Afterwards, what happens then…

The battle with Naraku is still on with Inuyasha and the group. Once something good appears in their future, does it only mean more destruction for later in their lives? New changes with their feelings and appearances, but what will it get them when Kagome goes missing…

Chapter One

It was one of the days that she never felt the need to leave the feudal era. She had been resting under the sacred tree for about an hour now, without being disturbed. She had a peaceful rest, and was quite enjoying it. It was early spring and the flowers on the sacred tree had just started blooming. Images of her friends during their passed experiences were rushing through her dreams. Her breathing was steady, and her heartbeat encircled her and the tree, making them one. This time of her trips here were one of her favorites. She hated to be interrupted, but it never ended up the way she wished for it too. Hearing her name being yelling across the valley, she released a small happy yet disappointed sigh. Her eyelashes flickered as she opened her eyes.

She slowly sat up from her spot and leaned against the base of the sacred tree. She lifted her head and looked at the branches of the tree. A smile danced across her lips as she saw a few flower buds starting to bloom. She rubbed her eyes and looked back out at the valley. She sighed as she saw what was coming her way, but also laughed at the humorous tradition that was about to happen this very moment.

"Kagome!"

She just smiled as Shippou's voice rang through her human ears.

"If you help him this time Kagome I swear Kagome I will…"

She smiled and shook her head at the hanyou as the two ran passed her. She saw the speed that they were at and figured that they were at it for a while. She would just have to make it up to the hanyou later on.

"Sit!"

Inuyasha went down into the ground and Shippou stopped his pace. He turned his body to face the face down hanyou and cheered. Kagome just relaxed back against the tree and sighed. Shippou yelled and Kagome opened her eyes at the two once again. Inuyasha had gotten up faster than usual and was strangling Shippou.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said in a warning tone while she slowly stood up to face the two.

"Sit boy!" Inuyasha went down into the ground once again and release his grasp on Shippou. Kagome shook her head. This time Shippou knew better than to stand in front of the hanyou and jumped into Kagome's arms. Shippou was shaking and Kagome soon knew why as she heard the figure in front of them start to growl.

Inuyasha slowly picked himself up and sat down Indian style. Kagome sighed once again. Today was one of those days that her peacefulness would once again be interrupted.

"Inuyasha, do you want to talk about why you two are fighting this time?" Kagome asked.

She didn't know what had started them to fight again, but she hoped that this time they could make peace. She knew it wouldn't work out like usual, but she thought it was worth a try.

The hanyou just snorted at her question and Kagome knew exactly what that meant. He needed time alone. She just had that time, and knowing how nice it was, she sighed and shook her head.

"I'm going to go back to the village Inuyasha." Kagome said and turned from the hanyou with Shippou still in her arms.

Inuyasha grunted at her statement, not even bothering to open his eyes to show interest. She started to walk back to the way the village was not once turning around to see if the hanyou would follow. She trusted that he would come after he thought to himself for some time.

Once she was close out of a human's normal eye sight, the hanyou opened his eyes and stared at the girl and fox demon walking in the opposite direction as himself. He sighed and took his gaze off the two. He picked himself up and sat in the same spot the young miko was just sitting in and rested his head against the sacred tree.

Naraku. That one word that brought so much misery to everyone that passed its meaning. Naraku. That one word that brought fear in many and made tears fall down so many uncountable flushed cheeks. Naraku. That one word that brings the chills down the hanyou's spine which lies under the sacred tree. Naraku. This one word is the killer of his past love and the tormenter of his new one. Naraku.

Each time that the hanyou and his friends met up with Naraku they kept getting closer and closer to the finish of the evil beings death. Each time the failure had occurred to the group the more the hanyou had to think about and the more his frustration grew. Why couldn't it be simple? Why couldn't he just die? Those thoughts were too simple to the currently thinking hanyou. So many things he needed to think about, but he knew he didn't have much time to do so. Sooner or later it would turn dark and he had to get back to Kaede's village. He didn't want to worry the young miko, but he needed to think of a new way to destroy his rival once and for all. He needed a plan. But what? That was the question now.

Time had gone by fast and dark had reached the hanyou before he could even sense it. Once the smell of dinner reached his hanyou nose, he knew it was time to get back. Disappointed that time wasn't in his grasp to control; the hanyou picked himself up from under the sacred tree and started to walk back to the group in Kaede's hut.

Kagome offered to cook the group a delicious meal. She had took some of Inuyasha's last night meat that he caught in last night's hunt and asked Shippou to skin it for her. Once that was down Kagome thanked Shippou and gave the fox demon a lollipop. He was happy and sat down by the already made fire and licked his treat. Kagome made sure the fire kept going as she prepared the meat. She added some spiced here and there and looked back at her too resting friends behind her. Miroku was sleeping in a sitting position against the side of the hut next to the laying down Sango Kilala next to her. Kilala's nose twitched a couple of times to the smell of the meat and spices, and the demon woke up and sat next to Shippou. The two of them sat and watched Kagome finished the meat and the spicing.

Kagome was at the food the whole time, hoping to catch the interest of a certain hanyou. She put love and took time into their meal. Kilala made a purring noise as the smell only got stronger and Kagome smiled. She set down everything and went to pet Kilala, but before she knew it the fire had cracked. A piece of coal flew out of the fire and hit the young miko in the left arm. She yelled and jumped up. Holding her arm in place, she turned around to make sure that she didn't wake up the others. She asked Shippou to take care of the food while she went to the lake to wash her wound.

Kagome walked out of the hut, just before a certain hanyou walked in. The two ran into one another, knocking the other off balance, but neither fell.

Kagome looked up at the hanyou, never releasing her grip on her arm.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha simply asked.

He never moved a muscle, which of course meant he was blocking her only way out to the lake.

"I'm going to go get a drink. I'll be back soon. Can you watch over dinner with Shippou and Kilala for me? And make sure not to wake the others please." Kagome said pleasantly.

She moved passed him, hearing him snort in response. She watched him walk into the hut, and she started to sprint for the lake. Her arm was burning her and she needed it clean. She was surprised that the hanyou didn't notice the smell of blood of the way she was holding her arm, but she just figured that the smell from the food got in his way.

Even thought she thought that the hanyou hadn't noticed what was wrong, she was greatly mistaken. He knew that she was hurt, but didn't understand why she didn't tell him. He could've gotten her to the lake faster if she told him.

But little did he know, Kagome just didn't want to worry him or make a big scene from it.

Once Kagome reached the lake, she stuck her arm in the water and took the walk-around aid kit out of her pocket and rapped her arm in a bandage. Once she was done and the pain was gone she sat down and stared at the lake's water deep in thought.

Inuyasha had followed her, without her knowing and was know sitting above the young miko in a tree. He hopped down behind her, making sure to make enough noise so she knew someone was behind her form.

She was startled and turned around only to be brought into the hanyou's grasp. Once he grabbed her he jumped back into the tree. She had a tight grasp on his fire rat robe, making sure she wouldn't fall.

"Inuyasha…"

"Don't sit me wench or you'll go down with me."

Inuyasha had said and Kagome looked down to see the distance they were to the ground.

"I wasn't going to do that anyways. Inuyasha why are we up here?"

He grabbed her arm lightly, making sure not to hurt it even more.

"Why didn't you tell me you had gotten hurt?"

"I didn't want to worry you or make a big scene, I'm fine."

"You are not fine. Let me see it."

"No Inuyasha, it's fine. Don't worry I took care of it."

"Feh."

Inuyasha dropped the subject knowing he would bring it up later and get his way. He looked up at the sky as Kagome yawned and rested her head on his chest. This surprised Inuyasha and he blushed and looked down at the girl. He was happy that it was dark out or the young miko would have noticed the light blush that reached his cheeks.

"Uh…Kagome…" was all he could get out.

"Shh, Inuyasha look at the sky. Isn't it beautiful?"

Inuyasha looked up at the sky once more and stared, unaware of what amazed the girl in front of him.

"They're just some stars. What's so special about them?"

"There's never this many in my time, well you just can't see them all this clearly. I never knew there were this many stars before."

"Feh."

"I should get back, I have to finish dinner."

"Ok, but you not leaving until I know what happened."

Kagome just sat there and stared into his golden orbs. She was noticing the unique patterns within each of his eye. Each eye was coated with a dark brownish gold on the outside layer and in the middle it was filled with a light golden yellow. Flecks of gold and silver were placed in each eye, and Kagome couldn't help, but stare into the beauty.

"Spit it out wench."

Inuyasha started to get impatient. What was she staring at anyways? He just shook off that thought.

"Oh sorry about that. I just didn't realize that your eyes were so…"

"So, let me guess, ugly or foreign or different right?"

"No, no nothing like that. They're so beautiful."

Inuyasha's blush just deepened and he had to turn his head from her gaze. He just snorted and went back to his original question.

"So are you going to answer me or what? How did you get hurt?"

"A piece of coal hit me while I was cooking, like I said it's no big deal."

"Feh. What ever, but you're not cooking anymore tonight."

"What? Yes I am! I have to finish what I started!"

"No, I or Sango will finish it. You're not going to get hurt again."

"That's not fair Inuyasha! You can't tell me what to do! I'll be fine don't worry about it. How about this, you can watch me while I cook and if I get hurt then I'll stop ok?"

"Feh."

That contented Inuyasha. He would allow her to cook as long as he was there to protect her.

Kagome leaned against Inuyasha again and stared back at the stars. Inuyasha's blush increased once again, but it slowly dissipated as his heart pace evened out with hers. He loved being so close to the miko that he could hear her breath.

Kagome was also enjoying the moment with the hanyou. That is until her stomach growled. She sighed.

"I really should get back to cooking."

Kagome said and looked up into the golden orbs of the man in front of her that she loved. She hated the fact that she had to ruin the perfect moment and the position that they were in, but she needed to finish dinner.

"Feh."

Inuyasha had said and picked her up bridle style and made it back to the hut.

Miroku and Sango had woken up and dinner was already being served.

"Oh, thank you for finishing dinner you guys, but you really didn't need too." Kagome said as she got down from Inuyasha's hold.

"It was no problem. You did the hard part, all we had to do was watch until it looked done." Smiled Sango.

"Yes, come eat ye two." Said Kaede.

Inuyasha and Kagome sat down next to each other and ate dinner with their friends.