A/N: Sorry I haven't updated here in a while! I think I've gotten my writer's block straightened out with this story though...so ENJOY!

Oh yeah and I still don't own Inuyasha...

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Kirara had landed about an hour ago, too tired to carry Inuyasha and Kagome on her back after working to protect the other half of the team during the fierce battle against Kagura. The little fire cat had landed somewhere deep in the forest and decided to continue on her quest, knowing it took a lot less energy for her to walk than it did to fly. It had begun to rain by the time Kirara was completely drained of her energy and she collapsed to the ground near a small cave. She knew she couldn't continue on, but she also realized that all three companions would need shelter for the night.

Kagome slid off of Kirara's back and helped Inuyasha down from the fire cat as well. He had regained consciousness as the trio floated over a lake miles back the way they had came. Kagome didn't even realize that he was awake until he began telling her the story of a fishing trip he once took with his mother long before she passed.

The miko had wept bitter tears for him again as he recalled the tale. She laughed earnestly with him as he described the fish he had caught, only to lose it as the large cat fish wriggled its way out of his hands and plunged back into the water. She hugged him tightly, careful to avoid the gaping wound in his stomach, when he had finished his tale; she was never more thankful that he had learned to trust her.

She had often caught herself awake late at night in the feudal era pondering Inuyasha's childhood. It was obvious that he had grown up faster than most children ever needed to and that he had become hardened by the harsh words thrown at him by villager's scared of his existence. She could never really imagine what it would be like to be ostracized from anywhere she had tried to fit in like Inuyasha had. It was no surprise that it had taken Kagome a great deal of time to earn his trust.

Kagome tucked Inyasha's right arm around her shoulder, immediately noting the pain wracking through his body at her gentle touch. She carefully placed his arm at his side once again before turning to him. Her face was filled with obvious concern.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?"

"M-my shoulder. I think...ah...I think its...out of place," he responded slowly and with small pauses between each words because of the pain he endured. He felt dizzy and strangely light, as if he could jump and float away into the night, but he withheld this information to keep Kagome from worrying.

There was a soft heat as Kirara transformed back to her kitten sized state. The small burst of heat warmed Kagome who had began shivering after the rain had dampened not only her skin, but her spirit as well. Inuyasha, however, did not fair so well from the small blast of heat. It was mere instants after her transformation that everything began spinning before his eyes and the little control he had had over his body melted away completely.

There was a soft thud and a small splash as Kagome turned her attention away from the small cat in her arms and found Inuyasha face down in a puddle.

"INUYASHA!"

Kirara relinquished her spot in Kagome's arms and jumped to the ground, scuttling away into the nearby cave. She remained by the entrance, calling out to Kagome to follow her.

Kagome was immediately by Inuyasha's side and she quickly rolled him onto his back. She pushed the hair out of his face as he began spluttering and coughing from the small amount of water that he had inhaled as he lay face down. She watched as he shuddered, very much still conscious, as the gaping wound in his stomach began to bleed once more. Water dripping from her bangs joined the tears falling from her eyes.

"Inuyasha?"

"Umph...gome."

"I need to get you out of the rain," she stated simply as she began to rise to her feet, "I need to get you out of the rain and into the cave. Do you have the strength to walk?"

She watched as his eyes closed and he nodded yes, but Kagome was completely unconvinced of his abilities as he wretched merely trying to sit up. She bit her lip, thinking hard as to what to do. She couldn't just drag him because of his dislocated shoulder, but if he couldn't walk him...

"Ka-Ka...Ka...go..."

"Shhh. I'm right here, Inuyasha," she talked to him as she brushed his sweat and rain soaked bangs out of his face once again, successfully soothing him.

"Fix...m-my...AH!"

A ripple of pain sent shivers down Inuyasha's spine. His gut was burning with the feel of the rain washing away the blood along the edge of the wound and his shoulder was making it difficult to breathe. The last time he had been in this much pain, his half brother had stolen his tetsusaiga and attacked with the windscar. Of course, at the time he had been a half demon and he recovered quickly. He hated leaving Kagome unprotected like this.

"Don't speak, please. You need to..."

"No...shoulder...fix...shoulder...please..."

Kagome stiffened as his request. Sure, she had watched ER and enough medical shows back home in her era, but she had never actually put a bone back in place before. She could feel her pulse quicken and the anxiety she once felt over Inuyasha's life had multiplied ten fold. She shivered as she crawled over to his battered right arm.

"You know this is going to hurt, right?"

She watched Inuyasha weakly nodded in response to her question. It was clear to her that he needed some sort of relief from the pain and she wasn't making matters any easier for him or for herself for that matter. She audibly gulped as her hand stood poised and trembling over his injured limb.

"Please..."

It was nothing more than a whisper of desperation and Kagome felt her resolve returning. She would help Inuyasha if it were the last thing she were to do on this planet.

His arm felt heavy in her hands as she slowly began to raise it to a ninety degree angle with his body. She watched as his body squirmed a bit with the pain that she was causing him and her heart went out to him. The last thing she wanted to do was to cause him any pain.

"This is going to hurt, you know."

"Stupid...wench...do it."

She felt her heart warm slightly with the insult even though she knew she should have been offended. She whispered an apology to the hanyou, unable to bring her gaze to meet his as she tugged upwards on his arm with a great amount of force. She felt a resistance almost like that of sand paper and a loud grating noise accompanied it. She allowed herself a glimpse at Inuyasha's face only to see his eyes screwed shut and his mouth agape as he gasped for air against the pain.

I'm sorry, but this will be the worst...

Kagome yanked one last time, across his chest this time, and there was a distinct popping sound as Inuyasha let out a cry that was strangled in his throat. She watched as water rushed to his eyes and a single bead of sweat ran down his face.

"Th-thank...you..."

With that final statement, Inuyasha closed his eyes and once again succumbed to the pain engulfing his body. Kagome sniffled, but made quick work to get Inuyasha indoors. She tucked her hands in beneath his arms and dragged him the distance to the cave, resting his body on the only spot on the ground without small pebbles that would cause him more discomfort. Kirara instinctively took on her larger form and lay down beside the transformed hanyo to give him her warmth.

"Thank you, Kirara," she said nearly breathlessly. Kagome was finally starting to feel the effects of such a long day's work on her body and she found herself sliding down the wall near Inuyasha from sheer exhaustion when there was a distinct howl nearby and a low growl signaling danger had once again presented itself.

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A/N: I know, I know. A cliff hanger for everyone! hehe. Lemme know what you think, please and thank you!