A/N: Don't know what to say about this chapter except that I am bringing back Sesshoumaru for more than one purpose....just read and find out!
Yuffie: Really?
Me: Oh yeah!
Yuffie: (While doing happy dance) YAY!
Me: Uh...huh...
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Missing in Action: Chapter Three"Kikyou should be back any time now," Inuyasha paced the floor.
Sango smiled. "Don't worry about it, Inuyasha. She seemed to understand."
"She is taking a while, though," commented Miroku.
"Sh! Not around Inuyasha!" scolded Shippo, who glanced worriedly at the face of his friend. "She's probably fine, Inuyasha."
"We'll see soon enough," whispered Kaede. "Kikyou is approaching with Kagome as we speak."
"Where?!"
"Down, boy!"
"Give me the jewel shards now, Inuyasha." Kikyou demanded.
"Is this really Kagome?" he asked her.
Kagome smiled, despite her obvious pain. "I should slap you just for asking such a stupid question!" she growled at him. "After I've been to a hospital, I do have one question for you, though..."
Inuyasha nodded his understanding. "Here, Kikyou. As promised," he tossed her the bag containing the jewel shards.
"Inuyasha? What the hell are you doing? She works for Naraku! What in your mind makes it logical to give the shards to her?" Kagome screamed.
"We made a deal. You, in exchange for the jewel shards. You're here, so now I have to keep up my end of the bargain..."
"Me?" Kagome whispered. "You agreed to give the jewel shards over for me?" Ordinarily, Kagome would think that this was very romantic. Right now, she was ready to kill him. "You idiot! Are you trying to get us killed? I'm not worth getting everybody killed over!"
"Chill," whispered Miroku behind her.
Kikyou nodded, and hesitantly made her retreat.
"Those weren't the real shards, you stupid girl." Inuyasha snapped when Kikyou was far enough away. "Kaede made fake ones."
"Then you just made Naraku really mad..." Kagome whispered.
Inuyasha would have replied at this, but he was too busy staring at Kagome's bloody knee...or what was left of it. He cringed. "How are you standing?" he asked.
"Hi!" Sango waved in his face. She was standing right next to Kagome, holding her up as best she could.
"Kaede! We need some of your stinky medicine!" Inuyasha called into the house. "Kagome's knee is really messed up!"
"Can you walk?" Inuyasha asked.
Kagome glared at him.
"I was just asking!"
"Don't ask, then!" she snapped.
"Stop arguing, you two. We're going to need to figure out what we're going to do once Naraku figures out that the jewel fragments are fake. Any ideas?" Shippo asked.
"What about Kikyou?" Kagome whispered.
Inuyasha turned quickly. "Huh?"
"You heard me, Inuyasha. What about Kikyou?"
"I don't know. We can't actually help her until Naraku releases her from his power...she kind of has to do what she's told until then..." he frowned. "You...want to help her?"
"It isn't likely that he'll just let her go, though..." Sango frowned and stared at the ground.
Kagome sighed, but answered Inuyasha anyway. "She helped me. I think we ought to return the favor if we can..."
"Boy, this is backwards..." Shippo whistled.
Inuyasha blinked in obvious confusion.
Kagome laughed. "Hey, this knee is a much better alternative than the excruciatingly painful kind of death that Naraku seems so fond of..." she smirked.
"You're hurt?" Everyone gasped. Sesshoumaru had just waltzed right into Kaede's small house.
"No, really?" Sango rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious?"
"If you're going to beat Naraku, she's going to have to be in good health, Inuyasha. If she's already bleeding when she gets there, what good will she be?" he frowned.
Inuyasha reddened. "You have a point...but then again, since when have you cared?" he shot his reply.
"I thought you wanted my help?"
Again, Inuyasha fell over, as he would have if Kagome had 'sat' him. "You actually want to help us? What are your motives?"
"What aren't?" he challenged his little brother.
"But you...!" Inuyasha whined.
Sesshoumaru smiled. "I said it was a 'one time deal'...I remember." He nodded. "But I think I'm feeling generous today."
"Meaning since you're not in the mood to kill us, you'll help us beat Naraku instead?" asked Miroku. "It sounds all right."
Inuyasha glared at him. "You've all gone mad."
"You could actually use his help, you know..." it was Kaede, who had been silent throughout the exchange.
"WHAT!?"
"Can you heal the girl's leg, Sesshoumaru?" Kaede asked rather than addressing Inuyasha.
"Probably." He shrugged.
"He's in!" Kagome smiled.
Kagome's all right...all thanks to Sesshoumaru. Darn. That means I owe him again. I'm never going to live this down. Of course, if Kikyou had her way, I'd never get to live anything down...guess I shouldn't complain...
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, waving her arms frantically in his face. "Earth to Inuyasha! Is anyone home in there?" Hmm...Kagome smiled to herself. "Sit!" she yelled.
Inuyasha crashed face first into the floor. He glared up at her, greatly annoyed. "Why did you have to do that?"
"Because you were spacing out." Sesshoumaru smirked.
"Who asked you?" Inuyasha growled.
"You did."
"Did not!"
"Did!"
Miroku leaned sideways so that he could whisper to Sango. "You know, they sure do bicker like they are related..." He paused. "But you have to agree...the bickering is a much better alternative to them trying to kill each other, isn't it?"
Sango laughed, and nodded in agreement. "Boys! Play nice! Now, I think we have a bit of a bigger issue at hand here..."
"You're telling me," Miroku smiled, studying his hand.
"Shut up. Not literally your hand..." Sango groaned. "We still haven't come up with a plan yet, and I doubt Naraku will wait for us to find him once he realizes we tricked him like that..." She glanced around at everyone in the room, stopping only for a moment to acknowledge that Kaede was still there.
Kaede laughed. "Child, I may be good, but I'm not that good. Count me out this time." She waved, and quickly left the room.
Inuyasha, ignoring that Kaede had said anything at all, replied to Sango. "That sounds like something that is far too close to the truth for my own comfort. I don't like it when you're right about things like this..."
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, pretending that Inuyasha wasn't there. "First order of business..." he smirked. "Who all plans to fight? I need to know what I'm working with..."
"We all plan to fight." Kagome nodded in determination.
Sesshoumaru frowned. "Oh, good. So I have an archer, a fox demon, a demon hunter, and a perverted monk to work with?"
"Ahem..."
"Oh, and Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru waved.
"Good one, smart ass. Now, do you have a plan or not?"
"Inuyasha! Be nice!" Kagome warned.
Sesshoumaru nodded. "Oh, I have a plan all right. Whether or not it works will depend on how willing you and Kagome are to help make it work, though..."
Kagome nodded. "We're listening..."
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A/N: This chapter is shorter than I am used to...err...oh well. Revelation of the big 'plan' and a couple other interesting things will pop up in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one! Please review!