Chapter 3: Trapped
She was late.
Every evening for the past three days that annoying priestess had met him on the hill at sunset. He'd stayed there as the last sliver of light sank under the dim horizon. He wasn't waiting for her of course, it was just an unhappy coincidence that they kept meeting here every night. Maybe she'd wised up to how dangerous he was and learned to stay away. Probably not, that stupid wench was awfully thick. He wondered if something might have happened to her.
"Good evening, Inuyasha. I'm sorry I'm late."
He turned to see her kind serene face gazing softly at him. She had a nice scent; it seemed to exude the calm and patience she embodied.
He turned away when he realized he was staring. "Keh. I wasn't waiting for you. I don't know why you insist on bothering me here. I'm just waiting for a good chance to steal that jewel."
"Of course," she hummed, humor glinting behind her murky eyes. He heard her sigh as she sat down to relax near him. It was rare... Kikyou relaxed. Her eyes closed softly as she enjoyed the night air.
The woman was so damn annoying. How could she rest like that with a demon right next to her? "You know, I could slash you apart into little pieces. I should. Not only are you another annoying human, but you keep stopping me from getting the jewel."
Frustratingly, Kikyou didn't bother to open her eyes, and even smiled slightly.
"Well, doesn't that bother you at all?" he said angrily.
Kikyou turned her heavy gaze to him, her dark hair falling dramatically around her moonlit face. "It doesn't bother me." She was still smiling at him.
The look made him pause, something inside him reacting under her soft eyes. "Well, perhaps it should," he said more quietly after a moment. "It would be stupid of you to trust me."
Kikyou's face took on a slightly sadder tone. There was something about that sad smile that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but he knew it bothered him. "Someday, perhaps you'll see. Of the two, mistrust is the greater danger."
His eyes opened slowly, Kikyou's words still lingering in his ears. Why had he dreamed of her now? Had she really said those things? He couldn't remember precisely anymore. But he remembered their meetings. She was always so beautiful, so strong, so kind... no matter how cruelly he spoke to her. Until he began to regret hurting her with his words. It was really no wonder that he had wanted to be with her.
He glanced down at Kagome. He had pulled her to rest her head in his lap after the attack, where he could feel her and be assured of her presence at all times. He had fought off his exhaustion all night while he guarded her, waiting until Kaede had returned just after dawn before allowing himself to drift. He had been so active the day before, his wounds from the battle hadn't had any chance to heal properly. His body had been demanding rest.
He looked down at Kagome's sleeping face. She didn't seem as pale as she had last night, but that might have just been because it was daylight. Even so, her breath was steadier and stronger, suggesting that perhaps the worst was over. She looked so calm and peaceful resting trustingly against him. After you got over the initial resemblance, Kagome did not parallel Kikyou as much as he thought. Little differences, the way her hair fell so disorderly, the way she tossed her head when she was mad, the bright colors that clung to the lines of her face, were completely Kagome's. He gently stroked her cheek, marveling at its smoothness. Some of the warmth had returned to her skin over course of the morning.
He could not let Kikyou succeed in hurting her again. He had destroyed Kikyou's life already, and he would not let Kagome die also because of him. When he dreamed, he still sometimes saw Kikyou as she was, when she was the first human to smile at him and welcome him. The Kikyou who would nurse that monster Onigumo because her spirit would allow her to ignore no creature's suffering. For the sake of that woman, he would kill Naraku and send her soul back to rest.
However, amidst the chaos in his mind, one thing was certain. The woman he had encountered last night was not the one who had smiled at him on that hilltop, so many years ago.
Kagome's eyes felt very, very heavy. It seemed odd... she didn't usually sleep this heavily. Wait... they had been in a battle. She had shot a few arrows at the creature, but after that, she couldn't really remember. With an effort, she forced her eyes open. She immediately regretted it. The light seared into her head, making it throb painfully. She clinched her eyes closed again, whimpering softly.
"Kagome?" The concerned voice echoed in her aching head. "Kagome, are you awake?"
"Inu...yasha?" she rasped. It was hard to force the noise past her throat.
"Who else? Don't try to move, you've been hurt pretty bad." His voice sounded relieved, but also very tired.
"Why does my throat hurt so bad?" she said hoarsely.
She heard him hesitate. "Do you remember what happened?"
She frowned slightly. "I think... most of it."
"Well," he said slowly, "We killed it after you were knocked out. You got cut up pretty bad. Your neck... it was hurt to. We were really worried about you. I ran you back here to Kaede's yesterday. Miroku and Sango are on their way."
'It must be really bad,' Kagome thought, 'If he's admitting he was worried.'
Kagome gave a little moan of pain. As he had feared, an ugly bruise had grown around her neck and was melding with the one on her shoulder. He stroked her black hair softly, as if he were afraid of damaging her further.
She realized he was close enough she could feel his breath when he talked. She slowly opened her eyes again, focusing gradually on his face above hers. He looked as bad as she felt. His eyes were tired, concern written all over his face. His ears drooped slightly. Wait... what was her head resting on?
Inuyasha brushed his claws through her hair again, a soothing gesture that managed to break through the tumult in her head. Her head gently settled in his lap. Better not to call attention to it, she thought closing her eyes. He would probably get defensive and put her down, and she didn't want to lose his comforting presence.
"Maybe there are some painkillers in my bag," she muttered. It was painful to talk. "Do you think...?"
"Sorry, Kagome." He sounded genuinely apologetic. "I forgot about it. Miroku and Sango will probably bring it back. I'll ask Kaede about it if they don't get back soon."
She whimpered a little, trying to bring her hand to her throat. Inuyasha caught her wrist and lowered it gently back to her side. "Don't do that," he whispered. "Just lie still. Do you think you could drink some water?"
At his words her thirst thrust itself into the forefront of her mind. She moaned in affirmation.
He gingerly lifted her under her arms, pulling her partially upright against his chest, her head falling back to rest on his shoulder. Her blanket slid when he moved her, exposing part of her chest, covered only by her bra. He bit his lip as he re-tucked it around her, but Kagome still didn't seem to notice the state of her dress. He tried not to think about her smooth skin and graceful curves, but it was difficult with her pressed against him. He mentally scolded himself for thinking like Miroku, especially at a time like this.
He cradled her head in one hand with the flask in the other. "Drink this first. Kaede brought this for you. She said it would help you recover your strength faster." He carefully brought it to her lips, tipping it slowly while she drank. From the face she made and the bitter smell, he guessed it probably tasted pretty awful. Still, he waited patiently while she slowly drained all of it. She coughed a little in and wrinkled her nose in distaste, and Inuyasha smiled in spite of himself.
"Awfully dramatic about a little medicine," he teased lightly.
"Oh shut up," she said tiredly. "You're the one who can never take his medicine. And you promised me water."
His smile faded at her scratchy voice. "Alright." He offered her some cool water, which she gulped greedily. She acquiesced to let him hold her and control the flow of the soothing liquid.
"Better?" He asked quietly.
"Much," she responded sleepily, letting her head fall back heavily against him. Suddenly she started in alarm. "The shards! It had shards! We have to find them!"
"Relax," he growled, pulling her insistently back against his chest. "I have the shards."
"Oh good," she mumbled. Lurching forward like that had elicited a tearing pain across her stomach. She scrunched her face in discomfort, feeble fingers clutching at the strangely smooth red sleeve under her grasp. "What about you? Are you ok?"
She felt him let out a long breath as her body fell and rose with the motions of his rib cage. "I'm healing."
At that moment the voices and footsteps of their friends reached the hanyou's sensitive ears. He heard muted voices-- they were speaking with Kaede outside. No doubt they would enter soon.
He felt his cheeks warm as he realized Kagome was still in his lap... and was somewhat less than fully dressed. Hurriedly, he replaced her on the improvised bed, assuming a position against the wall.
Sango and Miroku entered, a mostly alright Shippou sitting on Sango's shoulder. Their companions found Inuyasha cross-legged with his sword resting against his shoulder, looking unusually red-faced.
Kagome batted a tired eye at the others. "Hello," she whispered.
"Kagome-sama! I'm so glad to see you alive and awake!" There was a sound of a slap.
"You indecent jerk! Turn your head! The poor girl's been through enough without you ogling her!" Sango glared at the priest, who sighed and turned so that Kagome wasn't in his line of sight.
'Ogling me?' Kagome wondered. She shifted experimentally, feeling the rough texture of the blanket sliding over bare skin and bandages. "Oh no!" She hissed.
"And you, Inuyasha," Sango continued her tirade, "What do you think you're doing in here with her in this state?"
Inuyasha glared at the floor in frustration. "I'm guarding her, what the hell else? It's not my fault her clothes were destroyed, and we had to treat her! I wouldn't try to feel her up or anything cheap like some people!" Nevertheless, he turned to look at the wall like Miroku.
Kagome swallowed her embarrassment and confusion for the moment. "Did you guys bring my bag?"
"Yeah, but it's in the same shape you are." Sango gave Inuyasha a sidelong glance. "But we couldn't find a single one of the shards."
"Inuyasha has them," Kagome mumbled. She didn't notice the three sets of eyes dart inquisitively to Inuyasha against the wall. He glared back at them, looking unusually angry.
"How did you-" Miroku began, but was broken off when Inuyasha furiously shook his head behind Kagome in warning.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said softly from her place curled on the floor, "Could you please take me home? Thanks for taking care of me, but I want my own bed, and we have better medicine in my time."
His face softened as he forgot he was supposed to be looking at the wall. She was right, she could recover better in her own time. Perhaps this was the best course of action. She would be someplace safe, and maybe he could find Kikyou and talk her out of all of this. He could go and get her when he had all of this figured out.
"I'll take you back as soon as you're ready," he promised.
"Great!" Miroku said with false enthusiasm. "Now that that's settled, we'll wait outside while you help her get dressed, Sango." He walked to Inuyasha and hauled the other to his feet, dragging him towards the exit.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome called as they reached the threshold. "What about Kikyou?"
Everyone noticed as Inuyasha immediately tensed. "What the hell about her?"
"Well," Kagome whispered, "you just seem sort of sad, and I just remembered that she was at the fight too. Was she ok?"
Inuyasha's chest constricted painfully. An uncomfortable half-second passed. "She's fine!" he bit out, harsher than he had meant.
He stomped out the door, his head encountering the blunt end of Miroku's staff.
"Ouch! What the hell?"
"Well?" Miroku said, looking frustrated. "Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?"
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Well, you found all three of those shards, and I know you didn't stick around to look. And what about the fact that Kagome looks like she's been strangled? Those weren't from yesterday."
Inuyasha's eyes darted nervously, his stance guilty. "All right, let's go down to the river." The two stood side by side, both looking across the water rather than the other.
"Kagome's in danger," Inuyasha began bluntly. "Kikyou's trying to kill her-- but this time she's really serious about it."
"And that's why she didn't stop Kagome's attack?" Inuyasha nodded slightly. "What about the marks on her neck?"
Miroku heard Inuyasha's knuckles crack. "Last night... she lured me away. I know I shouldn't have left Kagome, but I had to know what she was doing." Miroku waited patiently as Inuyasha tried to justify his actions to his companion and himself. "She gave me the three shards. She told me that she had to bring all of her powers under the control of one body again." The hanyou kicked at the ground. "While I was distracted she sent those damn insects of hers to finish off Kagome. They were the ones trying to strangle her-- but I got there in time to tear them off."
Miroku was silent for a moment. "What now?"
Inuyasha's chin rose in determination. "I'm taking Kagome home. Kikyou should not be able to reach her there."
"Then you don't believe Kikyou's theory about reuniting her soul?" Miroku asked suspiciously.
"Hell no," Inuyasha said angrily under his breath.
"Then you will protect Kagome from her? Even if it means hurting Kikyou?"
"That's why I'm sending her home! If she's not around, I won't have to try and stop Kikyou."
Miroku turned and landed another hard blow across the hanyou's head. "You idiot!" He sounded uncharacteristically angry. "Your damn indecision is going to get Kagome killed. Listen now, you may be hesitant to stand against Kikyou, but Sango and I are not. Kagome is our friend, and we won't let her be killed because you're still hung up on Kikyou!"
"No!" Inuyasha snapped. "You don't understand a damn thing! I can't let either of them die! And I won't let you kill her either. Kikyou is my responsibility!"
Miroku turned away in disgust. "You really are an idiot if you think you can talk Kikyou out of this. Kikyou and Kagome-- one of them will be dead at the end of this. If you continue as you plan, both of them will be."
The monk's words were candid, and it stung more than Inuyasha cared to admit.
"Go and get Kagome, take her home as you said," Miroku continued more softly. "You're right, she'll be safer there for the time being. But don't think that will be enough to deter Kikyou this time."
Inuyasha reentered the hut, doubt lingering in his gold eyes. Sango had helped her put on her spare uniform. He approached Kagome, hardly seeming to notice his surroundings. "You ready to go?"
The injured girl gave a small nod. "Yeah, thanks. But I don't think I can hold on to your back." Monotonously, Inuyasha put Kagome's beaten and worn backpack over his shoulders. He carefully slid his hands under the girl, trying not to disturb her wounds as he lifted her against his chest. Kagome weakly put her arms around his neck, letting her head fall against his chest.
She failed to hide her wince of pain at the movement. She could feel her injuries stretch in their new positions.
"Kagome? You ok? Am I hurting you?"
"It's alright," she whispered. "There's no helping it. Just take me home quickly?"
Inuyasha ran with her cradled against him, trying to keep his footfalls as smooth and non-jarring as possible while he rushed her home. With the medicine in her era, she would be as good as new in no time, he reassured himself.
He soon came to the familiar clearing. His footsteps faltered, then slowed, and stopped completely. He stood still, dumbstruck at the sight before him. He heard Kagome give a gasp as she raised her head.
The well had been completely destroyed. The wooden ties had been torn away and crushed. The well itself was filled with stones and broken wood, thick vines wrapping over the entire mess. In the middle of the heap, a single white-fletched arrow stuck out like a thorn.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome's quivering voice snapped him out of his shocked trance. Letting out a shaky breath, he held her tighter in reassurance. Slowly, he walked the last steps to the well; perhaps this could be repaired. Still, it was obvious who had done this.
Adjusting his hold on Kagome, he reached a tentative hand towards the debris. He winced as a jolt of energy traveled up his arm. He yelped as he drew his hand back, his hand now covered in burns.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled in worry, "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, but this thing is sealed or something. I can't touch it." He shook his arm out angrily, glaring at the rubble in front of him. "Maybe you can touch it, you're a miko."
Squinting in concentration Kagome extended her hand. She still felt weak, the slightest movement was a painful chore.
Her fingers were only a hair away from the shaft of the arrow when a sudden fear lanced through him. His hand darted out, snatching Kagome's wrist and yanking it away. She yelped reflexively; he had been more zealous than he meant.
She looked up at him in pain and confusion, her wrist still trapped in his overly-tight grasp.
"Maybe it's not such a good idea for you to touch it after all," he said, shamefaced, as he slowly brought her wrist down. "Listen, I don't understand completely why all this is happening right now, but you'll have to stay away from the well. Especially don't touch it. Got it?" Kagome seemed hardly to have heard him, cradling her hand and staring at the arrow. He shook her slightly, jogging her out of her trance. "Kagome! Promise me!"
Her gaze snapped up to meet his. He sounded worried... usually a tone he reserved for when something was attacking her in battle. There was only one person she could think of who might leave an arrow like this. But why would Kikyou destroy the well?
"I... but does this mean I can't go home?" Though, of course, she already knew the answer.
Inuyasha turned his head away from her. "I'm sorry Kagome. I don't see a way to clear the well right now. Maybe we'll be able to figure something else later, but promise you won't try to go near the well until its safely unsealed."
"I... I promise," she whispered. She took a shaky look back at the demolished well, feeling a sharp twist of home sickness. She was tired and hurting, she desperately wanted to just return to her mother and forget about everything. "Well... looks like I won't have to worry about school for a while..."
Inuyasha could tell she was trying to be cheerful, but the tenuous control she had broke as soon as her words ended and she collapsed, burying her face in his shirt.
"Kagome, I'm so sorry," he said sincerely. For all the times he'd threatened to destroy the well, he never actually meant it.
"Could you just take me back to Kaede's? I'm tired." She sniffled into his coat, tears falling.
"Yeah sure," he mumbled. Kagome clutched his clothes tightly, her sniffles soon turning to sobs. Each one dug into him like a nail.
There was no escape. No safe place to send her. This wouldn't blow over this time. Kagome was trapped here until she died... perhaps even if she didn't. Kikyou had seen to that. His options were growing scarce... and he didn't have a clue what to do about it.
Please Review,
-Aiwe
This chapter last updated: Tuesday, August 5, 2003
