A.N- well here's your update all you pushy pushy people! Lol really, though, I love your reviews, which is why I hate that I'm probably going to make you all mad at me in the next sentence. There will be no lemon in this chapter. Sorry! I thought about it for a long time, and decided against it. They're just not ready for it yet. I promise though, I will post a lemon or two in this story before it's complete! Thank you everyone!
Disclaimer- Don't own 'em, you can't sue me. Well, you could, but not for that! Haha!
Ch.4
"Whatever I want, remember Kagome?"
Kagome looked up into Inuyasha's molten gold eyes and gulped. She nodded, scared out of her wits. Inuyasha had never acted like this before. He just continued to stare out her for a while with a slight smile on his lips. Even if she was scared, she wanted him to kiss her so badly it hurt. Just for once feel what it would be like. She was just starting to close her eyes and tilt her lips up to him again when she heard him sigh and let go of her arm. Her eyes flew open.
Inuyasha stood a few steps away, his back to her. His head was down, his fists clenched and he was breathing hard. When he spoke, his voice was choked with an unidentifiable emotion. Kagome wasn't sure if it was love, hate or what, but it made her nervous. "Kagome, we need to talk." He went over to her and picked her up in his arms, then jumped onto one of the higher branches of the Goshinboku tree. Kagome was still sputtering when Inuyasha spoke again, his voice under control, this time. "Kagome, what just happened down there?" Kagome just stared at him. He had to look away from her and her damn expressive eyes. It had always been so much easier with Kikyou. Her eyes had never held the emotion Kagome's did. There was always that...something, she had always kept hidden.
"Kagome, you know that I'm not one to express things openly, but there are things you need to know. I can't deny that I feel things for you, or that those things are different than the feelings I had for Kikyou. All I know is, as long as Kikyou still walks the earth, neither I or she can be at peace. I still feel obligation to Kikyou. And I...I... don't know anymore. There is a part of me that still wants to love her. But, there is also the part of me that tells me that she's not the same miko I loved. Either way, You and I Kagome, whatever, we have going, will have to wait until I can sort through everything and...." His voice trailed off when he smelled Kagome's tears. "Kagome?" He looked over to find nothing by the trunk or the tree. A small jolt of panic hit him. He quickly looked over the edge of the branch. "KAGOME!"
Kagome was trying to scramble down the side of the tree, and was slipping as she tried to gain her footing on a lower branch. At his call, her head snapped up. "No, Inuyasha! Don't even think about coming down here. I can make it on my own," tears were streaming down her face, blurring her vision. "You can't let her go, and I cant take it anymore, so go! Go back to her! I wont stand in your way anymore! Just know this Inuyasha, I always..." she gasped, cutting off what she was going to say, as her foot missed the branch she was aiming for. She tumbled down, arms flailing as she tried to grasp something to hold onto. "Kagome!!!" Inuyasha flew into action, but not soon enough. Kagome hit the ground seconds before him, landing on her arm with a thud. Inuyasha reached the ground and scooped her up in his arms. "Shit, Kagome.." she had a nasty cut on her forehead. He could tell her arm was badly bruised, if not broken, and she was unconscious. Thinking quick, he carefully adjusted her in his arms and sped off towards the well.
When the well had transported them back into the feudal era, he sped out and headed to the village. All the while he kept saying things to Kagome, telling her she would be fine, and that she had to hang on. Even with the calm, soothing way his words came out, his mind was in turmoil. Once at the village, he found Keade's hut and burst into it. The old lady had been sleeping, but, had been jolted out of slumber when Inuyasha had crashed into the hut. "Keade! Help her! She fell!" Inuyasha hadn't even called her a name like normal. With surprise in her wise eyes, Keade hurried to examine the young girl the hanyou had laid on one of the mats. After a few minutes, She looked up to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, go and find Sango and the others, bring them here...quickly go!" Inuyasha was hesitant. He didn't want to leave Kagome, but he did as Keade ordered. He went to the hut they sometimes stayed in when they were in the village and shouted out for them to make up. Sango bolted up, her hand automatically going to hireikotsu, ready for battle as always. Shippo had scrambled under the covers, scared at the loud interruption, and Miroku was still in the clutches of sleep, with a lecherous grin on his face and his hand twitching, Sango looked around and saw Inuyasha in the doorway. "Inuyasha, what's wrong?" "Get Miroku up, Kagome's hurt, come to Keade's hut!" With that, he turned and speed out the door, followed by a small ball of fur. Shippo had zipped out when her heard of Kagome's injury and was hot on Inuyasha's trail.
Sango got up immediately, and was prepare to run out the door, but remembered Miroku. She hurried to his side gently shaking him. "Houshi- sama, get up! Kagome-chan has been injured," She continued to shake him but he wouldn't wake up. Suddenly, Miroku's arm snaked out and pulled Sango down to him. "Oh Sango, so soft..." Sango's eyebrow twitched and she wiggled out of his grasp. Grabbing Hireikotsu, she smacked him hard on the head with it. He jolted up with a cry of pain. "Get up, Houshi-sama! Kagome-chan is injured and if you touch me again, I'm going to injure you, you lech!" She ran out the door, Miroku not far behind her, rubbing his head and muttering about women and their moods.
An hour later, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo stood outside the hut while Sango and Keade attended Kagome inside. It was no small feat to get Inuyasha to leave Kagome's side but Sango and Miroku had forced him out, saying they would send for Kouga if he didn't get out now. Inuyasha had growled his many curses and complaints, but had left. He was now pacing back and forth, while Shippo and Miroku, sat and watched him. Miroku sighed. "Inuyasha, that pacing is not going to help. Sit down." Inuyasha turned on Miroku, his eyes lighting up with an idea. "Miroku! You're a monk! Order the gods to make Kagome ok!" Miroku sweat-dropped and Shippo rolled with laughter. "Inuyasha, you cannot order the gods. You ask, plead and pray for the gods to grant you favor. You do not however, threaten, order, or curse them to do your bidding. So don't even try it." Inuyasha sat down with a huff and Shippo jumped on his head. Inuyasha made a face as the little kitsune tugged on his sensitive ears. "So does this mean you're admitting you like Kagome best? You seem awful worried about a little bump on her head." Inuyasha growled and pulled them boy off his head then slammed him to the ground. "Shippo..." Inuyasha was about to pound him to a pulp when Sango came out of the hut. Inuyasha looked up while Shippo squirmed out form under his hand and ran to hide behind Miroku.
Sango sat down on the step and sighed, looking at her feet. She felt three pair of eyes on her and looked up. "What?" Inuyasha jumped up and flailed his arms. "What the hell you mean what!? You know what we want to know so just tell us!" he started pacing again. Sango leaned closer to Miroku. "How long has he been like this?" Miroku watched the pacing hanyou again. "The whole time. He was going to threaten the gods, before.." "HEY YOU JERKS! I CAN HEAR YOU!" Inuyasha stormed over and plunked himself down in front of Sango. She just shook her head. "You know, with an attitude like that you think his choice would be easy." Miroku nodded his head solemnly in agreement. Inuyasha fell over onto his back. Jumping up he pointed a finger at the two of them, "You two can't talk! You like each other and haven't told each other!" The pair tilted their heads. "Ah, so you do like Kagome-sama." Sango nodded. "Well, you should tell her Inuyasha, instead of being a stubborn jerk..." Inuyasha fisted his hands. "I never said that! What I said was, hey! You aren't even listening!" Sango and Miroku were ignoring the hanyou, deep in their own conversation. "...yes. Too bad he won't admit it though, I think he'd be a lot more pleasant." Inuyasha fisted his hands again and smirked. "So, you think me unpleasant? Come here Miroku! I'll show you unpleasant!" Miroku scrambled back and jumped to his feet. "Gyaa! Sango, help!" Inuyasha started chasing him around the yard, both of them yelling and screaming. Sango stayed where she was, quite amused. Shippo came and hopped into her lap. "Well, it looks like you got his mind off Kagome for a while. Good thing too, he was driving me nuts." Sango nodded and looked at Shippo. "It's a good thing he's so simple minded." Miroku sped past them, Inuyasha bounding after him. "EH, MIROKU! GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A REAL MAN, YOU PATHETIC BOUZU!" Sango shook her head again. Shippo, tugged on her sleeve. "So is Kagome going to be ok?" She smiled softly. "Yes, she's going to be fine. Sore for a couple of days, her arm is bruised badly, and she's got a terrible grudge going against Inuyasha for some reason," The men flew by again. "but like always, she'll pull it together. She's strong, you know that." Shippo nodded. He looked back to where Inuyasha had almost caught up to Miroku. "Should we help him?" Sango smiled wickedly and thought back to what had happened earlier. "no."
- - -
A few days later, Kagome was feeling much better. Her arm was still bruised, but Keade's herbs were doing wonders. Inuyasha had tried to speak with her but Kagome wouldn't listen. Inuyasha would normally get mad and go storming out of the hut. He wanted to apologize to her. The damned woman was so stubborn; however, he couldn't even get a greeting out before being told to go away. So was the same case today. When she had told him to leave her alone while she was gathering herbs with Sango, Inuyasha had decided to go for a walk. He heard someone following him and instantly recognized the footfalls. "Miroku, if you want to talk, I'm not going to listen if your behind me." The monk chuckled and caught up with the hanyou. When they reached a spring, they sat on some rocks. Inuyasha sat and glared at Miroku. Miroku was seemingly transfixed with the water. "So what the hell did you follow me out here for?" "Inuyasha look at the water. See how calm it is? You need to learn to be like the spring." Inuyasha looked at him half confused half angry. "You followed me out here to tell me to be like water. Keh! You're wasting your time, I'm going back." "You can't go on like this forever you know Inuyasha." The hanyou stopped. "You're wondering why Kagome wont talk to you." Inuyasha sat back down and looked at his feet. "Inuyasha you have to understand. Kagome-sama is a very sensitive girl. She is also very passionate," At Inuyasha's warning growl, he explained. "and you people call me the lech. Anyway, not like that. Her feeling towards her friends and family run deep Inuyasha. Now, even a fool can see that she has feelings for you, so you should have no problem." As Inuyasha started to retort, Miroku, cut him off. "No, Inuyasha, let me finish. We all understand that you once loved Kikyou. That is why we tolerate you going after her. We understand that you feel you need to avenge her to be at peace, which is also why we tolerate you going after her. But now, you need to think. Remember who you loved. It was not the empty shell that has taken her place. Her soul has passed on. You are lucky Inuyasha. That soul has returned to you. The soul you fell in love with so long ago has returned, and the girl bearing it is one of the strongest, intelligent, beautiful and most stubborn person I have ever known. She is also one of few that will take people the way they are. She would never ask anyone to change a thing about themselves. Remember Inuyasha, a persons soul is what makes them, them. Kikyou no longer has that. She just, is. Kagome is the one now, who has the soul you fell in love with so long ago. It was destined to be with yours. You have lived without Kikyou for sometime, now you have to ask yourself if you can live without Kagome." With a long look at Inuyasha, Miroku then got up to leave. He had done all he could the rest was up to Inuyasha now.
Back to where Sango and Kagome were gathering herbs, the two women were now leaning against a tree. Kirara was curled up in Kagome's lap and the girl was absently stoking her fur. "Sango-chan, I don't know what to do. I just don't know how much longer I can take it. Every time I think he cares for me, he turns around and changes his mind," a tear trickled down her cheek. "Maybe it's time I give this up. You're all strong enough to finish the quest on your own. Then I won't be in anyone's way." Sango gasped and turned to look her friend in the eye. "Kagome! Don't you even think that! We need you! Inuyasha will realize someday that Kikyou isn't who she used to be. And even if he doesn't, you can't leave the rest of us. Were a family Kagome-chan. Without you, our family isn't complete! You're the reason were all together today! I've lost one family already, don't make me lose another!" Tears were streaming down both or their faces now, and they hugged, crying for everything they had lost and would have to endure. In that moment, Kagome knew she could never leave, not when her friends here had become her second family, something she could never say about her friends in the future. There were some things that bond people together and never let them let go. Kagome needed them as much as they needed her. She squeezed Sango one last time before they parted. "Thank you Sango-chan. I needed that." Picking up her basket, she turned around. "Come on, lets go back."
They were walking back to the village when they spotted Miroku. With a side look at Sango, Kagome winked. "Go on, you know you want to." Sango blushed and ran up to Miroku. Kagome smiled. Those two would be alright. Miroku was getting better, too. He hadn't even tried to grope Sango this time. A loud slap, followed by a 'pervert', and a 'Sango please wait' reverberated through the forest. 'guess I was wrong..' Kagome decided to take the long way back to the village. She needed time to be alone. There was a spring nearby that she always went to when she had the time. She picked up her pace to a run. When she stumbled into the springs clearing, however, she found Inuyasha, sitting on a rock, lost in thought. He heard her and turned around from his position. Kagome went absolutely still. Inuyasha had a tortured look on his face, though it eased somewhat when he saw her, it seemed.
"Kagome..."
Kagome turned to run.
A.n- not quite so long as the last chapter but hey, its 10:00, ive been writing for 2 hours and I'm just eating dinner! I hope you all aren't mad at me for not putting a fun scene in this chapter, but, was it Lauren stringer? (sorry if I have it wrong) told me, that that's where a lot of fics go wrong, and I'm not gonna mess mine up. So you can be sure that when I got to that, it's gonna be a knockout! But fear not my hentai reviewers! Lemons will be coming to save the day! cheering yay! Well, I guess that's it! Again, thanks so much to all who review for me! It mean sso much cheesy violins play in background throws shoe at them oh, go find a copy of "gone with the wind" to play in! bye! Last minute disclaimer – don't own gone with the wind. Cant sue me for that either! You thought I'd forget didn't you? Didn't you! Well I didn't! muhahahaha! ahem bye!