Thanks for the reviews! And it was funny, since almost all of you mentioned the chocolate cookie comment I made in the end of my author note. (Insert laugh here, hands you all three cookies each). You guys all make me feel warm and fuzzy with your reviews.
Well, here's the movement toward the climax you guys have been waiting for. Dun, dun, DUN!
Disclaimer: This authoress does not own Inuyasha or Beauty and the Beast.
Chapter the Fourteenth
There and Back Again
The morning after Kagome had spent the day with Inuyasha, she'd been practically euphoric all day. She even rivaled the happy joy of Sango and Ayame, who'd both been gleeful that morning too.
Everything had been going great. Inuyasha had come out of his room to sit on the stairs and watch everyone with an every so small hint of a smile on his face. At lunch, Kagome had brought two bowls of soup up to the steps and proceeded to sit and eat with him.
Koga and Ayame had both gone herb hunting after lunch, so Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Inuyasha were left together in the castle.
"Why do you stay here?" It was the quiet question from Inuyasha as they sat on the stairs that broke the dream-like trance Kagome had been in.
She started at his sudden bitter words and blinked at him curiously, "Because I care…about you-about all of you."
He grunted slightly, fixing his eyes forwards at a dusty tapestry across the vast hallway.
Kagome gave him a concerned look but brushed it off as Inuyasha just being…Inuyasha. When she heard him sigh a few times she looked over at him in question, but he was already getting up and putting his bowl onto the tray. "Where are you going?" She asked.
He stared at her for a minute, and that red-eyed gaze made her shiver slightly with its pure intensity and raw emotion. The only problem was: Kagome couldn't see what emotion she was dealing with. "I just…need to do something."
"Can I help?" Kagome asked, putting her near empty bowl down and standing up too.
He shook his head gruffly, "No." He took hold of the trays and went to the bottom of the stairs, "I'll take those back. You…do something with Shippo." He said over his shoulder.
Kagome tried to stop him by running down the stairs. She moved in front of him, grabbing for the tray and her hands brushed his. There was a moment where neither moved, they just were frozen at their touch.
The tray clattered to the ground and the bowls smashed on the stone floor. Inuyasha's hands fell to his sides and Kagome knelt down with a gasp, "I'll clean it up." She said, beginning to put the sharp glass shards onto the tray.
Inuyasha just stayed put, standing motionlessly like a statue.
"Yet the curse will consume you when the last petal drops…"
He knelt down and began to help her pick up the pieces, lost in his trance-like memory. Kagome would look up at him as he helped her pick up the shards of glass.
He was shocked out of his silent reverie when Kagome let out a squeak of 'ouch!' and he saw her staring in annoyance at her now cut finger.
"Darn it…I thought I was being more careful than that…" She grumbled, moving to put her finger in her mouth.
Inuyasha wordlessly moved in front of her and took her hand in his. He moved her still outstretched finger to his face and put it in his mouth.
A blush dusted Kagome's cheeks at his actions, "I-Inuyasha?"
He took her finger out of his mouth and she watched in awe as the cut healed. When she looked up at him with an expectant gaze he sighed and looked away, "Demon saliva…it has healing properties."
"Oh, then thank you." She said, smiling warmly at him. She couldn't read his eyes.
He looked troubled for a minute, for his face screwed up like he was choking and he stood. Kagome, still kneeling, looked up at him. She couldn't place his behavior. It was so strange…even for Inuyasha.
She looked back to her task and picked up the last pieces of glass. She then took hold of the tray and stood up, her eyes going up to look at where she thought his face was, "Inuyasha, I…" She trailed off.
What was the point of her continuing the sentence? Inuyasha had disappeared.
Kagome blinked at the empty space in front of her that a moment before had harbored a demon-man that she was really quite infatuated with.
"He's worried."
Kagome jolted, almost dropping the tray and smashing the already small bits of glass into even more microscopic fragments, "Sango!" She cried, seeing the girl and Miroku approaching.
"You do know why…don't you?" Sango continued, watching Kagome carefully.
Miroku looked depressed. Miroku never looked depressed…he only looked either happy or in pain. In pain was in reference to his feelings after a visit with Inuyasha.
"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked.
Sango's eyes were just as penetrating and intense as Inuyasha's, "Four days."
"Until what…?" Kagome asked exasperatedly. Why did that darn woman always talk in riddles?
"Until the curse takes is final toll on…us all." Miroku replied, looking very down, "We couldn't tell you since you were finally getting close to Inuyasha."
Kagome felt her knees give way under her, but luckily Sango foresaw it and caught her friend. She felt hot tears come to her eyes and fall down her cheeks.
As soon as she found someone she thought she could love…
"Sango, we can still save him r-right? I mean, find the purest of exchanges?" Kagome asked, hiccupping.
Sango hugged her friend silently, "Kagome, I don't know if we can. It's just…too late."
"But…"
"We're sending you off tonight before sun down. Koga will take you back to your village and make sure you're safe and secure before we come to experience 'it'." Miroku explained, his eyes apologetic, his posture slumped.
Kagome shook her head, "I don't want you guys to…no…just don't do it!"
"We don't have a choice Kagome." Sango said quietly, her eyes averted.
Kagome felt Sango unravel her arms and let go, and Kagome fell to the ground in a heap. She felt like jelly. The tears were running freely at this point.
She just couldn't make the tears stop.
She felt arms around her again, and soon she realized that she was being hugged by Sango and a newly arrived Shippo, who was also crying.
"Kagome, this was really great but…you're going to have to move on."
"What the hell is going on?"
They looked up to see Koga and Ayame.
When Ayame caught sight of Kagome's tear-stained face she broke down also and raced to hug them, "Oh Kagome! I'm so-so sorry!"
Kagome just hugged them all. For some reason, those three demons hugging her made her feel just a little better.
"You should start packing what you have," Koga said, "We'll be off in a few hours." His voice sounded strangely dead, emotionless. It was like he had no purpose left in him.
"Why today? What about three days from now?" Kagome cried, standing up, the others coming up with her and letting go.
Miroku looked at her sadly, "It'll be too late if we send you back then Kagome. It's just too dangerous. We have to send you before we can't do it."
She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't understand this. Not one hour before she'd been all smiles and joy, finally in a place where she belonged. Now she was alone again, to be sent away by the people who'd accepted her.
The fickle friend called defeat forced her to nod tiredly and trudge away to her room. It made her pack her things in sadness, staring at every little thing she had been given from her friends. She'd received a pressed flower from Shippo, a small glass bottle of herbs from Koga, a pair of satin gloves from Ayame and the diary from Sango. Sango had said that it would be the most meaningful gift she could give. Kagome understood.
When Kagome was packed and ready, she sat on the stairs, reflecting quietly while Koga prepared. It had been so undeniably quick. Everything had been happy and then it was suddenly over. Everything was over.
A few more tears slipped down her cheeks as she sat there with her big yellow bag, preparing to leave for good.
"I'm sorry."
Her eyes widened at the familiar gruff voice. She did not turn her head though. "You have no reason to be."
"I do." Inuyasha came to sit beside her, "This could've happened earlier had I not been so stubborn. And for that I'm…sorry."
Kagome wanted to laugh at his trouble with apologizing. Still, all she could muster was a weak chuckle.
"I haven't given you anything to leave with." He stated calmly. When she turned to look at him with surprise, she saw red eyes filled with emotions.
This time though, she could read them.
His eyes were almost warm with caring, and it made her heart leap for a second before it settled again at her knowledge. She would never see Inuyasha again…
"I suppose I have to give it to you." He said with a tiny smirk on his face.
"What is it?" She blurted curiously. She felt her cheeks go red at the sudden shout. Maybe she was jumpier than she'd thought.
He leaned into her face, his eyes smoldering. She felt his breath on her face and it felt just like she had when they'd been dancing together. She felt warm, and there was a humming feeling in her body like she'd caught fire, but would never be burned.
"Inuyasha, I-" She began to say, but was cut off. He'd caught her lips in his again, and he didn't intend to end it so easily this time.
Instinctively she threw her arms around his neck, feeling her fingers grasp soft silver tresses. She closed her eyes in pleasure.
It was the best present she could receive.
He held the kiss for another moment before breaking it and enveloping her in a warm embrace.
"Sure beats anything else huh?" He asked in a slightly joking manner.
Her head rested on his broad shoulder, her eyes tearing up again, "Yes. It does."
She was pushed back and she felt his nose on her forehead. He seemed to be taking in her scent, for his breaths tickled her face. They just were frozen like that for what seemed like a pleasant forever. Kagome didn't want it to ever end.
For a second she was sure that she couldn't ever leave, no matter how rabid or monstrous they became.
Then, in a soft tone that made Kagome shiver, he spoke. "Kagome, I think…" He trailed off. There was a slight sigh, then: "I think I'm in love with you."
Before Kagome could even reply, the pressure of him touching her forehead with his nose stopped and the tickling feeling of his breaths ceased. There were no warm arms embracing her.
He'd disappeared again.
Dazed, Kagome stared forwards; tears slipping down her cheeks again as she brought her fingers up to lightly touch her lips.
He really had kissed her.
"Kagome, it's time to go."
She looked down the stairs to see the group there. Koga was staring at her expectantly.
She stood up and hefted the bag onto her shoulder. She nodded wordlessly and met them at the ground level.
"I'm sorry Kagome." Sango murmured, "If we end this, no matter how slim the chance, I promise we'll come to your village to get you."
She smiled sadly at her friend, "Thanks Sango."
Ayame hugged Kagome, "We'll miss you."
"Goodbye Kagome." Miroku said calmly, a fake smile on his face. Only Miroku could achieve that.
Shippo jumped into her arms, "Bye Kagome, I'll miss picking flowers with you!"
Kagome hugged him back, "If you guys are okay, I'll pick flowers with you for a week non-stop okay?"
Shippo nodded, "But we won't be okay." He murmured sullenly.
Everyone seemed to slump in depression.
"Let's go." Koga choked, leading Kagome out.
"I'll miss you guys!" Kagome cried, tears in her eyes again.
With that, Kagome left the castle for what she knew to be forever.
The walk back had been silent. Koga had just carried her on his back to avoid taking too much time.
They'd arrived at the outskirts of her village quickly.
It was almost nightfall by this point, and Kagome could see that the village was almost deserted.
Koga had set her down, saluted, and left.
Kagome stood, just in the underbrush, watching the lights of her village come on as people hurried to their homes to be with their families. She would wait until nightfall.
Hours later, Kagome emerged from the trees and ran into the city.
She would not go back to her family. She promised herself that she wouldn't.
She ran to the only home she could.
When she opened the door that was always left unlocked, she heard the familiar sound of a bell dinging.
"Kagome?" A tired old man's voice asked.
She ran to the man, hugging him.
"Kagome I thought you were gone." He said quietly.
"I came back, I had to…Inuyasha had to send be back because of the…because of the…" She broke down in her grandfather figure's arms.
He sighed and walked her to the bedroom at the back of his shop, "Sleep here. I'll sleep on my couch. You can explain in the morning." He said kindly, laying her down in the bed.
Kagome was tired. She was upset, confused, tired, and dazed.
She drifted off into a sleep unsettled by dreams of her friends…
End of Chapter
Well, I bet you didn't expect that! Ha! I win…
Well, I want to know if you thought anyone was too OOC, and I'd especially like some totally awesome reviews from ya'll!
Review! The next chapter's coming soon!
Oh, and by the way, you should be happy; I was going to take a break from this story for a few weeks…
But I'm a softie so I had to update.
REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!
