AN: Sorry I took longer than usual to write this chapter, but I spent a lot of time partying, and then recuperating from said partying. I am back now, yay! Let the insanity ensue! HAPPY READING AND ENJOY!

coyotesabre: Thank you for such a nice review. I hope you think this chapter is just as captivating.

Kawaii-KiWi-Girl: I really appreciate your review it was a very nice one. There are a lot of good stories out there, but I'm glad you like mine so much.

ejqHorseLady: I hope this stops the wondering about the last chapter, but I think this one raises questions of its own. I hope you like it.

The One above All: I'm sorry the last chapter was so short. I was tempted to make this one just as short, but your review prevented me from doing so; I would have felt bad.

Chris: You are such a flatterer. Keep it up! lol.

Disclaimer: It's a lie, I really do own Inuyasha. I let Rumiko Takahashi have all the attention because I don't like fame. Yeah, that's it.

Love Isn't Just a Memory

Chapter Eighteen: Dream a Little Dream

By: Nimerin

Kagome opened her eyes and was greeted by nothing but gray. A thick tangible gray that seemed to suffocate her and left her motionless. Her eyes widened in shock and fear, "Wasn't I just in my room? Is this a dream?" As she pondered her predicament she began to struggle up onto her feet and gazed around. "Gray for as far as my eyes can see."

A pale pink light started to surround her and push away the thick fog that enveloped the girl. Kagome raised her now glowing hands and observed them in wonder, "I'm glowing; I'm a living Light Bright!" She giggled at her reference to her childhood toy and went back to looking around at her surroundings. Since the light had begun shining, things began to appear around her.

About thirty feet in front of her there was a large wooden door with intricate carvings. She couldn't make out the carvings from this distance so she decided to investigate it from a closer distance. As she neared the door, she was able to make out the design. A large tree covered the entire space of the door. A carving of a bow and arrow was in the leaves of the tree on the left while on the right was a large sword. Both were pointed downwards, towards six figures seated at the base of the tree. The figures looked remarkably similar to her new houseguests and herself. Above their heads was a large circular object that was drawn to give the illusion of a glowing orb.

When Kagome was close enough, she reached out a hand to tentatively trace the carvings. The first thing her hand laid upon was the branch of the tree. An image immediately flashed before her eyes, and she pulled away in shock. It had been too quick for her to discern anything from the image, but she felt a sense of urgency sweep through her. It scared her, but it also made her extremely curious; and everyone knows curiosity conquers fear faster than any force known to man. She once again traced the carving of the branches this time willing herself not to pull away.

A scene flashed before her eyes, and it was as if she was watching it in a dual screen television. One point of view was her own, and the other was that of a bystander. She was trapped up against the Goshinboku by and ugly looking creature and she was clinging to a disgruntled Inuyasha with an arrow in his chest. He was telling her something, but she couldn't make it out, it was as though the scene was on mute. She then watched herself pull the arrow out and it disappear before she was snapped back to reality. She stood before the door gaping in shock. That had definitely been her and Inuyasha, but she didn't remember that happening. The others had told her the story about how she and Inuyasha met, and it resembled the scene she had just witnessed, "Was that a memory, or the product of an over creative mind?"

She reached out again, anxious for a repeat of what she had just seen; but was disappointed. No images appeared and she was left frustrated. "Well, fine then, be that way! I will just have to touch another carving then." True to her statement she reached out and her hands skimmed the bow and arrow. Several images flew by: her firing a glowing arrow at a tall demon that resembled Inuyasha and shattering his armor, her blowing away half of a man with one arrow, and several others. Kagome quickly pulled her hand away, "Wow, I didn't know I was capable of doing things like that!"

The next object she traced was the giant sword opposite of the bow and arrow. She watched herself pull a rusted sword out of a stone, she also saw it transform at the hands of Inuyasha to protect her from various demons, and the final image was of the sword slung over Inuyasha's shoulder with the sun rising in the background (think the noh mask episode). Kagome smiled warmly, "No wonder I always feel so safe around him. These really are my memories. Well, at least some of them."

Kagome then turned her attention to the people seated at the base of the tree. When she traced the image of Kirara she saw many of the fire neko's transformations, rescues, and petting sessions. Next came the memories of Shippo: saving him from the Thunder Brothers, his warm greetings whenever she returned from her time, and his nightly cuddling when they went to sleep. Miroku's carving revealed images of the Kazaana, his repeated groping attempts, various acts of bravery, and his slightly less then honorable attempts at swindling villagers. Sango's image brought out memories of her impressive demon exterminating skills with her hirakotsu, the hot spring visits, and the little girl talks they shared. The memories of Inuyasha dealt mostly with their tender moments and numerous 'sits', but the occasional scene of him as a full demon or full human popped in there too. When she touched the carving of herself it showed her leaping through the well, various villagers she assisted, and facing a woman who looked eerily similar to her which made the bottom of her stomach drop out.

Kagome was so happy with the sudden rush of information that she was receiving that she failed to notice the ominous gray mist that had been creeping up on her the entire time. A chill traveled down her spine, but she ignored it and focused on the fact that she was getting her memories back. She knew there were much more then this and she wanted to know how to get the rest of them back. "Perhaps they lay beyond this door?" Kagome looked for a handle on the door but she found none. Perplexed, she began pushing on it to see if it would open up that way, but failed in that endeavor as well. Frustrated, she glared at the door willing it to open on its own. The door did not obey, but she did notice the one carving she had forgotten about; the glowing orb in the center.

She suddenly became entranced with the orb, and the orb almost seemed to glow in response; Kagome blinked when she realized this, "But, it's a carving, how could it be glowing?" She rubbed her eyes to try and clear them and looked again, it was still glowing. Kagome shrugged and touched the image. She was immediately bombarded with image of Mistress Centipede ripping it out of her stomach, followed by her trying to keep Inuyasha from stealing it from her. It then flashed to the scene of her firing her arrow at the crow and the jewel shattering. The final image was of a cave with a mummified miko. When she snapped out of the trance she let out the breath she wasn't even aware she had been holding, "Shikon no Tama."

The gray fog that had been slowly creeping up on her began to rush at her as soon as the words slipped past her lips. The noise it made caught Kagome's attention and she turned to face it. Her eyes widened in surprise and fear; there was no where to run and the door refused to open for her. She was trapped.

The door she had been observing opened up behind her, and a shadowed figure grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her inside. It shut the door quickly and effectively blocked the fog. Kagome put a hand up to her chest and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. "That was a close call," she turned to face her rescuer shrouded in darkness, "thank you for getting me out of there." The figure gave a slight nod as a way of acknowledgement.

Kagome looked around her at the new surroundings and found it all to be a white expanse. Oddly enough, despite the light colored surroundings, it was not bright. One had to actually focus on their surroundings to even realize what they were. What really struck Kagome as odd was that her rescuer remained shadowed in this place despite the lack of darkness. "Who are you?"

"When you are ready you will see," the figure cryptically replied, "Until then I shall be as a shadow."

"What do you mean when I am ready? Ready for what?" Kagome inquired.

"You will know you are ready when you no longer have to ask that question." Kagome could have sworn the person was smiling at this point.

"Well that sure explains a whole lot." She replied sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. The voice did not respond to her comment so Kagome took it upon herself to keep the conversation flowing, "Where am I?"

"You are dreaming."

Kagome frowned, "So everything I saw on the door was a figment of my imagination?"

"No, those were a few of many memories. Just because you are dreaming does not mean that you can not access your memories."

"Why haven't I been able to see my memories until now?"

The figure's voice became heavy with concern, "They are being kept from you; even now you can not see some of them."

"Why would anyone want to keep something like that from me?"

"Because they are the key; they are such a large part of your soul that to get what they want they must prevent you from remembering them."

"Who is 'they'?" Kagome was now officially confused.

"I do not know. All I know is that they are extremely powerful and it is has taken a lot of me to keep fighting them." The figure suddenly seemed very weary, "I have had to expend a lot of energy just to get you here. I can not keep it up much longer."

Kagome was worried, "No! Please, don't give up yet! I want to remember!"

The figure responded gently, "I know you do; and I will not give up. I do, however, need for you to start making a conscious decision to fight this off."

"How do I do that?"

"Just keep trying to remember, even when you are too tired."

"I have been." Kagome replied defensively.

"I know you have been trying to remember, but when you feel as though you might pass out you usually just give in. You can no longer do so; it allows the spell to take a deeper hold and drain you further."

"I don't know how long I can keep myself from passing out though."

"Your friends can help you with that. They are strong and they are worried about you. They will not let you go without a fight."

"You seem to know an awful lot about all this stuff."

"I know what I need to know to keep you as safe as I can. I am not yet powerful enough to do this on my own. Perhaps if we had been given a few more months this spell could have been prevented from taking foothold."

"We?" Kagome questioned suspiciously, "Just what do you mean by we?"

The figure laughed, "You have begun to understand. Perhaps it is time for you to see."

"You're going to show yourself now?" she asked hopefully.

"I believe now is the appropriate time."

Kagome watched apprehensively as the figure was slowly revealed in the light. When all of the shadows fell away Kagome's hand flew to her face as she gasped, "But you are..."

AN: Another chapter for you. Sorry for another cliffhanger, but I thought you might have some fun guessing who the mysterious person could be. Then again, if you are any where near as curious as me it might just eat you alive. Hmmm... well that's a predicament. PLEASE REVIEW AND THANK YOU FOR READING!