InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The New Student and Kagome's Secret ❯ Chapter 7: The Demon Leader Appears ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7

Sango walked to the back bedroom to see Kagome feeding one of the other men some medicine from a small cup. Sango leaned up against the wall until she was finished.

"There ya' go!" Kagome said happily. "You should feel a lot better soon." Kagome stood up and turned around to see Sango standing there. "Hey!"

"Need any help?" Sango asked.

"Nope, but thanks. I just finished giving the last patient their medicine. I didn't realize how well they had healed. That medicine should make them good as new within a couple of hours," Kagome said smiling.

Sango smiled. "Ya' know Kagome? When we were little kids I never imagined you would turn out to be involved in all of this." Kagome gave her a puzzled look.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean you were always the little girl that was so full of life. You loved life and you ate up every minute you were in it. You had no worries like this. You attended your school and stopped by my house every day," Sango said looking off dreamily.

"Yeah and we would play in the backyard and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," Kagome said laughing. "Only you would always smash yours in Miroku's face when he would come to visit. He was a pervert even back then!" Both of the girls laughed. Kagome thought this was the perfect time to bring it up.

"Seems you seem to think otherwise about Miroku now though," Kagome said with a grin. Sango looked dumbfounded.

"Uh…what do you mean?" she said. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on, Sango! Inuyasha and I saw you two a little while ago," she said. Sango blushed.

"I guess I must admit I love the little pervert!" she said with a smile. Kagome laughed. "He can be really sweet sometimes. He seems to have changed somehow. Maybe he's maturing a little more." Kagome laughed again.

"Maybe," she said. "So you both admitted your feelings for each other?"

Sango nodded her head. "He told me and then I told him."

Kagome grinned. "I always knew you two had a thing for each other since we were little," she said. Sango just smiled. The two girls walked back into the kitchen.

"So what about you and Inuyasha?" Sango said devilishly.

"What about us?" Kagome asked. She tried to pretend the subject didn't intrigue her.

"Ha! Don't make me laugh! You two have love written all over your faces!" Sango stated to Kagome.

"We do not!!!" she exclaimed. "We're just friends." Kagome began returning the herbs and medicines to the cabinets. She pretended to be extremely interested in one.

"Besides, there's no way he would take interest in me. I'm human. He has demon blood." Sango stopped rinsing the medicine cups and looked up. `Damn!' she thought. `The old lecher got it right!'

"Well, have you ever thought that Inuyasha might be feeling the same thing?" Sango asked.

"Why? Have you talked to him?" Kagome asked curiously.

Sango smiled at her friend's interest. "No, I haven't. But don't you think that him being a hanyou could make him a little nervous about dating anyone? Human or demon?" Kagome had never looked at it that way before.

"I guess I have never thought of it that way before," she said. "I didn't think that Inuyasha could be just as nervous about it as I am. He is always so fearless and bold whether it be in battle or saying what's on his mind." She glanced out the kitchen and into the living room where Inuyasha and Miroku were talking. He noticed her and smiled. She smiled back. `Did Kagome just admit her feelings about Inuyasha to me in a very odd way?' thought Sango.

~~

The hanyou and priest glanced into the kitchen to see Kagome peeping around the door. Inuyasha smiled. Miroku decided to ask Inuyasha a few questions about them.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku began. Inuyasha responded with a curious look. "What's the deal with you and Kagome really?" Ordinarily, Inuyasha would have pummeled someone for asking such a personal question, but he and Miroku had grown quite close.

"What do you mean `what's the deal?' There is no deal," Inuyasha snapped. Miroku wasn't satisfied.

"Sure, Inuyasha," Miroku said grinning. "You're telling me that you don't have an ounce of feelings for that girl?" Inuyasha said nothing. "That's what I thought!" Miroku said triumphantly.

"Look, she's just my best friend. That's all!" Inuyasha said snapping at Miroku again. "Besides…even if I did have feelings for her, which I don't, number one…it's none of your concern…and number two…I'm just a hanyou. She wouldn't want to have anything to do with half-demon." Miroku knocked Inuyasha over the head with his staff.

"Don't say things like that!" he said. "You and I both know that Kagome's not like that!

"I didn't say she wouldn't be my friend because of it…I said she wouldn't date me because of it," Inuyasha snapped back at him holding the spot Miroku had nailed.

"I still think you are wrong," Miroku said. Inuyasha whipped his head to look at him.

"Why? Did you talk to her?" he asked hastily. Miroku laughed.

"See? Look at you," Miroku said as Inuyasha punched him in the head and grumbled a few choice words for him. "OW! No, I haven't talked to her." Inuyasha folded his arms into his kimono.

"It's not like it matters, anyway!" Inuyasha said looking out the window. Miroku knew better than to say anything else. Suddenly, a glass shattered in the kitchen. Inuyasha was in the doorway before anyone else had time to move.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. Examining the situation, he saw pieces of broken glass on the floor and Kagome standing back up against the kitchen counter staring at the floor. Sango looked at him.

"Everything is fine," Sango said. "Kagome just accidentally broke a dish. That's all." Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone had turned so jumpy. Kagome knelt and began picking up the pieces of glass. Inuyasha was still suspicious.

"What happened Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome continued to pick up the glass calmly and slowly.

"They're only a couple hundred miles out now," she said not looking up from the floor. Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha exchanged glances. "They're coming from the west." She stood and brought the broken pieces of glass to the trash. She turned to look at them. "They seemed to have slowed down though."

Miroku looked at her quizzically. "Are you sure?" Kagome nodded her head.

"Why would they have stopped, Miroku?" Inuyasha asked.

"Number of reasons," Miroku replied. "They could have decided to rest before the battle. They could be making an actual attack plan. Or, they could be waiting for their spy to return before choosing a course of action."

"Fine," Sango stated. "The point is that they've stopped. Let's all try and get some rest. Kagome?" Kagome looked at her. "We're going to have to ask a huge favor from you." Inuyasha stepped forward prepared to protest if the request was too dangerous. "We're going to have to wake you up every now and then to find out where the demons are. You're the only one who sense them that far away." Inuyasha wanted to protest, but he knew he couldn't. Kagome was the only one that could sense the demons' actions that far away. Kagome merely nodded her head. The four of them walked out of the kitchen.

"Kagome, you can sleep in the first bedroom. That way you can always be easily reached. We'll take turns keeping watch by your bedside and waking you every so often to see where the demons are," Sango said. "Inuyasha, why don't you take the first watch. Miroku and I need to provide everyone blankets and such for them to rest if they would like. I'll also put on a pot of coffee…strong coffee." It still wasn't that late in the day, but they all knew the demons could come in the middle of the night. They wanted everyone to be well rested should the battle take place in the middle of the night.

Sango and Miroku began gathering blankets and pillows as Inuyasha followed Kagome to the first bedroom. Kagome slid underneath the covers and laid her head softly on her pillow. Inuyasha sat next to her at the head of the bed Indian style with his arms folded in his kimono. He stared blankly out the window. Kagome lay with her eyes wide open. She rolled over and looked at Inuyasha.

"How does Sango expect any of us to get some sleep?" she asked him. He didn't look at her. "I mean, there are demons on their way and she tells me to sleep?"

"We need you, Kagome. That's why she insisted you rest," he said still staring out the window. "You can sense where the demons are and it seems that your powers seem to keep getting stronger and stronger." He looked at her. "Don't you realize that most people would have died healing those people?" She laid there in shock. She hadn't realized that.

"No…not really," she replied slowly.

"Ugh!"

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing!" he said continuing to stare out the window. "You just act like this is nothing…like when you risk your life…it's nothing for you to come close to death!"

"So?"

"SO???" he said whipping his head around to look at her like she was nuts.

"My time of death is already set. Why should I worry myself with such unnecessary subjects as death?" she said looking up to the ceiling with her arms folded behind her head. "There are so many other things to think about." Inuyasha looked puzzled.

"You're not afraid of death?" he asked.

"Nope! Why should I be? People are born every day and people die every day. That's just the way the world works," she said matter of factly. Inuyasha just stared at her. `How can someone be so…so…' he couldn't think of the word he was looking for. Kagome noticed Inuyasha thinking about something.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him.

"A lot of things," he replied.

"Like what?" she asked. `This is girl is too damn persistent!' he thought. `Doesn't she ever know when to quit?'

"Nothing, don't worry about. When I feel like telling you, I'll tell you! Now, try to get some sleep!" he said gruffly. A look of hurt spread across her face. `Great!' he thought. `Now she's gonna be pissed at me for sure!' Suddenly, Kagome's spirits lifted and she smiled. Inuyasha gave her a confused look.

"Okay," she said. She rolled over and snuggled up next to him and closed her eyes.

"You're not pissed at me, are you?" he inquired. Kagome looked up at him with confused eyes.

"No," she said with a smile. "Why would I be?"

"For the way I just talked to you," he said.

"You always talk to me like that," she said and then tucked her head back against his side. A feeling of guilt overwhelmed Inuyasha. `Do I really talk to her like that all of the time? I don't mean to talk to you in any way, Kagome,' he said to himself as he watched her fall asleep. Her skin was almost illuminating under the moonlight that filtered through the window. Her silky hair framed her face accenting all of her beautiful features. Inuyasha slumped down to a laying position propping his head up with his hand. He gently ran his claws through her hair comforting her and stroking her as she fell asleep. `She really is beautiful,' he said to himself. `Wait! This is your best friend you're talking about! Stop it already! It's not like she would ever want you any way.' Inuyasha shook his head. `I don't care anymore! She is beautiful! She can still be my friend and be beautiful!' he thought arguing with himself. He stared at her for a few more minutes until she moved in her sleep. She moved her entire body closer to him and nuzzled her head into his chest. Inuyasha froze. He was scared to move. Did she mean to do that? His heart raced in his chest. `Why is my heart beating so fast?' he thought. He was in a very uncomfortable situation. If Kagome should wake up at that moment, she would probably knock him to floor! But what if she meant to do it? Inuyasha did the only thing that he thought he could. He wrapped his arm around her and began rubbing her back with his claws. He rested his chin on her head still holding his head up with one hand. `Wait a minute!' he thought. `Why am I so comfortable with this?' Inuyasha was just before sitting up when Miroku burst through the door.

"Hey Inuyasha I…!" he began then dropped his jaw when he saw Inuyasha and Kagome. "Never mind!" Miroku said quickly closing the door. `Pervert!' Inuyasha thought.

"What was that?" Kagome said yawning. She then noticed the position she was in and slowly looked up at a heavily blushing Inuyasha.

"It wasn't me!" he shouted sitting upright. "You rolled over in your sleep and I didn't want to disturb you!" Kagome smiled. She scooted closer to the now sitting Inuyasha.

"It's okay," she said softly. She laid her head in his lap and closed her eyes. Inuyasha looked out the window still blushing.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said suddenly. He looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

"Were you really crying earlier?" she asked staring up at him. He hadn't expected the question. It shocked him a little. He didn't respond. "I'll take that as a yes. Why?"

"Don't you ever get tired of being so persistent?" he asked flatly.

"Don't you ever get tired of hiding your feelings?" she asked. She had got him on that one and they both knew it. He looked away. When he didn't answer Kagome removed her head from his lap and rolled over leaving her back facing him. She sighed. `I don't mean to hide my feelings Kagome," he thought and he turned to look at her. `Especially not from you.'

"I told you earlier why," he said forcefully. She rolled back over to face him. He didn't look at her. "You're just so hell-bent on helping people that I was just afraid that you had finally killed yourself doing it." His wrists rested on his knees and his fists were clenched.

`He really was scared!' she thought. She placed her hand over his fist. He blushed when he felt her hand touch his. "You really are worried about my safety, aren't you?" she asked softly.

"Of course I am!" he exclaimed looking at her. "You're my best friend, Kagome, and the only person I've ever…well…" He looked away. "Been able to trust." Kagome's heart skipped a beat. He was finally admitting it and Kagome was finally able to get something out of him. She sat up and hugged him. She squeezed him as tight as she could. Inuyasha was startled by her sudden actions. He wrapped his arms around her hugging her back.

"You can trust me, Inuyasha, and I can promise you that I will never abuse that trust," she said. Her words touched him. It felt good to have found someone like her.

"The same goes for you," he said softly. He suddenly became amazed at how close they had become. They finally released each other from their embrace. Kagome's arms, once wrapped around his neck, slowly slid down his arms and to his hands sending chills all over Inuyasha. When her hands reached his, she looked up at him and the two stared at each other. His golden eyes shown like beacons in the dark and his silver hair glistening as the moonlight danced across his features. Kagome was smitten by him and was slowly beginning to realize her feelings for him. Though she would never admit it to anyone, she knew in her heart that she considered him much more than just a friend. Inuyasha, too, looked upon Kagome's beauty as she examined his. They stared at each other lovingly not even realizing that they were still holding hands. As they gazed at each other, each of them slowly began to lean towards the other not even realizing that their lips were getting closer and closer. When their noses touched, both of them suddenly snapped back to reality and jumped back. The two blushed heavier than they ever had before.

"Sorry," Kagome said as her blush grew even heavier. Inuyasha thought of making a smart remark, but resisted.

`I almost kissed her!' he thought.

`I almost kissed him!' she thought. The two sat there for a few minutes trying to regain their composure.

`Kagome doesn't think of you that way you idiot! How can you be so stupid?!' he scolded himself. `Kagome would never care for a hanyou!' Miroku's words flashed through his mind. "You and I both know that Kagome isn't like that!" Inuyasha looked at Kagome. `Would she?' he thought.

Meanwhile, Kagome was having the same argument with herself. `How could you be so stupid! He is too powerful of a demon to have a care in the world for you!' she thought. She looked up to meet Inuyasha's gaze. `But he's still my friend. I know he cares for me in that respect.' She smiled at him. Inuyasha first looked a little confused, but then returned the smile.

"You need you rest," he said finally. He stood up and walked around to the other side of the bed where Kagome sat. He gently lifted her up with one arm, lifted the covers with the other, and gently laid her down. He then covered her with the covers and returned to his side of the bed sitting in his usual Indian style position. Kagome was dumbfounded at what he had just done. He didn't look at her.

"Thanks, Inuyasha," she said softly. His ears perked and he looked at her. "I had no idea that you could lift me with one arm!" He blushed and turned away.

"I-It's nothing!" he said. He felt Kagome's stare on him. He looked at her. "WHAT?"

She smiled. "Nothing," she said with a laugh.

He looked at her suspiciously. "Out with it Kagome!" he said. She giggled a little more. "KAGOME!"

"Okay, okay!" she said finally. "It's just…I have always thought that your ears were the cutest thing!" He blushed. She giggled even more. He decided he would mess with her. He twitched his ears and smiled when she giggled. He began moving his ears in different directions followed by Kagome's giggling. He couldn't help but laugh a little himself.

"What's so great about my ears? You've always had a thing for them!" he finally said gruffly. She smiled.

"I don't know…….guess I've just always been a sucker for a cute puppy!" she with a laugh. He sweat dropped and turned his head away from her. He was blushing. `Does she really think I'm cute?' he thought. He turned back towards Kagome to meet her nose to nose startling him a little. She had sat up and was now staring straight into his face. She reached up and began gently rubbing his ears. Inuyasha began to purr. She leaned up to whisper in his ear. "Lay down," she said softly. Under normal circumstances, Inuyasha would have questioned her motives, but her rubbing his ears and the sexy voice she had just used made him lay down without question. They laid down together as Kagome continued to rub his ears.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping," he said.

"I don't know how everyone expects me to sleep!" she said. "There are demons out there and I am the only person that can sense their moves that far away. As long as I lay down and just rest, I should be fine." Inuyasha had to agree. Demons could travel hundreds of miles in a mere ten minutes. They could be on them before anyone even had a chance to wake Kagome to see where they were.

"Well, I can't sleep either," he said. "Not as long as I know there are demons out there waiting to attack us."

"Inuyasha," Kagome began. She quit rubbing his ears and laid her head on the pillow so she could look him straight in the eye. "I'm really proud of what you did…rescuing the humans and all." Inuyasha blushed heavily and rolled onto his back placing his hands behind his head. "You amaze me. I had no idea that that was your reasoning behind going out every night. You really are something you know." Inuyasha stared at the ceiling.

"Some might think otherwise," he said almost under his breath. Kagome sat up.

"Look at me!" Kagome demanded. He looked at her. "I don't care what others think! They are idiots! If you are referring to you being half demon, I think it's cool! And if you are referring to people not appreciating you because of it, then they are just being blind to the fact that you are on their side. Think of just a little while ago. People knelt before you. Your good deeds are starting to pay off. Pay no mind to normal humans. This is too complex of a situation for them to understand. One day, though, everyone will understand and you'll soon receive as warm of a welcome as you did on the porch earlier." Inuyasha just stared at her dumbfounded.

"Kagome!" he said aloud. She crossed her arms as if she was certain everything she just said was true. He smiled at her then turned his attention back to staring at the ceiling. "Thanks, Kagome. You always have been different than everyone else. Maybe that's what I love about you." He almost cut himself off realizing he had said that last part out loud. `Damnit!' he thought. `Why can't I watch what I say?! Wait! I do love her as a friend. Maybe she'll take it as that.' He looked at her hopefully. She smiled.

"I still haven't figured out why destiny made us meet, but as of now I like that she allowed us to meet. We are a lot alike and because of that, I think we understand each other," she said. Inuyasha smiled more relieved that there was a change of subject and that what he had said had obviously not made her ponder what he meant about the word "love".

"Lie down, Kagome. We need your priestess strength for the upcoming battle," he said. Kagome smiled and did something that Inuyasha had not expected. She laid her head on his shoulder and rested her arm on his chest. Inuyasha looked shocked and confused. He didn't know what to do. A light blush spread across his cheeks. He looked down at her and saw how beautiful she looked under the moonlight. He couldn't help but wrap his arm around her and rest his cheek atop her head. The two soon drifted off into a light sleep.

Shortly after that, Sango and Miroku came to the door to switch shifts with Inuyasha. This time they tapped gently on the door before entering. They eased the door open and saw the two sleeping peacefully together. Sango and Miroku exchanged smiles and eased the door shut deciding not to disturb them.

Kagome and Inuyasha hadn't been sleeping for long when Kagome sat straight up startling Inuyasha to his feet. He knew what she felt. She looked at him.

"They're coming!" she said jumping to her feet and running out the bedroom door. "And they're coming with lightning speed!!!" Inuyasha ran after her. Kagome found everyone in the house resting. "EVERYONE WAKE UP!!!" Everyone began to stir at the sound of Kagome's voice.

"Kagome, what's the matter?" Sango asked running towards her.

"They're coming Sango! They are coming extremely fast! They could be here in a matter of minutes!" she exclaimed. Sango and Miroku immediately began running through the house gathering everyone and preparing them for battle. Kilala, Sango's demon cat, roared loudly to let everyone know danger was approaching. In a matter of minutes, everyone was gathered outside. Kagome tensed more and more as the demons drew near. Inuyasha stayed next to Kagome and watched her. He, too, could now sense the demons. `They are close,' Inuyasha thought. `And they are coming fast!'

Miroku walked over to Inuyasha. "Don't forget, Inuyasha, Kagome's a target. In fact, I am almost positive she is the reason they have chosen us as their first target. There are other groups of us scattered throughout the city, but they are headed straight here. If they can take her out, they stand a good chance of taking all of mankind out because then there will be no one left with purifying powers strong enough to cleanse the world of demons."

"Whoa!" Inuyasha said. "Kagome could cleanse the world of demons?" He was shocked.

"Yes, though she doesn't know that, and this is a world war we are in. Just be on your guard. They are coming for her," he said. Inuyasha got into his fighting stance. `It will be a cold day in hell before I let them take you Kagome!' he thought. Soon, the first few demons appeared.

"Everyone back!" Inuyasha shouted drawing testsaiga. "KAZE NO KIZU!" He swung his sword and a hundred demons disappeared. Gasps of shock spread through the crowd. Even Kagome, Sango, and Miroku were shocked. The rest of the demons appeared and there were thousands of them. Inuyasha stood in front of everyone in a protective manner with Sango, Miroku, and Kagome not far behind him. Everyone else was gathered behind them. Everyone prepared themselves for an attack, but none came. They soon heard a booming laughter. Suddenly, a green, lightning bolt struck the ground about a hundred feet in front of Inuyasha scattering dirt and dust.

"Inuyasha," a voice said as its figure slowly appeared through the dust. "Still favoring humans I see!" Inuyasha growled as he saw who it was.

"Sesshomaru!" he snarled.