This is the smut chapter. Very little plot, lots of angst, fluff, and smut with feelings.


The sound of her grief rang clear, the floor between them providing no barrier to his hanyō hearing. Every sob, every hitched breath, stabbed straight into his heart. How had he fucked up so bad? He'd just wanted to comfort her and he'd somehow driven her away instead…

Kagome approached him, her head hung low. He could smell her despair and her tears the second she'd gotten back to the shrine. Not wasting a second, he'd run out the door and met her near the sacred tree. He'd wondered briefly if something else had happened in his absence. It was unlike her to look so defeated. Everyone was fine when he'd left, if a little banged up. Even Kikyo's injury had looked much worse than it actually was.

"Kagome, talk to me," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. "Did something else happen?"

She shook her head against his chest and gripped the back of his shirt. "No, no nothing else happened. It's just...it's a lot to deal with."

He held her close as her tears started to fall. His hands traced soothing patterns up and down her back and he placed small kisses on and nuzzled the top of her head.

When she spoke, her voice was almost too low to hear. "I killed two people."

"They were the bad guys, Kagome. You can't blame yourself for what you had to do."

Her grip on his shirt tightened and she tried to burrow further into his embrace. "I don't...don't know how to deal with it. I can't stop thinking about it." Inuyasha tensed as her voice started to rise, panic creeping into her tone. "I see them every time I close my eyes. I just...just…"

He pulled back and gripped her shoulders. "Hey, stop that! I know it's hard but you were just defending yourself and Kikyo. You can't-"

"That doesn't change what I did. I-"

"Kagome, stop." His voice was firm but gentle as he cut her off. "You did what you had to do to survive until help got there. It's alright, really."

"No!" Her shout was loud and Inuyasha had to flatten his ears against the sound. "It's not...I can't deal with this. I have to...just leave me alone. I need to be alone."

She yanked out of his grasp and stumbled towards the house. Inuyasha followed but she slammed the front door then, when he continued to follow her anyway, her bedroom door in his face. With another shouted 'go away' she'd locked her door and shut him out.

The hours had passed and even her mother couldn't get through to her. She'd sent Sota to stay with a friend and had gone to bed herself about an hour ago. Now, four hours after Kagome had shut him out, that left only the two of them awake and he still didn't know what to do. He'd spent almost the entire time camped outside her room, throwing occasional pleas and words of comfort through the door. It all went ignored.

He'd given up when he thought she'd fallen asleep but her crying had resumed shortly after he settled onto his bed. He'd been listening and debating with himself for the last half hour, contemplating just breaking her door down. Some part of him, some instinct buried not far under the surface, was crying out to him to do whatever he needed to comfort her. Another sob and he couldn't take it anymore. She needed him, whether she knew it or not, whether she liked it or not. She couldn't be alone right now.

He pulled out his phone and sent a text.

[I know you don't really want to see me right now but I'm here if you need someone. Even if you just want me to sit with you…I won't push you to talk, I promise]

Kagome glanced at her phone and saw the message through the blur of tears. She'd spent a good chunk of her evening crying over her actions while beating herself up for pushing Inuyasha away. She was exhausted and her emotions were a jumbled mess, her day weighing heavily upon her heart. If there was ever a time when she needed to be near him, it was now and she was letting her pride and guilt get in the way. Determined to make things right and to accept the solace he was offering, she climbed off her bed.

He heard her phone go off and her sobs stopped momentarily. It took a few minutes but the sound of her footsteps moving across the floor above him made his heart flutter. He tracked her all the way down the steps before getting up to meet her in the hallway.

She was a wreck. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her clothing rumpled, hair falling out of its neat bun in tendrils that curled around her face and brushed against her neck. Her usual radiance was dulled, her whole body sagging with the burden her heart was carrying. When she looked up at him, sniffling, her lower lip trembling, he couldn't stop himself. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her firmly against his chest, burying his face in her hair.

"Fuck, Kagome, I'm so sorry, so fucking sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone. I should have tried-"

She clung to his t-shirt and shook her head. She wasn't going to let him blame himself for her stubbornness. "Don't, please, not right now. I just...I know what I said but you're right, I need to not be alone. I need you."

He held her for several minutes, feeling her body tremble and her shoulders shake when she tried to suppress a sob. He rubbed her back soothingly and it made her burrow further into his embrace. She sought comfort and he gave it willingly. This was what she needed, what they both needed.

"C'mon," he said, pulling away and taking her hand to lead her back towards his room. "You can throw on one of my t-shirts so you don't have to go back upstairs." She sat on his bed while he rummaged around for a shirt. He found one that would be long enough to cover her to at least mid-thigh and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she mumbled. She balled her hands in the material and bit her bottom lip. Did she even deserve his comfort right now?

He crouched in front of her and covered her hands with his. "Hey," he said and waited until she looked at him. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to grab something real quick. Go ahead and change and get comfortable, alright?"

She nodded and her breath hitched trying to hold back more tears. He cupped her cheek and ran his thumb over her lip so she would stop biting it. Her eyes closed and she leaned into his touch, nuzzling his hand, and his gut did a little flip at the affectionate gesture.

Reluctantly, he pulled away and stood up before he did something stupid, like join her on the bed and kiss her until she forgot all her pain. She needed emotional support and some sleep, not someone to grope her. He turned and left the room, heading across the hall to the bathroom. It took a few minutes of searching but he eventually found the bottle of aspirin; she was going to have a headache from all the crying.

Figuring she hadn't eaten in all the confusion, he made his way down the hallway to the kitchen. He grabbed two cups of instant ramen, adding the water and throwing them in the microwave. While he was waiting, he grabbed two bottles of water out of the fridge. The microwave finished and he started piling everything onto a serving tray to take to his room.

When he got back he saw that she'd changed and was sitting sideways on the bed with her back to the wall, her hands balled into fists in her lap. She looked up when he entered and his stomach clenched at the glassy-eyed look she gave him before dropping her eyes back to her hands. He set the tray with the food and water on his nightstand and sat next to her on the bed.

He knew he should say something, or do something, anything to bring her back to reality. She was in her head, probably replaying memories from her two attacks, and that couldn't be good for her right now. "Kagome," he tried, "I don't...I just...damn. What do you need, Kagome? What can I do?" His voice wavered and she finally looked at him. "I want to help you but I don't know how."

Kagome roused from her stupor when she heard his plea and glanced from him to the nightstand. There were two cups of ramen, two bottles of water, and a bottle of aspirin. Her stomach growled and her head throbbed and she wondered how he could be so perfect. "Inuyasha, you didn't have to-"

"Hey," he cut her off. "Don't. I want to help you. You need to eat something and take some aspirin. Can you do that for me?" If he wasn't watching her so intently he would have missed her small nod. He leaned forward and grabbed a cup of ramen and chopsticks, handing it over to her. She took both without protest and took a tentative sip of the broth. Satisfied, he picked his own cup up so she wasn't eating alone.

They ate slowly and at some point she scooted a little closer, letting their hips touch. She only managed to finish about half of her ramen but it was better than nothing. Inuyasha set everything back on the tray then gave her two aspirin and one of the bottles of water.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she said and swallowed the two pills, closing her eyes and downing about half the bottle of water. She opened her eyes and what he saw made his chest constrict all over again. Gone was the glassy-eyed stare from only a few minutes ago, replaced with gratitude, trust, and love as she gazed up at him.

"You should get some rest," he said. "It's been a long day."

She smiled, probably for the first time in hours, and grabbed his hand. "That's quite the understatement but you're right." As if to prove his point, she yawned and shook her head.

He put the bottle of water back on the nightstand and they fell into their familiar sleeping arrangement, only now Kagome was facing him so she could bury her face in his chest. He stroked her hair and murmured in her ear until her heartbeat slowed and her breathing evened out. The tension of the day slowly left her body, her muscles relaxing in his hold. It didn't take long for him to follow her into slumber.

He woke up with Kagome still pressed firmly against him, her breath fanning against his neck, his nose buried in her hair, surrounded by her soothing scent. The closeness was making it hard for his groggy mind to think. He was too wrapped up in her, the feel of her, the sounds she was making. He'd come uncomfortably close to having her taken away twice now and it made him want to hide her away from the world, protect her life at all costs.

He was hit with a sudden urge, an instinctual fire burning through his veins that shocked him fully awake. He needed to hear her voice and feel her moving under his hands. He needed to affirm that she was alive and safe and here with him. The feeling slammed into him, the urge to feel every part of her knocking the air from his lungs in its suddenness.

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to climb over her and run his hands over every inch of her body, memorize every curve and find every way to make her gasp and moan. He wanted to remove their clothes, press her into the bed, and sink into her over and over until they both forgot their problems. His heart hammered in his chest and he had to stifle a groan. He loved having her in his arms, loved being the one to comfort her, loved the way her hands gripped the front of his shirt to pull him closer. Fuck, he loved her so much.

His mind and heart warred, unbeknownst to the woman sleeping in his arms. She needed sleep but he needed her. He closed his eyes, willed himself to join her in slumber so he wouldn't have to think about this anymore. It didn't help, his mind conjuring images of Kagome, naked and writhing underneath him. Fuck, he was so screwed. Where was this even coming from?

He glanced at his clock and saw it was still hours until morning. He wasn't going to be able to sleep but he didn't want to disturb Kagome. Slowly and carefully, he started to move away from her. He got his arms loose and was reaching for her hands to extricate them from his shirt when she started to stir.

"Inu...yash…" Kagome croaked as she floated towards consciousness. She looked up and was met with an intense golden stare. Even in her half-awake state, the fire burning in his eyes set her own body aflame.

"Hey," he whispered and ran his fingers over her cheek. His heart was hammering in his chest so loudly he was sure she'd be able to hear it.

Her eyelids fluttered when his fingers brushed her skin and she let out a little sigh. "What time…?" she asked, still not completely awake.

"Late," he said. "You should go back to sleep."

She wiggled closer to him and her left arm wrapped around his abdomen, his arms wrapping back around her of their own accord. Her eyes remained open, studying his face as she came fully awake. "Don't want to sleep right now," she said. "I want to hold you." Her cheeks warmed but she didn't look away.

He watched her tongue dart out to wet her lips, her eyes flicking briefly down to his mouth and back up. The only sounds in the room were their uneven breathing and their too-fast heartbeats. He was too aware of her, her scent, the look in her eyes, and of everywhere their bodies touched.

Fuck, he needed out of this bed before they did something stupid. She was so close...her lips were inches from his...she smelled so fucking good. "Kagome," he practically whined her name. "I…"

"Inuyasha," she breathed his name, gripped his shirt tighter, and pulled him closer. They were doing too much lying there and not enough kissing. She wanted to forget her day and she wanted to be closer to Inuyasha. As far as she was concerned, this was a two birds with one stone situation.

He was done for, the rest of his resolve crumbling to dust. He closed the distance between them and claimed her lips with his, moving his mouth against hers, letting his right hand tangle in her hair to tilt her head.

She responded eagerly, her lips caressing and parting slightly. Her body pressed closer, every curve fitting against him perfectly.

Her tongue teased his lips and his gasp granted her access. Her taste exploded on his tongue, sweet and slightly salty from the ramen. He couldn't get enough. The moan when she ran her tongue over one of his fangs was the most erotic sound he'd ever heard and he pushed his tongue against hers, battling for access to her mouth. He finally pushed past her lips and let out his own moan when her taste intensified.

The smell of her arousal rose around them and his cock hardened in response. Her hips rocked against him and his hand tightened in her hair, cradling her head. He managed to break their kiss, taking deep, shaky breaths. He pressed his forehead against hers and sighed her name.

This wasn't like their other encounters. If they went further, if they didn't stop now, he would be lost in her. Fuck, he was already lost; who was he kidding? He pulled back, intending to stop this so she could get the rest she so desperately needed. "Kagome, we can't-"

"Don't, please," she cut him off. "This is...Inuyasha, I...dammit." She buried her face against his chest and tightened her arm around him. "I want you...I need you." Her slightly muffled voice was clear as day to his hanyō ears.

How could he turn her down when he needed her just as much?

They stayed wrapped in each other's arms for a while. There was no rush, no need to push forward at the moment. They would get there when they were ready. After several minutes, she pulled back and started to roll away from him.

"Hey, where you going?" he asked and fuck, he sounded panicked. She probably just had to use the bathroom and he was freaking out.

"I just gotta use the bathroom, I'll be right back."

Yep, he was an idiot. He watched her walk across the room, admiring her exposed legs below the t-shirt and the way the fabric brushed against her hips. When she disappeared through the door, he allowed himself to fall on his back and throw an arm across his face.

He heard the toilet flush followed by the sounds of her brushing her teeth. Despite his internal struggle, it was exceedingly difficult to put images of what may happen between them tonight out of his mind. It wasn't a big deal, they weren't teenagers and it was only sex. It was just another step in their already solid relationship. But fuck, he didn't want to mess this up.

She came back and wasted no time crawling back into bed next to him. Instead of lying down, she crossed her legs and leaned back against the pillows. Her head turned towards him as she reached a hand out to rub one of his ears, eliciting a soft moan from him in response.

"Woman, you have no idea what that does to me," he groaned.

She reached her other hand over and started rubbing both ears. "Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea."

He let her indulge herself for a few more seconds before reaching up to take hold of her wrists. "I might die from lack of blood to the brain if you keep that up." He punctuated his insinuation by wiggling his eyebrows and glancing down at his crotch.

Kagome giggled and let her hands drop into her lap. "Don't want that. We've got enough problems to deal with"

"Keh, this is all your fault, I hope you know."

"What?! How's anything my fault."

"You coulda just left me stranded in that damn bunker. I'd have been completely fine with starving to death, thank you very much."

She picked a pillow up and smacked him across the face with it. "Ass."

That was a mistake. "Wanna play that game, huh?"

Kagome squealed as Inuyasha tackled her and went straight for tickling her sides. Had she been capable of speech at the moment, she'd have marveled at how he was managing to tickle her without gouging her with his claws. All she could manage through her breathless giggles were the occasional threats to his very existence.

Before either of them were really aware of what was happening, his tickles had turned to caresses and her giggles had turned to gasps. His lips found her neck and her hands found his ears. Their bodies moved together, hips grinding and legs tangling.

"Kagome," he breathed into her ear. "I want-"

"I know," she gasped. "Me too."

He chuckled, the sound low and husky. "You want you too, huh?"

She found his nipple through his shirt and pinched it lightly, earning a small yelp. "Stop being an ass and take off my damn clothes."

Well, who was he to refuse that request? "Only if you're gonna return the favor," he growled into her ear and her responding whimper told him they had a deal.

The t-shirt she was wearing was already bunched around her hips, riding up as they ground against each other. His hardened length pressed at her through the thin fabric of her underwear and they both moaned. Kagome tangled her hands in his hair, marveling at how it flowed through her fingers, soft as silk.

Inuyasha found the hem of her shirt and slipped his hands underneath. His fingers splayed against the warm expanse of her stomach and he felt her shiver at his touch. He fought the urge to whimper, the fire in his belly spreading outward and threatening to engulf him. Moving his hands slowly upward, he exposed her pale skin to his gaze. He dipped his head and started kissing, nipping, and nuzzling every inch of her quivering stomach as his hands continued upward to cup her breast.

Calloused fingers explored Kagome's chest and she arched into the touch, seeking more contact. Her body was responding to every touch, every brush of lips against her overheated skin, every slow grind of their hips. It was all too much and not enough and just the right amount. When his fingers found her nipples, she cried out then threw a hand over her mouth. It felt so good and she couldn't help most of the sounds she was making but if she woke her mother up it would put an abrupt end to their encounter.

Some maneuvering, several more heated kisses, and a few breathy giggles at some awkward attempts to remove their clothing and they managed to get down to just her panties and his boxer briefs. Inuyasha pressed his body against hers, reveling in the feel of skin on skin. Kagome moaned and sighed, her hands tracing lines along his back and shoulders.

"Have I told you lately that you're fucking perfect?" Inuyasha said as he kissed his way between her breasts, down her stomach, and along her panty line. "And you smell like heaven."

"Mmm, and what does heaven smell like?" Her fingers traced the edges of his ears then gently rubbed through the soft fur. His eyes were dark with passion as he gazed up at her, his hands never stopping their slow exploration of her body, his ears twitching and straining towards her. He was beautiful and tender and affectionate and the unexpected wave of overwhelming love for him that washed over her almost stopped her heart.

He caught the salty scent of her tears a second before the first one slid down her cheek. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" He moved up her body and cupped her cheek, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "If you're not ready for this, we can stop." He pressed a kiss to her forehead then pulled back to meet her eyes.

"It's not that," she said, sniffling. "I'm just feeling a lot of things at the moment. It's overwhelming." She leaned up and caught his mouth in a hungry kiss, telling him without words that she wanted to keep going. Before the night was over, she wanted all of him. "Don't stop, please," she breathed into the kiss.

His tongue invaded her mouth as he slid a hand down her stomach and cupped the heat between her thighs. He groaned at how wet she already was, the heat coming off her in waves. Her scent spiked and he inhaled deeply, pulling away from the kiss and burying his face in her neck. His fingers pressed and her hips raised to meet the motion, her gasps and whimpers making his cock throb against her thigh.

"More," she gasped. She reached down and guided his fingers under her panty line. She needed to feel him down there, his fingers stroking and prodding and finding all the places that would make her cry out. Her body tensed as he skimmed through her curls and found her lips, wet with her desire. She rolled her hips to encourage him but he pulled back instead. "What are you-?"

He chuckled. "Hold on, impatient woman. Claws." When he touched his concealment charm, the slight prick of his claws against her skin disappeared, replaced by calloused fingertips and blunt nails. "Who knew that would come in handy for this." He grinned when he caught her disappointed look at the top of his head.

"You better make it worth not being able to play with your ears," she said, running a hand over the top of his head and through his long black hair.

"Oh, I plan on it." He dipped his fingers between her lips and began to explore. He stroked and rubbed and swirled until he found all the things that made her squirm; that made her breathing grow heavy; that made her throw her hand over her mouth to stifle her cries. He slipped lower and found her entrance, running his fingers around it teasingly. Encouraged by her soft moans, he dipped his head and took a nipple in his mouth at the same time as he slid his middle finger into her tight heat. Her muscles clamped as he pressed into her and he groaned as he imagined what that would feel like around his cock.

Kagome raised her hips and arched her back. She wanted more: more fingers, more contact, more movement, more of him. He added another finger and his palm ground against her clit, sending jolts of pleasure shooting through her. Her hands, too idle for her liking, started to roam his body again. The feel of his hard muscles under his smooth skin only heightened her pleasure. She skimmed her hands over the taut muscles of his six-pack, one hand continuing lower to grasp the large bulge in his boxer briefs. She smiled against his hair when he made a choked noise and thrust his hips forward.

"Fuck, woman," he growled, trailing his lips across to her other breast and working on her other nipple. Her body was growing taut so he added a third finger. He worked her gently for a second to get her used to the stretch then started to pump into her. He kept his palm against her mound and sped his movements up with her breathing. Her hand squeezed him and he hissed in pleasure.

Kagome moaned and undulated her hips. "Inu...so cl-close." Her muscles were all tense, head thrown back, legs straining as she thrust against his hand. A wave of relaxing pleasure coursed through her body then she exploded. She couldn't contain the shout of his name as it tore from her throat. Her hands went to his back, fingers digging into his skin trying to bring his body closer. Her body shook with the force of her orgasm, riding the waves of pleasure as Inuyasha continued to move his hand against her.

He let up a little as she came down from her high, a content smile curling her lips. "Liked that, did you?" he asked, putting every bit of smugness he could muster into the words. He leaned down and kissed her, slow and languid. Her hands went to his waist as they kissed and started to work his underwear down his hips. He returned the favor and in a few seconds, they were both naked. He hesitated briefly, a thought gnawing at his mind with enough insistence to bring him back to reality. "Kagome, we don't have protection," he said, a pang of regret going through him. He wanted her, all of her, so much.

"It's fine, birth control. Now come here," Kagome said, spreading her legs and motioning for him to come closer. She was ready for him, ready to feel all of him. As he settled his hips between her thighs with a relieved sigh and braced his arms on the bed around her, she couldn't stop the wide smile that spread across her face. The sight of him above her, skin shiny with sweat, hair flowing around them like black silk, eyes focused on her and looking more than a little anxious, made her breath hitch and her heart skip a few beats. His length pressed between her folds and her body shuddered in response. "I've never...just go slow," she whispered as she ran her hands up his chest to settle her hands on his shoulders.

He didn't want to hurt her. Through the wonders of the internet, he may have done a little research just in case they ended up in this very position. Her body was ready for him as evidenced by the heady scent of her arousal and the warm wetness that surrounded his cock. He adjusted so his head was pressed against her entrance, the anticipation making him shiver. With a small nod from his lover, he pushed slowly forward. He watched her face intently for any signs of pain or discomfort, listening to her moan softly and gasp as he pressed into her until he sheathed himself fully inside her. He didn't have the words to properly describe all the emotions he was experiencing or the level of physical pleasure he was feeling.

Kagome did her best to relax as her body stretched around him. It wasn't painful but it was a feeling she wasn't used to. She divided her attention between the wonderful sensations shooting through her body and watching Inuyasha's face scrunch up in pleasure. She gasped his name when he was completely inside of her and pulled him down into a long, affectionate kiss. She ran her fingers along the cool beads around his neck and let a little reiki flow from her fingertips. She was rewarded when her tongue found one of his now-exposed fangs.

"That was sneaky," Inuyasha said, smirking as he pulled back from the kiss. He leaned his head down and groaned when she ran her hands through his hair and started gently stroking his ears. He rolled his hips gently and was satisfied when she sighed his name against his neck. Encouraged, he started a slow rhythm, pulling back so he could watch her. She was a vision of flushed skin, parted lips, and loving eyes.

She started to lift her hips to meet his thrusts. His blazing eyes watched her as his free hand started to wander and caress. Her hands, having grown idle again, started to run over his stomach and chest, eventually working up into his hair to massage his scalp and ears. Her breath puffed in time with their movements, mixing with her moans and mumbled words of endearment. She focused on the sounds he was making, her heart warming at his breathy utterances of love and promises.

"Fuck, so close," he gasped, his movements speeding up. He was surrounded by her, lost in the feeling of her wet heat caressing and squeezing him. Nothing compared to it. He wanted to bring her over the edge with him, but..."Are you…?" His breath hitched with the effort to hold back his release.

She shook her head and smiled then wrapped her arms up around his shoulders to pull him close, his pace never faltering. "It's ok," she whispered against his cheek. It was enough just to feel him moving within her right now. They had all the time in the world to learn each other's bodies and explore ways to bring one another more pleasure.

Inuyasha swore and wound an arm around her shoulders to pull her close. His body tensed as he stopped fighting his urges and his orgasm washed over him. Burying his face in her hair, he breathed her name through the waves of pleasure, enjoying the feel of her fingers digging into his shoulders and her lips and tongue teasing his neck. His movements slowed to small, erratic thrusts before he finally stilled within in her.

Their harsh breathing evened out as they came down from their different highs, arms wrapped securely around each other. Gently disentangling their bodies, Inuyasha rolled to the side and pulled Kagome close to nestle her against his chest. Kagome sighed and enjoyed the embrace for a minute then groaned and tried to pull away.

"What're you doing?" he asked, chuckling at the little noises of frustration she was making. Her attempts to roll away were easily thwarted and he only pulled her closer.

She tried to move one more time then relaxed with a huff. "I'm sweaty and thirsty," she grumbled. "Can we cuddle after we clean up?" She looked up at him with pleading eyes. She could also feel other things that needed tending to that she really didn't want to mention.

Inuyasha sniffed and scrunched up his nose dramatically. "You smell like sweat and sex and me," he said then leaned his head forward and licked her cheek, ignoring her indignant squeal of surprise. "I like it."

"You're the worst." She resumed her efforts to escape his clutches which only made him laugh and tighten his hold. "If you don't let me go, I'm going to pee in your bed then go sleep upstairs," she threatened.

Still chuckling, he finally let her go. "Fine, fine. Suit yourself."

She finally escaped the confines of the bed and went to tidy herself up. As fun and enjoyable as it was and as much as she couldn't wait to do it again, sex was messy and kind of gross. She crossed paths with Inuyasha as she left the bathroom and gave him an I-told-you-so look as he closed the door in her face.

Once they were both clean and dressed, they climbed back into bed and nestled together under the covers. Kagome felt a small bit of the weight of her burden lift as Inuyasha ran his hand up and down her back soothingly. She still had to find a way to deal with everything but as long as she had his arms wrapped around her, she felt she could face anything.

Inuyasha relaxed and breathed in Kagome's scent, free of the earlier tang from her misery. Nothing else in the world mattered as he held her. Hanyō with reiki, attacks in dark alleys, broken barriers, and mysterious women who could control the wind had no power over his heart when it was so full of Kagome.

They drifted off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that as long as they were together, things would be alright.