Chapter Two

Kagome sat on her bed staring at the ground listening to Yusuke and Kurama. She knew that this would come up sooner or later, but she would have preferred later.

"I know that this would be the reasonable thing to do, but I can't," she said. "It's my…."

"Kagome," Kurama cut in shortly. "If you keep up this pace you will end up ill, he keeps you there too often and too long. Half the time you come home with no more shards than you left with."

"That's because Naraku must have the rest, which means the final battle is just around the corner! He may be in hiding now, but who knows when…."

"At this pace you may not even make it to the final battle," Yusuke sighed.

"I'm old enough to take care of myself now!" she said as she stood up. "I don't need to be babysat!"

"That is not what we're implying Kagome!" Kurama's voice rose a couple of notches. "We're looking out for your wellbeing!"

"I can do that myself now; I will be seventeen in a few months!"

"Age has nothing to do with it!" It was rare that Kurama ever raised his voice, but when he did it meant he was not going to back down. But it seemed like Kagome wasn't going to back down so easily either.

"Then when will you deem me responsible enough to make my own decisions?"

"When I see that you no longer make decisions that put your own health at risk when it's avoidable!" Yusuke stood at the side seeing as there was no room for input in their argument. He just wished that Kagome would see that they were right.

"My life is being put at risk there, so why does it matter?" Kurama didn't speak when Kagome finished her sentence.

"We don't want to loose you," Yusuke said in a low tone.

"I may not even come back from the final battle, so why bother with this?"

"We want to spend time with you while we can," Kurama replied, his voice as equally low as Yusuke's. With that said he turned and left the room leaving Yusuke behind with Kagome. With nothing to say, Yusuke quickly followed Kurama out of the room. After a few moments Hiei walked into her room just as she sat on her bed letting everything sink in.

"You're lucky. I would rather the well be sealed so this matter would be resolved," he said. She refused to meet his crimson gaze.

"We all die, so why should it matter if I do soon?"

"Hn, you are quite dense if you can not see why." Kagome snapped her head up not knowing if she should glare at him or look confused. She settled on a look somewhere in between. "As youkai we will outlive you by much. Seeing your already short lifespan shorted by many years would be heartbreaking for them. Just when we thought our lives were going nowhere, you came along. Show a little appreciation for what we have given you, a second chance at life. Live wisely, not foolishly." With those final words Hiei too left the room, leaving Kagome to ponder what he had said.

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"I take it, it didn't go well," Shippo sighed.

"It could have been better…" Yusuke replied before taking a bite of his apple. Kurama sat on the couch in the living room reading a novel he was eager to finish. "Maybe we should let her figure this one for herself."

"If we do that she'll die for sure."

"Do not underestimate her Shippo." Said kitsune jumped in the air being caught unawares by the voice behind him.

"Don't do that Hiei! I swear my life has been shortened by a hundred years!" Hiei simply rolled his eyes while Yusuke snickered.

"So what'd ya say to her?" he questioned the hybrid leaning against the counter with crossed arms.

"Something that she should think about," was the simple reply.

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Tijiya: Finally I have another chapter of 'For the Roses' up! Now, I am in a bit of a jam. I don't know where to go with the plot, all suggestions will be loved greatly! Also, the parring is unknown to me even so suggestions about that will be loved also! Well, that's it for now. Reviews are loved!

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi

Yu Yu Hakusho (c) Yoshihiro Togashi

For the Roses (c) Julie Garwood