I don't own Inuyasha or anything having to do with this show. I also don't own anything else quirky that may show up. (Including the movie Little Nicky.) I only do this for entertainment purposes, (and an excuse to avoid my homework:). So don't sue and enjoy the fic!

To read more of my fanfictions (sorry, not Inuyasha^^') then check out my site. http://takeoff.to/teardrop The Feudal Fairy Tale Begins Again...

By: Msmelanie

Chapter Eighteen: Dawning of Realization.

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Sango waited and looked at the unconscious Kagome than, at the anxious little dog demon.

"What are you looking at?" Kawayou growled.

Sango blinked at the boy's rudeness. 'Doesn't he have any of Kagome's qualities?'

Kawayou kept looking at her. "Well? Are ya gonna answer me?"

Sango decided to stop looking at the boy.

"What are you hiding?" Kawayou pressed on.

Sango sighed. The boy was NOTHING like Kagome she decided. Then, she felt Kagome start to stir so she let her down on her own two feet. The first thing Kagome saw was Kawayou looking at her.

"What? How come I'm the center of attention today?!"

Kagome ignored her son's rudeness, ran straight to him and immediatly picked him up to hold him tight in her embrace.

"Mo...Momma?" Kawayou asked from his mom's protective bosom.

"Kawayou! Oh, My baby! My sweet baby, you're okay!!" Kagome cried out.

"Mo...momma?" Kawayou tried again. "I..I can't breathe.."

It took a moment for it to register into Kagome's mind what he had said. Then she realized she must be squeezing him to hard. She held him shoulder length away by his armpits and examined him to see if he was really alright.

Meantime, Kawayou wasn't looking too happy. "Mom...you alright?"

Kagome just smiled at him. "I am now."

Then, she looked behind herself and saw Inuyasha and Miroku coming. She held Kawayou safely to her bosom, more gently this time. "Did you defeat Sesshoumaru?" True, she hadn't been awake before he left, but she already had a good idea he went after his brother to get the half-shikon back.

Inuyasha looked back at her. His expression was unreadable. "..."

Miroku looked back at Inuyasha. "...we.."

Inuyasha took a deep breath. He had to tell her. There was no choice. "We couldn't get through the well."

Kagome blinked, so did Kawayou. "...what?" she barely managed, not daring to believe what he just told her.

"...It's sealed again, Kagome." Inuyasha replied.

Kawayou started to scramble out of his mom's grasp. "No way! I can't just let those mean demons hurt Uncle Soda and Gramma and the Great Grandgeezer!"

Kagome held him securely. "Calm down Kawayou!" She looked at Inuyasha, not daring to show how she felt. "Perhaps Kawayou and I could open it back up?"

Inuyasha thought about it for a second and knelt down, indicating she should get on his back. "It's worth a try."

Kagome placed Kawayou in Inuyasha's arms. "Here, hold him."

Kawayou didn't stop to scramble. "I don't wanna be carried! I can run! Dammit mom, let me ****ing run!"

Kagome ignored her son's curse and made Inuyasha hold him.

Kawayou stopped fidgeting in the Hanyou's embrace and crossed his arms. "This sucks."

As the loving family sailed through the night, they soon happened upon the well. Inuyasha kneeled down a bit so Kagome could get off. Then, he handed Kawayou back to her.

Kawayou continued to frown. "You're treating me like luggage!"

Kagome ignored his statement as she jumped up on the lip of the well with Inuyasha instantly at her side. He put his arm around her. "Ready?"

Before they jumped the little dog demon could've sworn he felt someone flick his ear.

At the bottom of the well....

Kagome looked around as Kawayou did the same....

Inuyasha was right. The well had been sealed again.

Kagome looked over at Inuyasha. "Why?"

Inuyasha pointed at Kawayou. "He lost half of the shikon jewel, remember?" He grabbed Kagome who was still holding his son and vaulted out of the well, safely landing on some soft snow.

Kagome looked at Kawayou, then Inuyasha. "Inuyasha? Now what?"

Inuyasha glanced back at her. "We gotta find the other half of that jewel."

"Could it be in me?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe Kaede can get it out then." Kagome replied as she handed Kawayou back to Inuyasha.

Kawayou growled.

"Put him in your kimono, it's starting to get cold out here." Kagome replied.

Kawayou growled louder.

Inuyasha ignored the pup's protests and did as Kagome had requested, then he kneeled down enough to let her back on. "Alright, let's go. That old bat better know how to get it out."

To the old bat a few minutes later...

"I'm sorry." Kaede replied. "I've tried everything I know to make the jewel reveal itself. Are ye sure ye have it?"

Kagome didn't reply.

"Of course she has it!" Inuyasha barked for her. "If she doesn't then her world is-" Inuyasha caught himself just in time. "She has it!" Inuyasha finished.

Kaede shook her head sadly. "I am sorry child but...I do not think ye has the other half of the sacred jewel."

Kagome looked down at the ground. Who could have it then?

"Then maybe Kikyou." Inuyasha blurted out before checking with his brain first. He looked back at Kagome and was wondering how the hell he could be that stupid. 'But it could be where it is...'

Kagome shook her head back and forth. "She doesn't have it."

Inuyasha stared at her. He could hear hurt in her voice, but was it him thinking about Kikyou that hurt her, or was it the fact her life was shattering into a thousand different pieces? Or was it both? "I'm sorry Kagome."

Kagome didn't look up and only looked at Kawayou whom she had held close to her. She wasn't the only one who was going to suffer. "It's okay Inuyasha...it wasn't your fault."

Inuyasha blinked. "But it was my fault."

Kagome shook her head side to side. "No it wasn't, Inuyasha. Don't blame yourself."

Inuyasha yelled out his frustration."It was my ****ing fault Kagome!"

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and sighed. "Inuyasha, there were too many factors causing all this to happen. You can't just blame yourself."

Inuyasha almost lost his balance. She hadn't even been thinking about his comment about Kikyou. Then he started to growl to himself. 'Of course she wasn't idiot! Her world and her family are probably both being torn apart right now! Why would she even be thinking about that?!' then, his mind stopped for a second. If even for one more moment it had to think. 'But what if nothing was happening? Would she still have not even acknowledged my question about Kikyou? Would she have even cared?'...he watched as she slowly cuddled Kawayou, who was really starting to tense up so much he was unconsciously growling dangerously.

Kagome looked at her son, not knowing what to do. He had never had that look in his amber eyes before. And he had never growled that way...

As she had suspected, Kawayou had suddenly tried to wriggle out of her grasp. "I gotta save Uncle Soda! I gotta save Syaoran! I gotta go mom! Let me go!" He barked. "Let me the **** out of here!"

Inuyasha started to come over as the boy started to get out of hand, but he was a smidget too late. Even a worried mother is no match for the strength of an angry dog demon.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. They both knew where their son was going, so Kagome got onto Inuyasha's back as Miroku, Shippou and Sango appeared at the door.

"Did you know your son just took off?" Miroku asked.

As Inuyasha started to run off, Sango thunked the priest on the head with Hiraikotsu. "Of course he knows monk! Do you think he's blind?!"

Miroku just smiled as he rubbed his poor head. "Sango. I'm so happy I'm the only man you hit on."

Sango looked at him questioningly for a second, then hit him again when she realized what he was implying.

Shippou just looked at the two, then went inside to hear what Kaede had told Inuyasha and Kagome.

Inside the well...

Kawayou continued to scratch on the sides of the hard dirt. "Open already! Dammit! This is just like one of those ****ing elevators that break down right when you need it!"

"KAWAYOU!!" He heard from above. He growled and turned back to his digging when Inuyasha jumped into the well.

Kawayou looked at the Hanyou angrily right before Inuyasha snatched him up in his right arm and leaped out of the well, landing about a foot away from Kagome.

Kagome reached out and took Kawayou into her arms.

"Dammit Mom! This is ****ing ****! We've got a figure out a ****ing way out of here now!" Kawayou barked from Kagome's embrace.

"Okay! That is it Kawaii Youkai!" Kagome shouted.

Suddenly, Kawayou's anger dissapeared. 'Uh oh. Mommy just used my whole name. I must be in deep **** now.'

Inuyasha crossed his arms. 'It's about time she disciplined the pup.'

"Ever since you have met Inuyasha your vocabulary has expanded waaay too much in the wrong direction!" Kagome shouted, suddenly catching Inuyasha's surprise as she points accusingly at him. "And YOU are still not listening about watching your mouth in front of him!" She shakes her head in frustration. "Do you know how many gimmicks I used to try to keep him from cussing?! Too many to count!! From making him do that stupid square bit to sending him to his room! That one NEVER worked! He actually seems to enjoy it when he doesn't have to consort that much! Oh and then there was-!"

"Okay wench, I get your point!" Inuyasha barked. "But does it matter now?! As we speak the entire world you were born in is being wrecked beyond compare by very vengeful demons! Do you think it really even matters what he says now? Hell, now I gotta work overtime to make sure both you and my pup are safe!"

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Demons don't watch their language wench, and since we are now here, where you and the pup should have been the whole time, it doesn't matter."

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. "But Inuyasha! My family!"

Kawayou decided now was the time to join in. "What about my friend?! What about my uncle and Gramma and Great Grandgeezer, huh?!"

Inuyasha shrugged, not changing his expression. "Sorry. I can't do anything more than you can."

Kawayou's ears started to lower. "But...Syoaran...Uncle Soda..." His eyes began to shimmer. "...Grammy and Great Grandpa..." Slowly, tears started to trickle down Kawayou's face.

Kagome looked at Kawayou as she also felt her eyes start to water. 'No! I have to be strong for my son. To survive in the world I have to-'

Then, it hit her. Why had she always had to be so strong? Her life had been changed from a care-free fifteen year old having adventures down a well, to the hard working mother of a dog demon. When things started to get rough in her life she didn't have anyone to turn to to help ease her pain. True, she had her mother or her grandfather, but they just didn't know what to do. They just couldn't make her feel better...not like him.

But now...there he was. She knew he was standing no more than ten feet away from her.

'But...it's been five years.' She thought. Five years since he held her. Told her he would protect her and that he'd never let any harm come to her. She wanted that. She wanted to hear those words again. She wanted to know that her life hadn't single-handedly fallen completely apart.

But she knew the truth. Her family, her friends, her life. Everything was being totally erased and there was nothing she could do.

It was time. After all the loneliness and the grief and the suffering her life had been through...she had to stop. 'But five years.' She said to herself. 'Would it even matter? Breaking down won't do nothing. It won't make everything reverse itself. After all this time, is it really possible that I even could...' She looked down sympathetically at her son. He had stopped crying and had fallen asleep in his mother's embrace.

"Kagome, I'm sorry." she heard from behind her as she felt herself being wrapped into a warm embrace. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

Then, she knew. It didn't matter how long it had been, if she had intentionally done it or if it happenned automatically.

Tears had started to fall down her cheeks.

And she couldn't take it anymore as she started to tremble.

She wrapped his arms tighter around her and started to sob into his kimono. Inuyasha wrapped his arms protectively around Kagome.

'Finally.' He thought. 'This' was the Kagome he knew.

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So, did you enjoy the chapter? I hope so. It was strange to write but I was pleased with how it turned out.

Now of course, on to reviews!

To Okibi chan: Fabulous Fabulous picture!^^Just had to say it again. And don't worry, I caught both of your reviews, (Even if one was on Chapter eleven!)

To Kaluna and Gillia:...other half? you know, I'm going to half to explain this better when I revise this. After reading this chapter I hope you figured out he didn't. You see, half of the shikon jewel came from Kawayou. Yura swung down with her hairs and passed it Sesshoumaru. NO ONE knows where the other half is right now.

To Mistress of Richard Cox: I never get tired of writing out your name!:) (Sigh) How come you guys can detect what I'm going to do next? (Oh well, at least no one guessed at Chapter 16.) So yeah...umm...Sessh get Fluffy back? (I thought they were one in the same.) Huh? Oh yes, when exactly did you snag Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga? I don't know if he's going to be happy about that.

To Moon Cadet: I will keep up the good work. Yes, it was a plot twist. But how do you like this one? To Iseult: Wow, I'll have to get used to the change in your name then. I'm glad you got your account back up. And I'm glad I surprised you!^^ Although, yes...(sniff.) I'm horrible at battle scenes, but some things you got and some things you don't.

It was great to hear from you all again, and I'm REALLY glad you all managed to find chapter 15 and 16! (When I went on to check last time, Fanfiction.Net only displayed it on certain pages...I hope it didn't happen with these chapters too...) (Grins) Oh well! Well okay, I'll guess I'll hear from you when I get back from vacation! Let's see....about January 15th? (Angry growls in the background.) Uhh...January 5th? (Some 'unknown' reviewer shouting "Update soon or I'll knock your freaking block off!")...December 28? 27?....Soon? (Grins. No threatening sounds are heard.) Great then, I'll see you soon!^.~