InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forest for the Trees ❯ Hollow Headed Hanyou ( Chapter 11 )

Forest for The Trees

Chapter 11; Hollow headed Hanyou

"Don't even think about getting inside the voices in my head. Voices. I got scratches all over my arms, one for each day since I fell apart. I did what I had to do. If there was a reason, it was you…"

~Pearl Jam "Footsteps"

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It was a warm, quiet night. Calm. A warm breeze bathed all that it touched with ooey gooey fingers of pure unadulterated love. Contented owls hooted in the distance, humming their love songs.

That was; until the uncommon stillness was sanctimoniously shattered by a resonating hollow "THUMP".

And then…everything was silent once again.

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Miroku and Inuyasha lay side by side. Miroku's hand lightly rubbing the bloody marks left on his neck, almost daring not to breathe.

Inuyasha blinked dumbly. He could practically feel the bump growing; it was right at the base of his sensitive ear. His eyes flickered to Kagome, almost disbelieving that the slight girl had felled him.

Her breath was heaving out of her chest in almost violent movements, the sound harsh. There were tears glistening in her wide mahogany eyes. The offending branch was resting, ragged end on the ground. She was truly a sight, letting her weapon bear her weight, feet braced shoulder length apart.

Inuyasha slowly rose, wobbling slightly on his feet. His heart sank even further when he saw her hands tighten on the branch. Hurt, and not knowing how to handle it, he reached for the branch. Grasping the rough bark he tried to jerk it from the white knuckled hands. Growling slightly as the girl only jerked in accordance, he looked down into the eyes of the one who knew him best. They were overflowing. They watched each other, and his heart ached as he watched the liquid fall gracefully over black lashes.

There was movement behind them, Miroku gingerly pulling himself to his feet. He leaned heavily against a tree, slipping slightly on some loose bark. Hearing the sound, Kagome's eyes flew to him.

"Miroku?" She whispered in a shaky half voice.

Hand still to his throat he shook his head. "I'm alright." He assured her in a hoarse voice.

Hearing his broken croak she let go of the branch and started to go to his side. Seeing the worry in her face, Inuyasha grabbed her fore arm, pulling her towards him with a rumbling growl. "No." He ground out.

"What?" Kagome demanded with a shocked, demanding whisper. "What the hell do you mean `no'?"

Her captor swallowed audibly. "No." He shook her slightly, as if trying to knock some sense into her. "No. He was…" he trailed off, pinning Miroku with a furious glare. "He was…"

Kagome made one of her angry catlike sounds, pushing slightly at Inuyasha's grasp. "Oh for the love of all that's holy! Would you just spit it out already!?" She demanded loudly.

"He was touching you!" He roared giving her another brisk shake. "His hands were all over you!" His yells sounded slightly anguished. He now held both of her arms, nails nearly piercing the skin.

Kagome's angry eyes sparkled up at him. "I was letting him." She stated in a firm voice.

His eyes widened, disbelieving. "No." He closed his eyes as if warding off the truth, but the image that awaited him there was far worse. "No!" He abruptly dropped her arms, bringing his hands up to chase away the offending show that looped through his head. Dropping hard onto his knees, cradling his head, he whimpered. Jerking tear filled eyes up he used them to pin Kagome with a look of sadness and dejection she had never seen before. She sat between the two men, gazing at Inuyasha strangely. "Why?" He demanded sadly. "Why him, and not me?"

Miroku's head shot up at question. Eyes wide he watched the two carefully, waiting for the girl's answer.

"What?" Kagome demanded, "What do you men why him?" She scoffed at the demon in front of her. "How can you seriously ask that? You showed no interest in me as anything but a friend, someone to travel with, and someone to find your precious shards!" She jumped to her feet, rushing to stand in front of the red clad moron. "How could we possibly have any semblance of a romantic relationship when I knew that you saw her in me? I accepted that, I came to terms with the fact that I was Kikyo's reincarnation. And even if you don't see me as her, I would never be able to be with you without thinking that every time you looked into my eyes you weren't looking for some glimpse of her."

Inuyasha's head dropped, as if he no longer had the strength to hold his head up. "You still didn't answer the question…" he whispered, "why him?" He looked up at her. His eyes searching her face. Some deep dark part of him wanted her to say he was only a replacement, only a vessel for her affections. A cheep replacement for the one she really loved.

"Because," she replied looking over her shoulder at the dark haired monk. "He's everything I need. He's everything you aren't." Her dark eyes meet Inuyasha's, begging him to understand. "He is sweet, he's kind, and he can look at me and see me. No matter what, I can always believe that when he is looking at me, I'm the only one he is seeing." She shook her head briskly before going on. "And I gave up on you a long, long time ago. I'm not sure if I ever loved you the way I once thought I did. I do love you, but the love I feel for him is so…" her voice trailed off, unsure of how to finish. "I will always love you, you're my best friend."

Inuyasha found the answer he had been looking for in that final sentence. He was her friend, nothing more. The naive dreams he had held close, the ones of the two of them together were shattered. He would always love her, but if he couldn't have all of her…at least he could have some part of her. And that would have to be enough. He would have to find a way to live with that.

She was watching him, waiting for a reaction, any reaction. And he gave her one. It came in the form of a wobbly smile, and a slight nod of his silver head.

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When Inuyasha got back to camp, Sango was gone. He heaved a tired sigh before lifting his head and lightly, and in a very dog-like way, scenting the air to find what direction she went in. judging by the way the girl acted before he left, she was just as bothered by their companions new romance as he was. He rushed off to find her.

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Kagome still knelt in the dirt. Her hair shielding her face from view. Her mind was a dervish of thoughts.

Miroku slowly slid down the tree, laying his head back when he finally sat on steady ground. The wounds at his throat slowly oozed blood, and his chest throbbed painfully. She had just denied Inuyasha. He closed his eyes, offering a silent thanks to the serene One. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that her love for him would be greater than her love for Inuyasha. He had never dared to hope for it. His lips curled slightly. His eyes opened when hot little fingers ran across his neck.

Kagome's fingers burned with spiritual energy, they urged his blood to clot and hold closed the wounds that her friend had inflicted. Her monk eased a soft sigh and reached a hand up to trail finger tips down her cheek. He offered her a weary smile, trying to chase the discontent from her eyes. Her face softened, and she leaned her fore head against his, content for the moment.

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…

Its short.

Really short.

Can't be helped. All I know is that the story will end in the next 3 or 4 chapters, I can see it, and it's a bright light at the end of a damp echoing tunnel.

I am disappointed with the way this chapter turned out. I tinkered around with it for a long while (maybe you noticed) and still didn't come to any of the conclusions that I wanted. There is a certain spark missing, a lack of humor. I decided that it was just meant to be an unhappy type chapter…

I want to thank all reviewers; you make me fret over updates. Without you I wouldn't update at all. The following should be showered with love and glitter…(MM.org) KawaiiMiko, Ongaku, macbaby, Lady Sesshoumaru, Kelli, (FF.net) Jessica M., Kyasuri, Samanda Hime-Sama, Peaches Dani, and Darkcatz.

I would like to encourage all of you to read and review on all my stories…all two of them. Well at least on MM.org…all…um…one, on FF.net. The more you hassle me, the more I type useless drivel.