Chapter 20

Authors Note: Wow who woulda thought it get this far? Not even me! Lol, lets go shall we?

"So…the great Sesshomaru-sama failed to kill his half brother did he?" Naraku mused softly. He stared towards the almost completed shikon no tama in his hands. "But the curse is still in affect and I had offered Inuyasha a much less painful death then the one he will have to suffer now…"

Naraku stared off towards the wolf who hung unconscious now, a smile across his face. "Just Kagome's three shards and the jewel will be complete. I have Kouga's two and Kohaku's one…Just her three little pieces…" He smiled as he stared towards the image of the embracement of the two, so close and so easily shattered.

Kanna's small feet tapped against the cold wooded floor. "Naraku-sama…"

"Hai Kanna?"

She held out the mirror towards him and noticed Kohaku was with Sesshomaru, Kikyou, Rin and Sango. He was baffled for a few seconds and he whispered "Kill them" but nothing happened. No pulse, no clouded eyes as if Kohaku hadn't even heard Naraku's command. It was then he noticed the sliver in Kikyou's hands.

"That dead bitch but how!" He stared from her to Sesshomaru and slowly understood. "Tenseiga" he said bitterly.

Naraku stared towards Kouga once again and hatred clutched his heart, the trouble wasn't going to be with getting Kagome's shards, it was going to be getting Kohaku's. The brat, he had remembered and he had kept such a close look over him, he was almost always with Kanna.

"Kanna, did you no about this?"

"No…Naraku-sama…Kohaku just left on his own…" Her small coal eyes stared towards him in utter honesty, as honest as nothing could get, he supposed.

"Kanna your dismissed"

Kanna's footsteps were inaudible on the wooden floor, and her small body held no shadow, he wondered carefully if Kanna were to gain emotions would she gain a shadow? It was a question utterly off business of course but he couldn't help but wonder. Kanna was loyal; in fact she was the only one who was loyal.

Kagura wanted freedom and she died for it. Hakodoushi wanted more power then his creator, he died for that too. They all died in fact, the only loyal servants were in fact Kanna and Kohaku…and the baby. If the baby was killed Naraku would surely die…wouldn't he? Naraku had pondered this several times and he figured even if it didn't he wouldn't risk his life. He wondered if killing the child, killing his human heart would just release it, but it was still a part of him…so it was obvious to the fact if the child died so did he. Unless he had the whole jewel, and he was four pieces short.

Naraku smiled simply, "Well lets narrow it shall we Kouga?"

He grunted his blue eyes staring to meet him in sheer exhaustion. "Unh…"

"Kagome's shard… will be taken first thing tomorrow." Naraku said softly, Kouga's eyes widening.

"You sick bastard if you hurt her I'll!"

"You'll what? Your bleeding to death and if the chains work correctly, you'll be dead by the time I have received Kagome's shards"

Kouga growled, struggling against the chains, he didn't understand this power that was allowing his blood to flow freely out of his body. He couldn't think the blood loss was making him dreary again and he only glared to Naraku angrily, silently praying it wouldn't be the last time he woke up.

XoXoX

"Inuyasha's curse is still in effect isn't it Kikyou?" Sango said quietly, the three sitting in Sesshomaru's living room.

Kikyou nodded slowly, "And Naraku has only 4 shards to gather"

Sesshomaru paused saying the words that no one dare spoke, in a dreadfully slow tone as if to bring more pain. "So he's going to use Inuyasha against Kagome"

"But Kagome-chan doesn't even truly understand!" Sango said suddenly, fear jolting through her brown eyes.

"That won't stop Naraku" Sesshomaru said simply "It's the fact that Kagome doesn't know what's going on"

"But she does know that Rin-chan was raped doesn't she?" Sango said in a low tone.

"What?" Kohaku's voice was quiet and he seemed to pale by the words, obviously Kohaku didn't know either.

Rin flinched looking to the side not being able to say anything, avoiding any eye contact with Kohaku.

The room fell silent then and Sesshomaru looked towards Rin assuming the parental role towards the girl, coming to her aid.

"Yes, Kagome does know that Sango. I made that clear when you attacked me…the first time" He said bluntly.

Sango blushed looking to the side, "Yea…sorry about that"

"But does she know it's a curse and not a temporary control thing? Have any of these concepts crossed her mind? She's in danger as long as she has the shikon shards." Kikyou said a bit aggressively.

Kohaku got the cue that no one was willing to talk about whatever had happened to Rin and he looked to the side. He felt sick; his had gripping his stomach tightly. When was the last time he had felt this kind of pain? An image of his death flashed through his head, arrows piercing his chest and his sisters body over his, shaken.

Kohaku rose to a stand slowly, "Excuse me" He said quietly walking out the front door, Sango staring towards his back confused. "Kohaku…"

"He just needs time" Kikyou said quietly, "To process everything that's been going on"

Rin rose to a stand slowly, "Sesshomaru-sama may I…"

"Hai, go ahead Rin"

Rin followed out the door, almost quietly.

"So…" Sango said a bit fidgety "What are we going to do?"

"About Kagome? Or about Inuyasha"

Sango looked towards Kikyou and then to the floor. "I don't know…just if Inuyasha's under control what if he…? Would he?"

"We don't know if Kagome's understands Naraku's control over Inuyasha and we don't know what's even holding the curse together." Kikyou said simply. "I suppose it's Kagome's will that matters here and how good Naraku has set this up."

Sesshomaru paused then, "if he succeeds in getting the shards, and Kohaku's then…what will he do?"

"He'll be rid of his human heart and then…" Kikyou paused staring off to the side, a vacant look on her face. "All hell will pay"

Sango looked down to the ground the sinking feeling of Kikyou's words seemed to be strangling her in reality. None of them had even though of what would happen if Naraku did succeed, it was always to stop him, that's all they thought and now…they couldn't any longer because his chance of succeeding was very grand.

XoXoX

"Kohaku…kun…" Rin said gently coming up behind the boy almost timidly.

"Inuyasha he… touched you?"

Rin paused looking to the side, "Hai…Kohaku-kun" She felt shaken, why was it so hard to admit? How many people would learn to know of it? She had desperately not wanted Kohaku to know and now he did…why hadn't she wanted Kohaku to know? She wasn't sure.

"He was possessed like I was" Kohaku said bitterly. "By Naraku"

"No…not like you were Kohaku-kun…it's a curse" Rin looked to the side, "Please can we not talk about this anymore?"

"Rin…one last thing"

She gulped slightly her pulse quickening, why was she so afraid of his words? What would he say?

"Hai Kohaku-kun"

"Do you…hate him? Inuyasha?"

She was afraid of that. Not as afraid as she would have been if he said something else. But she was still afraid of that. How could she explain that she didn't loathe then hanyou? That she just couldn't find it in her heart to hate him? How she couldn't even though she desperately wanted too as her lord had?

"No…" Her eyes brimmed with tears, blinking them back, she still wasn't facing Kohaku.

"Why?" His voice sounded choked as if tears were strangling his words.

"I don't know!" Rin said urgently. 'oh no I'm going to cry…'

"Rin…"

"What Kohaku what!" Rin said hurriedly, panic in her voice the tears sliding down her face, still not looking at him, both of them were back to back, skin touching, hands lacing with hands, heads down.

"I love you" His voice was soft and gentle but his grip was extremely firm, even though they were back to back.

Rin's heart stopped. That was what she was afraid of. She wanted to be pure for him, and she had her purity stripped from her. That's what she was afraid of, afraid Kohaku wouldn't love her, and afraid to love him back.

"Kohaku-kun…"

"Yea…" His voice was soft, he was trying not to cry too.

"I'm so sorry" Rin slid down his back, her hands uncoiling with his, landing on her knees with a soft thud. She sobbed pathetically.

Kohaku slid down too turning to embrace her and Rin sobbed harder her arms wrapping around his neck, her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry Kohaku…I don't love you back." Her words were quiet and she felt one of his tears hit her neck, and he nodded slowly. "I understand"

'You deserve someone better then me Kohaku' Rin thought the tears flowing. 'And someone like me doesn't deserve you…because someone like you is the person I'd want. Forgive me for lying to you Kohaku-kun.'

XoXoX

That night, everyone slept. Sango in the living room, Rin next to Kohaku, and Kikyou in Sesshomaru's arms. Kagome rested against Inuyasha in a light sleep that might have been her last.

Authors Note: hahaha read and review!