IS: C'mon Inu... kiss her you crazy fool!!
Inu: ... who told you that you could speak? ::knuckles crack::
IS: Meep! ::runs away::
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'Where You Go I'll Follow'
Chapter 2
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C'mon Inuyasha! Just do it! You want to! You NEED to! Don't wuss out now!! Get it all off
your chest! Tell her how you feel!
Inuyasha continued to stare at Kagome, eyes slightly glazed over. She must have been a witch...
she had too much power over him. He had thought Kikyou would be the only one EVER to arouse such
... such what? Such emotion? Such aggravation? Such.. love? He felt like throwing up and dancing
around at the same time.
She's RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! Kiss her, dammit!
"Kagome.."
She blinked just once, then caught her breath.
"Yes.. Inuyasha?"
"I.."
"Kagomeeeeeee!!!"
Shippou burst forth from the underbrush and tackled Kagome's legs, causing Inuyasha to jump back
as if bitten. A slight flush stained his cheeks and he glared in the other direction, barely
hiding his disappointment.
"S-shippou?"
"I was so worried, Kagome! I thought a demon may have snatched you! Why did you run off like that?!"
"Oh.. I-I'm sorry, Shippou. I just went for a short walk. I'm sorry to have worried you."
Kagome stole a glance at Inuyasha, but couldn't see his face.
What would he have said?! Surely not.. NO WAY! Inuyasha would never... would he? If Shippou
hadn't shown up so suddenly, would Inuyasha have...?
She hoped Shippou would mistake her blush for the heat. It seemed much hotter than normal anyway.
Kagome lifted the kitsune into her arms and turned towards camp.
"Inuyasha.. are you coming?"
He shook his head.
Kagome walked back with Shippou, knowing that leaving for her vacation was going to be much more
difficult than she thought.
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"BAKA! Dammit.. Shippou just HAD to show up RIGHT THEN! When I get my hands on that bastard..
GAAAAHHHH!!"
Inuyasha fumed by the lake, his hands throwing anything within range and hoping that breaking
whatever he could would ease his frustration a bit. It usually worked. It didn't now. He felt
sure that Shippou saw what was about to happen.. maybe he and Kagome were laughing about him
behind his back. He thought he even heard them.
'Look at poooor lovesick Inuyasha! Doesn't he ever give up?!'
'Yeah, I almost feel sorry for the guy! He's a poor little demon mutt in love with a human he can't
have! Does it get anymore pathetic?!'
'You should let him have it Kagome!'
'He's soooo not worth it! Like I would even consider a stupid, lazy, ugly slob like Inuyasha! Who
in their right mind would?'
Inuyasha uprooted a massive tree trunk on the edge of the woods and sent it flying into the lake.
He needed to shut out the voices in his head for a while.. distract them. They may not have said
those things, but he knew that was what they must be thinking. He looked at his clawed hands with
disgust. He really couldn't compare to those guys Kagome knew in her time, he knew that. They had
manners. They didn't turn into a full demon on occassion. They were the type that he saw her with.
So, was he going to live with this... 'thing' he had for Kagome for the rest of his life? Was he
going to watch her go down that well to kiss someone else while he sat on the other side, waiting
and watching for her to come back? He wanted her to be happy, yes he did, but he didn't know if
she could be happy with him. What if he attacked her when he became a full demon? What if he -the
thought made him wince- even killed her one day? He couldn't bear that. Her safety was always of
utmost importance to him. But how could he live with seeing her every day and just thinking of
holding her sent shivers up his spine and made him look away before he took action. And when she
glanced at him at those rare moments when he let his guard slip and she thought she just might see
him reach out for her.. that was hard. He had fought to keep his reckless side in check. It
screamed at him, because it knew what he wanted. It was just so..
Inuyasha shook his head, hard. These questions ran through his brain, eating away at him. He musn't
let it get him down.
How on earth will I survive these next few weeks?
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"Have fun, Kagome. This 'vacation' thing sounds like a lot of fun."
"Thank you, Sango-chan. I'm sure I will."
"And don't forget to take those..um.. 'pick-chures' of the girls on the beach for me!"
Kagome giggled and nodded slightly as Sango shot Miroku a quelling look.
"Don't forget to bring me back beach toys and cotton candy!"
"I won't Shippou. I'll make sure to bring everything I can when I return."
Sango, Shippou and Miroku each gave her a hug and wished her well. Inuyasha was nowhere in sight.
Kagome turned and walked down the trail towards the well that linked the worlds, waving goodbye to
her friends for as long as she could still see them. Her backpack felt heavier than usual, as did
her heart. She soaked in the tall, proud trees and the delicate flowers that dotted the path,
memorizing them for her 3 week absence. Vacations were supposed to be HAPPY!
Kagome froze when the small, sturdy well came into view. Well, this was it. Goodbye feudal era..
for a while at least. She made her way forward to the well, and was about to climb in, when-
"Kagome! Stop!"
Inuyasha dropped down from an enormous oak by the well and landed neatly on the opposite side from
Kagome. His look was unreadable.
"I'm leaving, Inuyasha."
He was silent for a moment, as if thinking of a civil way to word his reply. His dark brows
furrowed in concentration.
"Kagome.. couldn't your family go without you? You could stay here and we could all go on a
vacation together."
She had thought about it. The thought was dreadfully tempting. But then Kagome pictured Souta's
heartbroken face and her mother's look of sad disappointment..
"I really can't, Inuyasha. I don't want to let down my family."
"But, it's only one time!"
"Yes, but it's TRADITION!"
"Tradition is stupid! You'd have more fun here.. with m- us!" He had almost let it slip.
Kagome bowed her head, mind set firm.
"I just can't. I'm sorry." She climbed over the edge of the well, the rough wood scratching her
legs, and hauled her pack over her shoulder. She looked up with misty eyes.
"I'll miss you. Goodbye, Inu-chan."
And she disappeared from sight, leaving a stunned Inuyasha behind.
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How could she.. how COULD she?! He had almost poured out his heart to her (what progress he
had made!), and she just left! And she looked as if she had wanted to cry...
Kagome was too sweet and innocent.. she was vulnerable! Kagome was the type of person to bandage
up a deadly and dangerous demon if they were badly injured. Kagome was the kind of girl to weep
at the sight of an innocent creature's life taken away. And Kagome was the type of person to
give up all that she had to help someone who needed it more. In short, she was very vulnerable!
How could he let her go to some strange place where, surely, there were strange and dangerous
people ready to take advantage of a sweet and innocent girl such as Kagome?! Hadn't he warned her?
Hadn't he told her that her cute little naive self would get into big trouble one day (well, he
hadn't said 'cute'), if she didn't just mind her own business? He knew he did. She just never
listened. Or believed him.. whichever. And now she was going to get herself hurt, and he had just
let her go off!
Inuyasha slapped himself upside the head. He really was as stupid as everyone always said.
Well, he was going to make up for his mistakes, starting now.
Inuyasha stomped back to the camp. His ears pricked up at the sound of the fire crackling and
sniffed the air for the smell of meat sizzling. He was as hungry as a wolf demon, but he had
more important things to do.
"Miroku! Sango! Shippou! Pack up, we leave!"
Three bewildered faces looked up from their tasks at hand, wondering why the hanyou was so eager
to leave, and where to.
"Where are we going," Sango asked, setting down a stack of ivory plates Kagome had brought from
her time.
"Just pack, cause we are leaving immediately," Inuyasha replied, sliding Tetsusaiga into its sheath.
Miroku frowned. "It would be nice to know our destination before we depart.."
"We're going with Kagome."
Silence, then-
"Yay! She asked us to come didn't she?! Yay!!"
"No.. she didn't, Shippou."
Shippou stopped his little dance, eyes narrowing under his long bangs.
"Then.. why?"
Inuyasha stood tall. "Because Kagome could get hurt. She is innocent and stupid at times, and needs
our protection. We need her to find the shards, after all."
Sango frowned, pursing her lips. "But, isn't she safe in her time? There aren't demons or anything..."
"People are idiots, and by damn, they won't mess with Kagome. Not with me there."
There was a shocked silence at Inuyasha' determined ferocity.
"Follow me or be left behind, it's your choice."
Inuyasha turned and walked to the well with purpose.
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Kagome stared at her overstuffed yellow backpack on her bed and sighed. She could hear Souta and
Mama talking excitedly and laughing as they packed Souta's things in his room. Kagome wished she
had someone helping her pack.. someone with silver hair and beautiful gold eyes... but, here she
was, alone.. in her room..
Kagome shook her head angrily. Stop it, Kagome! He's not here! JUst stop it and get ready to have
a great vacation with your family! You never spend enough time at home now, anyway. Inuyasha has
been hogging you for a long time now, and it's now Souta and Mama's time. So, just stop!
Kagome stuffed a few last minute things into her bags and ran down the stairs to where her mother
and Souta were waiting.
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((WHOOMP!!))
Silence...
"Did... we make it?"
"I think so. Let me check."
((Rub rub...))
((SLAP!))
"Ok ok.. gomen..."
"Yay! We made it to Kagome's time!"
"Get off me you stupid runt!"
((Rustle rustle..))
A pair of silver ears peeked out from the bottom of the well, quivering with excitement and
apprehension at the new, unfamiliar sounds in the distance. Clawed hands gripped the edge of the
well and stopped before pulling Inuyasha out.
Her.. scent. It's faint, but it's everywhere..He paused a moment, letting it sink in to his
being.
"Uh.. if you wouldn't MIND, Inuyasha, we'd like to get out of here."
Inuyasha grumbled and quickly leapt from the well, the scent of Kagome distracting him from
making a snappy retort.
This is Kagome's time.. Kagome's place. It was like this last time I came here. Just Kagome.
Sango, Miroku and Shippou clambered out of the well and looked around curiously.
Miroku nodded. "Doesn't look too different, actually."
Inuyasha shot him the 'you are an idiot' look. "We're still in the wellhouse."
"Oh! Of course."
Sango stifled her giggles behind one hand and led Shippou out of the wellhouse with the other.
"Whoa.."
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"Are.. are you SURE we didn't forget anything?"
"Honey, we triple checked the house. We've packed EVERYTHING we needed. I'm positive."
"Still.. I still feel like there's something I forgot, but I can't put my finger on it..."
"Kagome, stop worrying. We have everything."
Kagome nodded, her brow furrowed with worry, but stood by her mother while she loaded their bags
into the trunk of the taxi that was destined for the airport.
I feel like crying. I feel like running to the well and throwing myself down. Back down to
Inuyasha. But.. I can't.
Kagome turned from her mother and climbed into the taxi.
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