Chapter 9

You'll never know what it's like, Inuyasha glowered as he watched Kagome eat with her friends. I've been invisible all my life.

Dammit, why am I still invisible! His hands balled into fists when Kouga walked up to the four girls, inviting himself within their group. Kikyou had said he would be real soon, so why hasn't that happened yet. It's been twelve years and he only felt himself fading. While Kagome was growing up and living, he stayed the same, feeling like he was trapped in a glass box. He could hear, see, smell, and taste, but he was just a ghost to everyone.

His gaze rose up to the sky, not wanting to see Kagome getting close to that... that...

Living mortal. He grimaced, growing envious of the boy that so easily captured Kagome's interest. There was a fear he wouldn't admit the more he watched the two interact. He was losing his girl and he couldn't do anything.

He wasn't blind to her needs; she wanted normality. There was no way she could look at him with those goo-goo eyes because he didn't really exist. In fact, the closer she got to achieving the life she wanted, the more he faded away. She wasn't interested in playing games with him anymore. Confiding to him late at night and hiding behind him for protection would be just a memory. Or perhaps nothing at all.

Inuyasha was created to be her father-figure, Kikyou said, but he never wanted that role. Sure, he lived to protect her and make her happy, but he also wanted her. It felt natural to love her, like it was encoded in him from the very beginning. He wanted her to be his.

That's not how she sees me, though, he sighed heavily, finally looking back to Kagome, watching her laugh to something Kouga had said. It would be torture if she decided to fall in love with someone else, he knew from the very beginning and done his best to scare off possible suitors. But it made Kagome unhappy, something he also didn't like. What could he do?

The bell chimed and all the kids went back to their classes, unaware that there was a half-demon in their midst, sitting under a tree and idly picking blades of grass. Even Kagome didn't notice his presence- too engrossed in talking with her friends about how 'hot' and 'awesome' Kouga is. He snorted when one of them mentioned that he so liked her.

If I'm destined to fade back into her imagination, it better be quick, he thought resolutely. She was gaining control of her ability, she wouldn't need him anymore. Inuyasha would miss her but, then again, he wouldn't exist anymore. And she won't have to deal with me anymore...

"So you'll stay? Forever?"

"As long as you want me to," he softly answered her memory. He stood, brushing grass off his hakamas before following a few feet away from his little mate. Even though she always told him that nothing ever went wrong at school, he still followed, still remembering when she had been so scared because he wasn't there. He'd never make that mistake again as long as he existed.

He perched himself just outside her classroom window, sitting on the wide ledge as she took her own seat. She smiled at him when she saw him, to which he just nodded back.

It was boring to him, watching Kagome take lessons from an old man up front about numbers and letters . After a few minutes, Kagome was bored, herself, doodling on her notebook meant for notes. That's how it always was day after day until the weekends. It wasn't a relaxing, nice day at home, either, since she usually had plans that lasted her until the stars came out. In conclusion, Inuyasha was utterly bored with his life of being her shadow. If he didn't start the conversation once in a while, she would hardly speak to him herself, proof that his time was almost up. But that was the way it should be, wasn't it? Kids don't hang around their imaginary friends forever.

Inuyasha shook his head and closed his eyes, unwilling to dwell on it any longer. He didn't need to sleep, eat, or go to the bathroom, but it didn't matter.

However, an unusual noise made him jump; startled by the noise of the classroom door flying off it's hinges and an ogre snarling from the hall.

With a sharp look to Kagome as the students cried out and took cover, he slid through the window, as intangible as ever. Kagome only sat, stunned as she stared at the demon that tried to fit itself into the classroom. The door had knocked the teacher out cold, bleeding from a head wound and, by the looks of it, the students clearly saw the ogre.

Inuyasha jumped at the ogre, punching it in it's sickly green face and making it collide into the hallway's wall. He felt guilty that his first thought was: it's real.

It swung it's massive fist, clumsily missing the half-demon and breaking another hole into the same classroom. With a growl, Inuyasha lifted his claws, mindlessly slashing deeply into the monster's throat. Why was it real? By the looks of it, it just spawned. It should have took him over twelve fucking years!

The ogre choked on it's own blood, struggling to fight back in the tiny hall it was created in. Inuyasha decided to end it's misery, slashing clean through the remains of it's neck. Dark blood splashed upon his forearms, soaking his haori, before the demon's body faded away. Only the damage and the blood on his body remained.

"Inu...yasha...?"

He turned to Kagome, finding her leaning against the broken wall for strength. The blood had rushed from her skin, leaving her pale as she witnessed the violence. Inuyasha merely raised his chin stubbornly when she took in his appearance. He quickly went to her when she suddenly fainted with the smallest of shudders. "Kagome! Oi, Kagome!" Her head lolled against his arm, the warm blood of the ogre smearing against her cheek. Her breathing was harsh and her eyelids flickered open and close. "Kagome, come on, talk to me," he told her more gently, realizing she was still conscious. "What's wrong?"

Her brown eyes finally focused on him, twin tears slipping from them. "It... hurts! It hurts!" she gasped, shivering violently in his hold.

He quickly scanned her body. Maybe the ogre had hurt her somehow. But there wasn't a scratch on her. "Where does it hurt?" he asked, a tinge of worry in his voice. She only whimpered in response curling herself against him.

"Higurashi's going into convulsions."

"Did it get her?"

"What's holding her up?"

"Is she hurt?"

Inuyasha held her tighter. "You have to tell me, Kagome," he told her softly. "Calm down. It'll be alright. Breathe in and out. In. And out. Good girl."

Kagome drew in a shaky breath, letting it out in a rush. Slowly, her trembling got better, nearly fading, though he could still feel her muscles tighten. Her eyes flickered open once more. "M-My head..." she whispered.

His other hand brushed her raven hair back, as if he could soothe the pain she was enduring. "A headache? Or does it... have to do with the ogre?"

"Who's that holding her?"

"No one's holding her. She's possessed!"

"It's another monster!"

Inuyasha raised his gaze, surprised that her classmates saw him. He disregarded that for the moment, turning back to Kagome.

"I want t-to go home," she said. Without another word, Inuyasha's free arm slipped under her legs, lifting her up. People from the other classrooms were peering out now, looking horrified at the damage and the floating, unconscious girl, and the half-demon as he kicked a window out. Teachers and students were making phone calls to emergency services as Inuyasha left, jumping from building to building, back home to the shrine.

A/N: I have a feeling I missed something important in Inuyasha's inner monologue (I had it all planned out in my head the other night but it evades me now) so hopefully it was something I can bring up another time. This chapter hated me ._.

Warm-Amber92 & InuEared Miko of Darkness: Yep. It wouldn't be an Inuyasha story without the love triangles :3

Dwarg92: Don't worry 'bout it. That's better than questions I missed completely :)

Skaii: Tame your dinosaur! My dragon doesn't like it O_o

haine21: The only JP books I've read was the Maximum Ride series and Witch & Wizard (though, I can't actually prove it to you) But if that book has a similar plot-line, I'll have to look at it (after this story so I don't get any 'ideas')

vampireinu95: Well, he had to do something. Too bad he's intangible :/

Sahora: A wise decision... turtles are eternally wise *nods *

Deadman19: Yay! A new person!

alexischic: Be careful what you say, reader; I make people regret it by doing the exact opposite xD You got a reprieve this time since my mind isn't working today.

xXxAddicted2ChocolatexXx: Next chapter: Kag- "Ahh! Kouga's trying to eat me!" Inu- "I told you so." lolz

I'm really liking how I'm stirring everyone's imaginations. My dragon is pleased.

FxA