Disclaimer: It's not mine! It's not mine! It's not mine! It's not mine! It's not mine! It's not mine! It's not mine! It's not mine! It's not mine! There, happy? Oh, spoken lines were taken from episode 52 (The Demon's True Nature)

Note: This fic switches POV in this order: Inuyasha, Kagome, Inuyasha. A line break indicates change of POV. Oh, and italics are thoughts (or emphasis, depending on how it's used).

Hands of Blood, Hands of Healing

I can't get the smell of blood off my hands — it's sickening. I can still smell the stench of fresh blood, and see it dripping off of my claws – it's seeping into my skin. The blood of those humans who died at my hand, the humans who blindly followed that demon's orders — they could have lived on if I hadn't come.

He was in the river, standing knee-deep trying to wash his hands. Actually, it was more like he was ripping at the water. What had happened to him must have affected him far more deeply than I had realized. I see it now, it's written all over his face – anger at himself for the massacre and a trace of sadness for what had happened. But in his eyes… they glowed with fear. I couldn't quite place where that fear came from. Fear of the sight of those he had killed, or fear of himself? Before I could place it, he was headed toward me.

"Here," I said while holding out a towel.

"Keep it," he said flatly. He sat on the ground apart from me, just staring at his claws. They looked spotless form where I was sitting, but I had a feeling that he still saw blood.

"You don't have to force yourself to stay be me." To hear his so much sadness in his voice, especially since he tries so hard not to show it… I couldn't believe he thought I was forcing myself to be here. Inyuasha no baka. Why would I not want to be with you? The only thing I would have to force myself to do is to stay away from you… I looked at him and tried to see why he'd say such a thing. His eyes were locked onto his hands, like he thought if he stared at them hard enough, it'd make the blood go away. He must have felt my eyes on his back because flared-up like he normally does when he's the center of attention.

"What's you're problem? You know, I wish you all would stop pussyfooting around me, because I don't give a damn what I did!"

"Don't kid yourself." It must be so hard on him…

Without knowing it, that's exactly what I was trying to do. If I denied it enough, I'd feel like I did nothing wrong. But inside, I know I would still feel the pain. The same pain I saw in her eyes when I looked at her. She knew. She knew my pain... knew how much it hurt… knew that what had happened can't be changed anymore, no matter how much I wanted to change it.

She stood up and sat behind me, her hands on my shoulders. Those hands… she did amazing things with her hands. She was a quick learner when it came to archery, and though she's not as great as Kikyo was, she was improving fast. Her hands always dove into that bag of hers and pull out things from her time that were amazing for healing. Even though my body repairs itself fine without it, her soft touch healed not my wounds, but my heart. I stiffened at first – we had never really been this close before – but I was glad she was the one here.

"Oh, Inuyasha. I know how you feel," she whispered.

Kagome, I don't remember a thing from when I was transformed; it wasn't like that before. The next time I transform, I may come after you with these claws, Kagome. I noticed a dampness on my back… she was crying – for me. Even after what I had done, not just to those villagers, but everything that had happened between us.

Anyone would say that I'm not the type to be gentle, and I would agree. But at the moment, I couldn't bring myself to hide anything. She'd see through me either way. I finally gave in to my emotions and placed my hand on top of hers. This hand that had taken many lives and hurt so many, including her. This hand had no right to touch hers, her hands that heal things much deeper than wounds. But she didn't pull back. It made me realize that I was lucky to have someone like her always by my side. Something I would never allow to leave me. She was my hope, she was my future, she would rescue me from my pain.

Once the Shikon no Tama is complete… I'll use it for you, Kagome.

A/N: finally done! This has been sitting on my comp for ages! In reality, this would have taken me only 2 days to write, but in reality, it was 2 weeks! Ugh… I'm glad it's finally over. As far as I can see, there won't be too many IY fics to come. What I'd like is some constructive criticism, because at this point, I feel like I really really really need it. Hope you liked it Arigatou to BaoBlossom for beta-reading and to all of you for reading!