Yo. Sorry if the chapters are getting shorter. I have this long story in my head and I'm just trying to cut it up in pieces that belong to each other… if you know what I mean. (Ten points to Fanny for amazing clarity.)

Tori, you and I have the same birthday. Cool huh?

Disclaimer: This is getting a bit boring… no, I still don't own Inu-yasha, in case you were wondering.

Chapter Five

       "Kagome? Kagome, please wake up, he's gone now," said Inu-yasha, stroking her head gently. They were back in the camp again, having returned after they realized that it was quite impossible to follow Sesshoumaru with Kirara bearing the weight of three people, one of which was unconscious.

"Kagome? This is starting to get ridiculous, come on, open your eyes!" She was sure fainting a lot, these days. Well, he guessed he couldn't really blame her but still, it was a tad annoying.

"Hey monk! Come and take a look at her. Is she supposed to be that pale?"

"Grumble grumble sulk," said Miroku, who was still angry over having been left in the camp while the others flew off. He came to look at Kagome though.

When he saw her face his eyes darkened, and he frowned anxiously. He felt her skin and looked if possible, even more worried. Then he saw her throat, which had an almost green tinge.

"Quickly, Sango, get me water and linen!" Surprised she obliged, fetching the bowl of water she had intended to bathe her face in and ripping a strip of cloth from her skirt. Miroku dipped the cloth in the water and washed Kagome's throat carefully. Then he turned to Inu-yasha.

"Could you try to scratch her throat a little? Just to open the skin."

"WHAT??!" said Inu-yasha, staring at his friend as if he had suddenly gone mad. Miroku sighed impatiently.

"Sesshoumaru, right? Poisoned talons, right? He wounded Kagome slightly, right? So what does that tell you?"

"She was poisoned?" Sango gasped, while Inu-yasha hurriedly but with great care widened the small wound that Sesshoumaru had inflicted on Kagome. Miroku washed out the wound, watching as the skin returned to it's normal healthy colour. He sighed with relief.

"It looks as though I got all the poison out of her. Still, we should check up on it later."

"What a bastard!" Sango exclaimed furiously. "Giving her such a sneaky wound, one we might not have noticed before it was too late! Aargh, I hate him! When we get hold of him I'm going to take my sword, no! my boomerang, it's blunt, that'll hurt more, and I'll cut of

his b– "

"As much as I hate to speak in defence of my brother," said Inu-yasha calmly, interrupting her before she ended up saying something he didn't want Shippou to hear, "this time I must. I'm sure he did not intend to break Kagome's skin, only threaten her – and us."

Sango gaped.

"He would not kill her like that," Inu-yasha clarified with a sigh. "It's not his style, he doesn't kill sneakily. He kills openly, often in front of an audience. Quite the exhibitionist."

Sango closed her mouth again and shrugged.

"Fair enough, guess you're right. Oh, I hope she wakes up soon. It's so scary to see her like that…"

"If you feel scared, Sango, please allow me to comfort you…"

"PERVERT!" screamed Sango, slapping Miroku across the face. Kagome moaned and stirred, and then opened her eyes to look up into Inu-yasha's.

"Oh no," she said. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"It wasn't your fault," he said earnestly. "You were poisoned slightly. He pressed a little to hard on your throat, scratching it. That was enough for the poison to get into your blood."

"Oh, alright then," she said doubtfully, sitting up and looking around her. "Why is Miroku's cheek so red?"

"Let's just say it had something to do with touching parts of Sango he isn't supposed to," grinned Inu-yasha. "You know, I'm starting to think you were wrong after all…"

At that moment Sango wrapped her arms around Miroku – who was looking a bit hurt – and gave him a big kiss.

"On the other hand, maybe you weren't," said Inu-yasha.

*************

They decided to stay in that same camp for the rest of the day, as they had a lot of plans to make and as Kagome needed rest to recover from the poisoning.

"We have to be pretty close to Sesshoumaru's home now, don't we?" asked Kagome, half hopefully and half fearfully. "As he said he was going home today."

"That doesn't tell us anything," Inu-yasha said grumpily. "He can move extremely fast."

"But a day's journey away…"

"…could for him as well be ten miles as a thousand. Trust me, I know. I used to play tag with this asshole, remember?"

There was a long embarrassed silence.

"You know Inu-yasha, if it's hard for you – " Miroku started, but was interrupted when the half-demon jumped up, eyes blazing.

"You think I'm having second thoughts about killing him? You think I'm too kind-hearted, that I'm going to let him live? Never! He is going to burn in all the seven hells for this!" He sat down again, panting heavily. Then he turned towards Miroku, who flinched. He looked down, digging his claws into his palms.

"Sorry," he said in a small voice. "I'm a bit tense."

"Um, anyway…" said Kagome nervously, "did you hear what he said about a girl?"

"No," said Miroku grouchily, pouting – apparently still mad about being left behind. He was quite ignored by the others.

"Yeah," said Sango, her face lighting up in a devious smile. "Wonder what he meant by that? Sesshoumaru with a girlfriend?"

"Not likely," snorted Inu-yasha. "Probably some bitch he picked up by the side of the road, or after some fight. He'll play with her for a while and then kill her, I suppose. He's never been one for emotional ties." For a moment, quite unseen by the others, a hint of pain and betrayal showed in his yellow eyes. Then it was gone again, replaced with indifference.

Kagome shuddered. She hadn't told the others exactly everything that had happened that night in the cabin – omitting the part about the kiss, and the way he touched her.

'Was that what he intended to do with me too? "Play with me", and then have me put to death without a second thought?'

That night she sat up late with Inu-yasha. Sango and Miroku had gone to bed early, on opposite sides of the fire after yet another argument. Shippou had whined for a while about Kagome staying up but had finally agreed to sleeping with Sango instead. They were all asleep now, and the night was still and quiet.

'I wish we could just sit here like this for forever,' Kagome thought, enjoying the feeling of sharing the silence with Inu-yasha.

"How – how is your wound?" He spoke hesitantly, not wanting to destroy the peaceful moment. She sighed irritably.

"It stings a bit, but it's OK. I guess it wasn't that deep. Oh, he's so annoying."

He stayed silent, not really wanting to talk about his half brother at the moment. Kagome, however, did want to talk about him.

"I mean, what does he want? Why does he keep teasing us like this? It's… I – I'm scared…"

Tentatively he reached out and put an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, snuggling into his shoulder, and he relaxed. What wouldn't he give to be able to stay like that forever, safe with her. But something was wrong with the peaceful picture: Kagome was shaking.

"I start looking over my shoulder all the time, you know? All the time, when we're travelling, even though I know you're with me. When he first said – when he told me – well, you know… I was scared, so scared I thought about dying. I can't explain it. I just felt that I would never be happy again…that I would spend the rest of my life hiding from him…and I haven't done anything! Why does he want to kill me?"

"I expect it is because you defied him," Inu-yasha answered, pondering the same question. "He was surprised when you didn't want him and even more surprised when you dared to show it so clearly."

"Well, that makes sense…wait…" Kagome realized what Inu-yasha had just told her. "I haven't told you about any of…that. How did you know?"

"I know my brother, Kagome," he answered gently. "And I saw how you reacted when I told you how he treats his women."

She looked down, turning her eyes away from him.

"I was so ashamed…" Tears started to run down her cheeks, slowly at first but then faster and faster. "And I was so afraid, I didn't know what to do! And when he's touched me these times we've met him, I've been so scared I just wanted to run away, and I've fainted and been of no use! And at the same time I'm so mad, I'm afraid I'll do something stupid and get us all killed! And I'm afraid of being killed! I don't want to die… Please don't let him kill me…"

"Ssh," he said soothingly, pressing his lips against her forehead. "Don't worry. I'm here. I won't let him hurt you. Ssh… Calm down. He's not here."

Slowly her crying subsided and she managed a smile.

"Sorry," she hiccoughed. "I'm so weak, always crying, although I know you hate it. Sorry. You must think I'm pathetic… a coward…"

"Kagome, you are the bravest person I know," he said firmly. "I know I've said a lot of awful things to you about being weak and wimpy, but I haven't meant them. You have such a lot of courage, you amaze me." She smiled at him, blinking away her tears. For a while they sat in silence again.

"And you know Kagome," he then said. "You told me once that you were glad I talked to you, when I told you about my childhood and about living as a half-demon. Well, I'm glad you talked to me now. You shouldn't carry your fears inside you like that."

"Says who," she giggled. He was pleased to see her cheerfulness return.

"I," he sniffed, "am a demon. Well, almost a demon. And I'm far stronger than you weak humans. Well, a bit stronger. And I certainly don't have to show my feelings or anything equally weak and degrading…" He broke off to find her giggling again. "What?"

"That was parody," she said, smiling widely. "Of yourself. I didn't think you were capable of parody."

"No? There are a lot of things I'm capable of that you have no idea of."

"Like what?"

"That's a secret."

They laughed at each other, both happy to put aside their fears for a moment and just be content with being together. They had just both had an insight in the other's mind and heart that they knew they would cherish for days to come. After a while they sobered though, looking into each other's eyes in silence.

'I wish he would tell me how he feels…'

'She could never love me.'

'He's so close to me…'

'How long have I felt this way? It feels like I've loved her since time began…'

"Kagome?"

"Yes?" she breathed.

"You should get to bed. We have to start travelling tomorrow again."

"Oh! Uh, yeah, you're right." She stood up and he did too, putting a hand under her elbow to steady her.

'Was that disappointment in her eyes?'

'What was that feeling in his eyes that he could not say out loud?'

"Goodnight…"

"Uh, yeah, goodnight…"

'I love you, Kagome.'

'I love you.'

                      *************