Truth

With a small cry Inuyasha sat up. He was in Kaede's hut. He swiped sweat-damp black bangs from his forehead and looked for his companions. He saw Sango sleeping with Kirara. Miroku was near the door. Turning he saw Shippo sleeping curled near Kagome. His breath caught as he saw her. She was alive! They were all alive.

Blinking back tears, Inuyasha stood and padded out of the hut. He might be human for another hour or two, but he could still move more quietly than any human. He walked through the village headed for the forest.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Inuyasha-sama," some of the early rising villagers called.

He acknowledged them with a curt nod of his head.

Inuyasha-sama? the hanyou thought. Feh! A little over a year ago they would have tried to kill me on sight and now it's "Inuyasha-sama".

He walked into the forest and found his favorite tree. He ground his dull human teeth and started the arduous task of climbing the thing. It was so much easier when he was in hanyou form to jump to his favorite branch. Finally he reached his perch and stared out over the forest.

Briefly he thought back on his dream. He shivered. He could never do that to his friends, insane or not. Despite the way he acted he'd come to depend on all of them. They gave him a sense of comfort that he'd never known, except for the time he'd spent with Kikyo before the incident with Naraku.

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyou started and nearly fell out of the tree. He looked down to see Kaede staring up at him. A small part of his heart was glad to see that she too was still alive.

"Don't sneak up on me, Kaede-baba," said an indignant Inuyasha.

Kaede harumphed. "Well excuse an old woman for being worried. You were tossing and moaning most of the night. If the others hadn't been so dead tired you'd have awakened them." Kaede got a wicked gleam in her eyes. "If I didn't know better I'd say you'd had a nightmare."

"Feh! Youkai don't dream."

"But you're not a full blooded youkai, now are you?"

As if to prove her point the sun began to rise. Inuyasha felt the change come that had been sneaking up on him with the dawn. His finger and toenails grew and sharpened, becoming rending claws. His teeth ached as his fangs grew back in, and his scalp tickled as his hair changed color. His ears migrated to the top of his skull, pointed, and the world took on a new depth of sound. He sneezed once as his demon nose returned and was assaulted with the smells of the morning.

"You've made your point, baba," Inuyasha said.

"I'm glad that you see fit to agree with me this fine morning," the aged miko said.

Inuyasha gave a half-hearted growl, but he couldn't find it in himself to be angry with Kaede. Not after that dream.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kaede asked, sensing his mood.

The hanyou turned away from her and stared at the rising sun. "Iie."

Kaede nodded and turned to go. "I'll have breakfast ready in half an hour or so," she called over her shoulder.

Inuyasha barely nodded as she left. He sat for a while, lost in his own thoughts. His ears twitched as they picked up the sounds of foot falls below him, and his nose identified Kagome's scent.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called.

"Up here," he answered.

She looked up and smiled at him. "Kaede has breakfast ready."

Inuyasha nodded and jumped down from his perch.

"Sometimes you remind me more of a cat than a dog," Kagome teased.

Inuyasha growled. Kagome turned her face to the sunrise and stretched.

"It's going to be a beautiful day," she predicted.

Inuyasha watched Kagome as she stretched. He thought she looked lovely, framed as she was by a halo of sunlight. His eyes trailed over her slim form and then stopped at her arms. There on the back of each arm were four half moon scars. Anger rose in him. Anger at Kaguya, but mostly anger at himself. He'd caused those scars. He walked up behind Kagome and ran a finger lightly over the scars. She jumped and spun to face him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know the scars upset you. I just–"

Inuyasha silenced her with a finger on her lips. He remembered those lips too. So soft and warm as they called him back from the edge of madness. He pulled her into his arms, surprising her.

"Gomen, ne," he whispered, one hand running over the scars on her arm.

Kagome pulled away and stared at him. He avoided her eyes.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong? You've been quiet ever since we got back."

The hanyou turned his back to her and walked a few steps away. How could he tell her that he'd been having horrible nightmares ever since their encounter with Kaguya in her mirror world? Dreams where he turned into a youkai, went mad, and killed everyone close to him.

"Inuyasha–"

"I'm scared!" he blurted.

His hands clenched into fists at his sides. He hated seeming so weak.

"I'm scared of what I did to you," he said in a softer tone. "Kaguya showed me a part of myself that scares me. If that part ever got loose–"

Kagome's arms went around his waist and she leaned against his back.

"It won't get loose," she said, her voice full of confidence. "I know you won't let it."

Inuyasha's hands relaxed, and the tension seemed to flow from his body. One hand came up to cover her's where they rested on his stomach.

"Arigatou, Kagome," he said. "That time... you saved me." He turned and took her in his arms again. "I promised to protect you once, and I make that promise again now. I will protect you Kagome."

At his side, Tetsusaiga pulsed gently as if acknowledging Inuyasha's words. Kagome smiled and hugged Inuyasha back. Then she pulled away, still holding onto one of his hands.

"Come on," she urged. "Everyone's waiting."

Inuyasha smiled and allowed her to drag him back to the hut.

I will protect you always, he vowed silently.