CHAPTER THIRTY

Love Scene

A moonless night was still hanging over them when Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and the transformed Ying reached the well. Kirara came to a stop as another flash of fire was seen and Ying reappeared amongst the group.

"That's a neat trick." Sango admitted.

"We demons do not use our true forms often, but I know my brother will have noticed and come to my aid. You see, we only use them when we're facing a truly dangerous enemy." Miroku remembered how many demons reverted to their true forms when fighting him and smiled inwardly. 'So I'm that dangerous.'

They stood there by the well for a few minutes formulating a plan. Kirara stayed in her giant demon form as if to remind everyone not to let his or her guard down. Sango eyed the woods carefully searching for movement as Miroku explained to Ying the importance of the old well.

"So then you think my brother will come back here?" Ying asked as she eyed the well.

Miroku nodded. "You see, not only will he sense that you are here, but he apparently knows that Inuyasha is beyond this well. He will come to your aid."

Ying looked down at the well and then at the houshi again. She shrugged.

"Houshi-sama…"

Miroku looked up and saw Sango was staring at Kirara. Kirara in turn was looking into the forest with her fangs bared. Miroku knew exactly what this meant, and in response gripped his staff tightly.

"Now, you did say that you could convince him… right Ying-sama?" The monk's face was just a tad bit worried.

"Of course. And if that doesn't work we can still stop him. Remember how my blade can't hurt humans? Well his sword and mine are twins just like we are. An ancient youkai blacksmith forged them long ago. They are exactly the same."

The group relaxed a bit and then waited. A walking person began to take shape within the shadows of the trees.

"Ehhh…" My sister… taking sides with the enemy?" Yang shook his head slowly. "This I did not expect."

Kagome raced up the stairs of the hospital. Sweat ran down her face as she pushed herself to run just a little farther. 'I shouldn't have left you alone… I should have known that our friends could take care of themselves… I should have stayed by your side…'

These thoughts plagued her as she ran down the hallway searching for his room.

"206…206…206" She whispered to herself.

Finally when Kagome got to the right room she noticed the door was ajar. Quietly stepping inside Kagome looked at the two beds in the white sterile room… they were both empty. Turning to leave Kagome ran into a nurse at the door. She didn't speak a word, only pleaded with her eyes that the nurse tell her where the "rude" boy was. The nurse looked at the lost girl and then at the beds.

"Damn!" She suddenly exclaimed. She then reached behind her and pulled out a radio. "Security! The patient from 206t is gone again! No doubt trying to leave! Cover all exits and get him back here! He still needs two more check ups before he's free to go!"

At that point the nurse stormed out of the room, leaving Kagome as lost as ever.

'Leave? Could it be that he's mad at me?' Kagome realized that it had been cruel to leave Inuyasha in the care of strangers. She cursed herself constantly las she ran bck down the hallway, looking frantically for a spot where he might be.

"Heh… this'll do just fine." Inuyasha was sitting on a branch of the sacred tree. It had taken him forever to get out of that nasty place full of strange people trying to undress him and look at his wounds. He had guessed that Kagome had taken him there. The hanyou made a mental note to yell at her for that. Inuyasha looked down at the ground. It had taken him a while to get up there without his demon powers. The hanyou close his eyes and rested against the tree.

'She could have gotten hurt…'

His mind began to flood with thoughts of the fight he'd just been in.

'Something could have happened to her…'

Anger boiled under his skin.

'She could have been killed…'

The hanyou opened his eyes again and looked down at his present state. He hadn't been able to get his clothes back from the weirdoes and was wearing a flimsy little kimono they had put on him. He stared a second longer at the paper hospital gown, prodding it with his fingers, trying to immerse his mind in something other than the events that had occurred tonight.

"Inu-no-nee-chan! Inu-no-nee-chan!"

It was Souta. Inuyasha could hear him calling from somewhere around the courtyard. Inuyasha looked back down and found Kagome's mother looking around with one of those weird candles that Kagome used sometimes.

She shone the flashlight around for a second before focusing on the human boy that had suddenly dropped out of a tree in front of her.

"Ah… Inuyasha. It's good to see that you're ok. Kagome had called me from the hospital and told me that you were missing. She said you might be by the Goshinboku. Well, let me call her and tell her that you're here. Come on… You must be starved after your ordeal. I'll make you something to eat and we'll get you some clothes."

Kagome's mother walked over to the house closely followed by the human boy. Inuyasha figured it would be better to yell at Kagome on a full stomach. They went into the house and Kagome's mother got on the phone while Inuyasha sat in the kitchen examining his wounds.

'This is what I get… for not being strong enough to protect her…'

The hanyou shook the thought from his head. He looked around and waited patiently for Kagome's mother to return. In that time he couldn't hope but wonder if maybe Kagome's mother was upset with him. Or upset because of what happened. He looked around nervously and stopped the moment Kagome's mother came in.

"Well… would you like something simple like a snack or a full course meal? I'm quite the cook you know," She winked and added, "I taught Kagome everything that she knows about the kitchen."

Inuyasha held back the grimace that tried to form on his face. If she was as good as Kagome this was not going to be that great. Kagome's food was always too spicy or too salty. He knew that she hated him because he couldn't stand it…

'I can't help it! She's a bad cook!'

"Well?"

Kagome's mother snapped Inuyasha out of his trance. He only nodded. She looked at him with an eyebrow raised, shrugged, and then went about making Inuyasha a feast. The human boy only sat there and watched. He was amazed how she hadn't said anything about the incident.

"… I'm… sorry."

Kagome's mother turned around with a look of surprise on her face. The look quickly softened into a smile and she walked over to the hanyou.

"It's no big deal. I cook all the time."

Inuyasha stood up. "No… I'm sorry about what happened."

Kagome's mother's smile never faded. "Oh, that. I don't know what you're apologizing for… You protected our home and Kagome from that demon. You shouldn't be apologizing to me… I should be thanking you."

The hanyou turned away. He knew better than to keep this conversation going. Instead he focused on a clock by the kitchen cabinets.

'Hmm…. Kagome would always look at these things and be able to tell when the sun came up… Ok… Aw screw it… I can't read that stupid thing.'

Kagome's mother had gone back to her cooking and Inuyasha was still examining the wall clock when Kagome came bursting through the door carrying some red clothes in a bag. She stopped when she saw the boy sitting in the kitchen in a revealing hospital gown.

"What are you, crazy! Put this on before anyone sees you!" She flung the bag at the hanyou's face, which he caught and then proceeded to change right there in the kitchen.

"Oh my…" Kagome almost broke her neck as she turned to see her mother standing by the stove with a hand over her mouth.

"Mama!" The girl quickly jumped in front of the hanyou to shield his nakedness from her mother's eyes. She was more than positive that her face was a bright red. After Inuyasha stopped shifting around behind her Kagome turned around… but before she could scold him for anything her eyes caught his and she knew not to say anything.

Inuyasha finished changing and when Kagome turned around he fixed her with a stone glare. She got the idea that he wasn't too happy with her and shut her mouth. The hanyou felt a hint of irritation and wanted to scream his lungs out at her, but he was also kind of hungry. Fixing his haori the boy sat back down and patiently waited for Kagome's mother to finish with the food.

"Sit down Kagome. I'm sure that you're also hungry." The girl did as she was told and sat next to Inuyasha. With her hands on her lap she waited in silence for what had to be the most uncomfortable ten minutes of her life. Once the food was ready Kagome stood up served up a plate for Inuyasha, and then one for herself.

"Thank you mama."

Her mother smiled warmly. "You two eat heartily and then get yourselves some rest. There's still time to catch a nap before sunrise."

Inuyasha's ears perked up. 'Sunrise?'

Kagome turned to him. "You can't be thinking of fighting right now can you?"

Inuyasha looked down at his already empty plate. He could feel Kagome staring at him.

"No! You can't! I won't allow it!" There was a sense of finality in her last words, but he didn't care. This demon had come to Kagome's time and tried to kill them both. For that he was going to die.

"Well, let's get some sleep." The hanyou bounded up the stairs and found his tessaiga on Kagome's bed. He picked it up, feeling better that he had it once again by his side, and sat in one of the corners of the room. Kagome walked in after her followed closely by her mother.

"Would you like a blanket or a pillow or anything like that?"

The hanyou shook his head and gripped the sheath of his blade tightly. "No thanks… This is all I need to get some rest."

Kagome's mother looked pleadingly over to the girl as if waiting for her to talk some sense into him, but Kagome merely shrugged. "That's how he sleeps mom. I've tried to make him lie down when he's injured, but I turn my back for one second and he's sitting down again with his arms around that stupid sword." Kagome shook her head, "I swear he likes that thing more than he likes me."

"Hey!" One of Inuyasha's eyes had sprung open and was glaring at Kagome. She smiled at him and turned back to her mother.

"We'll be fine mama. As soon as morning comes we'll be going back so don't be alarmed if I'm already gone by the time you wake up, ok?"

"Ok. Goodnight Kagome… Goodnight Inuyasha… and thank you."

Kagome shifted looks between the hanyou and her mother. What had her mother thanked him for? After a second with no explanation Kagome simply shrugged and walked over to the restroom to change into her pajamas. It had been a long night and she was thankful that Inuyasha was in a hurry to get some rest.

'Rest? He never wants to sleep……'

Kagome's eyes widened and she ran back to her room.

"Inuyasha!" She caught his hand just before he jumped out the window.

"Damn it! You usually take forever in there!"

She stared at the hanyou coldly. "Just where in the hell do you think you're going!"

Inuyasha looked down at her hand firmly gripping his own. Kagome noticed this, gasped, and turned away, visibly blushing. After regaining his composure the hanyou's scowl returned.

"I have to go! Sango and Miroku might be in trouble! I'm not just gonna sit here and wait while I know that I can help them!"

Kagome's eyes went from angry to sad. She knew that he was right. Had it been him in trouble… Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippou, even she would do anything to help him. She wanted to help him. To keep him out of danger while he was still human. But it was easier said than done. Inuyasha had made up his mind to help his friends a long time ago. Kagome grabbed the pillow off her bed and threw it under the window.

"Osuwari."

Inuyasha's head came crashing down on the sot material and muffled his initial curse words. The raven-haired girl sat down next to him and whispered the command again.

"Osuwari."

She placed herself over his body and held him down gently.

"Please. Not this time. Just stay here for tonight and we'll leave in the morning… Please."

Inuyasha stirred for a moment but gave up. "Damn it. I guess it's either I stay or you "sit" me like crazy so… I guess it wouldn't hurt…"

With that he turned himself around to face the girl hovering over him. "But you can't "sit" me for at least a week now! Got it!"

Kagome nodded her head and started to get up. At the same time Inuyasha shifted so that he could also move, but accidentally pushed Kagome's hand out from under her. She fell. For a brief moment… A very brief moment… They both looked into each other's eyes in surprise. And then…

… They kissed.

(A/N: Sorry for the VERY short chapter… but I haven't worked on this story for almost two months now and I felt that I owed it to those who read it a chapter as soon as possible. With summer here and everything slowing down at work right now I'll have more time to write and it'll be back on track in no time.)