DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha or the others.

Sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long, but now that I'm on spring break, I have much more time to write. Thanks for being so patient. Now on with the story!

Chapter Eight: Second Chance

"Please Kagome," Inuyasha asked her with a hint of urgency in his tone. "I really need to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to talk to you," Kagome snapped at him. Angry tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the image of her ex-fiancé. Angry that he could stand there and try and talk to her. Angry with herself for being so weak.

'Think fast. You're losing her quickly.' Inuyasha thought to himself.

"I haven't been the same without you Kagome," Inuyasha began. "I…still have feelings for you."

Kagome was shocked, too shocked to notice that Inuyasha had pushed the door open slightly in order to wedge through. Kagome nearly fell back when the door knocked into her. Luckily, Inuyasha caught her in his arms before she came into contact with the floor.

For a minute, Kagome felt safe in Inuyasha's arms as he held her in order to prevent her fall. But then she tried to push him away from her when she regained her balance.

"Let me go Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed at him as her tears began to spill faster. "You have no right to touch me. Let me go!"

"No," Inuyasha answered calmly, even though he winced when she screamed at him. "I can't let you go…that's why I came here to talk."

With that, Inuyasha shut the door with his foot and lifted Kagome up bridal-style and carried her over to her couch. He put her down gently in his lap and held her head to his chest.

Kagome beat angrily at his chest with her fists. She didn't want to give in to the comfort that Inuyasha's warmth provided. Realizing that his arms would not let her go and that his strength overpowered her, Kagome's tears began to die down and she simply rested her head against Inuyasha's chest, letting him hold her.

Inuyasha inhaled her scent and was instantly relaxed. Even though he was relaxed, he kept his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered when he noticed that she had calmed down. "We need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," Kagome answered back. Her voice was gaining volume as she felt her anger rise and her tears flooding back. "It's over between you and me…there's nothing left to talk about. Why can't you just go and leave me alone? Haven't you hurt me enough?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes when she said that. Her words cut him deeply, but he tried not to show his emotions.

"Kagome, I know I hurt you," Inuyasha began. "But…I just can't let you go."

"Well, it's too late Inuyasha. I've finally moved on. I don't care how you feel anymore."

Inuyasha was stunned. "Well I haven't moved on Kagome….please give me a chance…I…"

Kagome cut off his sentence, "Too bad Inuyasha…I never want to see you again."

Inuyasha was so shocked that his arms loosened. Kagome took the opportunity and stood up away from him. She turned her back to him in order to hide her tears.

"I had offered my heart to you Inuyasha…loved you, accepted you for who you are," Kagome spoke quietly. "And then you repay me by cheating on me."

She spun around and looked at him. He was too shocked to speak, knowing that she spoke the truth. "I hate you Inuyasha. What was it about her! Was she prettier than me? Was she smarter than me? What did she have that I didn't!"

"No!" Inuyasha protested. "She isn't prettier or better than you Kagome…"

Inuyasha stood up and made an attempt to hug Kagome, but she backed away. Inuyasha flinched at the expression of hatred on Kagome's face. Even when she was angry and hated him, he couldn't help but notice how innocent and pretty Kagome looked.

"Well you obviously loved her better than me," Kagome interjected. "I was foolish enough to think that we had a chance to be together. But those days are over and I am not going to come back simply because you ask me to."

"Kagome it was a mistake to let you go like that…but it's not what you think," Inuyasha tried to explain. "I don't love her…I love you."

"Stop lying!" Kagome shouted as she covered her ears. "Stop lying to me and yourself…if you did love me, you wouldn't leave me for that slut."

Inuyasha looked hopelessly at Kagome. He had to make her understand. She had to know how he felt…he just couldn't let her go like this. He walked over to her and held her in his arms. Kagome was too tired to fight back. She just let herself be held.

When Inuyasha noticed that she had calmed down he tried again. "Kagome, will you please give me the chance to explain?"

Kagome was too tired to protest, so she only nodded her head.

Inuyasha sat her down on the couch and he sat down next to her. Holding onto her hands in order to prevent her from fleeing, he just looked at Kagome's sad face.

"I didn't mean to hurt you like that," Inuyasha began as he noticed Kagome stiffened. Seeing that she didn't pull away or anything, he continued, "I only went out with other girls because I was afraid…I was becoming so dependent on you. I was afraid to lose you…one of my enemies…"

"You did lose me," Kagome cut in.

"Kagome, please, not in that sense," Inuyasha pleaded with her in order to let him finish. Noticing that her face just held a blank expression now, Inuyasha started again, "One of my enemies, Naraku, is not only a rival of our company, but he also hires assassins to destroy his opponents. My family and I have placed an extensive amount of security around our home, but he can always find out who is closest to us and hurt us through them. Do you remember how Rin nearly got killed in a fire at one of our offices a year ago?"

Kagome nodded, remembering how Rin was frightened of the experience and Sesshomaru had never allowed her to leave their home unless she was surrounded by bodyguards.

"The fire was created by a bomb explosion placed there by one of Naraku's henchmen," Inuyasha explained. "We announced that some worker was smoking and had started the fire that way, but Sesshomaru and I had found traces of the bomb and evidence to prove that it was Naraku. I was then afraid that he would come after you next Kagome. He had the nerve to come after Rin and Sesshomaru is a dangerous adversary. I was afraid that I would lose you…so I "pretended" to cheat on you. I had to find some way to push you away. I talked to my father…and he refused to allow me break the engagement. I then devised a plan that would push you away, knowing that you would never leave otherwise. You are too stubborn and would insist that you stay and help me, but I couldn't bear to lose you. So I then spread the rumor that I was sleeping with other girls behind your back. I often associated with other girls, but nothing ever really happened."

"Don't lie to me Inuyasha," Kagome shouted angrily. "What about Kikyo? And the way you arrogantly dismissed me!"

"I continued my rumor for nearly six months and you still didn't believe it," Inuyasha continued, ignoring her outburst. "You were still so innocent, having the utmost faith in me, so I then had to call in Kikyo. I knew she was still attracted to me, and I then staged the entire thing so that you would walk in and see us. I never really loved her…and I was shocked that you became engaged to Sesshomaru. I had wanted to push you away from our family, but you still came back. I realized too late my mistake and I ended up hurting you more than I needed to. But please believe me when I say that I love you and not Kikyo."

"You tried to push me away?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"Yes," Inuyasha answered with his eyes staring straight at her. "I was scared that you were becoming an obsession. But not only that, I feared that you might die because Naraku would target you. Even now, you're not safe, but I realized that I would rather have you by my side than to live without you. I know it's selfish of me to risk your life like this…but I guess love makes you become selfish."

Kagome was too shocked for words. She didn't know if she should believe Inuyasha or not. He sat there looking at her, waiting for her judgment. His ears were flattened on his head and his amber eyes were as intense as the first time they met. Kagome found herself getting lost in his eyes. Her thoughts were whirling quickly…but she was still so confused.

"No Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. "I can't…let you back into my life. I'm engaged to Sesshomaru now…I can't just betray him and leave him."

"But you two don't even love each other," Inuyasha exclaimed as panic seeped into his voice.

"That doesn't matter," Kagome answered bitterly. "I've learned that love gets you nowhere in life. And I don't betray my fiancé the way you do, so I refuse to leave Sesshomaru."

"Please Kagome, I just want to be a part of your life again," Inuyasha begged.

"You are a part of my life," Kagome replied. "You're going to be my brother-in-law."

"No!" Inuyasha protested, getting angry. "You can't throw away what we once had. I love you Kagome, and I know you still love me."

Kagome shook her head violently.

"Look into my eyes and tell me that you don't love me," Inuyasha dared her. "Tell me you don't care about us anymore."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha and noticed the intensity of his eyes, burning into her. "I…can't Inuyasha. I don't love you anymore…"

Please Read & Review!

Many of you have asked this and I remain firm in my answer. This will be an INU/KAG story because I really do like this couple. Like I said, I would like your advice on the story and I will try and update ASAP.

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