Disclaimer: Uhm, nope. I just checked, and they said I still don't own InuYasha

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She woke up screaming, as she had done so many nights before, for weeks, months, ever since she had awoken. They were filled with terror, pain, triggered from nightmares, memories of that day that had left her in the hospital for three months, three long months.

It had been five and a half months since she had woken up, spurred by something unknown, some instinct that something was wrong, that someone she loved was hurting. Even then, she had woken up screaming, as the terror of her last few moments awake rushed back at her, fear, rage, pouring from her very soul, channeled into one feral scream and had the nurses running to her room, terrified for her. She screamed until she could no longer, and panting, gasping for air, took in her surroundings carefully. Half a dozen women dressed in white stood around her, and the room smelled of cleaners. Fear gripped her at having woken up at an unknown place, in the dark, surrounded by people. The beep, beep, beep, matching her racing heart, was what finally pieced her senses and told her where she was.

She wasn't on the battlefield, watching the tentacle move in almost slow motion towards her. She was at the hospital. But why...? Sharp, searing pain flooded back into her memory, and she cautiously reached up and touched her temple where the tentacle had hit her. A faint line, a scar, was all that remained of the injury, telling her she had been out for far longer than she should have been, that it had been at least a couple months.

And she had screamed again.

She panted, out of the trance of memories now, and glanced around the room, seeing only the startled face of the hanyou she loved. That was right...she was home, not in the feudal era. She had left to give the others peace for once from her screaming herself awake every night.

She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, hugging them close to her body, drawing her knees up against her arms and chest. Her pants slowed, as she calmed herself. She was used to this, she should stop having those nightmares.

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The hanyou watched her warily as she calmed down a bit, and as soon as he was sure she wouldn't scream from being startled, he stood up and walked across the room, sitting down next to her and pulling her into a hug. Saline hit his nose and he murmured quietly, saying nothing but whispers and hums, calming her by just being there. She turned in his grasp and clung to his chest, sobbing into him, He held her close, waiting for her to calm down. He rocked back and forth slightly, still murmuring at her.

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Morning, thank Kami. She could deal with the daylight. She eased up on her death hold of the hanyou's torso. She thanked Kami every day that she was so lucky that he cared about her enough to be here for her when the nightmares came.

"InuYasha?"

"Hmm?"

"How...why...what did you do, that we won, that i...we, survived?"

He tilted his head, and pulled away from her enough to look down into her eyes.

"I...I...are you sure you want to know?"

She nodded mutely, pulling away from him and sitting next to him on the bed.

"Well...if you're sure..."

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Rage, pure, simple rage flowed through his mind, overthrowing the fear, the terror.

He leaped, swinging his sword around violently, slashing and hacking his way towards The cause of Kagome's pain. A loud, wild howl tore from his throat as he flung himself forward.

Naraku laughed, showing no fear at the half-crazed hanyou. Casually, he reached down and snatched Tessiaga away, snapping it easily in half.

"Fool! With the full power of the Shikon no Tama, this pitiful fang is no match for me!"

He laughed again, watching as the hanyou dropped to all fours.

"So you bow to me, bow to my power? Too late!"

He thrust forward with a tentacle, aiming for the hanyou. Dead on target, there was no way it could miss.

Or so he thought. His tentacle buried itself deep in the ground, and a hanyou was traveling straight towards him in a blur or speed, aiming for his heart, where he had hidden the Shikon no Tama.

"What?! Impossible!"

A feral howl split the air, and the battle seemed to pause, as all the participants looked at the scene unfolding before them. Miroku dropped his staff, Sango failed to catch Hiraikotsu on the return trip. Jaken stared wide mouthed, as Sesshomaru smirked, sheathing Tokijin.

"And so, Naraku has brought upon his own doom."

He turned, and began to walk away from the fight.

Meanwhile, InuYasha was tearing into Naraku, ripping off limbs, snarling, howling, enjoying Naraku's sudden panic.

"No! It's not possible, you can't win!"

Naraku frantically dodged, trying to keep InuYasha from the jewel.

"Too...slow."

Two words, spoken in a low, rasping voice, froze Naraku in terror. It was enough, and InuYasha tore the jewel out of him, and tore him to shreds, past regenerating. As soon as the last piece stopped twitching, InuYasha dropped to his knees, before falling forward, his eyes glazing and returning to normal as exhaustion swept over him.

"Kagome..."

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She was silent, staring up at him with widened eyes, shaking her head as he finished his tale.

"No...no, no! You couldn't have lost Tessiaga!"

A low laugh, and he pulled the sheath of his sword off the floor. Pulling out the blade, he showed her it.

"Totosai managed to reforge it again." He rubbed his cheek. "I don't see why he needed to take two fangs this time though. Was that all that was bothering you?"

"No...no, it wasn't."

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Are you going to ask?"

"Ask what?"

He sighed, half grinning at her.

"I know you're wondering how you got to the hospital if I was passed out."

She turned her head away from him, staring down at the floor, then nodded slowly.

"That's a story for another day!" He laughed, mischief sparkling in his eyes. She turned and glared at him.

"InuYasha! You stupid jerk! Tell me!"

"Nope, you can't make me!"

He jumped up, and dashed to the window, throwing it open and leaping down to the ground, before turning back to the window and sticking his tongue out at her.

"You'll have to catch me if you want to know!"

"InuYasha! No fair!"

He laughed, turning to run away, as he heard her turn and run down the stairs. He waited till she was a few feet away from him, before leaping away into a run.

"InuuuuYaaaashaaa!"

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She sighed quietly, watching the sunset from her window, watching the last vestiges of this late summer's day fade. It was getting dark again, which meant more nightmares. But InuYasha was still here, and she was safe so long as he was here.

She turned and walked over to her bed, sitting down and pulling the light blanket up over her.

"Goodnight, InuYasha."

"'Night, Kagome."

She lay down, staring blankly at the wall, waiting for sleep to take her.

It promised to be a long night though, as she closed her eyes and tried to force herself to sleep.

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A half hour later, she still wasn't asleep. Sitting up, she pulled her knees against her chest and stared blankly across the room.

Her eyes seemed to pass over everything till they fell upon the hanyou, and with a half sigh, she stood up. Dragging her blanket off the bed, she walked over and sat down next to InuYasha, pulling the blanket around her. She closed her eyes, feeling somehow safer next to him. She smiled drowsily.

"Kagome?" He mumbled sleepily, having been woken up by her movements.

"Hmmm?" She was half asleep now, having problems keeping her eyes open.

"Whatcha..." He yawned widely, before continuing, "Doing?"

"Mmm...couldn't sleep all 'lone on my bed. Didn't feel safe."

He smiled sleepily down at the girl who was having a hard time staying awake enough to answer, her head falling forward or onto his shoulder every couple of seconds.

"Mmkay then, 'Gome."

"You smell nice..." And she was gone, asleep, all but dead to the world.

Her comment brought a blush to his face as her head settled on his shoulder, her soft breathing lulling him back to sleep. A smile played about his lips as he gently rested his head on hers, and drifted off.

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R&R, it makes me happy :)

I threw in what I hoped was a bit of fluff, cause it helped further what I want to happen in the last chapter. So now you know most of the story...How was it? Please tell me, it helps me improve :)