A/N: Hey everyone! I kind of reset my account…and this is a new story for you guys. Please read and review! I hope you like it!

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My Only Hope
Chapter One

"Kagome, why are you leaving so fast? What about Hojo? What about us? You promised us that you would be coming along with us today!" Eri whined.

Kagome paused, swinging her overstuffed yellow bag over one shoulder as she did so. She sighed. "I can't. I'm sorry. Something came up at home, and it's really important, and I have to go home."

Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi looked at her with confusion on their faces. "What happened?"

Kagome shrugged. "I can't…tell you guys." She whispered.

Eri blinked. "I thought you said you could tell us anything? We're your best friends. What is it that you need to hide from us so badly?"

"I can't…" began Kagome.

"Hello, Kagome."

Kagome's mouth dropped open. She blinked once…twice…but she was not hallucinating. Naraku was standing there. Waiting for her. In her time. At her school. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Kagome, who is that?" Yuka whispered. "He's cute!"

Kagome's skin turned green. "No, he isn't!" She took several steps backwards. "What are you…doing here?" she choked.

"I'm here to pick you up from school. Are you coming?" he smirked, grabbing her firmly by the arm.

Kagome gasped. "Okay. I'll go. Just…don't hurt them…" she whispered pleadingly.

"They're coming with us."

Kagome's eyes grew wide. "Inuyasha will…"

"He'll what? He's not here, is he?" Naraku smirked. He smiled at her friends, who wore surprisingly blank expressions, and obviously hadn't heard a word of Naraku's threats. "Why don't you three come along? Today is a special day for the family…"

"Hojo will be mad." Eri whispered.

"He'll live." Smiled Yuka. "Let's go."

"No…" Kagome whispered. "No. Stay here. This is my problem. Please, just…go to the movies. Please don't come…"

"They were invited." Naraku growled. "Come, Kagome."

Naraku dragged her along. They were several feet in front of her friends, who were huddled in a small circle whispering to one another.

"They don't know about the well. How do you plan to get them to follow you then? What are you doing?" Kagome demanded of him. "Do you have some sort of fascination with ticking Inuyasha off?"

"He's not here, is he? He is preoccupied with Kikyou. He doesn't even know I'm here, and right now, he doesn't care."

Kagome's heard fell into her stomach. "What did you do?" Kagome thought about it a moment. Naraku couldn't kill Kikyou…could he?

"I may not be able kill her, miko, but that does not mean that Kagura can't." Naraku whispered, as if reading Kagome's mind. Her pale skin paled even more.

"Inuyasha…she couldn't have…you son of a…" Kagome yelped in pain.

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Kagome stared at the well house. "Yuka…Eri…Ayumi…go home now. Please…"

"Why are we standing outside your well house, Kagome?" Eri asked.

"Because that's where we're going." Naraku answered.

"To the well house? That makes no sense. What's in there?"

"Go inside. Now." Commanded Naraku. He jerked on Kagome's arm, and she groaned in pain.

"Kagome!" her friends yelped. "Don't hurt her! We'll go!"

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"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" screamed Inuyasha, punching the ground with his fist to the point of causing pain. "I can't believe this! I'm sorry…I let it happen again. I promised I'd protect you, and I let it happen again! I'm so sorry…" Inuyasha cursed practically everything that moved or breathed before he stood. "Kaede, leave me alone, please. I need to be alone for a while…"

"Inuyasha, Kikyou was already dead. She's been dead." Kaede whispered. "She doesn't blame you for this. She didn't want to live like that…She learned the truth before she died again. You should have comfort in that. Right now, you need to be worried about Kagome…"

Inuyasha shrugged. "She knows where the well is."

"That's not what the old woman was talking about, you dense fool." Growled Sesshoumaru. "Can't you smell it, or has your nose failed you again?"

Inuyasha's eyebrow rose. "What the hell are you…?" Inuyasha sniffed the air. His eyes widened. "Is that coming from…"

"The well." Sesshoumaru finished for him. "He has several other girls with her."

"No way…" gasped Inuyasha. "He went…to her time…"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "No, you idiot. I was just pointing it out as coincidence." He smiled sarcastically.

"Why didn't you do anything? Damn it! He'll kill her, Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. "Let me walk you down memory lane for a minute, brother," Inuyasha growled with venom. "Do you remember that day at father's tomb?" He paused a minute. "You know, I remembered what you said…and I didn't want to infringe on your territory…"

Inuyasha blinked. "Smart ass."

"The longer you argue, the more time Kagome and her friends spend in Naraku's company." Kaede reminded him.

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"Inuyasha isn't like that. He's not going to leave us here. You are badly mistaken if you think he isn't going to come and rearrange that smug little look on your face." Kagome spat.

"I've crushed his entire world, girl. It is you who is mistaken." Naraku laughed.

"You're wrong," Kagome yelled at him, although she could feel the tears burning her eyes. Inuyasha wasn't dead, right? Then why hadn't he come to help her and her friends yet? Naraku couldn't be right. Inuyasha wouldn't forget about her, would he?

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"I'm coming, Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed to the emptiness of the forest around him. He was trying desperately to follow his nose, but the smells of the forest and the strength of Naraku's youki was starting to confuse him. "Damn…" he growled.

"I said I'd protect you, damn it!"

Inuyasha shook the memory of the day he got his sword out of his mind. He had promised Kagome the same protection that he'd promised Kikyou. He had already failed her. Was he going to fail both of them?

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Kagome's pathetic barrier would not protect them if Naraku decided to use any effort when he attacked. As it was, he was just toying with their minds. His mind tricks were working pretty well on her friends, who were crowded behind her sobbing.

"Just give me the remaining jewel shards, and I'll let your friends go home.."

Kagome glanced at her friends. "I'm sorry," she whispered to them. She turned back to Naraku. "I am not going to give you the rest of the shards." She glared defiantly at him.

"Do you want me to hurt you? To hurt them?" he threatened.

Kagome smiled. She poured the shards out into her hand, looked at them for a moment, and then popped them into her mouth and swallowed them like she would have an aspirin. "I said I wasn't giving them to you." She smirked.

Naraku's eyes widened. "You…swallowed them? You are a stupid little girl, aren't you?" he laughed. "Now all I have to do to get to them is kill you…"

Kagome's friends quieted for a minute. Yuka spoke. "What…what is he talking about, Kagome?" she whispered shakily.

"Just…stay behind me…" Kagome warned. Come on, Inuyasha. We need help…

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A/N: Hope you liked it. I'm a fan of cliffies, so sorry about that. Please review, and I will try to update as soon as possible.