NVP

Chapter 9

Confusion seemed to be a universal language. Tor'mac could see it in all those around him outside the small dwelling. Why didn't they simply go inside? More importantly, why was the other warrior the only one inside besides the wounded one? Surely the others wouldn't leave if all he was doing was healing her.

Realizing he wouldn't get any answers out here, he moved past the others and toward the door.

"Tor'mac!"

He stopped and turned around to see Sango moving towards him. She stopped in front of him and shook her head. Tor'mac looked back at the door as Kagome let out another wail, then turned back to Sango.

Kagome continued for another hour as tension kept building outside. Then her cries died down to quiet whimpers. Inuyasha checked her wound again and was relieved to see that it looked much better. A sad, guilty look crossed his face as he headed for the door. He could only hope that she would understand when the truth came out. The others were still waiting outside when he exited. Immediately they all jumped up and ran to him.

"Well?" They all asked in unison.

"She'll be fine, she's sleeping now."

Inuyasha moved past them and walked towards the woods. The rest darted into the hut to check on Kagome. Miroku though, simply poked his head in for a moment then proceeded to follow Inuyasha.

Inuyasha knew he was being followed without even turning around. Miroku was too loud for his own good.

'Damn, that didn't take long.'

He kept moving until he came to a small lake and leapt up into a nearby tree to recline in. A few minutes later Miroku emerged from the woods and looked up at him.

"Inuyasha, come down and speak with me please."

"Buzz off."

"Please Inuyasha, we need to know what happened in there. Kagome was near death and now you say she'll be fine. How is that possible? What did you do?"

"Feh. You'll find out when I'm good and ready."

Miroku sighed and moved as if he were leaving. Then he stopped and faced Inuyasha again.

"Fine then. I guess in the meantime I'll have to draw my own conclusions."

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Miroku grew a sly grin, "Perhaps you decided to 'take advantage' of the situation."

Inuyasha growled, "Watch it monk."

Miroku continued, ignoring Inuyasha's dangerous tone, "Perhaps that is why you needed to be alone with her and why she was screaming for so long."

Miroku barely had enough time to blink before Inuyasha was on him. He grabbed him by the front of his robes and snarled into his face. Miroku, meanwhile, had the nerve to look surprised.

"Listen, pervert! I don't know what's going through that pea-sized brain of yours, but I. WOULD. NEVER. HURT. KAGOME!"

He stared into Miroku's horrified eyes for a moment to let his words sink in and then hurled him as far as he could into the center of the lake. By the time he came up coughing, Inuyasha was gone. By the time he dragged himself to shore, Sango was waiting for him with her arms folded.

"You know you deserved that right?"

Miroku looked up, and then conceded the point. "I thought I could get him to tell me if I cornered him."

Sango looked disgusted, "You know what they say about cornered animals, right?"

Miroku frowned but before he could come up with an answer, Sango shoved him back into the water.

"Wise up lecher!"

Once again, Miroku came up sputtering and pulled himself out of the water, "accidentally" using Sango's leg to do so.

"You pervert!"

The resulting SMACK could be heard back at the village. Miroku stammered.

"But Sango, the water blinded me. I couldn't see!"

Sango tensed and balled up her fist, "See this!"

Sango swung but hit only air as Miroku backpedaled and turned to run back to the village, but instead ran into the solid wall that was Tor'mac. Miroku, stunned, looked up at him, confused. Tor'mac grabbed Miroku's arm and spun, launching him back into the lake even farther than Inuyasha.

Tor'mac laughed to himself and offered a confused Sango a slight bow. It had been fairly obvious even to him what the monk had been doing. Tor'mac recalled a time when he was younger and had done something similar to a female. As a result, she had beaten him to a pulp and taken his clothing, sending him home through the streets nude. By comparison, Miroku was getting off easy. Tor'mac had learned then to show females the respect they deserved, and Miroku would learn it now.

Sango laughed and walked next to Tor'mac back to the village. Miroku watched them go, trying to sort out what had just happened.

"Why does everyone feel the need to throw me in the lake!"

As he made his way back to shore still watching the two depart, he couldn't help but think that Tor'mac seemed to 'like' Sango. That idea forced a thousand images into his head and none of them were pretty. This time a very dirty, soaked, cold, and tired Miroku crawled onto shore-only to come face to face with a grinning Shippo. Miroku groaned and collapsed at his feet.

"Don't even think about it Shippo."

Inuyasha stalked through the forest, not really caring where he was going. He was still seething.

'The nerve of that guy!'

He wandered for another hour, occasionally sharpening his claws on a hapless tree as he passed by. But the crash behind him as they fell did little to make him feel better. Eventually he headed back to the village and Kagome. Miroku did well to stay out of his way for the remaining part of the day.

The entire group settled in around Kagome that night. The others all fell asleep relatively quickly but Inuyasha stared at Kagome like he expected her to jump up from the floor at any moment. Although she didn't jump, she did open her eyes and look around the room. As she began to stir Inuyasha quickly moved to her side to keep her from moving too much. She looked into his golden eyes and smiled.

"How do you feel?" He whispered, not knowing that everyone else was eavesdropping rather than sleeping at this point.

"Much better. What was that stuff anyway? Another potion your mother taught you?" Kagome asked, recalling the foul brew that he had given her when she was sick. Inuyasha's gaze dropped to the floor.

"No. This one's on Myoga." He said finally.

There were a few seconds of silence between the two as each simply enjoyed the others' company. Kagome seemed to wrestle with her thoughts for a moment, then she looked up at Inuyasha with a hopeful expression.

"I could hear you. You stayed with me the whole time."

Inuyasha simply smiled. Then the implications of that statement hit him. His face flushed as red as his kimono and his voice grew edgy.

"Um, you should get some more rest." He said, starting to rise. Kagome's hand shot out and took hold of his own.

"Kagome…"

"Did you mean it?" Kagome pleaded.

Inuyasha hesitated, feeling like he'd been caught doing something wrong. He nodded.

"Say it again, please."

If possible, Inuyasha's face grew even redder. He bent down again, bringing his mouth near to Kagome's ear.

"I love you, Kagome."

Kagome smiled widely, then wrapped her arms around his neck. Both were thinking the same thing.

'Please don't let this be a dream.'

They stayed like that for some time. When they finally did separate Kagome looked worried.

"What about Kikyo?"

Inuyasha took on a pained look at the mention of the name and Kagome's heart sank. A second later though, he lifted her chin to look into her eyes.

"It's true that I loved Kikyo, and I guess in some ways I still do." Kagome tried to look away but he didn't allow it. "But that isn't Kikyo who wanders the earth feeding on the souls of the dead. It's an imitation made of clay that took part of your soul. The Kikyo I loved died because of Naraku fifty years ago. My only business with her now is to see her soul at peace once again."

Kagome wiped away a tear, "How do I know you won't run back to her again the next time you catch her scent?"

"I won't."

Kagome looked confused.

"That's why you'll have to trust me, besides you've always got this…" He said, motioning to the enchanted beads around his neck. Kagome laughed but grimaced and clutched her stomach.

"That reminds me," She said when the pain subsided, "What was It you gave me this time?"

Inuyasha cringed at the obvious threat. If he didn't tell her she'd 'sit' him into the ground. Inuyasha held his hands up defensively.

"I'm not so sure it would be such a good idea to tell you that just yet." Kagome raised an eyebrow. "I promise, I'll tell you in the morning when you're stronger."

Thankfully for him, Kagome let it go at that and Inuyasha moved back to the wall for the night. Kagome sat up again and looked at him with a smile.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hmmm?"

"I love you too."

Inuyasha smiled back and closed his eyes. For the first time in a great while, his sleep was untroubled and restful for once as he dreamt of HIS Kagome. The others meanwhile, all fell back to sleep smiling.

Thought I'd have some fun at Miroku's expense to lighten the tone a bit lol. Please review!