Chapter 20: The Demon Within

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!

A/N: I just realized that I kinda forgot about Totsai, Myoga and Shippo... just pretend that they all ran off to hide somewhere when Naraku showed up. P.S. I know I am bad at fighting scenes so I'm sorry about that in advance!

Inuyasha and the other watched as Kagome bowed her head and she lifted her arms straight out in front of her with her palms down toward the floor and her fingers bent just the slightest bit. With her head bent and her hair acting as a curtain hiding her face the others didn't know what was about to be sent their way, however, they didn't have to wait long at all as a wave hit them knocking them all off their feet. Panicking and trying to grab onto whatever they could to stay on the ship just barely managing to not be swept away with the water. Before they could even get back on their feet a series of strong winds hit them forcing them to keep hold of what they were holding onto trying not to get lifted up to the heavens.

They were all terrified, they didn't know what to do, they never thought that they would have to go up against one of their own. None of them would ever hurt Kagome, it didn't matter that she was coming after them with the intention of causing harm, they knew that she wasn't in control of her body - therefore, they refused to lay a hand on her to hurt her.

"What do we do!?" Sango yelled to be heard over the raging winds.

"Sango, Miroku you deal with Tsubaki and Naraku - I've got Kagome." Inuyasha instructed.

"But you're so badly injured." Sango muttered out.

"Keh, I'll be fine, just go!" Inuyasha ordered.

"Come on Sango, let's end this." Miroku said as the winds died down finally letting them stand and get their baring's.

Sango was still unsure but sighed and went to help Miroku, she knew that Kagome couldn't take much more of this, so they really needed to hurry up and finish this.

Inuyasha barely had enough time to turn his head to look at Kagome again before he got hit hard with a huge wave of water slamming him against the wall of the ship, once again knocking the breath out of him. "Shit." He cursed under his breath as he realized that Kagome was not taking breaks in between like she was before meaning the curse was really stronger now that they were closer to Tsubaki and before he could jump out of the way another wave hit him hard. Knowing she was no longer taking it easy on him he sprung into action moving fast enough to just barely miss her onslaught of attacks.

Inuyasha cursed under his breath again, Kagome wasn't letting up on her attacks - sending crushing water, ice, fierce winds and arrows his way. He didn't know what to do, though, he did know that hurting her was completely out of the question - he would never lay a hand on her with the intent to hurt her, he'd die before he ever did something like that. He just needed to dodge and hold her off until Miroku and Sango could get the curse broken.

An idea form into his mind and he moved to put his plan into action while dodging Kagome's attacks. Moving towards her, Inuyasha got close enough to her before he tackled her to the ground pinning her hands above her head - if she couldn't use her hands, she couldn't send any more attacks his way, now all he had to do is keep her pinned while Sango and Miroku finished their task. Though Kagome didn't make it easy, she thrashed her body trying to get him off her, she bucked, kicked and tried her hardest to headbutt him in the face all the while he was trying to keep his vision clear and ignore the ringing in his ears - he had lost too much blood and was starting to feel weak. He could feel his body start to shake as he tried to maintain his hold on her wrist while squeezing his legs together harder trying to get her hips still from trying to buck him off of her.

Now that he had her pinned and her head was no longer bowed - he desperately wished he had never seen the look that Kagome was wearing, though her body was thrashing, Kagome remained unnaturally silent, and her face held a vacant expression that Inuyasha just knew would haunt him in his dreams for a long time. His Kagome wasn't supposed to look like that, his Kagome was always happy and always on the lookout for the next big adventure but here she was looking at him with cold dead eyes.

Inuyasha cursed silently under his breath as his breathing became more labored and his vision began to blur. He knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer and knew for a fact that he couldn't let Kagome go because if he took one more blow from her, he knew it'd be the last one it took to do him in. He could feel something swirling in his subconsciousness that was more worrisome than the thought of death was, trying to breathe deeply focusing on staying conscious, keeping a firm hold on the woman below him and keeping his sanity in check - for if he let go of his sanity everyone, not just the bad guys but everyone, would be in danger.

"Sango, Miroku! Hurry the fuck up!" Inuyasha growled out.

-X-

"What do you think we're trying to do!?" Miroku grunted as he dodged out of the way from one of Naraku's tentacles. Sango threw her Hiraikotsu towards Tsubaki only to have it bounce off the barrier that Naraku put around her so she wouldn't be distracted on continuing the curse on Kagome. Catching the huge boomerang as it bounded towards her, she sent it flying again, though this time she sent to towards Naraku, hoping that the slightest distraction would make him drop the barrier around Tsubaki - though it didn't work, who caught it with one of his tentacles and tossed it to the side out of the reach of her.

"Shit!" Sango cursed. "What are we gonna do?"

Miroku didn't answer as they both continued to dodge out of the way from all the tentacles that were still coming their way. He was looking at any possible opening, anywhere that he could strike an attack hard enough to end this, finding one he quickly threw his sword towards Naraku and his heart that was left unguarded. What Miroku didn't see was the devious smirk that curled Naraku's lips the second the sword left Miroku's hand and without a moment's hesitation shot a tentacle out and pierced Miroku right in the gut.

The world seemed to slow down for Sango as she watched the tentacle stab Miroku in the gut making her entire world crumble to the ground. Feeling her heart completely shatter she forgot about all the dangers around her and made her way toward where Miroku was kneeling on the ground holding his mid-section and looking down with wide panicked eyes. kneeling down next to him she reached for him but didn't touch him only let her hands hover about an inch away from his body, afraid that the slightest touch to his body would be his undoing.

"Mi-Miroku?" Sango whispered out as tears poured down her cheeks, rolling down her neck to wet the collar of her shirt, though she didn't give two fucks about anything at that moment but the man in front of her. As she spoke his name, he coughed up blood and crumbled the rest of the way to the ground gasping for air and groaning in pain. "No, no Miroku! God, please you can't die! Please just stay with me! Keep your eyes open, don't you dare close them!" Sango demanded crying harder.

"Sa-ango." Miroku stuttered out making Sango shake her head.

"No, don't talk!" Sango sobbed Miroku lifted his hand to cup her cheek and she brought both her hands up to grasp his hand to keep it there.

"San-go, I-I always lo-ved you." Miroku said barely able to get the words out making Sango cry even harder, if that was at all possible, and give him a very watery smile.

"I've always loved you, too." She said through her tears before leaning down and capturing his lips with hers.

Naraku watched the scene unfold before him, absolutely loving the fact that he was ripping two lovers apart from each other.

Sango leaned back to look back into Miroku's eyes wiping away his tears as he weakly wiped hers away, however, after the second tender wipe he gave to her cheeks his breath caught in his throat, his hand fell, and his eyes rolled back into the back of his head before they closed.

"No, no, no Miroku!?" Sango shouted as she shook him before looking up and around desperately trying to find someone or something that could save his life. "Kagome!?" She called completely forgetting that she was under a curse, she just needed someone next to her and all she could think about was Kagome - the person who saved her life from a living hell. She needed her to be there with her to, she didn't know all she knew is that she needed her! She looked back at Miroku watching as her tears splattered on his face as she stroked his face with her hands she started begging. "Please, Miroku, open your eyes! What do I do!? Please, please just tell me what to do!" She sobbed not having the slightest idea what she was supposed to do but not wanting the man that she loved to die.

Naraku started to laugh which made Sango's sanity absolutely snap, with one last swipe of her thumb across Miroku's cheek, she stood up and turned to face Naraku with pure unadulterated murder swimming in her eyes. "NARAKU!" She screamed as she took her sword out and started running towards the laughing piece of shit. However, before she could reach him and before Naraku could react, a rage filled growl rent the air as a red blur went past Sango towards Naraku.

-X-

Inuyasha gritted his teeth together, as he still pinned thrashing Kagome to the ground, trying to keep a clear head he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. He was getting dizzier by the moment, could literally feel his body start to shut down from too much blood loss and from sheer exhaustion. However, the smell that hit his nose had his eyes snapping open and growing wide, the smell of Miroku's blood - of Sango's desperation, fear and her tears - of his pack crumbling apart at the seams. And that was it, his sanity snapped, and he lost control of himself. He let you a ferocious growl as he leapt off of Kagome forgetting about everything other than he needed the blood of the bastard that dared to hurt his pack to cover him, nothing else mattered to him at that point.

Noticing the danger that was coming towards him and quickly teleported himself out of the line of danger just barely missing Inuyasha's deadly claws. Unfortunately, for Tsubaki, Naraku left her there by herself without the protection of his barrier. Inuyasha looked at her with murder writ in his blood red eyes, if it wasn't for her, they wouldn't be in this mess. She hurt his Kagome, took her soul and manipulated it into what she wanted her to be like, that was completely unforgivable in Inuyasha eyes. She had to die.

With Tsubaki distracted because of Inuyasha, the curse on Kagome was temporarily broken and as she came to, she gasped and grasped at her chest as she panted. This whole thing was taking a toll on her making her chest burn and her body to hurt. She looked around to try to get her baring's and to see what all was still going on around her. The first thing she saw was Sango and Miroku, Sango was crying over Miroku's unconscious body making her take a few steps towards them wanting to help in any way she could. However, as she was walking towards the couple movement caught her eye and she looked to where it was coming from and saw Inuyasha stalk towards Tsubaki as she backed away from him - only he wasn't the normal Inuyasha he was the full-fledged demon Inuyasha. Kagome gasped as she watched him practically play prey, moving as slow as he could while he looked at her with every fiber of hate he held inside his body.

Kagome's body was in so much pain and she was exhausted, but she forced her legs to start running in the direction of Inuyasha, however, she got to him too late. She watched as Inuyasha crouch, flex his fingers, curl his lips over his elongated fangs and leap at Tsubaki ending her life before she had time to react.

The moment Tsubaki's life ended, Kagome cried out in pain and fell to her knees and hands as the two black shards flew out of her neck and onto the ground. "It's over." She whispered as she looked at the two black shards that were laying harmlessly right in front of her. She moved to take the shards into her hand and watched as the deep black color faded into sparkling white. However, hearing Inuyasha still snarl snapped her out of her daze of the sacred jewel shards.

Standing up and walking slowly towards Inuyasha, Kagome lifted her hand up towards him.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered.

Realizing someone was approaching him, Inuyasha turned toward him he turned to flex his claws at the threat that was coming towards him snarling in warning for them to stay away.

Not heeding his warning Kagome kept walking his way with her hand still outstretched towards him. "Inuyasha it's me, Kagome. I'm not going to hurt you." She whispered reassuringly.

When she got close enough to him, Inuyasha roughly grabbed her wrist, making her wince in pain, before pulling her even closer to him and tightly gripping her upper arms digging his claws in her flesh making her cry out in pain. However, though he was still snarling loudly, he wasn't doing anything else to further hurt her - so she took that as a good sign.

"Inuyasha, please, I know you're still in there! Come back, please!" Kagome begged as she stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Instantly Inuyasha stopped growling as he dug his nose into the crook of Kagome's neck and took several deep sniffs.

Kagome felt him as he started to relax after several minutes and take his claws out of her arms and slowly wrap his arms around her. "Inuyasha are you okay now?" She whispered.

Tightening his hold on her, he took a couple more inhales of her scent before pulling away but did not take his arms way from embracing her making her nearly cry when she saw golden eyes instead of red. "Yes, I'm okay. Are you?" He asked as he ran his fingers over the blood stains on her upper arms.

"Oh, this? It's mere flesh wounds." She said as she waved him off.

Before Inuyasha could say anything, they heard Sango crying hysterically as she begged Miroku to open his eyes. Looking at each other in worry they both made their way over to where the two were on the ground, staring down at Miroku they both gasped with horror as they saw the condition Miroku was in.

Kagome's ears twitched on top of her head, "his heart is still beating." She whispered.

"What?" Inuyasha asked but was ignored by Kagome as she knelt down beside Miroku and across from Sango.

"No! Get away from him!" Sango yelled thinking that she still might be under the curse and didn't want anyone to cause any more harm to Miroku.

"Sango it's me, Kagome." She whispered. "I can help if you'll let me."

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please leave a review! See you next time!