Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to the all-great and mighty Rumiko Takahashi!

Chapter 2

Inuyasha didn't know why Kagome's words had suddenly moved him. He didn't know where the idea had come from either. It was almost ludicrous what he was going to do, but he would finally get to see what Kagome really thought of him. He was tired of waiting and hoping, and was too proud to find out himself. Deep down he didn't want to be rejected, so his pride kept that from happening. Something deep within him told him that this was the right thing for him to do. It might shock them, but it felt like the right thing to do.

He hoped she would do the right thing also, because he would hate to wake up from this with an insatiable hate for her because she had made a mistake, or shown what she really thought of him, a worthless hanyou. That wouldn't help his quest at all. As much as he hated to admit it, Kagome was an important part of the team, and seemed to hold them all together like glue. He would hate to find out the glue wasn't really that strong. He sat high in his God tree, debating whether or not it was worth it. He relaxed deep into the tree, letting its strength support him. He didn't know how much longer he could keep his little charade up anymore. He knew he was falling for her, but that rubbed him wrong in so many places. One, he didn't want her to be a target for Naraku. Protecting her was hard enough already. Two, there was the thing with Kikyou. He still had to put her soul to rest, and that had proved quite an impossible task. But he had promised himself he would put her soul to rest, so he would figure it out sooner or later. He never knew quite why Kagome seemed so hurt by that. It was just another thing that confused him. He knew that she was all hate, and had no life left in her, and it was his responsibility to put her back where she belonged. That leaded to three, destroying Naraku, the root of all his problems. He couldn't allow that to fall of his list, or he would lose the battle he was fighting. These were all much more important now that the jewel was just missing the piece Naraku had. As soon as it was complete and purified, he would run out of excuses for keeping Kagome here. It was all coming too soon. He wasn't ready to tell her how he really felt. There was too much unfinished business. What to do with the jewel would was just one of those things. If things didn't work out the way he hoped, he would have to tell her how he felt, and that could lead to rejection. He had already suffered enough from his first relationship, and didn't want to suffer anymore. He didn't think he could take it a second time. He gazed up at the night stars. Kagome would be back in a week. He had already started to miss her perfumed scent, the way she was always happy, except when he made her mad. Truth be told, he almost took a perverse pleasure in making her mad. Sure the sits hurt, but she was cute when she was mad. She had an inner strength that attracted Inuyasha to her in the first place. He might not have fallen in love with her that first day on the God tree had she not yelled at him. He would miss the yelling, that was for sure. He didn't like exposing his true self to everyone again, and give everyone a chance to be what he hated, but if it worked the way it should, he would be a lot better off...

The rest of the group had retired to Kaede's hut. Kaede was out picking herbs deep in the fields. They all sat around a glowing fire, watching the shadows that it cast. Miroku was deep in thought. Inuyasha and Kagome didn't have much of a fight, and that was not a good sign in his book. Their arguing was like clockwork, and they never seemed to miss a chance to duke it out with each other. It was humorous to watch the two as they fought it out, each one never really realizing exactly what they were doing, except that the other had pissed them off. 'If only I could reach that stage with Sango.' A perverted hand slid over silently behind the curve of Sango's bottom. A few seconds later, he was on the other side of the room, with a large bump on his head, and a red handprint on his cheek. "Really priest, I thought you could keep your hands to yourself for a night." The priest's groping was a common thing, so Sango didn't know why she could even think for a moment he could be good. It had become a regular event, just like Inuyasha and Kagome's fights. He would grope, and she would bash his skull in with her oversized boomerang, slap him, or a combination of both. Miroku was smirking like the idiot he was. "Really, Sango, do you detest my groping that much?" Sango was caught of guard, but quickly rebounded, though she would have to give Miroku a point for catching her off guard like that. "If you didn't go around to every girl you met and do that, I might not have a problem with it." As soon as she said it, she regretted those last words. In her search for a rebuke, she had accidentally let Miroku in on one of her feelings. "Ah, I did not know that affected you that much, lady Sango. If you would like, I can stop that. But as you know, I still must have a heir to continue the fight with Naraku." She cursed herself again. Miroku had caught that, and was going to dig a little deeper. She wished Kagome or Inuyasha was here to butt in, and get her out of this sticky situation. She mentally cheered as she came up with an excuse not to finish their conversation. "Inuyasha and Kagome have been awfully quiet this evening. I wonder if anything has befallen our friends?" Miroku mentally cursed. Sango had gotten herself out of his trap this time. That is why he liked her; she could stand up to his probing, and even return them sometimes. He would have to wait until another time to get more out of her. "Ah, yes. I noticed our friends have been silent tonight. I hope Kagome hasn't killed our hanyou friend. Perhaps we should check on them." 'Anything to get out of this hut,' Sango thought. "I think it might be a good idea." The two got up and went of in search of Inuyasha, or what remained of Inuyasha...

Inuyasha was lost in thought when the crunch of leaves and grass alerted him to the presence of an intruder. He got up and sniffed around. He identified the two smells as Sango and Miroku. He relaxed a bit, knowing he didn't have to deal with a demon tonight. He had too much on his mind. He wondered why they had come out here, and then he realized that he didn't fight with Kagome, so they were probably worried when they hadn't heard Kagome subduing him at the top of her lungs. He didn't feel like answering their questions tonight though. He sat back down, and hoped they would go away if he ignored them. The pair made it to the God tree, and looked up into its branches. Outlined by the moonlight, they spotted Inuyasha's form. Miroku was relieved that Kagome hadn't done any permanent damage, and their hanyou was still operational. He looked a little moody though. He would have to question Inuyasha to get anything out of him. "Hey, Inuyasha, what happened to Kagome?" Inuyasha looked down, and answered, voice thick with annoyance. "What do you think you baka? Kagome went down the well to her time." Of course Miroku knew that Inuyasha would never tell him anything freely, so he questioned a bit more. "What did you do this time Inuyasha?" As he had guessed, Inuyasha got mad at that question. "What do you mean, what did I do? I didn't do anything! I let her go back for a week." Miroku was stunned. Inuyasha had let Kagome go back. He usually wouldn't stand for that, and would come close to whining every time she went back. This worried the monk that somehow, Inuyasha was not one to change his ways without reason. Sango picked up on that fact too. "What's wrong Inuyasha?" Sango normally wouldn't question the hanyou. She usually left that up to Miroku or Kagome. But grotesque possibilities were running through her mind, along with Miroku. "So I let her go back, what is the big deal?" Inuyasha was avoiding them, that much Miroku knew. "You never let her go back without a fight. Why now?" Inuyasha spared them a glance. "So I can't let her go back because I didn't want to get sat?" Miroku was amazed. Inuyasha had managed to hold his own in a battle of wits. Miroku couldn't rebuttal that. He had underestimated Inuyasha. He had more brains in that hard head than he gave him credit for. A realization dawned on Miroku as he stood there. Inuyasha had managed to keep hidden that he actually had a brain, and his enemies always saw him as some stupid hanyou that could be squashed. That was how he managed to defeat them, even though he was sometimes outclassed. He used everyone's natural prejudice against them. Inuyasha noticed the monk was staring at him, and it unsettled him. The monk looked like he had discovered something of vast importance. So he did what he always did in that kind of situation. "What are you looking at, monk?" Miroku was snapped out of his revile, and quickly covered himself. "Just thinking." Miroku motioned for Sango to follow him. Sango took the hint and left Inuyasha alone, and followed Miroku back to the hut. Inuyasha was glad that the monk had left him alone. He resumed staring at the stars. They always seemed to comfort him it any time of need. He missed Kagome. He hoped the plan worked, then he would never have to stare at the stars anymore. He would have Kagome's eyes to stare into...