Thank you to anyone who has graciously left me feedback or followed/favorited this story! It means a lot that a few of the people who followed it before stuck around for the revised version n_n

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Inuyasha, nor do I write for financial gain.

As the climax ebbed from her system, her vision began to clear and before her she watched as his head craned back, his hands still gripped at her hips and his stomach clenching and relaxing repeatedly. Eventually he looked back to her, and she sighed softly as he pumped the last of himself into her. Kagome loved the way his golden eyes hung heavy after he came, and he smirked back at her. Leaning towards her to place a kiss on her lips caused the friction of their hips to stimulate the sensitive part they were joined at, and she mewled softly. "Again already?" He said through muffled lips, and she smacked his arm. "Shut up." She mumbled, and shuddered pleasantly when he pulled out of her. His toned arms shook a bit as he crawled to lay next to her and then plop down on the futon, his hair flying out from under his body. "You did good, husband." She said sarcastically, still breathless and giving his bare thigh a few sturdy pats. His sidelong glare made her laugh, and very reluctantly she sat up, trying to smooth her hair into something presentable. "I don't think I'll have time to bathe." She grumbled to herself as she stood, her knees a bit shaky. "You look fine, no one will know." Inuyasha said in a nonchalant voice, placing his hands behind his head to watch his wife walk naked to the trunk that held her extra clothing. The soft sheen of sweat on her back accented her toned muscles, especially where her shoulder blades were. Years of archery had graced her with a beautiful upper figure.

"At least my hair doesn't look like yours right now..." She said quietly, but his sharp hearing caught it. With brows arched down he raised a foot to push her lightly on the butt. Kagome tittered and went about cleaning herself up before dressing in her traditional miko robes, and did her very best to fix her hair. She really had to talk to him about rolling her around their bed when they were having sex; her hair just knotted so easily. Opting to put her hair in an as neat as she could manage bun, she straightened her clothing and leaned over a nearly sleeping half demon who had been trying to keep his eyes open to watch her. "Are you gonna stay here all day?" She asked when she was only a few inches from his face. "So what if I am?" He barked, and she pecked him on the lips. She could still taste the salt of his sweat on his lips; his eyes still closed for the quickest of kisses.

"I'll walk you home when you're done." He said, sliding a finger back and forth across her stomach that he had slipped under the sash at her waist. "You mean you'll come get me when you want dinner?" She asked, and he shrugged.

"Either-or." He replied, and she smiled before giving him a long kiss. "You're lucky I think you're cute." She said softly, and he held her jaw delicately, being the one to lean up and kiss her one last kiss. "Be safe." He said firmly, and she nodded.

Kagome rose and wiggled her arms to fix her sleeves, and she could see Inuyasha roll onto his stomach before she left their room. 'He must be exhausted.' She told herself. Of course he was; on top of his sleepless night from the New Moon, he had waken her up with burning kisses across her chest early this morning. A small grin graced her lips as she tapped her toes on the ground so her sandals fit snug, and then walked out.

As she walked through the trees where their home was situated a small stroll away from the village, she went over in her head the chores and training she'd be doing that day. "Full day full of nothing much..." She told herself as she exhaled. She'd much rather have stayed in bed with her husband. 'At least then it'd be something exciting to do...' She thought, trying to resist the urge to run home and crawl back into bed with him. Her cheeks reddened as she thought of their morning together; the thought of being tangled in one another's limbs and laying out before him as he made her body stretch and curl in unimaginable pleasure. He could make her see stars with the smallest of touches, but when he had her craned back and lovingly pounding her into their futon-

Kagome shook her head and blinked a few times to clear her head; she needed to focus on the meditation she knew she was going to be faced with when she arrived at Kaede's. If she were to make this day roll along smoothly and as quickly as possible so she could leap back into bed with her husband, becoming distracted over his incredible ability to send her nearly into a delirious state would only have her starting meditations over and over again. As she came through the opening of the trees and along a path leading first to Sango and Miroku's home, she looked out along the beaten path just adjacent to her. Her eyes stayed settled on it until she couldn't turn her head any farther. But before she could return to her thoughts, two small girls came running up to her legs and jumping around her, chanting "Auntie Kagome!"

She plucked one of the girls up from the ground with a smile and held the hand of the other, asking them how they're morning was and where their mother was about. Sango showed herself quickly, walking out of her hut with her snoozing toddler in her arms. "Girls, calm down!" Sango chimed.

"It's okay, these two brightened my day up a little more." Kagome said, smooshing the young girls cheek against her own and making the child giggle. "Is everything okay?" Sango asked curiously, shifting the sleeping child to her other arm.

"Oh yeah, I just..." Kagome trailed off.

"Did Inuyasha ruin your morning?" Sango asked, raising an eyebrow. "No, no! He did the exact opposite actually." She said in a hushed tone, wanting it to avoid the ears of a certain monk in case he had returned from his errand run from another village. At the smallest hint of anything promiscuous between the two, he'd tease relentlessly. "Is it awful if I'm getting a bit... Bored?" Kagome asked in a whisper, eyeing if anyone heard her. Sango shook her head. "If you don't have kids and you're already growing bored, then I don't feel so bad about getting stir crazy myself." Her friend replied. Kagome paused; memories of Inuyasha breaking down filled her mind, and Sango saw the unpleasant memories swimming in her eyes. "Oh no Kagome, I'm so sorry- I didn't mean it like that!" She apologized, but Kagome only shook her head and smiled reassuringly. "I know you didn't, it's okay."

"I guess I just miss being out in the world sometimes. Not so much hunting demons and jewel shards, just being in the wilderness and always having a new destination to trek to." The miko explained. "I understand. Maybe the next time there's an errand Inuyasha can take you instead of Miroku." Her friend offered, and Kagome nodded, then placed the girl down and watched her as she skipped away to join her sister in chasing a village stray around their home. "I'll see you later." She said, running a thumb over the boys' cheek before walking towards Kaede's.

There wasn't much to training; some brushing up on her archery, some incantations, but most of it was meditating and learning to give proper blessings. Learning to channel her spiritual energy was something she'd gotten the hang of a while back, but Kaede had suggested that since she had wed and laid with a half-demon, Kagome's holy powers would need more attention than usual. She herself didn't agree with this; her body felt more at peace when she was around him. That man could calm any storm in her mind and also so easily cause a whirlwind of emotions in her heart. But if she were to pull her weight and uphold the duties passed onto her from Kikyo, she would do so and try to keep her dissatisfaction of the uneventful days to herself.

The morning turned to late afternoon and by the time she was finishing the last of her rounds in the village to check up on some children that she was sure simply had the cold, the sky was a deep orange and long shadows were cast along the ground from the trees.

Kagome rinsed her hands in a pale of hot water after seeing the last child, and with a tired huff, she walked towards the river running through the village. On days when her mind was a bit clouded with unpleasant thoughts or she had a particularly tasking day, sitting by the water helped. But today, she felt some of her tenseness melt away when she saw that her husband was already standing there, facing the water. His ears shot back when he heard her footsteps. The way the rich colors of the sky made his eyes glow even in the shadows of his own face always took her breath away. "Hey there." She said, instantly curling an arm around his waist and leaning against his side. The water carried a cool breeze over its surface, and the heat of her husbands side was pleasant. "Bad day?" He asked, hanging an arm around her shoulders.

"No, just... Dull, mostly." She admitted, and he gave her a 'Hm' in agreement. "Those come and go." He said, resting his lips on top of her head, but his nose scrunched and he pulled back. "You smell like sickness." He ground out, leaning a bit away from her.

"I'm sorry, I had to check on some kids that've come down with a cold. But I guess that's just another excuse I can use so a certain someone can walk with me to the hot springs tonight." She said slowly, looking up at him with a devious grin. He gave her his trademark pout, but eventually rolled his eyes and nodded. "As long as you wash that smell off. I much rather prefer how you smelled this morning..." He said lowly, leaning down with his eyes fixed on the passing village people to place a kiss on her neck and nuzzle the spot just below her hairline under her ear. She giggled and pushed on his chest, and leaned away from him when from behind his shoulder she could see Miroku entering the village.

"Welcome back, Miroku!" Kagome chimed, and Inuyasha grumbled before turning to face their friend. He looked tired by the way his feet dragged and how his shoulders hung a little low.

"Two days; must've been quite the exorcism." Inuyasha commented, and Miroku nodded. "About that, Inuyasha- I need to speak to you about another errand run." He said. The tired in his voice was obvious, and his ears dropped a little. "This doesn't sound good." The half demon whined, and Kagome nudged his arm gently.

"Well I'll leave you two to it. I'm gonna say hi to Sango then head home." Kagome said, leaning up to place a kiss on her husbands cheek; he let his hand linger on her lower back until she walked from his reach. "Good to see you, Miroku!" She said kindly, patting his arm as she passed by to chat with his wife. "You too..." But his voice trailed off. Inuyasha could instantly see the change in mood when she walked away. His face dropped and his body became rigid; something was wrong. "Something happened." Inuyasha stated, and Miroku nodded. "I'd like to sit while I tell you this." The monk said, almost seeming wobbly now as he walked to the edge of the water and plopped down.

Inuyasha was almost too tense to sit; he hated suspense.

"As you know this last errand was to exorcise a demon, and going in, it was simple. But a few days prior to this one attacking, there had been another, and another." He paused to move his staff to his other shoulder. "When I asked why they had been plagued with attacks, the headsman told me he thought it had been because of an invasion of a stronger demon that had wiped out one of their plowing fields and almost half their cattle. I went to where it had attacked, but all that was left was turned earth and a thick layer of miasma." Miroku explained, and Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull.

"A group of men had been in that field when it happened, but only one survived. He was a mess and petrified when I questioned him, but he managed to tell me that this demon- or should I said collection of demons, was absolutely enormous, just throbbing and melted together." Miroku paused to pull a small folded piece of paper from his sleeve, and held it loosely in his hands, almost willing for the wind to pick it up and carry it far, far away.

"But he said at the center of this mass was a man standing there, his skin melted with flesh of the demons, and on his back was the mark of a spider."

Inuyasha felt his heart drop into his stomach, and it seemed any sounds around the two of them vanished. It was only them two, and his eyes watching Miroku's hands as he unfolded the paper and handed it to his friend. He tried to still his hands from shaking, but there was already a mix of anguish and confusion roiling in his body. "That's what the man drew; that's what he saw on his back." Miroku added, his voice was so constricted with emotion it was almost a choke. He couldn't pull his eyes away from the messy drawing of the all too familiar spider for what seemed never-ending but must've only been seconds when one thing popped into his mind: Kagome. His eyes shot to Kagome who had stopped to talk to one of the villagers. She was smiling; he held back a whimper. The thought of her being put in harms way all over again was enough to make him want to throw his fists against the ground in agony. He crumpled the paper in his hands and flicked it into the water. "It has to be a mistake." He said in a growl, instantly going over every detail in his mind of that last fight, even when Kagome had been captured in the meido. What could he have possibly missed? What could have changed in the last four years?

"Has the Wind Tunnel returned?" He asked, and Miroku chuckled darkly and shook his head. "I have to admit- I've checked it at least two-dozen times since I talked to that man- but no." Miroku replied, his fist clenching tightly around his staff.

"We can't risk not investigating further. We have families to think of." Miroku stated, taking a deep breath and standing, then dusting any grass or dirt from his robes. Inuyasha followed suit, and as they approached Kagome who was now chatting with Sango, they made eye contact. At first she gave him a warm smile, but her warmth did little to calm the whirlpool of emotion in his chest. As he walked towards them, their husbands shoulders tense and their eyes portraying something close to agony, her smile vanished. "Somethings wrong." Kagome said quietly, and took a few steps forward to meet Inuyasha. Her hand raised to rest against his cheek, and the way his eyes saddened as he leaned into her hand had questions running across the surface of her mind. "We have to talk- all of us." Miroku said, placing a gentle hand at Sango's back and walking through the opening of their home.

It wasn't even a state of shock that had Kagome gripping her clothes in her fists tightly, it was pure confusion. How was this even possible? WAS it even possible?

Miroku had done his best to ease Sango when she scrambled to gather words and broken pieces of frantic questions- besides her first worry being their children, Kohaku's safety was another urgent matter she felt she had to address. She couldn't move fast enough to gather her hiraikotsu and demon slayer ware, not even trying to put it in satchels- just stuffing it into the little space she had in her arms. It had taken some convincing, but ultimately, it had been the plain fact that her children needed her most. She couldn't leave them now, and now she was calming with Miroku pressed tight to her side, wiping away any stray tears.

Inuyasha on the other hand couldn't have been more distant. He hadn't said a word, hadn't moved an inch. He was frozen, no more emotion apparent on his face.

Kagome had wished multiple times that at some point he would grab her hand, or even make it clear that he was still breathing, but the only movement she received was when he very suddenly stormed out of the hut, leaving her alone with their friends and sleeping children. She sighed and held her own hands. "It's best that Inuyasha and I return to the village and better inspect the miasma. I'm sure he would recognize his scent." Miroku said, and Kagome shook her head. "No, I'll go with him. You should stay with the children." She argued, giving Sango an understanding look. She had seen her friends posture tense when the monk spoke of leaving, but now she looked calmer, like maybe she could get some sleep tonight instead of none. Miroku was reluctant, but eventually he agreed and passed along any information and directions to the village. Before leaving, Kagome gave her friend a firm hug, reassuring her that everything would be okay; that they wouldn't let any harm befall Kohaku and her children. They had to keep some sort of hope.

She found him sitting with his back to her atop their roof, his face pointed at the now dark sky. The stars were just starting to show their shinning faces, and usually it would've been a beautiful night to star gaze with him. The way he was sat took her back to some of the first nights after they had just met; his form of comfort was being somewhere high where he could get a vantage point of everything. She hoped he wouldn't become distant, that he thought this was his to worry about alone. They'd learned the hard way that bearing a weight this crushing alone was a silent and slow moving killer.

She tapped her nails against the wood of their home and his ears rotated back towards her, but he still didn't move. "Want some company?" She called up, and he shrugged. She pouted.

"Inuyasha, please don't pull away." She said calmly, and after a few moments he leapt down and pulled her flush against himself before bounding back up to the roof. He didn't let her go though as he sat back down; now that she was against him, he realized he wanted her close, wanted her where he knew she was safe. She settled nicely against him with her back to his chest and his legs spread straight out on either side of hers. He sighed as he leaned back on his hands, and she rolled her head back a little to glance at him. She could tell his thoughts were pulling him far away, farther than the stars they sat under.

"Miroku told me how to get to the village." Kagome stated; he said nothing.

"I told him to stay behind with Sango, and that I'd go with you." She added. Still nothing, but his ears flattened a bit.

"So I figure we should leave in the morning and get this over with." This time she sat forward and spun on her bottom so she sat cross legged between his legs. He finally looked down at her and she could clearly see what he wanted to say. He had that lazy anger in his eyes that made him look bored, but with the smallest of provocation, he'd be a ball of fury. "Kagome-" he started to say.

"No." She interrupted, and he looked straight at her, his eyes narrowing.

"I didn't even finish-"

"Nope." She said again, and he leaned towards her, his golden eyes blinking a few times behind his silver bangs.

"It's not safe." He argued. "And me staying here alone is?" She retorted, and he exhaled in annoyance. "Damnit Kagome, you can stay with Sango and Miroku- I'll be back in-" again, she was to have the last word in the matter.

"No! Inuyasha I'm going with! Even if you leave without me I'll follow you, and I have the location." She said in a stern voice, and for a moment he opened his mouth to argue, but the look of determination stopped him. It wasn't that he didn't want her to go, he was just downright terrified that when they arrived they'd be faced with a reality he never dreamed of living again. "It could be dangerous." He tried to sway her from her decision, but she shrugged. "That never stopped us before." She replied with a half-hearted grin.

Us. Not him alone, them, together. They worked- fought better as a team. How could he have forgotten that?

"How is this happening again?" He asked her, his eyes cutting down to her hands. She absolutely hated seeing defeat in the way his face saddened and his body seemingly caved inwards; like a dog that had been beaten for too long and now it's spirit was broken. That wasn't her husband- there was still fight left in his heart, she knew it. Kagome shook her head and for a moment she couldn't look him in the eye. She'd always prided herself in be able to comfort her husband even when circumstances were against her, but this? There was a deep sense of dread forming in all of their hearts, but maybe the collective braveness and support from everyone could carry them to victory like before. They all needed one another now. "We'll head out in the morning then." He said as he sighed again, leaning back on his hands. She nodded, looking down at her hands in her lap.

"Hey, will you still walk me to the hot springs?" She asked, peaking up at him through her bangs. Ding; there was the idea.

"Aw Kagome, really-" he was about to argue, but when his eyes met her sultry look, he stopped. His brows raised and his ears perked up. "Really?" He asked, and she smiled, her hands sliding up his thigh to tug gently at the tie around his waist. One of his eyebrows kicked up. "You know we really won't get anything done just laying in bed tonight... And I dunno, maybe a nice bath will get our minds off of it for a bit?" She implied as her hands slid to his sides, trying her best to sound seductive, but her voice would always shake.

He pulled his legs back so he could kneel in front of her, leaning down so he was almost kissing her.

"You still stink, too." He said plainly, and she punched him in the arm before he wrapped his arms around her waist as she quickly unfolded her legs and clung to him. One of his hands moved to hold her thigh that squeezed his hips tightly as he sped off towards the warm water springs, and already he could feel the excitement making his pants tighter. There wasn't anything much better he could think to relieve stress.

It was gloomy and chilly that morning she woke up with his hand rested on her stomach, the bare skin on her breasts cool from the evening air that had seeped in overnight. She was glad though; she didn't feel like walking in the sun today, but now that today was here, the ominous weight that had settled in her stomach was hitting her hard. Kagome rubbed the sleep from her eyes and turned her head; he was already awake and looking out the window. It was strange to see him so calm and with the thin sheet of their futon pulled up to his chin, but he felt uneasy. Even in their home, being out in the open was holding a familiar threat. She lifted the back of her hand to run her fingers across his lips, and he finally looked at her, managing to give her a small grin but it turned to a guilty frown when he spotted the light bruises of his hand marks on her wrists. She'd given him full pass to take his frustrations out on her in the most pleasurable of ways last night, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it. But the tension had returned to his body. It was expected.

"Kagome, are you sure you don't want to take more?" Sango asked, holding an additional bag full of assorted objects and necessities she might need. "Sango, I promise I have everything I need. Even if we end up going to look for Kohaku, I have enough. So please, try to calm down." Kagome said, placing her hands on her friends shoulders after she finished tying her own bag across her chest and looping a scarf around her neck. It was unusually cold this morning, and only getting colder as the morning progressed. Sango nodded and rubbed her face, trying to calm her erratic nerves. "Either way, we'll be back soon." Kagome added, and the two girls hugged. They lingered a moment; it was particularly difficult to stay positive on this day, but Kagome fought to stay strong. Falling apart now could be troublesome, and she needed to be the support system for her husband just as he was for her. The two walked out of Kagome's home where Inuyasha and Miroku were chatting, and both of them turned to look at their wives.

"Ready?" Inuyasha asked, and Kagome nodded with a smile when she saw he had tied his hair up so it wouldn't whip her across the face. Those small smiles were what kept his head screwed on right. He knelt down then, and when Kagome placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed the inner part of her knee against his side, that was his queue to easily grab her thighs and lift her against him, standing in one fluid movement. They still fit perfectly against one another.

"Please be safe." Sango said, holding her own arms as Miroku wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"If we're not back by tomorrow, then you know we're going for Kohaku." Kagome said, and then they were flying through the air. It took her a moment to steady herself; they didn't travel like this too often anymore and the only real air time Kagome had been getting was when he had her pinned up against something. Inuyasha settled into a steady run, and she closed her eyes to relish in the cold wind whipped her hair around and stung her cheeks; she had missed this. Every time he jumped, there was no longer the sinking feeling in her belly. It had dulled to a gentle tug of adrenaline that she enjoyed, that made her legs grip tightly at his side but her breathing become deep and smooth. She brought her arms around his neck and buried her face between her arm and his head, closing her eyes again. It felt good to forget the looming cloud over them, even if it was just for a moment.

Their arrival to the small village was met with mixed emotions; Inuyasha only proved that they had had a few dangerous days with demons. So when he walked up, some men came close to organizing a group to kill him. But the sight of Kagome's miko robes calmed them even though she had to be sly about hiding the erotic bruises amongst her wrists. They gave pass to them to speak to the village headsman and man who had encountered the demon, but every step towards the field brought more anxiety, and Inuyasha thought it might crawl from his mouth the way it felt coming up his throat. His shoulders rolled a little in discomfort; having his hair up exposed the back of his neck. Vulnerable for an attack on one of the weakest spots of any man or demon.

Before they even saw the charred field, he could smell him. The same, sickly sweet cinnamon smell that was so permanently Naraku's. All he had to do was give her a look and Kagome knew. They could drop to their knees and question the gods why this was happening, but that's not how real life would progress. Now they closed that chapter of their life when they'd known peaceful days, and opened a new one. Life would go on.

They examined the lands and tried to spot any clues as to where he could've gone, but it was almost as if he had picked up and flown off. Wasn't impossible, Naraku had a habit of doing something like that. But Inuyasha still wanted to do a sweep of the surrounding area, so he left Kagome to speak to the man who had seen him before. He had been calmer now, but it was visible still that what he had seen was going to leave a lasting impression. Almost all of what he described was of striking resemblance to their once thought to be fallen foe, but there was one trait that didn't make much sense. Upon running away, the man had turned once to look at the demon who killed their cattle and his friends, but he ended up making eye contact with the man in the center of the demon mass. He explained he had only one eye, and it looked as if the rest of his face had been wiped away. Kagome was puzzled; could it really be Naraku then? Or an impersonator? There was no occasion she had recalled where he had presented himself in such a manner. She did her best to bless the man, and hoped that even though her mind was clouded with other thoughts that her words could bring a sense of relief to him.

It took a bit of convincing, but Kagome was able to persuade him into staying the night seeing as by the time he got back from following any possible leads, it was well into the evening. The headsman set them up in a private room, a divider placed between their futons of course. Inuyasha could've done without the bitter comments towards his wife that were whispered amongst other woman as they walked through the village. He only walked closer to her, being sure to make eye contact with anyone who made a remark. A meal was also provided in thanks of Kagome blessing their village, but neither of them had much of an appetite.

The futon she lied on was uncomfortable. On top of it just not being as plush as the one she had at home, it felt cold and hard without her husband at her side to keep her warm. It was unusual that he sat perched against the divider on her side, his body stiff and Tetsusaiga leaned against his shoulder, but she hesitated to say anything; she didn't want to further burden him. But even he noticed her discomfort as she rolled and tossed her limbs about, trying anything to make up for the empty space next to her. "Can't sleep?" He asked softly, and she rolled onto her side with her cheek rested in her palm to look at him.

"I'd rest better if you joined me." She said with a grin, but he just looked at her, unmoving. It made her nervous.

"It's him, Kagome. He's back." He said, the distaste clear in his voice. She sat up then, sitting cross legged and facing him but not moving any closer. "I know." She replied, moving her hair behind her ears. "But we'll be okay." She tried, but was surprised when he glared at her. "If I couldn't even defeat him before than what's saying I can now?" He snapped.

Kagome's brows furrowed. "Inuyasha, you did defeat him before. It's four years later, there must be something we missed- I don't know how else this could have happened." She said, now moving to be closer to him. He shook his head and looked away for an instant, and then suddenly stood to walk towards the sliding door that lead outside. "Where are you going?" She asked, throwing the covers off to walk after him.

"You said it yourself- I missed something. So I'm going to find it." He said through clenched teeth, but her hands at his arm stopped him.

"Inuyasha, I said WE missed something, this isn't your fault!" She argued, but he pulled his arm away harshly, not even looking back at her as he walked outside and leapt into the darkness, leaving her alone and bewildered, a cold breeze rubbing her form uncomfortably. "Inuyasha!" She called out, but there was nothing, only the returning chirp of crickets that they had startled. "That's not what I meant." She mumbled to herself, smoothing her hair back roughly as she stalked back into the room, leaving the sliding door cracked. The bedding was even colder.

He hadn't even made it very far before his anger got the better of him and he was dragging his claws through earth and trees, willing the fury to leave his body than staying cooped up in his mind. It took a few minutes, but he finally felt level headed enough to slump against a tree and be able to even his breathing while picking splinters and debris from under his claws. He knew if he went back to the crater or anywhere they had last encountered Naraku he wouldn't find anything. He was very thorough when he looked for any remainder of him, and in the past four years, wouldn't something have made itself known? That's plenty of time to even accidentally stumble upon something. He wiped his bloody fingers on his pants and rested his head back against the tree.

He shouldn't have treated Kagome like that; she was his light in this dark time. He needed her, but he also knew that if his temper kept up like this, she'd sit him into oblivion. They couldn't let Naraku attempt to create a rift through them again; he wouldn't let Kagome fall victim and be ripped from his grip as Kikyo was. Too many times he'd come close to losing her, and now that his undying love for her had been pledged and she was his wife, there was no way he'd even let him get close to her again. He sighed as his head lolled to the side to look down at the home of the headsman she was staying in. From on top of this hill a ways away, he could even see the scorched earth of their destroyed plowing field, but nothing hinting at Naraku's presence. Not even any hints of his scent in the steady breeze of the night. He took one last glance down at his fingers; the ache in them was already starting to dull, and then he rose to walk back to his wife, taking his time so he could muster the correct words for an apology.

Kagome must've been in some kind of limbo, because when she heard the sliding door quietly open and her first reaction was to run into his arms, she felt weak. He didn't hesitate to hold her tight against his chest, dipping his head down so he could rest his face in her dark hair at her shoulders. And then suddenly she was shoving him away and smacking him on the shoulder. "You know how much I hate it when you storm out like that!" She hissed in a hushed tone, and his ears dropped a little. 'I deserved that.' He thought to himself.

"I know- I'm sorry." He said quietly, unable to make eye contact with her. He had prepared a whole speech, but the simplicity of an apology mattered in the emotion behind it, not articulated sentences. Kagome sighed angrily, but still couldn't stop herself from standing on her tippy toes to place a quick kiss on his lips and then pulling his shoulders down so she could better wrap her arms around his neck. Secretly, he loved that she had to reach to hug him. "It's okay, Inuyasha. We'll figure this out together." She said softly, her hand gripping a little at the fire rat robe. "I know, I just- I don't know how-why we'll do it this time. Apparently it wasn't enough before." He said, his voice muffled by her shoulder, and then she remembered. "Inuyasha, I have something..." She said softly, and he gently pushed her away to look at her, his ears perked forward.

"The man who thought he saw Naraku- I'm not so sure anymore that it actually IS Naraku." She stated, and his brows curled further in confusion. "He had said when the man in the mass turned towards him that most of his face was gone; like it had been wiped clean." The more she explained it to him, she actually started to see a trace of hope spark in his eyes. "So it might not be...?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"What if it's a shapeshifter?"

"That would explain why it smelled like him everywhere, but how would they copy him? He was blown apart." Inuyasha mentioned, walking over to her futon and sitting on it.

"Maybe that's the small something we missed." She suggested, sitting down next to him. "Either way, a shapeshifter would be better. So- much- better." He said slowly as he unraveled his hair from the tie and scratched his scalp, looking at her with some relief visibly washing over his body. "I still think we should warn Kohaku." Kagome added, and he nodded in agreement.

"Back to it in the morning." He said, nodding his head towards the futon for her to lie down. "Lie with me?" She asked, shuffling to him and flipping onto her side to face him. With Tetsusaiga laid next to them, he curled against her form with her head tucked under his chin and arms around one another waist. "I love you." She said softly, kissing his chin. "Don't get me started, woman. I don't think the village would care to learn my name this late at night." At that she glared at him playfully and settled back against him, already feeling the gentle tug of sleep around her eyes. "I love you too." She heard him mumble before she slipped into darkness.

"You know I just realized I don't know the first place to look for Kohaku." Kagome said suddenly, breaking the silence between them and probably startling some wildlife around them. "We'll start with Sesshomaru; he lingers around here 'cause of Rin." Inuyasha stated, rotating his arm. He'd laid wrong, but it was at the cost of keeping Kagome comfortable; she needed sleep more than he did if they were to keep this trek moving at a steady pace. He adored her, but sometimes her wandering type of walk nudged his impatience. "That's honestly adorable." Kagome said quietly, a small smile across her lips. "Keh." He retorted.

"It's so cold for October!" She exclaimed, pulling the scarf a little more snug around her neck, but the cold still seeped in. "I stopped runnin' cause you said you were cold- you haven't warmed up yet?" He questioned, and she shrugged. "I may love the cold, but the cold does NOT love me." She joked, her shoulders shuddering as she tried to warm herself. But when a large, clawed hand grasped hers and held on firmly, pulling her a little closer, she felt her cheeks warm. This was something new he'd started; holding hands while they walked, but she appreciated it- loved it. "To Sesshomaru..." She cooed, playfully bumping her elbow with his. He only groaned in protest.

It was almost done. After all this time, he was almost done. It had been a slow, agonizing process; collecting flesh and burning himself into it, all in hopes to rise to power. All to hopefully claim the thrown of notorious demon king of these lands and smite anyone in his path. But even before that, he had to wait until his superior had been obliterated from the land he had tormented for so long. He had hoped that the Shikon Jewel wouldn't have departed with him, but there was nothing that could be done about it now. His only focus now was withstanding the fire amongst his skin that had raged for years as he gathered enough demons and absorbed them, always being sure to keep the small lump of flesh from Naraku at his center. He always made sure that it all connected to that small piece; made sure that he fed the demonic power it still emitted. Very soon, he would have the power he desired and admired, and the strength to take down who killed his idol. Already he was learning this small, lingering bit of Naraku held great power. Not only the ability to absorb other demons and gain their strengths, but also dissipating into thin air when danger was present had already saved his progress many times. Though it drained him considerably, it was necessary. Pulling his body along the ground attracted too much attention. But soon, that wouldn't matter. Soon he would be able to roam freely- and kill. He would kill Inuyasha for slaying Naraku, and he would kill Kagome for ridding the world of the jewel.

Just a little longer... Just a little longer...

Turns out, Sesshomaru had been roaming the sky looking for his half brother, and at first Kagome had been thankful that they didn't have to travel far to find him, but now as Inuyasha was becoming more inclined to unsheathe Tetsusaiga and basically itching for his demon brother to make a move, she was far from it.

"Just answer the damn question!" Inuyasha shouted, his hand gripping his swords hilt.

"Calm down, little brother. My patience is already worn thin and I believe I inquired first as to why Naraku's scent is all over the neighboring village." Sesshomaru spat back calmly, his face emotionless as always. Inuyasha began to crouch to strike with a deep growl emitting from his chest, but Kagome took the opportunity to step in between her husband and his brother, unwilling to watch them fight. "We believe there's a shape shifter that's mimicking his form." She said quickly.

"Did you and your mate not succeed in defeating him? If there have been remnants of him all this time then perhaps there was more important matters to address than that half-breeds insatiable desire to bend you over any chance he had." His eyes were on Inuyasha when he said that, and Kagome could almost feel the heat of his anger radiating off of him from behind her. Her cheeks flushed wildly and she glared at him. 'Did he really just-?'

"Shut up! We DID defeat him, bastard! No thanks to you!" Inuyasha managed to snap out, but Kagome raised a hand to silence him; she could hear him choke back surprised words. "Sesshomaru, I think it's best you stay nearby for Rin's sake- just in case something happens." Kagome said, annoyance clear in her voice. "Do you honestly think that thought escaped my mind?" He directed at her, and she rolled her eyes as he easily strolled away heading in the direction of their home. "So where's Kohaku?" Inuyasha yelled, but his older brother didn't even look back as he calmly said, "He headed to the demon slayers side earlier this morning."

"Thanks big brother!" Kagome called, and inwardly applauded herself when she could visibly see her brother in laws shoulders twitch in annoyance. "I hate that..." Inuyasha mumbled, loosening the tension in his hands that were gripped at Tetsusaiga. "Yeah, but now we can just head home." She said as she turned to him, trying to push down the bitter feeling from their encounter. He still looked annoyed, but he could see unrelenting drive in her eyes. "Let's head home and regroup, then we'll head out properly." She added, and the idea started to sound favorable.

"That's a lot of back and forth." He said in a grumble.

"Maybe Kohaku knows something we don't?" She suggested, and at that, Inuyasha couldn't argue.

Kagome- 1

Inuyasha- 0

"And I need my bow and arrows and more stuff if we're going to-" but his hands expertly throwing her on his back with a swiftness only gained from experience stopped her, and then they were flying again. "I get it, I get it." He called back, but she just tugged on one of his ears. Inuyasha squeezed her thighs in retaliation.

It was lucky he had found a particularly strong lizard demon stalking around the cave he had situated himself in. Lizards regenerated quickly; this would come in handy and had sped up the last few steps of his mimicking. Now he stood with one foot out of the pulsating demon flesh that was clinging to the walls and ground of the damp cave, the flesh moaning in agony as their host detached himself. Like a placenta detaching from a uterus, the vessels and muscle that had given him life and strength slid off of his body one by one, leaving him bruised and wobbly and covered in a putrid slime that clung to his skin like dried mud. A few attempts later and he was standing on unsteady feet, but he was the exact double of the demon he had admired so many years ago. The wavy, long black hair stuck to his body from perspiration, but his narrow eyes that burned red was enough to make him recognizable to anyone that once knew the great demon Naraku. He didn't understand why the spider mark on his back was so bold, or why something in his forming flesh passed down to him brought him to this cave that was so close to his enemies village and held a sense of bitter nostalgia, but that didn't matter. He could feel strength rising quickly in his body. And as the fire grew in his belly, so did the desire to mutilate the couple he was after. Despite his own motives to destroy them, something in the flesh of Naraku's former body that was now in the center of his chest beat wildly when he thought of the half-demon and his woman. This man had had great reason to loath them. It was making him furious- erratic, almost.

He lashed out at the rocks and earth around him, unknowing how to control this hate. A guttural scream ripped from his chest, and the ground around him rumbled with unease as his arms and fists split the ground beneath him, unable to withstand the power of his blows.

They both felt the rumbling that shook the earth beneath their feet, and it made Inuyasha stop short. Kagome braced herself against his shoulders and stilled; his ears were a flurry of movement, pointing in all directions like satellites. "What was that?" She asked aloud, looking to her sides. He opened his mouth to say something, but the thundering sound of crashing and snapping of trees in the distance stopped him. Where a path of forest was being quickly mowed down was a cloud of miasma forming behind it, and then the smell hit him. "That's Naraku!" Inuyasha exclaimed, and was taking off again.

"He's heading towards home!" She yelled, a sudden fear igniting in her chest. Her instant worry was for Sango and her children, and of course Kaede. They wouldn't even have enough time to flee before he attacked. "Inuyasha hurry!" She yelled, and he was kicking off the ground with all the strength in his legs. One last leap over the tall trees and they were almost face to face with the demon as he swung a large tentacle at them, but the half-demons quick feet kicked off of it's cold skin and dodged it. He landed next to the stone stairs that led to the Shrine that formerly held the jewel, and spun around as she squirmed off his back.

He wasn't expecting her to run off. "Where are you going!?" He yelled, chasing her down the stairs, but she kept bolting towards Sango who was scrambling to grab her children and get away from her hut. "Kagome!" She yelled, and quickly she gathered the girls in her arms and directed her towards her own home hidden in the trees, shooting Inuyasha a knowing glance before she ran away.

A small explosion of electricity and fire caught Inuyasha's attention to where Miroku stood on the other side of the mass of tentacles with spiritual seals in his hand. They charred large pieces at a time, but the skin would bubble and rejuvenate within seconds; Miroku dodged a flying piece of flesh and ran to Inuyasha's side.

"Where are the girls?" Miroku asked, searching widely for his wife and children.

"Kagome took them-," he wasn't able to finish before both of them barely escaped the crushing blow of another tentacle, sending them scrambling in different directions. Inuyasha pushed off his powerful legs and onto the top of the hill that the shrine sat on once again. He could see him clearly now, a splitting image of what stood before them four years ago, but he didn't behave the same way. Naraku always kept himself composed, calm. This man was reckless, thrashing the earth and village around himself all with a crazed look in his eyes.

"What are you doing back here, Naraku?" He spat through clenched teeth, pulling Tetsusaiga from its sheathe. The warm flush of demonic air against his face gave him a boost of confidence, blowing his bangs away from his eyes.

The demon man laughed from his spot perched atop the pulsating mass of tentacles, a thick cloud of miasma forming around him and singings trees and grass. "It seems my powers of mimicking have proven successful, but I am not Naraku." He said, his voice shrill compared to the former demon. Inuyasha's ears twitched, trying to zero in on the imposter, but screams of villagers and his concern for Kagome distracted him.

"Who the hell are you then?" Inuyasha yelled, tensing for an attack.

"I am Kurodo, a master shapeshifter, and I have obtained incomprehensible power from the last living flesh of the once great Naraku!" He hollered, his voice ringing with piercing cries of the demons he had absorbed. Miasma shot from crevices everytime he swung one of his massive tentacles, but just as Inuyasha had dodged one, another came from his other side, throwing him into the ground harshly. His ribs throbbed from the impact, but he still grabbed for Tetsusaiga while he winced in discomfort. Just as he held his great sword above his head to slice the demon limb that was coming down on top of him, a familiar holy light accompanied by a soaring arrow obliterated it, leaving behind a soft pink glow. His eyes shot to Kagome who had another arrow already notched.

"Stupid girl, I will kill you along with the filthy half-breed!" Kurodo bellowed, his massive body lurching in her direction and a wicked smile spreading across his face. "Naraku's affection for this reincarnation crippled his sad attempts to kill you, but I know only the hate his demon mind held for you!" He added, and Kagome retracted, but still fired her arrow. It grazed his side, and was enough to hault this movements only for a moment.

"Kagome run!" Inuyasha screamed, and felt his heart stop as a tentacle lifted above her head. In a flash of white, she was dragged out of the way of the crushing blow that would've killed her by Sesshomaru. He bounded to a safer distance before depositing her roughly on the ground, Rin cradled in his arms and unconscious. "Sesshomaru- is she okay?" Kagome scrambled to her feet to observe the blood leaking from Rin's forehead, but he only glared at her, tightening his hold on the young girl. A loud crack brought Kagome back to the present fight, and she was running back to where she could see Inuyasha attacking and slicing at anything he could come through.

Just as she pulled back another arrow, Miroku came running to her side, only two seals left in his hand. "Go to Sango and the children!" She ordered, and he ran past her. Without his wind tunnel, here wasn't much he could do if not even the seals worked.

Multiple times Inuyasha would swing the sword in hopes to release the wind scar, but every time he was blocked, or hit, or simply sliced through something that would interrupt the deadly attack of his sword. Eventually he landed again, his hands shaking in fury. He glanced back at Kagome, and with one look, they exchanged their plan. The link they'd developed in battle years ago was still strong, and this attack plan was one they'd carried out before flawlessly.

Inuyasha leapt into the air and twisted around to pull Korubo's line of sight in the opposite direction, and that's when Kagome shot a final arrow, but the ground being torn apart by a slamming tentacle below her feet caused her to misfire. Instead of the arrow hitting his head, it pierced his chest, still inflicting a great amount of damage. The demon bellowed and his body writhed in pain, curling up like a wounded spider. That was when Inuyasha took the chance to swing his sword swiftly through the air, and finally the familiar lights and screaming of the Wind Scar cut through the air around them and towards Korubo. But all the Wind Scar would cut through was Miasma; in an instant, the massive demon had disappeared, leaving only behind the destruction he had created and a static like crackling that rang in their ears. He watched as the last winding traces of Tetsusaiga's blow disappeared into the sky, and he growled, lurching into the crater that was created.

"No! No!" He yelled, slamming his sword to the ground and frantically looking in all directions. Just like before, he was gone without a trace. The miasma stung his throat and nose, and as he raised his sleeve to cover his face, he cursed wildly below his breath.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome said carefully, and he spun around to face her. The slightest of red tinted his eyes and light purple stained his cheeks; she steadied her unsettled nerves. Though the miasma made her feel light headed, she still approached her husband. Every step towards him was uneasy, but when she finally was before him with her hands holding his hot cheeks, he was calm again, dropping his head in defeat. "He got away." He said, a growl lingering in his voice.

"We'll find him." She said, her hands easing down to his chest. Dirt coated her face, and he smoothed some of the tangles from her hair. "Are you hurt?" He asked, and she shook her head. She finally let go of the breath she was holding as he did this, and gave him a reassuring grin. The miasma cloud was already dissipating, and around them the damage was becoming clear. Several homes had been crushed, and bodies were strewn about, including some children. Kagome spun suddenly, ready to run to her friends side, but they were already at the tree line. Relief washed over her when she saw them all unharmed, but clearly they were shaken.

"Did I hear correctly that that was indeed not Naraku?" Kaede's voice came from behind them, and they turned to find her standing at the edge of the crater, her arm curled into her chest with some blood bleeding through her sleeve. "Are you injured?" Kagome asked. "Tis only a flesh wound child; Inuyasha?" She asked, and he walked to her. His eyes and cheeks were of normal color again.

"He's a shape shifter." He simply said, and she nodded. "He still holds a great deal of power." The old priestess added, and looked up as Sesshomaru departed the shattered village. "Rin was almost crushed under a falling hut." She pointed out, and Kagome watched until he was over the horizon.

"I doubt he'll be leaving her here until Korubo is dead." Inuyasha noted, placing Tetsusaiga back at his hip. "Korubo?" Kagome asked, and he nodded.

"That's the name he gave me." He replied, and she pondered on that. "Why does that name sound so familiar?" She asked aloud, and his ear twitched. "You met him before or somethin'?" He asked, his brows furrowing in concern. She shook her head and turned to walk away from the crater. "Hey- Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, walking after her.

"I know I've heard that name before- from someone." She mumbled, walking towards Sango and Miroku just as Kohaku had landed with Kirara. "Was it from Kohaku? Maybe Kana had mentioned it- Koga!" She exclaimed, turning towards Inuyasha who stopped suddenly as she charged him. "Koga told me about him once!" She said as she grabbed his shoulders. His ears flattened. "Seriously?" He asked, the thought of the wolf tribe leader souring his attitude even farther.

"Yes! He'd told me once long before that a shapeshifter had tried to mimic him to try and take over the wolf tribe, but had been able to send him away after a long fight." She explained, crossing her arms and going over the details in her head.

"AND I remember specifically that Koga had said when he found him trying to copy his form, his face at one point had been just a blur of features! Maybe because the face has so much detail that it's harder to copy..." She said to herself, biting her bottom lip as she considered this. "I think we should go see Koga." She decided, looking back to her husband.

"What- why? You just gave us all the information!" He argued, turning away to walk towards the tree line. "I'm gonna scout the area." He called back, but she grabbed his arm.

"He might have more useful information, Inuyasha!" She said, trying to pry his stubbornness apart.

"I'm not taking you to go see that bastard!" He exclaimed, pulling his arm loose from her hold. "You really think he'll willingly give up clues to you?" Her tone told him she was unwilling to argue on this topic because she knew she was right, and he closed his mouth. "I'll think about it." He grumbled, and didn't give her a chance to say anything further as he bounded away. She rolled her eyes, but she knew if she were persistent enough, he would bend and crack. For the meantime, there was much to do in the village, and unfortunately that involved burying cherished members. Even though her friends and herself had buried multiple people throughout their times together, it never got easier. Kagome turned back to her friends who were studying the damage inflicted on their home as Sango spoke with Kohaku, but Kagome would need to tell them of recent developments.

It had almost cost him his life; he had greatly underestimated the strength the both of them posed. Even for a human girl and halfling- he couldn't make that mistake again.

His body ached viciously as the hole in his side only continued to burn and gnaw at him slowly. The holy powers that girl possessed prevented his body from healing quickly as he did before from the monks seals. He thought on this as decaying limbs from his body withered away and eventually fell off, making way for new body parts. But to heal his greatest wound he'd need time and more demons. Even as he began to settle in the dark cave at the base of the sleeping mountain, smaller demons were crawling to him, attracted to the energy he let off. Like a Venus fly trap, he snagged the weak and absorbed them. He'd regain his energy and power and set out to attack again, but first... He needed to rid that girl of her powers.

If he could prevent her purification powers from blowing holes in him again, the rest would be simple. But he couldn't get close to her. He shuddered and growled, pulling pieces of black flesh from the hole in his side.

He studied the pieces of muscle that slipped off of him, and how some of it was still pink and alive. And then it hit him, his eyes widening and a dangerous smile spreading across his mouth. He cradled the piece of flesh in his hand carefully, and even let it begin to melt back into his hand. But he directed his healing to that spot, willing it to grow and develop a heart beat. Soon, he'd have the help he needed, that way he could stay a distance, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

"First, you'll stop that woman." He growled quietly, running his thumb over the growing flesh in his hand.

One Week Later

"Inuyasha you can't just leave like that!" She yelled, following him from their room to the front of their home where their dinner was half eaten. He shook his head and picked Tetsusaiga up from where it sat leaned against the door frame, then placed it at his hip. He had tried to wait until she was sleeping to depart, but halfway through dinner he'd grown tired of waiting. For a week he'd tossed the idea around in his mind as they all helped in rebuilding the village, and wanting to get it done and over with, he stood suddenly after swallowing a mouthful of food and declared he was leaving to Mount Hakurei to find Korubo. It was the only place he could think to look, honestly.

"Kagome it's too dangerous- you saw what happened last time." He replied coolly, turning to face her. Any emotion between enraged and shocked was flashing across her features quicker than he could snap his fingers. "What happened to talking with Koga?" She demanded, crossing her arms. He rolled his eyes and turned to walk out, but she only stomped after him.

"Don't walk away from me! We need to stick together- we all do! You can't just run off on your own like you used to!" She stated, running in front of him and pushing on his chest. "If I can just go to Mount Hakurei and come back then it should only take a day, we can't afford to stop during the night and rest." He explained; it was a risk saying she was the one that slowed him, but he held his ground. "I don't care! What if he attacks here again? Or you- what if he attacks you? I can help, Inuyasha!" She bellowed, but he just shook his head. "Kagome, no. I'm sorry. I'll be back soon." He said quickly, only kissing her forehead once and turning to run. If he lingered any longer he'd break; he didn't want to take her there. He couldn't risk her life.

"Inuyasha!" She yelled, but he was already out of sight through the trees, leaving her baffled.

"Kagome?" Sango's voice suddenly came from her side, and she turned with her hands placed angrily on her hips. Kagome looked back to where her husband had ran from her.

"He just left!" She hollered, throwing her arms in his direction. "After being all quiet and angry this last week and now he just LEFT." She screamed in his direction, pacing back and forth with her eyes still on the spot. "You know what-" she mumbled, and was suddenly speed walking after him.

"Wait Kagome!" Sango called, walking after her.

"I'll be right back!" She yelled to her friend, and shoved her way through shrubbery in pursuit of her stubborn and thick headed husband. All the while she was mumbling angrily to herself as she stomped angrily through trees and across a small stream, contemplating just how she would exact her revenge. 'He's kept his hands to himself all week- I'll keep to myself for a damn month.' She thought to herself, knowing how to throw a blow where it hurts most. Kagome must've covered a decent amount of ground in the few minutes she imagined his face when she would deny his pleas of forgiveness and soft touches all in hopes to get her into bed. She couldn't hear the busy village behind her anymore, and the trees were becoming thicker as she traveled into the dark woods.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a figure emerged from the bushes before her, and for a moment she thought she had found Inuyasha. But her stomach dropped when the man with cold, white eyes and wild black hair stepped in front of her, clothed in dark robes that look tattered.

She took several steps back, unknowing if this man presented a threat.

"You... You're Kagome." He stated, and she felt a chill run down her back. His voice was a whisper, like the last breath of someone dying. Anyone who would know her name had been sent by someone, and at the moment, there was only one who'd be dealing out henchman.

Run or fight? What would she fight with? Would she make it home in time? Would she be able to draw an arrow in time?

All these questions invaded her mind as she stared at the man, but all the could think to do was find Inuyasha, somehow. Tears stung the back of her eyes; why did he have to run off? But she wasn't given time to think any further as he was suddenly charging her, his hand lifting to strike her. She screamed as she was able to dodge him and bolt to her side, leaving him slumped against a tree.

She ran in what she hoped was the right direction of the village, but to try and shake him, she ran in zigzags. Finding home now would be hard. She peered over her shoulder, and felt adrenaline push her harder as she spotted him running effortlessly after her, his face plain but his eyes locked on her.

He was racing to find her, but was still a distance away by the way her scream sounded. He didn't even bother trying to dodge obstacles, he just barreled through them as he raced to find her. What kind of trouble could she have gotten herself into that quickly? His heart raced and his eyes jumped frantically over everything, hoping to catch sight of her.

Her chest burned as she ran and winded through trees, even back tracking sometimes, but he still stayed at her tail. Tears began to run down her cheeks when she couldn't focus enough to channel her spiritual energy to her hands to even begin to defend herself. And then she was suddenly slamming against the ground and her face was making harsh contact with the roots of a tree. Even though pain seared across her cheek, she spun on her bottom and watched as the mans clawed fist came slicing at her, cutting deep into her chest and ripping her skin apart. She didn't have time to even notice Inuyasha sliding Tetsusaiga across the mans back which in turned pushed him into Kagome; she was already throwing herself back and screaming in pain, blood pooling from her body and her hands gripping at what was left of her front. She tried to make sense of what the burning, wet and warm wounds were on her chest and stomach, but her eyes were locked on the sky above her and blurred with tears. She couldn't bring herself to look down.

There was scuffling and yelling beside her, and she could recognize Inuyasha's voice, but the world around her was quickly becoming dark. The pain was becoming so intense that it was actually starting to lull her into unconsciousness.

"No no no! Kagome-!" Inuyasha yelled, sliding to a hault by her side and for a moment, he didn't know what to do. She was convulsing and groaning loudly, but her eyes had rolled into the back of her head and blood continued to leak from the wounds and across her neck and face. "Kagome?" He whimpered, lifting under her shoulders and trying to hold her still. She only started to scream again.

His ears flattened and he cradled her against himself, rising to his feet and running home. He tried to not jostle her too much, but every time she came back to reality and fought against his hold he stopped, trying to gently shush her and tell her it was him, that she was going to be okay. Panic filled his chest and choked him, and he could feel her blood bleeding through the Fire Rat robe. He'd never been one to believe in Gods, but as he wound through trees and came through the tree line on the opposite side of the village, he prayed. She was still screaming as he ran through the water and towards Kaede's home.

AND... scene.

That last part was tough to write; I'm not skilled in describing pain. - I hope anyone who stops by enjoys it, thanks for anyone who's visiting! ^.^