We know we're handling the way the Shikon no Tama is reassembled differently. Well, that's what an AU is for! Hope you still have fun at this stage of the story arc.

WARNINGS: Kouga ouchies, minor character death
 
 

I. Kataki - Rival

The village lay before them. Nestled between two mountain ranges, deep inside a valley, it was protected against wind and rain. But even this protected position hadn't been enough against the weather lately. Ceaseless torrents of rain had soaked the earth and turned it into mud, creating little lakes of water everywhere. The river had swollen to several times its normal size, flooding the fields, destroying the crops, and only lately had the downpour lessened.
The group of travelers was glad for it. While flooded fields weren't their problem, being constantly soaked to the bone was. Kagome had once suffered from a severe cold because of the adverse weather already and no one relished having to deal with another bout.
Kagome hadn't caught a cold, though, and neither had the others. They were just sick and tired of water, especially from above. So seeing the village before them was actually a relief. If the village people were kind, they might let them stay for a day to dry their clothing and replenish their rations, which had been just as soaked as everything.
Inuyasha, wet heavy hair clinging to his head, clothes water-logged and mud-splattered, stood back and watched Miroku work his magic. Charming smiles were directed at the village elders, the smooth voice talked softly, and his lover's body language was disarming. Miroku was good. A con artist, a monk, a warrior, and his lover, Inuyasha mused, watching the dark-haired man at his best. Even without convincing the village elders that they were haunted, needed the services of a monk to drive away the dark spirits, Miroku had enough charisma and conviction to insure them a dry place.
The monk bowed to the three old men and walked back to the wet group, smiling slightly. "We're their guests for until the rain ceases."
Sango and Kagome breathed a sigh of relief and Shippo smiled widely.
"Well done, Miroku!" the kitsune cub called. "I'm so sick of being wet."
Inuyasha smirked at the other man, nodding his pride in his lover's achievement. They followed one of the women to a hut at the other end of the village and found it was a spacious, warm and thankfully very dry place. The woman bowed to Miroku, who bestowed another charming smile on her, then left.
Inuyasha looked around, appreciating the simple yet quite sufficient housing. They could easily sleep in here, dry their clothes, and rest. Sango and Kagome were already putting up lines.
Another woman of the village came by only a moment later, carrying dry clothes, offering them to Miroku. He spoke quietly to her, making her blush, and she giggled as she hurried out. Inuyasha's ears twitched in amusement. His fine hearing had picked up the complimentary words. Words that could have been reason to doubt, to feel threatened, but that was farthest from his mind. There was a sense of security in their relationship that sometimes astounded him; he knew Miroku was serious about them.
He walked over to his lover.
"Fishing in foreign waters?" he asked, voice soft and low.
Miroku shot him a startled look. "Koishii?"
The term of endearment slipped out unbidden and Inuyasha hid his smile. Oh, he already liked it.
"You are straying," the hanyou murmured.
"I, ah, only complimented her…"
Sango, who had finally erected a barrier between the part of the room meant for the two men and the one she, Kagome and Shippo would share, shot them a grin. Her eyes were sparkling with mirth at the monk's predicament.
"Give us the clothes, Miroku," she called. "Before Inuyasha shreds them!"
A still slightly flustered Miroku wordlessly handed the women the kimonos. For someone who usually had a comeback for everything, he was a bit speechless. Being accused of straying seemed to have frozen something inside him.
He found himself dragged behind the screen by the hanyou. Inuyasha's face hovered close to his and clawed fingers dug into the wet robes.
"I wasn't straying, Inuyasha… Really. I just made her happy. I mean, she is nice on the eyes and women want to hear it…"
"So does your mate," he reminded the dark-haired human huskily.
Miroku's eyes widened. "You know I'm not interested…" he tried again.
"Do I?"
"Inuyasha?"
Now there was a different emotion in those violet eyes and Inuyasha decided to end his little game of 'jealous mate'. He leaned forward and cool lips nipped at Miroku's. His lover leaned into the contact, immediately wanting more. Inuyasha smiled and initiated a slow, deep kiss, their bodies pressed together, the cold clothes making them both shiver.
"I know you're mine," Inuyasha breathed as he stepped back, aware that should he go any further, the outcome was quite predictable.
But not here. Not with the others present.
Dazedly, Miroku blinked, then shivered a little. There was a silent hunger in his eyes that was nearly Inuyasha's undoing.
When was the last time they had been together? Alone? When had they been free to shed their caution and just give in to the desire for the other?
Too long. Way too long…
"Let's change," Inuyasha decided and began to undress, shooting his lover little glances, admiring the body now revealed.
He had made love to this sinewy, slender form countless times before, but seeing him so close, he wanted to touch him again. Miroku looked up, their eyes meeting in a heated look, and Inuyasha had to fight down the urge to just pounce the delicious sight before him.
Miroku slipped into the borrowed kimono, quickly followed by Inuyasha, who was trying to distract himself. Suddenly Miroku walked past him, brushing close by.
"You're cute when you're jealous," the monk whispered, bestowing a sultry smile on him.
Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat and he clenched his hands into fists to keep from pouncing. Miroku just smiled widely, clearly aware of what he was doing, but before the hanyou could react, Kagome came out from behind the screen, now also dressed in a borrowed kimono.
"There. Dry!" she sighed in bliss.
"The village elders invited us for a meal," Miroku told them. "I think we should take the time to rest up a little."
"Good idea," Sango agreed.
"Do you think they have a bathing room somewhere?" Kagome asked longingly. "I'd really love to get clean."
Miroku tilted his head. "I could ask."
"That would be so great!"
 

Twenty minutes later the girls and Shippo were soaking in a large tub while Miroku and Inuyasha had graciously decided to wait until they were done.
But Inuyasha wouldn't wait with what he had wanted to do for the last hour -- for the last days! The moment they were alone, Miroku was his. Pushing the slender human onto the mat, taking his mouth in a possessive kiss, he slipped his hands underneath the robes and caressed the smooth skin.
"Mine," the hanyou growled as they separated, his long hair falling over them like a veil as he looked into the dilated, violet eyes.
Miroku dug his hands into those silver strands and pulled him into a new kiss, the urgency of it all relayed through it. Inuyasha felt his own need and hunger double as he opened up the unfamiliar kimono, took in the aroused sight of his lover, and he prayed that Sango and Kagome were wise enough to bathe a bit longer.
He needed this time alone with Miroku, reaffirm their bond, just hold him without distractions, feel the warmth of his living, breathing body against him, and he wanted to hear the sounds of pleasure he could evoke.
Joining their lips in another kiss, Inuyasha lost himself in the sensation of his lover.

* * *

The rain had stopped a while ago, plunging the world into silence without the steady patter of raindrops. Inuyasha and the others had enjoyed the meal with the village people and it had turned out to be an enjoyable evening.
Now, with the stars out, winking on and off behind still lingering clouds, the moon a sickle against the dark background, Inuyasha walked noiselessly through the sleeping village. It was almost midnight and the darkness held no threat, just a sense of peace.
Kagome, Shippo and Sango were back in the hut, sleeping. Miroku had accompanied his lover on the silent trek through the small assembly of huts and stables, as they explored the night and the place where they had found shelter. Neither man spoke, but Inuyasha found Miroku's presence soothing on his senses. As always.
Entering the forest, both men suddenly stopped as they discovered the small, misshapen hut that had been built against a large tree. It was tiny, actually. Barely large enough to house one person comfortably. A light shone, flickering in the window. Suddenly it winked out, the darkness around them now almost oppressive.
Both men looked at each other and Inuyasha sniffed the musky air. There was the strong smell of the forest, washed by the rain, the earthen scent mixing with that of the plants and trees. But there was something underneath it, something strong enough to register but too faint to identify.
His ears twitched and clawed hands grasped the hilt of Tetsuseiga. Inuyasha glanced at Miroku again and the other man nodded, stealthily moving toward the hut. Inuyasha did the same, both men approaching from different sides.
The door was just a shredded piece of cloth, moving gently in the cool night air, and from within warmth seemed to flow out, registering on his highly sensitive senses. Inuyasha froze as he detected movement, ready to draw out his sword.
The curtain was pushed aside and he frowned as his eyes fell on the wiry, thin figure of an old woman, clad in a plain, gray robe with a black sash around her middle. Her white hair was piled in an intricate knot, clean and untangled. Her face was strangely unlined by age. Empty eyes looked around, reflecting the meager light of the moon and stars. But the light was enough for a hanyou like Inuyasha to see by.
Blind, he thought.
Miroku had stopped as well, studying the ancient figure, not making a sound.
"Ah, so you have found me," the woman spoke, her voice old but without the cracking or wheezing Inuyasha had expected. "Come in then, hanyou."
His eyes widened and the half-demon shot a look at his lover, whose face registered the same surprise. How had she known?
"Come in or are you afraid an old woman like me could harm you?" she called again, clearly mocking.
Inuyasha growled, gritting his teeth, and gestured at Miroku to stay. Then he followed the woman.
The hut appeared much larger inside than it should be possible from the outside appearance. It was clean and warm, and when the old woman deftly lit a fire in the pit, Inuyasha saw the assorted knick-knacks in the shelves that lined the walls. There were dried herbs, stone jars with sealed lids, paper scrolls, feathers and pelts, wooden carvings and colorful stones, as well as metalworks and old pots and pans.
The blind woman turned to look at him from those empty eyes.
“Welcome, hanyou,” she said quietly.
“How do you know what I am?” Inuyasha asked, still not ready to release Tetsuseiga's hilt.
“I may not be able to see, but it doesn’t mean I’m blind. Sit, hanyou. Please be my guest.”
"Who are you?" he demanded, remaining on his feet.
She smiled, showing a row of good teeth. "My name is Sereka, hanyou. You are Inuyasha."
"How…?"
Now things were getting too creepy.
"Your arrival was foretold." She chuckled. "You never heard the prophecy, my dear boy?"
"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha snapped.
“Your hand, hanyou.”
Before he knew it, he had hesitantly stretched out one hand and it was caught in a firm, dry grip.
"Don't fear me, hanyou. I m but a simple woman, but I can see your future," she whispered. "I can answer some of your questions."
Inuyasha stood there, transfixed.
“Ah, I see. You want to know about the one that carries the black wind. Hanyou, he will die eventually, and nothing you do can change his fate.”
“I know, but… “
“Ah, a silver haired wild beauty… there’s a fire burning in its depths that can consume or warm.”
“Ona…“
He wanted to pull back his hand, but she closed her fingers around his wrist with a strength that surprised him.
“No, hanyou, wait. I see a spider with raven-black hair and crimson eyes… human once, but he lost his soul a long time ago… it’s him you want to defeat. He who holds your heart in the palm of his hands, he who has destroyed it before.”
“Naraku… “ Inuyasha whispered.
A gust of wind coming out of nowhere drove into the fire, spinning glowing sparks into the air, and Inuyasha started, reaching for the Tetsuseiga involuntarily.
“Calm down, hanyou. This is just a ghost of a memory, not the one you fear.”
“Keh! I don’t fear Naraku,” he growled.
“Yes, you do, and that is good. Those who don’t fear become thoughtless. Yet, it’s not entirely yourself you’re fearing for.”
Inuyasha closed his eyes, mind wandering back to his lover involuntarily. Miroku, loving, caring, tender Miroku. He wanted a future with this man, with his mate, the one he had chosen to let into his soul. He wanted to be able to share his life, see those wonderful violet eyes light up with laughter, with love, with hunger and with passion. There was so much out there still to explore, to see, to experience. He wanted him to… live.
“You care for him a lot, hanyou.”
It wasn’t exactly a question, but Inuyasha nodded nevertheless, then whispering a hoarse, “yes”, remembering her white eyes.
“I'll see what I can do for you, hanyou.”
And with that her unseeing eyes stared into the flames.
“Ona… what are you doing?”
Suddenly the wind was back again, pulling at his hair and whispering into his ears, reviving the dying flames and sending sparks high into the night. Inuyasha gazed at the woman and froze, looking into a pair of wise brown eyes, a youthful face framed by long black hair that the wind played with…
But then there were only blind white eyes and gray strands, an ageless face. Inuyasha felt his heart hammering in his chest, and he closed his hand around Tetsuseiga’s hilt, ready to pull it out of its sheath in a blink of an eye.
“What kind of magic is this?”
“The answer to your question, hanyou,” she replied quietly, not the least bit impressed by his anger.
"Only one who holds what has been shattered,
Who carries the blade made of a dogs fang,
Given to him out of love and not of hate,
Whose blood is black,
Yet his heart unmarked as that of a newborn child,
Can defeat the darkness."
Her voice had fallen into a monotone, almost sing-song tone.
"The darkness that you fear, Inuyasha,” Sereka added.
The hanyou listened, stunned, to the cryptic words of the old – how old was she really? – woman, before it sank in slowly.
“Only youkai blood is black.”
“Yes.”
"You think… I am that one?"
She smiled mysteriously. "It is up to you to find out whether the prophecy is right or wrong, child. Now go. He awaits you eagerly. Share with him your life as long as you have."
Inuyasha was stumbling out of the hut before he even knew that he was walking. Outside, a worried looking Miroku grabbed him by his shoulders.
"Inuyasha? Koishii, are you all right?" he demanded.
"Yes, fine…" Inuyasha glanced at the hut again and shivered a little. "Let's go."
"What happened in there? Inuyasha..?"
"Not here," he managed. "Please."
Her words had disturbed him more than he would have thought and all his being wanted to be away from here.

* * *

Miroku walked slowly back to their current lodgings, deeply in thought. He had just spent an hour talking to one of the village elders and after a short, almost sleepless night, the answers to his questions appeared too strange and weird. But he was used to strange and weird, wasn't he? And he hadn't met Sereka in person, only heard from her through Inuyasha. His lover was deeply disturbed by the encounter, hadn't slept at all, and he was probably still pacing around. Or he had taken off somewhere, to climb a tree and think. It was his usual coping method.
Kagome, Sango and Shippo had been informed of the late night occurrence just after sunrise when everyone had woken up. All had questions, just like Miroku, and so he had finally gone out to meet with one of the elders. Since this strange woman lived so close to the village, they had to know about her.
And know about her they did.
Entering the house, four pairs of eyes swiveled to look at him and Miroku smiled a little. Inuyasha's amber gaze was burning with his boiling emotions, with the strange feelings he was experiencing.
"Well?" he demanded.
Miroku settled down cross-legged on the floor and the others followed his example – except for Inuyasha, who pointedly remained standing. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, his ears almost flat on his head.
"Inuyasha," Miroku said softly, letting his voice drop a little, its inflection clear.
The hanyou growled softly, then huffed and sank onto the ground, glaring more. Miroku gave him a soft smile. He knew his lover was ready to scale walls by now and he needed to redirect that anger and temper.
"I talked to Kawa, the oldest of the villagers. It was quite enlightening."
Inuyasha glared more, demand clear in his eyes. He wanted Miroku to drop the mantle of politeness and just spill the facts.
"The woman living in the woods is called Sereka, as Inuyasha told us. She was once the village's miko."
Kagome's eyes grew wide. "A miko?"
He nodded. "Yes. Quite a powerful one at that. Kawa remembers her from his childhood. She protected this village and several others in the valley between these mountains. She was well-known and liked, very kind and gentle, and it was rumored she had the powers of gods at her disposal."
Inuyasha snorted. "She didn't seem so powerful to me."
Miroku gave him a little smile. "Only the foolish show off their strength, Inuyasha. You said yourself she was strange, that she harbored something deeply powerful."
"Illusion, nothing else."
"Well, Kawa begs to differ. Anyway, fifty years ago, Sereka removed herself from the village's service. She retreated into the woods, into the hut we saw, and while she still helped those who came to her, she never ventured out anymore."
"Fifty years ago," Kagome whispered. "Naraku…?"
Miroku was silent, letting it sink in.
"Her prophecy… well, the prophecy she gave Inuyasha and which apparently comes from a different source, tells of Naraku, of his defeat."
"She's crazy," Inuyasha growled, but the unease was back. "She was talking gibberish. It makes no sense!"
Miroku sighed. "Well, personally I've heard many prophecies and some had truths in them. If Sereka is a miko, one with such powers, she might have seen something in the words."
"You want to visit her again?" Sango asked, the first she had spoken since Miroku had come back.
He shrugged. "If she will see me."
Inuyasha gave another growl. "Sure, go and visit the old hag. I'm not going there again!"
Solemn eyes regarded the hanyou, then Miroku smiled. "It's a nice day. How about a walk?"
With that he rose and the two women followed. Shippo glanced at Inuyasha, scowling.
"You really are stupid sometimes!"
"What?" Inuyasha bristled.
"You're letting them run into possible danger while you sulk in here, huh? Well, then it's up to me to protect them."
And with that the kitsune hurried after the group.
Inuyasha snarled. "Protect them? You little runt can't even protect yourself!"
He stalked out of the hut and looked after the group, who was leaving the village and heading for the forest. His eyes fell on the black and violet robes of his lover, caught sight of the sun reflecting off the tiny earrings. He heard the soft jingle of the staff. Something inside of him urged him forward to protect his foolish mate.
"Damn!" he whispered under his breath and jumped down the porch, going after them.
Not that Miroku needed protecting. The monk was good, a warrior in his own rights, a formidable opponent even without using his kazaana, but he was also Inuyasha's mate and as such the hanyou felt especially protective.
Grumbling to himself, he walked back to the tiny hut in the forest.

* * *

The hut was nothing but a ramshackle building in broad daylight. The roof was leaky, the wooden boards rotten, and the curtain was nothing but a moth-eaten piece of gray rug. The inside was littered with debris, stank of decay, and where Inuyasha had seen a fire burn merrily, there was nothing but a black pit. No fire had been lit inside it for years.
"It looked different last night," the hanyou murmured.
Miroku nodded his agreement. "She works a powerful magic," he said softly.
Inuyasha's ears twitched and he gazed at the hut. Something seemed to touch his senses, like an electrical current experienced throughout a thunderstorm, and he turned, trying to find the source of the unease. There was nothing anywhere. The forest was calm, with only its natural sounds penetrating the thicket. The sun was out, warming the air and drying up the ground that had been soggy and wet last night.
Kagome frowned a little and mirrored his unease, looking around. "I feel something," she said, almost as if to herself. "Something was here… and something still lingers. I just can't say what it is…"
Kirara gave a meow of agreement. The little cat was sniffing around the edges of the hut, clearly aware of something being here, too.
"Let's go," Inuyasha decided briskly. "I'm not in the mood for games!"
"But Inuyasha…" Kagome protested. "If she knows so much… shouldn't we try to find her?"
"She obviously doesn't want to be found," Sango interjected. Like she others, she appeared tense and ready to fight should something threaten them.
"She told me enough last night already. She's a crazy old hag, that's all!" The feeling intensified and Inuyasha bared his canines, ears twitching. "Let's go!"
And with that he stalked off toward the main road that led from the village back to where they had come from.
"We've got more important things to do than chasing crazy women," he yelled as they still hesitated. "Naraku is out there and so are the Shikon shards."
Kagome nodded, face set. "He's right," she said, pushing the strange feeling away. "We have to complete the Shikon no Tama. Maybe she was a bit… strange…"
But there was so much doubt in her voice, no one actually believed the words. Something was in the air around them and it was palpable to varying degrees.
Miroku was the last to go and when he looked back at the hut he thought he saw something move inside the dark interior. Kirara meowed, two tails twitching, gazing intently at the black hole of a door that led inside. The monk bowed in respect and for a moment he thought something touched him, then it was gone. He straightened and followed the others, Kirara bounding after him.

* * *

No one spoke of the prophecy, the village or the old woman as they continued their journey. Inuyasha was brooding over it for a night longer, seeking the solitary company of a tree, staring out into the night from high above the ground, perched on a thick branch, but soon he was back to his old self. At least on the outside. Miroku knew him too well to fall for the pretense. Kagome tried to initiate a conversation once or twice, but the attempts were immediately blocked. So they concentrated on finding the rest of the Shikon shards.
The Shikon no Tama was almost complete. About five more splinters were missing, three of which they knew who had them. After another four weeks two of the last five were in their hands, almost delivered on a silver platter when two splinter-enhanced demons had tried to take them out for trespassing their territory. It was ridiculously easy.
"Only three left," Kagome whispered as she turned the small, pink globe in her fingers.
It looked beautiful, but it was more dangerous than any demon or man-made weapon. It was the Shikon no Tama, the crystal ball Kikyou had died for. Inuyasha gazed at it, then tore his eyes away from its tempting glow. So long ago he had believed it to be his only savior from this cursed half-demon existence. Kikyou had wanted him to turn completely human and at the time, blinded by his love for her, he would have done it.
Naraku had seen to it that everything had ended in tragedy.
Then he had tried to get a hold of the Shikon to do just the opposite. He wanted to become a full youkai, be rid of the ridicule a hanyou was to the real demons. He was neither human nor demon, but only as a full demon would he have the power and respect he craved so much. Humans were weak; youkai were so much stronger, so much more fearsome. It was his true destiny. Or so he had thought.
Slender, strong fingers touched his arm and he looked up into the familiar, violet eyes of his mate. So much had happened since then. First Kagome, who had shown him that there was acceptance out there in this war-torn world. Acceptance for hanyou, though they had to fight for it. Humans were prejudiced by nature it seemed. But Kagome had told him she liked him just the way he was. Not a youkai, not a human. Just Inuyasha.
Then had come Miroku. His lover. Like Kagome, Miroku had accepted his just he way he was, weaknesses, temper and all.  And there were so many weaknesses. Like the fact that he turned human once a month. Or that he couldn't control his demon side should the youkai fully emerge. But he had found something else in his quest. He had found friends who didn't ask him to be something he wasn't. Unlike Kikyou, who had wanted him to become human for her. He had found a lover who knew all the good sides and the bad, who didn't try and make him into something he wasn't.
No, the Shikon no Tama held no more lure for him.
Inuyasha smiled at Miroku and received a warm smile in return. Kagome wrapped up the Shikon ball once more, stowing it securely away.
Three more shards.
Just three.
And at least one meant outright murder.
Inuyasha sighed and rose, straightening.
"Let's go and find the wimpy wolf. He's got something we want," he growled, voice hard and gruff.
Kagome nodded, a strange emotion flitting over her features. She knew what would most likely happen. Kouga wasn't about to give up the shards just like that. Inuyasha didn't look forward to fighting his respected rival and opponent, but it was either that or watch Naraku take what they needed. And Naraku wouldn't be kind enough to let Kouga live…

* * *

Finding Kouga was like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Inuyasha was growing more and more frustrated by the day. There were no signs of wolves anywhere around them. Not even an old scent.
"Usually we can't go a week without that annoying rug haunting our trails!" he muttered to himself. "Now that we need to find him, he hides. Like the coward he is!"
Miroku shot him a tolerant smile. They were currently walking along a small river that had buried a deep groove into a valley. Trees and grass grew in abandon along the shores. Shippo and Kirara had spent the morning fishing and had come up with a good catch that had fed them well for breakfast. But even a full stomach didn't help settle the hanyou down.
"Maybe Naraku got to him," Kagome murmured, voice filled with fear. "It really is unusual for him not to hang around…"
Inuyasha snorted. "He might be a wimp, but he knows how to stay away from Naraku."
Kagome gave him a thankful smile for the words and the hanyou muttered something to himself.
Rounding another bend of the winding path that led along the river, he suddenly stopped, sniffing. He knew that smell. Musky, male, lupine… Baring his teeth he charged forward.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome yelled, surprise in her voice, but he ignored her.
Turning two more bends, he finally stopped, glaring at the sight before him. He barely heard his companions catching up, their surprised exclamations.
"Took you a long time getting here," Kouga remarked, smirking at Inuyasha and the others.
He sat on a large boulder that a long ago flood had washed up against the shore of the river. He looked as cocky and self-assured as usual, blue eyes aglow with mirth, long, black hair moving gently in the breeze.
The hanyou bristled and reached for the hilt of Tetsuseiga. "Kouga!"
Kagome immediately stepped forward, placing herself neatly between the two men and rivals. "Kouga? What are you doing here?"
The wolf youkai hopped off the rock and smiled widely at her. Grasping her hands in his, he radiated charm.
"I heard you were coming this way, Kagome. I wanted to see you again."
Inuyasha snarled and pushed himself between the two. "Hands off, wolf!"
Kouga smirked again. "What's it to you, dog boy? You got yourself a mate. She's my woman now. She always was."
Inuyasha growled a warning. "She doesn't need your filthy paws touching her, flea bag!"
"Kouga," Kagome interrupted and forcefully drew Inuyasha away from his opponent. "Why are you here… really?"
His charming smile didn't falter. "Like I said, I heard you were coming this way… and you nearly completed the Shikon no Tama."
"I knew it!" Inuyasha hissed. "If you so much as think about touching the Shikon, I'll cut you in half, wolf breath!"
"You'd have to catch me first."
Inuyasha laughed. "You running, coward?"
"Inuyasha…" Kagome warned, a stern look on her face.
He grumbled something, but he backed down. Kouga shot the woman a surprised look, then smiled again.
"As to why I waited," he said. "Like I said, it concerns the Shikon no Tama. I know you're only missing a few more pieces."
"Like the pieces in your legs," Inuyasha muttered darkly.
He nodded. "Yes."
That brought the hanyou up short. His ears twitched. "What…?"
Kagome only nodded, gazing at him in slow realization. Sango, Miroku and Shippo gaped. They had kept back and still didn't enter the argument.
"I've come to give you mine," the wolf youkai stated plainly.
"What?!"
He smiled at the reincarnated miko. "You heard me."
"Why?"
"Because you're tired of running?" Inuyasha taunted.
"No, because the Shikon is the only way to defeat Naraku. We youkai know the prophecy."
Inuyasha felt his hackles rise as he was reminded of Sereka. "How?"
Kouga smiled slightly. "Word travels, puppy. We know what's at stake, all of us. At least those who don't want to end up as Naraku's prey. It's either his defeat and death or ours. Personally, I don't want to be absorbed by that filthy hanyou. Keeping the shards… it's out of the question if the Shikon can defeat Naraku forever."
"We don't know that," Kagome said softly.
"But it's your best shot."
"Keh!" Inuyasha muttered.
"Kouga…" Kagome started.
He smiled, but the expression in his eyes had changed. "I want you to have them, Kagome. It's just… you have to get them yourself."
"I knew it!" Inuyasha snarled and pulled Kagome away from the other man.
Blue eyes met golden ones. "It's not what you imply, pup. I meant that I cannot take them out myself."
White ears twitched and Miroku stepped beside his mate.
"What do you mean, Kouga?" he wanted to know.
"They're in my legs."
"We know that," Inuyasha snapped.
"Well, after the last time Kagura cut them out, I changed their position from my shins to my calves. They're deeply embedded in the muscle." Blue eyes were steady, without the usual arrogance or humor. "You have to cut them out. I can't do it myself."

* * *

Inuyasha felt sick, sitting in front of his rival and verbal sparring partner. He knew what was expected of him, but despite his declarations that he would love nothing more than to take a piece out of Kouga, actually cutting into the wolf youkai was something completely different. Kouga had taken off the shin covers, revealing the faint scars from a prior attempt to get the shards out. It had been Kagura's Dance of the Blades attack.
Kagome had settled down behind the youkai, hands resting on his shoulders, rubbing over them. Her fingers ghosted over the leather straps that kept his chest armor in place, stroked over the furry shoulder caps, and down the tanned arms. She had marked the position of the shards as she saw them on the calves with steady hands. Two ink circles told Inuyasha where to cut.
Their eyes met and Kouga's face turned into a brave mask. It couldn't hide the fear in his eyes though and Inuyasha's nausea doubled. Kouga was young, not much older than him, Inuyasha had long since decided, but he had been thrust into a leadership position at an age where other males were still testing their strength against each other. He was wild, sometimes too cocky, overbearing, but also loyal. He was a fearless fighter, determined, fierce, and he rarely showed fear. To show it now, Inuyasha knew it had to be bad.
How would he feel if it was the other way around? He shivered a little.
"Do it," the wolf demon said roughly, fighting for composure.
The others sat not far away, out of sight, waiting. This was just between the three of them and no one needed to be witness to it.
Kouga settled his head into Kagome's lap and for once Inuyasha felt no emotions boiling up inside him at the intimate contact. All he could see and smell was the fear, the desperation and the determination. Kagome stroked over the midnight black hair as Kouga buried his face in her skirt, drawing a shaky breath. They all knew what was to come.
Kagome met Inuyasha's eyes and he steeled himself. Concentrating, he felt his claws lengthen as they would when he attacked someone with Sankon Tetsusou. This time there would only be the speed, but not the strength behind his strikes. He nodded once, then his claws flashed down toward the unprotected skin.
Kouga made no sound, but his fingers dug into the ground and his eyes squeezed shut. His whole body tensed, wanting to flee from the agony in his legs, but he willed himself to stay put. Kagome's hands stroked over his head, her face pale but composed, and Inuyasha felt like throwing up as he extracted the first shard out of the copiously bleeding, gaping wound. It was deep, severing muscles as his claws went in. The second leg was cut in the same fashion and this time he thought he heard a faint whimper of pain from his former rival. Kouga's face was chalky white, like Kagome's, and sweat beaded his brows. His cheek muscles stood out prominently as he clenched his jaw against making any sound. His hands were clawed into the ground, his body rigid with the agony he was willingly enduring, and the skin stretched tightly over the coiled muscles.
Inuyasha sat back, shaking just like Kouga did, and stared at the two shards. They were covered in black youkai blood, as were his claws and hands, and he suddenly had the urge to not only throw up, but to also scrub himself clean.
"Kouga," Kagome whispered, but he didn't react much more than stare glassily at her. "I'll bind the wounds."
Blood pooled on the hard ground, dripping endlessly from the terrible gashes, and Kouga was trembling with the shock and slipping control.
It would need stitches, Inuyasha heard Kagome say as he stared at his former rival. Yes, he would heal. Kouga was a youkai and their healing powers were strong and quick, but for the next two days he suspected the wolf wouldn't be able to walk, let alone run. He was defenseless, vulnerable, and dependent on them. In the past, wounds ripped open by the extraction of the shards had been healed when he had reinserted the splinters. Now… they would forever stay out of his body.
Inuyasha stumbled away from the two, aware of Miroku and Sango suddenly close by. His eyes met his lover's and Miroku's face was filled with understanding. A hand touched his arm and he was gently pulled away, letting Sango and Kagome take care of the bleeding wolf youkai who was still somewhat conscious. Shippo was making little, distressed noises, but he valiantly tried to be of help, handing the two women bandages and whatever they needed.
Miroku guided him to the river, where he cleaned the shards as Inuyasha scrubbed furiously at his hands. The black blood was washed away in the icy cold river, but it still clung to him. He could still feel his claws ripping into the unprotected flesh, inflicting wounds that didn't stem from battle but from a voluntary operation. Kouga had volunteered… he had known what would happen…
And the blood kept clinging.
Like his brother's.
The thought struck him and he gasped a little, eyes screwing shut. He couldn't hide from the memories though. These hands had nearly torn apart Sesshoumaru not so long ago. Black blood had been all over him and while his actually memories of the fight were non-existent, those of the days afterwards were clear as glass.
He couldn't wash it off.
It haunted him like the death of the humans he had killed while he had been a full youkai. All those deaths, all those terrible injuries…
"Inuyasha."
The soft voice penetrated his hazy mind and he looked up, dazed. Violet eyes drew him in, spoke of safety and warmth and the possibility to forget for a while.
"Come."
Miroku drew him out of the water and into his embrace. Inuyasha fought the consoling embrace for a whole five seconds, then collapsed against his lover.
"He gave us the shards," he whispered, still not believing what had happened.
"Yes."
"And he knew I had to do this to him…"
Inuyasha raised his clawed hands and stared at them. Miroku clasped them into his own, warm hold.
"Yes."
Inuyasha closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Why?"
"Because he believes it's the only way to defeat Naraku."
"So he lets me mutilate him?"
"Yes."
Inuyasha was silent, unable to comprehend what the wolf had done. It took an incredible amount of courage to simply come out and offer himself up to their mercy. Of course, they would have come after him, to try and get the shards, but… his mind stopped, drawing a blank.
Miroku revealed the two shards. No more blood clung to them. They looked small and innocent.
"We should return to the others," he murmured.
Inuyasha reluctantly drew away from his lover's warmth and emotional support, nodding to himself. He knew he would have it even when they were physically apart, but right now he was too shaken to consider anything but close contact.
"Okay."
All he really wanted to do was run and hide, forget about the gruesome operation he had had to perform. He didn't want to see what he had done, look upon the normally so self-assured and cocky wolf, now suffering from blood loss and shock.
Miroku cupped his face and kissed him gently. It was an affectionate, understanding contact and the smile did wonders to his psyche.
"We'll see this through together."
Yes, together. All of them.

* * *

Both of Kouga's calves were thickly bandaged. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be sleeping. His features were pale, drawn, and there was a light sheen of sweet on his forehead. Kagome's face held a worried expression.
"He lost a lot of blood. Sango sewed the wounds."
Inuyasha had sat down cross-legged, Tetsuseiga as always in his arms as his hands were stuffed into is sleeves, and his amber eyes glowed in the fire light. He gazed at his former rival, face and eyes blank while his mind was racing.
"He'll be fine," Miroku calmed the woman. "He's a strong youkai and he had more severe injuries."
"He won't be able to walk for maybe one more day," Sango added quietly.
"We can't stay here," Inuyasha growled, not taking his eyes off the wolf.
"You want to leave him here?" Kagome whispered, horrified.
His blank eyes filled with a little life. "No. We take him with us."
"Kirara can carry him until we find real shelter," Sango offered.
Inuyasha just nodded, then his gaze returned to the injured man. Kouga had not only sacrificed his mobility. He had done so much more. The shards had given him an unrivaled speed, which was now gone. He was currently unprotected, at their mercy, and he had knowingly submitted himself to the will and whim of Inuyasha, the hanyou he had always fought against to win Kagome.
Looking across the fire Inuyasha caught his lover's solemn gaze, saw the mild smile blossom on those familiar lips, and he closed his eyes with a sigh.
He would protect the wolf for as long as it took.

* * *

The broke camp early and despite his protests, Inuyasha and Miroku helped the weakened Kouga onto Kirara, who rumbled softly. Kouga looked pale and he was still trembling. The bandages around his legs had flecked with blood, much to Kagome's dismay, but he waved her off. He was healing; he would be fine.
The day passed quietly, Inuyasha walking up ahead, mostly alone, always alert and looking out for whatever trouble might find them. There was one incident with a bunch of lesser youkai, but they were quickly dealt with. Half of them were too afraid after their apparent leader had been slain to even fight them.
Kagome stayed close to Kouga, giving him encouraging smiles, talking, and generally keeping him company. Around noon they found an abandoned shed and decided it would be their camp. It was still early, but Kouga was running on his last reserves. He was clutching Kirara's fur, holding on with sheer willpower, and the bandages had darkened more.
Kagome and Sango immediately got him inside.
"The wounds opened," Sango reported when she left a while later. "His stitches broke. He's healing, though. His wounds are not as large as yesterday."
Inuyasha didn't react, but Miroku didn't have to be a mind reader to know what was going on inside his lover, and when he rose and left camp, he definitely did know.
"Miroku…" Sango started, but he just smiled.
"I'll take care of him. You worry about Kouga." With that he followed Inuyasha.
His lover had chosen a spot near a tiny waterfall that erupted in the middle of a mossy patch of rock and disappeared into the rocky ground. Without a word he folded his legs and leaned back against a fallen tree.
It was how they spent the afternoon.

* * *

Kouga lay on the bedroll, smelling Kagome everywhere on the soft bedding. It was hers, freely given to him to rest on something more accommodating to his weakened body. Actually, he felt like shit. He didn't know why, but the two deep wounds in his legs were more problematic than getting beat up by Kagura. Back then, reinserting the Shikon shards had revitalized him. Now his youkai body had to fight the injury all on its own. He couldn't walk and moving his legs was like moving rocks. The pain was incredible and even healing was painful. Now and then cramps skittered through his legs and it was all he could do not to scream out in pain.
"Kouga?"
He would recognize her voice everywhere, even in his deepest thoughts, and when he turned to look at Kagome, he was again struck by her beauty.
When he had kidnapped her all that time ago, he hadn't really looked at her as a creature of the opposite sex. She had been his way of finding Shikon shards, of defeating the thrice-damned birds. But Kagome had not only shown courage, but also spirit. She had stood up to him, slapped him, had argued with him… no woman had ever done that.
Kouga had ended up as the leader of the wolf pack almost by accident. He was very young for his kind, almost still too young to lead, but he had defeated the old leader and since then successfully kept his position. He new he had a temper, he was sometimes too brash and temperamental, and he liked to rush into things – not unlike Inuyasha, he mused faintly. But he had had his trusted friends. Older, actually wiser, but very much betas in the rank of the pack, they had advised him, held him back in dangerous situations, and they had simply been there. Friends.
If not for them, he would have died long ago, he now knew.
"We have to change the bandages," Kagome told him, flicking back a strand of dark hair that hung into his face. "It'll hurt," she added.
"Just do it," he answered.
He caught a look of Inuyasha close by. The hanyou seemed unnaturally silent, tense, almost… guilty. He glowered at his long-time rival for Kagome, but all he received was a scowl in return. Inuyasha had changed since they had last met. Not only had he taken a human male as his mate, something about him in particular was different. They still fought, Inuyasha still threatened him, but when he had given him the chance to actually realize the threats, take the Shikon shards, the hanyou had hesitated.
Pain shooting through his left leg made Kouga wince and he looked at where Kagome was easing the bandage from the deep wounds. They had started to heal, but it would take probably until tonight till he could actually stand up. He wasn't used to lying around.
"This looks much better," Kagome commented, smiling encouragingly at him.
He gave her a smile in return. "Thank you," Kouga said softly. "For your help."
"We should thank you, Kouga. You gave up the shards for us…"
"I want Naraku dead, like all of you. You have almost all you need to defeat him."
She wrapped his leg up again in fresh bandages. "I just wish it wouldn't have meant mutilating you."
"It's my own fault. I changed their places. I put them deep into my muscles. I'm surprised I still have my legs. I'd have bet Inuyasha would enjoy ripping them off."
He gave the dark-haired woman a wry smile as she stared at him, shocked by his words. "He wouldn't…!"
Of course he wouldn't. Inuyasha talked loudly, he barked a lot… but his bite was different. He could tell friend and foe apart. He had had so many opportunities to kill or cripple Kouga, to leave him behind for the enemy to find and kill, or to just die of his injuries. He never had. He had always helped.
A lot of their encounters had been posturing. On both sides. Except that now Kouga had a realistic chance to win Kagome's heart. Inuyasha had chosen his own mate. She was free for him.
Closing his eyes, the wolf gave in to his weakened body's demands for rest. The moment he was strong enough to walk, he would leave. He knew he was protected within this circle of warriors and friends, but he needed some time alone. Really alone. So much had changed in the past and so much more would be changing.
Maybe it was time to let the wolf out and enjoy the animalistic freedom for a while.

* * *

It took Kouga three days to become moderately mobile. The wounds had healed, had turned into two reddish scars that stood out on the tan legs, but they were quickly hidden underneath the leg covers. Good-byes were brief, almost curt, and Inuyasha just looked at his former rival. Their eyes met and there was so much said in those brief moments. Kouga gave the hanyou a smile that was for once free of mirth, mockery or taunts. It was an open, thankful smile and it shocked Inuyasha more than anything.
"Take care of my woman," the wolf said, voice so very serious.
"You know I will," Inuyasha answered softly.
There was a brief nod and he walked off, still not back to his usual agility and grace, but he would move on his own.
Miroku joined his lover and shot him a brief, quizzical look. Inuyasha wanted to say something, but instead he shook his head.
Not now.
Later.
Maybe.
 

Kagome watched Kouga until he was swallowed up by the trees. Even then she didn't move.
Something inside her ached for the man she had seen change so profoundly throughout the months and years. He was far from the cocky and wild leader she had met, the one who had kidnapped her to use as a tool. He had grown so much, had suffered so much… and he was still suffering. For Kouga to give up the shards willingly, he had gone through an amazing evolution.
"Kagome?"
Sango's soft voice interrupted her thoughts and she smiled at her friend. "I'm fine," she answered the silent question. "Let's go."
Because there was one more Shikon shard to find and it would be hardest of them all.
Because it was the one that kept Sango's brother Kohaku alive…
 

Away from them all, Kouga did something he hadn't for too long. He was a youkai, a wolf-shaped demon who could take the form of a human being. Yes, there were small differences to a human even then, like his pointed ears, but he was effectively a wolf in his original shape.
For the first time in so many months, he released that part in him, feeling his body follow the instinctive path to the four-legged, furry form that was truly him. The wolf was large, of a dark brown color with an even darker brown back, and the lupine eyes held little of the intense blue ones of the human shape.
Kouga tested his legs and found them good for a little run. He took off into the forest, enjoying the freedom, the way his muscles could stretch in this form. His dark form merged with the shadows of the forest and disappeared.

* * *

II. Kyoudaiai – Brotherly Love
 

Two weeks had passed since their encounter with Kouga. No one had heard from the wolf or his pack mates and while Kagome was still worried, part of her told her Kouga was fine. Inuyasha had gruffly done the same, commenting on the cowards always surviving, but something in his eyes had spoken of his own worries for the youkai.
Still, they had continued their journey, looking for that last, elusive shard. Strangely, Naraku hadn't attacked them lately. There had been a few youkai who had crossed their path and met a quick end, but there was neither hide nor hair of their greatest adversary. Equally, there was no sign of Sesshoumaru, which was unusual, too.
The longer they traveled, the more the strain of the search got to them, mostly to Sango. Emotions were closer to the surface now and it affected them all.
 

The mood was somber, almost black as they sat around the evening camp fire. Inuyasha had his hands stuffed into the sleeves of his robes, staring into the dancing sparks, the fire light reflecting eerily in his canine eyes. Miroku was at his side, eyes closed, apparently miles away, probably meditating. Kagome had curled up with Shippo in her sleeping bag, trying desperately to find the calmness in her body and mind to sleep, but she was very far from it.
Ever since Kouga had left them, thoughts had now returned to their goal at hand. The last Shikon shard was Kohaku's. Kohaku was Naraku's tool, his weapon against them, the toy he played with. The same he played with Sango's emotions when it came to her little brother. Sango had grown very quiet, brooding a lot, and her eyes had taken on a haunted quality. She, like everyone, knew that the next confrontation with Kohaku would be his death sentence. There was no holding back this time. They needed the last splinter and removing it from his body would mean his death.
Naraku wasn't foolish enough to send the boy out against them. Capturing him would mean the completion of the Shikon jewel. Then again, sometimes Naraku worked in complete opposite to human logic, which made him such a dangerous enemy. Maybe he was just waiting for them to complete the crystal ball, only to take it from them. And what would happen if they had the last shard anyway? How could they use the Shikon to defeat the evil incarnate?
Kagome finally gave up on sleep and untangled herself from her sleeping bag. She looked around the camp, meeting the sober, amber eyes of her best friend, then looked at the empty spot where Sango had been before. The youkai slayer had disappeared into the woods, needing time alone. She had done that a lot lately.
Glancing at Inuyasha again, Kagome found him still watching her. His eyes seemed to ask her to follow Sango, talk to her. She smiled briefly at him and nodded, then left the camp.
Picking her way carefully along the dark path, Kagome finally reached a small clearing. Sango sat in the middle of it, staring up into the clear night sky, studying the myriad of stars blinking against the velvety darkness. The moon was almost full, shedding a cold, white light. As Kagome approached her, the older woman looked at her and gave her a weak smile.
"Couldn't sleep," Kagome said softly and settled down next to her.
"It seems to be a common affliction lately," Sango remarked, voice low.
"Yes. I thought we could share some company. I mean, if you want to talk…"
The offer hung between them and finally Sango sighed. She had kept to herself for the past days, a mere shadow of herself.
"I know he's already dead, Kagome. I know he was killed so long ago, but there's still so much hope that something… something could bring him back to me for good."
Kagome regarded her friend silently. She had no idea what she would do if their roles were reversed. If it was Souta, killed and then resurrected. Her hope for her little brother driving her on, her desperation to see him live making her do such foolish things. She knew she would fight for her family; she would do everything in her powers to keep them alive and safe. Sango had lost Kohaku, but the image of her brother was still out there. His memories were still alive in his resurrected body.
But what about his soul?
"But now…" Sango went on. "Now I know we have to go through with this. We might find a miracle on the way, but I doubt it."
Kagome took her hand and squeezed it. "Never give up hope."
A watery smile answered her. "I never gave up hope. Never. And you were all so good to me, so understanding. You never gave up on me either."
"You're our friend."
Silence fell between them until Sango inhaled shakily. "I don't know if I can do it, though. I don't know if I can bring him down and remove the splinter. I think I'm too much a coward to do that. I hate myself for it because it is necessary, but… he's my little brother!"
Tears started to spill and stream down her cheeks.
"He was so little when he was born. Mother had such a hard time giving birth. Both were weak and exhausted, but Kohaku fought to live. He was such a fighter even then."
She smiled, her memories taking her far away.
"He looked up to me, you know. His big sister, already on her way to be a slayer. I fought my first demon when I was ten, slayed it right in front of my father. I was so proud, but no one was prouder than Kohaku. I can still see him, so small and still so tall. He told me then that he wanted to be a slayer like me and father."
Kagome squeezed Sango's hand again, giving her an encouraging smile.
"Mother died that year. She had never recovered from giving birth. Father was stricken by her death, but he didn't show it. He just went on, did his job, protected our village with the others and trained me. Kohaku became a quiet child after our mother's death. He was still so small and thin, and he developed a liking for the nicer things in life. He was almost an artist, but somehow the wish to be like father and me drove him on."
Sango hung her head, her black hair covering her face like a veil.
"He died when he was eleven, Kagome. It was his first triumph, his first fight, and his harshest lesson. He fell prey to Naraku's plans us demon slayers. By all rights I should have died with him. I didn't. And neither did he. He became a puppet, a mockery of what he once was." Pained, brown eyes looked at Kagome. "I know his soul is gone, but his memories are still there, and I want him back so badly. He's all I have left!"
The last was uttered in a heart-wrenching sob and Sango fell forward, bowed over in her grief. She sobbed, crying out to the dead.
Kagome gathered her into her arms, holding her as the usually so tough warrior cried her heart out, clinging to her like a drowning person. Kagome felt her own tears spill.
Life was a bitch, she decided.
'When life deals you only lemons, you make lemonade,' her mother had once jokingly told her then much younger daughter who had complained about the unfairness of it all after a really bad week.
But what if life dealt you much worse?

* * *

Inuyasha's eyes were on the dark forest into which Kagome had disappeared. His senses kept track of the young woman, though he knew there were no dangers here. The few lesser youkai in these parts of the land were either too scared of intruders or peaceful forest spirits that didn't attack humans.
The hanyou felt for Sango, though he never openly showed it. He knew her pain, her desperation, and he knew the outcome of it all. In the end, Kohaku would have to die. There was no alternative to gaining the last Shikon shard. Kohaku would have to be sacrificed for the greater good, to defeat Naraku.
A soft rustle of clothes moving drew his attention from the forest to the silent figure at his side. Eyes that seemed to be completely black in the firelight looked at him out of an understanding face. Miroku. His rock in a turbulent sea. How could this man radiate such strength, calm and peace? Inuyasha knew that inside, his lover was just as vulnerable and scared as everyone, carried his own heavy burdens. Even heavier than Sango's. Miroku was a doomed man whose only chance to rid himself of the curse was to kill Naraku. Still, despite his youth, he had this quiet, ancient air around him. It had soothed Inuyasha so often before and as always, the hanyou felt lacking. He took so much from this man, but what could he give him? What had he given him lately?
Sex? No, that didn't count. He didn't see their physical encounters as anything he could exclusively give that no one else would be able to. Deep down inside Inuyasha knew that what they shared was special. He had no words for it, but he knew that his presence had given Miroku something that never showed. It wasn't the calming effect the monk had on him; it was something more.
Inuyasha was aware that he was the temperamental side of their partnership. Sure, Miroku had a temper, but it was usually only roused in extreme situations. Unlike Inuyasha's temper, which needed only a little spark to explode. Posturing, Miroku had once called it, smiling all the time. Alpha male behavior. Probably part of his youkai heritage.
Hmpf, Inuyasha thought. If that was so, why was Sesshoumaru such an ice block? Why could his older brother keep his emotions in check and appear so indifferent?
Those black eyes still watched him and a slow, calming smile stretched over the familiar lips. Warmth suffused Inuyasha and the sense of peace deepened. Even if he only had a few moments of this feelings each day or week, it was more than enough. It was addictive, like the whole man, and he would fight to keep him. He would kill Naraku. It meant the death of Sango's brother, but they all had had a price to pay in the past already. Too much pain had already spread.
He gave his lover a tender smile, then turned back to listening to the forest, just in case some youkai strayed in here, meaning harm.
But the night stayed quiet.

* * *

It took them another ten days to return to Kaede's village for a brief rest. Kagome wanted to see her family, pick up supplies, and sleep in a real bed for a night or two. Inuyasha had grumbled to himself, but he had made no moves to stop her. Sango had simply retreated to be on her own, as she usually did, and while Miroku wanted to go and comfort her, he knew now was not the time. Inuyasha's features were set as he watched Sango walk off into the fields with Kirara.
Miroku stepped beside him and was surprised when the hanyou slipped an arm around his waist, leaning closer. He pressed a little kiss against one temple and the hold around his waist tightened. Suddenly Inuyasha pulled away, took his wrist and tugged once, amber eyes meeting violet once. There was such an intense need in them, such begging and pleading, Miroku felt something inside of him clench.
"Please?" Inuyasha whispered, his grip light enough for Miroku to free himself.
He couldn't deny those large amber eyes anything. He couldn't fight his own responses as he wanted to be with him, wanted to feel and taste him. Just for a moment, Miroku wanted to pretend there was nothing but them in the world, only two souls who merged as one.
The monk followed his quiet lover to a secluded spot, out in the middle of nowhere, tall grass all around him. Here, Inuyasha stopped and gazed at him, then stepped slowly closer. His movements were as lithe as in a battle and when he captured Miroku's lips in a kiss, the dark-haired human felt something inside of him starting to unwind. Being so close to Inuyasha, with no need to restrain his actions, did things to him…
Lips mapped his own, nibbling at his jawline, while strong hands clawed into his robes to hold him in place. Miroku had no intention to go anywhere. He carded his fingers into the silvery white hair, kissing his lover back, relaying his own hunger.
Inuyasha pushed him to the ground and made him lie back. Kisses were rained over his face, capturing his lips, coaxing them apart, pushing gently inside. Miroku felt part of him shut down, another part waking to the sensual experience. Inuyasha ran his claws through the black strands and suddenly loosened the small pony tail, letting the longer hair fall free. He proceeded to nibble along one ear, tonguing the earrings, tugging at them, biting gently, then proceeding down the slender column of the neck to the throat that was exposed to his ministrations.
"You are intoxicating," Inuyasha whispered huskily.
Miroku gave a little sigh of elation, then gasped as nimble fingers slid under his robes and found his nipples. His own hands were busy tugging at Inuyasha's clothing, wanting to see his lover naked, wanting to feel his skin under his fingers. He traced scars, old and not so old, then entwined his right hand with Miroku's left, badly scarred arm. The scars he had put there. It was a miracle his mate still had full function of his arm.
Clothes were shed and Inuyasha slowly but surely undressed his lover, kissing every piece of exposed skin as he reached it, drawing continuous sighs of pleasure and moan of appreciation out of Miroku. The dark-haired human arched under the now more forceful tongue as his nipples were licked and teethed to point, as clawed fingers toyed with the sensitive skin around his arousal. He groaned as one talon ran over the hardening length. A shiver of anticipation ran through him as Inuyasha made his way down south, and he gave a bit-off yell as the hanyou took what was his.
Moving into the hot, wet cavern, hips twitching, forced down by strong hands, Miroku whimpered at the slow pace. It was agony. He wanted so badly to be with his lover, but Inuyasha would have none of it as he set the speed and depth. He teased and taunted, licked and nibbled and fondled, and finally Miroku reverted to simple begging.
Amber eyes glowed with lust, hunger and need as Inuyasha raised himself to look at the harshly breathing man underneath him.
"So beautiful," he murmured, licking and nipping at Miroku's lips.
"Inuyasha…" Miroku pleaded.
"Beautiful."
"Please…"
"I love you, koishii."
And Inuyasha kissed him with almost bruising strength, driving him insane with the close proximity, with the insistent rubbing and the way his hips pushed against Miroku's.  Miroku arched against his lover, wanting more, needing more, and finally the hanyou seemed to relent. He no longer played or teased. His mouth closed over the hard length and Miroku groaned, eyes screwed shut, so close. Inuyasha lapped at his arousal and went deeper, his fingers blazing a trail ahead of his tongue.
"Inu… yasha..."
Slick fingers entered him and he cried out in pleasure and pain. Oh gawd…
When they were finally joined, Miroku gave a soft exclamation of ecstasy, eyes closed, head thrown back, exposing his throat that was immediately kissed and licked and nibbled at.
He didn't know how long it took, but it was wasn't long enough anyway. He wanted this to go on, to prolong it as best as he could, but his body was too eager to reach its climax. As was Inuyasha, who moved mercilessly, stimulating him to the point where he could only go forward.
Miroku cried out his release, heard Inuyasha's own shout of pleasure. Inuyasha almost collapsed onto him, panting hard, eyes still as dilated as Miroku's, glowing with sated hunger and love.
He buried his shaking hands in those heavy, silvery white strands, pulled his lover into a lazy kiss, feeling his own body fall into the well-known state of post-coital bliss. Inuyasha rested his head against Miroku's shoulder, trying to get his breathing back under control.
They didn't rise for a long, long time.
The sun shone down on their naked, spent bodies, the grass moving in the cool breeze, and clouds rode across the sky. Neither man cared, absorbed in each other.

* * *

Sango had returned to her village. To the ruins of the formerly so proud houses, to the destruction, and to the graves. Too many of them, too many had paid with their lives for what Naraku had done to Kohaku.
Too… many…
Kneeling down at the grave of her people, she placed fresh flowers on the mound closest to her, bowing her head in a silent prayer.
Kirara made a soft noise at her side, rubbing her tiny head against Sango's thigh in a gesture of support. She looked at her feline companion and smiled sadly.
"So many have passed away. Because of me… because of… him. I know Kohaku is dead, but my heart won't accept what my mind tells me, Kirara. I miss him so much. He's all I've got left. Without him, I'm alone."
Kirara meowed again, her large orange eyes even larger than before.
Sango felt the tears gather once more, but she refused to let them fall. She was a slayer, a warrior. She had killed countless youkai and she had sworn to avenge her family. She had sworn to kill Naraku, even if it killed her. Now she would have to kill a part of herself to get a step closer to that goal. She would have to sacrifice her brother again. Not his body, not his soul, but his memories still living in that shell that walked the earth.
"I won't fail again," she whispered fervently.

* * *

He knew he was dead. Nothing of him was still alive. He was a mockery, a copy of what had been him once. His soul had died when his body had expired. What now served as his body was just a vessel for the memories.
Memories of another time.
Memories of a family, of a father and mother, of a sister.
Sister.
He smiled ruefully.
How often had he forgotten about her in the countless battles he had fought against Naraku's enemies? How often had a memory fragment returned, reminding him that she was someone special, though he had no idea who?
He didn't know. He didn't care.
All he cared about right now was that he had his memories back for once. It had happened infrequently, whenever Naraku underwent one of his many reformations. Currently his 'master' was hidden behind safe doors, rearranging the body parts and youkai flesh he had acquired, his mind in an almost comatose state. Protected by only his barrier and little loyal Kanna, he was an easy target, or so it seemed.
He had no illusion that Naraku would kill whoever approached him with murder on his mind. But he had no intention to kill him.
In the past, he had spent his lucid moments sitting somewhere alone, thinking about fate, about death, about life, and about his family. There was no future for his thoughts because the moment Naraku reasserted his control, he would be back to being a mindless tool for the evil incarnate. But being so close to Naraku had one advantage – he knew a lot. Like he knew that Inuyasha and his friends had almost completed the Shikon no Tama. Like he knew that there was just one shard missing.
He walked out the gates of Naraku's hiding place, keeping in the shadows, hoping that neither Kanna nor Kagura saw him.
Kohaku knew that he had little time. Very little time.

* * *

Night had fallen and with it a sense of peace settled over the land. It was the night of the new moon and Miroku and Inuyasha lay curled up together in a separate room, Inuyasha's head pillowed on his lover's chest. Black hair spilled over his back, the blunt fingers that had caressed Miroku's body now lay relaxed and at ease. Both men were safe here and Inuyasha had allowed himself to doze off, wrapped in the security of his lover and the protection of the village.
Sango had returned earlier that evening, looking composed, almost as if she had come to a decision while she had been away. Kagome was expected to be back tomorrow morning and then they would continue their search for Kohaku.
Something rustled in the grass and Kirara's ears twitched. The feline raised her head and her ears turned, trying to pinpoint the noise. Finally she rose and silently padded over to the door, nudging her way outside. She sniffed the air, her tails twitching, and then she bounded off into the night.
 

Sango blinked her eyes open, unable to say what had woken her. She only saw Kirara leave and her eyes widened in puzzlement.
"Kirara?" she murmured.

* * *

"Kirara."
The name came easily over his lips and he stroked his fingers gently over the little head. The cat purred loudly, rubbing herself against his knees.
"Kirara…" he whispered again.
Kohaku lifted his little companion out of a past that was already dead. History. Long gone. There was only one more thing to do in his brief future.
There was a sound from his left side and he turned, cradling the little cat in his arms. Large, dark brown eyes gazed at him out of a pale face. A face he had seen in his dreams and in his nightmares, a face he knew so well.
"Sister."
Her large eyes widened even more and she involuntarily came a few steps forward, almost stumbling.
"Kohaku…"
Her voice was so much filled with hope, it pained him. Because there was no hope. There was only destiny, and he had little time left. If Naraku came back from his 'meditation', he would lose.
Kirara meowed and jumped out of his arms, looking up at him with the same hope.
"You.. you came…" Sango whispered, stopping a few feet away.
"I have little time, sister. Naraku is weak, he has loosened his hold over me. I can only hope to be free for a some more time."
He gazed at the tall, slender woman. His sister, the famous and fearsome slayer. A youkai exterminator, the last of their village. He loved her. He wanted her to live.
"I came because I have what you need."
"Kohaku… little brother…"
He smiled sadly, feeling her sorrow and pain as an almost physical force. Pulling out his weapon, the sharp sickle, he raised it a little. Above him, the sky had taken on the dark purple and blue color of coming sunrise.
"Do you remember the day I was given my weapon?" Kohaku asked, voice far away, his memories blossoming all around him. "Father said it was made for me. It was to be mine. Yours was Hiraikotsu. This was mine. I trained with it every day, but I was never good enough…"
"Kohaku, no!" Sango cried, still rooted to the spot.
"It took so many lives, it drew your blood, sister. It was never meant to harm humans. But now it will have its use. I was about to remove the splinter once before, but it was just a ploy by Naraku. He used me. I am but a tool. I'm no longer alive, Sango-chan. My soul has gone on long ago, my body was buried. This is living death."
Tears ran down her face as she stared at him. "No… there has to be a way, Kohaku. We will find it!"
"There is none. I live because of the Shikon shard in my back. No magic, however dark or light can bring back the dead for real. Like the Shichinintai I'm just a dead husk, full of memories, but there is no soul left."
Kohaku watched the first rays of the sun creep over the horizon and he smiled.
"Defeat him, Sister. Kill the evil he is. And live."
With that he plunged the sharp blade into his shoulder, severing skin and muscle down to the bone. His body felt the pain, but it was just a faraway sensation. Nothing he experienced from this dead husk was real. Fingers dug into the open wound, slick with blood pulsing down his back and dripping onto the ground. He pulled the splinter from his back and held it between thumb and forefinger.
It was beautiful.
A light pink that caught the new day's light, reflecting it, making it dance. Kohaku's eyes fell on his sister, who was crying freely now. Even as his knees gave way and he collapsed onto the grassy ground, he saw her run toward him.
"Kohaku!"
Her cry echoed in his ears and somewhere, very far away, he heard a roar of denial as Naraku became finally aware of his betrayal.
And he smiled more. In his mind, he laughed in joy at the freedom.

* * *

Miroku woke to the absence of his lover and he yawned, missing the warm weight of the living, breathing body at his side. It had been a surprise how easily the human Inuyasha had slipped into a doze at his side, so incredibly trusting in his vulnerable state. They had nuzzled and caressed each other, enjoying the closeness, but nothing deeper had been initiated. Miroku liked making love to the human form of his half-demon lover, but last night hadn't been the time. As much as he wanted to taste the mouth without canines, bury himself deep in the lithe, dark-haired form, feel the blunt nails dig into his back in pleasure, waking the whole village to their cries hadn't been the plan. And it had been too tempting to sleep in a warm, dry hut to exchange that comfort for the hard ground and a little romp.
Stretching, he got up, dressed in his robes and left the hut. The sun was just about to rise, the sky turning a light pink, and it looked like another perfect day. Inuyasha was sitting on the porch, cross-legged, Tetsuseiga in his arms, his hair still a deep, midnight black. Brown eyes looked up and met Miroku's violet ones, and right before the monk's eyes, the transformation took the dark color and changed it into the liquid golden amber he loved so much. Fingers flexed, becoming claws, the hair turned a silvery white, and the pointed dog ears twitched up between the heavy strands.
Miroku smiled at the hanyou, leaning down for a kiss that was willingly given. "Good morning, koishii."
Inuyasha gave him a rare, tender and open smile in return, reaching up to draw him into another kiss that lasted a lot longer. Miroku balanced himself with his hands on the strong shoulders of the sitting man, breathing hard.
"If you don't stop this…"
"Yes?" came the teasing question as the hanyou licked his lip provocatively.
"Damn you," Miroku whispered, gazing into the deep, golden eyes.
"I'd rather have it you love me, koishii."
"I already do. Deeply. Conditionlessly."
Emotions blossomed in Inuyasha's eyes and the two men looked at each other, feelings welling up. The hanyou lightly touched the left forearm, drawn as always to the scarring, the place of his deep guilt. It had brought them together, in a way, but it had nearly cost a life he now held dearly.
The curtain of Kaede's hut was pushed aside and the moment was abruptly broken. The old miko emerged, shooting the two men a critical once-over, her one good eye lingering on the now fully transformed hanyou. She nodded to herself.
Miroku had pushed himself back, looking a bit flustered, much to the obvious amusement of the older woman. He had been a womanizer once, he had tried to bed everything female on two legs, had never shown any embarrassment, but ever since Inuyasha, Miroku had changed profoundly. Showing their relationship in public was rare. Actually, Miroku didn't want to be more open. Inuyasha just took his keys from his mate.
"You're leaving today?" the miko asked as she walked over to them.
Inuyasha nodded. "The moment Kagome is back, yes. I'll wait for her at the well and when she's here, we continue our search for Kohaku."
"Good. I wish you luck, Inuyasha."
A loud meowing noise interrupted Inuyasha's answer. Kirara bounded through the tall grass, calling plaintively. She jumped into Miroku's arms, large eyes boring into him as she still called out urgently.
"Kirara? Is something wrong? Is it Sango?"
The cat jumped off him again, turning in tight circles, highly agitated.
Shippo scurried out of Kaede's hut, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "What's going on?"
"We don't know. Kirara's upset about something…"
The calling grew louder, more intense, and the two-tailed cat ran a few feet into the field, then stopped, looking at them.
"Let's follow her," Inuyasha decided and started to walk after her.
Kirara led them into one of the fields close the forest, then into the forest itself. She stopped next to a tall tree, whimpering a little.
"Sango!" Miroku exclaimed, then gasped. "No…"
Sango was kneeling on the ground, head bowed. In front of her lay the skeleton, too small to be an adult. It was dressed in his youkai exterminator uniform. The bones appeared old, not fresh, as if death had occurred years ago. Actually, it had. The large puddle of blood that had dried on the ground underneath one shoulder blade told the story of recent events.
"Sango…" Miroku whispered again and walked toward her, his face a mixture of compassion and pain "Oh Sango…"
She just looked at the still form of her little brother. The remains of what had once been a body made of flesh. Undead flesh. Kept alive by the Shikon shard.
"Sango, what happened?" Miroku queried, voice low, soothing, wrapping itself around the woman like a blanket.
The others stayed back, Shippo holding on to Kaede's robes as if that was all that kept him standing. The old miko looked shocked, her aged and wrinkled face drawn into an expression of suffering for the young woman in the middle of the forest. Inuyasha's features were simply closed off as he watched the tragedy unfold for them. Miroku was glad they didn't crowd. Sango didn't need her friends in that way just yet.
"Sango," Miroku repeated and sank down at he side, his face drawn into a reflection of pain and compassion.
He glanced at the skeleton, saw the weapon, stained with blood, and he knew. He touched Kohaku's skull, bowing his head, saying a soft prayer, then he transferred his touch to the older sister, who seemed to be lost in her own mind. The brown eyes were lifeless, stricken, and dried tears were on her exhausted features.
Miroku lifted her chin, then cupped one cheek.
"I am so sorry, Sango-chan."
Sango's eyes filled again, but no tears spilled, and he simply drew her forward into his embrace. A wry sob escaped her parched throat and she fell into his arms. Her body seemed to grow limp as dry hiccups of pain left her mouth, and Miroku wrapped his arms protectively around the slender woman, shielding her from the pain of the world. His eyes met those of his lover and he saw his own emotions reflected in them. Sango would need them now; more than ever.
Murmuring softly to the exhausted slayer, he let her empty herself until there was nothing left. Only then did she allow him to help her up, but she never left his side. Like a child, she hid her eyes in the folds of his robes, stumbling steps taking her away from the body.

* * *

Kagome returned to the village around noon. She was feeling freshly revived, happy, and her backpack was filled with all the favorite food groups. Cup Noodles, potato chips and sweets. She had been slightly surprised that no one had expected her at the well. Usually it was Inuyasha, sometimes Shippo, but there was always someone. It made her think that something had happened and somewhere deep inside, something curled in worry.
The moment she entered the village, she felt the change in the air.
Something really had happened.
Something had spread a mantle of darkness over the sunny village.
She approached Kaede's hut and called out.
"Inuyasha? Guys? Anyone there?"
"Kagome!"
The cry came from Shippo, who was running over to her. She found herself with an armful of kitsune, who was clinging to her sweater, wide eyes staring at her.
"Shippo? What happened? What's wrong?"
"Sango! Kohaku came here last night and he… oh, Kagome, it's so terrible!"
"Kohaku?" she blurted. "He... he came here?"
"And he removed the splinter from his shoulder!"
Kagome froze in shock. Oh… my… god…
"Where… where's Sango?" she managed.
"She refused to rest, even though Kaede tried to convince her. She left for the youkai exterminator's village. To bury Kohaku. Miroku went with her to give last rites…"
The child sniffled, clearly upset by what had occurred. Kagome couldn't fault him for it. Shippo had lost his family, was an orphan, and he, more than anyone, could understand Sango's loss.
"Kagome…"
The soft, serious voice belonged to none other than Inuyasha. He stood in the doorway to Kaede's hut, features solemn.
"Inuyasha… what happened?"
He gestured at her to come inside and Kagome walked into the hut where Kaede was stoking the fire pit. She settled down and listened to the events of the last night.

* * *

Miroku stood before the fresh grave, eyes closed, hand raised in front of his chest as he prayed for the dead. The sun was beating down on him and the single mourner, the young woman he had long ago chased and wanted to make his. Back in that time he would have thrived with the chance to comfort her, hold her close to him, tell her everything would get better in time. He would have tried to use her grief for his purposes, but not any more. Sango still held a special place in his heart. She was an incredible ally to have, a good friend, and he respected her. Now he felt with her for her loss.
She was the last of her village. The last of her family.
Opening his eyes, he let his hand sink as the prayer was finished. He had blessed the grave, the ground Kohaku now rested in. Kohaku's soul had long since passed on, but his memories had remained, now forever erased as he had taken his own undead life by removing the splinter.
Miroku turned to Sango, who was dressed up in her full slayer outfit. She was a fearsome sight to behold, the black and red outfit clinging to her trained and athletic form. Her hair was bound back in a severe pony-tail, accenting her features. Her face was closed off, pale, composed, and her eyes were dark, glittering pools of control. He walked past her, giving her the necessary time to say her last good-byes. Kirara followed him, sitting down next to the dark-haired monk as he settled in the shade.
Sango just stood there, staring at the grave, not moving a muscle, unaware of what happened around her. She knelt down and placed a single flower on the otherwise unmarked mound. Her slender hand stroked over the dry earth.
'Oh Sango,' Miroku thought sadly. 'I wish I could help you, but there is only so much I can do.'
His friend would have to battle her demons alone. All he could do was offer an open ear should she want to talk, but Sango was a private person. He knew it would be close to impossible to have her spill her heart out to him.
'I'll be there if you ever decide to talk. You know it, right? I'm here. Just like the others.'
Kirara sighed a feline sigh and curled up next to him. They would wait until Sango was ready, however long it took.

* * *

They had left Kaede's village, traveling to a place that gave them a better advantage should Naraku try something. Now that all splinters had been collected and the Shikon was about to be completed, an attack was expected any day. The evil incarnate wanted the Shikon, so now that it was whole again and in the hands of his enemies, he would send whatever he had to get it.
At least that was what they thought.
Kagome looked at the last splinter in her hand. Kohaku's. Like Kouga's two shards, this one had been bathed in blood, torn out of a living body, but unlike Kouga, Kohaku hadn't really been alive. His body had been sustained by the shard, by Naraku's will, and he had been under the evil darkness's  control. His soul had gone on long ago, but his memories and personality had remained, suppressed for too long.
Now he lay buried in the youkai exterminators' village, together with his family. For Sango, the world had turned into a dark and dreary place. There had always been hope – hope that one day they would defeat Naraku, find a way to keep Kohaku alive despite the removal of the shard, but the dream had been violently shattered.
That it had been Kohaku himself who had removed the splinter, had handed it to his older sister, had been an even greater blow. He had died in her arms, turned to dust until only his bones had remained. Something had died with him that day, part of Sango's soul, and ever since her eyes had lost their usual life.
Kagome gazed at the splinter, so small and innocent, the final piece. It had yet to be inserted and the group had left the village to keep the people safe, just in case something should happen.
She looked up and met Inuyasha's eyes. His face was solemn – and expression he had worn too often lately -- eyes hard, and he nodded.
"Do it."
She pushed the splinter into the tiny fissure of the otherwise smooth ball, and the Shikon no Tama glowed softly, absorbing its final piece. Kagome felt it pulse gently in her hands, felt its power, its strength, and a smile crossed her features. Its purifying powers coursed through her, enveloped her soul, caressed her spirit, and it was the most wonderful feeling she had ever experienced.
"It's done," she whispered almost reverently.
She held out the stone to Inuyasha, who shot her a quizzical look.
"I know you won't steal it," Kagome told him with a smile.
His eyebrows rose. "How?"
"Do you want to be a full youkai?"
"No!" he blurted immediately.
"And neither do you want to be human. You are what you are, Inuyasha. Hanyou. You don't want it for yourself."
"Yeah, well, kinda…" He quirked a little smile.
Inuyasha reached for the Shikon ball and touched it carefully.
Several things happened at once.
The ball suddenly pulsed sharply, the pinkish glow turning almost iridescent white. Inuyasha froze, his eyes wide, his mouth opening. Kagome felt the sharp discharge of power, unable to stop it, and she knew what she felt.
Purifying energy.
Inuyasha was suddenly flung back, flying through the air and hitting the rock face just behind them with bone-shattering strength. Stones crumbled under the impact and he fell to the ground, unmoving.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried and ran toward him, the Shikon in her fist.
She heard the calls of the others. They had been with Sango who had been unable to stand and watch Kagome reinsert Kohaku's splinter into the Shikon ball. Kagome fell to her knees next to the motionless form and reached out.
A sharp cry stopped her. Inuyasha curled up, screaming out in pain. "No!" he moaned.
Miroku came to an abrupt stop next to his lover. "What happened?" he demanded.
"It was the Shikon," the miko whispered. "I completed it, Inuyasha wanted to touch it… and then the energy lashed out at him. I allowed him to touch it, Miroku! It shouldn't have done that!"
Miroku's hand came to rest on the trembling hanyou's arm. "Inuyasha?" he asked, worry quite prominent in his voice.
"Hurts," he whimpered.
Kagome looked aghast. "It tried to purify him… Why?"
She opened her hand and the innocent little crystal pulsed once.
Inuyasha screamed, hands digging into the ground, and he tried to push away, but he couldn't. His skin rippled, as if something was moving underneath, turning a strange gray. It looked like a snake-skin pattern, like fissures in the flesh and Miroku's eyes widened in shock.
"Kagome!"
She closed her had around the Shikon and Inuyasha slumped with a whimper, panting harshly.
"Still… hurts," he managed, voice breaking.
"You have to take it away from him!" Shippo exclaimed.
Kagome was too stunned to react immediately, staring at her friend who was trembling badly now. He tried to bury himself in Miroku's robes and the monk touched him soothingly. Sango finally pulled her to her feet and both women moved away.
Inuyasha moaned softly and relaxed more. Miroku never ceased his caressed.
"Okay?" he asked softly.
"Feels like I've been skinned alive," the hanyou rasped. "Turned inside out. Needles everywhere…"
Miroku looked at Kagome, who was a few feet away, clutching the Shikon no Tama, confused like the rest of them.
What had happened? Why was it reacting like this to Inuyasha?

* * *

Inuyasha sat as far away from Kagome as possible while still in the circle of his friends, gazing at the now wrapped Shikon no Tama with a look of disdain and anger. Miroku had settled next to him, legs folded, his staff resting on his thighs, a thoughtful expression dominating his face. Kagome was simply gazing at the wrapped up Shikon.
"Maybe it's… temporary," she finally said.
Miroku frowned slightly. "Somehow I doubt it. Something happened to the Shikon no Tama and whatever it is, it reacts to Inuyasha."
"Maybe because of all the evil… it rejects youkai?" Kagome hazarded a guess.
"I'm fine," Shippo declared. "I don't feel sick. Let me touch it and we'll see if it's okay."
"Shippo, that's dangerous!"
"I don't think it reacts to youkai," the kitsune told her. "I'll show you."
And with that he took the Shikon and unwrapped it. Nothing happened as his hands came in direct contact with the pink surface.
Inuyasha gave a strangled moan and doubled over, looking pale. His skin seemed to almost ripple and Kagome's cry of alarm startled Shippo into dropping the Shikon. It bounced off the ground and rolled closer to the hanyou, who gave a cry of agony.
Miroku grabbed the offensive jewel and quickly covered it up, then drew an ofuda and slapped it onto the wrapping. He handed it back to Kagome, who took it with shaking hands, eyes riveted on the softly whimpering figure of Inuyasha. The monk knelt down and caressed the silvery white head.
"Inuyasha?"
"Sick," was the moaned reply.
"It's sealed for now. No one will open it again. Shhh…" He drew him close and Kagome watched from a distance as Inuyasha buried against Miroku, seeking safety.
"What happened?" she whispered.
"We should ask Kaede," Sango murmured, as shocked as everyone else.
"I'm sorry!" Shippo wailed and knelt down next to Inuyasha, who was shaking like a leaf and couldn't seem to get it under control. "I didn't want to drop it! I didn't know it would hurt you, Inuyasha! I thought the distance was safe…"
Slightly glazed, amber eyes looked at him from under white bangs. "It's okay, Shippo."
The kitsune cub sniffled. "I'm sorry…"
Miroku gave him a calm smile. "We know you didn't do it on purpose, Shippo. Just let Inuyasha ride out the aftereffects."
Kagome hunched over the jewel, looking miserable. "I'll go back to Kaede," she finally said.
Inuyasha's ears twitched and with a visibly great effort he lifted his head. "Not alone."
"You can't go, Inuyasha! It'll hurt you."
"Miroku's charm will keep it safe. I won't let you go alone!"
He pushed himself up and Miroku rose with him, keeping close just in case. Inuyasha's stubbornness won and he remained on his feet, too pale, eyes a bit glassy still, but he was upright.
"We go together," he told her and Kagome finally nodded, smiling hesitantly.
Inuyasha approached her and she stepped back. "Don't!"
"It's okay. Just… keep it wrapped up."
Clawed fingers reached out and clasped her fist which was wrapped tightly around the Shikon.
"See?"
He smiled and she finally answered that smile. "Yes."

* * *

Kaede sat in her hut, looking at the piece of cloth that contained the whole Shikon no Tama. She studied it from all sides, then reached for the seal. Kagome tensed and looked at Inuyasha, who was leaning against the wall, looking bored, but his own tension was almost palpable. He had regenerated, was no longer so pale, but if the Shikon energy hit him again, it would be bad.
"Kaede, please," Miroku's soft voice stopped the miko. "Not here. It will hurt Inuyasha again."
"Keh!" the hanyou muttered. "I can take it."
Kaede looked at him and lowered the Shikon. "You should leave, Inuyasha."
"I said I'll be fine!"
Miroku walked over to him and gently took one hand, interlacing their fingers right in front of everyone, and pulled him out of the hut. The expression on the half demon's face was priceless. Kagome had to smile at the confusion and light embarrassment. Even Kaede smirked a little, then she undid the seal.
The monk came back just as she exposed the pink ball, the object of every demon's desire, the source of so much pain and loathing and death. She studied it, held it up, squinted at it, then placed it carefully onto the cloth.
"I see no difference. You say it hurts Inuyasha to be close to it?"
They all nodded.
"I thought it was his youkai blood, but Shippo's fine," Kagome explained. "He can touch it."
"A mystery," the old miko murmured. "It is pure, no darkness remaining inside. It can't be that." She wrapped the Shikon back into its small pouch and handed it to Miroku. "Seal it again, houshi. With the strongest charm you have."
Miroku took the precious pouch and nodded, sitting down and starting the ritual. It didn't take long, but afterwards the dark blue cloth was a ward against whatever energy leaked out or tried to get inside, with an ofuda sealing it just to be on the safe side.
"What now?" Sango wanted to know. "Naraku will surely know that the Shikon has been completed. He will know where it is…"
"The prophecy will guide you," Kaede answered.
"So you believe in it, too?" Miroku asked softly.
She nodded.
"But Inuyasha can't use the Shikon!" Kagome argued.
"I believe everything will be revealed in time."
"Keh!" a new voice could be heard.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried and quickly snatched the pouch to keep it safely away from him.
"Those are just words," the hanyou said and re-entered the hut, ignoring his lover's misgiving frown. "I'll defeat Naraku without the Shikon just fine!"
Kaede shook her head. "The Shikon is powerful, Inuyasha. You know it as well as I do. It is the way to rid the world of the evil darkness that is Naraku. Only the Shikon and you."
"Yeah, well, it wants to kill me, right? It's useless!"
"Inuyasha is right," Sango agreed. "The prophecy speaks of him carrying the Shikon and Tetsuseiga into battle. He can't!"
Kaede's one good eyes rested on the group. "Time will tell," was all she answered.
"Feh!" Inuyasha shot her a disdainful look, then left again.
Miroku sighed. "I have to agree that it's highly unlikely, but our path has never been clear and prophecies are usually open for interpretation."
Kagome followed him out of the hut with Sango and Shippo. She gazed at the blue sky, dotted with a few fluffy, white clouds, and she wondered what had happened to the Shikon, how they might be able to undo it – and if she could go home for a few days.

* * *

Inuyasha looked down at the man he had just made love to with soft, emotion-filled eyes. The same emotions were reflected in the lazy, violet pools and he smiled as Miroku reached up to tug a strand of black hair behind his ears. Miroku wrapped an arm around his waist and pressed their sated bodies together. A blanket was drawn over them and Inuyasha relaxed into the warm hold.
"I never believed it possible," the currently very human hanyou whispered.
"Hm?"
"I've begun to like the new moon."
Miroku's eyebrows climbed a little and a slow smile spread over his lips. "You do, hm?"
"Yes, very much. I love the way this body feels. It's different in a way."
"Oh?"
Inuyasha nibbled at a convenient collar bone and licked his way up to one of his lover's soft spots.
"Uhm-hm…"
Miroku squirmed a little -- trying to escape, trying to get closer, Inuyasha didn't know. His ministrations left a small mark, he noted with satisfaction, looking at it.
His mate.
"Thank you for showing me," the hanyou murmured, gazing at his lover.
"My pleasure."
A grin. Yes, his pleasure. Their pleasure.
Snuggling closer, resting his head against Miroku's chest, he let the hands stroking over his hair and the rhythm of his lover's heart lull him into sleep.

* * *

Sango stared at the dark sky, noting the absence of the moon. The stars were out, glittering with such beauty it hurt to see them. Dressed up in her slayer outfit, armed with her sword and Hiraikotsu, Kirara at her side in full battle mode, she made an impressive picture to the backdrop of the night sky.
Something rustled in the bushes and her finely-tuned senses immediately picked up on it. She felt the dark aura of a youkai and smiled coldly.
Turning away from her musings about beauty, she faced the foolish creature that thought her to be an easy target.
Kirara growled, tensing, ready to battle.
Sango knew that all the battles in the world would never fill that empty spot in her soul, nor would they drive away the pain, but for the moment, it kept her alive – made her feel the blood in her veins, the sweat pouring down her face, her heart hammering in her chest.
And for the brief interludes of a fight, she didn't have to think about Kohaku, his peaceful expression as he died, the smile and happiness in his eyes.

* **

Kagome leaned back into the warm, scented bathing water, sighing in contentment.
"So good," she moaned.
It had been too long since she had enjoyed the luxury of a real bath, not a hot spring. Fluffy towels, a warm bathrobe, slippers, reading a magazine as she soaked in the tub… and then having some nice, home-cooked food. She would enjoy her time at home. Inuyasha hadn't really made much of a scene, though he had scowled at her. Still, she had been surprised when he had told her to take the Shikon with her. It would be safest in her time at the moment. The others would await her return in three days,
Kagome stayed in the tub until the water grew cold, then toweled herself off and went into the living room where her mother was watching TV with her little brother Souta.
"Didn't Inuyasha come with you?" he asked immediately.
"No, he stayed in his time. He's busy."
She wondered if the hanyou would have said no if she had invited him. Coming here without Miroku… Then again, it wasn't like they were joined at the hip. Still, the relationship with the monk had changed Inuyasha. He was so much easier to live with. While part of her had wanted her to be that center point of his change, the trigger, Kagome believed she had paved the way for the different man Inuyasha was today.
"How long are you going to stay?" her mother asked, drawing her out of her thoughts.
"Three days."
"Will you go to school?"
She frowned slightly. Today was Sunday and she would have two school days, but… what was there to do in two days? She had no exams coming up and going to school meant meeting her friends. As much as she wanted to do that, she would have to tell them lies again. They would ask question for sure.
"I don't know," she sighed. "It's tough."
Her mother nodded. "Whatever you decide, you grandfather has found some new ways to excuse you from school." She smiled. "Relapses are pretty handy."
It still amazed Kagome that her mother and grandfather, even her brother, took her time traveling so lightly. She was going into a well, into another epoch, and except for some sound advice now and then, some caring words, there had never been any scenes. Their reaction to Inuyasha's first appearance had been almost… normal. As if it was normal that a dog-eared half demon came through the door!
She really had the strangest family, Kagome decided. A family that helped her out wherever they could, covered for her, made everything so much more bearable.
Well, she would enjoy her three days at home and worry about weirdness and school another time.