Disclaimers: I don't own InuYasha or any related themes or characters. Yes, exactly the same disclaimer as the last chapter.

Chance of Death Part 2

That night, InuYasha's condition worsened. Sesshoumaru forbade Kagome to go near the hanyou, knowing what she would do. Kaede and the others stayed the night in another hut, giving the two a little privacy.

Kagome's lip curled up in an ironic sneer.

Privacy that night was a myth. There were two noble youkai stationed just outside the entrance to Kaede's place of residence, who's ears were sharper than Kagome could imagine, and who's sense of smell could detect even the smallest change in the amount of blood pouring from InuYasha's wounds.

Kagome pulled her knees to her chest, having previously changed into a pair of soft pajamas; a matching pair of shorts and a spaggetti-strap shirt. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she rested her chin on her knees. She willed herself to sit still, even as her desire to do the opposite grew with every second her eyes lingered on her injured hanyou.

One hand felt at the bite mark he'd left with her. It was twinging, and Kagome had been observant enough to realize that it did so every time InuYasha's condition changed. It twinged when the bloodflow slowed, it twinged when it sped up, it twinged when he became conscious, it twinged when he blacked out. Under the twinge was a slow, steady throb, though it wasn't one of pain, but a comforting pressure. She didn't know what it was, and Sesshoumaru wouldn't allow her close enough to figure it out.

She felt worthless, weak, pathetic, and pitiful. She'd been out for a day short of a full week, and InuYasha had done nothing to indicate his condition. Because of this, she was unable to help. Sesshoumaru was mad at her for her ignorance, and the look on Kouga's face when he looked at her clearly told her that he understood, and felt for her. She didn't want any pity.

Kagome stifled a whimper. An unfamiliar pulse wracked her frame, coming from somewhere in the pit of her stomach and spreading through her chest and up her neck into her throat, almost like heartburn. She frowned. Heartburn didn't start from the stomach, did it? Could it have been stomach acid?

Kagome heard an echo, even though she didn't hear it with her ears. She knew perfectly well that the others wouldn't hear it. It was strange, hearing and not hearing at the same time. When she concentrated on the words that seemed to be forming, they became more of a background noise, like white noise but not so calming as confusing. When she tried to ignore it, it grew louder, and more comprehensible. When she ignored it to hear it, it had the same effect of listening actively.

Eventually she was thrown into a state of an almost-meditation, for which she thought "almost" because she didn't know what it was like to meditate.

The echo was laughing.

She decided she didn't like the laugh.

The echo was getting what it wanted; InuYasha was dying, and he would be going to hell.

Kagome was snapped out of her trance with an abrupt sharpness. Like a deep sleep, it pulled back at her. Unable to move, the young miko tried to find something to anchor on to. She found her anchor in the pulse by her neck, and the slow rise and fall of InuYasha's chest that reflected his breathing.

"They're asleep," someone rasped. Kagome blinked rapidly. She saw InuYasha's lips move, but the voice that came out wasn't his own. He swollowed convulsively, and was spurred into a caughing fit. Ignoring how she'd been forced to stay away from him, she jumped up and rushed to his side, propping him up into a sitting position. He turned his face slightly away from her, covering his mouth with his hand.

Between coughs, InuYasha's breath rattled in his lungs. When the fit finally subsided, Kagome's eyes were watering from the sound of InuYasha's breathing.

"Kagome"

"You should try to rest," Kagome interrupted. She started to move to get him in a more comfortable position, and simultaniously reached for some herbs and a basin of water. "Your bleeding still hasn't stopped and"

"Kagome," InuYasha tried to stop her from talking, but she went on anyway, obviously trying to get her mind off of what caused his injuries to worsen. He couldn't understand why she was guilting herself so much when she hadn't even been able to open her eyes for six days, and then she didn't know what was going on. Not to metion Sesshoumaru's total asshole-ness reeking up the place and making her feel worse.

"Sesshoumaru said that if you rested you might be able to get enough strength to pull through this and"

"Kagome!" InuYasha hissed, though it wasn't enough to wake the obnoxious youkai outside the entrance.

The miko in question blinked at him, taken aback when he caught her hand in his, attempting to get her attention.

"Sesshoumaru's an asshole," InuYasha announced. Kagome frowned, noting that his voice had mostly recovered, but he was looking pale.

"But he sounded so sure about it, and Kouga even-"

"Bite me," InuYasha scoffed. With all that had happened, Kagome wasn't sure if he meant that literally or figuratively.

"Wh-what?" She inwardly grimaced that her voice sounded so breathy. "B-but both Kouga and Sesshoumaru said that you wouldn't survive the-"

"Oi," InuYasha's voice had by then returned to normal, apparently working out whatever was in his throat. "Have you noticed that neither of them have mates? Who's to say they're experts?"

"Who's to say that you-!"

InuYasha covered her mouth with his hand, giving her a clear message that she was being too loud, and could wake up the youkai outside. She pouted, but quieted down. He still hadn't relinquished his hold on her hand, which they both realized quite suddenly.

They realized this suddenly because their hands had started to glow a pink color with Kagome's miko energy. InuYasha was confused because it wasn't hurting, and Kagome was terrified because she didn't know what was happening. Experimentally, InuYasha released her. Almost instantly he felt sick again. He didn't remember ever feeling better, but realized that it must have happened gradually, which was why he didn't notice it.

Kagome, for her part, felt cold. She hadn't noticed it before that she was warm, but now that she felt the temperature of only a few minutes ago, she wanted that warmth back. She thought this only in the back of her mind though, because her focus was her concern over InuYasha's slightly pained expression. She grabbed his hand this time, lacing their fingers together and refusing to let go. If her miko powers felt like healing InuYasha, well, by God, she'd heal InuYasha!

The glow around their hands returned, and brighter than before. The pressing echo that was in a remote corner of Kagome's mind was completely squelched, though she knew it was still there. Both she and InuYasha were completely fixated on the glow. She found herelf in a similar situation as before, where when she concentrated on the glow, it dimmed. When she tried to break her concentration and say something to InuYasha, it brightened. When she tried to ignore it in order to watch it, it receeded. Again in that trance-like state where she was aware and unaware of the glow, she fed the energy.

She found her aura blanketing InuYasha and filling the room. She knew every place he was injured, even down to the smallest bruise. They stood out brightly, and Kagome realized without realizing that she could see his aura. His wounds stood out in black clouds against the field of red, and her own pink aura concentrated in these clouds, dispersing them and healing him.

InuYasha's aura responded in kind, not challenging Kagome's for dominance, but nurturing a mutual understanding that there could be no constant dominant in this relationship. At the moment, Kagome was the dominant. InuYasha's youkai rebelled at the idea, but as soon as the injuries were healed, his aura swelled, encasing Kagome with his presence as he caught her in his arms. The youkai was satisfied with the turn of the dominance, and soothed Kagome's strained aura. She grew limp, mentally exhausted.

"What just happened? How can I help, Kagome?"

"Just need to rest," Kagome groaned, snuggling into InuYasha's bare chest, and the warmth he offered. "Don't worry about it."

Kagome was asleep by the time that InuYasha had shaken off enough shock to say, "I didn't say anything."