Ayumi said in excitement, "What happened next?!?"

Kagome glanced at the clock. 1:00 PM. "Hey, Ayu, why don't we hang out and continue this?"

Ayumi said in confusion, "What's wrong with talking over the phone?"

"It's just that we've been talking for two hours. I'd feel bad if the phone just died on you."

Ayumi made a noise and Kagome could tell she was stretching. "Sure. I'll stop by your house, okay?"

Kagome smiled and said, "Okay, I'll be waiting." Thinking about InuYasha had really lightened her mood. Kagome went into the bathroom, took a quick bath, brushed her teeth, and threw on a black tank top and black sweats. She applied a dash a makeup which included eyeliner and mascara, and tied her hair into a high ponytail. She intended to go running after meeting with Ayumi. Or maybe they could run together. She shrugged and went downstairs. She poured her awaiting cereal into a bowl and poured some milk. She was in the middle of greedily chewing her Frosted Flakes when the doorbell rang. Kagome yelled, "Sota!"

Moments later, her otouto came running down the stairs. "Kagome, seriously?!" he complained. "You were closer to the door than I was!"

She ignored him and continued eating.

Ayumi walked in and greeted Sota, "Aw, hey Sota! It's been forever since I saw you! You're so cute, you know?"

Sota blushed and ran upstairs.

Kagome glanced at Ayumi as she sat down next to her. Kagome laughed, "Sota still has a crush on you."

"I can tell," Ayumi giggled. "So, continue your story while I go get some ramen."

Kagome rolled her eyes and drank her milk. She was wiping her mouth when Ayumi came walking back, her hands holding a cup of noodles. Ayumi sat down again and looked at Kagome expectantly. Kagome sighed and continued...

~ :3 :3 :3 :3 ~

Kagome pulled at her pink tank top and fingered her pink booty shorts. She checked the clock for the 10th time and sighed. InuYasha must be waiting... And here I am with a pile of homework that makes no sense! Kagome knew that in the state InuYasha was in now, the arrogant InuYasha, would never admit it but Kagome knew that he missed her whenever she left. She glanced at her homework again and was tempted to just sneak out and steal a few minutes with InuYasha. She decided against it. Kagome sighed and attempted to complete the first question.

---------------

"Where is that wench?" InuYasha sniffed and growled when he didn't smell Kagome. "Trust her to get my hopes up." He rolled his eyes and admitted to himself, "I need someone to talk to, Kagome. With Shibito breathing down my back, I have a huge weight on me." He looked up to the sky and waited. After five minutes which seemed like an hour, he snarled and jumped up. He ran to the well. Looking down, he looked at the passageway that he hadn't gone down into in three years. He remembered Kagome's mother and the 677 troops. "I'm just a filthy hanyou, right?" He asked no one. He smirked. "I'll prove them wrong." He braced himself and jumped down.

At first, InuYasha was overwhelmed by the sensation that he never knew he had missed so much. He felt the bright light pulse energy into him and he could feel a thousand spirits wrapping their protective arms around him. He saw no one through his eyes but he knew that they were there. Smiling in thanks, he sighed in relief as he was softly set down and he looked up to see a roof. He was in Kagome's time. And the first thing he heard chilled his blood. He heard her voice, the woman who despised him.

"Jii-san, you said you wanted healing medicine, right?" the voice of Mrs. Higurashi asked.

"Yes, Buyo's coming down with something and you know how Sota is," Kagome's grandfather answered while closing the door.

Shit, InuYasha silently cursed, knowing he was now alone with Kagome's mother. He bit his lip as he heard her walking and he groaned inwardly as she gasped, and he knew what she had noticed.

"T-the well..." she stuttered and InuYasha heard something drop. "Oh Kami no..." Mrs. Higurashi peered over and saw something silver. "HE'S HERE?!"

InuYasha dashed to behind a shelf and watched as Mrs. Higurashi ran down the stairs and stuck her head down the well.

"Maybe I imagined it," she sighed in relief. "But how is the well unsealed...?" She froze. "Kagome, why?"

InuYasha gulped as Mrs. Higurashi stared at the shelf he was currently hiding behind. He stared until she turned away. Instantly, he dashed to the door and closed it behind him.

Not waiting to find out if she saw or heard him, he ran to Kagome's house and jumped up to what he thought was Kagome's room. His breath stopped when he found the object of his search.

Kagome was sleeping, her head against her desk and she drooled slightly. He hesitantly stepped toward her, not wanting to wake her up. He knew her mother would be up any moment so he shook her awake. "Huh?" she said sleepily. "Who's there...?" She stopped when her eyes landed on InuYasha. She flew up and whispered harshly, "What are you doing here?! What if my family sees you?"

"Shut up," InuYasha growled, his ears drooping. "You left me!" His face showed betrayal.

Kagome looked at him in guilt. "I'm sorry, InuYasha. It's just that I had so much work to do, you know? School's hard work."

"There you go with that sa-kool crap again," InuYasha rolled his eyes.

Kagome glanced around wildly as she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. "InuYasha!" she said in panic and began pushing him.

InuYasha took the signal and looked for a place to hide. He could easily just hide outside but he wanted to hear the conversation between Kagome and her mother. He slid into a big brown thing that had doors, just as Mrs. Higurashi opened Kagome's room door.

"Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi said softly, walking in. Her face was red and her eyes watery.

"Mama?" Kagome looked up in alarm.

Mrs. Higurashi pulled her daughter into her arms. "I'm glad to see you're safe."

"Why wouldn't I be safe?" Kagome asked innocently.

"I know what you've been doing." Mrs. Higurashi sniffled. "I know you've been seeing him."

Kagome froze. "H-how?"

"I saw the well," Mrs. Higurashi answered, her voice cracking. "Kagome, he's a hanyou, you can't be seen with him."

InuYasha snarled quietly, his claws itching to slice something. He listened as a silence stretched. He strained his ear to hear Kagome as she whispered,

"I don't care if he's a hanyou." Kagome pushed away from her mother. "He's my friend. Even though he's half youkai, he's still half human and that means he won't hurt me. You wouldn't understand. None of you guys understand. InuYasha's had a tough life, and I want to be there for him."

Mrs. Higurashi scowled. "Kagome, you're not going to the well anymore."

"Yes I am!"

"No, you're not!"

Kagome crossed her arms stubbornly. "Watch me." She walked past her mother.

"Kagome Higurashi!" Mrs. Higurashi called and the heavy fear in her voice caused Kagome to stop. "He's dangerous; I'm just trying to warn you! Please, I don't want you to be killed..."

Kagome turned her head. "Mama..."

"You're my oldest, and you are also my only daughter... Think of how Jii-san, Sota, and I would feel if you were..." She swallowed. "Murdered..."

Kagome looked at her feet. InuYasha closed his eyes and tried to push away his uneasiness.

Mrs. Higurashi knew she struck a chord. She looked at Kagome expectantly. "Please stay here. With us."

Kagome wiped away a tear. "Mama, I..." She looked up. "I want to be with InuYasha."

It was like time stood still. None of the three moved. InuYasha was deeply surprised and could not stop the warmth he felt in his heart.

Tears slid down Mrs. Higurashi's face and she stared at Kagome. After a few moments, she got up and quickly walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Kagome looked at her closet, where InuYasha was hiding. She was unsure of her decision. What if he abandons me...? She shook her head. No, I can't think like that! She called out meekly, "InuYasha?"

InuYasha winced at the despair in her voice and opened the door. He walked out and looked at his friend. Without a word, he opened his arms and Kagome immediately ran into them, her tears rushing down her red face. He stroked her raven hair and looked away.

"InuYasha..." He snapped to attention as Kagome began speaking. "Please don't leave me. I don't want this to be a mistake. I want to be with you, please don't make me regret that."

InuYasha was lost for words but managed to choke out, "I-I won't."

Kagome sniffled as her tears came to an end and she soon fell asleep against InuYasha's chest. He laid her on her bed and jumped out her window.

He walked quietly to the well house and gasped as a pair of arms caught him and started pulling him. He gagged as a cloth was stuffed in his mouth and closed his eyes as his world went black.

~ L L L L ~

Kagome woke up feeling dirty. Her face felt crusty and dry and she hadn't taken a shower last night. She was still dressed in her daytime clothes and she swung her legs over the side of her bed as she tried to collect her thoughts. I must've fallen asleep while I was studying and Mama put me to bed? She shook her head. Mama would've undressed me and dressed me into my pajamas. Then who...?

Then she remembered everything that happened last night. She felt tears coming but she decided she had cried enough. She was pretty sure InuYasha had fled to the well after putting her on her bed. She opened her door and walked to the bathroom, nearly throwing up when she saw her reflection.

Her hair was a mess; it was in knots and was lacking its usual glow. Her eyes were red and droopy, and tear stains dried her cheeks. Her lips were cracked and were in an awkward pout. Her nose was red from all the sniffling, and her clothes were wrinkled. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, relieved when it regained color. She went downstairs and arrived to see her grandfather, mother, and brother peacefully eating their breakfast.

"Ohayo, everyone," Kagome greeted, slipping into the chair next to her brother.

"Ohayo," her mother replied, smiling.

Kagome looked at her mother in confusion but brushed it off. She ate her breakfast and it unnerved her how normal everything seemed. Usually after a heated argument, Mrs. Higurashi wouldn't talk to Kagome until she apologized. But now it was different. Mrs. Higurashi had talked to her first. "Goshisosama." Kagome got up and cleared her dishes.

"Oh, Kagome, could you water the plants in the garden for me? Me and your mother are going out and-" Kagome's grandfather started.

"The garden?!" Mrs. Higurashi said in alarm, dropping her bowl. It landed with a crash and all three family members looked at her. She cleared her throat while grabbing the broom. "I'll do that. Let Kagome relax."

Kagome was certain now. Something was going on. She just shrugged and went upstairs. She took a shower and put on camo booty shorts and a camo tank top. She slipped on her camo sneakers and was tempted to wear her camo hat. She did and wore it as a snapback. Satisfied with her look, Kagome went back downstairs to find only her brother. "Hey, Sota, Mama and Jii-chan left already?"

Sota looked up and giggled, a line of drool designing a pattern on his bib. He squealed and threw a ball at the door.

Kagome nodded in understanding and sat down next to Buyo. She picked him up and ruffled his fur while thinking about breakfast that morning. Her mother had seemed strangely polite and happy, as if last night didn't bother her. But she was so upset... Maybe she's accepted me and InuYasha's friendship? Kagome hesitated. No, that's not it... She would never like something that's a threat to my life... If I was my mom what would I do? Kagome thought. Well, if I didn't like the situation, I would warn my child. If that didn't work, I would try to solve the problem... Kagome froze. Did my mom solve the problem? She jumped up. Did she solve InuYasha?! Kagome ran to the well house and went to the well. It's not sealed... Kagome touched the wooden surface. Her eyes widened in horror as a new thought struck her. "She must've called the 677 troops and exterminated InuYasha right after I fell asleep!" She ran to where they put their garbage and searched for a body. "Thank Kami." Kagome walked back to her house and stopped when she heard thrashing coming from behind her house. "It's coming from the garden," she whispered to herself. This morning, Mama was acting weird when Jii-chan mentioned the garden... Then it all hit her. Her mother's happy attitude, her freaking out when the garden was mentioned, the well not being sealed... Kagome ran to the garden and opened the shed.

There was InuYasha, struggling against ropes and his eyes watered since a huge cloth was in his mouth. Kagome was scarred at the sight and began crying. InuYasha noticed her and stopped thrashing. He looked at her and Kagome walked over to him. She slowly took the cloth out of his mouth and untied the ropes. InuYasha immediately began panting.. She stared at him. He fixed his angry golden orbs on her.

"InuYasha?" she said in worry.

He snarled. "Your mother's an ass. I could've died if I had stayed like that."
"Unfortunately, that's what my mother wanted," Kagome whispered, burying her head into InuYasha's chest and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her.

"Well, it's gonna take a lot more than a stupid gag to kill me."

"Yeah," Kagome agreed with affection. A comfortable silence stretched. "Thanks for missing me, InuYasha," she said, a smile spreading across her features.

"Keh, I didn't miss you, wench," InuYasha growled.

"Sure you didn't," she rolled her eyes.

He smirked and was surprised when he felt her hands rub his ears. He sighed in content and allowed her to rub. She stopped and he growled.

"My mother is back," she informed. "Let's get these back on." She grabbed the ropes.

"Wait what?!"

"Shh!" Kagome smiled. "For the time being, I think this is great. I can meet you anytime I want without having to leave my house. As long as I don't stay long, my mom won't get suspicious." She kissed his cheek and grinned. "Okay?"

"Keh."

Kagome retied the ropes and placed the gag in InuYasha's mouth, sliding it a bit to the side allowing him to breathe properly. She left the shed and closed the door.

~ J J J J ~

"I brought you this." Kagome handed InuYasha the cup of ramen.

"What's this?" he asked, taking a sniff.

"It's noodles," Kagome answered, handing him chopsticks. "They're really good but they don't really fill you up. But it should last you until dinner."

InuYasha took the chopsticks and took a huge slurp of ramen. He exclaimed, "Hey, it's good!"

Kagome smiled. "Told you." She glanced at InuYasha's hair. "Hey, InuYasha?"

"What?" he replied, his mouth full of noodles.

"When's the last time you washed your hair?" Kagome combed her fingers through the silver mane.

"I don't know. A year ago?"

Kagome winced. "When's the last time you've taken a bath?"

"A year ago..."

Kagome shrieked. "We've gotta get you to a bathtub and quick!"
InuYasha's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Bathtub?"

"Finish eating and I'll take you. My mother and grandfather aren't home right now. Geez, InuYasha, how can you walk around so dirty?"

InuYasha's ears flattened. Kagome noticed and said quickly, "Sorry, InuYasha. You don't have to take a bath if you don't want to."

"No, I will."

Kagome sighed in relief and waited as InuYasha downed the rest of his ramen. He handed the cup to Kagome, who accepted and took his hand. She led him out of the shed and into her house. She walked upstairs to the bathroom. "Take off your clothes, I'll be right back." She left the bathroom.

Before removing his fire rat, he observed the room he was in. It was big, with a large mirror and a bunch of stuff he didn't know about. He noticed the toy-let, which he only knew because when Kagome had played with him she would always ask where the nearest toy-let was. He began removing his fire-rat when he sensed Kagome's prescense. He looked at her face. "What the hell is that shit?"

Kagome answered, feeling around for the soap. "A blindfold."
"Well, why are you wearing it?" InuYasha removed his hakama.

"'C-Cause, I don't wanna see you naked..." Kagome blushed.

InuYasha rolled his eyes and removed his kosode. Now naked, he asked, "Okay, what do I do?"

"Here's the soap," Kagome handed the soap to him.

"It smells girly," he complained.

"Well, that's all we have!" Kagome snapped. "Wash yourself with it, and make sure you wash your hair."

InuYasha complied and said, "Now what?"
Tempted to look at InuYasha's soaped up naked body, Kagome shook all perverted thoughts away. "You see that round thing with a bunch of holes in it?"

InuYasha looked around. "Yeah."
"Take that and you'll see a button. Press it."

InuYasha pressed the button and coughed as his face was sprayed with cold water. "How do I turn it off?!"

"No, don't turn it off! Wash your body with it!" Kagome giggled. "There's this long white line. Turn it to the right for warm water."

InuYasha did as Kagome said. He sighed. "That's better."
"Okay, wash all the soap off. And when you're done, press the button again."

Soon, Kagome heard the water shut off and she said, "Now, go into that big long thing against the wall."

InuYasha walked in and yelped as his foot slipped and he landed flat on his ass. "Fuck!"

Kagome bit her lip trying not to laugh and instructed, "There's this hook thingy right in front of you. Turn it to where the red line is if you want warm water; if you want cold turn it towards the blue." Kagome opened the door. "When you're finished soaking, there's a towel outside for you and I'll sneak some clothes for you, since these..." She motioned to his dirty wardrobe. "Need to be cleaned, as soon as possible."

InuYasha complained, "No they don't!"
"No arguments!" Kagome shut the door.

InuYasha sighed and allowed his aching muscles to rest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome looked up from her textbook as InuYasha came walking down the stairs. She noticed the gray sweats and t-shirt. "Thank gods, I thought it wouldn't fit."

"Why do you have guy clothes anyway?" InuYasha asked, sitting down next to Kagome.

"Sometimes my friends come over to have a sleepover and sometimes my guy friend Hojo leaves his pajamas." Kagome gave InuYasha a mug of tea. "Want it?"

"I don't usually drink tea but sure why not?" InuYasha accepted the mug.

"Hey, can I brush your hair?" Kagome asked.

InuYasha nearly choked on his tea. "W-why?"

"Cuz there are so many knots!" Kagome stared at his hair. "I can't stand knots."

InuYasha rolled his eyes. "Brush away."

Kagome squealed in excitement and grabbed her red brush. She started next to his ears and carefully made her way down. She had trouble near the end and tried her best not to damage InuYasha's hair. After a few minutes, she sighed. "Okay, we're done. It looks so much prettier now!"

InuYasha shrugged and finished his tea, just as the door slid open.

Kagome gasped. "Quick! To the garden!"

InuYasha grabbed Kagome and ran as fast as he could to the back door and ran across the garden to the shed. Kagome immediately wrapped the ropes around him and stuffed the gag in. She hugged him and left, closing the door after her. She saw her mother come out and she immediately acting as if she was picking flowers.

Her mother looked scared indeed before covering her expression with a smile. "Picking flowers?"

"Yes, Mama." Kagome grinned. "I used to do this all the time, remember?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "Hey, Kagome have you been in the shed lately?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, why?"

"No reason, it's just that it's so dusty in there and I don't want you to get sick." Mrs. Higurashi patted her on the head and left.

Kagome watched her in disgust and followed her. Once inside, Kagome ran to the bathroom and took InuYasha's clothes. She stuffed them in her hamper and would wash them the next time her mother left the house. She sighed and went downstairs to study some more.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"InuYasha?" Kagome opened the door and walked in. Closing it behind her, she smiled at InuYasha's sleeping face. She sat down next to him and gazed at his peaceful expression. Suddenly, his eyes opened and he looked at her.

"Oh, hey, Kagome," he yawned.

"Hey. I didn't expect you to fall asleep."

"It was just something to pass time. I don't usually sleep." He shrugged.

"You looked so peaceful."

"Who doesn't when they sleep?"

"True."

Kagome and InuYasha sat in a comfortable silence when they heard walking outside. Kagome glanced at InuYasha in fear and he instantly covered her with his body, shielding her from any opposing forces.

They heard Mrs. Higurashi grumble outside and kept quiet. If Mrs. Higurashi knew Kagome was there, InuYasha would be dead. Literally. Slowly, they heard her exit and Kagome sighed.

"That was close!" She set her head on InuYasha's shoulder. She smiled and said, "Close your eyes. Escape this house for a little while." With that, she closed her eyes and her breaths steadily slowed until she breathed evenly.

InuYasha smirked at her before looking down at her hand. Blushing, he took it and held it close to him. With a happy sigh, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.