Inuyasha sighed. The sun was setting quickly, and it was the night of the new moon.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called up to him, "You ok?"

He looked down. He had forgotten how long he had been sitting in that tree.

"Im fine." He answered.

Kagome climbed up. "You sure?" she asked, "I mean… tonight is"—

"—I know, I know." He cut her off, "Everyone knows. How could I forget?"

"Hey." She said, looking him in the eyes very sternly, "You know none of us think any less of you at this time, right? We all like you just the same. You're the same Inuyasha we all know and love."

"Yeah, right."

"No, really!" Kagome said, squeezing his arm, "Theirs nothing wrong with being a half demon."

"How would you know?" Inuyasha frowned, "You're not a hanyou."

"Well, no…" She paused, "But I know that I don't think any less of you. And I know the rest of us don't either. Right now, that's what matters, right? Do you understand what im saying?"

Inuyasha remained silent for a moment, but eventually nodded his head. Kagome smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Hours later, when the sun had set and the moonless night was upon them, Inuyasha and the others were safely hidden in Kaedes village.

"At least were safe this time." Shippo sighed happily.

"And we have good food to eat, at that." Miroku grinned mischievously at Sango, "and sake."

"Don't get any ideas." Sango glowered.

"Lets just all try to enjoy ourselves, ok?" smiled Kagome.

"Enjoy ourselves… Keh." Kagome, Sango, Shippo and Miroku were having such a good time that they forgot all about what night it was.

"C'mon, Inuyasha!" Shippo cheered, "We got beds, food, safety, and everything a hanyou-turned-human night needs! Eat something."

"I can't eat like this." Inuyasha shoved him away, "Everything tastes bad when you're human."

"Fine. All the more for me! I get his share!" Shippo ran off and stole a dumpling from Miroku.

Kagome glanced over at Inuyasha. Sure, it was the moonless night, but they were safe and happy for once, why couldn't he just enjoy himself for a night? It was almost as if he didn't want to be happy.

Look at them, Inuyasha thought, they have no idea what its like. They can't even imagine how awful this night is. How terrifying, how humiliating…

Kagome walked over to Inuyasha. She was smiling, and had a fish. "Here," she said, "you have to eat something."

He shook his head, but Kagome sat right next to him. "It's yummy. I helped make it."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. "What did you say?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know…" he looked away, "doesn't it feel like we've done this before?"

"You mean like déjà vu?" Kagome frowned.

"I suppose." Inuyasha stared off into the distance. "I think… nah, never mind."

"Come on, tell me." Kagome pleaded.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Its personal, ok!" Inuyasha shouted.

Kagome looked like she had just been struck. Miroku, Sango and Shippo stopped eating and stared at them.

"Ok… I just… I just wanted to know… Sorry." Kagome hung her head and walked out of the hut.

"Where are you going?" Sango asked.

"Im going to… um, I need to wash my hands." She slid the door shut.

Shippo slapped Inuyasha on the shoulder. "You jerk!" he screamed, "You made Kagome cry!"

"Did not."

"Did too! Did too! You hurt Kagomes feelings—again!"

"I agree, Inuyasha, you were a little harsh with lady Kagome from what I heard." Miroku nodded solemnly.

"If she wasn't so nosey than I wouldn't accidentally hurt her feelings." Inuyasha muttered.

Miroku hit Inuyasha over the head with his staff.

"Ow! What the hell"—

"That is no way to treat a lady!" Miroku kept beating him over and over, "Just because you have the hanyou version of p.m.s doesn't mean you can push away Kagome."

"P.m.s!" Inuyasha shrieked, "Do you have any idea what your—OW! Goddammit stop beating me over the head! Fracture my skull, why don't you!"

"Apologize and I will consider."

"Im not going out there!"

"Scared?"

"YES! Yes, im scared, ok! Im scared out of my skin right now, you all know that! If you don't want to get burned, leave me alone! I'll apologize to Kagome later." He panted, "I didn't mean to do that, you know. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings. It's just…"

Miroku put his hand on Inuyashas shoulder. "It's ok. You don't need to say. Im sorry for fracturing your skull. And saying you have p.m.s."

"Im sorry for slapping you." Said Shippo.

"Enough with the sappy apologies." Inuyasha muttered under his breath.

"Now lets all have another round of sake!" Miroku cheered. Sango sighed and reluctantly had a glass.

"What were you an' Kagome talking about, anyway?" Shippo asked.

"Nothing." Inuyasha said, "Just something that happened to me a long time ago."

"What?"

Inuyasha sighed. "This little demon girl a long time ago helped me for a while… she gave me a fish and said almost exactly what Kagome said."

"Ahhhh, a cute little demon girl?" Shippo grinned.

"No! It wasn't like that." Inuyasha hissed, "I can't even remember her name. But when I was an orphan and no one wanted me she kind of took me in. Man… How many decades has it been? I was just a little whelp."

"Why couldn't you tell Kagome! That's a nice little memory." Shippo frowned.

"I don't know. Its stupid, that's all."

"You're stupid." Shippo whispered.

Inuyasha pounded Shippo. "Gimme some fish," he growled, "Im starving."

"Jerk." Shippo whimpered.