InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fragments of Memory ❯ You ( Chapter 12 )

Fragments Of Memory

Story © Akiko (Krystal)

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Sesshoumaru x Kagome

 

Chapter 12 - You

 

Inuyasha watched from the distance as Kagome played with the children in the village. He dug his claws into the trunk of the tree he stood in. It was all too familiar. He would always watch Kikyou as she played with the children. Silver stands of his hair slipped into his face when Kikyou appeared from the trees with the other half of the children from the village.

 

It had been months since they had come back to the village after Naraku's death and informed the others, explaining everything that had happened. About Kagome's death, Sesshoumaru's appearance, his Tenseiga, and their combined powers to kill Naraku. Kouga had gone back to his pack, showing up once every few weeks or so to check and see how Kagome was doing.

 

Inuyasha never said a thing to the others about Kagome and Sesshoumaru, but with the looks he had received from Sango, Miroku and the others, he knew Kagome had informed them of what had happened between the two. His eyes shut once Kikyou and Kagome were standing next to each other with the children. He couldn't stand to see the two of them standing next to each other. It hurt his head, he confused them with each other, but he wasn't the only one.

 

His heart hurt for Kagome, whom he had fallen in love with after meeting and traveling with her, but he was still in love with Kikyou, his first love and whom he could now be with. They still had shards of the Shikon no tama left to collect, but there was no big rush since Naraku was no more. His relationship was with Kikyou, and he had a mere friendship with Kagome now.

 

He wanted to comfort her at times, but knew it was no good for him to be the one doing so. During that time of being with Sesshoumaru, without her memory, she had fallen in love with his elder brother but why his brother had acted how he did around Kagome, he still couldn't rationalize. Sesshoumaru claimed to hate humans, but he allowed a young girl to travel with him, and had even taken care of Kagome, and saved her life.

 

Nail dug further into the trunk of the tree when the memory of a bite mark on Kagome's neck flashed into his mind. The mark on her neck had healed and vanished just a couple of weeks after Naraku's defeat, but she still had scars from Kouga's attack on her, what had started this whole thing. He opened his eyes, watching the two women stand beside each other, being as different as night and day, but looking so much alike.

 

He froze when Kikyou's gaze locked on him.

 

[[[]]]

 

She laughed lightly as she brought the other half of the children back to the rest of the group, and to Kagome as well. There were a few tugging at the sleeves of her kimono once in a while, telling her other things they wanted to do, places they wanted to go and explore, with the safety of having Kikyou near.

 

“Now, now, there will be time to do such things later children. Right now it is time to reunite with the other children and Kagome, and go get some food in our stomachs,” she explained, smiling softly. She kneeled down and picked up one of the younger children and carried her in her arms as they continued walking.

 

Kikyou paused in her steps for a moment, letting the other children rush a head of her, and then glanced off to the side for a moment. She just smiled softly and continued walking, setting the younger girl down when they were with everyone else. “Kagome?” She locked gaze with her copy.

 

Kagome blinked, strands of hair slipping into her face. “What is it, Kikyou?”

 

“Could you take the children back to the village? I'll be there shortly, if it's not any trouble.”

 

Kagome smiled and nodded. “It's not any trouble Kikyou,” she replied, ushering the children towards the village. “Go and spend some time with him, you rarely get any it seems.”

 

Kikyou's gaze locked on Inuyasha's position for a moment, then she glanced back to Kagome. “Thank you, and I apologize for leaving you without further warning.”

 

Kagome paused and glanced back over her shoulder at the other priestess. “Don't worry about it. You went through enough in your life to have the right to be happy now, so you should enjoy it while you can, right?”

 

“Yes,” she replied, but she could see the pain in Kagome's chocolate colored eyes and hear to sorrow in her voice as she spoke. She was about to say something when her attention was diverted. She froze, and she wasn't the only one, Kagome was standing frozen as well.

 

“Children, run back to the village quickly!” Kagome told them, ushering them to move faster, then pulled and arrow from her quiver, aiming it as a demon appeared. She fired off the arrow as the children screamed. “Go children!” she shouted, firing off another one. “You won't be harmed!”

 

Kikyou fired off her own arrows as the barrage of demons continued, watching as most of them centered on Kagome. Why--? She has the Shikon no Tama in her possession! She pulled another arrow from the quiver, letting it fly at another demon that attacked her. “Kagome!” she shouted as she watched a demon appear behind her.

 

Kagome blinked, spinning around with an arrow aimed, and then closed her eyes, the demon too close for her to shoot it. She waited for claws to rip into her, then opened her eye and blinked when the pain never came. Silver hair flashed in her gaze, her hopes raised ever so slightly, only to completely crash when she spotted Inuyasha standing there. “Thank you, Inuyasha,” she spoke softly, straightening up, fighting off more of the demons.

 

Kikyou stood there, watching as Inuyasha's claws tore through the demon, the anger that was placed in his amber eyes as he killed it. She knew Kagome still meant a lot to him, and that she always would. Kagome had stood by and watched Inuyasha many times turn his back to her and run after herself, so Kikyou knew she could do the same thing for those two. Inuyasha was there to protect them both.

 

Inuyasha turned around, watching Kagome and relief swept over him. She was safe and not harmed; he'd gotten there before her blood had been spilled. “Kikyou,” Inuyasha called out then watched the dead priestess ran over towards himself and Kagome. He slipped one arm around her, checking to make sure she was safe.

 

“I'm fine, Inuyasha,” she assured him with a smile.

 

“Good.” He nodded and pulled Kagome back behind himself, pushing Kikyou there as well before pulling Tetsusaiga from his side, the rusty old blade growing and sharpening as it came from the sheath. “Kaze no Kizu!” He swung the sword, blades of yellow ripped through the ground towards the hoards of demons and ripping through each one of them. The body parts dropped to the ground, not a one had been spared from the attack.

 

Inuyasha turned around the looked at both of the priestess, smiling at seeing them both safe and unharmed. Kagome caught his attention as she backed away a few steps. “Something wrong, Kagome?”

 

Kagome shook her head, taking another step back. “No, and thank you, Inuyasha. I'm… I'm going to go and check on the children,” she quickly spit out and turned around, dashing off before another word could be said between them. It hurt her to be so close to someone who could remind her of Sesshoumaru, and she knew she was hurting him because he still held feelings for her.

 

She stiffened when a pair of airs wrapped around her, stopping her from her dash, and met a pair of chocolate eyes, framed by black hair. Sango had caught her in her arms.

 

“Kagome?” Sango questioned. “Are you all right? The children came back running, crying and terrified; they said a hoard of demons had started to attack you.”

 

Kagome merely nodded, unable to say anything. The lump in her throat caught her words, and she knew if she tried to push her words past it, she would give way to tears.

 

Sango saw this and merely held Kagome tightly, brushing the girl's hair gently. “It's okay Kagome, you can cry. No one can hold it against you,” she whispered to the young girl, and just closed her eyes as she heard Kagome's sobs break free. There was nothing she could do for her dear friend, and it pained her to no end.

 

[[[]]]

 

“Don't blame yourself for all of this, Inuyasha, you're doing the best you can to try and ease her pain for her.”

 

The hanyou turned around, looking at Kikyou. “The only way to ease her pain is to bring Sesshoumaru back to her. It's been months since he left her here like this, and all it takes is for her to get a glance at me before she's crying or ready to!” he shouted, slamming his fist into the trunk of a nearby tree.

 

Kikyou sighed, resting her head upon Inuyasha's back, closing her eyes as she slipped her arms around him, holding him tightly. She knew all of this pain was the last thing the girl deserved. Kagome had been put through so much pain already because of Inuyasha and herself, and now Sesshoumaru was causing the girl more pain then ever needed to be caused.

 

Inuyasha and Kikyou's head popped up at the same instant, their eyes locked on something coming from the trees. Inuyasha readied his sword, pulling Kikyou back behind himself, only to drop the weapon as a small form launched itself against him. Taking a step back, Inuyasha steadied himself, blinking when he spotted who it was. “Rin?”

 

The child's eyes locked with Inuyasha's automatically, her tiny hands clenching the rat fur tightly. “Please, where's Kagome-neesan?! Sesshoumaru-sama needs her!”

 

Inuyasha tensed, not sure how to respond. Sesshoumaru needed Kagome? Sesshoumaru needed the woman he had left behind?

 

“Sesshoumaru needs her? Young one, what are you talking about?” Kikyou questioned softly, stepping into sight and kneeling down. “What has you so upset?”

 

Rin took in a few breathes of air. “I don't know how but Aun suddenly got up and started to walk away, I followed because I knew Aun was my only way of not getting lost. I figured Sesshoumaru-sama had called for him, but when we found Sesshoumaru-sama he was badly wounded!” Tears welled up in the child's brown eyes, clenching tighter on Inuyasha's clothing. “He hasn't been himself since he came back without Kagome-neesan; he's seemed more out of it. Jakken-sama said that the demons ambushed Sesshoumaru-sama… but please! He's badly injured!”

 

Kikyou pried the young girl off of Inuyasha, and watched him. “Get her, Inuyasha.”

 

“Kikyou!” Inuyasha started to argue. “Why should she have to see him again when he left her!? Why should she have to have her wounds dug into more by the bastard!?”

 

“Do you think she would be any better off if she found out that he died, Inuyasha? Do you think she would feel better about any of this if she knew she had been given the chance to help him, but you wouldn't allow it? She's not as fragile as you may think, Inuyasha. She has done a lot, sacrificed a lot of herself, for love.”

 

Inuyasha sighed and turned, grabbing his sword. “I know she'd hate me if I refused to get,” he mumbled, running towards the village.

 

Kikyou kneeled down, looking Rin in the eyes. “How did you get here? You didn't run all the way here, did you?”

 

Rin shook her head, then pointed as the two-headed dragon appeared. “Aun brought me. Jakken-sama and Sesshoumaru-sama don't know I came to get Kagome-neesan.”

 

Kikyou watched as the dragon walked over, one of the heads nudging Rin slightly, then kneeled down. The child climbed onto the dragon's back and clung tightly, burying her face slightly. The priestess could tell the child was deeply worried about this demon that watched her. Placing a hand on the other dragonhead she patted it. “Just a moment longer and you will need to lead Inuyasha back to Sesshoumaru.”

 

[[[]]]

 

Inuyasha came to a skidding halt when he saw Kagome being held tightly by Sango. The movements of her shoulders gave away the fact she was crying, and he could even hear sobs once in a while coming from the girl. Walking closer he placed a hand on Kagome's back gently, startling the poor thing. He flinched at seeing the tears on her face, how red her eyes were, and how miserable she looked overall.

 

“Kagome, Rin came to us, she says Sesshoumaru needs you. I guess he's badly injured,” he forced out, not really wanting to tell her.

 

Kagome suddenly pushed away from Sango and stood in front of Inuyasha, her eyes pleading with him. “Inuyasha, please…”

 

He sighed and turned around. “Get on, I would hate myself if you started feeling anymore miserable because I wouldn't take you,” he huffed. Her weight felt familiar as she climbed on, the feel of her body against his back brought back a lot of memories. Kikyou hated being carried around like this. He shifted her weight a bit. “Hold on tightly,” he instructed before taking off, making it back to the meadow in a couple of seconds.

 

“Kagome-neesan!” Rin cried out when she spotted the girl upon Inuyasha's back.

 

“Not the time to talk!” Inuyasha shouted, watching the dragon take off into the air. He glanced at Kikyou when he passed her, then focused on following Aun to Sesshoumaru. He hated the thought of how much power his brother had over Kagome; hated how miserable Sesshoumaru could make her feel at a mere memory and now he was taking her to the damn source. What was wrong with him? He wanted to tear the bastard apart for all the pain Kagome had been in for months after he just left her.

 

[[[]]]

 

Kagome gripped Inuyasha's shoulders tightly, her quiver and bow hanging off her back as she allowed Inuyasha to carry her to Sesshoumaru. She hadn't seen him in months, and then the first word she gets of him after all the time that had passed is that he's wounded, badly, and needs her. Did he actually send Rin to get her, or did Rin decide to come of her own accord?

 

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach suddenly and she felt like she wanted to be sick. She was going to see Sesshoumaru; she was going to see the demon that had just left her behind just because she had gained enough of her memories back to trust Inuyasha. Then her fingers fluttered to the faint bite mark upon her neck, brushing over where his fangs had dug into her skin. She remembered the pure feeling of the pleasure and how right it felt to be with him like that.

 

When they got into the clearing Kagome pushed off Inuyasha's back before he was even ready to set her down. He stumbled a bit but she barely noticed the moment she caught sight white cloth stained with pure red blood. Her stomach lurched forward, he wasn't moving. She stumbled over her own feet as she ran to the demon lord, kneeling down beside him, her hand brushing over his cheek quickly.

 

Her wrist was quickly snatched, tightly, in a hard hand as amber eyes locked on her. She flinched for a moment at the grasp, then relaxed, knowing he was still alive. A smile crossed her lips, her gaze softening as tears slipped free. “You are still alive, I'm glad,” she spoke softly.

 

He released her wrist, pushing it away from himself as he continued to watch her. “What are you doing here, miko?” he asked, his tone frozen over. It had been months since he'd seen this woman; since he left her back in Inuyasha's care. She had no need to neither be concerned for him nor come to his aid.

 

“I was told you had been badly injured and that you needed me,” she explained, lightly taking hold of the blood stained kimono. “And from the looks of it, you are badly injured.”

 

“It will heal and I have no need for your help, miko, nor do I desire it,” he explained. Since he had left her, she had done nothing but haunt his memories and thoughts. It bothered him, distracted him. She had been the reason he had allowed himself to get so injured. She did nothing but hinder him, but yet he couldn't explain why he felt relieved she had come.

 

“Desire it or not, I'm still going to help,” she told him firmly, pushing the top of his kimono down and sighed. She bite down on the sleeve of her own kimono and torn it with a bit of force, then ripped the rest of it off, giving a strand to the toad. “Jakken, I need you to go to the small pond over there and get this wet for me.” The toad did as he was told as Kagome tried to get a better look at his wounds.

 

“Inuyasha, take Rin to the nearest village and get me some bandages please; I don't have on me,” she asked the hanyou. She thought he would argue, and was ready for it, but it took her by surprise when he merely scooped the child up and ran off with her.

 

“Here you go,” Jakken grumbled, handing the wet cloth back to the miko.

 

“Thank you,” Kagome smiled and used the wet cloth to clean away the dried blood. Her hair slipped into her face as she worked, the smile vanishing as she concentrated more on examining the wounds he had sustained.

 

Sesshoumaru watched her work. He would've argued with the girl about her help, but he knew it would end with her just doing exactly as she had. He had allowed her company long enough to understand her actions and train of thought slightly. He soon understood why his brother had such a hard time controlling the woman, and why they were always arguing.

 

“Kagome-neesan!” came the child's voice, ringing through the air as she ran back to the small clearing. “We brought the bandages, Kagome-neesan!” She waved them around in the air, showing them off to the teen, bring proud of her accomplishment.

 

Kagome blinked, lifting her head and glancing back over her shoulder towards Rin as she appeared, Inuyasha walking into view just behind the smaller girl. “Thank you, you've helped out quite a bit,” Kagome informed the child as the bandages were handed off. Turning her attention back to Sesshoumaru she started to wrap the demon lord's wounds, having to push her body against his bare flesh, arms wrapping behind his beck in order to wrap the wounds.

 

Inuyasha flinched slightly as he watched, then turned his gaze off to the side. He watched the leaves dance on the tips of the branches as the wind blew by them. His chest felt tight as he thought about everything that had happened over the past few months; it got tighter the more he thought about how Kagome had cried over his brother for months, and that even after all that pain she would run back to him like he had never left.

 

His golden eyes drifted over to the two once more, silver strands sliding into his eyes slightly. It was nothing new for her, that's why she could do it without thinking. She'd done it all the time for him; she'd take him back with a smile every time after he'd run off after Kikyou. She'd had plenty of practice. And Sesshoumaru had never done that to her and he never would. He wouldn't run off after some other woman who was suppose to be dead because he couldn't choose between them.

 

Blood slide down his fingers as his claws dug into his palms, bangs hiding the expression in his eyes as grit his teeth. When Sesshoumaru brought Kagome back from the dead, he knew it had been the right choice to leave Kagome with his elder half-brother. Leaving her with him would be the right thing as well. “Hey, kid,” he barely spoke, gaining Rin's attention, along with Sesshoumaru and Kagome's.

 

“Yes?” she blinked, running over to Inuyasha and looking up at him. Her head tilted gently to the side, curious about the hanyou's expression. She was startled when the hanyou's expression suddenly changed from a pained one to a lonely but serious one, looking towards his brother and Kagome, then back at her. “Come on, let's get you some food.”

 

Inuyasha turned and started to walk into the woods, Rin following closely at his heels. Sesshoumaru watched them with an empty gaze. “Jakken.”

 

The imp blinked and looked up at his lord, then nodded and quickly stumbled after Inuyasha and Rin. “Wait up you useless girl!” the green imp shouted out, tripping, falling on his face, then scrambling to get up and running after the hanyou and child once more.

 

Kagome laughed lightly as she watched Jakken, then shook her head and went back to tending to Sesshoumaru's wounds. “You should've been more careful,” she spoke softly.

 

He could tell in her tone that she was full of concern. He merely closed his eyes, resting his head back against the trunk of the tree. “What I do is none of your concern, miko.” He opened his eyes when her hands stopped wrapping bandages, placing his placid amber eyes on her. Her head was down, raven hair shielding her face.

 

“You're right, it isn't any of my concern, but I'm still going to worry about you!” she shouted out, glaring at the demon lord, tears slipping down her cheeks, rage forming in her eyes along side the pain she hid inside. “You're just as bad as Inuyasha sometimes, I swear! You two never care who you're going to worry when you get into a bad fight! You two constantly deny how much alike you are but everyone else can see it!” Kagome shouted, standing up. “Why I love you I don't know, you're such a ass sometimes!” With that she huffed and turned, starting to walk away.

 

Sesshoumaru blinked at her onslaught of words, then grabbed her wrist before she walked off. He was gentle with his grasp, but firm, so she couldn't get away so easily. He pushed himself off the ground, ignoring any signals of pain that screamed throughout his body, and looked down at the girl.

 

“What?!” Kagome huffed, glaring up at the demon lord.

 

“You are a curious creature.”

 

“Creature?!”

 

“You don't care what danger you are placed in when you attach yourself to someone's side, you'll yell at someone who could slice you down in an instant without even worrying about it. Do you not care what happens to your own being?”

 

Kagome blinked, the rage in her eyes taken over by shock and curiosity. What was he getting at? “When someone I care about is in danger I won't just run away. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to them and I could've done something to stop it, or help in anyway. As for the yelling at people…” she trailed off for a second. “I don't really think about things until after the fact,” she laughed a bit, scratching the top of her head lightly.

 

He continued to stand there, watching her closely. What was going on in side that head of hers? He could only understand the actions she would take at certain times, but never reasoning behind them. She could go from calm to enraged to tears and then back to being calm in mere moments. He wondered how his brother could ever handle such mood swings.

 

Kagome sighed, dropping her hand back to her side as she placed her gaze u pat him. “Why would you let yourself get hurt so badly?” she questioned. “The only time I've seen you nearly lose your life was in your fight with Inuyasha, when he learned about the wind scar.”

 

“I did not let myself become injured,” Sesshoumaru spoke sternly. The idea that he would allow himself to be wounded this badly was ridiculous.

 

“Was the demon truly that strong then?”

 

Sesshoumaru stayed silent. The demon had not been that strong, but with his mind wandering away from the battle in front of him and to this woman standing in front of him, the demon had gotten a few hits in here and there. Distractions were new to him. `Have you someone to protect?' Those had been his father's last words to him, at the time he told his father no, that he had no need of such. But was that true now? His mind had been on Kagome, and if she was all right, during that battle.

 

“Sesshoumaru?”

 

His blinked, placing his gaze back on the woman in front of him. “No,” he replied, his gaze turning towards the sky.

 

“No? If the demon wasn't that strong then how come you were hurt so badly? Sesshoumaru?” Kagome blinked as the demon lord continued to just stare at the sky, seeming to ignore her. “Sesshoumaru!” she shouted out, grabbing the demon lord's hair, and tugging it so his eyes locked on hers.

 

Sesshoumaru blinked in surprise as Kagome tugged his hair, gaining his complete attention. No one had ever dared to treat him in such a way.

 

“Are you going to answer me or not? If the demon wasn't that strong, then how some you were hurt so badly?” She blinked as the demon just continued to stare at her, not answering. “You weren't concentrated on the fight, were you? You were letting something else get in the way,” she spoke softly after a couple of silent moments.

 

Se slowly released his hair, her gaze soft and concerned, but caring shining through brightly. “What could be so important that you would let yourself get harmed in a fight, Sesshoumaru?”

 

A few more silent moments from the both of them before the demon lord finally spoke up. “You,” he answered simply.