Taking a deep breath, she pulled back on the string. Her muscles protested a little but that had lessened since she picked her bow back up a week ago.

There were maybe two or three more weeks of the summer heat before it started to cool off for autumn. The nights were already cooler. Midday, it was scorching, letting Kagome get away with a tank top and shorts. Nearly every single one of her marks were bare but the only ones around were family and she'd explained it as best she could to them already.

Her hair twisted up on top of her head, sweat rolled down Kagome's back and brow in her concentrated stance. As soon as she felt it, she swirled her body and redirected her aim.

Inuyasha stood (his hands in the air) and even though he could easily dodge it she still aimed the arrow at his shoulder. "You're supposed to be resting."

Ignoring him, she turned back to the target she set thirty feet away and fired. Just like the last three, it sunk deep into the edge of the red bull's eye.

Currently, her arrows were either stuck in the target or in the ground near her feet for easy access. So she pulled another out of the soft dirt and took aim again.

It was as if the ground shook with each step Inuyasha took closer to her. She hadn't felt anything since he pushed her into the well and Kagome had assumed it was either the distance and Inuyasha already dead in this time or the severing of their bond. Either way, it felt as if their time together was done so she hadn't fooled herself in thinking he'd return.

Now that Inuyasha was here, the marks that seemed to never go away felt as though they were twitching. "I sent you here to get better."

His fingers traced up her spine and Kagome missed her shot. Pulling away from him, she grabbed up all her arrows out of the ground and turned to go. So, of course, he followed.

"There was never anything wrong with me. Don't pretend you had my best interest at heart when you pushed me into the well! And you did it after taking my shards, like you wanted me to hit the dirt. I was lucky the well opened for me. I guess it knew I was no longer wanted in your time..."

"Every time I send you here it's for your own good!"

"Oh yeah? And what was your reason this time?!" She really didn't care and yet she still asked.

"The Mate was making you sick…"

"Don't you mean it was making you sick?"

Her escape was short lived, her house still in the distance from where she went into the woods to practice when Inuyasha grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Look at you?! You're still pale! And what are you wearing?!"

She pulled free, not caring that it hurt both of them. "Haven't you noticed? It's still hot here. I'm sure in your time it's close to winter by now…"

"It hasn't been that long…"

"Two weeks for me but a month and a half for you! Let me guess, you need your shard finder back so you came here to force me to come with you?!"

"I came here because I missed you. Not to bring you back!" He eyed her closely, making her feel naked. "You've… lost weight?"

Actually, she gained. Her shorts were tight around the waist as proof. "I'm fine! Stop making excuses to benefit yourself!!"

"I'm not!!!" His face was red with anger and he grabbed her, not stopping until he had her pressed against him fully with no way to escape. "Didn't you hear me? I said I missed you." He whispered.

This time, she pushed gently on him and he let her go just enough to look at one another. "I… didn't miss you, you jerk!"

He chuckled, making her bounce on his chest. Then he curled a strand that had come loose from her knot around her ear, cupping her cheek when he finished. "Tell me the truth, Kagome. Mating with me… it weakened you."

She carefully dug out of his hold and it was clear he was reluctant about it. "Is that what you want to hear? To have an excuse to break it?"

"The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Kagome…"

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you that I really am fine. The mate bond didn't cause my sickness."

"But you are sick?"

She hesitated, trying to come up with the best way to put it. "No. Not like you think. And my powers are fine so I can help you again…"

"No! I told you, I'm not here to bring you back!"

"Then you should have hidden these better." She said, holding the vile of jewel shards she plucked off him while he hugged her.

"You little…" He stomped up to her but before he could get close, she shoved them in between her breasts. "Feh. Do you really think that'll stop me?" All Kagome did was watch him and cross her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts up and out of her top a little more. "Goddammit. Kagome you need to stay here! It's not safe for you…" She turned on her heel, done with the conversation. "Kagome!!! I'm talking to you!!!!"

She ran once she was inside her house, grabbing her bag and quickly filling it with all she needed. Her mother heard her and stood in her doorway watching. "You're going back?" Kagome nodded. "Are you sure that's a good idea? What with everything that's… going on?"

"It's fine momma. My friends will protect me when I can't protect myself."

"It's not just that…"

"I know. And… if I get worse I'll come home. I'll come home regardless when it's time. I promise."

"It's all happening so fast.." Kagome stopped to hug and kiss her mother, the two sharing a long embrace before her mother reluctantly let her go. "You're an adult so I can't stop you but… please be careful. It's not just yourself you have to be mindful of…"

"I know momma. I'll be careful and come back to you."

Kagome really hoped she could keep that promise; Souta pouting at her as she made for the door didn't help. "Be extra careful this time, Sis."

"Only way I know how to be!"

Gramps stood in her way, a handful of herbs in his hands in little plastic baggies. "These will help you…"

She took them all, shoved them into her bag, and kissed him goodbye. Inuyasha stood just outside the door, leaning against her house. "Even your family is worried about you. You should stay here where you're safe, Kagome." She continued to ignore him except when he fussed about her clothes again. "You can't go like that!!"

Inside the dark well house, she pulled out her Priestess robes and started to strip. She kept her back to Inuyasha but felt his eyes on her the whole time. A bra and panties didn't scare him anymore. Probably because he'd seen her in less and remembered vividly.

Which was why she made sure he only saw her back.

More appropriately dressed, she straddled the well, ready to go. "Kagome." Inuyasha was at her side, gripping her hip and thigh as if to hold her on this side. "Please. Reconsider."

"You're the one who needs to reconsider." He looked confused so she went on. "You promised me you wouldn't leave me again. How quickly you broke that."

"That was," he swallowed thickly, "the stupid human making promises he couldn't keep."

It felt as if her heart was breaking all over again. She really should be used to it by now. For the first time in two weeks, her marks ached and Inuyasha looked like he might be in pain as well. Kagome couldn't really say if she was doing this for Inuyasha or herself but she was absolutely sure they would never defeat Naraku without her.

"Then I guess my well being should be the least of your concerns."

He winced and she jumped.

oOo

Tensions were high since her return and the happy group they used to be was long gone. Seemed fitting that they were now chasing after a dark priestess.

Kagome could never understand it; even now rejected and heartbroken, how someone like a Priestess could do such terrible things. The village they stood in now was torn to pieces and the few that remained were truly lucky to be alive.

The determination that Inuyasha had to end this had her wondering if his thoughts mirrored hers? All this started around the time her and Inuyasha mated. If Kikyo found out about it then was she the one going around terrorizing these villages?

Kagome was the undead priestess's least favorite person, just as Kikyo's was Kagome's least. But she struggled to imagine the woman was capable. Regardless of what Kikyo thought of her and Inuyasha, Kagome just couldn't imagine the woman going dark.

Shippo and a few of the children that had survived were playing together. Playing with Kagome which was surprising to say the least given the scare the last priestess gave them. But with cute Shippo all over her the children didn't fear Kagome in the least. And she welcomed their play happily as they circled around her. It was the game Kagome played as a child as well, walking around her while her eyes were closed. When they stopped, she had to say who was behind her. Kagome found that (just like when she was a child) she always knew who it was.

Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku were investigating, asking around and inspecting the damage. Inuyasha and Miroku were fixing the damage when Sango appeared at her side. "You guys are having a lot of fun over here, huh?" Kagome carefully got to her feet from the center, wobbling a little from a small dizzy spell; getting up too fast. Sango had her hands on her in an instant. "Are you alright?"

A tight smile on her face, Kagome hoped to dispel the rising tension about her and her health. "I'm fine. Just a little tired that's all." When Sango frowned, she realized her mistake; since she hadn't done anything today to make herself tired. "I didn't sleep well last night."

Nothing on the demon hunter's face said she believed Kagome. But Sango didn't push it, especially with Miroku coming to join and Shippo jumping to Kagome's shoulder. Kirara purred at their feet, everyone was ready to eat dinner and rest: save for Inuyasha.

He was still pushing for answers, digging around and sniffing at stuff. Like there was anything more they could do for the day. But when Sango released an exasperated sigh and Miroku gave up on trying to pull Inuyasha away from his work, Kagome just sent them on ahead; facing the Hanyou alone.

"There's nothing more we can do here, Inuyasha." Inuyasha responded with a growl her way and she rolled her eyes even if he couldn't see it. "You've searched the whole village, smelled everything, fixed what you could. It's time to move on! Maybe we can catch them before they ruin the next village?"

He slowed to a stop at that, his tense muscles flexing and seen with ease. With his sulkan tied around his waist his sweat made his thin white shirt stick like glue. Ignoring her attraction to him only made her marks burn more, something they did constantly these days but it was the last thing on her mind.

Especially with Kikyo on a possible rampage over them.

As much as it hurt to admit, it was even more painful to watch as Inuyasha struggled with all of it. "I know you want to see Kikyo but if she was ever here, she's long gone now."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

No one had said it out loud if they thought this was Kikyo or not, but as it was, Kagome was undecided. Expelling a much needed blast of air, she refused to look at him as she spoke. "I know you think she did this but I'm not so sure."

"I never said…"

"It's been a while since we've heard from her. You miss her, right? I know you really want to see her…"

"Kagome…"

"But she isn't here and I'm not so sure she ever was. I want to see her too. Maybe she has a clue how to fix the mess you and I are in…"

Angry and tired looking amber was all she could see, Inuyasha's hold on her tight and unbreakable. "Don't… don't say that, Kagome. Please don't say that ever again."

He looked pained. As if for once he felt some kind of pain from their messed up bond. If it was half of what she felt on a daily basis then he was close to feeling human. She hadn't felt human in months.

Sliding from her shoulders, he took one of her hands to lead them away. "I'm hungry. Did you bring ramen?"

A laugh barked out of her from nowhere. "That's all you think about when I come back from home isn't it?"

He stopped and she collided with his back. "No, that's not the only thing, dammit!"

All she could do was chuckle at his irritation with her. Any discussion about their failed mating was off the table and it was bearing down hard on her. That was what all the tension in the group was about; waiting for either her or Inuyasha to die or explode or something. She had no clue what happened in a situation like this one.

"Can I sleep near you tonight?" He asked, still pulling them along and not looking at her at all.

"Don't you do that every night anyway? Why ask?"

She was pretty sure, even if she said no, he would just climb a tree near her bed roll and sleep/watch from there. He had done that the first two nights he asked and she said no. But he still asked so this time she caved.

"You can sleep near me."

His grip on her hand tightened, threading his fingers with hers. In the end, they might still be friends. But Kagome was sure she couldn't stay in this time with just that. Not while watching him and Kikyo together.

There was a limit to her understanding. Her heart was fragile too.

oOo

There was so much negative energy, it had actually darkened the sky.

It was supposed to be a simple job but (as usual) it was far from it. Miroku and Sango circled above on Kirara while Shippo hid somewhere close by. Occasionally using his fox magic to distract. Even Kagome kept a bit of distance, using her arrows to purify while Inuyasha stood in the middle of it all. His wind scar cut across the horde of demons that had been sent to them; courtesy of one of Naraku's pawns.

Miroku had tried to suck them all up with his wind tunnel but it was too much for him. So it was up to them to do it the old fashioned way. And she was getting tired.

Her back ached already from all the walking they'd done today and the constant pain from the failed mating. As soon as she had returned, Inuyasha insisted they head out in search of Naraku and that's all they'd done, nonstop. The only other detour had been the village attacked by the dark priestess. But with no leads or new attacks, they were back on the Naraku track. It had been days since they had stopped and she felt it down to her bones. At this point, it was either the failed mating, her exhaustion, or just being sick that had her running on fumes.

She didn't dare ask for a break though. Kagome couldn't let anyone on to her weaknesses. So, they continued on with only a pause here and there.

Except when a few locals of this afflicted village begged for their help. With it turning out to be a trap by Naraku; Kagome was sure Inuyasha was glad they stopped now.

She was struggling, her arrows slowly losing their distance as her body tired. Next thing she knew, Miroku was shoving her onto Kirara's back. Sango pulled her up and they took off, Miroku taking her place and rushing into the battle towards Inuyasha.

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard, Kagome."

The look on her face; the looks Sango had been giving her since she returned. The demon hunter knew.

"You need to come clean. Especially to Inuyasha."

Kagome knew this already but it really wasn't the right time. "Can we talk about this later?"

The demon cat swooped down, biting heads off a few demons while Sango sliced through them with her Hilakos. A few got too close so Kagome shot them in the heart and purified them.

They didn't like that too much.

"That's the Priestess!!"

One cried, a garbled voice but they all seemed to hear and understand. Including Inuyasha. "Sango! Get her the fuck out of here!!!"

Her "Wait" fell on deaf ears, Sango turning Kirara to run as fast and as far away as possible. But the demons surged, climbing on top of one another to hit Kirara's belly. The demon cat cried out as she flipped over; knocking Kagome and Sango off and into the horde's waiting hands.

Wrapping an arm around her, Sango beat back several with her Hilakos in her hand but there were still too many. Ripped out of her hold, Kagome reached out for Sango but they were split apart.

"Kagome!!"

She could just make out her friend still fighting, so she didn't give up either. Kagome could never give up now. There were so many, touching and grabbing her everywhere. It made her sick.

"Look at this! The mark of the dog demon! She's mated to a dog demon!!" The one at her back ripping her shirt down found her first mark.

"So that means that if we fuck her it'll kill either Sessomaru or Inuyasha? That mark means she mated to one of them right??"

"Fucking her won't kill the mate you dumbass!"

"No, but it'll be fun. Then we can kill her." The one screaming was right at her legs, slobbering all over himself. "How about it? You like fucking demons don't you?"

Whatever energy she had left, she used it. Kicking and screaming, purifying as many as she could with her touch. But it wasn't enough.

They held her down and one tried to pry her legs apart. She focused all her energy on keeping them together but the demon was digging in his claws and cutting her skin through her robes.

Everything went red, a spray of blood covering her. The demons were cut so fast and hard, they didn't even know they were already dead for a few seconds. Their bodies fell on her, covering her with more blood but it didn't last; hands pushing bodies off and pulling her up into arms that held her tight regardless of the guts and decay.

She caught sight of Miroku but he was keeping his distance. When she looked up, she saw why. She was in the arms of one pissed off demon.

Inuyasha snarled at anything that came near them, slashing them to pieces with his claws. There were still too many demons; this would take all night without Tessaiga.

So she grabbed his face in her hands and forced him to focus on her. "Inuyasha. I'm alright. You saved me. It's okay now."

The terrifying demon was cradling her in his arms, kissing her mouth, face, neck, whatever he could not giving a shit about the blood. She let him do whatever he needed to calm back down. When he slowed and pulled back, golden eyes stared down at her, brushing blood stained strands out of her face.

Kagome watched as his eyes swirled with anger, his golden orbs like molten metal. With Tessaiga in one hand and her in the other, he released something that was like the wind scar but far larger than any blow she'd seen before.

Burrowing into him, she protected her eyes from the blinding light. Inuyasha continued to hold her tight even after the light faded and the battlefield was now empty.

Looking up to the sky, Kagome watched as the demonic clouds dissipated and turned into gray fluffy whisps.

Inuyasha was smearing blood, trying to get it off her face. It only reminded Kagome and made her stomach turn. Normally, she could hold it in but she was worn out. Plus, this nausea was far worse than before.

She didn't care how it made him feel, she shoved Inuyasha back hard and ran as far as she could before falling to her knees. The entire contents of her belly were now mixed into the ground with all the other fluids of the fight.

Sango was by her side, holding her hair back even though it was already covered in thick blood.

"Kagome?!" Inuyasha's voice dripped with fear.

She looked to Sango who only shook her head to scold her.

"Kagome? What's wrong?"

Now Miroku was asking. Which surprised her, she thought for sure Sango told him everything. "I...I got a little sick," she gestured to herself, "can you blame me?"

"Kagome, tell him!!" Sango warned. It would either come from Kagome or Sango at this point.

"You're sick, aren't you?! I knew it! You've been trying to hide it from us but I could smell it on you!" Inuyasha raged.

"Smell it?" Miroku asked.

"The vomit. She goes somewhere to hide to do it but even I can smell it on her when she returns," Shippo added, selling her out.

"Just tell them, Kagome. They already think it's worse than it is." She didn't know how to feel about Sango's words. But Kagome took a deep breath to steady herself and found it didn't work at all. "Oh for heaven's sake, she's pregnant you idiots!!"

Kagome glared at the demon warrior who stood tall; proud of her choice. The others looked even more confused. Slowly, it hit them, Inuyasha the hardest as he started to pace angrily.

"How far along are you?"

She shrugged at Miroku. "I..I don't know. With all my back and forth and the difference in time flow…. the doctor said the baby looked like it was twelve to fourteen weeks but even she wasn't sure. My body is confused and the baby is growing fast because of switching eras so much."

"A doctor of your time can tell how old a baby is by the week?" Sango asked, astounded. "Our doctors can only do that with years of practice and guessing!"

"You knew." Inuyasha had stopped pacing and was trying to burn a hole in the ground with his grimace. "When you forced your way back here; you already knew you were pregnant and you still came here?"

Fear crept up her spine and Kagome had to swallow something nasty down her throat. "You need me to defeat Naraku. That's why he's so scared of me. Why he wants me dead…"

"And you still came here??!" His eyes flashed red but he remained in control, stalking closer to her.

Sango didn't leave her, instead she stood closer. "It's her decision, Inuyasha. Can you blame her for not wanting to leave her Mate?"

Inuyasha roared. "Damn that fucking demon! That fucking idiot went and mated us when I told him to wait..."

Kagome wasn't sure herself what happened but at some point she had struck Inuyasha. The failed mate had caused her to explode and it cost her hand and Inuyasha's cheek.

The half demon had his head turned by her from the force of it. Mostly, Kagome was surprised she wasn't crying. Maybe her tear ducts were clogged with blood and guts. They stuck in her throat and made her unable to speak. So she left it at that, walking away from the battlefield that was soaked with blood and riddled with heartbreak.