InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beast ❯ One Week, Part Two ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: Still not mine, not Inuyasha or anyone else in here. Wheeee.

A/N: Okay, no kudos for Sis-she went to her bf's house, so I'm splitting this chapter into parts 1 and 2. For crap's sake, DO NOT read this one without having read Chapters 15 and 16.

...Just kidding, Sis. My fault for taking too long. Kudos! On with the show!

Beast

Chapter 17

Kagome woke the next morning on her own, thanks to another bona fide Bad Feeling. Great. What else can happen to make things worse?

"Kagome-chan?"

Sango's voice from the floor scared her so badly that she shrieked and woke Shippou up. "Sorry, sorry," she whispered, patting the little boy and rubbing her eyes hard. "What is it, Sango-chan?"

"Do you think we could go to Kaede's so I could ask you a few things?"

Uh oh. "What about the computer?"

"I tried to turn it up...no, on last night, and it won't work. Please?"

"Sure." More Bad Feeling. Dammit...

Kaede seemed to be feeling better, and Sango didn't beat around the bush. The moment the three women were safely inside the shrine, the slayer cleared her throat. "Kaede, you said that using...it could be dangerous, correct?"

"Aye. Its power only leads mortals and demons alike to evil and eventual ruin, no matter what their intentions for its use." Kaede sipped her tea, shrugging and clutching the tiny cup for warmth in the morning coolness. "Hence my caution to Kagome about using it."

"But if I've already done...some stuff, I wasn't using it, was I?" Kagome asked, lowering her own cup as her stomach began churning. Was that the source of her bad feeling?

"Nay, child, ye would know if ye had come into contact with its power, much less channeled it for your own use." Kaede glanced back at Sango. "Why did ye ask, child?"

"Because..." She swallowed. "Because that's the only way I can think of to purify the houshi-sama's curse."

Kagome and Kaede paused mid-sip to stare at her. "Nay, Sango," the old woman said firmly. "Ye must rid yourself of that idea. It may seem logical, but the J...power is not something ye want to experiment with. Knowing the power that cursed thing holds, it might very well speed it along or feed upon it further, or even transfer it to someone else-likely you, or Kagome if she were making the wish."

"But it's not fair that he has to live with it even though Naraku is dead!" Sango's fist slammed into her own thigh so hard that Kagome winced. "Could Kagome use her own power to purify it, then?"

"Not when we have no idea of how Naraku designed the curse, how much power he invested in it, whether its source is external or not-to try would be to risk Kagome's very life, Sango. Would ye ask that of her?"

"I'd be willing to try," Kagome protested, but Kaede was already shaking her head.

"I know ye would, for ye wish to help your friends, but I strongly doubt any but perhaps my elder sister would have the power-not to mention the knowledge of curses, child, so do not blame yourself, as I already see ye doing." Kagome smiled weakly. "If ye tried, ye would be tempted to draw upon the Jewel's power. We have already discussed the consequences of that as well. Promise me ye will not try it."

"All right," Kagome said grudgingly, more than a little worried by Sango's closed expression.

The slayer waited till they were outside to drop her voice to a whisper. "Did you mean it, that you'd be willing to try?" She shook her head rapidly at Kagome's incredulous look. "I don't want you to if you don't know what you're doing! Losing you would be more than I could take!"

"What'd you have in mind, then?" Kagome asked cautiously, and Sango whispered in her ear. Kagome's eyes widened, and she began to shake her head.

"Please, Kagome-chan! Just ask!" To Kagome's horror, Sango dropped to her knees. "Just ask? Please?"

"Quit begging! I'll do it!" Kagome pulled her roughly to her feet. "Go somewhere else and gimme some space, would you?"

"Thank you so much..." Sango surprised her with a quick, fierce hug before backing away and running back for the castle.

Heart heavy with the knowledge that she was being Very Stupid, Kagome walked into the woods and stopped at the Tree. "Kikyou? Are you there?"

"I will not meddle with either curse, girl, not the monk's nor the hanyou's."

Her heart jumped into her throat, and she spun around to look up into the branches. "Kikyou! How much were you listening to?"

"Better to ask what I don't know, girl. It would take far less time." Kikyou smiled very grimly. "Tell me, will you allow the wolves to desecrate even this Tree when they establish themselves here, or shall you give Kouga free rein?"

"I am not marrying him or selling the land, dammit!"

"Oh? You would prefer to give it away and let it sit here, unspoiled, and sacrifice your family's well-being, all for the sake of a half-breed you will have known for three short months?"

"I..." Kagome shook her head. "I don't want Kouga! And I don't want to take their money, either! You spent enough time in my head! You know that!"

"I also know you have submerged your own wishes often enough and been a proper

daughter in the past. Why would you not do so now?"

"Because..." she floundered.

"And you will not accept Inuyasha, either. How very quaint of you to begin acting entirely on your own desires, now of all times."

"Oh, shut up! You know what I mean!"

"Ah, you resort to name-calling. You truly have spent too much time around Inuyasha. Tell me, if your motives are entirely unselfish, why allow the wolves to run errands for you and not relate to Inuyasha the offers they have made you?"

"I'm not taking advantage of them! If I told him about what they said about faking reports and leasing rights, even if he got it, he'd just go off and get all jealous and stupid again! And besides, even if I did ever accept Kouga - which I won't - it would be out of love, not because I wanted money or security, and in that case, it would be none of his damn business!"

"Oh?" Kagome did not like the way she drew the word out. "So my reincarnation may do whatever she wishes now that she realizes her options?"

"Fuck you! You've twisted everything I've said around, and now you mock me when you have no idea what my friends and I are going through?! I don't know why I even came to ask you about the damn curse in the first place! After this is all over, I hope you rot!" She whirled around, took two steps...and her insides turned to ice. "I..."

"I don't believe I appreciate the way you speak to her." Inuyasha's voice was cool, mocking, almost eerily like Kikyou's. "Not only has she not twisted anything you've said, she's brought up several points that you haven't quite addressed."

"Inuyasha, I didn't-"

"Hm?" He tilted his head to one side in mock innocence. "I'm sorry, you're wasting your time speaking to me. I probably won't understand anyway."

"About leasing and land rights, no!" Kagome yelled, then gulped and fought for control. "But I didn't...I was never-"

"Do yourself a favor and save your breath. You weren't going to try to get it through my stupid half-breed skull before, and it's not much more worth it now, is it?"

"She called you that, not me! I don't think you're stupid!"

"Ahhh, so all the times you've called me an idiot, you were just being affectionate?"

"Yes! ...Don't give me that look! How many times have you called me a bitch since I've been here?!"

"That was how he referred to me before he realized his feelings," Kikyou said from the Tree.

Kagome whirled around. "Would you stay out of this?! You're not helping!"

"Leave her alone," Inuyasha growled, his voice dangerously low.

"She can defend herself just fine!" Kagome yelled. "In case you weren't around for the past three or four weeks, she's the one who's been making snide remarks and keeping me on the defensive all the time, not to mention the fact that I'm the one who put up with her crap when-"

"Shut up!"

"When she said you murdered her deliberately and I said I didn't believe it! Which I still don't!" Kagome screamed over him.

Inuyasha froze in mid-bellow. "What...what did you say?"

"You heard me! Why the hell I waste my breath defending you when you take her side is beyond me! And if she's going to deny it now, well, fuck you both!" Kagome shoved past him and stomped back towards the castle, too angry to cry till she was safely out of his earshot.

Inuyasha stared after her, teeth grinding and blood trickling down his chin where his fangs pierced the flesh. Finally he tore his eyes away and looked up at the priestess, who was watching him, motionless and unsmiling. "Kikyou? Was she telling the truth?"

"If you blindly accept my words and spurn hers, you're an even bigger fool than you were when I was alive." Kikyou folded her hands. "So you deny killing me, even to my face?"

"I did...but I didn't murder you! It was an accident! Why are you...?" Pain ripped through Inuyasha's chest, and he shook his head wildly. "I didn't!"

"You echo each other. Except her words have a grain of truth to them. Think of that carefully." Kikyou stood gracefully and melted back into the wood.

"Kikyou! WAIT!" Fruitless, as usual. Inuyasha slumped to his knees and clutched his head in his hands. Why? Why?! Who's lying to me?! Do I apologize to Kagome...or Kikyou...or both...? What the hell is going on?!

The frustration built to unbearable tension, and he slammed his claws into the earth, sinking down to his elbow. "What the hell is going on?!"

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The rest of the day, and the next two, were some of the worst Kagome had ever gone through. Upon hearing of what'd happened, Sango was miserable at having made Kagome go, and also at the fact that Kikyou refused to help, in addition to the stiff awkwardness she and Miroku now greeted each other with upon meeting, which was rare by mutual agreement. Kagome refused entirely to go to dinner that night or the next, and Inuyasha didn't come get her or send word. Even Shippou became infected by the gloom and stopped asking when they were going to build the treehouse after a while, and knowing she was affecting him just made Kagome feel worse.

Finally, one night shy of her third week at the castle, Kagome ventured up to Inuyasha's room. "Inuyasha? Are you there?"

"Go away."

"Inuyasha, we really need to talk, and you know it."

"Go talk to Kouga, then!"

"I don't want to talk to Kouga, and if I did, I wouldn't hide it from you, so shut up about it already!"

"Go away!"

"Look, if this is about what Kikyou said-"

"GO AWAY! You women are evil, and I'm sick of dealing with you and your lies and telling me I'm lying and whatever other shit you want to pull!"

"I never lied to you, you bastard, and you know it! I'm going now, but if you don't snap out of this by tomorrow night-!"

"NO!" Raw panic and fear leaked into the shout. "If you come by tomorrow night, I'll...look, just stay the fuck away!"

"You asshole! Fine! I'm leaving, and I'm not coming back up here!"

"Good!"

"Fine!" Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. If he doesn't apologize soon, I might just leave tomorrow!

...And let the curse run out early? her voice of reason piped up. And go where?

She scrubbed tears from her eyes angrily. I don't know...

`Sides, do you really want to leave him?

NO! She stopped dead. Where had that come from?...Whatever it was, the thought of leaving him hurt, alone and confused like this wasn't just a vaguely unpleasant possibility, like letting the curse win; it made her want to cry and run back and...hit him? Hug him? What?

I don't know...dammit, I don't know anything anymore!

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The next day, she woke up well into the afternoon, and Sango was up, but laying down on her futon, listening to the Hamasaki CD again. "Why didn't you wake me?" Kagome asked. Sango just shrugged, and Kagome sighed and laid back.

A moment later, she shot back up. A mental itch, like the one with the wolves, but weaker and more persistent somehow, had crept up on her. A demon? She got up and went outside; Sango stayed where she was, assuming that Kagome meant to use the bathroom.

Another dose of Foreboding hit her like a ton of lead bricks, and she ran out to the steps, slid down the rail - startling many a servant - and leapt down into the courtyard. Where's Inuyasha?!

"Inuyasha!" she yelled, head whipping around in all directions.

"What's the matter, Kagome-sama?" Miroku jogged over. "Is it Inuyasha?"

"Miroku-sama! Please, where is he?!" Kagome grabbed the front of his robes. "Is he in his room?!"

"Yes, but he's sealed himself in and the room won't permit anyone else inside." Miroku looked around in alarm. "You're right. There is a bad feeling in the air. Go back to your room and keep Sango-sama and Kirara with you."

"Right." Kagome waited for him to nod and run towards the back, then headed in the opposite direction and squinted her eyes shut. Hope no one bugs me...

The first place she tried, Inuyasha's room, was empty. With a growl, she withdrew her mind, regained her composure, and tried Miroku's room. Nothing. Son of a...! The dining room? No. Practice room? No...

Dammit. Kagome was getting dizzy and a little faint; she placed her head between her knees, took several calming breaths, and squinted as a ray of sunlight got in her eyes. It was beginning to set, it looked like. Must take longer to look with my mind than I thought...or I just really slept in. Either way... Urgency pricked at her, and she thought desperately. He's feeling alone, maybe afraid for some reason...ah! There!

It was the work of seconds now to picture the pool and dive in, and barely ten seconds later, she was looking at the sunset on Inuyasha's hair. He was seated on the edge of the pavilion, legs folded and hands tucked into his sleeves as usual, watching the sunset with such hatred and disgust that she almost withdrew right there. Wait...he's scared. What the hell is going on?!

Before she could pull out and wonder what was going on from the safety of her body, she saw Inuyasha's head snap to the side; moments later he leapt up and back, just ahead of a monstrous black form. "Greetings," a thin, slimy voice hissed. A large black spider - bigger than three Kiraras put together - perched on the edge. "And how is Inuyasha-sama this evening?"

"Couldn't be worse," Inuyasha snapped, putting one hand to his side and looking down in surprise: Tetsusaiga was missing.

What the...? He never goes without it anymore...

The spider lunged, and Inuyasha dodged narrowly, swiping and hacking one leg off. "So close," the demon taunted, coming closer and circling the hanyou with surprising agility. "When I surprise your elder brother with your head, I would like to tell him his flesh and blood was at least a worthy match."

"Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha repeated, eyes going wide. A moment later he dodged again, even closer this time, as the spider lunged again and pinned him to the pavilion by his haori sleeve. "What the hell-"

"No matter for you to worry about," the spider sneered (if something with no face to speak of could, anyway, Kagome thought in a haze of worry). It sank closer as Inuyasha's eyes flicked to the horizon, then back and forth. "What do you care about the sun...? Ohhhh! Well, then! I've been quite lucky choosing tonight, haven't I? The poison'll do its job in a quarter of the time-"

With no further warning, the spider lunged again and sank its fangs to the roots into Inuyasha's neck and shoulder. Kagome's scream drowned out Inuyasha's howl of pain, and she was back in her body and stumbling to the weapons shed for her arrows before she knew what was happening.

"Kagome-sama!" a tiny voice squeaked, and she gasped, withdrawing her hand from where she'd been about to squish the flea demon.

"Myouga?" She scooped up the bow, a quiver, and grabbed him up, running outside. "Where've you been?!"

"Gathering information, I'll have you know! I only came back to make sure someone was seeing to Inuyasha-sama tonight!"

"Why? Is something wrong?" she panted, cursing her choice of words as she looked for Kirara or Kouga in vain. Besides the big poisonous fangs in his neck...!

"I can't explain without his permission! But you must take me to him immediately!" Myouga wheezed, clinging to her hair.

"I can't! He's on the roof!"

"WHAT?!"

"Wait..." Inspiration broke through panic and fear. "Wait...maybe I can-"

She shut her eyes and imagined the pool again...except that now, she had to throw her whole body in. "Aaaugh!" Pain overwhelmed her: she was too exhausted. "Dammit, I can't..."

"What are we going to do?!" the flea whined, and the irritation spurred her to close her eyes again.

Come on...do it, or Inuyasha's dead...Inuyasha...NO!

Pain overwhelmed her, and before she could think about it, she threw herself into the pool. Come ON!

The world spun a dozen times and her stomach turned around a few more times before her knees crashed into smooth stone and her hands caught her just in time. "Inuyasha?!" She blinked and looked around blindly. Mercifully, her vision cleared enough to reveal a motionless red blur and a huge black one angling away. "Inuyasha!"

Kagome crawled over as fast as her hands and knees would permit and almost collapsed onto his chest. "Inuyasha, wake up!"

"Hnnnnng..." He moved feebly, and his ruby eyes fluttered open. "

"Shut up!" The sounds of the spider returning made her sit up; she nocked an arrow to the bow still clutched in her hands and loosed it, obliterating three of its legs.

"Girl...!" The demon roared and hobbled towards them, faster; hands trembling with exhaustion and adrenaline, Kagome fired another arrow, barely nicking its body.

"You die!" Mouth gaping wide to reveal huge fangs, the spider reared over her-

The last thing she noticed before everything went white was that its fangs were red with blood. His blood. Then her hand came up, great warmth, fingers tingling and...

When she came to, her face was resting on Inuyasha's abdomen, and it was dead black out. "Inuyasha?" she whispered scratchily. "Are you alive? Inuyasha?" Panic overtook her when there was no answer, and she grabbed for his shoulders, shaking harder till she realized blood was soaking her left hand. "Aaaaugh!" He's- "No..."

She panted for breath, tears rising and choking her. "Inuyasha. Inuyasha, please answer me!" Kagome scrabbled for his hands, finding one and lifting it to her face. God, he's freezing! "Inuyasha! Inuyashaaaa!" She buried her face in his haori, sobbing.

"Kagome..."

Her head jerked up. "Inuyasha?! Is that you?!"

"Careful," Myouga's tiny voice cautioned right in her ear, and she winced. "I sucked most of the poison out, but he has to deal with the rest of it on his own. He'll be fine come morning...as long as he stays awake through the night."

"Kagome..." She heard and felt Inuyasha stirring feebly. "Why...how are you here?"

"I figured out how to use my powers to get up here after I checked on you and saw the spider bite you." Kagome tentatively moved around to next to his head. "I didn't want you to die."

She heard a feeble snort. "Shoulda let me, make everything easier on everyone, you too..."

"Shut up, you idiot!" Tears overflowed again, and she swiped them away angrily. "I really thought you were dead there for a second! It's not funny! And why did you leave Tetsusaiga inside?!"

"Couldn't use it anyway...you're crying...again...stupid." He grunted and shifted. "S'cold out here."

"It's perfectly warm out here, you idiot," she said shortly, fear threatening to overwhelm her again.

His hand came up feebly and touched her arm. "No, s'just you. Can I have some?"

Kagome started. Did he just...? "What?"

He sighed, voice getting thinner and more tired. "Could I borrow your lap, please?"

Kagome's throat tightened. He...did. "Of course. Here..."

It was the work of a moment to shift him up and lay his head down in her lap. "Is that better?" she asked quietly, stroking his hair before she could stop herself.

"Mmmmmm. Much. Thank you." Inuyasha shivered a little, and she wished she'd brought a sweater or something to give him.

"Give me your hands...there." Kagome rubbed them between hers slowly, wincing at the cold flesh. Poor guy must be freezing...

Inuyasha sighed and turned his head to the side, adjusting a little. "Thanks. You really didn't...have to..." He sighed again, longer. "Glad you did."

"No problem." She set his hands down and commenced stroking his hair, smoothing the strands trailing down from her lap. Huh. Must be `cause I can't see them, but they're a lot softer than I remember...

"Kagome?"

"Hm?" She glanced down at the voice, glad he couldn't see her face-it had to be flaming red now.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

She stopped dead, then placed a hand on his forehead. "You're a lot sicker than I thought."

He rested his hand on hers, and her heart almost stopped. "I mean it. I was...stupid. Almost died...letting you think...hated you."

"Quit talking. It sounds like it hurts." And it hurts me.

She paused mid-stroke. What was happening here? She should've been freaking out, not getting cozy.

Well, why not? You care about him, right?

"Kagome?"

"Sorry." She started running her fingers over his scalp again, wondering idly where his ears were. Must be smushed or something.

"You smell really nice."

"Huh?" That one came out of left field, and Kagome's heart rate sped up noticeably. "Uh...didn't you say you hated it?"

"I did...?" Inuyasha shrugged a bit and rolled his head to the other side to let her fingers get the other side of his scalp. "I lied." He inhaled deeply, then exhaled.

Oh, boy. My heart's gonna explode at this rate..."Are you tired?" she whispered, more to distract herself than to get information. He made a noise of sleepy assent. "You should sleep, then."

"Can't..." Inuyasha moved again, shivering and shaking his head a little. "It's cold and it hurts."

"Well, I..." Her heart literally missed a beat as she felt something touch her cheek. "What...what're you..."

"Sorry. You're really warm." He let his hand drop.

"That's all right," she soothed, wincing a little at his contrite tone. "I don't mind. You just startled me, was all." She grabbed his hands and held them up to each side of her neck the way she used to with Souta on cold days, suppressing a gasp as heat seeped out of her flesh.

"Nnnnn...thanks." He pulled his hands free and let them drop again.

Geez, I'm going Shoujo Heroine again...damn, what else do I do...? She half-smiled as desperation crept up. What would a Disney heroine do now? I don't have any magic helpers...too exhausted to take either of us down with my superpowers, stupid powers...

Inuyasha stirred restlessly, and as he turned his face again, she realized that he was sweating heavily. Huh. Did he ever sweat before...? "Inuyasha, are you all right?"

"No. Hurts." He grunted.

She mopped at his face lightly with her sleeves. "Um...well, maybe I can take your mind off it..." Getting naked wouldn't help in this darkness...God, listen to me! Think, Kag! You have a brain somewhere! Shoujo Heroine...would cry and wait for the guy to save her. Or kiss him. The thought made her flush even worse. Okaaaaay...wait, what about...Mom? She swallowed hard. She'd-wait, that's it! Hell, it's the same thing a Disney heroine would do, too! Two-fer!

She laughed out loud, stroking his hair when he made a questioning noise. "Just relax, Inuyasha, and tell me if it's too awful. Don't say I didn't try, though..."

Through a haze of cold and burning pain, Inuyasha understood she was about to do something and grunted. Don't care. Anything now...

A soft, high sound right above him made him look up in surprise; his eyes were useless now, of course, courtesy in more than one way of the new moon, but he knew it had to be Kagome making it. "What...how're you..."

"What, you've never heard anyone singing before?" she asked in some surprise.

"N...go on."

Pleased, Kagome cleared her throat and started up again, a slow, simple melody in a language he didn't understand. It seemed to be very short, though; he grew more and more relaxed as the soft but sweet notes repeated themselves, lilting slightly in melancholy grace before fading into dark silence.

Kagome waited, a bit apprehensive, for his reaction. "...Inuyasha?"

"Hm? Was sleeping..."

"OH! Gosh, I'm sorry!"

"S'okay...Kagome? What did the words mean?"

"Uh..." She thought for a moment, then sang the first line again. "That was, Shine, bright morning light, now, in the end, a spring is coming..."

"Mmmm."

"Then..." Kagome gave the next line. "Sweet, flowing wind, singing down the hills and valleys."

"Pretty nice."

"Mmm-hmmm. Now..." Third line. "Keep your eyes on me, now we're on the edge of hell..."

"...Weird..."

Kagome sighed. "Yeah. Last line..." She sang it a bit slower than before. "This means..." She faltered. "Uh..."

"...Kagome?"

"Uhhh...that was...Dear my love, sweet morning light, wait for me, you've come much farther...too far."

"I like that one."

"Me, too," Kagome murmured, shifting against an ache in her back from sitting upright too long. "D'you think you can sleep now?"

"...You don't already have one...do you?"

"What?" She frowned down at him. "Have a what?"

"Love. Never even thought to ask."

Kagome snorted. "Living with my family in the middle of nowhere for three years? Where would I get one?"

"M'sorry."

"Don't be. I was never that big on dating anyway." Kagome smoothed the hair back from his forehead, resting her hand there for a second. "You feel a little warmer. Want to go to sleep now?"

"Still feel cold...and you can't...sitting up."

"This is true. Not all of us can sleep upright." Kagome shifted. "So what do you suggest?"

"Down."

"What?!"

"Down. Use...haori for a blanket."

"Uh...well, I guess that makes sense." Kagome gently shifted him off, and, face flaming all the while, laid down with her back against his side, permitting him to turn over and drape one arm over her hip. "Better?" she squeaked.

"Yeah." Inuyasha pulled her in tighter; she felt him nosing around her neck and wondered fleetingly if he was going to do anything inappropriate. But he only laid his face down and sighed. "Sorry. You mind much?"

"Well...if it were Kouga, I'd say yeah, but you're not so bad at all." Kagome couldn't believe she was actually telling him this-but hey, if he was suddenly uber-honest, why couldn't she be?

"Good. M'really sorry." Kagome willed her heart to slow down as he sighed and cuddled her closer. Good God, I can't believe this...or...well, how much I don't mind!

It was going to be a story to tell her grandkids, that was for sure. "Y'all gather `round and hear `bout how Granny slept with a half-demon...no, not like THAT, ya sick-minded runts!"

It was too much; she started giggling and couldn't stop, even when Inuyasha stirred and sighed uneasily. Ohhhh, damn...wonder who else's grandkids they'll be?

With that strangely pleasant thought foremost, Kagome leaned back in, sighed, and was asleep almost the moment her eyes closed.

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A/N: ...............If that's not enough fluff to last you, I don't know what it. (Wheee, combo song/blanket fic...anyone know the song?)

Apologies to everyone whose teeth are hurting, but if it's really that bad, just keep in mind we have one more couple who has to make up. :evil grin: Unfortunately, this will not be for at least a few more weeks. I've been waiting to write'n forever, and I even sped it up a bit so y'all could have it before I left to go back home. Hope you liked it...tell me what you think, s'il vous plait.