A Delayed Dawn

Disclaimer: Takahashi-sensei says that she sees not end in sight for Inuyasha just as I see no ownership of it in my sight.

Warning: This story is posted in the mature section for good reasons. If ideas such as vulgar language, descriptive violence, and sexual situations such as rape disturb you, then you are warned now.

Chapter Fifty Sailing Day

Seaside Village

"See that boat?" Kagome said to her children as she pointed out a large ship docked in the harbor. It was a decent large cargo ship that carried people or materials, whoever could afraid the fare. The hull was recycled from some other ship and extra rooms, the captain's parlor were all reconstructed from anything that the shipwright could find. It wasn't impressive in its appearance, but the promise that it held to the three runaways was. "That's the boat we're going to ride on."

"When do we get to go on it?" Takeru asked. He'd never been on a boat before, though he had seen them a few times when they took a trip to the ocean when they lived in Hiroshima.

"Now," Kagome said with much relief, a soft smile finally gracing her dry lips.

The children cheered. Being on a boat looked like it was going to be exciting, with the clear blue salt water surrounding them, and with the waves.

Kagome secured the children in their room. "Amaya, would you put some protective ofudas around the door so that no one other than the three of us can enter?" Amaya nodded at her mother's request. Kagome would've been able to do it, but she had no more miko powers. She would depend on her daughter's purity to protect them.

"I'm going to get us some food. Stay here. Okay?"

Kagome left their room and headed down the hallway, following the arrows and signs to make her way to the kitchen. She could smell food, and it smelt delicious, especially after surviving on granola bars and jerky for the last few days. Not that she ate much of it anyways.

"Can I help you miss?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you had any food available that we could have sent to our room?"

"Sure thing. Let me throw something up for you. How many?"

"Four," Kagome lied. Her children ate a lot and would need the extra food. She imagined that she deserved one last meal, like a prisoner awaiting their execution. "And we're in room 5."

The chef nodded and Kagome left. She needed to get some supplies from some of the stores and make some arrangements. There was a letter she needed to send out to the War Dogs. They still had her will. She wanted to make sure that it was still followed through, minus the changes she had contained in her letter; mainly that everything was going to Souta and Shippo.

Kagome walked down the street, checking out the stores and their goods to see what she needed and matched it up with what was available. Medical supplies and food that didn't require much cooking were on her list, as well as an assortment of clothing. Enough to get her children started.

She refused to cry. She refused to feel sorry for herself. All she was doing was protecting her children in the manner she felt was the best for them. If she had her way, she wouldn't have to leave. But Inuyasha . . . perhaps he wasn't ready to be a father. Maybe that is what kept him from coming back. He wasn't ready for the commitment a family required from him.

Inuyasha was no good to her if he wasn't willing to sacrifice his life for a family. For someone with inu-youkai instincts, it baffled her that he hadn't dragged her out of the shrine and locked her and the children up at the compound, no matter how much she didn't want to be there. She had run away from the compound and he didn't stop her. That shouldn't been her first clue.

Kagome entered a clothing shop and found what she would need. She wanted her children to have at least the basics for each of the different seasons. Even though they were hanyou and could easily handle weather changes, they were still children. She wanted them to be prepared for anything.

"Is this everything ma'am?" The shopkeeper asked.

Kagome nodded. She pulled out the sack with money and paid the clerk. Myouga wanted to make sure that she was well taken care of. The black pouch he had given her was filled with enough money to get her to wherever she chose to go. She was grateful to the old man for his care. Though she didn't understand why he had given her so much.

With the clothes in hand, Kagome wandered to the next shop, where she could purchase medicinal supplies. Amaya had learned a lot from Kaede about herbs, healing and about being a miko. Amaya was capable enough to take care of herself and Takeru.

It was Takeru that she was mostly worried about. He was too much like Inuyasha, brash and eager to use brute force to solve problems. Amaya kept the boy in order most of the time. But Amaya would need Takeru's strength as well. He was one to never give up.

Kagome was able to trade some of her medicines for the supplies. That saved her extra money. She reminded herself to slip the money pouch into the kids' backpacks when she returned back to their room. They would need it more than her. It would get them someplace safe.

Walking down the broken streets of the seaside village, Kagome couldn't get her thoughts organized. She had her children to worry about, her impending death and her encounter with Kikyou as the few things that she thought about. And then Inuyasha would pop up in her mind. What was he doing? How was he taking her departure? Did he know about the bond?

Would he go after the children? Search the ends of the earth for them? Or had he made his decision the day he played with them at the Goshinboku? His final goodbye. He never told her. She had given him a chance; he could have done anything with that chance. Say goodbye, and explain why he didn't want to come back. Or he could've come home to a family that was waiting for him. Then he told her that he didn't want that chance. Why was he so confusing?

Kagome continued her way down the street, so wrapped up in her mind that she didn't notice the presence sneaking up behind her. Like she could anyway. Without her miko abilities, as well as her failing health, she wasn't able to sense out youkai.

She tried to scream as a hand wrapped around her mouth and her waist, dragging her fighting form into an alley way. Her eyes shot open. No. She didn't want to go through this again. To be broken again moments before her death. She wouldn't want her children to see her like that. She wanted her last moments with them to be happy ones sp that one day, they might have the chance to be able to tell Souta and Shippo that she died happy, and in peace.

"I finally found you," the voice uttered close to her ear so that only she heard it.

Kagome screamed into her attacker's hand. She was caught.

Mountain Range

Kikyou looked up to find several eagle youkai flying around. Eagle youkai were not known for careless flying. It meant that this erratic flying pattern was intentional. They were searching for something. She knew that they were willing to fly passengers across the mountain range for a price. Was that how Kagome ended up in that valley?

She decided to just stay in her spot. They would come to her. No need for her to move around needlessly and waste her energy. She'd debated on whether or not to come here. Inuyasha and those eagle youkai weren't the only ones that were interested in searching the area for Kagome. Naraku wanted Kagome's body. Kagura would be around.

Kikyou flared her aura out for a moment to attract the attention of those in the vicinity. Whoever was interested in her presence would show. Whoever showed up, that was who was going to receive the information she had. The information was valuable. She could use it to secure herself with something she needed.

Within a minute, Kagura came swooping down on one of her feathers, landing a safe distance away from Kikyou, but close enough to speak with her. Inuyasha landed with his eagle youkai on the other side, so that Kikyou stood in between them. Inuyasha already had his weapon out, cursing at the scene he now faced.

"Kikyou. Kagura," he muttered. There could only be one reason why he found those two in this mountain range. They were looking for Kagome.

Kikyou raised her hands up as a sign of peace. "I'm not here to start a battle," she told Kagura and Inuyasha. Inuyasha nodded, he would listen to what she had to say, but he wouldn't stand down. Kagura smirked behind her fan.

"I know where Higurashi-sensei is," she spoke calmly, but loud enough for both parties to hear.

"What?" Inuyasha breathed out. But was she dead? Alive?

Kagura snapped her fan shut. "But you told me . . . "

"I had my reasons. I had to speak to her myself first."

"Where is she? Is she hurt? And the children?" Inuyasha blurted out his questions as the tip of his sword dropped into the snow. How could he have missed her if Kagome was just right here?

Kikyou raised an eyebrow at the sound of his voice, with each question, he sounded more and more worried. "Mmmm, and I was under the impression that you had no feelings for her and the children whatsoever."

Inuyasha growled at Kikyou. "You don't know anything about me," he yelled back at her his grip tightening and loosening around the hilt of his sword as he tried to calm down and to do this civilly for just a moment, just long enough to hear what she had to say.

"Say what you will. I'm here to tell both of you that if you want Higurashi-sensei, you will need to hurry." Kikyou knew she had their complete attention. "Two days. In two days any trace of her will be removed from this world."

"What the hell does that mean?" Inuyasha argued. He hated when people decided to talk in cryptic speak. Why doesn't anyone just come out and say it plainly?

"Kagome has a plan," Kikyou started, not sure which parts she wanted to say and which ones she would keep to herself. She only wanted to share enough to be able to convince them to make a deal with her. Anything else was for her to know. "If her plan succeeds, Naraku won't get the whole jewel, however, any chance of killing him rests with her."

Kikyou knew of Kagura's desire to be free from Naraku. Inuyasha needed Naraku dead so that the war would end. This would be motivation for both of them to find Kagome and keep her alive.

"However, only one of you can save her. And it's not necessarily whoever finds her first."

"Where is she then?" Kagura asked. If she could work with Kagome, she might have a chance to get rid of Naraku once and for all. She knew that Kagome didn't like her, but, because she was indifferent about Kagome, she figured that Kagome didn't see her as the enemy, but only as someone working for the enemy. Kagura had never done anything to actually hurt Kagome except for that time in Hiroshima.

"I'll tell you both on one condition." She waited to get confirmation from them before going on. They nodded, so she continued. "I get to kill Naraku."

"Fine," Inuyasha blurted out. He didn't care who killed Naraku, as long as the guy died, the war would end and he'd be fine with that.

Kagura wasn't exactly happy with that condition, but Naraku's death, whether by her hand or by Kikyou's mean her freedom. That she was fine with. She nodded in the affirmative.

Kikyou took a deep breath. As soon as she told them where to go, they would be gone. Kikyou didn't know when Kagome's boat left, or if it already had. All she knew was that she needed to keep Kagome alive and only through Inuyasha was that possible. If Kagura found her first and returned Kagome to Naraku, Kagome would still die. Kikyou would be there to see the look on Naraku's face if that were to happen. To watch him scowl.

If Inuyasha found her, she wasn't sure exactly what would happen. She might live, the outcome she was hoping for, or Kagome would die if that bond she spoke of wasn't reestablished. Kagome had warned her that she had the ability to separate herself from her children. And the bond had to be with the children, and not with Kagome. That meant that Kagome and Inuyasha hadn't gone through the mate bonding ritual.

It was obvious that Inuyasha had hurt Kagome deeply. Kikyou knew that Inuyasha was an emotional male that tried to ignore his emotions as much as possible. He found emotions to be weak, and in that, he lost his true strength; the strength of love and the strength of a family to protect. Kikyou felt sorry for the hanyou for the first time.

"Northwest." She made sure she spoke the word clearly and loud. She was done talking and wouldn't say anymore.

Kagura immediately pulled out a feather and was up in the air. Inuyasha stood there cursing. He turned to the eagle youkai, told it something and then sheathed his sword before running along the valley in the direction she just mentioned. He didn't look at her when he ran by her. And she smiled. How wrong Kagome had been.

Seaside Village

Kagome's attacker pulled her deep into the alleyway as she struggled to free herself. Last time, she couldn't fight back, this time, she would. She stomped down heavily on her attacker's foot. He loosened his grip around her waist, giving her the chance to free herself. Dropping her bags, Kagome pulled herself away from her attacker.

But her attacker was quick, and grabbed her around her waist again, making sure she didn't have that chance to run away. Kagome continued to struggle. She was going to scream, but found that hand clamped over her mouth again.

"Goddamn it," her attacker cried out, keeping its voice down so that they didn't attract any attention.

Kagome jabbed her elbow into her attacker's side. She had to get away, because she couldn't fight for long. She just didn't have the energy or strength to. But her efforts were futile. Her attacker was much stronger, and wasn't deterred by her determination to not be a victim.

Kagome's attacker spun her around so that she could look at who it was that held her. But Kagome already knew. That voice. By the voice alone she knew. With her hands free, she resumed her own attack against her attacker.

SMACK!

Her right hand connected with her attacker's cheek. It stung, but she ignored it.

"You've got no right," she yelled at her attacker.

SMACK!

She connected again, across the cheek again. Her hand numb from the first slap.

"Damnit, woman," her attacker yelled.

Kagome readied her hand again, but her attacker stopped it. So, she reached up with her left hand.

SMACK!

"Fuckin' wench, quit that."

Her left wrist was caught too, so that she was unable to smack again.

Kagome pulled her knee up and connected right where it would hurt a man the most. He let go of her and cupped his manhood falling to the ground, crouched in the fetal position as he tried to quickly recover. Kagome took a few steps back. She found it hard to catch her breath. She didn't need this.

"My name isn't woman, or wench. And you should know that," Kagome yelled at him. She knew why he was here. And she knew how he got here. She would have to thank Kikyou later for causing her more problems than she needed. Kagome wiggled her way out of the coat that the eagle youkai have given her. She hadn't used her bracelet to cover its scent. It was a liability to her now. Using this moment, she grabbed her bags and started as fast as she could out of the alley.

"Go home, Inuyasha," she told him as she made it down the alleyway. Why did it feel so long?

Inuyasha regained from the attack on his manhood and stood up, still feeling a bit dazed. He went after her. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her back.

"No," he said, trying to stay calm, even though he really wanted to just yell at her.

"Fine, stay here, but I'm leaving."

"No," he said, his voice firm, but still clam. "Where are the pups?"

"They're fine. And they are going to live," she explained through her clenched teeth. It was getting harder and harder to yell, to even talk.

Inuyasha was surprised. He was told that she didn't know about the bond. So, this was good news. But, Kikyou said Kagome had only two days. What did that mean?

"You know."

"Yes. I know. Thanks for telling me. You or your brother was obligated to inform me about it, per your inu-demon laws. Luckily, I found out. And they will live without being bonded to you. So you can let me go."

"Why are you doing this?"

"You made it obvious that you didn't want anything to do with us, with me. You made your choice, so I made mine. And because of that, you wouldn't be there to protect us. So I'm doing what I have to do to protect myself and my children. Now, let me go," she warned him.

"I can't."

"Then I'll do it for you."

"Stop this Kagome," he begged her. He didn't want to see her go.

"Stop what? I offered you everything," she screamed at him, causing his ears to flatten. "I gave birth to your children. I love you. My children love you. I wanted a family with you. I was given a second chance at life to make sure you got that chance you wanted, that I wanted. And what do you do with it? You walked away. You ignored me. You ignored my children. I told you, you walk out there door and that was it. Now you live with your choice, and I'll live with mine."

"So that's it then?" He asked her, hoping that maybe she would give in.

"Yes. I don't know why you're so confused about this. You were the one that walked out, not me."

"What about your brother, Shippo, Kaede?" He was trying to stall her, anything to keep her around. If he lost her, he wouldn't be able to find her. He knew she wore that damn bracelet, meaning that the kids were wearing it too.

"What about them?" She asked back. She held no emotion for them in her voice.

"What about them?" He repeated in disbelief. "They miss you. They're fuckin' worried about you and the pups."

"Of course they are. Does that mean I'm supposed to go crawling back to them? No. It doesn't. And you can't make me feel guilty about it. I told you, I've made my choice. We all worry about those we care about. But the safety of my children is the most important thing to me, and I won't let you or anyone else stop me."

Kagome used the energy she had saved up during their little talk to get her arm free from his grasp. She knew that if she made it out of the alleyway, Inuyasha wouldn't try to grab her, for the people in the village would protect her from him. She was so close too.

Inuyasha followed her. He wouldn't, couldn't, let her out of his sight. Kikyou had told him that she was the key to ending this war. But that just wasn't his only reason. Over the course of the month, he realized the mistake he made. The one thing in life that he wanted was right in front of him and he was afraid. Afraid that once he had it, he would end up losing it. But then, he couldn't lose what he didn't have.

She was right. She had given it all to him. He hadn't exactly walked away from it, he only hid from it. And the moment he knew what he had to do, she was gone. Even now, with his eyes on her retreating form, she was still gone. But how did she manage to avoid the inu-familial bond?

Kagome stumbled when her foot tripped over a piece of cement from the street. She fell hard onto the ground. As the day neared, she found it harder to do any of the regular stuff she needed to do, like walking. Even hearing and seeing was difficult. It would be soon, maybe too soon.

Inuyasha was by her side, wanting to help her up, but he knew that she didn't want it. But still . . . he couldn't leave her. Instead, he stood nearby, watching as she struggled to stand on her own two feet. What was wrong with her?

"Kagome," he whispered. She was just as stubborn as he was. She refused help when she needed it the most. She finally made it to her feet and slowly walked toward the boat. She knew he was right behind her. Her children couldn't see him. They might think that it was safe to go back.

"I'll take them."

Kagome froze. Inuyasha was desperate to keep her and the children in the country. He needed to bring them back, at least to the shrine. If they boarded that boat, if they made it to the Korea's or the Russia, he knew that they would be gone for good. He would never let that happen.

She started walking again, quicker. Never, she told herself. No one would ever take her children away from her. Naraku succeeded once. But never again. Not even their own father. She wouldn't let him use them against her.

Inuyasha stayed just a few steps behind her. She was heading toward the boat. So, the children were on the boat. He was that close to losing them. A few more hours and . . . He didn't want to think about that. Now that he had them, he wasn't going to let them go.

Inuyasha was able to catch Kagome before she fell from the explosion that occurred in the harbor. Debris went flying all around, as well as ashes. People were running around, screaming. Inuyasha helped Kagome to sit up, her eyes never leaving the burning boat.

She couldn't even scream. Instead, tears silently streamed down her cheeks. She could feel Inuyasha clutch onto her, trying to comfort her, as well as himself. Kagome pulled herself from him, crawling along the ground towards the destroyed boat.

"Kagome!" A voice rang out above the other screams of the crowd. Kagome stopped. Sitting on the ground, she turned to see who it was that was calling out to her. Inuyasha was still by her side, but she ignored him the best she could.

"Kagome! There you are." A woman spoke when she spotted the raven-haired girl. She kneeled down next to Kagome. "Are you all right?"

Kagome shook her head. Who, who would do such a thing? That boat was her ticket to freedom. Her vehicle for safety and someone destroyed it.

"Come on," the woman said, helping Kagome onto her feet. She glanced over at the silver-haired hanyou. "Thank you for helping her. But I can take it from here."

Inuyasha shook his head. "No. Where she goes, I go."

The woman frowned. "I'm sorry, but you can't go where Kagome is going."

"The hell I can't."

The woman chuckled. "Kagome will now be staying at the monastery, women only."

Inuyasha just shrugged his shoulders. "I'll sit outside."

The woman sighed. "If that is your wish."

"Ayumi," Kagome croaked out. "My children . . . "

Ayumi nodded. "They are in Buddha's hands. We must get you someplace safe." Ayumi lead Kagome down the street, Inuyasha was right behind them, keeping his senses on high alert. The attack on the boat was an attack on her. And his children . . .

He closed his eyes tightly, trying his best to hold back the tears. And he never got to say goodbye. They died because of him. If . . . if only he did things differently. If he went to Kagome like he should have, then they would have been safe, in New Tokyo. This was his punishment.

It wasn't long out of the seaside village and up the mountain path to the secluded grounds that houses the monastery. He could sense only females. Nuns. Buddhist nuns. The girl that was helping Kagome knew her. She had said that Kagome was staying at the monastery, but that didn't make any sense. Kagome left the children on the boat while she stayed in a place away from that.

That wasn't the Kagome he knew. The mother of his pups would never abandon her children. It was a quality he admired in her. Except for her taking them away from him. He couldn't blame her, but she had no right to. And now they would both suffer from their choices.

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