The next two weeks passed slowly for everyone. Kagome refused to talk to anyone except Kaede for very long, not even to Shippou. The little kitsune was very confused by this and hurt; he didn't quite understand what he'd done to earn this treatment. Inuyasha stayed in the forest most of the time. Every night a new pile of firewood would appear next to the hut and there were rumors that youkai activities had been unusually quiet in that area recently. Sango and Miroku, however, were enjoying themselves and getting to know one another a little better.
The two were sitting in front of an abandoned hut that the group had claimed for themselves when they saw Kagome walk unsteadily out of Kaede's hut. They rushed over to her side and grabbed an elbow each.
"Lady Kagome, are you sure you should be up and about so soon?"
"Why not? Or was it more convenient to have me stuck in that hole out of sight?" She jerked her arms free and stumbled a little. She steadied herself and glared at the two. "I'm going home." With that she was racing off into the woods on unsteady legs, tripping more often than not.
"Kagome! Come back!" Sango started to run after her. Miroku grabbed her arm as she ran past, pulling her back.
"Let her go. She does not want to be with us for now. She appears to be walking all right, so she should make it to the well fine. It is not that far. Let us go inform Inuyasha of these new developments."
They found him sitting on the roof of a hut at the far end of the village. He came down when they told them what had happened. "So? What do I care what she does?" Damn. She must really hate me. Didn't even say goodbye or nothin'. "Now that we're not bein' slowed down, we can go get some jewel shards!"
"Excellent. Things are working out better than I had planned. You may go now, Kanna." My control over the human whore is even stronger than I had hoped for. She will prove to be an adequate mother for my heir. When I join with the demon born from such a powerful union, I will be near invincible!
Kagome climbed out of the well in her time and sat on the steps leading out to the door. Even Sango is after me now. What am I going to do? A feeling of anger welled up within her at her friends. If they want me dead, I'll just stay over here where they can't get me! She resolutely began the walk back to her room. She entered the house and marched straight past her family's happy greetings. If she stopped now, she would break down in tears and she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of her family like that. She finally reached her room and threw herself onto the bed, letting her tears loose. The cat, Buyou, had followed her into her room and jumped on to the bed next to Kagome, purring softly. She scratched his head a little bit. Before long, Kagome lay in an exhausted sleep.
Kagome woke in a darkened room. She couldn't see anything around her, but it felt like she was hanging by her wrists. She hung there, confused, for quite awhile and was starting to drift back to sleep when a faint rectangular outline of light appeared a couple yards away from her. The light got bigger and she realized it was a door. A shadow broke the light as someone walked into her room and closed the door; she was shrouded again in darkness.
"Who are you?"
Icy fear gripped her heart when she heard the soft chuckle. "Why my dear Kagome, do you not remember your mate?" She heard the rattle of chains, and then she was lying sprawled on the floor. "I will just have to remind you then!"
"No! Not again!" She was dragged into a pile of moldy straw and heard a soft 'chink!' as her chain was clipped into place.
Naraku chuckled again. "My new mate must have a proper bed for the begetting of my offspring." There was a soft 'swish' of clothing falling.
"NO! I'm not your mate! Get away from me! INUYASHA, HELP ME!" She struggled against her chains. "OW!" She cried out as a whip cracked out across her cheek.
"Be still, bitch! Your hanyou can't hear you in this place. There is no one to help you."
She felt something heavy fall over her and she screamed. "No, not again! Please, not again!"
"AAH!" Kagome bolted up at the sharp pain in her hand. She pulled it up and looked at the wound. Teeth marks? "Buyou? You did this?" The cat glanced towards her then started washing his tail. "Oh, thank you Buyou." She hugged him close against her chest. "Silly kitty, probably didn't even know what you were doing, but thank you. What a horrible dream!"
It wasn't all a dream, my Kagome. Naraku's voice reverberated in her mind.
Kagome froze. It was just a dream, wasn't it? Not real...
I am very real, Kagome. I can see and feel everything you do because you carry my child. And once he is born, you will die.
"How did you follow me here? Go away! I don't have anyone's child! Leave me alone!"
Inuyasha sat in front of the group's pre-empted hut listening to Sango and Miroku chatter on about nothings. Shippou was off playing with Kirara and the other village children. The day slowly wore on while he stared at the same speck of dirt. Towards sunset the children started to return home from their games and ran happily to their mother's arms. The men began coming home from where they had been working in the fields all day, every one of them had the eager, expectant look of one who knows that he is returning to a hot meal and a loving family. Shippou appeared around a corner being chased playfully by Kirara and jumped onto Miroku's shoulder to escape. Sango went inside to start dinner and the other three went to go help. Inuyasha's ear twitched a fly away absently as he stared. The first stars began to appear in the almost moonless sky. Inuyasha sighed. For the second time in his life, he really knew what it was to be alone.
Suddenly a furry red head popped up under his arm, breaking his gloomy brooding. "What is it, Shippou?" He didn't even glance at the kitsune; he was too exhausted by life for the pretend anger he always hid behind.
"Why don't you just go back to her? I'm sure she's just waiting for you to come and get her, like usual."
"It's not that simple. She..." She hates me for what I let happen. "She's better off in her own time, out of danger."
Shippou crossed his arms over his chest and gave him a disgusted look. "You could at least bring her bag back, seeing as you're the only one who can cross the well now. She left it at Kaede's when she ran off."
Inuyasha didn't reply and went back to brooding. But the set of his ears projected a feeling of a little more hope.
Back in the hut, Shippou climbed back atop Miroku's shoulder. "Do you think it worked?" He whispered quietly.
"I think it worked just fine." Sango smiled proudly at him.
Later that night, Inuyasha quietly into Kaede's hut get the bag. He started to lift it up when everything spilled out with a loud clatter. He froze, hoping Kaede hadn't woken up. Baka! Trying to announce to the whole world what you're up to? He turned the bag right side up and put everything back as quietly as he could. Double-checking to make sure it was still right side up, he ran into the night speeding for the well.
Kagome lay curled up in a ball on her bed, clutching at her head. She was whimpering and biting her lip to keep from screaming.
Now, isn't this fun? Scream for me, Kagome!
Another memory bubbled to the front of her mind. She was back in chains, being dragged across the stone floor of Naraku's castle.
"No, leave me alone!" She was kicked down the long flights of stairs. "Get out of my head!" She tried to shove the memories away, to think about being home in the future. She was back on the wall, helpless as her mind's eye saw Naraku choose out a weapon.
Ah, my dear, you have such a beautiful voice. Yell for me, cry for me!
Kagome cried out as the cat o nine tails cut into her skin, feeling the sensation anew from her memories. "Someone, help!" she whimpered hoarsely into her pillow. "Inuyasha, make it stop!"
Inuyasha stood at the bottom of the well. He was starting to have second thoughts about this. I could just leave it in a doorway or something; there's no need to see her. Then I won't have to hear her say 'go away'... But what if Shippou's right? What if she's not mad at me? He hopped out of the well. "Keh. Little idiot's probably fallen asleep by now anyway!" His walked gained a small bounce as he headed for the tree outside her window. He jumped onto the branch and peered into the window. All the lights were out, but he could make out the shape of her curled up on the bed. He opened the window and climbed in silently.
"Inuyasha, make it stop!" Kagome writhed over the covers like she was being attacked, but he couldn't find a cause for it. He panicked, not knowing how to make it stop. It felt like his heart was being ripped out every time she twisted in pain.
"Kagome!" He sat her up lightly and hugged her close. "What's wrong, Kagome? Who's hurting you?"
She didn't answer right away. She shuddered again, crying silently. The memories started to fade slightly as she clung to him. "Hold me. Make it go away." Inuyasha enveloped her in the protective barrier of his arms. She focused on the sensations, on the arms around her that didn't attack, on the warm chest that supported her, on the beautiful face looking down on her with worry and not hunger or hate.
Inuyasha thought with wonder at the feelings breaking free inside him. As he held Kagome in comforting, protecting her from whatever demons where attacking her, he felt as if he had finally become whole, as if he had found the purpose for his life. He knew then the choice had been made a long time ago, that he would always be with Kagome. I'm sorry, Kikyou, but this is where my soul is. You of all people should understand that. He bent down and kissed the top of her head. "I will hold you forever, my Kagome."
He...he doesn't hate me? Kagome sniffled and loosed her death-grip on the front of his jacket. She slid her arms around him and cried softly, letting loose all the pain she held pent up inside.
When the tears slowed, Inuyasha stood up carefully, still cradling her close. "We need to go to Kaede now, Kagome. Are you ok to go back?"
There was a long pause. She wanted to stay as far away from Naraku as possible, but if 500 years couldn't make a difference, and if Kaede could make it stop...
Inuyasha felt a slight downward moving pressure against his chest. He took it for a nod and practically flew through the well.
A/N: Huzzah, Kagome and Inu are finally together! Don't worry though, this isn't over for a long time yet! And I think I will hurt whoever decided to not make my section breaks and italics not work properly [kicks it! kicks it aaaaalllll!]
To inuyashatotallyobsessed: no, no one hates her. That was just her worries; Naraku used their connection to amplify it into a full-blow paranoia. That's why she's been overreacting about everything, pretty much, actually... poor Kagome!
Black Betty: She didn't know she was pregnant, and Kaede had assured everyone else that her miko powers would prevent that. (See, people, this is why keeping secrets is bad!) ;-)