Title: Carry Me Home

Rating: PG-13 and R for violence and occasional sexual implications

Summary: Inuyasha's been wounded and is trapped in a sleep in which visions of a life he doesn't remember plague him. A life in which he was not a small child running from humans to become a nervous young man in love with a miko, but something else completely.

Disclaimer: Copyright for Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and the author does not write for profit

Author(ess): bluefuzzyelf

Chapter Seven

Raidon walked over to where Inuyasha sat. The hanyou had a wistful look on his face.

"What are you thinking about?" the youkai asked, sitting down himself.

Inuyasha stared at the wall. "Home."

"Ah," said Raidon. "I have a family waiting for me. A beautiful wife and baby daughter. Do you have anyone waiting for you?"

Inuyasha looked down. His father was dead, his mother was dead and his brother hated him. "No."

The other youkai nodded. There was a moment of silence. "Do you think we'll ever see our homes again?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know." Another pause.

"Tell me about your homeland."

Inuyasha took a breath, his eyes lighting up. "It's beautiful. The grasses grow high enough to brush my chest, and the forests are filled with life. So green and so warm in summer. It's not a peaceful land, but it's my home."

"I grew up in a colder climate. The harvest was my favorite time of year. I am a simple farmer, with love in my heart for three things. My farm, my wife, and my little girl."

Inuyasha closed his eyes. "You'll get back to them."

Raidon smiled gratefully. He placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Thank you, my friend." The tawny wolf youkai stood and left, leaving Inuyasha with visions of his home.

Inuyasha walked through the sea of grass, memories floating to the surface of his mind like languid bubbles. He ran one hand along the tips of the grass, enjoying the tickling sensation. Picking a spot in the middle of the field, Inuyasha lay down and stared at the blue sky, entranced by its color. A cloud floated by, the wind changing its shape slowly.

It was confusing. He had two lives in his head, two ways of living and he couldn't decide which was right, which was the way he was supposed to be. He'd been acting like the Inuyasha of the arena lately. He couldn't wrap his mind around half the things he knew.

Somethings he did were reflex or instinct, ingrained into his brain. The feelings he had for Alitash were strong, and he knew herand yet he did not. On one hand, he was a commander and lover and on the other hand, he was a young teenager still in love with a dead miko and unaware of women in general. His alternate self seemed to know just what to do, was not shy or reserved around women. He spoke out, didn't mask himself or throw up walls, because walls in a cell would get you killed.

His other had grown up fighting, just like he had. But the lifestyle was so different. Fifteen years was not long for a youkai, but fifteen years of memories were a little daunting.

It brought it down to one question.

Who was he?

Inuyasha lay still, staring at the sky and willing himself not to think. Alitash, Kikyou and Kagome would have to wait. Naraku would have to wait.

For a while, Inuyasha just existed.

Kagome bit her lip for the third time that morning. Inuyasha had stalked off to who knew where, Alitash was being annoyingly silent and her other friends seemed reluctant to even look anywhere but the ground, much less engage in conversation.

Alitash looked up from her food. "Are you always this quiet?" She was used to the deafening sounds of crowds cheering and men fighting.

Miroku smiled serenely. "Not all the time, Alitash-sama." Alitash truly looked at the monk and a grin spread over her features. Sango looked angry.

Silence reigned in the campsite. Alitash was alternating between calm and cheerful and dangerous and feral. It was unnerving to say the least. Kagome wished Inuyasha would hurry up. She wanted to get back to the village, where the comfort of home lay.

Miroku and Sango were having a small conversation where they sat, Shippou snoring happily at their feet. Kagome eyed the kit fondly. He was growing up so quickly.

A sudden jerk at her senses had Kagome looking up abruptly. "Two shards. This way. Fast."

Before Sango or Miroku could even stand, a whirlwind of dirt had arrived in front of Kagome. The cloud dispersed to reveal a very toothy Kouga. He quickly took up Kagome's hands, either ignoring or oblivious to her slight inward movement, as if pulling herself as much into herself as possible.

He smiled at her, eyes soft. "Yo."

"Hi Kouga," said Kagome a bit nervously, wondering where Inuyasha was and reversing her earlier wish. She had no desire to witness another fight between the two youkai. Alitash watched rather amusedly, her eyes darting to the wolf youkai's strong defined legs more than once. Shippou, perched on Miroku's shoulder, shared the same look of amusement as Alitash.

Unfortunately for Kagome, her second wish was not to be granted.

Inuyasha came skidding back into the camp site, his fangs and claws bared. Alitash looked at him in alarm, then back to Kouga. Her glance was clearly saying something along the lines of "If he is enemy, why does she not run?"

Kouga wrinkled his nose at Inuyasha and let go of Kagome. "Hey, dog turd, what're you doing here in the Eastern Lands?"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "I could ask you the same thing, wimpy wolf."

Alitash let out a noise suspiciously like a laugh. Inuyasha glanced at her and she mouthed "Wimpy wolf?" at him. He blushed, causing more suppressed laughter from the panther youkai.

"I'm researchin' a lead." He placed his arms across Kagome's shoulders. Inuyasha let out a growl. "Take your hands off Kagome."

"She's my woman, I can do what I want."

"She's not your woman!" Inuyasha pulled Tetsusaiga. Alitash looked at it in amazement as the rusty old katana transformed into a gleaming fang. Inuyasha took a swipe at Kouga that he quickly eluded. Kagome scurried off the battlefield. Alitash watched the hanyou with slitted eyes. He was swinging like an amateur, relying on brute strength.

Kagome's fists were balled and her fingernails were digging into her palms as she watched Inuyasha and Kouga go at it again, trading insults. If she had been a cat, her fur would've bristled.

"Inuyasha! Osuwari!"

Alitash watched in horror as Inuyasha was brought down by a spell, slamming his face into the ground. Kouga let out a chuckle and stepped over the prone dog demon to walk back towards Kagome. He never made it to her.

Alitash had taken a flying leap at the wolf youkai, forcing him to the ground, one hand on his neck, claws extended. She was hissing furiously. Kouga, eyes wide, didn't move. He wondered for a quick moment who the wildcat was, but then was occupied straining his neck away from deadly sharp claws.

"Alitash!" Three voices chorused, all with varying degrees of worry.

"Let him go!" cried Kagome.

"Kouga's a friend," spoke Sango, placing a hand on Alitash's shoulder.

"He means no harm," Miroku said.

"He is an enemy of Inuyasha's, he is an enemy of mine."

"Oh, please, let him up!" Kagome implored. Alitash turned brightly burning dark eyes on her.

"I have not even begun with you yet," she said maliciously. Kagome gasped.

"He really is a good guy," Sango said. Alitash looked up to find Inuyasha standing, looking a bit dirty but otherwise fine. He nodded, scowling. She stood.

Kouga pushed himself up and brushed himself off. "Who's she?" he asked over his shoulder at Inuyasha. "Didn't think full demons went around with the likes of you."

Alitash hissed and bared her fangs. Kouga took an involuntary step back.

"Her name is Alitash. I suggest you don't anger her." And just like someone had thrown a switch, Inuyasha changed to the Inuyasha of the arena. Alitash felt relieved and Kagome worried simultaneously.

The panther youkai grinned fiercely, her teeth incredibly white against dark skin. Kouga tried not to look unnerved.

"Get out of here, wolf. We have no need of you."

Kouga looked at Inuyasha, looking offended and confused. He decided to leave. He had a lead to investigate and his hate for Naraku won out over his love for Kagome. "Take care of my woman, dog turd, while I'm gone!" he threw as a parting shot, gone in a whirlwind of dirt before Inuyasha could say anything.

The hanyou scowled after the wolf and muttered, "She's not your woman."

Miroku and Sango, who had watched the exchange wisely silent, joined the group again.

"Perhaps he had a good lead to Naraku Inuyasha. You shouldn't have made him leave."

The look Inuyasha gave Sango was enough to frighten anyone weaker than an experienced demon killer. "We can find him without the wolf's help."

Alitash sat down and watched the dynamics between her hanyou's pack.

"But"

"No buts, Kagome. I'm not working with him, even to find Naraku."

"How do you propose to find someone whose scent had disappeared?" asked Miroku, one eyebrow raised. Inuyasha was saved from answering by Maiya stirring. He was instantly by her side.

"Maiya?"

She opened her eyes. "Inuyasha. Who was here?"

"Just an idiot wolf."

"Oi!" Inuyasha smiled at her. His eyes grew worried when she sat up, but she stared him down. "Down boy. I'm feeling fine. The sleep did me good. And the food." She cast a grateful glance towards Kagome. "And now, over more food, you will regale me with all the adventures that kept you away fro so long."

Alitash had not forgotten the great injustice done to Inuyasha by Kagome and woke the girl roughly when she was sure the others were asleep.

"What? Is there something wrong?" The girl was almost immediately awake.

"You and I need to talk."

Kagome sat up. "What about?" Her face was innocent, but Alitash did not waver.

"About thatcontraption you've put on Inuyasha. The collar."

Kagome frowned. "It's just to keep him from being stupid."

Alitash hissed. "He is no lapdog! He is no pet, to be brought to heel!"

Kagome looked bewildered. "I don't treat him like a pet-!"

"You've collared and leashed him! If he does something you do not like or do not understand, you tell him to sit! A command for a dog! You treat him as badly or worse than demons ever did."

Kagome's eyes widened. "ButI didn'twhat?"

"You've done the unforgivable, bitch. I can't believe he didn't claw your throat out for what you've done to him."

"That's why it's there in the first place! When we first met, he was trying to kill me!"

"If he'd been trying, you'd be dead." Alitash shook her head disgustedly at Kagome. "And you say you love him."

Kagome blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay.

"Alitash."

The panther jumped. Inuyasha was watching them from his resting place in a tree. Something in his eyes made her drop her head and slink back to her own sleeping area, though not without one last nasty look at Kagome. The miko looked up at the hanyou. He looked back for a moment, his eyes unreadable.

"Go to sleep. We rise early."

Kagome lay back onto her mat, snuggling closer to Shippou for comfort. Tears leaked out her eyes for the second night in row as she tried to sleep.

Alitash fumed silently, staring at the banked embers of the fire. The stupid girl had totally control over Inuyasha. What if that battle with Kouga had been serious? She could've killed him! It terrified her, his life being placed in the inexperienced hands of a young girl with no idea what was going on. She may have been pure and forgiving and yada, yada, yada, but she was just plain ignorant! Did she know nothing? How could one so loving and nurturing fail to see what a blow being collared was to a dog demon?

A hand laid gently upon her shoulder and she looked up, braids clinking gently. She met the gold eyes of Inuyasha. He didn't say anything, just looked at her, but that look contained more than anything he could have said. She rubbed her cheek along his hand, saying she understood. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and was gone again.