Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

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"It's a wall"

"Thank you mister obvious" she said lamely "Stand back, I never did this with another person beside my mother...I don't know if I still know how"

Wearily he shifted behind her a few paces, keeping his eyes to her fingers on the cold stone. Now that he knew she was a miko he always had to be weary of what powers she did have. He had demon blood in him after all, and mikos held some power over the breed.

In silent awe he watched as a staircase magically appeared against the otherwise normal stone. Around the stairs were cobwebs signifying that indeed it hadn't been visited for awhile now.

Kagome turned to him, an odd look on her face "Try to step through it"

He raised an eyebrow but went for the opening. As if it was still stone, his face smashed flat against the entrance mouth "What the--?"

"I thought so" she said softly "It's a barrier"

"What does this mean to me?" he questioned hardly. His finger rubbed his nose trying to help it regain feeling.

Her hand took his from his side and squeezed it "You need me to pass"

"Because I'm not a miko?" he questioned lamely

She nodded with a smile at his displeasure "Unless you want to wait out here?"

He pulled her forward in response, and instead of slamming into a hard invisible force this time, the two slipped through easily. Side by side the couple took the stairs, their footsteps echoing across the narrow stairwell. The path seemed to be spiraling down, almost like a basement.

Kagome's hand squeezed his as the two pairs of eyes locked. Smiling at him she looked ahead of them once more. He however lingered on her profile a bit before turning back.

She had grown a lot since he had first taken her from the abyss of the forest. She had without a doubt grown stronger in health, but her features seemed older as well. Her eyes still danced with the light of her eternal youth but her face was shaped into that of a young woman.

And though the thought truly never crossed him, she was beautiful. From her body, to her spirit, her strength and her mind.

"To me you are only you"

The words seemed to have been spoken ages ago. She had directly told him that she didn't care he was hanyou; she had told him she liked who he was. His mother had spoken similar words to him when he was young, but that was a mother and a child. This was different.

From the beginning she had never treated him like the other humans had. She had feared him because he was a male, because he had a trait of Naraku, not because of his breed. It was humans who had cared about that which made him flee his former life.

He had runaway to be with his own breed, namely himself. He wanted to be some placewhere he wasn't taunted or shunned but where he found acceptance. But the forest had only hailed for him a bitter loneliness. It wasn't until Kagome had come to him that he felt needed.

Beside her right now, holding her hand in his, he belonged.

Together they made there own place. Kagome wasn't a human she was Kagome. And he wasn't a hanyou he was Inuyasha. Together they weren't two breeds, they were simply Inuyasha and Kagome.

A tiny smile touched his lips at the realization and he squeezed her hand back.

The end of the stairs were finally reached as the two sets of feet meet the ground floor once again. Out before them stood a pillar with laced pillow. On top the item seemed to be glowing in tease. It's light alone brightening the dark cellar.

"I need to get it" she stated "Only my mother and myself could handle the barrier around it"

Nodding, he hesitantly allowed her fingers to slid out of his "Other's can touch the jewel though?"

"How the jewel is now, only ones of pure intentions can touch it. My grandmother had purified it long ago and my mother kept it that way" she stated walking to the center "Others who wish to use it can't touch nor can they get through the barrier to begin with"

As she made her way to the pillar energy cracked around her; a thin iridescent light glowed engulfing her and the jewel as the barrier showed itself. He watched as she stopped in front of the pillar as if she was deciding if she should actually take it or not.

In her brief hesitation he took the time to look around the strange room, if even be called that. Something seemed off in the cramped place, he could almost feel a presence and it unnerved him the crap out of him.

"Let's go Kagome" he called out "Get that jewel so we can leave this damned place"

She turned holding the jewel in her right hand and pressing it to her heart "My mother told me never to show anyone" she said hesitantly

He sighed "We don't have time for this..."

She stuck her tongue out but started out of the barrier and to his side "I always thought it was an ugly rock" she stated. Her palm opened in front of them as the two gazed at the crystal "It's really pretty though, isn't it?"

The only thing that made it stand out was the fact that it was glowing an eerie purple. The chain gave it the slight appearance of a necklace and, had she been casually wearing it, he would have thought it to be nothing special.

"I guess"

Smack

"Hey!" he cried, rubbing his abused head "What the hell was that for!"

She just smiled innocently "What was what for?"

He gave her a dry look "Don't play innocent--I know you too well to buy it"

"Give me your hand"

Raising an eyebrow to her shift of the conversation, he hesitantly obeyed. The purple bead was dropped into his palm, and instantly he felt warm all over "W-what? You said that only those of pure--"

"It tingles doesn't it?" she softly added "Almost like it has it's own heart beat"

The orb seemed to be loosing its glow however. It had once shown brightly in her palm but now it was starting to fade, taking on a less magical appearance. A small hand touched the gem ever so lightly as the glow reappeared at the touch.

"What's it mean?" he asked quietly "When it's purple?"

"It means it's pure" she stated gently "My mother told me that a pure soul has the power to keep evil away from the jewel but should the pure turn impure, the jewel will follow its lead. Only I have the power to turn the jewel dark or pure. It's with that power that keeps demons like Naraku from using it. Since Naraku is impure I don't see how he expects to use it...With his evil intentions it should burn him with contact" She paused, touching the fading light once more "That's why it's in my family's protection. We are the one ones who can keep it pure and so long as it glows purple, Naraku has no power"

"Why can I touch it without being burned?"

"The jewel can feel you" she said softly "She knows you have no intentions towards it, however--your touch makes it loose some of it's glow..."

"Wait" Inuyasha said "The rock is insulting me here...I'm evil?"

He scowled at the tiny gem. He wasn't sure but maybe it had something to do with his demon blood. Then again, he hadn't been the best person in the world so there was that...

Her hand slipped over his fingers, entwining their flesh, as the jewel pressed against their palms. Much to his surprise the jewel took on an even brighter glow than when it had sat upon the pillow

"With help from another, the jewels goodness can grow or turn evil" she stated, squeezing lightly upon the mold they had created "If your heart was evil it'd turn black at touch. You just have hatred, that's where evil flourishes"

"So you're telling me you don't have any evil?"

She shrugged as their eyes meet "All I know is my mother told me I had a pure soul, however I also know that my touch used to do more than it does now" His eyes searched her as her lips pulled into a smile "None of us are perfect. We all have our evils"

"And what is your evil Kagome?"

Gasping in surprise, but in more fear at the recognized voice, Kagome turned to the stairwell to see Naraku.

Just as he had on the days she had been with him, his face was masked in a smirk of malicious intent. His eyes were blazing at they stared intently at her, or more so at the connected hands of the two.

"You help me out yet again, Kagome" he said in that slick greasy voice. His feet descended to the ground, staring at the two "Give it to me"

His voice almost made her forget herself. For if had it been in another time she would have obeyed willingly. There was no going against what he said. His words had been law.

"Naraku I presume?" Inuyasha released the jewel to Kagome and pushed her body behind his

The demon raised an eyebrow, a realization passing through his mind as the scene connected. In smug defiance he made eye contact with the girl from behind the man's shoulder

"Fallen in love with a hanyou have you Kagome?" he chuckled to himself "You shame your family with his dirty---"

"The only shame my family has was allowing you into the castle Naraku!"

This time his face grew angry, the smug look dropping away "You've come to stand up for yourself have you?" he asked snidely "How brave you are standing behind someone like---"

"Enough!"

Quicker than her eyes allowed her to keep up, Inuyasha had leapt for Naraku as his sword was drawn. Prepared, so it seemed, Naraku too drew a weapon of considerable standard and defended himself against the hanyou's thrusts.

Kagome backed away a bit as the battle between the men continued. Naraku though not seeming to care so much, was being pushed back up the stairwell by Inuyasha's own moves. Something seemed out of place though. The Naraku she knew was more malicious then this; he'd kicked her so much harder than what he was using against the hanyou.

Her eyes widened as she watched him closely, his eyes...he wasn't blinking.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed "That isn't---"

A hand cut off her words as her body was pressed to the chest of an all too familiar torso. Her heart raced at the feeling, her throat taking on the familiar metallic taste as her body froze against his.

Her eyes shifted to Inuyasha but he didn't seem to notice the new appearance, his battle was taking his attention and his eyes hadn't shifted to her in the slightest.

A chin dropped to her shoulder as that same pungent hot breath passed against her ear "Did you miss me?"

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"Freeze"

The couple barely had time to realize the voice had called to them before they were completely surrounded by swords. The whole area which had once looked friendly with the tall trees and the green grass was now covered with men all aiming their weapons to the two.

"Come quietly" The man in front instructed "Do as Naraku says and all will be well..."

"All will be well" Miroku repeated, sending a silent message to Sango.

In that same second the two spilt up, rushing at any and all guards that stood in their way.

"After them! Do not let them escape!"

Separately the two fought against the opposing men but for each one that was brought down two more would take his place. And Sango, trained for such things was even having a difficult time.

She tried keeping up with their swings but nothing was expected and she had already obtained a bunch of cuts from close calls. The men were getting faster for each one knocked too and it wasn't helping that they were coming every possible angle.

And though she tried so hard, fought with all her might for herself and the promise to keep going; Sango found her footing put to shame, her breath dying, and her body in agony. One horribly wrong move and she was finally brought down, hard.

The attackers came around her, tying her up and forcing to her feet despite what her body was telling her. To her side, Miroku stood, already tied up and looking worse than herself. It wasn't enough to have only a wind tunnel it seemed...

Although they were defeated both managed to glare at the man who had spoken as he came to stand in front of them

He grinned "Naraku under estimates you"

Sango growled, trying to fight her way forward but her ropes bound her to one line that was held by one of the men; and the moment she moved, she was pulled back roughly.

"Take them up to the cell"

As the two were forced to march towards the unknown Sango looked up to the castle, wondering if Inuyasha and Kagome had suffered the same fate. She knew they shouldn't have split up...

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This guy was a little too easy. Perhaps all the talk Kagome had done of Naraku was just her fears coming to pass. The guy didn't seem to be attacking at all and Inuyasha had managed to push him back so much that they were nearly up the stairwell back to where the two had entered.

His mind faltered--where the two of them had entered...Kagome.

As if remembering she had been with him he turned to look for her, completely oblivious in the moment that he was already at the very top of the stairwell. His heart quickened, his fear rising, but before he could even allow himself a step back towards her, Naraku struck his shoulder.

Angry for leaving Kagome down there, but more angry for letting his guard down, Inuyasha thrust his sword watching as the man's eyes widened before he fell in two neat bloody pieces at the hanyou's feet.

Sheathing his sword he made to go downstairs, but something caught his attention. There was a bunch of black forms coming towards the doorway where the barrier had once stood. His nose told him his assumptions were right--they weren't human and most defiantly not Kagome'sguards.

Turning, nearly tripping over the corpse of the bastard, he all but threw himself downstairs. At least the demon was taken care of, now he had to concentrate on finding a way out that wouldn't cause any harm to the young girl.

"Kagome!" he called nearing the bottom "There's a bunch of people coming, we---"

His eyes widened in horror as he stared into an empty room, save for the pillar that still held its place. In desperate attempt he tried feeling the walls around the cramped area, hoping that there was just some other place Kagome had hidden herself, but in his heart he knew the truth.

Throwing a fist into the wall, he fell to his knees, not caring that the debris rained around him.

There was another scent--not of the one he had been fighting...

The one he had faced was a decoy. Kagome was gone taken was again by Naraku.

There was a great sound of crumbling rocks and shouts from unknown people and he knew that the forms had come. And though he made to reach for his sword once more to fight another senseless battle, his fingers never touched the hilt.

In that second something was thrown against his head, making him fall unconscious.

And for once, he was too numb to fight back.

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Sango raised her head, hearing the sound of footsteps approaching their cell. His fingers immediately tightened in the black locks she had been combing her fingers through, readying for the worst for her and the man who rested his head in her lap.

Instead, a person was thrown into the dark chamber. All she needed to see was that flash of red mixed with silver and she knew who it was.

His breathing was shallow and he didn't move. She almost thought he was unconscious but the soft growls that were emitting from him said otherwise.

Sango glanced upon his tossed body sadly before looking back down to the beaten head that was in her lap. Miroku's face was covered in bruises and dried blood claimed a good part of the right side. She had her own cuts but they were nothing to worry about.

She was happy that at least Inuyasha and Kagome didn't look too--

That's when it hit her. It wasn't them, only him lying there.

A new rush of fear washed over her as her head snapped up her voice growing in fear "Where's Kagome!"

When he looked up to meet her eyes she thought he looked sick. Never had she seen such a look on the Inu youkai's face.

"With Naraku"

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A/N: Naraku...? Oh, right! That's what this story was about! ((laughs nervously))

Next Chapter: With Naraku