Disclaimer: I don't own or claim any parts or characters if Inu-Yasha. It's Rumiko Takahashi's. I also don't own or claim any part of Evanescence or their song "My Imaginary".

A/N: Wow, sorry but I'm getting better at updating. Summer has it's benefits. ^.^ Well this chapter took a lot of thought. I really tried to convey emotions here, as apposed to thoughts. I want people to infer a lot in this chapter but if you get confused the next chapter explains it all. Thank you to my reviewers! I would hate my story without your encouragement. I think my writing has gotten a ton of a lot better and i have you all to thank for that. The next chapter will be a bit of a songfic, so I hope you all don't mind because I think it really contains the mood. Don't think of it as lyrics but think of it as background music or mood music, if you will. I'm also thinking of changing my title. Why you ask? Well because "Change is..." is dull and boring i.e. it sux. So I'm most likely going to change it. Thanks for all my reviewers support. I hope you like this chapter.

~*(Change is changing wounds)*~ _________________________________

*Beep*

*BEEP*

*Beep*

That's all Inuyasha heard for the twenty-five hours that Kagome slept. But she was not as pale as she had been and the blood was gone. She lay in a hospital bed with little tubes and wires coming from the inside of her elbow and her nostrils.

".....................................................She Will Live.....................She suffered from a major bullet wound to her left abdomen........................................................luckily the bullet missed her major and vital organs..........................................Other than her major blood loss and the entry and exit wound of the bullet...............................................she will heal from this in a matter of time. We were able to stitch her up and luckily to your rapid entry prior to the accident...........................................She will live............................................................"

Inuyasha remembered vividly as the woman in the pink shirt and pants came up to him and Amiki in the "Waiting Room" and explained how long Kagome would need to stay and they asked if her parents were aware of her condition.

'What will they think? Inuyasha comes back and a few days later Kagome ends up in the hospital..............' But to Inuyasha it didn't matter. She was safe and he would make sure she recovered to her full health.

He sat there next to her in her hospital and he hadn't left since they let him come in. He sat there without food, and sleep. He wanted to be there when she woke up. He sat by her still body and watched as her chest rose and fell with her steady quiet breaths and he listened to the "heart monitor" that 'beeped' in time with her actual heart beat that Inuyasha could hear anyway.

Inuyasha wasn't the only one there. Amiki sat in the corner. She left 6 hours earlier to inform Kagome's family of her condition. Kagome's mother was shocked to say the least. She came to visit Kagome in the hospital and brought Jii-chan but would not let Souta come, fearing that Kagome's condition might frighten the poor boy.

After assuring Ms. Higurashi that her daughter was going to be fine but had to stay in the Hospital for a few days, she left because she needed to check on Souta again (She left him home alone). She was reluctant to go but after Inuyasha swore his word that he would not leave her daughter alone even for a second. Kagome's mom inquired many times to Inuyasha about how Kagome received such a wound but Inuyasha would only bow his head and let his bangs hide his guilty laden eyes from her inquiry.

Amiki assured Ms. Higurashi that Kagome was fine and she also promised her she would stay with Kagome reminding her that Souta was home alone. Only then did she leave.

Inuyasha rose his eyes to Kagome's face again and rested his chin on the hand that resided on Kagome's bed still clasped with Kagome's hand. He watched her unmoving eyes as her lashes rested lusciously on the tip tops of her cheeks. The color in her face was back and it reassured Inuyasha about Kagome's recovering health. He rose his face from his prone position, sat up in his chair and ran his palm softly on the side of Kagome's still and beautiful face.

'I love you'. The new emotions that flood Inuyasha after he feared Kagome to die for real made him realize that his feelings for her ran in his very blood.

********************FlAsH***************************** Kagome's eyes were open and looking at him.

Inuyasha grabbed her face and looked into her dazed eyes.

"Inu- Yasha.......... Your here......................" she whispered.

"Yes Kagome! It's me! Oh, Gods, what do I do Kagome? Your losing too much blood!" Inuyasha babbled sounding absolutely frantic.

Kagome slowly lifted her hand to touch his cheek.

"I wanted you to be my last sight." She said and closed her eyes. *********************fLaSh******************************

He brought her hand back to hers and clasped his hand with hers. Inuyasha brought her small hand to his cheek and closed his eyes at the pleasant sensation of Kagome's smooth hand on his face. He missed her touch, he hadn't felt it since that day in her room when she kissed him.

It was a sensation that made him feel like he was being tickled and shivering at the same time. It was confusing and exciting and strange. This sensation was new compared to the sensation of butterflies in his stomach that he'd been having whenever he saw Kagome since, well.... Since forever. Whenever he saw her black raven hair shine as it swiftly fell across her back and just passed her shoulders. Her bluish-violet eyes that always seemed to either be filled with sparkling anger towards him right before he got a "SIT!" or when her eyes took on a luminous look before the color shined and wavered. She was always beautiful but she was breathtaking right before she cried. The quick change in her always shocked him.

So it was REALLY a surprise when Kagome's aforementioned eyes fluttered as she began to wake up.

Inuyasha was once again resting his head against his and Kagome's clasped hands when Kagome began to rouse from her sleep.

She looked down at Inuyasha and smiled at his head pressed down next to her on his and her hands.

'Is he holding my hand?' Kagome smiled at the picture Inuyasha made next to her.

Then, as was normal and expected, Kagome tensed with the realization and remembrance of the pain that flooded her lower torso.

"Au-ngh!..............." She moaned and twisted as her body tried to escape and alleviate the pain that encompassed her body as she awoke.

"Kagome!?" Inuyasha exclaimed as his body went bolt upright and his grip on her hand increased.

Then as if he was just realizing that she was in some sort of discomfort, he loosened his death grip (but didn't let go).

His brow scrunched in confusion and helplessness.

"Are you Okay? Should I get a nurse? Oh maybe a stitch opened?! I better go get one of those doctor people! Hold on I'm- Oh but I told your mom I wouldn't leave you alone. But what about- Are you okay? Shit, Kagome I'm not good at this? What should I do?"

His rant was returned with a tired smile full of all the joy Kagome had at seeing Inuyasha fret and worry over her.

She tightened her grip on his hand as if to reassure him and with her other hand motioned him to have a seat.

"Inuyasha, I'm fine" She smiled after he obeyed and sat down.

She took both of her hands away from Inuyasha, though reluctantly, to push herself back into a sitting position. Grimacing in her efforts Inuyasha shot up and had his hands almost touching her shoulders with a worried expression gracing his features.

"Do you need help?" He asked abruptly.

Once she was situated and she paused for a moment to let the expected pain to subside. She smiled and motioned, again, for him to take a seat.

He followed her gentle request and sat in his chair, but not before pulling it closer to her bed and taking her hand in both of his and clasping it like a lifeline.

"Gods Kagome, you have no idea how worried I've been. When I think about losing you- I - I can't even imagine. I don't even understand what happened and all I understood was to bring you to Amiki, then.......................Well I don't really know, then she took you here. Thank God because they saved you." He bowed his head over their clasped hands, and if she hadn't known better by his shaking shoulders she would have thought he was crying.

"I said I was fine Inuyasha. Thanks to you I'm going to be fine." She smiled that heartwarming, butterfly making smile of hers and Inuyasha rewarded her with a smile too.

She was shocked when she saw a single tear float slowly down Inuyasha's face. It seemed out of place on Inuyasha. He barely ever showed emotion next to anger and gruffness. He thought emotions like love and caring, or pure feelings were weaknesses. Atleast that's what Kagome thought he thought.

She raised her other hand and cupped his face as she brushed the tear away with her bow calloused thumb.

"Why are you crying" She asked quietly as if she were afraid that making him aware of his small 'weakness' that he would turn into his gruffness.

He looked up at her and put a palm over the hand cupping his face, he looked deep into his luminous eyes and said, "Because the thought of a life without you makes me feel empty."

They sat still for a matter of many moments. Absorbing the love in between eachother. They had not admitted their feelings and probably wouldn't today but it was still there and Kagome smiled at the tickling feeling of a joy she had not felt for a long time. Inuyasha shivered at the smile that gave him tingles because it was from the woman that would always complete him.

But as moments as perfect as this always do, it came to an abrupt end as Amiki burst in practically threw the cups of coffee she had on the table next to the door and ran to the side of Kagome's bed that was not occupied.

"Oh Gods, Gome! I was so frickin' scared! I know how you hate this place but they won't let you out until they are sure your okay. We haven't left you alone. Inuyasha stayed here the whole time. But Geez! Why? Why did you go with that piece of shit? What if something worse happened?" Amiki said as she hugged her friend and buried her head in her friends neck.

At the mention of Sonaki, Inuyasha felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on his head and he didn't like that feeling in the least. Kagome had stood up for that piece of shit and he ran away after he saw her injured. Probably fearing that he would be blamed for her death. 'That is..............if she had..... but she hadn't!'

Kagome looked between the two people in her hospital room and Kagome remembered her hatred of hospitals. She shivered for reasons unknown to her hanyou.

She took a deep gulp as if trying to rid herself of her anxiety. She brought her mind out of her painful past and looked to Amiki again.

"Miki."

"Miki, look at me." When Amiki finally removed her head from its gentle resting place on Kagome's shoulder she met Kagome's sorrowful eyes.

"I'm /fine/. Inuyasha and you saved my life. Thank you both of you," She said glancing between the two of them, "Thank you for not leaving me alone.................I appreciate it more than I can say." The last bit was said under her breath but Inuyasha heard it.

He was about to inquire about what she meant by it when the doctor came in.

"Ah, I see your awake now. Good. It's nice to see you again Ms. Kagome. Though I wish it had been under better circumstances." The tall black haired with a stubble beard and kind eyes man said. He wore a name tag with the words PH. D / Doctor Tereka. He walked over to Amiki's side and let Amiki step back before he checked Kagome's pupils with a little flashlight he had.

He went on with checking her heartbeat and blood pressure, etc. as he continued to converse with her.

"How do you feel?"

"I've been better but I'm sure I'll heal." She said not unkindly.

"Don't I know it. Gingi said to say "hi" to you and Amiki when you awoke. She's missed both of you and I hope you have too!.............."

Then he did something that to someone who was too interested or distracted by the doctors conversation would have missed. He flipped Kagome's wrist and checked both arms up and down, but in a very subtle way. He slightly ran his fingers over the inside of Kagome's wrist both sides before placing them back.

"............But any ways her party went off without a hitch, she was said that your Jii-chan was too ill for you to come, but I hope you stop by and give her a heads - up or whatever you teenagers do! Well not whatever, " His voice and eyes were full of mirth, "Okay let me answer the usual questions: You can probably leave tomorrow or the day after, but you'll be bed ridden until the stitches heal fully. I'm not going to lie to you, the bullet was very close to vital organs and I don't want anything to go wrong so that you can recover as soon as possible. Well if you need anything else. Beep the nurse and she'll get me. I'll check on you again later." His tone was still full of his casually nice tone but laden with a trim and undertone of seriousness. And with a wave he left.

"He's a piece of work, but we already knew that." Amiki said breaking the silence.

She meant it in a humorous way but nobody laughed or smiled. Inuyasha turned to Kagome and without a single glance to Amiki he said.

"Amiki, I need a bit of time to discuss things with Kagome."

"Wha-? Why?" She said not liking being dismissed so easily.

Inuyasha finally looked her way and she saw the heat and balled up anger in his eyes.

He didn't have to say anything.

"Um............Kagome are you hungry? Good! I'll go get us food. Be right back.........." She muttered as she clumsily hurried out of the room.

The silence was filled with enough tension that Tetsusaiga would have a hard time cutting threw it.

Inuyasha tried his best to stay calm but his nerves felt frayed and his mind was a mixture of sadness and confusion that he quickly and habitually covered up with anger.

He looked to Kagome who had her gaze locked on her window as if planning to jump out of it and fly away from the angry hanyou who was glaring daggers into the side of her face.

"Tell me, Kagome. Tell me /now/" He said, his words laced with ice.

"Tell you what, Inuyasha?" She said turning her eyes to Inuyasha's hands that were gripping her bed sheet. She watched as his grip tightened and his knuckles turned white and the skin strained over the bone.

With a growl at her reply Inuyasha, using his quick reflexes, grabbed the wrist closest to him and turned it to him and then assuredly to her.

He stood up as if his height would impose his dominance, and stress his relentlessness to give up this issue at all.

"TELL ME HOW YOU GOT THESE FRICKIN' SCARS ON YOUR WRISTS?!!!"

____________________________________________________________________________ _

A/N: I want to give a special thanks to the following reviewers:

~*(jessika123)*~ ~*(Silvermoon Maru)*~ ~*( Crystel )*~ ~*( Gothic Butterfly)*~ ~*( anime crazy)*~ ~*(Kagome1990)*~ ~*( Darkmoon)*~ ~*(BkrAnime (girl))*~ = BTW Sonaki's "supplies" in the last chapters were guns. Sorry if I was unclear about that. Oh and about Shippo's letter............... Just wait for the next chapter (^.^) ~*(ArouraLeona)*~

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!!! You guys were awesome! I'm glad you liked my story enough to encourage me to continue.

A/N: See that button down there? Well press it and tell me what you think of this chapter? all right then! Thanks for reading.

Until Next Time,

KaGoMiAkA