Disclaimer: I'm sure you get the point.
Sorry this took so long, not a very action-packed chapter, but I'm working up to the next drama. Hope you like it. R&R!
If You Only Knew: Chapter 7
When Sango and Miroku arrived at the village, Kaede had been outside tending to her garden. "Ah, Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, I was wondering when ye would be getting back."
Little Shippou wiggled his way free of Kirara's mouth. "That was mean! I just saw some blackberry bushes. They were so good! You guys should've had some!" When he realized no one was paying any attention to him, he scampered into the hut, pouting.
Sango lifted her brother from Kirara and the firecat transformed. Miroku took Kagome's bag into the hut, but returned outside to assist with Kohaku.
"Who might this young lad be, Sango-chan?" Kaede asked.
"He's my brother, Kohaku. He was under Naraku's control with a Shikon shard in his back. If we remove it. . . he will probably die." She suppressed her tears, because she knew she needed to be strong, if not for Kohaku, but for herself as well.
"A lot has happened in your journeys, ne?" Miroku and Sango both sighed. Kaede chuckled lightly at their worn expressions, but then asked curiously. "Where is Inuyasha-sama and Kagome-chan?" The two travelers looked at one another, Miroku nodded in silent agreement to tell the old miko, and so Sango took Kohaku into the hut.
"Well, you see, we ran into a couple problems. Kagome was abducted and injured by Naraku, but then given by him to Kouga. . ." He coughed into his hand, "While in um. . .*cough* 'heat.' So, Inuyasha went to get her back, after defeating Naraku, of course." Miroku looked down at his hand, fingering the rosary beads he'd grown so accustomed to wearing. He hadn't felt the need to gloat over his change in fate, that he could now live without regret of the void in his hand. Everyone else was occupied with his or her own vengeance and reasons for the destruction of Naraku. The monk couldn't help but feel he had gotten the better part of the deal, considering every one else was still suffering in theirs.
Kaede closed her eyes, briefly, to an overwhelming sense of peace flowing through her at the news of Naraku's death. Yet, somehow, she knew the moment he died. It was like the world dared once again to live, resounding in the joy over such an evil being lifted from its shoulders. The sun shown brighter, relieving the land of darkness, nourishing hopes that had withered in those shadows. 'There is still much to overcome, children. However, anything can be done when there is love and friendship.' She displayed a small smile to the monk before heading into her home.
Shippou sat in a corner of the hut crying. He was scared for Kagome, not only because he liked her, but also that she was the closest thing he had to a mother. 'No one else pays attention to me. It's not fair! I want Kagome back!' He watched as Sango brought in her brother and laid him on the futon.
Sango was lost for answers on what to do. They could check his wounds, but what would tending to them help if he passed away the moment the shard was taken away? 'I wish he would wake up. Would he be the Kohaku I remember so fondly?' A sniffle on the other side of the room caught her attention. 'Oh, Shippou, you must be so worried about her.' She made her way over to him.
"Shippou?" The exterminator sat down in front of him and put a hand on his tiny shoulder. "Are you worried about Kagome-chan?" The kitsune nodded as a tear slid down his nose, causing him to sneeze. Sango smiled sympathetically, "She's going to be fine, Inuyasha-sama will take care of her."
He'd wished he was with the hanyou, getting Kagome out of danger, but he was just a little kid. "I wanted to help her, too. Now I have to sit here and wait. It's no fair, I don't know if she's okay."
"I'm sure she's fine, and they'll be back very soon." Sango tried to reassure the kit the best she could. Though she didn't really feel reassured either. 'What is taking him so long, anyway?' She'd have to get his mind off of it for a bit. "Do you want to help us get Kohaku better?" At the suggestion, Shippou's eyes lit up. 'I can help! Yay!' He nodded enthusiastically and crawled over to where the young boy lay.
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Inuyasha looked down at the bundle in his arms. Kagome sighed softly in her sleep and buried her face further into his chest. He wondered how she could have been through so much just recently but still find peace in her slumber. The village was in sight already, though he wished he could hold her forever like this, well maybe with different circumstances. No one greeted them as he arrived. There were no flying runts, lecherous monks, or pissed off exterminators. 'Where the hell is everyone?' He pushed aside the mat to the hut entrance and found all of his friends huddled around a boy.
"KAGOME!!!!!!!!" Shippou ran to them, attempted to jump up on Kagome, but met face first with the wall as the hanyou moved out of dodge.
"Hey! What was that for? I want to see her!" The small youkai whined.
"Fine, but you don't have to jump on her!" Inuyasha snapped back at him. "Baba we need to dress her wounds and um. . . her." He cleared his throat and sent a warning glare at Miroku to avoid any perverted comments.
"Ai, take her into the back room, behind the curtain, and lay her on the bedding." Inuyasha did as she said. As he laid her down, he swore he heard her whimper. Tucking his coat around her securely, he acknowledged the form standing behind the wall of fabric. "You can see her now, twerp, but don't pounce on her!"
Shippou rushed over to her side and Miroku entered as well, taking a seat against the wall. "Kagome! Wake up!" The kitsune exclaimed, shaking her hand up and down inside the two of his own. Inuyasha swatted him over the head. "Don't wake her, idiot! She needs her sleep!"
A few minutes later Sango and Kaede entered. The old miko went about preparing bandages, herbs, and getting clean water from a barrel in the corner of the room.
"You got to her in time, before anything worse happened, right?" Sango inquired, hoping to use as much discretion as possible.
"Feh! Of course I did!" Inuyasha retorted, sticking his nose in the air.
"Ah, I almost forgot, Inuyasha-sama, you forgot this." Miroku produced the ball of Shikon from inside his robe.
Surprise masked the hanyou's features for a brief moment before he replaced it with his usual gruff expression. "I didn't forget it, I was just going to go back and get it." He tried to cover up his bafflement that he had forgotten all about it in his rush to get Kagome back safely.
The monk placed the large shard in Inuyasha's hand. "Kagome-chan will have to purify it when she's feeling better." He glanced over at the girl to find she was sitting up, staring at the fragment in Inuyasha's hand, eyes wide and mouth agape. A huge grin spread across the houshi's face.
Everyone turned their attention to Kagome, who had yet to realize the coat had slipped down to her waist, exposing her entire chest. Inuyasha lurched across the room to slam the monk's face into the ground. "Don't look at her, you lecher!" He turned his scowl to Kagome but realized she had already covered herself. There was look of pure terror on her face.
"INUYASHA!!!!!!!!" Kagome shrieked.
'Uh-oh. I knew this would happen.' He didn't have enough time to prepare himself before the storm hit.
"SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT!" His face met the floorboards one time after another and dust puffed up around him. All he could do was groan in protest, as he was not able to form words at the moment.
Kagome took a deep breath, but it did near to nothing to calm her down. Her face was red from complete embarrassment. "Where are my clothes?!"
Inuyasha, who could now utter something coherent as the spell wore off, yelled "What clothes? There was nothing left when I got to you, wench!"
She looked down at the garment that covered her. 'His firerat fur kimono jacket. Come to think of it, I remember him wrapping something around me when I awoke earlier. . . That means that Inuyasha saw me without. . . Oh, gods!' "Iiiiiiieeeeeeee!" Shippou and Inuyasha both covered their ears.
"Stop yelling, bitch! What the hell is your problem?" He couldn't understand what would be that bad about her not having her clothing. Hell, he'd given her his own to wear, so what was the problem?
"OUT!" Kagome pointed at Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou. "OUT!" Both the older boys scuttled to the curtain and out of the hut. Shippou stood there pouting, until Kagome gave him a stern look, and he followed suit.
When they got outside, Miroku asked Inuyasha with a smirk, "So, you got to see her without any clothes on, eh?" Inuyasha punched him in the head, knocking the monk unconscious, and left for his tree. Shippou decided he'd roam around the field until everything cooled down.
Inside, Kagome was still getting over her shock. "How embarrassing!" Kaede approached her with a bowl of water and a rag. Kagome shrugged off the coat and sighed. "Although, maybe I shouldn't have yelled at him. He was only trying to help, I guess. It's just so embarrassing to think he saw me naked." She blushed, catching a giggle from the demon hunter.
Kaede noticed her wounds were already clean of blood and debris. She laughed at the uncharacteristic efforts of Inuyasha. "I'm sure Inuyasha- sama meant well. He really did a good job cleansing these wounds, I don't even need the rag and water!" Kagome blushed more as she realized what the old woman meant. 'He bathed me?!' She wanted to dig a nice deep hole and bury herself there. Kaede applied a healing herb to her wounds and bandaged them. Kagome only winced when she touched the gash on her side, and Sango did as well.
"I'm sorry Kagome-chan, that Kohaku hurt you again." Sango turned her gaze down, ashamed to look at her friend.
Kagome realized he must have been the one who attacked her in the beginning. She looked at her friend sympathetically. "It's not your fault or his, Sango-chan. He was under Naraku's spell. Speaking of that jerk, I'm assuming you guys killed him?" 'I can't believe I missed that battle!'
"Hai, we did. Kohaku is in the other room. He hasn't awakened yet but he's alive, for how long, however, we do not know."
Kagome looked thoughtful for a moment and then asked Kaede for some clothing to wear. The priestess brought her a green kimono from a chest in the back of the room. "Thank you, Kaede-sama." She quickly changed and entered the main room where Kohaku lay. Smiling reassuringly at Sango, she stooped beside the boy. "Will you help me sit him up?"
Sango looked at her questioningly, but she trusted her friend's judgement. "Sure. Do you have an idea of how to wake him?"
"Well, Naraku locked his mind under the corruption of the Shikon Shard, so maybe if I purify it, he will awaken and be himself." Sango's face brightened a bit with hope as she sat him up. Kagome worriedly asked, "Are you prepared for his memory to return?" At the exterminator's nod, she took a deep breath and placed her hand upon the location of the fragment. A purple light illuminated the room briefly as she touched it.
Slowly, Kohaku opened his eyes, blinking as the sun's light flooded his sight. Sango grasped his shoulders and pulled him into a hug, speaking softly, "Kohaku, do you remember me? Sango?"
"Sister?" At his recognition was the best thing she'd heard in a long time, and she let forth the tears that she'd been holding back.
"Oh, Kohaku! I've been so worried! I missed you so much!" He started trembling with sobs and she pulled back to look at his face. There was anguish and fear etched deeply into his features. "Kohaku?"
"I thought. . . I thought I killed you. I killed father. . . and our friends." He put his head in his hands, muffling his words. "I should be dead! I don't deserve to live for what I've done!"
Sango turned his face to meet her own, wiping at his tears. "Shhhhh. Don't ever say that! It's not true, it wasn't your fault. A very evil demon was controlling you, but he's dead now. I'm here, and I won't let anything bad happen to you again. I promise."
"Sister, I'm so scared!" He flung himself into her embrace, holding on tightly, as if for his own dear life.
She helped him lay back down on the futon, comforting him. "I won't let any harm come to you. I'm here." Crying had exhausted them both, and soon the two siblings lay fast asleep.
Kagome crept from the hut, deciding she should pay Inuyasha a visit and apologize for yelling at him. Besides, she had a few questions to ask him, as embarrassing as they might be.
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Inuyasha sat on his favorite branch of the God tree, sulking and arguing with himself as usual. He put the ball of Shikon in his hoari, joined with Kagome's bottle of Shards. 'She's disgusted that I saw her unclothed. I don't want to see how upset she'd get if she remembers what else I did. I should've known better than to think she'd except such gestures from me.' He growled to himself. 'Why the hell do I care anyway! It's not like I wanted to see that wench nude!' Kagome's scent drifted up to him across the breeze, nearly sending him falling not-so-gracefully from the branch. 'She's still in heat! Not like it matters, I'm not weak to it like that wimpy wolf.' He could now see her making her way to him, dressed in a dark green priestess's kimono. 'Gods, she looks so pretty in that outfit.'
"Inuyasha!" Kagome knew he had to be in his tree. 'Where else could he have gone?' "Inuyasha!" No answer. 'Maybe he went to see Kikyo,' she thought sadly.
Unbeknownst to her, he was trying to calm down a certain part of his body before he really got 'sat.' His mind was really on overdrive trying to figure this one out. 'Why now?!' Mentally berating himself for being so vulnerable, he finally fixed his problem and jumped down, startling the girl.
Kagome yelped and jumped back. "You scared me! Don't do that!"
"Keh! It's not my fault you're frightened so easily!" Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest.
She handed him his firerat fur coat that she had folded neatly across her arm. "Um, thanks for lending this to me." Kagome had a light tint of pink creeping into her cheeks. He took it from her, snorting. "And thank you. . . for saving me." She dropped her gaze to the ground.
Inuyasha huffed. "Stupid girl! Like I'd let someone like Naraku or wolf- boy touch you!" The next thing he knew she was hugging him. He stood there surprised for a moment before finally placing an arm lightly around her waist. 'Damnit! She's crying again!'
"I was so scared! I thought I was going to be. . ." Kagome sniffed and more to herself finished, "raped." Inuyasha grasped her tighter, but it was more from anger, wishing he'd killed Kouga. She calmed down, but continued to hug him. 'He's hugging me! Was I not dreaming before when I thought he had held and comforted me?"
"Inuyasha?" He realized he had relaxed, relishing in the feel of her in his arms, and how it must have seemed. Blushing, he pulled away and turned around to sit against the trunk of the tree. 'Idiot! Just keep pushing it until she thinks you're in love with her or something, why don't ya?'
Although saddened by the loss of his embrace, she asked anyway, "Kaede said my wounds were cleaned. Did you. . .?"
Inuyasha blushed furiously, though it was hidden beneath his bangs. "You reeked of Naraku and that fucking wolf, so I threw you in the hot spring."
"Threw me?" Kagome couldn't imagine him tossing her into a body of water unconscious. Then again, it is Inuyasha.
"Feh! You know what I mean!" Inuyasha was growing restless with the conversation, so he jumped back up into the tree without another word. 'What does she want me to say?'
'Maybe I was dreaming when I thought he cared.' For some reason, she just felt like crying again. The shock of what she had just been through was still fresh in her mind, but she hadn't found comfort anywhere. However, when he hugged her just then, she felt as if the world couldn't touch her. 'I'll never have a place in his heart, will I? He will forever be lost on Kikyo.' Kagome reached up to touch the spot where the dead miko's arrow had held him prisoner to the tree. 'Where we first met. He had assumed me as Kikyo then, but now I'm nothing but her lowly reincarnation who will never add up to what she was.'
Inuyasha watched the sorrow play out across her face as she stood beneath him. 'Why can't I make her smile?' She turned to leave and he found himself on the ground again, behind her, and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Kagome?"
Feeling his touch made her heart speed up, and she spun around to see concern within the depths of his golden eyes. Concern! With one clawed finger he reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek. Just that simple gesture made her tummy flutter. "Inuyasha?"
"I would never let anyone take anything from you. That includes your life and your purity. I would die trying to keep that from happening. I promised I would protect you, and I meant it." He wanted to say much more, so much more, but instead he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. Kagome gasped, amazed by this show of affection. She returned his embrace, sighing into his hoari and closing her eyes. 'If I'm dreaming, I don't want to wake up.'
'What am I doing?!' Inuyasha wanted to take back what he had just done, or at least he thought he did at first. But when she too hugged him, his only thought was 'she feels so right.'
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(a/n) Aww, how cute! Anyways, R&R! TTFN
Sorry this took so long, not a very action-packed chapter, but I'm working up to the next drama. Hope you like it. R&R!
If You Only Knew: Chapter 7
When Sango and Miroku arrived at the village, Kaede had been outside tending to her garden. "Ah, Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, I was wondering when ye would be getting back."
Little Shippou wiggled his way free of Kirara's mouth. "That was mean! I just saw some blackberry bushes. They were so good! You guys should've had some!" When he realized no one was paying any attention to him, he scampered into the hut, pouting.
Sango lifted her brother from Kirara and the firecat transformed. Miroku took Kagome's bag into the hut, but returned outside to assist with Kohaku.
"Who might this young lad be, Sango-chan?" Kaede asked.
"He's my brother, Kohaku. He was under Naraku's control with a Shikon shard in his back. If we remove it. . . he will probably die." She suppressed her tears, because she knew she needed to be strong, if not for Kohaku, but for herself as well.
"A lot has happened in your journeys, ne?" Miroku and Sango both sighed. Kaede chuckled lightly at their worn expressions, but then asked curiously. "Where is Inuyasha-sama and Kagome-chan?" The two travelers looked at one another, Miroku nodded in silent agreement to tell the old miko, and so Sango took Kohaku into the hut.
"Well, you see, we ran into a couple problems. Kagome was abducted and injured by Naraku, but then given by him to Kouga. . ." He coughed into his hand, "While in um. . .*cough* 'heat.' So, Inuyasha went to get her back, after defeating Naraku, of course." Miroku looked down at his hand, fingering the rosary beads he'd grown so accustomed to wearing. He hadn't felt the need to gloat over his change in fate, that he could now live without regret of the void in his hand. Everyone else was occupied with his or her own vengeance and reasons for the destruction of Naraku. The monk couldn't help but feel he had gotten the better part of the deal, considering every one else was still suffering in theirs.
Kaede closed her eyes, briefly, to an overwhelming sense of peace flowing through her at the news of Naraku's death. Yet, somehow, she knew the moment he died. It was like the world dared once again to live, resounding in the joy over such an evil being lifted from its shoulders. The sun shown brighter, relieving the land of darkness, nourishing hopes that had withered in those shadows. 'There is still much to overcome, children. However, anything can be done when there is love and friendship.' She displayed a small smile to the monk before heading into her home.
Shippou sat in a corner of the hut crying. He was scared for Kagome, not only because he liked her, but also that she was the closest thing he had to a mother. 'No one else pays attention to me. It's not fair! I want Kagome back!' He watched as Sango brought in her brother and laid him on the futon.
Sango was lost for answers on what to do. They could check his wounds, but what would tending to them help if he passed away the moment the shard was taken away? 'I wish he would wake up. Would he be the Kohaku I remember so fondly?' A sniffle on the other side of the room caught her attention. 'Oh, Shippou, you must be so worried about her.' She made her way over to him.
"Shippou?" The exterminator sat down in front of him and put a hand on his tiny shoulder. "Are you worried about Kagome-chan?" The kitsune nodded as a tear slid down his nose, causing him to sneeze. Sango smiled sympathetically, "She's going to be fine, Inuyasha-sama will take care of her."
He'd wished he was with the hanyou, getting Kagome out of danger, but he was just a little kid. "I wanted to help her, too. Now I have to sit here and wait. It's no fair, I don't know if she's okay."
"I'm sure she's fine, and they'll be back very soon." Sango tried to reassure the kit the best she could. Though she didn't really feel reassured either. 'What is taking him so long, anyway?' She'd have to get his mind off of it for a bit. "Do you want to help us get Kohaku better?" At the suggestion, Shippou's eyes lit up. 'I can help! Yay!' He nodded enthusiastically and crawled over to where the young boy lay.
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Inuyasha looked down at the bundle in his arms. Kagome sighed softly in her sleep and buried her face further into his chest. He wondered how she could have been through so much just recently but still find peace in her slumber. The village was in sight already, though he wished he could hold her forever like this, well maybe with different circumstances. No one greeted them as he arrived. There were no flying runts, lecherous monks, or pissed off exterminators. 'Where the hell is everyone?' He pushed aside the mat to the hut entrance and found all of his friends huddled around a boy.
"KAGOME!!!!!!!!" Shippou ran to them, attempted to jump up on Kagome, but met face first with the wall as the hanyou moved out of dodge.
"Hey! What was that for? I want to see her!" The small youkai whined.
"Fine, but you don't have to jump on her!" Inuyasha snapped back at him. "Baba we need to dress her wounds and um. . . her." He cleared his throat and sent a warning glare at Miroku to avoid any perverted comments.
"Ai, take her into the back room, behind the curtain, and lay her on the bedding." Inuyasha did as she said. As he laid her down, he swore he heard her whimper. Tucking his coat around her securely, he acknowledged the form standing behind the wall of fabric. "You can see her now, twerp, but don't pounce on her!"
Shippou rushed over to her side and Miroku entered as well, taking a seat against the wall. "Kagome! Wake up!" The kitsune exclaimed, shaking her hand up and down inside the two of his own. Inuyasha swatted him over the head. "Don't wake her, idiot! She needs her sleep!"
A few minutes later Sango and Kaede entered. The old miko went about preparing bandages, herbs, and getting clean water from a barrel in the corner of the room.
"You got to her in time, before anything worse happened, right?" Sango inquired, hoping to use as much discretion as possible.
"Feh! Of course I did!" Inuyasha retorted, sticking his nose in the air.
"Ah, I almost forgot, Inuyasha-sama, you forgot this." Miroku produced the ball of Shikon from inside his robe.
Surprise masked the hanyou's features for a brief moment before he replaced it with his usual gruff expression. "I didn't forget it, I was just going to go back and get it." He tried to cover up his bafflement that he had forgotten all about it in his rush to get Kagome back safely.
The monk placed the large shard in Inuyasha's hand. "Kagome-chan will have to purify it when she's feeling better." He glanced over at the girl to find she was sitting up, staring at the fragment in Inuyasha's hand, eyes wide and mouth agape. A huge grin spread across the houshi's face.
Everyone turned their attention to Kagome, who had yet to realize the coat had slipped down to her waist, exposing her entire chest. Inuyasha lurched across the room to slam the monk's face into the ground. "Don't look at her, you lecher!" He turned his scowl to Kagome but realized she had already covered herself. There was look of pure terror on her face.
"INUYASHA!!!!!!!!" Kagome shrieked.
'Uh-oh. I knew this would happen.' He didn't have enough time to prepare himself before the storm hit.
"SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT!" His face met the floorboards one time after another and dust puffed up around him. All he could do was groan in protest, as he was not able to form words at the moment.
Kagome took a deep breath, but it did near to nothing to calm her down. Her face was red from complete embarrassment. "Where are my clothes?!"
Inuyasha, who could now utter something coherent as the spell wore off, yelled "What clothes? There was nothing left when I got to you, wench!"
She looked down at the garment that covered her. 'His firerat fur kimono jacket. Come to think of it, I remember him wrapping something around me when I awoke earlier. . . That means that Inuyasha saw me without. . . Oh, gods!' "Iiiiiiieeeeeeee!" Shippou and Inuyasha both covered their ears.
"Stop yelling, bitch! What the hell is your problem?" He couldn't understand what would be that bad about her not having her clothing. Hell, he'd given her his own to wear, so what was the problem?
"OUT!" Kagome pointed at Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou. "OUT!" Both the older boys scuttled to the curtain and out of the hut. Shippou stood there pouting, until Kagome gave him a stern look, and he followed suit.
When they got outside, Miroku asked Inuyasha with a smirk, "So, you got to see her without any clothes on, eh?" Inuyasha punched him in the head, knocking the monk unconscious, and left for his tree. Shippou decided he'd roam around the field until everything cooled down.
Inside, Kagome was still getting over her shock. "How embarrassing!" Kaede approached her with a bowl of water and a rag. Kagome shrugged off the coat and sighed. "Although, maybe I shouldn't have yelled at him. He was only trying to help, I guess. It's just so embarrassing to think he saw me naked." She blushed, catching a giggle from the demon hunter.
Kaede noticed her wounds were already clean of blood and debris. She laughed at the uncharacteristic efforts of Inuyasha. "I'm sure Inuyasha- sama meant well. He really did a good job cleansing these wounds, I don't even need the rag and water!" Kagome blushed more as she realized what the old woman meant. 'He bathed me?!' She wanted to dig a nice deep hole and bury herself there. Kaede applied a healing herb to her wounds and bandaged them. Kagome only winced when she touched the gash on her side, and Sango did as well.
"I'm sorry Kagome-chan, that Kohaku hurt you again." Sango turned her gaze down, ashamed to look at her friend.
Kagome realized he must have been the one who attacked her in the beginning. She looked at her friend sympathetically. "It's not your fault or his, Sango-chan. He was under Naraku's spell. Speaking of that jerk, I'm assuming you guys killed him?" 'I can't believe I missed that battle!'
"Hai, we did. Kohaku is in the other room. He hasn't awakened yet but he's alive, for how long, however, we do not know."
Kagome looked thoughtful for a moment and then asked Kaede for some clothing to wear. The priestess brought her a green kimono from a chest in the back of the room. "Thank you, Kaede-sama." She quickly changed and entered the main room where Kohaku lay. Smiling reassuringly at Sango, she stooped beside the boy. "Will you help me sit him up?"
Sango looked at her questioningly, but she trusted her friend's judgement. "Sure. Do you have an idea of how to wake him?"
"Well, Naraku locked his mind under the corruption of the Shikon Shard, so maybe if I purify it, he will awaken and be himself." Sango's face brightened a bit with hope as she sat him up. Kagome worriedly asked, "Are you prepared for his memory to return?" At the exterminator's nod, she took a deep breath and placed her hand upon the location of the fragment. A purple light illuminated the room briefly as she touched it.
Slowly, Kohaku opened his eyes, blinking as the sun's light flooded his sight. Sango grasped his shoulders and pulled him into a hug, speaking softly, "Kohaku, do you remember me? Sango?"
"Sister?" At his recognition was the best thing she'd heard in a long time, and she let forth the tears that she'd been holding back.
"Oh, Kohaku! I've been so worried! I missed you so much!" He started trembling with sobs and she pulled back to look at his face. There was anguish and fear etched deeply into his features. "Kohaku?"
"I thought. . . I thought I killed you. I killed father. . . and our friends." He put his head in his hands, muffling his words. "I should be dead! I don't deserve to live for what I've done!"
Sango turned his face to meet her own, wiping at his tears. "Shhhhh. Don't ever say that! It's not true, it wasn't your fault. A very evil demon was controlling you, but he's dead now. I'm here, and I won't let anything bad happen to you again. I promise."
"Sister, I'm so scared!" He flung himself into her embrace, holding on tightly, as if for his own dear life.
She helped him lay back down on the futon, comforting him. "I won't let any harm come to you. I'm here." Crying had exhausted them both, and soon the two siblings lay fast asleep.
Kagome crept from the hut, deciding she should pay Inuyasha a visit and apologize for yelling at him. Besides, she had a few questions to ask him, as embarrassing as they might be.
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Inuyasha sat on his favorite branch of the God tree, sulking and arguing with himself as usual. He put the ball of Shikon in his hoari, joined with Kagome's bottle of Shards. 'She's disgusted that I saw her unclothed. I don't want to see how upset she'd get if she remembers what else I did. I should've known better than to think she'd except such gestures from me.' He growled to himself. 'Why the hell do I care anyway! It's not like I wanted to see that wench nude!' Kagome's scent drifted up to him across the breeze, nearly sending him falling not-so-gracefully from the branch. 'She's still in heat! Not like it matters, I'm not weak to it like that wimpy wolf.' He could now see her making her way to him, dressed in a dark green priestess's kimono. 'Gods, she looks so pretty in that outfit.'
"Inuyasha!" Kagome knew he had to be in his tree. 'Where else could he have gone?' "Inuyasha!" No answer. 'Maybe he went to see Kikyo,' she thought sadly.
Unbeknownst to her, he was trying to calm down a certain part of his body before he really got 'sat.' His mind was really on overdrive trying to figure this one out. 'Why now?!' Mentally berating himself for being so vulnerable, he finally fixed his problem and jumped down, startling the girl.
Kagome yelped and jumped back. "You scared me! Don't do that!"
"Keh! It's not my fault you're frightened so easily!" Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest.
She handed him his firerat fur coat that she had folded neatly across her arm. "Um, thanks for lending this to me." Kagome had a light tint of pink creeping into her cheeks. He took it from her, snorting. "And thank you. . . for saving me." She dropped her gaze to the ground.
Inuyasha huffed. "Stupid girl! Like I'd let someone like Naraku or wolf- boy touch you!" The next thing he knew she was hugging him. He stood there surprised for a moment before finally placing an arm lightly around her waist. 'Damnit! She's crying again!'
"I was so scared! I thought I was going to be. . ." Kagome sniffed and more to herself finished, "raped." Inuyasha grasped her tighter, but it was more from anger, wishing he'd killed Kouga. She calmed down, but continued to hug him. 'He's hugging me! Was I not dreaming before when I thought he had held and comforted me?"
"Inuyasha?" He realized he had relaxed, relishing in the feel of her in his arms, and how it must have seemed. Blushing, he pulled away and turned around to sit against the trunk of the tree. 'Idiot! Just keep pushing it until she thinks you're in love with her or something, why don't ya?'
Although saddened by the loss of his embrace, she asked anyway, "Kaede said my wounds were cleaned. Did you. . .?"
Inuyasha blushed furiously, though it was hidden beneath his bangs. "You reeked of Naraku and that fucking wolf, so I threw you in the hot spring."
"Threw me?" Kagome couldn't imagine him tossing her into a body of water unconscious. Then again, it is Inuyasha.
"Feh! You know what I mean!" Inuyasha was growing restless with the conversation, so he jumped back up into the tree without another word. 'What does she want me to say?'
'Maybe I was dreaming when I thought he cared.' For some reason, she just felt like crying again. The shock of what she had just been through was still fresh in her mind, but she hadn't found comfort anywhere. However, when he hugged her just then, she felt as if the world couldn't touch her. 'I'll never have a place in his heart, will I? He will forever be lost on Kikyo.' Kagome reached up to touch the spot where the dead miko's arrow had held him prisoner to the tree. 'Where we first met. He had assumed me as Kikyo then, but now I'm nothing but her lowly reincarnation who will never add up to what she was.'
Inuyasha watched the sorrow play out across her face as she stood beneath him. 'Why can't I make her smile?' She turned to leave and he found himself on the ground again, behind her, and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Kagome?"
Feeling his touch made her heart speed up, and she spun around to see concern within the depths of his golden eyes. Concern! With one clawed finger he reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek. Just that simple gesture made her tummy flutter. "Inuyasha?"
"I would never let anyone take anything from you. That includes your life and your purity. I would die trying to keep that from happening. I promised I would protect you, and I meant it." He wanted to say much more, so much more, but instead he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. Kagome gasped, amazed by this show of affection. She returned his embrace, sighing into his hoari and closing her eyes. 'If I'm dreaming, I don't want to wake up.'
'What am I doing?!' Inuyasha wanted to take back what he had just done, or at least he thought he did at first. But when she too hugged him, his only thought was 'she feels so right.'
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(a/n) Aww, how cute! Anyways, R&R! TTFN