Alone

Jade tried not to panic as Naraku's hand gently wrapped around her arm, keeping her close. She didn't fight him, but she had a plan and it required her to wait. For some reason unknown to Not-Naraku and now to her, he couldn't hurt her. From the way he was holding her arm, she could tell he couldn't even grab her tightly to keep her under control. He was solely relying on her compliance. So, she was going to be compliant for now.

Her anxiety began to skyrocket when they approached a room she had never been in before. She knew it was one of the biology labs, but unfamiliar territory would not help her. Jade pretended to trip, lunging forward, but stopping herself and holding still just in case Naraku overcame his reluctance to hurt her. He did react, but when he realized she wasn't going anywhere, he didn't make any other sudden movements.

"I'm sorry." Jade said, holding her hands up in submission. Naraku smirked, reaching up to hold her wrist again.

"I forgive you." he replied softly. Then, his tone turned cold. "This time."

'He knows.' she noted. It didn't shock her, but it did make her second-guess her plan. Three steps later, her fear was replaced with anger. Her grandmother didn't raise her to be a compliant woman. Her aunt, cousins, and friends all thought she was permissive to a fault. Maybe she was, but whatever happened, she wanted everyone to know that she fought. She pulled her wrist from his grasp and stepped back from him. Naraku watched her, emotionless at first, but then he rolled his eyes and let out an exhale of annoyance.

"Don't tell me you've suddenly developed a fighting spirit," he said dryly.

"I've always had one. You know that." she replied evenly.

"Jade,"

"I'm not your Jade."

He snorted lightly. "Your wit is probably the only thing I like about you." Naraku stepped forward, reaching out for her. She offered him her arm, he took it, and she easily slid from his grasp again. He looked irritated at that moment.

"Having issues holding on?" Jade pointed out, holding out her arm again.

Naraku took the challenge, lunging forward with both hands. With all her effort, she remained still and didn't blink. It paid off. Hands hovered in front of her face. She could tell he was trying to grab her, but he couldn't and it was bothering him. A lot.

"Damn." Naraku murmured, finally relenting and lowering his hands. His blood-boiling smirk returned.

"Just leave me alone and I'll leave you alone." Jade slowly began to walk back to the stairs.

"I wonder what Sesshomaru will think when I tell him you had the opportunity to help him and you passed on it because you didn't want to hurt me."

Jade stopped walking. It wasn't what he said that bothered her; it was the fact that Sesshomaru had voiced a similar criticism to her before, which meant it would be easier for him to believe.

"How do I know he's even alive?" she asked. The thought of Sesshomaru being dead frightened her. She hoped he was alive. She hoped he left his phone somewhere and that it had simply been stolen.

"I can prove it. Compromise with me; I know you won't come with me, so why don't you wait here with me and Sesshomaru can come meet us?"

Jade remembered all she had done while she was unconscious and looked down. She wanted Sesshomaru to be fine, she wanted to see him, but at the same time, if he was going through the same thing she had, then he was dangerous.

'I'm so sorry, Sesshomaru.' Jade began walking away once again. There was nothing she could do to help him at that moment. The door to the stairwell opened and Sesshomaru walked out. For a fleeting moment, Jade was excited, but his disheveled hair and off-kilter stance told her he wasn't there to help her.

"Shit,"

"We can do this my way or your way." Naraku called out.

"What do you want from me?" she asked him frantically.

"Bring her." Naraku ordered. Sesshomaru moved forward and Jade took a step back, but froze. His staggered movements were unlike his usual controlled, graceful ones, but when he reached out to grab her, Jade heard him grunt and saw the strained expression on his face.

'He's fighting it!' Jade realized. His grip meant business, though, so the elation was short-lived. He forced her into the lab after Naraku opened it. Before any lights were turned on, Jade saw various items glowing purple. All of them were stationary. Light illuminated the room and the glowing objects were revealed to be various animals the biology department used for biopsies - cats, rabbits, snakes, and some plants, too. The animals watched her with unblinking eyes; their bodies still as stone.

"Restrain her." Naraku said nonchalantly. Strong hands pulled Jade's arms behind her back. She tested his strength by pulling, but he was immovable. "Actually, I need her unconscious - briefly."

"No!" Jade cried out. An arm wrapped around her neck and another around her arms behind her back. She couldn't say anything else after his arm tightened and cut off her airway. Instinctively, she tried to struggle free even though she knew it would amount to nothing. To her shock, Naraku lunged forward and latched onto Sesshomaru's arm, pulling it away from her. Sesshomaru let go silently.

Naraku stepped back, staring at his hands. He looked thoroughly confused. His eyes met hers and the confusion was replaced with barely-restrained rage.

"What are you?" he asked. Jade didn't bother responding. She just looked down and waited for whatever was going to happen next. "You, come,"

Raising her gaze, Jade watched as a cat walked up to him. It was the gray cat - or what was left of it. The animal was almost completely crystallized. Suddenly, she was reminded of her dream where a giant crystal rested at the bottom of a lake.

"The lake - do you want to go back? Is that it?"

Naraku tilted his head, staring back blankly. "What is left there for me?"

"The giant crystal or whatever at the bottom," Jade replied, glancing at the cat before looking back at Naraku. His gaze was intense.

"How do you know about that?"

"It was in a dream I had."

"I never showed you."

"It was about a month ago."

"That is impossible. I expelled my essence from your body before then." he stated evenly. Frowning, he walked away and grabbed something from the nearest counter. He walked back and handed her a scalpel. "I want a fresh sample of your blood."

"Uh,"

"Not much." he interjected, looking away. "You can either extract it yourself or I can have him help. It's your choice."

"Riiiiight." Jade replied, but she held the blade to her finger and sliced. Luckily, it was so sharp that it didn't require much pressure. The blood began to well up and drip from the cut. "What now?"

"Let it drip onto the cat." he ordered, turning back to her with his arms crossed.

"Okay, but won't it just crystalize?" she asked, squeezing three drops onto the cat's head.

"Will it?" he retorted accusingly.

"From what I know and what you wrote, yeah, that's what happens."

"If you read what Naraku wrote, then you would know your blood is different."

"Well, yeah, but-" Jade cut herself off when she saw Naraku arch an eyebrow when he glanced down. Jade looked down at the cat and saw pink blotches where her blood had landed.

"I've seen this once before," Naraku stated, kneeling down beside the cat to get a better view of the pink color spreading through its head. "I thought I handled that problem, but it seems it can happen randomly."

'This motherfucker won't tell me anything! He's worse than when I first met Naraku!'

"No. It isn't random at all!" Naraku stood up and grinned, pointing at her. "This happened then, too! You are his equal, the reins that keep him tethered to this reality, the answer to his prayers,"

Jade leaned back and felt her face twist with confusion and disgust. "You must be talking about someone else. Naraku doesn't pray and I don't keep him in check whatsoever."

"It is only a matter of time before I can kill you. As Naraku slips further into oblivion, I gain more control. I was finally able to kill the other woman once that host's consciousness disappeared. It will be the same with you."

The woman in miko clothing from her dream surfaced in her mind's eye. Had she posed the same threat against this being? An idea struck Jade and she hesitated executing it because what if Naraku overcame whatever was keeping him from hurting her? Immediately, she decided that it was worth the shot because she felt dead either way. Jade stepped forward and Naraku flinched.

"Wh-What are you-" Naraku stuttered, holding his hands up defensively. He never reached for her, though. He didn't even reach for her when she shoved her hand into his pocket and snatched the cursed orb from him. She felt Sesshomaru's hand latch onto her other arm, but it didn't stop her. "N-No!"

Jade took a few steps back, holding it firmly in her hand and wrenching free of Sesshomaru. She waited for him to charge forward, but he didn't. Had he regained some control?

"If you do not give that back, you will be condemning him." Naraku explained carefully.

"I wonder what will happen if my blood touches this?"

"If you care, you-"

Jade didn't let him finish as she smeared the blood from her finger onto the orb. Naraku's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes widened as he pressed his hand against the side of his head. Slowly, he walked forward with a look of pure rage on his face. He reached out with his other hand and Jade quickly wiped more blood on the orb. Instantly, he dropped to his hands and knees.

"No! Stop!" he growled through gritted teeth. She ignored his request and did it again. Suddenly, he lunged forward, cupping his hand around hers. Jade tried to pull back, but her arm was frozen in place. A noticeable heat was emanating from the orb.

"What are you doing?" Jade asked, raising her voice. "Let go!"

"No! You can look him in the eyes as you tear him away from his paradise!"

The air became heavy and the world around her began to blur. When her vision began to realign, she recognized tall buildings, sidewalks filled with people, and cars cruising down roads. She recognized the texts on signs and billboards as Japanese, but she could not read them, cursing herself once again for not starting to learn the language. It didn't take long for her to recognize the deep voice that was scaring her moments ago. She turned when she heard the voice and saw Naraku with a woman.

Naraku was smiling - a real, wide smile. His eyes even seemed to sparkle. It looked like him and not at the same time. The woman he was looking at was the one Jade recognized from his book - Kikyou. He asked her something and she must have agreed and when they turned, they both saw her. Jade was at a loss for words. She couldn't even move. Naraku's smile disappeared, his happiness replaced with confusion. Kikyou looked from him to Jade, her confusion matching his. Kikyou finally looked up at Naraku, who hadn't moved a muscle, and placed her hand on his chest. Though Jade couldn't understand her, she could tell she was asking him who she was.

"Jade?" Naraku said, shaking his head slightly. "You're Jade, right?"

"Yeah." she replied, nodding. She knew what the false Naraku meant now. Naraku had been stuck in this dream world, living his ideal life, finally happy, and now Jade was there to wake him up. He would never forgive her.

Naraku's smile reappeared as he looked down at Kikyou, quickly explaining something. Jade heard him say, "WeedWolf," and she knew he was telling Kikyou about her internet persona. He led Kikyou over to Jade and pointed to her.

"This is my friend, Kikyou, and I just introduced her to your videos last night. I never in a million years would have expected you to be here." he explained proudly. "Is there a tournament here that you are attending?"

Jade tried to smile, but she immediately lowered her head when she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "No,"

"Oh. Are you lost? Do you need help finding someone? I assume you can't speak Japanese."

"No, I, uh, I found who I was looking for,"

Kikyou spoke, her voice filled with concern. Her hand gently caressed Jade's arm. Naraku replied to her, but his tone was soft and he appeared to have a difficult time with his words.

"Kikyou said she has a message for you," Naraku announced, his voice revealing his hesitation. Jade looked up at the other woman, a rush of anxiety flooding her. She was trying her best to smile warmly, but Jade could see the tears in her eyes, too. "She said she knows why you're here and to tell you that you need to do what you came here to do."

'Is she part of his consciousness? If she knows me and why I'm here, then it has to be because he remembers me.'

"Why are you here, Jade? Why does Kikyou-" Naraku cut himself off, stepping back from both women. "What is going on?"

"Naraku, I don't know where to start-"

He disregarded her entirely and was looking at Kikyou, asking her several questions as the urgency in his voice became more obvious with every word. Kikyou replied and whatever she said, she might as well have slapped him instead. Naraku's eyes were wide now. Then, he looked at Jade.

"Please, tell me this is just a joke."

"Naraku, this isn't-"

"Tell me you're just here for a tournament! Tell me that Kikyou contacted you to meet me as a surprise and that this is just a joke!"

"It isn't a-"

Naraku was now very animated. He was cupping his hands together, as if praying, shaking his head vehemently. The smile on his face was crazed, desperate, and Jade had to look away for a moment.

"It's a coincidence! This is just a coincidence! You're just sobering up and you think this is funny! You've never met me! You've never heard of me!"

"Naraku,"

"No!" he shouted defiantly, his smile now gone. He raised a finger, pointing at Jade. "You do not know my name! You cannot know my name! We have never met!"

"We work together, you've taught me," Jade began. She had to dispute his claims.

"Impossible! I have never left my country! You live in the United States!"

"We work in a chemistry lab,"

"I am a chemist here! I work here! I've never worked with you!"

Jade looked over at Kikyou, hoping she would step in. Kikyou seemed to understand, giving Jade a small nod. She called to her distressed friend, approaching him carefully. Naraku was breathing heavily, shaking his head. Kikyou spoke once more and he tried to argue, but she persisted.

"She said you need to tell me the truth about her." Naraku said, frowning.

'Oh fuck.' Jade bit her lips together as the nausea was building in her stomach. There was something about re-traumatizing a man who had forgotten his trauma that made her feel disgusting. As angry with him as she was, it was something she wished upon no one. 'Naraku, please forgive me.'

"What is she talking about, Jade?"

"This is all a dream, Naraku. You've been unconscious for weeks." Jade's hands balled into fists. "Kikyou has been dead for years. You have a burn scar from trying to rescue her. You covered it with a spider tattoo."

"No, I don't."

"You probably don't in here, but on your real body, you do."

"Why are you doing this? If that is true, why not leave me here?"

"Because if you don't wake up, you're going to kill me!" Jade spat with frustration. "You've kidnapped me! You've experimented on plants and animals!"

"Not me,"

"I don't fucking care! He looks like you, he sounds like you - he is you as far as I'm concerned right now!"

"Please, Jade,"

Gritting her teeth, holding back all the profanities popping up in her head, Jade pointed at him. "You. Owe. Me."

"I don't know you, so I can't owe you!" Naraku argued. He was now on his knees, holding his head as he lightly rocked back and forth. "I don't know you! I don't owe you! I don't know you! I don't owe you! I can't! It's impossible!"

Before Jade could say anything else, Kikyou stepped between them. She motioned for Jade to stay. She turned to Naraku and placed her hand on his head. She spoke softly and he continued to shake his head, arguing with her. Finally, something she said struck a chord with him. He dropped his hands, shoulders slumped and Jade saw tears running down his face.

"It's true?" he asked aloud.

"I don't know what she said, but everything I've said is true!" Jade insisted. "I wouldn't lie to you like this! You're my friend!"

"Friend?" Naraku repeated. "Me?"

"Yes!" Jade walked toward him and knelt down beside him. "I need you! Please!"

His eyes studied her face and then he nodded. "Alright."

"Absolutely astounding!" an angrier voice called out. Jade looked around as the dream world turned to nothing but flames.

Kikyou screamed as she also caught fire. Naraku was on his feet, reaching out to help her, but she pushed him away, shaking her head, screaming at him. Naraku tried once more, but Kikyou shouted something at him that made him stay.

"Even after being given everything you ever wanted, you still choose her?" the other Naraku asked, his voice coming from all around them. "What does Jade have that Kikyou does not? Why is she worth it?"

"She would do the same for me." Naraku replied.

"What would the real Kikyou think, I wonder? Her one friend for most of her life is choosing her death in order to show loyalty to someone he hasn't even known for a year!"

"That isn't what he's doing!" Jade shouted, joining Naraku's side. "You know that, right? You're not choosing me over her!"

"I know," he whispered, his eyes closed.

"How about this instead? Choose your happiness and I will reward you! Eliminate Jade, and I can revive her with your memories of Kikyou! She may not be a great beauty like her, but she will be like her in every other aspect!"

Despite being surrounded by fire, Jade's body turned ice cold. Her mouth dropped open, stunned by the offer and the layers of malice and manipulation that came with it. Slowly, she looked up and Naraku was staring back at her. For a split second, she felt the knife of betrayal in her heart because his expression was blank, as if considering it. Then, she felt the pain disappear when his hand grasped hers.

"No." Naraku said evenly.

"No?" the other Naraku repeated. "You don't want Kikyou back at all?"

"Kikyou is...dead." Naraku answered slowly, his blank expression now revealing a pained one. "Jade is...just as much my friend as she was. My memories of Kikyou are not the true Kikyou."

"Fine, keep your incompatible Jade! I am fairly certain she no longer trusts you or even remotely likes you! I brought her here against her will! She would have been more than happy to leave you to your fate had it not been for me!"

"Fuck off!" Jade snapped heatedly.

"If that is true, so be it."

"I won't allow you to leave this place! You will return to your pathetic life, you will exist in that world, but your mind and heart will remain here with Kikyou in the moment of her death!"

"You can't do shit because of me!" Jade shouted back.

The flames disappeared. They were back in the lab. Naraku was out cold on the floor. The heat from the orb had disappeared. Slowly, Jade knelt down, still clutching the bloodied orb tightly, hoping she was squeezing the life out of it. With her other hand, she touched his hand and felt how cold he was. He was alive, but he wasn't well. Turning around, she saw Sesshomaru in a similar state. She checked him. His skin was much warmer, but he didn't wake up, either.

As quickly as she could, she left the lab to find help.

000000

The constant beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing he recognized. It was a noise he was not only familiar with, but nauseated with, too. It meant that it had all been a dream. His happiness had been a dream; his real life was the nightmarish reality.

Naraku opened his eyes and saw a person slouched over the end of the bed next to his legs. It was Jade. It was always Jade. The tears overpowered him and he could do nothing to stop them. It was when he tried to reach up to wipe them away that he noticed he had been restrained.

His movements woke Jade and she sat up in the chair quickly. Naraku closed his eyes, hoping it would stop the flow of tears, but it didn't. He couldn't run or wipe them away. So, he froze.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" she asked. Naraku shook his head. "I can call for some-"

"I don't deserve it."

"Good fucking god, this again," Jade said exasperatedly.

"You don't agree?"

"No! If I did, I wouldn't be here."

"Why are you here?"

"A few reasons," she responded with an exhale. Naraku felt her finger jab him in the chest and he tensed up. "Look at me,"

"I can't." Naraku replied.

"You coward. You had the balls, the audacity, to look me in the eyes when you were being a complete fucking asshole, so do it now!"

Naraku opened his eyes, keeping them aimed at his lap for a few moments before finally raising them to stare into her green ones. He was expecting an angry Jade, but she looked tired instead. It made it easier to look at her, but it didn't make him feel better.

"I'm technically not supposed to be here, but I begged them to let me see you because I want you to know that no matter what happens, I'm here for you. You've been asleep for a while, so a lot has happened since then and - look, you've been deemed dangerous and unstable. That's why you're restrained."

"Mental institution?" Naraku asked.

"Yeah, I think that's the recommendation, but since you've been out, they couldn't really say either way because maybe, just maybe, you're perfectly sound." she said, her face growing serious. "You're not though, right?"

"I- I don't know."

"Well, if it isn't a solid yes, I think it's no."

"I meant that I don't think I'm the one to make that decision." Naraku frowned as the cloudiness in his mind began to clear. "Jade, what did you tell them?"

"Everything." she answered candidly. "Well, almost everything. I left a few bits out."

"Did you tell them what I've done to you?"

"I left a few bits out."

"Why?" Naraku tried to lean forward, but he didn't get far due to the restraints. It was then he saw a strand of his hair. It was white. While it bothered him, Jade's decision to protect him had more of his attention. "I don't understand."

"Uh, I don't know exactly how long you've lived in the U.S., but our prisons suck. I don't think they would do you any good. Now, that doesn't mean you won't be sent there, but I would prefer you get help over going to prison."

"Why do you care about me, though? What about me is worth it?"

"I don't know, Naraku. I think you want to be better, but you just don't know how."

"I'm a monster. I made my decisions."

"Why was your dream about you being happy and living a normal life, then?" Jade waved her hand. "You do and say what you want, Naraku. I just want you to get better. Maybe you don't want to. I get it."

The details of his dream life were foggy at best, but he did remember smiling, laughing, and being able to sit quietly and be at peace. He didn't have urges to irritate people, their agony didn't amuse him, and he didn't want to be alone. Even now, he didn't want to be alone.

"I have to go, but I just wanted you to know that I didn't give up on you." she said, walking towards the door. As much as Naraku wanted to beg her to stay, he remained quiet. This was his problem, not hers. She stopped at the door and turned to him, smiling. "I'm taking care of little Dab, by the way. I got him a friend and a bigger cage."

Naraku smiled back. "How is he handling the new friend? Better than I have, I hope."

"He was an annoying asshole at first, but I think he likes her now."

"Her?"

"Yeah, she's spayed. Her name at the shelter was Ume and I liked it, so I kept it."

"I see. Well, they will be happy with you."

"Maybe you can come meet Ume someday. I'm sure Dab would love to see you, too."

"Perhaps."

Jade waved to him as she left. A simple gesture, but it struck him powerfully. She was acting like they would see each other later even though she knew that wasn't likely.

Tilting his head forward, Naraku saw that most of his hair was still black, but a few strands were various shades of gray, slowly lightening to white. What could he do? What should he start with? What was in store for him outside the hospital room?

He had never felt so lost.