Chapter 4: Too Close For Comfort
*WHOOOSH*SHLEESH*THUMP*THUMP*
Kagome cracked an eyelid to see what was happening. She saw Kikyo grasping her right arm and looking off to her right, toward the village. Sango was standing a few yards away, seriously pissed off. Her boomerang flew around the tree and returned to her. "Sango!"
"Kikyo! I swear, if you attack Kagome one more time, I'll finish you off!" Sango eyed the injured Kikyo, daring her to make another move toward her friend. She readied Hiraikotsu for another swing, just in case.
While still clutching her shattered arm (think of breaking a clay pot) she looked at the exterminator then back to Kagome. "You'll live for now, but soon I'll kill you and your brat and take my rightful place." She then took a few steps back and glared at her. The Shinidamachuu that held Kagome to the tree loosened and flew over to Kikyo, tangling around her and soon lifting her up into the air.
Kagome fell to the ground at the loss of her restraints. She began shacking as she sat on her hands and knees. Kagome fisted her hands around clumps of snow. In her left hand she gathered strands of lose hair. She kneeled back just as Sango reached her side.
"Kagome, are you ok? Are you hurt?" Sango examined her friend for any signs of blood or bruises. She was greatly relieved when she couldn't visibly see any.
Kagome opened her hand to reveal the black tresses. She slowly brought up her right hand and felt her hair. The entire left side was now short with jagged, uneven ends due to Kikyo's vicious assault and attempt on her life.
Sango was a bit worried by Kagome's blank stare but when she finally realized what damage the crazed miko had done, it explained Kagome's behavior. She grabbed the still shacking girl by the shoulders and gave her a hug. "I can fix you hair Kagome. At least you and the baby are alright." Sango then released her and stood up. "Come on, we should get back before Inuyasha goes nuts, ok." She had to help Kagome stand since she was still in shock.
"She was gonna kill me!" whispered Kagome as she managed to walk along next to Sango. "I could see it in her eyes just before you showed up. Kikyo was really going to kill me this time!"
Placing an arm around Kagome's shoulder, Sango tried to comfort her friend as they walked back to the hut. "Its ok Kagome, it won't happen again. Kikyo can't even draw a bow anymore let alone hold a dagger." She was a bit happier when her friend nodded in response.
They quickly made it back to the hut. Sango entered first, followed closely by Kagome.
"It's about-" Inuyasha was quickly cut off.
"All you guys, outside. We girls have to take care of something. Don't ask, just go." Reluctantly the guys left, several mumbles and choice words later. Inuyasha gave her a very skeptical look and left. "Ok Kagome, sit right there and be still." Sango pointed to a spot next to the fire. After Kagome was seated comfortably, Sango went to work evening out her hair. Almost an hour later, Sango took a few steps back from Kagome and admired her handy work. "I think that will do and it looks very good on you."
Kagome retrieved a compact mirror from her bag and examined herself. The hair was now down to her shoulders but it defiantly looked good on her. It made her look older and more mature. "I do look nice…but what will Inuyasha think?...What will he do?" Kagome fingered her hair as she thought about Inuyasha's possible reactions to Kikyo's attack and to her new hair cut.
Sango helped her friend stand then she went and stood by the door, waiting for Kagome. "Well there's only one way to find out." She then pulled back the door flap and indicated for Kagome to go outside.
"Hai, hai." She then reluctantly exited the hut and walked over to the waiting guys outside, closely followed by Sango.
Inuyasha heard them approaching from behind him. He didn't bother to turn around, he just tilted his head toward the sky a bit more then usual. "Were you two planning on freezing us to death?"
Miroku and Shippo on the other hand were already facing the two girls as they slowly walked up to them. Both monk and fox stared at Kagome with surprisingly wide eyes.
Shippo stood up and could only stare as his jaw dropped as far as it would go.
Confused by the odd stared the child and pervert were giving his wife, Inuyasha slowly turned and looked for himself. Standing a few yards behind him was indeed his mate. Her left arm holding her stomach protectively while her right hand played with the ends of her hair as they barely grazed her right shoulder. He looked her up and down, making sure it was the same girl. 'She looks like Kagome, but why would she cut her hair all of a sudden?' Inuyasha stood and walked up to her. "Kagome, why…" His eyes became wide as he inhaled more of her scent. 'Why does she seem so scared?...Wait…' he smelled something else that was a bit off. "Why do you smell of Kikyo? Is she the reason you're so scared?" He stared down at her and waited for an answer. He could smell the fear in her blood intensify and he saw her start shacking. "Kagome?"
That one, barely whispered word of concern was the wrecking ball. In a matter of seconds, Kagome had thrown herself at Inuyasha, a river of tears streaming down her cheeks. Uncontrollable sobs and incomprehensible words escaped her mouth. She twisted her fingers into his haori and let his arms wrap around and support her.
Dumbfounded by her actions, Inuyasha looked up at Sango for an explanation. All he got was a nod, indicating they should go inside. It was apparent that what ever happened to his wife was traumatic and she wasn't going to walk on her own at the moment. Inuyasha lifted her up into his arms bridal fashion and waked into the hut. He sat down on the far side of the hut, still cradling a crying Kagome. As he waited for the monk and kitsune to enter he examined the ends of her short hair. Starting at the top of her head and letting his claws rake through his mate's once long black tresses.
Sango sat silently, staring at her distraught friend for quite a while before finally looking up at the hanyou holding the miko. "Inuyasha, I'm gonna be blunt……Kikyo attacked her earlier."
"SHE DID WHAT!?!" Shouted Inuyasha as he instinctively held Kagome tighter.
"When I arrived to check on Kagome. Kikyo had her pinned to a tree by Shinidamachuu. She had only cut Kagome's hair on one side, my guess is out of sheer rage, but she was getting ready for the final…" Sango had to stop and look away as the memory came back to her. "I attacked her with Hiraikotsu and shattered her arm…but she escaped……Inuyasha, she vowed to come back for Kagome and your child." Sango was terribly worried for her friend and the baby. What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation alone had changed immensely, having unwillingly and unknowingly pissed off an already dead miko.
"So Kikyo has gone off the deep end?! Did she say when she would be back?" Questioned Miroku calmly, though his true emotions were by far the opposite. 'After 3 years, those two finally got together and that undead bitch has to try and destroy it. I won't settle for this.'
Sango noticed Miroku's grip on his staff was awfully tight and she knew the monk was mad as well. "Just…soon. She said she would return soon and take her rightful place."
Memories of Kikyo then Kagome bombarded Inuyasha's mind as he listened to every word Sango said. "Damn her…She won't get away with this." Inuyasha looked from the fire to the woman in his lap. 'She cried herself to sleep?! She shouldn't have had to cry at all!' Relieved that she had fallen asleep, he tenderly and carefully deposited her on hr sleeping bag. He kneeled by her sleeping form, watching her. "Sango, Miroku, Shippo……Can I ask you to guard her with your lives?"
"You needn't ask that at all, you know we would." Replied Sango.
"You're going after Kikyo, aren't' you?" Miroku questioned even though he already knew the answer. "Do you honestly think you can put an end to her?"
Inuyasha affectionately brushed a few bangs out of Kagome's eyes. "Kikyo straight out tried to murder my wife and unborn child. I know I can. Kagome is the first person since my mother that has accepted me as a hanyou. She even loves me as one, prefers me to be myself. The least I can do is protect her no matter what. I will protect them." Inuyasha stood up, clenching Tetsusaiga. "If I'm lucky, I shouldn't be too long… Protect her! Promise me?"
"Hai!" all 3 said in unison. No sooner was that said and Inuyasha was gone. Miroku and Sango stared at the still flapping door curtain while Shippo slowly walked over and cuddled up with Kagome.
Miroku continued to stare at the door as if it had bitten him. "He was unusually emotional. Is it the new moon already?"
"Not yet. I guess when it comes to Kagome's life, he puts aside being macho and lets his feelings loose."
"He probably doesn't even realize what he's said either." Miroku shook his head then looked over at the sleeping miko. "Rest easy Kagome, no harm will befall you as long as you have all of us."
Kagome rested peacefully while her husband ran threw the forest. Hell bent on making sure that tonight's murder attempt wasn't a success on the next try by a certain undead miko.
~******~
*WHOOOSH*SHLEESH*THUMP*THUMP*
Kagome cracked an eyelid to see what was happening. She saw Kikyo grasping her right arm and looking off to her right, toward the village. Sango was standing a few yards away, seriously pissed off. Her boomerang flew around the tree and returned to her. "Sango!"
"Kikyo! I swear, if you attack Kagome one more time, I'll finish you off!" Sango eyed the injured Kikyo, daring her to make another move toward her friend. She readied Hiraikotsu for another swing, just in case.
While still clutching her shattered arm (think of breaking a clay pot) she looked at the exterminator then back to Kagome. "You'll live for now, but soon I'll kill you and your brat and take my rightful place." She then took a few steps back and glared at her. The Shinidamachuu that held Kagome to the tree loosened and flew over to Kikyo, tangling around her and soon lifting her up into the air.
Kagome fell to the ground at the loss of her restraints. She began shacking as she sat on her hands and knees. Kagome fisted her hands around clumps of snow. In her left hand she gathered strands of lose hair. She kneeled back just as Sango reached her side.
"Kagome, are you ok? Are you hurt?" Sango examined her friend for any signs of blood or bruises. She was greatly relieved when she couldn't visibly see any.
Kagome opened her hand to reveal the black tresses. She slowly brought up her right hand and felt her hair. The entire left side was now short with jagged, uneven ends due to Kikyo's vicious assault and attempt on her life.
Sango was a bit worried by Kagome's blank stare but when she finally realized what damage the crazed miko had done, it explained Kagome's behavior. She grabbed the still shacking girl by the shoulders and gave her a hug. "I can fix you hair Kagome. At least you and the baby are alright." Sango then released her and stood up. "Come on, we should get back before Inuyasha goes nuts, ok." She had to help Kagome stand since she was still in shock.
"She was gonna kill me!" whispered Kagome as she managed to walk along next to Sango. "I could see it in her eyes just before you showed up. Kikyo was really going to kill me this time!"
Placing an arm around Kagome's shoulder, Sango tried to comfort her friend as they walked back to the hut. "Its ok Kagome, it won't happen again. Kikyo can't even draw a bow anymore let alone hold a dagger." She was a bit happier when her friend nodded in response.
They quickly made it back to the hut. Sango entered first, followed closely by Kagome.
"It's about-" Inuyasha was quickly cut off.
"All you guys, outside. We girls have to take care of something. Don't ask, just go." Reluctantly the guys left, several mumbles and choice words later. Inuyasha gave her a very skeptical look and left. "Ok Kagome, sit right there and be still." Sango pointed to a spot next to the fire. After Kagome was seated comfortably, Sango went to work evening out her hair. Almost an hour later, Sango took a few steps back from Kagome and admired her handy work. "I think that will do and it looks very good on you."
Kagome retrieved a compact mirror from her bag and examined herself. The hair was now down to her shoulders but it defiantly looked good on her. It made her look older and more mature. "I do look nice…but what will Inuyasha think?...What will he do?" Kagome fingered her hair as she thought about Inuyasha's possible reactions to Kikyo's attack and to her new hair cut.
Sango helped her friend stand then she went and stood by the door, waiting for Kagome. "Well there's only one way to find out." She then pulled back the door flap and indicated for Kagome to go outside.
"Hai, hai." She then reluctantly exited the hut and walked over to the waiting guys outside, closely followed by Sango.
Inuyasha heard them approaching from behind him. He didn't bother to turn around, he just tilted his head toward the sky a bit more then usual. "Were you two planning on freezing us to death?"
Miroku and Shippo on the other hand were already facing the two girls as they slowly walked up to them. Both monk and fox stared at Kagome with surprisingly wide eyes.
Shippo stood up and could only stare as his jaw dropped as far as it would go.
Confused by the odd stared the child and pervert were giving his wife, Inuyasha slowly turned and looked for himself. Standing a few yards behind him was indeed his mate. Her left arm holding her stomach protectively while her right hand played with the ends of her hair as they barely grazed her right shoulder. He looked her up and down, making sure it was the same girl. 'She looks like Kagome, but why would she cut her hair all of a sudden?' Inuyasha stood and walked up to her. "Kagome, why…" His eyes became wide as he inhaled more of her scent. 'Why does she seem so scared?...Wait…' he smelled something else that was a bit off. "Why do you smell of Kikyo? Is she the reason you're so scared?" He stared down at her and waited for an answer. He could smell the fear in her blood intensify and he saw her start shacking. "Kagome?"
That one, barely whispered word of concern was the wrecking ball. In a matter of seconds, Kagome had thrown herself at Inuyasha, a river of tears streaming down her cheeks. Uncontrollable sobs and incomprehensible words escaped her mouth. She twisted her fingers into his haori and let his arms wrap around and support her.
Dumbfounded by her actions, Inuyasha looked up at Sango for an explanation. All he got was a nod, indicating they should go inside. It was apparent that what ever happened to his wife was traumatic and she wasn't going to walk on her own at the moment. Inuyasha lifted her up into his arms bridal fashion and waked into the hut. He sat down on the far side of the hut, still cradling a crying Kagome. As he waited for the monk and kitsune to enter he examined the ends of her short hair. Starting at the top of her head and letting his claws rake through his mate's once long black tresses.
Sango sat silently, staring at her distraught friend for quite a while before finally looking up at the hanyou holding the miko. "Inuyasha, I'm gonna be blunt……Kikyo attacked her earlier."
"SHE DID WHAT!?!" Shouted Inuyasha as he instinctively held Kagome tighter.
"When I arrived to check on Kagome. Kikyo had her pinned to a tree by Shinidamachuu. She had only cut Kagome's hair on one side, my guess is out of sheer rage, but she was getting ready for the final…" Sango had to stop and look away as the memory came back to her. "I attacked her with Hiraikotsu and shattered her arm…but she escaped……Inuyasha, she vowed to come back for Kagome and your child." Sango was terribly worried for her friend and the baby. What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation alone had changed immensely, having unwillingly and unknowingly pissed off an already dead miko.
"So Kikyo has gone off the deep end?! Did she say when she would be back?" Questioned Miroku calmly, though his true emotions were by far the opposite. 'After 3 years, those two finally got together and that undead bitch has to try and destroy it. I won't settle for this.'
Sango noticed Miroku's grip on his staff was awfully tight and she knew the monk was mad as well. "Just…soon. She said she would return soon and take her rightful place."
Memories of Kikyo then Kagome bombarded Inuyasha's mind as he listened to every word Sango said. "Damn her…She won't get away with this." Inuyasha looked from the fire to the woman in his lap. 'She cried herself to sleep?! She shouldn't have had to cry at all!' Relieved that she had fallen asleep, he tenderly and carefully deposited her on hr sleeping bag. He kneeled by her sleeping form, watching her. "Sango, Miroku, Shippo……Can I ask you to guard her with your lives?"
"You needn't ask that at all, you know we would." Replied Sango.
"You're going after Kikyo, aren't' you?" Miroku questioned even though he already knew the answer. "Do you honestly think you can put an end to her?"
Inuyasha affectionately brushed a few bangs out of Kagome's eyes. "Kikyo straight out tried to murder my wife and unborn child. I know I can. Kagome is the first person since my mother that has accepted me as a hanyou. She even loves me as one, prefers me to be myself. The least I can do is protect her no matter what. I will protect them." Inuyasha stood up, clenching Tetsusaiga. "If I'm lucky, I shouldn't be too long… Protect her! Promise me?"
"Hai!" all 3 said in unison. No sooner was that said and Inuyasha was gone. Miroku and Sango stared at the still flapping door curtain while Shippo slowly walked over and cuddled up with Kagome.
Miroku continued to stare at the door as if it had bitten him. "He was unusually emotional. Is it the new moon already?"
"Not yet. I guess when it comes to Kagome's life, he puts aside being macho and lets his feelings loose."
"He probably doesn't even realize what he's said either." Miroku shook his head then looked over at the sleeping miko. "Rest easy Kagome, no harm will befall you as long as you have all of us."
Kagome rested peacefully while her husband ran threw the forest. Hell bent on making sure that tonight's murder attempt wasn't a success on the next try by a certain undead miko.
~******~