Chapter 2- I bleed, But She Cannot
Kagome felt tears fill her eyes. She had had feelings for InuYasha for a long time but never expressed them. She couldn't do that. InuYasha was still in love with Kikyo. But why. He acted as though he loved Kagome but has never said anything either. Kikyo. Why her?
Kagome threw off InuYasha's robe and ran off. Sango and the others called to her but Kagome didn't care she wanted to be alone. But then she saw her. Kikyo was standing by a large tree surrounded by the light from the souls. Her soul catchers weave around her dropping souls here and there. They were talking but Kagome couldn't hear what they were saying. InuYasha hugging Kikyo was the last thing she saw before her vision was blurred with tears. She couldn't take it. She ran away as fast as she could. She stopped when she got to the river. The sound of her sobs grew louder. She clenched her hands together in the moist dirt.
'Kikyo. Why does he still love Kikyo?' Kagome thought. She reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out the small razor blade. She looked at it through blurred vision. Her heart was pounding heavily. She reopened the cut she had made earlier. 'I bleed, but Kikyo cannot because she is not alive. How can you love someone who is not alive?' Kagome made another cut. 'I bleed, but she cannot.'
She dipped her arm into the water and saw her reflection. Her hair was messed up from all of the running. Her eyes were red and her face was streaked with tears and dirt. She was so confused. InuYasha could never love her the way he loves Kikyo . . . never. Unless, unless Kagome's soul was recollected. If Kikyo didn't have her soul any more, she would die. InuYasha would no longer leave her at the sight of a soul catcher. 'That's it. Kikyo has to die' Kagome thought. 'I hate Kikyo.' Kagome sat at the river bank and cried. She didn't know she had felt so strongly about InuYasha until now. 'I hate her so much!' Kagome tried wiping the tears away but they just wouldn't stop. She made another cut. And another. "I hate you InuYasha!" she shouted out into the night. "I hate you . . ." she said but this time to herself.
"Kagome . . ." InuYasha whispered. He had heard her. He let go of Kikyo and looked around frantically.
"Heh." Kikyo scoffed. "That girl. You mean you would leave me for her?" InuYasha was speechless but he knew he had to find Kagome. He ran and ran only to find her sitting at the side of the river bank. He could smell her salty tears and her fresh blood.
"Kagome . . ." InuYasha said. She turned her face toward him. She looked awful. Tears were in her eyes and her face was dirty. She looked hurt, sad, and alone. Seeing him look at her the way he did made her turn away.
"Shouldn't you be off with your half-dead girlfriend?" she asked through sobs.
"Kagome, don't act like th-"
"And how am I supposed to act InuYasha? You pretend like we have something one minute and then just run off with Kikyo the next. You don't care about me at all do you?"
"I-" He started.
"I'm not coming back here if every time you see a white light you want to run to Kikyo!" She got up and moved closer to him. "Go! Kikyo's waiting." She pushed him. "What are you waiting for? Go to her like you usually do and just leave me here."
"Kagome, your arm." He said concerned.
"Screw my arm, InuYasha! I can handle it." Her arm was almost covered in blood from the elbow down. " Why don't you just go to her! Go with Kikyo! I don't want to even be near you! I hate you InuYasha!" She punched him in the chest as hard as she could although he didn't even budge. "Go; go with her! I hate you! I hate you both!" She hit him over and over. InuYasha grabbed her by the shoulders. "Let me go! I hate you! Get off of me!" She screamed.
"Kagome calm down!"
" I hate you!" She repeated. She was struggling to get loose. She was screaming and waving her fists trying to hit him but her held onto her firmly. With one last wave of her arm Kagome went limp against his chest and fell to her knees.
"Kagome!" He yelled. She had passed out. He picked her up and looked at the girl. He didn't like seeing her like this and to think he had caused it. The razor blade shined in the moonlight and caught his eye. He pulled her closer to him and began to carry her back to camp.
"InuYasha what was all the noise-" Miroku started but then stopped when he saw Kagome in InuYasha's arms, bleeding.
"She fainted." InuYasha said.
"Why is she bleeding?" Sango asked.
"Can you just help me with her!" InuYasha laid Kagome down on the blanket Miroku got from her bag. Shippou brushed her hair out of her face and Sango cleaned her cuts. As she did, she noticed more all over. She bandaged her arm carefully.
"InuYasha what's going on?" Sango asked. He was sitting down next to Kagome with his head down.
"Kagome . . . she . . . she cut herself." He stammered.
"You mean on purpose?" Sango asked confused.
"But why would she do that, InuYasha?" Shippou asked.
"I don't know!" He yelled. He was getting irritable from all of the questions.
"Lady Kagome saw you with Kikyo, InuYasha! How could you? You know she has feelings for you and we know you have them for her. I may not be the best of men but I'm disgusted with you InuYasha." Miroku said as he fanned Kagome's face with a towel. They all looked at InuYasha sternly. He scoffed at them and began to walk away and when he was out of their sight, he ran. He had to get away. He came upon the tree Kikyo was by, but she was gone. He climbed up to the top of the tree and sat there.
'I love her. Kagome needs me. I don't know why I run to Kikyo. She can never love me, but Kagome can. I made a foolish choice and now I'm paying for it and so is Kagome. She doesn't deserve this.' InuYasha answered all of their questions and his own in his mind. He knew he had to apologize to her but he didn't know how. He searched for the words to say as he slowly walked back to camp. InuYasha heard something in the bushes behind him. He quickly turned around. Nothing. He began walking again. He heard the sound again and turn around. Still nothing. When he turned back around he saw a fiure move out of the shadows.
'I'd know that scent any where. Naraku.' InuYasha thought. "What do you want, now?' InuYasha asked.
"You know what I want InuYasha." Naraku said.
"Well, you're not gonna get them without a fight." He said as he unsheathed his sword.
"Oh I believe that won't be necessary, InuYasha. I have the girl, you see. And if you want to see her alive then you must hand over the sacred jewel shards."
'Kagome' He thought. "Leave her out of this!" He shouted.
"InuYasha!" He heard Miroku shout. The he saw them run out of the woods behind him. "Naraku . . . Kagome . . .he . . ." Miroku was out of breath. But when InuYasha turned his head back toward Naraku he was gone.
"Damn!" InuYasha shouted. He had to rescue Kagome. She was more important than the sacred jewel shards. Everyone was quiet. InuYasha put his sword away. Naraku's scent was still lingering in the air. He followed his scent hoping it would lead him to Kagome.
"InuYasha?" Sango called but he didn't answer. They followed behind him. They knew he was hurt and they had to help him find her no matter what.