Dizzy. The room spun around me.

Dirty. I could feel the marks left on my skin, the sweat dried on my body.

Pain. Blinding agony, like I was being split in half from the inside, gasping I sat up, the pain intensified, my head, dear goodness, my head.

I leaned over the side of the bed, suddenly a basin appeared beneath me, and I was grateful; the next instant my stomach was turning itself inside out, emptying of whatever had been given to me.

Someone was holding my hair back, keeping it out of the mess, and there was a cool cloth on the back of my neck.

I didn't know who it was, and I didn't find out.


My eyes opened. I stared blankly at the ceiling above me.

Someone moved at the foot of my bed.

I dragged my eyes down towards where I heard the rustle of cloth. By the time my eyes focused on the spot, it was empty.

I didn't have the energy to care.

I took a deep breath and pain ripped through my being.

Someone screamed.


Pain.

It was all I had; it was my anchor, without it I was lost, floating in an abyss.

Tears leaked out of my eyes, I heard someone move; a cup pressed against my lips.

I turned my head away. Someone sighed, I heard shuffling; I felt a pinch, the icy glide of a needle in my skin, then cold spreading through my body.

Another heavy breath. Suddenly I wanted to know who was in the room with me; I fought to open my eyes but they were so heavy, and I was so tired, a groan escaped my lips as I fell back into the abyss.


When I woke up again, I didn't hurt so badly anymore. I opened my eyes and the room was dark, lit only by the soft glowing of candle light. I tried to speak, but my throat was dry and all I could do was cough. Spikes of pain flew through my body, doubling me over and making me cough harder. Tears filled my eyes.

Coughing slowed, and a cup was pressed to my lips. Tentatively I drank; the cool sweet liquid soothed the fire in my chest and spread a soft numbness through my body. I fell back against the pillows piled behind me, exhausted from my efforts.

"Thank you." I tried to say, but my voice came out a hoarse whisper.

Someone else whispered a thank you, as if trying not to let me overhear. More words were exchanged, but I couldn't identify the speaker or hear what was said.

By the time I heard the door slide shut again, I was already halfway asleep again.

My eyes cracked open again and I caught a glimpse of silver before dreams overtook me.


When I could open my eyes again, I heard snoring. I followed the sound to see InuYasha sleeping at the foot of my bed. He was so handsome, asleep he looked so young, like the little boy that I grew up with; his coarse, silver hair pooled around his face and his eyelashes brushed his cheeks. I pulled my feet away from him afraid that we might touch and that to do so would ruin his innocence. The motion caused flashes of light behind my eyes, and I whimpered involuntarily. The sound caused him to start awake.

"'Gome, you're finally awake, huh?" he smiled his crooked little half smile at me, sitting up in his chair. I couldn't meet his cheerful amber eyes. I settled my gaze on his disheveled appearance, the scruffy growth on his chin, the wrinkled kimono that gaped open on his chest.

"How long have," I paused to take another shallow breath, afraid to push my abused lungs too far, "you been waiting," another breath, "here?" I finally managed to get the whole question out, and immediately regretted the words, terrified to hear his response. I watched color rush to his cheeks,

"Well, you know…" he rubbed the back of his head nervously, "since I found you." He mumbled the words, but I managed to catch them in the quiet of the hut. Since he found me, the memory flashed in my eyes.

Naked and scared I stared at the door, every moment imagining Naraku walking through. Turned on my stomach I flapped my wings endlessly, pulling against the cloth that held me bound to the bed; I pulled until the cloth rubbed the skin around my wrists raw, until the raw sores began to bleed, until the muscles in my back screamed. I wept in frustration and pain, but I couldn't pull free. My wings stopped and I dropped back onto the filthy mattress, all hope lost. I glared angrily at the Casablanca Lilly on the floor just inside the door with the note that I couldn't make out.

Suddenly I heard the door begin to move, my heart raced.

"Kagome? Kagome, are you here? Kaede sent me to check on you, she said you missed dinner twice, and she was getting worried." My heart stopped, tears began to pour from my eyes again, that InuYasha would find me like this, disgusting and violated, yet at the same time, relieved that someone had found me before Naraku could return.

"Kagome?" he called my name again, peaking around the crack in the door. I had no voice to speak of, even breathing was laborious, but I saw the exact moment when his eyes took in the scene before him, the second he understood. Tears filled my eyes with renewed vigor, streaming silently down my face. I was mortified; why did it have to be InuYasha who found me like this? "Oh god, Kagome..."

I must have blacked out, the next thing I remember; I was once again dressed in InuYasha's kimono, being carried out in his arms, his warmth showing me how cold my body had gotten. As he walked out the door my eyes caught sight of the flower and the note once again, this time I could make out what it said

'A flower for my flower,' It was signed 'your one and only'.

Shaking I realized I was still staring at InuYasha.

"How long?" I gasped, fear taking hold of me once again. He sighed, obviously reluctant to tell me.

"Five days." He admitted, running his hand though his silver locks. My breath caught, five days after he found me, making a week total. A whole week had passed already; I looked down at my sheet covered body, to ashamed to meet his eyes. He growled low in his throat and the sound sent shivers of fear down my spine.

He must have seen my panic; he stood up and walked towards me. "It's okay, Kagome, you're okay now." He reached his hand and towards me, and I flinched away from his touch. His face fell. "I'm sorry, so, so sorry, Kagome." He turned his back to me. "Who did this to you, Kags?" He asked me, hand resting on the screen door. 'Naraku, Naraku did this!' my mind screamed, I opened my mouth to say the words, but no sound came out. My lips refused to form the words; I tried and tried, on the inside I was screaming. "I'll go get Kaede." He mumbled.

I watched his back as he left, waiting until the screen slid shut again before letting the tears fall from my eyes.