A/N: Hi! WARNING: This fanfic is going to end soon. I have it written up to chapter 40. Here is Chapter 36. Please review and let me know what you think!

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My Only Hope
Chapter Thirty-Six

"Kagome!" Inuyasha jumped. "You're going to hurt yourself. Why are you up? Please…please sit down. Don't hurt yourself." He whispered, wrapping her in a hug.

"Inuyasha…the antidote…I know how to make it…" she groaned. "We have to hurry, for Rin's sake." She added.

"Lady Kagome…" Sesshoumaru bowed. "Thank you for your help."

Yuka took a deep breath, working to dry her tears. She sighed, and smiled ay Sesshoumaru. "Rin should be all right, then?" she asked him.

He nodded. "Hopefully, yes. The antidote should clear up the snake youkai's poison."

Yuka could not help but smile, despite the circumstances. "That is great!" she wrapped him in a tight hug.

Inuyasha blinked. He watched his brother, and could have sworn he saw his brother's cheeks redden in a moment of embarrassment. The moment quickly passed however, and was replaced by…a smile. "Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha coughed.

"What?" Sesshoumaru demanded, suddenly realizing how he must have looked like a blushing idiot to the rest of the group. "Do you have a problem, Inuyasha?" he smirked.

"Not at all.." Inuyasha frowned as he looked over to Kagome. She was walking slowly back and forth across their hut, no doubt gathering supplies for the antidote for Rin. However, she looked pale, tired…not much better than Rin did. Inuyasha did not like the idea of her over-exerting herself one bit.

"Inuyasha," Inutaisho whispered, "she will heal a lot better as soon as her mating mark is reinstated…"

Inuyasha nodded and looked over at Kagome, who looked as if she was about to pass out from sheer exhaustion. He looked back at his brother for a moment before shaking his head, walking over, and picking up Kagome. He nuzzled her cheek for a moment and took a deep breath.

"Sesshoumaru, we'll be back in a little while…but I can't allow this to wait any longer…" he nodded, and took off towards the spring.

Jin smiled at Sesshoumaru. "Don't worry. They'll be back."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "I know."

"Inuyasha…." Kagome sighed. "Why did you do that? What are you doing? Why are we going to the stream?"

"Because, Kagome…" Inuyasha set her down carefully next to the stream, and gently kissed her forehead. "I love you, and I can't stand to see you in pain."

Kagome felt herself blushing. Despite the fact that she knew that Inuyasha loved her, it still flattered her to actually hear him say it from time to time. "I love you too, Inuyasha, but what does that have to do with my recovering?" she asked once she recovered.

"A lot." Inuyasha whispered. "You'll be able to heal a lot faster once the mating mark is back where it should be."

Kagome nodded, placing a soft kiss on his lips just before he bit her neck where his crescent shaped mating mark was before Kikyou removed it. Kagome gasped. She could feel that warm feeling again…the one that started in the pit of her stomach, and spread outward. She felt a little better almost immediately.

Inuyasha pulled back, letting Kagome's hair fall back to her shoulder. "Did that help?"

Kagome wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's neck, ignoring the twinge of pain that the small gesture caused. "Yes, I think it did." She smiled. "Thank you so much Inuyasha…"

"Why in the hell are you thanking me? Did you think I was just going to let you remain as you were? And this village surrounded by demon activity…." Inuyasha frowned.

"I know, Inuyasha." Kagome smiled. She couldn't help but laugh a little at his surprised expression.

He leaned over, placing another soft kiss on her lips, and one on her mating mark before he carefully picked her up again. "Come on," he whispered. "I don't want that lecherous monk getting any ideas in his head while we are away…"

Sesshoumaru was still pacing when Inuyasha and Kagome returned from the forest. He pivoted around on his heel when he sensed that they had returned, looking at Kagome with urgency in his eyes. Inuyasha placed Kagome down as gently as possible, which still elicited a groan. He frowned guiltily and smiled at her.

"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome nodded. "I can make the antidote…but I need you to go get me a few things first, okay?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head with understanding. "I'll be back before you can blink. Just tell me what you need…" he pleaded.

Kagome began spouting off a rather lengthy list of ingredients. Sesshoumaru nodded at each one, committing it quickly to memory. When Kagome had finished, Sesshoumaru nodded once more, turned, wrapped Yuka in a hug, and rushed off into the forest.

Yuka blinked in surprise. Sango smiled at her newest friend and winked knowingly at Kagome, who could only grin.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered. "Could you take us to the hot spring?"

"But your wounds!" Inuyasha whined.

"The warm water will probably do them some good, Inuyasha." Kagome smiled. "Besides, I think Yuka, Sango, and I need to talk about something."

Inuyasha frowned, his eyebrow raising. "Can't you talk about it right here…where I can make sure that you are going to be safe?" he asked.

Kagome shook her head. "Miroku is here." She pointed. "And besides, if you want to go to the hot springs, you and I can go later. For now, this is a girl talk situation…"

Inuyasha groaned in defeat. "All right…but I'm staying within range so that I'll be able to help if there is any trouble."

"That's fine…but don't be nosey…and keep Miroku away."

"Kagome," Yuka sighed. "What do we have to talk about?"

"You'll see…" smiled Sango knowingly.

"So will you." Kagome nodded to Sango.

Sango blinked in confusion. "I'll have to find out what the hell that was supposed to mean when we get there…" she said to Kagome as she followed Inuyasha into the forest with Yuka.

Inuyasha carefully let Kagome down, kissed her forehead, and walked away. He glanced back several times, worry in his eyes, before he disappeared into the trees.

Kagome frowned when she got the top part of her haori off. She had changed her bandage, and lucky for her, since Inuyasha had remarked her, the bleeding had stopped. Now all that remained was the large gash in her stomach where Kikyou had ran her sword.

Sango frowned in sympathy for her friend. "It'll heal, Kagome. Don't think too much about it. Besides, scars add character. No one will see them but Inuyasha and us…" she patted her friend on the shoulder in an effort to comfort her.

"I know, Sango." Kagome nodded slowly.

"It must still hurt a lot…" Yuka cringed.

Kagome nodded. "I'll just have to be careful is all…" she smiled at her concerned friends. "It'll be all right."

Yuka nodded. "So, what did you want to talk to us about?"

"Well," smiled Kagome, letting only her feet into the warm water, "I wanted to talk to you about Sesshoumaru, and I've wanted to talk to Sango about Miroku since I've known her."

Sango blushed a bright red color. "Kagome!"

"What about Sesshoumaru?" demanded Yuka, her defenses quickly going up.

"Do you like him?" asked Kagome.

Sango shook her head. "She doesn't like him, Kagome…she's in love with him!"

It was Yuka's turn to go scarlet. "You're one to talk!" she shot at Sango, who immediately stopped laughing. Her mouth hung open in shock just as it would have if Yuka had gone ahead and slapped her in her face.

"You…I…" Sango stammered. When she could come up with no way in which to verbally retaliate, she just sunk further down into the warm water and began to fume. A few seconds later her head popped back out. She looked frustrated. "It's not like I can do much about it!" she yelled. "Naraku is gone, and he hasn't said a word about…about what we said we would do…" she blushed in embarrassment.

Kagome sighed. "We have all been a little preoccupied, Sango. I really think you ought to talk to him…"

Sango's expression fell. "What if he doesn't want to be with me anymore?" she wondered out loud.

"He does." Yuka smiled.

Kagome blinked in surprise. "Don't even act like you're going to get off that easily! If you're in love with Sesshoumaru then you certainly ought to tell him about it! I don't understand why the two of you keep beating around the bush about everything…" she stopped cold right there and Sango laughed.

"You definitely aren't allowed to talk about beating around the bush." Sango smirked. "Three years, Kagome!"

"That wasn't my fault!" Kagome retaliated.

"True…" Sango nodded.

"You guys really think I should tell him?" Yuka whispered. Her eyes were clouded with thought. "I've heard other people's stories about him…how he doesn't like humans like that…how he hated Inuyasha for the longest time just because his father had mated a human…" she frowned. "I fit into that category, don't I?"

Kagome's smile quickly turned upside down. "Oh, Yuka honey, no, you don't…" she whispered. "Sesshoumaru has changed…"

Sesshoumaru stopped. Had he heard correctly? He could sense that the girls were gathered up ahead. All three of their scents were in one place. He wasn't trying to listen to their conversation. He was merely seeking out Kagome to give her the ingredients she'd ask for…but he had overheard something.

"Don't even act like you're going to get off that easily! If you're in love with Sesshoumaru then you certainly ought to tell him about it! I don't understand why the two of you keep beating around the bush about everything…"

"You definitely aren't allowed to talk about beating around the bush." Sango smirked. "Three years, Kagome!"

"That wasn't my fault!" Kagome retaliated.

"True…" Sango nodded.

"You guys really think I should tell him?" Yuka whispered. Her eyes were clouded with thought. "I've heard other people's stories about him…how he doesn't like humans like that…how he hated Inuyasha for the longest time just because his father had mated a human…" she frowned. "I fit into that category, don't I?"

Had he heard correctly? He shook his head. There was always the possibility that his ears had failed him…that he was wrong...

"Does she…really feel that way?" he whispered to himself, feeling slightly excited about it. He reviewed the conversation in his mind, and decided that what he heard had definitely not been something out of his imagination. "I'll talk to her…tonight. While Kagome was making the antidote for Rin." He smiled to himself, running towards the place where the girls' scents were getting stronger.

He came into a clearing and stopped dead in his tracks.

Kagome, Yuka, and Sango screamed. "Sesshoumaru! Oh, my god! Turn around!" they ducked into the water.

Sesshoumaru could only manage to blink. Inuyasha was at his side in seconds. "What happened?" he demanded. "I heard…" he stopped.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before!" Inuyasha smirked.

"Not all three of us! Go away, Inuyasha! I'm going to kill you both when I get out of here!" It was Sango who spoke this time.

"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha dragged his brother back into the woods.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I wasn't looking. I was merely searching out Kagome to give her the ingredients she asked me to retrieve…."

"You better not have!" he growled.

Kagome, Sango, and Yuka angrily emerged from the springs a couple minutes later. Yuka was still very red in the face. She cast her eyes down towards the ground when she passed Sesshoumaru, becoming even redder then she had been to begin with. Kagome and Sango looked almost indifferent, as if they were used to such intrusions during their bathing time.

"Give me those." Kagome held out her hand and waited for Sesshoumaru to give her the ingredients she'd asked for. He dropped them into her hand and began to walk back towards the village.

Kagome worked slowly, making sure not to miss a step as she made the antidote that would hopefully spare Rin's life.

"Thank you so much for this, Kagome." Sesshoumaru said for the hundredth time. "I'll be forever in your debt for helping to save her life."

"It's nothing, Sesshoumaru." Kagome shrugged.

"Yes, it is." Sesshoumaru insisted.

Sango yelped. Her and Miroku had been playing with the twins. Shippo jumped into the air. "Mommy! Daddy! Look! Look at Taka and Toku! Hurry!" he screamed urgently.

Inuyasha and Kagome wheeled around. Kagome gasped and smiled. "Inuyasha! Look! They're walking!" She paused. "They're walking and they are only a couple months old!" She walked over, embracing her children. "I'm so proud of you two!" she cooed.

Inuyasha smiled at his youngest children. "Good for them." He beamed.

"Yuka…can I talk to you for a minute?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kagome's ears twitched, and Sango looked up with interest. "Alone?" Sesshoumaru added.

Yuka blinked several times before finally nodding. Sesshoumaru took her by the hand, and the two of them walked into the forest without another word to anyone in the group.

Sango smiled widely. "Yay!" she clapped. "I'm happy for her!"

"About what, my dearest Sango?" Miroku asked, his interest peaked.

"You'll find out soon enough." Kagome waved, getting back to her potion.

Miroku smiled. "Speaking of talking, Sango…" he whispered. "You and I need to talk later as well."

Sango gulped, and nodded quickly. "All right."

Kagome stood triumphantly. "Ha! It's done!" she celebrated. "Now all that's left is to let it cool for a little while, and give it to Rin! She's going to be fine!"

"Are you sure, Kagome?" asked Inuyasha, questions in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" she frowned.

"Nothing…" he sighed. He could not bring himself to tell her what he knew. He didn't want to compromise the future. He couldn't even imagine what the consequences would be.

Kagome eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

Sesshoumaru sat down on a log, and took Yuka's hand in his own. "I need to talk to you about something very important," he whispered.

Yuka nodded. "What is it?" she swallowed.

He took a very deep breath. "I…I heard what you and the girls were talking about at the spring today…" he gulped.

Yuka immediately turned a dark red. "Oh, god…you heard that!" he gasped.

He slowly nodded. "Yes, I did…"

"I'm sorry! I didn't…I mean…I was just…" she stammered.

"Yuka…calm down. It's okay."

Yuka stopped, her mouth hanging open in shock. She quickly closed it. "What do you mean…it's okay? I don't…I don't think I understand…" she frowned.

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. "Yuka…I…" he paused. "I feel…I feel the same way…"

Yuka shook her head. "That's okay, Sesshoumaru. I didn't expect you to…what?" She gasped. "What did you say to me?"

"It doesn't matter to me that you are human. I overlooked that a long time ago. I like you for who you are, not what you are. Until I met you, I could never understand why my father did what he did…dying for Izayoi like that…but I understand now…" Sesshoumaru paused. "He loved her. It didn't matter to him what she was…"

Yuka could only manage to nod. She gulped. "I…see…" she managed to choke out. "Sesshoumaru…? You've lived a long time, right? So…what happens when I die?"

"If you become my mate, you won't…not for a long, long time, anyway. The mating mark is forever…"

Yuka nodded in understanding.

"That is why Kagome was in such danger the other day. When I saw that mark disappear, I thought for sure she had died…"

Again, Yuka nodded. "Sesshoumaru…did you just ask me to…?" her voice trailed off.

Slowly, Sesshoumaru nodded his head. "Will you?"

Yuka began to smile, and jumped up to wrap her arms around Sesshoumaru's neck. "Of course I will!" she laughed happily.

Kagome stopped in her tracks at what she heard. She had come to tell Sesshoumaru some of the worst news she was sure he was going to get for a while… her failure broke her heart, and Sesshoumaru needed to know about it…but she thought that Yuka and Sesshoumaru deserved some good first. She smiled at how happy her friend was. Clearing her throat, she stepped out of the bushes and bowed to Sesshoumaru.

"What is it?" he demanded.

Kagome sighed. "We administered the antidote, Sesshoumaru." She reported. However, her happy mask was wearing off quickly, and her eyes shot guiltily toward the ground.

"What happened?" frowned Yuka, a slight note of panic in her voice.

Kagome took a deep breath. "Sesshoumaru…the antidote was a failure. It didn't work. It had no effect on the youkai poison at all. Rin is…she's still alive…but she isn't going to…she won't last the night, Sesshoumaru. My father is sitting with her at camp right now…"

Sesshoumaru gulped, nodded, picked up Yuka, and sped off towards the village. Rin looked as pale and clammy as ever, but she managed a smile when she saw Sesshoumaru approaching with Yuka.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," she frowned. "I am sorry I ran off…"

"It wasn't your fault. Don't blame it on yourself. You've always been terribly well behaved. I will find the youkai who did this to you, Rin, I promise," he whispered.

Yuka took Rin's hand in her own. "You're going to be all right, sweetie. You just…you have sweet dreams tonight, okay?"

Rin nodded. Even she could feel the poison slowly stealing her life away from her. She knew what that meant. Sesshoumaru and the others must have known as well.

That night, Rin fell asleep. The next morning, when she did not wake up, Sesshoumaru was quick to take action. He unsheathed his tenseiga and it pulsed with demonic energy. He could still see those little peons who had already once tried to take Rin's soul from this world. That meant that Rin had not been this way for long…that he had a chance of saving her. He swung his sword at the small pests…but nothing happened. His facial expression fell as he tried again, repeating the previous results.

"Kagome!" he yelled urgently. "Bring your sword, please! We still have time to save her if we hurry!"

Kagome ran out, brandishing the sword she had inherited from her father. She glanced at Rin. She could still see the small demons that would soon carry her soul away. She sliced at them. One, two, three, four times she sliced at them, but they would not disappear. Kagome yelped in shock and horror when she saw one of them reach into Rin's mouth, and pull out a white ball of light. The demons had escaped with her soul.

"It didn't work…" Kagome cried. "I saw them take it…they took her soul, Sesshoumaru…" she sobbed as Inuyasha held her.

"It didn't work for a reason," The entire group jumped at the new person who had suddenly emerged into the clearing. Shippo stopped talking to Kohaku, and the two boys stared at the demon woman. Kagome stood quickly, and Sesshoumaru took a threatening step toward the demon he had met in the future.

"Mine! What the hell are you doing here? What was that supposed to mean?" he demanded, growling from deep within his throat.

Mine cleared her throat. "It means that the girl was destined to die, Sesshoumaru. Nothing you could have done would have helped to change that. She would have died anyway…and her death has made way for the future…" she added, slightly smiling at Yuka as she said this.

"Why couldn't you tell me that when you saw us? You knew it was going to happen! Why deceive us about it?" he yelled.

"Because you would have done anything and everything within your power to see to it that Rin never fulfilled her destiny. You and Lady Kagome have already worked very hard the past couple days to prevent her death. Had I told you, the girl would have been permanently affixed to your shoulders, and you both would have died. That was not supposed to happen. Only one person was supposed to die, and she did…"

Sesshoumaru's mouth hung open, but he could only manage to nod.

"I can not tell you anymore about the future. I have to return now." She bowed. "Good-bye, Lady Yuka. Good-bye Lord Sesshoumaru. May the future be bright for the both of you…" she smiled before she turned around and disappeared.

Miroku stood quietly, and bowed to Sesshoumaru. "I will begin the arrangements for a burial ceremony," he mouthed barely above a whisper.

The others in the group nodded sadly.

"Sesshoumaru…" Yuka whispered. "Are you going to be okay?" She wrapped him protectively in a hug.

Kagome picked up Toku and Taka, who were stumbling around near the edge of the forest. She kissed each of the twins on the forehead, and sighed deeply. "Despite everything…something good managed to happen today…" she whispered to herself. "Does that mean…Mine was right?" she frowned.

A/N: Sorry if I left it here, but there will be an update soon, okay? I will also have another story coming out. It has no affiliation whatsoever to this one, but I was struck with a brilliant (I think so, anyway) idea about half way through this chapter, and I had to act on it. The other fiction will be titled 'Dream of Me' and will be up shortly...so I hope you guys look for it! Hope you liked this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think!