Chapter 9- The power of the tree

A.n: Thanks to all who gave me the wonderful and delightful reviews! I'm glad everyone is enjoying the story so far. I know the last chapter was kind of rushed and short, but I'm sick and have a horrible headache. I can't think...ugh! But I'm sucking my brain dry and giving you this, hopefully long chapter. Yes, Inuyasha and Kagome are the main relationship in this story and yes things are looking bright for Miroku and Sango...but of course there needs to be conflict along the way, or it just wouldn't be interesting and fun to write! Rock on, compadres and keep smiling!

Kagome's alarm clock went off at 8:00 the next morning and she lazily hit the snooze button. It was a Saturday and she wanted to stay in bed until lunchtime, but she knew her mother wouldn't let her sleep past 10. Buyo was curled up next to her chest and she stroked him gently. He purred and tail twitched slowly as to say, "I'm contempt..."

Kagome smiled at little and sat up to stretch. She hadn't had a really good sleep last night for the pictures of what happened the day before kept flashing through her memory. She frowned and shook her head violently, letting strands of hair fall in her face.

She stepped out of bed and made her way to the bathroom to take a hot shower. She felt the need to be clean and to just let her mind wander. She didn't want to think about Inuyasha or school at all, she just wanted to be at the moment.

Inuyasha sat on the ground near the well and sighed heavily. He hoped that Kagome was doing okay. He wanted to jump through the well and check up on her, but he felt that she needed the time alone to think. He too needed the time. He wondered exactly what Kagome had seen...what Naraku had put in her head. All he could figure out was that whatever happened, it had traumatized Kagome and she couldn't face him.

His ears twitched and he caught the sound of someone walking towards him. He sniffed the air lightly and caught Sango's scent. He turned around and there she was, standing with a concerned look on her face.

"Is Kagome okay?"

Inuyasha shrugged and looked back at the well. Damn, he wanted to over so bad. Sango walked up next to him and sat down. He upped an eyebrow and she just watched the leaves in the trees blow with the light breeze that had come up.

"Listen, Inuyasha. I don't want to know what happened at the castle, I just want to know if Kagome is going to be okay. You didn't do anything to her did you?"

Inuyasha shook his head sharply and Sango nodded.

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure. I was going to seriously beat you if you did, though."

She gave him a small smile and he looked at her with an innocent look. They sat in silence and Sango plucked at some of the grass next to her. She hadn't always been a good talker with Inuyasha when they were alone together, she always either took conversation up with Kagome or was watching every move of the lecherous monk. Sango was just about to get up to leave, when Inuyasha grabbed her arm.

"She said that Naraku had put false memories in her...memories that weren't real, but she said that the pain was real. She believed the memories, Sango...she couldn't-"

Sango watched as Inuyasha looked down into his lap and his face was hidden from her view. She felt Inuyasha's pain and knew what it was like to have someone's mind be violated by Naraku. Sango nodded and put a comforting hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. She could tell that he wanted to talk to Kagome, but she knew he wanted her to have time to herself.

Sango looked up at the sky and watched the clouds roll by slowly. Sango thought for a minute though, she knew Kagome better than anyone could know a best friend and she knew that Kagome was alone right now and here was someone that wanted to share her pain...that did share her pain. Sango looked back at Inuyasha and smiled a little.

"Inuyasha...go over there."

"What?"

"I said...go to her. She needs you right now. I know Kagome and she needs someone to comfort her. Her family can't understand...but you can. Just go."

Inuyasha shook his head and looked at the well.

"I don't want her to get mad at me..."

"She won't...trust me."

Inuyasha looked at Sango and nodded slowly. He got up and headed to the lip of the well. Just before he jumped in, he looked over his shoulder at Sango and smiled weakly.

"Thanks."

Sango nodded and Inuyasha jumped into the darkness.

Kagome slowly did the dishes as Souta played with little toy action figures at the table. Her mom had gone to pick up some things at a couple of stores, her grandpa was away visiting some shamans that Kagome doubted were the real thing and she was stuck babystitting Souta.

Left and right, Souta began to ask her all about Inuyasha when she had gotten home yesterday and she was sick of hearing him, but now he was preoccuppied enough and Kagome could finally get some things done.

"Hey, sis?"

Kagome sighed inwardly and turned around from the sink.

"Yes, Souta?"

"Did you and Inuaysha get into a fight or something? You've been acting really down since you've gotten home...you haven't eaten alot and you haven't even started your homework..."

"Thanks for the reminder!"

Kagome snapped at him and she immediatly saw that she had hurt his feelings. Kagome was crushed and she shook her head in disgust with herself.

"I'm sorry, Souta. I'm just not in the mood today and no Inuyasha and I didn't get into a fight...just-complicated things happened over there and I just needed to get away for a coup,le of days, that's all."

Souta nodded and went back to playing with his toys. Kagome sighed and contiued to scrub the same dish she had been scrubbing for almost 15 minutes now. Kagome shook her head slightly and put the dish in the drying rack and she dried her hands.

"Where are you going?"

Kagome turned around and reached for the outside door's knob.

"Just need a little fresh air."

Souta nodded and ran to the couch to watch T.V. Kagome shook her head and shut the door. She walked slowly through the shadowy and sunny parts around the shrine and then she stopped under the tree that Kagome had found Inuyasha bound to. (A.n: If anyone could give me that name that would be super!) The breeze moved the leaves and sunlight shone on parts of the tree trunk. Kagome smiled a little and moved closer to the gigantic tree. She could still make out the mark of where Inuyasha had been pinned. She touched it cautiously and she felt tears spring to her eyes.

"I remember too, you know."

Kagome whirrled around and and stood face to face with Inuyasha. Her lip quivered and she turned away from him. Inuyasha took a clawed finger and put it under her chin and made her look at him.

Kagome looked up into his eyes and tears that had threatened to fall did. Inuyasha pulled her into an embrace and she cried and cried. Inuyasha stoked her hair and squeezed her tightly, never wanting to let go of the precious woman he had.

Kagome clung to him with the fear that he might fade away and she looked up slowly at him. He smiled a little and wiped a tear off of her cheek.

"Do you remember..."

Kagome nodded and laughed slightly. She sniffled and looked at the mark on the tree. The sun shone right on it, she laughed again and turned to him.

"I do remember...I thought when I first saw you pinned under that arrow...that you looked so peaceful...I hadn't seen anyone so peaceful before..."

Inuyasha nodded and brushed a tiny blowing strand of hair out of her face. He felt more at peace that moment than he had in his whole life. Kagome took his hand and held it to her face. She closed her eyes and he cupped her face with his other hand. She opened her eyes and said,

"Kiss me...m-make me forget..."

Inuyasha compiled and lowered his lips to hers gently. His kiss was soft, comforting and filled with love. Kagome sighed into his mouth and it felt like weights were being lifted from her shoulders. This kiss spoke of love and hapiness, Kagome felt her heart swell.

Meanwhile, Souta sat in the kitchen window and had a look of hapiness on his face. Inuyasha was kissing his sister! Souta jumped around the kitchen and Buyo meowed with terror as Souta stepped on his tail.

Inuyasha broke away slowly and Kagome smiled at him. She seemed to glow to him and he was so happy that she was happy again. Inuyasha grabbed her hand and their fingers intertwined with eachother. Kagome started to pull him the house and she smiled.

"C'mon, there's someone that has been bugging the heck out of me about you."

Inuyasha caught what she meant and he shook his head. Kagome laughed and opened the door to the kitchen.

"Souta! Someone's hear to see you!"

Souta came bounding in from the living room and under his breath he said to Kagome...

"Not as much as he has come to see you..."

And he jumped on Inuyasha with glee. Kagome gave Souta a half glare, half confused look and Inuyasha just shrugged. Kagome turned away from them and opened up a cuboard.

"Hey, Inuyasha, do you want some Ramen...?"

Inuyasha threw Souta off and sat down at the table...mouth open and watering.

So! Concerns, thoughts, complaints? Don't worry it's not over until the Fat Lady's portrait sings...oh wait she did in the 3rd Harry Potter movie! No...next chapter is coming up so brace yourselves...things are about to get interesting!

Chapter 10- Sesshomaru's revenge...takes a turn?