Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Now leave me alone.

Ahh!! How long has it been since I updated? Well, I apologize. Truly, truly, sincerely apologize.

To Reviewers:

skyaj87: Kagome's dad will play a role in the story, but he won't be coming up for a while.

To everyone else: thank you so much for the compliments. blush

The Story so Far: Inuyasha and Sesshomarou escaped a H.E.P and are found on the beach of a Hope by Kagome, Sango and Rin. Inuyasha wakes up in a hospital and has an interesting first meeting with Kagome. They eventually get around to her changing his bandages. Inuyasha gets his first glimpse of the Hope.

Chapter Three

Don't look back, you're safe now
Unlock your heart
Drop your guard
No one's left to stop you

-evanescence

Inuyasha stared at the door on the opposite side of the room. Propped up against the pillows, Inuyasha shifted and twitched his ears. He could hear the muffled voices, the squeaking of wheelchairs and the soft footsteps from the other side of the door. Grumbling, he let his shoulders slump into the soft pillows, bored.

He'd woken up two days ago and still hadn't left this room.

"Where the hell is that stupid girl?" She was supposed to bring him food. During his stay, he'd recently discovered something heavenly that he recalled the girl calling, "ramen" and she said she'd bring him some.

"Inuyasha, must you think out loud? I certainly don't want to hear you pine for that girl." Inuyasha jumped slightly, Sesshomarou's voice surprising him.

Inuyasha turned to glare at his brother and Sesshomarou said in a coolly, "Don't give me that look, Inuyasha. It's not very frightening."

"Ah, shut up." Very original.

Sesshomarou had woken from his coma-like slumber only the day before and from what little useful information he could out of his thick-headed brother, they were in a Hope. He wasn't one for fairy-tales, but he wasn't a fool, either. There'd been something in Inuyasha's eyes, and voice that made him think twice. He'd heard stories of places called Hopes from his father. And to him, his father's word was law. From his bed, Sesshomarou glanced at Inuyasha from the corner of his eye. Inuyasha had been asleep when she'd come. A brown eyed girl that laughed like a bird.

flashback

A voice...it penetrated through the layers of smoke hovering around his mind and pulled him toward consciousness.

He struggled to open his eyes; to see who it was that was speaking to him.

"Well, you'll be all better and as soon as you are, I'll take you to this great bakery! They have the best lemon crèmes in the world!"

Slowly, he felt his eyelids peel open and Sesshomarou analyzed the sight before him. It was a girl, a young girl. She couldn't be much older that seventeen. The first thing he saw was her eyes. They were sparkling like morning dew, flashing as she chattered on, oblivious to her audience. Lined with soft lashes, they looked smoother than mink- browner, too.

The next thing was her lips. They were the color crushes berries, a vibrant hue. In his half awake state, he watched them move and curl to form a smile. There was a yellow flower tucked behind her ear, the tiny petals bright against her hair.

What...did she smell like?

Sesshomarou drew in a deep breath and felt her scent wrap around him, dancing merrily on his mind. Wild mountain strawberries...

He was suddenly sitting against a tree facing a racing stream. The water rolled along, singing and rippling in the bright, warm sunlight. The grass felt soft and springy under him. He hadn't felt grass in the longest time. On either side of him, two bushes, ripe with strawberries- small red clusters, sat. He could hear the birds chirping above him, full of life.

"You're awake!"

Sesshomarou blinked, the image gone as soon as it had come. The girl was leaning over him, smiling. A lock the darkest brown had escaped from behind her ear and brushed against his cheek.

"You feeling alright?"

Keeping his face and eyes void of any emotion, Sesshomarou didn't speak. Instead, he met her eyes with one of his practiced glares, one that could make a warlord weep for his mother.

So it was much to his unexpressed surprise when the girl laughed.

"Yup, you're a talkative one! I can tell we're going to have a hard time shutting you up! Either way, nice to meet you! I'm Rin!"

Rin...

flashback

Sesshomarou furrowed his brow. She was most likely the loudest and most irritating thing he'd ever met.

"Hey! Are you deaf? I'm talking to you!" Inuyasha barked.

"I can hear quite perfectly, much to my disappointment and great irritation."

"I could change that for you. Pulling out your eardrums would be my pleasure," Inuyasha growled, cracking his knuckles and standing up on the bed.

The door swung open, hitting the wall with a loud whack. In marched Kagome and Rin, both carrying trays of steaming ramen.

"Inuyasha, sit down before I strap you to the bed." Kagome shook her head slightly with a sigh. "Five minutes! I'm gone five minutes and you're already trying rip apart your brother, who I might add, is listening to what we ask him to do perfectly and being a model patient!"

Having smelled the spicy noodles, Inuyasha sat down without complaint. Setting the tray on a small table, Kagome put the table on the bed with Inuyasha's outstretched legs under it.

Rin did the same and unlike Inuyasha who was wolfing down his food like a starved animal, Sesshomarou sniffed silently at the food- just in case they'd put something in it.

Rin laughed, as if she'd read his mind. "We aren't going to poison you! Go ahead, you've got to be hungry."

Seeing as how Inuyasha hadn't dropped dead, foaming at the mouth, he picked up a pair of chopsticks and scooped up a few noodles as gracefully as could be.

Keeping an eye out for flying noodles, Kagome took a seat at the edge of Inuyasha's bed as did Rin with Sesshomarou's.

"Well, we're happy to say that your external wounds have healed completely," Kagome announced.

There was a short silence before Inuyasha spoke up. "External?"

Clearing her throat, Rin continued where Kagome had left off. "Well, we didn't know what kind of..." she broke off as if searching for the right word. "We weren't there to witness what happened so just to be safe, we took blood samples. They tested positive for a kind gas that's in grenades. They're harmless to humans, but to demons they can be lethal if too much enters the blood stream."

There was another uncomfortable silence, which again, Inuyasha broke.

"Well, that's great news."

"But, that didn't happen. We're sure that only a minimal amount got into your bodies, so there's nothing to worry about."

Inuyasha slammed down his chopsticks and yelled, "You couldn't tell us this part first! I was making a list of all the people I have to kill before I die!"

Kagome gave him a small bonk on the head before continuing. "We've decided that we want to keep an eye on you guys just in case... so, although you're being released, you're going to be living with us until we're absolutely sure that everything is fine."

Sesshomarou only nodded his acknowledgements. He'd been told of the two priestesses high ranking and if he was to be here for...however long, making acquaintances with them couldn't hurt. But living with humans was the last thing he wanted to do.

Inuyasha sighed, "Wonderful. I get to be held prisoner by two smelly, ugly, stupid girls."

"Actually," Kagome interrupted with a grin, "that's three smelly, ugly, stupid girls, one perverted monk, one young fox demon, one cat demon and a partridge in a pear tree."

As if on cue, the sound of an angry yelp reached their ears, followed by a powerful slap.

"That'll be them."

Sango stormed into the room, arms full of clothes, followed by a young man with a sheepish smile and a particularly red cheek, wearing his dark hair in a tiny ponytail.

"I swear, Miroku, if you touch me one more time, I'll slap you so hard you'll forget where you're face is!"

"But, Sango! This accursed hand of mine can't help it! Such a beautifully shaped bottom makes it uncontrollable!" That's not what his gleaming eyes were saying.

Clearing her throat, Sango sat next to Kagome and introduced herself. "I'm Sango. Pleased to meet you while conscious, Inuyasha and Sesshomarou."

"Judging from your attire, I'll assume that you are also a priestess." Sesshomarou flatly stated. This must be the other girl they had mentioned.

Glancing down at her clothes, Sango nodded. She couldn't help but feel that he had said that...almost as if it were an insult.

Sango leaned over the tray of food and offered her hand to Inuyasha. "Kagome tells me that you're a demanding handful."

Inuyasha stared at her hand, which after a second, Sango took back, realizing he wasn't about to shake it. The man that Sango had called Miroku made his way over, obviously trying to get behind Sango and Kagome. The two turned on him like dogs, ready to tear his hand- or his head- off.

He got the point. Pretending to have been aiming for Inuyasha, Miroku ran his "accursed" hand over his head. "I heard that you are will be living with us for the time being. I'm Miroku, a monk. I hope that our time spent together will be enjoyable."

Inuyasha scrunched up his nose. "One perverted monk I could do without."

Kagome, Rin and Sango all nodded and said in unison, "Amen."

Before he could come up with a lame line, Sango pulled Miroku out of the room, Leaving the pile of clothes on the bed, Sango called over her shoulder, "We'll be at the house. Those are some clothes for them and I'll send Kirara over later!"

Miroku's complaints and Sango huffy replies faded, leaving the group of six back to four.

Taking a piece of clothing for the neatly folded pile, Kagome held the shirt in front of her and nodded. "I think this should fit you Inuyasha!"

Rin giggled, "Well, of course, it was made for him!"

Inuyasha scowl slipped for a moment. That was made for me?

Before he could question, Kagome handed him the pile of clothing, and another pile to Rin – who gave it to Sesshomaru.

"Try those on and come out when you're done, okay? We'll be right outside."

Left alone, Inuyasha gingerly picked up the shirt and stared at it in awe. It was a deep forest green, with golden hemming on the sleeve and on the bottom of the haori that caught the light. Careful not to tear it with his claws, Inuyasha rubbed the material between his fingers. It was incredibly light, although not too thin, and soft as could be. It was probably the single most amazing piece of clothing that he'd ever seen. The pants were the same color and material as the top, and the undershirt was a plain, white color- even so, it was much grander than anything he'd ever worn.

He glanced over at his brother, wondering what he'd been given. It was much like his, but a creamy off white with pale pink and blue swirls around the shoulders and ankles, with a dark maroon undershirt.

Snorting he thought, "Damn right feminine enough for the bastard."

Now for dressing...

The pants and undershirt were easy enough, but the haori, was confusing. It had strings that seemed to tie together. With much fumbling, on his part, he finally got it on and couldn't help but feel rather strange in the new clothes.

Striding to the door, Inuyasha turned the knob and pulled the door open, unaware that Kagome had been leaning on the. He caught a glimpse of Rin's startled look and heard a tiny intake of surprise from Kagome before she tumbled backward. Stepping forward, he easily caught her by the shoulder, her black hair brushing past his face.

"Are all humans this clumsy or is it just you?" Inuyasha snorted.

Pressing a heart to her chest Kagome straightened herself and breathed out. "I think it's just me!" Throwing him a grateful smile, she added, "Thank you for catching me!"

Turning his nose, Inuyasha huffed, "Keh."

Kagome's eyes widened a little when she saw how different he looked in his new attire. The green made his hair look even more silky and made his already startling eyes stand out even more.

"What are you staring at, wench?"

Realizing that she'd been staring, she flushed and yelped, "Nothing!"

"Yeah, sure," Inuyasha said, rolling his eyes.

Deciding to be merciful, Rin stepped in, clapping her hands happily, "Those clothes look wonderful on you! Well, Kirara should be here by now. We shouldn't keep her waiting too long!"

"No, no, we definitely shouldn't!" Kagome agreed, a little too loudly, if anything.

Oblivious to what was going on, Inuyasha glared at the two for a moment before shaking his head. If followed them as they started walking down the hallways, arms crossed, hands slipped into the large sleeves.

He was mesmerized by what he was seeing. Elderly demon in their humans forms were being pushed along in wheelchairs, chatting happily with their "drivers", most of which were humans dressed in strange white garbs.

Even Sesshomarou couldn't help but let his gaze linger at a little demon child stand on her toes, offering an armful of flowers to a bird demon with a broken wing.

As always, people stopped and bowed respectfully voicing their, "Hello, Kagome-san." Or "Good-day, Rin-san. Thank you for the flowers."

It became obvious to Inuyasha and Sesshomarou that the two girls were very much respected and more importantly – trusted. Although Sango was not present, it was most likely the same with her.

It felt quite awkward for Inuyasha walking about a hall full of humans –and in his case, demons- without receiving one look for disgust or an angry glare. If Sesshomarou felt it, he didn't show any signs of it. There were no cuffs on his wrists or ankles, no collar around his neck, jerking him forward. This was all a very new experience for him.

It felt so strange...that he nearly didn't catch that...he liked it.

As they went through different floors and wings of the hospital, Kagome and Rin described them to the two demons, sometimes offering stories of certain patients.

"There's Jinenji! You won't believe just how sweet he is! And so helpful! He was released a few days ago, so you'll probably see him when he stops by the house!"

Rin nodded happily. "He stops by often to drop off flowers or herbs! He's makes the best teas around, and he grows the plants himself, you know!"

By the tone of their voices they were obviously fond of him. It wasn't that he meant to, but it was habit. Humans liked other humans. That was how it was. "He was in the hospital? You humans are so damn weak."

Kagome paused for a moment and turned to face him. "Jinenji is hanyou, and a kind one at that."

Well, that wasn't expected. A hanyou...

"He and his mother came here about half a year ago. He was shy then, too, but still really kind."

As they continued, Inuyasha felt baffled.

How was it possible for a hanyou to be so easily accepted by demons and humans? It just wasn't natural. To humans, they were monsters- unpredictable and dangerous. To demons, they were half-breeds, a disgrace to the demon kind. It was a cruel law to Inuyasha, imprinted into his mind as clearing and painfully as if it had been branded with unmerciful fires.

From the day he'd entered this corrupted and harsh world, he had been treated as such. He'd never had a reason to think there was a different, a better life out there.

Finally, in the midst of his thoughts, they reached the bottom floor, also the play place for some of the young patients while they were watch over by nurses.

"There's Kirara. She's going to take us home, "Rin said, pointing.

Inuyasha followed her hand and saw a large cat demon...giving piggy-back rides?! Sitting atop her, were at least seven small children, laughing in delight as Kirara bounded around the play area, occasionally hovering a few feet off the ground.

Well, thought Inuyasha with a mental sigh, there's a first for everything.

Catching sight of Kagome and Rin, Kirara gently bent down and the passengers slipped off waving good-bye as she trotted over to the priestess. Rin rubbed Kirara behind her huge ear, and was rewarded with a rumbling purr.

Rin giggled, "This is Kirara. She's going to be taking us home! Kirara, this is Inuyasha and Sesshomarou."

The large cat silently regarded the two newcomers with large ruby eyes for a moment then blinked; much like a man would tip his hat in greeting.

Flicking her two tails, Kirara walked outside, as if to say it was time to go.

Inuyasha was...confused. Was this Kirara a slave? She seemed to choose to serve these humans. Two doors slid open with a soft hiss and the cool air brushed past Inuyasha, showering him with foreign smells. The moment that he stepped out of the hospital building, all thoughts disappeared and he entered a world that had never existed, not even in his dreams.

The scents of humans and demons were in the air, so closely mingled that it was hard to separate one from the other. Apparently, they were in a quieter part of the town. There were only a few shops, most of them selling medicine. A few of them were cafes. Inuyasha watched, transfixed as a family of three walked into one. The father was a tall demon with long pale blue hair, and the mother was a human woman. Inuyasha's eyes lingered on the small child. The hanyou girl with hazel eyes and cotton candy blue hair. She laughed with delight as her father tossed her into the air and caught her, spinning around until she was breathless.

Was this the life he could have lived?

A gentle hand touched his arm and Inuyasha started, turning, still in somewhat of a daze.

Gentle blue eyes smiled at him.

Smiling reassuringly, she said, "Come on, they're waiting for us."

Quickly scoffing Inuyasha huffed, "Aren't you going to tell me that I looked pathetic just now?"

Shaking her head, Kagome said quietly, "You didn't look pathetic..." She trailed off, then continued, "In fact, you looked wistful. Wistful and regretful."

Inuyasha snorted, "I think I would've preferred pathetic."

Even so, he couldn't help staring at the wonders around. The interaction of the two species, the calm that surrounded them. He was shocked, yes...but...it felt almost like he had been waiting for this.

Kirara stood waiting and as they mounted her, one by one, she seemed to grow larger, to make sure nobody slipped off her rear end. Seated on her soft fur, Rin and Sesshomarou sat in front, while Kagome and Inuyasha took the rear.

Kagome grinned at Inuyasha and said cheerfully, "Hang on tight! We wouldn't want to have to scrape you off the streets."

"It'll be you before me, wench."

Rin leaned forward the whispered into Kirara's large ears.

Fire surrounded her paws and with a graceful leap upward, they were in the air, leisurely making their way east. It was that time of day, the sky hovering between the light of day and the husky colors of dusk. There were lights in the windows of American style houses, and Inuyasha watched the people below. Most had begun to settle in for the day, preparing dinner. But, there were a few outside, families taking walks in the cool evenings. As Kirara silently glided along, everyone was quiet, save Rin who was humming.

Soon, the houses started to lessen in numbers, giving way to a more secluded area. The gravel and smooth black roads turned to wide, dirt paths, moving in lazy curves and turns. They seemed to be following a particular path, one lined with green grass and small trees, not yet ready to show their blossoms. It wasn't quite spring yet.

Smiling happily, Kagome pointed and announced, "There it is!"

It was a fairly large Japanese style house with equally spacious, grassy yards. There was a quiet peacefulness surrounding it with its small verandas and modest gardens. From the gardens, small white and yellow flowers nodded their greetings, while bright dragon-snaps seemed to sleep nestled against small leaves. It lay there nestled between graceful willows and infant hills. There was a low white fence around the perimeter with a swing-open gate. Hidden by a patch of tall grass, a pond glistened in the setting sun. There was a separate building beside the house, a small shrine, wind chimes tinkling softly from their spots beside the doors.

It could only be described as perfect.

Kagome and Rin smiled and whispered two words that had never enter Inuyasha or Sesshomarou's ears. "Tadaima."

Welcome home...

I cut this chapter a little short, I hope it was still enjoyable.