Chapter Four

Awakening


After one month:

Kagome was still in great despair. She laid around Kaede's hut in a mindless state; only interacting with Inuyasha. They shortly discovered that he was still able to travel through the magical well. He made daily trips to the future delivering letters from Kagome to her family and vice versa.

He was solemn during this period. With Kagome's natural flourishing charisma diminished, he sort of closed up on himself. He never strayed from the village and was always waiting patiently on Kaede's roof for Kagome's weak call.

Kagome's family were just as bad on the other side. Her mama cried whenever she saw him. Souta looked confused and lost; his normal exuberance at seeing Inuyasha turned to dread. Gramps wasn't doing well, he got extremely sick and had been on bed rest since. Inuyasha was torn between his desire to please Kagome and his desire to run away.

Of course he stayed though. He was powerless otherwise. He would endure the misery being tossed at him from all angles just to be close to Kagome.

After two months:

Kagome began to eat and smile again. During the first month Kagome had gotten very thin and rarely smiled, when she did it looked more like a grimace. It was a great relief to all her companions to see her getting better, if only marginally.

She also started asking for Shippo, Sango and Miroku. She even started moving around inside Kaede's hut, not just laying curled up. She cleaned herself and the hut daily, afterwards if no one came to visit she would pull out the writing supplies Inuyasha brought her and write. Sometimes poems, sometimes short adventure stories for Shippo.

She still refused to leave the hut however.

After three months:

Kagome slowly woke up and rolled onto her side. She was alone in Kaede's hut, for the moment that was. From the looks of the bright light seeping in around the hanging mat at the door, it was probably close to noon. She felt incredibly well rested this morning.

In fact, she felt great today, her heartbreak was relatively manageable. Kagome passed her hands over her eyes and then through her messy hair. She had the sudden impulse to wash; not just inside at the basin but at the hot springs. Afterwards, a walk sounded pleasant, then maybe a little target practice.

Kagome smiled and then sat up, at the same moment as Sango poked her head in hesitantly.

"Good morning, Sango." Kagome said, her voice rough will sleepiness.

"Good morning, you just wake up?"

Kagome nodded and stretched. "I think I want to go to the springs, do you want to join me?"

Sango looked surprised but very happy. "I just bathed last night but I will come with you to keep you company."

Kagome smiled. "Great, let me grab my stuff."

She gathered her bathing supplies and held them against her chest. The girls walked in a comfortable silence to the springs. Kagome stripped down of her pajamas and sunk into the blissfully warm water. Sango sat down on the edge, watching her best friend.

"What made you want to come out today?" Sango couldn't help asking.

Kagome shrugged but she was smiling. "I just couldn't handle being alone anymore. I want to start moving on. Today just felt like the day, you know? Like an awakening."

Sango nodded. "I'm glad to hear it. Perfect timing really."

Kagome dunked her head under the water to wet her hair. "Perfect timing? Why, what's going on?"

Sango blushed. "Miroku asked me to marry him."

"Oh my gosh! Seriously! This is fantastic!" Kagome squealed, hurrying to the side to embrace Sango.

Sango smiled at how easily Kagome had reverted to her normal self. "Yeah, I can't believe it myself. I actually came here today to see if I could beg you to come to it."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't have had to beg me, Sango! I'm so thrilled for you! When?"

"I'm not sure… neither of us really want to wait too long. As soon as Kaede can I suppose."

"Wow, this is just unbelievable, this is great, Sango, really. You two have been waiting for so long. We have to go see her immediately!"

"Yeah, I was hoping to ask her tonight at dinner."

"Oh sure! So have you decided where you two will live?"

Sango shook her head a little. "We haven't really talked about it too much, we are staying at that empty hut close to Kaede's still with Shippo. We were hoping since it was abandoned that we could just have it, or purchase it…"

"That's brilliant, so you will be staying here? I'm so glad!"

Sango smiled. "I couldn't imagine living without you and Inuyasha. You guys are my family, I don't want to break it up."

Kagome squeezed Sango again and then released her to grab her shampoo. "Good because you are my family too." She began lathering. "I can't believe you will be married soon. Wow."

Sango laughed too. "Yeah and to the biggest lecher in Japan. Girls around the land will celebrate for sure!"

Kagome laughed too, it was light and carefree. She was feeling amazing, it was like she didn't have a care in the world. Today was beautiful; a gift. She finished washing herself and took her time drying off as Sango told her excitedly about all the plans she had for once she was married.

They walked hand in hand back to the village. Inuyasha was standing against Kaede's door when they arrived. He eyed Kagome carefully, she smiled at him. He pushed away from the wall.

"Whatcha up to?" He asked his voice was tentative like he was afraid Kagome would lapse right back to her pit of sorrow.

"I bathed and Sango came along to keep me company. She's getting married!"

"Keh. So the Monk tells me."

Sango blushed. "Speaking of Houshi, I told him I would meet him for lunch. Is that alright, Kagome?"

"Of course! Shoo! Go spend time with your fiancé!"

Sango left, still pink in the cheeks. Kagome looked down at her bath supplies.

"I'm going to change and then I wanted to go for a walk, want to join me?" Kagome asked not meeting Inuyasha's gazed.

He snorted; she smiled, that was a 'yes.' She hurried inside and put her bath supplies back in her yellow backpack. She stripped down again and folded her pajamas on top of her futon. She pulled out new, clean clothes. A pair of denim shorts and a simple blue tank top. She slipped off her sandals and put on a pair of sneakers.

"Ready?" She asked exiting the hut.

Inuyasha nodded, folding his arms inside his sleeves. The walked east, out of the village.

"Have you seen mama lately?" She asked quietly.

"Just this morning. She wants a shopping list of things you need."

Kagome nodded and was surprised to find she didn't feel like crying at the mention of her kind mother.

"I'll make a list when we get back, I really just want some fresh air."

Inuyasha was silent, he stared straight ahead.

"Thank you." She said a moment later.

The were engulfed in the shade of the surrounding trees. The only noise for awhile was the rustling of tree and the sound of their feet on the ground. A breeze picked up some dead leaves. Kagome tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Keh. For what?"

Kagome shrugged. "For everything, I suppose. I know it wasn't pleasant dealing with me for the past few months. I appreciate you doing things for me, while I was unable to."

"Don't mention it." Inuyasha mumbled.

She smiled up at him and he couldn't resist smirking. She was so beautiful when she was happy. Today she looked wonderful, so serene and content. They stopped walking; just faced each other awkwardly.

"I-I wonder where we would be if I could have traveled back home." Kagome said; her eyes searched Inuyasha's.

His jaw clenched. "Whatcha mean?"

She shook her head. "Never mind, I'm just being silly." She smiled again, this time not as grandly; she turned to keep walking.

"Wait. Tell me what you meant." Inuyasha said seriously.

She felt her heart quicken. Did he want to talk about feelings? Did he understand what she was getting at?

"Well, if I had gone back home would you have come for me?" She said in a single breath.

His eyebrows pulled together. "You said you were just going home to check in. You said you'd be right back."

Kagome shook her head. "After that night. If I had left in the morning and didn't come back would you have come for me?" She somehow managed the courage to step closer to him; her eyes looked over his beads of subjugation.

"What do you think?" He asked gruffly.

She looked up at him with penetrating eyes. "I honestly have no idea."

He watched her face. "Yeah, I would have."

A slow smile spread across her face; Inuyasha felt weak. 'How can she make me feel like her savior? Why does she look at me like I just granted her three wishes?'

"Why?" She took another step towards him, they were now very close, almost touching.

Another breeze picked up around them. Kagome's hair swirled around her, she tried to hold it back. Inuyasha's eyes drooped as he breathed deeply her aroma. His senses were overwhelmed by Kagome. Her proximity, her smell, her presence. He answered her with half-closed eyes.

"Because you belong with me."

She gasped softly, and her arms fell at her sides. Kagome felt tears pool in her eyes. She was so happy.

Immediately, Inuyasha smelt her coming tears; his senses sharpened. "I-I didn't- 'Gome don't cry." He almost whined.

His hands cupped her cheeks. She laughed through her tears. Her smile confused him.

"I can't help it; I'm so happy." She whispered, embarrassed at her reaction.

"You-you're happy…?" Inuyasha's voice was incredulous.

She giggled and nodded in his hands. She touched her hands to his.

"Because I said you belong with me…?" Inuyasha still sounded shocked.

She nodded again. "Yes." She wanted to laugh at his shell-shocked expression.

"Because you want to belong with me…?"

She did laugh this time and reached her arms around his waist. "Yes, of course, Inuyasha. I care about you so much."

His arms slowly, hesitantly circled her small frame. She looked up at him with her charming eyes.

"Do you care about me?" Her bravery was empowering to her.

Kagome enjoyed how awakened Inuyasha made her feel. She has been so empty for so long and yet when he walks into the room, or even looks at her, she is swept up in emotion and feeling. It is wonderful.

He smirked. "Keh."

She answered his smile with a heart-rendering smile of her own. His breath escaped him. 'How can anyone so perfect care for me?'

Kagome's face was moving closer to Inuyasha's; he moved his as well. Their eyes closed; Inuyasha could feel her breath fan over his face. This was what he had craved since he first saw her all those years ago.

The breeze that picked up again, brought with it a familiar odor. Inuyasha stiffened and froze. Kagome opened her eyes and looked at him questioning; he growled and looked over at something over her head.

She turned around; Inuyasha's hands still around her.

Kagome gasped in surprise. "Kouga? What are you doing here?"


Hello, hello!

Hehe, don't you worry we will get to Inuyasha and Kagome eventually! This whole Kouga aspect should be over relatively soon, like a few chapters! But I bet you wont be able to guess why Kouga is here! And I'll give you a hint! It's not completely becuase he is in love with Kagome, there is a specific reason! And he has brought someone with him! I probably just gave it away... or not!

I'm starting to catch up with what I have written and saved already, so it might be a couple days inbetween updates now. But hey! Nothing new, right? We are talking about me... I don't have the most reliable update schedule. Though I am doing better if I do say so mayself! Shucks, I might have just jinxed myself! Well, good news is, I don't have work tomorrow, like I have everday for the past week. So that means I will get some serious writing done! And hopefully upload another chapter? That will be up to you! Review please!

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