Chapter 20: Saving Shippo

Only a week after seeing her, Inuyasha found that his last moment he had actually shared with Kagome was now his drive to find even more Jewel Shards. He had not slept in days, and Kikyo had followed him everywhere just to handle whatever he could find. Naraku had obviously not had any of his minions around anymore, because now they had about another quarter of the Sacred Jewel in their possession.

Miroku and Sango had taken Shippo back to Kaede's due to a cold. He had been coughing a lot for the past few days. And even though he really wasn't willing to admit it, Inuyasha was worried about the little guy.

Kagome had been taking care of him for so long now, that even without her around, he knew that Shippo was his responsibility now. He was in an odd way like a son or a little annoying brother to him, so now he was taking charge of things until Kagome could come back.

"Inuyasha, wait!" Kikyo shouted as she readied her bow once more. "Another sacred jewel shard is coming this way. Be careful!"

He smirked as he cracked his knuckles once more. After placing his tiny headphones in his ears, Inuyasha waited for the demon with the shard to appear.

Turning on his iPod at the last second and pulling Tetsusaiga from it's sheath, Inuyasha allowed the hard and heavy rock song to focus him as the large snake demon tried to attack.

Go!

Lunging for it's throat, Inuyasha whipped the sword around in front of him. After dodging a frontal attack by the beast, he slid across the ground, using the sword as a shield as he went under the demon's spiked belly. As he stood up again, the grin on his face was only one most other demons would fear, but this one charged at him.


Stapled shut, inside an outside world and I'm
Sealed in tight, bizarre but right at home
Claustrophobic, closing in and I'm
Catastrophic, not again
I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline
I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene
Catch me up on all your sordid little insurrections,
I've got no time to lose, and I'm just caught up in all the cattle

Missing only by a few inches, Inuyasha jumped away as the demon's teeth closed in on him. At the last second, he managed to swing at the beast, which must have been at east fifty feet in length, and managed to nick it's scaly flesh. Causing a green blood to spill from it's side.

Fray the strings
Throw the shapes
Hold your breath
Listen!

Kikyo watched on in shock at his determination to kill this evil demon, and noticed the headphones once more in his ears and rolled her eyes. That was not music in her mind. Sitting down now, she watched from a safe distance with boredom written on her face. He was only playing with the large snake. And for Inuyasha, the game had only just begun.

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

As he forced himself to turn around suddenly, Inuyasha grinned as the beast came close to him. Holding his sword up at it's normal angle, he felt the fire rise in him as the beast bared his own fangs at him now for intruding on it's rampage.

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

Grinning at the snake as his teeth now showed behind his grey and green lips, Inuyasha hopped into the nearest tree and held a stance, waiting for the beast to attack him

I'm ripped across the ditch, and settled in the dirt and I'm
I wear you like a stitch, yet I'm the one who's hurt
Pay attention to your twisted little indiscretions
I've got no right to win, I'm just caught up all the battles

When the snake finally took the bait, Inuyasha flashed his fangs menacingly at the creature as he dove underneath to the ground bellow, watching as the large snake already began to entangle himself in the large old oak tree. When the beast became snagged from the very bottom of it's tail did he hop onto another branch, egging him on by crooking his finger at him and smiling.

Locked in clutch
Pushed in place
Hold your breath
Listen!

As the snake came close, Inuyasha hopped into another part of the tree, jumping from limb to limb faster than the demon could even keep up with him. When he reached the top, he looked back at the large snake and smiled.

He was winning.

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

Without any warning, a branch or two snapped from the pressure of the long body entangled in the tree. Inuyasha felt his feet go out from under him as he began to fall. But caught a stray branch just before being in range of the snakes gapping open mouth.

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

Looking around suddenly to see if he had any leverage still on the creature, Inuyasha used his one arm on the branch to bring him back up. As his feet landed, he found that there was almost nowhere to go. The snake could have easily dived for him if he went down, and could even possibly snap at him if he tried going across the weak branches of the top of the tree. Looking at the beast as it snarled, drool oozing from it's teeth and causing acidic holes to form where it landed, he smiled as an idea came to mind.

My end
It justifies my means
All I ever do is delay
My every attempt to evade
The end of the road and my end
It justifies my means
All I ever do is delay
My every attempt to evade
THE END OF THE ROAD!

Moving quickly, Inuyasha found a small footing were the beast could not reach him, as he tried to lunge for him once more, Inuyasha blasted him with the side of the blade, catching just by luck some of the very saliva that was so dangerous and smearing it across the top of the beasts forehead and eyes roughly. When the sacred jewel was exposed, Inuyasha went to rip it out of the forehead, but the beast pulled back suddenly, making him lose his balance.

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

As the sword fell to the ground as he was smashed into the large trunk of the tree, Inuyasha growled at the beast. As it went in for a final attack, aiming right for Inuyasha's throat, he dodged and ran down the tree.

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

The demon followed, and as Inuyasha dodged from branch to branch, another set fell not too far behind. Running as fast as he could, Inuyasha grabbed his sword after running to it, and turned around on a pivot, holding it right at the demon's forehead once more. Only this time, the large snake could not dodge him.

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

Watching as the snake was only mere seconds away from being impaled on his sword, Inuyasha chuckled lightly. And without feeling the need to toy with the annoyance anymore, Inuyasha went in for the final blow.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, OH!

As the sword impaled the skull of the large snake, Inuyasha smirked as the jewel shard fell out and the beast slowly shrank away into nothingness. Obviously the creature had used all of it's strength and soul's power when it had come across the shard in the woods. But now, as Kikyo finally walked up to him as he sheathed his sword did he take his headphones off.

"I feel much better now," he said with an evil smile.

Rolling her eyes at him, Kikyo picked up the blackened shard, turning it back to it's original rosey pink shade instantly.

"I'm sure you do," she said dully to him. Even she was beginning to dislike his little toy from the future. Mainly because everytime he used it, all she ever heard was the same loud screaming on the ends of both of those tiny contraptions he stuck in his ears.

But it made him happy, and very focused. So she couldn't really complain.

"So, how many did we get so far today?" he asked as he wound up the strings and placed the tiny devise in his pocket.

"In total we have about seventeen. You already found your fourth today," she said as she counted them.

"Good, that's almost another quarter of the jewel if I'm correct then, right?" he asked as he moved a few of the trees large branches out of the way so they were back to having the open walkingarea's once more.

"Yes, but I think for now you should return to the village and rest. That snake almost had you for lunch a few times as I noticed. You need to keep your strength up if we are to defeat Naraku," she said matter of factly.

Rolling his eyes at her, Inuyasha cracked his neck a few times and followed her back to the village.

Maybe she was right, even though he refused to admit it, he was a little tired. He hadn't slept in a few days, and even when he wasn't fighting, he was always practicing.

Jumping into the trees, Inuyasha followed her from above. If anyone even tried to steal the shards from her, he would be the first to notice.

Looking back down at her, he couldn't help but wonder how Kagome was doing. It had been an entire week now.

He hoped she was doing alright.

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As they entered the village, Inuyasha found himself feeling odd.

Something wasn't right, and by the looks of things around Kaede's hut, something very off was happening.

That's when it hit him, and he froze.

"Shippo…"

Rushing into the hut, the old woman was there, holding a cloth over the tiny young fox's head. When she looked at him, she sighed.

"It's pneumonia. And I have nothing to treat him with. All of the herbs I usually use for this illness have been used up this season. This doesn't look good, Inuyasha," she said as she wet the cloth once more.

This wasn't happening. Not to Shippo. He was suppose to be a demon. And demons never got ill.

That is… unless they were still young and weak. Their tiny bodies normally had weak immune systems, even his had when he had been younger. But this… this was a lot worse than anything that had ever happened to him as a child.

"Sister? What is going on here?" Kikyo said as she entered the hut.

Inuyasha could not hear what they were saying anymore, all he saw was the little boy that had always annoyed him slowly dying right before his eyes. And without the proper medicine, he most likely would not last another night.

As Shippo coughed hard into the blanket surrounding him, he looked up at Inuyasha weakly. With the sweat collecting and beading on his forehead once more, all the little fox did was smile at him.

"Hi… Inuyasha," he wheezed.

Getting down low to his eye level, Inuyasha could feel the stabs to his chest as he looked at him. Shippo was more like a son to him than he had ever realized. And now knowing that he hadn't exactly been the best parent to the child in the least, he found he truly was regretting the way he had treated him for so long.

That is, until Miroku spoke to him.

"Inuyasha," he said calmly. "Would there be any type of medication in Kagome's time that could save him possibly? Is there anything like that in her world?"

As his head shot up and he looked to his friend, he nodded.

After spending so much time in the future, he knew that he could do something for Shippo now. If he went to Kagome's mother, maybe she could help him find a medicine quickly enough to save him.

As he got up and walked out of the hut, Inuyasha stopped and looked back at the little boy.

"I'll be back real soon," he said softly to him. "You're not dying on me, or your mother anytime soon, Shippo," he said to him as he turned to look at the others. "Keep him warm and try feeding him some type of herbal soup until I get back. I won't be gone long."

As he left the hut Inuyasha walked slowly through the village, he felt numb suddenly. And even though right now he knew he should be hurrying, he had a feeling someone was following him.

"Inuyasha! Wait!"

Stopping in his tracks, he turned around. Kikyo was running to him. And way back in the day fifty three years ago, he would have been overjoyed to have her at his side like that. But he knew that whatever she wanted was strictly business right now, and his heart no longer belong to her anyways. And to be honest, he really didn't have the time to stand and wait.

"Here," she said placing a tin tan sack in his hands. "It's the jewel shards we found. Bring those back to Kagome while your over there. I can feel a strong demon presence descending on the village looking for the fragments. I and the others will keep it away from the village. But you need to hurry."

After looking at the tiny sack in his hands, he nodded at he and took of running. As the well came into his sight for the first time in a week, he jumped in and fell into the darkness.

As the blue light engulfed him, Inuyasha could feel his own patience running thin as he waited to reach the other side. Shippo's life was truly at steak right now. And without the proper medicine, he would surly die.

As he looked up now into the dark damp well house of the Higurashi shrine, Inuyasha set his priorities in motion. Right now, Kagome would have to come second. Jumping high out of the dark stone and wooden hole, he opened the doors in a hurry as he ran to the house.

The clock was ticking, and he had no idea how long his,… his son had before everything was too late.

He just hoped he didn't fail him. Because then, he would never forgive himself.

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Even though she knew she shouldn't have been do it, Kagome walked down the stairs from the upstairs without holding onto the railing. Her hip was getting stronger and stronger everyday. And now that she no longer needed to hold onto things just to walk a few steps, this was very risky. Because if she fell, she really would be back at square one.

And then Inuyasha really would possibly kill her.

As she finally reached the last step, Kagome placed her hand on the railing and began to turn around to go back up. She had done this for the past few days anytime she had come home from therapy, and it seemed to be helping her everytime.

But as the front door swung open violently, making a loud reverse slamming sound as it hit the wall and split in two, Kagome turned around suddenly, and found herself smiling.

"Inu-"

"Kagome! Shippo's sick!" he said in a hurried and worried voice. "Kaede says it's pneumonia! I need to bring him some medicine now or he'll die!"

As the color left Kagome's skin completely, she fell to the ground in horrid shock.

Without any warning, Norma came into the foyer suddenly, giving Inuyasha a steady glare as she noticed her front door was now split in half, but he ignored it and repeated his words to her.

"Shippo has pneumonia," he said now more calmly. "I need to get him some medicine or else he's going to die. His body's really weak from the illness. He doesn't have much time left."

Even though she had never met her adopted grandson, Norma could feel the fear rising in her chest for Kagome's sake. She had taken the young child on as her own. And now to hear he was so ill, she must have been feeling the dread pulling her into the darkness by now.

Even the pink stone around her neck was starting to turn grey. And Norma knew that meant that Kagome was falling. Grabbing her car keys, she grabbed Inuyasha's hand and ran out the door with him. Kagome stayed where she was, feeling the tears pulling on the backs of her eyes like needles would had had they really been there.

Now she really felt angry for not being able to be there for her son. Shippo was most likely this sick because no one else ever really took care of him as well as she had. Sure, Sango and Miroku had always done their part for him, but they had never been able to sneak him vitamins in his sweets, tuck him in properly next to the fire and in their arms as she had, just to make sure he had never caught a cold, and… Inuyasha had never truly been kind to the little boy.

But for some odd reason, she now knew that those last thought's running through her head had really changed. The look in her hanyou's eyes when he had broken the news to her had been the same expression she had seen on his face when she had been in the ICU. And the pain in his eyes was something she thought she would only hold whenever he looked at her. But now he was focused on Shippo.

Looking down at the Sacred Jewel, Kagome gasped. It was almost a light grey now due to her emotions being so unstable. As she took it off before the jewel's power could corrupt she soul, she managed to move up the stairs once more and go into her room.

As she laid down to try and calm herself down, Kagome placed the normally pink stone on her nightstand and crawled into bed. Right now, she needed to stay clam.

Because right now, Shippo was the only person who was going to matter to her right now. And since Inuyasha was on his way with her mother to the drug store, all she could do was pray that her son would be okay.

After all, she couldn't do much of anything else but that. And since she wasn't allowed to go to the Feudal Era until she was in fact one hundred percent better, Kagome did he only thing she could.

Just sit, wait, and pray.

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As Inuyasha held the large bag full of medicines Mrs. Higurashi had bought for him to bring back over to the Feudal Era, he began to tap his foot on the bottom of the metal beast impatiently. He needed to get back, now.

The fact that they had been at the store for almost an hour had driven him crazy. The pharmacist had been trying to tell him about all of the medications they were purchasing, but he knew Kaede would be able to figure them out without this old coot's information. And now, he was really too antsy to wait any longer. So, he had growled at the old man, and then they had been able to leave.

Pissing him off today of all days was not a good idea for anyone. Humans included. So, he had definitely let that old man know not to take up anymore of his time today.

Mainly because, he didn't have the time to wait.

As they pulled up to the shrine finally, Inuyasha handed Mrs. Higurashi the tiny satchel with the jewel shards inside and jumped up the stairs.

"Give that to Kagome and let her know I'll be back later tonight to tell her how Shippo is doing!" he shouted over his shoulder as he disappeared over the stone steps at the very top.

As he ran into the well house and jumped down, Inuyasha's heart was racing. What if he was too late? What if Shippo's illness was far worse than when he had left?

As the light finally began to fade just as quickly as it had engulfed him, Inuyasha jumped out of the well and began to run as fast as he could to the village. As it finally came into his sight, he prayed that Shippo was still alive. He would never be able to forgive himself if anything happened to the little kit.

Probably because he now understood how he really felt about the little annoying demon. And since he had almost been too late once before in his life to save someone, he was hoping even this time around that it didn't turn into a failure or even a nightmare scenario like before.

Rushing into the hut, Inuyasha looked at Kaede in hopes that everything was still okay. When she looked at the bag in his hands, her eye widened slightly as she looked back up at him.

"Is that the medicine?" she asked looking at the bag.

As he nodded and handed the bag to her, Inuyasha breathed harshly. His lungs were burning along with his legs and chest. But he had to know.

"Is he going to be okay?" he asked between gasps.

As Kaede looked at the many bottles and began reading them, she smiled and began giving Shippo a few liquid medications that smelled horrible, yet seemed to slowly be helping. His coughing finally slowed down, and he was now no longer sweating so badly as he had been before.

After Kaede had attended to him some more and everyone else had fallen asleep, Inuyasha had scooped Shippo up into his arms and watched over him. He was sleeping soundly, coughing every now and then, but it was no where near as bad as it had been before.

As the hours wound down and night fell, Inuyasha kept the little boy in his arms to keep him warm. He was still sweating and breathing heavily. But it seemed his fever was finally starting to break.

"Inu- yasha?" his weak voice whispered. "Is- is that… you?"

Sighing and looking up at the top of the hut, saying a soundless thank you to whoever was up there watching over him, Inuyasha looked back down at the child in his arms and answered him kindly for once.

"Yes Shippo, it's me," he whispered. "How are you feeling little guy?"

As Shippo opened his eyes and smiled at him, and Inuyasha smiled as well.

"Still like crap, but I'll live," he said moving some of his sweat soaked hair away from his face, then back up at the hanyou. "And… I have you to thank for that."

Even though he tried to grunt, just to act like his old self, Inuyasha failed miserably and hugged the little boy lightly in his arms instead.

"If you ever scare me like that again, you won't have to worry about a cold killing you. I'll do it myself," he whispered with a slight arrogance to it that made Shippo laugh.

"I promise, I won't do this again. At least…not intentionally," he coughed lightly.

"Good, because you scared the living shit out of me and your mother," he said as he looked at him once more.

As Shippo went to answer him, he looked to him strangely.

"You were that worried about me?" he asked.

"Of course I was!" he nearly yelled. "I do have a heart Shippo. And I do in fact care a lot about you, just like your pain in the ass mother does."

The little demon boy was speechless now in his arms, and blinked a few times.

"This cold didn't seriously kill me did it?"

"Almost," Inuyasha said. " But you are alive. Why?"

"Inuyasha, you do realize what you just said to me, right?"

As he finally caught onto Shippo's confusion, Inuyasha smiled down at him like he had moments before, and chuckled lightly.

"Yes, I told you I care about you. And I do. Even though you drive me crazy Shippo, you're in an odd way like a son to me."

Shippo could already feel his tears pulling at the backs of his eyes, and even though he wanted to be strong and not have Inuyasha take his words back, he couldn't help but cry. As he weakly clung to the front of Inuyasha's Kimono, he cried softly.

Inuyasha really did think of him as his father. Yeah, he wasn't at all like his birth father, but he was close enough. And that made Shippo happy.

Looking down at the little kit, Inuyasha's ears twitched rapidly for a few seconds back and fourth.

"Hey, you okay?" Inuyasha asked pulling him away slightly. "Aw man, why are you crying?" he asked as his ears folded against his head.

As Shippo laughed lightly and began coughing once more. Inuyasha gently patted his back watched him intently.

"Hey? Shippo? Are you okay?" he asked him once more.

When he nodded and looked up at him, Inuyasha sighed and smiled at him once more.

"Now, why were you crying little guy?"

Even though he almost did not want to answer him, he did. And Inuyasha smiled widely as he chuckled.

"I was just thinking… is it okay… if I call you my dad now?" he said looking at him almost scared.

Inuyasha picked him up so he was eye level with him now, and even though he knew Kagome would be asking him why on earth he was doing this, he knew at least now, he would have a real answer to give her.

Shippo was already like his son, so, why didn't he just break the ice and make that official for the little guy?

At least this way, he might listen to him a little bit better.

"Yeah… I think… that'll be okay Shippo," he said showing a little fang in his lop sided grin.

Without any warning, Shippo lunged at him and hugged him as fiercely as his weak little body possibly could. As Inuyasha slowly returned the embrace, Shippo began to cough once more, and Inuyasha pulled him away and gave him a stern look.

"And as my first duty as your father, I'm going to tell you to get some more rest. Your mother will sit me for a month otherwise if you get sick again like that," he said winking at him.

As Shippo smiled back and nodded at him, Inuyasha placed him back in his bed finally after holding him for several hours straight. When the little boy finally fell back asleep soundly, Inuyasha gently brushed the wet hair away from his face and smiled.

It was amazing how many things had changed in only a few short months for him. First Kagome, then Kikyo, and now, even Shippo. He was starting to wonder if he was in for anymore surprises, but right now, he had to get to the future and at least tell Kagome that her… that their son was okay.

Leaving the hut as quietly as he possibly could, Inuyasha slowly walked to the well at first, then, began to run to it. As it came within view in the darkness, Inuyasha grinned as he jumped high, and into the well. As time stopped shortly for him as the blue light engulfed him like it had so many times before, he sighed as he looked at the tiny pendant around his neck.

He had hoped that whatever this jem had done for Kagome would work the same for Shippo, but it had done nothing, not even glow for the little boy.

Whatever this stone was, Inuyasha really wanted to know. It was a very powerful object. And since it had saved Kagome's life twice already, he knew it was definitely an object he never wanted to lose.

As the light faded once more and he was encased in darkness, Inuyasha breathed in the smell of the future deeply, nearly coughing forgetting about some of the fumes that still bothered him on occasion when he came here. But he shook it off like he usually did, and used the ladder this time to get out of the well.

As he looked up to the house as he opened the door, he could see Kagome's light was still on in her room. She was still awake. And that was most likely due to the major scare today.

Walking slowly over to the base of the tree beneath her window, Inuyasha looked to the sky and smiled.

Shippo was going to be fine, and he had become a parent in an odd way. Now the only thing's he had left to do were defeat Naraku, and claim Kagome as his.

Jumping up into the tree to open her widow, he smiled.

He was getting closer to having his dreams come true.

He just hoped, that nothing else bad would happen before they defeated the evil bastard. Because, after today, he knew he wasn't going to be going back tonight.

He needed some peace.

And Kagome really was, the only person who could offer that to him now.

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Whew! Well, I bet none of you were expecting THIS!

I worked myASS off on this chapter everyone! And I was working on Forgiveness as well, so that's why it took me so long to put this one up!

Well, it's about 9:30am right now, and I'm VERY tired.

Lol, well, I'll most likely write some more once I get some rest.

Just give me a day or two to recover.

Thank GOD I have the next 3 days off from work!

Reviews!

Toodles,

Me

: P