Disclaimer: Don't own Inu-yasha or any of his fellow feudal era comrades.

A/N: Ok, so Sessho-maru was just a wee bit OOC. But, at least he helped his brother with his own touch of sadism. Anyway, this is the last chapter for this story. But the story will be continued in my second installment tentatively titled Broken Ties.

Thank you to everyone who read, enjoyed and/or reviewed this story. You guys are awesome! I hope to hear from you in the next installment. Until then…..

The Nisou and the Wolf

Chapter 8

Sango and Miroku left for the slayers village and Kagome left with Koga for the wolf lands. They would meet back at the village to resume their search for the jewel shards in two weeks. Kagome didn't tell Sango and Miroku everything that happened when she found Inu-yasha. She merely told them she found him fighting Sessho-maru and managed to get Tetsusaiga into Inu-yasha's hand to change him back. She told them Inu-yasha had left to go see Toto-sai for answers as to why he changed into his true demon form while still in possession of the Tetsusaiga. Kagome just prayed that two weeks would be long enough for Inu-yasha to come back. Otherwise, she might be forced to tell the whole truth and risk Inu-yasha's wrath.

Kagome and Koga split their time together spending eight days in the wolf demon's territory and six days with Kagome's family. They had made the trip through the well four days ago. Kagome sat on the small bench under the Goshin Boku tree looking up at the night sky. It was a cool, clear night and she could see all the stars sparkling. She would be going back through the well in a few days and couldn't help but worry about Inu-yasha. The last time she had seen him he was full of anguish, and seemed defeated. It scared Kagome that Inu-yasha could be so vulnerable. And what made matters worse was that she was the source of his troubles, and it tore her up inside but there was nothing he would let her do for him. She just had to be patient and wait for him to forgive her. You promised you'd come back to me Inu-yasha….

Kagome could feel Koga's presence before he appeared in the doorway of the temple. Their bond had strengthened in the past two weeks. Once they became aware of what was happening, Kagome and Koga were able to manipulate the bond to sense each other from great distances. They weren't able to communicate telepathically, but they could project feelings to each other. She watched the wolf move silently toward her, shadows hiding his features, all except his glittering eyes. Even in darkness they were alive. Kagome shuddered under their scrutiny.

Koga sat down next to Kagome and put a blanket around her shoulders, wrapping it around the front of her and making sure it covered enough of her legs. He didn't speak. He just offered himself as company, silent or otherwise. He looked up at the stars and smiled, knowing their patterns had not changed in over 600 years. It was comforting somehow. He looked over at Kagome, her face turned upwards to the stars, and wished he could make it all better. He knew she was worried about Inu-yasha and that she insisted on carrying a lot of guilt over what happened to him. Koga tried to get her to listen to reason, but she would have no part of it. She wanted to carry the blame. He tried to tell her it wasn't her fault that Inu-yasha kept his feelings from her. And what if he hadn't? Would Kagome have chosen Inu-yasha over Koga? Kagome had only smiled at Koga's questions and said, "Nothing could have kept us from each other." But Koga still found Inu-yasha's revelation a little unsettling to say the least. Had Inu-yasha set his sights on Kagome and just thought Koga was some sort of crush that would go away?

Koga knew Inu-yasha and Kagome would always have a special bond. He was an integral part of her life. But he wasn't jealous. He knew Kagome loved him, and he most assuredly loved her. Koga gazed at his lover, face bathed in pale moonlight, raven hair cascading down her shoulders. He reached out and lightly caressed her cheek before returning his attention back to the stars above.

Kagome could feel the love and warmth from Koga washing over her, soothing mind and body. She was so grateful to have Koga in her life. He loved her, he wanted her, and so she became his mate. Mai yamainu. She had told her mother everything about Koga the night they returned home. She was worried her mother would be angry at Kagome's deception. But her mother hugged her and told her how happy she was for the two of them. She had also told Kagome about her conversation with Koga the first time she brought him home. "I just want you to be happy Kagome. And I can see how much Koga loves you, and how happy he makes you. There's nothing to forgive." And then Kagome had hugged her mom so fiercely, thankful for her love and understanding.

Kagome looked over at Koga and slowly stood up. She held her hand out to her love. He gazed into her eyes and took her hand as he stood up. "I love you wolf." Koga leaned down so his lips lightly brushed Kagome's as he spoke, "I am yours nisou."

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Everyone had arrived back at the village a few days ago and after taking inventory of the necessary supplies, the group sat down to discuss what to do next. All except Inu-yasha. Kagome had somehow convinced them not to go searching for him at Toto-sai's, but was running out of stall tactics. They were sitting in Kaede's house, eating dinner, and throwing around ideas.

"I think we should continue with, or without Inu-yasha. Naraku is out there gathering shards as we speak. We can't afford to wait."

"I agree Sango. But you must consider the forces we will be up against. Inu-yasha is the only one with enough power to defeat some of these demons." Miroku takes a sip of soup, letting it warm his body. The weather had gotten unusually cold lately. It was a sure sign of a bad winter ahead.

"I'm a demon slayer. We handle demons 10 times our size."

"Yes, but you do it as a team." All eyes turned to Kagome who had been quiet the entire meal, content to let the others discuss their options. "The slayers worked as a team, each contributing to the battle. Our team is missing an important piece. I think we should wait."

"But Kagome. What if he never---"

Sango swallowed the rest of her statement when she saw the look in the priestess's eyes. In the past year or so, since continuing her training with Kaede and everything that happened with Koga and Inu-yasha, Sango had noticed that Kagome no longer exhibited any traits of the school girl she first met. She was a young woman, determined in everything she did. And now her determined eyes rested on Sango. Kagome would hear no further arguments.

"Ok. So we wait for Inu-yasha then." Sango felt a reassuring hand on her knee from Miroku. She gave him a grateful smile and continued to eat.

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Four days after the decision to wait for Inu-yasha, Kagome was sitting under what would come to be known as the Goshin Boku tree. She came here every day to wait for Inu-yasha. Some days she stayed for only a few hours, others she stayed here from breakfast 'til dinner. Today she had been sitting here since lunch. The weather had suddenly turned cold and Kaede admonished her for her vigils, warning of getting sick. Since the weather had turned cold, she switched from her modern clothing to that of this era. It was much better suited for traveling in colder climates, as you didn't need as many layers as you would with her era's clothing. She dressed in the traditional priestess attire, her arms tucked into the sleeves for warmth. She had made herself several pieces last winter in preparation for this year. Kaede told her she was supposed to choose a color and then she would always be recognized by that color. Kagome had agonized over what color to choose. Red was out of the question because of Kikyo. She didn't want to use green because her eyes were already green. Yellow too bright, orange too difficult to dye, and pink was just too weak a color. Then one day she had watched as her hands glowed with energy while performing a healing spell. So blue it was. Now, it made her even happier because it was the same shade of blue as Koga's eyes.

Kagome closed her eyes and leaned back, lifting her face toward the warm sun. She let her mind drift to thoughts of Koga and wondered when she was going to be able to see him again. She reached out with her bond and sent him a warm embrace. She wasn't sure if he felt it from this distance or not, but it made her feel good to send it. She felt relaxed and at peace for the first time since returning from home. Only one thing could make this moment better. But she knew better than to wish for such things. She had hurt Inu-yasha by not trusting in him when it came to Koga. But the other matter….she couldn't have known. He didn't even know until he was forced to face Kagome's relationship with Koga. She wanted her friend back. She wanted to argue with him over stupid stuff and laugh with him as Miroku once again fails to keep his libido in check around Sango. She wanted that secure feeling of knowing he was right there beside her whenever she needed him. Inu-yasha….you promised to come back to me.

Kagome was feeling drowsy from the big lunch and warm sun, so she settled in against the tree for a nap. Her mind started to go blank when she felt a sudden wave of passion course through her entire body. She gasped as the wave washed over her body. Her heart was racing, her cheeks flushed, her whole body reacting to the urgent, hungry and intense feeling possessing her. She could hear herself gasp again, her breathing growing rapid, unable to keep up with the overwhelming sensations. Then just as she thought she wouldn't be able to take anymore, a searing bolt of electricity ripped through her mind and body, causing her to cry out. She opened her eyes to the bright afternoon, panting, sweat beaded on her forehead, her limbs weak from the assault. She looked around but saw nobody near. She leaned back against the tree and took a deep breath. She watched a group of birds digging for worms, feeling her lids getting heavy again. The intensity of the wave had left her exhausted. What the hell was that? As she tried to fight the sleepiness, she got her answer. She could feel the sharp fangs tracing down her throat, and the pleasurable pain as they pierced her flesh, followed by the gentle licking of the tiny wound. She sighed as she ran her fingers over the telepathic bite mark. Koga, you wolf. She sent him a gentle kiss before falling asleep under the large tree.

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Inu-yasha sat in the tree, concealed by the leaves. He watched Kagome sit down under the tree. He watched her sit there everyday for the past six days. He watched her sit there and do nothing for hours but wait. And every day when she left, alone, she would go into her room and cry herself to sleep. He would sit on the roof, outside her window and listen. And that's how he had spent the past six days. Watching Kagome.

Before he came back to the village, he had spent time with Toto-sai, his father's longtime friend and sword smith who forged the Tetsusaiga. He helped Inu-yasha focus his thoughts on something other than Kagome and how much of a fool he made of himself. He offered some insight into why Inu-yasha had changed into his true demon form while still holding Tetsusaiga. Even though Tetsusaiga was supposed to keep the demon aspect in check, it seemed extreme moments of emotional trauma could trigger the demon aspect to take over when Inu-yasha couldn't handle his emotions. Maybe if Inu-yasha hadn't dropped Tetsusaiga, he might have been able to fight the transformation, but it was mere speculation at this point.

Toto-sai also told him stories of his adventures with his father and stories of his mother. He especially appreciated the stories about his mother because he didn't have much time with her before she died and he had only vague memories. The tales Toto-sai told him gave him a better picture of his mother.

Toto-sai unfortunately was not much help when it came to Kagome. The best advice he could give Inu-yasha was to swallow his pride and face her like a man before he lost his friend. If he could do that, he wouldn't be staying with Toto-sai right now. But then the problem remained, what was he going to do? Kagome knew he was in love with her. How could he face her? What if she told Koga? Inu-yasha had a recurring nightmare of Kagome and Koga laughing at him and the words mai yamainu resounded in his head like a jackhammer. Every night for a week he had the dream. And every night for a week he woke up shaking, drenched in sweat. He didn't know why the nightmare went away, but he was thankful it did.

Inu-yasha looked down at Kagome under the tree. She must be having some sort of dream from the way she's squirming. Maybe Inu-yasha was making the same mistake as Kagome; not trusting your friend to accept you no matter what. But Kagome had been willing to do that even after his confession. She asked him not to leave, to stay with her. Maybe Toto-sai was right. He should just swallow his pride and face her. Now, while she was alone. It would be bad enough having to face Kagome, he didn't want to do it with an audience. His attention was caught by Kagome crying out. It didn't sound like she was in pain. She looked confused, but not worried. It must have been a really intense dream.

Inu-yasha looked around to make sure nobody else was around and then jumped down to the ground. He walked over to the tree and looked down at Kagome. She was asleep! How had she managed to fall asleep so fast? So now what? He had finally worked up enough nerve to talk to her and she was asleep. Inu-yasha sighed and sat down in front of Kagome, waiting for her to wake up. He just hoped nobody wandered by before she woke up.

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She could see his flowing white hair, his huge golden eyes, and the flash of red as he darted past her. She called out to him, but he didn't stop, but just disappeared into the void. She looked around for any sign of his return, but she couldn't hear or see anything. She yelled his name, hoping to somehow invoke his presence by shouting his name. Still, he did not return.

Then she heard voices. Their voices, echoing through the void. You're just a girl……Sit Boy!……Why are you being so stubborn…..Look out, he's behind you……I loved her, and lost her to Naraku's deceptions…..I'll save you…..you'd tell me if something's wrong, right…..I need you to be my friend right now…I love her…...I will come back to you…..

She started yelling his name again, demanding his return. He had promised he would return to her. Where was he?

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Inu-yasha watched Kagome sleep. She seemed to be having another dream. She was mumbling something but he couldn't make it out. He thought about waking her up, but didn't want to startle her. And then, Kagome went silent for awhile, quietly resting against the tree. He leaned in closer, smelling her familiar clean scent.

"Inu…yasha…."

He backed up, a little startled at the sound of her voice. It was soft, and sounded like it was far away, obviously part of her dream.

"Inu….yasha…"

Just as he was about to try and wake her up, Kagome's eyes slowly opened, blinking a few times to clear the sleepy haze from her mind. She opened her eyes and saw the object of her search right in front of her. She gazed at him a few moments, enjoying the sight of his expectant face.

"Are you real?" She reached out and her fingertips lightly brushed his cheek.

Inu-yasha thrilled at the light caress of Kagome's fingertips. He quickly swallowed the sensation and focused his attention.

"Of course I'm real. I've been sitting here on my real ass for hours waiting for you to wake up. Did you know that you snore?"

Kagome sat bolt upright and took a swing at Inu-yasha. "Why you--!"

He ducked the shot and leaned back on his hands, giving her a lopsided smile. "Nice to see some things don't change."

She just chuckled and leaned back against the tree. "So, was Toto-sai able to help you?"

"How did you know I went to see him?"

"You said you would probably go to visit him. Seemed logical to me considering he made Tetsusaiga and knows a lot about your family history."

"Oh." Inu-yasha looks off to the side at the sound of rustling leaves, just to see a deer looking for food. He shrugged his shoulders and turned back to Kagome. "Well he did help, in his own vague way. But unless it happens again, everything is speculation."

Kagome looks down into her lap, concentrating on her hands. "You should know something before you see the others." She lifted her head and met the golden eyes of her friend. "I didn't tell anybody about what you said. I told them I found you fighting Sessho-maru and I managed to put Tetsusaiga in your hands to change you back." Kagome broke the gaze for a moment, took a deep breath, and continued. "I told them you would be gone for two weeks to visit Toto-sai. According to what I told them, you are six days overdue." Kagome saw Inu-yasha's eyes register surprise and she rushed on to explain herself. "I'm sorry. I just didn't think it was any of their business and I had to think of something to explain why you were gone----"

Inu-yasha reaches out and holds Kagome's hands, a warm smile softening his face. "It's ok, Kagome. I didn't leave you much choice. And you didn't lie to them; I did go to see Toto-sai."

"So…it's ok?"

"It's ok."

"And….we're ok?"

"We're ok, Kagome."

Kagome pulls her hands free and wraps her arms around Inu-yasha's neck, giving him a fierce hug. "Kagome, jeez! I just got back and you're trying to kill me!" Inu-yasha pushes her away, back against the tree.

"Well you deserve it jerk!" Kagome stands up and starts walking towards the village, yelling at Inu-yasha. "You leave me stranded in the woods, defenseless! That's just like you Inu-yasha. Honestly, I don't know why I put up with you!"

Inu-yasha caught up to Kagome to defend himself. "I didn't ask for your help Kagome! You just feel the need to stick your nose into everybody's business! What! You put up with me because I'm constantly saving your ass!" By the time they reached the village and their friends, they both knew things were exactly as they should be.

The End.