Chapter 21
Decisions
Inu Yasha watched as the woman bustled about the small kitchen, filling the kettle with water and setting it on the stove. He'd offered to help, but she had waved off his offer. As soon as the water was on she picked up the phone, he heard her telling Kagome he was there. He heard Kagome's voice fill with relief, and his head dropped, he had not meant to worry her. Finally the woman who said she was Kagome's mother returned to the kitchen. "So, Inu Yasha, what happened to bring you out in the wee hours of a December morning?"
"It's not important." He said sipping the tea she slid in front of him. Taking the seat across from him.
"You always used to talk to me." She smiled. Reaching across the table, she covered one of his hands with hers.
"Kagome... I ... Aww... hell, Ms. Higurashi, I love her. I have since the first moment I saw her. I've tried everything to make her love me, but I always come in second to Kenmaru's dad. I take care of the boy while she's at the hospital, fix her dinner, have it ready when she comes in from work, rub her feet, her shoulders. Then tonight..." he swallowed but continued. "I heard water running, it woke me up... It was coming from Kagome's wing, I thought she or Kenmaru was sick. I went to help and the air was filled with..." he blushed and his voice dropped, "the scent of her arousal. Then I heard her whisper..."I wonder if your daddy has those thoughts about me." I can't remember anything... Genken, another inu hanyou, asked me yesterday about the miko that pinned me to a tree... but I have no idea who he's talking about. I keep having these dreams of a woman telling me she'll love me forever... but I don't know who it is...." He raised his golden eyes to her, "And the funny thing... I'm beginning to not care. I care that much about Kagome." His ears twitched at the sound of Kagome's car arriving... "She's here."
Moments later Kagome ran into the kitchen, worry etched on her face. She was about to speak when her mother interrupted. "Inu Yasha, why don't you go out to the small shrine where I found you. I'd like to speak to Kagome privately." He nodded and downed the remainder of his tea in one gulp, before leaving the room. When Kagome would have spoke as soon as he left, her mother held up a finger. Through the kitchen window she watched until the hanyou entered the small shrine. "Sit down Kagome, we need to talk."
Kagome sat her brows furrowing. "Momma?"
"You need to make a decision Kagome. Oh, I have not told him anything, because you asked me not to. I still say you should tell him, but that is your decision. Would you like to know why he left tonight?" At her daughter's nod she told her. "That is why he left. Kagome, I understand you don't want to cause him pain by not telling him - but at least how you feel about him, you are. Here is something to consider. What if he never regains his memories? Are you going to continue to torture yourself and that young man? The young man who sat in this kitchen and not ten minutes ago admitted to your mother he loved you. Are you going to continue to hold him at arms length waiting for something that may or may not happen?" Kaiya looked at her daughter for a moment, "You have two choices, Kagome. Either break your heart and his by making a clean break, which will allow him to move on. Or you can choose to make new memories with someone you love and that loves you." Bending she kissed her daughter's forehead. "Lock up before you leave."
Kagome watched her mother leave the room. She listened as the woman's soft steps moved up the stairs. Her mother's words replaying in her mind, "admitted he loved you.... may never regain his memories...torture yourself... torture Inu Yasha..... allow him to move on.... make new memories.... he heard you.... he had come because he thought you or Kenmaru were ill." All the meals, the back rubs, the foot rubs... the hours he spent taking care of Kenmaru... His demon half's reaction to her at the club... Standing, she turned off the stove and placed the two tea cups and bowl in the sink. Wiping down the table with a sponge, she thought of the expression on his face when she'd walked in. The pain in his eyes, the slight droop of his ears and the way he hadn't spoken to her. Suddenly she couldn't stay in the kitchen any longer.
Tears streaming down her face she ran across the courtyard. It didn't matter if he never remembered. She didn't care, what was more important was holding him in her arms. She would remember for both of them. Sliding the door to the small shrine open her eyes searched the gloom until she saw him staring at the well. "Inu Yasha?" she whispered. He spun and looked at her. For a moment neither moved, neither spoke. A car horn sounded in the distance, and the spell was broken. She leapt trusting him to catch her as he always had, and he did. Pulling her close to him.
"You idiot," he chastised, "you could have been injured."
"Not with you here.... not with you here... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...." She sobbed against his chest, "I should have told you weeks ago... I love you... I want ... I want to be with you. With memories or without... I don't want to spend another day questioning what I feel." She raised her tear streaked face to gaze deep into his eyes. The emotion in them silenced her. Then she was caught in a passionate embrace.
"I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you run from the room the day I awoke. I felt so bad for making you cry. Then I met Kenmaru, and I think I fell even deeper in love with you. Kagome... please, tell me I'm not dreaming..." He said softly, "Tell me you are here saying you love me as much as I love you."
In answer she pulled lifted her lips to his. "Hai, Koishii, forever Aishiteru."
Uh uh... that's not the end of the story... just the end of the first half.....