Chapter Eight: The Two for One Special
CRASH!
Kagome woke out of a fitful sleep. The moonlight shone in around her, and she blinked for a moment as she surveyed her surroundings.
SLAM!
CRASH!
WHAM!
"What's going on?" Kagome wondered. She heard Sango's battle cry in the far reaches of the castle. "I must be dreaming," she said out loud.
"This dream sucks."
SLAP!
BOOM!
SLAM!
Kagome watched as Kouga raced in the door. He glanced at Kagome, then gave her a wink as he crossed the room to her. He lifted her up and gently laid her on a nearby table. He watched the door impatiently, his hand to his waist.
"Here they come, Kagome. Be ready."
The door burst open, flying off the hinges.
"Hey, watch it! Do you know how much it costs to get that thing fixed!" Kouga yelled. Sango stepped in the room, holding her boomerang in her hand. Sesshoumaru and Shippou were right behind her.
"I'm missing my son's birthday party for this," she whispered, the Shikon no Tama around her neck glowing like a star. Kagome's started to glow in response.
"Kagome are you ok?" asked Shippou.
Kagome nodded. "I'm fine. Just tied up."
Shippou sighed in relief. "Maybe Inuyasha won't kill you after all."
Kagome started to sob, causing all but Kouga to look at her.
"What's wrong, Kagome?" Sango asked.
Kagome gasped for air. "Why didn't you tell me Inuyasha's dead?"
"Where did you get that idea?" Sesshoumaru asked. "He's not dead. He's down the hall."
A crash and a growl came from said hall as Kagome held her breath in anticipation. She blinked for a moment as he stepped in the room.
"That's not Inuyasha! That's Kenji! What are you doing here?"
Sango glowered at Inuyasha. He gave a long suffering sigh and dropped his disguise.
Kagome gasped. "What? What's the meaning of this?"
Inuyasha scratched his arm sheepishly. "Well-"
"Well, what you…you…you JERK!"
"Ah, there it is. About time," he growled. Kouga lifted Kagome up by her still chained wrists. "As much as I love touching scenes, Kagome and I have a mating ritual to perform. But first, I have to cut off her ear."
Inuyasha growled and moved closer to them. Kouga raised Kagome in front of him, knife raised to her side. "Come any closer and we won't have to worry about having a mating ceremony. We'll have a funeral instead."
Inuyasha backed away reluctantly. Kouga reached to slice off her ear when a blast of ki knocked the knife out of his hands. "I said you couldn't cut off my ear, Kouga."
Kouga's face darkened, but it lifted to a sad smile as he gazed into Kagome's eyes.
"The only reason that mark is there is because of his selfishness."
"What are you talking about?"
"Kouga," Inuyasha warned, Tetsusaiga pointed in his direction. "Shut up."
Kouga smiled. "You see, Kagome, when Inuyasha saved your life, he wasn't doing it because he wanted you to live. He was doing it to become full demon."
Kagome's head tilted and her eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Huh?"
"Higher Mountain, go no further with this." Sesshoumaru stepped closer to him, his fingertips glowing green.
Kouga ignored him, caressing Kagome's jaw line. "When he drank your blood, he became full demon. That's why he pushed you away that night. He didn't need you anymore."
A tear rolled down Kagome's face.
"It had nothing to do with Kikyou, because you gave the half breed what he always wanted. He knew your blood would change him."
Kagome looked at Inuyasha. "Is it true? Are you a full demon now?" she whispered as Kouga adjusted his hand on her wrists. Inuyasha looked away.
"Drop it, Inuyasha. Let me see."
He shook his head again, and a form much like Sesshoumaru's appeared, except no tail. Kagome choked back a sob.
"You see, my Kagome, he never loved you. You sacrificed yourself, your blood, that day and all he did was turn you away. He only loved her."
"That's not true, Kagome!" Shippou cried. "He's suffered so much since you left! You should have seen him when you were born! You would have thought he was a new father!"
Inuyasha growled at him to keep quiet, but Shippou paid him no attention.
"Kagome, he loves you! I swear he does!"
Kouga snared at him, then smiled as he brought Kagome's head closer to his mouth.
"You don't believe me? Then lets put him to the test. I have no doubt that if the tables were turned, you would give up the Sacred Jewel, right?"
Kagome nodded.
"Then lets see if he'll do the same for you."
Kouga grasped her to him, the knife pointed to the crescent behind her ear. "I'll tell you what. If you want her so badly, let's make a trade. The Tetsusaiga for her."
Inuyasha hesitated.
"Its no use to you, Kouga," Sesshoumaru snarled.
"Inuyasha, don't! You can't give up your father's sword! You can't!"
Kouga scratched Kagome's ear with the tip of the knife, causing her to hiss out in pain. Sango stepped forward, only to be pulled back by Sesshoumaru and Shippou.
"What? We've got to help her."
"This is Inuyasha's decision now," Sesshoumaru whispered. Shippou nodded in agreement. "Sesshoumaru had to sacrifice something important for you, now Inuyasha must do the same."
Sango cast questioning eyes at them as they watched the struggle before them. Inuyasha looked into Kagome's eyes, watching each tear as it fell. "Inuyasha, please. Don't give it to him. You know he won't hurt me."
Kouga chose to disagree by scratching the tip of the knife around her throat, sending a thin line of blood down her chest. It soaked in the fabric of the dress.
"I will kill her though. Her life or the sword."
Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga and tossed to the wolf prince. Kouga laughed. "Now bow before me."
"For the love of God, Kouga! That's enough!" Sango cried. Kouga glared at her, but refused to relent. "Bow, dog boy, or you'll have to pick her up with a sponge."
Inuyasha dropped to one knee, Kagome's sobs ringing in his ears.
"Kouga, how could you?" she whispered. Kouga tapped the knife against her skin.
"I had to see for myself, my love. I had to know you were in good hands."
He secretly kissed her temple before turning back to Inuyasha.
Kouga snickered. "The Great Demon of the Northwestern Lands, bowing before my feet like a filthy beggar! And for a lowly human too." He shoved Kagome forward as he picked up the sword. "Personally, I would have let you kill her if the shoe was on the other foot. Oh well."
Kouga walked past them and out the castle doors. Kagome raised herself to her knees and crawled to Inuyasha, who was still on one knee.
"Inuyasha, I'm sorry," she whispered, craning her neck to look at his face. His eyes were hidden under his bangs.
"Inuyasha?"
He reached for her suddenly, pulling her into his lap as his claws ripped through her chains. {Yes, he's the man like that.} Kagome froze when his forehead touched her shoulder, his arms enfolding her in a nearly crushing hug.*
"Oh God, are you ok?" he breathed in her hair. Kagome just sat there for a moment before circling her arms around his back.
"Yes, I'm fine."
Inuyasha gave a sigh of relief, his hold on her relentless. Kagome settled against his chest, listening to his heart beat under his white dress shirt.
"I should be the one asking about you. Are you ok?"
Inuyasha nodded, pulling her a little closer to him.
Kagome wiped a tear off her cheek. "I'm so sorry Inuyasha. I'll make it up to you, I promise." She held back another sob.
"It's my fault, just like always."
Inuyasha pressed a finger to her lips. "If you say that one more time, I swear I'm going to lose it."
"But the Tetsusaiga means everything to you."
"You mean everything to me. Now could you stop spoiling the moment. I've waited 500 years to hold you like this, and you beating yourself up is ruining it."
Kagome blinked at him. "Huh?"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stood up, holding her in his arms. "Seeing as you won't let me enjoy this, I guess I'd better make some things clear. For one, I didn't mean to lie to you about Kenji. You weren't watching where you were going that day and you could have ran into someone who could have hurt you. Two; everything Kouga said was complete and total bullshit. I had no idea that taking in your blood would turn me into a full demon. If I had, I wouldn't have done it until you woke up."
"But you marked me," she whispered quietly. Inuyasha rested his forehead against hers.
"Yes, I did, but it wasn't to save your life. It was because I love you."
Kagome breath stilled in her throat. "You love me?"
Inuyasha nodded. "Yes, I do. I wanted you to be with me even then."
"Don't I get a say in the matter?"
Inuyasha looked at her, crestfallen. "I thought you wanted to be my mate."
Kagome smiled and kissed his nose. "I do. I just would have liked to have been asked first."
Inuyasha snapped playfully at her and she giggled. He walked past Sango and the others, ignoring the looks on their faces.
"You know, I haven't seen him smile like that in a long time."
Sesshoumaru nodded. "Maybe he'll calm down now, so Miroku can stop cursing every few minutes."
They looked at each other.
"Nah."
They followed Kagome's giggles down the hallway to the castle courtyard.
********
'What's this?' Souta wondered as he turned over the kimono. He was back in Kagome's room, looking at the scenes in the lavender kimono again. The back of the fabric between the shoulders shimmered, the disappeared in a luminous glow. Souta gazed at the new scene. It took up the rest of the free space on the fabric. It showed the boy from the tree, different now, holding the girl who saved him in his arms. On his face were some sort of markings, and there was a red ring around the collar of the girl's dress. Souta smiled as he hung it back up, knowing his sister was going to be fine.*