Chapter 6

In, Not Out

She was awake, but they didn't know it. They had already gone to sleep, all of them but one—Inu-Yasha. She silently got off of the ground, just as quietly moving toward the hanyou. His ears didn't twitch at her coming. Good…

"Inu-Yasha…" She breathed on his neck as she placed her hands on his shoulders. He jumped slightly and turned to look at her over his shoulder. His golden eyes lit up at the face looking back at him.

"Kagome… it's only you." He whispered.

"Only me?" She raised an eyebrow jokingly at his response.

"I didn't hear you coming, and I'm glad it was you and not a youkai to wake me from my thoughts."

"What were you thinking about?" The priestess asked as she moved to sitting next to him.

"A lot of stuff…"

"Do you want to tell me?"

He smiled lightly. "It's not really that important. Why aren't you sleeping? You didn't get much sleep last night."

"I wanted to come talk to you, without the others."

"What? Why?"

"I didn't want them to know."

"Know what?" She had gotten his attention, his silver ears perked strait up, toward the sound of her voice.

"I want to go into the cave." There was a touch of excitement in her voice. "Just you and me."

"What! Kagome what has—"

"They were afraid. With my new Miko power, I don't have to be afraid!"

"What were you afraid of before?" Inu-Yasha's voice was calm, with sadness hidden in his eyes. She leaned closer to him, dropping her already quiet voice even lower.

"I was afraid that you would see me as weak, as not worthy to be with you." Her eyes lowered to the ground.

"Kagome…" He breathed her name as he used one hand to lift her face back to his. "You know how much you mean to me, Kagome." He whispered, before brushing his lips against hers. "Just as you are." He finished, pulling back for only a second, his tongue deepening the kiss moments later.

"I know… but—but let me… show you." Kagome gasped when they broke apart. The hanyou stared at her for a second before slowly nodding.

"Alright, show me."

She smiled as she jumped to her feet. Inu-Yasha watched silently as the girl closed her eyes. She held out her hand, palm up, in a cupped position. The priestess stood stone still for a second before a ball of purple energy filled her outstretched hand. Her eyes opened again. "See!"

"What is it?" The hanyou asked as he got to his feet, his golden orbs dancing from the purple light in front of him.

"It's Miko energy. I can throw it."

Inu-Yasha reached a clawed hand out to touch the orb. "How did you learn this?" He asked, stopping his hand, not quite touching the power. Kagome only smiled again.

"Let me show you what else." She replied, walking to the cave. "When I throw this at a barrier," she threw the orb lightly to demonstrate. It stopped just inside the rock entrance and electricity seemed to shoot out of it. "The barrier dissipates." She finished as her purple energy vanished.

"There was a barrier?" The hanyou questioned as he moved next to the girl. "But why didn't Miroku—?"

"That's why he was afraid." Kagome answered. She smiled again as she walked into the cave mouth.

"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha called as he jumped after her. "What are you doing!" He growled, grabbing her arm. She turned a dark smile on the hanyou.

"Visiting an old friend."

"Wha…?" Just then a rumbling came from deep in the cavern. "Come on, Kagome, let's go get Miroku and Sango—" He started to move out of the cave, only to be shocked backward.

"What's wrong, Inu-Yasha?" The priestess sounded scared as she knelt next to the fallen boy.

"The barrier," he growled, sitting up.

"What do you mean?"

"There is another barrier." He didn't want to say that the original barrier was back, he didn't want to discourage the teen.

He got to his feet again and touched the invisible wall quickly, lightning again shooting off at the contact. "Do you think you can break through?" He turned back to her.

"Of course." She answered. He smiled at her. "But I won't." His smile dropped at her addition.

"What?" He whispered.

She got to her feet, swaying her hips as she moved to him. "The barrier was not to keep people out, rather to keep them in."

"How do you know this, Kagome?" He was beginning to worry that something had happened when she had been taken.

"Because mutt," she snickered, an evil grin now on her lips. "I am the one who put up the barrier." Her eyes danced with angry fire.

"Who are you?" He snarled, jumping away, his hand on Tetsusaiga.

"I am Kagome, just a little different than you remember." Her delicate footfalls brought her closer to him. "Now that I am stronger, I no longer need your so called protection." She stopped and held out her hand, energy quickly filling her palm, a deadly glare on him.

"You're not Kagome." He snapped back.

"How else could I smell exactly like her, and have her power?"

The hanyou faltered slightly at this. She's right… But Kagome wouldn't do this… Someone must be controlling her.

"It is time to face your death, mutt." Kagome snarled, the orb in her hand growing..

"If you throw that so close, you'll die too."

"I am immortal; I cannot die by some Miko's energy."

"Some Miko's…" Inu-Yasha breathed. I knew it! That's not Kagome at all! "I'll take you down!" He growled, pulling Tetsusaiga from his side.

"You dare to bare your fangs at me again half-Inu?"

Again…? He straightened up slightly at her words.

"A half-breed baring his fangs at me, you have tempted your fate."

"My body maybe destroyed, but I am an immortal heavenly being. You, girl with the sacred powers, your body shall be mine!"

"Kaguya." Inu-Yasha growled, regaining his fighting stance.

"Hm, very good mutt, but knowing won't help you."

"Get out of Kagome's body!"

"No."

His fangs were bared, his knuckles white from holding Tetsusaiga so tightly. Blood dripped down his wrists from the claws in his palms, as his breath was a snarl entering and leaving his lips. "Leave her out of this." His voice was so dangerous, it was calm.

"It's too late, mutt, I have control."

"Kagome is not weak."

"You hold her too high. She has no power without me."

"Lying bitch."

"Oh no, I do not lie. Show me a time when the Miko was able to use power like this." Kaguya taunted, lightly tossing her energy in her hand. The hanyou was silent; there was no real time… "What did I tell you? She has no power alone."

"She isn't alone." Inu-Yasha snapped.

"Hm, maybe not hanyou, but I found her alone enough to steal her body." Both were silent then, a grin on the priestess' face, and a frown on the hanyou's. Slowly the woman began to laugh, her snicker quickly turning into a full blow laugh.

"What is so funny?" He snarled.

"Put your sword away, mutt." She finally said, stopping her laughter.

"What?"

"You wouldn't use that Fang on your lover's body would you? So just shut-up and do as I say." Kaguya moved closer, using her free hand to put her hand over Inu-Yasha's hands, and lowering Tetsusaiga.

"Get off me!" He shouted, pulling the Fang back up, and slashing at the woman. She grinned as she jumped back, but not far enough. She gasped slightly as the sharp metal bit into her inner shoulder. "What!" The hanyou breathed as he saw the blood now covering the girl's left hand.

Russet orbs slowly turned up to meet gold, laughter mixed with hate in the dark pools. "Do you think I care if you destroy the girl's body? I will just find another."

Inu-Yasha grounded his fangs together as he slowly put Tetsusaiga back into its sheath. What in any of the hells am I going to do…? I can't hurt Kagome…

((It Was Only A Kiss))

Shippo's little eyes blinked open; he wasn't as warm as usual. He lifted his head, sitting up and looking around. "Kagome?" He called lightly. The priestess wasn't around. He turned around to look at the cave that Inu-Yasha had been sitting in front of. The kit's eyes bulged at the sight he found instead of the silent hanyou. "MIROKU! SANGO!" He screamed, jumping on top of the monk.

"Shippo!" Miroku asked, snapping up. Sango was already on her feet, Kirara and Hiraikotsu at her side.

"What's going on?" The demon slayer added.

"Lo—LOOK!" The youkai pointed at the cavern. The humans and larger youkai turned to follow the child's hand.

"Kagome?" Sango whispered.

"We've got to help, let's move, Sango." The monk ran toward the priestess and hanyou. The others followed without hesitation.

Miroku stopped and stared into the now brightly lit hole. "Inu-Yasha! What are you doing!" He shouted. The hanyou's head turned to look over Kagome's shoulder.

"Stay away." The silver haired boy growled, turning his attention back to Kagome.

"But Inu-Yasha—" Sango tried.

"I said stay away!" The hanyou cut her off. "You can't do anything."

"Did you hurt Kagome, Inu-Yasha!" Shippo put in, tears and anger clouding his eyes. Inu-Yasha didn't answer, turning his head away slightly, but not fully letting Kagome out of his sight. "You did!" The kit blamed, jumping at the hanyou.

"Shippo!" Miroku tried to stop him, but the barrier got there first. The kit was thrown backward, landing silently.

"Shippo!" Sango, Miroku, and Inu-Yasha shouted.

"Don't move." Kagome snapped as the hanyou took a step toward the barrier. He froze. "You can't get out, so don't try." She added. The silver haired boy growled as he watched the demon slayer and monk attend to the fox kit.

"What do you want?" Inu-Yasha hissed.

"Revenge."

"Why Kagome?"

"Because she is the best way to get to you."

"You bastard." He whirled around and went to tackle the woman. Kaguya grinned as she threw her right hand out, pressing the Miko orb into the hanyou's chest. Time froze as realization dawned on his face. "No…"

((It Was Only A Kiss))

"Shippo!" Sango tried to shake the small youkai lightly. There was no response.

"He's still alive." Miroku assured her as he sat back, finding a pulse and breath in the child.

"What's going on? What's wrong with Kagome and Inu-Yasha? Did you see the energy in her hand?" The woman whispered as she turned to the monk.

"I'm not sure, Sango. Kagome didn't seem very phased by her wound, which seemed to have been inflicted by Inu-Yasha." He replied.

"Kagome…?" A rough voice suddenly broke into the humans' conversation. They turned to look at the voice.

"Shippo! Are you alright?" Sango asked happily.

"Yeah." He slowly sat up and turned to look around him. "Where's Kagome and Inu-Yasha?" Suddenly the kit's eyes grew hard. "Did he do anything to her? I swear if he hurt her—"

"Lady Kagome is fine, Shippo." Miroku cut in. The child stopped.

"I sure do hope your right." Sango whispered. The two males turned to look at her. "Or we might have to start worrying about Inu-Yasha soon."

"What do you mean?" Miroku asked as all three turned their attention to the cave just as the priestess shoved the orb of light into the hanyou's chest. "Shit."