Disclaimer: You know the drill…

Thanks to my super fantastic reviewers! I'm sorry this chapter took so long! School has been keeping me really busy! Curse AP Euro!

Kae-sama: As always sorry this took forever and I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Yeah I feel kind of bad for Hiten too. And you're right, he isn't really a bad guy in here, just bad friends. Peer pressure; gets ya every time! Enjoy!
Ear-Tweak: My, that is a coincidence! About your cousin I mean, but sorry they don't get together in this fic. I hope that doesn't bode ill for your cousin though! And you did not just read that part about people getting together! Goes back in attempt to erase Enjoy this chapter!

WiNdScArBaBe: Here is what happens next! Sorry it took so long. See above on why.

Xxrupert-grint-loverxX: Plenty Shawn/Inu fluff here for you! Just like you asked! I happy you liked the last chapter so much. I wasn't too sure about it, but if you liked it then it was a success! Hope this one is as good as the last!

Cousin's Return

Chapter 13: Interrupted Intimate Moments

"I'm tired!" said Shippo for what felt like the millionth time that day. Everyone had gotten up early and had once again set out on the search for more jewel shards.

"How can you be tired? You've been riding in that stupid basket for the entire day!" yelled Inuyasha. Shawn smiled. She had missed his outbursts of anger.

"Inuyasha, chill out! We're all tired. I was about to say we should stop anyway," said Kagome, as she rolled her eyes.

"Feh," Inuyasha pouted.

"Oh stuff it. Not all of us are demon you know! The rest of us need sleep!" said Kagome, exasperated.

"Fine we'll stop," mumbled Inuyasha.

Shawn looked around, "Is it just me or does this place look familiar?" she asked.

Everyone else glanced about at the surroundings and suddenly memories of Shawn's last visit came flooding back, "Isn't this where that giant bird attacked us last summer?" asked Sango.

It was. It was that same cozy little spot with the waterfall and the small pool and the willow trees. This was the spot where Inuyasha and Shawn had almost kissed for the first time before Miroku had interrupted them. Shawn giggled as she remembered throwing a rock at him.

"Is it really a good idea to camp here?" asked Miroku, "I mean with what happened last time and all," he winked at Shawn and she glared back.

"I'm sure it will be fine," said Sango.

"All right then, I'll get started on dinner!" said Kagome, "Inuyasha, Shawn, could go find me some firewood please?"

"Sure!" said Shawn before Inuyasha could even open his mouth. She grabbed his hand and started pulling him in the direction of some nearby trees, "Come on."

0o0o0o0o

"You really think they're actually looking for wood?" asked Sango, "They've been gone for twenty minutes."

"Maybe, maybe not," said Kagome, rummaging through her backpack. She sat up on the balls of her feet, "All I know is, they haven't seen each other for 6 months and last night they didn't get any private time. I think they deserve a little time alone together, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess. It's just, I don't mean to complain, but I'm hungry and we haven't eaten all day," which was true. They hadn't stopped for lunch, because Inuyasha had insisted they keep looking for shards, "But now that I think about it, I probably would be taking my time if I was them."

"We'll just give them a few more minutes and if they're not back I'll go look for them. They can't have gone far," and with that Kagome went back to rummaging in her backpack, trying to decide which flavor Ramen to make.

0o0o0o0o

"I think we have enough," said Shawn, tucking her little bundle of sticks under her arms.

"You sure?" asked Inuyasha, his bundle was much bigger. In fact, they probably could have lasted days with all the wood he had.

"Yes," Shawn laughed, "I doubt we're even gonna need all this."

"I know," said Inuyasha, "But I just love spending time with you," he darted forward and gave Shawn a quick kiss on the lips. It caught her by surprise and she almost dropped her bundle.

"Hold it there cowboy. Don't make me drop all this!" Shawn said pulling away a little sooner that Inuyasha would have liked, "We'll have plenty of time to be alone! I live with Kagome now remember? I can visit when ever I want!"

"Sorry. I'm just –"

"I know happy to see me," said Shawn with a coy smile, "But everyone is probably wondering where we are and I personally don't want them to have to send out a search party."

Inuyasha smirked as Shawn turned and headed back towards camp. As soon as they two were in hearing distance Shippo came running up shouting, "What took you so long?" not that he waited for an answer. He snatched the wood that Shawn was holding and scurried back and handed it to Kagome. Fifteen minutes later everyone was sitting down to nice hot cups of Ramen. Inuyasha was practically inhaling his and all the girls stopped eating for a second to watch with raised eyebrows. He glanced up and paused for a second, noodles dangling for his mouth, "What?" he tried to say.

Kagome burst into a fit of giggles, Shawn snorted with laughter, and Sango simply rolled her eyes.

Inuyasha slurped up the rest of his Ramen, "No really, what?" he asked again, with some annoyance. That only made Kagome and Shawn laugh harder. Inuyasha looked to Miroku for help. However, this was not the best idea, for Miroku was trying hard to keep down great bursts of laughter that threatened to erupt any second.

Inuyasha finally gave up on looking for the source of delight and went back to eating his Ramen with a slightly grumpy face.

"I love you," said Shawn, when her giggles had subsided. Then she leaned over and kissed a surprised hanyou on the cheek.

0o0o0o0o

Later that night while everyone else was asleep Shawn and Inuyasha were still talking. They were leaning against a tree and Inuyasha had his arm around Shawn's waist. She was snuggled against him and her head rested in the crook of his shoulder. They had been like this for hours, sitting in silence, then talking, then silence again.

"The stars are so beautiful tonight," said Shawn. She never saw skies this bright back home.

"Not as beautiful as you," Inuyasha whispered.

Shawn smiled, "You're lying, but thank you."

"I mean it!" Inuyasha said indignantly.

"Shhhhhhh! Don't wake everyone up!"

"Feh."

Then there was the silence again. Shawn shivered.

"Are you cold?" asked Inuyasha, with a somewhat concerned voice.

"I'm fine," Shawn said as she rubbed her arms.

"Liar," Inuyasha pulled off the red layer of his kimono and draped over Shawn's shoulders.

"What about you?"

"Half demon remember? I'll handle it," Inuyasha smirked. Shawn smiled, but she continued to rub her arms, "You can't still be cold?"

"No, it's not that," said Shawn, she looked away.

Inuyasha paused, not sure how to say what he wanted to say. But then he decided he might as well just put it bluntly. That was how he did things. No point in changing now. He leaned forward slightly trying to see Shawn's face, "Is it your parents?"

Shawn stared pointedly away, refusing to meet his eyes.

Inuyasha sighed, "I thought so."

"I…I just don't understand," Shawn's voice quavered, "Why can't I let go? Why can't I ever stop being sad? Why can't I stop thinking about them for just a minute? They wouldn't want me to be sad all the time. But… I just… I can't let go," Shawn sniffed and rubbed her nose.

For a moment Inuyasha didn't say anything. Then, "I lost my parents, too. When I was a little kid," Shawn turned head back to Inuyasha and now he could clearly see the tears falling slowly down her cheeks, "My dad died before I could even remember him and my mom… well, I was real little when she died. Just barely old enough to understand. It was really hard."

"Oh, Inuyasha! I'm so sorry!" Shawn hugged him as tight as she could, "I didn't know. I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's not your fault," he gave Shawn a light squeeze, "You can never truly let go. The sadness, the pain. It never leaves. It's always there at the back of your mind. But I learned to ignore it. I hardened myself trying not to feel it, but I never really stopped."

"But…" Shawn stammered for a minute, "But when you have someone to share it with… it makes it easier."

Inuyasha looked deep into Shawn's eyes, almost searching, like he was trying to find where her words had come from, like he was trying to look in and see her soul.

"Yes," he hugged her closer; "It does make it easier."

They're lips met, not in a kiss of passion, but a kiss of comfort. They knew they understood each other. Well, almost understood. No one can ever truly understand another person completely, can they?

Suddenly Inuyasha's ear pricked up. He pulled away quickly and looked out between the hanging branches of the willow tree, "Get down!" he yelled, shoving Shawn backwards toward the grass. He landed on top of her and they both blushed. Then an arrow struck a spot on the tree right where Shawn's head has been a moment earlier. The rest of the group awoke with a start as another arrow hit the tree, right above Inuyasha's head.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked frantically as Inuyasha rushed to get off of Shawn and after the would-be assassin.

He ignored her question, "Back in bit," was all he said as he ran out from under the wall of trees. But he did not get very far. He had only run a few feet from the hanging curtain of leaves when he crashed into something. He toppled backwards and cried out in surprise.

"What the hell!" he said as he got up. In front of him was a barrier.

The rest of the gang was coming out.

"Inuyasha?" called Shawn. She came running up and reached out to touch his arm, but stopped. She looked a little harder at her fingers. For a moment she thought she saw blue electricity swirling running about and between her fingers, but then it was gone.

Inuyasha didn't seem to notice. He put a hand against the barrier and looked through. There was a tall figure running away on the other side. He could not make out much, except that the person had long hair, "Dammit!" He pulled out his sword, "This oughta take care of it; Windscar!" he cried swinging Tetsuiga against the barrier. It shattered and Inuyasha leapt through, charging after the person he had seen a minute ago. Whoever had tried to kill Shawn was gonna pay! He sniffed the air trying to catch a sent, but there was none.

"What?" he got down on the ground and sniffed about there, still not picking anything up, "But they ran right here!" He looked up, but the figure had disappeared a while ago. He had been running blindly assuming there would be a sent to follow, like there always was.

"Dammit!" he said again, slamming his fist into the ground.

"Inuyasha, wait!" he heard someone call behind him. He turned and saw the group running towards him.

"I'm not going anywhere," he called back, "There's no sent to follow."

"What? How's that possible?" asked Sango.

Inuyasha shrugged, "Beats the hell out of me."

"Wait!" cried Kagome, "What exactly happened? All of a sudden you where rushing around crashing into barriers and chasing people!"

Shawn glanced over at and Inuyasha. He shrugged again, which she took as a sign that it was all right to tell everyone, "We were sitting and talking-,"

Miroku scoffed.

"Talking," Shawn put lots of emphasis on the word, "And then Inuyasha shoved me over 'cause her heard something and then an arrow hit the tree. Then Inuyasha went running after whoever had shot it. That's where you all finally woke up."

"But who shot the arrow?" asked Kagome.

"I don't know! That's why I'm running around to trying to find a scent!" yelled Inuyasha, annoyed.

"Oh."

"Well if there's no scent then there's no use standing out here. Let's go back to sleep and figure it out in the morning," suggested Miroku, "If our attacker is really desperate they'll come back. We can catch them then."

"If they don't come back and kill us all in their sleep, that is," said Inuyasha sarcastically.

"That's what a look out is for," said Miroku in a matter of fact tone. He looked at Inuyasha pointedly and the hanyou took the hint.

"Feh. Fine. I'll keep watch, but somebody else better do it tomorrow. I may be part demon, but I need sleep too ya know."

"Can we go back to bed now?" asked Shippo. He had been half asleep and riding on Miroku's shoulder during the whole incident. Kagome sighed and nodded.

As she walked back towards camp with the others Shawn stared at her hands, wondering what that blue electricity had been. It was the same color Harashi's magic radiated, 'Could it be-? Nah,' she dismissed the thought. It was impossible. She couldn't have some of Harashi's powers, could she? No, that was stupid. And yet…

Author's Note: OK so how was it after not having a post in weeks? I hope everyone enjoyed it. I am currently looking for a beta reader so if I have any volunteers e-mail or submit a review. Also I haven't been getting many reviews lately and that makes me sad. I can update faster when I have more positive reviews. SO this time I want alt least 5 ok? Hope that's all right with everyone!

Laters!

DramaQueenABZ