Well, here we go again with the next chapter! Yeah! *waves banner*

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to all the reviewers! I love you all *sobs*

I don't own Inu Yasha…only this paper cut-out of him on a stick that I made! *plays with Inu Yasha-on-a-stick and makes him sit* oh, it's just not the same!

Shadows

Chapter 19: Happy Birthday Sango!

Kagome rolled her head to the side to view out the window in Kaede's hut. From where she lay, she had a perfect view of the moon, where it hung in the sky, only a quarter of its real size. Soon would be Inu Yasha's human night, the first new moon of the month.

'I wonder if Souta and I will have a human night…' she thought to herself. She was only a quarter youkai apparently, as was her brother, but would it be as it was with Inu Yasha? One night of the month to return to their human forms? She remembered vaguely the full moon being her father's night of weakness.

Her father…she had tried not to think of all the memories that had appeared so recently. She was still so heartbroken for the loss of her mother and grandfather that she had pushed all three of them far from her mind- or so she though. But so easily they came from the back of her mind, as if they were simply waiting for her guard to falter. Then they would emerge, her mother's smiles, her grandfather's stories, her father's gentle blue eyes smiling at her. Then the images would switch to her mother and grandfather, lying in pools of their own blood, lifeless corpses left to haunt her mind. Shutting her eyes to try and vanquish the images did nothing- if anything they made them more detailed and vivid.

Her mind, full of jumbled thoughts, jumped back and forth from the past to the present, then to the future. What if her friend's fears came true, that she wouldn't be able to control her new powers? Was her power linked into her emotions? And if they were, would she be able to control them, without having to turn herself into something she didn't want to become, and emotionless, cold person. If she could, she would do anything to prevent that from happening.

Looking away from the moon, her gaze fell onto Souta, not far from where she was lying, his newly acquired doggy ears twitching, listening to the small sounds all around them. He had obviously inherited those from their father.

At that thought, images again began to play against the screen of her memory. Souta had been…about 2, she herself 8. Her father had always hung around the shrine, never really leaving for long amounts of time. When he did, their grandfather would put a cloaking kind of spell over him, so that he would not appear to be any different. She could always see through it though. Then one day, he unexpectedly left the shrine, without a reason or the spell that cloaked his features. She never saw him again. Her mother had told her a few days later that he had died in an accident. Kagome remembered that within the sadness and grief she had felt, she had felt a large amount of surprise. An accident…accident? Her Father was strong, wise, daring, courageous, and everything a great father should be. How could he have died of a mere accident! Looking back at these once forgotten memories, she had to hold back a chuckle. Of course she would have believed that, her father-to her- had been almost like a god; nothing could harm him.

She sighed and turned her attention back to the window. Besides the moon, she could also see a tree a little further out. One of the branches moved slightly and the leaves rustled with the movement as the wind caught hold of them. Looking around the hut, she saw that everyone was accounted for except, of course, Inu Yasha. Moving the kitsune that presently resided on her stomach, she stealthily crept out of the hut.

With her somewhat sharpened vision, she could see some red color showing through the thick foliage of the tree and continued her journey towards the tree.

*~*~*

Inu Yasha had not been able to sleep. Not that he usually slept, but when he did, he usually had no problems doing it. He realized that he had a lot of things whirling around his head. So, he had exited the hut and taken up in the tree, to stare at the moon and think. And, to sometimes stare through the window that held perfect, unblocked view into the hut. He had seen when her eyes had lazily opened, looking out at the moon. At first, he had thought it had been him, but soon realized that it wasn't him who had drawn her attention. He watched as her eyes, so deep in thought, roamed over the small hut, stopping to stare at one longer than the others. What was she thinking? Her eyes had always been one of the most expressive things, a quality he loved in the girl.

Loved? Yes, he knew that he loved her, he had admitted it just awhile ago, but had known it deep down for a long time. After they had first met, and he had realized that she was not Kikyo, but 'Ka-go-me!' as she put it, he had found himself thinking that she was pretty. But, he had often reminded himself, of course you'd think she's pretty! She looks like Kikyo! Slowly, though, he realized that she wasn't just pretty, she was cute. Maybe it was the innocence and purity that she held that not even Kikyo had possessed. And then, starting after Yura of the hair, his feelings for her had progressed from slight admiration, attraction, then a need to be near her that bordered on infatuation. Sure, he had thought it to be merely "puppy" love (a/n: sorry about the pun! ^_^;;) but it had dawned on him after the fight with Toukajin that he really truly did love her. But hell if he would have admitted it then!

He eventually had felt the need to finally express the words to her. But now, after all that had recently happened, he felt a little…uncomfortable. 'Well, not uncomfortable' he said to himself, 'Just…unsure…' Where would their relationship go from here? Obviously, anything very serious would wait until after Naraku's defeat. But still…he felt like there was something that needed to be decided.

And as he had been thinking all these, he had failed to notice the object of his ponderings creeping towards him. Suddenly catching her scent wafting up to him, he jumped as if caught doing something wrong, and looked down at her. She had some of her modern clothes again, a pair of sky blue 'paa-jah-mah' pants and button up top with clouds floating across the fabric. She gazed up to him, the moon's soft glare lighting her eyes as she smiled at him.

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome called up to him.

"What are you doing out here, wench?" Inu Yasha answered, quickly regaining his lost composure.

Kagome, paying no heed to the name, turned away from him, "I couldn't sleep…" she trailed off and sighed, then sat down below the tree and stared up at the night's sky.

Watching from his tree perch, he debated between letting her continue her star gaze or talk.

His decision was taken away when she laid down on her back and, still staring at the sky, called up to him, "Inu Yasha, do you ever think about what would have happened if things hadn't changed?"

Surprised, he jumped down from the tree and landed on the ground in a squatting position. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…what if there was no Naraku? How do you think your life would have turned out?" 'Oh, way to go Kagome! You're just asking for pain! When did I become such a masochist?!?'

"Well…" Inu Yasha glanced at her, still surprised and curious where this had all come from. "I guess I'd probably be human and…ah, I'd probably be with Kikyo, I guess."

Kagome nodded, then closed her eyes. A thought occurred to her and she started giggling.

"What?" Inu Yasha asked crossly, annoyed that she was laughing at his answer.

"I'm sorry…I'm not laughing at you but…" She struggled to keep the laugher down, "Fifty years have passed! You'd be as old as my grandfather!"

'Was' she silently added, and her laugher quickly stopped.

Inu Yasha smirked and was about to sling a sarcastic remark when he noticed her growing sadness. 'Of course she's sad, baka! She just reminded herself of her grandfather and mother, not to mention you just said you'd have been with Kikyo!' Slowly, he moved next to her and sat crossed-legged, glancing awkwardly at her.

"I sometimes wonder what would have happened, if I wouldn't have fallen through the well…" Kagome spoke in a hushed voice.

Inu Yasha flopped on to his back and joined her in her stargazing, his arms going to rest behind his head. "Do you think you'd have been happy?" he asked quietly.

Kagome gave an almost harsh laugh. "Probably, but I would have missed out on meeting you and Sango, Miroku and Shippo, Kaede and Kirara."

"Yeah, but you would have never know," Inu Yasha glanced at her and felt his heart jump when her eyes met his.

"I suppose…'Ignorance is bliss' or so they say," Kagome averted her eyes back to the moon and sighed, "But, I'm happy with my life."

"You're…happy?" Inu Yasha asked her unbelievably. How could she be happy, with all that had happened?

"Well, maybe happy is too strong a word…I'm content. And, I am happy to be her, with you and the others…"

Inu Yasha sighed. 'Even now…she's happy to be with me…' a blush deepened his cheeks as he kept his eyes towards the dark night's sky.

"So…what happens now?" Kagome whispered.

"Um…I don't know…" Inu Yasha mumbled and looked at the sky, the woods, anything besides her.

"Well, I've already told you how I feel. Did you really mean what you said that night?" She had to make sure that she knew exactly where they were, and where she stood.

"Well…ah, yeah" the hanyou mumbled nervously.

Kagome turned her head towards him and smiled, "I know it's hard for you to…talk about this kind of stuff, but I…just need to know where we stand."

Inu Yasha gulped nervously and then finally brought his eyes to meet hers. 'God, those eyes still bare her soul more than anything else. They always seem to be so full of life.' I mean what I said Kagome. I…love you. Anything else, well, we can just take as it comes." There, he had said it. He even felt better with it out there, instead of gnawing at his insides.

Smiling, Kagome closed her eyes and nodded. "OK, I know defeating Naraku and completing the jewel is the number on priority right now." She opened her eyes and peered into his, "You should already know this but, just remember that anytime you want to talk, about anything, I'll listen."

Inu Yasha flashed her one of his rare, true smiles. "Feh, I know."

Turning her head towards the sky, she decided to change the subject. "You know, tomorrow is Sango's birthday. She's turning 17."

"Yeah…" Inu Yasha wondered why she had changed the subject to this.

"Well, are you going to get her something?"

"Feh, why?"

"Well, I don't know, because she's your friend?" Kagome replied sarcastically and crossed her arms.

"Well, what are you going to give her?"

"I'm not completely sure, I thought I'd- Hey! You better not be trying to steal my idea!"

"Feh, like I would wench!" Inu Yasha sat up and took his usual haughty position, his back towards her.

Not wanting to fight, Kagome decided to try and the ease the situation, "If you want, my gift could be from the two of us."

Inu Yasha's eyes grew wide. 'Like…a couple!' "Yeah…uh fine. Whatever." He mumbled, trying not to stutter.

Kagome smiled at his back, then yawned, "Well, I think I'm going in." She leaned into him and hugged his back, making his wide-eyes grow wider before a smile tugged at his lips.

"Good night Kagome." He turned to watch her retreating form, then hopped back on to his tree branch for the rest of the night.

*~*~*

Kagome rolled to her side as the sun's light splashed upon her face. As her mind slowly became more and more aware of her surroundings, she felt fur beneath her finger tips. Slowly opening her eyes, trying to keep the sun's glare away, she saw Shippo curled up to her side. Smiling at the sleeping kitsune, she slowly sat up, stretching. Looking around the hut, she could see that only Sango and Shippo had to wake.

"Ah, good morning child," Kaede called out quietly from the fire, sipping a morning cup of tea.

"Good Morning." She greeted and stifled a yawn.

"Kagome, can I speak to you momentarily?" Miroku asked her, motioning for the door.

Kagome nodded and followed him out of the hut. Sango was slowly beginning to wake, and she knew that Miroku didn't want her to hear his plans.

"Lady Kagome, can you take Sango to bathe in the spring after lunch so that the others and I can prepare?" Seeing her nod, he continued. "Please don't mention her birthday. We want it to be a surprise, right?" He winked at her as she nodded again in agreement and they turned back and re-entered the hut. Sure enough, Sango had risen and was now drinking a cup of tea.

"Good Morning Sango-Chan!" Kagome called to her friend, and then sat down near her. Shippo still lay asleep, sprawled out on her sleeping bag.

Miroku greeted her as well before sitting down and pouring his own tea.

Sango looked at the two of them. "Where did you guys go? I heard Houshi-sama say he wanted to speak to you." She asked curiously.

Kagome laughed and waved her hand as if it was nothing, "Oh, he was just being his usual letcher-self, Sango-Chan!"

Miroku's eyebrow twitched, then twitched again as Sango obviously believed the lie and changed the subject. Come on, he wasn't that bad, was he? (*cough*yes*cough*)

*~*~*

After lunch, Kagome managed to pull Sango to the hot spring with Shippo accompanying them. Miroku went with Kirara to the nearby village again to pick up his present. Kaede and Miroku had convinced Inu Yasha to go hunt for dinner, after promising that yes, he could have some of his precious ramen as well.

After retrieving his package form the woman at the village, Miroku quickly flew back with Kirara. Everything had to go perfectly tonight! It had to, after all his hard planning.

When he returned to Kaede's, he found that Inu Yasha had managed to get a boar, which was presently roasting. Kaede was nearby, preparing a side dish for the meal.

He was about to comment on how well everything was turning out when the hut abruptly grew dark. Dropping the package as he felt his knees grow weak, he thanked god that it wasn't fragile. Suddenly he could make out a woman standing in front of him, cloaked in a dark robe. A normal person wouldn't have been able to see that it was a woman, but he did have a sense for that. (-_-;;)

The woman's voice called out, quiet and low, but feminine none the less. There was something odd about her voice, but he concentrated on her words instead of trying to figure out what it was. "Children of the spirits, the holy ones of this land. Though there are few true ones left in this time, I call ye forth now. When the moon cannot be seen, head ye towards the brightest light. Continue till the moon gleams brightest. Then answer to the call of the sea, and all answers will be waiting. The vice of man and demon alike will ye find there."

Miroku tried to call out to her as the form began to disappear, but his voice seemed to have failed him. The world began to slowly brighten around him, as the darkness lifted from his mind. He found himself on his knees in the entrance of Kaede's hut.

"Hey! Hey! What the hells wrong with you!" Inu Yasha swore and shook the monks shoulder.

Blinking, he picked up his staff and stood. He glanced over to Kaede to find that she also appeared to be dazed.

"What happened to you guys? You both just blanked out!" Inu Yasha barked at them, trying to hide the worry.

"Aye, we are fine Inu Yasha. It was a vision." Kaede glanced at Miroku, "I see you have had it as well, monk?"

Miroku nodded, then heard footsteps approaching them quickly. Sango burst the door, gulping for air, "Something's wrong with Kagome! She collapsed and hasn't moved!" At hearing the first part, Inu Yasha was already out of the hut, heading towards the spring.

Sango then took the time to look around the hut. "Ah…what's all this guys?"

Miroku smiled sheepishly, "Ah…Happy Birthday Sango!?!"

Woo Hoo! My longest chapter yet!! I hope you all like it!

And if your really good and review, in the next chapter, we'll finally find out what Miroku has up his sleeve! ^_~