Disclaimer: I have no claim on Inuyasha except for in my dreams. Cutie that he is.

Chapter Nine - Watching

Kagome dashed forward after the children in a game of tag. She had agreed to watch them for a couple hours each day to give their parents some time to themselves. She didn't mind at all. She adored children and it made her happy playing with them. As they ran about the field she smiled and laughed as she hadn't in a long time. It felt good.

Inuyasha sat in a tree trying to fall asleep. He hadn't slept well last night. Nightmares that he couldn't even remember had plagued him. He had just started to doze when his keen ears picked up the sound of laughter. Grumbling, he tried his best to ignore it. Then, his sensitive nose picked up a very familiar scent. In the blink of an eye he was off through the trees. It took less than a minute for him to reach the field between his forest and the village. The children of the village were playing with Kagome. Her wonderful, merry laugh floated to him, the smile on her face was bright, and her eyes sparkled with a light more dazzling than he'd seen since she's arrived. His heart was gladdened by the sight and he desperately wanted to go out and join her, to bask in the warmth of it as the children were. But he held himself back, fearing that she would grow dim again at the sight of him. In the weeks she'd been here he had noticed that she always seemed brighter, happier when she didn't know he was around. It hurt to know that he caused that fire in her to burn less strongly. However, he couldn't bear being away from her. The only way he would ever leave her, and that would be after he put up one hell of a fight, would be if she asked him. So he balanced on the branch and watched her from a safe distance.

After the game of tag ended, Kagome and the children pulled out the blanket and the nice picnic lunch they had all chipped in to bring. As they sat eating, she was aware of the fact that Inuyasha was perched in a tree not far away watching them, or more precisely, her. He was always watching her whenever he thought she didn't know. He never used to pay so much attention to me. Have I really changed that much? Is that why he watches? She sighed. After a moment of thought, she pushed to her feet and crossed over to the tree he was in.

Inuyasha froze as he watched her approaching his tree. Hopefully, she wouldn't notice him if he didn't move. No such luck. She stopped right below him and placed her fists on her hips, looking up at him. He prepared for the explosion. It didn't come.

"Inuyasha, are you hungry?" Kagome asked. "We have plenty to eat." He stayed silent. "I know you're up there." Still, he didn't speak. Finally, out of annoyance she said, "Sit!"

He soon found himself with his face in the ground. When the spell allowed, he sat up spitting out dirt and grass. He glared up at her. She just smiled sweetly.

"Now," she said. "Would you like to come join us rather then stay there watching?"

She didn't even wait for an answer before turning to go back to the picnic. Grumbling, he followed after her, but he couldn't help smiling, which he never would have done if her back hadn't been turned. They settled down to eat. During the meal they talked and laughed, well Kagome and the children did. The hanyou just sat eating quietly. To his relief and delight, her eyes still sparkled as brightly as when she was playing. He didn't dampen it.

* * *

A figure crouched in the shadows at the edge of the clearing, downwind of the picnicking group. His eyes narrowed at seeing the picture. That damned hanyou was sitting there alive and well, having a picnic. Meanwhile, the one he loved most, the one he would gladly have debased himself by doing the same if only to make her happy, was dead. Never to have picnics or run around in grassy fields again. He had spent a year looking for the one who had stolen such things from her. He had traveled the land over, sometimes even to foreign lands, at the slightest clue as to whom was responsible. For a year he suffered the pain of her loss while that blasted hanyou laughed and lived merrily with his friends. But in the end, it had all come back around to the hanyou. He was the one who did it. He was the one who had taken her life. Now that he knew, he could join her. He could go to her in whatever afterlife there was and he would be whole again. After so long he had his answers and so he could now have peace. But how would he do it? For all his strength and power, for all his willingness to die in battle, he was too much of a coward to take his own life. Briefly, he considered getting the hanyou to kill him, but then shook the thought from his mind. He wasn't desperate enough to let that happen, especially not after the many times he had defeated the inu hanyou. He still had some pride left. He watched the group thoughtfully. Then, the miko shifted just enough for him to catch a glimpse of the bow and arrows that lay at her side. He had seen her use those deadly arrows of hers. Arrows that could be of great help to him in his plans. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shayril: Okay, guys, that one was kinda short. It was also sweet. Not as sweet as the last one ... Shrugs .... The next chapter's got more action and we discover whom our old "friend" is. You know, the dude that was watching them have the picnic. Betcha can't guess who it is! Nope! That's not it ....Shakes head ...It's not him either. You're never gonna guess, so you might as well give up. Just wait a few more minutes it won't kill ya .... Waves hand dismissively ... Well, what are you waiting for? F.Oops. I almost said too much. Get going....