The Strongest, My Only

Disclaimer – I can’t own Inuyasha because I didn’t create him, but I do own Shikiba.

Thoughts – Sorry to keep you all waiting for this story…I had a lot of issues with my other fanfictions so this one kind of came in last…sorry. But here it is finally! Sorry if it’s too short….I didn’t have much time.

Translations- Juubun: Enough, Satisfactory, Sufficient


Chapter 3: Finding Peace

Meteors are like the soul...they sparkle brightly until they are out of sight.

~alakeshadow 8/10/06

“Kagome!”

“Shippo-chan!”

A teenage kitsune ran to her but Inuyasha refused to release her from his arms. He held her bridal style much to her utter chagrin and would not release her weak form.
Giving up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder, her hair falling almost to the ground if not for Inuyasha’s hand folding a thick clump of it in the arm cradling her shoulders.

“Shippo, juubun!” The hanyou growled as the fox tried to make her open her eyes again, thinking she might be dead instead of merely asleep. Hearing the menacing tone in his voice, he backed off and instead went to Miroku and Sango, Kirara trailing behind them, her creamy furred head down, her shoulders seeming to slump.

“Kagome, child!” Kaeda cried out as she saw the limp Kagome in the hanyou’s arms.

*****

“Kaeda, it’s over.” Inuyasha said quietly later that night as they all ate a dinner comprised of fried fish and sticky white rice. All, that was, except Kagome who lay asleep next to a protective Inuyasha. She had been severely injured, with a gaping hold in her side, and various deep cuts and bruises all over her entire body along with a chunk of her shoulder held on only by a few inches of skin.

Kaeda answered with a slow nod of understanding and Inuyasha grinned.

“It’s unbelievable!” He said, his voice becoming livelier, as if his words made it final and his companions smiled themselves. Even in her sleep, as if sensing his happiness, Kagome also smiled and snuggled closer in on herself, the finishing arrow held tightly to her breast.

“We should celebrate!” Miroku said suddenly but cowered away at Sango’s glare.

“We are not going to do a thing until Kagome-chan is better. And that’s final.” Shippo nodded and crossed his arms over his chest in agreement at Miroku who smiled sadly in defeat.

“Inuyasha, what are we to do with the child? Will ye keep her here? The lass cannot go back home…” The old woman said softly. Inuyasha’s eyes lowered to the ground and he pulled a clawed hand though his silver hair.

“We have no choice…not that there is another one-” He amended quickly at a chilling look from Sango.

“You make it sound so horrible to have her stay here with us!” Sango said angrily as she hacked her fish into tiny pieces. Miroku inched slightly away from her in fear but stopped when her arm reached out and put him back into his place next to her.

“Sango my love, you know that he is uncertain about this, because of Kikyo-” Inuyasha stiffened at the name.

“It’s not about her…” He said, his dog ears flattening against his head. His eyes hardened. Sango and the monk shared a glance, as did Shippo and Kaeda. Inuyahsa looked at them all in annoyance.

“Naraku killed her, remember? I just don’t think Kagome will let me stay with her…she resents the fact that it was my fault the well was stopped…” Inuyasha said, turning his face away to look at the shadows flickering over the makeshift straw door. Kaeda hushed him.

In her spot by the wall, Kagome groggily opened an eye to look at them, and began to listen, to tired and weak to speak herself.

“T’was no fault of yours Inuyasha, and don’t ye dare think it! Naraku is dead…we must live with the fact that with his passing, is also the duty of watching Kagome. The girl is dear to us all…we must watch her lest she become lost. We all should remember that as it was us who have always protected the lass.” They all nodded there heads at the old priestess’s words. Shippo pushed his rice away in disgust but surprisingly, Inuyasha did not reach out to take it.

Kagome’s one eye widened in surprise and she felt an emotional stab of pain whisper through her at the elder woman’s words. Was she truly such a bother? She had taken care of herself at times…right? She listened on.

“What do I do…what can I do to make her happy?” His words were a whisper within the hut, and the other occupants remained quiet until the monk finally spoke, minutes later.

“You know, but you refuse to realize it.” Miroku said equally as quiet. Sango put a hand to his arm to quiet him.

“Could you reverse it…or do you want to make her your own?” Blushing, Inuyasha shook his head violently and looked over his shoulder at the ‘sleeping’ girl whose eye had closed as he looked around.

“I-it’s not that either…I just…I just can’t do it. But I can’t let myself make her into my own either…we would not be happy. I should know, considering al the stupid things I did to push her away from me…” He said bitterly as he tossed his half eaten food into the fire, bowl and all. Kaeda bit back a word to the hanyou for the waste of food and pottery, but instead stood to check on Kagome’s bandages.

Her eye remained closed this time but her brows knit together. There was a way to open the well again? So why wasn’t Inuyasha looking for it?

“She will not recover for months…the poor dear, she has been nearly torn apart…and yet her frail form somehow managed to survive it all.” Inuyasha’s ears flattened clean against his head and with a growl, stood and exited the hut. Sango and Miroku shared another glance and then looked back sadly at their fallen miko.

“She looks so feeble…so flimsy like she could just blow away if the wind touched her.” Shippo said softly as he watched the said girl’s somewhat labored breathing. Miroku touched him on the shoulder.

“She is like the butterfly Shippo…though many winds blow against her, she will eventually reach her destination.” Sango nodded in agreement and stood herself.

“I cannot stay here in this gloomy atmosphere. Kagome-chan will come back to us soon. Until then we must wait, and I am going to wait by going to train…would anyone like to come with me?” Sango eyes him suspiciously as she flipped her loose hair over her shoulder.

Miroku gave her a lecherous look.

“If I win, can I make you do whatever I want?” Sango rolled her eyes and stepped through the doorway.

“What do you think, you pervert?” She asked with a scowl over her shoulder.

Grinning, Miroku winked at Shippo and Kaeda, and quickly followed after her. And this time it was Kaeda who rolled her eyes.

“Shippo dear…”

“I’m already on it.” The fox child said with an agitated sigh, as he strode after them. The remaining old woman sighed and gently stroked Kagome’s cheek.

“Oh Kagome, child…it will take you many weeks to regain even your strength…you are a human after all...” Gently checking her bandages, the old woman stood after she was finished and went out to her garden to pick more herbs. Kagome’s eye opened once she was gone and a lone tear leaked down her cheek.

‘They think I’m weak…?’


*****


‘Don’t ignore me…I want an answer.’

‘Sesshomaru, if you do not desist this instant, I will-’

‘You tricked me, Shikiba!’ Sesshomaru interjected rudely.

‘Gah! Spoiled brat! Do not take your temper out on me because of your misfortune!’

‘It’s a little bit more then just a misfortune, Shikiba…’

‘Yes…more like ironicy!’

Sesshomaru stopped dead and glanced around him, glaring at a small squirrel as it flew past him to scamper up a tree.

‘You test me…and my patience!’

‘I test only your mind. Because your mind ‘is’ a test…a constant whirling mass of things that after all these years you still have yet to organize…’

‘You have no right to question me or my mind.’

“Question? What question? I told you to meet that girl and you still haven’t!’

‘I wont.’

‘Wont or can’t?’ He flicked his poison whip in agitation, scoring a young tree with its corrosive acid.

‘She may have a strong mind, but she is a human-’

‘Why are you complaining about this? Fine! She’s human, she’ll DIE. Isn’t that what you want? Besides…who said that hanyou’s cannot be changed into demons? Your children could be converted…if they were strong enough which I am very sure they would be.’ Sesshomaru quirked one of his eyes up in amusement.

‘I refuse to bed her…again.’

‘Dreams do not count Sesshomaru…’

‘Thank all the gods for that.’ His eyes looked up at the cloudless night and began to walk once more.

‘Sesshomaru, are you honest with yourself?’ He flicked his whip causing another tree to crash before he recalled it back within himself.

‘Yes.’

‘What do you feel for her?’

‘Annoyance…and pity.’

‘Why?’

‘For being human.’ He began clearing a hill and looked out over the small village he knew the girl resided at.

‘How do you figure?’

‘It would be less repulsive to know I bedded a demon wench within my mind then a human one-’

“Tell me Sesshomaru-were her hands still soft? Her hair still real? Her core still hot? Demon or human the two species are the same, with the light either on or off. Your memories of that past love hinder you from what you need to accept.’

‘Shikiba, she is not ‘worthy’ of such as me, let alone-’

‘Ha! Worthy? You speak of worth and yet you can’t see her own. I fear now that it is ‘I’ who pity ‘you’!’

‘We are done here.’ He thought with a growl as his eyes flashed in anger.

‘You think.’

‘I never think. I know.’

‘Yet you do think of her? Still…dream of her I take it? Or are you still honest with yourself?’ His eyes narrowed and with an electric snap, he closed his mind to the sorceress.

‘I will not kill her. Nor will I use her against my brother…but I refuse to lower myself to copulate with the girl…’

“Sesshomaru, I think you just earned your ticket to the sideshow called Hell!”

His eyes flicked to the right, narrowly dodging his attacker. He felt a sharp edge slice his chin and frowned disapprovingly as his half brother came into view.

“Half-breed. I was just leaving.”

“I know Sesshomaru! I know why you’re here!” Inuyasha said wish a growl as he launched himself at his brother again. Not bothering even to draw his own sword, he neatly leapt to the side once more.

“You can’t possibly, because I have no reason.”

‘So much for being honest with yourself…’ He heard Shikiba’s voice whisper and then finally disappear. He lifted an eyebrow at it and lightly touched down on the ground a few feet away form him brother.

“You want Tetsusaiga, I know it! Conniving bastard, I am so going to finish you off now for sure!” He said with a snarl as he clutched his sword tighter.

“I want that sword as much as I want your company, Inuyasha.” Sesshomaru said snidely as he jumped into a nearby tree branch. The said person glared at him.

“Yea well-I don’t think you’re worth killing anyway!” Inuyasha said, putting his sword back in its scabbard. Sesshomaru only turned around in answer, as he disappeared back into the forest.

“As if you could.”


*****


*He was with her again…and it was the same as usual only he somehow seemed distracted. She wanted to call out his name to get his attention back but couldn’t make her voice make a sound as he kissed her, his hand pushing gently against her breast.

It was always like this…but she felt herself somewhat conscious as he did the things he did to her. It was strange. Moaning, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth somewhat gently against his. His golden eyes looked down at her as she opened her eyes, his bare chest melding against her breasts.

“Why is this happening…?” The words surprised her and she tilted her head back to look at him. His golden eyes stared back and he kissed her again, his hand gliding down to splay across her hip.

“Why are you human?” She felt his nails slide teasingly against her inner thigh and then drag across her stomach to once again grasp her breast. She tried to speak still but couldn’t, her eyes widening as his eyes closed and he suckled gently against her neck.

“Why…all whys and no answers, Kagome.” Her eyes widened in horror even as she tilted her head back as he gently bit her throat. He moved down to kiss her collarbone, one of his legs pining one of hers down.

“How…” She said with surprise as she finally found herself able to speak. His mouth slackened almost in sadness as he brushed his tongue across her skin and she arched her back, her fingers tangling in his hair.

“I just know.”

“I disappoint you…” She whispered again, the thought coming unbidden. He leaned up over her on his one arm and looked sadly down at her. Unable to hold it, she looked away from it and to her surprise, saw him lean back onto his knees.

“Yes. But something forces this…I know this is not an illusion.” He leaned down again and took her breast into her mouth then and she gasped, her hands tangling in his hair once again. He didn’t speak after that, and the dream went on as it always had, becoming more and more rough and intense, until finally, just before penetration, her eyes snapped open and she looked around in the darkness, her mouth panting as her uninjured hand clutched at the sleeping mat. Desperately, she tried to calm her breathing, and looking over only to look directly into Inuyasha’s face, looking moodily at her. Her hot eyes glanced away in shame at it and she knew then that he had finally found her out.

“Why…?” He asked softly but she didn’t answer. She knew guilt was in her eyes…in her entire body but suddenly then it did not seem as terrible as she had believed, once a long time ago. Inuyasha could not cross her now…she was not a little schoolgirl as she had been when they had met.

“Because my mind wanted it.” She felt her over sensitized body begin to calm and tried to sit up before she remembered that she in a two words, could not. Clenching her eyes shut in pain, she fell back and stared up at the ceiling. Inuyasha shifted from beside her.

“Why…for what ‘you’ did…?” She asked clutching with her good arm at the place where the jewel had once laid. This time it was he who looked away, his golden eyes so much like Sesshomaru’s, dimming in the single candle light.

“I wanted to protect you…but then when…when I dropped it down the well I realized…Kagome, I’m sorry.” Her sad eyes gave him a cheerless stare.

“I wouldn’t have ever left you, you know. I wanted to stay…but my family deserved a goodbye.” She turned her face away from his.

“They’ll never know now, Inuyasha.” He nodded slightly.

“I know.” He waited until she looked at him again.

“I don’t want you to forgive me…not now that you are in pain.”

“I will always be in pain Inuyasha…you cannot erase it all…you know that.” She smiled slightly as he gently stood and lifted her into his arms.

“Can I show you something wonderful?” He asked softly as she used her good arm to clutch his haori tightly. She tilted her head up to look at him and nodded slightly. And then he was walking from the hut into the dark night.

Bounding forward into the forest, he went until he found the God Tree and then lightly leapt into its branches until he reached the very top. Her eyes which had closed tightly while he was moving from both pain and fear of the fast movement in the dark, now opened when she felt him stop.

“Look up.” He said grinning down at her. And when she did, she gasped.

She was looking at a meteor shower, the sparks of light streaking across the sky like rampaging fireflies. He held her closely as they watched them and she smiled as she closed her eyes to make a wish.

‘I wish I could be the strongest…then I could be able to take care of myself…and show the others that I can survive.’ And above her, another meteor shot by and she smiled.


Thoughts – Well, today is my last night before I leave for Texas (I’ll be gone until the 18th, so…) and I wanted to get one more chapter in before I left as I have to get up at six am to catch a coach bus to Boston… Also, I wanted to have a twist to this story, with Inuyasha being the reason for why she’d trapped…just to make it more interesting. Something new for you all to chew on, I guess…