Triple

By Shadow Youkai87

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha and never will.

Chapter 3

She was warm, and she was safe, but where was she?She wasn't sure. She couldn't even open her eyes.She remembered her dark room, a knock, golden pools...oh yes. InuYasha. He had finally come and he'd save her from her fate. He'd protect the jewel, wouldn't he?

"She's waking up!" declared a voice, feminine and warm, "I'll get her something to eat, if you think you can force it down her throat."

"I'll be able to, Mrs. Hanabishi," rumbled the warmth in a gently-harsh masculine voice. "Some soup would do her some good."

There were footsteps before the world silenced, save the gentle breathing of her pillow. Confused over how a pillow could breath, she forced her eyes open and saw red and white and a face with golden eyes and a stern, yet kind, expression.

"InuYasha? What're you..." She stopped suddenly as the images her sleepy mind had deprived her of flooded back. "Oh, yeah. I...kinda forgot."

"That's okay. How do ya feel?"

"Dead."

"Yeah, me too," he looked away from her at something else in the room.

"I meant tired!" she insisted, pulling herself so she was in his field of view. She saw pity in his eyes. "Really, I did."

"So did I," he replied, "I've been here all night, awake, incase you woke up. So, after I get you to eat, I'm heading home."

"What?" He was going to abandon her. "You can't! He's going to come after me! He wants the jewel! Please, don't go! I need you, please?" The tears were starting to fall.

"I was just gonna go for an hour or so to let everyone know what's going on and get something for the funeral this afternoon. I've been told red's inappropriate."

"Black," she whispered as he dried her tears, "You need black."

He nodded and gave he a sad smirk. "I promise, I'll be back in an hour at most. The other's deserve to know why you aren't going back for a while. Not until we get him," he paused and let out a half sigh. "Besides, Mrs. Hanabishi won't let you go anywhere unless she comes too. I don't think the well would like her. Wait. Did you say the jewel?"

"He killed them for it," she whispered, the tears coming back. "He wrote on the wall in their blood 'Beware, bearer of the Shikon no Tama. It shall be mine.'"

He was silent, in a stunned way as she broke out in tears, raking her lithe form with each sob. He couldn't believe it. Even here, the jewel had its seekers. She blamed herself for this. He couldn't give any words of comfort now. It had been his own fault his mother had been killed. He knew her pain, but this was different.

"It's not your fault Kagome," She didn't hear. He pulled her back roughly and forced her to look at him in the eye. "This isn't your fault Kagome. You hear me? You didn't do this! It's not your fault!"

"Of course it is! I'm the one that had it in my body! I'm the one that broke the fucken thing! I'm the one that brought those fucken shards into my fucken home so don't say it's not my fucken fault!"

She broke down. Her arms wrapped around him and she pulled herself onto his chest and held herself there. Nothing would make her move. The soup came and left when Mrs. Hanabishi saw the girl. She was in no condition to eat, and he certainly wasn't in the position to feed. He could only hold her, and let her crying die down. It wasn't her fault. It was Naraku's, in a long, detached way.

Hadn't he killed Kikyo, who took the jewel into the afterlife and was reincarnated in Kagome, jewel and all? Hadn't that caused the breaking of the jewel, because he had hated Kikyo and thought the look alike was her double? Hadn't he been the one to think she could kill the crow? Hadn't the reason Naraku had attacked Kikyo and Onigumo felt the need to sacrifice himself to the demons was because Kikyo had been 'in love' with him? If it was anyone's fault for everything from Naraku, it was his. Because he and Kikyo had known each other, Onigumo had done what he had. Because of that, Naraku was born, Kikyo was killed, Miroku was cursed, Sango's brother was under Naraku's control...everything because of him and Kikyo. And to think, it had taken Kagome blaming herself for something so obviously Naraku's fault to make him see all that. Life was sure strange that way.


After a long train trip and taxi ride, Hitomi Hinoto finally arrived at the Hanabishi residence. Her sister's daughter was in there. Was in there and practically dying herself. She may have grown apart from her sister and her family, but she wouldn't have if she had known she would lose them all so soon. She truly felt bad for it all now. She wished she could see Souta smile, or Shizuka talking or even her crazy father-in-law. Who in their right minds believed in demons?

The door opened ahead of her and a boy in a red kimono stepped followed by a girl in a school uniform.

"You sure you'll be able to find the shrine okay?" she asked, grabbing his sleeve.

"I know I will Kagome, now let me go. I'll only be an hour than I'll be right back. I promise."

"But what if he comes while..."

"He won't, I promise," he replied, embracing the hysterical girl. "I'll be back soon, so don't cry over it. Sango and Miroku must be real worried about us by now, don't you think Shippo would be even worse? He's just a kid and he misses his mommy."

She nodded slowly and tightened her hold on him. "You promise you'll be back?"

"Have I ever broken a promise to you?" She shook her head. "Think I'll start now?"

"No," she whispered, "Just be as fast as you can. And don't forget how to get back here!"

"Worse comes to worse, I'll smell my way back. I'll see you in an hour."

She released him and he gave a sad smile before walking down the path and seeing her. The fact that he went crimson made her think she had just seen something very personal.

"What're you looking at?" he demanded and she realized she had been staring at his pure white hair.

"Sorry kid. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, I suppose you didn't and I don't think you want to. I'm not one to mess with."

With that, he was gone, the girl calling after him before shaking her head and looking very blasé about it. "Stupid dog boy," she half-grinned, "Making a bad impression with my aunt. How are you Hitomi?"

"Ka...Kagome?" Why was she so surprised? The boy had called her that. "I didn't recognize you."

"No, I don't suppose you would. I've changed a lot since we last saw each other."

That was putting it mildly. The Kagome she knew was small, lanky and a little girl, but this was a woman in front of her. Well developed muscles and other stuff, tanned, such the mature look about her, especially the eyes. Those eyes had seen life.

"I'm sorry for your loss," she mumbled, unsure of what else to say.

"Don't be. It was my fault. Mine and this stupid jewel." Her hand clasped over her heart. "I hope InuYasha will be back soon."

"That boy?" Kagome nodded. "Who is he, exactly?"

The smile on her lips was tormented. "Someone you must learn to live with. Need help with your bags, aunt Hitomi?"


Done. for now. RR.