The proud inuyoukai stood there, staring into the distance. He was thinking about how his vile half-brother had completely destroyed an innocent girl's heart. She had cried when he had left but he had paid no attention. She had tried calling to him but he simply had walked off, following the scent of the dead miko that he had loved and still loved. His heart had no room for her. He had simply walked off, breaking her heart.

She had no clue that the inuyoukai had watched the entire thing. Nor did she know that that same inuyoukai, the one who had fought his brother and had even tried to kill her, loved her. He had barley admitted it to himself when the girl he loved had died when the man she loved had left her. The last thing she didn't know was that she would fall in love with the inuyoukai watching her cry herself to sleep in Kaede's hut.

"InuYasha, it's time for supper." Someone called through the forest.

"Calm down, Kagome! I'm coming. I was just taking a walk. Stupid, don't worry about me." InuYasha answered in a harsh tone.

Kagome stopped walking. She waited for InuYasha to catch up and started walking again. They walked side by side back to Kaede's hut and sat down with their friends. Miroku was sitting across the fire pouring bowls of soup for everybody. His fiancée, Sango, was sitting beside him petting her fire cat, Kirara in her lap. Shippo was by Kaede sorting medicinal herbs and chatting lightly. As Kagome sat down she smiled and thought,

'I can't believe it's been four years since I first came here. Shippo has grown up so much. I never believed that a day would come when Miroku and Sango would finally be able to get married. And InuYasha…well…InuYasha really hasn't changed all that much, but right now I need to think positive'

The group had just defeated Naraku and had returned to Kaede's village to heal again. Sango had a few broken ribs and Miroku had a broken arm. InuYasha had healed for the most part because of his demon blood. Kagome had gotten away with only a knock on the head and many scratches. Kagome had been the one to hit her mark with one of her purifying arrows and kill the evil half-demon, Naraku. With the Jewel of the Four Souls completed, they made their wish. Kagome made the unselfish wish to bring back Sango's younger brother, Kohaku. The jewel disappeared and their troubles seemed miles away. The problem was that with the jewel gone, the Bone Eaters Well did not work anymore. Kagome was trapped in the Feudal Era with no way to see her family again. She had gotten over the initial shock, but it was still sad to think she would never see her mother, Souta, her grandfather, or anybody else from her time again.

"Kagome? Are you alright?" Sango, Kagome's best friend, asked, concerned.

"Oh nothing. I was just thinking. But anyway, I'm hungry, let's eat!" Kagome answered, giving everyone a big grin.

All except Sango bought it. She knew her friend well enough to know that she was still sad that the well had been sealed shut. Sango sat and handed the bowls of soup around, slightly wincing as her ribs moved around. Kaede and Shippo got up and walked to the fire to share supper. InuYasha just sat against the wall, eating what was left of Kagome's Ramen Noodles.

"Kaede, why are you preparing herbs? No one is sick, are they? I could help if you wanted me to." Kagome offered.

"No need child. Ye and the others are weary from yer battle with Naraku. No one is sick; it is a precaution that we must take."Kaede answered with a slight chuckle.

Everyone finished their own dinner and they sat around the fire talking about random things that popped into their heads. They made sure to avoid the subjects on Naraku, the Well, and Kagome's family. Suddenly, InuYasha stated something that made Kagome mad.

"I wonder if Kikyo is alright. I saw her at the final battle, but it seems like she disappeared after that. What? Can't I ask a simple question?"

The rest of the group stared at him, dumbfounded. They knew better than to mention Kikyo in front of Kagome. Kagome was just glaring daggers at InuYasha while the half-demon looked from one person to the other, clearly confused to why it had gotten so quiet. Finally, Kagome broke the ice that was forming by asking Kaede what she was doing tomorrow. But Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and even Shippo knew that it was just to hide the anger she had towards the other miko.

"I will be doing some spring cleaning tomorrow. If ye wish to help me child, then ye may do as ye please." Kaede answered, going along with things.

"Wait. You guys don't ever think about what might have happened to Kikyo? She helped in the final battle too. You have to give her at least some credit." InuYasha said, standing up for the dead priestess.

Everyone visibly shuddered and scooted back, not willing to be in the middle of the fight that was about to happen. After four years of traveling with the half-demon and the young priestess, they knew to stay well away from them when they were about to get into a heated discussion (usually a fight that involved Kagome saying 'SIT' a couple dozen times).

"No I don't. I never think about that bitch anymore. She has done so much to try and take me from you. She had called me weak and a baby, not exactly along those lines, but anyway, she has done you wrong InuYasha. She had done all of us wrong; every single person in this group. Even Shippo and he is just a boy. She helped Naraku and deceived us. And yet you still want to defend her and know where she is. Maybe I should follow the advice I have been given and give up on you. You are a lost cause." Kagome said, trying to keep her temper in check.

"'Give up on me'? What is that supposed to mean? Really, sometimes you make no sense at all, Kagome." InuYasha stated matter-of-factly.

"You really don't get it do you? You've NEVER gotten it. I loved you and you never paid attention to me, ever. It was always 'Kikyo this' or 'Kikyo that' or 'Kikyo, where are you' OR 'Kikyo, I love you and would be dragged into Hell itself to be with you'." Kagome almost screamed, but didn't so as not to wake up the entire village.

"WHAT?!?! That's not true. When you broke away from her hold I came back to you. Besides, I'm not always talking about Kikyo or running after her." InuYasha said in defense of himself.

At the last comment, there was a snort of laughter from everybody around the room. They all knew that he was lying. He knew it tom just not in his conscious mind. Kagome was the only one not laughing. She was crying.

"InuYasha, I still love you. There, I said it. It's now out in the open, and if that thick skull of yours isn't in the way, you'll actually understand what is going on." Kagome cried. She then jumped up and left the hut to breathe in the cool night air.

"InuYasha, how can you be so stupid? Kagome has loved you for four years and you didn't really register it. Yes, you knew, but you never followed up on it. You have hurt her so much without even knowing it." Sango told InuYasha harshly.

"How?" the ever dumb InuYasha asked.

"'How' he asks. InuYasha, there is something you need to understand, InuYasha, Kagome has a pure heart and she loves you with all of her heart. She thought that you knew that she loved you and so you have been silently chipping her heart away. You amaze me, InuYasha, at your simple mindedness." Miroku said, trying to reign in his temper that was not easily messed with.

"Mama has always looked at you with love. Even I saw it and I'm just a kit. Mama has a very tender heart and she loves everyone with it, but she loves you the most!" Shippo put in.

"Fine. I'll go talk to her. It's not like she can go home or anything now, though. She won' wander off" InuYasha said defensively, giving up.

InuYasha walked outside and searched for Kagome's scent. Her scent was of citrus fruits and honey, not a hard scent to pick up in the spring, but for some reason, it was harder than usual to find Kagome. He finally found her at the tree where they had first met.

"Kagome…I…"InuYasha started, but he was interrupted by Kagome.

"InuYasha, I'm not asking you to love me in return, but I am asking you to acknowledge that I really do. I know that I will never take the place of Kikyo, but you are special to me and I would never want to lose you." Kagome said almost too quietly for even InuYasha's demon ears to hear.

Kagome looked up and was face to face with InuYasha's face. He suddenly pulled her towards him and they kissed; a sweet and passionate kiss. They got up together and went back to Kaede's hut to go to sleep with the others.

This story came out of the blue for me but I like it, so tell me how you like it and depending on how many reviews I get, I'll continue it. Love you all!!