Chapter 2: The Struggle for Warmth and Understanding
Kagome remembers all of this, and their struggle on the first day back getting a sense of Kikyo's plan and how she was able to attack. From Kaede and Inuyasha's information it seemed that Kikyo's powers had somewhat changed. But what could cause that change. To make her strong enough to almost destroy a whole village and fight off a half-youkai and just have mercenaries standing by incase they were needed, if she failed in her task.
Now all assembled and after a fight between Inuyasha and Kaede about her being able to come, they were braving this weird storm that had come to find their dear abducted friend. As Kagome was lost in her memories it had gotten colder and the winds had picked up more. She looked behind her to see Miroku helping Kaede through the snow with Sango following behind them. Inuyasha had seemed to disappear in front on them with the winds blowing so fast around him as he raced through the snow and wind. If only they all could be like him. Yet times like these he could be so insensitive she thought. There he goes running up ahead not caring about any of us…
She touched her hand to her now frozen lips, yet she still remembered that kiss in her room. It had blown her away and made her want more but she had to wait until she retrieved Shippou first. Kagome started to feel so weak and hardly noticed the cold anymore. Yet she kept going trying to keep Inuyasha in sight still only occasionally catching glimpses of his red kimono dashing through the snow. She smiled then thinking of the Americans Santa Claus with his red suit dashing through the snow with his reindeer. Yet it was not wintertime in her time and should not be in this time either. Something or someone was causing this storm and her best guess was Kikyo. She could feel her and the shards and that's why they went on this trek, through the cold and ice, she felt Kikyo and the Shikon shards.
Inuyasha looked back and could hardly see his group any more, he had to find them shelter and so far there had been none in sight. Yet with this storm they could have passed many and he would have not know it. His hanyou senses just weren't too good in a blizzard. But these humans would not be able to withstand the cold much longer especially the elder Kaede. They might just lose her if he didn't find something soon. He continued to race ahead looking for any sort of shelter for all of them and to keep them warm. Then in the distance he spotted the dark object. Was it a hut? He raced towards closer and closer until he knew he found them shelter. Then he turned around; he could not see any of them. Inuyasha raced back to the others now having found shelter.
Miroku now carried Kaede and helping Sango walk, feeling their weight dragging him but he had to move forward. They needed shelter and fast; he could feel Kaede slipping away from them. Then he saw it Kagome fell into the snow lost in its whiteness. He struggled to her, Sango realizing something was different looked up and saw it too. She tried to move herself from Miroku to not be such a burden on him so they could get to Kagome. Just then a flash of red came through the snow at them. It must be Inuyasha; it has to be she thought.
It was Inuyasha and when he saw the situation he thanked the gods that were higher than he and his kind for finding that shelter. He picked up Kagome and tried as best he could to tell Miroku and Sango he found shelter. But the winds had started to howl and became stronger than before, if it were possible, for them to hear him. He motioned for them to follow him. Not long afterwards they reached the shelter he found, he had to use what strength he had from fighting the storm and carrying Kagome to force open the door. He soon fell in, then got himself and Kagome moving further into the shelter. Then Miroku and Sango came in carrying Kaede and closed the door after sitting her down. Inuyasha found the fireplace with its pit and looked around the hut some more. Apparently this was no commoner's place, the people who once lived here or still did had some wealth. For there was wood stocked by the fireplace in the main room they all had entered, he used it to start a fire. Going further in to the hut he found that with luck it was a house and wondered where the owners were. There were blankets and bedding with separate bedrooms, three in all and a cooking area also. It made him think of his homelands when he was a child when his parents were alive and his ancestral home he loved, which SesshoMaru had forced him to leave. Each room also had a smaller version of the fireplace he lit before. He took Kagome into one of those bedrooms and lit another fire for her and placed her into the bedding covering her. Miroku passed by the room looking for him. Inuyasha explained the lay out of the house so far as he knew and told him to put Sango and Kaede in the room next to that one and there was wood and a fireplace to light to keep them warm along with bedding.
Once he had Kagome wrapped in blankets and a fire was going strong he wandered the house some more. Miroku came to find him then as he explored and they both began to wonder what happened to the owners. They proceeded to light fires in the important rooms of the house they would use, making sure they would hold up and then go check on the girls. Miroku found that in his absence Sango had awoke again after falling asleep when they were trying to get Kaede into the bedding. She had gone to the next room where Inuyasha and Miroku had planned to sleep since it was setup for two people to sleep separately. They figured it was the children's room. For this house was clearly made for a large family.
Miroku looked at Inuyasha " so where are we to sleep if the ladies are taking all the rooms, unless Sango would allow me to sleep with her?" he said with a silly smile. The priest was truly a pervert. Yet Inuyasha's reply was " I will check on Kagome and then sleep in the main room. You do what you like." He stated and walked away. Miroku stood watching him go thinking about the hanyou. Why wouldn't Inuyasha finally admit he loved Kagome they all knew it, but maybe the half-youkai did not know it himself. But Miroku had better things to think of besides Inuyasha's love triangle. He went to check Kaede and found the old woman warming and sleeping fine. So he went to check Sango and if he was lucky might get her to bear his child, he smiled that silly grin again.
Inuyasha entered Kagome's room and checked her. She was not getting any better than when he left her, if not she was colder. He took the bedding from her and realized her clothing was wet for the first time. He had no choice he had to remove the wet clothing and get her dry so the heat would take effect; if not she would have a terrible cold or worse. So he began to take off her clothes trying not to look except, this outfit was new to him, something she never wore before, yet he had gotten her when she arrived home and no time to really pack. So he had a hard time releasing her skirt, occasionally having to look at her body and notice her curves and breasts with their erect nipples because of the cold. Finally he was able to release the skirt and needed to release himself too. Her body and the slight smell of her scent were driving him mad. Yet he took the blanket and dried her and then wrapped her once again. He then moved closer to the fire made sure it was ok and left the room. Even though he heard her say she loved him, she did not tell him directly so until then he would take things slow and try to calm himself. Maybe he would go take a little walk in the snow but close to the house to help calm himself.
As he entered the hall he could hear the pervert priest try to make the moves on Sango. WHACK He figured Sango had some of her strength back, as he moved along to the great room. Upon entering he checked the fire again and then went into the cooking area. He found rice bags and bowls and found a door that lead to meats hanging in wait to be cooked, some going old. Whoever lived here either left in a hurry or died, but he figured in a hurry, things here were like they just walked out one day and never came back. He checked the food and some was still good. At least he would not have to hunt in this blizzard. He moved the bad food to a pile at the end of the extra room to keep from mixing with the good. He found some tea but some things were missing that he needed. So he headed back to Kagome's room to check her pack. He knew he packed some stuff from her time in there that he could use.
As he entered she was just stirring, he stopped and looked at her, awaking from her slumber. She was really beautiful, if she only knew how much he wanted her to be his, not just a mate but his alone forever. He tried to think of the human term for it, oh yes marriage, something the silly humans do to proclaim themselves forever. But if it worked, he do it for Kagome, if she wanted him, that he was not sure of though, not until she repeated those words to him and he could see it in her expressive eyes. He would know when he looked there, just as he knew when he hurt her before or when she was mad or was going to say the 'S' word. The same pressure he felt pull him to the ground, was what he felt pull his heart to her when he looked into those eyes.
Kagome looked around her wondering where she was, this place was one of wealth, and how she got here was a mystery. She felt someone looking at her and she looked up to see Inuyasha staring at her. She blushed, knowing he could see the rise in color from her neck to her face. Yet he was not looking there but at her eyes, and she knew it, what did he see, what did he want?
Inuyasha saw the emotions and questions go across her face and in her eyes, he saw her blush but her eyes were really important to him. He began to walk towards her and then sat down beside her, she blushed again, and then she looked down and looked back at him. He could see it before she could say it. "No Kagome, you were freezing I had no choice but to take them off you, Kaede and Sango are also being nursed by Miroku and myself" Inuyasha said before she could 'sit' him. Kagome somewhat a little more at ease just sat there, then turned and smiled at him. And he saw it there in her eyes, what he been looking for. She would be his, but it still was not right yet, this was not the time.
Kagome looked at him and thought of him undressing her and realized that she wanted him, wanted him now, but was that wise? She had never really known if the words she heard were his or her imagination carrying them in the wind. But he was looking at her with the same feeling she was having, those words were his she knew it. But until he made a move she would say nothing about it. They had not had the chance to speak of that day, but she knew it was on both of their minds along with Shippou. At that Kagome became sad again and looked to Inuyasha who had looked away and seemed to shiver. Then she wondered about Miroku and how they all were going to sleep.
"Inuyasha where is Miroku now? And where are you two sleeping?" she asked worried he might not actually take a bed since she knew this place had to have some room with the wealth she saw around her.
"He is with Sango now, he went to her not long ago thinking he could sleep with her since she took our room. So I will find somewhere in these many rooms to sleep. I just came to check your pack and get some supplies I put there so I could go back to the cooking area and make sure we all had food." He explained starting to stand again, this time with a distinct shiver she could not mistake. He was cold and she noticed he was also wet from the snow. How long had it been since they arrived? Why hadn't he taken care of himself yet? Oh well this was her guy and she would have to take care of him whether he liked it or not.
"Inuyasha you go to the cooking area and get started I will be there shortly." She said standing to get dressed, not covering her nakedness in front of him. It was like she expected him to go as soon as she gave the order and forgot he was there. Inuyasha left the room, feeling more of a strain on his young body as he did before. He really had to take that walk in the snow.
Kagome got dressed in a robe she found and followed after Inuyasha to the cooking area. She found him preparing soup that smelt very good amazed at his cooking ability. "Hey Inuyasha why did you never cook before? You always had me do it, when you could have." She said with a smile, waiting for any answer and a bowl. "Well you never asked" he replied smiling slyly. That dog she thought, hiding that from me all this time and he could have helped out, probably thinks its just women's work unless he has none around to do it for him or steal from.
"Yes its women's work and yes only when I have no one which is all the time and yes I steal when I can, so is that a crime, wanting to eat and not get sick from my own cooking." He responded with a growl, Kagome blushed not knowing she said her comments out loud. Yet quickly getting her wits about her got a little upset.
"Well you could have said something, do you know how tired I was on so many of our journeys and had to cook for you and a child too!" she responded louder and louder. An argument was starting between the two once again. "You and him run around our camp and play and fight and I'm there cooking cleaning making sure all is right for us. You never think about my needs Inuyasha.!" She said marching out of the cooking area and back to her room. Inuyasha was close behind her.
"Well like I said its your own fault for not asking," he growled and became louder " you're a woman and your supposed to cook my food especially after I fight all day and almost die everyday to save you and that child." He replied back, they went on like this for some time.
Miroku and Sango awoke to the noise the couple was making. "Again, even in desperate times those two will fight, why don't they say they love each other and get it over with." Sango grumbled. Miroku mumbled his acknowledgement also still holding her in his arms. Then they both went back to sleep.
The argument blazed until Kagome asked Inuyasha "Why did you say those things to me if you feel so strongly about me?" she paused and lowered her head in defeat.
Then like a whisper she said "I would have never said what I did if I knew this" and she turned away from him and ran into the room then laid on the bedding and cried.
Inuyasha seeing this closed the door behind him and walked over to her with a sad expression of guilt. Sitting beside her he calls her name softly "Kagome? Kagome, Kagome I'm so sorry I didn't mean to hurt you again." He then grabs her and pulls her to him her weeping face in his chest. "My Kagome, I don't like hurting you, but I don't know what to say when I'm around you. I just don't know how to express myself and I know I can be a jerk, my mother called my dad that too." He starts playing in her hair his eyes closed remembering. "But he told her something and she told me what he said which was. 'Don't listen to my words but hear them and you will know me.' And I'm asking that of you Kagome until I can express myself for you." He tells her, playing in her hair still letting it glide off his hand, filling his nose with her scent.
That sweet smell of Jasmine and a strange thing from her time that makes him think of sweet things for them. He sits there holding her with a smile thinking, Kagome and I together with children happily playing sharing both worlds while she finishes her tests. Having Kaede bless their children's arrivals, and her brother Sota as their uncle teaching them their mother's world and he his world. Inuyasha snapped out of his dream, for it was still too soon for him and Kagome, yet when he smelled her and dreamed, it all felt so real and right. Inuyasha wanted the battles to stop and for her to be his, so they could share their lives. But for it to be over they would need the rest of the Shikon shards to complete the jewel. When they did he would announce to his love, Inuyasha stopped in his thinking, do I really love her? Is this what has been happening to me? Yes my heart would break if she left me, but I do really love her…
At that Inuyasha's smile widened and he looked to Kagome in his arms. She was looking back at him thinking about the words he said. It seemed that Inuyasha's father too, had problems expressing his feelings, well except for anger if you could go by Inuyasha. Yet in still he was able to come up with the best thing to try to show his woman he loved her and cared for her. Was this what Inuyasha was trying to say to her and she had her confirmation from three days ago? But she needed to really think about his words and all the things he had said to her before to be sure. Yet she knew one thing by the feel of him he was cold and wet, but he wanted to be with her. It was something she could just feel in her soul, knowledge that went along with being human and in love.
Inuyasha watched those eyes that opened to him letting him know her and feel her like in no other way. This was were the connection began, when she awakened him at the tree so long ago now it seemed and they looked at each other's eyes. Their souls meeting and understanding each other's pain, sorrow, and love. This was real right her in his arms and yes no matter what nothing, not a damn thing, would take that away.
"Inuyasha, you're cold and have been shivering all night. Why don't you go put the soup away and come back here and rest? Since it seems you have no bed, you can share with me tonight. You need your strength for the journey ahead." She told him still looking at him in thought, seeing him finally hearing her. When he looked again she blushed knowing her words did sound like an offer for more. Still she trusted him; he would never try to take her unless she wanted also. He would know it, like she would when the time was right. He looked at her and knew she was concerned about him and decided he would take her offer. Yet he knew she did not offer more than rest and warmth.
"Ok Kagome, I will be back shortly." And with that he got up and walked out.
Kagome began to get into the bedding once more taking off the robe and began to relax. She curled under the now heated blankets from the fire they were so close to. She laid there thinking about the kiss she and Inuyasha had shared. That kiss of understanding, she knew he understood her pain at losing Shippou because he felt the same. It seemed right to kiss and sharing that feeling, for they were like the kitsune's parents. As parents they were concerned for their child's safety, and vowed they would get him back. At that thought she began to silently weep, her frustration building, then releasing.
Kagome never noticed Inuyasha re-enter the room and disrobe, climbing under the bedding, the only light from the fire. Yet he knew something was wrong with her, he continued to look at her back and she never once stirred at his arrival. Then his keen hearing heard it, the sound that melted his heart. Her weeping so softly so quiet that made him want to shred the person who caused it. He put his arm over her waist and pulled her back to him, putting his head in her hair. Whispering to her that it will all be fine, in that moment he knew what caused those tears, the loss of a child.
She turned over to look at him, smiling at him, streaks of tears down her face. He slowly moved his claws over her face removing them, his expression showing his concern. She continued to watch him, showing so much consideration for her, then blushed. He smiled back at her then moving to kiss her; she closed her eyes, waiting for it.
This kiss was nothing like before, the first had been innocent just a mutual sharing. This one was at first like that, then changed to something more. It lasted longer, neither wanting to lose contact, he moved slowly savoring this moment. Moving his tongue over her lips teasing her mouth for reentry, then acceptance given, he kissed her again. This time with more hunger and fire, letting Kagome know he really did want her and she didn't need a feeling to know it.
Then as quickly as he kissed her, he released her. He rolled over onto his back, putting his arms behind his head. Kagome opened her eyes once more and turned onto her back too. As she did she felt the reason for Inuyasha's sudden change, now really knowing he wanted her. She smiled greatly for knowing that, just then Inuyasha moved one of his arms and pulled her head onto his shoulder. Wrapping that same arm around her along with the other and kissed her on her head. Then they both closed their eyes, with smiles on their faces. Yes we will find him and make our family whole again, they thought as they drifted off to sleep.