Adoration and Fidelity

I feel that this fan fiction is going to do really well. It's so far going great. I really appreciate writing it and from what I've read and since you've made it to the second chapter I think you really like what you're reading! I'm a bit to excited about this...

Rating: M for Mature

Warnings: Sexual Content; Extreme violence; Offensive Language

"Talking"

'Thoughts'

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I do own this storyline

Recap: As Inuyasha ran past the trees he realized he hadn't felt so free in so long. He felt so blithe. Naraku was dead and gone from all existence, the jewel was whole one more, Kagome and the others had survived...

He felt as though nothing could go wrong at this time, but than the thought of what would happen next struck him. End Recap

Chapter 2: Mending Wounds

Inuyasha took a seat against the wall. Kaede had only now started bandaging Kagome up in the next room. The hanyou sighed for many reasons. Boredom, serenity, relief, fatigue. He felt so weak now. The lengthy trip to Kaede's had really run his energy low.

The day was coming to climax at this point and the sun was high in the sky. All the surroundings were peaceful. Now that Naraku was gone things could be at peace for some time, but even Inuyasha knew that that peace would not last for long. People and demons alike would come and try to overtake Naraku's possition among the demon and many of them would go to Inuyasha and Kagome, considering Inuyasha and Kagome were ultimately the ones who defeated Naraku.

Inuyasha exhaled and leaned back farther into the wall as he gazed up at the ceiling in thought. 'Damn... all of this fighting and hunting... Why do I suddenly feel like fucking shit.' Inuyasha wondered in irritation. His whole body was shaky and his heart seemed to dwell, not knowing exactly what it was feeling. He had this forlorn feeling that was causing his belly to flip-flop.

"Ugg..." Someone moaned out. Inuyasha looked over towards the source of the sound. Miroku moved a little, in obvious pain. Neither monk, nor the slayer had awoken from the darkness yet. Inuyasha had to admit: he was a little bit worried about them. They had really fought hard. Both on a mission. They had to avenge their families and that was all that mattered to the two of them. They had protected one another, battled side by side. Their courage was greatly admirable.

"Sango..." Miroku's groaned out. Inuyasha gave him a questioning glance. When he saw a small grin appear on the monks face, Inuyasha growled, his annoyance rising. There was no doubt in Inuyasha's mind that the pervert was thinking lecherous thoughts about the demon slayer.

"Even in pain..." Inuyasha shook his head side to side in disappointment. "Damn monk. Can't he get his mind out of the gutter?" Inuyasha huffed and stood up. He could not be in here. He could not be around these people. He needed some time to think. He had to straighten out his jumbled thoughts. He felt so utterly overwhelmed at the moment.

Inuyasha walked straight out of the hut. He ignored all his soar spots. He was strong and a few wounds would not stop him from getting some peace.

After Inuyasha exited the village, he felt somewhat odd. Now he was feeling even lonelier and with each step it was worse. His head was spinning. 'What's happening to me!' Inuyasha ran over and jumped into the one place he thought he could find serenity. The Sacred Tree.

As soon as Inuyasha was relaxed on a perch on the tree, he rubbed his temples. 'God damned Naraku must be hunting me!' He thought. The wind blew around the tree, causing the leaves to dance to its music. It calmed Inuyasha in the slightest of ways. A yawn escaped his lips. He hadn't realized he was so tired.

Now it was his time to think. What was bothering him? Inuyasha could not even tell himself. He closed his eyes and dug deep into his mind for the answers. All that he could see was Kagome... and then...

Inuyasha's Dream

The area was dark. Everything smelt of death and suffering. The small amount of wind made the spine quiver and the heart beat a bit faster.

Inuyasha walked forward. He could see in the dark, but even seeing in this place was no help, considering all that was ahead of him was a dark and cold road. He wondered once more what this was about and what was going on.

"Inuyasha!" Inuyasha turned quickly. To his right stood a form. He could not make it out. Suddenly a light shone on it.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha wondered two things: what she was doing there and why she looked so melancholy. "What's... wrong?" He reached his hand out, but was stopped by another voice.

"Inuyasha!" Inuyasha turned rapidly to his left. His eyes went a little wider. This form resembled the other one, but was colder.

"Kikyo? You're here too?"

"Inuyasha what are you doing with Kagome still?" Kikyo asked, her small eyes narrowing. "Isn't she supposed to be going back to her own time? Is it not time for you to come with me? Was that not your promise?"

"But... go back to her own time? What are you talking about?"

"Remember that this is not her time. This is not her land! What will she do now? What about the jewel?"

"I..." All these words were just bewildering Inuyasha more. He took a second to sort things out.

This was it. This was what was bothering him.

"Inuyasha, please don't let go!"

"Hmm?" Inuyasha turned back to Kagome. Suddenly she was above him. She was holding on to his wrist tightly and beads of sweat were dripping from her forehead. "What are you talking about?"

"Please don't go!" She screamed trying to pull Inuyasha up. Wait. Why was she holding onto him. Was was she pulling him up. Inuyasha looked down. He sucked in a harsh breath. Beneath him were burning flames, demons, and... Kikyo? "You don't have to go to hell!" Kagome was trying with all her might. The anxiety in her tone was obvious to Inuyasha. She was so desperately trying to stop him.

End Dream

Inuyasha awoke with a start. He rubbed his forehead. He had not meant to fall asleep. Such a dream seemed to confuse him more. 'So that's what's bothering me...' Inuyasha sat up and held his forehead with both hands as he bit his lip. 'But what was all that about hell?'

He didn't know what was going to happen now. He had not thought this over. Would Kagome stay in this era with him? Would she go back to her own era? Or balance both ways?

"But..." Inuyasha thought farther into it. 'She can't balance into it, can she? Because the jewel she has to... choose...' These are the words which Inuyasha so dreaded. It felt like bubbles were bursting in his gut, but not just any bubbles. Bubbles filled with acid. 'I have to choose too...' Kagome had to choose where she was going to stay and Inuyasha had to choose who he was going to stay with. This was all to perplexing. It was to much to think about in the state Inuyasha was in.

Scratching his claws on the tree branch idly, not paying attention to what he was doing, he leaned his head over in mystification. His choice was dependent on one detail. Who did he care about most? Who did he truly love? The hanyou shook his head quickly. He was getting a migraine from all of this.

When Inuyasha looked at the tree trunk, he was quite surprised. He had surely not expected that he would unknowingly carve Kagome's name into the tree. Inuyasha examined the name for a moment and decided to leave it where it was and consider it an off-handed thought.

Inuyasha hopped down from the tree, ignoring the pain in his side as he did so. He began ambling back towards Kaede's.

Meanwhile

Kagome winced as Kaede tightened a bandage around her waist. She was no longer unconscious, yet she wished she was. She hated feeling the pain and burning as the medicine hit her skin to clean out her deep wounds.

"Ye must sit still child." Kaede spoke calmly as she began to apply some ointment to a slash on Kagome's arm.

"Easy for you to say." Kagome mumbled a little weakly. "How... are the others?" Kagome had not gotten a chance to see them before she had come into this room to get her wounds mended. She had not taken time to see them on the battle field either, so she was completely clueless.

"The others are fine. Ye must not worry about them and pay more attention to getting yourself better." Kagome nodded. She was glad to here the others were 'fine'. It meant they were alive. That fact allowed her to relax a little more.

"And where is Inuyasha-"

"It's best to save your energy." Kaede cut the miko off. Kagome furrowed a brow at the old woman. Then, taking in a deep breath, Kagome closed her eyes.

"It's strange..." Kagome said after a long term of stillness. Kaede gave her a questioning glance.

"What ales ye?"

"It's just..." She sucked in some air for energy. "That after two long years of being here our task is finally complete." Kaede nodded in agreement.

"It may be strange, but it's also good for the people. Now more can live on in peace."

"Yeah, but..." Kagome stopped herself, not knowing the words to continue. She flinched back when Kaede pressed on a soar spot. "Owe."

"Are ye worried about what to do next?" Kaede asked.

There was a prolonged silence. Everything was quiet. Only the brittle breathing of Kagome could be heard. Kaede's was to soft to pay any attention to. Kagome turned her head away from the younger sister to the person of which she was the reincarnation of.

"Kaede..." Kagome had not given any real thought to what she would do next. She would really have to talk to Inuyasha about that. It was his choice. If he wanted her to stay, she would.

Kagome loved her family. She loved Sota, gramps, and her mother, but she loved Inuyasha as well. She was in love with Inuyasha and being in love with someone was more than just loving them. Kagome knew this. Her mother had taught her that years ago. Kagome would give everything up for Inuyasha. She would give up her family... her modern friends... just to be with him. So maybe she was not able to transcend time once the jewel was gone, but that didn't mean she couldn't be happy. She would always remember whichever side she gave up and she would have to be happy with the one she chose. It was like that.

Inuyasha had to choose too. He had to choose between her and Kikyo. If he chose Kikyo, Kagome would go to the modern age and if he chose her she would stay with him for as long as she could. She would be by his side and make him the happiest hanyou ever to set foot on this earth.

"Kaede.." Kagome repeated. "What would you do if you were in my position?"

"That's a difficult question ye ask child." Kaede took a moment to think. As she did this she took a cloth from a bucket of water and drained the liquid from it, by squeezing it tightly with her palms. It sat damp in her palm. "Kagome, If I was in your position I would probably feel confused. It would be very tough to choose between two places I love, with two separate families. You should think about the ups and down for both and in the end choose the side with the people you care for most. Fate will work its course. I'm sure you will end up happy."

"Well the ups and downs I can do, but the other part is the hard part." She loved her family dearly, but over the past years she had grown to love the others as if they were blood.

"I wish I could help ye more, but I can not. For now ye just have to rest. Release any stressful thoughts and get some more sleep." Kaede finished bandaging up the last wound and placed the cloth into the water pale again. Kagome nodded towards the old woman.

"Thanks Kaede." Kagome mumbled as she drifted off. Kaede smiled down at Kagome. 'I had once thought that Kagome so resembled the dead Kikyo, but now I see they are nothing alike. They are two totally different life forms. Both hearts were pure, yet Kikyo's was cold and untrustworthy, because of the life she had lived. Kagome's heart is warm and loving. Kikyo's eyes are narrow and filled with hatred now, while Kagome's are large and full of joy.'

Kaede picked up the pale and exited one room and stepped into the next. As she did this Inuyasha walked into the hut. He looked like he had been thinking deeply. She should have guessed. Inuyasha and Kagome both had a lot to think about of their futures. Kaede could only hope that whichever path they chose would be the right one and would lead them into a perpetual peace and comfort.

"Hey hag, how's she doing?" Inuyasha asked rudely. Kaede could only shake her head. After all this time she would have thought enough 'sit' commands would have taught him to have better manners, but obviously not.

"She is doing well, Inuyasha. Might I recommend tonight ye and her talk? Ye have much to discuss."

"That ain't none of your business, old woman." Inuyasha said as he walked past her and entered the room Kagome was resting in.

Kagome's face seemed to hold more pain then usual as she slept. This was unusual since Kagome usually slept soundly with a look of peace and innocence on her face. 'She must be still in pain.' Inuyasha thought as he walked over to her.

He plopped down on the ground.

"She is doing well, Inuyasha. Might I recommend tonight ye and her talk? Ye have much to discuss."

He could hear Kaede's words echoing in his mind. She was right. They did have a lot to talk about. Both of their decisions depended on the other's decision. This was a very confusing matter.

Kagome moved in her sleep. She seemed a little restless. Inuyasha looked down at her, staring for a long moment. She was a true beauty. He cared so much for her. He did not know how he could ever give her up.

Inuyasha moved his hand and swiped some hair from Kagome's face. Her cheeks were pale and her usually rosy lips seemed to be lightened. She was so frail in her current states.

Inuyasha stared down at Kagome for what seemed like an eternity before he closed his eyes to soak in all of the smells around him. Since Kagome was a mere two feet below his nose, she was the main thing he smelt. She had the slight smell of blood and medicines, but under that she had her normal scent. It was a magnificently warming smell. She smelt of a pure meadow, where no evil had ever lurked. She smelt so chaste, untainted.

Inuyasha's hand went and stroked her hair. It was soft and silky, but it was also a little messy at the moment. After all, she couldn't brush it or anything in the state she was in. Hell, she could barely sit up.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome mumbled. Inuyasha looked at her face and quickly moved his hand from her hair, trying to hide the blush that quickly appeared on his face. After a few seconds, Inuyasha realized Kagome was still dreaming. "Inuyasha please don't go..." Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Please don't go!" Was she having the same dream he had had in the tree earlier? "You don't have to go to hell..." She turned over.

Kagome's opened her eyes wide. Her heart was pounding strong in her chest. The sound was ringing in her ears. 'What a nightmare...' Kagome thought as she placed her hand over her heart. The dream made her think. Kagome took in a deep breath, she then noticed Inuyasha was sitting there, staring down at her.

"I.. Inuyasha?" Kagome wondered what he could be doing. He seemed very bewildered. "Are you... okay?"

"Kagome, can you tell me what your dream was about?" Inuyasha asked sternly, leaning forward. Kagome frowned. Had she been talking in her sleep?

"Um... no..."

"W..."

"It's nothing important Inuyasha. It was just some simple nightmare." She replied. Inuyasha looked to the side in thought. 'There's nothing simple about it.' He wondered if the dream was a warning of some kind. With one look at Kagome's inquiring expression, he decided to let it go for now.

This is an edited version of the chapter.

Well that's the end of another stunning chapter. I worked really hard on this chapter. It's a little difficult to constantly think up new and wondrous details, but I try my very best. I really do hope you are loving what you're reading.

Random Comments: (Episode: 87)

Kagome: "You want to know the truth? The real reason I want to stop is because my butts gonna fall off!"

Shippo: "Inuyasha do you want to be responsible if Kagome loses her butt!"

Kagome: "Ah.. Shippo..." (Blushing)

Inuyasha: "Alright we'll stop, but as soon as Kagome's butts better we're leaving..."

Kagome: "Inuyasha... SIT!"

Please stop by my profile and check out my site that I'm creating. It's going to have almost everything an Inuyasha and Kagome fan could hope for. Although, it's not updated completely yet, so please don't judge it as poor or anything yet.

Mending is another word for Healing