A/N: Hey guys! I'm starting this on Tuesday, but I'm busy with VBS (Vacation Bible School) all week so I don't know when I'll get this chapter posted. I'm having a lot of fun, helping the little kids with games and crafts and stuff. Smurf (smurf2005) and I even get to make the crafts too and get snacks. It's cool, we're just helpers but they incorporate us into the class just the same. Anyway, please read and review, I take suggestions from my readers very seriously, so if there is anything you want to see happen, just drop me a review and I'll consider it.

Oh, and yes, Koga was originally in my story before I knew about week before last week's episode. I don't want to think up another thing, so I'm keeping him.

--Thanks to reviewers--

Kagomelover91: Thanks so much! You were my first reviewer. Yay! –hands you a human inuyasha plushie, a giant box of pocky, and a strawberry soda-

Inuyashafanficfan: Thank you! I do have a small plot going on, and I'm planning on expanding it with a few plot twists. –hugs-

Chuck: Thanks, koishi! The mystery is because… it's a mystery! Plot twist-ala-polooza! Muhahaha! –kisu on the cheek- Alas, part of the mystery isn't a mystery anymore. But there is still more mystery to come.

GnomeInuyasha: Hey! Wow, I'm honored. Thank you, thank you. Late night writing does rock! It's the best time in the world to get anything done. Tee hee, we have the same name! –huggles-

Smurf2005: Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, I know it isn't the best out there, but I do have some really big plans for it. I'll be writing 'Four Little Words' soon. Prepare for angst. And I think I might keep the original ending. See you tonight. –glomp- It's all going to be okay.

Disclaimer:

Kirara: mew! (Hi, it's me! Kirara!)

Mew, mew! (Noz is unable to speak right now, so she asked me to say a few things.)

Mew, mew, mew, mew! (She doesn't own InuYasha or any of the characters. Takahashi-sama does, and she is a very kind and talented woman who won't sue this poor writer for writing this fanfiction.)

Noz: -comes running past Kirara- Kirara help! Get me out of here!

……………………………

. chapter 2 : grudging alliance .

"INUYASHA" The angry voice said again.

"You…" Inuyasha spat.

'Great, this is all I need, I don't have time to fight with him!' Inuyasha thought, looking at the person who stood in the doorway.

"Why are you here, mange?" The hanyou spat out.

"Keh, like it's any of your business, mutt!" Koga said as he stepped closer to the growling half-demon. "I smelled my Kagome. She's sick. I knew you couldn't take of her! What did you do to her, mutt-face?"

"She isn't your Kagome! She travels with me doesn't she?" Inuyasha growled. "And I didn't do anything to her!"

"Then what's wrong with her?" Koga barked out, irritation evident in his very movements.

"She's dying."

Koga and Inuyasha turned to face the voice of the person who had snuck up them. Amidst their arguing, they had foolishly let down their guard and focused only the searing anger between them. Now, they stared into the eyes of a smirking Jakotsu.

"What do you mean she's dying?" Koga growled at him.

"Oh, my poor Inuyasha, I hate to see you so distressed. But you know, you get even cuter when you're mad. Those cute little dog-ears all flattened down against your head. I could just eat them they're so delicious!" Jakotsu giggled.

"What do you mean she's dying?" Koga spat again, even louder this time.

"Oh, you again. Anger doesn't suit you very well, wolf. You have your appeals, but you just don't do it for me."

"Stop playing games, dammit, and tell me what's wrong with my Kagome!"

"Worry not, wolf. She'll soon be out of her misery. The poisons Makotsu used are working quickly enough," Jakotsu muttered.

"Poisons…" Koga looked back at Inuyasha and then charged at Jakotsu. "Get out of my way!"

Jakotsu side-stepped the attack and laughed. "Silly wolf, I won't stop you from retrieving your companions. They are already dead anyway, less for us to bury."

Jakotsu turned and walked out the door to make himself a decoy. He had said he would have Inuyasha, and he would have him in his time, his way. And that foolish man would have to realize that.

Koga growled and headed towards the other man. Meanwhile, Inuyasha, solemnly, had been trying to pick his friends up to get them out of this place before any other tragedy would befall them. Koga heard the movement behind him and spun around.

"Just what do you think you are doing, mutt-face?" He growled.

"Shut it," Inuyasha murmured, pulling the weight of Miroku onto his shoulder with a limp Kagome already nestled in his arms. "I'm getting them out of here, mange."

Koga growled, irritably. "Get your hands off my Kagome!"

Inuyasha batted the furious wolf youkai away. Fighting wasn't important to him right, making sure his friends would be out safe was the only thing that mattered. He didn't take care of them well enough before, he sure wasn't going to leave them in harms way again.

"Just grab Sango, Shippo, and Kirara. Don't argue with me, wolf cub! Just grab them! Let's go!" He called as he sprung out the door of the temple.

Koga grumbled, not happy about Inuyasha touching his mate, but grabbed the unconscious demon slayer and youkais and bounded off after the hanyou, quickly taking the lead.

"This way! I have a den not far from here! Follow me, if you can," he called back.

Sssshhhhhh…………………

Kagome, Sango, and Miroku lay peacefully on pallets on the cave floor. Shippo, now awake, was deep in a corner, fighting tears, the injured Kirara feet from him, watching her companions diligently. Inuyasha and Koga sat close by, an angry silence between them, as they watched the scene in front of them.

"I-I-I'm sorry Inuyasha!" Shippo wailed. "I tried my best to protect them!"

Inuyasha looked over at the kitsune. A soft look crossing his face for a mere second before it was gone.

"You were very brave, Shippo. You weren't the one who failed them, it was me."

"I knew you couldn't protect my Kagome!" Koga barked at Inuyasha, breaking his nearly two hour silence.

"At least I tried! At least I was there to try!" Inuyasha barked back.

"I was out fighting your little boyfriend, you stupid dog-turd!" Koga screamed. "The least you could do while I was out actually battling was to take care of my mate!"

"That's it! Prepare to die!" Inuyasha growled as he unsheathed his blade.

Shippo, still huddled in the corner fighting tears and hiding so the men wouldn't take their frustration out on him, looked up as he heard the soft footsteps running into the belly of the cave. He saw the usually bright Ayame, now somber, carrying in a bowl of water and what looked to be herbs.

Ginta and Hakkaku came trailing after her, curious of what was going on inside the cave. Seeing Inuyasha and Koga arguing, they opened their mouths to calm the angry Koga, but were quickly shut up as Ayame put down the contents she was carrying and stormed up to the boys.

"Will you two stop fighting!" She yelled. "Don't you care that your friends are laying there, ill and injured?" She shot at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha looked and his still friends and replaces his sword. "Another time."

The two men sat back down as the female set to work on the ill lying in the cave. She busily cared for Miroku, Sango, and Kirara but when she got to Kagome she stopped.

For a moment she just stared. Rezching her hand out to feel the miko, she pulled it back and gasped. She's so cold… like death. Oh my god… Ayame gasped and jumped back a bit, catching the boys' attention.

"What? What is it Ayame?" Koga asked.

"I-I-it's K-Kagome. She's not breathing, I think she's…"

Koga, Inuyasha, and Shippo all jumped from their spots and rushed over to the miko.

"No…" Koga growled.

Inuyasha softly touched her cheek, fighting tears that wanted to well in his eyes.

Shippo clung to Kagome's throat, sobbing enough for everyone in the room.

"Noooo! Why!" He wailed. "Nooo! Kagome can't be dead, she can't!'"

One hand covering her mouth, fighting back her own tears, Ayame reached out and touched the kitsune's head. "I'm sorry, Shippo-chan. It's true, Kagome…," she couldn't finish her sentence.

She couldn't tell Shippo the truth. She couldn't tell Shippo that…

… Kagome was dead.

……………………………

A/N: I'm iffy about this chapter. It had been a while since I had updated and I felt I should, so I kind of rushed on this. I may go back and rewrite it later, I don't know yet. Yeah, sorry about the late update, I had a job, got injured, and now I have a lot of spare time on my hands. It won't be so long before I update again, I promise. Sometime early next week. Promise.

Doing 'Four Little Words' an angst/tragedy IxK fic. I also want to do a MirokuxSango fic but I don't know how to start, so if anyone has any requests, just leave a review!

Anyway, please leave a review. No flames. Love ya!

(4:40 pm)