InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Divine Interventions ❯ Revelations In A Time Warp ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 3: Revelations In A Time-Warp

Inuyasha still sat beside her on the couch, thinking, trying to will his mind to accept these new circumstances, the “new” Kagome.

How did these changes in her happen and when? Oh well, they would have plenty of time to talk and sort in out once they got back to the Feudal Era. He didn't want to push her much, and make her angry just yet, but her really did want, need to get back with her to his time, their friends, and the quest to complete the jewel and defeat Naraku. She had already cost him a month, and clearly, there was something going on in her time tonight, something she definitely didn't want him to know about.

“And why is that?. . .Well,” he thought, “Maybe we can stay here a little longer. Whatever Kagome doesn't want me to find out about has her pretty nervous. Maybe I should let her stay to find out what her “surprise” is, but she has another surprise in store for her if she thinks she can keep me away from whatever it is she's facing tonight.”

With that thought, Inuyasha gave a little outward smile and grunt.

Kagome turned to him, and he saw that her eyes suddenly full of anticipation. Her heart was beating too quickly again, faster than before. Whatever was going on in her brain was making her feel nervous.

“So, how's Kikyo?” she asked, a warm smile on her face. Only her heartbeat gave away the calm she was attempting to show.

“How the hell should I know!” “Why is she asking me that?!”

Kagome looked slightly shocked. “Inuyasha? Is everything alright?”

“Hmph! Of course it is, wench, but why did you ask about Kikyo?”

“Look, I'm sorry if I have said something to offend you. I just thought that since we haven't seen each other for a while it would be nice to catch- up a bit, okay?”

Inuyasha felt slightly ashamed by his outburst and making her feel as if she needed to apologize.

“Don't be sorry, Kagome, you didn't do anything wrong,” he said.

“Really? Good!” She visibly brightened again. “So. . . Please tell me. I want to know everything!”

“Like what exactly?”

“Well, like where do you live? Do you still see Sango and Miroku-How are they? Is Shippo okay? I've really missed him and have worried about him too. How's Kaede? Do you and Kikyo have children yet?” Inuyasha chocked and coughed. His face contorted with shock.

“CHILDREN!! KAGOME, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

The look of shock that moved across Kagome's face told Inuyasha at least that she wasn't “playing” any kind of a game, she was genuinely confused.

“Inuyasha,” she began quietly, looking down at her hands, “once again I apologize. I keep over-stepping bounds and making assumptions about what you would want to talk with me about. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, and I am truly sorry.”

Inuyasha was taken aback once more by her tone and manner. He looked at her face, expecting to see those damnable tears forming in her eyes, but there were none. He said nothing, but watched her. What the hell is she thinking? What should I say now? I don't want to get her all sad again, but what is this?

Before he could say anything else, Kagome looked at him, clearly and intently meeting his stare.

She gazed into his beautiful, golden eyes and felt her heart contract.

“Oh yes, it's all still there. All the pain, all the feelings. I finally have my chance, after all this time, to make it right.”

“Inuyasha,” she smiled suddenly with determined confidence, “I think I know how to make this easier. I'm sorry I didn't understand exactly before, but I do now.”

“Okay, she's still acting weird, but at least this sounds better. She's finally understanding that we just need to get back and-“

Before he could finish this thought, Kagome was standing in front of him. Her body was very close to his. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but she spoke first:

“I know what you want Inuyasha, and more than anything, I want to give it to you-I want you to be happy.”

Then she leaned down, bringing her face so close to his that her eyes and lips leveled with his own. This close, her scent was intoxicating. Inuyasha's heart was racing.

“Kagome-what-“

He was too excited to try to think, he could only feel as her arms began to move around his neck. He closed his eyes as he felt her breath on his face, the light touch of her arms brushing against his neck. She straightened her legs and stood above him again, his head was facing, almost embracing her chest.

Then, with his heart still beating beyond his inhuman control, it was over. She was standing over him, holding the rosary that had so long been around his neck and with an angelic smile, holding it before him.

“Here Inuyasha. I'm sorry it has taken so long to release you from this, from me. You are completely free now.”

Dumfounded and numb, Inuyasha took the beads from the miko's hands. His jaw had dropped open and he hadn't said a word, but was able to start thinking again:

“Kagome, why?”

Still beaming, she looked down at him and continued, “Now wait here, I'll be right

back!”

Now that she was finally doing this, making up for her selfish acts and righting things, Kagome was feeling great, better than she had in a very long time. This was hard, sure. Some part of her hurt, still loved Inuyasha, probably always would, but because of that love, the pain of letting go was somehow eased. She knew she was doing what was right. Why not tell him everything?

“Come on, Kagome, you're almost there, home-free. Get it all out. I don't know how he came back here, but somehow, he managed to get back. You owe him this-all of it.”

Kagome reappeared from a room holding a small box. She plopped down on the sofa beside Inuyasha and looked at him, her smile bright.

“Kagome, you didn't have to-“

“Ssshh! It's okay, Inuyasha, I did. Now I just have to finish. Before I do, can I tell you something?”

“Finish what?. . .What's she doing now?”

Inuyasha nodded, not knowing what was coming next. Whatever she was planning, he wasn't sure he wanted it to happen. Whatever it was, it couldn't surprise him more than what she had done already. He held the prayer beads in his hands, looking down at them and actually feeling-WHAT?-

Sadness? Loss?

“How could you feel anything but JOY at getting rid of those damnable beads and that spell? You are finally free, right!? It's not what she did,” he answered himself, “ it's what she said about `releasing me' and me being `free' Do I really ever want to be free of her?”

“Inuyasha,” she began, sand Inuyasha was surprised to note that she suddenly seeming a little shaky. She was beginning to sweat and felt her heart beat pick up.

“Okay Kagome, don't loose your nerve now, not after you've come this far.”

“I have a confession to make to you, but I'm pretty sure you know or suspected most of it already.”

The hanyou couldn't have looked more startled as she stared at his handsome face.

“Here goes: Back when I first fell through the well and came to your time, I was scared-no terrified, about what was happening. I felt so lost, so out-of- control.” Kagome gazed down at the rosary in Inuyasha's hand and continued. “After you woke up and I met you, I was even scared of you, at least until Kaede gave me that.”

“You had good reason to fear me then Kagome,” he said. It was an honest statement and came out softly, almost a whisper.

Kagome could hear the regret in his voice, and didn't want him to dwell on the past she knew he must be thinking about now. “But, “she smiled a little and continued, “As time went on and we, um, well, spent more time together hunting for the shards, I got to know you. Even though every day we faced life-threatening situations and there was always someone ready to kill us, I began to feel safer, safer with you, because of you.”

She stopped here and looked down at her hands again, she seemed to be gathering her thoughts, preparing for whatever it was she was going to say next.

“Kagome, you changed a lot after you fell through the well and you changed me too. I think we both changed for the better.” Inuyasha felt a lump in his throat.

“Hell! Did I just say THAT?”

It was hard for him to admit it, but it somehow felt right. If Kagome was finally opening up to him, he owed her a little something in return, right?

“Thank you, Inuyasha,” she smiled again, “That was a really nice thing to say, but I'm not finished yet.”

“Damn Kagome, I guess you really are taking charge here,” the hanyou thought, amused again.

“Inuyasha, I fell in love with you.”

There, she had said it, the very worst of the worst. It was out in the open, and now she could deal with what those feelings had caused, what they had cost both of them.

“I know how inappropriate my feelings toward you were. I was just a silly schoolgirl, and you were my first real crush. Looking back on it, I am still quite embarrassed and ashamed about my behavior back then. All those times I got mad at you, SAT you for no good reason, threw temper-tantrums every time you were with Kikyo and my unbearable jealousy toward her. Inuyasha, I'm so very sorry. I'm sorry about it all.”

He heard what she was saying now, but somehow, he couldn't completely let it sink in. He stared at her in amazement, in utter disbelief as he kept hearing the words that she had really said just moments before: “Inuyasha, I fell in love with you.-in love with you—love you.”

“Could she? REALLY? Is it possible--Kagome could love me? Gods!”

He wasn't ready to face any of these thoughts about her or himself yet. He knew that he felt something for the girl, and now that he had seen her again, seeing her now, he felt his chest rapidly constricting. He had never wanted anyone else to be close to her, but did he love her? Enough to want to make her his? He never believed he could ever deserve to be with someone again, not really, and he had never seriously allowed himself to think that Kagome would ever see him as anything more than a friend.

“Hell, most of the time, she doesn't even act like she likes me all that much!”

He wasn't prepared to even begin to think about any of this until after everything else was settled. When Naraku was defeated, when the jewel was whole, when Kikyo was at peace, then there would be a time to have this kind of a talk. . . .

. . . .Kikyo. There it was. Whatever he felt toward Kagome, or even now she toward him, he had an obligation to her first. She had died because of her love for him. Even though he didn't kill her himself, even though Naraku was to blame for the misery they both suffered, he had promised to share a life with her before she died. Now he owed her something in her wakeful death, but what? Would he give her his soul when the time came and go to hell with her? Is that what he owed her? Did he love her? Had he ever truly loved her? This was way, way, way too much to think about.

Inuyasha's head was spinning, and still, Kagome said more:

“I'm sorry I couldn't control my feelings better. I know now how I misinterpreted and twisted every gesture of kindness you showed me. You are a decent, honorable man Inuyasha, and you got stuck with a silly, weak and helpless schoolgirl to protect. Our quest was of the gravest importance to both our times, and instead of being focused, I spent more time fussing and pouting about whether or not you were “nice” enough to me. I know that I put us all in even more dangerous situations because of my daydreams and inappropriate feelings toward you. I'm sorry I was such a damn little idiot back then, I truly am.”

She had stopped talking again, and Inuyasha was tense beyond belief. He was breathing, panting quickly really, trying to process her words, to catch up. Yes, a lot of what she was saying made sense, it was true. She did pout and fight with him a lot. She did cause trouble between them when there was no need for it to be so, but had she really been all to blame?

Did she just say I was honorable? Shit, what did she mean by that? I like that she feels that way about me, I guess, but . . . .well hell, if I'm gonna be totally honest about it, weren't some of the fights my fault?. . . “

Listening to her confession, he was truly confused. What had gone on between himself and Kagome that he had missed? What in all the hells was going on now?

“Inuyasha hasn't said a word, not a thing, since I told him. What's he thinking? Does he hate me now?. . . God, I hope not!. . . You're in the home stretch. Tell him the last part and your free, Kagome.”

“Anyway, the last time I saw you. . . .” she began again. She didn't notice his eyes refocusing on her incredulously.

“No Kagome, please don't tell me there's MORE! Shit, I don't know if I can take this or what to make of any of it!”

He looked at her carefully, and watching the tension in her body, he could see this was something she felt she had to do. She was getting something painful to her out in the open, and he could tell her effort was costly to her own pride.

“Hell, this is some deep shit she's dealing with, isn't it?”

As uncomfortable as she was making both of them feel now, he couldn't help but admire her courage to face him with all this.

“It's a hell-of-a lot more than you could ever tell her, isn't it?”

The thought came to him unbidden, and he resented it.

Quieting his mind, his breathing, and his own resolve, Inuyasha sat back to listen to the rest of what Kagome would say:

“The last time I saw you, you didn't see me. Inuyasha, I went to look for you to tell you something like `dinner's ready,' but I couldn't find you. I went deeper into the woods and just kept walking. Since there was a full moon I was sure I would spot your coat if you were anywhere nearby. I was about to give up and go back to camp when I saw you standing in the clearing with Kikyo.” She stopped again, and now it seemed as though she was beginning to falter.

“Go on, Kagome,” Inuyasha gently urged. It was the first time since she began this that he had said anything to her. When she looked at him she could not tell what he might be feeling, but there didn't seem to be any anger in his voice or eyes. Taking that as encouragement, she nodded briefly and continued:

“I didn't mean to spy on you or eavesdrop, Inuyasha, but I heard what you said to Kikyo. I saw the promise you made to her.”

She dropped her eyes as a deep blush sped across her cheeks. “Inuyasha, she continued, not looking up now, “When I saw you with her and heard your promise, I totally lost my mind and self-control. I know now that I had no right to feel anything like I did, but in my mind there was this terrible sense of pain-loss- even-betrayal.” She sunk her head even lower, the shameful memories were so very hard to admit to, even now.

Inuyasha watched her, feeling terrible--horrible, for the pain he knew now for certain he had caused her last month. He had not meant to hurt her, but once again, like so many times before, she had gotten hurt and it was because of him. This time it wasn't her body that was hurt because he left her unprotected in battle, but her very soul. He himself had inflicted those wounds. To hurt her so, even inadvertently was completely unforgivable. Anger and hurt flared in his eyes and Inuyasha clenched his fists. Sensing his body tensing, Kagome looked up, and was startled by the intensity of his emotions.

For the first time since she had begun speaking, Kagome was frightened. She knew he was very angry now and was afraid that he wasn't going to give her the chance to finish, so she rushed forward with the rest:

“Inuyasha please! I am so sorry for what I did! I know I had no right to feel anything like I did! I really do understand why you promised Kikyo what you did. Inuyasha, the kind of love you share with her is so very precious and rare. I was a selfish idiot to even imagine myself coming between you. I am so very, very sorry! After I left that night, I realized what I had done. I knew I made a mistake and how very wrong I treated you. I tried to come back to apologize then to both you and Kikyo. I tried to come back through many times, but the well wouldn't let me. All this time I have wanted to make things right, I swear it. If you can't ever forgive me, I completely understand. All I want to do now is give you this back to you.”

Still angry at himself for what Kagome had just confirmed had happened to her the night she left, Inuyasha raised his eyes and steadied his gaze on her as she handed him something. He remembered now, she had left to go get this box and now was giving it him. Inuyasha didn't understand the meaning of the last things she said. Why was she asking for his forgiveness? She was blaming herself again for this? Still very upset, he glanced down at her hands and the box she was holding out to him. Wordlessly, he took it from her and with an angry sigh opened the lid, a tiny single shard of the Shikon jewel glittered up at him from the box's black velvet lining. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her quizzically.

“Kagome, why are you doing this?” He asked, Feeling a deep dread that he was beginning to understand, finally, what she had been getting at. She was quitting the quest, had already quit it when she left the rest of the shards behind and almost destroyed the well with her anger and burst of miko energy. He now felt certain that she must have done that on purpose. Still, he wanted, needed, to hear her say it, and he braced himself for the words he was terrified but accepted he would now hear, that she never wanted to see him again:

“I can't believe you are asking me that, Inuyasha!” He could hear the hurt in her voice.

Inuyasha stood up now and lowered his eyes again, waiting for the rest:

Kagome stood up too and suddenly began to pace a little, acting almost--

Was she nervous about telling him this?

“After the way I treated you and Kikyo. Oh God, I know she must hate me! I would hate me too! Having her mate bound in any way to another woman through that damnable rosary and after all this time not being able to complete the jewel because I got myself stuck here with the last remaining shard that belongs to you and her-“

He looked up at her in utter shock again. He stuttered over his reply

“You think, you think Kikyo and I are MATES? Why in the hell would you think that?!”

Kagome blinked, completely perplexed by his words and outburst. “Well, since you're here, that must mean that you didn't go to hell with her and since you didn't, which makes me very happy, by the way, I assumed that you—“

A very red-faced Inuyasha looked at her in shock and angry embarrassment “YOU ASSUMED WRONG! Gods, wench! How could you think that I could, she's not even. . . you're WRONG, okay!?”

Realizing she had said something inappropriate, Kagome's cheeks reddened, but she didn't understand why he seemed to be so upset, even if the conclusions she had come to about what happened after she left were wrong. “Look, I'm sorry! I just thought after seeing you with her like that you would be together as a couple by now. I don't know what happened after I left, and I guess I shouldn't have made so many assumptions, so once again, I'm sorry,” she said.

She looked so confused and embarrassed that Inuyasha felt bad again for yelling at her.

“Kagome, I haven't even seen her since that night. The last thing she said to me was that I wouldn't see her again until after we defeated Naraku.”

“You mean he's STILL out there?!”

“Kagome, we haven't found a damn shard since you left! Everyone's been waiting, hoping that somehow we'd find a way to bring you back so we could all continue searching.”

Kagome's color completely drained from her face. She gasped and grabbed onto a chair arm to steady herself. “Inuyasha, what happened to the shards I left behind in my necklace?” The panic in her voice was mounting.

“Kaede has them, she promised to keep them safe until you returned and Miroku, Sango and I have been helping her guard them.”

“You mean nothing has happened in all this time?”

“Kaede and Miroku fixed the well.” “After all this time that's all?”

“Yes that's all! Don't your ears work? He knew he didn't deserve to be angry NOW, but even in ending their relationship-if that's what you could call it-this girl was sooo aggravating! It's been a whole month and we have found no new shards.”

“It's been. . . . a month?” Kagome repeated, dumfounded.

“Yes, damn it, a MONTH!”

“No, that's not right.”

Kagome's face seemed even paler than before and Inuyasha had enough of being excited, shocked, surprised, and scared for one day. After all this, he desperately didn't want to loose her again like this, but it seemed she was tormenting him now. Why wouldn't she just get on with telling him to leave his life forever already?

“Well it is true Kagome and you and I both damn well know it. I haven't seen you for a whole month!”

“It hasn't been a month Inuyasha. It's been two years. Two years exactly to this very day.”

It was Inuyasha's turn to blanche. He didn't think anything else could shock him today, but oh, the fates proved him wrong yet again.

He grabbed Kagome's arm, forcing her up, to look at him fully. Her arm hurt where he held her skin, pressing too hard, she knew she was probably bleeding but didn't flinch. She focused on the sensation of his warmth, his nearness, his hand gripping her arm, rather than allowing the pain through.

Inuyasha took in her beautiful, shocked face and wide eyes, searching for an answer.

“Kagome? . . .It's true? . . . two years?”

“She nodded wordlessly and lowered her eyes, hoping he wouldn't notice the unbidden tears that now, finally, threatened to flow. This day, seeing Inuyasha again, telling him the truth, all of it- was just too much. She was emotionally drained.

Realizing how tightly, too tightly, he had been holding her arm, he quickly loosened his hold, grimacing the at bruise that was spreading on her arm and the fresh smell of her blood flowing from where he had scratched her and her wet tears.

“Kagome, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry!”

His words surprised Kagome but not more than his actions. He swept her closer into his arms and chest, hugging her tightly. If all of this was too much for him, what must it have been like for her? Looking at her now, he understood how she had changed into a woman in his absence. He felt himself regretting so many things he had done and not done, including not being able to watch her and watch over her as she matured in every way during these last two years. Everything he had seen and heard from her today confirmed it. She was not the same girl he saw only a few short weeks ago. He had an urge to ask her now about her life, what it had been like since she left, and in a rush of sudden understanding, realized the reason for her earlier barrage of questions about their friends, his life, and

“hell, even children!”

By his reckoning, she was now probably about his age-equivalent in human years, but he didn't know exactly. In any case, she had somehow lived two years of life when he had only lived a month. He needed a little while, yes, a little time, just to catch up.

“Please, don't let her push me away now,” he thought.

They continued to embrace. Neither of them wanted to move. Kagome listened to the strong, steady rhythm of his heart, and felt peace, contentment, and safety that she had not felt in a long time. He held her and felt her breathing return to normal as her slow, almost silent tears fell less and less. He never wanted to let go of her, never again.

Finally, she pulled back away, enough so that she could look up at him again.

Wiping her eyes, she smiled a little self-consciously and said “Thank you.”

“For what Kagome?”

“For comforting me just now, for coming to find me, and, most of all, for not hating me, at least, I hope you don't hate me.”

Inuyasha shook his head at the young woman in his arms “hate you? Kagome, I could never hate you.”

“Can you ever forgive me though-for all my mistakes in the past?” Her wide eyes looked at him, scanning his face, anxious. He had a very strong desire to pull her close and kiss her lovely parted lips, but thought better of it. No, there have been more than enough changes to deal with for one day! He chided himself at his less-than-innocent thoughts toward the woman in his arms.

“Oh Kagome, don't be an idiot!” He smiled at her, actually smiled at her. It was beautiful and gentle and warmed his face. She was so grateful for that smile, so happy, she unabashedly, pulled close to him and hugged him again very tight, fresh tears now falling from her eyes, this time tears of relief and happiness. After all this time, she hadn't lost him after all, he was still her friend. Speaking into his shirt, she said, “Thank you, Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha drunk more of her sweetness and unseen to her, smiled more fully and happily than he had ever smiled in his life.

“Well,. . .” she said, after several more blissful minutes, “I guess we both gave each other a few surprises today!” Kagome laughed a little, but also pulled back again, this time moving away from his arms and looking a little self-conscious.

“Kagome, there's a lot to think about.”

“Yeah, you're right about that. I guess we both have been mixed-up by this, and it's going to take some time to sort out.”

“Are you ready to begin now, Kagome?” Inuyasha asked gently. He was hoping he wasn't pushing too much, but also hoping she would be ready to go with him now.

“What do you mean, ready?” She asked neutrally.

“To go back now.”

“Back now. What IS he talking about? Wait a minute . . . surely he couldn't mean—“

Before she could finish pondering, he was handing her the box back. “I think you should keep this and put it with the other ones when we get back.” His gaze upon her was steady and sure, like his voice.

God! After everything that's happened today, after EVERYTHING I told him, he still wants me to come back with him and resume shard hunting?

“Inuyasha-“she started, looking down at the floor, “I'm sorry, I can't go with you.”

The silence that followed lasted one, maybe two minutes-but to both of them it felt like a chasm of hundreds of years had just cracked the floor open, right between them where they stood.

“Kagome, I told you, nothing has changed. The quest continues. We still need to find the shards.”

“Yes Inuyasha, I understand, but everything has changed for me, Inuyasha. I have a very different life now that I had when I was just a schoolgirl. I can't just pick up and LEAVE!” She didn't want to do this, but she had to make him understand.

“Of course you can, wench! This “university” is just a new school.” Honestly, what was she making such a fuss about now?

Kagome was taken completely aback. She had actually forgotten what it felt like to do this with Inuyasha, this thing they used to, this arguing. NO ONE had called her a “wench” or a “bitch”-she mentally winced at that word- for two years either.

“This is not just a new school, Inuyasha (she was tempted, sorely tempted, to call him an “idiot” now, but couldn't quite bring herself to do it). I'm in an advanced medical studies program now. Do you have any idea what that means?” Inuyasha shook his head but she wasn't really asking anyway.

“It means,” she continued defensively, that I was one of four students from a group of 2000 applicants to be accepted as a medical student without first completing a bachelor's degree. In other words, Inuyasha, I was awarded a high honor and I'm training to become a doctor now. Besides that, I also have a roommate, other friends, this apartment, a job, and other obligations that I can't just walk away from. I really am sorry, but-“

“Fine Kagome. I knew you were going to quit.”

“INUYASHA! Didn't you just hear ANYTHING I said?”

“I heard a bunch of excuses for breaking a promise.”

“Shit!” Kagome thought, “Of all the things he could have said now, and after all this TIME. Oh honestly, what am I SUPPOSED to do here? He has no idea of the position he's putting me in. . . . I have made other promises now, but how can I ever explain to him about my life now, what's happened. . . .”

“Inuyasha, I don't want to break my promise to you, I truly don't! What do you expect me to do, just put my life on HOLD for you?!”

“Yes.”

The single word answer shocked her more than she thought it should have. She stared at him in silence “I can't believe he just said that, so calmly. What an arrogant-“

“I expect you to do this,” he continued, his voice still dead-calm, “but not just for me. Many lives are depending on stopping Naraku, maybe not just in my time. I thought no matter what, you would care about that.”

He was right. Kagome was stung deeply by his words, but he was right, she had a duty in the past just as much if not more important than any of her duties now. She looked down at the floor, and breathing deeply, allowed her mind to accept it. After all this time, he was back in her life. So too was the other truth she had been running from, her sworn duty as protectress of the shikon-no-tama.

Determined not to sound defeated or burdened by the duties that were her birthright, she braced her arms around herself, raised her head and met his eyes. “Inuyasha,” she said, breathing out a deep sigh, “You're right, I'm sorry. I know I have a duty to fulfill in your time, and I'll find a way to work things out.”

“You'll go back?” He asked, his voice flat, almost disinterested.

“Yes.” The word felt heavy, final to her ears, but not, she registered in some surprise, as a terrible burden.

She had no way of knowing how she was going to make this work, only that somehow, she was going to have to.

On the inside, Inuyasha was so tense, so frightened of losing her, he was shaking. On the outside, he slowly unfolded his arms from across his chest and allowed himself to close his eyes for an instant to gather his composure and not shout for joy or gather her back in his arms. “Let's go.”

“Inuyasha,, wait. I will go back, but I can't just leave like this. I need to make some arrangements and that's going to take some time.”

“How much time?”

“After tonight, okay?-I have to make a lot of phone calls, right away, to the university offices before they close for the evening. I have to get transfer enough money out of my bank account to cover my half of the rent here so Chloe won't kill me, and I have somewhere I have to be tonight-- I have to go to work.

“Just call work too and tell them you can't come anymore,” he said matter- of-factly.

“Uh, no. . . .that won't work. I promised that I would be there tonight, it's kind of special, and everyone is expecting me to be there.

Inuyasha watched her but didn't say anything. Why did she smell anxious again? He leaned his head to one side and looked at her skeptically. He hadn't forgotten about this, but was hoping with so much said between them now, she would trust him enough to tell him about whatever it was that was happening tonight.

“Look, Inuyasha, there's someone I really need to talk to and explain why I'm leaving.”

“Who?”

“Just someone!”

“Someone” was a lie. Kagome was lying to him, he could tell by her voice, her smell, and her racing heart. He watched her smiling calmly at him.

“I know what Inuyasha, you go back first, and I'll come tomorrow morning, okay?”

“No.”

“NO?”

“No.”

Inuyasha! Why are you being so difficult?!”

“Why are you lying to me, Kagome?” He wasn't about to let this go now.

“The well never disrupted the times between our worlds before. It's too dangerous to be separated now. We need to go back together.” “Well, it's true,” he thought, “and I don't think even she's gonna argue about it.”

“You're right.”

“When exactly did he get so damn smart? Maybe I've always underestimated him in that way. . . .“

“You can stay here and wait for me to get back. Then we'll leave together.”

“I'll just come with you.”

“NO!” Damn! She had gone and done it, spoken a little too loudly, a little to quickly.

“I better cover before he gets suspicious.”

His eyes narrowed and he could feel himself getting. . . what? Angry? Excited?

“Oh Kagome, so you want to play with me now?” His human side could sense her discomfort, but his demon side was getting very worked up about her lying to him and didn't give a damn about her comfort now.

Kagome started talking fast: “I mean, look my work is really BORING and I don't have any clothes for you to change into that would blend. People would ask too many questions, and even though you are a very striking half- demon Inuyasha, you would definitely attract too much attention, so just relax here. There are cold drinks in the refrigerator in the kitchen, just like at my mom's house, and, I KNOW! I can even make you a bowl of ramen before I leave, okay?”

Inuyasha could tell that if she didn't get her heart rate under control quickly, she was going to faint.

“Did she actually compliment my looks? Shit! She did! She did that AND offered me my favorite food in one breath? Oh, this is just too good.”

He smiled in what he hoped was a conciliatory gesture and said “Sure Kagome, I'll wait here for you if that's what you prefer.”

She let out a breath of relief that she knew was too loud and noticed with mild alarm, his smile. “Funny, I've never really seen the resemblance to his brother before, but when he smiled just now, he looked a lot like Sessshomaru.”

This thought disturbed her and flickered on her face for the briefest instant.

Inuyasha noticed it and knew this emotion right along with all the other he was reading from her now that his demon senses were excited. He managed to make his face more passive, and watched Kagome instantly relax. “This is too easy.”

“Okay then, I'll fix your ramen, make some calls, and get ready to go.”

“Kagome, can I ask you one thing?” He knew he had managed to make it sound innocent.

“Sure, what?” “You mentioned tonight was `special.' Why?”

“Oh, it's nothing really. Tomorrow is my nineteenth birthday, that's all. I'm sure my friends have planned some sort of `dumb' surprise.”

The “dumb surprise” part he didn't doubt. What he marveled at was that it was her birthday-the night before-and she wasn't even going to mention it. Suddenly, he was taken aback with a new rush of feelings. It was her birthday the last time you saw her, too.

“Remember, she said it was `two years ago to the day' I had seen her last? Damn Kagome, what kind of a seventeenth birthday did you have because of me?”

 

One thing was certain, he wasn't planning on ruining this birthday for her, but he knew this surprise wasn't what she wanted so desperately to keep from either. The little secret, whatever, whoever, it was she was trying to keep from him, he had every intention of discovering whether she liked him knowing or not.

“Run with your lie, Kagome. Run and hide, little rabbit.”

The hunt was on.