Yosei: yo here's the next chappie! I think this is like number four right?

Ambereyes: yep, we got maybe three or four more chapters and its over.

Yosei: and we move on to the sequel!!!

Ambereyes: shut up! We are not doing a sequel!!

Yosei: holds up a stack of papers that says 'ties that bind sequel' then what are these?

Ambereyes: shoves yosei into a closet papers and all on to the story…

Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi had all skillfully invited themselves to help Kagome get ready for the date. They made sure not to leave her side for a moment, not giving her the chance to escape. They came home with her and they all hung out and stayed for dinner. Then afterwards they began to prepare for the date. Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka all changed first into clothes they had with them, (which gave Kagome the suspicion that they had planned this for some time) and then told her to go and take a shower and that they would wait for her.

So Kagome begrudgingly locked herself in the bathroom and moved about slowly to get ready. She knew Inuyasha would soon come through the well to get her, and she was worried that her friends would see him. So part of her wanted to hurry and get them away from the shrine. But the other part of her, wanted nothing more than to climb out the window and escape into the feudal era, where she didn't have to wear this mask and hide what she felt. She longed for the open skies and fresh air. She wanted to talk to Sango at the hot springs and watch Miroku get beaten up by Sango after they caught him peeping. She wanted to play with Shippou in the sunshine and perhaps show him some more reading and writing. She wanted to talk with Keade about some herbs she came across and their uses. And most of all, she wanted to see Inuyasha. She missed his presence and his face. Heck even his bickering.

But she couldn't leave. Her friends had her in a bind that she couldn't, and wouldn't break free from. She wouldn't let them down again. She would put up with this date, with Hojo's dry nature and her friends attempts to get them together. She would do this, because she loved her friends dearly.

Kagome climbed out of the shower all clean, and wrapped a towel around herself. She wiped off the mirror and began pulling on her clothes. Her friends had chosen the outfit for her. It was a very pretty summer dress that was a light purple color. It ended just above her knees and tied back at the waist. Also was a light sweater that was a dark green. Kagome was brushing out her hair when a light tapping noise caught her attention. She turned around to find out what it was following the sound. It was coming from the door, but rather the very small very high window above the shower. It had a thick curtain over it for privacy so Kagome couldn't see what it was.

Kagome climbed into the shower, careful not to get her dress wet, and peaked under the curtain. And she saw an amber eye peaking back. Kagome hurriedly pulled the curtain back and opened the window, but it was too small for Inuyasha to climb through. He was hanging onto the edge of the roof and was just staying there to talk to her. Kagome was thankful for his strong nose, he probably smelled her friends so didn't come through the window like usual.

"Kagome! What are you doing?! Lets go!"

"Shhhhh!! My friends are in my room they can hear us!"

Inuyasha immediately quieted and looked at her expectantly. It was in this moment that Kagome realized that over the past three years Inuyasha had mellowed out a lot. He was no longer so rude and loud. Three years ago he would have burst into her house, and bathroom picked her up and carried her off. Not caring who or what saw him or what they would say. But now here he was, hanging off her roof waiting for an excuse.

"I'm sorry! My friends trapped me into seeing a movie with them."

Kagome whispered out the window.

"Can't you just tell them no?"

"No! Inuyasha I've ditched them a lot these past three years. And I'm about to disappear for four whole months. I haven't even come up with a believable excuse for that yet! I just need a little more time please! The second I get back we can leave I promise!"

"But you promised me that you would come back now."

Kagome nodded her face sad and torn. She wanted to please all of them.

"I know I did and I'm so sorry. I would love to just climb out this window and come with you."

"The why don't you?"

"Because…they are my friends Inuyasha, they may not know what's going on with my life and they might never know. But I still care about them…and its not that I do more than you or the others back home. Its just I have less and less chances to see them. And this is my last for a long time…so please? Just a couple of hours? You can stay here at the shrine if you like…Souta could teach you how to play a video game and my mom could make you ramen."

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment, Kagome was looking at him with pleading eyes. But what confused him was he wasn't sure if she was pleading with him to let her stay…or if he was reading her eyes right and she was pleading with him to give her an excuse to leave.

Inuyasha sighed. Ramen wins.

"Okay…but just for a few hours!! If your not back in two hours I'm coming out after you got it?!"

"Yes. Got it. Just wait in the God tree until we leave. I'll let momma know you're here okay?"

Inuyasha nodded, and noticed that Kagome didn't sound as relived as she should. So she really didn't want to go, she just felt like she had too. He understood that. Its how he felt every time Kikyo had come around. Maybe he should have told Kagome that…

Inuyasha shrugged, didn't matter now, Kikyo was laid to rest two days ago in a burial ceremony. And Inuyasha finally got some closure. For the first time in years he no longer felt weighed down by the past. He felt like he could finally begin to look forward to the future.

Ambereyes: review please.

Yosei: pounding on the closet door