Disclaimer: I have nothing to say. You know what goes here, so should I bother? I'll be getting every manga in my power, so I'll own merchandise, but nothing else.

I need some reviews for my new story and for Desperate Situation. I need some input for DS. I dunno. Throw me a bone. "BARK!" :- (tilt your head to the left)

Chapter Twenty

Out Of Control

Winry was not satisfied with Ed's definition of 'abandonment', but she appeased her harsh feelings by throwing her empty gun at Ed and running. Inuyasha stopped Ed from running after her, receiving a threatening glare from Ed.

"Why did you stop me, fool?" Ed yelled.

Inuyasha hit him on top of the head. "Idiot, if you follow her, it will only further upset her; just let her talk to Kagome and Sango, it'll calm her. All you would achieve from following would be a new bruise."

Ed sighed in defeat and smiled. "Thanks then."

Inuyasha smirked. "No prob-…" Inuyasha stopped and stood.

Ed looked confused. "What's up?"

Inuyasha looked around suspiciously. "Go get the women and tell Miroku that there's a demon coming. He'll be bothering Sango."

Ed looked at him critically. "Are you sure?"

A thud rang out followed by Sango yelling 'lecher'. "Yeah, I'm sure."

Before Ed ran off, a large demon came out from the trees near them. He chuckled loudly. "Is it safe to assume that you are Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha glared. "My, my, you're an ugly thing. Who sent you to me?"

The demon laughed again. "You have met my siblings. I am another demon born of the great demon Naraku."

Inuyasha shook his head as he himself started laughing. "Well, I'll hand it Naraku, he's great at one thing, playing hide and seek." Inuyasha drew Tetsusiaga. "Allow me to guess that you are hell bent on killing me and that scum Naraku has filled your head with random lies about me."

The demon smiled. "Yes." He attacked Inuyasha, who was unprepared for his speed, sending the Tetsusiaga flying. Inuyasha jumped back to get his sword, but was sent flying when the demon's claws marred his side.

Ed sat in terror. He yelled hysterically. "Miroku! Al!"

This caught the demon's attention and sent him towards Ed. "Didn't see you there. Not calling for help are you? But the fun's just begun!"

Ed clapped his hands erecting a wall with a fake Ed behind it and ran behind the demon to check on Inuyasha, only to see him flying towards the demon, claws up and ready. He sliced the demon effortlessly and landed on the wall. He laughed maliciously. "That was fun. Where are more enemies?" He looked back to find the statue of Ed and sliced its head off and tore apart the wall.

Ed watched in horror as Inuyasha did this, yelled out in terror as Inuyasha's attention focused on him, revealing red eyes, purple streaks along his cheeks, and longer fangs. "Inuyasha what's wrong with you! Miroku! Al! Someone, HELP!" Ed stumbled backwards as he was attempting to get away from the advancing Inuyasha. "No!" He put his right arm up to defend himself from the claws coming at him, scratching deep, claw marks into the metal.

"SIT!" Kagome and everyone else came out from behind the rubble of the wall. Inuyasha was a foot into the ground.

Winry and Al ran to Ed as Inuyasha was lifting himself out of the hole Kagome's powers had sent him into. He looked over at Ed and paled. He pointed to the scars in Ed's automail. "I…I did that, didn't I?" Ed shook uncontrollably. He looked away from Inuyasha and nodded somberly. Inuyasha's breathing started coming quick and shaky rasps. He stood and started trembling. He turned his face away from everyone and sobbed quietly. "I'm sorry." He turned, revealing tears. "I'm so sorry." He ran in the direction of Tetsusiaga, grabbing it without stopping, and continued in that direction.

Kagome fell into a sitting position and cried. "I'm sorry, Ed, we should have come faster and sooner."

Sango comforted her quietly. Miroku looked at Ed. "That's what happened when we told you about how Inuyasha killed bandits. He had no idea what or who he was. In the words of Sesshomaru 'He was a mindless, killing thing.' When Inuyasha is parted from the Tetsusiaga and fears for his life, his full demon blood takes over. It's a defensive maneuver that Inuyasha doesn't have control over without Tetsusiaga. He will continue killing until his flesh wears out. He feels no pain, no fear, and he doesn't tire. His half demon flesh is too weak to handle the demonic blood, though, so he would die if he was parted for too long."

Ed stood, against Al and Winry's protests. "Let's go find him."

Kagome smiled through her tears. "Thank you, Edward."

Inuyasha sat on a rock overlooking a creek. His tears had dried when he was running. His clothes had still not dried from trying to get the demon's blood off of them. He wanted to forget what had happened; he wasn't sure whether to go back or to just live his life alone. He didn't want to ever do that ever again. The picture Ed's terrified face was chiseled into his mind's eye. He sat his head down on his hands. "Why did the demon have to come? Why was I fighting like such an idiot? I should have known better than to underestimate a demon of Naraku's. I have to stay away from them forever; I can never kill a friend of mine. I hate to leave such happiness, but what choice do I have?"

Ed walked up from behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "You could come back and we could forgive and forget." Inuyasha looked at him like it was impossible that he was there. "Shippo has a surprisingly strong sense of smell. He led us here." He sat down next to Inuyasha. "How about coming back with us?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I can't travel with you guys anymore."

Ed was aghast. "What would that solve? To stay by yourself; that's idiotic. Kagome can't stop your transformations when you're not around. I'm fine and everyone else is, as well."

Inuyasha looked down and shook his head. "I almost killed you; you are not fine, look at your arm!"

Ed smiled. "I've had worse injuries from Winry." He waved his arm around and wiggled his wrist. "Everything still works."

Inuyasha skipped a rock. "No matter what I do, I can't remove the look of terror that was on your face from my mind." He put his face into his hands. "I've seen too many people with that look on their faces and have it be my fault."

Ed sighed. "You told me earlier that when you were alone so many years ago that you became savage. Do you really want to go through that again?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, but I can't afford to lose my friends."

"We have more of a chance of dieing if you're not with us."

Inuyasha rose and yelled. "But at least it won't be at my hands that they die!"

Ed stood and grabbed his arm. "Everyone here is willing to take that risk!" Inuyasha just stared. "Even if it means that I have to die by your hands, I wouldn't give you up as a friend! Everyone here feels the same! You would do the same for your friends; I know you would!"

Inuyasha puts his claws up to Ed's eyes. "These can kill you! If Tetsusiaga and I are parted I have no control!" He looked at the ground. "I can still see the faces of the bandits and I can still smell their blood that I spilt." He looked at Ed with a pained face. "I've hurt too many people to live amongst humans and I care too much to live amongst demons. Again I am an outsider."

Ed punched him in the side of the face. "Idiot! You're the one making yourself the outsider! We want you to return! We don't care about the cost; all that matters is that you are still our friend and you are still traveling with us!" Ed instantly understood how Winry felt.

Kagome sat with everyone else quietly. Ed had asked if he could talk to Inuyasha first, she had been praying that it would get him back. She looked up and noticed Ed and Inuyasha walking side by side into view. She stood and took Inuyasha out with a hug.

"Don't ever leave again! I swear I'll kill you and then send you into the center of the Earth repeating your least favorite word!" She yelled while sitting on his stomach.

Inuyasha laughed. "I don't know if that's a greeting or a threat."

Kagome kissed him, making Inuyasha's face match his Haori, and whispered into his ear. "Please don't leave me alone again, I need you near me." Inuyasha nodded and hugged her.

This continued until Miroku cleared his throat. "I know you missed eachother but I need to talk to Inuyasha."

Kagome nodded and let Inuyasha go, him and Miroku walked away. Kagome turned to Ed as they walked away and bowed. "Thank you, Ed." Ed was about to respond when he was called.

"Hey, Ed, we need you, as well." Miroku made the hand motion of 'c'mon' and continued walking.

Ed smiled. "You're welcome, Kagome. Coming!" Ed ran catch up with them.

Miroku glanced back and smirked. "I am jealous, to be getting that kind of treatment from a woman." He sighed as Inuyasha punched him in the head.

Inuyasha glared. "You would get something if you weren't always copping a feel. Women don't count attention as getting a pat on the rump. Kagome and I have talked about this. You love eachother, that much is obvious, but make a move that isn't feeling up her body."

Ed sighed. "I really shouldn't be exposed to this yet."

Inuyasha glared. "You have to learn about this sometime, don't you? Would you rather learn about this from your military superior or from us?"

Ed sighed in defeat. "True enough."

Miroku cocked an eyebrow as he sat on a tree stump. "We have to discuss relationships."

Inuyasha was shocked. "You called us away for that!"

Ed laughed. "I don't think we will be making moves on each other's girlfriends. I mean, aren't the posted signs up?"

They looked at him confusedly, but got the gist. Inuyasha looked at Miroku. "Why do we need to talk about this?"

Miroku sighed. "Inuyasha, I am saying that we should be taking advantage of Ed and them being here. I'm saying we should make our moves now."

Ed rolled his eyes. "And what about Al, do we just ask him to watch Shippo and Kirara for us while we go and make-out?"

Al came up from behind him. "You really don't have to ask."

Ed glared. "You weren't invited to come along."

"But I came anyways!" Al patted Ed on the shoulder. "I will watch them tonight and whenever else you ask."

Inuyasha looked at him like he was amused. "Sorry, but…"

Al laughed. "I am too young for this." He turned to Ed. "One would think that Ed would say the same…it seems he's quite infatuated with Winry then…enough to start courting her."

Ed glared then started laughing. "You're far too perceptive, Al."

Al laughed himself. "You know, Tucker said that to you."

Ed cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "Before I beat the hell out of him. 'Course he wasn't lying."

Al laughed. "We really should stop paying so much attention to detail."

"Why just so we can get ourselves killed by psychos with little cares for anything save for reaching higher points in their jobs? I'd rather be a geek."

Inuyasha looked at Al. "I trust you can be trusted with watching the evil little demon known as Shippo?"

Al laughed and nodded. "Kirara can probably keep him preoccupied, but if not, I can do it."

Miroku laughed. "Judging by the suns location…"

Ed took out his watch. "It's eight."

Miroku looked at him. "What does that mean?"

"It means the sun will probably set in either a half hour or an hour. We have to set up camp."

Miroku held out his hand. "Can I see that?"

Ed held it close. "I can't, I'm sorry." He looked away and blushed. "If you ask, Winry will probably make you one." He started walking back to the women, with Inuyasha on his heels.

"Hey…?"

Ed looked at him. "What's up?"

Inuyasha got close to him and whispered. "What was up with that? You don't seem like a 'material' person, so, what was that?"

Ed sighed and stopped and pulled out the watch. "Only Winry has seen this. Not Al, not the military." He opened the cover of the watch and showed it to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha looked at it. "That's a date, right? Kagome has that written on the top of her school papers."

Ed nodded. "It's the date of the day that I burned my house down and left Resembool."

Inuyasha looked perplexed. "So? What does that day mean to you?"

Ed sighed again. "It's my guilty motivation. It's a reminder of the promise that I made to myself; that I can never return home again; that there is no home. There may be a family, but there is no home."

Inuyasha looked at him. "That's nothing bad enough to keep it from Al."

Ed looked at him critically. "It's a sign that I'm weak. That's why I was fighting Winry's definition of abandonment so fervently. I can't say I abandoned anything if there's nothing left."

Inuyasha laughed out loud. "I fought against whining in front of anyone and against holding ties to anyone, but now I almost long for them and I think of them nostalgically. I will sometimes complain and I hold ties to many people and places now. I have helped people and saved lives. I no longer hold back from talking about anything to Kagome. I tell her anything she wants to know, hell, I do that for anyone that asks. It's not so hard to be me anymore since I changed the definition of myself."

Ed sighed. "But there's got to be something that you don't tell people."

"I usually don't tell anyone about the feelings I hold for Kagome, 'course, no one has ever asked before, save for Shippo."

Ed laughed. "So I'm the only one with deep dark secrets."

"They aren't deep when you tell someone."