Disclaimer: Characters used without permission of Miss Rumiko, I'm pretty sure. -.-

If I ever become rich, I hope she takes the time to sue me, so I can meet her…

A/N I'd like to say 'sorry' for the delay in updating, but… yeah. I don't like to write all that much. -.- I like the emailed review better than the ones you can post, so send comments, critiques, and whines for the next bit to fanfiction@alesyira.com (That way I can answer in person! =D ) Happy reading. Fluff abounds in this chapter. Yumminess.

Illustration - http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php/164894

Chapter Twelve - My Angel Upon Waking

Inuyasha was dimly aware of the sudden silence in the house, for his head was throbbing painfully with every steady beat of his heart. A horrible shiver racked his body, and his throat released the softest whimper. 'I'm so cold…'

His slightly muddled thoughts suddenly turned into panic, 'I'm dying! Not… yet… couldn't tell her…'

"Tell her what?" a soft whisper fluttered over the tiny hairs on his sensitive ears.

'Tell her I wanted her… tell her… needed her… tell….' His thoughts faded into darkness as his body shut down from shock.

~~~

Inuyasha cracked an eye open. His vision, blurring at first, slowly made out a sheer curtain billowing in a gentle breeze. Soft pink light spilled in from the window, and the room seemed to glow. '…Heaven… …has to be…' Inuyasha thought, finding himself mildly disappointed.

He blinked once, trying to force his other eye to open as well to see more of his surroundings, and his spirits soared as Kagome's face, also glowing with that same soft pink light, came into his view, breaking into the most brilliant smile he'd seen her give yet.

'…Now that's better... got her all to myself…' Fingers he hadn't used for so long flexed slightly as they rose into his line of sight, the final proof that he hadn't been damned to his own personal hell, full of grand images of Kagome and him still a dog. He watched his fingers curl slightly before he reached higher to thread them through her soft black hair. "…My angel…"

Her eyes fluttered shut at his gentle touch, and he lifted himself high enough to brush a tender kiss to her slightly parted lips.

The gasp, the rough shove against his chest, and the shocked, "Inuyasha?!" informed him that he was a bit mistaken about a few things.

Inuyasha blinked up at her, a bit dazed, and horribly confused as to what was going on.

~~~

Kagome's eyes narrowed in confusion, her mouth gaped open in shock. Her hands went slack, and she barely registered the soft sound of the glass shard as it fell amongst the debris, followed soon after by the unmistakable 'clink' of beads hitting one another.

But her sight never wavered from the blood-streaked mass of white hair barely covering the naked form lying next to her library wall. He moved slightly, and a small, canine whimper escaped his lips. She moved quickly to his side, and barely heard his soft whispers. It almost seemed as though he was saying his thoughts, for his words were not directed at her, they were just, there. His panic at not being able to tell her something left her more than a little curious as to what he meant, and she found herself replying to him. Her voice was little more than a puff of air altered by moving lips and tongue, but he understood, and replied.

She frowned slightly in confusion and ran her fingers through his bangs, that familiar warm tingling sensation moving up her arm where their flesh touched. That warm feeling moved quickly throughout her body, and the look of pain and confusion on Inuyasha's face faded.

She let out the breath she'd been holding in a heavy sigh. Standing, she turned and carefully picked her way through the mess of broken glass and wood. The materials surrounding the hole between the two floors looked unstable, and Kagome decided it would be a wiser idea to call for help from outside of the house. She retrieved a sheet and blanket from the linen closet and returned to her friend's side.

Laying the blanket out, she carefully moved him onto it, draping the sheet over him for modesty, and used it to drag him to the front porch. Throughout the bumpy ride, he made no signs of movement or rousing, so, when she reached the steps leading from the porch, she wasted no time in hooking her arms beneath his to drag his upper body against hers to get him safely down the stairs.

When she finally reached what she thought to be a safe distance from the house, she pulled the cell phone out of her pocket to call for some help. She sat beside Inuyasha's unconscious form, her free hand resting next to his head, absently stroking his cheek with her thumb, her eyes roving in dismay over the extensive damage done to her home.

~~~

"He may have not meant to, but he has laid his claim," he began. "Inuyasha has been old enough to choose a life partner for some time, and I am certainly pleased he did not trail after the first bitch he encountered."

Rin smiled at her husband's comment. "He has more pride an honor than you credit him with, sometimes," she said, tugging gently on his ear to tease him.

He spared her the smallest glance as he changed lanes, passing a small sedan. "Not while I'm driving, woman," he warned, tapping his thumb on the steering wheel.

"So, what prompted you to test his bond to her?" her thoughts turning to Kagome's confusion over the burning handshake she'd received.

"He told me he'd been dreaming of her, and he suspected she'd been dreaming the same things. He mentioned it only happened when they were touching, so he'd gone to sleeping on the floor to avoid the frustration," he shook his head. "They've only been together for such a short time to be sharing something like that."

"You don't think they are some sort of… soul mates, do you?" Rin asked, hesitantly.

"No such thing. I just imagine they are the most compatible pair, and their energies meld together easily. Kagome has always had a unique air about her. I certainly feel bad for her, though, for she will be unable to choose another suitable partner while Inuyasha remains in her presence."

"What if she's content with keeping him around? She won't know why she can't touch another male if we don't tell her… Does Inuyasha know what they have done?"

"I doubt it. They are rather content with each other, and even if they knew of what has developed between them, I do not believe they would find more comfort in another being. It is rare to find a match like they have."

"Should we tell them?" Rin asked.

"No," was his reply.

"No?"

"No, Rin."

She raised an eyebrow at his behavior, and tugged on his ear again, trying to hide a smile. "Why not?"

His grip on the steering wheel visibly tightened, but he remained silent. She grinned wickedly, for she knew he was goading her purposely. She reached a little higher and lightly traced the shell of his ear with a fingertip. She loosened her seatbelt and leaned over to him, pushing herself up on her palms to whisper against his neck, "Why not, sweetie?" She added a small nip of her teeth against his skin.

Sesshoumaru signaled a right lane change, merged with the slower moving vehicles, then flicked the emergency lights on, pulling over to the side of the highway.

The moment the vehicle was in park, he had unbuckled his seatbelt to tackle Rin in her seat, smirking at her shriek of delight. In that swift moment, he pulled the seat recliner to push the seat back flat with his weight, pinning her slight frame under his.

He wasted no time as he caught her lips in a heated kiss, threading his fingers through her short locks and tilting her head for a better angle. A low growl sounded in his chest as his tongue stroked heavily against hers in passion.

She let out a ragged moan as he swept his free hand from the reclining lever up the outside of her leg to clutch her hip tightly, grinding his body into hers as he plundered her mouth for a moment longer. He slowed the kiss, licking her lips once before he pulled back to look down at her.

Her eyes were unfocused, her hair mussed, and her cheeks were flushed with desire. It took an amazing amount of control to not go right back to assaulting his mate with kisses and caresses.

"You started it," came his strained whisper.

"Keep going…" she pleaded, hooking her fingers into his shirt to try and pull him back to her. He leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers in a soft, teasing manner. He closed his eyes and tried to collect his scattered thoughts.

"I want him to be happy, for a while longer…" he started, very aware of Rin's other hand slipping into his shirt to tease his bare skin. "…can't tell them…" he sucked in a sharp breath as she released her grasp on his shirt to reach around and grab his ass, pulling him closer for another searing kiss. Sesshoumaru's hand drifted upwards to cup Rin's breast, losing his previous train of thought in favor of the temptress beneath him.

A sharp tap against the SUV's window brought them out of their bit of roadside romance. Both turned their gazes to the highway patrolman standing next to the driver's side door, his eyebrows raised far above the top edge of his reflective sunglasses.

"You… folks havin' car problems?" came his voice, slightly muffled through the glass. Rin broke into a childish giggle as Sesshoumaru sat back, pulling his shirt straight and returning to his seat, buckling his seatbelt as Rin did the same, righting the seatback.

The window slid open at a touch, and Sesshoumaru's cool mask was back in place as he replied, "No, we were merely taking a break during a long drive."

"All right, you folks have a safe trip." He tipped his hat to Rin, "Ma'am," before walking back to his car parked behind theirs.

Sesshoumaru cast a sideways glance at his wife as she chuckled again. He started the car and put it in gear, signaling his intent to merge back into traffic. She cleared her throat and poked him in the shoulder, "…you were saying?" she asked, unable to hide the amused smile at his lack of control.

"Perhaps I'm being selfish in my own way, but, I do not wish them to part. He is happier than I have ever seen him and if I were to take away, even indirectly, that source of happiness, I would never forgive myself to adding to his pain."

Rin's mouth curved into a warm smile as she looked at him. She couldn't help but sigh in adoration of the man that sat next to her, who rarely expressed concern for anyone beside herself.

~~~

Sango was rather shocked upon her arrival at Kagome's house. The demolished library wall was the only damage visible from the outside, but the extent of that damage alone told her the interior of the house had to be in far worse shape.

She parked behind Kagome's truck, and Miroku stepped wearily from the passenger seat to assess the structural damages. Sango made her way over to where Kagome seemed to be hunched over a pile of blankets.

She had received Kagome's call a short while ago, something about 'a youkai, Inuyasha hurt, house destroyed, and afraid to go back in…'

She figured Kagome had finally gotten around to naming her strange canine friend, but she frowned at the thought of how much trouble Kagome had gotten herself into since she had met him.

"What's happened here? Is he alright?" Sango asked, worry evident in her voice. Kagome looked up at her friend, and Sango gasped at the sight of her. Kagome's face was pale and her expression was weary, as though she was completely drained of her energy. She had her hands tucked inside the mass of blankets, and Sango lifted the edge, fearing the worst. Kagome's hands were pressed tightly against a deep gash in an unfamiliar man's side. "Who…?" she asked, looking to Kagome for the answer.

Kagome's voice was hardly a whisper as she answered, "Inuyasha, still bleeding," her gaze fell back down to the face smeared in blood, turned in Kagome's direction. Two adorable white ears poked out from under the mass of silvery hair.

"But, …how?" Sango was at a loss for questions until Kagome dragged the beads from her pocket and into sight, laying them in Sango's lap. Her eyes widened as she put it together, staring down, shocked, at the dog-turned-hanyou.

"…bleeding still…" Kagome panted out, "can't make it stop." Panic laced her worn whispers as she looked up to her friend for help. Sango ripped open her bag and withdrew some gauze and disinfectant.

"He's half demon, he should heal fine on his own, Kagome, but let's get that wound cleaned." Sango handed Kagome the fresh gauze to replace the wadded shirt she'd been clutching over his side. She placed her now-empty hand against his throat to measure his pulse, and brushed the back of her other hand against the cool skin of his forehead. She frowned at the slight chill clinging to his skin, even in the warm sunlight. It was less than a few seconds later that she ripped both of her hands from his flesh, cradling them to her chest in pain. "Ouch!" she yelped, utterly bewildered at why her hands felt like they'd been burned.

Kagome looked up in confusion, her body giving a strange lurch as Sango touched Inuyasha, only to see Sango looking from her fingers to Inuyasha's face and back again. "Sango?" she asked, her vision beginning to blur. Her own hands warmed and the same tingly comforting sensation spread throughout her body as she reapplied pressure to his wound. She almost felt as though she was spending her energy faster sitting here, than when she was fighting for her life inside.

"His skin was cool to the touch, but my hands felt like they'd been burnt after a moment…" Sango trailed off as she saw Kagome's face pale even further, her eyes drifting shut. "Kagome?" She reached out to catch Kagome as she slumped forward, seemingly unable to sit upright anymore. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she completely lost consciousness, Sango trying her best to keep her from falling on the injured hanyou.

Miroku picked this very moment to finally jog over to lend a hand. "Where were you?!" Sango yelled at him, struggling with the unconscious girl from her own sitting position. Miroku opened his mouth to speak, and then snapped it shut, reaching down to help Sango stand with Kagome in her grip.

"Wolf youkai, dead on the library floor. House is in pretty bad shape, but, not as bad as yours was a while back…" he said, trailing off. Sango pointed down at the man lying at her feet.

"Tell me if you can touch him without pain, will you?" She said, hoisting the unconscious Kagome into her arms. Miroku stooped to brush the silver bangs from his bloodied face, studying his profile while his hand rested lightly on his shoulder.

"Not a thing, why do you ask?" Miroku followed Sango's example and lifted the hanyou.

"That's Inuyasha, Miroku. You were right…" she said, trailing off as her thoughts roamed over possible explanations.

"My dear Sango, when am I ever wrong?" he asked, a lecherous grin on his face.

She rolled her eyes at his comment, and assessed the situation. "Youkai attacking them in the broad daylight like this… We need more security than this. I have a feeling something big is going on here." She turned her gaze to her car, frowning slightly at the lack of space for laying out two injured people. "You take Inuyasha in my car, I'll take Kagome's truck. Let's take them to my place."

Miroku's grin widened at this statement, but he refrained from saying anything at Sango's murderous glare.

An hour later, both vehicles had parked in front of a large gate. Sango hopped out of her truck to unlock and pull them open, and they entered the grounds of Sango's family residence. Tucked away in the woods, far from nearby towns, it was private and much safer for them all, for Sango knew the territory like the back of her hand.

Kagome had been the only visitor to the house in the last two years, for Sango's usual residence was the small living space attached to vet clinic she ran. There was no need to commute an hour both ways to care for the animals she loved so much, and her pet was more than capable of taking care of itself when they were apart.

The estate was more like a series of smaller buildings, connected with covered walkways, enclosing a very large garden complete with a deep stream stocked with fish. Sango had spent her childhood on this land with her father and older brother, and felt more comfortable with her skills in her native home. Her gut was telling her to be very on guard, and she was rarely wrong.

Miroku followed Sango along the path to their left, carrying Inuyasha as she carried Kagome. "I haven't been here for a long time, looks like you had everything fixed up even better than before," he said with an amused laugh.

"No thanks to you, dolt. I didn't ever want to bring you up here again for fear I might have to rebuild the entire estate again," she said, a frown marring her pretty face. She reached out for the door they had reached, and pulled it open. Miroku followed her inside the guest quarters and shut the door. "Put him down there," she said, nodding to the far side of the plush bed against the wall. Sango arranged Kagome as carefully as she could on the other side of the bed, checking her vitals for a moment.

"I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm sure they'll be able to tell us everything once they've woken," Sango murmured, looking down in worry at her best friend. Miroku coughed discreetly, asking about spare clothes. "Spare…?" Sango looked confused, before she remembered Inuyasha's state of undress.

She nodded and left the room in search of something large enough to fit the hanyou. She returned a few minutes later, clothes in hand, to find Miroku shaking his hands violently. She glared at him for a moment, considering which pressure point would cause him just enough pain to teach him a lesson about groping unconscious girls.

"Whoa, calm down, Sango, I wasn't feeling her up. I was merely testing something that came to mind as we were driving up here… They feel like they're connected, and the father we got from one another on the highway, the weaker that feeling became. But, when we laid them down next to one another, it because almost easy to tell…" he trailed off as Sango continued to glare at him, disbelieving and still quite angry.

"Look, look! I just touched her hand to test my theory. They've bonded somehow, and I can't touch her. I bet you can't touch him, either, can you?" he asked, her strange expression confirming his inquiry. "Haven't seen it in a long while, but, it seems Inuyasha, as you said he is named, has staked a claim on Kagome, and, from you being unable to touch him, I imagine it was reciprocated by her…"

Sango frowned again, then tossed the spare clothes to him. "I'm going to go make something for us to eat. Soon as you finish in here, come join me in the kitchen."

Miroku grinned after her, setting to dressing the healing hanyou as carefully as he could.

~~~

The sun had set before Kagome finally opened her eyes. She felt more energized, but she couldn't imagine what had worn her out so badly earlier. She blinked a few times, willing the darkness to go away so she could see where she was, and finally began to make out details in the large room. The decoration seemed very familiar; as did the bedding she was lying on. It took a moment before she realized she was at Sango's estate, and panic gripped her as she remembered Inuyasha's poor condition. She rolled over, and hopped out of the bed, but in her haste, her knees buckled and she crumpled to the floor. "Ouch…." she said, rubbing her knees and read end.

She turned around to use the bed to pull herself up, and noticed the lump on the other end move slightly. A small amount of light spilled through the sheer curtains on the other side of the bed, so Kagome crept around the bed and pulled them open, revealing the full moon and brightly twinkling stars. She turned and looked down into Inuyasha's peacefully sleeping face, and her fears for his welfare diminished.

She frowned at the blood splatters on his face and in his hair, and looked around to find the restroom. She returned to his side shortly, a wet washcloth in hand to dab away the blood. The cloth draped around her fingers, she ran them along the length of his face, across his cheekbone, and down the bridge of his nose. She half-smiled at the thought of prying open his eyes to see what color they were, but left them alone as she continued to wash his face clean.

A voice in the back of her head eked out the tiniest protest of invading his personal space as she brought her other hand to his face, learning the feel and shape of it in the midnight gloom. The thought that he had openly watched her bathe, completely naked, justified her actions, even as she blushed a bit at her forward behavior.

He didn't stir under her touch, but she didn't press her luck, deciding to leave him alone to rest. She pulled a chair from the desk across the room and placed it between him and the window against the wall, watching him sleep, waiting for him to wake up.

She was sure the story he had to tell would be a good one.

Six hours later, the sun had begun to rise, filling the room with a soft pink light. Kagome sighed and stretched, her light doze had been interrupted by a soft murmur from her side. She looked down to see Inuyasha's eyes cracked open, and her face lit up in a brilliant smile. His eyes were the same warm gold they had been before while he was a dog.

She leaned over him, unsure of where to start, not knowing what to say, other than smile down at him, completely thrilled to see him alive and well. He murmured something again, and she leaned closer, anxious to hear his voice… speaking to her, when she was sure he knew she was there… She watched him stare at his own hand in fascination for a moment, before his gaze returned to her face. His hand drew towards her hair, and she saw him briefly glance at her mouth before catching her gaze again.

She sighed softly, her eyes fluttering closed at the sensation of his fingers threading through her hair to rest lightly on the back of her neck. "…My angel…" she distinctly heard, right before his lips brushed hers in a sweet caress. She gasped in shock at the intense jolt that ran through her body at that intimate gesture, and was unable to help pushing away from him in bewilderment at the combined sensations.

"Inuyasha?!" she asked, startled and embarrassed about his forward behavior. He blinked up at her, looking as confused and shocked as she felt.

His eyes widened slightly, and he dropped his gaze to stare at a half-clenched fist, watching his fingers flex once before jerking his gaze to the other arm as it extended out in front of him, watching his own muscles rippling with the motion. His jaw fell open slightly at the sight, and his gaze flew up to Kagome's, searching for any answer she might have.

He looked back down at himself again, swinging his feet out from under the covers to look down at his toes brushing the carpet beneath them. He stood, slowly, and carefully, feeling the familiar sensation of being tall. He no longer looked up into Kagome's smiling face, but down, into her upturned, questioning gaze. "You…" he hesitated, unfamiliar with the sound of his own voice. He swallowed heavily and tried again, "You did this?"

Kagome's mouth opened slightly, and, she turned slightly to pull the beaded necklace from where it sat on the small bedside table. She held them out to him, nodding slightly. "It was… an accident?" she replied, biting her lip in confusion as she looked up at him. He didn't think about consequences or her reaction as he pulled her into a crushing embrace.

O.O

Yep, that's it for now. You guys can bug me for updates; sometimes reminding me that I'm supposed to be writing a bit here and there helps kick out those ideas. I know some (perverts) were expecting a rather dark chapter by now, explaining what happened that night after Inuyasha was kidnapped. I did write quite a bit to it, but… I'm not sure where to slide that in. Due to current content, and possible additional content, it might have to be posted separately with a higher rating, mainly due to the violent nature of the chapter.

Feel free to point out any and all mistakes I've made, in any chapter. I've decided to revise and repost earlier chapters after the story is all done, taking out author's notes and ramblings like these that tend to take away from the flow of the story.

Thanks go to Rikku on this one for hounding me with numerous IMs these last few days.

Earlier:

Rikku: 'You done yet?'

Ales: 'Not yet, I'm almost done…'

Five minutes later:

Rikku: 'You done yet?'

Ales: 'Getting there, slowly but surely, because I'm a horrible writer!'

A bit after that:

Rikku: 'You done yet?'

Ales: 'Almost!'

and then….

Rikku: '…………(asleep)…….'

Ales: 'Hey! I'm done!…. I forgot your email… O.O …ah crap.'

Thanks to all of you who sent out encouraging messages. The new baby is so wonderful, and out three year old is a humongous help, so I'm not quite pulling out my hair. ;)