A/N: As I post this I'm getting really excited because this weekend I hope to meet and get the autograph of Richard Ian Cox, the voice of Inuyasha! Aren't anime cons the greatest? :D
Return to Kaede's
Because of his heightened senses, Inuyasha was able to sleep and still be acutely aware of his environment. Just as the sun touched the tips of the mountains, he woke up. Even though he'd laid down and slept beside Kagome with their friends knowing and seeing what they did, he didn't want things awkward this morning. Of course he'd heard Sango's comments and then there was Shippo and how they were going to tell him that things had changed. Frankly he'd rather just tell the little fox straight out but Kagome may want to handle it another way and so he was up with the sun.
Inuyasha spent a few precious moments holding Kagome and watching her sleep. Mine to hold and touch and care for. He kissed her gently feeling at peace and not so alone in the world anymore. Talk about a brand new day! "Morning Kagome." Inuyasha whispered and kissed her lips softly before rising. Carefully he put Shippo back with Kagome then stretched before leaving the campsite.
He searched the surrounding forest and the hot spring making sure they were still safe from demons. Having done that and getting a little exercise, Inuyasha returned and jumped into a tree to enjoy the sunrise and wait on his friends to wake up.
Sango and Miroku were surprised to find Kagome with Shippo instead of Inuyasha in her sleeping bag but neither said a word when they saw Inuyasha looking down on them. They set about making breakfast which woke up Shippo who was none the wiser at being moved in the night. It wasn't until they were done and moving about the camp that Kagome woke and that was then that Inuyasha came down so that they could share a meal together.
Kagome apologized for holding everyone up but they were quick to forgive knowing she still wasn't up to full strength and as soon as she was ready, they were on the road again. About an hour or two later, Kagome told everyone that Inuyasha could now ride a bicycle. With doubts and insults thrown his way, Inuyasha had to prove to them that it was true and demonstrated how well he could ride Kagome's bike.
As it turned out, that started a contest to see who was better and they took turns riding the bike with Shippo cheering or jeering everyone since he was way too little to even try peddling the bike. It also gave Kagome the opportunity to rest when she either rode on the handlebars or on the back of the bike.
The trip back took an extra day than it took Kagome and Inuyasha to get to the hot spring but nobody minded much. They played word and counting games as well as learn about different demons from Sango and Shippo showed off his fox magic. Miroku even proved that he'd actually learned some lessons in Buddhism from his old master and he kept it light so that they all could understand it (i.e. Shippo and Inuyasha.)
Kaede's village was in sight when Kagome sensed a jewel shard. "Guys – maybe it's the same jewel from Jinenji's village." Kagome frowned. "…It feels the same!" She looked at Inuyasha.
"Get on!" Inuyasha said and turned so that she could climb on his back. "We let it get away once. This time that shard is ours!" He yelled then with Kagome and Shippo clinging to him, ran for Kaede's hut.
"Lady Kaede! Lady Kaede!" Miroku called out as he and Sango on Kirara were a few feet in front of Inuyasha. The priestess's hut was somewhat separated from the rest of the village. All was quiet and the old woman's yard was empty.
Hearing her name called so urgently, the elderly priestess lifted the flap to her hut and peered out. "Who's that? What's going on?" She blinked pleased and surprised to see her young friends. "Kagome – where have you been girl? Are you well, I was worried about you. And you Inuyasha. What took you so long to return home?" Kaede came closer to them as Inuyasha let Kagome down.
"Sorry Kaede! We'll explain later. Have you killed a demon recently and taken a jewel shard from it?" Kagome asked quickly but she already knew Kaede did not have a jewel shard in her possession.
Kaede became alert. "No, you sense a shard here?" She had not been aware of there being a shard present. "We need to search the village! Maybe we can prevent an attack!" She said noticing they were all ready to do just that and turned back to her hut.
"Kagome thinks this is the same jewel shard she sensed in Jinenji's village just before we left there. It killed a few people and escaped before we could even find out what type of demon it was. It could be anything!" Miroku told the priestess as she returned to them with two bows and two quivers of arrows, one for her and one for Kagome.
Seeing Kagome armed made Inuyasha feel better and he nodded. "Let's go!" They hadn't gotten far when the first screams were heard. Kagome told him to go when he hesitated then he bounded off intent on killing the demon. Miroku was close behind him, the women following behind them.
Spears and arrows were flying through the air. Women and children were screaming and running trying to get to safety. Animals were pulling free of restraints and running about causing more confusion and either injuring themselves or the villagers.
The guys stopped in the middle of the street trying to locate the demon amongst the chaos. Miroku helped some children into a hut and Inuyasha yelled to some of the men.
"What the hell are you aiming at? There's nothing here!" He growled in frustration. There was something making these people and the animals go crazy.
"It's Inuyasha!"
"Inuyasha's back!"
"He'll kill it!
"Get it Inuyasha!"
"GET WHAT?" He yelled back as several of the men began to approach him. "Where the hell is it?" Inuyasha looked around for Kagome but she was still a good distance behind him, her weakness slowing her down.
Suddenly there was a loud buzzing. The frequency causing everyone to cover their ears or fall to the ground, it was that intense. Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Kagome and Shippo all had one thought. Naraku. It had to be a huge swarm of his Saimyosho making that noise and they felt panic for they were not ready to battle at least not here surrounded by the villagers, people they knew and cared for.
But they were wrong. The buzzing stopped and flying up over one of the barns was the largest bee any of them had ever seen. It was fat like a bumblebee. Its wings beat so fast they couldn't be seen but the force of them could be felt. They created enough a wind to stir the dirt and break leaves from the trees. As bad as all that was, it was the size that had them blinking in disbelief. It had been behind the barn which was easily two stories tall and so was the bee. It also had a stinger at least ten feet long.
"How did we miss that?" Miroku asked incredulously when he saw the bee. Surely they should have been able to see something so huge back at Jinenji's.
Inuyasha's mouth had dropped open but now he snapped it shut. "The jewel! Remember, the jewel can make some small demons grow in size and apparently the damn thing's been eating well." He cracked his fingers as he watched the two bodies caught on the stinger shrivel up and fall to the ground before bursting into dust.
As they watched the bee demon expelled some kind of liquid from its mouth. It fell on and trapped some villagers who had been frozen in place by the sight of the huge demon. The liquid hardened on contact. The demon wasted no time in flying closer and impaling a victim on its stinger. Even as it sucked the life out of the hapless person, the bee shot more liquid at more villagers.
"Enough of that! Let's get these people out of here!" Inuyasha yelled to Miroku.
Miroku nodded and withdrew some sutras. He tossed them at the bee and it jerked away before it could completely drain the poor villager.
"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!" Inuyasha used his signature move to free the people. He tossed them roughly towards the monk. They were in danger if they stayed and they were in his way. "Alright demon, let's get it on!"
The demon shook itself as it burned away the bothersome sutras then flew higher away from the newcomers. "Go away! I do not share my meals!" The bee spoke in a baritone startling them. "Be gone and be warned! I have a jewel shard making me all-powerful!" It buzzed as it laughed. "I AM KING – KING OF THE BEES!" The buzzing grew so loud as to send everyone to their knees in pain.
Inuyasha cringed on the ground, hands clenched so tight in pain that his claws cut his palms. Seeing the blood he decided to use it. "BLADES OF BLOOD!" He screamed sending the bloody blades at the demon.
Kagome held onto Shippo who'd stay with her to protect her. Her eyes were tearing up from the pain. One hand covered her ear but it was pointless. She was just barely able to see something red fly through the air and then the buzzing stopped.
Shippo was quicker to recover and he turned to see what happened. "Inuyasha got it to stop! Its wings were hit but it's still flying!" He told Kagome and the others happily.
"Dammit! Trying to cripple us! Well your reign of terror is over! I'm gonna kill you and nothing's going to stop me – jewel shard or not!" Inuyasha pushed himself to his feet.
The bee put some distance between him and Inuyasha. It only took a few seconds for the damage inflicted on its wings to heal thanks to the jewel. Not only did he heal but grew slightly stronger. It laughed again. "You wish to fight me half demon? Get real, your powers are puny in comparison to mine! Come at me then and when I've beaten you, I'll absorb your life force as well!" It taunted Inuyasha but the half demon wasn't even looking at him and he buzzed angrily.
Inuyasha turned to look back at Kagome. "Where's the jewel shard? Shit!" Inuyasha jumped when some of that liquid crap came his way.
Kagome gasped as the stuff just missed hitting Inuyasha. She placed a hand over her heart then focused on the demon. From antennae to stinger she searched and the shard's glow was revealed. "The head! It's in his head Inuyasha!"
"The head, right." Inuyasha said to himself as he jumped into a tree, a rooftop then claws at the ready, he attacked the bee in the air. "DAMMIT!" The bee had seen him coming and had impossibly so, increased the speed of its flapping wings blowing Inuyasha away!
"INUYASHA!" They all called as he spun about in the air before righting himself and landing in a backslide across the ground.
He didn't think this demon was worth using the Tetsusagia on but the damn thing was getting on his nerves. Inuyasha was just about to pull his sword when he got blasted by the demon's mucus, saliva – that funky crap. He was stuck to the ground from the chest down. Inuyasha cursed a blue streak.
"My turn!" Sango said coming back to the action. She and Miroku had herded the villagers to safety and as they returned they saw Inuyasha get trapped. "Hiraikotsu!" Her weapon went flying towards the bee and hit it dead on. Sango smiled thinking that she'd killed it but she hadn't. The Hirakustsu came back to her and she caught it instinctively for she was too focused on what had just happened.
The buzzing got louder again as the demon spit apart and became two bee demons. Neither was as fat or as big as the original but both were just as deadly.
Kagome had headed for Inuyasha when she saw him get trapped but now she stopped as she felt the demon's killer intent. She carried jewel shards in her pocket, like always and the demon had sensed them as she'd gotten closer to it.
"So you have more jewels! You wish to steal mine but I will have yours instead!" The booming voice echoed since it now came from two bees. One headed for Kagome, the other for the trapped Inuyasha.
"Sango! Protect Inuyasha!" Miroku called and ran forward to protect Kagome. Using his staff he tried to strike the bee but it was too fast, dodging this way and that. The bee zoomed in intending to spear both Miroku and Kagome but Miroku pushed Kagome back out of the way and spinning to one side threw more sutras at the demon.
Again the sutras stuck to the demon and burned it. It buzzed angrily at the pain caused by the monk's sutras. Deciding that getting rid of the monk before taking the shards, the bee forgot about the girl and focused on the monk.
Miroku ran away, trying to protect Kagome by putting some distance between her and the bee. He threw more sutras but the bee dodged them this time. It was staying out of his range. Miroku knew he'd never get close enough to do the damn thing any damage but couldn't figure out what to do. If he used his wind tunnel, he'd suck in the jewel shard as well since he didn't know which bee had the shard, he was at a loss. "What?" Suddenly that stuff was being spit out him. He jumped back trying to avoid it but it still came at him. "Okay then!" He brought up his staff and focused his mystical powers on his staff then spun it around before him. Miroku sighed as it worked. The wax was deflected and fell harmlessly to the ground.
Meanwhile Sango stood before Inuyasha who continued to struggle inside the hardened wax with no luck. Kirara was jumping at the bee but it continued to dodge and sending the demon cat soaring with blasts of wind from its wings. Sango waited until the bee's back was to her and tossed her Hirakotsu. Again it connected but it happened yet again, the bee divided into two. There were now four bees. "How can I kill it?" Sango asked frustrated as she leapt up to catch her weapon.
"Dammit Sango – quit it! You're only making more of them!" Inuyasha yelled at her, his anger giving him the strength to break free of the wax. He looked for Kagome and his heart stopped. "KAGOME!"
Miroku had been able to hold off the bee for a little while but his strength couldn't last and the bee's wax had caught his arm. He was now plastered to the ground, his arm and staff stuck.
A few of the male villagers had come out to help him once they saw little Shippo using his fox fire to distract the bee while Kagome helped to free Miroku. She was using an arrow and was chipping away at the wax, slowly but surely destroying the stuff. Kagome was concentrating so hard, she wasn't paying attention until Miroku tried to push her away with his free hand.
"Aaaahhhhh!" She screamed as the stinger entered her shoulder. Kagome tilted her head back as beyond the sharp pain, she felt her energy leaving her.
"Kagome!" Miroku filled with adrenaline freed himself from what little of the wax was left and attacked. He didn't go for the bee but the long stinger. It cracked easily as his staff struck it. Miroku caught and held Kagome as the bee, buzzing in pain soared high away from them.
"You bastard!" Inuyasha roared. "DIE!" He crossed the ground quickly then with an amazing leap, was level with the bee, his sword in his hand. The Tetsusagia already had winds whirling around it. "WIND SCAR!" Inuyasha sliced down and through the bee. He didn't wait to see it die but turned while still in the air and when his feet touched down, Inuyasha ran for Kagome. No! No! No! NO! NOT AGAIN! These thoughts went through his mind as he raced to her.
"Kagome? Kagome? Here comes Inuyasha!" Miroku was sick inside. He was supposed to be protecting Kagome but she'd had to help him and in doing so had been attacked. "Inuyasha! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He held the girl up for the half demon.
Inuyasha knelt and took Kagome in his arms. "Kagome? Kagome please! Are you alright?" He whispered painfully, scared to death that he might really lose her this time.
Kagome's fear had been just intense as Inuyasha's. As her energy left her she thought of that night in the hot spring, grateful that they'd had that time and remorseful that it wouldn't happen again. But the moment Miroku had broken the stinger and pulled it free, except for the pain, her some of her energy had returned. She wasn't one hundred percent but she would be fine.
"I'm going to be okay." Kagome said softly touching his cheek. "Miroku saved me before it could do any real damage." She looked for the monk but he was up with Sango and Shippo keeping the bees away from them. "Inuyasha." Kagome said softly as he hugged her close, his nose in her hair.
Kaede blinked as she finally caught up to them, first at the demon bees then at Inuyasha clutching Kagome to his chest. She fired off two arrows that had circled around Sango and Miroku then ran to Kagome wondering if the girl was critically hurt or possibly dead. Kaede wouldn't believe that. "She's bleeding! Inuyasha what's wrong with Kagome!" Even as she asked, Kaede was pulling bandages out of her sleeve and pressing it to the wound on her shoulder.
"She was attacked. Take care of her Kaede – I've got some demons to kill. Shippo! Come protect them!" Inuyasha carefully set Kagome down, held her face and kissed her. "I'll be back." He promised uncaring of Kaede and Shippo's wide shocked eyes.
Kagome nodded. "Be careful." She lifted her face once more and took another kiss from him. Though weakened, Kagome sat up as tall as she could, hand on her bow ready to help if she could.
"Did something happen while they were away?" Kaede asked Shippo as she tended Kagome's wound.
"If did, I missed it! Yeah they got close but this?" Shippo looked from Kagome who stared after Inuyasha to the dog demon. "Huh, well it's about time!" The fox grinned.
Inuyasha stopped between the girl and the boy. Miroku was leaning on his staff. He'd just attached sutras to the remaining three bees gaining them a few moments. "Kagome okay?"
"Yeah, she'll be fine." Inuyasha told him with a nod then looked up at the enemy, sword in hand.
"Inuyasha if we can't kill them by hitting them, then it's up to you." Sango said somewhat breathless. She'd been using the Hirakotsu as a shield and knocking the buzzing menaces away. Kirara had been a great help at keeping the bees from getting too close and incapacitating them with their buzzing.
"Right! It will be my pleasure!" Inuyasha moved out in front of his friends. "Stay out of the way!" He warned them. He watched the bees intently trying to guess their movements. Inuyasha had seen just how fast they were so blowing them all away with one strike was next to impossible, they would move before the Wind Scar could hit them.
Suddenly the bees flew towards and around him putting Inuyasha directly in the middle. His head flew from side to side trying to see which would attack first. He cursed when they attacked at the same damn time. Inuyasha needed blood so he sliced open his palm.
"BLADES OF BLOOD!" Inuyasha spun around, hair flying. "IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!" He turned again and jumped. A feral grin appeared on his face as he sliced a bee apart without even using the Wind Scar. "That just leaves two of you! Come on demon! Today you die!" Inuyasha laughed.
His blood attack had broken through the stinger and slashed apart the wings of one bee. While his claw attack had only grazed the other but it was wounded.
"Not today half demon! I'll kill you and these humans you protect! I'll feast on this village and make you watch!" Loud buzzing and laughter filled the area. The bees soared higher as Inuyasha went after them.
One of the bees was slightly larger, most likely the one with the jewel shard. It communicated with its duplicate then the bees went on the attack. They circled Inuyasha getting close enough to threaten with their stingers but not close enough for Inuyasha to get in a good swing.
Inuyasha growled. When one would get close, he'd either have to dodge the other's stinger or get buffeted by a strong wind. He was about to chance using the Wind Scar hoping to get lucky when he was forced backward with what appeared to be a kamikaze attack. To his horror, the other bee was right behind him and it knocked the Tetsusagia out of his hand before speeding away. The one in front took the opportunity to cover Inuyasha with that wax again. It hardened instantly. Then the main bee was back laughing as it stuck its stinger in Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha felt his strength disappearing as he spat blood.
The very tip of his stinger exited Inuyasha's chest. "Weakling! You thought you could best me? ME?" That deep voice boomed out filled with glorious triumph. "You'll die a horrible death as you watch me take every soul in this village! Your life force is quite delicious – you are good for something! Feeling different half demon? You should for that wax is different than the other. You are bound in my poison wax!Already your flesh should be burning away! But it won't happen fast; no it will be painfully slow. I shall enjoy watching you suffer – ha, good dinner entertainment!
"Inuyasha!" They all called out but the second bee kept them from helping. It stayed high in the sky spitting wax at them. Miroku used his staff and various trees to avoid getting caught. Sango used her weapon to protect her and Kirara which left Kagome out in the open but Shippo was putting up a good defense with his Fox Fire and Lady Kaede was shooting arrows to keep the bee a good distance from them.
"No Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled and tried to stand but her legs wouldn't hold her up. "Dammit!" She hit the ground with her palm and felt the bowstring. "Help me!" Kagome begged of Kaede. The priestess was already out of arrows anyway so she strung one of Kagome's then got behind the girl. "Add your energy to mine?" She asked.
"Yes! Which one first?" Kaede said aiming for them.
"Kagome – let me help!" Miroku yelled at her and gestured to the bee still trying to either wax him or sting him.
She looked at him curiously then she got it. "That one, while Miroku keeps it attention!"
Miroku dashed behind a chicken coop and threw out some sutras catching the bee off guard and while it writhed in pain an arrow of light zoomed towards the demon's back. Miroku ducked low as the bee exploded sending parts of itself everywhere. "My turn!" He stood up and undid the beads around his right hand. "WIND TUNNEL!"
The hole in Miroku's hand began to suck up the bee parts then he aimed his hand at the bee draining Inuyasha's strength.
"WHAT? NO! STOP IT!" The bee yelled out as it felt a strong wind pulling on him. His wings were ripping and tearing as he fought to stay where he was but the pull was so strong that his stinger was pulled out of the half demon before he could kill him. "I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" His voice shook the earth as he was pulled away from his prey.
Miroku knew he couldn't banish the demon into the void, at least not before they had the jewel shard so he only held the demon a little longer, causing as much injury as possible before releasing the demon and running for Inuyasha. "No!" He skidded to a halt before Inuyasha. His friend's body hung limply inside the wax and what truly horrified Miroku was that he could smell burning flesh. That wax is poisonous and if I touch it, the same will happen to me. But I have to try something! Miroku lifted his staff and began to pound at the wax.
"You okay Kagome?" Shippo asked worriedly for she'd slumped after shooting that arrow.
"…I'll be…fine…Inu – yasha?" Kagome took a deep breath and lifted her head. She saw the bee had fallen to the ground and was rolling back and forth in pain but already its wounds were healing, soon it would be back to full strength. "Where's -?" Kagome gasped.
"They can't seem to get him loose." Lady Kaede said worriedly. Sango had joined Miroku and both of them were pounding at the wax but it was as hard as rock and nothing they did made a dent in it. "Maybe I can kill it!" She pulled away from Kagome and notched two arrows. In moments they watched them hit.
The bee's buzzing became crippling again. It wasn't destroyed but still they kept the thing from getting up quicker than it would have. Of course, all the arrows did was make it angrier and Inuyasha will still trapped and dying.
Kagome…Kagome…I'm sorry…damn. How did I let myself get caught? ...Can't see any more…I want Kagome! See her once…more. Inuyasha gasped.
BM-BUMP! BM-BUMP! BM-BUMP! He felt the thumping of his heart and the racing of his blood. Inuyasha knew he was changing and was scared. It would save his life but since he couldn't control himself in his full demon state, it was likely that he would attack his friends. Attack Kagome. No! I can't! I need my sword! But my hands are trapped!
"Miroku, what do we do?" Sango asked desperately. "The demon will be able to attack soon and we can't defend against it! And he's changing and Inuyasha needs to hold his sword to stop the change right?" Sango hit the wax, looked at the bee and back at Inuyasha. "What do we do?"
He was thinking hard. Miroku's eyes too went from the bee to his friend. Inuyasha's hair was flying about simply on the power coming from his body. Miroku looked back for Kagome wondering if she knew what was going on. The girl looked weak and was trying to crawl their way. At her side was a dropped arrow. Kagome's arrow!
"SHOOT KAGOME! SHOOT AT INUYASHA! THE WAX KAGOME! GET RID OF THE WAX!" Miroku moved away from Inuyasha and reopened the void to buy them some time.
Inuyasha heard and as he felt his claws and fangs growing looked to Kagome. "Do it! Shoot me! FREE ME!" He began to growl.
Sango backed off too picking up the Tetsusagia ready to give it Inuyasha and save all their lives.
"An arrow – to free you? Yes…yes…yes! Hurry! Kaede – please!" Kagome couldn't move fast but she had the bow in her shaking hands. "Be careful! We can't hit Inuyasha!" She would not repeat the past, not when she and Inuyasha had a future!
"I know child, I know." Kaede took a breath. "Here we go." She would not harm Inuyasha for the world. For a while she'd believed him to evil but seeing him with Kagome as he should have been with Kikyo, Kaede had grown fond of the brash, young half demon.
Together the young and old pulled back the string and aimed. Kagome concentrated all her heart and soul into the shot and felt Kaede's power mixing with hers.
"HIT THE MARK!" They yelled. The arrow sang as it cut the air. Wax had attached itself all around Inuyasha but a good deal had pooled at his feet too and this is where the arrow impacted. There was a flash of bright light, blinding everyone then silence.
Your sword Inuyasha!" Sango smiled to see him free. The teen had fallen forward onto his hands and knees. The Robe of the Fire Rat was singed and smoking. Inuyasha's hands and feet were bright red from the burns. Sango froze as Inuyasha lifted his head. His eyes were red and there were purple marks on his cheeks. He growled at her. Sango trembled as she held the hilt towards him. "Please Inuyasha! Take it – take the sword for Kagome's sake!" He frightened her when he was like this but Sango would not back down from Inuyasha, he was her friend.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called.
It was chaos within him. The most incredible bloodlust was writhing through him. He wanted blood on his claws and hands, the taste on his tongue. But Inuyasha could still see. He saw Sango cowering before him, his sword in her hands. And he could her Kagome's desperate plea. Kagome. Kagome. For Kagome. To be with Kagome.
Inuyasha inhaled deeply as that thought kept him sane. That was what he wanted more than the blood, to be with Kagome.
They all watched his clawed hand grip the hilt of the Tetsusagia. His hair flew straight up and his eyes flickered between red and amber. Inuyasha howled at the sky then dropped his chin to his chest. He was still for several precious, anxious moments then lifted his head. "Thanks Sango." Inuyasha gave her a small smile then rose to his feet the Tetsusagia changing its form into his father's fang. He stepped away from Sango moving to finally rid them of the demon but he looked over at Kagome. "I'll be right back – I promise Kagome." He smiled fully for her then readied himself for battle.
Miroku laughed grateful that his friend was in control again. He released the demon and ran like hell for cover.
The demon's buzzing started again the minute it was free. It hovered wildly about in the air as its body healed from the damage it had sustained. The bee became aware the half demon was now free and tried to fly higher and away from the boy. It spit wax at Inuyasha repeatedly but missed every time.
"No more! This is it! Be gone!" Inuyasha used a rooftop as a springboard, did a somersault and came out of it directly in front of the bee. "Bye you bastard." Inuyasha said as he brought his sword down and through the bee demon's head. While the sword cut it open, the Wind Scar more or less cremated it. Inuyasha snatched the jewel shard out of the air and fell gracefully to the ground.
Shippo ran over to Inuyasha and climbed up to his shoulder. "You did it Inuyasha! We thought you'd lost there." His little body shook as he remembered Inuyasha's red eyes.
"Of course I did it." He answered matter of fact then took a deep breath and sheathed his sword. "But I had some help from my friends." Inuyasha looked from Sango to Miroku nodding his thanks as they all walked over to Kagome. "Hey."
Kagome sat next to Kaede, her legs curled to one side. She was still breathing a little hard but her relief that Inuyasha was fine was written all over her face. "Hey. Oh thank you." She said as Inuyasha squatted and handed her the jewel shard.
Inuyasha reached out and wiped away a streak of dirt on her face before cupping her cheek. "And thank you Kagome. You saved me." He looked her over from head to toe then smiled. "My hero."
Kagome laughed and blushed. "As you are to me Inuyasha." She held his hand to her face. "Anytime you need me, I'll be there for you Inuyasha." Her world consisted amber eyes and Inuyasha's touch.
"Yeah?" His heart felt so light. "That's a long time Kagome, I'll hold you to it! Ready to go?" Inuyasha's eyebrows rose as his smile widened.
"I'm yours and yes!" Kagome's eyes were bright and she held out her arms for him.
Inuyasha laughed with happiness as he picked her up. "Now are you weak because of the attack or you just wanted to be held?" He was teasing, didn't really know he could but it was fun.
"Held!" Kagome answered quickly. "You're so strong Inuyasha, I should let you carry me all the time!" She was laughing too. Inuyasha was so relaxed and open and caring and fun. She was where she wanted to be as he carried her back to Kaede's.
On Inuyasha's shoulder, Shippo looked from one to the other smiling. He didn't know what was going on or just how everything changed but he liked it as he laughed listening to them tease each other.
Miroku helped Kaede to her feet. He was smiling too. They had saved each other, killed a demon and retrieved a jewel shard. But most of his goodwill came from seeing the way Inuyasha and Kagome were together - loving. Life was really good.
"Strange isn't it but look at them, they're happy!" Sango said also feeling pretty damn good as she carried Kirara in her arms.
Kaede dusted off her clothes then folded her arms behind her back. "Strange indeed. This will take some getting used to! I'll be along shortly, I have to see to the villagers. Make yourselves at home and rest." The old woman shook her head and walked away while the other couple fast walked to catch up to their friends.
~mg~
As it turned out once they found out that Kagome was doing fine and Sango had properly dressed Kagome's wound, she and Miroku followed by Shippo, left the hut to go help Kaede in the village.
Inuyasha and Kagome stayed in the quiet hut alone for most of the afternoon. She lay next to him and while she napped, mostly Inuyasha either stared at Kagome or stroked her hair as she slept.
The most recent attack had sapped most of the energy and vitality that she'd regained from the previous attack. Her coloring was pale and her movements slowed. She was again in a state that worried him but Kagome was strong and she would recover. Inuyasha would see to it since he wasn't leaving her side.
Kagome woke to Inuyasha's smile. She returned it then stretched lazily. "How long have I been asleep?" She asked him as she leaned up for his mouth.
Inuyasha obliged her and gently kissed her lips. "All day. It's time to eat. You woke just in time." He laughed as she realized that they weren't alone. Everyone was back and resting as Kaede prepared the meal.
Kagome turned further into Inuyasha then looked behind her. They had knowing grins as they looked at her and Kagome blushed. "Umm, good evening."
There was laughter as Inuyasha helped her up and onto her feet. Sango helped her outside and a few moments later, she was back between Inuyasha's thighs eating the delicious food. Luckily sleep had revived her and Kagome was able to feed herself but she was more comfortable resting against Inuyasha.
"I was hoping to go home when we arrived. I was supposed to go back a week ago." Kagome sighed. The meal was done and they were enjoying tea around the fire. "Mom's probably worried but I'd hate to go home like this." She frowned as she held out a hand and saw it tremble.
"Well you've been attacked twice Kagome. I think it would be better if you stayed until you feel well enough, get your strength back. You've stayed here for weeks at a time before, I'm sure your mother understands." Kaede told her gently. The girl really should rest, she's as pale as a ghost.
"Yeah Kagome, stay a little longer. We can color and you can tell me more stories about your home." Shippo was there beside them looking at her hopefully.
Inuyasha combed her hair to one side and tickled her neck. "Stay Kagome."
She shivered deliciously at his intimate touch. Kagome glanced back at him with a woman's smile. "Okay." All it took was for Inuyasha to ask her and it was decided.
"Well! Kaede said watching them. She cleared her throat. "It's been a long and interesting day; we should all get some rest I think." Kaede giggled and shook her head. Young love right here in front of her face and from two people who started out hating each other. "Umm, you two behave yourselves!" She warned them with a sharp look thinking of the smile Kagome gave Inuyasha.
Surprised and embarrassed laughter rang out from the small hut. Teasing and more laughter ended a day of fighting, worry, despair and victory.