InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The World Through His Eyes ❯ She Will Be Loved ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I'm just having fun with them until the men in the pretty white coats come back to take my toys away. Remember that there were no hanyous harmed in the making of this chapter.

 

Err…at least not too harmed…

 

 

AN: Ah another chapter! And you all thought I was dead didn't you? And while that isn't far from the truth, I put off my last convulsion to post this chapter!

 

Okay, so life isn't that bad…but my fourth semester in hell (AKA college) is finally over and I can't remember where the months have gone. To studying I guess…but still…please don't be angry at me for not updating…just be thankful that I'm back!

 

Oh and be advised that this chapter has not been beta'd. I wanted to get it out as soon as I finished it so I posted it early. I'm sending this chapter to her now and I'll put the new version up as soon as she gets it back to me.

 

So please refrain from pointing out my mistakes. Thanks.

 

 

 

::RECAP::

 

 

“But it doesn't have to be so confusing, you just think too much about it all! Stop worrying, I've already promised to take care of you!” She could feel how tired he was of her worrying over the future in every fiber of her being, and Kagome realized anew just how hard all of these changes must be on him too. Inuyasha needed her to be strong right now so that he'd have someone to lean on too.

 

“I know I think too much. I'm sorry Inuyasha…I really don't think all the changes are bad.” She reached up and touched his cheek with the tips of her fingers and brushed some of his long hair out of his face.

 

“So you don't think all the changes have been bad…” He coaxed her into leaning back against him and wrapped his arms around her middle. Kagome moved her head to the side so that he could rest his forehead on her shoulder.

 

“No they haven't, but it's all so sudden…and you calling me stupid doesn't help.”

 

“I didn't mean it.” He nuzzled the side of her neck in apology. Kagome reached up and found one of his triangular ears to rub, “I never mean it when I say things like that.”

 

“I know.”

 

“And I lo—“

 

“I know, Inuyasha, and I… this time I believe you with my whole heart.” She turned in his lap and pressed a kiss to his surprised lips before burying her head into his shoulder.

 

`The world through my eyes has always been complicated, Inuyasha…but it's always been you…always you…that I love…'

 

::END RECAP::

 

 

Chapter 16: She will be loved

 

 

It's not always rainbows and butterflies

--- Maroon 5; She Will Be Loved

*~*~*~*

 

 

 

The sun appeared to be bloated, clinging to the last remnants of blue to be found in the sky. It was as if it had consumed all the color from the heavens and was now hanging drunkenly, fumbling for the last drop of azure wine, before falling behind the horizon. Inuyasha sighed as he adjusted the sleeping girl on his back. Kaede's village was just over the next hill and he found himself being happy at the prospect of seeing the inside of her little hut again. It seemed as if it had been much longer than a week since they'd all left on their latest journey.

 

`Yeah, well, it might have only been a week, but enough shit has happened to fill up a month. Kagome almost let Kikyou take her place in our bond…and then I confessed my feelings…' Kagome's arm around his neck shifted and he caught sight of the bandage wrapped tightly around her palm.

 

“Fuck.” He whispered to himself at the memory of just how her hand had been injured replayed itself in his mind.

 

`I have to find a way to fix this mess soon! Kagome can't keep mirroring my wounds like this… This time it wasn't fucking life threatening, but what about next time? I can survive being almost ripped in two by one of Naraku's mindless minions, but Kagome's only…human…' Inuyasha absently stroked the soft skin on Kagome's thigh where his hand rested.

 

`Her skin tears so easily…'

 

“Inuyasha…? Are you okay?” Kagome's voice was reedy with sleep and she shifted enough to reach one of his ears. It twitched toward her palm and he squeezed her leg reassuringly.

 

“Keh. We're almost to Kaede's hut. As soon as you can put the kit in bed we're going through the well.”

 

“But-“

 

“No.”

 

“Inuyasha!--”

 

“No!”

 

“I just want--”

 

“I fucking know what you want! It's only going to be for a little while, wench. The kit will be fine.” He started running again in hope that the movement would shut her up.

 

No such luck.

 

“As much as I love going home, and as much as I need to get a real doctor to check out my hand, there is no way that I'm leaving Kaede's hut before Shippou wakes up! He's been traumatized more in the last month than he's been in all the years we've chased Naraku! What do you think it would do to him if he woke up and I wasn't there?” She shifted restlessly on his back until he sat her down on the ground outside of the village. Kagome closed her arms around the sleeping kitsune, who had been nestled between their bodies, and drew the warm bundle of fur closer to her chest. She was going to be a better mother to the little boy if it was the last thing she did.

 

“In fact, I'm not going to leave him at all! I'll bring him with me if I have too!”

 

“If you haven't noticed it during the last two years, Koishii, I'm the only one from this time that can go down the well.” Inuyasha yanked at his own hair in frustration. Why, in the name of all that was holy, did she have to think so fucking much? The pup would be fine when he woke up, and he told her as much.

 

“He'll know that you went down the well! He has a nose; he'll be able to figure out where we went.” Inuyasha just couldn't see the point. By the time he'd was Shippou's age, he'd been self-sufficient enough to leave his mother's side for days at a time to wonder aimlessly in the woods in search of entertainment. More importantly, Shippou wasn't his first priority right now. Kagome was hurt and whether she admitted it or not, her palm was beginning to get infected. He could smell the sickness creeping into her body like a silent invader. Shippou would get over any momentary fear their absence caused him. Kagome was going home.

 

Tonight.

 

Whether she liked it or not.

 

 

 

 

 

The smell of the simple bean soup Kaede had cooked for dinner wafted throughout the small hut. The old miko sat right beside the hearth, close enough for Inuyasha to wonder if she'd catch on fire as stirred the meal with a long handled spoon. Kagome was sitting to his right trying to teach Shippou a human game that involved cards and telling lies.

 

He snorted.

 

Kagome ignored him.

 

He shifted and glared at the back of her head.

 

Of course Kagome didn't respond, she continued with the game by trying to convince Shippou that she didn't have the card he wanted.

 

`Let's just stay for dinner, Inuyasha. We'll go down the well soon, Inuyasha. I just want to ask Kaede if she knows a way to get the well to let Shippou pass, Inuyasha...' In remembrance of Kagome's words, he keh'd for good measure again and decided to leave the hut if she was only going to ignore him.

 

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him as he leapt up to the top of the tree outside of Kaede's hut. He wanted to go down the well and take Kagome back to her time, while she was finding every excuse to stay here in the feudal era.

 

“Damn girl. Doesn't she realize how dangerous it is to let an infection set in?” Inuyasha ran his fingers distractedly through his hair, a nervous gesture he'd been indulging in more and more recently.

 

“And what am I supposed to do about her mirroring my wounds? There has to be some spell...something to set this bonding to right.” But would removing one part of the botched spell change everything? Inuyasha hoped not because he liked being able to feel her soul so close to his own. He liked being able to hear her thoughts.

 

Like right now, Kagome was thinking about ways to make Kaede's bean soup taste better without the older miko seeing her add in the spice she had hidden in her bag.

 

`That won't happen Kagome, baba sees everything.'

 

Now that he had the chance to think, he remembered those moments when she had been blocking him out of her thoughts in the forest with Kikyou…when he couldn't feel her. He remembered how he'd almost lost his mind. Inuyasha shuttered. No, there had to be a way to fix the stupid parts of the spell while keeping what he needed for his own sanity.

 

And the stinging sensation he was feeling on the end of his nose was the perfect way to find the answers he needed. Inuyasha got up and left Kaede's hut with barely a glance in Kagome's direction.

 

 

 

 

Kagome decided to wait until Shippou was asleep for the night before she approached Kaede with her question. She'd been thinking about the first time Inuyasha had gone down the well all day, and for the fist time in two years, she found herself wondering about why the well let him pass.

 

`The only reason I can think of is the subduing spell. Because Kikyou made the necklace and I set the spell…maybe the well confuses Inuyasha with me.'

 

She cast a glance over toward the cooking miko and decided that she needed some fresh air if she was going to figure any of this out.

 

“Kaede-baachan? I'm going to take a walk out side and after dinner I need to ask you something.” The older miko just nodded and motioned toward Shippou to let Kagome know that she'd watch the kit while she was away. And keep him from following his adopted mother if need be.

 

Once outside, Kagome looked up into the tree that grew beside the hut, but to her surprise Inuyasha wasn't perched there. She knew from their link that he couldn't have gone too far, so she decided not to worry about it too much. After all, a little alone time would do both of them some good.

 

She absently picked up her bow and quiver as she set off down the forest road in the general direction of the well.

 

`Inuyasha's subdue spell doesn't work anymore, and really there's no reason for me to use it anymore. If I need to calm him down all I have to do is use our link. I've been thinking of taking it off of him recently because I know just how much he hates it. I never thought about it, but having that necklace must be a little like having a collar.

 

Oh, now I'm feeling guilty for ever using it…Okay, but on the flip side, what if that spell is the key to Inuyasha traveling down the well? If I took it off would he have to stay here? And on that note…would I have to stay here too? Because Inuyasha and I can't be parted by the well, it's too painful for both of us.

 

Wait, I wonder if our link would work just as well as the subdue spell? After all, if the spell on the necklace is all it took for the well to be tricked into thinking that Inuyasha and I were the same person, then surely the fact that our souls are knit together will be good enough to grant him access…'

 

“Keh, what does this fucking necklace have to do with getting the kit down the well?” The sudden appearance of Inuyasha at her side startled Kagome. She reached for an arrow without thinking, but Inuyasha batted her hand away from her quiver.

 

“You'd better be damn glad that I wasn't a bandit or that I wasn't intent on killing you! What are you thinking, bitch, walking around in the dark?”

 

“I had my weapon!” Kagome told him, a bit miffed at his words.

 

“Oh, a lot of good those arrows did you! You didn't even know I was there!” He pointed out in triumph as if he'd just won the argument.

 

Kagome realized then that there wasn't really any sting behind his words. Inuyasha was just bickering with her for sake of bickering. Quite like he used to do in the past.

 

It hit her then just how long it had been since they'd had a normal conversation…well, as normal as their conversations ever were.

 

“You know, I'm not going to let your mood get me down! I think I might have finally figured out how to get Shippou down the well!” Inuyasha raised his eyebrows in silent skepticism. Kagome really couldn't see him do this of course, since it was fully dark, but she had a feeling about it all the same.

 

“Oh really?”

 

“Yes, but I have to talk to Kaede about it to be sure. Oh, if this works Shippou-chan could be meeting Momma in a few days!” Kagome would have clapped her hands with pure joy at the thought of her family getting to meet her surrogate son had it not been for the pain that motion caused her still tightly bandaged hand. Inuyasha caught sight of her ill disguised winch of pain.

 

“If it's going to take more than a night, it'll just have to wait. I gave in today about going back to your time, but I'm not doing it again.”

 

“But I'm so close!”

 

“NO! I can smell the infection that's growing in your wound! We will go to your house. We will go in the morning. End. Of. Discussion.” Inuyasha didn't wait for her reply. He knew her well enough to know that telling her it was the end of the conversation wasn't going to work. Instead, he just scooped her up bridal style and started back toward the village.

 

Kagome's protest be damned.

 

 

 

 

“So you are looking for a way to get young Shippou-chan down the well?” Kaede gave the little bundle of fur in the corner a thoughtful look before turning back to Kagome, “And you think I might have the answers you seek?”

 

“I just thought you might know something about how the well works…” Kagome left the sentence hanging. Inuyasha was sitting beside her silently with his arms folded. If his body language was any indication, he was having nothing to do with Kagome bringing Shippou to the future, none whatsoever.

 

“I know nothing more than you do, child. Until you came through, all the well ever did was swallow demon bones. The fact that it is made of wood from the God Tree makes its magic tricky to use. It appears that you, Kagome, have control over the well. As it's mistress you're the only one who can figure out how to get Shippou-chan through the well.” Kaede didn't miss Kagome's startled look at being called the well's mistress. But that's what the girl was, whether she wanted to acknowledge that fact or not.

 

“I think,” Kagome hesitated for a moment, “I think that it might be Inuyasha's necklace that allows him access to my time, but I don't know if it's the type of spell that is on the necklace, or just that the spell is mine.” Kagome reached across to Inuyasha and fingered one of the teeth on his necklace.

 

“Keh.”

 

“Hmmm…You might be right. If you took Inuyasha's beads and fashioned a spell for Shippou-chan the well might let him travel through the rift also.” Kaede rocked back onto her heels, clearly getting ready to get up and head to bed.

 

“But I wouldn't want to put a subduing spell on Shippou-chan! I would rather not use Inuyasha's necklace for this.”

 

“It's not like the runt doesn't deserve a subduing spell! The next time he's biting my ears you could smack him into the ground!”

 

“Inuyasha! Shippou-chan is just a little boy! I'm not going to smack him into the ground!”

 

“But--”

 

“Really! What kind of mother would I be if I smacked my child into the ground?!?”

 

“Oh, so you won't subdue the brat, but you have no qualms about flattening me into an Inuyasha shaped hole in the dirt?”

 

“You deserve it…most of the time.” That second part was said quietly, but not so softly that Inuyasha couldn't hear it.

 

“AH HA! So you agree that you've used this stupid spell to abuse your power over me!”

 

“NO!”

 

“YES!”

 

“Children, I am going to bed. I ask that you take this…discussion…outside so that you do not wake the boy. Or the village.” Kaede gave them both a pointed look, and Kagome took a slight step back from where she was standing toe-to-toe arguing with Inuyasha. Inuyasha, for his part just snorted and grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle but firm as he started to drag her out of the hut.

 

“Where are you taking me?” She asked, irritated at being pulled around like a wayward child.

 

“To the God Tree. You can shriek all you want out there so that the only thing you'll hurt is my ears--”

 

“I do not shriek!”

 

“—and if you don't want to be treated like a pup, then don't act like one.” He continued as if she'd never said a word.

 

“I am not acting like a child! You're the one that accused me of spousal abuse!” As soon as the great tree was in sight she pulled away from him and marched to its base. Inuyasha chose to approach the tree at a slower pace. She could feel him at the edge of her mind. He was frustrated, but amused, and that only served to ignite Kagome's ire more.

 

“Oh, I don't know why I put up with you!” She folded her arms tightly to her chest and turned her back on him. Everything was silent behind her for a full minute and she was starting to get nervous. She reached out with her mind of figure out what was going on with Inuyasha. Too late she realized his intent. Strong arms surrounded her and she felt the familiar feeling of her stomach falling as Inuyasha launched them up into the tree. For a moment after they'd landed, Kagome sat stiffly in his lap, but then she felt one of his clawed hands running through her hair and she relaxed.

 

“You really want him to go with us don't you?” Inuyasha asked her quietly.

 

“Yeah, I do. I want him to meet my family, to see that all those things he reads about in my books are real.” Behind her, Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably.

 

“Do you really think taking Shippou to the modern time is a good idea?” And lest she think that he was actually concerned for the kit, “I mean, he's constantly afraid, his hearings very sensitive, and let's not forget that your grandfather is crazy! What if he smacks a ward on Shippou?” Kagome turned in his lap and just looked at him with bright amused eyes.

 

“What?” Inuyasha demanded, his ears twitching nervously.

 

“I can't believe it. You're worried about Shippou-chan!”

 

“Keh. Am not.”

 

“Yes you are!”

 

“No. I. Am. Not!”

 

“Yes--”And he did what any self-respecting hanyou would do to shut up an annoying human girl. He kissed her. Unlike in the past, when Kagome resisted his touch at first, she immediately opened to him, letting her spirit embrace his just as surly as her arms and lips were. Inuyasha was a little taken aback and almost lost his balance on the limb they were perched in. He pulled away and moved his face up to nuzzle his nose into her hair.

 

“I really have been thinking about taking this thing off you. I know how much you hate it.” She played with his beads for a moment then reached up with both hands to grasp it.

 

“Kagome--”

 

“No, it was cruel for me to ever have this thing on you, but you have to understand that at first I was…well…afraid of you.”

 

“Koishii--”

 

“And by the time I trusted you enough to take it off, we'd already found out that I could use it when you were too stubborn to duck.”

 

“Would you just--”

 

“But then I was worried that you might not be able to follow me home…and I…but it's really unfair to you! So I'm going to take it off now, okay?” But she felt his hands clasp over hers before she could utter the counter-spell.

 

“If you'd just listen to me for a minute, bitch, without jumping to conclusions!” She loosened her hold on the beads, but otherwise didn't say anything. Inuyasha took a deep breath before continuing, “Now, don't get me wrong, I hate the fact that every time I do or say something that even sets you off a little, I get a face full of dirt. But…these beads have saved my life more than a few times…”

 

`Like that first time I lost control of my youkai blood. Kami-sama, but I could have hurt her then if not for these fucking beads.'

 

Kagome cocked her head to the side, “Are you saying that you don't want me to remove the spell?”

 

“Fucking hell no! I want you to take off this damn spell! ... Just, let me keep the necklace, okay?” He looked deeply into her eyes, and saw that she understood. Kagome blinked then reached for his subdue necklace again, but stopped halfway there and pulled back. To Inuyasha's surprise, Kagome started to unwind the bandage around her injured hand. The strong smell of the poultices Kaede had used in vain to fight the infection assaulted his senses and he let out a low growl.

 

“What do you think you're doing?” He reached out to stop her, but Kagome used her good hand to bat him away.

 

“I can't do this spell with one of my hands covered, it just won't work right otherwise because I'm going to be changing the nature of the spell. If you want to keep the beads then it has to be this way. If I don't do things properly, any miko that walks by with half a brain and even less power will be able to change the spell so that she can use a word against you. Just be quiet, okay?”

 

“Keh, then we'll just wait until your hand is healed. Now wrap it back up before the smell makes me sick!” He flattened his ears to the top of his head in disgust.

 

“It's now or never, Inuyasha.”

 

Kagome didn't really wait for his response before she dropped into a light trance. She opened her eyes and saw the miko-magic that was swirling around Inuyasha's necklace. Softly she reached out with her power and felt the magic instantly respond to her touch.

 

“Change. Become as any other. The duty that was set for you is finished. The task to subdue is complete.” Kagome whispered this chant aloud and felt the necklace respond. Slowly the magic seeped away, the blue beads becoming dull to her eyes.

 

And then the spell was gone.

 

She blinked her eyes a few times, coming out of her trance. Inuyasha was still sitting very still, just looking at her.

 

“Is it done?”

 

“Yes, I think so. Sit!”

 

Nothing happened.

 

“Yeah, it worked.” Inuyasha grunted at her then motioned toward the bandage fluttering slightly in the breeze from its place in her lap.

 

“Put the wrap back on.”

 

Kagome felt a surge of irritation. She'd not only just removed the subdue spell, which was the bane of his existence for the last two years, but she'd also figured out how to turn the complicated spell off so he could keep the stupid beads. And now he was grunting at her?!?

 

“Well, I'm sorry if the smell of my pathetic human infection disturbs you! But I was only trying to do something nice!”

 

“By putting your own self at risk! Stupid!”

 

“It was only for a moment, and a little air is probably good for it!”

 

“Kaede said to keep it covered!” He took over wrapping her hand up without thinking, holding his fingers at an odd angle so that his claws didn't catch on the gauze.

 

“Kaede doesn't know everything!” Kagome exclaimed in frustration. Her outburst was met with silence. As soon as Inuyasha was finished with her bandage he dropped her hand. It fell limply into her lap. Kagome sighed.

 

“Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. You were only trying to help me.” Inuyasha relaxed and shifted around so that he could rest his back against the trunk of the God Tree. He pulled Kagome up close to his chest and wound his arms around her in such a way to cover her frame completely with his haori sleeves.

 

“Kagome, I just want to keep you safe. And the fact that the only reason your hand is hurt in the first place is because I wasn't fucking paying attention when I was sharpening Sango's sword goes to how useless I am! I've realized over the last few days that while I can save you from youkai intent on taking your life when it comes right down to it, I can't save you from myself.” Kagome turned in his hold so that she could face him. Inuyasha refused to meet her eyes.

 

“No, Inuyasha, no! You're not to blame for this! You are not useless to me, and I don't need to be kept safe from you!” She leaned in closer and pressed a kiss to his jaw. “You said you loved me and I believe you, Inuyasha! I also know that you'd rather die than hurt any of us! Miroku, or Sango, or even Shippou! Please stop blaming yourself for what happened. Accidents happen.” He finally met her clear blue gaze and was captivated by the truth in them.

 

Kagome didn't blame him.

 

Kagome truly trusted him.

 

“So fragile.” His hands came up to delicately frame her face, and she shivered as his warm breath fanned out across her lips.

 

“Inuyasha, I--” She was finally going to say those words that he so longed to hear, but he stopped her.

 

“Shh…I know, Koishii.” Then he leaned in and captured her lips in the second kiss of the evening. This one, unlike the first, was not given in order to shut her up. It was slow and lingering. Kagome sighed into his mouth and let him deepen the kiss. She shifted a bit and arched her back as Inuyasha began to trail open mouth kisses down the side of her neck. Kagome reached up blindly and felt around for Inuyasha's ears. He growled deep in his throat when she found them and gave them a gentle flick. He used his teeth to leave little nipping kisses along her collar bone, and in the back of her mind, Kagome knew that in the morning she'd have to find something with a high neckline to wear home.

 

Inuyasha growled again and moved his kisses lower. She could feel a strange heat pooling in her belly as she pressed her body closer to his and tilted her head to give him better access. She moaned when she felt his tongue flick out to taste the hollow of her throat. She never felt him hastily undoing the top buttons of her shirt, but she did feel the cool air as it rusted over her heaving chest. The heat in her belly moved lower and she shifted, trying to find a bit of relief for the building pressure. Inuyasha had just finished placing a rather hard kiss to the swell of her right breast when he abruptly sat up. His breathing was erratic and he tried his best not to breathe though his nose. Her scent at the moment was enough to push him over the edge that he dared not cross, at least not yet. That only made it worse. Now he could taste her scent with his tongue. Kami-sama, he wanted nothing more than to finish this dance! However, until he heard from Myouga, that couldn't be allowed to happen.

 

“Inuyasha?” Kagome asked breathlessly as she continued to caress his ears. She was in a confused, hazy place where all she wanted was for him to finish what he'd started. Inuyasha placed a few more hard kisses on her lips as he buttoned her back up. Kagome was beginning to come out of her arousal-induced trance and she couldn't help but feel embarrassed by her brazen actions.

 

“I—You—We need to get back to the hut. It's late and you need to sleep.” Inuyasha told her, back to not meeting her eyes.

 

“Inuyasha?” she asked again as he pulled her up close and slid off the branch. She was confused. Why had he so abruptly stopped his assault on her senses?

 

“Look, Kagome, I'm sorry,” he ran his hands roughly through his hair in a gesture she was coming to equate with frustration, “but this afternoon while you were playing cards with Shippou, I sent the flea on an errand and until he gets back we can't…” He left the sentence hanging. Kagome turned away, not knowing how to respond. She heard him start walking toward the village and she followed. Surreptitiously she pressed her thighs together, trying to force away the lingering heat that had gathered in her nether regions.

 

She sighed; it was going to be a long night.

 

 

 

For the first time in a long time, it was Kaede's knurled hand that shook Kagome awake at fist light the next morning, instead of Shippou or Inuyasha. She sat up quickly thinking that something must be wrong, but Kaede motioned with her finger to her lips that Kagome was to stay quiet.

 

“I need to speak to you without Inuyasha's ill tempered voice interrupting us.” She whispered, barely loud enough for Kagome to hear. The young miko nodded and shifted the still sleeping kitsune off her stomach and into the soft confines of her sleeping-bag. She placed kiss on his forehead when he began to stir and watched with a slight smile as Shippou sighed in his sleep and rolled into a fuzzy ball. She turned and followed Kaede toward the door without changing out of her pajamas.

 

On her way out, she glanced around to find where Inuyasha had bedded down for the night. Her eyes found him in the far corner of the hut, hunched over with his knees up to his chest and his arms wrapped possessively around his sword. She wanted to snort at the sight, but she realized that such a sound would probably wake the hanyou up. She understood in theory why he thought he had to sleep as far away from her as physically possible and still be under the roof, but seeing him so far away hurt a little. It hit her then that it had been weeks, possibly months since Inuyasha had slept so far away.

 

`What kind of information did he send Myouga to find, anyway? I thought Inuyasha would be happy to take our relationship up to the next level…' She forcibly shoved those thoughts into the back of her mind when Kagome noticed that Kaede was waiting for her to sit down on the low temple steps before beginning whatever discussion she wanted to have.

 

“I have meditated long for an answer to the question you asked me yesterday. This morning I even went to the temple to see if the old scrolls that are stored there had any wisdom they wanted to shine on the situation. And I think I might have stumbled up on the solution.” Kaede pulled a much faded piece of parchment out of her robe sleeve and handed it over to Kagome. The girl took it, and held it delicately up to the sun light that was just cresting the rise.

 

But she couldn't read it.

 

“Umm…Kaede? This isn't in any form of Japanese that I recognize…” She handed the scroll back to the old miko with a frown.

 

“I though that you might not be able to read it. This scroll is very old, and in a form that is only taught to mikos and monks now. What this scroll tells of is a spell of kinship. I think it was originally used on those rare occasions when one youkai tribe wanted to adopt an outsider into their family. For all intents and magical purposes, if you perform this spell Shippou will be your son in every way. It will not matter that his blood is different than yours, all youkai will recognize him as yours.” Kagome's eyes lit up and she reached for the scroll. Kaede, however, didn't hand it over. Kagome frowned.

 

“Is there a catch that you're not telling me about?” Kaede had an annoying tendency of leaving out the important, life changing details when it came to casting spells.

 

“With the spell? No child, although I am not very clear on the exact translation, my memory for language isn't what it used to be. Nothing should happen like the last time…But since Inuyasha is by youkai standards your husband, it would be proper to have him participate in this spell. Because of your bond, when Shippou becomes your son, he also becomes Inuyasha's and it is not right to lay such a responsibility on a person unknowingly.”

 

Kagome sat back on her heels. Ask Inuyasha to become Shippou's father? She had about as much chance in getting him to agree as she did convincing him to wear something other than his fire-rat fur for a change.

 

It just wouldn't happen.

 

“Is this the only way?” Kagome asked as a knot began to form in the pit of her stomach. At the edges of her subconscious she could feel Inuyasha waking up. She felt his brief panic at not finding her in her sleeping bag, and then the surge of anger when he figured out that she wasn't even in the hut.

 

And a strange sense of hurt beyond the anger.

 

“As far as I know child.” Kaede put a comforting hand on Kagome's shoulder as she stood. Kagome took a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling in a sigh. Inuyasha had caught her scent now. He'd be at the steps of the temple where she and Kaede had been having their discussion any minute now.

 

“Thank you, Kaede-baachan, for all your help. Now why don't you go back to the hut and get some rest. Inuyasha is coming this way, and I'm sure you won't want to be here when he arrives.”

 

“A bit miffed that you left the hut without him?” Kaede asked as she started down the opposite path than the one that went directly to her hut. Kagome just nodded and tried to figure out what she'd tell Inuyasha when he got there.

 

She'd just heard the first sounds of his curses when she realized that Kaede had left the parchment in her lap.

 

 

 

 

Inuyasha woke abruptly. Something wasn't right. He reached up and rubbed at his chest. It didn't actually hurt, not really. It was more like an itch that couldn't be scratched, or the sting of a tiny insect. He automatically looked over to where Kagome should have been sleeping peacefully, considering the fact that the sun was barely up, but instead he only saw Shippou stirring fitfully in his sleep. Inuyasha shot to his feet as he sniffed the air frantically. Her scent hadn't faded much from the small hut, so she couldn't have gone far.

 

Images from the night before assaulted his mind and he cringed.

 

“Fuck…” he whispered to himself. Was she so upset about the night before that she'd left without telling him? He reached out with his mind and found out the answer to the troubling twinge in his heart. Kagome, where ever she was, had gone to the very end of their range.

 

He caught some of her thoughts; something about him, Shippou and adoption, but he ignored them. Kagome had deliberately taken herself as far away from him as she could without feeling pain. A cold feeling rushed down his spine.

 

What if she was planning some new way to sever their connection? He could think of no other reason for her to travel so far away from him. Could this have anything to do with the night before? Why couldn't his bitch ever just talk to him about her problems? Why did she have to run away and go to such extremes when she was upset? Didn't she trust him? He felt anger bubble up inside of him as he hit the hut door at a sprint.

 

How was he supposed to keep her safe if she kept on refusing to let him?

 

He ignored the hurt that was underneath the anger rather well.

 

 

 

 

Kagome thought about using their bond to sooth his emotions before he got to her, but that just seemed too underhanded somehow. She remembered back when she was still blind…Kami-sama had it only been mere weeks ago? … and Inuyasha had used her emotions against her. It didn't matter that he was only worried about her, it had still left Kagome feeling violated somehow. No, she would let him rage at her if he wanted to, and then she'd ask him about Shippou.

 

“What do you think you're doing, bitch? What fucking stupid notion convinced you that it would be a good idea to leave the hut without telling me?”

 

“Kaede wanted to talk to me about getting Shippou through the well.” Kagome answered back calmly. Inuyasha stopped abruptly and looked around. It was obvious, if one knew what to look for, that someone had recently been here with Kagome. His nose told him that Kagome wasn't lying either. He let himself relax a little. Maybe all his anger was unfound. Kagome jerked when she caught some of his stray feeling through their bond.

 

“Oh, Kami-sama, you thought I was trying to unbind us again! Do you have so little faith in me that you suspect me every time I leave your presence?” She stood up to face him, her vow to stay calm forgotten.

 

“Can you blame me?” Inuyasha was yanking at his own hair again and Kagome almost, almost felt sympathy for him. “Every time it's happened in the past few weeks that's what you've been doing!”

 

Kagome opened her mouth to argue, but found that she couldn't dispute that fact. With a weary sigh she dropped back down to the steps.

 

“Inuyasha, I really don't want to fight right now. I'm sorry that you thought the worst when you couldn't find me this morning…Would it help if I promised to never try something so stupid as to untie our souls again?” she looked up at him, and for the first time in a long time she couldn't read the expression on his face.

 

He looked disturbingly like his older brother in that moment.

 

He must have caught her stray thought, because he abruptly scrawled and flopped down beside her. Tenitivly he reached for her hand and Kagome intertwined her fingers with his. She scooted closer to him after a minute and laid her head down on his shoulder with a content sigh. This is what she'd missed last night. It was hard to get any sleep at all when he wasn't right by her side.

 

“I missed you last night.” She told him quietly. Inuyasha shifted and pulled her into his lap. He cuddled her close and inhaled her unique scent.

 

“You know why I couldn't sleep next to you last night Kagome.” She giggled when the wind blew a strand of his hair against her cheek. She reached out and grabbed it before he could pull away and began wrapping it around her finger.

 

“No, I really don't understand, but if you say that we have to wait, then I trust you. I'd be happier, though, if you'd tell me what you sent Myouga-jichan after.”

 

“No,” he looked away from her inquiring eyes, “I'll tell you soon, but not right now.”

 

Kagome sighed, but didn't push. They sat like that for a moment, just content to be in each other's presence again.

 

“You might want to put on a different shirt when we get back to the hut.” Inuyasha informed her suddenly. Kagome was a bit confused. This was a clean night-shirt, a little worn and baggy, perhaps, but nothing was wrong with that, right?

 

“What do you mean? What's wrong with my shirt?” She pulled away from him and glanced downward. “There's absolutely nothing wrong with my shirt!”

 

Inuyasha smirked and lightly ran one of his clawed fingers over her collar bone where a few of his marks from last night proudly stood out against her pale skin.

 

“Okay, but I'm not answering the runt's questions.” Kagome gave a little shriek and tired to see the marks herself. She couldn't of course without a mirror, but now that she knew they were there, she could feel them!

 

“Inuyasha! Why did you do that!?! Err! I could just---!”

 

“Could just what? I didn't hear you complaining last night.” Kagome reached up and grabbed a large handful of his forelock and pulled.

 

Hard.

 

“I really hate you right now, do you know that?” She asked sweetly, tugging harder with each word. Inuyasha caught her hands and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.

 

“Yeah, I know. Now what did baba want to talk to you about?”

 

She let go of his hair and reached into her lap for the parchment that Kaede had left her.

 

“I realize that you might not be able to read this, but Kaede thinks this might be the only spell that will allow Shippou across the time rift, other than the subdue spell of course.” Inuyasha took the delicate paper with more care than she expected and looked at it closely for a long moment.

 

“She wants you to perform the sesshu-isshintou?!? Do you know what this will do?” His look was incredulous.

 

“Well yes, I think I do---Hey! You can read the scroll?”

 

Inuyasha waved her question away, “I'm a hundred and fifty-two years old Kagome, this was what formal Japanese looked like when my mother taught me. Now stop avoiding the question! What did Kaede tell you about this spell?”

 

“And how do you know about this spell? I mean she said it was rarely used and it's not like you hang around a lot of other demons…”

 

“Ka. Go. Me!”

 

“Alright, all Kaede said was that by performing this spell Shippou would become, for all intents and purposes, my son. That all youkai, regardless of the fact that our blood is different, would recognize him as such. Although she did say she couldn't be sure about it. Her translation might be off.” Kagome looked up at him through her lashes, as if she wasn't sure how he'd respond to the next part, “She also suggested that I ask you before I preformed the spell, because having Shippou bond to me like that would make you his father…that's not why your upset is it?” She felt a stab of pain run through her heart, what if Inuyasha didn't want children?

 

“Keh, of course I want children! And I don't mind being Shippou's…well you know…But Kagome this spell would have…” He paused to gather his thoughts. Kagome could tell that he was trying to find a way to explain it for her in human terms.

 

“I am in line for my brother's lands and title, should Sesshomaru die without an heir. It doesn't matter that I'm the bastard son, or that I'm a hanyou. Rightfully, those lands are mine. Any son that I have would have a claim to Sesshomaru's land as well. Now if Shippou, a kitsune, became my son, being full blooded, he would have more of a claim than I would, if you as my mate preformed that spell. Sesshomaru alone would want to kill all three of us, not to mention what the clan elders would think. No Kagome, that spell can only be preformed if my brother gives permission, and even though I hate the fucking guy and his whole stinking clan, even I won't go that far. Plus, this spell requires a lot of youkai magic, and blood.” Inuyasha tossed the parchment to the side and stood up. Kagome was still looking at him with a mixture of awe and confusion.

 

“What?” One of his ears twitched in agitation as he reached down to pull her up. “Why are you looking at me like I've grown a second head?”

 

“I never realized that you knew so much about your family.” She bent down and picked up the scroll. Maybe the spell could be modified to work. If only she could convince him to read it to her.

 

“Keh, mostly instinct. And yes, you might be able to modify the spell. I'll read it to you, but I'm only giving you until noon. After that I'm taking you home, with or without the runt. “

 

Kagome smiled at him and raised her arms up. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and scooped her up before heading towards the God Tree. She had a feeling that it would all work out alright in the end. She was the well's mistress after all, and a powerful miko to boot! There had to be a spell out there that would let Shippou pass through the rift.

 

There just had to be.

 

 

 

 

AN:

 

No, your eyes aren't fooling you.

 

It is me.

 

Please don't you all rush to kill me at once.

 

Eh.

 

College sux.

 

Being broke sux more.

 

And only having twenty-four hours in a day sux the most.

 

That's all I'm going to say about it.

 

Now I know that every thing I promised would happen, didn't. That's because a bigger, better plot bunny hopped by and squashed the other one.

 

It was sad really.

 

And quite bloody.

 

I estimate that TWTHE only has three, or at the most, four chapters left…and those are mostly already written and have been for the last two years. Expect an end to this story by the end of the summer.

 

That makes me sad.

 

But probably makes you all happy?

 

Meh…

 

I don't have the time or the space to answer all the reviews…Just know that every single one of them was lovingly read and cherished.

 

Thanks!

 

Oh, and sesshu-isshintou literally means The Absorption of Kinship. Don't ask how Inuyasha knew what it was. That's a plot hole. Just ignore the pretty hole and go about your business.

 

You know you want to.

 

That's it turn around.

 

Good reader!

 

And for a reward, here's what's coming up next!

 

Back to the future!Will Kagome ever get a real doctor to look at her hand?

 

It's a squirrel revival! Oh NO! Mame-chan is loose on the shine grounds and no one can find him!

 

What's this? A steamy shower scene? Just remember not to get soap Inuyasha's eyes, Kagome!

 

The answer to the Myoga question! Just where did Inuyasha send his faithful flea?

 

All this and a Sesshomaru flavored bag of chips! Next time on The World Through His Eyes!

 

 

Author is not responsible for where the muse leads her. The above advertisement is only an estimate. All plots are subject to change should they be ruthlessly murdered by bigger bunnies.