InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bringing Kagome Back ❯ Chapter 1

AN: After much nagging and griping and groaning from the readers (You know who you are), I've begun revising this...three years after my last update. As you may notice, the old chapters are gone. Why? Because changes are being made, and because I lost omentum on the old line of thought. I'm also sick of 'return of the psycho bastard Naraku'. I think This time around the psychotic rapist turd will remain dead, since his bad karma from the last life has made it impossible for him to be reincarnated as anything higher up than a lowly spider. Maybe he'll do some good in that form. Anyways, enjoy.

Oh, and BTW, if you haven't read chapter Zero in awhile, you should re-read it. That too has been reconstructed.

WARNING: This story implies to rape and contains swearing and violence. If you have issues with any of those things, DO NOT READ. I don't want flamed because someone read this not knowing.

Bringing Kagome Back
By: Demonsaya

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1

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He was still awake when the sky turned pink and the sun kissed the horizon. He was still awake when Kaede stirred and sat upright. He didn't even glance her way, instead, staring out the window, pondering his choice, their choice. Kagome's hand was tangled with one of his, his free hand gently finger-combing her hair.

It was the first peaceful sleep she'd had since they'd found her. Probably longer.

He didn't dare think it was his presence that soothed her. He decided earlier that evening that it was more likely to be the act of talking about it, the forward momentum of making a decision about 'what's next', that had soothed the girl. He was just providing a steady hand, someone to grab hold of and cling to when she started to slip. Someone that could help her up and keep her moving forward when she faltered.

It wasn't a job he was used to.

He could feel Kaede's eyes on him. He didn't care. Right now, getting Kagome back to normal was more important than his pride. It was more important than anything.

“It seemed the talk you two had last night did her some good.” Kaede said, calmly. “Did she tell ye anything?”

He didn't look at her. “I'm taking her to her time today, and we're going to stay there for awhile.” He said quietly. When the old woman clucked in disapproval, he turned an angry glare on her. She was fussing with a pot of water over the stove. “I've known what happened to Kagome from the start. Maybe not all the details, but I know what he did to her. She didn't have to tell me.” He looked back to the window, forcing the strokes in the girl's hair to be steady and constant.

“Then what happened?”

“None of your fucking business, babaa.” He snapped. That damn cluck again. “Kagome isn't ready to talk about it, and I'm not going to betray her trust.” He heard others stirring and felt his irritation growing. They'd better keep their damn mouths shut and their comments and questions to themselves.

Miroku glanced around as he sat and took notice of the much more relaxed Kagome and breathed a sigh of relief. “So, she is feeling better?”

“I don't know.” Inuyasha said bluntly.

“She looks better.” He gently shook Sango, who sat abruptly, the fox demon falling from her arms.

“Kagome?!” Her eyes met Miroku's who gestured with a hand towards where Inuyasha sat. When she saw the girl sleeping soundly, she felt tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. A glance at Inuyasha's face warned her not to say anything or ask anything. He already looked drawn tight enough to snap under the faintest pressure, and pushing a hanyou to the breaking point didn't seem like a good idea.

Inuyasha ignored all of them, keeping his attention on the slight girl who used his thigh as a pillow. Her back was to him, and he could see the faint markings through her bandages. He wished he'd taken his time killing Naraku. He wished he could have made the bastard hurt as badly as he'd made Kagome hurt. Her bandages would need changed soon. The ones on her legs were turning pink as well.

He didn't want her mother to see her like this...

Pain hit him like a fist in the stomach and he bit his lip. What would he do if her mother blamed him? What if she made him leave and kept Kagome there? What would happen to her? She'd begged him to come with her, to help her through...

He'd have to discuss it with Kagome before they got to her time.

“Inuyasha, the food's done...” Kaede said calmly, noting the tornado of emotions going on in the hanyou.

He looked at her, his eyes clearing, and he nodded. Gently, he brushed Kagome's hair back from her face. He hated waking her when she was sleeping so peacefully, but she needed food. “Kagome, it's time to wake up.” He said softly, keeping his touch gentle and calming, so she wouldn't freak out when she woke.

As she stirred, her face scrunched up in a way that he found very cute and he felt a smile tug the corners of his lips. When her eyes opened, however, they were wary. He watched her sit carefully and flinched when she winced in pain.

“How do you feel today, Kagome-sama?” Miroku asked, passing her a bowl of soup. Then, with a faint tease in his voice, he continued. “Did you sleep well?”

Inuyasha glared at him in a way that suggested pain and death.

Kagome blushed, lowering her gaze. “Well enough.” She said quietly. She accepted a bowl of soup and took a few sips, her eyes focused inwards, as though deep in thought. Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder if she was regretting her decision to return home, or if it was the invitation for him to come with her. Inuyasha watched her eat closely, hoping she'd finish the light broth. He was disappointed when she sat the bowl down half-empty. “I should pack...” She said softly. When she winced, trying to move towards her things, he decided that was enough.

“Sit still.” He snapped at her. “Finish the damn soup; I'll pack.” He felt several pairs of stunned eyes staring at him, before a few of them turned into glares. He rolled her sleeping bag quickly, then stuffed her things into her bag, careful not to damage anything. He didn't care what the other's thought. This was for her. Everything was for her, to help her. When the bag was packed, he set it by the door and then sat back against the wall, finding Kagome still staring at him, half-empty bowl of soup in front of her. He gave her an irritated look and then glared at the others. “We'll go when you're done.” He said evenly.

“I'm really not that-”

“Eat it.” He dead-panned, his eyes flicking back to her and pinning her down. He saw her lower lip trembling and softened his tone. “You don't have to rush, but we're not leaving until that bowl is empty.”

He was relieved when she obediently picked up the bowl and began taking small sips.

When he glanced around, he saw expressions ranging from irritation to understanding. He turned abruptly and looked out the window. She would get better. She had to.

Almost an hour later, when everyone had finished their second bowls, Kagome set down her bowl, which was more than three quarters of the way empty, but still had soup in the bottom. She looked miserably towards him and shook her head. “I can't eat the rest. I feel like I'm going to be sick.” She said softly.

Everyone sucked in a breath, waiting for the explosion. What they expected and what they got were very, very different.

Inuyasha looked towards the trembling girl and nodded. At least she tried. It was more than she'd eaten in a long time. “Then we'll go.” He said, standing in a single motion and offering the girl a hand. When the trembling hand slipped into his, he helped her pull herself into a standing position, not rushing her, just making the trip easier.

“Where exactly are you two going?” Miroku leered, wincing when Sango smacked the back of his head.

Inuyasha had shouldered the bag and was still holding Kagome's hand when he looked back at them over his shoulder. “I'm taking her home.” He said softly. Then, they walked out the door, neither saying good bye. His eyes roved back and forth, ears tracking sounds as they walked into the forest. Her fingers were laced through his, holding his hand tightly. He kept his own grip easy, taking his time as they walked. He took the opportunity to memorize the feel of her hand wrapped around his, the feel of her shoulder brushing his. It might be the last moments he got to spend with her, so he had to enjoy it while it lasted. “We need to talk.” He said softly.

“Again?” She sounded weary.

When they reached the well, he stopped and arms length away from it and released her hand. It dropped to her side like a useless limb. “Not about that...” He said softly. “It's about...” He hated telling anyone he was afraid, but this worried him. “Kagome, your mother might not let me stay when she finds out...” He said quietly.

Her jaw dropped and she stared at him. His hands were fisted, his head lowered. He looked ashamed. “Of course she will-”

“Not when she finds out it's my fault!” He lifted his head, his face upset. “If I was faster...if I'd gotten there sooner...” He saw the understanding on her face and turned away, not wanting to see her hate him or pity him. He wasn't sure which would be worse.

“I don't want her to know about it yet, anyways.” She said softly. “I don't want to have to relive it, and if...if anyone knows-” She shook her head. “So we'll keep it secret, okay?”

“What about your wounds?” He looked up at her face, seeing the faded remains of what had been ugly bruises.

She shrugged. “I got hurt in a fight.” She said softly. “Don't worry.” She blushed, looking up at him, her face nervous. “You can bandage me up.”

He closed his eyes and a dry chuckle escaped his throat. “This is a role reversal...but I don't remember being this compliant about letting you bandage my wounds...” He lifted his gaze, and she saw pain in his eyes.

She extended her hand, giving him a brave smile. “Ikuzo, Inuyasha.” She said softly.

He smiled a bit and nodded, taking her hand in his and he gently helped her get onto his back. Then, he jumped into the well. He felt the shift in his stomach and bit his lip. He wasn't comfortable in her time, with it's weird customs and clothes and smells, but he'd promised, and she was worth all the discomfort in the world. Hell, she'd pretty much earned it. He landed lightly at the bottom of the well and crouched carefully so she could put her feet beneath her. As they walked up the steps, he noticed that she was trying to act like she was fine again. He set a gentle hand between her shoulder blades and took a deep breath. “It'll be okay.” He said softly.

She looked towards him and gave him a slightly pained smile. It almost looked more like a grimace. “I'm glad you're here.” She said, taking a steadying breath.

They didn't say anything else as they left the well house and headed towards Kagome's home. Her grandfather looked up from where he stood sweeping and saw Kagome walking to the house and he pulled out a seal to use on Inuyasha, grinning victoriously. This one was bound to work-

Then, he noticed Kagome stumble a bit, and the hanyou moved faster than sight, and suddenly, Kagome was upright, supported by her elbows, the hanyou's chest close to the girl's back. As the old man watched, the demon leaned forward, whispering something into the girl's ear and she blushed a bit, nodding. His face softened, saddened. There was something different about the chemistry between the pair. Something had happened in the other world that had changed something...

“Come on, wench...” Inuyasha mumbled, releasing her elbows, his face a bit awkward. He stuffed his arms into his sleeves and took his place at her side, keeping his gaze averted. “But this time, watch your feet...” He glanced over at her, not turning his face, just peering out of the corner of his eyes.

There was a sweet kind of blush on her face, and he felt his heart skip a beat. It was the closest to looking back to normal he'd seen her in what felt like ages. She mumbled a soft thank you and then pushed open the front door. “Tadaima!” She called out, thankful of Inuyasha's supportive presence behind her.

Her mother peeked around the kitchen door, looking surprised. “Kagome! You're...” She spotted the bruises that faintly tinged several places on her daughter's face and she came marching over, gently grasping her daughter's face. “Baby, what happened?!”

Kagome swallowed hard, a flash of memories pouring around her. The back of a hand hitting her face. The sound of her clothing tearing. She was about to collapse when a gentle hand touched her shoulder, grounding her.

“She got caught up in something during the last fight.” Inuyasha said. “I was distracted and didn't get to her in time.” It was the truth, only a little altered. “The bastard that did it is dead.”

Her mother relaxed, then spotted the completed jewel around her daughter's neck. “Then, the mission's over? It's done?!” She hugged her daughter. “You get to stay home?!”

Kagome took a steadying breath, trying to calm herself. “Yeah. For awhile, at least. I still want to go back and visit my friends there...” She felt his hand gently squeeze her shoulder. “I'm kind of tired...” She said softly. She looked towards Inuyasha and gave him a weak attempt at a smile. “I'm gonna take a nap.”

He nodded, then felt the older Higurashi woman scrutinizing him as Kagome walked upstairs. He turned his gaze to the woman and saw a unreadable expression on her face.

“Are you staying?” She asked, not beating around the bush.

He met her gaze with a steady one. He wouldn't waver on his decision. “For awhile.” He said evenly. “She wants me to.” And I would do anything for her. He didn't say the rest. But it was running through his head when he heard the door open, admitting Grandpa. He looked towards the old man and saw him looking at him with an appraising expression. It made him uncomfortable. “There something wrong with that?” He asked, returning his gaze to Kagome's mother.

The woman sighed. There was something wrong. She could practically feel it. Something very wrong with her daughter, and this boy knew what. “No. But when she's ready to talk, I'd better be the first one she talks to.” She said crossly.

Inuyasha went deathly still and looked at the woman. He didn't know what to say. After a few steadying breaths, he spoke. “Fine.” He said quietly. “I'm going up.” He said evenly, not waiting for her response. He headed towards the stairs and walked up them slowly. Regardless of what the woman said, he wasn't going to force her to tell her mother until she was ready. Sometimes it was easier to talk to someone else, someone you trust. Not that he'd know. The only person he'd ever felt like he could say anything to, the only person he knew wouldn't judge him, was Kagome.

He hit the top step and heard the sound of her trying to cry quietly. Ragged breaths, soft sniffles. She was a wreck. He sighed, walking to the door and knocked on it lightly. When she didn't answer, he simply opened the door and walked in. She was curled up on the bed with her back to the door. He closed the door quietly, resting against it.

“I'm okay.” She said, lied. A slight turn revealed she'd tried rubbing the tears from her eyes.

He closed his eyes, sighing. “No, you're not. Not yet.” He watched her jump a bit and she turned to face him fully. There was a great deal of pain in her eyes. He pushed off the door, walking towards her. When he reached her side, he sat beside her, leaning against her headboard, staring out the window at the cloud-filled sky. “You're not okay, yet. No one who'd been through what you went through would be.” He heard her soft sobs and slowly returned his gaze to look at her. “But you will be.”

Kagome's lower lip trembled and she turned her face into his shoulder, hiding the tears falling down her cheeks. She felt his hand rest on hers and bit her lip. There was such certainty in his voice. He really believed in her ability to bounce back from emotional trauma. She squeezed her eyes shut, releasing a few more tears down her cheeks. “It wasn't supposed to be like this...” She whispered, her voice cracking from the force of a sob.

Inuyasha closed his eyes, feeling powerless. He hated it when she cried, and she'd been doing an awful lot of crying lately. He took a steadying breath and slipped his arm around her shoulders, hugging her against his side. There was nothing he could say to comfort her. Everything he could think of were empty words. He wasn't good at words. Action he could do. Action was the easy part. Action didn't require prior thought.

So he simply sat beside her, letting her use his haori as a tissue, periodically smoothing her hair until her sobs died to sniffles and she slipped into a deep sleep. Gently, he eased her down onto her bed and sat upright, looking down at her red, slightly blotchy face. His face softened and he cleared away a tear with a gentle finger. It clung to his skin as he lifted it to his mouth and licked it away.

It tasted bitter.

She would be okay. It might take awhile, maybe years, but eventually, she'd be herself again. He just didn't want to think about what would happen between now and then. For now, he just wished he could take her pain away.

That reminded him of the wounds on her back and he gently rolled her onto her side. The pink had seeped through her shirt. He sighed. He'd tell her later, and he'd make sure that the bandages were changed before she went to bed that night.

There was nothing else he could do.

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Kagome woke to find a blanket had been draped across her sleeping form. Her eyes felt dry and swollen as she sat up and looked around sleepily. She was alone in the room. It was almost midday from the shadows in the room. So where was...

The door opened and Kagome saw the hanyou walk in, a large bowl full of water in his hands. He paused, looking at her, a wary expression on his face. “We need to change your bandages.” He said softly. “Everyone else is gone for now.” He set the bowl on her desk and fished out her first aid kit. “I figured it would be a good time.”

She watched as he turned towards her and she saw a trace of worry there. “Oh...” She blushed, lowering her own gaze as she realized where the worst wounds were. Before she could dwell on it much, Inuyasha was on the bed beside her, coaxing her out of her shirt with a care that silenced the objections that rose to her lips. When the shirt was off, he stilled. She blushed, tugging the end of the bandage loose and she silently turned her back to him.

“Tomorrow I'll go back to my time while you're at school and pick up the herbs from Kaede.” He said softly as he began to unwrap the bandages from her torso. She was shaking like a leaf and he bit his lip. “We could go back and let Sango and Kaede deal with these...” He said quietly. “I'd probably mess them up anyways...”

She looked back at him and saw the sad understanding on his face. She wanted to laugh it off, to make him feel better, but couldn't. “No.” She said softly. “It's fine.” She lowered her gaze to the comforter and bit her lip.

He saw her discomfort, but continued unwrapping the bandage regardless. When he reached the last layer, he found that he'd guessed correctly. The bandages had stuck to the wounds. He reached into the bowl with one hand, withdrawing the sponge and squeezing out the excess water. Gently, he dabbed the red bandage, loosening it from the girl's skin.

She jumped a bit, startled. Warm water trickled down some of her bare skin.

“Sorry.” He said softly. “The bandages are stuck. Wetting them should make them come off easier...” He explained, gently sponging her back. As he peeled the last layer of bandage away, he wanted to kiss each wound on her back to soothe them. They looked red and angry, and some of them had reopened from her fighting him the night before. When the bandage was finally off, he gently sponged off the wounds, feeling her periodic flinching. When the gentle sponge bath was finished, he set the sponge back in the bowl and picked up the roll of bandages, preparing to finish bandaging her up. When he looked at her back, he couldn't keep himself from gently tracing one of the lash marks with a finger.

Kagome felt the gentle touch against her skin and turned her head to look at him. There was so much pain on his face. Pain he felt for her. Pain and guilt. Her eyes widened as their conversation prior to returning came back to her. He really did blame himself. It wasn't worry that her mother would blame him. He honestly thought that it was his fault. She saw the bandages in his hand and blushed. “Um, could I go get a bath before you finish?” She asked softly. She lowered her gaze when he looked at her.

He stared at the faint blush on her face and bit his lip. A soft sigh escaped him and he shrugged out of his haori, draping it around her shoulders. “Here. To keep you covered. It shouldn't stick to the wounds.” He let his hands rest on her shoulders for a little longer than necessary before straightening and getting off her bed. He politely turned his back to her while she stood, and he listened to the soft sound of her feet on the carpet.

She paused at the door, glancing back at him. “Inuyasha...?”

He turned, glancing at her as well. “Yeah?” He asked softly.

“Thank you.” Then, she turned the doorknob and disappeared into the hall way. She padded on the carpeted floor, then pushed open the door to the bathroom, closing and locking it behind her. She hadn't seen the damage yet. Most of the bruises had faded, and her ankle had almost healed, but Naraku had rubbed Miasma into the gashes on her body, making them slow to heal.

She shed the clothing, slowly, wincing as she moved. The faint tugging was a constant reminder that she'd mistreated her wounds last night, and now she was paying the price. Every move hurt. She saw the full length mirror on the opposite wall and walked resolutely towards it. She was strong. She could do this. She would do this. Taking a deep breath, she turned her back to the mirror and looked over her shoulder at the patterned lash-marks. She felt her lungs seize and pain filled her.

Her once flawless skin was now a mesh of red lines, some slightly oozing blood. Tears filled her eyes and a cry of denial was ripped from her lips. “NO!” Before she had realized she'd collapsed, she felt the cold tile beneath her knees and she was curled into a ball around herself, shaking wit the force of her sobs. “No...No...” She covered her face. No wonder everyone was horrified when they found her. She was ugly. She'd never been ugly. She'd always thought she was pretty, but-

There was a loud pounding on the door. “Kagome! Kagome!”

It was Inuyasha. The one who'd gently tried to nurse her back to herself. The one who believed in her. Or was he really just trying to make her better so he could leave her? “Noooo...” She moaned, wrapping her arms around herself and rocking back and forth.

“Dammit, wench, open this damn door, before I smash it down!”

She buried her face into her hands and continued to sob, unable to control the pain inside her. She was going to scar. She didn't have a hanyou's healing abilities, and she'd scar. She'd be ugly-

Inuyasha continued pounding on the door, trying to get Kagome to open the door. He felt powerless. She'd locked him away from her, and now she was in pain and he couldn't get to her to help her. With a growl, he threw his weight against the door, preparing to knock it down.

A small hand grabbed the back of his yukata and stopped him. “Mom'll skin you if you break down the door.” Souta said. He was wearing a worried expression. “Watch.” He pulled a paper clip from his pocket and stuck it through a small hole in the doorknob, chewing on his lip as he searched for something. There was an audible click and he turned the doorknob, letting the door open a crack. He seemed to be considering something. He pulled it shut and looked at Inuyasha. “What happened to her last time?”

Inuyasha bit his lip. “I promised her.” He said quietly. “I promised I wouldn't tell.”

Souta frowned at him. “Then help her calm down. I have homework, and besides...since I don't know, I wouldn't be much help.” The boy cracked his knuckles in a very Inuyasha-like move, and glared at him. “But no messing around with my sister.”

The hanyou gawked at the boy for two seconds, then shook his head, walking into the bathroom. His eyes found Kagome curled in on herself in front of a full length mirror, shaking from the force of her sobs. His eyes saddened and he closed the door behind him. He found the fluffy pink bath towel that had a “K” on it and moved towards her, then knelt on the ground. He didn't speak as he gently wrapped the towel around her.

“I'm ugly...” Her voice was the barest whisper. “It wasn't enough that he raped me, he had to make sure I'd carry the...” She felt a gentle hand caress her hair in a soothing way. It didn't help. She lashed out at him. “I don't want your pity!” She yelled, sitting up and slapping his hand away.

She expected him to yell at her. She almost wanted it. It would say that things were back to normal, that everything would be alright. She didn't expect the expression on his face to become neutral. Almost cold. It was like he was hiding from her. She watched him rise in one fluid motion and caught his hand before he could leave her.

Inuyasha looked down at her, his face a cool mask. Inside, however, he was hurt and angry. Her icy hand clinging desperately to his couldn't stop him if he decided to leave. He forced himself to stay put.

She pressed her forehead against his hand. “I'm sorry.” She whispered. Her heart broke when he pulled his hand away.

Inuyasha looked down at her, wondering what to say. He was still miffed with her, but she looked so defeated, so miserable. Dammit, he thought. When did I get this weak? He dropped to a knee and hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “It's a good thing you don't want my pity.” He said evenly. “Because I don't feel sorry for anyone but me.” He took a steadying breath. There was such naked emotion in her eyes. It was like the walls that she'd had prior to being kidnapped had been crushed under Naraku's fists. She needed reassurance. He wasn't used to this.

He wasn't used to being the rock that someone leaned against.

“You're not ugly.” He said quietly. There was a flicker of hope deep in her eyes before it was trampled by sadness. He dropped his hand away and stood, helping her stand, making sure all her bits were covered. “Now get your shower, wench...” He said stepping back.

She stared at his back, fearing she was reading into his words too much. There was a strange tone in his voice, a gruff affection she'd never heard before. There was so much she wanted to say to him, so much that she was so afraid to say. “Inuyasha!” She called, when his hand touched the door knob.

He paused, his ear flicking in her direction. His head turned just slightly, still hidden behind a curtain of silver hair.

She opened her mouth to say that she loved him and the words froze in her throat. She could see him become tense when she didn't speak and sighed. Maybe it wasn't to be. “Thank you.” She said softly.

He nodded, then left the bathroom.

She closed her eyes, mentally cursing herself. She had failed. She felt like she'd failed him. Not only had she lost something that she'd wanted him to have, but her courage seemed to have fled her as well, making three simple words seem impossible.

She looked at the mirror and found herself looking at her back, the thin cuts in stark relief against her pale skin. She closed her eyes and sighed. It didn't matter.

Who wanted a broken spirit?

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Inuyasha was standing by the window, when she returned. She'd been unaware of the passing of time, but judging by the pink hued sky, the sun was setting. It turned his hair into a purple-pink halo. He had an unreadable expression on his face. He seemed really stiff.

She bit her lip, feeling guilty. Silently, she walked over, standing at the window beside him. She was wrapped in a thin navy yukata. “I didn't mean to yell at you.” She said softly, hugging herself. He hummed in a non-committal way and she flinched. A glance saw that stiff mask was still in place. He had gone deep into himself and was hiding from her. She bit her lip and looked out the window. “I'm hurt, and...I took my frustration and fear out on you.”

“We need to put the new bandages on.” He said evenly, changing the subject. He held up the bandages, not looking at her.

She grabbed his hand, trying to draw his attention. “Inuyasha, please...”

He closed his eyes, taking a steadying breath. Slowly, he looked at her, seeing all the pain and guilt in her eyes. He cursed softly. He was supposed to be helping her, and he was making her worse.

At least she didn't have those doll-like eyes that Kikyou had. Kagome's eyes hid nothing.

“You've tried to help me. You've been trying to support me, to keep me sane, alive...” She rested her forehead on his chest, tears filling her eyes. “It's going to take time for me to...”

He lifted his free hand, cradling the back of her head, holding her gently against him. He pressed his face against the top of her head, wishing he knew what to do to help her. “Like I said.” He mumbled, feeling her free hand clinging to his yukata. “You're not okay. But you will be. Healing takes time.” And wounds to the spirit were the slowest to heal.

Kagome lifted her head to look at him and found his face mere centimeters from hers. Her heartbeat quickened, and she felt her breaths shallow. Her palms started to sweat. Nerves began jumping through her at the mixed emotions she was experiencing. God help her, she loved him, but he'd loved Kikyou, and she was damaged. She her body was trying to respond to her feelings for this man, as well as the fear of intimacy that Naraku's abuse had instilled in her, and she was left deeply confused.

Inuyasha saw the wariness tinged with fear in her eyes and realized that his lips were so close to hers he could practically taste her breath. His own heart jumped into his throat and he quickly released her, backing away. “Well, let's take care of your back, alright?” He said, looking away from her eyes, before he drowned in them.

Kagome backed away from him as though burned as well. “Uh, yeah.” She agreed, sitting sideways on her desk chair. For a moment, Inuyasha had been looking at her in a way that he'd only ever done once or twice in the year they'd known each other. The first memory that came to mind was a time before Kikyou, within a week of the first time she'd seen him as a human. They'd gone back to the village and she'd been trying to get him to look at her, and she was angry. And suddenly, he'd was so close, she could feel the heat of his skin through their clothing, and he'd said something, and for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her.

Then, like now, she'd come to her senses and pulled away.

When the hanyou sat beside her, she shyly unwrapped the back of her yukata and felt Inuyasha spreading something on her back. She jumped at the first gentle contact, and heard him grunt softly.

“It's the salve that Kaede used. I packed some.” He said quietly. Hmph. In the past week he'd touched this girl more often than he had in the year they'd spent together, and she still wasn't used to his touch. Gently, he applied the salve to her, using broad, circular motions. Slowly, she relaxed, and even pushed back into his touch a little. He blushed when she did.

She closed her eyes, wishing he was touching her because he wanted to. How anyone could want to when she looked as she did was beyond her. So, she decided he was doing it because she was too weak to do so herself, and lacked the ability to reach her wounds. He must be repulsed by having to touch Naraku's leftover's.

Her scent was thick with sorrow. With a sigh, he passed her the first end of the bandages and began to gently wrap her torso. “You should be more careful. All your moving and struggling with me opened up a lot of these.” He chastised gruffly. He watched her shift uncomfortably and paused. “Am I hurting you?”

Silently she shook her head.

He figured that she didn't want him with his hands on her longer than necessary, so he quickly finished what he was doing and pulled the yukata up her back.

“Thank you.” She said softly. She shouldn't have asked him to stay, but she couldn't help it. When he was with her, she felt safe, sheltered. She turned in the chair and gave him a small smile. “You're a great friend.”

He flinched inwardly, but to his credit, he showed no outward signs. He forced himself to return the smile in the form of a smirk, a signature move. “Damn right I am.” He said in a cocky manner that had nothing to do with how he felt inside.

“Dinner!”

Her mother's voice interrupted their thoughts and Inuyasha rose first. “Get dressed. I'll be downstairs.” He said standing. He headed towards the door, glancing backwards. “Don't make me come get you.” He warned. “You wont get any better if you don't eat.”

She gave him a timid smile and nod. “I'll be right down.” She said, slowly rising. “Promise.”

He reached the doorway, and opened it. He was about to leave when he paused, glancing back at her. “Oh, and Kagome?”

She blinked, turning from her dresser. “Hm?”

He gave her that cocky smirk again and her heart fluttered in her chest. “You're a great friend, too.”

Dinner went relatively smoothly. Inuyasha ate a great deal, which made Mrs. Higurashi relieved she'd gone to the market earlier. Souta kept badgering Inuyasha for the details on the fights they'd been in since the last time Kagome had been home, while Grandpa watched the two adolescents carefully.

The body language between them was subtle. The hanyou's hand would rest on Kagome's arm for a moment longer than was necessary, she would lean towards him when he spoke. Eyes that had once been quick to flash in anger, and a voice that used to yell at her had softened into a gruff kind of affection.

The easy light-hearted atmosphere was slightly tainted, however, by the fear that sometimes crept into Kagome's eyes. Her normally hearty appetite was drastically diminished, and it told everyone at the table that something was drastically wrong with the girl.

Only Inuyasha seemed pleased with the amount of food she'd eaten.

Better than this morning. He noted the mostly empty bowl of miso, and the partially eaten rice. When the meal was done, everyone went into the living room and Inuyasha was startled when Grandpa tossed him a spare blanket and pillow. “Huh?”

“If you're staying, you can sleep on the couch.” The old man said evenly. “Regardless of the sleeping arrangements in Sengoku Jidai, things will be proper here, and seeing as Kagome is unmarried, it's incredibly inappropriate for you to stay in her room.”

Inuyasha wanted to growl at the man, but from the looks he was getting from the other's, Kagome excluded, his opinion wasn't going to sway the decision. Maybe once they knew why he had been keeping so close to her, they would be alright with it. Maybe once they understood he would never hurt her like that.

But not now.

As the other's got ready for bed, he set up to sleep on the couch. He stretched out on the makeshift bed and closed his eyes in the semi-darkness. He was about to dose off when a hand jostled him awake. He sat abruptly, finding Kagome sitting on the edge of the couch. A glance at the clock said it was nearly midnight. “Kagome, you should be sleeping...”

She shook her head. “I can't...Everytime I close my eyes...” She shuddered.

She didn't need to say any more. He sat, patting the couch beside him. Her warmth moved beside him and he sighed when she leaned against him. Awkwardly, he slipped an arm around her shoulders in what he hoped was a comforting way. “It's okay. I'm here.” He said softly. “I'll protect you.”

“Mama wants me to go to school tomorrow.” She whispered, trembling.

He nodded. “I'll stay close.” He said softly. “I'll even walk with you if you want.”

She turned her face into his yukata, breathing his scent deeply. Before she'd realized it, she'd relaxed, and her eyes drifted shut. She was out in minutes flat.

When she was asleep, Inuyasha carefully adjusted her so that he had her in his arms and pulled her into his lap, enjoying holding her without having to worry about fear in her eyes. He hugged her gently, then eased her back to the makeshift bed. He moved off the couch and sat on the floor, leaning against the couch and pillowing his head beside hers. He stared at her until his eyes fell closed from exhaustion and he finally fell asleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

AN: Holy crap. It's been what? Two years since I updated this fic? Anyways, as I've mentioned before, I'm reconstructing the story, as you may have noticed, since this is definitely not the same “Chapter One” that I'd posted so long ago. I've decided to draw the story out a bit more. Everything kind of happened all at once with the other one. I may or may not bring back evil bastard Naraku, I haven't yet decided. Anyways, here's a long awaited update. If you haven't reread Zero, I suggest you do.