Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe, but I sure do love playing with them. The rest is mine.

Chapter 6

"I don't think I understand," she replied, shaking her head. "How does he plan to use it on you? It's just a stone, right?"

"It is and it isn't," he sighed. "It's like...fuel," he began. "It's completely useless unless it's put into our ship, right? Then it makes it function and work. My body is like the ship, and the stone is like the fuel."

"So...you need the stone to work?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"No," he sighed, leaning his head onto his palms. "Maybe that was a bad analogy."

"Then don't use analogies," she smiled softly, reaching out to gently touch his tricep. He glanced down at her hand in surprise. "Just be honest. What does the jewel do?"

She watched his throat move as he swallowed, continuing to look at her hand on him as he nodded his head.

"There was a legend about the jewel that dated back thousands of years. It was said to be a source of power for youkai. It would increase strength, speed, stamina...turn us into super beings. One was located hundreds of years ago at the request of our leader, who was seeking to tap into that power. It took years, but one was found and brought back to Inusekai. Scientists crushed it into hundreds of pieces and a small, microscopic amount of it was formulated into a pill.

We had thousands volunteer to try the pills for the greater good of Inusekai...strong, weak, men, women...and the experiments went very poorly. Everyone went crazy and lost their minds, and there was no saving them.

Almost everyone.

There was a half-breed the medicine seemed to benefit...but one man out of thousands?

It was decided that the remaining pills would be destroyed, and we washed our hands of the experiment.

My father," he chuckled bitterly. "My father was curious, though. He wanted to know why that one half-breed...that hanyou grew stronger. So, he met my mother, whelped me, and has been grooming me for this ever since."

"He wants to experiment on you," she surmised in horror, her breath catching in her throat.

"He thinks I will lead the way in creating a new super soldier for us...and it's more important now than ever before that we succeed. We've had fragile relations with the Kumo Youkai for the last fifty years...but their leader passed away three years ago, and his successor shattered the tentative peace we tried to keep. We've been at war with them ever since, and the death tolls are only getting worse. If this works...I could be the key to ending this war."

"And if it doesn't?"

"If I go crazy, you mean?" he clarified sardonically. "Then they put me down," he confessed in a whisper, and she covered her mouth with her hand.

"This is...it's heinous."

"It's what I was born for. It's my sole purpose in life."

"And you're...ok with this?"

"It's my duty."

"It's no one's duty to be a lab rat," she countered, still abhorred by the thought of what his own father was forcing him to do.

"It's mine," he snapped. "I have no say in this. I have no say in anything!" he continued, smacking the table in frustration and for emphasis. She jumped in surprise, raising a hand to her chest to calm her now racing heart from his unexpected physical outburst.

"All I can do is train myself physically and mentally so that I can serve my people.

I've seen the reports, I've read all of the studies - there's no evidence or proof to substantiate this theory. It might have been sheer luck that he survived. There's no proof that having a human side to help balance out and repress our inner youkai beast will be the key to super youkai strength...but it's a risk I have to take.

For my people.

How am I better than any of the others who came before me, willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good? Why should I be excluded? What makes me so much better?"

"Because you aren't really willing, are you?"

"Not when I think it's futile," he laughed bitterly. "Please don't look at me like that, Kagome," he pleaded softly, and she leaned back in her chair.

"Like what?"

"Like you pity me. I can't handle you looking at me like that," he confessed, his words so quiet that she could barely make them out. "I've made my peace with this...or as much peace as I can."

"I am sorry, though. It's...it's not right."

He tentatively reached across the table and nervously placed his hand on its side next to hers. He wasn't quite touching her, but she could feel the heat from his palm against her skin as she glanced up at him. It was like he wanted her comfort, but he was ashamed of himself for feeling that sort of emotion...and she knew she should want to reject his silent request, but she found herself moving her thumb into his palm and rubbing his flesh. He reacted almost instantly, and his claws delicately scraped against her knuckles.

"When does it happen?"

"The process will begin almost as soon as we get to Inusekai."

"So, I guess you won't be taking me home, huh?"

"Someone else will most likely have to," he agreed forlornly, pulling away from her. "Someone I know and trust. I meant it, Kagome...I'll do whatever I can to make it so that you can go home."

"And if I can't?"

"You will have a purpose and a life," he promised. "Even if it's the last thing I do, I'll do it. I'll make it so."

She looked up into his golden eyes, and the sincerity she saw in his honeyed orbs robbed her of her breath. She was important to him for reasons she didn't understand, and he did mean it. Maybe she was being naive in trusting him after everything he had done, but the look in his eyes told her that he meant every word that he had just said.

"Well...dinner certainly took a dark turn," she joked. He let out a dry chuckle.

"Yeah. It did," he agreed with a small, self-deprecating smile.

"Why don't you ask me more questions about Earth, then? Fair is fair, right?"

"You can wash up in here," Inuyasha instructed her after dinner, showing her how to use the "bathroom".

One thing she appreciated about the ship? The artificial gravity. It made things like taking a shower so much easier than if that didn't exist. She had seen videos on YouTube of astronauts trying to do the same thing, and it wasn't nearly as easy as it currently was for her. She felt like she was in the Hilton of spacecrafts when compared to that.

The shower was separated from the rest of the room by (what she assumed to be) a clear glass wall. There was a large, white rectangular surface that was back lit, and it appeared to double as a sink. The toilet rose up from the floor when you stood in front of it, and had so many functions that she swore it should have come from Japan, not Inusekai.

The shower, however, was lovely and easy to use. There was a panel you pressed your hand to, and water shot out of the showerhead at the perfect temperature. He showed her how to raise and lower it if she had wanted to, but the panel took your body temperature and heated the water accordingly.

Inuyasha told her that she could leave her pajamas and undergarments (which she had still been wearing this whole time) in the bathroom and he would find a place to keep them.

In the meantime, she had the sozo box to use as her personal closet...and she had to say, she quite enjoyed it. It allowed her to change into some good, supportive undergarments along with a simple pair of comfortable leggings and a slouchy, oversized sweater when she was clean.

All things considered, she felt like a new woman - her pain killers had kicked in, she had gotten some food in her belly, and she had cleaned herself up and changed into more suitable clothing.

She gave herself a once-over in the mirror, and she was pleased to say that she even thought she looked better.

She picked up the translator from her discarded pile of clothing and turned it over in her hands, and she jumped when it began speaking to her in Inuyasha's muffled voice from the other room.

"Took you long enough to answer."

"I'm sorry," came yet another male voice she couldn't identify. "I had an emergency surgery. I just looked over the scans you sent me. It doesn't look promising."

"I know...but there has to be a way to make this work!"

"There could be," the first man replied hesitantly, "But it's risky. Very risky. Given the mass and the location of the ball, there is no way to save the organ."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting growing a new one and just cutting the existing one out. It's risky because even with all of our knowledge and technology, this is a vital organ. It will be taxing."

"But she will live."

"Presumably."

"Presumably?"

"Inuyasha...even if we grow it in time and the surgery goes perfectly, something could still happen in post-op...not to mention that her body has probably become accustomed to it over time...who knows what will happen once we removed it. This is an extraordinary case with extraordinary circumstances surrounding it, and there is hardly any research to help us along. The youkai who found it the last time weren't as desperate to keep the host alive as you are."

"Are you saying that I should just give up?" Inuyasha snarled.

"I didn't say that...I just think that perhaps you should discuss it with this woman before you do anything rash. How does she feel about this?"

"I haven't spoken to her about it. She's had to handle enough as it is...I...I couldn't burden her with this."

"So, is she really your...?"

"My what?" Inuyasha demanded lowly, almost as if he were daring him to finish that thought.

"Oh, come on...you know what…"

"I'm not going to dignify that with a response," he snapped, and the other man snickered.

"At least you have two months alone with her...with nothing to do…nowhere to go…"

"I...we…" Inuyasha sputtered, and Kagome felt her cheeks heat at the implication that this man was making. It was obvious that they were talking about her...but she had no intention of sleeping with Inuyasha! And she'd be damned if they were going to remove one of her organs! No way. No way in fucking hell! "That's not going to happen, Miroku."

"Why not? Why not give in to your beast?"

"Because that would require a willing participant, and she is not," he replied lowly, his voice coming out in a growl.

Good. At least Inuyasha seemed to understand that any carnal activities were off the table.

"I don't envy you," Miroku sighed. "Why don't you take some time to think about what I said...Talk to her about her options—"

"—We don't have any other options. I spoke with the medic on board. I spoke with five other surgeons who have the clearance for this. Everyone looked at the scans and told me I shouldn't bother. You're the only one who has had a potentially useful idea to keep her alive."

Miroku sighed and was silent for a long time before finally whispering, "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha. It's a shit situation. I can start growing it, but I need some things from you first."

"Send me a list and I'll get it done before you wake up in the morning. Can you get this done in two months?"

"It would be better if I had more time, but yes - I believe I can."

"I don't think I can buy us more time. I have a call with my father scheduled for tomorrow morning that I've pushed off four times already."

"Reluctant to give him the good news?"

"Which one?" he laughed bitterly. "That I found her again, or that I have the jewel? Either way, I'm fucked."

"I mean...you could be…" Miroku replied, the innuendo clear in his voice. She wished he would stop pushing that subject! Yes, Inuyasha was attractive. She had already conceded that point many times before now. That didn't mean she was just going to jump into bed with him!

At least Inuyasha was respectful of the fact that she might not actually want that, even if might not be the worst thing in the—

—No. She didn't. And she wasn't going to, damnit!

"Get me the list, Miroku," Inuyasha snapped, and she heard a beep come from the other side of the door. She leaned her back against it and slowly slid down, resting her head in her hands as she sat on the floor.

Inuyasha really wasn't being as sneaky as he probably thought he was, and she felt like she was slowly starting to piece the whole picture together.

Inuyasha wasn't lying when he said he didn't have the jewel...because she did.

A/N:

It's ok. We can love to hate me.

Announcements! If you aren't on Tumblr with me, you might not know this…but Saucy is now working on this story with me! I just missed her too much. She has gone back in and re-edited chapters 1-5 and I LOVE YOU GIRL!

I do want to thank Elohiniar for the initial edits she did! She went through everything I gave her very quickly and I'm very impressed with how fast she went through it! Much love girl, and be sure to check out her things! I know she's working on a new fluff piece for the Sessh/Rin fans.

Also a brief shout out to Dawnrider for her initial help with chapter 3. A lot of those shout outs got cut during the reuploading of chapters. User error. Oi…

Also, plugging tumblr again because of user error. Sneak peaks. Contests. Updates. Just did an Ask Me Anything for this story and will be doing another one after chapter 10 is live. Like really…come find me! Lemonlushff dot tumblr dot com.

Next chapter goes live on Tuesday, January 28!

Till then!

-Lemon Lush

A/Rs:

Kat: I'M SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY! But it's here now! :D

Guest: THANK YOU! I love that you love it so much!