InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Miko Malice ❯ Letting Go Before Taking Hold ( Chapter 19 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions, among others.

A/N: Thanks to Beatrix B for kinda last minute beta-ing this for me because I was brain dead. If anything sucks, its because of her, lol.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, read, favorite, etc. You guys and great and it made this story fun to write.

I am really sorry about the wait, but I've rushed writing endings before (`Marriage of Convenience' anyone?) and the results have been less than stellar. I wanted to give this one an ending that didn't totally suck. More later…

Dark Inu Fan: Inuyasha and Kagome playing Romeo and Juliet all they want—lol that is so funny and so right.

chronos-girl: yeah, I found I really like doing weekly updates—I heart the reviews. That being said, I have been so off my writing schedule lately! I feel so bad that there's like a month or more between updates. Hopefully I can get the epilogue posted within a week or two. Thanks for reading.

ScottishChick: Sango and Miroku are dead, the end. Not really, just read.

AnimeObsessionFantasy: Hmm…maybe Midori's going back to rule. You'll have to read!

sprat111: yeah, I'm pretty evil, but you'll see everything happens for a reason.

Hentai Strumpet: Ok, how Kagome turns Kikyou into a hanyou? Basically while Kagome was under the Silent Root spell the vast majority of her miko powers were repressed. When the charm from the root was removed, it took a little while for her powers to be jump started, and I probably didn't explain this enough, but when Kikyou attack Inuyasha that was the catalyst for Kagome's miko's powers surfacing. They surfaced in the form of that gigantic energy ball which was pretty much made up of miko energy that had been “influenced” by Kagome's pain and suffering and bad memories that Kikyou had caused in the first place. Those things put a malicious tint to Kagome's attack as subconsciously she was trying to make Kikyou understand everything she had been through. Does that make sense?—I feel like I'm rambling.

CatLover260: As far as Kagome not saying good bye to Sango, I think she was in too much shock over Inuyasha being injured and her family showing up that she pretty much forgot about her. Oops, but in situations like that, sometimes its out of sight, out of mind. Don't worry, its not the last of Sango.

ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS: If you tried to hit her, I'm pretty sure Midori could kick your ass. Just saying lol, but I know she could kill me pretty easily—she's a bad ass. But yeah, it was pretty bitchy of her to drag Kagome away, though she did have her reasons.

Nathalee: Thanks for reading. I'm not really sure about Taro and Izayoi though. I kind of feel like Taro might care for her on some level, but I also think Izayoi is sick of being married to such a bonehead. If I don't fix it this chapter, I'll try to resolve it by the epilogue. Glad you had something fun to read, lol.

REVOLUTION 25: Thanks for the three enthusiastic reviews, man, much obliged. I think I'm set to finish this story as it is now, but I really do like this universe for Inuyasha and Kagome. What I think I'm going to do is write some one-shot stories for it as a collection, so if you have any ideas that fit into that category I'll see what I can do.

 

Chapter 19: Letting Go Before Taking Hold

Kagome sat in her room by the bay window overlooking the moonlit landscape. The view looked to the west and Kagome couldn't help but hope that some night she would be looking and she would see Inuyasha coming for her.

Why would he do that? After everything you put him and his family through?

Maybe because he bears your mark? That has to mean something, doesn't it?

She shrugged off the thoughts in her head; they just went on the same circular path over and over again.

It had been over a month since she had returned home with her mother and father. Not Kikyou. Midori said that Kagome's blast of power focused at her sister had…changed Kikyou. Her mother had not gone into specifics, and Kagome preferred not to know.

She could guess though. When she had thrown the miko orb at Kikyou her mind had been a blind rage of all her memories of when she had been under the spell of the Silence Root. She had wanted nothing more than to make Kikyou understand what she had done to her.

Where Kikyou was now—if she was even alive—Kagome had no way of knowing.

Her father had fared little better with Midori's wrath. Behind closed doors Kagome was fairly certain Deshi Higurashi had been emasculated by his demoness wife—certainly figuratively, if not literally as well. The human lord found his wife taking over much of his responsibility, and no one seemed to be prepared to stop her. Or want to, for that matter. The youkai was proving to be an extremely adept ruler, and the small changes she had made in such a short time were proving to be beneficial to all.

As for Kagome, the hanyou didn't know what to think about her father. He had come to her, dressed plainly as one in repentance, and begged her forgiveness. Deshi apologized for giving up on searching for her, and was clearly bereaved to know that she had been in the Takahashi manor. He even apologized for what had happened to Inuyasha—he said he had no idea of any of the harm his scheme had rendered. Kagome never asked Midori exactly what she had told her father to make him the beseeching, broken man he had become. She just couldn't bear it.

Kagome was working on personally forgiving him, though she knew Midori had already punished him for the both of them. She wanted to forgive—he was her father—but then he had nearly abandoned her.

It would just take time.

And Lord Higurashi wasn't in trouble enough at home, in public, he had to answer for his missing army; at least for the first week after his return.

Seven days after the threesome had come home, the first runners of the army began showing up. The majority of the men were there within another week, followed by the final stragglers a few days later. Every man who had left came back alive, but all had the exact nightmarish tale to tell.

The all had a story of a dark land they could not escape where a fearsome demon lord appeared to kill them and send them into the nightmarish depths of the underworld. Some could even recall meeting his fellow soldiers in hell, but then miraculously they were pulled back to life on the very battlefield where everyone recalled dying in a single strike by the demon's sword.

Needless to say none of them had waited around to see what would happen next and the human army had fled back to their lands. Somehow, without the guidance of Deshi, no one became lost as they had been on the journey into demon territory.

Kagome leaned forward and pressed her forehead against the thick window's pane. Her thoughts turned back onto their old direction: would it really be so bad if I went to Inuyasha? She swallowed the painful lump in her throat.

Her body cringed at the thought. True, she was a hanyou. True, Kaede had been instrumental in healing many of her emotional scars. And she really missed having a friend like Sango; she had never even gotten a chance to say good bye to her. Hopefully everything would work out for her and the baby.

Yet, Kagome still felt an ache in her bones and since coming home her nightmares had come back with a vengeance. It appeared her road to recovery was just beginning, and no matter who waited for her in the Demon Lands there was little good for her there.

And the anguish she felt in Inuyasha's absence was not helping the healing process.

Wouldn't it be better if we could just be together?

The neko still questioned her mother's wisdom in pulling her away from Inuyasha as the inu hanyou had lain so close to death's door, but in the end she had to agree to Midori's demanding action.

I couldn't have stayed in the demon lands after everything that's happened. Not even if Inuyasha wanted me there.

Maybe if he loved me…

Shaking her head to clear the painful thoughts, Kagome finally got up and went to lie down on her futon. If nothing else, she could get some sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha paced the dark room his father had imprisoned in. No escape attempts would be allowed here in the Takahashi manor. Taro had rightfully assumed his son would be a flight risk once he completely recovered from his injuries, and had taken precautions to assure Inuyasha would not go fleeing into the human lands.

“No son of mine is going to run after a neko like a bitch in heat!”

Perhaps he could have forgiven the old man that slight, but what was difficult to let go was the fact Lord Takahashi had attempted to prevent Izayoi from conveying him Kagome's final message.

Weeks Inuyasha had spent in a cloud of doubt wondering why she had left; spending hours pondering the mark on his shoulder and debating all of its possible meanings. He would have driven himself mad in his attempts to convince himself he meant nothing to Kagome. When Izayoi was finally allowed to visit him, in spite of her husband's orders to the contrary, the first thing she did was to quietly relate Kagome's words to him.

“You have to know, she didn't want to leave your side—if it had not been for her mother and the way she was treated here—I believe she would have stayed.”

Inuyasha nodded slowly. At the mere thought of Kagome, the neko's mark on his neck pulsed. A fluttering appeared in the inu hanyou's heart beat and for an instant he thought he would stop breathing. But Izayoi had not noticed her son waver and continued speaking.

“I don't believe she should have stayed, Inuyasha, this is not her place.”

Growling, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at his mother, clearly disagreeing with her statement, but Izayoi went on anyway.

“She deserved to be at home with her family, but no worries. All may not be lost yet.”

Inuyasha plopped down on his futon, angstily crossing his arms. He had to get out of this fucking tower and find Kagome. Preferably without injuring any of the servants who brought him his food, but he was running out of options.

Not to mention everyday he became a little more stir crazy.

There was an unexpected knock on the door and before Inuyasha could tell whoever it was to sod off, the bolt was released from the outside and entrance way opened for Lady Takahashi.

“Come Inuyasha,” his mother commanded. “Pack anything you have with you here and let's be on our way.” Inuyasha could only look at her as if the human woman had grown a second head. And that head was speaking in tongues while breathing sky-blue fire. Izayoi stamped her foot, “Now! And take your arms out of your sleeves! You look ridiculous!”

Mechanically, Inuyasha jumped to attention, gathering the few things he had to take with him.

“Is that all? We may not return to this place for some time.” If ever, Lady Takahashi finished in her mind.

Inuyasha doubled checked, yes he had the few things of value that he would want with him on any journey: it was a sadly small collection. “Yes mother, I have everything.”

“Good. Now come come; we don't have all day.”

It was all Inuyasha could to do follow Izayoi down the stairs, through the manor, and outside to the waiting carriage. His father was standing by the door of the carriage, looking bored and annoyed. Taro handed his wife onto her seat, but held is son for a moment before letting him enter. Inuyasha, who was facing his mother at the time, did not miss the look of worry that momentarily flashed in her eyes.

“I just want you to know boy,” Lord Takahashi boomed condescendingly more for Izayoi's benefit than at his son, “when your grandfather turns you away at his gate I expect you to come back here directly.” Turning, he peaked into the carriage at Lady Takahashi. “I still believe this is foolish.”

“Wait, we're going into the human lands?”

Inuyasha was about to ask if they could possibly try to find Kagome's home, but Izayoi cut her son off. “Yes, I'm tired of you being locked in that tower, so I thought we would go on a trip to my father's home to take your mind off Kagome.” She smiled kindly.

“Yes, hopefully all the exercise you'll get walking home will do some good to your logic,” Taro grumbled. The demon lord felt quite secure in his beliefs that his wife could not trick him and that his father-in-law would not see his hanyou grandson allowed onto his estate. Quite simply, Inuyasha was being taken for a long ride and then would have to find his way back while Izayoi visited with her family.

Leaning forward, Izayoi called out to her husband, “Don't forget, in a week's time the wisewoman Kaede, her protégée, and Sango are to be sent to assist with my sister-in-law's lying in. If they are to make it in time birth, you must send them by carriage! Please remember.”

Distracted from further dissenting to his son's departure, Lord Takahashi grunted, “I will. Enjoy yourselves,” Taro said with a half smile before going back inside.

Inuyasha leaped into the carriage and secured the door behind him. Izayoi visibly sighed in relief as soon as the wheels under them began to move, taking them away.

“Mother—”

“Not now my son. I will explain all in good time.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several weeks later…

The half moon hung high in the sky over the middle-of-nowhere road where the Takahashi carriage was currently stopped.

“My lady, this is not the right way!” One of the guards who had been driving the cart (as per the lady's specific instructions) piped up from the carriage's box.

A moment later, the carriage's door opened and Izayoi stepped out. Once she had had a look around, she nodded. “You are right. This is the wrong road, my apologies gentlemen. Give me a moment.” And with that, she disappeared back inside, closing the door behind her.

“Inuyasha,” Izayoi hissed to wake her son. It was growing late and he had started to doze soon after the sun had gone down.

“Wh-what?” he asked with a groan, blinking his eyes against sleep's hold.

“We're here,” she answered with a mysterious smirk.

Giving a questioning look out the window, all Inuyasha could see was opened fields. He moved closer and could see that there was a dirt road—more like a trail—jutting out from the road ahead, but other than that they were nowhere near any human fortification.

“Where's here?” Inuyasha asked as he tried to get his bearings.

“As far as I'm taking you. I'm going to go back outside, and I'll leave the door open. While I distract the guards, you sneak out and hide.” His mother's eyes danced as if she were explaining the rules of some game. “Once we are out of sight, take the path up ahead and it should lead you to Higurashi Palace.”

Izayoi waited until her words had sunk in; it took a while for Inuyasha's eyes to grow wide with the full meaning of what she was telling him. Not letting him even speak, she quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. “Kagome doesn't know you are coming, but her mother is expecting you. We feared to tell her any news before we were certain I could get you here. Now,” fumbling with her pack she pulled out a sealed letter. “This is for Midori. I will come to visit you soon.”

“Thank you,” Inuyasha said quietly.

Pressing a kiss to her son's forehead, Lady Takahashi slipped the door to the carriage open and went out into the night. She walked down the road so she was in front of the horses on the pretense of looking at their surroundings, all the while making sure her husband's soldiers had all their attention on her.

Softly as a cat, and with more grace and speed than he was accustomed to possessing, Inuyasha made it into the roadside ditch without being heard. Izayoi continued to prattle on for some time, assuring that he was allotted the time he needed.

Once the lady had gotten back into the carriage and it had been carefully turned about, Inuyasha watched it closely until it disappeared into the night. He thanked every kami he could name that he had not been discovered.

Leaping out of the ditch, he sprinted down the road to turn sharply onto the path.

I'll be with Kagome soon.

Inuyasha soon found that he was not far from the Higurashi strong hold. Only a mile down the trail, he crossed a shallow, tree-lined creek. On the other side of the thick line of trees, Inuyasha found himself travelling down a steep embankment and into a small village. The path had widened now and as fast as he could the hanyou made his way down the center of the houses and shops.

From the building's windows and the shadows, Inuyasha could feel human eyes on him. Yet, there was no hostility, no fear in their scents. Only intense curiosity. The humans were whispering amongst themselves, but his ears could not pick up their words, only enough to know they were discussing him.

Inuyasha quickened his pace, finding eerie their seeming acceptance of his appearance in their peaceful village.

Once he was clear of all the human structures, he followed his way through another field, this one planted with grain and then after coming across more trees, he suddenly noticed that the ground beneath his feet was rising and that he was heading up a hill.

And on top of said hill set a palace. Exactly like the one Kagome had sketched the ashes of his fire pit so long ago.

Inuyasha doubled his efforts to scale the hill. When nearing the crest, he slowed, not wanting to attract any human guards. It was easier than he would have liked or expected to skirt around the perimeter of the torches lighting up the campus of the castle, but Inuyasha soon arrived at the rear of the building. The area was opened and at its center stood a tall tree. From the small buildings he could deduce this part of the Higurashi grounds to be a shrine.

Taking a few more steps into the shrine's boundaries, Inuyasha noticed a girl standing beneath the tree. He could just catch her scent on the breeze; she smelled a little like Kagome but she was definitely human.

A human girl was safe enough. Perhaps she could tell him where he could find Kagome without alerting an alarm of angry centenaries who would massacre him first and ask questions later.

Inuyasha knew he had come fairly close to dying at his father's home by Kikyou's hand. He didn't want to repeat that experience, especially when he was so close to getting back to Kagome. There was no telling what a startled miko was capable, and who knew if the shrine maiden shared Kikyou's hatred or not? The girl might be more like Kagome, but for the sake of getting to her, Inuyasha decided that for once he would not be reckless.

Slowly, the hanyou approached what he could only assume was the shrine maiden. He allowed his feet to beat heavily on the ground to warn her of his approach; she would probably be startled enough to find a half demon talking to her in the night.

As he came upon her, Inuyasha could see she was holding her hand against the tree, her head bent in concentration. Perhaps she was praying?

“Um Miss?” Inuyasha asked when he was within hearing range. He didn't know what else to say.

Nervousness was starting to bubble within his stomach. Getting here had been the easy part; he hadn't had to think or worry. He just had to act, and that was what he did best. But now that he was here and Kagome could be just a question away, Inuyasha didn't know what to do.

He sure as hell didn't know what words to use.

The shrine maiden froze at his words. She wasn't moving; she seemed to be having problems breathing.

“I was just looking for someone,” Inuyasha tried again. “Could you help me?”

It was then that the human girl turned to face him.

“I-Inuyasha?”

Said hanyou stared in disbelief at the human girl looking intently at him. She looked painfully familiar—she looked just like Kagome.

On shaking feet, he could see she was taking a step toward him and Inuyasha gulped.

She looks like Kagome, but she's human. How can that be? His mind was going into over drive making any type of coherent thought painful.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome stood outside under the ancient tree that had presided over the Higurashi Shrine for ages. In every historical account and scroll the shrine processed, the tree was a reference point.

A cool wind wiped through her hair. Autumn was on its way, chilling the nights and shortening the days.

Looking up to the sky, Kagome took in the half moon reining over the sky.

It was not a safe night for her to be out on the shrine grounds alone, but since her return the people of her father's lands had a new held respect for her. The folklore of her “journey” was becoming the stuff of local legend and she herself a heroine to be respected.

It just cut a little deep when humans kept coming up to her asking hopefully where her hanyou prince was. At the mere mention of Inuyasha's person—they knew not his name—Kagome's teeth would pulse and she would be able to taste his blood in her mouth again; a sign of her marking.

Even though her senses were dulled to that of a human for the night, Kagome still felt an inkling of something in the darkness behind her. What exactly it was she could not say, but it was familiar; warm.

Inuyasha…

Tentatively, she reached out and touched the smooth surface of the tree towering over her. The magic within the gigantic plant stirred under her human fingers, though it was no less welcoming when she was a hanyou; the Goshinboku always respected and placed no judgment on her for her heritage.

From somewhere in the night, Kagome thought she heard something; the soft pads of feet on the ground. The sound was so soft that at first she ignored it until it came closer, forcing her to acknowledge that someone was behind her.

Stretching out her aura, Kagome could sense that there was someone there, but whoever it was did not appear to be hostile.

The neko-turned-human had been on the verge of turning around to face whoever was sneaking up on her when she heard a voice.

“Um miss?”

The voice was agonizingly recognizable. It couldn't be…

But something called to her and for the moment she stayed where she was, facing the ancient tree. She had to take a few pain gulps for air.

Again his voice rang out through the night: “I was just looking for someone. Could you help me?” And this time even Kagome's human ears were overly certain she recognized the speaker. Mechanically, bones practically creaking, Kagome pivoted where she stood, not trusting herself with more movement than was absolutely necessary.

There, just within the circle of torch light that warmed the Goshinboku at night, stood Inuyasha. His hair was not the inky black and his skin was not the bloodless pale that had plagued her dreams and remembrances of him. Instead, he looked healthy if not a little confused.

“I-Inuyasha?” Kagome's tongue choked on the sweet name. He's here. He is actually here. He came for me! Her heart pounded out a tempo for her thoughts. She took a stumbling step toward him. Her blood was pulsing with all the things that had been left unsaid between them.

He was moving towards her as well, though as he came closer Kagome could see his brows were scrunched in confusion; worry flashed over his eyes. She could see that he was putting pieces together in his mind, but not nearly quick enough for the neko.

Kagome took matters into her own hands, no longer able to wait to be near Inuyasha.

One minute she was taking her short, child-like steps, and the next Kagome was all but flinging herself into Inuyasha's arms. She ran to him with all the abandon of a cyclone, practically barreling over the startled hanyou.

XXX

Inuyasha caught the human girl when she threw herself at him. It was no simple task as she came hurtling at him as if to attack. But there was nothing in her scent to suggest she bore him an ill will, and in fact, if she had not been so painfully human he would have thought her to be his neko.

Who is she? Another sister Kagome never mentioned? He cringed at the thought of what Kagome's other sister had been capable of.

Turning his full attention back to the woman he was holding, Inuyasha was startled to smell her tears wafting up to his sensitive nose.

She smells like Kagome…but human.

Wait. The gears in Inuyasha's head began to swirl, putting pieces together that before he had been too worried and flustered to understand. As a hanyou, she would have to have a human…night.

Jerkily, Inuyasha pushed away the woman in his arms to look into her eyes.

She looked mildly confused for a moment, but then he spoke.

“You're human tonight—its your human night.”

Kagome nodded dumbly, slowly realizing that Inuyasha was just catching on. He really can be dense sometimes.

“Kagome!” Inuyasha all but cried and he jerked the girl to him, squeezing her tightly.

However, with the realization that he was holding Kagome, Inuyasha's nervousness returned with a vengeance. Somehow he managed to tighten his embrace one last time before releasing her.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome breathed out, feeling more than overwhelmed at him not only being there before her, but that he had only moments before been embracing her. She swayed a little on her feet, wishing she could be closer to him again, but there was a questioning look in the hanyou's eyes. His fuzzy white ears flicked jittery on the top of Inuyasha's head.

Kagome was floored to have Inuyasha here with her, but now that the shock was ebbing, questions were flooding her mind. Looking around cautiously, Kagome wondered if anyone was watching them. Matters were not being aided by her disadvantages in senses: she could not read is emotions or for even tell if they were completely alone. All the burden of inquiry was threatening to ruin the moment. Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but Kagome clapped her hand over his lips. The last thing they needed was to be found by some human servant wanted to see her with her `hanyou prince' before she could determine Inuyasha's intentions. If nothing else, they could go some place warmer and more light.

“Come with me. We should talk inside.” Pulling her fingers away from Inuyasha, Kagome couldn't help but smile as he caught up her hand and held it within his.

“Can I say one thing?” The hanyou spoke shyly. Inuyasha's heart hammered in his chest, the blood flowing up to Kagome's mark on his neck making it ache to be close to her again. His body recognized its mate.

Kagome nodded.

“I missed you.” He had wanted to say so many things, but this simple sentence was all he could manage for the time being.

The human girl looked at him for a moment, and Inuyasha realized that her eyes turned a green color on this night. Peering into her eyes, he could see the sadness there, but more than anything she looked happy. “I missed you too.” She pursued her lips and to Inuyasha it seemed her eyes lingered on his own mouth, but in the end she strengthened her grip on his hand to lead him into the Higurashi palace.

XXX

Kagome guided Inuyasha through what must have been the palace's kitchen and up a narrow stairway that was surely used only by servants. The steps opened into a main hall and to the quarters of the family.

Inuyasha realized that Kagome was taking him to her bedroom.

Sure enough, she released his hand to open a heavy wooden door. Once they had both stepped inside, Kagome set the latch in place before walking knowingly in the dark to light a candle. With the small, flickering flame, Inuyasha could better take in his surroundings: they were standing in a large room with a bed, multiple book shelves and a writing desk that faced out a large window centered in the north wall. The window was made up of a set of doors leading out onto balcony. On the western wall there was situated a bay window stuffed with soft pillows. A book lay opened on one of the cushions, its pages draped down on either side of the meridian, but no maker had been used.

“No one will disturb us here,” the neko-turned human spoke softly. Almost as though she feared someone would hear them.

Standing awkwardly, Inuyasha wasn't sure what to do next. He was standing in Kagome's room. The feeling was overwhelming—there was so much about her he didn't know; so much to learn.

Again, it was Kagome who acted for them. Gracefully feline, even in her human form, she padded over to stand before him. He could feel her small hands shake as she took up his, but the inu hanyou saw the small smile on her face when Kagome looked him in the eye. Her scent spoke of apprehension, but was still set with resolve.

“Inuyasha I am so sorry.”

Needless to say, that was not what he had been expecting. “Huh?” His mind could not wrap itself around her spontaneous apology.

Kagome sucked in a deep breath. I have to get this out if we're ever going to move forward.

“I'm sorry for trying to kill you, I'm sorry for my sister,” she looked down and blushed, “…I'm really sorry for marking you.”

Instinctively Inuyasha clapped a hand over the scar. “Its not that bad—wait you mean you didn't want to mark me?” His voice cracked a little and he pulled his hand out of hers. “I thought—maybe it was your way of saying you…something,” Inuyasha finished lamely. He was suddenly feeling very silly for being there, standing in front of the woman whose mark he bore. Maybe the mark and the message she had left him had been a form of friendly comfort…not what he had interpreted them to be. She doesn't want me. I am a fool. Inuyasha recoiled a bit.

Kagome, for her part, blushed and looked down at the ground. If she had had her ears at that moment, Inuyasha was sure they would have been drooping. He knew his were. As her hands no longer had the warmth from Inuyasha's hold, the human neko was forced to clutch her own fingers together.

“You were dying,” she began to explain slowly, wanting to make him understand she had not been acting selfishly, but out of the circumstance's desperation. “I had to do something to save you, or you would have been gone. And I couldn't allow that to happen.” Kagome felt her heart sink, both with the memory and with the guarded look in Inuyasha's eyes. This was not going the way she had hoped their reunion would go—he was growing hostile with the mere mention of her mark. Maybe he never wanted it…

“So you pitied me? You did it to save me, but otherwise your mark meant nothing?” Inuyasha all but spat, barring his fangs at her in the candle light. All the little hopes he had were splintering into oblivion, and Inuyasha felt completely helpless.

Why did he even come here if it was to get angry? He did say he missed me, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe he's just drawn to the mark and not to me. No wonder he hates it.

No. There has to be more to it than this.

Even slightly depressed as she was becoming, Inuyasha with his not listening and his jumping to conclusions was making Kagome angry. Perhaps it was part of being a hanyou—one always assumed the worst, especially when dealing with the idea that someone might actually care about you. The fact that her nose was temporarily out of commission was not helping matters.

“It didn't mean nothing!” Regardless of why he was here, Kagome could try to explain her own actions and hope that he felt something for her. Growling with her human vocal cords, Kagome's green eyes blazed as she lunged and pulled Inuyasha down to her level so he might manage to get the message: “Don't you understand? I was willing to do anything to save you without knowing then if you wanted my mark! You do know what it meant for me to mark you, right?” Realizing that Inuyasha was only inches away from her face she let him go so he could stand up straight.

“I liked it better when you couldn't talk!” Inuyasha retorted peevishly, but his face instantly twisted into a grimace. “I didn't mean that.” The hanyou shook his head before going on, “Yes I know what it means—you don't have to act like being bound to me is such a burden! Why do you think I'm here? I didn't come wanting your apology—or one because of your sister—and I don't want your pity.” Here, Inuyasha paused again, thrusting his clawed fingers through his tangled white hair. The action seemed to center him because when he looked at Kagome again, a fight had returned to his eyes. “I want you, but maybe you've decided you would rather have someone other than a hanyou. Hell, maybe you want me just because I'm a hanyou.” Even in determination, there was a question.

Kagome snarled: “Its not either of those things!” Having Inuyasha so close fogged her thoughts; if she had been in her hanyou form there was no question in her mind that she would have lost control and might well have transformed to her full neko form. “You are what I want if you would only act like you wanted the same thing!”

They glared at one another in a dead heat, unable to look away from the other's intense gaze.

Finally Inuyasha shrugged, noncommittally, his eyes sinking to the ground. Kagome couldn't help but read him, and like a ton of bricks, she came to a sharp understanding. Inuyasha needed to hear something deeper than just that she missed him. He needed assurance he had not come all this way for nothing; that he had not given up his home for a mate who only felt faintly for him.

We never have had time to talk. Or the opportunity to do so…

She would have to be direct.

“Don't you even get it?” Kagome spoke slowly, her hands fisted at her sides. “You took care of me—you cared for me more than some members of my own family Inuyasha.” She could tell she had his attention by the way his ears had perked up and as he looked at her there was a softness to his expression. “Even if I had options, I wouldn't want anyone else! Not only did you make my nightmares go away, but you—not just anyone but you—helped me forget them by showing me that not all men are bastards. I've spent every day since I came back here debating about if I should,” she swallowed the painful lump in her throat, feeling nervousness tightening in her abdomen, “go to you—even if it meant more danger than I would have been able to handle.” Kagome blushed in spite of herself and looked down to the ground. She didn't know if she was ready to speak the final words, but they had to be said, and Inuyasha needed to hear them: “Wanting to be with you because I love you might have been part of it too.”

Inuyasha gulped. That was exactly what he had wanted her to say, only now he couldn't even respond. Words, as usual, failed Inuyasha, but Kagome was looking up at him with her big green, temporarily human eyes and he could tell she wanted him to say something. To reciprocate something.

All he could do was get his jaw to flap up and down uselessly. Kagome's head went down and she began to turn away as his puppy ears picked up the way her heart beat increased. Her scent was telling him distressing things not to be brushed off: he could smell the worry pouring from her; she wasn't sure he would accept her.

Inuyasha had to do something and fast.

Knowing very well that his mouth would not cooperate even under such important circumstances as these, Inuyasha leaned forward and gently grasping Kagome's upper arms so he could pull her closer, the inu hanyou kissed his mate. His actions were filled with a hint of hurried misery, but Kagome hardly noticed as she returned them with equal fury. She wrapped her arms around his waist while Inuyasha moved so his hands pressed against Kagome's shoulder blades to bring him as near as possible.

The scent of fear vanished to be replaced by a rosy warmth that was reassuringly more like Kagome. Not completely sure how to continue, Inuyasha could feel himself being drawn closer to her. He might have believed it to be the affects of the mark, but his feelings for Kagome had been like this before she saved his life by leaving her scar on him.

And then, a small miracle happened.

Inuyasha pulled away from Kagome just enough to press his forehead against hers. Through his blurry vision, he could see her eyes and see her smile. Unbidden, unexpected even by him, Inuyasha spoke: “I love you Kagome.”

Jerking away as if he had been branded, Inuyasha's eyes grew wide with shock, but they shrunk back to normal when he saw Kagome's wide smile and tiny dots of glistening tears in the corners of her eyes. Just as quickly as he had pushed himself away, Kagome pulled him back to kiss him again.

“Stay here with me,” Kagome breathed though the lip lock. “Don't ever leave me again.” You would be mad to think I would let you go now.

Inuyasha's brow scrunched and paused to look directly at Kagome. “It was you who left me.”

“You know I didn't want to, but seriously, will you stay?” He could tell she was worried, but now there was overwhelming confidence in her scent.

However, before Inuyasha could answer, a voice from behind them spoke.

“Of course he'll stay. As long as he has his mother's permission,” Midori purred as she stepped silently into the nearly dark bedroom. She looked expectantly at Inuyasha and her green eyes glowed with something other than the candle light. “Your mother sent something with you for me?” The curl of the demoness's lips was fierce, but for some reason Inuyasha didn't find her to be a threat. Numbly, keeping eye contact, he reached into his jacket and pulled out the letter Izayoi had given him and handed it over to Kagome's mother.

Without opening the packet, Izayoi smiled at him and stored it away inside her robes. “I supposed you might as well stay here with Kagome tonight,” she said, turning toward the door. “We have no other room prepared for you. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast and we will discuss all the further. Goodnight you two.”

Not looking back, Midori stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her. Kagome and Inuyasha were left alone.

Each's face was a little pinker than it had been before the youkai's interruption.

“So…” Inuyasha asked awkwardly, shyly smiling at Kagome.

“So…I guess we could go to sleep. You must be tired from coming all the way from the human lands.”

Inuyasha nodded, his smile becoming slightly sly.

Stepping over, Kagome pulled the blankets back from the top over her bed and then climbed in. When Inuyasha only stared at her, she beckoned. Once the hanyou had blown out the candle, he clawed in beside her.

“I'm glad you're here, right here, Inuyasha,” Kagome smiled and Inuyasha could see her in the dark.

He smirked back before kissing her carefully and dragging her into his body so they could sleep as close as possible.

Even with all the things they needed to discuss and the plans that needed to be set, Inuyasha couldn't wait until the morning when he could see Kagome as the hanyou he remembered.

Falling into a peaceful sleep, both half demons slumbered deeper that they had for some time, breathing in the comforting scent of their mate.

 

The End

(Sans Epilogue—Coming Soon!)

A/N: Yes, that's the end of the story, but there is going to be an epilogue in which I wrap of Kikyou so don't freak out! That's actually part of the reason it took me so long to write this—I hadn't completely decided what I wanted to do with Kikyou. I toyed with finishing her off in this chapter, or maybe doing a spin off story (but I'm too brain dead for that), so finally I decided put her in the epilogue. Watch for it—it'll be gross and fun!

That being said, I have a few tiny plot bunnies that I may make into one shot continuances of this story, and I am opened to taking requests (which you will get credit for if I write it). They can be any thing: things you wanted to see more of, things that you didn't feel were resolved in `Miko Malice', random spin offs.

Since this story is drawing to a close, its time for me to pick my next fanfic project. I have a couple of fragments of new stories I've been working on, but none of them are anywhere near ready to be posted. So this leaves my previously published stories.

Better Things Than You

Georgian/Victorian London to start out with. Inuyasha jilts Kagome mysteriously for Kikyou, and it leads the two on an adventure in the jungles of I guess Africa. They meet a whole bunch of Amazons of whom Sango is a member and Kagome has something to do with the future of their tribe as their miko.

The Fortuneteller and a Nerdy Hanyou

Quasi futuristic fic. Kagome and Inuyasha are thrown together after Inuyasha is dumped by Kagome's cousin Kikyou. They have to find the Shikon no Tama before Naraku…or maybe its Onigumu can get to it.

As for my other incomplete stories Filling the Void and Marriage of Convenience for Whom? just have a chapter or two a piece to go, so I'll finish them somewhere along the way. If you have any preference, please let me know!