A/N: I'm going against my own policy here, and am submitting this fic unedited. I hope you like it anyway…I worked hard on this! 

After several more hours of walking, Inuyasha's warring thoughts begin to soften. His love for Kagome is winning out over his anger at her betrayal.

When the group breaks for camp, Inuyasha sits up in his tree, and takes out the paper from Kagome's bag. In the dim light of dusk, he reads what Kagome has written:

Punish me

the silence isn't enough

grab me, shake me, get rough

scream at me, give me the blame

slut, whore, bitch—all the names

tell me you hate me--like my sin

say you never want to see me again

Punish me

make me beg on bended knee

for your forgiveness, I plea

but don't give it, no don't

I won't take it, I won't

it's what i deserve, can't you see

leave me standing alone, by our tree

Punish me

His heart twists at the words.

Kagome was telling the truth. She really does regret it. She hates herself. I HAVE to get over this. I have to forgive her. She's withering away. I thought I lost her once to Kouga...and now I'm losing her again because I can't get past my own fear and pain.

And, I really am partly to blame for what happened in the first place.

Not only do I criticize her all the time, I run off to see Kikyou every time the woman comes near me, knowing it upsets Kagome....and now I guess I can understand why Kikyou bothers Kagome so much. If Kagome means what she said...then...she feels the same way about Kikyou that I feel about Kouga.

And really, I'm not even angry anymore...I don't know why I'm still holding on to the rest. It's time to let it go.

With a sidelong look at Kagome, the hanyou sighs. He knows now he has to talk to her—and soon.

--

Ignoring his onlooking friends, Inuyasha motions to Kagome to come to him. She is surprised, to say the least, but she obeys. She approaches him...to find him crouching before her, his hands wiggling behind his back.

"Get on," he says gruffly. Kagome stares for a moment, then shakes herself out of her wonderings long enough to 'board' Inuyasha. She is thrilled at the invitation—the first one she's received since she left Kouga's—and even more so at the smells and sensations of Inuyasha that flood her senses.

Without a word to the rest of the group, Inuyasha takes off. He travels for some time, finally stopping in a clearing by a lake.

He 'unloads' Kagome, who immediately looks intently straight ahead toward the lake as if she'd never seen one before. Inuyasha moves in front of her, impeding her view. Kagome drops her eyes to inspect the ground.

"Kagome," he begins. "I have something important to say to you. I think you need to hear it..." He puts his hands on her shoulders, causing her look up at him in surprise and confusion, wondering what he could be talking about...

"I forgive you," he says simply, his eyes serious but gentle.

Kagome's mouth falls open, her eyes immediately filling with tears. Inuyasha isn't the forgiving type...much less the type to say so. And to her? After what she did?

"But...why? How can you? I mean, after..."

"Nevermind that. That was just your body, not you. I understand that now." He gives her a small, but genuine, smile.

That's all it takes. She throws her arms around him, sobbing heavily into his chest. "Oh, Inuyasha, I was so scared...that you would hate me forever...not that I don't deserve it, but oh it hurt so much..."

Inuyasha retracts the arms he had instinctively wrapped around her to place them once again upon her shoulders, pulling her back away from his body. He drops one hand to lift her face to meet his gaze. He peers deeply into her foggy eyes.

"Kagome..." he states, "I never hated you. Ever. I couldn't, not in a million years, no matter what you did. You have to know that." His voice is sincere and smoothe; his eyes penetrating and fathomless. "...and you don't deserve it! You don't deserve my hatred or anyone else's for one mistake." His tone is now full of controlled intensity, but still soothing.

He is being unusually sympathetic and tactful, not even swearing! Kagome notes. Does he really mean what he's saying? Is it really possible? Or am I dreaming?

Seeing the questions in her eyes, Inuyasha decides to go out on one final limb...the shakiest one of all. He gathers all his courage, steeling himself for whatever consequences he may be about to unleash.

"Kagome..." he utters, barely above a whisper, "I love you."

Now it was his turn to form questions with his eyes. Sure, she had told him she loved him at Kaede's, but that could easily have been out of guilt. He couldn't trust that confession to be the honest truth.

Kagome blinks at him, not sure if she heard him right. But the fear and insecurity now obvious in his usually confident eyes tells her she heard correctly. She beams at him, her tears quickly drying.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" she splutters as she throws her arms around him again. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words! I love you too...so very much." When she pulls back to peer into his eyes again, her own orbs are positively sparkling—with the vibrant life Inuyasha sorely missed seeing in them.

Her smile is equally bright. He can't help but return it.

Upon seeing this rare, real, radiant smile, Kagome kisses Inuyasha on the cheek. She's never been happier in her whole life.

But she immediately fears the kiss may have been a mistake, as Inuyasha's smile melts away, and his eyes turn serious again.

Before she can give her fears another thought, much less a voice, Inuyasha's mouth covers hers in the most tender kiss she could imagine. Conveyed in the contact is everything Inuyasha had just said to her...and more.

She melds to his body, relishing the feel of his soft lips upon her own. She thinks absentmindedly that maybe she's died and gone to the seventh heaven.

But a prick to her bottom lip brings her back to reality. Inuyasha has just tugged on her lower lip with one of his fangs. Kagome's awe at the feeling is apparent when she opens her mouth to suck in a gasp...only to find her oral cavity suddenly invaded by an intruder...Inuyasha's tongue.

At first, she tenses at the unexpected sensation, but soon relaxes into it, returning the kiss, jutting her own tongue into his mouth to play with his.

Tingles make their way down her body, causing her heart rate to rise considerably. She's never felt like this before—certainly not with Kouga. His kiss had done nothing for her...but this one...was sending her into the clouds.

Then, without warning, a hand...on her breast. Very lightly cupping her, over her school uniform shirt. It sends a shudder all the way through her.

She understands now, the phrase 'turned on'--that's exactly how she feels. As if Inuyasha just flipped a switch and awakened something that had been lying dormant until this very moment. And, like the phrase would seem to indicate, it was electric.

Yet she feels too far away. She can't get near enough. She grinds herself even closer to Inuyasha, pushing her breast hard against his hand, and her lower half into the front of his. Something hard pokes at her middle—and after a moment, she realizes what it is. She breaks from the kiss slightly, just enough to suck in a breath of excited shock. To be wanted by Kouga was a terribly uncomfortable expectation...to be wanted by Inuyasha--a dream come true!

She returns to the kiss, even more fervently than before.

Inuyasha responds to Kagome's actions by pushing back, digging his hardness further into her stomach, moaning into her mouth. He begins to massage the breast he's holding. Kagome groans into their kiss.

Inuyasha can't believe this is happening. It seems so sudden...but in reality, he's been waiting two long years for this.

It's all so wonderful, he can't imagine anything better. He's kissing Kagome deeply; he's touching her intimately. He's even pressing his erection into her stomach...All this, and Kagome doesn't seem the least bit perturbed—in fact, she seems to be asking for more of it! She's not at all afraid--or repulsed by him in the slightest. She actually wants him!

If he were to die now, he would die the happiest man who had ever lived.

With the full realization that Kagome's words are true—she loves him—and the newly-gained knowledge that she actually wants him—he removes his hand from her breast (eliciting a muffled whimper of diappointment from Kagome)--to slide it under her shirt. Kagome pulls her lips from his to gasp in delighted surprise. This only excites the hanyou further, encouraging him to continue this course of action.

He kneads Kagome's supple breast, but finds himself irritated at the strange covering over it. He shoves it aside, and moans as he takes he hold of the mound in the flesh. Kagome growls (as well as a human can) and assaults his mouth with obvious need.

Taking this is as permission to proceed further, Inuyasha breaks the kiss to push her gently backwards—a look of bewilderment suddenly overtaking her features—only to grasp the hem of her shirt with both hands. Kagome smiles, realizing Inuyasha's intentions, and helps him remove the shirt. Not wanting her clothing ripped from her body with his sharp claws, she takes the initiative on her bra and removes it herself.

She stands before him, bare-chested, a shy smile upon her blushing face.

Inuyasha places a hand on each of her hips as if to steady himself, and takes in the sight. A look of awe washes over him, softening his hard features. Kagome's smile widens. She meets with his approval. Her fear of not being attractive enough for him is unfounded after all.

Just as her cheeks begin to burn heartily under Inuyasha's scrutiny, he makes a move. Suddenly his mouth is surrounding the peak of her right breast, just as his left hand rises to take hold of the other.

Kagome thinks she might faint from the sensations suddenly racing through her. She takes two handfuls of his hair to keep her on her feet as she drinks in the pleasure he's giving her.

Inuyasha is astounded. A simple act upon her body and this is his reward. Oh, how he wants to kick himself for waiting so long...

His suckling soon turns to licking as Kagome's nipples harden under his ministrations. He suppresses a howl as Kagome responds, pushing her body further into him, pulling at the hair on his head with urgency, making noises that could only be described as incoherent attempts at speech.

His mouth, his tongue, his touch has brought her to this—to the point of speechlessness. He can't help but smirk at the thought, knowing his rival couldn't get this response out of her.

Kagome feels like she's flying—weightless, aimless—toward some unknown destination. Inuyasha's searing attentions to her body are sending her into orbit.

But it's still not enough. She wants more...more of him. She wants to touch him, feel his bare skin beneath her fingers. She untangles her hands from his hair to place them on his shoulders, and begins to tug at the haori concealing that skin. It won't budge. She grunts in frustration.

Inuyasha chuckles into her body, realizing what she's after—and why she can't get at it. He reluctantly lets her breasts go to stand before her, taking her hand in his and leading it to the tie holding his haori in place.

Kagome chances a look into Inuyasha's intense gaze. She's taken aback by the desire and...unveiled love...she finds in them. The look leaves her breathless.

But she's on a mission, and refuses to let herself get sidetracked now. She unties the knots at Inuyasha's waist, and moves her hands to his shoulders to remove his fire rat covering—along with his kosode—leaving him bare from the waist up.

She can't believe her eyes. She stares at him as if she's never seen anything like this before in her life—and in a way, that's true. It is how she feels. She has seen this part of him many times before, but never in this context. Now, she has permission to gape--and to touch! And not just mechanically, to bandage a wound, but to really feel.

And that she does. She runs her hands down across his chest lovingly, delicately, passionately. The strange feeling that's been building up inside her since Inuyasha first pressed his lips to hers increases with each caress. It's something she doesn't understand, but welcomes. It's a wonderful feeling.

Goosebumps form on her arms as she works her way down to Inuyasha's abdomen. She hovers above the waist of his hakama for a moment, then slides one finger just inside the hem. She teasingly rolls the digit from side to side across his midriff.

Inuyasha growls lowly, tilting his head back. Never in his wildest imagination did he expect such desire to erupt in him at her touch—and he had imagined. But this is far better than any fantasy he'd ever had about the beautiful young woman before him.

But it's almost too much. Her teasing is driving him crazy! He mischievously decides a little retribution is in order now...

Without warning, he places his hands on her legs and slides them slowly up under her skirt. Kagome's breath catches audibly, and Inuyasha smiles devilishly. He begins to massage her inner thighs, his thumbs brushing dangerously close to her center, but never making it quite there. Driven to distraction, Kagome ceases her Inuyasha-teasing. Finding her legs suddenly wobbly, she wraps both her arms around his middle to steady herself.

Finally, Kagome can't stand the torture anymore. "Please, Inuyasha..." she pleads. It's music to his ears. He's reduced her to begging!

Giving in, he allows his thumbs to stroke her cloth-covered center—and is richly rewarded with heavy pants and monosyllabic utterances from the recipient of his attentions.

But he isn't satisfied yet. He withdraws his hands from beneath Kagome's uniform skirt...to yank it off her. She squeals in surprise.

Inuyasha then pulls her body into him in a tight embrace, recapturing her mouth with his own. Desire flares throughout his body as her exposed breasts make contact with his bare chest. A guttural grunting sound emanates from his throat as he deepens the kiss.

He relishes the flavor of her. It's just so...Kagome. Minty, exotic, intoxicating. He can't get enough of it.

By the sound of it, neither can Kagome. He has her whimpering in his arms.

With that thought, he puts a hand on her bottom and crushes her into him, rubbing her backside hungrily. Kagome murmurs unintelligible sounds into his mouth, and drops one arm from his waist to wriggle it between their bodies. It's a tight squeeze, but she manages to get to her target...the raging stiffness begging for her touch. She begins to stroke him over his hakama, moaning all the while. Inuyasha growls his approval.

Finally, he breaks the kiss, pushing Kagome back slightly, allowing a breath of fresh air to flow between them. He looks Kagome in the eyes, his own filled with passion and love. The intensity of his stare lets Kagome know he is serious; he has something in mind. He almost seems to be...asking permision?

She smiles. Then, putting her mouth next to his ear, she whispers, "touch me..."

Inuyasha nearly comes undone at the sensual yet loving demand. But he has the answer he was seeking. With that, he allows his clawed fingertips to sink beneath the waistband of her panties, and drags them down. Kagome steps out of them with a shy look on her face, her blush hidden behind desire-induced flush.

Inuyasha takes in the sight of her with much delight. The scent of her want of him assaults his nose, and he can no longer refrain from touching her. He slips an ivory spear into her wet folds, and strokes her nub. Kagome throws her head back, babbling to the Kami. Then, using the whole of his finger, he pleasures her womanhood with long strokes.

Kagome feels a tightening in her belly. Whatever she's heading for, it's coming closer and closer—and it's something big. Something wonderful.

Not wanting Inuyasha to feel left out, she gathers up her courage and unties the knot to his hakama—and slides it down his body, exposing his need for her.

She wraps her delicate fingers around his engorged member, stroking in time with him. Now it's Inuyasha's turn to 'pray.'

After a few excruciating moments of mutual pleasuring, Inuyasha decides it's time to move elsewhere. He withdraws his hand from between Kagome's legs with a grunt of disappointment at the loss of sensation, and takes hold of the hand she has wrapped around him. She looks at him curiously, wondering if she's done something wrong. He smiles loving back at her, and nods toward the lake. She's relieved—he just wants to relocate.

He drops her hand, and in one swoop, loads her into his arms. He takes her close to the bank of the lake, and lays her down on a 'bed' of soft grass. He lies down beside her, propping himself up on his elbow, drinking in the image of her nude form shimmering in the sunlight. He's never seen such beauty in all his days. She smiles shyly up at him, suddenly self-conscious under his penetrating gaze. She resists the urge to cover herself. Inuyasha bends down, and kisses her lightly on the lips, as if to reassure her. Pulling back, he whispers in her ear, "You're beautiful, Kagome."

She melts at the proclamation--and her name being spoken in such a tender way. She's never seen Inuyasha so...attentive...to her feelings. In this moment, she feels the depths of his love for her. She looks up at him, only to see that love shining in his eyes, unmasked. She strokes his cheek with her right hand, imploring him with her own eyes to understand that she truly returns his feelings for her. The slight upturn of the corners of his mouth tells her he does.

Inuyasha bends down to kiss Kagome again. This time, the kiss is filled with passion, and longing. He strokes her left breast with his free hand, then begins to travel downward. Kagome arches to meet his touch, anticipating, wanting, needing. He reaches her core, and begins to stroke her, this time with a faster pace. Kagome rubs herself against him, aching for more. Inuyasha's breath comes in pants at her reaction to him. He is taken aback by the fact that he, and he alone, can do this to Kagome.

With that boost of his confidence, Inuyasha inserts a finger into her body. She cries out in delight, making him groan. He pumps in and out of her as she squirms. Soon, he adds another digit, and then another. By this time, Kagome is panting heavily, her face red and dripping with sweat, bucking into Inuyasha's hand.

Inuyasha, meanwhile, is doing some bucking of his own. Without really being aware of it, he's grinding his manhood into Kagome's thigh, in sync with the rhythm of his fingers.

Her scent exudes desire—for only him—and that alone is bringing him to new heights.

He wants to taste that desire. He positions himself on top of her, and begins suckling at her breasts. Kagome thrusts into his mouth with a fervor she hadn't quite displayed until now, and that brings Inuyasha immeasurable gratification.

But he has a goal in mind. He leaves her breast to trail hot kisses down her body, blazing across her heaving abdomen, reveling in her breathy moans. Finally, he reaches his destination. Without hesitation, he takes a long, lingering sweep between her folds with his tongue, flicking her nub at the end of the stroke. He is rewarded with a sharp intake of breath from Kagome--and the utterance of his name.

This excites him beyond imagination. He moans, and strokes again...and again, and again. He continues on this way, picking up the pace as he goes, until Kagome is bucking into him, panting furiously, repeating his name to the delight of his sensitive dog-demon ears.

But he can sense that she's getting very close now...and he's not ready for her to go there yet. He slinks back up her body, and resumes his attentions to her breasts. Kagome whines a little at the loss of sensation at her core, but ceases her 'complaints' at his renewed treatment of her upper portions. She begins to stroke his back with increasing want, and wraps her legs around him tightly. He groans into her breasts.

Wanting to taste her mouth again, he slithers through her tight grasp on him to capture her lips once more with his—bringing his hardness into alignment with her womanhood. Instinctively, he begins to rub himself against her wetness as they kiss. The heady sensation burns through their bodies, eliciting moans from them both.

Just when Inuyasha thinks he can handle no more of this teasing, Kagome tears her lips from his to speak. "Inuyasha," she whispers, "will you do something for me?"

"Anything," he replies huskily.

"I need you to sit up for a minute."

Inuyasha stares at her, bewildered, but seeing the love in her eyes, he cannot deny her. He crawls off her body to kneel at her feet. Kagome follows suit, getting down on her knees in front of him. She ties her hair in a knot to keep it from falling into her face...then bends her head down to take Inuyasha's aching member into her mouth.

Inuyasha nearly falls over. He wasn't expecting this, not by a long shot. But oh, the sensation! It's so wonderful, it's almost too much. He gently places a hand on Kagome's head, almost a gesture of thanks, as his head lolls back in overwhelming pleasure. He moans as Kagome's mouth takes him in, using her hand to fill in the gap around the base. Then she begins to move up and down. Her wet tongue flits across his tip, circles the head,strokes the underside, then trails down the length of him. She repeats these actions like an expert, though she's never done it before—and she's suddenly grateful for all those tawdry romance novels she read the year before.

Inuyasha is on a very sensual cloud nine. In between licks and thrusts of her luscious mouth, Kagome sucks at him hungrily. In no time, he's close to the edge. He gently but firmly takes her cheeks in his hands and lifts her face from his body. Her eyes question him, wondering again if she's done something wrong.

He gives her a look so warm it could melt ice. "I don't want it to be over yet" he breathes with a tiny smile. Understanding washes over her, and her confidence returns with a grin. She had brought him to the brink—and the thought of giving Inuyasha so much pleasure is even more exciting than receiving pleasure herself.

Inuyasha takes hold of Kagome, and lays her back again onto the grass and settles himself above her. He positions his tip at her opening, and looks her deep in the eye, questioning.

"I want you" she responds in a sultry voice.

Permission granted, Inuyasha thrusts into her body. She wails in pain and shock; he soothes her with his hands caressing her face. "I'm sorry," he whispers. She gives him an affectionate smile as the pain fades, and begins to wriggle beneath him.

He takes the hint, and slowly pulls out, only to push back in equally slowly. Kagome moans in pleasure. Grabbing his bottom, she pushes him deeper inside her, urging him on. He pulls out, and thrusts back in—this time at a faster pace. Kagome moans once more, and moves her hands to his back. He thrusts again, repeating the motion in ever-increasing speed, spurred on by Kagome's rocking back to meet him.

The feel of being inside her...it's indescribable. He had dreamed of this moment, but never dreamed that it could come true. Her tightness, her wetness, the sounds she made, the love that shone in her eyes—all for him—it was unimaginable. His spirit soars at the thought, even as his body relishes the feel of Kagome's.

He edges ever closer to his impending release.

Then he slips a hand between their bodies, without ceasing their lovemaking, to stroke her nub with the pad of his middle finger. The sensation is nearly overwhelming for Kagome. She begins to call out his name. Inuyasha takes incredible pleasure in hearing his own name called out in passion, from the mouth of the woman he loves, due to the pleasure he's giving her. It's almost more than he can take. He teeters on the precipice of release—but won't allow it until Kagome reaches that place first.

Kagome's senses are overloading. The feeling of him inside her, the proximity of his body, his highly sensuous touch, the love she feels for him, feeling his love for her in his every movement—it's all swirling about her, inside her, in a sea of sensation and emotion. That tight feeling curling inside her grows larger with each thrust, with each touch, with each look from Inuyasha. She knows somehow that she's almost there.

Then it happens. That tight ball in the pit of her stomach comes undone, and she climaxes in wet circles around Inuyasha as she clings to him desperately, his name on her lips.

Feeling her tightening around him, he loses control. He allows himself to let go, and releases the built up tension inside her body, moaning her name.

He collapses on top of her, using one hand to lift himself up slightly to keep from crushing her with his weight. Both panting, they lock eyes. Kagome's are filled with tears of joy.

Inuyasha wipes them away lovingly with his free hand. "I love you, Kagome" he whispers, keeping his eyes trained on hers.

"I love you too, Inuyasha...with all my heart and soul." Inuyasha smiles another one of those rare bright smiles of his, and then kisses her gently.

Once he pulls back, he dons a serious look...asking Kagome some kind of question. Not knowing what it is, she prods him. "What is it, Inuyasha? Do you want to ask me something?"

"Well...yeah. Kagome...do you plan to stay with me after all the jewel shards are found and Naraku is defeated?"

Kagome is surprised at the question—and even more surprised at the haunted look in Inuyasha's eyes. After what just happened between them, she thought the answer would be clear.

"Of course!" she answers confidently, not a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

Inuyasha breathes a sigh of relief—but he isn't out of the woods yet. "Then...Kagome...will you...be my mate?"

Kagome's mouth stretches further than she thought was humanly possible at the question, and it's implication. Becoming 'mates' was demon-speak for marriage! Inuyasha basically just proposed to her!

"Yes. Without a doubt." Her smile and her confident answer elicit a half-smile on her lover's face. "But what do I have to do? Slaughter a demon with my bare hands or something?" she joked.

Inuyasha chuckles slightly. "No. You have to let me bite you."

Kagome gets a pensive look on her face. After confronting multiple demons and being seriously ill or injured more than once in this time period, she figured she could handle a simple bite. Especially if it meant it would bind her to Inuyasha.

"Yes again." she smiles.

Inuyasha gives her another half-smile, relieved and overjoyed that she has accepted.

"Ok, then, but...it will hurt a little bit," he warns.

"It's ok...I want this more than anything," says Kagome in all seriousness.

Inuyasha then tilts Kagome's head to the side. He finds just the right spot on her neck, and sinks his fangs into it. Kagome yelps, but the pain is gone as quickly as it arrived. Inuyasha pulls back, a real smile adorning his face. "Kagome.." he says softly, "Mate.'

Kagome grins at him, replying in the same manner: "Inuyasha...Mate."

--

"I have an idea!" She adds brightly.

"Hn?"

"Let's take a bath! There's a lake right there!"

Inuyasha smirks at her. "Women. Always wantin' to take a bath!"

She laughs heartily as she rises, dragging Inuyasha behind her.

He smiles at her back. Kagome is back to her usual, bouncy self. And now he can fend off the likes of Kouga or any other demon (or human) who wants her—she has become his mate! Everything will be alright now.

For once in his life...Inuyasha is truly happy.

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A/N: Well I hope you liked it! I posted it as is; no beta-ing on this chap. Sorry if it's a little rough and/or rushed.

Thanks so much for reading! Please review me! Pretty please with sugar on top? ;)