Potential

By: Camigwen

- Chapter 9 -

"They've sure been gone a long time," Sango mused as she leaned over the edge of the Bone Eater's Well, peering down as if she were expecting Inuyasha and Kagome to appear at any moment.

From behind her, Miroku shrugged. "Perhaps they have other business to attend to."

Sango pushed herself up from her former position and whirled around to face the monk. "What 'other business'? We've been up to our ears in demons for the past two weeks! What possibly could be so important that they'd abandon us, leaving us to fight Naraku's minions all on our own?"

Miroku sighed. "Inuyasha once told me that a demon attacked Kagome and himself while in her time. Perhaps they've been kept occupied by that."

"Perhaps…"

"Or," the monk grinned, "perhaps they've been keeping each other occupied."

SMACK!

"Hentai!"

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Inuyasha growled in annoyance. Where the hell was that woman?

Buffy and Faith had taken Kagome and the other Potentials out to some place where they made wine. Inuyasha had been asked to stay behind and keep an eye on Buffy's little sister, Dawn.

He glanced over to the teenager sitting in front of the television, eating something horribly potent that she called 'popcorn.'

Dawn held the bowl out to him. "Want some?"

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose and shook his head. That stuff smelled so…odd. How could she eat that? He sure as hell wasn't!

She shrugged and placed the bowl back in her lap. "Your loss."

Kagome had told him that Buffy's sister was special, that there was something about her that was important to the world and she needed to be protected.

Feh, whatever Dawn's importance, he didn't care.

He was not some babysitter--he should've gone with them and fought instead of watching some teenage human eat.

"You look grumpy," Dawn said, glancing back and fourth between him and the television. "There's no need to worry about your girlfriend, Buffy'll bring her home safe."

G-girlfriend!?

"I'm not worried!" He spat. "And she's not my girlfriend!"

Dawn smirked. "Sure… if you say so."

Kami-sama, this kid was irritating. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She didn't answer him, just laughed.

He growled at her and made his way upstairs, through the open window in Buffy's room, and asserted himself on the place he called home for the past two weeks--the roof. He wanted so badly to go back to the Sengoku Jidai. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kaede were probably going crazy wondering where he and Kagome were.

Then, as if on cue, a group mostly consisting of girls, came around the corner.

He smelled blood, lots of it. Distress and sadness also flooded the air. Inuyasha wrinkled his nose, detesting the smell. For now, he decided that it was best that he stay up here. He learned quickly enough that it was not a good idea to get Buffy and Faith angry, and that witch creeped him out. Plus, he wasn't in the mood to get sat.

After a few minutes, he heard the door to Buffy's bedroom open and shut and the sent of fresh ajisai mingled with salt engulfed his senses.

It was Kagome…and she was crying.

Turning slowly, he glanced at her through the window. Her back was pressed against the door. A choked sob escaped her as she crumpled to the floor.

Instantly, he was through the window and at her side. Hesitantly, he reached out to her, but halted his hand in mid-air. He gulped, not wanting to anger her. "Kagome?"

With another great sob, she threw herself in his arms. "I don't want to do this anymore, Inuyasha!" she cried. "I don't want to have to watch one of my friends die or get hurt…Molly…Xander…" she trailed off, her crying intensifying.

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around the crying girl and lifted her off the floor, carrying her out the widow, and resuming his position on the room, settling her into his lap. He waited a few moments until her crying subsided some, then softly asked: "Kagome…what happened?"

Leaning her head against his chest, she answered: "We went and faced Caleb, that evil priest I told you about. It went horribly wrong Inuyasha…so horribly wrong. Molly died a-and Xander got his eye gouged out. Anya and Willow are taking him to the hospital now." She paused for a moment, the continued. "If this is what being a Slayer is going to be like…I'm not so sure I want to do it anymore."

"Well…" he said, unsure, "…we could always go back to the Sengoku Jidai."

Slowly, she pulled away from him and shook her head, looking down at the shingles. "You know I can't do that, Inuyasha. I'm needed here. We have to stop the First."

He sighed, lifting her slightly and setting her down next to him. Standing, he strides a few paces away, his back facing her. "You may be needed hear…but, why am I still here?"

Kagome furrowed her brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You're a Potential Slayer, Kagome. You've got others like you, surrounding you. I've--"

"Spike," she suggested. "And Clem--"

"No. They're not like me. I'm…" he sighs, "…an old demon, as the witch--"

"Willow."

"--Willow tells me. Face it Kagome, I'm useless to you here. If you won't return to the Sengoku Jidai, then maybe I will. Alone."

Kagome bolts to her feet and rushes over to him, grasping his shoulder and whirling him around to face her. "What the hell are you talking about, Inuyasha? You're not useless, I ne--"

He glares at her, keeping his expression firm. "No you don't! You've been the one fighting, while I keep an eye on some pathetic teenager."

"She's the Key, Inuyasha!"

"Why should I give a damn about some stupid Key!? This isn't my time, Kagome. It's not my battle."

She huffed and stomped her foot angrily. "You can't be serious!" Taking a deep breath, she calls herself, speaking in a softer voice this time. "Stay."

He sighs, "Kagome--"

Kagome looks up, meeting his eyes. "Please," one of her hands reaches forward and grasps his, entwining their fingers together, "…for me?"

Inuyasha stiffened. What was he supposed to say? Her eyes were pleading with him, begging him to stay. He wasn't needed here, but she seemed to think that he was. Whatever the reason, he didn't know. Back in the Sengoku Jidai, he treated her like crap, yet she still wanted him to stay by her side.

Hanging his head in defeat, he answered: "Fine. I'll stay."

A smile spread across her face as she took a step forward and leaned her forehead on his chest. "Thank you," she whispered, then swung one of her feet out under his, causing him to fall backwards onto the roof.

Growling, Inuyasha leapt to his feet. "What the hell was that for, wench!? I said I was staying!"

Kagome laughed at him. "I know. Which is why I'm trying out the new moves I learned on you." Her smile faded into an expression of seriousness and she dropped into the fighting stance Buffy had shown her.

The hanyou grinned, "Well, if you say so…"

------

THUMP…STOMP…CRACK…

"Good God, what are they doing up there?" Rona questioned as she pressed the ice packet to the bruise on her head.

Kennedy shrugged. "Who knows…but, I don't think I want to know."

Rona looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Rona, you've seen the way 'Gome and that dog demon act around each other. It's obvious that they've got a thing goin' on. I'm gay and even I can see it."

"But 'Gome said that they were just friends."

Kennedy scoffed. "It's what they all say."

Shaking her head, Rona stands and limps over to the front door, swinging it open. She steps outside and glares up at the sparing Potential and hanyou on the roof. "Hey you two, mind keeping it down!?"

From inside, Kennedy adds: "Just screw already and get it over with."

Inuyasha looses his balance as he hears Kennedy comment and nearly falls off the roof.

Kagome stands silent; her face burning red, then quickly turns and climbs through the window back into the room.

Rona waves them off and heads back inside.

Righting himself, Inuyasha stands and sits with his back leaning against the siding next to the window.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome calls out.

"Yeah?"

"It's going to rain tonight."

"So?"

"Why…why don't you come inside." It wasn't a question, more of a request.

He turns and peers at her for a moment, then slowly climbs inside.

She's silent for a while, with her back to him. "What are we, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha blinks, confused. She was human, he was hanyou. What kind of question was that? "What do you mean?"

Kagome turns and comes closer to him, stopping a foot away. "Us. I guess I should ask," a light blush tints her cheeks, "what am I to you?"

His eyes go wide as he realizes her question. She was his shard detector. No, she was his friend…his very good friend. When she was around, he felt warm inside and a light radiated from her that always made him want to smile. On numerous occasions, she had brought fourth feelings within him that he hadn't thought possible.

He was afraid to answer her; afraid that she would be angry or sad…and he didn't want to make her cry. She had enough to worry about at the moment. "You're…I don't know. I suppose it depends on… What do you want me to say?"

Her expression melted into that of sadness. "I'm just your shard detector…I'm sorry, I should've known better than to think otherwise."

"No…it's not like that, Kagome. You're…my friend."

She looked up at him, "Just a friend?"

Did she…was she asking…did she want…?

Hesitantly, he answered: "M-more, I guess."

They'd been through a lot together, even before all this Slayer crap started. She sorta…grew on him. He wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling, but he knew he was feeling something.

For her.

He closed his eyes, wanting so desperately to have this be a dream so that this awkward moment would end. He didn't expect to feel her arms embrace him.

"You're more to me, too."

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To be continued…

Standard disclaimers apply.

4/6/04