Serenity sat in a small room in the dark. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise" those words Inu-yasha told her rang in her head. "He promised...I know I'll be safe again, but I can only hang on so much longer" whispered serenity. The unmistakable sound of something being sharpened was heard. Serenity cringed, she knew her time was running out. She looked out of a window with bars on it, it was dark, but stars filled the sky. "Huh ? Whats that ?" said serenity. She saw something that looked like a snake flying in the sky, soon more of them came. "Flying snakes ? Why are they here ?" thought serenity.

"Are you sure you saw her here ?" asked Inu-yasha. "Yes, I saw 2 people really mess her up" responded a woman. "Do you think we should trust her ?" asked Kagome. "Shes the only person who called in about finding Serenity, shes our best lead" said Inu-yasha. Kagome nodded. "Whats your name ?" asked Inu-yasha. "KikyoNakitama" the woman said. Inu-yasha buried his face in his hands, nearly crying. "I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to her" thought Inu-yasha. "She has to be alive, I love her too much too lose her now" said Inu-yasha softly.

The sharpening sounds began to subside, the and sounds of footsteps coming closer to the closet serenity was in. "time to get that cocaine out of you" said Naraku as he opened the door slowly. Serenity was backed into a corner, she was shivering. Naraku grabbed her and laid her stomach down on the floor. He took the sharpened knife and cut serenity's shirt right down the middle. "Please don't cut me open !" pleaded serenity.

Naraku brought the blade up to serenity's neck and cut her slightly. "Be a good little hanyou and shut-up" sneered Naraku. Serenity watched the blood from her neck pool onto the floor in a crimson puddle. Naraku felt around serenity's side and felt where he needed to slice her open. He pressed the sharpened end of the knife onto her side slowly, enjoying serenity's blood-chilling screams.

Serenity tried to break free, but Naraku was too strong and was holding her down. "This should stop you from moving !" said Naraku as he raised the knife and cut serenity deep in her back where her spinal cord was. Serenity screamed in agony, she felt her lower body go numb.

Naraku's twisted smile got sicker as he resumed cutting serenity's side open. After going deep enough, he reached his hand into her and felt around, causing even more wails to come from serenity. "I feel it, now to yank it right out" thought Naraku. Naraku closed his hand around the rock of cocaine and pulled.

Serenity was nearly knocked out from all the pain of her insides being literally pulled apart, all she could do was sob her heart out. Naraku was getting impatient, why weren't the narcotics coming out. He drew a conclusion, the cocaine had embedded into her body almost permanently over the years.

"Looks like I'll have to kill you right now in order to get what I want !" yelled Naraku as he raised the knife up again. Serenity's mind raced, she didn't wasn't to die, she wanted to see her father again. She brought her hand up and closed her eyes, knowing this was no defense and was about to be killed.

After a few seconds, Serenity was wondering why she hadn't been sliced into mincemeat yet. She opened her eyes and gasped at what she saw. Naraku was on the floor and looked as if he had been burned, in fact, his clothes were still on fire. He had been pushed back and burned by something, but what ?

Then Serenity saw one of the flying snake-like creatures come in through the barred window. "st-stay back, don't hurt me !" cried serenity. The creature wrapped around serenity and held her tightly. "Whats this ! Whats happening !" thought serenity.

The snake flew towards the window again with serenity entangled in its long body. "I won't fit through those bars ! Put me down !" shouted serenity. Instead of putting her down, the creature flew out of the window and serenity phased right through it. Serenity couldn't believe it, had she really just gone through solid bars ?

Kikyo looked into the distance and sighed. "My soul collectors haven't found her" she said. "They killed her...I just know it, my poor daughter is dead and it's all my fault !" wept Inu-yasha. "Inu-yasha...it's not your fault, you tried to stop Serenity from being taken away, which proves that you are not to blame" said Kagome, who was crying as well. "Dry your tears, look" said Kikyo.

Inu-yasha looked up and saw one of Kikyo's soul collectors flying towards them, but what made him really stare was what it was wrapped around. "Serenity, that's her ! We found her !" exclaimed Inu-yasha. The soul collector let Inu-yasha take hold of serenity before it flew off again.

Inu-yasha was overjoyed to see his daughter again, but that lasted for only a second. Serenity's crimson blood was covering his hands, arms, and his clothes. "Serenity, what happened to you !" shouted Inu-yasha. "Im sorry for getting my blood on your clothes, please don't cut me open" whispered serenity. Inu-yasha's eyes widened, he saw that serenity had been cut open, rather deeply in fact.

"We have to get her to a hospital Inu-yasha !" shouted Kagome. "A few miles away is a hospital, go there" said Kikyo. Inu-yasha nodded and ran off with Kagome towards town. "Thank you Kikyo, I'll never forget you !" called Inu-yasha as he kept running. Kikyo smiled a bit and walked off into the forest with her soul collectors lighting the way though the dark paths.

(at the hospital)

Inu-yasha ran into the emergency room and Kagome went to the check in counter. "you stay with serenity for now" said Kagome. Inu-yasha nodded and held serenity closer to him. "Inu-yasha, it hurts...it hurts so bad" said serenity weakly. "im sorry I let this happen Serenity, please hang in there, your gonna be fine" said Inu-yasha.

"Inu-yasha, they're going to take her into the operating room now" said Kagome. Inu-yasha carried serenity into the halls of the hospital to the operating room. serenity clung to Inu-yasha tightly. "you're going to be fine Serenity, don't be scared" said Inu-yasha. serenity nodded and closed her eyes, feeling Inu-yasha's comfort through the pain she was enduring. "I hope you're right" thought serenity.

To be continued...