DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha or it's characters. I just own this story.

Enjoy!:)


Chapter 3: Waking Up

When Kagome wake up, there were a few pairs of eyes locked on her. She immediately recognized them:

- San… Sango… - she whispered, smiling sweetly - … why… the long face…?

- Kagome! – Sango hushed a scream of happiness. Miroku gave a long sight and Shippo started to laugh of happiness. Kagome also heard Kirara's "mew" of happiness.

- Hi, Kirara… how have you been? – she said, closing her eyes.

- Mew, mew!

- Yeah, me too… - was Kagome's answer. – Oh God, I feel like crap…

- You must feel… after all, you've been knocked off for about a week, now… - Kaede said.

- Kaede… - she said, grabbing the ancient woman's hand in hers.

- Welcome back, child… - the old woman said, with tears in her eyes - … welcome back…

Kagome looked at Sango and Miroku:

- Are you guys ok? Did Naraku attack you?

- We're fine… - Sango said, with tears falling from her eyes. - … you were so reckless! What were you planning? You didn't even call us!

- You sound angry…

- I AM ANGRY!

- I'm sorry… - Kagome said, after a few moments of silence - … I guess I wanted to prove myself I wasn't useless… or at least not as useless as I usually feel…

- What nonsense are you speaking of, Lady Kagome? – Miroku asked – What do you mean by useless?

- It's just… you always seem to be able to fight… and I'm always the one who seems to be in the way…

- That's not true… you are one of the most important pieces of our team… you are the one who always finds out those "troubles" for us… it's thanks to them, that we can find all the jewel shards that put us into troubles…

- Miroku! – Sango said, glaring at him. – What kind of encouraging speech is that?

- It's the true, my love… if Lady Kagome wasn't our jewel detector…

- Who's a jewel detector? AND WHO'S YOU LOVE? HUM?

A loud slap could be heard in the hut, as Miroku's face meet Sango's hand. Kagome laughed.

- Ah… - he sighted – How I missed this pain…

- Humpf! – Sango said, turning to Kagome.

- I missed that too, Miroku… - Kagome said, still laughing.

- Kagome?

- Yes, Shippo?

- Are you really alright now? I mean… you're not going to go away… are you?

- No, dear. – Kagome said, raising a hand to the little fox's face. - I'm not going anywhere now…

The little fox smiled, happily and curled himself against Kagome, feeling safe. Kagome paused for breathing and then asked:

- Sango.

- Hum?

- Where's Inuyasha?

Sango looked at Miroku.

- Kagome, you've been knocked out for about a week, as Kaede said…

- Did something happen to Inuyasha?

- No, no… everything is fine with him. In fact, he has been the one nursing you… - said Miroku with a glint of mischief in is eyes.

- What? – She said, blushing profoundly. – What did you say?

- That's right. Kaede only comes to change your bandages, and to treat your wounds… the big ones… the scratches, he took care of them… he has been here every day and every night… he didn't even wanted to leave us with you, scared you might woke up and he would not be there…

- Well, it didn't serve him much… she woke up and he's not here… - said Shippo.

- Where is he?

- He went to a nearby village to exterminate a demon. He should be back by nightfall…

- He didn't want to leave, but I've never seen him like that… because you wouldn't wake up, he slowly started giving up on you waking up… he stopped eating, and sleeping… every time you even whimpered, he was already looking at you, there for you… hoping to see you wake up… - explained Miroku. – Then, there was the news of that demon. We wanted to go, instead of him, but as soon as he heard about it, he said "…It could be Naraku, and if it's him, that's the last time we'll heard about his race…" so he wanted to go alone.

- I've never seen those cute small years so bowed, Kagome… not even when you argued with him… - said Sango.

Kagome stayed silent.

- I've hurt him, haven't I?

- Kagome, - Kaede made her look at her. – Kikyo's dead…

Kagome opened her eyes, in surprise, but they quickly turned back to his normal state.

- So it wasn't a dream, hum? She's really gone?

- Kagome? Are you ok? – Kaede asked – What are you talking about, child?

- I've talked to her… to Kikyo…

Kagome explained what had happened between her and the now dead priestess.

- I see… - was the answer of Kaede. – Well, she was right… it really is a beautiful place…

After that, Sango went to bring some food to Kagome, who was starving.

- You've been only drinking water and soups… it's only natural you're hungry…

The morning went by, and by the afternoon Kagome already felt herself with enough strength to raise from the bed. With Sango's help, (of course, Miroku also wanted to help her raise herself, but Sango saw his hand going berserk as soon as he spotted Kagome's rear… so she stated her opinion well demarked on red, in his face… ) Kagome could come out of the hut, sitting herself with her back against the wall, savoring the rays of light of the sun. Her friends sited around her, talking and telling Kagome what had happened after they came back: how Kaede had almost had an heart attack when she saw Kagome like that, how she had made huge pikes of fever , how Inuyasha had barely left her side…

All the villagers were happy to see her again laughing and well. All had been concerned when the young priestess, how they now called her, had been brought over nearly dying. They all had helped out in what they could.

- Sorry, guys… - Kagome said, suddenly from the silence between them. – Sorry for all the troubles I've caused you… can you forgive me?

Sango only smiled and hugged her. It felt so good, Kagome thought.

- Just promise us you'll never do anything like that ever again. That'll be enough…

- Sango's right, Kagome… we're all in this together, ok? – Miroku said, stroking her head.

- Than… thank… thank you...

The sun quickly began to fall, on the horizon. Sango quickly went inside the hut with Kaede , to prepare dinner. Miroku and Shippo went to the woods, to get wood for the fire. Kirara stayed with Kagome, sleeping in her lap while Kagome stroked her fur.

- Hey, Kirara… I wonder when Inuyasha will come back…

Kirara raised her hand, twitching her ear, like listening to something. Then she jumped from Kagome's lap, turning to her full demon's form.

- What is it, Kirara? Is it a demon? – asked Kagome, raising herself. She wobbled and Kirara catch her with her body.

- Thanks, Kirara. But, who is it? – she asked turning to the road that accessed the village. From Kaede's hut she could easily see who was coming. It was then that an idea stroked her head, like a thunder. Kirara wasn't acting all aggressive, as she would be in a situation of battle. Could be a friend… could be…

Sango came out of the hut.

- Kirara? Kagome, what are you doing up! Honestly, I… - she started, but soon stopped.

Kagome wasn't had her eyes fixed on something, and they weren't even blinking…