I Still Want You By My Side Chapter 3: All Up To Them, an inuyasha fanfic

Disclaimer – I'm not in the mood to argue. (yes people, be amazed) I don't own Inuyasha and that's that...

Suzu –This chapter will be a little fluffy, I guess. Oh dear. (Sniff) I don't like writing fluff all that much. It's so embarrassing!

Inuyasha – This chapter better have some major butt-kicking or else.

Suzu – (looks over curiously at Inuyasha) Or else what, Inuyasha? I don't get it.

Inuyasha – (glares awkwardly) Man, you're even blunter than Kagome!

Kagome – (gives Inuyasha the cold eye) What DID YOU JUST SAY????

Suzu – Okeee.... Moving on....

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Last time:

Inuyasha looked over at Kagome's chocolate brown eyes. "Kagome, y--you-you aren't really going to leave, are you? I won't be able to stand it if you leave."

Chapter 3-

"Inuyasha? Wha—what... do you mean?" Kagome asked nervously, her eyes now fixed at her free hand, which was fidgeting with a lock of raven hair.

"Kagome... I don't want you to leave....I...I want to be with you..." Inuyasha hung his head. Why was he tingling all over? He didn't understand. Was it wrong to be with Kagome? Why did he feel so awkward?

Kagome's attention shifted wholly on Inuyasha. 'What did he just say?' She sat there, staring at him, forgetting all other things around them. Her vision soon blurred with tears. She commanded her hand to stop fidgeting.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered. Slowly, she slipped her numb arms around him and pulled him into a hug. "Don't worry. I won't let you stay all alone..." She mumbled into his hair. She needed the comfort of the hug as much as he did, maybe more.

Inuyasha closed his eyes. He wished so much that he could stay with Kagome by his side--together. He shifted uncomfortably under Kagome's arms. Why did this feel so—right? His head spun around and around madly. 'I wanted to become a full demon to get a stronger heart, to never be led astray by anything ever again. Why am I so confused now?'

Kagome was facing the same sort of problems at the moment. 'Inuyasha wanted to be with me? How does he actually feel about me? I know we were just friends...but now...'

"Let's go to sleep, Inuyasha," Kagome said shakily to the hanyou. She let go of her embrace and sat down next to him. Settling down on the wall, she closed her eyes after wiping them on her pajama sleeve. Inuyasha shifted in the corner next to her. Slowly, the pair slipped off to sleep. They could worry about what lay ahead later. Until then, they would savor their time together in the present state of affairs.

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Morning dawned early, eager to hustle people, demons, and animals alike out of sleep. The dark night sky turned from a shade of dark blue to pinkish orange, and from that to a light, crisp blue. Soon the birds were out, chirping as the sun tingled the leaves on the trees and warmed every feather. It was going to be a beautiful day.

Inuyasha stirred from his sleeping position as the sunshine seeped through the windows and ticked his face. He blinked twice, and then the night before's events came rushing back. Kagome...she had to leave him, no matter if she wanted to stay or not. She belonged in her time. And him...he would use the Shikon No Tama to become full demon. That was, after all, what he had planned from the beginning

Inuyasha shook his head. Why was he acting like such a wimp? 'I'm not gonna stay like this soon anyway,' he thought. He was going to become a full demon that could ignore the stupid human emotions and complications. He was going to go through with it, no matter what.

Inuyasha stood up and dusted off his red fire-rat hoari. He spotted Kagome sleeping nearby. She was mumbling something in her sleep. He walked quietly over and leaned over her sleeping form. Her face, many times so peaceful, was not so this morning.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome mumbled. "Inuyasha, am I just...a ...replacement?" She shifted a little. "Inuyasha, you promised you would protect ...me..."

'I did, didn't I, Kagome? But what if you don't need or want to be protected anymore? What will I do then, Kagome?' Inuyasha thought sadly as he looked down at the sleeping form of Kagome. He suddenly sucked in his breath as Kagome mumbled some more in her unconscious state.

"Inuyasha...I...I want to stay with you too...if you don't mind...I promise I won't cause you any...trouble..." Kagome's eyes squeezed shut harder, as if she was having a nightmare. Inuyasha sadly placed a hand on her hair.

"You could never cause me trouble, Kagome. If there was any trouble at all, it would be me who was causing it," Inuyasha whispered.

Silently, he left the room and strolled out into the sunshine. There were the villagers, happily eating their morning's breakfast. There were the birds, who were tittering madly among themselves. Within the forest, there were probably a few weasel demons, scurrying about, hunting for food. Each species had a place to belong. He did too, once. But when Kagome left, he would be alone again.

He sped into the forest until he came to the well. Kagome had left her home for a while now. She would probably have to go back home soon to tell her family how things were going, maybe catch up on some of the strange 'tests' she was always talking about. When Kagome went down that well, would she come back?

Inuyasha's heart began beating faster. What if she was going to pop into the well one day and just never come back? And he would no longer have a reason or, Inuyasha though grimly, an excuse to drag her back? After all, her work as a jewel shard detector was done. She would leave him to go and 'graduate' her 'school'. Then, she would find a life's mate, one who could make her happy. She would raise her pups happily in the modern era.

Even though the sun was shining so brightly and the aura all around was that of happiness, the hanyou's mood was grim and dark. Totally dejected, confused, and lonely, the hanyou wandered back to the cottage.

As Inuyasha walked back to the cottage, he saw a figure dressed in monk robes approaching by the bend in the road. 'Miroku...' he thought grimly. The houshi sauntered over to the forlorn Inuyasha. He was in one of his serious moods. The houshi knew his friend was enduring a session of conflicting feelings.

"Inuyasha," Miroku began, "Whatever Kagome-sama chooses, you must keep on living happily for her. You know that she wants the best for you."

Inuyasha looked over at his friend, a real lecher, but still very helpful when it came to the serious matters. But still, how did he know what Kagome thought?

Miroku could see he wasn't getting to the hanyou very well. He fingered the hand where his kanzaa used to be. (A/N Did I spell it right? I still mostly read the English Viz Inuyasha manga so you'll have to excuse errors now and then. I still think Japanese terms sound better) He sighed and prepared himself for a long lecture to be said by himself.

"Inuyasha, sometimes, we just want to shut ourselves out from the world because we're afraid. But that's not right. When my old man first explained about my kanzaa, I wanted to just die and not endure the suffering. However, I couldn't just stand around and let my life pass by without me stepping in. So I set out on this quest and, see? I'm now able to spend my life with the one I love. Inuyasha, you can't just mope around waiting for the day Kagome-sama chooses which era she will live in. The outcome isn't always as predictable as you think." Miroku stared at the hanyou who was still avoiding contact, and then walked back to the hut.

If he didn't know Inuyasha better, he was probably still thinking that becoming a full demon would make him untouchable by the different aspects of life. The houshi shook his head sadly. It's all up to Inuyasha and Kagome now.

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Sango tended to vegetable garden in the crisp, clean morning air. 'I don't know if I should be doing this with a baby inside of me' she smiled to herself. She put down the hoe and inspected her still slim middle, expecting, of course, no bulge yet.

"Sango! Good morning!" A cheery voice interrupted her thoughts. Sango turned to see Kagome and Shippo walking over to her. She stood up and dusted off her clothes.

"Hey Kagome, where's Inuyasha?" Sango asked her friend.

"I'm not sure. Maybe he went to visit Kaede." Kagome blushed at the name 'Inuyasha', remembering the night before. Still, she was doubtful that he would leave for Kaede's hut without her.

"Well, I sure hope he comes back soon, then. Are you guys hungry?" Sango asked Shippo and Kagome. "I'll go make some stew."

"No thanks," Kagome answered. "I'm still a bit full from last night," she lied.

"I'll have some breakfast, Sango!" Shippo chimed in. Being truthfully hungry, he didn't mind the thought of stew.

"Okay then. You two can have breakfast while I take a walk." Kagome turned and started walking towards the woods of Inuyasha Forest.

Sango smiled. "C'mon, Shippo. Let Kagome work things out a bit." She turned and walked back to the cottage door. She knew that Kagome needed some time alone right about now.

Suzu – (crying on a pillow) Waaaaahhhhhh!!!!! Poor Inuyasha. I'm going to stop writing now and take a break. Please don't kill me for ending this chapter like this. Would you guys prefer longer chapters and less of them or shorter chapters with more of them and more updates?

Kagome –So, Inuyasha is still in denial?

Suzu –Yep. --

Kagome – (sighs) well, it's coming, sooner or later...

Suzu –Okee. So that's the end of this chappie. I think I'm starting to run into writer's block...Anyway, please review and leave your thoughts on things. I hope this fanfic goes well... Also, I want to thank my first reviewer for putting the fact that my settings weren't adjusted so that anonymous readers could also review into my attention. So thanks, a lot!!!!!!!!! - (Waves goodbye with Kagome)