InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ To Nowhere ❯ The Lost ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Inu-Yasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. All I own are a bunch of DVDs, 2 soundtracks, and a plushie.

A/N: Ergh. Still not getting many reviews. Is this because I don't update often enough? Or is the story really that bad? Well, if it is the first, I should be updating more quickly now. I'm getting to the good parts ^-^ hehe, should probably be doing my Western Civ. Homework. Oh well. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for reading!

Essie: I'm glad you are enjoying the story. You spoil me. Such good ratings, I don't deserve them! Thank you, though! It really does help! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Miztikal_Dragon: Eh… yes, once again, here I am with a late update. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. It was my personal favorite thus far. Although I really like this one too. ^-^ Hope you enjoy it!

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The world whirled around in complete darkness. Kagome could see nothing. She only heard her heart racing and her breath catching deep within her chest. She still felt the shard, and it was so close. It felt as though it was in her grasp, but her arms were bound to her side. There was intense pressure assaulting her body from all angles, and her blood felt as though it would burst from her veins.

Her mind was becoming more frantic as she desperately searched for Inu Yasha's voice. She had felt his presence nearby, but then it had vanished. Her heart thumped wildly and she wanted to scream, but her mouth could not move. She had to get out. She had to find a way out of this hell.

Beside her, Kaede tried her best to soothe the young girl, but Kagome never responded. Her condition appeared to be worsening, and her muscles were slowly going limp. The older miko knew her words were not getting through. Kagome had been completely lost behind the barrier of consciousness. The woman barely heard her mutter Inu Yasha's name.

The moment she heard it, however, she rushed outside to catch the hanyou before he went too far. She almost smiled when she found him leaning against the wall, right outside.

"Inu Yasha, come inside."

"But you said…"

"No. Ye might be the only one who can get through to her."

Inu Yasha nodded quickly and ran into the hut. He was once again horrified as he saw Kagome's delicate body lying lifelessly on the futon. He could faintly smell death in the room, and it was enough to send him back into hysterics.

"Inu Yasha!" Kaede scolded, "You have to stay calm. Kagome's life depends on it."

"How the fuck to you expect me to stay calm when she's dying?!"

"Inu Yasha. That is bad luck. Don't say it." Kaede said seriously. "I need Ye to be calm and try to coax her back into consciousness."

"How the-"

"She's struggling to get back here, but she needs some help to find her way."

Inu Yasha shot Kaede a dirty look, wondering how she could make it sound so simple. Kagome was dying; she wasn't lost in the woods.

Nevertheless, he had spent the time to take Kagome here so that Kaede could help. Inu Yasha would have to trust her. He only hoped he had not made a mistake.

Slowly, he sat down beside Kagome's head and lifted her hand in his. The moment he did so, he barely heard her whisper his name.

"I'm right here, Kagome." He said quietly, but she didn't respond anymore.

Frustrated, he looked back at Kaede, wanting to know why it wasn't working.

"Keep talking to her."

Inu Yasha growled, but he followed her instructions. He hadn't the slightest idea of just what it was he was supposed to say, and he felt slightly inadequate.

"Kagome…" he began, "I need you to wake up."

He stopped, his pride still lingering enough in his delirious mind to cause slight shame at the shakiness of his voice.

"You're doing fine, Inu Yasha" Kaede said from across the room.

He sighed heavily, feeling uncomfortable talking to an unconscious Kagome while Kaede watched so intently. He still didn't understand what he was supposed to tell her.

As though reading his mind, Kaede turned and busied herself, preparing some herbs that might help Kagome's pain once she regained consciousness. A nagging doubt in the back of her mind insisted "if" she woke up. Kaede dismissed it immediately. Kagome was too strong to be overcome like this.

Inu Yasha stroked her hand with his thumb, trying to figure out the right words.

"Kagome, I…" he breathed heavily. "I'm right here. I need you to be here too."

He growled, exasperated by the situation. As far as he was concerned, he sounded like an idiot and it was doing no good to bring Kagome back to him. Subconsciously, he squeezed her hand and wished that he could just go kill something.

"Damnit, Kagome!"

Kaede turned, surprised by his sudden outburst.

"You wanted to stay in that damn village! I TOLD you it was a bad idea! Why do you have to be so damn stubborn? Just look at you now! Stupid! You're in pain… and I can't… I…" Inu Yasha trailed off quietly.

He bit back tears, no longer caring if he was alone.

"I can't help you." He whispered. "Why do you do this to me?"

Kaede watched, impressed by his sudden change of tone and slightly alienated by the intimacy of the moment.

"Please, Kagome" he continued. "We've come this far… you can't bail out now."

He paused, remembering their argument earlier.

"We don't have to go looking for the shard. You can go home, if you want." Inu Yasha said, thinking that it might be best anyway, but desperately wishing she would stay. Either way, though, he wouldn't force her to look for the shard.

"I'm sorry I made you do all this." He continued.

He opened his mouth to speak more, but he felt her hand squeeze his fingers. His eyes shot open and he looked to her face, expecting to see her eyes smiling at him.

They were still closed.

He looked at his hand, and saw that her hand was once again limp in his. Had he imagined it?

"I don't know if you can hear me." He said, searching her face for any sign that she understood. "I…"

He stopped, suddenly remembering a conversation they had a while back. He had somehow managed to get Kagome in his arms again, without quite knowing how. She had questioned his actions and he had told her he was protecting her. It had been a lame excuse, but she seemed to buy it. Or at least, she didn't `sit' him for it. Instead, she had pulled in closer and made a small noise, then told him that she felt most protected like that.

At the time, it had caused a blushing fit, but now he thought that maybe he could use it. Carefully, he pulled her body into his arms. He lifted her slowly into his lap and leaned back against the wall of the hut.

He cradled the back of her head in his hand and leaned it gently against his chest. He tucked her head under his chin. Gently stroking her hair, he began to whisper in her ear.

"I'm going to protect you, Kagome. No matter what, I'll always protect you." He said, and he tenderly breathed into her skin. He brushed his lips against her forehead, but he didn't kiss her. He enjoyed the feel of her skin against his, and felt a slight hope as she murmured something under her breath.

"You can hear me, can't you?" Inu Yasha said quietly, and a small grin tugged at his mouth.

"And you're going to use it all against me later, aren't you?" he mused.

"Yasha…" Kagome whispered quietly.

Inu Yasha' ears perked up and he looked to her face, disappointed that she was still unconscious, but delighted to see that her features were no longer twisted in as much pain. He heard her whisper something else, but was unable decipher her words.

Inside Kagome's mind, she felt as though she were nearing a light. She could hear Inu Yasha's voice, but she couldn't understand what he was saying. She wanted to tell him that she was trying to reach him, if only he could come to her.

She felt warm. It was the first pleasant feeling she had since she first fell. She tried to move, but her muscles still felt frozen in place. Gritting her teeth, she tried harder but it did not work. The pain was much too great.

Just as she was on the verge of giving up, she felt something warm on her face. She suddenly heard Kaede's voice asking if she was awake. Kagome wanted to scream and tell them she was right here, but her mouth still did not move. She heard Inu Yasha mention something about a demon, but his voice was muffled and strained.

She tried to open her eyes, but all she could see was black. Then, suddenly, small pieces of light fluttered in, under her eyelids.

Inu Yasha studied her face and realized she was trying to open her eyes.

"Kagome!"

Kaede turned and quickly poured some liquid into a bowl.

"Can you hear me?" Inu Yasha said excitedly.

Her grip suddenly tightened around his hand and he grinned happily. His happiness fell when her face contorted back into a look of severe pain.

"Oh, it still hurts… doesn't it?" he added gently.

Kagome nodded weakly and Inu Yasha held her tighter. He hoped that it was almost over because as he saw it, they were just back where they started.

"She needs to drink this." Kaede said as she knelt in front of them.

Inu Yasha shifted Kagome in his grasp so that Kaede could pour the liquid into her mouth.

"What is that?" he asked.

"It will help her get her strength back."

"What about her pain?" Inu Yasha gritted out.

"Inu Yasha. We've talked about this. Stay calm. She can fight this off on her own."

Inu Yasha growled under his breath. He didn't want her to fight it by herself; he wanted to help her.

"It has to be this way." Kaede added when his expression darkened. "There is nothing else we can do."

Inu Yasha sighed heavily, but excepted her answer. After Kagome had swallowed most of the medicine, Kaede cleaned up and left the hut. She knew her presence was making Inu Yasha uncomfortable.

"I'll be outside helping the villagers." Kaede stated as she made her way to the doorway. "Come get me if she gets worse."

Inu Yasha nodded and focused his attention back on Kagome.

As the day wore on, Inu Yasha continued to hold Kagome. He kept all his senses alert to any changes in her condition. Every once in a while she would stir in his arms and make a noise that sounded almost content. Much to Inu Yasha's own contentment, the demon scent did seem to be leaving her. Her breathing was becoming more regular and her muscles weren't as tense.

Eventually, Inu Yasha started to doze off.

"Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked in a meek voice.

"Kagome?" Inu Yasha answered quickly, resisting the urge to jump for joy as he realized her eyes were wide open and she appeared to be completely relaxed.

"Were you… crying?" she asked, innocently.

Inu Yasha frowned. How did she?

"Why would you ask something like that?!" Inu Yasha stated harshly, silently adding to himself, `of course I was'.

Kagome gave him a weak smile. "Sorry."

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, regaining his composure.

"Mm… I'm really tired, but it doesn't hurt so much anymore."

"You should rest." Inu Yasha said, with a smile. He then moved her back onto the futon, causing her to moan quietly in objection. "You have to get some sleep." He added quickly to cover up the disappointment in his own voice.

For a few minutes, he sat and watched her as she curled up to go to sleep. Her scent was almost normal and he was no longer as worried, although he somehow knew it was far from over. As he got up to walk outside, he heard Kagome mutter something.

"What did you say?" he asked, turning around.

"I'm still wearing my pajamas." She stated, looking down at herself as she sat up in the futon. She furrowed her brows as she inspected her body clad in pink cotton.

"Uh… yeah…"

"Where's my bag?"

Inu Yasha's eye twitched in irritation. She almost died and she's worried about her stupid bag?

"Damnit woman!"

"I don't have any shoes!" Kagome yelled in frustration.

"I don't care! You're alive!"

Kagome opened her mouth, but stopped. Suddenly it hit her just how worried Inu Yasha had been.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

Inu Yasha's face softened somewhat, but he still scowled at her.

Kagome eased herself out of bed and shakily walked toward Inu Yasha. He shot her a look to urge her back into bed, but she glared at him. Shyly, she put her arms around him and laid her head on his chest.

"Really… thank you." She whispered.

Inu Yasha stood still and kept his arms at his sides for a minute. Finally, he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her off. He searched for her eyes, but she seemed to be avoiding the contact.

"Kagome…" he started.

She looked up expectantly. "We can go back to get it later. It's okay." She said.

Inu Yasha's face darkened.

"We ARE NOT going back there!" he shouted at her face.

"There are things I NEED!"

"Stupid!" Inu Yasha yelled, pushing her back against the wall.

It wasn't hard enough to hurt her, but it did shock her. She looked up at him wide eyed.

"Inu Yasha…" she began, but was cut off when his lips suddenly crashed against hers. She kept her eyes wide and her body went stiff, surprised by the sudden kiss. He growled quietly and she reluctantly parted her lips in compliance. He thrust his tongue in her mouth and Kagome moaned in surprise.

It was nothing like how she had imagined her first kiss. It was passionate and almost violent. She would have fallen backward if it had not been for the wall, and it lasted for what seemed like forever. Although, not nearly long enough.

When they finally parted, Kagome looked up at him, her chest heaving. Her skin was flushed and her eyes were wide. A strong blush slowly spread across her features, much to Inu Yasha's amusement. He backed off slightly, hiding his own blush behind his angry features.

The two stared at each other for a moment, until Inu Yasha's ear twitched and his face softened momentarily before going back to a scowl.

Kagome opened her mouth to question him, but he turned around and stormed off quickly. She spent a few more moments catching her breath before making her way to the doorway. She lifted the mat, and expected to see him standing outside hiding his embarrassment. Or, at least that was what she hoped she would see.

Instead, Inu Yasha was nowhere in sight. Along the edge of the woods Kagome did, however, see one of Kikyou's Shinidamachuu fly by, sending a chill up her spine. She felt her heart shatter in her chest. Biting her lip, she whimpered a quiet "no" as a completely different pain washed over her.

**

A/N: Well, there you go. Chapter 5. Ooh… cliffie. Hehe. Ch. 6 will be here soon… I promise. Really. It's already written, I just have to edit it. This one would have been posted sooner, but I lost my Internet connection. Sorry about that. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.

Oh… and one more thing. I had not planned on bringing Miroku and Sango back into the story (irk… I know…), but I was thinking about doing a side story of their adventures to go along with this one. I don't know though. I have another story idea I'm really looking forward to writing once I'm done with this one, but I feel kinda bad just throwing Miroku and Sango out. Let me know if you would like to see their story. Or, maybe you can convince me to write them back into this one ^-^

And if I do make a San/Mir sidestory, would you want to see an actual story (major obstacle, overcome, happy/sad end), or just a pure Mir/San pairing story?

Review!