Disclaimer: Don't own InuYasha

Chapter Three...

A few days later, Kagome popped her head up and over the the wooden frame of the well. Placing her hands on the railing, the girl pulled her body over the siding slowly; finally stepping foot on solid ground. After looking around, the miko brought in a deep breath; smelling the crisp summer evening's air before exhaling. Tilting her head back, she closed her eyes while standing there, enjoying the warm ray's of the sun that were sprinkling down onto her face and jet black hair. The trees that circled around the female only gave scattered rays through their shadows, but she seemed to be getting a fair amount of sun at that location.

Suddenly, Kagome lifted her hand to swat away a bee when she heard him buzzing by and opened her eyes to see where the little annoying little bug had went before she placed her attention onto something else. Throwing her shoulders up in a slight shrug to no one in particular, the Higurashi maiden made her way over to the near-by bushes where she had her bike hidden. Pulling back the limbs of the small shrub, she grabbed her bike then pulled the contraption from the bushes; bringing it to her right side. As she brushed the leaves from the handle bars and also the cushion seat, the female sighed thinking of what InuYasha might say if she kept wasting time. Nodding to herself, she softly grasped the handle bars and shoved forward causing the bikes wheels to start rolling.

Kagome walked with the bike at her side down the rocky path until she came into a clearing before bringing her body to a halt. Raising her right leg, she threw it over the bikes frame and placed it onto the right pedal before placing her rear on the bike seat. Using her remaining free foot to push off, she balanced her weight on the two wheels as the bike started to roll with her. Making sure to pump her legs up and down on the pedals, the girl was giving the bike it's will to move. Just as she got some speed up, Kagome leaned her body forward on the handle bars right as she started down a steep hill. The sudden loss in gravity causing her stomach to wind up in her throat; basic cause and effect from where she hadn't eaten breakfast this morning. This overwhelming feeling made her head become a little bit dizzy; thankful that it didn't last long though.

The sickness soon faded and Kagome was back to her old self again after getting started back on her steady pace of pedaling. As she continued down the path, she came across Myouga who had hopped onto her shoulder in silence as she had passed by. The tiny male flea planting himself on the collar of her shirt as he started to speak to the unknowing female.

"Miss Kagome; where have you been? Master InuYasha has been growing annoyed at your absence and is getting quite irritated."

Kagome finally caught on that Myouga was on her shoulder and glanced over to the pest before giving a sigh to his stated words.

"I was sick, okay? I didn't know I needed his permission to become ill. And besides, if he was so agitated, why didn't he just come himself to find out why I'm late? He normally does..." After her snappy little comeback, the teenager then returns her brown orbs back onto the path with a blink, running Myouga's words over in her mind which was now starting to strike her curiosity.

'I was only gone for no longer than three days, why would InuYasha be so angry at that? Did he fear that I wouldn't return? No, he knows me better then that... doesn't he?' Breaking her train of thought as the camp InuYasha had set up came into view, she pushed back her thoughts of doubt and jumped down from the bike. Once inside the camp grounds, she leaned the bikes frame against a near-by tree before glancing over in InuYasha's direction; waiting to hear his smart remarks about her tardiness.

"And just where the hell have you been woman?!"

InuYasha said right as he looked up with a balled fist, having Shippou sulking while rubbing his throbbing head to the apparent hit to the top of his tiny cranium. Apparently the elder male had fwaped him for an unknown reason. Blinking to the lovelywelcoming committee, Kagome sighed before dropping her gaze down to Shippou; kneeling as she started to reply to the impatient hanyou.

"I was-" Being cut off by Shippou, Kagome blinked once again as the tiny kitsune yelled her name. Scurrying over to her form as he jumped up and ran to her arms. He had cut her off mid-sentence when InuYasha had reached over to hit him again, now sticking his tongue out to the short tempered male as he remained safe within the miko's arms. Hearing someone else address her now, the female glanced over to see a cheerful smiling Miroku entering back into the camp with Sango at his side.

"Kagome, you're back."

Kirara softly tilted her head back to mew as a greeting to the girl while the adorable little nekomata nuzzled into the comfort of her mistresses arms; having Sango carry her as the slayer smiled warmly to her friend. "Welcome back, Kagome-chan." Turning to set the Hiraikotsu against the same tree at which Kagome's bike was leaning against, Kirara hopping down from Sango's arms; strolling over to a shady area under the trees in order to take a little cat nap. Followed by the kitsune joining her moments later. Having the elder female smile to the image of her companion and Shippou sleeping, Sango then sat the fresh supply of water her and Miroku had gathered onto the fire to boil.

"Well, Kagome? I'm waiting..."

With InuYasha still being his impatient self, he once again asked her where she had been. Which was answered with a sharp, "I was sick," by the miko before she joined Miroku and Sango in front of the fire. The sun had just started to set and it seemed the day had gone by faster then Kagome had expected. No wonder Shippou was so tired. Seeing the lecherous monk yawn from the corner of her eye caused the girl to sigh, knowing that they would have to call it a night pretty soon.

The group had sat around the fire, talking cheerfully, eating the boiled potatoes Sango had prepared while their talk was of recent events; all laughing and speaking cheerfully. All but InuYasha himself. He just sat quietly in his normal position, listening to their chatter while Kagome would every once and awhile, catch him staring at her. Then, right as she would look, the stubborn guy would look away and glare at the ground. Typical, but cute.

Later on, one by one, the group had decided to get some rest. Kagome ending up sleeping silently with Shippou at her side as always. The crackling fire had casted shadows across her face and only permitted so much of her soft, pale skin to be seen. Her long, jet black hair flowing over her arm as she used the limb for a pillow; the strands glistening with the silver rays the full moon sent out.

The trees around them scattered the rays and only sent portions no bigger than a dime onto the ground. But where Shippou and Kagome where laying under the big tree, it seemed to have gotten the most light. And InuYasha had most definitely seemed to have noticed since he couldn't help his staring as he sat alone; keeping watch over the group while they slept peacefully.

Kagome was laying on her side while her free arm draped over Shippou softly, holding the boy close as her dreams carried the teenager away. Not even being away of the, oh so handsome, half demon now crouching so close to her body; as if inspecting the girl as she rested. The silver haired male narrowed his honey colored orbs a bit now, the slitted hues roaming over the girl's face before he had reached a clawed hand out with an absent mind to brush her cheek. Using the back of his hand as he gently felt the softness of her skin, now pushing back a stray piece of hair that had managed to find itself laying across her face.

InuYasha hadn't even noticed what he was doing, that is, until the sound of Shippou stirring had brought him out of his thoughts; this catching him off guard before he suddenly realized what he was happening. Blushing furiously, he jerked his hand back, this abrupt motion causing the male to fall back and land, quite loudly on his butt. His eyes growing wide before his reflexes kicked in and the first thing he had done was leap into the tree tops the moment Kagome had started to open her eyes to the noise.

Kagome, not even being aware of anything that had happened, blinked her dazed eyes a bit as she glanced around the camp with a yawn. Seeing if she could possibly spot what had woken her up. Not even seeing InuYasha anywhere in sight, the girl had figured he went for a walk so she simply laid her head back down; nuzzling into the warmth of her sleeping bag while the miko slowly started to drift back into sleep.

InuYasha, on the other hand, was watching her from his perch; high on a large branch that was extended above the girl. Letting one leg hang off the side, he grumbled inwardly while his back rested against the trees' trunk; a hand moving to rub his face before his orbs drifted away. Taking a side glance at the nights' sky before he, himself, closed his eyes to get a little rest for the night.

If sleep was even possible now with his mind wandering that is.

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(( A/N: Reviews anyone? Keep me motivated, hn?))