Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Everything was burning. Fire engulfed every building. Fields were aflame. Women were screaming. Children were crying. Torment was all around. A mother was pulling her daughter into the bedroom and opening the large chest her father had given to her on her wedding day. She lifted the small girl and tucked her inside.

"Kagome, do not leave from here until you do not hear anymore screaming, okay?"

The little girl nodded. Her mother gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead, trying to hide the tears she could feel leaving tracks down her face. She needed to be strong for her daughter.

She closed the lid and stood, she focused all her energy on creating a barrier around the chest. The barrier would protect her from the fire until the threat had gone. After completing the barrier the woman walked towards the screen leading outside. Waiting for her in front of a wall of flames stood a man covered in shadows. All she could see were his piercing red eyes.

"She belongs to me." He whispered with a terrible smile on his lips.

"Naraku."

She did not wait for him to reply. She grasped an arrow from the quiver on her back with one hand and with the other reached for her bow that rested against a post beside her. As she released her arrow she knew it would hit the mark. While she watched her sacred arrow fly a look of triumph spread across Naraku's face. One of his disgusting tentacles lodged itself into her chest as her eyes flew wide. Naraku was struck in the heart by her sacred arrow but as her life drained away so did the power of her arrow. She knew just before she died that she had failed to defeat the foe. As she heard him cry out in pain she could do nothing but scream knowing that he would return. Her last thoughts were that he would most certainly be back… for Kagome.

Kagome screamed out into the night. She was dripping in a cold sweat and she couldn't stop shaking. Her breathing was ragged and she felt tears running down her cheeks.

'The same dream.'

She had dreamt of her mother's last moments ever since she could remember. She was only 3 when her mother had been killed and her own memories of that night are brief and unreliable. But her dreams have never let her forget. Most nights she kept herself from calling out but tonight's dream had been so vivid and so intense, she actually felt the tentacle worm its way into her mother's chest, into her chest because she always dreamt through the eyes of her mother. Tonight's dream had scared her more than ever before. She had never heard her mother's last thoughts before. She had never known that she believed Naraku would be returning. Kagome shook her head, making her long, ebony hair unfurl from the loose knot it was in to hang wild around her shoulders.

'I must be going crazy, Naraku is never coming back. My mother made sure of that.'

She climbed out of her sheets and walked over to the water bucket resting next to where her best friend, Sango, still slept. Her friend looked wonderfully peaceful when she slept and Kagome felt a pang of jealousy. To not be plagued by these nightmares would be heavenly. She constantly wondered why she could not escape them. No matter how many sleeping draughts her grandmother Kaede made for her she could never sleep through the night.

Kagome dipped her hands in the cool water and looked at herself in the reflection. She had large, brown eyes that clearly showed the stress of someone much older than she. During the day she could feel the laughter return to her eyes but at night, after those dreams, she felt as if her soul was ancient and it weighed heavily on her heart. She was beautiful. The men in the village were a constant annoyance to her.

She lived with her best friend Sango because they both were bothered daily by others advances. They had met the year after Kagome's mother was killed. Kagome had been living with her grandmother. Kaede had taken up the priestess position that she had once held before passing the title to her daughter. However, after Kagome's mother's passing, Kagome was too young to take on the role of village priestess so Kaede found herself needed once again. Kagome did everything she could to help and learned very quickly. Kaede had sent the young, four year old to find a healing herb that would be found along the river. Kagome dutifully went and saw another girl, knee deep in the water. She was bent forward slightly with her hands in the water up to her wrists. She was looking at the water between her hands with such focus that Kagome stopped and hid behind a bush to watch her. She waited for a few minutes, still wondering what that girl was doing. When finally she jumped out and yelled, "What are you doing you silly girl? That's no way to bathe!" The girl leapt up with a yelp and lost her balance. She fell backwards and Kagome ran to help her. Kagome offered the girl her hand, as soon as the girl grasped her wrist she flashed a smile and Kagome felt a yank; she fell forward and landed in the water. Kagome looked at the girl, she was staring at Kagome with a smirk on her pretty face, Kagome felt her own smile surface and they both started laughing. Kagome hadn't laughed since her mother died. She splashed the girl next to her and clutched her sides.

"My name is Sango."

"I'm Kagome."

"Sorry about yanking you down."

"It's okay. I haven't laughed like that in forever. What were you doing?"

"TRYING to catch a fish for dinner." Seeing Kagome's sad look Sango said, "… Wanna help?"

Kagome grinned, "Sure."

Since that day the two girls were inseparable. They both grew up to be very beautiful but they never found boys that the other girl deemed worthy of their friend. And they were usually right. One time Sango thought she met a boy that she could care for but Kagome saw something dark in him and she had been right, when Sango went to tell him she did not return his feelings he tried to force himself on her. Kagome came to her friends rescue and told the boy to never speak to Sango again, while holding a knocked arrow to his throat.

Kagome looked towards her sleeping friend again and smiled. Sango had helped her make it through her mother's death and Kagome had helped Sango when her father and brother were killed during a demon attack. They were as good as sisters. Now they shared a hut and did everything together. Kagome splashed some of the water at her friend and Sango woke with a start.

"Dammit Kagome! It's early."

"We need to find those 'flowers of the dawn' for grandmother, you promised you'd come, jerk."

Sango grumbled but stood up and started getting her gear together. Sango was a trained demon slayer so she always accompanied Kagome on her journeys for the older priestess. Sango wore a black and pink leather outfit with her hair tied in a long ponytail on top of her head. Kagome looked down at her own attire, a short, pale green kimono that went to her knees tied with a white obi. She left her hair down where it fell in waves to about her waist, just how she liked it. They had a quick breakfast and started out. They walked at a brisk pace, they wanted to be back before night fell again. They traveled in companiable silence until they found the mountain where Kagome knew the flowers grew. By the time they reached the base of the mountain dawn was approaching. As soon as the sun peaked over the mountain a beautiful field of flowers could be seen.

The girls smiled at each other. Kagome smirked at her friend then took off running through the field, Sango close behind. Eventually, exhausted, they rested in the gorgeous field of flowers.

Eventually, Kagome gathered a basketful, she wanted to leave for the village right away but Sango had other ideas in mind.

"There's a spring nearby and my feet are aching, let's relax for a while. We will still make it back to the village before dark."

Kagome agreed, she smiled at her friend and they walked towards the sound of water. The girls undressed and carefully folded their clothes near the water's edge. Once they were up to their necks they found cozy boulders to rest on and Kagome sighed in relaxation and closed her eyes.

"You had the dream again last night." It wasn't a question.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I always hear it when you yell out, Kagome. I wish I could help make them stop."

"Oh you worry too much Sango. They're just dreams. Besides I wouldn't be able to sleep fitfully anyways with the way you snore." Kagome grinned evilly at her best friend.

Sango humphed and splashed the young priestess. Kagome was determined to be strong and happy for her friend. She didn't need to see her in pain when she was awake; she saw it enough while she slept.

"What do you think the dreams mean, Kagome?"

Kagome sighed. Sango asked her this about once a week. Kagome guessed it was her own way of being supportive and giving Kagome the opportunity to talk about them if she wanted. She rarely wanted to, but last night's dream had been different then the last thousand times so she decided to tell her friend.

"Last night's dream was different.. I was still dreaming through my mother's eyes but this time I heard her last thoughts. She was terrified. She was so afraid because she KNEW that Naraku would be coming back." Kagome left out the part about coming back for her, she didn't want to worry her friend too much.

"That's impossible! Your mother destroyed him! He completely disappeared and you said yourself that she shot him with a direct hit from her sacred arrow! Nothing could survive an arrow from your mother." Sango was looking at Kagome with the same face that she had upon waking from her most recent nightmare. Sango was in disbelief and was begging Kagome to agree with her.

So Kagome smiled and nodded her head. "Of course Sango, I know that. You're right, and they're just dreams." Sango gave her a small smile in return and Kagome splashed her to make her relax. It worked and they were soon splashing each other and giggling just like they had when they first met. Sooner or later they climbed out of the spring, got dressed and headed back to the village. They were almost to the village when Kagome started singing. She loved to sing. Singing made her feel warm and free. Everyone always complemented her on her soothing voice, but honestly if her voice had been terrible she would have sung anyways just because of how good it made her feel.

In the middle of her song Sango whipped her head around and frowned.

"What's wrong Sango?"

"I smell smoke." Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the flames lapping over the trees ahead of them.

"The village!" They broke into a run.

"Grandmother!" Kagome dropped her flower basket so she could run faster. They were almost to the edge of the forest when Kagome heard someone call out.

"She is not here! You will not have her!"

Kagome was ready to dash out of the trees at the sound of her grandmother's voice but Sango pulled her arm and put her hand over her mouth as they huddled behind a tree. Kagome glared at her friend betrayal shining in her eyes but Sango's eyes begged her to stay calm and to wait. Kagome nodded and Sango released her grip on her mouth and arm. As the two women peered through the bushes from their hiding place they saw Grandmother Kaede, she was facing them and staring with a look of pure hatred. She wasn't looking at Kagome, she was staring at a very tall man who was facing away from them looking at Kagome's grandmother. He had long wavy black hair and broad shoulders. He was standing in a relaxed position with his hands folded behind his back. She noticed his hand were large but almost feminine looking, they seemed as if he had never gotten them dirty before, as if he never lifted a finger for himself. Kagome scoffed silently, she didn't trust the privledged, but she would have hated this man anyway just by seeing the way her grandmother was staring him down.

"She belongs to me." The sound of his voice, deep and forboding, made Kagome stiffen. She had heard that voice thousands of times, she couldn't breathe. She was frozen in her hiding place as she watched her grandmother pull an arrow from behind her back and knock it to her bow.

"You will never touch her!"

"I have waited 15 years to gather my strength and reform my body with demon energy. I have waited too long! Give me what is mine or I will burn this village to the ground and kill you all!"

Kaede was about to let loose an arrow, she knew it would not harm the beast, her daughter's and granddaughter's powers far exceeded her own, but she needed to cause any pain she could to this monster. Just as she was about to release the arrow a man approached behind her, using her to shield most of his body.

"She will be yours!" Kaede stared at the man in shock.

"Give us til tomorrow night and she will be waiting for you at the village entrance! Please leave the village alone! Please!"

"No! He will never have Kagome!"

"Silence.." Naraku spoke and everything went quiet. The fire on the buildings disappeared as a strong gust of wind wrapped around the village.

"Tomorrow night. I will return. Do not disappoint me." His eyes shifted from the quivering man back to Kaede. He smirked and then disappeared as another gust of wind surrounded them.

Kagome ran out from the bushes to her grandmother with Sango on her heels. She could feel the tears on her face as she fell on her knees in front of her grandmother. Her eyes searched the old priestess looking for any sign of injury. The old woman placed her hands on either side of Kagome's face.

"I'm fine child. Go inside. Now."

"But grandmother, was that Naraku?"

"Yes. Go inside I will explain everything." Kagome nodded and stood up, she grabbed Sango's hand and ran inside their hut.

Kaede looked at the man kneeling next to her, still trembling with wide eyes, she scoffed at him and he looked up to meet her gaze. "I had too. Tell her I am sorry for her fate."

Kaede did not respond as she turned and headed into the hut where her granddaughter waited.

Kagome burst through the hanging door and fell onto the wooden floor in front of the fire. She was shaking. She had recognized that horrible man's voice.

"Naraku.."

She could hear her mother whispering his name, her voice laced with fear and determination. Her dream last night had tried to warn her of his return. He was back just as her mother feared. He was back.. For her.

"But why?" she said aloud.

"Because child. You are the keeper of the jewel."

Kagome started. "Grandmother?" Kaede walked fully inside the hut. She sat beside the fire and wrapped her arms around Kagome. Sango was inside the hut but was guarding near the door. Nobody would lay a hand on her best friend.

"Naraku has been after you since your birth. Your father was a nobleman in the village when he fell in love with the village's priestess."

"Mother."

"Yes, child. Your mother was an amazing priestess. She gave this village hope and everyone loved her. Including your father. He convinced her of his worth and they married. You were born shortly after. Right after your birth your mother was holding you close to her chest. Only she and I were in the delivery hut as we watched you sleep."

Kagome listened in silence. She had never heard her grandmother speak of her birth.

"All of the sudden your chest emmited a strange pink glow. Your mother gasped and gazed at you with wide eyes. 'The Shikon no Tama.' She whispered. I understood immediately. You see when I was a child I had a sister. Her name was Kikyo. She was a priestess. She was beautiful and incredibly powerful. She was also the guardian of the Shikon no Tama."

"But what does Kikyo have to do with me?"

"She is you, child. You are her reincarnation."

Kagome's eyes went wide. Sango looked over at the two women from her position at the door and asked, "How do you know Kaede-sama?"

"Because of the glow when Kagome was a babe. You see, Kikyo was killed, by none other than Naraku himself." Kaede frowned as she said the name. His name tasted bitter in her mouth. "Kikyo discovered an injured man in the river, he was burned all over his body. She brought him to a cave outside the village and tried to care for him. He told her his name was Onigumo. Sometimes I would accompany my sister to the cave to help her care for the poor man. During one of these times I naively asked my sister if she thought the shikon no tama could help heal his injuries. I was young and did not yet understand the need to keep the existence of the jewel a secret. She shot me a glare and shook her head once. One morning I saw my sister awake with a start. She grabbed her sacred arrows and ran to the cave that held Onigumo. He was gone and in his place stood the man you saw today. I chased after my sister and heard her ask, "Who are you? I can feel the evil rolling off your flesh."

"My name is Naraku."

"Where is Onigumo?"

"He is no more. I am what remains. I feel great power from you priestess. Tell me, what is the Shikon no Tama?"

Kikyo's eyes widened and she knocked an arrow and pointed it at the monster's heart. "You will not touch the jewel."

Naraku wasted no time; he shot a tentacle out from under his robes at the priestess. Kikyo obviously wasn't expecting such an attack but she was able to jump to the side and dodge his blow. She fired her arrow but missed. Naraku moved toward Kikyo and shot more tentacles at her until he had them wrapped around her entire form. I couldn't take anymore I ran out from the bushes that I was hiding and pointed an arrow at the thing that held my sister. I was nowhere my sister's equal at archery but I had been practicing and I begged the arrow to make contact. It hit him in the stomach and he barely flinched. But he did loosen his hold on the priestess so that she could stab him with the point of the arrow in her hand. He released her and she ran out of his reach. He looked towards me and released a deadly chuckle. He shot a tentacle towards me as I stood frozen in fear. I heard my sister yell.

"Kaede!" She ran towards me and jumped in front of Naraku's attack. The tentacle entered through her back. I saw her eyes fly open wide and her shout of pain.

"Sister!"

Kikyo stayed on her feet and quickly released an arrow at the beast. In her weakened state the arrow didn't fly true and only hit Naraku in the arm. With the power of the sacred arrow it was still a serious wound and with a glare at my sister Naraku fled. Kikyo fell to her knees in front of me. With the last of her energy she pulled the jewel from around her neck and made me promise to burn the jewel with her body.

"No, sister! Please! I am sorry!"

"Shh.. Kaede… Do not apologize for the actions of a monster. Goodbye sister."

Kaede had been staring past Kagome into the fire as she spoke.

"She died in my arms. We burned her body with the jewel and we did not hear from Naraku again. I figured that he died from the wound my sister gave him."

Kagome released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and hugged her grandmother close. Kaede squeezed her granddaughter then pushed her back to look at her face.

"The glow inside of you is the Shikon no Tama that returned to the world just as my sister's soul returned.. with you. You are the new protector of the jewel. Naraku returned to the village when you were three. He had heard rumors of the reincarnation of the priestess he had once killed and hoped that you meant the return of the jewel he had once lost. He attacked the village and when he saw you hiding behind your mother he could sense your power and knew you to be the reincarnation. His power had grown and he could sense that you held his long coveted jewel. Who else but the dead priestess' reincarnation could hold the jewel?"

Sango interrupted now and yelled with impatience. "Why does he want this stupid jewel?"

"The jewel can grant the wish of the holder. He desires its power. But he cannot use the jewel in its current state."

This made Kagome's brow furrow. "It's current state?"

"Yes child. The jewel is currently pure in your body. It is untainted and therefore an evil, disgusting soul like Naraku could never even touch it."

"So he intends to steal me from my village and take the jewel? Why doesn't he just kill me and take the jewel? Why take me alive? Wouldn't my death defile the jewel?"

Kaede took a deep breath and shook her head. She looked into her granddaughter's eyes before she spoke again.

"Just your death would not be enough or the jewel would have become tainted after my sister was killed. Child he wants you alive because through your defilement he can taint the pure jewel and take it for himself. He intends to make you suffer and through your pain and fear the jewel will blacken and will leave your body. It will seek evil and give itself to Naraku."

Kagome was staring at her grandmother barely shaking her head. She could feel silent tears tracking down her face. She looked up at her friend; Sango looked afraid but also fiercely determined.

"He will not take you Kagome! I would never let him." Sango left her post at the door and ran to Kagome throwing her arms around the shaking girl. Kaede put her arms around the two women as they held each other until Kagome relaxed. Kagome shook herself from their grip and looked at her friend and grandmother. She knew that they would do anything to try to save her. She knew that they would give their lives for her. They didn't understand though. Kagome had witnessed Naraku's ruthlessness, she had felt his horrible power every night while she slept. She knew that they did not stand a chance against this monster. She would not allow them to die for her. She gave them a small smile and wiped her eyes of tears.

"Thank you Sango, and thank you grandmother for telling me everything. I am sorry but I feel overwhelmed and exhausted. Please I need to sleep." She stood up and moved to the corner of the hut where she slept. She knew she would have to wait until Sango and her grandmother fell asleep and then she would make her move.

Kagome knew that Naraku wanted her, wanted the jewel, not the village. He didn't care about the village. If she went to him then he would leave the village alone and she would save all of their lives. She knew what she would be walking into. Ever since she lied down after hearing her grandmother's explanation she had been meditating and trying to feel the Shikon no Tama's power within her. She could now sense the power and purity of the jewel and knew what it would take to defile such a power. She knew there would be much suffering before the end.

Kagome looked over at the sleeping form of Sango sitting up with her back against the far wall and her grandmother sleeping in her bed beside the fire. She saw the determination in their faces to protect her even as they slept.

"I can't let him hurt them."

With that, she rose from her blankets and walked slowly out the door.

Once she was outside the village she looked up at the crescent moon. She was still wearing the same green kimono from yesterday with her bow and arrows slung on her back. She sighed and started running. She ran to protect her family and to save them from their fate. She would not allow herself to be taken without a fight but she would not allow that fight to involve those she loved. She did not know where Naraku would be hiding so she just ran aimlessly. Just before dawn she stopped, she was too exhausted to run further. She fell to the ground and laid their panting. Her lungs burned and her heart felt heavy with sadness.

She was terrified. She wanted desperately to protect those she loved but she was afraid of what Naraku would do to the village if she couldn't find him before nightfall. She sat up and looked around trying to get her bearings as the sun came over a nearby mountain. The ground around her began to change color as hundreds of beautiful flowers sprang up from the ground. She realized she was back at the field of 'flowers of the dawn' that she and Sango had come the previous morning. 'Gods was that only yesterday?' Kagome couldn't believe everything that had happened in the last day. She started to replay it all in her head and before she knew it she was shaking and sobbing. She felt weak and mad at herself.

"Are you giving up already?" A voice echoed through the field.

Kagome looked up and saw the form of a beautiful woman in miko robes. Her hair was long and dark just like Kagome's. She had dark, intense brown eyes and she was staring at Kagome with a frown.

"Who are you?" Kagome did not feel threatened by this women, in fact she felt safer in her presence but that did not mean she trusted her. Kagome stood up and backed away slowly from the woman.

"My name is Kikyo." The woman stated simply.

Kagome started and looked at the woman with renewed interest. She did look very familiar. She could see shadows of her mother and herself in the face of this woman. She definitely could be who she said she was.

"But Kikyo is dead."

"I am only a spirit. My soul has remained in the world to ensure the protection of the Shikon no Tama. The very thing you run to give that monster."

"I am not giving it to him!" Kagome's anger flared. How dare she presume that she was giving up and actually helping that monster.

"Then you expect to defeat him in battle? Win where I could not?"

"I have to try! He would kill everyone I love. I need to protect them. I needed to keep them safe.. and away from me." The last part of her sentence had drifted to a whisper. Kagome had never felt more alone.

"Then make a wish." Kagome's eyes shot to the dead priestess.

"What? A wish?"

"The jewel grants the wish of the person who holds it. You cannot wish for Naraku's destruction unfortunately; I tried that in the last moments of our battle and the jewel did not have the strength. He is too powerful to merely be wished away. However, you can wish for the protection of your village."

Kagome dared to hope that her family could actually be safe.

"They would be protected?" she whispered.

"The jewel would create a barrier around the village and would protect all of the people inside it. As long as the jewel remains untainted they would be safe."

"But what if they left the village barrier? To hunt or gather herbs that don't grow in the village?"

"They would no longer be protected. To wrap each individual in their own permanent barrier is too much for the jewel to handle on its own."

"On its own? Can't I help it?"

The dead priestess was quiet for a moment, thinking. "If you were to give something up that was precious to you and sacrifice it to the jewel then it could be done."

Practically begging Kagome yelled, "Anything! I would give anything! They are everything to me please! Protect them!"

Kikyo looked at her reincarnation and gave her a small smile.

"Your voice."

"My voice?"

"Yes, sacrifice your voice to the jewel. Use the power of your words to protect your loved ones. As long as the jewel remains pure your friends will be protected. If the jewel is tainted the barrier will break."

Kagome put her hand to her chest where she knew the jewel lay. She could feel its power flare in anticipation of her decision. Sango and her grandmother's face flashed before her eyes.

"Okay. How do I do it?"

"Make your wish and believe it. Draw out the power of the jewel and feel the love of those you wish to protect."

Kagome closed her eyes and envisioned the entire village wrapped in a protective pink glow. She saw all the villagers wrapped in the same aura. Everything and everyone glowed bright for a moment and then the light faded.

"Please, I wish to protect my people."

The light in her vision returned. She felt heat radiating from her chest. Kagome yelled out and then with the vision of her people finally protected, she collapsed.

Kagome awoke from a terrible pain in her throat. She sat up and rubbed her neck trying to recognize her surroundings. She was still in the field of flowers but night had fallen again and the beauty of the field was gone.

'Nightfall!' Kagome tried to speak outloud but the pain in her throat intensified and no sound came out of her mouth. Then she remembered the trade she had made to intensify the power of the jewel. Her eyes widened at the memory and she looked around wildly for the priestess Kikyo, but she quickly realized she was alone in the field.

She wanted to trust the jewel's power but she knew she had to return to the village and make sure. She started running. Finally she reached the forest's edge on the far side of the village. She could hear Naraku bellowing outside the entrance.

"Where is she? Bring me MY JEWEL!"

"You cannot enter!" Kagome saw her grandmother and Sango standing before the evil man. "Kagome has used the power of the jewel to protect us and she has vanished! Never return! You will never find her!"

Naraku shot his tentacles towards the old priestess and hit a strong barrier. He was thrown backwards. He looked up at Kagome's grandmother with a terrifying smile.

"I'll find her. She belongs to me!"

With that he disappeared. Kagome did not stay any longer. She knew that they were safe and now the only way to keep them that way was to keep the jewel pure. She had to stay hidden away so he wouldn't find her.

Kagome started running towards the stream. She followed the water all the way up river for miles. She walked for days, she mostly walked in the river to cover her tracks. After 3 days without stopping she saw a clearing surrounded by tall trees. A few fawns were running with their mother and rabbits were hopping looking wonderfully carefree. Kagome sighed and collapsed onto the ground out of exhaustion.