Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. Honestly, do you think anyone with a multimillion dollar franchise creation with action figures would spend their free time writing crap posting it on the internet? Me neither. I'd be playing with action figures, too.

Chapter One.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, looking down at the half-human's slowly breathing face. "Inuyasha, wake up. You've been asleep for a week now." She was knelt beside her companion, stroking his silver hair absent-mindedly. Kaede had predicted that he would be asleep for a week, much longer than it had ever taken him to recover.

Inuyasha's eyes remained close for a bit before they laboriously creaked upon, letting the light from the window of the hut seep in.

"Kagome," Inuyasha moaned quietly, not seeing her. "Ka…"

"I'm right here, Inuyasha," replied Kagome quickly, grasping his hand and peering into his face. "I've been here." He strained to sit up, but he was no match for Kagome's pushing him to lie down again.

"No way," said Kagome. "You're not moving from this position until Kaede give the OK."

"Did…Kagome!" Inuyasha gasped, his eyes widening to their full reach. "Did we…Naraku…is…?"

"Naraku has been defeated," said Kagome with a bright smile. "You and Sango have been badly injured, but Miroku healed quickly. He's been tending to her all day."

"And…you?" he asked, his eyes closing again.

"I had a few scratches," said Kagome, bluntly. "I moved my futon in here so I could keep an eye on you."

"Shikon…jewel…" he sighed, letting all the air out of his tense lungs.

"I have it," said Kagome, holding it up, All of the shards had been reunited into the single amulet that Kagome wore on a chain hanging from her neck. "It's complete again." But Inuyasha was sleeping once again and no longer listening. "Baka," she whispered with a smile, and began stroking his hair again, and remembered the battle that seemed as though it had taken place a year ago, even though it had only been seven days.

Naraku had hovered over Inuyasha's fallen, bleeding body, an amusement playing over his lips. He held his baby—the remainder of Akago, his incarnation, the one who had his heart—the barrier was gone. He had won. Kagome's own heart was screaming for her friends, who had all fallen, one by one. Most loudly, every fiber in her body despaired for Inuyasha who did not move on the ground, the Tetsusaiga untransformed in its blunt and powerless state. Kagome had been told by Inuyasha to not move, under any circumstances, until he came again to fetch her. Kagome had witnessed Inuyasha's death and knew she would never move from the spot again if she did not do something. She had one arrow left; she had spent the others on weaker youkai, the forerunners of Naraku's final appearance. She drained all of her energy, anything that might have kept her alive (did she want to live any longer without Inuyasha, anyway?), into the one arrow. It glowed every color of the spectrum until it settled upon white at its peak power. Kagome aimed right for the baby.

It exploded in two million fragments over the earth. Naraku crashed to the ground out of his hovering position, disbelieving, looking up with utmost hatred for her and for himself for underestimating her. His heart was obliterated, but his body was still intact, a fraction of itself. The wind began to pick up, faster and faster, as though a cyclone were approaching. Naraku's eyes glinted with evil itself and advanced slowly onto Kagome, letting her fear slowly envelop her. Inuyasha had given his life for her—there was no way he could give two. She would die here, at the hands of evil…Naraku would go into hiding once again and recover, never again to be opposed.

Then there was Kouga. His tornado of speed dissipated as he came to a stop in front of Kagome. In three swift attacks Naraku was gone—Kouga stood victorious over Kagome, his Shikon shards flickering in her special vision just before she fainted.

She became conscious once again a few days later. She felt warm hands tending to her, soothing her battered body.

"Inuyasha," she moaned quietly, hoping it was hands.

"No, it's Ginta, sister," said a male voice. She knew who he was—he was Kouga's loyal man that referred to her as though she and Kouga were still going to be married.

"Where is Inuyasha?" asked Kagome, not opening her eyes. If the answer he gave was what she thought it was, she would probably not want to see the world for awhile.

"They brought him back to that village you all come from."

"Is he dead, Ginta?"

"Hard to say. Can't remember. Maybe. I didn't get a good look at him, but he was not moving when that giant cat youkai toted him back."

"How is Kouga-kun?"

"Worried about you, sister. He's off hunting now. He's anxious, so I think he'll bring back a great kill. We'll feast to your recovery tonight. But you can sleep until then." The warm hands went away and Kagome did not to see or hear it, but she felt she was alone where she was.

"Inuyasha," she murmured before drifting off.

After half an hour of watching the sleeping Inuyasha, Kagome became bored and left the hut. She ventured over to the temple, where Miroku had set up a bed for Sango to recover in. Sango was lying on her back, still unconscious. She didn't need Kaede to know Sango wouldn't wake up for at least five more days. Her injuries had been near fatal, and if hadn't been for the aged miko's powers, Sango would certainly be dead. Miroku prayed at the shrine, glancing back every moment or so at Sango.

"How is she?" asked Kagome, finally revealing herself. Miroku turned to her but did not leave his kneeling position at the altar.

"Her condition has improved, but her recovery is far from over. I imagine it will be necessary for her to remain in that bed for a month or so before she can walk again."

"That's awful," said Kagome, looking down at her friend with pity. She knelt, parting her' friend's hair over her forehead.

"She is not dead. I will not ask for more from the gods."

"How are you doing?"

"Well," said Miroku. He showed her his bare hand, and Kagome flinched before seeing that the abyss of his Kazaana was gone. Only a pale circle of flesh was visible. "I think this is proof Naraku is gone, though he may have simply hidden his status among the living. Time will tell."

"What will happen when Sango wakes up?" asked Kagome.

"What do you mean?" the monk asked quickly.

"Will you still…you know…get married and everything?" asked Kagome with a slight blush. Miroku studied the dormant Sango's lovely features with a mixture of longing and reserve.

"I do not know. She has unresolved matters with her brother to attend to. Her obligations to her deceased family await her. She may finally give herself the chance to properly grieve for them. She wants to rebuild her village, I am sure of it. I made a promise, but I do not know if it will be carried out."

"What does that mean?" asked Kagome, taken aback. "I thought you cared for Sango."

"I do," Miroku agreed slowly. "But our engagement began on the condition that we would defeat Naraku. I wanted my child born so that he might avenge my grandfather, my father and myself in the case that I would be killed by Naraku or the Kazaana. If he is truly gone, none of that matters now."

"It does matter, though," Kagome disagreed, "if you two still love each other."

Miroku's eyebrow gave a strange sort of flicker as a reaction to her statement.

"I mean, it's none of my business," said Kagome. "But you love her, don't you, Miroku?"

"I believe so," said Miroku softly. "It may be an unrequited sentiment, however." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"That's like having Sesshoumaru ask if his dislike for Inuyasha is an 'unrequited sentiment'." Miroku gave her a coy smile.

"Is that your honest opinion, Kagome-sama?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Then may I ask what will happen when Inuyasha awakens?"

"What do you mean?" asked Kagome, nervous herself about the answer.

"Will you continue to stay beside him?"

"I don't know…" sighed Kagome. "Naraku is dead. The Shikon no Tama is whole again…although I don't know what I'm going to do with it. There's really no reason for me to stay in the Feudal Era, is there?" She looked to the pensive monk for a glimmer of hope that there might be a legitimate reason for her to stay here with Inuyasha.

"I suppose not. That is, unless you and Inuyasha intend to remain together for each other's companionship."

"Why would we do that?" asked Kagome, blushing. "He's got Kikyou. And…I have prospects, here and at home." Kagome smiled slightly, thinking of Houjo-kun. She would probably never have the same passion for him as she did Inuyasha, but at least with Houjo, she'd never get hurt. He'd never be a such a jerk and they'd never have anger-filled fights.

Miroku nodded, smiling at her.

"I think I'm going to go back to see Inuyasha. I think he's doing better, actually. He woke up a little while ago, but he's still pretty out of it."

"He does need you, you know," said Miroku, turning back to the altar in prayer.

"What?" asked Kagome with a frown. "Inuyasha is strong. He doesn't need anyone." She left the shrine before she got into an argument with monk.

"To Victory!" the small wolf den cheered in a circle around the table with a bountiful feast laid in front of them. Their numbers were growing—the remaining, living bachelors of the den had taken mates and a few new little ones tottered around, playing with the wolves. Kagura's and Naraku's wounds to their clan were still healing.

"To Kagome," said Kouga, wrapping his arm around her. "The slayer of Naraku's heart holds the heart of the one who has slain Naraku!"

"To Kagome!" the wolves called, puzzling over what their leader had just said. Kouga paid it no mind and set to eating a rather large piece of wild rat. Kagome picked at it, but she found its rawness to be unappetizing. She found herself wishing she could cook it over a campfire under the stars. Kouga had noticed her standoffishness, but respected her silence until the end of the feast and most of the men had taken to bed with their women.

"Kagome, you are sad tonight. What more could you possibly ask than for the death of Naraku?" asked Kouga, picking at his teeth and throwing back his tied hair.

Lots of things, Kagome thought. I could ask that no one would ever attack me or kidnap me again, I could ask that Kikyou go away forever, I could ask that I could live with all of my friends and family and never worry about being a miko or fighting youkai.

"Kouga, is Inuyasha dead? Did you see?"

"Dogface? I didn't. Not that it matters anymore. I have accomplished what I have set out to do and that mutt no longer has to guard you. I will protect you, Kagome. I love you." Kouga pressed her to his bare chest and for once, Kagome was too tired to resist. "Will you rest with me in the den tonight?"

"With you?" asked Kagome with surprise.

"Ah, calm your nerves," chided Kouga with a cocky grin. "We are not mated yet. We must wait until the rites are performed before you start bearing our heirs."

"Oh," said Kagome softly, stunned. Kouga led her to the nest where she and Shippou had waited for their rescue when Kouga had first kidnapped them. Kouga stretched out on the ground, staring at the ceiling of the cave. Kagome leaned back uncertainly on the ground next to him. Before long, Kouga had fallen asleep.

Kagome could not get to sleep that night. If only Kouga had been Inuyasha…she probably would have fallen asleep before he had. Instead she crept quietly to the entrance to the cave and stared out over the vast and wonderful view of the scenic Feudal Era…there were no buildings, business people or school…how different life was! She let her eyes travel as far as they could see, and she fancied that she could see Kaede's village.

If Inuyasha was alive or dead, that was where he was. She would leave first thing in the morning. She also needed to somehow coax the shards out of Kouga's possession—the Shikon no Tama had to be made whole again.

When she reentered the hut, Inuyasha's breathing was heavy, and he stirred in his sleep. She lifted his head gently into her lap. He had never been this badly injured before. She swept the bangs gently away from his face, stroking his forehead before her thumb brushed the edge of his furry right ear.

She gently began to stroke the lip of the strange animal ear, tenderly petting in the direction of the grain, teasing the sensitive hairs towards the inside of his ear. He gave a little twitch every time she applied a light finger tip to those particular hairs, so Kagome began to graze them so lightly as to not provoke a reaction.

With a spontaneous whim of curiosity, she bent over his head and lightly touched them to her lips.

"Hmphh…Kagome," Inuyasha moaned, his eye twitching as it was closed.

"I'm here, Inuyasha!" said Kagome quickly, tapping his temples. "Can you wake up?"

He gave no verbal response, but his head turned to the side so that his nose was under her hand. He turned his back to the upward-facing position, her hand still over his nose. He jerked his back, tilting his chin up to the ceiling suddenly. Her hand landed on his ear after being throw.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome sighed, taking up the task of rubbing the ears once again.

"Mmmmm," he murmured. She felt the guttural purr of pleasure that came from the hanyou.

"Baka," she giggled affectionately, stroking in a slow, steady rhythm. She always liked him better asleep, adorable as a sort of teenage mix between a cute boy and a sweet puppy. On the battlefield he might have had the strength and aggression of a hundred warriors, but lying on the mat upon the floor, he was a wonderful birthday present for any girl her age.

But she couldn't keep him forever. He was on loan from Kikyou.

The thought caused her to inadvertently stop rubbing her hanyou's ears. Inuyasha sensed her tension and his eyes cracked open.

"Kagome…?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Inuyasha," Kagome breathed, delighted he was awake.

"Are you okay?" he asked, squinting at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Inuyasha, concentrate on getting better!"

"You smell like wolf," he sighed with an annoyed twitch.

"Do I?" she asked in surprise. I smell like a wild animal?

"Kouga smell," he added, closing his eyes again. "What happened?"

"After Naraku was defeated Kouga took me to his wolf den," said Kagome. "I spent the night there before coming here."

"Spent the night?" asked Inuyasha, his ears twitching in irritation. "You smell like Kouga."

"It's not like we had a tryst, Inuyasha," Kagome sighed, taking up his ear again to reassure him. "We shared the same nest to sleep in, that's all." His head jerked his ears out of her ears.

"Same nest?" he asked in horror, his eyes wide.

"I didn't even sleep most of the night, baka!" Kagome cried angrily. "I stayed up because I was worried about you!"

"Keh," he spat out, but he returned his ears to her hands.

"And it paid off because I got the Sacred Jewel shards from Kouga. The Shikon no Tama is whole again."

Kagome had returned herself to the nest and pretended to be asleep as the dawn came and Kouga's eyes opened. He rolled over onto his side and propped his head up, giving her a toothy, wolfish grin.

"Good morning, Kagome," he yawned.

"Hello, Kouga," Kagome said cheerfully. How am I going to pull this off? she thought. He lingered for a moment, letting his eyes roam over her before he rose and struck a powerful pose.

"Stay in the den until I get back," said Kouga. "I'm going to catch some breakfast."

"Okay," she agreed. This would give her some time to think of how to approach such an awkward question. He darted off through the opening in the cave and leapt up and out of sight. Kagome sat up and surveyed the cave. Wolf couples were lying in little nooks of bedding, wrapped tightly in each other's embrace. A small pang in her chest reminded her Inuyasha was hurting somewhere. She was always thinking of him. Then she noticed that all of the cubs in the den were placed in the same area toward the back of the cave, the most guarded and safe spot. Little girls and boys with tails were curled up close, sucking on their thumbs, pacified by sleep and the warmth of each other. One by one, the parents plucked their own out of the fold and carried then away, off for the day's business. This is such a nice system, Kagome thought. No one is left out. Do the Inu Youkai raise their young like this too? Did Inuyasha miss out on something like this? The thought made her sad. Inuyasha had no kinsmen that would avenge him in death or care what happened to him. He had no den to protect him.

Well, that's not entirely true, thought Kagome. He has me. He has Miroku and Sango. Shippou too.

She was startled for a moment when Kouga appeared right in front of her, covered in blood but carrying an animal carcass of some sort.

"Cook this, Kagome," he told her, throwing the animal to her feet. "I'm going to wash up."

"All right," she agreed, but he was already gone. She started to make a fire in the pit (she cheated, using the lighter she had brought from home) and struggled to skin the animal and put the meat on the rotisserie.

Kouga came back clean and without stained fur. He sat down, quickly thanking Kagome before eating the meat immediately. He looked surprised at its good taste, but ate it without a word.

"Kouga," Kagome started. "I have to go back to my friends."

"Why?" asked Kouga, picking his teeth. "Oh yes, I suppose you need to get your things from them to bring back here. Don't worry Kagome, I'll send someone to go get them."

"There's something I haven't told you, Kouga," said Kagome nervously, especially with all of the other den members staring at them. "I'm a miko—you know that, right?"

"Knew you were something like that," he nodded.

"My duties as a miko are unlike any other's," she sighed. "My job is to guard the Shikon no Tama. That's why I can sense jewel shards." She pulled out the near-complete bauble and showed it to him. His eyes widened.

"Kagome," he gasped in a low voice.

"I don't want to ask this of you, and I wouldn't unless I had to," she said. "Kouga, may I have your jewel shards, so the Shikon no Tama can be complete?"

"Kagome, you are out of line to believe I would submit to something like that," grumbled Kouga, standing and walking out of cave, daring anyone but Kagome to follow him. The other wolves quickly turned away to their own activities.

"Kouga, please understand," Kagome pleaded. "Do you know how the Shikon Jewel came into this world after it had been destroyed by its former guardian, Kikyou?"

"How?" he asked curiously.

"It was in my body," said Kagome. "I was born with the Shikon no Tama inside of me. I was the one who broke it, and now it is so close to becoming whole again…would you deny me this, Kouga?"

Kouga looked as though he were about to be swayed, but looked down on his legs at the two shards in them.

"There is so much power in them," he said, kicking the ground and creating a large crack in the stone. "How could I protect you without them?"

"Kouga, you are a great youkai leader!" Kagome cried. "You don't need Jewel Shards. There are no threatening mononoke anymore. Naraku has been defeated. Nothing threatens you."

"What about Dogface?" asked Kouga after some consideration. "He seems to want to duel me any chance he gets."

"Inuyasha doesn't use Jewel Shards," Kagome said quickly. "If you did fight him and you won, then everyone would think you were just hiding behind your shards. But if you could fight him without them, everyone would know EXACTLY who is the greater warrior."

"You are right, Kagome," sighed Kouga. "I cannot continue to rely on silly magic to make me strong. I need to train my body to be just as strong without them. I don't know how long it will take. In that time I don't think I can protect you as well, so I will take you back to Dogcrap until then. But I will return and will be stronger than ever. You will be mine, Kagome, and you will be safer with me than you could ever have been with him. Don't worry."

"Thank you, Kouga," Kagome gasped. "Thank you!" She had pulled it off! In joy, she hugged the man as he gave her his shards. She fused the shards into the jewel and it glowed brighter than ever. It was whole again, and it glowed with a pleasant pink light.

Before she could have seen it coming, Kouga kissed her. She was thrown off by the intensity of him and wished for a fraction of an instant she could have returned such passion. However, she pursed her lips, and Kouga back off a little.

"You are truly magnificent, Kagome," Kouga said with sad resignation after a pause. " I will take you back to your village."

They had traveled all morning by the time Kagome reached the well. She saw the sacred tree, Goshinboku, as well, but made no mention of it to Kouga.

"Good bye, Kouga-kun. I won't forget your generosity." She placed one hand over the Shikon no Tama.

"You are safe here?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes," said Kagome. "My friends Miroku and Sango are here. The village miko Kaede protects this place too."

"Very well, then. Farewell." He leapt off in his whirring tornado. Kagome did not look back at him as she rushed to the miko's hut.

Inuyasha's eyes bulged.

"Whole!" he exclaimed, rushing to sit up. "Lemme see!"

"Inuyasha, you have to lie down or else you won't get better," chastised Kagome, but Inuyasha still fought beneath her hands that pushed his shoulders down. "Relax or I will do 'it'."

Inuyasha grumbled, knowing she wasn't lying. He stubbornly lied upon his mat, sticking his chin up to show his haughtiness at her.

"Heal quickly," Kagome sighed. "Heal quickly and I will show it to you. I'll show it to everyone."

"Keh. Fine. Do whatever the hell you want."

"I will!" exclaimed Kagome angrily. "And I would go home right now, except I'm worried about your sorry, ungrateful self."

"Hmph."

"Ugh! You're unteachable and shameless." She stalked out of the hut, annoyed out of her mind. Instead she grabbed her bow and quiver to go down to the river for a bath. She wanted the smell of wolf off of her if that was what she smelled like. She grabbed a hotel-grade soap from her backpack and walked off into the woods.

Her clothes were off before she reached the water's edge—cleansing was what she needed. Her skin was bare to the wind, all except for the Shikon Jewel on a chain around her neck. She dove in headfirst and began to scrub.

Miroku's question began to surface in her mind as she came up for air. Will you continue to stay beside him?

She had told him no. Did Inuyasha want to stay by her? Unlikely. He had no need of verbal communication to tell her that he was still holding a candle for Kikyou and there was nothing Kagome could do to replace her. Kagome made him feel loved, warm, comforted and happy (could Kikyou give him that? she thought sadly and without bitterness). He had told her this a long time ago and a long time ago she had chosen to remain with him so that he would not have to sacrifice this new found happiness he found in her companionship, although her own heart had been bruised by him. It didn't matter. She would probably be worse off if she wasn't with him, alone and miserable at home. At least on their journey she could forget most of the time that Kikyou was still out there.

It's probably best that I just leave, thought Kagome, scrubbing the dirt off of arms and face. I'll just get in the way and cause Inuyasha pain. I don't want him to suffer on my account.

As she redressed, she remembered the Shikon Jewel. What would she do with it? Since Kikyou was alive, she could purify and guard it. It would be just like the partnership Kikyou had with Inuyasha fifty years ago. Maybe then Kikyou and Inuyasha would have a chance to really be together. That would be good thing.

Then why do I feel like I am dying slowly when I think about that? she wondered.

First chapter is up. If you liked it, review it. That's all I ask. A one-liner will suffice, it doesn't have to be a five paragraph analysis, but you can do that too if you want. Flames are welcome. Tell me exactly how wrong I am in my ideas. Please.

XOXO the Red Snowsled