Wow! Okay, fantastic responce for only one day, which I will reward with this new instalment!

Before I let you read this next chapter I have a couple of house-cleaning items I need to clear up.

First! I know Inuyasha is a tad OOC, but remember, he's been with Kagome for three years. She's bound to have softened him up quite a bit by this stage.

Second! No Kagome is NOT pregnant. (Everyone breathes a sigh of relief) All Inu did was hold her close. (If only he would hold me like that...well no...if he held me like that I'd want him to do quite a few other things to me which would result 'hopefully' with a little Kyo of my own.)

Last! I beg forgivness in advance for those who may decide to throw numerous household items at me for the content of this next chapter!

Inuyasha's gaze kept wandering from the barely eaten food, to the doorway, and back again. His ears drooped, knowing that he had somehow managed to cause her pain. Glancing at the remaining ramen in his own bowl, he pushed it away, unable to take another bite because of the weeping in his heart. He was just about to go out and find the young miko and find out what went wrong, when his head snapped to the side, pain flaring in his cheek.

The hanyou stared up to find an immensely angry demoness standing above him, her hand poised for another slap. "What did you do?" she demanded through gritted teeth as she brought her hand down violently to his other cheek. "I don't know," he whined, his ears drooping even further, "Everything was fine when she woke up, then half-way through breakfast she just put her bowl down and stormed out. If I knew what was wrong she'd be sitting with us right now." Tomoyo nodded, "She said something about needing to go for a walk," she told him, "And something about archery." Inuyasha stood and ran out the door, Kyo and Tomoyo trailing behind him.

Kagome stood, firing shot after shot at a scrap of material she'd tied around a tree at the far end of the clearing, unaware of the three sets of eyes watching her. "She looks mad," Inuyasha stated, "Maybe we should send Kyo out first just in case she's in the mood for 'Purified Inuyasha'." Tomoyo cuffed his head, giving him a glare that said 'coward'. "Okay, okay," he told them, "I'll go."

Leaving the safety of the bushes, the hanyou crept closer to the angry miko. "Kagome," he called softly. The girl spun around to face him, the arrow she'd already notched to the string sent flying, out of surprise, when she saw his face, to disintegrate the tree behind him. "Whoa," He cried, "You're mad, I get it, but did you really need to try to kill me?" Kagome stared at the hanyou, wide-eyed. "I am so sorry," she whispered, "I didn't realise you were behind me, and then you startled me and...and...and this is all your fault. You brought that on yourself. You don't just go creeping around behind people, especially when they're wielding a weapon, and SCARE them, so don't you dare pin that on me."

Inuyasha felt his anger kick into overdrive. "Me?" he screamed back, "I came out here to find out why you were so angry, that you didn't even touch your breakfast wench. You're always complaining, or getting yourself hurt, or running back to your own time, I don't know why I even bother with you." He felt a sense of triumph as he gazed at the miko. Her fiery temper began to burn with a passion. As much as Inuyasha hated her to be mad at him, he always thought that anger made her look sexier.

"Well," she screamed back, "I never asked you to bring me here you know. I could've easily taken Kilala, and if I'm such a burden, maybe I should just leave." Inuyasha glared back at her, his anger escalating to dangerous levels. He bared his teeth, letting out an angry growl. "Yeah," he growled at her, "Well maybe you should." Kagome exploded, "Fine," she cried, pulling out her bottle of jewel shards and throwing them at his feet, "Maybe I should. I obviously can't do anything right, so maybe you should just go ask Kikyo to help you. I know she's stronger, smarter and more powerful then I am, so you should stop wasting you time, hanging around with me, and go find her." Inuyasha's pride refused to let her have the last word, "Well maybe I should," he hollered back, "At least she wouldn't keep disappearing for days at a time, and at least she'd be useful in a fight."

The hanyou prepared himself for the 'sitting' of a lifetime, but it never came. He risked a glance at the girl, but what he saw shattered his heart. His ears drooped, and he immediately regretted his words. Inuyasha had never seen her like this before. Her fighting spirit was gone, all the anger had dissipated, a haunting pain dimmed her eyes. She looked so...broken. "I'm never going to be good enough for you," she whispered to herself, "Am I?"

Two white, dog ears twitched. He knew he wasn't meant to hear that last part, but he had, and it resonated dissonantly through his body. 'How could she even think that she, a miko, a creature of light, couldn't be good enough?' he wondered, 'Unless...she couldn't possible like me, could she?' "What?" he asked, hoping for some sort of sign that prove him right. He prayed with every fibre of his being that she cared for him, even half as much as he loved her.

Kagome breathed soft relief. She'd forgotten about his perfect hearing, but was glad he hadn't heard her last statement, it came too close to her feelings for him. "Nothing," she muttered, "Come on Kyo, we're leaving." She walked past the hanyou to the two standing in the bushes. Tomoyo handed Kagome her bag and a package containing Kyo's clothes. She swung the bag over her shoulders and walked off into the forest, Kyo trailing half-heartedly behind her.

Inuyasha stood, to shocked and shattered to move as he followed her progress with his ears. Then it hit him, the one thing he hated most in the world. Salt. Kagome was crying, and he was the cause. His ears flattened themselves to his skull as he fought against tears. He lifted his head to gaze at Tomoyo. "I really stuffed up didn't I?" he asked sullenly.

Okay! I did ask for forgiveness in advance. This naughty little pixie is truely sorry, but SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, I couldn't let them get together so soon. It would be the end of my story!

Now to leave you all in suspense, will Inu appologise to Kagome? Will Kagome stumble her way into a rat's nest of problems? Will Kyo have to play the 'knight in shining armour'? How the HELL should I know?

Okay...so maybe I do know what's written in the next chapter...but for you to find out too...I'll need 340 reviews! (I'm such a review bitch...but please...I'm addicted to your loving...so be gentle with me and give me a hit?)

Until next time,

May your thoughts and creativity flow,

Lady Ami DragonHeart