InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ All That Time Allows ❯ Never Tear Us Apart ( Chapter 15 )

All that Time Allows

By mishi

 

Chapter 15

Never Tear Us Apart

 

The morning of the day before the wedding Inuyasha, adorned his old red kimono and Tetsusaiga at his side, was sent to gather up the others. To insure that everyone would be waiting for Inuyasha, Kagome had sent Miroku home with a calendar and battery operated clock. If he had been keeping track, it would be a quick chore.

 

Kagome stood at the side of the well as an anxious Souta waited beside her. There was so much that she wanted to show everyone during this trip to her time. She wondered if they would take to things as quickly as Inuyasha had. She had brought a magazine back once to show them. Inuyasha did had not been to interested, but Miroku and Sango had been amazed. If they had been so amazed by a simple magazine, she could not wait to see how they would react to seeing a movie.

 

“Does Shippo have to go with you?” Souta asked.

 

“He can stay with you if he wants.” She peeked over the edge of the well, “What is taking them so long? I hope that Miroku and Sango did not forget. Inuyasha will be grumpy if he has to walk to the village to get them.”

 

Seconds later a blinding light hit her eyes, causing her to move back a few steps to recover here sight. She could hear the echoing voices of Inuyasha and Kaede.

 

“Grrrr…why do you always land on my back?”

 

“Why haven't you learned to respect your elders? It's a great mystery, Inuyasha.”

 

Kaede said her hello's and went on to take her place under Goshinboku. Inuyasha explained that Myouga had caused the hold up. Miroku had informed him that they were getting married. The old flee was “crushed” by the fact he had to hear about it from Miroku. Inuyasha had decided to leave him with the other since he was still pouting.

 

The second trip had taken no time at all. Shippo was luck to get the chance to hug Kagome before Myouga flew onto Kagome's nose.

 

“Ouch!” Her hand flew at her nose, “What are you doing? You have never done that to me before.”

 

The old flee instantly sprang back into shape and stood up in her hand. “I am your humble servant, Kagome-sama.”

 

“You show me that by biting my nose?”

 

He ignored her question, which was not surprise to everyone watching. He was bouncing up and down in her hand as he pretended to cry. “Kagome-sama, how could you forget to tell me your plans for today? I can under stand my young lord's neglect in such matters but you…”

 

“I am sorry, Myouga-jiji.”

 

“There are many things we must discuss now that you are mated to Inuyasha. I must have some details about your physical relationship,” he insisted.

 

Inuyasha's face went red as a small vain became visible on the side of his forehead. Without warning he scooped Myouga up in one hand and whacked him with the other. It had been more then enough to help Shippo and Souta to decide to run off and play tag. Sango was also having the impulse to leave, but she did not know how to make her escape.

 

“Pervert, even Miroku knows not to ask about that!”

 

“Inuyasha-sama, you misunderstand me! I have information that is very important for your future. As embarrassing as it is, you must talk to me at some point about sex with your mate.”

 

“Feh, I know all I need to know about it. I am going to get Miroku.”

 

He dove into the well. Kagome was left with Sango to do the best she could to avoid the sex talk with Myouga. If she didn't want to have this talk with her mom, she really did not want to have it with Myouga! It took all her strength to keep from jumping in the well after Inuyasha.

 

******

 

Once again, he was stood on the bottom of the well in his own time. He was about to make his way up the side when his nose caught her scent. Kikyou is here? He hurried up the side to find her waiting for him. Here eyes were intently fixed on the well as he climbed out and on to the grass.

 

Kikyou was stand between the well and the sacred tree. Just over her shoulder, he could see Kirara. The giant cat was had been surrounded by some sort of barrier. Behind Kirara was Miroku. He was bound to the sacred tree by Kikyou's soul catchers.

 

“Are you alive Miroku?”

 

“Yes,” he yelled as loudly as he could. It was getting harder for him to breathe. Miroku was trying his best to work up the strength to fight, but the lack of air was making it hard enough to stay conscious.

 

“Kikyou, why?” Inuyasha asked as he tried to put some distance between them. He also wanted to get away from the well, so she could not do anything that might damage it.

 

“What are you doing Inuyasha? You have been in her world for a long time.” She took a step forward. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, “Your aura has changed. Your youkai is calm now. She couldn't have done this.”

 

His mouth had gone dry, which made his voice very flat. “She is my wife…she used her love to tame my youkai. She healed it.” As true as it was, it still sounded strange to him.

 

Kikyou's eyes fill with rage. Her hands curled into fists at her side, yet her voice was very controlled. It was so devoid of emotion that it made her all the more frightening. “Wife? Was I that easily forgotten? She so easily replaced me in your heart?”

 

He was about to speak, but she jumped forward and slashed at him with her knife. She was so close when it happened that it knocked him off balance. As he fell back he could feel the spell take control of his limbs. He could not move or speak. She had managed to do this to him before, but it had not been so noticeable to him at the time. This time he had time to focus his mind. He somehow retained control of his mind, regardless of what hold she had over his body.

 

Miroku struggled to break free. He was not sure if he would be free in time to help, but he was determined to try as long as he had the strength to move. Kikyou was already holding Inuyasha in her arms. Miroku could feel the ground shaking beneath his feet. The ground beneath Kikyou and Inuyasha was starting to break up.

 

Kikyou noticed that Miroku was about to break free of her soul catchers. She tried to bring the tree down on him as she had once tried on Kagome. That time she had cut the tree in half with her power, but Goshinboku was too strong for her. When the tree would not break her soul catchers tighten their grip on him.

 

“Very well…you will be crushed to death.” Kikyou said as she returned her attention to Inuyasha.

 

Light was all around him as his mind pleaded with his body to run away. He thought of Kagome in her white dress. `I don't want to leave you. I love you, Kagome.'

 

******

Kagome's mind was elsewhere as Myouga rambled on and on. There was a feeling of something suffocating and final about the air around her. The part of her power that was from Inuyasha's youkai wanted desperately to fight against this thing she was feeling. Her mind told her that she could not move, and she wanted so desperately to do so.

 

“They have been gone to long…” Sango was starting to pace back and forth along the side of the well.

 

“Kagome-sama, is something wrong?” Myouga asked. He had been growing increasingly disturbed by the changes in her expression.

 

Sango had not looked at Kagome until Myouga's words had distracted her from her thoughts. The look on Kagome's face had only increased the fear that was steadily growing inside her.

 

“I don't know…be quite and let me concentrate.” She set Myouga down on the edge of the well to make sure she could still move. “What is this? This has to be Inuyasha.”

 

She forced herself to give into the youkai so that she could understand what it wanted to fight against. It had been faint, but the youkai had allowed Kagome to feel Inuyasha reaching out to her from across time. She realized then that he was feeling defeated. He was giving up.

 

“NO!” she screamed as she scrambled to grab the bow and arrows she kept in the corner of the small hut. “I have to go to Inuyasha. He's dying!”

 

She had jumped into the well before Sango could say a word. Sango had tried to jump in after her, only to be left staring in horror at the bottom of the well. `I'm trapped here! I can't do anything to help them.' She couldn't move when the thought of Miroku dying sunk into her mind. `If Inuyasha is dying...? No, no, no…Please be safe Miroku. Don't leave me. You don't have permission to leave me.' She covered her face and started to cry.

 

*******

 

Kikyou screamed when Kagome's arrow hit her left shoulder. The spell was broken, leaving Inuyasha's body was free to move. He had just enough awareness to crawl way from her.

 

“I am growing tired of you.” Kikyou yelled just before a second arrow hit the same shoulder.

 

“And you plan on doing what about it?” Kagome moved closer to Inuyasha without taking her aim off Kikyou. She had another arrow pointed and ready to go. “Since you can't keep you hands off my man, I think I just might take that arm off.”

 

“No, Kagome,” Inuyasha was using the well to help him climb to his feet.

 

She heard him, but kept her attention on Kikyou. “Release, Miroku!”

 

Kikyou laughed at her. “You do not order me around little girl.”

 

“Do it, or I send you to hell right now.” Kagome moved her aim from Kikyou's shoulder to Kikyou's head.

 

Miroku's body slid to the ground and toppled over. Inuyasha trusted Kagome not to kill Kikyou as he ran to Miroku's side. Miroku's body was very still, but Inuyasha could hear his breathing. He picked the monk up and put him over his shoulder as gently as he could manage. “He's alive,” he cried as he walked towards the women.

 

“You need to remember what I am about to tell you, Kikyou. Inuyasha may believe that he owes you his life, but I owe you nothing. You have never showed any concern for my life, or anyone else's.” She was starting to shake as she spoke. Her voice was getting louder as she continued, “You've hurt Inuyasha so many times, and I cannot forgive you any of it. The next time you try to take him from me, I'll kill you myself. You can go to hell if you like, but you aren't taking him with you!”

 

Kikyou knew that Kagome was not bluffing. As her eyes darted back and forth between them, Kikyou could see that their auras were the same now. What they had received from each other had made them both radiate with a power that she could not match. She would have to wait until she could catch him alone again. Kagome was far too strong with the youkai power for Kikyou to be any sort of a match for her.

 

Kikyou called out to her soul catchers, and they began wrapping themselves around her. As they lifted her into the sky Kikyou tried to get the last word. “We will see what fate brings to us in the end, but I will not be easy on you in the future. Inuyasha is mine and you will not stop me when the time comes.”

 

Kagome let her eyes and aim fallowed Kikyou until she drifted completely from sight. Behind her, Inuyasha stood quietly waiting with Miroku. She waited for him to jump into the well, and fallowed him. She could fell his anger and confusion. She had broken her promise and she would have to apologize to him later. Right now they had to make sure that Miroku was going to be alright.

 

Sango was fighting to regain her control as Inuyasha carried Miroku's limp body into the house. They settled him down on the living room floor. Mama and Kaede instantly took over. Noticing that he was regaining consciousness, mama moved back so that Sango could sit on her knees beside him. He looked up at her as she bent over him. He lifted his hand to touch her face and groaned as he did it.

 

“Don't stain yourself,” She warned as she held his hand against her cheek, “Are you in a great deal of pain?”

 

“No, I am just soar. It feels so wonderful to be able to breathe. I'll be fine if I can get up and move around.”

 

“I thought that you had left me to be alone again. What happened?”

 

He leaned against Sango as he looked into her eyes. “I could not risk breaking my attention from the prayer. I did not know if it would damage you if I stopped. It seems silly, but I was not willing to take the chance that I would loose you somehow.” He broke there gaze to look at Inuyasha. “She had to be using a spell to keep us from knowing that she was there.”

 

“It does not matter. You are alive. We know now that Kikyou will stop at nothing to destroy Inuyasha,” Sango stated bitterly.

 

“The tree saved my life. I know why the shrine was built here. Kikyou tried to bring the tree down on me. I felt it move, but it would not break.”

 

“Goshinboku, our guardian,” Kagome said as she buried her face in Inuyasha's chest.

 

“Houshi-sama, maybe you should set down,” Mama protested. “Inuyasha…Kagome…Why don't you both get some clothes for Miroku and Sango? I will get what I have for Kaede, and see to getting everyone into the bath.”

 

Inuyasha nodded and instantly headed for their room. Kagome fallowed from a few feet behind him. She could feel the tension building anew within him, and it told her that he would expect to talk when they reached the privacy of the bedroom.

 

Inuyasha remained silent as he looked at the clothes in his side of the closet. After settling on a tee shirt and pair of jeans for Miroku, he picked out the same combination for himself. Inuyasha had no doubts that the tee shirt would fit fine, but he was not sure if Miroku would like the jeans. He had not liked them at first either. They had been too restrictive. Buying them a size too big had helped, but the tightness of the fabric still gave him trouble from time to time. With any luck the jeans would be baggy enough that size would not be an issue for Miroku.

 

Without looking at her, he set the clothes on the bed and set to the task of undressing in silence. She watched him as he slipped out of the top halves of the kimono. Normally seeing him undress would have made her very happy, but the look on his face was too distant for her to enjoy the show. It was like she was not even in the room.

 

Before he could remove the pants, she found herself looking in her closet. It did not take any time at all for her to find the right dress for Sango. She turned to see that Inuyasha had already put on his jeans, and he was about to put on the tee shirt.

 

“You have to know that I can feel how upset you are. Why are you being so quite? You should have had a soar throat from yelling by now. I would rather you yell then ignore me.”

 

He slowly turned to face her. He took a step towards her then stopped. “You can read my heart and my soul, but you can't read my mind?”

 

She blinked her eyes at the question. “No, I guess I can't.”

 

“I'm not ignoring you. I was just thinking about what happened with Kikyou.”

 

“I'm sorry. I did not mean to break my promise, but I couldn't loose you.” Her voice became very soft, “Not now…not ever.”

 

“I know. I should have thought more about this before now, but I did not want to. Kagome, I don't want to be lost. It is more important then anything that I kill Naraku now. It is the only way to settle things with Kikyou. I can't give her my life, because it does not belong to me anymore. My life is yours, and only yours.”

 

She could not believe how that he was saying these things to her. She wanted to throw her arms around him, but he was purposely keeping her at a distance.

 

“I'm worried about how my youkai might be affecting you,” he said as the move the clothes and set down on the bed.

 

“What do you mean? I have not noticed anything different about myself.”

 

“You seem more angry…more wild…in some ways.” He looked down at his feet.

 

She put her hands on his knees and knelt down in front of him. “Angry? Wild?”

 

“You would not have shot Kikyou with the arrow before you took part of my youkai. You would have tried to do anything but.”

 

“Inuyasha, she was trying to drag you down with her to hell. You could not move. What did you want me to do?”

 

“The arrow hitting close to her would have been enough to stop her. You did not have to hit her in the arm.”

 

“She was trying to kill you! I have a problem with that,” she yelled as she stood and turned her back to him.

 

He stood and grabbed her arm. H e spun her around to face him. “Lift you up your dress.”

 

“What?!”

 

“Just do it.”

 

She lifted it to reveal her stomach. “Ok, why am I doing this?”

 

“Your skin is smooth.”

 

“Your point is?” She was getting tired of this. She was beginning to wonder if she should just walk out and leave him there to sulk.

 

“You should have a scar there remember. You spent the night in the hospital. You had stitches.”

 

She was stunned. He was right. She should have had a scar, but her skin was perfectly smooth. It was as if she had never been injured.

 

“You are angry now. I can feel it. You are frustrated and angry. My youkai is changing you, just like the power that makes you a miko is changing me. You said I should have been screaming. I was too calm to scream. For the first time I wanted to take the time to think instead of screaming.”

 

“Kagome? Inuyasha? Knock, knock,” Mama called through the door.

 

“We're here. You can come in,” Kagome answered.

 

“What is taking so long? Kaede is finished with her bath. Miroku and Sango are going to need those clothes soon.”

 

“Sorry, I wanted to change,” Inuyasha explained as he turned to gather up the clothes for her.

 

“Well, get out here. You can talk later.”