Chapter 4- The Dream

Inuyasha was pacing again. This time, Inuyasha and his traveling companions were camped deep in the heart of the woods. Everyone was tired and hungry and yet they still had to deal with Inuyasha. Two weeks had passed and they found no sign of Kagome.

No matter where they looked or who they asked, nothing ever turned up. Sango and Miroku understood how the Hanyou was feeling, but Shippou on the other hand, thought it was all Inuyasha's fault and never missed a moment to remind him of it.

"Damn it! It's been two whole weeks! Where the FUCK is she?" Inuyasha growled impatiently.

The group searched every crevice of the area and almost every surrounding area. Her scent and no tracks were to be found from her. Inuyasha was constantly yelling at the others and bopping Shippou on the head. He knew that whenever she came back, he would pay for that. But his incessant prattling was annoying him.

"Inuyasha! It's not fair. Why do I gotta be stuck with YOU!" Shippou cried out.

Inuyasha growled at him bopped him on his head as he ran past him. Leaving behind a starry eyed Shippou. Inuyasha ran and ran. He had no idea where he was going. He just needed to be alone. To think about what to do next. He missed Kagome so much that he felt his heart would explode. He stopped at a large tree and jumped high into the branches.

As soon as he settled down into one of the highest branches, he looked over the forest around him. Him and his group had been every where at least twice, and they couldn't find her. He dreaded to think that she might be dead. But something told him that she wasn't. There just wasn't anyway that she was dead, he would have known.

Afternoon quickly faded into the night and the only still on the Hanyou's mind was Kagome. Memories of their past flooded his mind until he could see nothing but her. It was true that in the past he also loved Kikyo, but Kikyo is dead. The corpse walking around now is just that, a corpse. Kagome taught him to love again; she healed him, made him believe in something again. He believed in her. Kagome wasn't selfish in her decisions and helped anybody, anyway, that she could. It was fate that brought the Hanyou and the Human Kagome together, and it was fate that would keep them together as well.

Inuyasha's Dream

He was running again. This time he was chasing her, chasing his Kagome. He'd found her, somehow. Sitting all alone in front of the God Tree, hugging her knees to her chest. Though something was different. When he walked up to her, she looked at him and tears filled her eyes. Then she ran from him.

"Kagome? Come back?"

Inuyasha took off running after her. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch up. Every now and then she would look back and he could see the looks of sadness on her face.

"Why is she so sad? Why won't she stop running from me?" He said quietly. Still chasing her.

Then, she stopped.

She slowly turned around and put up her hand to stop Inuyasha from coming to her.

'What is going on?' Inuyasha thought.

"You really think I would just come back to you. After what you did. After you chose her over me? Not this time Inuyasha." Kagome's voice was cold and lifeless, much like his old love.

"Kagome? What are you talking about?"

"You play innocent, yet you know. Look!"

Kagome pointed to her left and a large image of him popped up out of no where. He saw only his back, but there was something else. He turned to ask her what it meant.

"Keep looking. Do not look away Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice thundered.

Reluctantly, he looked back at the image. The picture turned and he saw himself holding a woman in his arms. He remembered this now. It came back to him like knock on the head. But, the picture he was seeing was wrong. In the picture, he was holding and kissing, Kikyo.

"Kagome. This is not how it happened."

Don't lie to me anymore Inuyasha. I know you love her. So be with her."

"But you're wrong Kagome. Don't you remember? It was YOU I was kissing in that forest. YOU! Not her."

Kagome looked at him with surprise in her eyes.

"I would remember if I did Inuyasha. It's only something that I've long for, oh, for about as long as I've known you!" She said sarcastically.

"Kagome."

Inuyasha looked at the image again. That's when he noticed it. The image was at an angle, as if he were being spied on. A single hand held the tree bark that the person was hiding behind. The he realized what it was.

"Kagome? Is that, what you saw?"

Kagome nodded and fresh tears filled her eyes.

"I came to find you and when I did, that's what I saw. I was so hurt, I just ran and ran and never wanted to look back again."

"But Kagome! You've got it all wrong. Oh I wish there was an easy way to explain this!" Inuyasha said laughing.

"Why are you laughing Inuyasha?"

"Because! Don't you see"

Inuyasha was cut off as something came up behind Kagome and grabbed her by her neck. Darkness filled the area as another familiar scent reached Inuyasha's nose.

"Inuyasha! Have you chosen her over me?"

"Kikyo? What do want here? Haven't you caused enough trouble?" Inuyasha's voice came out strained and weak.

"My little trap worked perfectly. It got rid of the girl and now your mine to take to hell." Kikyo said, still holding Kagome by the throat.

"Let her go Kikyo. I won't let her suffer because of you." Inuyasha said getting angry.

"HA! Since when have you ever been able to stop me Inuyasha? You can't hurt me."

Inuyasha watched as Kikyo took an arrow out of nowhere and stabbed it completely through Kagome's chest.

"NO!"

Inuyasha ran and grabbed Kagome from Kikyo's grasp and laid her gently on the ground. Blood was pooling around Kagome's body and Kikyo laughing in mockery in the background.

"She will never really be yours Inuyasha!" Kikyo said laughing.

Rage began to build inside Inuyasha, Kikyo's laughing making him even angrier.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry." Kagome's voice was weak as her life was draining from her body.

Kagome took his hand in hers and held to her chest as she died. Then the only Inuyasha knew, was blind raging anger. He could feel everything within him tell him to and kill Kagome's killer. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't kill Kikyo. They both knew that.

"I told you. You can't kill me Inuyasha. Just give up and come with me." Kikyo's laughter filled the area once again.

"I can't. I choose to go with Kagome." Inuyasha said.

End Dream

The next thing he knew, Inuyasha was back in the tree. Drenched in sweat, and breathing hard.

"A dream."

Inuyasha took a deep breath and noticed that sun was beginning to come up. He decided that he needed to get the others and find Kagome. He jumped out of the tree and landed quietly on the ground. Not wasting anytime, he took off looking for the three he left the night before.

NEXT CHAPTER:

"Kagome? Is something wrong?" Kouga's voiced was laced with his obvious worry.

"I'm fine. I guess, for the first time. I really do miss Inuyasha. He hasn't come for me, so I know he doesn't care. I just can't help but feel bad about it."

Kouga took her hands and pulled her onto his lap.

"Your worth more than you will ever know Kagome. The fact that he hasn't figured that out is proof enough that he doesn't deserve you."