AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you For the lovely review Tnyseagull! As always, it is greatly appreciated! Cookie for you!
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the gang except for Sakura... she is mine.
"Sakura? Wake up, sweetie."
Kagome?
She slowly opened her eyes, blinking to dispel the remnants of the foggy sleep she was in. Her eyes hurt and her head was banging out a cadence to rival any marching band, actually her whole body hurt, but she felt warm and safe.
"How ya feeling?"
Sakura turned her head to the voice above her. She was curled up in Inuyasha's lap, wearing his hori. As the previous evening came back to her; she wanted to cry again.
"I'm fine."
Her voice, rough from last night's tears, had clawed it's way up her throat making her already sore esophagus to feel shredded.
She pushed herself off of her brother's chest in an attempt to move off him completely.
"Hold on…"
Inuyasha grabbed the blanket that was across her lap, keeping her bottom half covered, he tied it around her waist.
"There you go. No need to flash the entire camp."
"Thank you."
Sakura turned to Kagome.
"Let me help you up. I thought maybe you'd like a bath and to put some clothes on before you ate something."
Sakura nodded, deciding against injuring her throat further. Kagome grabbed her hand and started to lead her towards the hot spring, where the other girls were at.
Sango and Rin were already in the water when they got there.
"Hey."
Sango greeted her softly. Sakura graced her with a small sad smile. She didn't feel like talking; all she really wanted was to scrub her skin clean of that Kami's touch. She started to remove the blanket but fumbled with the knot.
"Here, let me help."
Kagome took over and got the blanket and Inuyasha's hori off her. She smiled her thanks and went to the water's edge. Rin, who was closest, stood up and helped her step into the water. Silently, Kagome handed her soap, shampoo, and a rag. The rest of their bath was spent in silence.
The males watched as Kagome and Sakura left for the springs.
"I told you she would sleep until noon."
"Actually, little brother, it's almost evening."
"Keh."
Inuyasha finally stood up, stretched, and then went to the pot that was sitting over the fire. He hadn't eaten all day; he didn't want to disturb Sakura and it wasn't like he had gone without food before.
"Think she'll be up for trying the well after this?"
Miroku had stayed out of the brother's conversation but the question nagged at him since they brought their sister back last night.
"I don't know. We'll be at the well tomorrow."
Eventually the girls finished their bath and were back in camp eating dinner. It wasn't long before everyone started to drift off to bed. Even Sakura went to sleep, though her's were not as restful. Nightmares from the previous night and the possibilities of what may have happened kept her up almost every hour. Sesshomaru, who had been watching the girl, nudged his brother out of his light dose in the branch above his own tree pointing out their sister's restless sleep. The fuzzy-eared hanyo felt his heart clench at the sight. Suddenly, he brightened with idea. Quickly whispering the plan to the elder, he launched himself from his perch and went to girl. He picked her up, bridal style, and walked back to the tree where their brother was. He sat next to Sesshomaru, placing he beside them. Nestled between her brothers, Sakura finally fell into a dreamless sleep.
"Almost there!"
Kagome became more and more excited about going home with each step they took towards the well. She just couldn't wait to see her family and to tell them and Inuyasha the news. Man wasn't he going to flip! She giggled, barely contain her joy.
"What are you so excited about, wench?"
The sent of his mate's excitement was beginning to cloud the air, making it near impossible to sniff out potential dangers. And it was starting o get on his nerves. Kagome just smiled at him.
"You'll find out soon. Trust me."
Inuyasha turned his head towards his sister, who had a knowing almost laughing smile on her face.
"Keh, what do you know that I don't?"
Secretly he was glad that she was feeling better enough to banter with him like this. Her depression from last night had his nerves frayed and his heart in taters. He never wanted to see any of his pack like that again. He would make sure everyone was happy, even if it was the last thing he ever did.
"WE'RE HERE!"
Shippo's voice rang out startling everyone in it's intensity. He was eager, too, to see the future. He wanted to see where his adopted mother came from.
"We will set up camp here. Inuyasha, we will hunt."
"'Kay."
Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hori, pulling him back a bit.
"'Yasha, I'd like to go see Kaeade for a bit. Stock up on herbs, ya know?"
"Fine, but take Sango or Kiara with you."
Kagome nodded and after giving her husband a kiss, dashed off towards Sango. Inuyasha quickly caught up with his brother, who was hot on the trail of a very fat deer.
Sakura stared at the well.
Okay... how the hell am I going to pull this off...?
Since she discovered that her powers were the key to saving her family, she had been quietly training with them to see what all she could do. She even went as far as to seek Kagome's help. Kagome was, after all, a miko and their reki comes from that Kami so, in theory, they should be similar. Luckily that was the case and on the trip out here her powers had grown with Kagome's assistance. Gently she laid her fingers on the wood, closed her eyes and used her powers to tentatively prod the well itself. Whatever power was in the well reacted to her intrusion, causing a sort of shock that had her pulling her hand back and nursing slightly scorched fingers.
Well, that went well... he-he I made a pun...
She once again laid her hand on the wood and this time, sent a tendril of her power to brush against the power of the well. At first she thought to seek out a weak spot to exploit but she sensed the well's power was actually a living thing. So this time she sought out a conversation with it. And the power of the well accepted her invitation.
What do you seek from me, Daughter of the Moon?
I wish to go to my own time. To see my brothers and tell them that I love them; that I'm sorry that I was ripped from them so suddenly after our mother died. Will you allow my friends and I entrance?
I do not believe that I can assist you, Daughter of the Moon. My power is weak and it will not be restored enough for 500 years. The one you know as Kagome drained me with her travels between the future an the now.
What if I lend you my power? Will you allow our passing then?
The well was silent for a moment, and Sakura was afraid it would reject her yet again.
I will think on it. Come back when the moon is at it's fullest. I shall give you your answer then.
Thank you for your consideration.
With that she removed her hand from the well, only to hear Inuyasha screaming her name in her ear making her wince.
"God's damn it, Inuyasha! That hurt! What do you want?"
"I've been calling your name for that past hour, woman! It's time to eat now."
Sakura looked over to where the fire was and saw everyone staring at her with concerned looks. She looked back at her brother, smiling sheepishly.
"Sorry. I was..."
"It don't matter. Just go eat."
She smiled at him and went over to the delicious smelling meal Sango and Rin had prepared.
After the meal was done, every one crawled to their respective sleeping areas for the night. It didn't take long for everyone to fall asleep, except for the Inu siblings.
Inuyasha was in a tree, naturally; his brother settled just underneath his perch, both of them in a light doze. Sakura, however, lay on her back looking up at the moon. The Waxing Crescent stared back, mocking her. It would take nearly 2 weeks before the well gave her it's answer.
Patience is a virtue... one I do not have. I wonder why it said it would give me my answer then.
Eventually, Sakura fell asleep, her thoughts running around in circles as to why the full moon was so important.
Morning came and the entire camp was rudely woken up by a sudden clap of thunder and a torrent of rain. It was so sudden that Inuyasha actually fell out of his tree, landing squarely in Sesshomaru's lap. It didn't take them long to scramble for shelter, however all the humans wanted to talk about was the look on the Inu brothers' faces when Inuyasha had landed on his sibling.
"Oh my gosh, I wish I had my camera!"
"Me too! But I don't think I'll ever forget how 'Yasha went paler than Sesshomaru!"
Miroku, Sango, Rin, and Shippo were too busy laughing and clutching their sides to join in on Sakura and Kagome's commentary. The boys on the other hand were sitting as far apart form one another as possible in Kaede's small hut. Both were glaring equally at the two girls and each other. Neither would apparently live this down.
"Here, this stew should warm ye up."
Every one calmed down as Kaede handed a bowl to each of her guests.
"Ye may stay as long as ye need."
A round of thank you's could be heard as each gobbled up the delicious stew. Once all their stomachs had been filled, conversations stared back up.
"Did you find out what you needed to do for the well, Sakura?"
Sakura nodded.
"Yeah. The well, or at least the power that resides in it, is a sentient being..."
She then proceeded to tell the group her conversation with the well.
"...So that's it. I have to wait for the well to give me an answer, then we can go home. Hopefully."
"But why the full moon?"
Sakura shrugged at Miroku's question.
"No clue, but I hope it allows us..."
"Its because of your mother. She is the Kami of the moon, correct?"
All eyes turned towards Rin.
"Yeah . So what of it?"
"Well, Sesshomaru-sama once told me that the kami's drew their powers from what they reign over. So in this case, your powers should multiply with the fullness of the moon."
"Huh... That actually makes sense..."
"Great so we are stuck here for two weeks..."
Inuyasha grumbled. He didn't like waiting around.
"You know there is plenty to do around the village, Inuyasha."
"Keh. Kagome, lets go to our hut. The rain is slacking off."
Inuyasha left the hut. The torrent of rain had slowed to more of a mist.
Miroku and I can just do some demon slaying in the mean time. That monk's gonna need all the money he can get with him continuously pupping Sango.
"You may want to tell him, Kagome, before you start to show."
"I'll be fine. Two weeks isn't that long of a wait."
"No, but you will more than likely start showing before then."
Sango was worried. She knew Inu yorki had short 5 month pregnancies and with this baby being 1/4th demon, Kagome's pregnancy will be just over that mark.
"If I do start to show before we leave I will tell him. Until then I will keep it a secret for as long as I can."
Kagome gave out hugs and followed her mate to their hut.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Muwhahahahahaha! Will the well let them pass? Find out next time on Goddesses, Demons, and Fate!