InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chances ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inu Yasha and company. That honor belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

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Chapter 5

The rain had stopped mid morning, and now the sun was beginning to peak through the scattering gray clouds. Inside Kaede's hut it was business as usual, although it was unusually quiet. Miroku and Kaede were crushing herbs while having a philosophical discussion that left the others with their heads spinning. Inu Yasha was sulking in the corner near the door as he watched Kagome color with Shippo. Sango was looking over her weapons, trying to find the slightest defect or smudge of dirt. Kirara was curled up at the girls side, with both of her tails flipped over her nose as she slept. Sango would reach down and stroke her back absently every once in awhile.

Kagome suddenly got to her feet and began throwing things into her pack. Inu Yasha watched her through narrowed eyes. Where did she think that she was going? The girl bent down and patted Shippo's head before speaking. The kitsune looked up at her and smiled happily before returning to his masterpiece. The picture was of their little group, or at least that was what Kagome assumed anyway. There were five figures in a field of flowers and each seemed to be wearing distinctive colors. There was a green and white blob with black hair standing beside another dark haired blob in blue...Kagome and Miroku. Off to the side was a pony tailed black blob reaching up to catch a boomerang roughly the size of a Boeing 747... Sango. One small shape with orange hair and blue clothing seemed to be chasing a white blob with two tails... Shippo and Kirara playing tag. But what made Kagome giggle was the sixth blob in red which was not on the ground so much as in it. Inu Yasha had apparently done something to deserve the dreaded word once again.

"Be good Shippo. I am going back to my own time, but I'll be back the day after tomorrow." Everyone looked up and nodded at her, with the exception of one stubborn hanyou who leapt to his feet to stand before the door with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"You aren't going anywhere, wench." He sneered. "We have a job to do or have you forgotten?" The only thing flashing through his mind was that she couldn't go. His plan wouldn't work if she wasn't there to see it. So she had to stay here, that was all there was to it. The fact that they were back on familiar ground with this argument made him feel better. He could pretend that nothing had changed.

"I haven't forgotten Inu Yasha." Kagome sighed. Why had she thought that this was going to be easy. He never let her go without a fight. "I will be back soon."

"No." He growled and placed his hands in his sleeves, turning his head away from her with his nose in the air. Classic Inu Yasha pose she thought even as she felt the anger rising at his flat refusal. How could he say no, when she hadn't been asking. It had been a statement. She didn't want to 'Sit' him, after all he had been through enough emotional pain the past few days, he didn't need a backache too. But why couldn't he spare her the same courtesy, she sure didn't need a headache. That thought made her snort in derision. She couldn't believe she had just used the word courtesy in conjunction with Inu Yasha, even in her mind.

"There is something that I have to do at home. I am going!" Her voice had gotten softer but her eyes had hardened. He swallowed loudly, knowing he was pushing his luck, but he didn't want her to go. Why did she always have to be so difficult?

"I said no."

"Damn it Inu Yasha, you can't stop me..."

"The hell I can't!"

"...but we both know that I can stop you." She was clenching her fists, trying to resist the urge to 'Sit' him right through the floor. Stubborn Jerk!

"You wouldn't." He was trying to hold back a smile at just how right this felt. This was the first time that she had looked him directly in the eye in almost a full day, and she was angry. She was absolutely gorgeous when angry, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling like diamonds. That was one of the reasons he liked to argue with her so much.

"Try me." Kagome snarled. Inu Yasha took an involuntary step back. She didn't seem to be enjoying this like he was.

Sango was watching the argument with mixed emotions. On one level, this seemed so normal and right, while on another, she just wanted to knock out the hanyou so that her friend could go home. She needed to see her family. Inu Yasha probably didn't understand that since he hadn't had one for so long, but Sango did. She would give almost anything to see her family one more time. Inu Yasha should just let her go, Kagome always managed to get through the well anyway. The exterminator sighed and shook her head. Inu Yasha was going to end up glued to the floor soon.

Miroku finally decided that this had gone on long enough. He knew that Kagome could handle herself, but he felt he should step in. It wouldn't do to have them fighting for hours. Besides, the quicker she went, the sooner she would be back.

"Let her go, Inu Yasha." He said quietly as he stood behind Kagome and put a hand on her shoulder. She reached up and took it gratefully, while continuing to glare at the hanyou.

"This doesn't concern you, priest."

"Doesn't it?" Miroku lifted an eyebrow in inquiry. The half demon growled and turned away from the monk's calm and slightly amused eyes. He had forgotten in the familiarity of the moment, but it did concern him now. Inu Yasha sniffed and turned his nose up in the air. "Go Kagome. I hope that your tests go well. Hurry back." Miroku bent and kissed the top of her head even as he squeezed her shoulder. Kagome nodded and turned to smile at him.

"Thank you." She whispered softly as she kissed his cheek.

"Any time, Angel." He returned to Kaede's side and they took up their conversation as if nothing had happened. Kagome began to sidle past Inu Yasha with a wary glance. When she saw the sadness in his golden eyes which he tried to hide by looking away quickly, her anger melted away. She put her hand on his arm and smiled at him brightly.

"Day after tomorrow, I promise." Inu Yasha nodded but didn't say anything. That was the first happy smile that she had given him since this whole fiasco had begun. She had also tried to reassure him. His hope was rising again. Things would work out, he knew it. He watched her walk away and sighed softly.

She continued to the well, but stopped when Shippo came running after her yelling her name. He leapt into her arms and grinned up at her.

"Will you bring me something Kagome?" His turquoise eyes stared up at her lovingly and she laughed softly as she pet his head. Over the time that they had spent together, he had learned how to exploit his cute factor to the utmost.

"Don't I always, you little con artist?" He giggled and nodded. "Shippo, while I am gone, be nice to Inu Yasha, okay?" His face fell and he pouted.

"Why should I?"

"Because he is in a really bad mood anyway, and I don't want you dead when I come back. Then I would have to give your surprise to Miroku." The kitsune's eyes widened comically and he shook his head emphatically, almost dislodging himself from her arms. No one was getting his surprises but him.

"He couldn't catch me anyway... but I'll do it for you."

"Thanks Shippo. Now go back to the others, okay?" She watched him scamper back toward the village and grinned. He really was too cute.

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Kagome landed on the other side of the well and climbed out with a smile. She was thinking of Miroku. He hadn't tried to stop her from coming back. He had wished her luck on her tests and let her go. Of course she didn't have any tests this time, but it was the thought that counted. Too bad Inu Yasha couldn't do the same. Why did he always have to make such a federal case out of everything? It was only a day and a half after all.

"I'm home!" She cried as she entered the house. Only silence greeted her. On the kitchen table she found a note that said that her family had gone away for the weekend. She sighed. Well, they never knew when she was going to pop out of the well, so why should they have to stay here all the time? At least she was home.

Home. For some reason this wasn't the place that her mind conjured up when she thought of that word any longer. Now she saw a small village and smelled fresh air. She loved her soft bed and the comfort of a hot bath whenever she wanted one, but they didn't compare to the sound of the fire at night and a canopy of stars twinkling overhead. Her family was here, and that was all that called her back to this time now. The friends that she had in this time, were now more like acquaintances. She didn't feel like she had anything in common with them any longer. Not to mention the fact that they were always trying to set her up with Hojo. She groaned at the thought of the young man who was so caring, considerate and clueless. He just didn't seem capable of taking a hint.

If there was one thing she didn't need in her life, it was another problematic man.

With that, her thoughts once again turned to a handsome monk, and she blushed. Apparently her heart had made its final choice without consulting her, but she couldn't stop the occasional flares of emotion for the hanyou that had held her heart for so long. She knew that Miroku liked her but he hadn't told her that he loved her. In fact, the closest he had come was to ask SHIPPO if he would mind if Miroku were in love with her. Shouldn't he have asked her? Why Shippo of all people? Well, she hadn't exactly let on to her own feelings either, so she couldn't get too upset with him.

Upset. Why does that word always lead back to Inu Yasha? she thought, and she could hear the sarcasm even in her mind. What was she going to do about him? He knew that she was with Miroku now, but he was acting as if nothing had changed. How could she convince him that she had meant it when she had said that they could be nothing more than friends. She didn't want to hurt him any more, but how could she do that and yet still follow her heart's decision? When he saw her and Miroku together, his eyes filled with pain and sadness. There had to be a way for them all to be happy...

And this was the reason that she had come home. She needed to do some deep thinking, and she couldn't do that with all the distractions in the past. With her family gone, it would provide her with the silence that she needed. She had been sorry that they weren't here, but they would be back tomorrow according to the note and she could see them then. So she would think over the changes that had happened in her life, and make sure that she was happy with her choices. She would also consider making bigger ones. But that could wait for the time being...now was time for a hot bath...with bubbles!

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After Kagome had left, Miroku hadn't been able to stay in the hut for long without her. He felt too closed in. A walk would help he was sure. So he had walked out into the strong spring sunlight, with no destination in mind. He was replaying the conversation with Shippo this morning. There was only one reason he had asked the kitsune if he would mind if he was in love with the girl. The little fox had adopted the girl as his new mother, and he could make Miroku's life hell if he wasn't happy. Look at all the trouble he caused Inu Yasha. Since he now knew that Shippo didn't object, he should tell Kagome how he felt. The unconscious shake of her head when he had asked Shippo had given him the knowledge that she wouldn't object either.

But there was still the unanswered question of how she felt for the hanyou. What if he told her of his love but she couldn't return the words? What if she told him that she was still completely in love with Inu Yasha? He was afraid of that answer more than anything else, with the exception of Kagome being consumed by the void. All of his hopes and dreams could be shattered along with his heart, never to be rebuilt.

He suddenly realized where his feet had taken him and he shook his head with a rueful smile. He was in the clearing that kept the well. He had come to the place that his Angel would return without even thinking about it. A day and a half had never seemed like such a long time until you were waiting for your heart to return to you. Now he understood all the times that Inu Yasha had been here, pacing...waiting for her to return. It was something that you couldn't help.

With a sigh, he sat down, closed his eyes and leaned back against the well. His mind drifted off onto memories of the kisses that they had shared. That led to thoughts of her dream, and a goofy smile spread across his face. Maybe some day he could make that dream come true. She had said that it was a 'very good' dream. He groaned and shifted his position slightly. It was going to be torture waiting for her to come back... especially if Inu Yasha kept glaring at him from the branch of that tree. Miroku sighed heavily and opened his eyes again.

"What do you want Inu Yasha? Why don't you come down?"

"Feh. Think I will stay where I am."

"Fine, then stop looking at me." Miroku closed his eyes again, knowing that the hanyou would break the silence when he was ready.

"Why did you let her go so easily? I thought that you loved her."

"I do. And what gave you the impression that it was easy? I'm here, aren't I?" He frowned and opened his eyes once again. He watched as a white cloud passed overhead. "Besides, she said that she wanted to go. How would forcing her to stay prove my love?"

"What if she doesn't come back?" Inu Yasha asked softly. That had always been his greatest fear. She was usually angry when she left and that had added to his terror that she would never return. Its hard to believe that anyone would willingly want to come back to an era that was infested with demons. Its even harder to believe when there is an irate kitsune chomping on your ears, screaming about how much of a jerk you are and how Kagome wouldn't come back and it would be all your fault. It also didn't help that he knew the fox was right.

"She said that she would, so she will. It never crossed my mind that she wouldn't." Miroku looked at the tree where he knew the hanyou was concealed. "She always comes back. I trust her, why can't you?" There was no reply from the tree. After a few moments it was clear that there wouldn't be. Miroku shrugged and lapsed into deep meditation.

Inu Yasha stared down at the composed face of the monk and grimaced. How did he always seem to get the last word? And how did he make them sting so much? I trust her, why can't you...