I already informed you that I do not own the rights to anything involving Inu Yasha.

(Rumiko Takahashi has that glorious privilege…)

Now, I have to break some more sad news to you.

I also don't have the rights to nor have any part in writing the song,

Hemorrhage by Fuel from the album, Something Like Human.  

*sigh*

  

**Memories are just where you laid them.  Dragging waters till the depths give up there dead…**

                "Didn't you hear me bitch?  I said don't come near me…"  Inu Yasha snarled baring his white fangs.  Kagome… 

                Kagome stumbled back, almost tripping over the sheets tangled about her legs.   Her glassy brown eyes were wide with fright.  Her fever muddled mind raced, trying to discern dreams from reality.  Is…  Is this real?  Am I still dreaming?  This cannot be the real Inu Yasha…  He would never…  He has called me a bitch many times before but I can't remember him ever being so cruel…  He's even yelled at me before but, never like this… never so harsh and hateful… His eyes are so cold… like in my dream… I don't understand…

 "What's wrong?"  The words slipped from her mouth unintentionally as she thought them.  Her already obscured vision blurred with tears that threatened spill down her pale cheeks.  Tell me, Inu Yasha... 

**What did you expect to find? Was it something you left behind? **

Inu Yasha visibly stiffened, fighting the urge to either run or pull the trembling, obviously confused girl into his arms.  He growled in frustration at his cowardice.  It would be so much so much easier if she got angry at me.   His eyes flashed with disgust as he continued, "You…  You're what's wrong with me."  The hanyou deliberately mocked Kagome, his voice liberally laced with contempt. 

                The young girl swayed a bit in the wind.  Her hands twisted in her bed sheets until she could feel her nails biting into her palm.  "I don't understand…" Kagome's voice could have been mistaken for a frightened child.  She fought back the urge to cry as her mind tried to think of a reason why Inu Yasha would be so mad.  "Are you… are you angry because… of our argument?"  Looking up into the uncharacteristically cold amber eyes of Inu Yasha, Kagome continued, "Gomen…  I just…  I just wanted… to see my family…  I didn't mean to lose control…  I don't… I don't know what came over me… I shouldn't…"

                Inu Yasha looked away from Kagome, shutting his eyes and ears to her.  The sight of her was heart breaking enough, she seemed so fragile and pale that the petal laden wind would carry her off at any moment.  Her voice, so scared and lost, nearly sent him over the edge.   I can't take much more of this…  "Shut up!  I don't want your fucking apology!  I don't want to even hear you say another damned word!"

The young miko gasped and hot tears slid down her cheeks.  Her body trembled, but not from the cold night.  This isn't a dream…  I don't understand… 

                "Why, Inu Yasha?" she could not trust herself to say more than that.  Fear clutched at her heart as she stood before her one and only love.  Please, make me understand.

** Don't you remember anything I said when I said… **

                "Such a naïve bitch you are… You just don't get it do you, Kagome?" Inu Yasha cold voice cut through the air once again.  "You're so blind and gullible.  You think I came here for you…"  The hanyou stalked forward menacingly. 

                Kagome instinctively stepped back again.  Her brown eyes held Inu Yasha's.  She searched those amber globes, trying to find a trace of the half demon she once knew.   His shuttered expression, unreadable and cold, gave her no answers. 

                Inu Yasha sneered, throwing himself fully into the part he sought to play, "Look at you…  I can see it in your eyes…  You really want to believe I came here for you.  Pathetic…"

                In the midst of his verbal onslaught, Kagome whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut.  This isn't happening… 

               

                "I bet you think I'm a dream, right?" the half youkai laughed sinisterly.  Kagome…

                The young girl's eyes snapped wide open.  How did he know? 

**Don't fall away and leave me to myself…  Don't fall away and leave love bleeding in my hands… **

               

"You think I don't know how you dream at night.  I heard you whimpering like a fucking baby when I came to take the shards of the Shikon no Tama from you last night."  Lies…  Why must I lie to you?

  

                "Nani?!"  Kagome gripped her necklace defensively.  "You… you wouldn't…"  You came here last night? 

                Cracking his knuckles, his sharp claws shining in the light of the moon, "I could have last night…  I would have taken them if I didn't pity you so much…   I still could take them right now if I wanted to.  You're a weakling; even with that sit spell that old hag gave you…"

                "No…" Kagome choked.  Tears poured freely, each malice filled word the dog demon spoke tore at her heart.  Inu Yasha, what are you doing?  What do you mean pity?  I thought we were friends…

                "Keh…  Like I said I could have taken them but, I didn't.  I figured you would have found way back to Sengoku Jidai, thinking some stupid good natured thoughts… like you always do.  Besides, I don't have to do a damn thing because you will give the shards to me."

                Kagome shook her aching head vigorously in denial.  She wanted to flee from the pain he was causing her but, did not trust her legs to carry her very far. 

                "You really are as stupid as I thought you were… What?  Do you think you can defend those shards without my protection?" Inu Yasha growled angrily, his amber eyes flashing with cold fire as he spoke.

**In my hands again…  Leave love bleeding in my hands… in my hands…**      

Without your protection..?  Kagome could no longer stand his taunting and insults, "What the hell are you saying?  What do you mean Inu Yasha?  Why are you doing this?"  Her voice, raw with emotion, cracked as she spoke.

                "It's time to end this game…" Inu Yasha looked away as he spoke.  "I let it go on far too long…"  Kami, give me strength to do this…

                "Game?  What do you mean?  You aren't making any sense…" Kagome felt the anxiety inside her building.  Deep down inside, she knew where this conversation was heading.  She became frantic, as her every fear and nightmare came to life before her eyes.  No… not like this…  Kami-sama… Inu Yasha don't do it… 

                "…"

                Kagome stepped hesitantly forward, dropping the blanket.  I won't let you do this…  I can't let you do this to me…  Putting one foot in front of the other, faster and faster, she closed the distance between her and Inu Yasha.  Her mind was frantic, her eyes pleading.   Without even thinking she gripped his red haori with trembling, clammy fingers.  "Inu Yasha… please… don't…"  Her watery chocolate-brown eyes met his.  

**Love lies bleeding…**

                Inu Yasha stiffened.  He took in her scent, and that nagging sensation came back in full force.  He stared down into her pale, sweaty face.  Felt her trembling hands grip his gi.  She was so close, he could feel the heat radiating off her tense body in waves.  He could smell her sorrow, her tears, her sweat, her sickness.  It worried him but, he knew better than to show it.  He rationalized that her sickness could be cured easily as long as she stayed in her world.  He refused to drop his façade, despite his worries and instinctive need to comfort the crying girl.  There is nothing I can do for you now, Kagome.  You'll be better off when I'm gone.  The hanyou gripped Kagome's hands in his own and loosened her grip on his haori.

                In his silence, hope welled up in the young miko's heart.  When he covered her hands with his own, her heart beat erratically in her chest.  Maybe, he changed his mind.

**Oh, hold me now I feel contagious … Am I the only place that you've left to go? **

                In those few seconds, an eternity passed.  What should have been only a passing moment, dragged by in slow motion.  The sakura blossoms whirled faster in sharp contrast to the couple's stillness.  In that fleeting moment, pain flickered across Inu Yasha's face before being replaced with anger.  His grip on Kagome's hands tightened painfully, a hateful sneer marring the hanyou's handsome features.  He pushed her away roughly with enough strength to propel Kagome backwards but not to make her fall.  The young girl gasped; first at having her hand captured in Inu Yasha's vice-like grip and then at being pushed.

                No…  Kagome stumbled further backwards as a wave of dizziness hit her.   No…  

                "I said not to touch me…" Inu Yasha growled. 

                No…  Kagome eyes focused on the ground, her face over shadowed by her bangs.  Silent sobs racked her body.  Don't do this to me.

                "Heh…  You're so weak.  Thinking of all the time I spent pretending to be your friend disgusts me."  Inu Yasha pressed on relentlessly.  "I had you going for minute, didn't I Kagome?  You thought we really had something …"

                I feel like I'm dying inside…  "Please…"

                "Please what, Kagome?" Inu Yasha spoke her name more insultingly than any curse, "You don't want hear the truth.  What is it, Kagome?  Would you rather live in your little dreamland?  You're more pitiful than I thought."

**She cries that life is like some movie in black and white…  Dead actors faking lines…**

                "I kept you around this long because you could see the jewel shards better than Miroku.  But, you're such a damn nuisance.  You never defend yourself.  You can't fight and always end up in a situation where I have to save you.  To top it off, you're so soft hearted and stupid you'd probably help the enemy like you do Kouga.  You hinder this mission more than you help."

                Kagome flinched, but did not look up.  His words washed over her painfully.  Is this how you think of me, Inu Yasha?

                "I'm getting tired of babysitting.  You wouldn't know half the shit I went through just forcing myself to be near you."  Inu Yasha's voice hardened to ice, "I had to pretend you were Kikyo most of the time just to stomach you.  But, you aren't Kikyo…  You are just a poor, faulty copy… "

                No…  Kagome felt like she was either going to faint or get sick as her stomach lurched.  She shook her head in denial. 

**Over and over and over again, she cries… **

                She's not even fighting me.  Gods, Kagome…  Why are you taking this from me?  Get mad…  Scream Osuwari… Do anything but let me run you over like this… "How could you think I could ever love some one as weak and useless as you?  Are you serious?"

                "…no…" Kagome whispered in a raw choked voice.  How could you be so cruel?  I can't believe you could say these things to me…

                "I never loved you…  I never was your friend…  I took pity on you because I could see that you liked me.  I was kind of flattered at first."

                "…No…"  Kagome spoke louder, trying to clear her fever muddled mind.  His words boomed in her ears in surround sound.  "I never loved you…  I never was your friend…"

**Don't fall away and leave me to myself…  Don't fall away and leave love bleeding in my hands…**

                "Now, it's annoying.  The way you get all jealous of Kikyo.  You've got the gall to get mad at me when I go after her, as if you compare to her in some way…  You mean nothing to me… except for the jewel…  I thought you were a sure fire way to get the Shikon no Tama…  I was very wrong.  After all, you are the one who broke the damn jewel in the first place." Inu Yasha's voice was raw from yelling and his throat constricted painfully as he forced the hateful words from his mouth.  Looking at Kagome made him want to cry for her.  She was folding in on herself, as if in pain.  Her shoulders shook with sobs that she would not let escape her lips.  His hands reached out to her before he realized what he was doing.  He stopped his betraying limbs in midair cursing silently. 

                Kagome stood, head bowed and shoulders slumped.  She had trouble remembering to breath.  I knew I may lose you one day but I never thought it would be like this.  I never thought it would be you… never thought you would hurt me… 

                Inu Yasha exhaled a shuddering breath before he went on.  His whole spiel dragged more life from his body with each word.  "So that's why…  I think it's time to end this…"

**In my hands again…  Leave love bleeding in my hands… in my hands…**

                Kagome's head shot up as Inu Yasha spoke the words that would strike the final blow.  "no…  no…  no…" Her voice was but a mere whisper, her eyes and ears took it all in but her heart still could not believe.

The hanyou resisted the urge to flinch as he saw the wounded chocolate brown eyes of his beloved Kagome.  He closed his amber eyes tight as he continued, "I don't want to be near you anymore…"

"No… No… No…"  Kagome's pleas became more urgent.  She clapped her hands over her ears trying to drown him out. 

                "I don't want to see your face…  You got that, Kagome!  It's over…" 

                For Kagome, time did stop.  The wind, the cherry blossoms, Inu Yasha…  They all just froze.  The young girl's voice caught in her throat as her heart seemed to shatter in her chest. 

 **Love lies bleeding …**

                Inu Yasha turned away from Kagome stiffly, his silver hair blowing in the wind.   He walked back toward the well house.  It's done… I can't look back now… 

                She tried to go after him but fell hard on her knees in the grass, gasping painfully.  Her body would not move.  With her last ounce of strength Kagome let out raw, sob broken cry, "No…  Inu Yasha, please don't leave me!"  Her arms reached out to his retreating back. 

                Inu Yasha refused to look, using the last of his willpower to open the door.  He spoke one last time, "When you're ready, bring the shards of the Shikon no Tama…  Don't make me wait to long…"  With he walked into the darkness of the small shack.  Goodbye Kagome…

                Kagome Higurashi lay helpless and alone in the courtyard of her family shrine.   She whimpered as she felt the surge of energy pass through her body, signaling that Inu Yasha passed through the well to his era.  "Don't leave me alone…" she whimpered before her body was racked by violent sobs.  Folding in on herself completely, she sobbed as if there was no tomorrow.  It doesn't matter if tomorrow comes.  I have no reason to go on…

**And I watched as you turn away…  You don't remember but, I do…  You never even tried…**

                Amidst the falling sakura blossoms, Kagome gave in to her fever weakened body and let unconsciousness claim her.  Then, there was darkness…

               

MUAHAHAHA  I actually finished this chapter on time.  I am so not into putting author's notes at the end of my stories.. but what the hell.  I am sorry for the harshness of the situation.  What can I say?  Inu Yasha is blunt and he has never been much of  a poet… *sigh*  Please don't flame…(sniffle)    It was hard enough to write.  I am not sure if I am totally satisfied with this chapter, but I don't know if I could add anything else to make it more convincing. I don't know about anyone else, but I was convinced enough. Don't be surprised if I change or edit a bit.  I am picky like that.  As always, I am glad to know what you think.  The next chapter,  Picking up the Pieces, will be posted… someday…  LOL  I haven't even started it yet (blush) .   Anyways..   Oh yeah… *ahem*  THIS IS A KAGOME/ INUYASHA FANFICTION.  Just in case anyone was wondering.  Heh… I know it doesn't look like it right but , I promise I will make it up to you.  Just hang in there with me.  Every storm has a sunny or at least partly sunny day to follow.  I think I'm done ranting now… 

"I receive light therefore, I give light"

Megami no Akari

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