Wooh, an update! =D

Umm... there's not much to say, except I'm going to be starting an 'album' of songfics. All the songs are going to be 'Fallen', Evanescence's newest album. I've already got 'My Last Breath' done, and I'm working on 'Everybody's Fool', which is going to be majorly, majorly dramatic. I mean, to an extreme. Of course, I'm comparing it to what I usually write. If you want to request which song I work on next, go ahead... I have to all the songs from 'Fallen' anyway.

Review Responses:

Shesshy Slipperz/S.Wooz: Well, 'Tsuki no Ame', 'Ame no Tsuki'... x.X Lol. Thanks so much for the idea! I'm probably going to be using it... xD. Well, here's the awaited update.

Sounngo: Hehe... well, the fic is a romance/humor one, so I'm sure Kagome won't be depressed for much longer. I'm not that cruel. ...Or am I?! No, I'm not... currently, anyway. We shall see what Inu shall do in... 'thic fic'. ;)

Pinayazngrl: Aww, don't worry. Everything will turn up in the end, believe me. Actually, in the end,
Inuyasha pr-- shit, I've said too much! x.X

Moonglow gal: ="3 Isn't it? I was going to make Inuyasha all brash and rude, but then I decided against it... I like Inuyasha like this, anyway, even he is a little OOC at times... or, maybe a lot OOC, but that's ok, right?

SilverWolf-Ryuki: Hahaha... yeah, I guess I should write longer chapters... this one is kinda long... not really. ::Shrugs:: Anyway... hm, maybe I'll actually get down to writing that Sess/Kag fic... not another one-shot... a real fic... o.O;;.

Dark Inu Fan: Of course, Inuyasha comes in again this chapter... =). I'll be focusing on him more and more.

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So, thanks a bunch to everyone who reviewed!! I love you guys!! xD

Note: In this chapter, Inuyasha refers to his mother as 'okaa-san', meaning 'mom'. I know, I know... in the anime however, he actually refers to her as 'hohoya' (sp!?), which is more like 'mother' – a more formal term.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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New Hope

Chapter Two: Meeting Again

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"Souta! You're going to be late!!" Kagome called out from the kitchen.

Soon after, Souta came stumbling in, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Hurry up, Souta!"

"But it's so early..." he mumbled.

"Don't you have your soccer tournament?"

"Oh! I forgot! Shit!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. The swearing wasn't a big deal, but forgetting something you'd been excited for the past three weeks about?

"Your lunch is on the counter, breakfast is on the table, put the dishes in the sink after you're done. Okay, I'll be home a little late today."

Kagome said this all very quickly as she grabbed her backpack and put on her shoes.

"Why?" Souta asked through a mouthful of ramen. (A/N: Mmm... ramen for breakfast...)

"I'll be at the cemetery."

"Can't I go?"

"You'll be at your tournament. Okay now. Buh bye! And don't forget to lock the door after you leave!"

And with that, she left.

Souta felt sad he couldn't go visit Mama and Gramps, but he knew they'd be proud he was going to the soccer tournament.

-=-

"Ohayo, Kagome-chan!" Sango greeted as soon as she saw Kagome enter homeroom.

"Ohayo, Sango-chan." Kagome said as she sat down.

"The girls and I are going to the mall after school. You coming?"

"Umm, no..." Kagome mumbled.

Sango looked at her curiously. "Why not?"

"I'm visiting mama and jii-chan."

"Oh... I'm sorry I can't come."

Kagome smiled. "Don't worry. You can come with me and Souta some other time. Souta can't make it either. He'll be at his soccer tournament."

Sango gave her friend a warm smile. "You're a strong girl, Kagome-chan. Anyway, I promise to spend more time with you from now on, ok?"

"Oh, don't worry about it..." Kagome said airily.

-=-

After last period, Kagome quickly made her way to the girl's change rooms. Once she got in, she fumbled in her bag, and pulled out an outfit: a black blouse and black flares. She stripped down to her bra and underwear and threw on the top and bottoms.

Stuffing her school uniform into her bag, she took out her shades and put those on before stepping outside.

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Kagome kneeled down in front of her mother's grave, putting the bouquet of flowers in the hand down as well.

"Mama," She whispered, tracing her mother's name engraved on the headstone with her finger. "It's me."

She took off her shades, revealing her sad, stormy blue eyes.

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Inuyasha sighed. Visits to his mother's grave were always quite depressing. It brought back memories of when he was young, and was still under her care.

'She used to cuddle and hug me, and read me stories...'

Those days had been much brighter, filled with love and joy. Inuyasha's mother had been a beautiful woman with a bright and kind heart. Life, however, had been cruel. Fate had torn him away from his mother at a young age.

He remembered the last time he had been in her embrace...

-- Flashback --

"Inuyasha... come give me a hug..."

The young half-demon practically ran into her arms.

"Okaa-san!"

The woman sighed. Inuyasha looked up at her for a moment.

"Okaa-san... is there something wrong?" He could tell that something was wrong for sure. Her mother's embrace, which was usually strong and warm, felt weak and cold. However, she still smelt the same... like sakura petals and rain.

"Iie... it's fine..." She whispered.

-- End Flashback --

Things hadn't been fine. She had been ill – very ill. How did he know? Inuyasha snorted. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he had found her dead in the morning. She had died in the sleep.

Inuyasha let out a sigh as he sort of... roamed around the cemetery. Suddenly, (with his demon senses and all) he picked up the sound of a girl's voice. The voice sounded... vaguely familiar. Quickly and silently, he ducked behind large headstone.

"Mama... it's me."

That voice was just so familiar! Who was it?!

Well, in the end, curiosity got the better of him. Cautiously, he peeked around the headstone. A few graves down, was a girl with raven hair.

Inuyasha snorted inwardly. 'Oh yeah, that really helps. Just about everyone in Japan has black hair... well, about 30 percent of the population... whatever.'

But then...

The girl took off her shades. He had to suppress a gasp. Those eyes... those hauntingly beautiful, stormy blue eyes... he could never forget.

-- Flashback --

Inu-Yasha stared blankly at the spot the girl had been previously. He had seen her face – a glimpse only – but...

It was probably the saddest looking expression he had ever seen. She had not been crying, but the blankness, dullness, and emptiness in her stormy blue eyes had been so... overwhelming...

-- End Flashback --

Overwhelming, maybe. But beautifully overwhelming.

'That's the girl I bumped into at the supermarket... what is doing here? Why's she...'

Oh. Right.

'Mama... it's me.'

Well... now he felt like an idiot.

'So... that girl's mother died, eh? I feel her pain...' Inuyasha thought as he ducked back behind the headstone. He relied on his acute hearing to pick up what she was saying.

"How are you? I hope you and jii-chan are both well..."

'Jii-chan? This girl's grandfather died as well!?'

"Souta and I are both great... he's sorry he can't come. But he's at his soccer tournament... it's the finals, so this means a lot to him. Oh yeah. Sango apologizes for not being able to come either... so it's just me..."

There was a pause.

"I really miss you, Mama, jii-chan. I wish you were here... but we don't always get what we wish for, do we?" She gave a dry laugh.

Inuyasha couldn't help but agree with her on that. 'I never get what I wish for...'

"Souta misses you a lot as well... he was really depressed before... I'm sure you know. But he's ok now... going to the tournament meant a lot to him, so he was really proud... that helped... oh yeah... he still hates cabbages."

A small smile tugged on the corner of Inuyasha's lips.

"Yeah..." the girl mumbled.

A long stretch of silence followed. Inuyasha quietly slid to the ground, waiting for the girl to speak again.

"I still think you make the best oden, Mama... I just can't make it like how you used to..."

Inuyasha came extremely close to chuckling out loud, but caught himself in time.

He heard a sigh, and a bit of shuffling.

"Well, Mama... I better get going... or else Souta won't have anything to eat when he gets home. Bye Mama, jii-chan..."

Inuyasha took this time to step out from behind the headstone. Luckily, the girl's head was dipped down, so she didn't see him.

After giving one last sigh, she got up to leave... and saw him standing a few feet away from her.

"Umm... hi." Inuyasha said awkwardly.

"You..." Kagome squinted at him. "You're that guy from the supermarket, aren't you?"

"Uhh, yeah. I'm surprised you remember me, actually..." he mumbled.

Kagome smiled slightly. "Sorry about last time. I was... upset."

Inuyasha nodded, looking at Kagome's mother's grave. "I could tell..."

Kagome glanced at her mom's grave again. "... you were behind that headstone, weren't you?"

He looked up in surprise. "How'd you know?"

"It's just a sense..." Kagome said, shrugging.

"Well... yeah..." Inuyasha admitted feebly. "Sorry."

"It's ok..." Kagome mumbled, then gave a small smirk. "Since you strike me as the nosy type anyway..."

"What? No!" Inuyasha protested, pouting like a small child.

Kagome laughed at his antics.

For a moment, Inuyasha was completely blown away. Her laughter... was... beautiful.

'Why the hell do I find her so attractive!? Jeez!'

"I like it when you laugh," Inuyasha blurted out suddenly. Kagome stopped and stared at him, a pink tinge coming to her cheeks. By that time, Inuyasha's face was flaming red.

'What the hell!? Why did I just say that? What's wrong with me?!'

"Umm..." Kagome mumbled.

Inuyasha coughed awkwardly. "Err... nevermind that... I guess it was a random outburst... anyway... umm..."

The two stood in silence for a while, neither knowing what to do.

"My name's Kagome."

Inuyasha looked at her strangely before realization hit him like a ton of bricks. They didn't even know each other's names. Well... now, she just didn't know his name...

"Inuyasha."

... And now she did.

"Anyway," Kagome mumbled. "I... I should be heading back home. My younger brother's probably home by now..."

"Do you... take care of him by yourself?"

Kagome nodded.

"Alright then... well... bye?"

Kagome smiled and was about to leave, when she stopped and turned back. "Why don't you escort me home?"

Even though he wanted to, he'd never admit it. "Why?"

A smirk played at her lips. "Well, my sense is telling me you already know where I live..."

"That's scary... are you physic?" Inuyasha asked.

"No... it's just a sense."

They left the cemetery, strolling along the sidewalk in the quiet neighborhood.

"You know what?" Inuyasha said abruptly.

"Hm?"

"I live in the same building as you."

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Saki: Semi-cliffy...!

Kagome: o.O;;

Saki: - -;; What?

Inuyasha: ::Rolls eyes::

Buyo: ...Miao!!!

Everyone: ...O.O?

Tanoshii: ...he says review.

Saki: Where'd you come from! Go back to 'Trust and Betrayal'!! Go! Shoo!