Chapter Ten:
InuYasha's Weakness

Kikyo was not pleased that Naraku had demanded her presence. The undead priestess did not take kindly to the dark lord, yet knew it was in her best interest to stay on his good side. After her visit with him, she couldn't help but smile to herself. Even though he was using her for his own gain, Kikyo too had much to gain from Naraku. She then set out to find her former love, InuYasha.

It had been over two weeks since InuYasha last seen Kagome and it was driving him mad not knowing how she was. Was Sesshoumaru really treating her well? He would rip his brother to shreds if he hurt her. The half demon could sense something around him, something familiar, but wasn't sure what it was and decided to go and investigate.

When he got over the hill he saw her there in the clearing. It was Kikyo, his Kikyo; her hair was blowing in the wind looking sad and alone. After a moment she looked up at him, and said his name. No matter how many times she had crossed him, he couldn't harden his heart towards her. The priestess stood perfectly still, waiting for him to come to her. Almost as if under a spell he moved toward her, knowing that no matter what she did to him, he could never strike her down.

"InuYasha, I have been waiting for you," she could see the innocence in his eyes. He trusted her...the fool.

"Kikyo, what are you doing here?" He stared at her in wonderment. It still took his breath away when he gazed at her incarnation. Though she was not truly his Kikyo, she still had the same look, the same voice.

"InuYasha, I have angered Naraku. He requested me to do his bidding, and I have refused," InuYasha couldn't believe his ears. Kikyo had refused to work with Naraku? Did the woman he had loved for so long, truly refuse to do his evil bidding?

"I have other news as well, InuYasha. The young woman that possesses my soul; I am afraid she is in danger. Your brother does not tolerate her well."

"How do you know that?" He asked both suspicious of how she could know and angry at the thought of it being true. Kikyo sighed and gave him a look of shame.

"I must admit that I was going to do Naraku's bidding. He wanted me to find the young woman and bring her to him. However, when I found her with your brother, I could not. I did see the demon lord with her, and he was cruel. So I came to you, InuYasha."

His Kikyo had come to him, rather than doing Naraku's dirty work. What did this mean? First thing first, he had to get Kagome from Sesshoumaru; he couldn't leave her there with him any longer.

Sango could see a troubled look etched on the monks face as though something were bothering him deeply. "What is it, Miroku?"

"I'm not sure, but something here isn't right," he replied steadily. He had begun sensing an ominous presence in the area and it was familiar to him. "Perhaps we should find InuYasha, incase there is a demon near."

Sango nodded and hurried back to with Miroku to find the half demon, only to discover him gone. He appeared a short while later, telling them that they needed to go get Kagome. Despite his worry for Kagome, he seemed in a very happy mood. Miroku was unsure of what was going on, but had a feeling it was going to lead to someone getting hurt.

Sesshoumaru took Rin out to run through the fields and pick her wild flowers. Kagome was still in bed, and wouldn't be joining them for a few days. After much play time, Rin came up to the demon and gave him a confused look.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, why can't Kagome come out to play?" He looked hard at the girl, knowing he could not tell her the real reason.

"Kagome is not feeling well today, Rin." The child looked sad and asked if she could go inside to be with Kagome.

Kagome heard a knock at her door. "Come in." She was still lying in bed, her body still aching and still unable to walk on her ankle. Rin burst through the door shouting her name.

"I missed you, Kagome!" Seeing the girl brought a smile to her face.

"Hello, Rin! I've missed you too," she said as cheerfully as she could.

Sesshoumaru stood in the doorway watching them but not intruding upon their time alone. It was Kagome that Rin wanted to be with at the moment. Kagome glanced at the demon lord and then smiled warmly at the small child.

"Would you like to hear a story?" She asked, knowing there was little else she could do to entertain her. Rin was delighted and asked Kagome if she could sit on her bed.

"Of course you can, Rin," she said and glanced at Sesshoumaru again to make sure he wouldn't intervene.

The girl climbed up beside Kagome and began listening to her tell many stories that she herself had heard as a child. After awhile Sesshoumaru excused himself and left Rin with Kagome. She didn't mind, lately she had begun to feel more uncomfortable around him, though was still grateful for everything he'd done. However, he had seemed angry with her, and reverted back to his old demeanor. He spoke to her coldly and without emotion. She almost feared he would again start referring to her as "human or girl." She was unsure of what had caused this change, but thought it might have been the fact that she had embraced him. He had always prided himself on being a great demon lord that showed no compassion for humans. By letting her embrace him, she had wounded his pride.

"InuYasha, what do you mean that Kagome is in danger?" Miroku asked with a baffled look. The half demon had become quite secretive all of the sudden but was adamant about Kagome's danger.

"Look, I just know that she is in danger ok? She is with Sesshoumaru, how could she not be in danger?" Miroku looked puzzled as he followed his friend back towards their camp.

"InuYasha, what has made you decide to go get Kagome, all of the sudden?" The half demon turned back to Miroku with a mixture of pain and rage in his eyes.

"Miroku, Kagome has been gone for two weeks! It's time we go get her. She can't stay with Sesshoumaru any longer. It is hard telling what he has done to her by now," Miroku sensed there was a reason for InuYasha's sudden decision, but chose not to pursue it. He too had worried about Kagome's safety. He knew that Sango also missed Kagome greatly.

'Well,' he thought, 'better prepare ourselves for battle. There is no way Sesshoumaru is going to give up Kagome if he doesn't see fit.'

Naraku watched the scene between Kikyo and InuYasha. He knew that the foolish half breed would believe anything Kikyo told him, and the fool would go for Kagome. He also suspected that Sesshoumaru would let her leave if she chose. Though, her remaining his captive was still a possibility. Kikyo's story of Sesshoumaru's cruelty would work wonders when InuYasha saw the girl's bruised body.

Though she wasn't yet aware, Naraku was not yet done with Kikyo. He would once again need her assistance.

Sango sat up and watched her half demon companion. He was asleep now, they had traveled all day and he had not been getting much of it lately. She easily could tell that this night he was in troubled dreams, but in a deep sleep nonetheless. She moved to where Miroku was lying, he too, was awake.

"Miroku, what caused this sudden change in InuYasha?" Miroku sighed and looked at her.

"I am not entirely sure, but I defiantly felt and ominous presence earlier, in the area that InuYasha had come from. I don't know exactly what it was, but I believe InuYasha spoke to someone," he said. Sango gave this some thought, not knowing who he could have possibly spoken to.

"Do you believe Sesshoumaru will let us take Kagome?" Miroku's voice sounded tired, and she felt badly for keeping him awake with her questions.

"I do not believe he will let her leave, if he does not see fit. We should be prepared for a battle," He was surprised when Sango lay down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. She felt him become somewhat tense when she did this but didn't move.

"Do you mind if stay here tonight?" She asked him. He smiled to himself and suppressed a comment that would have only brought him pain and hugged the woman to him.

"Sango, I would be happy if you stayed with me every night."

Early the next morning InuYasha noticed that Sango was missing then turned to wake Miroku. His eyes widened at the sight of them laying together.

'You'd think they would have the decency to go somewhere else,' InuYasha thought to himself grumpily.

Seeing them together made him think of Kikyo, he had hoped to hold her that way. Miroku had Sango in an embrace and they were both sleeping peacefully. InuYasha got up and walked away from the sleeping couple. Seeing them together was beginning to get on his nerves. He too had once had someone he loved and wanted to be with. It bothered him that the monk was holding back from the woman he was in love with, while InuYasha didn't even have a chance to be with the one he desired.

"Kikyo, why is it you refused Naraku? Is there a chance that there is still good in you? Is there even the slightest possibility that I can get you back?" he spoke the words out loud but didn't receive an answer. He suddenly felt the urge to cry, he cared for Kagome, and saving her came first. But it was best if she go back to her own era. Only when Kagome was back in her own time would she truly be safe. And only then could InuYasha be free to love Kikyo again.