Chapter 3

Back in the past again, Kagome managed to haul herself up and over the rim of the bone eaters well, along with her bike and supplies still intact. She stepped out onto the impossibly green grass, greeted by the late afternoon sun on her skin and the sweet fresh air lifting her hair in a gentle breeze. She took a deep breath, enjoying the moment, unable to keep a smile from stretching across her face.

That little break was just what she had needed. The time away had done her some good, letting her get a little space from all the tension between her and InuYasha. The time had also allowed her to get a little perspective on things.

No matter how much it made her heart ache, she just couldn't chase after someone who didn't want her the same way. So, she would have to let him go. She wouldn't worry about him in anything other than a friendly sort of way, and just live her own life.

Her plan was to just throw herself back into the shard hunt, and hopefully somewhere along the way they could be good with each other again. But for now, she resolved herself to work hard, and focus on the things that were really important.

She leisurely strolled the path to Edo, Kaede's village, forgoing using her bike for now because of how bumpy the road was. She felt better than she had in months. Around her, the sky was a clear, true blue, not a cloud in sight. The wind shifted, blowing through the woodland canopies powerfully, carrying with it the sounds of the forest. The leaves were undulating with every gust, breathing with the trees in waves, and to her it seemed that the whole forest was alive and pulsating with energy. A lone white butterfly floated gently across her path, fluttering its pearlescent wings and she paused to watch it flit from flower to flower, a smile on her lips.

Everything was going to work out.

But that didn't mean that she wasn't nervous to see InuYasha again. Far from it, actually. Her tummy twisted sickly even thinking about it. Facing him was going to be hard, but it was unavoidable and had to be done eventually.

Kagome felt her cheeks flame as she couldn't help but think of the kiss between her and Kōga. She felt like kicking herself. How could she have been so stupid? She still couldn't believe how she'd all but thrown herself into his arms and told him to kiss her!

She sighed, looking up at the perfectly blue sky above her and wondered, would he even want to see her again?

She didn't know what she would do if he sent her away. Would she go back to the past, permanently? She wasn't sure she could stay away, even if she tried.

She shook away the terrible thoughts and resolved herself to only think positively. But inside, that little voice in the back of her head was coming up with all sorts of scenarios to torment her with. Her heart felt like it was in a vice grip, squeezing in her chest painfully. She desperately wanted to believe that things could go back to the way they had been, even if it meant suffering InuYasha's resentment.

She crested the top of the hill and came upon the village. It seemed to be a busy day in Edo, children were running around, playing and filling the air with laughter. Men worked the nearby rice fields, and she could see people bustling about the town. She passed beneath the large red Torii, feeling small underneath the impressive structure. She smiled and waved at the few villagers who greeted her on her way, but most didn't even spare her a glace. They were used to the strange, futuristic Miko by now.

As she came upon the small wooden house, she set her bike to lean against on of the walls and pushed the curtain aside, stepping through the wooden doorway.

Before she'd even fully stepped across the thresh hold, a little ball of bright orange fur barreled straight into her, almost knocking her down with its sheer velocity.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried, hugging her midsection so hard that she was sure if he was any stronger her eyeballs would've popped out of her head. She couldn't help but chuckle at the little kit's antics, ruffling his hair affectionately.

"I missed you too, kiddo." She said warmly, moving the little boy to sit up in her arms instead. She planted a tender kiss on his forehead and cuddled him, making sure he knew just how much she'd been thinking about him while she'd been gone.

"I hate when you have to go." He mumbled, burying his face into her dress. Her heart broke for him. She couldn't imagine what is was like to be torn apart from your family, especially at such a young age. But here he was, her little bottle of sunshine, always smiling and looking up at her with those wide green eyes. It was no wonder that he had her wrapped around his little finger.

"One day, I won't ever have to leave you again, and that's a promise." She wanted to cry when he looked up at her hopefully, almost disbelieving.

"R-really?"

"cross my heart." She said warmly, unable to resist pinching his fat little cheek. He giggled, eyes sparkling, and she gave him one last squeeze before setting him down to greet the others. "Hello everyone!"

"Hello Kagome! Welcome back!" Miroku said cheerily around his mouthful of rice, raising his hand up in acknowledgement as he continued to scarf down the contents of the wooden bowl. But what had really drawn her attention was the quiet half demon sitting completely still in the corner of the room, his legs crossed under him and his hands tucked into his sleeves.

He wouldn't even look at her.

Her stomach twisted with nerves, but she managed to keep her face composed, but she knew no matter how hard she tried she wouldn't be able to do anything about the insane fluttering of her heart. Her palms were sweaty and clammy as she anxiously wrung them together, walking just a few steps farther in and setting her bag down before turning to face him at last.

His eyes were hidden by his bangs and she desperately wished that he would just look up. "Hey, InuYasha." She said softly, knowing that her voice betrayed exactly how she was feeling. He turned his head to the side, still avoiding her eyes.

"Yo."

She could tell she'd been dismissed just by the tone of his voice and his body language alone. He wanted her gone. She didn't bother to hide the look of hurt on her face. She wanted to cry, she wanted to sit him into oblivion, but instead she just held the feelings in and turned to Miroku, who'd been watching the interaction with an uncharacteristic scowl on his face.

"Where is Sango?" she asked politely, barely keeping herself together.

"Out in the fields, picking herbs with Lady Kaede."

"thank you." She nodded. "Come on Shippo, let's go."

Without another word she turned, grabbing the kits hand before walking quickly out of the dark little hut.

"You baka!" The usually amicable monk all but shouted at him as soon as Kagome and Shippo had gotten out of earshot. "weren't we just talking about this? I thought we'd agreed that the first thing you were going to do was beg her forgiveness!" He said exasperatedly, motioning wildly with his hands.

"Pfft. You agreed." The half demon muttered, staring at the empty doorway and wishing that he wasn't such a stupid coward. He was putting up a front, but inside he knew that he really was as much of a baka as Miroku said.

When he'd first gotten back from the past, Miroku had known the minute he'd seen the Hanyou that something was wrong. He'd pulled InuYasha away from the others and had somehow gotten him to spill everything that had happened. The monk was just good like that. He really was the first human, ever, to be a true friend to him. Their friendship was easy. No pressure, no judgement. Miroku treated him just like everybody else. And honestly, when it came to women, Miroku was the man to see. He was a hentai baka, sure, but somehow, he managed to seduce just about any woman that was unlucky enough to cross his path.

So InuYasha had told him everything. From their initial fight to seeing Kagome and Koga that night in the woods, and finally he'd even told him about accidently seeing Kagome naked and how his inner demon had nearly lost control. He was still feeling ashamed over that last part, but from talking to Myoga he knew that the main reason he'd been that close to doing that awful thing was because he was finally coming of age.

"You need to talk to her. Tonight, InuYasha." Miroku said sternly, and InuYasha knew that he was right.

The half-demon nodded slowly, "tonight." He agreed.

The hours passed slowly, InuYasha hadn't moved an inch. He faced the doorway with a hard stare, anxiously awaiting Kagome's return. Miroku had wandered off at some point, presumably to do something lecherous, leaving the Inu completely to his thoughts.

His mind wandered, thinking back to when Kagome had kissed him to stop his transformation into a full demon. He knew that if anyone else had pulled a stunt like that they'd have been a pile of bloody ribbons on the floor. But even in such a state, he knew that he may as well take his own life if he were to hurt her. It seemed so long ago, but he remembered it like it was yesterday.

He still remembered how soft and warm her little lips had felt pressed against his for that all too brief moment. He wished they could go back to that moment now.

He waited a few more minutes before finally deciding that enough was enough, he just couldn't sit still any longer.

He hopped up from his position on the floor and practically stalked outside. The sun had gone down now, dusk falling upon the land in a soft purple haze. From there, he simply used his superior demon senses and followed the strong scent of cherry blossoms. Her scent had many different trails, and he came to the conclusion that she had walked back to the house a few times, turning back before she could ever reach the door. To avoid him, he realized.

He ignored the feeling that rose up inside of him and kept going, knowing that she wasn't far. He could sense her energy, as It was so different from any of the villagers it stood out to him.

As he was walking down the path that led out to the fields, he came upon Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and Shippo as they were all making their way back up to the house for the night. Kagome wasn't with them. As if he'd read the half demon's mind, Miroku pointed back the way they'd come. "She's there, at the spring."

He could feel his cheeks heat up at the thought of seeing her naked again. "She's not…?"

"No, baka," Sango rolled her eyes, a hand posed on her hip supporting a full basket of herbs with an unamused look on her face. "she's not bathing, she just wanted a few minutes to herself is all."

InuYasha sighed, half relieved half disappointed and gave the group a nod in thanks. Without another word he bounded up and over the hill, making for the hot springs where he knew he'd find her. Her scent grew so strong, the smell making his head swim as he drew closer.

She finally came into view, perched prettily on a rock and staring up at the vast expanse of stars that were stretched across the sky. He stood stock still, frozen in place by the overwhelming force of emotions that came from seeing her again.

He hated this feeling. He hated not being in control. He hated not knowing what to do. And right now, he was completely lost. This girl held so much of him in the palm of her hand, and she didn't even know it. Unable to help himself, he studied her as she lay so enraptured by the glittering sky. But the stars themselves couldn't even begin to compare to the otherworldly beauty that was Kagome.

Taking a deep breath, he was finally able to move again. He slowly started to walk towards her, his feet moving one after the other as if in slow motion. His mind was in a frenzy, still unsure of what exactly he was going to say to her. It was too late to worry about that now though; she had noticed his cautious approach and gave him a little smile. That look sent his heart flying against his ribs painfully, twisting in his chest. Even after everything, she was still smiling for him.

He sat down beside her on the rocks close to the spring, the steam curling up into the air and pleasantly raising the temperature of the cool night. He was silent for a few minutes, eyes downcast, watching the gentle churn of the water beneath them. Her sweet scent was intoxicating. It flooded his senses and almost made him feel dizzy from how strong it was.

"Kagome, I…"

"InuYasha…"

They both started at the same time, and he finally had enough courage to meet her eyes, immediately drawn into their pull and before he even consciously knew what he was doing, he was crushing her against him in a tight hug, her head cradled into the crook of his neck. Her small hands slid over his shoulders, pulling him even closer. He could feel her hot breath on his neck, and it sent shivers racing down his spine. Without thinking, he flattened his large hands across her back, trailing down to wrap around her slim waist.

"I'm…sorry." His voice was quiet, face buried against her hair, inhaling deeply of her sweet fragrance. He pulled back to look her in the eyes. "For everything." He said seriously, hand coming up to stroke the side of her head affectionately. Her eyes were wide, glistening with unshed tears.

"InuYasha… I'm sorry too! I should never have… I … I should have never kissed Koga." She hung her head against his chest, hiding her face in embarrassment. He only tightened his hold on her slight frame at the mention of the stupid wolf demon. He wanted to erase that fucking weak ass kiss from her memory, completely replace it with his own lips and teeth and tongue; he wanted to show her what a real kiss was like.

"No. You have nothing to be sorry about. As stupid as it sounds… it made me realize how much of a baka I've been." He touched her forehead against his own, loving how close to her he felt in that moment. He felt like he was finally doing something right when he saw the smile on Kagome's face.

"oh InuYasha… I was so afraid that you'd be angry with me!" She sniffled, looking up at him with eyes that shone like exquisite polished wood. He was enraptured by them. Her plump lips parted, a pink little tongue darting out to wet them. It was like time stopped for a moment. The wind stopped blowing, the sounds of water faded, and it was only the two of them in the entire world.

"Never. Kagome, I… I know that so much has happened but, I'm not too late, am I?" He was surprised by the tenderness in his own voice. He waited with bated breath for her answer, knowing that he was more vulnerable right now than he had ever been. His whole heart was laid out before her.

"InuYasha…" her eyes softened, a blush coloring her cheeks. "You could never be too late. I like to think I'm strong but…when it comes to you…well… I think no matter what I'd always be yours."

His heart soared and as he looked into her eyes and saw the tenderness there, he couldn't hold back any longer. One large claw-tipped hand came up to cradle her soft face, while the other tightened its grip on her waist and pulled her in close. Their lips met each other halfway, crashing together with such intensity that Kagome moaned breathily into the kiss, setting InuYasha ablaze with sweet fire. Taking the lead, he traced his tongue across her lips coaxing them open hotly, his passion for her growing with each passing second.

Their tongues brushed each other's tentatively, sparks shooting through his blood when he finally got his first true taste of her. She tasted like a wild strawberry picked fresh off the bush, juicy and ripe and perfectly inviting. He dominated her mouth, but he did it slowly, with passion, showing her just how good he could make her feel with something as simple as a kiss. It was like her body already knew him in this way, with every touch, every brush of their lips it was like she bloomed for him. With his sensitive demon nose, he could smell the faint scent of arousal drift off her skin, further intoxicating him and he groaned aloud, finally breaking their kiss before he completely lost control. Panting, he pressed their foreheads together and screwed his eyes shut, begging his inner demon to recede again. Her breath ghosted over his lips, and he wanted to just say screw it and kiss her some more. He burned for her. Every nerve in his body was on fire from her sweet little mouth.

Never, in all his years had anyone made him feel like this before. Not even… Kikyo.

"Did I… did I do something wrong?" her voice sounded so small. His eyes shot open, completely dismissing any thoughts of the dead Priestess as he looked at her down at her.

"No, it's just… so easy to lose control around you, Kagome. Its like you get me drunk, just off your scent alone. My demon side he's… getting stronger now." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he did his best to explain. "I'm coming of age." He hoped that she would understand, but of course she didn't. she was just a human after all, she knew very little about demons. But then again, they were both in the same boat on that one. He had only learned of this a few days ago himself, when he'd finally asked Myoga if he had any idea why he'd been so agitated lately.

Her eyes shined up at him in confusion, silently asking him to continue.

"I'm coming up on my two hundred and fiftieth year, I'll be fully matured and then it will be…" he cleared his throat awkwardly, inwardly cringing at himself. "so, it will be uhh… time for me to take a mate." His face was on fire as he watched her eyes widen in understanding.

"Ohhhhhh so that's why you've been so moody lately!" she said playfully, a smile dancing on her lips.

"yeah… I guess so." He couldn't help but chuckle, relieved at how lightly she was taking this.

She sighed happily, laying her head against his chest and he drew her a bit closer, arms coming up to wrap around her shoulders again. They held each other in silence for a while, just basking in each other's nearness while they had the chance. Slowly, the rest of the world started to fade back in. But as he caught sight of the bare skin of her thigh, the pink slip she was wearing having rode up her impossibly long legs he couldn't help but say something that had been on his mind ever since he'd first laid eyes on her that afternoon.

"You look so pretty today." The half demon said softly, loving the way it felt to have her molded against him. "I like… whatever you call this." He used the tip of his claw to snip at the soft pink fabric she was swathed in, golden eyes flicking back up to examine her face. She blushed cutely under his gaze, looking shy.

"We call it a dress in my time." She said bashfully, her fingers worrying at the hem of said garment. "you really like it?" she smiled.

He could swear that his heart skipped a beat when she smiled at him like that. That smile could set the world on fire with its brightness.

"I really, really like it." He emphasized this by reaching out to place his hand on to exposed skin of her thigh tenderly. He almost groaned at how soft it was, like spun silk or a butterfly's wing. Then he pulled her in for another searing kiss that left them both breathless.

A/N: I couldn't resist! This is definitely one of my favorite chapters so far, lots of angst and a little bit of InuKag fluff! I hope you guys enjoy! Just wanted to say thanks to LadyCash and ihavetoriblenews for their sweet reviews, you guys are awesome! As always thanks for reading