To my readers: I am truly sorry that I haven't been writing this story as faithfully as my last one, but things have gotten very hectic around here. I will do my hardest to ensure that this story does not go under.

Disclaimer: I would if I could, but I can't so I shan't

Golden Slumbers

The campfire had been extinguished, and the dinner had been digested. The stars had come out and the waning moon was rising higher into the sky.

Kagome closed the picture book, and turned off the flashlight. She looked down at Rin and Shippo, who were leaning against her sides. Leiko leaned against a tree as well, a few paces away, and although she had grumbled about baby stories when Kagome had started reading, she was sorry that the tale had come to its end.

"Time for all children to go to bed." Kagome said, as she tucked Shippo and Rin into their sleeping bag. She felt happier, being on the road again, and sleeping under the moon and stars. She was sure that InuYasha was happier too, as she glanced at his sprawled silhouette in the tree above them. No longer was he confined in a small hut.

"Kagome, can you sing to us?" said Shippo, right before he stifled a yawn. They were on the brink of sleep, and Kagome hoped that she could coax their eyelids shut.

Once there was a way
To get back homeward

InuYasha's ears perked up, and he listened to Kagome's beautiful voice, as it carried far into the night.

Once there was a way
To get back home
Sleep pretty darlings
Do not cry
And I will sing you a lullaby

The lyrics sounded so sweet; even Leiko's eyes drooped, while she remembered her own mother singing her to sleep as a baby.

Golden Slumbers kiss your eyes
Smiles await you when you rise
And sleep pretty darlings
Do not cry
And I will sing you a lullaby

Almost everyone was asleep now, so Kagome lowered her voice, and sang the final verses.

Once there was a way
To get back homeward
Once there was a way
To get back home
And sleep pretty darlings
Do not cry…
And I will sing you a lullaby

InuYasha waited a for a bit, as the song ended, and listened to the children's breathing, as they traveled into the Land of Nod. He smiled softly, as he could almost make out the faint echo of Kagome's singing voice. He looked down at her, but instead of tucking herself in her own sleeping bag, she sat at the foot of his tree, and sighed.

He jumped down, and landed gently beside her. For a moment her heart quickened, but calmed down as she saw it was only her other companion.

"InuYasha! Give me some warning next time, you almost scared me out of my wits." She smiled at him, but InuYasha noticed that the warmth did not reach her eyes.

"Kagome, what's wrong?"

"Nothings wrong, nothing at all! It's just…" InuYasha's ears perked, as Kagome let out her breath, and slowly continued.

"…It's just, that was the same song my dad sang to me as a little kid. Every time I had bad dreams, he would sing it to me until I fell asleep. He never could carry a tune, but I still loved when he sang. He was someone who I always thought would take away the evil in the world, and keep me safe forever."

"What happened to him?"

Kagome looked away, and when she spoke her voice was muffled.

"When I was ten an accident happened on the subway, and it killed several. My dad was taking that train home from his job. There was a malfunction with the engine or something. The train drove off the tracks, and flipped. They couldn't find dad's body."

Kagome looked off into the trees, remembering that her mom had taken her and little Souta to meet up with her dad, and walk with him the rest of the way back home. She remembered the anguished howls of families, as they realized what had happened.

"Daddy! Mom, where's Daddy? What happened!" A policeman came over. Mom started asking questions.

"What's happened to my husband? Please, can you tell me?"

"Ma'am, that's what we're trying to find out. Perhaps you should sit down and wait; he might be alive and well. We aren't sure yet. The train flipped over. Please, we ask you and your family to be patient."

It was one in the morning before the search for survivors was called to a halt.

"I'm sorry ma'am. We couldn't locate your husband. We've searched the whole train. May you have our deepest regrets."

That's when I started crying. I don't remember what happened after that, or if Mom was crying as well, I don't even remember the funeral service the city gave to all those people who lost their life. All I remember is that awful night.

"Kagome? Are you okay?" InuYasha placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder, until her body had quit shaking, and her face returned to its normal shade, and stopped looking pale green.

"Yes, I'm okay. It's just a painful memory for me. I can't cry about it anymore, but it's still as horrible as it was years ago. Like when you're walking peacefully, and suddenly, the ground disappears from under you."

InuYasha put an arm around Kagome, and pulled her close. He knew what it was like, to lose someone you cared about. When he was even younger than Kagome his mother had died, leaving him alone, and with pangs of loss hitting him like a punch in the gut: hard and unexpected, leaving the receiver breathless. He didn't even have the time to mourn for her properly, what with angry villagers chasing him from his home, and demons constantly hunting him. He'd eventually learn to fight back, but those first months on his own were hard. This began his lessons in concealing his true feelings. Showing fear caused death, and if you showed that you cared about something, either Kami or your enemies would use them against you.

He had toughened, made a wall, and, evidently, Kagome had as well.

"Kagome, why do you stay in the feudal era, when you've fulfilled your duties for the Sacred Jewel, and Naraku's defeated. You should be with your family and friends in your own time."

Kagome's big, brown orbs met InuYasha's golden ones. Was he trying to convince her to go back to her time, instead of stay, like he always stubbornly insisted?

She shook her head.

"I don't know. Maybe because I'd miss everyone too much. Especially you, InuYasha."

Oh shit, I did NOT just say that out loud!

InuYasha looked at Kagome curiously. Did she mean that?

"Kagome, do you know why I never went to hell with Kikyo? Or why she disappeared after the final battle with Naraku?"

She shook her head. In all truths, she had begun to have nightmares that he was going to leave for hell any day now. A shiver went up her spine, and she tried to drive the vision away. His golden eyes were almost piercing into her now, and her heart began pounding into overdrive.

InuYasha gulped, and summoned all his courage. He hadn't ever said this to anyone, not even Kikyo, but he wanted Kagome to know that someone cared. And he'd never get another opportunity like this again.

"It's because I knew that I could never leave you behind to go to hell with someone I don't even care about anymore. I told her that I could never do such a thing, and she went ballistic on me. I killed her. After all, she was only clay and dead women's souls."

InuYasha paused to let this sink in.

"I stayed because I…l-love you, Kagome." Crap, why do I have to blush now?

Kagome could not register what was going on. She couldn't believe it…she was dreaming.

"Kagome?"

She looked up with wide eyes, cheeks brightly burning. She reacted without thinking.

She lightly kissed him.

InuYasha had not been expecting this, but he gladly kissed back.

They broke quickly, redder than a pair of tomatoes, or even InuYasha's haori. But as InuYasha leapt back into his tree, and Kagome went back to her sleeping bag, they both had a smile on their faces.

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Notes: I HAD to have some Inu/Kag romance in here. It just seemed too kawaii to leave out. DON'T KILL ME! Here are a few translation notes, not too many in here though.

Kami: A Japanese god

Haori: um, I don't really know what the name would be for this thing in English, but it's basically InuYasha's fire rat shirt.

So, that's all for now! Please review; I'm desperate for some tips and encouragement!