Chapter Four

A Short Night

Orlandoroxmysox: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it, here's an update.

Viperthe strange: I hope the cheese is back? Lol, well, thanks for your review, and hope you still the fic with this chapter. Hope to hear from you again.

ArwenRivendell: Thanks for your help, and your review. Pleas tell me how this is, and if I did any better on the poetic things.

Disclaimer: No, not me, Rumiko Takahashi.

(( Chapter Four))

Chocolate eyes fluttered open again. It was late in the night, the hanyou behind her still asleep. She slowly looked back up at the silver light twinkling down at her. It really was beautiful, and to think that most people from her era never got to see the sky like this. She smiled lightly as she looked over her shoulder without moving her back. And I don't think anyone is able to just sit here, in a tree, with this view, and in the arms of a hanyou…

His arms tightened around her as he stirred. "Hm…Kagome?" He muttered as his golden orbs appeared, staring into her own. "What are you doing awake?" He asked softly. She smiled at him before replying.

"I just couldn't sleep."

"What's on your mind?"

"Just the sky." She smiled again as she turned her attention back to the black velvet above.

"What about it?"

"Just how amazing it is. Do you ever think about what's out there?"

"Uhhh… no." Inu-Yasha replied honestly. Kagome laughed lightly at his response. She fell silent again and leaned against the hanyou more. "Are you still tired?" Inu-Yasha breathed into her ear. She shook her head lightly, not wanting to make him move his face away from hers.

"No,"

"Will you come with me then?"

"Of course."

At the priestess' agreement, the hanyou lifted her into his arms bridal style as he got to his feet. "Hold on." He said, leaping across the top of the trees. She nodded into his haori, her hands fisted into the firerat material.

((V.S.))

"Is this alright?" Inu-Yasha asked.

"It's wonderful…" Kagome breathed.

"I'm glad you like it." He grinned at the sigh that escaped the girl. He sat on the bank of the hot spring, his eyes dancing slightly in amusement. The priestess was in the steamy water in front of him, her whole body resting in the liquid. His ears twitched as something snapped a twig behind them. Nothing to be worried about… He decided.

"Inu-Yasha?" Kagome called. He turned all of his attention back to the girl.

"Yeah?"

"Will… will you… come in with… with me?" She finally asked, a blush on her face. He blinked at her in surprise.

"What?"

"Come in with me… please…" She repeated.

"Are you sure, Kagome?" He didn't want any wrong ideas getting into that woman's head.

"Yeah…" She whispered, nodding her head slowly.

"Alright." He agreed quietly, getting to his feet. Kagome watched as the hanyou untied his haori and white shirt before putting them and Tetsusaiga against a rock. He left his hakama on as he walked into the water. She smiled as he came to sit next to her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Why?"

"Because you came in."

"No, I meant, why did you want me to come in?"

"You being out there wasn't close enough." The priestess moved closer to the hanyou, her head resting against his shoulder, her hand holding onto his arm. She didn't see the blush that danced across his cheeks.

"Um, Kagome?"

"Yeah?"

"We'd better be heading back soon… the sun's going to come up…" He said, his voice rough. The girl's naked body was a little close for comfort for him. She lifted her head to look up at the hanyou.

"Now? Do you want to go back now?" There was a hint of hurt in those chocolate orbs.

"Well—I just don't need Miroku making up things that didn't happen." The hanyou tired to explain. Kagome's eyes lowered, and she pulled away slightly.

"Oh," she whispered. "Alright then… I'll get out. Just give me a second to get dressed again." Inu-Yasha turned away and made his way out of the heated water as the priestess got to her feet. At that second, the girl didn't care if the silver haired boy saw her, it's not like he wanted to. She held back the tears that began to enter her eyes as she pulled on her school uniform again. I told him I wouldn't cry anymore…

Damn it! What in the hells is my problem! The hanyou could have hit his head against a tree a few times. I don't know what to do… what is Kagome trying to do? Should I have let her be that close to me? Do I want her to want to be that close to me? His golden orbs turned back to the girl as she walked around the side of the spring, fully dressed. He could tell that she forced her smile. What have I done…?

((V.S.))

The young youkai stirred as the sun just began to rise. He rolled over, feeling around for the modern priestess that should have been sleeping next to him. His eyes snapped open when he found the bag was empty. "KAGOME!" He screeched, waking the whole campsite.

"What is it!" Sango asked, jumping to her feet, Hiraikotsu ready for battle, with Miroku at her side.

"Kagome's GONE!" The kit cried. The two adults looked over at the kit, and sighed in realization. Miroku knelt down in front of the crying child.

"Lady Kagome has just risen earlier than us this morning, Shippo." The monk explained.

"How—do you—know—?" The kit sobbed.

"Do you see Inu-Yasha around?" Sango put in.

"No…" Shippo muttered.

"See, Inu-Yasha will protect Lady Kagome." Miroku said with a smile.

"What's wrong, Shippo?" The young priestess' voice echoed to their ears.

"Kagome!" The child yelled as he saw both the girl and hanyou come walking up to the rest of the group.

"Well, good morning to you too." Kagome laughed as the small ball of fur jumped into her arms. The kit pulled back at the tone in the girl's voice.

"Eh? What's wrong, Kagome?"

"Nothing, Shippo." She said with a smile. Inu-Yasha was silent as he watched the two.

You're such a bad liar. The hanyou kept his thought to himself.

"Where did you go so early?" The kit asked.

"I went to take a bath."

"With Inu-Yasha?" Shippo asked. Kagome's face turned pink at the question.

"What?"

"Miroku and Sango said that Inu-Yasha had gone with you to protect you, and if you were in the bath, he would have been with you, right?" The kit's explanation sounded acceptable to everyone but the hanyou.

"Of course I wasn't with Kagome!"

"You weren't?" Miroku questioned. "Then where were you?"

"I—" The hanyou fumbled for a response. "I was—I was outside of the clearing, just to make sure no youkai came to hut her." He finally said.

"Uh, hu." The monk said, rolling his eyes. He didn't mention the wetness of the bottom half of the hanyou's hair, and neither did the demon slayer.

"Shall we eat breakfast today?" Sango asked, moving to clean up her sleeping area.

"Yes, I'll go get my sleeping bag wrapped up, and then get started on breakfast. I have some milk, Mom made me bring it, so we can just have cereal, is that ok?" The priestess asked with a smile that almost looked genuine.

"I'll go get some fire wood then." Inu-Yasha said as he turned to leave again.

"Oh, no, Inu-Yasha, we don't need any fire wood. You eat cereal cold." Kagome put in before the hanyou could go very far. His golden orbs blinked at her.

"Cold?" He repeated.

"Yes, just come back over here and I'll show you." The priestess smiled again, this time it looked real to the silver haired boy. The hanyou nodded slowly and walked back to the girl's side.

((F.F. slightly))

"Are you sure this is safe, Kagome?" Inu-Yasha asked, pushing the small flakes covered in sugar around in his bowl.

"Of course!" The priestess replied, trying not to laugh at her friends faces.

The hanyou sniffed the cereal. "Did you make it?"

"No, a factory did." She replied hotly. "Just eat the stupid things!" And that was all from the priestess as she began to dig into her own bowl of Frosted Flakes. Miroku and Sango glanced at each other before slowly following the younger girl's example. Shippo had heard the word sugar and had immediately begun to eat.

Well, no one's died yet… The hanyou thought as he slowly ate some of the 'cereal.' He soon found that he liked it. A grin spread across his face as the sugar hit his tongue. Wow, this stuff almost is as good as ramen! But I can have one for breakfast and one for lunch and dinner! He thought as he finished off his bowl. "More Kagome!" He said, holding out his bowl.

"Might as well, I can't carry this milk around for very long." The priestess said as she poured the bowl so it was full for a second time. She tweaked an eyebrow as the hanyou shoveled the cereal and milk into his mouth again. "Do you believe the food is safe now, Inu-Yasha?" She taunted. He looked up at her, stopping his onslaught for a second.

"No, but it tastes good." He grinned and continued eating. The girl sighed.

"That's all that matters." She got to her feet to wash her bowl out in the stream just a little walk ahead of the campsite. Golden eyes watched her go around the bowl in front of them. Inu-Yasha swallowed the last of the cereal and also got to his feet.

"Inu-Yasha—" Miroku tried, only to be cut off.

"Give me your bowls." The hanyou growled, but not dangerously. Everyone nodded and gave the sidetracked boy what he wanted. He walked silently after Kagome.

((V.S.))

Kagome knelt on the riverbed before sitting down on her feet. She sighed lightly as she leaned over slightly to put the dish into the water. I don't know what to think anymore… Inu-Yasha loves Kikyo, I know that, so why does my heart feel this way when I am near him… or even when I think about him?

Why did he kiss me back in Kaguya's Castle? I didn't know what to do… I didn't want Inu-Yasha becoming a youkai… and I couldn't think of anything else to do… something just said to kiss him… Later he said he didn't want to 'do it' to me… but he did… and he can't take that back… But I can forget about it… if he wants… can't I…?

Her thoughts stopped as someone came to sit next to her, his legs crossed Indian-style. "Inu-Yasha…" She breathed as her dark eyes fell on the silver haired hanyou, his face turned toward the river in front of them.

"I was wondering if you would mind cleaning these too." He said softly. She nodded as he handed her the bowls.

"Of course." She took them out of his clawed hand lightly, her face flushing slightly.

"What is it?" He asked, still not turning to look at her.

"What do you mean?" The priestess began to rinse to bowls in the cool water.

"It's my fault, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"Why you're acting this way. Don't tell me you're not, even Shippo caught onto it."

The girl was silent at his words. Inu-Yasha sat just as quietly, waiting for her response. "I'm just tired, is all." She lied as she finished with all of the bowls. "I didn't sleep much last night." She got to her feet. "Are you ready to go then?" She smiled at him and began to walk off. His strong hand stopped her. Her chocolate eyes turned up to meet his golden orbs.

"You can't lie to me, Kagome, I can see right through you." The hanyou said.

"What…?" She whispered, turning her face away in shame.

"I know why you are acting weird, it's because I pulled away, isn't it? In the spring, I pulled away from you."

"Inu-Yasha, I…"

"Come on, Kagome, it's so obvious, you were happy until then."

"Maybe… but that doesn't mean anything…"

"You insult me, when you continue to lie to my face."

"What would you like me to say? I thought you liked me, Inu-Yasha, and when I tried to get closer to you, you pull away."

"Yeah, you were naked, and I was halfway there."

"I'm sorry then. Let's go back before they all start to wonder." She tried to pull away, feeling as if their roles had switched from that morning.

"No."

"What?"

"I'm not ready to go back yet." He pulled her closer to him, her breast pressed against his own chest. "Will you stay with me?" He breathed in her ear. Her heart beat had quickened and all she could do was nod around the lump in her throat. "Good…" He held her closer, his arms tightly locked around her.

Oh Inu-Yasha… Her mind breathed for her. Her hands slowly returned the embrace. Everything else faded away as he lowered his lips to hers. Kami… Don't ever let it end…

Inu-Yasha's ears twitched as something moved to his right. What in the hell's…? He pulled away from the girl in his arms sharply.

"Inu-Yasha…?" She questioned softly. The hanyou pulled his Father's Fang from its sheath, the movement in the bushes and trees even audible to Kagome. "What is that?" Her voice quivered slightly.

"I don't know… but it's coming this way… and it sounds and moves like it's big." He growled as his eyes searched around the area. It was a matter of seconds before the noise focused on one spot. "Here it comes…"

((A. N.))

How was that? I must know! Please review for me! I will try to get one more chapter out to you before I have to go on vacation….. No computer in the desert… but anywho, if I don't finish, I'll update a teaser for you all to deal with. Well, it's time for me to go get some sleep, so later,

Myst.

I also don't own Frosted Flakes…Kellogg's does. (Just so they can't sue me either :P)