Chapter 5- Keep Me Safe

Kenshin explored the house, looking at the strange objects it contained. His interest was completely captivated by the place in which his savior lived. There was a single room that he came to… his guess was that it was Kagome's… that was covered in pink. There was a bunch of stuff laying around, but most of it was concentrated in one area. It was all sitting on something that seemed… soft… yet it was firm, too. He looked through the items laying on it. One was a book that contained portraits so lifelike it was almost scary. He recognized several of the people depicted in them: Sango, Miroku, Shippou… even Inuyasha. There was one that seemed to be set in this strange place that Kagome lived, in front of that huge tree that Kagome seemed so fond of, she and Inuyasha both. It showed her and a young boy that was unfamiliar, both of them wearing brightly colored kimonos. She looked… so happy with him…

"Hey! Who're you?"

Much to the golden child's surprise, he looked up into the very face of the boy depicted. Instinct told him to run, but the boy was being quite calm and friendly, but curious as to why he was in Kagome's room. His small dog-ears cocked in an inquisitive manner.

"My name is Kenshin. How… how do you know Kagome?" he asked hesitantly. The boy smiled brightly.

"Kagome's my sister!" was his proud reply. "I'm Souta. Pleased to meet you!"

Kenshin glanced back down at the picture. How could such a thing be so precise? The artist's hand must have been overly blessed to have so much talent. Souta walked over and jumped onto the soft surface next to him.

"What'cha lookin' at, huh?" he asked, and when Kenshin pointed to the picture, he laughed light-heartedly. "Oh! That's our picture from a couple of years ago! Kagome's kimono turned out really nice that year. That's one of her favorite pictures. Say, you wanna come play with me?"

Kenshin was unsure, but said yes anyway. Souta grabbed his wrist and pulled him along in an excited rush. The haninu could easily keep up with him despite the surprise, but remained slightly insecure as to the boy's intentions as he was dragged down the hallway and stairs. In a mad rush, they passed Inuyasha, and Souta called out to him something about teaching Kenshin how to play 'video games'. The elder hanyou only caught these words as he rushed past because of his sensitive hearing; Kagome's grandfather, whom was at his side, gave a "What?" since he could not quite decipher Souta's excited tumble of words. In response to his question, however, Inuyasha gave him a fairly typical 'feh', and went to watch Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi work in the kitchen.

"Inuyasha? Could you please tell Souta that he and Kenshin need to wash up?" Gin asked him politely a short while later. His curt nod was her only answer, and his standing to leave told her that he would comply without dispute. He wasn't in the mood to argue. Kagome was slightly surprised. Then again, since Inuyasha had found out that she was going to stay in the Warring States era he had been strangely quiet. It wasn't like him at all.

Dinner went off without a hitch; that is, except for the spasms of laughter that racked Kagome's body when she realized that she had not one, but two ramen addicts on her hands. Kenshin downed almost as many bowls of the stuff as Inuyasha did!

Well… I guess I can be thankful that his table manners were a little better, she thought, moving the stuff around on her bed later that night. She noticed that her photo album was open, and that one of the pictures appeared to be missing, but she shrugged it off, figuring that it would turn up sooner or later in some strange place that would make her wonder as to why she would leave the item in such a spot. It was the way things always went, whether she was in modern Japan or the Sengoku Jidai. She let out a sigh as she looked at the items she had lain on her bed, the ones she thought she would take to the feudal era with her. She would have to leave most of this behind…

It was late into the night before she had finally cleared off her bed, and she was about to set her alarm clock, but Inuyasha startled her.

"Don't bother. I'll wake you."

The tone was not at all friendly, and it was in no way an offer. Something told her that anger was smoldering there beneath the surface, and she understood why. She had been thinking for five days now how to apologize to him so that he would realize that she really did mean it, but she had no plan.

"Inuyasha, I'm-"

"Save it, Kagome. I don't want to hear it."

The pain in his voice as he turned away and walked down the hall was a pain that hurt her, as well. For the first time since she had said those dreaded words, she let a single, sparkling tear slide down her cheek to splatter silently to the floor.

The middle of the night brought a thunderstorm to their door, and the lightening crackled in a fearsome manner. Kagome slept soundly, as did Inuyasha, who was right outside her door, but Kenshin startled awake with one of the thunderclaps that, had Kagome been awake, she might have described it as the same sound made by the enormous bullwhips from the western US that were 22 feet long and longer. He whimpered lightly from the top bunk in Souta's room, scared at the fearful noises. By the next clap, he could stand it no longer. Sneaking out of the boy's room, he made his way swiftly down the hall to Kagome's own quarters, trying to be silent as to not wake the overly-irritable Inuyasha.

He slid Kagome's door open and crept in silently, moving to her bedside. His small hands shook her shoulder, hesitantly at first, but then with more force. He called her name softly, and she moaned, trying to shake off sleep.

"Inuyasha, it can't be morning already, can it?" she asked groggily; had Kenshin not been scared half to death by the storm, he might have giggled at the comment. Her storm-colored gaze was unveiled from beneath the thick lashes a moment later, still glazed with the smallest amount of sleep, and she yawned. But, recognizing the look of fear on the haninu child's face, she sat up, fully awake. "Kenshin? Are you alright? What's the matter?"

"The storm… it scared me…"

Right then, the expression on his face was trying its very hardest to make her cry. He looked for all the world such a small boy, and so lonely and lost. Her heart couldn't help but cry at the sight. His tearful brimstone orbs were wide, and his mussed metallic gold hair looked almost light blonde in the flashes of lightening that plagued the outside world. She pulled the blanket down and patted the bed next to her, and he climbed up, snuggling deep into her arms as she held him tight, whispering soothing words and soft lullabies.

Inuyasha watched from the door. His ears picked up on the softly spoken words that the girl murmured to the child, and they soothed him, as well.

Kagome… you'll be a good mother for Kenshin.

And this time, he didn't squash the voice that told him that he must keep the two of them safe at all cost, no matter how much he fought his love for the ultramodern priestess.

AN: TADA! (leaps out of nowhere) Don't you just love me? XP I know I love this story, that's for sure. Either way, please show some love and leave a nice review!

Next Time: Hojo's Gift

"Umm… Kagome? I brought you something," he said, gently handing her a small package. She looked at it curiously for a moment. He didn't quite understand her thought process, but then, he didn't realize the size of the box he just handed her. If he proposes to me despite this, he might be worth it! "Go ahead. Open it!"

Inside was a small bottle, a label on the front showing her for what exactly. They were pills to… ahem… calm the over-active imagination. Her eyes widened.

"Hojo…" she drug out, sickly sweet. He looked at her in a rather embarrassed manner.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM? A LUNATIC?"