Chapter 26. Lockdown

Last Time

Kagome, I swear he will not get away with this. You were there for me when this happened to me and you always stayed by me. But how can I help you now? No one except me really understands the pain you're going through. I'm sorry. NARAKU WILL PAY WITH HIS LIFE FOR ALL THOSE HE SO RUTHLESSLY MURDERED! Sango thought.

Now

Back with Kagome

"Kagome?" Yukina asked as she noticed Kagome hadn't said or even attempted to move for a while. After the Spirit Detectives left she ceased all movement and remained quiet. That was well over two hours ago and she still didn't do anything.

"Kagome?" Yukina repeated walking to Kagome's side.

"What's the matter?" She asked but Kagome just remained silent and motionless. Yukina began to get worried. Kagome's vibrant eyes were dull and lifeless. Her face always with some emotion showing was completely blank.

"Kagome…please snap out of it." Yukina murmured slightly shaking Kagome. She was acting kind of like Keiko did in the Dark Tournament when she saw Yusuke in so much pain. Yukina got up and went to retrieve Genkai.

"Master Genkai." She asked when she found Genkai training outside.

"What is it Yukina?" Genkai asked stopping her flow of energy she was training with.

"It's Kagome…" Yukina said and looked troubled. Suddenly all the Spirit Detectives showed up with some new people added to their group.

"Who are they?" Genkai demanded of Yusuke.

"They're some of the original fighters of Naraku. And Kurama's old partner Kuronue." Hiei stated. Genkai just nodded and turned back to Yukina.

"What of her?" She demanded.

"She doesn't appear to be well."

"What's wrong?" Kurama demanded.

"It's like she's totally shut down."

"Who?" Kuwabara asked.

"Kagome."

"WHAT?!" Inuyasha shouted with Shippo.

"What appears to be wrong with her?" Kurama asked worriedly.

"She's not responding to anything I say or do. She hasn't moved from the spot since you guys left. It's like she went into emotional overload with you guys then everything just became too much for her mind to handle."

"Let's just hope she doesn't decide to go 'Oh, I'll destroy the entire world if I have to just as long as Naraku goes with it.' " Yusuke muttered.

"She'll never end up like that!" Shippo yelled at Yusuke.

"Knock it off squirt." Yusuke said picking the yelling Shippo up by his tail.

"HEY! Let go of me!" He yelled and Yusuke just gave him a look that said 'oh please like that will work' and he pulled out what looked like a little doll.

"Fine take this as my apologies for yelling in your ear." Shippo said holding it out to Yusuke.

"What is this?" Yusuke looking at it without releasing Shippo's tail before realizing Shippo was out of his grasp and Shippo flung it into him and suddenly he was pinned to the ground with a little pop and on his back was a very heavy statue.

"What the hell?!" Yusuke yelled struggling to get out from under it.

"That's what you get for pulling my tail." Shippo said with little tear marks in his eyes while he held his tail gingerly. "That really hurt."

"You little twerp get me out from under here!"

"Why? You weren't letting go of my tail."

"What is this thing?" Yusuke demanded.

"That's my Jizo." Shippo stated and began walking away before being stopped by Kurama.

"It's never a good idea, Yusuke, to pull on a foxes tail kit or not. Inuyasha also learned that the hard way." He said and glanced at Inuyasha who did his 'Feh' then looked at Shippo. "Shippo that isn't nice what would Kagome say?"

"She'd tell me to stop." He mumbled sadly before looking at Yusuke and walking back over to him lifting the doll off of him, which then disappeared with a pop.

"Let's go see her. Maybe we can do something." Sango said seriously ignoring what happened between the detective and kit and with that they all walked into the temple where Kagome was. They all stared at her. Shippo ran up to her and hugged her unresponsive form.

"Kagome? Please answer me! It's us! Remember? We're back! Please Kagome answer. It's going to be okay now." Shippo cried and Sango walked up and gently tugged him away and tried.

"Kagome I know you're hurting but please stop this. This isn't the time to grieve. Naraku is still out there. Still hurting innocent people." Sango put her arm around her and Miroku came up as well placing a hand on both girls shoulder.

"Kagome, what Sango and Shippo have said is true. We are back and this isn't the time to grieve. I'm sorry but you have to snap out of it." Kagome continued to remain unresponsive.

"Can you hear us Kagome?" Inuyasha asked quietly walking up to them. Sango and Miroku went over to Shippo and the others looking sad.

"Kagome I have a hunch you can hear us. Come back!" He said in her ears loudly. "Kagome I know your upset and scared but this isn't the way to do things. Where's the Kagome we all know and love? The Kagome who would try to make the best out of any situation? The Kagome who wouldn't run away if she was scared because she believed that was the cowards' way out? Kagome I am sorry about how we made you suffer by leaving you by yourself and how your family was slaughtered. But this isn't the time. You have to come back. "I know in your dream I talked to you I told you Naraku had the jewel." Inuyasha whispered to her. "I wasn't supposed to know but I saw your memories in that dream. I came when you were yelling at Sango not to leave. I was wrong when I said we couldn't help you. I didn't realize we could come back. We won't ever let you be alone you have all of us and those other jerks. Come on Kagome!" He said and shook her slightly. She continued to gaze blankly at nothing.

"She isn't responding too anyone." Yukina said worriedly.

"Only time will tell if it's temporary. But, like Yusuke said, I hope she doesn't end up destroying the world for revenge." Genkai said crossing her arms.

"She isn't like that." Kurama snapped his eyes flashing red for a split second before he calmed down. "She's much different. She's in too much pain and I don't think she can take it anymore. She felt she lost any form of family and friends she had. Despite what she said I don't think she has yet forgiven us…me." He added softly.

"Only time will tell." Genkai repeated.

Later that night

"Inuyasha do you think Kagome will ever come back? Maybe this is her way of getting paybacks on us for when we left her?" Shippo asked innocently sniffling.

"She isn't playing around Shippo." Kuronue said walking into the room.

"Then why isn't she waking up? We're back doesn't that count? She was sad we left but we came back so shouldn't she wake up?" Shippo demanded with childlike innocence.

"No Shippo. It doesn't matter that we came back. She ran away from her pain and fear. She's happy wherever she locked her mind in and she doesn't intend to leave yet from what I can see." Inuyasha said his face in an angry mask but you could see the worry in his eyes. "She's just scared. But of what I don't know." Kuronue just sighed and picked up the kit.

"She's just hurting and is dealing with it the only way she knows how. She's emotionally unbalanced right now." Kuronue said. "Maybe it wasn't a good idea for all of them to come get us." He added to Inuyasha. Inuyasha glanced at Kuronue and his ear twitched.

"Why?"

"From what I understand before they left for Spirit World they had to bind her powers to keep her from lashing out."

"Yeah, so?"

"It appears she was alright then. She was taking out her emotions on them. It appears she was taking out her anger on all of them."

"So why is she not alright now?" Shippo asked.

"She feels anger toward the world for taking us all away from her, pain and sadness for witnessing our deaths and not being able to help. Despair because she doesn't know what to do or how to deal. But mainly the anger and fear, I guess, is the problem. She's mad about so much that it's hurting her. She's mad at Naraku for all the destruction he's caused; us, for dying; the world, for all the pain she's been through and herself for not being able to do anything about it and it's leading to the fear of hurting people. This caused her sadness and pain."

"Oh. Well why didn't she just let it out?" Shippo asked innocently.

"I don't really know." Kuronue replied and Inuyasha did his 'feh'.

With Kurama

He walked unnoticed by anyone. He heard Kuronue's theory and walked silently down to the room Kagome was in.

Kagome you've been through so much. I should've stayed behind with you and let you take your anger out on me. I should've stayed and talked to you. Maybe this could've been avoided. I'm sorry. Kagome please come back. Kurama silently pleaded as he approached Kagome's still form. Verbal communication isn't helping, maybe mental? He gently grabbed her hand and shut his eyes and entered her mind.

In Kagome's Mind

"Kagome!" Kurama shouted. He walked around for a while. Her mind, he thought, it's so dark and yet it's bright and colorful at the same time, almost like crystal. Kagome where are you?

"Kagome!"

"What do you want?" He heard a soft voice and turned around.

"Kikyo." He gasped.

"That is correct. Why is it you chose to invade my reincarnates mind?" She asked sternly.

"She needs to come back to reality."

"I know but she won't listen. She's sorry about lashing out at you. She's sorry about a lot of things." Kikyo said.

"Do you know where she is?" Kurama asked. "We need her. I need her. I am aware she is hurting but Naraku is still out there and will most likely take advantage of her in this state. He also has the Shikon Jewel."

"I will try to help you the best I can but I guarantee you nothing for despite us being the same I have no idea where she is." Kikyo said and walked off with Kurama following her.

"Why do you help me?"

"Because maybe you can save her from my sharing my fate."

"Last I checked you wanted to kill her."

"Last time we met the body I possessed was only my hatred running in it. It wasn't really me. I apologize for the damage and harm I have caused. I have been here since Kagome destroyed that body. Though I think she has yet to realize I am here. I also have been helping her miko abilities." Kurama remained silent.

"Is Kagome still agonizing over what I did to her?" He asked suddenly. Kikyo turned around to look him straight in the eye.

"I will not lie to you, she is still feeling pain over that incident but that will vanish with time. She is hurting from so many things. Her powers locked her mind away out of reflex, despite being them being bound. She was too fragile eventually she would have destroyed herself with her emotional pain. She also could've destroyed all of you as well. That is why it's important for a miko to withhold their emotions. She didn't realize this but her powers did. In doing this to herself she is indeed protecting all of you and in turn destroying herself."

"Then I have to find her." Kurama said and started walking again. Kikyo stared at his back with a soft smile.

"Do you love her?"

"What?" Kurama stopped and turned around to Kikyo.

"Do you?" Kurama turned away from her.

"Yes."

"Do not hurt her anymore. The first time was a mistake. Naraku pulled the same trick on you as he did on Inuyasha and me. That is forgivable. Otherwise apart from Inuyasha and his friends you will also have to deal with me." She said seriously. "But I do not think I should worry about that Yoko Kurama. You love her very much." With that they continued searching for Kagome.

"Her mind it's so beautiful. Yet it is sad at the same time."

"Yes but that darkness you see is what's been eating away at her mind since her encounters with Naraku. If it consumes her Naraku will be very glad." She said darkly.

"Why what will happen?"

"She will become what I once was when you last saw me. Full of hatred and a lust for revenge she will attempt to destroy all in her path to achieve what she wants."

"She's too innocent though. She isn't meant to be like that."

"That is why she was chosen to guard the Shikon no Tama. Her heart is pure. She did not get it because she was just my reincarnation. She got it because she had a pure heart." Kikyo stopped and so did Kurama.

"I sense her in here but where is she?" Kurama muttered searching the area they were in. This area was unlike the rest of her mind. It was a dark aura surrounding a field.

"I shall leave you here to search for her." Kikyo said and disappeared.

"Kagome, where are you?" Kurama asked himself softly walking around in the small field of flowers and herbs.

Kagome's POV

I could hear someone yelling for me again. I'm happy here I don't want to remember. It hurts too much. The last thing I remember was arguing with the detectives. I was going to kill them but then Genkai bound my powers. I shouldn't have lashed out at them like I did. Kikyo doesn't know that I am indeed aware she is here. I heard what she said. I know that what I am doing will destroy me but as long as the others are safe. I will not go back. I will forget all this pain or I will die. It is as simple as that.

Author POV

"Kagome!" Kurama yelled as he saw a form sitting in the middle of the field holding a flower.

"Oh, hi!" She looked up as he ran up next to her and she looked up and gave him a sweet smile. Only it wasn't really the Kagome he was used to, this Kagome was only appeared to be six instead of 17.

"Kagome…?" Kurama asked hesitantly.

"Yeah." She said and turned to face him. Her hair was in a messy high ponytail and she was wearing a light blue kimono. A lot like Yukina's. She appeared to be in her human form as well.

"Kagome you have to snap out of this. Why do you stay here?" He asked softly kneeling by the small child.

"Because…there's nothing to hurt us here. It's safe, besides don't you like it here. It's so quiet." She gave him a sweet smile.

"Kagome this isn't real. You need to come back. It isn't safe it will kill you." Kurama said sternly.

"What do you know? I don't even know who you are. Oh look! There's mom!" She suddenly jumped up and handed him her rose. "Mom!" Kurama looked at the woman who walked in. She was in her kitsune form and she had brown hair and ears along with a brown tail.

"There's my little girl. Kagome this is your little brother Souta." Kurama watched and realized that she's locked herself in her memories. She still wasn't facing her emotions.

"Souta." She repeated gazing at the little boy in the blankets. He had dark brown hair and little fox ears on the top of his head. "He's so little." She whispered and suddenly crossed her arms pouting.

"What's the matter Kagome?" Her mother asked.

"I don't want a little brother." She pouted. She was in her kitsune form now. She swished her little silver tail angrily and her ears twitched.

"Why? You'll still be my little girl. Me and Daddy will still love you the same." She said and for the first time Kurama noticed a man behind her mother. He was in human form but he could tell he was a kitsune along with the woman. He was tall and had sandy brown hair and sparkling blue eyes full of mischief. He suddenly switched forms as well. He was taller and still had sandy brown hair with brown ears with red tips and his tail was the same colors as his ears.

"Kagome your mother's right. Now you'll have a more important roll." He said gently his eyes sparkling bending down to her.

"I can look out for him. I'll protect him. Can I do that daddy?" She asked looking at her father expectantly. Her ears twitched and her father chuckled.

"Sure you can. You can always look out for your little brother." He said chuckling slightly picking her up and suddenly the image faded and he was standing there alone.

"Who are you?" A voice asked from behind.

"I-I…" Another voice stuttered and Kurama whirled around and saw Kikyo confronting Kagome.

"Are-are you me?" Kikyo demanded softly.

"I'm…" Kagome trailed off.

"Who are you?" Suddenly there were flashes of people and there was on of a dark priestess gloating about Kagome being Kikyo's reincarnation. Kurama realized how confused she was and realized what he could do he allowed his form to shift to his demon form.

"Well if it isn't the reincarnation of the priestess Kikyo." He drawled smirking drawing the attention of Kagome, Kikyo glanced at him and gave a slight nod of her head.

"No! I'm…" She was stopped and Kikyo demanded.

"Who are you?" Kikyo demanded and suddenly Kagome was in front of Inuyasha who was pinned to the Sacred Tree.

"You look pretty dumb there Kikyo. The Kikyo I know wouldn't waste time. Why don't you destroy her with a single blast like you did me? Kikyo?"

" I am not Kikyo! I am Kagome!" She yelled and suddenly Kikyo smiled and disappeared along with the scene.

"Kagome!" Kurama yelled as he saw her once again sitting on the field only this time she was dressed in the outfit him and the Spirit detectives found her in her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail with a silver string, the black and silver outfit she trained and robbed with him and Kuronue in. She glanced at him.

"Who are you?"

"Kagome it's me Kurama." He said softly once again sitting by her. He was in his human form.

"That name is familiar." She picked up a rose. "Roses are my favorite flower. Don't you like them?"

"Kagome you do know this isn't real right?" Kurama asked hesitantly.

"…" Kagome didn't reply but stood up and began walking. Kurama swiftly got up and followed her.

"Where are you taking me Kagome?" He asked. Suddenly they were on the temple steps where she was standing once more in her demon form glaring at him.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded her hazel eyes flashing. "You are not welcome here. Leave."

"Kagome." He said jumping in front of her. "Please listen to me. If you stay here you'll die." She just seemed to ignore him and they were in front of her shrine. She was human and she was in front of the door holding and smelling her rose. He walked up next to her and saw all the bodies of her family strewn across the floor their glassy eyes staring accusingly at her. He suddenly noticed she had moved and began gazing as well on the shrine grounds. He gasped. All of her old friends were lying scattered on the ground. He was among them. He whirled and grabbed her shoulders.

"Kagome why do you show us this?" He demanded.

Then they were in Genkai's Temple where she was when she was awake and she just gazed at the ground and he saw Souta there in front of her. He had a nasty gash across his chest and he looked up at her and saw blood on the rose she held. Her face was blank but the pain was clearly visible in her eyes. He reached over and grabbed her.

"Kagome it wasn't your fault." He said and gently pulled her into a hug.

"Yes it was. I killed them all." She said brokenly.

"No you didn't." He said and hugged her tighter.

"Everyone I love is killed so I can't ever go back." She said and suddenly he was back where he was the first time. He was in the field with the six year old Kagome.

"Hello." She said and handed him a bouquet of an arrangement of flowers. "I can't find Souta. Do you know where he is? I told mommy and daddy I'd protect him forever and all of a sudden they were all gone."

"Kagome they're dead." He said softly and she looked away.

"No they're not. Not all of them." She said and glared at Kurama. "Souta's still here somewhere I just can't find him."

"No he's not. He's as dead. He's not coming back, not as the Souta you knew anyway." He paused trying to figure out how to get the real Kagome out. Suddenly he turned into his fox form. "You're more stubborn then me. And you always tried to deflate my ego. Guess what I'm not going to deflate it it's going to increase because now you're going to show me the real Kagome." Kagome gave a smile and giggled. "Please show me the 17 yr. Old Kagome." He asked this time more seriously and gently.

"Your silly." Kagome said and got up and there stood the 17-year-old girl. She began walking again and once again they were in the temple and she was once again delicately holding her rose.

"We were here before." He stated and glanced at Kagome. She remained quiet and didn't do anything she just gazed brokenly at the entrance of the shrine and suddenly she winced and they were at the bottom of the temple's steps and she was bleeding from wounds in her abdomen. She was standing this time and staring at the broken form of Souta. Suddenly they were once again in the Temple where she was when they left to Spirit World

"You keep bringing me back here. What are you trying to tell me? You wouldn't bring me back here without a reason." Kurama asked. He was still in his demon form.

"This is where it happened." She said quietly.

"What happened?" Kurama asked softly.

"When I finally realized it."

"Realized what?"

"We can't win." She said defeated.

"What?!" Kurama said shocked. Was this the Kagome who was always overconfident and said they would beat him over and over?

"This is where I gave up." She repeated flatly.

"Kagome we can still beat him."

"No we can't!" She said becoming distressed.

"Yes we will."

"I also realized something else." She said and her eyes glazed over a little.

"What else did you realize?"

"I killed them. I can't even defend my family I witnessed the death of my friends."

"It isn't your fault your brother is dead. I know you may not trust me 100 but trust me at least a little. You didn't kill your brother. Naraku did. He killed all of us. Not you." He pulled her into a hug and she struggled.

"If I would've just stopped fighting Naraku for a minute I could've saved them. I should've just joined him. I could've prevented so much…" She said softly and Kurama growled.

"No you couldn't. It all would've ended up the same way only worse. Because then most likely it would've really been you who killed all of us." He growled and he felt her trembling against him and he held her tighter.

"It wasn't your fault." He whispered softly and let her go and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" She asked she looked distressed.

"Back to where I am needed to help beat Naraku. I'm going to save others from him. I'm going back to reality. Are you joining me?" He asked and began to walk away without looking away only hoping that she would listen.

TBC

Please Review

Wow 9 pages almost! That's my record it's the most I've ever written for a chapter so far. Hmn…maybe I can write more! Please review and tell me how you like this chapter/story!! 