Title: Remember the Time
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Chapter 8: Conflicting Emotions
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Disclaimer: I do not, and will never own Inuyasha. Just the plot. Thanks!
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A/N: Hey guys! I'm back from the graveee. Man, I can't believe it's been almost a decade since I last wrote on this story, or wrote at all for that matter. Life can get hectic as you all know, I lost my writing inspiration for a while there. Well I guess a while is a bit of an understatement...but I have recently rekindled my interest once again. It was crazy, I had to re-read my own story several times, trying to remember the plans I had for it. Hopefully I've improved since my teenage'd writing years. I also noticed all the horrible grammar mistakes I made in my past chapters. I'll be going back and re-writing them when I have the time, I just couldn't wait to add some new content to this story. If even one of you guys from back in '05-'06 is still with me, I would be overjoyed to hear from you! The encouraging reviews is literally what inspired me to write on this story once again.
Also just to remind you guys that this is an Inuyasha and Kagome fanfic, despite what may occur and lead you to believe otherwise. Things will all fall into place eventually.
Thank you guys. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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"And this will be our bedroom… with windows facing towards the sun, because I know you like to wake up to the sunlight touching your face. I'll also make sure we have an oversized closet large enough to fit your entire mess." He laughed, his eyes sparkling at the thought.
"And where would Akami's room be?" I inquired with a soft smile on my face, my hands drifting over to rest on my slightly protruding stomach at the thought of our future daughter's name. He grinned at that, already knowing I would ask.
"Her room will be right across from ours so we will always be able to keep a close watch on her, and we can keep our bedroom doors open at night to make sure we can hear her perfectly. Don't worry Kagome, I already thought everything through. I'll work hard so that one day in the near future I'll be able to make this happen for us. I promise to take care of our family."
I would have followed him anywhere, believed anything he would say. My heart was filled with such blinding love and trust that it was practically overflowing from within me.
He took me by the hand, his eyes shining with such love and sincerity as he gazed deeply into mine. "Kagome, I'll find a better job and I'll take care of everything, I promise. I'll make sure you don't have to work so hard anymore... and I'll make sure our little princess will live happily and comfortably. You two are my world and as long as you're by my side I'll do whatever it takes."
His hand drifted down to cover the hands that I had placed on my stomach, both of our hearts bursting with love and excitement for this little baby girl growing inside of me.
I felt so warm and hopeful at that moment, ready for what the future would bring us, and not fearing anything as long as Inuyasha was by my side.
I woke to the annoying and shrill sound of the alarm clock going off, rudely interrupting my deep slumber. I opened my eyes slowly, my head pounding in rhythm to the sound and taking one quick narrowed glance at the evil neon green numbers that read 6:00 A.M.
I groaned softly and smashed the top of the alarm with my fist, rolling back into bed immediately afterwards. I wasn't ready to wake up and start this day, after years of waking up early it was still a constant struggle every single time.
As I lay in bed, my thoughts drifted back to my dream… rather, my dream that was actually a distant memory of the past.
I closed my eyes as I recalled that pleasant memory, back when Inuyasha and I were still deeply in love. We had so many plans back then, to one day get married and a place of our own, to live together as a happy family. Back when he would promise me the world, and I would so naively believe him.
I hung on to his every word, blinded by love and too young to know any better. I didn't have a single doubt then, I knew he would follow true to his word.
Except… things don't always go as planned. And the crushing disappointment that accompanied that realization was the only evidence left of those shattered dreams.
I felt that old familiar pain stirring up in my chest, and I quickly pushed the memories away.
It had been several weeks since I learned Inuyasha was back with that Kikyo woman, and we had grown distant once again. When I finally spoke to him again a couple days after seeing them at the mall, he acted as if everything had gone back to normal.
At least, the normal that was us ignoring each other and only interacting when it came to dropping Akami off to his house. We only exchanged words when absolutely necessary, such as discussing drop off and pick up times for Akami, and when it was finally time for me to receive his child support money.
It felt like the kiss we shared and those times leading up to it never happened, and while a part of me felt cold at the thought, I continued to tell myself it was for the best this way.
It was Friday morning, which meant another long day of work, but it also meant afterwards I would be off to do what I pleased for the weekend. Kouga and I were back to our old routine, we had been hanging out more than usual lately and I could sense that made him extremely happy. He didn't have a single clue of what transpired between Inuyasha and I, and I was determined to keep it that way.
Our anniversary was coming up in just a few short weeks, and I knew he had special plans for us. I smiled at the thought, thinking about how much Kouga had been there for me lately when I needed him most.
I had felt so utterly alone that day at the mall, and I needed him there to distract me now more than ever. Being with Kouga allowed me to forget, even if just for a little while, all the pain and disappointment I felt whenever I thought about Inuyasha. When I finally decided to reach out to him again, he was ready and willing to be by my side whenever I asked.
I glanced at the clock again, remembering it was time to get up and get ready for the day. I also had to wake up Akami and get her dressed and ready as well, since today she would be staying with Inuyasha while I was at work.
It was another distant exchange between Inuyasha and I as I dropped Akami off to his place, he didn't even so much as look at me as I handed the sleeping girl into his arms. I glanced over to his driveway, where I saw the car that had become very familiar to me the past several weeks. It seemed that car was there every single day now, and I couldn't help but wonder if Kikyo had started living with Inuyasha. I stiffened at the thought, and then inwardly sneered to myself. 'Why should I care? They can do whatever they want.'
I glanced back at Inuyasha, who had his eyes still planted firmly on the ground. I was starting to get angry, seeing him find a piece of dirt on the floor more interesting than sparing so much as a brief glance at me.
"I'll be back at the usual time. Please don't forget to feed her the lunch I prepared this time, you can't keep giving her junk food and calling that a meal." I sneered, unsure of why I was so angry with him again. He merely nodded his head at that, already turning to head back inside.
A sudden burst of anger sparked through me again, how long was he going to keep this up? He couldn't avoid speaking to me forever!
"Inuyasha! Did you hear me? You could at least voice that you understand! For all I know you could've just completely ignored everything I just said." I was practically seething with anger and frustration at this point, tired of being ignored.
"What do you want me to say Kagome?" His voice came out in a gruff tone, low and hoarse from being used probably for the first time that morning. It still caught me by surprise to really hear his voice, I had grown accustomed to his nods and brief yes and no answers.
"I already nodded that I understood, do you want me to repeat back everything you say to me from now on so you know I have it all memorized. I won't feed her any junk food, and I'll have her ready for you by the time you get off okay? Damn it Kagome, I heard you alright." He spat, turning his head slightly only to start nudging the door close.
My foot blocked the door so he couldn't close it, and he huffed in annoyance, knowing I wasn't going to let this go anymore. He walked inside for a brief moment to lay the sleeping Akami down in the next room and returned to the front door where I was waiting. He knew I was expecting him to say something, but he remained quiet, still not meeting my eyes.
"What's wrong with you? Seriously, because it's really starting to really piss me off. We're adults here Inuyasha, you could at least speak to me like a normal person. I mean, I am the mother of your only child for goodness sake." I hissed, glaring at him with narrowed eyes. "I mean if you don't want to be friends, we should at least be civilized towards each other rather than pretending the other doesn't exist!"
I was starting to shake, getting angrier by the minute. The morning haziness was gone, my anger fueling me completely as I continued to yell at him.
"I've been more than accepting of everything that's been going on lately, I know you're back with Kikyo and I'm also aware she's probably living with you now, which is perfectly okay with me as long as she knows her place with my daughter." I exclaimed, staring up at him for a response. When none came I continued.
"How long are you going to keep this up? You can't ignore me forever! Do you think Akami hasn't noticed that her mommy and daddy are no longer speaking to each other? Do you think this doesn't affect her? You're such a selfish prick, all you care about is yourself! I know you don't give a damn about me but at least put some effort to speak to me normally for your daughter's sake!"
He finally reacted at that. I watched as he stiffened, his eyes shooting up in anger and for the first time in what felt like ages, meeting my own.
"Shut your fucking mouth." He spat, glaring at me with such anger and intensity swirling in his eyes I almost had to take a step back. I held firm and watched as he raked a clawed hand through his hair in frustration.
"Don't even dare bring Kikyo into this, you're the one that told me to go back to her, in case you've forgotten. And Kikyo loves kids, she gets along with Akami just fine." He growled, stepping fully outside and standing only a few inches away from me.
"What the fuck do you want from me Kagome? You don't want me close to you, but you don't want me distant either? Make up your fucking mind because I can't figure you out." He seethed, his taller frame towered over me, his face only inches apart from my own.
"I've been doing my part in watching Akami while you're away at work, I'm there for her the best way that I know how, and whenever you need me to do something for her I always make the time do it. So tell me, what more do you want? Because no matter what I do it's never enough for you." He ground out, eyes burning into mine.
"I'm doing exactly what you told me to do, don't you remember? Isn't this what you wanted?" He whispered, his eyes softening along with his tone, his soft breath brushing my face as he had suddenly appeared even closer. He had almost looked hopeful in that instant, his eyes searching for some type of answer within my own disconcerted gaze.
My breath caught at that, and for a brief moment I hesitated, closing my eyes as memories of the past entered my mind and the heartache that accompanied them filling my chest. I could never forget the promise I made to myself.
I swallowed, staring back into his eyes with a hardened resolve. "I know that Inuyasha, and I appreciate everything you do for her. But that's what you're supposed to do, because you're her father! It's expected of you, it's the least you could do!" I was raising my voice again, still so furious with him. Why I could never let go of my anger with him was beyond me.
I had to force myself to calm down, rationalizing that we weren't getting anywhere going back and forth with each other like this.
"We're both not the same people we used to be, that much is obvious... but I at least want us to be able to talk normal, can't we at least be friends?" I asked, my voice laced with hope and I looked up at him expectantly. I just wanted him to talk to me again, like he used to before things got complicated.
His eyes flashed with a new wave of anger, a response I wasn't expecting.
"You want to be friends?" He spat, as if I had just insulted him with the word. To my surprise he started to laugh, a harsh sarcastic one that filled my ears and made me feel cold all over.
"I can't be your friend Kagome, and I think you know why. I think you know we have been well past the point of ever being able to call each other friends." He turned from me then, no longer wishing to meet my gaze.
I couldn't get past the feeling that maybe I had just hurt him somehow. All I wanted was to be able to talk to him again, like before. I hadn't realized how much I had missed him the past few weeks, and the feeling was getting stronger as I watched him walk back inside.
"This discussion is over Kagome, you're going to be late for work. As I said before, Akami will be ready and waiting for you here by the time you're off." He said, a sudden coldness in his voice replacing his earlier anger.
And with that I was met with the front door, leaving me alone outside.
Needless to say, I was distracted all day at work. I couldn't help but replay the encounter with Inuyasha this morning over and over again in my mind, trying to dissect the exact meaning behind his every word.
He was even colder to me this evening when I picked Akami up, making the encounter as brief as he possibly could. After kissing Akami goodbye I barely even saw the back of him before he was back inside, closing the door quickly behind him.
I could only sigh at this, my heart filling with a strange sense of sadness, and a feeling that suspiciously felt like regret. I had to keep reminding myself over and over again that he was right, it was because of me that things were this way. Inuyasha was just dealing with things the only way he knew how, and that was to shut me out.
"Mommy, why do you and daddy look so sad lately? Are you okay?" Akami looked up at me with worried golden eyes, sensing something was wrong. She was such a smart child, even at her young age she could pick up on things so well and was aware of the situations going on around her. It pained me to see her looking at me like that. I didn't want my baby girl to feel any sort of worry or pain. I wanted to protect her from everything and preserve her sweet innocence forever. I didn't want her to grow up with any form of resentment or bitterness because her mom and dad couldn't look past their own selfish wants and feelings.
Every time I looked into her bright golden eyes, I was instantly reminded of him. She was a sweet representation of our past love. This beautiful child that we created that looked so much like him it almost hurt to look at her at times. But I loved her more than life itself, and every decision I made in life was always and would always be for her. It was never just about what I wanted anymore, or what Inuyasha wanted either.
I smiled at her to let her know I was fine, placing a kiss on her forehead and making sure she was properly secured in her car seat. I had to forget about my own dilemmas for now, and make sure to always keep a smile on my face so my daughter would never have to worry.
"We're fine baby, don't you worry your pretty little head about that okay? Let's head over to auntie Sango's house tonight, uncle Miroku is there and they got some new toys just for you."
She beamed brightly at that, excitement building up in her eyes. "New toys! And I get to play with uncle Miroku? What are we waiting for mommy, let's gooo! Hurry!" She exclaimed, and I laughed at her eagerness, my heart warming at the sight. We had been hanging out a lot with Miroku and Sango ever since Miroku had come back to town, and Akami had grown to absolutely adore him.
After a quick car ride there, we arrived at Sango and Miroku's house. Akami was so excited she nearly fell out of her seat when I opened the car door to take her out.
I felt something vibrating in my pocket, and went to dig my phone out to see who had texted me. It was a message from Kouga, asking if he could come see me tonight. I paused for a moment, contemplating on answering him back, but was cut off by Akami pulling my hand and ushering me to hurry towards Sango's front door. I shoved my phone back into my pocket, deciding to answer him later. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to see him tonight, I wanted to take some time after this to be alone, and to think.
We rang the doorbell and were greeted shortly after by both Sango and Miroku, who each got their respective bear hugs from Akami as she was always so excited to see them.
"Hey guys, come on in. There's some goodies waiting for you in the living room Akami." Miroku smiled, watching as Akami went running past them and down the hallway.
"Hey, slow down Akami! No running inside the house!" I shouted, but she had already reached the living room before my words could even reach her. "What am I going to do with that child?" I laughed, shaking my head.
"How's it going Kags? How was work?" Sango asked as we trailed down the hallway, Miroku had already gone off to play with Akami after greeting me. We decided to sit down in the kitchen to talk. Sango and I hadn't been able to talk one on one since Miroku had come back and as much as I loved hanging out with Miroku, I was really missing our girl time.
"I'm alright, work was a real drag today. I didn't think this day would ever end." I sighed, running a hand through my long wavy locks and tucking a few behind my ear. "How are things with Miroku, is he really back for good?"
Sango beamed at that, her eyes shining with excitement. "Yes he is, he's finally decided to move back and stay here with me for good."
I knew what that meant for Sango, she had been in love with Miroku ever since the 8th grade. When they had finally made it officially in high school, they were inseparable, just like Inuyasha and I had been. I smiled, thinking of all the countless double dates we had been on growing up. I was really happy things were finally looking up for them.
But at the same time, I couldn't help the small tinge of jealousy that crept into my heart. After all these years Sango and Miroku were still happily together and stronger than ever. Whether it be time or distance, it seemed like nothing could drive the two apart. Whereas Inuyasha and I had grown so much apart, he couldn't even look me in the eye anymore. It was a sad realization and I swallowed back a bitter lump in my throat and forced a smile on my face.
"I'm really glad to hear that Sango, I know you had been waiting a long time for this."
She nodded in agreement, and then looked at me with a serious expression on her face.
"Kagome, I have been wanting to ask you something… and tell me honestly okay? Are things okay between you and Inuyasha?" She asked, concern evident in her features. I hadn't talked to her about Inuyasha since the time that he had kissed me. I never brought him up again after that, and as if Sango knew I didn't want to be bothered with it, she had done the same and left it alone.
Sango was the only other person, except for maybe Miroku, that knew so much about how up and down my relationship with Inuyasha was. She was always there to offer her advice and try to make sense of the endless problems we encountered together.
"I've noticed for the past several weeks you've seemed kind of down, and Miroku has been hanging out with Inuyasha again recently, he said he's been noticing the same vibe coming from him as well. Did something happen between you two recently?"
I averted my gaze from Sango's questioning stare and instead fixed my eyes on the table, tracing the swirling pattern of her oak tabletop with the utmost concentration. I knew she would eventually ask me about him, but I had avoided the subject for as long as I could.
"Nothing happened between us, we're just not really talking anymore." I said softly, my voice coming out lower than I had intended. What I really meant was that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with me anymore, but I didn't want to voice that out loud.
"Well, Miroku said Inuyasha has been acting different lately. He said he changes the subject every time you are brought up."
Sango sighed at my continued silence, shaking her head sadly. "Whatever is going on between you two, I hope you guys can clear things out for Akami's sake. You know she hates it whenever you two are fighting, she absolutely loves you both to death."
I bowed my head, listening to Akami's loud laughter coming from the other room as she played with Miroku. I sunk further into my chair, feeling guilty all over again.
"I know. It's just so hard getting through to him sometimes. You know that man can be stubborn as a rock." I sighed, and Sango reached over to pat my shoulder.
"It's pretty obvious that he's not quite over you. I mean just look at the girl he's dating, you two could practically be sisters." I sent her a sharp glare at that, and she threw her hands up with a shrug. "Of course there's no real comparison there Kagome. Just give him some time and I'm sure he'll come around again. Just like he did after he found out you and Kouga were going out. It may have taken forever but he finally accepted it after a while. At least, he was trying to anyway."
I was silent for a few moments, taking in Sango's words. She was right, that's all I had to do, wait for him to get over what happened and then hopefully we could move past this and be able to stand each other's company again.
"But Kagome…" She added hesitantly, and I looked up at her questioningly, waiting for her to finish.
"Are you sure you're happy with the way things are? You're happy being with Kouga? You're fine with Inuyasha being with someone else?"
She looked at me seriously, her brown eyes studying me carefully. I was a little thrown off by the question, and paused before replying. It felt like there was a constant war between the two inside of my heart, constantly causing me to question my own feelings time and time again. Am I truly happy? Is this going anywhere with Kouga and I?
Was I really okay with Inuyasha and Kikyo being together?
My heart continued to betray my thoughts, causing me to question myself yet again. That familiar pang of heartache whenever I thought of Inuyasha and Kikyo together never seemed to disappear, or dull in the slightest.
And here I was yet again, left to battle with myself for the umpteenth time, forcing myself to believe that we were better off on our own.
I thought I had things figured out, but it was clear I just wasn't sure what I wanted anymore.
I finished fastening the last clip into my hair and sighed, gazing at my reflection in the mirror. I had put in an extra amount of effort into getting ready for tonight than I usually do, knowing this evening was special. My usually wavy hair was brought down in shimmering curls, pieces of it pinned back to keep the hair out of my eyes. I had done my make up in my usual style, but added a little extra eyeliner and blush to add to the contouring of my face and bring out the rich chocolate brown color of my eyes. I finished my look by applying a mauve red lipstick that made my lips appear more full and vibrant, and used mascara to bring out the full length of my eyelashes.
I was all dressed up and ready to go, clad in a dark purple evening gown that hugged my figure in all the right places and stopped just short of my knees. Kouga and I were planning on spending the evening together for our anniversary. He had booked another fancy restaurant to take me to, and told me to dress up.
He loved spoiling me and taking me to nice places, but tonight I had a feeling it would be a little different. This was our first anniversary together as a couple, and I could only imagine what he had planned for us.
I slipped on my silver heels, grabbing my matching hand bag and made my way to the living room to get Akami. Sango and Miroku were busy tonight, so I had no choice but to drop her off to Inuyasha before meeting Kouga at the restaurant. I hated asking him for favors, especially now with things being so rocky between us, but I had no other choice since Kouga had been planning this evening for a while now.
He wasn't exactly thrilled to be doing this favor for me, but I also knew he couldn't turn down seeing Akami either.
When we reached his place, it was a little after 7:00 pm. The sun was already beginning to set, and I could feel the warmth of the sun slipping away as it sank beneath the distant horizon. I knew I needed to pick up speed, since the reservations for the restaurant were at 7:30 and I was still on the other side of town.
"Come on Akami, we're at daddy's place." I smiled as she stirred from her light nap in her car seat in the back, her amber eyes looking up at me groggily. After lifting her out of the car, I took her hand and we quickly headed to Inuyasha's front door. After ringing the door bell, we waited for a few minutes before he finally answered.
He smiled when he saw Akami, bending down to hug and kiss her cheeks before turning to acknowledge me. He looked surprised when he noticed my attire, his eyes gliding over my outfit and only stopping once he got to my face to meet my eyes. I was surprised myself at this, looking at him quizzically as he studied my appearance. It felt like this was the first time he had really looked at me in ages, and it felt good to have his attention for once.
"Thank you again for agreeing to watch her tonight, I know you've been taking care of her a lot lately and I just wanted to say it hasn't gone unnoticed. I appreciate it." I told him, watching as he continued to stare at me with an unreadable emotion on his face.
He was doing it again, staring down at me with that look in his eyes that I just couldn't explain, a look that was so intense and enveloping, as if I were the only woman on earth that existed right at this moment. My heart was melting under his unrelenting gaze, and I had to force myself to look away.
"Kagome, you look…" His breath caught slightly, and as if realizing what he was about to say, he coughed and finally looked away. "What's the occasion? I haven't seen you this dressed up since prom."
I don't know why I suddenly felt disappointed, a part of me curious about what he was going to say, but I shrugged it off, convincing myself it wasn't important what he thought anyway. "It's Kouga and my anniversary tonight, so he asked me to wear something special." I explained, noticing the sour look in his eyes at the mention of Kouga's name. He had gone silent, refusing to meet my eyes once again.
"Oh of course. Well I hope you guys have a really great time." He said, almost mockingly as he took Akami's hand and turned to go inside.
I went to touch his arm and he flinched, yanking away from me as if he was burned by my touch. I frowned at this, confused and slightly hurt from his reaction. "I just wanted to say I won't be too late tonight, and thank you." His only response was to shut the door in my face once again.
I sighed, lingering in front of his front door for a moment before heading back to my car. I couldn't focus on this right now, I had somewhere to be and I wasn't about to let him ruin my night.
I arrived at the restaurant barely on time, relieved when I noticed it was valet parking, one less thing I had to worry about. As I stepped out of my car and handed my keys to the valet, I was blown away by my surroundings. It was no doubt a 5 star restaurant, with bright white lights hung on every corner, and a giant marble water fountain displayed in the front of the main entrance.
After admiring the view for a few moments, I stepped inside and was greeted by several members of the staff as they held the doors open for me. The interior was just as dazzling as the front, if not more so. It was a dimly lit setting, with a very elegant and romantic atmosphere. I was thoroughly impressed, suddenly very eager to see Kouga and tell him that he had done a good job.
As if responding to my thoughts, he appeared before me, looking very handsome in a dark blue suit, a bouquet of red roses in one of his hands. He grinned when he saw me, love and appreciation shining in his eyes when he took in my appearance.
"Kagome, you look stunning." He said almost breathlessly, leaning in to place a soft kiss on my mouth. "Thank you. You're not too bad yourself." I replied with a wink, smiling as he handed me the flowers. He took my hand and led me deep into the restaurant, only stopping once we had reached a private table towards the back.
The table was secluded from the rest of the restaurant, and the set up was complete with dimly lit candles and a beautiful floral centerpiece neatly arranged in the middle of the table. A bottle of pinot noir had already been placed on the table as well, and after we were both seated comfortably it wasn't long before a waiter appeared to tend to our needs.
After taking our orders and pouring each of us a glass of wine, the waiter bowed and left us alone once again.
I sighed contently as I took a sip of the dark red wine, savoring the taste and already feeling a slight flush rising in my cheeks. It didn't take long for me to feel the effects of alcohol, I had always been a 'light weight' as Inuyasha would always jokingly say back in our younger party days. I smiled in remembrance, recalling the many times he had taken care of me and nursed me back to health during those horrible next day hangovers.
"So what do you think of the place? Do you like it?" Kouga's question jolted me out of my thoughts, and I looked up, meeting his warm brown eyes and dazzling smile.
"It's amazing here Kouga, I absolutely love it. You did good." I said warmly, receiving a knowing grin from him in response.
"I knew you would like it here. I've been saving taking you to this place for a special occasion, like tonight."
We talked for a while longer, sipping on our wine and enjoying each other's company. After a few moments the waiter returned, depositing a salad and a tray with some fancy looking dip and freshly baked bread in front of us. I was starving and quickly began digging in, barely noticing Kouga's chuckle of amusement as I did so.
"Is the food to your liking?" He asked, looking up at me warmly.
"Delicious. You really do know the way to my heart." I said between bites, and he laughed in return, his eyes sparkling with mirth.
I couldn't help but notice that Kouga seemed slightly nervous tonight. He was being a bit clumsier than usual, already having dropped his fork and knife a couple of times throughout the course of our meal. I was halfway through my main course when he suddenly coughed, and I stopped what I was doing to look at him questioningly.
"Kagome, there's something I've been wanting to ask you for a long time now." He began in a solemn tone, and I turned to give him my full attention. I could sense from the look in his eyes he had something really important to say to me.
He took my silence as a reassurance to continue, and he swallowed back a lump in his throat as he set his serious gaze unto mine. "Kagome, we've been together for a year now. And I know that to some that may not seem like a really long time, but for me, it's more than enough to know how amazing of a woman you are."
He reached across the table to take my hand into his, his eyes never once leaving my own. "I know you've been hurt and let down in the past." He whispered, his gaze darkening as he continued. "I don't expect you to not have any doubts when I say this, but I want you to know that I'm deeply in love with you Kagome, and I would give you the world if you allowed me to. I would never disappoint you or go back on my word like I know others have done to you in the past."
I could feel my heart racing at his words, my breathing becoming shallow as I realized what was happening. I felt like I couldn't move, my body frozen in place as I watched him move closer to me.
"I will take care of Akami also as if she were my own daughter. If you would allow me to take care of you both…" He got up then, keeping my hand in his as he crossed the short distance between us, getting down on one knee in the process. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a beautiful, glittering diamond engagement ring. I drew in a breath at the sight of it, marveling at its beauty as he held it up to me.
"Kagome…" He spoke softly, eyes shining with love and devotion. "Will you marry me?"
A/N: To be continued...