Disclaimer - It's not mine. Never was.

Kagome got back to Kaede's village only moments after she'd left the clearing. Her mind was a jumble of ideas and emotions. Betrayal, disappointment, fear, and hurt were only a bit of the confusing mixture. She landed in front of Kaede's hut and was about to go in when a rushing of wind caught her attention. She glanced around behind her, only to find Kouga standing a few feet from her. He said nothing to her, but she knew what he was not vocalizing. Even though it was dark, and the only light came from the torches and candles that lined the huts, Kagome knew.

His eyes were swimming with emotions. Unlike most full youkai, such as Sesshomauro, Kouga could never hide his feelings completely. The wolf prince stood there, hands at his side, his gaze fixed on Kagome. She saw everything in him and at that moment, she could read the man like an open book.

In his gaze, the hurt of what Inuyasha had done was coupled with the anger he was feeling. Disappointment was obvious, and there was a longing. A longing to help her to feel better, to wipe away the tears of sadness, and the betrayal and humiliation she'd just suffered through. Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Kagome realized that Kouga was someone who deeply cared for her. Someone who would risk everything to make her better. And that scared her. Inuyasha had done the same thing. Making her think he would always be there, loving and taking care of only her. 'Yeah, I believed him and look what happens to me!' she thought bitterly. She turned back around and was about to enter the hut when a gentle hand stopped her.

"Kagome.." he said quietly, unsure. "I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for putting you through this. Your tears are making me wish I had kept my big mouth shut." Kagome looked up at the wolf and gave him a weak smile, knowing that he was telling the truth. He hadn't done it to spite the hanyou. He had actually cared about her feelings in the long run. She put her own hand on his and shook her head.

"It's okay, Kouga." she whispered. "I...I'm glad I found out before I got in any deeper. Before I loved him anymore." Kouga, glad that she was not mad at him for starting the whole ordeal, pulled her into a hug. The wolf prince growled as the previously unshed tears began to fall from her face.

She hadn't allowed herself to break down in front of Inuyasha. It had been a matter of pride. Just something to show the hanyou that she was capable of dealing with the betrayal without crying like a little ninny-baby. She would be strong, and prove that she did not need him to be there for her, no matter how hard it was. But now that she was away from him, and being held by the wolf prince, she let the tears go.

She cried. And she cried hard. Kouga only held the girl, wishing to whatever god there was that the hanyou would live a life of Hell for doing this. She let the angry tears fall, wetting her clothes and Kouga's armor. She clutched to the youkai prince as though he was a life line and she was about to drown. He could feel the sobs wracking her depleted body, and knew that she was going to wear herself out even quicker if she kept on. However, he wouldn't stop her. She needed to let these emotions out, and he knew that. He also knew that her pride was what had kept her from breaking down in the clearing. And it made him feel good that she would open up with him. In his mind, that meant that she trusted him an awful lot to show this much weakness.

He heard the entrance to the hut open and glanced up. It was Keiko. The old demoness said nothing when she took in the scene before her. Kouga shook his head, silently begging her not to interrupt them. The woman nodded and stepped quietly back into the hut. A few minutes later, Kagome picked herself out of Kouga's arms and began to wipe away the trails of tears. He stood, helping to balance her. The crying had exhausted her, and she was wobbling around on her own feet.

"Kagome.." Kouga said quietly. "You need to rest." Kagome said nothing, but nodded in agreement.

"I know." she said meekly. "But there is something I need to do first." Kouga understood her and silently followed her into Kaede's hut and to where the old miko lay. As soon as the door opened, Shippou leapt into her arms. Kagome, caught off balance by the kitsune's rambunctious attack, stumbled. She clutched the child with one hand and shot the other one out to brace herself against the wall. It was unnecessary though, as Kouga was right behind her, and therefore the one she fell into.

"Kagome!" Shippou shouted. "I thought you were going to leave me. I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here. Please don't go away. We'll kick Inuyasha out of the village. Please don't leave me here. I don't want you to seal the well and never come back." He paused long enough to take a breath. But when he noticed that Kagome had been crying, he let loose on a string of curses that even had Kouga blushing.

"Calm down, child." Keiko said quietly, as the kitsune's temper calmed down a shade. "The Lady Kagome needs her rest. It has been a tiring evening for her." The old demoness made to take the child out of her arms, but Shippou let a little growl escape him and she backed up, surprised at the audacity of the young fox demon. When she had backed up enough, Shippou looked back up at his surrogate mother.

"You're not going to leave me, are you Kagome?" he asked sadly. "I....I don't want you to never come back." He looked over at Kouga and grinned half-heartedly. "And neither does Kouga." The wolf prince hung his head, trying to hide the blush that had crept up, but Kagome took no immediate notice of it. However, Keiko did, and she smiled at the two friends. Kagome smiled down at the child and ruffled his red, furry head.

"I'm not going to leave you, Shippou." she said with a fake smile. "But I am going to have to go back to my own time for a little while."

"But you're not going to seal the well permanently, are you?" Kouga asked quickly. Hoping against hope that she would at least come back some times.

"No, I'm not going to seal it off permanently." she said with a sigh. "However, no one will be able to get through to me. I banned the only other person who could travel between times out of the well." She seemed to want to tear up again, but Shippou hugged her tightly, and this time, a genuine smile graced her face.

Keiko smiled as she looked at the three people standing before her. Kagome, with Shippou in her arms, was standing in front of Kouga. She shook her head as idea after idea floated through her head. 'They will make good parents one day.' she thought. 'Kagome has a loving patience with children that is rare to find. Especially if the child is not her own. Kouga will always be there to protect his children. He will teach them to hunt and run with the pack....' She was brought out of her ramblings when Kagome addressed her.

"Lady Keiko, is Kaede awake yet?" Kagome asked, setting the kitsune of the floor.

"Aye, my lady, she is. Although barely." Keiko answered. "She is drifting in and out of wakefulness as the medicines wear off." Kagome nodded and walked to the side of the aged miko.

"Lady Kaede?" she asked weakly. "Can you hear me? It's Kagome." The old miko stirred slightly and opened her eye. It was glazed over in pain and she looked surprised.

"Kagome, dear." she croaked out. "Stay away from the hanyou. He is ready to kill... My sister has corrupted......thoughts.." Kagome put her hand on the old woman and gave a wry grin.

"You need not worry about him, or your sister, lady." she said. "They have both been dealt with accordingly. Now, you need to be healed properly." As she said this, the light of the Shikon jewel once again began to pulsate, and the room was filled with the light. To the surprise of Keiko and Shippou, Kagome passed her hand over the wounds on the old woman and they began to slowly heal themselves. The skin closed itself, not even leaving a scar. When Kagome pulled her hands back, Kaede was healed completely. Keiko looked over at the human miko and rubbed her eyes. She looked over at Kouga and shook her head in misunderstanding.

"Did I just see that?" she asked skeptically. "Lady Kagome, you have healed her completely!" Kouga only smiled, proud that the woman he loved had won the acceptance of the old demoness, even though she'd had it already for a long time.

"I don't feel so...good." Kagome said, putting her hand on her forehead and falling to her knees beside the futon where Kaede lay. Before she could fall to the ground, Kouga had swept her up into his arms.

"You need rest, love." he whispered gently.

"I know." she answered. "I need to go home."

"You can go home in the morning, child." Keiko said quickly. "You need to spend the night here."

"But..."

"No buts, Kagome." Kouga said gently. "Your liable to get hurt if you try to go through the well this exhausted. And I can't go with you to make sure you're safe. So, you're staying here tonight." Kagome only sighed, the logical part of her brain knowing once again that he was right. She gave him a small moan of defeat and immediately fell asleep in his arms. Keiko smiled and pulled back the covers on the bed at her feet.

"Put her down here, Kouga." she instructed the prince. Kouga gently laid the sleeping girl on the covers and watched as Keiko covered her up. "She will sleep all night. This evenings events have tired her greatly." Shippou looked down at his surrogate mother and frowned. He walked up to her and plopped down beside her, content to sleep next to her like he had done so many times before. He finally got comfortable, and fell asleep next to her.

Kouga, on the other hand, was itching to get a hold of Inuyasha. He kept pacing around the room until Keiko's sharp voice brought him back to reality.

"Lord Kouga, if you must pace around like some nervous pup, go outside so that you will not disturb Lady Kaede and Lady Kagome." she said quickly. Kouga glared at the older woman and was about to stalk outside when he heard a whimper from Kagome. He quickly turned around and went to her side. She was twisting and turning, obviously having some type of nightmare.

"Kikyou.....bastard.....Naraku....killed....Inuyasha....Shippou....help me.......Kouga....." she mumbled. Kouga looked a little surprised when she said his name. A warm feeling of admiration enveloped him. He put his hand on her forehead and whispered to her.

"I'm here, Kagome. Everything is going to be alright. Rest." He said. Surprisingly, the girl calmed down, as though she could understand what he was saying. Kouga grinned like a maniac and laid down beside her. Keiko looked over and shook her head.

"I thought you were going outside, Lord Kouga." she said.

"I changed my mind." he said gruffly. Keiko smiled and crawled into another bed. The two wolf demons were the only ones still up. Sango and Miroku had retired earlier, and now she was ready to follow their example.

"Very well. Good night, Lord Kouga." she said as she pulled the light covering over her. Her only reply was a gruff 'humph' from the wolf prince. She smiled, realizing how much Kagome changed Kouga when she was around. He actually acted like he cared about things when she was there. He was more level headed and alert when she was there. He was also more protective of her when he was anywhere around her. 'Yes, Lord Kouga. She brings out the best in you. Much like I had seen my eldest daughter bring out the best in your father before she died. Kagome is just like your mother, and you are just like your father. It is eerie that you should find someone so like your mother in temperament, especially in a human girl. But, who am I to say what is in the stars. Goodnight, children. Sleep tight, for there is more conflict to face in the morning.' The old demoness glanced over to the sleeping Kagome and noticed that Kouga had already fallen into a restless sleep beside her. Shippou was curled up next to her and sleeping soundly. Keiko smiled sadly and slowly allowed herself to drift off into a slumber, finally putting to rest the worries of the day.

Elsewhere, in a small hut in the middle of the forest.....

Inuyasha had brought Kikyou back to the little hut and put her to sleep. The miko had taken a bad blow at the hands of Kagome, and it showed. She was slowly starting to bruise, and Inuyasha was not happy about it. However, he was secretly glad that Kagome had not decided to make him suffer anymore than she had. He climbed up into the bed next to Kikyou and laid awake all night, wondering exactly what would happen now that he had lost Kagome.

'I'll bet wolf-boy is just loving this!' he thought angrily. 'Kagome's finally fed up with me, and now wolfie thinks he's just going to step in and take her away from me. I've got news for him, he's wrong. Dead wrong.' Beside him, Kikyou stirred and turned over to face him. She was awake and looking around.

"Inuyasha?" she asked quietly. "Where am I at?"

"We're back at the hut, love." he said gruffly. "Don't worry. Everything is alright." Kikyou noticed the hardness in his voice and sat up in the bed. She knew what was wrong, and she intended to fix the problem.

"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" she asked quietly. "You're thinking about Kagome." Inuyasha could sense her hurt and could smell the salty tears that were forming. "You're wishing it was her you were with instead of me." With this final statement, Kikyou through back the blanket and tried to get up from the bed. She stumbled because of the hits she had taken, and Inuyasha caught her before she could fall.

"I don't wish you were her, Kikyou." he said. "I love you."

"Then how come you act so bitter after you've seen her. It's like you don't want me when you know that she's still here." Kikyou said bitterly. "Make you're decision, Inuyasha. Which one do you want, me or her." Inuyasha looked at the girl and frowned. He didn't want to see her upset, and he knew he had lost Kagome for good because of her.

"I want you, Kikyou." he whispered. " I always have. The only reason I played Kagome along was because I knew she could bring you back to me." Kikyou seemed pacified with that answer and crawled back into bed with him. She snuggled up to the human form of Inuyasha and slowly fell into a deep slumber.

"I love you, Inuyasha." she whispered as she fell asleep.

"And I love you too.....Kagome." he said as the tears of shame began to pour down his face. He knew that what he had said about playing Kagome along was not true, no matter what he'd told Kikyou. He'd lost her, and he knew it. Kikyou turned in his arms and he wrapped his arm around her. He still loved Kikyou, but not like he loved Kagome.

'I'm sorry, Kagome.' he thought. 'I'm sorry for what I've done. I realize that now. But it's too late. You're not even going to look at me again, and you don't realize how that's going to hurt me. You once told me that if I ever betrayed you with anyone else, especially Kikyou, you'd hate me for the rest of your life. Well, I've earned that hatred, now I have to learn to deal with it. You'll never love me again, but maybe, just maybe, there will be a day when you will be able to speak to me again. I don't know when that day will come, but I will be there to face it. No matter what you have to say to me when that day rolls around, I'll accept it, as long as I know you don't want me dead.' Once again, Kikyou turned over and sighed. Inuyasha looked down and smiled. 'Until that time, I have someone who does love me. It'll help to make the hurt go away, but my heart will forever be yours, Kagome. I will heal slowly from your rejection, but I will heal none the less. No matter what. Whether you hate me or not. In my heart, I'll never truly be gone from you.' With that last thought, and as the morning rays of sun began to pour through the small window on the eastern side of the hut, Inuyasha finally gave in and let the abyss of sleep overtake him.

A/N : Okay people here you go, the next chapter in this wonderful saga. Hope you enjoyed it. I know it doesn't really move the plot along a lot, but I couldn't help it. It just kind of typed itself. The next one will be better, I promise. Remember to leave me a review of what you think. Later.