It was indeed the next day before Sango and Miroku ventured into the village to see Kagome and Inuyasha. Miroku had a stupid grin plastered across his face and even Inuyasha's teasing could not remove it.
Sango hugged Kagome. "You were right." she said. "I had nothing to worry about."
The change in the weather happened almost overnight. The snow melted and Inuyasha started work on their house. By Kagome's birthday it had started to take shape. She was with Sango at the spring gathering water Sango abruptly stopped.
"Go get Inuyasha." she said.
Kagome looked up to see Katsuko coming toward them. "It's all right Sango. It must be time to return and fight." Kagome said. "That is Katsuko."
Katsuko bowed her head slightly to Kagome. "Where is Inuyasha?" she asked. "I will take you to him." Kagome said. "Sango, meet us back at your house." Sango nodded.
"That was the demon exterminator, who has volunteered to help us." Kagome explained.
"Is that wise?" Katsuko asked.
"Sango is an excellent fighter. She has helped Inuyasha many times." Kagome offered.
"I only ask because she is with child." Katsuko replied.
"With child?" Kagome asked.
"You did not know. I know she is early in her pregnancy, but I must admit to not knowing how far a human must be before they are aware." she told Kagome.
Miroku is going to be so excited, Kagome mused. As they stepped into the new clearing made by Inuyasha as he gathered wood for their home, he stopped working and looked up. He jumped down and joined Kagome and Katsuko.
"Where is Sesshomaru?" he asked.
"Waiting for you. The child Rin, he has requested that you find her a place to stay should he not return. She will be here soon." Katsuko said.
"She can stay here with Kagome." Inuyasha said.
Katsuko nodded. "We must leave soon. I will wait for you at the west end of the village." she said.
Inuyasha waited for what he knew was sure to come. Sure enough when Katsuko was gone, Kagome unleashed her wrath. "I'm not staying here." she said.
"Yes you are. You are carrying our pup. You can't risk getting injured." he told her.
"What, so you aren't going to let Sango go either?" Kagome asked.
"I told Miroku yesterday and he agrees. You are both going to stay here." Inuyasha said firmly.
Kagome started to cry. "You can't leave me here." she said. "What if you need me? What if something happens and I'm not there to say goodbye? Please take me with you. You can find someplace safe for me to wait while you fight. If they kill you it won't matter how far away I am."
Inuyasha put her arms around her, and held her close. She was right. If they failed she wouldn't be safe anywhere and it wouldn't matter. "All right. You can come, but you have to promise to stay where I tell you to." he said at last.
"I promise." she told him.
"Kagome." Sango yelled. "Houshi-sama touch me again and you die..." A loud slap rang out through the trees.
"We're going." Kagome said when Sango approached. "Oh congratulations on the baby."
"You knew?" she asked.
"Only since Katsuko arrived." Kagome told her.
"She's not going." Miroku said still rubbing his face where Sango had hit him.
"They're going." Inuyasha said.
"You're the one who made sure that I would back you up, when we left them." Miroku yelled.
"I know, but Kagome made me realize that the only thing we accomplish by leaving them is making them angry. If we fail they won't be any safer here and if we fail I don't want the last thing I remember of Kagome to how much I hurt her." Inuyasha told him. "Besides I will find them a safe place nearby and Kagome has promised to stay where I tell her to."
"Fine, but you have to agree to stay with Kagome." Miroku said.
"You're staying with them too monk." Inuyasha said. "Only you can put a barrier around them and keep them safe. Now let's get our stuff together and go."
Katsuko looked surprised to see them all as they approached, but said nothing. They followed Katsuko. Miroku and Sango on Kirara and Kagome on Inuyasha's back. They traveled all day and rested only a few hours that night. The next evening the met Sesshomaru. He called Inuyasha away from the rest.
"You bring you mate, though she is with child?" he asked.
"She belongs with me." Inuyasha said. "She isn't going to fight with us, she just wanted to be nearby."
"Very well. I know of a place she may wait for the outcome." he said. "It will be you and I alone when the time comes. I leave Katsuko to protect your mate. She carries the last of our line. Come, we will make our stand at dawn."
Sesshomaru took them to a cave. "Rest. I will return." he said. He and Katsuko left them.
Morning came too soon for them all. "Katsuko, you will stay with the miko and protect her, should we fail. She carries the last of our line and must survive." he said.
"I will protect her, but she does not carry the last." Katsuko said.
"Explain." he replied.
"It is too soon for even you to tell, but last night we conceived a child." she said.
"Youkai must choose together when to produce offspring." he said.
"That is true, but part of you must have made the offer, because I felt it and I accepted." she said. "Maybe your youki did it as a means to continue your family should you be killed."
"Why would you have this child?" he asked. "You are unmated."
"Because it is yours. I may have been a distraction, a release for you, but to me you are more." she replied.
"You were not just a distraction." he told her. "Would you allow me to mark you, even though I may die and sentence you to my fate?"
"If you die I will live on for our pup and join you later, but it is my wish to be your mate." she replied.
He pulled her to him as he'd done so many times, and this time when the desire to mark her overwhelmed him, he did not deny it. His fangs pierced the flesh of her neck and she leaned against him. He mixed his blood with her own and finished the mark. He licked the wound and it soon closed, leaving a scar. "They come." he said.
Inuyasha stood with Kagome holding her, not caring that Miroku and Sango were nearby. "Sesshomaru is coming." he said.
"Let me help you." Kagome whispered.
"You promised." he said.
"I will stay here, but I can do something for you, give you strength. I can feel it. It is inside me to do this." she told him.
"Kagome I..." He started.
"Please." she whispered against his chest. "It is all I can do."
"All right." he agreed.
"Catch me." she said before quickly pressing her lips to his. He didn't have time to pull away once he understood what her words had meant.
Kagome's aura flared distinguishing his from her own. He felt it as her energy surged into him. She went limp in his arms. He laid her gently on the ground, oblivious to all those who had witnessed what had occurred. "Baka wench." he said softly. "Thank you." He kissed her before standing. He felt stronger. He felt her with him, inside him.
"Inuyasha come." Sesshomaru said. He nodded.
"Please take care of her." he said to the three who were remaining at the cave.
"We will." Sango assured him.
Sesshomaru had witnessed what the miko had done. He could not fathom how she accomplished such a feet. The power radiating from his brother now exceeded his own. She had given him all of herself. Most humans were weak, and selfish. This one was not. She trusted him completely to win, to live. He was beginning to realize how much of a mistake he had made in doubting his father and in not taking care of Inuyasha as was his duty. Inuyasha had taken attacks meant for him against Naraku, and now would fight beside him, putting aside the past.
"Inuyasha." he said stopping.
"What?" Inuyasha asked.
"I have been wrong." he said.
Inuyasha looked at Sesshomaru. He didn't have to ask what he was talking about. "Kagome has changed me." he said. "Perhaps Katsuko will help you understand what that means."
"I though you hadn't noticed." Sesshomaru said.
"Let's go." Inuyasha replied.
As they reached the crest of the hill the hoard they were up against came into view. There were far more than they had expected. "We may die this day." Sesshomaru said. "Let us make our father proud."
"This, a lone demon and a pathetic half breed, is all the opposition we face." the largest of the oni laughed. "I feared it would be difficult, but this won't even be any fun."
"Leave now and never return and we will spare your lives." Sesshomaru said.
"Bow before me or die." the oni replied.
"Not a fucking chance." Inuyasha said drawing his sword. "Last chance. You know what forget that. Kaze no Kizu."
Inuyasha unleashed the wind scar taking the arm off one demon and destroying another. "Have it your way then half breed. Kill them." the demon yelled. The battle had begun.
"Will she be all right?" Sango asked.
"Yes." Miroku said.
"What did she do?" Sango asked.
"She sent herself with him." Katsuko said. "Inuyasha had more power around him when he left than even Sesshomaru."
"She gave him her life's energy again?" Sango asked. Miroku nodded.
"She has done this before?" Katsuko asked.
"After the battle with Naraku, Inuyasha was almost dead. She saved him." Miroku told her.
"Sesshomaru said that they were not mates at that time." Katsuko replied.
"They had not even confessed their feelings to one another at that time." Sango said. Katsuko stared at the unconscious miko. "I have known her for three years and still cannot believe the things she does. In all that time I have never once not considered myself honored to be her friend. Kagome is rare, a pure spirit. We went to a village to fight a demon and free their children, and seeing that she was with Inuyasha they treated he with much cruelty, even spiting on her."
"Did Inuyasha not kill them?" Katsuko asked.
"No." Miroku said. "That was not Kagome's wish. She continued on trying to find out where the demon was ignoring their taunts. She did not curse them, nor did she cry, though it broke her heart. Only when we were away from the village did she show her pain. The next day we freed the village children and returned them to their families."
"Why would she help them?" Katsuko asked.
"Because that is who she is." Sango replied.
The battle raged on as night fell, and day returned. Inuyasha knew he should have been tired, but instead he felt Kagome's love coursing through him. They had slain nearly half of the attacking demons but already they had been fighting for so long. The demons didn't all attack at once. They could rest, but Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had no such luxury. Within the day they would begin to tire. It didn't help that his leg was bleeding or that Sesshomaru's arm had been injured. Still they had no choice but to continue fighting.
The sun set on the second day. Inuyasha was weakening and his could see that Sesshomaru was as well. They were so close to finishing this. Four oni remained other than their leader, who was no more than a coward like Naraku, waiting until they had used all their energy before launching an attack of his own.
The sun rose and with it came the death of the last demon. Only their leader remained. Inuyasha vowed to defeat him, even if it killed him. Kagome would be safe. It was only because of her that he had lasted this long. He wanted to live, to see their pup, to be with her, but as long as she was safe he would die without regret.
With a last surge or energy Inuyasha launched himself into battle. He fought with a speed and strength he should not have been able to muster. Sesshomaru knew that he was doing it for her, and for the pup growing inside her.
"Inuyasha." he called.
Inuyasha knew what Sesshomaru wanted. They would trade places, giving the other a chance to rest. Sesshomaru engaged their final enemy. Inuyasha leaned heavily on Tetsusiaga trying to catch his breath.
Kagome sat up. "They need help go now, before it is too late." she said.
"Kagome?" Sango asked. "Miroku what is happening."
Miroku took in the pure white aura of a completely innocent soul as it surrounded Kagome before dissipating. "She borrowed energy from the baby to reach us." he said. "Go now and help them, but be careful."
Sango grabbed her Hiraikotsu and jumped on Kirara and Katsuko followed. Miroku said a silent prayer.
Inuyasha didn't like what he saw was about to happen. He leapt from where he had been standing and landed in front of Sesshomaru just in time to be impaled be the oni's attack.
Sesshomaru couldn't hide his horror. "Inuyasha no baka."
As the oni slung Inuyasha's body away Sesshomaru heard his final words. "Protect them for me."
Sango cried out as Kirara dived to catch a falling Inuyasha and laid him gently on the ground. In the cave Kagome snapped awake. "No, no, no, no..." she said over and over again. "It isn't true. I won't let it be true." She pushed past Miroku and raced towards the battle field.
Sango pushed back her tears as she entered the fray. She would grieve for Inuyasha later. She would avenge him now. She released her Hiraikotsu just in time to partially deflect an attack on Sesshomaru. He struck the oni with his poison whip as he was thrown back.
Katsuko screamed and unleashed an attack of her own. She threw out her hands as her claws grew and with a flick of her wrists blades of power shot from her hands slicing into the offending demon. Once again Sango saw her opening and threw her weapon striking the demon, injuring it further.
All stopped fighting when an unearthly cry erupted nearby. Even the demon halted it's attacks. Kagome was standing beside Inuyasha. Her arms were thrown out to the sides, palms skyward, her head thrown back. Everyone recoiled as her miko powers flared. Katsuko moved to stand behind her, sensing what was about to occur.
The oni tried to flee, but all before her was caught up in the burst of power she brought forth. He was instantly purified. As the power subsided, she fell to her knees.
Sango and Miroku approached her, both in tears. They knew that no words could comfort her. They all could feel her pain. It threatened to consume them. She pulled his head into her lap.
"Inuyasha." she said softly. "I am here now. You are going to be all right." A sob burst forth from Sango, as Miroku held her. "You promised to always protect me, that you would never leave. Please look at me, open your eyes. I came out here. I broke my promise, aren't you going to yell at me..."
"Kagome, he's gone." Miroku said softly.
"He's not." she yelled. "Not now. He wouldn't leave me like this. Oh Inuyasha, you can't be dead. I need you."
Katsuko watched the scene before her. The miko was dangerously close to both death and madness. She could smell it. She could feel it in her aura. Tears made their way down her cheeks. Softly she heard a voice whisper her name. Sesshomaru.
She found him sitting beneath a tree He didn't look to be hurt at all, but she knew better. "I cannot walk." he told her. "You must take me to him before it become too late to save them both."
Katsuko lifted Sesshomaru. He leaned heavily on her, forcing his broken body to move, ignoring the pain. It was easy. What he felt was slight compared to the emotion radiating from Kagome. Beside her he drew Tensaiga. In a broad stroke he waved it over InuYasha returning life to him.
Inuyasha took a deep gasping breath. What he smelt on Kagome when he woke, scared him. He reached up and touched her face. "Baka what are you doing here. I told you to wait in the cave." he said. "You should know I'd never leave you."
Kagome halted her tears and looked him as of she didn't quite believe what she was seeing. "Inuyasha?" she asked.
"Who else would it be?" he asked. He moved so that he was sitting up, so that he could hold her. She had been on the brink on something frightening. He wanted to call her back. "What are you two so upset about?" he asked Sango and Miroku. "Did you forget which sword my brother wields?"
"Inuyasha, you're really all right? It's real. You're alive." Kagome asked.
He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her deeply. "Did that feel real to you?" he asked. She nodded and threw herself on top of him, knocking him back and kissing him again. "Easy wench." he said with a laugh.
Inuyasha gently pushed Kagome off of him and brought her to her feet beside him. He looked at Sesshomaru who was sitting beside Katsuko, idly stroking her stomach with his claws. Inuyasha raised and eyebrow at him. "I have to get out of here." Inuyasha announced. "Those bastards smell so bad I'm surprised you humans with your pathetic noses aren't getting sick."
Inuyasha looked at Sesshomaru. He could tell he wasn't sitting down because he wanted to be. Instead of commenting he bent down and he and Katsuko lifted him to his feet. They weren't far from the castle Sesshomaru called home, so it didn't take long to get there.
Sesshomaru healed quickly but his injuries were severe. Inuyasha figured it would take about a week before he would be able to get up. Sango and Miroku were in one of the empty rooms, and Kagome had gone to lie down. Inuyasha turned to leave. "Inuyasha." Sesshomaru called.
"What?" Inuyahsa asked turning back to face his brother.
"You always were more like father than I." he said.
"I wouldn't know." Inuyasha replied.
"Inuyasha..." he started.
"I know." Inuyasha interrupted. "Leave it in the past where it belongs."
Inuyasha went to their room. Kagome was laying on the bed curled up in a ball crying. He crawled in bed behind her and put his arms around her. "You shouldn't get so upset." he remarked. "It's not good for the pup, or you." She turned over to face him. He kissed her forehead lightly. "Rest now."
"I can't. If I fall asleep you might not be here when I wake up." she told him.
"Kagome, nothing is ever going to take me away from you again. Not even for a moment." he said. "Sleep now. I will be here when you wake." He smoothed her hair and growled softly. Her breathing slowed and she slept.
A/N: Thanks for your reviews.
So Katsuko didn't turn out to be a villan, but there is one coming, just to let you know. I hope you will continue to read and review.
A side note...I am not really good at writing battles, that is why their aren't more descriptions. I hope it was all right.