Author's Note: Okay, it's been awhile. Sorry for the wait, I've been my usual busy self. I  forced myself to stay awake and write this so that I could put it out, and I actually finished. Yay! Reviews were fine, but not great. Remember… You stop reviewing; I stop writing. Well, enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I tied InuYasha to a chair in my room, and tried to get him to say that I owned him. All I get is "Moe Moo Mew!" Hm… Perhaps I should take the gag out of his mouth.

Question answering:

Bee: A very good question. But Nikomi did not leave just because she thought that Kagome was trying to kill her. That was only something that made her think about leaving. The real reason that Nikomi left was to find her father. She felt as though she needed to find out who he was, since no one ever told her. Also, Nikomi's a bit stubborn. When she gets something into her head, it's hard to force her to see reason.

Way Worn Chapter 8: The Shikon No Tama

"It's all my fault, Sango… I'm so sorry," Kagome held her face in her hands, forcing back tears. The demon exterminator did not look up from feeding her child, Anki. Instead, she simply shook her head.

            Kagome saw the slight movement, and touched the woman's arm, "No, it is. I didn't tell you but… I was giving Nikomi a sleeping mixture that I made every night. You see… I was worried."

            Sango willed herself to look up now, her eyes questioning along with her words, "Worried about what?"

            Kagome sighed and looked down at the ground. She began absently drawing little lines in the dirt with her finger as she spoke, "Dayu. I was worried about my son. It's so strange, but… but I felt something when I first found him in the forest, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it…" Sango watched as the miko drew a circle, "It had been so long since I felt that. I finally realized that it was the feeling that I got when a Shikon shard was near. I figured it out not long after… Dayu had the Jewel of the Four Souls inside of his body."

            Sango looked up into Kagome's face, startled, "The Shikon jewel? But we destroyed it!"

            Kagome shook her head, "It came back, just like it did after it burned with Kikyo's body," Kagome looked up towards the sky, and hugged her knees to her chest, "My poor Dayu… All the sorrow and bloodshed that follows the jewel… I hope that it doesn't catch up with him."

            Sango shook her head, "But why did you give Nikomi a sleeping potion?"

            "Because I didn't want Dayu to leave our protection. I knew that if Nikomi was forced to stay here, then he would too," The miko replied, "And I was right. She left, and he followed. She left because she was afraid of me…" Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes again, and she tried hopelessly to blink them away.

            Sango put a hand on Kagome's shoulder, "It's alright. Don't worry, they'll be fine since they have each other." Silently the exterminator said a prayer for the two.

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            "No…" Dayu held the unconscious Nikomi tightly to his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head, and closed his eyes tightly. "I'll never be able to tell her…" He choked out, as he smelled the demons getting closer, "Tell her that I—"

            "Shut up, Dayu. I'm not dead yet," the female hanyou stirred in his arms as she muttered, "What happened?"

            Startled, the hanyou looked down with wide eyes. The moment their eyes locked, though, his expression changed to that of sorrow.

            "I'm sorry, Nikomi," He squeezed her tightly, "But it's all over…"

            "What are you talking about?!" She yelled, struggling out of his grip. Dimly the female finally realized that the top of her kimono was ripped, exposing a fair amount of the top of her chest. With a yelp, she crossed her arms over her body as if she were hugging herself, and turned a few shades of red.

            Dayu sighed and looked away. Juro had disappeared somewhere, most likely a more comfortable spot to watch the show.

            "What's that?! Why are there a bunch of demons coming this way?!" Nikomi had finally smelled the mingling scents of the creatures, and began to panic. She laid her ears tightly to the back of her head, and glanced fearfully at the edges of the forest.

            Dayu rose. He would protect her. He had promised Sango… He had promised himself.

            "They're after the jewel." He said bluntly, 'The Shikon jewel. It's inside of me."

            Nikomi's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. "The Shikon No Tama? Oh gods… We're gonna die." She closed her eyes tightly for a moment, as if fighting some sort of inner battle. Suddenly, though, she was wide-awake, and ready, "I'm not going down without taking a few with me." The female hanyou flexed her claws, and moved into a stance.

            Dayu nodded, and joined her side. They would fight to the death.

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            "We have to find them!" InuYasha was close to panic. His son had the Shikon jewel inside of him… It was a well known fact that where the jewel went… Death, destruction, and sorrow followed at it's heals.

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            "Die!" Dayu yelled, slashing the throat of some strange demon that resembled a wolf. Nikomi was at his back, fighting the same. Although they seemed to be doing fine for the moment, both could smell the countless creatures on the way, and knew that they would be overwhelmed soon.

            Suddenly, Nikomi screamed as one of them leapt upwards and bit her deep in the shoulder. Pain seared through her, but she managed to twist around and slash the creature down from neck to hip. It fell to the ground in a pool of it's own blood, writhing in pain as it slowly died.

            "Dayu… We can't hold them off much longer!" She called over her shoulder as she killed another.

            "I know!" He called back. They were going to die in this forest. Would anyone find their bodies? His thoughts wandered.

            There was silence between them for a few moments. The only sounds were of claws ripping flesh, and the whoosh of final breaths leaving the bodies of unfortunate demons.

            "The jewel," Nikomi finally whispered. Dayu heard her, but did not understand, "What?" He asked.

            "The jewel!" She yelled, "Use the power of the jewel!"

            "How?!" He yelled. How was he supposed to use this thing that he had only just found out was inside of him. How?

            "Try! Try or we'll surely die here!"

            With a forlorn cry of anger, Dayu whipped around and grabbed Nikomi by the shoulders. They locked eyes, but the female hanyou soon realized that he wasn't looking at her. He was looking through her; at something only he could see.

            Dayu fought an inner battle. He searched desperately inside himself for the power. It was there… It had to be.

            And there it was! Burning brightly inside of him. But it was too much… It would hurt her.

            Dayu suddenly felt Nikomi's grip on him tighten. She was gasping, and clinging to him as a demon tore at her back. He had no choice…

            A flash of pick light blinded him, and then there was nothing but the peaceful solitude of the night.

Extra Author's Note: I promise to let InuYasha go if you review. But if you don't…

"Mewm Mee!!"

Be quiet. You're mine now… Muhahahaha!!!