Convergence

A/N: There is a tiny bit of NC contact, in the form of groping, but not rape

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When afternoon turned to evening Kagome approached him. “I need to go get some things and talk to mama.” she told him. “I’ll be back in about an hour.”

“You don’t want me to come?” he asked.

“I won’t be long and besides I’m hungry and it’s your job to catch dinner.” she told him.

What could he say to that? It was his job to get food for his mate. “If you take too long, I’m coming to get you.” he said.

He watched her go through the well and felt a sudden sense of loss. What if the well were to close and I can’t get to her? Don’t think that baka, not even for a second. She’ll be back and you’ll need something for her to eat.

InuYasha returned to the well to go after Kagome, while Sango cooked dinner. He was about to jump in when Kagome’s scent reached him. She was back. She looked up at him. “Are you going to help me out, or just stand there staring at me?” she asked. She tossed her bag up to him and when she was in reach, he pulled her out.

They joined the others around the fire. Kagome wished InuYasha would sit beside her, but she had to settle stroking Shippou as he sat in her lap. InuYasha narrowed his eyes at the kit, but said nothing.

“I think I’ll go to the spring for a while.” Kagome said.

“I ‘ll come with you.” Sango offered.

“If it’s all right with you I’d like to go alone.” Kagome said. “I need some time to relax and think.”

“Of course.” Sango told her.

Kagome winked at InuYasha as she walked past. She got what she would need for her bath and headed for the springs. A few minutes later InuYasha got up. He hoped her wink had meant what he thought it did.

“Where are you going?” Miroku asked.

“Some one has to be close by in case that baka wench gets in trouble.” InuYasha replied.

“Perhaps, I should come with you?” Miroku asked.

“Don’t even think about it hentai.” InuYasha growled. “I’m not going to peek at her and neither are you.”

Kagome was standing by the springs waiting. She hoped he had understood and would come. She felt two arms snake around her waist from behind. “About time you got here.” she said.

Sango knew something was going on. She got up and started for the spring. “Sango, where are you going?” Miroku asked.

“To see what is going on with those two.” she replied.

Shippou jumped in front of them. “I don’t think you should. InuYasha will be really mad and so will Kagome.” he said.

“What do you know?” Sango asked.

“I can’t tell you.” Shippou replied.

Sango looked at Miroku. “Are you coming?” she asked. He nodded and followed her. They stopped when they saw what was going on in the spring.

Both Kagome and InuYasha were in the water smiling. She splashed him and he grabbed her pulling her close. “You’ll pay for that wench.” he said. She started to protest and he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss ended but he didn’t release her. Kagome must have done something he liked because InuYasha growled and began kissing her neck. “Oi wench I can’t give you pups again.” he teased.

“So you don’t want to then.” she pouted.

“I didn’t say that.” he growled.

“Pups?” Sango gasped, before slapping a hand to her mouth, but it was too late. InuYasha had heard her.

Kagome heard his growl change as he pushed her behind him. “What?” she asked.

“I’ll kill them.” he said.

“Who?” she asked.

“The monk and Sango were spying on us.” he told her and he moved to get out.

She grabbed his arm. “Were?” she asked. “Are they gone?” He nodded. “Then why not finish what we started. You can yell at them after. Unless you don’t want to?”

He turned and grabbed her. The wench made a good point. “You know better than that.” he replied.

They got dressed and went back to the village. He was set to start in on the two perverts, but Kagome beat him to it. “So do you want to tell me why you were spying on us?” she asked.

“I wanted to find out what was going on and I was right.” Sango said.

“What you are telling me is that instead of asking me, you chose to spy on what you thought would be a private moment between InuYasha and I?” Kagome asked. InuYasha could sense her barely controlled anger and he was glad that for once it wasn’t directed at him. He decided to let her handle it.

“When you put it that way, it sounds so wrong.” Sango said.

“It was wrong. We’re friends, you should have asked.” Kagome told her. “How long were you going to watch if InuYasha hadn’t heard you? I expect this kind of thing from Miroku, but not from you.”

“I was worried about you.” Sango offered. “Male youkai have abilities that you don’t know about. He has the power to subdue you with his youki and make you agree to do things with him.”

“Are you saying you think InuYasha would force himself on me?” Kagome asked. Her tone was dangerous. Shippou jumped onto InuYasha’s shoulders slightly frightened of Kagome. InuYasha found himself a little frightened as well, so he let the kit stay.

“Not intentionally, but if he wanted you bad enough, he might not be able to control it.” Sango said. “I just don’t want to see you hurt by him again if he runs off to Kikyou. You have been like a sister to me and it hurts me to see you upset. Are you really pregnant?”

“Yes I am.” Kagome told her.

Sango looked at InuYasha. “You know how dangerous that will be for her as long as she is unmarked.” Sango said. “Why did you let it happen?”

“It wasn’t just him.” Kagome told her.

InuYasha stepped forward at last. He drew Tetsusaiga. “Do you want to know why my sword glows like this?” he said quietly. He didn’t wait for a response for continuing. “I’m surprised you haven’t guessed yet exterminator. It radiates a miko’s energy because it now holds a miko’s energy.”

“But that would mean that you chose Kagome as your mate.” Sango said.

“Do you think so little of me Sango, that I would spoil Kagome to sate my desires and then choose another, like some kind of animal?” he asked. He sheathed his sword and waited for an answer.

“I always assumed that if you finally made your choice you would tell us.” she said. “We have all watched you go back and fourth between Kagome and Kikyou.”

“Now you know.” he said and walked away.

“Sango, do you think I‘d just sleep with someone?” Kagome asked. Sango shook her head. “If he had done something I didn’t want all I would have to do is subdue him.”

“I never thought about that.” she said. “I’m sorry.”

“It isn’t me who you should apologize to.” Kagome told her. “I’d give him time to cool off first though.” Kagome left to go to InuYasha.

She looked to Miroku. “What is wrong with me?” she asked with tears in her eyes. “Why didn’t they tell us?”

He put his arms around her. “Why have you not told them about Kohaku?” he asked.

“I’m not ready.” she replied.

“Perhaps neither were they.” he suggested.

“Inuyasha.” Kagome called up into the Goshinboku. “Would you like some company?”

Once she was in her arms, she let herself cry into his chest. After a few minutes she looked up and was sure that he had been crying to, but his cheeks were dry. He wiped the tears from her face. “Why are you crying?” he asked.

“Because I know what she said hurt you.” Kagome replied. “You were expecting it, just not from her.”

“I’m fine baka, just don’t cry anymore.” he told her.

“InuYasha don’t push me away. I love you.” she said.

He pulled her head against his chest. “Stay with me?”

“You won’t let me fall?” She asked.

“You know better than that wench.” he replied.

“And you know you didn’t even have to ask if I would stay.” she said.

“Keh.” he grunted. “No more talking.”

She rested against him and sighed softly as he gently ran his claws through her hair. Slowly she drifted off to sleep. The next morning she woke to find herself safely wrapped in InuYasha’s arms. She wished they could stay like this forever, but she needed to get down. As if he had read her mind, he jumped down.

“Sango is coming.” he said.

“Just listen to her, for me.” Kagome whispered.

Sango tentatively approached. “InuYasha, I’m sorry.” she said. “I should have thought more about who you are, not what you are. I know it isn’t an excuse, but I hope someday you can accept my apology. I have just been so sad lately since...” she trailed off.

“Since what?” Kagome asked gently.

“Men came while you two were gone. Kohaku was killed by a demon after his shard.” she broke down into tears. “Now I’ve made it worse. I managed to take it out on the only family I have left.”

“Keh.” InuYasha said. “I’ll get over it.”

Kagome looked up at him from the ground, where she was consoling Sango. The smile she gave him took away the last of his resentment at what Sango had said. He had said plenty of things he didn’t mean and they had always forgiven him. She didn’t deserve any less. Without Sango the number of friends he had throughout his entire life dropped from three back down to two.

Once Sango had calmed down they walked back to the village for breakfast and after Kagome resumed her training. InuYasha however went to find Miroku.

“Oi monk.” he called. “You are going to help me with something, for spying on us last night.”

“What might that be InuYasha?” he asked.

“Kagome needs a house.” he told the monk.

“Ah InuYasha, are you sure you require my assistance?” Miroku asked.

“Don’t try to get out of it. If you ever quit being a lecher and marry Sango, who are you going to ask for help?” InuYasha said. “We’re starting now, while Kagome is training since we don’t have anything better to do. Let’s go bouzo.”

The first couple of days of training were spent meditating for hours, trying to block out everything. When at last Kagome failed to notice InuYasha had come to see her, even after he kissed her softly on the lips, she was ready to move on to the next stage. Kaede warned her that it was going to be tiring and physically more demanding. She had to build up her strength and tolerance of pain. Creating a barrier could be tiring and she needed to be able to get past her physical body. InuYasha had to be sent away during her training because he didn’t like what she was having to do.

Each day after training she took a bath in the springs to ease her tired muscles. She had been at it a week and Kaede said she was almost ready to try making a barrier. She had stayed a little longer in the water, since she and Kaede had finished earlier. She got out and headed for her clothes when she felt the presence of a youkai behind her. She secured the towel around her, and hoped it would be all right. She placed her hope in the fact that InuYasha had never failed to know when she needed him.

She turned, trying to show no fear. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or frightened by the demon before her. “Sesshomaru, what do you want?” she asked.

“I came to see if it was true.” he said. “I can see know that my baka brother has indeed taken a mate.”

“Is that all?’ she asked.

“So how does it feel to be but a vessel for my brothers seed, since the one he truly desires is dead and cannot bring forth life.” Sesshomaru said.

“He loves me.” she stated simply.

“I did not hear him professing his love for you when I saw him this morning with the dead one, having her as her gatherers hovered overhead.” he told her.

“You lie.” she said, trying not to let her own doubts seep into her voice. It would not be good to show doubt or weakness to Sesshomaru. “Maybe you are simply jealous.”

“This Sesshomaru jealous. Of what?” he asked. He had to admire the girls courage. He could detect her fear, but it was faint and she hid it well.

“That InuYasha is more like your father than you could ever be.” she said.

Sesshomaru grabbed her by the throat and help her against a tree. She struggled and her fear was now plain. “Do not speak of things you know nothing about human.” he growled.

“Get you hands off me.” she said.

Even now when I could kill her without even trying, she refuses to give into her fear. She opened her mouth, to no doubt call InuYasha. “Don’t or you will be dead before you finish his name.” Sesshomaru warned. She struggled to free herself, and in the process her towel slipped free. Sesshomaru looked at her with amusement in his eyes. Then he took in her body, because he could and because he knew it would increase her fear. “I must credit InuYasha in this. He certainly recognizes beauty. You are quite attractive for a human.”

“He’ll kill you for this.” she spat.

Such blind faith, and courage. Sesshomaru found himself drawn to her. She was not like other humans. He had on many occasions witnessed her extraordinary nature. His other hand moved to cup her breast. I will not let him see me cry. I’ll die first. Oh InuYasha where are you. He watched the miko struggle to hold back her tears. “I warn you again. Get you hands off me.” she said. He slid his hand down between her legs. Her panic grew and the tears she had fought to hold back fell. Suddenly she was thrown and landed on the ground with a thud.

“Bitch, you would use your powers on me.” he growled. She tried to get away as he came toward her. Suddenly he stopped and looked up. The scent of his brother brought him back to his senses. “InuYasha is coming. Your betrayal will be the only excuse he needs to take your pup and go to the dead one.” and then he was gone. Kagome crawled to the tree and pulled the towel to her chest and sobbed.

Sesshomaru cursed himself, for letting the miko anger him enough to lose control. What had he done? He had broken a sacred youkai law and harmed the mate of his brother. Why had he reacted in such a way. The Lord of the Western Lands did not force himself on one that was unwilling. He had shown himself to be no better than the humans he despised. Now his life was forfeit.

InuYasha heard her sobs and smelled her tears long before he reached her. It gave him time to work himself into a panic as he tried to reach her. He found her huddled against a tree. The area was covered in the scent of her fear and that of his brother. He went to her. He smelled Sesshomaru all over her. He growled. She looked up at him and threw herself into his arms.

He wanted to know what happened. He held her close and stroked her hair, whispering soothing words, mixed with soft growls. He tried to ignore his brother’s stench. Slowly she stopped crying. “Kagome.” he said softly. “What happened?”

She started crying again. “I can’t...I’m sorry...I’m so sorry. I tried I really did.” she sobbed.

“Please just tell me.” he said.

She told him what Sesshomaru had said about Kikyou and how he had reacted to her comment about their father. He stopped holding her. She continued, telling him about how he touched her and how she tried to stop him, but couldn’t. He didn’t move or say anything. “If you don’t want me anymore I understand. I’ll go stay with mama, and bring the baby here when it is born.” She went to stand and he grabbed her. She looked and saw that his eyes were flashing from red back to amber and his claws were dirty and bleeding from where he had been digging them into the ground to try and control his rage.

“I am going to kill that bastard.” he said at last. He stood and was going to go after Sesshomaru.

She grabbed him. “Please don’t leave me.” she cried.

“All right.” he sighed. “Kagome, could you take another bath please? You smell like him.”

She nodded and got in the water. When she was done he was waiting with her clothes and her towel. They walked back to the village together. They entered Kaede’s hut and a single glare from InuYasha silenced any one who thought to speak. InuYasha sat against the wall and Kagome laid her head in his lap. They all shot him concerned looks, but he shook his head.