InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Of Gods and Monsters ❯ Chapter 36: A Light at the End of the Tunnel ( Chapter 36 )

Great thanks must -- must, I tell you -- go out to some wonderful people. Thanks to Nanda, who put on the Beta-Hat she swore she'd never wear, and to Ithilwen, who is as delightfully picky as she says she is. Thanks, you two! Big hugs and safe passage wishes to Everstar, who helps more than anyone realizes (and who is going out of the country soon! *whimper*), and much love to Kat and Merith, who had holidays even crazier than mine.

And, wow. Starting to sound like an Oscar speech. Okay. Moving on!

Chapter 36: A Light at the End of the Tunnel

The moon hung high in the sky, offering the world only the barest glow. Inuyasha stood on the roof of Kaede's hut, surveying the still village silently. Glancing upward, he looked at the moon for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly - the crescent was on the wane, and it wasn't going to be very much longer before it was gone completely.

Great, he thought. Somethin' else to worry about.

The hanyou hadn't been able to find rest of any sort, and had been trying to satisfy himself with standing sentry on the elderly miko's roof, but the night was a quiet one, and he was growing more restless by the hour. Ironically, the problem that prevented Inuyasha from finding slumber was one the hanyou had not anticipated. In fact, he wouldn't have ever considered it a problem in the first place. Kagome had agreed to be his mate. He now had something he'd wanted for longer than he realized.

There was only one bad thing about it: Inuyasha only had the faintest idea what it meant to be a mate. Suddenly various, massive responsibilities seemed to materialize out of nowhere, looming over him. There was, of course, the obvious - it was his responsibility to keep Kagome safe. But surely that wasn't a hanyou or youkai's sole responsibility to his mate.

Inuyasha felt his face flame slightly. Well, aside from... THAT. There had to be more - there simply had to be. It wouldn't have been held as such an important thing if there weren't anything else to it.

He expelled a frustrated breath, and suddenly even standing atop Kaede's hut wasn't enough for him. He needed to get out into the forest; he needed to run and jump and stretch until things in his mind started to make just a little more sense. Nodding once to himself, he leapt down from the roof and slipped into the hut. Inside, he found Kagome sleeping soundly in the tiny back room, curled on her side. Shippou's body was a small ball against Kagome's chest, and the kit's tail twitched as he snored. Kaede was also asleep on her side, her back to them.

A small smile lit his lips as Inuyasha crouched down next to her. He tilted his head, watching her in the darkness of the room. I want this. I still want it. I just gotta... figure out what to do about it. Reaching out, he ran his claws through her bangs; a warmth that was still somewhat foreign to him surged in his chest when she sighed and smiled at the contact. Inuyasha inhaled deeply and cleared his throat. "Kagome," he murmured softly.

After only a moment, Kagome slowly blinked awake. Frowning, she rubbed at her eyes and looked up at him with a blurry, confused expression. "Inuyasha?" She started to sit up, and Shippou made sleepy, grumbling noises until Kagome brought her hand down and and petted him soothingly. "Is something--" her words were broken up by a wide yawn, "wrong?"

He gave her a reassuring half-smile. "Nah. I just... I was gonna go for a run. And I thought I should tell ya in case I wasn't here when you got up."

Nodding, Kagome rubbed at her face. "What time is..." Stopping, she shook her head. "Never mind."

Reaching out, he put a warm hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back to the sleeping pallet. "You don't gotta get up," he said softly. "I was just lettin' you know."

"Thanks," she murmured, looking up at him with warm eyes. Running a hand through her tousled hair, Kagome yawned again, settling back onto the mat. "I'll wait till you get back before I go, okay?"

He nodded once, hesitating only a moment before reaching down and dragging one finger lightly and somewhat awkwardly across her cheek. She turned her head slightly and regarded him in the faint moonlight, a small smile at her lips. Not a word passed between them as Inuyasha offered her a small, shy half-smile before getting smoothly to his feet and going out the door. In moments, he was in the depths of the forest, running wildly between and around the trees, occasionally leaping upwards, darting from limb to limb, feeling the coming winter in the brisk night air as it blew through his hair and billowed in the sleeves of his haori.

A small, relaxed smile curved his lips; on nights like these he felt truly alive.

***

Far from both the village and the youkai lord's den, Teles continued to walk, her moments of rest growing longer and more frequent. She'd long since abandoned the idea of trying to find her way anywhere; she didn't care what direction she chose, and she barely cared where she ended up. Her legs trembled in exhaustion with every step she took, eventually sending her to seek shelter from the wind. While the breeze hadn't bothered her at first, it now seemed to cut through her clothing. A small copse of pine trees provided such a barrier, and the pregnant woman sat with her back to one of the thick trunks, huddling into the material of her kimono. A distant part of her mind wished she'd brought another one, but she was far too occupied with the still child within her. She had no idea how she could possibly have thought that searching for Inuyasha was a good plan at all - how could she explain to him that she'd inadvertently killed the pup?

She sighed, rubbing at her forehead. And this is all provided I find them before Sesshoumaru finds me, which is looking more and more unlikely. Wrapping her arms around herself, Teles mentally pleaded with the child to do something- anything. Tears she had believed to be exhausted burned at her eyes again. My own child. I killed my own child. My stupid, selfish desire to leave him... It would serve me right to let him find me. Perhaps he will allow my death to be a swift one.

***

In the thick of the forest, Inuyasha had long since turned his steps in the direction of his brother's home. If anyone could clarify beyond a shadow of doubt what the responsibilities of a youkai mate were, it was Sesshoumaru.

The thought and the fact that it had crossed his mind nearly made Inuyasha stumble. Sesshoumaru. He was going to Sesshoumaru, for advice. On women.

Of course, as much as the concept bemused him, it did make a certain amount of sense. Sesshoumaru had lived long enough to learn of such responsibilities from their father. And even if their father hadn't explained it to Sesshoumaru, there was probably something in the library he'd written on the subject. The gods knew he'd written about almost everything else.

Besides, he thought with a wry grin, it ain't like Sesshoumaru hasn't tried givin' advice. But my wantin' to take it's gonna knock him on his ass.

Leaping up, high above the tree line, Inuyasha allowed the wind to carry him for a moment before descending back into the foliage, racing through the forest, limbs and branches catching every step, supporting every jump. Inuyasha leapt into the arms of a solid cedar tree, pausing for a moment to get his bearings; after a moment, he caught a stray shred of a familiar scent on the wind. The hell? Maybe I'm closer than I thought... A frown formed immediately and he looked around to double-check his location. No, he was still a fair distance from the den - at least an hour's run, possibly a little more. Leaping to the ground, Inuyasha took another breath - there it was again. His frown deepening, he began running towards the scent. His frustration mounted when the scent got muddled a few times in the wind, but he managed to find it each time. As he ran, his mind was racing. What the hell's she doing all the way out here? No trace of Sesshoumaru...

Eventually, Inuyasha's steps skidded to a stop by a small tangle of trees. Tilting his head, he walked closer; the scent of his brother's mate was stronger now, but also strangely different. He inhaled again, trying to identify that change.

Fear?

He chewed on his lip, noting the faintly bitter smell of that never differed in humans. Well, that makes sense if she's out here in the middle of nowhere. The salty scent of tears was woven within the scent and he nodded to himself. Again, that made sense if she was afraid. But one thing stymied the hanyou. How in all the gods' names did she get out here?

Inuyasha walked slowly into the copse of trees until he saw the familiar figure sitting at the base of an ancient pine tree. He pressed his lips together in a line, watching her for a second or two. After only the briefest hesitation, he took a deep breath. "Teles?"

Her head jerked up at the sound of his voice and something in his stomach grew cold with the expression on her face - pure, unadulterated fear. Even the scent of it intensified. But Inuyasha could think of no earthly reason why his brother's mate would possibly be afraid of him. His steps brought him closer until he crouched down next to the pregnant woman.

Teles swallowed once, blinking. "Inuyasha."

"Yeah." He looked at her for a moment; she didn't appear to be hurt, despite the fact that her face was stained and streaked with tears. "The fuck are you doin' out here?"

The former goddess opened her mouth to reply, snapping it shut immediately; after a moment, she tried again. "I was looking for your village. I was trying..." she paused, swallowing hard, "to find you."

"What? Find me? Why?"

Teles looked away, wrapping her arms around herself. Alongside the overwhelming waves of relief that perhaps she wasn't quite as lost as she'd feared, blossomed a growing sliver of dread. She could see Inuyasha's eyes - so similar to those of her mate - watching her with concern and worry, but Teles was sure that those embers of concern wouldn't last once she had explained everything to him. There was, of course, the slight possibility that perhaps he wouldn't be as angry with her over the pup, but the hanyou had so very little kin to begin with that Teles was sure he wouldn't be particularly forgiving over her carelessness. Several long beats of silence passed, during which time, her fingers had found the sleeve of her kimono, fidgeting and rubbing at the silk. "I... Sesshoumaru, he..." closing her eyes, tightly, she shook her head briskly. Gods, woman. Out with it, already. She opened her mouth to speak again, stunned silent when Inuyasha reached out, stilling her fingers with a warm hand.

"Damn, you're cold," he muttered, thick brows lowering into a frown.

She looked down in quiet shock at the clawed hand covering her own. Again, she looked up at her mate's brother. "I didn't realize it would be..." her words trailed off as he shrugged out of his haori, wrapping it around her.

"Didn't realize it'd be what?" he asked, pulling back to look at her. He took her hands in between his, rubbing them briskly, the friction easing away the chill in her fingers.

"That it would get this cold," she said quietly.

"Ah. Well, yeah." He lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. "But... that doesn't explain what the hell you're doin' out here. What happened?"

Swallowing hard, Teles closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to surface again; she was determined not to whimper about this anymore. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she looked up at Inuyasha. "I left the den. Sesshoumaru. I left him," she said quietly, pulling her hands from Inuyasha's.

The words hit the hanyou with almost physical force, and the silence that followed was vast. He found that he could do little more than gape, not saying anything for several seconds. "You..." She left Sesshoumaru? She left? A mate can do that? He gave a quick shake of his head, clearing it. "Okay. ...Okay." He looked at her for a few moments, debating what to do next. Obviously returning her to the den wasn't an option - if she'd already left once, she probably wouldn't appreciate being brought back. The village. She was on her way to the village - though how the hell she planned on finding it's beyond me. "I'm gonna... is it okay if I take you home?" At least if he brought her back to the village, Kagome could help him figure out what the hell to do next.

"Home?" Teles echoed, and even in the dim moonlight he could see her blanch. "No. No, Inuyasha. Don't take me back there." She paused for a moment, staring up at him. "Please."

"No, no," he said, shaking his head quickly. "I didn't mean the den; I meant the village, Teles."

Several seconds passed. "Oh."

"I figured you... wouldn't wanna undo all that progress, right?"

"Well... no," she replied. "Although, I'm not sure... how much progress I've made. I... was going to try again once it got light, but..."

"But I'm here now," he said firmly. "C'mon." Standing, he offered his brother's mate - ex-mate? - his hand. To his surprise, Teles hesitated, looking away.

"B-before you... do that..." she managed, still avoiding his eyes.

"What? I ain't leavin' you out here in the cold," he said sharply.

To his surprise, Teles' chin began to tremble and tears pooled in her eyes before sliding down her cheeks, following the tracks already forged. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha," she whispered brokenly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I didn't know it would happen."

Swearing silently at the sight of the tears, Inuyasha crouched down once more. "Didn't know what would happen?"

She hugged herself tightly, looking down. "The pup... he hasn't moved. In hours." She used her sleeve to wipe at her eyes as they continued to spill over. "I'm so sorry..."

A heavy knot of worry formed in Inuyasha's stomach as he leaned closer, flipping his ears forward, listening. A tiny shred of panic formed when he found he couldn't hear the pup's strong, rapid heartbeat, but when he closed his eyes and listened more intently, he heard... something. It was softer, yes, but it was there, almost completely in tune with Teles' own heartbeat. Several seconds passed in this manner. "No," he said quietly. "I can hear him."

Sniffling softly, Teles looked up at him. "What?"

"I can hear him," he murmured, looking up at her through the fall of his bangs. "He's real quiet, but I can hear him."

She shook her head slowly, confusion marring her features while hope shone in her eyes. "But... he hasn't... I haven't felt him. He hasn't done anything."

Closing his eyes, Inuyasha exhaled a sigh. "Look, can we talk about this while I'm takin' you home? I ain't comfortable with arguin' with ya while you're freezin'." When Teles nodded slowly, he stood and again offered her his hand, which she took. Once she was steady on her feet, Inuyasha frowned for a moment. "Can't do this like I normally would, so you're gonna have to hang on, okay?"

"What do you mean-" Teles' question was cut off with a small, surprised noise when the hanyou carefully gathered her up, hefting her into his arms. Reflexively, Teles' arms went around his neck. "That's what you meant by 'hang on.'"

He gave a short chuckle and nodded, taking a deep breath before turning and running back in the direction of the village. He was more careful with his steps than he might have been had Kagome been clinging to his back, and he took care to stick to the ground, not wanting to jostle her with too much leaping. As he ran, his mind worked furiously; she was far from the den, yes, but the distance to the village was far too great for a pregnant woman to travel on foot - especially in one night.

His eyebrows drew together in a grim expression - whatever it was Sesshoumaru had done, it had made getting lost in the woods more appealing than staying at the den.

Dammit, Sesshoumaru, what the fuck did you do?

He inhaled deeply, thinking hard. She don't smell as much like Sesshoumaru. She don't smell anything like youkai, and she should since the pup's hanyou. He blinked; that had been the strange difference in her scent. Fuck. Of course. He's hanyou. He glanced down at the woman he carried, noting the way she'd already seemed to relax against him. Ain't a surprise. She thought the pup was dead. "He ain't ever been this still?" he asked in a low tone.

"Not that I can remember. Or... well, not since I turned human myself."

"What about last month?"

A frown of concentration tugged at her brow and Teles slowly shook her head. "I can't remember. I... I slept so much after the transformation - I don't recall much directly afterward."

"He ain't dead, Teles." He felt her exhale and relax further. "He's human. It's his human night."

Closing her eyes, she exhaled a long breath. "Oh, thank the..." Blinking suddenly, she looked up at Inuyasha. "Wait. Did you say, human night?"

"Yeah... Shit, didn't I tell you?"

"I do not believe so," Teles replied softly.

Dammit, he swore inwardly. "All right. So. Uh... all hanyou... once a month, their youkai blood sorta," he paused, searching for the right word. "It sorta goes to sleep. And they're human for the night. And... I'm guessin' this is his night. But if you're used to him bein' hanyou..."

"This is what it would feel like to carry a human child, then."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Hell if I know. But if he ain't movin' around as much, and if he ain't as strong as he was, then that explains it." He looked down at her for a second. "Sorry I forgot to tell you that. I didn't realize it'd scare ya."

"It's all right," she said, exhaling another, smaller sigh of relief. "I... I got so used to him being so active, and then he wasn't. I'm just relieved that he's all right."

"Oh, he'll be back to normal in the morning," the hanyou replied. "He'll change back when the sun rises."

"Gods, that's a relief," she said, closing her eyes. Just then, her brows quirked together. "Of course, I just spent the only full night of sleep I could have gotten this month by running around in the woods like a lunatic," she muttered dryly.

Looking up at the sky thoughtfully, Inuyasha pursed his lips for a moment. "Y'might be able to get a couple hours in."

Teles let a small, tired smile curve her lips. A few hours of sleep certainly sounded tempting. Glancing up at Inuyasha for a moment, her eyes soon went to the shadowed foliage whipping past them. The cold wind still caught her hair and tangled it, but she wasn't as cold as she had been, and now that the pup's inactivity was explained, she was no longer as worried as she had been. "All hanyou have a night of full humanity, then?"

"Yep."

"So," she ventured, "being hanyou yourself..."

Inuyasha's stride checked for a moment. "Uh...yeah. Me too."

"How do you know which night is the right night?"

He was quiet for a moment. "I've kinda always known. I mean, it's happened all my life."

"How can I know when it will happen again?"

Glancing upward again, Inuyasha murmured a quick "Hold on" before leaping upward into the trees. Teles gave a short, surprised yelp at the sudden lurch, her arms tightening spasmodically around his neck.

"Sorry," he replied with an apologetic grin before settling on a high branch and turning his gaze upwards, getting a good look at the moon. The waning crescent hung above them like a glowing smile. "See? When the moon looks like that again, he'll turn human." Looking upward, Teles nodded silently, a little more prepared when Inuyasha leapt down to the ground once more. He turned his steps towards the village once again, slowly regaining his speed.

They traveled in silence for a few moments before Teles cleared her throat softly. "When is yours?" Inuyasha didn't answer right away, and she gnawed on her upper lip as the silence dragged out. "I apologize - should I not have asked?"

Several more beats of silence passed before he gave a deep sigh. "You're... family, so I guess I can tell you. I just... don't tell people, usually." And until recently, "family" didn't necessarily equal "safe." Sesshoumaru was family, and there was no way Inuyasha would have told him about his night of humanity for any amount of gold. He credited Kagome with that change in his thinking. "'Cause... some people don't like hanyou. So, tellin' when you're human ain't smart."

"Ah. I see."

"But," he added, "you ain't interested in killin' me - at least, I don't think." Inuyasha offered her a small grin, which she returned.

Teles chuckled softly. "I believe that's an accurate summation."

His running steps slowed again, and Inuyasha paused, glancing around and sniffing the air, testing it. A few seconds passed before he looked down at her and replied in a low, soft tone, "New moon." He nearly added that she not tell Sesshoumaru, but given the fact that Teles was presently trying to get away from the youkai lord, that didn't seem to be something Inuyasha had to worry about at the moment.

Teles' gaze went back up to the sky. "Not that many days from now."

He hesitated a bit before nodding. "Yeah." Inhaling deeply, Inuyasha blew out a sigh, restarting his strides.

"I apologize - I did not realize it was such a vexation for you. Of course," she added after a moment, "I suppose it makes sense that it would be."

"Nah, I just... don't like tellin' people. I'm not used to tellin' people. In fact, I usually stay up that night."

Again, Teles nodded. "I hope, Inuyasha, that when the pup is born... I hope you would be willing to explain this to him, when he's old enough to understand."

"'Course I will. I kinda figured I would."

A grateful smile lit her features. "Thank you."

Nodding once, Inuyasha's steps slowed again, this time on the outskirts of a moderately sized village. "My mom told me it'd happen - she told me I had to stay safe, but I never had anyone who really... understood it," he said quietly.

"He is going to be a very lucky child," Teles replied softly.

Inuyasha gave a short, soft chuckle. "I guess so." He began walking through the village before approaching a hut, leaping up to the door and ducking inside. He set Teles on her feet before looking around; it was still late - sunrise wasn't for a while yet, and both Kaede and Kagome were still asleep.

Crouching down by the firepit, he coaxed flames nearly dormant back to life. Teles knelt across from him, letting the heat soak through her clothes. After a few moments, she shrugged out of his haori, but he stopped her with a brisk shake of his head. "No. Hold on to it till you've warmed up more."

Just then, a dark head poked out of the tiny back room. Blinking at the firelight, Kagome yawned once, widely, running a sleepy hand through her bangs. "Inuya..." trailing off, she blinked again, significantly more awake. "Teles?"

"Damn it," Inuyasha growled softly.

Her eyes darting between Inuyasha and Kagome, Teles bit her lower lip, worrying it between her teeth. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I didn't mean to wake you."

"No... no, it's no problem, but... um..." the young priestess trailed off, glancing at Inuyasha before looking again at the pregnant woman kneeling before the fire. "Is everything all right?"

"I'm gonna guess no, since you were runnin' around the woods in the middle of the fuckin' night."

"She was doing what?" Kagome asked, eyes growing wide in surprise and worry.

Her eyes going to the flames dancing in the firepit, Teles was quiet for a moment. "I'm afraid Inuyasha's right," she replied softly. As she sat there, the flames danced against her eyes, making her look for a moment like the being she had been before. Several more seconds passed before she took a deep breath. "I left the den - and Sesshoumaru. I am not returning."

Kagome's brows lifted almost to her hairline, and Inuyasha's exhale was audible. The young girl's eyes darted between Inuyasha and Teles; she wanted to ask, because she was concerned, but she didn't want to pry. She deliberated for a few seconds before deciding this was too important not to ask. "Why?"

Slender shoulders lifting in a small shrug, Teles shook her head, still watching the fire as if an answer would appear there. "After my... after I was rendered human, he started behaving... differently."

"Different?" Inuyasha asked, a slight edge to his voice. "Different how?"

"He..." Teles frowned in thought. "He was colder." Teles did not notice the way her mate's half-brother grew almost preternaturally still. "Eventually, he began placing restrictions on me. My excursions outside of the den were limited..."

Kagome knelt by the fire, choosing a spot next to Inuyasha. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, but after mentally sifting through much of the tension that had settled on the den with Sesshoumaru's return, she had to admit that it made a good deal of sense.

Inuyasha, closing his eyes, shook his head slowly as he listened to Teles recount the youkai lord's behavior. What the fuck? Had Sesshoumaru somehow reverted to his prior attitude? Had the realization of having a human mate finally hit him? Had their conversations - an attempt at mending the chasm between them - been nothing more than an illusion? The chill of betrayal that came with Teles' words was only slightly relieved by Kagome's proximity.

"At first," Teles said, her voice low, "he was gone from the den quite often. Nearly constantly. When he was there, we never spoke -- unless it was for him to tell me that I was not allowed to do one thing or another. Then..." she frowned a bit, feeling slightly disoriented; it all felt like it had happened so long ago, when it had only been that morning. "After you left, he was... quite angry with me. The pup was causing me discomfort, and I hadn't let him know."

Frowning immediately, Inuyasha's gaze darted across the fire to Teles. "Discomfort?"

A wan smile formed. "Like I said earlier, Inuyasha - he is quite active."

Neither Teles nor Inuyasha saw Kagome press her lips together, biting back the words that threatened to form. She offered up a silent prayer that Sango and Miroku could find out what they needed to about hanyou births. That pup has to be safe. It just has to be.

"Right," he said. After a second, he winced just imagining it. "Right."

"So... today - or perhaps it was yesterday, I can't recall..." she expelled a breath, shaking her head tiredly. "He informed me that I was forbidden to leave the den at all -- no matter the reason. I was forbidden Rin's company. I was to eat what he gave me to eat, when he gave it to me. I was to..." she gestured at her kimono, stained with dirt and grass, and littered with tiny tears where dry branches had caught on the silk. "I was to dress in a manner befitting my 'status' as his mate."

"Damn it," Inuyasha muttered, his voice nearly a growl. Getting to his feet, he strode to the door, pushing the flap aside and scowling into the night. "Gods damn it," he muttered again. His brows lowering further, he felt the question gather on his tongue, collecting in a bitter pool. Not wanting to ask it, but knowing he had to, Inuyasha closed his eyes. "Did he hurt you?"

There was a brief pause before Teles answered. "He did not strike me, no."

Nodding absently, the hanyou continued to scowl into the dark.

"Of course," Teles continued bitterly, "I was instructed to use his title, which, I will admit, stung bitterly."

Inuyasha snorted. "He can take his title and shove it up his-" He cut his words off violently, nearly biting his tongue in the process. Looking back over his shoulder, the hanyou was faintly relieved to see Kagome rubbing Teles' shoulder comfortingly. One of them had to be the comforter - and he didn't consider himself to be very good at it. "I shoulda fuckin' known," he growled under his breath. Indeed, he felt as if he should have known, that he should have known that Sesshoumaru wasn't capable of such a drastic change.

Of course it was now all very moot.

"He... left the den. Again. So, I decided to leave." Teles inhaled deeply and expelled the breath silently. "Anything was better than staying there."

Inuyasha turned, leaning against the wall by the door. "He wasn't there when you left?" He shook his head instantly, answering his own question. "No. 'Course he wasn't." Chewing his lip, he looked at the former goddess. "D'you know how long he was gonna be gone?"

Teles shook her head slowly. "He didn't even tell me he was leaving. I only heard him go."

Inuyasha nodded again, and silence had descended on the hut again, punctuated only occasionally by Kaede's soft snoring from the tiny back room.

"Inuyasha," Kagome ventured softly, "you don't think Sesshoumaru would... come looking, do you?" The hanyou's eyes darted to Kagome, his gaze sharp. The sentiment in his expression made clear that he most certainly did think that Sesshoumaru would come looking for Teles; he just didn't want to state it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Just then, the former goddess' voice, soft and strained, confirmed their fears. "Of course he would."

Several seconds of silence stretched out before Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. I think he will."

"And," Teles continued, closing her eyes and shaking her head in annoyance, "considering his... determination when it comes to locating his lost..." she trailed off, gritting her teeth, "possessions, I'm starting to think that perhaps I should not have come here."

Inuyasha's eyes widened and in a fraction of a second, his brows lowered into a scowl. "Are you nuts? Where the hell else should you have gone?"

Sesshoumaru's mate looked up at him, green eyes reflecting no nervousness or fear - simply resignation. "He could find me anywhere, Inuyasha. That's just it." Inuyasha swore viciously, but Teles continued. "I left him once before - long before we were mated. Or..." she frowned in thought. "Well, as far as he was concerned, we were already mated, but... anyway, it was while I was still... my true self. I left him. There is a cluster of islands to the east of these lands. He found me there."

Kagome blinked. "He found Hawaii?"

Inuyasha's head swiveled to look at the young miko. "He found what?"

"It's a - like she said - it's a small cluster of islands east of Japan. People in my time usually go there for vacation."

"Oh." The scowl returned. That probably meant it was too far for any of them to reach easily. "Damn it," he growled, "there's gotta be something we can do. I mean... I can kill the stupid fuck, but..." He glanced at Teles, almost surprised to see that she'd turned ashen. "...Or not," he finished, expelling a frustrated breath.

Looking slightly sheepish, Teles' eyes went to her hands. "I... it is absurd, I know, but..." her shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly. Closing her eyes, she shook her head. "I know I have no reason to, but..."

Kagome looked at Teles for a long time. She saw the defeated slouch, and the shame that burned her cheeks. "You still love him," she supplied gently. She saw the former goddess' give a short, dry laugh, accompanied by a rueful nod. Kagome glanced quickly at Inuyasha as she thought fleetingly of Kikyou. Pushing the thoughts aside, Kagome sighed softly. Sometimes you just can't help who you love. This is probably the best thing she could do right now - for her and the pup, anyways.

"Okay," Inuyasha said, striding forward. "So, I can't kill him. Then we gotta get her out of here."

Nodding, Kagome stood, and slowly started pacing the length of the hut. "Right. But where?"

Folding his arms in his sleeves, Inuyasha frowned, deep in thought. "Well, Miroku and Sango are at her village. That's a safe enough place until we figure out something else - something permanent. Sesshoumaru would probably have a harder time finding it - and we wouldn't have other villagers to worry about even if he did find the place."

Kagome pursed her lips and scrunched them to the side. "That might be a good idea, but I think it'll depend on how long we have."

Shrugging, Inuyasha shook his head. "That depends on when he figures out she's gone. He can move pretty fast when he wants to." He was quiet for a moment, closing his eyes and raking restless claws through his bangs. "Shit. I shoulda known better than to come straight back." Folding his arms, he blew out a frustrated breath. "There's gotta be somewhere he can't go."

"He found her in Hawaii, Inuyasha. That's not an easy feat," Kagome replied.

"But even that took him six months," Teles murmured, slowly pushing herself to her feet.

The hanyou shot the miko a dry look. "Let me guess - water."

Kagome nodded. "Lots of it." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and began pacing, his mounting frustration evident. Their eyes met for a moment and she offered him an apologetic shrug. He didn't give an obvious response, aside from a short nod, but Kagome could see he had other things on his mind beyond trying to find a safe haven for Teles and the pup. Inuyasha must feel so betrayed - he really thought Sesshoumaru had changed. We all did, for that matter. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she shook her head, trying desperately to think of somewhere - even somewhere temporary - they could take Teles.

Inuyasha soon turned and was again standing at the hut's doorway, staring out at the village under the slowly lightening sky; he kept his arms hidden in his sleeves, and his features had settled into a deep frown. It's getting later. If she's gonna go home, she'd better go. It's startin' to look like we're gonna need supplies sooner than we thought. "...Oi, Kagome."

The girl looked up. "Hmm?"

Looking over his shoulder, he regarded her. "Are you still gonna go..." Inuyasha trailed off, eyes widening, then blinking. "Kagome..."

"Am I going to, what? Go home? Ye-oh." She was quiet for a second, her brows lifting. "Oh."

He turned completely, his gaze fixed on the girl. "But... it don't work for anyone else."

"But we've never really tried it with anyone else," Kagome countered, excitement crackling in her voice.

"Shippou has," he riposted. "I've caught him at it before."

Kagome's eyes were wide, and this sudden hope made something spark in her dark irises. "But we've never tried bring-"

"Inuyasha? Kagome?" Teles' voice was tight with tension, and both the hanyou and miko looked over, the interruption coming as no small surprise. The former goddess was standing by the easternmost wall of the hut, leaning heavily against that wall. "Something's... happening." At first it appeared as if she were simply looking at the floor; her long hair had fallen forward, obscuring her face. But when she continued leaning forward until she was almost doubled over, it became evident that something was very wrong.

Inuyasha could see the first rays of light turning the sky a dusky pink, morning filtering through the woven door-flap. "I thought so," he muttered, striding to Teles' side, taking her arm and helping her into a kneeling position.

"You thought what?" Kagome asked, dropping to her knees beside the woman and pushing a thick lock of hair away from her face. A low, keening groan manifested itself from Teles' throat, and Kagome looked over at Inuyasha worriedly. "What's wrong with her?" Her eyes widened suddenly. "Oh gods, Teles, you're not going to... Are you going to... have it?"

The soft sound of movement came from the small room in the back, and soon both Kagome and Inuyasha heard the welcome sound of Kaede's voice come from behind them. "Inuyasha, Kagome, what in all the..." the elderly miko trailed off as she drew closer and the tableau revealed itself. "What's happened?" she asked, her voice urgent.

Kagome looked up, her shoulders drooping in relief. "Kaede-baachan, this is Teles-"

"This is Sesshoumaru's mate?" Kaede asked, walking around to face the pregnant woman. She knelt down and placed a worn, weathered hand against Teles' forehead. "How far along are you, child?"

Teles was breathing hard, her teeth clenched tightly together as if to hold back another ragged groan. "Four months. Almost five," she managed.

"Hanyou and youkai pregnancies are shorter," Kagome supplied softly. Kaede only nodded once.

"She has no fever," the elderly woman murmured before bringing her hands down to Teles' abdomen. Her eyebrows rose slightly at the youkai surges thrumming through the young woman and she looked at Inuyasha, tacitly asking for clarification.

"Last night was the pup's human night," he explained, his voice quiet and tense. "He's changin' back."

Kaede nodded once. "You had better make her comfortable. I don't think there is anything we can do beyond keeping her at ease."

"At ease?" Teles managed through her clenched jaw, her fingers scything around Inuyasha's arm. What had started out as a peculiar, tingling twinge in the base of her abdomen began to grow stronger. She began to feel warmer as the strange pangs intensified, quickening until they resonated through her body like a pulse. After a moment, she felt a pair of hands slowly releasing her grip from the hanyou's arm before guiding her forward. Before long, Teles was on her knees, her weight braced against her forearms.

"That should be better," the old woman said, slowly rubbing Teles' back.

Swallowing hard, Teles nodded before bringing her head down to rest against her arms. If she pried her eyes open, Teles could see Inuyasha, crouched in front of her. Or, rather, his hands and legs as well as the locks of silver hair that hung down, pooling on the floor. She found a small measure of comfort in the sight, and let her eyes close again. Suddenly, a sharp cramp shot through her lower abdomen, sending a white bolt of exquisite pain through the thrumming, rhythmic twinges. Clenching her eyes shut again, Teles bared her teeth, the low, guttural sound in the back of her throat sounding as much like a growl as any sound a human woman could make. Her hands tightened into fists, her nails dragging across the wooden floor.

"Oh, gods," she ground out through her teeth, her body tensing. "Gods, make it stop..." Inside of her, Teles could once again feel the pup shift and stretch, and while the movement was a welcome relief, it also added another layer to the pain she was already experiencing. With another almost-growl, her hands curled into tighter fists as her breathing grew ragged and uneven.

"Easy there, kid. Easy," Inuyasha muttered softly. His eyes went to Kaede, who was methodically rubbing Teles' lower back. "Ain't there anythin' else you can do?"

"Inuyasha," she replied patiently, "all we can do is wait for this to pass. Afterward, if she is still in pain, then I will see what I can do."

Inuyasha reached a hesitant hand down to give Teles' shoulder a supportive squeeze. "It'll be over soon," he said, his voice low. Meeting Kagome's worried gaze over the prone woman's body, he offered her a reassuring nod. He could smell the pup's youkai blood level out in its mother's scent, and before long, Teles had stopped tensing beneath their hands.

By the time the pup's transformation was complete, Teles was panting and trembling, her face and neck limned in sweat. Kaede carefully eased her back into a kneeling position before Teles shifted slightly, sitting on her hip. Exhausted, she leaned against the wall, staring at them with slowly blinking eyes. After a moment, she closed her eyes and brought a hand to her forehead, pushing away the sweat-dampened locks of hair sticking to the skin there.

"Sweet merciful gods," she managed weakly. "I really, really do not want that to happen ever again."

Looking on, Kagome prudently decided that now was not the time to remind Teles about the pup's delivery.

Inuyasha blew out a breath, shaking his head, his expression somewhat guilty. "I knew it didn't feel that great for hanyou, but..." He shifted into a kneeling position from his crouch, moving as if to rub the distended stomach, but his hand froze.

Feeling her own heartbeat return to normal, Teles inhaled a breath increasingly steadier than the ones before it. Letting her eyes drift half-open, she saw Inuyasha's hesitation in both his stilled hand and the expression on his face. "It's all right, Inuyasha," she said quietly. "He is your kin, after all."

"Just can't get used to it," he muttered, bringing his hand to the stomach and rubbing gingerly with the hope that it might soothe the overactive pup within.

After a few moments, Kaede glanced up. "Teles, if it would be all right with you, I'd like to do a brief examination - to make sure that everything is... well, as normal as it can be, given the circumstances. Perhaps, Inuyasha, it would be best if you and Kagome stepped out side for a short while."

Teles' hesitation lasted only a second. When she nodded, Inuyasha looked over at the old miko. "Oi, Kaede-babaa - examination? What kind of-"

"Good idea, Kaede-baachan," Kagome interrupted quickly, her voice just a little too bright. In an instant she was on her feet, dragging Inuyasha past the woven door-flap, towing him out of the hut.

"Hey! What the-" But Kagome had already led Inuyasha outside and around to Kaede's herb garden, which had frosted over in the early morning chill. "What the hell was that for?" he whispered fiercely.

"Trust me," she murmured. "You wouldn't have wanted to stay in there."

Inuyasha was instantly alarmed. "Why not? What's she gonna do?"

Pressing her lips together, Kagome debated how much to explain to him. "She's not going to do anything. Kaede just wants to make sure Teles and the pup are healthy. And you don't want to be there for that."

"Why not?"

Kagome explained "why not" as diplomatically as she could. By the time she was done, Inuyasha was nearly as pale as his hair. For several long minutes afterward, they stood in awkward silence, trying to look anywhere but at Kaede's hut - or each other. Several more minutes passed in this manner before Kagome cleared her throat softly. "You know, Inuyasha..." she said musingly.

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking. Souta's tried to go through the well. And Shippou's tried. But... no one's tried to go through with us at the same time." When Inuyasha nodded slowly, she pursed her lips in thought. "It's worth a try, if nothing else."

After a moment, he nodded slowly. "Yeah." He glanced hesitantly at the hut. "Think she'll be up to it?"

Tilting her head, Kagome frowned. "I don't see why not. She should be feeling a little better now that the pup's settled down." When she saw Inuyasha's absent nod, her brows twitched together. "Do you want me to see if it's okay to go back in?" He gave another brisk nod, and Kagome trotted up to the hut, rapping lightly on the side of the entrance. "Kaede-baachan? Teles? It's me. Is everything... all right?"

Kaede's soft chuckle came from inside the hut. "Yes, Kagome. You and Inuyasha may come back in."

Kagome turned and waved Inuyasha over before ducking back into the hut. When she did, she found Teles looking far more composed than she had at first, kneeling by the fire pit and sipping slowly from a small cup.

Kaede glanced up at the younger miko. "It is an herb and tea blend that has proven remarkably helpful with some of the other expecting women in the village."

Teles looked up, a small, grateful smile at her lips. "Kaede-sama was kind enough to provide me with some more of it. She thinks that it might help."

"Better late than never," the elderly miko murmured, glancing at Teles' rounded belly.

Kneeling next to the pregnant woman, Kagome offered Kaede a smile that was equal parts relief and thanks. "Well, if Kaede-baachan thinks it'll help, it probably will," she said reassuringly.

It was at this point that Inuyasha entered the hut and, giving the room a cursory glance, dropped down into a cross-legged position in a vacant spot between Kaede and Kagome. "Listen," he said, turning to look at Teles. "Kagome and I were talkin' - before the pup started acting up - and we were thinkin'... if we send you with Kagome..."

"Teles," Kagome interjected gently, "do you remember how I was explaining to you about my time?" When the woman nodded slowly, she added, "Well, to get there, we have to travel through... a well."

"A well," Teles echoed with not a little incredulity.

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied. After a few seconds, he looked at Kagome. "Y'know, I never realized how fuckin' crazy that sounded before."

"Me neither," Kagome murmured, shaking her head. "Anyways, it's perfectly safe."

Nodding, Inuyasha added, "Yeah. I wouldn't let her do it if it weren't, y'know."

"Exactly," Kagome agreed, nodding as well. "In fact it's - wait a minute. Let me?" When her question only earned her a blank look from the hanyou, she folded her arms and arched her eyebrows at him. "What do you mean, let me?"

Ears flattening reflexively, Inuyasha inclined his head. "I wouldn't want ya to come through if it were dangerous."

Crossing her arms, Kagome shot him a dry look, completely oblivious to the amused expressions both Kaede and Teles wore. "Uh huh. More dangerous than what? Than some centipede demon trying to kill me? Or more dangerous than the snarky hanyou who tried to kill me after that, hmm?"

"Hey, I killed the fuckin' thing, didn't I?" Inuyasha shot back. "And I didn't kill you." As Kagome opened her mouth to interject something, Inuyasha added gruffly, "I just want you to be safe, dammit."

Kagome's eyes softened at that, and a tiny smile formed. But when she realized they'd been bickering in front of Kaede and Teles, she blushed. "Um... anyway," she said, rubbing the back of her neck as color warmed her cheeks.

Cocking an eyebrow at the blush, Inuyasha followed Kagome's eyes and likewise remembered that they were not alone. "Uh, yeah. Anyway."

"It's perfectly safe," Kagome said confidently. "You jump in, and... well, it's... it feels kind of strange for a little bit, but then - poof - you're in my time."

Her dubious expression fading, Teles nodded slowly. "Well, if it is somewhere that he cannot follow, I believe it is certainly worth a try."

"Kagome," Kaede interjected, having watched the byplay for long enough. "You're... going to bring Teles with you through the well? To your era?" When Kagome nodded, the old woman frowned. "Are you sure that's wise? I do not think that Inuyasha's brother will react benevolently to such an adjustment."

"Listen, Kaede-babaa," Inuyasha said firmly. "It don't matter how Sesshoumaru's gonna react. He can't be trusted with a hanyou pup." He lifted his chin stubbornly. "That kid'll be safe in Kagome's time. So will his ma."

The old miko was quiet for several moments after which time she seemed to make a conscious decision not to ask what, exactly, Sesshoumaru had done.

"Look," Inuyasha added with fierce reassurance, "me and Kagome are the only ones who can do it, and I ain't helpin' Sesshoumaru through."

"In that case," Kagome said, standing, "assuming Sesshoumaru figures out you're gone sooner rather than later, we should probably try this sooner... instead of later." She turned and disappeared into the tiny room where she'd been sleeping. She crouched down to tuck Shippou into the bedding. He made a few soft, sleepy noises, but eventually settled back down into a solid slumber. Standing and turning, Kagome retrieved the bright yellow pack from where it had been resting against the wall. Hefting it onto her shoulder, she stood there a moment, a small, pensive frown forming at her forehead. Although I don't know what we're going to do if it doesn't work. Blowing out a quiet breath, she slipped out the doorway. Inuyasha and Kaede had both stood, both of them carefully guiding Teles to her feet.

"We should prob'ly head over," Inuyasha said, eyeing Teles. "You don't wanna walk, I'm guessin'." Inuyasha could see that while some of her color had returned, Teles still looked fairly drawn from the pup's transformation. The distance to the well wasn't great, but if she'd spent the entire night wandering around in the forest, she was probably already exhausted. Add to that the pup's reversion to hanyou, and it was Inuyasha's guess that the pregnant woman's fatigue was doubled.

"I can walk," she assured him before taking a few wobbly steps and making a face. "Slowly."

Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't think we wanna move quite that slowly."

"Inuyasha is right," Kaede said firmly. "You should not attempt to travel too far on foot, particularly after an episode like the one you just experienced."

Teles sighed, the look on her face stating clearly that she didn't want to be carried. But after several moments of silent consideration, she closed her eyes in defeat. "Very well."

Nodding once, Inuyasha carefully gathered the pregnant woman in his arms before sending Kagome a crooked smile. "Your turn." Without a word, Kagome climbed onto his back, holding on tightly; his arms couldn't secure her legs, since they were otherwise employed. But when Inuyasha felt Kagome's legs wrap around his waist, something in him quickened. Well, how else didja expect her to hold on? Swallowing hard, he very resolutely pushed out of his head the sensation of her legs around him, telling himself that now was not the time. It worked - fairly well, at least. And before long, the trio bade good-bye to Kaede and sped off into the forest, heading for the Bone-Eater's Well.

As they traveled, Kagome's features settled into a pensive frown as the forest raced by. She reflected on the thick tension that had settled on the den after Sesshoumaru had arrived. At least it makes sense now. It doesn't make good sense, but it makes sense. Her frown deepened; Miroku and Sango were busy trying to figure out what could be done to make sure the pup didn't injure Teles, but that didn't detract from the fact that Kagome wished they weren't gone. I hope they come back soon. If Sesshoumaru is the reason she's been having so much trouble, we need to figure out the best way to help - soon. She found a small measure of reassurance that if the pup didn't manage to settle down, her time was better equipped for dealing with dangerous pregnancies. Of course, they weren't really equipped for dealing with hanyou births.

She smothered her sigh. One problem at a time, Kagome.

Inuyasha's running strides skidded to a stop as they reached the well, and Kagome slowly lowered herself down from his back while he carefully righted Teles. Shifting her knapsack a bit, Kagome walked over to the well and peered down into it, doubts she didn't even know she had suddenly swirling to the surface. Gods, I really hope this works.

After a moment, Teles joined Kagome at the side of the well, likewise gazing downward. "So, this is a passageway between the worlds?" Her brows quirked slightly. "Forgive me, but it looks rather..."

"Ordinary?" Kagome supplied ruefully.

Teles gave an apologetic grin. "Precisely."

Inuyasha shrugged as he looked between Kagome and Teles, his mind trying to figure out the best way for the three of them to attempt this. If he jumped in carrying Teles, and Kagome went alongside him as usual, there was no reason it wouldn't work. He regarded the well for a moment. "Never knew there was anything special about it until... you know." Kagome nodded, and complete silence had settled over the clearing. "So, we should probably..." he trailed off, walking to the well's lip, joining the other two.

Teles swallowed hard, looking over at Inuyasha and Kagome. "Do you really think this is going to work?"

He was quiet for a moment, before shaking his head. "I don't know. But we gotta try."

Kagome opened her mouth to concur, but a melodic, feminine voice interrupted her, startling the trio.

"Unfortunately, I can tell you right now that it isn't going to work at all."