A/N: Sorry for the long time between updates! I've been a bit busy lately. Anyway, here is chapter eight. Nope! Chapter seven was not the end! Hope you enjoy this one! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! Please keep the comments coming!

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Where You Are
Chapter Eight: I've Got Them, Inuyasha...!

"Mommy's all right!" Shippo yelled happily as he jumped into her arms. "Miroku and Sango are going to be so happy!"

"All right, Shippo. Calm down and give her some room to breathe." Inuyasha nearly snapped.

Kagome laughed. "I'm fine, Inuyasha..."

"That's good, because you have to continue the search for Naraku soon." It was Sesshoumaru who was speaking. "We are lucky that he has not realized that you have been weak for some time now..."

"We...?" Inuyasha's eyebrow rose slightly.

Sesshoumaru coughed lightly. "I do not intend to let you get yourself into any more trouble. Jacken, Rin, and I will travel with you. I made a promise to father when you were born, and I have recently decided that I do not intend to break that promise. Do you have a problem with that?"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped. "What promise to father? I'm confused..."

"Good."

"What?" frowned Inuyasha.

"You can stay that way."

Kaede's village was coming into view just ahead of them. Sesshoumaru stopped.

"What's wrong, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked.

He blinked. "I must go retrieve Jacken and Rin. Then I will return to this human-infested stink hole..." With that, the demon lord pivoted on his heel and left them.

Inuyasha stared after his half brother until he could no longer see him on the horizon. "Hey, Kagome...you think he will ever realize that Rin girl he has a spot for is human?"

Kagome smiled. "I don't know, Inuyasha. Maybe he's changing?"

At that, Shippo, who was still in Kagome's arms, looked up at her and began to laugh. Hard. "Sesshoumaru? Changing? Ha! That'll happen when I'm an inu-youkai..."

Inuyasha nearly choked. "Yeah, runt. Sure." He looked at the ground.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Kagome frowned with worry.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it..." he whispered his reply. "I just...I have to talk to you later."

"About?"

"About...stuff." He answered. He glanced quickly at Shippo. Then, he turned back to her. "It's something about you and Shippo, if you must know..."

Kagome blinked. "Me and Shippo? Inuyasha, what is it?"

"Shh! Kagome, people might hear you!" Inuyasha groaned.

"What's so bad about that, Inuyasha?" she whispered. "I think you already know how I feel about you, so why in the world would you care if anyone else hears what you have to say, hmm?"

"It's not you that I am worried about." Inuyasha admitted. "It's him."

Kagome blinked. "Him?" She paused. "You mean Shippo?"

Inuyasha nodded slightly. "Yeah." He frowned. "I'll tell you later, all right?"

"All right, Inuyasha."

Sango and Miroku smiled when they saw that their friends were approaching. Shippo, who was still comfortably in Kagome's arms, jumped down and ran to Kirara. The two of them disappeared into the village background before Inuyasha and Kagome could even reach Sango and Miroku.

Miroku laughed. "I think it took you long enough, Inuyasha! What were you guys doing over there, anyway?" he demanded.

Inuyasha hit him squarely atop his head. "Shut up, monk."

"I didn't say it!" he whined.

"But you were thinking it." Inuyasha finished for him.

Kagome cleared her throat loudly. "It's glad to be back," she smiled when Inuyasha and the others glanced her direction. "I hope you guys haven't been too worried about us? Everything is fine now. There isn't a thing to worry about." She turned so that she was directly facing Inuyasha. "However, I believe you and I do need to have a talk?" she whispered.

Miroku's eyebrow rose, and both Sango and Inuyasha hit him as hard as they could.

"All right, Kagome. Let's go for a walk." Inuyasha suggested. He took her by the arm and led her back into the forest...back in the direction from whence they had come only moments before.

Kagome turned. "Hey, Sango, watch after Shippo while I'm gone, all right? Tell him he isn't allowed to play any tricks on the villagers..." she warned in a motherly sort of tone, and Sango nodded with an understanding smile.

Several minutes later, Kagome found that she and Inuyasha had arrived at none other than the sacred tree: the place they had first met one another.

Inuyasha sighed deeply and sat on one of the branches that was protruding from the ground. He looked up into Kagome's eyes. "There's something I really need to talk to you about, Kagome. It's serious. I hope it doesn't...upset you in any way," he added, almost as an afterthought.

Kagome went white. What if whatever Inuyasha had to say to her turned out to be bad news? What if he said he'd made a mistake? The many negative possibilities played themselves out in Kagome's mind as Inuyasha played with his thoughts.

She gulped. "Inuyasha...it isn't...bad, is it?" she asked timidly.

Inuyasha looked up. He hadn't realized his word choice had Kagome so worried. He shook his head back and forth. "No," he assured her, "at least...I don't think it is. Although...I was wondering how you would accept the news...and if Shippo would accept it at all..." he admitted, more to himself than to the woman standing in front of him.

Kagome dropped to her knees beside him and frowned. "What is it, Inuyasha? If it isn't bad, then go ahead and tell me. I promise I'll be all right, no matter what it is..."

Inuyasha sighed deeply once again. "Are you sure, Kagome?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Inuyasha took a deep breath. "After...after everything that has happened recently...and after all that we have been through together...I have been doing a lot of thinking...about us." he began. "And I came to the conclusion that I...well, I want to make sure that you are a part of my life, Kagome...and that you remain a part of my life, for as long as either of us can manage. But then I noticed recently...well...not so recently...about the bond between you and Shippo. I know he considers you his mother, and I wouldn't want anything I proposed to get in the way of that...so I was thinking I could just adopt him, too..."

Kagome's cheeks went instantly pink with joy. "Are you serious, Inuyasha? That is great!" she smiled, wrapping him in the tightest of hugs that she could manage.

"No, Kagome. It's more complicated than that. I would have to mark you...both of you. I know you've heard about this from Sango...and with you, it may not be such an issue...but Shippo has to agree to it, too. And I don't think he...I don't think I am worthy to take his father's place..."

Kagome shook her head fiercely. "You would not be taking his father's place, Inuyasha! Shippo knows who his father is, just as he knows who his real mother is. Have you...have you talked to him about it at all?"

"No...not really." Inuyasha frowned in a whiny voice. "With everything that has been going on, I have been putting the topic off for a while. But what he said earlier..."

"He didn't mean it literally, Inuyasha. It wasn't his intention to..."

"I know." He paused. "But I...I mean, you don't understand. In order for me to officially adopt Shippo, there is a marking process...not like it would be with you if I took you as my mate...it's different than that...but he would still have to agree to it. He wouldn't change like you might on the outside, but he would adopt some inu-youkai qualities, and I just don't know if he'd be willing to go through with it..."

"You have been thinking about this for a while." Kagome commented.

He nodded in agreement. "Yes, I have. Since before you got sick and we stopped at that damned village..."

"Inuyasha...do you want me to talk to him? I could ask him about it if you wanted me to." she suggested.

Inuyasha paled. "I...well...you could...if you wanted to, that is..."

"I will." Kagome smiled, wrapping him in a hug and kissing him lightly on the cheek. She blushed, and pulled herself away. "I bet he'll be thrilled." she nodded shyly, and began to head back toward the village.

"Where are you going, Kagome?" he called.

"To talk to Shippo!" she laughed.

He thought about following her, but at the thought of Shippo's reaction, decided it was best to stay where he was and wait for the news from Kagome's lips. He sighed deeply. He had no idea how long the wait would be. He leaned his head up against the back of the sacred tree and closed his eyes.

He hadn't intended to, but soon, he had fallen to sleep.

Over an hour later, Inuyasha was shaken awake by Sango and Miroku, who both held very confused looks on their faces. Behind them stood Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Jacken, also looking at the inu-hanyou as if something was wrong with him.

He blinked. "What are you guys doing out here?" he asked groggily.

Sango frowned. "You mean Kagome and Shippo aren't with you?" she replied.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Kagome left to go talk to Shippo about something, and I opted to stay here and wait for her..." His eyes widened in realization. "Why?"

Miroku smiled. "Well, maybe they went with Kaede to the neighboring village a little while ago? I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Even Sesshoumaru said he didn't sense any threats in the area..."

Despite Miroku's assurance, Inuyasha stood quickly. "When will the old bat be back from the other village?"

Sango seemed to think about it for a moment. "It shouldn't be long," she guessed. "We were just curious because we haven't seen Shippo or Kirara since they went off to play, and we hadn't seen Kagome since she came here with you. We were thinking they would be with you..."

"But they're not." Miroku finished. "I'm sure they've probably just gone to help Kaede. We'll see when she gets back..."

"But are you sure...?" he began. He paused, though, when he heard something in the bushes. His nose shot into the air, as did Sesshoumaru's.

Sango gasped. "What is it?" she demanded.

"Kirara!" Inuyasha yelped, diving into the bushes and coming out seconds later with the small cat demon in his arms. She was injured...bleeding from her side.

Sango's eyes widened with shock. "What happened to her?" she yelled, taking her furry companion from Inuyasha's arms and looking her over quickly. She paled. "Inuyasha...I think this is a dagger wound!"

"Dagger?" he repeated.

"Yes, Inuyasha. She said dagger. Is your hearing failing you?" Sesshoumaru snapped. He growled low in his throat. His growling seemed to be directed toward Kirara, who was occasionally chirping in response to Sesshoumaru. Sango could only stand and look confused. Finally, after a moment, Sesshoumaru spoke.

"We have a problem." he said simply.

Inuyasha blinked. "What do you mean?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "The cat has told me that she was playing with the fox child when the priestess Kagome showed up. She says that the two of them were talking when someone came from behind the trees. She tried to protect them, but she failed..."

Sango looked down at Kirara, who meowed as if to confirm what Sesshoumaru had said.

Inuyasha's eye twitched. "She failed? What does that mean?" His eyes began to widen. "Are they...?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at Kirara, who began to meow and chirp again. When she was done, Sesshoumaru once again turned back to the group that was waiting for his words.

"They are not dead. They were knocked unconscious before they were taken away..." he reported to them.

"Knocked...unconscious...?" Miroku frowned.

Kirara nodded, and Miroku sighed.

Kirara looked up, and Sesshoumaru blinked. "There is more?" he whispered to her. He waited as she talked to him, nodding occasionally, and then took a deep breath. "She says that whoever took the kit and Kagome left a message for you, Inuyasha..."

"A message..." Inuyasha whispered. "Where?"

"Where they were attacked..." Sesshoumaru answered. "Where else?"

"Let's go. Right now." he snarled dangerously.

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"Here." Sesshoumaru said.

Inuyasha huffed. "Thank you, Captain Obvious..." smirked Inuyasha as he surveyed the scene. Kirara's blood was leading a trail into the forest, and stuck to a tree with a small dagger was a note with Inuyasha's name inked on the top.

Inuyasha walked forward slowly, snatching the note from the tree and staring at it.

Sesshoumaru coughed. "You can read? Father taught me, but I had no idea someone like you would be able to..." he asked.

He nodded. "Of course. My mother was a member of the court." he snapped. "But let's not get into an argument right now over something so stupid...listen..."

Sesshoumaru nodded.

Inuyasha cleared his throat loudly and began to read. "Inuyasha—I have taken your kit and your wench. Unfortunately, the wench did not have what I wanted. For now, her and the kit will live. If you do not get me what I want by sundown tomorrow--" At that, Inuyasha stopped reading, growled, and crumpled the paper, throwing it at the tree.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked curiously.

He frowned deeply. "The bastard is going to kill Shippo and Kagome unless I give him what he wants. I have twenty-four hours..."

"What does he want?" gasped Sango with worry.

Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't know..." he admitted sadly.

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A/N: Sorry for the long time between updates, guys...and I know...yet again I have put a bit of a cliffhanger here. Hope you guys don't mind! Please review and let me know what you think! I'm on spring break right now, so the next chapter should be up soon!