Summer’s End

Chapter Three

By: Lazuli

lazulidreamer@yahoo.com

           Kagome turned around startled at the voice, and she glared at Inuyasha, clinging the edge of the window. “Try and give me a heart attack next time?” She asked, nimbly leaping from the window to the floor. “Don’t do what?”

           His eyes were concerned and filled with a strange knowledge that scared her. It was too familiar. “Don’t kill yourself.” He pleaded. He stepped closer to her, eyes searching out hers. “Don’t…”

           She shook her head. “I wasn’t…I was star gazing.” She wrinkled her nose. “It sucks here.” She muttered. “The air’s too dirty. How can you stand it?”

           He sighed. “It’s horrible here, but out in the country, its cleaner. I wish I lived out there.” His expression was confused. “I don’t know what I think anymore.” His gaze wandered to the small grave outside.

            “Because of me?” She questioned, catching his eyes, turning them away from the sight that was not *his* to view. “Are you blaming it on me?”

           He shook his head. “Not you…I’ve always…” He didn’t complete his thought. “Promise me you won’t try to kill yourself.” He finally said. “I was worried…”

           “Why would you worry over something stupid like that?” She asked, incredulous.

           “The first day…you wanted me to kill you…and you said you’d ask in a month. Your human day…” He said slowly. “I don’t want you … dead…” He said quietly. “I kind of like having you around.”

           Like wasn’t the word, exactly. She belonged there—something inside of him needed her presence, to see her everyday. When had that happened?

           Kagome stared at him, fighting various emotions. It was what Inuyasha had told her…when she tried to kill herself on her human night. He stopped her—told her those exact words. She shook her head violently. “No!” She yelled. “You’re not supposed to care! You’re not!”

           He grabbed her shoulders. “Who says I’m not?” He demanded. “Huh? I’m allowed to care over you. You can’t stop me from caring, Kagome.”

           Tears fell down her face, and she tried to hide them from him. “No…” She sobbed.

           He picked her up, ignoring her struggles. He was stronger than she was, and she finally fell in his arms as he carried her down the stairs to the tree. “Stay here tonight.” He whispered. “He wasn’t the only one who cared for you, but take comfort from him.”

~~

           Kagome looked up after a few moments, coming face to face with Inuyasha’s grave. Why was she here? She looked up at the house, at the light in this Inuyasha’s bedroom. He brought her here—because she rejected the comfort he offered her. She cursed herself an idiot…she acted so weak on these days…

           “You understand, don’t you?” She whispered to the silent grave. “He can’t understand…he doesn’t know me at all.” The tears fell silently down her face.

           “He defended you today, though—and me. I’m so confused. When I look at him, I see you. Your scents are so close—why does he look like you, act like you? His thoughts are yours…his actions…it gets harder to separate you in my mind.”

           She caressed the grave gently. “It feels like betrayal…I’m so sorry…” She drew her chin up to her knees. “I love you—you’re my mate, and … I need you. Yet, he is there for me, too. He wants to help me—is it such a bad thing?”

           “No.” Kagome almost yelped at the unexpected voice, and she turned to glare at the old man that snuck up behind her.

           “Excuse me?”

~~

           Hiro smiled at the confused young girl. He knew it was Kagome, despite the human appearance she wore tonight. “It’s all right to go to my grandson, Kagome. I don’t think its betrayal. Wouldn’t your Inuyasha want this for you? For you to be happy?” He asked.

           “I’m not happy now.” She pointed out. “It’s not fair to…to Inuyasha to lean on him, like I see him as my *my* Inuyasha.”

           Hiro shook his head. “He wants to be your friend, Kagome. He cares for you…even if he didn’t expect it, he does, and wants you to trust him.”

           She shook her head. “Why? He hated me at first. Why now?” She asked.

           Hiro sighed. He had his own suspicions, but knew now was not the time to voice them to Kagome.

           “A beautiful girl is under his roof? Vulnerable, yet fiercely protective?” He asked, smiling at her. “What’s there not to like? You’ve made him care about you.”

She stared at him. Something in his tone…there was something he was avoided. She stared at the grave, sighing. “I’m going to apologize to him.”

           He smiled, helping her up. “He’s usually up late—go straight into his room. He won’t mind.”

           She nodded absently, and followed him into the house.

~~

           Inuyasha stared at his books, glad that he was only going to college for two years. School life wasn’t made enjoyable for him—and he was still seen as an outcast. He thought people would have outgrown that habit once they graduated from high school, but it seemed that childish habits remained, especially in a small college like the one he went to.

           He stared out the window at the sky that Kagome pointed out to him, the filth in it, dimming the light of the stars. He wondered what it was like in her time, where she came from. She was happy at one point…with her Inuyasha. He sighed. The only girl to come near him, and she threw him far away from her because of who he looked like.

           Standing up quickly, he looked in the full length mirror, staring at his image. He wasn’t ordinary looking compared to the boys in the school—so how could he complete the image of someone who lived five centuries ago?

           “You said you’d let me talk to you?” Inuyasha whirled around at the sound of Kagome’s voice, and stared into her gray-blue eyes. It was strange seeing her as a human, and he wasn’t sure he entirely liked the thought. She didn’t look herself. He nodded cautiously, though, and gestured towards the bed.

           Her eyes were intent on his as he sat down next to her, and he bit his lip. Was *he* supposed to start the conversation?

           She started speaking though before he wondered to long. “I want to talk to you about Inuyasha, if I can.”  Her voice was soft and he nodded, needing to know about this man that Kagome loved so much, that he was named for—that still had such a strong place in her heart.

           “I saw you looking at your reflection.” She started off, and he nodded silently, unsure of where he was leading. “You really do look like him.” Her eyes were slightly sad, but she smiled.

           “Really?” He asked. She nodded, and scooted closer to him, hand going carefully to his hair, remembering how she rejected *his* touch earlier. He let her caress his hair, eyes closing as she talked.

           “His hair was long and thick like yours…the same shade and length that I last saw on him before he died.” Her hand moved from his hair to his face, and his eyes opened in surprise as she traced over the features of his face with a delicate hand.

           “Your face, too…” She whispered. “I memorized his every feature—your eyes are like his the most.” Her voice broke slightly. “You look at me the same way he did—when I first met him. It’s like him all over again. It hurts—that’s why I pushed you away.” Her lip trembled as she looked up at her, eyes filling with tears.

           She collapsed against him, and he held her gently as she sobbed against him—leaning against a human body instead of a cold grave as she let her grief and sorrow out.

           She didn’t stay in his arms after her tears had stopped, and she gave him an embarrassed smile. “I’m sorry…” She murmered. “I…I didn’t mean to.”

           He let her move away from him, missing her warmth already. She fit so perfectly in his arms. “It’s all right.” He whispered. “You needed that.” He smiled at her. “I’m glad I could give that to you.”

           She nodded gratefully, her smile not so pain filled as she left the room. “Good night, Inuyasha.”

           He bid her the same and then he was left alone with his thoughts.

~~

           “It took you long enough to realize, Kagome.” Kagome looked up in shock to see Inuyasha seated above her—only he looked like she did, like a hanyou. He grinned at her before landing in front of her, black hair falling over his shoulders, ears twitching in amusement at her shock.

           “What, you act like you’re seeing a ghost or something” He said jokingly. He didn’t have a chance to get further than that before she hurled herself into his arms.

           “You big idiot! Why…you…you’re…” She sobbed helplessly against him. “You’re a hanyou…” She back away, looking at him strangely. “With your normal hair.”

           He laughed. “I couldn’t lose this!” He said, flipping a lock over his shoulder. “You said you liked my black hair. I couldn’t lose it.”

           She nodded. “It’s better this way.” She said smiling. He was here, with her. She leaned up to kiss him—she hadn’t held him in so long, she needed to feel his lips on hers.

           He held her gently as she kissed him, and pulled away after a few seconds, gazing at her sadly. “I’m sorry I left you alone, Kagome.” He whispered.

           She shook her head. “It wasn’t your fault.” She said softly. “It was Kikyou’s…” She nuzzled against him, taking in his familiar scent. “You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”

           He shook his head. “You know I’m not, Kagome.” He said firmly. “This is only a dream.” He stroked her face gently.

           Her hair flew around her face as she shook her head violently. “NO!” She exclaimed. “You’re real!” His fingers gently caressed her hair, trying to calm her down. “I can smell your scent…its you!”

           “Kagome, I’m dead. I’m not here now.” His eyes were sad as they gazed at her. “You have to realize that.”

           She nodded. “I know…but here…I thought…” She peered up at him. “Am I dead, too?” She asked after a moment of speculation.

           He laughed. “You’re not dead. You’re very much alive and I want you to stay that way.”

           She bit her lip. “Can you hear my conversations when I talk to you?” She asked.

           He shook his head. “Not all the time…sometimes, I can hear them—what you are saying to me.” He kissed her cheek gently. “I want you to stay alive.” He said quietly.

           Nodding, she hugged him one more time. “If you want that.” She whispered. He nodded. “I will.”

~~

           Inuyasha stared up at his ceiling, not really thinking about anything—he decided to check on Kagome, and he peered in the room to see the girl sprawled out on the bed, her expression troubled.           

He left Kagome sleeping on the bed as he walked out to the front of the shrine. She stayed in his arms all night, simply sleeping, a contended smile on her face. It was as if she was dreaming of something special to her.

           He walked over to the grave—he hadn’t neglected to visit it—but he tried to do it when Kagome wasn’t watching. He tended to it—but the conversation had seemed lost on him once he saw the devotion that the hanyou girl had given it. His visits paled in comparison. But now he had something to talk about.

           “You know—you have some explaining to do—or I have some soul-searching. Literally. I’m sure you know all about the dream I had last night—were you the one who gave it to me?”

           He shook his head, almost expecting a response. “I was you—only I was a hanyou you. That’s what you originally wanted to do, isn’t it?” He asked. “To be with your Kagome, you were going to turn hanyou for her so she wouldn’t be alone. I don’t blame your dedication. She’s a wonderful girl.”

           He lay down the flowers of the grave, smiling slightly. “I’m saying this to the man who was her mate—who she loves. It’s kind of sad—like I’m grabbing her out of a defenseless man’s arms. It’s not fair to you, is it?”

           He rubbed his forehead tiredly. “I was right about my first instinct. She’s so vulnerable in her human form, it makes my heart ache. She seems so young, but I know that she’s older than I am—but I want to take care of her.”