Here Without You

Chapter Six

"I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it's only you and me."

-Three Doors Down

"Happy Thanksgiving!"

Kagome winced and rolled onto her stomach, shielding her eyes from the light, while protecting her ears from Piper's loud-as-hell voice.

"Ha! Yeah! Getting a taste of your own medicine! Sucks, doesn't it-" Piper's annoyingly loud, victorious rant was cut short when Kagome threw a pillow, which connected with her face.

"Karma," Kagome mumbled sleepily, snuggling up in her blankets. "Are you leaving yet?" She shot a drowsy grin at her friend.

"Ch'. Love you, too, Kagome," Piper retorted, matching Kagome's grin. "Yeah, I just need to find my cell phone..."

"Did you leave it at Alex's house last night?" Kagome gave a sly smirk, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

Piper was silent for a moment, tapping her lip as she considered the thought. "Shit, I did." The girl frowned. "Well, guess I better go get it. And my black bra, too."

Kagome gave a comical wince. "Piper, way more information than I ever wanted or needed to here."

"Yeah, deal with it." Piper smiled, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She tossed her short, blonde hair out of her face. "Now get up and give me a hug, bitch."

Kagome smiled and rose, trotting over to Piper and giving the girl a hug. The blonde-haired American returned the embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around Kagome's back.

The girls parted. "You sure you'll be okay here by yourself?" she asked skeptically. "Because you can come with me to my parents' house-"

"I'll be fine, Piper," Kagome protested, honestly touched by her friend's concern. She smiled. "Have a nice Thanksgiving with your family."

Piper snorted and turned for the door. "I'll try…" She opened the door and stepped through, turning to give Kagome one last goodbye.

Piper grinned, giving Kagome a wave with a flick of her wrist. "Later."

"Ja ne."

---

Is this real…? Gossamer clouds drifted by, screening the brilliant sun and casting soft light onto Inuyasha as he soared. His golden eyes sparkled in the light, wide and bemused, while silver hair whipped around his face. Is this real? He asked himself again with a curious look. And, yes, it was real. He was soaring, he was flying, he was…

Sitting in an uncomfortable chair while the broken 'air conditioner' continued to blow on his face at full blast. Inuyasha shifted in his seat, dropping his head into his hands as he stared out of the tiny window of the metal bird he now inhabited.

A sigh of discontentment escaped him, his white ears twitching beneath the hat he now wore. Just a week ago, the hanyou had never even imagined that the journey to Kagome would be this boring. Though he thought it was very well worth it, he also thought that he was on the brink of a mental breakdown. Not only was he bored out of his mind and confined to a small chair for over a day, but the kid behind him kept kicking his chair.

For the umpteenth time in the past hour, Inuyasha turned in his seat and glared at the child, his teeth bared. A deep growl rose in his throat, and the child was promptly silenced. His wide blue eyes stared at Inuyasha with a fond curiosity.

"Inu!" he cried happily, pointing at the hanyou.

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted, turning back around in his seat. "Baka."

The hanyou sighed, his silver hair cascading over his shoulders as he sunk down in his chair. Though the ride had been excruciatingly boring up to this point, it definitely was nice to have a break from all of the planning. In fact, the past week had been nothing but planning. They had needed to buy Inuyasha a ticket to New York, figure out how to get him past security in the airport, get a fake I.D. card, and lastly, needed to find a way to hide his Tessaiga.

That was where Kaede and Miroku had come in. Using her miko powers, and his houshi powers, they had forged a seal for Inuyasha's precious sword. The charm had made it invisible to the naked eye, and undetectable by humans.

However, none of them had ever thought about metal detectors. Hell, they didn't even know what metal detectors were! All that Inuyasha knew was that he disliked them greatly. With a passion. It was because of the evil invention of the metal detector, that Inuyasha and his company had been forced to stand in the airport for hours while the airport security inspected him.

"Americans are pretty protective of their country and who gets into these days," a man had said while Inuyasha was studied.

"What's an American?" the hanyou had asked, confused by the unfamiliar word.

The man tapped his bottom lip thoughtfully, his eyes rolling towards the ceiling. "You know, nobody really knows. They say they're the 'free people,' but, hey, most of us are free, aren't we? Well, except for those poor bastards in Iraq and Saudi Arabia…" The man continued to chat absentmindedly.

Inuyasha stared at the man with a bemused expression, an eyebrow cocked. He didn't know what the hell an eye rack was, and wasn't even going to try to pronounce that last one. But, he didn't think that asking the man what they were would help. No, that would only cause further confusion.

Luckily, Inuyasha was rescued by his company, who he had found was named Mrs. Mokina. Something about surgery and a metal head-plate… whatever. The point remains, Inuyasha was spared further confusion, and allowed to get on the plane to New York.

And now, the hanyou was sitting on a giant, metal bird, dying from boredom as he stared out of the small window.

"Would you like something to drink, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha turned at the sound of the kind voice. "Uhh… hai, Mrs. Mokina. Arigato."

The old woman nodded and handed Inuyasha a small can labeled 'Mountain Dew: Code Red.'

Needless to say, the rest of the flight wasn't so boring.

---

Snow fell from the sky, drifting to the earth in soft flurries. They settled on New York City, decorating the normally dreary city with a white veil; one that gave it a beautiful, dreamy look.

Kagome strode along in the snow, a delicate smile on her lips, roses in her cheeks. I knew I'd like New York in the winter, she mused as she walked through a frozen Central Park. Brown eyes lifted to the sky in favor of watching the snow fall. Grey clouds loomed overhead, expelling flakes of snow continuously. ­One signal piece of snow drifted down towards Kagome, settling on the tip of the girl's nose.

Kagome wrinkled her nose as the piece of ice melted, ducking her head into her warm, fleece scarf. The fabric felt soft against her skin, providing a temporary moment of warmth and comfort. Fleece had always seemed to have that effect…

A gentle sigh left Kagome. Despite how she hated to admit, despite how childish and stupid it made her feel; she really did miss home. She missed her mom; she missed her brother and grandpa. She missed Inuyasha, and Sango, and Miroku; and Shippou and Kirara. She missed the sakura trees, and being able to get good yakisoba. Hell, she even missed looking for the Shikon no Tama…

Kagome snorted, the puff of air visible in the winter's chill. I guess I'm just homesick, Kagome thought with a wry smile. At least I get to go back during Christmas vacation… Another sigh of discontentment was audible as the girl's shoulders dropped. Somehow, that didn't seem soon enough.

Kagome pulled her coat tighter around herself, trying to shield herself from the cold winds that assailed her. Snow blew in her face, catching in her eyelashes and hair. Well, at least they get decent snow storms over here… Kagome's lips quirked into a smile, and she began the long trek back to her dorm.

---

"Holy shit, that's the biggest youkai I've ever seen!"

Inuyasha stared out of the window, his eyes wide and bemused as he stared at a gigantic youkai in the distance. She wore a green robe and held a green book in one hand, and a marble-like green torch in the other. In fact, she was completely green, from head to toe.

"What's that, Inuyasha?" Mrs. Mokina asked, peeking up from her magazine.

Inuyasha turned to face the woman, but quickly turned back to the youkai. He pointed a clawed finger in its direction, his golden eyes still wide. "That youkai! It's huge! But, it's not moving… is it sealed…?"

Mrs. Mokina let out a small laugh, a smile spreading across her wrinkled face. "That's the statue of liberty, Inuyasha," she said with an amused tone.

"It's not a youkai…?"

"Nope."

"Oh." Inuyasha sunk in his seat, only slightly disappointed. If it had been a youkai, he would have at least had something to do…

Suddenly, a fuzzy, feminine voice broke Inuyasha's silent brooding. "Excuse me all American Airline passengers," she spoke. Inuyasha's ears twitched wildly beneath his hat, trying desperately to figure out where the voice was coming from. "We will be arriving at JFK airport within fifteen minutes. Please turn off all CD players and other battery operated equipment. Thank you!"

Inuyasha tilted his head to the side, looking very much like a curious puppy. "We're here?"

Mrs. Mokina smiled, placing her magazine in the outside pocket of her purse. "Almost," she said. "Just a few more minutes, Inuyasha-Chan."

Inuyasha blushed at the old woman's nickname. Nobody had ever called him that before…

---

Nearly an hour and a half after Kagome's walk found the girl sitting in the common room of her dorm building, a 'Ceres' manga sitting in her lap.

"Oh come on, Aya, pick Yuuhi!" she whispered loudly at the book.

Kagome flipped the page, licking her lips as she read. True, it might not have seemed like much, but this was just… perfect. There she was, sitting in her dorm all alone with a manga in her lap and a fire burning at the opposite end of the room.

The fire cracked and licked at the stone hearth as it consumed the longs, filling the room with bright and natural warmth. A small smile spread across Kagome's lips as she looked up at the fire, rolling back the sleeves of her dark blue sweater. This is so perfect, she mused happily. This couldn't possibly get any better…

And it didn't. In fact, it just got worse. Because walking through the door was Ricky, one of his friends tagging behind.

Kagome looked up to see the boy walking towards her when the cold air from outside hit her. A small shiver shot down her spine, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was just from the cold…

"Hello, Ricky," she said warmly, a small smile planted on her lips. She placed her manga on the small oak table next to her. "Happy Thanksgiving."

Ricky returned Kagome's kindness with a charming smile as he peeled off his jacket. "Thanks, you too."

Kagome smiled. "Need something?"

Ricky shook his head, failing to remove that smug smile of his. "Not really. My buddy, John, and I just decided that since you weren't going to the party, we'd bring the party to you."

Kagome smiled, but something inside of her shuddered. "How thoughtful."

Ricky grinned and walked over to where he sat, his confidence evident in his stride. He perched himself on the armrest of Kagome's chair, staring down at the girl with sparkling eyes.

Kagome blushed slightly, staring up at Ricky. "Umm… hi there."

Ricky smirked. "Hey."

Kagome titled her head to the side. Was he just trying to sound… sexy? The girl blushed, instantly feeling that her cheeks would explode.

"So, John and I were kind of bored at the party, so we thought we'd come here and have a little fun."

…Forget the cheeks exploding; now she just wanted to run.

Kagome swallowed the growing lump in her throat. "What do you mean?" she dared to ask.

Ricky grinned, baring pure, white teeth. "I think you have some idea." The boy brought his hand up to graze Kagome's cheek. "I think you have the entire idea…"

Yeah, but I really wish I didn't… Kagome's pulse quickened. "I'd really rather not," she said, trying to sound defiant, though her voice came out small and weak.

Ricky forced a laugh out of his mouth, the harsh sound making Kagome cringe. "Come on, Kagome; college is the time to experiment." His eyes danced with silent laughter. "Don't you want to be part of it all?"

No. Kagome shook her head, her cheeks flaming.

"Well, we'll start and see how you like it," Ricky murmured, his eyes half-closed as he removed himself from the armrest of Kagome's chair. The terrified schoolgirl stared back to see the one dubbed John standing by the fire, his arms crossed over his chest, and a sly grin on his lips.

Bastards, Kagome thought, staring at them with trembling irises. "Don't," she said, putting rough emphasis on the one word.

Ricky snorted, bring himself in front of Kagome. "Sure." John let out an abrupt laugh from where he stood, watching the display.

Kagome glared at Ricky and began to rise to her feet in an attempt to get away, but was quickly pushed back into the chair. "Bakayarou…"

"Cut the Japanese crap, Kagome," Ricky said in an irritated tone. "You're in America, remember?"

Kagome glared at him angrily, though everything inside of her was screaming.

Ricky smirked, resting his knees against Kagome's chair as he straddled her legs, his arms on either side of her. He brought his face down, way too close for comfort, and grinned wide, taking hold of one of Kagome's arms.

Kagome glared at him. "Get off."

Ricky snorted, bringing his lips down on hers. "Make me."

Kagome's eyes flashed to red as she brought her hand up, swiping it across Ricky's arrogant face. The boy's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he brought his angry gaze back to Kagome.

"If you keep doing that, this'll be a lot more difficult…" He brought his lips down on hers again.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for contact with Ricky's lips, while also preparing to vomit. This is disgusting, Kagome thought hopelessly, I can't believe this is happening…

But, while Kagome sat there, her eyes tightly shut, nothing happened. She didn't feel Ricky's lips against her own, nor did she feel his hand on her arm, rooting her to the spot. The girl pried her eyes open, and just in time to see Ricky being pulled back, away from her. And then, she heard a familiar voice…

"Teme…"

Kagome's eyes widened. It can't be… there's no way…

Kagome tilted her head to see around Ricky and passed out when she saw who stood there. Those golden eyes; the long, silver hair…

"Inuyasha?!" Kagome gaped at the hanyou as he stood there, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, her voice refusing to be found.

"Teme," Inuyasha repeated, grabbing Ricky by the neck. "Keep your hands off of her," he growled menacingly.

And he didn't even allow Ricky to get one word in. Without another passing moment, Inuyasha sent a swift punch to Ricky's jaw, letting him fly across the room. The hanyou glared after him. "Get out."

Ricky stared at Inuyasha, his eyes wide and terrified. He feebly got to his feet and ran out, his friend John, who appeared to have also gotten a piece of the hanyou's mind, tailing shortly behind.

Kagome stared up at Inuyasha, her mouth still agape. She stared up at her rescuer; her protector who was always there when she needed him. Even when he was supposedly half a world away…

---

"Inuyasha…?"

Inuyasha's ears turned towards the gentle voice, though still hidden by the hat, and his fear evaporated. The hanyou turned to meet the girl's gaze.

Her eyes were wide and filled with tears, a small, confused smile on her lips. "Inuyasha," she repeated, her smile widening as she rose from her seat.

Inuyasha returned the smile. "Oi, Kagome."

Kagome shook her head, running towards him. "Inuyasha!" The girl flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his red haori, gentle cries racking her body.

"Oi, Kagome!" Inuyasha whine, surprised by the girl's tears. "Stop crying, baka!"

"I'm not crying!" she shouted into the fire rat cloth.

Inuyasha smiled, remembering their familiar argument. "Yes, you are."

"No I'm not." Kagome paused for a moment before continuing. "Oh, fine, screw it; I am. I just can't believe it's you, Inuyasha." The girl's tears slid down her cheeks, landing on Inuyasha's red haori. The girl lifted her eyes to stare at Inuyasha's face, crystalline tears brimming her eyelashes. "I missed you so much."

The hanyou's ears flattened against his with embarrassment as he tentatively placed his arms around the crying girl. "I missed you, too."

Kagome let out a small laugh, taking a step back in order to gaze at the hanyou's face. "I can't believe this…" she murmured. "How did you get here?"

Inuyasha rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Well, your mother sent me with one of her friends."

Kagome tilted her head to the side. "Why?"

Inuyasha blushed. "So I could see you."

Kagome stared at the hanyou for a moment, a small smile on her lips, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Inuyasha…" And then she flung herself onto him again.

---

Kagome kept her arms locked firmly around Inuyasha's neck, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear; afraid that this was all just an incredibly wonderful, cruel dream. Ethereal tears continued to slide down her cheeks as she held the hanyou in her arms, all of the longing and missing him through the past months condensed into that one embrace.

God, I've got a lot of hugging to do… Kagome realized. She pulled herself away from the inu hanyou, a small smile on her lips. She brought her arm up and wiped the stray tears away from her eyes.

The girl shot a glance behind the hanyou, realizing that they were still, indeed, in the middle of the common room, available to all observers… Kagome blushed brilliantly. "We should get going," she murmured randomly. She brought her gaze back to Inuyasha and smiled. "Come on, I'll show you my room."

Inuyasha nodded his response and allowed himself to be led up the staircase and down the hall, stopping at the room labeled '224.' Kagome watched as the hanyou stared with a bemused expression at the rooms around him, his nose twitching as he took in the variety of new scents.

"Is this an inn?" he asked, his head cocked to the side.

Kagome giggled. "No, Inuyasha; it's called a dorm. It's a place for college students to stay."

The hanyou snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "Looks like an inn to me…"

Kagome smiled, turning towards the room '224' and twisting the knob. The door let out a small click and gave way to the two outside, who walked in quickly; not wanting to attract the attention of any college students that could have been around. Kagome softly closed the door behind them, turning in towards her room with a content sigh.

"This is it," she breathed lightly, her eyes roaming over the small room that she and Piper shared.

Inuyasha nodded, sniffing the air as he pulled off his red hat, letting it fall to the ground. "It smells like your old room… only different…"

Kagome's lips quirked into a smile. "That's probably because I share it with someone." The girl strode to her bed and plopped down. She patted the spot next to her, inviting the hanyou to her side.

Inuyasha's ears pressed forward eagerly, striding to where Kagome was and dropping down as well.

Kagome stared affectionately at Inuyasha. "I missed you so much, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha snorted, though his cheeks flushed to a bright scarlet. "Yeah, I know; you said that already."

Kagome shook her head, her raven hair whipping around as she smiled gently. "No, Inuyasha; you don't know," she said, her cheeks now matching his at heat grew there. "I've missed you so much these past months, and I've wanted to do something…"

Inuyasha tilted his head curiously. "What's that?"

Kagome smiled, her cheeks burning. She reached out and brushed a strand of the hanyou's silver hair out of his face, allowing her hand to linger there. "I've wanted to do this."

Kagome leaned in and settled her lips on Inuyasha's. Her eyes fell closed as she allowed her body to relax, all of the muscles in her body loosening as she caressed Inuyasha's lips with her own.

---

Inuyasha's eyes widened for a moment, his whole body taken over by a sense of extreme shock. But also… extreme euphoria. The hanyou stayed still for a moment before reacting and slowly looping an arm around Kagome's waist, pulling her closer to him.

The hanyou's eyes fell closed as he held Kagome to him, his heart hammering in his chest. He brought his hand up to cup her face while the other remained tightly wrapped around the girl's waist.

This close… he could feel everything. He could smell Kagome's sweet, delicate scent; he could hear her soft whimpers and breaths as they kissed; he could feel her heartbeat racing in time with his.

And it was wonderful. There he was, in a strange country, having just gotten off a rather boring and exhausting plane ride, and also having been forced to beat one of the more moronic men of the world.

But, he was kissing Kagome. He was with Kagome. And that was all that mattered.

---

Author's notes: … ::inhales:: FINALLY!!