Chapter 4: Jealousy Overwhelming

Naraku smiled as he watched Kagome and Sesshoumaru through his mirror. He wouldn't know if his plan was working, it needed time. But eventually he figured Sesshoumaru would get tired of protecting the miko, and soon Sesshoumaru would gladly give her to him.

But it would take time. Patience, a virtue Naraku possessed. But in his case, it wasn't a virtue, just another evil tool in his works.

Naraku had plenty of youkai at his disposal. And all he had to do was send one after the other. Telling them about Kagome and her power, and they would go after her with blood lust in their eyes wanting the girl with the shikon power.

And soon Sesshoumaru would get tired of it. And he would throw the miko Kagome at Naraku's feet. And then he would have it all.

The only thing that could stop him was the chain. And if he could break it or not. Naraku leaned against the cold wall and pondered. Maybe he didn't need to break the chain. Absorbing Sesshoumaru and having Kagome would be his ultimate prize.

An evil smile twisted onto his face. Their curse was turning out to be a blessing for him.

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Sesshoumaru and Kagome had just finished defeating another worthless demon. Sesshoumaru was getting aggravated that they couldn't seem to take two steps without some damn youkai popping out, asking for the girl who can sense the shards, and swearing to kill Sesshoumaru, only to die two seconds later.

Sheathing the Tokijin, Sesshoumaru turned around and glared at Kagome.

"What?" Kagome gave a confused look.

"That is the fifth demon today." Sesshoumaru growled at her. "And you said that sensing shards was not an important fact." His growl began to grow and Kagome's eyes flashed with anger.

"Listen here, Sesshoumaru." She put her hands on her hips and leaned forward. "I don't know where all these youkai are coming from. We have never been attacked this many times unless I actually had shards with me."

Sesshoumaru stopped growling and his eyes became indifferent again, any annoyance or anger gone. "This is unusual?" He asked.

"Yeah." Kagome said slowly as she leaned back and let her hands drop from her hips. "Real unusual." Kagome said as she stepped past Sesshoumaru and looked into the forest. "No one has really known what I can do, I mean with sensing the shards." Her eyes narrowed. "Only a few people do."

"Who?" Sesshoumaru's emotionless voice broke into her thoughts.

"Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippou, You, Me..." And then she turned around and met his gaze directly. "And Naraku and Kikyou." She said in a low breath. "But why would it matter so much unless..."

"Unless someone told them a lie." Sesshoumaru finished.

Now Sesshoumaru fell into deep thought. But who? Who would set them up to fight worthless youkai and why? Especially if they knew Sesshoumaru would constantly be around Kagome. Or maybe they didn't? Maybe their true intentions were to capture Kagome.

"Ne, Sesshoumaru it's getting dark." Kagome's tired voice shattered his thoughts. "Can we rest now, please?" She begged.

Soon they were sitting by a warm fire. Kagome popped berries she had found in a nearby bush in her mouth and quietly gazed at the youkai lord sitting across from her. Silence was between them and no sound could be heard except the crackling of the fire.

"Ne, Sesshoumaru." Kagome broke the silence as she began to ask him a question. "How come you have two arms?" She gestured to his left arm as he gave a gruff.

"Youkai limbs grow back." He stated as if it were obvious.

"Oh." Kagome mouthed as she ate a few more berries. "You know, I just want to let you know I'm from the future, and youkais are not the dominate species." Kagome said bluntly and then her eyes widen in horror.

Sesshoumaru turned to her now, his golden gaze bore into her sapphire one as he lifted a delicate eyebrow. "Future?" He asked, his usually cold voice hinted with curiosity.

Kagome's heart sank, she didn't mean to tell him about where she came from, but it was too late now. Giving a sigh she sat up and nodded. "Yes I'm from the future." He wouldn't let her leave his gaze, although she desperately tried too.

"I never asked how you suddenly appeared at the well." Sesshoumaru smirked slowly. "Your scent wasn't there when I first appeared."

Kagome gave out another long sigh. "Yes the well is my portal from the future, that's how a travel back and forth. When I was fifteen, I guess you could say, I fell in a well, met Inuyasha and everyone and now I'm here."

"With the most arrogate youkai in all the land." Sesshoumaru's smirk grew, almost as if he were proud of it.

"And the most self-centered." Kagome added. "Ok so..." Kagome popped a few more berries in her mouth and looked into the fire and watched it dance across the forest floor. "We are getting closer to Fairy Fountain. So we have to think of a way to convinced Tsuki to break the chain." Kagome sighed and then grinned at Sesshoumaru. "Or you could just fall madly in love with me. But since that is unlikely, we better think of a way to convince Tsuki."

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru's golden eyes flickered.

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Inuyasha began panting as he ran faster through the thick forest. Their scent was strong now. He could even smell the fire and hear their muffled voices. He was close, so close to her that his blood began pulsating. "I'll save you Kagome." He whispered and picked up speed.

"Damn Inuyasha." Miroku cursed as he tried to keep up with the hanyou.

"Houshi-sama." Sango was riding on Kiara next to him, Shippou in front of her. "Hop on, just don't do anything perverted." Sango gave him a warning glare as Miroku jumped onto the speeding Kiara.

"Hai, Sango." He said when he could catch his breath.

Inuyasha slowed down, he saw their fire's glow and soon he began to pick up on their conversation. "Or you could just fall madly in love with me. But since that is unlikely, we better think of a way to convince Tsuki." He heard Kagome say with laughter in her voice.

"Indeed." He heard his brother reply.

Inuyasha came to a slow walk, and waited. Just exactly what where they talking about? Sesshoumaru falling in love with Kagome? And was Kagome actually joking with him? He was their rival for crying out loud!

"No matter how much you hate us." Kagome ate her last berries and returned her gaze back to Sesshoumaru. "You aren't our enemy." Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at this statement. "More like an unexpected ally." She titled her head, her smile growing. "Or an unwanted one. Think about it, we are both after the same person."

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru repeated again.

"You have to admit, Sesshoumaru, we did make a pretty good team back there." Kagome laid down and stretched, her voice soft. "A miko and a youkai, who would have thought?" Kagome's eye lids got heavy.

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru's usually hard voice was a tiny bit softer as he said this word slowly.

Inuyasha began to breathe heavily and he head began to spin. Team? What team was Kagome talking about? Sesshoumaru WAS the damn enemy. The guy tried to kill him a number of times. He even tried to kill Kagome! How could she trust him like that?

Inuyasha growled and jump from the bush, Kagome's eyes snapped open at the sudden moment and widened at the sight of Inuyasha. His amber eyes swirled with a storm of jealously.

"Inuyasha." Kagome breathed and quickly sat up. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" Inuyasha growled, showing his tiny fangs. "I'm protecting what's mine, Kagome. I'm protecting you from this bastard." His angry eyes shifted to Sesshoumaru whose face remained indifferent.

Kagome jumped to her feet and faced the hanyou, lightly she touched his shoulder. "Inuyasha I don't need protection, Sesshoumaru is protecting me-"

"Protecting you!" Inuyasha yelled and Kagome closed her eyes and sighed, wrong chose of words, she mentally slapped herself. "Kagome only I promised to protect you!" He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Sesshoumaru.

Slowly rising, Sesshoumaru grabbed the hilt of his Tokijin. Kagome stood between the two brothers, her eyes turned to Inuyasha, pleading. "Inuyasha it's ok! You don't have to worry about me. Sesshoumaru can't let me die!"

"What?" Inuyasha asked, never letting his gaze break from Sesshoumaru.

"He can't let me die." Kagome repeated. "He has to protect-" Just then Miroku, Sango, and Shippou, who were riding on Kiara sprung from the forest and were standing next to Inuyasha. Miroku hopped down and placed a firm hand on Inuyasha.

"Kagome-chan!" Sango hopped down and went to her friend, placing her in a fierce hug. Kagome quickly returned it, but then her eyes met Inuyasha's again.

"If I die, Sesshoumaru has to carry my dead body around for all eternity...until he dies. So..." She gave him a reassuring smile. "He won't let me die and he won't kill me, believe me he could have already done it by now."

"He doesn't need to be near you." Inuyasha spat.

Kagome's sapphire eyes began to swirl with anger. "Inuyasha." She spoke his name slowly. "We've been through this. Neither of us planned for this to happen, and neither of us wanted it."

Suddenly, Kagome felt Sesshoumaru directly behind her, "Inuyasha." He spoke his name evenly and with coldness. "Leave." He commanded and Inuyasha began to growl.

"No. I'm staying; I'm going to protect what is mine." He snapped angrily.

"Yours?" Now Kagome's anger began to rise. "Dammit Inuyasha we've been through this too." Giving a long sigh Kagome just shook her head. "I think it would be better if you left." She spoke the sentence softly and slowly.

A look of hurt flashed across the hanyou's eyes. Miroku squeezed his shoulder slightly. "She's right-"

"So you're with him now?" Inuyasha sheathed his sword and glared at her. "Fine, protect your own damn ass, wench." His voice abnormally cold and made Kagome flinch. He turned away and began to leave.

"Inuyasha, stop!" Kagome begged but the hanyou kept walking. "Sit!" She said and he fell into the ground. Walking over to him she knelt down; she placed one hand on his back and spoke softly. "I promised I'd help you find the shards. We're friends, Inuyasha and when this is over with I'll come back and help you, but now I think it's better if you weren't around. I don't want you to fight Sesshoumaru, not now and not ever." With that Kagome stood.

"Goodbye guys." She hugged her friends and watched them pick up the limp Inuyasha and ride away on Kiara's back. Giving a sigh, she and Sesshoumaru walked back to the fire and sat down.

Kagome hugged her knees and began to watch the flames lick the forest night air.

Sesshoumaru leaned up against a tree; his golden eyes looked at the large full moon. Every so often he would glance at Kagome from the corner of his eye. There was something different about her now, she seemed stressed ever since the worthless half breed had shown up.

She may not have noticed it, but Sesshoumaru felt the sudden shift in her aura once Inuyasha had arrived. It was as if the hanyou did something to her, stirred something unwanted and made her uneasy.

'Interesting.' Sesshoumaru thought to himself. "You better sleep." Sesshoumaru advised, but Kagome only sighed.

"I can't." She rested her head on her knees, her sapphire orbs never leaving the flames. Sesshoumaru silently asked why and Kagome answered his silent question, "Whenever he gets that way, he just takes a lot out of me and rattles my cages." She shrugged, "I have to cool down before I can sleep." Sesshoumaru listened and watched the moon's glow.

"I bet you're thinking, 'Then why go back to him'? Well I have to, I made a promise. I broke that jewel in the first place, now I must put it back together, at all cost." Slowly her orbs met his, and she seemed somewhat saddened. "At all cost." She repeated softly.

Sesshoumaru stared at her in silent wonder. What was this creature Kagome all about?

End of Chapter

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Moonchild: Man it's like... 1 am and I'm starving.

Kagome: yawns How can you be so energized at 1? I'm beat.

Moonchild: Night Creature, plus --holds up large bag of chocolate-- I got this! munches

Inuyasha: --knocked out snoring--

Sesshoumaru: --kicks Inuyasha--

Inuyasha: Hey! Jerk, I was sleeping!

Sesshoumaru: I know, people in California know, your snoring caused another earthquake.

Inuyasha: Whoa I'm sorry.

Moonchild: It's a metaphor Inuyasha. He just meant you were being loud.

Inuyasha: --blank stare--

Moonchild: --covers mouth with hand-- Oh my gosh Inuyasha really is an idiot.

Inuyasha: Shut up wench.

Moonchild: Um, no. Anyways I better close; Kagome is half asleep over there. Ok! Thanks for reading chappie 4 of my fanfic. Hope you enjoyed! And I want send out a special thank you to all my reviewers, you guys mean a lot. hugs Please send a review, no flames, the burn the soul with pain!