Chapter Five:

Inuyasha once again woke to the first lights that streaked across the star filled sky. The silence was calming, and for once since his mother died he felt at peace with the world as well with his inner demons that threatened to tear him apart daily.

As he took in his surroundings a sent filled his keen nose. The sent itself was out of place in this cold wooded dessert. It smelled of warm tropical flowers and peppermint. It sent a feeling rushing up his spine; this feeling was different than anything that had overcome him before. It felt like…home…yes that was it.

He sat up and slowly turned away from the autumn color scenery and looked down at the sea of black mane that draped over the fleece blankets that appeared sometime during the night to block out the chill that the dying fire lent passage through its ebbing warmth.

Kagome laid curled up on her side in a dream fueled slumber. She was a beautiful sight even with her sleep tussled hair and the small stream of drool that seemed to accumulate during the dark hours. It was her sent that filled his nostrils. It was she who unknowingly filled the void in his soul that seemed to have built up since before he could remember.

Could it be possible that after all the torment that he went through in his never-ending lifetime he was beginning to…love someone for the first time? No, not loving just anyone but this girl… Kagome.

"What the hell am I thinking?" Inuyasha brushed the remains of the blankets off of him and stood up. With a last glance down at the sleeping Kagome he grabbed some clean clothes and headed out into the woods.

It didn't take him long for him to get to the hot springs that he had run across when he took one of his occasional midnight strolls.

He stripped off his wrinkled clothes and stepped into the steaming water. He let the heated water run over him; relaxing his tense muscles. He lazily leaned his head back with a grown and began to drift in thought.

Time passed before Inuyasha woke once more. This time when he glanced up at the sky it was a bright pinkish color.

'Shit…how long have I been asleep? How much time has passed? I should get back to the others.' Inuyasha rung out the excess water from his long silver locks and pulled on the clean clothes which consisted of a pair of dark denim jeans and a black v-neck long sleeved shirt that gave him a mysterious yet casual look which he found that he like a lot.

He pulled on his mountain boots and headed back to the camp. He wanted to get there before anyone woke up. As he thought everyone was still in a deep sleep when he returned to the fire pit.

With two second doubt relapse Inuyasha kneeled down beside the unmoved Kagome and gently shook her by the shoulder. "Kagome."

"Mmmmm..." Kagome rolled over onto her back and quickly placed her hand over her eyes to block out the sudden brightness of the rising sun. "Inu...Inuyasha."

Inuyasha leaned over her and a ghost of a smirk pulled on the corner of his thin-lined mouth. The way she said his name made a sudden fire leap to life inside him. It was so innocent, so soulful. He was beginning to love the silky sound of her voice.

He watched as she blinked rapidly washing the last remaining cobwebs of sleep from her eyes. He lovely chocolate brown eyes lost their dullness and became more lively and emotion filled.

"Inuyasha what is it... is something the matter?" Kagome sat up more awake than moments before.

Inuyasha stubbled momentarily over her words. Kagome had this odd effect on him; even though he desperately tried to fight it. "I...ah... thought... oh hell." Inuyasha felt his frustration rise to dangerous levels. "Shit...never mind."

"What is it Inuyasha? You thought what... come on you can tell me." Inuyasha could hear sincerity in her feminine voice.

"I...uh... was wondering if you wanted to take a walk with me." In his insecurity Inuyasha found himself talking a hundred times faster then any human. The statement was barely audible to his ears let alone to the ears of a human girl.

Surprisingly Kagome stood up with a moments stagger and flatted down her wrinkled shirt and smiled. "Sure, a walk would be... nice."

Inuyasha smiled for the first time since Kagome met him. His smile was cocky yet warm which made him look cute rather than unbearably annoying.

Kagome brushed the knots out of her hair with her fingers and smiled pleasantly. "You know you should do that more often."

Inuyasha was taken aback by this statement. His stood to his full height and looked down upon the young Kagome. "Wha... what do you mean?"

"Oh... ummm... nothing." Kagome smiled meekly and walked off away from the stunned Inuyasha and the others. For a moment Inuyasha thought she had become angry with him and wanted to be alone.

Then she turned and with an soft smile she outstretched her hand towards him in an inviting manner. "Are you coming Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked at her in wonder. Even though he was so sure he had figured her out she still managed to surprise him. He walked forward and took her small frail hand in his own firm one.

The walked side by side in a silence; such a wondrous silence it was. It was filled with understanding rather than frustration and it was soothing rather than nerve raking. He found it relaxing. For once he wanted to smile fully and say he was happy... but it wasn't allowed.

"Tell me something about yourself, Inuyasha."

"Why?"

"Because I am curious. I hardly know a thing about you. You are so distant."

"Good, let it stay that way." They had long since parted hands and the sulking Inuyasha looked out over the dying land.

"Inuyasha, please I want to know..." Kagome pleaded hoping to break the ice between them.

"Know what ME?" Inuyasha snapped and turned to give Kagome a fierce gaze. This gaze didn't last more than five seconds after connecting with the warm concerned glowing brown orbs.

"Yes." Kagome held her clenched fist to her chest and looked up at Inuyasha. She knew she was pushing the boundaries that might bridge over into Inuyasha's hatred of her, but she truly wanted to know. She wanted to know him to become friends with him... maybe more. She was sometimes annoyed with his aggressive nature but she liked him the way he was; she wouldn't change him for the world.

"Fine... I was born to a noble women of a high stature and a demon lord of a far land. But don't ask me if I am like him because I don't know. He died defending my mother from a rogue lord that tried to murder my mother for her supposed treachery to her kin and me for being of the nature I am. I lived with my mother in a manor in which let her reside." Inuyasha huffed and sat down on a large boulder with his back turned to Kagome.

"No one would talked to the hayou. A misfit that neither belonged to any human or demon family. I remember many nights that I ran into my mother's arms and cried until I fell asleep. I cursed the gods for making me so different, the out cast. "

"I began to do bad things, Kagome. Very bad things." He looked utterly destroyed by his past. Kagome found heated tears creating a stream down her cheeks. She hurt for him and even more she would give anything to make the hurt stop, to make him truly feel happiness for one moment.

Kagome slid her back against the cracking bark of one of the many dying trees. She felt her knees give away under her weight and needed the support.

"Kagome, I began to vandalize the manor. Scaring the local kids and tourists. They kicked us out, they said that their home was no place for the likes of traitors. Mother started working to jobs and I began to steal just to feed her. I went days maybe weeks wondering the streets. My mother died... I finally realized that without my notice my mother was slowly dying since I was born. I was killing her... I WAS WHAT KILLED HER." Inuyasha placed his head and his hands. Kagome realized that he was silently sobbing.

She couldn't believe it, he blamed himself for everything that happened in his life. It was almost unbearable for her. She was horrified to find out what it was like for him.

"I met Sesshomaru and my guardian soon after that. The judge forced me to go with them. I was tortured for so long by Sesshomaru's torment. He loathed me and my mother. He hated the fact that our father died saving my mother and me when Sesshomaru believed that he let his demon bitch of a mother die." Inuyasha looked up at the azure sky and for a moment Kagome thought he was going to clam up and shut her out once more, but the he turned and looked straight into her eyes. His wide eyes were brimmed with red from burning tears that scratched at him for years.

"I wanted to kill myself so many times. I thought I would so my times. But I realized something my father did not have in common with me. He wasn't afraid of death and he died for me; a lost cause. But I am terrified of death even more so then life."

Kagome have had enough she stood up and threw her arms around his neck and looked into his bright eyes. "You are not a lost cause or a misfit... You are not suppose to die so fight to live because that is why your father died so you can live on and be wonderful." With out fully thinking out was she was about to attempt she leaned up on her toes and kissed Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's eyes shot open and started down at the amazing girl that was...kissing...him right now. She was really kissing him. Slowly the surprise flooded out of him and was replaced by the warm feeling he was building up for her. He wrapped his arms around her and without a moments haste he kissed her back.

Kagome pulled back gingerly surprised at what she had done even more so at the reaction she had gotten from the cocky, loner, Inuyasha. When she looked up Inuyasha was staring down at her with a elighted expression across his features.

"Uh...Hi."

Kagome shamed herself mentally at her oh so brilliant statement. 'What was I thinking...Hi...what kind of idiot says hi after kissing a dog demon? Me that's who. I'm such a ditz.'

A ghost of a smirk formed slowly across Inuyasha's features, his eyes glinted as if he could read her mind. He shook in head looking oddly amused and humor disbelieving then started to trudge away back in the direction of the camp site.

Kagome sighed heavily as her shoulders sagged. She, then, began to rethink the last few moments but came up short when Inuyasha turned on his heels and folded his arms over his chest. "Coming Klutz?"

Though his stance and voice was calm and steady as if nothing momentous happened his eyes told something very different.

"Coming, Inuyasha."

Though to a passerby it would look like nothing changed but deep down they both knew it was the beginning of a new chapter in their interesting relationship.

A/N

I am sooo sooo sooo Sorry that I took as long as I did to get chapter Five Up. I hope this chapter is up to your standards.

Read and Review to let me know if I am worth enough to continue.

Inutitant12: Thank you for so much support... I will be sure to read your story and review.

MidnightkitsuneInuAshiurii: I am so terribly sorry that I took so long to update. I am just a lazy bum and I hope you like chapter five.

Kagome13Higurashi: I am sorry I took so long for chapter five but I hope the chapter is good enough for you to read.

Dilfer: thank you for your review it encouraged me and I hope you like the latest chapter.

Sakura Youkai: Oh no... falls over I can't resist the puppy dog eyes. AHH. takes cookie and hides in corner while nibbles Yes Sir I will write more just because you ordered me. salutes

Youkai Sesshinarulover: I hope you like chapter five. Oh and be careful if you would have said more again I would have thought you a crazed fan girl. I know this chapter isn't very long but I will work on it.

Marianne: You rule. Thanks for the Review.

Sxystallion666: I have read your fanfiction. Its really good. I have given this chapter a little more fluff but I do not believe lemons are for me. Thank you for the review and I hope you like this chapter.

Sacred Priestess: Of course I mentioned you. I had to reply to your review. What kind of person would I be if I didn't. I am sorry I took so long so please don't turn into your demon form and send your ninjas to get me. puppy dog eyes I hope you like the chapter.

Bad Girl 2.0: Bad girl, bad girl what cha going to do... Oh sorry. Thanks for all the support and well now you have two friends...((me as one of them)) As for your questions... I can't tell there might be and unexpected twist you never know. MUHAHAHA. cough cough

EvilAtHeart: MUHAHA! I luff your name. I will write more... And thank you for your review it was very supportive.