Sorry about the cliffy last chapter. I know it must have been cruel. This is the first fan fiction of written so far where Inuyasha actually asked for her to be his wife and not just his mate.

Chapter 16: A complicated decision, does the answer suit?

Recap:

"I... Kagome... I want you." Inuyasha stated softly, in a voice a little above a whisper. His voice had a slight amount of fear and a great amount of anxiety in it. "I love you, Kagome." Kagome stiffened. "I want.. I want you to be my mate. I want you to be my wife. Be my Kagome." On with the fiction...

Inuyasha dropped the sacred jewel Kagome handed him on the floor to get a tighter grip on the girl, no woman.

Kagome was tense. She was against Inuyasha with her eyes wide open. He had asked her the most serious question she had ever been asked before. What was she supposed to say? There was so much to think about. Was it to soon? What would her mom say? What would every else say? How would Inuyasha react to a yes? To a no?

"Inuyasha.." She didn't know what to say. It wasn't only he purposed to her. He told her he loved her and wanted her to be his. "I.." A yes.. a no.. she knew not what to say. She was confused. She was young. She loved him as well, but marriage? That was a whole other story. "I love you too, but..."

The 'but' is what made Inuyasha lose his hope. He felt foolish sitting here waiting for an answer. She would turn him down. He was only a hanyou and not a human or a demon like 'Hobo' and Koga. He should have known. She disserved more than him anyway. She disserved the world.

"Inuyasha... I need time to think things through." Kagome pulled away and looked at him in the eyes. "Please... will you give me time?"

"Kagome.. you have all the time you need.. there's something you need to know first. If you were... to become my mate your life span would be much longer, as long as mine. You would outlive your family and friends by far." Inuyasha informed. Kagome looked down. This was just more added to her list of complications.

Suddenly Kagome felt a little colder. She looked to her front only to see Inuyasha leaving without once turning to face her. He was sad. She frowned. She only wanted to make him happy, yet she had caused more pain for him.

She didn't know what do to. She looked at the ground. 'Should I say yes?' She looked down and saw the jewel. She picked up and placed it into her pocket. Then Kagome looked up at the door. She walked out.

She saw Miroku, Sango, Kaede, Shippo, and Kirara all coming her way. They must have finished talking.

Kagome was weak and so didn't know is she could make it to the well yet. She wanted to go back home and get her mind off things, but letting her mom see her wounds wouldn't be so good.

"Kagome, what happened?" Sango asked coming forward. She had noticed Kagome's frown. "We saw Inuyasha pass us and he seemed kind of sad.. and angry."

"He did." Kagome's frown deepened. "Nothing happened. We just had.. an argument. I have to go."

"Go where? You're to weak."

"I have to go home for a little while. I can heal quicker there anyway." Kagome realized she was hurting all over when she took her next step. "Can I borrow Kirara?"

Later

Kagome sat on her bed. She was worn and tired and confused. She placed her head on the pillow and cried.

She wanted to say yes. She really did. She would want nothing more than to forever be by Inuyasha's side, but the nightmares.. they would harm him too if she stayed with him. She didn't want him to have nightmares. She didn't want any of her friends to have nightmares. Sometimes nightmares were a persons greatest fear of all.

"Kagome?" There was a knock on the door and Kagome documented the voice as her mothers.

"Come in." Kagome replied sitting up and wiping her tears. Her mother slowly opened the door and peaked in.

"Are you alright dear?" She asked. Kagome had given no explanation of her wounds and had ran right upstairs when she came back.

"I'm fine, mom."

"You don't seem very fine." He mother spoke sternly and came in, shutting the door behind her. "Where did all of those cuts come from?"

"It doesn't matter. Just forget it okay!" Kagome snapped. Mrs. Higurashi was very surprised. Kagome hadn't snapped at her like that since she was little. Something was obviously the matter. This was bigger than the usual problem.

"Has something happened between you and Inuyasha?"

"..." Kagome said nothing and lied down. "It's nothing. I'm just tired." She pulled the blankets over her head and ignored her mother.

"Alright, Kagome, but if you need to talk I'm here." Mrs. Higurashi left.

"You're there mom, you're always there." Kagome stopped tearing and closed her eyes to try and get some sleep. 'Inuyasha is always there too.' She let sleep claim her at that.

A figure clad in red slowly opened the window sill and entered.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. Her breathing was even, signaling she was asleep. He leaned over the bed to see her sleeping face. She loved him too. He was glad to know that much.

Inuyasha thought of something else. He had to ask Mrs. Higurashi something.

Inuyasha walked to the door and quietly opened it to leave. He heard Kagome shift and turned back to her. She was still sleeping, but she looked like she was having another nightmare. He frowned, but left.

He walked downstairs to where he smelt Mrs. Higurashi. She was sitting on the couch and seemed kind of down. Inuyasha walked over and stood before her.

"Oh, Inuyasha, you're here." Mrs. H looked at him as if waiting for him to speak.

"I need your permission." He began.

"My permission? For what?"

"To marry your daughter." He replied. Mrs. Higurashi's eyes widened. She wondered for a moment if he was serious.

"Inuyasha.." She trailed off. He looked more serious than ever before. She was glad he had come and asked her permission. "It is Kagome's choice to make. If she chooses to marry you on her own I have no objections." Inuyasha bowed. Excitement boiled within him. Now Kagome was the only one who had to say yes. "Inuyasha, I must speak to you first."

"Ah.. sure. About what?"

"I must know.. do you really love my daughter, Kagome?" Inuyasha blushed. He didn't like telling people about his feelings.

"I care about Kagome.. I could never stop caring about her... I do love her." He looked down hoping that was the right answer.

"That's wonderful to know. You seem to be dedicated and responsible. I trust you won't leave Kagome." Inuyasha nodded in response. "So have you talked to my daughter about this yet?"

"I.. asked."

"She said yes?"

"No." Mrs. Higurashi frowned. "She needs time to think it over."

"I see. Well you must understand in these times a wedding is a big deal."

"I do understand." 'It's not the time, it's the species.' He thought inwardly. 'Humans make things so complicated. It's a yes or a no.' He was as impatient as always.

"You do...?"

"Yeah. I got to go." Inuyasha stood up. His beautiful hair slung a little at his abruptness.

"So soon?"

"I only came to see Kagome and ask your permission."

"Kagome is sleeping."

"I figured that out already." Inuyasha said with a little bite in his voice. Mrs. Higurashi was taken aback by his sudden snappiness.

"You're disappointed she's sleeping?"

"Well.." Inuyasha blushed a little. "Yeah. I needed to talk to her."

"Define talk."

"I needed to have a conversation with her." He glared a little at what Mrs. Higurashi was assuming. "I wouldn't just come here and take her for my own, especially with you and everyone else here." He crossed his arms.

"So if we were gone.."

"..."

"I don't want any funny business going on here until you're married. If you're married."

"Feh, human marry different than demons."

"So you aren't going to marry the traditional way?"

"We will 'cause Kagome would want that."

"What's the demon way?"

"You don't need to know."

"Excuse me.. I think I should know..." She was cut short as Inuyasha walked back upstairs.

Inuyasha walked to Kagome door and when he opened it, he made sure he slammed it. He wanted her awake. No more waiting. He hated waiting.

"What happened!" Kagome jumped up from her sleep hearing the bang and saw Inuyasha. She looked at her door and noticed he must have slammed it. "What're you doing here? Why'd you slam my door? It could have broke." Inuyasha didn't answer as he shut the door.

He approached Kagome with a small glare.

"Enough waiting wench. I need to know."

"Wench.. eh?" She glared. "You said I could have as much time as I needed."

"Times up. You had all the time you needed."

"Inuyasha, you want me to just choose now or never? How can I choose ever?" Inuyasha backed up a step. "You want me to choose between being with the man I love and out living all my family and friends and not being with you at all and living as long as my family." She stood up and came closer to him. "How can I choose? How do you expect me to know? Now of all times." She wanted to cry at the real truth, but she held her angry ground.

Inuyasha felt sorry now. He didn't know the question would make things so complicated for her. Maybe he should have never asked. He could have left things the way they were. They could have stayed friends.. just close friends that secretly loved one another.

"Inuyasha." Kagome hugged him. "It's hard.. I know I seem weak for being able to answer so easily, but... I am only a weak human."

"Kagome." Inuyasha returned her embrace. "You know." He had some laugh in his voice, like he thought it was a little funny. "You're the strongest human I've ever known." He smiled. She smiled too.

"So.. you'll never call me a weak human again?"

"Don't push it." Inuyasha commented. Kagome giggled.

"Oh.. Inuyasha.." She hugged him tighter. "How could I ever be without you? If I had to live without you, what kind of life would that be?" She let go. "Inuyasha please understand.. whatever my choice is.. I do love you and I would say yes, honestly. I would have already agreed.. it's just outliving them scares me."

"Yeah, I know Kagome. I understand." He looked away from her not being able to meet her gaze.

Kagome examined his sad amber eyes. She hated him being sad. Deep down she knew the sad would never leave him fully. Deep down he was just a sad little puppy caught in the rain. Abandoned and lost. She knew that was the truth about her hanyou. He wanted someone to take him from the rain and love him. He wanted Kagome. Kagome smiled a little bit. The puppy chose her. To trust and to love, when he had never trusted another before, he trusted her.

"Thank you.." Kagome mumbled low. Inuyasha looked at ehr with confusion.

"For what?" She smiled and looked down.

"Nothing." Kagome decided to think some more. 'I love him. If I wasn't able to be with him.. it would hurt me.. I need him.. I should say yes... My family and friends mean so much to me... but Inuyasha has grown to mean more.' She looked at him again. 'Plus it's not like I'm giving them all up.. I'll just live longer... and I'll have to see them go..' She frowned once more. The thought hurt.

"Stop that." Inuyasha's voice rung her from her thoughts. She looked at him with confusion.

"Stop what?"

"Stop frowning. It's nicer when you smile." Inuyasha informed. Kagome beamed.

"Better." She asked with a small giggle. She felt a hand on her chin and her lips were covered. She felt a warm sensation and her eyes widened. Inuyasha was kissing her again!

She loved the feeling. His lips were smooth and warm. His arms were welcoming and held protection, shelter.

It's funny. Kagome was supposed to be the one to shelter the puppy, yet the puppy was the one who sheltered her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and let the wonderful feeling rise. Inuyasha pulled away for less than a half second for air and went back, every little while separating a drop for air.

Their tongues played around and explored the others mouth. Inuyasha's hand roamed under Kagome's shirt and was about to unclip her bra.

"Kagome." Inuyasha and Kagome's eyes widened as they separated blushing furiously. Mrs. Higurashi stood at the door with a look of total shock. "I.. I didn't mean to interrupt." She walked out quickly and shut the door.

It was a good this she had stopped them though, because Inuyasha was about to take Kagome as his mate. She hadn't even said yes yet.

"Sorry..." Inuyasha mumbled. Kagome looked to him.

"Sorry for what? You didn't do anything."

"I was going to.."

"I know.." She looked away from embarrassment. "It's okay." She looked at him and smiled. "Inuyasha, yes."

"What?" He looked at her confused. A tinge of hope forming inside.

"Yes, yes, yes." She giggled. "I want to marry you. I want to be your mate." She smiled a bright and beautiful smile. Inuyasha couldn't help but grin.

"I knew you couldn't keep your hands off of me." He teased. She giggled a little.

"Sit."

THUMP

"What.. I didn't even do anything." Inuyasha growled looking up from his spot in the ground.

"You hang around Miroku way to much."

"Feh." He huffed and got up when the spell ended. "So.."

"This is my decision. Does the answer suit?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want a yes."

Well I hope you liked it. How many more chapters do you want this fan fition to be?