(No long A/N, I know you want the story...)
Inuyasha walked towards Kaede's hut, in somewhat of a hurry. Miroku and Sango, having recovered their clothing, followed him at a distance.
Kagome's white uniform shirt was soaked through with tears. Inuyasha still cried as he walked, for Kagome had still not moved. He could hear her breathing, but her breaths were shallow and labored. He quickened his pace.
Finally he reached Kaede's hut. Sadly he murmured, "She- Sango and Miroku strangled her, while Tsasina- the demon- was controlling them...I would have gotten here faster, but I was afraid that if I ran- that I might make it worse-" he ended with a sob.
Kaede looked at Inuyasha and said, "Lay her down here, Inuyasha. You may sit as I tend to her." Her face was grave, and she looked very worried about Kagome. "My boy, she is very far gone..." she whispered.
His face dropped even further. "I-I know. But I've already lost one love...and I could not bear it if I lost Kagome..." his words drifted off, and he buried his face in his hands.
Kaede gathered some herbs from around her hut and placed them in water. Tearing off Kagome's wet shirt and bra, she took a clean cloth and soaked it in the draught. She spread it over Kagome's chest, and used the rest of the water on another cloth to bathe Kagome's face. She tilted her head to Kagome's mouth, and could just barely hear her breaths, coming in something like a pant, but spaced far too few to be anything near one. Inuyasha had looked up at the sound of fabric tearing, but had turned around when he realized what it was. It would be dishonorable to his love to look at her there, now...
Kaede removed the cloth from Kagome's chest. Her nipples had hardened at the cool cloth, which was, to Kaede, a good sign; she could still feel. Noticing that Kagome's ribs were bruised, she bound them tightly with strips of fresh, dry cloth. She then tended to Kagome's bruised neck. Soaking a new cloth, she softly rubbed the marks on her neck. Judging by the shape and length of the fingers, Sango had held the girl down while Miroku did the strangling. She then bandaged Kagome's neck as well. Covering her with a kimono, she called softly, "Inuyasha."
He turned, his face hopeful and not at the same time.
"She- she should be fine," said Kaede, "But she will take some time to heal. It appears that Sango held her down, and Miroku strangled her..." she turned her eyes down, knowing how hard it was for Inuyasha to hear his friends' names, "so she has bruises on her ribs and her neck."
The door opened and Sango and Miroku appeared, looking startled. "We did what?" asked Miroku.
Kaede sighed, realizing that they had no memory of their possesion. She said shortly, "The demon girl possessed you, you tried to kill Kagome."
They both gasped. Inuyasha said, because he thought that they should know, "And you both almost did the lover's deed."
Suddenly they both looked shy. "Well...if we were possessed- as long as- I'm still..." said Sango quickly.
"Yes," said Inuyasha, with a sardonic look on his face, "you're a virgin. Though once she'd given you direction, you two were quite eager-"
They both blushed and Inuyasha was quiet.
Miroku said, "Will she be alright?"
Kaede replied. "Yes, if she's allowed a lot of rest. So you two, go to bed. SEPARATELY!"
They both shot her dirty looks. "We were possessed!" said Sango.
"Yes, well...oh, just go." She watched as they left to lie down.
With a concerned look on her face, she turned to Inuyasha.
"Are ye alright, Inuyasha?" she asked softly, speaking in the way that a grandmother does to a young child.
He did not even take offense to her tone. "As long as Kagome is alright, so am I," he said. He remembered that once, when he had been poisoned in his human form, he had slept with his head in her lap.
"Kaede, may I stay with her?" he asked tentatively.
"Yes, as long as you let her sleep," she answered. "I shall be off to sleep, then. Goodnight, Inuyasha, and watch her well."
"Goodnight, Lady Kaede. I shall."
When she left the room, he moved to where Kagome was lying on a tiny flat. He picked up her head, slowly so as not to wake her, and placed it on his lap. Fatigue flooded his body, but he would not sleep. He looked down at her face, illuminated by the fire, and admired its beauty. She looked so soft, so vulnerable...tears sprang again into his golden eyes, and he let them fall upon her pale face. He whispered to her, to the night, "I'm sorry, Kagome. If you're alright...I'm sorry that I forgot you, even for an instant, while I was fighting her. I-I know that you were mad, because I stared at her earlier, but trust me...there was nothing behind it. It was a moment's enchantment...not what I have with you." And for the second time that day, he said desperately, "I love you."
A whisper crossed Kagome's lips. "I love you too," she said softly, her voice cracking slightly. He nearly jumped from excitement and surprise. She opened her eyes slowly, admiring his face above her.
She spoke quite slowly, in a slightly pained voice. "I heard most of that...I heard that whole little soliloquy, Inuyasha. I understand...and I love you. I love you so much...I forgive you for forgetting me while you fought her. I know it was fighting, and nothing more. But-" she sighed, "I am so tired-"
"I will ask only one more question, and then let you sleep," he said. "Do you remember what happened?"
"Yes, and I know that Sango and Miroku were being controlled. I bear them no grudge, Inuyasha, don't worry. Can you- just kiss me before I drift off again, please? So I may dream of you?" she asked sweetly.
He bent down and planted a simple, soft kiss upon her lips. She closed her eyes and did not open them, or speak, again. He felt that it was alright for him to sleep also, now that he knew that she was alive. So within a few minutes, his head drooped onto his chest, and he slept the night through, Kagome's soft hair in his lap.
A/N: That's all for tonight! I'll start chapter 5 tomorrow or something! Ok? Ok! And do you know what's ironic? It's 1:09. I'm awake, and Inuyasha was just on. But I'm in my room writing, couldn't watch it. Know why? My mother sleeps in the living room...the room with the cable TV. Sad, huh?...yeah...I fought with her today...but I love her...
*realizes that she's rambling* what is this...a livejournal?...
*wipes sweat from her face* It was also 90 DEGREES here...all day...or higher...and it's probably still that here in my room...see, the living room also has the only AC unit...*grumbles* how am I ever gonna sleep...