InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Lifetime Loving You Part 1; Seasons in Owari ❯ The Road Ahead ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter 11; The Road Ahead

(Inu-yasha's POV)

It was sometime after daylight when Kagome and I made our first stop for rest. I would soon discover that I would do this often now that Kagome was in such conditions not fit for traveling. If the baby wasn't the only thing holding her back it would be the heavy terrain. From here to Owari would be mountains, and I knew all too well what lurked in the shadows of the mountains leading to the west.

With Kagome in her condition, it would take a month to get to Owari. If she wasn't pregnant, a month of traveling would have gotten us to Osaka, or at the very most Kyoto. Yet, out of instinct I wanted to take it slow.

A small fire flickered at the base of a tree while Kagome slept soundlessly in her sleep in her blankets. The days had become warmer now, and I removed my kimono to release my body heat instead of insulating it. Kagome removed the light blue vest that kept her chest insulated and tied her hair back in a sloppy bun to keep the heat off her neck.

I woke up first around noon time, but took my time before making any motion to awake Kagome. I stretched out my arms and yawned as I scratched my back and rolled my shoulders back and forth. I felt like a rock, and I could hardly move.

I moaned softly for a moment before glancing down at Kagome as she slept on the green summer grass. Even though there was enough sunlight shining down to make me sweat, Kagome looked cold.

I climbed down the tree softly and clutched my kimono in my right hand as my ears twitched in the sunlight. I could hear running water not far from our camp and decided it was best to bathe since I hadn't taken one since the night of Kagome's dance.

I knelt down beside her for a moment and watched her sleep, dreamlessly. I felt sadness flood my eyes and I bowed my head and let my bangs hide my eyes. I summoned the courage to open my kimono and lay it over Kagome's shoulder. As I tucked her shoulder into the red fire rat fibers, I couldn't help but let my claws mingle in her hair for a moment. What joy would it be if I could run my claws through her hair, or better yet, human hands? I had done this once. I let my claws stroke her midnight locks in the days after her attack, after she conceived a life with in her.

I withdrew my hand suddenly when she stirred and murmured, "Inu-yasha?" but she didn't wake. Kagome fell back into her deep sleep and didn't stir again.

I pushed myself to my feet with a heavy heart and went in the direction of running water. I tugged at my garments and removed them once I found the source of the running water. A hot spring, and luckily there would be plenty around in these parts since this was a mountainous trail.

I placed my kimono and hakama on a smooth, large stone and wadded into the steaming waters. I felt the water caress my skin and the part of me that made me a male above all things. I wadded into the water until I was up to my armpits in water and began to wash my face and neck.

My eyes widened in the instant I took a deep breath, and I folded my ears back as I submerged myself in the warm water and let the heat run over my skin. I stayed like that for a moment, and let the small bubbles of air flutter between my lips before squeezing between them to make their escape to the surface.

I came back to the surface not long after and shook my head and ears free of excess water.

"You seemed troubled, Inu-yasha. It doesn't seem right that you head west with the girl alone."

I didn't jump when I heard the voice. I knew she was there since the moment I had awaked. I ran my claws through my silver hair and looked into the direction of the voice, and in the trees by the side of the spring I found its owner.

Kikyo sat on the limb of a tree with her soul collectors resting in the limbs beside her. She turned to me and I knew the water was enough to obscure anything from her eyes. I turned away and closed my eyes. "I need to head into the west for a few months. There's something I need to handle. Something I need to know."

Kikyo sat up and watched me as her long black locks flowed over her shoulder. "I know the truth. I can sense the presence with in her. She carries a life within her, doesn't she?"

I opened my eyes and turned to her with no expression on my face, but one of pain. "Kagome needs help."

She glared at me and sat back on the trunk of her tree as her collectors slithered in the air. "You continue to keep a vigil of protection for this girl. If she knows what is best for you, she would do us all a favor and take her life and the one she holds and spare all from the misery the child will bring into this world."

I narrowed my brow. "You think she doesn't feel such pain?"

Kikyo looked at me with no emotion in her eyes. "You continue to stay beside her, even though she carries a child that will mean the end of you? You are a fool, Inu-yasha, to believe that she will let you stay beside her forever. The child will discover that it is a half-breed like you, and then what will you do?"

I felt something jab into my chest and I placed my hand over my heart as water ran through my fingers. "I brought this upon her."

"She brought this upon herself. The girl has already told you that she wishes to face this alone. She no longer has the power to hold you in her heart, for she is far too disgusted with herself."

I looked at Kikyo and arched a brow. "You don't make any sense."

Kikyo smirked and turned in the direction Kagome was in. "Kagome blames herself for this and will not let her pregnancy come between you and your journey. If that is what she desires, then why bother staying beside her? Kagome has chosen her path, Inu-yasha, and you still blame this on yourself."

She floated down to the edge of the hot spring and looked at me. "Do you choose to be with her, over me?"

I gasped and turned away from her glace. "I...I need to stay beside her until I know for sure. It's not her that concerns me; it's the child she bares. I wanted to know what Naraku wants with Kagome's baby, and what I can do to spare Kagome's child of his darkness. There has to be a way to stop this ahead of time. It's the child that concerns me...not Kagome."

Kikyo lowered her head and closed her eyes. "Do not forget, Inu-yasha. You are needed to complete this quest. I hold your life; no one else holds your life but me."

A moment later Kikyo disappeared into the air and I opened my eyes in time to watch her disappear. "Kikyo!"

I was alone again, and I got out of the water and changed back into my clothing. I walked slowly back to camp and found Kagome awake and packing the horse.

"Don't push yourself!" I called out to her after I pulled my arm through my under shirt and left it open. Kagome spun around and looked at me. She clutched the tiny locket at her breast and looked at me as though she had seen a ghost.

"I just want to get going," she said as she threw her blankets over the horse. "The fast you get me to Owari, the faster you can come home. I'm sure I'll be fine until the baby is born."

I narrowed my brow. "What are you taking about?"

Kagome turned to me as she grabbed my kimono and handed it to me rather forcefully. I took it gently from her and she quickly turned to finish packing. I panicked as I watched her move too quickly. "Stop it! You'll hurt yourself."

Kagome began to gasp for breath, but continued to push herself. "I don't matter. I just need to get going. I have...to..."

I jumped and ran to Kagome's side as I panicked and threw my arms around her just in time. She had made herself dizzy and fainted in my arms. "Kagome!" I cried and placed her on the ground. I made quick work of removing a rag and soaking it in cool water and dabbing her face until she came too.

"What...what happened?" she whimpered and tried to sit up, but I stopped her.

"Just lay back, you'll be fine. You've got morning sickness." I continued to dab her face with the cool water and looked her over as her eyes fluttered and closed once more to catch her breath. I watched as her chest rose and fell rhythmically. "So dizzy!"

"It's normal. The fact you have a half demon child will make the sickness a little more violent and more frequent though."

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and narrowed her brow. "Great!" she groaned.

A moment later I placed the wet cloth in sash of my hakama and gathered Kagome in my arms and scooped her up bridal style. Kagome stiffened and protested. "I can walk I'm fine."

I rolled my eyes and squeezed her to me. "Stop it! You've been acting this way ever since the dance in your time. What is it with you?"

Kagome stared at me for a moment, and looked away. "I'm not putting up with all this touchy feely stuff anymore. It's been a month, Inu-yasha, since Sesshoumaru took advantage of me against his will. You don't have to keep on acting like you owe me something."

Kagome broke out of my grasp and stomped off toward the horse and mounted the beast taking the reins. The horse only made a few strides before I ran to its side and brought it to a halt. "Why are you acting like this? If you put this much stress on yourself you'll only end up sicker."

Kagome glared at me and gripped the reins. "I didn't ask for you to come with me. There's nothing keeping you here."

I shook my head. "I'm the only one who knows the way. The horse will only take us so far and there's no way you'll make it through all those mountains, not to mention half of the demons you'll meet along the way. I'm coming with you."

Kagome shook her head with anger. "I'm not some weakling little girl you have to protect all the time. This is my problem!"

It only took a second for Kagome to clutch her stomach and jump off the opposite side of the horse and into the wood to suddenly kneel and begin to vomit.

I ran to her side as she popped and placed my hands on her shoulders which she shook off when she had the chance to move. I glared at her until she was finished.

Kagome kept her back to me and tried to breathe. I shook my head. "I came of my own free will. I wanted to follow you and make sure you were okay. I'm staying with you, Kagome."

She whipped her face with her hand and looked at me coldly. "You're only with me because of the child I bare. You don't care for anything else but that."

I shook my head and took hold of her face in my hands and brought my face close to hers. I saw her tears begin to form. "You sound like an insane woman. Stop it! Kagome, just stop! I'm not leaving you, and that's final. I swore to protect you. I'm bound to you. I won't let you carry this alone. I don't want you to carry this alone."

In that instant I threw my arms around her and held her close to me. "You don't have to face this alone, Kagome. I'm right here with you. As long as were together, we don't have to face this world alone."

Kagome sniffled and buried her face into my neck. "Inu-yasha," she whimpered, "I'm so scared. I've never been so scared in my life. I don't know what will happen. I just don't want to do this. I never wanted any of this to happen."

She pulled herself away from me and held herself as she sobbed. I watched helplessly, but I stayed close by. Kagome finally looked at me. "Inu- yasha, I don't want to be alone."

I felt my heart break for her, and I shed tears of my own for her, but hid them as I wrapped my arms around her. Kagome felt so cold, like she was dead. All that was absent was the smell of death.

I cried for Kagome and held her close to me. 'Kagome, you're not alone. I'm right here with you. I'll always be right her with you.'