A Gift From Above

Summary: After a brutal attack on Inuyasha, powers that he didn't know he had are unlocked. A common enemy brings the brothers closer together.

Pairing: Sesshomaru/Inuyasha

Author's Note: I promise this will be the last revision. I like it so much better now.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

"Talking"

Thoughts


Prologue

In a world full of ravenous demons and bigoted humans there stood a bloody and broken hanyou. Numerous cuts, both shallow and deep, littered his body and bled with each limped step he took towards the hot spring. Under normal circumstances, such occurrences could be explained as being byproducts of living the life he led. One couldn't fight against other powerful beings and expect to escape unscathed. This situation, however, was anything but normal.

Upon reaching his destination, Inuyasha carefully removed the remnants of his fire rat attire and sank into the steaming water. He hissed through clenched teeth but quickly ignored the stinging in favor of washing his body.

Flashes of his earlier encounter played heavily through his mind as he continued his task. How he wished it had all been some horrible dream instead of the sickening reality it was. As he washed, phantom touches caressed his bare skin eliciting goose bumps and sending violent shivers down his spine. The sounds of grunting echoed in his ears and brought with it the urge to throw up everything in his system. This was all wrong. Hadn't he suffered enough in his life?

Oh, how he wanted to cry out at the injustice of it all but he didn't. He couldn't. He had to stay strong. He'd learned early in life that crying wouldn't change the harsh facts. Besides, he'd sooner rot in hell before he let that bastard get the best of him—again.

Inuyasha flattened his ears against his head and proceeded to wash out his blood matted hair before turning to clean his hakama. At least these didn't get ruined he thought briefly eyeing the shredded haori.

Once that was done, he placed the hakama on a near by rock to dry and went back to scrubbing his skin with new vigor, reopening some of the partially healed flesh. He continued to abuse himself in such a matter in hopes that maybe...just maybe he could wash away the humiliation and shame and hurt clinging to him like a greedy leech. In the end, the leech won as the rest of his energy seeped out of him. He sagged against a rock utterly defeated.

How could I have let this happen? He thought bitterly, once again failing to stave off the onslaught of images. If only he hadn't been so rash.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Chapter 1: A Hanyou's Heartbreak-Revised

Inuyasha released a frustrated huff as he and his pack walked the beaten path, a black cloud hanging ominously over their heads. For the past few months, the slippery bastard known as Naraku had managed to remain out of their reach. Every new lead turned out to be nothing but wild goose chases serving only to push them farther away from their intended target. He was just toying with them now, using them as puppets to string along for his own amusement. How they despised that demon.

After hours of trudging along, Kagome recommended they call it a day. Inuyasha stopped and looked back at his group to see them all nodding in agreement. He wanted to continue, believing there to be enough sunlight for at least another hour, but he conceded without complaint. He could tell from Kagome's tone of voice that it was more than just a 'friendly suggestion' and he wasn't in the mood to deal with her.

Half an hour later they were gathered around a crackling fire eating cup ramen, the sky bursting with an array of beautiful colors. Despite their sour moods and slightly dampened spirits, the group—minus Inuyasha—laughed and spoke good-naturedly.

"Where do you think Naraku is?" Shippo asked sometime later.

Inuyasha looked over at the little kitsune snuggly nestled in Kagome's lap. He could feel the growl trying to make its way out at the mere mentioning of that demons name, but he quelled it before anyone noticed. Taking a breath, he spoke for the first time since camp was set up.

"Who knows? This ain't the first time he's kept himself hidden from us. No doubt coming up with more ways to make our lives miserable." He noticed Miroku eye him a moment before voicing his own opinion.

"Indeed though I do worry about what he has up his sleeves. With so little jewel shards left, it's only a matter of time before he puts his final plans in motion. We'll have to keep our guard up at all times."

"Miroku's right. Who knows when he'll decide to strike and Kagome will be his prime target." Sango looked at Kagome with what Inuyasha knew was worry. "Maybe you should go back to your time, on the other side of the well, until Naraku makes his move."

The hanyou was getting extremely irritated by the conversation. Other then the fact that he really didn't want to talk about his nemesis anymore, he also felt a bit put out with Sango's lack of faith in him. Did she honestly think he couldn't protect Kagome when the time came?

"Guys, I'll be fine. I've learned enough over the past two years to handle myself. Plus, I have all of you to help me," Kagome said smiling at them warmly. Sango did not look entirely convinced and probably would've pressed the issue but Inuyasha had had enough.

"Would you all just shut up about it already? When the time comes, we'll kill him. End of story."

"What's your problem?" Kagome asked.

"I'm just tired of talking about the slimy bastard but if you want to waste your time, that's fine by me. I'm going for a walk." Inuyasha got up to leave but stopped when he felt a hand grip his. He looked down at the appendage holding him hostage before leveling its owner with an annoyed stare.

"Inuyasha, you can't. Don't you remember what tonight is?"

"Either way, I'm sure you're gonna tell me."

"It's the night of the new moon. You have to stay here so we can protect you." Inuyasha's whole body became taut as he ripped his hand from Kagome's grasp and glared at her, teeth bared. The young priestess jumped slightly from the suddenness of his action and demeanor.

"So what are you saying? I'm too weak to take care of myself?" Sitting Shippo down, Kagome stood up and leveled him with a glare of her own.

"That's not what I meant and you know it. I was only saying...."

"Saying what? Oh I get it. You must feel really good knowing you get to protect the poor defenseless hanyou on his human night. Well guess what wench? I don't need your protection. I survived 200 years without any of you and I'll continue to survive long after all of you are gone," He growled out but immediately regretted what he said.

He couldn't even fathom why he'd lashed out at her like that. He supposed this whole thing with Naraku was affecting him more than he wanted it to. At the same time, his human nights had always been a sore spot for him as well.

He hated the weakness and heighted emotions this night brought him. Loathed the fear that tingled up his spine as he waited on baited breath for the rise of the sun to return him to his hanyou glory. And while he was grateful for his packs—assistance in his time of need, he couldn't help but feel they were enjoying his powerless state a bit too much. They always teased him, made it known that they were the ones he had to depend on. He knew on some level they weren't trying to be mean but it didn't change the fact that the teasing did bother him.

Since they've only ever been human, or demon in Kilala and Shippo's case, they'd never understand the strain moonless nights caused not only his body, but his mind and spirit.

"You're such a jerk Inuyasha," Shippo yelled out.

WHAM!

"Awwww," Shippo cried as he rubbed the huge lump forming on his head.

"INUYASHA," he visibly cringed from the ferocity of her yell. "SIT BOY."

And once again had an intimate relationship with the ground as the beads activated.

"Why do you have to be a jerk all the time, huh? Why can't you just accept our help without letting your pride get in the way?" Kagome said angrily.

Muttered curses could be heard as Inuyasha pulled himself out of his crater. It wasn't like he meant to snap at her. He was just feeling a bit overwhelmed. He became defensive and said the first things that came to mind.

"Well if I'm so horrible to be around, why don't you guys just leave? Why hang around me all the time?" His group appeared startled.

"Feh. Like I said before, I don't need protection, especially from a bunch of humans. I can take care of myself." His tone then became accusatory and his bright amber eyes narrowed sharply.

"What's your real reason for wanting to 'protect' me? Tell the truth. You just don't want anything to happen to your little watch dog. That's it right? All of you can just cut the crap. The hell you care about me. No one cares for a lowly hanyou unless there's something in it for them."

Inuyasha hadn't been exactly sure where he was going with this little chat in the beginning, but it was starting to leave a bad taste in his mouth. Of course they cared about him. Where'd he get the absurd notion that they didn't? So what if there were times they made him feel like crap? After all they'd been through, they couldn't only view him as a form of protection, could they? Though he hated to admit it, even to himself, they had wormed their way into his heart and become part of his family. That had to mean something, right?

Why were they so silent then? Why didn't they defend themselves against his allegations? Surely it didn't take this much time to tell someone you cared about them; that they were important. He needed to hear that more than anything right now and their continued silence began to worry him.

What if they really didn't care about him? Had the last two years all been a lie? Did they only pretend to care about him to gain his trust or was he so desperate for companionship, for the desire to be accepted, that he saw only what he wanted to see? Damn it, why weren't they saying anything?

What was actually a few minutes felt like hours to the heart broken hanyou. To him, their silence was like a crushing tidal wave, stealing his breath, battering his soul, sinking him further into the raging black pools of his tortured mind. He could see everything for what it was now. Lowering his head, a curtain of white shielding the dull sheen of once large expressive eyes, Inuyasha turned sharply and bounded into the forest. He could vaguely make out the sound of someone calling his name, but it was mostly drowned out by the sound of his heart shattering.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Moments before Inuyasha left

At the end of Inuyasha's rant, they each looked at him with varying degrees of shock. The suddenness of the situation left them muted in silence as they thought about their views of him.

Miroku saw him as his irritable and trust worthy best friend. Sango saw him as her stubborn yet lovable older brother. Shippo saw him as both a substitute father and an annoying older brother while Kagome saw him as her overprotective and hotheaded hero. She loved him more than anything in this world and wanted to be so much more than his friend, but that was neither here nor there at the moment.

They were so wrapped up in their own thoughts that they missed the hurt expression that crossed Inuyasha's face. The next thing they knew, he was running off into the forest.

Kagome was the first to snap out of her stupor and called after him. "Inuyasha wait. Please come back." He never stopped. The group continued to stare off in the direction of their leader until he was out of sight.

Finally Kagome turned to the others, her lips pulled in a tight frown.

"What just happened?"

Miroku's face creased in concentration as he continued to try and decipher the odd behavior of their friend. "I'm not sure. Inuyasha seems to be under the impression that we don't care about him. I wonder what brought that about."

"It doesn't matter. We have to get him back before he gets himself into trouble." Kagome looked at each of them and saw them nod in the affirmative, eyes full of determination. She didn't know what had gotten into the hanyou but she was more than willing to find out.

"Okay let's go" They quickly packed their gear and left.