Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine; they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. The following story is for entertainment and not profit.

Chapter 8: "What the hell..."

Kaede sat staring with her hands frozen in midair. How could this girl possess the mark of Onigumo? Only Naraku and his children bore such a mark.

Kagome's mind wheeled with doubt and confusion. She had trusted this woman, believed her, accepted her, despite Inu Yasha's warning. She had entrusted Naosu with Shippo's safety. How could she have been so wrong about her? She had let Naosu into her circle of friends only to be betrayed. 'But I haven't been betrayed,' Kagome heard the voice in her head break into her thoughts. 'She hasn't hurt you or any of the others.' Kagome chastised herself for entertaining such thoughts. Naosu was a good person, her actions proved that. Even if she was 'of Naraku' that didn't mean that he had control over her. They had encountered more than one of his detachments that had displayed a will of their own.

"We should keep this from Inu Yasha as well," Kagome whispered breaking the silence.

Kaede nodded slowly. "Ye are probably right."

With no open wound to tend, Kaede pulled both the sheet and a heavier blanket from the foot of the bed up to cover the sleeping woman. They would let Naosu awake on her own.

Kaede smiled as she watched the younger miko fighting back a yawn, "Ye should get some rest now, too."

Kagome nodded sleepily. The only sleep she had gotten in the last two days were the few minutes she could sneak while Inu Yasha had carried her back to the village. No sooner would she close her eyes then it seemed that he was yelling at her to wake up or he would make her walk. It hadn't only been the lack of sleep that had been causing her to doze off, she always found herself soothed and relaxed by the feel of his body under her as he ran, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

As the older miko left the hut, Kagome found herself standing at the foot of an empty bedroll with Inu Yasha crouched at the head looking up at her.

"It's for you," he said, his tone almost apologetic.

"You need to rest, too," she stated, letting her tired body sink down to the mat. Her limbs became heavy as her eyelids fell shut and refused to open again. The soft weight of the bedding slowly descended over her.

Inu Yasha let the blankets fall and moved to withdraw when Kagome's sleepy hand reached out to grab his fingers. "Thank you Inu Yasha…." Her mumbled words trailed off, but her grip on his fingers remained.

Inu Yasha sighed and moved to lie down beside her. He was used to going days without sleeping and knew that he could easily remove his hand from hers, but he could find no reason to do so. Propping his head on his bent arm, Inu Yasha settled in to watch her sleep and enjoy the warmth of her closeness.

Naosu's eyes flew open, but remained unseeing as she struggled to shake free of the last tendrils of her disturbing dreams. If only it was just a dream, she thought sadly, and not memories of things I'd rather not relive.

Rolling to her side Naosu realized that she didn't recognize her surroundings. The last thing she could remember was the warm skin of the Lord of the West under her hands. Her cheeks warmed, had she really dared to be so bold as to touch him? It had been as if some part of her had been responding to him without her control.

As her senses continued to clear, she became aware of a delicious aroma wafting in from beyond the screen that created her room. Food, she thought wistfully, when was the last time I ate, and how long have I been asleep? As she moved to stand Naosu noticed that only the blankets had been covering her nakedness. She quickly remembered that the clothes Kagome had lent her had been used to bandage her wounds and that Lord Sesshomaru had given her his haori, but where was it now? Hugging the sheets to her, Naosu searched the area around her bed. It only took her a moment to find the bundle at the head of the sleeping mat. Reaching over, she ran her fingers over the fine fabric and immediately recognized the feel.

Lifting the cloth to her cheek, Naosu felt the blush return to her cheeks; it still smelled faintly of him. With steady hands, she pulled the cloth around her and inhaled deeply. Also resting at the head of the bed lay a pair of red hakama like those of the old miko. Naosu happily pulled them on and stood to admire her new attire.

Stepping around the paper partition, she was greeted with familiar surroundings. Even with out the friendly faces and distinct older miko, Naosu knew she would have recognized the homey little shack with its pleasant fire. Sango and Inu Yasha were the first to their feet as she entered the main room.

"I'm so happy that you're safe." The words rushed out of the exterminator as she crushed the other woman to her. Naosu heard the hidden tears in the voice of the normally strong woman. Biting back her own tears, Naosu returned to warm embrace.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Inu Yasha snapped in disgust at the white and red sleeves flowing down Sango's back.

The two women broke their embrace with a look of irritation directed at the hanyou. Inu Yasha felt his anger falter for a moment as he was hit by how similar the two appeared. Not waiting for an answer he moved to remove the offending article of clothing, but after only two steps found himself pulled to the ground by a familiar force.

"SIT!"

Shippo had also been concerned about his new partner in crime. Taking one of the small cups that Kaede had filled he bounded over the prone form of Inu Yasha to land at her feet. Smiling up at her warmly, he offered her the cup, "Tea?"

Naosu bent to accept the offering. As she relived him of the cup, Shippo jumped into her empty arm and wrapped his small arms around her neck. "I'm glad you're okay, too."

Kagome and Miroku smiled in agreement, they had all been worried about her. Naosu felt a familiar pain pull at her heart. They had really accepted her into their group and cared about her as one of their own, perhaps too much so. This was definitely going to make completing her task more difficult.