Hmm... we're nearing the end of this story, folks. And no, I have no real intention of writing a part two to it, unless I'm really actually that bored. Forgive me. But understand that a Part Two might not go along great with this one. It won't sit well with me at all if it doesn't.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the InuYasha characters

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Chapter 13

'Naraku?' she tried to play around with the name in her mind, but she knew that this was the first time she had heard it. 'But... that's InuYasha.. isn't it?' Confusion overwhelmed her. She didn't even notice that she had stopped crying. Or that the pain had vanished. But above all else, she wanted to know who this stranger was. He bore a slightly similar resemblance to InuYasha. 'His... older brother..? What's he doing here..?'

"You there, little girl." Kagome jumped, realizing that InuYasha's older brother was addressing her. She found that he was looking at her, his eyes fierce against the darkened air. She shivered. "I suggest you leave this place." He seemed to have paused a bit, looking back at the fake InuYasha, before turning back to her. "You will go that way." He pointed to the direction where he had stepped out from. She looked to that direction, nodded slowly, before getting to her feet. She wobbled only a couple feet before she heard "InuYasha" yell.

"No!" He recovered from his shock, and only now seemed to have realized what Sesshoumaru had said, and now he could feel his hate raising, filling him up. "You will not go there! He is mine, Sesshoumaru! His power is mine!"

"Pathetic lowlife. He has no power for you to steal."

"Oh, but he does. You see, I was referring to your father." An evil sort of grin spread over the impostor InuYasha's face. Kagome, still not having grasped the idea that he was an imitation of her lover, couldn't believe what she had heard him say. She shook her head, a sudden hate filling her up. If he had broken up with her just to gain the powers of his dead father, then her rage alone wouldn't be a fair punishment. She looked over to Sesshoumaru, but only found him remaining as cool and collected as he had came. It didn't make her feel any better.

"My father's grave is unknown, even to me. You will never find it, Naraku."

"Oh, but that is where you are wrong. Unlike you, I have an idea as to where it is. It wasn't hard, what with my..." he looked over to Kagome, noticing her new-found hatred for him, and chuckled inwardly. "Children's powers."

Sesshoumaru's expression changed, only slightly. Kagome, however, looked like something had suddenly jumped out and smacked her in the face. 'Ch-children...?' This was it. Her heart was now a pile of dust blowing away in the wind. She struggled to fight back more tears.

Sesshoumaru had smelt it before they came. "Girl." he spoke out so suddenly, Kagome jumped again, and looked up at him just as she was about to breakdown. He looked hard at her, into her eyes. She reverted her gaze to the crescent moon on his forehead. "I told you to go." Without a second thought, she turned and disappeared into the trees. He turned back to face the impostor. "Now, show you're true form."

The imposter only smirked before the skin and clothes began to change. "As you wish."

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Kagome wanted to cry, but Sesshoumaru's eyes burned into her mind, and she refused to allow herself to stop until she was at least out of the forest. It was only a yards into her walk did she notice something white in the corner of her eye. Instinctively, she looked. It was InuYasha. Baffled, she slowly made her way to him, and realized that he was bound to a tree by what looked like tentacles. His head hung, hair covering his face, preventing her from seeing if he was okay. She stepped on a twig, and the snap made InuYasha's head jerk a little, then he looked in her direction.

"Kagome..!" he choked out against his dried throat, and he struggled hard against the bindings. "Kagome, you're alright..!"

"InuYasha? It's really you, isn't it?" She hesitated in her steps as she neared. In her heart, she had prayed that the InuYasha that had broken her heart was not the real one. In her heart, she still loved him. She saw him smile a little, a slight sadness in his eyes. She didn't wait for him to respond. She knew. She ran over and flung her arms around his neck, and he buried his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent.

Before the two could celebrate their reunion, he pulled his head away, and she looked at him. He smiled a little more. "It's kind of hard to hold you when I'm bound to a tree." She laughed a little, tears slowly streaming down her face, and she walked around to observe the bindings, before returning.

"I'll be right back. I need to find a sharp rock or something, Okay?" He nodded. She smiled a little. "Try not to miss me too much." and she leaned up and kissed him before running through the trees and disappeared. He watched her go, sadness washing over his face, betraying his smile. 'Too late.'

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Finally, he finished his transformation, and now, where "InuYasha" once stood, was a figured clad in a white pelt, with a baboon mask covering his face. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed only slightly. "Lord Sesshoumaru. It's good to see you again."

"Explain yourself, Naraku. How were you able to take my father's form without meeting him? And why did you wait until now to make a move?"

Naraku smirked. "There's no need to jump to the point, my Lord. But if you must know, I needed to wait until InuYasha was mature, and fell in love. I needed you both alive, for you both play an important role in my plan. Although, at first I wasn't sure of my plan to begin with. But when my children were able to confirm a few things for me, I knew that I couldn't take any risks. So I made sure that you both were watched over, even after you had left."

"And my father's form?"

"My powers had improved by that time. I only needed a picture, which I got from an old book. That one there." he said, pointing to the book that InuYasha had received earlier that night. Sesshoumaru didn't bother to look.

"I see."

"My Lord, if I may, why did you allow me to live? You knew it was I, yet you did nothing and left."

After some time, Sesshoumaru replied, "You were not the only one being watched." At this, he drew his sword, and attacked the youkai, cutting the head off. However, he knew that it was far too easy, and swung his sword around again, striking at a man, who cleverly dodged the attack.

"Come, Lord Sesshoumaru, surely there must be something that I can do for you." His eyes pierced into Sesshoumaru's own, but was only met by an equally challenging stare. Sesshoumaru's reply was another swing of the sword.

________

She returned, panting, a small pocket knife in hand. She leaned against the tree, trying to catch her breathe, InuYasha looking at her with concern. But she only grinned up at him in return. "I was lucky... to run into my brother and his friends."

"Your brother carries a pocket knife?"

She shook her head, and took a deep breath. "Kohaku, Sango's little brother. they're both friends."

"Ah.." He watched as she drew the blade out and proceeded in cutting the bindings. After about 10 minutes, he was able to free himself the rest of the way. He fell to the ground and Kagome began rubbing his arms and legs, trying to return the circulation. Finally, InuYasha was able to stand, and they both made their way out of the forest.

"Where should we go?" They both looked to their left, then their right.

"Umm... let's go to my house." Kagome nodded and they both crossed the empty street.

After cutting through several people's yards, crossing street, and avoiding being seeing, they finally made it to his home. Despite the events of that night, it was still creepy to be approaching the very house where it seemed like hell to him. Still, the couple climbed up the steps, and went through the front door. Kagome helped him to the couch in the living room and ran into the kitchen to fetch him some water. When she returned, he gulped it down, and set the glass on the coffee table as she took a seat on the floor in front of him. InuYasha raised a brow. "Why are you sitting down there?"

"Why not?" Kagome asked innocently. InuYasha chuckled and reached for her hands and took them in his. She kissed his hands, and he smiled a little before gently laying his forehead on her hands. Kagome whimpered softly. InuYasha grinned more.

"I thought I was the dog here."

"Oh? Then your traits must have rubbed off on me."

"Traits?" he looked back up at her with an inquisitive look. "Since when do I whimper?"

"Oh, you whimper. You just never know you do." She smiled sheepishly.

"... uh-huh... right.." InuYasha shook his head and laid it back on her hands. And finally, he let out a sigh. "I'm so glad you're here, Kagome. I saw the whole thing.. I thought that I really had lost you..." he mumbled. He felt her hands squeeze his before they slid out and started caressing his cheeks. He then felt them slide up around his next, and her right shoulder against his head, her lips gently brushing the tips of his left ear.

"To be honest..." she whispered, "I really thought that it was you. And after my heart was broken, I noticed how empty his eyes were. They were unlike your own. And I knew it was a sign, telling me that it was an impostor. But the pain..." her lips quivered, and InuYasha could tell. He lifted his head and pulled her into his arms, and held her.

"I know. I may not have felt as hurt as you did, but I was in pain too. Kagome, I love you."

Kagome trembled, and balled her fists into his shirt. She choke back a few tears and furiously rubbed her eyes against his chest. She looked up at him, a smile fighting to stay on her face, and she reached up and pulled InuYasha down to into a kiss. InuYasha deepened it, struggling to stuff every emotion he felt from that night into it, whether it was pain, frustration, or love. But his kisses were challenged by Kagome's own, and both fought against each other to show how they felt. But it didn't last long. A cold laughter broke through the room, and the couple broke away and looked around in panic.

"InuYasha, it's time you served your role." The voice was as cold as ice, and somehow held a familiar tone to Kagome. After some quick thought, she realized who it was.

"Naraku!"

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So, uh... my modem is smashed, and it's just barely working. I'll be getting a new one soon... hopefully. I seem to have the worst of luck when it comes to computers... ~_~
Also, I know this chapter is a bit, well... EVERYWHERE. My apologies.