"Kagome? I'm scared. Can I sleep with you tonight?"
"Sure Shippo. That encounter with Naraku was kind of blood chilling."
"What about me, can I sleep with you too?"
Kagome hit Miroku on back of the head for his outright stupidity. She knew when he was joking and when he wasn't, and this time he wasn't. He had been acting really inappropriately since Sango disappeared and her body was found next to half of Kohaku. Shippo had been the first to notice the change when he was formed into a young woman and Miroku tried to rape her, or so Shippo says.
Inu-Yasha had been watching Kagome more carefully since Sango's murder, thinking that she could be next, but since the change in Miroku, he didn't trust her to be alone with anyone. Kikyo's reincarnation had been dealt with and passed on, so the only woman left in his life was Kagome, and he wasn't willing to lose her too.
"Kagome, please, please be careful tonight." He let her sleep with Shippo since he was only a child and couldn't do anything to her.
"I know, Inu-Yasha. Don't worry about me. Shippo will wake me if anyone comes in the room, and I would hear it, too." She knew what he was going through, the constant fear that one he cared about could die at any moment.
They were going to be sleeping in a one room shed in the small town along the way, so Inu-Yasha sat in between Kagome and Miroku.
They woke in the morning, and, after making sure that nothing happened in the night, set out for another Shikon Shard. Naraku had been sending more and more demons with shards embedded in them to attack.
While walking, Kagome tripped over a root, and before she could scream, was grabbed by Inu-Yasha, who hadn't taken his eyes off her all morning. Her ankle, sprained, began swelling, and she couldn't walk any longer.
"Miroku, please hand me my bag of medicine. Oh, and take Shippo away, go pick flowers in the fields with him..." Inu-Yasha was carrying her to a flat piece of land by a stream. She didn't want to talk to him now because she was ashamed of the problem she brought on them. Now they were sitting ducks for Naraku or anyone else that felt like attacking. Inu-Yasha would never let anyone hurt her and they all knew it, so now that she was disabled, so was the group. They weren't moving again until she could walk.
Shippo was always dramatic about illness, death and pain, so she didn't want him crying because she wouldn't be able to walk for a week. There was enough going around, plus, Miroku would be away taking care of Shippo, so she would be safe, and alone, with Inu-Yasha.
She couldn't look him in the eyes for fear of seeing disappointment, or even worse, worry. He was their back bone, and if he was worried or afraid, then they were all screwed, because without his support, they would all fall.
"What should I do?" He asked, as he opened the medicine bag. She already took off the shoe and sock from that foot and tried moving it into the water. There were cuts along her leg, she wiped the away with her sock, not caring about cleanliness at the moment.
"Inu-Yasha, I'm sorry. If we are all killed now, its my fault." He took her face in his hands and made her look in his eyes.
"No one is going to hurt you. Not now, not ever. As long as I am around, no one will touch you, even Miroku." She smiled a little, knowing that he wasn't angry at her, and that he cared more that he was willing to let on.
"Can I have the bag?" she asked him. He handed it over and watched as she took out a cloth to tie up her ankle and to pills to stop the pain. "Inu-Yasha? Can I ask you a question?"
"Of corse, Kagome. You can ask me anything, but I might not answer it."
"Fair enough." Her voice lowered and she grew serious. "What is it like to be only half of something? To want to be whole, no matter what? To know that there are creatures out there that can crush you without trying?" He saw that she was scared, and that she knew that he would die trying to keep her alive.
"Well, I guess it's like when you go to school, and there is someone there who is smarter, or prettier, or taller, or popular. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that your not talking about being half human."
She blushed. "Not really."
"Then what it is? You know that you can talk to me."
"Okay, but remember, you asked me to tell you." He nodded and she continued. "Well, do you know what it is like for me, knowing that half of your heart and soul belongs to Kikyo. Half of your reason for being is-" he interrupt her.
"-Was. Half of my reason for being was Kikyo. No, not true. All I needed was her, you and the shards, but not anymore." By the angered look on her face, he knew that he had said it wrong. "I meant that part of my reason for being was the Shikon Jewel, its not more important to me than you are, or Kikyo was. Of corse I care about her, but not the way I do for you. I don't know. It's different this time. With her, I knew were I stood, there was no feeling of me to protect her. With you, it's like, I have to protect you. I would die saving you, but I never felt that way with her." They looked at each other for a moment, but Kagome went back to caring for her leg.
"Inu-Yasha. I shouldn't have brought it up." After a few minutes of avoiding eye contact and talk, Inu-Yasha broke the silence.
"Kagome, I need you to do me a really important favor. Okay?"
"Sure."
"If I'm not around you, you must be with Shippo at all times, don't ever be alone with Miroku or by yourself. Naraku could be anywhere, and as for Miroku, well, we all know what he's been doing."
"Yeah. But don't blame him. I think that he actually loved Sango."
"Just because he asked her to bear his child doesn't mean he's in love. He asked every woman we have come across."
"Not true!"
"Okay, only the pretty ones." Kagome blushed when he said that, remembering back when she was asked, and she knew that Inu-Yasha was remembering too.
"But he was different around her. He was pleasant, and he would smile, and he- well, he was just different around her."
"Hm... I guess you could be right. But still, that doesn't give him the right to rape innocent women. Usually we kill demons like that."
"He's not a demon! Don't you ever talk of killing him. He might be wrong in the head right now, but give him time! He'll be fine."
"Fine." He said aloud, but to himself he thought: 'I won't hurt him because you asked, but if he even thinks of touching you I will kill him in the slowest and most painful way.' To her he smiled, but inside he shuddered at the though of anyone hurting Kagome.
***
'Inu-Yasha, do you really think of me as just someone you need to protect? Am I a replacement for Kikyo? Am I just a copy that will do since the original is gone?'
'Oh, Kagome. I wish that I wasn't so - what's a good word... - worried about letting someone get close to me. Last time it happened, she was killed and I was left for dead for fifty years. Her soul was filled with hate, and she spent her reincarnation trying to kill us. What is wrong with me?'
They were sitting by the stream, Shippo and Miroku were back and so they were just talking. Mindless talking, while Inu-Yasha and Kagome worried about real things. Their thoughts were more important that some silly story, anyway. Shippo cried over her lack of mobility for a week, but soon got over it with half of a chocolate bar. Kagome couldn't stand to be alone with Inu-Yasha any longer, for fear that their last conversation would come up. Of course it would come up, they both needed to close it, but neither wanted to bring it up again. Shippo was with her everywhere for the next seven days. She began practicing walking, and soon could walk for a few miles without feeling much pain. The night before they were to set off again, Kagome decided to take a bath.
After assuring Inu-Yasha that she would be safe for half-an-hour and that Shippo could stand guard, she went down stream. Even though Shippo is just a kid, she still made him keep his back turned and warned that if he peaked he would never get chocolate again.
"Kagome?"
"What Shippo?" her eyes were shut from the soap and water.
"I think someone is coming."
"Well, keep them away." she said simply.
There was a splash in the water and muffled talking. Kagome was getting freaked out, opened her eyes and saw a person. The sun was in her eyes so all she could see was his profile. She tried running away, but her ankle hadn't fully healed ,and she fell in the water. The man grabbed her, gaged her and covered her eyes.
Kagome tried screaming, but couldn't. She began to pray, hoping that Shippo was going to get Inu-Yasha or even Miroku. She was kicking with her good leg and trying to hit him, but his foot was planted firmly on hers, and he was holding her arms.
"Don't be scared." The voice whispered in her ear. It was Miroku's voice, but it couldn't have been Miroku. Inu-Yasha promised her that he wouldn't let Miroku out of his sight until she came back. He pressed his body to hers and pushed them underwater. All the air was pushed from her lungs and his cruel intentions were clear. Pain spread through her fifteen year old body, and she blacked out. The last thing she saw before she slipped into unconsciousness was the furry tail of Shippo located on the backside of her attacker.
***
Inu-Yasha was not far from Kagome at the time, still fearing for her safety. He heard the noise and ran to the riverside, but he was too late. The water was full of soap suds, and all that was sticking out was a furry tail that was moving up and down. He thought that Shippo was in there trying to pull a knocked out Kagome to the surface.
"Kagome, what did I get you into? Why didn't I come, you know that I wouldn't peek." He ran into the water and pulled the tail, but it was a lot heavier than Shippo (waterlogged or not) ever could be. Using a little more force, he pulled Shippo from the water and threw him to shore, Shippo was not his goal.
Inu-Yasha went underwater and lifted Kagome from the bottom of the stream. The gag and blindfold were still on her and he tried to wake her up. He quickly pulled her to shore, dressed her, and took off the ties.
"Shippo, Miroku! Come here!" Both ran, worried looks planted to their faces. "I think she was raped. She was gaged and blindfolded and knocked unconscious and there are bruises on the inside of her upper thighs. How do I get her to wake up?"
"I think that he inhaled water from being under so long, you have to give her CPR."
"What?"
"Move, let me do it." Miroku kneeled next to the sleeping maiden. With hands placed firmly on her lower chest, he began pushing and giving her his breath. One... Two... Three... Breath... One... Two... Three... Breath.
After a few minutes, she coughed up some water and began breathing normally. a few minutes after, she woke up in pain and disorientated.
"Inu-Yasha..." she paused to take a breath, as he came over to where she was lying.
"What is it, Kagome?"
"You promised..." She didn't mean to make him feel guilty, but he did. Of course he felt guilty, the one woman he really truly cared for that was alive was reaped after he promised that no one would ever touch her. He let the one thing happen that he was willing to die to prevent.
"I.. I'm sorry."
"It was Miroku."
"No it wasn't. I was with him the whole time. Are you sure. Tell us everything that happened."
"Okay. I told Shippo not to peak... I was washing my hair... The sop was in my eyes... He said someone was coming... I told him to send them away... I still couldn't see... They come in the water... I hear Shippo's voice... A muffled laugh... Or cry. He grabbed me... But the sun... Was in my eyes... I could only see his outline... I tried to run... My ankle gave out... I fell and he caught me. He tied my mouth and eyes..." Her eyes filled with tears, but she kept on telling what happened. "I tried to fight back... He stepped on my good foot and held my arms... He whispered to me... He said 'Don't be scared,' but it was Miroku's voice. I saw a tail like Shippo's... He pressed his naked body to mine and we went underwater. I couldn't breath, and it hurt so much. I passed out from the pain and the water in my lungs." She was crying by this point, she gasped and her last words were almost unheard. "Shippo, how could you?"
"Sure Shippo. That encounter with Naraku was kind of blood chilling."
"What about me, can I sleep with you too?"
Kagome hit Miroku on back of the head for his outright stupidity. She knew when he was joking and when he wasn't, and this time he wasn't. He had been acting really inappropriately since Sango disappeared and her body was found next to half of Kohaku. Shippo had been the first to notice the change when he was formed into a young woman and Miroku tried to rape her, or so Shippo says.
Inu-Yasha had been watching Kagome more carefully since Sango's murder, thinking that she could be next, but since the change in Miroku, he didn't trust her to be alone with anyone. Kikyo's reincarnation had been dealt with and passed on, so the only woman left in his life was Kagome, and he wasn't willing to lose her too.
"Kagome, please, please be careful tonight." He let her sleep with Shippo since he was only a child and couldn't do anything to her.
"I know, Inu-Yasha. Don't worry about me. Shippo will wake me if anyone comes in the room, and I would hear it, too." She knew what he was going through, the constant fear that one he cared about could die at any moment.
They were going to be sleeping in a one room shed in the small town along the way, so Inu-Yasha sat in between Kagome and Miroku.
They woke in the morning, and, after making sure that nothing happened in the night, set out for another Shikon Shard. Naraku had been sending more and more demons with shards embedded in them to attack.
While walking, Kagome tripped over a root, and before she could scream, was grabbed by Inu-Yasha, who hadn't taken his eyes off her all morning. Her ankle, sprained, began swelling, and she couldn't walk any longer.
"Miroku, please hand me my bag of medicine. Oh, and take Shippo away, go pick flowers in the fields with him..." Inu-Yasha was carrying her to a flat piece of land by a stream. She didn't want to talk to him now because she was ashamed of the problem she brought on them. Now they were sitting ducks for Naraku or anyone else that felt like attacking. Inu-Yasha would never let anyone hurt her and they all knew it, so now that she was disabled, so was the group. They weren't moving again until she could walk.
Shippo was always dramatic about illness, death and pain, so she didn't want him crying because she wouldn't be able to walk for a week. There was enough going around, plus, Miroku would be away taking care of Shippo, so she would be safe, and alone, with Inu-Yasha.
She couldn't look him in the eyes for fear of seeing disappointment, or even worse, worry. He was their back bone, and if he was worried or afraid, then they were all screwed, because without his support, they would all fall.
"What should I do?" He asked, as he opened the medicine bag. She already took off the shoe and sock from that foot and tried moving it into the water. There were cuts along her leg, she wiped the away with her sock, not caring about cleanliness at the moment.
"Inu-Yasha, I'm sorry. If we are all killed now, its my fault." He took her face in his hands and made her look in his eyes.
"No one is going to hurt you. Not now, not ever. As long as I am around, no one will touch you, even Miroku." She smiled a little, knowing that he wasn't angry at her, and that he cared more that he was willing to let on.
"Can I have the bag?" she asked him. He handed it over and watched as she took out a cloth to tie up her ankle and to pills to stop the pain. "Inu-Yasha? Can I ask you a question?"
"Of corse, Kagome. You can ask me anything, but I might not answer it."
"Fair enough." Her voice lowered and she grew serious. "What is it like to be only half of something? To want to be whole, no matter what? To know that there are creatures out there that can crush you without trying?" He saw that she was scared, and that she knew that he would die trying to keep her alive.
"Well, I guess it's like when you go to school, and there is someone there who is smarter, or prettier, or taller, or popular. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that your not talking about being half human."
She blushed. "Not really."
"Then what it is? You know that you can talk to me."
"Okay, but remember, you asked me to tell you." He nodded and she continued. "Well, do you know what it is like for me, knowing that half of your heart and soul belongs to Kikyo. Half of your reason for being is-" he interrupt her.
"-Was. Half of my reason for being was Kikyo. No, not true. All I needed was her, you and the shards, but not anymore." By the angered look on her face, he knew that he had said it wrong. "I meant that part of my reason for being was the Shikon Jewel, its not more important to me than you are, or Kikyo was. Of corse I care about her, but not the way I do for you. I don't know. It's different this time. With her, I knew were I stood, there was no feeling of me to protect her. With you, it's like, I have to protect you. I would die saving you, but I never felt that way with her." They looked at each other for a moment, but Kagome went back to caring for her leg.
"Inu-Yasha. I shouldn't have brought it up." After a few minutes of avoiding eye contact and talk, Inu-Yasha broke the silence.
"Kagome, I need you to do me a really important favor. Okay?"
"Sure."
"If I'm not around you, you must be with Shippo at all times, don't ever be alone with Miroku or by yourself. Naraku could be anywhere, and as for Miroku, well, we all know what he's been doing."
"Yeah. But don't blame him. I think that he actually loved Sango."
"Just because he asked her to bear his child doesn't mean he's in love. He asked every woman we have come across."
"Not true!"
"Okay, only the pretty ones." Kagome blushed when he said that, remembering back when she was asked, and she knew that Inu-Yasha was remembering too.
"But he was different around her. He was pleasant, and he would smile, and he- well, he was just different around her."
"Hm... I guess you could be right. But still, that doesn't give him the right to rape innocent women. Usually we kill demons like that."
"He's not a demon! Don't you ever talk of killing him. He might be wrong in the head right now, but give him time! He'll be fine."
"Fine." He said aloud, but to himself he thought: 'I won't hurt him because you asked, but if he even thinks of touching you I will kill him in the slowest and most painful way.' To her he smiled, but inside he shuddered at the though of anyone hurting Kagome.
***
'Inu-Yasha, do you really think of me as just someone you need to protect? Am I a replacement for Kikyo? Am I just a copy that will do since the original is gone?'
'Oh, Kagome. I wish that I wasn't so - what's a good word... - worried about letting someone get close to me. Last time it happened, she was killed and I was left for dead for fifty years. Her soul was filled with hate, and she spent her reincarnation trying to kill us. What is wrong with me?'
They were sitting by the stream, Shippo and Miroku were back and so they were just talking. Mindless talking, while Inu-Yasha and Kagome worried about real things. Their thoughts were more important that some silly story, anyway. Shippo cried over her lack of mobility for a week, but soon got over it with half of a chocolate bar. Kagome couldn't stand to be alone with Inu-Yasha any longer, for fear that their last conversation would come up. Of course it would come up, they both needed to close it, but neither wanted to bring it up again. Shippo was with her everywhere for the next seven days. She began practicing walking, and soon could walk for a few miles without feeling much pain. The night before they were to set off again, Kagome decided to take a bath.
After assuring Inu-Yasha that she would be safe for half-an-hour and that Shippo could stand guard, she went down stream. Even though Shippo is just a kid, she still made him keep his back turned and warned that if he peaked he would never get chocolate again.
"Kagome?"
"What Shippo?" her eyes were shut from the soap and water.
"I think someone is coming."
"Well, keep them away." she said simply.
There was a splash in the water and muffled talking. Kagome was getting freaked out, opened her eyes and saw a person. The sun was in her eyes so all she could see was his profile. She tried running away, but her ankle hadn't fully healed ,and she fell in the water. The man grabbed her, gaged her and covered her eyes.
Kagome tried screaming, but couldn't. She began to pray, hoping that Shippo was going to get Inu-Yasha or even Miroku. She was kicking with her good leg and trying to hit him, but his foot was planted firmly on hers, and he was holding her arms.
"Don't be scared." The voice whispered in her ear. It was Miroku's voice, but it couldn't have been Miroku. Inu-Yasha promised her that he wouldn't let Miroku out of his sight until she came back. He pressed his body to hers and pushed them underwater. All the air was pushed from her lungs and his cruel intentions were clear. Pain spread through her fifteen year old body, and she blacked out. The last thing she saw before she slipped into unconsciousness was the furry tail of Shippo located on the backside of her attacker.
***
Inu-Yasha was not far from Kagome at the time, still fearing for her safety. He heard the noise and ran to the riverside, but he was too late. The water was full of soap suds, and all that was sticking out was a furry tail that was moving up and down. He thought that Shippo was in there trying to pull a knocked out Kagome to the surface.
"Kagome, what did I get you into? Why didn't I come, you know that I wouldn't peek." He ran into the water and pulled the tail, but it was a lot heavier than Shippo (waterlogged or not) ever could be. Using a little more force, he pulled Shippo from the water and threw him to shore, Shippo was not his goal.
Inu-Yasha went underwater and lifted Kagome from the bottom of the stream. The gag and blindfold were still on her and he tried to wake her up. He quickly pulled her to shore, dressed her, and took off the ties.
"Shippo, Miroku! Come here!" Both ran, worried looks planted to their faces. "I think she was raped. She was gaged and blindfolded and knocked unconscious and there are bruises on the inside of her upper thighs. How do I get her to wake up?"
"I think that he inhaled water from being under so long, you have to give her CPR."
"What?"
"Move, let me do it." Miroku kneeled next to the sleeping maiden. With hands placed firmly on her lower chest, he began pushing and giving her his breath. One... Two... Three... Breath... One... Two... Three... Breath.
After a few minutes, she coughed up some water and began breathing normally. a few minutes after, she woke up in pain and disorientated.
"Inu-Yasha..." she paused to take a breath, as he came over to where she was lying.
"What is it, Kagome?"
"You promised..." She didn't mean to make him feel guilty, but he did. Of course he felt guilty, the one woman he really truly cared for that was alive was reaped after he promised that no one would ever touch her. He let the one thing happen that he was willing to die to prevent.
"I.. I'm sorry."
"It was Miroku."
"No it wasn't. I was with him the whole time. Are you sure. Tell us everything that happened."
"Okay. I told Shippo not to peak... I was washing my hair... The sop was in my eyes... He said someone was coming... I told him to send them away... I still couldn't see... They come in the water... I hear Shippo's voice... A muffled laugh... Or cry. He grabbed me... But the sun... Was in my eyes... I could only see his outline... I tried to run... My ankle gave out... I fell and he caught me. He tied my mouth and eyes..." Her eyes filled with tears, but she kept on telling what happened. "I tried to fight back... He stepped on my good foot and held my arms... He whispered to me... He said 'Don't be scared,' but it was Miroku's voice. I saw a tail like Shippo's... He pressed his naked body to mine and we went underwater. I couldn't breath, and it hurt so much. I passed out from the pain and the water in my lungs." She was crying by this point, she gasped and her last words were almost unheard. "Shippo, how could you?"