Disclaimer: I own nothing but my insanity

AN: I realize it’s about…five years late but a late update is better than no update!

Your Woman

Part 2

Time

Time.

It was a hilarious thing to him now, the mere concept of it causing him to chuckle. Still, it was time that was his worst enemy. Time that had torn away the woman that he knew he loved, the friends they had made together. Time had even aged the kitsune that he had come to know as “son”. And now, in a twist of fate, it was time that he celebrated. Because his time of waiting, and longing, of pain and sorrow was up. Today would be the day that he presented himself to her, the day he got on his knees and begged for her touch, begged for her.

In his mind he held images of her, as a baby, a toddler, a child, and the Kagome that he had met years ago. He had seen her go through the ups and downs of the beginning of their relationship. Watched the younger version of himself drag her down the well and her taking it well despite the exams and hard day of school she had had. He had watched her run out of the well-house on that night when his world crumbled apart. And all of him had ached to hold her in his arms and whisper his apologies to her. But he knew that he wasn’t ready yet, and that she wasn’t either.

So he gave her time. Time to grieve him and time to move on. He gave her time to settle back into a real life. It took all the strength he never knew he had to keep away for so long. He watched time and time again as cried herself to sleep.

It was time that allowed her to go to college, to move away. It was time that sucked away his courage as he stalled, thinking he needed more time.

Yes, time had been his worst enemy then. Watching her be courted and court back. He feared time would bring her children and love. He had hazard nightmares about time ripping them apart again. He couldn’t take it anymore. Enough was enough.

She’d settled in normally enough. She had a 9-5 job at an office with all of her friends. With a little luck and indirect persuasion she’d gone to work for the industrial giant that his older half-brother had founded. If nothing else the job let him keep tabs on her.

As Kagome sat in the break-room during her lunch hour she couldn’t help but feel she was being watched. It was that same feeling she’d had so long ago whenever Inuyasha was glaring at her back. Shuddering nervously she stepped outside and just barely caught a glimpse of silver-hair turning the corner. Dismissing it as wishful thinking she went about the rest of her day.

She’d been invited for drinks after work but for some reason she didn’t feel up to it. There was only one thing she wanted to do. Instead of making her way to the studio-apartment she rented she headed to her childhood home. It was up to her mother and brother to guard the shrine after grandpa had died. Kagome just didn’t have the heart for it. Not anymore. In fact she hadn’t been there in months but she felt an overwhelming sense of peace as she stepped into the shack that contained the bone-eater’s well.

Closing her eyes she lovingly traced the stone rim of the opening. It always brought back memories of her friends and of him. The feelings that she’d told herself were gone all suddenly came back to her and she choked back a small sob. “Inuyasha.”

No. She would never have been his woman. She’d tried and he’d rejected her. It was over. He was gone. She wanted so desperately to believe that he had lived a happy life with Kikyou. She didn’t want to want him, but she did. She wanted him to want her too.

He’d meant to surprise her at her apartment. As soon as she headed in the opposite direction he’d known where she was going but was too afraid to beat her there. Instead he walked into the shack as she murmured his name. It gave him hope. Maybe time hadn’t diminished her love after all.

Fearfully he reached for her, turning her around to face him. There was nothing he could say out loud that wasn’t being screamed from his eyes. She didn’t gasp, to most it would have seemed as if she didn’t react at all. It’d gone past that. They were both past the heated emotional exchanges of yester-year. Without words everything was said. In the time-span of a few seconds all was forgiven.

Smiling, she took his hand and walked out of the shack with him. That night they left the past behind and walked into the future: together.

AN: 8D Happy ending! Yay! Now review!