Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

Beta: Lillian

Scientific Method

Chapter 64

Kagome stayed on the dojo for long minutes, staring blankly at the wall. She couldn't believe what she had been told, what she had seen.

Soft footsteps made her come back to reality, and she turned only to meet with her hanyou friend. Inuyasha stood but a few feet away from her, jaw clenched tightly and miserable amber eyes. Kagome forced a smile into her lips and stood. She didn't want to upset Inuyasha, but he seemed so…troubled. "I see things have changed, ne?" said the young miko with an apologetic gaze. "Did…did Naraku do this?" was all she could think to ask.

Inuyasha shook his head softly, his mane of silver hair ethereally reflecting the room's soft light. "No Kagome," he said with a small smile. "You're always blaming yourself. It wasn't Naraku, though the bastard did kill him."

This, at least, made Kagome smile. "I'm glad he's dead," she said as she placed her hand over her chest. "I guessed you weren't happy about that."

"Damn right!" he growled out, eyes shining with renewed anger. "That's all in the past now," the hanyou finally said as he waved the topic off. His eyes once again turned serious as he locked eyes with her. "Sesshomaru got this while protecting us."

It was Kagome's turn to frown now. "Protecting us?" she asked uncertainly, sure she heard incorrectly.

Inuyasha smelt her disbelief, and his black eyebrow rose at her reaction, "Yeah, us," he repeated. "I smelt you, at the Bone Eaters Well."

Understanding dawned on Kagome and she gasped and took a step closer to him. "I knew there was something wrong! What happened that day?"

Inuyasha fidgeted when she moved closer, and his ears twitched uncomfortably. He was sure she was going to get upset; he should have said things slower, but now there was little choice. "That day…he transformed to protect the Well. He was sure something was going to happen that day, something he had read in one of the books you left behind."

Kagome frowned, trying to remember the books she left him, but try as she might she couldn't remember. It wasn't that long ago either…

"The nuclear bomb, Kagome," Inuyasha explained after a moment. He saw how her body tensed and fear exploded out of her pores as a disease would. Wide brown eyes locked on his golden ones, horror in them. "Oh, come on Kagome, we were far away," the hanyou reminded as he crossed his arms, but his ears still flattened against his head unconsciously, "It was his youki. It didn't react well to the…radiation, I guess."

Kagome watched and listened as if she were inside a huge fish tank and was unable to do anything but watch him through a wall of water. Even his voice seemed to be distorted as it reached her buzzing ears.

"At the moment," Inuyasha went on, "he can't use his youki: it hurts him, but we think that he may overcome this someday. We just have to wait and see."

Broken inside, cold beyond comprehension and confused and hurt as hell, Kagome merely nodded. They stood facing each other for a few moments, both looking elsewhere, until Kagome couldn't contain the horror anymore and raced off. She ran down the halls with the scent of tears trailing behind her.

Inuyasha considered following her, but when Rin's scent reached him, he knew he shouldn't. Kagome needed this time. While it was not her fault and it was Sesshomaru who had decided to protect them all with his body, he knew she would blame herself. He was also aware that only Sesshomaru would be able to make her see reason. So, he stayed there and moved closer to Rin.

Rin waited for him patiently, and when he stood in front of her she hugged him softly. Inuyasha didn't hug her back, but pressed his nose to her hair. "It will be all right," said Rin softly.

Inuyasha merely nodded and sighed. "I'm trying to do my best Rin, I really am."

Rin chuckled softly and patted his back and then his head. "You are doing a remarkable job Inuyasha. I know Sesshomaru thinks so, too." She finally released him and gave a step back. "Oh, and Hojo needs help with those last applications," reminded Rin with a mischievous smile.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and walked past her. "Meh! Being the alpha of the house is full of shit! That pup will be the dead of me!" said Inuyasha as he walked away, muttering incoherent things.

Rin giggled, knowing he didn't mean it. Inuyasha had been taking care of them since Sesshomaru was injured, and though none really thought he could protect the family at the beginning, they were proven wrong. Inuyasha, in his own way, had managed to keep them alive, together, and afloat in this trying and changing world.

Hanyou or not, he had the will and the caliber of a true alpha.

To be continued...

JeniNeji's Note:

3 of 3! Thanks for the reviews! Thanks Bird, hope you enjoy! Thanks Gabrielle and Veraozao!