Supper that night was a light affair of instant noodles. No one really wanted to cook. The stars were starting to come out, the sky turning that lovely purple color. Night birds sang outside the village, getting ready to start their day.
Kagome stirred her noodles moodily, quiet.
Maybe InuYasha is right. Maybe I should go back for a few more days. Whenever Keimetsu decides to actually attack, I might not be able to head back for a while. Maybe I should put my time in now.
She shifted slightly, trying to get more comfortable. Her shoulder was aching a little, tonight, and she tried not to worry about it.
What was wrong with him today? He just suddenly exploded. We haven't fought like that in a while, but it usually escalates. Today he just went from quiet to 'pow' in seconds.
Using chopsticks, she lifted a blob of noodles, staring at it, but not really seeing it.
Maybe he wants to go see Kikyo, but feels he can't. I don't know what to do. I want to explain it all to him, but he gets upset and angry. And then I get angry. I just...I want to tell him it's finally ok if he goes to be with her. I honestly, really, don't mind. But he'll argue with me.
She lowered the noodles.
I wonder if Hallmark makes a "It's ok if you go back to your ex" card.
Kagome put down her noodles, and stood up, "I'm going to go for a walk."
Miroku and Sango looked up at her, worried. Sango spoke, "Aren't you going to eat?"
Kagome smiled, "I'm actually not hungry right now. But I want to exercise my legs or something."
The monk and the demon slayer just watched her, unhappy.
"Really," Kagome smiled, waving her hands, "Honest, I'm ok. I'm fine. I just want to walk."
"Alright, Kagome," Sango said, softly.
Miroku gazed into his cup of noodles. InuYasha hadn't returned to the hut yet, and now Kagome was leaving. Things were suddenly falling apart so badly. They had often fought, and been at odds, but this time it felt so different. It felt very bad.
"I'll be back in just a little bit. And I'll definately want my supper, so don't throw it out, ok?" she laughed.
Sango smiled gently, "Ok."
Kagome pushed the door covering aside, and slipped out.
She paused on the little porch for a moment, looking around. The sky was so beautiful, the stars getting brighter, like little diamonds. She stepped down to the ground, and started along the path.
Kagome made sure she stuck to the path that ran around the village. She could get her solitude there, but wouldn't walk into the forest proper. She wasn't in the mood to fight anything, just walk.
As she walked, she made a mental note of what she would need to buy back in her world. New clothes. Things that were a little more durable. Maybe some jeans. More T-shirts. Some new bras, because her old ones were looking pretty old now and maybe she could get something a little more comfortable. Underwire was not made for running or crawling around under bushes. Some new sneakers...
Kagome sighed softly, looking up into the night sky again. The sky was a lovely pink, the trees turning black in shadow.
You don't see this in Japan anymore, that's for certain. So much light pollution. I should try to get a digital camera. I would love to have pictures of this. Take them back home, blow them up, frame them...
She came to a little clearing, a small hill overlooking the village, surrounded by a few trees. Kagome walked over and sat, quiet, and watched, as the very top of a quarter moon peeked it's head above the horizon.
She rested her chin in her hands, gazing at the moon.
Maybe if I went home for a week or so, it might be easier for him to go to her. If I'm not around. He might not feel guilty or anything.
Kagome sighed, and flopped over backwards onto her back, staring up at the sky.
Something moved right at the edge of her vision, pulling backwards, and she jumped, yelping, lunging to her feet. Her hand reached for her sword as she spun...
To see InuYasha, staring at her like a deer in the headlights, frozen in place.
"Uh..."
Kagome let go of her sword, "What are you doing? You just scared ten years off my life!"
"I..I was-"
"How long were you there!?"
"A..few minutes."
Kagome put her face in her hands, letting out a long suffering sigh, "Why didn't you say something?"
"I...I didn't want to scare you," he said, lamely.
"Yeah well that worked well, didn't it?"
InuYasha backed up a step, and she suddenly saw he was looking uneasy and lost, "I...I'll go back. I just...I didn't want you wandering around out here on your own."
Kagome watched him, and wanted to scream. Why was he always looking at her like that, so sad? Why couldn't he just...
Kagome was suddenly struck with the realization that he was looking at her the way he used to look at Kikyo when she would walk away from him. A lost, sorrowful, sad look. It both saddened, and angered Kagome. But she pushed both emotions away. Emotions were crazy, and should never be trusted.
"No," she said softly, trying to speak calmly, "It's ok. You don't have to leave. You just really scared me, is all."
"I'm sorry."
"No, it's ok. Come on, sit down."
He watched her, making sure she was serious, that this wasn't some strange trap she was setting for him, and when she sat, he walked over, and sat beside her, but not too close.
"I was just thinking," she said, to fill the silence, "I need to get some pictures of this place. It's so beautiful here."
InuYasha nodded, watching her out of the corner of his eye. He had seen her leave the hut from his place atop it, and had been torn. Should he follow? He wanted to. He wanted to walk with her. But she might get angry at him. Or worse, he'd say something very, very stupid to her.
He kept her in his sight until he saw she wasn't going somewhere inside the village, but a little ways just outside. There were still at least 2 Shadelings out there, and he didn't want her on her own.
He'd just...follow, then. At a distance.
They sat together in silence for a little while, then he spoke, very lowly.
"Kagome?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm sorry."
Kagome looked over at him, surprised. He was looking straight back at her, "Sorry for what?"
"For...jumping all over you today."
She blinked. That was unexpected.
"Oh, it's ok."
"No, it's not, damnit. There was no call for it."
"Well...it was so hot today, we were all a little cranky."
He just watched her face for a moment, then nodded, looking away, "Yeah. Cranky."
The moon continued to rise.
Her scent came to him, soft and warm, and he wanted to touch her so badly. His hands almost ached to just touch her.
Why did everything have to go so bad?
InuYasha gazed at his feet, Kagome. Please. Don't walk away from me. I never realized how badly I need you. And I can't even tell you because I don't have the words. Can't you see?
"You were right, though."
He looked at her, "Huh?"
She smiled at him, "I should go home for a bit. When this all starts, I might not see them for a while. You were trying to help me out. Thanks."
He didn't say anything just weakly nodded, watching her face in silence.
Kagome's smile faded, and she gazed at him.
"InuYasha, are you feeling ill? You really don't look good." She leaned forward, and put her hand on his forehead, checking for fever.
"No, I...I'm ok," he said weakly.
She lowered her hand, "How's your back?"
"Good. Ok. Almost healed."
"Good."
They sat together for a while, watching the moon rise.
After it had risen so high in the sky, Kagome stood up, stretching.
"I'm going to walk again." She glanced back at him, "Coming?"
He blinked, but stood, pleased, "Sure, ok. Where to?"
Kagome shrugged, "I'm just sort of making a circuit of the village, I guess. I have eager feet tonight."
He fell into step beside her, feeling a little better. Things seemed a tiny bit easier between them.
InuYasha was content to just walk beside her in the darkness.
Kagome suddenly started giggling.
InuYasha blinked, looking at her, "Kagome?"
"Sorry," she giggled again, "Sorry. Just remembering something that happened to Souta."
""What happened?"
"It was nothing, really...just..." she laughed, looking up at him.
The moonlight reflected off her hair, reflected in her eyes, and she was so beautiful.
"Come on, I could use a laugh," he smiled faintly.
"Ok. Just don't tell him I told you. There's this girl in his class he likes, and they hang out a lot together. It's very cute - "
"Is it that little girl he gave the flowers to that time?"
"No, this is another little girl. You know kids at that age, a different crush each week."
InuYasha had no idea what she was talking about, never having had any playmates as a child, or younger siblings, but he just nodded.
"Anyway, so he wanted to impress her. He remembered the flowers, and went out and got her some, and took them to school with him.
Well, just as he was handing them to her, a bee came up and landed on them.
And Souta is terrified of bees."
InuYasha blinked, but grinned, "Uh-oh."
"Yeah. So for a second, he just stood there, his eyes about the size of dinner plates, not moving. And then he started to panic, running, screaming.
The thing was," Kagome started to giggle again, "He never let go of the flowers, so the bee just kept chasing him. Around and around and around."
InuYasha shook his head, grinning.
"Then he started trying to swat the bee. With the flowers. Petals everywhere."
"Oh man."
"Yeah. By the time the bee got disgusted and left, all Souta had was a handful of stems and tissue paper."
Grinning, InuYasha asked, "What happened to the little girl?"
"Well, after she made sure he was ok, she laughed and laughed until she was blue in the face. Poor Souta just stood there, looking so miserable. But she kissed his cheek, and I guess that made up for all of it."
"First kiss," he said, grinning.
"Yeah. Big milestone for a little boy."
They walked on together, quiet, but content.
InuYasha glanced at Kagome, and was about to speak, when she suddenly gave a start, swiping at her shoulder, skittering backwards.
He blinked, "Kagome?"
"Ug, uhh! There was a spider on me!"
"Oh. Well, I was-"
She jumped again, beating at her shoulder, shrieking. InuYasha blinked, "Kagome."
"Get it off! Get it off me!"
InuYasha stepped forward, "What? Where? I don't see anything."
Kagome's voice was suddenly going hysterical, "Oh God they're all over me! Get them off! InuYasha!"
"Kagome, there's nothing on you!" InuYasha stepped forward, taking her hands, pulling them away from where she was repeatedly striking herself on her shoulders, arms, body.
Kagome looked down at herself, and saw tens, if not hundreds, of tiny red spiders, crawling up her legs, up her belly, up and down her arms.
She screamed again, trying to jerk free, "Get them OFF!"
"Kagome, there's nothing on you!"
"Spiders! All over me, help me!"
"Damnit, there's nothing there, Kagome!"
"Can't you see them all?"
"There's nothing there!"
Kagome tried to pull back, face white in panic, but he pulled her to him, and wrapped his arms around her, tight, "Stop hitting yourself! There's nothing there, Kagome!"
Kagome sobbed. Everywhere she looked, she saw spiders, and they were getting bigger.
"Close your eyes," he ordered, "Don't look."
"They're all over me!"
"There's nothing on you, you have to trust me!"
Kagome grabbed him, squeezing her eyes tight, holding onto him in a death grip. She was shaking so badly she felt like she was going to fall apart.
InuYasha held her tightly, "There's nothing on you, Kagome, I swear. Not a single spider, not even a moth. Nothing."
"B-But I w-w-was covered!"
"You weren't."
Trembling, Kagome raised a hand to her face, and opened her eyes.
Nothing.
Steeling herself, she pulled away from him a little, looking down at herself.
Nothing.
No spiders.
"I..."
"Are you alright? Can you still see them?"
"N-No. Nothing."
She gazed down at herself, quiet, dismayed. InuYasha watched her face, silently, worried.
"I...I saw them. There were so many. Little red spiders. All over me."
"I didn't see anything. Not one."
Kagome closed her eyes, "Great. I'm going crazy after all."
"Shut up!" he said, suddenly angry, "You just shut that up."
"Let's just head back," she said. He watched her, worried, and nodded, "Alright, if that's what you want, ok."
They turned, and started going back the way they had come. Kagome had her arms wrapped around her middle, and he watched her, uneasy. What had happened? Why on earth had Kagome seen spiders on her?
She tried to talk as if nothing had happened, "You didn't have any supper, did you?"
"I...wasn't really hungry."
"Me either. But we had those noodles you like. I'll make you some when we get back, you must be getting hungry now, right?"
He wasn't, not really, but the thoughts of her cooking him noodles made him feel a little better, so he nodded, "Alright. Thanks."
"I need to pick up some more," Kagome said, "We're getting low. You like the beef ones, right?"
"They're all good," he shrugged, "Except the ones that are supposed to taste like shrimp. Those are terrible. I don't know wh-" he suddenly stopped, the scent of blood filling his nose. He turned to her, "Kagome?"
She looked up at him, "What?"
"I...I can smell blood. Your blood. You're bleeding?"
Kagome blinked at him, and looked down at herself, "Bleeding? No. Why would I just start bleeding?"
He looked at her, starting to look uneasy, "It's you. You're bleeding. Is it your shoulder? Did it reopen when you were hitting yourself?"
"I don't think," Kagome checked her shoulder, couldn't see anything. She lifted the neckline of her shirt, peeking inside. Nothing. And she knew she wasn't anywhere near her time of the month.
"No, nothing."
InuYasha stepped towards her, eyes wide, "It's all over you! You reek of it!"
"Nice choice of words," she said sarcastically, but continued to look herself over. She couldn't see anything, certainly couldn't feel anything, "You must be mistaken."
"I know the stench of your blood!" he said. He reached out, took her by the shoulders, and turned her around, looking her over closely, searching.
"Considering what you mean, I'll forgive you that choice of words too," she said, "Honestly, InuYasha, I'm fine."
She turned back to him, "Maybe something was killed around here, or-"
Her words were cut off when he suddenly stepped forward, shocked, "Kagome!"
She followed his gaze down to her stomach. Her shirt was a pale blue, and in the moonlight it looked white. She couldn't see anything, "What?"
"What happened?!" he cried. He watched, as red wetness began oozing through her shirt. In the moonlight, it looked like ink.
"What are you talking about? Nothing happened."
Kagome yelped as he suddenly reached out, grabbing her shirt. He yanked it up, exposing her stomach, "InuYasha!"
"Oh Gods." he said, weakly.
There was a deep slash across her stomach, blood trickling out, staining her shirt and seeping into the waist of her pants.
"We have to get you to Kaede's!" he cried, "I don't understand! What happened!?"
He reached for her, to grab her, pick her up, shocked when she backed up, hands out, "Wait, hold on! I don't have to go anywhere!"
"You're bleeding!" he cried, "You're wounded!"
"I'm not! Look!"
Kagome hiked up her shirt again, exposing the terrible wound. She put her hand over it, smearing the blood around, "Look, there's nothing there."
"How can you not see that!?" he cried, "Stop touching it, you're making it worse!"
"There's nothing there!"
He just stared at her, shocked silent.
Kagome looked at his face. The fear was very obvious there, he wasn't making anything up.
She spoke gently, "Look at me. I'm ok. Just...tell me what you see."
"You..." his voice cracked, and he tried again, "You've got this...huge...cut in your stomach. Like a sword. You're bleeding all over yourself..."
"Ok. Now listen to me. If I was cut up like that, I'd be feeling something, wouldn't I? Even a little pain? Dizzy? Weak? I don't feel anything."
"But...I can smell it," he said, horrifed, "Your blood..."
Something really wrong is going on here, she thought.
"Do like I did. Close your eyes for a minute."
"Kagome...we...Kaede will help you."
"There's nothing to be helped. Close your eyes."
He just looked at her, every instinct in him telling him to grab her up, run with her to Kaede's to help her.
"Close your eyes, InuYasha."
Swallowing, he did as she told him, shutting his eyes.
He could still smell it. The hot coppery scent of blood, and Kagome's scent, all mixed up together. It made his stomach roll.
After a second, he opened his eyes again.
Kagome stood there, looking back at him.
Her shirt was spotless. There was no mark. No smell. Even that was gone, the smell of her blood.
He suddenly reached forward, grabbing her shirt, and yanking it up again, looking at her belly.
Nothing.
He lowered the shirt, looking at her, confused.
"What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know," she said, "But we need to get back to the others."
InuYasha frowned, and nodded, "Right."
They turned, and started running, heading back towards the village, where Kaede and the others were. They didn't know what had happened to them, but they didn't like it.
They just turned the corner of the path, heading into the village proper, when a little figure stepped out onto the path in front of them, silent, watching.
At first, Kagome thought it was a child, and was about to warn her, to go back, when InuYasha, beside her, suddenly pulled the Tetsusaiga, and it flared to life.
"InuYasha? What are you doing?"
"I'm getting ready to to cut her in half," he growled.
"InuYasha, that's a little girl!"
"Watch what you say, bitch!" the 'child' before her said, and stepped forward into the moonlight.
She watched them, her black eyes large, black hair pulled back into a severe ponytail. Her dress was tattered and torn, filthy. She was holding what looked like a doll in her hands, that was missing a head.
It was a child's body, but the eyes belonged to no child. They were ice cold, hard, and cunning.
Kagome took a step back.
"Phobia."
Phobia grinned.
"You little bitch," InuYasha snarled, "That was you, wasn't it? The spiders, and the wound on Kagome. You did that?"
"Just figuring it out now, half-breed? You're stupider than I thought."
InuYasha growled.
"Now," Phobia smiled, "Let's play."

"Kagome, stay close."
"Right." Kagome reached up, taking a hold of the Shikon, just in case. Her sword was useless against a Shadeling.
InuYasha took a step towards Phobia, "Did Keimetsu send you here? Thought you'd have a little fun with us, is that it?"
Phobia giggled, sending a chill down InuYasha's spine, "Keimetsu didn't send me, Omek did. Said I should come and see if you wanted to play. Especially now that Izumi's dead."
Kagome gasped.
InuYasha stiffened, "Well, you can tell whoever this 'Omek' is that if he thinks we'll just roll over and die without a fight because Izumi's gone, he's too stupid to breathe! We'll keep fighting because it's what Izumi wanted! Her being dead only makes us fight that much harder!"
"That's right!" Kagome called, "We owe too much to her to just suddenly give up now!"
Phobia grinned, "Awwwwww. Is the poor puppy missing Izumi? Did he cwy?"
"You little bitch!" InuYasha lunged, sweeping outward with Tetsusaiga.
Phobia giggled, darting backwards, "You don't think you can hurt me with that, do you?"
"I'm not interested in hurting you, I just want to cut you in half!"
Kagome watched, wary. She kept looking over her shoulder, in case another Shadeling decided to show up.
It was creepy watching InuYasha trying to kill what looked like a sickly waif. She reminded herself Phobia was no waif. She may look like a child, but there was nothing innocent or pure in that body.
InuYasha lunged again, and again Phobia darted backwards. She raised her headless doll and shook it at the hanyou.
Things that looked like tentacles shot out from the doll's body. InuYasha, in mid-air, couldn't stop or turn, and they struck him, wrapping around him, tight, one for each limb.
"What the-!" He struggled, left hand in fist, keeping a tight grip on his sword. The tentacles were iron-hard, and he couldn't move.
"InuYasha!"
"Let go of me you little psycho!"
Phobia giggled again, "Now now, you have to be nice if you want to play with me!"
Kagome gripped the Shikon tightly, and started running towards him, "You put him-"
The ground behind her suddenly exploded violently, rocks, dirt, and debris shooting into the air. Kagome shrieked, turning, to see a massive demon looking at her. It had a head like an alligator, and long streamers of drool slipped from it's teeth to puddle on the ground. It's body was thin and skinny, but looked wirey.
"Kagome, look out!"
It darted at Kagome, lunging with it's mouth, teeth gleaming.
Kagome let go of the Shikon, and grabbed her sword, pulling it. Tightening her grip on it, she swung outwards, intending on slicing deep into it's mouth.
The blade of her sword arced out...and passed through the snout of the thing, doing no damage. The forward momentum of the demon carried it ahead, where it passed straight through Kagome before dissapearing with a whispery sound.
Kagome stood, shocked, her body expecting to feel teeth sinking into her. She heard giggling behind her, and she turned, furious.
"You think that's funny, do you?"
"Yeah, I do!"
InuYasha struggled, cursing furiously and loudly, "Get...these...things...off...me!"
Kagome sheathed her sword, and started running towards him, reaching up to grip the Shikon in her hand again. She reached out with one hand, reaching for the closest tentacle.
"No you don't!" Phobia laughed, and reached for Kagome.
The little girl thrust her hand at Kagome, palm out, fingers spread.
A violent wind suddenly burst from Phobia's hand, seening to blow out from her palm, a terrible smell of dead bodies and rotten vegetation bursting out around her.
Kagome was blown off her feet, back into the forest, striking a tree with her hip before falling roughly to the ground.
"Kagome! Phobia you bitch! When I get out of here, I'll kill you!"
"Then I guess I had better just not give you that chance, huh?"
InuYasha cursed, and threw himself forward, trying to pull his arms out of the iron grip of the strange tentacles. Teeth bared, eyes squeezed shut, he rocked back and forth, struggling wildly.
"No sense fighting," Phobia smiled, "You can't break through those, half-breed. The more you struggle, the stronger they get."
Enraged, InuYasha savagely pulled against the immobile tentacles, literally screaming out in his fury. Something suddenly seemed to pop in his shoulder, and pain lanced through him. He sagged, panting loudly.
Phobia giggled, "Awwww. Poor little puppy doggie."
InuYasha glared at her, golden eyes hot with hate, teeth bared.
"Neith couldn't do it," Phobia smiled, "Xanter couldn't do it. Xether couldn't do it. No one thought I could. But I'll bet the one to bring Keimetsu your head."
Suddenly, there was the sound of running footsteps, and both InuYasha and Phobia turned in time to see Kagome bolt out of the forest, a bloody splotch on her shoulder. She shot towards InuYasha.
In a move that would make any baseball coach proud, Kagome went down on one hip, sliding towards the doll, and kicked it as hard as she could.
The doll shuddered, and the tentacles loosened, and retracted violently, shooting back inside the doll's body.
"No!" Phobia screamed, lunging towards the doll.
InuYasha hit the ground, hard, rolling to his feet, and lunging after her.
Kagome grabbed up the doll, and stood, turning towards both Phobia and InuYasha.
She was still in mid-turn when Phobia was suddenly on her.
The little girl leapt, and mid-air, lashed out, striking Kagome across the face with an open palm.
With a loud cry of shocked pain, Kagome flew to the side, literally coming out of one of her shoes, hitting the ground hard.
"No one touches my doll!" Phobia screamed, cradling the doll to her body as she rose into the air.
InuYasha leapt, and swung, long silver hair flying out behind him.
Phobia, however, had seen him coming, and seemed to dissapear right in front of him. Tetsusaiga slashed through empty air, and he landed, roughly.
He turned, looking around him wildly, looking for Phobia, not trusting her not to attack again. As he looked, he called out to Kagome.
"Kagome?! Are you alright?"
She groaned, "Yeah. I think so."
Keeping his ears moving, trying to pick up any sound, he turned, running towards her, eyes still searching the edges of the forest.
He knelt beside her, and looked at her.
She sat on the ground, rubbing her face. A brilliant red splotch was forming on her right cheek, from the corner of her eye to her mouth.
"Little brat can hit hard," Kagome mumbled.
"Look at me," InuYasha reached out and took Kagome by the chin, tipping her head up. She blinked at him as he looked her face over closely, wincing slightly. He gazed into her eyes in silence for a moment, and Kagome started feeling uneasy. Just when she was about to say something, he dropped his hand, "Your eyes are clear and focused, you don't seem concussed. Does your head hurt?"
She shook her head, "Just my face. I can't feel anything."
Kagome heard him curse under his breath, and she followed his gaze, where he was looking at her shoulder. There was a bloody blotch there.
"That's reopened," he muttered.
"It doesn't hurt very much, it's ok."
She started to stand, surprised when he took her hand and helped her up. Warily, they looked around.
"Where do you think she's gone?" Kagome asked.
"I don't know, and I don't like it," he answered, "I think you pissed her off when you touched that doll of hers."
"Too damn bad," Kagome cursed, and he looked at her, blinking.
Kagome looked back at him, cheek red, face set in anger, and in such a stubborn, defiant look, that he suddenly grinned at her.
The grin faded, though, as he continued to look around. He doubted Phobia had just given up and gone home.
In the distance, something howled.
Kagome shivered, and InuYasha took a step closer to her. Whatever howled hadn't sounded like a simple dog.
Kagome suddenly realized she was still missing her sneaker, and turned, stepping away, reaching for it. She bent down, and picked it up, and slid it on.
Definately need sneakers. Something that will stay on my feet better.
She stood up, looking around, keeping an eye out for Phobia, and turned.
"Do you think she-"
Kagome froze.
InuYasha was gone.
Kagome remained perfectly still, not able to move. She remained like a statue, for a second, then turned, looking around the little area.
"In...InuYasha?"
Silence. Only the blowing wind answered her.
"InuYasha!?"
Silence.
Fear iced up Kagome's spine.
Oh no. Ohhhhh nooooooo. What happened? Did she take him somewhere? Or is he here and I just can't see him?
Kagome suddenly reached out, moving her hands around, trying to see if she could feel him, hoping she might get a feel of cloth, even of hair. Anything.
Looking like a child playing blind man's bluff, she took several steps around the clearing, reaching out before her, before lowering her hands, helplessly.
Another howl. Sounding closer.
Taking a breath to try and steady herself, Kagome grabbed the Shikon in her hand again, and tried to remain calm.
Something seemed to rise up behind her, and she turned, reaching for her sword, but it was on her before she could move. Sudden pain flashed over her, and darkness rose up to meet her.

********************************************
InuYasha was not calm.
"Kagome!?"
The hanyou stood in the middle of the clearing, looking around, wildly.
"Can you hear me? Kagome?"
He had watched, as she turned, walking toward her shoe. Had watched as she bent, and picked it up...
And had vanished before his eyes.
He yelped, lunging forward, reaching out to grab her, or where she had last been, but his hand passed through empty air.
Heart pounding, he frantically cast about, silver hair flying as he moved, trying to home in on her. He couldn't see or hear her, and her scent was starting to fade out as well.
"Say something! Make a noise! Anything!"
Only the wind.
Ok. Calm down, she...she's probably still here. You just can't see her, that's all. And she's smart. Kagome's smart. She'll stay here too. Once we figure out how to get around this, she'll reappear.
"Phobia! Show yourself you little piece of crap! Come out and fight me!"
A giggle.
"Stop hiding!"
"Why should I fight you, " Phobia's voice came, mocking, "When I can have more fun killing her?"
His heart started to hammer, but he said nothing, kept it in check.
"You're afraid to fight me? So you should be! You know I'll just kill you and be done with it!"
There was a scream, in the forest behind him. A sudden, long, wailing scream.
A scream he had heard before. Not of fear, of agony.
She had screamed the same way when she had been killed, out by the well, so long ago.
Heart hammering, he turned, lunging towards the sound, "Kagome! Phobia, leave her alone!"
He shot through the shadows, racing, fear starting to rise up inside him.
Another scream.
No. Not again. Please, not again! I can't lose her again!

*****************************************************
Kagome groaned.
"Kagome?"
Kagome stirred, opening her eyes. Confused, she blinked, looking around.
She was on her couch, in her living room?
"What?"
Kagome sat up, discovering a blanket laid over her, and looked around.
It was almost night outside, the TV on low, murmuring. She was stretched out on her back. InuYasha sat at the other end of the couch, a couple of magazines laid out around him. Kagome's feet were up on his lap. One magazine was open, resting on top of her feet, and he was looking at her.
Kagome blinked, "What...what am I doing here? What are we doing here?"
InuYasha blinked, "What?"
"Where's Phobia? We were in the forest, and Phobia was attacking us!"
He blinked again, then spoke, "We've been at your home for a few days now. You must have been dreaming."
Kagome looked confused. Suddenly, she realized her feet were on his lap, and she started to pull them back, "Sorry! I must have just-"
He smiled, "You put them there before you fell asleep, remember? You were watching tv."
"I did?"
"Yeah. I don't mind, they're not exactly heavy."
"It's getting dark. Where's Mom?"
"Working." InuYasha went back to looking through the magazines, "That dream must have been vivid."
"It was," she said, lowly.
She leaned back, resting her head again, and watched him.
InuYasha seemed comfortable enough, looking through the magazines. Occasioanlly he'd pick up the magazine and turn it this way or that, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
She smiled. Maybe she should sit up and go through it with him, explain it to him.
Souta suddenly yelled out from upstairs, "Sis? Sis!"
Kagome sat up as InuYasha turned, and she called out, "Souta?"
Souta came to the top of the stairs, "Sis, there are men in our yard."
Kagome and InuYasha blinked, and they both stood up. InuYasha was moving towards the door, Kagome close behind him, "What do you mean, men? How many?"
"There's a whole bunch," Souta said, sounding upset, "They look serious."
"They'll find out I am too," InuYasha said, reaching for the door and sliding it open.
"Serious?" Kagome looked at Souta. He looked at her, nodding, eyes big, "Like on TV. All in black, vests, and guns and stuff."
Kagome's stomach suddenly turned to ice, and she lunged ahead, "InuYasha! Get back!"
Gunfire suddenly rang out, and she heard Souta scream in fear, behind her.
InuYasha was suddenly falling backwards, landing hard on the kitchen floor, screaming in sudden shock and pain. There were several small holes in the front of his haori, blood starting to color the edges.
"No!" Kagome screamed, and ran to him. He was trying to get back up, Tetsusaiga drawn. Kagome reached out, grabbing a hold of the door and slammed it shut, flipping the lock.
"InuYasha!?" Souta cried out, tears in his voice, "What happened!?"
"Souta, go up to your room and stay in there!" Kagome yelled, crouching beside InuYasha. The red spots on his haori were growing. InuYasha grunted in pain, trying to stand. Kagome saw what looked like a small yellow dart sticking out of his shoulder. Tears in her eyes, she grabbed it, yanking it out and throwing it aside, vicously.
She slipped her arms under him, trying to help him up, terror in her voice, "Come on, InuYasha, you have to get up, please."
He felt him struggle, try to rise, his legs trembling as whatever had been in the dart took effect.
"Sis?" Souta's voice trembled, "Is he gonna-"
"Go up to your room!" she screamed, "And stay there!"
Souta turned, sobbing, dashing upstairs.
The front door shivered as the men outside started to pound on it.
"Kagome..go-"
"Shut up, no!"
With a resounding crack, the front door let go, hanging crazily on it's hinges. Three men walked in, dressed in black, wearing helmets, faces hidden behind cruel, rounded blackness. They wore flak jackets, and were carrying terrible-looking automatic rifles.
Crying out in fear, Kagome turned, latching onto InuYasha, wrapping her arms tight around him, feeling him starting to sink down, under the effects of the drug, "Leave him alone!" she screamed, "He's not dangerous! He's not a threat to anyone, please! Leave him alone!"
Hard hands grabbed her, yanking her back. She struggled, sobbing, holding onto him with everything she had. Hands grabbed hers, pulling, yanking them from him, and she felt her grip start to loosen, felt him being pulled from her, and she screamed.

************************************************
InuYasha burst from the forest, heading towards where he last heard the scream, calling out to her, "Kagome?!"
Ahead of him, on the ground, was some strange demon thing, back on to him. It was about the size of a human, with short, squat legs, it's skin a disgusting green-bown. It looked hunchbacked, large backbones protruding like misshapen lumps. It was wearing tattered pants.
It was hunched over something on the ground...
Something with human legs...
"Kagome!"
InuYasha lunged forward, swinging Tetsusaiga. The demon turned, looking over it's shoulder, black pupil-less eyes wide in shock. InuYasha only had time to see it's mouth, long sharp teeth protruding from it's lips, were glistening with bright blood, before it was cut in half, screaming.
The top half toppled to the side, lower half collapsing where it had stood. InuYasha used Tetsusaiga to push the bottom half savagely away, and turned, eyes wide.
Kagome lay on the ground, eyes wide as she stared up at the night sky, a huge gaping wound in her chest. She was gasping, making weak little sounds as she fought to breathe.
"Kagome! Oh Gods..." he dropped the Tetsusaiga, grabbing her, picking her up and cradling her against him, "Kagome, look at me!"
Her dark eyes turned, looking at him, still so wide, hazed with pain, "In...In...In..."
"Shhh, don't talk, don't..oh Gods, I have to get you back to Kaede, I have to..."
He started to lift her, to stand, when she suddenly screamed in agony. He faltered, almost dropping her in shock, dropping to his knees again, shaking, "Kagome."
"Don't...move...me..." she panted, looking at him, "Hurts. Hurts so...bad."
"I have to get you help," he said, desperately, "You need help."
"No...help...now," she panted, shuddering.
His eyes widened, and he shook his head, "Don't say that! No!"
"Just...hold..."
"I...I can't just..." her image suddenly blurred as tears suddenly messed his vision. It was happening all over again, like at the well. She was dying, and there was nothing, nothing he could do to stop it.
Gasping a breath, he fell back, onto his butt, pulling her towards him, and held her tight, so tight. He could feel her blood seeping through his haori, and felt her start to shudder. He shook his head violently, not wanting to say anything, just tucked her face against his neck, and started to rock her.
He felt her raise her arms, and grab the back of his haori, tight, another hard shudder tearing through her.
He gave a short sob, rocking her silently, panicked, only aware she was shuddering less and less, weaker and weaker. His voice broke, "I love you. I love you. I love you. I'll always love you. Always. Oh Gods. Gods. Kagome. Kagome."
He felt her shudders turn to shivers, her hands weakening on his back. He couldn't lower his head. He couldn't look at her, to see her as she died. He couldn't stand seeing her eyes fade. He just held her, and rocked her, silent, in the darkness.

Kagome felt herself lifted, and thrown, hard. She hit the kitchen floor hard enough for pain to flash through her. The men moved past her, crouching, grabbing the unconscious hanyou. She heard one speak to another, "Is the containment unit ready."
"Roger."
Kagome sat up, and everything around her seemed to fade out. Colors lessened, sounds dimmed, and she felt cold, so cold. Yet as if she were hot, burning up, inside.
The Shikon spoke, Ding!
Kagome turned, turned her attention on the closest man, the one crouching over InuYasha. He had a handful of silver hair, as if he wasn't sure what to do with it.
Her hate was cold, cold, like ice. It burned inside her, though, moving through her, like something swimming in her blood.
Slowly, she stood, and the coldness surged within her.
The man suddenly dropped his handful of silver hair, and stood, his back arching. He screamed, his voice echoing eerily inside his helmet.
One of the other men stood, looking at the first man, "What the hell!?"
The first man screamed again, and there was a horrible wet sounding explosion from inside the helmet.
The man wavered on his feet for a second, then toppled, falling to the kitchen floor with a thud.
The men all turned, looking at her, "Her! Kill her, kill her!"
Guns were raised, pointing towards her.
Kagome knew she should feel fear. She should be terrified. She should be utterly helpless to do anything. InuYasha lay on the kitchen floor, still bleeding, out cold, one man was leaking blood from inside his helmet, and the others were all standing, weapons turned on her. All she could see, was down the barrels of weapons.
She knew only anger.
"Get away from me," she said, lowly, through her teeth, furious, "And get the fuck away from him!"
She released the Shikon.
There was a sudden chiming sound, ear-splittingly loud, and suddenly, all around her, everything shattered.
It was like she had been standing in front of a mirror, or a television screen, watching a movie, a life-sized movie, one she had been a part of, but now someone shattered the screen, broke the mirror. Long jagged shards fell all around her, bits and pieces of color, flashing, tinkling, crashing to the ground.
Behind that, all around her, was the forest.
Kagome stood, stunned, shocked silent.
She took a deep breath, suddenly loud in the quiet forest, and the sound seemed to shock her into movement.
It wasn't real, it..., she suddenly cursed aloud.
"Phobia!"
She took a step forward, "InuYasha!? Can you hear me?"
Silence.
How am I going to find him? I can't smell him out like he can me.
She stood, turning in a circle, calling out to him, calling his name. She strained her ears, but couldn't hear anything, no answer, no reply, nothing.
Ok. Ok.
Kagome took the Shikon in her hand again, and closed her eyes.
Lead me to InuYasha. You can sense him. A Shadeling has no power over you. I need you to be my ears and my eyes, and lead me to InuYasha.
The Shikon grew warm in her hand. Following a hunch, Kagome removed it from around her neck, and wrapped the leather strap around her wrist several times, so she wouldn't drop it. She laid it in her hand, palm up, and laid her other hand over it. Pulling her palms apartbut keeping the heels of her palm touching, she entwined her fingers, and made a little cage around the Shikon.
She gazed at the Shikon, opening it up to her thoughts, to her need, Lead me to InuYasha.
The Shikon started to glow, softly, a pale blue light flickering. It seemed so delicate as it rested there, in her hands.
Lead me to InuYasha.
The glow grew slowly, gaining in strength.
"Lead me to InuYasha."
A faint chiming sound rang out, and a soft, pale beam of blue light left the Shikon, angling outward into the forest, leading the way like a pale flashlight beam.
Kagome started running in that direction.
The beam angled out straight, occasionally turning slightly, as if it had hit a mirror or some other reflective surface, but it generally went in one straight direction. Sometimes Kagome found she had to walk around objects, and once even climb over a fallen tree, difficult as she didn't want to let go of the Shikon, not entirely if she had to keep it in her hands to keep it working. But the light was strong, always steady, and she followed it faithfully.
Coming to a small clearing, Kagome ran into it, suddenly seeing him, seated on the ground, not moving, still as a statue.
"InuYasha?"
Kagome let the Shikon fall from her hands to dangle at her wrist, as she ran over to him, calling his name. He didn't respond, didn't even move an ear, and she called his name again, kneeling beside him.
Nothing.
Kagome studied his face.
He was pale, his arms hanging limply at his sides. He was breathing fast, as if he had been running, but his golden eyes were unfocused, wide, staring at something only he could see.
In the low light, she could see the glimmer of tears.
"InuYasha!?"
She grabbed his shoulder, and shook him.
Nothing. He didn't move, didn't speak, didn't even blink.
"InuYasha!"
Nothing. Only that wide-eyed, horrible look on his face, as he gazed at nothing.
He's trapped, like I was. Phobia is showing him his fears.
Kagome grabbed up the Shikon again, and following her instinct, took up one of his hands. She laid the Shikon in the palm of his hand, and laid her hand over it, trapping it between their hands.
Wake him up, Shikon, call to him.
She felt the Shikon give a soft shiver beneath her palm, almost giving a soft pulse. It heated up again, almost hot to the touch.
InuYasha didn't move, didn't blink.
Can't you reach him, Shikon?
Kagome grabbed his hand with hers, still trapping the Shikon between them, and closed her eyes, screaming out to him in her mind, using the Shikon to channel it.
~InuYasha! Wake up! You have to wake up! I don't know what you're seeing, but it's not real! None of it is real!
InuYasha!~

***********************************************
Kagome had stopped moving.
He continued to rock her, shivering, eyes closed, holding her in a tight embrace against him. Her hands had fallen from his back to rest gently at her sides.
He made a sound of pain, a shocked sob, "No, no, not again, no. I can't. I can't. No."
His mind wouldn't work, it had gone numb. He refused to believe she was gone. She couldn't be gone. She had been gone once before, and it had hurt, ah Gods, it had hurt, but she had come back, she had come back to him.
He shuddered.
Suddenly, as is from miles away, far, far, distant, so distant, he heard someone, calling his name.
"InuYasha!"
InuYasha rocked her still form, shaking his head.
Go away. Leave me with her. Just leave me.
"InuYasha!"
Closer, clearer.
Go AWAY.
"InuYasha!"
His eyes flew open. That...
That was Kagome's voice.
He didn't move, eyes wide, voice quiet, "Ka...Kagome?"
Closer, but still distant, "InuYasha! Wake up! You have to wake up! I don't know what you're seeing, but it's not real! None of it is real! InuYasha!"
Not...real?
But she was in his arms. He could feel her, lying there. Could feel her blood, having seeped through his haori and gi. Could smell her, her soft scent, growing paler, colder.
"It's Phobia, InuYasha! Try to remember! We were attacked by Phobia!"
Phobia...
In his arms, Kagome suddenly shattered, like a broken mirror.
He cried out, shocked, and all around him, the world seemed to shatter, falling, shards of color falling, breaking.
InuYasha looked around, wildly, and suddenly, she was there, kneeling beside him, shaking his shoulder, "InuYasha! InuYasha? Can you hear me? Can you see me?"
InuYasha looked down, against his chest, his lap, where she had laid, dying, dead.
Nothing. No Kagome. No blood. Nothing.
Numb, he lifted his head, and looked at her, eyes wide, "Ka...Kagome?"
Kagome nodded, "Yeah, it's me. Are you alright? Whatever you saw, it wasn't real, ok? You're alright."
He just looked at her, tears still in his eyes, shocked.
Kagome's eyes softened, and she laid a hand on his shoulder, "Yeah, I know, it's a shock. But you're ok now, it was-'
Kagome blinked as he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her to him, crushingly tight, and she felt shivers running the length of him.
She almost couldn't breathe, "InuYasha-"
"You were dying," he breathed, and she lost her voice. His voice trembled, "You were dying. I was holding you but you were dying. Are you alright? Are you ok?"
Oh Phobia, you bitch. Kagome savagely thought.
She raised her arms, and put them around him. She decided comforting him right now was more important than anything, "Yes, InuYasha, I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine. Except I can't breathe. Can you loosen your arms, just a little?"
He stiffened, his arms loosening, "Sorry, I'm sorry-"
"It's ok," she said quickly, once she could take a deep breath, "It's ok."
He didn't say anything, just held her, and trembled, fighting to get himself back in order. Kagome thought about his face, how he looked at her, stunned, tears in his eyes.
Oh InuYasha, what am I going to do with you? How does this end properly?
After a few minutes, he took a deep breath, settled, and leaned back, letting her go. He ran his hand across his face, embarrassed, clearing his throat.
"Did you see her? Phobia?"
Kagome shook her head, "No. I was trapped, same as you were."
He looked back at her, worried, "How did you get free? It felt so real."
Kagome nodded, pale, "It did. Very real. But I used the Shikon. To fight...something, and it shattered the illusion."
He took a deep breath, nodding, "Good work."
"But she's still around here, somewhere." Kagome stood up, taking his hand, helping him to stand, "And I doubt she's going to just leave us alone now."
InuYasha nodded, anger starting to replace the grief and shock he had felt. He picked up Tetsusaiga where it had fallen on the ground, and it flared back into life. Warily, he looked around.
InuYasha reached out, and took ahold of her wrist. Kagome looked at him.
"Stay close," he said, lowly, eyes moving around the clearing, "She separated us once, let's not have her do that again."
Kagome nodded, "Right."
The two of them waited, wary, tense, in the clearing, as the stars moved overhead.