Chapter Two: The Third Wheel
"WHAT!" Inuyasha shouted angrily.
"Inuyasha," Kikyo surprised the group by taking the sword from him.
"But Kikyo," he whined. "Sesshomaru can't use it and I need it to protect Kagome."
"Sess will take care of her!" Rin piped up. "Won't you, Sesshomaru?"
"Jaken," the Lord of the Western Lands said to his puppet.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Take Rin away." As the child was being led off, the golden eyes of the demon glistened. "I'll heal all your friends, brother. Just give me the sword of our father."
"Why do you want it? You can't use it," Inuyasha stated, leveling his amber orbs at his half-brother. "You're a full-fledged demon."
"You think I don't know that you insolent half-breed?" Sesshomaru growled.
"So then what use is it to you?" Kaede asked, stepping toward Kagome.
The old healer knelt down on the ground by the girl's side, looking over her body. The girl was losing energy fast. Her life force was draining away and they were running out of time arguing here. If they didn't decide on something fast, they were going to lose Kagome forever.
"Do not ask me questions that I do not wish to answer, you old witch," the Lord of the Western Lands snapped.
He couldn't believe they were putting up such a fight. Was his brother so quick to forget the girl who had saved his life numerous times, had helped him get out of many hard places, and had just given him a second chance with another woman? The old witch was truly right. This girl that was lying by his feet did have a pure heart. Too bad she was only a mere mortal and was otherwise useless.
"Take it," Kikyo told him, handing him the sword. "If this is what it will take to save my reincarnation, then take it, you heartless creature."
Sesshomaru wasn't about to argue with her about whether or not he was heartless. He had been referred to that many times. Everyone thought him cruel because he despised humans, but then what did they make of his Rin? He had taken that girl in and she was his charge, the one thing that mattered more to him than his own life. Holding out his hand, he reached for the Tetsusaiga.
The thought of being able to touch it, to posses it was tempting, but he doubted that the old crone's trick would work on him. As before, his hand was set on fire and the flames wound up his arm to his shoulder. The pain was not strong, but it was enough to be an annoyance. With his other hand, he took his own blade and swiped it across Kagome's body. While the flames started to engulf him, Kagome's blue eyes fluttered open.
"KAGOME!" Sango cried happily. She threw her arms around her friend, not caring what anyone else thought. Miroku started to hug her as well, then Inuyasha was throwing them all off as he embraced her.
"You're so stupid," he told her, hugging her again.
When he backed off, she saw Kikyo. "It worked," she breathed. "Kikyo?"
"I thank you, Kagome-chan," the priestess bowed down to her. Everyone else took note of this and did the same. Getting back to her feet, Kikyo approached her. "I past my position as priestess onto you, for you are more suited for the job, and now you have the Shikon Jewel to help you. It was meant to be this way."
Not knowing what else to do, Kagome said, "Thank you…Oh my God!" she backed up, away from the bright tower of burning fire that was standing near her. "What is that?"
"My brother," muttered Inuyasha, not sounding very concerned.
"He saved her life!" Sango retorted, upset that Inuyasha could still hate part of his family so much, when Sesshomaru had fought through the whole final battle on their side.
Kagome didn't need to hear anymore. "Water cool and cleanse," she commanded, sticking out her right hand, the palm facing where Sesshomaru was. Out of her shot a strong jet of water, tossing the fire out. As this occurred, everyone saw the tiny aura of pink light that surrounded Kagome's body from the Shikon Jewel.
Totally soaked and dripping from head toe, but alive, Sesshomaru nodded to Kagome. "Thank you miko," he mumbled, then pivoted gracefully and started walking away, the Tetsusaiga in his hand.
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"I still don't understand it," Inuyasha growled, the hair on the back of his neck rising in his frustration.
They were all in Kaede's hut. It was a beautiful afternoon. Inuyasha was lying on a mat on the floor while Kaede tended to his wounds. He was complaining about how he no longer had his sword, the steel fang of his father. Kikyo was cooking in the opposite corner of the room, shaking her head, but grinning at the words coming out of his mouth.
Sango had gone off on a walk with Miroku in the forest. Kagome was thinking he had some serious things to speak with her about. Wondering what he'd say and how many times he had gotten smacked by now, she smiled. Some things changed and some things remained the same all throughout history.
"Look Kagome," Shippo exclaimed, running into the hut, where she was kneading bread. "Look what I found!" the small fox held out a handful of mixed herbs. "Will these be of use to you?"
"Yes Shippo," her smile widened, as she took them, and placed them aside of her on the floor. "Thank you. I'll use them in our bread later for flavor."
"Will you come outside and play with me now?" Shippo asked, his small eyes glittering with a stir of hope.
Glancing around the room, Kagome decided that Kikyo wouldn't be done for another couple hours. She had time to finish the bread. "Okay Shippo."
"Yay!" Running out of the hut in excitement, the small demon ran right into a not so happy looking Kouga. As the wolf demon stepped into the hut, Inuyasha growled low in his throat instinctively. "Uh oh," Shippo whispered.
"Kagome," Kouga knelt down on one knee, bowing his head in respect because now she was a priestess. "I have come to ask for your hand," he announced.
"WHAT!?" Inuyasha, Kaede, and Kikyo cried all at the same time, though the latter two were drained out by the first.
"I don't see why it concerns you or your companions, dog-boy, but I have left my pack and traveled for several days to find Kagome. And I wish to make her my wife and mate," he continued. Kagome had remained silent through this, but now she wanted to get her own word in.
"Listen Kouga, I like you, but we are only friends. I don't love you."
"Well you can't possibly still be infatuated with Inuyasha," he sputtered, not taking her answer. "He's back with Kikyo now."
"I know," Kagome said a bit softer than she meant to. "I did that on purpose. I wished for Kikyo and Inuyasha to have a life together, to have a second chance."
"And what did dog-boy do," Kouga finished for her. "He threw what you gave him back in your face by leaving you."
"Kouga! Are you listening to anything that I'm saying!" she demanded. Inuyasha winced. He knew that tone. When Kagome was mad, you couldn't mistake it. And boy was she mad. "I gave them a second. That was what I wished on the Shikon Jewel and that's what I wanted to happen. I'm happy for them."
"But you are all alone," he insisted. "Why can't you come away with me?"
"Because it would be wrong, because I don't love you," she repeated as sincerely as she could.
"Kagome," he begged, taking her hand and pulling her forward.
"Leave her alone," Inuyasha hissed, getting off his mat.
"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome commanded, not looking at him. By the aching sound of his thud, she realized she still had power over him. The prayer beads still worked rather well. "Kouga, I want you to leave. I don't want you to ever ask me this question again. If I see you again, it will be as friends, nothing more."
"Fine," he gave in. "If that is how you feel, then we are through." Angry, he stormed out, leaving Kagome standing by the exit of the hut, tears in her eyes.
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When Sango and Miroku returned from their walk, the exterminator was beaming with a light of joy no one had ever seen shine so bright from her. Miroku was holding onto her hand and no slapping was occurring. It was a peculiar sight. This startled everyone when the two entered the hut, everyone that is, except for Kagome, who had been expecting this.
"Well, I see ye have come to different mind sets toward one another," Kaede smiled in her wise old way.
"We have," Miroku nodded.
Before he could elaborate, Sango blurted out the main information. "We're getting married!" Then, just as quick as the words came out, she started crying. Kagome smiled sadly, knowing the tears were of joy, not of pain. She moved over to her friend and gave her a hug.
"I'm so happy for you," she whispered in the fighter's ear. "Miroku's a very lucky man to be marrying you."
"Hmm," Sango smiled, looking up at her. "But you Kagome-chan, something is different about you, I sense it."
Overhearing Sango's words, Inuyasha snapped, "Yeah that stupid wolf came by and made her cry."
"What?" Miroku asked, getting defense about his friend and his fiancée's closest companion. Kagome glared at Inuyasha over her shoulder.
Sighing she explained. "Kouga came by and asked me to be his mate. I turned him down. He left in anger," she bite back her bottom lip, trying not to think of how hateful his eyes had been toward her. She was only telling the truth. Would he have preferred her to lie and mate with him if it wasn't with love?
"If you don't love someone there is no point in being with them," Kikyo told Kagome, trying to reassure her that she had done the right thing. She looked at Inuyasha, "But if you do love someone, you know that there is no point in living if you can't be with them."
Nodding, Kagome moved out of Sango's embrace of comfort. "I just need sometime to think by myself," she told them all. Kaede gave her a warning glance, as if she knew what was going through Kagome's mind. "I'll be fine."
"Can I come with you?" Shippo asked as he tossed another fruit into his mouth.
"NO! You twirp! She said she wanted to have time to herself!" Inuyasha shouted, picking Shippo up by his tail.
Kagome's last words as she left the hut were, "SIT BOY!"
A/N: Sorry I couldn't update sooner! My computer was being gay and wouldn't take the disk from my laptop so I couldn't transport my chapter to the main computer of the house that has the internet. Once again, I'm sorry! ~ Nev