Chapter 4
"No mama, I don't want to go to school today, I want to go see Inuyasha." Mumbled Kagome in her sleep. She felt someone touch her cheek lightly.
"Wake up Kagome."
The voice was soft and soothing but it was male and not her grandfathers or brothers. So who could it be? Kagome slowly opened her eyes. She saw a familiar image of silver and red. Kagome smiled sleepily at the prospect of waking to see the hanyou. "Inu….Yasha" she whispered, then reality hit her and she sat up swiftly, staring into his golden eyes. "Inuyasha!? What are you doing here?"
"Techniquely I live here. Kagome…..you're in Kaede's hut. I found you at the bottom of the well unconscious. Do you know what happened?" Inuyasha leaned toward her and examined her now gold eyes and dark blue hair. What was once black with dark blue highlights was now dark blue with slightly lighter blue highlights. When she spoke he noticed she had perfectly white fangs. He watched as she raised a clawed hand to her forehead and massaged her temple.
Kagome sighed as she tried to retrieve her memories. "I remember jumping into the well. Clutching the jewel as I cried. I then realized I had made a serious mistake, and then everything went black. I remember feeling cold and the taste of blood, then waking up and seeing you…….Inuyasha…….I don't feel very good." Kagome placed a hand to her stomach and closed her eyes.
"I guess its going to take some getting use to."
"What is?" Kagome opened her eyes and focused them on Inuyasha.
"Kagome when I found you, you were dying. Kaede told us there was nothing we could do and that you most likely wouldn't make it through the night." Inuyasha directed his gaze to the fire, not wanting to look at her new, even more attractive features.
"I don't get it, I'm obviously alive, what happened?"
"……………..Inuyasha continued to look at the fire. 'How am I going to tell her she's no longer human.' Before he could plan out his words, there was a tug on one of his forelocks. He looked at Kagome's sad and confused eyes and felt a pull at his heart.
"Why won't you look at me?....You still think I look like Kikyo, don't you?" Kagome held on to his forelock tightly, making sure he wouldn't escape her questioning.
"NO Kagome, that's not it. That's not even possible now." Inuyasha grabbed her hands and held them in his. He forced himself to look at her inquisitive gaze. "Kagome, in order to save your life….I had to test out an old legend."
Kagome could feel her blood start to heat and the tenderness and closeness of Inuyasha. "Wha…..what legend?"
"There was a youkai that fell in love with a human. She was fatally wounded protecting him. He gave her one last kiss and accidentally bit his lip. She swallowed some of the blood, and survived but……but she was changed……into a youkai, just like her love. She was also marked as his mate and they were forever bonded to each other." He watched as her eyes grew wider as he told her the story.
"So you…….That's why I tasted blood……does that mean…….I'm a …….hanyou." Kagome pulled her hands from Inuyasha grasp and instantly flew them to the top of her head. She closed her eyes as her fingers found the fuzzy ears that twitched. Kagome then gasped and grabbed at her throat. "Inuyasha, I just remembered, where's the Shikon no Tama?"
Inuyasha stared at her, bewildered by her saddened change in direction. "I…..I don't know. When I found you, you were unconscious, with out your bag or jewel or any clothes." He blushed at recalling the image of her naked, then quickly dismissed it at seeing her horrified expression. 'Maybe I shouldn't have told her that part.' Before he knew it, Kagome had stood and fled the hut, "DAMN her hanyou speed." Inuyasha took off after her, leaving everyone in the hut who was just now rousing.
"Inuyasha?" questioned Miroku and Sango as they saw the flash of red and white dart out of the hut.
~******~
Inuyasha found Kagome digging at the bottom of the well. "Kagome…….What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for the jewel or any of my stuff." Kagome continued to dig despite the fact that she already knew she wasn't going to find anything.
Inuyasha leapt into the well and slowly approached the now crying girl as she took fist full of dirt. "Kagome its ok, come on, lets go talk ok." He went over and pulled her off the ground into his arms. After positioning her bridal style in his arms, Inuyasha leapt out off the well in one quick motion. Once his feet hit the ground, he headed for the river, which was the calmest and most secluded place he knew of. A few minutes later, they reached the bank of the river. Inuyasha gently placed Kagome down in a seated position.
Kagome looked down at her refection in the river as Inuyasha sat down next to her. In a way, she could hardly recognize herself. Her hair was lighter blue with matching dog ears. Her canine teeth were elongated and overlapped her bottom lip just slightly. Her eyes were a golden yellow, an exact mirror to Inuyasha's eyes. 'This is me!.....' Kagome continued to stare at the hanyou reflected in the river.
Inuyasha watched as Kagome examined herself in the river. "Kagome….what was it you realized as you were in the well going to your time?"
Kagome slowly turned her head and looked up at Inuyasha, then she looked back at the river. "I realized I wanted to be with you, no matter what." She blushed slightly and watched the river.
At Kagome's answer, Inuyasha's eyes went wide, then softened as he smiled slightly at her. "I think I understand now." When Kagome looked up at him, encouraging him to continue, he did. "The Shikon no Tama must of considered it to be a wish. It sent you back here to live with me……….Closing off the well……So the jewel must either be in the future or lost in time somewhere. Did you actually make it to your side before wishing?"
All Kagome could do was shake her head. She was still thinking on what the hanyou said about the jewel. "I was still in the time stream when I silently wished it."
"I get it now…….. With you being in between times at the time of the wish must have shocked the jewel and when it tried to grant your wish it was confused, resulting in throwing your body threw time violently. Due to the shock, you must of dropped the jewel and your bag……….As for you being naked…..I can only think that the jewel didn't want to complicate the two time periods." Inuyasha watched as Kagome thought over his words. Her gold eyes wide with realization soon slid completely shut, staying open just slightly, but they were sad and lonely. "Ka…go...me?"
A few tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on her lap, soaking into the
peach of the kimono. "I'll never see my family again……..I'm all alone here, with no-"
Without letting her finish her sentence Inuyasha grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her toward him, wrapping his arms around her. Kagome stiffened at the sudden jolt but she soon relaxed when his arms tightened around her. "Your not alone, you never were. I'm here for you and I'll always be here…….You'll see your family again, I promise. You're a hanyou now remember, we have incredibly long life spans, longer then the 500 year difference between our times." Inuyasha buried his nose into her hair and inhaled her new scent at the same time, his hold on her tightened. "Kagome………..? I know 500 plus years is a long time….but…..but would……would you share it with me….as my mate and wife?"
Kagome's head was swimming. First from the mystery of the jewel and well, then the emotion of losing her family, then Inuyasha's sudden show of affection, now he had just proposed. The whole world seemed to have froze, everything. The birds were silent, the river carried no sound, the clouds stopped moving, and the falling leaves looked to be in suspended animation off the ground. After what seemed forever, Kagome finally found her voice. "Inuyasha………Are you…….serious?" She whispered her question into his hair.
Inuyasha gently pushed Kagome back into a seated position before him. He reached into his haori then held his fist between them. "Kagome….I'm very serious." He then opened his hand, revealing a circle of silver with a rainbow colored stone attached to it. "This was my mothers. It has powers and will protect you….that is if-"Before he could finish his sentence, he heard a faint yes and was knocked backwards, his back hitting the ground with a loud thud. Inuyasha looked up to see a pair of tear-holding, gold eyes looking down at him. He reached up and took her left hand, slipping the ring onto her finger before he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down against him. "Kagome…..I'll do everything in my power to keep you happy."
Kagome rested her head on Inuyasha's chest and let out a heavy sigh. "If I'm with you I'll be fine…….I love you Inuyasha!"
A huge smile spread across Inuyasha's face as he caressed her hair. "I love you too……And I have hundreds of years to show you just how much." Inuyasha reached up, grabbing Kagome's face and forcing her to look at him. He then placed a sweet and gentle kiss on her lips, which she gladly returned, whole heartedly.
"No mama, I don't want to go to school today, I want to go see Inuyasha." Mumbled Kagome in her sleep. She felt someone touch her cheek lightly.
"Wake up Kagome."
The voice was soft and soothing but it was male and not her grandfathers or brothers. So who could it be? Kagome slowly opened her eyes. She saw a familiar image of silver and red. Kagome smiled sleepily at the prospect of waking to see the hanyou. "Inu….Yasha" she whispered, then reality hit her and she sat up swiftly, staring into his golden eyes. "Inuyasha!? What are you doing here?"
"Techniquely I live here. Kagome…..you're in Kaede's hut. I found you at the bottom of the well unconscious. Do you know what happened?" Inuyasha leaned toward her and examined her now gold eyes and dark blue hair. What was once black with dark blue highlights was now dark blue with slightly lighter blue highlights. When she spoke he noticed she had perfectly white fangs. He watched as she raised a clawed hand to her forehead and massaged her temple.
Kagome sighed as she tried to retrieve her memories. "I remember jumping into the well. Clutching the jewel as I cried. I then realized I had made a serious mistake, and then everything went black. I remember feeling cold and the taste of blood, then waking up and seeing you…….Inuyasha…….I don't feel very good." Kagome placed a hand to her stomach and closed her eyes.
"I guess its going to take some getting use to."
"What is?" Kagome opened her eyes and focused them on Inuyasha.
"Kagome when I found you, you were dying. Kaede told us there was nothing we could do and that you most likely wouldn't make it through the night." Inuyasha directed his gaze to the fire, not wanting to look at her new, even more attractive features.
"I don't get it, I'm obviously alive, what happened?"
"……………..Inuyasha continued to look at the fire. 'How am I going to tell her she's no longer human.' Before he could plan out his words, there was a tug on one of his forelocks. He looked at Kagome's sad and confused eyes and felt a pull at his heart.
"Why won't you look at me?....You still think I look like Kikyo, don't you?" Kagome held on to his forelock tightly, making sure he wouldn't escape her questioning.
"NO Kagome, that's not it. That's not even possible now." Inuyasha grabbed her hands and held them in his. He forced himself to look at her inquisitive gaze. "Kagome, in order to save your life….I had to test out an old legend."
Kagome could feel her blood start to heat and the tenderness and closeness of Inuyasha. "Wha…..what legend?"
"There was a youkai that fell in love with a human. She was fatally wounded protecting him. He gave her one last kiss and accidentally bit his lip. She swallowed some of the blood, and survived but……but she was changed……into a youkai, just like her love. She was also marked as his mate and they were forever bonded to each other." He watched as her eyes grew wider as he told her the story.
"So you…….That's why I tasted blood……does that mean…….I'm a …….hanyou." Kagome pulled her hands from Inuyasha grasp and instantly flew them to the top of her head. She closed her eyes as her fingers found the fuzzy ears that twitched. Kagome then gasped and grabbed at her throat. "Inuyasha, I just remembered, where's the Shikon no Tama?"
Inuyasha stared at her, bewildered by her saddened change in direction. "I…..I don't know. When I found you, you were unconscious, with out your bag or jewel or any clothes." He blushed at recalling the image of her naked, then quickly dismissed it at seeing her horrified expression. 'Maybe I shouldn't have told her that part.' Before he knew it, Kagome had stood and fled the hut, "DAMN her hanyou speed." Inuyasha took off after her, leaving everyone in the hut who was just now rousing.
"Inuyasha?" questioned Miroku and Sango as they saw the flash of red and white dart out of the hut.
~******~
Inuyasha found Kagome digging at the bottom of the well. "Kagome…….What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for the jewel or any of my stuff." Kagome continued to dig despite the fact that she already knew she wasn't going to find anything.
Inuyasha leapt into the well and slowly approached the now crying girl as she took fist full of dirt. "Kagome its ok, come on, lets go talk ok." He went over and pulled her off the ground into his arms. After positioning her bridal style in his arms, Inuyasha leapt out off the well in one quick motion. Once his feet hit the ground, he headed for the river, which was the calmest and most secluded place he knew of. A few minutes later, they reached the bank of the river. Inuyasha gently placed Kagome down in a seated position.
Kagome looked down at her refection in the river as Inuyasha sat down next to her. In a way, she could hardly recognize herself. Her hair was lighter blue with matching dog ears. Her canine teeth were elongated and overlapped her bottom lip just slightly. Her eyes were a golden yellow, an exact mirror to Inuyasha's eyes. 'This is me!.....' Kagome continued to stare at the hanyou reflected in the river.
Inuyasha watched as Kagome examined herself in the river. "Kagome….what was it you realized as you were in the well going to your time?"
Kagome slowly turned her head and looked up at Inuyasha, then she looked back at the river. "I realized I wanted to be with you, no matter what." She blushed slightly and watched the river.
At Kagome's answer, Inuyasha's eyes went wide, then softened as he smiled slightly at her. "I think I understand now." When Kagome looked up at him, encouraging him to continue, he did. "The Shikon no Tama must of considered it to be a wish. It sent you back here to live with me……….Closing off the well……So the jewel must either be in the future or lost in time somewhere. Did you actually make it to your side before wishing?"
All Kagome could do was shake her head. She was still thinking on what the hanyou said about the jewel. "I was still in the time stream when I silently wished it."
"I get it now…….. With you being in between times at the time of the wish must have shocked the jewel and when it tried to grant your wish it was confused, resulting in throwing your body threw time violently. Due to the shock, you must of dropped the jewel and your bag……….As for you being naked…..I can only think that the jewel didn't want to complicate the two time periods." Inuyasha watched as Kagome thought over his words. Her gold eyes wide with realization soon slid completely shut, staying open just slightly, but they were sad and lonely. "Ka…go...me?"
A few tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on her lap, soaking into the
peach of the kimono. "I'll never see my family again……..I'm all alone here, with no-"
Without letting her finish her sentence Inuyasha grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her toward him, wrapping his arms around her. Kagome stiffened at the sudden jolt but she soon relaxed when his arms tightened around her. "Your not alone, you never were. I'm here for you and I'll always be here…….You'll see your family again, I promise. You're a hanyou now remember, we have incredibly long life spans, longer then the 500 year difference between our times." Inuyasha buried his nose into her hair and inhaled her new scent at the same time, his hold on her tightened. "Kagome………..? I know 500 plus years is a long time….but…..but would……would you share it with me….as my mate and wife?"
Kagome's head was swimming. First from the mystery of the jewel and well, then the emotion of losing her family, then Inuyasha's sudden show of affection, now he had just proposed. The whole world seemed to have froze, everything. The birds were silent, the river carried no sound, the clouds stopped moving, and the falling leaves looked to be in suspended animation off the ground. After what seemed forever, Kagome finally found her voice. "Inuyasha………Are you…….serious?" She whispered her question into his hair.
Inuyasha gently pushed Kagome back into a seated position before him. He reached into his haori then held his fist between them. "Kagome….I'm very serious." He then opened his hand, revealing a circle of silver with a rainbow colored stone attached to it. "This was my mothers. It has powers and will protect you….that is if-"Before he could finish his sentence, he heard a faint yes and was knocked backwards, his back hitting the ground with a loud thud. Inuyasha looked up to see a pair of tear-holding, gold eyes looking down at him. He reached up and took her left hand, slipping the ring onto her finger before he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down against him. "Kagome…..I'll do everything in my power to keep you happy."
Kagome rested her head on Inuyasha's chest and let out a heavy sigh. "If I'm with you I'll be fine…….I love you Inuyasha!"
A huge smile spread across Inuyasha's face as he caressed her hair. "I love you too……And I have hundreds of years to show you just how much." Inuyasha reached up, grabbing Kagome's face and forcing her to look at him. He then placed a sweet and gentle kiss on her lips, which she gladly returned, whole heartedly.