InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Paradox ❯ Memory Lane (Part 1) ( Chapter 4 )

Author Notes: Thanks again to everyone who has read the story so far! Inspires me to keep writing. Also, I'm not going to withhold chapters to get reviews (I find that insulting to the reader), but if you like (or dislike) something about the story, I would greatly appreciate your feedback!

For those intrepid reviewers who are making their voices heard:

RedHerring: Three chapters, three reviews! You humble me with your attention. I am dedicating this chapter to you for being so supportive. *hugs*

GgBg & Laura-chan: I'm glad that you like it. This story is developing at its own pace, but there is definitely more to come!

Simply a Lady: I know cliffhangers are annoying to readers, but please know that I don't intentionally set out to put a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter. I'm delighted that you are enjoying the story and hope you like what's coming next (*wink* including any cliffhangers).

Kouga-sanLover: Thank you so much for your kind words and the rating. There are so many Inuyasha fanfics and coming up with something original is very difficult. I'm sure someone else has done something similar, but I like to think that mine is slightly different from the norm.

Paradox

Chapter 4: Memory Lane (Part 1)

Last Time:

Inuyasha looked from the boy's face to the woman hanging limply against his side. Having paid little attention to her before, he noticed that she had long, black hair in a thick braid trailing over her shoulder and was dressed in a plain gray t-shirt and black jeans. She appeared to be older than her brother, probably by a couple of years, and he could smell the sharp tang of sickness clinging to her. Moving closer, despite the glare the boy was giving him, he then detected something else that made him pause.

"Kagome?"

++++

Souta warily watched as the silver haired man stepped closer; a mixture of astonishment and elation lighting his face as he stared at Kagome. Instinctively backing away, Souta froze when a rumbling growl issued from the man's throat and his eyes snapped back up, their strange golden color taking on a feral gleam. Tightening his hold on his sister's hand, he fought the urge to run as the strange man stalked towards him like a predator pursuing his prey.

He jumped when the man suddenly snarled, "Let her go."

Inuyasha eyes narrowed in silent warning when the boy didn't immediately obey him. He didn't like this kid one bit and he didn't want him touching Kagome. First, he had lied about knowing Kagome and now he was trying to take her away from him. Growing impatient, he took a threatening step forward, flexing his claws, and demanded, "Let her go now or I'll kill you."

Souta was beyond afraid. He didn't have a doubt in his mind that the silver haired man would rip him to pieces, but he wasn't going to abandon his sister. For all he knew, the two men were more youkai trying to hurt her and he would rather die that give Kagome to them without a fight. Steeling his nerves, he said, "If you want her, you have to come through me first."

Cracking his knuckles as the kid laid down that ultimatum, Inuyasha snorted, "Fine, have it your way."

"Damn it, Inuyasha, leave him alone."

Sango came rushing across the courtyard towards them, her eyes promising murder to the hanyou if he laid one finger on the boy. Miroku and Shippo were right behind her, their faces reflecting their surprise when she stopped in front of the kid as if she meant to defend him. Kouga who had amusedly been watching the stand off between Inuyasha and the teen casually crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk curling his lips as he prepared to enjoy the show.

"Don't fucking interfere, Sango. He's got Kagome." Inuyasha glared at the taijiya, pissed as hell that she was taking the boy's side. He was caught off guard when the boy suddenly asked, "You're Inuyasha?"

Souta had been too shocked at first to say anything when the woman had called the silver haired man `Inuyasha'. This was his sister's friend? The half-demon whom she had met five hundred years ago in the Sengoku Jidai and together they had hunted for the shards to reassemble the Shikon no Tama. Taking a really good look at the inu-hanyou, his brow furrowed slightly. For some reason, he had imagined he would be taller.

Oddly discomfited by the boy's staring, Inuyasha snapped, "Of course I am."

He never saw someone change their demeanor as quickly as the boy did, going from defensive to openly-friendly in the blink of an eye. His surprise increased ten fold when the boy grinned broadly and said, "Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

Inuyasha wasn't sure how he should respond to such a ridiculous question, so he said the first intelligent thing that came to his mind.

"Huh?"

Beaming from ear to ear, the boy began chattering excitedly, "Wow, it's so cool to finally meet you. I'm Higurashi Souta, Kagome's brother. Man, she's going to be thrilled when she finds out you're here. How did you get here? Did you come through the well?"

`What just happened here?'

Inuyasha could only stare dumbfounded as the boy began talking so fast it was hard to understand what he was saying. He did manage to catch the part about him being Kagome's brother, but everything else was pretty much indecipherable. With his relationship to Kagome established, Inuyasha relaxed a little now that he knew that the boy wouldn't try to hurt her.

Since Sango was closest to Souta and Kagome, and slightly less shocked than her companions, she quickly took charge. Giving the dark haired boy a friendly smile, she said, "Nice to meet you, Souta-kun. I'm Sango."

She then pointed to the others and introduced them in turn, first, Miroku, then, Shippo, and finally, Kouga. Once that little formality was out of the way, she helped Souta carry Kagome towards the house while she asked him what had happened, leaving the others to follow dazedly in their wake.

++++

`So the hanyou got to her first after all.'

Relaxing back in his chair, he folded his hands in front of him as his minion relayed this intriguing bit of information. A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth as he mentally congratulated his opponents on a hand well played.

And he had been so close to succeeding as well. Not that it mattered that he had lost this round; it just meant that he would be amusing himself with this game a little longer than originally planned. He did so enjoy toying with his adversaries and rarely passed up the opportunity to use them for his own entertainment. Oh, he would take care of the miko soon enough and once he was finished with her, then the Shikon no Tama would be his.

There was no need to rush. If there was one thing he had, it was patience. Half a millennium was a trifling bit of time when you looked at it from a broader perspective; the blink of an eye to one who had an eternity stretching out before him. You might say that he had all the time in the world. Unlike that irritating hanyou and his companions. No, they were not so fortunate. They were subject to the fleeting mortality which plagued all living beings. Time was not theirs to command and they could not escape its hold on them. The miko's wish would not stop time from reclaiming what belonged to it.

And time would not stop him from reclaiming what belonged to him.

++++

`Why do I always get the crap assignments?'

Shippo had to wonder this as he and Kagome's brother attempted to explain Kagome's sudden illness to her distraught mother. The woman was weeping and ranting at the same time, her voice going from soft mutterings about the trials a mother suffered to shrill accusations that her daughter was trying to drive her insane. When she finally settled down enough that she would listen to what they were saying, the moment Shippo had mentioned Inuyasha, she had flown into a rage and practically threw the kitsune out of her house.

Standing now in the middle of the courtyard with a deeply apologetic Souta making every possible excuse for his mother's behavior, Shippo wearily rubbed between his eyebrows in an effort to ease his pounding headache. "I'm sorry she got all crazy like that. She's never handled this whole `Inuyasha and Shikon no Tama' situation very well."

With a dry laugh, Shippo concurred, "I doubt anyone would readily accept that their child had traveled five hundred years into the past to become part of a fairy tale."

Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, Souta asked, "So, what now?"

What now indeed, Shippo thought.

Inuyasha, along with Sango and Miroku, had taken the gravely ill Kagome back to Sesshoumaru's while Kouga lured the other two youkai away from the shrine so that they could be dealt with without involving any innocent bystanders. Meanwhile, he and Souta had gone to collect Kagome's things from the well house.

He was still trying to deal with his disappointment that the Shikon no Tama was not among them. They had been counting on Kagome having the jewel and when Souta sheepishly admitted that neither he nor Kagome knew where it was, Shippo had of course been volunteered to call Sesshoumaru to relay the bad news. Yep, just another crap assignment, thank you very much, and one which he had thought would earn him an ear blistering.

Surprisingly, the taiyoukai had taken the news fairly well considering just how serious their predicament might become if they didn't find the jewel. In fact, the kitsune had been amazed that the inu youkai was far more interested in whether or not Kagome was safe before ordering them to bring her to his house immediately. As far as the missing Shikon no Tama was concerned, he had calmly stated that there wasn't anything they could do about that until Kagome regained consciousness. Since they had no way of knowing when that would be, they would just have to wait and hope that once she was awake she would recall where she had hidden it.

Whatever reaction Shippo had been expecting, it certainly hadn't been that and he was puzzled by Sesshoumaru's obvious concern for Kagome. In the long years that he had known the taiyoukai, he had never heard him express such deep sentiments when dealing with humans; yet, it was a plain as the nose on his face that the demon Lord cared very much about Kagome. `Wait a minute, when the heck had he started doing that?'

"Can I go with you to Sesshoumaru's?"

Shippo had been so deep in thought that he had forgotten that Souta was still with him. Taken aback by the boy's eager question, he bewilderedly asked, "Why do you want to go to Sesshoumaru's?"

"Because I may be able to help Kagome remember where she hid the Shikon no Tama. When she first told me about Inuyasha and the Sengoku Jidai, there were a couple of things she said that sounded important and maybe one of them is a clue to finding the jewel."

Despite the hopeful look on Souta's face, Shippo thought that taking the boy to the taiyoukai's house was a very bad idea. For one thing, the Lord of the Western Lands wasn't exactly known for his hospitality, particularly when it came to humans with Kagome, Miroku, and Sango being the only notable exceptions. Despite being related to Kagome, Souta didn't have the luxury of being in the demon Lord's good graces and would definitely be considered an unwanted nuisance. Besides, the taiyoukai had made it abundantly clear on numerous occasions that he disliked anyone interfering in matters which didn't concern them. Well, `disliked' was something of an understatement, but irregardless, it was never a good idea to intentionally piss Sesshoumaru off. That being said, there was no way he was going to stir up unnecessary trouble.

"Look, Souta, why don't you tell me what you remember and I'll speak to Kagome when she wakes up." Shippo felt that was a reasonable alternative to invoking the taiyoukai's wrath, so he was surprised again when the boy folded his arms over his chest and stubbornly replied. "No way. Either take me to my sister or I'll just wait and speak to her when she comes home."

This can't be happening to me, Shippo thought. Surely Kagome's sweet little brother had not just turned into some hard headed punk. However, the mulish expression on Souta's face pretty much negated the possibility of talking the kid out of such a ridiculous idea. Hating the fact that he had effectively been backed into a corner by a thirteen year old, he gave Souta an exasperated look as he angrily snapped, "That's blackmail, you know."

Souta's only response was to grin cheekily while Shippo irritably punched Sesshoumaru's number again.

++++

Kagome lifted her face to catch the soft, warm breeze blowing across the clearing as she climbed out of the Bone Eater's well, the scent of freshly blooming wildflowers adding a delicate perfume to the spring air. Back once again in the Sendoku Jidai, she heaved her heavy pack over the lip of the well and let it fall with a dull thud onto the grass below. Swinging her legs over so that she was sitting on the edge, she stopped when a familiar figure emerged from the surrounding trees.

He looked just as she remembered him; his handsome face framed by shining silver hair and deep gold eyes peeking out from beneath scruffy bangs. Two adorable dog-like ears twitched atop his head as he made his way across the clearing to her, the sleeves of his red haori fluttering in the wind. He stopped a couple of feet away from the well, an arrogant little smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he asked, "Did you miss me?"

Nodding her head, Kagome smiled at him in return. Sliding off of the well, she slowly closed the distance between them, the love she felt for the hanyou shining in her blue-gray eyes. When they were barely an arm's length apart, she stopped, a mischievous twinkle creeping into her eyes as she reached up to tug one of his forelocks.

He needed no further urging as his swept his arms around her slender frame and pulled her close, burying his face in the crook of her neck so he could inhale her intoxicating scent. Kagome slipped her hands around his back and leaned into his embrace, savoring the warmth which radiated from him. They stayed like that for several minutes and Kagome silently wished that they could stay like this forever. But the moment eventually had to end and she was disappointed when he slowly pulled away.

Letting go of her, he took a step back and lightly brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers before dropping his hand to his side. His eyes held a wealth of emotions but the one which shone brightest was the one she didn't want to see. Regret. His voice sounded distant when he spoke, "You have to go back, Kagome. You can't stay here."

The words cut into her like knives and Kagome felt her heart breaking as she watched him turn and walk away. She opened her mouth to call out to him, but no sound emerged and she watched helplessly as he disappeared into the distance.

"Inuyasha!"

Bolting upright, Kagome reached her hands out to stop his receding figure, tears burning in her eyes when her fingers grasped nothing but air. Blinking rapidly, she tried to clear her eyes as his image faded.

A blurry figure materialized to her left and a woman's voice sounded softly beside her as a gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder. "It's okay. Just lay back and rest. You're still very sick."

Twisting her head towards the woman, Kagome could make out long, dark hair tied up in a high ponytail and brown eyes, but the rest of the features were too hazy to discern clearly. The woman was gently, but insistently pressing her back against the mattress and Kagome resisted for only a moment before she lay back down. Slowly regaining awareness of her surroundings, she was able to observe a few things she had not previously noted.

The first that became blazingly clear was that her head was killing her. It felt like a hundred little men were operating jackhammers inside her skull the throbbing was so intense. Next was that her body ached as if she had been beaten from head to toe. She didn't even want to see if she had the bruises to match. Lastly, she was lying on a very soft mattress which felt like it was made out of feathers and her head was propped up slightly by a equally fluffy pillow. Smoothing her hand along the cover which was pulled midway up her chest, the cool silk tickling her palm was not the usual cotton she would have expected.

Absorbing each of those details, she reached the obvious conclusion that wherever she was; she wasn't at home in her own bed.

It was too dark in the room to see any further than a couple of feet in front of her. Since her vision was still not clear, Kagome could only make out vague shadows and blurry shapes that could be anything. She heard muffled footsteps as they moved away from the bed and then a door opening and closing softly. Apparently the woman who had been here when she woke up had gone to get something and since she couldn't detect any other sounds in the room, it must mean that she had been left alone.

Confused and more than a little afraid, Kagome rubbed her eyes in an effort to bring her world into focus. Edges became more distinct and she saw that she was in a large, canopied bed beside which sat an overstuffed armchair. A dull metal gleam from the far wall was probably a mirror and lighter squares of darkness to her left appeared to be heavily curtained windows. She couldn't tell if it was night or day as there was hardly any light filtering through the thick material. The rest of the room was too deeply shadowed to get any more details, and she couldn't say for sure where the door was, but she wasn't about to let that stop her from getting the heck out of here.

Willing her body to move despite her muscles screaming in protest, Kagome edged her way across the bed. With a great deal of effort, she managed to sit up and dangle her feet over the side so that her toes brushed against the carpeted floor. Allowing gravity to assist her, she slid slowly off the edge and unsteadily settled her weight onto her feet. The floor suddenly tilted crazily and if she hadn't been using her hands to support herself, she would have fallen flat on her face. Her legs wobbled as if they were made of jelly and she had to close her eyes as everything started to spin.

Taking deep, calming breaths, she forced the bile rising in her throat back down and took a shuffling step forward. When her trembling knees didn't seem in immediate danger of giving out on her, she carefully took another step and then another; gingerly feeling her way towards the end of the bed. After what seemed like an eternity, she almost cried out in joy as the smooth wood of the corner post met her questing fingers. Realizing that she would have to leave the security of the bed if she wanted to get any further, Kagome carefully straightened up and slowly let go of the corner post.

She was very quickly and violently acquainted with the plush carpeting; a startled yelp escaping her lips as she landed hard on her right side. Much to her chagrin, she heard the door burst open a scant moment later and soon after a pair of bare feet appeared an inch or two from her nose. Following the jean covered legs upwards to the fists resting on slender hips, she moved over the white t-shirt until she reached a pair of golden eyes. Her heart leapt into her throat as she then took in the shining silver hair and twitching dog ears above them.

Tears shimmering in her eyes, she uncertainly asked, "Inuyasha?"

For three days, he had been beside himself with worry. A raging fever had kept Kagome locked in a semi-conscious state, her mind plagued by horrifyingly realistic hallucinations which had her thrashing and screaming one minute and sobbing the next. The fever had broken late last night and with its departure, Kagome had succumbed to her exhaustion and fallen into a deep, restful sleep. He had stayed by her bedside the entire time, not wanting anyone else to look after her. He would have been here even now if Shippo and Miroku hadn't come in early this morning and forcibly dragged him from the room, ordering him to get some sleep before he collapsed himself.

He had argued with the monk and kitsune for over half an hour until Sango stormed out of Kagome's room hissing that they better keep their voices down or she was going to beat all of them within an inch of their lives. The threat was an empty one, but had served the purpose of reminding him that he wasn't the only person worried about Kagome. Reluctantly, he had agreed to take a break but only after eliciting a promise from Sango that she would wake him the moment Kagome regained consciousness.

True to her word, Sango had shaken him awake a few minutes ago and told him that Kagome had finally come around. Desperate to speak with her after so many years, he had quickly dressed and headed straight for her room, his pace quickening when he heard a loud thump accompanied by a yelp of pain. Throwing open the door, he was angered to see Kagome sprawled on the floor at the foot of the bed. Making a mental note to give Sango hell for leaving her alone, he was across the room and standing next to her in an instant.

Her wide, blue-gray eyes gazed up at him, disbelief dulling their beautiful color as if she didn't trust what she was seeing. She must be thinking that he was another hallucination for it took her a moment before she tested reality by speaking. The moment his name left her lips, he dropped to his knees and gathered her frail, shuddering body in his arms as her tears turned to heart wrenching sobs. Between hitching breaths, she brokenly whispered, "Oh my God. Is it really you?"

Stroking his hand along her hair, Inuyasha hugged her tighter; his voice trembling with emotion as he assured her, "Yes, it's really me." His heart silently adding, `I'm here now, Kagome, and I'll never let you go.'

Her fingers curled desperately in the front of his shirt at his words and she pressed her face against his chest, her tears soaking through the thin cotton to scald his skin. Whispering comforting words, telling her that she was going to be all right, Inuyasha simply held her while she wept. They sat there together on the floor for an unknown amount of time before her tears eventually subsided and her sobbing had turned into an occasional hiccup. When she finally relaxed and began to lean heavily against him, he ventured a look down at her tearstained face and saw that she had fallen asleep.

Sliding one hand behind her knees and placing the other at her back, he cradled her against his chest as he rose to his feet. With infinite care, he gently laid her back in the bed, and then was forced to climb in beside her when she refused to relinquish her hold on his shirt. Tucking her head beneath his chin, he settled her against his side and wrapped his arms around her, tenderly drawing her slumbering form closer.

Listening to her deep, even breathing, Inuyasha couldn't help savoring the knowledge that he was finally able to hold Kagome as he had so often wished, but never had the courage to do. So many times, he had wanted to be close to her like this, their hearts beating together as they found comfort and security in each other arms. But his stubborn pride had prevented him from telling her how much she meant to him. The harsh lessons he had learned in the past had made him fear opening his heart again and in the end, they both had suffered for it.

For five hundred years, he had dreamed of finding her in the future and when he did, he would make certain she knew just how much he loved her. Now, as improbable as it seemed, fate was tempting him with another chance at happiness and he would be damned if he let that opportunity pass. As far as he was concerned, Kagome belonged only to him; nothing and no one would take her away from him and he would kill anyone who dared to try. Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, his long tormented soul soothed by her delicate scent, he closed his eyes and joined her in peaceful slumber.

++++

Pacing the confines of his study, Sesshoumaru growled beneath his breath as the human boy continued to remain tightlipped about the information he had that could lead them to the Shikon no Tama.

When Shippo had showed up at his doorstep with Kagome's brother in tow, the taiyoukai had nearly ripped the little brat in two when he refused to impart any clues he might have about the jewel's location. Over the next couple of days, his patience had been sorely tested as the kid firmly refused to cooperate. For a human, he showed remarkable tenacity and even when Sesshoumaru began dropping veiled threats in an effort to loosen his tongue, the boy had actually glared at him and dared him to do his worst. He had almost smiled at that, seeing a little bit of the feisty miko's temper in the boy's obstinate behavior.

As he prepared to start grilling the boy one more time, a knock sounded on the door. Irritated by the interruption, he barked at the person to enter.

The taijiya calmly walked in, clearly not intimidated by his scowling face. Offering the boy an encouraging smile as she crossed the room, she stopped in front of his desk, a slightly amused expression on her face. When she seemed in no hurry to explain why she was there, Sesshoumaru snapped, "What do you want?"

Folding her arms over her chest, she lifted her chin a notch and calmly told him, "You told me to inform you if there was any change in Kagome's condition."

His mouth thinning as his annoyance began to increase, he prompted, the words clipped, "And is there?"

As if relaying something of little import, Sango unhurriedly replied, "Um-hmm. She woke up a half hour ago, but she's asleep now."

From behind her, the boy piped up, his voice filled with excitement. "She's okay?"

Sango half turned to answer him, her tone light as she said, "Yeah, Inuyasha's with her and they're both completely wiped. I doubt either of them is going to be up again before morning."

Sesshoumaru felt the remaining threads of control he had over his temper stretch near to breaking at the taijiya's casual comments. Did neither of them remember that Kagome's life was still in danger or that until the Shikon no Tama was found, she wouldn't be safe? He was about to remind them both of that fact when the taijiya turned back to face him, her expression now serious.

"There's something else…" reaching into the back pocket of her jeans, she produced a slim white envelope and handed it to him. "This was delivered a few minutes ago."

Taking the thick vellum paper in his hand, Sesshoumaru frowned at the elegant, old-fashioned script which was scrawled across the front of the envelope. Addressed to Kagome, the letter was sealed with an intricate wax seal in the shape of a rose. Lifting the envelope closer so that he could study the unusual design, a feral growl erupted in his throat when he caught the faint traces of a distinctly familiar scent.

++++

Kagome woke the next morning, feeling disoriented but a great deal less sore than she had the day before. Opening her eyes, she was greeted by the startling sight of dark gold eyes looking down at her. Drawing back with a gasp, she widened her field of vision enough to see that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her after all. There, lying next to her was the very person she had thought she would never see again.

Fervently hoping that she wasn't still sleeping and this was all a dream, she hesitantly whispered, "Inuyasha?"

His lips twitching upwards into a wide smile, he teasingly asked, "You were expecting someone else?"

With a shout of joy, Kagome flung her arms around his neck and squeezed him with all of her might. He laughed at her exuberance, but returned the hug with equal relish. After a few minutes, Kagome embarrassedly remembered exactly where they were and how compromising their current position must appear. A deep blush stained her cheeks as she reluctantly released her hold on the hanyou. Scooting back as far as his arms around her would allow, she shyly asked, "Um, what's going on? How did you get here?"

He had lain awake for the last two hours simply enjoying watching her sleep. Studying the delicate lines of her face, he marveled at how much she had changed in what was essentially a little over two years in her time, becoming even more beautiful than he remembered. The childish roundness of her features had been replaced by the gently sculpted face of an angel while her girlish figure had matured into the soft curves of a woman. When she finally opened her eyes, his heart missed a beat when she had sleepily smiled up at him.

He knew she would have a lot of questions when she woke, but he didn't want to spoil the moment by answering them. Instead, he opted to distract her from any further questioning by indulging in something he had been thinking about since waking up this morning.

Kagome jumped when she felt the first brush of Inuyasha's lips against hers, her eyes growing round when his arms pulled her closer. When he lazily continued to place little butterfly kisses along every inch of her mouth, she slowly relaxed against him and hesitantly kissed him back. As if encouraged by her response, he increased the pressure, their lips molding and shaping each others until Kagome felt hers growing warm and plump from the attention. His tongue slowly licked along her bottom lip before his teeth teasingly grazed the corner of her mouth. The sensation caused swirling heat to pool low in her belly and she gasped when he caught her lower lip between his teeth and gently tugged.

The moment her lips parted, he dipped his tongue into her silky warmth savoring her intoxicating flavor. She tasted like honey and wine and he couldn't seem to get enough of her. Angling his head, he deepened the kiss as he explored every inch of her mouth, growing drunk from the very essence of her sweet taste. He felt her hands tentatively slide up his neck to bury deeply in his hair; her fingers finding the base of his ears and beginning to rub in a smooth, circular motion. That simple caress proved his undoing and with a low growl, he flipped them over so that she lay beneath him; his mouth slanting possessively over hers.

Overwhelmed by the assault on her senses, Kagome barely registered their switched positions until she felt Inuyasha's warm thumb caressing the underside of breast. At some point, his hand had insinuated itself beneath her pajama top and his claws were lightly scraping the sensitive skin of her belly. Realizing that their first kiss was rapidly turning into something much more, Kagome reached down to grab his wrist before things progressed any further. Dragging her lips away from his, she panted, "Inuyasha, wait…"

He tried to stop her by kissing her again, but Kagome was determined to regain control of the situation. Tugging insistently at his hair, she separated their lips enough to say, "We have to stop…"

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Inuyasha registered that things had gotten out of hand. He could feel Kagome wriggling beneath him, one hand pulling hard on his hair as she pushed insistently with the other against his chest. Regaining command of his senses, he was embarrassed to note that he was rather painfully aroused and had been well on the way towards turning a simple kiss into the beginnings of mating. Glancing down at Kagome, he could see the bright blush coloring her cheeks and the uncertainty reflected in her gaze. Allowing her to slip out from underneath him, he felt like a complete ass when he saw the cautious way she was watching him. Raking his fingers nervously through his hair, he looked away from her as he tried to think of something to say to excuse his behavior.

"Kagome, I…" Realizing what he was about to say, he stopped.

He wasn't going to apologize for he wasn't the least bit sorry that he had kissed her; however, her stunned appearance was doing nothing to bolster his confidence. She looked like a frightened rabbit ready to bolt if he moved even a millimeter towards her. Caught up in his excitement at finally seeing her again, he had gotten carried away and ended up scaring her.

What's more, she might not be completely comfortable accepting his advances. While he definitely still loved her despite all their years apart, there was no way to know for certain if she still felt the same about him. It was unfair to assume that she did, particularly since he hadn't given her any reason to believe she should hold on to her feelings. From her reaction just now, he was forced to face the very real possibility that she may not love him anymore. Snapping his mouth shut, he decided that he needed some space to think and started to climb off the bed.

Watching Inuyasha jerkily gain his feet, Kagome was torn between two conflicting emotions. Her heart thundered in her chest and she was still reeling from the mind numbing effect of his kisses. At the same time, her rational mind was screaming at her, wanting to know what the hell she had been doing kissing Inuyasha. While she loved him with every fiber of her being, she knew he didn't feel the same way about her, but that hadn't stopped her from shamelessly throwing herself at him. Now he seemed angry that he had gotten caught up in the moment and Kagome was ashamed she had forced him into such an awkward position.

Slipping off the other side of the bed, Kagome stood wringing her hands before her, desperately trying to untie her tongue. After what seemed an eternity of pained silence, she finally found her voice, "I'm…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…"

"Forget about it." He cut her off before she could go any further; his sharp tone wounding further her already bruised pride.

Kagome dropped her eyes to stare at her toes as she curled them in the thick pile of the carpet. Tears burned against the backs of her eyes and she swallowed hard to push down the knot of emotion forming in her throat. She heard his feet thumping softly as he strode across the carpet. When she heard the door close with a firm click, she numbly crawled back into the bed and burying her face in the pillow, she wept.

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Coming Soon: Chapter 5: Memory Lane (Part 2)