The Light in a Darkened Heart

(Rushes through disclaimer excitedly.)  Listen up perverts.  Next
chapter will have lemony action.  How much?, you ask.  Enough to heat
up my keyboard anyway.  Thanks for all your patience and I want to let my
reviewers know I will be thanking you all individually at the end of this story. 
Hope you like it!!!
 
 
Chapter 8 - Return and Depart
 
 
Inuyasha stood tensely waiting for Sango and Miroku to finish eating. 
Shippo had of course gobbled his meal quickly and was now chasing a chibi Kirara
around the campsite.  "Explain to me again why it is that you allowed Kouga
to just run off with Kagome?"
 
 
Sango sighed, she was tired of this.  They had gone round for round with
Inuyasha ever since Sango had retrieved him from his lover's arms in the woods
the previous night.  She could still remember the sadness that welled up
inside of her at the sight of Inuyasha and Kikyo so obviously close to each
other.  She felt sorry for Kagome who loved Inuyasha without reservation,
with unswerving loyalty.  However, Sango also felt sorry Inuyasha who had
had his heart torn from him fifty years ago and was now forced to steal moments
with a woman who was no longer truly alive.  She could imagine his pain as
she remembered her fallen comrades and relatives.  Only this empathy kept
the demon slayer from tearing Inuyasha into pieces for his arrogant attitude.
 
 
Miroku on the other hand saw no reason why Inuyasha should continue to pursue
a miko as frigid as Kikyo now was.  In his mind Inuyasha was simply wasting
a golden opportunity to seduce Kagome who was vibrantly alive and hot, both on
the inside and the outs&nbs  Kagome was a fiery woman, prone to fits of
temper and at the same time passionately loving and caring toward her friends. 
Ahhh, yes,  Lady Kagome.......what a woman.  Of course Sango was just
as fiery and passionate...and she liked to abuse him.  That in itself was
fun.  The stolen gropings, the quick feels......yep, Sango definitely does
it for me, hncluncluded.  Lost in thought he shook himself and then looked
over only to find the demon slayer in question staring him down with a harried
expression on her face.
 
 
"What are you sighing about over there, ya pitiful excuse for a holy man?" 
Inuyasha demanded.  Miroku spread what he hoped looked like a serene and
religious expression across his face and answered, "Simply contemplating the
metaphysical nature of our ephemeral world."  "Yeah, right, anyway we leave
now!" Inuyasha replied.  "If we want to catch Kouga at his den and get
Kagome back we better not give him anymore time to plot."
 
 
Sango sighed once again.  "Inuyasha, for the last time, Kouga did not
steal Kagome.  He offered to help her and she accepted.  It was her
choice and I know that she is fine right now."
 
 
"Feh, I could have taken far better care of her, but of course no one asked
me."  He said with a hurt expression on his face.
 
 
"You certainly have a short memory."  Miroku piped up.  "As I
recall, you were nowhere to be found last night when you were needed.  Just
how long have you been leaving us alone at night without even telling us so one
of could sit up and keep watch?"
 
 
"Mind you own......"  Inuyasha stopped in mid-bellow.  He sniffed
the air.  "Yuck, wolf."  He stated.  "But, he has Kagome with
him.  At least he had the sense to bring her back where she belongs."
 
 
Soon all four of them could see the tornado approaching that signified
Kouga's return.  He screeched to a halt right in front of them, Kagome in
his arms.  He gently set her down in front of him but kept his hands over
her arms, supporting her.
 
 
"Kagome, are you okay?"  Sango stepped forward and hugged her friend. 
"We were very worried about you."  "Did you get treatment for your eyes?" 
Kagome smiled.  "Sango, I'm fine.  Kouga got a treatment from his pack
that should clear up this problem in another day.  I am already beginning
to be able to see colors."
 
 
Inuyasha stepped forward then and grasped Kagome's hand.  "Since you got
treatment and you're gonna be okay, it's time for the smelly wolf to beat it. 
I can certainly care for you now."  Kouga growled low in his throat as
Inuyasha continued to hold Kagome's hand.  Kagome pressed her other hand
against Kouga's arm.  "Inuyasha, I think you're making him angry by holding
on to me like this."  She gently pulled her hand free from Inuyasha's. 
"I still cannot see and would only be a liability to you if I remained here
overnight.  I cannot defend myself and worse I cannot defend any of you. 
If we were attacked especially over the shards, you would definitely be held
back.  For now it's better if I remain with Kouga.  There is less risk
enclosed in the dens and I would not feel as panicked as I would out in the
open.  I will bek tok tomorrow regardless of whether I can see or not. 
It's very important we continue our pursuit of Naraku while the trail is still
warm."
 
 
Inuyasha was stunned.  He did not care so much that Kagome was not yet
ready to continue their journey but he was shocked that she would rather go back
with Kouga that stay with him.  Since they had known Kouga, Kagome had
always stayed with him.  She had always insisted on her loyalty to himself
and he was peeved that she seemed to be forgetting that she had made him a
promise already.  She belonged with him.
 
 
"Inukkoro, I can see that mind of yours attempting to work.  Don't
strain yourself.  Kagome is aware that she has an obligation to you but
please don't be selfish or hypocritical enough to insist on her remaining with
you after the disaster of last night.  Come over here and we will resolve
this without putting any more stress on Kagome.  Sango, can you help Kagome
get anything she might need or want from her bag for another night?  She is
quite adept at getting around, she just needs someone to pick out the stuff for
her."
 
 
Sango immediately stepped forward again and took Kagome's hand.  She
lead her over to the edge of the campsite, and pulled her bag out from und som some yellow bushes.  Meanwhile, Kouga had corralled a reluctant Inuyasha
further away, almost to the edge of the wooded clearing.  Kouga stood
facing the woods while he made sure Inuyasha was turned facing into the meadow
behind him.  This way Inuyasha's words could be forced away from Kagome in
case he decided to get belligerent.  Kouga narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha. 

 
 
"I am only going to say this once.  Kagome does not know where you were
last night.  She has no clue.  In her mind you are still a hero. 
However, if you are going to give her a hard time and try to guilt her into
putting herself into another dangerous position, I will not hesitate to tell her
where you were.  We both know you fucked up royally last night and the only
thing keeping me from telling her is the fact that I don't want her to be hurt,
in any way.  On the other hand if you insist on putting her into physical
danger I will protect her by any means necessary.  Do you understand?"
 
 
Inuyasha stared at Kouga, trying to think up some way to threaten him. 
Instead he leaned forward and spoke quietly to Kouga.  "You are a fool if
you think she will choose you over me.  She has been in love with me since
the day she unpinned me from the God Tree.  She's mine and she will
ultimately choose me over you.  Have your fun now but don't you dare touch
her.  She was not meant for you."
 
 
Kouga forced down the rage he felt boiling up inside himself.  "You are
an even bigger bastard than I thought.  You've always known how she felt
and you have used those feelings to bind her to you in your almighty quest. 
In the end you'll choose Kikyo and you'll have what you want.  What will
become of Kagome then?  She served her purpose so then she's cast aside? 
No fucking way.  I will do everything in my power to erase her sad memories
of you and  replace them with happy ones of us, together. "
&n
&n
 
"I will give her all the love I have inside me so that when she makes her
choices, they will be free ones.  She deserves at least to be able to make
that comparison.  Don't think that I'll let you stand in my way.  I
just as soon kill you and free her now but I want her to come to her own
realizations of what a bastard you are."
 
 
Kouga saw Kagome approaching and stepped around Inuyasha.  "Ready to go,
Kagome?"  "Yes."  She answered shyly.  Kouga bent and lifted her
into his arms.  "Everyone, I'll be back tomorrow.  Don't worry." 
Shippo opened his mouth, about to ask if he could tag along, when he felt a hand
clap over his mouth.  He turned to see who it was and Kouga sped off. 
Seeing the perverted monk behind him, Shippo frowned.  "Whacha do that for,
hentai?"  "Let nature run it's course between those two, I think it's begun
to already."  Miroku turned away, whistling to himself, headed back over to
Sango who was bending over putting away Kagome's backpack again.
 
 
Inuyasha watched the disappearing dust cloud, scowling heavily.  He did
not like the course things were taking.  Something had to be done....and
soon.
 
 
__________________________________________________________________
 
Is Inuyasha really a bastard?  Or are his feelings just hurt?  Find
out....keep reading.