Left Alone
Whispers she couldn't quite make out floated through the darkness around her and faded away before new ones took their place. Slowly the quiet words were given definition, as she realized that she was waking. Now she could tell that one of the whisperers was Inuyasha and as she focused on the other voice, she could make out the low but slightly high tones of Shippo.
"Shhh," the rough voice of Inuyasha silenced Shippo in mid sentence. She could feel the warm touch of his hand upon her cheek as he stroked her gently. "Kagome?" His voice was gentle but a little louder now.
She heard the scurrying of little feet and quick steps before she felt Shippos small hand run along her hair. Breathing in a deep breath she filled her lungs with smoky warm hair and fought to open her eyes. They seemed much heavier than usual and when she finally did manage to open her lids she could not stop her eyes from lazily rolling around the room in disorientation before her lids closed once more. "Oooh," she groaned softly, before once more forcing her lids open and her eyes to focus. "Hi," she squeaked out as she glanced from one face to the other.
"Kagome," Shippo said, as he smiled a little and fluffed his tail.
"Watch out runt, give her some space," Inuyasha chastised Shippo when he crowded in on her. Shippo retreated a bit but didn't leave her side as Inuyasha asked her how she was feeling.
As she blinked she remembered Miroku and how he had looked so at peace before she had passed out. Tears slipped over her lids and slid down her cheeks. "Miroku," she gasped for a small breath, before sobs flooded forth. The pain that had been ever present since Sangos' death had never disappeared and now it only seemed as though it had intensified all the more. Her heart felt broken
"Shhh, shh, Kagome," Inuyasha whispered to her, as he lifted her into a hug. "It's ok, the monk is fine." Hiccupping with her halted sobs she stared at Inuyasha and clutched at his robes.
"What?" Was all she could manage.
"He's ok Kagome," Shippo piped up once more.
"He's lying down in the next hut over," Inuyasha said, as he sat her up and reached for a small cup filled with water. "We can go and see him any time, he is only resting a bit to recuperate from his shock. He has a lot to think about now."
She felt numb. Too many things seemed to be going on at once for her to take in. She was being overwhelmed and she knew it. Clenching her fists she fought back the dizzy spell and reached for the cup Inuyasha held out to her. She would not give in to a panic attack now. This was not a time for dwelling on what could have been, or what was, it was a time for looking forward and preparing for the inevitable. For bracing herself. She polished off the water and then a second cup as well before demanding that she be brought to Miroku. "There are plans to be made," she said as she looked around herself and scooped up her bow and arrows. "Lets get to it."
With her strength steadily returning to her, she straightened her back and set her jaw. A gleam of determination lit her eyes that had not been seen before and as Inuyasha and Shippo followed her out the door they knew instinctively that things had changed within Kagome, but for better or worse they had yet to see.