Thanks for all the support from my reviewers, I was actually worried I would make everyone angry by ranting like that, I'm so glad to see everyone shares my views. I know that answering that review back was a little childish, but I really can't stay quiet about something I feel passionate about. Fan fiction is a place where I developed the confidence to write when I used to have real problems, and if someone is doing this to me now, I can't help but think they're also doing it to others who don't have the confidence to fight back when they deserve to. To all fan-fiction writers out there, you don't have to take it when people like that flame you, stand up and tell them exactly what you think. Don't get depressed; get mad, because that's your right.

ANYWHO…moving on

Here's the next chapter. I don't Inuyasha even though I absolutely love him. And while I think Seshy is hotter, I've always loved Inu more.

Theme 33: Expectations

Kagome awoke that morning against something warm. Then she realised what she was sleeping against and leapt back, her face bright red. "S-s-sorry" she stuttered, turning her face away from him.

Inuyasha was silent, then "There is no fault and no need for apologies" and with that he stood. Kagome waited for him to leave, until she realised he was waiting for her so she could use him to stand. Tensely, she reached out and used his arm to haul herself up. Along the way up, she accidently tugged too hard and fell forward.

Luckily, Inuyasha caught her. Kagome went a little stiff, it had been a while since Inuyasha held her, this current rendition wasn't much into physical contact, she had half expected him to let her fall. His hands on her shoulders felt a little different from the Inuyasha she knew, even though they were the same hands. They were frim, but hesitant, as if he couldn't believe what he was doing. Even so, they were very warm.

Kagome raised her head to say thanks, but it ended up caught in her throat as she looked up. He was looking at her strangely, very intensely, like he was seeing her for the first time. Then slowly, she realised how close their faces were as he dipped a little lower and her heart started to speed up.

What was he doing! Was this what she thought it was? Against Kagome's better judgment, she felt herself slowly close her eyes. But luckily, she saw him pull back, quickly enough to not close them; instead she blushed heavily and pushed away.

"Thanks" she said softly.

Inuyasha was quiet, as was his norm these days, and looked at her. His gaze was still very intense that Kagome felt herself forced to look away. "Come" she heard his voice said gently "We leave now"

"Ok" she said softly and followed after him back to their camp, the entire way with her face down and her heart beating wildly.

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What was that? That-that look!

Kagome felt her heart pounding heavily the entire time she trailed after him, even as they met with the rest of the group and she managed a façade of being unaffected, she couldn't help but sneak glances towards him every now and again from her place behind Sango on Kilala.

That wasn't a look she'd come to associate with either Inuyasha. The one she knew before was hot-headed but sometimes he would look at her with an expression so full of affection and sadness, while this current Inuyasha…well he tended to cast expressions of distain her way a little too often.

No, that's not right. Kagome knew that was how he was before, when they first 'met' but for a while now, he had sort of…mellowed down a little and learned to fit in. And he was different towards her, kinder, sometimes almost…gentle. She liked that.

Kagome shook her head with a start. What was she saying! She liked the brash, adorable Inuyasha, right?

Yes, she did love him. But even so, there were times when she felt her heart being moved by this new personality in Inuyasha, because even though he could sometimes be a royal jerk, there were other times, when he was unbelievably sweet in his own rough way. And sometimes, Kagome got the faintest feeling that he might just like her a little.

But of course, that had to be in her head. 'I mean, I thought he liked me last time, and look how that turned out.' He ended up choosing Kikyo. Kagome knew he loved her too, but that had developed, at first, he was just seeing Kikyo though her, and now that he cared for Kagome too, he couldn't choose between them.

Thought Kagome realised she probably didn't make it easy for him. There were quite a few times when Inuyasha tried to tell her he was choosing Kikyo, but it had been Kagome's selfish decision to say by his side and cause his heart to waver. Because by the time she'd realised the truth of his heart, hers already belonged to him.

Kagome had that bad habit of not looking before she leapt. So she wasn't about to start trying to see feelings in this Inuyasha when she knew they weren't there. There was no more room in his heart for her.

Done. Please Reveiw