So I literally rewrote this chapter three separate times before I figured out what on Earth I was doing with this chapter. But I finally figured it out and this is what happens!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA (BELONGS TO RUMIKO TAKAHASHI)

I ALSO LAY NO CLAIM TO BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (BELONGS TO THE DISNEY CORPORATION)

Enjoy the show!

Chapter Eight: Together Again

Sango paced in front of the grand staircase, chewing her fingernails. Kagome had been outside for a while now and she was afraid her friend might catch cold in her futile search for their idiotic master. She was just beginning to consider going out to find her when one of the doors were flung open.

Sango jumped at the sudden noise and was surprised to Kagome there. "Kagome!" she called, waving a hand at her before jogging to meet her. Her heart sighed with relief.

Her heart knew only a moment's relief.

Kagome's cheeks were ruddy with tears, her face scrunched up in pain. The harsh, chilly wind whipped her hair and skirts in the open doorway. Sango shivered and closed the door before returning to her friend's side. "Kagome, what happened?" she asked, rubbing soothing hands up the frigid arms of her friend. Kagome frowned, sniffling.

Kagome coughed several times, chocking on sobs. She shook her head in protest.

Fantastic, what has our fearless leader gone and done this time? Sango shook her head. "What did he do?"

Kagome shook her head yet again, refusing to answer.

Dammit InuYasha, what did you do that was so bad she won't even talk to me about it? She wrapped one arm around her shoulders and began leading her up the stairs to the kitchens. "Do you want some tea?"

It was a few moments before Kagome gave a hesitant nod in response.

Sango felt her insides ragging.

Maybe it was her maternal instincts going into overdrive. Maybe Kagome was just that important to her... Maybe she was just that pissed off at InuYasha for making her friend cry again.

Granny Kaede was humming to herself when Sango pushed open the kitchen door.

"Granny?" she called out to the old lady's back. She was standing at a counter chopping something. Granny set down the cleaver she was using and turned to look at her, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Ah, Sango and Kagome, what brings ye both-?" Granny's kindly smile faded as her eye passed over the mess of Kagome in Sango's arms. "Sweet child, whatever has befallen ye?" She rushed over as much as her wizened legs would allow.

Kagome just shook her head again. Sango sighed in frustration. "Help me get her in front of the fire, she's chilled to the bone."

Granny took Sango's place soothing the crying woman while Sango dragged a wooden stool across the room. Granny led Kagome over, sitting her on the stool while Sango went to fetch another. Granny shuffled to the stove, setting the kettle on the burner.

Sango set the stool down next to Kagome's and sat on it. "Kagome, you need to talk to me."

She was answered with a series of sniffles. Granny draped a thick blanket over the shivering woman's shoulders. Sango scooted closer, grabbing Kagome's hands in her own. "Kagome, I need to know if you're okay. Can you at least tell me that?"

Kagome stared at her, eyes blood shot and puffy from crying. She nodded. "I-I'm fine."

Granny interrupted them, handing Kagome a steaming cup of tea. She accepted it with as much of a smile as she could manage. Sango searched her face, wanting to find some clue as to what had upset her so much. Kagome took a gentle sip from the cup, sniffling some more.

"If you're fine," Sango asked, looking Kagome straight in the eyes. "Why are you crying?"

A few more tears slipped down Kagome's cheeks before she answered. "I just-" she took in a steadying breath. "I don't want to talk about it right now, okay?"

Sango watches her friend, heart squeezing in her chest. "Fine." She stands and braces her fists on her hips. "But you have to promise to tell me all about it later." She smiles at the teary eyed woman.

Kagome nodded again before Sango decided it was okay to leave the room. I'm going to find out what happened.

Sango spent the next hour prowling the castle in search of InuYasha. The more she searched, the more her anger grew. InuYasha, where are you?

"Sango, my love!" Miroku called out to her as she passed their room. Sango squared her shoulders and continued her search. "Love what's the matter?"

His hand was on her arm. She shook him off, turning to look at him. Her insides felt like they were boiling. "I'm going to teach that little brat a lesson." She cracked her knuckles. "He can't keep doing this to her, she doesn't deserve the way he's treating her."

His brow quirked in confusion. "Wait, is this about InuYasha?" She nodded. "What the hell did he do this time?"

Sango felt hot, angry tears pricking her eyes. "That's the thing; I don't even know. Kagome wouldn't tell me anything." Sango snapped back around and made her way to the main staircase. "But you can be damn sure I'm going to find out one way or another."

They finally found their silver haired master huddled in the stables. Sango's blood boiled hotter than ever. She stomped over to him.

"Sango, wait-!"

Sango wrenched him up by the front of his shirt and her fist connected with his cheek. His head stayed down, fringe covering his face. She shook him, not satisfied with his reaction. What is with these two? Her eyes finally took in the dried tears on his cheeks and the look of unbridled pain on his face.

"What did you do?"

He averted his eyes, looking instead at the hay on the floor.

"What did you do, you idiot?!" Her voice was shrill, now.

His lips moved, speaking too low for her to hear.

"What-?"

His eyes snapped to hers. "Why don't you mind your own damned business, demon slayer?" His words were tinged with malice but she could see the waver in his eyes.

"InuYasha, I'm your friend. No matter how much you try to deny it or shove me away," Sango said, balling her fist tighter into his shirt. "So, please, listen to me when I say: you can't push Kagome away like you do Miroku and I."

His eyes narrowed at her.

"Don't give me that look, you know I'm right. Miroku and I know you too well. Kagome doesn't. She's still learning how to read you, how to trust you. She needs you just as much as you need her."

He snarled at her before knocking her hands away. "When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it." He turned and stalked out of the stables.

Sango turned to follow him. "Sango, wait." Miroku grabbed her by the arm, turning her on the spot.

She glared at him. "He needs another punch."

"I'm sure he does." He sighed. "But you need to face the fact that no matter how much you punch him, it's not going to make any difference. He needs to come to his answers on his own."

Sango glared at him for a moment, but finally surrendered. "You're right." She rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes and taking a deep calming breath. "Doesn't make me want to punch him any less."

Miroku laughed. "Oh, my dear wife. I do love when you talk rough to me." Sango opened her eyes to see his brow waggle.

"Miroku, you're such a lech." She felt his hand travel down the small of her back. "But you're my lech." His hand found its destination: her rear end. She gave his cheek a light slap before kissing him fully on the lips.

"My, my, now who's the lech?"

~Kagome~

Kagome watched the setting sun through the large window in the kitchen. Her tea had long since gone cold and the fire was beginning to fizzle out. Her eyes had dried up but her heart still ached. How could he be so loving one moment, then abrasive and completely closed off the next?

She let out a gusty sigh and rose from her seat. She took her cup to the basin and washed it with a rag. She set it in the cupboard, closing the glass faced door with a gentle hand. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and left the kitchen.

She shuffled down the hall, not sure of where she was heading. She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the figure coming up to the main staircase until after she crashed into it. She was knocked off balance for a moment before she was steadied by a hand.

She glanced up to be met with a pair of golden eyes. "InuYasha."

His eyes narrowed before he released her. "Watch where you're going, human." He turned away.

Kagome felt anger bubbling up in her throat. "Is that all you have to say to me?" InuYasha stopped in his tracks. "No more false insults to throw at me?"

His head snapped back at her. "What are you talkin' about?"

"I'm not an idiot, InuYasha. Just because I've never been in a relationship before doesn't mean I can't tell when I'm being pushed away." She drew her blanket tighter around her. As if trying to shield her heart from the possible pain his words might inflict. Her eyes were cast down at the floorboards. "I may not know why you're doing this and I certainly don't know what you're going through... I just want you to know that when you've figured out what you want, I'll be here: waiting for you.

"Because I love you." Her mouth twitched into a smile as she looked back up at him.

He's staring at me like I'm the craziest person in the world.

"How can you put so much faith in other people?" he asked, moving to stand just in front of her. He towered over her, sneering. "It makes me sick."

She smiled at him again, despite the sting from his words. "I don't put my faith in just anyone. I trust you. Even if you don't trust yourself." She placed a hand on his chest, just over his heart. "I'm sorry that I slapped you, I should never have done that... But I couldn't listen to you lie to me anymore."

"As if you could hurt me," he sighed, averting his gaze.

"Maybe not in a physical sense. I could have hurt our relationship though, and I couldn't bear the thought of that."

He pushed her hand off of him. "We don't have a relationship. You were a great distraction to waste time on, though." He smirked at her, folding his arms over his chest.

"You don't mean that."

Their eyes met again and Kagome saw the waver once more. Why is he doing this? She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the front doors swinging open.

"Kagome, I found Gramps, just like InuYasha asked me to!"

Kagome turned to see Shippou leading a hunched Grandfather through the doors.

"Kagome, my dear!" Grandfather greeted her with his cheesy grin. "How've you been, my dear?"

Kagome felt tears of relief welling up, threatening to spill out. She beamed at him and ran down the stairs. "Grandfather, you're okay!" He met her at the bottom, drawing her into a tight hug. Kagome wrapped her arms around Grandfather.

"Dear girl, why would I not be okay?" Grandfather asked, pulling back to look her in the eyes. "Don't you know this old man can take perfectly good care of himself?" He laughed, tossing his head back, then winced, grabbing at his back.

Kagome laughed, rubbing the tears from her eyes. He's fine. Just the same as always, my crazy old Grandfather. She smiled and threw her arms around him again. "Of course, what was I thinking? My Grandfather is a genius spiritual magic user, who can take on anything that may come. Do forgive me. "

Grandfather chuckled, pulling away again. "All right, that's about enough of that. You're beginning to make an old man wonder."

Kagome pulled away, hesitant to release him now that she'd seen he was okay. "I'm just so glad to see you, that's all. It feels like I haven't seen you in forever... Is that a new wrinkle?"

Grandfather bawked. "What?! Where?" His bony fingers came to his face, pushing around at the wrinkled skin, molding it like clay.

Kagome bit back a giggle and struggled to keep a straight face.

Shippou jumped up on her shoulder, studying his face with focused determination. "Where is it, Kagome?"

She waved a finger in a circular motion in front of his face. "It's riiiiiight there!" Kagome reached out and tickled Grandfather right in his sensitive spot.

"Oh-ah ha ha!" Grandfather collapsed to the ground in laughter. Kagome followed him down, Shippou joining in on the tickle assault.

Kagome felt a lightness in her heart that she hadn't felt in a long time. She glanced back at the stairs to see that InuYasha was watching the scene with a small smile on his face. I feel like everything is finally falling into place. I don't think I've ever felt this... happy before. A girl could get used to this.

~A few hours later, in Grandfather's room~

Kagome had escorted Grandfather to a room on the same wing of the castle as hers. She'd tucked him in and lit the small glass lamp beside his bed. She'd kissed him on the forehead before closing the door behind her.

Grandfather sighed, relaxing into the downy softness of the mattress and pillow. His bones were weary from the journey, having had to walk the entire way with an over exuberant fox child. But it was a small price to pay to finally be back with his Kagome. He couldn't be any happier.

He fell asleep with a relaxed smile on his face.

Yay, everything's good now!

Right?

Riiiight?

I guess we'll see... Next time!