I actually dreamed this the night before I watched the very last episode of InuYasha. (How could those meanies in Japan cancel it?!?!?!?!) I think it's worthy of a place on this wonderful website, and so I bring it to you.

Disclaimer: My dream is mine, just not the people in it.

Illness of the Heart

"Hey! InuYasha, wait up!" Kagome said breathlessly. The said half-demon was walking down the path at a fast pace, still irritated from their earlier argument.

"Please, InuYasha," she gasped.

There was something in her voice he didn't like. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see her collapse. "Kagome!"

She was unconscious, her breathing shallow. InuYasha picked her up and hurriedly ran back to the village, praying Kaede would know what was wrong.

"I have seen this illness only once before," Kaede said grimly. "It is deadly unless treated. I will have to journey to another town to get the medicine."

"How long will it take?" InuYasha asked.

"Only a day or two."

"I'll take you there on Kirara. It'll be faster that way," Sango offered. Kaede nodded her thanks.

Kagome stirred, mumbling incomprehensibly. Instinctively, InuYasha reached out to her, but jerked back when he felt a terrible pain. "What's going on?" he demanded to know.

Kaede sighed. "She has lost control of her spiritual powers. It would be best if ye refrained from touching her InuYasha, for your own safety." He nodded, and watched her leave the hut with Sango.

"Hang in there, Kagome," he whispered. "Kaede will be back soon."

He sat up into the night with her, watching her toss and turn, moaning in agony. It pained him that there was nothing he could do, and the feeling of helplessness began to overwhelm him. It was made worse when she murmured, "InuYasha, don't go."

"I'm not going anywhere, Kagome," he whispered, knowing she couldn't hear him. A feeling of guilt began to creep up on him. Even though he knew he was being foolish, InuYasha felt it was his fault Kagome was ill. And if anything delayed Sango and Kaede, preventing them from returning in time, he knew he'd feel responsible for that, too, and that the guilt would haunt him the rest of his life. Never before had he been at such a loss for what to do.

Kagome continued to speak throughout the night, her illness trapping her in a nightmare from which she could not escape. Each murmur and mumble was a plea begging InuYasha not to leave her. She sounded more and more desperate each time, and InuYasha could smell her fear. That fear added to his own, and he fought to keep his emotions under control. Amid this inner struggle, sleep took him.

InuYasha awoke in the morning to find Miroku kneeling by Kagome's side. "She's been restless all night," the monk said. "And her fever is growing worse."

A commotion began outside, several villagers screaming. Shippo stuck his head into the hut, saying, "There's a demon attacking!"

InuYasha growled, and made to get up, but Miroku stopped him. "Don't worry, InuYasha, I'll take care of it." The relief on the half-demon's face was plain to see; he didn't want to leave Kagome for anything.

"Thanks, Miroku," he said quietly, turning to keep watch over Kagome.

She groaned loudly, turning on her side. When she spoke this time, her voice was strained, and only InuYasha's sensitive hearing allowed him to catch her desperate words.

"InuYasha, please." Then, barely audible, "I love you."

His breath caught in his chest, and he looked at her, eyes wide. Could it really be true?

Kagome curled up into a ball, coughing violently. Fear welled up inside of InuYasha as he saw flecks of blood on her lips. Then, she was still, barely breathing. "Kagome!"

Sango and Kaede returned that evening with the medicine. They entered the hut to find InuYasha sitting beside Kagome, his face drawn and his eyes haunted with worry. Miroku, standing by the wall, said softly, "She's been like this since this morning. Barely breathing and not making a sound."

"Oh my," Kaede said. "Her illness should not have progressed this quickly. I can only pray we got here in time." She boiled the herbs she had brought, and then slowly poured the medicine into Kagome's mouth. She started coughing again, but weakly. "We can only wait, now," Kaede said grimly.

The next morning, Kagome awoke. Looking around, she saw no one but InuYasha, who was sitting beside her, asleep. "InuYasha?" she whispered.

He awoke with a start, and relief flooded his face when he saw she was awake. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Terrible," she admitted, sitting up with much difficulty.

He opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind. He turned his head away, his eyes shadowed. "Kagome, while you were sick, you…said something. And I need to know if it's true or not." His voice was guarded and even.

"What did I say?" she asked nervously.

"Do you really love me?" he asked, not looking at her.

She gasped, blushing. "I said that?" When he shifted his position, turning his back to her, she took a deep breath and explained," I do love you InuYasha. It's just that I've been afraid to admit it. I guess it's because I'm afraid you'll reject me for Kikyo. I know you love her."

"Of course I love Kikyo," he said softly. "She was the first person who didn't hate me because of what I am. She'll always have a place in my heart."

"I thought so," Kagome whispered, pain-filled tears falling from lowered eyes.

"But I love you, too, Kagome." She looked at his back, confused. "I love you in a way that I could never love Kikyo. And when you were lying there in pain, I realized that if you had died, I could never have been happy again. I'm glad you're alright." He was losing control of his voice, and Kagome could tell how hard it was for him to be admitting this."

"InuYasha," she whispered, leaning her head on his back. When he turned around to embrace her, she could have sworn she saw tears in his eyes.

"I'll never leave you, Kagome. Always remember that."

She recalled her nightmare, and shuddered. "Thank you," she whispered, not even trying to fight her tears anymore.

Oh, it was too hard to put it in words. It was much better when I dreamed it. Well, let me know what ya'll think of what my subconscious does while I'm asleep.