Once in a Leap Year

By: Princess Kitty

PK: Oh my goodness. I haven't updated in such a long time it isn't even funny. And I'm so very sorry about that. For a time I plunged into some weird depression, then marching band started, then school started, then homework and projects and essays began….

You know the drill.

Then the computer crashed so I'm currently using Microsoft Works again which means I can't access whatever I had done of chapter 34.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? And did I mention I've taken up the alto saxophone? Have to practice that too.

Warnings: Stuff. Please don't throw things at my unworthy self! I feel bad enough as it is….

Chapter 34

She was remembering a time when they were happy. Inuyasha had the most horrified look on his face as Kagome shoved the last plastic spoonful of chocolate pudding into her mouth. "That was mine!" He cried, stomping a foot for emphasis.

"Quit being such a baby about it!" She'd scolded. "Mom will buy us some more the next time we go out for groceries." Then she stuck the spoon on his nose and laughed at him.

It was three in the morning when the memory interrupted Kagome's deep and empty sleep. Why she had thought of it was a good question. With a sigh, she turned and faced the empty, neatly made bed across from hers. 'He's mad at me….' She mused, thinking back to their earlier conversation. 'What can I do to make him happy again?'

888

"Since when does Inuyasha ever get mad at you?" Ayumi questioned the next day at school. Yuka and Eri stared at her in amazement.

"Try every day!" Yuka cried.

Kagome held up her hands. "I'm just telling you what he said to me. But don't worry yourselves too much. I'm fine!" She lied.

Eri saw right through her friend's fake smile. "No you're not, Kagome! Nothing's fine until the two of you are back to normal!" She and the other two furrowed their brows in thought. "Now, let's backtrack. He had to have given some kind of hint as to what he'd like." Her gaze landed on Kagome. "Did he say anything to you while he was in the hospital?"

Kagome blinked. "He was in the hospital?" She asked dumbly.

Yuka snapped her fingers in frustration. "Guess you didn't know about that. Hmmm…."

She looked around at her three friends who were searching every corner of their minds for information. "Why was he in the hospital? Is he okay?"

"Uh huh." Ayumi said absently.

"But why was he in the hospital!" Kagome demanded once more.

The increase in her voice's volume made the three snap back into the real world. "What were you saying, Kagome?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. It isn't important."

"I'm drawing blanks, so we'll think about it later." Yuka smiled. "So did you get the okay from your mom to go to the party with us?" She asked.

"It's going to be so great!" Ayumi gushed. "Akito promised to take me as his date."

Kagome tuned out and stared out the window. It was a beautiful day… and yet she couldn't fully enjoy it, knowing that her memories were wiped out. She was picking up bits and pieces of her friends' conversation. Ayumi's comment had made her stomach lurch for some reason. Her head started to hurt.

"There's going to be a party at The Cream Club next week…."

It was her voice.

"Are you going?"

"No, but you are."

"Am I?"

"Yup."

"I'll take you as my date, then…."

The last sentence echoed in her mind. It had been Inuyasha speaking to her, telling her that he'd take her to the party. "That's it!" She screamed suddenly, causing her friends to jump and stare at her with wide eyes.

"What's it?" Ayumi asked.

Kagome noticed Mr. Tsuyoshi walking in and gave a wink to her friends. "I'll tell you after school."

888

"So let me get this straight," Shippo began in a dramatic voice. "You're just going to stay here until Kagome gets her memory back?"

A butterfly flew past. Inuyasha stared at it with great interest.

"Pay attention!" The frustrated kitsune yelled.

"Don't you have somewhere to be? You know… like puberty?" Inuyasha mused.

Shippo tilted his head in confusion. "Did that even make sense?"

"No, but I'm surprised you didn't take the hint. Go away."

He looked to the distance and sniffed the air. "Kagome's here!"

Inuyasha watched him leave and arched an interested eyebrow. 'Why did she come back?' He thought, his heart pounding as he saw a figure in strange clothes running through the village. As curious as he was, he put on his most stoic face and stared at her as she trudged uphill.

Kagome, in her rush, had forgotten to stop and breathe. She motioned for him to wait while she panted and nearly coughed her lungs out.

"Yes?" Inuyasha asked, part of him wishing he could hug her protectively and scold her for running so much.

Kagome magically straightened and smirked at him triumphantly. "You are coming home!" She declared.

Inuyasha leaned back against his tree, staring at the lines in his fingers. "Go on, I'm listening."

She got the strangest feeling that he wasn't. "There's a party at The Cream Club tonight and you said you'd take me." This was the moment of truth. Her heart was beating so wildly she thought it would pop out of her nose or some other hole.

Inuyasha stared at her. Then he stood up and stared more. Fear… hope… but still not the thing that he was looking for. "Okay." He said simply.

A smile was forming on Kagome's face. "What?"

"You heard me." Inuyasha's voice was quieter. He wasn't expecting the scream… or the hug….

"You're the best!" Kagome cried, jumping up and down with her arms around his neck. Then she stopped abruptly and tore away from him like he was covered in poison. "Sorry… I got carried away…." She waved her hands uselessly.

"Yeah, I can kind of see that. Now let's go before I change my mind." Inuyasha brushed past her and walked downhill, knowing she would follow. A slightly annoying air of happiness radiated from behind him the rest of the way to the well.

888

"Just pick something already!"

"Quit rushing me! There's an art to this kind of thing!"

Two minutes after her success, Kagome was already frustrated again. She stood in front of a closet full of clothing and couldn't find a single thing to wear, which wasn't making Inuyasha very happy either. "The green one is fine!" He cried.

"That's my school uniform, dumbass!" She snapped back.

Inuyasha sighed in exasperation, stood from his spot on the bed, and pushed Kagome to the side. "Gotta do everything myself…." Kagome was peering over his shoulder curiously as he dug through his side of the closet. He nearly hit her when he shoved something in her face. "There. Where it."

Kagome took the cloth and examined it. "This is the top part of your kimono."

"Nooo!" Inuyasha said in mock surprise.

"What do you expect me to wear it with?"

"Um… shoes?"

"I meant pants!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You don't need pants for it! Once you wore it like a dress!"

Kagome stared at him blankly, as though letting that sink in. "I think I know what you're talking about. Were we in a life-threatening situation?"

"When are we not?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Good point." Kagome left the room just as Mrs. Higurashi stepped in. "Well, Inuyasha! It's nice to see you again, honey."

"You act as if I haven't been here in years." He said, smiling at the older woman.

"It gets lonely without you around. You really made Kagome sad."

Inuyasha ignored the comment. "Did you call my boss and tell him I was sick? I'm hoping I don't get fired from my first job."

Mrs. Higurashi sighed. "Yes. He said to take as much time as you need."

"I'm ready!" Kagome reentered the room wearing the haori carefully tied around her body. The emerald necklace Inuyasha had given her shimmered happily around her neck.

Mrs. Higurashi squealed with delight. "Oh, you're so pretty!" She cried and flung her arms around her daughter.

Inuyasha was practically devouring her beauty with his eyes. "Nice." He muttered.

"I'll go out and start the car. You two finish up," Mrs. Higurashi said and quickly left the room.

Kagome watched Inuyasha putting his watch on. "Um…."

"What?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "You don't have to take me to this party if you don't want to…. I mean, you're obviously upset about it and…."

Inuyasha looked up at her and frowned a bit. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't seem very happy." Kagome said quietly. "That's all."

Inuyasha stood from his place on the bed and fixed his gaze on anything but her. He couldn't take hearing that sadness anymore. "Of course I'm not happy… but it doesn't have anything to do with this." He sensed her confusion. "I mean… it's just that… I don't know… what do I mean?"

Kagome felt a bit relieved when she saw the smile on his face.

"How about," Inuyasha stepped forward and took her hand in his, noticing immediately how cold it was, "You don't listen to anything mean-old Inuyasha says to you? Chances are I won't be getting used to this very soon, but I will. And until then you just have to enjoy yourself no matter what I say. Besides, since when have you ever listened to me?"

Kagome laughed, feeling some warmth flooding to her cheeks. "It's nice to hear about the old me."

"You're not that different from her." They walked out of the room, still hand in hand.

"Inuyasha,"

"Yes?"

"Can you say my name?"

The simple question jolted him so badly he stopped on the middle of the stairs to look up at her. She spoke up again. "I've never heard you say my name… directly to me, anyways."

Inuyasha let go of her hand and finished his descent down the stairs. "We're going to be late, Kagome." He warned, turning back to grin at her.

A brilliant smile lit her face and she ran down the stairs to the door. "Well then, don't walk so slow!"

To Be Continued

PK: Once again, I whole-heartedly apologize for my absence.

FAQ

Q: WHY HAVEN'T YOU UPDATED?

A: It's that thing… you know, away from the computer… with trees… and the sky… other people… homework….

Q: I'm still so confused!

A: All the explanations will come soon.

Q: You won't disappear again, will you?

A: I might. Depends on how busy I get. But I think the fountain of ideas has finally begun to flow again.

Okay, I think I've figured this out. The button doesn't show up in the live previews, but if I go look for the story, it will! So it's there! Click that gosh-darn button!