InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ After the Storm ❯ Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 

She stared at him in disbelief. What was he doing here?

 

He lowered his gaze as he crawled in through the window into her bedroom. His distress was obvious; he was a wreck. His hair was even messier than usual, his eyes looked bloodshot, and he looked depressed as hell. Even his ears were drooping. Where was the hanyou that she knew? The hanyou full of cocky shit and an inflated ego?

 

"Kagome…"

 

"Inuyasha, what do you want?" she asked, suddenly angry. All of her good intentions flew out the window. Why the hell was he here? Come to rub it in more?

 

"I…I wanted to talk to you," he said quietly. "I needed to see you."

 

She crossed her arms. "Well, you talked," she said coldly. "And you saw me. So what do you want?"

 

"Honestly? Right now, I just want you to hear me out."

 

He sounded so upset. She unfolded her arms and leaned against her desk, while he leaned against her bedpost. There was a moment of silence; then Kagome motioned with her hand that he could speak if he wanted to. He took a deep breath.

 

"Kagome…I know you're pissed at me…"

 

"No shit," she snapped, folding her arms again.

 

He raised his eyebrows. Kagome never swore.

 

"And I'm sure you didn't want to see me again so soon…"

 

She snorted.

 

"But you had to have known that what happened wasn't the end of it, right?"

 

She didn't say anything. She knew he was right, but she wasn't about to say so.

 

Lesson #1 in dealings with Inuyasha: Never show weakness.

 

He sighed heavily. "Kagome, would you please cooperate with me? You know me well enough to know that this is hard as hell for me, so please, don't make it harder."

 

She didn't let up, but she didn't say anything, either.

 

Lesson #2: When in doubt, refer to Lesson 1.

 

He sighed again.

 

"Kagome…will you please come back?" he asked quietly. "It's so…lonely…without you there."

 

Her eyes widened. He was actually talking about his feelings? That was a miracle.

 

She narrowed her eyes again. "You sure seemed to want me to go a few days ago," she said coldly.

 

"Kagome, that wasn't me!" he said, finally meeting her gaze. "Is it so hard for you to trust me on that? I would never say that to you. Hell, I'm always having to drag you out of this world. How in hell's name could you believe I'd say shit like that to you?"

 

"Then how do you explain everything that I saw?" she spat.

 

He sprang forward and grabbed her by shoulders. They both froze. Inuyasha didn't know whether he wanted to shake her or embrace her. He exhaled slowly, and softened his voice.

 

"Kagome, there was a demon in that Jewel, remember?" he said. "That demon would do anything to ensure Midoriko's failure…including tricking you so the power supply was cut off."

 

She stilled, stared. That was true. Midoriko had warned her of the same risk.

 

"That demon showed you something that would upset you enough to break off the purification process. It's been feeding off of your dark emotions so it could grow more powerful and defeat Midoriko. It wants you dead, Kagome, so Midoriko can never have the power she needs again. You can't give in to it. You can't let that happen!"

 

She stared at him, then lowered her gaze. "So…you don't hate me?" she asked, almost in a whisper.

 

His grip tightened.

 

"Kagome, do you remember what I said to you when you returned here during the fight with Menomaru? When we were talking through the Goshinboku, I mean…do you remember?"

 

She blinked back her tears. Remember it? It was one of her most cherished memories.

 

"You told me that…that you needed me with you," she whispered.

 

"That hasn't changed," he said. "I still need you with me, even if there's no one left to fight. Why can't you understand that?"

 

She didn't answer. What could she say?

 

"Kagome, please. We can talk when we get home."

 

Home…

 

She thought about it. The Sengoku-jidai had always felt more like home to her than the Konnichiteki-jidai did. And the others were waiting…

 

But no. She couldn't. She didn't belong in that world. She belonged here, in the world that she had been born into…right?

 

"Inuyasha…I can't go back."

 

He stared at her, and she nearly flinched as his hands tightened on her shoulders yet again. "And why the hell not?" he demanded.

 

She shrugged his hands off her shoulders and turned away. "I don't belong there, in the Sengoku-jidai." Her hand strayed to the dagger on her hip as she hung her head. "This is my world. I belong here. You belong there. That's the way it is, the way it's supposed to be."

 

"Kagome--"

 

"No!" she yelled, suddenly furious. "I won't go back! I'm sick of it all, sick of being used and being treated like a pet! You've used me so many times. I was never anything more to you than a substitution for Kikyou, or a jewel detector, was I? That's all you ever saw me as!"

 

He stared at her, shocked. His mouth was agape; he was speechless.

 

"I thought you were different, Inuyasha. I thought you considered me your friend. But all you ever did to me was take advantage of me and my powers!"

 

"That's…that's not true!" he spluttered, suddenly regaining his ability to speak.

 

"Isn't it, Inuyasha?" she asked coldly.

 

He opened his mouth to deny it, but the words wouldn't come. He realized that what she was saying had a bit of true in it. To deny that, especially when he knew it was true, would be lying to her, something he couldn't bring himself to do anymore. Maybe she was exaggerating a bit, but he knew that he had often taken advantage of her. Maybe her lack of trust in him was built on solid grounds. He swallowed. Damn it.

 

"Men in this time period rarely are honorable and loyal," she said sadly. "At least, that I hear of. Lots of them are two-timers and take advantage of a woman. I hoped you were different, Inuyasha. I guess I was wrong."

 

That hurt worse than any physical pain he had ever been through. He'd hurt her more than he thought he had. And he was shocked to realize just how much that hurt him.

 

"Kagome…" he said, stepping toward her and reaching for her.

 

"No!" she shouted as he slowly approached her. "Keep AWAY!" She whipped around, grabbing the dagger as she did so. In one swift movement, she drew it from its sheath and plunged it straight into his chest.

 

They both stilled, Inuyasha's arms still raised. Kagome's eyes widened as she realized what she had just done. She glanced back and forth between the dagger and Inuyasha, as though trying to connect what had just happened. Inuyasha merely looked down at the dagger in his chest, slowly dripping his blood and running along her arm. Then their eyes met, and he gave her a sad smile.

 

"It's going to take a lot more than that to kill me, Kagome," he said softly.

 

Her face crumbled, and she burst into tears. Her hand was still wrapped around the bloody weapon as he stepped closer and pulled her into his arms. She slipped the dagger from his chest and dropped it onto the floor, then sagged into him, sobbing into his chest.

 

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she gasped between huge, heaving sobs.

 

"Hey, it's okay," he said. "Calm down, Kagome. I'm fine."

 

"Inuyasha, what's wrong with me?" she asked fearfully. "I feel so strange. I'm scared. I've never felt so heartless before, so cold-blooded. I don't want to be this way. I don't want t be like Naraku!"

 

"You'll never be like that bastard, Kagome," he said. "The demon in that Jewel keeps trying to possess you, that's all. You didn't stab me; don't even think like that."

 

"This is the third time I've hurt you, Inuyasha," she pointed out tearfully.

 

"And each time, it was because of a demonic possession," he replied. "So stop blaming yourself."

 

"But I'm supposed to be a strong miko no Shinto!" she said. "If I'm so powerful, why can't I ward off these possessions? I bet Kikyou could."

 

"Stop comparing yourself to her, Kagome," he said. "You had to have known that you're stronger than she ever was, either in life or death."

 

She shook her head, but this time he didn't answer, just continued to hold her. It took a few minutes, but finally she calmed down. He kept his arms firmly around her smaller frame as her breathing returned to normal. Then she looked up.

 

"Inuyasha…"

 

"Kagome, you have to purify that Jewel," he said. "Otherwise things like this are going to keep happening. He may possess or even kill you."

 

She lowered her gaze. Even now, she didn't think she'd be able to. Her heart still had a shred of darkness in it; she could feel it.

 

"Inuyasha, I…I don't know if I'll be able to," she said softly.

 

He pulled away, his hands on her shoulders again, and forced her to look him in the eye. "Don't start up with that shit," he said. "You can, and you know it."

 

"But if I can't…I don't want to disappoint you, Inuyasha. I know you want to use the Jewel; if I can't purify it, I'll have let you down."

 

"You'll let me down if you don't try," he replied. "You'll let us all down."

 

She flinched at the thought.

 

"Just try it, Kagome."

 

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. He could still see the sorrow in her eyes and cursed himself. He could remember when she was so happy and carefree. She used to have no burdens, no worries, and always had a smile on her face. And whenever they fought, she'd always come through it all with a whole spirit.

 

Where had that Kagome gone? That was the girl he had fallen in love with, the spunky Kagome that never held her feelings in reserve or judged people too quickly. That Kagome had brought him out of his shell, made him trust people again. That Kagome meant the world, and the lives of all those in it, to him.

 

This Kagome was a stranger to him. She was heart-broken and miserable, with a wounded soul.

 

He could remember her laugh, the way her eyes would alight whenever she was happy, the way she could strike fear in his heart the way no one else could with just a glance. He could remember when she'd saved him from himself, during his demon transformations, and how she'd support him through everything, even when everyone else would tell him to give it up. He had gained so much through her. But most of all, he could remember her smile.

 

He'd do anything to see it again.

 

He gazed at her for a second longer, then suddenly leaned down and kissed her. She froze, just…froze. He stayed where he was, pressing his lips against her moist, soft ones.

 

Please, Kagome…

 

Slowly, she relaxed and responded. For the first time that night, she slid her arms around him, though tentatively. She tilted her head slightly, giving him better access. He groaned slightly and slid his arms down her body until they were around her waist. He could hear her intake of breath as his hands slid down her body, and it empowered him. He reached up with one hand and tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling her closer. His lips went from gentle to demanding, pressing against hers, asking for her permission. She parted her lips willingly, and he swept his tongue inside of her mouth. He explored her taste. She tasted like honey.

 

She began to grow bolder. Her hands went from his back to the back of his neck, dragging him closer. She stroked his tongue with hers, until they began to fight with them. She moaned into his mouth.

 

A moment later, he regained the control he needed to pull away from her. They parted, though reluctantly, and she stared up at him in disbelief.

 

"Inu…yasha…" she said breathlessly. "W-why did you…?"

 

"Is it so hard for you to figure it out, Kagome?" he said, his voice hoarse. "Everyone else knew without me having to do anything like this, and you're smarter than some of them."

 

She didn't say anything, and he groaned. He hated how she always managed to get him to say just what he didn't want to.

 

"Kagome…you had to have known that I love you," he said in almost a whisper.

 

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open slightly. He lowered his eyes. He couldn't look her in the eye, not after he had given all his dignity just to get the words out. How was it that he could battle virtually anyone without being this scared?

 

"You…what?" she asked.

 

"You heard me, Kagome, and don't ask me to say it again," he answered.

 

She couldn't speak. So he really did love her? Even after all the accusations she had thrown at him?

 

"Damn it, Kagome, you know how goddamn hard this is for me, so for god's sake, would you please say something?" he spat.

 

"Like what?"

 

He finally looked her in the eye again. "Like telling me if you…if you still…"

 

She blinked, and looked as though she might actually smile. "Of course I do," she said, blinking back tears. "I'm just so surprised that you…that you'd actually say it. I thought you still loved Kikyou, you know, and…"

 

"God, you're stupid," he said. "I already told you. She means nothing to me anymore. Not like you do."

 

She gazed at him, and he felt his face heat up. "What?" he asked.

 

"Inuyasha?"

 

He nodded.

 

"I…I think I'm ready to purify the Jewel now."

 

* * *

 

A few minutes later, Kagome had changed into her Shinto hakama and had her bag with her. She and Inuyasha left the house, calling to her mother that they were returning to the Sengoku-jidai. Her mom watched the two crossing the shrine with a small smile on her face. It was so good to see her daughter happy again.

 

* * *

 

"Grab my hand, Kagome."

 

She reached up and grabbed the hand Inuyasha was extending to her, and he pulled and lifted her up easily. He placed her on the ground and climbed down himself.

 

"Well, let's get going," she said.

 

He nodded in agreement, then stopped. He sniffed the air and looked around.

 

"What is it?"

 

"They're nearby…I think they're fighting a demon," he said. "A really big one, from the scent."

 

She smiled. "Great. I need a good workout," she said. She reached into her bag and drew out her bow and arrows. She slung the arrow holder over her back. "Where to?"

 

He leaned down and she climbed on, then he took off. He leapt through the trees until he spotted a clearing he knew hadn't been there last time he was here. They landed just outside of it, and she slid off smoothly.

 

"Hiraikotsu!"

 

They glanced up in time to see Sango throw her boomerang at a huge ogre demon. It bounced off uselessly.

 

"Damn! We can't take it down like this!" she yelled to Miroku and Shippou.

 

"We need Kagome and Inuyasha!" agreed Miroku.

 

Just as the last word left his mouth, an arrow shot past his ear and straight into the demon's heart. The ogre wailed loudly, and the others looked around in surprise. Nearby stood a young woman in a Shinto hakama. Was that Kikyou?

 

A blur of red shot into the air from behind the girl straight toward the demon, and it yelled out, "Wind Scar!" The demon wailed again, and disintegrated. The red blur landed, and the others blinked as they saw Inuyasha, sliding the Tessaiga back into its sheath.

 

"Man, you guys are pathetic," he said. He turned around. "Kagome, you okay?"

 

The girl nodded as she walked into the light. Sango and Shippou gasped with delight as they recognized their friend.

 

"Kagome!!"

 

They both rushed to her and threw their arms around her. She laughed as she returned their embraces.

 

"It's great to see you guys again, too," she said. "But this reunion will have to wait. I still have to finish the purification of the Shikon no Tama."

 

They nodded, still grinning, and backed away. Miroku called out a greeting to Kagome, which she returned cheerfully. Then they all headed back.

 

* * *

 

Kaede lit the candles on the shrine and dimmed all other lights. Kagome knelt down in front of the shrine at the top of the hill, near Kikyou's grave. The Shikon no Tama was still around her neck.

 

The others watched from a distance as Kagome bowed her head and slowly began to speak.

 

"Takama no hara ni, kamu tsumari masu kamuromi…" she began. The others bowed their heads as her voice rose and gained strength, chanting with a powerful force. Her aura began to grow, as it had when she had fused the Jewel into one. It was obvious that within the Jewel, the demon was resisting, trying to force her under his spell again, but she was fighting back with shocking power.

 

"You can do it, Kagome," Inuyasha murmured under his breath.

 

"…tomo ni kikoo shime seto, kashi komi kashi komi, ma-o SU!" she shouted into the sky. Her aura exploded around her, combined with the light from the Jewel. She strained her energy for as long as she could, then slumped forward as she fell unconscious.

 

"Kagome!"

 

* * *

 

"Kagome."

 

She opened her eyes. For once, she was actually standing when she arrived. Midoriko stood before her, smiling.

 

"Thank you, Kagome," she said. "Thanks to you, the demon has been defeated. I'm sorry it put you through such pain."

 

She smiled softly. "It turned out alright," she said, shrugging. "But thank you."

 

"The Shikon no Tama has at last been purified," continued Midoriko. "For your help, I will grant you and each of your friends one wish on the Jewel before it is destroyed."

 

Kagome nodded with a murmured thanks.

 

"Cheer up, Kagome," she said, smiling. "Even Kikyou couldn't have done better."

 

Kagome couldn't help but smile at that, but it soon faded.

 

"You are concerned about staying here in the Sengoku-jidai?" Midoriko asked.

 

Kagome sighed and nodded. "I have a place in both worlds," she replied.

 

"You'll figure out something," Midoriko said, smiling again.

 

"I hope so."

 

"Thank you again, Kagome. Now I can rest peacefully."

 

Kagome nodded, and closed her eyes once more. When she opened them, she was back with her friends. In her hands lay the Jewel, shining clearer than she had ever seen it.

 

"She did it!" shouted Shippou. "She purified the Jewel!"

 

* * *

 

"We each get one wish?"

 

"That's what she said."

 

Everyone looked at one another and smiled. They each knew exactly what they wished for, and they all knew it was the same thing.

 

"We'll all wish at once, Kagome," said Inuyasha.

 

She shrugged and held out the Jewel. They each reached out and touched it. Then, with all their might, her friends wished for Kagome to stay with them.

 

A light shone from the Jewel, enveloping each of them in a brilliant white light. Kagome watched as each of her friends drew back and seemed to relax in the light. She looked down at the Jewel. Then she closed her eyes and wished, I wish I knew what to do.

 

She was enveloped in the same light as her friends, and the idea came to her. She'd live the way she'd been, crossing between worlds. Nothing would change.

 

The light faded from all of them, and Kagome glanced down as the Jewel broke in her hands, the power gone. She looked around and blinked.

 

"Hey, Inuyasha, why aren't you full demon?" she asked curiously.

 

"'Cause that's not what I want anymore," he said bluntly.

 

She blinked. "Really? What'd you wish for?"

 

"The same thing everyone else did," he replied.

 

She looked around at the others. "What?"

 

"Hey, what good is our team without you, Kagome?" asked Sango, smiling.

 

Suddenly she realized what they were saying, and she nearly started crying. She smiled and whispered, "Thanks, guys."

 

They all merely smiled, and Miroku suggested they all get rested. They all started getting ready for bed. Kaede set up futons for them, and the girls and Shippou got into them. Shippou snuggled up with Kagome, and Inuyasha sat by the two of them. Miroku sat beside Sango as she slid under the covers. Then they all slipped into sleep.

 

* * *

 

Hours later, they were all forced awake as a demon ripped off the roof of the hut. Inuyasha stood immediately, drawing the Tessaiga as he did so. Floating high above them was a demon that looked vaguely familiar.

 

"Hey," said Kagome slowly as she stood. "Isn't that Menomaru?"

 

The demon laughed evilly.

 

"I am Matenmaru," he proclaimed. "You are the ones who killed my brother, Menomaru, aren't you?"

 

"And if we are?" asked Miroku defiantly.

 

"You will soon pay for the murder of my brother!" he said, laughing evilly. "Now that Kanna has released me, no one can stop me!"

 

With that, he flew away.

 

"Did he just say Kanna?" asked Shippou.

 

"Yup," replied Sango. "Guess she was more dangerous than we thought."

 

"Well, I guess we'd better go after that demon," said Miroku.

 

Inuyasha stepped beside Kagome. "I wonder if this will ever end?" he asked no one in particular as he slid his arm around Kagome's waist. They all exchanged amused glances at that question.

 

They sure hoped not.

 

The End

 

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Yay! It's done! I'm sorry it's up later than I promised. I had to rewrite it; the last copy was even lamer than this one is.

 

Thanks to everyone who read this story through, and especially if you left a review. Thanks so much; your support really helped me finish it.

 

Japanese translations:

 

Konnichiteki-jidai: Modern Era (present day)

 

Takama no hara ni, kamu tsumari masu kamuromi… tomo ni kikoo shime seto, kashi komi kashi komi, ma-o su: the beginning and end of a Shinto purification prayer. The full prayer goes like this:

 

Takama no On the heavenly high

Hara ni plain at the center of the solar system

Kamu tsumari masu divinely sit the

Kamurogi kamuromi god and goddess yin and yang forces

No mikoto michite in blessing, as

Sume mi oya kamu the imperial ancestor

Izagnagi no mikoto Izanagi

Tsukushi no Tsukushi Province

Higuma no Himuga Region

Tachibana no Tachibana District

Odo no Odo area

Awagi hara ni Awagi plain

Misogi harai tomo purified with ablution

Toki ni and at that time

Are maseru brought into being

Harai dono ookami tachithe divine forces of purification

Moro moro no that all the various

Maga koto defiling things,

Tsumi sins,

Kekare o and impurities

Harai tamae be cleansed and

Kiyome tamae to made pure

Masosu koto no yoshi proclaim and request of

Amatsu kami kuni tsukami heavenly spirits of celestial realms

Ya o yorozu no kami tachi eight million divine spirits

Tomo ni kikoo shime seto coming together we petition

Kashi komi kashi komi with reverent

Ma-o su. This we respectfully declare

 

If you've read this far, you're awesome! hugs reader Thanks so much for reading my story! See ya!