Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, I do not own Inuyasha...are we in Kansas yet?

Words That Comfort…Words That Break

"Demon! Half-breed!" the angry voices of the villagers rang ominously.

Their shouts filtered through to Inuyasha waking him. He reached out only to find himself bound.

Scrunching up his eyes, he tried to remember how he had gotten in this position. He pulled once more, only to find that he was bound with sutras-and strong ones at that.

He panicked not smelling Kagome anywhere, and began to struggle. The voices got louder.

"Worthless half-breed! Demon-spawn! Ugly, evil hanyou!"

What was going on? He opened his eyes.

Angry faces instantly became attached to the hateful voices, he almost cringed.

"Filth!"

He was confused, and moved trying to free his bound wrists. The sharp lash of a whip bit hard into his back and he gasped.

The multitude became cacophonous, their angry screams and obvious glee at his punishment scarring his sensitive hearing.

The lashes rained on his back, but he wouldn't give them any satisfaction by showing any pain...after all he had been through much worse.

His demon blood raged, but couldn't take over, sign that Tetsusaiga was still in its place.

The multitude became more chaotic.

"Worthless half-breed! Hanyou filth! Evil man-demon!"

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head in an attempt to stop the flow of spiteful words from reaching him.

The words broke upon him re-opening old scars and he allowed himself a mental whimper.

He had to get out of here-had to find Kagome. What had happened anyway?

He remembered carrying her to the this village...she was exhausted and managed to fall asleep...he remembered the villagers eyeing him oddly...the man who offered to let them sleep at his inn...the broth he offered...and then...it was all blank.

Inuyasha smacked himself mentally. How could he not have not seen this?

The broth...it had dulled his senses...rendered him unable to move. He cursed.

He could feel the blood running down on his back, and closed his eyes.

He had failed Kagome.

Kagome awoke at the sound of horrible taunts.

She got up feeling her stomach clench almost painfully. Something wasn't right. She grabbed her bag. Where was Inuyasha?

Running out of the inn she rushed to the source of the noise.

A mob of people was gathered around...something...it looked like someone was being punished.

She pushed through the crowd and got to the front. Her heart stopped.

Before her, restrained with sutras and being cruelly whipped stood...or rather slightly hung...Inuyasha.

The cold, hateful cries of "Filth!" and "Worthless hanyou!" mingled with other spiteful adjectives echoed in her head.

She felt anger erupt inside her heart and before having any time to think she heard herself cry.

"STOP!"

"STOP!" the word broke through the dissonant yells and Inuyasha opened his eyes.

Before him stood Kagome. He sighed mentally, glad for her safety.

She leaped on the block and tried to reason with the man holding the whip, to no avail.

"You've got to let him go! He hasn't done anything!"

"He is a filth half-breed, a demon...he will kill us and our children if we let him go!"

"No! He won't! I promise you!"

"What business have you with this filthy creature?"

"He is my friend."

"Witch!"

"What?"

The man turned to the throng and yelled out.

"See...this wench here-she's got the heart of a demon! She loves this demon!"

"Wait...but..."

"Grab her!"

Kagome reacted before thinking and grabbed on to the Tetsusaiga.

The shield appeared instantly sending Kagome's attacker flying.

"Kill the witch! Kill them both!" the people cried.

Kagome was getting really fed up.

Facing the crowd she held tighter on to the Tetsusaiga. She racked her brain trying to find her way out of this. Looking over to Inuyasha her heart trembled seeing her proud hanyou brought to his knees in such an undignified and heartless manner. Her anger flared and suddenly she knew what she had to do.

"I AM a witch." She spoke abruptly "And I am NOT happy. I demand that you release Inuyasha right now or I shall curse all of you...!" her words were braver than she felt.

People continued to yell and try to attack her, in vain.

"Very well...I shall give you one more chance" she stuck the Tetsusaiga into the floor in front of her, keeping the shield up and reached into her skirt pocket finding her lighter...she sighed internally, grateful she had it with her (ever since the frog demon she always made a point of having one handy). Now if she could only find...she needed more time.

She looked at them, trying her best to look ominous and she began:

"I am a high school student! I like geography!" her voice was serious and more than a little scary as she carefully enunciated the English words.

The crowd stopped.

"I have an apple!" her other hand reached into the side pocket of her bag and finding her body spray. It would do.

"I like to listen to music! Shakespeare is a famous English author!"

Her voice resounded strongly through the silence, as even Inuyasha turned to look at her.

Concealing the lighter in her right hand she sparked a flame, and everyone stood back seeing the small flame seemingly come forth from her hand. Raising the spray she aimed it above their heads and sprayed, creating a sudden flame-thrower.

Everyone stood back, gazing at her in fear and amazement.

"Now..." she added in Japanese. "You will release Inuyasha or the next spell shall burn all of you!"

A man rushed and undid the sutras around his wrists.

"Move back!" Kagome ordered to the man, then turned to Inuyasha. "Let's get out of here." she said offering her hand to help him stand. He found out, to his great embarrassment, that he had lost more blood than he had realized.

She handed him the Tetsusaiga.

"Witch." one of the villagers called. "We apologize, please spend the night...just don't curse us!"

Kagome smiled bitterly.

"You shall not be cursed. As for you offer...no thank you."

"But it's late and it's about to rain and..."

"A little rain never hurt anyone. Come on, Inuyasha. One more thing..." she addressed the villagers again. "...if I ever hear of any one of you ever treating another innocent creature, be they demon or half-demon, in this manner again, I will come back…and I will NOT be lenient! Have I made myself clear?" her last words reverberated lowly.

The villagers nodded, half-trembling.

Inuyasha was stunned. He had never seen Kagome this...this...unforgiving, cold...it almost scared him.

"Let's get out of here Inuyasha" she whispered.

He picked her up obediently and they were off. Sceneries merged into a blur until he finally stopped having reached a cave.

"It will rain soon. Let's stop here." he murmured, not wanting to admit he was tired. Kagome nodded.

Once inside Kagome brought out her torch, and with her lighter, and an exercise book she quickly made a fire.

"There," she said letting the warmth seep into her. She turned to Inuyasha.

"I need to bandage your wounds." It wasn't a request.

"I'll be fine wench!"

"I know, but...just for my peace of mind..."

"Keh...fine..." he said removing his haori.

Kagome gasped... red lines, some still bleeding, marred his smooth skin.

"It's not that bad wench!"

She didn't answer, instead she gently began cleaning the wounds. He flinched slightly. Her hands were light, but his wounds were deep…she moved deftly but carefully and he allowed himself to get lost in her nearness.

"There you go..." she said after a while, securing the last bandage. He put his under-shirt and haori back on.

She tried looking at him but he was staring off into space, almost unable to meet her eyes.

Thoughts of his childhood kept flooding into his mind despite his best efforts and he half-sighed.

"Inuyasha..."

"..."

"You know...none of us thinks...thinks..." she couldn't get the words out.

"I know..."

"Please don't try to deal with this on your own…it's alright to rely on me…"

"I had forgotten this side of humans, that's all."

She shuddered remembering the horrible words thrown at him. Noticing this he quickly added.

"It's nothing. I'm used to it..." It was the wrong thing to say-almost instantly he smelled Kagome's tears.

She pulled him close, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He felt a few tear-drops land on his hair.

"Kagome…" he managed to choke out before her broken whispers reached his ears.

"Hanyou...hanyou..."she murmured fervently.

His ears twitched in recognition of the words.

What was she...?

"Worthy hanyou...son of demon and men..." she continued, her voice trembling slightly.
"Strong, kind-hearted hanyou…"

He choked.

She was...taking the insults, purifying them...trying to take the sting off.

He felt tears spring to his own eyes as she continued to cradle him soothing all the hurt he was trying to deny the words had caused him.

"Pure hanyou...proud...magnificent hanyou..."

He almost whimpered.

"...my poor hanyou." He froze.

"My beautiful Inuyasha..."the words echoed in his ears as though they had been shouted. A tear slipped unbidden on his own face, but he couldn't stop...she made him feel like a child. He couldn't even find it in him to feel weak...he realized he felt stronger, crying softly in her arms, than he had ever felt before...

"Kagome..." he managed to finally whisper. How could she say all that when he had gotten himself captured...left her unprotected...?

"It's okay. It's okay. Just this once...please...let me be here for you."

His heart banged against his chest.

Kagome continued to hold him.

How could he tell her? She had been there for him in more ways than anyone could ever ask for…she was his strength in every respect…

He wrapped his arms around her waist as she continued to cradle him. Tears kept spilling on his cheeks freeing the pain of past scars. For a moment his heart stopped- he hadn't been this…exposed since…his mother was still alive…

"It's alright Inuyasha…"

Was she reading his mind?

"It's alright I'm here…and…I love you…" she heard his sharp intake of breath, but she couldn't back down. He needed to hear…to know…she kissed his hair softly. "I love you…."

He moved slightly in her arms willing his mouth to speak the words his heart was screaming, but they refused to come.

"Kagome…" he murmured brokenly…his voice still raw.

"I know…"

His heart trembled once more awed at her ability to read him.

'Someday…soon Kagome…I'll tell you.' He vowed silently before his strength succumbed to the warmth and comfort of her arms and sleep took him over.

Soon…

Author's Notes: Thank you to all my reviewers. This one is, especially, for my good friend Neisha. I am so grateful to you!