"In My Heart Forever"

Kagome pulls the sheets tightly over her head as a noise outside makes her jump. Squeezing her eyes as tight as she can, she tries to back farther into the corner of her bed. Taking a daring peek outside of her blanket, she quickly glances at her alarm clock. The time reads 3:46. Kagome reaches over and switches on the lamp that rests on her bedside table.

CRASH!

Kagome muffles her scream as a shadowy figure flies into her room through her window.

"Ka..." A gruff voice comes from the creature.

Kagome lets out a cry of fear. "What do you want?!"

"Kago..." The voice wheezes.

"Huh?!" Kagome pulls the sheets closer to her eyes.

"Kagome!" The gruff voice coughs and suddenly spits something out. "Kagome, its me!"

Kagome drops the sheets. "Inuyasha?!"

"Help me up!" Inuyasha struggles to part from the tangled mess of glass and wood.

At once, Kagome stumbles across the room to help him. "Inuyasha, are you alright?!"

Inuyasha coughs and said, "YES! Now get me out of here!"

Kagome rolls her eyes and thinks, "Yep, he's definetly alright."

After finally getting out of the mess, Inuyasha sits on Kagome's bed. Kagome rushes to his side.

"Inuyasha, are you hurt?" Kagome inspects Inuyasha and finds a small cut on the side of his cheek.

"Inuyasha!" She exclaims and thrusts a mirror into his hands. He holds it up to his face and gazes at the small wound. He laughs and gives Kagome a playful punch on the shoulder.

Kagome looks at him and says, "Inuyasha, why are you here?"

Inuyasha looks across the room and stares into a candle on Kagome's dresser. "Kagome," he begins, "there's something I have to tell you." He stands up and holds out his hand.

Kagome takes it and he helps her climb out of the window onto a tree. Inuyasha helps Kagome climb down the tree and they set off into the woods.

"Inuyasha," Kagome says, feeling a bit scared. "Where are we going?"

Inuysha is silent. The only sound is the light scamper of his feet.

They walk deeper into the woods for what feels like hours. Kagome is starting to feel cold. "Inuyasha?" she says.

Suddenly, Inuyasha sweeps her off her feet and is carrying her in his arms. Kagome snuggles up to the warm security of his chest.

Kagome has almost fallen asleep when Inuyasha says, "We're here."

Kagome rubs her eyes as Inuyasha sets her on her own feet. She looks around and gasps.

They're standing at the edge of a quiet, blue pond. There's a small waterfall gently flowing into the water. A fire is growing in a small pit to the left of the pond. Inuyasha walks toward it and empties a sack of food.

Kagome walks over to Inuyasha and suddenly he turns around and says, "Kagome - You..." He stammers. "You look beautiful."

Kagome is startled. She lets out a nervous giggle. "Inuyasha, are you feeling okay? What is all this?"

Inuyasha slowly puts his hands around Kagome's waist. Kagome puts her hands on his shoulders and Inuyasha pulls her closer. Kagome puckers her lips slightly and closes her eyes.

The next thing Kagome feels, are not Inuyasha's lips on her's, but his hands grabbing her at the waist and throwing her into the water. He laughs and jumps in after her.

Kagome screams with laughter. Inuyasha swims over to her and for a few precious moments, stares into her eyes. Kagome wonders, "Did he really want to kiss me?"

"Inuyasha?" Kagome puts her hand on his arm.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha mimicks her.

"There's something I need to know." Kagome stares at the waterfall.

"There's something I need to know." Inuyasha laughs and splashes her. He dives underwater and tackles her, knocking her off her feet.

Kagome tries to laugh but the question inside her takes over.

"Inuyasha, did you want to kiss me?!"

Inuyasha stands up and looks at her.

"What?" he laughs nervously.

"You heard me." Kagome moves closer to him.

"Kagome, what are you talking ab-"

"Inuyasha..." Kagome moves even closer and puts her hands on his arms.

Inuyasha puts his hands around her waist again.

"Is he really going to kiss me this time?" Kagome wonders.

Inuyasha leans closer... closer...

Kagome thinks, "This is it! We're going to kiss. Now I'll know if Inuyasha truely loves me..."

They both tilt their heads and Inuyasha grips Kagome firmly and pulls her closer. Kagome drapes her arms around his shoulders and leans forward.

"HEY, GUYS! Watcha doin' with your lips?!" shouted a wide-eyed, grinning Shippou.

"Shippou!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Shut up, Shippou." Inuyasha grumbled and pulled away from Kagome. He dove underwater and swam to the waterfall.

Shippou bounces over to Kagome and sits at the edge of the pond, dangling his little feet in the crystal clear water.

Kagome sighs, "Shippou - Inuyasha and I have to talk about something."

Shippou says, "Me too."

"Shippou, it's important - and only for me and Inuyasha to talk about."

"Me too."

"Huh?"

Shippou sits there, smiling like a fool.

"Shippou, come on!"

"Me too!"

Kagome gives him a little smack on the side of his head and he scurries off into the forest.

Kagome giggles and turns to Inuyasha. Her expression turns serious when she see Inuyasha watching her.

She slowly pushes through the water toward him. She studies his bare, muscular arms.

At the same time, Inuyasha is staring Kagome up and down. Her soft, pale skin. Her skimpy white night gown clinging to her body... Her flowing, dark hair...

Inuyasha, lost in the sight of the godess who stood before him, feels his fingers go numb as she takes them in her hands. He wants to touch her, feel her, hold her and taste her, he wants to make her his forever.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome's eyes shone with tears.

Oops - back to reality for Inuyasha. "Yeah?" He pulls her close.

"Inuyasha, I..." Why is this so hard to say? "I think I'm... in love with you."

Inuyasha chokes back tears and pulls Kagome even closer to him. He was ecstatic, overjoyed - finally, their true feelings had come forward. They finally had admitted it. But he thought... "We can't really be together."

The sinking feeling in his heart makes Inuyasha pull Kagome away.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong? Don't you... don't you love me?"

"Kagome."Inyusha tries to hide the tears swelling up inside. "Kagome, we can't be together."

"Why?" Kagome let out a cry, ignoring the tears that flooded her cheeks. "I love you, Inuyasha. We're supposed to be together, I know it!"

There is a moment of uncomfortable silence, but Inuyasha finally says, "Kagome, we come from two totally different times. Don't you understand? You can't stay here anymore! It's been a year since the jewel shard has been collected. This world is too dangerous for you. This is what I wanted to tell you... I wanted to say good-bye."

"Inuyasha, do you love me or not?" Kagome's words are forceful but quiet.

"That's the problem Kagome," Inuyasha wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. "I love you too much. I love you so much, that I have to let you go... Go, Kagome. Go to your own time, and don't ever come back."

"Inu..." Kagome collapses and sobs silently in the knee-deep water. "I love you... Thought we could... Be together... I love you so much!"

Inuyasha kneels down beside her and embraces her, pulling her onto his lap. They both sit there, silently. Kagome sniffles. Inuyasha suddenly lifts her chin and turns her face toward his. He pulls her closer and closer, until their lips are just inches apart. Kagome closes her eyes and their lips slowly melt into a sweet kiss. In Kagome's mind, this precious moment is lasting forever, a lifetime.

Kagome pulls away. Inuyasha's eyes are flowing with tears. Kagome stands up and slowly tries to let go of Inuyasha's hand, but Inuyasha is holding it tight.

"Let me go," Kagome demands, her voice breaking. "You don't want me. When I'm gone, what are you gonna do, go swoon up to Kikyo?! I hate you, Inuyasha! I HATE you!" And with those words, she jerks her hand away and runs into the woods, not stopping until she reaches home.

To be Continued...