Ι Blood Promises of Old˜Ó

Written by: £ady ßan§hee 999 © 2003

Author's note: I am redoing the story. The story did not flow the way I thought it should. So needless to say, I had to completely revamp the darn thing. Granted the main theme and subject is the same. But I didn't like how it was flowing along. I don't know, maybe it was just me. Anywho, I hope you enjoy reading my rewrite. TTFN!

Ιö˜Ó

"If you understand or if you don't
If you believe or if you doubt
There's a universal justice
And the eyes of truth
Are always watching you."

~ Enigma 'The Cross of Changes'~

Ιö˜Ó

Chapter One ~ All the better to see you with…

Climbing out of the well, Kagome looks up to the roof of the well house. The sun is about to set and she is thinking about all the things she has to accomplish in the few days she has before she must return. Of course she had to fight a certain dog boy in order to come back.

Tugging a large backpack over the lip of the well she drops it on the ground with a large sigh. Leaning back on the lip of the well she wipes off her brow with the back of her hand. Frowning she turns and looks back down into the well itself. "Why can't he just accept the fact that I have to come home once in a while? Why does he always fight me about it? I mean heck, I would have to come back anyways just to restock all the ramen that he is so darn fond of!" She continues to grumble as she leaves the well house.

It has been two years since she started her travels down through the well. Two years of battling youkai, Naraku, and anyone else after the Shikon Jewel shards. The young girl who barely was able to hold a bow was long gone. A young woman stood in her place. Gone was the girl who would hold a bow and pray that the arrow hit its mark, with miko powers that were passing at best. Resigned to her fate of being a miko she had decided to take a more active role. Having Kaede teach her some basics Miko skills, such as healing and protection, when they where at the village. Also Miroku was teaching her to sense youki and how to focus while they where on the road. She was learning to use her power to work for her when she wanted. Even Sango was helping her, teaching her some combat skills and techniques for defense, not to mention her skills with the bow. She figured she would never be at the same level as Kikyou, but as long as she could hold her own in battle it would have to do.

Walking up towards her house she suddenly catches movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head to scan the area and looking for the tell-tail sign of red she gets a bit angry. Closing her eyes for a moment as one-eyebrow twitches, 'It would be just like him to follow me home and try to get me back there.' After giving a complete scan she doesn't see anything. Stretching out with her miko powers she tries to sense anything out of the ordinary but again comes up with nothing.

Even with all that she still felt like she was being watched. She may have improved her skills but she still heavily relied on her group of friends, and right now they were 500 years in the past. So she was alone and starting to get nervous.

"Maybe it was just an animal," she says to try to calm herself, but not really succeeding. Turning quickly she practically runs into the house.

Ιö˜Ó

From a large branch, glowing turquoise eyes watch the girl close the door behind her. Regarding the young girl who scans the area, and silently chuckling when the girl says it is probably just an animal, but the girl's quick heart beat tells the figure more. The dark figure cocks its head sideways as it blinked slowly then jumped off the branch. Then as silently as the figure had appeared, it was gone.

Ιö˜Ó

"Tadaima!" Kagome cried as she kicked off her shoes and dropped her bag with a weary sigh.

"Okaeri!" Came her mother's voice. "I'm in the kitchen dear. Come on and grab some dinner if you haven't eaten already."

Walking into the kitchen she gives her mother a quick hug before she turns to grab some food from the fridge.

"How are your friends doing?" Her mother standing by the sink washing dishes asks.

Kagome sighs as she sits down. Not eating right away she just pushes her food around on her plate as she answers, "They are going alright I guess. Sango-chan is helping Kaede-sama to take care of Miroku-sama. He got slightly hurt by a youkai we were fighting. It had a little jewel shard but it was still a pain to kill."

"Well, dear," Mrs. Higurashi shakes her head as she grimaced. Wiping her hands on a dishtowel she turns to look at her daughter. "I don't expect any battles to be easy. Just as long as you guys try to be careful. I know that isn't easy in a battle for your life, especially against Naraku, but you know what I mean."

Taking a bite of her food she quickly swallows and nods. "Hai, mama. I understand. Although, who would of thought that I would be doing something like this? Battles, demons, and quests for jewel shards… Heck, even though it has been almost 2 years I still feel like I might wake up one day and find out that it has all been a dream." Going back to pushing her food around her plate she has a far away look in her eye, and a frown on her lips. "I don't want it to be though."

"What are you thinking about dear?" Seeing the distant look in her daughter's eye she has watched her daughter grow up from a child into a full-grown woman during here trials in the feudal era. Watching her go through so much, and getting stronger everyday, in here young years then even those who have lived a full life would. "Why the frown?"

"Nani," blinking rapidly she mentally shakes herself out of her thoughts. Kagome puts her chopsticks down focusing on her mother, "oh, I was just thinking. Every now and again I wonder what will happen once this is all over. I worry about Shippou's future, along with the others."

Understanding lights behind her mothers eyes. "You mean you worry if you will still be allowed to travel back in time?" Her mother had always suspected her fear in this. She had seen it grow stronger and stronger the more jewel shards they collected. "You know it is only reasonable for you to worry about Shippou. You are his adopted mom in a way. I believe Sango and Miroku would miss you a lot as well, but they could continue on. Shippou and Inuyasha are the two to worry about though."

A tender smile graces her daughters face. "Shippou I can't help but worry about. He is very important to me." The tender look is quickly banished though when she continues. "Inuyasha on the other hand would probably be glad to be rid of me. He always ends up having to save me and I am sure he would be happier without me." Sighing she continues with a downcast look in her eyes, "Besides, he has promised to go to hell with Kikyou after we defeat Naraku."

"Promises made out of regret are not always that which the heart truly wishes. Time can only tell." Looking at her daughter she sees the deeper meaning in her daughters words, 'I wonder if he truly knows my daughter's heart.' Taking a deep breath, "anyways, finish your dinner and go take a bath. You will feel better."

"Hai, mama, and thanks." She smiles but her eyes still don't loose their troubled look.

Giving her daughter one last look, 'I think if they where both honest with each other…' She goes to check on Souta before she finishes the thought.

Alone in the kitchen, her thoughts wander back to what happened earlier, 'I know I felt something. It wasn't an animal, I am sure about that. It almost felt like a youkai, but there was defiantly something different about it. And it didn't feel evil either. Maybe I should ask Inuy… NO!! I am not running to him. He thinks of me as nothing more then a weak human as it is. I wasn't attacked and it didn't feel evil so maybe there is nothing to worry about.'

And with that she finished her dinner and heads upstairs.

Ιö˜Ó

"Damn that wench!" a growling Inuyasha mutters. Sitting with his back to the wall and Tetsusaiga against his shoulder he scowls towards the door almost as if he expects her to walk into the hut. His arms are crossed with his hands shoved up his large sleeves. His ears are back in his simmering aggravation. "We need to get the jewel shards."

The elder miko sighs at the hanyou's antics. Long ago she had already gotten use to his surly attitude and quicksilver temper. Giving the hanyou a level look she merely shrugs, "Inuyasha, ye know Miroku-sama will need a few days to recover from his injuries. So why can't the girl return to her time for a bit. She be here in this time much more then she be with her family," replies the Kaede. "Besides, once the jewel is complete she may not be allowed to return to here. She needs to be able to return to her time to make sure that she will not suffer because of her time here."

At those words Inuyasha scowls even more then he was already with his ears now completely hidden in his hair. "What do you mean, Kaede-baba?" He shakes his head as if to refuse the thought, 'Not be able to stay here?' Quickly squashing the protective streak the thought had ignited he questions her. "Why the hell not? She belongs here purify the damn jewel doesn't she?"

Taking a deep breath she smiles internally, knowing that whether he wanted to admit it or not, he did care about the girl. "Inuyasha, ye know Kagome is not from our time. Her time, as she has explained to me, places much on their ability to do well in this school. In order for her to earn a place in her time, or as she says 'earn a living'."

Inuyasha's brow lowers in puzzlement about that. So much so that he scratches his ear with a clawed hand asking, "Earn a living?"

The miko turns back to her herbs she was working on before trying to pacify the hanyou. Shrugging her shoulders she explains it more. "It seems that in her time, a young woman is expected to be able to provide for herself. She is worried that because she has missed so much of this 'school' that she may end up not being able to do so."

Whether he wants to admit it to the elderly miko or not, her explanation doesn't help him understand. He ends up with more internal questions then he will give voice to even though they are swirling around his head. 'Provide for herself. She is expected to provide for herself? But isn't that the man's responsibility to do so?' Scowling at the confusion he shakes his head, "Feh, she sounds like she is having to do a man's job."

Giving him a quick glance and chuckling at his confusion, "From what I understand both men and women earn a wage. What we think as duties of a man, and duties of a woman are not the same in her time." Glancing away from him she looks in the corner of the hut and spots a book left behind by Kagome. Rising up from her work she goes over and picks up the object. Seeing a way to get the hanyou out of her hut and her hair she smirks, "Oi, Inuyasha, Kagome-sama left this behind. Return this to her, and while ye are there sees for ye self this things that I have explained." She hands him the book.
Scowling more he grabs it, "Feh," his only response as he walks out of the hut towards the well.

Kaede chuckles more as she watches him head down the path towards the well. Shaking her head she sits down again by her herbs and continues to work. "I swear. Older then me he may be, but he acts worse then Shippou when the girl is away."
Once into the forest the hanyou starts to run towards the well. Not paying much attention to the scenery as his mind tries to comprehend what he was just told. 'Her time makes no sense. Why wouldn't she be allowed to stay here with m-us. She belongs here or else she would have never fell down that damn well to this time to begin with.'

As the forest zips by he snorts. His eyes narrow in anger wondering why he cares so much. 'What do you care what happens to her once the jewel is completed? I have made a promise to go to hell with Kikyou. So what if she decides to, or is forced to, stay in her time?'

A stray thought did make its way through his mental rambling thought. 'Feh, that annoying brat Shippou would be alone.'
Growling he ads some extra speed as almost to escape from his mental momentary weakness for the twerp. 'She would continue to come back to this time if she was able to, for him. But if she has no choice in the matter she will need to be able to go on with life.'

The last sentence brings him to an abrupt stop by the well suddenly, 'yeah, what do I care what the wench does afterwards. She is just my "Shard Detector" anyways.' Lowering his head he hides his eyes with his bangs, trying to ignore the way his heart constricts. 'Hai, she will be able to go back to her own time. Take those stupid tests, find a mate, and…'

Growling suddenly then stopping as quickly as it started, 'Whoa, where the hell did that come from?' Shaking his head as he puzzles over the response that last statement seemed to have over him, he leaps down the well.

Climbing out of the well on her side, his nose picking up something and does a quick sniff noticing a strange scent. Dashing out of the well house he jumps up to the tree by Kagome's window to see if she is safe, without even thinking about it. Not seeing her in the room he quickly climbs in to see where she is. After double-checking the room, he exits it, ears twitching around to pick up the movement in the house he hears water running.

"Hello, Inuyasha, dear."

Quickly turning around he sees Kagome's mother coming up the stairs caring some clothes in her arms.

"If you are looking for Kagome, she is taking a bath and will be out in a bit. If you are hungry I can make you something to eat while you wait," she replies at him with a smile. Looking down at the book that has been forgotten in his hand she adds, "I see she forgot her math book. Thank you for bringing it. I am sure she will be glad you did."

Taking a quick peak towards the bathroom he then turns back to Mrs. Higurashi. "Is she alright? I thought I smelled a youkai here when I came out of the well."

The shocked look on Mrs. Higurashi's face was apparent as she looked towards the bathroom. "She hasn't said anything about it when she came home. Although she did look a bit nervous."

"Feh, she probably didn't think she was in danger." Looking sternly his eyes narrow as he looks back to the bathroom, 'damn, that bitch will get herself killed if I don't protect her.' Shaking his head he growls with his ears lay back, "I am going to have a look around outside just to be sure." Heading back into Kagome's room he sets the book on her desk and goes back outside through the window.

Mrs. Higurashi watches as he exits the house through the window shaking her head in amusement and chuckling. 'For as long as he has been coming here, he still insists on doing that.'

Doing a quick sniff of the grounds Inuyasha follows the most recent scent and jumps up to the branch in which the visitor was just standing. A deep growl can barely be heard from him as he tries to find out more about the intruder. 'Whoever it was they gone now. But it is a sure bet that they will be back. Damn it! What would have happened if they attacked while I wasn't here to protect her? Then could of killed her and made off with the jewel shards and I wouldn't have known. I though she would have been safe in her time.'

After making a complete search of the grounds he takes note that the scent is found in a few places but is much older. Almost as if someone was waiting, but the question is, for what?

Jumping down off the tree he is in he walks to the door and goes in. Suddenly smelling ramen and goes off into the kitchen. Walking in he sees Kagome's mother dishing him up some.

Looking over her shoulder she sees him come in and smiles. "Take a seat, I figured you might be hungry. Did you find anything?" As she walks over to the fridge, grabs a soda, handing him both.

Sniffing the ramen his ears twitch, "Someone was there recently, and not just tonight. It seems they have been here a few times." Eating some ramen he then takes a sip of the soda, and enjoying the coldness of it. "I don't understand what I am smelling though."

"What do you mean?" She proceeds to sit down, with a cup of tea, across from him waiting for him to continue.

Scratching his ear in confusion he explains. "Normally I can make out a lot of things by scent, but I can't tell if it is male or female. Something is hiding the scent. I can barely make out that whoever it is, is actually a youkai." Shaking his head he goes back to eating, 'this is really puzzling. Damn it! How the hell can one hide that sort of thing?'

Taking a sip of her tea she sighs. "I haven't seen anyone out of the ordinary here. Maybe they don't mean any harm," she replies wondering out loud.

"If they didn't want to be seen they wouldn't," he states matter-of-factly. "Besides, with the jewel shards here, I am not sure it is so safe anymore. I thought she would be safe in her own time at least," scowling he lowers his ears.

"Well, I didn't know youkai existed here. But we have had our fair share of evil humans. One just has to watch the news to hear about the latest murder, rape, or attack. We may have advanced in technology in this time, but we still suffer from the age old problems." Shaking her head she stands up and puts her cup in the sink.

Finishing up his food he looks at her, "It seems so. Kagome never mentioned this to me. We have come across a couple of youkai's here though." Cocking his head he asks, "What's the 'news'?"

Taking his bowl from him she put it in the sink. "Follow me and I will show you. We get information from around the world on our television or T.V. for short." She walks into the living room and turns on the T.V. Finding a news channel she motions him to sit down. Quickly explaining to him how to work the remote she leaves the room and heads upstairs.

Finding her daughter in her room she decides it is time to have a little chat. "Inuyasha came by to return your math book. When he came out of the well he said that he smelled a youkai, but the scent was off. Did anything happen when you came home?" She saw her daughter cringe when she mentioned this.

Kagome puts her pen down and looks up at her mother who is standing by the door. "Well, I did notice something move when I was walking to the house, but it didn't feel evil. So I just thought it was an animal." She shrugs and turns to look out the window. "I didn't want to worry anybody about it." Trying to change the subject she looks back at her mother, "So did he go back?"

Her mother smiles, "No, he is downstairs watching the news. He is worried about you. It seems that you never told him 'ALL' that goes on here. He assumed you would be safe here in your own time." Giving her a stern look while saying, "You should have told him the truth."

Looking angry and shocked Kagome stands up. "NO WAY! I have to fight him just to come back as it is. Do you realize how impossible it will be now that he knows? I will never be able to go to school again." Sighing deeply she bows her head and ads in a softer voice, "Besides, he isn't worried about me. He is just doesn't want to loose the jewel shards."

Going to stand beside her daughter she asks, "Is that what you really think?" Seeing her daughter's slight nod she sighs. "Dear I think you are wrong about that. But he has searched the grounds and found that whoever it was, they have been here a few times. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up staying here while you are here. I think he is more worried about your safety then the jewel shards. I just don't think he would say it."

Kagome hugs herself as she replies, "I don't think so, least according to him, I am just a weak human, and just his 'shard detector'." Frowning she looks at her mother, "He is watching the news?"

Nodding her mother just gives her a knowing look. "Hai, he seems very interested in our time. I bet he would like to see more of it then what he has already seen." Looking thoughtful she continues, "You know a baseball cap and some modern clothes and he would fit right in. Maybe tomorrow after school we can pick up some clothes for him."

The thought of him in clothes other than his rat fir made her smirk. 'Maybe oh, say a muscle tee and some jeans… Yeah, that would be an interesting sight!' Blushing she shakes her head, 'Wait a minute… where the heck did that come from?' Deciding to ignore it she says, "I wonder what he would think about that."

Mrs. Higurashi walks over to the door, "I will ask him. Are you going to bed?"

"No, I have a ton of work to catch up on before school tomorrow," she replies with a heavy sigh.

Laughing Mrs. Higurashi replies, "Well try not to stay up to late." At that she leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

"Yeah, right," Kagome mutters. Looking back at her pile of work on her desk she groans, 'I will be lucky if I can go to sleep at all with all the work I have to do!'

Ιö˜Ó

Going back into the living room she finds Inuyasha flipping through channels. Shaking her head slightly she smiles. 'Must defiantly be a male thing.'

Hearing a sound behind him Inuyasha looks up at her he with a shock easy to read in his eyes. "There where three murders in the city. Is that normal for this time?"

Nodding she replies with a frown, "Sometimes there are more or less. The people here are mostly good people, but we do have our bad ones."

Returning her frown he turns back to the T.V. "I never knew."

Coming over to him she places a hand on his shoulders, "No and I can't blame you for not knowing either. You had no reason to know." Taking a deep breath she shakes her head, "Kagome shouldn't have kept it from you." Smiling she ads, "Although it seems you sort of don't like her coming home. So she didn't tell you so that way you didn't fight with her worse than you already do." Laughing while watching his ears droop she continues, "I know you mean well, but you have to understand, she knows her family worries about her."

"But she keeps saying she has tests," ears dropping even further. "It is like she is more concerned about them than the hunt." Quickly scowling, "Besides Shippou is a pain in the ass while she is gone."

Sitting down in a chair next to him she looks out the window at the evening sky. "I doubt that she feels that way about the tests against the hunt. Actually if it were up to her she wouldn't worry about school at all. But the future is unwritten so she must plan for all occurrences." She turns to look directly at him, "Can I ask you about something?" She noticed his reaction earlier but he bringing up Shippou gave her a chance to answer some nagging questions.

"Feh, sure," giving her a curious look, still reeling from what her mother said about school.

"Shippou really loves Kagome, doesn't he? Almost as if she is his adopted mother."

Nodding he can't help but scowl at the thought of the kitsune. Crossing his arms he sits back in the couch, "Yeah, he is a kitsune. They are very dependant on their parents at his age. But since he has no parents, he as adopted Kagome as his mother. As such his feelings for her are the same as his was for his natural mother. If she was a youkai she would of marked him already." Inuyasha asks, "But what is an 'ad-op-ted'?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiles gently as she replies, "Adopted means an orphan is taken in by someone and raised as that persons own flesh and blood child." Leaning forward she asks, "What does 'mark him' mean?"

Scratching his head for a moment he replies, "Youkai rely on scent. Inu's have the best noses but all can smell better than humans. A youkai can tell who the parents are from the scent on the young. Marking sounds a lot like your 'adoption' for humans, except that it deals with scents given off by the young."

Curious now she asks, "How does one do this marking process?"

"Well," he looks up towards the ceiling not really looking at it but more trying to recall what was told to him a long time ago. "If the pup has lost both parents, according to Myouga-jiji, a pup, or in Shippou's case, a kit, is adopted by another in his pack." Bringing his face back towards the woman he continues, "We never found his pack and assumed that they where alone. To mark young, the adult share some of their blood for the young to drink. This binds the young to them. Their smell then covers the original scent and marks them as theirs."

Realizing the importance of this she asks, "I wonder, since Kagome is human, if she did this for Shippou would it mean the same thing?"

Scratching his head again, his ears twitch, "Myouga-jiji seems to think so. Kagome has sort of partially marked him. He sleeps with her every night and because of this her scent is already heavy on him, as is his scent on her. She has also protected him just as fiercely as any mother youkai protects their young. Because of these things, he has basically accepted her as his mother." Sighing he adds, "That is part of the reason why he is so annoying while she is gone."

Chuckling she suddenly starts to understand the hanyou's actions. "It that why you two don't get along? I heard that he can be quite a handful at times."

"Feh, he is a kitsune. They are naturally a pain. I usually bonk him on the head when he annoys me, but Kagome doesn't like that and then 'sits' me," scowling as he remembers all the sits.

Mrs. Higurashi smiles, "I wonder if Shippou doesn't do that just to see you get sat. He knows your reaction and also Kagome's. I will have to talk to her about it later."

'He annoys me so he can watch me get 'sat'?' Growling, "Why doesn't that surprise me at all?"

"Well you and Kagome both have to come together on this to change this behavior, or else it will only get worse as he gets older. Speaking of Kagome, I talked to her about earlier. She said she only saw movement and did not sense anything evil. So she didn't want to alarm the family."

"Feh, damn wench is going to get herself killed," growling he frowns.

"Inuyasha! I know you normally use that language, but please be sure not to do so when Souta is around, or others who are younger then Kagome." Looking at him in such a way that she left no room for argument.

Gulping he nods, "whatever."

"Arigato," she nods then smiles. "I was thinking, since Kagome is going to want to stay here a few days, are you going to stay as well?"

Ears cocked forwards he tilts his head slightly, "I will have to. Just to make sure she is safe as well as the jewel shards."

Nodding she replies, "As I though you would. Well if that is the case then I can give you some clothes to wear tomorrow for you to blend in. After school we will go to the mall and purchase some clothes for you. We want to make your stay here at least easier on you. Kagome doesn't spend all her time here and this way you can go with her. As well as see more of her time."

"Feh, why can't I just wear what I have?"

"You have seen what people in our time wear. This way you will look like everyone else." Standing up she says, "Come with me, we will look through my husbands old clothes. I am sure he has something that will fit you for tomorrow. That way you can walk Kagome to school."

Nodding he gets up and follows her to the attic. After about a half-hour they find a black tee shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. Coming back down stairs she takes the clothes and tosses them into washer. "Tomorrow is supposed to be chilly." Thinking she suddenly snaps her fingers, "you're going to need a jacket, and I know just the one. Stay right here."

"Demo…" Watching her fly into her room and dig around a bit, Inuyasha thinks, 'I don't care about the cold. It doesn't bother me.'

She comes back a few moments later with a plain black leather jacket. "Here try this on," she handed him the coat.

Taking off his red haori, he slips on the coat. She checks the sleeves and the length on him. "It is a good fit. It was my husband's, but I think he would like you to have it." She smiled as she thought about him. "You know I think he would of liked to know you. He loved Kagome very much and he would be glad to know someone is taking care of is little girl since he isn't able to do so."

Shifting uncomfortably in her glance, "Feh, someone has to." Remembering his conversation with Kaede earlier that evening he adds, "She would have found someone to do so." Although for some reason that doesn't sit well with him, and his ears go back.

Noticing this she smiles inwardly, "Maybe, but you are her protector now. The boys her age are different here. Due to her responsibilities in the feudal era, she is more mature than most people her age and because of this she doesn't act like other girls her age. So she is viewed differently. People her own age don't know what to make of her and so they almost treat her as an outcast. She has three girlfriends who have stuck by her through it all, but the rest are gone." She frowns, "It has been hard for her, but that is why she treasures the friendship between you and the rest of the group."

'She is seen as an outcast here?' Shock can be seen on his face before he lowers his head. "She treasures her friendship with a hanyou?"

Hearing him say 'hanyou' instead of 'me', she realizes just how deeply his thoughts about what he is, goes. "You mean a lot to her. Why wouldn't she? Have you ever known her to judge someone because of how they where born?"

Thinking back he realizes that she never has. "It was her who tried to befriend me when we first met." 'Even though the night before I tried to kill her.' "Growing up people where afraid of me, and youkai tried to kill me, all because I was a hanyou, neither fully human or demon. Kagome didn't hate or fear me. She just wanted to be friendly towards each other." Puzzled he looks up at her, "she was never afraid to be seen with me either."

That last statement puzzled her. Decided to find out more she bids him to follow her. Going into the kitchen she starts a pot of coffee, explaining, "It may be a long study night for Kagome and she likes coffee to keep her awake."

"Ah," he nods.

After starting the coffee she turns and looks at him, "Ok, explain to me what you meant when you said, 'she was never afraid to be seen with you'."

Shifting under her gaze he looks down and his ears droop while he debates on explaining. Finally giving a soft sigh, and a lowered voice he gives in. "As I said I am a hanyou, both feared and hated. I was alone growing up. My father died protected my mother and me, and a few years later my mother died protecting me again. I was about six when it happened. After awhile I heard about a jewel that could change me into a full youkai, so I went after it."

Shaking his head he continues, "I met Kikyou, and we talked. Even as I think back on it now our 'friendship' was guarded at best. She wouldn't act like Kagome does. Kikyou and I found that we were alike in small ways. She was viewed as not being a normal human since she was the guardian Miko of the Shikon no Tama. When we talked we did so alone. I didn't mind because it was the first time someone acted like that towards me."

"You where lonely. That is understandable. She offered you something you wanted, companionship." She watched him for his response.

"Feh, I am fine alone. I really didn't need it." But his ears never came up from their drooped position.

"But now one thing puzzles me. She never wanted me to walk with her in the village. She always said people wouldn't understand. But Kagome doesn't care. She never did." His brows drawn together as he thinks.

A voice from inside him says, 'she has even cried for you too. When she though you might die.'

Listening to all she thinks, 'you poor boy, alone for so long.' She sighs and places a hand on his shoulder. "I can't imagine what growing up alone in that was must have been like for you." He looks at her as she continues, "nor can I explain Kikyou's actions." 'But I think I can guess.' "But I can Kagome's, I know her heart. To her it doesn't matter. She cares not if you are youkai, hanyou, or human. To her you are Inuyasha, someone very dear to her. She doesn't care what others think either, because she knows you. They do not."

"Why?" Puzzles etched on his face.

"Because that is her true nature. You above all people should know this, have you not seen it countless times with your own eyes?"

Thinking about this, he replies, "Hai, I guess I do."

Nodding she continues, "she cares deeply for you and thinks of you as more then a friend. Why would she not want to be seen with you? I remember one time she came home in tears. It seems that a villager, from a town, had made a comment about you. She told him off, saying he didn't know you so he had no reason to say such a thing. It seems he responded by calling her a 'youkai loving whore'."

She can see the shocked look on his face at her as she continues, "from what she told me she looked at him and said 'better to love a youkai who accepts her for who she is that be associated with a ignorant bastard who judges people because of how they where born'. She was very upset because someone could be like that. Not because of what he called her, but for the fact he made a rude comment about you. And in her words, 'you where not there to defend yourself and what type of person would she be if she didn't defend you'."

Eyes wide, "she said that?!?" He looks away, 'better to love a youkai?' He puts his head down, "She didn't deserve to be called that. It's because of me."

Hearing the sadness in his voice, "no its not, and don't you think that for a moment. It is because people are ignorant. Kagome didn't care that she was called that." Shaking her head and chuckling a bit, "No, I take that back. She took that name with pride. She loves you, as well as Shippou, Kirara, and even Myouga. She wouldn't due any less than stand up for her family. Let's face it, you guys are family, and since you protect her from physical hurt she though nothing of protecting from a verbal attack."

"Look at me, Inuyasha." She waits for him to look her in the eye before she continues, "as much as you have a tough exterior, she knows on the inside you hurt. You just don't let it show. She understands why you don't let it show, but she doesn't want you to feel like an outcast. You have friends who truly care about you now. Friends defend each other when this sort of thing happens."

The only thing he can manage to think at the moment is the first thing out of his mouth. "They… would defend me like that?"

Softly smiling at him she nods briefly, "Hai, especially when you are involved. She doesn't feel bad about any of it. So you shouldn't either."

Not sure what to say he just nods. 'Kagome did that for me, she defended me even after he called her that. She was proud? Proud to be called it? But Kagome is always like that isn't she? She defends her friends and she trusts me. She gave me her friendship even though I am a hanyou. She didn't care, but she does care about my feelings.'

Looking at Kagome's mother, "You know I never met anyone like her before."

Winking at him, "And you probably never will." And with that she turns to make two cups of coffee. Handing them to him, "here, be a dear will you and take one up for Kagome. The other one is for you. I am going to toss your clothes in the dryer and get you some extra blankets."

Nodding he walks upstairs. Putting both cups in one hand he opens the door. She glances up from her pile of books and smiles. "Oi, Inuyasha, you have coffee? Great!" Pushing her chair away from her desk she accepts a cup. He sits on her bed and sniffs the coffee before tasting it. Finding it bitter but not bad he looks at her desk.

"Do you have a lot of work?" he asks looking at her.

Sighing she shakes her head, "No more that normal for me." She smiles at him, "for some reason, I don't get much work done while we hunt for the shards as I should."

"Feh, what's the big deal about school? Explain it to me." 'She has accepted me for so long, maybe it is past time I accept her.'

Surprised by his request she looks at him with wide eyes. Blinking it away she starts to explain, "Well, kids from the age of 5 till about 18 have to go to school. There they are taught how to read, write, do math, and many other things. Things one will need to know later in life here. They judge your learning these things by giving you tests." Sighing she looks back at her work, "I don't think I am doing well at all though. I used to do really well and luckily I am able to learn some of this without being school. But if I don't take the tests I don't pass. I need to pass to go on to the next level."

Scratching his head he understands a bit if it. He asks, "how many more levels do you have?"

Turning back towards him she replies, "Well, only one more once I finish this one. There is collage after that but I can put that off."

"What is 'col-lage'?"

Leaning back in her chair she takes a sip of her coffee. "School teaches general knowledge. Collage deals with specifics. Sort of like an apprenticeship for something." Smiling she giggles, "I could be a history major. My specific specialty being the feudal age."

Not understanding that he asks, "What does a history major do?"

"It means I could learn to be a teacher of all things related to the feudal age. I think I would know a good bit of it without even needing to go to collage for some reason," laughing again.

Smirking he says, "Feh, I wouldn't know why."

Still laughing she says, "Ok, Inuyasha, spill it. I have known you for a long time. How come you are interested now?"

Shrugging his shoulders he looks out the window. "Feh, I just want to know why you keep running back for these tests."

Sighing she replies, "Personally I rather look for shards and just come back to check up one my family, but I can't."

'So her mother was right about that.' Curiously he wonders aloud, "Why not?"

Dropping her head she whispers, "Because I am afraid. Afraid of the future, and of being alone." Putting down her cup she gets up and walks to the window to look out. Hugging her self she continues in a soft voice, "I want to be able to be with both my family in the past and my family here. If I knew I could do that I wouldn't care about school so much. I would focus my energy completely on my Miko training that Kaede-sama has been teaching me. I feel more comfortable in the past because back there I have a true purpose. But I don't know if the well will let me do that."

He only sees her profile but he can see a deep sadness in her eyes as she continues, "My greatest fear that once the jewel is whole I will no longer be allowed in the past." A single tear falls, "I worry about Shippou and what will happen to him. I worry about never being able to see Sango, Miroku, or the others." Putting her head down she whispers softly, "I worry about never being able to see you again as well."

Standing up he puts his cup down and stands behind her. She continues, "I continue with school because if the well stops I will have to find the courage and strength to carry on. Without you or the others, who seem to be my greatest strength, but forever worrying about what happened to you all," crying softly now. He puts a hand on her shoulder as she tries to wipe them away and takes a deep breath. "I am sorry, I guess I truly am nothing more than a weak human."

"Feh, no you are just being Kagome." He turns her around and pulls her into his arms hugging her gently. 'I never thought about the well stopping until today.' She cries into his shoulder as she holds onto him. All the months of worry coming out. "We would find a way to bring you back to us." Putting his head on hers, "we wouldn't leave you alone."

Crying even harder she turns away from him suddenly, "you mean the others would." Putting her head down she whispers, "you will be gone."

Stiffing up quickly he turns to look at her, 'she is right! I completely forgot my promise.'

Pulling out of his embrace she turns away. "I am sorry, I …"

Grabbing her arm and turning her back to face him, "don't ever be sorry. Not for telling the truth or what you feel." Pulling her back into his embrace, "don't ever be sorry for being you."

* TBC *

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