19 Days until the wedding...

"Kagome, thank you so much!" Shippo said as he ran down the hill with his latest gift from modern times. This time Kagome had brought him some bubbles. It was a simple gift, something she used all the time when she and Sota were growing up, but it brought Shippo so much joy. She had to take a little time to explain to him how much it would hurt if it went in his eyes, but it seemed to be the perfect gift. Kagome leaned back on her hands, enjoying the soft summer breeze as she watched Inuyasha out of the corner of her eye. Something was wrong with him, that much she was sure of. He seemed more quiet and agitated over the past few days, but Kagome wasn't sure why. He sat in a tree nearby, close enough that he could watch Kagome while still getting some peace and quiet.

"Hey Inuyasha," Kagome called, looking up at him. Inuyasha's ear twitched, her only indication that he had actually heard her. "Why don't you come down here with me?"

"Why wench?" he replied, his eyes still closed against the afternoon sun.

"Because I want to sit with you and talk with you."

"Keh, not interested," he replied, too content to leave his spot.

"Inuyasha, sit," Kagome said softly, watching Inuyasha fall off his branch.

"What'd you do that for you stupid wench!" Inuyasha yelled, bounding to her side after he pulled himself off the ground.

"I got you to come, didn't I? Doesn't sound to stupid to me," Kagome laughed, smiling at him.

Inuyasha's mouth dropped open in disbelief. 'Pretty smart wench,' he thought proudly before sitting next to her. "So you wanted me here, what did you wanna talk about?"

"What's been bothering you lately Inuyasha? You've seemed different over the past few days."

"I'm fine," he replied quickly, watching Shippo as he chased after the bubbles he blew.

"No, you're lying," Kagome said, turning his face toward her. "Over the past few days you've been a lot quieter and you get agitated more easily. You don't seem like you've been sleeping much either. What's going on Inuyasha?" she asked softly.

Inuyasha wanted to tell her he was fine. He wanted to tell her to mind her own business and leave him the hell alone. But he knew he couldn't do that to her, not anymore. As hard as it was for him, he was truly trying to tear down his protective walls, to at least let Kagome in. He could say that he was fine but that was the coward's way out. And Inuyasha was no coward. "I…I've been dreaming about my mother lately," he said softly, looking down at Kagome's smooth pale hands. Her hands were so much like his mother's: warm, gentle, protective. Always there for a gentle or reassuring touch. "I don't know why I keep dreaming about her, but it bothers me."

Kagome held Inuyasha's hand in hers gently. "What do you dream about?"

"Just the times we had together when she was alive. Like when she used to comb my hair at night and when we would take walks through the garden at night, just doing things with her," he said sadly.

"Have you ever gone back to see her?" Inuyasha shook his head, holding Kagome's hand tighter. "Then we should go. Tomorrow let's go visit her."

Inuyasha looked up at Kagome in surprise. "Kagome, I-"

"No excuses Inuyasha, we're going tomorrow," Kagome said finally. Inuyasha shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

Inuyasha tightened his hold on Kagome as they got closer to the village where he had grown up. He had been running most of the morning, Kagome on his bag to shorten the time it would take them to get there. He was hesitant to go back to his old village, considering the way they ran him out of the village, but Kagome insisted that they go visit his mother. Who are they to stop him she had told him. So they had set out after breakfast together, a mission in mind.

Inuyasha slowed down as he reached the top of the hill outside of his old village. From the top, he and Kagome could see the small village sprawled out before them. "Is that the village?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha set her on her feet.

Inuyasha nodded, walking down the hill slowly. "You see that collapsed house at the farthest edge of the village? That's where I used to live." Kagome and Inuyasha walked in silence toward the village, Inuyasha's mind lost in the memories of his past, Kagome's thoughts wondering about him.

Kagome could see how tense Inuyasha was as they walked through the village, whispers of the villagers following them. 'Do the people remember him? Does he recognize anyone?' Kagome thought, looking around at the village. 'This must be so hard for him, coming back to the village where he was unwanted and chased out. No wonder he's stiff as a board.' She took Inuyasha's hand in hers, squeezing it gently.

"Half-breed!" a voice yelled behind them. Inuyasha froze momentarily, not turning around. He knew if he did, he might lose control. This village was full of people who mistreated him and his mother; he wanted nothing more than vengence.

"Do NOT talk to Inuyasha that way," Kagome yelled, turning to glare at the man, her hands on her hips. Inuyasha sighed, turning around to face who ever had spoken. Standing a few feet away were two young men and a much older man, possibly a father and his two sons.

"I wasn't talking to you woman. I was talking to the half-breed; we don't want you here in this village. What are you doing here anyway?" asked the young man.

"That's none of your business," Inuyasha replied, grabbing Kagome's hand. "Come on Kagome."

"You better leave," the man yelled as Inuyasha and Kagome began to walk away. "We don't want your kind here anyway."

"How dare you talk to Inuyasha like that!" Kagome said, pulling her arm out of Inuyasha's grasp. "You don't even know him and you're insulting him. What's your problem!"

"Kagome, just forget about it okay?" Inuyasha said, trying to control his temper. He was sick and tired of people like this guy treating him like he was dirt. He wanted to yell and tear down buildings, or better yet let Kagome scream at them. That would scare the villagers even more. But this one time Inuyasha didn't want any trouble. He just wanted to visit his mother and leave.

"I will not forget about it Inuyasha. These people need to learn that you can't treat people this way. You haven't done anything wrong." Inuyasha sighed, knowing Kagome wouldn't give up anytime soon. She would stand there and defend him for hours if she needed to. But that wasn't time that they had. Inuyasha picked Kagome up and threw her over his shoulder, walking toward the end of the village. "Inuyasha put me down right now! I'm not done talking to those people." Inuyasha ignored her and continued walking, letting her kick and scream about the villagers the entire time.

reviews are welcome, they inspire me to write more :]