A/N: I'm glad I have at least a couple people interested in this little story of mine. Anyway, please keep the reviews coming! Your feedback is awesome!

>>>>>>

My Only Hope
Chapter Eight

"You're still upset, aren't you?" whispered Inuyasha as they entered the well house. "I said I was sorry. She asked me not to tell, and you were going through so much anyway…."

"I'm not upset, Inuyasha." She growled.

"Yes, you are." He shook his head matter-of-factly.

"How do you know?" Kagome challenged.

Inuyasha frowned. "Because your scent changes when you're angry." He revealed.

"Sit!" Kagome yelled, and Inuyasha fell to the ground with a loud thud. She glared at him threateningly, and turned back towards the well. Her nose twitched slightly, and she took in a deep breath. "Why do you have to be a jerk?" she asked him after a very uncomfortable silence.

"A jerk?" Inuyasha stood, his joints cracking in stress. "I didn't think you'd take it like that or I wouldn't have said it! It's not like I was lying! You'll notice too, once you get used to your nose…"

"I already have." Kagome said quickly.

"Gotten used to your nose? That's good." Inuyasha nodded, his anger melting quickly away.

Kagome shook her head. "Well, that, and the change in scent you were talking about."

"What do you mean?" he asked in curiosity.

"My grandfather." Kagome sighed. "He wasn't happy. He seemed kind of…scared." She admitted. "I could tell. He was completely different when we were leaving than he was when my mom was talking to us…"

"It's all right, Kagome. I set him straight, didn't I? Besides, he's your grandfather, right? He can't hate you. You're his family. I think he was a little surprised is all." Inuyasha paused. "Hey, but Souta loves the changes almost as much as I do. And so does your mom. I know you could tell that, couldn't you?"

Slowly, Kagome nodded. "You like the changes?"

Inuyasha's eyes nearly popped from his head. "How many times must I say it to convince you? You look beautiful! Not only that, but now you're going to be even more powerful than you used to be because of everything that's happened."

Kagome blushed slightly. "Thank you, Inuyasha."

Without another word, she jumped into the well.

Inuyasha, more confused than he had ever been before, glanced down the well and hesitantly followed his companion.

Kagome was waiting for him on the other side of the well like she usually was when he'd hop in after her. What surprised him was the presence of everyone else. Even his brother was there. Everyone was nodding at him and Kagome as if they had done something.

"What?" Inuyasha finally demanded, his impatience very apparent. "Why the hell must everyone stare all the time? What is your problem?" He growled at the group.

"We were just waiting for you, Inuyasha." Sighed Shippo. "Is that some type of crime now or something? Besides, Sesshoumaru needs to talk to you, and I think it is very important."

Inuyasha's brother nodded, clarifying the fact. "I need to talk to both of you…" he paused as Rin came running into the clearing. "We shall talk after I have returned Rin to the safety of the castle," he added as he walked over to the little girl and swiftly swooped her into his arms.

"Where are we going, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin laughed.

"I'm taking you home. It isn't safe for you to be here right now," he answered quickly.

"Why?"

"Because it's not." He said sternly. "Don't worry about it. I will handle it. You will stay with Jacken until when I say otherwise."

Rin nodded in understanding. "Okay, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru and Rin were gone within the next couple seconds. Kaede watched them retreat into the sky before she turned to the group. "What would ye say to a nice hot pot of tea?" she smiled at them.

Inuyasha blinked. "Wait a minute. There's something going on again, isn't there? Tell me, old woman." He whined. "Being the last one to know everything all the time isn't good for my temper."

"Shut up, Inuyasha." It was Miroku.

"Who asked you, monk?"

Inuyasha's sarcasm was met with Miroku's staff…knocking him squarely atop his head with an odd sort of cracking noise. Miroku laughed. Inuyasha growled, rubbing the newly formed lump on his head. "All right…" he sighed. "Let's go have some tea, and me and Kagome can sit and twiddle our thumbs and wait for Sesshoumaru to talk to us about something you guys obviously already know about." He smirked.

"Now you understand, Inuyasha." Sango smiled. "Come on."

Kagome, who had said nothing the entire time, sighed and followed the group back to the small village that Kaede called her home.

Sesshoumaru returned to Kaede's hut several hours later. He had dropped Rin off to be with Jacken again, and looked rather content now that he knew that the girl was out of harm's way. He turned to Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Now is time for that talk I was wanting to have with you." He said in a matter-of-fact tone. "If everyone else would just leave us for a while…" he added.

Everyone but Kagome and Inuyasha nodded, and quickly left the hut. Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, and the expression that was usually on his face (or lack thereof) returned.

"What is it?" demanded Inuyasha. "No one would even tell us what's going on."

"I didn't want them to tell you, you idiot. I needed to be here to tell you myself. Now, would you like to hear what I have to say, or must you insist on continuing to act like a baby?"

Kagome frowned. "Out with it, Sesshoumaru. I need sleep." She said warningly. "I don't want to be up any longer than is absolutely necessary…"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in surprise at Kagome's curtness, but they quickly returned to normal, and he cleared his throat. "While I have banished our uncle from my lands, I have no doubts in my mind that he will return to finish what he started. He knows of your quest for the shikon shards, and that this quest will undoubtedly lead you out of the western lands, and ultimately out of my realm of protection."

Kagome nodded. "Yes. We figured that out. But isn't Naraku a bigger fish to fry at the moment? Can't we worry about Jiro later?"

"Not if he gets to Naraku before you."

Even Inuyasha had to jump in surprise at this statement. "What? You mean Jiro is in league with Naraku?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I don't doubt it."

"What should we do about it?" asked Kagome, her interest sparked.

Sesshoumaru prepared. "You must continue searching for the jewel shards. However, before you set out again, I must insist that you be prepared for both Naraku and Jiro…."

Inuyasha yelped. "What? Do you realize what you're asking? Do you realize how long that could take? Time is not a luxury as far as these jewel shards are concerned, and I won't have Kagome getting hurt anymore over them!"

Kagome glanced at him in surprise, gulped, and nodded to Sesshoumaru to continue his speech.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Yes, Inuyasha, but you also have the humans to help you…" Sesshoumaru's look changed for just a moment, but he shrugged it off and kept on talking. "Anyway, if they have managed to help you thus far, I'm sure that they can continue to do so. They may not be as strong as you or Kagome is now, but they will still be instrumental in defeating Naraku and possibly our uncle…"

"Tell me something that I haven't already figured out."

"I've talked to Myoga." Sesshoumaru said simply.

"He didn't run away from you?" Inuyasha sounded more curious about that than what Sesshoumaru had actually talked to his vassal about.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No."

"What…were you talking to him about?" asked Kagome.

"It's very important." Sesshoumaru said simply. "And it concerns your father."

Kagome paled quickly. "I think I've had enough of these kinds of talks lately." She whispered.

"It's nothing bad. It's actually good." Sesshoumaru promised.

Inuyasha nodded.

Kagome sighed. "Okay…what is it?"

"I talked to Myoga…"

Inuyasha suddenly looked more interested. "Really? What did the two of you talk about?"

"Jin's sword." Sesshoumaru said simply.

Kagome blinked several times. "What did you say? My father's…sword?"

"Yes." Sesshoumaru nodded. "It is much like the tenseiga, but it will work on humans and demons alike."

"That's dangerous." Inuyasha spat.

"It will only work in the hands of Jiro or one of his family members. I can not get it to work. Inuyasha would not be able to work it…since Jiro died, no one but Kagome would be able to work the sword successfully…"

Kagome nodded. "I understand. And you want me to learn to use this sword?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I brought it with me from the castle. I've been guarding it since right after your father died." He smiled. "I expect it will come in very handy in the final fight with Naraku…although, it will not do any damage. You will have to rely on your skills with a bow to help you in battle…"

Again, Kagome nodded. "The miko's arrows should work well."

"Do you want to see it?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome smiled. "Where is it?"

>>>>>>

"So…the girl is a hanyou…and this new sword of hers will present a bit of a problem, I think," said Naraku.

Jiro nodded. "Yes, Naraku, that's right."

"Is there any way to get the sword from her? It would be marvelous if we had that kind of an arsenal."

"No," smirked Jiro. "Not unless you want to loose a limb."

"What do you mean?"

Jiro sighed. "No one can properly wield that sword except Kagome or her father…and he's dead."

"That does present a little bit of a problem," Naraku growled. "Bring the girl here."

"Gladly…" Jiro smiled.

"Alive, you idiot." He added.

"All right."

>>>>>>

"You all right, Kagome?" Inuyasha wondered.

"I just want to figure this out, is all." Kagome groaned. "I need to figure it out. We may not be as lucky as we were last time when we run into Naraku. We need to make sure that we are prepared for that."

Inuyasha sighed. "Yes, but you need some sleep."

"I'm not tired." She frowned.

"I know that sword is killing your energy…and you were tired before Sesshoumaru came to talk to us."

Kagome took a deep breath and sat down on a nearby log. She let out the breath she was holding, and let the sword fall carefully down to her side. "All right…I've just been so stressed. We're getting so close to ending everything, and I am just so…" Kagome didn't bother to finish.

"I understand…but it's not all your burden to bear. We're your friends. We're not going to leave you alone right now, okay?"

She smiled. "Thanks, Inuyasha."

>>>>>>

Inuyasha and the gang were now outside of the safety of the western lands. They had been on the hunt for the final jewel shards for nearly a week. Kagome had not found the need to use her sword, which she was glad about. However, unfortunately enough for everyone, they had already ran into several very unfriendly demons.

Nearly another week passed before Inuyasha, Kagome or Shippo noticed any more danger. The group was gathered at a local village when Inuyasha and Kagome looked up suddenly.

"What is it?" asked Shippo, sniffing the air. "What is that smell?"

"Bad. Really bad." Inuyasha growled. "My uncle has found us."

Kagome stood.

Inuyasha jumped. "What in the hell are you doing?" he demanded.

"I'm going to go to him before he comes into the village. I don't want him to attack any of these villagers."

"You're not going." Inuyasha said firmly.

"Yes."

"No!" Inuyasha yelled. "He's working for Naraku, Kagome! Do you have a death wish or something?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't…but he wants me. If I go to him, I can save these people some heartache." She paused a moment. "Go back west, get Sesshoumaru. I'll be all right. He can't hurt me, remember?" She smiled. "Besides, I kind of have my father with me…" she whispered.

"But Kagome!" yelled Inuyasha.

"Go, Inuyasha!" she commanded.

Kagome ran off before Inuyasha had any further chance to protest. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara and Kohaku stared after her with their jaws hanging for a moment before glaring at Inuyasha.

"Go!" Kohaku commanded. "You know where this place is! The rest of us can follow Kagome's scent on Kirara. We won't let anything happen to her, but you need to do what Kagome said!"

Inuyasha nodded. "Don't let them hurt her," he whispered.

>>>>>>

A/N: Gee, I know that you know that I love cliffhangers…need I say more? Anyway, the conclusion will occur in the next chapter or so, so don't worry about that. You guys will see what happens soon enough…if you review…:D