Chapter 15 - The Grief

Inuyasha gazed out at the snow with a delirious look on his face. The snowflakes falling silently from the skies didn't even deem a second glance. All of his attention was on the sounds in the room next door.

After dashing into his room with top speed, he'd run straight to the balcony, flinging the doors wide open behind him. There he'd been standing, hardly even breathing for fear that something would shatter.

He'd kissed her. And... he'd liked it. Not that he necessarily thought he wouldn't, but he liked it a whole lot better than he thought he would. To his dismay, and embarrassment...

He wanted to kiss her again.

Kagome walked around her room in a stupor, eventually going back outside to clear her mind. She waved at some villagers who were outside, at the children playing in the snow. But she never said a word.

She knew that if she opened her mouth she'd start to hyperventilate. Or squeal.

Kagome had never been kissed on the lips before. Only Kouga had really tried, but she'd managed to dodge him every time.

The funniest thing was that she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Ever since he'd slammed his doors she'd been smiling... and no matter what she did, she couldn't stop. She was even giggling.

Is this love? Kagome wondered. Do I love Inuyasha?

She thought back to the times in her dreams, where she met with his soul; at how wonderful he was there, how sweet and how loving.

It was what gave her hope. For no matter how tough he pretended to be (since he hardly ever pulled it off) she would always be assured that he was as sweet as Hojo on the inside.

But... she knew that love was a part of what was keeping him ill. It had something to do with that glass ball as well. A curse, most likely, but of what?

Kagome wandered through the forest for a while, thinking, but not dwelling on anything for more than a few seconds. It seemed like she was floating... without a care in the world...

"Kagome! Kagome!"

She turned around hastily. Her name was being screamed in what sounded like urgency at its worst.

"Who is it?" she asked. "What's wrong?" To her a surprise, a small figure slammed into the back of her legs, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Souta?" she rubbed her arm as she pulled herself off the ground. What was going on?

"Kagome," he whispered, his small form shaking. Without hesitation Kagome swept the small boy into her arms, rocking his frame gently.

"What's wrong, Souta? Tell me." She placed her hand on his forehead, emitting a cool and soothing aura that took her brother's shivers away and slowed his breathing back down to normal.

"The villagers. They're sick. And mother..." Kagome jumped to her feet, cradling Souta in her arms.

"What's wrong with mother?" she demanded. He scrunched his face and couldn't speak. Getting frustrated, Kagome ran back to the castle as swiftly as she could.

"Inuyasha! Inuyashaaaa!"

"What?"the hanyou gazed incredulously at her with his great red eyes. Two minutes ago he'd been happy and in a peaceful place. And now she wants to leave?

"Please, Inuyasha. I need to help them," she pleaded, tears running down her face. Inuyasha looked down at the boy in her arms, hiding his face in his sister's bosom. His heart was breaking at the sight of the tears on her face, and he could smell her fear and the sickness on the young boy, but... he wanted her to stay.

"Kagome, I..." he tried to convey this to her in words, tried to tell her how he felt, but the words wouldn't come out. The tears on her face slowed, and with one hand she wiped her face and sniffled. Then, with her other hand, she released Souta and grasped Inuyasha by the arm and yanked him towards her.

With a feeling of blissmixed with grief,he gathered her in his arms, leaning down and burying his face in the crook of her neck. He groaned, not wanting her to leave at all, but knowing that he had to let her go. Kagome tentatively returned the embrace, her arms around him and her hands yanking on his hair.

"I'll come back," she whispered softly. "You know I will." He only grasped her more tightly.

"Please," he said in a strangled voice. He could feel her shake her head against him.

"I have to." She turned her head and pressed a lingering kiss on his cheek. "Be here when I come back, alright?" He could only nod, and made a sound deep in his throat when she stepped out of his arms. For an instant there was silence, except for the sounds of quiet sobbing from the young boy.

Without his knowing it, she'd rushed up in an instant and then fled, leaving in her wake the feel of warm soft lips against his own. He watched as she ran, holding her brother's hand as though it were her only hold on life, a tear rolling slowly down his cheek.

It was bleak. The row of graves being dug before her contained few, but there were more lying inside the huts. She did what she could, rushing and healing and trying her hardest to save the sick.

But no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on the dead, on the dying, she couldn't think of anything but Inuyasha.

It had been three days since she left, and still there was very little hope for those who were sick. And the ones who were injured...

She didn't know who it was, but she had a few guesses. Someone had come through the village, slaughtering left and right until only half of the village was left. Most of who was left was either injured in the massacre or poisoned with a miasma that still hadn't dissipated entirely.

"Please," she said to one young girl, who was coughing roughly and bleeding in gashes on her arms and torso. The last of Kagome's tears were dripping sparsely from her swollen eyes, as she attempted to apply poultices and sew up the wounds. The girl, Miaka, was breathing shallowly, taking halting gasps between coughs.

"It's alright, Kagome-sensei," she whispered. "Mommy's waiting for me." Kagome paused, closing her eyes briefly.

"Miaka," she began, but a hand reached out and took Kagome's. She looked up, her mother's face blurry in her vision. She smiled sadly, pulling Kagome up and wiping the tears off her face. Kagome sighed, her body tired and aching, as well as her heart. With a final glance at the young girl, Kagome walked out of the room with her mother, seeing in her mind Miaka's chest heaving, then taking it's final breath before collapsing and lying still.

The hand on her shoulder squeezed, and Kagome turned, glancing at her mother before hesitantly pulling the bandage away from her mother's neck. She held back another sob, seeing the harsh angry red streaks around her mother's wound. The woman tried to smile, but it wobbled precariously as she struggled to take a breath, the air passing through the gash with a wet noise.

"Mother," she said softly, "I can't fix this." The woman nodded, mouthing "I know" as her daughter tried in vain not to cry. Her mother tilted her chin up, trying to whisper, "It's going to be alright," but failing.

Suddenly there were screams all around, and Kagome and her mother hastily looked around, searching for the reason for commotion.

And there he stood.

Naraku, 10 feet away with blood dripping from his hands as another man fell. Cries became dimmer as the ringing in Kagome's ears grew louder and louder as he came closer and closer, that horrible smile on his face. He stretched one red hand toward her, eyes gleaming.

"Come with me, Kagome," he said, his voice a slithering whisper, the only sound she heard.

"You," she spat. "What have you done?" With a cry, she launched herself at him, and he smiled, flicking his hand. She slammed back down onto the ground, crying out. As her vision blurred and dimmed, she spied Souta come out from his hiding place behind the shed, creeping off into the forest and then breaking into a run.

Get Inuyasha, she thought fiercely, eyes closing. Inuyasha...

Hello? Is anyone still out there? Gosh, you have no idea how sorry I am. I'm not going to go into any boring details, but umm, school, family, drama, boys, more drama, some deaths in there... not been a good time for me. So I'm really sorry about all my slacking-off, but that's about all I can do. Other than post, which I'm sure you'd all like me to do. I know this one was short, but I figured you'd be happy with anything at this point. I'll be back soon! Happy Thanksgiving! -Ariana