InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Bliss of Nights Forgotten ❯ The Deal ( Chapter 1 )

By: EvilNekoEatsYourSoul

Disclaimer that just so happen-sly applies to every chapter in this story: Inuyasha and its characters are in no way or form owned by me. They are the creation of Rumiko Takashi.

Author's note: This is a repost of my story. It's pretty much the same except I fixed most of my run-on sentences and other things. . . Please read and review!

Chapter 1: The Deal

~Kagome~

It is a painful thing, both physically and emotionally, to know you are about to die. I did my best to hide it from them; my friends who had gone through so much along side me. They were all steadfast and loyal. It was heart wrenching to think of leaving them in this mess alone, to force them to right the tremendous wrong I had caused because of my own foolishness. If I could I would have taken the responsibility of it all onto my own shoulders, but as I said, they were my friends. Though each had their own personal reasons for joining our group they stayed out of love for each other, and out of love for me as well. None would leave me the burden and for that I returned that love. I looked up at each of them, and despite my best efforts to put up a strong front I could tell they were not fooled. They knew, all of them could tell. I was headed towards my death.

Even the hanyou looked down sadly at me, his silver hair gleaming in the moonlight. The red of his kimono was pale compared to the crimson liquid seeping from my wounds. As I stared into his eyes only half seeing, I could almost believe that he felt regret, as I did. Regret that we had never crossed the barrier of friendship.

Lying in wait for the scythe of death made me realize that it had been hopeless from the start. There had been too much between our souls before we had even met. I know now that Naraku had doomed our love before it had even begun. It had ended fifty years ago when Kikyou had been killed and Inuyasha had been forced into that unnatural slumber. I wanted to laugh at the irony of that, now as I lay dying I could realize this; Inuyasha and I were not meant to love one another. For him there was always the memory of Kikyou. As for me, I could not stand living in the shadow of another. Living, at that a tear slid down my face. All this went through my head in a matter of seconds. As I clutched the finally completed and purified shikon no tama in my hands I realized it was becoming difficult to hear the false promises of my friends. My spirits will to leave my body increased. As I closed my eyes I could hear them.

"It's going to be all right Kagome, you can't die, it's just not possible. . ." Sango said through her tears.

Miroku's grief transformed his normally light tone of voice as he said, "Yes, everything will be fine and I promise I'll try not to grope you while you're recovering. . ." all the humor gone from his voice as he made that pathetic effort to lighten the somber mood.

Then the kitsune, who had thought of me as his surrogate mother, "Please,

Kagome. . . don't leave me. . . Promise you won't leave me!" and I felt his tears on my face as he leaned over me, weeping in despair. That hurt the most I think, the thought of Shippou once again losing someone he loved.

My time was coming, I could feel it and with it a type of peace came over me as I listened to the last member of our party speak my name. In a soft desolate tone Inuyasha uttered, "Kagome. . . I¹m sorry I didn't protect you," and then, it went blank.

~*~

Shippou gasped as her eyes closed completely, and sobs wracked his body as he held her limp form.

"She's not dead yet," Miroku reported "but soon. . ." he let his voice trail, not wanting to hear the truth of it himself.

Inuyasha stood over her, not able to keep his gaze from her pale face, the smell of her blood almost over powering his sensitive nose.

Unemotional and cold, a voice interrupted their grief as a familiar figure entered the clearing they occupied. "I can save her. . . if, you are willing to make me a deal." Sesshoumaru stepped out from the surrounding darkness of the area, his face blank of any feeling.

"Sesshoumaru" Inuyasha's voice was filled with hate, but upon registering his words, his head dropped.

"I will give you what you want, if you can really heal her. . . I will willingly place the Tetsusaiga into your hands." He turned away, holding the sword in it's sheath waiting to hand it over and for the mocking laughter and taunts.

Instead, he heard something that surprised him, "It is not the Tetsusaiga that I wish to obtain at this moment, but the help of the miko after she is recovered. Then, I shall return for what is rightfully mine."

Inuyasha turned to his brother. The brother he had hated for most of his life, and he nodded in agreement. His surprise did not show through the hope that shone in his eyes. "Deal, you had better hope for your sake, that you speak the truth. Now heal her." the elder brother nodded, drawing his own sword from its sheathe. Tenseiga, the sword that held the power to heal, pulsed and released a low hum that only he was able to hear.

~Inuyasha~

I turned away. I couldn't bear to watch as one of my enemies saved Kagome, even if he was my own brother. It hurt that in the end I hadn't been able to protect her and if it weren't for Sesshoumaru she would die. But in this I would swallow my pride so that I could see her again and become reacquainted with her smiles. Just the memory of those smiles caused my chest to contract painfully; those heartwarming smiles had become less frequent as we neared our final battle with Naraku. Oh, Kami! I swear, let her live and I won't ever give her cause to "sit" me ever again! I wonder again, for maybe the millionth time since I first met her, was I in love with Kagome? Or is it just the memory of Kikyou, who still haunts my thoughts, that causes me to be drawn to Kagome. She resembles her in so many ways. So many unanswered questions, too many hidden feelings. . . Well if Sesshoumaru told the truth all this could change, he and Kagome could clear things up between them and live as true friends with no hidden feelings or secrets between them. . . or maybe they could be something . . . more than `just friends.'

~*~

Inuyasha turned towards the scene, having heard a gasp that seemed to have come from Kagome. Surprisingly enough she stood within seconds of the sound, as if possessed. She looked around her surroundings with dulled fearful eyes until they fell upon Sesshoumaru who stood warily before her. She took a step towards him, swaying unsteady on her feet her body tilted dangerously back and forth. Her hand reached out to the Youkai lord as she fell forward and whispered, "Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha stepped forward to catch her, but before he could reach her she fell into the arms of his brother. The youkai lord gazed down at her with a look of curiosity in his usually blank eyes. Lifting her in his arms Sesshoumaru stood, turning towards his hanyou brother.

"As you can see, she is alive. I am taking her to my castle where she will rest until she is well enough to make up for her end of the bargain," and with that the great youkai lord of the western lands disappeared into the night with the feverish miko in his arms. Leaving her friends staring after him in fear and curiosity. All of them wondering the same question: what would he ask of Kagome?

~Kagome~

There was a sudden flash and then she took one deep satisfying breath before a feeling of dread gripped her. It made her feel tainted, unclean to the very core. But at least the pain had stopped; there was no ache in her body besides a heated throbbing in her head. She had been confused, lost in the darkness that scared her. She couldn't see but she could hear gasps and breathing around her. She felt it in her heart. She was lost in an utter darkness that would consume everything she was eating away at both her body and soul till there was nothing left of Kagome, not even her name. She didn't even dare to hope. Not anymore, hope seemed like some small insignificant yet beloved toy that she had left far behind in the naive years of her childhood, never to be picked up again.

Yet, as the darkness began to dissipate and her vision slowly returned, though it was still hazy. . . she saw him, she recognized the silver hair first, and then the golden orbs of his eyes and she uttered the name which had held much of her hope from her recent past. . . "Inuyasha?" she whispered the questions, and then she was falling. There was no ground beneath her feet and she fell into some deep void within the earth and she heard the sweet reassuring voice of her mother and saw the smiling faces of Sango, Miroku and Shippou.

Then the heat came back suddenly, painful and intense throbbing deeply in her head. But it was just as soon gone in return for another kind of heat. One that was full of pleasure for her, and she could see. She looked past hair the color of platinum and golden eyes. She could feel his bare, well-muscled chest beneath her fingers. His flesh felt as heated as hers as his mouth covered hers in a demandingly ferocious kiss. His mouth moved to the sensitive skin of her neck and she moaned. As she arched her back she looked up into the star filled sky and gazed at the full moon and twined her arms around the neck of her lover who once again brushed her lips with his own. Only now they were standing and the sun shone heavily on them and she felt tears coming from her eyes as he held her close. They whispered into each other's ears as the tears slid down her cheeks and yet she couldn't hear her own voice.

After a few moments of the wordless conversation she buried her face into his shoulder and a bright light engulfed them filling her with a sense of peace that momentarily cooled her heated flesh before the pain came again. Though this time it wasn't physical. It was a purely emotional pain that tore at her heart quicker then any arrow, deadlier then any sword. Then, at the very end there was one sound, a word whispered from a serious, masculine voice... "Aishiteru," her world was once again filled with darkness.

~*~

The miko stirred in his arms, grabbing onto his clothing and burying her face in his chest. He held her as best he could with his one arm, and felt the heat of her fever through both hers and his own clothing. He looked down at her face, which seemed troubled as her eyes moved rapidly beneath the closed lids.

`She is beautiful,' he thought, `innocent and beautiful, I see why my brother keeps her around. Though she is noisy when she is awake and always gets in the way. Her innocence brings peace, just looking at her. But. . . she is also brave, not one to cower in fear or run from battle, though the odds may be against her. Her powers as a miko are also considerable. Yes, I think I have done the right thing in saving her. . . but. . . since when have I cared about doing the right thing?'

Sesshoumaru frowned, internally cursing himself for showing his families weakness for humans. She would serve his purpose, and that would be it. When he was through with her he would send her back to the stupid hanyou. Rin was turning him into a fool, no better then his weak pathetic brother. Her naïve humanistic ways were starting to affect him. This would not do, he would have to be more careful to avoid this disease. He would not show any weakness. Again, the girl stirred in his hold, whispering against him "aishiteru..." it took more of his will power then he would admit to keep his usual stoic features in place.

~*~

"Inuyasha, we can't just let him. . ." Miroku was cut off before he finished.

"I know Miroku, but what am I supposed to do? We made a deal. Besides, I doubt he'd revive Kagome only to kill her later. That wouldn't make sense.

My brother may be cold hearted, but he has his own honor it wouldn't do well for people to think of him as a lowly oath breaker." for once Inuyasha wasn't rushing head on, he was actually thinking.

`If only Kagome was here' thought Sango, `she'd be happy that he's thinking for once before diving into unnecessary danger. . . Oh Kagome, I hope Inuyasha's right!'

"I miss Kagome!" said Shippou, sniffling and looking up at the others, all lost in their own thoughts. With his keen kitsune hearing, he thought he heard Inuyasha say "Yeah, me too kid."

~*~

"Sesshoumaru-sama when can Rin wake Kagome up?" asked the girl, playing with the petals of one of the many hundreds of flowers she had picked since

Kagome had first arrived at Sesshoumaru's home a week ago. Since then Kagome had drifted in and out of sleep, never even rousing enough to eat without aid.

"I told you Rin, she's sick let her rest," but even he was worried for the Miko's health. Not that he particularly cared about her, but Rin would be upset if she were to die and he had honor enough not to want to break the agreement he had made with his brother. She had been in this fevered state for too long, and nothing seemed to help her. His various servants had tended her and tried their own remedies, but to no avail. She still slept, skin heated and clammy, the perspiration making her hair cling to her face. Now her was sitting on her bed, his weight propped on his arm, looking down at sleeping girl.

`This feels so familiar, for some reason,' an image flashed through his mind, his lips brushing softly against hers in a chaste kiss. He opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them in the first place, and her face was barely an inch away from his. He was staring at her lips and for some odd reason it felt right, he felt comfortable as if he had done this a hundred times.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~