A/N: Hi guys! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I'm getting really antsy posting it one chapter at a time since I've already started on Chapter 7 and I'm thrilled to hear your opinions. At the moment I've set view goals and when I reach them I post a chapter. So far you guys have far surpassed my viewing goals and that has thrilled me to no end!

4

Everyone was fuzzy, but there was a bright light behind the man on her chest who was pushing at it. 'Why was he pushing so hard at my chest, and why didn't it hurt?' Kagome thought numbly as her head lolled. The light was too bright and she felt dizzy, slowly, she closed her eyes and allowed the comfort of darkness to envelop her.

Beep. Beep. Beep. The machine chimed, the sound was rhythmic but annoying as she opened her eyes. Looking down at her arm she saw the IV connected to her. Wincing, she raised the blanket the covered her and saw the bandages that wrapped around her. Taking a deep breath, she covered herself back up and looked around her.

Shock settled over her at the sight of Prince Inuyasha in the recliner at the foot of her bed. For the fist time, he looked vulnerable. His red button-up shirt hung open and his black jeans were wrinkled, his hair was dishelved and messy around his sleeping face. Without warning his eyes opened up and met hers. She gasped as his golden eyes locked onto hers. "Inuyasha." She gasped.

"Are you okay?" He asked moving to sit on the side of her bed.

"I'm not sure." She said sheepishly, still intoxicated with the painkillers she had been administered. "The last thing I remember is the reporter pulling in front of me. Is Ileana safe?" Worry and fear racked her body at the thought of her daughter; she looked up to the Prince for answers of her wellbeing.

"She safe at the palace with our mothers. So don't worry about her." His voice was softer, but maybe it was just the painkillers making her think that. "You're pretty banged up. You went through your windshield and a piece of glass went through your stomach as you flew out. You broke a few ribs and ruptured your spleen from the trauma of getting thrown through the windshield. What the hell were you thinking when you left without a seatbelt on?"

"That I couldn't let Ileana be seen." Her eyes were far away when she looked up at him. It was a miracle she wasn't hurt anymore than she was. "I've been hiding her from everyone and everything for four years Inuyasha." Her eyes hardened as she focused on him, her motherly instinct showing in her eyes. "I knew she was in danger the moment I found out I was pregnant. Her lineage was a dead give away by the hair on her head. Your family isn't the safest one to be involved in, not with the rebels and Naraku Onigumo's mob looking to take over power." His eyes widened at her knowledge of the castle's internal affairs. "Yes, I know about that. Within a week of the first time I went out in public with her I received a threatening letter warning me that to be involved with the Takahashi family was to make myself an enemy of the mob. From there I went into hiding with her, moving whenever I needed to, making her wear wigs and hats in public. The day you found us the wind had caught her hat, but I couldn't bear to take her home, she was having too much fun."

"Why you? Why wouldn't they target anyone else that I had been involved with." His eyes were narrowed with suspicion, any trace of softness gone.

"Because I had the heir." Her eyes were fire when she met his. "I bore the first heir, illegitimate or not, of the Takahashi family. Four days after I gave birth to her, you passed the legislation to allow female children of the crown to inherit the throne. That law signed Ileana's death warrant." She didn't know why she was telling him any of this, maybe it was because of the painkillers or maybe it was because she had almost died tonight in an 'accident'.

Prince Inuyasha looked at her in a new light. Bathed in the light of fluorescent hospital lights sat a woman who had been through hell to protect her child, his child. A since of pride welled up in his chest as he looked at her bruised face. Even though she had a black eye and her cheek was badly bruised she looked beautiful to him. He hadn't believed he could feel something for this woman because of what she had done to save the heir to the throne, but he did. "Inuyasha?" She asked timidly.

"What is it, Kagome?" They had lost all formalities after the car wreck. Something about sitting in someone's hospital room while they were coconscious could do that to a person.

"Don't let my mother or Ileana come the hospital. There will be reporters outside of the hospital and if they see Ileana your reputation will be tarnished." She was set on her request, but the fact that she wanted to keep his reputation intact baffled him. Shouldn't she, of all people, want him to be ruined for what he had done to her?

"I will." He pulled out his cell phone and made the call to home, informing them of Kagome's request. When he turned back to her though, she had fallen asleep. He looked over at the monitors and noticed that she was still in pain, and had been in pain through their whole conversation, but never showed any concern for herself. He gently pushed the button to allow painkiller to be administered to her body.

"What kind of woman are you?" He asked under his breath as he softly kissed her hand and returned to the recliner.

Two days later they released Kagome from the hospital. Prince Inuyasha stayed by her side the whole time as far as she was aware, but he must have left and showered while she was asleep because after that first night, he never looked dishelved again.

It took all of her power not to wince as she walked up the stairs into the palace, at the top stood her mother, but there was no sign of Ileana. Her heart was pounding in her chest with nerves. "Here let me help you." The Prince whispered at her ear before he gently lifted her into his arms and walked to the top of the stairs in a fluid motion.

She hadn't had time to argue with him and at the top of the stairs she graciously thanked him for his care. Without warning Kitori's arms wrapped around her, "I was so worried about you." She whispered in her ear.

"Thanks Mum." She muttered back. She had missed her Mum in that hospital room, Prince Inuyasha's company was nice, but there wasn't any love in his actions. Just obligation.

"Kagome!" Empress Izayoi was at the foot of the stairs, a worried, motherly smile on her face. "I'm glad to see your okay." Gently she gathered her in her arms and gave her a gentle squeeze. The tenderness caught Kagome off guard as just three days earlier she had sat next to her husband while he delivered his ultimatum. But thinking back she never looked unkind.

"Thank you, Empress." She said kindly and attempted to give a small bow. Prince Inuyasha watched bow and held himself back from barking at her to stand back up. Her whole body trembled just a little bit as she bent over, her stitches obviously straining from the effort. He still couldn't understand her selflessness.

"There is no need to do that!" Empress Izayoi fumbled as she gently pushed her shoulders back up. "And please call me Izayoi. There is no need for formalities anymore."

Kitori smiled at Empress Izayoi as she handled her daughter; over the past few days in the palace the two women had become fast friends over their mutual grandchild. "Kagome, first bedroom on the left." Her mother prompted.

A smile spread over her still bruised face as she nodded and rushed up the stairs. Prince Inuyasha made a move to follow her but his mother held him back. "She will take you when she is ready. For now you need to be patient."

"But Mother." He insisted, looking down at Empress Izayoi's five-foot-five frame. Although she was tiny, Inuyasha didn't dare protest against his mother.

Kagome could hear the soft noises of Ileana playing as she pressed her ear to the door before opening it. With a smile and a hint of guilt, she opened the door.

"Mummy!" Ileana shouted as she jumped up, dropping the toys she was playing with, and bounded into her mother's arms. Her tender little body hurt as it hit hers, but she showed no sign of it to her. "I missed you, Mummy. Nana said that a bad man hit you with his car and I-I was afraid I'd never see you again when you didn't come home." Her tiny lower lip trembled as she hugged her mother tighter.

"Aw, sweetheart." She gently smoothed Ileana's hair and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I'm not leaving you, ever sweetheart." She held her tighter to her and carried her over to the big plush bed, rocking her gently.

She softly began to sing the song of princesses and knights to her as she rocked her. Soon, she was asleep and so was Kagome. The two were tucked into the bed together, holding onto one another.

Prince Inuyasha, upset that he couldn't be in the room, sat outside of it like a guard and listened to Kagome sing to Ileana. His heart sped up just a little bit as he recognized the song. His mother had sung him that song as a boy, and he had sang it to her the night he had bedded with her.

He remembered her asking him to sing to her, because she had heard him sing in the shower as she cleaned his room one day. She had fallen asleep in his arms as he softly stoked her hair with his hand. He had been so happy and peaceful in that moment. His parent's discussion of engagements and the status of the country didn't matter in that moment. He had been a normal twenty year old, holding a beautiful girl in his arms. And now that beautiful girl was under his roof with his child. Resolution steeled over him in that moment as he stood up and walked down the hall to his room. He was going to make that woman love him.

Stay tuned for another chapter!

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