InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Changing Hearts? ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Changing Hearts?

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inu Yasha and pals. That credit belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I am pretty sure the idea is mine.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok, I am stepping away from my usual pairing of Inu Yasha and Kagome...I think. They still haven't told me where they want to go with this storyline. They are all acting a little OOC, sorry, but like I said, I don't know where they are going with this. So I am just sitting back and enjoying the ride. I hope that you all like it. As always, read and enjoy.

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Chapter 3

When Inu Yasha had left the campsite the night before he had been eaten by guilt. He knew that he was breaking his promise to Kagome, again, and that she was even then crying because of it. But he had to see why Kikyo had sought him out this time. She had been doing it often, more often than even Kagome was aware of. Most of the time, his companions were asleep when he ran off to meet her in the woods. Last night she had just wanted to reminisce about their past and to be with someone. It made him wonder if she could possibly begin to love again.

It was his guilt that was causing him to argue with Kagome so often. He felt like he was being torn in two, and he didn't know what to do about it. Both of the women that he cared for needed to be protected, but he couldn't be in two places at once. Kagome felt that he was always leaving her alone, but in truth, he knew that their friends were there to protect her. It was a sign of just how much he trusted them, that he left Kagome in their care. He knew that Sango, Miroku and even the kitsune brat wouldn't let anything happen to her that they could prevent. But Kikyo was alone. He needed to help her, so that his soul wouldn't eat him alive. How could he let harm come to her again because of him, and still live with himself?

So he kept leaving Kagome. She said that she understood, but did she really? Hell, he wasn't even sure if he did. He saw the hurt in her eyes and smelled her tears more often than he cared to admit. Over the past few weeks, even her sent had changed. Instead of warm sunshine and a meadow of wildflowers, she smelled like that meadow was now in the middle of a constant rain. He hated the fact that he was to blame for this change, but he didn't know how to make it better either.

The fact that Kagome remained with him, even through all of this, was a great mystery and also his greatest blessing. He didn't know what he would do if she left. She was his peace of mind and his conscience. This was where his thoughts circled around bringing him back to his starting point. It was the conscience Kagome had provided him with which told him that he couldn't leave Kikyo alone and scared. Kagome had their friends.

Inu Yasha clutched his head, feeling as if it were about to split apart. Now it was the fact that she had those friends that was beginning to worry him. Or to be more specific...one lecherous monk worried him. Miroku had surprised him when he had jumped into the middle of his and Kagome's argument last night. He hadn't paid much attention to what he had said at the time, but now it was coming back to haunt him in flashes. If you are to stupid to see what you have right in front of you, don't be surprised when someone takes it away. He had been to preoccupied with the fact that Kikyo was near to actually pay attention, but he understood it now, didn't he? There had been a not so veiled challenge in his words. Inu Yasha knew that he now had a rival for Kagome's affections. That fact that even Kagome had said that Miroku would be better for her didn't help. Damn, what was he supposed to do? He didn't have a claim on Kagome, and he couldn't make one with his heart divided the way that it was now. The only claim he could make was that he was her protector until the jewel was finished, and he wasn't even doing such good a job at that. A guardian shouldn't run off and leave his charge in the protection of others, should he?

A groan escaped Inu Yasha. he felt lost and alone. The only one who could help him when he felt like this was Kagome. She didn't even know that she did it most of the time. She just had to be where he could see her, smell her scent and his emotions calmed. How could she have such control over me? She has accepted me for who I am now, not who I could be once I used the jewel. She never asked me to be anything but her friend, although I have seen the hope that she might become more in her eyes. Have I even been able to fulfill that simple request? All that I have done is place her in danger, yell at her and cause her pain. That isn't what a friend does.

Damn, damn, damn. This is as sticky as a spider's web, and I have been trussed up to become dinner. No matter which way this goes, I am going to lose something precious to me. Do I break the fragile relationship that Kagome and I have formed just so that I can return to the remains of the woman that I once loved, or do I damn my first love to eternal wandering as an undead thing because I have found happiness with another? Can I really just sit here and watch as Kagome and the pervert get closer to one another, even as Kagome and I drift further apart?

It hit him that this must be the way that Kagome felt when he went off to be with Kikyo. The sad look in her eyes was probably even now reflected in his own as he thought of her with the damned monk. Ugh, I just don't know what to do. He finally pushed himself off the branch and leapt to the ground. Thinking wasn't doing any good, especially since he just kept going around in circles. He needed to see Kagome, and he needed to see her now. Inu Yasha ran off toward the village.

He was about halfway there when he noticed Kagome's sent in the air. He realized two things at the same time, she was afraid and she was bleeding. He could also smell the monk's blood. While he was off pouting, something had attacked them and now she was hurt. Yeah, I am a great protector Inu Yasha thought with disgust. He increased his speed and arrived into a small clearing just in time to see Kagome's flaming arrow take a chunk out of the demon's side. He took a closer look at the demon and gasped. It looked like one of Kikyo's soul stealers, only much larger and meaner. There were rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight. It hissed in pain and darted toward Kagome, intent on killing the human that had hurt it so badly.

She was roughly shoved out of the way. She looked up into Inu Yasha's eyes and saw his unasked question. She quickly dropped her eyes and nodded, she was fine. He watched her reaction and frowned. Why wouldn't she look at him?

The demon, who had been forgotten for the moment, decided it was tired of being ignored. It lashed out at them with its tail. Inu Yasha grabbed Kagome and in one bound placed her out of harm's way. Then he turned back to fight. He drew his sword and it instantly transformed into his father's fang.

"Miroku!" He heard her cry, just as he dealt the deathblow to the demon. Inu Yasha turned to find her sitting on the ground near a tree, the monk's head cradled on her lap. A stabbing pain entered his heart, but he wasn't sure if it was because of the fact that Miroku looked dead or the anguish in Kagome's voice when she had spoken the priest's name. Inu Yasha began walking toward them, when he heard sniffling. He found Shippo curled in a ball behind a boulder. The kitsune was sobbing uncontrollably.

"What's your problem brat?" He asked gruffly, although he picked him up gently. Shippo looked at him with wide eyes.

"You came."

"Why wouldn't I? Have you ever seen me turn down a fight?" He asked with a smirk.

"Because your girlfriend set that demon on us! She wanted to take...to take.." again the kitsune burst into tears. Inu Yasha's eyes widened in surprise.

"What are you saying fox?" Inu Yasha growled, giving the weeping child a rough shake.

"SIT!" Kagome screamed when she saw the hanyou shaking the traumatized fox. As he plunged to the ground, he let go of the child's tail. Shippo scampered over to Kagome and tucked himself against her side. She could hear him whimpering and Inu Yasha's muttered curses from the hole in the ground. She looked down at Miroku, his face so pale and lifeless. He still hadn't regained consciousness. A shadow fell over her and she looked up into confused and slightly guilty golden eyes.

"Did she really do this?" Kagome sighed.

"Do you really want to know the truth Inu Yasha?" He hung his head and his ears drooped. That was answer enough. Kikyo had tried to kill Kagome and his friends.

"What happened?"

"She was waiting for us. She told us that you had been sneaking off to see her at night. She said that the reason that you weren't here with us was because you planned to let her take her soul back from me." Her head was bowed and her hair covered her face. She heard Inu Yasha's gasp. "She said that you couldn't face the guilt watching her do it would bring. When she attacked me, Miroku jumped out to protect me. Her arrow missed..." Kagome gestured to the arrow above her head "but the energy sent him flying into the tree too. She looked like she was listening to something for a moment, and then she disappeared, but she left that demon here to take care of us. I think I got hit by its tail or legs, I don't remember which. I shot it, and then you were here to save me, just like always."

"Kagome, did you believe her?" He whispered. This answer could change everything. When she looked into his eyes, he saw her faith in him shining brightly but there was another emotion there that made is mouth go dry and his stomach shrivel in dread.

"About you plotting with her to get my soul? Of course not, I know that you wouldn't betray me..." She sighed. "Not like that anyway."

"What does that mean?"

"I did believe her when she said that you have been going to see her at night. I have woken up several times and saw that you weren't in you tree. I've know, I just haven't wanted to admit it."

"Kagome, I..."

"Its over Inu Yasha, I don't want to talk about it any more." She snapped. "Right now I am really worried about Miroku. He still hasn't woken up. We need to..." just then the monk stirred and moaned. "Oh thank the gods, Miroku, can you hear me?" His dark eyes fluttered open and he stared at her with a wide smile.

"Am I in heaven? I must be to have such an angel watching over me." Kagome giggled and brushed some dirt from his cheek.

"Silly. I hate to be the one to tell you, but you're still on earth." He tried to sit up and groaned in pain. "Would you just stay still for awhile? We are safe for the moment, and you need to rest."

"Anything for you, my angel" He whispered, closing his eyes again.

"Yeah, and the fact that you can't keep your eyes open has nothing to do with it, right?" Kagome shook her head and chuckled. Well, he seemed okay, just a little loopy at the moment. She couldn't deny that her heart had beat a little faster when he called her his angel, even though she knew it was one of the oldest lines in the book. Obviously it was if they were still using it in her time, five hundred years in the future. Always the charmer, she thought with a grin.

She looked up to see Inu Yasha watching her intently. He looked so sad and lost. She smiled at him. He didn't return it, just turned away from her without a word. Guilt was still burning in his gaze, as were sadness and what she would have to say was anxiety. Was that because of Kikyo trying to kill them? Because almost hadn't been in time? Because Kikyo had lied about his involvement? Or was it something else completely. He could be so confusing sometimes.

Inu Yasha walked away from them. He couldn't believe that Kikyo would try something like this, yet believe it he did. Kagome wouldn't lie to him. While he was trying to figure out how to protect both of them, Kikyo had decided to level the playing field. She couldn't have known that Kagome wouldn't believe the lies she told about him. Kagome's trust in him was too strong. What had he done to deserve it?

The scent of her blood washed over him again, and he turned back to his companions. He knelt down beside her, and looked her over. Her sweater was torn in several places and he could see the scratches underneath were still trickling blood. Luckily none of them were deep. He saw that she had bandaged the monk's arm. Stupid girl, always thinking of other before herself.

"You are hurt. Let me take care of you." he pleaded. She looked at him and nodded shyly. His touch was gentle and he took care of the wounds neatly. Throughout the process, she never let go of the monk. It also didn't escape his notice that she was stroking his hair, just like she pet Shippo.

"Thank you Inu Yasha." she said, once he was finished. He nodded and stood. When he looked down at her, he saw just how exhausted she was. With a sigh he dropped back to the ground beside her and pulled her head to his shoulder. Soon her even breathing let him know that she was fast asleep. Shippo crawled between them and soon was snoring lightly.

What was he going to do? He couldn't let her go. He knew that much, but he could feel her slipping away from him, inch by inch. He didn't know how to stop it either. Had Kikyo's attack changed how he felt at all? Well, it had made him angry as hell, but he still felt obligated to see that she found her peace. But if she ever tried to hurt Kagome or his friends again, he wouldn't be held responsible for his actions.

Miroku was awake. He had never actually fallen back to sleep. He was remembering the soft look in Kagome's eyes when he had called her his angel. To him, that was exactly what she had become. The fact that she had never doubted that Inu Yasha had not part in the plot to steal her soul amazed him. Her love for the hanyou was strong, but she had feelings for him too, he could tell. She had known that he was going to see Kikyo at night and that explained the tears, but she never said anything about it. She was the strongest person that he knew. He was more determined than ever that he would win her for himself, but he would never force the decision on her. She would have to come to him willingly, not driven into his waiting arms because of the stupid hanyou. But he was helping in his own way. For now, he would just enjoy the position that he was in, and try to keep his hands in line. He smiled when he felt Kagome stroking his hair. Yeah, this was Heaven.