Every inch of her hurt and she honestly couldn't tell if she had a fever or if she'd been beaten thoroughly. When she finally had the strength to open her eyes, she was pretty sure it was both.

Her marks hurt. A lot! All the way down to her bones but it didn't matter when she was face to face with a smirking Kagura. "Long time no see, Kagome." She tried to get up but it was a struggle. Kagura just laughed. "Looks like Hakudoshi was right. And I never thought it would be possible; a Hanyou mating? Not only that but with a Priestess?"

She said nothing. In part because it hurt too much and also because what was there to say?

Kagura was fully amused and still talking. "Oh, but poor Inuyasha, his mate is rejecting him hard!"

"That's because she knows it's wrong." The same voice from before, she searched as hard as her body would allow before spotting the child that had tricked her into getting caught. "So the young Priestess doesn't want to be mated to the Hanyou? I don't blame you…"

"Shut up!" Kagome seethed.

Kagura grinned while the boy remained emotionless. "You should be thanking us."

"You? You kidnapped me, beat me, and brought me here!"

Kagura looked offended. "We didn't touch you other than to bring you here."

"Stupid cow. It's your unfinished bonding that has you in pain and weak." The boy spat at her.

"Unfinished?"

Kagome was pretty sure it was a done deal. She had more than enough marks to prove it now and each one marked a time she and Inuyasha had sex. Which, according to Sango, meant she was good and bonded to Inuyasha now.

"If the bind isn't complete, then she serves no purpose," Kagura said to the child.

But he held a hand up to silence Kagura as if he were the one in charge. "The biggest threat to us is not the Hanyou, it's this woman. And Inuyasha was dumb enough to weaken her at such a crucial time."

"Do you want to kill me?"

Kagome hoped her fear didn't show on her voice as much as it sounded like it had. The strange white child smiled wickedly at her though. "No. Nothing as easy as that."

oOo

Kagome was losing track of days that passed. Inside a deserted and collapsing mansion of sorts, her days were spent watching clouds pass over the mountain the house was wedged into.

Every day was the same, gray and listless as she waited for these monsters to give up and kill her. But no, they kept up the same practice day after day.

The door to her 'room' opened for more of the same; the child called Hakudoshi forcing his touch on her while spewing shit from his mouth. He did something to her when he touched her, a hand on the shoulder or fingers wrapped around her wrist. Something was pushed into her, something dark. All it did was fuzz her brain and make her vomit at night when he was finished.

Hakudoshi grabbed her shoulder hard but she was done trying to shake him off. It was a waste of energy. "He doesn't love you, you know. How many days has it been? And Inuyasha still hasn't found you. Because he isn't even looking. He's busy with his real mate, Kikyo. You know it's true."

She was at a breaking point. It wasn't that she necessarily believed him. Kagome wasn't sure what to think. How with each passing day there was no sign of Inuyasha or any of her friends. With Hakudoshi's influence, her continued weakened state, and her overall wavering faith in the mating Kagome's spiritual powers was all over the place. Sometimes, she couldn't get Hakudoshi's hand off her and other times she could knock him into a wall. But that was a while ago, she'd been too drained to do anything close to that.

She just wanted to rest. "So what if it is true? What do you want from me?"

"To join us, of course! Naraku would be unstoppable with you by his side."

A surge of anger gave her some strength, shoving Hakudoshi off and across the room for the first time in so long. It shocked both of them. "Even if Inuyasha doesn't love me, I still love him and my friends. I would never help Naraku hurt them!!"

It was weird, suddenly all her pain was gone…

"KAGOME!!!"

Now she was sure she was dreaming because there was Inuyasha; standing on the small cliff just below the foundation of the house. He could see the back of her from the window she sat at; now the front of her as she spun and found him. His glare shot right through her just as pain ripped through her skull.

Hakudoshi had her by the hair, pulling her back away from the window and into the dark room. A room that seemed far darker now that she'd seen Inuyasha. "Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up?!"

"Taking a house on the side of mount Hakura? You thought I'd never find you, didn't you pip shit?"

Hakudoshi growled but she didn't understand. What did a mountain have to do with any of this?

"I'm surprised you came at all! Any closer and you'll be purified!"

She could hear Inuyasha laugh. It was the one he used when he was really pissed off and about to kill something. "If you're here then it's safe for me. And I'm taking Kagome back even if it kills me."

It scared her, the way her heart raced at his words. It was the fastest it had beaten in a while. "She doesn't want you, Hanyou. Not with you busy with the other Priestess while Kagome rotted here. You've been rejected Dog!"

"The fuck I have!!!!"

The entire place shook and a large chunk broke away. Now, the cool mountain air hit her skin after the wind scar opened up the dingy wall to her left.

Across the cavern the sword left; Kagura was looking lucky to be alive, shocked into a stupor. When she finally looked up at Kagome she smiled, only confusing the priestess more. It wasn't her evil smile when things went her way. Kagura actually looked… happy. Was she that glad to still be alive that she showed real emotions?

It was then Kagura started mouthing something and Kagome strained to understand. "Go to your Mate" was what it looked like.

Her vision was blocked by gold before she could truly wrap her head around it. Fury was in Inuyasha's eyes, but they softened immediately when he placed his hands on her. "Kagome."

He said her name with such relief, cupping her cheek to pull her into his arms. She reflexively leaned into him, falling deep into his hold. Her face buried in his chest, she breathed in his scent. He was sweating and breathing hard. Had he run all the way here? Running since she was taken?

"Take her if you wish, Hanyou. Naraku will get her one way or another. You've made her weak! Just like your last Mate, Kikyo."

She wasn't sure who tensed more at the name, Inuyasha or herself. When she tried to push off Inuyasha's hold he only held her tighter. Nearly smothered, she focused on listening while she couldn't see.

"The only thing Naraku is getting is a one-way ticket to hell. Following you!"

Inuyasha had the Tessaiga up and at the ready but a heavy wind tried to whip the two of them from the ground. Kagura and her big ass feather no doubt. The wind was so strong it knocked the remaining hold the house had on the cliff and Inuyasha was busy saving their lives instead of chasing after them.

When he finally put her down, she wasn't allowed to go far. Inuyasha's arm, hand, or both held her still and close. But Kagome really wanted some space; the two of them fighting over it for a good minute while saying nothing to one another.

"Inuyasha! Give her room to breathe!!"

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo (all three hoping off the returned demon cat) cleared the last incline and came into view. With Sango's harsh words, Inuyasha let go and she ran to the three of them, willingly letting them cuddle her. Kagome was happy to see them all; Kirara nuzzled her face for a second; they hadn't seen one another the longest with the demon leaving for her own business a while ago. Sango was searching for wounds while Shippo hugged her neck tight, something Inuyasha stopped quickly by grabbing the scruff of his neck.

"Calm down, Inuyasha! I missed her too!!"

It was like they were speaking to a robot, all action and no words. He'd been talking fine a moment ago but now it was like he'd forgotten how to speak. Too busy brooding over events.

"What did they do to you, Kagome?" Miroku asked.

She didn't really know but it hadn't been pleasant. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"Bullshit. You're pale and tired. They did something to you." Inuyasha ranted.

Miroku nodded in agreement, "Inuyasha's right. You don't seem to be yourself, Kagome."

Sango touched her forehead, checking her temp. "It's not the mountain. It only affects demons. Maybe it's the Mate?"

"What are you trying to say?!" Inuyasha was still in fight mode. "It's because she's rejecting it. Rejecting me."

"She's not rejecting you, she just doesn't understand!"

"Could you two stop talking like I'm not here??!!"

Inuyasha's and Sango's 'whispered' conversation wasn't quiet in the least and she was pretty sure Shippo and Miroku were following along with it just as well as she was.

"Sorry, Kagome." Was all she got and it was from Sango.

"Let's just get back to Kaede's. This place gives me the creeps."

Inuyasha put her on his back without asking or giving her a choice. Kirara, who had been resting on Sango's shoulder, flared with life and grew in size. The poor demon was tired but didn't complain as she carried the couple along behind Kagome and Shippo on Inuyasha's back.

oOo

Shippo jumped off first when they arrived back at the village. On the outskirts, it felt like they were still miles away to her tired and achy body. All she wanted to do was go to sleep but as soon as she took one step from Inuyasha, he grabbed her elbow.

"Kagome… we need to talk."

Great. This was just what she needed. Tortured and terrorized for days and now she was going to get her heart shattered too. There was no denying that it was a discussion they needed to have though so she was stuck.

"Alright…"

"Shit. You look like you're dead on your feet."

Again without asking, he lifted her up into his arms, taking her off her feet. And once again, she curled into him without her body asking her.

He was walking, taking her somewhere and it didn't take her long to figure out where. "Your powers… why didn't you use them? Why didn't you get away from those two?"

She shrugged, playing with a few white strands that had fallen over his chest. "They're… off. Sometimes they're fine and other times… I'm just tired. Once I rest I'll be fine."

"Good, we agree."

"We… we do??"

He set her down then… on the edge of the well. A hand on either side of her, he both caged her in and leaned over her. "You should rest at home, in your time."

"What?!"

"It's not safe for you. Not right now. Your powers are all over the place and now Naraku is gunning for you…"

"Naraku is gunning for all of us! Nothing has changed except one thing and I think we both know that's really why you want to send me away!!"

A frown cut deeply into his face but he didn't deny her words. He only dug into her top and ripped off the jewel shards she kept before her human brain could keep up with it. "Then we understand each other."

Shoving her, she fell back into the well and her time. With no way to come back.