Hello! And welcome to the next chapter! First of all, I would just like to apologize for this taking forever to come out. As Jacques in Finding Nemo would say, I am ashamed. Once school started I somehow acquired a life, which is really scary because it has never happened to me before, and I had no time to write (except what teachers made me write). Second, I feel really bad because this chapter is not as funny as the others are. I had to add some serious things. But my friend Jessie and I, along with Foofoo and Dashimoto (my pinkies) and George (my middle finger – but don't get him wrong. He is really a very sweet and sensitive person who enjoys listening to other's problems.) are working hard to give your funny bone an exorcise in the next chapter. And last, but most definitely not least, I hope you enjoy this chapter!! Thanks sooo much for reading it!

Chapter 5: I Know How She Feels... Now What About Me??

Once Inuyasha entered the solace of the forest, his mind started to wander.

Was what Kagome said true? Was he that mean to her? But really, why should he care? True, she could be useful, but that was all she meant to him…sure… that sounds good.

"It sounds to me like you really love him." Echoes of Kagome's mom's voice pierced his thoughts like an arrow.

"If the way Kagome treats me is love, I don't want to see her hate!" He muttered to himself. "That's not true." He reminded himself. Time after time she had cared for him and worked to be with him. In fact, she was one of the nicest people he knew. And he did name a dolly after her.

Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks. Such thoughts about having a dolly and flowers in his hair caused him to feel his very balls shrivel up and die. Inuyasha shuddered. How in the world did Sesshoumaru go around wearing makeup and yet still be a man?

Inuyasha shrugged. "I guess he is just REALLY secure with his manhood." He continued pacing, working his way deeper into the forest.

He had to admit to himself; every time she left he wanted her back as quickly as possible. Not because he wanted to find jewel shards, but because he downright missed her. That was also why he followed her down the well from time to time. Inuyasha smiled slightly and thought to himself, "Finally I realize it, that I am in love with Kagome." So what was keeping him from her?

"Kikyo." Inuyasha muttered.

****

Kagome stormed off in to the forest. How dare he? That no good, ground smelling, truffle foraging ass! How dare he act like she was his property, like he could follow her wherever she went. And then he tells her that he likes it when she is around, but then why does he yell at her? Why does he turn away from her?

"Kikyo" Kagome spat with malice. "I fail to see why some DEAD bitch keeps us a part. It is NOT his fault she decided to follow him into death. It was her choice after all. And anyway, it was Naraku who killed her. Geez! That woman's denser then Koga!

(Somewhere off in the distance, Both Kikyo and Kouga sneezed and a hawk picked up a random rabbit. Silly Rabbit. Trix are for kids.)

"And Inuyasha!" She continued. "Because of him I am missing Kirara hopped up on catnip... Bastard." She plunked down beside Goshinboku and leaned back, thinking of Buyo. "Heehee, Buyo on catnip."

Kagome sighed and looked up. The sun was finally setting on this horrible yet hilarious day. She closed her eyes and smiled at the pictures flooding her memory. Inuyasha pinned to the Goshinboku… Inuyasha picking her up bridal style in order to protect her and then continuing to hold her after the danger had passed…. Inuyasha slowly being bled to death by the Peach Man during the new moon and yet only thinking of her safety… Buyo moon walking after raiding the catnip… The first time she rubbed Inuyasha's ears…

And, of course, the first and only kiss they had ever shared. Kagome blushed at the thought of it. True, she kissed him in order to return him to his hanyou form since he was full demon. But hadn't he kissed her back?

******

Well? Hadn't he? The thought ran through Inuyasha's head like a hamster on a wheel: never ending, and yet too entranced to just stop. Didn't he kiss her back? Back her kiss he didn't? T'ndid eh ssik reh kcab? Kcab reh ssik eh t'ndid? Où est mes pieds?! EST-CE QUE VA C'EST CORRECT? POURQUOI JE PARLES EN FRANVAIS?

Since when did I know French, even if it is really bad? Inuyasha thought. But soon, his mind traveled its merry way back to the mental hamster wheel. Wheel of morality, turn, turn, turn. Tell us the lesson that we should learn. Somehow since the kiss they had moved on as if nothing had happened. When Kikyo had kissed him he was just shocked, he didn't kiss her back. She was so cold, so dead.

What did he see in that woman anyway? The entire world pondered, before realizing it really didn't care all that much and turned back to the fascinating pile of mooberry computers the little leprechaun women were build in honor of Sorbet Day and the Great Flamingo God.

Inuyasha glared at the world around him. "I hate you too."

"Just remember Inuyasha, when we say we hate you, it really means we love you."

"Right."

And as Inuyasha's mind spun, his feet carried him deeper into the forest and subconsciously to the Goshinboku.

******

Kagome heard a rustle in the bushes. Her eyebrow shot up. "Is someone there?"

Rustle Rustle

"Hello?" She called a little louder this time.

Rustle… Pause… Rustle

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" She screamed, in absolutely no mood for shenanigans. She then picked up a rock and chucked it at the poor little shrubbery.

"Inuyasha! Are you in there? If you are and you're not telling me I am going to SIT!!!"

"What the hell wench? I'm not in the god-damned bush!"

Feeling a wee-bit silly, Kagome stood up and looked around until she saw her poor dog hanyou face-first in the ground becoming very well reacquainted with his friend ants, of course by no choice of his own, but whatever.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"What are you doing here?" He retorted

"I asked first!" She spat back vehemently.

"Why shouldn't I be here?"

"Because I am here, and I am mad at you!"

"Oh! And how was I supposed to know that?"

"You just should have!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "So you think that I should have used my all-knowing powers to sense that you were here and not walk this way?"

"YES!"

"Well, I think have more of a right to be here than you because I happened to be pinned to this god-forsaken tree for fifty fucking years, wench!!!"

Kagome spun that around in her head. Eighteen years of looking over the Goshinboku at her family shrine was sorta beaten out by fifty years of being pinned to it. "Well… FINE!" She yelled as she plunked down beside the tall and ancient tree.

"Ya! That's right!" Inuyasha spat and sat, too.

Then silence…

"Kagome?" Inuyasha finally had calmed down and was ready to talk. He looked over to find Kagome gazing at the newly star filled sky.

"Hm?" She responded, never taking her eyes off the heavens.

Entranced by the sight of Kagome bathed in the peaceful moonlight, Inuyasha felt held in a reverent silence. He had been and still was blessed to have this woman near him for the last three years. He was no longer the lost and angry puppy he had been when they had first met. Without even knowing it, Kagome had tamed him and helped him to start to find that ever-elusive peace within himself.

With a sigh, Kagome tore her eyes away and looked at Inuyasha. "What is it?" She asked gently, having had her anger soothed away by the peacefulness of the beautiful night and Inuyasha's calming presence.

He looked down at the grass and twiddled it with his fingers. "Was… uh… was what you and your mom said on the way to the tooth-man, was it true?"

Though not a surprise, the question still unsettled Kagome. Was this it? Was it time to tell him something she had known for almost two years? Or should she tell an out and out lie in an attempt to protect her pride? But she was sick of deceit. At home in the modern era, her life now was just one big web of lies. She did not want that here in her other home with someone she loved so dearly as Inuyasha. She could just say she didn't remember the conversation Inuyasha was referring, but she did. She remembered it vividly:

"What about Inuyasha?" Mrs. Higurashi inquired.

"He's, well, stubborn and mean to me and over protective and argumentative." Kagome responded, "but, but…"

"But?"

"But he's also really sweet and kind and caring and his being protective can be nice and well, his physical appearance isn't anything to scoff at." Kagome blushed.

"It sounds to me like you really love him." Mrs. Higurashi smiled, watching Kagome turn beat red.

"I can't believe I'm blushing!" Kagome thought "What? Did you think your own mother wouldn't notice?"

"I just wish he felt the same way I did." Kagome muttered.

"Sweety, men are weird. For some reason, I get the feeling he loves you as much as you love him. He'll come around Hun, just wait."

"I've been waiting. Waiting three years!" Kagome sniffled, then declared. "But I told him I would stick by him and I have been and will continue to."

With a deep sigh, she started to speak, "What I said was true, but I do not know if what my mom said was. Do you remember what it was she said?"

Inuyasha's state of complete and utter happiness upon her confession suddenly turned into nervousness. Still, he felt obligated (for once) to return her act of honesty with another. And although he still kept his eyes glued on the very interesting but increasingly mutilated blades of grass, he silently nodded.

"Was she right?" Kagome inquired again. She felt the need for him to say it out loud. She reached out her hand, gently turned his head and looked her beloved straight into his golden eyes. "You know how I feel, now what about you?"

Well, that ends this chapter. I will get the next one out as soon as possible. Pinkie swear!! But I have one huge problem. Like the chapters in this story, I have no idea what to do about Kikyo. Ok, I have a few, but I still need help. So please review with comments, suggestions and such. Thanks x 1,000,000!!

To all my reviewers: Thank you!! You make this really worth while. I tried to include more fluff as you can probably tell. I hope I didn't crash and burn at it! You are all so funny too! It's great! I hope to hear from you again soon!