AN: Yeah as you can more than likely tell by now, I REALLY DON'T LIKE KIKYO. I think she and Naraku are perfect for each other. BTW the point of the ending scene of the last chapter was to put emphasis on how sick and twisted Naraku's mind is. Disturbed bastard. Oh and I am so glad the school seasons almost over cuz that means more updates. YEAH! It is safe to say that I've got my writing mojo back and all. I'm getting myself back together and I feel great.

Awakened

Inuyasha arrived to the village of Edo sometime after the battle. He instantly recognized Kagura's work. He could scent his brother and his pack in the area. What's going on? He went to the hut and took a peak inside. It was only Kaede, Kagome, Sango, and Sesshoumaru in there. Kagome's head was resting in his half-brothers lap. She looked too deathly pale for him to believe she was simply sleeping. Sango's leg was in that cast thingy Kagome taught them how to make. Sesshoumaru himself seemed to be unconscious. Kaede seemed to be resting.

There was a barrier around the hut. Inuyasha touched it hoping it would not hurt him. To his surprise it didn't. He stuck his hand through it and realized it would let him pass. He went to Kagome weary of the taiyoukai. He wanted to check on her. He never meant her any real harm but he couldn't help it that last time he saw her. He was so hurt then and he couldn't think clearly. Then something in him snapped.

He brushed the bangs from her forehead but quickly withdrew his hand. She was ice cold. How could this have happened? Then like nightmare long forgotten he remembered when Kikyo shot an arrow that Kagome's body had absorbed. That was seconds before he'd blacked out. With a look of horror he backed away.

No. Kikyo wouldn't. That was a nightmare I'm sure of it. But his body mind and soul filled with dread. No matter how hard he tried. He knew deep down inside that it was true.

"You are bewitched, lad. Your feelings toward Kikyo did this to you," Kaede spoke up. She'd been awake ever since he entered her barrier. None with ill will towards them were allowed with-in its perimeter. It would seem that everyone's assumption of Inuyasha betraying them had been off.

Inuyasha was startled and turned to face the old priestess. He should not have turned his back on Sesshoumaru. The demon lords hand shot up and wrapped itself around his throat.

"You would do well not to trespass boy." His voice was that of two people. His beast was rising to the surface despite the pain it caused him. The damned curse would not let him access any of his powers without pain. He couldn't even share control with his beast.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, the lad was not himself. He would have never betrayed his pack if not for the spell. I can still see the threads around him." Kaede intervened not for the boys sake but for Kagome. She may not have had romantic interests in him anymore, but Kaede knew the girl still loved him like family. "He means no harm. The barrier would not have let him in if he did."

The taiyoukai calmed himself a bit with that information in mind. No, he did not forgive the foolish half breed but he would not take the mutts life... yet.

"Thank you, Kaede," rasped Inuyasha when he was let go.

"Aye, lad I did it not for you, but for the lass. Even with her soul sealed, it would hurt her greatly to find that you were harmed or worse," Kaede sighed. "Judging from your reaction to her current state you know nothing of the curse Kikyo placed on Kagome."

Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head. He felt horrible about all this. Kagome had been nothing but kind and supportive throughout their journey and this is what she got for it. "I... I didn't know. I never imagined she would do something like this."

"So you know nothing of the curse she put on this Sesshoumaru?" He eyed his brother carefully. He could scent nothing off about him, and his senses were off due to Kikyo's curse.

"No." Just then Miroku and Sango strode in. The herbs they'd been carrying tumbled to the floor.

"You!" Came Sango's accusing shout. She took out her sword knowing the hut was too small for her boomer rang. Miroku pulled out sutra's. They were ready to make him pay for the heart ache that he'd caused.

"Stop this," growled out Sesshoumaru. This was getting them no where. He could tell that he and the miko did not have much time left. He'd been under this curse for nearly a month now. She may have been asleep only for a few days but if Naraku's forces were making efforts to take her away, there may be something more to her curse than they knew about. "Sit down all of you. With the half breed here maybe we'll find something more of the situation."

They all did as he ordered. As they each presented their views of what happened to the group Inuyasha started thinking.

"Hey wait. I think I can help," he whispered. They all turned to him.

"Speak, half breed."

"Your curse, I've heard of before. It was a while back. It was Tsubaki's signature thing when dealing with demons and well Kagome's curse sounds like something from one of those fairytales she was always babbling to Shippo."

Sango and Kaede's eyes widened. "Aye, the lad be speaking truth. His words have struck a memory. It was a few years before her demise. Tsubaki and Kikyo had been called in by a village to take care of a demon problem. The villagers had excepted my sisters help and for a while things went well. Then sometime after she left the problem grew upon them ten fold. The second time they wanted more than protection. They wanted revenge. They wanted to curse the demons and make them suffer. Kikyo refused saying that vengeance was not the way of a miko. So they called in Tsubaki and she'd destroyed them all by a curse. Yet the last demon, the one that led them all would not be tamed by her smaller curses. So she'd cursed him with the miko's blood curse."

"The witch said the only cure was to mate with a miko. She said nothing of miko's blood," growled the taiyoukai.

"Aye, that be only part of it. Before the mating ye must have a drink of miko's blood at the rising and setting of the sun for a week. Without it ye would not have the strength to mate her. The curse feeds off thine youki. When the demon heard of this he would not believe it. He'd gone on a rampage and raped many demon onnas. When the curse only strengthened he'd gone and started raping human onnas as well but none could break the curse. There were no true mikos then. He'd past on a month after he'd been cursed." She gave Sesshoumaru a severe look with her one eye. "Ye have but days left, milord. Only Kagome can break this curse."

"No!" Inuyasha snarled. He knew there was no chance of Kagome taking him back. If he couldn't have Kagome then neither could Sesshoumaru. Instantly he was frozen to the spot by one of Miroku's sacred sutras.

"Calm yourself Inuyasha. You forget that Kagome herself is under a curse, one that she may never wake from. Sango, do you know the story Inuyasha spoke of?" Miroku spoke in his ever calm voice, on the inside he was nothing but turmoil. Even is they could wake Kagome how could they ask her to mate with the taiyoukai. She didn't love him and inuyoukai's mated for life. This was one serious knot Naraku had put them in.

"Yes, I don't know the end of it though. Shippo and Rin could tell you the story in detail. They adored that story." Sango spoke up and as if summoned in came Shippo and Rin. They'd been with the other village children to relax after the attack. Everyone turned and gave them expectant looks.

"Wa... wa... what's going on?" Shippo sputtered, nervous under the pressure of the group gaze.

"Shippo, Rin could you tell us how the sleeping princess woke?" Sango spoke softly trying not to scare them any more than they were. Immediately, Rin gave a high pitched squeal and ran to Sango.

"Her true love, Prince Charming, came and kissed her and she woke up. They got married and lived happily ever after," she squealed already the wheels in her head began to turn. She ran to her father figure mindful of the sleeping miko. "Is Lord Sesshoumaru going to kiss Kagome mama and wake her up from the evil ladies curse? Then Rin will have a mommy and a brother!" She hugged him oblivious to everyone gawking at her.

"Mama's gonna wake up?" Shippo looked afraid to be hopeful. What if it didn't work? What if it did? Then he'd have Sesshoumaru for a father and Rin for a sister. "Please, Lord Sesshoumaru wake my mommy up," he wailed.

Sesshoumaru couldn't take much more of this. "Jaken take them outside." Once they were gone, Sango spoke up.

"Please, try it Lord Sesshoumaru," Sango whispered. She'd just remembered the conversation she and Kagome on that night that seemed to be an eternity ago.

"What? There's no way he her "true love". He's a cold hearted bastard and he hates humans." Inuyasha's out burst shocked everyone. They did not realize that in the children's outburst they accidently knocked the sutra off of him.

"You don't know that Inuyasha. You weren't here! You don't see the comfort she takes from his presence. And don't you dare suggest you're her true love," Sango shouted back. She couldn't take this. There was hope for her sister and the hanyou was being a jealous prick. In their arguing they did not notice Sesshoumaru get up with Kagome in his arms until they heard the swishing of the curtain to the hut. Sango went out after him. Sesshoumaru stopped when he scented her tears and she spoke.

"Please, try it. I remember a conversation we'd had and she does have some feelings for you. Please, you're our only hope," she sobbed out. Sesshoumaru could not keep the shock off his face as he looked down at the miko in his arms. He started walking again and didn't stop until he reached the tree of ages.

Miko... Save her... She can save us.

She's beautiful. She is the only woman to have shown that she cares for me.

She's strong. She will be good mother for pups.

But Sesshoumaru was afraid. What if it didn't work?

Just try. With that final push from his beast Sesshoumaru bent his head forward and pressed his lips to hers. The instant their lips met, bright light exploded from her body and engulfed them both. Slowly she started to respond to him. Sesshoumaru's beast howled his happiness as her arms came up to wrap around his neck. When he pulled away, Sesshoumaru was glad to see the light returning to her eyes.

"My heart, Sesshoumaru," she whispered lovingly.