Chapter 19 – Life Choice

Lime/Lemon Warning!

The unedited version can be found here (remove spaces):

www . mediaminer . org /fanfic/ viewch.php/ 88347/ 364979#ficc

Sango and Miroku both jumped in fright as a black hole suddenly opened in the sky just a few feet above their camp and unceremoniously deposited Inuyasha before closing. Miroku wisely kept his usual bantering commentary quiet when he saw the look upon Inuyasha's face. The only times he'd seen the hanyou in such a rage was when Sesshoumaru picked a fight. But as Inuyasha raced, again, out of the camp without a word to them, Miroku noticed something else in his friend's eyes – fear. Whatever the hanyou had encountered had very obviously angered him, but it also struck fear into him as well.

"We should follow," came Sango's quiet voice.

"We could walk in on something not meant for us to see," he replied just as softly.

"And Kagome-chan could be in trouble."

"Have you little faith in Inuyasha's ability to protect her?"

"No!" She gasped, shocked he would think that of her. "But what if he can't handle it alone? I don't want to lose either of them."

Miroku nodded, seeing the wisdom in her request. "Nor I." He rose to his feet and pulled two dokko from his robes. "We will follow to make sure all is well, but we cannot be gone long."

He nodded towards the sleeping youkai, reminding her that there were others who needed their protection as well. Silently he placed the dokko on either side of the fire, chanting softly. Within moments, a barrier glimmered around them camp, ensuring protection in their absence. He would need to return to take it down because he had keyed it to allow no one in; but the youkai could leave if need be.

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Falling through the void had been eerily like going through the well, minus the lights. Still, he was surprised to find himself safely deposited back at camp, but that lasted only a second; until he remembered what he'd heard and seen. Kagome had broken her promise on purpose and that both angered and saddened him. The anger overruled as he raced back into the forest, this time determined to get answers to the questions he'd allowed Kagome to avoid.

He came upon them just as the strange woman was telling Kagome to ask someone about what they wanted, and he knew the exact moment in which Kagome sensed him, because she tensed up tighter than a bowstring. The scent of fear drifted to him, momentarily making him feel guilty for causing such a panic within the girl before reminding himself that she had betrayed him.

Kagome was refusing to look at him and the other woman took off into that odd void, but he wasn't really interested in her right now. He was sure the glare he was giving Kagome's back would have sent the girl fleeing the clearing if she'd been looking at him.

Kagome, for her part, was trying her best not to let her fear show, but she could feel his eyes boring into her back as she in turn watched the Keijigakari depart. There would be no avoiding him now. Not after he'd seen Tenmei. He was mad, really mad. The brief brush against his youki proved it and she shivered, praying he wouldn't hate her. Unable to take the tension any longer, she stood, spinning around to face her fears and immediately stilled at the look he pinned her with. The angry youki was reflected in his eyes as he stalked towards her and she subconsciously began to back away, unaware of her actions until her back met the rough bark of a tree trunk.

Either she did more than briefly blink, or he'd somehow acquired Sesshoumaru's speed, because he was suddenly upon her, mere inches from her.

"I am fucking tired of this bullshit, Kagome. I want the truth." He eyed her. "NOW!"

She jumped, startled by the harsh shout, unable to look away. "Uh… I… ummm…"

"Fine, let's make this really easy. First, why did you make me that promise if you never intended to keep it?"

"I didn't plan to break it, but I couldn't tell you."

"You can tell me anything, Kagome and you have before. What is so different about now?"

"It doesn't involve you this time."

The fragile calm snapped. "The hell it doesn't! I promised to protect you damnit, but you aren't letting me do that! You're acting like Kikyou and it's starting to piss me off."

Kagome frowned, refusing to shed tears at the insult. "I thought you wanted me to be more like her! That's what you're always telling me, what you always compare me to. Does the phrase, 'why can't you be more like her', ring any bells?"

Inuyasha growled at the reminder, cursing his wayward mouth for even uttering such nonsense before. "If I wanted her, don't you think I'd stay with her rather than a copy?" He could have kicked himself when her stricken face told him he'd messed up again.

"You haven't exactly been given the chance to stay. She always leaves." Kagome whispered, finally looking away, desperately trying not to cry. Just when she thought that maybe she had been wrong in her decision, he reminded her that she was just a lesser version of his heart's desire.

Rather than try to patch another mistake, knowing he'd possibly just make it worse, he switched topics. "Who was that woman?"

Kagome shook her head, refusing to answer. She knew what she had to do now and she wasn't going to back down anymore. She stepped to the side and immediately found herself pinned to the tree, with an up-close view of fire-rat haori. He'd planted one hand next to her right arm, the other next to the left side of her head, both braced against the tree, while one foot was planted between her own. If she wanted to leave she was going to have to muscle her way out, and she knew it was a losing battle when her opponent was a determined wall of solid hanyou.

"No more running. Who was she?"

Silence.

A growl. "What is she making you do?"

"Nothing." She whispered.

"Bullshit! I don't know what his game is in sending her, but I'm not going to let you let her force you into something."

Kagome dared to briefly meet his angry eyes with her own confused ones. "What?"

"She reeks of him, so she must be doing this for him. What does he have to gain? What are you planning?"

"I don't…"

"Sesshoumaru, damn it! She smells like that bastard!"

"I don't know why, but I doubt she even knows him."

Inuyasha dug his claws into the bark, agitated by her evasiveness. "Just answer the fucking question!"

"I don't have permission to tell you! You weren't even supposed to find out!"

"So what? You were going along with whatever scheme she has planned and who cares what I might think about it?"

"This isn't about you!"

"Maybe not, but it involves me, doesn't it?"

Kagome bit her lip at the soft words. It was getting harder and harder to keep up the mask if he kept switching between anger and calm. And his close proximity wasn't helping either. The fear had evaporated, replaced by a hyper awareness of him that felt like her skin was being touched; yet he kept at least six inches between them. Until he leaned forward to whisper in her ear; then she was hard pressed to stay standing, although she was unable to keep the shiver from running up her spine at the feeling of his breath upon her skin.

"Isn't there a question you need to ask me?" He smirked as he leaned back.

She fumbled through the fog of sensation to answer him. "What do…what would you ask…" she darted her tongue out to wet lips that had gone dry. The spark in his eyes at her action sent another shiver through her. "What would you wish for?"

Inuyasha looked sad for a moment, then closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I must have really screwed up if you have to ask me that." Before she could ask him what he meant, he looked back up, a plea in his eyes. "Don't you know? Can't you see?"

With a soft sigh he leaned forward, lowering his head to nuzzle her temple, stifling a pleased growl as the scent of her response hit him. "You, Kagome." As he placed a kiss to her temple, he slid the hand next to her head down the tree to her waist, wrapping it around her and pulling her close. "Just you," he whispered a scant second before his lips covered hers.

It wasn't like their last kiss; this one was soft and tender, reaffirming in action what he'd said in words. He teased at her lower lip with a flick of his tongue, smiling slightly at her gasp and taking the chance to taste her fully. Vaguely he tasted the mint of her toothpaste, but he was too caught up in her responsiveness to mind. She clutched his haori in her fists, making her upper body mimic what he'd done to her lower, crushing them together. His instincts were clamoring for him to finish what he'd began years ago, but his heart told him to take it slow. Satisfying both, he released her lips to burn a trail of kisses down her jaw, down the side of her neck, lightly nipping the juncture of her neck and shoulder which elicited a moan from his captive, albeit willing, partner.

Reflexively he pushed her back against the tree, showing her once more what he was unable to say, pressing his hips into hers. The hand wrapped around her slid under the hem of her shirt, lightly grazing his claws along the small of her back as he pulled his arm free, firmly gripping her hip once his hand was free. There was no mistaking the scent of her response now. The way she pressed against him and moaned so softly was beginning to make his control slip. He needed to stop now before he gave in.

He leaned away from her, waiting for her to realize he'd stopped and look at him. Once he had her attention he nearly growled at the haze of desire in her eyes and the flush of her cheeks. Somehow she found her voice before he did.

"But…I thought… Kikyou…"

He sighed, he really was an idiot. "I did… before I really knew you. Before I realized that being with you meant I didn't have to deny what I was; that you accepted what she would not."

Kagome was speechless. He hadn't said he loved her, but it sounded awfully close to it.

"So what will you choose?"

"Huh?" Kagome was still finding it hard to concentrate, part of her wishing he hadn't stopped.

"You told her you were unsure about your choice…"

"Ah… that." She sighed. "What I've chosen since we first met." She bravely met his eyes. "I choose to live."

Some unnamed emotion broke the dam in him and he growled his pleasure before he took away her breath in another searing kiss. There was gentleness as before, but underlying was the force of possession. He dominated the kiss, seeking her submission and was rewarded with it as she sighed into his mouth and returned his kiss. He brought his other hand off the tree, mirroring the one on her hip and pulled her roughly against him. She had chosen to live when they'd first met as well, and back then that had meant choosing his protection; today, tonight, it meant choosing him.

He released her lips in favor of her neck, worshiping the soft skin below her ear and then her shoulder. Her long sleeved shirt impeded his descent and he growled at the barrier before smirking and kissing her again. He dropped lightly to one knee as he raised her shirt to bare her stomach to his greedy eyes, followed by his lips. His nose met with the bottom of the scrap of material she'd called a 'bra'. Starting there, he trailed feather light kisses down to her belly button, then along the top of the long skirt that had replaced the funny hakama from yesterday. He paused as he finally saw up close, the scar left by the removal of the Shikon. Reverently he kissed the pale flesh, thanking the Kami for delivering such a wonderful woman to him. A woman who'd accept him as a lowly hanyou and showed him the true meaning of love and friendship.

Any further thoughts were washed away at the first touch of her fingers upon his ears. The soft caresses stoked the banked fires of desire and he growled at the pleasure of her actions, nuzzling her stomach and trying not to dig his claws too deep into her hips. Her thumbs ran up the edge of the insides while her fingernails lightly scratched down to the base. He shuddered against her, fighting for control over his raging desire. Every nerve screamed for him to make her his in every way, but he didn't want to scare her. He still wasn't completely certain that she would want him.

With agonizing slowness, he slid his hands down her legs, forcing himself to watch her face for any sign of rejection, unwilling to continue if it was not what she wanted. She bravely returned his gaze until he slipped his hands under her skirt and retraced his path over the front of her legs, stilling as he reached her thighs, silently seeking permission, acceptance. The silence drew out except for their uneven breathing until he trailed his claws shortly down the outside of her thighs. Her head was immediately tossed back as another moan, this time deeper and longer, elicited from her throat.

Growling with dominating arrogance, he repeated the action, this time going until the edge of her skirt brushed the back of his hands. Grasping the hem, he began to push it up, eager to see and taste the core of her arousal. He was met with the resistance of her hands on his when he was a mere inch before his prize was to be revealed. Confused, he looked up and was greeted with the sight of her tears. What had he done wrong?

"Don't…" she whispered. "You don't have to…"

He grinned, understanding. "I know. I want…" he shook his head. "No, I need to."

He would spend the rest of the night worshipping her, reveling in the gift of her body and her acceptance. And when he made them one, he would think the tears were joyous ones.

She would welcome him, happy to finally have him in at least one way. And when she cried, she would never tell him that they were tears of heartache.

When the sun rose the next morning, he awoke to empty arms and the scent of her tears.

A/N:

Well I'm sure to be lynched for this particular cliffhanger… my beta is already aiming her taser-whip at me ;

I apologize for the long delay; this chapter really, really didn't want to cooperate with me. I actually didn't spit it out until last night.

As for the plagiarism fiasco, I have beaten myself with a stupid stick over my last A/N. It was written immediately on the heels of the Sue debacle concerning her Purity series and because I love her stories I took it somewhat to heart that I'd be a little upset not that someone was copying so much as that FFnet wasn't doing anything to stop it. So that being said, this story will be completed on both sites. And I will continue to post new stories on both as well. My next project is "Come What May" – brief summary in my bio.

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