InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My One and Only ❯ Settling Things ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: Damn it, you guys know I don't own Inuyasha!!

Chapter 8 - Settling Things

`Inuyasha needs more help than just me.' thought Kagome grievously.

"Lady Kagome, don't worry, we're here." spoke Miroku, obviously seeing Kagome's tense body relax.

Kagome turned to her friends, "I have a plan…"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Die Inuyasha!" bellowed Nuka.

"I don't think so you bastard."

`Damn, one of my arms is bitten. One arm is going to beat this guy.' he thought.

"HIRAIKOTSU!"

Sango's large boomerang held Miroku's staff upon it. Having a bit of spiritual powers never hurt anyone.

The surprise attack caused Nuka to lose his hind legs and with Miroku's staff bond him to the ground.

`No, this can't be happening. I need that girl, Kagome. Her miko powers can heal me.' Using once more his no longer mysterious blue lights, they surrounded him completely, turning him to his humanoid form, although still bounded.

He began calling out to her, "Kagome help me. Look at what those demons have done to me. Heal me, I know you can. Come by my side Kagome." he cooed.

Kagome surrounded herself with her pink miko powers. `I will not surrender to him again.' She raised her bow and arrows, "Victory shall be mine!" she shouted. "Go!" she released her arrow with all her energy into it.

"Inuyasha use tetsusaiga now! I know you can do it!" she yelled over to him.

Not one to be told twice, Inuyasha raised the fang his father bestowed upon him, "KAZE NO KIZO!"

Tetsusaiga's attack fused with Kagome's miko arrow into one, large, powerful attack.

`She was supposed to be mine. He was just a hanyou.' were Nuka's final thoughts.

Hearing a shriek of pain was a deafening sound, but as soon as it faded it gave them sign he was finally dead.

"Look, there are the remaining shards of the Shikon jewel." She went over to Nuka's death place and picked them up. She walked back over to Inuyasha and gave him a look he couldn't quite figure out, "We need to heal these wounds of yours. Lets go back to Kaede's and get you treated before the get infected." He only nodded.

"Sango, please take Inuyasha with you on Kilala. He needs rest. I'll ride on Shippo." Kagome gave Sango an appreciative smile.

"Sure Kagome." she replied. With Kilala already transformed and with Miroku also with her, Sango walked Kilala over to Inuyasha. Miroku held out his hand and helped hoist Inuyasha on the demon fire cat's back.

Shippo jumped up in the air and transformed into a giant pink bubble. "Hop on Kagome."

Kagome leaped onto Shippo's transformed self and off they ventured into the sky.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Inuyasha sighed as he felt them go up into the sky.

His expression gave warning to others not disturb him as he was lost in his thoughts.

`What's been going on with me these past few days? All I've been doing lately is thinking about Kagome. I can't help it, but today, she called me a filthy half breed. Did she mean it? No, not Kagome, it was that demon. But why does it affect me when I think that it truly was her?' The hanyou's thoughts plagued his mind and slowly began to realize his feelings for the girl from the future, though he still didn't know what those feelings were exactly. His thoughts continued, "I have to go to hell with Kikyo, but how about Kagome? What does she feel for me?' Inuyasha looked over his shoulder to see Kagome beside them on Shippo. She was laughing at something the little kitsune must have said. He had to admit he loved her laugh, at times it was infectious. `I'm going to miss her laugh when I leave or she leaves.' That thought brought a sudden sadness to him. With so many thoughts consuming his mind his eyes gave into sleep. `Kagome…' was his final thought.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kagome was also plagued with thoughts.

`Now that we have the rest of the jewel shards, what will happen after we battle Naraku? Will I keep traveling between worlds? What about Inuyasha? Will he want me to come?' Her face drew a somber expression, `Will Inuyasha even be here? What happens if he goes to hell with Kikyo?' Tears strung the young miko's eyes. `I want him to live. I know his heart belongs to Kikyo, but I have to tell him. I can't take it anymore. I'll tell him tonight.' With her mind made up, she focused her attention back to the young fox demon she'd grown to love like a son.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They reached Kaede's village a little after sunset.

Kagome entered Kaede's hut with her friends behind, with Miroku helping Inuyasha.

"Damn it monk, I'm not stupid. It's just my shoulder." he reprimanded.

"I'm just helping out Inuyasha. You're hurt and I'm doing just as Kagome asked me too." replied Miroku.

Inuyasha looked over to see Kagome talking to the old priestess. She peered over to see him staring at her. She blushed as she flashed him a radiant smile. All he could do was smile weakly as a blood rushed to his face.

Kaede had greeted them warmly and placed Inuyasha on the corner to heal him. "Inuyasha, ye wounds are bad. I need to heal ye right away. Open your shirt. Kagome, come and help me with this." It sounded more of a command than request.

Kagome nodded as she finished bandaging Miroku, and walked over to Kaede.

"Here ye go child. I have already cleaned out his wounds. Smear this over his wounds and chest and bandage him up tightly. I must attend to the others."

Kagome only nodded with wide eyes, `Did she just say his chest? Oh, gods.' She looked down to see Inuyasha with his haori around his waist. She licked her suddenly dry lips. `When did my lips get so dry?'

"Umm, this might sting a little Inuyasha." she warned.

She took some of the green goop Kaede told her to spread over Inuyasha's wounds and…chest. She placed her hand on his shoulder and began her work. Her face immediately went red and felt a surge of electricity surge through her, causing her to lift her hand quickly. Inuyasha looked at from the corner of his eye, not wanting her to see the blush that flamed his cheeks the moment she touched him. She regained her composure and went back to tending Inuyasha.

`Deep breathes Kagome. Relax. Inhale…exhale…inhale…exhale.' she thought to herself.

She gently began to rub the stuff on Inuyasha's chest.

She saw him wince, "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I did warn you." She gave him a teasing smile. Her voice was gentle and soft, and held a trace of amusement at the end.

All the sexual thoughts in Kagome were gone. `He was badly hurt. What is this stuff anyway? It smells funny.' She washed her hands and began to bandage Inuyasha up.

Inuyasha didn't wince because of the strange stuff Kagome was rubbing on him, but because Kagome was rubbing him!

`Her touch sends things coursing through me. I feel warm and happy when she's near me.' His nose caught a whiff of her scent. `Even with disgusting smelling thing, her scent over comes it.' He felt peaceful for once today, but then thoughts of her leaving made him uneasy. `What will happen between me and Kagome when she goes back to her time? I don't want her to leave; I want her by my side.' Realizing his selfish thoughts he shook his head mentally, `She has a family back in her time and that school thing she goes to. She won't give that up for me.'

A cold feeling seeped over him, bringing him out of his thoughts. He realized Kagome was finished with him.

"All done Inuyasha. Umm… you can put your hoari back on." Kagome turned her face when she saw Inuyasha catch her staring at his chest.

The blushes on their faces were comical.

"Feh, I'll be back."

"Where are you going Inuyasha?" asked Shippo.

"None of your business."

Inuyasha left Kaede's hut to get some fresh air on Goshinbuko.

"He didn't have to be so mean." sniffled Shippo.

Kagome patted Shippo's head affectionately, "I'm sure he didn't mean to Shippo. I'll go have a talk with him."

"Good luck Kagome." said Sango, without a hint of sarcasm.

`What's up with the weird looks they're giving me? They're giving me the creeps.'

"Thanks guys." she replied nervously. She left the hut in search of Inuyasha.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Inuyasha, Shippo only asked a question. You didn't have to be so rude. H's just a little kid." she scolded.

"Feh, go away Kagome. I'm trying to sleep." He rolled over to his side.

`He's lucky he's hurt.' she thought. "I'm coming up there Inuyasha." she grabbed onto a branch and put her feet into the cracks. She slowly began to ascend op the tree where Inuyasha was perched. `Only a few more to go. Don't look down, don't look down.' Kagome didn't take her own advice, she looked down.

She lost her grip on the branch and began to fall, but her wrist was caught by a strong arm.

Inuyasha pulled her up in a sitting position next to him.

"What the hell did you think you were doing Kagome?" he chided.

Kagome's mouth pouted, "You weren't listening to me when I was down there, so I came up here."

Inuyasha's eyes softened, "You scared me Kagome." His eyes held an emotion she couldn't quite figure out.

Kagome's brown eyes stared into amber ones, "Inuyasha there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"I'm listening." he interjected playfully.

Kagome smiled, "The jewel shards have been collected and I want to tell you something."

`She's going to tell me she's going to leave.' he thought sadly.

"Inuyasha, I want to be by your side always. I don't want to leave the feudal era for good; I want to stay with you and the rest of our friends. I like you as a hanyou and I don't want you to change. I like you the way you are." She stopped to see his reaction.

Inuyasha was taken aback by her confession, `She's not leaving me. She likes me as I am.' In that moment Inuyasha realized he felt something for Kagome, but still couldn't place a finger on what exactly. He never felt happier in his life, but something told him something was wrong. He shifted his eyes to the sky and saw Kikyo's soul stealers. `Kikyo…'

Kagome looked up at him and smiled, love shining through her eyes, "Inuyasha, I l…"

"Where'd he go?"

Then she saw Inuyasha's red figure leaping only a few trees away from, following one of Kikyo's soul stealers.

`Kikyo'

"I love you Inuyasha." she whispered to the wind, knowing the one person she grew to love more than life itself had betrayed her once again.