WoW!!! O.o I have 68 reviews!! I feel so loved!! Ok, just to answer a few questions about the last chapter... first of all, don't worry about Tetsugaiga, Kagome placed it in the ground just for safe keeping...she will recover it soon. Second, please don't be mad that Inuyasha and Kagome didn't "really" meet last chapter... I guess I should have been more clear... but this chapter, they will DEFINATLY meet face to face.... As well as some other fun surprises... ::wink wink::....Oh crap! I don't want to ruin the surprise... so without further adieu, here is Chapter 7! Enjoy my beloved fans!!

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Chapter 7

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The sun was high in the sky when Inuyasha awoke. The sunlight hurt his eyes as he opened them to it. Golden met gold.

He coughed a few times, and then rolled over onto his side.

His head throbbed a bit. Inuyasha reached up to feel a bandage wrapped around his head. Under the bandage, he felt like he had a welt the size of Miroku's ego.

His ears were ringing still too.

Inuyasha growled slightly as he fully woke up.

"Oh, Inuyasha...you're awake!" Miroku called from a few feet away.

Inuyasha felt dizzy, "How long have I been out for?" he asked Miroku.

"Lady Mermaid says since late last night." Miroku answered.

"What?!?" Inuyasha cried.

Miroku nodded and pointed over to the beach, where Sango stood with Shippo, talking to another girl who was half submerged in the water.

Inuyasha's eyes opened wide. His heart suddenly began to warm. He climbed to his knees and then stood up fully. He dared not to blink, for fear the sight might disappear in an instant.

Miroku turned his face back to Inuyasha, "She says her name is Kagome. Like that friend of yours." His face held a wide smile.

Inuyasha hovered back. His eyes only watched the young maiden in the water. His mouth hung open slightly, he drew a breath in, and his hands shook.

"What's the matter Inuyasha? Don't you want to go talk to her?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha didn't answer.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku continued.

Inuyasha took a step backwards and bowed his head. His eyes looked at the ground, and then shut tightly.

"Inuyasha....?" Miroku continued to call.

Without a word, Inuyasha turned and ran towards the woods. Miroku stood up and watched him run away, and disappear.

"What's with him?" he wondered out loud. "I thought he would be happy to see his friend?"

Miroku had to tell Sango about Inuyasha's sudden mood swing. So, Miroku walked towards the beach, where the others were.

As he approached, he heard Shippo give a warning.

"Sango! Sango! Miroku's coming! He's coming back over here like he's not supposed too!" the kit shouted.

Miroku stopped walking and blushed as Sango and Kagome both looked up at him. Sango put her hands on her hips and shouted to him, "Miroku, don't make me tie you down again, like I had to do this morning... you have to stay at least fifty feet away from Kagome. She doesn't need you trying to grope her every five seconds."

Miroku dug his sandal in the sand, and looked hurt, "Lady Sango, I was only coming to inform you that Inuyasha is awake."

Kagome's eyes widened, "Is he?" she called to Miroku, in an excited voice.

"I was wondering if I could speak to Lady Sango first, alone..." Miroku said back.

Sango tilted to head at Miroku's strange comment. "Excuse me, Kagome." She told Kagome.

Kagome nodded and watched as Sango left her and walked towards Miroku. The two of them whispered to one another.

After a few seconds, Sango gasped and placed her hands over her mouth. Miroku nodded in reply.

Kagome only blinked at their secret conversation. She didn't like these secrets the humans were keeping from her.

Kagome narrowed her eyebrows and pulled her head under water.

"Kagome?!?" Shippo called to her.

Miroku and Sango turned and looked at the water. Kagome was gone.

Shippo ran over to them and crossed his arms across his chest. "What's going on? Why did Kagome leave?"

Sango kneeled down and placed a hand on Shippo's head, "Nothing Shippo- chan. Everything is fine."

"Then why did Kagome leave? And where is Inuyasha?" Shippo said.

Sango looked up at Miroku for an answer. Miroku only shook his head. Sango turned back to Shippo, "This is a hard time for Inuyasha and Kagome. They haven't seen each other in a long time. And all this time, Inuyasha thought that Kagome was dead. Try to understand, Shippo, but you may be too young..."

"I'm not too young!" Shippo argued. "And I know what's going on!"

"You do?" Sango asked, looking surprised at the still young kit.

"Yep, Inuyasha and Kagome like each other." Shippo said, looking confident.

"Don't they?" he asked Sango and Miroku.

Miroku and Sango exchanged glances; they were both a little wide eyed.

Then, Miroku smiled at Shippo, "I really don't know. I never really thought that Inuyasha was capable of liking someone...but maybe the 'ol hanyou will prove me wrong."

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Kagome swam out into deeper water, away from the land peoples.

She felt so different from them. Them, with their secretive ways, their strange way of life.

Even though Sango, whom Kagome had spent much of the early morning talking too, seemed nice; she couldn't be sure.

She had grown up knowing to never trust anything that walked on two legs and inhabited the land. That had always been her way of life.

Ever since Inuyasha...perhaps his kindness to her had changed her outlook on land creatures.

Inuyasha...

They almost seemed to be keeping Inuyasha from her. Or maybe Inuyasha didn't want to see her?

But why? Why couldn't the two of them just talk? Like the old days?

Maybe that's because...these aren't the "old days" anymore.

Inuyasha had grown up, she had grown up.

But she didn't feel like she had changed much. Hardly at all.

Kagome's head was too full of thoughts and questions. She redirected her mind, to the matter she sought out.

She had to retrieve Tetsugaiga from where she had placed it last night. The sword, right now, was the only thing that mattered. Kagome had sworn that she would keep it safe, and she would.

Especially now, that she had spoken and made acquaintance with these land peoples.

Kagome swam out into the waters where she had been held captive last night. The rocky terrain was familiar and felt safe.

It reminded her of her home. The Coral Palace, where everything seemed simpler.

Kagome surfaced and looked around. She had swum out to the point. Now she was at the farthest tip. One of these rocks had to look familiar.

As she swam in between the rocks, her head only visible on top of the water, Kagome searched for the rock she had laid upon the night before.

Then, Kagome recognized it, she smiled to herself. And fully dove underwater.

Once under the waves, Kagome's eyes scanned the rocky bottom, looking for the sword she had wedged in between the rocks, only last night.

A hint of sunlight, struck the surface of the blade, and the spark caught Kagome's eye. There the blade lay, just as she had left it.

Kagome swam towards the blade, she settled next to it. She placed one hand on the handle and pulled hard, with good pull, the blade swung free from its hold.

Kagome felt the draw back, as Tetsugaiga freed itself. Kagome held the sword in her hands, and looked at it with a calm eye. This and the Jewel were the only links she had back to her world. Her old life.

She wished she had not lost the holster that the blade could rest in. But it didn't matter. Kagome removed her torn, old, cloak and wrapped the blade in the cloth.

The water around her hit her white skin and sent shivers down her spin. She now only wore the black corset, with its elaborate cloth and jewels, given to her by the Shadow Merfolk.

Kagome placed Tetsugaiga under her arm and swam back up towards the surface.

She splashed out of the water, and flipped her hair up and out of her face. Kagome shut her eyes, lifted her chin, and let the sun strike her face. It felt so warm and good.

Kagome opened her eyes and lowered her head. As her eyes refocused, she saw something along the far shore, beyond the rock point.

Kagome squinted her eyes and moved a bit closer.

The thing was like nothing she had ever seen before. It sat perfectly still, not even the breeze upset its stillness.

It was large and seemed odd.

She crept closer to it. She dared not to breathe.

It had a pointed snout and large eyes, which seemed out of place. Its body was massive, yet submissive; hidden.

Kagome's eyes were too occupied to notice that the Jewel around her neck began to faintly glow.

Suddenly, the figures head and eyes snapped in Kagome's direction. They burned a bright red.

A scream escaped Kagome's lips as its face turned to her.

Huge tentacle like objects spread out from under the creature. Then, with impossible speed the figure began to charge towards her.

Kagome's heart raced, she screamed in terror and dove back underwater.

Kagome flicked her fin as fast as it could go; she weaved her body in between the rocks. She was screaming underwater, she could feel the red eyes burning into her back.

Unexpectedly, an explosion sounded above her head. Kagome turned in time to see a giant ball of redness coming at her.

She quickly swerved to the side, missing it by centimeters. The ball of energy struck the rock bottom and exploded into a thousand pieces.

Debris flung at her, Kagome stopped swimming and put her arm up to block any pieces from hitting her face.

Just as quickly as that explosion happened, another came hurtling down onto her. Kagome kicked her fin to get away.

As it struck the sea bottom, more rocks loosened and flung in all directions. Kagome just missed them, twisting her body in all directions. She tore through the water, swimming for her life.

A few small ones hit her skin and left long gashes on her arms and fin. Kagome screamed in fear and pain, she swam as fast a possible to get away.

Explosions happened all around her. Enclosing her in a circle of quakes.

Kagome had no other place to go but up. Clutching Tetsugaiga under her arm, she started for the surface.

Another explosion hit at her right. Large rocks flung at her, one just missing her head, if she hadn't of ducked.

Kagome reached the barrier between the waves and air. She jumped from the water into the air, hovering for a few moments she looked and screamed too see her enemy above her, and then she landed back into the water.

Kagome sped up faster, diving low to jump from the water again. As she rocketed again from the water and into the air, Kagome watched as her enemy emitted another energy blast.

This one hit in the direct spot Kagome would enter the water. Kagome screamed as the water exploded into her face, and flung her backwards.

Doing a few back flips, Kagome once again landed into the water. Her body kept flying backwards, and Kagome's back slammed against a rock surface.

The contact only knocked the wind out of her. She waited a few seconds, her breath coming in gasps, and then she started to move.

Kagome looked in front of her line of vision, a splash came from the surface, and in a serge of bubbles, a figure dropped in front of her.

Kagome realized that the creature she had seen upon the land was only a covering. Her real enemy had a face. A human face, with vicious dark eyes, and stringy long hair, which stood up around his face and made him look even more brutal.

The man charged at her, his glare low and his teeth showing. In a blinding dark flash, the man pined Kagome against the rock.

Kagome felt Tetsugaiga fall from under her arm, and she watched out of the corner of her eye as it fell towards the ocean bottom, still wrapped in her cloak.

His face was close to hers, a few bubbles escaped his wicked mouth. His red tongue drew over his upper lip, and then slithered back into his mouth.

Kagome's eyes met his; they were blacker than the waters of the Shadow Merfolk. They held no soul, only power and emptiness.

His thin lips curved into a lustful smile. Kagome's fear had long turned to terror. She was helpless against this being whose body lay against hers.

Kagome took a thin breath, and began to scream a sonic note. It was weak, because she was so scared, but it had effect.

The dark man began to twitch and his gaze fell and he pulled his head back and screamed.

Bubbles without sound escaped his mouth as he yelled. Finally, he removed his arms from holding Kagome down and grabbed for his ears.

Kagome took this opportunity to flee. She dropped her note and sped away. She flashed thought the water. Her throat was dry. All she could focus on was getting away. She swam as if she was to never swim again.

She dared not look behind her; she knew he was giving chase. She screamed through the water.

Then the explosions started again, they struck the open water around her, blowing up in her path.

Kagome redirected her path back to the surface. Her mind was no longer connected to her fin; it seemed to go all by itself.

Kagome reached the surface and leaped through the air. Then, one finally hit her. The red spheres of power singed the side of her body as she leapt to the side, in the air.

The blast stung her skin and flung her to the right. Kagome felt her body skip along the waters surface, before stopping and sinking beneath the waves.

Kagome only fell a short distance before she hit the bottom. Her whole left side burned and seared with pain.

She fell onto a sandy bottom. Muffled noised she could hear above her head. Sounds of screams, roars, and yells.

Battle cries and roars. Then, sounds that she couldn't hear or understand.

Kagome could smell her own blood all around herself. The ocean water spread it, and the current carried it.

Kagome's head couldn't think straight. Her brain only recognized the pain in her side. She tried to sit up; she couldn't just lay and bleed to death.

Every muscle hurt and none wanted to work. Kagome reached up and grabbed the jewel around her neck; she held the tiny prism in her shaking fingers.

'Tell me, does this end here?' she asked the jewel, through her mind.

The jewel did nothing. Kagome let it fall from her fingers and she laid her head on the sandy bottom.

The sandy bottom was cold. Everything was cold.

Her eyes stared up at the water's surface only a few feet above her. The golden sun shimmered back down at her. Its swirling pattern, reflected against the water's surface. Kagome eyes shuttered at the light.

Suddenly, the sun was blocked out. An outline of a figure stood in front of it. Kagome's ears faintly picked up the sound of a splash into the water. Kagome shut her eyes and let her body go.

Then, she could almost feel her body being lifted up. It was, she was rising. The heat increased. Different sounds passed through her ears.

She felt her body be manipulated out of the water; she did nothing to stop it.

Then, it touched the sand again, but she could feel water rushing over her body in a rhythmic motion.

Kagome opened her eyes and turned her head. A face with familiar features was near hers. With eyes she knew so well.

Gold. Deep true gold.

Clawed fingers touched her cheek, "You're going to be all right, Kagome...please, you're going to be alright!" Heat emitted from his body. Kagome snuggled closer, she craved the heat.

Kagome's half open eyes stared at her old friends face. Her lips curved into a half smile, "Inu...Inu...yasha....you...you...came...back..."

"Shh, don't try and speak Kagome. Just don't give in, you will be alright!" Inuyasha practically whispered to her. He slipped his hand under her head and pulled her closer to him.

Kagome's eyes drifted shut again, she let her body relax. She could hear commotion around her. Voices crying and shouting. All she wanted to do was rest...all she needed was to rest...then she would be alright.

She pulled her arms closer to her body, and grabbed a hold of something warm that was around her. She wove her fingers through it and nestled her face deep within.

Kagome's breathing began to regulate back to normal, for the first time, since she could remember, she felt safe.

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Ok... much fluff next chapter...hehe I love fluff : )