The buzzing was so loud; all around them were swarms of the saimyosho, the poisonous insects just waiting for their moment to strike. At their center stood a single demon, his red eyes narrow slits, his long dark locks billowing around him as his power built. Around her, her comrades were bracing themselves, ready to fight, ready to protect. "Kagome, stay behind me." Brown eyes snapped to the hanyou beside her, his golden eyes narrowed, his clawed hands clenched around the hilt of his sword. She nodded silently, side stepping a bit, keeping herself directly behind his protective form. "Where's your barrier, Naraku?" He taunted, returning his attention to the other demon, who had begun to smile, a malicious smile that always sent chills down her spine.

"What need is there…" His vocals carried and InuYasha scoffed, but Kagome felt a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. A sharp realization began to dawn on her- the others could not feel it, but she did… oh she did. The darkness that seeped the Shikon no Tama, the evil that radiated off it and Naraku himself. Fear crept into her heart and she glanced to her right, to where her other two comrades stood in preparation for battle. Naraku extended a hand and then as his fingers unfurled, the others gasped as the sight of the tainted Shikon no Tama became apparent to them. It was nearly complete. Kagome instinctively reached up to her own neck, where one single shard of the jewel hung. It was the last of two shards- the other one still embedded in the back of one of her comrade's young brother. He was safe, they knew that, but only for a moment. They would have to find him and keep him with them and it would have to happen immediately.

"Pfft, that's not going to help you!" InuYasha scoffed, raising his sword and leaping forwards; as his sword came down, aimed as if it would connect directly to his palm, the red barrier suddenly shot up around him, forcing InuYasha back. "Hah. Still hiding behind it, I knew it." InuYasha said as he landed, his posture not even shaken. He pointed his sword at Naraku's chest, a sly smile appearing, his golden eyes glinting in the dying sunlight. As InuYasha made to move once more, Naraku slid backwards, his barrier around him, that smile returning as if he knew something was about to happen. A moment later, an array of demons began to rise up, as if appearing from another realm, another portal. Hundreds of them, too many to even think about trying to count. InuYasha glanced backwards, his eyes on Kagome, who had gone pale, her eyes widening. She alone understood the severity of the Shikon no Tama's taint. She alone felt the darkness as it chilled her to her very core.

At once, pandemonium broke out; the horde of demons and saimyosho stormed them and her comrades reacted with brilliant speed. Sango let fly Hiraikotsu which took out a round of demons before it circled back to her. Miroku, unable to use his Kanzaana, was left to hand to hand combat, his staff giving him extra power and reach. She looked up, her moment's distraction leaving her open to attack. A serpent-like monster sped towards her, jaws wide, the promise of death written in its yellow eyes. Before anyone could react, she was letting go an arrow, it flashed brightly, a trail of pure, blue energy in its wake. It hit its target, slicing through not only that demon, but two more behind it. She stood tall and strong, the wind whipping her dark hair about her face, brown eyes full of determination. Squaring her shoulders, she took up another arrow, her eye narrowing as she settled on a target. InuYasha, having just witnessed her first shot, could not help but to watch her take her second one. It hit the mark, taking out two more demons, leaving a third pinned to a tree some yards away. He made a mental note to speak to her about it, he was surprised by how strong and accurate she had become.

From where he hovered above them, his barrier still erect, Naraku watched. Like InuYasha, he too was surprised by the young woman's strength. Her pure, spiritual energy was strong and he could feel its powerful effect at even such a distance. However, she would not be enough for him; seeing her comrades busy with their own battles, he took his opportunity.

Kagome was putting another arrow to her bow when Naraku appeared right before her. Due to the distraction of the demons he'd summoned, she didn't notice him even disappear. Nor had anyone else for a single second. But still it turned out to be one moment too long. There came a flash and the crackle of lightning; something shot at her and pain engulfed her. She was flung to the ground, rolling twice, vaguely aware of the voices calling out her name. Naraku was laughing, malicious laughter that rang out among the battlefield. He came closer, another ball of the black electricity crackling in his palm. "Naraku!" InuYasha bellowed, bringing the now red glowing Tessaiga down upon the barrier. It shattered like glass and Naraku cursed, turning away from Kagome to instead face the hanyou.

InuYasha felt his blood boiling, the only thing keeping his demonic nature at bay the sword in his hand. He could not look at her, still and facedown on the ground far away from him. He couldn't reach her. Kagome… He could not think straight. He needed to get to her. Naraku had turned towards him, his barrier gone, the black lightning rising up around him. As he reached a palm skyward, preparing to attack with all his might, a glowing arrow pierced his chest.

She had to stop this. Though her body screamed in protest, Kagome forced herself up, well aware of the damage Naraku's attack had caused. Her hand still clutched her bow, but her quiver of arrows was gone, lost in the attack. Aha! She spotted one, just out of her reach. Her gaze looked back up, seeing she didn't have much time. The attack was growing stronger and there was no telling what kind of damage it would do to InuYasha. Forcing her body to move, Kagome stretched out a hand, reaching for the arrow. She was so close… So very close… Got it! She thought as her fingers enclosed around the sacred arrow; it reverberated at her touch, full of power, of her power. She struggled to lift her bow, her hands shaking as she put the arrow to it, as she took aim… And then she shot.

The arrow shot through the air and hit its mark: Naraku. At once his body blew apart, the pieces scattering, revealing the black Shikon no Tama glowing where his chest had once been. The barrier returned, containing his many pieces; Kagome slumped forwards and she heard InuYasha calling her name. Naraku's head swiveled to look upon her, the look mixed between fury and awe. He then began to chuckle, the sound soft until it spilled into a ringing laugh that chilled her to the bone. "You may have this one." He said as his laughter faded, his gaze returning to InuYasha, but only for the briefest of moments before both he and the jewel vanished from sight. A moment later the hordes of demons and saimyosho began to disappear as well, leaving Sango and Miroku to rush towards Kagome's side.

At once InuYasha was at her side, his sword sheathed at his side, his senses still yet on high alert. There was no telling what Naraku was planning. Gently as he could, InuYasha turned her over, golden eyes surveying the damage done to her body. She was burned in several places, the lightning had eaten away her clothing too, leaving it in tatters. Her lips moved as she groaned, brown eyes fluttering open as she fought to fully sit up. "Shit, you're bleeding!" He said, trying to forcibly keep her laying back. "Don't move." He barked and she stopped struggling, laying back and allowing him to drape his red cloak over her. "You're so reckless," he muttered, his eyes finding hers. To his surprise, a smile spread across her features, brightening her brown eyes like the sun.

She was safe.

[ x x x ]

It was a few days later when InuYasha came into the hut they'd been staying in for the last few days, only to find that Kagome was not there. For several seconds he remained frozen in place, golden hues sweeping the hut over and over again, as if she might suddenly appear before him. His red cloak lay abandoned on her empty pallet. Reaching out, he took hold of it, lifting it to inspect with his canine-like nose. No other scents. Still gripping it tightly, he backed out of the hut and turned to speak to one of the others, but then remembered that both Sango and Miroku had gone to fetch water and wood. Turning back, he steadied his heart, allowing his eyes to close for a moment. A deep breath. He sniffed the air and immediately locked onto her scent. It led east, into the words which led to a grassy slope that overlooked a river. Following after it, he came upon her quickly- she was seated upon the hill, her long dark hair falling down her back. He came to stand behind her just long enough to drape the cloak over her head before he then sat down at her side.

A few minutes passed and neither of them spoke; it was easy to be like this, with him, Kagome realized with a small smile. They didn't even need to exchange words anymore. She wondered how many hours he had spent by her side while she'd been in and out of consciousness. It was hard to decipher what was dreams and what was reality, but it had seemed like he'd never left her side. Not until that morning. She'd woken from a dream… A strange dream full of shadows that left her feeling stressed and anxious. Finding she'd been alone, Kagome took her chance and had escaped the hut, feeling pent up and still yet anxious. Her feet moved on their own, taking her down one single path and soon she found herself on the hillside, too tired to continue on any further. Though she'd begun to heal from her battle injuries, she was not yet recovered enough to walk as she had done. InuYasha would scold her for certain. And as if her thoughts had conjured him, he was there, covering her head with the cloak she'd left behind. Pulling it around her shoulders, Kagome scooted closer to him, her head falling to rest upon his shoulder. "You shouldn't be up," he scolded her, as she knew he would, though it sounded half-hearted. He could hear her softly breathing and she was quiet and for a moment he thought perhaps she'd fallen asleep. But then he felt her head turning and her eyes on him; looking down, his golden eyes met hers and she was smiling at him. "You'll open your wounds back up." Those eyes… They were so full of concern. She felt bad that she had caused him to worry so.

She turned away from him then, knowing that he was right; she'd been foolish to come out here, now the feelings of anxiety had passed and she wished she had just waited for it to pass in the hut. But, what had it been all about? The dream… It was all so fuzzy. She couldn't remember clearly and honestly, she had to wonder if it all boiled down to the fever she'd been fighting. "Sorry I worried you," she said after a moment, snuggling back close to him, her eyes falling closed.

InuYasha opened his mouth to reply, his cheeks a shade or two pinker, but knew in an instant that the words would fall upon deaf ears. A fond smile toyed with his lips and he could not stop himself from leaning down to brush a gentle kiss upon her temple. He waited a few moments and put his arms beneath her, scooping her up as he rose to his feet. Back at the hut, he put her back upon her pallet and sat down beside her. Pulling the blanket over her limbs, he sat back to watch over her as she slept, the only sound her deep, even breathing. As the minutes ticked by, his lids began to flutter and sleep fought to take him over; it was only then that he realized it had been days since he'd last slept. As a hanyou, he did not require as much sleep as humans did. If he was tired, then it truly had been too long. He fought to stay awake, to remain ever diligent in his vigil over her sleeping frame.

A short while later, Sango and Miroku returned back to the campsite, where immediately Sango went into the hut, only to stop in the doorway. "Sango, what is it-" Miroku asked as he followed after her, forced to stop midway through as she was blocking the entrance. He caught sight of what she was staring at and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. There, tucked up on the pallet next to Kagome, InuYasha slept, with one arm slung protectively over Kagome's hips. "It's about time." The monk whispered, his blue eyes dancing with amusement at the sight before him. Sango tiptoed over, pulling another blanket up over the hanyou, before she retreated back into the sunshine of outside. Miroku followed after her, having another chuckle over the whole thing. There was no denying the attraction that was between the two- although they themselves might try and deny it. Seeing InuYasha's reaction to her injuries only solidified things even more.

When Kagome woke a little while later, she was surprised to feel the weight of his arm over her body. Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself face to face with InuYasha, who was fast asleep beside her. A small smile toyed with her lips and she rolled onto her other side, her back to him instead. She snuggled back, her body pressed against his, his warmth filling her, comforting her. This was everything she had ever wanted.