Chapter Four
Finally the scene before her faded away, and Kagome was left where she had been, with Inuyasha before the fire. He didn't seem to notice that anything had changed; he was still just lounging there by her side.
"Inuyasha?"
"Yeah?" He looked toward her sleepily.
"Never mind." She didn't know what to say to him. Especially when a winged scorpion flew in her face and she remembered what they had been saying to her. It could be worse… How could it possible be worse? She just sat there tensely staring at the fire.
"Kagome, what? You look terrible, what is it?" Inuyasha came to sit close to her.
Kagome looked around. "What will you do, Inuyasha, if you find Kikyou?"
"What do you mean?" The hanyou asked.
"I mean, if Kikyou were to appear right here before your eyes, what would you do?"
Inuyasha looked uncomfortable. He frowned slightly, and shrugged. "I don't know, I guess. I think I'll know when the time comes."
Kagome didn't know what to say, and Inuyasha was quiet for a long time.
"Kaede said that I have to kill her. She doesn't belong in this world anymore, and though she seems just like the Kikyou I remember, it's really not her."
Kagome leaned her head against Inuyasha's shoulder, finding comfort in his warmth. She felt herself falling asleep. Well, what do you know… sleeping in a dream…
The fire flickered, and snapped softly as Kagome's eyes fluttered open. She was disoriented for a moment, looking blurry eyed at the slumbering Inuyasha.
What is Kikyou doing here? She thought briefly. The priestess was standing over the hanyou, touching the bead and bone necklace he wore. Kagome could hear her chanting softly. Kikyou stopped her chant abruptly, and tapped Inuyasha's forehead. He woke up instantly, and bowed before the priestess he had once loved. Kagome felt her eyes closing again, and everything faded into darkness.
When Kagome became aware again, the fire had gone out, and a bright sun was peeking over the tops of the trees. She found Inuyasha curled up beside her, his ears twitching adorably.
Well, this certainly is a very odd dream, if I'm falling asleep and dreaming while I'm in it… Kagome stood and stretched. It seems like a very long dream too. I don't even know how I got stung! Wait, this a dream, and I know this is a dream…this is my dream!!
She shook Inuyasha awake excitedly. He sprang up, looking about as if a youkai were attacking them.
"What? What's wrong?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Nothing! This is a dream, and you're a dream Inuyasha!" Kagome replied.
"Yeah, so? Do you have any dream food around here?"
"Because I want to tell you something!" Kagome stamped her foot. "Inuyasha, I'm really glad I fell down the well, and I met you." She suddenly felt very stupid, and stopped abruptly.
Inuyasha looked at her for a while, with an odd look on his face. Eventually he just nodded, and said, "I really glad you did too." He smiled as he said it, and it was a nice smile, not a teasing one. Kagome smiled back, happy that he seemed to understand what she meant. Too bad the real Inuyasha isn't so understanding. Kagome thought to herself as she looked around their clearing.
"Not that I'm not enjoying my dream time with you, Inuyasha, but do you know when I'll wake up? I feel like I've been here for ages." She asked the hanyou.
He just shrugged. "Who knows? Could be days, could be weeks, could be never. Though I doubt that. What's the hurry anyways?"
"I just wonder what's going on out there. Is everyone okay? Did you kill the demon? I don't know anything!" Kagome looked at the hanyou impatiently. Inuyasha drew his tetsuaiga, and grinned wickedly.
"I think it's safe to say that I've saved your life yet again, Kagome. I'm sure everyone is just fine. They're all just waiting for you to wake up. Or… everyone died trying to save your life, after you were so stupidly reckless."
"You know, I can't decide if you're nicer than the real Inuyasha, or meaner." Kagome glared at him.
"Hey, Kagome, like you said, this a dream. It's your dream. I'm both better than the real Inuyasha, because that's what you desire, and worse than he is, because that's what you fear."
Kagome was quite indignant, "I neither desire nor fear you, Inuyasha!"
"Come here." Inuyasha smiled.
"What?"
"Just come here!" He held out his hand. She took it, and he pulled her in to his chest. This shocked Kagome, but she hugged him back as he spoke into her hair.
"Kagome, you don't really know how I feel. Not here, or when you wake, you don't know how I really feel. Sometimes I don't even know how I feel. This is a dream. It's all about desires and fears, and understanding yourself. At any moment this could all turn into a nightmare. Kagome, I'm telling you this to protect you, because I'm not sure if…" He tilted his head to look into her eyes.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome was completely confused. It felt so right, being in his arms, but his words were frightening her. He was looking into her eyes as she spoke his name, but before she could say anything else, he cut her off.
He kissed her, gently and completely. For a moment Kagome sank into complete bliss. When he broke off the kiss, she looked into his smiling eyes, and let herself smile back. Well, this is never going to happen after I wake up. Is Inuyasha really what I desire and fear? I'm not afraid of Inuyasha… I'm afraid he'll… But she wasn't really sure about that either. She knew she didn't like the idea of him becoming a full demon, and she hated to think about him and Kikyou, the very thought almost made her sick. Is that what I fear? Inuyasha and Kikyou?
After just a moment though, Inuyasha released her, and stepped back with a sad look on his face. "It can only go downhill from here… I'm sorry, Kagome."
He turned his back on her, leaving Kagome even more bewildered.
"Inuyasha, what's going on?" She asked.
"Something's not right…" Inuyasha sniffed the air. "Kikyou's around here somewhere." Kagome looked around. What is he talking about? Suddenly she remembered Kikyou standing over the slumbering Inuyasha, touching the necklace he wore. She looked at the necklace now; it was glowing with a faint evil light.
What is going on? Kagome was becoming slightly irritated with Inuyasha's behavior.
"Inuyasha, sit!"
Kagome gasped as Inuyasha slowly turned around.
"That won't work anymore, Kagome… You should leave! Run, now!" He lunged at her, claws spread and ready to strike. But just before he struck her, he stopped himself, dropping to his knees and yelling, "No!"
Kagome stepped backward, confused and frightened.
"Leave me!" Inuyasha yelled at her. "Run! Before I –!"
Kagome decided to listen, and turned around and ran into the forest.
