A/N:  Chapter 3, YAY!  Sweet waff  and adventure abounds!  If you have not read From the Shadows, then I recommend you do before reading this fic.  There will be many references to events from the prequel to this story.  There are also SPOILERS in this fic!  I have rated this PG-13, but may raise the rating due to language. Thank you to everyone who reviewed!!!  And Please READ and REVIEW!!!

Disclaimer:  I do not own Inu Yasha, he is strictly the property of Kagome and Rumiko-sama!

Recap:

Kagome only snuggled into his embrace, resting her own hands on his.  His fingers instinctively curled around hers, creating a bond that was felt deep within both the teens, but never spoken.  Kagome yawned, her head falling back against his shoulder.  Her thoughts lingered on his embrace as she drifted off to sleep.  Hearing her even breathes, he nuzzled her hair, taking in her scent.  Even without his acute canine senses, he could still smell the Strawberry shampoo Kagome used and just a faint trace of her own scent.  He rested his chin on top of her head, allowing the night sounds and her warmth to embrace him as he watched over her, keeping his miko safe even on this dark night.

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Chapter 3: A Plot For Love

Inu Yasha felt the change as he was again transformed into his hanyou form.  His ears tingled as they receded from the sides of his head to slowly sprout as triangular points on top of his head.  His fingers itched slightly as his short nails became long, sharp claws.  Cracking an eye open, he watched in amazement as two heads of raven hair slowly became black entwined with white.  Blinking, Inu Yasha's vision cleared and once again he could see far beyond the canopy of the trees in his forest.

He stared down at the still slumbering form held possessively in him arms.  Kagome had turned in the night and now lay cradled against his chest, her legs curled up between his own.  Her cheek rested against the rough fur of his fire rat overcoat, one hand nestled in her lap, the other wrapped securely around his neck.  Warm puffs of air caressed his chin as he lowered his head and kissed her gently on her forehead.  Smiling, Inu Yasha enjoyed this moment of undisturbed peace with his Kagome.  He would never be so bold if she were awake, even though they had become much closer over the past several months. 

At first it had been a burden to him to protect this strange miko from the future.  Her likeness to his past love, Kikyou, had made being with her difficult.  But time passed, and he discovered Kagome was nothing like Kikyou.  Kagome was Kagome, bright like the sun, caring and loving.  Her heart was full of kindness.  Kikyou had never been like that.  Though she cared deeply for the villagers, she was always aloof with her emotions.  Her serious nature hindering her from expressing what she truly felt.  Kagome expressed everything she felt, if not with words, then with her eyes.  Words were never needed to know the young girl's feelings, one look into her gray blue gaze and he could see into her very soul.

As the quest continued, Inu Yasha had become dependent on Kagome for much more than the shard detector she had once thought herself as.  She became his best friend and the only person he had ever truly trusted.  'You are my best friend, Kagome.  And no matter what happens when Naraku is dead, nothing will ever change that.' He thought, holding her tighter to him. 

What really bothered the hanyou, though, was this new feeling.  It had been there for a while now.  It was stronger than the protectiveness he felt for the girl, stronger than anything he had ever felt before.  Inu Yasha fought his own self over identifying the overwhelming pain and joy that leaped into his heart whenever Kagome was with or away from him.  But deep down inside, Inu Yasha knew he loved her.  More than he had ever loved Kikyou, he loved Kagome, and it scared him.

The girl stirred in his embrace.  Lifting her face to his, she smiled, "Morning."  Pulling back from Inu Yasha, Kagome rubbed the sleep from her eyes.  "Wow, It's still early."  Noting the sun peeking out over the horizon and the hanyou's change from human, she tentatively reached up and tweaked one of his fuzzy ears.

Inu Yasha growled as he grabbed her wrist, "Kagome!  Leave my ears alone!"

"You know you like it."  She smiled slyly, leaning back into him to tweak his other ear with her free hand.  Their noses were barely inches apart and she could feel his warm breath on her face.  A furious blush crept up both their faces, but neither pulled away.

"Well, I guess you two had a good night" came a chuckling voice from below.

Kagome and Inu Yasha both jumped, the girl losing her balance and nearly toppling from the tree.  Once again the hanyou's quick reflexes saved her.  Grasping her by the waist, he leaped from the branch to land gracefully on the ground.  "What the hell do you want, bouzu?"  Inu Yasha ground out.  His cheeks still flaming a brilliant red as he released Kagome.

"I-it's a bit early, don't you think, Miroku-sama?"  Kagome stuttered in her embarrassment.

"Shippou has been calling for you, but Sango did not want him to disturb you, so I came to see if you were awake yet.  And, obviously you are."  With that the monk turned away, laughing as he walked back toward the village.

"Asshole!"  Inu Yasha sneered. 

"Come on, Inu Yasha!  Let's go get breakfast!"  Kagome tugged on his hand as she pulled him behind her to follow after the lecherous monk.

"Ramen?!"  Inu Yasha exclaimed as he quickly caught up with the future girl, a strange smile that only his favorite noodle dish could elicit on his face.

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"They make an appealing couple, do they not?" Kirin smiled as she watched an image emerge on the surface of the water.

"Yes, but the hanyou is not worthy of the young miko's love." Aizen-Myoo sneered, leaning closer to the large bowl of silvery liquid.

"How can you say that?!  He has proven deserving of her.  Can you not see all that he does and feels.  He silently suffers to keep her safe.  A noble sacrifice!" Kirin was taken aback by Aizen-Myoo's words.  How could the god of love not see what was within the two lover's hearts? 

"While he pulls the girl's heart on a string, he pines away for the one before her, refusing to let the dead one die.  He has promised his life to her when it should belong to the reincarnation." The god of love turned from the enchanted bowl, an almost bored expression on his stoic features.

"Enough!  Such bickering is not necessary.  They are true to their hearts.  The hanyou is stubborn and prideful.  His heart has been broken so many times, he only wishes to protect it and the girl.  The darkness of destiny brought back the incarnate, now let us correct this damage and set the path right once again."  Amida snapped, angrier than she had been in centuries.  She looked around at her companions.  This small group of gods had joined with her to steer the destiny for the miko from the future and the hanyou.  Evil forces were working against them, though, for there was another who was trying to change their destinies, and perhaps even their fate.  She blanched as she felt a cold chill run down her spine.  Could they win against the god of evil, she wondered.

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Kagome stilled her chopsticks half way to her mouth.  The warm, tingling feeling as before spread throughout her entire being.  Someone was once again watching her.  She shuddered as the eerie feeling slowly began to pass, leaving her mind briefly heady from the prickling that coursed through her.  The dizziness passed as swiftly as it came, but she did not resume eating her morning meal.

"Kagome?" Inu Yasha stared at the young miko.  She was shaking slightly, her cheeks flushed.  Reaching out, he turned her face to his.  The girl's eyes glistened as she stared unseeingly, but no tears were present.  Finally her gaze met the hanyou's.  "What is it, Kagome?"

Realizing that all eyes in the small hut were watching her, she blushed furiously.  Briefly, she swept her gaze across the concerned faces of her friends, finally resting back to face the dog demon.  Indecision welled up in Kagome as she debated whether or not to tell them what had happened.  "N-nothing.  I was just…thinking…um…" her mind raced as she saw doubt in her hanyou's golden eyes.  "I was trying to remember if I brought all my schoolbooks with me.  That's all.  I am already so far behind in my studies you know." She turned from him before the words left her mouth.  Kagome didn't want Inu Yasha or the others to see the guilt she felt for lying to him. 

"You looked really weird, Kagome.  Are you sure you're okay?" The kitsune hopped into the girl's lap, peering up at her with worried eyes.

"Hai, Shippou-chan.  I'm fine.  It's getting late, I think we should get going." Kagome set Shippou down as she stood to grab her bag.  'I don't want them to worry over nothing.  But is it nothing?' She questioned herself as she began packing up for the long journey ahead.  Kagome had felt no malicious intent behind the person invading her privacy.  But, if this was so, then why were they spying on her in the first place, and from where?  Her mind raced with unanswered questions as she finished her task and patiently waited for her companions.

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They walked on in silence as the group once again headed north, where their last battle with Naraku had taken place.  Inu Yasha glanced back occasionally to the girl behind him.  He knew Kagome had lied to them earlier, and it bothered him greatly.  The hanyou's heart was weighted down with pain as he tried to understand the reasoning behind her actions.  The question had run through his mind all morning, making the dog demon angrier by the minute.  Kagome's refusal to look at him or speak to anyone annoyed Inu Yasha even more. 

Kagome had been walking quietly behind Inu Yasha, her thoughts focused on the events of earlier that morning.  The miko knew her friends had not believed her.  As they took to the road that morning, she spared a brief glance at Inu Yasha.  Her heart ached at the pained look in his eyes.  Doubt, confusion, anger had glared back at her in his golden orbs.  The guilt she had felt increased ten fold as she turned from him, trying to suppress the anger she was beginning to feel at herself.  Kagome was so engrossed in her own thoughts, she did not notice when the hanyou had stopped in front of her, causing her to walk into him.  Looking up in surprise, she nearly fell backwards before his hand shot out to steady her.

"Inu Yasha?" The fury in his eyes nearly frightened her, but then Kagome knew she deserved it.  He had been concerned for her, and she had lied to him for reasons she still didn't understand herself.

"We need to talk, now!" Inu Yasha snapped at her.  Glancing over her shoulder to the others, he barked, "We'll rest here for a while."  With that the hanyou grabbed Kagome by the arm, nearly dragging the miko as he pulled her along behind him.

"Inu Yasha!  Just what do you think you are doing?"  Kagome demanded as she struggled against his tight grip on her lower arm.

Spinning suddenly, Inu Yasha's face leveled to hers.  Nearly nose-to-nose, his eyes burned into Kagome's.  He felt like smirking when she shrank from the intensity of his glare.  "You lied to me and I want to know why!" There was a sharp edge to his voice as he hissed out the words. 

Kagome stared at him.  Behind the undulated anger she saw the pain she had caused him, and it hurt her more than she could have imagined.  Once again she felt frustrated with herself.  With the combination of guilt and self-ire, she did the only thing she knew in situations like this one, she let loose her anger.

"Let go of me, Inu Yasha!  And just what are you talking about?"  Inu Yasha's ears laid flat at her high-pitched tone.  "You drag me off, yelling at me, nearly wrenching my arm out the socket, and for what?"  This time the miko did not turn away.  Somewhere in a small corner of her mind, she prayed that it was something else the inu youkai was speaking of, but the more rational part, the one that ruled most of her thinking processes, knew exactly what the hanyou was about.

"Keh!" Inu Yasha released his hold on her, but his eyes never left her face.  "You know damn well what I am talking about!  This morning, something happened with you and you come up with some bullshit story about your schoolbooks!  I want to know what is going on with you.  And don't lie to me again."  This last came out in a muttered warning.

Kagome blinked as she felt the familiar hot prickling of tears well up in her eyes.  Fighting to hold them back, she plopped down in the soft grass.  "I didn't want to worry you."  The soft words barely reached Inu Yasha's canine ears.  "I felt like someone was watching me again.  But it was so faint, kinda like last time, but different.  Not as long or as intense.  I can't explain it.  But it was so warm, so…comforting.  I didn't feel threatened, and the way you guys acted when I told you before…" Her words trailed off as her guilt finally consumed her.  A sob escaped the miko as the tears began to fall.

'Kuso!' Inu Yasha swore to himself as he watched a crystal droplet stream down her cheek, to be followed by another.  "Don't cry, Kagome.  You know I hate it when you cry."  Looking around to ensure that none of their companions were spying on them, Inu Yasha crouched down and reached out a clawed hand wiping away her tears, his thumb gently rubbing across her smooth skin.  "Whatever this thing is, we'll figure it out.  But from now on, I want you to stay close.  Got it?" He reached out and pulled her to him as the last of her tears died away.

Kagome nodded as she rested her cheek against Inu Yasha's chest.  His heartbeat thrummed comfortingly in her ear.  "I guess we should go back so I can explain to the others." Her heart sank as she thought of confronting her friends.  She knew they knew that she had lied, but it still didn't make things any easier. 

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"What's Inu Yasha doing?" Shippou cried out as he watched the hanyou drag off his protesting surrogate mother.

"This is between Inu Yasha and Kagome, Shippou.  Let them work out their differences." Miroku's said with a heavy sigh.  Shippou was still too young to understand what was going on. 

"But Kagome didn't do anything!" The kit yelled in defense of his friend.  He could not fathom what was happening or why.  His innocent green eyes shone with concern as he turned to the taijiya, silent pleading for understanding in his shimmering orbs.

"Kagome-chan will be fine, Shippou.  Houshi-sama is right, they need to work this out themselves." Sango picked up the sulking child and cuddled him to her.

"Why won't you tell me what Inu Yasha is mad about?" Shippou insisted.

Sango and Miroku both sighed as the retreating figures of the hanyou and young miko disappeared into the thick shadows of the surrounding forest.  "Perhaps when they return, Shippou, Kagome-sama will explain things." The houshi sat crossed legged beneath the shade of a large tree, resting his back against the trunk.  He hoped the hanyou would not make matters worse, but he also knew Inu Yasha would most likely be the only one right now to get any answers from the future girl. 

"Why don't you and kirara go play, Shippou-chan.  We may not rest again until nightfall." The kitsune glanced at Sango skeptically before finally running off to play a game of tag with the two-tailed neko.  "Do you think Kagome is okay, Houshi-sama?" Sango finally asked Miroku after several minutes.

"Hai.  I think she is afraid of worrying us.  I am sure what ever is causing her to act this way, she will tell us when she is ready." Miroku closed his eyes as he silently prayed his words to be true and once again for the stubborn hanyou to not make the situation worse.

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The dim light of the low fire cast an orange glow on the occupants of the small camp.  Looking around her, the woman cloaked in darkness observed the faces of the sleeping travelers.  Above her the inu hanyou slept lightly on a tree branch.  Though his ears twitched, she knew he could not sense her presence.  At the base of the tree below him lay the young miko from the future.  Her small form was huddled beneath her modern day traveling bed.  Curled up into a tight ball at the miko's side slept the kitsune kit, he too unaware of the goddess who stood so near.  Closer to the fire lay the tiajiya and the houshi.  They too were deep in slumber.  A soft mewl caught her attention, and the goddess reached down to scratch the soft fur of the fire cat.  Kirara purred contentedly before returning to her mistress's side.

Kirin tipped the wooden bowl she held, dumping out its contents onto the ground.  With thoughtful eyes she watched the thirsty earth absorb the sacred fluid, drinking greedily her offering.  As the last drops of the seeing waters soaked into the ground, the dirt began to crack, split and pucker.  Where once a puddle of silver liquid had been, now grew a bright green vine.  As it curled up toward the goddess, small nubs budded then burst open to reveal fragrant white flowers.  The moon blossoms glowed with an ethereal light, their paleness contrasting against the brilliance of the foliage they came from. 

Leaning over, Kirin plucked one of the delicate blooms, smiling as the broken stem dripped a silvery sap onto her small hand.  She licked lightly at the drop, the bitter taste filling her mouth before she swallowed it.  Reveling in the sweet warmth the single drop emitted, Kirin smiled before a pale blue light flashed; where once had been a lovely elfish goddess, now stood a silvery unicorn.  The unicorn's golden horn spiraled in the center of the creature's forehead as her long tail trailed behind her.  With a flick of her tail, Kirin galloped off toward the dense forest, a smile curving her lips.  The first step in manipulating the destiny of the young miko was complete.

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A/N: I do apologize for taking so long to get this out.  I have been busy, and when not busy, to be honest, very lazy!  But I finally did get it up!  YAY!  I hope you liked this chapter.  There is a plot developing here though it seems slow going. 

Aizen-Myoo:  The Japanese god of love, worshipped by prostitutes, landlords, singers and musicians. He is considered to be beneficent to mankind. Originally he was a god of the Shingon and Tendai and represented love that changes into desiring 'enlightenment'.

For this fic, the latter will apply for the god of love.  Don't ask me what desiring 'enlightenment' means either.  As far as I could figure in my research, it means two things – though I could be sorely wrong—a better relationship between the two lovers with friendship being the basis, and a more physical relationship between the two.  I am still reading up on the subject, so please don't bombard me with questions.  When I have true understanding of it, or if someone out there actually knows what the exact meaning of this is could tell me, then I will explain it better for all!

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!  It encourages the next chapter!