They awoke the next day and Kagome's wounds had finally healed. She opened her eyes and felt the rhythm of InuYasha's heart beat against her back, and snuggled in closer to him. InuYasha awoke as he felt her push closer into him, and leaned over to look at Kagome's arms; every one of her injuries had disappeared overnight. Feeling relieved, he snuggled in closer to her.

Feeling him move, she placed light kisses on his arm around her chest.

"I see you're feeling better."

"Thanks to you….my love."

InuYasha looked at her beautiful scar-free body and gave her a bright smile, until he realized she didn't know what happened the other day.

"Kagome, there is something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Did you see what happened to Kouga?"

"No, I passed out from the pain that bastard put me through before then. I'm just happy he didn't get as far as he want to…thanks to you."

InuYasha grimaced as he thought of the way she looked when she was tied up in that damn cave. He did not regret what he did to the wolf, just that Kagome might be a little upset.

"Well…he's dead."

"GOOD! I never thought he would ever go that far to have me, he deserved a slow painful death."

"Well, he got it."

"InuYasha, did you kill him?"

"I don't even know if that's the right word for what I did."

"Inu…Yasha? What did you do?"

"Please don't hate me for this"

Kagome put her hand to his cheek and gently caressed it.

"I could never hate you."

"I saw the way you looked from him clawing at your skin. You were a bloody mess and he deserved what he got, but I didn't remember what happened. My demon side took over and ripped him to shreds. I turned back to normal and saw what I did. It was even enough to make ME sick. I have never torn someone up like that in my whole life."

Tears fell from his eyes as his recollection of the horrible scene made him shiver.

"InuYasha, I know you had no control over what you did, and I can't say that I'm not happy he's gone."

InuYasha looked at her and saw compassion in her eyes, until she spoke again.

"He caused me more pain in the little bit of time I was with him then I have had my entire life...I was petrified. When I realized what he was going to do, I struggled for my life! Then I felt that I was tied down, turned my head, closed my eyes, and tried to imagine being somewhere else. InuYasha…I…lost hope, not that you would find me, but that you wouldn't find me in time. I thought he would have his way first, but he saw how disgusted I was by him and that's when he started clawing at me."

A tear fell from her eye as InuYasha saw the pain in her face. He held her very close and whispered in her ear.

"I won't let anyone do anything like that to you again. I would rather die than have someone take you."

He was now grabbing her shoulders and gently shaking her, just to get his point across. Tears fell even more when she saw the pain and torment in his eyes. They soon got up and walked into the spring to try and clean up, InuYasha still had dried blood from the wolf on him. Kagome just felt like she needed a bath. She felt dirty and thought she did something in the past that made Kouga think she was his. A guilty look fell upon her gentle face and InuYasha tilted her head up, almost knowingly, and said to her, "this wasn't your fault. You never gave him any signs to do what he did. I know I always thought that you were sweet on him, but after knowing how you are when you do love somebody, I knew you were just being polite. Kagome, he took advantage of you and twisted your kindness into something more. He's the messed-up fuck that got it all wrong! You had NOTHING to do with it!"

The look in his eyes was of trust, he trusted Kagome to a point where he believed everything she said. Kagome would never lie to him to begin with, but he did use to think that her loyalties before did not lie with him. She knew she had, not only his undying love, but his loyalty and trust as his mate. Kagome held him close and tight, feeling his rippling abs against her chest. He looked down at her and scooped her up by the butt to have her straddle him.

Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and held tighter than she ever had before. There was a feeling inside that she couldn't get rid of, somehow, she knew the worse had yet to come for them.

"InuYasha, I never want to leave you, but I have a feeling that I'll be force to."

"What do you mean Kagome!?"

"I'm so scared, this feeling just won't go away. I'm worried that we will have more obstacles to face before we can finally be happy and live a normal life."

InuYasha looked at her, studying the soft features of her face and then gave her a soft kiss.

"If we must go through more heartache to finally live in peace, then I say bring it on!"

After their bath, they laid next to each other for the rest of the morning , then got dressed to head back to Kaede's village.

(At Naraku's hiding place)

The saimyousho came into the disgusting dark cave to find Naraku. He hid from daylight as it hurt his eyes. Listening intentely, he heard the insects hovering above him.

"Ah, so you've brought me more news, have you?"

The saimyousho buzzed in his ear.

"So, the young woman survived and they are on their way back to Kaede's village. I know, the time to strike is close. Keep watching them for anything suspicious."

The saimyousho left the cave and found InuYasha and Kagome on the dirt path leading to the village.

"I really hope they are ok", the little fox demon was almost in tears from not seeing Kagome in a few days. She was like a mother to him and he missed her like any child would miss their lovely mother.

"I'm sure they are fine, Shippou", Sango voice tried to sound reassuring, but her heart was feeling differently. 'The way she looked, all those horrible cuts and bruises, I don't know if she can survive. For all we know, they could be taking so long because he's laying her to…'. Before Sango could finish her thoughts, tears fell down her face by the gallons, "I won't believe that", she whispered to herself trying to change her own mind.

Miroku saw the depressed slayer and sat next to her, holding her shoulder close. "Shhhh, it will be alright. I'm sure they are fine."

Sango looked up at the monk and smiled from his calming gestures, and leaned up to steal a kiss, leaving all ambitions behind. Miroku was shocked by her forwardness, but grazed his hand over her cheek (face cheek, not butt...I know...amazing!). He quickly deepened the kiss forgetting that anyone else was in the room besides them.

The fox demon blushed deeply as he began to feel quite uncomfortable being in the same room. Walking out of the cramped hut, he gazed at the night sky, remembering how much Kagome loved looking at the stars. Tears welled in his eyes and he shut them tightly, shaking his head furiously, until he suddenly felt a foot on his head.

"Whatcha crying for runt", he recognized the rudeness in his voice and looked up to see InuYasha and Kagome.

As soon as he saw her, he leaped into her open arms and curled up into her chest, enjoying the embrace of his motherly friend.

InuYasha looked at him with anger and frustration, since Kagome and InuYasha mated he had become even more protective and jealous.

"Get off her twerp! She is recovering from her injuries and doesn't need you pushing into her so tightly!" InuYasha knew he was lying to the little one, because Kagome was fully recovered, but luckily, she got the drift.

"It's ok Shippou, just don't hold so tightly. I have been through a lot over the past few days and I'm just a little fragile right now." She looked over at InuYasha and winked.

He blushed and looked up and down his mate's body wanting to ravish her where she stood. Kagome saw the lust in his eyes and knew she had to get Shippou in the hut, not knowing how long InuYasha was going to hold out before pouncing on her.

"Go on inside Shippou, I'm going to go to the spring and bathe for a bit. Make sure Sango and Miroku know we're back, but not to disturb me, ok?"

"Ok Kagome."

He rushed inside as InuYasha grabbed up his Kagome and ran her to the hot spring in lightning speed.