A/N: Well, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the reviews for the last chapter! And 7 people threw blunt objects at me! Well, I have never felt so loved…and hated. Don't worry guys, I planned this out before I wrote it, so the kiss is staying where it is. But they are GOING to kiss. Just keep reading. It's not too far off.

And to I am the greatest: A lemon is…well… "content" to put it simply.

Chapter 15: Sibling Rivalry

Kagome slowly opened her eyes and blinked at the sun. While she rubbed her eyes, she noticed she was still on the roof. She sighed. I bet Inuyasha's mad at me for sleeping late…I wonder why he didn't wake me up though…

She turned to looked at him, and stared. He was back to his normal self, white hair, ears and all, but that was not what she was staring at. Inuyasha…cautious Inuyasha, had fallen asleep.

She could barely suppress a grin as she looked over at him. He was sleeping soundly, something he never did on human nights. He had fallen asleep hugging Tessaiga like a security blanket, which is what made Kagome smile. He sleeps so much like a baby…It's so cute…maybe I shouldn't wake him. He must have been up really late though…he never sleeps this late…

She gathered her things and put them back in her bag so at least when he did wake up, he wouldn't have to wait long until they got going. Once that was done, she sat down and hugged her knees to her chest as she looked at the view their position offered. It was a long view of all the fields, and a few forests in the background. She could see birds flying and chirping, and small animals running though the grass. She smiled. There's never time to relax and enjoy such beauty as this…

She glanced back over at Inuyasha. He was still asleep. He's been acting so weird lately. The whole thing with him thinking of me…I don't know where that came from. And last night…he almost kissed me. It wasn't like before. It was almost like he…wanted to kiss me…But, that's not possible. Inuyasha couldn't possibly…love me.

She sighed and looked up at the sky. I can't compete with Kikyou. She was his first love. She died for him. I didn't do that. He just protects me because he has to, or because we are friends. I could never mean that much to him...still…

She remembered when she first heard Inuyasha tell Kikyou he thought of her. "I never stop thinking about you, not even for an instant!" He said that to her. And he was right…then. But now… "Do you think there's a time when I stop thinking about you?" That…it sounds exactly like what he said to Kikyou…And… She looked over at the hand wrapped around Tessaiga, the hand she had bandaged the night before. He tried to kiss me. He held my hand. He gets jealous over me, he is really nice to me, he protects me…No…could it be that…he too…?

And for the first time, she dared to imagine if Inuyasha loved her. She dared to think of what might happen in their lives if he did. Inuyasha…if you…if you also love me…then why haven't you said anything? I'll stay here with you, you don't know how much I want to…we could have a life together…in a nice little hut…all to ourselves…

She shook her head. Knock it off, Kagome. You're being stupid. Inuyasha does NOT like you. I don't know what that was last night, but I am certain it wasn't what I think it was. He'll probably never bring it up again anyway, just like the whole "thinking of me" thing, so I'll just have to pretend like it didn't matter. There is no way he could EVER love me. Why can't I realize that?

At that moment, Inuyasha stirred. Kagome looked over at him as he opened his eyes slowly. He blinked, and then immediately sat up. "Huh? I…I fell asleep!"

"Good morning, baka." Kagome replied dryly.

"Why didn't you wake me?" He demanded.

Kagome shrugged. "You were sleeping so peacefully that I didn't want to disturb you." She stood up and picked up her backpack.

"C'mon." Inuyasha got up and pulled her onto his back. "We still gotta little ways to go, I can smell Mouryoumaru now."

As they took off, Kagome sighed. I was right. Why would he even be thinking about me when he has to find Mouryoumaru?

A little around midday, they were running back through some forests. Inuyasha wasn't thinking about Mouryoumaru, but about Kagome and his own feelings. I knew it. Kagome is acting like she usually does. At least she didn't upfront say it that what happened last night repulsed her. I'm still not sure of what I think of Kagome, but…I know there is no way someone like her could ever feel that way about me.

Inside, he cursed at himself. His feelings for Kagome were always a mystery to him. On the outside, it appeared that they were only friends, but inside…he didn't know. He knew there was a true bond there, something stronger than friendship, but he didn't know how deep that bond was. He blamed the new moon for what had happened last night. After all, he was more free with his feelings when he was a human, but he wasn't sure if those feelings carried over to his hanyou side. He had just gotten over Kikyou, he didn't know if he could start feeling for someone again in the same way right after that.

Besides, I'm not worthy of her, even if I…No! I don't think of Kagome like that. It's this new moon thing that's getting me mixed up. All I know is, it doesn't matter anyway, because she deserves someone better.

She sniffed the air, smelling for Mouryoumaru, but then he noticed another scent, one he didn't notice before. No…it couldn't possibly…how could I not notice that bastard's scent before!

He stopped, letting Kagome down. "Inuyasha?" She asked.

"Sesshoumaru." He growled. What is he doing? He's coming towards me. If he tries anything…He gripped Tessaiga.

On cue, his older brother came through the trees. As always he had an expressionless look plastered on his face. "Your sense of smell wanes, if you could not smell me before. Or could it be that you are recovering from a new moon?"

Bastard, you just had to bring that up… "Yeah, well if you're here to fight, you could have attacked me last night. But the morning after means I get all my strength back."

"You're too eager to fight, Inuyasha." He scoffed.

"Look who's talking, Sesshoumaru!" he yelled back.

Out from the bushes came two other people, Jaken and Rin. Jaken ran towards Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama, what are you—" He noticed Inuyasha. "Sesshoumaru-sama! It's Inuyasha! Get on with it! That hanyou doesn't deserve—"

"Jaken, shut up." The inu youkai cut him off. Jaken instantly quieted himself, but still gave Inuyaha looks of spite.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin said, before looking at Kagome and Inuyasha. "Kagome-chan!" She said, waving.

"Rin-chan!" Kagome replied.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, may I go talk to Kagome-chan?" Rin asked.

"Do as you like." He replied, turning his attention back to Inuyasha as Rin went over to Kagome. "Actually, Inuyasha, I am not here to fight."

"Well then, what are you here for?" He asked. This is getting suspicious.

"Mouryoumaru." Sesshoumaru replied. "Do you know where he is?"

"If I did, don't you think I'd have killed him already?" Inuyasha replied.

"I didn't think so." He replied. "The fact is, Inuyasha, I've been searching for him, too. And I have found that his scent just disappears."

Huh? "What do you mean his scent just disappears? Is it like he flew away or something?"

"No. It's like his scent has just disappeared. Like it has been destroyed. I searched thoroughly around the area where it disappeared, and there is nothing to suggest he was killed. He is just gone."

This is getting weird. If Naraku had killed Mouryoumaru…we would have known… "Was there any other scents there?"

"No." Sesshoumaru glanced over at Kagome. "If we manage to find Mouryoumaru, you do realize that this battle will probably be the hardest."

"Well, yeah, but I'm ready for anything!" The hanyou replied.

"Then why do you drag your mate along with you?"

M…my…my WHAT! Out of the corner of his eye, he saw, Kagome was having a similar reaction. "She's…she's NOT my mate!" He yelled. But you want her to be. A small part of his brain said. NO, I DON'T! He yelled back at himself.

"My mistake." Sesshoumaru replied. "But I warn you, Inuyasha, you shouldn't go too far into this. I shall take care of Naraku."

"Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha asked. "Why do you care about Naraku? He hasn't done anything horrible to you."

Sesshoumaru turned around. "That is none of your business, little brother. Rin, Jaken. We're leaving." Jaken followed, still silent, while Rin skipped up to him.

"Are you doing this to avenge Kagura's death?" The hanyou asked.

Sesshoumaru stopped. After a short pause, he said, "You cannot believe that I would have such thoughts in me. I will take care of Naraku. While you, little brother, should be worried about other matters."

And he left, with Jaken and Rin following in his wake.

Kagome walked up to Inuyasha. "What did he mean by that?"

I think I know what he meant, but he's wrong! "Who cares about anything that bastard said." He thought. "He just wants to do this on his own so he can one up me. Well, I can't let THAT happen."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, with the oddest look in her eyes.

"What?" he asked. She's going to say something about last night…I just know it…She's going to tell me that she doesn't feel about me that way…

She decided better of it. "Never mind."

Wait…why do I feel relieved? Please, anything but that…not now…I've got too much to do right now…

"Inuyasha?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. C'mon." He bent down so she could climb on his back and he started running through the woods.

I don't get it…nothing really happened out of the ordinary before, but it's this human night that's throwing me off. I gotta stop thinking like this. Kagome wouldn't…She wouldn't anyway, so what's the point of thinking about her like this? All that'll happen is I'll get hurt like last time. And she would be so freaked out that she'd never speak to me again. And I don't want that…

He sighed. I just gotta clear my head…Then I can get rid of this once and for all. Then everything will go back to normal. Everything will be normal.

But in his heart, he knew it wouldn't go back to normal. He knew things would never be normal between them, ever again.

A/N: Inuyasha's such a baka, isn't he? He just keeps denying it even though its staring him in the face. Sighhh…Okay, you'll find out what Rin and Kagome talked about, and what she was going to ask him next chapter. (Oh yeah…we're heading out of the middle and into the final stretch, so things are going to get less fluffy and more angsty…I'm starting to depress myself…)