InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Light into a Darkened Heart ❯ Return and Depart ( Chapter 8 )

(Rushes through disclaimer excitedly.) Listen up perverts. Next chapter will have lemony action. How much?, you ask. Enough to heat up my keyboard anyway. Thanks for all your patience and I want to let my reviewers know I will be thanking you all individually at the end of this story. Hope you like it!!!

Chapter 8 - Return and Depart

Inuyasha stood tensely waiting for Sango and Miroku to finish eating. Shippo had of course gobbled his meal quickly and was now chasing a chibi Kirara around the campsite. "Explain to me again why it is that you allowed Kouga to just run off with Kagome?"

Sango sighed, she was tired of this. They had gone round for round with Inuyasha ever since Sango had retrieved him from his lover's arms in the woods the previous night. She could still remember the sadness that welled up inside of her at the sight of Inuyasha and Kikyo so obviously close to each other. She felt sorry for Kagome who loved Inuyasha without reservation, with unswerving loyalty. However, Sango also felt sorry Inuyasha who had had his heart torn from him fifty years ago and was now forced to steal moments with a woman who was no longer truly alive. She could imagine his pain as she remembered her fallen comrades and relatives. Only this empathy kept the demon slayer from tearing Inuyasha into pieces for his arrogant attitude.

Miroku on the other hand saw no reason why Inuyasha should continue to pursue a miko as frigid as Kikyo now was. In his mind Inuyasha was simply wasting a golden opportunity to seduce Kagome who was vibrantly alive and hot, both on the inside and the outside. Kagome was a fiery woman, prone to fits of temper and at the same time passionately loving and caring toward her friends. Ahhh, yes, Lady Kagome.......what a woman. Of course Sango was just as fiery and passionate...and she liked to abuse him. That in itself was fun. The stolen gropings, the quick feels......yep, Sango definitely does it for me, he concluded. Lost in thought he shook himself and then looked over only to find the demon slayer in question staring him down with a harried expression on her face.

"What are you sighing about over there, ya pitiful excuse for a holy man?" Inuyasha demanded. Miroku spread what he hoped looked like a serene and religious expression across his face and answered, "Simply contemplating the metaphysical nature of our ephemeral world." "Yeah, right, anyway we leave now! Inuyasha replied. "If we want to catch Kouga at his den and get Kagome back we better not give him anymore time to plot."

Sango sighed once again. "Inuyasha, for the last time, Kouga did not steal Kagome. He offered to help her and she accepted. It was her choice and I know that she is fine right now."

"Feh, I could have taken far better care of her, but of course no one asked me." He said with a hurt expression on his face.

"You certainly have a short memory." Miroku piped up. "As I recall, you were nowhere to be found last night when you were needed. Just how long have you been leaving us alone at night without even telling us so one of could sit up and keep watch?"

"Mind you own......" Inuyasha stopped in mid-bellow. He sniffed the air. "Yuck, wolf." He stated. "But, he has Kagome with him. At least he had the sense to bring her back where she belongs."

Soon all four of them could see the tornado approaching that signified Kouga's return. He screeched to a halt right in front of them, Kagome in his arms. He gently set her down in front of him but kept his hands over her arms, supporting her.

"Kagome, are you okay?" Sango stepped forward and hugged her friend. "We were very worried about you." "Did you get treatment for your eyes?" Kagome smiled. "Sango, I'm fine. Kouga got a treatment from his pack that should clear up this problem in another day. I am already beginning to be able to see colors."

Inuyasha stepped forward then and grasped Kagome's hand. "Since you got treatment and you're gonna be okay, it's time for the smelly wolf to beat it. I can certainly care for you now." Kouga growled low in his throat as Inuyasha continued to hold Kagome's hand. Kagome pressed her other hand against Kouga's arm. "Inuyasha, I think you're making him angry by holding on to me like this." She gently pulled her hand free from Inuyasha's. "I still cannot see and would only be a liability to you if I remained here overnight. I cannot defend myself and worse I cannot defend any of you. If we were attacked especially over the shards, you would definitely be held back. For now it's better if I remain with Kouga. There is less risk enclosed in the dens and I would not feel as panicked as I would out in the open. I will be back tomorrow regardless of whether I can see or not. It's very important we continue our pursuit of Naraku while the trail is still warm."

Inuyasha was stunned. He did not care so much that Kagome was not yet ready to continue their journey but he was shocked that she would rather go back with Kouga that stay with him. Since they had known Kouga, Kagome had always stayed with him. She had always insisted on her loyalty to himself and he was peeved that she seemed to be forgetting that she had made him a promise already. She belonged with him.

"Inukkoro, I can see that mind of yours attempting to work. Don't strain yourself. Kagome is aware that she has an obligation to you but please don't be selfish or hypocritical enough to insist on her remaining with you after the disaster of last night. Come over here and we will resolve this without putting any more stress on Kagome. Sango, can you help Kagome get anything she might need or want from her bag for another night? She is quite adept at getting around, she just needs someone to pick out the stuff for her."

Sango immediately stepped forward again and took Kagome's hand. She lead her over to the edge of the campsite, and pulled her bag out from under some yellow bushes. Meanwhile, Kouga had corralled a reluctant Inuyasha further away, almost to the edge of the wooded clearing. Kouga stood facing the woods while he made sure Inuyasha was turned facing into the meadow behind him. This way Inuyasha's words could be forced away from Kagome in case he decided to get belligerent. Kouga narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha.

"I am only going to say this once. Kagome does not know where you were last night. She has no clue. In her mind you are still a hero. However, if you are going to give her a hard time and try to guilt her into putting herself into another dangerous position, I will not hesitate to tell her where you were. We both know you fucked up royally last night and the only thing keeping me from telling her is the fact that I don't want her to be hurt, in any way. On the other hand if you insist on putting her into physical danger I will protect her by any means necessary. Do you understand?"

Inuyasha stared at Kouga, trying to think up some way to threaten him. Instead he leaned forward and spoke quietly to Kouga. "You are a fool if you think she will choose you over me. She has been in love with me since the day she unpinned me from the God Tree. She's mine and she will ultimately choose me over you. Have your fun now but don't you dare touch her. She was not meant for you."

Kouga forced down the rage he felt boiling up inside himself. "You are an even bigger bastard than I thought. You've always known how she felt and you have used those feelings to bind her to you in your almighty quest. In the end you'll choose Kikyo and you'll have what you want. What will become of Kagome then? She served her purpose so then she's cast aside? No fucking way. I will do everything in my power to erase her sad memories of you and replace them with happy ones of us, together. "

"I will give her all the love I have inside me so that when she makes her choices, they will be free ones. She deserves at least to be able to make that comparison. Don't think that I'll let you stand in my way. I just as soon kill you and free her now but I want her to come to her own realizations of what a bastard you are."

Kouga saw Kagome approaching and stepped around Inuyasha. "Ready to go, Kagome?" "Yes." She answered shyly. Kouga bent and lifted her into his arms. "Everyone, I'll be back tomorrow. Don't worry." Shippo opened his mouth, about to ask if he could tag along, when he felt a hand clap over his mouth. He turned to see who it was and Kouga sped off. Seeing the perverted monk behind him, Shippo frowned. "Whacha do that for, hentai?" "Let nature run it's course between those two, I think it's begun to already." Miroku turned away, whistling to himself, headed back over to Sango who was bending over putting away Kagome's backpack again.

Inuyasha watched the disappearing dust cloud, scowling heavily. He did not like the course things were taking. Something had to be done....and soon.

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Is Inuyasha really a bastard? Or are his feelings just hurt? Find out....keep reading.