Ch 26: The Heartbreaking Truth

Everything was blurry; all she could see were darks shadows. She could feel the sharp pain in her side as she tried to move, crying out at the pain. She was fully awake now, but she felt like she couldn't move her side at all.

"Kagome?" Kouga's urgent and worried voice echoed in the small cave. Kagome shifted the gaze of her eyes, only her eyes, to look at him. He was sitting right next to her, concern in his eyes, Shippo was curled up next to her sleeping, dried tears on his cheeks.

"Kouga?" she murmured, her voice a little sore, "Where is Inuyasha? Is he alright?"

Kouga groaned inwardly. Damn woman, was that all she thought about? "Mutt-face? How should I know, and why the hell should I care?" he practically screamed, furious now. "HE WAS THE ONE THAT DID THIS TO YOU! CAN'T YOU SEE THE RAW PART ON YOUR NECK? HE WAS STRANGLING YOU! HOW CAN THAT BE THE FIRST THING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH?"

Kagome's eyes widened with realization as the events from earlier flooded through her mind, and she went into what you would call shock. "So, he's not here?" she murmured again. Kouga growled and shook his head. "So, it wasn't a dream…that really h-h-happened…Oh, Inuyasha!" she cried out, feeling fresh tears in her eyes.

Kouga stared at her, upset. He felt terrible for yelling at her, and furious that she would cry over that two faced… "Kagome, don't cry! I'm here and always will be here for you." He pulled her closer to him, lifting her sore form until she was in his lap. He stroked her hair softly, inhaling her scent. He wished it could last forever, but it didn't seem like she would let it.

She jolted her body upwards, wincing at the sharp pain in her side. She ignored it, now sitting on his lap with eyes shining up at him in desperate hope. "Kouga! I need you!"

He grinned widely, a little shocked by the outburst, but overall pleased. "I need you too, my woman. I have always needed you." He stroked her back again, moving up to her shoulders. But to his dismay she brushed his hands away.

"Kouga, please be serious! I need you to help me, you have to help him! He is not himself, the true him would never do this!" she cried. "But you can help him! You can help Me! Please, Kouga, say that you'll try, for him? For me?"

But Kouga was furious. "Kagome, don't you get it? Inuyasha has tried to strangle you! He has hurt your friends! I see no reason to help him, for he obviously does not care about you. ABOUT ANY OF YOU! When are you going to see that? He. Hurt. YOU!"

Kagome was in tears. "Y-y-ou don't understand! H-he's being controlled somehow! That bastard changed him, he is different now. I know that my Inuyasha is still in there somewhere, he reacted to me! Well, not fully, but he growled when I said Naraku. He just doesn't remember." She sniffled. "I don't understand how, but that Suratiku…he did that to him. He will pay." She growled fiercely.

Kouga was silent, utterly shocked. His eyes were wide and fearful. "Wha…What did you say?"

"I said that bastard is going to pay for…"

"No! Before that. The name!"

Kagome sniffled. "Suratiku. He…he did this to Inuyasha. He made him do all this, and I want my Inuyasha back, the way he was before. And I will have him back."

"Su-Suratiku?" he stammered. "You mean THE Suratiku?" Kagome nodded solemnly.

"Holy shit."

Kagome looked up at him, eyes pleading into his. "Please, Kouga. You have to help him."

"But, Kagome…Why?"

She was silent for a moment. She really hated doing this to him, and she knew how much it would hurt him. But she couldn't let this go on any longer. She took a deep breath and looked deeply into his eyes, sadness and apology filling her own. "Kouga…I have to help him. I love him."

Kagome saw him wince and look away, pushing her gently out of his lap and standing up. His bangs were covering his eyes as he turned from her silently. Kagome groaned inwardly at the unbearable pain that she was feeling in her side. It was almost to much, but after a moment she managed to push herself into a standing position, unsure of what to say. "Kouga…" but he merely growled at her, hurt and feeling lost. Feeling horrible, she took a painful, hesitant step towards him, and then another. He didn't move, but he wasn't expecting a hug from her.

Moving forewords and wrapping her arms around his waist, Kagome hugged him tightly. There were small tears dripping down her cheeks and onto his muscular arms. Kouga went tense for a moment, shocked, but then he turned his body to face her, returning the hug. He stroked her long hair comfortingly, unsure of what to do. "Kagome…Kagome, don't cry. Please don't cry!"

"Im sorry." She whispered, trying to control her tears. "I'm so sorry Kouga…"

He lifted her chin so that he could look into her eyes, his shining with concern and love. He could smell her so vibrantly, oh how he had longed for this. They were so close…should he kiss her? "For what, my darling?" he asked softly, pulling her chin closer to his so their lips were almost touching.

Kagome's eyes went pitiful, and very apologetic. "For this." She pulled her chin out of his fingers' grasp, moving her face away so he couldn't kiss her. The tears were still there though. "You love me. I know it. But…I just cant do this. I do love you Kouga…" his eyes got excited, "But not in the way you love me. You want something of me that I cannot give. I…I love Inuyasha. I always will, I know now I always have." Another tear fell down her cheek. "And I absolutely hate this. I hate doing this to you, because I know how you feel, what you think of me. And it is killing me inside to have to do this, because I don't want you to hate me." She couldn't control her tears now, and she was sobbing into his shoulder, clinging to him tightly.

Kouga was tense for a moment as he digested what she had just said, and she wasn't sure what to make of it. He loved her…he wanted to be with her forever, but she didn't. It broke his heart to hear her say that. But, it hurt even more when she was blaming herself for telling him this, for making him feel this way. "Kagome, I could never hate you." He said softly, giving her a reassuring hug.

Lifting her head, Kagome stared at him hopefully. "Do you mean it?"

He paused before answering. Hate her? Would he hate her now that she had rejected him? Could he not hate her for it? He was thinking very deeply. "Yes, Kagome. I could never hate you. I will always love you."

If only that wasn't so…she knew what he meant by it. He could not continue to have these feelings, or he would never be able to move on. "Kouga, please. I want us only to be friends. You are like my brother, I could never love you as more. Can you accept that?"

Kouga nodded solemnly, not looking at her. Kagome wasn't sure if that was the case just yet, but it would become so with time. Her eyes were bright and happy as they stood there, hugging each other and saying nothing. None of them moved, none of them spoke. One was happy that the misunderstanding would be alright, and the other was torn to pieces, heart breaking as he gave her the brotherly hug. He was trying so hard to accept it, but he just couldn't…Oh, Kagome. Why? Why can't you love me?

"Nice little show. But would you two mind breaking it up and explaining where we are?" came an obnoxious voice.

Kagome and Kouga leapt away from each other, Kagome blushing furiously and Kouga angry. He leapt over to Miroku and grabbed him by the collar. "How long have you been awake, monk?" he growled fiercely. He was rewarded with a girly giggle from the woman beside him. Was SHE awake too? His eyes darted to the kitsune, and he noticed that his eyes were wide open too! Damn them!

"Long enough." Miroku grinned. "So are you gonna help us save Inuyasha or not?"

Growling and looking away, Kouga was feeling an overwhelming anger and renewed hurt that they also wanted to help the Hanyou. Kagome laid a gentle hand on his shoulder comfortingly. In response he let go of Miroku, who fell back down to the ground with a loud groan. "Please, Kouga. We need your help. Will you do it?" he still looked hesitant. "Will you do it for me? Please?"

Kouga groaned. "Alright, Kagome. I'll help mutt face, only if it's what you want. I'll do it for you."

Kagome's face exploded with happiness as she nodded her head at lightning speed. She regretted it instantly, for she felt a sudden dizzy spell wash over her, and she soon lost her balance. "Uh…" she moaned as she fell, feeling herself be caught by strong arms.

"Kagome, you shouldn't have been up in the first place." Kouga scolded, laying her back down on the ground where she was before.

She tried to push away his worries by sitting up, but that was about all she could do in the pain. "Kouga, stop worrying, I'm perfectly fine! We have to go to see Inuyasha!"

Kouga growled. "No, Kagome. You aren't going anywhere. Its bad enough dog-turd hurt you like this, but I'm not going to let you move around this much and make it worse."

She glared up at him furiously. "Kouga, STOP CALLING HIM THAT! He has a name you know. And you do know it! Say it!"

"Why should I?" Kagome gave him a death glare, and he backed up fearfully. "Alright, alright! Inuyasha! Inuyasha!"

Backing down satisfied, Kagome started talking to him sweetly. "So, Kouga. When do we leave?"

"We are not doing anything. You and your friends are far too injured to go anywhere."

Kagome looked down at her wound, surprised when she saw neatly wrapped bandages on her side. "How…"

Shippo popped up next to Kagome. "Don't you remember? Last time…well, the time before last time we saw Kouga, you gave him some bandages!"

"Good thing too. They have helped me, my boys, and now you. I don't know where you got them, but they are really handy." Kouga muttered in thanks.

"Glad to help." She thought for a moment, desperation coming back to her. "What are we going to do?"

Kouga watched her, feeling totally useless because he couldn't comfort her. Then an idea struck him. "Kagome, I will go and see Inuyasha." She made to protest, but he silenced her. "Not fight him. See him. I will go and take a look at what we are up against. And then, Kagome, we will figure out what to do." She was going to protest again, but his heart was set on making her feel better, so he ignored her. "Hikkaku! Ginta! Get in here!" the two wolf demons came running in at their master's call.

"Kouga, what is it?" Ginta asked curiously.

Kouga smirked, "Stay here and Protect Kagome and her friends. I won't be gone too long. I'll be back soon, Kagome!" With that he bolted out the cave, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

"Kouga!" Kagome screamed in worry, though she instantly regretted it. As she called out her throat screeched in protest, soon leading to a small coughing fit. Everyone watched her worriedly trying to help her, but she cared nothing about their concerns: she was too worried about Kouga. Oh, please Inuyasha. Don't kill him. Please dont hurt him!

Kouga was running along a hidden trail in the forest, his nose alert for the scent of dog. Nothing here, nothing there…he had to find that mutt! It was the only thing that would make Kagome happy! Then he stopped, lifting his nose to the air sniffing carefully. That smelled like the mutts scent, but different. This was no Hanyou scent. This was the scent of a full demon. Kouga's eyes were wide, was this what Kagome meant by he had changed? He sniffed again. He was very close. Kouga took off running towards the scent, now very curious as to what it was. He paused In the trail, suddenly face to face with someone.

Kouga looked forwards, staring at the man in front of him in shock. It was almost frightening, because the changes were so evident from the mutt face he was used to. The man he saw in front of him was no Hanyou, oh no he was a fully fledged dog demon, and had a sort of menacing aura to him. He had long silver hair, longer then he remembered Inuyasha haveing, several purple streaks down his face, and…a furry boa?

Come on, this is ME we are talking about! How can you not expect a cliffy? Hope you enjoyed. pls pls pls review, it makes me so much eager to write!