It was a while before the hanyou finished his bath, a deep sigh leaving his throat as he got up. His imagination was probably running away with him, it couldn't have possibly been Kouga of all people! Or maybe Jakotsu had somehow managed to disguise himself...Inuyasha snorted in amusement at the thought. The bastard was too stupid to think of something like that and would have pounced in delight at the thought of him naked, being the queer that he is. But, Inuyasha could only ask himself this; why did he let the intruder get away and run back with his tail between his legs? He should have killed the bastard!

Well, there was nothing he could do now but brood. Brood over their deaths, and his failure to protect them from Naraku's brutality. It made him want to scream, to tear apart the very seams of the earth that Hell blanketed under. But, nothing could change what had happened. They were dead. Every last one of them. This time, he truly was alone, and this time he had to ride it out. Although, maybe if he swallowed his pride long enough and asked his brother...

He could imagine it now. It would be a fight to the death, but at least if he died, then he'd be able to join his friends. And be with both Kagome and Kikyou for eternity and beyond. A wonderful, grasping and desperate dream, but then Kouga's words struck a chord in his heart.

"Kagome would have wanted you to finish the job, grieving and wishing yourself dead won't help anyone."

Damn...he had to be right. It bothered him so much, that he was actually listening to the wolf's advice, but it made sense. Yet another sigh left his lips as he picked up the Tetsusaiga at long last, ears perking. There was no sound, but the smell of graveyard soil and blood was in the air. "Dammit, why now!"

"Inuyasha, is that any way to greet someone who loves you so?" A whispered, bleeding voice enriched with amusement came from the pale lips that belonged to Jakotsu, who stood poised and ready on a tree branch, his snake sword over his shoulder, "Why, I'm hurt. Even a cutie like you should have more heart than that."

"Shaddup you freak!" Inuyasha hissed in annoyance, drawing his sword. However...it didn't change into it's true form. Dammit, why won't you change, Tetsusaiga? The near-panicked thought went through his mind as he put the sword back in it's sheath, glaring at Jakotsu with utmost loathing. He still worked for Naraku, the little son of a-

"Inuyasha, why do you call me a freak? I don't even play Naraku's little games anymore," Whimpered the man before the hanyou, which made said hanyou feel very confused and angered simultaneously, "I knew you hated him, and I wanted you to like me. I knew you'd hate me as long as I worked for him, so I don't anymore! I love you Inuyasha!"

"Yeah right," Inuyasha growled out, taking a defensive step backwards. He still didn't like the freak, he was cheating death and was still creepy beyond all reason after all. "Look, I don't have time for you! I'm out to kill Naraku, so stay outta my way, unless you're in the mood to die as well!"

"Oh, let me come with you! Please? Please please please please please?" Jakotsu continually whined at Inuyasha, following him around while he walked in circles with great annoyance, "Please? You'll barely notice me there, and we can cuddle, and kill him! I know what he did to you Inuyasha, I only want to help!"

That got the dog demon's attention. So...Jakotsu knew. And was trying to go in for the rebound now that the two people he loved were dead? "I don't think so. Now leave me alone before I really get mad." He let his voice drop to a low, threatening tone that made the man shudder and take an awkward step backward. At long last, the freak would leave him alone. With that thought in mind, Inuyasha took a step forwards, although he felt someone grab his wrist behind him. "What do you want now, Jakotsu!"

"Please, Inuyasha..." His eyes shone, as if he really meant everything he said about wanting to help, "I only want to help you. I can't do that if you keep pushing me away."

"I don't need your help, or your pity!" Inuyasha jerked his wrist away from Jakotsu, glaring with all of the hatred he could muster upon the other. Then, without any other thoughts, he bolted, growling to himself madly as he did so. "Who does that guy think he is! He's a blood-thirsty killer and expects a kiss on the cheek, the bastard-"

"Hey, Mutt-Face!"

Inuyasha blinked and whirled around to attempt to find the familiar voice...only to realize that he was currently plummeting down the cliff. A small grunt escaped him when he was gripped by the back of his shirt however, being pulled up and suspended a few inches off of the ground by the familiar wolf demon. "Idiot, trying to kill yourself. You could have at least used that sword of yours, then you wouldn't spoil the rocks with your putrid half-demon blood."

"I didn't ask you to help me!" Growling and freeing himself from Kouga's grip, Inuyasha was just about ready to fight the man in front of him, Jakotsu had wound him tightly enough! "I don't need you and your eyes spyin' on me every single moment anyway!"

"I-I wasn't spying, you think too much of yourself," Kouga calmly spoke, his eye twitching slightly as a faint red flushed against his cheeks. Wait, was he blushing! "I was hunting, Ginta and Hekaku are too pathetic to do it themselves. Besides, I'm not queer."

"Neither am I, you god damned-"

"Aw, what a pity."

Both Inuyasha and Kouga both whirled around at the lasted arrival, both growling and Inuyasha's heart pounding into his throat. What was that guy doing here? Didn't he have some other person to bug? "I don't have time to deal with you, Jakotsu! I still have to fight Naraku!"

"I didn't come to help, Inuyasha," Smirking and licking his lips, Jakotsu approached the pair slowly, his eyes glimmering with what appeared to be lust, "I came to take. You, that is."

"Forget it! I'm not queer, dammit!" Hissed Inuyasha, poising himself while cracking his knuckles. It was annoying, dealing with this little jerk whenever said jerk managed to find him. An all out pain in the ass. However, it was a challenging anguish, for Jakotsu had crushed his sword against the ground, sending an attack straight for him and the wolf demon.

"Keh!" Inuyasha grunted as he jumped out of the way, wincing. Dammit, he had been cut by the blade. However, something else caught his attention; the sound of someone falling, along with their cry of fear. And that someone was Kouga. Without another thought, the hanyou dove over the cliff edge after the wolf, grabbing his wrist and flipping them before the impact. A hiss of pain left Inuyasha's lips, but it was a surprisingly mild reaction. Considering that he had fallen fifty feet onto hot sand with a man on top of him of course.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, mutt-face...?" Kouga shakily blinked at Inuyasha, as if he were trying to comprehend why Inuyasha had taken the fall. What he received was a smirk, Inuyasha's golden eyes wincing as he began to speak again.

"A life for a life. Don't feel compelled to save me again; you already did. Twice."

And then everything went black, the hanyou falling into the dark pit of unconsciousness.