A/N: SNOW DAY! I'm posting this because some people won't review on my Star Wars fic...and I like to keep it up for a while before posting the next chap in order to get reviews. Ahem...

Hello All! For all my fans who have read my Inuyasha stories since fic1, "OMG U R TEH COOLNESS!1!1one!1"

…Please excuse that…

Anyway, in regards to my earlier Inuyasha trilogy, this has nothing to do with it. Don't get your hopes up, people who wanted a FOURTH sequel (Who ARE you people?). This has gone back to the days of old, with Inu/Kagness.

Anyway, I shall warn you, this story is MUCH darker and less lighthearted than the last fic(s). I mean, like, uberdark, darker than the darkest fic I have ever spawned. However, it's happy and la la in the beginning. I'll warn you when its time to bust out the tissues.

So, I hope you enjoy this fic, which I have labored endlessly (Okay, not really) to bring to you.

Part I

Chapter 1: A Fateful Memory

Fire. That's the first thing he noticed around the village as he ran through it, past the burning huts and the destroyed temple. The dark night sky was turned red from the fire, the clouds seemingly filled with blood. There were screams of terror, of pain, people rushing in all directions, not knowing where they were going, trying to get away from the village.

"Keh. Frightened humans." Inuyasha said, as he ran past them, a twisted smirk on his face. The screams were music to his ears, the smell of blood making him grin. Death and destruction rampant, his two favorite things.

Suddenly, humans with bows surrounded him. They were braver than he thought, But that didn't still the look of fear in their eyes, making him only want to laugh in reply. "Return our miko, youkai!" They yelled, tightening their bowstrings.

Inuyasha's eyes fell to the unconscious woman under his left arm. She wore the red and white outfit of a miko, her brown hair falling over her face. He snickered. "Return your miko, huh? I'll return her…if she cooperates."

"Youkai!" They screamed, firing several arrows at once. He blocked them by shielding himself with his right arm. The arrows simply broke, the humans gasping in fear at the power of this youkai.

The humans screamed and jumped out of his way as he lunged forward, swiping at them with his bloodstained claws. One cried, and fell down, grabbing at a gash that had formed in his side. "That's what happens when you mess with me!" Inuyasha yelled, "And don't forget it!"

He ran away from the destroyed village, away from the screams, and into the wide forest, loosing any humans foolish to pursue him. "Fools." He muttered, jumping past tall trees, into the very heart of the forest.

He felt the woman under his arm stir. The woman he had taken from the burning temple. "Vile hanyou!" she spat, not looking at him.

Inuyasha's blood surged in anger. How dare she say that! In an instant, he had her pinned against a tree, his claws around her throat. "What did you call me!" he roared, madness glaring from his amber eyes.

"It's nothing more than what you are." The miko continued, smirking. "A half-breed. Not good enough to be a youkai, but vile enough not to be human."

"Shut up!" Inuyasha roared, his claws digging into her neck, droplets of blood. "Just tell me what I need to know!"

She glared at him through her dark eyes. She was much braver than an average woman, he could tell right away. "And if I refuse?"

Inuyasha flexed his claws. She was foolishly brave. "Then I'll kill you."

"You'll kill me anyways." She replied coldly, her eyes giving him a look that could shatter glass. "But the question is," she grabbed his shoulders. "Whether or not it will be I to kill you."

The silver haired hanyou wasn't at all frightened. He laughed. "Don't think you can scare me with your miko powers! I can smell a human male all over you." He snorted. "Pathetic human wench, lost your powers just to love a man."

She gave a small gasp, and her arms fell limply. So, this hanyou could smell her lover on her. He knew that she had given in to temptation and had willingly given herself up to the man she loved. She remembered him…how much she had loved him…how she didn't care that she would lose her miko powers, just as long as she could love him...Love was too cruel at sometimes. How she regretted her decision to be with him now. "I still have some powers left!" she declared.

Inuyasha didn't care. He had the miko into a corner that she couldn't get out of, that's all that mattered. As long as he held the upper hand, the woman would have to submit to his will. "Tell me now!" he bellowed.

"I won't!" she shouted back. She wouldn't give in…she knew what would happen if she gave in…

His blood raced. He wanted to kill her, more than anything at that moment. But he couldn't, that would leave him with no information. He would get nothing for all his work.

But suddenly, he had an idea. Humans, no matter who they were, were weak when it came to one emotion; love. He smirked, knowing that this miko, no matter how powerful she used to be, was also submit to that weakness. "If you don't tell, then I'll kill everyone in the village. Including," He gave a small laugh. "Your lover."

The miko gasped. He had her. Killing her was one thing, but killing the one she loved? That was another. She couldn't let him die… as long as she lived.

How could this hanyou be so cruel? How could this thing not understand love?

Inuyasha grinned, he was waiting for an answer. And he knew, that she was going to give it.

Tears of rage poured out of the miko's eyes, a red flash of anger coming from them, "Curse you, hanyou!"

Inuyasha gasped as he practically jumped out of his nightmare. It took him a second to recall where he was, and that the certain event hadn't taken place. But it had seemed so real…

He started taking deep breaths, recalling the dream. What was that? What the hell was that?

Still thinking, he looked around the dark camp in the middle of the woods. The fire had long since died, leaving only the curling ash. His eyes fell on Sango and Miroku, sleeping side by side. After all, he thought. They are engaged. Shippou and Kirara were curled up in a corner.

And then his eyes rested on the last member of their group; Kagome. She was curled up in her sleeping bag, resting peacefully. She was sleeping on her side, a few tendrils of her dark curls falling into her face. With each breath she took, a lock of her hair would flutter in front of her nose, only to be pushed away with each exhale. This simple gesture had him transfixed.

Kagome… he looked down at his claws, surprised that they weren't covered in blood. The look in that miko's eyes…it was a look Kagome once had. They day he first met her, when he almost killed her.

Fear.

He gripped his hands into fists. He didn't want to think about that time…that time where he had almost killed her…Damn…I've gotta stop thinking about this dream!

He looked back at Kagome. He sighed, settling back into his spot in the tree. It was a dream…it wasn't anything real…I never did that…I never would…

But as he fell back into slumber, he couldn't forget the lookof loathingmiko's eyes as she screamed, "Curse you!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, notching an arrow and letting it fly, the pink trail following like a comet, lighting up the rocky ledge, before imbedding itself in Naraku.

"I'm coming!" the hanyou yelled, raising Tessiaga. "Kaze no Kizu!" he roared, sending a wave of Power at Naraku.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to harm him. He had long since increased his powers. Naraku reformed and smirked. "Inuyasha, are your powers getting weaker?"

Inuyasha growled. His knuckles turning white from the tight grip he had on Tessaiga. He had to think of something that would kill him quickly…

Miroku jumped forward. "Kazaana!" he yelled, sucking in some of Naraku's vile body. But he wasn't in the least hindered, Naraku smiled as saimyoushou darted forward.

"Houshi-sama!" Sango cried as she saw them head straight for Miroku. His eyes darted to her, and then he closed the Kazaana a second before the insects were sucked in.

Inuyasha looked to how his friends were doing. It wasn't good. They had been fighting for some time. "Keh." He muttered. "Only one way to finish this…" The Tessaiga transformed into its crystal form.

Naraku knew what he was about to do. In an instant, a tentacle shot out from his body, aimed straight at Kagome. In one instant, she screamed, and shielded herself behind her arm. "Kagome!" Inuyasha cried, as it hit her and she was sent flying into him, knocking him over.

There was laughter. "Pity. If she had fallen on the ground at that speed, she might have died."

Inuyasha sat up, ignoring the pain in his chest that came from Kagome hitting him. He looked over at her. "Kagome?" she didn't wake up. "Kagome!"

"Inuyasha!" Sango yelled, jumping off Kirara and kneeling next to him. "Shippou and I will take care of Kagome-chan, you take care of Naraku!"

At first, Inuyasha wanted to refuse, since he didn't want to leave Kagome. But laughter from Naraku made him look at him, with pure malice in his amber eyes. He hated Naraku for this, for all the things he had done to Kagome! To all the times he had hurt her…he couldn't control his anger when it came to all the things Naraku had done.

As he stood up, he felt his youkai blood pulse in anger. It was surging to mercilessly take the life of this creature. And Inuyasha wasn't about to deny it that. He would have gladly liked to turn into a full youkai, if that meant defeating Naraku. He would do anything to defeat Naraku.

But the Tessaiga pulsing in his hand calmed his blood. He remembered that if he went full youkai, he might hurt Kagome. And that couldn't happen…he could never hurt Kagome.

"Keh." He muttered, once again transforming Tessaiga into its crystal form. Naraku didn't have a chance to plan out anything when Inuyasha roared, "Kongousouha!"

The diamond spears flew from Tessaiga and implanted themselves in Naraku with a loud slice, as his body was ripped to shreds. But Naraku's head still floated.

Smirking, Naraku said, "I guess I shall have to come back later for the shikon fragment." And with a white light, he vanished.

Inuyasha sheathed Tessaiga and glared. "Keh. Damn coward." But he remembered that Kagome was hurt. He immediately ran to her side.

"Kagome?" he asked. She still wasn't awake. "Kagome!" he started shaking her, getting more and more nervous that she might be…

"She's alive, Inuyasha." Miroku said. "Amazingly so, considering that she flew back at that speed. You must have broken a few ribs from the impact."

The inu hanyou recognized what that pain in his chest must have been. But it didn't matter. He'd heal in a day or so. But Kagome…

"Sh-she'll be all right…won't she?" He asked, worried. He knew she was alive, but it wasn't enough.

The rest of the group knew the overprotective hanyou was getting into one of his worried fits. "Calm down, Inuyasha." The monk said. "We'll get her to Kaede-sama. It's only a day's journey from here."

But the impulsive hanyou didn't even think when he put Kagome on his back, and set off towards the village. "Half a day!"

As he was running, he heard Shippou sigh. "He's always like that, isn't he?"

He let out a growl. It doesn't matter what they say…Kagome could have been killed…

And I can't ever let anything happen to Kagome…

I already vowed I'd protect her, and I'm never going to let anything hurt her…

Never.

A/N: God, I hate battle scenes. And I suck at em too…

So…how was that for an introduction to a story? I know the Naraku part was…out of the blue, but…whatever. This story isn't about Naraku. As stated, it's a different storyline entirely.

And I know I shouldn't be telling you this, but this chapter is MAJOR foreshadowing, if you haven't noticed. See if you can guess some of the clues!

Happy Reviewing!