InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ How Could This Happen? ❯ How Could This Happen? ( Chapter 1 )

[ A - All Readers ]

~* How Could This Happen?*~

(Song by Simple Plan- Untitled)


I open my eyes
I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light


Inuyasha wasn't the type of being who would get hurt feelings or upset about things, quite the contrary. He was an extremly tough, strong man, always having the will to battle on. He never gave up a fight and he never stopped fighting, especially when it came to protecting his friends and the people he cared about more than anything. He wasn't the type to show his emotions either. The hanyou always kept a stern, cold exterior about most things, but when it came to a certain person it was sometimes hard. He'd usually hide away his fears or worries and try to cover them up with what he thought was an asshole, snappy, angry attitude, but that one woman could see right through him and he knew that, try as he might not to believe it. The light was nearly blinding him as his golden eyes slowly fluttered opened. There were shapes above him and his head was hurting something fierce. They were surrounded by a red and orangish glow...a fire was going. Had something else just happened?

I can't remember how
I can't remember why
I'm lying here tonight

Inuyasha tried hard to remember anything that may had happened the previous night, but the only memory he could pick up was a rather fond memory of that night. He and Kagome had sat up most of the night in a cherry blossom tree, just talking about anything and everything together. It had been awhile now since Kikyo died and Inuyasha had been having a somewhat hard time learning to deal with the pain of losing her. Kagome had understood that for Kikyo had been his first love. However now there was no denying that Inuyasha really did love Kagome. Now that Kikyo was gone, he couldn't just sit and dwell on her death. Kikyo wouldn't have wanted that and if he had just let himself fall to pieces, he'd be leaving Kagome all alone and he didn't want that either.

She was just too special to him. Inuyasha promised her that night as they lay together on the massive branch watching the stars and the soft pink petals of the cherry blossoms falling slowly from the branches around them, causing the scene to be nearly picture perfect, that he'd stay by her side always. He felt the young woman snuggle into him even more and she turned her head upward, her expressive chocolate eyes glistening at him. Inuyasha smiled softly to himself as he watched the beautiful young woman fall asleep in his arms. He had carried her down to where the others were resting by the fire and tucked her in. Once he was certain Kagome was comfortable and would sleep well, he sat next to her, gazing into the fire, but what was this now? That was all he could remember. He was awakening on the cold, hard ground and he was hurting something terrible. Inuyasha went to lift his hand to his head but a sharp pain pierced his side causing him to grit his teeth, showing his miniscule fangs.

"Don't try and move much," came a kind, familiar female voice above him.

"Huh?" Inuyasha blinked his eyes and the familiar voice's figure came into view. She was wearing a purple and green kimono. Her long, dark hair hung over her shoulder as she peered downward at her friend. Sango knelt down beside him, clutching what looked like a white bowl in her hands. InuYasha's eyes moved as another figure appeared next to her, holding some bandages.

"We've only just treated your wounds. How are you feeling?" came a much deeper voice that Inuyasha recognized as Miroku.


And I can't stand the pain
And I can't make it go away
No I can't stand the pain

"I...I'm not sure," Inuyasha stammered as he tried to come to. Sango...Miroku...but where are Shippo and Kagome? What...has happened? The hanyou tried to prop himself up on his elbows, but the pain ran through his side again and he hissed through his clenched teeth, the pain becoming nearly unbearable. Inuyasha gazed down and realized his torso was bare and he had bandages wrapped around his stomach, blood had surfaced on them as well. What in the hell happened to me?

"Inuyasha, you're not strong enough yet to get up on your own," came Sango's worried voice. "Just lay there and try to take it easy. We've got some herbs to treat your injuries."

"Where are Shippo and Kagome?" Inuyasha asked his friends he lay back down, feeling the pain subside a bit. He gazed up into the worried faces of Sango and Miroku and watched the two lovers exchange worried, almost frightened glances. "Miroku, answer me!" Inuyasha stated a little more furiously.

Sango lowered her head slightly while Miroku gazed behind him. "Shippo is sleeping right now," the monk told him plainly.

"And Kagome is...," Sango began softly and Inuyasha watched as her dark eyes glanced over him.

"Sango what i-," but Inuyasha's voice broke as he watched her eyes move over him and the beautiful, familiar scent caught his nose, but the scent was mingled with something else...something that he never wanted to smell on her and so much of it...blood...

The hanyou turned his head, to meet a sight that wasn't pleasing to his eye. Kagome's frail form was laying next to him. Her face had been severely scratched and cut on one side. Part of the sleeve of her shirt had been ripped off and she had bandages wrapped all around her arm and traveling up to her neck. Inuyasha's golden eyes scanned up her arm and to her neck, and he now saw she had bandages wrapped around her neck her neck as well. Fear flooded through his body like a, cold autumn rain, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of the rest of her body. There was blood on her shirt..alot of it, and she had a bandage wrapped around one her legs as well.

"Sango? Miroku? What...what happened to Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, now feeling a newfound strength fill him and despite his pain, he sat up and moved towards the girl, carefully and tenderly lifting her up in his strong arms and holding her close to his body. "She's not...is she..." he couldn't finish the words. Dammit no! She's not dead! She can't be dead! What in the hell has happened to her! I wasn't there when she was hurt! I failed to protect her!

"No, she's not dead, but she's not well either," Sango said softly as she approached Inuyasha's side. "Don't...don't you remember anything that has happened, Inuyasha?"

"What do you mean by what happened!" snapped Inuyasha, glaring at Sango. "What in the hell happened to her! Why is she hurt like this!" His golden eyes flickered back and forth between Sango and Miroku as the two seated themselves on the ground in front of Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Inuyasha, your Tetsusaiga," began Sango softly. "It was...you fell asleep next to Kagome last night and it was stolen. You never flinched, you didn't even wake up. We almost wondered if something had been cast over you to keep you asleep so it would be stolen," the demon slayer explained.

"WHAT!" Inuyasha roared, his eyes widened even more, and he drew his eyebrows down in anger. "Who stole my Tetsusaiga and why! How the hell did you get it back, and how did this happen! Dammit, tell me!" the hanyou demanded.

"Inuyasha calm down," Miroku spoke up. "Getting angry and acting rash isn't going to change the situation at hand. Right now we need to concentrate on keeping Kagome alive. She's lost a lot of blood. Sango and myself have been using the same herbs on her as well, but she hasn't awoken yet."

"So you're not going to tell me how Kagome ended up like this?" Inuyasha shot back through clenched teeth, continuing to glare when it hit him...his Tetsusuaiga had been stolen, that could only mean...No...oh god, no! Please tell me it's not true! Kagome! A new look had glazed his golden eyes, a look of extreme fear and he looked back up at Sango and Miroku. "You mean...I..did this?"

"I'm so sorry Inuyasha. We're not sure how or why Tetsusaiga was stolen from you, but Kirara and I managed to get it back from the demon that did try and take it, only it was too late. You had already transformed. We're sure that he was working for Naraku though. I think with his sick, twisted mind he's trying to do everything he can to turn you against Kagome so you'll...well, lose her too," Sango explained sadly.

"You attacked Kagome," Miroku spoke simply but almost empathatically. "I know you don't realize what you did and I know you don't remember it either. Kagome was the only one that was able to stop you, but right after she did, she went unconcious and hasn't awoken since."

"I...what happened? Just, just tell me what happened while I was transformed. What did I do?" Inuyasha asked quietly gazing down into Kagome's face and Sango began to tell Inuyasha of what had happened the night before.

~*~*~*~*~

How could this happen to me
I've made my mistakes
Got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away...

Inuyasha gazed at her beautiful features flickering the fire light and he smiled. How could he have been so lucky? Hadn't he always treated her like crap, made her feel second rate to a certain person? Of course he had, but Inuyasha hadn't meant to. Despite everything that had happened she still held on, stayed right by his side and he had figured out it was because she loved him. No matter what the consequence, she was still always there for him. She had let her feet burn in demon acid to help support him, keep him at bay as they fought their way out of a demon's stomach. Kagome had always sacrificed so much for him. How would he ever be able to pay her in return? And that night had been the night Inuyasha had realized that he truly was in love with this woman. The feeling was beautiful, so peaceful and so elating that Inuyasha had found himself looking back on their every moment together and now he found he could think of nothing but her. His eyes began to feel heavy as he watched his love sleeping peacefully under the blanket and he lay on his back, placing his hands behind his head and gazed up at the stars with a serene look on his face. Soon, sleep took over him and he saw no more. He never even heard the demon who snuck up to his side, placing some kind of glistening powder over his face and slowly removing the Tetsusaiga from his belt.

Inuyasha awoke with a start. Everything felt as if it were pulsating in his head and it was hard for him to comprehend what was happening. He closed his eyes as the familiar rush overtook his body. He sat up and clutched his head for a moment. No! It was too late... Inuyasha worked to gather his senses, tossed his long, white hair back and stared at his surroundings. He didn't recognize where he was or what was happening as intense desire to maim overtook his senses and his vision went red. He slowly stood up, staring around him and he saw Kagome, Sango, Miroku and little Shippo lying around him, but he recognized none. All he wanted to do was sink his claws into their very flesh. Delicious... Inuyasha threw back his head and let out a roar that pierced through the night. His normally small fangs had changed into massive, long, and extremely sharp ones. They rested over his bottom teeth as he grinned dangerously around the others, flexing his clawed hands and noticed as they all had jumped awake at his roar. The demon took a massive leap at where Sango and Miroku had been previously and swiped out with his long, clawed fingers attemping to reach them, to tear them, to kill them.

"SANGO MOVE!" cried out Miroku as he grabbed the young demon slayer around the waist. "IT'S INUYASHA! HE'S TRANSFORMED! HIS TETSUSAIGA IS GONE!"

"MIROKU! WE HAVE TO GET KAGOME! WE HAVE TO GET HER OUT OF HERE!" screamed Sango as Kirara was now at Sango's side and her size had increased dramatically. The demon slayer jumped astride the almost monstrous cat while Miroku lept up behind Sango, placing his staff instinctly in front of the woman and Kirara rose in the air.

"KAGOME!" Miroku yelled as Inuyasha missed Kirara.

The demon whirled around furiously as a small, frightened cry pierced the air from Shippo. His eyes fell upon Kagome and Shippo now and he snickered maniacally, his long fangs glistening in the moonlight. Inuyasha slowly began advancing towards the helpless woman on the ground. She was clutching Shippo in her arms now and they were backed up against a tree. Kagome's quiver and bow had been thrown off to the side and out of her reach. InuYasha glared down at Kagome, his eyes were now completely red and he laughed manically. He raised a hand to swipe his massive claws into her delicate flesh. The girl covered Shippo protectively as she screamed.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome's voice pierced through the night. "DON'T! DON'T GIVE INTO IT!"

"Kagome up here!" called Sango's voice as she rode Kirara downward towards where Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippo were.

Just as Inuyasha raised his claws to strike, Sango reached her hand out and grasped onto Kagome, lifting them up high into the air and seated them onto Kirara's back. Inuyasha brought his claws downward just as Kagome was moved out of his reach, but only just in time. He ripped through her leg however just as she was lifted upward, but only her blood clung to his claws. His white head flipped around, searching for where his victim had ended up and he looked upwards, seeing Kirara with Kagome, Sango, Shippo and Miroku on her back. He threw back his head, letting out a massive scream of fury. Breaking into a run, he chased after Kirara, taking great strides, leaping, swiping, running on through the night, not knowing what he was doing or where he was going. Only knowing his desire to kill.

Kagome held onto Sango as Kirara rose higher, her entire body trembling. Sango placed an arm around Kagome worriedly.

"Kagome, are you alright?" Sango asked as they rose higher, the only sounds that could be heard was InuYasha's snarling beneath them.

"I...I'm alright," she trembled and fought back tears. "He got my leg, but I'll be fine," the archer told them as her eyes averted downward to her leg.

A massive gash had been torn into it from Inuyasha's claws, but that wasn't what was causing her pain. Kagome had been struck by the hands that she loved more than anything and it broke her heart.

"What has happened to him? How did his Tetsusaiga get taken from him? It's like...I hate it when this happens to him. It just seems as though he fades away from all that's real," Kagome whispered as she buried her face in Sango's shoulder.

"We think a demon may have used some kind of spell on him so he wouldn't awaken when the sword was stolen," Sango explained, her arm tightening around Kagome's shoulders.

"I'm worried," Miroku spoke up from behind them.
"We all are Miroku," Sango told him.

"I know, but that's not what I'm worried about. Kagome, I know you're going to try and get InuYasha to change back, but I'm worried that the spell the demon has placed on him may not allow him to realize it's you. He has realized it's you when he's been in full demon form before, right? I just have a terrible feeling that he won't react to you once you reach him. I have a terrible hunch that you won't be able to help him this time. The only thing that will help him is to get Tetsusaiga back in his hands."


~*~*~*~*~

"Inuyasha?" Sango asked, as the hanyou had now turned his back away from them, cradeling Kagome in his arms. Her skin felt cold to the touch but she was still breathing. He buried his face into Kagome's shoulder in frustration.

How could I have been so stupid! How could I have let some demon take my Tetsusaiga! How could I have allowed myself to harm Kagome! What the hell are you doing to me Naraku!

"Are you alright, Inuyasha?" the demon slayer questioned worriedly and Miroku placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure this is just really hard for Inuyasha to take in right now, especially with the state that Kagome is in. We should probably just leave them alone for the time being," Miroku observed. "It's obvious he is feeling remorseful for what has happened here...maybe it's best we not tell him what else happened?"

"No," came Inuyasha's voice, but he did not look back at them. He lifted his face from Kagome's shoulder and stared down into her injured face. She was still so beautiful to him and sis eyes were only on Kagome. InuYasha cradeled her limp body even tighter to his. "I want to know what all happened. I want to know everything that I did," he demanded.

"Are you sure?" Sango asked curiously. She placed a folded hand to her chest and gazed at Inuyasha's back.

"Yes I'm sure, now just finish telling me what the hell happened!" the hanyou snapped.

~*~*~*~*~

Everybody's screaming
I try to make a sound but no one hears me

"We should try and stay close to him, watch where he's going and make sure he's not going to harm anybody else," Sango stated knowingly as they continued to soar overhead, keeping close watch on InuYasha now.

"My...my bow and my quiver," Kagome began, but Miroku had smiled somewhat behind Sango.

"I managed to grab ahold of them before we got out of there. Here you are Kagome," Miroku stated as he passed the quiver of arrows and the bow to Kagome.

She slung the quiver over shoulder and held the bow tightly in her hands. "Thank you Miroku," Kagome said softly as she continued to watch InuYasha whipping wildly through the trees, slashing out at anything and everything with his claws.

"We're coming close to a village!" exclaimed Shippo as he pointed towards the tops of the houses just ahead.

"We have to try and get there before InuYasha does! Otherwise those villagers don't stand a chance!" Kagome stated furiously.

As they flew, Miroku scanned the ground below them and let out a cry. "Wait! We need to stop for just a moment! I think I see...," Miroku paused as he squinted downward at something lying on the ground.

"That's Tetsusaiga!" cried out Kagome! "Sango, we have to get it! We have to get this back to InuYasha!"

"Alright then, but we must hurry! If we don't, Inuyasha will reach the village and I can't bare to think of what he'd do!" Miroku exclaimed.

"Kirara," Sango ordered the cat demon. Kirara obliged and lowered her body to the ground, close to where the Tetsusaiga lay.

"I'll get it!" Kagome cried out as she leaned over the cat's back and reached her hands outward. "Just...a bit more...," the young archer said softly and she felt her hands grasp the cold sheath of the sword. Kagome pulled it upward. "I've got it! Let's go!" She clutched the sword tightly in her hands as she stared ahead with a hard, blazing look in her eyes. Inuyasha please...hold on...I'm coming for you. Don't hurt anyone. Please don't hurt anyone!

"Whatever demon it was that got ahold of the sword obviously didn't do a very good job," Miroku pointed out. "I wonder if something happened to it and that's why the Tetsusaiga was just laying there.

"I'm not sure, but let's worry about getting it back to InuYasha before he causes any severe damage," Sango stated firmly. She looked at Kagome worriedly however. "How's your leg Kagome?"

"I'll be fine Sango," Kagome told her. "I just...I have to get to Inuyasha," the archer told Sango worriedly. "I have to get this back to him. I know he'd never want to hurt anybody. Why does this have to happen to him?"

The gang had now reached the village, but the sight that met them wasn't a good one at all. People were screaming to the top of their lungs, running through the village and grabbing their children.

"THERE'S A DEMON! HE'S ATTACKING US! HE'S KILLED SOME! PLEASE HELP US!" crying voices pierced the night air.

Inuyasha had now lept onto the top of a house and was glaring down insanely at all the people running through the village, trying to get away from the danger that had befallen them. He flexed his bloody claws in the air and snickered down at all of them.

"INUYASHA!" cried out Kagome as she lept off of Kirara and began running towards him, clutching the Tetsusaiga tightly in her grasp.

"KAGOME NO!" exclaimed Sango, Miroku and Shippo in unison.

"What is she doing!" Shippo sobbed as he held onto Sango tightly, watching the young woman running towards the dangerous demon, her long black hair was flying wildly out behind her as she ran to InuYasha. "She's going to get killed! Inuyasha's going to kill her!"

"KAGOME! DON'T!" Sango screamed as she watched the young woman ran towards the house where InuYasha was perched on.

He looked down at Kagome with no recognition in his blazing, red eyes. They glistened hungrily at her, threatening her. "Inuyasha please! Please listen to me!" pleaded Kagome. "This isn't you, Inutasha, you can't give into this!"

"Are you talking to me?" Inuyasha was speaking to her, but his voice wasn't normal. It had a deep eerie growl to it and it made the hairs on the back of Kagome's neck stand up. "Because I wasn't talking to you, but I could do so much more than talk to you," Inuyasha replied with a thirsty tone. His dug his long claws into the roof of the house.

"Inuyasha please listen to me!" Kagome screamed. "You're not yourself! You dont' have Tetsusaiga, but I do! I have it right here! It's for you! Please InuYasha please listen to me!" Tears were now glistening in her eyes as she watched the way he was looking at her. Without warning, Inuyasha lept down from where he sitting and landed on his feet right in front of the trembling young woman. The demon stood up and slowly began advancing towards her.

That's it...come on Inuyasha, just a bit closer..., Kagome thought to herself as the monster of the man she loved moved closer towards her. Was her voice reaching out to him? "Please Inuyasha. Don't you remember tonight? Don't you remember what you promised me in the tree? We're always going to be together, aren't we?"

Inuyasha gazed down at her, not making a move at all. Was it possible that she was getting through to him? Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara stayed suspended in the air as they watched the scene that beheld them. Was Kagome reaching out to the unstoppable demon before her? Kagome noticed InuYasha was making no move to kill her and she slowly held out the sword in her hands.

"It's yours Inuyasha. Take it. Please take it and we can go on. We can defeat Naraku together and we can live a life together. Please Inuyasha, please hear me," Kagome spoke softly and tenderly to him.

Inuyasha began to lift one clawed hand as though to take the sword from Kagome. She inched closer to him, certain he was going to grasp the sword in his hands. Inuyasha was going to change back to the hanyou that she so loved and she knew he would, she could feel it. Inuyasha's hands were just inches from hers when he lashed out at her, knocking the sword from her hands and it landed onto the ground beside them, dust slowly billowing up from the impact it made as it hit. Kagome's brown eyes were now filled with fear as she began moving slowly backward. My voice! It's not reaching him! Why isn't it working! Inuyasha's claws had grazed her arm and she now had gash marks in her arm. She clutched her bleeding limb with her free hand and began slowly moving backwards.

"I don't care about that," Inuyasha growled and laughed. "All I care about is...," but he paused as Kagome ran to him and threw her arms around his waist, clutching him tightly. She ignored the screams and protests of her friends above her and tried with all her might to get Inuyasha to change back into the handsome half-demon that she so loved. Maybe this was a mistake to hold onto him like this, but it had worked before. Why was this so different? Then she remembered Miroku had mentioned something about a spell that the demon, who stole the Tetsusaiga, had placed over him.

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's throat and lifted her high into the air. His claws were digging into her neck now, blood was seeping down her flesh and onto her shirt. The young woman was choking, gasping for air. Inuyasha stared up at Kagome, the wind was blowing his hair back, his red eyes still continued to hold no recognition for her. Kagome's hands grasped onto InuYasha's wrist as she struggled for air. She was going to die. She was going to die by the hands that she loved and he would never know it. The demon lifted her above his head and threw her hard. Kagome hit the ground and skidded across it's surface.

Her face was severely scratched and a rock had sliced her cheek open. Kagome sat up cradeling her face and stared up into the eyes of the demon who was completely oblivious as to who she was. There was only one way that would stop him...she didn't want to kill him, but it was the only way. Kagome couldn't get Tetsusaiga back into his hands. She reached behind her and withdrew an arrow from the quiver on her back and held her bow in her hands. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and tears streamed down her cheeks. Kagome could feel the blood flowing from her wounds in her neck, arm and leg. His claws had pierced her heavily into her neck and it was a wonder it didn't kill her. Stumbling a bit, but managing to stand, Kagome placed the arrow instinctively on the bow and began to draw it backward.

"Inuyasha, I'm so sorry," Kagome sobbed as she aimed for his stomach.

Kagome released the arrow and it went whizzing through the air. She watched with extreme horror and disgust at herself as the arrow went straight through Inuyasha's stomach. Inuyasha never normally felt any type of pain when he was in demon form, but judging from the cry that issued from his mouth, he felt the pain as the arrow pierced his stomach and through his back. Inuyasha took a couple of surprised steps backwards and then fell to the ground, landing heavily on his side and clutching his stomach. Kagome could tell the arrow had hurt him because it had been shot by her.

"Ka-go-me," came a strangeled whisper from Inuyasha and he then passed out, right next to Tetsusaiga.

~*~*~*~*~

So I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered
And I can't explain what happened
And I can't erase the things that I've done
No I can't

"So...she shot me to stop me from hurting anybody else?" Inuyasha questioned softly, more to himself than to Sango and Miroku.

"She did. Inuyasha, you have to understand it was the only way Kagome could stop you from continuing on. None of us would have been able to get Tetsusaiga back to you and if she hadn't shot you, you would have continued on as a full fledged demon, killing and not realizing what you were doing," Sango explained softly.

"No! I'm glad she shot me!" Inuyasha snapped at the others, his back still facing them. "If she hadn't shot me then...I could have...but then she could be...," the hanyou couldn't finish what he was going to say. He couldn't think of Kagome never being alive again. What if by some chance he had gotten Tetsuaiga back but had already killed Kagome? Would have been able to continue going on living with the grief and the guilt? "Could you...could you please just leave us alone?" Inuyasha asked the others, not wanting to face them. He already felt terrible enough for all the things that had happened.

"Of course, Inuyasha," Miroku spoke up. Shippo and Kirara had fallen asleep in Sango's lap and she lifted to two up in her arms as Miroku and herself stood up and stepped away, leaving Inuyasha and Kagome alone.

Once he was certain they were out of earshot, Inuyasha began to speak to Kagome in hopes to awaken her. If she dies, it'll be all my fault. "Kagome, open your eyes. Please open your eyes," the hanyou pleaded softly to her, but she didn't flinch. "Your skin is so pale and cold," he stated quietly. Inuyasha glanced around him and saw his red kimono jacket laying not too far away from them. He picked it up and placed it over Kagome hoping that it would help keep her warm. The fire flickered, snapped and cracked. "Kagome, please forgive me. If I had known what I was doing...if I had known to stop myself when all this happened, then you wouldn't be injured. Just please don't die on me."

Inuyasha gazed down at the woman's frail form in his arms. How could he have allowed this to happen? Kagome was so innocent, so pure, so beautiful and here it was she was struggling for her life and it was all because of him. If I just hadn't been so damn stupid then Kagome would be awake with me and laughing with me. She would probably even tell me to shut up sit. Kagome, please, please open your eyes. Wake up please!

Inuyasha knew he couldn't erase the things that he had done to her, but if he just tried and did everything he could now to keep Kagome alive then maybe, just maybe he'd somehow feel some of the remorse he felt now, lift. He touched her bandages on her neck tenderly. "I can't believe I did this to you Kagome. How will you ever forgive me for nearly killing you? I'm glad you shot me, Kagome. If you hadn't shot me, who knows what would've happened?"

Inuyasha found himself thinking back to all the fun, exciting and hilarious times he had with Kagome. Even though he despised her "sit" command, her couldn't help but almost smile at the thought of Kagome, standing up with a fiesty expression on her face and giving him that look. It was that look he always cowered away from and even though he hated to mention it, it sometimes scared him. Though there were times he did deserved to be "sat" from some of the stupid stuff he pulled. Inuyasha felt a small glorious moment to laugh and had nearly half expected Kagome to leap up from his arms, yelling at him for acting the way he was right now, and then firmly telling him to sit with his face ending up slamming into the ground as usual. But as he glanced down hopefully at her, she had still made no movement. Her skin was still pale and cold and the fire light was flickering off of her, casting shadows off of her frail body. The hanyou wanted to just look away from the state of her, but at the same time he fought with not being able to take his eyes off of her, not even momentarily. What if she moved and he missed something?

He then found himself thinking of all the times he and Kagome would and stare at Sango and Miroku in an almost annoyed way as Miroku tried to make moves on the demon slayer and getting a chance to feel her up. It normally almost always worked until Sango felt Miroku's hand rubbing her butt and Kagome and InuYasha would just exchange annoyed glances as Sango raised her hand and slapped Miroku across the face, leaving the lovely bright red hand imprint on his face. Miroku would just stare with a stupid grin on his face. Inuyasha peeked over his shoulder back at where Sango and Miroku sat together, but none of that was even happening right now at this very moment. The whole night had turned completely melancholy for him, for Sango and Miroku as well and it was his fault.


How could this happen to me
I've made my mistakes
Got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away
I'm sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me

Kagome still hadn't moved at all, nor had she opened her eyes, no matter how hard Inuyasha tried to awaken her. He tried to talk to her, to hold her, to keep her warm with his kimono jacket wrapped around her and being near the fire with her. Then without warning, the dreaded truth of what he'd done spilled down on him like a thousand icey knives piercing his heart and it clenched painfully. Inuyasha gritted his teeth and closed his burning eyes tightly.

"Wake up Kagome, please please wake up. Don't go where I can't follow," he spoke, his voice slightly cracking under the severe pressure building up in his chest.

The hanyou began to tremble as he buried his face one more into her shoulder. He kept thinking over and over to himself that the girl lying here in his arms was slowly losing her life, every inch of it just billowing away like dust. All he wanted to do now was lay her there on the ground, get up and just run. He wanted to run and run until he could no longer run anymore. But where would he go? There was nowhere to run now. If Kagome left him, there would no longer be any reason for Inuyasha to continue to go on. Not like this. If Kagome died, how would he? She was his main reason for continuing to fight and carry on. She always kept him strong. She was the one who always put the newfound strength in him. The scent of her, the sound of her voice always made him continue to strive harder, even in a battle that seemed he could be losing, but if Kagome left him... Inuyasha wanted to just slam his fists down into the ground and scream, but something inside of him told him to keep holding onto Kagome. She needs you right now more than she needs anybody Inuyasha. Stay with her. Don't let her go.

He was so sick of everything. Why did everything bad always seem to happen to him or to the people whom he cherished? If it wasn't Kagome getting hurt then it was either Sango, Miroku or even Shippo at times. He had lost count at how many times Miroku had poisoned himself with using Wind Tunnel to protect his friends and all the times Sango was hurt as well...almost nearly killed by Kohaku, why did all of this reflect around them? Then the unbidden feeling washed over Inuyasha. A feeling that he hated, loathed and despised more than anything because he just wasn't like this. He felt like he just wanted to break down and cry. He wanted to just let his tears flow for Kagome, but he musn't act like that. Inuyasha was too proud to show his tears. He had even once told Shippo that men never show their tears, no matter what and besides, Kagome wouldn't have wanted to see him like that. He struggled to hold back, biting his bottom lip.

"Kagome...please please wake up. I want to see your eyes. I just want to hear your voice. I want to know you're going to be okay," Inuyasha spoke softly into the girl's ear. The feeling was just too overwhleming. The way Kagome was laying in his arms, not moving, not flinching and barely even seeing her chest rising and falling with breath would have suggested she was dead, but with his ears so close to her, he could hear her ebated breaths. One tear escaped from his eye and it fell, hitting Kagome on the cheek.

Kagome stirred very lightly in Inuyasha's protective hold. The hanyou lifted his head, his soft, white ears flicked as he heard Kagome's breathing become a bit stronger and he stared down into her face, his golden eyes wide in shock and surprise. She let out a soft moan. "Kagome?" he asked quietly, almost incredulously.

"Inu-yasha," Kagome struggled with her words as her soft brown eyes slowly flickered open. "Inuyasha," the young woman reiterated. "You're...alive." A small smile played on her lips. Thank goodness he's alive. Thank goodness my arrow didn't kill him...

"I should be saying the same thing about you Kagome," Inuyasha replied back, staring down into her eyes, locking his gaze with hers. "Kagome I'm so sorry. I am so sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to do this to you. You know that, right? Please please forgive me Kagome."

"Inuyasha, I know you didn't," Kagome replied, a smile moving onto her lips. "I shot you...I was sure I had killed you, but you're here right now and holding me. I couldn't ask for anything more."

"Kagome, you're...you're going to be okay right?" Inuyasha asked, somewhat uncertain.

"Mmmhmmm," replied Kagome. She reached a hand up to her face and touched it softly. She felt the damp spot where Inuyasha's tear had fallen. She knew that the hanyou had been crying for her and it made her heart swell deep inside of her chest. "Inuyasha...," Kagome said softly. "I'll be just fine. I'm just really tired. Just stay here with me. Hold onto me all night and don't let me go, okay?"

Inuyasha nodded his head and lowered it down to Kagome. "I won't go anywhere. I promise Kagome. I'll never allow anything like this to happen again, even if it means never sleeping again."

"Inuyasha...," Kagome whispered smiling. She reached her bandaged hand up and ran her fingertips softly on his face. "You shouldn't have cried for me. I'm still right here aren't I?"

"What! I wasn't crying! It was-," but his voice broke off at the look on Kagome's face and he knew he couldn't lie to her.

Inuyasha blushed that Kagome had figured it out and turned his head away from her but young woman just giggled. She turned his face, with her hand, back down to look at her. "I love you...Inuyasha," she stated softly as she turned her face towards his chest and she drifted off back to sleep. "I'll be by your side always." Sleep then overtook her. Inuyasha felt like a massive relief had just washed through his body. Kagome was going to be just fine. Everything was going to be okay. Kagome was going to survive. He smiled as he brushed back some of her long black locks of hair with his fingertips. I know Kagome...I love you too.