Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha! (If I did, I wouldn’t live in a van down by the river.)

Thank You

Kagome glanced uncomfortably at the wound on her forearm. Remembering back to the day when she had received the injury made her shudder. It had been a very close call with a very determined demon. Too close. She hadn’t admitted it to her traveling companions, but the incident had resulted in many sleepless nights afterwards, and tonight wasn’t any different. The others were already asleep, but Kagome had yet to get any rest despite her fatigue. Even with three others looking out for her, she was still a little weary about closing her eyes. The previous incident had proved that no matter how well-protected she felt, there was always the possibility of being killed.

Kagome let out a little sigh as she attempted to re-bandage her arm. She remembered back to the days before traveling to the feudal era, when a paper cut caused her to cringe in pain. When her biggest worries were of difficult tests. If she had only knew what fate would have in store for her one day...

Kagome had begun to miss the carefree life she once knew. The life she now lived was a far more dangerous one—one with an uncertain future. Something no ordinary 15-year-old school girl from her time had to go through. What keeps me here? She thought to herself. The Shikon jewel? I can’t let it fall into Naraku’s hands. My friends? I have come to know and trust them very well. But what really keeps me here? What gives me the courage to keep coming back in the midst of such chaos? She glanced at the sleeping hanyou, who had leaned himself up against a rock. Kagome had always wondered how he could sleep in such uncomfortable positions. Inuyasha.

The hanyou’s doggie ears twitched slightly as his eyes fluttered open, as if he had somehow managed to read her mind. And in his sleep at that. He glanced at her curiously. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Kagome quickly replied. She blushed when she realized that she had been staring most intently at Inuyasha when he had awakened. “Just…dressing my wound.” She began to messily, and unsuccessfully, wrap the bandage around her arm—a task that proved to be more than a little difficult to do with only one free hand. She winced in pain as her fingers brushed across her injury and dropped the bandage to the ground as she carefully studied her injured arm. “Oww…”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened—a sure-tell sign of his concern. He slowly leaned forward. “Come here,” he said in a low, soothing voice. Kagome glanced at him questioningly. He motioned for her to come to him, as he patted the ground next to himself, and she obediently took a seat by his side.

Frowning slightly, he gripped the bandage, gently wrapping it around her arm as carefully as possible so he didn’t to disturb the already painful wound. Despite the power of his claws, which would easily tear through any human’s flesh, his hands were gentle. Kagome could feel her heart racing as the skin of his fingertips gently brushed against her forearm as he continued to place the binding into place. He glanced into her eyes, quickly looking away when she met his gaze and turning his attention back to the girl’s arm. “How’s that?” he asked as he finally secured the bandage into place.

“Fine.” She smiled. It was a rarity for Inuyasha to care for another’s injuries, considering that he was usually the one with the injury. That tended to be Kagome’s job. Or Sango’s. Kagome leaned herself against the rock alongside the hanyou.

Inuyasha stared down at his lap, and then opened his mouth slightly as if wanting to say something. His eyes saddened somewhat. “I can hear you, you know.”

Kagome raised her eyebrows. “What?”

“The past few nights. Your nightmares.”

Kagome promptly blushed. He heard me? He knows I’m afraid?

“You don’t have to stay. If you’re scared I mean.” His words were silent, almost inaudible. He looked quickly in the other direction, trying to hide his discomfort in the recent show of concern for her feelings.

Leave? Did he really think I would leave him? “I want to stay, Inuyasha.” She paused. “I want to defeat Naraku as much as you do.” Besides, I could never leave you…

Inuyasha sat silently in thought for a short while. “You know I will always protect you,” he said with a look of sincerity. Kagome studied Inuyasha, watching the campfire’s reflection within his amber colored eyes. Despite the fact of being half-demon, the hanyou’s eyes had always showed his gentler side—a side she had truly come to admire.

Kagome smiled. “I know, Inuyasha. Sometimes though, I just get…scared. Especially after the other day. I often wonder how this will all end. Naraku is obviously a powerful demon who will not easily be killed.”

Inuyasha sadly looked away. “I am sorry I bought this on you, Kagome.”

“Brought this on me? Why do you think that? You didn’t bring this on me, Inuyasha. Fate did.” She smiled slightly, but Inuyasha’s face remained expressionless. “Besides,” Kagome added, “remember who broke the jewel in the first place.” She grinned sheepishly.

“That’s true,” Inuyasha commented. “But, your duty should stop at collecting the shards. It is my duty to defeat Naraku. Do you really want to risk your life to defeat someone who has never directly harmed you?”

“Inuyasha…” Kagome, taken aback by the comment, brought the palm of her hand up to rest on the hanyou’s knee. “He has directly hurt me, by hurting you as well as Miroku and Sango. When someone hurts my friends, they’re hurting me as well. I can’t just go back to my world and forget the terrible things he’s done to you all.”

Inuyasha’s eyes remained fixed on Kagome’s hand, which still lay rested on his knee. Kagome blushed, realizing that the move was most likely a mistake. She smiled. “Sorry,” she said, gently removing her hand, but as she did so, Inuyasha’s own came out to grasp it. His other came up beneath her chin as he directed her face closely towards his. “What for?” the hanyou asked softly with a grin, as he leaned forward a placed a quick, gentle kiss on her lips. Kagome, caught off guard by the action, simply smiled as Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closely so that her head rest on his chest. “Now, get some sleep.”

Kagome glanced up at the hanyou, who now held her protectively. “Thank you, Inuyasha,” she whispered, snuggling against his warm body as she eventually nodded off into a deep sleep. Inuyasha smiled. No Kagome, thank you…