Edited 10/30/2010

Chapter I: A Dream within a Dream

"Time is forbidding Kagome."

"Who are you?"

"You are the only one who can change your future."

"Future, my future?"

"Remember, you are powerful, you are strong, you are brave."

"Brave?"

Kagome suddenly found herself standing alone her back to the world. Her hair blowing in the wind, and her eyes filled with tears. Before her was a battle field and behind her were the dead. Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kaede, Sesshoumaru, Kouga, everyone lay behind her. She stood alone but for some reason she was unafraid.

"Where am I? Is this the past?"

"This is the past."

"Naraku, this is the battle with Naraku?"

Naraku moved closer, his body poised and ready to kill. Yet she didn't move, she was brave and she believed. She believed in her own power and her ability to stop Naraku, she knew that she could do this for Inuyasha, for Kikyo's death, for Sango's brother, Kaede's eye, Kouga's clan, and Miroku's hand.

Tears blinded her as she let the arrow fly. It whistled past the dead bodies of Kagara and Kanna who had attempted to help them defeat Naraku and headed straight for him. He cried in pain as it hit him square in the chest causing him to fall to his knees. There was no blood as he struggled with his own breathing; his blood red eyes did come to look at her, however. It was the only evidence that Naraku, once power and intimidating, was really dying.

She gasped as she felt someone stand behind her, someone she thought was dead. She turned her eyes away from Naraku to look.

"I don't want to see this."

"Why not, Kagome?"

"These are painful memories."

"You must learn to live with pain—"

"And if I don't want to?"

"Then you must learn to be disappointed."

"Disappointed?"

"We can't always get what we want."

There, behind her, stood Inuyasha. His body battered and bruised. He moved his lips but no words came. Slowly she walked to him and caught him as his body gave way. He was badly beaten, he had fought to protect her so hard that it was causing her pain. Her original uncertainty had caused the state he was currently in. If only she had been able to fire the arrow earlier, then maybe he would not be in so much pain now.

A breath escaped him shakily as tears hinted at his own eyes. "I'm sorry Kagome," he whispered before choking on the blood that was building in his throat. Wetness appeared on his cheeks, a wetness she had only seen once before. "I'm supposed to protect you but I couldn't." She only shook her head and began to cry harder.

"Inuyasha, it's over. I killed Naraku, you're safe."

An ironic smile came to her lips, when Inuyasha stopped breathing. It was almost fitting that she had saved him, just for him to die. The others were dead in the field as well; surrounded by blood, by death. A smile and tears came to her face, they were tears that would never fade, that would never stop coming, falling.

"This isn't the past."

"Are you sure young Miko?"

"No."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"They did die but—they also lived."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

She looked at Inuyasha's face; it was calm with a smile of complete peace lining it. It was a look she had never seen when he was alive. Inuyasha was not a person who was ever calm, he was exuberant, happy, and excitable. He was really a big puppy who wanted nothing more than to be petted and loved. But this Inuyasha in her arms had died happy and the thought only made her cry more. He had died happily in her arms because she hadn't been strong enough. Now she was strong and this was what it took, someone she loved had to die. It was a big price to pay.

Kagome looked out at the battle field. Naraku had disintegrated into nothing, his body vanished from the earth the Shikon no Toma was laying in the ashes. It was the only happy sight she met.

Behind her she heard Sango stand and then Miroku, Kouga following shortly after. She heard them gasp and she heard the rustle of fire rat cloth when Miroku picked up InuYasha's dead body.

She turned silently and looked at her friends, somehow they were alive. How, she didn't know until she saw the figure of Sesshoumaru and the gleam of his sword. He sheathed it and nodded to her before walking away without a second thought.

"Sesshoumaru saved my friends."

"Interesting."

"But—he didn't save InuYasha."

"Why save someone you hate."

"He doesn't hate Inuyasha."

Kagome walked away from everyone as the voice in her mind taunted her, she moved for the Shikon no Toma, one wish in her mind, haunting her. She landed on her knees in front of Naraku and looked at the jewel. "Shikon no Toma please, I just want to be with everyone. I wish I could be with everyone forever."

Before she knew what had become of her wish, Kagome passed out.

-break-

With a start Kagome set up, her body cold and clammy. She looked around her for any sign of life and smiled when she saw Sango and Miroku curled together asleep. They were sporting bandages all over their bodies; bandages that held the faint under shadows of red.

Her smile turned into a frown as her eyes searched over them to Shippo. He was asleep with Kirara by his side. Nowhere did she see Inuyasha, though. Drifting her gaze to all the trees around her she began to worry. He was nowhere to be seen, his presence was fading fast, like he was no longer with them. Panic reached her mind and she stood only to fall again.

"Inu—" She whispered as she laid on the ground her face contorted in pain. "—yasha, where are you?" She managed to bring herself into a sitting position as she glanced around. "Is he really dead? Was my dream real or am I still dreaming?"

She heard movement beside her and looked. Kouga was sitting against a tree watching her, his face grim. "Kagome—" He whispered and looked to his side. She followed his gaze and gasped.

"Inuyasha." She cried out, loud enough to wake everyone. Hurriedly she moved to him, crawling on her hands and knees, she reached him and cried when she took his hand. It was cold, no blood had moved thru it in hours. "No." She whispered. She felt hands on her shoulders trying to bring her away. But she didn't move. "I don't remember this…"

"Is it real?"

A voice chimed in her mind.

"No." She yelled back as the others tried to pull her away from the body of the Hanyou who lay fallen on the ground, unmoving.

"So it is not a memory?"

"It isn't. It isn't real! The Shikon brought him back." She cried as her friends finally gave up and allowed her to wallow on the forest floor.

"Memories are not always remembered."

"Kagome please, he's gone. The Shikon did nothing." It was Sango who was trying to drag her away, her own voice tight and raw with emotion. Kagome fell on top of Inuyasha when she heard those words.

"My Inuyasha." She said back as she moved her body away from him. Her face was calm and steady, unfitting of her voice. "My angel, why didn't the Shikon help you. I want to be with you."

"You call him an angel?"

The voice chimed back in. Kagome did not have the strength to respond so instead she talked to him in her mind, as she had done during the fight with Naraku.

"He is an angel."

"The hanyou is an angel? Then why do most people call him a bastard."

"Because they're fools."

She paused as a sob hit her. "Kagome he's dead." Miroku drew out, his face was overly calm and his back a little too straight. "There is nothing we can do."

"You've gone pale child."

"Inuyasha will never die."

"Everything dies eventually."

"Not in my heart."

"Your heart must be as big as heaven."

"Is he in heaven Miroku?" Miroku was taken aback by the question. Kagome had never expressed an interest in heaven and hell or god. So to hear her ask if Inuyasha was condemned to heaven or hell, was amazing. Slowly Miroku bent down beside her, gently pulling her away.

"I think he is."

She nodded and turned into his chest, letting more tears fall as she hugged the monk tightly unwilling to let go.

"Remember this Kagome; you can't let this happen."

"But this isn't real! The battle with Naraku has already taken place."

"That may be so, but who is to say this is not a different enemy?"

"A different enemy?"

For a second she thought she was having an out of body experience. She could see Miroku holding her and Sango crying next to Inuyasha's body. She could see the entire scene before her and yet she couldn't interact with it.

"Who are you?"

"I am who I am, dear Miko."

"Are you god?"

"No."

Her eyes widened with realization as a man appeared before her. He looked like an odd combination of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. He had the height of his oldest son with the smirk of the younger. It was Sesshoumaru's face and body with Inuyasha's cocky attitude. She had seen that smile in a distant memory from her own world, a time when a certain cocky half-demon had defeated a demon mask in her own world.

The world melted away as the man came to stand in front of her. No longer was she in the clearing or surrounded by her friends, even Inuyasha's body had disappeared from view. The voice that had been in her head now came from the man in front of her.

"What I am showing you Kagome is what might be, not what has come to pass."

She nodded her head as the man took one of her hands. His gentle golden eyes reminded her so much of Inuyasha.

"If you do not act accordingly all will be lost forever for my son."

"Inuyasha?" She questioned softly. The man nodded.

"Kagome, it is imperative that you save him."

"What am I saving him from?" She asked as she felt the man's grip tighten on her own.

"From himself."

"What?"

With that he disappeared completely, his voice and presence nothing but a memory. The man she was talking to faded and all that was left was Miroku's tight hold on her body as she sobbed. Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and even Kouga gathered around her and Miroku as tears formed in their own eyes.

"Teach him how to live as a Hanyou, Kagome"

She opened her eyes quickly and pushed away from Miroku's chest as the voice quietly whispered its last sentiment in her ear. What met her eyes was the image of Inuyasha his body was in his demon form.

Once again Kagome felt herself leave her body as she watched the demon Inuyasha cut her down in cold blood. As she fell to the ground she noticed an odd shadow holding strings which connected to the demon Inuyasha's body. The shadow was that of a tall man, his only features that of blood red hair. The man turned and looked at her from her place above the scene. He smiled his lips an eerie red color, his hands lifted and strings shot towards her, connecting to her body.

She gasped as the strings gripped her body at key points, her legs, head, arms, fingers, even toes. She felt like a puppet as he pulled on all the strings at once, yanking her towards him violently. He pulled her tightly, his face coming closer and closer, the smile becoming more and more sinister.

Before Kagome could even react she woke up.

-winter-

The night's air was cold, cold enough to see puffs of breath. Kagome was bundled up in a pink sweater and black sweat pants. Her fingers toasty and warm inside the new pink gloves her mother had bought her on her last trip back home, two months ago.

She walked by the well and sighed, it was still snowed in. It had been this winter that Kagome and the others had realized why the well house had been made. It was meant for the winter, when the snow filled it and prevented her from going home. This was the first time it had happened in all of her time traveling back and forth between the modern world and the feudal world. Kagome thought, it was not a coincidence that it had happened right after she had made her wish on the Shikon-no-Tama and it had disappeared.

It seemed like a long time since Naraku's death and the purification of the jewel. And with its purification everything had finally become peaceful. Kikyo had passed, Sango was married to Miroku and they were expecting their first child together very soon. Everything seemed to fit, somehow, except one thing. A part of their puzzle was still unfinished.

A shiver passed up her spine to her shoulders as a very familiar demon presence became known behind her. "Inuyasha—" She whispered and was greeted with a light grunt from behind. She smiled and turned to him.

Around his neck was a scarf she had bought for him. It was green, like her school uniform, and fluffy, perfect for the cold winter months. He looked at her and tugged at the scarf absentmindedly. "Did you need something?"

She shook her head and motioned for him to stand beside her. Reluctantly he moved, his feet allotting a crunching noise with each step. For a second she looked at the trail he'd left in the snow. It seemed so odd, how everything about snow was peaceful, even when footprints distorted it. With a flip of her hair she turned to him and smiled brightly. He smiled back at her hesitantly; his eyes flickering like a fire in the semi-light.

"Lets head to the village." Her teeth chattered as she spoke and her breath turned white as it hit the cold air.

"Sure." He replied and turned to leave down the path that lead them passed the sacred tree. Falling into step beside each other they walked in silence. The only noise the crunching of snow and the birds that were still singing even though it was winter.

"Inuyasha, do you remember?" she asked suddenly breaking the quiet of the forest. "When we first met?" She pointed at the tree that they now were standing next to.

Inuyasha looked at it and smiled slightly. He was quiet for quit sometime which worried Kagome.

"Is something wrong?" She asked as she touched his shoulder.

"No, just remembering."

"Remembering?"

"Yeah," He paused and looked up at the tree. "Damn, I think I'm going soft." He fidgeted unnaturally causing her to laugh.

"Do memories really make you soft?" She smiled as he snorted and gave her a worried glance.

"Feh!"

With a sigh she let her head fall to his shoulder. His back stiffened only briefly before he relaxed and laid his head on top of hers. It was a comfortable stance for both of them and it was one they had also come used to standing it.

"If it's any consolation," She whispered causing a puff of white to breach her lips. "I don't think you're going soft. Maybe you've just found someone you don't mind showing your soft side to."

"Found someone?" He seemed to taste the words as he said them. "It's possible, I've seen weirder things."

She giggled and snuggled into his shoulder, her eyes clouding over with memories of the past. "It seems like so long ago."

"Wench," He growled. "It was a long time ago."

She snorted and turned to look him in the eyes. "It really wasn't that long, only four years."

"Four years is a long time." He looked away from her but didn't motion for her to leave him alone.

"No it's not."

"Yes it is! Four years can last forever Kagome." He bit out, his eyes turning dark gold and his lips curled back. She backed away slightly, her eyes reflecting a slight fear from the snow.

"What's wrong with you?" She reached up a tentative hand and felt his forehead. Her smile returned when he visibly relaxed.

"Nothing's wrong, I just," He stopped and looked to the sky as if asking for the right words. "Haven't felt like myself lately." With a shake of the head he turned towards the village path. "Let's go, it's getting too cold for a weak human."

A smile came to her when she heard his obvious lie and she ran to catch up. After a moment she settled by his side and took his much warmer hand into her cold one once again. Inuyasha didn't flinch or back away like he used to and it was normal when he let go and wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead.

"Maybe," Whispered Kagome as she leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked. "Four years is a long time."

"Why do you say that?"

She wanted to tell him that it was because of how he had changed in the four years she had known him. Four years was long enough to make him a completely different person from the one she had met as a middle school girl. It had taken a long time to make him this; to get him to show his feelings without saying them. But she had to admit the years were worth it.

"No reason." She decided to say in the end before they kept walking to the village in silence.

-Break-

With a sigh Kagome set her notebook down. The second they had arrived at the village Inuyasha had disappeared, leaving her with nothing to do. It was rather boring without him there. All she had was a pregnant Sango, an uptight Miroku, and Shippo who was currently taking a Kitsune exam.

Kitsune's were very strict when it came to their class and ability. Upon learning this, Inuyasha and Kagome had both encouraged the young boy to begin his journey into the world of a rightful Kitsune. Even though they encouraged it, however, that did not mean it was easy to deal with. On the other hand, it was a pain when the Kitsune decided to try to practice on anyone of them.

It was much easier to deal with Inuyasha. He at least was not in constant discomfort or worried over a pregnant demon exterminator, or exams. Kagome cringed thinking about her own exams and went back to studying. The subject was American poetry.

She thought for a moment and groaned. She had been blocked from going to her time for the better part of two months. At this point it seemed that even trying to study was absolutely pointless. It just wasn't worth it if she didn't know when she would return, if she would return. Slowly, she began to zone out. Her gaze shifted to the window as she balled her hand into a fist and rested her chin on it.

As she let her mind wonder away from homework, she began to focus on the strange dream she had nearly a month before. At first it had been like the other reoccurring dream she had about the defeating Naraku, a normal dream.

Ever since Naraku died she had often had dreams of his demise. The only problem was it always changed. Sometimes Inuyasha would die by Naraku or go to hell with Kikyo. Others he would live and have children with her. Always it changed and always it didn't make sense. This time, however, was different. She had dreamed of Inuyasha's father and of the morning after Naraku's death.

It was almost odd reliving that day in her sleep. She had awakened the same way she had in reality and Inuyasha had been pointed out by the same person, Kouga. The only difference from her dreams version and the truth had been Inuyasha. The simple fact was that in reality Inuyasha had not died, the Shikon had saved him.

The dream, without a doubt, was false. What bothered her though was Inuyasha's father appearing in the dream as well as the strange man with blood red hair and strings attached to his fingers. She shuddered as she remembered the way Inuyasha had killed her in his demon form.

Kagome pushed the image from her head and instead focused on the words of Inuyasha's father. 'Teach him how to live as a hanyou, Kagome'

Wasn't that something he already knew? He seemed happy with himself and he hadn't even mentioned becoming a full demon to her in years. With a shake of her head she closed the book of poetry and settled into thought. 'Maybe,' her mind echoed. 'I should try to make him understand that I like him the way he is and no other way.' She bit her lip in concentration; she of all people knew that had already been done and she knew that Inuyasha understood that better than anyone too.

"Kagome-chan?" She jolted up right and turned to look at Sango's pleasantly worried face.

"Sango-chan, what are you doing here?"

"I live here Kagome."

Kagome mentally hit herself for not realizing her mistake. "Sorry, I forgot." She said while sticking out her tongue and gently bonking her head. Sango smiled kindly and moved to sit down next to here.

"What's wrong Kagome?"

"Nothing's wrong, everything's just great, I'm studying and Inuyasha isn't bothering me and—I'm rambling." Kagome hoped Sango would let it go but the unnerving eyes that stayed on her said otherwise. With a slight groan of frustration Kagome grinned "Nothing gets past you does it Sango?"

"Nothing ever will." The pregnant woman replied. "I'm married to the biggest pervert in Edo, I have to be on my toes."

The two girls laughed heartily before settling down and engaging in conversation.

"Sango, do you ever have dreams about Naraku?" Kagome started as she watched the young woman put a hand on her growing stomach.

"All the time, sometimes I even wake up and swear he's really there. Luckily for me, I sleep next to a constant reminder that he's not."

"Miroku's wind tunnel is still gone." It was a statement not a question; a fact that they all took to heart. Especially Sango.

"Thanks to you Kagome-chan," Sango said with a smile as she looked at Kagome, eyes filled with deep love and affection. "Your arrow killed Naraku."

Kagome looked away and blushed. "It's not that big a deal Sango. Any of us could have killed him."

"That may be so, but you were the one who did it."

Kagome's blush deepened and she played with the bottom of her pants for a moment. She looked up at Sango's eyes, filled with love and smiled shyly. It felt great for the person she viewed as a big sister to look at her like she was a hero."Thank you Sango."

The two were quiet for a moment, both in a companionable silence. The silence was only broken when Sango finally looked at Kagome as if remembering what had started the conversation.

"What else was on your mind, Kagome-chan?"

Kagome thought carefully for only a moment then let out a deep breath. "I had this dream recently, about Inuyasha."

"What kind of dream?"

"Well, it's not a dream about Inuyasha; it's a dream about his father."

"His father?" There was hesitation in Sango's voice and a note of bewilderment.

"Yeah, in the dream his father tells me something and I just can't shake it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I have this feeling—something is about to happen to Inuyasha. It's something that his father is trying to prevent, by using me."

"What does his father say exactly?"

"He says to teach him how to be a hanyou but Sango that's not it." She looked up at her friend with confused eyes before she bit her lip. "In the dream Inuyasha isn't a hanyou anymore, he's a pure blood. And he's being controlled by this guy with red hair with stings on his fingers that connect to Inuyasha. He forces Inuyasha to kill me and then turns towards me and puts the strings on me." She paused and tried to gather her thoughts but her emotions got in the way.

"Kagome? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, I think." She fiddled with the hem of her shirt before turning to look at Sango. "Do you think this is an omen?"

"We'll have to wait and see."

"Wait for what?"

"The dream to return—" Sango turned away from her quickly and reached for a small Kimono she was working on. "If it returns then it could be an omen, a sign. We should keep our guard up just in case but don't worry Kagome, with Naraku gone there is not much that could afflict us too horribly."

Kagome nodded feeling almost relieved at Sango's words but at the same time scared. What if the dream did continue and what if the dream became something more than a dream? Sango interrupted her thoughts as she held up the little kimono to get a better look.

"Miroku is adamant that this baby will be a boy." She brought the garment back to her lap and let her needle slip into the material, the string following shortly.

"Then why are you making a pink Kimono?" Kagome asked with a giggle.

Sango held up the fabric again and smiled at her work. "Just to make him mad." The two laughed and began to chatter ideally, letting the serious conversation fall to happier things like the unborn child within Sango and the prosperity of the village.

'Four years…' Thought Kagome as she watched the exterminator make another stitch, 'Four years is a really long time.' Another yank to the thread was made. Her eyes shifted to the door of the hut when Inuyasha walked in. His eyes were bright, his step sharp, and his mouth was curled into a pleasant smile. She smiled back at him as he reached out for her hand. He took her hand into his own and pulled her to her feet. 'It's long enough to fall in love—'

End Chapter One

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