InuYasha Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Embracing the Kitsune ❯ Bitter Sweet ( Chapter 30 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

~ Ch. 30 -Bitter Sweet ~

Naruo and the others made it to ground zero of the explosion, but the sight that met them was... a little unexpected. They only had a moment to take in the bodies hanging from the pointed branches around them before they were attacked. ‘After these kinds of attacks, where does he get the man power?’ Naruto mentally growled at Orochimaru’s seemingly endless resources. He wanted, no, needed to find her. His entire being ached to find her and these idiots were slowing him down. His group quickly met the hasty attacks of the confused sound ninja. It was obvious they weren’t expecting the damage that had been done, let alone reinforcements to show up.

Naruto took out a couple of the shinobi before he was surrounded by three more. He placed a well aimed kick into the chest of the first one who charged. He used the momentum to throw himself at another, leading with a right handed kunai strike to the neck. He turned to guard himself from the attack of the third sound nin, but just before the man’s wakizashi fell on him, sand stopped the man mid swing. The sand quickly covered the attacker and was followed by a sickening crunch.

Naruto whipped his head around to find his red headed friend. What met his eye was definitely not what he was expecting. Gaara was running towards him with Kagome in his arms. The sand rose to deflect kunai thrown in its masters direction. Gaara quickly came to Naruto’s side.

“We need to go right now. Haruno’s medical skills are needed immediately.” The urgency in the normally stoic sand ninja’s voice left no room for argument.

Naruto called for the retreat. The others looked over to their comrade in confusion before they caught a glimpse of what Gaara was carrying. They quickly complied and took off the way they had come.

Inuyasha’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of bloodied white hair. ‘Kagome...’ It had to be. The sent in the air was flooded with the blood of many, making his sense of smell to overwhelmed from this distance, but it had to be her. There’s no other reason the brat would call a retreat. He came back to himself as they started to move away at a break neck speed. He quickly followed suit, but stayed at the back of the group. After they made it a little ways away and he was sure they were being followed he swung around with his favorite attack. “Wind Scar!” He roared and without watching the last of the light fade from the attack, he sped up to run next to the sand ninja.

Naruto was already running on one side of the man, no doubt to be close to her, so Inuyasha took up the other side. He looked into the mans arms at the precious cargo and what he saw tore at his heart. It was his Kagome alright. White hair aside, it was like he was looking at her all those months ago... Her face peaceful in the bliss of unconsciousness in stark contrast to the blood marring her angelic features. He felt his blood boil and gripped the Tetsusaiga tight as his eyes pulsed red for a brief second. The moment passed, but his anger was not abated. The anger nor the fear.

Gaara suddenly stopped and gently handed Kagome to Naruto. Inuyasha was about to protest that he wasn’t the one she was handed to, but Gaara faced the rear and spoke. “Everyone get behind me.” He formed a few hand seals before placing his hands together in concentration. The ground began to shake. Rumbling could be heard beneath their feet and the earth in front of Garra began to crack. “Sand Tsunami!”

Inuyasha had to catch himself before he fell back on his but in surprise. A giant wave of sand rose up and crashed through the forest. ‘Just how powerful are these ninja!?’

Gaara straightened himself before turning back to Naruto. “That should have taken care of them for a while. Kagome needs to be treated immediately.” He then turned his serious eyes to Sakura who nodded and ran over to where Naruto was sitting down with Kagome in his lap.

Naruto pulled back part of the cloak and winced. He quickly covered her again and turned a pleading look to Gaara. The Kazekage nodded and Naruto, Sakura and Kagome were all surrounded by a wall of sand. The group on the outside of the wall heard a small gasp come form the medic nin, but it was soon followed by the faint green glow associated with the healing chakra.

Inuyasha still had a white knuckled grip on the Tetsusaiga and was gritting his teeth hard. To the point they might crack. He slowly walked over to the wall of sand and sat down cross legged in front of it. He carefully placed his sword against his shoulder in the position he used to watch over his pack with. The half-demon’s ears swivelled to listen to any and every noise from the inside. Kakashi, Sasuke, Temari and Kiba with Akamaru spread out to keep an eye out for enemies and Gaara walked over to the sand and stood with his arms crossed. Gaara took the opposite side from the dog man to protect the makeshift shelter from all possible attack. All those on the outside sat in silent vigilance.

On the inside of the shelter, Naruto held the vixen protectively yet gently. He had tears in his eyes at the sight of his broken love. He put his cheek to the top of her head and gave encouraging words as he stroked her sullied hair. “It’ll be ok Kagome, your gonna make it. I didn’t find you just to lose you now.” Whether the words were for her or him, the others couldn’t tell. “You’ll make it, you have to...” “She is strong kit, she will make it.”

Sakura had healed the deepest gashes on the girls arms to stop any life threatening blood loss. After she accomplished that she moved to check for any serious internal injury. She moved to the head first and found no evidence of stroke or heavy bleeding, just... random damage. She repaired the minor afflictions and then moved to the chest. There were abrasions and shallow sore like wounds that covered the rest of the body, but the only sign of possible major damage from the outside was old. A scar covered by an odd tattoo. Sakura knew better from her analysis however. What ever had happened to Kagome, she had been hurt from the inside out. It was as if her own body tried to rip its self apart. ‘What could have done this?’ She thought to herself.

She had to repair thinning to the pleural cavity and ruptured alveolar sacks before her lungs could have a chance to colapse. There was even damage to her heart.It took a few minutes, but she finished with what she could in the thoracic cavity and moved onto the abdomen. She again used her chakra to do a diagnostic of this area. ‘That’s strange, there’s no damage like in the chest.’ Even the skin of the stomach looked untouched. The only thing marring the skin was blood from wounds on other parts of her body. ‘Liver, stomach, spleen,’ She thought to herself as she checked all of the kunoichi’s organs from top to bottom. She concentrated a little harder as something in the hypogastric region caught her attention. It was a faint signature of chakra. “What is thi...’ her eyes widened in shock. Her gaze flew up to Naruto’s in an instant.

“What! What’s wrong!” His shout caused the rest of the shinobi to closely surround the small enclosure. All of them had worried expressions. Inuyasha, most of all, looked ready to break into a thousand pieces.

Sakura was afraid to say anything. She had heard what the Kyuubi had said, but there were so many factors to consider. She didn’t have to be a demon to know what the word mate meant to a fox, but had they consummated it? For that matter, if they had, were these children even Naruto’s? Orochimaru was a bastard and there was no telling what poor Kagome had gone through at his hands.

“Please Sakura. Tell me.” Naruto pleaded with moist eyes. “Don’t tell me she’s going to, to ... NO! She’s gonna be fine!” His voice got louder as if yelling it in anger could possibly hold off his love’s death. He glared at her, his eyes tinting red. “Save her. Please!” He pleaded angrily as he wiped a stray tear away with his sleeve. Why else would she be looking at him like that? She had to have found something that was to injured to fix, but she had to fix it no matter what. He couldn’t lose her, not again.

Sakura flinched from the level of his voice as well as the pain it held while Naruto yelled at her . “Naruto...” She started. She didn’t know if she should tell him, but she couldn’t let him suffer, thinking she was dying. “Naruto, Kagome’s... pregnant.”

At that one word, a hush fell through them all. Naruto’s sobs had stopped so sudden he wasn’t sure he had been crying in the first place. Had he heard right? “She’s, she’s what?”

Sakura looked away a little shamefully. “She’s going to be ok.”

“Sakura,” He growled. “That’s not what you said.”

“She’s pregnant alright!” She jumped a little as she heard a deep rumble of a growl from Inuyasha’s side of the sand walls.

“She’s pregnant?” He whispered to himself. “But how...” “It only takes one time kit.” Kyuubi said smugly.

Sakura flinched again, thinking what he said meant he hadn’t gone all the way with her yet. That ment... ‘Oh god, I think I’m gonna be sick.’ She covered her mouth with one hand for a second, but quickly went back to work to clear her mind of the images that thought conjured. She began healing the girls minor wounds now that there weren’t any life threatening ones left. The sores on Kagome’s body began to shrink and disappear.

The five shinobi took up a position around the sand and Inuyasha leapt into a tree. He was so confused! She was alive, he was happier than words could express. She was injured, he was scared to death. She was going to be ok, he was relieved. She was pregnant, he was Angry. He had both hands in a death grip around Tetsusaiga’s handle as he resisted the urge to bash his head against the tree. ‘What the hell am I supposed to do?’ He whine/growled in his mind. ‘She’s alive. She should be mine, but even if I had a chance to steal her away before, I can’t now...’ He sighed. ‘She loves the fox boy and now she would have his pup...kit. Whatever!’ “ Feh.” Even if Kagome wanted to come with him, she would never do that to a family. It wasn’t in her nature. “Grrrrr...” He’d just have to put it from his mind for now. She was alive for cripes sake! And he would be there for her when she awoke.

Now that Naruto knew she was going to be alright he could clear his mind to think on other things. One of the most important being that he was going to be a daddy. At first he felt a warm bubbly felling well up in his chest, but it sone dropped to a pit of nervousness in the pit of his stomach and he audibly gulped. “I’m gonna be... a daddy?” He whispered quietly to himself in an astonished voice. The affirmation that her friend believed the children to be his definately lifted Sakura’s spirits and she had sighed in relief.

Kyuubi was smirking to himself at Naruto’s nervousness and feeling of panic, but as he looked out through Naruto’s eyes he couldn’t get one thing out of his mind. ‘Those tattoos, why does she have them?’ He wanted more information and he was going to get it. “Kit...” Well if he was going to be a father he couldn’t really call him that anymore now could he. “Naruto” He corected himself as he tried to gain his vessels attention. ‘What?’ Asked Naruto as he came out of his own thoughts. “Get your former teacher to investigate those markings, I don’t like them.” He growled the last part of his statement in obvious distaste of their existence. ‘Oh right’ “Kakashi-sensai, can you come here for a moment?” He covered her as best as he could with out covering the markings. He wanted to save what little of her modesty he could before the copy ninja landed in their small inclosure.

Kakashi landed next to Naruto in the next moment. “What’s wrong?” He asked concerned as he turned a critical eye over Kagome. The moment he saw the strange tattoo like markings he had a good idea why he was called. “I see...” He removed the headband covering his sharingan and took a closer look. After a minute he covered his left eye again and looked up to his former students. “The markings are tied to her chakra network in a way I have never seen before. I’m not exactly sure what their purpose is, but they don’t seem to be interfering with her at the moment.

Naruto sighed in relief and then smiled down at Kagome. She looked much better and for the moment she wasn’t in danger. He then looked up at Sakura as a thought crossed his mind. “Is my child going to be...”

“Children.” Sakura interrupted.

“What?” Asked a confused Naruto.

“She is having twins.” She said softly. “But, yes, they are going to be fine as long as we get Kagome to a medical facility for proper treatment as soon as possible.”

Naruto mouth hung open and his eyes widened. ‘Twins...’ He asked himself incredulously. Kyuubi only smirked wider than he had before. “You are carrying the infamous Kyuubi wihin your body after all. It’s only natural you are more... virile.” The fox teased his jinchuriki.

Kakashi gave Naruto a smile, only visible by the eye crinkle associated with it, and placed a hand on the younger ninja’s shoulder. “Congratulations.” He stood and motioned for the other two to follow suit.

Naruto came out of his stupor and wrapped Kagome securely in the cloak again. “Alright Gaara. You can drop the walls. We’re done.”

Inuyasha took a deep calming breath and jumped back down to ground level. Just as he did, the sand walls lowered and he saw Kagome in the arms of the fox still. He had to admit, she looked a lot better than she had only a short while ago. With that thought he was able to quell some of the possessive and jealous thoughts running through his head at the sight of her in another man’s arms.

“We have to get moving. Who knows how many people Orochimaru has left or where they are. We need to get Kagome back to the safety of the village as soon as possible.” He looked at Sakura with gratitude. “There’s no way I can ever thank you enough for saving her.” He turned to Gaara as well. “You too, comrade.”

Sasuke moved to stand in front of Naruto and put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “This is where we part ways my friend.” He looked down at Kagome and smiled as he put a hand on the top of her head. “And thank you. You set me free.” He stepped back to leave, but Naruto spoke up.

“You could always come with use you know. Now that the curse mark is gone and all.” He started and Sakura agreed.

Sasuke shook his head in the negative. “No, I don’t think I can come back this time. They wouldn’t understand.”

“Please don’t leave Sasuke.” Sakura said with tears in her eyes.

Saskue smiled and pulled her into a hug, startling her. “It’s ok Sakura. I’ll be ok.” He pulled back from her. “Besides, I still have unfinished business.” He stepped back and looked around at everyone. Before he took off he left them with one more thing. “Take good care of her, she’s going to change this world... for the better.” He looked meaningfully at Naruto. ‘They won’t ever be able to outcast people like you again. Not after they find out what she has shown me.’ He thought with a half smirk. He then took to the trees to find himself a safe haven of his own.

“Right,” Said Naruto. “Let’s move out!” He took the lead and they all headed in the direction of the Land of Fire and the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

* Four days later

They had made phenomenal time. It had helped to have two Jinchuurikis and a half demon to push them, as well as the threat of a deadly enemy at their backs. They were almost to the village now and the group slowed to a walk, much to the relief of the humans. Even Kakashi was panting heavily, the other three thought they would die. “That was as bad as when I was following Naruto before.” Complained Temari.

“I think my legs are going to fall off.” Added Sakura under her breath, but she quickly snapped out of her exhausted stupor and nudged Temari. They looked up to see Naruto half turned in their direction with a slight frown, holding the still unconscious Kagome. “But it was worth it.” She quickly added and Temari nodded vigorously in agreement. That said, Naruto turned back in the direction of the village gates and continued walking. The two women sighed and followed.

The two guarding the gate were slack jawed at the group that had just arrived. Of course they were mostly surprised to see the Sand Village’s Kage here unannounced, but that wasn’t the only reason they were in shock. Laying in Naruto’s arms was someone wrapped in a bloodied cloak. Was it one of there own? One of the two snapped out of it first and quickly bowed to the Kazekage and greeted him appropriately while forcing the other one into a bow. It wasn’t long before they were surrounded by ANBU and escorted in different directions. Naruto, Inuyasha and Sakura went straight to the hospital, Gaara, Temari and Kakashi went to Hokage tower, and Kiba was free to go to home. Yeah like that was going to happen. After the ANBU had departed with the others Kiba set to work. No matter how tired he was, he was going to let her friends know she was alive. Kagome would have everyone waiting to greet her when she woke up.

At the hospital, Sakura left the ANBU at the door and dragged the boys into an empty room in the ICU. She pulled down the blind on the door and told Naruto to lay Kagome on the bed. “I’ll be back in a second. I have to get supplies and some things to clean her up properly with.” She said as she was slipping out of the door.

“I’ll stand guard to make sure nobody tries to come in.” Naruto said as he followed after her. The minute he stepped into the hall, though, he saw two ANBU on either side of the hall. They weren’t making a move to peer inside, but they were staying nearby all the same. Naruto took up his position directly in front of he door with a grim expression. Hopefully the presence of the two ANBU along with Naruto’s sour expression would deter the nurses from trying to interfere until Sakura had a chance to properly wrap her ears and hide anything they didn’t want others to know about.

‘Finally’ Inuyasha thought to himself. He approached Kagome and just stared at her for a long moment before he reached up and ran his claws through a pearly white lock of hair. Even though some of her hair was stained pink or reddish brown, the area he ran his fingers through seemed to be untouched and felt like silk to his fingers. ‘She’s so... beautiful.’ He thought sadly to himself. He pulled his hand away and clenched his fist. ‘Damn it, why did I ever wait to tell her how I felt? Man I’m an idiot.’ He thought dejectedly. He sighed, trying to let go of his anger and self loathing for a bit. He wanted to just be in Kagome’s presence, alone, at the moment.

He stole a quick look at the covered glass of the door to make sure no one could see him. Asured, he leaned down to hover just over her face and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Her wonderful sent flooded his senses and he realized how much more her demon blood enhanced it toward the pleasing end of the spectrum. Suddenly he heard a moan, it was very soft, but he heard it! He quickly opened his eyes and moved his face back slightly so as to have a better view of her. She moaned again, this time louder, and her face grimaced.

Just then Naruto flung the door open and rushed in, not forgetting to close the door behind him. “Kagome!”

Kagome’s eyes began to flutter open. “N...n-naruto?” She managed to croak out through her dry, sore throat, but as her vision focused slightly, she was greated by a blurry Inuyasha! “Inu...Yasha...?” She said and then she sighed in defeat. She raised a hand toward his face with a sad smile. “I... died, didn’t I?”

Inuyasha choked on a small happy sob as he nuzzled into the palm of her hand. “Of course not stupid.” He said gently with a soft sad smile. “You wouldn’t die that easy.” He quickly but gently wrapped his arms around her in a long awaited embrace. Naruto clenched his fists, but said nothing to interrupt their reunion.

Her mind was still fuzzy from the long sleep induced by injuries, but she was coherent enough to know this wasn’t right. After Iuyasha released her, she made to sit up, but her eyes screwed shut in pain and she let herself fall back into the bed. “But... but how?” She managed out between pained pants.

Naruto stepped closer to the bed now and laid a hand on her arm. “Inuyasha appeared in our world after we thought you had...died.”

Kagome’s eyes shot open at the voice of her mate. “Naruto!” Her head seemed to be clearing rather rapidly at the rush of adrenaline. Her eyes flitted from one man to the other and back again. ‘Inuyasha and Naruto... in the same place!’ She heard the chuckle of the jewel in the back of her mind. “Arg! I don’t know weather I want to kill you or hug you... you stupid Bobble!”

Inuyasha took a step back at the rather unexpected outburst, but Naruto chuckled. It seemed she was going to be just fine to him. Naruto looked over at Inuyasha before lightly squeezing Kagome’s arm in reassurance and helping her to sit. “Um, Kagome, I think Inuyasha might not quite understand your relationship with the Shikon.” He said this as helpfully as he could with out letting his amusement slip into his voice, but there was still a smile present on his lips. “Besides, it’s not like it can here you anymore anyways.” He chuckled.

Kagome chuckled nervously for more than one reason. “Well you see, I can kinda... talk to it again.”

Naruto turned to her shocked. “Really?”

Inuyasha looked back and forth between Kaogme and Naruto for a moment before putting two and two together. “You were yelling at the jewel?”

Kagome sobered up again as she met Inuyasha’s golden eyes and her heart skipped a beat. He had always had that effect on her, but now it had a guilty feel to it. She nodded in the affirmative to his question before turning troubled eyes up to Naruto. She was overwhelmingly happy to see her mate again after so long, but she felt awkward in front of Inuyasha. She had to many things going through her head right now that she didn’t quite know what to say to either of them. She suddenly found her hands very interesting and her brows furrowed in worry. The trouble in her mind seemed to stir something in her subconscious and she resisted the urge to groan at what she knew was coming.

Naruto knew what was happening. It didn’t take a genius to figure out she felt awkward, so he leaned over and embraced her softly, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. Kaomge seemed a little stiff in his grasp and even though it bothered him... he could understand. “Understand my rear end, what did I tell you about rival males!” ‘Shut up fox. If she doesn’t pick us then it wasn’t meant to be... I trust her.’ Kyuubi contemplate this for a moment before settling down. “I suppose...” He growled in agreement, but none the less paced the bars of his cage. Naruto helped her back down to a lying position before stepping back slightly. “I’ll let you to talk for a little bit, I’m sure you have a lot...”

“No.” Kagome said softly. She seemed to wince slightly for some reason, but then continued. “I... I don’t think I can talk to either of you right now.” Her voice was so lost and broken. Not the Kagome they knew at all. She closed her eyes and gripped one side of her hair before rolling on her side. “Please just leave me alone right now.”

Naruto rethought his earlier assumption that she would be just fine. That did not sound fine to him and by the hurt, but worried look on Inuyasha’s face, he felt the same. Naruto was making to comfort her when the door burst open with Sakura and Tsunade carrying medical supplies.

“Both of you out!” Tsunade commanded with that scarey medical nin glint in her eye.

Inuyasha looked like he was about to protest, but Naruto grabbed his arm and dragged him out. Once down the hall a bit Inuyasha ripped his arm from the Jinchuuriki’s grasp. “Just what the Hell do you think your doing?!” He growled at Naruto.

“Saving your ass you stupid mutt!” Naruto fumed back.

“Who you callin a mutt you stupid...”

“Just shut up for a moment!” Naruto yelled and then noticed the hallway was way more quiet than he remembered it being before. They both looked around at the patients and medical personnel that had stopped what they were doing to stare. Naruto grumbled before he started walking off. Inuyasha crossed his arms in his hori and followed after the younger man.

Once outside Inuyasha resumed the previous argument. “Now what the hell was all that about?” He asked in more of the demanding kind of way.

Naruto rested his back against the outside wall of the hospital and slid down to sit on the ground. He sighed heavily before he explained. “First of all, Tsunade would skin you alive if you got in the way of her treating a patient.” At this comment Inuyasha snorted, but Naruto just continued. “But now that I think about it... Look, just put yourself in Kagome’s place... After going through who knows what and nearly dying, again!, she wakes up to find us in the same room, let alone the same world. She needs to work through this with out us breathing down her neck. You can understand that, right?”

Inuyasha decided to sit down next to Naruto in an unceremonial flop. He sighed and looked up at the clear blue sky with a sigh. “...yeah, I can.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

IVX: Yay! It’s done. That was a hard chapter to write for some reason. I had some major writers block in the middle of it, but it all worked out in the end and Kagome’s home and safe... for the moment. Well, as always, R&R cause I absolutely live for your reviews. Their what give me the want to continue the story. Later... ^_~