Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Memoirs of a Geisha - (grumble wish I did though…pout)

Chapter 7: Near Death Opens My Eyes

"NOO! Don't'! He can't be dead!" Kagome ran to Inuyasha and fell on her knees next to him, paying no mind to the hanyou drawing up the blanket. She began to cry on his body hysterically, everyone was quiet and the hanyou with the blanket stopped. He stepped back from the girl. Kagome buried her face in his haori and cried. Blood had trickled from his mouth; he was badly bruised and might have had several broken bones. His heart had gone into cardiac arrest and he was gone before anyone could do anything, just seconds before Kagome arrived on the scene. "Please don't leave me alone!" Kagome pounded her tiny fists on his chest at the same time, shocked by what happened then…

Lavender light burst from the space between her fists and his chest and Inuyasha seemed to jump at the impact of her fist, as if electricity has shot through him (think those paddles that they use to bring people back to life) Kagome gasped when after she hit him breath went rushing through his parted lips and he inhaled suddenly. Kagome stared at him in awe. Inuyasha made a groaning noise from the pain and his eyes began to move behind his eye lids.

Kagome was filled with so much relief that it was like someone had dumped a bucket of water on her, it came rushing through her. Kagome stared at Inuyasha with tears in her eyes. "He's alive! Oh God thank you!" Kagome cried happily. She hugged him but when he groaned again in pain she thought it a good idea to heal him up.

"Don't worry I'll make the pain go away." She whispered to the hanyou she had grown to love. She pressed the pads of her slender fingers to his temple and closed her eyes. Behind her eyes lids there was not the usual darkness but flashing images of Inuyasha's body from the inside. As she channeled her miko energy into him she wove his arteries and veins back together, she eased the pain from bruises and forced bones to return to their unfractured forms. Inuyasha's breathing became less labored and he seemed to be waking up from his sleep. Kagome was nearing completion in healing him when he awoke and brought his large clawed hands up to cover her small slender ones.

"Is this heaven?" Inuyasha whispered hoarsely, causing Kagome to flow energy to his throat to heal it up. Kagome smiled with her eyes closed and a tear slipped down her cheek. Miroku had arrived on the scene and had pushed his way past the shocked and happy hanyous to stand next to a stunned Sango.

"What's happened? I heard Inuyasha was dead!" Miroku shouted in urgency. Sango pointed dumbstruck at the intimate pair on the ground. Miroku looked at them and couldn't stop the perverted grin that tugged at his mouth.

Miroku looked at Sango sharply when she spoke. "K-Kagome…she…brought him back to life!" Sango said in astonishment. There was a murmur among the hanyous behind them and they seemed to have realized they had misjudged Kagome a little. Trinity suddenly came out of no where and stood next to Sango.

"Kagome has practically unlimited growth potential. She is going to make a fine priestess but I don't think her geisha days are over either…" Trinity said sagely. Sango stared at her like. 'Where the hell did you come from?' Trinity smiled congenially at Sango and waved even though they were standing right next to each other. "Yo!" Sango said a meek hello while Miroku laughed at Trinity's antics. Trinity began to walk idly among the injured and dead. "Oi! Kagome! This guy is bleeding pretty badly! Stop tending to your lover boy and give this guy some lovin' !"

Kagome blushed at Trinity's words and looked down at Inuyasha who was growling and glaring at Trinity the best he could. Kagome released the spell she had on the hanyou and slowly stood. She walked toward the guy Trinity pointed out and began to heal him without a word.

Inuyasha began to growl louder when Kagome left him. He glared at Trinity wishing that with the sheer might of his death glare that she would burst into flames. When it didn't happen and she continued to smile at him and even waved he gave up. Inuyasha watched tiredly as Miroku took a seat next to him on the ground. He tucked his monk robes under him as he sat much like Kagome did with her kimono when she sat.

"What?" Inuyasha grouched; he just wanted Kagome to come back. After nearly dying he was a little anxious when he couldn't reach out and touch her. He was now surer of his feelings when it came to the geisha/priestess.

"I was worried for you my friend, though apparently Kagome was in hysterics." Miroku commented innocently. Inuyasha looked over at Kagome and grumbled incoherently. Miroku didn't even attempt to hear him. "You shouldn't scare us like that, it isn't nice." Miroku was surprised when Inuyasha began to get up; though wobbly about it he was sitting up and attempting to stand. "What are you doing! You need to rest!"

"Feh! I'm fine. Kagome needs me." Inuyasha said with conviction. Miroku watched curiously as Inuyasha stumbled over to Kagome who was engrossed in healing another hanyou. Inuyasha plopped on his knees behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. It caused the poor miko to jump in surprise; she didn't open her eyes though because she knew who it was.

"Inuyasha…what are you doing?" asked Kagome with a red tint to her cheeks.

Inuyasha scoffed. "I can smell your anxiety and I WAS going to sleep but you smelled worried so I'm here to make you relax." Kagome blushed harder and let Inuyasha hold her. She was surprised he would do this in front of the pack members but happy all the same.

Kagome healed up all of the hanyous that were not dead and when she found it too late to revive the others like she did Inuyasha she just sat on the ground and rested. She was beat and just wanted to relax and regain her strength. Inuyasha sat behind her holding her silently.

Some of the hanyous went back to their respective caves and huts when the excitement had died down. The healed hanyous were now helping some of the other hanyous move their dead pack mates to the burial grounds in the woods. Kagome watched as Sango and Miroku came over to her and Inuyasha and gently forced Inuyasha to release her. Kagome allowed them to unwrap his arms from her and watched sleepily as Miroku helped Inuyasha walk out of the cave and towards Inuyasha's cave. Kagome allowed Sango to walk her out to Inuyasha's cave as well.

Kagome awoke around noon the next morning. She was still in her kimono from the day before. She looked up at the man who held her to see a sleeping Inuyasha. His face had been cleaned up so there was no blood and his bruises were gone. He shifted in his sleep, unknowingly pulling Kagome closer and sniffing into her hair.

Kagome smiled up at him gently. She reached up to stroke a doggy ear as he slept. He leaned into the touch, her slender fingers moving over the short soft silver hair. Kagome buried her face in his haori covered chest.

"I love you…" she whispered, she didn't expect him to hear her so she paid no mind when he stiffened beneath her. "Don't EVER scare me like that again you jerk." She said affectionately. Inuyasha was now awake but decided he wanted to just let her think he was asleep for a little while longer. 'I love you too Kagome…but those damn elders…GRR! They can just screw themselves!' Inuyasha thought angrily. When Kagome heard growling she looked up at Inuyasha curiously. "Are you awake, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome.

Inuyasha opened his eyes and stared down at Kagome. "Feh! Morning Kagome. Why isn't breakfast ready?" he complained. Kagome glared at him.

"You ungrateful mutt! I save your life yesterday and THIS is the thanks I get? 'Why isn't breakfast ready?" she imitated the hanyou the best she could with her high pitched feminine voice.

Inuyasha smirked; she looked real sexy when she was mad. Inuyasha decided to mess with her a little. He rolled over so he was on top of her and she was pinned to the furs. He licked her cheek suddenly, causing her to blush crimson. "Thanks." He growled affectionately as he stroked her hour glass figure with his large clawed hands. When a tidal wave in the form of arousal hit his senses Inuyasha purred in approval and licked her cheek again. Kagome shivered at his attentions but was surprised when he suddenly jumped off of her.

Inuyasha shook his head vigorously. 'Woah! Movin' a little fast there.' Inuyasha scolded himself. He looked down at the flushed and slightly panting Kagome. 'Then again…she was DEFINITELY into it…no! I need to get out of here fast!' Inuyasha gulped nervously.

"I-I'm going to check on the pack." Inuyasha darted out of the cave, as if he was never hurt.

Kagome lay stunned on the furs, not knowing what to do. She eventually decided she should get up and do the errands she wanted to do yesterday. She got dressed into a nice kimono and made her way into the market. There was snow covering the ground and the sun was barely peeking through the white clouds above. Kagome made it to the market road around the plateau and was surprised by the way the hanyous were acting around her.

Most of the hanyous were giving her kind smiles and waving to her. Some bowed when she passed their faces holding looks of remorse, possibly for the way they had treated her. Kagome blushed when one young male hanyou winked at her playfully. She briefly wondered why Inuyasha didn't do that to her more but quickly shook the thought away. As she approached the woman who she was currently paying off debts for, this time a cat demon who once believed her to be the slut sleeping with her mate. Kagome bowed in respect and was about to ask what her duties today would be. She had to pay off a debt for all the food she needed for the next two weeks. This cat demon had the largest variety so it would be best to go to her for a lot of different foods.

The cat demon was in her 30's and looked a little anxious. She was absently biting a sharp nail with her fangs. She looked up at Kagome in surprise as if she just popped out of no where. "Oh…you're finally here!" the cat demon rushed over to the lightly bowing Kagome and fell into a full blown throw-yourself-on-the-ground bow. Kagome blinked in surprise. "My daughter! She's caught the disease! Please help her!" the cat demoness begged.

Kagome was suddenly led into the back of the shop and up a ladder that went up the side of the plateau to the home of the cat demoness. She followed her inside to find a young girl in her pre-teens who had the same symptoms that Takuto had. Kagome crouched down beside the girl and healed her like Trinity had shown her. She was a little tired from the long walk to the shop and healing so she rested next to the sleeping child.

"Thank you so much! No more debts! In fact, take all the food you want!" the cat demoness gushed. Kagome smiled gratefully then looked down at the child in concern.

"So when did you notice she was sick?" asked Kagome.

"A few days ago…she came home from taking a dip at the hot springs and she had such a terrible fever, at first I thought it was dehydration from the springs but it wouldn't stop." The cat demoness said in a rush. "A bunch of children came down with the illness a few days ago. They live on the plateau. Maybe you should go help them." Kagome nodded in agreement and stood to leave. "I'm…sorry for the way I treated you, my husband admitted that he was lying when he said you slept with him…I promise I'll try to stop the elders from talking about you like that." Kagome stood with her back turned to the cat demoness for a minute. She then turned and smiled kindly down at her.

"You don't have to apologize, and don't worry about the elders. They will accept me just like you have one day. Don't go and get yourself in trouble with them too. Make sure she gets a lot of rest alright?" Kagome nodded to the young girl and then left.

"I'll have someone send your food up to the alpha cave! Thank you so much!" the cat demoness called out as Kagome left.

Kagome made her way up to the top of the plateau and when she did she discovered that about a dozen children were ill. She went around to all the huts she could before sunset, healing all the sickly children. She noticed a pattern as time went on. Most of the sick children lived around the hot springs. 'And the cat hanyou's child got sick after visiting the springs…could there be a connection?' Kagome wondered as she dragged herself back to Inuyasha's cave, extremely tired from a long day of healing.

In a village tavern just south of the plateau…

"Here, have another drink my friend." Miroku slurred groggily, his mind clouded by sake. The other warrior hanyous that tagged along for a drink were singing in the background and some were dancing on the tables. Inuyasha took the offered dish like cup of sake and downed it in one gulp.

"I can't get the damn bitch off my mind Miroku…" Inuyasha growled in frustration once he slapped the cup on the bar counter. The tavern owner got out another bottle for the two friends. Miroku nodded in understanding, being far more drunk than the hanyou but still able to think clearly through the haze. The only reason Inuyasha wasn't as drunk was because hanyous held their liquor better.

"Then mate with her!" Miroku suggested happily, a goofy grin on his face. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and glared at Miroku.

"I already told you! I CAN'T! Those…those damn elderly peoples! They said I can't be with her…what if they convince the pack to mutiny against me! They could do it! They are senile like that!" Inuyasha shouted angrily. Miroku nodded solemnly.

"You are right my friend…no girl is worth all that mess! In fact you should kill her, get rid of both youse guyses miseries." Miroku slurred but with a slightly sly look on his face that Inuyasha didn't notice.

"Kagome is misery?" Inuyasha slurred in confusion.

Miroku nods. "Yep! She wants to sleep with you but you won't! So now that it is impossible she will be misery for the rest of hers lifes…" Miroku slurred back, vaguely waving his hands around in his drunken stupor.

"Kagome misery…" Inuyasha's head rammed the counter suddenly causing Miroku to drop the drunken façade and look down in alarm. When he heard Inuyasha continue he quickly went back to his act. "I love her…I don't want her misery…nothing is worth her being misery! I'se a in LOVE with her! How could I let her be misery! I…totally SUCK!" Miroku was laughing hysterically on the inside at his crazy drunk friend. And his friend continuing to say "misery" instead of "miserable" was also funny. He lightly chuckled. But that was halted by his next words. "I go mate with her NOW!" Inuyasha stumbled off the stool and nearly fell flat on his face.

"W-Wait! You can't just go to her NOW! You're drunk!" Miroku dropped the act and stood in the hanyou's way. "She will hate you if you rape her in this state Inuyasha. Just sit back down, you've had too much to drink and need to sleep it off."

Inuyasha growled in irritation and lightly shoved Miroku out of his way, at least he intended to do it lightly but the result became Miroku falling into a table, irritating the hanyou dancing on it. The bat hanyou jumped down and looked around blurrily. "Wha's goin on? Can't you see I was in the middle of a VERY important work related dance?" the hanyou slurred.

"Stop Inuyasha! He's going to make a big mistake!" Miroku insisted while the alpha hanyou had already reached the door and was leaving.

The bat hanyou contemplated this order for a minute. "Hey Inuyasha! Where's ya goin'?" asked the hanyou. Said dog hanyou turned and grinned goofily.

"I'sa goin' to mate with Kagome! DUH!" Inuyasha jumped off into the night and the hanyous began to hoot and wolf whistle.

"YOU LUCKY DOG! GO GET HER!" the bat hanyou hollered out. Miroku glared at the bat hanyou in irritation. 'morons…cant even hold their liquor better than a humble monk…and I thought hanyous had high tolerance…' Miroku sighed in defeat knowing he would not be able to reach Inuyasha in time he made a prayer to Buddha and sat back down.

"I'll have another sake please." Miroku said soberly.

Kagome sighed as she cleaned off the plates of uneaten food from dinner in the water trough. She had made a plate for Inuyasha but he never came home. Kagome was just beginning to worry when she heard the padding of feet. She looked up in surprise to see Inuyasha stumble into the cave.

"Hey Kagome…" Inuyasha said huskily. He looked more sober now but his eyes were still glassy. He was no longer slurring. "I want you right now. So don't expect much sleep tonight…" Inuyasha growled lustily as he strides to her quickly and picked her up bridal style. Kagome eeped in surprise and allowed Inuyasha to carry her to their room, not totally sure what was going on.

"Inuyasha? Are you okay? You look sick or something…" Kagome asked concerned. She felt his forehead, not expecting him to steal a kiss while she was distracted. It was hot and passionate and she couldn't help but kiss the man she loved back.

"I'll be fine once I've had you…as long as that is alright with you…" Inuyasha added a little unsure now. He laid her out on the furs waiting for her approval to go on.

Kagome blushed prettily. "I love you Inuyasha…" he took that as approval and eagerly bent down for another kiss.

A/N: LOL did I mention I LOVE cliffys? Sorry guys…review please!