Inuyasha loved tall, spreading oaks. He could hide from the humans and get some alone time. Shippo could have reached him easily in the treetops, but he knew he'd get a good box on the ears if he interrupted the half-demon's privacy.

"Inuyasha!" he heard far below him, and he groaned and sank back into the crook of the tree. It was hard to hide in the trees while he was wearing bright red, but if he was lucky she might not look up. It was mid-spring and the tree was healthy and fully covered in green leaves.

He wasn't lucky. "Inuyasha! Come down here! There's someone you need to meet!"

"I don't want to meet anyone," he yelled.

"Inuyasha! Get down here!" Kagome yelled.

"Go soak your head!" he shouted. Humans were so annoying.

"Sit boy!" he heard, just before he plummeted and fell face first into the thick underbrush. It took a few minutes for the dizziness of the spell to fade away.

"You didn't have to do that," he said.

"We need your help," Kagome said. "Stop pouting."

She walked away, and Inuyasha followed. She would just use the power word if he didn't, and he was curious. Kagome rarely admitted to needing help.

She led him to a small house in the village the humans had spent the night in. He ignored the curious and frightened looks of the villagers.

Inside the house Miroku and Sango knelt by a young man on the floor. He was blonde and well built, and whisker shaped scars marked his cheeks. He lay unconscious under blankets, and Sango dabbed at his forehead with a wet rag.

"I don't know what to do for him," Miroku said. "I've never seen anyone quite like this."

Inuyasha sniffed and snarled. "He smells like a demon."

"That why we need you," Kagome said. "A farmer brought him here. He said that there was a great battle, and this man protected their village, but then collapsed afterwards."

"So what does that have to do with me?" Inuyasha asked.

"They said he took the form of a Kyuubi during the battle," Kagome said. "He was badly injured, but they said he healed magically after the battle. He just didn't wake up."

"That guy?" Inuyasha asked. "No way. He smells like a demon, but a Kyuubi would smell much stronger than that."

"But a hanyou wouldn't," Miroku said.

Inuyasha cocked his head and scratched absently at a flea behind his ear while he thought.

"Kind of scrawny for a demon," he said.

"I don't know," Kagome said. "He looks muscular to me."

Inuyasha bristled. "Maybe for a human, but a demon would eat him up."

"I wonder," Sango said.

The man stirred and opened his eyes. Kagome blushed, and Inuyasha growled deep in his throat.

"Who are you?" he spat.

"Inuyasha, manners," Kagome said. She knelt. "You're safe here. We heard about how you helped the villagers. What's your name?"

"Naruto," he said quietly. "Where am I?"

"In the Dark River Village," Kagome said.

"I tried to summon myself to Frog Mountain. It didn't work," Naruto said.

Kagome looked at Miroku, who shrugged. "I have no idea what he's talking about."

Naruto sat up, and the blanket fell away, revealing a muscular chest. Inuyasha moved closer, wanting to get between Kagome and Naruto. She pushed him back. "Go outside for awhile," she said.

"You wanted me to come help," he said.

"He's awake now," she said. "I'll call you if I need you."

Inuyasha went outside and sat on the stoop, scowling at passersby. Shippo approached, eating an apple and sat by him.

"Is the stranger awake yet?" Shippo asked.

Inuyasha ignored him.

"I heard a village girl say that he's really handsome," Shippo said. "I guess you must be worried about having Kagome around him." Shippo's tail twitched and he grinned.

"Shut up," Inuyasha said.

"You shouldn't worry," Shippo said. "Miroku said he thinks the stranger might be a hanyou, and we both know that Kagome would never want to be involved with a hanyou."

Inuyasha smacked him half-heartedly, watching as he tumbled. Shippo righted himself, stuck his tongue out at Inuyasha and scampered away.

"Lousy pest!" Inuyasha called after him. He went around to the side of the house, to the closest place he could find to where Naruto lay. There were bushes, and Inuyasha hid behind them and began scratching at the thin wooden wall until he had made a hole. It wasn't good for peeking though, but if he put his ear against it he could just hear what they were talking about inside.

"I'm sorry for bothering all of you," Naruto said. "I'll leave once I figure out how to get home."

"No hurry," Kagome said. "You should rest."

Inuyasha's fists clenched.

"I'm rested," Naruto said. "I can just summon a frog and find out how to get home."

"Err…what now?" Miroku asked.

"Oh. I'm a sage," Naruto asked.

"Sages are mythical," Miroku said. "You can't really ask us to believe that a hanyou is a sage."

"I'm not a hanyou," Naruto said. "I'm a jinchuuriki."

Inuyasha listened closely, wondering what a jinchuuriki was.

"What does that mean?" Kagome asked. "I've never heard the word."

"Really…you've never heard…"

He stopped. "Maybe I'm in heaven then," he said. "I always dreamed of a place where no one would know that."

"What is it?" Miroku asked.

"Something I was burdened with when I was born," Naruto said. "If I can leave it behind until I find a way to get home there's no reason for me to say what it is."

"We can't have you wandering around the village with demon energy emanating from you," Miroku said.

"It isn't my fault I was cursed!" Naruto said.

Miroku looked at his bound hand. "I understand unearned curses," he said.

"You did defend those people," Kagome said. "I suppose we should trust you. I hope you can trust enough soon to tell us why you have demon energy."

The look Naruto gave her was dark and unfriendly. "Thank you for taking care of me while I recovered," he said. "I think I'm strong enough to summon a frog now. I'd better do it outside. Boss Frog might come, and he's really big."

Inuyasha waited until the group had left and walked behind them so they didn't see where he had hidden. He pushed his way into the group when they stopped, and Shippo stood near Kagome and smirked at him.

He stuck his tongue out at Shippo. Kagome saw and rolled her eyes, and Inuyasha slunk back. He didn't care what that "Naruto" said, he was a hanyou. He smelled like demon. No one smelled like a demon but a demon or a hanyou. He might fool the others, but he wouldn't fool him.

Naruto cut his hand and drew symbols on the ground, and then he did something fast with his fingers. Inuyasha could barely follow the hand movements, but energy began to flow around him.

"Now he has the energy of a monk," Miroku said to Kagome quietly, but not quietly enough to avoid Inuyasha's sensitive ears.

He released the energy, and a frog about the size of Shippo appeared. It looked around and cocked its head. "What did you get yourself into this time?" it asked.

"I'm not sure," Naruto said. "I tried to take myself to Mount Myobuku, but I did something wrong and ended up here. I don't know where I am, but somehow they don't even know what a Jinchuuriki is. I think I'm in the spirit world or something, maybe the afterlife."

"I don't think you could summon us into the afterlife," the frog said.

"No. I guess not. I need you to go back to Boss Frog and ask him what he knows about this. I'll summon you again tomorrow. Dismissed."

The frog disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"How did you do that?" Kagome asked.

"Oh, I link myself with natural chakra and use it to summon them. My teacher said it uses space- time techniques to pull spirit toads from Mount Myobuku."

"Wow," Sango said. "I've never heard of that."

"I think you made it up," Inuyasha said.

"Then what just happened?" Naruto said. "Did I make it up?"

Inuyasha sulked.

"I want to know more about this," Kagome said.

Miroku and Sango shared a look and a smile. "I just remembered that we have a few things to do in the village," Miroku said. "Shippo, why don't you come with us? Inuyasha, I could use your help too."

"Na, I'll stay here," Inuyasha said.

Kagome and Naruto had walked away, Naruto absorbed into talking to an audience that actually wanted to hear what he had to say, and Kagome interested in the exotic stranger's bizarre experiences.

"So you just trust that guy?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes," Miroku said. "I don't know why, but I do."

"And you?" Inuyasha asked Sango. "You're smarter than him," he said, waving his arm at Miroku.

"Hey!" Miroku said.

"I trust Kagome," Sango said.

"I don't," Inuyasha said. "I think he cast a spell on her or something."

"Miroku, you explain this," Sango said. "I think it would be better if I leave now." She picked up Shippo and left.

"Inuyasha, do you want Kagome to be happy?"

"I protect her, don't I?"

"Well yes, but do you want her to be happy?"

"She is happy. What are you talking about?"

"She doesn't meet very many interesting men her age," Miroku said, desperately hoping that Inuyasha would get the hint.

"He's not a man though," Inuyasha said, "and I don't believe that Jinchuuriki business. He's a hanyou. I'm a hanyou; I'm interesting. She could just talk to me. You and Sango are humans. She could talk to you. You two aren't very interesting though."

"You don't understand," Miroku said. Inuyasha's face was a mask of misery and anger. "I don't think I can explain this to you without causing more problems. He's leaving soon, so you don't need to worry about it. Just let her make a new friend, ok? When he's gone you'll still be here."

Inuyasha perked up, his ears lifting. "That's right," he said. "We have to help him leave as soon as possible."

"Yes," Miroku said. He looked at his hand. "I wish he could stay, at least for a while. He seems like someone who might understand…" he trailed off, staring at his hand wistfully.

"I doubt it," Inuyasha said.

"He might understand what you deal with too, you know," Miroku said. "He sounded like whatever ties he has to the demons hurt him. You could have a new friend as well."

Inuyasha responded by leaping into the tree next to them and landing high in the branches.

"Well, I guess that conversation is over," Miroku said, and he headed back toward the house they were staying in with a heavy heart.

Sango was there with Shippo. She was mending one of Miroku's shirts, and he could picture her in another house, tending to his child. But he knew better.

"You said we had things to do in the village," Shippo complained, "but all we did was come back here."

"I remembered the wrong day," Miroku said. "Sorry for that."

Shippo grumbled and curled into a ball near the fire, his bushy tail covered his nose.

"Inuyasha didn't understand," Miroku said to Kagome, being careful not to say anything Shippo might use to cause mischief later.

"Ah," Sango said. "I had hoped that just once he might not be so dense."

Miroku looked at Shippo, who he was sure was awake and eavesdropping. "Do you want to take a walk Sango?" he asked.

They walked under the spreading oaks, the full moon lighting their way.

"I feel for him," Miroku said. "This is going to be difficult if Kagome really falls for Naruto."

"Yes," Sango said. "It must be hard to love someone and not be able to really tell them how you feel."

Miroku pretended he didn't know what she was hinting at, or that he didn't see the longing look she gave him. It's for her own good, he thought. Hers, and her descendants.

"He really seems to want to go home, so I don't think it will be a real problem."

They came to a lake, and they sat and watched the moon's reflection on the still water. Sango put her head on his shoulder. "Do you ever with things could be different?" she asked.

"So many times," Miroku said. He glanced at his hand. "But we don't get that option, do we?"

They sat silently, both of them wishing they could express how they felt, but knowing it was pointless.

Kagome and Naruto had found a small clearing, and they stood, Naruto talking animatedly, and Kagome absorbed in his fantastic stories.

"There are really places as big as Konoha?" she asked, "with thousands of people?"

"Oh sure," Naruto said. "There are five huge villages like that."

"Tell me about Konoha," Kagome said, and then listened enraptured as Naruto described the village. She was especially interested in the markets and Naruto's description of the Hokage tower.

"It sounds so peaceful," Kagome said.

"It's not peaceful," Naruto said. "We're always having some kind of problem or another."

"Yes, but here our villages are tiny compared to that, and we constantly have demons destroying them. It's all we can do to survive. Have you ever had a demon attack Konoha?"

Naruto fidgeted nervously. "Once," he said.

"What happened?" she asked.

"He wrecked the village," Naruto said. "He was incredibly strong, and my father had to sacrifice himself to contain it."

"There's a way to contain a strong demon?" Kagome asked.

"Yes, but it isn't something you want to do," Naruto said.

"What is it?" Kagome asked. "We could save so many human lives if we could contain them instead of having to destroy them."

"It doesn't work like that," Naruto said. "It requires the demon to be weakened first, and a life has to be sacrificed – two lives really. One person must die, and the other must live."

"Oh," she said. "I suppose there isn't any other way?"

"None that I know of," Naruto said.

"What about the one that must live?" she asked.

Naruto took a deep breath, and making a sudden decision said quickly, "he has to live with a demon inside him for the rest of his life. It works best with babies, so he would never know what it was to be normal, to be loved."

"Oh," Kagome said quietly. "I see."

"Look, don't tell the others," Naruto said. "I hate being seen as a monster. It's only just the last few years that the village has begun to treat me like a human."

Sango took his hand and looked deep into eyes shaded by the night. "I think that person is very brave."

Naruto chuckled sadly. "I'm not brave, Kagome. I'm stuck with it."

Kagome kissed him, a fumbling first kiss for both of them. "I disagree," she said.

Naruto scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "Ah, sorry about that," he said as if he had initiated the kiss.

Kagome sighed. "You're married, aren't you?"

"No, I just…I've never had someone so beautiful treat me like this before."

Kagome kissed him again, all the loneliness and frustration of her life put into one single moment. "I know you have to leave," she said, "but while you're here it's nice to have you around."

As Naruto ran his hand through her hair she closed her eyes. He pulled her close, feeling the heat of her body, and he wondered how he had ever found such a beautiful woman who saw him as anything other than an annoyance. Sakura flashed through his mind briefly, but he pushed the thought away.

Inuyasha stewed in the tree all night, and he didn't come down until daybreak, when he hunted and killed a few rabbits. Sango cooked the rabbits for them.

"Where's Kagome?" he asked.

"She didn't come back last night," Shippo said.

"She didn't!" Inuyasha yelled. "I knew this would happen. We have to rescue her."

"I didn't…um…I didn't fully expect her to come back," Miroku said. "I'm sure she'll be back today."

"Yes," Sango said uneasily. "She has a lot to do."

"Overnight, when everyone is asleep?"

"She can defend herself," Miroku said. "Let her be."

"I'm going to find her," Inuyasha said.

"Inuyasha, don't!" Miroku said, but Inuyasha was already gone, running in the direction he'd seen Kagome and Naruto walk the night before.

He found them heading down the dirt path toward the village. They were holding hands and talking quietly, so he didn't think Naruto had hurt her. She seemed happy, and he remembered Miroku telling him that Naruto would be leaving soon, so he didn't have much to worry about. Still, he hated someone else making her happy. He wanted to make her happy. He just didn't know how.

They looked rumpled. Kagome's clothes were crooked, and her collar was hanging toward the left. She always took care to look good, and Inuyasha's eyes narrowed.

When they reached the edge of the forest Naruto picked a few leaves and twigs out of her hair. "You might want to freshen up," he said.

"Oh!" she said. Inuyasha saw the blush, and when she hurriedly tried to make herself presentable by fixing her clothes and hair.

He leapt to the ground and followed them at a distance, waiting until Naruto headed toward the center of the village and she entered the house to make himself known. Kagome was brushing her hair, and now that Inuyasha saw her closer he leaned toward her and squinted.

"Who did you get in a fight with?" he asked.

"What? Where do you get these ideas?"

"You're all messed up," he said. "What happened?"

"Oh, uh, there was a small demon," she said. Inuyasha wondered why she blushed.

"I knew you shouldn't have gone off with Naruto," Inuyasha said. "I would have protected you."

"I don't need your protection," Kagome snapped, "and anyway it was an easily taken care of demon."

"Is that why you just came back?" Inuyasha asked.

"We were…talking," Kagome said, "about tactical matters." She lifted her nose in a haughty way that Inuyasha hated.

"Fine," he said, "but don't ask for my help when he turns out to be a hanyou and eats you up. You couldn't beat a hanyou without me."

"Inuyasha! Sit!" she yelled, and he hit the floor as the force of the curse came down on him like a punch from above.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"For being an idiot!" she said. "Who I want to spend time with is none of your business. I like Naruto. He's nice, he's brave, and he isn't annoying."

Inuyasha watched her storm out. "Kikyo, wait!" he said.

She turned, "What did you call me?" she asked in a low, dangerous voice.

"I didn't mean it," Inuyasha said. "Sometimes I forget. I mean, you are the same person, sort of."

"How dare you!" Kagome said. "As long as you've known me you should know better."

"Don't go," Inuyasha said.

"I'll be back," Kagome said, "but I don't want to see you for awhile."

Inuyasha took to the trees, following her at a distance. She went into the small village where she found Naruto talking to a blacksmith. Inuyasha tried to get close enough to hear Naruto and Kagome, but he couldn't quite make out what they were saying. He caught snatches, more of the tone than the words. He'd never heard Kagome speak to anyone like that. It reminded him of something, but he couldn't remember what. He didn't like it.

He couldn't stand it anymore, but went to them. "Isn't it about time you called that frog and went home?" Inuyasha asked.

"I will when I'm ready," Naruto said. "I'm not ready yet." He looked at Kagome. "I can wait."

"Inuyasha, I told you that I didn't want to see you for awhile," Kagome said.

"I had to protect you," Inuyasha said. "You're not safe with him."

"She's very safe with me," Naruto said. "You need to stay out of this."

"She's mine to protect," Inuyasha said.

"Sit boy!" Kagome said, and Inuyasha hit the ground.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"I am not yours to protect," she said. "You are my duty, remember? If it wasn't for my ancestor's failure you wouldn't even know me."

"Do you really feel that way?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome reacted to the misery on his face. "No," she said. "You're my friend as well. But you do need to go. There are parts of my life that can't have you in."

Inuyasha stood, sore from the pummeling of the curse, and he glared at Naruto. "I want to fight you."

"Just stop," Naruto said. "You're only hurting Kagome. Can't you see that?"

Inuyasha stopped. "I'd never hurt her."

"Then leave us alone," Naruto said. "I don't want to fight you. I just want to spend time with her."

Inuyasha walked away slowly, kicking rocks occasionally.

"He's like a kid, isn't he?" Naruto asked.

"Sort of," Kagome said. "I don't need you to protect me either."

"No you don't," Naruto said. "I can see that. It's one of the things I like about you."

"We're going to stay here for a few days," Kagome said. "We need to rest after a battle. I hope you plan on staying too."

"I can do that," Naruto said. "I wasn't on a mission or anything."

Neither of them talked about the final outcome of the relationship, even though they both knew that he had to leave.

Naruto put off calling the frog that day. Kagome took Naruto to the woods and showed him the various healing plants. He listened to her and enjoyed her presence. He had never been interested in poisons or healing plants in school, failing the class twice, but the way Kagome explained it with passion and love made him interested.

Eventually he knelt by her to see a small yellow flower that she said was good for putting in a poultice for skin problems. He put his hand on her back. "You're so smart," he said.

She stammered, and he kissed her, pushing her gently onto the soft grass, where they made love again.

They lay together on the grass afterwards, watching the shafts of sunlight break through the branches as the breeze moved them. A honey bee lazily flew to the yellow flowers.

"You're not like anyone I've ever met," Naruto said. "I keep expecting to wake up and find out I'm dreaming."

"It would be a nice dream," Kagome said.

They spent two more days together, with Naruto making excuses for forgetting to call the frog. Then he gave in to the nagging sense of duty and called it. The same frog arrived. "Yo," it said. "You ready to come home yet? It's not that hard. Boss Frog says he can make a portal to the mountain, and he can send you home from there."

"A portal?" Naruto asked. "Why would he do that?"

"He said he isn't coming here, too many demons. They won't notice someone my size, but he'd draw all of them to him. He's not in the mood for a fight."

"I'll come back tomorrow," Naruto said. "Just let me have one more day here."

"I can do that, but you're needed. Jiraiya-sama called one of us and said that ROOT is causing problems. There's unrest in the village. We had to help him fight someone."

Naruto hung his head. "I know my duty," he said. "Tell Boss Frog to make the portal."

The frog disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Naruto took Kagome's hand. "I'm sorry," he said. "I have my duty."

He watched her lovely face as tears began to fall. He hated the pain he saw there, but he wanted every last memory of her to take with him. Inuyasha gloated nearby. Shippo looked confused, and Miroku and Sango held hands solemnly.

The portal appeared. It was a blue, swirling hole in the air. "Come with me," Naruto said. "You'll love it there. We could get married."

"I'm a priestess," Kagome said. "I have my own duties as well."

"I understand," Naruto said. "I don't know how, but I'll try to come back."

"You almost have the whole crystal," Sango said. "There can't be many shards left. Go with him." She looked at Miroku. "Follow your heart."

For a moment Kagome looked hopeful. "It isn't that simple. This is where my destiny lies. I have to control Inuyasha, and we've never fought any demon with more than one shard. They need me here. If there was a more powerful demon I'd need to be here for them."

"I'll find a way to come back," Naruto said. "I promise." He kissed her and stepped through the portal.

"Are you ok?" Sango asked.

"No," Kagome said. "Of course I'm not. He'll be back though. I know he will."

"If we can find the rest of the shards you could take the crystal and go with him somehow," Miroku said. "We'll find a way."

Kagome knew he was just saying it to comfort her, but she thanked him anyway. The portal grew smaller and disappeared.

"We have work to do," Kagome said. "I want to find those shards more than ever now."

Several weeks later she was vomiting every morning, and Sango knew why. "He'll come back," Sango said. "You won't have to raise the baby alone."

"I know," Kagome said, "and when he does I'll be waiting for him. If he doesn't I'll just have to deal with it." She put her hand over her stomach. "At least he left me part of himself."