A/N: I would like to thank

IchigoandInuyashaFan, Inu'sgirl4ever, xxdarienchibaloverxx, Rubymuto, and LoVe23 for their reviews. One of you mentioned that you couldn't find many mistakes and I thank you for raising a good point. To all readers, if you finding something misspelled or grammatically incorrect please let me know so I can fix it. Having something spelled wrong or using the wrong word grammatically is a pet peeve of mine. Guess it comes with relying on a Spell Check too much. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc.

Her Knight

Ch. 17

After Sango had finished laughing at Kagome, the two girls had completed their baths and returned to Kaede's hut. Shippou never woke when he was tucked into the sleeping bag. Feeling relaxed and pleasantly tired, Kagome crawled in next to the kitsune child. Before she could pull the top part of the bag up around her, a large clawed hand did it for her. The miko smiled, snuggling into the warmth. Inuyasha lightly traced his claws down her cheek in a gesture so sweet and romantic that she wanted to cry.

"Night, wench."

"Good night, Inuyasha." When he was sure she was asleep, he rose and looked at Miroku and Sango.

"Keep an eye on her. There's someone I have to say goodbye to."

"She's been sending her soul catchers every couple of days for the last two weeks." The monk sat against the far wall, facing the entrance as his friend left the hut. Sango laid down on her sleeping mat, regretting the loss of the relaxed feeling she'd acquired at the hot springs. "You seemed happy when you returned, my dear Sango. Did you have a pleasant bath?"

"It was very enjoyable. There was no perverted monk to interrupt us. I found out some very interesting information."

"Oh? Do tell; it could be as interesting as what I learned yesterday from our half demon friend."

"I'm pretty sure this tops anything he told you." Grinning, Sango sat up so that she could watch the door and look at her fiancé. She wouldn't be allowed to sleep until she told the nosy monk what he wanted to know. And she didn't want to as long as the clay miko was anywhere near her friends. "You first, I don't want to repeat anything."

"Well…" Miroku got comfortable and grinned. "This is what he told me…"


Inuyasha followed the soul catcher into the forest, not happy that this was happening. He should be by Kagome's side, not trailing after a small class demon. Confronting Kikyo was not something he wanted to do but he had to if Kagome was ever going to believe that he loved her. Once he found the courage to tell her. He knew he couldn't do it until after the rest of the bandits in her time had been caught or she might think that he was saying it because he was still afraid that they would hurt her when he wasn't around.

Kikyo stood silent as always underneath the Sacred Tree and unlike the other times he had found her there, this time her presence in the spot irritated him. The half demon had come to think of that area as his and Kagome's. That the clay imitation of his first love would try to ruin it did not make him happy. "Kikyo," he acknowledged.

"You have not been around in almost one full moon cycle." Inuyasha shrugged.

"I had more important things to do, Kikyo."

"More important than avenging my death? Then finding the jewel shards and killing Naraku?"

"At the moment, yes." The clay priestess took at step forward and he backed away, having no time for her tricks.

"It's my reincarnation, isn't it? She has bound you to her."

"I am hers, more than I ever was yours. I came to tell you goodbye, Kikyo. The next time we meet, Kagome will be with me. We will never meet alone again. I'll avenge your death, but Kagome's life is more important to me than your borrowed existence." He turned without waiting to see if she had accepted his decision.

Returning to the hut, he was surprised to find both Sango and Miroku laughing quietly. When they saw him, their mirth only grew. Snorting in disgust, he plopped down next to his miko and closed his eyes. While he didn't smell any sake, the betrothed pair was surely drunk on something. Movement from Kagome's sleeping bag drew his eye and he saw Shippou open sleepy eyes. "Inuyasha?"

"She's gone, Shippou," he reassured, knowing the cub could smell the scent of graveyard soil and clay on his clothes. "Kagome has nothing to fear from her." This satisfied the kit because he nodded and went back to sleep.

"It is taken care of then?" Sango asked.

"I've made myself clear."

"Excellent, then perhaps you would be so kind as to describe for me what it was like kissing your lady love." Miroku grinned and wasn't surprised when he was knocked unconscious by an angry hanyou. By the time he came to, the fire had been put out and everyone was asleep. With one glance to check on his own lady, the monk settled down for sleep. Their tight knit group really was becoming a family.


Monday morning once more found Inuyasha in school boy clothes and walking with four teenage girls to junior high. The continued freedom of the rest of the gang was beginning to bother him. He knew the future version of his brother wouldn't needlessly endanger Kagome's welfare so he had to be waiting for some specific event to happen before he took care of the problem. Now, as in the Feudal Era, it wouldn't have surprised the half demon if Sesshoumaru's version of "taking care of a problem" was simply to kill it. The elder inu had never been one for beating around the bush. He had never been one for explaining himself either but that was a whole other matter entirely.

"Inuyasha-san, I'm glad you've decided to attend for a whole month with us. You must be really enjoying your time in a public school." The dog demon looked at Yuka, wondering where she could possibly have gotten the idea that he was actually enjoying himself.

"It could be worse," he said since she was expecting an answer. Inuyasha saw the smile hovering on his miko's lips and had to refrain from staring. Ever since Miroku had brought up the kiss he and Kagome had shared, it had become increasingly harder not to think of doing it again. They had very little time to themselves whether here or in the Feudal Era so finding a time to share such an intimacy would be hard.

With an internal sigh, he went back to watching his surroundings while doing his best to ignore the chatter around him. In class, he sat back and listened to the teacher while scanning the school yard. In the past three weeks he had participated little, only adding to the discussions when it was about ancient literature or culture during the Feudal Era. This seemed to please the teacher because he left the half demon alone the rest of the time. The girls in the class who had flirted with him had finally backed off, having gotten the message that Kagome and he were an item. Rumors were currently circulating to the effect that he and his miko were promised to each other and that's why he had chosen this school to try out public education. It amused him that they were so close to the truth and yet none of them realized it.

Several chairs scraped back at once, the amplified noise grating on his sensitive ears. Glancing back to the classroom's occupants, he found them all standing. Kagome was waiting for him to escort her to whatever activity they were all going to next. "It's gym," she said, seeing his confusion. "Try not to outdo every boy in the group."

"Where would the fun be in that? What are we doing today?"

"Pole vaulting, if Hojo is correct," Eri answered. "Are you good at jumping?"

"It's one of my favorite things to do," he returned. He especially liked it when Kagome was on his back but he didn't say so.

"You're not going to listen to me, are you?" Kagome frowned.

"Not this time, wench. Don't worry."

"When you tell me that is the exact time I should begin to worry."

"Keh."


A gloating half demon walked with her home that afternoon. He had, quite deliberately, out shown every guy in class. The male teacher had wept with pleas for him to join track but he'd refused. It wouldn't have been fair to any of the people he would have gone against anyway. There was only one guy he had been really trying to demonstrate his prowess to in any event. Hojo had watched him with the beginnings of hero worship. His demon half had wanted the human male to know that he was more capable of taking care of and providing for Kagome than some school kid from the Modern Era. The competition had satisfied his blood beast so he was happy to let the boy be. Unless he tried to make a move on Kagome.

"You're such a show off, Inuyasha. Every guy wants you on their sport's team and they all want to know how you're doing it. You're lucky no one's started to suspect the truth or has begun thinking you're taking drugs." Disgruntled, the young priestess turned her nose up at him.

"Che, it's not my fault they're all weaklings." Giving her one of his trademark smirks, he held her gaze until she blushed. Reaching out, he drew her to his side, hoping to lull her into not getting mad enough to "sit" him. The last moon cycle had been blessedly free of them. It was so uncharacteristic of Kagome not to get so riled that she made a new crater with his body that he was starting to think that she was saving them up. Lowering his nose to nuzzle her hair, his attention was dragged elsewhere as the scent and feel of danger permeated the air. "Act natural."

"They're here, aren't they?"

"Yes, pretend you don't know." He brushed her hair with his free hand in reassurance while the other grabbed a tight hold of Tetsusaiga. Looking up, he stared directly at the leader of the group blocking their path back to the shrine. They had cut through the park after parting ways with the other girls.

Kagome gripped his one hand, hoping to steady the slowly rising youki she felt emanating from him. "Inuyasha," she began worriedly, seeing several guns.

"I see them, Kagome. Hold onto Tetsusaiga's sheath. It'll protect you with its barrier. That way," he said giving the bandits a malevolent smile, "I'll be free to take them all out."

"Don't kill them, Inuyasha."

"I'll let Sesshoumaru's task force take care of them. What I am going to do is make sure they never bother you again."

Kagome did as he told her, knowing that the barrier would repel any physical attack. She wasn't sure if it'd do the same to small metal projectiles but she knew his plan was to take out the most dangerous opponents first. The miko watched in fascination as he used his grace and speed to dodge the bullets being shot at him. It helped that the thugs weren't the best at what they were doing but she couldn't help but be proud of Inuyasha anyway.

A few gang members tried to come after her but were stopped by the barrier. Confused by what they couldn't see, they continued to beat uselessly at it until one by one they were picked off from behind by an angry half dog demon. Soon the park was littered with bodies of the remaining gang members. "Wimps," Inuyasha scoffed. "No wonder Sesshoumaru's people couldn't find them. They were probably so deeply buried that not even his nose could have sniffed them out. Too scared to come out and face me."

"Let's go find a police officer, Inuyasha."

"Don't have to," he said. "One's almost here now."

"Good." She handed the sheath back and watched as he put his sword away. Absently she wondered how she was going to explain this away. Guns didn't just break into pieces.

"At least you listened to me this time when I told you to, Kagome." He saw her eyes narrow and took a step back. Obviously he shouldn't have brought that up. She'd probably be really steamed if he told her his demon half had liked that she obeyed him.

"Your demon half did what?" Crap, he hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Just how often does your demon half like it when I do as you tell me to?"

"You don't want me to tell you that really, do you?" he asked hesitantly.

"It probably wouldn't matter for what's coming next."

"No," he agreed just before he took a nose dive into the ground.

"Sit boy!"