Chapter 21

Authors Note: Who knew you could reply to reviews? That's so hot! I have to try it sometime! So if you say something extra special I'll reply! Hahaha so cool! Anyway read and Review.

"Inuyasha"

"What is it Kagome?"

"Your eyes are red"

Inuyasha paused slightly his voice a bit timid. "Demon red"

She let off a stiff nod as Inuyasha rose to a stand. "Miroku wake up…" Kagome couldn't hear much more then that, staring sadly at the hanyou as there conversation continued.

"Why so early Inuyasha…"

"It's afternoon. Look."

"Dear buddah your eyes are…"

"Yea…yea I know I think it's Naraku"

"Are you?"

"I'm afraid"

Miroku stared towards Inuyasha his violet eyes wide with surprise. The hanyou would never admit he was afraid of anything so openly, especially not to himself. His red eyes held a pool of concern, instead of a puddle of blood and he looked more brave then anything. Miroku saw the true man in Inuyasha and he placed his hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't be, what do you need me to do?"

"I'm leaving as far and as fast as I can from here." Inuyasha said slowly, "If I do get placed under Naraku's control…with Kagome's jewel shards being at stake…I might easily kill…" He looked to the side and then to Miroku firmly. "so run, while you still have the chance, take Kirara, take the brat, and watch Kagome, run as fast and as far as you can Miroku, if I…don't let me find you."

Miroku felt a chill run up his spine just by his words. "Inuyasha…you'll break free of this"

"In time?" A small smile played across the hanyou as he leaped off into the air, running as fast as he could, going as far as he could away from them.

Miroku looked towards Kagome calmly. "Shall we be going then?"

"But Inuyasha…"

"We have no choice Kagome…For Inuyasha's sake…please hop on Kirara"

Kagome's eyes only softened, "Even after all this time he couldn't…" Her words trailed off as her eyes watched the woods where he disappeared. Miroku could only sympathize. "He was concerned for you welfare lady Kagome. He didn't want to hurt you like he did Rin-san" Miroku said softly. Kagome's eyes just looked so lost staring up to Miroku as if he had more to say. Yet sadly Miroku did not.

XoXoX

"Kohaku you seem down lately did something happen?"

The boy stared towards his sister quietly, "No nothing annue! Gomene!" Kohaku's voice was a bit abrupt almost rushed, looking to the side the light embarrassment covering his cheeks.

Sango paused knowingly Kohaku was a teenager now but he still had the qualities of his younger self. He still blushed terribly at the mention of almost anything.

"Kohaku I love you, You know that don't you?"

"Always have" He said quietly staring off to the side, watching Rin help Kikyou set the table for breakfast. Sesshomaru sitting promptly at the head of the table.

"You like Rin don't you Kohaku?" Sango said knowingly, Kohaku's eyes only softening in surprise.

"I suppose I do"

"You should tell her" Sango said persistently, Kohaku only sighting as his sisters concerned smile.

"I already have."

"And?"

"She rejected me Annue"

"What!" Sango cried out in surprise causing both Kikyou and Rin to turn and look towards her. Kohaku turned scarlet and Sango just laughed nervously, apologizing quickly and speaking to Kohaku in a low whisper.

"What do you mean she rejected you?"

"She said she doesn't like me back Annue. There's nothing I can do." Kohaku said returning the whisper.

Sango stared towards Rin only for a second and held her younger brother, "We'll see about that Kohaku" Kohaku didn't hear her though for he was to comfortable in Sango's arms to even notice her solemn vow, or Rin's jealous eyes.

XoXoX

I looked towards Kohaku and Sango in there deep embrace, and for some reason I felt jealous, even though Sango was his own sister, the jealously was still there. It was my own fault anyway wasn't it? For turning Kohaku away like that, it was my own stupidity I supposed. Sesshomaru-sama is looking at me with watchful eyes, so I stare no longer, taking my seat at the table. I wasn't hungry though, I was sad. How could I be so naïve? What was I thinking? I couldn't even remember, last night was too hazy.

Kohaku was staring at me still; sadly I adore his attention, his gaze on me. I feel most comfortable in it, as I do my lord's, and Kikyou's as well. That's wrong of me isn't it? But I also feel a new gaze on me. Kohaku's sisters. It doesn't bother me but I can't bring my eyes to meet hers, even though I know she's watching me. Perhaps even examining me.

We all ate in silence, Sango's gaze burning wholes through my body. And no one said anything.

XoXoX

Inuyasha ran.

Miroku and Kagome ran.

And everyone else ate enjoying each others company and sanity.

But it wasn't long until Inuyasha had turned around in an uncontrollable lurch. His eyes blood red and blood running down his arms from his sad attempt to stop himself, but each second he was dying and losing himself to the control. He faded then into a dark dark place, a place where he cried and screamed recklessly, while the demon side ran and screamed searching for only one. And that one…was Kagome.

XOXOX

Inuyasha growled sniffing the air. He was close, he was so close he could feel the monk and Kagome and the little kitzune. He could feel the sweat on Miroku's brow and the tremble of the brats heart. And then her, he could hear he shallow breathing as if each breath hurt. Oh yes he was close, now the question was where.

No one talked inside the tree of which they hid. Miroku wiped his brow a chill tingling up his spine, however far Inuyasha had gotten before he had gotten back just as quick. Tears were in Shippo's eyes, he was shaking in fear trying not to make a noise. Naraku's control was terribly close on Naraku and any other time Kagome could break it but was it worth risking Kagome? No, it wasn't. Miroku loved Kagome, not as he loved Sango but he loved Kagome too. She had assumed a position that strangely that of a sister. He would never want her to be put in such danger and by the hands of her lover. But the thought of that, that scared him the most was the thought of it being just like Kikyou. 'Being put in danger by the hands of her lover…by Naraku…' It was bitter sweet, and the irony of the situation was just to delicious to be avoided. The worst part was Inuyasha knew he had know control, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Miroku-sama"

Miroku's heart stopped for a minute as he heard her speak, returning the whisper. "Don't talk Kagome-sama…he may find us" 'sooner…' Miroku thought. 'he may find us sooner, but he will find us…because he's Inuyasha'

"Let me go out"

"No, Inuyasha said…"

"I don't care"

"Kagome you can't Shippo" Cried softly gently grabbing onto her knee. Kagome smiled sadly her eyes hardening to Miroku. "I'm going out, I'm going to try to stop him"

"I can't let you!"

"Look I don't care what Inuyasha…"

"No Kagome" Miroku grabbed her hands tightly staring down into her eyes with his purple ones. "I'm not going to put you in danger, I love you" His voice was calm. "I love you just as I love Inuyasha and Shippo and I'm not putting you in danger"

Kagome blushed and slowly pulled her hands away. "Miroku-sama"

Kagome's heart tightened as she saw one of Inuyasha's red eyes glowering into a whole in the tree, his red eye locked with hers and a low growl began to echo out through out the hollow bark. Miroku broke out then clamping his hands onto his shoulder. "Get a hold of yourself" He said loudly a bit shaken. Inuyasha screaming tearing Miroku's arms, Miroku falling in front of the two. It was like a instant replay of what had happened with Kaguya at the castle. (Inuyasha movie 2) She remembered how Miroku and Sango had both tried to free Inuyasha and been hurt because of him and Kaguya's control. Only she could save him then. Only she could save him now. Only she could try.

Kagome's legs shook and she noticed that Tetsusaiga was not at his hip. Naraku was smart he had made Inuyasha abandon Tetsusaiga when he was controlling him. Because Tetsusaiga helped Inuyasha regain that little control, now the question was where was it?

"Inuyasha"

His response was a growl; the 19 year old returned to her younger school girl self, feeling that uncertainty that she had lost over the years. She was never fully confident but whatever confidence she had gained she had surely lost then. She walked towards him slowly her hands out, her college uniform blowing as her high school one had. Her hair flowing the same way, it was like a reenactment except Kagome no longer looked afraid.

"I want you to remember" She said quietly "Who I am and what we've done". He hadn't attacked her yet, it was like he was listening only to trick her. To think some of him was there, it was all an act, Kagome knew that. "I love you Inuyasha…I'm not afraid of this side you any longer, because I know this thing is not what you are because I know you Inuyasha, and you know you too"

His eyes seemed to soften and the growl slowed and she smiled her hand running over the purple stripe that appeared on his cheeks. Each stroke seemed to cause the marks to lighten and somewhere far away, Naraku was watching his eyes wide.

"K-Kagome"

"Yes Inuyasha?"

"He wants…the shards"

"Do you want to give them to him?"

His body trembled a bit his hands on his shoulders as he slunk forward. "No! I don't want him to get them!"

His body shivered again violently and his demon claws dug into her skin, blood gushing as Kagome fell to her knees bringing Inuyasha with him. She didn't let go of him though allowing him to poke wholes through her, the bandages on her back ripping open and blood gushing everywhere. The pain hurt terribly she had never had so many wounds before, ever not once over the four years. The tears came but she didn't let go even when she began to fell dizzy from the blood loss.

His eyes slowly dimmed then fading back to gold, he had won the endless battle he was having and his demon claws shrunk and freed themselves from her skin. Kagome fell forward into his arms as he caught her, he was drowned in her blood. It was sickening.

"Kagome"

"I'm glad…your alright" She passed out then into her arms and with fear in his heart, Inuyasha pulled her close and wept. It was raining so you couldn't tell if the tears were real or not, but you could tell if they weren't, he was pretending they were. Because it looked as if the hanyou would die to cry for what he had done.

Miroku looked up from holding his sore arm, and Shippo hid crying for his injured mother. Naraku snickered the power of the miko from the future hadn't ceased. He had underestimated her once again but she would be at his mercy until the control ceased, and he would not underestimate her again. He would let his scent leek through and have Inuyasha bring Kagome straight to him, take the shards and kill the both with ease.

That's why you always have a Plan B.

To bad no one else saw it coming…

Authors Note: Comments? Concerns?