InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Broken ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

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

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the supporting characters.

Broken

Chapter 9

Kagome's ashamed and sad eyes looked up at the ookami prince. "I... I can't... because... It is true..."

Koga fell backwards onto his backside as if he was physically attacked. "What?"

Tears are streaming down her face as she sits in her now customary position, knees against her chest and arms wrapped around her legs. Her face is down cast as she responds.

"I said... I did do that. I asked for it... I... begged for it... I..." She looks back into his horrified eyes. "I fucking liked it!"

"Shut the fuck up."

Everyone turned to the snarling and fully tranformed Inuyasha.

"Inu..." Kagome looked away from him, completely ashamed. This is the last thing she wanted to ever happen. She should have known. She should have known what that bastard was planning.

Suddenly she was on her back with Inuyasha pinning her arms down above her head. She shows no fear or trepidation. He has never hurt her, even in this form. She realizes she may be acting foolish, but she doesn't care much about anything at the moment. If one thing is for certain in her mind, Inuyasha won't really hurt her.

Physically anyway...

Miroku ran up to the couple, ready to protect Kagome if she needs him to, Sango following close behind him. Shippo had opened his eyes just in time to see Inuyasha 'attack' Kagome. Wide-eyed and frightened, he jumped onto Kirara's back as she also went towards the unfolding scene.

Koga growled balefully. "Inu-kurro! What the fuck are you doin' to my mate!?"

Kagome really believes in this moment that Koga has to be the most dense and idiotic man she has ever met. She held her breath, hoping beyond hope that the wolf's foolish outburst doesn't get himself killed.

Inuyasha's growling turned into a vicious snarl as his scarlet eyes turned towards the baka wolf, and pinned him in place.

"Mine." The reverberation of the growl made even Koga flinch.

Kagome's sad eyes looked up at the demon above her. "Inuyasha..."

His head snapped back to look at her as his growl changed once again. She knows his mate call growl and his enemy growl, but this is neither. She doesn't have much time to think on what this growl could mean however, so she just does what she does best. Speaks truthfully and from the heart.

"I'm yours, Inuyasha. I always have been and always will be, yours."

His grip on her wrists above her head tightened as he shortened the distance between them. Only an inch in front of her, practically nose to nose, he growls once again, a fang protruding from his lip.

"You betrayed your mate."

Kagome's eyes closed as more tears fell. "I... I didn't mean to..." Her watery eyes opened back up to lock with his once again. "I'm sorry... I... I asked him to make me forget... I wanted to forget you because... because of everything he made me do..." She began to sob harder and harder. "Once I forgot you and the others... I thought... I thought he was my husband... I thought I loved him..."

Inuyasha cut her off with a clawed hand to her throat, moving both of her wrists into his left hand, all in the span of a couple seconds. Her eyes widened just slightly, but she noticed he wasn't squeezing, just holding her still. She was still foolishly not afraid of the raging demon, literally holding her by the throat.

'He could so easily kill me right now... but I know he won't...'

Miroku was about to intervine, but Sango stopped him with a hand to his arm. When he looked at her questioningly, she gave him a sad but reassuringly stern look.

"He is an Inu, they need to show their dominance to their mate. He won't hurt her, he just needs to comprehend what had truly happened." She sighed and turned from his gaze as she hesitatingly spoke this next part. "Infidelity is a crime to Inu's. If she willingly gave herself to someone else, then he has the right to kill her." At Miroku's wide eyed gasp, she turned back to him and continued. "That's why, we need to be calm. Allow Kagome to explain what really happened." She inhaled and exhaled calmly. "We must not intervene."

Miroku nodded in understanding, but did not respond verbally. He continued to observe the scene before him as he patted Shippo on the head, who had just jumped up onto his shoulder.

Even Koga was staying back, fully understanding the situation for what it has become. If he were to intrude on a canine mate pair in this instance... his heart wouldn't beat for even one more second.

Inuyasha's snarls and growls increased. "Did you willingly give yourself to another?"

"Y-Yes but -"

His hand tightened around her throat, just slightly piercing the skin with the tips of his claws. His deep growl resonated against her body, making her go completely still in his grasp. Still no fear could be detected from her and it confuses his demon to no end.

"Why." It wasn't said as a question, which left no room for her to not respond to his demand.

"I-Inu..."

His face is as close as he can make it now as he snarled, his lengthened fangs glistening in the evening sunset. "WHY!"

"He tricked me!" She yelled back in response.

Her eyes are puffy from crying, her face is red from all of her different emotions warring each other for dominance within her mind. She is already so exhausted. She just wants to sleep and pretend that this day had never happened. But she cant. All she can do is hope to convince her hanyou-turned-youkai mate to understand. Understand what she had just now put together herself.

How could she have been so stupid?

"Explain."

She had the fleeting thought that he sounds an awful lot like his brother in this moment, but she mentally shrugged that random notion away and answered him. She closed her eyes, unable to look at him at the moment.

"He... r-raped me over and over. He forced me to... to do things I never wanted. I begged him to stop... I screamed out for you... but, you never came..."

She re-locked her eyes with his, noticing the slight fading of the redness within. She knew she had to tell him everything, no matter how difficult it may be. She took a shuddering breath in, wincing when she felt a claw slightly pierce her throat, and continued with her tale.

"He... started to show me things... forcing my head into believing things that weren't true. I hung on as long as I could but..." Her eyes closed once again, knowing she has to relive another horrid memory. "...he put the image in my mind of he and I getting married... I thought... I thought he was my husband." Tears flowing freely, she continued. "That was the first night I... willingly gave myself to him..."

At Inuyasha's growl, she opened her eyes back up to gaze into his once more. "It felt wrong... I didn't understand why it felt so wrong... why I felt so... dirty... until I was... finishing and your face popped into my mind. I saw your silver hair, golden eyes, incredibly handsome smirk and your adorable dog ears... That's when I just wanted to forget. I knew... I knew you would never forgive me for what I had just done."

Inuyasha's hand began to loosen from around her throat as his eyes started to lose it's crimson color. Kagome took another breath in and out before telling him what had happened next.

"He told me you would never want me after what I had just done with him... I was hurting. I felt disgusting and filthy. I was impure and defiled. I was nothing but a whore... N-Naraku's whore..." She shuddered in disgust. "I asked him to make the pain go away. I just wanted to forget. Forget the man I love, because I knew there was no way you could love me in return after finding out what I had become. What he told me I would become. A defiled, used, abused, good for nothing impure whore."

Inuyasha unknowingly loosened his hold on her wrists, giving her the opportunity she needed to move her hands from above her head and cup his cheeks. She traced the jagged purple stripes along his perfect cheek bones with the pads of her thumbs, and gave him a sad, watery smile.

"I... I forgot who I was that night. I woke up feeling happy and content being Naraku's wife. From that point on, it was nothing but... but s-sex and whatever the hell that bastard wanted from me." She reached up and scratched the base of his ear as his red eyes began to fade more and more. "Yes, I... I asked for it... I begged for him... I wanted him and... I... I enjoyed it too..."

Kagome cupped his cheeks once again when he began to snarl. "But I know now... especially after what he had just done... I know that that wasn't really what I wanted. It wasn't really what I am. It was what the mind of a woman who grew up as a shrine maiden in the Sengoku Jidai had wanted. A woman that thought a certain Inuhanyou had broken her heart and then tried to rape her. A woman that thought Naraku was her savior and protector. Who thought that she had married at fifteen and was happily married for five years there after.

"As soon as I remembered who I was, I was appalled at what had happened and what I had allowed to happen. Everything that I did was ingrained in my memory and replayed over and over again.

"I was disgusted with myself. I scrubbed myself clean every chance I got and I even hurt myself and tried to fucking kill myself because of that memory. The one that bastard just showed you, is forever entrenched in my mind. I don't feel pleasure reliving that memory. I don't think back on it and enjoy it the way he had made me think I did when it was happening. I only think about how impure and disgusting I am. How I acted like nothing but an adulterated harlot. How much I knew I hurt you and how much I don't deserve someone like you. My wonderul hanyou."

She realized she has been speaking for a while now, so she forced herself to calm down and take a few slow inhales and exhales. She saw his eyes fade more and more, the white beginning to outshine the red and the blue irises are now non-existent, replaced with his beautiful gold, his pupils changing from white back to its usual black. She stroked his facial markings as they began to fade and she pulled him down by the back of the neck to kiss him softly. When she pushed him back to look at him once again, his golden eyes were boring into her shining brown ones.

"I only ever truly wanted you, Inuyasha. The only one that I could ever want, me as Kagome... is you. I love you and I am so so sorry. Please... Please forgive me... If... If you were to give up on me... I don't think I could go on..." Her sentence trailed off as a broken sob escaped her parted lips.

Everyone watched with bated breath as Inuyasha just stared at her for a long moment, unblinking, seemingly lost in thought.

Koga listened to her story and felt anger and anguish at what she had gone through. Then the way she spoke about Inuyasha... it saddened him to know he never truly had a chance with her, but he has known... he knew since the day he met her that the hanyou had a scent claim on her. That was one of the reasons he had tried so hard. He enjoyed the challenge of winning her affections, and riling up the hanyou was a fun bonus too. The fact that she is a beautiful and amazing young woman who can see the jewel shards was just icing on the proverbial cake.

He sighed, there is no reason to keep fighting for a woman that would never feel the same way about him. He clenched his fists together at his sides as he continued to watch Inuyasha begin to come back to himself.

Sango was also watching with sorrow filled eyes. She was squeezing the monks hand as the story got sadder and sadder. She knew what Kagome had gone through was terrible, but she never wanted to ask the more gruesome details. She knows, only her mate can fully get her through this. She just hopes that the demon in him will truly understand that she did not actually willingly give herself to Naraku. She was manipulated into believing she wanted him. Sango takes a calming breath in and watches as Inuyasha's eyes began to once again show his normal golden hue.

Miroku was allowing his taijiya to hold onto him for support as he listened to the depressing truth. The most pure being he could imagine to ever meet, has gone through probably the hardest thing he could think one would have to deal with. As a monk, he has seen and spoken to many sexually assaulted women and helped them through it. Yes, even the lecherous monk knows when not to grope a woman. But he has never in his entire life heard of such a tragic story.

To be forced into bed with someone over and over... To have false memories placed within your mind until you were basically an empty shell of yourself... until you became broken... and then having to relive those memories in your mind, remembering how you felt during the toughest time of your life...

He shook his head and closed his eyes tight. He can't imagine how she must be feeling. But he knows his friend, and he knows Inuyasha will make it right. The pain will still be there for sure, but with him by her side... she will become the Kagome they all know and love once again. He continued to watch silently as his best friend makes the decision he knows will be the correct one.

Shippo is clinging to Kirara's back, tears streaking down his face.

When the kit had felt the need to cling to something, but Kagome and Inuyasha weren't available, he had jumped off of Miroku's shoulder and ran to Kagome's bag. He then grabbed his stuffed fox, who he had decided to name Foxy. He loves that it looks like his father, but he wants this toy to be a friend, instead of the father he misses with all of his heart. He will still look at it and be reminded of him, but that only makes him smile and hug it harder.

After grabbing Foxy, he had jumped on top of Kirara and snuggling into her fur, cuddling his new friend close. He listened to Kagome talk about what had happened with Naraku and his tears stained his little cheeks. He knows what Inuyasha is doing, being of one of the canine families that mate for life, but he is still distraught at having to witness it. Once Kagome got to the part of forgetting everyone, he blocked everything else out and cuddled harder, waiting for Inuyasha to stop being a baka and forgive his 'mother' already.

Inuyasha stared down at the woman who has become his entire world. He remembers everything she had said to him. Every little detail that he basically forced her to relive. He closed his eyes taut as tears began to burn behind his eyelids. How could he be so foolish? How could he be such a fucking asshole? Naraku forced her into such a terrible situation and he just did the same thing to his own mate!

He shook his head of those infuriating thoughts and opened his eyes back up. He cupped her cheek lovingly as an unbidden tear escaped his eye and fell to the opposite cheek. He leaned down and licked the tear away before nuzzling his face under her chin, a way of apologizing in Inu.

Kagome immediately wrapped her arms around his back and cried harder. She is more than relieved at his obvious forgiveness.

"I am so sorry, Inuyasha! I love you so so much."

Inuyasha pulled back from the nuzzling and kissed her softly. Kagome's lips trembled against his as she felt the love and affection he feels for her through the warm kiss. The love he still feels for her. After everything he saw... After everything she had just told him. He still loves her. He still wants to be with her.

Inuyasha pulled back from her mouth and rested his forehead against hers for just a moment. After he calmed down enough, he moved off of her and helped her to sit up by the hand. He cradled her in his lap and rocked her in his arms. He knows there is an audience, but he doesn't really give a fuck at the moment. His mate is hurting and a big part of that is his own idiotic fault.

"Kagome..."

She turned her tear stained face to look up at his, shakily reaching up and cupping his cheek. They locked eyes and just stared at one another for a long moment.

After another minute of silence, Inuyasha spoke. "I'm sorry."

Kagome's eyes widened slightly. "S-Sorry? You didn't do anything! I did! I..." She shook her head and looked down at his chest, moving her hand to idly twiddle with his rosary between the tips of her fingers.

Inuyasha moved her face carefully by the chin to look back up at him. "I couldn't control my demon and I treated you like a cheating mate. I knew that Naraku had corrupted your mind, but... I... what I saw..." He shook his head and looked at her sadly. "I shouldn't have attacked ya like that."

"You didn't attack me, Inuyasha. If you used that cute nose of yours, you would have known I wasn't afraid of you. Not even for a second." She gave him a small smile as she cupped his cheek once again. "You only followed your instincts. You know that is just one of the many things that I love about you."

He leaned down to nuzzle his cheek against hers as he squeezed his eyes tightly shut once again. It's one thing to allow his mate and pups to see you cry, but the entire pack? Plus an outsider? He growls at his own weakness before pulling back and moving a stray hair from her face to behind her ear.

When he moved her hair, the smell of her blood hit his nose. He quickly turned her head to the side and growled once again.

"I did hurt you!"

Kagome put her hand to the side of her neck and sighed exasperatedly. There are three tiny pin pricks on her skin, barely a drop of blood on each.

"Inuyasha. I get hurt worse by playing with Buyo."

Inuyasha ignored her as he leaned forward to clean the wound with his tongue. Kagome immediately blushed as she remembered the audience.

"I-Inuyasha... You don't need to do that. It... It's fine, really."

Inuyasha only growled in response as he continued to clean and heal her miniscule wounds. After he finished, he pulled back and nodded once, proud of his work. Then they both stood up and looked around at their friends. Inuyasha picked up his forgotten blade and secured it back to his hip.

Shippo was the first one to react. He held tightly to Foxy in his right arm as he jumped off of Kirara and into Kagome's awaiting embrace. Kagome held onto him as tightly as she dared as they cried together.

She pulled him back to look into his teary green eyes and wiped the salty liquid from his face with the pad of her thumb.

"I am so sorry, Shippo. You are much too young to have to deal with any of this." She looked away and bit her lip nervously. "You... did block everything out like I told you to... right?" She looked back at him when he spoke.

Shippo nodded his head and looked down between their chests, holding the little stuffed fox tighter. "I didn't see or hear anything until after Naraku left and... and before you told Inuyasha what happened..." He looked back into Kagome's sad eyes and then hugged her tighter. "I love you, Kagome! I know Naraku made you forget us and you wouldn't have been with him if you knew who we were."

Kagome cuddled him close as she looked at her other friends. She quickly averted her gaze, still feeling ashamed even if she now realizes it wasn't really her fault. The memories are still there. The way she had thought and felt during her temporarily altered mind, still lives within her. That is something that she can never forget.

While her thoughts were occupied, she didn't notice her best friend walking closer until she was wrapped up in a feminine embrace. Shippo snuggled deeper into their collective chests as the girls hugged and cried together.

"Oh, Kagome... Don't feel embarrassed or ashamed for this." She pulled back to look into the brown eyes of her younger sister. "What he did was not your fault. And we are not leaving. I promise."

Kagome nodded her head as she held Shippo tighter and looked over to the new voice.

"Sango is correct, Kagome-sama. I cannot imagine the pain and suffering you have been through, but I want you to know that we are here for you. If you ever need to talk or you need help learning to meditate, I am here. Remember that I am a monk, afterall." He gave her a sly grin, which had her choking out a strangled laugh as she shook her head in amusement.

Kagome wiped her face of her tears as she nodded her head and murmured a small, "thank you." She then turned to a subdued looking wolf and winced at how defeated he appeared to be. "K..Koga-kun..."

Koga's sparkling blue eyes clashed with her brown ones and he gave her his usual cocky grin. "I wish I was there to protect ya, Kagome..." He ignored the growl and possessive arm that wrapped around the woman as he continued. "I..." He looked down at his feet and took a deep breath in. "I hope we can still be friends..."

Kagome's eyes widened as a small smile broke out across her face. She handed Shippo to Sango and pulled away from Inuyasha's protective hold on her to walk towards the ookami prince. Inuyasha was about to intervene, but Miroku put a hand on the hanyous shoulder and shook his head. He knows this needs to happen. The stubborn wolf is finally giving up his verbal claim on Kagome and the Miko needs to speak to him too.

Kagome stared into Koga's eyes for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck. She allowed a few more tears to fall as he held her tight, Koga revelling in being able to hold her like this in what will probably be his one and only chance.

Kagome pulled back and gave him the most beautiful smile he could ever remember seeing, forcing himself to smile in return.

"Thank you, Koga-kun. Thank you for not... not hating me for what you had to see..." She glanced away from him with a small frown and a wrinkle between her eyebrows, before locking their eyes once again. "I am so happy you still want to be my friend. I... I'm sorry I couldn't love you the way I know you wanted... I've been in love with Inuyasha almost since the day I met him..."

She backed up a few steps, immediately feeling the arms of her mate wrap around her waist. She looked up into his beautiful eyes and smiled before looking back at Koga.

"Inuyasha is my true mate Koga... no matter what, it would have been impossible for me not to fall in love with him." Inuyasha's smug grin spread across his face as he watched Koga's reaction to this bit of news.

Koga's eyes widened to the size of saucers as he looked from Kagome to the cocky smirking hanyou and back to the young Miko. He shook his head side to side and let out a shuddering breath. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, as he let out an awkward chuckle.

"Ya really coulda killed me for putting a claim on your woman, dog breath. You knew all along ya were mates and didn't slit my throat." He laughed even harder.

Inuyasha growled, but Kagome only smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist, still standing at his side and looking at the ookami prince.

"That's because he is a good person, Koga. He didn't like how you tried to claim me as yours, but he wasn't going to kill you over it. That's one of the things I love about him. His kind heart."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Feh, I only didn't kill the scrawny wolf 'cuz it woulda upset ya..."

Kagome shook her head in amusement, knowing that he isn't being fully truthful, but she let it go for now.

Before anyone else could speak up, they all heard yelling from a short distance away.

"Kogaaa!"

"Heeeyy!"

The two wolf boys ran up to the group, tired and out of breath. Ginta fell to the ground on his rear, while Hakkaku doubled over with his hands to his knees, huffing in and out exhaustedly.

Koga crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow at them. "Where have you two idiots been?"

Ginta started between gasping breaths. "We... ran... and then..."

Hakkaku finished his sentence. "We... lost you..."

Ginta continued for him. "There was... a demon!"

"He attacked... us!"

"But we... managed..."

"To get away!"

"Then we..."

"Found your scent..."

"And... tracked it!"

Now, both wolves are sitting on the ground, leaning against each other, back to back with their eyes closed.

Koga growled and rolled his eyes. "Get up, idiots. We're leaving."

Ginta and Hakkaku's eyes shot open and they whined pitifully. "But we just got here!" Ginta looked to Kagome and smiled widely before standing up in front of her. "nee-san!"

Kagome gave the two wolves a small but warm smile, as she rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Hi there, boys."

Hakkaku looked between Inuyasha, Kagome and Koga and gasped. "Koga! You are giving up your claim on nee-san!?"

Ginta's eyes widened. "Why not fight for the right to mate her?"

Kagome's smile turned into a frown as Inuyasha snarled. "Hey! I'm not some consolation prize! Inuyasha is my mate and that is final!"

Inuyasha grinned triumphantly at the wolves as he tightened his hold on Kagome. "Keh. So beat it wolves. I'm tired of smellin' ya."

Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha..."

Koga chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, we better go Kagome. It is startin' to stink around here. Can't stand the stench of dog."

Kagome rolled her eyes and shook her head. Sango and Miroku grinned, happy that things seem to be a little more normal than before. Shippo only mumbled out a small, "bakas."

Ginta and Hakkaku just shrugged their shoulders as they stood next to Koga, ready to follow him wherever he goes.

Kagome smiled and waved. "Well, I hope to see you around, Koga-kun. I'm happy to call you my friend."

Koga had a slight sadness to his eyes, but smiled and nodded before turning to face the opposite direction. "See ya later, Kagome." As he started to run away, he waved a hand above his head and yelled back, "smell ya later, dog breath!" His tornado leaving a trail of dust in his wake.

Ginta and Hakkaku looked at each other before following behind their leader, already not able to see where he had gone.

"Byeee!" They both yelled back in unison.

Kagome sighed as she slumped back against Inuyasha's chest, no longer forcing the fake smile on her face. "I... I think we should set up camp. I'm really exhausted after... after everything..."

Everyone readily agreed and set up a spot to make camp not too far from where they were. They set up their sleeping bags with a fire pit made up in the center. Inuyasha told Sango and Miroku to watch Kagome while he goes to hunt. Kagome had asked surprisedly why he doesn't just want Ramen, but he only shrugged his shoulders and said she needs to eat something more substantial. Kagome gave him a watery smile and a chaste kiss before he left.

Kagome pulled her math book out of her bag to try and get some studying done while Inuyasha skinned the boar and Sango cooked, but she is having a hard time concentrating. She is tapping her pencil against her book and her legs are shaking anxiously. She keeps replaying the events of the day over and over in her head.

It was one thing to have those memories in her own mind... but now her mate and best friends have it in theirs. It is the single most embarrassing thing to have ever happened to her, and she is having a hard time making eye contact with her friends because of it.

Once the excitement had ended and it gave her a chance to truly think, she couldn't keep herself covered enough. Already wearing a turtleneck and long pants, she is constantly wrapping her arms protectively around her body. She can't help but feel naked. She feels exposed and the thought of them all seeing her like that... she shudders at the notion.

She looked to her right when Miroku sat down at a respectable distance beside her. When their eyes locked, she quickly averted her gaze to focus back down at her math book.

"Kagome-sama..."

"H-Hai, Miroku? Wh-What is it?"

Miroku sighed as he layed his shakujō down next to him and passively fingered the beads on his right hand. "I am truly sorry for what you have been through, Kagome-sama."

Kagome nodded her head but didn't respond, nor did she look at him.

"I want you to know that you should not feel embarrassed over what had happened. Naraku is not worth any of the negative feelings and thoughts that plague your mind."

Kagome chanced a look at him, seeing his warm smile as he locked his indigo eyes with her brown ones.

"I..." She shook her head and looked back down at the book she isn't paying any attention to.

Miroku put a hand to her shoulder, noticing the slight grimace and how she held her arms around herself tighter then before. He pulled away and looked in a different direction, watching as Sango cooks and Inuyasha argues with Shippo about Kami knows what.

"I do not wish to make you uncomfortable, Kagome-sama. I only wish to be a friend and help you through this tough time. Would you like to begin meditation with me tomorrow?" He waited a moment but when there was no response, he sighed and continued. "I will not force you into anything you are disagreeable with, Kagome-sama." He turned to look at her and gave her a small smile when she looked back at him. "Just know that I will be here when you are ready."

After that, he grabbed his staff and stood up. He dusted off his robes before walking over to help Sango collect the boar Kabobs from the fire and hand them out. Kagome reluctantly stuffed her book back into her bag and went over to sit with her friends around the fire.

Inuyasha sat next to her as he eagerly grabbed two Kabobs from the monk. Kagome watched as Shippo practically ripped his away from Miroku's outstretched hand. She quietly thanked him for hers and paid attention as everyone ate and spoke as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened. She knows that they are trying to make her feel like nothing has changed but... she can't help but think about what has been done. The things that can never be undone and unseen and unheard. She sighed as she nibbled on the meat, trying to eat as much as she can. Inuyasha did go hunting for her after all...

Inuyasha swallowed a rather large bite of meat and put a hand on her knee, noticing immediately as she flinched. He turned to her and looked at the subdued nature she is exuding.

"Kagome...?"

She shook her head as she took another bite of her boar, still refusing to look into his eyes. "I'm fine, Inuyasha... really."

The scent of her lie burned his nose, making him have to look the other way and sneeze at the vile stench. He turned back and narrowed his eyes at his stubborn mate. His golden orbs softened at the defeated way she is holding herself.

"Do you... maybe wanna take a bath before ya go to sleep? There is a hot spring about five minutes from here." He doesn't really know what to do and hoped he could distract her with something she loves.

Immediately, Kagome tensed as she wrapped herself tighter in her personal embrace. Her eyes widened and her breaths came in short pants. She seemed to be seeing something far away. The group is trying to take her out of wherever her head had extracted her, but she is lost to the outside world.

They never saw it coming. One second, the sun was shining down with a slight breeze in the spring air. Kagome smiling and laughing along with a little annoyed but slightly amused nekomata.

Then the next moment, the hot spring was clouded in a purple mist. This wasn't a normal miasma, it wouldn't necessarily poison the human and youkai, but it would put them both into a deep sleep. They would be pretty much comatosed and paralyzed for a short period of time.

That's when Naraku made his move. While his aura was well masked, his scent would still be left behind. But only because he permitted it. He chuckled at the thought of how tainted the jewel would soon become.

The neko had growled as soon as the mist appeared, but had no strength to transform as it immediately began to effect her.

Kagome tried to stand, but became too dizzy and didn't even have enough energy to yell for her protector.

'Inuyasha...'

That was her last thought before consciousness evaded her...

"Inu..." She dropped the food she was holding and held onto the sides of her head, closing her eyes as tears streaked down her face.

Inuyasha turned her around to face him, calling her name but nothing seemed to be working. He turned to Miroku with frightened eyes.

"What happened? What did I do!?"

Sango and Shippo watched as Miroku stood and went over to sit next to Inuyasha and in front of Kagome. "It isn't your fault Inuyasha. She has not been to a hot spring since she was taken..."

Miroku turned to the distraught girl and reached forward slowly, grasping her hand and pulling it off of her head. Her eyes immediately shot open and stared at him confusedly.

"Can you breathe with me, Kagome-sama? Everything is alright. You won't need to go anywhere you don't want to. Remember how we did this last time. Inhale for five seconds, hold it for two, and exhale for seven. Can you do that with me?"

Kagome lowered her other hand and idly reached towards her mate. Inuyasha gladly grasped it within his own large clawed ones and watched as she visibly relaxed.

Kagome nodded her head shakily and closed her eyes. She did her breathing exercises three times along with Miroku and when her eyes opened back up, she was fully relaxed.

She looked from Miroku to Inuyasha and back, reluctantly pulling her hand away from the monk and crawling into Inuyasha's lap. She curled up against him and sighed.

"I'm sorry... I don't know what happened..."

Miroku smiled sadly. "I have seen it before with other sexually assulted victims." When Kagome linked her eyes with his, he continued. "You had a bad experience at a... hot spring... It is perfectly understandable why you would not want to go back."

She nodded her head as she relaxed further into Inuyasha's embrace, loving the feel and sound of his mate rumble.

Knowing that Miroku had done what was needed, Sango spoke up. "Would you maybe want to go with me tomorrow? I won't leave you alone, Kagome."

Kagome winced but nodded her head faintly. "S-Sure... I just... I need some sleep." She turned to see the sympathetic eyes of her friend and sighed. "Could you uh... get my medicine from my bag? The two white bottles in the front pocket."

Sango readily agreed as she went over to the big yellow bag and grabbed Kagome's pills for her. She came back and handed her the pill bottles along with a bottle of water. Kagome thanked her friend quietly and took the two pills down easily. She handed back the pill bottles and rested comfortably against Inuyasha once again.

"Are ya alright sleepin' in the tree with me, Kagome?" She only nodded her head as she closed her eyes sleepily.

She knows Inuyasha isn't comfortable on the ground at night and she isn't complaining. As long as she is with him and he still wants to be with her, then she doesn't care where they are. Just as long as they are together.

Shippo jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder and looked down at the half asleep woman in his arms. "Can me and Foxy sleep with you too?"

Inuyasha turned and cocked an eyebrow at the little kitsune. "You named it Foxy?"

Shippo looked at him incredulously. "What else would I name him? He is a fox isn't he?"

Miroku and Sango chuckled and a small tired smile came to Kagome's face as she half listened in on the conversation.

Inuyasha just rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever. If ya ain't gonna wake Kagome, ya can sleep up there with us."

Shippo grinned happily, showing off a tiny fang, and ran to grab Foxy from Kagome's sleeping bag. He quickly returned to Inuyasha's shoulder and held on tight. The hanyou said a quick goodnight to his other companions before jumping up to a high branch in the tree nearest to them.

Inuyasha settled comfortably on the thick bough of the tree as he cradled his mate in his arms. He kissed her softly on the forehead before staring lovingly down at her beautiful face. Shippo crawled down from Inuyasha's shoulder carefully to lay curled up on Kagome's stomach, Foxy safely in his arms.

Inuyasha smiled when Kagome sleepily wrapped her arms around the kit and nuzzled her face into the top of his little head.

"I love you, koibito." Inuyasha whispered down at his sleeping mate.

Sango and Miroku set up their separate sleeping bags at a respectful distance apart. Kirara crawled in with Sango and fell asleep immediately, Sango's eyes drooping shortly there after.

Miroku layed on his back, staring up at the beaded covered black whole in his right hand and sighed.

'We will get you, Naraku... and soon.'

°•°•°

A/N: Yet another chapter complete! I hope this chapter was worth it! When I began to write this chapter, I can honestly say that I had absolutely ZERO plan on what to do. I didn't know what anyone's reactions were gonna be or what Kagome was gonna say or anything at all. I just started typing and didn't stop, allowing my brain to come up with it as I went lol.

Please let me know what you think in the comments! Thanks once again for reading my fanfiction! It means the absolute world to me, no joke. :)