Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or any nursery rhymes.

The Mother Goose Escapades

No. 44

Little drops of water,

Little grains of sand;

Make the mighty ocean,

and the pleasant land.

"I don't know, Inuyasha." Kagome looked at the hanyou that she loved with all her heart and saw him wilt at her non-answer. The sad part was, it was true, she really didn't know what she would do when everything came to an end. Worst case scenario, they all died anyway so it didn't matter. But if things worked out they way she wanted them too and Naraku was killed, there was a choice to be made.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha's voice was a tiny sound in the open air of the field around the well. His ears were turned down and he refused to look at her. He didn't think she would have an answer, but he had hoped she would because this was Kagome, who always had something in mind. No matter what his mind convinced him of, his heart still told him to follow this girl from the future no matter where she went.

"Come on, don't be so sad. Maybe something will happen that will show us what we're supposed to do in the end." Kagome leaned over and touched his arm, frowning slightly as he flinched under the gentle pressure. He wasn't looking at her and it made her nervous. Perhaps he wanted her to tell him she would stay away so he could remain with Kikyou, the original love of his life. Perhaps she was, as she had always feared, only in the way.

"I don't really see that happening, though I suppose it could. Everything seems to make my life more miserable!" The second half of this statement was mumbled under his breath and Inuyasha felt Kagome shift closer to hear it. It was killing him inside to be so close, to have her hand upon his arm, and to feel completely unable to reach her. He didn't have the words, the experience, to tell her what he felt inside, and then to see her bruised heart – because of him! – was almost to much to bear.

"You don't mean that, do you?" Kagome asked in a terrible voice. Her appearing in Inuyasha's life made him more miserable? Well of course, it made sense. Because of her the jewel was shattered, he had to face his past with Naraku which meant he now had Kikyou around again, and on top of all that, Kagome had gone 'sit-happy' on him. Granted, she was much better about that now, but it all made her feel worse. Inuyasha's life had been a disaster due to her appearance.

"No, wait, it's just that..." Inuyasha's voice left him and he had the shameful feeling of once again saying the wrong thing to Kagome. Intended or not, he always managed to hurt her, and now, suddenly, this time became like all the rest. He managed a glance up at her face and saw she was no longer looking at him, instead glaring at the well with teary eyes. Her hand hadn't moved. He waited, hoping she would speak, say something about how she knew he was only joking, or even laugh about this whole conversation. It was foolish anyways, this topic they were discussing.

"No, I think I understand, Inuyasha. It's alright. I'll tell you now, this experience has meant the world to me." Kagome turned to see Inuyasha looking quizzically at her, an expression of hope and confusion and worry on his face. She blinked, hoping the tears would vanish. With a sudden realization, she pulled her hand away from him, causing him to stare at his arm for a moment. When he looked at her again, faint panic was traced on his features.

"Don't do that, Kagome. Please, you don't understand!" His voice guided by urgency, Inuyasha mentally cursed himself for not being able to come up with the words he wanted. She was waiting, staring at him with a strange look that he couldn't begin to fathom. His arm felt empty without her hand on it, and he wanted it back there. He felt like a fool, sitting there with his mouth partially open, unable to speak the words he so desperately wanted to say.

"I think it might be meant to be anyway, Inuyasha. I've been thinking about this. When it rains, all we see are these little tiny raindrops, but all those raindrops together can make oceans. Or, the little pieces of dirt, together all make up the earth. It's the same idea with time. Every second makes up eternity. That means, the time we have here, we'll have again. Don't you see? I'm here with you now, so maybe you'll be with me, later." Kagome slowly reached out and grasped his hand, holding it close to hers, wanting desperately for him to understand what she was saying.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, unable to look away from her, unconsciously tightening his grip on her hand. He wasn't certain he understood what she meant, but he had an idea of it. Maybe she wasn't meant to stay with him forever, instead he was supposed to find her. The idea had occurred to him before but he had dismissed it, disliking it completely. And yet here she was, suggesting this very same thing to him.

"When this is all over...when we're still alive, I've got to go back home, Inuyasha. It's where I belong. You've got to find me, you've got to promise you'll find me!" The tears finally spilled over then, with the announcement finally out. He looked so...betrayed was the only word Kagome could think of, and it was so not what she had wanted to invoke. Silently she begged him to say something.

"Do you have any doubts at all that we'll meet?" His words surprised her, he could see that. Hand trembling, he reached up and traced away a tear from her cheek. If this was what she wanted, what she felt was right, he knew he would wait forever for her. Still, he wanted to keep the hope that she would stay with him now...

"None at all," Kagome whispered, overjoyed that he understood. For all his rough edges, his shy moments, and his complete and utter frustrations, Inuyasha knew her, inside and out. Impulsively she reached out and hugged him, holding him close, tying herself to the man she loved completely and totally. Inuyasha hugged her back, she could feel his arms tightening around her. "I love you across time, and it'll span eternity..." she murmured.

"Love you too," he whispered back. "Every single second."

Author's Notes: Ta Da, the proclamation of love has arrived! I will get to the triangle soon enough, don't worry. Anyways, double update because I thought these two went well together, yes? I'm working hard to wrap things up, but it's sad! Let's see then, 44 posted, only 6 left...