AN: Ok, I do appreciate the reviews guys. That makes my work a lot more worth it. Because ya'll have been so nice to me, I thought "what the hell, give them another chappie." So here it is folks, chappie 10.
Enuf of my ramblings, enjoy…
CHAPTER 10
When the smoke cleared and daylight came, the occupants of the barrier got a good look at the remains of the clearing. No grass. No leaves on the trees. Alina was laying on the ground in her large form, curled into a ball. She was protecting something. Or someone.
"Alina, can you get us out of here?" Shippo hollered over to her. The fire cat got up and grabbed something in her mouth, gently carrying it over to the barrier. At first glance it looked like rags, but when she stepped through the wall, they recognized it and ran over to her. "Oh, no. KAGOME!?"
Inuyasha knelt down to where Alina laid her body and examined closely for wounds, or life. A wave of relief washed over him when he heard a heart beat emanating from her chest. "She's alive."
"It makes sense, she's alive. If she wasn't, the barrier would be down. She must still have some power left in her. Even after all that......" Miroku was cut off when Kagome let out a slight moan. She began to shiver violently. Alina laid down beside her.
Inuyasha felt her forehead, "She's cold, but her head feels hot. Dammit I wish we could leave this bubble........ at least then we could get her to that old hag and she could heal her." Inuyasha took off his haori and wrapped Kagome up in it, her shivering ceased.
Alina transformed back into her small size and jumped onto Kagome's lap after Inuyasha had pulled Kagome onto his lap. Not a word was said for a while, nothing needed to be said. Instead there were silent tears from Sango, silent prayers from Miroku, soft purring from Alina and Kirara. Kouga paced constantly around the barrier. Inuyasha just watched Kagome's face for any sign that she might wake soon. As the sun rose high in the sky, they became more worried that she might not wake, but remain as she is....... forever unconscious.
The sun started to go down before anyone knew it, but just as the sun began to disappear behind the trees, a soft stirring brought everyone's attention to Inuyasha and the ones on his lap. Miroku looked up and saw the barrier began to dissipate. "The barrier is dropping." Everyone was watching with apprehension as Inuyasha lifted her head and let his fall slightly so his mouth was at her ear.
"Kagome? Kagome, can you hear me?" Inuyasha whispered in her ear. At first there was no response, she was alive just not reacting to him. "Please, Kagome. Wake up, we need you....... I need you....." He looked into her face, still no sign. He brought their heads close again. "Kagome?......... please wake up........ You can't leave me like this........ I need you to stay with me here......... come on........ I....... I love........... you." A single tear slowly fell down the hanyou's cheek.
"......love you too, Inu......" A faint whisper brought Inuyasha's attention to Kagome's face, her eyes were open and staring right into the shocked yet relieved expression of the one who had held her close. Kouga turned his back and walked off to sulk.
"Ka-kagome? Are you ok?" A small smile worked its way onto Inuyasha's face. 'I knew you were too stubborn to take this lying down.' Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her in a powerful yet gentle hug.
"She's gone, Kagome. There isn't a trace left of her. You did it. She's now at rest."
Kagome looked over her shoulder to see a sad look in Inuyasha's eyes. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I had to. I know how much you love her." Kagome found her feet suddenly of great interest; her bangs covered her eyes and the tears that started to flow from them. "She felt your love, and....."
Inuyasha spun Kagome around to face him. "Kagome, I'm glad you did it. She's finally at rest. That means I can move on with my life........ I was hoping..... with you." Inuyasha raised a hand to Kagome's cheek and used his thumb to wipe away her tears. Kagome looked up into his shinning depths.
Sango picked up Shippo and motioned for Miroku to follow. When they were a good distance away Miroku broke the silence. "I'm glad they can be together without someone trying to kill either one, even if it is only for a few hours. They need that time especially after what happened." Miroku's stomach growled, two other stomachs took that as their que and growled as well.
"I say we get something to eat before we do anything else. But who's going run to get some ramen out of Kagome's pack? I think we left that back there with them." Miroku was more than ready to volunteer for this "mission" but declined when he got a couple of icy glares. "Kirara, can you do it?"
Said cat demon meowed and ran off back in the direction they just came, leaving a sulking Miroku and two other growling stomachs.
Sango went to collect some wood for the cooking fire. Miroku and Shippo sat on a fallen log in a small clearing waiting for her to return. Shippo asked questions that made the monk a bit nervous to answer: "What's wrong with Kagome? Why did we leave them behind? What are they going to do? Miroku, are you listening to me?"
Before he had to answer, Miroku heard a certain cat demon walking up to the kitsune's interrogation. The monk turned to see Kirara followed by Alina and Inuyasha carrying Kagome, she was already half asleep.
Shippo bounded off to them and jumped on Kagome's stomach. "Kagome? Are you awake?"
Inuyasha ignored the kitsune "Hey monk, come get this pack and lay out her bedding. She's still too worn out to do much for herself." 'Looks like we're going to have to help you for a while till you get your strength back.'
Kagome smiled in response. 'You make it sound like it's a bad thing. I think I'd enjoy it, if it wasn't for the fact that I'm too weak and I'll probably be sleeping a lot.'
Miroku leapt at his chance to help, literally. He quickly got up and went to the hanyou, taking Kagome's large pack off his back. Sango had walked into the clearing with a fair amount wood for the night.
"She fell back asleep didn't she?" Sango started a low fire on a patch where no grass grew near the sleeping bag Miroku laid out.
"No, she's awake. She just can't do anything for herself yet, very little power." Shippo piped up as he jumped down and sat next to the fire. Miroku had already fished through the pack to get out the ramen and the pot Kagome always used to cook it in. Sango produced a water can and poured half the water into the pot.
Inuyasha gently laid Kagome down on her sleeping bag. 'Kagome?'
'What is it Inuyasha?'
'I'll be back. I'm gunna go look at what is left back there. The others are right here if you need anything.'
"Thank you..." Inuyasha tensed. The silence that fell over the group before, deepened. All eyes were on Kagome and the hanyou kneeling beside her. "…....for carrying me, that is."
Inuyasha got up and started to head back to the clearing to see what all was left of the undead miko. 'You're welcome.'
AN: There's fluff, I like fluff. Fluff is good for you. It is healthy for your mind. It keeps you in balance with the non-fluff side.
Yeay she's dead!! The clay pot of finally dead. sorry to all those Kikyo fans, but she just gets on my nerves. If you want to think of it like 'she's in a better place now' kinda deal than, there ya go. Ok? Ok.
That was kinda long… wasn't it?