InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Heartless ❯ Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again ( Chapter 15 )

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

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Since the characters are borrowed and this story can be read free of charge, I do not make any monetary gains by writing it.

Author's notes:

(1) Heartless won Best Drama (1st place - tie) and Best Darcfic (2nd place - tie) in IYFG's 1st Quarter 2009 awards. It also won Best Drama (2nd place - tie) and Best Angst Fiction (3rd place - tie) in Feudal Association's 2009 March Fan-Fiction votings. A big thank you to those who voted for this story and an even bigger one to (in alphabetical order) Ai Kisugi, inustrugrl, inuyashaloverr, and JRMaxwell for nominating and/or seconding it. I finally had the chance to express my thanks because of my lack of updates over the last few months. And that brings us to my second note.

(2) My deepest apologies to those who have been patiently waiting for this update. The last few months have been hectic for me. First, I spent a lot of time editing Heartless and When She Comes Back along with my betas. Then one day, I learned that I had to go back to my home country for visa issues. The following day I was flying across the ocean with my husband. I spent a few months there, and during this time, I was unable to write. When we returned, we spent considerable time moving and settling to our new home. Luckily, now I'm all settled and have the time to write to my heart's content. Wow. That was a long story. ^_^

(3) Finally, I'd like to let you know that I am NOT a native English speaker and am proud of having the ability to write in my second language and the courage to share my work. However, due to my still limited language skills, you might have been exposed to grammatical errors and expressions that are `unnatural' in the earlier chapters. Luckily, I have a few wonderful betas now, and you should be protected from such unforgivable errors. Nevertheless, if you still find errors in this piece and want to voice your opinions, you're more than welcome to join my beta team.

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Special thanks to each of my lovely betas Ai Kisugi, Hedanicree and MadMistress65 for the wonderful job they did in editing this chapter on such short notice.

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Warning: Mention of (past) torture, lots of blood, labor cramps, violence, angst, profanity, WAFF, and explicit descriptions of sexual activities. Pardon me if I've forgotten anything. ^_^

`Thinking'

“Talking”

Dreams or memories

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The scripts in ITALICS are the events of the PAST, and they start from the last chapter of the manga, whereas the REGULAR scripts pertain to the PRESENT and continue from where the last chapter of Heartless (Chapter 14: Angels Do Not Cry) left off.

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Raiden: Thunder and lightening, Reika: Lovely flower

Chapter 15: Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again

Kagome sighed in relief as the familiar magic welcomed her with gentle caresses against her aura. It felt as if an eternity had passed before her feet touched the earthen base of the dry well.

She was back.

The girl looked up from the dark walls to see the azure sky hovering above the lid of the ancient structure. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It had been three years since she had filled her lungs with such fresh air. In fact, it had been three years since she had felt herself really breathe — since she had felt alive.

She supposed she hadn't changed much. How could she? She had been like a statue, standing on the sidelines and watching time pass as her heart and mind was stuck in another place, in another time. No, she hadn't changed at all. She was still the same girl, madly in love with the unlikely hero of a fairy tale — a fairy tale she had literally fallen into. One could call it an accident or destiny; she'd rather go with the latter, but did it really matter? Even though she wasn't a princess and he wasn't exactly `charming,' she loved him more than she loved herself. And nothing could change that. Not even time.

However, time passed in this world as well.

She opened her eyes slowly. The sky was the same, so were the stone walls. What else stayed untouched? Was she being a fool for wishing that the people she knew hadn't changed? She probably was. If anything changed in time, it was the people. How much had she missed while she had been away?

Were her friends still around? Was Kaede still alive? Was he still here? Had he lingered in this place or had he moved on? Would it be fair of her to wish that he had stayed? Her eyes pricked at that thought. No, it wouldn't be fair to him. But, what else did she have other than the little hope fluttering in her heart?

Nothing.

Perhaps, she was going to lose that as well once she climbed out of the well. But, she didn't have a choice. She had already waited too long. Gathering her courage, the girl from the future took one more deep breath and squared her shoulders. Praying for the best, she took hold of a vine hanging on the wall.

Kagome had climbed half-way up when she heard the faint swish of clothes from above. She froze, her hands clutching the vine hard enough to leave her knuckles white as chalk. Someone was out there. She could hear their shaky but rapid breathing. Could it be…? Her breathing increased with anticipation. Her heart thundered in her chest, threatening to break out of its cage.

She looked up, hoping to catch a glimpse of crimson, wishing to be blinded by moonlight and sunshine. Her azure orbs glistened with moisture when all she could see was the empty sky. Perhaps, she had heard wrong. Perhaps, there was no one out there.

No one had come to welcome her.

No one was waiting for her.

All thoughts came to a halt along with the rest of the world when, out of nowhere, a hand appeared above her head. An all too familiar hand reached down the lid of the well, shining like a beacon when everything else went dark. A strong, calloused and clawed hand…

Her heart stopped beating.

Birds stopped singing.

The world stopped spinning.

In a daze, she reached up and held onto the savior of her fragile hopes. Butterflies took off in her stomach when she was hauled out of the well in one swift move only to come face to face with no one other than him.

Sapphire met gold for an endless moment, and all Kagome could think of was that he was there, that he had waited. After what felt like an eternity, she managed to whisper, “Inuyasha, I'm sorry. Were you waiting?”

“Kagome.”

The sound of her name falling from his lips warmed her heart, soothed the lingering pang of separation and scattered away the remnants of her fears. Gods, how much she had missed him — his reassuring presence, his unrivaled stubbornness that showed itself even in his unruly hair, the childish joy that would light up his face before he could mask it with indifference. How had she survived without him? `I was a baka for fearing anything else other than losing him, for letting myself be devoid of him.'

The truth was that she had let her fears come between them. She had always been afraid that he would not choose her in the end, that he would not let Kikyo go and that he would leave her. Ironically, she had been the one to make that choice, albeit unconsciously; she had been the one to leave him. All because she had been afraid to be left alone if she had let go of her family; she hadn't been ready to choose him. And in the end, she had left him alone… for three years. But…

…he had waited.

Molten gold swirled and gleamed as she watched the parade of emotions in those eyes she loved so much. He embraced her fiercely, and she responded in kind, clutching his haori in her hands as if he would disappear if she let go. She opened her mouth to say something — anything — but he beat her to it. “You idiot…. What have you been up to?”

She smiled at his gruffness. He definitely wasn't charming, was he? But, she wouldn't have him any other way. Besides, she knew him well enough to hear his unspoken words: `I missed you.'

Smelling his woodsy fragrance, she buried her face deeper into his chest and sighed contentedly. This was where she wanted to be — in his arms. This was where she belonged.

She was home.

~*~

Kagome felt his weight full force as he passed out right after his transformation was complete. Inuyasha — her Inuyasha — was back in her arms. This was like coming home…

...and finding it ruined, plundered and demolished to the ground.

She could feel his blood soak through her clothes. Even though she couldn't see his face now, its cut, bruised and bloodied state wouldn't leave her eyes. It didn't matter how many times she willed the painful image away; it was permanently engraved in her memory.

Torches illuminated the large cell. The shackles he had been freed of still swung where they were hung. Her gaze landed on the blood stains on the wall he had been chained to, and she whimpered. It was her fault that her mate had endured this torture.

Tears streaked down her cheeks incessantly only to drip down her chin in crimson drops. Holding back a sob, Kagome turned her head as much as she could with the hanyou's head on her shoulder and kissed his wet, dark locks. Needing some reassurance that her currently human mate was still alive, she tried to nuzzle his temple to feel his warmth, but the action caused his head to fall down her shoulder. She attempted to hold him up; however, he was too heavy for her, and she ended up falling on her back. His whole weight rested on her with his face buried in her neck. His hot breath — shaky and shallow — fanned on her dampened skin.

~*~

Heaving in exertion, he let his body fall next to hers and buried his nose in her neck. His hot breath fanned on her dampened skin with each harsh gasp. He gingerly wrapped one arm around her waist as they both lay there, waiting for their heartbeats to slow down.

The wind whipped the trees outside, sending the snow accumulated on their branches back to the air. Luckily, the two occupants of the untraditionally large wooden house lying on the outskirts of the small village were protected from the coldness of the merciless winter by expertly built thick walls.

It wasn't long until the dog-eared adonis threw his leg between the ebony-haired beauty's thighs and hugged her more closely to his chest. After taking a deep breath, he sighed contentedly and asked, “It was okay to do that, right?”

Her breath still ragged, Kagome answered in between gasps, “Yes, Inuyasha. For the hundredth time, it is safe.”

The hanyou's hand traveled down to rest on his mate's belly before caressing the slight swell of it tenderly. “Are you sure there is a baby in there?”

“Yes, baka! Of course there is a baby in there.” She covered his large hand with her smaller one and slid them down to the spot below her belly-button. “Right here.” She cupped his cheeks in her palms and guided him to meet her gaze. “Our baby,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

His hand lingered on her womb as he watched her azure orbs glisten with tears of happiness, his golden ones wide in wonderment. Then, he grinned like a child who just found his mother's hidden stash of candy. “I'm going to be a father?”

Kagome nodded wordlessly, a loving smile playing on the corners of her lips.

“When will it be really swollen?” the hanyou asked as he gently caressed her skin, careful not to bring his claws in contact with the precious site. “It can't be comfortable in there,” he murmured.

She laughed heartily at his comment. “Don't be silly!” she exclaimed as she gently tweaked his ear. “It's very small now. Don't worry. I'll make sure it's comfortable all the time.”

Inuyasha snorted in disbelief, which earned him a pang at the base of his forelocks. He grunted in displeasure before he leaned his head against her belly. “I can't hear a thing,” he complained.

“They say it can hear us. But, probably not so soon,” the miko said distractedly while she wound a few tendrils of silver hair on her finger.

The excited father-to-be raised himself onto his elbows, his long bangs hiding his eyes from her sight. “Hey, pup?” he called out to her womb. “Let's make a few things clear while you're still in there.” He raised one finger to emphasize his point to the invisible child in mock seriousness. “Rule number one: never, ever call your mom a bitch. Got that?” He looked up at her and added with a smirk that showed one sharp fang, “That privilege belongs to your old man.”

Blue eyes narrowed at him dangerously, and a delicate hand shot out and yanked at his ear.

“Oww! What did you do that for?!” he cried out.

“You'll have to watch your mouth around the baby, mister. Or else...” she threatened as she made a show of reaching for his ear again.

“All right, all right!” Grumbling, he massaged the abused appendage. “Heartless bi-...” he started, but the miko's fingers quickly covered the hanyou's mouth, effectively stopping his tirade. He rolled his eyes at her, took a hold of her wrist and kissed her fingertips. “Gotcha!” he chirped then, his eyes alight with mirth. “I wasn't going to finish that, you know,” he added with a triumphant smirk.

Kagome gulped as his lips tickled her fingers. Kissing them once more, Inuyasha let them go and leaned his head against her belly again, his one ear plastered to her soft skin and the other twitching madly, desperately trying to catch a sound. Enjoying his proximity, the young woman started combing his silver mane slowly.

“When will it arrive?” he asked, his breath making her heartbeat quicken.

“In about six months,” she breathed out.

Hearing that, the alarmed half-demon jumped to his knees. “What?! But, that's too long!”

“Too long?” his mate asked as she rose on her elbows. “Come on, Inuyasha. You were there when Sango was pregnant — both times. You know that it takes time!”

“I know! It's just that...” He looked down at her belly, and his golden orbs darkened with anxiety. “What if something bad happens while the pup's still in there?”

It took Kagome a few seconds to sever her gaze from his unguarded expression. It was rare that he let his guard down, and she wanted to savor each moment of it. However, she didn't want to be caught ogling him like that. The last time he had caught her, it had taken her three osuwari's to deflate his ego to its normal but still high level. Not that it was a bad thing; she'd rather have him cocky than insecure. If only he dropped the subject after one comment...

“Don't worry,” she whispered, not trusting her voice to hide her reaction to him. Why did he have to look so adorable, so beautiful and so irresistibly sexy?

Shaking her head, she forced her lecherous thoughts away — she was turning into a female version of Miroku in priestess robes — and looked down at her belly. It was true that complications occured in some pregnancies, and in this era, they usually resulted in death due to lack of technology. But, that wouldn't be the case with her, right? It was still too early to say anything, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Smiling reassuringly, she placed one hand on her belly protectively. “Our baby will be perfectly safe.” She was relieved to note that she sounded more certain than she felt.

Clawed fingers covered her smaller ones and brought them to his mouth, taking her attention away from her own concerns. Her heart skipped a beat as his lips brushed her palm like velvety petals. His eyes were a dark shade of amber when he asked, “What about you?”

Her lust filled gaze turned into one of affection in the face of his almost palpable anxiety. He was deeply worried for her. Even though it warmed her heart to see how much he cared for her, she didn't like to see what it was doing to him. He was her protector against the dangers of this world, but she was the protector of his heart.

Kagome wasn't going to let Inuyasha hurt if it could be avoided.

“I'll be fine. Nothing bad will happen; you'll see,” she reassured. Feeling the need to take his thoughts away from the unpleasant topic, she playfully asked, “And if something happens, you'll be there to protect us, won't you?”

As usual, goading him worked like a charm, and the hanyou instantly straightened, puffing his chest out proudly. “Keh! Wench, I always protect you.”

The miko couldn't keep from chuckling at her mate's childish display.

Disregarding her amusement, he continued enthusiastically, “When my son is born, we'll protect you together. He'll grow up to be the strongest hanyou ever!”

Kagome's chuckles turned to full-fledged laughter before she asked mockingly, “Oh, really? Even stronger than you?”

“Laugh as much as you can, woman,” grumbled Inuyasha. Gently poking the tip of her nose with his knuckle, he proudly added, “You'll see; he'll surpass me, just like I surpassed my old man!” She tried to shoo his hand away, but it returned to her nose like a stubborn fly and softly squeezed it between two fingers much to her annoyance. “Do you know why?” he questioned.

“Ummm...” she drawled, her voice comically hoarse due to his hold. “Because he has an amazingly beautiful and terrifyingly strong mother like me?”

“Feh! As if!” He snorted condescendingly, earning himself a dark blue glare. She tried to hit him, but he easily dodged her half-hearted attack. “Because, I'm going to teach him how to use the Tetsusaiga the moment he starts walking,” he explained. Golden orbs took on a far away look, and all the playfulness left his voice as he continued, “My son will not go through the troubles that I had.”

Seeing his saddened expression, she decided to cheer him up. “How do you know that it's a boy?” she asked with one eyebrow raised in question. “What if it's a girl?”

He brightened instantly. “Doesn't matter. If it's a girl, then I'll protect you both,” he announced with confidence. “I'm strong enough to take care of a dozen stubborn wenches like you.”

“Hmm, I don't know. Are you?” Kagome asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Playing along, the hanyou berated the young woman mockingly, “What? You doubt my strength?” Then, a dangerous glint lit in his eyes, sending shivers up her spine. “I guess I'll need to show you how strong your mate really is.”

She giggled when he caged her beneath his larger form and eagerly proceeded to prove his point. Goosebumps created by excitement appeared on her arms as he captured her lips in a searing kiss.

Suddenly, he froze. In between the pecks his mate rained on his face, he managed to ask, “Are you cold?”

“No,” she murmured while trying not to break contact, unwilling to let him go. “No, I'm not.”

“Yes, you are.” Following his announcement, the stubborn half-demon stood up despite her protests and her desperate attempts to keep him in place by her death grip on his neck.

She whimpered at the loss of his warmth, but he paid it no mind. Kneeling in front of the hearth, he put a few more logs in it. The warmth spreading out from the bathroom — he had built it to supply its water from the nearby hot springs — helped with the heating, but even that was not enough when you lay around naked for hours in the middle of winter.

He looked unearthly with the flames accentuating his well-defined chest under the shadows, golden hues dancing on his silver mane and his eyes swirling like pools of lava. He was too far away, and she didn't like it. Sitting up on the futon, she arched her back and stretched her arms over her head, deliberately pushing her bosom forward. She watched discreetly as his gaze landed on her torso and his eyes dilated. He blinked in a daze before shaking his head and glaring at her. “Kagome,” he said warningly. “Put some clothes on, will you?”

Rolling her eyes at his overbearing protectiveness, she threw her yukata around her shoulders. She couldn't stop the small smile that spread on her face, though. Yes, he was overbearing... and stubborn... and gruff... and occasionally a little dense. But, he was also sweet, caring, brave, and loyal.

Sometimes, she couldn't help but wonder how he would have turned out to be if the man named Onigumo never existed. If her beloved hanyou had lived his life with Kikyo as a human, would he have been as sweet to the deceased priestess? Would he have been as considerate with her needs? Would he have been as hot-tempered and jealous as he was?

Would he have been as passionate in bed?

Those thoughts seared her heart even as they chilled the rest of her being, leaving her in shivers. Forcing the unwelcome images out of her head, she pulled the yukata around her more tightly.

~*~

Kagome shivered as goosebumps appeared on her skin. She pulled her yukata around her tightly to ward away the chill. She had taken off her kimono so that they could carry Inuyasha's unconscious form in it. She hadn't noticed how cold the dungeons were before. Now, as the adrenalin receded in her veins, the thin cloth drenched in his blood did little to protect her.

She couldn't take her eyes off of her mate lying on the stone floor, sprawled on her kimono with his head nestled on her lap. As if from far away, she could hear Sango and Miroku's faint voices cursing the new moon and arguing about how to get the hanyou-turned-human out of this hell hole. She paid them no mind as she tried to assess his injuries without touching them.

He looked miserable. Crimson covered him everywhere, and it wasn't just his clothes. His hakama clung to his legs, dark and wet with his life's essence. The front of his tattered shirt lay open as she left it. Numerous slashes marred his chest that was once perfect. Now that she looked closer, she could see a nasty gash in his abdomen — a wound inflicted via a sword or a wide dagger. Keiko must have known that he would heal quick enough to survive the hole she had ruthlessly given him. However, the wicked priestess didn't know he would turn into a human tonight. `If she knew, she would have been more cautious. She wouldn't want to kill her prey too quickly.'

Her chest constricted at that thought, and she reached down to lightly trace the outline of the wound with trembling fingers. It was probably one of the earlier ones because, luckily, it wasn't bleeding anymore. But still, they would have to be careful and not jostle him. It could be fatal if that wound reopened.

A sob escaped her lips as her gaze traveled up to settle on his face. This deformed man looked nothing like the beautiful boy she had fallen in love with, and it broke her heart. She wanted to scream; she wanted to hit something; she wanted to avenge what had been done to him. Unfortunately, all she could do was cry and let her tears wash away the blood coating his face.

Blood.

There was so much of it. She needed to get rid of it. Perhaps, he wouldn't look so bad if she did. `Why haven't I thought of that before?' Looking around, she spotted a bowl in one corner. As insane as it was, hope sparked in her chest. `Yes, everything will be better once he's cleaned up.' She carefully laid his head on the floor before standing up. Her heart beating deliriously, she ran to get the bowl.

To her immense relief, it was half-filled with water. She quickly snatched it and turned to hurry back to his side before her eyes met those of Keiko. Miroku had carried the scarred woman's bound form behind one of the altars to keep her from spotting the now human hanyou. The high priestess had awakened and was glaring daggers at her. `The nerve of that murderer!' Her arms clenched around the bowl. It was only the need to tend to her mate that kept Kagome from straying from her path as she passed by the twisted woman.

Kneeling at his side, she carefully laid his head back on her lap. Careful not to jostle him, she ripped a piece of cloth from the skirt of her yukata. The motion reminded her of the wedding dress she had ruined for the same purpose not so long ago. If only she had known who he was then… Shaking her head, she poured some water on the piece of cloth and tried to clean him, careful of his cuts.

She looked up when she heard Sango call her name. “We'll scout to see if anyone's aware of our intrusion. We'll be back shortly,” whispered the slayer. At Kagome's curt nod, Sango gave her a painful smile before she turned to leave.

Not waiting to see if the couple left, Kagome gave her full attention to the man helplessly lying in her lap. His lips were parched in spite of the blood coating his face. She licked her lips unconsciously and tasted his blood left from his kiss.

Gently raising his head, she made him drink some water from her palm.

~*~

Crossing her arms on her chest, Kagome tapped her foot repeatedly, irritated at the hanyou who was currently kneeling by the river, filling his palms with cool water. She stared at him with a raised eyebrow as he stood up, careful not to spill the clear liquid, and brought his hands to her mouth. The instant he looked up at her face, a familiar glaring match started. She narrowed her eyes at him to show her annoyance, and he readily mimicked her expression, leaning his head down in the process so that they were almost nose to nose. He raised an eyebrow at her, angling his hands enough to let the liquid wet her lips. She licked her lips on reflex and rolled her eyes at the triumphant smirk that pulled up the corner of his mouth. Finally, she gave up with a huff and accepted his offering.

The cool water was welcome in her dry mouth, and she was grateful for it. However, it didn't mean that she was less annoyed with him. She was pregnant, for God's sake, not an invalid. She could still do simple things like getting water from the river. But, no. The stubborn baka had to insist that she couldn't do it. To be honest, that wasn't the real problem. He always did things for her now that she was carrying their child, and most of the time, she welcomed his efforts. Actually, he was awfully cute when he was trying so hard to keep her safe and make her comfortable. It was the insinuation he made about her clumsiness that got on her nerves. The fact that her belly was a little swollen didn't mean that she was going to tumble down into the river like a rock.

She continued to glare at him from beneath her lashes as he watched her sip from his palms. Once he made sure she drank every single drop, he dried his hands on his hakama, watching her pout for losing the war. Chuckling at her antics, he placed his hand under her chin and raised her face to meet his. His lips on hers were soft and alive like the gentle spring breeze whispering promises of a glorious summer in their ears.

“Why are you angry with me?” he asked against her lips, his warm breath mingling with hers and causing her to shiver in excitement. Her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks as he kissed the corner of her mouth. “It's not my fault…” he mumbled, placing tender pecks along her jaw before he whispered in her ear, “…that you're so clumsy.”

With a gasp, she opened her eyes only to see him standing a safe distance away from her, grinning madly. `Why you little trickster!' As if she couldn't get him without touching him… Her hands on her hips, the miko's lips formed a perfect `o,' ready to blurt out the dreaded `osuwari.'

His eyes widened impressively, and he was in front of her in a flash, his lips descending on hers before she could even blink. He gathered her in his arms as he continued to kiss her. “Keh!” He snorted after searing his lips from hers with a triumphant glint in his eyes. “You can't say it now.”

Her azure orbs shining with mischief, Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned cheekily up at him as he carried her away from the river. “I wasn't going to.”

He faltered in his step and glanced at her in surprise. Then, he shook his head, chuckling softly. “You're a sneaky wench, I'm telling you.”

She giggled as he took off into the forest again. It wasn't long before they stopped in a small clearing. Tearing her gaze from his jaw, she peeked at their surroundings and gasped at the sight before her. She snapped her head back to beam a huge smile at him.

He seemed too busy surveying the place, but the corner of his lips twitched slightly before turning into a smirk, giving him away. “That one looks good enough,” he said, pointing to a tree towering above the bushes. Careful not to jostle his precious cargo, he leaped to a low but wide branch and placed the young woman to sit against the tree's trunk. Crouching beside her, he raised one eyebrow at her expectantly.

Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed. “I know. I'll stay put and not do anything that will end with me falling down.”

“Good girl,” he said as he patted her head before hopping down.

Twirling a lock of dark hair with her fingers, the miko leaned against the trunk and watched the hanyou struggle with the unyielding bushes as he picked up berries for her. She could hear him snarl and grunt each time he got his hands stung by needles. She'd been craving berries since she woke up that morning, and being the caring father-to-be that he was, Inuyasha took it upon himself to appease her cravings as it had become a daily routine. He wouldn't let her out of his sight, nor would he let her stay on the ground like any normal human being while he was occupied. “The trees are safer,” he had said. “Unless you pick a fight with the stupid crows or the big bad ants, nothing can pass through me to get you.”

Speaking of which… A tickling sensation brought her attention to her neck, and as expected, she found a crazy little ant wandering on her skin. Not wanting to get more bugs down her shirt, she straightened on her perch, putting some distance between her back and the tree, and swung her legs down one side of the branch.

Swaying her red hakama covered legs slowly, she gazed at her mate as he straightened and inspected the berries he gathered in his palm. His ears twitched and he looked up, glaring at her. Knowing that he was right to be annoyed with her this time, she blushed guiltily and stopped swinging her legs. The half-demon shook his head and returned to his business, all the while grumbling about stubborn wenches that never learned.

She rolled her eyes, letting the comment slide. Perhaps she was being a little careless, but she knew that she wouldn't actually fall that easily. Besides, even if she fell, he would be there to catch her. He was her `knight in bright red fire rat fur,' after all. He had always been. She felt even safer with him nowadays because he was somehow stronger than he had ever been. She couldn't decide whether it was because he had grown up physically due to the passage of time, or that he was more motivated now that he had a family to protect.

`A family…' The thought made her smile, and she put her hand on her belly protectively. She closed her eyes with a soft sigh, feeling the breeze on her cheeks and in her hair. It was a beautiful morning, slightly chilly, and the air was filled with fresh scents of mid-spring flowers. She took a deep breath, savoring the sweet fragrances as she did so, before an irritated growl came from the hanyou.

“Fuck!” cursed Inuyasha as he plunged his arm into the bush.

“What's wrong?” she asked, looking down at his crouching form.

“It's the damn snake,” he grunted and shook the plant wildly.

She giggled when he hissed and retracted his arm. “Afraid of a mere snake?” taunted the young woman.

“Keh! The stupid thing won't leave the bush! I think its nest is here.”

She watched as he thrust the Tetsusaiga into the depths of the plant. The berries were forgotten, and his attention was solely on scaring the poor creature away. Her stomach was growling, and she didn't have much patience left. “Hurry up, Inuyasha! I'm starving!”

“Dammit!” he cried out. “Easy for you to say! Why don't you come down and do it yourself?!”

Five minutes later, he had filled his palm with enough berries and leaped up to the branch to sit next to her. Extending his hand, he presented her the fruit she had been craving.

Licking her lips, she quickly snatched one and popped it into her mouth. “Mmm,” she moaned, tasting the sour sweetness. It was quickly followed by a second and a third, and while Inuyasha chuckled quietly at her eagerness, she devoured the whole bunch in mere seconds.

“Now, that was delicious,” she said as she leaned and gave him a sticky peck on the cheek. “Thank you, Inuyasha.”

He replied with a “Keh,” and turned away from her to hide his blush, and thus, missed it when she froze in her place.

She sniffed noisily and asked, “Do you smell fish?”

His ears twitched, and he looked at her in surprise. “Fish?” He made a show of sniffing and shook his head. “Nope, no fish.”

“Are you sure? You don't smell fish? Fresh fish roasted on fire, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside and all so yummy?”

He looked at her as if she had lost her mind. “No, Kagome. I don't smell fish.”

“Huh. There must be something wrong with your nose then because I do.”

He snorted in disbelief. “Why don't you come out and say you want fish?”

At that, she batted her eyelashes at him and gave him her best puppy look. “Inuyasha? Please?”

He groaned in misery and let his head fall on her shoulder as he mumbled, “What did I do to deserve this?”

She giggled and patted his ears lovingly. “It's your pup, Dogboy. It's only natural that it has your appetite.”

He straightened up and looked away as he grumbled, “Keh! If I knew it would come to this...” He couldn't finish his complaint when she gasped and dived for his ear, losing her balance and almost falling off the branch. Luckily, he caught her arm in time, saving himself the short trip he would have to make to catch her before she met the ground. He righted her on her perch and growled warningly.

She gave him the puppy eyes again, which made him chuckle before he sighed tiredly. “Okay, I'll get your fish. Just let me have a breather.” Leaning his head on her shoulder once more, he complained, “This pup won't let me rest for a minute, I swear! I can't believe I'm the one that does all the work even though you're the one carrying it!”

“Who said it would be easy to be a father?” she asked as she giggled at the whine he let out.

“I wouldn't know; I've never had one,” he mumbled. “Does it get better?”

“I'd say these are your good days, Inuyasha. It'll get worse,” she answered conspiratorially.

“Keh! Is that even possible?”

“Wait till the pup's born. I'm not going to stay up all night alone.”

“My pup will be a good one. You're the one that makes everything difficult!” he accused before looking down at her belly. “Right, pup?” He placed his head on her belly as if to hear the baby's answer. His ears twitched while she lightly scratched the back of his head. Then, he sharply inhaled and froze.

Worried at his reaction, Kagome asked, “Inuyasha?”

Straightening slightly, he gazed up at her with his eyes wide in amazement. “I can hear it,” he whispered.

Not understanding what the hanyou was talking about, the miko questioned, “You can hear it? Hear what?”

“The pup's heartbeat.”

Hearing that, her face lit up with a gorgeous smile. He planted a sloppy kiss on her lips before he grinned toothily and exclaimed, “I can hear the pup!” Excited, he leaned down to listen again. He moved his head from left to right, planting one ear on her belly and then the other.

“Ah, Kagome?” he asked after a few seconds. “I hear two heartbeats.” He looked up at her face, his own betraying his confusion. “Why are there two heartbeats?”

She furrowed her brows in thought before rolling her eyes. “Of course there will be two, baka! You must be hearing my heart, too.”

“Idiot!” he snapped. “There are two heartbeats aside from yours!”

“A-are you sure?” stammered Kagome, unable to believe it could be real.

“Keh!” Inuyasha snorted before deliberately moving his ears back and forth. “Have these ears ever lied?”

Her mouth hung open as she digested this new bit of information. Panicking at her reaction, he asked, “What? Is there something wrong with the pup?”

She shook her head and met his eyes with her glistening ones. “No, I don't think anything's wrong with the pup.”

“What is it then?” he pressed, not liking being in the dark where his pup was concerned.

A huge smile crept up her face like the dawning sun, and she beamed at him. “Inuyasha, I think we're going to have twins!”

“Twins?” the hanyou asked, clearly having trouble comprehending its meaning.

“Twins!” she exclaimed impatiently. “Like Miroku's daughters!”

When he continued to look at her stupidly, she politely elaborated, “Two pups, baka!”

“Two pups…” Still in a daze, he grinned broadly. “Not one, but two pups…” His grin froze as he mumbled, “…which means twice the work.” In a moment of enlightenment, his eyes widened comically. “Fuck! I'm doomed!” he cried out, and in his panic, he lost his balance.

A loud “Dammit!” echoed in the forest, scaring off a flock of birds as the hanyou fell head first to the ground.

~*~

“Dammit!” Miroku cursed when the kimono's sleeve slid out of his hand, causing the unconscious hanyou's head hit to the ground.

While Kagome cringed, Sango threw the monk a nasty look more for his outburst than for dropping Inuyasha. They had to be careful if they wanted to avoid a confrontation with the soldiers. The monk quickly recovered and held the sleeve more tightly this time as he signaled to a wide eyed Kagome to check the next hall they were supposed to take. “Hurry,” he whispered.

This was what they had been doing for the last five minutes. When they had left the cell with the high priestess locked in it, they had started going back the way they had come. Kagome had been checking the halls at every turn, and Miroku and Sango had been carrying the hanyou wrapped in the miko's kimono.

Rushing up front to peek around the corner, Kagome heard footsteps approaching even before she looked. Turning back to the couple, she whispered, “Someone's coming this way.”

~*~

“Wench! Someone's coming this way!”

“Oh, great!” complained Kagome even as she carefully waded toward the riverbank. She hadn't been in the water for more than ten minutes before Inuyasha started grumbling about her obsession with bathing. It wasn't her fault that the weather was suffocatingly warm, was it? She had managed to stall for a little while, ignoring his surly attitude. But now that their privacy was about to be breached, she had no choice but to heed his warning.

Just as she reached for her pink kimono sprawled on one of the nearby rocks, she saw him smirk at her. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, and she asked, “What is it?” If this was one of his tricks to get her out of water, she was going to sit him so hard that his fangs were going to leave holes in the earth deep enough for an ant colony to use as their new nest.

“Nothin'.” The hanyou shrugged nonchalantly as his smirk widened, his gaze on her enormously large belly.

She huffed in annoyance and slid her arms inside her kimono sleeves. Once she was done putting on the essentials, she looked at her obi in her hands and to the giant bulge that had once been her tiny waist. She shook her head hopelessly and holding the garment up, she gave him a pleading look. Despite the fact that she could no longer tie her obi herself, she preferred wearing a kimono these days. It was more comfortable thanks to her profusely large belly. Besides, it wasn't as if she had been going on piggy back rides for the last few months.

Chuckling at her pathetic attempt to convince him, the hanyou stood behind her and proceeded to wrap the deep purple fabric loosely around her `waist.'

As he tied the final knot, a middle-aged man with a small pack dangling over his shoulder by a long stick came out of the forest. The stranger froze when he saw the couple by the river. “Sorry,” he said, blushing heavily for having intruded on a private moment. However, when he noticed the silver-haired man behind the young woman and the dog ears atop his head, the human's eyes widened in fear. But then, his gaze fell on the woman's protruding belly and then on the man's ears. When he stared back at Kagome, his expression had morphed into one of scorn and disgust. The traveler flinched when her scary companion blocked the woman from his view and growled at him viciously. The hanyou cracked his knuckles menacingly, and the stranger fled without looking back.

“Fucking outsiders!” snarled Inuyasha. “I should've gouged his eyes out,” he muttered as he plopped down in front of a boulder and crossed his arms on his chest.

Kagome sighed tiredly. “They are a bunch of idiots, Inuyasha. Don't mind them; you know I don't.”

“I know. It's just that I can't stand...” he started.

Not letting him finish his words, she sat on his lap with his help. “Come on!” she urged as she flicked her hair in his face.

He rolled his eyes at her. “Again?! Do I have to?”

“Oh, shut up, will you? You know you want to!” she chirped as she let her head rest on his shoulder.

With a roll of his eyes and a resigned sigh, he started combing her hair with his claws. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the gentle strokes of his deadly claws on her scalp and the reassuring beat of his heart. With the soft rise and fall of his chest, they were lulling her to sleep, which was why she was caught completely off-guard when a sharp pain jerked her up mercilessly. She straightened with a yelp, her hands flying to her belly.

His panic evident in his breathless voice, Inuyasha asked, “Is it the pups?”

“Yes,” she managed to whisper as she gasped for air in the aftershock.

“What?! What should I do?! Should I call for Kaede?!” cried out Inuyasha as he jumped to his feet with his mate in his arms.

“Wait!” she yelled before adding in a more controlled voice, “We don't know if it's time yet. I don't want to disturb Kaede if it's fake like the last time.” She added with a sheepish look, “…and the one before that... and the one before that.”

“Okay,” exhaled Inuyasha. “What do you suggest we do, then?”

“We'll just sit and wait,” she supplied calmly.

“Okay. We wait.” Still holding Kagome in his arms, he lowered himself down slowly and resumed his previous position against the boulder. Barely a few seconds had passed before he hesitantly asked, “Ah, wench?”

“What?”

“What's that wetness on my hakama?”

“Wetness?” Confused, she felt his hakama with her hand, and then her kimono. Her eyes widened as she called out, “Oh, Gods! My water broke!”

“What?” asked Inuyasha, puzzled.

“My water, baka!” exclaimed the miko breathlessly. “They're coming! The babies are coming!”

He looked at her suspiciously and asked, “Are you sure?” His only answer was her scream as another contraction hit her.

“Oh, shit!” he cried out as he jumped to his feet. “They're coming!” Carrying his mate in his arms, he took off in a fast run. The trees became a blur as he pushed forward with all his might, all the while trying hard not to add to the young woman's discomfort.

“Faster, Inuyasha!” she screamed, and he took off to the air, flying over the tree tops and heading for their house.

In the middle of his jump, his gaze caught an orange fur ball walking away from Kaede's hut and he called out to the little figure. “Shippo! Tell Kaede that the pups are comin'!”

Once his feet touched the ground, he was forced to look down at his mate by her death grip on his forelocks. Between gritted teeth, Kagome hissed, “Stop jolting me, baka!”

“What the...?” he started as he switched to running once more. Furrowing his brows, he hollered, “Will you fucking make up your mind?!”

With his speed, it didn't take them more than three minutes to reach the unusually large hut that was their house. Panting slightly, Inuyasha slid open the wooden door that was also uncommon in the village. He passed through the living room/kitchen and entered the bedroom where a large futon was sprawled out, waiting to be used at any given time. With Kagome being so close to delivery, they kept it unfolded all day.

It wasn't the only thing they had readied for this day. Both Kagome and the old hag had talked him through what needed to be done in case he was alone with her when the time came. Unfortunately, the fearless warrior hanyou who had slain countless demons in his lifetime was having trouble recalling what he had been taught because, perhaps for the first time in his life, he was scared shitless.

He placed Kagome on the futon with trembling arms and stared at her contorted face, his own mimicking her pained expression unconsciously. Looking around frantically, he spotted two spare pillows on the shelf and sprang to his feet. He grabbed them carelessly and flew back to her side. The miko was groaning in pain, gasping out short but rapid breaths. Her forehead was glistening with beads of sweat. Supporting her back with his arm, he placed the pillows behind her and gently eased his mate back to lean on them.

“Inuyasha,” she whimpered, and the hanyou's ears drooped at the agony in her voice.

“What?” he asked, flustered. “Kagome, tell me what to do!”

“Water,” she breathed out. “We need to heat water.”

“Water. Okay,” he said as he sprang to his feet. But, he was stopped by the young woman's grip on his hakama.

“No!” she protested. “Don't… don't leave me.”

At a loss, he nodded dumbly and squatted down, murmuring, “Okay, I'll stay.” He pushed her bangs away from her forehead and gently stroked her sweaty skin with the back of his hand. “Does it hurt too much?” he asked hesitantly, already knowing the answer but still afraid to hear it.

“Y-yes,” she breathed out before groaning and throwing her head back. Her eyes clenched tightly, and her mouth opened slightly as pitiful whimpers left her throat.

Watching her in pain and not being able to stop what was hurting her so much was driving Inuyasha crazy. All he could do was hold her hand and watch as his precious miko writhed in pain. He'd never thought it would be this bad. This was pure hell.

“It'll be all right, Kagome,” he soothed. “Hang on a little more.” Even as he said it, he couldn't help but wonder. Would it really be okay? Would she be all right in the end? What if she didn't…? He stopped that train of thought before it could go any further. Of course she was going to survive. She had to. Both her and their pups were going to be okay. Everything was going to be perfect. They just had to suffer through this ordeal together. He prayed that it would end quickly. He'd never felt so helpless before. It was killing him inside.

His ears perked up at the sound of Kirara's roar coming from the garden, and he exhaled in relief. Not a second passed before Shippo appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide in fear at the sight before him. “Is Kagome okay?” the fox child asked tearfully.

“She will be,” Inuyasha said with conviction. “Where's the old hag?”

“I'm right here, Inuyasha,” came the old priestess' voice right before she entered the bedroom. She eyed the occupants of the room with her one good eye and then ordered the men to leave as she rolled her sleeves up.

Shippo obeyed instantly, relieved that he didn't have to stay and watch. The father-to-be also made to stand up but was restrained by his mate's death grip on his sleeve. “No!” cried out Kagome as she grabbed the hanyou's hand and held onto it desperately. Surprised, he stared at her stupidly.

“No.” She shook her head, her already damp hair sticking to her forehead and making her gleaming azure orbs even more striking. “You promised to protect us,” she reminded in a tiny voice.

He glanced at Kaede hesitantly before he heard Kagome whisper, “Please, Inuyasha. I need you with me.”

His eyes melted at the sight of her pleading ones. He squeezed her hand to let her know that he would stay as he stroked her cheek with his free hand. Closing her eyes, the miko savored the sensation of calloused fingers on her soft skin while she could. The cramps would start again soon.

The hanyou scowled at Kaede who glared at him. The old woman sighed in irritation before she warned, “Do as ye wish, Inuyasha. But, don't ye dare get upset during the birth.”

He snorted at that comment. “Keh! I've seen worse, old hag,” he declared confidently. “You think I'm too weak to witness my pups being born?” The elderly priestess only raised an eyebrow at the hanyou's arrogance before going back to her business and ignoring him completely.

Half an hour later, Inuyasha decided that he'd never seen anything worse before. The scent of her blood was making him dizzy, urging him to protect what was his and driving him to the brink of insanity as he failed to do so. Kaede was kneeling in front of Kagome, coaching the young woman expertly while Sango helped her friend stand and whispered words of encouragement. Shortly after the group had arrived with Kirara, the slayer had come in with a large kettle filled with hot water and together they had secured a thick rope to the wall behind Kagome so that she could use it to support herself. As the miko clutched the rope hanging over her head with two hands, the hanyou did his best to keep her from hitting her head on the wall by wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

Unfortunately, with the increasing pain, her attitude toward him changed drastically. At some point, one of her hands found his and clasped tightly, her short nails digging into his skin painfully. How his fragile human managed to hurt him was beyond his grasp.

“Push, child!” commanded Kaede.

“I am pushing, dammit!” Kagome screamed, her face a dark crimson with her efforts.

“Push harder!” yelled Kaede, earning an impressive growl from the young woman.

Trying to make himself useful, Inuyasha supplied, “Push harder, wench!”

“You shut up!” the so-called-wench bellowed.

He was taken aback by her outburst. His instincts screamed at him to run, but her grip on his hand wouldn't let him move. She let go of the rope and latched onto his forelocks, making him wince in pain. Looking him in the eye with murder in hers, she hissed between gritted teeth, “This is entirely your fault, you jerk!”

“What the…” started Inuyasha but was cut short by Kagome's agonizing shriek. It felt as if this torture would never end as those screams continued to burn his ears. He was growling and sweating heavily with the effort it took to stay by her side and not to bring the whole village down in his horror. When would it stop?

A miserable whimper worked its way up his throat, threatening to break out of his lips right before he heard Kaede's softened voice. “Look at what we have here,” cooed the old priestess as she handed a messy lump to Sango. He could hardly make out short silver strands and bluish skin beneath the slimy substance and the crimson that coated the little bundle. And then, it cried. It was his pup!

His ears perked up as he heard the slayer whisper, “It's a boy.”

A boy. He had a son! He wanted to see his pup and longed to hold him in his arms, but his attention turned back to his mate as she groaned once more.

Returning to the young woman, Kaede said, “You're almost done, child. Now, be brave and push!” And just like that, the torture started again.

Between screams and groans, profanities could be heard quite clearly along with the miko's accusations pertaining to her mate's part in her current situation, causing the poor hanyou's ears to hide among his hair. Luckily, the second one — a girl — didn't take as long as the first.

After he helped his mate lie back on the futon, he watched the women tend to the infants as he absentmindedly stroked Kagome's damp hair. Kaede motioned him to approach, and he jumped to his feet, his heart threatening to burst out of its cage with every step he took. Before he knew it, he had one pup placed on each arm. Were they supposed to be so tiny? With a stupid grin plastered on his face, he turned to his exhausted mate. She looked so serene, lying there tiredly, her eyes shining as her gaze landed on the two bundles in his arms. Gone was the murderous bitch from a few minutes ago. It was good to have his loving miko back, and she had never looked so beautiful.

All the pain Kagome had endured was forgotten once she laid eyes on her babies. They were still a little messy despite Kaede and Sango's attempts to clean them, but she could see the silver of their hair sticking out from the blankets as Inuyasha held them. Feeling as if drugged after so much exertion, she looked up to his face to see the amazed, unbelieving and affectionate expression on his features. He returned her gaze as he moved to show the babies to her. The moment their eyes locked, she was overcome by the unspoken gratitude and unshed tears in his eyes. With their children safely and gently nestled in his arms, it was the most heavenly sight her eyes would ever be graced with.

He kneeled on her side and gave her one of the pups. “Which one is this?” she asked, her voice cracking with emotion as she looked down at the small lump that was her baby.

“Dunno,” murmured the hanyou. “Lemme check.” He opened the blanket he was still holding and showed her its tiny little contents with inflated pride. “Meet our son, Kagome.”

The young woman's eyes filled with tears at the sight before her. Her son. He was beautiful beyond words.

She giggled when the infant kicked Inuyasha's nose. “Wench,” he said jovially. “Haven't I told you my son was going to be a strong hanyou?” Following the smirking half-demon's taunt, the newborn's wail thundered like a war cry as his little fist accidentally connected with his father's jaw. Unfazed by the pup's attempts to beat him into a pulp, Inuyasha cried out triumphantly, “Ha! Take that!”

~*~

“Take that, you little scum!” Miroku hissed after hitting a guard unconscious when the bastard tried to attack Sango from behind. Whirling back, he parried a second soldier's attempt with the sword he had acquired at the beginning of the fight.

Sango was fairing rather well, sparring against two attackers at a time. Behind the couple, Kagome watched nervously, hitting and kicking the enemy whenever they entered the range of her limbs. She was the human shield standing in front of Inuyasha, who lay on the stone ground supported by the wall from behind.

One of the soldiers managed to sneak past the vicious couple, and for a second, the miko's heart jumped to her throat. Fortunately, the man ran past her and deeper into the dungeons. She was relieved at first, but that soon changed when she saw him take the hall that led to the cell where they had left Keiko. `This is not good.'

Her concerns shifted direction when she heard Inuyasha groan. He was trembling visibly, and heavy drops of sweat covered his face. Crouching down, she put a hand on his forehead and hissed when she felt his temperature. He was burning with fever.

His lips were moving incessantly, spilling out words she couldn't hear. She leaned down, trying to decipher what he was saying. Then, she heard him mumble, “...stop... don't... stop...”

~*~

Strange incessant voices pulled her from the clutches of unawareness, and Kagome opened her eyes to the flickering moonlight seeping behind the tatami mat covering the window as it faintly ruffled in the gentle wind. She lay motionless, trying to figure out what woke her up in the middle of the night. Then, she heard it: harsh, rapid breaths accompanied by an occasional groan or whimper coming from the figure lying behind her on the futon.

She rolled onto her other side, facing Inuyasha as he slept next to her. He seemed to be having a dream or a nightmare; she couldn't tell which. She could barely make out his eyes moving rapidly behind his closed eyelids in the faint light. His mouth was slightly open, short gasps of air leaving his parted lips in rapid succession. As she watched, trying to decide whether to wake him or not, he moaned in broken gasps, “...stop... don't... stop...”

Reaching out to him slowly, she pushed his hair away from his face and caressed his cheeks and then his brows, gently smoothing the little creases that formed between them as his face scoffed in tension. “Inuyasha?” she called timidly. He didn't wake up, but she was relieved to see that he instantly relaxed under her fingers.

Sighing in relief, the miko laid her head on the hanyou's shoulder and willed herself to go back to sleep. She blinked a few times before she decided it was futile. Now that she was fully awake, she could just as well get up and check on the children.

Throwing the blanket away, Kagome slowly stood up. She righted the disheveled neckline of her yukata while she tiptoed her way out of the bedroom and into the adjacent room where her babies slept on two tiny futons next to each other.

She smiled when her eyes found Raiden's little form sprawled out on his bed. The blanket was already kicked off, pooled at his naked feet. Her little warrior was sleeping with his wooden sword lying by his side, mimicking his father. And as usual, he was sucking his thumb. She chuckled soundlessly as she kneeled down and gently took his thumb out of his mouth before tucking him in and placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

Reika was curled up on her pillow, her hand tangled in Raiden's silver hair. She had probably been playing with his ear again. She did it all the time despite her brother's loud protests, and Raiden was used to it by now. In fact, he couldn't sleep without his sister playing with his ears. Her little princess was a stubborn one, and Kagome was sure she got that from her father. After all, their mother was a perfectly agreeable person.

She sometimes wondered if they got anything from her at all. She had been the one to carry them in her body for nine months, but the twins were spitting images of their father. Only once a month when they turned human could she see a part of herself in their raven hair and in Reika's sapphire orbs. Raiden had his father's eyes. She had no idea where they got their sleeping habits, though. Inuyasha was always still when he slept. Unless he was dreaming like tonight, that is. The miko was pretty sure she didn't fight with her covers or took off on a journey on her futon, either.

Shaking her head at her babies' sleeping habits, Kagome righted her daughter in the bed and gently tweaked her little doggie ear. Reika grunted in her sleep, her ears twitching madly among her silver strands. She clawed at the offending object, but Kagome was quick to retract her hand before the expected attack came. Reika didn't like people touching her ears.

Smiling and shaking her head at her beautiful flower's hypocrisy, Kagome left the room and headed to join her beloved mate in slumber. Before she passed the door to their love nest, her gaze caught a glimpse of the elegant dagger stabbed high into the doorframe by her own hands. She touched its hilt with her fingertips, feeling the power of the barrier surrounding the house through the object.

The first two weeks with their children had been difficult. Inuyasha had hardly slept, keeping watch all day and night, afraid that some random demon passing by would come after their scent. Three half-demons in one place were too big of a target. Finally, Kagome had asked Kaede and Miroku to teach her how to erect a barrier and keep it intact while she was sleeping by channeling her energy to an inanimate object. It had been one of the best decisions she had ever made. Now, her family was safe, and Inuyasha could actually sleep with her on their futon instead of sitting up all night.

The dagger had been his present, forged from his own fang by no one other than the great sword master Totosai. Kagome had been surprised by the power of the barriers she had erected with that dagger. It didn't have any specialties like the Tetsusaiga, but it was a part of her mate, and that alone made her feel more powerful whenever she handled it.

After eyeing her precious weapon affectionately for a few more seconds, she entered the bedroom. She tiptoed her way back to the futon. She was so engrossed in her efforts to not make a sound that she jumped when a growl suddenly erupted from the hanyou's chest.

Inuyasha was dreaming again, but this time it seemed more intense. Silent moans and soft growls left his parted lips, and he started thrashing in bed. Her jaw dropped open when he groaned and bucked his hips upwards in a way that could mean only one thing. Now that she looked carefully, the bulge in his hakama was visible even in the dim light.

Inuyasha was having a wet dream.

She tried hard to keep her girlish giggles in. This was the first time she had caught him like this. And damn him if he didn't look hot. The sight of him as his muscles clenched every time his hips rose off the ground combined with the desperate sounds escaping his full lips sent shivers down her spine even as they ignited a familiar fire in her belly.

“Please,” he whimpered, and it was her undoing. She had to touch him. She had to feel him inside her. She had to end his misery with her caresses and let him soothe the aching need that was growing fast in her lower regions.

Slowly, she kneeled down on the futon and loosened the ties to his hakama. She bit her lip in excitement when his huge erection sprang free. He was still sleeping, and she didn't want him to wake up yet. That would ruin the surprise. She was already soaking wet — wet enough for the both of them. She smiled thinking about the possible expressions his face would take on once he opened his eyes to find her on top of him. Even more encouraged now thanks to her active imagination, she shrugged her yukata off. She carefully straddled him and almost lost her balance when he thrust his hips up once more. The friction of her wet core over him was too much, and the miko bit her lip to keep herself from moaning out loud.

Rising on her knees, she held him up with one hand and very slowly lowered herself on him. It was when he was half-way in and she was panting with the strain it took not to pummel herself on him that he chose to buck his hips up, burying his erection in her. Their groans mixed as she closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of being whole once again.

Then, she was riding him softly, sensuously. He met her thrust for thrust even as his eyes stayed closed, keeping him in dreamland. Her hands sneaked into his shirt, grazing his abs and supporting her weight as her legs threatened to give out from under her. His head was trashing from side to side, broken pleas falling from his lips. Everything about him made her heart soar and her body reached dangerous highs every time she was with him. And then she was falling, toppling down to earth as her muscles clamped around him, taking him down with her.

Gasping for breath and exhausted, Kagome lay down on his torso and nuzzled his neck. Laughter bubbled up in her chest thinking about what she had done and that he slept through it all. Who would have guessed Inuyasha would turn into such a heavy sleeper? His breathing was still labored. Smiling contentedly, she leaned up to place a kiss on his jaw. He groaned again, and the word he whispered, even though uttered in such a soft tone, rang in her ears like the trumpet of doom, and her world came crushing down.

“Kikyo.”

~*~

“`Gome,” Inuyasha moaned, bringing Kagome back from her reverie. She shushed him with a soft caress on his forehead. She glanced at their saviors to see them standing among several comatose soldiers scattered upon the ground.

Righting their clothes and masks, they hurried to her side. Once again, they hauled the hanyou off the ground with the help of Kagome's ruined kimono. The monk hissed in pain at the strain the act put on his muscles, and the miko gasped in fear when she saw the cut on his arm. “Miroku! Are you okay?” she asked.

He shook his head vigorously. “I'm fine, Kagome. It's just a scratch. Don't worry about it. Now, move it before the news get out and we have to fight hundreds of them.”

Nodding her understanding, Kagome took the lead once more, checking the halls before they took a turn. They had to hide and wait for a few times, but they got out of the main building without further incident. Thanks to the new moon, their escape was mostly concealed by darkness as they continued toward the back wall Sango and Miroku had used to sneak in.

The events of the last two days were finally wearing on her, and now that they were able to run without being intercepted, she could feel her limbs as well as her lungs protesting. That was perfectly understandable, though. The young woman from the future hadn't been living a physically exhausting life for the last ten years.

A thick log by the wall, which they were staying close to as they ran, caught Kagome's eye. She stopped for a moment to breathe and put her hand on the log for support as she doubled over in exhaustion. When she pulled back to resume running, she hissed at the unexpected sting on her finger. `A splinter. Great.' Inwardly cursing her luck as well as her clumsiness, she brought the appendage to her mouth.

~*~

Kagome furiously stabbed at the torn hem of her red hakama. She was seething, and it had nothing to do with the fact that Inuyasha had been dreaming again last night and that she was too much of a coward to call him out on it. `Nope. Definitely not.' It was the damn fabric that wouldn't let her stitch the irritating tear. When everything else in her life was so damn difficult and frustrating, why would the single task of stitching be easy?

She gritted her teeth as she struggled to get the needle out of the fabric and hissed in pain when it stung her fingertip. She watched with glistening eyes as blood oozed from the tiny hole on her finger. `Oh, who am I kidding?' This had been going on for months, and she was on the verge of breaking down these days. She wanted it to end. She wanted to cry out at the top of her lungs that she knew. She wanted to demand an explanation. However, she was afraid. If she let him voice her fears, if he admitted that he was missing the deceased priestess and that he still loved her, craved her, she couldn't live with it. There was only so much a woman could bear. That would be her limit, and she would have to leave him for good.

The problem was that she couldn't live without him either. She loved him too much for her own good. Leaving would destroy her. Besides, it wasn't only the two of them anymore. They had two kids that needed their parents together. Speaking of which…

Her red clad mate appeared at the door. His little princess was sitting on his shoulders, happily combing daddy's unruly bangs.

“Papa!” came a loud cry, and Kagome looked down to see Raiden glued to Inuyasha's leg. If it wasn't for the mess of long silver hair, she wouldn't have noticed her son among the pile of red clothing.

“Come on, pup,” pleaded the adult hanyou as he shook his leg lightly to drop its precious cargo, but the boy held strong.

“No! Wind scaw!” demanded Raiden with an adorable but determined pout.

“Hey! We've been doing it since dawn!” complained the half-demon. “Let your old man rest for a minute, will you?”

“No!”

“Here,” Inuyasha said as he put his daughter down. “Why don't you go and slay a few dragons and rescue princess Reika from the tower?”

“I slay dwagon!” cried out the little boy in excitement and let go of his papa's leg. He pretended to stab his sister's pink kimono clad stomach with his wooden sword and added, “But, she's not a pwincess!” He blew her a raspberry and started running away for his life.

“Yes, I am!” screamed Reika as she stomped her foot down before chasing after Rai.

“Hey! Don't go outside the fence, and do not slay mommy's carrots, Rai!” The proud father chuckled after the children for a few more seconds. Then, his nose twitched, and he turned to Kagome.

The young woman gasped when his sharp gaze landed her. He assessed her for a moment before snorting. “Keh! And you go all `osuwari' on me when I say you're clumsy.”

With her hand still resting on her lap with the injured finger facing up, she glared at him as he strolled to her side. “I'm not clumsy,” she pouted.

“Sure, you're not. Then, why is your finger bleeding?” Kneeling before his mate, the hanyou reached for her hand and tenderly took her wounded finger in his mouth.

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw what he was doing, and heat flooded her cheeks. How did he manage to make her blush after all these years? Especially after all those things they had done together. Her face began to burn down to her chest, and she shook her head as if to scatter her naughty thoughts. Not trusting her voice, she whispered, “If you must know, it's because of you.”

“Me? What did I do?” he murmured distractedly.

The softness and warmth of his mouth sent shivers up her spine. But then, the image of the same mouth moaning out her name as he writhed in his dream flashed before her eyes, and suddenly, her anger returned full force. `Tell him!' the seething part of her screamed in her head. `You and your sweet dreams turned me into a wreck. Say it! My husband is dreaming of the `other woman' every night, and I am so pathetic that I don't know how to vent out my anger.' She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come to her. The angry Kagome in her head continued ranting uncaringly. `And, did I say that the other woman has been dead for years? How can I compete with someone who's already dead? Just spit it out! If I'm not enough for you, what are you doing with me?'

She shook her head mentally, and the woman that loved Inuyasha, the real Kagome took control of her thoughts. `How can I ask that? What if he confirms my fears? I don't think I can stand hearing that. What would I do in that case? Forget about what he said and in the process, forget about my pride and honor and act as if nothing happened? No, I can't. I did that too many times to count in the past. I can't continue pretending that everything is fine. Then, what? Would I leave him?' Even before she thought about it, she knew she wouldn't leave him even if her life depended on it. She loved him too much to devoid herself of him. Besides, there were also the children she had to think about.

Frustrated, she snatched her hand back and hissed, “You barged in here and scared me!”

The hanyou was taken aback by the hostility in her attitude and the anger in her voice. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Nothing's wrong with me,” she grumbled. “I'm perfectly fine.”

“The hell you are!” bellowed the half-demon as he tried to make eye contact with her.

She sighed tiredly and closed her eyes as she muttered, “Just leave me alone, Inuyasha.”

Discouraged by the distance she was putting between them, he jumped to his feet and growled, “Whatever.” As he headed for the door, she heard him grumble, “Bitch.”

“I told you to not call me that,” she warned.

“I'll call you a bitch whenever you're being one,” he snapped back and pointedly added, “bitch.”

Kagome growled impressively before she closed her eyes and yelled, “Osuwari!”

He hit the floor hard with a loud cry of, “Fuck!” When the spell finally wore off, he sprang to his feet. “Dammit! I'm out of here!” With that, he stormed out of the house.

She ran to the door after him, already regretting her seemingly groundless outburst. She whimpered as she watched him disappear into the forest. He wouldn't be returning tonight. This was not the first time he left after a fight. Now, he was gone again. She was only driving him away by treating him like this. Perhaps, he wasn't aware of his dreams. Perhaps, he didn't even remember them. Did she have the right to blame him if that was the case?

She cried silently as she collapsed on her knees. It was not that she expected him to forget about Kikyo. She would never expect that. But, it had been more than six years since her clay body was destroyed in that field, and they had been married for the better part of it. If he was dreaming of Kikyo, did that mean Kagome was not enough for him? She knew that the hanyou cared for her deeply, but perhaps, those feelings did not run as deep as his love for the woman who loved him first. He had chosen Kikyo over her once, and in her nightmares, Kagome still saw that the deceased priestess had somehow come back to life and that Inuyasha went after her.

Seeing him running away like that was almost like watching him go after her again.

But this time, Kagome was not going to sit by and wait for his return. This time, she had to think of her children who needed their father even more than she needed her mate. Things could not continue like this. She was going to solve it today. First, she was going to find him and apologize. Then, she was going to either ask him about those damn dreams or forget that they ever happened. That final decision could be made after she found him.

Determined, she stood up.

Hours later, Kagome sat nervously on Kirara's back as the cat demon flew over hills and forests, following Inuyasha's scent. She had asked Keiko to keep an eye on her babies, to which the young priestess heartily agreed with a warm smile. She made a mental note to find a way to pay back the priestess' kindness after things were settled. Luckily, Kohaku was in the village along with Kirara, and the cat demon had agreed to help her find her mate.

She patted the neko's fur lovingly before she asked, “We haven't lost him, have we, Kirara? Do you think we'll catch him?” Her answer came in the form of a roar, which Kagome supposed was affirmative.

They flew for a few more minutes before they landed at the base of a hill. She smiled in relief when she saw crimson and silver in the distance, gently flapping in the breeze like the flames of a torch. However, her face fell once she registered where exactly they were standing.

Inuyasha sat on the small hill where he had held Kikyo in his arms crying all those years ago, where they had said their final goodbyes and where he had kissed her for the last time. He seemed broken.

The burning in her eyes and the pain in her heart were a distant memory as she stood still as a stone, unable to think, unable to feel, unable to breathe. He let out an anguished cry then, and it shattered Kagome's heart into a million pieces.

A lone tear caressed her cheek soothingly, and the miko turned her back to the scene, unable to bear the sight of him anymore.

~*~

The group stopped once they reached the castle walls. Kagome kneeled down to check on the hanyou once again, unable to let him out of her sight. A pathetic whimper escaped her when she touched his forehead with the back of her hand. His fever had gotten worse.

She heard Miroku swear profusely and she looked up in astonishment to see the monk-turned-ninja kick the wall angrily, a pile of rope dangling in his hand. “Dammit! Damn Keiko! Damn the new moon, and damn us for forgetting about it! How the hell are we going to carry him to the other side? Damn it all!”

“Now, now… I believe that's not the way a respectable monk such as yourself is supposed to talk, Miroku.”

The three companions gasped and looked at the source of the tiny voice that was currently perched on Miroku's shoulder. “Myoga?” squeaked Kagome, perplexed.

“Well hello, my dear lady. It's wonderful to see you again!”

“Exactly how long have you been here, Myoga?” asked Sango suspiciously.

“Umm…” trailed off the old flea as the fingers on his two pairs of arms drummed against each other nervously. “I've been here with Lord Inuyasha the entire time.”

“Why didn't you show yourself before?” questioned Miroku.

“Because I wasn't needed before!”

“And we need you now? How so? Are you planning to give us a hand to carry your master over this wall?” asked Sango with a snort.

“No!” cried out the demon, jumping up and down frantically.

Everyone raised an eyebrow at him knowingly, and Myoga hurriedly added, “Not that I wouldn't help if I could. But, you shouldn't carry him like that. It's too risky. Master Inuyasha is injured.”

Miroku interrupted the flea's explanation. “We can see that, Myoga. But, we have to try. We'll be careful, I promise.”

“No, you don't see anything!” screeched the old retainer as all four of his hands waved chaotically in urgency. “That wound in his abdomen… It's worse than it looks. I saw how it happened! That sword almost protruded on the other side!”

A pitiful sob came from Kagome who looked to be on the verge of tears.

The minuscule demon sighed at the pain visible on the young woman's face before he continued. “Thankfully, the bleeding stopped before he transformed. But, if you jostle him around, that wound might reopen, and in his state, he might not survive until sunrise.”

“Fuck,” exclaimed the monk, receiving odd glances from his companions. He gave them a sheepish look as he scratched his masked head. “That leaves us no choice. Sango,” he called to his wife. Once she acknowledged him with a nod, he announced his plan. “You go and get Kirara. I'll take the barrier down.” The slayer nodded grimly, and Miroku turned to Kagome. “I need you to stay with Inuyasha and protect him. We'll find a place you can hide until we return.”

Five minutes later, the unconscious hanyou-turned-human was placed behind several wooden boxes loaded on a cart in front of the wall. Kagome sat by his side, holding a short sword that was thrust in her hand by an anxious slayer.

“Be very, very careful,” the tajiya almost pleaded before leaving the miko to fend for herself and her mate. Sango threw the hooked end of the rope high and sharply tugged at it once to check if the metal held securely. She climbed fast with the agility earned by a lifetime's worth of experience.

Once his wife disappeared behind the wall, Miroku turned to Kagome. He opened his mouth as if to say something but was cut short when they heard men shouting. “Damn,” he hissed under his breath. “Do not let anyone see you,” he whispered quietly before he took off to the shadows and disappeared from her sight.

“Myoga?” whispered Kagome but received no response. The flea must have tagged along with the others. `He's probably with Sango.' After all, the slayer was the safest of all choices at the moment. She knew he wouldn't be able to help her even if he had stayed. But suddenly, Kagome felt all alone, and even the company of a coward seemed reassuring. She let out a long suffering breath and tightened her hold on the sword, bracing herself for what was to come.

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard footsteps approaching along with distant murmurs. She peeked around one of the boxes to see a group of soldiers running around. Their weapons were drawn, and they seemed to be looking for something or someone. `They're searching for us. They must have found the soldiers we left in the dungeons. Keiko must be free by now. I bet she'll send the whole army after us.'

She didn't dare breathe as the group passed by the cart. Unfortunately, Inuyasha chose that moment to start mumbling. “Rei…” he moaned, and Kagome's eyes widened in terror. “Rai… `Gome, no…” Panicked, the young woman quickly glanced at the soldiers, and to her relief, they didn't look like they heard anything. “…come back,” the hanyou whispered before his mate's lips covered his mouth with a tender kiss. Leaning over his form she kept his mouth closed until she was sure there was no one else around.

Once the danger was gone, she took her lips off of his and caressed his cheek, careful of his injuries. “I'm here, Inuyasha,” she said softly. “I came back and I'll never leave you ever again,” she promised with determination.

Kagome was so lost in the moment that she almost screamed when a booming sound echoed in the distance. She looked up to see the lights penetrating the darkness of the moonless night from behind several buildings. `The shrine! Miroku!' Apparently, the monk had resorted to using the same method Inuyasha had used when he had kidnapped Kagome a few weeks ago. In that case, Miroku must have no other choice left. She hoped he would return safely after taking the attention of the whole castle onto himself.

She could hear the angry shouts even from where she was hiding at the back of the castle. She was so engrossed in trying to decipher what was happening in the town that she almost jumped when she caught movement from the corner of her eye.

A slim figure emerged from the shadows, its tail swishing behind it. Lights flared once again in the city, illuminating two green orbs looking directly at where the couple was hidden. “Shippo?” Kagome murmured as she slowly got off the cart.

“Kagome,” came her answer in a low whisper. Emerald swirled with joy at first, but it was quickly replaced with sadness and then with panic when the young woman took off in his direction.

“No!” Shippo cried out, effectively stopping the miko mid-way. “Please,” the kitsune whispered then. “Don't c-come near me. R-run away.”

“Why?” was all Kagome could say as she stood frozen a few feet away from her adopted child.

“I'll h-hurt you,” Shippo managed to get out with obvious difficulty. “It's her c-collar. S-she made me sniff y-you out.”

Kagome smiled at him affectionately. “You won't hurt me.” She took a step forward.

Shippo shook his head frantically, but the miko was unfazed. “I'll set you free,” she announced and approached the fox demon carefully but determinedly.

Things became blurry for a split second, and before Kagome knew it, she was standing with her back facing the boy, his sharp claws hovering over her neck threateningly.

“I t-told you to run away,” he gritted out between clenched teeth. “Why couldn't you l-listen to r-reason for once?”

His claws were slowly digging into her throat, extracting warm blood from the holes on her skin. She whimpered as her vision blurred with tears. Was it going to end like this? Was she going to be killed by one of her loved ones all because of a stupid spell? `No.' Was Inuyasha going to be slaughtered in his sleep by the child he had saved countless times? `Please, no.' Shippo was going to be a murderer. He wouldn't be able to live with that. `Damn you, Keiko!'

Suddenly, her breath was knocked out of her and she found herself on the ground. She rose on her arms with difficulty, and the kitsune's unconscious body slid off of her back. Looking up, her eyes met smoldering grey ones as Inuyasha stood there shakily, the sheathed Tetsusaiga hanging from his hand limply.

She gasped when he scrunched his eyes shut and doubled over, his free arm clutching at his abdomen. He let out a pained groan then, sending the miko into a frenzy. She was up on her feet in a flash and she managed to catch him before he crashed to the ground. She laid him on his back, asking him if he was all right and begging him to hang on. She pried his arm off of his stomach. She didn't need to open his shirt to know that his wound was reopened; the front of his shirt was quickly becoming soaked with fresh blood.

A new onslaught of tears washed her cheeks. Luckily, the hanyou passed out before he could see them. At least, he wouldn't feel pain this way. She dragged him toward the cart as gently as she could. Once they were a safe distance away from Shippo's stirring form, she erected a barrier using the short sword she had left in the cart before she had foolishly ran to the fox demon and mindlessly thrown herself and her mate's life into danger.

With trembling hands, she took the hanyou's limp one and brought it to her lips, kissing his knuckles apologetically. “Please, Inuyasha. You must survive.”

Her attention was diverted when lights flared behind the barrier. Fox fire wrapped around the sphere of spiritual energy, green flames licking at the invisible wall and rising to the air when the barrier did not give way.

Shippo created a new ball of fire, then. It swirled in his open palm menacingly before the boy sent it high to the air. `No! He's sending a signal flare to give away our location.'

Kagome didn't have much time to panic, though, because Sango chose that moment to arrive with Kirara. The slayer had collected the Hiraikotsu from where she had hidden it, and now, the gigantic boomerang rested on her back as the neko landed in between Kagome's barrier and her reluctant attacker.

Jumping down, Sango took a defensive stance as she put the Hiraikotsu in front of her. Behind the wall the tajiya created with her weapon and her body, Kagome brought her barrier down and let Kirara approach.

“Get him out of here, Kagome!” ordered Sango as she intercepted several enormous mushrooms headed in their direction. “We'll be all right!” she shouted before adding in a muted tone, “We'll meet you in the village.”

Nodding determinedly, the miko used all her might to place the hanyou on a crouched Kirara's back. She didn't waste a second to sit behind his slouched form. She had barely secured Inuyasha in her arms when the neko stood up.

She saw Sango dodge the fox demon's monstrous spinning top before she felt the ground slide from under them as Kirara took to the air.

~*~

Kagome saw nothing as the neko flew over the lands for hours. She felt nothing as the wind mercilessly whipped her hair. She became aware of her surroundings only when Kirara's feet touched the ground. They were back in the village.

What was she going to do now? She didn't want to go home. She didn't want to see the place she had considered her heaven. Not now. Not yet.

She heard children's laughter in the distance and saw her babies running toward the forest merrily. Her babies. If anything could save her from this unbearable sorrow, it was them. Keiko was fast on their tail. The priestess turned then, and seeing Kagome watching them, she waved at the young woman. Kagome waved back weakly, signaling that she would be with them soon.

Hopping down from Kirara's back, she patted the neko absentmindedly before following after the trio. Her feet moved of their own volition as she was lost in her thoughts.

Now that she knew the truth, she had no way out of this nightmare. She couldn't live without Inuyasha, nor could she stand being with him. She couldn't take her children away from him, nor could she bear leaving them with their father.

But, how could she go on like this? How could she touch him and not think that it was her caresses he was craving? How could she let him touch her and not wonder if he was feeling her or Kikyo? How could she watch him play with her children and not wonder if he was wishing they were Kikyo's?

She couldn't stay, nor could she leave. She was trapped.

With a miserable sob, she looked up to the heavens, and was met with the sight of magnificent branches hovering over her. `The Goshinboku.' Like a magnet, the ancient tree had called out to her, and without even realizing, she had answered its call. Somehow, she was drawn to this place — this one spot where everything started, where she had seen him for the first time.

She could almost see him still pinned to the tree, sleeping like an angel — her beautiful angel. He had looked so innocent then, so harmless. How could she have known he would turn her world upside down, give her the greatest happiness and then take it back?

Stepping up to the tree's trunk, she reached for the place he had been sealed. `No.' She couldn't touch it. Not anymore.

An anguished sob ripped from her tormented soul, and she fell to her knees in tears. Her fists clenched at her sides, her fingers digging to the earth in an attempt to soothe the craving to hurt something — anything — but miserably failing in the end.

If she had never met him in the first place, none of this would have happened. If she had never known him, life would have been easier — meaningless, but more bearable. Somewhere at the back of her mind and deep in her heart, she knew she would regret even thinking about it but she couldn't help it as she cried out, “I wish I had never laid eyes on you!”

The moment those words left her lips, a strange numbness crept up her body, leaving her mind cornered as emptiness fought to take over. A warm hand grasped her shoulder tightly as a familiar yet unknown voice whispered promises of happiness, a different life and the end of pain.

“Let it go,” it said sweetly.

She couldn't let go, could she?

`Let what go?'

“Let him go,” it demanded this time.

`I can't,' she resisted. `I don't want to.' But the emptiness was powerful, and the numbness felt good. It didn't hurt.

“It is easy,” the voice coaxed. But still, something inside her didn't want to listen. She didn't want to let him go. Whoever he was.

“Forget,” the soothing voice finished.

And, Kagome forgot.

The young mother walked among the trees dazedly and stopped in front of the Bone Eater's well. As if blind, she failed to see her children running toward her, waving enthusiastically. The little girl's cries for her mother to get her brother off of her tail fell on deaf ears.

The priestess that escorted the young woman whispered, “Go now. Live your life like you were supposed to. And forget that this world ever existed. Never. Come. Back.”

Then, she pushed the hanyou's beloved miko into the black hole.

The last thing Kagome saw before darkness took her was the wooden walls of the well.

~*~

Kagome had a hard time breaking her gaze from the unconscious half-demon's tormented face. He was half-lying in her lap as they traveled away from the castle. It had been hours since they had left that dreaded place in chaos. But, there were still several hours until dawn.

With a sigh, she looked down. The first thing she could make out was the wooden walls of the Bone Eater's well as Kirara started to descend to the ground. She closed her eyes in relief, knowing that this journey was almost over. In less than two minutes, she was standing in front of an unusually large hut, helping the neko carry Inuyasha inside.

They passed through the small garden where she used to grow vegetables and where her children used to play. They passed through the wooden door her mate diligently crafted for her convenience. She stopped once she was inside the room where she had spent the good part of a winter naked, making love to her beloved hanyou.

A tragic smile lightly tugged up the corners of her mouth.

After almost ten years, she was home again.

End of Chapter 15

End Notes:

Special thanks to Ai Kisugi for her suggestion about Inu hearing two heartbeats from Kagome's belly.