An Unlikely Pair

disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama

Chapter 6 - An Unexpected and Unwanted Confrontation

Inuyasha recovered within a few hours from the beating Sango gave him, but with a splitting headache. The others were busy starting lunch. He growled remembering what had happened. A shinidamachuu came flying to him. Others were flying overhead towards the line of trees behind him. He got to his feet and was immediately greeted by Kikyou.

"Have you finally chosen to come with me to hell? That girl is nowhere near." Her cold voice slightly grated on his ears.

"Just because she is missing does not mean I have chosen between you two."

"That does not matter. No matter whom you choose. It is me that you belong to. Or have you all ready forgotten your promise to me?" Inuyasha sighed.

"Of course not. You know that."

"Good. We must destroy Naraku before he can succeed in completing the Shikon no Tama. I know where he is hiding."

Inuyasha thought about it for a moment. "I don't think Sango and Miroku are going to help us."

"Whether they aid us does not matter. Their thirst to gain revenge against him will make them come anyway."

"All right. I will talk to them and then we will go."

"I will wait here by this tree." She said and settled down by the tree.

It was half an hour before Sango and Miroku reluctantly joined Inuyasha and Kikyou on the hunt. They left Shippou with Kaeda on the way. It would be a few more hours before they'd even reach the barrier to his abode.

As soon as Inuyasha's name was mentioned, Kagome's eyes filled with fear and anger. Naraku noticed this from the corner of his eye. He nodded, the servant bowed, and scurried away. He turned back to Kagome. "You can stay safely in my castle. You don't have to face him yet. I will get rid of him, but he will come back."

"No, I will come with you, but they will not see me. I'll wait to the side." He nodded again.

"In that case, I will have one of my trusted servants watch over you in case of danger. Come... let us meet them."

Naraku donned his pelt after sliding one of his katanas into his sash. He equipped Kagome with her own bow and arrows just in case. He also outfitted her in a form fitting black fighting outfit for mobility and a cloak for stealth. It wasn't long before Naraku summoned an army to march against Inuyasha.

Kagome hid herself amongst trees near the left flank and watched as Naraku waited with his hidden army for Inuyasha to break the barrier. It didn't take much longer.

"Naraku!" Inuyasha roared as he came within the field Naraku and his army waited. Sango and Miroku came not shortly after. Kagome scowled when she spied Kikyou climb off of Inuyasha's back from beneath his hair. She glared at them forgetting momentarily of the recent incident between her and Inuyasha.

With a flick of his wrist, Naraku sent his hordes of demons to attack his enemy before any words could be exchanged. He knew Inuyasha would charge straight for him, and quickly dodged the mighty swing of Tetsuiga. Before Inuyasha could swing again, he had to avoid the swing of Naraku's own katana.

The army of demons was slain as predicted. Sango had been injured the worst and Miroku was letting her lean on him. Kikyou stood behind Inuyasha with a bow in hand. Kagome still hid amongst the trees with Matsu, Naraku's servant. Naraku and Inuyasha were facing off. Kagome could see them talking and immediately knew Inuyasha was stalling to find the wind scar.

"Just let me kill you. It'd benefit to us all." Inuyasha spat.

"Pray tell what I would benefit from letting you kill me?"

"I'll kill you quickly and mercifully instead of torturing you and letting anyone you've hurt take a shot at you." Naraku narrowed his eyes.

"I think not."

"Too late Naraku." Inuyasha lunged to swing Tetsuiga down hard, but when the blast of the Kaze no Kizu receded, Naraku stood untouched. Everyone stood shocked because planted in the ground before him was an arrow still sparkling with purifying power.

Inuyasha stared at the arrow with a gaping mouth. 'That's Kagome's arrow.' Kikyou stepped up to his side with an arrow drawn back with her bow towards trees from their right. She had seen the arrow coming before Inuyasha unleashed the Kaze no Kizu.

"Come out of the trees you coward." Kikyou said loudly for all to hear. She sensed Naraku begin to tense.

"Lady Kagome. Please do not endanger your life." Matsu pleaded.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Naraku-sama will protect me if he has to. Besides, Kikyou is the only one who would intentionally hurt me. Thank you, but now your services are no longer needed."

"Hai, my lady. Stay safe. But just in case I will stay and watch and interfere if need be." Kagome nodded and began to make her way out of the trees. But she spun around in time to watch as Matsu disintegrated into dust from the arrow that pierced his chest. She uncharacteristically growled and turned back again to face her old enemy.

"Why'd you do that?!" Inuyasha yelled after he watched Kikyou's arrow sped into the trees.

"I didn't hit her." Kikyou stated taking out another arrow to notch. She pulled it back slightly as a cloaked figure stepped out of the line of trees. She remained hidden in the shadow of her hood, but to the confused, they recognized her as a female from the clothes she wore. Kikyou kept her arrow aimed at her as she made her way beside Naraku.

"Does it make you feel better to kill without cause?" An angry, but familiar voice floated icily towards Kikyou from beneath the hood.

"I did have a cause. Protection. I am a miko. It is my duty to slay demons." Kagome narrowed her eyes.

"That's a poor excuse." Inuyasha was growling the entire time.

"What are you doing with this monster, Kagome? Have you forgotten what he has done? To all of us?" Kagome began to laugh. It was cynical and biting.

"A monster?" She pulled down her hood and everyone stared shocked again as the cold face of Kikyou reflected from her face. "He's no more of a monster than you Inuyasha. Or have you forgotten how you raped me?" Kikyou stood staring at the younger woman. The hold she had on her bow and arrow began to loosen, but she still held it aimed at Kagome.

"He may have caused pain and suffering, but to me, he has treated me as a person. I regret even becoming involved with the Shikon. Even if it is my destiny. I will finish this journey with or without my friends because I will hurt them by betraying them and placing my trust and loyalty in their enemy. To Naraku. I am sorry for that in particular, but I am not sorry to say that you're a bigger monster than Naraku and Sesshomaru put together. I hate you and despise you more than anything else in this world." She ended with a hiss. Inuyasha growled angrily, but his drooping ears told otherwise.

Kagome turned her eyes to her friends and her eyes softened immensely. A sorrowful look overcame her face as she bowed her head. "I am sorry." She did not lift her head for the others to see tears forming in her eyes and allowed her bangs to hide them. She grasped onto the hand Naraku slipped into hers tightly as they lifted off the ground and disappeared.

Inuyasha was about to chase after, but a new barrier was erected. A combination of Naraku and Kagome's power coursed through it keeping all out. His vicious attacks couldn't break it, but he continued to try until he was exhausted. Kikyou had long ago dropped her bow and put it aside. She said nothing more, but walked away with the others.

Naraku brushed away the tears that managed to escape Kagome's eyes.

"Why?" He asked softly.

"Because you've saved me from myself." Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him and sobbed. He just wrapped an arm around her waist and rubbed her back with the other.

"I shouldn't have let you come." Kagome shook her head.

"No, if I hadn't have come. You might have been killed, and I don't want you to die any time soon." She choked out the last few words through sobs.

"I will not die any time soon." He nuzzled his face into her hair. "I will not die now that I have you - as a friend." He quickly added covering up the real meaning of what he was saying. Kagome's sobs ended as he landed and helped her back into the manor.

"A nap would be nice. May I sleep in your bed?" Naraku nodded and walked with her letting her lean on him tiredly. He managed to tuck her in after removing her cloak and weapon. "Stay with me?" She asked pulling him down onto the futon next to her. He lay down atop the covers beside her and she snuggled into his side under the silken blankets. He smiled when she fell asleep. A little smile graced her face when she wrapped an arm across his shoulders and nuzzled her face into his neck. A light blush colored his cheeks, but he settled into the unconscious embrace and fell asleep too.

Sango was silently crying as Kaeda wrapped her sprained wrist and cleaned numerous cuts and scrapes. Miroku had a few bandages of his own while Inuyasha was healed all ready. He brooded in a corner with Kikyou sitting near by. "She's helping Naraku! Why?!" Sango suddenly wailed. Shippou and Kirara were sleeping near the fire. They slept through Sango's anguished cry.

After a while of her sobbing, Inuyasha finally barked, "Stop crying! She left us! Oh fucking well!" Sango just wailed louder. Kikyou remained quiet. Miroku's right eye was twitching. Kirara and Shippou were beginning to wake. "Shut up all ready!" Sango stood up and left the hut still crying. Miroku's eye twitched more.

"It's your fault she left! You have no morals! No wonder she called you a monster! Don't take your idiocy out on Sango!" With a mighty crack, Miroku bashed him over the head with his staff rendering him unconscious, and he left to find Sango. Kaeda shook her head sadly.

While Inuyasha was out cold, Kikyou chose to talk to Kaeda about Kagome.

"Kaeda, I want to speak to you about... Kagome." Kikyou said settling down before her. Kaeda sighed as she put away the extra bandages and ointments.

"What is it ye want to know, sister?" Kaeda slowly asked.

(A conversation later...)

"She had said that Inuyasha raped her." Kikyou said.

"I assume that is why she left to aid Naraku." A worried and troubled look crossed Kaeda's face. "It is not only that. That just pushed her to make the decision I'm afraid." Kikyou nodded, but spoke no further.

"So that's what's going on. Poor Kagome." Shippou said to Kirara outside. They had went outside and listened to the conversation. "I should chew Inuyasha's ears right off." Kirara mewed in agreement. "I hope she's doing ok. I don't know what I'd do without her."

Kagome blushed heavily when she woke up spooned against Naraku. Oddly, she enjoyed the position she was in and relaxed. She didn't know when she had awakened, he had too. "Do you feel better?" He quietly asked. His voice startled her.

"Some what." She answered after a moment. "It still hurts... that he would do such a thing to me. I've never seen him act that way before. He's not like the type of person to do such a thing. But I guess I was wrong." The pain growing in the tone of her voice. "I don't understand why he would hurt me like that." Sobs began to leak out of her and she curled up into a fetal position. Naraku wrapped his arms tighter around her as she cried.

He made soft shushing noises and stroked her hair. "It is all right, love. I won't let him hurt you again. Please stop crying love. It hurts me to see you this way." He softly whispered to her. Her crying continued, but the sobbing stopped. She sniffled a few times.

"It hurts so much. What he did to me won't leave my mind. All I can see in my head are his eyes. They looked so hateful and almost empty. Like he wasn't all there."

"Don't think of him right now, love. It'll only upset you more."

"He promised he'd protect me. He also promised he'd protect Kikyou and go to hell with her... He's not very good at keeping promises."

"Unlike that baka hanyou, I will keep my promise Kagome. I swear I will protect you with my life. Especially from him and that corpse."

Kagome uncurled from her fetal position and turned to face him. "Thank you." A small smile formed on her lips as she brushed her hand over his cheek. He turned his head to kiss her palm.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"A little."

"Would you like to bathe before you eat? Maybe you'll be hungrier and more relaxed afterwards." He suggested. Her smile grew.

"That's a wonderful idea."

Naraku got off the futon first and helped Kagome up along the way. As Kagome exited the room and began walking down the hall, Naraku left the room as well to go the other way. After taking a few steps, Kagome turned around.

"Naraku?" He turned back around and blinked at her in answer. A little blush played across her cheeks. "Would you like to join me?" She quietly asked. He didn't answer her immediately, and she began to fidget. A small smile exploded on his face as he noticed how uncomfortable she was. He began to walk to her in answer and took up one of her hands.

"Of course I would."

They reached the door to the bathing room in no time. Being a gentleman, Naraku opened the door for Kagome and let her enter before him. He paused a moment before entering. 'This may be one of the few times I thank you Cami.' He entered the room before sliding the shoji screen door shut, but never looked to see Kagome undressing. When he turned around, he saw her wriggling the black fighting outfit he had given her down her hips and onto the floor. His mouth almost dropped open when she turned to get into the hot spring. When the water had reached her waist, she turned her head to speak to him over her shoulder.

"Well, are you going to join me?" He saw a new, brighter blush on her face. She saw movements in the corner of her eye and heard the rustle of silken material sliding against his skin. She turned her head back to face forward as she walked deeper into the warm water. The blush was beginning to disappear. She heard the water ripple as he stepped into the pool. The ripples began to grow as he made his way to her. Eventually she felt them reaching her and then she felt his hands gently lay on her hips as he drew nearer. He laid his head onto her right shoulder, careful to keep everything below his waist away from hers as to not frighten her.

"Would you like me to scrub your back again?" He asked after kissing her cheek. He heard a little giggle escape her.

"Of course I would." She turned around to face him. He forced himself to keep his eyes from wandering downwards as she did. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. "But can I wash your hair first?" He didn't expect her to ask such a thing. He smiled down at her and kissed her nose.

"You may do as you wish, Kagome." He answered with a twinkle in his eye. She blushed at the look he gave her.

Sango ran until she collapsed near the Goshinboku tree crying. Her crying began to taper off and ceased when she heard the familiar jingle of rings on Miroku's staff. She hugged her knees to her chest with her back against the mighty tree's roots. She sniffled when he settled down beside her on the forest floor. They sat there in silence aside from the natural sounds of the forest in the evening.

The silence continued for a while. Sango sniffled a few times.

Miroku cleared his throat before beginning, "Sango..." but was interrupted by Sango.

"Why'd that baka have to ruin everything? First he lets Kikyou join us without talking to us first, and then he goes and does something as horrible as to rape Kagome. It doesn't make sense, but why is he being so stupid?"

Miroku opened his mouth to answer, but then nothing left his mouth as her words hit him. He sat thinking for a moment with his mouth still hanging open.

"Did you notice that something was off this morning?" Miroku finally asked. Sango looked at him.

"Now that you mention it... we woke up in a different place. Like we were moved while we were sleeping or something."

"Yes, it was quite strange, but I hadn't really thought about it until now. We were so caught up in Kagome's disappearance that we hadn't noticed it. We were also much closer to Kaeda's village. After traveling on foot and then picking up the pace, we would have been much farther away."

They sat there digesting it all. "When do you think Inuyasha did that to Kagome? We were with her the entire time. Weren't we? One of us would have noticed if either of them had left." Sango questioned. Miroku had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Something must have happened. Whatever it is I can't figure it out."

"I bet Kikyou is somehow involved with it all." Sango hissed.

"How do you figure?"

"Call it women's intuition."

Their conversation was interrupted when Kirara came bounding into the clearing with Shippou.

"Why didn't anyone tell me what was going on?!" Shippou demanded as he stood before the two with his arms crossed over his chest. "When and if Kagome gets hurt I have the right to know too!" Then he proceeded to glare.

"How much do you know?" Sango asked.

"Everything... and I had to hear it from Kikyou."

"It wasn't that simple, Shippou." Miroku began.

"Just because I look like a little kid doesn't mean I don't know how serious this is. I'm not dumb."

"Yes, Shippou, but we had also learned about it not that long ago. It isn't easy for us to explain that something like it happened to Kagome." Miroku continued.

"Although, it isn't hard to explain to Shippou that Inuyasha has hurt her... again."

"However, this is much more severe than what he's ever done to her."

"Is Kagome ever going to come back?" Shippou asked as tears welled up in his eyes.

"We don't know Shippou. We don't know..." Sango answered. She slid her legs out from their bent position and crossed them to let Shippou into her lap. She wrapped her arms around him as he sobbed into her chest. Patting his back, she looked to Miroku.

"What are we going to do?" Miroku looked back at her.

"I don't know yet, but whether we stay with Inuyasha and Kikyou is another question."

"I really don't want to be near either one of them, but I don't think we're going to find any answers if we split up." Sango sighed tiredly. Miroku patted her shoulder before standing up. Sango sighed again as soon as he disappeared into the trees. Kirara mewed at her, and in return got a scratch on the head. "Let's go back Kirara."

When all of them returned, they found Kaeda sleeping in her usual place, but Kikyou and Inuyasha were nowhere in sight. Not thinking much of it, or rather not caring, they settled down for the night to get some sleep of their own.

When Inuyasha had come back to reality, he grumbled something incoherently and left the hut. Kikyou and Kaeda had been watching him the entire time. Kaeda went back to putting things away, and Kikyou followed after him. When she stepped out of the hut, she found him standing not too far away gazing at the sky that was beginning to darken.

"I don't remember doing it." He softly said as Kikyou neared him. She stood to his right. "I would never do such a thing to her. She's my friend..." He trailed off.

"She was your friend Inuyasha. She left you to fight beside Naraku and will most likely help him complete the jewel." Kikyou said.

Inuyasha heavily sighed. "I need time alone." He mumbled and dashed away into the forest. Kikyou frowned at his retreating back. Things were not going as she had thought it would. Inuyasha wasn't falling into her arms and racing off by her side to destroy Naraku. It wasn't only Inuyasha, but Naraku's behavior as well. The way Kagome and Naraku interacted with each other when they had set out on their attack was nothing like that of enemies, but possibly lovers. Kikyou's frown disappeared into her usual cold mask as she walked away in the opposite direction as Inuyasha.

Not far away, frozen amber flashed in the darkness of shadows. The gentle nocturnal breeze playfully lifted and pushed strands of his silvery locks into his face. Lifting an elegant, yet deadly clawed hand up, he pushed the wild strands back into place with the rest of his ghostly mane. If he were more open to visually expressing his feelings, he would have rolled his eyes. After what he had observed for the last two days, he concluded that Inuyasha wasn't as smart as he gave him credit for.

Inuyasha's confusion and feelings were distracting him from the obvious. From all of the different scents he smelled at the slaughtered village and day old camp near his eastern border, magic was being heavily used and Naraku and the dead miko were involved. The scent of the dead miko's magic still clung to all of them, but none have noticed. They were all incompetent.

A blur was left of the expressionless creature as he darted away. Only the echoed whisper of rustling silk was left in Sesshomaru's path.

"Jaken, where did Sesshomaru-sama go?" A little girl asked the ugly impish toad like demon riding beside her on a two-headed dragon.

"That is none of your concern, Rin. Lord Sesshomaru-sama has more important agendas to attend to than to watch a little brat like you." The ugly youkai replied.

"I'm going to tell Sesshomaru-sama on you Jaken. You haven't been very nice to me and taking care of me like he told you to." A crack was heard as Jaken whacked Rin on the head with his staff.

"Lord Sesshomaru-sama will not care for your stupid human child prattle." Before either of them knew it, Ah-Uhn, the two-headed dragon, pushed Jaken off and let him plummet to the ground below. Rin giggled.

"You shouldn't have done that, but mean old Jaken deserved it." Rin giggled some more as the dragon continued on their journey to the Western Keep.

A/N: I was being really lazy over the summer and enjoying sleepy time so sorry it took so long to update... I'm having a bit of writer's block as well, so this chapter is a little shorter than the last... it might be a while before I update again so I apologize now for the long waits