A/N: All right, here is a new story, chapter two is almost done, it's
Kagome/Inuyasha mostly. I might put in a little Songo/Miroku here and
there. Please review, I appreciate it, and change my story because of them.
Disclaimer: If I really owned the characters of Inuyasha, do you think I'd spend my time writing fanfics? No.no.no.
Chapter One
The battle raged, the snake demon striking so fast it was almost impossible to dodge. Miroku and Songo each were both contributing attacks along with Inuyasha while Kagome tried to help Shippo and the others at the same time.
Inuyasha saw it, a split second before it happened. The snake lunged for Kagome and bit her around the stomach causing her to drop Shippo and cry out. With a mighty leap he was on top of the beast and had sliced it's head off.
He leapt to the ground and yanking the jaws open so he could retrieve her. "Miroku, Songo! Take care of Shippo, I have to rush Kagome to Kaede's now!" Carrying her in his arms he sped as fast as he could to her small hut.
By the time he arrived Kagome was unconscious and had lost quite a bit of blood. Kicking open the door he gently laid her on a mat and waited impatiently for the old woman's verdict.
"Lucky for your demon speed she is. I can help her since you got her here so quickly." She bustled about, messing with herbs and different sizes of bandages.
"Dammit Baba! I told her to stay out of the way! But did she listen to me? No! She's too goddamn stubborn!" He paced back and forth across the small hut and Kaede looked briefly at Kagome's face before speaking.
"Inuyasha... there is a way you could protect her." Her voice was low, as if she feared Kagome would hear. Inuyasha stopped pacing and stared at her.
"How?"
"Simple... I'd make her a rosary as well, but use your blood so you can call her to you. Instead of slamming her into the ground it will simply bring her to you. She doesn't even have to be in earshot; all that matters is that you say the word. She could be halfway across the world." She finished wrapping Kagome's wounds and instantly Inuyasha was on the floor looking at Kagome's face, then Kaede's.
"Take what you need Baba." He thrust his arm out and she drew the blood, and went into a corner to prepare the beads.
"You had better go explain to the others Inuyasha, I believe they are waiting outside." He nodded as he stood. Shoving open the door to see them sitting on rocks looking worried he crossed his arms.
"She's going to be fine." Everyone instantly looked happy and Shippo cheered. "And she's going to stay that way. Baba's making a rosary for Kagome, so I can draw her to my side." A smug smile tugged at his lips and Shippo gasped, along with the others. Miroku stood, using his pole.
"Inuyasha... Kagome will not be happy to become... collared." He spoke gently; obviously Inuyasha thought the idea was genius.
"Look monk, I told her to stay out of the way, but did she listen? No! This way I'll be able to protect her!" He spat and Songo stood, looking angry.
"No Inuyasha, this is really just a way for you to keep Kagome here. You won't let her leave to go home!" She shot back and Inuyasha's ears flattened on his head.
"She belongs here dammit! This isn't a vote, I was just telling you, you three have no say in the matter." Songo was right, she saw right through him. The main reason was to keep her here. But that way she'll stay safe! His mind argued with his conscience.
Before they could speak again he returned to the hut slamming the door behind him causing Kaede to look up from the corner where she was finishing the rosary. "I didn't expect it to go over well Inuyasha. But we must keep Kagome safe... come here, it's ready."
She handed him a row of beads like his own only they were ruby red and not so heavy. "Now, all you have to say is "come" and she'll be summoned right to your side. Just slip it over her head." He nodded and went to where Kagome slept. "I'll leave you two alone so you can tell her, simply wake her up, she's rested enough."
The door shut behind her and he sighed. Lifting her head in his hands he slipped the rosary around her neck and the beads glowed gently then stopped. He gently shook her shoulders and her eyes snapped open.
"Inuyasha? What happened? Is everyone okay?" She sat straight up and he sighed gently pushing her back down.
"Everyone is fine, Kagome. Except for you, what the hell were you thinking? I told you to stay out of the fight, didn't I?" He said, his voice calm but his eyes blazed.
"I wasn't about to let Shippo get hurt Inuyasha, I don't take orders from you." She crossed her arms and he sighed.
"That's where you're wrong Kagome. Feel that rosary around your neck?"
Kagome went utterly silent and slowly raised trembling fingers to touch the rosary. "I'm... I'm collared?" Inuyasha winced; leave it to Miroku to actually get something a girl would think right today of all days.
"It's not like mine. Instead of slamming you into the dirt it just summons you to my side. Keeping you out of trouble. It's not the color of mine because it has my blood in it." Anxiously he watched her face, just waiting for her to snap.
"... That's... okay... I guess." She murmured and he let out a huge sigh in relief. "Wait... this means you can keep me here!" She shrieked and the shack rumbled. "SIT! SIT! SIT!"
Everyone turned to see a grief stricken Kagome come rushing out the door and make straight for Songo wailing. Instantly she wrapped her arms around her in a hug and sent Miroku a look that said clearly, 'I'm taking her somewhere to calm down, stop Inuyasha from following.' Then leading her by the hand Songo took off down the bath to the hot springs.
Inuyasha emerged from the small hut clutching his back. "KAGOME! GET BACK HERE!" He rose up and saw Miroku and Shippo blocking the path and grimaced. "Look idiots, all I have to do is say that little word and she'll be brought to me regardless so just give up."
Miroku didn't lower his staff. "But you'd risk making her more upset if you use the rosary, and we know you won't." Inuyasha sighed, they were right, and to make matters worse they knew it.
With a grunt he stormed through knocking them both off their feet and running to the hot springs. Once he her, he felt a wave of guilt wash over him.
Kagome was sitting on a rock in the middle of the hot springs, her body submerged so far into the water all you could see was the rosary beads float on top of the water. She'd stopped crying but was still sniffing and rubbing at her eyes.
Songo was at the other end watching her tersely, afraid she'd fall to pieces all over again. "Kagome?"
"...What?" Her voice sounded so small and he felt another wave wash over him as he ducked behind some bushes so he was well hidden.
"I'm sure he won't keep you here, he'll let you go home." Her voice was soothing and calm, so not to cause another outburst.
"Ha, right. He always said I belonged here, he believes it. He won't let me go..." Her voice was bitter and it tore at him.
"That's not true... well, yes he does believe you belong here but he'll let you go. We all know he'd do anything for you, he has to keep his shard detector happy." Apparently this was the wrong thing to say; as Kagome burst into tears the instant Songo stopped talking.
"Kagome I'm sorry! Wrong choice of words there Songo..." She muttered the last part to herself bitterly.
"It's okay Songo... go ahead back on to camp... I'll be there in a little while." She whispered and Songo hesitated.
"Are you sure...? I don't want to leave you alone..." She pressed and Kagome just shook her head.
"I need to be alone... see the silver lining you know?" Songo nodded and got out and walked back leaving Kagome alone, or at least she thought she was alone.
She drew her knees up and rested her chin on them. "... He is just trying to protect me, right? He can't... he wouldn't... keep me here forever would he? Drag me to hell with him and Kikyo?" Her voice was turning his insides to shreds and he clenched his fists.
He'd already decided he wouldn't go to hell with Kikyo. He needed to move on, she was dead and gone. Well not gone, but the real Kikyo was anyway. The one that roamed the Earth now was just hate filled and bitter.
"Better get out... or Songo will think I've drowned myself." She murmured and he forced his eyes to look at his feet while she got out and dressed. He left the bushes and hurried back to camp and threw himself up a tree. He'd just pretend he'd hidden there all along.
"How is lady Kagome doing Songo?" Miroku asked helping her prepare that evening's meal.
"Better than I expected. Still, not herself, I don't think she will be for a while." She patted Shippo's head as he worriedly sucked on a lollypop, one of the cherry ones that Kagome had brought back for him. "But that's not what worries me."
Miroku shot his eyebrows up in surprise. "If that's not worrying you, what is?"
"Well..." Songo scrunched up her face, thinking. "Think about it, he hasn't used the rosary yet has he? You'd think he would have by now if he wasn't concerned about her feelings. Obviously he cares, true, the rosary wasn't used for the purpose it should have been but he probably had another reason for putting it on Kagome. A more personal reason. All of us know he cares for her more than he'd admit, so maybe this rosary is really just a blessing in disguise."
Inuyasha almost fell out of his tree in shock. 'Damn!'
Miroku put a hand to his chin, looking thoughtful. "I agree, I'm sure he'll let her go home anyway. He'd die without Ramen wouldn't he?" Songo and Shippo laughed.
Kagome came up the path and dropped her bathing stuff by her sleeping bag. "Started dinner already, Songo?" Songo nodded and Kagome forced a smile. Shippo pounced into her arms with several flowers clutched between his paws.
"I picked these for you Kagome! Do you like them?" He grinned waving his tail and she couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you Shippo! That was so sweet of you. I love them." She breathed in the heavenly sent of star fighter lilies. Kissing him on his nose she set him down and put the flowers on her sleeping bag.
Songo started dishing out plates and handed everyone a plate then paused. With a straight face she called up the tree, "You can come down now Inuyasha, I wouldn't starve a person." Inuyasha fell straight out of the tree landing on his head.
She banged the ladle she'd served the food with on his already bruised head. "BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH STARVING A DEMON!" He groaned and realized he should've seen that one coming.
Kagome however, stood up and poured a good amount of food into a bowl and approached the two. Songo stopped in surprise, along with a gapping Inuyasha. Handing him the bowl and a pair of chopsticks he just stared at her dumbly. Finally he reached out cautiously and took the bowl from her and the chopsticks.
She turned on her heels and went back to where she was sitting before with everyone staring at her. Ignoring them she ate her food in silence then set it down and curled up on top her sleeping bag, then closing her eyes.
Miroku and Songo stared at another, then Inuyasha as he stood, setting the bowl of uneaten food down and walking over to where Kagome lay. He took the upper part of his kimono off and draped it over her small body, tucking it around her. Then he sat near her feet and prepared to go to sleep.
Disclaimer: If I really owned the characters of Inuyasha, do you think I'd spend my time writing fanfics? No.no.no.
Chapter One
The battle raged, the snake demon striking so fast it was almost impossible to dodge. Miroku and Songo each were both contributing attacks along with Inuyasha while Kagome tried to help Shippo and the others at the same time.
Inuyasha saw it, a split second before it happened. The snake lunged for Kagome and bit her around the stomach causing her to drop Shippo and cry out. With a mighty leap he was on top of the beast and had sliced it's head off.
He leapt to the ground and yanking the jaws open so he could retrieve her. "Miroku, Songo! Take care of Shippo, I have to rush Kagome to Kaede's now!" Carrying her in his arms he sped as fast as he could to her small hut.
By the time he arrived Kagome was unconscious and had lost quite a bit of blood. Kicking open the door he gently laid her on a mat and waited impatiently for the old woman's verdict.
"Lucky for your demon speed she is. I can help her since you got her here so quickly." She bustled about, messing with herbs and different sizes of bandages.
"Dammit Baba! I told her to stay out of the way! But did she listen to me? No! She's too goddamn stubborn!" He paced back and forth across the small hut and Kaede looked briefly at Kagome's face before speaking.
"Inuyasha... there is a way you could protect her." Her voice was low, as if she feared Kagome would hear. Inuyasha stopped pacing and stared at her.
"How?"
"Simple... I'd make her a rosary as well, but use your blood so you can call her to you. Instead of slamming her into the ground it will simply bring her to you. She doesn't even have to be in earshot; all that matters is that you say the word. She could be halfway across the world." She finished wrapping Kagome's wounds and instantly Inuyasha was on the floor looking at Kagome's face, then Kaede's.
"Take what you need Baba." He thrust his arm out and she drew the blood, and went into a corner to prepare the beads.
"You had better go explain to the others Inuyasha, I believe they are waiting outside." He nodded as he stood. Shoving open the door to see them sitting on rocks looking worried he crossed his arms.
"She's going to be fine." Everyone instantly looked happy and Shippo cheered. "And she's going to stay that way. Baba's making a rosary for Kagome, so I can draw her to my side." A smug smile tugged at his lips and Shippo gasped, along with the others. Miroku stood, using his pole.
"Inuyasha... Kagome will not be happy to become... collared." He spoke gently; obviously Inuyasha thought the idea was genius.
"Look monk, I told her to stay out of the way, but did she listen? No! This way I'll be able to protect her!" He spat and Songo stood, looking angry.
"No Inuyasha, this is really just a way for you to keep Kagome here. You won't let her leave to go home!" She shot back and Inuyasha's ears flattened on his head.
"She belongs here dammit! This isn't a vote, I was just telling you, you three have no say in the matter." Songo was right, she saw right through him. The main reason was to keep her here. But that way she'll stay safe! His mind argued with his conscience.
Before they could speak again he returned to the hut slamming the door behind him causing Kaede to look up from the corner where she was finishing the rosary. "I didn't expect it to go over well Inuyasha. But we must keep Kagome safe... come here, it's ready."
She handed him a row of beads like his own only they were ruby red and not so heavy. "Now, all you have to say is "come" and she'll be summoned right to your side. Just slip it over her head." He nodded and went to where Kagome slept. "I'll leave you two alone so you can tell her, simply wake her up, she's rested enough."
The door shut behind her and he sighed. Lifting her head in his hands he slipped the rosary around her neck and the beads glowed gently then stopped. He gently shook her shoulders and her eyes snapped open.
"Inuyasha? What happened? Is everyone okay?" She sat straight up and he sighed gently pushing her back down.
"Everyone is fine, Kagome. Except for you, what the hell were you thinking? I told you to stay out of the fight, didn't I?" He said, his voice calm but his eyes blazed.
"I wasn't about to let Shippo get hurt Inuyasha, I don't take orders from you." She crossed her arms and he sighed.
"That's where you're wrong Kagome. Feel that rosary around your neck?"
Kagome went utterly silent and slowly raised trembling fingers to touch the rosary. "I'm... I'm collared?" Inuyasha winced; leave it to Miroku to actually get something a girl would think right today of all days.
"It's not like mine. Instead of slamming you into the dirt it just summons you to my side. Keeping you out of trouble. It's not the color of mine because it has my blood in it." Anxiously he watched her face, just waiting for her to snap.
"... That's... okay... I guess." She murmured and he let out a huge sigh in relief. "Wait... this means you can keep me here!" She shrieked and the shack rumbled. "SIT! SIT! SIT!"
Everyone turned to see a grief stricken Kagome come rushing out the door and make straight for Songo wailing. Instantly she wrapped her arms around her in a hug and sent Miroku a look that said clearly, 'I'm taking her somewhere to calm down, stop Inuyasha from following.' Then leading her by the hand Songo took off down the bath to the hot springs.
Inuyasha emerged from the small hut clutching his back. "KAGOME! GET BACK HERE!" He rose up and saw Miroku and Shippo blocking the path and grimaced. "Look idiots, all I have to do is say that little word and she'll be brought to me regardless so just give up."
Miroku didn't lower his staff. "But you'd risk making her more upset if you use the rosary, and we know you won't." Inuyasha sighed, they were right, and to make matters worse they knew it.
With a grunt he stormed through knocking them both off their feet and running to the hot springs. Once he her, he felt a wave of guilt wash over him.
Kagome was sitting on a rock in the middle of the hot springs, her body submerged so far into the water all you could see was the rosary beads float on top of the water. She'd stopped crying but was still sniffing and rubbing at her eyes.
Songo was at the other end watching her tersely, afraid she'd fall to pieces all over again. "Kagome?"
"...What?" Her voice sounded so small and he felt another wave wash over him as he ducked behind some bushes so he was well hidden.
"I'm sure he won't keep you here, he'll let you go home." Her voice was soothing and calm, so not to cause another outburst.
"Ha, right. He always said I belonged here, he believes it. He won't let me go..." Her voice was bitter and it tore at him.
"That's not true... well, yes he does believe you belong here but he'll let you go. We all know he'd do anything for you, he has to keep his shard detector happy." Apparently this was the wrong thing to say; as Kagome burst into tears the instant Songo stopped talking.
"Kagome I'm sorry! Wrong choice of words there Songo..." She muttered the last part to herself bitterly.
"It's okay Songo... go ahead back on to camp... I'll be there in a little while." She whispered and Songo hesitated.
"Are you sure...? I don't want to leave you alone..." She pressed and Kagome just shook her head.
"I need to be alone... see the silver lining you know?" Songo nodded and got out and walked back leaving Kagome alone, or at least she thought she was alone.
She drew her knees up and rested her chin on them. "... He is just trying to protect me, right? He can't... he wouldn't... keep me here forever would he? Drag me to hell with him and Kikyo?" Her voice was turning his insides to shreds and he clenched his fists.
He'd already decided he wouldn't go to hell with Kikyo. He needed to move on, she was dead and gone. Well not gone, but the real Kikyo was anyway. The one that roamed the Earth now was just hate filled and bitter.
"Better get out... or Songo will think I've drowned myself." She murmured and he forced his eyes to look at his feet while she got out and dressed. He left the bushes and hurried back to camp and threw himself up a tree. He'd just pretend he'd hidden there all along.
"How is lady Kagome doing Songo?" Miroku asked helping her prepare that evening's meal.
"Better than I expected. Still, not herself, I don't think she will be for a while." She patted Shippo's head as he worriedly sucked on a lollypop, one of the cherry ones that Kagome had brought back for him. "But that's not what worries me."
Miroku shot his eyebrows up in surprise. "If that's not worrying you, what is?"
"Well..." Songo scrunched up her face, thinking. "Think about it, he hasn't used the rosary yet has he? You'd think he would have by now if he wasn't concerned about her feelings. Obviously he cares, true, the rosary wasn't used for the purpose it should have been but he probably had another reason for putting it on Kagome. A more personal reason. All of us know he cares for her more than he'd admit, so maybe this rosary is really just a blessing in disguise."
Inuyasha almost fell out of his tree in shock. 'Damn!'
Miroku put a hand to his chin, looking thoughtful. "I agree, I'm sure he'll let her go home anyway. He'd die without Ramen wouldn't he?" Songo and Shippo laughed.
Kagome came up the path and dropped her bathing stuff by her sleeping bag. "Started dinner already, Songo?" Songo nodded and Kagome forced a smile. Shippo pounced into her arms with several flowers clutched between his paws.
"I picked these for you Kagome! Do you like them?" He grinned waving his tail and she couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you Shippo! That was so sweet of you. I love them." She breathed in the heavenly sent of star fighter lilies. Kissing him on his nose she set him down and put the flowers on her sleeping bag.
Songo started dishing out plates and handed everyone a plate then paused. With a straight face she called up the tree, "You can come down now Inuyasha, I wouldn't starve a person." Inuyasha fell straight out of the tree landing on his head.
She banged the ladle she'd served the food with on his already bruised head. "BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH STARVING A DEMON!" He groaned and realized he should've seen that one coming.
Kagome however, stood up and poured a good amount of food into a bowl and approached the two. Songo stopped in surprise, along with a gapping Inuyasha. Handing him the bowl and a pair of chopsticks he just stared at her dumbly. Finally he reached out cautiously and took the bowl from her and the chopsticks.
She turned on her heels and went back to where she was sitting before with everyone staring at her. Ignoring them she ate her food in silence then set it down and curled up on top her sleeping bag, then closing her eyes.
Miroku and Songo stared at another, then Inuyasha as he stood, setting the bowl of uneaten food down and walking over to where Kagome lay. He took the upper part of his kimono off and draped it over her small body, tucking it around her. Then he sat near her feet and prepared to go to sleep.