Love and Responsibility

You're all mad with me, I know. I'm very sorry. I have been so busy lately. I'm mad at myself for neglecting my writing so much. I want to write an awesome chapter to make up for my absence.

Warning: Sexual Content; Offensive Language; Violence

Rating: M for Mature

Couple: Inuyasha and Kagome (Based)

Sango and Miroku

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated with the series.

"Talking"

'Thoughts'

Recap: He watched her. She stared down at her hand, which was now gripping onto his sleeve. She seemed engrossed in the sight before her. What was so alluring about his haori?

"It's exactly the same..." At some point in time, she had gripped onto this same haori. 'When? Why?' She pulled her hand away and rested it back on her lap. She frowned, realizing that she wasn't going to know that answer to that just yet. The doctor told her she needed time. She was willing to wait, as long as she did remember. End Recap

Chapter 6: Support

"This is just… just bull!" Inuyasha slammed his empty glass onto the table. Fury nested in the pit of his chest. He wanted to break things. He wanted to scream and yell. He just thrived to let his rage lose.

"Yes, it surely is." Mrs. Higurashi carried a large water pitcher towards the hanyou and poured iced liquid into his glass.

"We can't just sit around like this. It's been three days already and Kagome hasn't even showed signs of remembering her own god-damned age." The half-demon gulped down his fourth glass of water. When Mrs. Higurashi offered to pour another glass, he denied it.

"I understand how you feel Inuyasha. Believe me, I do." Kagome's mother bit her lip. "But for now the only thing we can do is support her."

"It's true we're suffering, Inuyasha." Sota began, taking a bite out of a slice of buttered bread. "But imagine how Kagome's feeling. I'd hate to not even know my own name."

"Me, as well." Mrs. Higurashi agreed.

"Speaking of which, what is your name again Mom?" Sota questioned suddenly. Mrs. Higurashi's eyes widened slightly.

"You forgot your own mother's name?" She seemed slightly disappointed. Sota laughed, embarrassed. "Suteki. Suteki Higurashi."

"Oh, that's right." Sota stood up. "I'm gonna go on and visit Monjin. We're going to walk to school together." He grabbed his blue backpack and left, seeming to be in some sort of rush.

"I wonder what his hurry is…" Suteki muttered, beginning to wash the breakfast dishes.

"I have a sneaking suspicion he's not going to be walking to school with Monjin this morning." Kagome spoke up. She walked in from around the corner, beaming. The others were quiet for a moment.

"What gives you that idea?" Mrs. Higurashi inquired.

"Sota is becoming a young man after all. I think he's going to meet a girl." She laughed, taking a seat.

"Oh my… maybe I should have a talk to him…"

"Kagome…" Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched with some aggravation. "Have you been watching another one of those kiddy romance flicks?" Kagome began to chuckle shyly.

"They're just so interesting…" Since Kagome had arrived back home, she had been completely stuck on those movies. She had seen each and everyone one of them many times when she was younger, but she had no recollection of those times.

"They truly are." Smiling, Mrs. Higurashi laid a breakfast plate before Kagome. "If you want more, just ask."

"Thank you, but I'm not really hungry." Kagome pushed the plate back. "I was thinking that maybe I could go to the park."

"The park? Why there?" Suteki picked up the plate.

"I have a strong urge to be outdoors. Is that odd?" The miko sipped some orange juice.

"Not at all. It's very healthy."

"Well than, I'll go on and get ready. I'll be back for dinner."

"You'll be back for dinner?" Inuyasha asked with the flicker of a brow. Kagome nodded nonchalantly. "You don't really expect to be going alone?" The priestess twiddled her index fingers.

"Why not?"

"For one, you don't even remember how to get there." Inuyasha spat out without the least bit of sensitivity.

"It's only around the corner. Mom and me passed it yesterday, coming back from the store."

"It's not safe alone."

"I'm not a little kid, Inuyasha. I'm fine on my own."

"Kagome, Dear. I was wanting to visit the park anyway. Would you mind if I came along?" Suteki used a wiser method than Inuyasha.

"Of course not."

"Alright. Let me just finish up here. I'll get ready and pack us each a lunch."

"Make sure to make one for me and the old man too." Inuyasha leaned back in his chair.

"Sure."

A refreshing breeze tossed Kagome's onyx hair back and forth as she swung silently on the swing. Alone, she watched as her mother and grandfather set up a picnic spot. Her friend, Inuyasha, was seated only a few feet away from them. He was resting under a large, green and brown tree. Although the tree was not quite as colossal as the sacred tree, it still doubled in size compared to the other trees residing in the park.

Kagome could faintly hear the sweet laughter of young toddlers playing in the sand dunes and sliding down the slides. Adults accompanied them. Looking over towards them, the priestess felt a seed of envy begin to sprout in the depths of her soul. She wondered if she had ever shared such moments with her own mother and father. The miko pleaded for recollections, but none came.

Sighing heavily, she began to swing harder. She wanted to go higher and higher. That is exactly what she did. Kagome swung until the whole word around her seemed to be nonexistent, until the wind that had only been lightly beating on her skin, was now rushing through her very being.

Suddenly she let out a laugh. It was fun. Her anxiety dissipated with the gentle laughter. Her cackling brought on the attention of those around her. Kagome knew her family was watching her, but that didn't stop her. She swung on and on, until her legs finally resisted.

Sighing, the priestess rested her head on the chains holding the swing. She was once again in her mellow stage. Feeling eyes on her, she looked up and around. She found Inuyasha staring her way. Why was he looking at her like that? His amber orbs were stunning. That was something Kagome could not deny, even as he watched her with such sorrow.

Jumping from the swing, Kagome made her way over to the hanyou. She energetically walked around the tree a few times, before taking a seat right beside him. The priestess could feel his shoulders tense.

"Relax." She chuckled. "We're friends, aren't we?" Inuyasha blushed and turned to look towards the green, lush grass.

"What do you want?" He spat rudely. Kagome was somewhat taken aback by his imprudent voice tone. She felt herself inch slightly away.

"I was wondering about… your hat." Lifting a hand, she prepared to grab the thing from his skull. Inuyasha was quick to notice her. He lightly slapped her wrist away.

"What about my hat?" The half demon leaned back, to illustrate that he did not want her touching the item.

"It's just… you're always wearing it. How come?" She rested both hands upon her lap to show that she would not make another go at his headgear. Repositioning herself to get more comfortable, Kagome waited patiently for an answer.

"I don't like… the sun on my head." He lied. Kagome's mother had informed him earlier that it would not be wise to show Kagome his inhuman side. It would arouse to much confusion for her in her delicate state.

"You don't like that sun?" From the twitching of Kagome's left eye, Inuyasha had a feeling that she hadn't believed his words, or perhaps she did believe him, but thought he was odd. "I guess that could be a reasonable reason for why you're wearing it now, but it doesn't explain why you wear it when you sleep…" Kagome wanted to laugh at his failure to think ahead before replying, but she chose not to.

"It's…" He felt speechless. He dug himself in twenty feet deeper with just a few words, with just a single sentence! He was such a moron sometimes. "It's comfortable to sleep in." The half demon said matter-a-factly.

"Okay." Kagome held up her hand and began to tap her left fingers with her right fingers. "But that doesn't explain why you wear it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, while you watch television, while you play Sota's video games, while you shower, while you clean the windows, while-"

"Shower?" Giving the priestess in an incredulous look, he went on. "How would you know what I wear in the shower?" Cocking his head barely, he awaited Kagome's reply. Red color dyed the girls cheeks and ears.

"It's… it's not…" Even in her profuse stuttering, Kagome forced herself to continue. "It's not what you think!" She squealed, closing her eyes fixedly. This turned the attention of the others on her. "I wasn't… I didn't mean to! You were bathing and I… I… was cleaning the window. I didn't know!" Jolting up from her spot beneath the tree, she made a run for it.

With wide optics, Inuyasha and the others gazed upon her as she scampered into the women's bathroom.

Heart pounding, the hanyou let out a thick sigh. At least she'd forgotten all about asking about his hat…

"Thank you for the meal." Kagome arose from her wooden chair. Although the dim light in the dining area was more than enough for the miko to see where she was going, she nearly tripped on her way to the sink. She was saved by the very sturdy chair in which Inuyasha was seated, however she couldn't say the same for the glass plate which fell to the floor, shattering. "Sorry!"

Falling to her knees, the girl began to hastily pick up the bits and pieces of shattered glass. Buyo stepped over, sniffing the particles of left-over food that had fallen. With a gentle push, Kagome shooed the feline away for his own safety.

"Kagome, Dear. It's fine." Mrs. Higurashi assured, stepping over to assist the girl. "Go and clean up for bed. I'll take care of this." With a bright smile, the woman pulled a wet rag off of the counter.

"No, please. It was my fault." Trying to continue, Kagome was stopped when her mother placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Go and clean up for bed." She repeated. "You need your rest."

"Are you okay, Sis?" Sota, as well as the others seated at the table gave the teen a concerned glance.

"One-hundred percent. Why?" Finally deciding to listen to her mother, Kagome made her way towards the stairs.

"No reason." Sota continued to scarf down on his meal. With one last look, the miko headed up towards the shower.

"Maybe I should call the doctor. He could make a house call." Suteki tossed away the last shreds of glass and food.

"We can't afford a house call." Gramps chugged his warm green tea.

"She seems out of the loop." Sota mentioned between bites.

"She just lost her memory, so I suppose it's to be expected." With that, everyone hushed. Mrs. Higurashi began to wash her own dinner dishes, all the while worrying over her daughter.

In his seat, Inuyasha refused to make any noise. He chose to listen intently to the noises coming from the bathroom. Something like this could seem to be a perverted action, but Inuyasha was merely doing it to make sure she was alright. He mostly listened for the sound falling, squeals, or utter silence. In the end, the only noises that came from the bathroom was the pounding of shower water against tile walls and a ceramic tub. He could also scarcely detect the soft sounds of Kagome humming.

"Maybe she's just embarrassed because she admitted that she watches Inuyasha in the bath." Sota mumbled.

"Sota!" Mrs. Higurashi silenced the boy with a stern glare.

"Kagome's the one who said it!" He protested.

"She said no such thing." As serious as the woman tried to sound, underneath she was strongly trying to hold in her own cackling.

"Now, now." Gramps scratched his chin. "Sota, it's not the time to joke about you sister. We need to support her. When her memory is back you can talk like that, but now is not the time." The onlookers were somewhat astonished to hear Gramps talk so maturely.

"I'm going to go for a walk." Inuyasha, who hadn't heard a thing the others had been speaking of, stood. Without a word, he placed his dishes in the sink and headed out the door.

"Where's Inuyasha?" Kagome inquired, bringing her blue towel to her black hair. Rubbing it dry, she slipped on her green slippers.

"He said he was going for a walk." Sota spoke no farther, for he was to entranced in his video game. The adults were both upstairs, most likely preparing for bed themselves.

"A walk? Where?" Pulling the brush from the smooth countertop, the miko began to run it through her hair. This time her younger brother did not reply. She had either spoken to softly, or he had just not paid the least bit of attention.

Staring at the glowing light on the ceiling, the priestess inhaled and then exhaled. The silver-haired man seemed so mysterious sometimes.

Stretching out on the porch, Kagome rested her back against the sacred tree. She tried to get as comfortable as possible, which was not so simple, considering she was pressed up against the rough bark of an ancient tree.

Tapping her fingers on her cheeks, she realized that she had probably dirtied the bottom of her flannel, olive pajama pants. Ignoring such things, she brought her eyes to the bright moon. It shun silver in the sky. 'Silver like Inuyasha's hair…' She chuckled.

"Why are you out here so late." Inuyasha's voice was sudden and crude. Kagome jumped in surprise. He was only a few feet to her right, but she had not noticed his entrance.

"W… where did you come from?" Her brown orbs were wide with wonder. She hadn't seen him making his way up the shrine steps.

"I… I came from the stairs." He pointed.

"But…" She stopped herself. She must have been to deep in thought to notice his presence.

"Answer my question." His attitude did not surprise her. The hanyou had often given her that cold look he was giving her now. She had yet to understand why.

"I was waiting for you."

"You don't need to wait for me." Ambling towards the shrine doors, he kept his back to her. "Get in the house." He then quietly added. "You'll catch a cold."

Feeling rage well within her, the priestess stood. Her fist was pressed to her chest as she let out in irritated growl. She had gotten extremely sick of this attitude of his. 'For the past three days…!' She huffed, saying nothing.

Stomping past the perplexed man, the girl went to bed.

I do value your opinion, guys. So I would like to know when you think it would be best for Kagome to get her memory back?