Finding You

Last time:
"She's a time traveler, Kuronue, she's going to be leaving after this journey. She'll get that jewel of hers together, kill Naraku, then wait for me five hundred years from now to meet her again with her kit." He said before softly licking her cheek. Kagome shifted and rolled over, her back now against his fur.

"Stop it Youko..." She murmured and Youko chuckled as she went back to sleep. Youko lay his head down and closed his eyes. Kuronue did the same, now under the warmth of Youko's neck, surrounded by the silvery fur.

Chapter 3:Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. -Confucius

Kagome awoke to the ranting and raving of InuYasha about ramen. They were almost out, and that's why they had been pressing so hard to reach the well. Kagome had to return home for a little while. She turned over and burried herself in Youko's fur, only to find it was more course and...darker....a black kind of dark. She didn't look up to see who it was nor, did she think when panic caused her to push the thing away.

Her scream echoed throughout the forest.

She saw Youko appear suddenly with a quite a few rabbits, throwing them to Sango and Miroku before grabbing the now horse sized bat by the scruff of his neck and throwing him into a tree. Kagome was pale and scared, her heart beating quickly. Sesshoumaru was looking at the bat with slightly red eyes, sitting down pretending he didn't care. Youko, however did.

"Kuronue! What do you think you were doing!?" He growled out, Kuronue shifted back to normal and grinned up at Youko.

"Keeping your little miko warm, she seemed so lonely after you ran off, you know." He said, rubbing his sore back, and Youko growled at him, going over to Kagome and wrapping his arms around her. He nuzzled her and murred in her ear, which Kuronue still found rather odd, Youko had never been too affectionate with any woman. Shippo and Rin were hiding behind Kagome peering at Kuronue with slight curiosity. Kintaro and Kitaji were growling, fur spiked, and hissing at Kuronue.

"I-I'm ok I was just scared, Naraku has black hair, you know, and it didn't even register until after I screamed that he was a bat, not Naraku." She said and leaned against Youko. Shippo nuzzled her side.

"Okaasan was taken away by Naraku once, with Rin, a long time ago. He hurt 'kaasan and she didn't sleep for a few months after we got her back. Don't worry Okaasan! I'll protect you now! Youko-sama will too! And even Sesshoumaru-sama!" Shippo explained. InuYasha nodded.

"Naraku scared the shit outta her, she came back with cuts and bruises all over." InuYasha added and Kagome winced, grasping onto Youko's clothes and closing her eyes. "We thought he had--" He was cut off by Kagome's whimper.

"Can we not talk about this now?" She asked and InuYasha looked down at the ground. Youko decided it would be a decent idea to find out exactly what happened. He dove into Kagome's mind, having to break a few barriers to get in, amazingly. She had no telepathic abilities, yet she could create a complex mental barrier, how odd.

!!**!!Flashback!!**!!

Kagome held Rin close, wincing as blow after blow came down on her back. She could feel Naraku's poison entering her wounds, but that didn't matter as long as Rin was safe and sound. Naraku's words were blurred due to the unbearable pain, and Rin's crying. Kagome was suddenly tugged back and Naraku tore off her shirt, his claws tore at her skin. His black hair seemed to stand out against the shadows, as if it was the darkest part of the room, the most evil and menacing black there could be. She tried to cover herself, but Naraku merely laughed, the sound of his laughter scared her. He pulled his hand back and slapped her, causing her to fall to the ground. She coughed and saw blood, she looked up to see Naraku heading toward a crying Rin and Kagome didn't have time to think. It was all instinct now.

She launched herself at Naraku, sending painful waves of purification into his body. He grabbed her by the throat and threw her down on the ground, tearing away what was left of her clothing. "I'll teach you to mess with me, you pretty little thing..." He purred out, forcing her legs apart, causing bile to rise in Kagome's throat. She swallowed it back down and in a panic she raised her hands.

"STOP!" She screamed and a blinding light erupted from her hand. Naraku screamed and the jewel shards he had flew to her, melding with the ones she had on the necklace around her neck. Naraku, wounded, left the room.

Then Kagome surrendered to the dark abiss of sleep, only to see black against shadows, coming at her with evil intent.

!!**!!End Flashback!!**!!

Youko almost growled then pried into Shippo's mind, well aware that Kuronue was now following his lead.

!!**!! Flashback !!**!!

"Damn it, Sesshoumaru! Don't get in the way, bastard!" InuYasha yelled as they raced through the corridors of what looked like dungeons. They opened one door after another, calling for Kagome and Rin. Sango carried Shippo and Kirara as they kept going. It seemed like hours before they found the two.

Kagome lay there, naked, in a pool of her own blood. The jewel was faintly glowing against her skin, sealing up some of the wounds. The wounds turned into bruises and soon enough they had her wrapped in InuYasha's shirt, and in Sango's arms. Sango held Kagome close, crying out about bastard rapist hanyous. Rin, now in Sesshoumaru's arms, sniffled as she told him everything that happened, every tiny detail her childlike mind could contain.

Shippo turned his eyes back to Kagome, who was now stirring. Seeing Sango's black hair, she screamed and shoved herself away, landing on the ground with a dull thud. She lay there a moment, curled up in a fetal position, calling out for InuYasha. InuYasha wasn't the one to get to her first, however, but Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru told Rin to hold on to his mokomoko-sama* and he cradled Kagome in his only arm. The jewel, still glowing, began to regrow his arm. For a moment he was shocked, then fascinated. He looked down at the young miko and held her close.

"We leave at once. The miko needs medical attention." He said, smelling the poison, and they left.

!!**!! End Flashback !!**!!

Youko lay his head on Kagome's shoulder, shaking with rage and pain. He should have been there, should have met her ealier, he could have prevented this from ever happening. Kuronue, shocked and terrified by what he just saw, ran a clawed hand through his hair. Black hair. He growled to himself and wished he were at least a brown bat, or even albino.

It took an hour for Youko to calm down, refusing to let go of Kagome. He held her against him as Sango and Miroku cooked slowly, giving him time. He murred in her ear and licked at her neck, over his courting mark. Kagome had calmed a while ago but still held onto Youko, his presence was comforting, and she was safe in the white, away from the darkness. Away from Naraku.

When breakfast was ready Kagome still didn't want to let go, so he carried her to the food and sat down with her in his lap. They both ate on their own, Kagome resting against his chest while she ate. InuYasha, annoyed at the sight, ate three bowls then sat in a tree to pout. Sesshoumaru, not so uncomfortable with the sight, sat beside Youko and gently played with Kagome's hair. He knew she liked it, it made her close her eyes and cuddle into Youko's chest more.

Youko, however, wanted to chop Sesshoumaru's hand off at the moment, but such things have already been said and done and he would not repeat the same crap the hanyou had pulled. Kuronue pulled his hair into a ponytail before going near Kagome again, even then he had his wings flat against his back, hoping that she whould not mind his darker skin at least. He sat to the side, yet a little behind Youko, not wanting to bother Kagome's eating, yet wanting to say he was sorry. He wanted to have a chance to be forgiven, and only god knew why.

Kintaro and Kitaji brushed past Kuronue and played at Kagome's feet, pulling off one of her socks and batting it around. Kagome didn't seem to notice and Youko sighed. It would be a long trip if she were like this the entire time.

"Kagome-chan, would you like to be introduced to my friend, or would you rather wait until later?" Youko asked, taking her empty bowl and handing it to Sango, whom had, fortunately, not taken a hating to Kuronue for scaring Kagome so much.

Kagome looked up at Youko and smiled lightly. "I-I wanna meet your friend now, Youko-kun...Then I will go home bring back some hair dye and dye not only his normal hair, but fur something else! Like...gold." She said and Kuronue looked horrorfied. Youko chuckled.

"How about you leave him alone, he's bringing home the money while I'm here spending time with you, you know!" Youko chuckled and Kagome poked his chest.

"So you're mooching off of your friend while you try to woo a female?" She asked and he chuckled. "You are terrible!" She said, smacking his chest lightly. "I think I'll sit over here with Sesshoumaru now while YOU go help your friend make some money for once!" She said, getting up and dropping herself in Sesshoumaru's lap. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything, curling his tail around her waist. He would have smirked at Youko, until Kagome tugged at Sesshoumaru's tail furs and chuckled when he growled at her. "Don't pick on him." She said simply.

It took an entire five hours for Youko and Kuronue to return. It turned out to be very productive, and Youko even managed to steal some wonderful presents for Kagome. He wondered what she'd say, when he gave them to her, would she be angry because they were stolen? Would she love them none the less? He looked over to Kuronue, who was putting a small gold tail ring in his hair, having golden tail clips on his wings just didn't seem to be enough for him. He grinned and looked down at his braided hair at the tail ring that was set at the end.

Youko walked over to Kagome, who was playing with Shippo in a river close to camp, while Kuronue showed off his golden accessories in camp. Youko watched them for a moment. They were so happy together, splashing around and probebly scaring the poor fish to death. When Kagome ran out of energy she and Shippo decided it was time to dry themselves, dress, and get to camp. Kagome, hiding behind a bush as she changed, kept muttering about how she'd have to sleep for another hour before she could do anything else. Shippo, dressing right at the river side, laughed and grinned.

"Youko-sama would be upset if you were sleeping without him, I think!" Shippo said, snickering. Kagome threw a shoe at the kit.

"Yeah right. He is pretty possessive though, he'd get annoyed if I used Sesshoumaru-san for warmth, probebly." She giggled out and Youko jumped down from his tree.

"You will NOT use that stuck up, over confident inu for warmth!" Youko said and made a fake pout. "And here I thought you liked me better, I even brought you some gifts, but seeing as you like the inu so much..."

"Hey~~! That's not nice, Youko-kun!" She said, pouting too as she put up her hair. She walked out from behind the bush. "You laugh and I kill you, Youko-kun." She snarled, annoyed that the only clean clothes she had left was her miko garbs. Of course she had to have them altered, not liking being compared to Kikyo. The pants were a dark blue, and clung to her hips more than normal miko garbs. Down either leg was silver designs, ending in foxes down at her ankles, most likely representing Shippo. Her shirt was long, about to her thighs, and black, a belt around the waist made the shirt more form fitting. The shirt was cut open from upper hip down on either side, silver decorations sewn all around the edges. The sleeves were like Sesshoumaru's own sleeves, only hers had the silver decorations that curled and flowed around the edges seemingly like wind, and like her pants there were foxes placed here and there.

Youko smirked and walked up to her, cupping her cheek in one hand. "That does look good on you, koi." Youko purred out before putting a silver chain about her neck. The chain, thin and delicately done, held a blue jewel in which Youko had carved a fox into with his very own claws. "So you won't forget." He said, and Shippo bounced up and down at his side.

"Did'ya get somethin' for me too?!" Shippo asked and Youko pulled out a wooden top with gold designs on it.

"Thought you could use a new one, your current top looks pretty old." Youko said and Shippo nodded.

"Otousan gave it to me." He said and Youko's eyes narrowed. Who was his 'Otousan'? "Otousan died a little while before Okaasan and InuYasha found me, they helped me. Okaasan told me I should take care of everything that Otousan gave me, so I'll always remember him." Shippo explained and Youko nodded.

"Well, kit, find a place where you can always return to, and hide all your things there. Keep me informed of the place and I'll protect your things and make sure you hide them good." Youko said and Kagome suddenly latched herself to his waist, surprising him enough to make him jump.

"You'll be a good father for Shippo-chan." She murmured and smiled. She then let go and giggled. "By the way, who did you steal these from, I hope they didn't need these."

"Nah, too rich to notice these things are gone." Youko said and Kagome grinned. "Ah, so you're the original Robin Hood."

"Who?" Youko asked, scratching the back of his head, and Shippo laughed.

"He's a guy from a fairy tale! He steals from the rich and protects the poor!" He said and Youko grinned, pulling Kagome back to him.

"Would you like me to help the poor, koi? Would you like me to be you're Robin Hood?" He asked and Kagome poked him in the chest, giggling.

"I'd like you to protect everyone, from evils that may come, thanks. You can steal, but stealing from the rich wont do much harm, ne?" She said and sighed. "You mussed up my hair!" She cried and grabbed a brush, taking out the hairband. She brushed her hair then put it up in a high ponytail. "We should get back to camp." Kagome said, turning her back to Youko, who grasped her arm.

"I have one more gift to give you, koi*." He said and pulled out another thin chain, a small sapphire hanging from it with two smaller diamonds on either side. He placed it on her head, gently situating it so the sapphire sat on her forehead. "I saw this and decided it would look wonderful on you." He purred out and Kagome smiled. Shippo blinked, hopping to her shoulder and touching the sapphire.

"Ne, Okaasan, you look like a princess!" Shippo said and Kagome giggled. "Like princesses from your stories, 'Kaasan!" He announced and Youko let his hands run down her sides, stopping at her hips.

"She's our princess, isn't she Shippo-chan?" Youko murmured and Kagome flushed.

"Yeah! Miko* Princess Kagome! Once a normal girl, then a priestess, then a princess!" Shippo said and Kagome flushed more.

"Stop it you two, I think I'm going to explode if I blush anymore!" Kagome said and Shippo shook his head.

"You blushed alot more when InuYasha was drunk that one time and..." Shippo cut it off with a mischeivious grin. Kagome was flushed from head to two, it seemed.

"That was because I liked him back then! Oh god..." She murmured, her hands coming to her cheeks. "Shippo you're mean to your Okaasan!" She whined and Youko raised an eyebrow.

"Liked the hanyou? What happened?" He asked, murring. The hanyou was probebly naked or something.

"InuYasha came into our hut naked and pounced on 'Kaasan*, talking about mating Kikyou..." Shippo said and Kagome nodded.

"He thought I was Kikyou, though he didn't say so at first. Just that he wanted to have me as his mate and such. Shippo-chan bit him to get him off me and Inu-kun had yelled that Shippo-chan could never keep him from Kikyou. I screamed. Sango-chan came, and drug him away with Kirara's help." Kagome said, a bit quietly. Shippo nuzzled her. "It's not that I like him like that anymore, its just...it's always Kikyou. Everyone always sees Kikyou in me, not Kagome."

With that she started walking towards the camp. Youko caught up and licked at his courting mark. "I don't see why they don't see you as you, koi, you are much more pleasant to be around and much more beautiful..." He purred in her ear and Kagome chuckled.

"I don't know about the beautiful part, but I know the rest to be true. However, as soon as Naraku's gone InuYasha will go with Kikyou, he loves her after all. I don't know if I'd die for some cheap replica of my love, but I'd die for the real one. I'd do everything in my power to protect him, even if I had to go to Naraku again, I would." She said and leaned against him slightly as they walked.

A resounding slap echoed as they walked closer to camp.

"HENTAI* HOUSH*I!!!" Sango's voice screeched. When they entered the camp they saw the expected. Miroku on the ground with lumps on his head and a red handprint on his face, and a fuming Sango. Kuronue looked over to the couple and their kit.

"I don't see what the poor guy did wrong...he just wanted to touch the girl..." Kuronue said and Kagome laughed.

"You're friend is a Hentai Okinawa*!" She said to Youko and both males raised an eyebrow.

"I'm NOT a fruit bat, thanks! I'm proud to say I'm a carnivor." The Koumori* said and Kagome laughed.

"You're an Okinawa cuz I say so, Okinawa." She said and Kuronue crossed his arms over his chest.

"Seriously, Youko, you're mate is strange, calling me a fruit bat." Kuronue said and Sesshoumaru growled.

"NOT his mate." Sesshoumaru said and InuYasha snickered.

"Face it, Aniue*, Youko's getting Kagome-chan, and you aren't!" InuYasha laughed out only to have to dodge some claws. "Kagome! Get your stupid ass over here and calm him down!"

Kagome ran over to Sesshoumaru and scowled at him. "What do you think you're doing attacking InuYasha like that?! He's my friend!" She snapped and Sesshoumaru growled. Then she promptly turned her back to him yelling at InuYasha for calling her stupid.

"This Sesshoumaru does as he pleases, bitch!" He snapped back.

"Oh, yeah, right you're the damned egotistical inu from the west. BAKA!! You have no idea how to get me to like you more, do you?! Look at Youko-kun, he spends time with me and talks to me! He even promised to take care of Shippo-chan! AND he calls me my rightful name! KA-GO-ME!! YOU, however, offer nothing but the god damned Western Lands and Rin! RIN is the only reason I am letting you have a chance, baka no inu*! You don't even say my name, like it's below you to do so! Well, listen here Mr. high-and-mighty-shit-for-brains! If I'm anyone's mate I will stand equal to them! I will know them and they will know me! KINDNESS AND AFFECTION is what I want in a mate, not god damned disrespect!" She said and Sesshoumaru growled louder.

"If you hate this Sesshoumaru so much then why don't you just refuse my courtship and get it over with!" Sesshoumaru snarled and Kagome's eyes softened. She walked up to him and placed her hands on his cheeks, bringing him down and touching her forehead to his. She smiled softly.

"I don't hate you, Sesshou-kun. It's just that...you just jumped in saying I'd be your mate and all this, you spent no time getting to know me at all." She said and turned her back to him, walking back to Youko and Shippo. Sesshoumaru grabbed her by the wrist.

"Then we will make up for lost time, Kagome." Sesshoumaru said and pulled her away from camp. Youko growled but did nothing, Sesshoumaru had a courting mark on her too after all, it was within his rights to spend time with Kagome.

Sesshoumaru sat at the base of a tree and pulled her into his lap. "What is it you want from me, Kagome-san?" He asked and Kagome sighed, leaning her head on his mokomoko-sama*.

"Is a little kindness and affection so hard for you? I want someone who can love me, Sesshou-kun, not just use me because I'm some pure little thing that attracts all male Youkai for some reason..." She said and Sesshoumaru set his chin on the top of her head. He wrapped his arms around her, sighing.

"This Sesshoumaru does not...know how." He said and Kagome smiled.

"Watch how Youko treats me. He holds me and makes me laugh, and in turn I do the same thing. Thats affection. Kindness is something you'll have to figure out for yourself, because theres all different kinds of kindness. Kindness is something that should grow, just like your body. As a baby its like we have none. We want food, we want hugs. We're greedy to start. Then, as you get older, you see the kindness around you and learn from that. Since you're a lord and all you probebly didn't see much, just servants and stuff like that. You should watch when we go into villages. Watch how some people show their kindness, even if it's the smallest amount, the smallest guestures can mean something much more. Like my friend Hojo back at home, he gives me things for when I'm sick. It doesnt matter that I don't like him the way he likes me, he still shows his kindness and affection through those gifts. Kouga shows it by bringing me flowers and showing up just to talk to me." She said and smiled up at Sesshoumaru. "Its the same way to get friends, but if you love someone you show more affection towards them, hold them higher than your friends. I can't say I've ever had TRUE love, but I know I like you. I like Youko too. I liked InuYasha for a while, and for a few days maybe I liked Kouga. There are varying degrees of love, and many ways to show it."

Sesshoumaru absorbed this all like a sponge and nodded.

"See, right now, you are showing me kindness and affection by listening and taking me seriously instead of doing things your own way like you usually would." She said and Sesshoumaru grunted. She giggled. "Let's go back to camp. Next time, when me, Youko, and Shippo go to bathe, you should come too. After I get you some swimming trunks that is. I'd rather not see any guy naked just yet, thanks, not after that time you got InuYasha drunk. That wasn't nice you know, he came back and tried to mate me thinking I was Kikyou." She said, pouting. Sesshoumaru scowled and Kagome laughed, pulling away from him and walking back to camp. Sesshoumaru followed, thinking about how to go about this courting buisness.

As soon as Kagome returned to camp she was roughly jerked aside by InuYasha. His eyes were slightly tinged with red and he had his teeth bared. "We've gotta talk." He said and practically drug her into the forest. Youko and Sesshoumaru looked at each other a moment before following, masking their scents and auras. InuYasha shoved Kagome against a tree and growled.

"What the hell do you think you're doing messing with that stupid fox and my brother, HUH?! No one'd like a stupid wench like you so why are you even trying?! You have them under a spell, don't you!?" He snarled, and Kagome immediately knew it wasn't InuYasha.

"InuYasha, InuYasha! Snap out of it! Stop it! You're hurting me!" She said as his nails dug into her arms. Youko and Sesshoumaru were quick to react, both attacking InuYasha with their whips. Kagome slumped to the ground as InuYasha jumped away.

"She's carrying a stolen soul! KIKYOU'S SOUL!!" He screamed and lunged for her, only to be caught by vines that suddenly lashed out toward him from the trees. Youko and Sesshoumaru hovered on either side of Kagome.

"That's not InuYasha! Something's making him act different!" Kagome said, getting up and running to InuYasha. Youko stopped her just before she stepped into InuYasha's reach. "Stop it! Let me go! I have to help him!" Kagome cried out and Youko pulleed her against him, turning her face away from the hanyou.

InuYasha was now foaming at the mouth, growling at them all. He would kill them! His Kikyou needed her soul! She called out to him in pain! InuYasha roared, trying despreratly to free himself of the vines, only to be thrown back against a tree and tied there. He could hear her voice...She called to him...

InuYasha...I want my soul back...It hurts...Please koibito...

InuYasha snarled and, with a new found strength, broke the vines that held him captive. Sesshoumaru growled as he saw the corpse's mating mark glowing a sick color of purple. The color of Naraku's miasma*. So that was it... Sesshoumaru lunged and took the mating mark clean off InuYasha's shoulder, tearing off a chunk of flesh. Youko, knowing Kagome would panic, sprayed her lightly with sleeping powder. She slumped over in his arms and they made their way back to camp.

"We leave NOW." Sesshoumaru announced. Soon everything was situated. Kitaji carried Rin and Kagome, his blue flames keeping them safe from harm; Sango and Miroku rode on Kirara; AhUn had InuYasha tied to his back, gagged to prevent unwanted ranting; Youko carried Shippo; Sesshoumaru carried Kagome's now about empty bag. They headed for Edo, so Kagome could return to the well.

Slowly InuYasha returned to normal, relieving Kagome on that matter. He seemed to be out of the spell's territory, or whatever, they'd have to be prepared for it later on. InuYasha was eventually unbound, a light verbal sparing session went on between him, Youko, and Sesshoumaru before Kagome lashed her whip out at his feet, causing him to fall over.

She smiled. "Sit." She said, giggling.

It took a full ten hours to reach the well. Kagome sat on the edge of the well and smiled. "I want you all to come with me, I want you all to see what my home is like." She said simply and Shippo jumped into her arms, almost causing her to fall backwards.

"Okaasan, you know that we can't pass through the well like you and InuYasha." Shippo said and Kagome smiled.

"Let me see if you can while you're holding on to me, ok? Get under my shirt. Hold on tight. I dont want to lose you in a time portal, who knows where you'd end up you little scamp." She said and Shippo laughed doing as she asked. She smiled at the others. "If this works I'm bringing you over one by one. I'll tell Shippo the rules and he'll tell you when we get there."

With that she jumped into the well.

Explanations

baka no inu- Dumb dog
Aniue-older brother
mokomoko-samma- His tail thingy
Hentai- pervert
Houshi- monk
Okinawa- fruit bat
'Kaasan- just a shortened version of Okaasan, can mean mama or mom
koi- love
miasma- poison

Things to Ponder

Why is Kuronue here all of a sudden? Why is Kagome's capture so important? What happened to InuYasha, exactly? Was it really a spell? A curse? Maybe even his true personality showing through? Will they get through the well? Can Youko even EXIST in the future when his soul is already there? Why is Sesshoumaru letting Kagome 'boss' him around?