This story will have moments of darkness. It is rated M for a reason. You have been warned.

Chapter One

Tokyo, Japan 1998

Slamming the phone back down into its cradle, the inu hanyou aggressively began to massage his temples in frustration. Why people were incapable of just doing their job without constant supervision he would never understand. There were only so many times that he could remind himself that it was Friday before it became a meaningless sentiment. If things kept up like this, he might be attending a few co-worker's funerals sometime next week.

Being Friday meant a lot of different things to the Commissioner of Hanyou Affairs for the Taisho Foundation. Not only did he get to enjoy a two day break from this god-forsaken place, but he didn't have to speak to anyone for the entirety of that two day break. The only downside to it being Friday was that his subordinates seemed to create an abundance of stupid mistakes; mistakes that he invariably had to clean up.

Releasing a strained sigh, he stood up from his desk chair and began to languidly stretch in an attempt to ease the stiffness of his muscles. His body was still having difficulty adjusting to the modern way of doing things; overtop a desk rather than with a blade. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked out at the sprawling view of the city that only he and a few other higher-ups were allowed to possess. The floor to ceiling windows had recently been cleaned, affording him a certain clarity to his mountaintop view that had yet to lose its splendor. The other upside to it being Friday was that his workload severely dropped off. Other than a few unpleasant phone calls and board meetings, he could spend the whole day just staring out at the vast metropolis that he currently called home. This place had always been his home, but had not always looked as it did now.

He rose from the lavishly upholstered seat and went to the window. Resting his forearm against the glass, and his forehead against his wrist, he let the invisible wall support him as he became lost in memories of a different time. It was amazing how the human population had soared in just the past century. Never had the land been so crowded. He frequently found it stifling.

Few could recall a time when there was nothing but forest here. His forest, as it had once been called. Now only patches remained here and there, doing little to break up the smog that was beginning to overtake the pure air.

He disliked the times in which he was currently living. A large part of him missed the days when he could just run until his legs gave out, across forests, mountains, and plains. The combat which had once been a constant part of his existence was almost completely cut out, leaving him with-what he considered-too much free time on his hands. He missed simpler times. Everyone was too busy here; they moved at a faster pace. There never seemed to be enough hours in the day. But he supposed if his life only spanned the course of seventy years, he would likely move at a faster pace as well.

Shaking his head, and shifting weight to his left leg, he changed the direction of his thoughts. Reflecting on times long past, and the suddenness with which things were changing got him nowhere. It was the future of youkai that was uncertain. They were well hidden, although there were still those that tried to rebel against their adopted way of life. As the human population grew, the council was established to lead demon-kind into the exceedingly more modern world. As Beta to the Inu no Taisho, and the only living creature with a glimpse into the future, he had been a significant player in the events that had shaped the present. Coupled with being possibly the oldest living hanyou, and by far the strongest, he was chosen to represent his mixed race with his own seat on the council. The inu hanyou could still remember when legislation that required concealment charms to be worn by youkai when in public had been enacted, and the expected uproar that had followed. Even if they were only a slight percentage of the overall population, the demon race still held onto a fierce pride for their demonic heritage. Many of them still felt that hiding was beneath them, though they did not act upon it for fear of the retribution they would surely receive at the hand of the council.

Feeling his unseen ears flickering at the sound of his receptionist returning from her lunch break, he turned his thoughts to less complicated matters. Tonight was the third Friday of the month, which meant that he was expected to meet a few old friends for dinner. Honestly, he didn't enjoy the outings as much as the human couple. Part of him knew that they were only trying to 'save him from his loneliness,' and he couldn't help but feel a reluctant sense of gratitude. The centuries had washed over them all like a wave against the sand; virtually untouched, but losing a bit of themselves every time the wave receded. They had all changed. They were different, and yet the same. Lifetimes had passed all around them, and it was their odd friendship that had surprisingly remained.

Snorting at the direction of his thoughts, the hanyou closed his molten eyes and once again stood to his full height. No, what annoyed him most about their continued meetings was their persistent mission to find him someone that he could share himself with. In all the centuries that he had been alive, he had yet to find a female that made his shriveled heart feel anything worthwhile. Long ago, he had condemned himself to the lonely life of a hanyou. Now that half-breeds were fully accepted into demonic society, he had his pick of the females, both human and demon alike. Although there were some that he had found attractive, he had yet to find one that peaked his interest for more than a few nights.

If it were not for the all-consuming love that still tied his closest friends together, he would most likely have believed it to be a myth. Inuyasha did not believe that love existed for him. He had come to terms with that fact.

A familiar dull twinge settled itself in the pit of his stomach. Growling at his own weakness, he attempted to force away the memories before they could reach his consciousness. Even after all these years, she still had power over him. Time had worn away at the few memories he still possessed of her, but his instincts still believed her to be his mate. That was the real reason he had not found another; the reason he believed no love remained for him. His demonic side would have no other but the fickle girl who had so long ago betrayed him.

This tugging feeling had become more insistent now that she was alive again. Once his brother was made aware that she had escaped centuries into the future with the completed Shikon jewel, plans had to be put in place to ensure that it did not fall into the wrong hands when it arrived. Inuyasha had tried his best to remove himself from the responsibility of monitoring and guarding the shrine, but he was still subjected to off-handed comments made in his presence. He suspected his adopted kit and human pack were attempting to rekindle his interest in the nearly forgotten young woman. They hoped to be reunited with her once she sealed the well. He had done all that he could to ignore their fantasies of bittersweet reunions and chose to remind himself that she had chosen to leave them in the first place.

Mentally shoving her aside as he always did, he instead made a pointed effort to clear his mind by watching the lilting clouds as they floated by. He had almost succeeded in his endeavor to rid himself of such plaguing thoughts. But fate apparently had other plans.

A sudden pounding on his office door roused him from his cloud watching. He could hear a small exchange of voices, before the scent of his receptionist receded indicating she had left the area. Calling a soft, "Enter," he heard the large oak door swing open and listened closely as it rather ominously creaked closed. Without turning, his sensitive nose informed him that the intruder was none other than his fond annoyance of a fox, Shippo. His nose also told him that the kitsune was uncharacteristically nervous and deeply saddened. With brows furrowed in confusion, Inuyasha turned to face the younger demon male, and was surprised to find the lad expertly avoiding his eye contact. "Shippo?" he questioned curiously.

The fox demon searched the room stiffly, appearing to be at a loss. He continued to earnestly resist the half-demon's golden gaze as he approached the rather large television situated on the opposite side of the room. Wordlessly, the kitsune brought the screen to life and tuned the station to one of the local news channels. Releasing a shaky sigh, he shuffled over to the chairs sitting opposite the great wooden desk in the center of the overly large office space. Oddly, he was facing away from the screen, but was clearly listening with morbid intent. Snapping his lids shut over the jade green of his eyes, he allowed his legs to crumple beneath him and placidly fell into the seat beneath him. Breathing somewhat harshly the young kitsune slumped even further into the leather chair, and proceeded to smother his face with his invisibly clawed hands. Inuyasha could smell his unshed tears were not far off.

Mildly afraid, the silver-haired hanyou stood silently behind his massive executive chair. He leaned some of his weight against its back so he could better watch both the rarely used television, and the concerning breakdown of the young man that he thought of as his adoptive son. With an increasing sense of apprehension, the hidden hanyou turned his attention to the local news story flashing across the screen. The human news channel was covering a terrorist attack that had bombed a local grocery store earlier that very morning. According to the dolled up anchorwoman seven people had been killed in the blast, and seventeen more were suffering from sustained injuries in nearby hospitals. As tragic as it all was, Inuyasha wasn't sure what exactly about this event had the fox so nearly undone.

That is, until they showed several images of the blast zone from the lofty height of a helicopter. The damage appearing on the screen could not possibly have been the result of a mere human explosive device. These flames were burning white hot, with an intensity that should have long dulled to a lower, more manageable heat. Only demonic flames could burn that hot without relenting. It meant that someone was risking the hard-won safety of the youkai race with deadly attacks that could reveal them to the humans. This event might inspire those that craved an uprising to become more outspoken and attempt even more destructive acts. While this was concerning, the inu hanyou didn't see how this explained the deep emotional turmoil that his son was currently feeling.

Returning his attention to the younger demon, his heart couldn't help but clench with sympathy as he watched the slow fragmentation of the normally well-composed young man. He was torn between comforting the grown kit, and waiting on pins and needles for the unknown. Distantly Inuyasha listened as the televised woman stated that the families of the deceased had already been informed, and listed several locations where memorial services were to be held in honor of the lives cut short. It was on the tip of his tongue to question his younger counterpart, when the news anchor called for a moment of silence in respect for those who had lost their lives. The words died in his throat as Shippo's irregular breathing became even more pronounced and some near-silent sobs escaped his trembling lips. Sparing his son, he chose to instead stare in pronounced dread at the television screen, the hanyou unconsciously gripping his chair a little tighter than necessary. He could feel the anxiety of the unknown threatening to unhinge him. It was clear there was something more to this than mere nameless deaths. For whatever could bring his full-youkai companion to such easy tears must be a real loss indeed. Mentally Inuyasha began ticking through the names of loved ones, praying for their safety.

"Suzuki Natsumi, Kimura Ichirou..." the woman vacantly read the names of the deceased. Truly, nothing more could be expected of her, the dead were just scrolling names on a teleprompter to the news anchor. Inuyasha transferred his attention back to Shippo as he brokenly stood, feeling his muscles tense as the kitsune walked to stand silently beside his half-demon father.

A name he had hoped to never hear again—let alone from the ruby red lips of an overly made up news woman—would unknowingly echo in his memory for many years to come, "Higurashi Kagome..."

Inuyasha felt a rush of dizziness. The stabbing shock that jolted his system had him immediately trembling in place. He had never expected her to say that name... and to hear it now, in this moment, was the last thing he had ever wanted to experience. He felt his knees go weak and threaten to give out beneath him. Had his body's instinctual reaction not been to clench the office chair resting beneath his fingers with inhuman strength, he might have collapsed. His breath hitched in his chest and he felt a burning sensation somewhere behind his eyes. In the back of his suddenly frazzled mind, he mildly registered Shippo placing what was meant to be a soothing hand on his shoulder, but the contact only served to scorch his already searing skin. A tingling sensation whispered over his arms. He felt hot and cold at the same time, and he distantly realized that adrenaline has his pulse pounding in his ears.

As reality was slowly crashing down on him, his mind began to move at a rapid pace. What year was it? He knew she had been born, but had she already fallen down the well? Did this mean that all their time together in the past was cut short? How is she going to betray him and seal the well if she's... NO!? It can't be! A chill crept down his spine at the thought. This couldn't be his Kagome. It was just a girl who shared her name. Kami knows there were plenty of humans in this city already, two of them sharing the same name was a fairly common occurrence. The half-demon could feel his tawny eyes flickering to and fro, but not once seeing anything on which they settled. His mind couldn't stop the questions he dared not voice for fear of the answers he would receive. Distantly he felt the hand resting gently on his shoulder give a squeeze of reassurance before Shippo released a soft breath, doing his best to hold in his sobs.

"It was selfish of me, and I will forever be burdened with the pain of my mistakes. I'm sor-ry-" he paused as his voice broke, unable to stop a sob from escaping. Quickly, he attempted to compose himself before continuing, "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha." The younger demonic man sank to the floor, releasing his adoptive father's shoulder in the process. Inuyasha never once made moved, his eyes dazedly continued to flicker. "I know I was supposed to let Sesshoumaru know when she came back through the well with the jewel, but... I- I thought we should wait until she sealed the well first. I want-ed to give her a chance to go ba-ack." He had begun to dissolve into sobs, and the rest of his confession came out so rushed, the half dog demon had trouble keeping up, "I know I should have said someth-thing. I just needed to know why she left us and never came ba—" his voice cracked mid-word, and he found himself unable to finish the thought. Inuyasha merely closed his eyes trying to contain the explosion that he could feel building on the edges of his consciousness.

"I should have told you..." the green eyed youkai breathed, Inuyasha easily hearing his near-silent words. "It was yesterday that she returned with the completed jewel." Inuyasha could smell the coppery scent of blood, and looked down to find his fisted claws had pierced through the leather of the chair, and were now lodged in his skin. Shippo made no comment on the smell, "If I had told you then, you would have done something reckless and probably stopped this from happening! I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I just didn't want you to-" Shippo rambled on, but Inuyasha was too far gone to really concentrate on anything anymore.

Several tense minutes passed in which the hanyou was hard pressed not to claw himself to test if this were truly a nightmare. He could feel a keening cry of loss screaming in his head, and knew it was the sound his instincts longed for him to vocalize. It wasn't until this moment that he realized what the beast must have known all along, and it might yet prove to be his undoing. Even after all this time, he had been clinging to the tiniest shred of hope that they would meet again. He had been far too frightened of it to admit that it existed. It was much safer to pretend that he harbored nothing but hatred for her in his heart. He had been a fool to believe all the nonsense he had invented about Kagome over these past 500 years. He had been so ready to imagine that she had abandoned him, never once had something like this even entered his mind as a possibility! He deserved to rot in hell for the rest of eternity for his betrayal. He could feel his demon slowly winning the battle for his consciousness, but he forced it back. Because of his stubborn pride, he had somehow lost her all over again...

Without letting the emotionless mask on his so much as crack, he wiped his bloodied, trembling palms against the sides of his pants legs. Numbly looking in Shippo's general direction—more correctly looking "through" him—he grasped the younger man by the nape of his shirt collar. Shippo fearing the worst lowered his head and flinched at the sudden contact, before he found himself unceremoniously tossed outside of the office door. Turning sharply, the kitsune was able to catch a glimpse of the tormented rage emanating from the hanyou's visage before the grand oak door was slammed back into place.

It took mere moments before the sounds of utter chaos began to ricochet down the perfectly manicured hallway. The sounds of wood being smashed into splinters and glass shattering to shards was enough to have the kitsune man sobbing quietly from his place upon the executive quality tiles. He sat there for what had to have been more than an hour before all was still again on the other side of that door. He dared not leave his post for the rest of the day. It was not long after the eerie stillness began that he could smell the salty scent of a dog hanyou's tears.

A sudden jolt shook the entire frame of her body as her hip harshly came into contact with the concrete floor. It was enough to pull her out of the dark haze that had been clouding her mind with unnatural sleep. A soft moan of pain slipped through her lips as she felt the fog of unconsciousness lifting. It was then that her senses began to rail against the fuzziness, and she immediately registered the throbbing ache in her pelvis. Taking a moment to assess her condition, she slowly flexed several of her muscles and discovered nothing seemed to be broken or irreparably damaged. This was not the first time she had been abducted, so she knew it was pointless to let fear get the best of her. Without opening her eyes she tried to think back and remember just what had happened that put her in this predicament.

She had been on her way to the supermarket to get some groceries for her mother and injured friends waiting in the past. The final fight with Naraku that took place earlier this week had depleted most of her bandages, and she didn't want to rely solely on the medieval healing methods of the feudal era. Furrowing her brow, she found it very difficult to concentrate on sifting through the shifting sands that made up her memories. There had to be some clue in there somewhere, but why was it so hard to focus? After several seconds of silence, she suddenly shot to a seated position, her half-lidded eyes flying open as she remembered the explosion. Panic gripped her, but she could not remember anything that followed.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up," a voice echoed around the room from behind her, cutting through the dimly lit silence like a knife. She heard a slight shuffling emanating from the blackness to her left. The voice spoke again, closer this time, "Although you dying would not be preferable. It would force me to change all my plans."

It was impossible to stop the sudden trembling that the words sent coursing through her. Fearfully whipping her head around to face her captor caused a wince to contort her delicate features as she discovered the soreness that existed there. The man, no demon, hovering over her sent a shiver down her spine, ending with a shuddering breath of terror. His flamingly red hair seemed to flicker in the semi-darkness; one moment it appeared to be as bright as an ember, and the next it became as dark as blood. It rippled around him almost as if it had a mind of its own, while his soulless black eyes bored into her with malice. While some might have found his features to normally be considered exotically handsome, they were currently twisted into the most frightening expression she had ever seen grace a face. Even in her current state, it did not escape her that his grin was one of sadistic lunacy.

Unconsciously she felt around her neck for the completed Shikon no Tama that had only recently taken up residence there. Her eyes widened even further and she could feel a crawling sensation on her skin as her roaming fingers rested on nothing but the fabric of her uniform and bare flesh. A soft, but slightly maniacal laughter bubbled up from the man standing over her as he took in her every expression with almost sick fascination. She did not want to imagine his hands removing the round pink orb from her neck as she unwillingly slept.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" he smoothly asked. If it was even possible, his smile twisted further in perverse satisfaction. "Perhaps you are looking for this?" As he spoke, Kagome could suddenly sense the jewel's unique aura as if it had appeared seemingly out of thin air, and Kagome was left to wonder if it had truly been in his hand the entire time. Kagome's eyes moved lower from the horror of his face, to land on the heavily tainted Shikon resting harmlessly in his outstretched palm. She could feel her already racing pulse double its pace. Belatedly she realized this was the fear of a cornered prey, with nowhere else to run. And standing not two feet from her was the hungry predator. The miko found it entirely impossible to hide her terror as she slowly lifted her dread-filled gaze to meet his empty black pupils.

Closing his long fingers around the blackened jewel, he took one menacing step closer to the trembling teenager shivering on the concrete floor. Giving her a grin full of evil intent, he tilted his head to the side while relishing in the complete dominance he held over his petrified quarry. Before she really had time to react, he reached down and fisted a clawed hand in her hair, yanking her to her feet in searing agony. Kagome cried out in anxiety and pain. Not bothering to wait for her miserable cries to die down, he spoke, "I have been waiting a very long time for you, Kagome."

The sudden all-encompassing dread that filled her body threatened to nearly choke her, robbing her of the slight gasps that were near impossible in her dangling position. Who was this demon? How did he know who she was? He had been waiting for her? He's powerful... too powerful for her to possibly take on by herself, especially in her current state. Her fear was overwhelming. A prickling feeling behind her eyes alerted her to the salty tears slowly filling her wide brown orbs. She could feel the waves of demonic youki trailing from his arm to encompass her frail form, effectively paralyzing her in his forceful grasp. What was she supposed to do? What could she do?

"Do not fear, my pet," he stated sarcastically. It was apparent he had no real desire to calm the young woman fueling his brutal amusement. "I have no intention of killing you," he continued in a deceptively doting voice that might have calmed her fear, if she hadn't been dangling by her scalp only inches away from his terrifyingly dark countenance. "You are going to be my greatest creation. You are going to be the catalyst to bring about a new age for demon-kind."

And with that, he threw her frozen body against the wall. Kagome saw him prowling toward her, with the jewel glowing dully in his clenched fist. Shoving her against the wall with one hand, he forcefully jammed the blackened object into her forehead. She screamed at the unimaginable pain of a dark youki spell. His laughter rang hollowly in her ears as the power spasming her limbs forced her again into unconsciousness.

I feel that it should be stated now that there is no rape in this story. However, there are many ways to break a person without resorting to such methods.