Undaunted Love Chapter 1

Inuyasha carefully gripped Kagome and hopped down to the ground from the tree after they had spent half the night quietly talking. He picked his way around the dirt path and carried her into Kaede's hut where everyone else was already spread out and asleep, leaving very little room for Inuyasha to walk.

"Inuyasha," Kagome breathed. He looked down at her in his arms and felt guilty once again, knowing that the pain in her feet must be nearly to much to bear quietly. She was strong, though, and he knew she wouldn't make a fuss.

"I guess we could sleep by the door. I'll protect you, don't worry." He felt strange saying this but it seemed the right thing to say.

"I'm not scared." She whispered. Inuyasha sat on the ground and let Kagome stretch out beside him. She lay her head in his lap and took one of his hands in her own before closing her eyes. He stroked her hair with his free hand and looked at her sleeping form. Kagome's eyes were shut tight, a sure sign of the pain she'd been trying to hide, but her beautiful smile was still there. Everything felt new but Inuyasha realized that her closeness was comforting to him, even more so than Kikyo. That made his brow furrow and he sighed hopelessly.

Am I going to continue to hurt and betray her, he thought in anguish. He wished nothing more than to forget the woman whom he had loved and who was now dead but her memory reappeared everytime he saw Kagome. Inuyasha took one last look around the quiet, dark room and closed his eyes. When they opened again...it was already morning.

Sango and Miroku had already left the hut, leaving Shippo and Kilala curled in the corner. Inuyasha glanced down and saw with surprise that Kagome was still there, her hand resting limply in his beside them. Suddenly his cheeks burned as Miroku's voice closed in behind him.

"What happened last night, Inuyasha? I've never seen you this kind to her for so long." Inuyasha carefully but quickly moved out of under Kagome's resting form and stood up outside of the hut, ready to knock the monk to the other side of the village, but Miroku's face stopped him. Sango joined them and both friends looked quite happy although still curious.

"Inuyasha, she looks so peaceful." Sango smiled. Shippo and Kilala moved out and stretched in the sunlight. The two-tail mewed at Sango and raced off to the creek to try and catch some breakfast.

"Let's go get something to eat." Miroku broke in pleasantly. "Inuyasha, we will get enough for everyone. You make sure that Kagome's bandages are changed like Kaede told us to when she wakes up. Inuyasha nodded, his dog ears twitching slightly as Shippo, Sango, and Miroku walked deeper into town.

Inuyasha ducked under the hut's tiny opening and set his Tetsuiga aside as he turned to look at Kagome who was still sleeping. Part of him wanted to wake her and get onto her for being so lazy but something told him that this wasn't what he really wanted so Inuyasha settled by the door and watched her as she slept. Soon she stirred and opened her eyes.

Oh, Kagome thought sadly, seeing Inuyasha across the doorway, I thought Inuyasha was acting funny last night. She tried slowly to sit up but Inuyasha was already beside her, pulling her into his lap. She looked up at him and was startled at the look in his eyes. It was like when he stared at Kikyo which made Kagome's desperate heart drop.

"Inuyasha?" she mumbled. He smiled weakly and looked past her to where the bandages were.

"I suppose you'd like these changed now?" He asked quietly. He reached over her to grab the white cloth strips but her hand shot out and took his. Inuyasha's ochre eyes glanced down and held Kagome's burnt honey gaze. They stared at one another for what seemed like forever and Kagome let go of Inuyasha's hand which rested at her side, and reached out to touch his slightly tanned face. Inuyasha was lost in her eyes as she raised herself little by little until their faces were inches apart. She seemed to lose her confidence and hesitated, almost backing away, but Inuyasha's arm braced behind her back and he finished the remaining distance between them. Their lips touched briefly and they looked into each other's eyes, afraid the other would back away and smoulder the relationship on its already thin platform.

Inuyasha smiled and reached for her again, closing his eyes in pleasure as his lips found hers. Kagome's fingers traced along his face and wound themselves into his hair. Her lips parted slightly when the force of his kiss deepened and she gasped for breath. Inuyasha pulled away in alarm only to find Kagome laughing as she tried to catch her breath.

"Did I do something wrong?" Inuyasha mumbled, thoroughly embarrassed. Kagome shook her head and reached over for the bandages and salve.

"No, I just forgot to breathe," she replied, pulling her hair in a ponytail and sitting up so they could remove her sodden bandages and reapply the soothing cream to her burns.

"I can hear them coming back," His ears twitched as he unwrapped the strips from her legs and winced at the burned skin. "I'm so sorry, Kagome."

"How many times are you going to apologize?" Kagome scolded, rubbing the salve into her wounds and taking a few strips and covering her legs back up. She looked at Inuyasha carefully under her bangs as he tossed the dirty bandages aside.

"Well I am. You must be in so much pain." He brushed her hands away and started on the other leg, unwrapping it and massaging the salve gently into her skin. She winced a few times (not without his notice) but she remained as still as she could until he had finished and the fresh bandages sealed her legs.

Sango pulled back the hut drape and peeked in, "We have breakfast outside if you are hungry." She swept her eyes quickly over the two and exited with a silent smile. Inuyasha stood and picked Kagome carefully off the ground and carried her outside.

"Took you idiots long enough. I'm starved!" He eyed the food hungrily, causing Kagome to roll her eyes and smile. Inuyasha set her on the grass and grabbed at some rice balls and fish. Shippo bounced from his spot, precariously near Inuyasha's flashing hands, and snuggled up beside Kagome to finish his pieces of fish. Sango and Miroku exchanged wry glances at each other and watched Kagome and Inuyasha inconspiciously.

Kaede walked up and tapped Miroku's shoulder, "A friend of your's flew in and asked to see you." Hatchi appeared from behind the old priestess's kimono and bowed to the monk.

"Master, the old monk told me to assist you in your travels." He looked less than thrilled to be getting himself into the possiblilty of dangers involving Naraku and the other's the group had been after.

"Well, we gladly accept your help. Thank you." He nodded and dismissed the raccoon-dog for the remainder of the morning. Sango sat beside him, playing with Kilala, and looked at Inuyasha.

"Any signs of Naraku since our last meeting?"

Inuyasha looked at her after a quick glance at Kagome's feet. "I think we could all use a break. I know Naraku will take full advantage of this time but we all need rest." Everyone nodded grimly, knowing fully well that Naraku would be getting exponentially stronger while they just healed to their normal strengths. Miroku stared blankly at his cursed hand while Sango thought of her brother, Kohaku, who was still under the half demon's control. Kagome pulled the bottle containing the two shards she had pulled out of the Tetsusaiga after the battle. Inuyasha glanced at the same shards, remembering how they had so easily taken over his very soul, corrupting it beyond his grasp. But the darkness had disappeared when warm hands had wrapped themselves around his tortured shape. He remembered seeing Kagome, through the hungry eyes of his demonic self, wondering why she was risking her life for him. She had held on despite the apparent risk to her life, and purified his soul and the shards, allowing everyone to escape safely.

"Kagome," Inuyasha spoke quietly, breaking the silence. She looked up at him and dropped the bottle back into place by her heart. "Would you like to visit your time again? I can take you."

Kagome nodded and turned to the others," I guess we can all take a break for now. Will you guys be leaving?" Sango was the first to look up.

"I don't really have anywhere to go. There isn't much to accomplish back in the slayer's village. I'll just stay here." A rogue tear escaped down her cheek at the thought of the desolate village and her empowered brother.

Miroku shook his head, "I have no reason to leave." Suddenly his attention was caught as a few women on their way to the river with clothes baskets passed. "I'll be just a moment." Then he was running after the ladies. Sango sighed angrily as the dust settled.

"I guess I'd better go knock him over before he gets himself into trouble. You guys can go. We'll be fine." She scooped Shippo and her Hiraikotsu and began walking in the direction Miroku had taken, but stopped. "Take your time and relax. We can handle things here for now." She was gone.

"Well that was easy," Kagome mumbled. She listened and shook her head in dismay as the sound of Sango's weapon whistled shortly in the air and thudded against something with enough force to make Kagome wince.