AN: I'm not sure what to say. I'm sorry this wasn't up sooner. It was due to two other stories I wrote and the fact that FF.net was down. This chapter is the one you've been waiting for, maybe. Anyway, have fun and enjoy.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha. However, I now have this wicked picture off the internet that I doctored a bit. Oh *grins* sorry I don't own Inuyasha *monotone voice* No suing.
Last Thing I Wanted
By Wyltk
In just a few days time Kagome's ankle was healed, though she still had the occasional dizzy spell, they were becoming less frequent but still there. Inuyasha had been bugging her repeatedly about what she had given up to save him and she was about ready to kill him when he, Miroku, and Shippo went out hunting.
It was then that Sango finally asked what had happened in the forest that had taken them so long. And it was then that Kagome explained that a witch had captured Inuyasha and wanted a trade for him, or she would eat him.
"What did she trade for?" Sango asked giving Kagome a weird look.
"Nothing important." Kagome said tilting her eyes past Sango refusing to meet hers eyes.
Sango nodded and before Kagome could move she had grasped Kagome's hat and pulled it off. Kagome's once long hair was now as short as Miroku's, all but the long strand that she had used to disguise the fact. Kagome sighed and lowered her head grabbing the hat back softly and placing it over her head making sure there were no tell-tale pieces sticking out.
"So? I gave her my hair."
"Kagome…"
"She only wanted it for a wig! And my hair will grow back out!" Kagome's eyes started to burn, "I would do anything for him. It was the only thing she would take. I tried everything else, besides the Jewel shards. It was my hair or nothing."
"But your hair, Kagome? You were always so proud of it."
"Only because of him! Because when I first saw him after the seal was broken he called me Kikyo. Because of my smell, my hair, and my eyes. Those are the only three things that make me remotely like her! I thought, maybe, if I grew my hair a little longer he would like me more. Maybe see me as more then a Jewel detector. But he doesn't, and he never will! He wouldn't, even if I looked exactly like Kikyo, which I never will!"
Sango hugged her as she broke into sobs, tears streaming rivers down her face. Sango shook her head sadly looking at the broken girl in front of her, all for loving him.
'Will Inuyasha ever see how much he hurts Kagome? How much she loves him?' Sango shook her head. She knew the answer to that. He would never see it unless something drastic happened.
"How were you planning on hiding your short hair? Winter is almost over. There would have been no reason to wear a hat."
"It's been growing, it was much shorter. I thought by the time I had to give up the hat I could say I dodged a demon attack or something.
"Inuyasha won't give up until he knows, Kagome."
"I'll sit him every time he tries. Just like the last few days."
Sango shook her head but said nothing just leant back in the hug and smiled at Kagome as she grabbed some water they had been letting sit at room temperature and slowly wiping her face from the tears, drying it with the corner of her sleeve.
It wasn't a moment too soon because seconds later Miroku, Inuyasha, and Shippo came in carrying two rabbits they had caught in some snares. Kagome glanced pleadingly at Sango as she took the rabbits from the boys to prepare them. Sango looked away but nodded. She might not agree that Inuyasha shouldn't know but she would keep Kagome's secret, for now.
~*~
It was two days later when Kagome started sensing a shard and they all packed their belongings to leave. It was bitterly cold and they were all bundled as much as possible while still being able to move. Shippo had curled himself next to Sango on Kirara and Kagome was hanging off of Inuyasha's back as they raced towards the shard.
The first sign of the demon was quite strange. The creature was pure white all but two black eyes which were as large as a hand. The eyes had stared out at them and then the thing had opened a wide red mouth blowing snow over them making a dusting of white settle on their clothing.
Inuyasha had released her into the snow and brought Tetsusaiga out glaring into the blast of snow with a fierce expression. Kagome turned as Inuyasha attacked and saw Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were attacking another monster almost exactly the same as the other one though more of a blue tint.
She grabbed her bow from her back and notched an arrow glaring in the direction of the monster who was dodging Inuyasha's sword attacks like he was a pesky fly. She was about to pull back her arrow when her eyes finally caught side of the shard she turned quickly and gazed at the other monster.
"THE ARMS!" she screamed moving towards Inuyasha and bringing her bow back carefully aiming.
"INUYASHA! MOVE!" she yelled over the howling snow and she let the arrow fly at the monsters basic outline. Inuyasha jumped back and the arrow flew past his head and imbedded itself in a tree. He growled and sent another wave of attacks at the demon as she notched another arrow.
"MOVE!" she screamed again and this time he hit the ground and her arrow whizzed past his head, making his ears flatten, and imbedded itself in the demon's leg.
"WOMAN! Do you not know the meaning of AIM!" he yelled as he looked towards the rest of their friends and joined them in their fight leaving Kagome to search out the shard among the remains. Once she finally did find it she turned towards the rest of the group to see their demon defeated and Inuyasha sniffing out the shard.
He lifted his hand to show he had the shard and Kagome started forward with the Jewel watching the shards fuse into it. She sighed and put the jewel back around her neck.
"Let's go!" Inuyasha shouted grabbing Kagome and lifting her onto his back without questioning it, "there is a cave close by. We can make it by nightfall if we hurry."
With that he started to run leaving Sango and Shippo to hop on Kirara as fast as they could. It was dark by the time the reached the mountain that had been looming in the distance.
Sango and Kirara had volunteered to go off for firewood and Miroku had offered to follow them and protect them. Of course this could be a clever ploy to grope Sango in the dark where she might miss him if she were to attack.
Shippo was in the main chamber of the cave with Inuyasha arguing over something. And she had slipped into a sub chamber to look around finding a semi-warm spring that had yet to freeze over. She had went through the fighting pair and had gotten something to hold the water and came back.
But when she had finally gotten her water and set the container aside. She looked again into the little spring and slowly pulled off her hat. She looked down at her reflection slowly fingering the small strands of hair that had grown only slightly.
And that's how she made her mistake…
AN: I hope you enjoy this and the next chapters preview…
~*~
She smiled at Shippo slightly and asked him to stay here and tell Sango and Miroku that she had gone out walking. She then moved out of the cave and kept walking until she couldn't see the cave anymore. Sitting down in the snow, she tilted her head up to stare at the stars. And right then she didn't care what happened to her.
~*~
Hope you enjoy the next chapter entitled "It's Not Fair".
For everyone out there reading the AN's please tell me what you think about me putting the preview to the next chapter up.
Wyltk
