AN: Okay, here's chapter 21, which I decided to write the same day as 20 cause I got a bunch of GREAT reviews. As such, I've decided to dedicate the next three chapters to Del, Dia, and Tiranth, because you guys just rock! I get excited when I see you've reviewed and I haven't even read the review yet!!

Del- I could just see you standing there, hand on one hip, finger pointing at each of them and yelling. *laugh*I think you made Kaemon cry *glances under her bed* or are those allergies, who knows :P

Dia- *dies laughing at the demented cheerleader in love comment*

Tiranth- *removes a few pins and needles* Oh come on, admit it, suspense makes everything worth while. I hate when things come completely easy to a character, then the story bores me. Intrigue, excitement, suspense, and the problems of real life give flavor to a tale ^_^

Oh yeah, another thing, I found the most adorable thing in a dollar store the other day. It's a little bear on a keychain ring, and get this, not only is it lilac colored (aka light purple) but it has a small rose on its collar!! Of course I bought it, and now it's hanging proudly from the zipper of my backpack!! Very much the fashion for students back home, to wear keychain animals on their backpacks, now if I could only find an IY plushie one!! *le sigh*

Last but not least, I have caught up with all my IY episodes up to 122 *le sigh*, AND I finally got my copy of the second IY movie in the mail yesterday and watched it. OMG! I think that sums it up, anyone who has seen it knows what I'm talking about. Now I'm all excited about the third movie, because I've been hearing rumors on the Internet about a 3rd uber powerful sword, a SISTER for Inuyasha/Sess, AND clips of IY's mother and father! Real animation, not that art that we saw of his father in the early episodes. Oh, the trauma that I can't see any of it till next year, but I will be strong!! Anyone have comments? Information? Tickets that I can buy to Japan to see it? *laugh*

Disclaimer: *yawns and mumbles* I don't own, lease, rent, yadda yadda yadda. I don't own anything pertaining to IY, accept the things I have rightfully purchased *holds up some knickknacks* Got it?

Chapter 21

Maeko was kneeling on her futon, sorting through her bag, obviously looking for something. She gave me a quick glance, before realizing something was wrong and turned her attentions to me, which was the last thing I wanted. I plopped down on my futon and laid back with a sigh.

"Don't ask." I said softly and she moved closer, a smile on her face.

"When you say it like that, you make it very difficult for me not to. Can I ask at least if you're alright?"

Something about the way she spoke made every instinct inside scream out to confide in her, maybe she could help me sort through all this, after all she was first of all a woman, second his sister, and third probably in a similar boat. I sighed again, and stared up at the ceiling mutely. Normally I was the confidant, the one that everyone turned to with their problems, and I was always fine with that. Reversely I always felt a burden if I needed to talk to someone, that I was troubling them with matters that they didn't need to be troubled with.

"If you wish to speak, it is not a bother," she said softly, as if she could hear my thoughts. I smiled and turned my head to look at her, as she grinned.

"Your empathy is a power, but empathy is also something that seems to be a part of a miko's work, always ready to help those who look in need. Now what is troubling you? I can tell, your eyes give you away."

I sighed again, and realized I was doing that a lot. "It's about your brother," I began and felt the flame of excitement rise up from around her. I almost shut up right then and there, but I kept in mind that she was 16, no matter what her training, boy talk is always boy talk, throughout the ages.

"He. Well he confessed something to me today, and now it's got my whole body in some sort of whirlwind. I know he's expecting an answer from me, and I know it's only right that I give him one, but I don't know how. I'm not-I'm not very good with this," I said reluctantly and after a moment took a good look at her face, expecting to see the giddy look of a girl, but I was met with a very older, more serious and mature face. She had her eyes closed, very pensive, and remained silent for a moment.

"What is your answer?"

I sighed again, and turned my head back to face the ceiling once more, "I'm not even sure I know. It's like I'm at war with myself. My heart keeps saying these ridiculously exciting things, and my head just keeps reminding me that the last time I listened to my heart, I almost died." I saw her start from the corner of my eye.

"I fell in love, when I wasn't much younger than you, to the only person I had ever met that I couldn't read with my empathy, and he betrayed me. I'm still not sure why I lived, because every breath I took, every heartbeat I had, I wished were my last. I guess my own stupid survival instinct saved me, but to do so, I buried all those painful memories of him deep inside. Last night your brother forced me to face them, face them after almost 8 years of holding them inside. It was like a giant weight had lifted from my shoulders, or a light turning on inside. Where I could ignore everything I couldn't see, now I see all too well, and I don't know what to do."

Maeko nodded slowly, "But you didn't answer my question," she said softly. I turned my head again to look at her, confused.

"Do you return my brother's feelings?"

"Right now Maeko, I'm worried that what feelings I do have, are born from the wrong reasons. Gratitude, admiration, and even worse, this bond your uncle told us about. I don't want to love your brother because I have to, I want to love him because I want to." I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. Maeko smiled, and rose to her feet.

"I think you've found your answer," she said, and she couldn't keep the joy from shining in her eyes, as she turned and headed for the door. She paused a moment, "I'll make sure you have some time to yourself, but enjoy it while you can, I doubt I can keep Kohana away for long." She laughed softly and left the room, softly closing the door behind her.

I stared at her exit, my own words still ringing in my head, and the feeling they brought still shimmering in my heart. But what did it mean? Could I really risk it again? I was young before, I wasn't sure I would have the strength to face it again. After all, what good could come of this. Eventually I would have to go home, once we found out where those creatures were coming from, and I knew he wouldn't go back with me. Would I just be setting myself up for another heartbreak, if I admitted my feelings.

Suddenly, realization dawned on me, causing me to smile, and a sense of familiarity came over me. Perhaps, there was one person I could speak to, someone who could help me through this, someone who had gone through it herself. I quickly scrambled to my feet and dashed out of the room, my bare feet thudding softly on the wooden floor as I ran down the corridor. As I rounded a corner, a figure rose up in front of my and I quickly began paddling my feet backwards. As fortune would have it, the one person I was looking for appeared before me.

"Kagome-sama," I gasped, and quickly bowed, "Please, I need your help!"

She grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up, "What happened?!" her voice was that of any mother, at the possible news that their child was hurt. I blinked for a second and shook my head.

"I'm sorry for startling you, but I need to speak to you," I said. She glanced over her shoulder, "I'm supposed to see Sesshomaru in a few minutes with Inuyasha, can we speak later?" I grabbed her hand, looking pleadingly into her eyes.

"Please Kagome," I said softly. She took one look at my face, and quickly whisked me into a nearby empty room, that looked like it hadn't been used for many years. She closed the door, and placed a seal across the hinge.

"There, that'll give us some privacy and keep Inuyasha from finding us for a little." She said before turning to face me.

"What is wrong Francesca," she said softly. I paused a moment, loosing the sudden bit of courage that I had gained in my inspiration.

'She's got better places to be,' nagged my conscious and I quickly spat out, "How did you know?"

"How did I know?" she repeated, tilting her head to the side curiously.

I took a deep breath, and in one long sentence said, "HowdidyouknowthatyoulovedInuyasha?"

~~*~~ (3rd Person, nearby)

"Now where did your mother disappear t-achoo!" Inuyasha said, sneezing loudly. Keitaro glanced at his father curiously, never in his whole life had he known him to be sick, and especially never sneezed.

"Are you alright?"

"I think someone's talking about m-achoo. No, now I-achoo. Blast it, it has to be your moth-achoo!"

~~*~~ (Okay, back to me now!)

She blinked at me in surprise, before crossing her arms over her chest.

"I think you had better explain what you mean," she said softly and I sighed. I had hoped she'd just give me an answer, and solve my problems. Wishful thinking, that would have been TOO easy!

I whispered, "How did you know that taking the chance to love him, even if you might lose him to Kikyou or even to time, was worth it?"

Kagome closed her eyes for a moment before answering, "I didn't. I didn't even think of it. All I knew was that I loved him, and I wanted to be with him for as long as I could be. Back then, traveling over the country, fighting whatever Naraku threw in our way, I never thought much of the future beyond the next exam. I treasured every moment I had with him, because I didn't know what would happen next. As for being worth it, when you love someone, and truly love them, anything is worth it. Even if things don't turn out the way you want, being in love sometimes is worth all the bad."

"Even the worst pain?"

She opened her eyes and looked at me, before smiling gently.

"Even that, though you feel like you can't go on anymore. That's what always amazed me about my feelings for Inuyasha, the odds were against me, there was Kikyou and my 'normal life' back in Tokyo, or the chance that either he or I would die the next day, and yet love still grew, on those dusty roads and blood soaked grounds. Through injuries and heartache, it still found a way to us. Love is hope, Francesca, the hope that lives within each of us, the hope for something better. Don't forget that, and never lose hope." She stepped forward and hugged me, and it was like being back in my own mother's arms, safe and comforted. I smiled and returned the hug.

"Thank you Kagome," I whispered and she released me.

"Oh, and one more little piece of advise Francesca, sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet," she said with a smile. I blinked and nodded, "I've heard that phrase before, but never really understood it."

"It means that if you feel for my son, the way I know he feels for you, then perhaps you should get the point across to Kaemon. He can be a little thick-headed and stubborn sometimes," she said with a smile. I blinked in surprise, and she winked.

"News travels very quickly," she replied to my unspoken comment, "and Rin greeted me this morning," she added for a final explanation. I nodded, "Thank you for your help Kagome-sama," I said softly, bowing as she turned, removed the seal and stepped out of the room, closing it behind her.

~~*~~ (3rd person again)

"Kagome," she heard called and saw Inuyasha walking towards her. "I've been looking all over for y-" he began as his mate stood up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Oy Kagome?" he asked softly and quickly fell silent as she pressed her lips to his in a soft sweet kiss, which after the surprise wore away, he returned just as sweetly.

"Whatever I did, remind me to do it again," he said with a sly grin on his face, "You haven't kissed me like that in a while, what's the occasion?"

Kagome smiled secretly before whispering, "Hope." She kissed him again, just as sweet before stepping back, taking his hand and walking with him down the corridor to the main room.

"Hope? What's that mean?" he asked curiously, just a touch of his old tone of voice seeping in, that annoyed slight whine that she loved so much.

'Gambatene Francesca' she thought with a smile.

((AN: I was gonna stop here, but I can give you guys another page or two before I fall asleep))

~~*~~ (Camera pans back to Francesca)

I glanced out into the corridor, looking both ways to make sure no one saw me, and hurried back to my room. I knew what I had to do, next problem, how to do it. I closed the door behind me and did what I always did back home when I was stressed and needed to seriously think, I put on music. I pulled out my Discman and clipped the ear cuffs to my ears, hitting the play button. A few slow soft love songs filled my ears and I quickly panned through them, I needed something upbeat, to dance to , and burn away the anxiety around me so I could think. Soft guitar filled my ears, that quickly picked up to a fast beat and I smiled. I loved this song.

My eyes closed, I lifted my hands above my head and shook my hips to the beat, tossing my head to the bass, and let my feet do the rest. It was a popular song, that fit me perfectly, talking about giving into love, and devoting yourself to another person. ((AN: That's how I interpret the lyrics. Those of you who are confused, next chapter I'll reveal the song)). Most of all, it spoke of uncertainty, and hope, and that's what I loved the most about it. As I danced, I felt my spirits soar, my courage rise and I knew what I had to do. I spun around, my foot caught on the strap of my bag just as the song ended and sent me sprawling to the ground.

I laughed at my own clumsiness and opened my eyes, when I saw a pair of bare feet before me. My eyes paned up as bare feet, became red pants, and a white undershirt, and black silver streaked hair.

"Oh merda," I swore under my breath as I looked Keitaro in the eyes. Kohana sat on his shoulders, her own eyes wide.

"Um, how much-" I began and his face turned as red as his pants.

"All of it," he said honestly and Kohana piped up, "Nee-san, where did you learn to dance like that?!"

I smiled nervously, "Um, lots of people dance like that where I come from, and its fun for me. Though I normally don't dance in front of others," I said as my voice trailed off. Kohana smiled.

"I like it Nee-san, you should dance tomorrow at the dinner!" she chirped and I stared at her.

"I don't think I should Kohana, the youkai might not like it, because that's now how people dance here." I said.

"It can be your present to Onii-san" she said and Keitaro gave her a stern look, which she ignored, "Everyone is supposed to bring him a present tomorrow, cause the dinner is for him. Maybe you can dance!"

I stared at the small girl and a smile lit up on my face. Without knowing it, she had solve my problem in that one innocent sentence. I glanced at Keitaro, "What do you think?"

I looked at me a second, and then down at his feet, "I thought it was a very lovely dance, I would be honored if you dance for me tomorrow." Perfect. I spread my arms out, as if I were holding a skirt, and curtseyed, "As my lord wishes," I said playfully and watched the flush rise up his cheeks.

"I haven't decided yet," he said, before turning those deep eyes to me, "There's something I have to resolve first." With that he turned and walked away, Kohana obliviously happy to be riding so high.

I stared at them, still completely floored by what had just happened. This must be my lucky day, Kagome helped answer my biggest question and Kohana gave me the perfect solution. I was on cloud 9! Wait a second, how was I going to dance to a song that was only on a burnt CD from the 21st century, in 15th century Japan. That could be a problem.

'Rin!' I thought, she probably knew this castle better than Sesshomaru, she could help me. I dropped my player on my futon and ran out the door, skidding to a quick stop as I saw a figure in black gliding down the outside corridor. Megahna! I quickly turned on my heel and began walking in the opposite direction. Rin had to be that way!

AN: I know, too short, but I promise the REALLY big and juicy one comes out tomorrow! I love Labor Day, I love any holiday that gives me time to write!! Enjoy and of course, the traditional beg and plead *falls to her knees* PLEASE!! Read and Review!!