Yeah! Two chapters in one day! It's just cause I am leaving in a week to go to Spain for a while, so I wanna be sure I can finish this before I leave… and I'm disappointed with my last chapter, so I wanna make up for it! Okay everyone, enjoy and respond!

Chapter 9: Tears

The girl from the future could just make out the clouds looming in the distance. They seemed menacing, as if they held a secret they could never allow to pass mortal ears. With such powers, who knew of the corruption it was withholding? Weather was such a fickle thing, it could turn on you in an instant. The ever-changing winds blew throughout eternity as a symbol of life's movement and unpredictability. Kagome never would have guessed that she would end up 500 years in the past. Yet here she was, loving it and yet suffering. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself for having a hand in stopping a great evil from destroying the world, and for carrying the great burden of what had happened. Childhood was lost forever to the girl who had not yet come of age for adulthood. Forced into adulthood she was by a cruel, and yet loving fate… loving, in that it gave her Inuyasha.

Kagome didn't notice as the door curtains moved back, and a very tired Inuyasha walked in. Dried mud lie in small patches on his clothes and face, and his hair was slightly damp with sweat. The hanyou had been out searching and training for the past few hours, and it had been a trying task. At the smell of fish, he was most anxious to dig in, but seeing how hard she was working to prepare the meal, he decided to hold off. After all, he had to find out what Sango was talking about. He just stared at her for a while, wondering why she hadn't noticed him yet. He cleared his throat loudly for her to hear. She looked up and smiled, "Oh, hey Inuyasha. Don't worry, dinner will be ready soon."

She immediately resumed cooking, as if he wasn't there. Inuyasha cocked his head and his ear tweaked in annoyance. She had barely even acknowledged him. No kiss; no embrace. That wasn't like her at all. She walked passed him a few times, collecting firewood and various ingredients here and there. She squatted by the fire and placed the logs underneath. Her black hair glimmered in the flame of the fire. The hot embers danced outward as the fire was encouraged to grow with her sweet breath. Orange beams of light reflected off her light skin, which made her appear to him as a siren. He found himself lost in the beauty of her, and a small smile began to curl on his lips. What had Sango been getting at? Kagome seemed fine. She was even humming. She had seemed a little uneasy lately, but nothing Inuyasha couldn't solve. Soon, Kagome would be free from that bastard Naraku. As of right now, she was safe, and she was happy… wasn't she? When she finally stepped away from the fire, he noticed something that made his heart drop into the pit of his stomach… her face was red, and she had… those were tears.

His lips slightly parted as a breath of worry escaped him. "You are crying," he quietly said, and the very words seemed to dishonor her.

She didn't hear him, or at least she pretended not to hear him. He saw her take in a hasty breath, and knew she was trying to hold back tears, but was unable to stop a few from flowing onto her cheeks. 'Oh God, it can't be. Sango… she was saying it was me, wasn't she? That I was the one causing Kagome pain? Please no.'

He came towards her, speaking louder this time, "You are crying."

She looked away from him and made herself appear busy with the food. She tried to wipe away the evidence on her face and put on a fake grin. "Don't be silly, Inuyasha. What would I have to cry about?"

She closed her eyes. What a stupid thing for her to say. Kagome knew she had every reason to cry, but she couldn't now. Not in front of Inuyasha, or he would feel worse. There was no need for her to drag him into her problems and needs. Perhaps he needed space from it all… from her. Such thoughts caused more tears to form around the rim of her eyes, and she refused to let them fall, but instead wiped them away before they could descend. Inuyasha looked at her with pity and worry, "Kagome…"

"Excuse me, Inuyasha. Unless you're here to help, you can just go outside and I'll call you when it's ready, okay? There's no reason for you to stay here," Kagome's voice cracked with the last sentence.

There was no way in hell that Inuyasha was going to leave when she was like this. When she walked by him again, he grabbed onto her arm to hold her back. "You are crying!" He said loudly.

"I told you, I am not crying!" Kagome started to yell at him, "Now go outside!"

Two tears slipped past her eyes and landed on her cheeks. Inuyasha said, "Yes you are. I can see them right there on your cheeks."

Kagome quickly wiped them away, "Baka! You're just seeing things!"

Kagome was getting rather defensive, and Inuyasha stepped in front of her path, "You have to talk to me. What's wrong?"

Kagome was getting visibly irritable, "Nothing's wrong, Inuyasha! Now, just go outside until the food is ready."

Kagome pointed to the door as she commanded him. Inuyasha shook his head fiercely. "No! You have to tell me what's wrong!"

She pushed past him angrily, "I have a lot of preparing to do."

Inuyasha yelled, "Baka! I can't help you if you won't tell me why you were crying!"

Kagome turned towards him and pushed against him as she yelled, "I told you! I am… not… crying!"

The power in Kagome's voice could have brought Inuyasha to his knees. He saw her bang against him, in a weak attempt to move him, and her hands were shaking. He took them in his own hands, and panic started to overwhelm him. The tears were now freely flowing from her eyes. She was losing the battle against her heart.

She turned away from him and out of his grasp, trying desperately not to lose control of herself. As she cut into the vegetables with a knife, her hands were shaking so much she could barely hold the knife steady. Her own tears landed in front of her, and she bit her lip hard, forbidding herself to show weakness. Inuyasha's breath began to shake as well when he looked upon his beloved one in such a state. It frightened him more than any youkai ever could. "Kagome, stop…"

"I have a lot to do Inuyasha. I still have to prepare the vegetables. I need to… I need to separate the fish, I need to make more of that sushi that Shippou loves so much," Kagome's weak voice was cracking, but she was trying in earnest to smile.

Inuyasha couldn't take this anymore. He grabbed onto her hand to stop her from cutting. "Stop it, Kagome!"

She wouldn't look at him. She forced her hand away from him, moved to her bag, and started rummaging through it. Kagome continued to ramble hysterically, "But I can make those noodles that you love Inuyasha. I know you'd like that. I'll make that if you don't want the fish. I just… need to find it. Oh God, it isn't here… but I know I brought it with me… Don't worry Inuyasha. I'll find it."

Inuyasha grabbed onto her arms, stopping her from searching. Tears were on the verge of breaking from him as well. "Stop it," he said more forcefully.

She freed her arms once again from him and kept looking, and at this point was struggling just to keep her breath steady, "No… it's okay. I'll find it! I…I'll find it! I'll… make it for you."

Inuyasha refused to give up. He grabbed onto her tightly, pulling her away from her search, and brought her into a deep embrace. For a few moments, she struggled to get free, but he simply refused to let her go this time. She pounded against him with her fists and pushed against him, but his heart simply refused to break free of her contact. He shut his eyes tightly and grimaced, as if he could strengthen his hold on her by doing so, as if he could absorb her pain. Kagome shook lightly against the man she loved. This sadness… this guilt… it was too much for her. Finally she relaxed into him and let herself cry out loud. Inuyasha rocked with her slowly, and reigned kisses on her hair and forehead. He placed his cheek on top of her hair and nuzzled it against her affectionately. Kagome continued, "But I know you love those noodles, Inuyasha. I'll make them for you, okay?"

Inuyasha shook his head and buried his face into her hair. "I don't need them," he whispered.

"You're so stubborn! I said I'll make them for you!"

"Baka! I don't mean your stupid noodles!" Inuyasha yelled, and his voice cracked.

This wasn't justice… this was… this was insanity. Hopelessness engulfed the hanyou. His beloved one was in pain, and it had been eating away at her all this time. Had she been hiding this pain from him all along so he wouldn't worry? "Baka." He whispered.

Kagome clutched his haori between her fingers and buried her face deeper, thereby muffling her cries. Every ounce of strength seemed to explode from her body. The pain was unbearable. She could smell the salt in her own tears, which was mixed with the smell of Inuyasha's clothes and the mud. Time and time again had she cried with him, but now she was plagued with something she was sure would never leave her. She could cry forever as she was. But he was there… Inuyasha was there by her side once more. Despite her fear, she suddenly felt a wave of relief sweep over her. She wouldn't hold back anymore. Her body ached to cry and release the anguish.

Inuyasha felt her weakness and slid down to a sitting position on the floor with her. She lay in his lap as he cradled her close to his heart. He wouldn't stop her tears now. As much as he hated it, she just had to let it all out, and God help him, he would be there for her. They didn't say a word to each other, but the promises of love were still there, stronger than ever, even in silence. Inuyasha gazed off into space, lost in concern and his own self-loathing. One clawed hand ran through her long dark hair, feeling the smoothness that was his Kagome. He smoothed over the side of her face with the back of his fingers, encouraging the message to break through. He kept his cheek nuzzled against her, and willed that somehow his love could shake her loose of this agony. His love… it just wasn't enough to save her, was it? All the power in the world he felt for this woman and it could never ease her suffering. It made him sick. It made him feel like a failure… exactly what Kagome wouldn't have wanted him to do, and he knew it. All the same, he squeezed his eyes tighter, 'Damn you, Naraku. Damn you.'

Her cries faded away with time, leaving the peace that Inuyasha was hoping for. When her breaths became completely steady and harmonious, he knew she had fallen asleep. It was just as well. She was probably exhausted from all the crying. Tears drenched the hanyou's haori, and he was amazed that someone could cry so much in one sitting. He kept her in his embrace though to further assure her of his presence and his love. That he would always be there with her to help her through this.

His lips pressed against her forehead, and refused to let go. He thought, 'This can't go on much longer. I don't know how much more of this Kagome can take. I have to do something to end this battle. Her pain is eating me alive. I know she doesn't want me to worry, but how can't I when she is so vulnerable? I am responsible for her safety, and I won't see the day when I fail her again.'

Thunder clapped outside. He looked up momentarily. The storm was still far away, but it was approaching, and would be there perhaps in another few hours. He eyed the one sleeping in his arms and he nodded his head knowingly. 'I will ease you pain tonight, my Kagome. I will keep you safe from harm, and I will take down that bastard that did this to you. You won't have to worry anymore. I will end it all tonight.'

To be continued…

Argh! Inuyasha no baka! But I can totally see him doing that, he's so stubborn and dense. But he'll figure it out eventually, so don't worry. Okay well, I hope this one was more enjoyable than the last. Forgive me? … please… Was it better this time?