3 years have passed, but I have not forgotten you all! My apologies to any of you who were actually eager to see this story continue sooner, I am ashamed for the long wait. In any case, I promise that this story will indeed reach its intended conclusion! READ ON faithful….ummm…READERS!

And of course…I do not own Inuyasha, She-RA, or anyone else for that matter…..not even a boyfriend as it turns out….

The soft echo of rain still hummed through the glass windows of the Comic Book Java as cool white liquid spilled into a chilled metal frothing pitcher behind the espresso bar counter. The store was silent despite the constant buzz emanating from the overhead fluorescent illumination, the groaning of a work-a-holic espresso machine, and the ever so often battle cry "For the honor of Grayskull!" leaking into the air from some unknown corner of the room. The creeping edges of night had extended across the parking lot outside, slowly working their way past the rows of comics newly stocked with fantastical story and hero-filled issues.

"Here, hold the thermometer to the side like this…" Kagome stood beside the new-hire boy, reaching out her hands to adjust his grip on the milk-filled pitcher and the temperature device.

"Now make sure the steamer stays just under the top inch of the milk and keeps slightly to the side but not up against the wall of the pitcher."

Looking up at her pupil, Kagome saw two deep amber eyes roll back into the recesses of their owner's head.

Grabbing hold of the steamer control dial….

"Keh, relax will ya? What's the big deal anyways?"

"Inuyasha DON'T!"

In a fluid motion, the dial turned and released a forceful blast of scalding steam directly into the chilled container of milk, disrupting the steadiness of Inuyasha's grip and regrettably blasting the super-heated top layer of bubbly white liquid directly onto two coffee-stained aprons, up into the remarkably dust-free corner of the shop, and all across the two young faces that had contorted into expressions of shock and awe as they could only watch as the explosion-like event happened.

Dripping with milk of various temperatures, Kagome stared at her co-worker, unsure of whether to laugh at him or to slap him.

So she did both.

:TWACK: "You freaking dummy!" Kagome wiped milk out of her eyes as she laughed herself toward the sink.

"hey!" Rubbing his temple "Like I was supposed to know that was going to happen…grrrrr" Inuyasha dropped the pitcher to the counter and folded his arms across his chest as signs of embarrassment swept across his face, causing him to quickly turn his head in order to conceal the damage to his pride. "You know I…"

:FWOOSH:

Before he could finish his thought, a straight blast of cold water came soaring through the air at his head knocking him back to the far counter.

"WHAT the!"

A distinct laughter filled the room as he scrambled to steady himself, pointing himself toward the origin of the attack. Kagome was standing ready, however, with the gun-like sink hose nozzle aiming in his immediate direction. "Kagome! DON'T!" :FWOOOOSHHH: His voice was drowned out with a second blast of pressurized water, this time sending him to the tiled floor as he tried to escape the constant stream of liquid. "Oh HA HA, very FUNNY!" Inuyasha shook the wet off his face and leapt forward while crouched down, reaching out to grab Kagome by the ankle.

"ACKK!" Kagome gleefully squealed as she redirected her weapon toward her feet. :FWOOOSHH:

Struck again by the spray, Inuyasha groaned, retracting his hand to protect his eyes. "Damn it! Cut that out!"

"hehe" As Kagome stepped back wiping a laughter-invoked tear from her still milky eye, her foot slipped sending her quickly to the floor as well. "Ow! Hehe"

Inuyasha took the opportunity to dive forward, wrapping his fingers around the nozzle-gun and subsequently around Kagome's small hand as well. "HA!"

Still laughing, Kagome's brain began to piece together the dramatic shift in proximity to Inuyasha and their current unintentional hand-holding positions. Slowly, her smile became overpowered by a fearful sense of vulnerability. Inuyasha was still leaning over her body, gripping not so much the spray-gun as her hand now….staring deeply into her eyes.

"hehe, we are in SO much trouble if Emes finds out about our shenanigans…."

"Is she coming back tonight?"

"Well, no…I'm closing the store with just you….."

"So are we closed yet?"

Kagome hesitated. The store was dimly lit compared to the deep darkness that had fallen outside the building. No cars could be seen passing on the road beyond the edge of the parking lot, though the rain came crashing down harder now, creating mountainous puddle eruptions and a thickening blur of vision. She was alone with this dripping wet boy on the tiled floor of a comic book store with a million things left to do and only one thing she truly wanted to do.

Looking back into the depths of those amber eyes, Kagome lost herself, unable to respond. Slowly, Inuyasha leaned in closer, the tip of his nose touching against her cheek, his warm breath traveling down her neck, his free hand gently lifting her body into his embrace. "Kagome….I….I want you to remember me…"

"Inuyasha……." Nervous….and confused, Kagome knitted her brow "I don't…..I don't know you….."

Suddenly the phone let out a terrible ear-piercing ring and a searing pain ripped through Kagome's mind. Inuyasha jumped at the sound as Kagome sat upright cradling her temple.

"You get it….I gotta go lay down a sec…."

Eyeing the phone like it was some sort of wild animal, Inuyasha followed after Kagome as she made her way to the couch. "Wait Kagome!"

Groaning, Kagome lay down burying her head under one of the pillow-cushions, the phone still shrieking in the background. "Kagome, we've got to get out of here, something is messing with us…." Groaning louder in pain Kagome flicked her hand in Inuyasha's face dismissing him. "You stupid woman! I don't care what Miroku says, I'm taking you back right now!"

With that, Inuyasha swept Kagome into his arms pinning her arms back as he did so. She struggled with his grasp, screaming bloody murder over his shoulder. Knocking the phone off of the counter as he went, Inuyasha dashed to the front of the store and nearly broke the door off its hinges as he swung it open upon exiting. Taking a moment to tear off the horrible shoes he had been forced to wear, Inuyasha leapt into the soaking wet of the night. Kagome could not think straight, her head still pounding, now matched by the pounding in her chest shaking with fear and anger. Watching the Comic Book Java grow smaller in the distance over Inuyasha's shoulder, thoughts raced through her mind….trying to make sense of all that was what would happen to her, considering who Inuyasha really was, screaming and crying so loudly yet muffled by the violent sounds of the rainstorm that would not leave.

And as she lost consciousness for the second time that day, Kagome saw what looked like a young woman standing just a little ways behind them…..never getting farther away….yet unmoving…..

End Chapter 5

Well my friends, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I may be a bit rusty after 3 years, but I'm doing my best! And now it is time for me to step back into the real world :big sad face, so I bid you adieu until next Chapter….which I swear on my life will not take another 3 years.

And please review if you can spare the time!

:has lollipops and goody-bags for reviewers:

See? I know how to make it worth your while…heheh 