This is the edited version of this chapter. (From my edit of chapters 1-11)

Anyways, the oh so exciting disclaimer. Inuyasha is not mine, nor will it ever be. It belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan (Shonen Sunday) and Sunrise Studios.

Please see previous chapters for notes, and on with the next chapter! Yoroshiku, ne!

The Next Best Thing
Chapter Six: An Unusual Reunion
by Laura Hoak-Kagey

Inuyasha saw Kirara land and Sango dismount. He took one last leap and planted himself next to Sango. "So, is this where ya found her?"

Sango looked right and then left before she answered. "Just a bit farther into forest. Follow me."

Inuyasha followed Sango. She suddenly stopped, and instead of doing his usual complaints, Inuyasha decided to keep his mouth shut so he could hear whatever she had to say.

"Here. I found her around here. The scent might be a bit faint...but can you pick up a trace of Kagome or even Sakura around here?"

Inuyasha crouched closer to the ground and sniffed the area around him. He stopped sniffing to say something to Sango when his nose picked up another scent. His eyes widened in surprise.

"It can't be!"

"Can't be what Inuyasha? What didja find? Tell me..."

When Inuyasha looked into Sango eyes she saw anger mixed with a small bit of fear. "I found Kagome's scent. But...it was mixed with Sesshoumaru's."

"Sesshoumaru?! What the? I thought you took care of him before!"

"Well, I did fight him. I managed to take away some of his power, but I thought it was enough to keep him from ever bothering us again." Inuyasha's eyes filled with even more anger. "If he hurt her in anyway...I don't care, I'll kill him this time. This way Sango."

Sango was also a little worried. Sesshoumaru wasn't an opponent to be underestimated, and Sango hoped Kagome was safe as she followed Inuyasha.

*~*~*

As Sesshoumaru stared into the small, watered-filled rock basin, he gave a small smile to himself. "So, you're coming to save your woman, are you? Well, I think we may just come to greet you."

*~*~*

Kagome had just begun to fall asleep when she heard her door open. She shot straight up in her bed in order to see who had come. It was Sesshoumaru. "What do YOU want."

"My, my, still a bit testy are we? Well, that doesn't matter. You're to come with me, now. Either follow me of your own free will, or I will force you to come. It's your choice."

Rather than have him touch her again, Kagome rose from her bed as she said. "I'm coming. Where're you taking me?"

"Well now, you'll just have to wait and see. Before we go, take that bow over there. Don't think I'm going to hand over the arrows too. I'll give them to you when the time arises."

Kagome did what he said, and grabbed the bow. As soon as she did so, Sesshoumaru headed for the door. Still puzzled about where they were going and why she would need a bow, Kagome trailed behind him.

*~*~*

Inuyasha stopped and lifted his head from the ground. "The scents are gone. They instantly vanished..."
Sango, with one hand on the handle of her Hiraikotsu, surveyed the area around her. "Well, that might mean they're not far from here. Be on your guard Inuyasha."

"What else would I do, take a nap?"

Before Sango could come back with a reply, a voice filled the air. "Inuyasha...you really should pay more attention to what's happening around you."

"Who's there? Where are you?"

"Tsk, tsk, not even recognizing your dear older brother's voice." Sesshoumaru appeared a few feet to the right of where Inuyasha and Sango were standing.

"Sesshoumaru..."

"Sesshoumaru! Where's Kagome! I know you took her somewhere!" Inuyasha had bared his fangs, and he was in a ready stance, waiting for anything his older brother might throw at him.

"Ah, wouldn't you like to know? Although I'm sure you might not be happy with what you see. I've taken a fancy to your little human woman, Inuyasha. For a human, she tastes rather sweet when I kiss her."

Inuyasha had become enraged. "What the hell? What the hell did you do to her? Where is she? I know she would rather kill herself than work with a bastard like you!"

"Ah, but you see, if you add the safety of an offspring into the whole thing, you'll find that a person will do things they never would have done before..."

*~*~*

Sesshoumaru had left Kagome standing by herself. He had said something about waiting for a signal from him before stepping through the barrier around his castle. Even though Kagome's curiousity was getting the better of her, if she wanted Sakura to be safe, she had no choice but to do what he said.

A few minutes passed before Kagome heard a snap, and then felt a burning sensation in her arms. She tried to cry out from the pain, but wasn't able to make a sound. She could feel the poison from Sesshoumaru's bands enter her skin. What was he doing? Why did he want to control her? Kagome took a step towards the barrier between the rest of the Warring States Period and Sesshoumaru's castle. She had no control over her body, only her thoughts.

*~*~*

Inuyasha was so angry that a look from him would kill. He looked ready to attack Sesshoumaru, but before he could do anything, Kagome appeared next to him. After Sesshoumaru offered his arm, she put hers through it.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped. "Ka-kagome? What, why? It's been so long, why work with him? Sakura's safe. Trust me on that one."

Sango quickly added her comments as well. "It's true Kagome. She's safe."

Although Kagome didn't budge an inch, everyone could see that she had tears running down her cheeks. But she stood there, silent, with her arm through Sesshoumaru's.

[Inuyasha?! He-he's alive? Oh I want to run over to you and bury myself into your shoulders! Sakura's safe? You've met her? Do you know...Sango...she's here too! If I could only find a way to get rid of the affects of this poison...what'll I do?]

Kagome only had her thoughts to herself, but she wished more than anything at this moment that she could move of her own free will. Her love...her friends...her daughter, she wanted to be with them all, yet she couldn't...

At seeing Kagome's tears, Inuyasha felt a part of him cringe in pain. He had never wanted to see Kagome hurt, and this was not the way he wished his reunion with her to be like. "Sesshoumaru! Hand her over! You can't do anything to her daughter, she's safe. So that excuse won't work anymore!"

Sesshoumaru's expression didn't change. "Well, you see, that doesn't matter anymore. This human will do anything I wish. Shall I demonstrate for you?"

He bent down, and kissed Kagome. It looked like Kagome wasn't putting up any resistance to it either. Only when Sesshoumaru pulled away could Inuyasha see the pleading look in Kagome's eyes; pleading for Inuyasha to believe that she didn't want to be with Sesshoumaru.

"See, half-brother? And that's not the end of it."

Kagome took the bow from her back, and after Sesshoumaru handed her an arrow, she aimed at Inuyasha. The tears were flowing even more now, and Kagome hoped that Inuyasha would forgive her for all of this when it was all over. Or at least she hoped it would all end soon...
======
July 2001
http://animeforever.com/inuyasha