Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Two Swords: The Tangled Web ❯ All He Needed To Hear ( Chapter 18 )

Sorry about the cliffhanger! Here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I ain't gots to be ownin' nothin'!

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"Kagome!" Kaoru was finding it very hard to keep up with the girl while she wore the confining pink kimono. Kagome spent most of her time fighting real demons and travelling too. She was stronger and faster. Kaoru was giving a good chase though. She felt horrible that Kagome had been there, listening to her and Inuyasha. She wouldn't have said anything if she had known. She ran after Kagome until she felt like she could run no more. She stopped to catch her breath and watched the girl disappear from her sight. She sighed heavily. How could this have happened? She heard a noise behind her and turned, frightened. When she saw the figure before her though, she smiled.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here."

Kagome hadn't stopped her get away until she was sure Kaoru was no longer following. She didn't want to talk at that moment. She just wanted to be alone. She made her way to a small stream that she knew very well. Whenever she fought with Inuyasha and didn't want to go home, she would go here. This was where he first saw her bathe and told her not to dress as his former love had. She sat down and pulled her knees into her chest. She started to cry. What else could she do? It was all her fault. Suddenly, she felt a strong hand grip her shoulder. She knew that grip. It had the power to wield a sword and fight to the death. She turned to look at it. To admire for the thousandth time the delicate fingers and the long claws. She didn't want to look into his face yet. She couldn't think of any words to say. But that was not what she saw resting on her shoulder. There were no claws, only hands callused from years of sword training and, surprisingly enough, doing laundry. She whipped around and locked eyes with the scarred redhead.

"Kenshin?" Kenshin looked down at her.

"Miss Kagome, do you mind if I sit with you for a moment?" She was flustered. She didn't want anyone to sit with her for any amount of time, but this man did help Inuyasha save her life.

"Sure." He sat cross-legged next to her. He didn't look into her eyes after that. He seemed to be focused on the way the continually rising sun was making the water sparkle. The two of them sat in silence for a while before Kenshin finally decided to speak. He wanted to give her the chance first.

"Miss Kagome, can I tell you something?" Her heart leapt out of her chest. He didn't want to talk about Inuyasha. She was eternally grateful for that.

"You can tell me anything, Kenshin." His gaze remained focused on the water as he started to speak.

"You have read about me in history books you said. What did you read?" She looked at him in shock, but he continued his steady outward stare.

"I read about your time as Battousai the Manslayer. I read about how you were the most amazing swordsman that ever lived."

"Did you read about how many people I killed?"

"No, it didn't say." She was starting to become nervous about his line of questioning.

"Over ten thousand. I killed almost every day. It was my job. When I was pulled out of being a shadow assassin, is when I killed the most. On the battlefields, my sword thirsted for blood, and I had to fill its need. After the revolution, I decided to become a wanderer, that I did. I pushed the killer part of me back, deep inside where it couldn't get out. I reversed my blade and swore to never kill again. I lived with Miss Kaoru, and she knew of my past. She would always say that I had changed and not to worry about it. 'You're a different person now, Kenshin.' She was so confident. But she was wrong, Miss Kagome, that she was. When I came here, I had to turn my sword around. I had to do whatever it took to rescue her. But I worried the whole time. I didn't want to see Miss Kaoru's face when I told her I was killing again. But when I finally did last night, she just hugged me and said, 'Thank you, Kenshin. Thank you for loving me that much.' She understood. She knew I killed again because I love her. I have turned my sword back into a reverse blade. We are going home soon, you know. But Miss Kaoru doesn't know. She hasn't asked me why I haven't turned it back around. I saw her in the forest a few moments ago. Apparently she was really upset by a conversation with Inuyasha. She put her arms around me then and said, 'I will love you no matter what. When you're old or if you decide to never stop killing and become Battousai again, I will never stop loving you, Kenshin.' Then she just held me for a moment." Kenshin turned to look at Kagome whose eyes were swelling up shamelessly with tears. He stared into them.

"Miss Kagome, those words meant more to me than she'll ever know. A great weight was lifted off of my heart. That was all I needed to hear, that it was." He got up and turned to walk away. He was happy with his conversation with Kagome. Maybe now she'd understand Inuyasha's fear. As soon as he was back in the forest, Kagome jumped up. She needed to find Inuyasha. It was her fault her felt the way he did, and instead of wallowing in self-pity, she was going to make it right. She began to run. She racked her brain for where he would go. She sped through the forest calling out his name. Her ears were straining for an answer. He was being stubborn. She reached a small shaded clearing and finally found him. She felt as though she had been running forever. She didn't stop to catch her breath, though. Inuyasha turned, surprised to see her. He could smell her coming but didn't want to talk at that moment. But she didn't either. She walked right up to the startled hanyou and took his hand in hers. She pulled it up to her face and delicately kissed every one of his deadly claws. She repeated it with the other hand. Inuyasha's mouth was hanging open. His eyes never left her face. She reached up and ran her fingers through his long silky hair. She rubbed the back of his ear, which made his whole body tingle. She then stood before him and looked him straight in the eye.

"Inuyasha, I know what you were going to do with the jewel. I heard you talking to Kaoru." His face fell. How could he not have noticed her there? What would she think now?

"Kagome…" She stopped him with a finger to his lips.

"I love you, Inuyasha. I have for the longest time now. I just thought you didn't love me. Please understand that my love is unconditional. No matter what form you take, it will not falter. Even when you were a full demon, I still loved you. I stayed right there, don't you remember?" His expression changed. It was now one of relief and hope. Then her next words came.

"But I like your hanyou form best. I don't know what I'd do with a human Inuyasha." Then it was joy. Sheer, unadulterated joy. He wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her lips, and she kissed back. They stayed in the clearing until the sun was past its highest point. They just wanted to be with each other. Then Inuyasha lifted Kagome from his lap, where she had ended up several hours before, and hoisted her on his back.

"Come on, we have to see our new friends off."

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A/N: All right! I liked that chapter. Okay, there are one maybe two chapters left, then the epilogue. Please review!!!