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Sword of Supreme Conquest

- Chapter 17 –

Inuyasha awoke slowly from his dreamless sleep to the scent of herbs tickling his nose. His instincts recognized them, but his brain couldn't rouse itself enough to remember the names. They were healing herbs, scents that reminded him of Kagome. This thought relaxed him and for a moment he was content to lay in silence, half-way between the dark and the light. It wasn't until he caught the more sinister scent of Kagome's blood on the air that he forced himself into full consciousness.

Kagome!

His eyelids fluttered and snapped opened. The room was dark and he could only make out the faintest of shapes in the shadows before him. Irritated by the uselessness of his eyes, he closed them again and honed in on his other senses to gain his bearings.

The pair of doglike ears nestled atop his head twitched to life and picked up the gentle crackle of a nearby fire. His brows drew together as he realized that even though he could feel its heat brushing against his skin, the fire did nothing to warm him. He shivered involuntarily and felt his back scratch against the rough surface of the floor, informing him that he was shirtless as well.

He pondered this new development and took mental inventory of what he could recall. He knew himself, he knew Kagome's scent and the warm feelings associated with it. Everything else was just…gone. Or maybe it didn't matter…

The delicate trickle of water being squeezed out of a soft rag into a shallow bowl caught his attention. It was the water that smelled of flowers and herbs, he realized. The soft pressure of the rag against his chest gave him a vivid reminder of the several gaping wounds that'd been gouged into his torso. What should have been a soothing touch felt more like sandpaper against his skin. He grimaced and the moment a pained gasp slipped past his lips the cloth was mercifully drawn back into the dark abyss.

"Inuyasha?" she spoke to him, her voice soft and tentative.

Her hands felt like fire when she placed them on either side of his face and turned his head towards her. Cracking his eyelids open, he blinked slowly through the darkness until her face came into focus. Her dark eyes were filled with worry.

He hated seeing her upset. He was always too reckless; charging into battles he didn't have a prayer of winning. The pain in her eyes made his gut tighten with guilt. It was as if his body knew something he didn't, remembered something that still evaded him. With a soft groan he placed his palms against his eyes and rubbed at them gently.

"Oi, Kagome. Are you going to cook me for dinner?" he questioned, surprised at how rough his voice sounded. Coughing lightly to clear his throat, he swallowed hard and asked for some water. He attempted a grateful smile when she brought the cup to his lips.

When the water was gone, she took back the cup and set it beside her on the floor. She avoided his gaze, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she busied herself with the herbs laid out before her. Frustrated by her attempt to ignore him, Inuyasha tried to sit up.

All it took was one quick motion, one instantaneous engagement of his muscles before a sharp tearing sensation travelled across his chest. His breath faltered in his lungs and he froze in place. It felt like if he moved the barest inch his entire body would be splayed open.

With an irritated "tch", Kagome gently pushed him back down to the floor. She refused to look him in the eye and studiously examined the re-opened wounds on his chest. Her eyes knowingly flicked between each gash and she nodded quietly to herself after determining the correct course of treatment.

Nearly a decade spent fighting in the feudal era had taught her more than enough about treating wounds, even ones as severe as these. Reaching down to her side she pulled a pile of fresh bandages from her medical kit and began to tightly re-wrap the wounds in an effort to staunch the fresh blood dribbling down his sides.

Feeling dizzy, but not willing to go back to sleep, Inuyasha watched her movements with a careful eye. The way she kept her eyes glued to his torso to avoid making eye contact didn't escape his notice. Guilt, that suddenly all too familiar feeling, began to pool in his gut once more and he clenched his fists at his side.

"I'm sorry," he muttered softly, unsure whether he was apologizing for re-opening his wounds or for something else entirely.

His words caught her attention. Her eyes held his gaze and momentarily flashed with some indescribable emotion. Almost as quickly, she looked away again and concentrated on re-wrapping his bandages.

With a scowl Kagome silently chastised herself for letting him lure her in. She'd been so determined to keep him at a distance, to avoid any unnecessary contact and yet with two words he'd been able to break her resolve.

Hastily collecting together the used bandages she tossed them into a nearby bucket and began to gather the unused herbs together. Her nimble fingers moved quickly and she kept her head down as she cleaned, fully aware of Inuyasha's probing gaze following her every move.

"Where are we?" he asked casually, his eyes drifting up to the thatched roof above their heads. The herbs she'd cleaned him with were so strong he couldn't smell a damn thing apart from them and her.

Kagome didn't respond. She stood suddenly and emptied the bucket of dirty bandages over the fire. The wood popped and crackled beneath the newly added fuel. A moment later she was once again kneeling on the floor, this time shutting the various compartments of her medical kit.

She scanned the kit just to be sure she had everything in its proper place and noticed an empty compartment glaring up at her. Her eyes scanned the kit one more time before dropping to the floor with a sense of dread. She caught sight of the bandage cutting scissors winking at her from where they sat forgotten next to her injured patient. With a despondent sigh she reached out and hastily snatched them up off the floor.

His claws wrapped instantly around her wrist, as she knew they would. She could feel his eyes on her, staring her down. Still weak from blood loss, the hand holding her prisoner shook slightly but its grip was firm. She'd hoped to wait until he was healed to deal with this, or at least until morning, but the intensity of his stare told her there was no avoiding it.

"Why won't you look at me?" he demanded. His voice was filled with tension and vibrated as he strained to hold her.

Kagome's jaw worked furiously within her cheek, clenching and unclenching in aggravation. After heaving a frustrated sigh she turned her head and fixed him with a cold glare, a trait she'd learned from Sesshomaru. His grip slackened when she looked at him, his expression morphing into one of hurt confusion. She seized upon his momentary distraction and ripped her wrist from his grasp.

"We're at Kaede's hut. Don't move anymore. If you re-open your wounds I won't bandage them again, got it?" she instructed sternly, her words sharp and clipped.

He nodded once and he let out a soft sigh of defeat. She turned her back to him and he noticed her hand come up to wipe away tears.

"Stop crying damn it! All I can smell is your damn tears!"

He inwardly winced the moment the words left his lips. He hadn't meant for them to sound so harsh, he was just frustrated by the fact that he had no idea what was going on and couldn't remember how he'd even gotten himself into this mess. Even without the waterworks it was obvious to him that she was upset over something. He wanted to comfort her but being the stupid baka that he was, his words had sounded anything but conciliatory.

Kagome's back went rigid and Inuyasha sucked in a nervous breath. She turned and glared at him over her shoulder, the light from the fire illuminating the unshed tears in her eyes.

"Because of you I have no husband, no family and no home to go back to! Because you thought it would be a good idea to get your ass kicked for some stupid notion of honour I'm stuck here, taking care of your wounds to make sure you don't die! So excuse me if I'm a little upset!"

Inuyasha blinked at her wide-eyed. It'd been a long time since she'd so thoroughly and effectively castigated him. He floundered in the wake of her rant, unable to find any words to say in his own defence. Considering their circumstances, he could only assume that she was right. The details were still fuzzy but certain memories were starting to trickle back now that he was awake.

He remembered pacing down that long hallway. He remembered his claws covered in his own blood. He remembered the smell of her tears. That memory made his heart clench inside his chest.　

Damn wench…

He really hated it when she cried.

He wanted to ask about the rest, all the other details he couldn't yet remember, but the look in her eyes told him that now wasn't the time.

Man, have I ever screwed up big this time.

"Kagome…" he began softly, his chest tightening as he searched for the right words to console her.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't… You shouldn't…"

He heaved a heavy sigh and the triangular ears atop his head drooped.

"I'll do whatever you want. Just stop crying, okay?"

"Good."

She turned on him and crossed her arms in front of her chest. A look of smug satisfaction took over her delicate features and she levelled a determined glare in his direction. Inuyasha gaped at her a moment before shutting his mouth.

"Good?" he asked, doubtfully. He'd expected another rant, maybe some more tears or a 'sit' but not that.

"Yes, 'good'. I know exactly how you're going to make it up to me."

Inuyasha cocked his head to the side and eyed her sceptically. Seeing his look of confusion Kagome sighed with frustration and pointed towards the door.

"We're going to finish our mission. I'm going back to find that damn sword and you're going to help me."

He opened his mouth to protest but a sharp glare from her forced it shut.

"You owe me that much at least," she pointed out, and he inwardly cringed at the hard edge to her words. A heavy silence fell over the hut after that, neither of them able to think of anything worthwhile to say to fill the void.

Inuyasha didn't notice himself drifting off until he awoke several hours later to the feeling of his body being engulfed in a raging inferno. His heavy eyelids slid open and his gaze lazily drifted across the ceiling until it landed upon Kagome's face. She was kneeling next to him, her features pinched with worry. A cool cloth appeared suddenly and dabbed against his forehead.

"I'm on fire," he mumbled groggily before his head dropped to the side. She shushed him gently and moved the cloth to mop up the sweat that beaded along his face and neck.

"You have a fever," she explained simply and removed the cool cloth to the bucket of water at her side. She watched worriedly as her hand swished it back and forth to rinse it clean. Frowning, she gently squeezed the excess water from the cloth and re-applied it to his forehead.

Damn it, Inuyasha! Don't you dare die on me! I can't retrieve that sword without you!

Inuyasha had drifted into a restless sleep shortly after their conversation. She'd used the brief respite to devise plans for how she was going to find and steal the sword. The sword was the key to everything. If she could get it back then maybe things with Sesshomaru could be mended. She clung to the tiny shred of hope it provided her like a life raft because she couldn't accept that this was it. She couldn't accept that everything she'd worked for had been so completely and utterly destroyed.

When Inuyasha first began to moan and shift about she'd ignored him, assuming he was merely lost in a restless dream. But his moans had steadily become more insistent, his movements more violent and by the time she'd moved to his side to check on him he was already in the grips of a full blown fever. A glistening layer of sweat covered his entire body and he shivered violently while his limbs made erratic twitches and jumps. His heart was racing so fast inside his chest she could feel its pounding rhythm against her fingertips with the slightest of touches.

She spent the rest of the night at his side, doing what she could to cool him down with cold compresses and gentle words, praying that his hanyou blood would heal him. His condition was far worse than she'd first thought and despite her resentment towards him she felt herself growing sick with worry. She was angry with him yes, but she didn't want him to die. They'd been through so much together, it just didn't seem right to have it end like this. Besides, she needed his help if she was going to save Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru…

It hurt just to speak his name. She couldn't blame him for leaving. She'd betrayed him in the worst possible way. She was utterly undeserving of his forgiveness or his love, but her foolish heart still ached to be with him.

Memories of happier times with her family kept her mind afloat while she tended to Inuyasha's fever racked body. Their faces instilled her with all the determination and drive she'd need for the coming days. Her first battle was against Inuyasha's fever. Once it was vanquished they'd move on to fight their next opponent – Time.

Inuyasha's eyes suddenly opened wide. His pupils were dilated so large the amber looked like nothing more than a faint ring of light around an eclipsed moon. With laboured breaths he reached out a clammy hand and grasped her wrist. The glassy look in his eyes told her he was completely lost to the fever.

"I-I remember now. I remember everything," he babbled, as his eyes flittered back and forth, staring at nothing in particular. Kagome tilted her head to the side in confusion. What was he talking about?

"The baby…did Sesshomaru?"

Realizing what he meant Kagome felt her shoulders relax and shushed him with a gentle press of her fingers against his lips. His hot breath cascaded over them as he panted hard, unable to catch his breath. He closed his mouth and swallowed at her touch, his eyes drifting to meet hers.

"He's fine," she soothed. "Don't worry about him right now. Just work hard at getting better, okay?"

She rested her hand against the only unmarred area on his chest, just above his heart. She could feel its break neck rhythm pounding away beneath her palm and her mouth hardened into a thin line. If this fever didn't break soon she didn't know what else she could do for him. She wasn't strong enough to drag him to the well on her own and there was no one else around to help her. He was just going to have to fight through it on his own.

Kagome started when Inuyasha slid his hand around hers, holding it in place against his chest. "I'm glad...," he muttered quietly. "I'm glad he's mine."

He didn't wait to hear her response before he slipped back into a feverish sleep.

When his body went limp, Kagome removed her fingers from his grasp and lifted the cold compress from his forehead. Her eyes travelled across the numerous gaping wounds, scrapes and gashes that covered his chest and arms. She dipped the rag into the bucket of cold water and lifted it out again. It hovered, dripping, over her lap as she reflected on his delirious words.

He was happy… In spite of everything that'd happened to him because of it, he was still happy their child was his.

Kagome's eyes softened as she regarded his face. His brow was furrowed and his eyes shut tight against the pain and fever that racked his body. She pressed the cloth gently to his forehead and shushed softly, noticing with surprise that he instantly relaxed beneath her touch.

You're such a bakashe mused quietly to herself.Baka Inuyasha.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning, when the sun's first rays peaked over the horizon, that his fever finally broke. Clear amber eyes met warm brown and a tiny smile graced his lips.

"Kagome?" he questioned softly and she nodded her head in response. Her relief-filled eyes never left his face.

"Go to sleep."

She started at his request but reluctantly obeyed. Without another word she curled into a ball next to him on the floor, with the cool compress still clutched in her fist. Within seconds her breaths had fallen into the steady rhythm of sleep and her exhausted body took a much needed break.

Inuyasha watched the rise and fall of her back for a moment before casually easing a hand behind his head. He stared thoughtfully at the ceiling, his mind mercifully clear after such a long night spent battling his demons. Outside, he could hear the world slowly waking. The sun was melting the cool morning mists, the nocturnal hunters were retreating into their forests, and eager birds ventured out from their warm nests to seek out their first meal of the day.

When she woke up they'd have a lot to talk about, but for now the least he could do was give her this.

Description

Sword of Supreme Conquest

- Chapter 17 –

Inuyasha awoke slowly from his dreamless sleep to the scent of herbs tickling his nose. His instincts recognized them, but his brain couldn't rouse itself enough to remember the names. They were healing herbs, scents that reminded him of Kagome. This thought relaxed him and for a moment he was content to lay in silence, half-way between the dark and the light. It wasn't until he caught the more sinister scent of Kagome's blood on the air that he forced himself into full consciousness.

Kagome!

His eyelids fluttered and snapped opened. The room was dark and he could only make out the faintest of shapes in the shadows before him. Irritated by the uselessness of his eyes, he closed them again and honed in on his other senses to gain his bearings.

The pair of doglike ears nestled atop his head twitched to life and picked up the gentle crackle of a nearby fire. His brows drew together as he realized that even though he could feel its heat brushing against his skin, the fire did nothing to warm him. He shivered involuntarily and felt his back scratch against the rough surface of the floor, informing him that he was shirtless as well.

He pondered this new development and took mental inventory of what he could recall. He knew himself, he knew Kagome's scent and the warm feelings associated with it. Everything else was just…gone. Or maybe it didn't matter…

The delicate trickle of water being squeezed out of a soft rag into a shallow bowl caught his attention. It was the water that smelled of flowers and herbs, he realized. The soft pressure of the rag against his chest gave him a vivid reminder of the several gaping wounds that'd been gouged into his torso. What should have been a soothing touch felt more like sandpaper against his skin. He grimaced and the moment a pained gasp slipped past his lips the cloth was mercifully drawn back into the dark abyss.

"Inuyasha?" she spoke to him, her voice soft and tentative.

Her hands felt like fire when she placed them on either side of his face and turned his head towards her. Cracking his eyelids open, he blinked slowly through the darkness until her face came into focus. Her dark eyes were filled with worry.

He hated seeing her upset. He was always too reckless; charging into battles he didn't have a prayer of winning. The pain in her eyes made his gut tighten with guilt. It was as if his body knew something he didn't, remembered something that still evaded him. With a soft groan he placed his palms against his eyes and rubbed at them gently.

"Oi, Kagome. Are you going to cook me for dinner?" he questioned, surprised at how rough his voice sounded. Coughing lightly to clear his throat, he swallowed hard and asked for some water. He attempted a grateful smile when she brought the cup to his lips.

When the water was gone, she took back the cup and set it beside her on the floor. She avoided his gaze, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she busied herself with the herbs laid out before her. Frustrated by her attempt to ignore him, Inuyasha tried to sit up.

All it took was one quick motion, one instantaneous engagement of his muscles before a sharp tearing sensation travelled across his chest. His breath faltered in his lungs and he froze in place. It felt like if he moved the barest inch his entire body would be splayed open.

With an irritated "tch", Kagome gently pushed him back down to the floor. She refused to look him in the eye and studiously examined the re-opened wounds on his chest. Her eyes knowingly flicked between each gash and she nodded quietly to herself after determining the correct course of treatment.

Nearly a decade spent fighting in the feudal era had taught her more than enough about treating wounds, even ones as severe as these. Reaching down to her side she pulled a pile of fresh bandages from her medical kit and began to tightly re-wrap the wounds in an effort to staunch the fresh blood dribbling down his sides.

Feeling dizzy, but not willing to go back to sleep, Inuyasha watched her movements with a careful eye. The way she kept her eyes glued to his torso to avoid making eye contact didn't escape his notice. Guilt, that suddenly all too familiar feeling, began to pool in his gut once more and he clenched his fists at his side.

"I'm sorry," he muttered softly, unsure whether he was apologizing for re-opening his wounds or for something else entirely.

His words caught her attention. Her eyes held his gaze and momentarily flashed with some indescribable emotion. Almost as quickly, she looked away again and concentrated on re-wrapping his bandages.

With a scowl Kagome silently chastised herself for letting him lure her in. She'd been so determined to keep him at a distance, to avoid any unnecessary contact and yet with two words he'd been able to break her resolve.

Hastily collecting together the used bandages she tossed them into a nearby bucket and began to gather the unused herbs together. Her nimble fingers moved quickly and she kept her head down as she cleaned, fully aware of Inuyasha's probing gaze following her every move.

"Where are we?" he asked casually, his eyes drifting up to the thatched roof above their heads. The herbs she'd cleaned him with were so strong he couldn't smell a damn thing apart from them and her.

Kagome didn't respond. She stood suddenly and emptied the bucket of dirty bandages over the fire. The wood popped and crackled beneath the newly added fuel. A moment later she was once again kneeling on the floor, this time shutting the various compartments of her medical kit.

She scanned the kit just to be sure she had everything in its proper place and noticed an empty compartment glaring up at her. Her eyes scanned the kit one more time before dropping to the floor with a sense of dread. She caught sight of the bandage cutting scissors winking at her from where they sat forgotten next to her injured patient. With a despondent sigh she reached out and hastily snatched them up off the floor.

His claws wrapped instantly around her wrist, as she knew they would. She could feel his eyes on her, staring her down. Still weak from blood loss, the hand holding her prisoner shook slightly but its grip was firm. She'd hoped to wait until he was healed to deal with this, or at least until morning, but the intensity of his stare told her there was no avoiding it.

"Why won't you look at me?" he demanded. His voice was filled with tension and vibrated as he strained to hold her.

Kagome's jaw worked furiously within her cheek, clenching and unclenching in aggravation. After heaving a frustrated sigh she turned her head and fixed him with a cold glare, a trait she'd learned from Sesshomaru. His grip slackened when she looked at him, his expression morphing into one of hurt confusion. She seized upon his momentary distraction and ripped her wrist from his grasp.

"We're at Kaede's hut. Don't move anymore. If you re-open your wounds I won't bandage them again, got it?" she instructed sternly, her words sharp and clipped.

He nodded once and he let out a soft sigh of defeat. She turned her back to him and he noticed her hand come up to wipe away tears.

"Stop crying damn it! All I can smell is your damn tears!"

He inwardly winced the moment the words left his lips. He hadn't meant for them to sound so harsh, he was just frustrated by the fact that he had no idea what was going on and couldn't remember how he'd even gotten himself into this mess. Even without the waterworks it was obvious to him that she was upset over something. He wanted to comfort her but being the stupid baka that he was, his words had sounded anything but conciliatory.

Kagome's back went rigid and Inuyasha sucked in a nervous breath. She turned and glared at him over her shoulder, the light from the fire illuminating the unshed tears in her eyes.

"Because of you I have no husband, no family and no home to go back to! Because you thought it would be a good idea to get your ass kicked for some stupid notion of honour I'm stuck here, taking care of your wounds to make sure you don't die! So excuse me if I'm a little upset!"

Inuyasha blinked at her wide-eyed. It'd been a long time since she'd so thoroughly and effectively castigated him. He floundered in the wake of her rant, unable to find any words to say in his own defence. Considering their circumstances, he could only assume that she was right. The details were still fuzzy but certain memories were starting to trickle back now that he was awake.

He remembered pacing down that long hallway. He remembered his claws covered in his own blood. He remembered the smell of her tears. That memory made his heart clench inside his chest.　

Damn wench…

He really hated it when she cried.

He wanted to ask about the rest, all the other details he couldn't yet remember, but the look in her eyes told him that now wasn't the time.

Man, have I ever screwed up big this time.

"Kagome…" he began softly, his chest tightening as he searched for the right words to console her.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't… You shouldn't…"

He heaved a heavy sigh and the triangular ears atop his head drooped.

"I'll do whatever you want. Just stop crying, okay?"

"Good."

She turned on him and crossed her arms in front of her chest. A look of smug satisfaction took over her delicate features and she levelled a determined glare in his direction. Inuyasha gaped at her a moment before shutting his mouth.

"Good?" he asked, doubtfully. He'd expected another rant, maybe some more tears or a 'sit' but not that.

"Yes, 'good'. I know exactly how you're going to make it up to me."

Inuyasha cocked his head to the side and eyed her sceptically. Seeing his look of confusion Kagome sighed with frustration and pointed towards the door.

"We're going to finish our mission. I'm going back to find that damn sword and you're going to help me."

He opened his mouth to protest but a sharp glare from her forced it shut.

"You owe me that much at least," she pointed out, and he inwardly cringed at the hard edge to her words. A heavy silence fell over the hut after that, neither of them able to think of anything worthwhile to say to fill the void.

Inuyasha didn't notice himself drifting off until he awoke several hours later to the feeling of his body being engulfed in a raging inferno. His heavy eyelids slid open and his gaze lazily drifted across the ceiling until it landed upon Kagome's face. She was kneeling next to him, her features pinched with worry. A cool cloth appeared suddenly and dabbed against his forehead.

"I'm on fire," he mumbled groggily before his head dropped to the side. She shushed him gently and moved the cloth to mop up the sweat that beaded along his face and neck.

"You have a fever," she explained simply and removed the cool cloth to the bucket of water at her side. She watched worriedly as her hand swished it back and forth to rinse it clean. Frowning, she gently squeezed the excess water from the cloth and re-applied it to his forehead.

Damn it, Inuyasha! Don't you dare die on me! I can't retrieve that sword without you!

Inuyasha had drifted into a restless sleep shortly after their conversation. She'd used the brief respite to devise plans for how she was going to find and steal the sword. The sword was the key to everything. If she could get it back then maybe things with Sesshomaru could be mended. She clung to the tiny shred of hope it provided her like a life raft because she couldn't accept that this was it. She couldn't accept that everything she'd worked for had been so completely and utterly destroyed.

When Inuyasha first began to moan and shift about she'd ignored him, assuming he was merely lost in a restless dream. But his moans had steadily become more insistent, his movements more violent and by the time she'd moved to his side to check on him he was already in the grips of a full blown fever. A glistening layer of sweat covered his entire body and he shivered violently while his limbs made erratic twitches and jumps. His heart was racing so fast inside his chest she could feel its pounding rhythm against her fingertips with the slightest of touches.

She spent the rest of the night at his side, doing what she could to cool him down with cold compresses and gentle words, praying that his hanyou blood would heal him. His condition was far worse than she'd first thought and despite her resentment towards him she felt herself growing sick with worry. She was angry with him yes, but she didn't want him to die. They'd been through so much together, it just didn't seem right to have it end like this. Besides, she needed his help if she was going to save Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru…

It hurt just to speak his name. She couldn't blame him for leaving. She'd betrayed him in the worst possible way. She was utterly undeserving of his forgiveness or his love, but her foolish heart still ached to be with him.

Memories of happier times with her family kept her mind afloat while she tended to Inuyasha's fever racked body. Their faces instilled her with all the determination and drive she'd need for the coming days. Her first battle was against Inuyasha's fever. Once it was vanquished they'd move on to fight their next opponent – Time.

Inuyasha's eyes suddenly opened wide. His pupils were dilated so large the amber looked like nothing more than a faint ring of light around an eclipsed moon. With laboured breaths he reached out a clammy hand and grasped her wrist. The glassy look in his eyes told her he was completely lost to the fever.

"I-I remember now. I remember everything," he babbled, as his eyes flittered back and forth, staring at nothing in particular. Kagome tilted her head to the side in confusion. What was he talking about?

"The baby…did Sesshomaru?"

Realizing what he meant Kagome felt her shoulders relax and shushed him with a gentle press of her fingers against his lips. His hot breath cascaded over them as he panted hard, unable to catch his breath. He closed his mouth and swallowed at her touch, his eyes drifting to meet hers.

"He's fine," she soothed. "Don't worry about him right now. Just work hard at getting better, okay?"

She rested her hand against the only unmarred area on his chest, just above his heart. She could feel its break neck rhythm pounding away beneath her palm and her mouth hardened into a thin line. If this fever didn't break soon she didn't know what else she could do for him. She wasn't strong enough to drag him to the well on her own and there was no one else around to help her. He was just going to have to fight through it on his own.

Kagome started when Inuyasha slid his hand around hers, holding it in place against his chest. "I'm glad...," he muttered quietly. "I'm glad he's mine."

He didn't wait to hear her response before he slipped back into a feverish sleep.

When his body went limp, Kagome removed her fingers from his grasp and lifted the cold compress from his forehead. Her eyes travelled across the numerous gaping wounds, scrapes and gashes that covered his chest and arms. She dipped the rag into the bucket of cold water and lifted it out again. It hovered, dripping, over her lap as she reflected on his delirious words.

He was happy… In spite of everything that'd happened to him because of it, he was still happy their child was his.

Kagome's eyes softened as she regarded his face. His brow was furrowed and his eyes shut tight against the pain and fever that racked his body. She pressed the cloth gently to his forehead and shushed softly, noticing with surprise that he instantly relaxed beneath her touch.

You're such a bakashe mused quietly to herself.Baka Inuyasha.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning, when the sun's first rays peaked over the horizon, that his fever finally broke. Clear amber eyes met warm brown and a tiny smile graced his lips.

"Kagome?" he questioned softly and she nodded her head in response. Her relief-filled eyes never left his face.

"Go to sleep."

She started at his request but reluctantly obeyed. Without another word she curled into a ball next to him on the floor, with the cool compress still clutched in her fist. Within seconds her breaths had fallen into the steady rhythm of sleep and her exhausted body took a much needed break.

Inuyasha watched the rise and fall of her back for a moment before casually easing a hand behind his head. He stared thoughtfully at the ceiling, his mind mercifully clear after such a long night spent battling his demons. Outside, he could hear the world slowly waking. The sun was melting the cool morning mists, the nocturnal hunters were retreating into their forests, and eager birds ventured out from their warm nests to seek out their first meal of the day.

When she woke up they'd have a lot to talk about, but for now the least he could do was give her this.