Death Full Circle
Chapter 2
Waking

Kagome blinked her eyes open in the brightness of her room. Her face felt stiff and rough, as if she'd been crying, and her body ached. She tried to sit up, but a sudden wave of dizziness struck her before her head was even off the pillow.

"Kagome!" her mother cried, and Kagome opened her eyes a bit.

"...Momma..?" Her voice was so hoarse. When had she last spoken? How long had she been unconscious?

...Why had she been unconscious!

"Oh, darling. Sota was visiting the well as he has taken to doing these days, and you were draped over the side as if you'd been climbing out and fallen asleep. He called for Grandpa and I, and we brought you inside. Tell me, honey, is something wrong in the Feudal Era? You had blood on your skirt, and you were asleep for two days. You were crying."

Asleep for two days? Blood on her skirt? Something wrong in Sengoku Jidai? 'I was...'

Her thoughts came to a halt as it all came back to her in a rush. Inuyasha was dead. Sango and Miroku were dead. Naraku had killed all three of them. And she'd...she'd...

"Did I...get him?" she wondered aloud, eyes tight shut. She couldn't remember. She'd fallen in the well before she could see.

"Get who, honey? Tell me, is - " Mrs. Higurashi cut off as a child's cry was heard in the hall.

"Nee-chan!" Sota cried, running in through Kagome's open bedroom door. "You're awake! I was s-s-so-o-o w-w-wo-o-orr-rr-rried-d! " He threw himself on Kagome's bed, grasping her around the middle, before sitting up and glaring at her. "I thought you said Inu-nii-chan protected you!"

The smile that was half-formed on Kagome's face froze, and she gulped, closing her eyes. Instantly, at her brother's words, the image of Inuyasha that had been branded in her mind returned.

Her breath was suddenly short, and a tear stole down her cheek as her brother whispered, "What's wrong?"

She gulped, and when she spoke, her voice was little over a whisper.

"...He's dead..."

Her mother gasped, and Sota's hands slid back as he leaned against the wall. Kagome slowly sat up, wrapping her arms around herself. "S-sango, too..." she whimpered, biting her lip as she spoke, "...a-and M-miroku. I-I - " Tears began to fall down her cheeks, and she gulped. "I-I couldn't do anything! I-I was f-froz-zen to the sp-spot! I-I...c-couldn't even m-move! I - "

There was a gasp from the doorway, and Mrs. Higurashi turned to see three young ladies, Kagome's friends, standing there. She gulped.

"Kagome's grandfather let us in downstairs..." Yuki started, "...and we came up...I...What happened?" She gulped at the sight of Kagome on the bed, crying. She was a strong person, and it took a rather lot to make her cry, and so seeing her bawling was a slightly disturbing sight.

"We don't know." Mrs. Higurashi said, nodding her head to some chairs, indicating they could sit. "We think she was caught by some bad people the other day when she was with some friends. We found her just outside, unconscious."

"Oh god...Kagome? Kagome, what happened?" Eri asked, her face concerned as she pulled the chair closer.

Kagome gulped again, and said thickly, "They're dead! They died! He killed them! All three of them!" She was crying very hard, and her voice was choked.

"Who?" Yumi asked quietly. "Who were you with?"

"Sango...and Miroku...and...We were supposed to meet Inuyasha, but he didn't show up, so we went looking for him, and he was in the alley...he was dead...and then he came...and he killed them, I know he did! He killed Sango and Miroku...and he admitted he killed Inuyasha!" Her tears started fresh.

"Oh, Kagome!" Eri reached out and enveloped her friend in a hug. They sat there for a while, and both Mrs. Higurashi and Sota left. They all remained quiet with Kagome until Eri finally whispered, "Tell us, Kagome. Who are they? Sango and Miroku and Inuyasha? Who are they?"

sniff, sniff "Inuyasha's the guy I told you about..." Her audience gasped, but she moved on. "...And Sango and Miroku are just my friends..."

"Oh!" Yumi cried, and both she and Yuki leaned in and hugged their friend as well. She was going to need all the love she could get! Her two-timing boyfriend-to-be had been killed!

"Are you sure you're ready to go back to school, Kagome?" Yuki asked, concerned, as her friend brushed out her hair.

Kagome sighed. "Yeah, I'm sure. I mean, the world is still turning, right? Everyone else still has to go to school, so why should I get another day off?" She wasn't as happy and excited as usual, but she wasn't exactly acting depressed.

Her friends had come over early to see her before they went to school, and had been surprised that she'd been getting ready for school herself. They were glad she was feeling better, sure, but afraid she might be pushing things.

But, of course, they ought to get her mind off depressing things, hadn't they?

"We'd better give you the scoop about school, then!" Eri cried. "There're three new students at school, in our class! Two of them are really cute boys, and one's a pretty girl! They're nice, except one of the boys is mean and all depressed."

"They just showed up at school the day before we came over." Yumi added.

Yuki leaned over and grinned. "The girl and the nice boy are great at studies! They're really smart and they do all their homework right! The jerk drags his ass, but does pretty well on the tests."

Kagome sighed. Back to gossip and high school and teenage girlfriends. She smiled sadly.

Oh well. Take what you can get.

Kagome smiled a little as she heard the school bell ring. She and her three friends were making their way to their classrooms, and Kagome was glad. Even if she had been going here for nearly forever, today she felt as though she would get lost.

When she realized they'd reached the classroom, her friends went in ahead of her, taking their seats. She glanced around, glad to see all the familiar faces.

And then she started so bad she dropped her bag.

Pencils went everywhere, and her books scattered across the floor, but she paid no heed as she stared at the person who'd startled her so. And he looked up at the noise, gaze first catching on her pack and spilled supplies, and then lifting up to her face. His eyes widened, too, as he stared at the startled expression she was wearing.

She gulped, and as her heart beat faster and her breath caught, she whispered, "Inuyasha..?"