Chapter 1 - chap 1

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Kagome scolded herself, climbing into bed. “Why do you let him get under your skin like this? Why do you even listen?” Images of a certain scowling hanyou flashed across her thoughts like skittish animals. “He just likes to argue.” He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings---it was just his nature to say infuriating things. She knew, from recounts from Sango and Shippo that when she went home Inuyasha almost always sulked for days after, and felt very guilty about whatever his newest insult had been. She knew he cared about her..............why couldn’t he just act like it?

The most recent argument had taken place that afternoon over something or another, spawning, of course, from Kagome’s announcement of departure.

***FLASHBACK***

“What do you mean ‘going home,’ wench?”

Kagome’s eyes flashed dangerously. “What do you think, Inuyasha? Or can you not even figure that out, being the incredible baka that you are?” Inuyasha fumed silently, searching for a fitting reply. “Well, here, puppy, let me help you puzzle it out. I’m going home for a few days, and then I’m coming back! There’s no simpler way to explain it to you!”

“Stupid! That wasn’t what I—you—you’re not going anywhere! This quest is way more important than all that homework nonsense!”

“Nonsense? It’s pretty important to me! If I don’t complete my stupid education, then what am I going to do after all this is finished?” The halfling had no answer to that. “Exactly! I’ll see you later!” She walked towards the bone-eater’s well with angry, piercing footsteps. From the sidelines, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo watched with mild interest. They had seen it all before.

“It’s amazing he hasn’t gotten sat yet,” Shippo observed to the others. “The way he’s provoking Kagome like that.”

“Ah. But she won’t take it much longer,” Miroku answered knowingly.

“Betcha he gets it before she leaves,” Sango said uninterestedly.

“You’re on,” Miroku and Shippo answered together, watching the scene again.

Inuyasha jumped in the schoolgirl’s path. “Hey! Didn’t you hear what I said?”

“I heard it,” Kagome answered coolly, in warning. “I’d move if I were you?”

“Or what?” Asked a very arrogant hanyou, without thinking. Immediately he regretted it.

“SIT, BOY!”

Crash! Inuyasha’s face met his familiar companion, the ground, in a poof of silt. By the time it all cleared, Kagome had disappeared through the well, and Miroku and Shippo were handing Sango two coins each.

***END FLASHBACK***

“The nerve,” Kagome muttered, switching out the light. She would go home the next day after her test, and everything would be back to normal. “Sixty- seven years old and he STILL hasn’t learned how to treat people.” Yet there was no longer any malice behind the words, only drowsiness. Her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.

BEEP! BEEP! The alarm clock’s shrill cry roused Kagome unkindly. ‘Umph...........7:00 already?’ She glanced with one bleary eye to the clock’s flashing green numbers, which read 6:02. ‘Why’d my clock go off so early? I know I set it for seven.’ She reached over and hit the sleep button, turning over into the mattress---

And then something grabbed her.

An arm snaked easily around her waist. “Morning,” came a sleepy greeting in her ear. Someone’s warm breath was tickling her ear. Kagome’s heart was pounding and her entire body had gone stiff and unresponsive; a single thought was fluttering through her head. ‘THERE’S SOMEONE IN MY BED!’ She was afraid to turn and see who it was, but she was spared the trouble. A chin came and rested on her shoulder warmly, still blowing tepid air on her face. “What’s wrong?” the person inquired. “What’re you all nervous for?” Kagome felt her neck being nuzzled gently and shuddered. ‘There is someone in my bed! Okay, better do this quick---’ She reached over slowly, grasped the lamp, and smashed him in the head with all her might.

There was a silence as Kagome was sure the man had been knocked unconscious- --and then he reached up and touched his head, staring at her blankly. “What was that for?” he asked, sounding bewildered. The voice was familiar, but in the dimness, she couldn’t see anything. How could he be so unfazed by such a heavy blow? Kagome backed away as the man leaned forward, and fell backwards off of the bed. Pain seared through her back and legs as she scuttled backwards desperately, trying to escape the stranger in her bed. She turned, jumped to her feet and dash towards the door, her hands stretching out for the knob---

But she didn’t make it out. The figure, in a way reminiscent of a grasshopper, (and a certain other something that Kagome failed to remember at the moment) leapt out of the covers and landed, from above, before the frightened girl. She yelped and tried to evade him, but quickly found herself enveloped tightly in some very strong arms. “Let me go,” she cried, squirming insistently. “Who are you? Creep! Let me go!”

“Oi! What’s wrong with you?” The voice was so familiar, and suddenly Kagome made the connection. A flood of a million moments came back to her. The words ‘Wench’ and ‘baka’ echoed most loudly---and suddenly she went limp. The man caught her with a muffled exclamation, staggering backwards.

“Inuyasha?” Kagome asked shakily, proving that she was indeed still awake.

“Yeah? Kagome, what---”

“Not what,” the girl panted, shaking. “Where are we?”

“Where are---at our house. As always. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know what I’m doing here,” she answered quietly. “I don’t know where here is.” There was an uneasy silence. At last, Inuyasha walked back to the bed, laid Kagome down, and pulled the covers up to her shoulders.

“You’re sick,” he said worriedly, kneeling by the bedside. “You’re confused. Go back to sleep. You’re not going to work today.” Kagome was about to protest that she didn’t know where *work* was either, but Inuyasha put a finger to her lips. “I’ll stay home with you. I’m going to go get the kids up, and then I’ll bring you some soup. Stay in bed.” With that he turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

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