Disclaimer: *bangs head against desk* Why....Why......Why can't I own Inuyasha??




" " =dialogue
* * =thoughts or actions
*********** = P.O.V. change or setting and scene change


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CHAPTER 18
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And so Inuyasha died from blood loss........






































A/N: Just kidding. I would never kill off Inuyasha....or would I? *cackles evilly* Anyway, here's the real chapter:


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CHAPTER 18
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The day after the incident, Inuyasha was up and hopping around. Well, not literally hopping....but you know what I mean. His arm was wrapped and in a sling, but other than that he was as happy as ever and had more energy than a three year old. He came bounding outside into the courtyard to where Kagome sat on a bench, looking a little depressed. She turned to him and raised an eyebrow at him.

"How can you be so happy when you were shot?"

"Oh this?" he asked pointing to his arm with a grin, " just a scratch. Okay, maybe a whole...that hurt's a bit......okay......hurts a lot. But other than that I'm as fit as a fiddle."

"You aren't at all phased by what happened yesterday?"

"Not at all."

"But your hurt....because you had to come save me.....again." she said with a saddened expression.

"C'mon Kag. I would get shot anywhere just to know that you would be safe."

Kagome looked at him with tears forming in her eyes, "Really?"

"Of course! Why did you think I came after you? I love you Kag."

She jumped up off the bench and ran to him. embracing him she let a few tears fall. "I love you too Inuyasha." She was confused to why he was so tense during the hug, But the puzzle was answered when Inuyasha spoke in a squeaky voice.

"Ummm...Kag. Your squeezing my arm."

Kagome jumped back a few feet from him, give him a sincerely sorry face.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I forgot!"

"It's okay. But I came down to fetch you for your parents, they want to know exactly what happened and for you to "identify" your kidnapper and his accomplices."

Kagome nodded and followed Inuyasha back up to the palace and into the family room.

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Everyone was gathered in the family room. Inuyasha, Kagome, the King, the Queen, and a maid bringing them all tea. The Queen was first to speak, "So dear, tell us exactly what happened." And so, Kagome started from the time in her room, to when Inuyasha and her had crash landed inside the palace gates.

" So....Kouga did this!" bellowed the king, "He will pay dearly. I'll have him beheaded in the morning!"

"No father you can't!" pleaded Kagome, "Nothing is worth taking a life."

Inuyasha was hurt by kagome's words. *How can she stand up for that bastard?*
kagome was too kind sometimes.........

"But he could have hurt you dear." remarked the king.

" I just couldn't bear for anyone to lose a life over me. No matter how much of a jerk he was."

"Kagome! Don't use that language around anyone. It's unladylike." noted the Queen.

"the king sighed, "Very well Kagome, instead, he will spend the rest of his life in the dungeons. He will not get any better treatment than that."

Kagome understood and nodded. Kouga deserved that at the least.

"Also, I will see to it that this "Naraku" person you spoke of is found as well. Oh, and dear, do you think you can identify any of the guards that helped kouga?"

"I didn't see any up close but I might be able to identify some from the ones I saw when I glanced back."

"Very well, I will have them all lined up against the gate after lunch. You can go now."

Kagome and Inuyasha rose and walked out of the room, both finding things to do till after lunch.

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After lunch was served and eaten, Kagome followed her father out to the front gates, Inuyasha accompanying her. When she first saw them she gasped, there were hundreds! *This was going to take all afternoon..........*

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Kagome had selected ten guards from the hundreds that day. She didn't feel guilty about choosing any and wasn't worried about accidentally choosing someone innocent because they had all freaked out when she pointed at them. They had either jumped at her(guards pushed him back though), or they scowled and started swearing. She still worried that there were some others standing in that line but figured that with so few in numbers, they wouldn't try harming her again. When she was finished selecting, her father pulled her off to the side to speak with her alone.

"I just thought you should know that you did a great job picking out the men and that we found Kouga and he has been taken to the dungeons."

"Oh! That's great father."

"There is something else I think you should know though...........Naraku has disappeared. We can't find him anywhere."

Kagome's heart clenched at the thought. A guy that would take the utmost pleasure in killing her was running around free as a bird. For all she knew he was watching her at that very moment. At that thought her head snapped around to look around her.

"Are you okay Kagome?" asked her father with a concerned expression.

Kagome waved it off, "Yeah I'm fine father. I'm just going to lay down, okay?"

"Of course darling."

With that Kagome made her way up to her room to relax for a bit.
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Kagome had fallen asleep on her bed, she now slept peacefully, beginning to drool a bit. Her face squished into a scowl and her brows furrowed when a cold sensation swept over her. She mumbled a bit and rolled over. The cold feeling wouldn't go away though and she slowly began to stir in her sleep. Her eyes lazily opened and she rolled up onto her back, rubbing her eyes to clear them.

Her eyes shot open at what she saw and she let out a scream that rang through the entire house, someone was bound to come charging to her room. You see, what Kagome had seen when she awoke, was Naraku, standing over her body with a knife raised in his hand, ready to stab. She had wasted no time to let out that shriek, and instead of him hurrying to stab her and flee. He scowled at her then shot a look at the door before running to the balcony and jumping off. He was gone.
About two seconds after he was gone Inuyasha burst into the room, "KAGOME!!" he yelled before settling his eyes upon her face. He rushed to her side and they immediately embraced in a comforting hug. She started to cry out of fright and he sat there soothing her.

This was when her parents arrived, unknown to them. Her parents gazed on with loving looks at their daughter being cradled in the young mans arms.

"They really do love each other, don't they dear." whispered the Queen to her husband.

"Yes they do." replied the King. Then he chose to break the two apart and caught their attention by clearing his throat.

" *ahem* Are you all right Kagome dear?"

Kagome nodded, "I'm fine, but it was so scary!"

"Tell us what happened honey." prodded the Queen.

"It was Naraku....." began kagome and went on to explain up to the point where he jumped off the balcony. Her parents faces just got darker and darker as they listened to what happened.

"I see..." said the king, "I'll have guards posted on your balcony and outside your door."

"May I watch over her too?" inquired Inuyasha.

The king looked at him skeptically. "You won't be able to do anything with that arm of yours."

" Your right, I wouldn't be much use fighting him, but I would happily use myself as a human shield."

The King nodded and said, "Very well then." Then he and the queen left, leaving kagome to be cradled in Inuyasha's arms once again.

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A week went by and there were no more attacks. True to his word, her father had posted guards on the balcony and outside the door. Inuyasha's arm had healed up two days ago and he had spent every night in her room, sitting with his back against the end of her bed. Every night they went through the same routine.

Kagome would say, "Inuyasha you should get some sleep."

Inuyasha would mumble incoherent things and then say, "Don't need it."

Kagome would sigh and fall asleep knowing she was safe.

After a week of this, everyone was thoroughly bored. They knew something would happen one of these days, they didn't know that that day would be the next morning.

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A/N: So sorry for the long wait. I was so busy and I had to get my manga books for this month. Please forgive me! I'll get the next chapter up soon! Ja ne, minna-san!