Kagome slowly woke up, feeling safe and warm. She could feel a warmth pressing into her body from behind and there was an unfamiliar weight resting against her waist. She opened her eyes to stare at stone. 'Where am I? What happened?' She tried to sit up only to hear a growl and feel the weight around her waist tighten and something warm and wet touch her neck. 'That's right, Inuyasha transformed and brought me to this cave.' She blushed as she remembered what else he did and the fact that he is pressing his naked body against hers. Something long and hard poked against her leg and she blushed harder as her body stilled. 'Is that his-?' She snapped out of her thoughts as the weight on her waist tightened again and she realized that it was his arm and that he was again licking her neck. 'What is with his sudden fascination with my neck?' She felt him nuzzle her neck one last time before he released her and moved away.

Kagome turned to face him, wrapping one of the pelts around her as she did. She noticed right away that he was still full youkai, the eyes and marks on his cheeks the most obvious clues. 'Damn' she thought. 'I was hoping he would change back in his sleep somehow. How am I going to fix this? The rosary didn't work, and sleeping with no danger around didn't either. It looks like the only way to fix this is the Tessaiga but who knows where that is right now.' She blushed as she realized that she has been staring at Inuyasha's chest this whole time and looked away, though she did note that he put his hakama on at some point while she was distracted. She was shaken from her thoughts when her stomach gave a low rumble and she blushed again.

Inuyasha cocked his head from where he had been sitting and observing his mate. At her stomach's growl he sniffed a few times before heading towards the cave entrance. 'Need to feed mate' he thought. He stopped just before the entrance and growled at her, indicating that he wants her to stay put. Satisfied that she understood, he quickly headed out looking for prey. He quickly caught and killed another couple of rabbits but remembering Kagome's reaction the previous night he cleaned them before heading back to the cave.

Upon reaching the cave he discovered that Kagome had wrapped his discarded haori around her and he gave a grunt of disappointment before quickly using the fire to start cooking the rabbits he had brought. 'Mate wants meat cooked. I eat as well, make sure not hurt mate' he decided as he placed both rabbits on the spit above the fire. Once the rabbits were fully cooked, they both ate their fill, with Inuyasha again feeding Kagome, this time taking a bite of his own after every one that she ate. They quickly finished the meal, Inuyasha thinking that the meat tasted good when it is cooked and that it is acceptable for his mate to eat.

Kagome leaned back after she had finished eating and closed her eyes with a sigh. 'This whole experience is weird' she thought. 'It's not as bad as I thought it could be but everything is still strange.' She laughed at herself. 'Of course it's strange. Who would have thought that a full youkai Inuyasha would be taking such good care of me? If anything I would have assumed that I would be dead by now. Still as nice as this is I miss the real Inuyasha.' She is startled out of her thoughts by two arms wrapping around her and lifting her against a hard chest. Her eyes flew open and she gave a startled squeak.

Inuyasha had been watching his mate, trying to decide what was wrong. He saw her absently rubbing her wrists and his eyes land on the marks left from the rope the previous day. Sniffing the air, he decided it was time to take care of her wounds and make sure she was fully healed. He got up and approached the unaware Kagome, picking her up and resting her in his arms against his chest. Her startled squeak at the sudden movement amused him and he nuzzled her head before swiftly exiting the cave, and heading back to the stream.

Once they reached the stream, Inuyasha gestured to the water and indicated for her to drink. Kagome carefully cupped the water and drank her fill. 'I didn't realize how thirsty I was.' She saw Inuyasha mimicking her actions and couldn't help but smile at him.

After they both had quenched their thirst, Kagome took the time to take care of a pressing need behind some nearby bushes. Then Inuyasha decided it was time to check his mate's injuries. He started with her wrists, grabbing each arm and looking at the marks left behind. With a careful sniff he was satisfied that they are healing well and he gave them a quick lick to speed up the process. Once that was done he turned his attention to her shoulder wound.

Kagome was surprised when he started to examine the marks left on her arms and couldn't help the blush on her face when he licked her. She became nervous when he reached for her shoulder and began to pull the haori back, but realized that he just wanted to check her wound and so she didn't struggle. Again, he carefully sniffed the wound, which was also healing well, before licking it thoroughly. Once he had finished with that, he stared at her and sniffed her a few times before gesturing to the water. Kagome looked at him in confusion. 'I already drank and I'm not thirsty anymore. What does he want me to do?' She got the idea when he pulled the haori completely off of her with a frustrated growl, and again gestured to the water. She squeaked and wrapped her arms around herself with a blush. 'I guess he wants me to take a bath. That's a change; usually I have to argue with him to be able to take one but now he is insisting I bathe.' She still made no move to enter the water, and with a growl he pushed her into the stream.

Kagome sat in the stream and sputtered at the sudden move. "Inuyasha what-?" She cut herself off and turned her head with a blush when she saw him remove his hakama and enter the stream. She jumped when she felt a clawed hand on her back but all he did was rub his hands and spread the water over her, cleaning her. Before she could protest he pulled her back to lean against his hard chest and started that soothing rumble again. She relaxed against his chest as he carefully bathed her. 'This feels really good' she thought with a blush as he touched her so intimately. Though the contact was intimate all he did was wash her, and soon the combination of his gentle ministrations and soothing growl lulled her into a peaceful sleep.

Inuyasha felt her fall asleep but continued to bathe her. Once he was satisfied that she was clean he exited the stream and wrapped the haori around her sleeping form, picked up his hakama and headed back to the cave. Arriving there, he removed the haori and gently lay her on her back on the bed of fur pelts, then stood there looking down at her.

Kagome awoke at the feeling of rough fur against her naked back. Opening her eyes she saw Inuyasha standing there in all of his naked glory. She blushed and tried to look away but couldn't seem to make her body obey. Her eyes roamed his chest hungrily before dropping down to his muscled stomach, and then lower still. Her face became even redder as her gaze dropped below his waist and she really saw 'him' for the first time. 'Oh Kami' she thought, 'he's so "big."' As she continued to stare, the object of her gaze twitched before it seemed to get even bigger. She gulped as she raised her gaze to his face and saw him staring at her intently with a hungry look on his face. She couldn't help but feel aroused at that look on his face.

Inuyasha had watched as she woke up and stared at him. He looked at her in confusion when she became very red and sniffed her to see if she was sick. Instead of the expected smell of sickness, he detected only her own musky scent and the smell of her arousal. His eyes darkened as he felt his body respond, then he moved, pinning her to the bed and burying his face in her chest. He began to nuzzle her breasts, licking and biting his way across her chest.

Kagome was startled when he moved, and found herself pinned with no warning. However, the sensations he was causing in her with his actions prevented her from reacting. His mouth on her breasts felt so good and his actions made it hard for her to think let alone protest. She moaned as he pulled her nipple into his mouth and sucked gently. She felt him raise his head from her chest to place a light bite to her neck before he moved down her body again. She could feel his mouth moving down her body, paying attention to her breasts before moving on to her stomach and then preparing to move further down. She was overwhelmed; the sensations he was causing in her feel so good but she was also scared. 'Why is he doing this? He doesn't love me. How will he react when he is back to normal and realizes what he has done? I can't let him do this. He wants Kikyou, not me.' Suddenly she felt the evidence of his arousal pressing against her thigh, and she began to push against his body, trying to make him stop and move away. He ignored her attempts to move him and continued to lavish attention to her body. Kagome was now really frightened and began to cry.

Inuyasha was in bliss. His mate tasted wonderful and he could tell by the smell of her arousal that her body wanted his as much as he wanted her. He felt her hands weakly push against his body but ignored them, moving his head lower to see how ready her body was for his as his hard length throbbed almost painfully at the thought of soon being inside her. However, he stopped and moved back when the salty scent of her tears reached him. 'Mate is crying? Why is mate crying?' He lifted his head and released her to see what was wrong. 'Did I hurt her?' he thought, confused. As soon as he released her, she curled up into a ball and continued to cry.

Inuyasha was now really confused. He could tell from her scent that she wanted him like he wanted her but then she began to cry. He moved to nuzzle her neck, trying to find out what was wrong but she just curled up into a tighter ball. He heard her saying something and concentrated, trying to understand what she was mumbling. "No, Inuyasha. We can't. It's not me that you want. I'm not Kikyou." At that name he has a sudden flash of a cold looking woman who smells of death. He frowned, not understanding, and reached for her again, wanting to comfort and soothe her but she flinched away, curling into a tighter ball and rocking herself back and forth.

Inuyasha's ears drooped against his head and he backed away at her rejection. With a frustrated growl he grabbed his hakama from the floor and put them on. With one last look at his mate, he released another growl and exited the cave, running off to find something to release his frustration on.

Kagome continued to lay there crying for a few minutes after he had left before she was able to calm herself down. She sat up and looked around the cave, not really seeing it as she thought about what she should do. 'I can't stay here. He stopped this time but who knows what will happen next time. Will he listen again?' She shook her head. 'I need to find some way to change Inuyasha back, which means I need to find the Tessaiga.'

She looked down and spotted the discarded haori. Wrapping it around herself, she looked around the cave again but didn't see anything that would be useful and so exited the cave. Once outside she looked around but the area did not seem familiar at all. 'Great' she thought, 'I have no idea where I am. Alright Kagome, just pick a direction and hope you find something familiar.' With that thought she turned and started walking through the forest.

She hadn't been traveling long before she began to have doubts. 'This isn't good. I don't know where I am, I have no weapons or supplies, and only Inuyasha's haori for protection. This was a bad idea.' She was beginning to think that it might be better to turn back when she realized that she couldn't remember the way back to the cave. A sudden rustling in the bushes to her left startled her and she jumped. 'Please let that be Inuyasha looking for me' she thought.

The bushes rustled again and a bear youkai came charging out at her. With a roar, it swiped its large paw at her but missed. Kagome didn't give it a second chance. With a small scream she turned and ran, dodging between trees and trying to lose it but the bear was fast and it gained on her. Then her foot caught on a raised tree root and she sprawled onto the ground. She saw the bear right behind her with its claw raised to swipe at her, and she closed her eyes against the expected blow. But it never arrived. She reopened her eyes at the sound of familiar growling.

And there was Inuyasha, standing between the bear youkai and her, snarling at it and swiping with his own claws. Inuyasha quickly and easily defeated and killed the bear youkai, though it did land a lucky strike to his arm. Once the youkai was dead Kagome got up and rushed over to where Inuyasha was standing.

"Inuyasha" she called. She raised her hand to touch his arm and said "you're hurt." But he growled at her and she lowered her hands, dropping her gaze as tears filled her eyes. "I-I'm sorry Inuyasha. This is my fault."

Inuyasha continued to stand there and look at her. He had returned to the cave after releasing his frustration only to find her gone. He had quickly tracked her by smell and was not far from her when he had heard her scream. Something in his chest had given a hard lurch and he had increased his speed, only to snarl in rage when he saw the bear youkai towering over his mate and preparing to land the fatal blow. He could still feel the rage and fear surging through him even after the youkai lay dead at his feet, so when his mate approached him he couldn't help the growl that escaped his throat. However, when he smelled her tears, he forced the rage away as the need to comfort his mate and assure himself that she was unhurt surfaced.

He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her tight against his chest and burying his face in her neck. He breathed her scent in deeply, and then pushed her back a bit to scan her for injuries. Upon finding none, he lifted her into his arms and headed back in the direction of the cave, though he stopped at the stream first to wash the blood away and treat the wound on his arm.

Kagome began to relax when she felt his arms wrap around her. When they reached the stream she was able to examine the wound on his arm and was relieved to see that it was just a scratch. She helped him wash it and apologized again. He simply growled before again picking her up and returning to the cave.

Once they were back in the safety of the cave, Inuyasha set her down and glared at her with his red and blue gaze. Kagome felt nervous at that gaze and began to fidget. She tried again to apologize. "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I know it is my fault. I shouldn't have left." He cut her off with a low growl and she dropped her gaze to the ground. Then suddenly he was there, wrapping his arms around her and holding her with his face buried in her neck. She wrapped her own arms around him, returning the embrace as she felt him sniffing and licking her neck. His arms began to roam her body and she stiffened in his embrace, remembering the events from earlier that morning.

Inuyasha released her with a growl and a hurt look when he felt her stiffen in his arms. He stared at her with a hurt and confused look on his face before speaking for the first time since everything started.

"Why?" he managed to growl out at her.

Kagome was startled and her eyes flew open as she stared at him in shock, not only because he spoke but because of the pain she could hear in his voice. "Inu-Inuyasha?" she asked hopefully as she stared at him though he was still transformed.

"Why?" he repeated. "Why is mate afraid? Why mate not want to mate? Why mate not want mate? Not want me?"

Kagome flinched at the pain and heartbreak she could hear in his voice but her mind latched onto one word. 'Mate. He thinks I'm his mate. Does he think I'm Kikyou?' She felt her own heart begin to break at that thought. She shook her head and quietly told him "You are not yourself Inuyasha, you're confused. I'm not the one you want; I'm not your mate, not Kikyou." His growl cut her off before she could say anything else.

"Dead Bitch not mate. Don't want dead bitch." He was struggling to get the words out, to convey his meaning to her. He was finding it hard to express himself in words but knew that she needed to understand. "I protect you, carry you, provide you with food. You tend my wounds, carry my scent. You take care of me. I take care of you. You are mate, not dead bitch!" He leaned down and buried his face in her neck, breathing deeply before speaking again. "You accept me. Only you. I only want you." He sniffed again. "You want me too."

Kagome had listened to his speech in a state of shock. She couldn't believe what he was saying but she yearned for it to be true. 'Oh Inuyasha' she thought, 'how I wish what you are saying was the truth. I wish you really did feel that way but I know that you are not yourself and don't know what you are saying.' She sighed and tried to tell him that. "I know you think that way now but you are not yourself. You don't really feel this way about me."

He cut her off with a growl and nipped her neck. "Only you." He continued to repeat that and she could feel her resolve weakening. He licked her neck again and this time she could hear him whimpering. With his nose buried in her neck he said "Let mate take care of mate. Need you, only you." The pleading tone in his voice melted the last of her resistance.

'I love him. And he's right, I want him. Why can't I have him, even if only this once? I know that he loves Kikyou but here is his youkai side claiming to want me. Why should I fight him? I can hear the pain and need in his voice. At least for now he wants me too. It will have to be enough.' With that thought she stopped fighting. She leaned back and cupped his face with her hands, tracing the jagged streaks there. She bared her neck to him in submission and felt him lean forward to lick her throat. She wrapped her arms around him and clutched at him, offering no resistance as he removed the haori and laid her down on the pile of furs.

He worked his way up and down her body, licking, biting and sucking, paying the most attention to her neck and breasts. He moved his head down between her legs, and used his mouth and tongue, causing her to gasp and moan with pleasure. She cried his name as he brought her over the edge. He continued to lap at her for a few moments as she lay there panting, trying to catch her breath from the sensations he had caused in her.

He smirked at her dazed look before moving away for a moment. Having pleased her, he removed his hakama and gently lifted and turned her around so she was on her knees in front of him. He positioned himself behind her and she could feel the tip of his hard length press against her slick entrance as he leaned over her back. One hand helped support his weight as the other began to play with her breasts, tweaking and pinching her sensitive nipples. She arched her back against his chest, pushing her breast further into his hand and felt him nip and lick at her neck. His hand slid down from her breast to stroke between her legs, the area still sensitive from his earlier actions. She gasped and moaned as she felt him curl his claws away from her skin before sinking a knuckle into her folds to rub against her still sensitized nub.

Inuyasha continued his actions as he heard the delightful sounds she was making. Sensing that she was ready, he slowly began to press his throbbing length into her dripping entrance. He stopped his attention to pleasuring her in order to lay his hand flat on her stomach as he drew her hips upward and sank himself in deeper. He felt himself reach her barrier and with a quick snap of his hips, he sheathed himself fully inside of her.

She gasped as she felt him breach her barrier. It hurt. He seemed to realize that and waited for the pain to pass and for her to adjust before continuing. She felt him begin to stroke her sensitive nub again, and the pleasure soon overrode the pain. She soon began to moan again as she felt the pressure once again begin to build.

When she began to moan with pleasure he could tell that she was ready and he started to move, slowly at first but then faster. He kept his movements in time with his knuckle as he rubbed her sensitive nub and soon she was mewling and writhing below him. He began to nip and lick at her neck and shoulder and she cried out at the sensations his hot mouth caused. He could tell that they were both close, and his rhythm picked up speed, becoming more urgent and then they were moving together. It felt as if they were now complete for the first time, as if they were truly one. They reach their completion together, his deep rapid thrusts leaving her breathless as her inner muscles clamp down on him and with a howl he turned his face into her neck and bit down hard at the juncture of her neck and shoulder as he gave one final thrust, his seed spilling deep inside her. He then lapped at the mark to seal the wound.

Kagome was surprised by his actions but even more surprised to find that it didn't hurt. She laid there gasping and quivering as he collapsed against her back before curling around her and rolling them both onto their sides. Exhaustion quickly set in and she was soon asleep in his possessive but protective embrace.

Inuyasha continued to hold her against him, rubbing small circles over her stomach. He leaned over her and sniffed at her stomach before lying back down and spooning her from behind with his hand resting protectively on her stomach. He pulled a loose fur pelt over them and released a contented rumble as he finally drifted off to sleep, completely at peace.

Inuyasha slowly awakened, feeling completely safe and at peace for the first time in a long time. Sensing no danger from his surroundings, his body woke at its own pace. The first thing to filter into his brain was the most wonderful smell. His brain was still too asleep to process or recognize what his nose was telling him, so all he could tell was that the smell was something that he really liked. The next thing to filter into his awareness was the sound of breathing nearby and a heart beating in time with his own. A warning started going off in his brain as it began to process what his senses were telling him, and he tightened his arms around the body in front of him as he began to wake up faster.

'Wait' he thought, 'body in my arms?' His eyes flew open and he stared in shock at the dark hair of the miko he was spooning from behind. He inhaled a deep breath to calm himself down and tried to figure out how they ended up in this position, only for his brain to finally process just what it was he smelled. He was shocked to smell her scent and arousal mixed in with his own. 'What the fuck happened? How did we end up doing that? Why don't I remember?' He tried desperately to remember but his brain drew a blank and his body didn't want to cooperate. Instead his libido helpfully pointed out how soft and warm she felt, and that her body fits perfectly against his like they were made for each other, and he felt himself start to grow hard.

He slowly began to ease himself away from her as he shook his head to clear it. 'If she finds me like this she'll sit me until my back breaks. Then again' he thought looking between their bodies again, 'maybe she won't. Damn it, why can't I remember?' He cast his mind back but the last thing he could recall was seeing Kagome tied up, the demons swarming around him, and then... 'That Bastard threatened Kagome!' He growled at the remembered threat. But try as he might he couldn't remember anything after that, except, 'Tessaiga! He managed to get it away from me, and then the demons and the threat against Kagome…' His thoughts trailed off as he stared in horror at the girl in his arms before leaping away. "Oh Kami. What have I done?" he whimpered in horror at the conclusion he has come to. 'I transformed. I must have forced myself on her. Why didn't she stop me? Why didn't she sit me? How could I do this to her? Oh Kami, she must hate me now.'

Kagome began to wake up. She immediately missed the warmth that was at her back and rolled over searching for him. She opened her eyes and saw him huddling in the back of the cave just as his whimpers reached her ears. She sat up quickly with a wince for her sore body and called to him "Inuyasha?" He raised his face, tormented gold eyes meeting hers, and she could see that he was back to normal. She gave him a relieved smile as she said "You're back to normal." Seeing his state of undress reminded her of her own and she blushed as she ducked her head and grabbed his haori to wrap around her body. Looking back at Inuyasha, she noticed the look of horror on his face and asked "Inuyasha, are you alright?"

He gave a start. He had been staring at the bite marks that cover her body until she had covered them with his haori. His stomach churned and he could feel his heart breaking at the thought of what he did to her and she has the nerve to ask if he is alright. "Am I alright?" he repeated back at her, tone full of guilt and horror. "What about you?"

She blushed again. "I'm fine Inuyasha."

"No you're not!" He burst out suddenly. "Kami, Kagome, I'm so sorry." He whispered as he clenched his hands into fists, uncaring of the fact that his claws were slashing into his palms. "Why? Why didn't you stop me? I could have killed you." He broke off, unable to continue as his throat closed, choked with the tears he won't allow to fall.

She looked at him in surprise. 'He must not remember anything. He knows he transformed but not what happened after wards. He must think that he did something to hurt me. Doesn't he realize that he wouldn't hurt me, no matter what form he is in?' She conveniently forgets that up until this transformation she would have expected his youkai side to hurt her as well. She spotted the blood running from his clenched hands and approached him, sliding her own hands into his as she sat beside him. She pried them open and dabbed at them with the sleeve of his haori. She looked up and saw the frown on his face at her actions then took him completely by surprise when she clutched his hands with her own, saying "Please Inuyasha, don't be angry with me."

He gaped at her in shock. "Wha- What the fuck are you talking about?! You should hate me. I'm the one who attacked you, hurt you, r-raped you" the words were bitter in his mouth and he closed his eyes against the pain he expected to see in hers. "You should have purified me!" He shouted and prepared to gently shove her away so he could run and escape the accusing and hurt look he expected to see in her gaze. He was stopped by a sharp tug on his hair, forcing him to turn his head to look at her.

"That is not what happened" she hissed at him, forcing him to look her in the eyes. He stared in shock and confusion at the emotions showing on her face and in her eyes. Where was the hate, the disgust and revulsion? There was anger, yes, but not like he expected. This was more of the 'You are being an idiot and annoying me' anger than the 'I never want to see you again' one. Other than that, all he could see was caring and love.

"K-Kagome?" he asks. "Why don't you hate me? I forced myself on you, you should be telling me to go away. Why?" And he looked at her with an utter look of confused misery on his face.

"I told you, that is not what happened. You did not force yourself on me, not the way you think you did." She saw his look of confusion deepen and asked "What is the last thing that you can remember?"

He told her about losing Tessaiga while she was tied up, the demons swarming and then Kensei's threat against her. Then, looking at her sitting next to him he asked "Kagome, what did I do?" She felt her heart break at the look of misery on his face and the pain in his golden eyes and she hastened to reassure him.

"Not what you are thinking." She explained to him what happened after he transformed, of how he finished off the demons before approaching her. She told him that she thought he was going to kill her and he flinched, but that the only thought on her mind at the time was the pain that would cause him when he realized what had happened. He gave a start and looked at her at that. She smiled at him and then continued.

She told him about how instead of attacking her he seemed to be comforting her and how he had torn Kensei apart when he stabbed her in the shoulder. He growled at this knowledge and halted her to check on her wound. When he was satisfied that it was healing well, she continued.

"I passed out at that point. I remember waking up at a stream not far from where we are now. You were still transformed but you were treating my wounds. I was surprised by how gentle your youkai side was being." She blushed as she recalled how he treated her wounds. "After that, you brought me here. You seemed to know where it was like you had been here before."

At that Inuyasha turned and really looked at his surroundings. He was surprised to recognize it as a place he had lived when he was younger, before he heard of the Shikon no Tama, and he told her so. She wasn't too surprised, merely saying "I figured as much. Your youkai side must be able to access some of your memories." She then continued to tell him what occurred while he was transformed.

She spoke of how he started a fire and cleaned the cave out before leaving and returning with the rabbits. She glossed over his eating the rabbit raw, merely saying that she explained to his youkai side that she needed to eat cooked meat and that she showed him how to cook it.

As she reached the next part of the story, Kagome began to tense, knowing that he wouldn't like what he was about to hear. "After we had eaten, I noticed that you were staring at me. I got nervous at how intent your gaze was. Then you pounced at me. I got scared and said 'it'" and she gestured to the rosary. "But it didn't work. You were able to fight the command and grabbed me before I even reached the cave entrance. You tossed me right on to the pile of fur pelts and then pinned me with your teeth at my neck."

He stared at her in disbelief. 'The subduing command didn't work? She couldn't protect herself from me?' "Is that- is that when I r-raped you?" he asked.

Her eyes flashed. "I told you, you didn't rape me. And no, we didn't do that until later." She took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing. "I think you bit me to let me know that you didn't like me subduing you or trying to run. You backed off at that point and let me sit up. You looked me up and down and then started to tear off the rest of my clothes." She blushed at this while he stared at her in shocked horror. "I was scared and struggled. I tried to subdue you again but you pinned me again and bit down even harder. I didn't know what else to do so I bared my neck in submission. That seemed to be the right thing to do because you licked my neck before releasing me. After you had removed the last of my clothing, you removed your own and laid down behind me." She told him about how she was scared when his hands began to wander up and down her body, about how he seemed to sense that and he stopped to comfort her. That he merely held her and nuzzled her neck until she calmed down. "But once I had calmed down, your youkai side decided it was ready for more. You began to lick and nip your way down my body. I froze and got scared." Inuyasha flinched at hearing this. "But you stopped when you felt me tense. After that you merely held me until I fell asleep."

She then told him about waking up in his arms the next morning and discovering that he was still transformed. About how he hunted and cooked breakfast for her before taking her to bathe in the stream. How she fell asleep and woke up back in the cave with him standing over her. He flinched when he heard that he pounced on her again but was relieved to hear that he stopped when she told him to.

"You seemed really upset at that point. You ran out of the cave and I didn't know when or even if you would come back. I decided that I needed to find the Tessaiga in order to reverse your transformation, so I wrapped myself in your haori and left the cave."

Inuyasha broke in after hearing this. "Are you crazy?! You had no weapons or supplies. All you had on you was my haori, and I know you've never been in this area before. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I know it was foolish and I wasn't really thinking. All I knew was that you hadn't changed back after I subdued you or after you had slept. Also, I knew that you stopped this time but didn't know if you would the next or how you would react if I tried to resist." He flinched and his ears drooped at that statement, unable to refute her because he still believed that he had forced himself on her. "I thought that everything would be alright if I could just find the Tessaiga but didn't really think about how I had no idea where I was or where the Tessaiga is. I picked a direction and started walking."

She continued to tell him about how she had decided that this was foolish and was going to turn back but was lost. About how the bear youkai appeared and attacked her. How Inuyasha saved her and brought her back to the cave. She paused and then told him how he finally spoke and his admission to her, about how he knew she was his mate because he protects her and takes care of her, and that she carries his scent. She trailed off unable to tell him the rest.

Inuyasha sat and listened to her story, thinking about what she was telling him. He was surprised to hear how gentle his youkai side treated her, and that he stopped when she told him to. But he was still confused. If he stopped when she told him no then why did they…? He needed to know what Kagome wasn't telling him. When he heard her stop and make no move to continue the story he asked "Is that when I forced myself on you?"

"NO! I told you, you didn't force anything on me." She vehemently told him.

"Then why? If I didn't force myself on you why did you- we- do that?" he asked in confusion while gesturing to the pile of furs.

"You told me I was your mate. You said you wanted me, me and not Kikyou. I tried to tell you that you love Kikyou but you kept insisting it was me. And I wanted to believe it so badly." She refused to look at him as she continued. "You were begging me to let you take care of your mate, and your voice was so full of need, of want. I've loved you for so long but I know that you love Kikyou, not me. And here you are telling me that you want me instead of Kikyou. That you need me. I wanted so badly to believe that it was me you wanted that I couldn't resist anymore. I wanted to be with you even if only this one time, even if it was just your youkai side that wanted me. Please don't be angry with me for being weak. Please don't hate me." She begged as tears rolled down her face.

Inuyasha was stunned by her confession and sat there staring at her. 'She l-loves me? She wanted to be with me?' He was in shock and couldn't seem to make his body respond.

Kagome immediately misinterpreted his silence. She kept her face turned away as tears continued to escape her eyes and told him "I'm sorry Inuyasha. You don't have to worry; I know that you don't feel that way about me. I won't hold you to anything; I know that it is Kikyou that you love, not me."

She was startled when his arms wrapped around her and dragged her into his lap, holding her against his chest. "Shut up" he said before burying his face in her hair and neck. She sat there blinking, confused at his actions.

"Inu-Inuyasha?" she asked.

"You stupid bitch" he said though his tone was gentle. "I don't want Kikyou. My youkai side was right. I want you, only you, and I have for a long time." He took a deep breath. "I was always pushing you away, trying to keep you from getting too close because I didn't want to have to deal with the pain when you left like everybody else always does. I didn't think that you could feel that way about me, that you would ever want a filthy half-breed like me. Even Kikyou only wanted me if I became human."

Kagome could feel hope rising inside herself at his words. But when she heard him refer to himself as a filthy half-breed she got angry. "Don't say that. I don't want to hear you talk about yourself that way. You may be a hanyou but I say you are worth more than any demon or human." Satisfied that she has made her point she asked "What about Kikyou? I thought that you loved her and were going to hell with her."

He sighed and tried to explain. "I don't love Kikyou, not anymore. I'm not sure if I ever really did." When he saw her about to interrupt he placed a finger to her lips and continued. "I think I was in love with the idea of being in love. I loved the idea that she could accept me. But she couldn't, not really. She could only accept me if I became human for her. That's not really acceptance, and that's not real love. I cared about her and still do but I don't love her. I owe her revenge and a peaceful rest but I am not going to hell with her. I have too much to live for" and he gave her a significant look.

Kagome caught his look and felt her hopes rise. "Inuyasha, does that mean that…?" she trailed off, unable to finish.

"Keh. It means that I'll be too busy looking after you. You aren't getting rid of me that easy." Her heart felt ready to burst at his words. She flung herself against his chest and hugged him tightly. Inuyasha responded by wrapping his own arms around her and burying his face in her neck again. He froze when his cheek rubbed against a mark on her neck, and with a sinking feeling he moved his head back to look at it.

Kagome felt him tense and pulled back as well. She looked up to see him staring at the space where her neck meets her shoulder with an intense look upon his face. "Inuyasha, what's wrong?"

Inuyasha was staring at the bite mark on her neck. 'What if she doesn't want that? She doesn't even know what it means to be mates.' At her question he moved his gaze to her face while lifting a hand to finger the mark on her neck. "Kagome. I-I marked you as my mate." At her confused look he continued "I bit down on your neck while we were…" he blushed and gestured to the bed. "It tells all youkai that you already have a mate and are taken."

She thought about what he has told her. "So it just means that we are together and tells everyone that I am yours, right? Do I have to mark you as well? I don't think my teeth are sharp enough. And does it mean anything else?"

He looked at her in surprise. "You mean you don't mind? You actually want to be acknowledged as mine?"

"I told you, I love you and yes I want others to know that I belong to you. But you didn't answer my questions."

He grabbed her suddenly, hugging her to his chest. "You don't know how happy you've made me" he told her. "No, you don't have to mark me, you are human. If you were youkai then yes, you would mark me as well. And the mark is to bind us closer together. If we were both youkai it would bind us together so that we could strengthen each other. But you are human and don't have any youki to bind with mine so all that will happen is that I'll be able to tell if you are hurt or in danger, and possibly sense strong emotions. And that isn't even a given because I am only a hanyou, not a full youkai." He paused and looked her in the eyes. "Are you sure that this is what you want? If you want to back out, I won't force you. No other youkai will be with you because you carry my mark but you won't have that problem with a human, especially in your time." He forced himself to say this even though it caused him deep pain, knowing that he has to give her that choice.

"Yes I am sure. I don't want anyone else. I love you, you baka. You aren't getting rid of me that easily." And she smiled at him to show she meant it.

He hugged her again and breathed her scent in deeply. 'My mate. I have a mate.' He had never believed that this day would come. Suddenly, he detected something different in her scent and he froze. Kagome felt him tense again and couldn't help but wonder 'Now what?' "Inuyasha?" she called.

He didn't respond as he gently picked her up and carried her to the bed. He laid her down on her back, and then knelt beside her before placing his head against her stomach and breathing deeply. Kagome was getting worried and called to him again. "Inuyasha, what is it? What's wrong?"

He lifted his face to look at her and she was taken aback by the look of utter amazement and love on his face. "Kagome" he breathed and then he was kissing her deeply, passionately. She responded eagerly but all too soon they broke the kiss, panting for air. He pulled her into his arms, holding her and whispering "Thank you, thank you, thank you" into her hair.

Kagome was confused and asked him why he was thanking her. He turned his face and kissed the top of her head. He was ecstatic. 'A pup. Kagome is carrying my pup.' He heard her question and was about to explain when a sudden thought occurred to him. 'What if she doesn't want it? What if she doesn't want a hanyou pup? Or if she's not ready for that?' He became nervous and tensed. "Kagome, you're carrying my pup." She looked at him in confusion and he gestured to her stomach as doubt began to fill him.

Kagome was confused. 'What does he mean? What pup?' When he gestured at her stomach she looked at it in confusion before a thought occurred to her. "Inuyasha, do you mean that I'm pregnant?" He nodded hesitantly, still unsure of her reaction. "But how can you tell? I mean, it hasn't even been a day since we did that."

"I can tell by your scent. It's changed. Your body is preparing itself for the pup" he explained still feeling a bit nervous. 'Please don't sit me for this' he thought.

She placed a hand on her stomach in awe and thought 'I'm pregnant. I'm going to have Inuyasha's baby, I mean pup.' She turned around and hugged Inuyasha.

"You- you're not angry?" he asked her.

"Of course not. I'm happy I'm carrying your pup. I mean I am a little nervous because I'm a little young but I am happy to have your child." She hesitated and then asked "What about you? How do you feel about me carrying your pup?"

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. Pulling back he answered "I love you. You have made me the happiest man alive. I never thought that I would ever have a mate let alone a pup, and now I have both. My only regret is that I don't remember the act that gave me both."

Kagome suddenly grinned up at him. "Then I guess I'll just have to refresh your memory" and pulled him down onto the bed beside her. It was a long while before either of them left the cave to rejoin their friends.

So please review and let me know what you think. Any comments and criticism are appreciated. I do have plans for a sequel if anyone is interested though it probably won't be for a while. I have another story that I am working on at the moment.