Disclaimer: InuYasha is not mine. He belongs to Takahashi-san.
A/N: oh hey guys! Thanks for clicking on the link for this one:)... I'm a bit nervous when I typed this fic. Ya see, this is my first fic here(yay for me?) and I'm not sure if you guys would like it or not but I will accept any reviews and pm's, suggestions and whateversssss...:D
First chappie's gonna be a bit sad and I'm putting it in the M rating to be safe... I don't really know what my hands would type next.
InuYasha stumbled back into consciousness with a splitting headache and a few painful but healing injuries. The mixed smell of blood, ashes, and the strong stench of the now dead foe his odd pack had been tracking down for a long time, was enough for his eyes to water as he took a breath. He must've passed out because of the purifying explosion of light after his asshole of a half-brother delivered the killing blow and the jewel landed on Kagome.
'Kagome.' Panic surged through him.
'KAGOME!'He quickly scrambled off the ground, spotting the Tetsusaiga in its shabby state not far from where he had been lying- on the base of a noticeably destroyed tree with what he roughly recognized as his own blood painted on it.
He took in his surroundings as he gripped the sword and tucked it into its sheath. Everything was flattened and scorched, with small flecks of embers flying whenever burnt wood cracked. He took a sniff, coughing in his tattered sleeve of his fire-rat haori as he inhaled smoke and not the scent of his companions or his…Kagome. The feeling of dread made it's way to the pit of his stomach as he pictured scenarios where he would find her bleeding on the forest floor and he wasn't able to save her.
'I need to find her! Where is she?' His mind screamed as he took off randomly.
He could've ran like a dog chasing its own tail if it wasn't for his eyesight or his hearing now that he can't use his nose properly without choking on the smoky air. The familiar jingling of the monk's staff caught his attention and ran towards it's direction. Soon, he spotted the purple robed monk with his left arm slinked over the taijiya's arm as she steadied him. Or was it the other way around?
His heart started to clench painfully when he heard a wail from the fox kit and sobs from the slayer as she crushed herself to the monk's chest. InuYasha's steps slowed and finally halted when the embracing couple seemed to have been alerted by another presence and turned, facing the hanyou with sorrowful and tear-streaked faces. A head full of silver hair came to view as InuYasha recognized as his taiyoukai half brother with the Tensaiga drawn.
Sesshoumaru looked at him for a moment, his face void of expression, and then sheathed his sword, turning away as he left.
"I'm sorry…" Sango sobbed, directing it to him as she fought free from Miroku's grasp. He felt his heart sunk and he could've sworn it shattered.
Was he too late?
'NO! It can't be!' He found himself leaping past the human couple, desperate to reach someone he knew was precious to him.
His knees buckled as his previous thoughts of finding the still form of the woman he truly loved lying on the forest floor cold came true. A whimper exited his throat as he kneeled before the fallen miko.
'No. Kagome promised she would stay with me. Forever. Is she leaving me now? What about me?'His mind raced frantically about his failures. He was too late. He failed again. He failed to save her like he failed to save Kikyo.
" Sh-She's.. g-gone.. gone.. In-InuYasha.." the bushy tailed kitsune youkai kit made way for the fire-rat clad hanyou as he reached out for her with shaking clawed hands. He touched her face gently, almost like afraid she would just crumble beneath his fingers. Her skin had grown cold. He moved a hand over to her neck, over her pulse- or where here pulse should be and swallowed a whimper. He didn't feel the soft thumping beneath his fingertips. He fought the sob coming out of his throat, his eyes blurred with unshed tears as he gathered her into his arms. He pressed his ears to her chest, hoping to find even a small heartbeat. It was not there anymore. The heartbeat he always found soothing. It was gone. She was gone to him. Forever. With an anguished cry, he let his tears fall finally.
She was floating. She can feel it even if what her eyes only saw was darkness. Or are her eyes open at all? She tried to lift a hand but found out that she can't even move. Or does she have a body at all? It doesn't matter. But the nagging feeling that there is something she's forgetting is kinda driving her crazy.
'Where… am I?'
'You are in the jewel, my dear.' A strangely familiar voice answered her thoughts, surprising her. She knew that voice somewhere but felt disappointed to realize she can't remember who the owner is. She had a feeling that she need to know. No harm in asking, right?
'Who are you?'
'I am the jewel's creator.'
'Midoriko-sama?' she asked, surprised. A soft laughter rang through her ears.
'Yes, dear, I am she…' The voice answered. Suddenly, questions flooded her mind and they need answers now.
'Midoriko-sama, may I ask you a question?'
'Yes... What is it that you want to know, little miko?'
'Am I going to be sealed in the jewel forever? Coz, Kaede-baba once told me that you were sealed here when you sealed a demon… Am I going to be sealed off too?'
'What? Oh nonsense, my child…' Midoriko laughed… 'I chose to be sealed in this jewel because I had to sacrifice for the people I care about. But, my child, this is not your destiny… There is a soul connected to yours that is not allowing you to be sealed here forever… and that soul awaits for you…'
A soul connected to mine? She thought. Is it Kikyou's? No. Her soul was set free. Mama? Can't be, she doesn't even know I'm in the jewel and so does Gramps. Souta? Naah, he'll probably celebrate when I'm gone. Who?
Something caught her eye for a moment. There was a faint glow emanating from her chest. And at least she discovered that she still does have her body. There was an intertwined red and silver thread connected to her chest.
Red and Silver. Funny, it reminds me of InuYasha.
Then realization hit her.
'InuYasha?!'
'He is hurt when he found you…'
'He is?'
'Yes and he needs you now…'
'How can I go back?'
'I will send you back but… I will ask a favor from you…'
'Oh…Okay…'
'You must wish on the jewel when I send you back. I will give you time to think but you must hurry before evil gets its hands on it… But the wish must be pure and unselfish, otherwise, it will be a catastrophe…'
Before Kagome could even ask anything, there was an explosion of bright lights and she was pulled down and she was falling.
It had been hours and InuYasha still refused to let go of Kagome's body. He wasn't talking, he didn't eat, he only stared on ahead but not really looking, and Sango is getting more and more worried. Shippo had fallen asleep of exhaustion a few minutes ago and was now curled up with the neko-youkai on the monk's lap. Miroku had built the fire near the hanyou a little while ago and occasionally tried to talk him to lay the miko's body before it stiffened but found it impossible as he just turn his body away from them. It was painful for everyone to loose someone they cared for but InuYasha is getting ridiculously obsessed with Kagome that he growls whenever they get too close then goes back to staring blankly. So they just let him be and settled in for the night.
For InuYasha, no one understands what he was feeling. He lost her and he never even got the chance of saying how much he loved her. He was feeling more vulnerable now than how he feels during the nights of his weakness. She was his strength. The feeling of guilt of not realizing earlier was killing him. He subconsciously tightened his grip on her and letting go is too far from his mind. Let everything be damned. He is staying. Another tear slipped from his eye and he tried to blink it away. He buried his face in her hair and shakily inhaled her scent, his only comfort left. He felt exhaustion take over him and darkness of slumber consumed him.
His dream was empty and he was thankful for it but it was not what woke him. Something pulsed like the way Tetsusaiga pulses when his youkai tries to take over and it was near. It was in his…arms… 'KAGOME!'He willed his eyes to open as another pulse, stronger than the last. He looked down on her face as another pulse shook the body in his arms again.
"Kagome?" He croaked as the pulse started to go faster, so did the hammering of his heart in his chest. What's happening?He panicked when the pulsing stopped.
"Kagome!" He called for her again, shaking her a bit, like he usually did when he had to wake her.
"Kagome…please…" His voice sounded so broken.
Then the miracle happened. Everything seemed to slow down as he saw the familiar purifying pink light streaming out like flames from her chest where her heart is located until it engulfed her whole body. He was waiting for the feeling of being fried by it but it didn't happen. The next moment had him almost choking on sobs as her eyelids fluttered open and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips as the pink light faded. Exhaustion claimed him once again. He never felt so tired in his life. He blacked out…
