"Inuyasha!" she cried out as the half demon tried to hide. It was no use, she had seen him and she was mad. In a way he was grateful, at least she was showing some kind of emotion.
The hanyou stepped out into the clearing as the sun started to set.
"Kagome, I want to talk." His voice suddenly softened to a whisper.
"Please."
His simple request tore at her heart. It had been so hard to block him out, so hard to pretend that she didn't care. Looking at him and remembering their kiss caused a dull ache in her chest. It felt as if a void had been created where her heart had been.
Inuyasha watched her reaction. In slow motion she sunk to the ground. Her shoulders shook as she let herself break down and cry. All of the hurt and betrayal she had been feeling was now coming out in warm salty tears.
Inuyasha couldn't stop himself. He rushed over and picked Kagome up. He held her close as she shook. Soon his shoulder was wet with tears. He was content just to hold her. She seemed to fit perfectly in his arms and his heart.
Kagome was still crying when she raised her face to look at Inuyasha. She hadn't noticed when he had started crying as well. Now the tears were clearly visible on his pale face.
Inuyasha had finally realized. As he looked down at Kagome's tear-stained face, it hit him. Everything he had loved in Kikyo was now in Kagome. As he remembered back to their first kiss, he knew that he had never been so happy in his life. The pure, unadulterated joy he had felt was unlike anything he had experienced with Kikyo. Why was he holding back?
Slowly, unsure of how she would react, Inuyasha started to kiss Kagome. He gently placed his lips on her forehead. He just kept kissing her face and neck. He avoided her lips but showered her sad face with sweet kisses. Kagome had closed her eyes, fearing that this was just another dream. Inuyasha kissed both of her swollen, closed eyes. Then hesitantly he kissed her lips. Their lips just barely met. A charge went through Kagome and Inuyasha felt her delicate body shudder in his arms.
Inuyasha pulled back and waited for a reaction, any reaction. Kagome was afraid. She knew that if he muttered the clay miko's nameagain she would simply die. She didn't have any more strength. If he spoke that name, her life would end. She opened her eyes and waited for the worst.
The expression on herface told Inuyasha never to let her go. The look in her eyes said more than words ever could. He kissed her again, this time passionately, without restraint. All of the tension and longing they had kept bottled up came out in those short, intense minutes. Kagome was forced to stop and gasp for air. Inuyasha took the opportunity to let his kisses trail hungrily down her neck. Kagome felt all of her stubbornness fall away. She reached up and entangled her fingers in his long, silvery hair. The simple action drove Inuyasha insane. His warm lips continued to explore her cool skin.
Suddenly Kagome removed one of her hands from her hair. Her hand firmly grasped one of his clawed hands. She confidently placed his hand slightly above her breast. Inuyasha was unsure why until he felt her heart beating wildly.
"What does this mean?" she asked in barely a whisper.
" I don't know," he answered truthfully.
She was somehow satisfied with that answer and snuggled closer to his chest. Within seconds she was asleep. Inuyasha simply smiled as he headed back to the temple.
They had been so busy that they had failed to notice another pair of eyes.
Kikyo watched silently as the man she loved embraced her replacement. As she turned to leave, she didn't feel the single tear roll down her clay face.
Miroku watched quietly as Inuyasha walked in, cradling Kagome in his arms. The fire was almost dead, and Akako had fallen asleep just a little while ago. They had planned and schemed until they were both exhausted.
Inuyasha carried Kagome over to his mat in the corner. He gently lowered her to the mat and then settled in next to her. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he leaned over and kissed Kagome's cheek before closing his eyes.
Watching all of this hurt Miroku more than he was willing to admit. He was so happy for Inuyasha and Kagome but it also reminded him of what he was missing.
Looking at Sango lying only a few feet away, he knew that she was really miles from his touch. He curled up and silently cried himself to sleep.
In another part of the world a desperate heartbroken soul was also crying. Sango laid in a beautiful, comfortable bed in Sesshomaru's castle but was unable to sleep. She had planned to escape tonight. Unfortunately, she came across a problem. Sango had planned to use the child against Sesshomaru. That afternoon she had realized that she loved Rin like a daughter and could therefore never betray her trust.
Sango was now scared and ashamed. She loved Miroku but she refused to hurt an innocent child to get him back.
As her thoughts and memories wrenched at her heart Sango stumbled out of bed. She threw open the door and started walking along the dark hallways. Sango was crying so hard that she could barely stand. Finally she stopped outside of Rin's room. Instead of going inside, she backed against the wall facing the door. Slowly she collapsed and slid down the wall. She just sat facing the child's room. Her whole body shook with grief. The tears wouldn't stop.
Sesshomaru had watched the whole thing. He rarely slept and found himself constantly checking on both Rin and the demon fighter. He had been surprised when, as he approached her room, the woman's door had opened. Luckily, she was so grief-stricken that that she had not seen him. He followed out of curiosity as she weaved her way through the castle. Now he stood in the shadows.
For once in his life Sesshomaru did not know what to do. Usually he associated crying with weakness, but he had never seen someone genuinely heartbroken. In that moment, watching Sango cry her heart out, he decided that a broken heart really could kill a person. Quietly he approached. So quietly, that Sango did not even realize that anyone else was nearby.
Two strong hands closed around Sango's wrists and pulled her to a standing position. Sango looked up, startled, into the confused face of Sesshomaru. She quickly turned away, ashamed. He bent over and picked up like she was a child. Sango let herself be held as she continued to cry. It shocked Sesshomaru to be this close to any female. She was so small, hardly heavier than his own daughter. Sango's chest shook against him as she sobbed. She knew this display of weakness would probably just make it easier for him to kill her later, if he didn't just put her out of her misery now, but she didn't care.
Instead, he just carried her back to her room. The scent of her tears was all over him but he just lowered her carefully into the big bed and covered her with warm quilts. Just as he was about to leave, Sesshomaru looked back one more time. His eyes met Sango's and the look she gave him was a silent thank you. He was so confused. How could someone be so strong and yet so weak? More importantly, could anyone ever feel so strongly about a heartless demon like himself? For the first time in his life, Sesshomaru found himself wanting a mate, wanting someone to love.