A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I have six! Hope you guys like the next part! This one may end up a little longer, because there are several elements to this chapter…but I don't really know, because truthfully I don't have any idea what will happen in my stories until I start writing them myself. Please review and let me know what you think!

>>>>>>

My Only Hope
Chapter Five

"It'll be okay, Kagome. These herbs will help remove the bind we put on you when ye were born. Just drink this, and then go to sleep. Ye should be able to sleep through most of the changes. Akira is going to stay with ye tonight…" Kaede explained.

"I will be staying tonight as well," added Sesshoumaru. His comment made nearly everyone's eyes pop from their heads. He sighed. "I will be staying outside the hut to keep watch for my uncle. By now, the news of Kagome's sickness has reached him, and I doubt that he doesn't know what comes next…"

"He wants Kagome dead?" gasped Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru, unflinching, nodded. "Oh, he wants both of you dead, despite father's wishes."

Inuyasha took a deep breath and nodded. "I see. Do you want me to stay outside tonight as well?"

Sesshoumaru scoffed. "Sure! But let me paint a giant target on your forehead before you do, that way when he sees you, he won't miss…"

"Jerk."

"You walked into that one, Inuyasha." Smiled Miroku.

Kagome suppressed a small laugh. She smiled, gulped, and stood. "Okay Kaede!" she said happily. "I'm ready!"

Akira smiled and hugged her daughter. "I'm going to go outside for a minute, but I'll be back before you fall asleep, okay?"

Kagome nodded. "It's all right, mom. Inuyasha and my friends are here. I'll be okay…"

Akira stepped outside, where Sesshoumaru was already on guard duty in front of the entrance to the hut. She smiled at him, and sat down on a nearby log. She sighed, and her shoulders slumped.

"It's understandable to be nervous about this, Akira." Whispered Sesshoumaru. "She will be going through a lot of changes."

"That's why I'm kind of glad you didn't tell her the whole story," Akira replied. She sounded tired, as if the day's events had completely drained her of her energy. "Could you image how she would react to that kind of news?" She paused. "She likes Inuyasha. I don't want her treating him or you any different because of what happened…"

Sesshoumaru nearly growled. "Akira, that is completely ridiculous!" he nearly yelled, but quickly lowered his voice and regained control. He sighed. "Inuyasha doesn't even know our uncle. I've seen the man maybe thrice in seven hundred years…and one of those occasions happened to be the day that he killed Kagome's father. I fought with him."

Akira looked up. Her face was red, as if she had been crying. "You fought…with Jin?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Yes, I did." He paced for a moment. "He was trying to protect you. Kagome had to live, Akira. He knew that, and he died fighting to make sure it happened. But everything was too dangerous back then. We couldn't have let you stay here if we wanted to. That's why it was a good thing that you met that Higurashi man the first time we sent you through the well. We knew he could keep you and Kagome safe…on the other side of the well."

Akira nodded and stood. "We've been out here a little longer than I would have liked. Come on, Sesshoumaru. I want to be with Kagome when she falls asleep…"

"No," he said sternly, "I need to stay out here in case my uncle pays us a visit."

Akira nodded, and went back inside the hut. Kagome was laying on a futon near the small fire. She looked as if she was moments from falling to sleep. Inuyasha held one of her hands, and Sango held the other. When Akira entered, Sango quickly stood.

"She wants to be with you," Sango whispered, and joined Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara on the other side of the hut.

Akira joined Inuyasha with her daughter, and smiled warily at him. One look at Inuyasha told Akira that he had heard at least part of the conversation that she and Sesshoumaru were having outside. She sighed. "You all right, Kagome? I'll stay with you after you fall asleep, if you want me to." She offered.

Kagome slowly shook her head. "It's okay. You should go tell Gramps and Souta what's going on, Mom. They'll probably want to know…"

Akira nodded. Kagome's eyes began to close. "I'll see you in a few days…" she whispered to her daughter. Inuyasha stood, following her to the door. Before she left, she turned to him. "I don't know how much you heard, but please, don't tell Kagome yet. I don't want her to know the details until she's good and ready…"

Inuyasha nodded in understanding. "You have my word."

>>>>>>

"Jacken! Look at these pretty flowers that were outside the castle! I'm going to give them to Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin smiled.

Jacken frowned. "Calm down, you stupid child. Master Sesshoumaru will not want your stupid weeds." He sighed. "Why is it always I, Jacken, whom he leaves to watch after this ridiculous human girl?" he whined to himself.

"If you're tired of keeping an eye on the girl, I could take her off your hands?"

Jacken was pacing back and forth deciding upon the best way to exhibit his disgust when he heard the voice from somewhere behind him. It was not his Master Sesshoumaru…however, the voice did sound oddly familiar.

"No." Jacken spat, not even bothering to turn around. "Master Sesshoumaru left I, Jacken, in charge of the girl. She is my responsibility. He would surely kill me if something happened to her."

"Really now? You know, I never took Sesshoumaru to be the kind of demon to dishonor himself with human company…and living in the palace, too." the demon smirked. "I mean, Jin dishonored himself with that human woman, and look where it got him…"

Jacken didn't like his tone at all anymore. He wheeled around. The demon that had been speaking to him was none other than Jiro, Master Sesshoumaru's uncle…the same man that had tried to overthrow him nearly two decades before.

Jacken's eyes widened. "Jiro, if you have come here for my master, he is not here." He smirked curtly, taking several cautious steps in Rin's direction.

"Who's that, Jacken? He looks like Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin laughed.

"No, Rin. Stay behind me." Jacken commanded.

Sesshoumaru's uncle only laughed. "You honestly think a little toad like yourself is going to stop me somehow?" he smirked. "How attached is he to this human child, anyway, Jacken? You don't think he'd mind if I took her for myself, do you? I could use some extra help around my castle…"

Jacken's jaw dropped to the floor. If his master heard Jiro speaking of Rin like that, he'd certainly kill him! Jacken placed his staff in front of him. "Leave." He demanded.

"I don't think so." He growled.

>>>>>>

"She's been tossing and turning like that for hours." Inuyasha grumbled. "It doesn't…. hurt her, does it?"

Kaede sighed. "I'd imagine there is some pain involved. I think we were expecting it to begin with." She answered, and Inuyasha nodded. "Don't worry about her so much, Inuyasha. When she's done with all these transformations her body is going through, she's going to feel better than she probably ever has."

"What will happen once the transformation is actually complete?" It was Miroku's turn to ask questions. "Does anyone know what Kagome's father looked like?"

"Sesshoumaru knew her father." Inuyasha whispered. "I imagine he didn't look a whole lot different than my father or Sesshoumaru…"

"Do you know something else, Inuyasha?" asked Sango curiously.

"No," he growled. "It's none of your business."

Sesshoumaru poked his head in. "Inuyasha, keep it down. She's sleeping through it right now. I think it would be wise to try not to wake her up." He snarled.

"Sesshoumaru, why don't ye come inside for some tea? It's chilly outside, and I know ye aren't immune to the cold."

"I'm staying out here until he shows up…and trust me, he will." Sesshoumaru added.

"Keh." Inuyasha pouted. "All this waiting is making me nervous."

>>>>>>

Outside, Sesshoumaru stood like a statue guarding the entrance to the hut. He had his sword at the ready, lest anyone even dared to try and interrupt the important process taking place inside. He glanced inside several times.

The girl is still changing on the outside, but her scent is distinctly different than it used to be. She certainly smells like a hanyou. Maybe we'll get lucky tonight, and no one will notice…but I doubt it.

Sesshoumaru blinked several times. The thoughts in his mind took a back seat to his powerful nose. Something…or rather someone very familiar was coming this way, but they weren't alone.

Sesshoumaru frowned, searching the air with his nose. "What the hell is Rin doing all the way out here?" he growled under his breath. "I'm going to wring Jacken's little…" Sesshoumaru's frown got deeper as realization struck him like a ton of bricks. Whoever it was with Rin, it certainly wasn't Jacken.

A growl erupted from somewhere deep within his throat. Inuyasha and the others inside the hut rushed to the door.

"What is it, Sesshoumaru?" demanded Inuyasha.

"Is everything okay?" Sango already had her boomerang at the ready.

Sesshoumaru let out a hot breath of air. "I should've known he would sink that low, that worthless piece of trash…" Sesshoumaru's cheeks grew hot with anger.

Inuyasha took a step backwards. "What are you talking about? Is it him?"

"Inuyasha, take Kagome and run. That son of a bitch has Rin with him…" Sesshoumaru growled again.

"What?" Inuyasha gasped. "But Sesshoumaru, you can't…"

"Go! Now!" he snarled at him. "When I need your help, I'll ask for it! Get Kagome and get out of here!"

Reluctantly, Inuyasha nodded.

>>>>>>

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" screamed Rin. "Let me go! Put me down, you big meany!" she demanded. "Lord Sesshoumaru is going to help me! He'll be mad at you!"

"Shut up you stupid girl!" Jiro commanded. "If I feared Sesshoumaru, we wouldn't even be near this village!"

"If you didn't fear Lord Sesshoumaru, then you wouldn't have taken me away from Jacken!" Rin shot back, kicking with all her might to try and free herself from his grasp.

Finally, his grip loosened, and she dropped to the ground with a thud. She made it maybe six feet before Jiro drew his sword. She screamed, closing her eyes tightly. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" she called out again.

The blow that would have most certainly killed her never came, and she dared to open her eyes again. Sesshoumaru was standing in front of her, sword drawn. Flying above her head was a large cat demon carrying a demon slayer, a monk, and a small fox demon.

"Go with them, Rin. I'll come get you later." Sesshoumaru commanded, and Rin nodded promptly.

>>>>>>

Inuyasha cringed at what he was about to do. He stood at the foot of a very familiar waterfall. Shaking off his disgust, he jumped, landing in a small cave that was hidden by the falling water.

Several wolf youkai ran at him. He growled. "Calm down, you idiots! I brought Kagome. We ran into some problems at the village…"

"Kagome?" several of them gasped. "It doesn't smell like Kagome at all!"

Much to Inuyasha's disgust, Kouga appeared on the scene. He nearly screamed. "Dog shit, what are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I brought Kagome. My uncle is trying to kill us, so my brother sent us away. I figure if he manages to beat him, he won't be able to find us here because of the horrible wolf stench…"

"You brought Kagome?" Kouga smiled, approaching them. He gasped. "What the hell did you do to her, dog face? Why does she look like you? This is your fault, I know it!" he growled.

"Shut up you idiot. If you wake her up, I'll kill you. I didn't do a damn thing. Kagome is a hanyou. Her father was a member of my father's…well, now Sesshoumaru's clan. Would you like me to explain or do you want to just continue to bite my head off?"

Kouga was silent. He had a look on his face that was somewhere between the realms of disgust and intrigue. After a moment, he nodded. "All right, dog breath…but you have a lot of explaining to do…"

>>>>>>

A/N: Well, wouldn't you like to know what happens next? Heh heh. Well, there were a couple things I didn't include in this chapter that you guys are probably curious about (E.G: the outcome of the fight, Gramps and Souta's reaction to Akira's news…) Both of those will come in later chapters…but the more you review, the more I will be influenced to update quicker. :D