Hey everyone! All right now, I hope you like this chapter. I realize that this story has been relatively short, but I have another story coming up, and I want to work on my baby. (ADLLW) So, im going to wrap this one up. Intentionally it wasn't meant for a long story, it was meant to be short, and its been longer than I thought I would have. I honestly hope you all like the way this chapter turns out, and the way the story ends.
Oh yes, and their will be quiet a few flash backs in this chapter, but it helps to relay their feelings towards one another. You will see what I mean when you read.
Guardian of the Hell Gate: Well, I love your name. Nice review! xD I don't think I have ever been cussed out like that with so many words in just one ! LOL. Ok, im just kidding, Im glad you like my story! Here is the update! JaNe
Koga's Gurl: Yes, I am truly evil. Glad you like it, this update fast enough? Thanks for your reviews, I love hearin' from ya.
MichelleAnnSummers: Yes I know, I can be pretty evil. This is a good cliff hanger thought. Well its better than most. xD glad you like it!
SwimChik1614: Hey, I know isn't it horrible? xD. Hope you enjoy this next chapter, can't wait to hear what you think!
Jen: Hey! Don't worry I don't plan on taking it off. I think it's an evil thing to do! I wont, promise . Glad you like it! Can't wait to hear what you think about this chapter.
Silent Screams
PG-13
Chapter 12
Connecting Souls
He now looked up at her. His molten amber eyes regarding the young woman he had grown so fond of. He stared at her across the room, a big hunk of something she called a sofa was the only thing blocking their path. He felt his face flush slightly at her appearance. Even though, he had once seen her in the hot springs (by accident, he reminded himself), she had never had on anything so revealing. Albeit, he knew she wouldn't wear it somewhere, but just when she was alone, or with close friends.
The shirt she wore pronounced her features subtly, but cut so short that it revealed a good two or three inches of her flat stomach. The deep red bringing out her dark, passionate eyes, and her raven hair. He saw the white bandage across her wound, but it was mostly hidden by the shirt. Her gray pants were rolled at the top, probably because they were so long, but they were extremely low, low enough for him to see her hips. He felt his face get hot again and shifted his gaze to her face.
She studied his eyes, which was hard to do considering that their was barely any light. She felt herself start to blush, as realization dawned on her. Inuyasha could probably see just fine, considering he was a hanyou. Their was nothing she could do now, considering the afghan she loved wasn't draped across the sofa anymore. Her mother must have taken it to her room, thinking she would go there.
The only thing he had said so far was he wanted to tell her his decision, but then he stopped. He seemed to be thinking about how to tell her, and she felt hot tears press behind her eyes, but she blinked them away. She was not going to cry, let alone in front of him!
She took a deep breath and let it out shakily. She broke their heated gaze, turning her eyes towards the rain streaked window.
"Kagome," he started, but then closed his mouth. He wanted to look her in the eyes when he told her. Wanted to see her reaction. He felt a stab of guilt in his heart, knowing what he was about to say would hurt her.
She surprised him when she turned her stormy-midnight eyes upon him. Her eyes and her expression was calm, but he could see a sliver of fear behind them.
'Fear of me?..No fear of what she thinks im going to say.'
His gaze softened when he met her eyes, and he felt a rush of memories explode in his head.
"Hey, do you think you can get the arrow out?"
"Wh-what?"
"Do ya think you can get the arrow?!" He repeated impatiently, pointing at the arrow lodged in his chest, holding him to the tree.
"Um...I don't know..." She said uncertainly, but reached for it nonetheless.
He didn't like her then, hell, he hated her, but he still felt a strange connection with her. And it wasn't because she shared a soul with Kikyo.
"Things are getting more dangerous by the day-,"
"I agree."
A bit angry, he growls at her, "Aren't you scared? This time were we lucky but, next time who knows?!"
Kagome shoots back, "Im not afraid! Naraku is a errible demon and we have to do what we can to destroy him!"
Without a second thought, Inuyasha reaches out and grabs her wrist, pulling her to his chest. His arms slip around her waist, and he looks over her shoulder.
"Inuyasha...what are you doing?"
In a totally surprising admission, Inuyasha whispers back, "I was afraid. I thought I was going to lose you. I was terrified." Inuyasha held onto her for a bit longer, then threw her to the ground. He gets to his feet, trying to ignore the expression on her face.
"Hey! What was-," She sees the jewel in his hand. She gets to her feet, ready to get into another argument with him, but he surprises her.
"I'll hang onto this," he said, putting the jewel in his pocket."Go back to your own era, Kagome!" He could remember the look of shock and betrayal on her face as he pushed her down the well.
He was trying to protect her. He always was. Like he swore in his mind, and to her, that he would always do. But somehow, she got out of her era, to return to him. He remember the look in her eyes. Worry, concern, confusion, then relief. He remember the way she embraced him before either of them said a word.Inuyasha frantically searched the area below him, screaming out Kagome's name, his ears straining for a response. Finding where she was, he leapt down next to her semi-conscious form.
"Kagome! Kagome!"
Her voice was weak, but she looked up at him as he helped her sit up. "Inuyasha?"
"Those roots caused some kind of illusion. Seems you got away from it OK though
Still a little woozy, she mumbled, "Uh...Uhuh," And he picked her up taking her out of the hole. When they got to the top, Kagome slid off of him to the floor, her eyes panicked. Inuyasha, looked at Kagome, then ahead of them, finally seeing Kikyo.
"Kikyou!" His gaze fell on the jewel shard (almost full) that was in her hands. "Those are Kagome's Jewel Shards!" He looked at Kagome and his voice softened. "Kagome..."
Kagome was staring straight ahead at Kikyo, an arm around her stomach, her other hand supporting herself. Her eyes looked vacant as she stared at the dead miko, and her breathing was deep and ragged.
"You did it! Don't tell me it was you!" Inuyasha's voice was tight with anger.
"What's wrong Inu-Yasha?" Her voice was evil, but velvety smooth, like Naraku's. "Tell me why is it I feel you're unhappy to see that I'm well?" Inuyasha growled slightly. "Answer me what did you do to her?!"
"I tried to kill her, what is it you're planning to do about it? Will you try to kill me?"
Inuyasha didn't answer, just glared at her angrily, trying to sort his emotions out. Kikyo's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Tell me, when Naraku had you under his spell what was it you thought about?
The burning village flashed in his mind, along with himself telling Kikyo " I...I swear I'll always protect you."
Kikyo laughed evilly, seeing realization dawn on his face.
Kikyo's soul gatherers then came to her and took her up in the sky. He watched as she left, not bothering to call her back. "Embracing death together, now that's a day I'll wait for."
Inuyasha turned back to Kagome, his eyes flashing with anger. "Kagome, tell me what she did to you."
"She took the sacred jewel back from me...I'm sorry...,"
He interrupted her sharply. "That's not what I'm asking! Did Kikyou really tried to.."
This time it was Kagome's turn, and she yelled at him, her gaze falling to her lap, "Then don't ask me!"
"Kagome..."
"I can't do it...I feel like im telling on her."
But the only memory he had not only locked in his mind, but in his heart as well, was the one he held most dear. He kept it under lock and key in his heart and in his mind. He didn't know why he choose to treasure that memory, until now.
Inuyasha walks through the forest, preparing to tell Kagome how he feels. Startled, he stops in his tracks, Kagome is sitting on the lip of the well. She hears his arrival and she looks up at him.
"I have done a whole lot of thinking when I was on the other side. About you and Kikyo and me."
Inuyasha abruptly says, "Kagome, I am-,"
"I know. I thought since I knew how you felt, I couldn't come here." Her voice was soft, but he heard it.
"I never trusted anyone before I met you. You cried for me. You were always there for me. When ever I am with you, you make me feel happy and peaceful. But im not supposed to be easy and cheerful. Kikyo lost her life because of me and the only way I can ever repay her is with my life."
"Yes, and I know. Since I can't compete with her, after all, Im still alive." After she pauses, "Even thought everyone says Im her reincarnation, Kikyo and I are totally different. My heart....is my own. But, Kikyo and I have one thing in common. Our desire to be with you."
Inuyasha just looks at her, surprised. She stares off ahead of her, her eyes not really focusing on anything. "And for some reason, that fact that Kikyo and I share the same feeling, it calmed me down a little. That wish to meet again, that wish to be with. So I gathered my courage and came to see you."
'Kagome....I wanted to see you too but...'
"I want to be with you Inuyasha. I can't forget you. I've tried, but I can't." They stare at each other in silence, lost in the moment. She stands and walks over to him. "Inuyasha, can you answer me one question?" He tensed, knowing she was about to ask him if he enjoyed being with her, but nodded. "Will you let me stay with you?"
He started at her in shock, for that wasn't what he was expecting. When he answered, his voice was passionately soft. "You...you want to stay with me?"
Kagome smiles at him and nods her head. Without making him say anything, she took his hand and started leading him towards Kaede's village. At first, he didn't return the gesture, but then he gently gripped her hand, and they walked hand in hand to the village.
The memories faded but the scene of when Kikyo and Inuyasha betrayed one another flashed across his eyes as he spoke to Kagome.
"I love Kikyo."
"Three days!" The little kitsune waved his little hands frantically, as if emphasizing his point. He sat in Sango's lap, who was currently leaning against the monks chest, who was leaning against the bone eaters well.
Miroku chuckled. "Calm down, Shippo. Don't forget Kagome is also badly injured, so she shouldn't be moving things too quickly." His voice was gentle and reassuring.
"Don't worry, Shippo. She's coming back," Sango joined in.
Satisfied for the time being, Shippo stopped hopping from foot to foot on Sangos leg, and curled into a ball with Kilala, promptly falling asleep. Sango relaxed more into Miroku and his arms wrapped around her waist. He bent his head towards her neck, and his words brushed lazily across her ear.
"They should be back soon."
"I just hope Inuyasha didn't get into another useless argument with her. She doesn't need that." Sango smiled, and felt shivers slide down her spine as Miroku covered her neck and shoulder with feather light kisses.
Miroku grinned evilly, his arms squeezing her waist.
"And until they get back...."
Kagome felt as if a bucket of cold ice water had been dumped over her head. Her head was spinning from the painful pressure of her wound, but she stood steadily, her hand on the arm of the sofa.
He saw the pain in her eyes; heard the sound of her heart beating wildly. He felt his own heart constrict at the pain he was causing her right now, but he had to finish. "I fell in love with her fifty years ago, Kagome. Her knowing me, is what abruptly ended her life. If she had never met me, she would have lived her life to the fullest. When I met her, we had a forbidden love. We were both young and reckless, neither caring for the consequences that could arise with what we were doing. She made me feel, Kagome."
Unbidden, she felt a tear make its way down her cheek, and she made no move to brush it away. She knew that this would happen. Knew that it would break her heart to hear him tell her how he felt about the one woman that tried to end her life, and his.
"We were turned against each other. Naraku had us believe we had betrayed one another. So she set out to kill me. Our love wasn't strong enough then Kagome. And its not now."
She felt her heart stop. What was he saying?
"What are you saying, Inuyasha?" Her voice was stone cold, anger making its way into her eyes. She didn't like the way this had turned out. He had started telling her what he felt about Kikyo, now he was trying to play mind games with her. Trying to make her believe that he did care for her. As much as her mind say no, her heart held a thread of hope.
Inuyasha ignored the comment for the moment. "I closed my eyes to the woman I loved. I was cast under a spell, my last emotion being one of anger because of her betrayal. Then, I met you. You broke the seal that kept me asleep, then you broke the arrow that kept me to the tree. The only emotion I seemed to have in my heart and my mind when I met you, was anger. Because you resembled Kikyo so much, that I mistook you for her. Then, you showed me that their was more to my anger, and my life, then I realized-,"
Kagome shook her head no and took a couple steps back, the backs of her legs bumping the little coffee table. She could feel the heat of the fire, its warmth on her back. She would give anything right now, to just wake up, and find out this was all a bad dream, but she knew it wasn't.
"Inuyasha, I can't do this." Her voice quivered with emotion. "I can handle your decision, and I can handle you and Kikyo," She took a deep breath. "But what I can't handle is you playing mind games with me. You can't just- ,"
In one smooth, quick motion, she could have sworn time had frozen her, Inuyasha was across the room. His clawed hands held her forearms, and his molten amber eyes bore into her. The emotion she saw in them, made her heart beat wildly, but her mind fiercely told her no, that it wasn't for her. She looked away from his intense gaze, feeling her body shaking slightly.
"Stop it, Kagome! Just wait!" His hand held tight to her arms, and she looked back at him, her eyes misty, but he could see her anger.
"Wait for what, Inuyasha," She cried out "You?" Her words shocked him and his grip loosened. She took advantage of the situation and she yanked her arms free from his grasp.
When she stepped back a strangled cry let out from under her. Buyo, her cat, leapt up angrily, swiping his claws against her back. She jumped forward slightly, a cry of surprise leaving her throat, as she collided with Inuyasha.
Surprised, he grabbed her forearms to steady her, but they only succeeded in falling backwards onto the sofa.
"Now this is awkward," Inuyasha grunted.
Kagome had landed on top of Inuyasha, her elbows bent so that her hands were touching his shoulder. Her raven hair fell in front of her shoulder, grazing his cheek.
Kagome offered him a faint smile. "I did wait for you," she said quietly, resuming their conversation. "But it hurts when you run off with kikyo, and when you compare me to her. I can't and never will be like her. I don't want to hurt anymore."
Inuyasha felt his heart constrict at her words; as if someone was closing a fist over it. He heart the pain in her voice, and felt like beating himself up for it.
He couldn't help but feel a little jealousy rage in him at the way she spoke of her reference to her feelings she held for Bobby. But he pushed it away; this was not the time.
He blinked, and watched as a tear fell down her cheek. Absently at first, he reached up and wiped it away with his thumb. He let his hand linger on her face for another moment then let it fall. "I don't want to hurt you, Kagome," He growled softly. "You never let me finish."
"I don't know what's left to say, but go ahead and finish." She made like she was going to get up, but Inuyasha held her shoulders, keeping her where she was.
Their faces were two inches from each other, and he inhaled deeply, trying to quell his nerves, but got a giant whiff of Kagome's scent.
Cinnamon and vanilla.
"I wasn't lying when I said those things about Kikyo," he stopped, feelings her tense above him. "But she's in the past. Your now. Ever since I met you, my anger seemed to melt away. You never doubted me, even when I doubted myself. You never feared me when my demon blood took over my mind, my logic. You never tried to change me, you just excepted me the way I was. A hanyou. It never bothered you that I was a disgrace to all human and demon kind. You never cared whether or not people told you just to leave me because of my dirty blood. You never turned your back on me. I'll never be able to repay you for that, Kagome."
At first Kagome didn't say anything. She was blushing full tilt at the fact that he just opened up to her, not to mention that shew as on top of him! If my mom walked in right now, she thought, I can just imagine what she would perceive from this.
"So your decision is," She asked him quietly.
"You don't know?"
She didn't say anything. Didn't move. His breath was warm on her lips and she caught his scent. She always loved it; it reminded her of the forest. She needed to hear it from him. She shook her head in answer, but it was so slight that she didn't know if he saw it.
He did.
"You." After a silent pause, "I want to be with you, Kagome. I want you to be my mate. Unless you don't feel the same way." He broke their gaze, looking at the slowly dying fire.
Kagome felt herself flush even more at his terminology. (Mate). Her eyes narrowed slightly and she reached towards his face.
He looked back at her, startled. Her finger traced his jaw line and he looked in her eyes. She didn't say anything at first, just stared into his molten amber eyes, the flames from the dying embers, dancing across their face.
Without saying anything she leaned forward, closed her eyes, and hesitantly pressed her lips against his. This should give him his answer, she thought. At first he was too stunned to do anything, but slowly, his mind registered what was happening, and he closed his eyes, his arms tightening around Kagome's waist.
He kissed her gently at first, then passionately, like a starving man, his arms holding tight around her waist, as if, if he let her go, she would just disappear. He felt his demon blood kicking in, and reluctantly broke away from their embrace, her forehead against his. They were both out of breath, and Inuyasha was grinning like a fool.
"Does that answer your question," She asked him softly.
He nodded and moved his hand to the back of her neck. He smiled at her. Seeing her face bathed in the orange glow of the fire, he couldn't be happier. He pulled her back down to him for another kiss, ignoring his demon blood.
Kagome kissed him back, but her head started to spin. She broke away, squinting down at him, trying to keep him in focus. The toll of the day, and her wound, were hitting her full force, and she felt exhausted. Her head spun violently and her hand fell from his face. She breathed deeply for a moment, to steady the world, and when she opened her eyes, Inuyasha was looking at her worriedly. She smiled at him gently.
"I love you too, Kagome."
At first it took Kagome a minute to figure out why he said, 'too', but then she remembered when she had told him she loved him a couple hours ago at the cemetery. She smiled at him.
"I love you." She responded, a warm feeling spreading through out her body.
She blinked heavily, her head spinning like she was on one of those tea- cup rides in a festival. She tried to keep him in focus, and saw him frown in concern.
"Kagome, are you okay?"
She nodded slightly, and rested her cheek against his chest, hearing his heartbeat.
"Mmm hmm, Just tired, I guess."
He went to say something else, when he heard her even breathing and felt it grace his neck. He shifted slightly and kept his arms around her waist.
"'Night, Kagome."
She mumbled back sleepily, "'Night, Inuyasha."
The night was dark, the moon full and high in the sky. The wind was warm and gentle against her skin, and she only wished her touch could be that warm.
Her soft onyx eyes did not betray her inner turmoil as she walked towards the village she once lived to protect.
Her red and white shinto miko clothes were a stark contrast to the night. Her dark black hair hung loosely down her back, a couple strands across her shoulders. Her eyes swept over the little huts. No lights were on in any of the houses, with the exception of a familiar one in the dead middle of the village.
She walked slowly, her soul gatherers following beside, behind, and in front of her. Not one of them had a soul, but they all glowed hungrily.
She stopped in front of the door to the hut in question. She walked forward, leaving her gatherers behind her. Pushing the beaded door to the side, she stepped inside and let it fall back behind her.
Sango and Miroku looked up from their discussion, startled at her sudden appearance.
"Kikyo," Sango said venomously. "Where is Inuyasha?" Her voice was flat and emotionless.
Before anyone could answer, Shippo stumbled out of the next room, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
"What's going on?" His eyes got wide when he noticed Kikyo and the flashed with anger. "You can't have her! Leave Kagome alone!"
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: I decided since I have been so evil to all of you with Kagome and Inuyasha cliff hangers, that I would be nice and give you a fluffy ending.