A/N: I'm So sorry about not updating for the past couple days…and I know there's no excuse. But I hope you guys can forgive me, so here's the next chapter! Glad you're liking the fic so far, and thanks again for your support! Inuyasha and the characters are not mine. I am just. A lowly fan…

The cool, foamy waters rushed over Inuyasha's feet and around his ankles. The sand slid from underneath him, and the air was thick with a dry, salty smell. The sun was bright as usual, and Inuyasha let himself be pulled by the low waves. Something bright and shiny caught his eye and he reached for it. Before he could get it though, an unusually giant wave crashed over him and he found himself thrashing about to stay afloat. He heard a voice calling to him. Kikyo? He tried calling back, but for some reason he couldn't hear his voice, no matter how loudly he shouted.

"Inuyasha…Inuyasha. Wake up, sweetie." Inuyasha's eyes snapped open, and he found himself entangled in his blankets, his mom peering into his face with a concerned look.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, pulling off the sheets and pulling him close. Inuyasha tried to recall what he was dreaming about, but even now, he couldn't remember much.

"I had a bad dream," he said rubbing his eyes and burying his face into his mom's chest, wrapping his arms around her. Izayoi rubbed his head to comfort him.

"Oh sweetie…I'm sorry. Can I get you anything?" she asked, rocking him back and forth on her lap. She felt her son shake his head slowly.

"Okay. Well, it's not quite time to get up yet, so why don't you go back to bed for a few hours?" she suggested warmly. With a small 'okay' from Inuyasha, she fluffed his pillow and tucked him in, pulling the blankets up to his chin. After pushing back his bangs to kiss him on the forehead, she turned out his lamp light and headed towards the door.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha. Sleep tight. Your father and I are in the next room if you need us," she told him, before closing the door. Inuyasha lied wide awake for a few minutes, not sure if he wanted to go to sleep, for fear of another scary dream. But then as the minutes passed, he let himself slowly drift back to sleep.

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Inuyasha sifted through the new box of cereal his mom had gotten for him for one thing. Finally he found what he was looking for. Special prizes were always exciting, and he was extra surprised when he opened the package to find a purple ring with a sticker of a Kikyo flower on it.

"What'd you get this time, sweetie?" his mom asked, pouring herself some steamy, morning coffee. After adding a few squirts of French Vanilla creamer, she blew into her cup and took a sip.

"Look, mommy," Inuyasha said enthusiastically. Izayoi walked over to him and peered into his small hands, admiring his toy.

"You should give that to Kikyo. I bet she'd love it," she suggested, really believing she would. Inuyasha's eyes lightened up at the idea.

"Yeah! Okay!" he decided. He grabbed the half filled milk jug and poured it over his cereal, doing his best not to spill any. Then spooning a mouthful, he crunched on the sweet flakes, the taste enhanced by the cool, flowing milk. He swung his legs back and forth underneath the table and thought about what he was going to do today. They'd be going to the park, and he couldn't wait to see Kikyo there. There'd be all that open space to run around and play. A playground to play on, and trees to climb…there was so much excitement in his as usual, that he was nearly bursting with it.

Before he knew it, he had finished his cereal. He went up to brush his teeth with his red brush, and even brushed his hair, with the help of his mom of course. As he strapped his sandals, the doorbell rang. He had barely finished before he leaped up and nearly ran into the door. With some difficulty, he managed to turn the door knob and pull it open. He grinned as he saw Kikyo standing there with her grandmother, holding her hand wrinkled with age, but soft with years of altruism. Kikyo had on a white t-shirt and red shorts. She also had on little pink sandals, and a purple flower clip adorned in the right side of her above her ear.

"Kikyo, you're here! Mommy, can we go to the park now?" Inuyasha asked, giving Kikyo a great big hug, then turning back towards his mother. Kikyo's grandmother laughed-a sound that reflected the quieter, more peaceful, and slower flow of her life as an old woman, but also with the air of a timeless vibrancy. Inuyasha's mother came to greet the two.

"Give me a call when these two crazy kids finish playing," Kikyo's grandma said. Kikyo hugged her beloved grandmother around the leg, which was returned with a soothing backrub.

"I'll be back later, to pick you up, okay Kikyo? Behave yourself," the old lady reminded with a wink at her granddaughter.

"I will," Kikyo promised with a nod. Her grandma walked down the steps, down the path and to her car. Kikyo waved to her as she drove off, then turned back to go inside with Inuyasha.

It wasn't long until the family and of course Kikyo were set to go, and they packed, once again in their red Dodge van. Sesshomaru had a date, and so they didn't see much of him that day. Anyways, when they got to the park, Inuyasha and Kikyo immediately unbuckled their seat buckles and jumped out of the van. Inuyasha just loved the feel of the soft, green grass on the sides of his sandals. Luck must've been on his side, as the sun was, once again shining ever so brightly, and a warm summer breeze ruffled his hair and clothes. He took one giant breath of fresh air, and then grabbed Kikyo's hand. They ran to the playground, with the dark mulch, slides, see-saw, hamburger, bridge, monkey bars, swings, and much more. For a good while, they goofed and played around, pushing each other on the swings, playing hide and seek, taking turns on the slide and trying out the monkey bars, until the heat began to get the better of them. The two stopped by where Inuyasha's parents were, to refuel with apple juice boxes and trail mix granola bars. Then it was off to play again.

This time Inuyasha led Kikyo to a fairly big tree. He wanted to show her how well he could climb, and was fairly sure she'd be impressed. Grabbing the lowest branch, he pulled himself up, and began the ascent.

"Come on, Kikyo," he grunted as he reached for the next branch. Kikyo stood at the bottom and watched him, unsure as always. When Inuyasha had gotten about six or seven feet off the ground, he sat on a thick branch and studied her below, wondering why she hadn't followed him up yet.

"Come on," he repeated. Kikyo cautiously reached for the same branch he started with and pulled herself up. Grunting in the same way Inuyasha had, she managed to hoist herself up each branch until she sat on the same one Inuyasha was on.

"See, you did it," Inuyasha said, grinning at her. Kikyo nodded, biting her lower lip, and practically glued herself to the tree trunk. Despite the rough bark, she clung on. Inuyasha crept father out onto the branch, and Kikyo's eyes widened.

"Don't Inuyasha! You'll fall," she pleaded, but Inuyasha looked back at her, clearly not worried. Balancing, he slowly reached up for a branch that hovered clear over the ground, and grabbed on with both hands. Kikyo started whimpering with anxiety.

"See? I can-" Inuyasha began, but then lost his grip. In less than a second, it seemed he was falling.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo cried out. Inuyasha's parents heard her distressed call, and immediately ran over to find their son on his stomach.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo's mother gasped as she carefully, but quickly turned her son over so she could examine him for injuries. Inuyasha began wailing as he held his left wrist and bent over in pain.

"Come on Izayoi, we'd better get him to the hospital," his father managed to get out at top speed. He ran over to grab his stuff, and joined Izayoi, who by that time was already in the car. Kikyo hopped in the van, and they sped off, Inuyasha in his mother's arms. She was trying her best to comfort him and assure him he'd be all right.

"Don't speed dear, I don't believe Inuyasha's life is in danger," she said using one hand to hold onto her seat, as he nearly flipped the car, turning a corner, not to mention nearly running a red light as well. He heeded her words, though, and slowed down. By three miles.

When they arrived at the hospital, it was a long wait as usual. They filled out a quick card of basic personal information, and waited. Kikyo sat still in her chair, her hands in her hap and her eyes still filled with tears. Inuyasha's whines of pain subsided a little, but both his parents were worried as a swollen lump had formed on his wrist. They had stopped on the way to get a bag of ice for it.

At last they went with him into a patient room. Inuyasha sat patiently, until a man came in and took him away to get an x-ray. Kikyo and Inuyasha's parents sat quietly, and when they came back the man told Inuyasha that he would be all right and it was just a sprained wrist. Inuyasha's parents sighed in relief.

"So it's not broken?" Kikyo asked timidly.

"Yes. Inuyasha will be okay now," Izayoi answered, giving her a reassuring hug. A nurse came in and wrapped Inuyasha's hand and arm in several pads and bandages, and finally gave him a blue sling as well as instructions to his parents on precautions and when he could take it off.

"But I wanted to play in my new pool when we got home!" Inuyasha whined, pouting as they got in the van to go home. Inuyasha's father shook his head.

"You heard what the doctor said, Inuyasha," his father said firmly. Inuyasha stared out the window and pouted.

"But-" Inuyasha began five minutes later, but was interrupted by Izayoi.

"Be thankful you acquired nothing worse than a sprained wrist," his mother told him. Inuyasha was quiet after that, all the way home. When they arrived, his parents put the things they brought to the park away. Izayoi prepared them some lunch, which included grilled cheese, grapes, and milk. Then Inuyasha and Kikyo climbed on the soft, white, living room couch. Inuyasha yawned.

"You okay, Inuyasha?" his mother asked as she poured herself a glass of ice-tea.

"I'm tired," he said simply.

"You can take a nap if you want. I bet you're tired," she said. She retrieved a light blanket with toy trucks printed all over it from the linen closet, but when she got back she found Kikyo resting against Inuyasha, whose head was on the couch arm. Kikyo's head was on his chest, and both were breathing softly, completely out. Izayoi smiled at the sight. She carefully laid the blanket on the both of them, and then left them alone to rest.

By the time they got up, it was nearing dinner, and it was about time for Kikyo to go.

"My grandma's making my favorite food, and we're gonna see a movie," she said. Inuyasha remembered something. He pulled the ring from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Here," he said offering it in her direction. Kikyo took it in surprise, but when she saw the Kikyo flower she immediately smiled. Careful not to bump his wrist, she hugged him.

"Come back tomorrow and we'll go the park again," he told her. Kikyo shook her head, avoiding his gaze.

"I don't want to. I don't want to climb trees anymore," she said, her eyes filling up with tears again. Izayoi kneeled down to her level and rubbed the top of her head soothingly.

"Oh, but Kikyo. Don't you know? This ring is very special. Because Inuyasha cares about you, this ring will protect you," she told her with a warm smile. Inuyasha looked up at her.

"Really?" both Kikyo and Inuyasha said at the same time. His mother nodded.

"I bet. So come back tomorrow, okay Kikyo?" she suggested. Kikyo nodded.

"Okay. Oh! I've got something to show you too, Inuyasha," she said suddenly cheerful again. The doorbell rung, letting them know her grandmother was here.

"Okay! Bye, Kikyo!" he told her. After a quick explanation of what happened to Inuyasha that day, Kikyo and her grandmother left.

A/N: Okay. That's it for that chapter. I'm tired and it's late. Thanks for reading.