Disclaimer: Waaahaa! Why do you people insist on reminding me I do not own InuYasha or any part of it!
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III. Darker Shades of Night

It was beginning to grow dark, and Kagome still hadn't returned to where the foursome waiting for her, sitting very impatiently. InuYasha had grown restless and annoyed, and Shippou was sleeping in Sango's lap as she stroked the hair on his small forehead, giving a sigh.

Miroku was standing up, his back against the same tree Sango had her back against, except sitting down. Anticipation was filling the air, along with worry for Kagome and when she was going to return. Shippou of course had insisted going to look for her and even InuYasha wised up and seconded the motion before scowling and insisting it was only because she had 'probably had gotten lost, being the idiot she was.'

Sango had certainly sensed that since she had been gone for so long, she probably needed to be alone. Then again, she never was gone so long when she was having problems with Miroku or Kohaku. Usually at the most she had known herself to be gone for half an hour or so…but Kagome had been gone all day…

Miroku looked over towards InuYasha, seeing a look of deep concern on his face as he sat with his arms crossed. InuYasha looked over to Miroku, returning the glance with somewhat of a sneer before heaving a sigh and standing up.

"InuYasha…" started Sango.

"I don't give a damn what you say about not bothering her. I'm going to look for her." InuYasha shot at Sango.

"I never said for you not to go. In fact…I think we should go look…."

"No. You three stay here. This is something I think I should do."

Miroku nodded at InuYasha as if telling him he should've done it a long time ago, but now was as better as anything. InuYasha raised an eyebrow before Miroku beckoned him off with his hand.

"Be careful, InuYasha." Sango said softly.

"Keh, I should be saying that to you." InuYasha snapped before leaping off into the woods.

"Miroku? You don't think Kagome is in trouble so you?"

"I didn't sense an aura of death…" Miroku said looking down at her. "Then again it's not like her to be gone so long." Sango gave a nod and looked down at the sleeping fox youkai in her lap, worried for Kagome and almost sure something was wrong.

By this time, InuYasha was quite far into the forest, in a desperate search for Kagome, a look of determination on his face he didn't show in front of the others. But the determination was struck by fear as well. Fear that the girl he loved wasn't well, or hurt, or…

'No. Kagome's stronger than that. She wouldn't give in…she's not completely helpless…'

Then something stopped InuYasha dead in his tracks…a scent he had never forgotten but almost dreaded at this point, knowing she despised her…

"Kikyou's scent…she was here…" InuYasha walked slowly now, knowing she was here a while back, praying she didn't lay a hand on her or harm her. Of course, Kikyou's rage against her had grown ever since she was alongside him to kill Naraku…and that she was the one that had been at his side…that had set him free.

And then his foot hit something. Something soft that didn't move, that seemed dead… Dreading to look down, InuYasha did, only to find what he had been dreading now lay at his feet. Over come with shock, he shook his head and closed his eyes a moment.

'No, no…it's not true, she's not dead, she can't be…'

He kneeled down to her body, hot burning tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Damn it Kagome…you can't leave me…I need you…" he began to whisper, letting his hand come in contact with the flesh on her arm. At once he noticed the icy cold feeling she had given off. Startled at it, InuYasha gave a short flinch, expecting her to be warm.

It felt odd to him, that he couldn't smell death or blood, and here lie Kagome…dead…

He shook, looking down at her, fighting back tears he did not want to leak. But it was for Kagome's sake…Kagome's sake that he was about to cry… He reached for her hand, taking it in both of his and gripping it hard, not wanting to let her go.

…but now, it was just too late.

InuYasha closed his eyes hard, wanting to blank out everything. He longed to see the liveliness in Kagome's eyes once again. Her soft smile on her face that gleamed with innocence so undeserving of what she had now become – lifeless. A tingle went down his spine as he kept remembering that she was dead. He didn't want to face it, he didn't want to think about it.

But on top of that…InuYasha would've thought of something to say to her than complain about food if he had known that was the last time he would hear her voice. Set on the thought that the last thing he had said to her was horrible, he couldn't help but get a horrible feeling in his gut, feeling guilty that he had treated her so horribly. And she had walked off…was it because of him? Because of what he said to her, or the way he acted?

Then again, maybe she had assumed something else completely different.

"Why didn't I come back for you sooner, Kagome…?" he said, opening his tear filled eyes and leaving his misty gaze upon her. "Did you think I had honestly left you?" he continued, asking her questions he knew she couldn't ever answer, but still.

Night had completely fell by now and the moon's light was shining down on the twosome. InuYasha's breathing was slow and soft as the cold in his hands seemed never to cease but only grow worse. "I need you. I still need you…" he continued to say to her. Still, Kagome lay not showing any sign of being alive.

Then, a quick gasp came from behind InuYasha. He whipped around to see who it was, only to find a tearful Sango with Miroku beside her, reaching to pull her into a tight embrace so she wouldn't have to look at the sight which now lay in front of them. Kirara appeared behind them, nudging against Sango's leg and giving a soft mew, knowing something was not right.

"InuYasha…is she…" Miroku asked quietly as he pulled Sango closer.

InuYasha looked away from Miroku and back to the woman he loved…still loved…

Sango's shoulders were shaking as she waited for a response, tears rolling down her face as she dreaded to hear what InuYasha might be about to say. She swallowed hard, still holding a sleeping Shippou in her arms.

Silence then filled the already dark night.

"I-" InuYasha started. Then gave a sigh, blinking remains of his tears out of his eyes. Sango tried to muffle her sobs in Miroku's robes, but wasn't having much success.

"We could take her to Kaede's hut." Miroku offered solemnly. InuYasha looked back to him and gave a nod.

InuYasha then put his right arm under her knees and his left under her upper body and picked her up, holding her tightly against him, still refusing to accept it. He turned around to Miroku and Sango, his face tearstained. "Let's go."

Sango looked to him and then to Kirara, nodding at her. Kirara seemed to understand and in a burst of flames, she turned into her full size form and shook her head. Miroku, Sango, and a still sleeping Shippou hopped on Kirara's back, but InuYasha held back, contemplating what to do.

"It's too dangerous to carry her, InuYasha." Sango said, brushing her tears away swiftly.

InuYasha didn't respond, but instead, took off in the direction of Kaede's hut, Kagome held close in his arms. He put his head close to hers, whispering to her motionless body. "You aren't dead…you can't be…"

Sango had now left the ground, on the same route InuYasha was taking to Kaede's, motionless, Miroku's arms still around her. "It'd be best not to say much to InuYasha, for your on sake." He said carefully, not wanting to provoke a fight. Sango gave a nod agreeing, still in shock, tears still continuing to run down her face.

Meanwhile below, InuYasha's mind was still racing, wishing and praying that he could once again feel Kagome's chest rise up and down, filling itself with air. To once again hear her breathe, to feel warmth spread through her body. Only now, the cold that was in Kagome's body had spread to InuYasha's, except this cold was what he felt from loosing her, the emptiness inside…how incomplete he felt without her holding on to him as he ran through the forest.

'Why did I so willingly let you go without asking anything, Kagome? How could I have been such an idiot…?' He pulled her closer still, looking ahead still. For Kagome's sake. Even if she wasn't there… 'No, she's still here, she has to be…'

Several minutes later, the group found themselves at the front of Kaede's hut, InuYasha at the front of them all. He gave the door a brief knock and saw a light fill the area, signaling Kaede was awake, and that there had been no disturbance. Lifting up the material that made up a door, Kaede's face appeared and looked out at them.

"InuYasha." She said with a bit of shock. "What do ye-"

Sango gave Kaede a solemn look as Kaede's eyes traveled to who InuYasha was holding. She gave a small nod then beckoned for them to come in, holding open her door and standing aside. InuYasha walked in and laid Kagome by the fire Kaede had lit, placing her gently down. Sango and Miroku followed, with a smaller Kirara at Sango's feet, Shippou in her own arms.

Kaede then walked back in and knelt beside Kagome and InuYasha, closing her eyes and putting her head down, her mouth moving wordlessly. Sango was still sniffing as Miroku put her arm around her. Slowly, but surely, Kaede opened her eyes and gave a sigh, looking at InuYasha with a look of almost no expression.

"I-I sensed Kikyou near her…" InuYasha started, looking to Kaede.

"Then that would explain." Kaede returned to him, looking back at Kagome's body, grabbing for her wrist and holding it.

"Explain what?"

"The reason she isn't dead."

Silence filled the room.

"But she's motionless and isn't breathing –" Miroku started.

"But ye has a pulse." Kaede said, dropping Kagome's wrist and looking at Miroku.

"So, then, why isn't-"

"Right now, all Kagome is serving as is a lifeless shell."

Once again, there was a long pause in the room.

"Doesn't that mean she is –"

"No. It means she posses no soul, but ye is just a wanderer with no will to live."

InuYasha gave a hard swallow at this. Living with no soul to him meant that she was just as good as dead…but still, she had a pulse…she still had a heartbeat…

"So, then, how did it happen?" Sango asked softly.

"I'm not sure." Kaede said back, bowing her head.

"Can we return her soul?" InuYasha said hopefully, but in a very low voice.

"That, InuYasha, I am very unsure of."

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Well? Did you like it? I had to strain myself in order to finish it today, but I DiD iT! R&R please! Chapter 4 will be coming as soon as possible.