Chapter Three
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Inuyasha hovered in the bush. He heard Kagome's heart accelerate.
"I-I don't know. He is still pretty hung up about Kikyou. He told me about what happened after he left but…"
"What happened when he went with her?"
Kagome moved off the trunk onto the ground. She curled her arms around her knees.
"He says she went… She finally released him of all obligations to her and descended to hell or where ever she ends up." Kagome rested her chin atop her knees.
"Wow, she's really gone. I wouldn't have guessed it, Inuyasha seems so unfazed, like he doesn't care."
Kagome looked up. "You think so? Things have been so weird between us lately. We don't talk anymore and we don't even really fight. I don't understand what I did."
Inuyasha's ears drooped. 'She thinks it is her fault? So typical of Kagome.'
"Don't." Sango said. "This isn't your fault. Maybe he doesn't know how to handle this? Eventually, we were bound to defeat Naraku and purify the jewel. The end has been looming over us for several weeks, maybe he was just worried about what to say when it was over."
Kagome smiled, Inuyasha's heart skipped. 'She's so beautiful when she smiles.'
"I don't even know what I'm supposed to say."
"Are you leaving for good?" Sango sounded morose.
Inuyasha held his breath.
"No, of course not. I guess if I don't talk things over with Inuyasha then I will just visit often. I want to see you of course, and Shippo, Kaede, Miroku, Inuyasha if he's still around."
"Why don't you talk to him? He isn't the type for talking so you'll have to start it."
"I know. I will, the sooner the better right?"
"Are you going to tell him you love him?"
Inuyasha stood breathless, 'Say it, say you love me.'
"I-"
Miroku noisily came into the clearing on the opposite side of Inuyasha. He was carrying obviously a bigger load then he could manage. The girls got up and helped him. Inuyasha scowled and entered the clearing also.
The ate dinner happily, Kagome had cooked it to perfection. She still wasn't crazy about eating wild animals but she was still learning, after three years, not to be a pain about it. After they finished eating Inuyasha took away the remains and the three others cleaned up the campsite.
Everyone picked their respective bedding and sat down. Inuyasha came back and sat cross legged on the trunk; he didn't have bedding, he refused to sleep on it, he preferred the trees. Kilala sat in a ball next to him.
"How's your shoulder?" Kagome asked Inuyasha as she stretched on her sleep bag; she was already dressed down in her pajamas.
"Keh."
She rolled her eyes. "Let me have a look. I want to put new bandages on it."
Inuyasha threw her a bored look. "It didn't even need the bandage ya put on it this morning."
Sango smiled at the exchange. Miroku had that certain glint in his violet eyes.
"Get over here, Inuyasha." Kagome said very parental.
"Make me." He sneered.
Kagome smiled. "Sit."
The white and purple beads around Inuyasha's neck glowed brightly and then pulled him face first into the dirt. Kilala meowed and moved over to Sango's lap and curled up again.
He was grumbling as Kagome got up and dragged him over to her sleep bag. When the spell wore off she wordlessly pointed to her bedding. He narrowed his eyes but sat down and took off his haori and inner yukata.
Collectively, Kagome, Sango and Miroku, gasped. The wound on Inuyasha's shoulder had turned green and crusted. It definitely didn't look like that earlier.
Inuyasha looked down and shrugged.
"It's infected!" Kagome finally said.
"Well, duh." Was Inuyasha's reply.
Tears pricked at Kagome's eyes. "I'm so sorry. It had to have been my fault when I was cleaning it earlier."
"Oh, Kagome it wasn't your fault." Sango began. "Naraku has a very powerful miasma."
Miroku nodded, "Don't be upset, Kagome."
She breathed in and shook her head. She quickly began pulling out supplies from her backpack. She cleaned her hands with a very strong smelling disinfectant. Inuyasha's nose twitched.
"I cant believe you weren't going to let me see it." Kagome scolded; her mood returning to normal.
"This isn't a big deal." Inuyasha repeated harshly.
Kagome glared at him. "You are so irresponsible with your body. You aren't invincible, Inuyasha!" She yelled heatedly.
Miroku stood up and held out his hand to Sango. "I think we should go for a walk, Sango."
She nodded and took his offered hand with one and held Kilala with the other. The scrambled out of the tense campsite.
"Oh yeah? Want me to prove that?"
Kagome threw up her hands. "You got me! How do you plan on doing that?" She said sarcastically and picked up a bottle of alcohol and a clean rag.
Inuyasha grumbled and looked away. She applied the alcohol to the rag and then the rag to his infected skin. He hissed loudly.
"Fuck, woman! That stings!"
"Invincible, huh?" She smugly mumbled.
He growled low, she felt her hand shake from the vibration feeding from his body. They lapsed into silence and Kagome worked diligently; she was still fuming at him.
She cleaned, wiped, medicated, and then began re-bandaging his shoulder. The whole time she was in awe of the magnificent creature before her. She had seen him plenty of times without a shirt and a few times completely naked, but still Inuyasha was so beautiful. His skin was golden. He had strong, broad shoulders, narrow hips, and clean cut abdominal muscles. He looked like a male model straight from an underwear advertisement. She felt her blood rush to her cheeks and her hands shook a little.
It didn't help that he was watching her face the whole time she worked. It was annoying that she couldn't be in this close of a proximity with him and not become a blushing school girl all over again. She wondered if she would ever get over this effect he had over her.
She felt his sharp exhale of breath on her cheek when she applied the cool medicated antibiotic to his feverish skin; another reminder of their closeness. She knew her heart was beating wildly and was embarrassed that Inuyasha could probably hear it. She wondered if he thought she was silly and immature.
Kagome picked up the roll of bandages and began taping. The shoulder was a hard spot to wrap, it involved getting very, very close to him. She sat up fully on her knees and leaned in. Her shoulder was just under his chin, she shivered when she could feel his breathing move the hairs on her neck. She started the bandage on the top of his shoulder and moved forward to awkwardly reach under his arm to grab the roll and pull it under. She did that once more before looping the bandage around his torso to support the hold. She repeated this pattern twice more and then cut the bandage off and taped it to his body. Her hands glided over her work, they strayed for an instant over his hairless chest.
She blushed. "Done."
"Keh." He put back on his shirt and went back to his original spot on the trunk.
Kagome bit her lip and then packed up her medical kit. She slid between her sleep bag and curled up on her side facing Inuyasha. She looked up at him; he had his legs crossed and arms in his sleeves, he wasn't looking in her direction, just staring into the fire.
Her embarrassment calmed down her heated blood. She watched him for a minute more, then rolled over onto her other side.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you about Kikyou. I should have trusted you more." She whispered.
"Keh. Ya don't have to apologize, 'Gome." Inuyasha said sounding slightly embarrassed himself.
Kagome nodded. "Well, goodnight, Inuyasha."
"Night." She heard the rustling of his Robe of the Fire Rat as he leapt away; probably in some tree overhead.
She smiled to herself knowing he was watching over her. She closed her eyes and easily fell asleep.
The sun was just setting beautifully over the rolling hills of the village as the gang arrived. The village people were gathered by Kaede's hut waiting for them with a feast and applause.
"Kagome! Inuyasha!" Shippo shrieked, running at full speed toward them.
He leaped at Kagome and Inuyasha darted a hand out just in time to catch him by the tail before he knocked her over. Shippo struggled pointlessly.
"Lemme down! I want to see, Kagome!" Shippo whined.
Kagome smiled and held out her arms for Shippo. Inuyasha plopped him down in her arms. Shippo hugged her neck. She scratched his back.
"It's nice to see you again, Shippo. Were you good for Kaede?" Kagome asked.
He nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I helped her with all her chores! Everyday!"
Kagome smiled. "Then next time I'm in the future I will be sure to get you something special for being a good boy!"
His eyes got wide with excitement. Now, the gang was just entering the village and people surrounded them. It was impossible to distinguish who was congratulating who and who was offering who food. It was absolute madness.
Kaede wobbled out of her hut and smiled. "How goes ye?" She called loudly.
They approached her, politely smiling and thanking all the villagers along the way.
"Naraku is finished and I am no longer cursed!" Miroku said first, holding up his hand as proof.
"Ah! We knew ye would finally take care of that scoundrel. That is why we prepared this celebration!"
"What made you so sure?" Sango asked smiling.
Kaede's good eye sparkled. " 'Cause it was ye who set out to defeat 'im. 'Sides, the land hasn't been so pure in many years."
Kagome looked around, she felt suddenly overwhelmed. All she wanted to do now was check in with her family; they had been so worried when she left them three weeks ago. She set Shippo down, who ran to play with the other village children.
"I think I'm going to go home quickly. My family is probably worried sick." Kagome told Kaede.
The gang nodded.
"Will ye come back for some of the celebration?"
"Yeah, I just want to touch base real quick with them. I'll be right back!"
Kagome shifted her backpack a little on her back and then turned and headed towards the well. A few villagers protested but she assured them she would be right back.
Soon she was free from all the commotion of the village and that was a relief to her. She liked parties and now was definitely the time to celebrate but for some reason her heart wasn't in it. She desperately missed her family and needed to see them.
What would she say? I defeated Naraku but I think I'm going to keep going back there?
What would her mom say? Grandpa? Will you be going to college now that you've already taken two years off?
She shook her head and decided it was pointless to even stress about that. She would just handle each day and each situation as it arrived. Afterall, she knew what she was going to do in the end.
Kagome was going to find some way to be with Inuyasha, even if it was as just friends. She knew she belonged here, her heart was happier with Inuyasha close then anywhere else.
She arrived at the well and she couldn't help looking over her shoulder one last time. She thought it was only mildly weird that Inuyasha hadn't say a single thing when she had said she was going home. Even though her logic was sound and there was no way he could keep her away from her family any longer, he usually put up some kind of stink when she mentioned the word 'home.'
Kagome put one knee on the rim of the well and then pushed off with her foot on the ground. She fell into the well in a graceful, practiced movement.
She was overwhelmed with confusion when her landing was painful and hard. The pit of her stomach dropped and she looked up. Blue and purple sunset skies were above her. She gasped trying to draw in air. Reflectively, she clawed at her throat, searching for the jewel that was also he time traveling key. It wasn't there.
Of course, it wasn't there. She had purified it. Kagome registered a horrible sound, like a toad croaking. She realized it was her trying to sob and draw in breath at the same time. Then all at once, she was in hysterics, and hyperventilating.
She collapsed to the bottom of the musty and damp well. 'This isn't real, this isn't real…'
Tears streamed and soon she was moaning in agony. It was real. She wasn't able to travel back to her family. She felt her body being constricted, she thought her body was going to crush her, then she saw the red sleeves surrounding her.
She turned and could barely make out the outline of Inuyasha. The more she tried to clear her eyes the more tears that poured through them. She sobbed loudly and rested her head on his shoulder.
How could this happen? Why did this happen? How come she didn't realize this when she was wishing on the jewel? Why had she been so stupid?
"Mama… mama!" She was yelling, her body jerked as she was racked with sobs.
"Oh, 'Gome." Inuyasha whispered powerlessly.
Panic overtook her. The only way to get through the well was with the magic of the jewel shard.
There was no jewel shard or jewel.
There was no getting home.
Hello, hello!
Third chapter, woot woot! The whole misery aspect should pretty much be done with now. There's a little bit in the beginning of the fourth chapter but it's quickly done with.
I just realized when I was uploading this that I said 'village people,' I definitely laughed. I decided to leave it.'
Hm, nothing new I suppose. Just let me know what you think!
hugsLovingMyKitsune
