InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Second Chance At Love ❯ Is This A Beginning? ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: The usual... I do not own Inuyasha.

Author Note: I would like to thank everyone for his or her reviews. I'm glad everyone likes it. I had no idea it would take to people so well. Thanks to all of you, I've decided to keep it going. I want to thank Missile D for helping me with the spelling and to tell her that I accept criticism as well. There is no need to apologize for it. If you notice, I changed what you told me.

Author Note: Someone asked if this was going to be a S/K pairing, yes it is. You may have noticed that their road to each other is not going to be easy as well. I just wanted to warn everyone now. But, I'm sure you figured that out since you know he heard Kagome's words to Inuyasha in the last chapter. Well... on with the story

Chapter 3: Is This A Beginning?

The four friends watched in silence as the girl ran off into the forest. They knew she was crying, again. From their spot behind a huge oak tree, they could see everything that happened, but they couldn't hear what was said. They all knew whatever it was it wasn't good. They all turned simultaneously to look at one another. Each pair of eyes mirrored the same feeling... sorrow for their friends.

"Should we go after her, do you think?" inquired Sango with a frown.

"No. She'll be okay. She won't go to far. Probably heading to the river," sighed Mirouku. "Lets give her some time. If she's not back by night fall we'll go look for her."

"Inuyasha looks so sad," stated Shippou quietly. "I've never seen him this way. He really does love her, doesn't he?" he asked, not really needing an answer.

"Hai, Shippou-chan. He does, but I fear his ignorance has become his greatest enemy," decreed the houshi. Sighing heavily he added, "We will give him time too."

Then looking at one another they all sat down on the ground to get comfortable. Kirara leaned her body against the young kitsune, offering comfort the only way she knew how. Sango took up the space beside Mirouku, who'd sat with his back against the base of the tree. She leaned her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her lower back. None of them knew what would happen next, but they all worried for their friends.

They all understood one thing though... their group would never be the same again, after today. None of them knew what that meant.

*****A ways away, in the forest near the river's edge****

Kagome wiped furiously at the tears that were still coming down her face. She kept this up she'd have no water left in her entire body.

She'd done it. She'd broke things off with Inuyasha, what there was anyway. She'd loved him so much, for so long, she'd never imagined it ending like this. Sometimes she didn't even imagine it ending, but she knew now it had to. She knew now that it was never going to go anywhere, not as long as Inuyasha believed he owed Kikyo his life and she wasn't going to wait for him to see right. She doubted she'd live that long.

For the second time that day, Kagome wished she could run home to her mother. She knew her mother would know what to say to her. She wasn't going to go home though, because she wanted to be able to come back. So, she'd wait until they had the shikon no tama back.

Kagome thought about the last time she'd went home. She'd been crying over Inuyasha then too. Her mom had come to sit with her in her room, and within a few minutes she'd told her mother everything. After she'd finished, her mother had said something to her that she would never forget.

** SMALL FLASHBACK**

"Are you in love with Inuyasha, Kagome?" her mother asked.

"I don't know okaasan," Kagome folded her hands in her lap as she sighed and continued, "I might be."

"Ahh, Kagome," her mother sighed and put her hand over her daughters, "loving someone isn't always easy. It can hurt, but it shouldn't always hurt. When you find the right one, he won't make you cry. It won't be easy, but nothing worth the trouble is ever easy."

**END FLASHBACK**

Kagome bent over the edge of the river and scooped some of the freezing water into her hands. She splashed the water onto her face. She sucked in her breath at the coldness of the water. She wiped her face with both hands as she pushed her hair back away from it and tucked the long strands behind her ears

Her mother's words kept running through her head.

"Oh, mother. It does... it hurts so much. But, you were right. It shouldn't," she whispered aloud.

At least she wasn't crying anymore, Kagome thought ruefully. Her face was getting cold from the breeze now. Kagome grimaced and looked up at the darkening sky. It would be dark soon. She should start heading back to the campsite, but she wasn't ready to see Inuyasha. Not yet.

Kagome sat back on her butt and pulled her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs as she stared up at the sky. Kagome sat quietly for a moment.

Kagome tensed when she sensed someone behind her. Thinking it might be one of the others, probably coming to check on her, she twisted slowly around to see who it was. Kagome's eyes widened when she saw the familiar figure in white.

"Sesshoumaru," she breathed quietly.

Sesshoumaru stared at the young miko, saying nothing. He'd been watching her for a long time now. Ever since she'd run off, in fact. He'd followed her here and watched her fight to stop her tears. He'd even heard her talk aloud to herself when she thought no one was around. He didn't understand why she was doing this over his brother. What did she see in him, he wondered? Maybe he'd let her tell him.

Sesshoumaru didn't know why he was so interested in the miko. She was a human and that was bad enough, but something was drawing him to her. It had been for some time now. Ever since they defeated Naraku. He knew she held some crazy wish, that he and Inuyasha would make-up or something, but he just put that down to her foolishness and dismissed it. Inuyasha would die by his hand and there was no changing that. Not even that dead miko, he declared to himself.

"You should not have run off," he began. He moved closer to her until they stood side by side, then continued, "There are dangers in this forest."

`Run off?' Kagome thought to herself. She narrowed her eyes at the handsome youkai. Kagome stood up and threw her head back to look him in the face. She had grown in height, but he was still taller then her. The top of her head only reached his shoulders.

"You saw didn't you?" she inquired quietly. Belying her rising anger.

Sesshoumaru turned his head and locked his amber gaze with her brown one. He could sense her change in emotion. He did not care.

"I saw." He stated in his calm stillness, that only Sesshoumaru could do.

"You spied on me!?!", she raised her voice in disbelief. She fisted her hands on her hips and yelled at the impossible youkai lord. "I don't believe this! Kami-sama... You and Inuyasha-"

Kagome stopped what she was about to say when she saw something threatening flash in his eyes. Yet, his facial expression did not change in the least.

"Do not ever compare me to him," Sesshoumaru warned quietly.

Kagome gasped at the hard look in his eyes. Why did he hate Inuyasha so much, she wondered. Then her face went pale with her next thought.

"Did you hear?" she asked in a strangled voice.

Sesshoumaru watched the girls face go pale before she'd asked him that question. She looked afraid. Why did it matter if he heard? He turned his head forward again and looked across the river looking at nothing in particular.

"Hai."

Kagome stared at him a moment before sighing in defeat. She couldn't change the fact that he knew and she really didn't see why it mattered anyway. She turned to look across the river as well. They stood there quietly, side by side. She wasn't thinking about anything really. `Why was she staying here with him?' She didn't want to leave though. She also wasn't crying anymore. That was good she was really getting tired of that.

Sesshoumaru sensed the changing emotions the girl was going through. It amazed him how she could change her emotions so quickly and how she had no problem expressing them. Sesshoumaru felt anger before, but never as strongly as he'd seen her feel and express it. As for all the other emotions he'd witness come from her, he didn't remember ever feeling them. He was sure he had, maybe in his childhood... a lifetime ago.

Kagome had become so use to the silence, that she jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Why do you cry for him?"

Kagome's eyes widened a second time. Why was he asking her that, she wondered. Kagome turned to look at the youkai's face. She could only see a side view, for he was still looking at something across the water, but it didn't matter she knew what he looked like. He didn't have a face one forgot easily.

"Who? Inuyasha?" At his nod she continued, "I don't cry for him. I... well... I cry because I cannot change him. I guess... I don't know, its hard to explain."

"You want to make him human?" Sesshoumaru inquired, misunderstanding.

Kagome giggled at that and sighed. She saw something flicker in his eyes when he focused his amber gaze on her's. It was gone to quickly for her to identify. She exhaled quietly.

"No," she smiled. "Not change him appearance wise... but in character. Or mind wise. I guess... I told you I couldn't explain.

He watched her pull her hand through her dark tresses in frustration and nodded at her failure.

"And you... love him." Sesshoumaru didn't understand this.

"Wha..." Kagome trailed off in shock at his words. "Yes." Didn't she, she wondered.

Kagome thought about it. She didn't want to change, change Inuyasha, she just wanted to change his thoughts on one certain subject. Kikyo.

"Why'd you come here Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a minute, before he turned, gracefully, and started to walk back in the direction he'd come. When he was standing in the same spot he was at when she'd turned to see him, he spoke to her, but did not turn to face her.

"Kagome."

She started at the sound of her name. That was the first time he'd said it... that she could remember. It was always `miko' or `Inuyasha's woman'. She `d figured he didn't know it and that he didn't care to know. It was nice to hear him say her name. She was not about to think what that meant.

"You should save your tears for something important."

Kagome blushed and looked down at her feet. `Now, what did he mean by that?' she asked herself. When Kagome looked up to speak, the Taiyoukai was gone.

Kagome sighed and decided to head back to the camp. They were all probably worried about her. She was surprised no one had come to look for her, unless they were purposefully giving her some time alone. Which would mean they knew, Kagome sighed. She should have known. They were probably listening somewhere then too.

Kagome exhaled heavily and began walking back to the camp. This time her mind was on a different dog youkai with golden eyes.

Sesshoumaru watched the girl walk away from the river towards the camp. `What was going on with him?' `Why was he so interested?' He didn't like it. Not one bit, he thought as he followed the girl. He might as well make sure she made it back to camp unharmed.