Chapter Six: Waiting

A/N: Edited on 9/16/15

InuYasha wiped the water off his shoulders and flung his silver hair back. The wet droplets plastered his skin for the fourth day in a row. Demon blood was extremely hard to clean the scent off and this one had been no exception.

InuYasha shook his head hard, letting the water fling in all directions. His silver hair feeling so smooth and alive again. If felt good. His wings shook under the cool water, but InuYasha had gotten used to it. The first time in the small lake had been a shock for the wings, and he had actually yelped when jumping frantically out of the water.

"Kagome…" InuYasha sighed. How he wished in that fight, she had been there. Not to just help locate the shard, so he wouldn't be submerged in demon blood, but to have just been there. InuYasha let out a snort when something Sesshomaru had said when they had been fighting for Tessaiga, came up.

"You're faster when that girl is around."

InuYasha shuddered. Ever since his mother died, he had been alone. Alone in the world, hated for what he was. Believing that being a full-fledged demon would solve all his problems, he had pursued an angry life.

When he discovered both Kikyo and Kagome, the entire perspective of his life changed. He had almost willing turned human for Kikyo, and maybe willing to remain a half-demon for Kagome. InuYasha looked down at the waters reflection. Seeing his red eyes, his purple stripes, and his long threatening fangs. A demon that was not respected, but feared.

InuYasha pulled himself out of the water and pulled his pants over his wet legs. Squatting down, he shook his long silver hair and black wings until his body became damp. Stretching the muscle in his wings, he soared back into the air and let the wind dry him.

InuYasha looked down at Keade's village. The small huts looked dark and silent. Only Keade's hut still smoked, indicating that all inhabitants were still awake.

Probably waiting for me to come back. InuYasha thought. He was just about to descend when a flash of white came from near the God Tree. InuYasha whirled around to see soul collector's dancing on the top of the branches. InuYasha felt a lump come squeezing up his throat. InuYasha took one look at the human village and flew towards the God Tree.

As the half-demon approached the roots, Kikyo stood there. Her hand on the spot where he had been sealed for so long. She turned to him. Something in her eyes showed relief, and even some anger. InuYasha just looked at her.

"InuYasha…"

"Kikyo…"

"You've changed." She looked more intently at him.

InuYasha looked down. His wings made a smacking noise, much unwanted at the moment, and moved his bare foot on the smooth root that belonged to the God Tree.

"Kikyo, is there something you need?" InuYasha didn't want to sound harsh, but he didn't want stay in either Kikyo's or Kagome's presence.

"InuYasha…" InuYasha flinched as her hard fingers touched his cheek, tracing his visible stripe. InuYasha blinked. What was Kikyo trying to prove with that gesture? That she was trying to change her mind on how she wanted to see him?

"Kikyo, why did you want to go to Hell with me?" The question stopped her cold. Kikyo took her hand out of his palm and took a small step back. InuYasha could tell she was pondering his question. "Kikyo, you don't have to…"

"No. InuYasha I just wanted to be with you. Even in Hell..." Kikyo looked back at him, but InuYasha's snarl interrupted her.

"Kikyo! You or I don't belong in Hell! God damn it! You deserve better then that! You deserve…better then me." InuYasha looked away. He had wanted to say that to her for so long. It was Naraku that belonged in Hell.

For awhile the silence edged the two figures under the God Tree. The soul collectors swarmed around them, one or two occasionally dropping another soul into Kikyo's body. InuYasha felt a pain of guilt. He wished she was human so she wouldn't have to take all those innocent souls.

"I deserve better then you?"

InuYasha flinched. "Yes you do. I don't want to have to prove that to you." He turned to her. "Kikyo, I can't forgive myself for what I've done. I swore to protect you; you were killed by Naraku and sealed me. I swore to protect Kagome and I couldn't even protect her from myself! You BOTH deserve better then me!"

InuYasha let out a breathe and looked back at Kikyo. She stared at him, her face as emotionless as before, but her body showed something different. Her body had involuntarily flinched when he yelled the word 'both'.

"Kikyo…once we were together. I loved you, I kissed you, I protected you, and then I betrayed you. Now I've failed Kagome, Kikyo. I have failed the both of you." He turned away and looked back up to the sky.

He was about to shoot up, but a hard clay hand stopped him. InuYasha looked into Kikyo's dark eyes. Concern, sorrow anger, pain, showed through those eyes that had belonged to a priestess that was once alive. Her ponytail swayed in the wind as she circled in front of him and removed her hand from his shoulder.

"InuYasha, yes. You have failed." InuYasha blinked and felt horror shot through his system, but Kikyo gave him a stare indicating she wasn't done.

"InuYasha, you have failed with me. Kagome, my reincarnation, you have not. Failure is where you have completely given up all hope, I still see hope in your eyes about her. Kagome will be as strong as I was if she learns. InuYasha, don't fail her. For if you do, you won't disappoint just her or I, but yourself."

InuYasha watched as Kikyo moved away from him and over the patch on the God Tree where his back had been once fasten too.

"InuYasha if I could go back I would. But I cannot; we can only go forward." She looked at him again. "Go to her, and give her what you could not complete with me. InuYasha, give her that, and I might…"

"…Be free?"

She looked at him again, her clay body shuddered at the comment. "Yes…I'll be free."

And she was gone. InuYasha blinked. The whole time he had known Kikyo, he thought she had hated Kagome. He had just been proven wrong. Kikyo just doesn't want him to break another heart.

(-)_(-)

InuYasha looked down the well at the black mouth of the wood yearning him to throw his body down that hole. InuYasha tightened his grip on the edges, his red eyes glowing down the passage of time. InuYasha closed his burning eyes and shot his wings flat on his back and made the faithful leap.

InuYasha felt the familiar pink light take him and shot him thru time. InuYasha looked up at the gaping hole and found the wooden ceiling of the well house. InuYasha moved his wings slowly floated out of the well house. Pulling his body on the edge of the branch, he saw Kagome's body curled in her bed.

InuYasha slowly unclasped the window and silently slipped in. He sat next to her bedside, staring at her crescent face. Her beautiful brown eyes remained closed and her black hair ruffled and messy spreading over the covers and around her shoulders. Her face glowed from the reflection of the moon coming through the window.

InuYasha noticed how tensed she was. For a horrible moment, he thought she knew he was there. He watched as she clutched something in her hands tighter.

"InuYasha…" InuYasha froze, his whole body gone ridged as his name was spoken by the sleeping priestess. InuYasha looked at her clutched hands again. Was she having a nightmare about him? InuYasha wanted desperately to hold her nad tell her how much he was sorry for all the physical and mental pain he had caused her.

"Kagome…" InuYasha leaned down quietly and took her palm in his hand. He felt her hand tighten around his clawed fingers.

"InuYasha, sit boy." InuYasha felt every hackle and hive in his body shot up ready to impound into Kagome's bed. But nothing happened.

InuYasha slowly opened his eyes and stared at her. He fingered his bare chest and looked back at the sleeping priestess. Her eyes remained shut and tight and she slowly let out a small groan and turned slightly.

InuYasha heard the faint sound of beads coming from Kagome's hands. He slowly moved his palm to where Kagome was clutching the rosary tightly. He felt himself get rather uncomfortable. He wanted to get away from her. He had already experienced her once, even if he hadn't been the one doing it. Now his body was screaming at him to be with her again, but with the passion of a lover.

InuYasha felt like he had grown roots and was trapped to the floor. He slowly bent over her, his hands firmly to his sides.

"Kagome…" He whispered, she fidgeted and his lips just brushed hers. His hand moved towards her loosening palm, and slowly pulled the rosary away. Then she suddenly jerked her head, and crushing her lips to his. InuYasha felt his eyes widen, and his face grow hot.

It was then he realized he was kissing her. She moved her lips into over his opened, shocked mouth, and then suddenly leaned back and sank her head slowly back into her pillow. InuYasha pulled away, his face probably looking stumped. He took the beads and started to back away.

"Kagome…" InuYasha looked at her upper lip. The wound had healed, but the scar still remained. He slowly crawled out her window and headed back to the well house.

InuYasha fiddled with the beads. This was the chance to get rid of them for good, but he felt not hatred towards the rosary now. He wanted them for only one reason, to protect Kagome from himself. InuYasha slowly hooked them around his neck. They glowed light blue for a second and then fell heavy on his shoulders. InuYasha sighed and took one look at Kagome's shrine.

He dove back to his era, clutching the beads as if they were his sanity. As he saw the starry sky of the Feudal Era, he snapped his wings out and shot up like a bird.

Keade's village came into view and InuYasha let out his breathe that he had been holding for quite sometime. How long am I going to regret being with her? He thought. He really didn't think that kiss was intentional, but it sure felt like it.

InuYasha was about to descend when a nasty, sickening pain shot up his back and into his legs. InuYasha's eyes widen and screamed. His wings! InuYasha suddenly began to plummet, screaming in pain all the way.