Inuyasha walked back towards the hut and leaned agaisnt it.

The whole ordeal seemed to have happened hours ago, but it was truly only 2:00 in the morning.

Suddenly, Sango was standing above him, with a cup of tea in her hand.

"Here." She averted her eyes, and Inuyasha could see she was crying.

Inuyasha took it, but didn't drink it.

"How's Miroku?"

Sango bit her lip. "Kaede gave him the antidote, he'll be fine."

"...and Kagome?"

Sango sighed. "She's stopped bleeding.."

"What about the jewel shards in her neck?"

"All but one removed itself...Kaede's afraid th-that's it's the one that's keeping her alive."

"...Damnit."

"Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened to the sacred jewel Tsubaki had?"

Inuyasha mentally kicked himself. The nearly completed jewel had been right in front if him,and he had been too preoccupied to grab it.

"I thought you'd want to know..when we first got here and came in..the only thing Kagome said..and the only thing she's said all night...was your name."

The hanyou's eye's widened.

When he didn't respond, Sango went back inside.

His ears twitched as he heard Sango ask-

"Kaede?"

"Yes?"

"When Inuyasha killed Tsubaki...why wasn't Kagome released from the spell?"

He heard Kaede sigh.

"You told me, that Tsubaki said Kagome can only be released from the spell if Tsubaki herself releses her or she.."

He didn't hear Sango's reply, so he assumed she must have nodded.

Kaede continued. "So, Kagome would continue to be under the spell for life, or until she can can break the curse.."

"Kaede!"

"The shard as removed itself.."

"-and she's alive!"

The last sentence caused Inuyasha to breathe a sigh of relief.

The night went on. Inuyasha would close his eyes out of exhaustion, only to snap them open moments later.

He gazed towards the coludy sky.

"Please, Kagome..I need you."

And then from the doorway came the hoarse reply.

"Inu..yasha.."

Kagome braced herself against the frame and coughed.

Inuyasha ran to catch her as her knees went weak.

He sighed and pulled her closer to him.

"Goddamnit Kagome, are you ok?"

The girl nodded.

Inuyasha gently touched her bandanged arm. As Sango said, it had stopped bleeding, but the white bandange was stained with the crimson color.

He supported her. She was so weak.

He swallowed hard.

"This is all my fault, Kagome.."

She buried her head in his chest. "It's...not..your fault.."

"Get some rest Kagome."

He helped her back to the hut.

The hanyou walked out and stared into the sky.

He fell to his knee's in gratitude.

I'm going to protect her with my life.

Thoughts swarmed in his head. Finding Naraku, finding the jewel shards..

But she was alive.

And he was thankful.

:P. i got back from new orleans! and lafayette. :D. this chapter is kinda boring, but i promise funessness in the next chapter. lol

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