Wow! This chapter is long! I apologize for any grammar and spelling mistakes.

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Who's Hobo?

The Next Morning

Everyone had finally taken the time to assess the situation, and Jenny and Sesshomaru had some 'splainin to do!

"What do you MEAN you used to know each other a long time ago?" Howled Inuyasha, who could still not quite grasp the fact that his older brother wasn't an all-around-bad guy.

"Exactly that, smart one." Sighed Jenny, who was leaning against a tree, her eyes closed and if she didn't talk every once in a while you would have thought her to be asleep. "We used to know each other, get over it."

Inuyasha started muttering and stomped over to Kagome's sleeping bag. She was the only one still asleep. He stared down at her and felt himself become oblivious to their surroundings. Inuyasha felt his anger at Jenny and his older brother disappear, and for the first time he began to enjoy the beautiful morning. The sun was shining the treetops and it illuminated the forest, bathing it in a golden light. Shippo and Rin were playing together. They were screaming and laughing as they ran around nearby playing a game that Kagome had taught them, Tag. Sango, Miroku, Jenny and Sesshomaru were all laughing helplessly together. Kagome was sleeping peacefully. Her face had been pale and frightened the night before but now it was regaining its golden healthy glow. Inuyasha smiled down at her until he noticed that her eye was beginning to twitch, a sure sign that she was waking up.

"Feh." He said, and he quickly leapt up into a nearby tree so as not to be caught staring at her. As Kagome sat up with a sigh Inuyasha shot an angry glare to the other adults in the group, daring them to say anything. They were all staring at him in shock but when they saw his glare they all looked in the other direction, determinedly innocent looks on their faces. Sango and Jenny looked at each other then started giggling.

"What?" Asked Kagome walking over to the group.

"Nothing." Said Jenny.

"Wanna come with us to the hot spring?" Asked Sango standing up and stretching out her back like a cat.

"Doesn't matter what you think actually." Said Jenny, grabbing Kagome's right forearm. "I can't stand to see you in that monstrosity one moment longer." Jenny pointed to the dress that Kagome was still wearing from last night.

"Oh…" Kagome looked down and winced. "Get this thing off me!" She said in horror.

"Don't worry girl." Said Jenny. "Backpack to the rescue!" She grabbed up Kagome's backpack and the three girls ran off to the hot spring. Leaving the three boys to eye each other warily.

No matter who was a friend with whom, even if they were to be allied, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were enemies. They eyed each other over the clearing. Each daring the other make a move. Miroku knew that the two guys hated each other with a passion, and that no matter what happened they always would. He could sense the tension in the sir and regretted choosing to sit in between the two brothers. Miroku didn't want to get involved in any fight between them. So he did the only thing that he could think of to get out of the situation.

"Let's go watch the girls in the hot spring!" Miroku said getting up. The clearing became dark with the anger of the Inuyasha and Sesshomaru as the two started beating on the poor lecher. In between the kicks and punches Miroku managed to think to himself. 'Well, at least it worked…'

Two Hours Later

"I don't get why you guy's are so annoyed anyway." Kagome sighed as they started off.

"How long does it take you to BATHE anyway?" Yelled Inuyasha.

"Don't bother Inuyasha." Said Miroku. "Their girls. They are attracted to hot water like flies to honey."

THWAK SLAP BONK

"Nice monk, real nice." Said Inuyasha sarcastically.

"What did I do?" Miroku asked, insulted. To everyone's surprise (except the girls, they were stomping on ahead fuming about how stupid everyone and everything was.) It was Sesshomaru who answered.

"Out of experience, girls don't like it very much when you compare them to flies." Sesshomaru winced at an unpleasant memory. "Be glad that there are only three of them." Miroku, still hurt, sort of forgot whom he was talking to.

"Oh, and I suppose you've had worse?" The monk snapped, still rubbing his sore head.

"Try saying that women are like horse-flies in the middle of a ball room…" Said Sesshomaru, wincing again.

"I heard that!" Jenny yelled over her shoulder. "And you didn't call us horse flies, you called us mosquitoes!" Everyone laughed as Sesshomaru continued to wince at the unpleasant memories.

"Hey!" Shouted Kagome. She froze, every one ran to catch up with her.

"What is it?" Asked Inuyasha.

"I sense some jewel shards…" Kagome said. Every one started to look around, wondering from which direction the shards were coming from. Then Jenny grinned. It was a strange grin, it made her look like a tiger right before the kill. It was the grin of a hunter.

"Excellent." Jenny said softly. "And I see a twister headed for us, F-3 I'd say. Guess wolf-boy isn't going to give up that easily." Inuyasha turned from the on coming Koga to glare at Jenny.

"He's mine." Inuyasha growled at her. He hadn't been able to exact his revenge on Koga last night, and he wasn't going to let some stuck up wench ruin it for him this time. But to his surprise Jenny put her hands up in the universal sign for 'I'm unarmed.' And bowed low.

"That he is." She said, glancing up and baring her throat in what is a gesture of respect and submittance. "But I reserve the right to throw in a comment or two now and then." Inuyasha blinked confused. He looked around hoping someone would give him a hint as to why the strange girl before him was acting like this, but every one else seemed just as baffled as he was. Even Sesshomaru watched the girl with a hint of a question in his stone cold face. But before anyone could ask any questions Koga was there in front of them and that threw anything else out of Inuyasha's head. His whole mind was focused intently on crushing Koga into the ground.

"Give me back my bride mutt!" Koga howled insanely. He grabbed Kagome's arm and Inuyasha grabbed her other arm.

"Uh-oh." Jenny muttered to the others as she stood over with them, pure murder in her eyes. "The classic signs. Let's see which one listens when she says 'ow!'"

"Let go of her wolf!" Inuyasha growled.

"No!" Koga shouted, glaring at the hanyou. "She's mine! You let go of her! I told you before, I wouldn't stand for you touching her, but I still let you keep her for a little while! And see how you repay my generosity, you crash our wedding!" Koga was screaming now like a spoiled baby deprived of its milk bottle.

"Your generosity?" Inuyasha screamed in the very same way as Koga. "I'll give you generosity!" Both men let go of Kagome's arm and leapt at each other, screaming bloody murder. But Kagome was getting tired of this.

"Inuyasha, SIT!" Screamed Kagome, her hands clenched to make fists.

"ARRGH! NOOOO!" Inuyasha screamed. Koga smirked.

"Now's my chance to kill you, half breed!" Koga shouted triumphantly.

"Oh, NO YOU DON'T!" Kagome screamed while shielding Inuyasha's fallen body with her own. Koga, who had been aiming to kick Inuyasha on his back swerved out of the way just in time to avoid colliding with Kagome.

"Huh?" Koga asked right before Kagome slapped him. There was utter silence, even Kagome was shocked at what she had just done. The girl started at her hand.

She had hit him, and she had hit him hard! Her hand was stinging from the impact and it was looking a little red. Kagome looked at Koga's face. There was a bright red hand mark were she had slapped him and it wasn't fading. 'Oh my god!' Kagome thought. 'What have I done? Koga's going to kill me!' Kagome closed her eyes, waiting for the return blow that was sure to come. She was unable to move her body for fear that she would hurt either herself or Inuyasha, and because she was just to afraid to think clearly.

'Oh my god!' Inuyasha thought, staring up at Kagome in shock. 'Why the hell did she do that? Not that I don't mind it, but Koga will definitely hurt her for it! I HAVE TO GET UP! I HAVE TO PROTECT KAGOME!' Inuyasha struggled to get up but he wasn't quick enough. Koga's face had finally changed from shock to anger and he was raising his hand to slug Kagome a good one. No one was able to move as they watched in horror (all, that is, except Kagome who's eyes were still closed.) as Koga pulled back his fist and…

"Well, I think that we have all made some excellent progress in telling each other our true feelings today!" Said Jenny as she, Rin and Shippo stepped in between Koga and Kagome just as Koga let his fist fly. Jenny caught it his hand in her own and smiled up at the wolf youkai. "I've had lots of practice." She said in answer to the question that everyone was thinking. After all, who wouldn't be shocked after seeing a remarkable stunt like that in real life Not TV screen real life, I mean flesh and blood real deal real life. "That's what you get when most of your friends are guys with violent tempers." She pushed his fist down. "Why don't you just go back to your lovely home to think about what you've done now, alright? Bu-bye now!" And with that Jenny and Shippo pushed the shocked Koga five feet away before he just nodded and left, with out making any sad come backs that would have Inuyasha on his feet and charging in anger.

"He'll be back." Sango sighed half-heartedly.

"That he will, that he will." Agreed Miroku.

The group got up and started walking again. They enjoyed the rest of the day, which once again went by uneventfully. They talked about meaningless things like the weather, and Jenny entertained all of them with funny stories from her past. But when night came, and Kagome remembered why she hadn't been home for an entire week, her happiness vanished in an instant and she felt tears prick her eyes as she sat all alone looking at the stream that drifted lazily by. A flash from the scales of minnows reflecting the setting suns rays caught her attention every couple minutes, but besides that there were no distractions and she could to think freely for the first time in a while.

'I miss my family so much.' She thought. 'I wonder how they are, if they miss me…Maybe their in trouble, maybe something's happened to Sota, or Grandpa, or Mom, and I'll never know because I'm trapped in this era…' Kagome's tears started to flow freely until she just broke down and sobbed, cradling her head in her lap.

Inuyasha looked out and into the trees as the scent of Kagome's tears came to him. Fear pulsed through him as he looked around desperately. Trying to pinpoint just exactly here her location was. 'Damn it Kagome!' Inuyasha thought. 'Where the hell are you?' He thought about it. 'If I was a sad Kagome, where would I be.' He thought, trying to put himself in her shoes. It was harder then he thought. 'Well, I'd be far away from everyone else, because Kagome cares too much about other people then to burden them with her sadness. Oh! I know!' Inuyasha's golden eyes lit up as the answer came to him. 'The water, Kagome loves the water! She's at the stream!' The hanyou rushed off towards the place where he thought the girl would be. And sure enough the smell of her salty tears on the air became stronger and stronger with every step he took towards the stream. Inuyasha began to run faster, but he slowed down when he reached the clearing. 'I don't want to startle her.' He thought as he silently padded his way into view. 'But if she knows that I'm here before I get there then she'll have time to compose herself and I'll never find out what's bothering her!' And with that Inuyasha stepped into the cool moonlight. He stared at the sobbing girl on the ground that still hadn't noticed that he was there.

In the three years he had known her Inuyasha had never seen Kagome look so alone, or so sad. Her entire body racked with her sobs that she was trying to contain. She was bathed in moonlight and she looked lost, like a child who was all alone with no idea about how she was going to ever get home. It cut at something deep within Inuyasha's heart to see Kagome like this. Kagome, who was almost always happy. She was always there for him, unless they were fighting, but (though he'd never in a million years admit it) he always felt that he deserved it when she got mad. But Inuyasha couldn't help but say those things, he thought that it was cute when she got mad at him. He needed to make her mad again. Either that or, maybe, if he tried really, really hard…he could make her laugh…?

"Kagome…" Said Inuyasha hesitantly, stepping forward even more hesitantly. The girl gasped and sat up. She hastily tried to hide her tears and gave him the most feeble and pathetic smile the Inuyasha had ever seen in his life.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" Kagome gave a little laugh that was more like a drunken hiccup and she gestured gracelessly towards the crescent moon. "Beautiful night, isn't it? I was just thinking that-" Kagome's rambling was interrupted by a small growl from the hanyou who was glaring at her. He stalked over and grabbed her hands while crouching down in front of her. He looked deep into her eyes and frowned, disturbed by the depths of grief that he saw there. 'Did I do this to her?' He asked himself.

Kagome saw the concern in his eyes and she knew that it was pointless to try and cover up her tears, but she had to try again anyway. Maybe he would be relieved for an excuse to not talk about emotions with her and would take what ever tall tale she told him, if she was lucky.

No such luck.

"Kagome, why were you crying?" Inuyasha asked. "What's wrong? Was it something I did? If it was I'm sorry, and you can sit me a thousand times if you want to, just please don't cry anymore!" Inuyasha sounded almost exactly like Shippo, except slightly more helpless. A one time only sort of thing, when it comes to Inuyasha. Let's enjoy it while it lasts. Kagome gasped.

"NO!" She whispered with such force that Inuyasha almost flinched as if he had just been dealt a blow to the face. "You are never allowed to say that again! Never ever never!" She grabbed hold of Inuyasha's red fire rat shirt and pulled him into her embrace as she started to sob into his shoulder. "Never EVER!" She breathed. "Oh, Inuyasha." She sobbed, then she told him about her worries. About how she just felt like something horrible must have happened while she couldn't travel through the well. How she missed her family, her Mom, Sota, and Gramps. How she missed her friends, Eri, Yuki, and Ayame. At least, I think those are their names. "I even miss Hojo, even though he can't take a hint!" She sobbed. Inuyasha felt his body stiffen at this new male name in my story Inuyasha and Hojo haven't met just yet. But when they do, I'm going to have a little fun…! Mwah ha ha ha ha ha! I am pure EVIL! HA! Live with it man, heh heh. Okay, I'll shut up now. But Kagome didn't even notice, she just kept on sobbing. 'I'll find out more about, Hobo, later.' Thought Inuyasha with hate. As far as he was concerned, nobody had any business being in Kagome's life except for him. He grudgingly made special allowances for her family and their friends, for example, they were allowed to tease her. But he didn't like the way Kagome had said "I even miss Hojo, even though he can't take a hint…" What had she meant he couldn't take a hint? Did Kagome mean what he thought she meant? 'Nah…' Inuyasha thought as he felt his hold around Kagome tighten in a protective manner. 'Couldn't be. She wouldn't dare…would she?' Inuyasha hugged her even tighter while the poor girl, oblivious to his thoughts and to his actions continued to weep.

"I just want to go home…" She said at long last, just before she realized her mistake, just as she finally felt Inuyasha's body stiffen. Kagome gasped and pulled back. She closed her eyes and turned her head in preparation from the tirade that was sure to come. It never did. Kagome slowly peeked through one tear filled eye and saw, to her relief, that Inuyasha appeared to be battling with his emotions for once. She looked at him. Since he was engaged in his inner battle between his human side and his youkai side it appeared that Inuyasha was oblivious to all of his surroundings. He was making some great faces though.

His face was as red as his clothes, and his eyes were twitching. His mouth was swinging open and shut, open and shut, as if one side of him was trying to say something, while the other side tried to shut it up. His fists were clenching and then relaxing in the very same way, to the very same timing. Kagome began to giggle, then Inuyasha said something that caused her to start laughing out loud very hard.

"Who's Hobo?" He asked. His face went back to normal and his eyes narrowed suspiciously as he watched the girl laugh in his arms. It appeared that this is what both his human and his demon sides were the most interested in.

Even though Inuyasha looked suspicious and annoyed, inside he was really dancing for joy Happy dance, happy dance, I love to do my happy dance, happy dance happy dance, do you love to do your happy dance ? He had succeeded. For the first time in his life, Inuyasha had succeeded in making a crying girl laugh. In fact, it was the first time he could ever remember making Kagome laugh. He didn't really care that she was laughing at him, though he pretended to. Inuyasha couldn't resist saying what he said next.

"I'm serious." The hanyou pouted, then he shot up, a look of rage and hate contorted his features. "Are you going out with Homo!" Inuyasha shouted, only to make Kagome laugh louder in his arms, and an answering shout as Jenny and Shippo walked into view. The two friends had been sent to find Inuyasha and Kagome to tell them that it was time for dinner. (Jenny and Sango had decided that Kagome deserved a break.

"What, Hobo's here!" Shouted Jenny freezing up, a look of pure terror on her face. "NOOOOO!" She screamed. She looked at Kagome, and pointed a finger at her accusingly. "You have the stupidest stalker in the world! The bitch doesn't shut up and he-" Jenny stopped short when she saw Kagome looking fearfully at Inuyasha, whose face was now going as dark as a storm cloud.

Silence.

Silence.

More Silence. Sound familiar?

"What!" Inuyasha screamed.

11

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