Ok, gotta give credits to someone.

THANK YOU SO MUCH SILVERSTARWING! You are incredibly awesome. Thank you so much for reviewing and telling me how unbelievable this chapter was. (well one part in it.) You sparked me to change it, which also helped me to go through the entire fic again!you are awesome for all the help you give me, whenever I need it!

I will forever remain your dedicated beta. I await your next chapter faithfully D. Hehe.

Also, do check out my favourite stories list as you can read her story personalities of the past which I beta.. It's a very, very good story. I wouldnt beta it if it wasnt.. Also check out Michiyo Hikari's stories too. I beta them as well. (they're Gundam Seed fics.) They are awesome too :D.

Chapter 5 - Together Always

Twenty minutes later they arrived at the cabin. Kagome thanked the driver and handed him some money. He opened the trunk and she grabbed her stuff.

A shaken Inuyasha stumbled out of the car, dizzily. He walked up to the porch of the cabin, and sat on the steps. Kagome walked toward the cabin, carrying the luggage as the taxi drove off.

"Inuyasha? Are you ok? You look really pale." She asked, worriedly.

"I-I'm ok. I think. I'm just a little shaken, is all."

He stood up and grasped the railing, waiting for the dizziness to pass. Finally he felt better.

"Come on. Let's go in the house. We'll have something to eat an then you'll feel better."
Inuyasha agreed and walked up the steps, wearily. He felt very tired. She fumbled with a key and finally got the door open. She stepped in and found that the lights were already on.

Her mother's friend had come and turned on the electricity and stocked the cupboards and fridge. That took a load off Kagome's shoulders. She dropped the bags and looked around the small living area.

So many memories flooded into her mind, coming here with her mother and Souta when she was younger, the many summer sleepovers with Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi, and even the vague memories of her father. She yearned to relive those again. Snapping out of her thoughts, she walked over to the kitchen.

"Inuyasha, could you come here please!" She yelled.

Inuyasha walked into the kitchen and looked around. It would be hard for him to adjust to all the new sights and sounds. He'd never really spent more than a day or two in her world… So a couple weeks, as Kagome had so kindly put it, would be a big adjustment.

"There should be some firewood around the side… I'd like you to go and get it while I get dinner ready." She asked sweetly.

"Fine. Make me do all the work… And on my human night too…" He complained sarcastically, walking away.

------

Two hours later a fire was burning and six empty ramen cups lay strewn over the dining room table.

"You really shouldn't eat so quickly, Inuyasha."
"Shaaaaawdup." He said stuffing more noodles into his mouth. Kagome giggled and stuck her tongue out at him.

"So…Tomorrow we'll go shopping for some more clothes. In the meantime, I think I'll do some homework before I go to bed." She looked over at a clock on the wall to see what time it was. It read nine o'clock. She walked over to the door and grabbed one of her bags. She opened it and took out her math book.

"I really have a lot of catching up to do…" She mumbled as she walked over to the couch. She sat down and opened her book. Her face curled into a frown. What is this stuff!

"Hey I thought this was a vacation for you…What're you doing that stuff for?" Inuyasha asked, noticing the frustration on her face

"Well if I want to get into a good school, I have to study." She said, more to convince herself that she needed to do this.

Inuyasha shook his head and swallowed the remaining ramen. He pushed his chair back and stood up.

"I think I'm going to go outside for a while. You know, to keep watch."

"Inuyasha, there's nothing to keep watch for. We're perfectly safe here." Kagome rolled her eyes and went back to studying. She heard the front door open and close.

As much as she wanted… Err… Well… As much as she knew she had to study, she just couldn't concentrate.

She closed her book and put it on the ground beside her. She leaned back and closed her eyes.

I think I'll just rest my eyes for a few minutes…

Inuyasha leaned his head against the wall of the cabin, his hands tightly clutching Tetsusaiga. He sighed and looked at the new moon.

The words… Those simple words Miroku had said when Inuyasha had talked to him in Kaede's hut, rang through his mind. Those words Miroku had thought he hadn't heard. But then again, he guessed Miroku had wanted him to hear them…

'Honestly, if you would just tell her how you really felt it would do us all a great favour.'

Inuyasha stood up, abruptly and walked to the door. He stared in and saw Kagome asleep on the couch. Admiring her calm and innocent face. Again the same thing he had thought on the train was bothering him.

How could I ever have hurt her?

Even if he could get enough courage to tell her his true feelings, would he be able to do it without guilt? Every time he looked at her he was reminded of Kikyo and his unfulfilled debt to her… He just couldn't tell Kagome he loved her if still loved Kikyo. It wouldn't be fair to Kagome.

'You idiot!' He conscience yelled at him. 'Did you even hear a word of Kikyo said!'

What? He asked.

'Her dying wish was that you be happy and live on! If you want to be at peace with Kikyo's memory, fulfil her wish. Be happy. And if being happy means being happy with Kagome, then so be it!'

Inuyasha was at a loss for words. His heart was literally being torn in two. Why must he be forced to choose between the memory of the woman he loved and the, well, life with the woman he loves?

'You know it yourself!' His conscience told him. 'Kikyo is just that! A memory. She has moved on and wants you to do the same! Why cant you see that?'

And it was as if Inuyasha had stepped into the light. He finally understood what his conscience meant.

Kikyo was only ever a memory.

Even when she had been revived, it had never really been her, the woman he had loved so long ago.

But when he was with Kagome, he had felt that same thing. That desire and happiness. That passion and courage. And most of all, the love. The love that had kept him alive. That had kept his soul and heart alive.

Without Kagome, he was like a jigsaw puzzle with that one piece missing.

And he knew what had to do.

It was the only way he could both honour Kikyo's memory and dying wish and make up everything he had ever done to Kagome. He had put her through too much and he needed to do something about it.

Taking a deep breath he opened the door and stepped inside.

He slowly stepped towards Kagome his hands quivering.

Oh yeah, He thought sarcastically, I can look death in the face and laugh but when it comes to l-love, I'm quite useless.

He stopped beside the couch, his hand on the armrest, and stared at Kagome.

Figures she'd be asleep.

He smiled and moved in front of her. He put his arms under her knees and behind her back and picked her up gently.

Her eyes fluttered and she snuggled closer to him. Her arms slid around him, pulling him closer.

He blushed at her actions. Calming himself, he walked towards the bedroom. He tried to remember which one it was. Kagome had showed him, but he'd forgotten, of course.

He finally found it and opened the door. Closing it behind him, he drifted to the bed and bent down to lay the girl down. But she wouldn't let go of him.

"Kagome…" He whispered, knowing it wouldn't do any good. His cheeks flushed a crimson red as he decided it wouldn't be any good. She just wasn't going to let go.

He bit his lip and walked back into the living room. Holding onto her tightly with one arm, he used the other to grab a blanket from the back of the couch.

He sat down on the couch and placed Kagome beside him. He put the blanket over them and felt Kagome rest her head on his shoulder, her arms around him.

Inuyasha stared into the fire, unable to say anything. His face took on a sad expression.

"I'm so sorry Kagome…" He whispered, knowing she was asleep. "You deserve better than me. I can't even control myself… I'm only a hanyou…" He shook his head in disgust and looked to the window, the new moon visible above the trees.

"I just wish… I want you to be happy…Please, just try to forgive me. I promise I'll do my best to not make those mistakes again…" He closed his eyes. His heart was beating very quickly. "And to know that I love you, even if I don't always show it…"

Staring down at her sleeping figure, he admired her beauty. The way her chest rose and fell with each breath. The way her silky hair fell upon her shoulders. The way her cheeks were tinted with a slight rosy colour.

"You've been there for me, when no one else was… You stood by me after all I put you through." He whispered. "I don't know… What I would do without you. I really do love you more than you'll ever know…"

He sighed and shook his head, knowing he could never tell her these things if she were awake.

"Inuyasha…" He heard her whisper, though her eyes remained closed. "Do you… Do you really mean it?"

Inuyasha felt his heart skip a beat.

She was… awake the whole time?

"Eh… Um…Kagome…" Inuyasha began to blush and looked away.

Kagome smiled, tears of happiness trailing down her cheeks as she snuggled closer.

"Thank you… Inuyasha." She felt all of the fear and anger she had housed towards Inuyasha disappearing. "A-And… I… I love you too."

Inuyasha stared down at her , finally understanding just how much he really loved her. How much she meant to him.

He leant down and gently kissed her. She smiled at him, her eyes warm and loving,

"I will always be there for you." He promised her, stroking her hair.

"And I'll stay by your side. Forever." She vowed, gazing at him with longing in her eyes.

He leaned down and kissed her again, this time more passionately.

And it all felt so right.

Why had they denied themselves this relationship? This love?

But none of that mattered, because they were finally together. They were complete.

And so, as if with that one confession of love, and that one kiss, a bond was formed. A bond that would go on to last for all of eternity.

Of course, there would be bumps along the road, but that's what life is about, isn't it? It's about overcoming your fears and growing. It's about understanding yourself and those around you. And most of all, its about being able to open your heart, mind, and soul to another person. To allow them to see into the deepest depths of you.

And so the night was filled with physical and emotional verification of this special bond. These two would gain something that night, that hardly anyone had ever been able to have or to understand.

Pure, untainted love.

That was so much better than what i had before... -.-;;
Also, I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but in this case, this was how it needed to be.

I don't think I could have ended it anywhere else.
-sigh-

Well thats all for now!

Ja ne!

-Kellai-chan-