Thank you LolliBear06 for correcting my grammatical error...I constantly use words that aren't even part of the English language (in my speech also, hehe) and I should probably get out of that habit...well, here's chapter 6!!

I don't own Inuyasha. Sadly.

Pictures

Chapter 6: Attack

The next day passed by extremely slowly for Kagome. It was a Sunday, and, with no school to go to, she had nothing to do but stay at home with her family. It would have normally been wonderful, but Sota was obsessed with a new video game he had just gotten for his birthday and wouldn't stop playing it, and Kagome's mother was on a mission to clean the whole home (including the shrine and storage shed outside) and would barely pay any attention to her daughter except to ask for assistance. Kagome started to avoid her.

Gramps was being his usual spiritual-obsessed self and would speak to Kagome only when she was in the mood to talk about the Feudal Era. Which, for the past few days, had been never.

When, finally, Sunday was over, Kagome considered jumping back down the well but decided against it. I'll just wait a few days...she thought as she stood next to the ancient well, staring down into it. That would probably be best.

So Monday came, and Kagome was in a good mood. She hadn't seen any of her friends for over a month, and it was a bright and cheery morning as she headed to school.

"Kagome!" three giggling girls shouted as soon as she walked into her first class of the day.

"Hey!" yelled Kagome to them as they ran over to greet her. She felt a pang in her heart when she realized how long it had been since she'd seen these girls. They even look different, Kagome thought as she took in their various haircuts and growth.

"So the doctor decided to let you go, even though you just had horrible rashes all over your body?" asked Eri, staring in wonder at Kagome's flawless skin.

"Umm, yeah," replied the young miko, who sat down in her chair. The girls all crowded around her desk, beaming from ear to ear.

This is going to be a long day, thought Kagome as her friends began to recall everything that had happened over the past weeks.

"Bye, guys!" Kagome shouted as she parted ways with her three friends and walked down a road leading towards her house. She was still in the city, and there was a small park coming up on her left that she decided to stop by in.

After school, Kagome and her friends had decided to go out to eat, and she'd happily agreed. The last time she'd eaten out at a restaurant was probably nearly a year ago, and she felt she deserved it. After all, I fight demons constantly in the Feudal Era...and I never have any good food. The girls had an amazing time as they ate and gossiped about anything and everything, and Kagome realized just how much she really missed the modern era.

With their stomachs full and their spirits up, the girls had all parted ways in front of the restaurant. Kagome decided that she was probably going to go to school the next day, and the next...Until Inuyasha comes to get me, but who knows how long it will be until then?

Since Kagome wasn't in a rush, she walked through the park until she came upon her favorite place in it. I haven't been here since I was little, thought the miko as she sat down on a familiar bench and watched little kids playing on the playground that had once seemed huge, scary, and fun to her.

It was nearly sunset, and the sky was a beautiful reddish-purple color above the city. Kagome found herself staring at it as she listened to the playful and happy shouts drifting over to her from the children.

The sunsets are even prettier in the Feudal Era, she reluctantly found herself thinking. I'll need to take more pictures of them the next time I go back. She closed her eyes and leaned back, sighing. Whenever that is...

Kagome was jerked out of her thoughts when she noticed the voices from the playground were gone. Looking up, she noticed that the kids were all gone and the sky was nearly dark. I must've drifted off...she thought, standing up and stretching.

Realizing that her mother was probably wondering where she was, Kagome walked out of the park and back onto the roads. There were very few cars going up and down the streets now, and it was chilly with the absence of the sun.

Shivering, Kagome picked up her pace. She only had a few blocks to go until she reached her home...

"Hey! Stop!" shouted a man's voice from an alley she had just passed.

After jumping about two feet in the air with fright, Kagome decided to ignore the voice and keep walking. Crap, I shouldn't have fallen asleep...

"Hey! Come back!" the voice yelled again, but this time it was coming from behind her on the sidewalk.

Getting scared, Kagome broke out into a run. She could almost see the stairs leading up to the Higurashi shrine...

But then she was pushed from behind. Kagome's forearms slammed into the pavement at the same time her knees did, and she desperately tried to crawl away before a foot came down on her back, pushing her back onto the hard ground.

"Hey, girlie," said the same low, male voice, now close to her ear. "Why did you run? All I wanted was your money, but now I might..."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" interrupted a pissed voice from several feet in front of the trapped miko.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat.

Inuyasha...

The miko lifted her head to see the familiar figure in a red kimono sprinting towards her, growling, from down the sidewalk. Just a moment later, the weight was lifted off her back as her attacker was thrown several feet in the air, landing hard in the middle of the street.

Kagome watched with relief as the man scrambled to his feet and ran away without looking back. She wondered idly whether he ran away because of Inuyasha's canine features, or if it had been because he had been knocked into the street...

Inuyasha, a growl still in his throat, walked slowly to the miko, who was half-sitting, half-lying on the pavement of the sidewalk.

Hesitantly, the hanyou sat down next to the girl. "Are you...okay?" he asked.

Kagome, who was still in shock from what had just happened to her, tried to smile but failed. Her smile came out more like a frown as she winced in pain from her arms. Looking down at them, she saw that they were bleeding from huge cuts that ran all along both forearms and her hands. Sighing, she took a look at her knees. They, too, were bleeding, though not as bad.

Inuyasha followed her eyes and frowned. "Damn it," he muttered, closing his eyes.

"Um, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, finally finding her voice and realizing it was cracking. She hadn't even noticed it, but she'd started crying. Ignoring this, she continued talking, still staring at her knees. "Thank you."

When Inuyasha didn't answer, Kagome looked up at his face. His eyes were now open, and he was watching her with wary eyes. "Why did you leave?" he asked.

Kagome froze. She hadn't been expecting this question...actually, she hadn't really been expecting to see the hanyou so soon at all...

"I...I thought it would be best," she answered, never taking her eyes from Inuyasha's golden ones. Another wave of tears emerged from her eyes, and she looked away.

"Best for who?" asked Inuyasha. He sounds almost...angry...thought Kagome as she hurriedly wiped her tears away.

"F-for you...and me..."

Inuyasha didn't reply for a moment, so Kagome tried to stand up. Her bruised knees gave out, though, and she almost fell into the pavement again. Instead, she landed in Inuyasha's arms.

Sighing, the hanyou scooped the hopeless miko up into his arms and ran the short distance to the shrine, bolting up the numberous stairs leading there, and landing on Kagome's windowsill. He opened the window with one swift movement and placed the girl onto her bed.

After shutting the window, he took a seat beside her.

Kagome's tears had stopped because of her shock at what had just occurred, but she could feel them threatening to fall again as she looked away from the hanyou and at her bloody arms. She stood up again and walked over to where she had placed the contents of her backpack that had spilled. She grabbed the numerous bandages that were scattered across her room and sat back down on the bed, trying to wrap her wounds.

When she gasped and bit her tongue to keep from crying out because of the pain, Inuyasha grabbed the bandages from her hands. Kagome looked over at the hanyou, surprised, but he had already started carefully wrapping her hands, arms, and knees with the white cloth. "Thank you..." she whispered as soon as he was finished.

Inuyasha didn't speak for a few moments, but when he finally did, it was in a whisper. "How the hell would you leaving be the best for me?" he asked softly and slowly, as if trying to contain his frustration.

"I j-just thought, with Kikyo...dying...that you would want to be left alone for a while."

Inuyasha sighed again. "Look at me, Kagome," he said. When the miko didn't comply, he gently grabbed her chin and turned her head so that she was forced to look into the hanyou's beautiful eyes. "I was so worried about you. When that damn Naraku knocked you unconscious, I thought you might never wake up." He removed his hand from her chin and instead carefully grabbed one of her bandaged hands, finally looking away from the miko and gazing at the wounded arm.

"I only went to find Kikyo's body so...so that I could stop myself from worrying so much. It didn't work." Subconsciously, his grip on Kagome's hand tightened. She let out a small whimper, and he immediately let go, looking back up at the girl's eyes. "I'm sorry, Kagome...I should've been able to protect you."

"You did," replied Kagome. "And besides, how could you have known that that man would..."

"No," said Inuyasha firmly, never looking away from the girl's chocolate brown eyes. "I should've protected you from Naraku. I...was too focused on what he told us...I'm sorry." He closed his eyes for a moment, and Kagome had to refrain from kissing him right there.

"Inuyasha, it's okay," she said, placing her bandaged hand on his cheek, causing his eyes to open in shock. "I'm okay. I mean, it was to be expected, right?"

The hanyou cocked his head in confusion. "What was?"

"That you would be upset about Kikyo's death," Kagome said softly to keep her voice from cracking. "You loved her, so it's only natural..." Her voice cracked anyway, so she turned away, embarassed.

The miko withdrew her hand, but was completely suprised when the hanyou grabbed it and pressed it gently between both of his. "You're wrong," said Inuyasha firmly. "I'll admit I was upset about Kikyo's death, but not because I loved her." He leaned closer to Kagome, causing her heart to beat faster. What's he doing? she thought as she subconsciously moved towards the man she loved so much.

"You silly girl..." he muttered as he leaned even closer, their faces now being only an inch apart. "I love--"

But the hanyou's words were interrupted by the door opening. The couple hurriedly sprang apart as a young boy walked in the room.

Damn it, thought Inuyasha. I just want to tell her how I feel...damn that Sota.

"Kagome, Inuyasha!" exclaimed the girl's younger brother as he ran towards them. "I didn't know you were here! Kagome, mom was wondering where you were but I kept telling her you probably just went off with your friends, and...Kagome, what happened to your arms...and your legs?" His mouth was hanging open as he stared at his sister's wounds.

Kagome sighed, knowing a long explanation was coming. She stole a glance at the hanyou who was still sitting next to her, her hand still in between his. He was smiling at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. They would have a chance to finish their conversation later...

I love you too, Inuyasha...

I'm not really sure if this came out the way I wanted it too, but I was satisfied. I just sorta started typing without entirely knowing what was gonna come out...and it was just allright for me. And...I don't have anything else to say.

I'll (hopefully) update again Saturday.