CH18Handprint

Kagome buried her head in Inu-Yasha's shoulder.

He felt something warm stream down his neck. It felt weird. "Kagome?" He questioned.

Kagome pulled herself off him.

She had tears in her eyes.

"Do you think we can ever tell them the truth?"

Inu-Yasha exhaled. "No. I don't suppose we ever can."

Inu-Yasha could see the pain in Kagome's eyes. "I'm sorry." He tried to comfort her.

"hmm…" A sound came from Kagome. She reached up and grabbed the wall of the well, but when she tried to pull herself up, she doubled over. "You're not strong enough. Hop on." Kagome did so without question.

Inu-Yasha jumped out of the well. His muscles still stung from overuse but at least he was with Kagome again. Inu-Yasha let Kagome down as soon as they were out of the well.

"I'm sorry Inu-Yasha."

"Huh?"

"I broke a promise to you. I'm sorry."

"Kagome what are you talking about?"

"I had promised to return a few days ago, but then I had forgotten that it was one of my friend's birthdays. I couldn't return without wishing her a happy birthday."

Inu-Yasha stared at her perplexed. "Bir-th--day?"

Kagome looked at him with shock. "You mean you've never celebrated the day of your birth?"

Inu-Yasha's glare said it all.

"Oh…" Kagome responded sadly. She'd forgotten that Inu-Yasha was hunted and despised for being half-demon. He thought his birth was nothing to be celebrated.

"How are you feeling?" Inu-Yasha tried to keep the conversation going.

"I'm alright," Kagome denied.

Inu-Yasha's pace slowed. There was something he had on his mind.

"…Would you…"

"Yes, Inu-Yasha?"

"…Would you ever…ever leave us?"

Kagome stared at him with shock. Her large brown eyes drilled into his.

"Nevermind…" He grunted.

Kagome raced after him. She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. Inu-Yasha stood frozen. "I could never leave you forever. Sometimes I need a little time to myself but I'll always return. And I know that you'll always be there."

Kagome released him. Inu-Yasha was utterly relieved, but he didn't show it. Instead, he pulled free. "Kaede's expecting us."

They walked in silence coming into view of the village.

Upon sight of the village, Shippo burst through the brush. Shippo startled Inu-Yasha. "KAGOME!" The child bellowed. Inu-Yasha watched the child tear across the ground. He didn't think much of it, Shippo was happy to see Kagome then he hit her. He curled up in an orange fluff ball socking her in the stomach. Kagome wrapped her arms around him to protect him. She closed her eyes as her legs gave out.

"Kagome?" Inu-Yasha's voice rung with concern.

Kagome stayed still. Inu-Yasha lifted Kagome in his strong arms and began to walk toward Kaede's hut. He'd almost forgotten that Kagome was still injured. Shippo silently trailed behind.

Once Inu-Yasha lay Kagome down, he turned to leave. He froze in the doorway. No one spoke; they were afraid to breathe. "Shippo…" Shippo's furr fluffed and he began to shake. "…It's not your fault runt."

Shippo relaxed as depression filled the air. Inu-Yasha excused himself.

Miroku immediantly stood up and made for the door. Before he left, he locked eyes with Sango. She nodded; she already knew.

Miroku stepped outside and looked around. After looking to the woods, Miroku stared up at the roof. He couldn't find Inu-Yasha. He knew Inu-Yasha wouldn't stray far without good reason. Miroku sighed; Inu-Yasha wasn't around. He turned around and froze. Inu-Yasha was sitting next to the hut with his head leaning upon his knees and he had his arms wrapped around his legs. He seemed to be in a daze. Miroku knelt down about a foot from him.

"Inu-Yasha?"

Inu-Yasha's ear twitched even though he already knew Miroku was there.

Miroku opened his mouth to speak but Inu-Yasha's sigh cut him short.

"She came back…" Inu-Yasha whispered as if he'd lost his voice. He turned his gaze to Miroku. "…During the storm, she came back …and was hurt. I… I found her…in the bottom of the well. She was soaked and unconscious. When I touched her frigid face, her precious blood rubbed off onto my hand. She smelt of death. …Miroku…She reeked of it! I… I was so afraid." The tears in his eyes cut him short.

"She's alright, Inu-Yasha. She's sleeping. Kaede said she'd be up in a few hours. 'Course with your hearing, you already knew that."

Inu-Yasha placed his head back on his knees. He was pretty sure Miroku hadn't heard a word of what he'd said.

Miroku sighed. "We never told you and Kagome what happened in the mountain." Miroku sat down and made himself comfortable next to Inu-Yasha. "Sango and I had finally found a cave. We made our way inside to where Kagura, Kanna, and various other demons were waiting for us. Sango went after Kagura. …Something happened. Sango was distracted and Kagura threw her weapon right back. The insects of hell were everywhere. Sango was hit and I was nowhere near her. I risked my life just to be near where her body lay. With no other option left, I picked up Sango and opened my air void. I only closed it when I knew I could take no more poison. After that, I ran; however, I didn't get very far before I blacked out. When I came to I told Sango to run; instead, she vowed not to leave me behind and lay over my body to protect me. We thought it was over."

Inu-Yasha stared at Miroku in awe. He wanted to here the rest of the story. Obviously they had survived, but against that…he'd never known. "How?" Inu-Yasha uttered.

"Luck." Miroku snapped. "It turns out we landed inside a purity field." Inu-Yasha blinked; it sounded too unbelievable to be true. "You see Inu-Yasha… giggles…Fate likes us. …Why do you think Kagome was sent to us in the first place?"

Inu-Yasha simply moaned and placed his head back down. "She had a friend in her time. A guy… He and I fought. It was over Kagome's safety. He was trying to protect her. Do you think… Do you think he was right …to protect her from me?"

Miroku's mouth dropped. "Inu-Yasha, Kagome's friends don't understand this world. They don't know what it takes just to see the dawn of a new day. They don't understand how deep our friendship runs and if you're asking that question …then neither do you." With that Miroku excused himself and went back inside.

Inu-Yasha sunk his head down. He knew Miroku had a point.

Sango stepped out of the hut slowly. Her caution warranted Inu-Yasha's attention; behind her stepped Kagome.

Inu-Yasha jumped to his feet.

"I'm going to take a bath." Kagome stated.

"But you just had one?" Inu-Yasha questioned.

"This morning! Besides I'm dirty again."

Inu-Yasha was absolutely perplexed at her cleanliness.

"…Oh and you'll have nothing to worry about. Sango is coming with me."

Inu-Yasha sighed and off they went.

Kagome enjoyed telling Sango all about her time, especially the dinner. Inu-Yasha had been so …gentlemanly. Sango listened in awe at the brutish demon she knew being suede to 'please, thank you, and excuse me.' Her eyes glowed as Kagome described her little brother's fascination with Inu-Yasha and Inu-Yasha's elder brother response. They poked fun at Inu-Yasha's devilish nature as they entered the bath. Inu-Yasha's feelings surfaced only from Kagome pushing his buttons and they both knew it all to well.

They laughed a bit before Kagome noticed the mark. A huge bruise stretched down Sango's arm; it encompassed a nearly black handprint. She reached over grabbing Sango at the elbow. She stared at it the into Sango's face. Sango diverted her gaze in shame of the truth. She didn't want to tell Kagome the truth.

"Who?"

Sango squinted her eyes. Damn. "…Inu-Yasha…" Sango stated after a long hesitation.

In the blink of an eye and splash of water, Kagome was out of the bath, her towel thrown on and storming back to Kaede's.

"Kagome." Sango called after her, grabbing her own towel. "It's not what you think."

"Then Inu-Yasha didn't give you that bruise?"

"Well… He did, but…"

"INU-YASHA!"

"Inu-Yasha!" A voice bellowed weakly.

"Inu-Yasha, Don't!" Miroku warned. "That may have been Kagome but it sounded pissed."

Inu-Yasha shrugged Miroku off his arm then went to see what all the yelling was about. His gut told him that a 'sit' was in it for him. He began to wonder if it had to do with the bruise he gave Sango; whether she told on him or whether Kagome had just put it together. Either way Kagome was too weak to yell and for him to ignore her.

He slowly walked into the clearing right next to the woods just outside the village. Kagome stomped out of the woods like a frustrated child.

Inu-Yasha was completely perplexed for the little fact that she was in a towel.

"SIT! You have exactly one minute to explain yourself."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Sango's arm you idiot."

"Don't call me an idiot, bitch."

"How did you expect me to overlook something that obvious?"

Sango grabbed onto Kagome's arm holding her towel around her with the other. "Kagome, please… Calm down."

"Calm down. Why the fuck are you taking his side? He hurt you, remember? I want to know what's going on!"

"Then stop yelling wench."

"Inu-Yasha I wouldn't talk if I were you!"

"You said I had a minute to explain but all you've done is yell."

"Me. I think I have a right to. I haven't hurt anyone."

"Actually…" Miroku cut in.

"Let it alone Miroku." Inu-Yasha warned.

"Oh are you afraid of what he'll say?" Kagome antagonized.

Inu-Yasha didn't answer that. He could feel that she needed to yell at someone and he was the prime target.

"Come on Inu-Yasha. I never thought Miroku would be the one to shut you up."

"Shut up wench." Inu-Yasha was warning her while gritting his teeth together.

"Or maybe it was Hojou. Are you just mad that you couldn't keep up with him?"

Miroku and Sango backed out of this fight. It was already to bloody for them.

"Come on Inu-Yasha I want an answer!"

Inu-Yasha just stared at her. "…Hojou has nothing to do with this side of the well. You know that. Neither side interferes with the other."

Sango took a small step forward. Miroku could tell she had something she wanted to say. She remembered what Inu-Yasha had said when he slammed her into the tree; 'she not coming back!' The thought of losing Kagome had prompted an outburst of emotion from him that they'd never seen before. She never realized just how vocal Kagome forced Inu-Yasha to be. His reluctance and calm concern seemed normal but lacking without Kagome always making him blush.

"Sit"

"What the hell was that for?"

"I can't believe you."

"Me? I can't believe you. You come all this way in a towel, demand a fricken answer, then sit me whenever you get the chance."

"Jackass."

"Go home Bitch. You're always calmer over there."

"Do you know why? I'll tell you. It's because I don't have demons chasing my ass."

"I swore I'd protect you. Don't you remember?"

"Protect me?" Kagome grabbed her towel with both hands and then threw her arms out to the side. Inu-Yasha had just gotten up off the ground and with the motion fell over backward. "A fine job you've done." Kagome wrapped her towel back around herself.

"I never asked you to come over here; no one did."

Kagome's face dropped. Her job in this world was over. She'd secretly collected the last jewel shard and with Kikyo's assistance had reassembled the jewel. She'd used the well because she could not because she needed to. Loneliness and distance filled her eyes. She pushed passed Inu-Yasha and wandered into Kaede's hut.

Inu-Yasha followed her. "My goals had never changed. We will finish to collect the jewel shards to that I may become a full demon."

Kagome grabbed her clothes and went into another room to change. "Is that all you see me as; a Shikon shard detector?" She spoke through the door.

"Of course. Did you expect something more?"

"Then why did you protect me all this time?"

"I needed you to find the shards, you idiot."

Kagome emerged in a simple dress. "I see," She said with tears in her eyes.

Inu-Yasha looked at her. "Don't cry." He whispered.

Kagome grabbed her book bag and began to walk back to the well.

"Kagome. Wait."

Kagome continued to walk in a trance. The others could see the hurt pouring off her face. They began to stalk her into the woods.

"Come on Kagome. Don't be like this. I thought we were past this."

"Yeah. Me too." Kagome spoke. Her voice cracked.

"Would you really trade me for the Shikon no Tama?"

Inu-Yasha thought about the question.

"No rosary, no friends, only power."

Inu-Yasha thought harder. "Yep." He answered.

Kagome turned at the well.

"Then let me grant you your wish."

Inu-Yasha cocked his head to the side.

Kagome reached under the collar of her shirt and pulled down. White beads fell free. The impact of them with the ground stunned Inu-Yasha's ears. Kagome placed her hand in his then pulled back her hand leaving something small in his grasp. She then leaned into him and pressed her lips against his. He memorized the smell of her perfume that mixed so well with her own scent. He leaned into her as well. The soft simplicity of her lips warmed his entire body. She pulled away quickly and yanked down on the rosary. The black beads fell to the ground with the same intensity as the white. Inu-Yasha squinched his eyes at the sound. Kagome backed up to the well's edge. "Good bye, my Inu-Yasha." She whispered. Inu-Yasha's mouth dropped as she fell.

"NO!" Miroku yelled. He came barreling out of the woods. "Inu-Yasha what have you done?"

"She's home now where she belongs."

"Inu-Yasha you've done this before. She can never return. Do you realize that?"

Inu-Yasha opened his palm. Then he realized his words had backfired. He claimed that Kagome was a tool; He'd give up everything to have the only thing that he use to believe would grant him this fairytale lifestyle that he just threw away. 'No rosary, no friends, only power,' that's what he'd told Kagome. Now he regretted it. He had nothing to fight for, nothing to live for. The others wandered back into the woods. They headed back to Kaede's as if Kagome had jut died. Inu-Yasha closed his palm around the jewel and jumped into the well. When he landed on the bottom he began to dig furiously.

Kagome had been sitting on her side of the well crying when the dirt began to give way under her. She moved over next to the ladder and just watched as a hole began to develop. Kagome turned her head and climbed out of the hut. It hurt, but he'd made himself perfectly clear. He'd give up everything for that trinket and so he did.