This chapter is named after the song "Dreams" by The Temper Trap.

Also...this chapter has a scene in which you'll know they're making love but it's nothing at all explicit. If that's still something you want to avoid, just let me know. We all know I'm too awkward for that and I liked to keep things rather clean so all readers can enjoy so truly it's nothing explicit at all, no body part descriptions or anything like that but just a heads-up. It's just portraying the depths of their feelings and fluffy emotional crap like that LOL. So it still is way less than an M rating would even be necessary (I think) so no one can report me for having smut on this website lol.

Chapter 16: Dreams

The journey to Sesshomaru's castle was less stressful than last time, but Kagome figured it was because she had adamantly decided to accompany Inuyasha.

She just had to tell him first.

Deciding to broach the subject the day before they reached the castle, she took a deep breath while they were freshening up in the river after waking.

"So...husband," she said.

Inuyasha grinned at her. "Yeah, wife?"

Kagome almost smiled back, but she was already nearly too nervous to speak.

"I'm coming with you to Sesshomaru's castle."

"No."

She frowned. "Yes, Inuyasha. You can't stop me."

His face went completely serious as he looked into her eyes.

"No, Kagome. It's not safe for you."

"Sesshomaru won't want me anymore," she pointed out. "We have a real, actual plan. All that's left is finding Naraku."

Inuyasha grimaced, and Kagome could tell he knew she was right.

"Kagome…"

"Hey," she said, reaching out to cup his face in her hands. "It'll be okay. We just have to be positive, like we are about finding Naraku, okay?"

Inuyasha was quiet for a long moment before he finally nodded.

"Fine," he conceded. "But I'm annoyed about it."

Kagome moved over to where he was sitting in the grass to sit in his lap, wrapping her arms around him and laying her head on his chest.

"I know," she murmured. "I'm sorry."

Inuyasha sighed and held her close. "It's not your fault...you're right. I just don't want you to be ridiculed like my mother was."

Kagome shook her head against him. "It'll be okay. I know you'll beat up anyone who says something like that to me."

Inuyasha laughed, and the sound immediately soothed Kagome.

"I'm sure you would be the one doing the beating up," he teased lightly. "My little miko wife."

Kagome pulled back to smile at him and was delighted by the smile he gave back to her.

He finally gets to actually call me his little miko wife. It's funny how things turn out.

Kagome pulled back and kissed him, her lips lingering and their hands roaming.

It wasn't long after that moment, when his touches on her became heated, they fell into the physical bliss they'd come to cherish so much.

O.o.O.o.O

Amidst their ravishing of each others' bodies, Inuyasha felt a subtle shift in his feelings.

All at once, the previous lust he'd felt suddenly mixed with an affection he usually saved for holding her at night or kissing her softly in the mornings.

The lust and desire mixed with that affection made him feel things that he'd never dreamt were possible, things that felt so infinite that it seemed they'd only be possible in a sky that was littered with stars.

The love he'd felt for her was unmatched by anything he'd ever felt, but at that moment, as he looked down at the body of his wife, laid bare and vulnerable just for him, a new wave of love washed over him.

"What is it?" Kagome asked softly, sounding winded.

Inuyasha took a deep breath, wondering how he could ever put into words how he was feeling.

"It's just...things feel different now," he murmured. "It sounds stupid, but…"

Kagome hummed and shook her head.

"It doesn't sound stupid," she replied softly. "I understand. I feel it, too."

Inuyasha inhaled her chocolate-cherry scent, so strong at the spot where his nose was nestled against her neck, and soon began to press kisses to the sensitive skin.

When Kagome's breathing hitched and she tilted her head to the side, he placed more kisses there until he moved up to kiss her lips.

Time seemed to freeze.

He began to realize that the starry, infinite sky was Kagome and him. It was the way that his feelings for her felt like they were constantly overflowing from his body. It was the way one of her touches could set him at ease even in his worst moments.

It wasn't the first time they'd united physically, but there was a difference in it, one that was unfathomable to Inuyasha and yet made perfect sense to him.

As their passion increased, Inuyasha felt the difference even more, a spiritual connection that suddenly filled his soul and made him feel infinite.

Kagome's heart was infinitely connected to his, and his soul was infinitely connected to hers.

Inuyasha pulled Kagome close as he felt the epiphany come to him, and she held him just as tightly, clinging to him.

Her heart was laid bare to him, just as his heart was laid bare to her, and the connection was powerful enough to have him nearly losing his breath.

Afterward, they lay there a long while, their afterglow the brightest it had ever been, and it only added to the warmth of the bright morning sun shining above them.

They set off after bathing, but the feelings didn't leave them.

O.o.O.o.O

The next day, they set off for the castle in the morning.

Inuyasha was practically squeezing Kagome's hand off, but she didn't complain. She knew he was stressed, so she just wrapped her free hand around his arm and tried to lend him strength through her touch.

When the castle came into view, Kagome's eyes widened.

It wasn't so much a castle as it was a manor, but the grandeur of it was the same.

If Inuyasha noticed her reaction, he didn't comment on it.

Instead, he focused on glaring at the youkai guards as they approached the front door.

He let go of Kagome's hand, which surprised her. She figured he wouldn't let go of her the entire time they were there.

Maybe it's for propriety's sake...still, I think he needs the extra comfort. I kinda do, too.

"Former Lord Inuyasha," one of the guards said, glaring at the hanyo. "Your return was hasty."

"I get stuff done," Inuyasha replied gruffly. "Now please let us in."

"You may enter," the guard said. "But not the woman. Why have you brought a human here?"

Inuyasha glared at him. "Sesshomaru needs to meet her in order to defeat Naraku." The guards exchanged a glance before nodding at them.

Begrudgingly, they opened the doors and allowed Inuyasha and Kagome to enter.

The youkai left them with the nearest pair of guards upon entering before they went back to the front doors.

Kagome heard them mutter insults about Inuyasha under their breath. Before she could give them a piece of her mind, Inuyasha gave her a sharp look.

Kagome frowned but didn't speak. The last thing she wanted was to make things worse for him.

She heard Inuyasha breathe a sigh of relief as they made their way into the castle.

When they approached what appeared to be more of an office than a throne room, Inuyasha looked at her a final time.

They exchanged a heavy glance; Kagome tried to smile encouragingly, but she wasn't sure how well it worked.

Upon entering the room, the guards shoved them forward, and Kagome nearly stumbled.

"Oi," Inuyasha said harshly. "Don't touch my wife. I don't care who you are."

"Wife?"

At the new voice, Kagome looked up and saw a regal-looking youkai seated in a chair looking over some papers.

His hair was the same as Inuyasha's, as well as the golden color of his eyes, but that was where the similarities ended.

Sesshomaru's eyes were cold, colder than Inuyasha's had been when Kagome met him, and his frown was more hateful than standoffish.

"I see you've returned," Sesshomaru said, his tone harsh. "Why have you brought the woman here? The woman you have married now, yes?" Kagome expected Inuyasha to put up a fight with him like he had with the guards, but he only inclined his head.

"We've come up with a solution," he explained, his voice civil. "Well, we hope it's a solution. We're almost certain it'll work." Sesshomaru's frown remained as he continued looking at them.

Finally, he rose from his chair and approached, coming closer.

He stopped in front of Kagome, and she tried to keep a level expression on her face as he stared down at her.

"Your powers are quite strong indeed," he said. "I can feel them even at this moment. Tell me your plan."

Kagome nodded and began to explain, wishing she could find some sort of comfort in Inuyasha's touch but knowing she needed to be as proper as possible.

To Kagome's surprise, Seshomaru's attention remained on her; he didn't even glance at Inuyasha, and she had a feeling it was a purposeful avoidance rather than him just being focused on her words.

"I tried it on an oni," she explained, focusing on the matter at hand rather than analyzing Sesshomaru. "And it worked to an extent. If I use the same technique with Naraku, it'll work. He is...the definition of evil. I can purify him in the same way, along with the jewel itself."

"Do you have any doubts?" Sesshomaru asked.

Kagome shook her head. "No."

Sesshomaru continued to look at her for a moment before finally turning his gaze to Inuyasha.

"Do you believe this will work?" he asked.

Inuyasha nodded. "Kagome can do it. I know she can."

Sesshomaru hummed. "I see." He turned to walk back over to his chair, his hands crossed behind his back rather casually.

"I hope you're prepared to die, woman," he said.

Kagome's eyes widened. Before she could speak, she heard Inuyasha growl next to her.

"She's not going to die," he said harshly. "How dare you?" Sesshomaru whirled around and delivered a blow to Inuyasha's cheek before either of them could react.

Caught off-guard, Inuyasha stumbled back a bit..

"How dare you?" Sesshomaru replied as he went back to his chair and sat down.

Kagome gasped and finally reached out to touch her husband, keeping him steady so he wouldn't fall.

"Inuyasha, are you okay?" she asked.

His cheek was already starting to swell, and the grimace on his face told Kagome he was in serious pain.

Just like last time.

Kagome looked over at Sesshomaru and frowned.

"Why would you do that?" she asked. "He's here to help you!"

Sesshomaru glared at her. "I wouldn't worry so much about him. It sounds as if you are the one in danger."

Kagome glared right back. "What do you mean? My life isn't in danger. As soon as Naraku touches me, he'll be dead. He won't even have a chance to get the jewel from me."

"My pathetic brother said the jewel is inside you, is it not?" he asked. "If you purify such a one as Naraku as well as the jewel, I cannot imagine it would not take every ounce of your power, including all that resides in your body. The amount of spiritual power that is needed to destroy Naraku will likely take all of your strength as well as your physical body itself to accomplish the feat. You would be purified out of existence just as Naraku would be."

Kagome froze.

He's right...I hadn't even thought of that.

She felt Inuyasha's hand settle on hers, causing Kagome to look back at him.

He shook his head, as if trying to tell her that Sesshomaru was wrong.

But with that logic…

Sesshomaru might be right.

And if he were right…

Kagome was going to die.

"That's not gonna happen," Inuyasha said firmly. "That's never happened with her before when she's purified stuff."

"Woman," Sesshomaru said, ignoring Inuyasha. "Have you ever battled such a one as Naraku?"

Kagome hesitated. "No…"

"Hm," Sesshomaru grunted. "I see."

"Anyway," Inuyasha growled. "Kagome isn't gonna die. Now do you know where Naraku is or not?"

Sesshomaru growled quietly and nodded at his guards.

One of them slugged Inuyasha in the stomach, and Kagome swore she heard a rib crack. That time, he did fall.

"Stop!" she shouted at the guards as she fell to her knees next to him, setting a hand on his back to keep him from completely falling. "He's not doing anything to you!"

Sesshomaru ignored her shouts. "There has been no sign of Naraku, but one of his underlings was spotted heading east."

Kagome wanted to be relieved, but all she could feel was concern for Inuyasha.

He was leaning on her heavily where she was sitting next to him, and she had to fight back tears at the sight.

"Which one?" Kagome asked.

"I do not know his name," Sesshomaru replied. "He is a humanoid and was spotted flying on a large paper crane."

"That's Byakuya," Kagome said, trying to adjust Inuyasha's weight against her. His breathing was disturbingly shallow, and just like last time, she was concerned he'd punctured a lung.

"Ah, so you know him," Sesshomaru commented. "Head northeast. That is where he was spotted."

Kagome frowned and gently tried to help Inuyasha sit up a bit easier. She wanted to scream and curse at Sesshomaru, but she knew they were walking on thin ice, so she just bit her tongue and tried to focus on keeping Inuyasha from collapsing the rest of the way.

"That is all the information I have for you," Sesshomaru droned. "Don't forget, Inuyasha. You will still face a trial after Naraku's demise."

Kagome winced at the mention of the impending trial, displeased that Sesshomaru hadn't by some miracle forgotten about that.

"However, I will grant my aid," he said. He nodded at one of the guards. "Bring Kirara in."

Kagome frowned, wondering what that could mean. Looking at Inuyasha, she silently asked if he knew who that was.

The tensing of his jaw told her he didn't. Sesshomaru had said it was an "aid," but how much could they really trust him after everything?

A few moments later, a large nekomata entered the room. Kagome's eyes widened at the sight, the regal cat looking every bit as strong as she knew she was.

"This is Kirara," Sesshomaru explained. "She came to the castle a few years ago and is my finest nekomata. Take her with you. Should you catch word of Naraku, send her back to me with his location." The daiyoukai turned to Kirara. "This is my despicable brother and his wife. They, too, are after Naraku, so you will be joining them for the time being."

Kirara inclined her head at him before coming to stand next to Inuyasha.

Kagome looked up at her from where she was still on her knees next to her husband, and she could have sworn she saw an understanding glint in the nekomata's eye.

Kirara leaned down and nestled her head under Inuyasha's arm, carefully helping him up and onto his feet. Kagome smiled at her and Inuyasha nodded his gratitude.

"Leave now," Sesshomaru commanded. "I have had enough of your presence here."

The guards gripped Inuyasha and Kagome by their arms and pulled them out of the room.

Kagome was horrified to see them yank Inuyasha from her in a manner rough enough that she was crying out in protest. Kirara gave a low growl in protest, but as a loyal subject of Sesshomaru, Kagome figured there wasn't much she could do.

"Be gentle with him," Kagome scolded the guards as she tried to pull her arm away. "He's injured because of you guys."

"He is worthy of nothing less than what he's gotten," one of the guards growled.

When they reached the entrance, Kagome finally pulled herself from the guard's grasp as they opened the door. She caught Inuyasha before he could hit the ground from the rough handling.

Glancing up, a painting caught her eye for a split second until a quiet groan of paint from Inuyasha brought her attention back to him.

Keeping his arm over her shoulders, Kagome tried to keep him upright.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Inuyasha grunted. "Yeah. It's not as bad as last time. I think I have a couple broken ribs again, though."

Kagome grit her teeth, hating that the exact thing she'd been fearing had happened again.

"I'm okay, Kagome," he assured her. "It's nothing like last time. Don't worry."

Kagome sighed and went to start helping him walk away when Kirara came over and knelt in front of Inuyasha.

Surprised, Kagome watched Inuyasha pause before setting a hand on the cat's back.

"Uh, you sure?" he asked. Kirara gave an affirmative growl, allowing Inuyasha to get on her back.

He did so backward so he could lay back against her neck, and when he was settled, Kirara rose to her full height and began to walk.

"Thank you," Inuyasha said, patting her neck.

"Yes, Kirara," Kagome added. "Thank you for helping us."

The trek back to where they'd left their things was quiet and easy since Inuyasha didn't have to jostle his injuries by walking.

Once they'd reached their things, Kagome helped Inuyasha off of Kirara's back, getting him seated on the ground.

Kirara, to their surprise, transformed into a much smaller version of herself and gave a quiet mew as she sat down next to Inuyasha.

"You're so cute!" Kagome squealed, reaching out to pat her head. Kirara mewed again and rubbed against Kagome's palm, returning her touch of affection.

After a moment of petting her, Kagome gave her a final smile before turning to her husband to start addressing his injuries.

She grabbed her remedies from her bag, noticing that the hit on Inuyasha's cheek was already swelling.

As she applied the medicines, Inuyasha kept his gaze on the ground.

"Hey," she said, gently cupping his chin to tilt his face up. "What's wrong? Are you in a lot of pain?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, I just...I'm sorry you had to see that happen." He looked away from her, ashamed.

"Are you embarrassed, Inuyasha?" she asked incredulously.

He half-shrugged. "I'm normally stronger...I just can't fight there. If they'd hurt you, I would have made a mess of them, but…it's like Sesshomaru said. I'm on thin ice. You are, too, by extension."

Kagome finished applying the medicine before wiping the rest off on her yukata.

"You don't ever have to feel embarrassed, okay?" she said. She bent her neck to meet his gaze and smiled. "Besides, I already told you I would never judge you as hard as I did when you got drunk at Miroku's house."

Inuyasha's face broke into a smile at the memory.

That's what I like to see.

"I'm so smooth," he teased. His voice was quieter than usual, so Kagome could tell he was still in pain.

She soon helped him lay down, getting him settled with his head in her lap while she ran her hands through his hair. Kirara came over and curled up against Inuyasha's arm, her eyes closing.

While Inuyasha, as well as their new companion, drifted off, Kagome had a somber thought.

She really, really hoped this was the last time they'd find themselves in this position.

But if she had to choose between this and what could happen at Inuyasha's trial…

Well, suddenly this didn't seem so bad.

O.o.O.o.O

When Inuyasha woke up, the moon was high in the sky and Kagome was still sitting with his head in her lap. Kirara stirred when he woke up and moved away to give him some space, gently batting her head against him in greeting before doing so.

Inuyasha smiled at her but felt rather achey. Luckily, it was nowhere near as bad as last time.

He sat up carefully, which had Kagome protesting the movement, but he shook his head.

"I'm okay," he assured her. "What about you? You must be exhausted. And hungry...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to sleep that long."

Kagome smiled. "Don't worry about it. I have some leftover bread in my bag that we can eat."

She got the food and handed him a piece as well as Kirara. Once Kirara finished her piece, she transformed back into her larger form and growled at Inuyasha. When the hanyo nodded, thanking her, Kirara walked off into the forest.

"What was that?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha stretched his limbs as he spoke. "She said she's gonna go catch something else for us to eat. She doesn't think just bread is enough."

Kagome's eyes widened. "How did you know she said that?"

Inuyasha paused. "Oh. Uh, I don't know. I guess...instincts?"

"That's so cool," Kagome gushed. "Wow, I wish I could understand her." Inuyasha smiled.

"I bet you will eventually," he assured her. "I never thought I'd be grateful for something my brother did, but I'm glad he sent her with us."

Kagome nodded enthusiastically. "Me, too."

He noticed her subtly wince the next time she moved her arm so he quickly reached out to tug her yukata off.

"Inuyasha," she chided. "You're too hurt for that kind of activity tonight. You'll jostle your injuries if we do. Plus, we have a new friend with us."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Not that. Let me see your arm."

Kagome frowned and undid her obi enough to allow her yukata to slide down her shoulder and reveal her upper arm.

Inuyasha gasped at the sight.

She had a massive bruise that covered the entirety of the exposed part of her arm.

It was in the shape of the youkai's hand, and Inuyasha figured it was from when they'd been roughly dragged out of the castle.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" Inuyasha scolded. "You should've been lying down, too."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "It's just a bruise. It's sore, yeah, but I'm okay. It just started to ache a little bit, but it's not unbearable."

Inuyasha growled. He was tired of all of it.

He just wanted some peace.

"Don't let it bother you so much," Kagome said, her voice softening. "It's okay."

"It's not just the bruise," Inuyasha replied. "It's...everything that led up to it and everything that's still to come. I'm dragging you all over the country, putting you in danger, taking you somewhere you could get hurt. Keh, where you did get hurt. I should've...I should've warned you better about what would happen if we were together."

Kagome hummed. "I know you feel guilty, but I've felt safer with you than I ever have on my own. You don't need to feel like anything is your fault. We'll protect each other. We already do that."

She reached out to take his hand. "We've said it before. My heart is yours and yours is mine. For better or for worse." She tugged on his hand until he looked at her. "You're my husband and I'm your wife, and I've never been happier about something. We're destiny, Inuyasha. Destiny doesn't have to apologize Well, usually. In this case it doesn't." She smiled, trying to encourage him.

He bit his lip at her words, the profound nature of them nearly taking the breath from his lungs.

Kagome's words soothed him, but the guilt was still there, poking and prodding at him.

But he would believe what she said and trust her, because that's what he'd vowed to do.

Marrying her was the smartest thing he'd ever done.

"I love you." He didn't know what else he could say.

Kagome smiled and leaned forward to kiss him.

"I love you, too," she replied. "And I saw that painting you mentioned last time. The one right above the front door. It was lovely."

Inuyasha breathed a laugh. "I'm glad that positive came out of it. So what do you think? Have I improved since then?"

Kagome wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly.

"In technique, maybe. But in heart, it's the exact same."

Her words only made him cling tighter to her.

o.O.o

The next morning, Inuyasha woke up in much better shape. He could tell his cheek was still a bit swollen, but his ribs felt better.

Upon pressing them, he still felt some lingering tenderness but he could tell they were no longer broken.

Kagome stirred next to him, the motion bringing him into a more alert consciousness.

She awoke shortly after and curled up against him, sighing heavily.

"Heading northeast today," she mumbled. "More traveling. More searching. It's gonna be weird when we're not doing that anymore, whenever that might be."

Inuyasha hummed. "Where do you wanna live when this is all over?"

Kagome looked up at him sheepishly. "Well, I was actually thinking we could try to find somewhere near Miroku and Sango?"

Seeing the hope and nervousness in her eyes and the sheepish way she bit her lip had Inuyasha making his decision without even really needing to think about it.

"Okay," he replied. "We can do that."

Kagome smiled brightly and kissed him quickly.

They got up soon after and began to prepare for their day. Kirara, to their surprise, showed off her ability to fly, letting Inuyasha know she would go off and hunt something for them again.

Once she'd flown off, they went to find the closest body of water to refill their water cartons and freshen up.

By the time they were finished and returned to where they'd slept the night before, Kirara still hadn't returned.

Inuyasha frowned and took a sniff of the air. She wasn't far, but she'd been gone longer than he thought was normal for just a quick hunt.

"Wait here," he told Kagome.

His wife scoffed. "It's like you don't even know me sometimes." Inuyasha couldn't help but chuckle as she took his hand and began to lead him in the direction Kirara had gone.

When they found her a few minutes later, she was bent down, sniffing the ground.

"Kirara?" Inuyasha called. "Are you alright?"

The nekomata rose and approached him, giving a quiet growl of explanation.

"Hm," the hanyo hummed. "She smells Naraku nearby, or at least something like him."

"Something like him?" Kagome repeated. "It's probably Byakuya. He's the one Sesshomaru mentioned had been spotted." She turned to Kirara and gave a gentle pat to her head. "Do you think he's nearby?"

Kirara growled again, so Kagome looked at Inuyasha to interpret.

"She's not sure," Inuyasha explained. Kirara added another growl. "And she's not really sure how old the scent is." He took a deep sniff of the air. "I can catch it a little, but I wouldn't have if I didn't know to look. Kirara's senses are better than mine, that's for sure." He smiled at the cat. "Thanks again. You're saving our asses."

Kagome clapped her hands. "Well, I guess we know to keep going in this direction. That's perfect!"

The three set off soon in the direction Kirara pointed out.

As they began to walk, Inuyasha got to thinking about the youkai they were seeking.

"Can you tell me more about Byakuya?" he asked.

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, he's pretty new. I only met him once about a year or two ago when I'm pretty sure Naraku created him."

Inuyasha cringed. "I guess Kagura and Kanna weren't enough."

Kagome sighed. "Apparently. Byakuya is probably looking for me, so hopefully it won't take long to find him if we just keep going in this direction." She clicked her tongue. "How do you think Naraku's minions feel? You think they like doing his bidding?"

"I don't think anyone would like doing his bidding," Inuyasha replied. "But they seem to be the same breed of evil, though, so who knows."

"Not Kagura."

Inuyasha frowned and glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

Kagome shook her head. "Kagura isn't the same breed of evil. I don't even really think she's actually evil. Just...really mean. And feisty."

Inuyasha hummed. "Do you think something that comes from Naraku could be anything but evil?"

Shrugging, Kagome smiled at him. "I think anything is possible."

Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her. "Such an optimist."

Kagome looped her arm around his waist. "One of us has to be."

Inuyasha chuckled. "I've gotten better, woman. Right?"

His wife looked up and smiled at him. "Much better. My little optimistic husband."

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed, his cheeks going warm. "I wouldn't go that far." Kagome leaned her head against him as they walked, and Inuyasha held her tighter on instinct.

Kirara gave a mew from where she was walking next to them, having transformed into her smaller form.

Inuyasha bristled and blushed at the sound, and Kagome immediately pressed him to interpret.

"Kirara thinks we're cute," he grumbled. "Now lay off."

Kagome burst out laughing and looked over at the nekomata. "Thank you, Kirara! I think we're pretty cute, too." Kirara mewed happily, and Inuyasha didn't need to interpret the cat's amusement for Kagome to understand it.

"Anyway," Inuyasha began, trying to stave off his embarrassment. "I need to practice with Tessaiga more. I need to figure out how I can do that."

How...or if.

o.O.o

When they stopped for the night later that evening, Inuyasha pulled out the Tessaiga and frowned at it.

It transformed, but just like last time, it wasn't at something more neutral than his ridiculously sappy love for Kagome.

"It worked!" Kagome exclaimed.

Grimacing, Inuyasha shook his head. "Yeah, but not the way it's supposed to. I'm not focusing on the right thing." He huffed and put the sword back in its sheath, already wanting to just give up for the night.

Kirara mewed, voicing her confusion about the sword, so Inuyasha explained to her. The cat nodded after he finished and apologized when she couldn't offer any advice.

Inuyasha shook his head and smiled at her, silently letting her know it was alright.

Before he could admit defeat for the time being, Kagome stopped him.

"Try thinking about the future," Kagome suggested. "We've got a lot of hope for it lately. Might as well use it." Raising a brow, Inuyasha looked at her. She had a point and he had nothing to lose, so…

He focused on what he envisioned for the future…

No Naraku…

Peace…

His upcoming life with Kagome…

And maybe one day, something that could come from the love they shared, another person for him to adore and take care of with Kagome by his side...

And to Inuyasha's surprise, the sword transformed the moment he unsheathed it.

His eyes widened at the sight in front of him.

"It worked!" Kagome exclaimed. "That's amazing!"

Inuyasha smiled brightly and caught Kagome when she launched herself into his arms.

He hugged her close, breathing her in and exhaling a relieved breath.

Kagome let go of him and stepped back.

"See if it works," she encouraged. "Find, like, a tree branch or something. You shouldn't actually cut down a real tree."

Inuyasha chuckled and looked around to find the largest fallen tree limb he could find.

When he found a good one, he tossed it up in the air and imagined it was Naraku, his resolve to destroy him now fueled by his hope for the future.

He swung the sword with the intent to slice the limb, but instead, a massive blast of power came out of his sword.

It caught him off-guard, and he was flung back, landing harshly on the ground.

Sitting up immediately, he dropped the sword and rushed over to where Kagome had been standing.

She was sitting on the ground, having been knocked down by the blast as well. Kirara was by her side, obviously having kept her from getting too jostled when she'd been tossed back by the force.

"Kagome, are you okay?" he asked as he knelt in front of her. His wife's eyes were wide as she took in the long, deep trenches in the ground from Tessaiga's blast.

"That was awesome," she said excitedly. "What was that?"

Inuyasha paused and glanced at his sword that was lying on the ground a few feet away.

"Um...Kaze no Kizu," he replied. "The Wind Scar." The name came to him naturally, as if it had always been inside of him.

That damn Totosai...he's been right about everything with Tessaiga.

"That's amazing, Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed. "You might have been right in the beginning. With that thing, you probably could kill Naraku before he even touches me."

Inuyasha winced. "Keh. Not about to test fate here. I kinda want to keep you around for a while."

Kagome laughed and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I know. I was just teasing a little bit."

Inuyasha took a deep breath and held her close, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of dread.

It wasn't the dread he'd been feeling that was so entwined with the guilt he felt when they met; this was a different kind, a fearful kind.

What if it doesn't work?

"Hey," Kagome said, setting a hand on his cheek. "What's wrong?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm gonna try that again."

He kissed her forehead quickly before walking back over to where he'd dropped Tessaiga. Upon lifting it, the sword transformed into the fang again.

"Watch out," he warned. Kagome hurried off, coming around to stand behind him.

"Wind Scar!" he shouted.

The blasts of power and light came from his sword again, and he grinned in triumph.

He could tell there was more to the sword, more lingering under the surface. He would learn in time, but for now, he was happy about this.

o.O.o

Throughout the day, Inuyasha practiced with the sword, and it worked each time. Kagome would clap enthusiastically and Kirara would mew or jump around encouragingly every time the sword transformed and he was able to use the Wind Scar, which made him roll his eyes at first but they eventually made him laugh so hard he could barely hold the sword up.

That night as they lay down under the stars before going to sleep, Inuyasha found himself subtly settling his hand over Kagome's stomach, the image from when he'd been channeling his power into Tessaiga returning.

Kagome didn't appear to notice; instead, she turned her head against him, pressing her cheek against his chest.

Inuyasha gently trailed his claws up and down her stomach, thinking about the future that was slowly beginning to come into view.

"What's on your mind?" Kagome asked softly, not wanting to wake their sleeping nekomata companion slumbering on Inuyasha's other side.

Inuyasha hummed. "Nothing. Just thinking."

Kagome tilted her face up to look at him, her eyes widening. "Am I pregnant or something?"

So she did notice where his hand was.

"No," Inuyasha replied. Kagome laughed lightly.

"Oh, you could've fooled me," she teased. "You're a little handsy on my stomach."

Inuyasha moved his hand down to wrap around her waist. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About...me being pregnant?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"I mean, not so specifically," he replied. "But...kinda. Does that bother you?"

Kagome smiled. "Not at all. I think about it sometimes, too. That kid would be a little hellion."

Inuyasha chuckled. "Yeah, our little hellion." He softened. "When it happens…it's gonna be so amazing, Kagome."

"Yeah," she agreed, moving closer to him. "It will be."

Inuyasha smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I can't believe I was by myself until a few months ago," he murmured. "And now...I'm talking to my wife about our future. It feels unreal."

Kagome sighed happily. "It's the kind of thing only destiny could be about. We have hope, Inuyasha. We have hope and love for the future, and that's what's going to help us succeed."

He couldn't agree more.

O.o.O.o.O

The next day, they found Byakuya.

Or rather, Byakuya found them.

And to their surprise, Inuyasha killed him with a single stroke of the Tessaiga.

Kirara had launched at him and yanked him from the sky before he even knew what was happening, and as he fell from his paper crane, Inuyasha had the perfect target.

When Byakuya disintegrated in the beams of power from the Wind Scar, Kagome's jaw dropped as she watched the scene unfold.

Inuyasha was frozen, rooted at the spot. They didn't miss the flower that floated off, no doubt the small piece of himself that Naraku used to keep an eye on his incarnations.

That meant Naraku would be coming.

Soon.

Looking back at her husband, she saw he was still unmoving.

"Inuyasha?" she said, setting a hand on his arm. Inuyasha jumped but finally moved and sheathed Tessaiga.

"Sorry," he replied. "Just...it felt weird to actually fight with it. If you can even call that a fight...Byakuya was just surprised enough that I could hit him." He nodded at Kirara. "Thank you for that."

Kagome smiled. "I still thought you were great. Both of you were."

Inuyasha laughed. "Thanks."

Kagome's smile soon gave way to a look of nervousness. "Naraku will probably come soon. If we wait here, I have no doubt he will."

Nodding, Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her before they made their way back to their bags.

"Guess we're facing him soon," he said. "Hard to believe."

Kagome hummed. "Yeah…do you think we should have kept Byakuya alive? We could've tried to get some sort of answers about Naraku from him."

Inuyasha paused. "Well...too late for that now. But let's think about it this way: one less obstacle in our way, right?"

"Right," Kagome agreed. "Onward and upward."

Inuyasha smiled. "Onward and upward."

O.o.O.o.O

They were rather quiet the rest of the day, continuing to walk a bit before deciding to stop for the evening and night.

Not knowing when Naraku could strike, Inuyasha decided to stay awake into the night to keep watch for any attacks.

"I think it's time to send Kirara off," he said, finding himself disappointed in the departure of their new feline friend. "She needs to let Sesshomaru know where we are and that Byakuya is dead."

Kagome nodded sadly. "Yeah, you're right." She opened her arms for the cat to jump into her lap, hugging her close.

Kagome looked back up at Inuyasha, an idea forming. "She should let Miroku know, too. He wants to end this just as much as we do. He'll probably want to join us."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, but he nodded.

"Kirara," he began, "do you think you could make a stop on your way back to Sesshomaru's castle?"

"Mew!" she agreed.

O.o.O.o.O

After Kagome hugged the cat a million times and Inuyasha gave her an appreciative pat on the head, Kirara growled her goodbye and flew off in the direction of Miroku's house with a note they'd tied around her neck with one of Kagome's obi, informing Miroku of what was happening.

Once she was gone, Kagome hugged Inuyasha.

"We can do this," Kagome said. "We make a good team and we're gonna prove that when Naraku comes around."

Inuyasha looked down at her in his arms and smiled.

"Yeah, we do. Good thing we're married."

Kagome laughed and kissed him.

They got settled for the night, laying down on the ground under the stars with the intent to at least be comfortable as they stayed awake in case Naraku showed up.

Kagome curled up against Inuyasha's side. "I can't wait until we can enjoy married life properly. Get a house, sleep in a bed every night… do things in a bed every night..."

Inuyasha playfully pinched her cheek. "We'll get that life someday. I know we will. Soon."

Kagome smiled. "Yeah, we will. I love you."

"I love you, too."

To be continued...