A/N: I don't own Inuyasha. Feh.
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Leaves crunched. Miroku came into view of Kagome, and his face fell. "No. . . " He whispered to himself. He could only image what had gone wrong. He made his way to Kagome. "Kagome?" He spoke gently. Sango was nowhere in sight.
Inuyasha nodded faintly. "G-good." His head bowed weakly, and then shot back up as he fought to keep himself conscious. He could feel another coughing fit coming on, but he knew it would be a while before he was fully dead. It was going to be slow. His mind drifted over the days events, and slowly he began to recall facts, and fill in the missing pieces. Rage swelled inside of him, as he finally began to remember what Sesshoumaru had made him do to Kagome. "I hate you." He croaked at Sesshoumaru. "I hate you for what you made me do to my wife. . . you bastard."
Sesshoumaru hit him. He lifted his sword and hit him across the face with the hilt of it. Inuyasha reeled, and landed on the floor. He struggled to push himself back to a sit, and the hit had triggered the coughing. Blood spilled from his mouth onto the floor. Sesshoumaru grinned in satisfaction.
Kagome just continued to cry. She had heard Miroku's voice, but didn't say anything. She couldn't say anything. All she could do was go over the last events in her mind. She was defenseless. Like all of those times before. The one time he really needed her, she was defenseless.
She eventually glanced up to Miroku, her tear stained face coming into view. "M-Miroku?" She was hiccupping as the tears still came. Not even thinking, she temporarily took comfort in his arms since he was the only one to go to at the moment. "M-Miroku-he. . . he's. . . d-dying. . . " She just managed to get out before going into another fit of tears.
Miroku took in a breath sharply at her words, and then clutched Kagome tightly in his arms, smoothing a hand over the back of her head softly. "Shhh. It's alright Kagome." he spoke sweet whispered lies in her ear to calm her, and eventually began to hum until she hushed just a little. "I will go see what I can do. . . "
Sesshoumaru took the moment to slam his foot into Inuyasha's side. Inuyasha gasped readily and then chocked and gagged on the blood he had been coughing up. For a few moments he alternated between them, until finally the blood was coughed up and he was able to breath again. He stared at the floor, his bottom lip quivering from the coughing. His breathing slowly seemed to steady.
"You knew it would come to this Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru's voice rang. Inuyasha tried to ignore him. "And the best part is, once you're gone I'll be free to do whatever I want." Inuyasha still stayed silent, and Sesshoumaru took the moment to persist. "I could even have someone kill Kagome. . . after all, you only said it was -me- who couldn't harm her." He grinned. Inuyasha shot his attention to Sesshoumaru. "No." He croaked, and grabbed onto the chair near him, very shakily and weakly pulling himself to a stand. "No. You leave Kagome alone!" He tried to yell, but his voice would not work. He began to break down. He was defenseless. He was weak and dying, and he couldn't even speak. He had no way to protect Kagome after he was dead. "No. . . no, no no no. . . " He groaned as tears began to well in his eyes and he sank back to the floor. "Kagome. . . "
Kagome sniffed, but continued to cry and nodded slightly as Miroku stood. She knew he probably wouldn't be able to do anything-- but it was worth a shot. Right? She watched his form move to the hut, and she continued to stay curled up, her chin on her knees. She stared out to the ground in front of her, her tears drying up and being replaced with new ones. 'Inuyasha. . . I love you. . . Please, please don't die on me. . . ' She thought to herself as her lip quivered as tears sprung once more.
Miroku looked back. "Kagome. . . perhaps you should come with." He spoke softly, and then headed to the hut, his left hand already on the rosary beads.
Sesshoumaru obviously took sick pleasure in Inuyasha's breaking. He grinned. "Crying now?" Sesshoumaru grinned, and spat at Inuyasha as if he were an animal. "Pathetic."
Tears were now freely rolling down Inuyasha's cheeks. And he had subconsciously given up. Sesshoumaru hit him again, this time punching him in the eye. He fell over, and stayed lying there, crying silently. "Kagome. . . " He whispered over and over to himself. "Kagome I'm sorry. I love you so much. . . I want to protect you but--" "Shut up." Sesshoumaru cut him off with a swift kick in Inuyasha's side, which almost as a reflex triggered the painful coughing again. Inuyasha found himself almost wishing he was dead, but the thought of Kagome kept him holding on, just a little longer. Kagome wasn't sure if she wanted to go, to see Sesshoumaru, then to see Inuyasha in that state, but she was so upset, angry, emotional, that it all boiled together inside of her. She gave a small nod and wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to hold back more tears. She had to stay strong-- for Inuyasha's sake. Kagome stood, crossing her arms once more, and walked up to where Miroku was, limping slightly from an earlier injury.
Miroku waited for Kagome, and they reached the hut at the same time. Inside Miroku could hear Sesshoumaru muttering harsh words, and then thumps and bangs. He pulled back the curtain, and stifled a gasp.
Inuyasha had clearly taken quite a beating, for he looked a wreck. His hair was tangled, dirty and had blood clinging to it. Worst of all by far were his eyes, tired and pleading, hopeless. His face was covered with blood and dirt, and his tux was the same, but torn. He was shaking from weakness, his lower lip quivering still. He was coughing as well, and blood came out with the coughs. He looked dead already. . . and Sesshoumaru kept hurting him more and more. He stopped when he sensed visitors, and turned, grinning. "Brought help I see."
Kagome, at first, just leaned against the doorway, her eyes downcast. She could hear Inuyasha's ragged breathing and heard Sesshoumaru speak. It was only a minute later that she looked up. No words came from her mouth as she glanced towards Inuyasha. She stood quietly, her emotions building up once more. The only thing she wanted to do at the moment was rush up to him, comfort him, and tell him how much she loved him. But she couldn't-- not with Sesshoumaru there.
Inuyasha turned his head weakly, and his eyes grew wide when he saw Kagome. "Kagome!" He spoke in a weak hoarse whisper. "No! Leave. . . " He coughed once, but quickly regained himself. He opened his mouth as if to speak again, but was stopped when Sesshoumaru slammed him back against the wall with his foot.
"Silence." He spoke smoothly. He then turned back to his visitors. "What do you want?" He said, a soft and disgusting grin pulling at his lips.
Miroku took a timid step forward. "We want. . . Inuyasha." He said, unsurely as he looked to the beaten and battered hanyou.
Kagome looked to Inuyasha. "No- I-- I can't leave," She winced at his cough. As soon as she saw what Sesshoumaru had done, more hatred towards him grew inside of her. She just wanted Inuyasha back. She wanted her husband back. . .
Inuyasha groaned, his head flopping weakly to one side.
Sesshoumaru laughed darkly. "Good luck." He then turned to Inuyasha. "Want to see how much he loves you Kagome?" He spoke smoothly, and then tilted the hilt of his sword to Inuyasha's chin, lifting his face to see him. "Inuyasha. . . " He said.
Inuyasha groaned softly again in response.
Sesshoumaru smirked. "If you don't want Lady Kagome to be harmed, I suggest you get down on your hands and knees now, and beg." He thought for a moment. "And perhaps tell me how great I am."
Inuyasha stared at him for a moment, and through all the contorted pain on his face you could still see the horror on it. Finally, slowly, he bent over though, and placed his forehead on the ground. "Please. . . " He muttered, in that same sick voice. "I'm. . . B-begging you. Don't hurt Kagome."
Sesshoumaru laughed. "Go on. Admit it. I was right all along. I am stronger, smarter, and all around better than you are. You are weak. Nothing but a small pathetic mutt. And I have defeated you."
Inuyasha paused a moment too long.
"Say it!" Sesshoumaru yelled.
". . . You. . . have defeated me. I am. . . weak. You. . . win." He shuddered.
Kagome at first gave a saddened expression towards Inuyasha, but when she turned to Sesshoumaru, it was complete opposite. Seeing him do that to -her- Inuyasha, got her even more angry.
"Sesshoumaru! Stop it!!" She screamed towards him, as her miko powers basically radiated off of her as she got more angry.
Sesshoumaru turned towards her angrily, anger clearly in his eyes. "Silent fool. Or I'll kill him before your eyes." He bent down, and yanked Inuyasha up by what little of his Tux was clinging to his chest. Inuyasha hung limply at his hand, and looked desperately at Kagome, his eyes pleading with her to run.
Miroku stared helplessly. He couldn't use his hand as long as Inuyasha was near Sesshoumaru. He didn't know what to do.
Sesshoumaru smirked. "I can sense the pain inside of you Kagome. Good. Feel that pain, that anger. . . but know you can do nothing about it." His hand let go of Inuyasha's cloths, and quicker than the eye could see was around his throat before he even had time to fall. Inuyasha's eyes grew wide as Sesshoumaru's hand began to tighten slightly. "What are you going to do now, little Miko?"
Kagome caught Inuyasha's look. No-- she wouldn't leave. She wouldn't back down. He needed her there, and there had to be something she could do. Thoughts ran through her head quickly as she saw Sesshoumaru lift him up. But as his hand clasped around Inuyasha's neck, she wavered for a moment. Her arrows. The one time she needed them-- she didn't have them. If she could just get Inuyasha away from him, then she could at least try to attack with what powers she knew about.
"W-wait.." She took one step forward. "Just. . . just let him go. . . and. . . and. . . Take me instead." She knew they were both going back and forth, in Sesshoumaru's grasp, but she hoped this would at least work.
Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest sharply, to yell at Kagome, to even insult her. Anything to get her to leave. . . but he stopped and sighed a sigh of relief at Sesshoumaru's words.
Sesshoumaru laughed wickedly. "Stupid fool. Don't you see? I don't want you. . . it was my plan to kill Inuyasha all along. You were just a pawn to get him to come here of his own free will." He looked to Inuyasha and grinned.
Inuyasha had lifted a weak hand to his throat, but he was still looking at Kagome. 'She's so beautiful. . . ' He knew it was a strange thought to be thinking at a time like this, but he deduced it may be his last time he saw her. He wished desperately she would go, his eyes pleaded with hers. He couldn't stand for Kagome to see him like this. . . begging and bowing to his bastard brother, weak and vulnerable. He never wanted Kagome to have to see him like this. He twitched violently in Sesshoumaru's grasp, and gasped for air as he tightened his grip.
Sesshoumaru smirked. And then opened his hand.
Inuyasha tumbled down to the floor, landing in a heap and laying there, still. He couldn't find the strength to move. . . it. . . hurt so badly. He breathed heavily, and without any rhythm. Finally he forced himself to swallow, and pushed himself up shakily. He tasted blood in his mouth.
Kagome glared towards Sesshoumaru, but was relieved somewhat as he let Inuyasha loose from his grasp. She didn't care what Sesshoumaru would do to her, and she wouldn't listen to Miroku if he protested, she thought to herself as she ran towards Inuyasha, crouching down next to him.
"I-Inuyasha. . . " She spoke lightly. Her miko powers were increasing, and any demon would be able to sense it. As long as her hatred for Sesshoumaru existed, it would still increase, waiting to be let out.
Inuyasha looked weakly to Kagome. "Kagome you're so stupid." He said as he leaned forward weakly and half hugged, half fell into her arms. "Why did you come back? Why?" His voice seemed to be getting weaker by the moment, and just from his eyes you could see the life slowly slipping.
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A/N: Grrr. Sorry. Long chapter, and awkward ending. I couldn't find a good place to cut it off! Anyway. Review if you want the next chapter. ^_^ Reviews inspire me to keep posting. Don't they do that for all of us? Love ya! See you in chapter four!
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Leaves crunched. Miroku came into view of Kagome, and his face fell. "No. . . " He whispered to himself. He could only image what had gone wrong. He made his way to Kagome. "Kagome?" He spoke gently. Sango was nowhere in sight.
Inuyasha nodded faintly. "G-good." His head bowed weakly, and then shot back up as he fought to keep himself conscious. He could feel another coughing fit coming on, but he knew it would be a while before he was fully dead. It was going to be slow. His mind drifted over the days events, and slowly he began to recall facts, and fill in the missing pieces. Rage swelled inside of him, as he finally began to remember what Sesshoumaru had made him do to Kagome. "I hate you." He croaked at Sesshoumaru. "I hate you for what you made me do to my wife. . . you bastard."
Sesshoumaru hit him. He lifted his sword and hit him across the face with the hilt of it. Inuyasha reeled, and landed on the floor. He struggled to push himself back to a sit, and the hit had triggered the coughing. Blood spilled from his mouth onto the floor. Sesshoumaru grinned in satisfaction.
Kagome just continued to cry. She had heard Miroku's voice, but didn't say anything. She couldn't say anything. All she could do was go over the last events in her mind. She was defenseless. Like all of those times before. The one time he really needed her, she was defenseless.
She eventually glanced up to Miroku, her tear stained face coming into view. "M-Miroku?" She was hiccupping as the tears still came. Not even thinking, she temporarily took comfort in his arms since he was the only one to go to at the moment. "M-Miroku-he. . . he's. . . d-dying. . . " She just managed to get out before going into another fit of tears.
Miroku took in a breath sharply at her words, and then clutched Kagome tightly in his arms, smoothing a hand over the back of her head softly. "Shhh. It's alright Kagome." he spoke sweet whispered lies in her ear to calm her, and eventually began to hum until she hushed just a little. "I will go see what I can do. . . "
Sesshoumaru took the moment to slam his foot into Inuyasha's side. Inuyasha gasped readily and then chocked and gagged on the blood he had been coughing up. For a few moments he alternated between them, until finally the blood was coughed up and he was able to breath again. He stared at the floor, his bottom lip quivering from the coughing. His breathing slowly seemed to steady.
"You knew it would come to this Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru's voice rang. Inuyasha tried to ignore him. "And the best part is, once you're gone I'll be free to do whatever I want." Inuyasha still stayed silent, and Sesshoumaru took the moment to persist. "I could even have someone kill Kagome. . . after all, you only said it was -me- who couldn't harm her." He grinned. Inuyasha shot his attention to Sesshoumaru. "No." He croaked, and grabbed onto the chair near him, very shakily and weakly pulling himself to a stand. "No. You leave Kagome alone!" He tried to yell, but his voice would not work. He began to break down. He was defenseless. He was weak and dying, and he couldn't even speak. He had no way to protect Kagome after he was dead. "No. . . no, no no no. . . " He groaned as tears began to well in his eyes and he sank back to the floor. "Kagome. . . "
Kagome sniffed, but continued to cry and nodded slightly as Miroku stood. She knew he probably wouldn't be able to do anything-- but it was worth a shot. Right? She watched his form move to the hut, and she continued to stay curled up, her chin on her knees. She stared out to the ground in front of her, her tears drying up and being replaced with new ones. 'Inuyasha. . . I love you. . . Please, please don't die on me. . . ' She thought to herself as her lip quivered as tears sprung once more.
Miroku looked back. "Kagome. . . perhaps you should come with." He spoke softly, and then headed to the hut, his left hand already on the rosary beads.
Sesshoumaru obviously took sick pleasure in Inuyasha's breaking. He grinned. "Crying now?" Sesshoumaru grinned, and spat at Inuyasha as if he were an animal. "Pathetic."
Tears were now freely rolling down Inuyasha's cheeks. And he had subconsciously given up. Sesshoumaru hit him again, this time punching him in the eye. He fell over, and stayed lying there, crying silently. "Kagome. . . " He whispered over and over to himself. "Kagome I'm sorry. I love you so much. . . I want to protect you but--" "Shut up." Sesshoumaru cut him off with a swift kick in Inuyasha's side, which almost as a reflex triggered the painful coughing again. Inuyasha found himself almost wishing he was dead, but the thought of Kagome kept him holding on, just a little longer. Kagome wasn't sure if she wanted to go, to see Sesshoumaru, then to see Inuyasha in that state, but she was so upset, angry, emotional, that it all boiled together inside of her. She gave a small nod and wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to hold back more tears. She had to stay strong-- for Inuyasha's sake. Kagome stood, crossing her arms once more, and walked up to where Miroku was, limping slightly from an earlier injury.
Miroku waited for Kagome, and they reached the hut at the same time. Inside Miroku could hear Sesshoumaru muttering harsh words, and then thumps and bangs. He pulled back the curtain, and stifled a gasp.
Inuyasha had clearly taken quite a beating, for he looked a wreck. His hair was tangled, dirty and had blood clinging to it. Worst of all by far were his eyes, tired and pleading, hopeless. His face was covered with blood and dirt, and his tux was the same, but torn. He was shaking from weakness, his lower lip quivering still. He was coughing as well, and blood came out with the coughs. He looked dead already. . . and Sesshoumaru kept hurting him more and more. He stopped when he sensed visitors, and turned, grinning. "Brought help I see."
Kagome, at first, just leaned against the doorway, her eyes downcast. She could hear Inuyasha's ragged breathing and heard Sesshoumaru speak. It was only a minute later that she looked up. No words came from her mouth as she glanced towards Inuyasha. She stood quietly, her emotions building up once more. The only thing she wanted to do at the moment was rush up to him, comfort him, and tell him how much she loved him. But she couldn't-- not with Sesshoumaru there.
Inuyasha turned his head weakly, and his eyes grew wide when he saw Kagome. "Kagome!" He spoke in a weak hoarse whisper. "No! Leave. . . " He coughed once, but quickly regained himself. He opened his mouth as if to speak again, but was stopped when Sesshoumaru slammed him back against the wall with his foot.
"Silence." He spoke smoothly. He then turned back to his visitors. "What do you want?" He said, a soft and disgusting grin pulling at his lips.
Miroku took a timid step forward. "We want. . . Inuyasha." He said, unsurely as he looked to the beaten and battered hanyou.
Kagome looked to Inuyasha. "No- I-- I can't leave," She winced at his cough. As soon as she saw what Sesshoumaru had done, more hatred towards him grew inside of her. She just wanted Inuyasha back. She wanted her husband back. . .
Inuyasha groaned, his head flopping weakly to one side.
Sesshoumaru laughed darkly. "Good luck." He then turned to Inuyasha. "Want to see how much he loves you Kagome?" He spoke smoothly, and then tilted the hilt of his sword to Inuyasha's chin, lifting his face to see him. "Inuyasha. . . " He said.
Inuyasha groaned softly again in response.
Sesshoumaru smirked. "If you don't want Lady Kagome to be harmed, I suggest you get down on your hands and knees now, and beg." He thought for a moment. "And perhaps tell me how great I am."
Inuyasha stared at him for a moment, and through all the contorted pain on his face you could still see the horror on it. Finally, slowly, he bent over though, and placed his forehead on the ground. "Please. . . " He muttered, in that same sick voice. "I'm. . . B-begging you. Don't hurt Kagome."
Sesshoumaru laughed. "Go on. Admit it. I was right all along. I am stronger, smarter, and all around better than you are. You are weak. Nothing but a small pathetic mutt. And I have defeated you."
Inuyasha paused a moment too long.
"Say it!" Sesshoumaru yelled.
". . . You. . . have defeated me. I am. . . weak. You. . . win." He shuddered.
Kagome at first gave a saddened expression towards Inuyasha, but when she turned to Sesshoumaru, it was complete opposite. Seeing him do that to -her- Inuyasha, got her even more angry.
"Sesshoumaru! Stop it!!" She screamed towards him, as her miko powers basically radiated off of her as she got more angry.
Sesshoumaru turned towards her angrily, anger clearly in his eyes. "Silent fool. Or I'll kill him before your eyes." He bent down, and yanked Inuyasha up by what little of his Tux was clinging to his chest. Inuyasha hung limply at his hand, and looked desperately at Kagome, his eyes pleading with her to run.
Miroku stared helplessly. He couldn't use his hand as long as Inuyasha was near Sesshoumaru. He didn't know what to do.
Sesshoumaru smirked. "I can sense the pain inside of you Kagome. Good. Feel that pain, that anger. . . but know you can do nothing about it." His hand let go of Inuyasha's cloths, and quicker than the eye could see was around his throat before he even had time to fall. Inuyasha's eyes grew wide as Sesshoumaru's hand began to tighten slightly. "What are you going to do now, little Miko?"
Kagome caught Inuyasha's look. No-- she wouldn't leave. She wouldn't back down. He needed her there, and there had to be something she could do. Thoughts ran through her head quickly as she saw Sesshoumaru lift him up. But as his hand clasped around Inuyasha's neck, she wavered for a moment. Her arrows. The one time she needed them-- she didn't have them. If she could just get Inuyasha away from him, then she could at least try to attack with what powers she knew about.
"W-wait.." She took one step forward. "Just. . . just let him go. . . and. . . and. . . Take me instead." She knew they were both going back and forth, in Sesshoumaru's grasp, but she hoped this would at least work.
Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest sharply, to yell at Kagome, to even insult her. Anything to get her to leave. . . but he stopped and sighed a sigh of relief at Sesshoumaru's words.
Sesshoumaru laughed wickedly. "Stupid fool. Don't you see? I don't want you. . . it was my plan to kill Inuyasha all along. You were just a pawn to get him to come here of his own free will." He looked to Inuyasha and grinned.
Inuyasha had lifted a weak hand to his throat, but he was still looking at Kagome. 'She's so beautiful. . . ' He knew it was a strange thought to be thinking at a time like this, but he deduced it may be his last time he saw her. He wished desperately she would go, his eyes pleaded with hers. He couldn't stand for Kagome to see him like this. . . begging and bowing to his bastard brother, weak and vulnerable. He never wanted Kagome to have to see him like this. He twitched violently in Sesshoumaru's grasp, and gasped for air as he tightened his grip.
Sesshoumaru smirked. And then opened his hand.
Inuyasha tumbled down to the floor, landing in a heap and laying there, still. He couldn't find the strength to move. . . it. . . hurt so badly. He breathed heavily, and without any rhythm. Finally he forced himself to swallow, and pushed himself up shakily. He tasted blood in his mouth.
Kagome glared towards Sesshoumaru, but was relieved somewhat as he let Inuyasha loose from his grasp. She didn't care what Sesshoumaru would do to her, and she wouldn't listen to Miroku if he protested, she thought to herself as she ran towards Inuyasha, crouching down next to him.
"I-Inuyasha. . . " She spoke lightly. Her miko powers were increasing, and any demon would be able to sense it. As long as her hatred for Sesshoumaru existed, it would still increase, waiting to be let out.
Inuyasha looked weakly to Kagome. "Kagome you're so stupid." He said as he leaned forward weakly and half hugged, half fell into her arms. "Why did you come back? Why?" His voice seemed to be getting weaker by the moment, and just from his eyes you could see the life slowly slipping.
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A/N: Grrr. Sorry. Long chapter, and awkward ending. I couldn't find a good place to cut it off! Anyway. Review if you want the next chapter. ^_^ Reviews inspire me to keep posting. Don't they do that for all of us? Love ya! See you in chapter four!