Disclaimer: NO I don't own Inuyasha!

Chapter 3 – Return

Kagome woke up to see the sunlight filtering through the small cracks in the roof of Kaede's hut. She was glad that Inuyasha was not there last night when she and Miroku had returned to the village. Miroku and Sango had informed her that they had not seen Inuyasha for about a day and a half. Kagome just couldn't face him, not yet…

"Kaede, I will help you with breakfast," offered Kagome.

"Thank you, child," Kaede said with a smile. Kagome and Kaede went about making their morning feast. Moments later Kagome could feel someone enter the hut. She turned around. There he was, looking more depressed than ever this particular day. She should have known. He can smell food a mile away. Make that ten miles away.

"Kagome." The first words out of the hanyou's mouth sent a shiver down her spine. Kagome could feel herself blushing again. "You're back." He face brightened only slightly.

Kagome merely nodded. She couldn't speak. What am I supposed to say to him now? Luckily, she didn't have to say anything. Everyone took their seats and began to eat—Kagome making sure to take a seat next to Sango, who was sitting the farthest away from Inuyasha. Kagome tried to avoid his gazes. She could feel him looking at her as she ate, which made for her an uncomfortable situation. What is he going to say to me? More importantly, do I want to hear it? Kagome thought she would be able to face him again, but now that they were in the same room, she felt like avoiding him.

To make matters worse, an uncomfortable silence had fallen upon the room. The others did not know what Kagome and Inuyasha's fight was about, but they knew that Kagome hadn't come back for some reason. Miroku and Sango were able to sense that Kagome had been upset about something when she had returned last night. She was not in her usual talkative, chipper mood. For that reason, no one felt much like talking that morning, which made Kagome feel more uncomfortable being there. Someone say something.

"Miroku!" Sango shouted as her hand reached up and grazed the side of his face. She now stormed out of the room, huffing. He was up to his old tricks again. "Umm…I think I'll go check on her," said Kagome, looking for any reason she could find to leave the disturbing quietness of the room. She could feel Inuyasha's gaze on her as she left the hut.

Kagome found Sango outside, arms crossed and wearing a scowl. "Sango, you alright?" Kagome looked at her friend.

"Four times today, Kagome. Four times already! And breakfast isn't even over with yet."

"I feel your pain." Kagome looked at the girl grinning sheepishly. "At that rate, the guy will be black and blue by lunch." Sango frowned. Why does Miroku do that? It always ends up the same way. Sango gets mad and he ends up with the mark of her wrath on his face. Kagome gave Sango and understanding smile. But then she started to think, What if Inuyasha were to do that to me? I can't say that I would mind all that much… At least it's a show of affection. Kagome shook her head. What am I thinking?

 "Kagome?" Sango was looking at her curiously. "What's on your mind?"

Kagome grinned. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about Miroku. He may be lecherous, but he is nice to you. To me. To all of us. That's more than I can say for some people around here. At least he can be sweet."

Sango frowned and shook her head. "Kagome, no offense, but I think you are seriously beginning to lose your mind."

*-*-*

It was already afternoon, and the group were getting ready to go shard hunting again. Inuyasha, who was always ready to go, sat waiting impatiently as Kagome helped Sango get supplies together to take with them. While the girls began packing things into Kagome's over-sized yellow backpack, Kagome came across something she had brought for Shippou—a candy bar, which was now crushed and melted. Not as if he'll care, she thought with a smile. Kagome soon realized that she hadn't seen Shippou since she got there the previous evening. "Does anyone know where Shippou went?" she asked. "We're almost ready to leave, and he isn't here."

"I haven't seen him for awhile Kagome. Maybe you should go look for him while I help Sango," Miroku replied with a little wink. Sango glared at him.

"Thanks Miroku. I'll be right back."

Inuyasha stood up. "I'll help." Kagome felt her heart beginning to beat quickly. He wants to talk. A nervous smile came over her face. "Okay, Inuyasha. Let's go." Miroku watched with interest as the two left the hut together. "Hey, maybe I can help them, too."

"Oh no you won't," replied Sango. "You leave those two alone. You're staying here to help me!"

"Right," replied the monk. "You need a helping hand." Miroku walked up to Sango who was packing food into a large yellow pack, and gently rest his hand on her behind. SLAP.

"Miroku! Next time I won't be as gentle!" she shouted at the monk who was holding his face in pain.

"Is that a promise?" asked Miroku with a grin.

*-*-*

Inuyasha and Kagome walked side by side through the village. "Shippou!" Each of them took turns belting out the kitsune's name. "Shippou!"

"Where could he have gone?" Kagome looked around confusingly. "It's not like him to disappear for so long." She turned to Inuyasha, who didn't seem to be searching for the young fox demon at all, but who was staring at her most intently. He laid his hand on her shoulder. Kagome could feel her skin tingle and her cheeks blushing.

"Listen, Kagome. About the other day…I'm really…I mean…um. I'm…"

He doesn't even know how to apologize. Kagome sighed. "Just forget about it," Kagome replied with a hasty voice. She walked away as his hand slipped off her shoulder. "Let's just forget about it." Kagome's eyes began to burn as she looked away from him. She tried her hardest to keep from crying again. Crying won't help this situation; it will just embarrass me even more.

Inuyasha was overcome with a sense of guilt, and his face showed it. Kagome hadn't been able to look him directly in the eye all day. Most of the day was spent avoiding talking to him and looking in the other direction when he tried to meet her gaze.

Kagome giggled as a small ball of fur pounced on her. "Shippou!" she exclaimed hugging the young kitsune and rubbing his ears. "Kagome, you're back! I thought Inuyasha had scared you off for good," Shippou said while glaring at Inuyasha. "I couldn't forget you could I, Shippou? You're my friend." Kagome smiled at the small fur ball, cradling him as he snuggled into her arms.

"Feh. Should have just left without him." Inuyasha crossed his arms and stared angrily at the ground.

Kagome ignored the hanyou's words. "I missed you, Shippou. I was worried." The young girl and the fox demon went about with their conversation while Inuyasha followed a few paces behind them.

*-*-*

"Miroku! Your face!" exclaimed Kagome putting a cold compress below his eye, where a small bruise had begun to appear.

Sango was still in a bad mood from her previous incident with the perverted monk. "Don't bother with the first-aid, Kagome. Believe me, he deserved it." Miroku gave her a guilty grin.

"Thank you, Lady Kagome," the monk replied pleasantly "that feels much better." Kagome stepped away before Miroku had a chance to grope her as well. "No problem Miroku," she replied with a smile.

Kagome retrieved her bicycle, which she had left next to Kaede's hut during her last visit and placed Shippou in the basket.

"You're riding that contraption?" asked Inuyasha, raising his eyebrows. Kagome knew what he was getting at. If he was expecting her to ride on his back as she often did, he was wrong. The thought of doing that again was an uncomfortable one.

"There's not enough room on Kirara," she explained. "And there's no way I'm walking."

"Feh. Suit yourself," replied the hanyou who looked less than enthusiastic about the idea.

Sango climbed onto her cat demon's back. Miroku followed, waiting to aboard the animal himself. Sango glared at him. "No way. You're not riding with me Miroku! Not after what happened several times earlier today. You can walk for all I care." Kagome couldn't help but to notice a hurt look that overcame the monk's face.

"Miroku," she looked at him smiling, "why don't you ride on the back of my bike."

Inuyasha scowled. "That's too much weight for you to carry, Kagome. It will just slow us down."

"I ride with you don't I, Inuyasha? Miroku probably weighs less."

The monk smiled. "I'd be obliged, Lady Kagome." He mounted the back of the modern-day contraption, trying his hardest to balance himself and his staff. Inuyasha looked fiercely at Miroku as if to say "Touch her and die." The monk grinned nervously.

"Better watch your back, Kagome," warned Sango. "Or backside should I say."

"Are you guys ready to leave yet? We've been here long enough," replied Inuyasha.  "Times a wastin'."