A/N- Sorry I took so long to get this out everyone. Life is a pain at the moment, but I'll try not to take such a long break from updating again! Love you all and please review!
The Colors of Emotions
Chapter 13
Identical Fear
"Inuyasha, thank you for caring, but it's nothing. I am just paranoid or something."
"Kagome, if it made you cry then it isn't nothing. Stop lying to me."
"I'm not lying to you. I never would lie to you."
"Okay, then tell me the truth!" Inuyasha hadn't realized how demanding he was sounding. But he needed Kagome to tell him what was wrong. If she didn't, she could lose control of her emotions if the slightest thing happened.
Kagome pulled her knees up against her and buried her face against her arms. "I feel like a threat Inuyasha. I mean, I have always wanted some power to protect myself so I wouldn't be such a burden-"
Inuyasha cut her off, "You're not a burden."
Kagome looked up a little shocked at the kindness of his words. "Thank you, but I really can't do much to help out in a fight or anything. But now, when I finally get power, I can't control it. It's the perfect example of 'Be careful what you wish for.' I'm scared I'm going to hurt somebody.
I don't know why I'm telling you this Inuyasha. You won't understand." Kagome suddenly saw a smile creep onto the hanyou's face.
"You really are stupid sometimes aren't you Kagome?"
"What? I thought you said you weren't going to make fun of me. You jerk."
"That's not what I meant. And calm down before you become too angry."
Kagome huffed but quickly counted to ten and took a deep breath. "What did you mean then?"
"How could you think I wouldn't understand? I understand a lot better then you think I do wench."
Kagome let the cruel name slip by. "Huh?"
"I have always wanted power. I wanted to become a full demon. But then I actually became a full demon when I lost Tetsusaiga that one time. I guess I got what I wished for. I had so much power. I couldn't control myself though. I completely lost my mind. I could've hurt any of you without even knowing it." Inuyasha had been looking off in the distance as he explained himself.
Kagome got the feeling that he really needed to talk about this. It had been bothering him for a long time apparently. She was shocked at the similarities between what they were both going through.
Inuyasha looked right into Kagome eyes. "Kagome, it scared me. But I have somewhat gotten over that fear. I have Tetsusaiga to block my demon blood from taking control."
"You're lucky then. What do I have to block my power?"
"You have me-" Inuyasha blushed and quickly finished, "And uh, Sango and Miroku."
"What do you mean Inuyasha?"
"You can control your powers by staying calm. In order to keep your cool, you need to talk to one of us, just like you did now. Don't you feel better now that you have gotten what was bugging you out in the open?"
"Your right Inuyasha." Kagome admitted. "Thank you." Kagome leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him in a thankful embrace.
"Uh, um… no p-problem." Inuyasha always got nervous when she hugged him. "Oh well, the only thing I can do is hug her back." He thought to himself. He loosely wrapped his arms around Kagome, who was resting her head against his chest. "Hey, did you just say 'You're right Inuyasha?'"
"Yea." Kagome mumbled into his chest.
"I like the sound of that."
"Don't get used to hearing it." Kagome yawned and nuzzled her face a little against his chest. "Inuyasha?" Kagome mumbled sleepily. She was exhausted and her eyes just didn't seem to want to stay open.
"What?"
"Don't let me fall okay?"
Inuyasha smiled as Kagome fell asleep against him. As he heard her breathing even out, signaling her being fast asleep, he whispered back. "Don't worry Kagome. I would never let you fall."
* * * * * *
Kagome awoke the next morning to find herself in her sleeping bag. 'Inuyasha must have brought me down.' She reasoned.
"Kagome? Come on wake up. I'm hungry. Can you make me some ramen pleeeeease?" A bouncy Shippou asked from his place on top of her head. The young girl opened her eyes to see the two little brown kitsune eyes looking pleadingly down at her.
"I'm up Shippou. Now get off me please." Kagome yawned and stretched her arms up over her head when the kitsune jumped off his perch. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and then acknowledged the kit's request. "Can you go get some water Shippou? There has to be a stream nearby or something."
"Sure! Hey Inuyasha?"
"What?" A gruff voice asked from up a nearby tree.
"Is there any water or something around here? Kagome needs it to cook some ramen."
The hanyou jumped down from his perch in the tree and answered. "Yea brat, there is a hot spring about a half mile that way."
"That's kind of far Inuyasha. Isn't there anything closer?" Kagome commented while getting out of her sleeping bag. She stood up and Shippou immediately bounced into her arms.
"Nope. We could all get are butts in gear and travel there together. But since our three lounging companions seem a little too lazy to move, one of us will have to go get the water while the other keeps watch."
Kagome smiled as she looked over at Sango and Miroku who were sleeping pretty near each other, no doubt thanks to Miroku. Kirara was sleeping curled in a ball next to Sango. They were fast asleep and had been exhausted the day before, so there was no point in waking them and making them travel without anything to eat.
"I'll go get it. And Shippou will come with me. Inuyasha you stay here so those two will have someone to protect them while they're sleeping. We'll be back in about a half hour okay?"
"No way are you going by yourself! What if you get attacked?" Inuyasha quickly put in.
"I do not need a constant babysitter Inuyasha. Besides, I'll be fine. Shippou will protect me, right Shippou?" Kagome smiled down at the little kitsune in her arms and ruffled his hair.
"Yea, I'll protect her." Shippou puffed out his chest at being assigned such an important job. Kagome giggled and started walking into the woods with her bag slung over her shoulder. She heard Inuyasha's slight protest, but she ignored him. She needed some time by herself, and Shippou wouldn't be a bother. She might take a well-needed bath in this hot spring anyway, so she didn't want Inuyasha hovering around.
Shippou climbed atop her shoulder and began to look around the area. The two were getting further and further into the woods. After about ten minutes, Kagome found a large hot spring. Shippou jumped from her shoulder and dove into the water. His little head popped out from under the water and yelled "Kagome, it feels so good! Come on in!"
"One second Shippou I need to fill up the water bottles." Kagome continued to open her bag and pulled out about six empty water bottles. She filled them up and tossed them back into her backpack. She didn't have to worry about how clean the water was because she would be boiling it anyway.
She had no idea of the turmoil that was going on back at camp.
* * * * *
Inuyasha had watched Kagome's retreating figure for as long as he could. He sat down next to the fire that Kagome had lit right before she left, and decided to glare at his slumbering companions. His eyes fell upon the sleeping form of Kirara and mentally cursed himself for not waking the fire cat and sending her with Kagome to protect the young girl. 'Kagome just would have gotten angry anyway. She hates to be fussed over. But wait a minute! Kagome can't sense auras anymore, so Kirara can just spy on her from close by. She can make sure Kagome doesn't get hurt! Besides, Kirara's a demon, so she doesn't need as much sleep as Miroku and Sango.'
Inuyasha began strolling over to Kirara and nudged the cat with his foot. Kirara opened one eye to confirm who it was, closed her eye again, and ignored the hanyou. "Come on Kirara, I want you to follow Kagome."
Kirara opened her eyes and yawned. She nodded realizing that the hanyou actually had a good reason for waking her up. But as soon as she began to rise, she stopped. There was something wrong. Inuyasha had sensed it too. He became very still and his ears perked up and swiveled in all directions. Everything was dead quiet. Inuyasha's senses seemed to shut down as he suddenly couldn't smell or hear anything. Kirara looked at him confused as Inuyasha's eyes bulged in fear. A look of dread fell on his features and he looked around wildly as if expecting something.
The hanyou made a mad dash towards the direction Kagome had just left in, but he didn't get five feet before he was thrown backwards onto the ground. He seemed to have run into some sort of invisible wall. Suddenly an image appeared in front of the hanyou. It was a large picture of him when he was little chasing a ball across a bridge. He turned towards Kirara looking at an image in front of her. It was a picture of Kirara as a kitten and a young Sango was sitting by a lake stroking the cat's fur. She seemed mesmerized by the image. But Inuyasha's voice turned her attention back towards the hanyou. "They're memories Kirara." He turned worried eyes upon the image of his young self. The image soon turned to one of his mother hugging him when he was little and had fallen. "Kagome's in trouble." He whispered.