, but kept quiet. I could smell her. It was intoxicating to me. No, I wasn't looking for the Jewel Shards anymore. I had given that up a while ago. It was only an excuse for me to stay with her.

She came over to me. Tonight I had decided to sleep on the ground. Besides, the fact that there weren't any decent trees around helped. I'm beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea. Sleeping on the ground that is.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered as she bent beside me. I kept my eyes closed. I knew she had questions to ask me; I just couldn't answer them right now.

"Inuyasha." She ran a hand through the hair that covered my face. It was a loving touch. I heard her sigh softly as she laid down besides me. Kagome snuggled up next to me. I didn't feel her move for a while, but knew that she was still asleep.

"You know, I've been tempted to climb into the trees and cuddle up next to you for a while," she told me, thinking I was sleeping. She gave a small laugh. "Funny how tonight I got the courage to do so. Made it easier that you were on the ground." A pause. "I've also wanted to talk to about things for while. Inuyasha, it kills me not to know how you feel about me."

Those words struck a cord within me. I hadn't I been obvious? No, I knew I hadn't. I could make her cry, laugh, or fume within a matter of seconds. No, the only thing I probably did was annoy her. Baka hanyou.

Kagome laughed again. "Gee, you're such a good listener Inuyasha." Ha, ha. Her tone became serious. "I'm just going to flat out say it. I love you Inuyasha. I think I have for a while. It just took some certain things, and someones, for me to realize it. I love how you face danger, even when I think you know you're scared. I like the fact that you get jealous. How you fight for me. I even love the human side of you, Inuyasha. I don't care really what you are, full demon or full human. Your gold eyes, silver hair, your ears, even your nails. All I care about is that you're Inuyasha, arrogant and slightly bigheaded. I really don't mind your 'violent' part, so long as it's being used for good. I may not be as great as Kikyou, but Inuyasha . . ." There was a shift in her voice. "I love you, always remember that."

After a moment or two I could feel her breathing deepen to that of the sleeping kind.

Last night you gave me a kiss
You didn't know it, but I was awake when you did
You were quiet, you were gonna let me sleep
So I just laid there pretending to be
You said some things you didn't know I could hear
And the words "I love you" never sounded so sincere

My heart was beating fast. 'Kagome loves me,' was all I could think. Unwillingly, I felt tears weld up in my eyes. She wasn't supposed to say that. If anything, she was suppose to tell me that she hates me, that she can't stand to be around me. That she only kept me around to protect her. And of course to get entertainment out of saying "Sit boy!" This wasn't good.

It was my turn to sigh. This coming morning I had plan on leaving Kagome and the others. I had to make amends with Kikyou. None of this Shard chasing would have happened if I hadn't sought out the Jewel to begin with. Naraku wouldn't have trick Kikyou and I, though I doubt she would have fallen for him. Kikyou wouldn't have died and then resurrected and had to steal souls to survive. I wouldn't have been to a tree for fifty years. Miroku wouldn't have a hole in his hand. Sango would be with her people killing demons, and Shippou would still have his father alive. And Kagome. Kagome wouldn't have to deal with me; Inuyasha – the insensitive fool. No. After I tired to patch things up with Kikyou I'd come back to Kagome and the rest. Maybe before that find peace within myself so that I'm better to Kagome. I do love you Kagome.

It's gonna make it hard to tell you that I'm leaving
Now that I know just how much you care
You finally gave me one good reason not to go
But staying here is my worst fear

I don't know when I fell asleep. I was surprise I did at all. I was scared that I might wake Kagome up some how. Speaking of Kagome . . . I woke up to find that she wasn't next to me. 'Probably didn't want me to know she'd been beside me,' I thought thinking of her nuzzled up next to me. I got up to find that Sango and Miroku were up also. Shippou was sleeping still. I didn't see Kagome.

"Where's Kagome?" I asked.

Miroku looked at me and shrugged. "Don't know. She wasn't here when I got up. And I was up first. Sango asked me the same question. I told her the same answer."

"She probably when to bathe in the stream. Her pack and things are gone."

"Damn girl is always bathing," I said in my usual way. Now I just needed an excuse to go talk to her. I wasn't just going to leave and not tell her why. I owed Kagome that much. "Great! She took her pack. I wanted some of those noodles!"

"Then find her and get some," Sango said. Thank you taiji!

"Fine I will!" I said in reply and ran off after her sent. Sango was right. It did lead to the stream.

But when I got there I found no Kagome. I sniffed around. "Kagome!" No answer. The wind could have picked up and blown her sent away. Though there hadn't been any wind. "Kagome!" I called to her again. No answer again. "KAGOME!!!!" I shouted. I was sure all of Japan could hear that. Still no answer. 'Where could have that girl gone to?' I thought.

She's gone.

I don't know where that thought came from, but I knew it was true. I don't know where she could have gone. It wasn't' safe around here. I only knew of two places she went: Kaede's village and the well. THE WELL!

I ran back to Sango and the other as fast as I could.

"How far is the well from here?" I demanded. Shippou was up and looked startled.

"Uh, not that far," Shippou said. "If you start in the morning you'd be there by mid evening."

"Damn it!" I cursed.

"You don't think Kagome left-" Shippou began.

"Yeah. I think she left to go back home," I snapped.

"Kagome usually tells us though when she's going back home," Sango stated.

This morning I rolled out of bed
Recalling all the sweet things you said
This was the day I was gonna hurt you bad
Called out your name, but you didn't answer back
I searched the house to find out what was wrong
Like a ton of bricks, it hit me you were gone

I didn't wait for them. I had to get to that well before Kagome did. Why did she leave? She wasn't suppose to, I was. I was going to leave, to ease her pain that I knew I was causing her. It also hurt me to know I was the source of all her problems. I was doing this for her sake. That's at least what I kept telling myself.

I tried to pick up on her sent, to make sure that she was heading for the well. Again, it only ended at the stream. A thought occurred to me then. I knew why it ended at the stream, because she had walked in it. She knew it would wash away her sent from me. Smart girl. 'Think, think Inuyasha,' I coached myself.

I went to the stream's edged and sniffed more closely to the ground. There. There was Kagome's unmistakable sent. Her sweet sent. I couldn't really describe it if I had words to. All I knew it belong to the woman I loved.

Though the smell was faint I followed it to as far as it would take me.

It's gonna make it hard to tell you that I'm leaving
Now that I know just how much you care
You finally gave me one good reason not to go
But staying here is my worst fear

I don't know how far I went. I wasn't even sure is Shippou and the others were following me or if they knew where I was going. I didn't stop to think about it. I had no time.

Why are you going after her? The thought suddenly came into my mind. I'm not sure from where. I was going after her because I loved her.

What about Kikyou? What about that plan of yours? Kikyou. I was going to find Kikyou and work things out. Then I was going to spend some time alone. 'Why?' I asked myself. Kikyou wanted to drag me to Hell with her. If it weren't for Kagome I wouldn't be here right now. No, I knew I now that I could never make amends with Kikyou. Yes, I had loved her once. I suppose I still do. I heard once that you will always love you first love. Kikyou was mine. It different than the way I love Kagome. Kagome hasn't tried to change me. Ok, she has, but not like Kikyou. Kikyou wanted to change the essence of who I really am. Kagome accepts that and loved me for it. She said so when she thought I was asleep.

"Kagome," I breathed her name and ran faster.

All along I knew that there was something missing
And only one thing left to do
I had to leave behind this life that we'd been living
But the only thing that left was you

I saw her and caught her sent at the same time. She was near the well. My heart skipped a beat.

"KAGOME!" I shouted as I ran towards her. She paused for a moment then continued to walk. She didn't even turn around. "Kagome!" I said her name again as I got closer. This time she didn't even stop.

That's when I caught a different sent. She was crying. But why.

I didn't say anything as I came up to walk next to her. Her hair had fallen in her face so I couldn't see her tears.

"Go away Inuyasha," she said firmly.

"How come you didn't tell us that you were leaving for you home?" I asked.

"What does it matter to you?"

"Who else is going to help find the Shards?" I asked.

"Pffh! Figured!" She stopped and turned on her heel to face me. I took a step back. I could feel the anger emanating off of her. "It's because of you, Inuyasha, that I'm didn't tell anyone I was going home. It's because of you that I'm a total mental wreck. 'Does just use me to find the Shards?' Lets see. YEAH! You just told me so! "

"I didn't mean it like that!"

Kagome crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right and I'm the Empress of Japan," she retorted.

I bowed. "Your Highness."

"Ugh!!" She said through her teeth in frustration and began to walk again. I started to go after her. "Just go back to the others. I'm in no trouble. Just go . . . please."

I stopped. "Is that what you really what Kagome?"

She stopped and turned around. "No, but it's the only thing I can think of. I can't just stand by and watch you mull over Kikyou. Don't you realize that she isn't suppose to be alive? That the witch brought her back unnaturally? She's not really alive Inuyasha! Get that through your head! In fact the only reason she is 'alive' is because she has half of my soul!! I just can't stand it anymore."

"That's why you said those things then," I said softly.

"Nani?"

I took a step closer to her. All color in her face drained out. "That's why you told me all those things. That you cared about me. That-That you loved me. You said, "always remember that". You had no intention of coming back here? Even though you feel it's your duty to collect them."

"How'd you know if I really said those things?" She attempted to sound secure, but I could tell from her eyes she was worried.

I took another step closer. "Because. I was awake. I heard every word. I'm glad you told me."

Kagome looked tired and sat down. "Inuyasha, you weren't suppose to-"

I kneeled down next to her and put a finger on her lips to silence her. "I know I wasn't. It's good that you told me. I might have at this moment be making the biggest mistake of my life." I sat next to her and looked out over the landscape. Kagome stared at me if I had grown a nose to match my ears. She looked almost scared. I'm not sure if it was that fear of rejection or the uncertainty of what I my do besides that.

"I've never told you what I'm really afraid, have I?" I asked her and turned my head to lock my eyes with hers.

She shook her head mutely.

"I'm scared that after all this is said and done that everyone will leave me. Sango and Miroku will go their way together. Shippou will go off to be a man. And you Kagome, you will leave me for you time and forget me. Never to think of me, the hanyou that cares for you more than you'd ever know." She opened her mouth to say something. I wasn't ready for her to speak about this yet. "If you leave me Kagome, and never come back from that well. I can't stay here. I couldn't stand it. Everywhere reminds me of you. In the end I probably drive myself insane and end up pinning myself to that tree again. After all that's where we first me, be it though the circumstances weren't all that great."

"You care about me?" Kagome asked, barely a whisper. Tears were coming into her eyes.

I nodded my head. "Yes. Like you, I'm not sure for how long. I realized I did last night when you told me, but I don't think it sank in until the thought of you being gone forever threaten."

"Inuyasha-" I didn't give her a chance to say anymore.

"Kagome," I spoke her name softly just before I leaned over to kiss her.

It's gonna make it hard to tell you that I'm leavin'
Now that I know just how much you care
You finally gave me one good reason not to go
But being alone is my worst fear
And staying here is my worst fear

A/N: I would just like to thank all those that have review these two songfics (that I have so far -_^). I'm not sure if I'm going to turn these into a series or what not. Actually, these two songfics are really connected. I have another one planned, so I'm working on it.

Song is by Rascal Flatts.

Thanks to DarkStar01, Lasako, Angel-chan, Tinuviel, Lachesis! Thank you for reviewing! ^_^

Oh, and if you find any grammar/spelling errors please E-MAIL them to me at queenweirdness@verizon.net. Thankies!