Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the other characters belonging to the InuYasha series.
InuYasha has always been a hard headed hanyou with a rough exterior, molded by his tragic past. But what if everything that has ever happened to him, all the injustices and hard times that have made him who he is, disappeared? With Kagome's help, could he get a second chance to map his own course in life? And just maybe see the world a little differently! R&R Please
My Key
Chapter 3 Choices
The sun was already sitting high on the horizon casting bright summer rays onto the grassy hills and thick green forests. The light refreshing breeze that moved through the trees and over the small village promised a warm and clear day. But inside one hut a group of friends sat close together, the mood surrounding them feeling less then cheerful.
They all sat in silence letting the news Kagome had brought sink in. Shippou sat on the floor next to Kirara. He looked from each unsure face to the next feeling confused.
"But Kagome …. I don't understand. The medicine you bring from your time always makes us feel better. Can't you help InuYasha just like you always have before?" Shippou finally asked. Kagome looked down at the little fox kits and shook her head.
"I'm sorry Shippou. InuYasha isn't hurt like he has been before … I can't just make him better this time." Kagome answered hoping Shippou could somehow grasp the complexity of the situation. But Shippou just continued to stare at each of them expectantly,
"But … maybe Kaede can do something … or Jinenji might know away … there has to be something to help InuYasha remember …" Shippou continued.
"Those are good ideas Shippou." Sango said with a smile in an attempt to keep Shippou's spirits up.
"I can try … but I don't know what my herbs could do that the healers of Kagome's time could not …" Kaede added. Shippou looked at Kaede feeling frustrated. Then his expression changed to one of anger,
"InuYasha can't forget us … I won't let him!" The little kit shouted defiantly as he clenched his little fists together. Kagome smiled again at Shippou's little outburst.
"You know Shippou you might actually like InuYasha the way he is now." Kagome said making Shippou look up at her questioningly.
"He's acting a little like a kid at the moment. He'd probably want to play with you."
"Does that mean he wouldn't hit me on the head anymore?" Shippou asked after a moment. Kagome nodded her head.
"Maybe it isn't all bad …" Shippou added thoughtfully as he considered the possibilities. Kagome laughed, Shippou was simply too young to fully understand the situation so Kagome was trying her best to alleviate his concerns. However Sango and Miroku could both see the fatigue and sadness that still hung around her, despite her optimistic smile.
Finally Miroku convinced Shippou to take Kirara outside to play so they could talk more seriously about what to do next. As soon as Shippou was gone everyone looked towards Kagome as if waiting for her to come up with some bright solution that could solve their problem.
"What?" Kagome asked as she felt everyone's eyes on her.
"What are we going to do?" asked Miroku.
"I don't know." Kagome answered.
"I honestly have no idea what to do..." She continued turning her eyes downwards to stare at the dyeing embers that still glowed slightly in the fire pit in front of her.
"Maybe you should bring him back through the well as soon as you can. Maybe letting him see the places he knows will help to bring back his memory?" Sango suggested.
"I thought about that but …" Kagome trailed off as she considered the facts.
"But what?" Sango asked.
"Have you ever considered how many people want to hurt us or kill us? Especially InuYasha! I mean there is Naraku and all the horrible things he continuously throws at us but what about Sesshomaru? And Kikyou? And even Kouga if he ever thought he had half a chance!" Kagome answered.
"And of course InuYasha is a Hanyou and regarded by most to be fair game whether they be demon or human." Kaede added.
"Exactly …. InuYasha just seems to attract trouble like a ... like ..." Kagome threw her hands in the air in an exasperated huff as she failed to think of any word that could possibly describe InuYasha's astounding ability for arousing antagonistic feelings from other people.
"You really don't think InuYasha can handle himself against those enemies anymore?" Miroku asked. Kagome considered her answer carefully.
"You haven't seen how he is …" Kagome answered in a quieter voice,
"I wasn't lying when I said he's like a little kid. He's wary of strangers because he doesn't know them but he also sort of has that naivety that children have. All the memories that have made him cautious are gone! It's like he doesn't regard everyone as threat anymore …. I'm afraid our enemies with take advantage of that. I can't help but worry that if he comes back to this world he'll be in danger even with all of us around." Kagome finished.
"It's strange … I never thought we'd have to protect InuYasha from anything but himself." Miroku said with a small laugh.
"If he isn't safe here … then what's our alternative?" Sango asked after a moment. Everyone looked around the room at each other but no one said anything.
"What if you left him in your time?" a small voice piped up. Everyone looked around the hut but didn't see anyone.
"Myoga? Is that you?" Kagome asked directing her question to the apparently empty air around her.
"It is! And may I said you look as tasty as ever Lady Kagome!" came the voice again just as Kagome felt something land on the end of her nose.
"Get Off! …!" Kagome said followed by a 'SMACK' as she sent the little flea demon flying before he could get so much as a drop of her blood.
"No respect for elders!" Myoga said in a dazed voice as he pulled himself up off the hut floor.
"Why do you want InuYasha to stay in Kagome's time?" Miroku asked ignoring the flea's obvious pain.
"You said so yourselves." Myoga began as he jumped up to take a seat on Kagome's knee.
"It would be dangerous for InuYasha in this world especially if his enemies were to separate him from you or find him on his own. But Kagome, you said he has no memory of his life? Not until back even before his mother was killed?" Myoga asked addressing Kagome directly now. Kagome nodded her head.
"Interesting …" Myoga said thoughtfully.
"Why?" Kagome asked curiously. Myoga let out a deep sigh before continuing,
"I have known InuYasha since the day he was born. I watched from a far as he grew under the diligent protection of his mother. Izayoi loved InuYasha very much and she did everything in her power to shield him from the hatred of others. Until that fateful night when the demons came and attacked their home and there was nothing she could do to stop them. She sacrificed herself so InuYasha could live. From that moment on InuYasha's life was one of exile, loneliness and hardship. Born of two worlds but rejected by both, he became hard and uncaring just to survive …"
"Until he met Kikyou …" Kaede added hesitantly.
"Yes … though even that in the end would become one of his greatest hardships as you all too well know." Myoga answered.
"But now he has us to." Sango added.
"True … but even you cannot erase the lifetime of scars inside him … But imagine what InuYasha could be like if given the chance to live in a world where he wouldn't know prejudice and loneliness. As Kagome said he has no memory of the violence and rejection that has filled most of his life. From what I have heard of Kagome's time it is a place where people are not so readily judged for their differences." Myoga looked up at Kagome hopefully. Kagome remained quiet for a while as she considered what Myoga was suggesting. She thought back to earlier that morning sitting on Kaiman's front steps, 'Kagome you need to help InuYasha find himself, whether that be who he was …. Or who he could be.'. Kagome hadn't had a chance to ask Kaiman what he had meant by that, but now she thought she might be beginning to understand what he was trying to tell her. This was InuYasha's second chance but the prospect of what that undertaking could entail still left a hesitant feeling in Kagome's heart.
"But how long can he stay in Kagome's world … it's going to take all of us working together if we ever stand a chance of defeating Naraku!" Sango asked.
"As it is Naraku grows stronger every day …" Miroku added.
Kagome looked down at Miroku's hand realizing waiting was not an option for them anymore. Miroku simply no longer had the luxury of time. They couldn't wait for InuYasha to regain his memories before they continued their hunt for Naraku.
"But how do we force InuYasha into a war he no longer understands." Kagome asked,
"He doesn't remember who Naraku is anymore … he doesn't even remember who we are … can we really still ask him to put his life on the line?" Kagome asked. She was speaking aloud to everyone but her tone sounded almost as if she were asking herself the question more than anyone else. Everyone quietly looked around at each other as if waiting for someone to make the choice.
Five hundred years in the future InuYasha slowly awoke to the sound of soft muffled shuffling. He slowly opened his eyes and sat up looking around Kagome's room. He quickly noticed Kagome was nowhere to be seen and he wondered where she had gone.
The shuffling sound came again and InuYasha turned towards the bedroom door wondering where it might be coming from. He sat for another moment debating if he should just stay where he was until Kagome came back. In light of his adventure after running away the night before, he suspected he shouldn't wonder off too far. But the sound continued to scratch at InuYasha's curiosity and finally he couldn't resist any longer and he got up from the bed and moved towards the door. Being as quiet as he could he pulled the door open and peeked out into the hallway. At first he didn't see anything so he opened the door a little further. At the far end of the hall near the top of the stairs, movement caught InuYasha's attention and he froze waiting to see what it was. To his surprise a young boy suddenly appear at the end of the hallway. He had something in his hand that he seemed to be playing with. InuYasha opened the door a little further to get a better look when the door hinge let out a high pitched 'creek' making him flinch. The boy's head shot around towards InuYasha. For a moment they just starred at each other from opposite ends of the hallway. Then a bright smile broke out on the boy's face and he dashed away disappearing down the stairs. InuYasha sat in the doorway for several minutes feeling a little bewildered and unsure of what he should do next. Suddenly InuYasha got a strong whiff of something that smelled delicious. His stomach gave a loud rumble and he suddenly realized how hungry he felt.
Cautiously InuYasha followed his nose to the end of the hall and down the stairs where the young boy had disappeared. He kept his ears open for any sound as he made his way along following the tasty smells. As he neared the bottom of the stairs he picked up on the sound of voices coming from the same direction as the smell of food.
"Mom … InuYasha is awake …"
"I hope you didn't wake him up! I told you to stay out of Kagome's room!"
"I didn't! I was just playing in the hallway and he came out of the room and looked at me …"
"Remember what I said, he's still recovering from last night. He needs his rest."
"Ok … but what if he's hungry? … maybe I should take him some food or something? …"
Kagome's mother was about to answer when Souta's Grandfather suddenly cleared his throat loudly from the kitchen table. Both Souta and Kagome's mother glanced up as he nodded his towards the kitchen door. They both looked up to see InuYasha peering around the doorway watching them.
"Oh … good morning InuYasha!" Kagome's mother said sounding surprised to see him. An awkward silence passed through the kitchen as InuYasha just stared back at them. Kagome had told her mother over the phone about the situation and warned her InuYasha might be a little nervous around them at first.
"Do you know where Kagome went?" InuYasha finally asked as he looked around the kitchen.
"She had to leave for a bit but I'm sure she will be back soon." Kagome's mother answered,
"I'm Kagome's mother …" she added after a moment.
"And I'm Souta, Kagome's brother!" Souta announced proudly.
"Yes and this is Kagome's grandfather." Kagome's mother continued pointing to the old man sitting at the table. The man scowled at InuYasha making him feel a little uncomfortable but Kagome's mother and Souta seemed friendly.
"We're having waffles for breakfast, would you like some?" Souta asked cheerfully. InuYasha's stomach rumbled loudly in response making InuYasha's ears droop slightly as he blushed. Kagome's mother smiled and walked over to the cupboard and pulled out another plate.
"Come sit down InuYasha. I made plenty for everyone." She said as she placed the plate at an empty space at the end of the table. Souta jumped up into the empty seat next to it and looked back at InuYasha expectantly. Slowly InuYasha made his way through the kitchen and sat down at the table. A moment later Kagome's mother dropped a steaming stack of waffles onto his plate before doing the same for Souta, the old man and then finally herself.
InuYasha sniffed the food curiously, it smelled really good. He watched as Souta reached for a jug on the table and poured some thick sweet smelling liquid all over his plate before he grabbed his fork and started pulling his food apart and stuffing it into his mouth. InuYasha quickly picked up his own utensil and followed suit. Kagome's mother watched InuYasha as he copied Souta and placed the first bite in his mouth. InuYasha's eyes instantly lit up and he looked down at his plate,
"This is really good!" He said without thinking and quickly proceeded to devour the rest. Souta laughed,
"Tastes even better with syrup on them!" He said pushing the jug towards InuYasha. He took the jug and sniffed it curiously before pouring some on his plate.
Kagome's mother smiled as she watched the scene unfold. There was definitely something different about InuYasha now. He seemed brighter and more open somehow.
"Mom, can I play soccer later at the park?" Souta suddenly asked looking down the table at his mother. But before she could answer InuYasha spoke up,
"What's soccer?" He asked. Souta turned back towards InuYasha and a wide smile spread across his face.
Kagome came to a stop at the edge of the well before turning and looking back at her friends. Shippou bounded up and along the old wooden rim of the well and jumped up on Kagome's shoulder,
"So you're going to bring InuYasha back with you right?" Shippou asked hopefully.
"We'll see Shippou …" Kagome answered giving the little kit a hug.
"So if you're not back by tonight we'll set out ahead of you?" Miroku asked giving Kagome a questioning look. Kagome slowly nodded her head,
"Just don't do anything stupid until we get back!" Kagome added with a smile.
"Don't worry Kagome, everything will be ok. We're going to finish Naraku together!" Sango said as she walked up and gave Kagome a reassuring hug. Then with a final good bye Kagome swung her legs over and disappeared back down the well.
"Good Luck!" Shippou yelled waving his little hand through the air.
"You know I almost envy InuYasha ..." Miroku said in sad voice.
"What do you mean?" Sango asked sounding worried. Miroku raised his hand and looked down at his palm,
"We've all seen some horrible things ... had people we love taken away from us ... the prospect of forgetting those memories forever ... it's awfully enticing!" Miroku answered. Sango looked at Miroku's hand knowing full well what he meant. She had lost her entire village, watched her family murdered right before her eyes by her own beloved brother. Miroku had watched the gruesome death of his father as he was sucked into the cursed wind tunnel in his hand, knowing full well the same fate awaited him in the not so distant future. Even Shippou had been left with the memory of watching his father killed by ruthless and remorseless demons.
"I know how you feel Miroku." Sango said finally,
"But I don't think you mean it!" She added. Miroku looked up at Sango questioningly.
"InuYasha didn't just forget how his mother was killed ... or how people have treated him in his life or things that he regrets. He forgot everything! He's forgotten who he was. He's forgotten us... he forgot Kagome!" Sango paused for a second as she looked back down the dark well,
"I think ... If given the choice, I would want to keep all my memories ... even the really tough ones ... rather than lose the friendships I've gained now."
Miroku watched Sango carefully for a moment before looking back down.
Kagome landed in the darkness on her own side of the well. It was quiet and cool in the well house and Kagome just stood for a while in the peacefulness collecting her thought. Sango and Miroku had left it to Kagome to decide what she should do with InuYasha. It was up to her to decided whether she should bring InuYasha back and submerse him once more in the world he was from or if he should be given a chance to regain the part of himself that he had lost in this new world where he would be safe. Both options presented problems. If Kagome decided to bring InuYasha back in time they could continued their search for Naraku together, but if InuYasha couldn't remember who he was then it would be unlikely he could defend himself against the everyday dangers they faced and the powerful enemies that constantly pursued them. On the other hand keeping InuYasha in Kagome's time with her would be safer for him but at the same time it would fracture their group leaving their friends vulnerable on the other side of the well.
Kagome took a deep breath and started the climb up to the top of the well. She would just have to wait and see how things played out. All she could think about right now was getting some sleep.
Kagome sluggishly slid over the lip of the old well and made her way over to the small stair case that led up to the door of the well house. Just as she was about to pull the door open InuYasha's muffled voice filtered through the thick wooden walls followed closely by the familiar sound of her brother's laughter.
Kagome quickly pulled the door open and peered out onto the shrine grounds searching for InuYasha and her brother. She was surprised to say the least when she spotted them standing together in front of her home. As Kagome approached she realized InuYasha was holding a soccer ball in his hands.
"No … I told you! You can't touch the ball with your hands. You have to kick it with your feet!" Souta said as he put his hands on his hips and waved his foot in the air. InuYasha tossed the ball back onto the ground and Souta quickly stole it knocked the ball away with his foot before running off, laughing as he went.
"Hey!" InuYasha yelled and took off after him.
Kagome just watched in amazement as she walked towards the house.
"Hi Kagome!" Souta suddenly yelled across the yard as he spotted his sister coming towards them. At the sound of Kagome's name InuYasha eagerly looked up and smiled when he spotted her coming towards them.
"Good morning… what are you guys up to?" Kagome asked as she walked up to the two boys eyeing them curiously. Both Souta and InuYasha looked at each other before InuYasha looked back to Kagome,
"Souta is teaching me how to play soccer." He answered pointing down at the younger boy. "He's really good at this …" Souta said smiling proudly despite sounding out of breath. Kagome just stood speechlessly starring at the two boys.
"That's …. Great ..." Kagome finally said sounding amused,
"I guess that means you're feeling ok?" Kagome asked looking at InuYasha. InuYasha shrugged shoulders,
"I think so … my head feels a lot better now." InuYasha answered rubbing his hand over the back of his head.
"But it's sort of weird to." He added.
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked.
"I feel like I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to be feeling …" InuYasha answered looked back at Kagome, unsure if his answer really made any sense. Kagome didn't know what to say. She watched InuYasha's eyes closely and couldn't help but smile again. Of all the times InuYasha had been hurt or in trouble and she had asked him if was ok, she couldn't remember a time he had given her such an honest answer.
"Come on InuYasha!" Souta called as he ran off with the ball again. InuYasha turned and watched him moving away. He was about to chase after him when he turned back to Kagome,
"Do you want to play?" He asked her.
"Aaa No that's ok … I'm not very good at soccer." Kagome answered before turning back towards the house.
"Kagome …" InuYasha called. Kagome turned back towards him.
"Are you ok?" He asked. Kagome smiled,
"Ya … I'm just tired …" Kagome answered before turning away again.
InuYasha watched as Kagome walked up to the house. A light breeze suddenly came rushing along the ground and up the walkway, catching Kagome's scent before washing over InuYasha. InuYasha instantly recognized that her scent was different from before. There were other smells, scents of other people mingled with her own. His gut told him that he should recognize the scents but he just couldn't remember who they were. A moment later Kagome disappeared inside her home and the scents quickly faded away, lost to the wind.
Kagome's mother hummed a tune to herself as she carried a heavy laundry basket down the stairs and past the kitchen. As she past she stopped as she spotted Kagome standing by the kitchen window just staring out into the front yard.
"Kagome?" she said as she placed the basket on the floor and walked into the kitchen. Kagome didn't answer or even turn as her mother walked up next to her.
"Are you ok dear?" Kagome's mother asked as she put her hand on her daughters shoulder.
"He trusts me mom ..." Kagome said in a quiet voice. Unsure of what she meant Kagome's mother looked out the window to see InuYasha and Souta still running around after the soccer ball.
"I don't understand Kagome." She said shaking her head.
"Mom, when I first met InuYasha ... we hated each other. I didn't want to be stuck traveling with him hunting down dangerous monsters who wanted to kill me and he didn't want to be stuck with a clumsy human like me slowing him down all the time." Kagome said with a disbelieving laugh as she remembered back to those times that seemed so long ago now.
"It took time for us to become friends and for him to trust me. Even two days ago if you had asked him he would have denied he needs us or anyone because of his stubborn pride ... but now ... From his point of view he's known me for a matter of hours! ... and I think he already trusts me more now than he ever did."
Kagome's mother slowly pulled her daughter into a tight hug. She didn't say anything because she knew Kagome had probably already heard enough people telling her, 'it's going to be ok.'. She knew Kagome didn't want things to be 'ok', she wanted them to be the same, the way they had been.
"Why don't you go up stairs and have a bath and get some sleep ..." Kagome's mother said as she gently drew away. Kagome turned and looked out the window again,
"Don't worry about InuYasha right now ... I'm pretty sure Souta will have him preoccupied for hours!"
Kagome smiled and hugged her mother once more before walking out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
Mothers always have a queen instinct, they know their children and how they feel and think no matter how hard they try to hide it. Kagome's mother had known for a long time Kagome cared for InuYasha as more than a friend but there was always a barrier between them. Now it felt as if that barrier had grown tenfold.
It was late afternoon when Kagome finally woke up again. Realizing she had slept longer then she had intended she quickly got up and got changed and headed back downstairs. As she entered the living room on her way to the kitchen she spotted InuYasha and Souta sitting on the couch playing one of Souta's favourite video games on the TV. Clearly Souta was determined to draw InuYasha into just about any fun pass time he could. Souta had always thought InuYasha was pretty cool so being able to spend time with him wasn't something Souta was going to pass up. It worked out well for Kagome as well, it gave her some time to rest and to try and collect her thoughts.
Kagome was about to speak up when the door bell rang. Kagome rolled her eyes when neither InuYasha nor Souta so much as looked up from the TV screen.
'Wonderful, the makings of the very first Feudal era couch potato ...' Kagome thought to herself as she turned towards the hallway that led to the front door. Reaching the front door Kagome turned the knob and pulled the door open. To her surprise she found Sydney and Maverick standing on the front step.
"Hi ..." Kagome said sounding a little stunned.
"Hello again." Sydney replied with a smile. Maverick flashed a wide grin as well and waved hello.
"How's everything going so far?" Sydney asked.
"Um ... well ..." Kagome said glancing over her shoulder,
"It's all a bit surreal at the moment. Watching my little brother teaching InuYasha to play soccer and or video games just seem so ... unusual." Kagome answered.
"Can I go in and see what they're doing?" Maverick asked as he eagerly stood on his tip toes trying to see down the hall and into the house.
"Sure .." Kagome answered. Before she could say another word Maverick slipped past her and was gone.
"Sorry about that ..." Sydney said shaking her head in disbelief,
"For some reason he seems to have taken a liking to InuYasha ... might be that they're both half dog demon."
"What?" Kagome said starring at Sydney in surprise.
"He didn't mention that I take it?" Sydney said with a laugh. Kagome shook her head slowly,
"It kind of makes sense now though ... I had a feeling Maverick wasn't human but I just couldn't be sure." Kagome said glancing back into the house where Maverick had disappeared.
"Do you mind if I ask how he came to be with you?" Kagome asked tentatively. Sydney gave Kagome an uncertain glance,
"I made a comment about whether his mother, thinking that was you, knew where he was and Maverick said you weren't his mother ..." Kagome said. Sydney nodded her head in understanding,
"Maverick ... sort of found me." Sydney began,
"I was going through a tough time in my life a few years back. One night I was working in the ER at the hospital, it was a miserable, cold, rainy night and the accidents just kept pouring in and I finally had enough and I just had to get out of there. I walked out a side door into the rain and I just stood there trying to forget everything that was going on and block out everything that was happening ... then out of nowhere this intense feeling of stillness came over me and I opened my eyes and I looked down and this little boy was standing in front of me. He was wearing this pale blue one piece sleeper and he was drenched from the rain but he was just staring at me ... the rest is history!" Sydney finished with a laugh.
"You're saying you just found him ... all alone? What happened to his parents?" Kagome asked in disbelief.
"We never found out. We did everything to try and find out where he had come from but hit nothing but dead ends,... and no one ever came looking for him. He was only about 3 years old at the time and the only thing he could tell us was his name. And of course I had no idea he was a hanyou at that point but it wasn't long before I got my initiation into the underground world of demons ... that was a bit of a shock I won't lie!"
"Tell me about it ... one day I'm a normal teenage school girl ... next I'm hunting down evil demons 500 years in the past." Kagome said nodding her head. Both women laughed.
"Anyways I just wanted to come by and drop off InuYasha's things. With all the commotion last night, they got forgotten at the hospital." Sydney said as she leaned down and picked up an opaque plastic bag that was sitting on the ground by her feet. Kagome reached out and took the bag. Opening it she saw InuYasha clothes and was suddenly hit with a power smell of blood.
Blood was something Kagome had gotten used to in her travels in the Feudal era, especially InuYasha's blood. But for some reason this time the smell turned her stomach to the point she nearly felt as if she were going to be sick.
"Are you ok?" Sydney asked noticing Kagome's sudden look of discomfort.
"Ya ... I'm fine." Kagome answered as she quickly closed the bag again.
"Do you want to come in?" Kagome suddenly asked realizing she was being rude by keeping her guest outside on the front step.
"Maverick and I should probably get going, but I guess I can come in for a minute." Sydney answered. Kagome stepped to the side and motioned for Sydney to come in. Sydney walked in and took off her shoes but turned when she didn't hear Kagome come in after her.
"Are you coming Kagome?" she asked when she noticed the thoughtful look on Kagome's face.
"Ya ... I'll be there in a minute." Kagome answered before she walked away from the house. Sydney watched silently as Kagome walked across the shrine grounds and disappeared into one of the buildings.
Kagome stood in the quiet darkness of the well house starring down into the shadows that cloaked the old dry well that stood below. Her fingers tightened around the plastic bag she still held in her hands as she slowly leaned away from the door and walked down the stairs. Coming to a stop in front of the well she slowly lifted up the bag and rested it on the rim. Hesitantly Kagome opened the bag once more and pulled out InuYasha's fire rat robe. She gently turned the material over in her hands feeling the familiar texture until her fingers touched something sticky. Bringing her fingers up she could just made out the drying blood that had rubbed off on her fingers. Slowly Kagome turned over the garment to see a large stain of blood.
Kagome felt a horrible lump form in her throat and silent tears started to roll down her cheeks. She closed her eyes as she remembered every time InuYasha had been hurt, every close call, every drop of blood he had shed protecting her.
Kagome's eyes suddenly opened again. She looked down and started shoving the fire rat robe back into plastic bag before carefully wrapping it back up. She lifted her arms and held the bag over the well and hesitated for only a second before she dropped it. Kagome listened but it never made a sound as it faded away into the deep. Kagome hoped Miroku and Sango would be ok on their own for a little while. She just couldn't risk InuYasha's life again.
It was her turn to protect him.
R&R :)