InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fading ❯ A Ghost From The Past ( Chapter 2 )

Well, here ya go - the second chappy in my fic. I got ONE WHOLE REVIEW!!! *gives self high five* A big thank you to Lady of the Ink for her ego-boosting comments ^_^ R&R pplz!

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own any of it. Why are you laughing? Stop it! *runs off crying*

Chapter Two: A Ghost From The Past

They spent the night there, at Taro's insistence. Sango, Miroku, and Kagome each had their own rooms. Shippou said that he wanted to stay with Kagome, which was fine with her. Inu Yasha, on the other hand, would not sleep inside despite Kagome's best efforts. He told her flatly that he didn't feel comfortable in buildings and would sleep in a tree not far from Taro's house. Kagome sighed and went to bed.

Inu Yasha leaped onto a high branch of the tree and leaned against the trunk. He inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar scent of wood, earth, and the crisp, clean scent that came with the night. This is better, he thought, Stupid girl, trying to use that face to get me to sleep inside. Well, I proved that I don't have to do everything she says just because she gets all weepy.

In truth, Inu Yasha had been very close to giving in and staying inside. If Kagome hadn't stopped persisting when she did, he would probably have had to share a room with Miroku instead of having this tree to himself.

Miroku. Inu Yasha snorted. If I know that pervert, he's probably gotten into one of the girls' rooms by now. If he touches Kagome, I'll… Inu Yasha growled and dug his claws into the bark to emphasize his words.

The night wore on, and Inu Yasha shifted restlessly. He couldn't sleep out here, knowing the others were inside. It somehow felt wrong without his companions asleep on the ground below him. Muttering excuses to himself under his breath, the hanyou jumped to the ground and ran silently to the farmhouse. He didn't go in the front door, but went around to the side, looking in the windows there. He stopped in front of a certain window, peering inside cautiously.

A shaft of moonlight illuminated Kagome's sleeping form. Her face was so peaceful, a small smile on her lips, her hair spread in waves on her pillow. She looked like an angel. What is she dreaming about? Inu Yasha wondered. He pushed the window open and slipped inside.

Shippou, sleeping beside Kagome, twitched as Inu Yasha entered the room, but didn't wake up. The hanyou crept closer to the pair, taking comfort in Kagome's scent. He suddenly felt extremely sleepy. Hardly daring to breathe, Inu Yasha curled up at the end of the bed. Neither Shippou nor Kagome moved. Sighing contentedly, the half demon fell asleep with the girl's scent all around him.

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"In-Inu Yasha?" The sleepy, surprised voice broke into his dream. Inu Yasha, still comfortable and not fully awake, mumbled, "Mmm?"

"What are you doing on my bed?"

The hanyou opened his eyes lazily, only to see Kagome's face lying inches from his own. He yipped in surprise and sat up so quickly that he almost knocked heads with Kagome. Now completely awake, Inu Yasha took in his surroundings.

Somehow during the night he had moved from the bottom of the bed to the spot beside Kagome that Shippou had occupied earlier. Shippou was on the floor beside the bed, still asleep. It looked like he had pushed him off the bed in order to lie beside Kagome.

Inu Yasha could feel his cheeks going red. He jumped off the bed, thanking whoever was listening that he hadn't been under the covers as well.

"Inu Yasha, what are you doing here?" Kagome asked again, sitting up as well.

"I… well, I just… you know…" Inu Yasha muttered, shifting from foot to foot.

"No, I don't know," Kagome said, then added, "You'd better be careful or you're going to step on Shippou."

Still blushing, Inu Yasha grabbed the kitsune by the tail and plunked him back onto the bed. Shippou woke up, and looked at Inu Yasha in confusion.

"What's he doing here?" the tiny fox demon asked.

"I'd like to know that as well," Kagome said, her eyes not leaving Inu Yasha's face.

"I just… I couldn't sleep," Inu Yasha said shortly.

Kagome smiled and gave him an I-told-you-so look. "So you should have stayed inside in the first place after all."

"Maybe."

"What I want to know, however," Kagome continued, "Is why you came into my room when you could have slept in Miroku's."

"I didn't know which window was which," Inu Yasha lied, hoping she'd believe him. He was not about to explain his feelings to her.

"Hmmm." Was is his imagination, or did he see a flicker of disappointment in her eyes? But then it was gone and she was smiling at him trustingly. The hanyou felt a pang of guilt at lying to her. How could she trust him so much that she wouldn't question him further after finding him in her room? On her bed beside her, of all things!

Not that I had any… intentions, he quickly assured himself. I just wanted to go to sleep. That's all.

"Um, could you leave now?" Kagome asked. "I need to get dressed.

"Oh! Uh, yeah, okay." Inu Yasha turned and jumped out of the window, which was still open from his entrance last night. He ran back to the tree near the house and stayed there, thinking, until Shippou yelled that he was going to miss breakfast if he didn't come quickly.

The morning passed uneventfully, with each person either catching up on sleep or doing whatever they didn't have time to do while they traveled. Taro, after a restful night, was able to walk unassisted. He joined them at breakfast, trading stories and jokes with his guests. All except Inu Yasha, that is. The hanyou ate silently, still thinking hard about the talk he had had with Taro the day before and his own startling feelings.

When it came time to leave, Taro gave Kagome a hug, saying, "I wish you and your friends well, my many-times-great-granddaughter."

Inu Yasha refrained from growling as he watched them. If they really were family, then he didn't have to worry that this man might try to take his Kagome. HIS Kagome? Where had that come from? The hanyou shook his head, as if trying to dislodge these unsettling thoughts from his mind. What was wrong with him?

"Good luck, many-times-great-grandfather," Kagome laughed. "I hope your friend understands what happened and forgives you."

"So do I," Taro called to their retreating backs as he watched the group set out again. His voice lowered until it was barely a whisper. "So do I."

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"WHAT?" The hanyou's voice caused several nearby birds to take flight.

"I already told you, remember? I said that after we'd found another shard I was going to take a break and go home." Kagome said as calmly as she could.

"You can't go home now!" Inu Yasha yelled.

Kagome closed her eyes and counted slowly to ten. It had been nearly three days since they left Taro and set out for the village near the well. Now that they had reached Kaede's house, Kagome was ready to go home for a few days - see her family, catch up on schoolwork, and basically live a normal life for a while.

Inu Yasha, on the other hand, didn't want her to leave. His excuse was that if he let her go she would take too long and they would never find all the shards, but deep inside the hanyou knew that he didn't want to spend any time, however short, away from his Kagome. There I go again! he thought, angry and confused. Where am I getting these ideas from? She doesn't belong to me… does she?

"Oi! Get back here!" he shouted, realizing that Kagome had taken advantage of his moment of thoughtfulness and started for the well.

"Stay there!" Kagome called back. "Don't make me use the word!"

Inu Yasha began to run after her. He never learns, Kagome thought, shaking her head ruefully.

"I'm warning you, Inu Yasha!"

With a huge leap, the hanyou closed the gap between them, grabbed Kagome's arm, and pulled. She tried to break free, yelling, "SIT!" without thinking.

Inu Yasha crashed face first into the ground. Kagome was dragged to the dirt underneath him, feeling the breath leave her lungs as he landed heavily on her chest. When the girl could breathe again, she became fully aware of their situation.

Inu Yasha's face was pressed against her neck, his ears tickling her lips. He still had hold of Kagome's left arm, which had been crushed in between then as they hit the ground. This wouldn't have been so bad if his hand had not been resting on the girl's chest in an extremely embarrassing way. One of Kagome's legs was jammed between the hanyou's in what must have been a very uncomfortable position for him. Judging by the pained sounds against her neck, it was. They were stuck like that for a few seconds while the spell lasted.

"Stupid… wench…" Inu Yasha mumbled into her neck, his warm breath against her skin giving her goose bumps. "Bet you… did that… on purpose." Kagome didn't reply - she was too busy trying to fight the blush that had risen in her cheeks. When the spell finally released them, the girl quickly shoved Inu Yasha off of her.

"Baka!" she hissed. "Why can't you just let me go for once?"

Inu Yasha went pink. "I…"

Kagome turned on her heel. "I'll be back in three days, alright?"

"Kagome-"

"See you later, Inu Yasha."

Inu Yasha stood there and watched her leave. For some reason, his heart wrenched at the sight. What's wrong with me? That stupid girl's probably put a spell on me. He knew this wasn't true, however, and that knowledge frustrated him to no end.

The hanyou looked upwards, his expression one of helplessness, but the clouds that swirled across the ocean-blue sky gave him no answer.

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Kagome jumped into the well, experiencing the now-familiar sensation that you got when going from one time to the other. A weightless impression, a feeling of being frozen in a second that lasts for eternity enveloped her. But her thoughts weren't on the transition to modern Japan…

He's so stubborn! Why can't he understand that I have a life here too? That I still have family, and want to spend time with them! Kagome paused, struck by a new thought. Maybe he's… lonely? He lost his family so early in life, and his own brother wants him dead! Does he think of me as family? I know he's rude, inconsiderate, stubborn, and bossy, but that's just what his life's made him. Underneath, he has a good heart. Does he actually miss me when I'm gone?

Kagome felt her feet touch the bottom of the well. She sighed, something she seemed to be doing a lot these days. Her thoughts would have to wait. She climbed out of the well, bending over to dust herself off.

"Mom! Souta! Grandpa! I'm…" The words died on her lips as Kagome straightened. Where was the shrine? Her house? The tree that she had found Inu Yasha pinned to? Instead of the familiar buildings of her home, there was a large, expensive-looking house with a pool in the backyard. The stump of what must've been the Goshinboku stood out bleakly against the landscape.

"Hello?" Kagome yelled, starting to panic. Her eyes darted around, looking for some familiar sight. Just then, a few men in construction uniforms came strolling around the corner of the house, heads together as they consulted a large piece of paper. Without even glancing at Kagome, they walked up to the well.

"Excuse me?" Kagome said, taking a step towards them. Apparently not hearing her, the men kept on talking.

"Excuse me!" Kagome said loudly, growing angry. Why were they ignoring her like this? When the men still continued to talk, she stamped her foot on the ground as hard as she could in frustration. That was when she realized that something even stranger was happening around her home.

Instead of the dull, thumping noise that the force of her foot against the ground should have made, there was silence. Kagome looked down, and gasped. Her body was transparent. She could see straight through her legs, her stomach…

Oh Kami, what's happening? Kagome thought weakly, trying to keep her head clear - she felt like she was going to faint. Somehow, I've become some sort of ghost. And those men really couldn't see or hear me! I'm disappearing! Fading!

In desperation, Kagome brought her hand down onto one of the men's shoulders. It went right through. She stood there, staring dumbly at the hand that disappeared into his shoulder. It took her brain a moment to register what he was saying.

"You heard what the boss said. The owners want this old well filled in and grass planted over. No part is supposed to be showing when we're done. Let's get to it, boys!"

The well…? NO!

"WAIT! YOU CAN'T FILL THAT IN!" Kagome screamed. If the well was gone, then so was her only link to Inu Yasha and Feudal Japan. Starting to get hysterical, Kagome threw herself past the men, back into the well. She was relieved once she was sure that the well was still working, but her mind reeled in confusion and she was on the verge of tears.

Kagome clawed her way out of the well in record time when she felt her feet touch the bottom, and ran forward blindly - straight into something solid.

"What the…" came a familiar voice. But if the owner of the voice was startled then, it was nothing compared to how surprised he was when Kagome flung her arms around his neck and began to sob into his chest.

"Ka-Kagome?" Inu Yasha asked uncertainly, making no move to push her away. Instead, he tentatively put his arms around her, awkwardly stroking her hair. "What's wrong? Why are you back so early? You haven't even been gone a full minute!"

Kagome was still crying against him, and didn't speak until her tears had stopped and her sobs quieted. Although she was still upset over what she had seen, inside she was marveling at how warm and comforting Inu Yasha was. It felt right standing there in his arms, and Kagome was nearly overwhelmed by a sudden rush of emotion towards the half demon who was doing his best to comfort her.

Clearing her throat and wiping her eyes, Kagome made as if to step away, but Inu Yasha held her tighter. He turned her around in his grip and sat with his back against one of the many trees that grew nearby, pulling her down into his lap. His arms encircled her waist, hands resting on her stomach. As soon as she had gotten over her amazement at Inu Yasha's change of attitude, Kagome relaxed and snuggled deeper against his chest. Might as well enjoy the moment…

"Now will you tell me what happened?" he asked, his gruff voice amazingly gentle. So Kagome told him. She explained how she had come through the well to find her house replaced, the Goshinboku cut down, and the workers about to fill in the well. She told him how she didn't seem to exist any more in her time, how she had become a ghost almost.

Inu Yasha was silent for while after she finished, his chin resting on top of her head. She smelled like flowers and sunshine and honey. Her scent was making him giddy. Absently, his fingers traced patterns on her belly. Kagome shivered and grabbed his hands. She was not sure what to make of this new Inu Yasha. He was awakening feelings in her that she didn't even know she had.

"S-so, d'you know what's wrong with me?" Kagome asked, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

"Huh?" Inu Yasha snapped back to reality. "Oh, er, no I don't know what's wrong with you. I can guess, but someone like Kaede would probably know more about it."

"You're right," Kagome said. "We should go see her. She'll know what to do." If she doesn't, then what happens to me?

"Yeah." Inu Yasha tried to sound hopeful, though that was made difficult by the thoughts running through his head. If she's fading in her own time, then she can't go back! Especially if they fill in the well. That means that she's stuck in this time! Now she won't be able to run off on me, or see that stupid Hojo guy. The hanyou immediately felt guilty for thinking like this, but that didn't stop him from doing so.

"Well, if we're going to go see Kaede we'd better get going," Kagome said half-heartedly. The emotional strain of her day was starting to show, and Kagome felt herself nodding off in Inu Yasha's warm embrace.

"Yeah, I guess," the hanyou said, reluctantly pushing her away and standing up. "Climb on."

Kagome obeyed, burying her face in Inu Yasha's soft hair, already half-asleep as she gripped his shoulders. He began to run, careful to keep his pace smooth so that Kagome wouldn't be disturbed. Against his back, the girl's sleeping face was fixed in a peaceful, trusting smile.

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