A/N: I still don't own the right to InuYasha...someday...someday...

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Shippo sat contently in Kagome's lap as she played with his hair and watched the world around her. She watched as the wild flowers bloomed and swayed gently in the breeze, helping to ease her mind from the dull ache that was beginning to grow in her head and along the wounds inflicted by the rogue demon in the woods. She watched as the grass began to bend with the wild flowers and a faint smile traced her lips at the simple joy for Kagome knew that unless she received an antedote made from a bone of the demon she had slain, it would be one of the last times she'd be able to simply sit and enjoy nature. Unless Kagome received the treatment she needed, she was going to die.

The miko never heard the hanyou approaching. Even after Shippo had tugged on the sleeve of the traditional miko garb that Kaede had given her, Kagome only faintly registered that someone was approaching. She could feel her strength fading and her alertness was tagging along for the ride.

Inuyasha approached with his ears pinned back and his arms swinging at his sides. He allowed his eyes to trail over her frame and he could feel a deep sadness tugging on his heart as he looked on. He watched as she blinked away the mirth and zest for life that was usually so evident in her hazel eyes. Every blink, every droop of her now heavy lids, seemed to pull more and more energy from her life. Inuyasha squirmed ncomfortably, but continued to survey the one that owned his heart.

Her complexion was unusually pale and seemed to reflect the sun like that of smooth water. Subconsciously, Inuyasha ran a hand thourhg his hair as he looked upon her ebony tresses. Every strand seemed to be tangled and lacked the beautiful luster with which it usually glittered. In fact, it seemed to trap the light and hold it close, unwilling to let any of it go, resulting in a deep pool of black which Inuyasha had never seen before.

He visibly shivered as she turned to face him and it only then registered that she was taking on a very grim likeness to Kikyo. Of course, Kaede had stripped her tattered school uniform from her body and replaced it with the traditional priestess garbs which did little to shake the vision of his long lost love. He felt himself stuttering as the miko's hair spread across her shoulders and she gazed solemnly at the young man in her view. It wasn't until she smiled and what little life circulated through her body appeared in her soft features and deep within her eyes that Inuyasha recognized the girl of the future that had taught him to live and to love.

"How...How are you feeling, Kagome?"

He spoke tenderly as he allowed himself to get closer, startling Shippo away from the couple. He watched as the young kitsune dashed towards the back of Kaede's hut to splash in a small stream nearby before he sat next to Kagome, averting his gaze the entire time.

"I'm alright," she began with a fatigue deep set in her voice that Inuyasha had never heard before, "I'm alright thanks to you, you know."

He braved a glance up to her face and felt a faint blush creeping over his cheeks at her words. He allowed the pride to wash over him in a small wave as he realized that he really had saved her life, but he knew that he had much farther to go to rescue her from death. He was about to speak again in an attempt to stir some kind of argument when he saw something brown glinting from a chord around her neck.

"What is that thing?" he asked callously while pointing a clawed finger to her throat.

"This is a piece of claw that Kaede found deep in my hip," she began as she fingered the remains of the tiger demon, "Its...its this thing that's poisoned me."

So its true then. She really is...dying.

"I should've known it was there. I should've known...I should've been able to..."

His words were lost, however, as Kagome leaned her small frame against his shoulder and closed her eyes. He could feel the warmth of her body burning through his haori and he inched himself closer, willing her to take what strength she needed from him to heal properly.

"You couldn't have found it, Inuyasha. Kaede was only able to see it with her miko powers. That's how the demon works," she explained as she snuggled deeper into his chest, leaning her head back to look up into his glinting amber eyes. She willed herself to show the love that she felt for him in that single gaze and she smiled a bit as he blushed and looked away.

Kagome was caught off guard as she felt something warm and strong wrap around her waist; she was even more flabbergasted when she saw the familiar claws of her hanyou companion. She felt a jolt of anxiety and joy run through her body at his simple caring yet possessive action and she prayed that nothing would interrupt this moment.

"Kagome, I...I..." he began as he looked into her waiting eyes. He could feel the tongue drying with the strained effort to talk to her. He wanted nothing more than to pick her up and whisk her away from her current troubles. He wanted to run, sprinting as fast as he could so he could watch her illness leave her body with the velocity of his pounding feet against the earth. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms and keep her against his body. He wanted nothing more than to be with her and her with him.

"Its ok, you don't have to say it."

She snuggled deeper into his side, leaning on her hip and allowing her legs to go to the side in the process. She felt protected in his arms as she lay under the tree. It was almost ironic in a way that he was protecting her under the same tree that he predecessor had pinned him to so many years ago. She felt like she should be protecting him from the aura of the tree that so desperately wanted him back even though she knew it was powerless to do anything more than stand tall with its leaves shaking in the breeze.

"No, Kagome," he stated simply as he pulled his arm tighter around her, "this really needs to be said. I don't...I don't know if I..."

She looked up into his eyes and was shocked when she saw a translucent well of tears beginning to form in his eyes. She felt herself pouting as she watched his emotions bloom on his face and slowly, she reached a tired hand up to caress his cheek. She gasped and her eyes grew wide in shock as he didn't draw away. Kagome was sitting in Inuyasha's embrace, wiping away his tears.

"Inuyasha," she breathed out at a complete loss for words. She had known him to be sentimental and sweet when he wasn't pestering her for ramen or harassing her about her inferior human abilities, but to see him this raw was unnerving and felt somewhat unnatural.

"K-Kagome. I d-don't...know," he swallowed and gently pulled her hand away from his face as he gazed longingly into her eyes, "I don't know if I can...If I can live without you."

A strange warmth filled Kagome's chest and for the first time, she knew what it meant to feel true love. She had known since the day she first sat the hanyou before her that she was falling for him. At first, it was a need to be with him and to teach him to trust, but it had grown too quickly for her to control and the more she tried to suppress her feelings, the more they festered. It wasn't until she realized she was competing for his affection with Kikyo that she understood her true feelings. She loved Inuyasha and he was openly admitting to her that he loved her in return.

"You don't have to, Inuyasha. I'll always be here for you."

There was hesitation as they stared at each other for a few moments. No words were exchanged and nothing vocal needed to be expressed. The seconds crept by as if they were centuries before Kagome recognized the tightness around her waist and the warm air nuzzled into the crook of her neck. Slowly, afraid that the feelings would vanish if she moved too fast, she raised her hands up around Inuyasha's neck and held him close to her as saline fell from her hazel eyes.

"No crying, wench," he growled out, earning a laugh no bigger than a whisper from the miko in his arms. He was glad, though, that the small of salt had lessened greatly with his words.

"Don't leave me, Inuyasha. Please don't leave."

He pulled away from her and searched her eyes for the guidance and strength that he knew he would need to run across the countryside in search of the cave that he had spent the night in two weeks ago to the day. He searched her hazel pools and searched her soul for every moment of happiness, anger, fear and triumph that he had shared with her. After all, it was Kagome that had taught him to feel again. It was only her unconditional support and appreciation that had gotten him to where he was today.

"I can't promise that, Kagome. As much as I want to, I can't make a promise that I can't keep."

His voice was gruff with emotions that he hadn't had overwhelm him since his childhood. With one final glance, Inuyasha dipped his head low and claimed Kagome's lips with all of his want, need, passion and, most of all, love.

Stars danced in Kagome's vision as she felt the warmth of his body leave her. It wasn't until she turned her head, feeling a breeze rush past her shoulder, that she saw his fire rat kimono licking the blades of grass beneath his feet like a wild fire licking along the bottoms of the trees. She collapsed against the tree and let the tears flow freely. She had given her heart to him, but she wasn't entirely sure that he was ready to give his over to her entirely and it was that simply knowledge that was helping to work the poison through her system.

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A/N: A bit fluffy, I know...but I don't think its entirely off! So concludes another chapter of Hair of the Dog. I think you know the drill by now, please leave me some feedback. Thanks:0D