InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Aftershocks and Indemnify ❯ With Her ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/N: Thanks to those who took the time to review. Please do so again... For my birthday, which is in about an hour actually... I feel so old...

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha and will make no money from this fic...

It was finally over. The vile bastard Naraku had finally been destroyed and the complete Shikon no Tama was once again in the hands of the miko from the future. They had fared far better than they had dared to imagine, though there were losses. Sango stood beside Miroku supporting him as best she could with her broken right arm, the pain from which was minor compared to the loss of her younger brother Kohaku. Her grief was tempered only by the fact that he was now free and at peace. Miroku was struggling with the poison he had taken into his kazaana which was now closed. InuYasha had suffered several injuries from Naraku’s tentacles but he would survive.

Kagome found herself almost unscathed, physically, but the pain in her heart threatened to consume her. She surveyed the now silent battlefield. Sesshomaru stood a short distance away as stoic as ever. She wondered briefly why he hadn’t left yet.

All eyes turned as a voice broke through the air. “Come InuYasha.” Kikyou said. “It is time.”

Kagome bit her lip to keep from sobbing out loud though inside she heard her heart shatter. A small part of her had hoped that what good was left in the resurrected miko would cause her to let InuYasha out of his vow to accompany her to hell.

“I have to say goodbye.” he replied.

“Do so quickly.” she said.

InuYasha nodded. He wanted to say goodbye to each of his friends, his family. No that’s not exactly true. He didn’t want to have to say goodbye at all, but he felt bound by his word. He however knew that he didn’t have enough time to say all the things he needed to say to everyone so he chose only to go to the person who was most important to him.

“Kagome I…” he started.

“Don’t.” she said putting a finger over his lips. “No apologies koibito and no regrets.” She wiped away the few tears she hadn’t been able to hold back. “I’ll never forget you and I’ll love you always.”

“Kagome I lo…” he tried again.

“Please.” she interrupted. “Don’t say it. I already know and if you say it I’ll do something I’ll regret. I only need to know one thing, a name.”

“A name?” he asked.

She smiled through her tears and nodded placing a single hand on her stomach. “What would you have me call our child.”

“A pup? I mean you’re having my pup?” he questioned. She nodded. “Do you know what it is?”

“It’s too soon.” she replied. “So I guess you’ll have to give me two names then.”

He put a hand to her face. “Takara, for a girl.”

“And if it s a son?” she asked.

“Would you call him InuTaro?” he replied.

“Takara or InuTaro.” she said. “I’ll think of you everyday.”

“And I….” he started, but faster than anyone could see he found himself several feet away laying on the ground his jaw throbbing.
Sesshomaru had never been so enraged at his brother as he was at that moment. He backhanded InuYasha and stood towering over him. “You fool. Hanyou though you may be you carry in you the blood of the inu youkai. An Inu youkai does not walk away from his mate and pup to follow one of the un-dead to hell. If you truly wish to die then it will be by my hand, an honorable death in battle befitting a son of our father.”

InuYasha came to his feet. Kagome put herself between InuYasha and Sesshomaru. “Please.” she said quietly. “I knew when I chose to be with him what the outcome would be and I would choose the same again knowing. Only I have also been given something I never expected. I will have a part of him with me to remind me of what we had together. My child will know its father, that he was a man of his word and of honor. For my sake please let him go.”

Sesshomaru studied the girl in front of him. She was the one who had honor. “Very well.” he replied. He once again looked at InuYasha. “Up until this day the times you have brought honor to our father’s blood have far outweighed the times you have brought disgrace. In this one act you have at last proven yourself truly unworthy. In your stead I will offer my protection to your mate and pup. She alone deserves to bring forth a child of our bloodline. Her strength surpasses your own; May her influence be enough to offset yours. Go now with the dead one before I reconsider my decision. Know this in the west to utter your name will be death. Only your mate and pup may speak it without incurring my wrath.”

InuYasha looked at his brother with both sorrow and gratitude. Kagome would be safe. She went to him and hugged him. He hugged her back and placed a single soft kiss on her lips. He removed his haori and draped it over her shoulders and placed the Tetsusaiga in her hands. He turned and followed Kikyou into the trees without looking back. He knew that if he did he would have to see the broken look on her face and coward that he was he couldn’t bear it.

As soon as he had disappeared Kagome fell to her knees, her body racked with sobs she tried to keep quiet. Sango went to her and wrapped her good arm around Kagome and cried with her sister grieving yet another loss this day.

“Miko, what will you do?” Sesshomaru asked. “You may travel with me under my protection in the western lands, or will you return to the village, or perhaps back to your own era?”

“I can’t go back to my own time.” she said. “I have nothing there for me and my baby would be even less safe than here. I will go back to the village and make a home for us. Maybe Kaede will train me to take over for her someday, but thank you for your offer.”

“I will accept your decision.” Sesshomaru said. “I will make it known that you and your pup are not to be harmed. My brother is truly a fool.”

Kagome didn’t notice Sesshomaru leave. She had once again broken down, crying into Sango’s shoulder. “Kagome why didn’t you ask him to stay.” Sango asked. “He would have. I know he would have if only you had asked him.”

“I know.” Kagome whispered. “That’s why I couldn’t ask. He would never have forgiven himself for breaking his word to her.” She started crying again. “I had to let him go. I love him.”

“Are you ready to go?” Sango questioned gently. Kagome nodded and climbed on Kirara along side Sango and Miroku.

They took off in the direction of the village Kagome’s silent tears pouring down her cheeks. She vowed that she would go on and be happy for herself and more importantly for the child inside her. She would make them a home and life in the village and see to it that her child grew up happy and loved, but for now she would grieve.

With the added burden on Kirara they were not able to make it back to the village in a single day and so they made camp that night. Kagome ate dinner only because she needed to remain healthy for the life inside her and not because she had any appetite. Once it was done she curled up at the base of a tree and wrapped InuYasha’s haori tightly around her.

It smelled of the forest and of him and she wondered how long it would take for his scent to fade. She cried silently long into the night until exhaustion took her into blessed painless darkness and then into her dreams where she could be with InuYasha forever.

It was midday when they made it back to the village. Kaede greeted them as they landed on the fire cat and stepped onto the ground. The elderly miko could feel the sadness from Kagome and noted they way she clung to the haori around her shoulders and the sword in her hand. She saw the complete shikon no tama around her neck, shining as pure as she had ever seen it.

“Then Naraku has been defeated.” Kaede stated. She was answered with several nods. “And InuYasha...”

“He’s dead..” Kagome said, before anyone else could speak. Her voice was flat and emotionless. “Kaede you have been kind to me and I would ask you for one last kindness, train me to be the village miko, to take over for you one day. I must secure a place in this village and a means to protect my child. I will work hard, do whatever it takes, please.”

“I will train you child.” Keade said gently.

“Thank you.” Kagome replied. “May I stay with you as well until I can secure a home of my own.”

“Of course dear one.” Kaede told her. “Go inside now and rest you look weary from your journey.”

“I am weary of this life.” Kagome said quietly before walking on into the hut.

Kagome spread out her sleeping bag and curled up with his sword against her chest. She pulled his haori up over her head to block out the light and cried for her child who would never meet its father and for InuYasha who would never know his child. She cried for herself, for the loss of her mate, and the emptiness in her heart.

Kaede looked at Miroku and Sango. “Come with me. There is an empty hut in which I will see to you both and which you may take as your own should you choose to remain in the village.”

Kaede treated Sango’s injured arm and gave Miroku something to flush the remaining poison from his body. All the rest of their injuries were minor. She was just finishing when Shippou came running into the hut.

“You’re back.” he cried happily. “Where’s Kagome and InuYasha? Did you defeat Naraku? Is your Kazaana gone? What about Kohaku?”

“Naraku is vanquished and my curse lifted.” Miroku said quietly.

“Kohaku is finally at peace.” Sango added. “Kagome is resting at Keade’s but you can’t see her just yet. She needs some time alone.”

“Did that baka InuYasha do something to upset her again?” Shippou asked innocently. “Is he off pouting in the Goshinboku?”

Sango closed her eyes and threw herself against Miroku’s chest clinging to him desperately. The houshi wrapped his arms around her and held her without so much as thinking of groping her. She cried quietly against him.

“Shippou... InuYasha, he isn’t coming back.” Miroku replied. “He died after the battle with Naraku.”

It was a lie, but one that needed to be told. He was certain Buddha would forgive him for leaving a child his innocence.

“He went with Kikyou didn’t he?” Shippou asked.

The three adults looked a the boy and realized he was not as much a child as they made him out to be. He had grown over the years and understood far more than they had given him credit for.

“Aye.” Kaede said. “But speak of it not to Kagome. Her grief will be enough at his loss without being reminded.” Kaede looked to Miroku and Sango. “Will you be staying for a time in this village or setting out as soon as you are healed.”

Sango looked at Miroku. “I can’t leave... Kagome she needs me. I wish to keep my promise to you but I cannot leave her.”

He looked at the taijiya. “You are where my home is my darling Sango.” He looked back to Kaede. “We will be remaining in the village. It is as good a place to call home as any.”

When Kagome woke night had fallen and Kaede was sitting by the fire pit stirring a large pot. “Are you hungry child?”

“No, but I’m going to eat anyway.” Kagome replied. “Was it just myself I think I would be content to waste away into nothingness where I might be with him once again, but I must think of my child, our child. InuYasha would want me to be strong and to go on living, so that is what I am going to try to do.”

“Can you not return to your family on the other side of the well. Would they not welcome you?” Kaede asked. “It would do you good to be away from the memories for a time.”

“They would want me to stay.” Kagome replied. She began to eat in hopes of discouraging more conversation.

After the meal Kagome returned to her makeshift bed and faced the wall. She let her mind wander to the glorious days and nights she had spent as his mate. The countless times they made love and the desire his eyes held for her. She concentrated on how for a time she had felt loved and wanted and forced herself to try and think of it as enough.


The next morning Kagome approached Kaede. “When can we begin my training?”

“Are you sure you are ready?” Kaede asked. “We all need time to grieve when someone dear to us had been lost.”

“I will grieve for him for the rest of my life.” Kagome replied. “But I will not wallow in it. I am ready.”

Kaede sighed. The purity of the jewel around the girl’s neck told her that she had accepted his choice and forgiven the young hanyou, for had she held malice or anger in her heart the jewel would have reflected it, but it could not show the depth of her sorrow. How large and wise her soul must be that she would remain so pure after such a loss.

“We will begin this afternoon.” Kaede said at last.


That evening Kagome settled herself into the hot spring with Kirara as her guard. She couldn’t help but remember how she and InuYasha had made love on its bank and in its waters. Her body ached for his caress. She could almost feel his hands on her when she closed her eyes.

He was there with her his eyes shining brightly reflecting the light of the full moon. She would never forget the way his body fitted to hers so perfectly. She slipped her hand down between her legs, imaging that it was his. She could feel his lips and tongue teasing her neck, followed by the soft nips and scrapes of his fangs. His husky voice filled her mind as he spoke to her asking her if he was pleasing her, of how beautiful she looked.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she climaxed. She would never again feel him inside her or the weight of his body against hers. Her name would never again tumble from his lips as he found fulfillment within her. The warmth of his youki as he wrapped it around her was now nothing more than a memory.
Kami, how am I supposed to go on without him. He is my heart. “Why?” she screamed. “Why after everything were we not allowed to be together? I want to understand... Please... I need to understand.”

She covered her face with her hands and cried, her body shaking with heavy wracking sobs. Kagome didn’t know how long she poured out her soul into the warm water of the spring before Kirara came to her mewling softly singing of her own sadness, nuzzling her hands, allowing herself to be pulled into the water and clutched tightly to the chest of a broken hearted miko who desperately needed something to cling to.

Finally her tears subsided and Kagome rose from the water. “I’m sorry Kirara.” she said softly. The fire cat answered with a mew and rubbed herself along Kagome’s leg. “Thank you.”

Kagome dressed and sat down under a tree. Kirara transformed and curled up beside her. Kagome stroked the smooth fur of her feline companion until she fell asleep.

It was not yet dawn when Sango woke to note that Kirara had not returned. She roused Miroku and they went to see if perhaps she had chosen to stay with Kagome in Kaede’s hut. Finding neither they went in search of Kagome and Kirara starting at the springs.

Kirara looked at them as they approached. Miroku lifted Kagome into his arms and hers circled around his neck. She nuzzled the underside of his chin. “Mmm... InuYasha. What are you doing? Can’t you even let me get a few hours sleep? I am only a pathetic human.” The still mostly sleeping miko reach up to rub her mate’s ears only to find them missing.

Sango looked away as Kagome opened her eyes and realized that it was not InuYasha holding her but Miroku. She pushed away from the houshi with such force that she ended up on the ground. She ignored the pain in her tail bone as she jumped to her feet.

Miroku dared to breach the uncomfortable silence. “We were concerned that you had not returned.”

Kagome laughed. It was a shrill unnatural sound that was frightening in its wrongness. “I’m sorry I worried you. I’ll be fine getting back. Thanks.”

“Kagome...” Sango started, but the miko had set off at a run and was long gone. “Miroku, is she going to be all right?”

“She loved him with every thing that is within her and I dare say she will love him forever. I don’t think she will ever be the same, but she is strong. If anyone can get through this it will be her.” Miroku offered “All we can do is be there for her and let her know that she isn’t alone.”

“It’s just so hard seeing her like this.” Sango said quietly. “She was always the one to make everyone else feel better and now... Why did he go? Why did she let him? I don’t understand. If it had been you...”

“I don’t think we can truly understand the weight of InuYasha’s guilt or the true nature of his heart, just as we can never fully grasp the depth of the purity in Kagome’s soul.” Miroku offered. “Both of them seem to be not quite of this world, a fact only confirmed by their ability to traverse time. I cannot divine the intentions of the kami but we must have faith that things have happened as they were meant to.”