Seven

She crossed the lawn and stood before him.

"Give me your hand." He held out his hand to her. She held out hers.

He took it and turned it palm side up then leaned over it and gave her a quick sharp nip. "Ouch! You could have warned me!"

"You're right, I should have." It was half an apology and probably the best he would give. She supposed his fangs were safer than the blade of his sword and let it go.

He placed her bloody palm on his forehead.

"I think if you truly wish for me to be human and the jewel is inside you, it might work."

I don't know what I wish for you Inuyasha but it isn't your death.

"If you get your way… are you going to kill yourself?"

He made a funny face. "You really thought… No! I will just be mortal. No more magic."

"Oh. Okay then." She closed her eyes and put her other hand against his warm face. All these years I've dreamed of touching you like this…

The wind rushed past them and his silver hair rose up around them in a cloud. Kagome's shoulder length hair moved around her face. Her hands moved over his face, exploring his features as a blind woman would do. She touched his closed eyelids and smoothed his brow. She ran her fingers through his hair and over his ears. They were soft and wonderful, just as she remembered them. Please, Shikon grant me this one thing and make him…Human.

Inuyasha went to his knees and she fell with him holding him, protecting him in the fragile embrace of her skinny arms.

Tears burned in her eyes and she pressed his face into her chest. They held each other for long while. Then he stood and helped her to her feet. He was unchanged and his expression was unreadable.

He lifted her bloodied palm to his lips and gave it a chaste kiss. Then turned and went inside the dark house.

Kagome stood and watched the moon before following Inuyasha. She retrieved the abandoned Tetsusaiga and brought it back inside with her.

She found the guestroom door shut and the light out. She shrugged and went to her own bed. Shit! I have our last class tomorrow and still have half the exams to grade.


Kagome woke in her bed beside a pile of graded papers. She glanced at the bedside clock and was relived to see she wasn't running late. Today I will pass back the tests and issue the final grade. I will make it fast and be back here before noon. Thank God I don't have a summer class to teach…last month I was so pissed when they overlooked me but now it's a relief.

She climbed into the shower and reveled in the hot spray on her back. She held her palm to her face and studied the shallow bite. It was healing quickly. Good. Inuyasha will be glad to see that.

She wrapped her hair in a towel and threw on a nice brown skirt and a blouse suitable for class. She slipped on her gold hoop earrings as she walked down the hall and paused in front of the guest bedroom. The door was open and the room was empty. The bed was mussed. He must have had some sleep at least.

In the kitchen, she found a warm teapot full of green tea but there was no Inuyasha. She checked the backyard and it was empty. She didn't bother with the roof; somehow she knew it he wasn't there either.

Oh well, the only thing to do is leave a note and hope he comes back from where ever he's gotten to.


Class was boring and uneventful. Her students accepted their grades and left. They should be grateful. In my exhaustion I was over generous with the grades.

She was in her office when a soft knock came at the door. "Come in."

Kim, her assistant poked her red head around the open door.

"Happy summer vacation girlfriend!" She did a quick dance. "We are so going to party! You must come to my beach house."

Kagome smiled at her enthusiasm. "Sure, sounds great!"

Kim paused in mid dance step. "Wait! Do my ears deceive me? Did the great and powerful Dr. Higurashi just agree to party with me?" She sat on Kagome's desk.

"Maybe."

"Wow. Okay it is serious then. Tell me all about him." She leaned forward as she spoke.

Kagome laughed and sat down her pen. "Tell you about who?"

"You damn well know who. The mysterious Japanese babe Big Mouth Cagle spotted you with at Piggly Wiggly."

"Cagle talks too much for his own good. I should've let him at him…." She muttered.

Kim squealed and pounded her fists on the desk. "So it is all true then. Kagome is banging a silver haired Guns N Roses freak!"

"Kim how is it you are so eloquently spoken in class, if our students could hear you now…"

"Girl it's all about perception. Now tell me about Inuyasha!"

Kagome sighed. "He is a childhood friend who doesn't speak English…yet. But I fear for us all once he picks up on the language."

"Ouch! So he is all attitude then?" Kim snickered. "Cagle was spot on."

"He is a houseguest for right now and nothing more."

Kim looked into Kagome's eyes. "But of course you want so much more, and why shouldn't you? Sometime in history our Kagome has to get her Inuyasha. That is who he is named after right?" Kim put her fingers above her head and wiggled them to indicate ears.

"Yes but lets keep that to ourselves."

"Awww…this is so Romeo and Juliet with chop sticks, cept Romeo first tried to kill Julie and then dumped her for some dead chick."

Kagome winced at the base retelling of her story. Well Kikyo was the dead Juliet and I was the village idiot…

"That about sums it up."

"So, is he an old flame?"

"Sort of, I used to have this huge crush on him but then we haven't seen each other in thirteen years."

"So he had a girlfriend?"

"Something like that."

"How bout now?"

"No she's deceased."

Kim frowned then gave a quiet smile. "So you do have some pain in common then. This could be good for you."

"I don't know. I thought so at first but now I am not sure what he wants."

Kim lifted her head to meet Kagome's gaze. "It will work out. Just wait and see. It's fate! You'll have a passionate affair with him, make mad monkey love, have a passel of kids and still make it to my beach house this summer. And when you come don't forget to bring him with you!"

Kagome had the crazy thought: I wonder how Inuyasha feels about sunscreen?


She pulled up in front of the house and knew he wasn't there.

The empty old house loomed in front of her. She got out of the Jeep and unlocked the door. She looked up to the guest bedroom window and saw it was indeed as she left it. His red kimono was folded up in the sill. She left it there as a hint to Inuyasha that even though the doors were locked that window was open.

She found her note undisturbed on the table next to an unopened package of ramen. Her chest became heavy and she trudged into the living room and sat on the arm of her overstuffed couch.

Was he really gone? Would he leave behind his Tetsusaiga and kimono? She pictured him wandering around the streets of Charleston penniless and still wearing the worn black Guns N Roses shirt. He doesn't even speak English! What could he be doing? I hope he isn't in jail. The thought of calling the courthouse to see if a man with white dog ears had been picked up didn't appeal to her.

Kagome went to the guest room in search of something, some clue as to where he went or at least what he was feeling or thinking. The first thing to catch her eye was the pair of abandoned flip flops by the bedroom door. Where ever he was Inuyasha was barefoot.

He'd slept on top of the bedcovers instead of under them and she could see the impression of his body on the comforter. A white strand of his hair lay on the pillow and Kagome carefully picked it up. The kimono remained neatly folded on the window sill and there was a comb on the dresser. She found a few more strands of his hair in the comb. There was nothing else. But then what had she expected to find? A journal or even a note? Don't be ridiculous! Ugh. Well he is a definitely a man, there is the towel he used yesterday in a pile on the floor.

Kagome hovered in the doorway then decided. To hell with this and to hell with you! She took the towel and tossed it into the laundry hamper then headed back downstairs into the kitchen.

She poured a glass of wine and started on her second vice. Chocolate. How long has it been since I baked anything? Not since Hojo…

She pulled out her cookbook and began gathering the ingredients for killer double chocolate cake. Sometime in the process Kagome turned on the stereo and blasted Josh Groban throughout the house. She wrapped her soul in his beautiful music and lost herself in mixing the cake batter.