InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Early December ❯ Twelve ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: ::in the dark, pouring over a board:: Oh great Ouiji board. . . please answer me this one question- Do I own Inu-Yasha?

::looks at the reply::

. . .

::chucks the board across the wall:: ::pouts in corner:: Curses.

Author's Note: Enjoy- - -

And don't hurt me until you get to the end! ^_^;;;;

~*~

~Chapter Twelve: Kikyo Part I~

~Kagome's PoV~

I'm afraid when Sessho-Maru appears-

But I'm terrified when he forces me and the others to leave.

Why doesn't he want us to overhear?

What's going on?

What is this all about?

I try to protest and stay with Inu, but eventually give in and follow my friends as we take a small walk around the village, unsure of where else to go.

"Don't worry, Kagome-chan," Sango whispers as we stroll, noticing my frightened face and tear filled eyes. "Inu-Yasha can take on Sessho-Maru any day."

I clutch the broom that I had picked up before leaving to my chest, my knuckles slowly turning white. "Yeah, I know. . . I just. . ."

Just. . .

I always feel so alone. . .

So empty. . .

When Inu-Yasha isn't near by. . .

. . .

I swallow hard.

"I'm gonna go back to Kaede's," I finally murmur, choking on tears of worry as I gnaw on the skin surrounding my nails.

"But Kagome-sama- I think we should all stay togeth-" Miroku begins, but I cut him off as I brush past, still holding tightly to my broom.

*

I sigh deeply as I flop onto Kaede's porch, my eyes locked on the powder blue sky.

I need to think-

But it's the last thing I *want* to do.

For whenever I think about the future and my mate. . .

I always get so worried. . .

I sigh again, more softly this time.

I know Inu-Yasha will be okay-

He's always won against Sessho-Maru in the past, and will win again should a fight occur.

But still. . .

I sniff loudly and wipe a tear from my eye.

Whenever he's not near me- at least within `sit'ing distance- `what if's dance continuously through my mind.

And I just can't suppress them.

I dunno. . .

Maybe it's a hormone imbalance thing.

But it doesn't change the fact that when I'm not near my mate I begin to wonder. . .

What if he's lost?

What if he's hurt?

What if he's died?

What would I do?

What if he's gotten into a fight?

What if he's turned full youkai?

What if he's run into trouble?

What would I do?

What if he's decided he doesn't love me?

What if he's found someone new?

What if he's gone off with Kikyo?

What would I do. . . ?

. . .

I rub my eyes a little harder, impatient with my stupidity.

Inu-Yasha wouldn't forsake me.

. . .

Would h-?

No!

But Kiky-

NO!

I can't think like that. . .

He's out with his brother, he's perfectly fine!

. . .

Okay, so that *might* not be true. . .

But he can certainly take care of himself!

I hug the broom a little closer to my body, trying to calm my stomach as I flop backwards and watch the clouds.

`Keep your mind off of it,' I command myself, taking deep, steadying breaths. `And whatever happens- don't think about *her*- What was that?!'

I bolt upright, craning my neck left and right as it passes again-

A pale and insect-like something that zooms past; grasping a softly glittering orb.

You can't be serious!

Not here!

Not now!

I pray that it's just an illusion-

But know that it's not as at least ten others appear from the forest, circling Kaede's hut in their usual lazy fashion.

Soul Skimmers.

"Oi!" I hiss, a lead ball of fear dropping into my stomach. "L-leave Inu-Yasha alone!"

Why have *they* appeared?

After an absence of Kikyo for over a 6 months, she chooses NOW- of all the times!- to make a grand appearance!

Why?!

.Does she know that I'm pregnant? Is she angry? Is that why she's here now?

And what if she doesn't?

If she doesn't know I'm pregnant, would she still want Inu-Yasha when she finds out?

. . .

At the risk of sounding like my love-

Keh.

Of course she would.

She'd never give him up. . .

"Go away!" I call to the bugs, waving my free hand wildly. "Go back home! Leave us alone!"

They ignore me completely, still looking around for the hanyou their mistress sent them to fetch.

Talk about rude!

"I said," I glare, my horror changing slowly into anger, "go AWAY!"

Snarling softly, I begin swinging my broom like a bat, succeeding in knocking one bug-like-thing down; its wing horribly battered.

I find I really don't care.

"Do you all want a piece of me?!" I call to the creatures. They momentarily forgot their assignment- their attention instead upon me.

I continue hacking at the Soul Skimmers as they try (and fail) to dive bomb me, for once thanking my serious mood swings.

I always feel more confident when pissed off.

"Tell Kikyo to rot in hell by herself!" I snap, smacking one of the demons into Kaede's outer wall before continually bashing it over the head with the bristly end of my `weapon'.

Returning my attention to the last pair of soul skimmers, I kick one of the unconscious ones that littered the porch out of the way; brandishing my broom like a sword.

However, as I knock one of the two out with a well placed swing, I hear approaching footsteps from the direction Inu-Yasha had left.

I turn in surprise, momentarily forgetting the last soul skimmer- which flies frantically away from me- as my mate slows to a stop.

His eyes widen as he watches the last bug drift towards the woods, it's right leg hanging limp.

"Kikyo. . ."

*

I'm aware of nothing as I run.

I just run.

Run through the wild wilderness of the woods as he calls out for me in confusion.

"Wha-?! Kagome-?! Kagome, come back!"

I don't.

For whenever he speaks I hear him say her name.

In my mind he is no longer crying out for me-

But for her.

I turn off my senses.

I remain unaware to the world; half dead inside.

Hot tears slide down my cheeks, but I don't feel their burning trails.

His voice echoes her name though my mind, but the syllables make no sense to me.

My feet throb in pain, my sides burn with cramps, and my eyes are blurry- but I hardly notice.

I just need to get away.

So I keep running.

"Kagome!"

He is getting nearer- he always has been faster then me.

But I don't want him to catch up.

Not today.

Not now.

Not ever.

Not with her on his mind.

"SIT!" I scream as I run, continually repeating the word until he can no longer hear me, and I can no longer hear him.

And then I crumple to the forest floor and cry.

*

Kikyo.

Kikyo.

Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo.

Did you know her name means `balloon flower'?

But she is no flower in my eyes. . .

Unless you count poison ivy as a flower.

She's a welt, an infection- an inch that Inu-Yasha just *has* to scratch.

It's always been this way.

How could I have been foolish enough to think that was going to change, just because I was pregnant?

Kikyo.

Kikyo.

Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo.

How I've come to loathe the name.

I hug myself tightly, my eyes squeezed shut against my flowing tears as I sit alone in the smallest of forest clearings.

Kikyo.

Kikyo.

Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo.

Just to hear him say it makes me want to throw up.

And now she's here. . .

Now she's back. . .

She's going to take him away from me!

She's going to take him away!

Kikyo.

Kikyo.

Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo.

His little balloon flower. . .

How I wish I could pull off every one of her accursed petals and kill her for good!

But no. . .

No matter how much I hate my incarnation. . .

Inu-Yasha still has feelings for her; his past. . .

I will not hurt him.

Never.

"Kagome!" I hear him call, his voice soft and distant. "Kag-chan, where are you?!"

I swallow hard, mentally commanding myself to stand-

To run-

But I can't.

I'm too. . .

. . . tired. . .

. . .

*

The first thing I notice when I slowly awaken is the fact that I am no longer outside. I don't even need to open my eyes to know that I am lying on the floor of a hut- probably Sango and Miroku's- upon a few soft blankets.

But how- - -?

Inu-Yasha.

Where is he. . . ?

I slowly allow my eyes to flutter open, taking in my surroundings.

It's already night time. Moonbeams of soft indigo pour though the windows, which are open in the hopes of catching a cool breeze. Sango, Miroku, and Kaguya- all asleep in the furthest corner of the hut- look peaceful in the warm glow as they rest beside an adult-sized Kirara*. My packs are lying in the corner, Shippo slumbering beside them; an open manga lying on his stomach as he snores quietly.

But no sign of Inu.

I quickly sit up, making sure I hadn't overlooked him. (Which would usually be hard to do, but since I'm half asleep. . .)

No.

He's not here. . .

I push the blankets I had been placed under away impatiently, anger eating away at my insides.

Did he simply drop me off and then run to Kikyo?!

Kikyo!

Kikyo!

Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo!

That's all he cares about!

That's all he cares about. . .

I'm just about to give up and cry again- - -

When I hear the door open with the softest of creaks.

I look up.

Inu-Yasha.

*

He stares curiously at me from the doorway, some sort of package in his hands as he carefully shuts the door behind him.

"Kag-chan?" he whispers as he walks cautiously over to my side, his body illuminated by moonlight. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Because I woke up," I replied tartly, crossing my arms and glaring in the opposite direction, anger coiling inside me like a snake. "So. How's Kikyo?"

I spit out her name like a swear.

He doesn't react.

Why?

I glare at him from the corner of my eye- - -

And am shocked to find him blinking in confusion, his ears twitching in curiosity.

"What do you mean?" he slowly demanded, one eyebrow arched as he crosses his arms and legs; hiding the box in his large sleeves. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Isn't that where you went?" I question, my voice cold-

But not as icy as it had been moments before.

"Keh!" he barks quietly. "Of course not!"

I blink in surprise. "What? But then-?"

"You idiot," he shakes his head. "Do you really think I'd go see Kikyo if your safety and well being were in question?"

He then glares up at me, his amber eyes full of concerned anger. "And while we're on the subject- what the hell were you doing, running off like that?! You could have seriously hurt yourself! You could have hurt the pup! You worried me!"

I just sit there, taking in his reprimands with wide eyes.

He. . .

Didn't go see Kikyo?

"But then," I interrupt in the middle of another rebuke, "where were you? Why did you say her name when her soul skimmers appeared?"

He raises his eyebrow again. "Why did I say her name? Because the Soul Skimmers are her's, aren't they? What *else* would I say when I saw them? `Pickle head'? `Lollipop'? `The Wicked Witch of the West'?!"

My mate is a fan of the Wizard of Oz. (Long story.)

"You could have. . ." I mumbled, feeling a little stupid. But still- - -

"Then where were you when I woke up?"

He doesn't reply for a moment, instead grumbling softly under his breath.

Then he reaches slowly into his sleeves and pulls out the box, placing it carelessly into my lap.

Gingerly picking it up, I noticed with surprise that it's surrounded in plastic.

That's not common for this time. . .

Squinting as I lift it into the moon light, I read the container's label.

"Chocolate covered cherries. . ."

He. . .

He had gone to my time. . .

Into one of the supermarkets-

And gotten me chocolate covered cherries. . . ?

I instantly feel ashamed of myself.

How could I be so untrusting. . . ?!

Looking up at my mate I feel my bottom lip tremble.

He notices this and opens his mouth to stop my waterworks-

But he's too slow.

Bursting into loud sobs, I fling myself into his chest with such force that he falls back in surprise.

"Kagome. . . ?"

"I'm sorry, so sorry," I whisper, trembling as I soak his haori in tears.

"Sorry?" he repeats blankly as he gathers me in his arms, setting me carefully back on the make-shift futon and lying beside me. "Sorry for what?"

"I was afraid. . ." I murmur, crushing my body to his as I shake. "I was afraid you'd leave me. . . I was afraid you'd choose her. . ."

"Choose who?" he asks, brow furrowed in confusion. "Kikyo?"

I nod, unable to find my voice.

He's silent for a moment.

Then he gently lifts my chin, causing our eyes to lock.

"Kag-chan," he says seriously. "You are a bigger fool than I thought."

. . .

Thanks, Inu-chan.

I feel SO much better.

Glowering at him, I raise my hand to push him away; but instead he grabs it and pulls me closer, causing me to gasp quietly in surprise.

"Why would I go with Kikyo?" he asks softly, gently wiping my tears away with a thumb. "I have everything I want right here."

I tremble again, my voice still stuck somewhere in my throat.

"Kikyo was my past, and I can't ever change the imprint she left on my life," he sighs, tightening his hold around me. "But you're my future. I love *you*, Kag-chan, not her."

Then he does something rare-

He smiles.

Gently nuzzling my cheek, he buries his nose in my hair, breathing in its scent. Carefully pulling the blankets over our bodies, he holds me to his chest, trailing feather-light kisses down the base of my neck.

"I'll have to talk to Kikyo sometime, Kag-chan," he whispers softly in my ear as I slowly close my eyes, "but I promise- I'll never leave you."

He plants a loving kiss on my cheek before resting his chin near my head, chuckling softly as I snuggle closer to him. "I love you, Kagome."

"I love you, too, Inu-Yasha. . ."

~*~

^_^ Yea!

See? This chapter wasn't so bad, now, was it?

^_~

Hope you enjoyed! (And are very appreciative. I seriously considered splitting this into two chapters!)

I'll try and update Nightmare's Memories soon!

Please R&R!

Ja ne!

*Don't you DARE say I spelt Kirara's name wrong- I *HATE* the dubbed version of her name! `KiLALA'?! For one thing, the Japanese can't say `l's, and for another- she sounds like a demented musical note that way! ><

::Deep breath:: Okay. . . I'm sorry, that's just a pet peeve of mine. ^_^;