Chapter 1

It was a beautiful, balmy afternoon in the Feudal Japan, a light breeze ruffling the grassy hillside. On the side of the hill, three people reclined, resting and recovering from their latest exertions. Curled into the side of one of the girls was a small kitsune, dreaming happy dreams of adventure. The other member of their party, a half dog demon with long white hair and small triangular ears on top of his head, lounged on a branch of a tree nearby. That morning they had battled a particularly nasty green demonic monster with glowing eyes and fangs that dripped something that looked like blood. They had eventually won the battle and had been rewarded with another shard from the Jewel, but it had left them wounded and exhausted.

Now with their wounds cleaned and bandaged, they were able to rest. The clash seemed like a faraway memory, as they enjoyed the calm of the afternoon, the warmth of the sun, and the fresh fragrance of the grass. As the sun began it's decent onto the horizon, the girl named Kagome sat up and shook out her long, dark mane, disturbing the kitsune Shippou at her side. She patted his head fondly as she frowned at the sun, then stood and stretched. As she grabbed her oversized pack and slung it over her shoulder, said quietly to her companions, "Well, gotta run. I'll see you guys in a few days!"

Her hopes of this last statement not reaching the sensitive ears of their companion in the tree were dashed when she saw a flash of red and white land in front and the familiar, "Where do you think you're going?" came from his sneering mouth. Amber eyes flashed at hers, trying as usual, to intimidate her with his fierceness.

Kagome sighed. 'Not this again.' However, since the well was in the opposite direction to where he stood, she ignored him, turned on her heel and walked away from him.

It took him a minute to register that she was not arguing with him, as she usually did. Not a good sign. How could he win if she wouldn't even play? This is not the way it's supposed to work. She was supposed to tell him she'd be back in a week, then he'd tell her she could be gone for 2 days, and then they'd argue for a while. Eventually they'd agree on 3 days, and then he usually found some reason to go and bug her after a day or so.

He couldn't help it ~ it got lonely without her. He just felt so empty every time he saw her disappear down the well. It drove him crazy to think she had another life on the other side ~ a life without him. And it always seemed that she couldn't wait to get away from him to go to it.

Kagome wasn't such a fool that she thought that would be the end of it. She wasn't the least bit surprised when he overtook her and once again blocked her path. "Inuyasha, please move. I don't have time to play this game today."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "Where are you going in such a hurry, bitch? You didn't mention that you had one of those "tests" today."

Another sigh, as she stepped to the side of him and kept walking. "I don't have a test. I have a dance to go to at my school." She loved dancing. She didn't care whom it was with; it always made her feel alive.

He spun and followed her, frowning. "What is a dance?"

"Inuyasha, surely you know what dance means! It's a kind of a festival, where they play music and everyone dances." This wasn't going too badly, not yet anyway.

Inuyasha did know about dancing. He had been to a festival at Kagome's family's shrine, and saw people dancing there. He brightened. "I will go with you, then." The thought of having Kagome with her arms around his neck and her head on his chest as they swayed to the music was very appealing to him, though he would rather give Tetsusiaga to his brother than tell her that.

"Why would you want to do that?" she asked out of curiosity. "This isn't like a regular festival. There won't be food booths there. Just dancing."

He was in front of her again. "So I can drag you back when it's over, of course." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, looking (so he thought) very formidable.

Kagome sighed, "Inuyasha, you can't go. You'd have to wear shoes. Anyway, I have a date." She said that last bit very quickly, hoping by some miracle that it would get past him. Ha!

He knew what a date was, too. She had explained to him before when she was supposed to have gone on one with Houjou, but was unable to make it because she was busy fighting for her life. A low growl came from his throat, and he shook with something like anger. He felt like a knife had just twisted in his chest. "NO! You are not taking time off of looking for shards so you can.can."

Kagome's anger flared. He didn't own her! According to him, he didn't even like her. What did he care what she was doing or who she was doing it with? But she refused to take his bait. Pushing down the string of insults she was ready to hurl at him, she just smiled sweetly at him. She reached up and stroked his cheek with her hand, and he didn't try to stop her. She reached up further and scratched lightly behind his ears. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha."

Oh the ecstasy of that feeling! It took every ounce of strength he had to keep from closing his eyes and purring. He had won, and he this was her way of apologizing to him! So intent on these feelings was he that he didn't notice that she while she was scratching his ears, she had slowly edged them around so that her back was to the well, and he was on the other side of her.

And he almost missed the rest of what she was saying, "From now on I will try to schedule my social life so that my dates coincide with yours and Kikyo's. So we won't lose any more valuable time. Maybe we can even double date." And with that she turned and covered the rest of the short distance to the well.

Inuyasha stood there sputtering, but recovered in time to see her dropping the pack into the portal. One giant leap, and he had put himself between Kagome and the passage back to her world. He opened his mouth to let go with a barrage, but only got out "Bitch." before she cocked her head to the side and said calmly, "Sit!" She then stepped over him and leapt into the well.

TOP

Chapter 2

Kagome pulled herself and her pack out of the well. She was grateful that she had used up most of the supplies that had been in it, because she was still worn out from the morning's battle, and didn't think she could have hefted the thing fully loaded. She was feeling a little guilt about leaving Inuyasha like she did. She didn't feel badly about going home ~ she did still have a life her for gods sake~ but she hadn't even let him play his favorite bargaining game concerning how much time she was allowed to remain in her world until she had to return to his. Oh, well, a few extra packages of Ramen and a chocolate bar or two should smooth that over.

'But the date thing.' her brow furrowed; she knew he wouldn't be happy about that. But she was so tired of playing that game with him! The "I don't want you but no other guy can have you either," game. The "you're so inferior to Kikyo that I don't know why you even bother, but I'll rip any guy that comes near you to shreds game." And with that thought, her guilt melted away (mostly), and she turned her thoughts to getting ready for her "date."

Her date. Ugh! Houjo was a nice guy, and really handsome, but he could be so boring! Of course, when a normal day involves fighting for your life with some homicidal youkai, boring should be a nice change. She hadn't really wanted a date at all. She and her friends had planned on going as a group. But then they all got dates, and Kagome didn't want to go alone. So, when Houjo showed up at her house with the latest of his gifts to "make her feel better," she hinted that she would be going to the dance alone. He renewed his request to escort her, and she accepted.

'And he's nice to me!' she reflected as she stepped into the shower. As she wet her hair and lathered it with her herbal shampoo, she inhaled deeply, enjoying the warm, moist heat and fresh scent. 'He never calls me stupid or useless, much less "bitch"! And he's always thoughtful and considerate. And he would never try to strong-arm me into staying somewhere when I had somewhere else I needed to be.' She rinsed off, and grabbed a fluffy towel to dry herself off. 'And most importantly, when he looks at me with that gentle gaze, I know it's me he sees. Not someone who's soul I'm supposed to have inherited, and who wants to suck him into hell with her!"

She slipped on her undergarments and her dress while she was still in the bathroom out of habit. It was a new ritual that she had formed ever since Inuyasha had started coming over to her world to collect her. Having little regard for the civilities of doors or curtains, he would probably not think twice about coming through her window no matter what stage of dress she was in. She went to her bedroom and spun in front of her mirror, watching as the skirt flared in a circle around her body, then swished lightly before falling into gentle folds on her thighs. The perfect dancing dress! Oh how she loved to dance! She picked up her blow dryer and aimed it at her wet tresses, brushing and humming "Dancing Queen" to herself while smiling at the girl who faced her from within the mirror.

Inuyasha slumped by the well. He had long ago recovered from Kagome's "Sit!" But he sat there brooding, still stinging from their conversation, if he could call it that. And the fact that as she disappeared from his world into her own, the last thing he had heard her shout was, "Don't you dare follow me!"

"Feh! As if!" Ok, maybe he would have. Probably he would have. He was still trying to think of some danger she might be in that he should go and protect her from. For her own good. And the shards she carried. Like that "date" of hers..

Ouch! That knife twisted in his gut again. It was probably that Hobo guy! A growl came, unbidden, from deep within his throat. He had seen that guy look at Kagome. Gazing at her, admiring her beautiful face and luscious body. Looking smug, almost proprietorial when she spent time with him. How dare he look at his...his.. Shard detector that way? She didn't have time to spend with jerks like that!

And he was always bringing her stupid little gifts, or bouquets of flowers. And trying to engage her in conversation, asking her how she was feeling and what her dreams were. Didn't that guy have a life? Hmmm...maybe that's why she was always so anxious to go back...

The knife in his gut was twisting deeper, delving into his soul. His ears drooped, and even though his stomach growled for lack of food, he couldn't bring himself to stand up and go in search of dinner. He should have felt elation from the success of their morning battle, but instead all he felt was gnawing emptiness. Kagome...HIS Kagome was back in her future world, laughing and giving her smiles to this "date" of hers, and he was stuck sulking by this old, decrepit well. He was hit with the sudden realization that he could lose her. That she would complete what was left of that stupid jewel, then disappear back through the well to be with that ridiculous human male as her mate.

He heard footsteps on the path, and looked up to see Miroku coming toward him. "Kaede told me to come tell you that dinner is ready, if you were still here. Which I see you are. Coming?"

Inuyasha didn't answer. Instead, he said in a low growl, "She's on a date."

Miroku chucked lightly. Watching Inuyasha and Kagome with their "will they/won't they" relationship was his favorite diversion, after groping young women of course. He honestly cared for his friend's happiness, and wished for them to admit their feelings to each other. But in the meantime, it was endlessly fun to torment Inuyasha about Kagome. "With Houjo?"

Grunt.

"Well, he's a nice guy and good looking, too. They'll make beautiful children together!" He quickly sidestepped what he knew would be a painful hit to the back of his head. "Well, don't worry. It's not as if he's very nice to her...oh, wait ~ he is, isn't he? But then, he calls her stupid and ugly all the time... Oh, wait! That would be you! Well, never mind ~ he's not all that attractive. Oh, yeah, he is!" Miroku was fairly dancing to evade the angry hanyou now.

When they finally stopped for breath, he said "So, are you going to go and ruin her date with him, or are you going to just let nature take its course."

Inuyasha tried for a glare, but only came up with a sick grimace. "She said not to follow her."

"Since when has that stopped you?"

Inuyasha merely stood there, ears flat, thinking of how she had fairly dismissed him. She hadn't even argued with him. It almost reminded him of Sesshomoru, the way she acted as if he wasn't even worth the bother of a discussion.

Miroku had the feeling he was losing this one, "Hmm, I remember how Kagome said they dance in her time. Maybe I could go through the well and give it a try! It looked like you get to be really close to your partner, with your hands in all kinds of intimate places."

That got him! "That bastard better not even think..." was the last thing Miroku heard as Inuyasha jumped up like a scalded dog (pardon the pun!), and leapt over the side of the well without touching down till he hit the bottom and looked up to see darkness overhead. He was in Kagome's family's well house.

Back in the Feudal Era, Miroku again chuckled to himself, "Mission accomplished."

TOP

Chapter 3

Things to do to keep from losing your mind....

Kagome pulled her hair up loosely into a pretty clip, leaving a few tendrils to fall around her face. She wanted it up off her neck because it could get really hot while she was dancing. She was in such a good mood! 'Dancing all night without a shard in sight! Hey, that rhymed!' There would be no slavering demons trying to kill her (at least she hoped not!), no rude impatient dog demons insulting her, no pervert monks trying to cop a feel of her backside.Just music and fun, under the stars! She sang softly to herself:

Anybody could be that guy The lights are low and the music's hiiiiiiiigh.

She picked up a fresh scented cologne from her dressing table, sprayed it into the air, then twirled into it, still singing. Bad idea.

"Eeech!" she spat! "Yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck, YUCK!" She had managed to get a mouthful of the airborne cologne while hitting a high note. She grabbed up a glass of water she had on her bedside table, and took a big swig, then ran to the bathroom and spit it into the sink. Her mouth still tasted awful, but was a little better.

Hands on either side of the sink, she looked up at herself in the mirror. The girl who looked back had red, watery eyes and tears rolling down her cheeks. Damn! She grabbed some tissue, and blotted the tears. Back to her room to touch up her make-up.

Just then, Souta called up the stairs, "Kagomeeeeeeeee! Your DATE is here!" She thought she might have heard a bit of disapproval in his voice. Knowing Inuyasha was his hero, she knew why. She checked the clock.

'Hmmph! Ten minutes early!' she huffed to herself. 'Of course, I suppose it's better than when Inuyasha comes days early and expects me to drop everything to return with him immediately!' She called out, "Be down in a few minutes!"

When she finally made her appearance, she once again looked fresh~faced and lovely. Houjo gazed up at her as if she were a goddess descending from on high. He couldn't believe his good fortune! An entire evening with this amazingly beautiful girl, and in front of all their friends to boot. Everyone would surely know that they were a pair. And hopefully tonight he would find something interesting to talk to her about, so he wouldn't bore her silly.

"Good evening, Kagome," he said, blushing slightly. "You look beautiful." He held out a gift bag.

"Thank you, Houjo-kun." Kagome, for her part, blushed furiously. She wished he would stop bringing her all these gifts. She never knew what to do with them. She silently cursed her grandfather for all the stupid illnesses he claimed she had. If only he would tell everyone she had terrible allergies and had to live on a strict diet of chocolate and instant ramen. Then she could at least feed her gifts to Shippo and Inuyasha.

She opened the bag to find a little metal cylinder with a lid. Frowning, she took off the top, and was greeted with the pleasant aroma of rosemary and lavender.

"It's an aroma-therapy candle. Good for soothing the nerves and promoting better sleep," he explained.

Mmmmm. maybe he could keep bringing her gifts after all. "Thank you, Houjo- kun. It's lovely." She turned to see Souto, arms crossed on his chest (he must have learned that from a certain half dog-demon!) and watching them disapprovingly. Handing him the bag, she said, "Will you take this to my room, please? We need to get going if we're going to get to dinner."

Souta harrumphed at her, ('Wow, he really is taking this hero-worshipping thing a bit too far! Next thing I know, he's going to be wearing all red and refusing to cut his hair.') but took the bag and headed up the stairs. Kagome grabbed a long swathe of soft fabric and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Ready, Houjo-kun?"

He offered her his arm, and the two of them went out the door. From the staircase, Souta scowled. 'Inuyasha is so much cooler than that idiot! And I know my sis likes him. Why does he have to have that stupid dead woman following him around?"

By the time Inuyasha emerged from the well on Kagome's side, the sun had set and the sky was painted in great gashes of red, gold, and purple. The Hanyou stepped cautiously out of the well house, not wanting to encounter any stray worshippers who might scream at the sight of him, or worse yet, want to play with his ears. He sniffed around a bit, but although Kagome's scent was fresh, it was clear that she was no longer there. There was another unfamiliar scent along with hers ~ that of a male. And a male that was obviously glad for her company. Inuyasha let out a low, threatening growl, but of course, it was lost on its intended victim, as he was long gone. And he had taken Kagome with him.

He put his nose to the ground intent on following the scent, but when he reached the curb he swore under his breath. The scents of Kagome and her "date" ended there, meaning that they had left in one of those noisy metal things with wheels. Now what?

Just then, Souta came out of the house. "She's already gone." He said it a little resentfully, but that was lost on the frustrated hanyou.

Inuyasha didn't waste time on greetings. "She said this dance thing is at her school. Where is that?"

Souta eyed him for a minute, considering the best way to handle this. He might be only eight, but he's not stupid. He is very well aware that jealousy is a powerful motivator, especially to Inuyasha. "Why do you want to know?"

Inuyasha floundered for a moment, but fell back on the old standard, "So I can protect her and the shards, of course."

'Hmmmph. Yeah, right! These teenagers are so stupid!' "Why? Did you see a demon sneak up through the well?"

"Well...no." Inuyasha reluctantly admitted.

"I think she should be ok. We don't have many demons hanging around in modern Tokyo. And Houjo should be able to protect her from anything else that comes along. He's real good at sports." He also thought his sister could probably tongue-lash anyone into wishing they were never born, but he left that bit out. If one didn't know better, they would think he had been taking lessons in tormenting their hanyou friend from Miroku. "Anyway, she isn't at the dance yet. They went out to dinner first."

"Dinner? Why would they go "out" for dinner? Why didn't they eat it here?" Now he had something else to worry about. 'Are they having one of those picnic things Kagome likes so much? Just the two of them?' Someone had just taken the knife and heated it before again twisting it in his gut.

The younger boy rolled his eyes. Inuyasha was much older than he was, but sometimes he could be so dumb. "They went to a fancy restaurant for dinner." When the hanyou gave him a confused look, he elucidated, "It's a place where you go and sit at little tables with candles and romantic music and they cook and serve dinner to you. At least, that's what the place they went to is like. It's my sister's favorite restaurant." He watched Inuyasha's face while he explained, and saw confusion replaced with something like panic mixed with anger. He was going to add, "Houjo likes my sister a lot, to take her to such a romantic place," but decided against it. He didn't want the guy to have a meltdown.

"How do I get there?" Inuyasha asked through clenched teeth.

"How should I know? I don't drive!"

Inuyasha began to pace out of frustration. He had to find them! He wasn't sure what he'd do when he did, but he had to find them. Kagome probably wouldn't approve of him slicing the stupid, weak human male in half with his claws. And Tetsiaga probably wouldn't respond because it probably wouldn't consider saving Kagome from her date "protecting" her. He raked his claws through his hair in agitation.

"Ok, so what about the dance? Where is the school?"

Souta motioned vaguely in the direction where the sun had set, "Over there."

But all Inuyasha could see where buildings and more buildings. There was no way he could find her from her scent out there. There were too many other distracting smells, too many other people to mask it. "Which one is it?"

The little boy grinned, "I could show you, but you have to wait till I eat my dinner."

Inuyasha growled in frustration. Souta added, "Like I said, she's not there yet anyway."

"What about your mom and your Grandfather? Are they going to just let you go off into the night with me?"

"Mom's away at her sister's, and Grandfather is already asleep. He's had the flu, so he's slept a lot this week." He said matter-of-factly, turning his back to his audience and heading back into the house. "If you're hungry, I'm heating up noodles with chicken and vegetables."

Back in the house, Souta served up two steaming bowls of food and set them on the table. Inuyasha sniffed tentatively, and finding the aroma delicious, went to work with his chopsticks. The contents of the bowl disappeared in a little less than three minutes. He tipped the bowl to his mouth and greedily drank the broth, letting some of it spill out the sides and onto the table.

Meanwhile, Souta's bowl was still completely full because he had been too busy gaping at Inuyasha. Someone was gonna have to teach him some table manners if he was ever going to come home with Kagome to eat. He couldn't believe that his sister hadn't smacked some into him already.

"Uh, you want some more?"

"No. Let's go."

The boy just sat and stared disbelievingly at his companion. "I'm not done yet. I haven't even started. Do you eat like that when my sister is around?"

"Like what?"

"Like a pig?"

"I don't eat like a pig!" The Hanyou snorted. 'Do I? Is that why she likes the human guy better?'

Souta sighed and turned his attention to his food. Inuyasha tapped his fingers on the table impatiently, but when it had no effect on the boy, he got up to look around. 'I see Kagome isn't the only stubborn one in this family!'

His attention was caught by a group of framed photographs on a wall. He knew about photographs because Kagome had brought her Kam-oo-rah through the well a couple of times, and when she came back after that, she had the pieces of paper with magical images of himself, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kaeda on them. He walked over and studied the photos with interest.

There was one of Kagome's mom in a red kimono, standing with a man in formal dress. They both looked very happy. He could see clearly that the man had Kagome's eyes and and smile. Or rather, she had his. There were some family portraits, too. One was of the family when Kagome was very little, and Souta wasn't in that one. The next was of Kagome's parents, her Grandfather, little Kagome, and baby Souta. There was a similar one with both children older; Souta being maybe 4 or 5 years old. Then last one was the most recent, with a big hole where Kagome's Dad should have been. He felt a little tug in his heart. The smiles in this photo were much sadder than in the others. He knew what that felt like.

In another picture, a family of four sat near the ocean. A skinny little dark haired girl and her mother wore those strange bathing costumes that Kagome had worn in his time. The tiny boy and the man wore short pants. The family was covered with sand, and all of them were smiling cheerfully. Another picture that must have been taken the same day showed the little girl bending down next to very small boy. The boy was crouched by a small pool of water, and had a seashell in his chubby hand, holding it out proudly toward whomever had held the camera. He realized with a start that the little girl was Kagome, and the little boy was Souta. He couldn't help but smile at the little girl, and imagined her with little ears on top of her head, the way she might look he and Kagome had a daughter together. 'Hmph! Where did that come from?'

Moving on to the next photo, he saw a young Kagome, maybe 11 years old, with her raven hair tied into two tail-looking things on the sides of her head, and dressed in a short dress with a flared skirt and a big letter T on the front. She had a long shiny stick with two sort of ball-looking things at the ends held in the air over her head. She had one leg bent in front of her, with her toes pointed and resting on the ground. At her feet were two shiny red and white things that were pouffy like Shippo's tail.

There were pictures of Souta wearing one of those hats Inuyasha sometimes had to wear when he came to visit to cover his ears, holding a long shiny club, or without the hat, but with a black and white spotted ball on the ground in front of him. There were more pictures of Kagome as in different costumes, posed in silly positions, but always with her cheerful smile and shining eyes commanding the attention of the viewer.

The last picture took him by surprise. It had to have been taken fairly recently. Within the last year or two. Kagome looked very much like she did now, maybe a little younger as her figure wasn't quite as "womanly" as it is now. She was dressed in a white, flowing costume that draped her body with some kind of filmy material, and was dotted with flowers. Her hair loosely fell around her shoulders. Her legs were all white, and on her feet were pink shoes, with ribbons that tied them to her ankles.

In this photo was also a boy, with black legs and a long tunic, tied at the waste. He stood behind Kagome with one arm outstretched, and the other (Grrrrrrrrrr) on her slim waist. Kagome was standing (he couldn't believe this) on the very tip of the toes of one of her feet, the other leg stretched out behind her. One arm extended gracefully above her head, the other rested lightly on top of the boy's outstretched hand. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her. The boy, he had decided to ignore. But Kagome was magnificent! So beautiful, so graceful.

So mesmerized was he that he didn't hear Souta's soft footsteps behind him, or even notice his presence until the boy said, "She's pretty, isn't she? She used to be a really good dancer. She was the principal dancer in her company. That's her in a ballet called "Giselle," about spirits of young women who lure their lovers to their deaths." Souta smirked at the irony behind Inuyasha's back.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably, but voiced his first concern, "Who's that guy?"

"I dunno. Just some guy from the company who was playing her lover. Kagome's spirit couldn't bring herself to let her lover die in the end. So I guess he was the lucky guy in the group."

"He was Kagome's lover?"

"No," the boy said impatiently. "It was just a show. You know, like TV or theater. It's not real. It was just for entertainment. Besides, I think that guy likes boys better than girls."

"Oh...Is that what she's doing tonight? That kind of dance?"

"Nu-uh. She doesn't do that anymore."

Inuyasha was still staring at the enchantress in the photograph. "Why not?" even though he knew the answer.

"She doesn't have time anymore. She's can barely keep up at school, let alone do anything extra. She's always with you." He watched the hanyou as he said this, and saw sadness in his usually proud eyes. "Are you ready to go?"

Inuyasha shook himself out of the melancholy he had fallen into, and remembered why he was there. Without answering, he put his hand on the boy's shoulder and lead him out the door. Once outside, he took his charge onto his back, and leapt off into the night in the direction the boy had indicated.

TOP

Chapter 4

Kagome studied her surroundings while waiting for Houjo to return from the men's room "to wash his hands." The atmosphere of the restaurant was something out of a dream: soft, dreamy music, flickering candlelight, intoxicatingly fragrant tropical flowers, a cozy fire in a small fireplace nearby their table.Kagome nestled back into her plush chair, getting a little too comfortable. She stifled a yawn and resisted the urge to stretch. Maybe she should have taken a nap when she got home.

She still wanted more than anything (well, almost anything) to go to the dance, but if she didn't perk up, she wasn't going to make it past the soup course. It wasn't going to be easy if she had to sit and listen to Houjo prattle on about various medical discoveries, and the benefits of combining holistic methods along with "Western Medicine."

Hmph. She really needed a change of attitude. 'He really is sweet. And cute. And kind. What's wrong with me?' How could any girl in her right mind rather be with a rude, arrogant, ignorant jerk compared to a nice guy like Houjo? 'I'm going to concentrate on being just with him tonight. I'm going to devote myself to finding something we can talk about that doesn't center on my supposed illnesses! There has to be something I we can talk about.

But what? It's not as if I can tell him about my day of dodging claws that were bigger than me, or discuss the best way to eradicate a demon and retrieve it's shard without killing it's innocent host. But still.there has to be something. After all, he seems to like me. Maybe I can like him back. It would make things between Inuyasha and I easier, that's for sure. Then it wouldn't so painful to see him with Kikyo. I could even be happy for them instead. Hmmm.....or maybe not. But I can have a good time tonight and not think about them...He's probably with her right now...Stop it, Baka!! Think about the dance!'

When Houjo returned, he smiled down at the pretty girl sitting at his table. She had looked a little tired when they sat down, but seemed to have brightened up now. She met his eyes and smiled. 'There has to be something we can talk about. Something in common...Oh, school, or course!' Before he could start in on a monologue about the new breakthroughs in acupuncture using lasers in place of needles, she asked, "So, what's been happening at school? What have I missed besides a lot of class time?"

As it turned out, dinner was quite pleasant. The food was delicious, of course, but the company was good too. After she brought up school, Houjo seemed to settle down a bit. He didn't seem so nervous. Soon, they were deep in a discussion about various classmates and some of the funny things that had happened in her absence. He did some very good impressions of a couple of their teachers that had Kagome laughing so hard she had tears rolling down her cheeks. 'This is nice for a change. Tears from laughter, not sadness or fear.'

A woman dressed in a peasant blouse and full skirt draped with numerous colorful scarves stopped next to their table. She had her long, dark hair tied into another scarf, and she held a shallow basket full of long stemmed roses over one arm. "Would the gentleman like to gift the lady with a beautiful rose?"

Houjo nodded and gave the woman a folded bill. She selected a perfect rose bud, long stemmed, with crimson petals that looked like velvet. "You two make such a lovely couple! I wish you an enchanted evening." And she was gone.

Houjo offered the flower to a blushing Kagome, who took it to her nose and inhaled deeply. "It's lovely, thank you." She was slightly disappointed that it didn't have much fragrance, but it was beautiful, and the thought was very sweet.

"Ummm. Kagome? I hope you don't mind my saying this, but you really look beautiful tonight." He colored slightly, but he didn't look away.

Kagome, now a even pinker than before, said, "Thank you, Houjo-kun." and thought, 'That's nice to hear, especially since I hear opinions to the contrary so often.'

"I mean, you always look pretty," he continued, " but you really look especially nice tonight. You definitely don't look like you've been, you know... unwell. In fact, if anything, you look healthier than ever! You seem to even have a little tan and your arms are more muscular than I remember them being before. Of course, you usually wear longer sleeves."

Kagome was really blushing now. She sweatdropped, and resisted the urge to scratch the back of her head. "Uh, well, uh, that must be all the camping I have been doing lately!" she stammered.

And so hey also discovered they had something else in common. Houjo said he loved camping. And while Kagome didn't actually do it for pleasure, she still did it a lot.

"You camp? Really?" Houjo was amazed. "And that's ok, with you being so, um, ill all the time?"

"Uh, yeah. The, ummmm...doctors say it's good for me. The fresh air, I mean. The air in Tokyo is too dirty, I guess." 'I KNOW. And noisy. Inuyasha is right about that.' But then she scolded herself, 'But we're not concerned with what the dog-boy thinks tonight, are we?'

"Wow, I never would have guessed!" He had a gleam in his eye, and suddenly Kagome knew with certainty and a sinking heart that she would soon be gifted with state-of-the-art flashlights and pocketknives. Oh well, at least they would be useful. Hopefully, state-of-the-art would mean lightweight, she thought when she remembered her already overstuffed pack.

They traded camping stories, carefully edited on Kagome's part. Souta took Shippo's parts, her mom took Sango's parts, and her grandfather took Miroku's parts (with the groping parts completely left out, of course). No one took Inuyasha's parts, even carefully edited, he was too unbelievable. 'And besides,' she thought stubbornly, 'I'm not thinking about him tonight.'

Houjo was telling about his latest trip with his family, when Kagome let her mind drift to her latest "experience in the wild," which was this morning. Wow, was that really just this morning??? It seemed a whole world away. Which of course, it was. That great, slavering beast had nearly chomped little Shippo! And what was the goopy brown stuff dripping from it's mouth, anyway? Eeeech! She shuddered involuntarily.

"Kagome, are you ok? Have you had enough? I could take you home if you're not feeling well. Maybe he dance is too much for you in your condition."

Oh, gods, no! Miss the dance? No way! "I'm fine, Houjo-kun. Thanks for worrying about me, but I'm ok. The doctors say dancing is good for me, too. Strengthens the heart!" She smiled reassuringly.

"Wow, Kagome-sama. You are so brave!" he said in awe.

Kagome's mind drifted to this morning again. Had she really shoved that log into the jaws of that beast to keep it from biting down on the little kitsune? She hadn't been feeling brave at the moment. She could only think about saving her friend. She sighed and thought to herself, 'Brave? You have no idea!'

The two figures flying through the night sky were both quiet, each lost in his own thoughts. Souta was thinking pretty much what any small boy in his position would be thinking, "Wow! This is sooooo cool!" as they leapt from building to tree to building.

Inuyasha was deep in contemplation. He thought he knew a lot of things about Kagome. She is Kikyo's reincarnation. Or rather, she possesses Kikyo's soul. There is a huge difference. Where a Reincarnate would be in most respects, identical to the original, Kagome was almost nothing at all like Kikyo. Kikyo is only a small part of Kagome's soul. Kagome was strong and brave and beautiful, but she was so much more! She was warm and caring and she did some of the most amazing things. Like bringing him little treats from her world, like caring whether he was cold or not. Like giving him reasons to laugh and feel joy.

Joy he couldn't remember feeling since he was a child, before he knew he was different and alone in the world. The only times he felt alone anymore were when Kagome disappeared through the well into her own world and left him behind.

But he had never known that Kagome danced. He couldn't get that photograph out of his mind. He tried to imagine her dancing in that costume, only he was the boy dancing with her instead of that wimpy guy posing with her. It was hard to do, because he had never even heard of ballet before tonight, let alone seen it. He would have to work up the courage to ask her to dance for him sometime soon.

Souta broke his train of thought when he pointed toward a low set of buildings, three stories high, in a U formation. "That's Kagome's school. Kagome said the dance is outside in the courtyard."

Inuyasha set them down in a big, old tree just inside the courtyard ~ close enough to observe the dancers, but far enough away that (he hoped) Kagome wouldn't sense him. That ground looked especially hard, and he didn't want Kagome to "Sit!" him onto it.

He made sure Souta was settled in a safe spot, and then turned his attention to the dancers. A quick survey of the dance floor told him that Kagome wasn't there yet. There were lots of couples, but none of them held any interest for him. He just sat and watched them perform strange body gyrations to the beat of the music and waited.

Souta, on the other hand, thought this was the coolest thing ever. He was higher than he had ever been, outside an airplane. Or maybe Tokyo Tower, but he hadn't been there since his dad died. He could see everything from up here! He wasn't the least bit interested in watching the dancing below, but there were plenty of other things to observe.

Inuyasha was just beginning to wonder if Kagome had changed her mind and gone home, when he suddenly caught her scent (mixed with what? Something spicy and floral?) and heard her unmistakable laughter. He loved her laughter, but he didn't hear it often enough. Somehow, instead, he always managed to lose his nerve and say something stupid, something that made her angry instead.

He looked down to see her, and his jaw almost hit the ground. There she was, her hand lightly resting on the arm of her date. But although that caused him to bristle, it wasn't what was holding his attention. It was her appearance!

She was wearing a dress that emphasized every curve of her comely body, hugging her torso, and flaring into a full skirt that fell into soft folds a few inches above her knees. The wide scoop neckline dipped low enough to reveal a just a hint of cleavage, and it had very short, cap sleeves which accentuated her sinewy arms.

The deep garnet red of the material set off her smooth creamy skin and the flush of her cheeks as she laughed in peals of delight at whatever that idiot was saying. Why couldn't he make her laugh like that? And what was she laughing about, anyway? He couldn't make out what the guy was saying through all the other noise, but he could tell that he was speaking in an unnaturally high-pitched voice, and seemed to be scolding her~ his eyebrows knitted and his finger shaking at her. But Kagome continued to laugh with glee, holding her sides, tears spilling down her lovely face. He finally managed to catch a snatch of their conversation as they passed below the tree:

"Oh, Houjo-kun! That's perfect! You sound just like her!" Kagome gasped, wiping her eyes delicately with her fingers, trying not to smear her eye make-up.

'Houjo-kun?' Inuyasha growled inwardly. He had thought that she might sense his presence, but she was too busy cackling for that! 'Feh' he thought. But he didn't even convince himself.

TOP

Chapter 5

As Kagome and Houjo entered the courtyard, they were instantly flocked by friends greeting them, gushing about how nice they looked, "Ooooooh! You make the cutest couple!" Houjo beamed, Kagome sweatdropped. She loved her friends but she didn't really like being the center of attention. Especially their matchmaking attention.

Couldn't they find a more deserving candidate for their interest? Like someone who wanted it. Or someone who had done something really bad in a past life? She briefly amused herself by imagining setting her friends on Kikyo. "Ooooooh, Kikyo, you and Naraku make suuuuuch a cute couple? Or how about Sessomaru? Or better yet, Jaken?" She smirked in private enjoyment.

"Earth to Kagome, come in Kagome!" Yuri was waving her hand in front of Kagome's face. "Are you still with us?"

Kagome blushed, "Oh, yeah, sorry. I was just thinking...about, um, dancing! When is the music going to start again?"

"Kagomeeeeee! You weren't listening! We were just talking about going to the movies tomorrow! You and Houjo-kun could come! What'da think?"

"Ummm, I don't know," Kagome shifted uncomfortably. "I have so much to catch up on. I'll have to see."

Nanami admonished her, "How can you have so much to catch up on? You're home all the time in bed. You must spend at least some of that time studying! Besides, I heard about that essay you wrote in the High School entrance exams about the Feudal Era! Everyone said you blew the review board away with it. They said it was almost as if you knew it all firsthand!"

Kagome smirked and thought, for the second time that night, 'You have no idea!' but she said, "Well, I didn't do so well with math. I have to retake that one."

The first notes of music started up again, and Kagome instantly latched onto Houjo's hand and dragged him onto the dance floor. She breathed a sigh of relief as she began to lose herself in the beat. It could have been any song, didn't matter. It was her escape. Soon, she was completely immersed in the ecstasy of movement.

Inuyasha was frustrated that he couldn't hear any of the conversation going on between Kagome and her friends. He could see that whatever they were saying, she wasn't enjoying it. 'Feh! Silly cows!' He did notice a small smile cross her face once, but it seemed to be a private smile. He growled when he saw Kagome grab Hobo's hand, but decided she was only doing it to get away from that group of cackling hens.

It was at that point that Souta decided to check out a frizbee caught in one of the tree branches. Inuyasha had completely forgotten that he wasn't alone until he saw the boy out of the corner of his eye, creeping along the branch. He didn't know what the kid was up to, but he knew it wasn't a good idea this far up. He wouldn't likely survive a fall like the half demon would. And Inuyasha was pretty sure Kagome would be very upset at the loss of her only brother. 'Hmph! Unfortunately, it would take a lot more than that to get rid of Sessomaru!" Before he could play out that fantasy in his mind, though, Souta started to lose his grip, and in an instant, was falling toward hard concrete below.

The Hanyou acted quickly. He leapt down to a lower branch and caught the child by the waistband of his pants. He held the the small boy up so that their faces were level and he hissed, "Oi, kid, watch what you're doing! That's not marshmallow down there, you know!" before leaping back up to their previous spot and setting the kid firmly on the branch right next to the trunk. "Stay!" He ordered.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted that frizbee. Thanks for saving me." Souta said meekly.

"Feh" but seeing the toy the boy was after, Inuyasha reached over and tugged it away from the branches that held it, and presented it to his charge. "Now, try to stay out of trouble."

He looked over to see if the incident had attracted any attention, but no one seemed to have noticed. In fact, Kagome didn't seem to be noticing anything as she was completely immersed in the music. He tried not to stare, but couldn't help himself. Her lithe body seemed to almost be a part of the music, moving with graceful fluidity, as if the music would cease if she stopped moving, rather than the other way around.

He gazed, completely captivated as she twirled, swirled her skirts, used her whole body to interpret the sounds that flowed from the speakers and into her. Tearing his attention from her briefly, he noted that what she was doing wasn't much different than anyone else ~ not from the other girls anyway. They all did the same steps and movements as she did, but...what was it. They just didn't seem to feel it the same way, and so, couldn't...what was the word he was looking for. Master it? Was that it? Yes.

Master it. The way Kagome had mastered her bow and arrows when she put her heart into it. She had mastered the music. She became it, and it became her. And all the while, she wore the face of complete ecstasy. He found himself feeling envy for the music ~ for the intimacy it shared with her.

He glanced at her partner. He danced across from her, and it was apparent to the Hanyou that he, too, was appreciating Kagome's movement. It was probably best that the scents of the dancers had mixed so that they were indistinguishable from one another, or he might not have been able to control the impulse to leap down and tear the guy's throat out. Not that it would be fair in any case. Houjo wasn't the only male there who was sending admiring glances her way. Kagome would probably be very cross with him if he decimated half her classmates for committing the deadly sin of leering at her.

But for all appearances, to Kagome, her partner could have been anyone. Or no one. She didn't seem to know, or to care who was across from her. She was lost in her own world. He decided to ignore everyone else and just focus his attention on her. That would be much easier on his nerves, and probably safer for everyone.

When the music finally stopped for a short break, Houjo asked if Kagome wanted something to drink. She smiled gratefully at him and said she would, "I'm just going to sit over here for a rest," she said, indicating a bench at the edge of the courtyard.

Of course, with that one word, Inuyasha found himself imbedded about a foot and a half into the ground. Luckily, he didn't hit the concrete, but the soft grass outside the courtyard. He did cause a loud enough crash that everyone turned in his direction, but since it was dark, and he was fairly deeply imbedded in the ground, they didn't see anything, and so turned their attention back to the dance.

Kagome was squinting into the distance, thinking, "Oh, surely not! He wouldn't!" She got up and started to walk in that direction, but she heard Houjo call to her, and turned to see him standing there with a cup of lemonade for her.

"Did you want to go for a walk?" He asked.

"Oh, no! It's just...that noise! I thought it might have been a, uh, dog or something!

The music started again, this time slow and very romantic, and Houjo offered Kagome his hand. She hesitated a moment, but admonished herself, 'Why not? Why are you saving yourself for someone who has chosen someone else? Someone who's not even alive! How depressing is that? You've been passed over for a dead woman!"

So, she set her empty cup down and followed her date out onto the dance floor. He turned to her and shyly put his hands on her waist. She put her arms around his neck, but kept him at arm's length.

the room is empty

the lights are dim

and my heart wonders

if I'll ever see you again

my tears are hungry

for an open door

when your arms held me

I never felt that way before

The music took her over again. Kagome wondered momentarily if she was under the influence of some Music Demon, the way it seemed to infuse her very soul. But the melody was so soft and mesmerizing that she just let it take her away. Soon, Houjo had tightened his embrace, and she was resting her head on his shoulder, as they swayed to the enchanting strains. With a very long day behind her, Kagome began to feel very drowsy.

I'll be waiting

I'll be watching

under a new moon

the taste of heaven

only happens

once in a blue moon

once in a blue moon

Kagome's mind drifted away. Every time the singer sang "blue moon," Kagome heard "new moon." Her sleepy mind focused on that line, and Houjo's warm embrace became Inuyasha's. She could feel his strong arms surround her, so safe and warm. She was wrapped in his red coat, warm from his body heat, smelling of earth and tree sap. When he was afraid she had been hurt, when all his protective walls were broken down, and it was just the two of them.She sighed deeply and snuggled deeper into his embrace.

do you remember

when the wind blew free

and we fit together

so naturally

I'll be waiting

I'll be watching

under a blue moon

the taste of heaven

only happens

once in a blue moon

if the wind closes a door

it will open another

Houjo couldn't believe how close he and Kagome had become in just one evening. He had been trying for years to get her to be more than just mildly interested in him, and now...he wasn't sure why she had all of a sudden become so affectionate, but he wasn't going to question it. He gazed down at the angel in his arms and felt warmth spread throughout his body. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see couples all around the dancefloor making out with their partners, and he suddenly wanted very badly to kiss her lovely, flushed mouth.

He gently took her chin with his right hand and tipped her face to his. Her eyes closed and her lips parted, and he took that to be permission to proceed. Claiming her lips with his, he was pleasantly surprised that she responded with such eagerness. What he had meant to be a light kiss she responded to with hunger and passion. 'Mmmmmm...Inuyasha...finally...'

I'll be waiting

I'll be watching

under a blue moon

the taste of heaven

only happens

once in a blue moon

In the distance came a bone-chilling howl of ultimate heartbreak. Kagome snapped out of her dream world and looked up at her partner. She blinked at him in horror. "Oh, oh, ohmygod! Oh, Houjo-kun!" she stammered, covering her mouth with her fingers. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...I'm not ready....Ohmygod!" She covered her face with her hands, and excused herself to the ladies room, then bolted.

He thought he had been caught. She had looked right in his direction and was about to walk towards him. He froze and prayed to the gods that she would be distracted and he would be able to get back up into the tree without being noticed. He considered briefly just running away, but remembered Souta up in the tree, and realized he'd have to go back.

The distraction he prayed for came in the form of that idiot that Kagome had chosen to spend her evening with. He brought her something to drink, and her attention was diverted. He got what he had asked for.

He remembered hearing somewhere to be careful of what you asked for ~ that you might get it. In his experience, the gods weren't very kind to him.

When he got back up to the branch Souta was sitting on, the boy asked if he was alright. When Inuyasha said he was and started picking grass and leaves out of his hair, the boy started to laugh. "You look so funny!"

Inuyasha clapped his hand over the boy's mouth, worried that they would be overheard. Wouldn't that be just typical~ escape being discovered after crashing to the ground, only to be found by a small human's cackling!

But then the music had started again, drowning out the sound of laughter to Inuyasha's relief. But it was much different than before. It was much softer and the rhythm was much slower. He suddenly had a very bad feeling. He remembered how people danced to music like this. He saw it at the festival at the shrine. He turned to look down, and sure enough, couples were embracing.

He watched with growing agitation, as Houjo pulled Kagome, HIS Kagome, into his wimpy arms. That had to be enough, right? That gave him the right to leap down and carry her away, didn't it? After he hurt this Hobo jerk. A lot.

But she didn't seem to mind. She rested her cheek on his chest and closed her eyes! 'Ok, maybe she's sleepy. It's been a really long day, and we did have an intense battle this morning. That's it; she's asleep. I should go down and take her out of his disgusting embrace and carry her home. Can't that jerk see she's tired?'

And then the bottom fell out of his world. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. That jerk, that ass who was holding his Kagome took her chin and lifted her lovely face and KISSED her! Kissed her soft, sweet, sensuous lips! The lips that he watched, craved, hungered for but never had the nerve to claim with his own. And this weak, pathetic human just...took them! NOOOOOOOO!

Souta watched, gape-mouthed as Inuyasha reached for the hilt of Tetsiaga, perched to leap, a look of intense fury in his burning amber eyes.

But as quickly as he had reacted, he collapsed again. His entire manner changed as his ears drooped and his body sagged in defeat. His eyes never left the couple, and so he couldn't help but notice that although that guy was kissing Kagome, she was clearly kissing him back. In fact, she seemed to be intensifying the contact. And still, he couldn't tear his gaze from the couple.

TOP

Chapter 6

He had lost her. His life, his love, his home. His reason for waking up in the morning, for breathing in and out. Until that moment, he had never really realized how much he needed her love, depended on her smile to keep him going. That special smile that she only gave to him. It finally occurred to him that he had long since stopped caring about collecting shards for the Jewel's completion and the ultimate wish it would grant him. Instead, it had become the reason to keep her with him. And now...she might as well have aimed her arrow straight at his heart, because like the Shikon no Tama, it had shattered into hundreds of shards. Inside he felt nothing but excruciating pain and gnawing emptiness.

She had chosen that mortal boy. He watched in horrified silence as she hungrily took the boy's kisses, and eagerly returned them with her own. He felt an overwhelming need to release the pain. He couldn't leap down and kill the boy; Kagome had chosen him. And he would rather die a thousand deaths at the hand of his brother than hurt Kagome, so he did the only other thing his instincts told him to do. He threw his head back and yowled a long, heart-wrenching howl of pure anguish.

Souta witnessed this scene with amazement. He watched his hero go from jealous bravado to absolute despair in less than 3 minutes. He gazed down at his sister, and muttered, "Wow, I didn't think she liked him that much."

At the sound of Souta's voice, Inuyasha quieted and turned to face the boy. He couldn't bring himself to look back down at the dancefloor or it's occupants. He took the boy by his waist and leapt off into the night, back toward the shrine and the passage back to his time.

Neither said a word on the way back home. When Inuyasha set down in front of the Higurashi home, he stood at the door with the boy, still not speaking. He didn't trust his voice yet.

It was Souta who broke the silence, "Ano...I'm sorry Inuyasha. I ...she... The little boy launched himself at his broken hero, and hugged him tightly. He just felt his friend needed it.

Inuyasha was surprised at the contact, though he supposed he shouldn't have been. That would have been what Kagome would have done to try and ease his pain any other time. It made sense that her brother would do the same. He took the boy's warmth and returned the hug.

"Uh, Inuyasha?" the boy began quietly. "Could you tuck me in, please?"

"Hmm?" Inuyasha thought, 'tuck in?' Then he remembered his mother, tucking the blankets around his small body, singing softly to him, telling him a story about his great father, kissing him on his forhead. Of course. Just because he was heartbroken didn't mean this kid had to be. After all, he had tried to help him by showing him where his sister was. He nodded, "Hai."

While the little boy bathed and brushed his teeth, Inuyasha crept into Kagome's room and looked around. He wondered if he would be able to face her again. His mind just wouldn't let go of the images of her kissing that...human!

He saw some more photographs scattered about the room; one of her family, one of her with those friends of hers, one of Souta in some kind of sports uniform, a group photo of her classmates, smiling and holding their fingers in a V sign.

His eye caught a flash of red, and he looked over at her dressing table mirror. Tucked into the frame was a series of 5 pictures ~ one of herself with Shippo in her lap, Kagome making that silly V sign, the next one of Sango and Miroku; judging from Sango's expression, probably just before Miroku received a whack from her boomerang. The next one was of everyone together, a little off center, because Kagome had set the kam-oo-rah on the fence, pressed a button, and than ran back to join himself, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kaede. They were all smiling, even himself. There was one of himself that she hadn't shown him before, a curious sort of half smile played on his face. That was probably the shot she got of him when she first took the little metal box out and pointed it in his direction.

The last photo must have been taken by Miroku. It looked as if it had been handled more than the othes, the edges beginning to curl a little. It was himself and Kagome. He was leaned against a tree, eyes gazing down and Kagome's sleeping face. Her head on his shoulder, cheek against his chest, eyes closed in sleep, a small smile on her lips. Her lips.... He took the picture and examined it closely, and felt his heartache renewed. He held the piece of paper to his chest and closed his eyes, willing that day back.

Souta called his name, and he jumped. He hurriedly tucked the photo into the front of his Kimono, and went to tuck the child in for the night.

Souta was surprised at how good Inuyasha was at putting a child to bed. He knelt next to the bed and brought the blankets up to the boy's chin, and asked him if he wanted a story. The boy was a little surprised by the question, but wasn't about to turn down that chance. So, Inuyasha recalled a funny story concerning Shippo and a skunk. When he finished, he said, "I'm sorry, I don't know many songs, and I don't sing much, so can we skip that part for tonight?"

Another surprise for Kagome's young brother. He nodded that it was ok. Inuyasha blushed and turned his head away, "Do you need a kiss on the forhead?" Souta giggled and shook his head. "Ok, then, have happy dreams." He patted the child's head and started to leave, but then he paused. "Souta, make me a promise. Don't tell your sister I was here tonight, ok?"

Souta was disappointed. He wanted to tell his sister how stupid she had been to kiss that dumb guy. How much cooler Inuyasha was. How nice he had been to keep him safe and tuck him into his bed. But Inuyasha had asked for his confidence, and he had to give it. After all, broken or not, he was his hero.

"Promise?" Inuyasha prodded.

"Hai," Souta responded sadly.

The hanyou turned to leave the room, but was stopped once more by a small voice, "Inuyasha?"

"Hai?"

"Do you love my sister?"

A long silence. Then "Hai." And he was gone.

Kagome sat at her desk, trying desperately to focus on the book in front of her. She had unplugged the phone and ignored the periodic peals of the doorbell. Her head ached and her eyes stung with tears she was refusing to shed. She had cried herself to sleep ~ that was enough! Why must her heart continually betray her????? And as if it weren't bad enough that she was hurting, but now she had hurt a really nice guy, too.

Why couldn't she like him like he deserved to be liked by a girl. He was so kind, so gallant? She could still see his face from the night before, all concern and self-loathing, apologizing all over himself for taking advantage of her, for "forcing himself on her." And all she could do was cry.

Why did she care so much for that stupid, arrogant Hanyou? Why couldn't her heart accept the fact that he had made his choice and it wasn't her. 'Oh, gods, what a sap I am! To swear to stay by his side always! Why? It's not as if he wants me there! According to him, I'm weak, useless, ugly and putrid! I'll outlast my usefulness when we complete this silly Jewel, and then give it to him, and he'll tell me to go home where I belong.'

Last night might have been the start of something good, too. She'd had a lovely dinner, lots of fun dancing, and a really nice kiss. Ok, technically she wasn't kissing Houjo, but he didn't have to know that. Why had the sound of some hound baying at the moon stopped her? It was just a dog, doing what dogs do! 'But why was it so dismal? Why did it chill the core of my being? Noone else seemed to even notice.' She remembered the crash outside the courtyard that she had been ready to investigate. 'Was it....surely not. He wouldn't! Why would he?'

The doorbell shrilled again. She glanced quickly out her window and saw 4 black heads standing at her front gate. Oh, gods! I do not want to answer their barrage of questions right now. And I will never get anything done here. I've got to get out of here! But where? Not through the well. Although she could really use the soothing presence of her friend Sango, and Kaede's words of wisdom, she just wasn't ready to face Inuyasha yet. She groaned. It's not as if she could escape any of them. She would have to go to school tomorrow. She had an exam she absolutely had to take. The one she should be studying for right now.

She thought back to the night before, when Houjo brought her home. Standing on her doorstep, he had been so sweet. "Kagome-sama, I am sooo sorry. I can't believe I forced myself on you. Please forgive me." And on and on, acting as if he had defiled her rather than just giving her a sweet kiss. And all she could do was cry. Her heart ached for him too. He didn't deserve to feel guilty. He deserved a girl who really wanted to kiss him that way. Not some girl who couldn't get over a half demon who had chosen to love the lifeless shell of a dead woman!

When she finally found her voice, she tried to tell him it wasn't his fault. "Houjo-kun, I'm the one who's sorry. How could you know? I'm just not ready for this. I've had my heart broken, and I just can't seem to get over it. Please forgive me."

"Who could break your heart, Kagome-sama?" he asked in awe. Who would want anything more than this beautiful girl? "Do you want me to take care of the jerk?"

"No, no, Houjo-kun. It's not his fault, either. Really." 'What is it with guys? They think they can fix everything with physical confrontation.' She thought wryly. Though maybe a session with some boxing gloves and a heavy bag would do her some good. Or maybe a couple of hours with her bow and arrows might help. It was worth a try.

"I understand. I'm sorry I pushed you. I will be happy to just be your friend for now, Kagome-sama. You let me know when, if ever, you are ready for anything more." And with that, he picked up her hand, kissed the back of it, squeezed it once more, and was gone.

She winced at the memory. She wished he had stayed long enough for her to tell him to forget her. That she was hopelessly in love with a half demon from the Feudal era, and always would be. Then he could have checked her into a nice quiet mental hospital with padded walls and no telephones, and she would never have to worry about shards or demons or meddling, matchmaking friends again.

She grabbed her bow and arrows and headed for the door. She checked herself and left the enchanted arrows, deciding it would be better to buy some normal ones when she got to the range. She then looked around carefully, making sure there was no one to block her escape, and seeing no one, fled to the bus stop.

TOP

Chapter 7

Kagome collapsed at her desk, physically and emotionally spent from two hours of target practice with her bow and arrows. She had imagined a variety of people/beings being at the bullseye, and had done surprisingly well. Her skills as a marksman had come a long way since fateful day she shattered the Shikon Jewel. A man had even asked if she was a professional. 'Hah! Define professional! Is it someone who shoots arrows at a harmless target for ribbons and prize money, or someone who uses her skills to stay alive and protect those she cares about?' She had just blushed and told the man, "Sort of."

After two hours of beating herself up for her stupidity with respect to Houjo, her persistent feelings for a half-demon (albeit half-human) who didn't return them, and her inability to get a grip on her life, she finally exhausted her emotions enough to feel numb. Maybe now she could get some studying done. She opened her book and soon was lost in a world of numbers and equations.

When she finally heard the clatter of the front door, she realized she had been studying for three hours. She heard the resonance of Souta's feet pounding on the stairs, headed her way. "Kagomeeeeeeeeeee! Are you here?"

She looked up expectantly, and her eye caught on her dressing table mirror. Something was missing. She knew what it was right away. 'Where is that picture? It must have fallen down.'

Souta burst through the door. "Oh, there you are. We've been trying to call you to join us at Kayuga for dinner. We finally gave up and brought it home for you. How come you haven't anwered the phone?"

"I unplugged it so I could get my studying done. Did you and Grandfather have a good time?"

Souta made a face, "Yeah, it was ok. You know Grandfather. If something doesn't have a story, he makes one up. I never know how much to believe."

"Hey, Souta, did you see Inuyasha here last night? Did he, by any chance, come looking for me?"

Souta scoffed at her in an attitude that puzzled her. "I was hanging out with a friend." He made what looked like a disgusted face at her, and said, "Your dinner is on the table," then left the room.

Kagome frowned. What was that all about? Was he still mad that she had gone to the dance with Houjo? What was she supposed to have done? Taken a half demon with little white ears on top of his head and no social graces? She momentarily envisioned Inuyasha at the dance, eating everything on the refreshment table, and trying to gut anyone who admired her in her dress. She shuddered. Still, it would have been so nice if she really had been dancing in his strong arms, completely surrounded in his warm embrace and earthy scent. And that kiss...

Hmmmm..she gazed at her dressing table, then went to see if the photo was lying on it's surface or on the floor. It wasn't there. Maybe it got kicked underneath. Just as she was about to stoop to check, her grandfather called. 'Later,' she thought, and went to wash up and eat her dinner.

Miroku was seriously worried about his friend. He hadn't seen him for a couple of days, since the other night, several hours after he had followed Kagome through the well to "interrupt" her date. Being unable to sleep and lonely, he had taken a walk. He really hadn't expected to find Inuyasha back from Kagome's world. Or at least not home without Kagome in tow, willing or not. But he did find the hanyou, alone and completely miserable. He was slumped by the well, ears flat against his white head, face cradled in his clawed hands.

"Uh, I take it things didn't go so well?"

No response.

"Inuyasha? Are you ok?"

No answer

Miroku wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't chide a guy he couldn't even get a response from. And even he could see that something was terribly wrong, and it wouldn't be a good time to attack a guy who was down. So, he just sat down quietly next to his friend and said nothing.

After what seemed like an eternity, Inuyasha finally spoke. "I guess everyone knows where I went?" He had finally lifted his face, but it was still masked by the curtain of of his hair, so the monk couldn't read his eyes. He could read his voice, however. It was choked and full of pain.

"Actually, no. Just me. When I returned, the women had left to assist in a difficult delivery for one of the village women, and they hadn't returned when I left to go for a walk. The kit was already asleep."

The hanyou finally looked the monk right in the eye, "Promise me you won't tell them. Anyone! Especially Kagome!"

The monk gaped at him. He hadn't intruded on Kagome's date? He hadn't barged right in the minute the other guy tried to hold her hand? He had expected Inuyasha to come back, followed by an angry Kagome who would be berating him for seriously injuring her dance partner. He expected some bruises and other evidence of Inuyasha having been "Sat" about 40 or 50 times. But not this. "W.....what happened?"

Inuyasha glared stubbornly, "Promise!"

"But...."

A low, threatening growl emitted from the hanyou's throat. "Promise me, monk!"

The monk bowed his head and reluctantly agreed, "Hai. I promise."

With that, Inuyasha was gone. And Miroku hadn't seen him since.

Kagome wasn't back yet either, but he supposed it was still a bit early. She said she'd come back right after school on Monday, after she finished her exam. Usually, Inuyasha would be fidgeting like an anxious puppy all day until it was time for her to come back. He would then camp out by the well until he caught her scent and her head poked out, and he could finally feel relief that she was back safely with him. Then he would yell at her for being late. Miroku knew this was a defense mechanism, because if he didn't yell at her, she might notice the anxious look that marked his features all the while she was gone.

But today, the half-demon was nowhere in sight. Miroku reflected back to that night, and the feeling of utter despair and sadness that came off his friend in waves. Just being next to him felt dismal, hopeless. He was sure something had happened to break his friend's heart, but what? If Kagome didn't even know he was there, what could have happened? They had had arguments before, but how could they have argued if she didn't even know he was there?

He stood and waited for Kagome alone. Sango was still helping out with the woman in the village, as she was still very weak. Miroku had asked a very reluctant Shippo to stay and help Sango, in case she needed someone to bring her supplies or run errands. He had only convinced the little kit when he promised to bring Kagome right away, as soon as she appeared.

When Kagome's raven head finally emerged from the well, she was exhausted. She was having a great deal of difficulty hauling her pack, and when Miroku reached down to help pull it out, he understood why. It was even more stuffed than usual, because Kagome had included lots of extra "make-up" gifts for Inuyasha, whom she feared would still be angry with her for her abrupt exit from his world.

Kagome blinked, and thanked her friend for his help. "Where's Inuyasha?"

'Why don't you tell me?' He thought, but said, "I don't know. Haven't seen him in days." He paused to observe her expression, which was shocked and a little sad.

He didn't know she was thinking that he must have run off to find Kikyo the minute she was through the portal. It's not as if she hadn't expected it, but it still saddened her. Wrenched her heart, actually.

"So, how was your dance? Anything interesting happen?" Maybe he could find some clue to Inuyasha's strange behavior from her.

Kagome reached up and touched her lips with her fingers, but said, "Interesting? No, not really. It was nice. I love dancing, and I got to do that all night." 'Well, most of the night, anyway.'

He continued to watch her, but it was clear that she wasn't going to give anything away either. Oh, well, no matter. She would almost certainly talk to Sango, and he could always eavesdrop. Or get the kit to do it for him, if the girls caught him. One way or another, he was going to get to the bottom of this mess. It was about time these two quit behaving like children and stopped hurting each other, when they so clearly belonged together.

TOP

Chapter 8

"Oh, what is the point of my being here?" Kagome yelled in exasperation. She and Sango were bathing in the river, which didn't do much for Kagome's mood. She had never been able to get used to the cold water. But being dirty was even worse. She held off as long as possible, but finally gave in after asking Kaede to keep Miroku and Shippou busy so they wouldn't come and watch or try to join them.

Sango just looked at her, not sure what to say. Kagome went on, "I mean, my only real function here is to find the shards of the jewel. But Inuyasha seems to have completely forgotten about that! I mean, where is he? I thought it was the most important thing in the world to him ~ to complete that jewel so he can have his wish."

In reality, she didn't miss seeking out homicidal demons and monsters bent on killing her and her friends. But her exasperation was fueled by other anxieties. For one thing, she needed to go back home. She still had two tests to take ~ one on Friday and one on Saturday. And her friends had roped her into being on the Prom planning committee, so she was supposed to go to some meeting for decorations. Ugh! Like she had time for that! But somehow they had managed to guilt her into it. She couldn't wait forever for the stubborn hanyou to return. He couldn't really be that angry that she left, could he?

And the deeper worries. She was pretty sure Inuyasha had gone off to be with Kikyo. Where else would he be? Try as she might, she just couldn't get over being jealous about that. But he had chosen Kikyo, so what could she do. But if they were together, had she already sucked him into hell with her? She had almost managed to do that once. Only this time, Kagome wouldn't have been around to break her spell. 'Oh, gods! Where is he?'

Sango watched the parade of emotions playing across her friend's face. She watched as something amounting to despair settled there, and finally asked, "Kagome, what happened the night you left?" She had asked once before, but Kagome had just told her about the scene that happened between the grassy hill and the well. Sango couldn't see that that was much different than any of the hundreds of other arguments they had had over the last almost three years. That couldn't be why he was gone.

"I already told you. He was probably a little angry that I left without arguing with him, but normally he would just yell at me or ignore me when I got back."

"Or follow you down the well."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that. But I didn't see him all night. And can you imagine him just following me around all night without making his presence known? He didn't come and criticize my dress when I was getting ready, he didn't go anything about my going out to dinner, and he didn't try to rip out Houjo's throat when he touched me." 'Or kissed me' she added only to herself. "Does that sound like the half-demon we know?"

"No, it doesn't. But I know you're not telling me something. I know something happened while you were back home. I could see it in your eyes when you came back. You looked sad, almost guilty about something. You don't have to, of course, but I'll listen if you want to talk about it."

Kagome shivered, and began to wade toward the shore. She looked back at the woman she had come to think of as a sister. "Am I really that transparent?"

Sango followed her out of the water. She handed Kagome a towel and and wrapped the other around herself. Compared to the sack cloth she used before Kagome entered their world, it was absolutely heavenly. So soft and warm! She sat down on a rock and began to squeeze the water out of her hair.

"Kagome, what happened?"

Kagome sighed. "Oh, Sango! It doesn't have anything to do with why Inuyasha is gone. It can't. He can't have been there, and even if her were, why would he care?" She toweled her hair, and then wrapped up again and sat on a rock across from Sango. Sango just waited. "Ok, well I had a really nice time with Houjo. I mean, he's a really nice guy. And he's cute. And he's nice to me. So very nice. Anyway, we went to dinner, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, it was fun. We talked about school, and he did some funny impressions of some of our teachers. And it turns out he likes to camp, which I have a lot of experience in. And he bought me a rose from a Gypsy who was selling them from table to table. And he danced every dance with me. No complaints ~ he danced them all. It was great. But then a slow song started. You remember how I showed you guys how we dance to those songs?"

Sango nodded. Kagome had used her and Miroku to demonstrate. It was very nice, if a little embarrassing, until the monk had to ruin it by groping her backside.

Kagome continued, "Well, the music was soft, and I was getting sleepy, and he had his arms around me. And the song was saying something about "once in a blue moon." She sang that line for Sango. "Only, I started hearing "new moon" instead of blue moon. And....I just couldn't help it. I started thinking about Inuyasha. And that I was dancing with him. And then, Houjo kissed me. And it was great! Only, my eyes were closed and it wasn't Houjo I was kissing. And then I heard a howl in the distance, and realized where I was and who I was with....and I just freaked out. I don't know why. He's a nice guy! Why couldn't I just be happy I was kissing him? Why? Why can't I just accept the fact that Inuyasha doesn't want me and move on?" The tears were coming now, flowing freely down her cheeks.

Sango, not sure what else to do, just hugged her friend. Her sister. She finally spoke, "Kagome, why don't you think Inuyasha cares for you? He protects you with his life. He nearly goes insane when you're in danger. He's impossible to live with when you're gone. And he nearly tears apart any man that comes near you. Doesn't that tell you he that he cares for you?"

That just resulted in a fresh deluge of tears. She drew back and ejaculated bitterly, "Of course he protects me, Sango! None of you can see the shards of his precious jewel! It's the only thing that matters to him! Well, that and his dead girlfriend!" She was so angry with herself! Why couldn't she be strong and hold this in? Inuyasha would not be impressed with her outburst. She could just hear him, "Stop crying!"

"Oh, gods, Sango! I'm sorry! What is wrong with me?"

Sango just hugged her tighter. "Nothing is wrong with you. We don't choose who we love. Our heart does. I know it hurts, but it's better than having no feelings at all."

"Is it? Is it Sango? Right now I wouldn't mind trying the "no feelings" thing."

"M'lord, you really must eat something. You haven't eaten for four days now. Even you need to eat to keep up your strength." Myoga begged him.

Inuysha didn't move from his spot on the cave floor. The same spot he had been in since he got there four days ago. When he left the monk, he had just fled in a random direction, not caring where he ended up. When he finally could go no farther, he found a cave, curled up in a ball on the floor, and there he stayed. He had no intention of ever moving from that spot.

"What's the point?" he muttered. He knew the gnawing, aching feeling in his gut had nothing to do with food, and besides, he had no interest in going on. He would just lie here and wait till the earth reclaimed him. Why bother? Kagome had given him a reason for living, even made him like himself for who he was. With her, he didn't care that he was a "half- breed." She didn't, so why should he? But now he knew she wouldn't stay with him. She would leave just as soon as they completed that stupid jewel. Leave to spend her life with that human boy. To give him her smiles, her kisses. Her body. Oh, gods, that was painful.

Pictures of them together flooded his mind ~ not just the kiss. That was the worst. But she had looked so happy all night. She laughed and smiled and tipped her neck back in ecstacy. Why couldn't he have made her that happy? Why did he have to be such a jerk? Why had he said all those mean things to her all the time, instead of telling her how he really felt? That she was beautiful. That she made him happy. That her friendship was the most important thing in his life. That her voice calling out to him in battle made him feel powerful, invincible. That even as he acted as if she annoyed him, her praise was what he lived for.

That her scent brought him peace and joy and contentment. Most of the time. Sometimes it nearly drove him insane with desire.

He sighed, and was amazed to find that a tear had slid down his cheek. He hadn't cried since his mother died.

"Lord Inuyasha! I think we have company!"

His head shot up and he looked around. "Kagome?" had she come for him? Had she really found him?

Instead, a silent figure entered his sanctuary. She shook her head, and looked sadly upon his figure. "See, Inuyasha, what my incarnate has done to you. Come with me now. Come with me and you can escape your pain."

He regarded the animated figure of his dead lover. He realized with some surprise that he couldn't remember the last time he had thought of her. He still cared for her, of course, that she was doomed to wander the earth sucking souls to stay alive. But he knew in his heart that she wasn't who he belonged with.

But then, the one he knew he needed had chosen someone else. Why not go with Kikyo now instead of waiting to die. Now or later, it didn't matter. Even as a half demon he couldn't go for too long without nourishment. Why postpone it and suffer more agony?

'Because I deserve it? I do deserve the agony. But I want it to end.'

He slowly rose from his spot in the dirt. He brushed off as much of the grime as he could, out of respect for Kikyo. She held her arms out to him, and he went to her.

He hesitated a couple of steps away from the waiting miko and gazed into her sad, dead eyes. He didn't see forever. He was amazed that he had ever seen her in Kagome. Kagome would be yelling at him to snap out of it, telling him how strong and brave he was, how much he had to live for. She would sit him and tell him not to be so stupid. He reached up and touched the beads around his neck ~ at first a curse ~ but now his link to her.

Kikyo stepped towards him and reached to remove the beads, but he said sharply, "NO! They stay!" causing her to step back again.

He continued to finger them. Kagome hadn't used them in awhile. Except once to tug on them to get him into hugging range. They had been battling yet another shard coveting monster, and she had nearly been killed by his giant talons. After it was over, Inuyasha had yelled at her about staying out of the way where it was safe. Telling her that she was such a bother. But she saw through him and knew that he had just been afraid of losing her.

So after he had dodged her a few times, she finally grabbed a hold of the beads and, with the threat of the "s" word ever present, tugged on them to get him close enough to hug. And hug they did. Once his arms were around her, he didn't let go for a very long time. Not till he heard her soft, even breathing, and knew she was asleep. And even then, he held her and gazed down at her face. He pulled the picture out of his Kimono and knew when it had been taken. He gazed down at it, memorizing every line, every curve, every color. Her pink cheeks, the peaceful face she wore when she was safe in his arms.

But she had chosen someone else. He tucked the photo back into it's hiding place and stepped forward into the waiting miko's arms.

TOP

Chapter 9

"Maybe we should look for him. It's not like him to be away from the hunt for so long." Sango mused. She and Kagome had both dressed and were headed back to Kaede's hut.

"Not like him to be away at all. But then, maybe he hooked up with Kikyo and the two of them have decided to go on without us." Kagome fingered the nearly completed jewel that hung around her neck. "Except that I would think he would have come to get this first."

"Kagome..."Sango began reproachfully.

She was cut off by a sharp gasp from Kagome, who had just been seized by a very clear and vivid image in her mind. It was too real to be just a thought or her imagination. "We have to find Inuyasha! She's got him, and she's taking him with her!"

Sango didn't have to ask who "she" was, or where "she" was taking him. "But how do you know?"

"I just do. I just saw it. In my head, but it was real! You've got to believe me!"

"I believe you! I do! But how are we going to find him? We have no idea where to look." She regarded Kagome. "Or do we?"

"Yes. Well, maybe. I feel like I need to go this way." She pointed off into the hills beyond the valley. "After that, I will just have to sense him. Come on! We have to go!" And with that, she took off running.

"Kagome, stop! Let me get Kirara! We'll get there much faster!"

The anxious girl skidded to a stop. "Oh, yeah, right. Hurry!"

In what seemed forever to Kagome, but was really just a few minutes, Sango was back. She was riding Kirara, and had Miroku and Shippou along with her. Sango pulled Kagome onto the cat's back, and they took off, following Kagome's directions.

As Kagome sensed the hanyou's presence becoming stronger, she began to scream his name. She looked at her companions to help her, but they shook their heads. Miroku was the one who spoke up, "No, lady Kagome. He needs to hear your voice. We might drown it out."

So she screamed, "Inuyasha!" desperately. "Inuyasha, where are you!" Fear and anguish washed over he in waves. He couldn't go with Kikyo! Not yet! Oh, please, gods no!

Inuyasha was in Kikyo's embrace, headed into nothingness, far from the pain of his broken heart. Something in the back of his mind was screaming at him that this was not right! That this was not what he was supposed to do. But he ignored it, pushed it away, welcoming the cold darkness. A chill wind began to rush around them, swirling to encircle them in a void of time and space. He closed his eyes to meet oblivion.

And then he became aware of someone calling his name. The voice was tortured, insistent, and it spoke not to his ears but to his heart. It broke through the void and grabbed ahold of his soul, and wouldn't let go. He knew it was Kagome, calling for him, needing him.

Kikyo heard it too. She swiftly pressed her lips to his and whispered against his mouth, "You won't need her where we are going. You won't ever need to worry about her again."

Inuyasha recoiled and shook his head to clear it. The wind stopped and the spell was broken. He pulled away from the miko's hold and fought the urge to wipe his mouth of the taste of death and decay that was Kikyo's kiss. Kagome was now frantically screaming his name, and she was getting closer. "Inuyasha, please!"

When he finally found his voice, he said, "You're wrong, Kikyo. I will always care for her, and worry about her. And even if I had gone completely into hell with you, even into the deepest bowels, I would find a way to come back and protect her. Nothing and no one will ever keep me from doing that."

And with that, he turned and bolted from the cave, his sensitive ears picking up the direction of Kagome's cries.

Kagome's frantic cries echoed throughout the hills, her sense of urgency mounting. 'Oh, please, please, don't let me be too late!'

Inuyasha was shouting her name, too, but without his demon ears, she couldn't hear it. She must have sensed it, though, because when she looked down into the thickly forested hills, she was able to spot a flash of red, and her heart knew!

"Down there!" she pointed excitedly, "He's down there!"

Kirara executed an effortless turn of her body, and began to descend in the direction Kagome indicated. "Inuyasha!" this time her cry was joyful. He was alive! He was ok! Inuyasha looked up at the group, and yelled, "Kagome, I'm here!"

He was standing in a clearing, waiting for her. He was surprised to see that she wasn't being attacked or harmed in any way. Why had there been such fear in her voice, then?

Still 30 feet from the ground, Kagome let go of the flying firecat and leapt down toward the waiting hanyou. He caught her easily, and she threw her arms around his neck, nearly smothering him with her hair, or choking him with the force of her hug. She sobbed into his chest from pure joy. He was alive!

"Oi, wench! Do you always just jump and expect that I will be there to catch you?"

She looked up at him with a tear-stained face and smiled a smile that almost made his knees buckle. "Of course. I know you won't drop me! You're the great Inuyasha!"

He couldn't help himself. He hugged her to him as hard as he could without crushing her slim body. The trust she had in him warmed his heart. He buried his nose in her hair and took in her scent; sweet and warm. And alive. She felt so good against his chest. It was all he could do to keep from crushing his mouth to hers, demonstrating all the passion he held in his heart for her.

By then the others had landed and were running toward them, but when Sango spotted the happy reunion she held her hand up for the rest to stop. They stayed back, not wanting to ruin the moment for their friends. They watched from behind some scrub, keeping as quiet as they could while still breathing, as the little scene played out before them.

Inuyasha finally set Kagome down onto her feet, keeping his arms around her slim waist. She drew back and regarded him. Now that she knew he was alive and apparently unscathed, she had to wonder where the hell he had been the last couple of days. She scowled at him and demanded. "Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I have been about you? I waited and waited and you didn't come. Where were you!?!

It was Inuyasha's turn to glower. He began to remember why he had been holed up in that cave, why he had almost let Kikyo take him with her into hell. He pulled away and turned his back to her. "I'm a big boy! You don't have to worry about me. I'm not some weak, useless human who can't take care of themselves!"

She felt like she'd been slapped. She had only been concerned for him. "Where were you?" She demanded. She wasn't sure she really wanted the answer, but she had to know.

"I was busy! I have a life, too, you know. I had a life before you came traipsing through that well. You think I should just drop it to spend all my time with you?" He bellowed.

"Oh, you mean that life you had while you were pinned to the Goshinboku? That life?" she countered angrily.

"Before that!" he yelled back. What happened? They were so cozy a minute ago. Oh, gods, he messed it up again

'No, she messed it up when she chose that jerk back in her world.'

'That life. The one with Kikyo.' The answer she had feared. "Of course. You're right. I shouldn't have come." She looked away to conceal her face from him. She turned and headed back towards where she had seen her friends land. "I was just concerned. It's not like you to take so much time away from shard hunting."

"So, that's why you bothered me? I came when you called, didn't I? I came when I thought you needed me, didn't I?" His stomach was in knots. All he really wanted t odo was hold her and never let go. Forget about the stupid jewel and carry her off someplace and just be together. But she wasn't his. He knew that. But he still hated to watch her walk away from him. Like he knew she would someday, forever. And he would live out the rest of his long life alone, because he now knew without a doubt that even without a mark, he had chosen her to be his mate. He had given his heart to her, even without his body.

"I always need you." She said it so quietly; he knew she hadn't meant him to hear it. But he had, and it made his heart twist. She spoke up, "Go back to wherever you were. I'll let you know when we find another shard."

He strode the few steps that divided them, saying, "No. We've lost enough time already. What if I don't get there on time, and you weaklings lose the shard? I will come with you."

She shot him a resentful glance, "the" word on her lips. He saw it and prepared to kiss the ground, almost hoping she would say it. In a perverse way, it reaffirmed their link to one another.

But the word never came. 'What's the point?' she thought. I was hoping for something that just wasn't there. That's not his fault. Silently, they walked to meet the rest of the group.

The three friends waiting behind the scrub just sighed. "Those two are hopeless, aren't they?" Shippou lamented.

No one answered. No answer was required.

"Look, Dog-boy! I'm not going to argue with you. I have to go back to take two exams! This is not up for negotiation! I am not going to mess up my chance of getting into University because of some pig-headed hanyou not letting me get back to take my tests!"

Things had been quiet on the demon attack front for the last few days. It was not quiet, however, in the little group of shard hunters. Non-stop bickering from the hanyou and the girl from the future echoed through the forest. She, for her part, had tried to talk to him, tried to apologize to him for her last departure, tried to appease him with the gifts of ramen and chocolate she had brought back for him. All she got for her efforts was steadily increasing hostility. He picked on her for everything from her general appearance and inferiority to her incompetence as a shard hunter. Everything she said annoyed him.

He even stopped eating her cooking, though it took great restraint on his part. It worked, though. She was pretty sure he must hate her if he wasn't even willing to eat the food she prepared, since he never turned down food.

When it was finally time to go home, she was relieved. Until he decided that he would stop her. She couldn't understand why he would. He apparently found her company abhorable. So much so that he reminded her at every chance. She had spent more time in tears in the last few days than in the last three years. She hoped that she had hidden that little piece of information from him. Indeed she must have, or he would have goaded her about that, too.

In fact, he hadn't missed the tears. He didn't need to see them. He could smell them. His ears and his heart caught every tremor that she couldn't hide in her voice. He didn't mean any of the horrible things he said to her. But every time he looked at her, wanting to go to her and tell her he was sorry, to hold her and let her know he hadn't meant it, he would remember the other guy he saw holding her, touching her, kissing her...And he would become so angry that he just spewed venom. It was a vicious cycle, and he was powerless to stop it.

"We've lost enough time! You don't need to go back there! You have enough to do here!" He just knew she was lying about those "tests." She was going back to be with that Hobo guy. To touch him and kiss him again. But he couldn't say that. She might find out that he had been watching her at the dance.

"Don't talk to me about lost time! I'm not the one who disappeared for four days, doing "who knows what!" I've got to go!"

"No!" He blocked her path. "Why do you need to go to to this Oni-varsity for anyway?"

"Aaaaaaaaaaagh! This is not up for discussion! I am LEAVING!" She faked a step to the left of him, then darted under his right arm. Maybe PE classes were good for something after all.

One leap, and he had again situated himself between her and the portal. "Fine. Come right back after your test tomorrow!"

"I will not! I have a test tomorrow, one the next day, a Prom committee meeting after that, and then on Sunday, I am going shopping with my friends."

He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, "Shopping for what? What do you need so badly?"

"That's none of your business, but I'm going to buy a prom dress."

'Promdress? What's a promdress?' He sneered at her,"What about tomorrow night? Do you have another date? With your precious human?"

Kagome felt the blood rise to her face as she fought for control. "Why, Inuyasha, do you want to bring Kikyo and join us?" she hissed through her teeth. "I am soooooooo out of here! Sit!!!!" And before he could get even the "B" out, she was gone.

Inuyasha was still lying there a few moments later when Miroku came charging into the clearing. "Ok, Inuyasha! I've had enough! We all have! What the hell is wrong with you? I know it has something to do with the night you followed Kagome, so spill!"

"Nothing. Nothing important."

Miroku lifted his eyebrows skeptically. "Oh really? And that's why you've been acting like the spawn from hell ever since that night? With the exception of that little disappearing act you pulled on us for four days." He eyed the hanyou and said, "I have kept my word and not said anything to anyone. But I wonder if I told Sango what I knew, if maybe we could piece things together. I'm sure Kagome has said something to her."

Inuyasha paled. "You promised not to say anything. And it's none of your business, monk." He turned to walk away.

"What? Are you going to run away again? I never took you to be a coward before, Inuyasha. Are you going to let Kikyo take you into hell this time? Kagome saw that, you know. In her mind."

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks, stunned. "Sh...she did? How is that possible?"

"I don't know, but she did. And she was frantic. She was determined to find you, even if she had to run on foot." He watched the hanyou's face change from shock to confusion to pleasure, and finally to harden again into a scowl. "And it is my business, when two of my friends are hurting. Especially when one is doing it to another."

"I suppose you mean I'm hurting her? Well, what does she care what I do or say? She doesn't want me!"

"Gods, can you really be that stupid? Why do you think she doesn't want you? She doesn't have to keep coming down that well, you know. She could seal it up with one of Kaede's ofudas and you would never be able to get through. But she keeps coming back, completely trusting you with her life. Worrying herself sick when you disappear, or when she thinks you're injured. And she tries to take care of you, even though you make it pretty tough and thankless." He paused a moment before going on, perhaps to see if the hanyou would respond. Finally, "So, what in seven hells happened?" He delivered a good, solid * WHACK!* to the back of Inuyasha's head with his staff.

"OUCH! MONK!"

"Well?" Miroku eyed him, his staff poised to deliver another blow.

Inuyasha let out a long, labored sigh. After a short silence, Miroku finally heard his defeated reply, "She chose the human boy."

Miroku lifted his brows and waved his hand to indicate that he should go on. "And..."

He went on to tell the monk the story of everything that had happened from the time he jumped through the portal to Kagome's Family well house, to the time he came back and saw Miroku again. Except for the bit about tucking Kagome's brother into his bed. It wasn't relevant anyway.

Miroku listened without interrupting. When Inuyasha finished, he still remained silent. 'So this what this whole mess has been all about. Two people who desperately love one another, but who are too pig headed to take the first step. He turns to what's familiar to keep from getting his heart broken, she retaliates by turning to one she doesn't love. But it's not working, because they're both miserable.' He shook his head at the stupidity of it all.

"So, seeing them kiss hurt, huh?"

Inuyasha grunted. He couldn't eradicate that hideous image from his mind, and it was worse when they talked about it.

"Maybe the way it hurt Kagome when she saw you and Kikyo together." The hanyou's eyes closed painfully. It was a thought he had avoided. The pain was much easier to deal with when he could put the blame on her.

"Hmm. And this," he waved his hand to indicate the area in which they were standing, but really meaning the scene that had taken place a short time before, "is your plan to win her back, is it?" the monk had the mischievous glint back in his eyes.

Inuyasha spun to look at his friend. "Win....her...back? But I don't feel...I don't love her that way...that is..." the hanyou sputtered.

Miroku rolled his eyes and held up his hand. "Oh, for gods sake, save it pal! Lie to yourself if you want to. You're the only one you're fooling. Well, you and that poor girl. After that little closing scene, you'll be * lucky* if she doesn't seal the well and leave forever."

'Seal the well?' the thought brought the searing knife twisting in his gut. "She wouldn't ... couldn't...could she?"

"Well, obviously her powers are getting stronger. After all, she saw you when she thought you were in trouble."

"But...win her back? Can I do that?" He had been so miserable and angry that the thought simply had never occurred to him.

"Inuyasha," the monk laid his hand gently on his friend's shoulder, "no matter what you two want to think, she loves you. It's as obvious as your love for her."

This time he didn't even try to deny it. "Then why did she choose that Hobo guy?"

"Why did you kiss Kikyo?"

" I didn't. She kissed me. And besides, that was totally different."

"Different, how? Two people, trying desperately to fill the void in their hearts. How is her case different than yours?" the monk asked, one eyebrow raised. "And besides, what makes you so sure she "chose" him? Were they the only ones kissing during that dance?"

Inuyasha frowned, thinking back. He hadn't really been watching anyone else, but he did see some other couples out of the corner of his eye. "Well, no, I guess not."

"Look Inuyasha, they do things differently in Kagome's time. They talk differently, they eat differently, they dress differently. We already know they dance differently. They touch and hold each other, even if they aren't bound to the person they are dancing with. Maybe the kiss was part of the dance."

Inuyasha found that hard to believe, but he found lots of things about Kagome's world unbelievable. He was beginning to warm to the theory. It was a good one. That would explain why Kagome would let that pathetic guy touch her. If that were true, then he was going to have to make sure she only danced * those kind * of dances with him from now on. "But she looked so happy..."

"She loves to dance. You know that. And she loves music. She's been looking forward to that dance for a long time."

"She didn't tell me about it!" Inuyasha muttered resentfully.

"She didn't want you to stop her from going." The hanyou huffed, but the monk continued, "Look, Inuyasha. If she were that crazy about him, wouldn't she want to spend every extra minute she could with him? But when she came back here and you weren't here waiting, she stayed. If she loves that guy, why didn't she just go back home and tell us to send you for her when you came back?"

The Houshi had a point. Inuyasha felt his spirits lifting; higher than they had been for almost a week. 'Maybe there is some hope after all.' "So, uh, what do I do? She was pretty mad at me when she left. I said a few really awful things."

Raised eyebrows again. "A few? Try an endless barrage for three days."

The dog-demon's ears drooped again. "She's never gonna forgive me, is she?"

"I'm sure she will, but we're going to need some help. And some wisdom. Kaede can help us with that. But even I know one thing you're going to have to do, and you're not going to like it. Indeed, it may be one of the toughest things you've ever had to do."

"What's that?" the ears perked a little.

"You're going to have to apologize. Probably even grovel."

The ears drooped again. "Hmmph." Couldn't he just maim himself or face off against Hiten again? Well, he had a few days to think about what to say, anyway. Which reminds him:

"Uh, Miroku? What's a promdress?"

TOP

Chapter 10

Inuyasha and Miroku were trying to figure out what a promdress was and why Kagome would need a whole day to find one when they heard a rustling in a nearby clump of bushes, and Shippou emerged. He gave them a superior look and declared, "I know what it is! And it's not a promdress. It's a PROM DRESS. As in one of those things Kagome wears with the top and skirt attached, only it's for a special dance called a Prom." He crossed his arms and looked very satisfied with himself.

The monk and the hanyou exchanged a look and Inuyasha asked, "How do you know that?"

"Because I was listening to Kagome and Sango talk about it. Kagome said the prom is a special dance that's really romantic. You're supposed to go with someone really special, and they do a lot of that touchy, feely dancing that Kagome tried to teach Miroku and Sango to do."

Inuyasha looked stricken. Miroku chuckled softly, "I guess you'd better be going to that dance, Dog boy."

Shippou looked up at them both disdainfully. "Oh, yeah, like that's gonna happen! You think Kagome's gonna take a hanyou to her special dance? You don't think people will notice there is something a little FREAKISH about him? You can't wear one of those cap things to a dance, you know!" In fact, Shippou knew that the Prom was on the night of a new moon, because Kagome and Sango had discussed that too, but he wasn't about to miss an opportunity to taunt the hanyou.

Inuyasha was alarmed. He had to be the one to go to this special romantic dance with Kagome. The idea of that Hobo guy getting to spend another whole evening with his hands on the soft curve of her hips, his body pressed against hers, his lips on her lovely pink mouth... it nearly drove Inuyasha out of his mind to think of it.

Miroku watched his friend's face. "Of course, you won't get anywhere with her if she's still mad at you." When he saw the hanyou blanch, he chuckled again, "Oh, yeah, we're really gonna need some help."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back at Kaede's hut, the group sat huddled around the fire, discussing this "prom" that Inuyasha had never heard of before that afternoon, yet now wanted to attend more than he wanted the Jewel itself.

Sango smirked at the little kistsune, who was currently curled up with Kirara, but not asleep. She knew if he had been listening to the conversation about the prom between herself and Kagome, he also knew that Inuyasha's ears wouldn't be a problem that night. Not wanting him to suffer acute head trauma, though, she chose not to give him away. "Um, I think the night of the prom just might be on the night of a new moon." She looked over at Kaede for confirmation, and received it with a small knowing smile.

Miroku took charge from there, "Ok, Sango. Does Kagome already have a date to this "prom?"

Sango shook her head. "She's been asked, but hasn't said yes to anyone. Yet." She deliberately didn't mention any names, for fear of setting their friend off.

Miroku turned back to Inuyasha, "Ok, assuming that Kagome forgives you and that she is willing to give up her special evening with Lover boy (very evil look from Inuyasha), we still have several obstacles to overcome."

Shippou snorted, "I'll say. You have to take her out to dinner, and you don't have any money from her time. And even if you did, your eating habits are disgusting! Myouga has better manners than you do, and he sucks blood!" The little kitsune fully expected to be cuffed on the head for this, but it was worth it. Amazingly enough, though, the blow didn't come.

The hanyou gave him a warning growl, but his heart didn't seem to be in it. He looked sad. The kit was right. He didn't know how to dance any of their dances, either. Maybe this wasn't such a good plan. But every time he felt like giving up, he remembered the scene at the dance, and his resolve strengthened.

As far as he was concerned, that human was never going to touch HIS Kagome again. Not if he could help it.

Kaede offered, "Perhaps Inuyasha might go and speak to Kagome's family about this. They might be willing to let him do some chores in exchange for money to take young Kagome out to dinner."

Miroku nodded, "A good plan. That solves the money problem. But he will still need to get the proper clothing and learn to dance. And work on those table manners!" He added pointedly as he watched Inuyasha slurp up the contents of the bowl Kaede had just passed him.

Again, Kaede thought it would be best if he spoke with Kagome's mother about it.

Shippou sat up, "But what if Kagome won't let him go to her dance. She was pretty mad at him when she left."

"Well, I guess he'll have to convince her." Sango said with more faith in her voice than she felt. Inuyasha wasn't very experienced in the softer negotiation skills.

"Hey, but what if she tells that guy she'll go with him while she's at home this time. If she's so mad at Inuyasha, she might!" Shippou was really enjoying himself at the hanyou's expense.

That little thought hit Inuyasha like a ton of bricks. What if she did? He thought back to their argument earlier, when he asked if she was going on a date while she was at home. Her answer was, "Why, Inuyasha, do you want to bring Kikyo and join us?" She didn't say no.

He turned his distressed face to Miroku for advice, but then thinking better of it, turned to Sango. She sighed. "Inuyasha, go pick some cherry blossoms from the grove, take them through the well and tell her you're sorry. Kagome is kind and understanding, and she cares very deeply for you. I'm sure she will forgive you."

The boys gaped at her in awe. Such a simple plan. It just might work! 'Wow, she's good."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome sat at her desk, book open in front of her, trying seriously to concentrate on her studies and not on the scene at the well. Her repeated dashes across her reddened eyes with the back of her hand betrayed the fact that she was losing this battle. 'Aaaaaaaaaaagh! He is so exasperating! Why does he have to be such a jerk? Why do I have to care so much? And why, oh why, can't I just leave him back in his own era when I come home? Why?'

She looked around her room for a distraction. Last time she needed a distraction, she had practiced archery for a couple of hours, and it had really helped. A glance at the darkening night sky told her that that wouldn't be an option today. What else? Her eyes traveled around the room, and rested on dressing table mirror. 'What could have happened to that picture?' She had searched for it to no avail. Maybe she should try again. 'Don't be stupid. You're trying to forget about him, remember? At least for long enough to study.'

Something. But what? Souta was out with Mom and Grandfather, so there was no one to kick the soccer ball with. Her eyes finally lit on her retired toe shoes. Hmmmm.... They should still fit. Her feet hadn't grown since then. Still...it would be dangerous. She hadn't danced in a couple of years, and it is necessary to keep your ankles strong to safely dance on pointe. 'So you break your ankle! That would solve your prom problem. You'd have a good reason not to go.'

Houjo had asked her, very sweetly, to go with him. He had made it clear that he would not take liberties with their closeness again, and that he would let her decide how to proceed with their "friendship." But as sweet as that was, she still couldn't make herself want to go with him. She didn't want to lead him on. It wasn't fair to him, and he was such a nice guy. He deserved to have someone care for him the way he cared for her.

The prom was supposed to be special, romantic. But the only one she wanted to be romantic with was in love with someone else, so even if she did take him, it would be very depressing. What could be worse than dancing close to someone and know he was thinking about someone else? And besides that, he seemed to have developed an enormous amount of hostility toward her of late, so even asking him would be a mistake: "Why would I want to go to a dance with an ugly weakling like you?"

She shook her head to clear it of those dismal thoughts. 'Forgetting about him, at least for now, remember?' She firmly turned her thoughts back to her pink satin shoes hanging by their ribbons on the wall. She remembered what it felt like to dance like that. Not the constrictive dancing you do at a school dance when you have to mindful of other people all crushed together on a small dance floor. Or aware of everyone watching you, so not feeling free to dance with your heart. But just letting the music take you over, feeling the pure joy and ecstasy of movement. She sighed deeply, closing her eyes in reminiscence. Hardly even realizing that she was doing it, she took the shoes off the wall and began to tie them to her feet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Inuyasha climbed out of the well at the Shrine, he was a little nervous. Maybe more than a little. Hell, he was downright terrified! Kagome had been pretty angry when he left, and hurt. And he knew from experience that a wounded animal or woman was the most dangerous of all.

He peeked out the door of the well house toward Kagome's room, and swallowed thickly. Clutching his peace offering tightly, he leapt up into the tree outside her window and peered in. He took in the lavender walls, the neatly made bed, the dressing table with all it's potions and paints and scents he couldn't understand, and finally, her desk. No Kagome. Hmmm....where could she be? According to what she said, she should be studying. Suspicion reared it's ugly head, and his eyes flashed. Was she out with that Hobo guy somewhere? But he got ahold of himself and sniffed the air. 'No. She's here. And she's alone. Good.' But where? He picked up the sound of some kind of music from somewhere in the house.

A happy thought occurred to him. Maybe she was in the kitchen making something to eat! And if she forgives me, maybe she will share with me. He smiled hopefully and jumped down from the tree, landing lightly on the pavement below. He crept over to the open kitchen window and peered in. Again, no Kagome. But here the sound of the music was stronger, and through the door that lead into the living room, he could see an occasional arm or leg flailing with abandon.

Terror gripped him! Was some demon attacking her? He had to get to her! He took ahold of the window and threw it all the way open, and vaulted through. He bounded through the kitchen, over the counter that stood in his way, and to the doorway. There he stopped short and stared. The coffee table had been pushed out of the way, and the rug rolled up. And there, in the lovely white gauzy costume and white legs he had seen in the photograph, was Kagome. Breathtaking and ethereal.

Instantly spellbound, he watched Kagome's body flow in wild, unrestricted, but undeniably graceful movement. Completely unaware of his presence, she danced with no inhibitions, passion and fire in each step, as though her life depended on it. He found himself certain, once again, that the motion of her body drove the music, as they moved in perfect synchronization.

He knew not how long he stood there, still holding the small bouquet of fragrant pink blossoms. The movement of her lithe, graceful form completely enchanted him, and he found himself longing to join her. To join with her. To be one with the ethereal nymph before him. He knew then how the wilis' in Souta's story had been able to enchant their lovers to dance to their deaths with them. He would be more than willing to give up his life if he could spend eternity dancing with Kagome. Though he was just standing there, still as a statue, he found he was flushed and breathless. 'Oh, gods, she is so beautiful!'

When the music finally faded, she slowed to catch her breath. She lay her small hand on her breast, as it expanded and contracted in great gasps as she greedily drank in oxygen. Finally, she seemed to realize she wasn't alone in the room. After picking up a towel to wipe the droplets of perspiration from her forehead, she turned to see him standing there, and frowned in confusion. Then she looked down and remembered what she was wearing, and blushed. She said quietly, evenly, "What are you doing here, Inuyasha? I just left; I'm not going back yet."

"Why did you stop?" He was still fixed on her dancing.

Her face was burning. "Why? Are you going to make fun of this, too?" And she had felt so much better while she was dancing, too. An hour of distraction down the tubes! She had tried to forget about him, about his constant criticism, about their last argument, and here he was to bring it all back!

He crossed the room to stand in front of her. "No! I...No. I just came to ..." Blushing bright crimson, he bowed his head so that his face was completely obscured by his thick curtain of silvery white hair, and thrust the sakura blossoms at her. "I just wanted to..." This was much harder than he had imagined. What if she didn't accept? He really had been awful. Maybe she would think his behavior was unforgivable.

Soft hands accepting the offered blossoms interrupted his thoughts. With mystification in her voice, she murmured, "For me?" She brought them to her nose and inhaled deeply. "Thank you, Inuyasha. But why?"

He was still trying to make his mouth work. He finally gave up and just threw his arms around her slim, sweaty form. He pulled her into his body and held her as tightly and close as he could before he heard her gasp for air and released a little. He finally found his tongue and whispered fervently into her ear, "I'm sorry Kagome! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean any of it. Please forgive me! I'm such a jerk!"

Kagome was in shock. In the last few years she had known this half dog- demon, he had done some surprising things. He had even apologized, sort of, a few times. But this was completely unprecedented. She knew how much it must have cost him. Managing to pull one of her hands free from where they were crushed between their bodies in his tight embrace, she encircled his waist with it, patting his back reassuringly. "Yeah, you are. But you're my jerk. Ok, Inuyasha. I forgive you."

He drew back just a little and searched her eyes, "You mean it? Really? You forgive me for all the terrible things I said to you?"

Keeping eye contact with him, she nodded. He continued to search the dark brown depths, and finally seemed satisfied. Relaxing a little, his body became very aware of their proximity and began to scream at him, "Now would be a very good time to kiss her! She's right here! Kiss her!"

The temptation was almost overwhelming. She was so close, her supple body pressed up against his, still warm and wet with perspiration making her intoxicating scent even stronger. But he reluctantly loosed his hold on her and backed away, because his lips weren't the only parts of his body that had felt their closeness and suddenly wanted attention. She had forgiven him, and he didn't want to spoil it by having her "sit" him 20 or so times.

Kagome looked down at her pretty flowers, now completely crushed. The scent they gave off was sweetly aromatic, but they wouldn't be much to look at in a vase.

Inuyasha saw this, "I'm sorry about your flowers, too. I'll get you some more." He added shyly, "If you want."

She smiled. "That would be nice, sometime. But these are still perfect. I can press them in a book and keep them forever. They will be very precious to me."

He colored a little, but beamed with real delight. She liked his gift! It was precious to her!

"Uh, Inuyasha? I really need to study. And shower. But I could heat up some dinner for you and make you some tea. Would you like that?"

He nodded. "Maybe you could show me how to use that stove thing, so I can do the heating next time."

She smiled in agreement and he followed her to the kitchen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eventually, the pair was seated cozily at the kitchen table, Kagome with her textbook and Inuyasha with his dinner and tea. It had taken a while to convince Inuyasha to stop playing with the knobs on the stove that lit the burners and made the flames higher or lower, but she finally got him seated and was able to return to her studies. She actually wanted very badly to shower and change, but thought it would be rude to leave him to eat alone.

Inuyasha, for his part was suddenly finding it very hard to eat. It looked and smelled wonderful, and from experience, he knew anything cooked in this household would be delicious. But everything Shippou had said came flooding back, and he was suddenly very self-conscious. If he looked like a pig eating, she wouldn't even consider taking her to her prom. He tried desperately to remember the manners his mom had taught him, but it had been so long ago! It would be much easier if Kagome were eating, too, because he could copy her. But she said she had already eaten dinner and all she wanted was a cup of tea.

He self-consciously picked up his chopsticks and tried a small bite of meat. Any other time, that would have been no trouble, but his hands were shaking so that when he tried to pinch the morsel between the two sticks, it slipped and flew straight for Kagome. It landed with a kind of a "splat!" on the table between her and her book.

She looked up and laughed lightly, "Thank you, Inuyasha, but I'm really not hungry!" she picked up the meat and fed it to him with a smile. Still smiling at him, she licked her finger of the remaining sauce, but then went back to her book.

He gaped at her. Was she...did she...that was so...intimate! She had just fed him with her fingers, and then licked the finger that had been in his mouth! His body begin to flood with heat again, rapidly losing all interest in the food before him. He didn't even remember what the meat had tasted like. But now she was reading again. His head was swimming. What should he do now?

His thoughts were interrupted by the peal of some loud chime. Kagome looked up and muttered, "Who could that be?" She got up and headed for the front door.

Inuyasha heard the door open and Kagome's voice, "Oh, hello Houjo-kun! I wasn't expecting company!"

"Gomen, Kagome-sama. I tried to call, but your phone seems to be out."

A loud, threatening growl came from inside the living room, but the curtains were drawn, so Houjo couldn't see its source.

"Do you have a new dog, Kagome-sama?"

"Uh, no. A friend... is...uh.....visiting our family, and he has a dog. Not very friendly to strangers. Very possessive." She stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind her.

Inuyasha sat there, feeling thoroughly kicked. How could she walk out with that human, just leaving him there? Ok, maybe he knew the answer to that question, but it still hurt. His ears drooped again. What if she told him she would go with him to the prom while she was out there? He couldn't even watch from where he was. Should he go out there?

Before he could finish his thoughts, though, the door opened and Kagome stepped inside. He lifted his nose to sniff discreetly, and was happy to note that the human's scent was not on her. He hadn't touched her.

Hands on her hips, she turned a scowl at him and scolded, "Inuyasha! You cannot go around being rude to everyone who comes to my house! I have to live in this world, you know!"

He muttered back at her, "He's not just anyone, and I know it. He's your boyfriend."

She looked at him and sighed. She didn't have time to get into a 'my boyfriend/your girlfriend/why do you care?" argument with him. She had to get some studying done. "Again, none of your business. But he's not my boyfriend. Just a friend from school. He came by to give me some notes he took in class that are important to the test I'm taking tomorrow." She proffered them to him. "See?"

He studied her for a moment. He knew there hadn't been any physical contact; he would have smelled it on her. He looked down and said quietly, "Did you tell him you'd go to your prom with him?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "How did you know about that?"

He shrugged, "Sango told me. I asked what a prom dress was."

She sat on the couch and cradled her face in her hands feeling very confused. What did he care? "I told him I'd let him know next week. I don't want to go alone." Her head was starting to hurt and she really wanted that shower.

He moved to sit next to her and brought his hand to her chin. Her hands fell away from her face as he lifted it so that she was looking into his eyes and he spoke, "Take me."

She stared at him as though he had just sprouted a small sapling out of the top of his head. "Excuse me?"

His cheeks flushed but he didn't turn away, "I said, take me. Please."

"I heard what you said, but why? Why would you want to go to my prom?"

This time he did turn away, and said nothing. She finally said firmly, "No. No way. Very, very bad idea. Thank you for trying to save me from going alone, but no."

He turned a wounded face to her. "Please, Kagome."

"Inuyasha, no."

"Why not?"

"Can we discuss this another time? Like after my test tomorrow? Please? I have to get some studying done or I will fail it completely."

"Tell me you'll take me to your prom and I will leave you alone."

"I can't do that."

He looked down, "Are you ashamed of me?"

She was startled, "Ashamed of you? No! How could I be ashamed of someone as strong and handsome as you are? A little afraid of what you might do to some of the guys at my school maybe, but not ashamed." It was true. She was trying to appeal to his sense of pride, but she wasn't lying.

"I can behave myself. I haven't killed Kouga, have I?"

She shot him a skeptical look, and was about to retort, but was saved further argument by the entrance of her mother and Souta. She jumped up from the couch and threw her arms around her mom. "Mom, I wasn't expecting you tonight! How's aunt Suki?"

"Oh, honey, she's fine. And the baby's so cute! I brought you lots of pictures."

They chatted for a few minutes, and then Kagome took the opportunity to duck out and run upstairs for her long awaited shower. She knew her mom and Souta would keep Inuyasha company.

He told Mrs. Higurashi why the carpet and tables were out of place, and put them back where they belonged for her. Souta "helped" him. Then they all went into the kitchen and Inuyasha again sat down to his almost untouched dinner. Souta joined him with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk.

Mrs. Higurashi poured fresh tea for Inuyasha and herself and regarded the silent hanyou a moment. She said, "Is there something wrong, dear?"

After a long silence, Inuyasha finally answered quietly, "I need your help."

She looked surprised, but said, "What can I do for you?" After all, he kept her baby safe, and she knew Kagome cared about him very deeply. In fact, in spite of his course manner, they had all become quite fond of him over the years.

"I want Kagome to take me to her prom. But she said no. I think it's because I don't have any money to take her to dinner. Or the right clothes. Or... any table manners." He was looking more and more dismal with each sentence. "And I don't know how to dance."

Mrs. Higurashi frowned and said, "Well, the money isn't really a problem, I don't think. Kagome's got some money saved up, and we would be willing to give you some."

"No." Inuyasha was adamant. "I want to take her with my own money."

"Your own money? But..."

"I was hoping I could do some chores around here for you. While Kagome goes to school. I would do anything you asked, if you show me how. And maybe you could pay me so I could take her to dinner someplace nice." He said all this in a proud but shy manner, somewhat atypical of his usual demeanor.

Smiling to herself, Mrs. Higurashi said, "Well, we could use some some painting done around here. And there are a lot of steps outside to be swept. And some garden work that's long overdue. I think I could keep you busy. As for the clothes, I think you could wear Mr. Higurashi's tuxedo with just a few alterations."

She watched as he finally seemed to relax enough to take a bite of his dinner. In all the times he had come to visit their home, she couldn't remember him trying to eat so carefully. "Of course I'll have to feed you if you're working here, so I can help with table manners, too. As for dancing..."

Souta piped up, eager to be a part of helping his hero. Especially if it meant him getting together with his sister. "I can teach him to dance! This friend of mine got a great dance DVD, and we can use it!"

Inuyasha looked skeptically at the little boy, who, having stated his role, was happily munching away at an oversized cookie.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. This should be interesting. She would have to pull out the video camera tonight and make sure she had plenty of film. Kagome was going to want to see this some day.

Continue...