A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Hope you guys like the next part!

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My Only Hope
Chapter Four

"Sit up, child…ye have to eat. Ye must regain your strength." Kaede whispered. "Inuyasha has taken your friends back and returned already. Ye have not moved from this futon for a week. Please, child…ye must eat something…"

"I don't want any…" Kagome managed. "My head still hurts…"

Inuyasha and the gang were busily pacing back and forth in front of Kaede's hut when Kaede emerged into the sunlight…with a full plate of food. She had been un-victorious in her efforts to get their young miko friend to eat anything.

She shook her head. "Inuyasha…maybe she'll eat for you. Please, try to get her to eat. Those jewel shards did quite a number on her body. I thought she would have gotten over the sickness by now. I must talk to Sesshoumaru…" Kaede grabbed her bow.

"Wait…what?" gasped Inuyasha. "I still don't understand why I can't know what's going on around here!"

"Because ye can't." snapped Kaede protectively. "I shall be back soon. Please tend to Kagome in my absence."

With that, Kaede rode off in the direction of Sesshoumaru's castle, leaving a very confused hanyou looking after her. Inuyasha snapped out of it when he heard Kagome's groans from inside the hut. He rushed in.

"Are you all right, Kagome?" he whispered. "Please, try to eat something…"

"I can't." Kagome looked as if she was on the verge of tears. Inuyasha could already smell the salt that accompanied that kind of precipitation. "I can't…" she repeated. "I feel like my body is on fire. My head feels like it's going to split in half…"

"You're strong. You'll be all right." He smiled at her.

Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi, who were understandably a little shaken up from their recent time travel adventure, were huddled together on the couch with a very worried looking Ms. Higurashi sitting on the chair across from them.

She took a deep breath. It was most certainly impossible to send the girls home in their current state, and knowing what they knew. She had to explain everything. She had to explain more than everything. She sighed. "How is Kagome? Are they off hunting jewel shards again?"

"No." Yuka shook her head. "No, Ms. Higurashi. That's what we were trying to tell you. Kagome isn't okay. That old lady said that those jewel shard things were making her really sick. She wouldn't eat. She was still really sick when Inuyasha brought us back here…"

Ms. Higurashi's face contorted itself in worry. "She's still sick? Did she swallow the shards?"

Eri nodded over-enthusiastically. "Yes. The old woman got them out, and she was mumbling something about some guy named Sesshoumaru."

"What about him?" Ms. Higurashi's interest was peaked.

Eri shrugged. "I don't know."

"I think I do," sighed Ms. Higurashi.

At about that time, the front door burst open, and a dog youkai burst into the house, speeding past Kagome's grandfather and her brother, and straight into the living room where Ms. Higurashi sat as if she expected his arrival.

He bowed low to her. "Hello, Akira." He whispered.

Kagome's grandfather's eyes bulged from his head. "How does he know who you are?" he questioned, although the tone of his voice made it seem as if he was afraid of the answer.

"Hello there, Ryu." Kagome's mother smiled, and her father's jaw dropped to the floor. "Have you come here with some news for me?"

He nodded. "Yes, milady." He paused a moment, looking at everyone else who was gathered in the living room and adjoining rooms.

"It's okay. I can explain everything to them later." She assured him.

He sighed, and took a very deep breath. "It's Kagome, milady. In her most recent run-in with Naraku, she tried to resist his toxins by erecting a barrier, but when that didn't work, she swallowed the jewel shards to keep them from him…"

Akira nodded. "So she did swallow the shards…"

"The jewel has purifying powers, milady. Yes, Kagome is the reincarnation of the priestess Kikyou, and she draws her holy powers from that influence…but…" Ryu paused a moment, stroking his own tail to try and calm his nerves, "but we weren't expecting that to happen, and the purifying power of the jewel is not exactly beneficial to a demon…or a half demon."

Kagome's grandfather had to lean back against the nearest wall to prevent himself from collapsing onto the floor.

"Ryu, does Sesshoumaru know what to do?" Akira looked very worried.

"He has requested an audience with you to discuss it, milady." Ryu bowed again. "We have to hurry back. You've met Lord Sesshoumaru. Patience is not his strongest virtue."

Akira sighed, smiled lightly, and stood. "Father, I'll be back in a day or so. Girls, you may go home if you wish, but please don't tell anyone what has happened. You understand?"

They all nodded, except Kagome's grandfather, who seemed incapable of voluntary movement at that point in time. Noting this, Akira quickly followed Ryu out to the well house, and into the well.

Sing to me the song of the stars
Of your galaxy dancing
And laughing and laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again…

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered. "My mouth is so dry."

"I'll get water." Inuyasha stood almost mechanically and left the hut, returning seconds later with a cup full of cold water. "Can you sit up or do you need help?"

Kagome coughed and sputtered trying to get her water down on her own. Inuyasha frowned, practically snatching the cup from her and propping her up in his lap. "Now isn't the time to be so damn independent." He whispered. "You need to get better."

Kagome nodded, letting her pounding head rest on his shoulder. "Thanks, Inuyasha…" she whispered.

Inuyasha blinked, sniffing the air. Something wasn't right. He knew Kagome was sick, but she didn't smell right. She smelled almost like he did. Well, any half decent demon or half demon could usually smell Inuyasha's scent on Kagome. They had, after all, spent the last year and a half searching for shards together. But this? It was almost as if this was Kagome's scent. But that was impossible, wasn't it?

Kagome groaned in pain, snapping Inuyasha back into reality. He frowned. "Sorry this had to happen to you, Kagome. I didn't mean for any of this to happen to you." He whispered.

"It's okay, Inuyasha…" Kagome managed before falling back into unconsciousness again.

Alarmed, Inuyasha sat up. "Sango! Miroku! She passed out again!" he called. "One of you get in here and help me! Where the hell is that old woman when you need her?" Inuyasha growled. "Kagome…" He shook her lightly at first. "Come on…you need to stay awake…"

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"Sesshoumaru, it isn't looking good. I don't know when she swallowed those shards, but it's almost as if they are still working inside her body even though I got them out. I just don't understand it, to tell you the truth. Kagome used to house the entire jewel inside her body. I don't understand how she survived more than a couple hours like that if a couple of shards are causing this much damage…"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I truly don't think it has anything to do with anything that you did or did not do," he answered level headedly. "If anything, sending Akira back to her own time with Kagome is probably the best thing you could've done…and masking her true identity…that was really smart. But, as you said, neither of us was expecting her connection to your sister Kikyou, either…"

Kaede sighed. "I cannot purify those jewel shards, Sesshoumaru. As it stands, Kagome is the only one with the power to purify the shards. However, this power is currently working against powers that she has had since conception. If she loses the ability to purify the jewel, we have no hopes of getting rid of it…"

"But at the same time, since the jewel was reintroduced to her body, her demonic powers have surfaced as well…" Sesshoumaru added.

Akira bowed as she entered the room. "I see the two of you have already began to discuss what should be done next," she commented. "Have you come up with any good ideas?"

Sesshoumaru frowned deeply. "Unfortunately, no."

"Well," whispered Akira nervously. "Has anyone thought about asking Kagome what she wants to do? It is, after all, her life we're talking about…"

"But! You didn't…." Kaede gasped.

"No, she doesn't know." Akira assured her. "However, I think now would be a polite time to tell her the truth, don't you?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "And since we all had at least some part in the entire mess, why don't we do it together? Besides, I certainly don't want to be the one who's around here when my uncle hears the news…"

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"Keep talking to me, Kagome…" whispered Inuyasha. "That old hag Kaede will be back soon." He promised. "You can talk to me about anything you want…just stay awake…"

"I'm sorry about the jewel shards…" Kagome laughed despite her pain. "This is slowing us down a little, isn't it?"

Inuyasha gasped. "Kagome you idiot! I could care less about those damn shards right now! You're sick. That's all I care about. We can worry about those stupid shards later."

"You're not mad?"

"No, wench, I'm not mad at you." Inuyasha paused. "I'm just really worried about you is all."

So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands
and pray to be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now you're my only hope

"Inuyasha…Kagome smells funny." Shippo whispered.

"Be nice, runt," growled Inuyasha.

Shippo frowned. "But she doesn't smell like Kagome."

"She's sick, Shippo." Inuyasha explained, although he was clueless as to why her scent was changing so much as well.

"Inuyasha, you are an idiot," smirked Sesshoumaru, walking casually into Kaede's small hut as if it was his home. Kaede and Akira followed him in. "Surely by now you can tell something is different? Kagome has been sick before, has she not? This is different than those other times, isn't it?"

Inuyasha looked at him with pure venom in his eyes. Kagome stirred, looking up as if she was just realizing all the other people that came into the hut. "Mom?" she groaned. "What are you doing here?" The effort of turning her head caused it to throb once more with pain, and she let it drop back onto Inuyasha's shoulder.

"You're right, Sesshoumaru. This doesn't look very good. Something needs to be done quickly." Akira commented.

Inuyasha blinked. "What in the hell is going on? How does Kagome's mom know Sesshoumaru? What needs to be done quickly?" he demanded.

"What?" whispered Kagome. "What happened?"

Akira knelt down beside Inuyasha and her daughter. "Kagome, there is something really important that I need to talk to you about…"

(A/N: I could leave it here, ne? But I'm in a good mood today!)

"Kagome…" Akira began. "Did you know that our family isn't from Tokyo?"

Kagome gasped. There wasn't a time she could remember when her family wasn't living at her grandfather's shrine. When had they moved? Inuyasha shifted his weight. He didn't like the direction in which the conversation was heading, either.

Akira continued. "I came to Tokyo before you were born, but then went back to my home to have you…and somewhere in-between, I met the man you know to be your father…"

Whatever color that was in Kagome's face that hadn't been stolen by her sickness quickly drained away. "What…" she gasped, "what do you mean, that I know to be my father?" she appeared to be on the verge of unconsciousness again.

"He's not your father, Kagome. There's no way he can be, because I came to Tokyo…from here."

Inuyasha coughed, and held on to Kagome, who nearly fell over in her surprise.

"I was born in Kaede's village thirty-six years ago. I met your father here when I was seventeen. I had you when I was twenty…" Akira explained as Kagome's eyes grew wider and wider.

"Who…is he?" she managed despite her state of shock.

Akira cleared her throat. "Well, he wasn't exactly human…"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped to the ground along with Kagome's.

"He died before you were born, Kagome." It was Sesshoumaru. "When it happened, there was a bit of a conflict within the clan. My uncle wanted power, and he wasn't exactly fond of the idea of hanyous in the clan. My father didn't want Inuyasha touched. My uncle was going to kill him, but when Kikyou sealed him to that tree…" He stopped. "Anyway, we're getting off track here, and I don't have time to fool around much longer."

"Kagome, we didn't bank on you ending up with the jewel. Hell, we sent you through the well…it wasn't supposed to happen. I was surprised when you came back through the well, but I was even more surprised when the jewel came out of your body. Granted, we had bound your demonic side, it should've killed you…" Kaede explained.

Kagome could only nod.

Kaede continued. "When you swallowed the jewel shards, I don't know why, but it triggered something…and the jewel shards started trying to purify your demon half. That's why I had to get them out…but they are still making you sick, and that isn't good…we're going to have to unbind your demon half…"

Kagome nearly choked. "But…what about…the jewel shards? I have to purify them!"

"We're hoping you'll still be able to, but we won't know until we try." Answered Kaede.

"Or…" began Akira, "we give you the choice. If we unbind your demon half, the forces within your body are likely to level themselves out, but we don't know what will happen if you go either way." She paused, and took a deep, calming breath.

"What would happen?" asked Kagome next.

"If we unbind your demon half, you are most definitely going to look more like your father. However, I know that the kids at your school aren't likely to be even half as understanding as some of the people here, so what you do after that is also up to you…"

"Do it." Kagome whispered.

"Kagome! Are you sure you want to…?" Inuyasha gasped, but Kagome could only nod.

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A/N: Well, hope you guys liked this chapter! This chapter is evidence of the extent of my supreme boredom. Please review and I will try and update as soon as possible.