Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!

------------------------------

The sun rose steadily over the horizon, bathing the little village with a warm, yellow-orange light. A young woman emerged from a hut next to a long set of stairs, stretching her arms and yawning. What a beautiful morning. . . she smiled.

"Sango!" The woman stopped mid-stretch and turned, her long brown hair swaying with her. She glanced towards the staircase near the hut as a young man appeared, his Shakujou in his right hand, apprehension etched on his face.

"Miroku, what's wrong?" the taijiya asked, unnerved by his voice. He usually had a lighthearted tone when he spoke, but the tone he had called her with seemed more worrisome, even scared. The monk glanced around as he asked, "Have you seen Kagome this morning?"

Sango frowned. "No, I haven't. . .when I woke up this morning and saw both of you missing, I thought you were together."

Miroku shook his head. "She was gone before I awoke. I was hoping to find Kaede to ask about Kagome's whereabouts, but she seems to be missing as well."

"Maybe Kagome's with Kaede . . . off searching for herbs or something. " Sango reasoned.

"Nay, the child is not with me." A raspy voice answered, an old woman emerging from the woods nearby.

The demon slayer and monk jumped at the voice. "Kaede-sama!"

"No need to raise thee voice, I am not deaf," grumbled the old priestess, juggling the two baskets of herbs she held in her arms.

"Uh, sorry, you just startled us. . ." Sango murmered. "Have you seen Kagome this morning?"

"Nay, not this morning, but I did see her late last night." Kaede chuckled as she added, "No need to worry, she is in no trouble. She went with Inuyasha."

Sango sighed in relief as Miroku mused slyly, "Ahh, so Inuyasha decided to do some late-night celebrating with Kagome. . ."

"MIROKU!"

--------------------------

Dream

Where am I? It's so dark, I can't see. . .

Kagome stood, darkness surrounding her. She took a few steps forward, hoping for a glimpse of light. Who's that? It's. . .

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called out, "Inuyasha!"

His back was to her, but she could recognize his silver hair and red haori anywhere. Inuyasha turned and smiled. "Kagome. . ."

"Inuyasha, where are--" Kagome was stopped short by the next figure that appeared in her line of sight. "Ki-Kikyou?"

Kikyou said nothing, but smirked at Kagome. 'He will never be yours. . .' A voice echoed eerily in the darkness. Kagome gasped, her body suddenly restrained with chains. "Kikyou! Are you doing this?? Let me go!" the young miko thrashed about, her eyes filling with tears as she watched Inuyasha welcome the older woman with open arms.

'This is not my doing. . .it's Inuyasha's. . .'

"I don't believe you!" Kagome pulled on the chains desperately, her wrists becoming sore. She turned her pleading eyes towards the hanyou. "Inuyas--"

Kagome was stopped short when the rosary beads he wore around his neck were thrown at her feet. She stared at them for what seemed like an eternity, afraid to looked up. Her eyes slowly rose, her vision blurring as tears streamed down her face, her heart breaking as she watched Kikyou and Inuyasha embrace, each basking in the other's presence.

"Inuyasha. . ." Kagome pleaded, her voice cracking as the two before her began to fade into the inky background. She felt her body begin to weaken as the clammor of chains were the last thing she heard before she engulfed in complete darkness.

"Inuyasha . . ."

End Dream

Inuyasha looked down at the struggling girl with concern. Kagome?

The bundle in his arms had been squirming nonstop for the past ten minutes, waking him up from his restful sleep. What started as soft murmering turned into violent tossing and hurtful kicks. The only thing he could do from keeping Kagome from falling out of the tree was to hold her tight in his arms. What could you possibly be dreaming of?

"Inu-, Inu-!!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. Is she dreaming of me? Am I causing this nightmare?

Saddened by the thought, he could no longer bear to see Kagome in pain. "Kagome. . .wake up. . .I'm here. . ." Inuyasha mumbled gently, shaking the girl. The young miko awoke from her hell, gasping for air. She felt two strong arms wrap around her as she nearly fell out of the tree.

She looked up to see a pair of golden eyes staring down at her, full of concern and--is that despair? Inuyasha looked into Kagome's eyes, wide and unfocused, and was startled to see a single crystal tear cascade down her cheek.

"Inuyasha!" she cried, burying her face into his chest. The hanyou, surprised by her sudden outburst, became even more surprised as she buried her face into his haori. She's so small, so fragile . . . like a snowflake . . .

Inuyasha hugged the sobbing girl in his arms. He was at lost for words, and fearing that he might say the wrong thing, kept quiet and comforted Kagome silently until her tears subsided. Minutes passed, and the young miko remained in the hanyou's arms.

"Inu. . .Inuyasha?" she whispered, her voice hoarse.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry. . ."

"For what?" Inuyasha broke the embrace and looked into the girl's coffee-brown eyes.

"For being such a bother . . . if I had stayed at the hut and slept there, maybe you would've gotten more sleep . . . " Kagome's voice was shaky, but apologetic.

"Feh, more sleep," retorted Inuyasha, releasing Kagome from his grasp and crossing them across his chest, "I'm a hanyou, remember? I don't need 'more sleep.'"

Inuyasha looked away, knowing too well that the girl could read the emotions in his eyes. I'm the cause of her pain . . . even in her sleep, I haunt her. . .

Kagome looked at the white-haired young man beside her. I owe him an explanation . . . my dream, no, my nightmare . . . should I tell him? Looking more closely at Inuyasha, his eyes were hidden beneath his hair, his expression unreadable. She took a deep breath, taking the opportunity.

"I, I was in chains," Kagome whispered. Inuyasha's train of thought was broken, and his gaze turned back to Kagome.

"Yo-you were there, and so was Kikyou . . . "

Kikyou again . . . Inuyasha felt his heart break.

"She, she said that the chains were your doing, Inuyasha. . ." Kagome stopped. She turned and gazed up at Inuyasha, coffee-brown clashing with golden yellow. Inuyasha gazed down at her, unsure of what to say when suddenly, Kagome smiled.

"But I knew she was wrong. . .you would never hurt me, would you Inuyasha?" Inuyasha stared at Kagome. She never ceased to amaze him. Sitting there with a tearful smile on her face, he saw a strange emotion flicker before her eyes.

What the . . . what was that? Could it be . . .no, it couldn't be-- he abruptly stopped his thought as her smile began to fade, realizing that his silence was confusing her.

"Never, Kagome, I would never hurt you," Inuyasha said firmly, taking her in his embrace once more. He breathed in the scent of her hair as he stared at the leaves behind her head.

What . . . what was that in her eyes? It couldn't be . . . love, could it?

----------------------------------

AN: On to the next chapter . . .