That's right, another update! Yay me! Actually, I finally have all the various chapters consolidated on one device now, so once I'm done checking them all over again, there will be more to come! Many thanks to clnv, with whom I share the same fickle muse. I cherish every moment of the many hours, past-present-and future, we consult, aid and clean up our respective projects! I still have the cover you made for me of this song, and I listen to it often! LOVE YOU MORE!

Please enjoy the read, and please leave a review of your thoughts.

Usual disclaimer nonsense here: No to Inuyasha. No to Nightwish. No to Gravitation.


Chapter 28:

Regroup

"I know I always long for the summer weather, but this is ridiculous," Kagome grumbled as she lugged the heavy bags of groceries through the muggy parking garage. She had promised Inuyasha a real, home-cooked meal; it was a luxury that neither of them had had time to indulge in lately. With a weary sigh, she mentally kicked herself for suggesting it as she stepped into the air-conditioned elevator.

The pace she had been working these past weeks had been grueling, to say the least. With the University concert only three days away, and their usual gig at the club in two days, Kagome had been working nearly round the clock with rehearsals. Add to that the pressure of their first studio session for the demo the following week…

She felt like crawling into a dark hole and sleeping for the next ten years.

As the elevator doors slid open, Kagome dragged her tired body into the hallway and headed down the hall toward her apartment. Inuyasha was due to arrive in an hour, and she looked forward to sitting on her couch with her feet up for a few minutes. When she looked up, she noticed a tall, handsome man dressed in a gray silk suit leaning nonchalantly against her door with his hands in his pants pockets.

Just when I thought this day couldn't possibly get any worse… "Eiri? What are you doing here?" she asked in shock. In all actuality, Kagome had been expecting – and dreading – this visit for weeks.

"Last time I checked I was old enough," he slid the dark sunglasses off his face, "and famous enough, to go wherever the hell I like, kid." Deep lines furrowed his brow as he glared down at her, all the while retaining his casual pose. "You know, if you had forgotten who I was, I'd be less likely to choke the shit out of you. But since you obviously do remember me, would you mind explaining where the hell you've been?" As he spoke, his voice remained deceptively neutral. Kagome had never actually witnessed an angry Yuki Eiri, but she now understood Shuichi's fear of upsetting this man. It wasn't his tone that indicated his disapproval, but the narrowing of those beautifully expressive gold eyes. Eyes that reminded her of another…

Shaking that thought away, Kagome merely bowed her head in defeat. "Do we really have to do this now?"

Eiri, an imposing six inches taller than Kagome, straightened to his full height, grabbed the keys from her hand and unlocked the door. "I'm not leaving until I have answers."

"Fine," she said with a huff as she brushed past him. "Tea or coffee."

"That's a stupid question."

"Coffee it is, make yourself at home." Kagome moved into the kitchen, placed the groceries on the counter and began the coffee pot. Moving quickly through the living room into her bedroom, she explained, "I'm going to change into something comfortable. Ask your questions and get out."

Eiri quirked one, blond eyebrow at that bold demand. "Excuse me?"

"I have dinner to cook and company coming to eat it within the hour."

"Seguchi was right. You've grown claws," he called with a chuckle.

Kagome took a deep calming breath. "Your brother-in-law can drop dead."

"Tsk, tsk. Where would you be without him?"

"Sane? Happy?"

"He's really not that bad."

"Who are you trying to fool?" she cried in exasperation. "That man is a self-serving, manipulative jerk! You should know that better than anyone. I'd be willing to bet that he told you I'd come out of hiding just to drive the nail further into me."

"Actually," Eiri corrected as he lit a cigarette, "Shuichi told me three days ago."

"He held out that long," Kagome asked in a shocked whisper as she entered the room. "I'm impressed."

"Just how long did the damn brat know?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

Kagome bit her lip at the unconscious slip. "A little over a month. Don't be angry with him, Eiri. I made him promise me he wouldn't tell you." Setting down the tray laden with their coffee on the low table, Kagome resigned herself to the fact this wouldn't be a quick interview. She just prayed that Inuyasha was running late. Stretching her legs out on the couch, she propped her back against the arm cushions. Once settled, she addressed Eiri again. "I didn't want anyone to know really. I was still in hiding."

"Why were you in hiding? Do you have any idea how worried Shuichi was? I couldn't get any work of my own done for three months because of that damned brat's incessant whining!"

Kagome smiled into her cup. That was Eiri's way of saying he'd been just as worried as his lover. It was easier to blame any and all of his emotional faults on Shuichi, who was probably six times more emotional than the average teenage girl.

"Well?"

"Well, what?" she said, trying to avoid this conversation as long as possible.

"You know I don't tolerate stupidity, kid. Why did you do it?"

"To be honest," she sighed, "I couldn't take it anymore."

Eiri snorted in disgust. "You let Thoma get to you. How many times did I tell you not to listen to him about anything that wasn't music related?"

"No, that was just the last straw. I'd been on a downward spiral long before that. It was my fault."

"I told you before, and I'm telling you now, you were not to blame."

Kagome tried desperately to fight the tears that gathered in her eyes. It didn't seem to matter how much she tried to come to terms with her past, or how hard she worked at moving beyond the nightmares. Somehow, it always circled back to this.

When she didn't answer, Eiri moved to sit beside her on the couch. To the average person, he was aloof to the point of disdain in his interactions with others. There were few who knew the gentler side of him. Until Shuichi had charged into his life, he honestly hadn't believed that side still lived within him. He knew better than anyone that the demons of the past could overwhelm the strongest of people. Gathering Kagome in his arms, Eiri gently chastised her. "Listen, kid, I know you were hurt, but you didn't cause that accident."

"But I –"

"Let it go, Kagome. Nothing you do can change what has already happened."

"I miss him s-so much," she sobbed despondently into his shoulder. "I was left all alone."

"You were never alone. You chose to shut everyone else out. Why?"

"I couldn't risk it…"

Pushing Kagome up enough to look into her eyes, he questioned, "Couldn't risk what? You aren't making any sense."

This was the part where people started to doubt her sanity, and she inwardly cringed at having this man that she so admired look at her with pity. But Kagome also knew that he would accept nothing but the truth from her. He tolerated lies even less than he tolerated stupidity. "Everything I ever care about gets destroyed. I couldn't let that happen to you and Shu-chan and the others."

He blinked once, the shock on his face so complete it was almost comical. Kagome waited anxiously for the shock to fade into dread and fear that was thinly veiled under a guise of sympathy. When he began to chuckle, and then laugh outright, she didn't know how to respond.

"You are such a fool," he said between gasps of mirth. "You actually believe you are being punished?"

Indignant, Kagome pushed him off the edge of the couch. "I know I am. How else do you explain every single misfortune I've suffered in the last four years?"

"Karma can be cruel, but I don't think you were ever that evil in all of your past lives to even consider that it's punishing you on the scale you believe it is." He gave her a small smile and added, "My father, on the other hand, may agree with you, but he's a religious zealot. My point is, you've had a whole mess of good in your life, kid. You always told me how great your family was, what a happy childhood you had. Then there was Shiro and the incredible talent you have been blessed with. Why the hell would you question a few curses hidden amongst all the blessings you've received?"

"A few? Hidden?" she scoffed. "I'm just cursed. Period. End of discussion."

"Get over it," Eiri scolded as he sat back on the couch. "From what Shu told me, you've got a pretty damn good thing going with this new band. They watch over you like a bunch of bodyguards at the Imperial Palace! And, according to him, your combined talents may just kick him off the top of the charts one day."

"Had a good thing," she corrected with a snort. "Once Seguchi gets his hands on them, it will all be over."

"You give Thoma entirely too much power over you, kid. What's worse is that he knows it and he isn't afraid to use it against you. If you have any hope of proving you have what it takes – again – you need to take that power back."

"How did you do it?" Kagome asked. "He always seemed more attached to you than a normal brother-in-law. Don't you ever want to just punch him in that pretty face of his?"

Eiri smirked as he stood with an almost feline grace. "At least once a day, but if I gave in to that delightful thought, my sister would kill me. If you really want to get under Thoma's skin, the trick is to make him think that you don't give a rat's ass what he thinks."

"How do you do that?" she questioned with a slight hint of wonder in her tone.

Standing, he extended a hand to help her up. "Well, I actually don't give a rat's ass."

Kagome giggled as she linked arms with him and walked him to the door. "I have missed you, Yuki. You always know what to say and when it needs to be said."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm an author. It's my job to make shit up that makes people feel better about their pathetic lives." He smiled down at her. "I really should go, since you have company coming. The brat comes home in two weeks, so we should have dinner. I'll even cook. Maybe you should call his cell and assure him I've been here to check up on you and you lived to tell the tale. He was afraid I'd make you run away again."

"If I'd noticed you half a second earlier I just might have!" After he slipped his shoes on, Kagome acted on the impulse to hug him. "But I'm glad I didn't. I'll try to remember what you said."

"If that doesn't work," he said, returning the friendly embrace, "just punch his pretty face."

Kagome gave him a harder squeeze and laughed. At the same moment, a smiling Inuyasha walked through the door. Not expecting to find the woman he loved in the arms of another man, it took a moment for his brain to process the scene.

The smile slipped from his lips. This was worse than the scene at the club with that gun-toting manager. There was a very handsome, very well dressed man, in Kagome's home, with her laughing and holding him in a very familiar way. When his mind finally snapped all the pieces together, he yelled, "What the hell is this?"

"Inuyasha! You're early," Kagome gasped as she released Eiri. "I wasn't expecting you for another half hour. I haven't even started cooking yet."

"Could it have anything to do with the fact you were too busy hanging all over this asshole like flies on shit?"

CRACK!

Inuyasha never saw the fist that flew towards his face and he hit the wall from the force of it. Shaking it off, he pushed himself back up and took a step forward. The look on the other man's face and the cold fury in those golden eyes stopped Inuyasha dead in his tracks. "Sessh…" he whispered.

Turning back to Kagome, Eiri snidely remarked, "Not even the brat calls out another man's name when I'm around..."

Shooting him a disapproving glare, Kagome stepped between them to assess the red mark that had blossomed on Inuyasha's face. "Are you all right?"

"Who the hell is this guy?" Inuyasha was taken aback by the resemblance this stranger had to his brother, both in looks and demeanor. If he didn't know any better, he could easily have believed this was another long lost sibling, only with blond hair instead of his family's trademark silver hair.

"This is Yuki Eiri, Inuyasha," she informed him as she probed the tender looking area on his cheekbone. "Don't you remember me telling you about him? This is Shuichi's…" Not quite sure how to phrase their relationship delicately, Kagome looked askance at Eiri.

"He's my lover."

"Oh," Inuyasha said quietly. He was still trying to wrap his brain around the fact this man could pass for a family member, so it took another half second to register what he'd said. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I said, Shindo Shuichi is my lover." Eiri's eyes narrowed and his words came out in an almost laid back tone. "Is there a problem with that?"

Inuyasha looked first at an expectant Kagome, then at the deceptively casual stranger. Shaking off a chill he hadn't felt in a very long time, he asked, "You mean the annoying little shit that can't sit still and bubble-gum pink hair? That Shindo Shuichi?"

Eiri's lips twitched into a smirk. "That would be him."

Kagome released the breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding. She'd never really been sure what Inuyasha's feelings were toward gay people. It just never seemed all that important to talk about, even after he'd met Shuichi. With his apparent acceptance of the fact now, Kagome was relieved. She was concerned, however by his reaction to Eiri. Why on earth would he call him by his brother's name?

"Eiri, this is Taisho Inuyasha," she stated.

"Taisho, huh?"

That shiver of apprehension slid down Inuyasha's spine. "Yes. Do you know my family?"

"I believe Taisho Industries is in my portfolio."

Understanding and relief flooded his head. "I apologize for what I said when I came in," Inuyasha said with a slight bow of his head. "I guess I'm a bit possessive when it comes to Angel."

"Angel?" Eiri asked directing his gaze toward Kagome.

"My stage name. Nobody knows who I am outside the band and Koga. Well, now Yuka, Shu, Hiro, Fujisaki, K, Ryu, Seguchi and you all know the little secret."

"No wonder Thoma was so annoyed when he told me about it. He really hates being left in the dark."

"Maybe now he'll know how it feels," she muttered.

"What did I tell you?" Eiri snapped. "Don't give him power. You had it back without even realizing, Kagome. Keep Thoma guessing; it drives him insane not knowing what you're thinking." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and extended his hand toward Inuyasha. "Take care of her, or I will kill you." Before either of them could make a reply, he was gone.

"Do you have any normal friends?" Inuyasha asked her in bewilderment.


Up in the balcony boxes of the university's lavish performance hall, Inuyasha sat in his seat avidly watching the symphonic orchestra, utterly captivated. The way the violinists bows moved in an almost perfect unison was hypnotizing, yet the crashing of the percussion kept the listener from falling completely under their spell. The gentle undertones of the brass section, bass strings and winds carried one along on the gentle ebb and flow while the two grand pianos seemed to hold everything in balance on their delicate chords. Overall the effect was simply breath taking.

Ever since he was a small child, Inuyasha had loved the complex arrangement of layered sounds produced by a masterful symphonic orchestra. It was a hidden love, almost a guilty pleasure; one that he had yet to share with even Kagome. But his one true passion had always been the guitar and the hard, driving rhythms of heavy rock music.

Granted, classical and modern symphonic arrangements contained movements of that same passionate resonance, but he'd very rarely heard the two combined in a way that had the ability to move him in the same ways each did on their own.

Until tonight.

Last night, while they had sat wrapped in a light blanket on his balcony after a grueling performance at the club, Kagome had explained that each year the conductor would set a challenge for the class. "He picks a theme for the grand Summer Concert in which the students would have to help compose original scores for. This year he picked a very unique challenge," she had laughed. "'Symphonic Power Rock'."

"So if the class has to do all the work, how did one of your songs get sucked into the mix?" he'd asked in confusion.

Kagome had snuggled deeper into his warmth as a cool breeze blew across her bare shoulders. "Myoga-sensei always loved that piece, but it wasn't written as one of the scores for the Summer Concert when I was in his classes. That was written strictly as a piano piece."

Whenever he'd tried to pry any further information on the song from her, Kagome would just give him a sad smile and tell him he would have to wait, just like everyone else.

A movement caught Inuyasha's attention out of the corner of his eye and when he glanced to his right, he saw Kagome nervously wringing her hands. He reached over, gently covered them with his own and whispered into her ear, "Relax, Angel. I'm right here."

Kagome couldn't understand why she was suddenly so nervous. The orchestral arrangement for her song was beyond beautiful, she was finally pleased with the fine-tuning of her vocalist part and both pieces blended into something that had far exceeded her expectations when she'd first written it three years ago. It couldn't possibly be stage fright; she'd performed countless times on this very stage throughout her years at the university, not to mention all the performances she'd done with Hell's Redemption lately. Maybe it's because this is the first song you ever wrote about your grief, and now it's going to be out there for everyone to hear…the little voice in her head supplied. She didn't think that was the problem either. Inuyasha and the others had helped her deal with that stumbling block a long time ago. Yet the sense of encroaching panic still tingled along her spine and every nerve ending in her body.

Feeling Inuyasha's warm fingers envelope her cold hands, Kagome closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath. His whispered words of comfort, so simple in context yet powerful in meaning, sent a wave of soothing peace spreading through her and the feelings of doubt and panic began to fade away.

"Thank you," she breathed softly as she leaned into his forehead.

The orchestra brought the piece to a heart-wrenching, bittersweet conclusion just as Inuyasha placed a tender kiss on her temple, breathing in the subtle scent that belonged only to Kagome. Neither of them noticed the house lights come up nor the soft murmur of the patrons rising from their seats and filing from the auditorium.

"Hey, you two," Miroku interrupted with a chuckle, "break it up. Let's go get some drinks while we can! Intermission is only ten minutes."

"Oh dear God," Kagome groaned softly.

"What is it, Princess?" Koga asked with deep concern in his tone as he knelt before Kagome.

Sango quickly assessed the people around her, grabbed Kagome's clammy hand and announced, "It's nothing that a quick trip to the Ladies Room won't cure! Miroku, be a dear and get me a glass of that wonderful Champaign and a glass of mineral water for Kagome?" With that, she led her distraught friend away, leaving the three men to watch in bewilderment as the women swiftly exited the box.

"You're a life saver, Sango," Kagome sighed in gratitude.

"Inuyasha's eyebrow was doing that 'Back away from MY woman' twitch, so I thought it would be prudent to get you out of there before things got ugly." The friends strolled along the thickly carpeted hallway toward the women's restroom. "I just can't get over how luxurious this place is!" Sango exclaimed as she moved toward the nearest available stall.

"The music department here has quite a few very wealthy, very influential benefactors," Kagome explained as she adjusted the seams of her gown. She ran her fingers just under the white spaghetti straps of the bodice to relieve some of the pressure from her shoulders. It amazed her how those two thin strips of white silk were able to hold up the weight of the heavily pearled and sequined empress-style bodice. The white silk skirt fell from just under her bust to the tips of her toes and was draped in yards of gossamer white tulle. Kagome laid aside the wrap made of the same sheer fabric and touched up her already flawless make-up. "What I wouldn't give for a cigarette right about now," she informed her reflection.

"Don't even think about it!" Sango called from the stall. "With your luck a hot ash would fall on that gorgeous gown you spent an absolute fortune on!"

"Way to look out for my welfare, friend," Kagome snorted while placing her lipstick back in her clutch bag.

"Oh, but I am," Sango explained with a chuckle as she made her way to the sinks. "I can see it now: One tiny little ember falls from that cancer stick in your mouth, hits the miles of wispy tulle and POOF- there's nothing left but a pile of Kagome ashes and the whole concert is ruined!"

"Sounds like something out of a bad anime cartoon," Kagome said, joining in her friend's laughter.

By the time they rejoined the men in the lobby, Kagome had completely relaxed. That was until she saw the stormy expression on Inuyasha's face.

"Just what the hell were you thinking?!" he shot hotly, face mere inches from Koga's. "Do you have any idea what this could do to her?"

"It wasn't my idea, believe me!" Koga defended. "The last thing I want is for her to be hurt!"

Kagome reached out to touch Inuyasha's shoulder. "Inuyasha? Koga? What's going on?"

Before either of them could answer, Kagome overheard a group of young women standing huddled together a few feet away from them. "It is her! I told you it would be. How many Higurashi Kagome's could be listed as 'Honored Alumni and Featured Vocalist'?"

"Isn't that her fiancée?" another asked in a whispered tone.

"No, no; that is her agent."

"Where has she been all this time then?"

"Who are the other people she's with?"

"Who knows? Maybe she split with her fiancée and that's her new lover?"

"Could be, but I heard she ended up pregnant and her family and fiancée were so dishonored that she was forced to leave the country."

Kagome's heart thundered in her chest. The sense of panic returned as her gut twisted and every muscle in her body contracted. She wanted nothing more than to flee back to the sanctuary of her apartment, but her feet and legs refused to obey the commands her brain was frantically sending them.

Noticing that Kagome's breathing was becoming more labored, Inuyasha wrapped one arm around her shoulders, grabbed the bottle of water Miroku had been holding and placed it to her lips. The trembling woman took a tentative sip, but choked on it. He sent a final death glare in Koga's direction before leading her off to a quieter area of the lobby.

Pulling Kagome into his embrace, Inuyasha rubbed small soothing circles on her back. "Concentrate on my voice, Angel. No one can hurt you while I'm here, I'll protect you. Their words have no meaning."

"I never should have let them…" she murmured into his shoulder.

"Let who do what?"

"Promoters…name in program…" Kagome panted, her thoughts coming out in disjointed phrases. This had been the source of her earlier panic! She had somehow forgotten that the promoters had convinced her that having her name appear in the program would have no adverse affect on her life, and that she would not be featured in any of the public fliers or posters. Only the attendees would know she would be performing that night. At the time, it had seemed simple enough. What a fool she'd been!

Inuyasha felt her shudder violently in his arms and knew that if he didn't diffuse her rising panic, there would be no way she could perform. If only he'd known about this sooner! Making a mental note to find and maim whoever these people were, he led Kagome to a plush bench, forced her to sit and lean against him. "Kagome, look at me," he whispered.

"It's starting all over again," she sobbed despondently.

"No, it's not," he stated firmly as he tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You aren't the same person you were back then. You're stronger now and –"

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are! You've come so far already!"

"By hiding behind a mask like a silly child," she scoffed.

"Even you have said you can't hide forever, Angel," he sighed. "You aren't alone this time. Now you have Sango, Miroku, Mom and Pops, Koga and most importantly, you have me. Maybe here, tonight, you can find that middle ground between your past and our future. For just this one night you don't have to be Higurashi Kagome, J-Pop Superstar, nor do you have to hide behind the Dark Angel's façade. You just need to be you, doing what you love: singing your heart out."

Kagome sniffled and took a slow sip of her water, feeling the overwhelming urge to run slowly slip away. She raised her eyes to Inuyasha's once more and asked, "That sounds great in theory, but how do I actually accomplish it?"

After kissing her lips softly, Inuyasha rose, pulling her to stand before him and smiled. "Just because everyone thinks I have all the answers, doesn't mean I do." When he saw the small twitch of her lips in amusement, he knew that everything would be just fine. Inuyasha placed Kagome's hand in the crook of his elbow and led her back to their group. "The intermission is almost over, so we'd better hurry and mingle a bit before they whisk you away from me."

"Do you really think I'll be able to do this?" she asked, her voice still trembling a bit with doubt and fear.

"I have more faith in you than in any other person on this planet, Kagome. Just remember that I love you. If you get scared, look for me and I promise I'll be right there."

Kagome paced backstage, wracking her brain to find the 'middle ground' Inuyasha spoke of. "I never should have agreed to do this in the first place!" she grumbled under her breath. "I can't believe I let Myoga-sensei sucker me into this!" She heard the faint sound of applause from the audience, which signaled that there was only one more choral and symphonic piece before she took the stage. "Oh lord, what am I doing here?"

You're here to claim your moment in the sun, Anata...

"Shiro? Where have you been?" she asked breathlessly as the loving warmth enveloped her for the first time in weeks.

I never left your side. But three is a crowd…

Kagome flushed a deep crimson as the full ramifications of what he said penetrated her thoughts. "You mean you saw—"

I never watched, if that's what you're asking. I told you he would be good for you, 'Gome. He is the light to chase away the shadows in your heart…

"I never meant to…" She bit her lip, searching for the words to soothe his pain and her guilt. "I know I said I'd love you forever and nothing has changed that, but…"

Shiro's warmth caressed her face. Your love is a precious thing indeed, Kagome. Inuyasha has given you so much, yet you hold your full heart from him. Why?

"Because it belongs to you. All I ever wanted was –"

Now isn't the time for that, my love. You were born to sing, to share your gift with the world. Remember how scared you were before your first solo?

"How could I forget?" she giggled. "That was the night you and Koga swore you were going to make my name famous worldwide! I was more nervous about that than the actual solo!"

But you were happy…

"Yes, because I knew you'd be there."

So what has changed? I'll always be here, but more importantly, you have a man who loves you more than life itself watching in the box along with your friends. You have more now than I ever could have given you…

Somehow, Kagome knew that Shiro was going to leave her again. She reached out even though she knew it was futile. "Don't go, Shiro!"

Remember what he told you, Anata. Look for his light to guide you…

A chill ran through Kagome as the specter of her lost love abandoned her once more. Just as the tears of grief began to gather in her eyes, the applause rose from the audience. This was it. Time had run out and she was no closer to an answer than she was before!

Myoga-sensei stepped from the conductor's podium and approached the microphone. The applause softened as he bowed low to the audience. "I would like to express my profound thanks to all of you for attending this event. The students have worked exceptionally hard this past semester to bring you this night's entertainment and we all hope that it has exceeded your expectations!" He waited a moment for the answering applause to die down before continuing. "And now, please join me in welcoming one of this University's shining students, whose vocal talents have not been publicly heard in a very long time. She has graciously deigned to humor an old teacher's wish and perform a number that she wrote for my class three years ago, accompanied by a new symphonic and full choral arrangement." He held his hand out to his left. "Tonight's featured vocalist, singing 'Meadows of Heaven' for the first time ever, Higurashi Kagome!"

As Kagome made her way gracefully across the stage, Inuyasha leaned forward anxiously in his seat. "She seems a little calmer," he commented to no one in particular.

Miroku was the first to respond to his friend's anxiety. "She'll be fine, Inuyasha. She's a professional. Not only that, but Kagome knows that we're all here for her."

"I know that. I just hope she remembers it as well."

Kagome bowed low to the audience, pulling in a deep calming breath as she rose and stepped up to the microphone. "Thank you so very much," she said. "There are a few people I'd like to thank while the other featured instrumentalists get into place. First of all, I'd like to thank my family. Without them, this song never would have come to be…" She had to pause in order to choke back the sob that rose within her. "Excuse me, I'm a bit nervous," she told the audience, all of who chuckled. "It's been a while since I've performed before a crowd of this size. Anyway, I would also like to thank Fujiota Shiro and Ookami Koga for helping me attain the dreams I never knew I had, and Myoga-sensei for having the patience to guide me. Lastly, to my friends new and old for helping me rise from the ashes. I love each of you."

The audience clapped softly to acknowledge the affection she held for each of those she named before quieting once again. The large projection screens set on either side of the stage flickered to life, casting the darkened auditorium in the soft glow of pre-dawn colors. Behind Kagome, three instrumentalists had taken their places; a female cellist of extraordinary beauty and talent that had been featured earlier in the evening, a male violinist with an outrageous mop of red hair, and a female flutist. Myoga-sensei waited for Kagome's nod and raised his baton to signal the large ensemble to ready their instruments.

Kagome closed her eyes, letting the soft strains of the cello, piano and violin envelope her in their sweet melody. To the right of the stage, the massive choir added their voices softly, almost inconspicuously to the blend of sounds. The audience was equally captivated by the shimmering vision of her upon the stage, the music and the visually stunning sunrise on the screens.

Inuyasha watched in transfixed amazement as Kagome seemed to float upon the stage, but nothing compared to the reaction of his heart when she opened her mouth to sing. He'd heard Kagome express her pain many times through her music, both acoustically and enhanced by speakers and high-tech sound equipment. Never before had he heard this. It was as close as any human could get to the soft, melodic voice of an angel.

I close my eyes

The lantern dies

The scent of awakening

Wild honey and dew

Childhood games

Woods and lakes

Streams of silver

Toys of Olden Days

Meadows of Heaven

Meadows of Heaven

Up on the screens, the audience gazed upon what appeared to be home movies. Koga, once he'd heard about what Myoga-sensei had planned, had taken it upon himself to create a visual effects movie of Kagome's family. It had taken the agent a few days to track down her old high school friends, but they were more than happy to lend him their treasured memories that had been caught on film. The two men and Kagome had only previously seen the result that very morning. While it had made Kagome cry, he could tell that they were tears of healing, because she had laughed through the parts featuring her younger brother at play and her beloved Jii-chan napping in his favorite rocker.

Other scenes included her mother tending to the vast flowerbeds and ponds around the shrine or just watching her children from the porch swing. The overall effect gave the audience a feeling of a loving home and family.

The flowers of wonder

And the hidden treasures

In the meadow of life

My acre of Heaven

A five-year-old,

Winter heart,

In a place called home

Sailing the waves of past

Meadows of Heaven

Meadows of Heaven

Meadows of Heaven

Meadows of Heaven

The music swelled as the choir echoed her plea to return to those long ago days. The crescendo of the strings pulled at the heart, making the audience feel as though it had been lifted on a strong wind and blown away from the comfort of home before gentling once more. The visions on the screen shifted to a peaceful, green meadow with wildflowers in full bloom. The flute solo kept time with the playful flight of a young sparrow as it frolicked across the field while the violinist seemed to portray the very breeze the bird glided upon.

The orchestra then built up the tempo again as the sky on the screens darkened, the various percussion instruments playing up the rapidly approaching storm. At once the flowers and trees began to sway violently and the poor sparrow was sent speeding for safe shelter just as the drums crashed like thunder and the violent rains and wind were laying the foliage almost flat against the ground.

As though she were actually standing in the middle of that storm-tossed meadow, Kagome raised her hands to the wind gods, embracing the fierce power around her.

Rocking chair without a dreamer

A wooden swing without laughter

Sandbox without toy soldiers

Yuletide without the flight

Dream bound for life!

In time with her lyrics, the images shifted from the silently rocking chair, to the still, empty porch swing, to the dormant toys scattered about the yard at the shrine until, finally, it stopped with a picture of the Christmas tree she had put up in her apartment last year but hadn't been able to bring herself to decorate with all the pretty lights, bulbs or packages. The audience looked upon her, seeing the diamond-like tears that slipped down her cheeks. Those who didn't already know the sad story of the Higurashi Shrine and its occupants now made the connection. Gasps and murmurs could barely be heard above the perfectly balanced music behind her, but hear them she did.

It was then that she felt a rush of warmth envelope her and she raised her eyes to Inuyasha. There, in the otherwise darkened balcony box, Kagome saw him, enshrouded by a soft, glowing light and she knew that everything, all the pain, all the darkness, would fade so long as he was beside her.

The violinist had set aside his violin to pick up the electric guitar behind him. The orchestra continued to rage the storm as flashes of fire and lightening lit the auditorium from the huge screens. Kagome brought her hands down to cover her heart, her eyes never leaving the burning intensity of Inuyasha's golden orbs. Tears continued to slip past her lashes, but she refused to try to stop them. These were the tears she should have shed years ago.

As the music gentled, the images on the screen returned to the meadow that was now peaceful once more. The sun peaked from between the dark clouds, causing the droplets to shimmer like gems upon the petals of the flowers and a rainbow to appear faintly in the distance. Another violinist picked up the gentle strains until the redhead could once again switch instruments as Kagome gently took the microphone from its stand and settled her gaze upon the audience once more.

Flowers wither,

Treasures stay hidden

Until I see

The first star of fall

I fall asleep

And see it all:

Mother's care

And color of the kites

Meadows of Heaven

Oh, oh

Meadows of Heaven

Meadows of Heaven

Meadows of Heaven

Meadows of Heaven

Meadows of Heaven

Oh, oh

(Searching)

Two members of the choir had joined Kagome at the front of the stage as the music built up to the dramatic finale, their gospel-like voices echoing and playing off Kagome's vocals while the choir continued their refrain. The overall effect left every member of the audience in awe, moving them to stand and give all of the performers a resounding standing ovation before the music had crashed to its end.

She smiled broadly at the audience, finally wiping the tears from her eyes. The screens paused on a still photo of a young Kagome in her white and green middle-school uniform, gazing serenely up into the branches of the giant Sacred Tree. She'd never seen that particular shot before and wondered where it had come from. Myoga-sensei cued the orchestra and choir to stand and bow before moving to the small group at the front of the stage. "Beautiful, Kagome, just as I knew it would be."

Unable to respond due to the jumbled emotions all vying for expression, Kagome simply hugged him. She took her final bow with him and waved to the audience. She tried to keep her composure long enough to exit the stage. She needed to get away from there, needed to race ahead of the storm that was brewing within her heart.

Inuyasha sprinted from the box to the stage door, pushing past the security there. "I'm not going on stage!" he argued when they restrained him. "I just need to be there when she comes out!" The two staff members were still struggling to hold him back when Kagome burst through.

"Inuyasha!" she cried desperately.

He shook off the two men and reached for her just as she began to fall forward. "I've got you, Angel," he soothed, stroking her hair.

"I did it," she sobbed. "I found the middle ground, Inuyasha, just like you said I would! I think I know what to do now!"

Not quite sure what to make of her declaration, he said, "I'll help you however I can. We all will. Right now, you need rest." He picked her up and asked the now sheepish security team, "Where's the back door?" Knowing that if he went through the lobby they would be bombarded by people asking too many questions, Inuyasha wanted to get her out of there quickly and quietly. Her emotional state was entirely too fragile to risk that kind of mass exposure, especially after her reaction to the small group that were whispering about her during the last intermission. He nodded his thanks to the security guards as they escorted them through the back entrance and to his car.

Kagome remained quiet, allowing Inuyasha to take charge of the situation. Her mind reeled with all the thoughts and ideas that were racing through it. It was as if a dam had burst, letting all the pent up grief and denial free, while the dawn of a new sense of hope shone down into the darkness.