The Shikon no Tama was complete save for three shards: Kohaku's and Kouga's. The consensus of the group was that they should find Kohaku first to be sure that Naraku could not return. They decided that evening that they would search out Kohaku starting the next day. It was a rather subdued group that sat around the fire that evening; Miroku stared compulsively at his hand; Kagome recounted her encounter inside the barrier when requested; Inuyasha honored Kikyou's sacrifice; Sango thought of the next day and her brother. She and Miroku went to sleep not long after Shippou and Kirara. They slept against the same tree just far enough apart to be out of groping range. Inuyasha and Kagome were left alone by the fire.
"Inuyasha, what happened to Kikyou?" Kagome finally asked.
"She's gone," Inuyasha sighed. He was sitting back on his haunches again as he often did when something was bothering him. "She let her body be destroyed from lack of souls."
Kagome hugged her knees to her chest. I was just starting to like her, too, she thought blankly. Inuyasha will want to be alone tonight. "I'm sorryl, Inuyasha," she said softly as she made to get up.
"You don't have to go," Inuyasha said without looking up. Kagome considered for a moment and moved closer to him- right next to him, in fact. However, she hunched forward and rested her head on her knees instead of Inuyasha.
"I think she was just beginning to tolerate me, too," Kagome sighed.
"Kagome," said Inuyasha seriously. "Arigato."
"Huh?" choked Kagome. She had not done anything worthy of thanks… had she? "For what?"
"For allowing Kikyou to die with me," Inuyasha explained. "She's finally at peace." He looked up at Kagome, and unfamiliar expression across his face. "I can finally move on."
Kagome smiled- a favorite sight of Inuyasha's- and folded her knees to the side. The pair sat in silence only an inch apart, yet still not touching. "Inuyasha," Kagome asked a few moments later, "will you still use the jewel to become a youkai?"
"Baka," he replied with a soft smirk. "If I'm not hanyou, I can't wield Tessaiga. You know I can't give up a weapon like that." His smile and relaxed stance betrayed that the true reason was much deeper, but the answer was still the same. He stretched his legs out and leaned back on his arms nonchalantly. "Besides, it's not mine; it's yours."
"Wha-?" Kagome coughed violently, falling forward slightly. Inuyasha put his hands on her shoulders from behind, eased her back up to sitting and pulled her into his arms.
"Kaede said you're the only one who can possess it, remember?" he said softly. His arms were wrapped around Kagome's shoulders, and she turned around to face him. She had been about to continue on that tangent until she saw Inuyasha's face; that strange expression was still on it… such gentleness…
"Inuyasha…" whispered Kagome curiously, and a small yawn escaped her.
"Get some rest, Kagome," he said quietly, but his hold did not loosen. Something finally clicked in Kagome's head between Inuyasha's new, wonderful behavior and his earlier statement about being able to move on, and she allowed herself to fall into him. Kagome mused to herself that the only times Inuyasha had allowed her so close was when she was in danger or when he was rescuing her…
Oh well, I'm not complaining, she thought happily and nestled her head against Inuyasha's chest.
Sango awoke late that night. She often had a difficulty sleeping when Kohaku was on her mind. This time, though, he was not only in her thoughts; he was sitting beside Kirara.
"Sister," he said softly when she sat up. "Gomen … for everything…"
Sango almost cried out for the poor boy. She pulled him into a tight hug. "Kohaku, you've returned to me!" she said tearfully.
Kohaku pulled forcefully away. "Don't, Sango, I don't deserve it," he replied sadly. "I've killed so many innocents, and I've made so many troubles for you, I'm so sorry-"
"You know I don't care," Sango retorted happily. "Naraku manipulated us all; it would be cruel to hold you accountable. Besides…" she paused, "I've missed you so much. You're all I have."
Kohaku allowed her to hug him again, but asked softly while she was close, "I killed chichi-ue, didn't I?"
Sango pulled back, but looked at the ground uncertainly. "Naraku killed ohichi-ue," she replied. "He used you to do it, but it is not your fault, Kohaku."
He did not seem to believe her. "Sango, did he ever try to make me kill you?" he asked. Sango's eyes welled with tears; she could not bear to tell him the truth, but she could not lie to him, either.
"Kohaku, I don't care what Naraku made you do. I'm just so glad you're free of him," Sango explained. "I want you to be happy again."
"I want to see chichi-ue again!" Kohaku cried and fell into his sister, sobbing. Sango wrapped her arms around her brother lovingly, and her hand fell on the jewel shard in his back. The boy gave a small gasp as she touched it.
"He controlled me like that, too," said Sango sadly.
"That's how he did it," Kohaku realized. "That's how he controlled me!" Kohaku tried to reach for the shard, but Sango stopped his flailing hands.
"It's how he kept you alive as well," she told him maternally.
"Nani?"
"Your injuries were severe; you would have died had he not stuck that shard in you," Sango explained sadly.
"Please take it out."
"NANI?"
"I don't deserve to stay here. I want to see chichi-ue again," said Kohaku. He looked up at Sango with conviction in his eyes. "Please, sister, let me go. I don't belong here anymore."
Sango looked down at the child in her arms and finally understood. She hugged him one last time as the tears leaked out of her eyes and whispered in his ear, "I love you, brother."
"I love you, too, sister," he said back. Sango put her hand on the shard and both siblings said, "Goodbye," at the same time. The shard was only half way out when Kohaku collapsed. Sango could not hold it in any longer and cried sadly over the little boy.
Several feet away, Miroku awoke to the soft sounds of sobs. He sat up, looking around for the woman in distress, and saw Sango. Her brother's lifeless body was next to her.
"Sango?" he questioned gently. She looked over at him and tried to hide her tears fruitlessly. Miroku worked his way over to the girl and put an arm around her, for once not attempting to grope.
"Oh, Miroku," Sango sobbed into his shoulder. "I couldn't make him stay; he wanted to die."
Miroku wrapped his other arm (which no longer had a Kazanna attached to it) around her shaking form and consoled her; he would stay there all night if he had to… and neither would be caught disliking it.
They gave Kohaku a proper burial the next day, and Sango gave Kagome the shard. Shikon no Tama now lacked only Kouga's shards. Sango and Miroku decided not to go with the group to see Kouga; they were not needed and said something about seeing the headman of Kaede's village for a ceremony. Only Shippou, Inuyasha and Kagome were left to retrieve the last shards.
"Figures they'd leave," grunted Inuyasha while they were en-route. He carried Kagome and Shippou on his back, claiming that Kagome's bike would take too long, and they all wanted to complete the Jewel as quickly as possible.
Kagome giggled inwardly. "You know why, don't you?" she asked pseudo-innocently. Inuyasha snorted ignorantly.
"You unobservant idiot!" Shippou teased. "They're gonna get married, and she's gonna have his child! Even I know that!" Inuyasha swung a punch half-heartedly at Shippou, but the kitsune switched shoulders quickly, and Inuyasha swung into thin air. The action spun them around and sent them crashing down to the ground from mid-leap. Kagome shrieked as they neared the ground, and Inuyasha tried to reposition them so he would not crush her.
Kagome decided at the worst possible moment to punish him for trying to hit Shippou and yelled "Osuwari!" The kitsune was thrown from the commotion as Inuyasha was slammed to the ground, trapping Kagome underneath him.
"Get off of me!" she shouted, her face just barely peeking over his shoulder.
"Ha!" Inuyasha retorted. "'Bout time you know what it's like!" he added with a smirk. Kagome blushed profusely and was suddenly very thankful for Inuyasha's flowing clothing; her skirt had flown up, and the loose fire-rat hair cloth was concealing her. The spell was beginning to wear off, but neither seemed to notice or care, until-
"Mutt face!" came a familiar angry voice. "Get off of my Kagome!" An approaching cyclone stopped right next to them, and Kouga appeared, kicking Inuyasha away. "Are you all right, Kagome?" he asked, kneeling down beside her.
Kagome pushed her skirt down in the blink of an eye and then sighed heavily, "I'm fine Kouga-kun." She looked over at Inuyasha as he picked himself up. Shippou had returned and was sitting on his shoulder.
"Stupid wolf," Inuyasha growled. "Just give us your damn shards and get the hell out of here," he said as he walked back over to them. Kouga gave a short, bitter laugh.
"As if I'd give up my shards to you, mutt face," he snorted. "I'm going to use them to kill Naraku!" Kouga put an arm around Kagome's shoulders. She looked away miserably and dropped her shoulders a bit to make his arm fall away, but he took hold of her waist instead. Kagome fidgeted in his grasp, trying to get him off her, but had no success. Inuyasha's ears twitched in mounting aggravation at the whole scene. He offered Kagome a hand and forcibly pulled her away from the youkai wolf.
"You baka," Inuyasha said to Kouga. "Naraku is already dead." His own arm snuck around Kagome, but protectively, not possessively.
Nani?" coughed Kouga. "How? You couldn't have killed him!"
Inuyasha glared at Kouga, but Shippou was the first to speak. "No youkai could kill Naraku. Kagome purified him," he explained spitefully.
Kouga seemed to consider that for a moment. "Well, if the youkai wolf clan couldn't get Naraku, at least our sister could," he rationalized as he stood up.
"Kouga-kun," said Kagome softly, "I need your shards."
Kouga stared at her. He seemed unsure of how to say "Hell no." The matching expressions and stances of Inuyasha and Kagome seemed to jab at him. "Kagome, how can you ask that?" he finally replied.
Kagome pulled the necklace that held the rest of the Shikon no Tama out of her shirt. "It was my fault the jewel broke in the first place. I have to make things right and purify it completely," she explained. "Besides, you don't need them, Kouga-kun. True strength isn't from an object, but within yourself," she added flatteringly. Inuyasha's ears twitched in annoyance at her sudden friendliness toward the wolf, and he recognized the speech from when he had dealt with strengthening Tessaiga. Kouga sighed and removed the shards. "I can't argue with you Kagome," he said, giving it a double edge that made Inuyasha's eyes narrow as the wolf handed over the shards. He held Kagome's hand after relinquishing the shards. "Come with me, Kagome," he said pleadingly. "You're my woman; I can't bear to see you with anyone else."
"So don't look," smirked Inuyasha.
"Kouga-kun, you've known I don't love you for a long time," said Kagome flatly.
Kouga's expression intensified impatiently. "Kagome, maybe you don't understand. You're my woman! I have to have you!" His grip on her hand tightened threateningly. Kagome hung on to Inuyasha, who held her tightly with his left arm and slugged Kouga hard with his right.
"Damn you, Kouga!" he growled dangerously. "You think you can just lay claim over her like she's an animal? Kagome's not your territory, let her choose for herself!" Inuyasha's hears were flat against his skull and he was almost shaking in anger.
"Why is it any concern of yours?" shouted Kouga. "It's not like you even protect her, or recognize her powers!"
"You don't care about Kagome, you just want her for the Shikon no Tama!" shouted Inuyasha harshly. His other arm wrapped around her as though to shield her from the wolf.
"She's beautiful, too," the superficial wolf added. "Anyways, it's not like a mutt face like you would know anything about love."
Stress seemed to pop inside Inuyasha. Only the feel of Kagome clinging to him kept him from unsheathing Tessaiga. "Kagome, end this before I kill him," he instructed in a forced calm. Inuyasha dropped his arms, and he stepped back as Kagome looked away to Kouga.
"Kouga-kun," she said softly. Kouga's face lit up in triumph, and he started toward her. Inuyasha's ears dropped miserably when she hugged the wolf. Kagome looked down and said finitely, "Goodbye."
Kouga almost tripped over his stationary feet. Kagome turned away from him and returned to Inuyasha, who was staring at her. "You ready to go?" he managed to choke out. Kagome nodded. Inuyasha knelt down for her to climb on, and they took off, leaving Kouga to stare after them.
The small group returned to Kaede's village that night. Everyone else was inside the hut, but Inuyasha and Kagome sat together outside watching the sunset. He still held her hand; he had not relinquished the contact since they had left Kouga.
"Did you have to hug him?" Inuyasha finally demanded of Kagome. She looked over her shoulder at him curiously.
"…Why? I always hug him goodbye," she replied nonchalantly.
"It's just…" Inuyasha began. "He's such an idiot! I'd have killed him by now if you would've quit stopping me. Now his scent's all mixed with yours, and it's sickening!" he admitted, clenching a fist.
Kagome grinned to herself at his jealousy. "Well, gomen, but what can I do now? It's too late to go down to the river and wash it off," she reminded him. Inuyasha then did something he had been doing a lot lately; he put his arms around Kagome and pulled his into his lap. Kagome mused to herself about all the time she had spent wishing that Inuyasha would act this way; it still took her by surprise.
"Well, if I can't get Kouga's scent off you, I can at least over-power it," he sighed with a smile. Kagome blushed at finding herself once again in Inuyasha's embrace and for such a purpose. She relaxed easily and leaned her head on his shoulder affectionately.
"Inuyasha, arigato," Kagome said softly, "for what you said to Kouga."
"Nani?"
"Arigato for sticking up for me," she explained. "You said some pretty noble things back there."
Inuyasha realized that he had been unconsciously stroking Kagome's hair and cheek, but, instead of stopping as he would have when Kikyou was pseudo-alive, he allowed himself to continue. "You should have let me kill him," he whined.
"Why?" Kagome asked naively.
"He'll keep coming back," sighed Inuyasha. "Kouga's an animal, Kagome. He'll be back until he thinks you're someone's property," he explained bitterly.
Kagome gave him a look that fully expressed her confusion and said, "Eh?"
Inuyasha sighed again; Kagome did not- could not understand animal instincts. "You said it's just wishful thinking that he calls you 'his woman', right?" he asked. Kagome nodded as if to say, "Du-uh." Inuyasha did not visibly react. "You're lucky," he said.
"Inuyasha, what are you talking about?" Kagome asked. "You're not making any sense."
"Do you have any idea how Kouga would actually make you his woman- his property?" Inuyasha half exploded. "For cryin' out loud, Kagome, think!"
Kagome finally put two and two together and saw what Inuyasha meant. "Inuyasha, you don't mean-"
"That bastard will come back until you're claimed, be it by him or m- someone else," Inuyasha replied and caught himself. Kagome gave a nervous shiver in Inuyasha's hold, so he pulled her closer. "I won't let him, Kagome, don't worry," he reassured her. She turned around so that she could hug him back, as though clinging to safety. Inuyasha blushed at being wrapped around Kagome so intimately, and said softly in her ear, "You understand now why I get so mad when he calls you 'his woman'?"
"I don't want to think about that," she groaned as she lifted her head from its resting place against Inuyasha. "Knowing that, though, I…well-" she tried to explain and failed. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha lovingly and quashed the debate going on in her mind with a quick kiss to his check. "Arigato, Inuyasha," she repeated and then buried her face in the folds of his coat to hide her darkening blush. Inuyasha gazed down at her and gently kissed her forehead. He cradled her against him and laid his head on hers, not wanting morning to come any time soon.
Inside the hut, Kaede and Shippou spied on the scene, smiling knowingly in an "I told you so" manner.
