Chapter Nine: Dreams and Waking and Watching

It was about this time Kagome awoke with a start from her nap in Inuyasha's nap. He held on to her why she gathered her senses and settled back against him. "Kobito? are you ok?" he asked worriedly.

"It's ok Koi. I was just startled in my dream..." she trailed off rubbing her head she seemed to have a slight head ache that was slowly diminishing. Inuyasha sat her up a little more and turned her so she her back was against his chest and rubbed her temples as he had seen her doing. She completely relaxed into him. She suddenly remember why she had woken up and started to speak from her relaxed position. "We heard everything you guys said," Kagome stated flatly. She was very relaxed and did not want the head ache to return.

"What do you mean we?" Duncan asked her pointedly. Inuyasha threw him a dirty look and he shrugged it off.

"I mean that Julianna and I both heard everything you guys said, about the legend and her magic and the Shukuun no Gyokuei." She opened one eye and looked at Duncan as Inuyasha's ministrations stopped. "She knows your part youkai now." Duncan grimaced. "Don't worry she understands why you didn't tell her. But she knew she wasn't going to wake up for a day or two so she reached out to me in my dream because I am a miko also and I gotta tell you that girl has a lot of power inside her. I think she is scared." She turned in the Inuyasha's light embrace. "Help me up please we need to go be with her. Specially you Duncan. She just discovered what laid buried her hole life and I don't think she is going to be at ease at all even though she is still sleeping." Inuyasha helped her to stand up and held her waist as she stretched.

Sango had listen to everyone's tales and talk for the last hour quietly not interrupting just taking everything in. Miroku after his tale had remained oddly quiet to. Shippo had rode out the rest of the conversation on her shoulder letting the adults talk. As they all stood she looked directly at Duncan and asked him, "Once the power is recovered from you mate what will you do with the Shukuun no Gyokuei?" She didn't know this hanyou so as per her job in life she was sizing up the challenge he might face with that kinda of power. Duncan just shook his head at her. He could understand her lack of trust for he was a new comer, but he still felt slightly angry but took it all in stride.

"Truthfully, I don't want to have anything to do with the damn thing! I wish I could smash it or throw it into the deepest sea or just loose it. But that is not going to happen with my mate being a reborn miko. She is going to have to hold on to it and keep it safe which means I must keep her safe." Inuyasha and Duncan exchanged knowing glances. Sango nodded her approval of his answer as did Miroku.

"You are very devoted to your wife Duncan-sama. It is good to see another demon on our side." He looked at the hanyou curiously. "Just out of curiosity how did you keep you demon appearance secret from you mate so long she did not know?"

"A disguise spell passed down to me from my grandfather to my father then me. It has come in useful to cover up my claws, ears, and fangs. However besides that there was not much else to conceal." He looked back down the hallway. "It was just safer she did not know especially with the power I sensed deep inside her. And she was content not knowing and that is all you can do is try to make sure they are content, eh Inuyasha?" he asked.

Inuyasha answered him with an indignant, "Keh!" which everyone knew meant yes. And most of them laughed however hollow. They all followed Duncan's lead back into the room where Julianna lay. Once in there they all decided to camp out in the same room incase trouble arose in the night. They wanted both Kagome and Julianna somewhere they would be protected in both of their conditions. He looked about at the crew and thanked them for helping them in this. Fixing more futons about the room and putting both Julianna and Kagome in the center of the room with their respective mates on either side and Miroku sleeping near the door they felt that they would be able to sleep most of the night with out any further uproar. It did ease there minds a tad bit more with two more bear youkai sleeping on either sides of the pairs of mates in the center of the room. Plus Kirara finally came back from hunting that after noon and joined the mass in the back room just before sunset. She and Sango were sleeping near the Miroku with Shippo snuggled beneath her blankets also. With all of them there they were positive nothing would happen the women.

That night in their dreams Julianna talked with her husband since their strong connection was reinforced by the budding power she discovered. He'd held her while she cried most of the night in their connected dream as she tried to come to terms with the new developments in their lives. Towards early morning she fell asleep in his arms and he held her as she drifted thru the dream asleep. He didn't mind letting her rest even in the dream. Using all her power all night to talk to him he figured wore her out and would tell her not to do so any more if he got the chance. He had a good feeling that she would be waking up that day. And she would need her rest for sure once they started their journey to find the river where her souls past body had drowned.

The sunrise found the whole crew up and ready for breakfast except for the still unconscious Julianna. After they all ate breakfast, Keade shewed everyone from the room except Duncan to check the miko's injuries. To their surprise they were healing quite nicely daze in advance of what they should be. They were already sealed and it looked as though they were never stitched all the stitches were gone. IT was a shock but they were all positive it had to do with the growing power they were sensing from her. He felt her reach out to him thru their mated link and knew she was starting to prepare her body to wake up. He hoped by night she would come around.

Lunch came and went with no interruptions they all thought thankfully. The really didn't need any more excitement before they had to set off. But just as late afternoon set in Inuyasha and Duncan both began to get nervous. There was a feeling in the air that wasn't right and as minutes ticked off the smell of youkai was coming closer. They all sat in the front room save for Sango and Shippo sitting in the back room with Julianna keeping and eye on her. They had all took turns that day mostly in pairs. Especially with Miroku, Sango stuck to him like glue. Most of the day her mate had been in their too but as the evening brought an increasing feeling of unease he hovered near the door. After dinner Inuyasha sent Kagome to stay with the women in the back room. It seemed safer back there where the men could keep an eye on the only door and watch the surrounding area with out having to worry about where the ladies were. They made sure that the two retainers and Kirara were in the room with them incase anything did decide to come thru the walls.

Keade joined the group in the back room too to check Julianna's wounds which after the day looked now like they were over a week old and no longer needed any bandages. They replaced her kimono over her upper body happy they would not need to change the linen bandages again. Her quick healing seemed to be stemming from her power and even Sango who was no priestess could feel it. Sometime after sunset she began to move a little groaning some. Kagome and Sango moved to take a side of where she lay and try and keep her still. Duncan feeling her stirring thru their link ran to the back room, Inuyasha hot on his heels leaving Miroku for a look out. He quickly took Sango's place by her right side as her eyes finally fluttered open.

Julianna saw relief flood thru her husbands face and reached for him instinctively. He pulled her up in his arms and held her close. It hurt like fire running down her back but at that moment she could have not cared a whit. She was too weak to really support herself yet so she laid in her husbands arms looking up at him. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Like a truck hit me," she answered truthfully. " I'm starving and thirsty is there anything to eat around here?" He laughed somewhat relieved and laid her down again to retrieve what was left of their supper from an hour or so before. Inuyasha came over and knelt next to her and looked her over once as if making sure she was hole still.

"Bout damn time wench," he said with a ghost of a smile. Julianna snorted, 'bout as good as it gets with that hanyou.' She smiled and winked at him knowing he was kinda glad she was ok too. He looked at her and grumped as Kagome giggled lightly. He walked over to his mate and kisses the top of her head. Knowing his farce had been seen thru he mumbled something about needing to get back to the door to watch and left in a hurry. Sango gave a light giggle along with Kagome, even Julianna did.

Duncan returned with the thick stew they had had for dinner and a large glass of water. He pulled her back into his arms and let her rest against him while he held the bowl in front of her while she ate. She ate the whole thing and drank all the water and felt a bit stronger. She ventured to sit up on her own and realized she could support her own weight again and asked for something more to drink. Kagome was happy to go refill her glass while she sat and talked with her mate. The purple eyed kuma youkai followed, Kita, who was charged with her protection, followed her out of the room leaving Minami her blue eyed sibling in the room with the others at Kagome's request.

After refilling the glass Keade was headed back to check up on Julianna so she handed it off to her and went to go talk to Inuyasha. She walked over to her mate and found him sitting in the door way with the door open looking into the deepening night. He felt her near thru their connection and her smell filled his senses as she stopped next to his shoulder. The tetsiga was draped across his knees with one leg up and the other extended the length of the doorway. He looked up at Kagome and smiled a rare smile he reserved only for her. The one that filled his eyes with tenderness and love. He took a hold of her hand and drew her down to his lap where she settled herself comfortably. The woman had become accustomed to always sitting so close to him. When she was near him, he preferred she be close enough to touch preferably in his arms. She smiled as she looked up into his warm amber eyes and he the soft curve of the corners of his mouth never left as he drew her closer almost drowning in the blue gray depths of her eyes. The cool breezed caused her to shiver slightly and Inuyasha reached for a discarded blanket that she had used earlier. The kuma seeing she was with her mate took a place in a far corner curled into a ball to sleep.

"Kobito," he said softly to her. "I thought you were going to stay in the back room." She shrugged and snuggled into his chest trying to find a way to be get snug against him around her growing girth. Once semi comfy she let out a frustrated sigh.

"I missed you," she said simply. Inuyasha smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Having trouble getting comfortable mate?" he asked with an amused tone. He got an exasperated sigh in return again. Even as he was talking and looking at his wife. His other senses compensated by going on higher alert to any sounds and smells that which he usually relied on any how.

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My never ending thanks to Purple rose for letting me use her Fading scars as a starting point for my story. She is a talented writer and my story takes place between chapter's 19 after they defeated Naraku and chapter's 20 when the baby is born. My suggestion is read her wonderful works to mine might make more sense.

A few Japanese words I used:
Miko- Priestess
Shukuun no Gyokuei- crystal of destiny
Shukuun no miko- Priestess of destiny (don't know if they are right so bear with me)
neko- cat
Kuma- bear
youkai- demon
hanyou- half demon, or in this fanfic's case part demon. I couldn't find a word that meant part demon so i used it to mean a 1/4th too.
Koi- love
Kobito- lover
And I think that covers it. For give my spelling its not the best ^_^
I enjoyed writing it hope like reading it please Read and Review!
Thanks, LJ