Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Inuyasha. He belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I am simply another obsessive fan. *Sigh.* (How I'd love to touch the furry ears . . . *giggle*.)
Author's Note: I'm going to try to make the chapters sorta short and update when I have spare time (homework's killing me!!). This is my first Inu fic and I'd love to receive reviews! This is my first fic on ff.net too. Anyways, on with the fic! Enjoy!
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"In the Crossfire" by: Jesia-chan
Prologue
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She just stood there in front of him, looking as beautiful as her mother . . . smiling, laughing . . . holding her hand out to him. He couldn't help but smile at his one-and-only daughter . . . she was all he had left and was becoming a great young woman . . . despite his influence.
But the smiles quickly faded. Her expression became full of fear and confusion. She was being taken! "Sakura . . ." he whispered painfully. He couldn't move, his throat was paralyzed, he felt helpless.
"Daddy . . . !" she cried, tears forming in her golden-amber eyes.
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He woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. 'Only a dream,' he thought. That was the third time this month he had had this horrible nightmare. He let out a relieved sigh and went to go check on Sakura.
He quietly padded out into the hallway, careful not to wake his friends, whom he and his daughter lived with. Silently he entered her room and saw her sleeping peacefully under the covers. He let out another sigh of relief and decided to stay up awhile.
He made his way into the main room, the living room. He sat down on a mat next to the window and looked up out at the moon. His face softened for a moment, just enjoying the bright, white light of the half moon. But then hardened again at the thought of the dream.
'Who would want to take Sakura? My Sakura?' Though he had been having the dream more often in the past few months, he still could not make out the face of her kidnapper. 'Who?' he thought. 'Who would do such a thing?' Naraku was dead and Sesshomaru had no interest in taking his niece because she was "an even more worthless quarter demon". He brooded a little while longer, still absently staring at the moon.
"Inuyasha?" a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. "Something wrong?"
"Miroku, what are you doing up?" Inuyasha turned to look at his friend.
"I should be asking you the same thing. But let me guess . . . the dream?"
"Hai [Yes], the dream," Inuyasha replied sullenly, his white triangular doggie ears flattened. His face turned once again, but this time to stare at the hard wood floor.
"Could you . . . see him this time . . .?"
"Iie [No], and it's driving me insane!" he hissed angrily. His fist was begging to drive itself into the floor, but for the sake of not waking anyone else, he didn't. Instead he irritably flexed his clawed fingers.
"I understand your frustration," Miroku stated calmly. "But you must not let it get to you! Sakura will be alright, it's just a dream."
There was a pause. "It's just that . . . it seems so real. I wanted so badly to help her, but I couldn't move or even breathe. I just stood there and watched her being taken away by . . ." another pause. "I don't know." Inuyasha shook his head and continued, "Who would want to take her away from me, Miroku? Who?"
Miroku took a seat next to Inuyasha and shook his head. "I can't think of anyone right off. Perhaps you are having the dream because you worry that she will become separated from you . . . like Kagome."
Inuyasha's golden-amber eyes narrowed and fought desperately to hold back tears. He had to be strong . . . for Sakura's sake, for his friends' sake.
"Or maybe . . ." Miroku continued, "because she will be fifteen soon. Practically a grown woman. Perhaps you fear that someone will want to take her as a mate too soon," he suggested.
'It's true, she's beautiful . . . just like her mother . . . Kagome,' Inuyasha thought to himself.
"By this time's standards she would be old enough, but Kagome would never forgive me if . . ." Inuyasha didn't finish his sentence.
Miroku nodded in agreement, understanding completely. Silence once again, each one hoping the other would relieve the tension by changing the subject. "Sango is due any day now," Miroku flashed a happy grin as he said this. "I hope it's a girl."
'I hope so too,' Inuyasha thought, smiling. 'I already can't stand the way Shunusuke keeps trying to hit on Sakura while he thinks I'm not looking. *Sigh.* I should've known that the son of Miroku would take on lecherous qualities.' Inuyasha couldn't help but chuckle at his thoughts.
Miroku wasn't sure what he was laughing about, but was glad that he could make his friend forget his troubles for at least a little while.
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Author's note: What did you guys think? Please review and stay tuned for the first chapter; it should be coming out soon! I will also include a description of my original characters in the author's notes of the next chapter: Sakura and Shunusuke.