Disclaimer: I do not own the story of Inuyasha or any of its original characters. I do however own the entire plot of this story as you see here and any characters that I decide to create if any. Thanks for reading.

Kagome listened to every beat of his heart as if it was unison with her own lifeline, with every vibration in rhythm she almost felt her own strength returning because of her happiness to know that Inuyasha was still alive. Sango looked at her brother Kohaku as the silence progressed with deep concern knowing that soon he would question her about everything. She had kept so much from him because he was too young to understand, at least that is how she felt. The past was better kept behind the shadows, and she had no desire to bring such sad memories back to surface.

Miroku picked up the tetsusaiga and held it under scrutiny. He was quite intrigued that just moments ago Kagome had been able to use it in battle to destroy Riakini. He didn't understand how it had been possible, as the only rightful owner of the sword was indeed the silver haired half demon. As he handled the rusty sword in his hands, there was no hint of transformation just a flimsy looking weapon. "Could Kagome's bond with Inuyasha be so strong as to give her the power to wield tetsusiaga?" Miroku thought almost grudgingly at the couple's connection. Even though he regretted kidnapping the girl, he still despised her current relationship with the half demon.

"He moved!"

"What?" Shippo turned around alarmed at the sudden noise.

"I think he is getting his strength back." Kagome said as tears filled the brim of her eyes. She listened intently for him to say anything, but no words came from him.

"Kirara!" The two-tailed looked at Sango as she called her name.

"I need you to help us carry Inuyasha back to camp!" The demon slayer strapped the giant boomerang securely to her back and motioned for Kohaku to follow suit and mount the now transformed Kirara.

"…But… should we move him so quickly?" Kagome said with worry.

"He will be alright Kagome. It is better that we take him back to the forest. He can't stay here all night."

"But Riakini is dead, there is no threat here anymore, I can stay with him."

"Sango is right Kagome. It is much better for Inuyasha to leave this place as soon as possible. Didn't you know that soon it will be the new moon?" Miroku helped lift Inuyasha onto Kirara's back taking him from the girl's arms.

"Oh for some reason the new moon hasn't crossed my mind. Ok I'm coming too then, we better hurry." She quickly grabbed her bow and arrows that she put on the ground earlier and joined the others. Shippo hopped into her arms a second after she was seated.

"Wow Kagome, I can't wait to tell Inuyasha how you defeated the evil Riakini!! That was amazing I just-" Shippo's excitement was interrupted.

"Please… I do not want to speak of these things right now." The girl didn't want to start any manner of conversation or listen to one for that matter. At the moment she only cared about seeing Inuyasha return to his old self. Seeing him in such a weakened state made her afraid for his life, she sighed at the guilt of feeling that he was almost invincible most of the time. "Maybe it is his confidence that makes me have so much faith in him," She thought silently to herself.

"Miroku! Do you have to be so close to me?? There is more room up here ya know." Sango shoved the monk backwards to give herself some breathing room.

"Oh I wasn't trying to be close to you, Kirara just jolted so I slid closer to you somehow, I didn't mean to do it." The monk's explanation was in vain apparently because Sango rolled her eyes in disbelief and secret satisfaction at the attention.

Kohaku shook his head at the two of them without care. He was replaying his sister's words in his mind from the battle. Was it true that he had a sister that he never met? How old was she when she died and why was she killed? What was her name? Who was Riakini and how did his sister find the name familiar from the past? A million thoughts engulfed his mind, but he felt that now was not the time to interrogate anyone after all that happened.

A few minutes later the crew arrived at the center of Inuyasha's forest back to their original camp. Kirara waited for everyone to safely get off of her back this time before she transformed to the smaller version of herself again. It was probably because she knew Inuyasha was badly harmed and she surely didn't want to inflict more pain on the half demon.

Miroku sighed. Now that they were back at camp he didn't know whether he should stay or go. Inuyasha didn't know he had been there before. What was to happen when Inuyasha reverted back to his normal self? The monk sat on the ground and began to guess at what would happen once his presence was found out by the half demon. He felt a hand on his robe and he jolted at the sudden touch.

Sango sat beside the monk and patted him on the back. She gave a nod while looking in the direction of the shelter nearby, as if giving a hint to him.

"I believe it would be better if you stayed in the shelter tonight. I really wouldn't want Inuyasha to wake up and see you sleeping there. Lets just say he may not be as forgiving as I am."

"No problem. I will be ok sleeping out here. I actually think it is best that Inuyasha stays in the shelter rather than me. Especially since soon it will be the new moon, and if he can stay hidden it is best. After all, he will be at his weakest." Miroku said and then thought to himself that it was actually a really good thing that Inuyasha would be in his human form soon. He laughed to himself nervously, because he knew that if the half demon did have his full strength when his wounds healed, he would not have a chance if a fight was desired.

"Yes you are right Miroku. It would be better to have Inuyasha in the shelter. Come. Help me carry him to it then." The demon slayer motioned for him to follow.

Kagome held Inuyasha in her arms and saw her two friends approaching. She moved out of their way so they could pick him up. Miroku and Sango gently hauled him into the shelter.

"Wait don't set him down on the hard floor yet, at least let me get a blanket from my bag to give him more cushion." Kagome rushed to gather a soft grey blanket from her bag that she remembered was there, and placed in the spot where they would lay him. They set him on the blanket.

"I will stay with him tonight."

"…But Kagome!"

"But WHAT Miroku? Do you have any objection?" Kagome said with a slight angry tone.

"No, I just was going to say that this shelter is very small." He said softly. "Will you be comfortable here?"

"I will be just fine, the one I wish to be comfortable tonight is not me." She said as she glanced at Inuyasha's still body.

"Lets go Miroku." Sango whispered as she grabbed his hand and pulled him away closing the door behind her as gently as possible, as if to avoid further disturbance.

"What is your problem?" She said when she was outside of the shelter.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, I hope you aren't actually disappointed that Kagome is spending time with Inuyasha. Miroku if you haven't gotten it into your thick head yet, those two are in love. Of course, she is going to be spending time with him especially now, because of his delicate condition." The demon slayer glared at him sternly.

"I don't know what I was thinking, I still feel like…. I don't know…." Miroku whispered with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Well, whatever you are feeling, please get rid of it. I can assure you that Inuyasha will not want to hear anything that you are feeling towards his Kagome when he wakes up. If you value your life you will take what I am saying with much consideration."

"This conversation is over. I would like to get some sleep now." Miroku said abruptly and walked away from the alarmed Sango and lied down by one of the trees where the leaves were thick beneath him.

"He better take my advice!" Sango thought to herself annoyed at the monk, and then shrugged her shoulders as if shaking her worry away. "He will do what he wants to do, and that will be that," she concluded as she made her self comfortable and closed her eyes to wait for sleep also.

Shippo snuggled up to Kirara who was already deep in sleep and appeared to already be dreaming, and Kohaku lay awake under the stars still wondering about what other things he had not been told about his family. "My sister said that our younger sister was a half demon… then that would mean….all three of us would not have had the same mother." Kohaku's conclusion distracted his body from feeling tired, and he waited for a break in his mind to calm his thoughts.

In the shelter Kagome softly rubbed her palm over Inuyasha's hair and watched his chest rise and fall. She was watching every sign of life that animated his rigid body. She couldn't sleep. Not now. Not with him in this state. She was afraid for him, because soon it would be the new moon, and his human body would not be able to survive with such wounds. She laid herself down beside him, and continued to watch him sleep wondering if he was actually awake, but unable to open his eyes. "What could you be thinking Inuyasha?" She thought.

Miroku tossed and turned on his bed of leaves and branches under the soft light of the moon. His head ached with the images of Kagome and Inuyasha together in their love. He couldn't stand it. Each moment of "togetherness" they had plagued him like a disease, and he would have liked nothing more than to shake it off like water from the spring. He folded his arms over his chest stubbornly. A few feet away Kagome was spending the night in the shelter with the wounded Inuyasha. Without consideration of the half demon's condition Miroku still secretly longed to hold Kagome in his arms. "How selfish am I?" He thought as he lay awake with the stars in view.

Across the way near the pile of sticks where the fire was burning once before, Kohaku lay awake also, burdened by his questions that were waiting to be answered. He got up and scanned the grounds for his sister who seemed to be resting peacefully. He walked over to her sleeping body, and shook her gently with his hands. Her eyes still didn't open so he began to whisper her name. He was surprised of her deep slumber. He gave her a forceful shove and whispered her name in her ear to make her open her eyes for him. She began waiving her arms as if shooing him away.

"No Miroku… I really think we should wait to have children !" She opened her eyes to see Kohaku and blushed at her last words from leaving her so called dream.

Kohaku shrugged his shoulders and looked at his big sister to inquire of so many things.

"What is it little brother?" Sango did not make eye contact as she said the words. She knew why he had to see her.

He responded by silence with disappointment in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I never told you about our sister. Come. We will talk about this elsewhere, while everyone is sleeping if we must do it now." She motioned for Kohaku to follow as she walked lightly upon the grass to lead him away from the forest of Inuyasha. They happened upon an empty area where the trees cleared conveniently for them, and large rocks populated near a soundless river.

The demon slayer yawned as she sat on one of the rocks and patted the space beside her to await her brother who followed suit immediately with opened ears ready to hear every word that would be spoken.

"Our sister died three months after her birth. Her death was unnatural, because her life was stolen from her." Sango hesitated before giving more explanation. Kohaku looked at her intently as if telling her to go on through his disposition.

"Her mother appeared to be our mother too. To our father all three of us were the children of our dear mother. When mother died however none of us knew it, because a demon took the likeness of her body, and continued to entertain father. We were all amazed that during her illness she had suddenly recovered as if it was magic or some form of sorcery. One day she was barely alive, and the next she had the energy of a small child. Father counted it a miracle." Sango put her arm around her little brother and continued. "Unfortunately, that lively woman was not our mother. Our mother was dead and we had no knowledge. We accepted the demon as our true mother and were successfully deceived." A tear ran down Sango's face and she wiped it away quickly. "Meanwhile, the imposter gave birth to a child. Father was overjoyed and…"

"…But where was I Sango?"

"You were training with your cousins. Remember you had to leave us for a year. You never knew of her birth, because of what happened…we thought it better that you not know. Father was so happy when he held baby Fiori in his arms, and caressed the hair of the demon who so resembled our mother. He told her that he loved only her and no one else. The demon had fallen in love with our father and was ashamed that she was receiving his love only because she resembled his dead wife. In the room where she lay she decided to transform to her true self in my father's presence. It was Riakini. I remember running in the room when I hear father scream at the change in what he thought was his wife. When I saw Riakini she appeared to be an angel that glowed. You would never think something so beautiful was so evil."

"Well what happened… what did father say?"

"Well immediately father asked the whereabouts of our beloved mother, and demanded the identity of the imposter. Riakini told him that mother had passed away months ago, and that she stole her life where she left it. Father was furious at such deceit and cursed the demon, and told her to get far away from the village by sunrise. He took the baby Fiori, our sister, away from her, and pushed her out of the shelter. Riakini laughed at fathers efforts to push her away and snatched the baby from his arms. She told him if he didn't love her than there was no reason for Fiori to stay with him. She snatched our sister away and disappeared before our very eyes."

Kohaku looked concerned for the past. "What did father say? How did you find Fiori?"

"Three months later after the incidence. I sensed a demonic aurora while repairing my hiarakotsu. It was coming closer and closer. I didn't have search for her she came to me. When I could feel the evil right in front of me she appeared, and held my small sister unharmed in her arms. I tried to take my sister away from her but I couldn't get near her, it was as if she was engulfed in some sort of barrier. She told me she had a message for our father. She said, 'Tell him, he will see his daughter upon his death, they shall meet only when their life has ended,' and she struck Fiori through the heart and I saw her little eyes close as the life left her." Sango hugged her brother as tears streamed down her eyes.

"When you came back from training Kohaku we just didn't have the heart to tell you, all I could say is that mother was dead and that was all. I'm so sorry I couldn't save Fiori. Though her mother was Riakini she was still our sister!"

Kohaku hugged her tightly. He was hurt that father never mentioned such events to him. "Well were was mother's body?"

"We never found her body.. Kohaku. We did however give a place for her to be remembered though her body is not actually there in it." Sango brushed the tears away with her sleeve and regained her composure. "Ok its late into the night, and I feel we better get back to the others now… you should come along."

Meanwhile:

Kagome had fallen asleep soundly beside Inuyasha, and was unaware that the half demon was now watching her sleep. His eyes were opened and he smiled. His silver hair had transformed to the deepest black and his body was now as human as hers. Even in his wounds he felt ok to move, because he demon body which he had moments before had healed most of the life threatening injuries. He gently glazed his hands on Kagome's eyes and touched her lips as they were parted. She snuggled to him at his touch not realizing what was happening.

"Ka-go-me"

As if his voice, though soft, was the loudest alarm clock she jolted upright, and her eyes widened as the half demon's eyes were open and staring into hers. She hugged him tightly.

"Wait not to hard!" She cried into his chest.

"I'm so glad you are awake!"

"You don't have to get all worried like that, it takes a lot to make my body not work."

"She laughed at his arrogance, and kissed his lips." He blushed at the action.

"Were you with me all this time?" He stammered.

"Y-yes, is that ok?" Kagome said as the wet tears stained her cheeks.

Without response he took her in his arms and nodded very pleased.

"What happened to Riakini? We have to stop her!!" Kagome looked at the half demon surprised.

"She is dead now."

"WHAT?!"

"I… killed her."

"WHAT?! How did it happen??" Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears. Riakini was a most powerful demon, and was almost as powerful as the freakish demon Naraku.

"I am connected to you Inuyasha, and your sword called for me, and I followed its beckon. I felt an urge within my very soul to use the backlash wave, except there was a difference. It was sacred and took of my spiritual powers for a combined fierce attack. When it was over there was nothing left of her but a ribbon."

"You used my tetsusaiga??" Inuyasha stammered.

"Does that bother you that it happened that way?" Kagome whispered.

"Of course not, you and I are…."

"We are what Inuyasha?"

"I mean you are apart of my strength Kagome, and you make me stronger just by your presence. The sword was in turn inspired to call you. The one it protects…to protect me for once." He sniffed quietly.

"Whats the matter?" Kagome thought she could see some moisture developing in his eyes, and was watching for a tear.

"Nothing! Something just flew in my eyes all of a sudden."

"No it did not, you were getting emotional!"

"I was not!"

"You were too!"

"Keh" Inuyasha pressed himself towards Kagome and circled his arms around her waist with a bit of force. He kissed her lips and rubbed his cheek against her hair as he smelled her scent like it was perfume.

"Inu-"

"You don't have to say anything, can we just stay like this until the night is over?"

Kagome nodded shyly and let the half demon hold her without objection…until the morning light came.

Jessy Notes:

Ok Sorry it took me so long to update. I hope you liked the chapter. I will try and update sooner for you as there is still a lot I want to write. Please review! Thanks for reading.