Darkness and pain all around him. He welcomed it, embraced it. It was all that he deserved. All that he had earned. He let it absorb him. It circled him like some wild animal, stalking a wounded prey. The folds of darkness shrouded him. Engulfed him. Held him as a slave to-

"Inuyasha?"

That voice, he knew it. He knew it in his heart and soul. His very body breathed in relief just from hearing his name in that voice. But it wasn't real, since that day the sound of her voice had never been real.

"Wake up Inuyasha."

"Is he gonna be alright?"

"Physically yes. I don't know about mentally."

"You purified the shards we found in him, right Kagome-chan?"

Kagome… His stomach clenched. The name brought him so much bitter sweet joy. He could see her brown eyes clearly, he could smell her scent lingering in the air. Damn the gods, why wouldn't they let him forget? Just leave him alone and let him suffer in the darkness.

"Yeah, but he's not coming around."

"He was pretty banged up when we found him. Don't feel guilty Lady Kagome, everything that was done to him had to have happened during the time you were away."

"Inuyasha wanted to protect you."

Protect… Let me protect you Kagome. Please, just give me one more chance. I swear I won't let you down, I'll give everything to keep you safe, just one more chance.

"Please," Inuyasha croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Inuyasha!"

His eyes opened slowly, the blurry colors of the world around him taking their time coming into focus. Colors… heh, he hadn't registered anything other than his red kimono for so long. The smell of ungent and medicine filled his nostrils, and even though he was stiff and sore he could feel bandages wrapped and taped over the worst of his wounds.

The familiar smell of a wooden hut came to him, as well as the scent of Kagome. Again, he thought dismally. Why must that memory torment me?

"Are you feeling better Inuyasha?"

"Keh," he started, and then his vision came into focus, and his eyes went wide. "Ka - Kagome?"

She smiled at him, that reassuring tender smile she always had. "Of course silly, who else would I be?"

Looking around he saw the others sitting nearby. Sango, Shippo, Miroku. They were all here, inside this hut, with him. He closed his eyes and shook his head, tweaking his own ear roughly. He reopened his eyes hesitantly, afraid that the visions around him weren't real.

"I'm… not dreaming? But… I saw you all die. I saw Naraku kill everyone!" He exclaimed frantically.

Worry crossed their faces, Kagome pushed him gently, urging him to lay back down and rest. "We're not dead Inuyasha, I promise."

"Whatever you saw had to be an illusion," Miroku stated. "None of us have even seen Naraku since you went missing. Shippo told us what had happened, but we couldn't find a trace of you or him."

"We searched for weeks," Sango added. "The day after Kagome came back on her own we started hearing rumors about a terrible demon."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha as he lay before her. Her eyes welled with tears. "We knew… when we heard the description."

He looked away, but she collapsed into his chest, crying as she hugged him, desperate to comfort him. "Naraku must have hurt you really bad Inuyasha. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry you had to face whatever darkness he put you through. I never would've been able to forgive myself if you had died!"

Inuyasha flinched, putting an arm on her back lightly and looking back at her. "I know."

He took one of her hands in his, and relayed as much of his story as he could to his friends. He didn't speak on everything, for much of it was hazy, and some of it he had locked his mind away while it had happened. The entire time he spoke he never relinquished his hold of Kagome's hand. He needed the reassurance, the constant warmth, the undeniable truth of her existence.

Kagome and Shippo cried quietly as he spoke. Sango bowed her head in understanding at pain both physical and mental. Miroku paled at certain points, but it was obvious the tale had one effect on all of them.

It had strengthened their resolve to remove the stain that was Naraku from this world.

Sango, Miroku and Shippo excused themselves from the hut after a Inuyasha had finished his story. They intended to use the time it took him to recover to prepare for a long journey. Even Kagome intended to stay on this side of the well for an undetermined amount of time. School could wait, she didn't want to see anyone else suffer again.

"Kagome?"

"Yeah, Inuyasha?" She inquired as he began to sit up. "Careful, you'll reopen your wounds."

"Keh, nevermind that," he grouched, getting to his knees. She moved to try and convince him to lay down again and he just embraced her in response.

His embrace was so desperate she almost cried. His fear, his pain, and the sorrow he had endured poured out of him so clearly that she could almost feel them paw at her skin seeking comfort.

"Kagome… I thought… I thought I had lost you," he started his coarse voice barely audible even in the quiet hut. "I thought I would never hear your voice or see you ever again. It… I," his voice trailed off and he released his desperate hold for a moment, looking in her eyes.

"I realized after I saw Naraku's illusion that I had let too much time go by," he saw the confusion in her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. "I love you, Kagome, and I needed to say it before it really is too late."

Kagome's face turned bright red, and tears filled her eyes.

"Y-you… You're crying?" He questioned incredulously.

She wiped some of her tears away before tackling him, forcing him to lay back down. Her head was buried in his chest as she hugged him. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, I'm just so… happy!"

"Feh, stupid woman."

"It's not stupid," she insisted, sitting up on her knees. "I was so relieved when you woke up, and you've finally said the words I've needed to hear."

"There's no reason to cry!" He insisted. He couldn't help it, whatever the reason he didn't like to see her crying.

"They're tears of joy, baka!" She snapped back.

"B-baka?! You shouldn't call someone who's injured stupid, stupid!" He growled, getting back on his knees again.

"Don't call me stupid because I was worried about you! I was only worried because I love you!"

"Good! I'm glad! See? I'm happy and I'm not crying like an idiot!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome growled. He felt his body tense, he knew that tone of voice. "Sit boy."

Outside the hut three other people who stood against Naraku cringed at the sound of the impact and then sighed. Well, at least things were back to normal.

~ Fin.