"Hello." Rin said happily.
Inuyasha grunted his reply. "Kagome, I need to talk to you." he said.
"I'll talk to you later." Kagome said to Rin. She got up and followed Inuyasha to their room.
"Kagome, how would you feel about staying here for a while?" He asked. "At the village we will have to stay with others and we won't be able to be together."
"What about the others? They will be worried" she said.
"We could go visit them." he suggested.
"Could we visit my family too? I want to tell mama about us." Kagome replied.
"If it will make you happy." he grumbled.
"Would you like me to show you how happy I'll be?" she asked.
Inuyasha picked her up and laid her on the bed. "Yes." he said.
They managed to limit the time spent on her expression of gratitude and fell asleep in each others arms.
After breakfast the next morning, they set out for the village. Inuyasha couldn't quite move as fast as Sesshomaru's dragon, so they had to stop at nightfall and make camp in a cave he had found. He wrapped the blanket they had taken from their bed around Kagome and went out to gather wood for a fire. Once the fire was started he came and sat beside her.
Kagome dug around in her bag. She had packed a few packages of ramen, sure that Inuyahsa would ask for them. She found them and pulled out two cup as well as the small pot to heat the water. She got up to go gather some snow to melt.
"Where do you think you are going?" he asked.
"To get some water to make the ramen." she said.
Inuyasha took the pot from her and came back a moment later. He held it over the fire until it started to boil and poured it into the cup. He handed the first to Kagome. After they ate they spread out the blanket and folded it over. Kagome slid her arms under his haori and he pulled the blanket over them. With her back to the fire and Inuyasha's arms around her she felt as warm and safe as she ever had before. She buried her face in his neck and fell asleep
Inuyasha slid his arms under the back of her shirt to make sure that she was warm. He allowed himself to sleep little, so that he could be sure that Kagome didn't get too cold. He would be damned if he was going to let her get sick again, or lose her now.
The next morning came and Kagome woke to Inuyasha cooking the last two cups of ramen. When she sat up he handed her one. He told that they should reach the village by nightfall.
They made it to the village at dusk and Inuyasha could smell food being cooked over fires. They entered Miroku and Sango's house and were greeted warmly.
"I'm sorry I didn't cook enough for you." Sango offered. "We didn't know when you'd be back."
"That's all right." Kagome told her. "I'm sure Inuyasha won't mind as long as I make us some ramen."
Miroku was having trouble figuring it out, but he was sure something was different about Inuyasha. As Kagome walked to her bag and retrieved the ramen Inuyasha's eyes never left her. Kagome started to add more wood and stoke the fire.
"Ouch." she cried.
In a flash of red Inuyasha was beside her. He kissed her finger softly where she had burned herself. Miroku motioned for Sango to watch what was taking place behind her. "Baka wench." he said warmly. "Be careful. Let me take care of the fire." He was about to kiss her when he noticed that the others were staring at them. "What are the hell are you three staring at?" He leaned down to tend the fire.
"You've taken her as your mate." Miroku blurted out. Kagome and Inuyasha blushed. "I knew there was something different. Your auras have changed. They are the same now."
"Why does everybody have to say it like that?" Kagome said. "It makes it sound like he took something I wasn't willing to give him." Inuyasha turned his head toward her and smiled. "You act so surprised. Don't think I've never hear you and Sango talking about when 'that baka InuYasha would finally get the courage to tell me how he feels.'"
Miroku and Sango looked reprimanded. They weren't used to Kagome turning her anger on anyone besides InuYahsa "We're sorry Kagome." Sango offered.
"It's all right. I guess I just expected you to be happy and not make a big deal out of it. You know Inuyasha is uncomfortable with that." she told them.
"You're right of course." Miroku said. "We'll talk about other things."
Inuyasha sat down at the table and Kagome brought over their ramen. He would have to thank her later. "So, how long will you be staying." Sango asked.
"A few days." Kagome said. "We are going to stay with Sesshomaru, until Inuyasha can start building us our own place to live."
"With Sesshomaru?" Miroku asked.
"We worked some things out." Inuyasha grumbled.
They finished eating while Shippou did most of the talking, to Kagome. After dinner Kagome pulled Inuyasha aside. "Can you take me to see Kaede?" she asked. He tried to act put upon, but he was really happy that Kagome had asked him instead of taking off on her own.
Kagome entered Kaede's hut. "Welcome Kagome, Inuyasha." she said. "I see ye are finally together."
Kagome nodded. "Kaede, do I really have to purify the sacred jewel?" she asked.
The old woman looked a her with sympathy in her eyes. "I am afraid ye will never be safe as long as the jewel exists in this world."
"How can I chose?" she asked. "How do I know which wish to make?" Kagome started to cry.
Inuyasha stood behind her and circled his arms around her waist. He put his chin on the top of her head and started to growl softly. The sound soothed her and she calmed. Kaede watched the scene without comment. "Have ye spoken with your family?" Kaede asked.
"Yes. My mother said no matter what I chose she will support me. Her only wish is that I be happy. I won't leave Inuyasha, but I don't want to leave my family either, and what if I make the wrong choice with the jewel." Kagome sighed.
"I cannot do better than to tell ye that when the time comes your heart will know what to do." Kaede told her. Kagome nodded sadly. She knew that this was her burden to bear.
"Thank you Kaede." Kagome said sadly. "We'll go."
Inuyasha wished there was more he could do for her. He hated to see her so sad. He wondered if she regretted her decision to become his mate. It was then that he knew what he had to do. After the others had gone to bed Inuyasha sat against the wall holding Kagome in his arms. "Kagome, do you wish you hadn't said yes?" he asked.
She looked at him. "Not for a moment." she told him. "I could never regret what has happened between us."
"Kagome, I will come live with you in your time." he said softly. "I will use the jewel and become human."
Her eyes had never left his. He was serious. Tears filled her eyes. "That you would offer means more to me than you will ever know." she said. "But I cannot let you do that. I will not let you give up a part of yourself for me."
"But you would give up a part of yourself." he replied.
"Mama and Souta will always be with me in my heart and in my memory. I will miss them, but I would be lost without you." she said.
Inuyasha took her face in his hand and kissed her. He had never thought it would be possible to have someone who would willingly choose him and accept him as a hanyou, as he was. That Kagome didn't want him to change, even for her own happiness, spoke to him of the depth of her commitment to him, and of her love. She truly was someone special.
"What will you do?" he asked.
"I will wait until my heart tells me what must be done. No demons have attacked us yet." she said. He looked away. "What is it?" she asked.
"A few have." he told her. "I took care of them, before you found out, and I will fight any that come forever to spare you from having to choose."
She didn't know what to say, so instead she kissed him. A hand went up to rub his ears. He pulled her to him so that her legs were now around his waist. She started to rub against him. He groaned. "Kagome stop." he whispered. "We can't and if you keep doing that, I won't be able to control myself."
Kagome sighed her disappointment. She wanted him to comfort her, but she knew he was right. It would have to wait until they could be alone. "I'm sorry." she said.
"Don't be. We'll finish soon." he told her. "Now get some sleep."
Gradually her breathing slowed and Inuyasha knew she had fallen asleep. He groaned softly, wishing for once that his mate wasn't so attractive. He soon fell asleep as well.
They had planned to leave the next morning to go to Kagome's time, but when Miroku woke them, they knew it would have to wait. Near dawn a man had come to the village seeking aid. There was a demon attacking their village and taking their children. The demon had told them to seek out the demon Inuyasha and the Miko he protects, if they wanted their children's lives. The others in his village had given up and started to mourn their children, not believing that one demon would fight another for the lives of their children.
"But I had to try." the man finished. "A demon who protects a miko, must not be all bad. Will you help us?"
"Of course we will." Kagome replied.
"I don't like this." Inuyasha said as they traveled. "It sounds like a trap, to get the shikon no tama." The truth was, Kagome agreed, but she couldn't let innocent children be killed.
They arrived in the village the following afternoon. The others waited in the center of the row of houses, while Kagome approached a woman standing in the door way of her hut. "Excuse me, my friends and I have heard that a demon has been taking your children. We are here to help you." she said.
Kagome watched as the woman took in the members of her group and then her gaze slid down to Kagome's neck. It did not go unnoticed by Inuyasha. "Poor child." she said.
"What?' Kagome asked.
"You have been marked." she replied. "I wish I could help you. Perhaps he will he killed by the demon and you will be free."
Inuyasha worked to suppress the growl in his throat. Don't tell her Kagome, he pleaded inwardly, even though he knew that she would. "How could you wish death on someone who has come to help you?" she asked.
"I wish it for you dear." she replied kindly.
"I am with him because I choose to be." Kagome told her. "Now, where is the demon?"
"You willing give yourself to a demon?" the old woman exclaimed. "Leave my door step and never return. I have no wish to associate with the whore of a demon." The village quieted as the old woman yelled. All eyes had turned to Kagome.
Inuyasha watched to see what she would do. He knew she would not want him to harm these people, no matter what they said to her. Kagome set her jaw and raised her head. She turned from the woman and continued on the next hut. The people there turned and went inside.
"Is there anyone here who will tell us where to find the demon that has your children?" she called. She continued to walk past the huts and ignore the disgusted stares. A few people spat on her as she passed. She turned to the last woman on the street. She started to speak and the woman spit in her face. Kagome wiped it off with the back of her hand.
Inuyasha was growling loudly and several villagers went inside. Kagome took his hand and led the way out of the village. At the outskirts a young girl came running toward them. "Please wait." she cried.
Kagome stopped and turned around. "What is it?" she asked.
"The demon lives in a cave to the east. He took my brother. Will you find him?" she asked.
"We will try." Kagome said. "Let's go." she told the others.
They had been walking about ten minutes when Kagome dropped to her knees. Inuyasha dropped down beside her. Miroku and Sango watched in dismay as her body was racked with sobs. Inuyasha picked her up and carried her off into the trees.
Sango turned and started back to the village. "Wait Sango." Miroku said softly.
"Why? Nothing I would do to them would be any less than what they deserve." she told him.
"Of that I don't disagree, but Kagome would not want us to." he said softly. "Inuyasha will take care of her."
Inuyasha held Kagome tightly in the lower branches of the tree he had leapt into. She cried against his chest. He stroked her hair softly. "Don't cry." he said softly. "Those people are nothing. I love you."
She stopped crying and looked up at him. It was the first time he had said those words to her since the hospital, and then he had thought she was sleeping. "How could they be so cruel? We were trying to help them." she said. "You tried to tell me. I thought I understood. I thought I was ready, and here I am crying."
"It doesn't matter that you cried." he said. "You did not let them see that they hurt you. You make me proud to be your mate. Maybe we should get you something to cover my mark, when we go into villages."
"No." she told him. "I am not ashamed of you." He smiled. He had always told her how weak she was, when in truth she was stronger than him and the others put together. Even after what they did to her, she would still insist on going after the demon and returning their children. Inuyasha doubted if a person with a more pure heart had ever existed. Kagome did not know what it was to hate on her own behalf, or to hold anger in her heart. She despised Naraku, but only for his evil and for what he had done to harm others, not for herself. "We should get back. Sango and Miroku are probably worried. Would you mind if we waited until the morning to go after the demon?" She asked.
For once instead of a remark about pathetic humans or her wasting time he shook his head. "We can wait." he replied.
Miroku and Sango were waiting where they had been when Kagome and Inuyasha left. They could both tell that she had been crying, but the smile had returned to her face. "We're going to make camp." Inuyasha announced. "I think we should head west for a while, so that we will not be detected by the demon."
Sango and Miroku didn't ask why they would be making camp so early. They knew Inuyasha would have only agreed to it if Kagome had asked him to. Once Inuyasha was satisfied that they were far enough away, he searched for a suitable place to camp. He would never let the others know, but he wanted to find a place where Kagome could bathe. He could smell the spit of those humans on her and he knew she would like to wash it off. He smelled water and soon found the source.
He went back to get the others. They walked about thirty minutes to a clearing that was a short distance for the small waterfall he had found. He picked up Kagome's bag and motioned for her to come with him. When she saw where he had brought her she turned to him.
"I thought you might want to get clean." he said.
"Is this why it took you so long to find a place to camp?" She asked. He nodded. Tears filled her eyes. "Thank you." She hugged him. "Would you mind if I wanted to be alone for a little while?"
He shook his head. "I'll be close enough to hear you, if you need anything." he told her. Kagome smiled gratefully.
Kagome took off her shirt and dampened a towel. It was cold, but she ignored it. As she started to think about what had happened her tears returned, but this time they were not shed for her own pain. She was careful to remain quiet. She didn't want Inuyasha to hear her crying. She put on a clean shirt and then did the same with her pants.
"Kagome." Inuyasha called.
"Yes." she replied.
Inuyasha stepped out of the trees. "Dinner is ready." he said. He looked at her and could tell that she had been crying. "What is it?" She went to him and hugged him. "Is it the villagers?" she shook her head. "Was it me?"
"In a way." she told him, as she started to cry again. "You were just a child, all alone." He knew instantly what she was talking about, and it pained him. "If they would say those things to me, them what must have they done to you? I thought I understood, but I didn't. Not the way I do now."
"Don't cry for me." he said softly. He had never wanted her to understand, not like this.
"I just want you to be happy." she told him.
"I am." he replied. He leaned down and kissed her. "No more crying." She nodded. "Good. Let's go."
Sango and Miroku saw them returning to camp. Kagome had obviously been crying, but she was smiling now. Sango handed them each a bowl of stew, she had made from the few vegetables they had brought and the rabbits Inuyasha had caught. Kagome stared at the food for a moment. She wasn't really hungry, but knew they would only worry if she didn't eat, so she forced her self to finish what was in her bowl.
When it was time for bed, Inuyasha started toward the nearest tree. Kagome grabbed his arm. Inuyasha was torn between doing what he knew Kagome wanted, and what a part of him wanted, and having to stand the monk and Sango watching him. He settled for somewhere in between. Kagome laid down and he sat beside her, leaning against a tree. When he was sure that Miroku and Sango were asleep, he laid down beside her and took her in his arms. She woke briefly and smiled.
In the morning Kagome wasn't surprised to find him once again sitting against the tree. They had a quick breakfast of ramen and set out for the cave. They came upon it about midday.
"Kagome, you and Miroku will go in and get the children, while I take care of this demon. Sango and Kirara, can back me up." he told them.
Neither Kagome, or Miroku cared too much for his plan, but had to admit that it was the best way. Sango and Inuyasha were the better fighters. They didn't have to wait long for the demon to appear at the entrance of the cave. It was some sort of reptile demon. Dark green and scaley, the demon had long claws and was at least 15 feet tall. It also had a long barbed tail.
"Who would be foolish enough to come before me?" he asked. "Ah, I see it is the half breed Inuyasha and he has brought with him the Miko who protects the Shikon no tama. Give it to me and I will spare your lives."
"How about I just kill you instead?" Inuyasha asked. Inuyasha backed up to draw the demon out of the cave. He wouldn't be able to use the wind scar, until the children were out of the cave.
The demon sprang at Inuyasha. Kagome watched. He was incredibly fast. "Kagome, we must hurry." Miroku said. "He won't be able to attack until the children are clear." She nodded.
They found eight children huddled together at the back of the cave. Among them was the little girl who had approached them yesterday. She must have been taken during the night. "You came." she said when she saw Kagome.
"Yes. Now we must get out of here." Kagome replied. "Hold hands and follow me."
Once clear of the cave Miroku cast a barrier around the children. Kagome called out to Inuyasha to let him know that they were clear. He spared a glance at her. The demon swung his tail around in that moment Kagome screamed.
"Hiraikotsu" Sango yelled. She sent her weapon flying at the tail severing it just before it reached Inuyasha.
Inuyasha threw a grateful look to Sango. The demon cried out in rage and slashed at Inuyasha catching him across the chest and sending him flying. Kagome ran across the field to where Inuyasha was laying. He was covered in blood. She stood calmly and turned to face the demon.
"I have killed your mate. Give me the jewel and I will spare your friends." the demon said.
Kagome walked toward him. She could vaguely hear Sango yelling at her to stop. When she was close enough to touch the demon she stopped. She placed one hand on the demons chest. Pale pink light irrupted where her hand met the demon's flesh. In a burst of light the demon turned to ash and was purified.
Kagome dropped to her knees. Miroku came to her side and helped her up. "Inuyasha." she said. He took her to him. She fell to her knees again. Sango appeared at her side with her bag. Kagome pulled open his haori and undershirt. The sight was enough to cause Sango and Miroku to turn their heads. Kagome wanted to be sick, but he needed her.
She cleaned the wounds across his chest and abdomen. She pulled the wounds together and applied some ointment before taping them closed. Then with Miroku's help she wrapped him in bandages. At last he opened his eyes. He tried to sit up, but fell back unconscious from the pain it had caused.
Kirara carried Inuyasha. They couldn't make it to the village before nightfall, so they found a place to make camp. Kagome spread out her bed roll for Inuyasha and Miroku helped her lay him down. Sango cooked all the ramen left in Kagome's bag to give to the children.
While Kagome was sitting beside Inuyasha gently rubbing one of his ears, the girl came and sat beside her. "My name is Aiko, what is yours?" she asked.
"Kagome." she replied.
"Will he be all right?" Aiko asked.
"I think he will. I hope so." Kagome said.
"So do I." Aiko said. "My mother said that he is a demon and that you are his whore, but I think she's wrong. Is he a demon?"
"He is a half demon. His mother was a human." Kagome told her.
"Is he your husband?" she asked.
"He is more than that." Kagome said. "He is my life."
"Do you love him?" she asked.
"Yes." Kagome told her.
"My mother says that a woman who gets to marry for love is very fortunate." Aiko said. "I'm sorry that people were mean to you." Kagome nodded. The girl didn't say anything else, but she stayed beside Kagome and watched over Inuyasha with her.
A/N: Thanks again for the encouraging reviews...