Remedy

Miroku picked up the sack and went to find Inu-Yasha. He figured Inu-Yasha was really hurt. First the two of them had a fight…like always, then Inu-Yasha returned with a broken nose that Kagome had something to do with, after that he attacked Sango for mentioning Kagome's return, now he had returned for a remedy that no one had helped him with. Shippo had been afraid to speak in Inu-Yasha's presence and that was probably a good idea, but Inu-Yasha needed them now more than ever.

"Inu-Yasha…" Miroku called walking clear out of the hut. Miroku expected Inu-Yasha to have found a nice tree to escape to.

"What?" A voice echoed from behind him.

Miroku spun around to see Inu-Yasha now standing between him and the hut. Miroku wondered just where Inu-Yasha had been hiding. "Uh…"

"The roof… Now what do you want?"

"Oh…Um here." Miroku handed Inu-Yasha the demon skin pouch.

Inu-Yasha took the skin without saying a word.

"Inu-Yasha…" Miroku started. He wanted to know what was going on between him and Kagome. Usually Kagome had forgiven him by now. How hurt did Kagome have to be to bring Inu-Yasha to his knees? "…Are you going back to Kagome's time?"

Inu-Yasha nodded.

"Then give this to Kagome for me."

Inu-Yasha gave Miroku an interested look.

Miroku forced a small rosary into Inu-Yasha's hand then left before Inu-Yasha could respond.

Inu-Yasha took off.

"What did Inu-Yasha have to say?"

Stunned, Miroku looked around. He couldn't believe that Sango was interested in Inu-Yasha's feelings. "Uh…"

"Well?"

"Oh… Inu-Yasha went back to see Kagome."

"…Oh?" Kaede interrupted.

"He didn't say a word. Inu-Yasha only gets this quiet when Kagome is really hurt. I feel bad that we didn't offer our assistance when he asked for our help."

Sango's heart sank. Miroku had a point.

Inu-Yasha bound back through the well. He raced to Kagome's window. He had spent way too long in his time.

Flying into Kagome's open window, Inu-Yasha found Kagome's mother asleep in Kagome's desk chair next to Kagome's bed. Her mother was so caring.

Inu-Yasha shook his head shifting his attention back to Kagome. She lay in the same position he had left her in.

He pulled off her covers to change her bandages. Gently easing his claws beneath the edge of her binding, Inu-Yasha sliced off the wrapping. Her small scratches had healed and most of her major cuts had stopped bleeding. Inu-Yasha was pleased.

He sliced a small slit in the remedy he had concocted. If there was anything he learned from living alone it was how to heal both his forms.

He slowly spread the ointment over Kagome's battered body. Caressing it into Kagome's major wounds, Kagome moaned lightly. Inu-Yasha knew the remedy stung when applied and burned shortly after. It was meant to heal MAJOR injuries. Kagome's soft moans turned into gentle whimpers. Inu-Yasha knelt down close to her stomach and gently blew on her feeble skin. Kagome's whimpers faded out. Inu-Yasha placed the bag on her nightstand then rebound her injured torso.

He felt her forehead. She was starting to run a fever. His hand slid down her cheek to her supple lips. They were dried out.

No wonder she's running a fever, she needs water. It made sense. She was badly injured. Inu-Yasha thought on his way downstairs.

He grabbed two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with water. He stared at the water filling the cups. It reminded him of the first time he'd seen her bathe. She swam in the rough waters carefree except for his presence. Kaede had told him that Kagome was special but he really didn't believe her; at least, not until she saw things he couldn't like Yuka's hair and the jewel shards. For that he'd sworn to protect her, they'd always been lucky to walk away with mere cuts and scrapes. The glasses overflowed.

Inu-Yasha turned off the water and walked back up the stairs.

Kagome was tossing and turning in her sleep. Inu-Yasha's eyes softened. He made his way over to Kagome's nightstand where he mixed a small portion of the remedy into one cup. He stirred the contents with his claw. He plucked his claw free and licked off the contents of the glass. Yep. Just as gross as he remembered it being.

He carefully moved behind Kagome's frail form easing her into his lap and laying her upper body against his chest. He picked up the medicinal glass from her nightstand and tried to make her drink it. The cool liquid filled her mouth then she started to cough. Inu-Yasha thought for a moment. He reached over to her drawer and pulled out a small scarf.

Inu-Yasha dipped the scarf in the glass then placed the edge of the scarf in her mouth. She closed her mouth around the scarf sucked the moisture from it. Inu-Yasha grinned. It worked. He nuzzled his head against Kagome's before taking the scarf from her and dipping it in the glass again.

He continued with the scarf all night. Kagome had finished the medicinal glass a little after sunup.

Inu-Yasha yawned and then nuzzled his head against Kagome's again. He wanted to stay with her but he knew he couldn't so he slipped out from behind her. Carefully tucking her in, Inu-Yasha bent down and kissed her forehead. He then picked the items that he had dirtied her room with and walked downstairs.

"Is Kagome home?"

"She's upstairs." Her grandfather invited them in.

Inu-Yasha froze. Kagome's friends didn't need to see her in this condition; it was bad enough that her mother and little brother saw her like this. Inu-Yasha rounded the corner to stare into the eyes of Kagome's three female friends.

"Who are you?" One with straight shoulder length black hair asked.

Inu-Yasha really didn't want to explain himself to them but if it kept them away from Kagome he was all for it. "I'm Inu-Yasha."

"I've seen you hanging around Kagome…" Another commented.

"Yeah." Inu-Yasha blushed turning his head away from them and rubbing his claws through his hair with his free hand. "I swore to protect her."

"How romantic." The one with curly black hair commented. Inu-Yasha recognized Kagome's naivety flowing through her.

"We came to see Kagome." The one with straight black hair said.

"No" Inu-Yasha commanded.

"NO?" She asked. If she were Kagome he might, correction would have been afraid of the next few words to cross her lips. Inu-Yasha…Oswari! The words ruminated through his mind.

"Inu-Yasha… Be nice to our guests."

Inu-Yasha turned his head to see Kagome peering over the railing. His mouth dropped. Inu-Yasha's arms went numb; they fell limply to his sides and all the items he was holding crashed for the floor.

Kagome was leaning against the second floor balcony smiling down to them as if nothing had ever happened. She had thrown on a pretty robe over bound mid-drift and baggy pajama pants.

"Kagome?" One of her friends asked. Inu-Yasha only heard the word that he was thinking not the voice to match.

"What happened?" Another continued.

"I'm alright." Kagome uttered with a faint smile. Both she and her friends made their ways over to the stairs.

Inu-Yasha couldn't move.

Kagome reached the first step. Her foot carelessly slid sideways off the step.

Inu-Yasha's eyes widened.