CH.5/ Thank you all for the very supportive reviews. There's been some confusion as to what happened that ended up injuring Kagome and InuYasha and largely what Baki had done that failed. I'm very sorry if I hadn't written it clearly enough; they were discussing things in the forest as you know when, spontaneously, a whole bunch of spear-like weapons came pouring out of the sky.

o.O.o.O.o

"Kagome? Kagome, wake up." A very animated voice called out to me. I felt as if I'd been drugged. Usually I can sleep and still be somewhat alert. But not now; I was completely and entirely unawares. For a long sluggish moment I could barely recognize the little voice that called to me.

"Shippo?" I called out feebly. Shippo began hovering over my lithe form, making his own inspections.

"Thank god you're awake, we feared the worst" said Sango, relieved. Things were still a little unclear. I was currently experiencing a splitting headache; it was too hard to dispense the haze that had settled over my eyes. And to make matters worse…nausea.

I groaned as I tried to force myself onto my elbows.

"Relax Kagome, don't over do it" ordered Miroku. Still extremely dizzy, I ignored him. Miroku was making his way inside the hut, dragging my pack behind him.

"You've been asleep for days" he informed me.

"We came as soon as we could." He said. Their voices went un-recognized in my mind. My once inexplicable thoughts were suddenly formulating feasibly into a gory scene…and all too familiar scene; One human, a hanyou, spears and lots of blood.

My breath hitched. Was that really just days ago? It felt like a long lost memory I would give anything to forget.

"What wrong?" Sango asked. Without my permission my eyes began to tear involuntarily, making them glossy in appearance.

"I remember now…the spears." I whispered, just barely coherent. They looked down in somber nostalgia.

"We know Kagome. We were almost too late. It seems the gods are working in our favor." He smiled, but I wasn't feeling at all happy. I wasn't trying to think about InuYasha, the last thing I wanted to do was inflict unnecessary pain on myself.

My conscious would not be denied. His name drummed in correlation with the steady beat of my heart. How could I ignore something so natural; feelings so instinctive and effortless it's only comparison in the beating of my own heart?

I swallowed heavily discovering immediately how dry my throat was. It had to have been clearly evident in my eyes. Sango turned to Shippo immediately.

"Shippo, there's a stream nearby, Kagome looks parched." she said. On cue, Shippo left to get me some water. Once I was sure my voice was intact, I made to ask my question; there was only one thing I wanted to know.

"Where's InuYasha?" I asked. My voice cracked. Sango was quiet as she chose her words carefully. Nothing could not express how afraid I was to find that maybe, by some stroke of terrible fate, that my suspicions were true. Miroku noticed the fallen expression on my face and intervened with fast gesticulation.

"You know InuYasha; he's fine, eager to get back on his feet." He said all too cheerfully. I was suddenly filled with dread.

"H-he's…not on his feet?" I stuttered, my eyes welling up once again. Miroku's eyes widened. Sango attempted to make the recover.

"He's recuperating at Kaede's" she said cautiously.

"Recuperating!" I squeaked. Despite our convoluted problems I was near certain if he could manage it, InuYasha would come looking for me. Just how bad was he?

Miroku and Sango looked between each other quizzically. I was growing frustrated, I wanted the whole truth and nothing but. When they continued to prolong any kind of assurance, I tried to move from my sitting position and up on my knees.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sango asked a little stunned. She pushed my shoulders down.

"You're hiding something from me…I'm going to see for myself." I argued. I tried to push against her, but in my current state, strength for strength we were extremely unevenly matched. She had me pinned in seconds. I gave up, suddenly remembering just how radical my plan was. I had no idea how to navigate throughout the forest, whether or not I'm prepared to walk as long as necessary and more crucially- where am I?

"Kagome, what else can we tell you? InuYasha has sustained some injury. We left him to recover from his wounds." Miroku explained. I sighed. Of course I knew there was no feasible way he would have survived the ambush Scott free, but still…I was hopeful.

"You people act as if I'm dying." said an all too familiar voice. All our heads snapped. I smiled, suddenly feeling ten times better. InuYasha stood smirking in the doorway –my smiled disappeared- covered neck to toe in medical tape. Shippo squeezed around him, carrying a full water bottle. He pranced happily toward me as InuYasha sauntered in.

Though I was secretly happy to see him, he reminded me too much of that night. Alive or dead…or almost dead, I'd never forget what transpired between us that night. Painful recollections of the words he said and hadn't said still panged in my chest, ripping a hole through my ego. Seeming slightly exasperated, he sat down next to me. I was suddenly breathless.

Miroku and Sango looked downright lethal.

"InuYasha…" she warned. "Just what are you doing here?" He ignored her and stared at me solicitously.

"How did you break Kaede's seal? Miroku demanded incredulously. I had no idea what he was talking about; I held my head in my hands as the icy water quenched my insides.

"How do you feel?" he asked me.

"InuYasha!" they scolded in unison. They eyed him expectantly. If looks could kill…

InuYasha rolled his eyes.

"Kaede can only subdue me on my death bed, all I needed was a little strength and I was as good as free." He smiled graciously. Not at all angry. I supposed now was one of those 'you had to have been there' moments.

"Always the response of the accused…" Miroku said while shaking his head, Sango elbowed his ribs forcefully.

"He means…" she began menacingly. "…you should be sick and shut in, yet you run all the way here in your condition? It's not healthy to misconstrue your limits-"

"I know my limits Sango There's a difference between sick and injured." He said icily. "I didn't have to run. I'd know your scents anywhere." He snorted. "You could even call Kaede an enabler. One coat of that disgusting salve and Kirara and Shippo didn't even notice me." He said triumphantly. They continued to give him disapproving looks. He exhaled deeply and looked away from us all.

"Can you blame me for wanting to know if she was okay, after all that's happened? Dammit, you guys don't let anything go do you?" he said softly.

"I know the feeling" I muttered. He gave a half smile in my direction. I didn't know what to think of the words he'd just said. For all I knew it could have been one of those confusing double standards. Sango made to argue but why anyone tries to contest InuYasha is beyond me. She decided better of it and resigned.

InuYasha continued to gaze at me precariously as I lay back down suddenly becoming very tired. Miroku cleared his throat.

"Well, now that everyone's here, we should discuss what's going on." He looked toward InuYasha, waiting for an initiation. It amazes me how the camaraderie between us all had multiplied over time; InuYasha was finally getting the credibility he wanted. He hesitated for less than a minute.

"You know who my first suspect is." He said as a matter of fact. "Although I'd love that shogun to have something with this; anything to give me incentive to break his skinny neck." I willingly excluded myself from this discussion. I'm not a fighter and I was still a bit too woozy to argue logistics.

"Does he smell familiar?" asked Sango? InuYasha looked downward, deep in thought.

"I see where you're getting at…but no, nothing about his scent tells me he's in alliance with Naraku."

"I suggest we deal with the Shogun first. Once he's out of the way we can narrow our options." Miroku suggested. InuYasha shook his head.

"Something's still off. The weapons had a different scent altogether. And aside from that…it could have been mere coincidence, but the smell of the air changed…smelled like clovers. There's a third party, I'm absolutely sure of it." He declared. He looked toward me then and noticed I was being inattentive.

"Did you sense any jewel shards?" he asked me.

"When?" I obviously wasn't focused.

"Are you paying attention?" he asked roughly. It was hard to get a grip when your head kept swooning.

"No…" I replied. His lip curled. "I mean yes! And no, I didn't sense anything."

He turned away from me, his shoulders slumping. Sango raised a finger.

"I know! We go back to the inn and do some investigating. Naraku can't unleash a surprise attack in a town full of people without forewarning. We're bound to get a hint before anything drastic happens." She implied. InuYasha looked grave.

"Forget it. If anyone goes back there it will be Miroku and I, and leaving you two alone definitely isn't an option." Sango looked quizzical. I knew what InuYasha meant. The Shogun wanted InuYasha to make a fair trade for our free stay, Sango and I being the commodities at stake.

"InuYasha! Don't be ridiculous. That is the best place to start, I can deal with a lecherous man any day if that's what concerns you." She glanced at Miroku. He simply turned his head away.

"Trust me…if that was the problem I have no doubt you'd be able to handle yourself. I just have a very bad feeling about all this…"

"However InuYasha…"Miroku began. "Sango's absolutely right. That is the best place to start; I'm sure you know what we must do…." He trailed off suggestively. A growl erupted deep within InuYasha's chest.

"Fine. Anything happens to them and I'll hold you accountable." Miroku held his palms up agreeably. There was a long silence.

Miroku's eyes narrowed as he tugged on Sango's sleeve.

"May I speak with you for a moment?" he asked quietly. She gave him a questioning glance and rose to go outside. I sighed. Maybe he was doing that on purpose, trying to get InuYasha and I alone. All he'd managed to do was make things awkward.

I grew tired of the silence, it was driving me crazy, and he was so close…so injured looking…

"I feel awful" I said in inadvertent response to his first question.

"You had a concussion." He explains.

"No kidding…" I replied. Something told me now wasn't the best to try resolving any issues but given the opportunity I wouldn't be able to control my mouth. I turned the conversation in a new direction.

"You look like you've been through a train wreck." He wouldn't have sustained any injuries at all if I wasn't there to hold him back. He smirked.

"A what?"

"Maybe Sango's right InuYasha. You should have stayed put." I queried.

"Trust me…it's a lot less than what it seems. Kaede just doesn't take no for an answer." He said languidly.

I couldn't help myself. Topics for conversation were slowly dwindling and I was forced to tap into my reserves. He wouldn't like it, but even in my subconscious mind it continued to bother me.

"InuYasha…"I began, still deciding whether or not I should leave the matter be.

"Yes?" he answered. Tempting, so very, very tempting.

"Tell me…why'd you leave?" The damage was already done. This could end badly or awkwardly; either way, my stupid decision would resolve nothing.

He looked at me questioningly before his mouth widened in realization. He didn't look at me; that was both a bad sign and a good sign I suppose. Then he sighed,

"Kagome…" he said, taking my hand. The electricity form his touch shot through my entire body, making the speedometer of my heart exceed its limit.

"I…don't know what to say." He said lightly, continuing to avert his eyes. "I'm not sure about anything anymore. I can't make promises…".

"Why?" I asked.

"Well…" he sighed again, having sheer difficulty with his words. "Beca-"

"-you're trying to keep the ones you've already made?" I asked. He seems confused.

"One's I already-….Kikyo?…" he asked meagerly. I nodded.

"Kagome, I thought I…I could have sworn I told you that-"

"It's fine. You don't have to answer to me of course"

"Then why do I feel like I do?" he says, facing me, grasping my hand tighter. "Why do I feel guilty when I think about Kikyo around you? Why do I always feel I need permission from you to see her? Why does it always bother me when you have a problem I can't fix? Why do you always have me up at night, thinking about you?" I stare blankly at him, my mouth opening and closing a few times but nothing comes out. I'm not sure what he's implying, and I definitely can't answer questions like those…I look away, utterly bewildered.

He scoffs. "I don't know either…so give me a chance to find out." He says more seriously. He closes in on me, hand still covering mine, Our breaths mingled in the still air mere seconds before his lips touches mine and then-

"Are we interrupting?" Miroku chides. InuYasha pulls away so quickly it was like he was never there in the first place.

"I knew we should have-" Sango began, but was interrupted by InuYasha's angry growl. He glares at them both and storms out of the hut, almost mowing them down in the process. I flushed as they stared at me knowingly.

o.O.o.O.o

Two options and a third alternative: that was all Baki had to contend with. It was the only thing left to insure her life.

Option number one: Run from Naraku and never look back.

Option number two: Carry out the previous plan, and this time, execute.

Alternative: Let Naraku kill her.

He'd said, rather harshly that failing would mean her death, and she did fail. The subjects were still alive somewhere, most likely planning to get they're revenge on Naraku. Whether or not she deserved death was based on Naraku's own ethics. And if that was the case, she'd probably die.

She contemplated, for a long time, whether or not the legs of her steed would be able to carry her far enough. Baki had been doing Naraku's bidding for as long as she could remember. But that in itself wasn't right. She had a life before Naraku and maybe if she went far enough and out of Naraku's watchful eyes she'd be able to remember.

The manipulation felt so natural, it was the pull that drew her closer to him. Like a carnivorous flower, she was somehow lured to the predator, satiating his indulgences because she was incapable of fighting back.

As her steed flew over barren land she heard a quivering murmur above her. Her head shot up immediately. Since she'd been hiding, she had grown wary of every little sound that could threaten her.

Then she saw them, trailing lightly behind her.

Samyosho….she thought warily.

It seemed she was the one being hunted, Naraku was watching her from a safe distance. She would not go back, she would not let herself be reduced to death by Naraku's hand.

At that moment, Baki became the huntress, she would show no fear, she would bring the dead to his doorstep, and when she had successfully done that, she would then kill him. He deserved nothing less, and would getting nothing more.

Baki slowed her mount and reared it in the direction she came.

AN: Writer's block was harsh, sorry for the long wait.