A/N: I know many of you have been waiting for an update to my other stories, but I had this little idea floating around in my head and it wouldn't let me concentrate on my other stories so I just had to get it written so that I could focus on the other ones again. Well, I hope you like this one.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha, because if I did, there would have been a lot more romance. :D This will be my only disclaimer, so don't sue me if there isn't one on the other chapters.
Chapter One
He ran as fast as he could, pushing his legs to the extreme. He could smell it, the scent of his beautiful Kagome, that stupid mutt-face, and fresh youkai blood. He knew they were in yet another battle and he needed to get there to protect his woman. He did not trust the mutt to do it for him. As he neared the source of the scent of battle, he realized that it was atop a large cliff, and Kagome was standing way too close the ledge.
Just then, an explosion occurred and Kagome was thrown backwards over the edge of the cliff. Horrified, Kouga watched as she plummeted to the ground below her. Even with his unparalleled speed, he knew he would never reach her in time to catch her. He prayed to the kami that she would be all right. Luckily for her, there was a clump of leafy trees below her that broke her fall a little. She hit the ground pretty hard still and was rendered unconscious.
Kouga reached her shortly after she landed and knelt beside her. He looked her over and there were a few scratches, but nothing serious. He checked all of her limbs and concluded that no bones were broken. She had been lucky. When he examined her head, however, he felt a large bump beginning to form from where her head struck the ground.
"Stupid mutt! Can't even keep Kagome safe!" He carefully lifted the woman into his arms. "Don't worry, love, I'll keep you safe from now on." And with that he sped off toward the wolf dens.
Kagome woke. She was lying on soft, fur-covered straw and was blanketed in even softer furs. Her head throbbed softly. She tried to sit up to get a better look at her surroundings but that only made her head feel worse so she lay back down. 'Where am I?' she thought trying to look around the room. She knew that she was inside a cave by the look of the room she was in. 'How did I get here?'
She continued to inspect the room the best she could from her place on the makeshift bed. Across from her, in a shadowy area, she could see a man. He was propped up against the wall and soft snores could be heard escaping his throat. He had dark, black hair pulled into a ponytail and was dressed in furs. She knew that she recognized him but couldn't place who he was. Even though shadows hid most of his face, she could tell he was very handsome. The muscles beneath his tanned skin were toned to perfection. 'I wonder how it would feel to touch them?' She immediately blushed at her thoughts and turned to look away from the gorgeous man that sat and kept watch over her. 'Who is he? I have a feeling I know him, but I can't remember.'
"Kagome, you're awake!" A deep voice exclaimed softly.
She turned her head back to face the man to find him kneeling directly beside her. She looked up into the most brilliantly blue eyes that she had ever seen. The blue pools seemed to have a light that shined from within them making him look ethereal. She gasped at the sight of them and a delicate pink spread across her cheeks as she shifted her gaze away from his handsome face.
"How do you feel, Kagome? Are you in pain?"
"I have a headache but other than that, I feel fine. How long have I been asleep?"
"Nearly two days, I was so worried." He breathed a sigh of relief and sat back a bit. "Can I get you anything? Are you hungry? Or maybe you're thirsty?"
"Oh, no thank you Kouga. I'm fine." 'Kouga! How did I know his name was Kouga?!' Kagome's mind reeled at this. She recognized him and even knew his name but couldn't remember anything that had happened before she had woken up. What was happening to her?
Kouga noticed a slight look of panic pass through her eyes. He reached over and brushed her bangs from her eyes. "Tell me, what is troubling you, Kagome?"
Kagome blushed once more at his gentle touch. "I don't really know what it is but I can't remember anything from before I woke up." Kouga's eyes widened but he noticed she wasn't finished so he said nothing as she continued. "The only thing I seem to remember is you. I recognized your face and I knew your name but I don't know why. Kouga, what is wrong with me?"
"It seems to me like you have an advanced case of amnesia." Kouga said, softly stroking her hair. Inwardly, his heart was leaping for joy that it was he that she remembered and no one else. He felt that this had some kind of significance. "You don't remember anything at all?"
Kagome shook her head, "Only you." Her words made him feel as if his heart grew wings and carried him to the moon.
Suddenly, without warning, Kagome's eyes glazed over and images flashed before her mind's eye. She saw an image of Kouga carrying her, another of Kouga clasping both her hands and looking down at her with serious eyes, of a time when he had brought her flowers, and finally an image of Kouga's head lying in her lap, his body battered and bleeding and his right arm looked as if it was terribly infected as his skin was turning purple. His face was tight from the pain and he clutched at her. As her visions faded only a moment after they had begun, her eyes welled with tears as she remembered everything about him. How he had suffered from losing most of his pack to the birds of paradise and Kagura, how he pursued after her tirelessly, and how he proclaimed his love for her and called her his woman.
"Kagome, are you alright?!" Kouga's concerned voice sounded slightly panicked. He never liked it when a woman cried, especially his woman, because he never knew how to comfort them since their tears seemed to come out of nowhere.
Kagome looked up at him through tear blurred sight she sat up slightly, ignoring the pain in her head that was caused by her moving, and collapsed into his chest and wept. She clung to his armor and pulled her face tight up against his warm chest. "Kouga, I'm so…sorry!" She sobbed.
He was shocked at her actions but he wasn't one to let an opportunity like this pass him by. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair on the back of her head. Looking down at her, he spoke, "Sorry? What for?"
"You've had…such a difficult life…and had to endure…so much pain. I'm just…so sorry." She managed to answer, attempting to swallow her sobs.
Kouga continued to stroke her hair, not sure how to comfort her. Then something hit him. "Kagome, does this mean your memories have returned?!"
She shook her head. She pulled away from him enough to look up into his eyes. Tears still streaked down her fair skin but her voice was even as she spoke, "I only remember you. Anything that has to do with you, I remember, but nothing else."
Kouga smiled down at her and pulled her back into his chest and resumed his steady stroking. "There, there, Kagome. Please don't cry. Everything is fine. As long as you are here with me, I'm happy."
Kagome smiled into his chest as the last of her tears trailed down her cheek and dripped off her chin onto the furs that covered her lap. She felt herself relax into the loving embrace of the wolf and instantly felt content in his arms. She readjusted herself so that she was lounging in his lap with her head against his chest which caused Kouga to stiffen at her boldness. But soon he relaxed and hugged her closer. She snuggled into his warmth and soon drifted off to sleep.