A/N: So sorry for the delay on this, I've been caught up with work and hanging out with friends I haven't seen in a while. I hope you like the next installment of my brain baby. Please review and let me know what you think about this chapter and if there is anything that I need to improve on. Thanks and enjoy.

Oh yeah... I don't own any of the cast or the rights to them. I do own Omnimaru and the characters in the village, so there, I own something.

HEY SIS HERE YA GO!

Chapter 5:
Falling Again

"So you've returned." Miroku stated as he blocked as much of Kagome as he could with his body not wanting Inuyasha to disturb her.

"She's okay? Where did you find her?" Inuyasha asked as he moved closer to the sleeping girl.

"I'll tell you all we know once we put Kagome to bed, she's just exercised thirteen children and she needs to rest." Miroku almost laughed at the expression on the hanyous face but managed to contain himself.

They made it back to the small hut that the villagers had lent them, Miroku calling for Sango as they approached; coming outside they let their fear be known concerning the sleeping girl. After calming them down they brought Kagome inside and soon enough she was resting in a room off of the main living area, Shippou sleeping next to her.

Sitting down around the fire they explained to Inuyasha where Kagome had been and with whom she had stayed with; he listened intently for once and didn't interrupt. He took in everything thing they told him, her reasons for staying and why she hadn't contacted them while she was there. His ears laid low on his head as he went through everything he learned before getting up and heading out of the hut to think.

All around him he heard whispers of a feast for the Miko that had saved their children and his ears lay lower knowing that he had told her again and again that she would never be able to do anything that Kikyou had done. He had told her that her powers would never amount to anything and that she would never be able to save anyone but herself. As he sat on the roof of the hut he thought of the reasons they had told him about why Kagome didn't want to let them know she was alive and the more he thought about it the more he knew she was right. He would have told her that she was pushing herself too much and that she needed to go home to rest; he would have held her back from what she was trying to achieve and he would have made her fail. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry for everything he had done and said to her while explaining why he had been going to Kikyou.

Sighing he waited for his chance to talk to her to explain that he was trying to let Kikyou go, to move on, but when she had gone missing, he had gone to Kikyou for another reason. He went to make sure that she had not gotten all of her soul and that gave him the hope to see Kagome once more, to know that she wasn't dead.

Relaxing against the roof he listened to her hear beat and knew that he had a lot to make up for, especially the night she had seen them, so long again. He tried to think of a way to explain that and couldn't come up with anything to would make it seem okay, so he decided that he would tell the truth, that he had given in to a request from Kikyou and that was when he figured out that he didn't love her like he had thought. Shaking his head of those thoughts he let his mind wander as he looked up at the sky.

"Kagome, can you forgive me?" he whispered before falling into a light sleep.

"Kagome, can you forgive me?" The voice intruded into her sleep; she knew that voice, the one she hadn't heard in months: Inuyasha.

Everything came spinning back to her; the children, the demon, all the emotions, and finally seeing Inuyasha. Groaning she got up carefully, finding two bodies pressed against her, those bodies being Kilala and Shippou. Quietly she made her way to her the bag Maru had given her and pulled on a robe over her sleeping yukata before slipping outside into the night.

Breathing a sigh of relief as the cool air hit her skin she spotted a tree not too far away and made her way towards it. Once there she made herself comfortable leaning against it and looked through the boughs to the sky. She stared at the moon and wondered to herself about the future and where it would lead her and her friends. The more she thought about it the more she knew that she had to protect her friends and make sure they lived past the last battle. Her life didn't matter to her at the end of it all, she just wanted to make sure her friends made it; they deserved it. Miroku and Sango would be able to be together and Shippou and Kilala with them. Inuyasha, he would get his Kikyou and everyone would be happy, even if she wasn't there with them.

She would rather die than let her friends happiness slip away. That was a truth about herself that she had come to accept.

Content in the knowledge of the fate she had accepted, if it were to happen, she felt peace wash over her and she relished in that feeling. Smiling she stared at the stars and felt the cool breeze on her skin; she felt alive.

Closing her eyes she felt the approach of the one she loved and sighed knowing he wanted to talk with her. Patting the ground beside her she waited for him to sit before leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder, she smiled slightly when he tensed then relax a moment later.

"Kagome, I…"

"Shh." Kagome hushed him, opening her eyes to once more stare at the moon.

"I don't hate you, you know."

"I'm glad."

"I understand now that you can't pick me, you're bound to her, and I don't want to cause you pain by having you choose. I just want you to be happy Inuyasha."

"Kagome," he whispered astounded that she was willing to put her feelings aside just so he could be happy.

"Eep!" Kagome gasped as Inuyasha pulled her into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Kagome," he whispered causing tears to come to her eyes, "but I've wanted to tell you that I've let her go. I want to be with you, but you disappeared. I searched for you for days. I only went to Kikyou to know you weren't dead. I want only you Kagome, will you believe me?" He whispered looking into her disbelieving eyes finding hope and wariness there.

Closing her eyes Kagome didn't know what to say or do; she had never heard him put so much emotion into his voice nor had he spoken so many words to her before without yelling.

"I don't know Inuyasha, I just don't know." She whispered pulling away from him.

"Let me prove it to you Kagome, please." He begged turning her head towards him.

She felt her resolve crumble, her walls crashing down around her as she looked into those molten eyes of his and saw the wary hope swimming in them. A smile crossed her face as dread filled her, maybe she could have a little happiness before it came crashing down on her as she knew it would.

"Okay, Inuyasha, okay." She smiled at him wanting to believe he loved her and that the words he spoke were fact.

"Thank you Kagome!" He said ecstatically as he picked her up and twirled her around.

Giggling she hit his shoulder playfully telling him to put her down and that they should get some sleep. One last twirl and he set her down, the biggest grin she had ever seen upon his face. Kagome laughed knowing that if he had a tail that it would be wagging back and forth.

Slowing she made her way to the hut knowing that Inuyasha would go to the roof to stand watch even though she knew they were safe, at least for the night.

"Goodnight Inuyasha."

"Goodnight Kags."

The morning dawned clear and bright waking Kagome with the feeling of peace about her. Stretching she got out of her bed and started to put clothes on to get ready for the day. After she was done she went to the living room and saw that everybody was up and making breakfast.

"Hey Shippou, why didn't you wake me up?" Kagome asked as she sat next to him before greeting the others.

"Inuyasha told me to let you sleep." Shippou stated not really happy that he could wake his mom up when he wanted.

"Oh," was all she could say as she looked around for the hanyou but couldn't find him. Ignoring the pang that she felt she helped with the rest of breakfast before going to the headsman to see the children to make sure they were fine.

Soon enough they came to see her and she was relieved of her worries when she saw that they were playing with each other while getting Shippou to play with them as well. She smiled at sight before turning her attention to Tsukay-sama and waiting for what he had to say.

"Miko-sama, we would be honored if you and your companions would stay one more night and let us honor you with a feast for the service you provided us." Tsukay stated while bowing low to her.

"You don't have to bow to me Tsukay, and yes we will stay, you and your village honor me for thinking that I am worthy of a feast. Thank you. " She stated smiling while bowing to him herself.

"Thank you Miko-sama," and with that he rose and turned back to the village to tell them the good news.

At a loss of what to do since Shippou was playing with the children she turned and went in search of Sango wondering to herself if there was a hot spring nearby. As she walked she turned over the events of exercising the children and how she had pulled the evil from them before purifying it. Lost in her thoughts her eyes fell upon Miroku as his cursed hand inched its way towards Sango's bottom and a thought flickered across her consciousness as she watched.

'Could I rid him of the Kazanna in a similar fashion as I exercised those children?'

She toyed with that idea the rest of the day while spending it with Sango and Miroku; her and Sango trained for a bit before sitting down and meditating in the sunshine. She wanted to broach the subject with Miroku to see if he knew anything about how she could go about doing it, but she didn't want to get his hopes up for something she may be unable to accomplish. Thinking about it some more she decided that asking vague questions to get the answers she needed couldn't hurt.

Opening her eyes they fell once again on Miroku and his hand as it got closer and closer to Sango's rear.

"Miroku," his hand stopped in mid-motion before retracting quickly to his lap before Sango turned to look at him, seeing that she had caught his attention she smiled before asking her first question.

"Miroku, have you ever heard of people melding their souls together in order to heal someone, or something to that affect?"

She watched as his brows drew together in thought and she threw a glance at Sango who had a small smile on her face as she watched Miroku before she blushed and turned away. She giggled slightly before turning her attention back to Miroku and waiting for his answer whether it was promising or not.

"In answer to your question Kagome, there was a practice years ago where people of spiritual power would combine their souls in order to have access to each others power to become stronger when facing against a tough adversary. I, however, have not heard it used in order to heal someone of something that would require that level of connection."

"So, would that mean it couldn't be done?"

"I did not say that Kagome, just that I haven't heard of it being done before."

"Thank you Miroku, one more question, do you have any idea as to how this is done, the connection I mean?"

He looked closely at her for a moment, trying to figure out what she needed this information for, before sighing and nodding his head with a small smile on his lips.

"Would you like to learn Kagome?" He laughed lightly as he saw the wide smile on her lips as well as her head nodding frantically at his question.

"Alright I need you to move and sit across from me," waiting until she did that he paused in his instructions, "now place your hands in mine."

"This is a connection that requires complete and utter trust in order for it to work, are you sure you still want to try Kagome?"

She smiled serenely at him ignoring everything around her except him for the moment.

"Alright then, follow my lead."

She watched as he closed his eyes before following him and waiting for what was to come next; she was slightly startled when his aura pushed up against hers a moment later. Tentatively she pushed back with hers and through it she could feel him smile and was amazed at the connection she could already feel forming.

"You need to let your whole aura go Kagome as I will do with my own in a moment, you have to trust me to be able to handle it; I know that you are afraid to smother me with it, don't be."

Taking a deep breath she slowly let the barriers holding her aura back go and with it she felt a relief so great she almost sagged at the weight it lifted from her shoulders. That feeling was quickly replaced by awe as she felt Miroku let down his barriers as well and the amount of spiritual power was amazing, she had never felt how strong he was until right now.

"Now Kagome, the next step is to delve deeper into each others power getting to the center of it, which would be your soul. Know that I trust you to see what mine holds as I hope you trust me to do the same." He whispered dropping his voice so that Sango couldn't hear what he was saying.

She nudged his aura with hers to let him know that she understood what he was trying to get across before she let her consciousness flow with her power around him and then farther into his being. She was aware of him doing the same and after a moment's hesitation she relaxed and told herself that what they were sharing would never be shared with the others. After that she felt his emotions all the more clearly and knew that she had given him his complete trust as he had done with her; the farther she went in the more she began to know the real Miroku and it made her tear up at the struggle she felt within him. His aura was a swirling mass of purples and dark blues which suited him and showed how his life so far had shaped him. A flicker of color caught her attention and she drew closer to where she had seen it, once there she saw the source of it and it took her breath away for a moment.

There, in the middle of the swirling blues and purples, was a sphere of dark gray and silver with streaks of the same blues and purples in it. Gently she wrapped her aura around it wanting to let him know what she was going to do and felt him do the same to her. Without hesitation she flung her consciousness into his soul and came to know what made Miroku who he was. She saw him struggling with his curse and with the love he felt for Sango, she also saw how he was trying to show her he loved her while trying to drive her away because he had accepted that he would die before he broke her heart. She cried out at the fact that he accepted he would die and she would not let that happen, not when she could shine a little hope on the situation.

Miroku had never felt power this unrestrained ever before and he knew that their friend had to be the strongest miko to have ever walked the earth. He knew he himself had a lot of power that he kept hidden, but it was nothing like this; his was trained and controlled, hers was raw and untamed which he thought suited her. He knew that she had been trying to train her powers, but it was her natural ability to shape it to her need that controlled it, not actual training. Shaking his head of those thoughts he delved deeper into her aura and saw that she wasn't as pink as her power let everyone believe. He could see that the pink was mostly from the left over power of the jewel that she had housed in her body all those years and saw that it had melded with the actual light blue and green of her own natural power.

He decided to think on it later when he had more time; he made his way to the center of the spiraling colors and saw her soul, a white sphere, or so he thought. The closer he looked at it the more he saw flashes of all different colors swirling in it, amazed he felt when Kagome had come upon his own soul and when she surrounded it with her aura. He did the same and before he knew it he was learning of Kagome's past in the future and what she had felt when she was pulled down into the well. He came to learn as to how she began to love Inuyasha and felt every betrayal when he went to Kikyou; he snarled to himself when he felt how she had when Inuyasha belittled her. Then he came upon the memory of Inuyasha asking her to give him another chance and he felt the dread that had coursed through her even though she had said yes. He promised to himself then and there that he would let nothing happen to the one that knew him better than he knew himself now; he would protect her from Inuyasha when the time came.

A small jolt had him frozen as he wondered what Kagome could be doing. Feeling her comforting him through his aura had him worried for a moment before he heard her soft spoken words.

"Trust me Miroku."

He hesitated but a moment before he let her know that he did and through their bond he could feel her smile and the happiness she exuded wash over him. He basked in it dimly aware that Kagome had gone deeper into his soul, to parts where he hadn't even explored.

Kagome couldn't let him live with the thought that he would die before he could avenge his grandfather and father; nor could she allow this chance for him to have a life with Sango pass by. After telling him to trust her and feeling when he did she dove deeper into his soul seeking out the stain that she knew would be the mark of Naraku. Without warning a slimy blackness curled around her, suffocating her with its pressure and she knew that she had found what she was looking for. She let her power free reign in this and heard a yipping growl of approval from it as it took shape of a black fox once more. She smiled as it pulled the taint into a ball before her and held it there as it withered and twisted trying to escape.

She thought on what she could do next to get rid of the Kazanna, but the more she thought about it the more she knew that she wouldn't be able to get rid of it entirely. She could see the tendrils that it had snared into the rest of his soul and she knew that him having it since he was born would have caused it to grow with his soul until it was a part of him. To get rid of it entirely would cause more harm than good since it would leave a hole in his soul that could weaken him or leave him open for another curse. She willed her power to purify the evil intent she could feel while leaving the actual Kazanna intact; she shaped it to her liking making sure that he was protected from it as was anyone he loved or cared for. She wished she could get rid of it completely for him, but knew that this would be the best alternative since she couldn't.

Drawing back a bit she admired her handy work, the curse that once was black was now a swirling mass of blues and greens with a hint of pink thrown in. She laughed when she thought about how it looked with the rest of his aura, but decided that as long as he was okay with what she had done then it didn't matter.

Pulling herself back into her body Kagome felt exhaustion sweep over her and she felt hands tighten around hers to help anchor her. Opening her eyes sleepily, she smiled at Miroku before taking his cursed hand in hers and trying to unwrap it, she paused when she felt Miroku try to jerk it from her.

"Trust me Miroku," she smiled as those words sank in before his eyes widened as he looked to their joined hands.

Taking that as a motion to continue, she unbound his hand showing him that it was whole and free of the Kazanna. She watched as he looked from his hand to her and then back again and knew that he was trying to process what was going on and if his eyes were playing tricks on him. She laughed causing him to jerk and look to her for an explanation as to what was going on.

Taking his hands she squeezed it for a moment before she gave it to Sango who had come to sit closer to them to see what was happening.

"When I told you to trust me Miroku, before I dove deeper into your soul, I was asking permission to heal you of the Kazanna." Looking at his amazed face she continued not wanting to dash the hope she saw blooming in his eyes.

"Unfortunately you still have it," she met his eyes before continuing, "however; I have made sure that it will not take your life from you. The only thing that I could do with it without leaving a whole behind in your soul was to change the purpose of the original curse. It was originally made to take your life away and I purified that from it, in its stead I made it to be used at will when the need arises and for it to not suck in the ones you love. It will still travel through the male line in your family, but if you want your children to be free of it, then I will be more than happy to take it from them when they are born." She smiled warily at Miroku not sure as to his reaction to the news she just delivered and was surprised when he pulled her into a huge hug and thanked her over and over again.

"You have no idea what you have done for me Kagome, thank you."

"Miroku, I think I might know what I have done, and there is no need for thanks. You are my friend and if I have the opportunity to make you happy I will take it." She laughed at him as he drew back to stare into her face.

"Sango, can you take care of Inuyasha for a moment I would like to say something to Kagome in private."

Kagome started when she glanced to her left to see an irate hanyou coming out of the woods with a deer carcass and without a word Sango stood and headed him off.

"What about your happiness Kagome? I've seen what he has done to you and what he has now asked; I know what you felt when you said yes; why did you?" he whispered angry with the thought of Kagome not getting what she deserved from the hanyou.

"I will take what I can get Miroku you don't need to worry about me. I know what you have seen and felt, but I need this even if it lasts for only a little while. Please Miroku, please understand."

He nodded stiffly knowing that all she wanted was to feel loved for once without the shadow of Kikyou looming over her. He knew however, as he watched her stand and greet Inuyasha, that Kikyou would always loom over her though at the moment she was hidden in shadow. Standing himself he looked at his whole hand and smiled knowing that his own future had gotten just a little bit brighter.

A/N: Thanks for reading, now if you leave a review or two or three then I will definitely update a lot sooner than I have been. SO DO IT!