Chapter Four:

A Prophecy

o0o

Somewhere in the swirling whiteness that was Kagome's subconscious, there came a low humming noise. It was the sort of noise one heard when near a source of energy, or power. It was the charge of a current of force, and it buzzed gently and softly in her ears.

Over the noise spoke a voice and Kagome felt a pang in her chest when she realized whose it was.

"Kagome, darling…."

She sat up in the empty mist and looked about. "Mama?"

She heard a soft chuckle in response, and the light laughter seemed to not come from one particular direction, nor from around her, but rather…inside of her. "Yes, dear. Come now…it's finally time. I knew all along that you were special, that you were meant for big things. The time has come for you to stand and take your place."

Kagome crinkled her brow in confusion and searched the whiteness for a trace of her mother's face. "I don't understand. What place? And…what big things?"

She was still sitting when she saw her mother's slight figure walking toward her through the white mist. The older woman smiled gently down at her and knelt beside her. She looked exactly the same as Kagome had always remembered her, and she felt her eyes begin to blur with tears.

Her mother smiled and cupped Kagome's cheek in one hand. Her voice had taken shape, now, and echoed from the woman's figure. "You were the kindest, sweetest daughter a mother could ask for. You still are. You're self-sacrificing, you're gentle, forgiving, gracious, dedicated, faithful, and the most loving person anyone will ever encounter. You, my daughter, my dear Kagome…were meant to share your ability with the world. They need you."

Kagome let a tear roll down her cheek and sniffled softly. "Mama…I still don't understand. What ability? What am I supposed to share?"

Her mother hugged her gently and Kagome breathed in her scent. It was the same as it had always been, a gentle mixture of the smells of baking, soap, and flowers. She took in as much of it as she could, nostalgia tugging at her hurting heart.

"Your ability to love, darling. You have the uncanny and rare ability to love fully, deeply, faithfully, and without question. You look beyond past mistakes, and you look beyond outward appearances. Your love, Kagome…your love will lead the way out of the dark."

She stood and started to walk away and Kagome cried after her. "Mama, no! Don't leave me! Don't leave me again! I still need you! I don't understand."

Her mother smiled at her over her shoulder. "You will, love. And now…it's time for your journey to start. I believe in you."

She turned fully to face her once more, a look of sadness on her face. "And Kagome…it's time to move on, darling. You can't be sad forever."

Kagome hurriedly wiped back a few more tears that had trickled down her cheeks and nodded. "I'll try…for you, mama."

"That's my strong girl. Now, get going, dear. It's time to wake up."

Her mother faded from sight and Kagome gave one last choked sob before darkness overcame her, and the blinding pain came tearing back through her body.

o0o

Inuyasha's ears perked at the soft moan that wrenched itself from the throat of the girl in his lap.

There had been a brief blinding light, and suddenly it was gone, and so was the jewel, but Kagome had gone rigid with terror, screaming about the bright light, crying in pain. The others in the room had looked around at each other in confusion, because she was obviously seeing some sort of vision that they were not to take part in.

And, quite suddenly, she went completely limp. Inuyasha was immediately at her side, catching her as she toppled limply downward.

She moaned again.

The scientists rushed over immediately, telling Inuyasha to move away so that they could examine her, but for some reason, something in him refused to allow it. He glared at them when they tried to take her from his arms, and they all backed away looking at him nervously.

Inuyasha shook his head to clear the sudden bout of possessiveness that had suddenly swept over him. 'What the hell? Knock it off! She's just a stupid girl!'

The eldest cleared his throat. "Hmm…Inuyasha? Would it be ok if I check to make sure that she is alright? I won't need to move her; she can stay right where she is. I only need to check her vitals."

Inuyasha didn't respond and the old youkai stepped toward him slowly, and knelt next him. He was on the floor on his knees and he cradled the woman across his lap, her head in the crook of his left elbow. The scientist, after checking her pulse and breathing, turned to the others with an affirming nod.

"She's alright. She's only fainted."

Sesshoumaru, who stood calmly at the opposite end of the table in front of the chair he had leapt out of at the sudden burst of light, sent a sweeping glance over the room.

"Where is the jewel?"

Kouga began to search the room more methodically for the missing orb, as Kagome moaned again.

She tossed her head slightly, and it landed softly against the muscle of Inuyasha's bicep. He watched her worriedly as a tear leaked its way from under her closed eyelid.

He raised his right hand and let it hover over her face before slowly allowing it to lower. Her cheek was soft and smooth, and quite warm. He wiped the tear away a fraction of a second before her eyes fluttered open.

The most pleasant way to wake up is to open your eyes feeling refreshed, rested, and ready to take on a new day. Kagome woke up in a way that was a very close second. She was being held by a warm, strong body, and there was a large, gentle hand cupping her cheek. To top it all off, the body and hand belonged to a very attractive young man who was peering down at her worriedly with the most beautiful golden eyes she had ever seen.

While one might consider this the best way to wake, she unfortunately also had some cons to the scenario. She felt a deep throbbing pain in her chest, she felt groggy, confused, and her head hurt from the intense light she had been forced to endure.

"Meeerrrrggghh."

'Ah, yes. Intelligent conversation can begin any moment,' she thought groggily.

"What happened?"

'Yeah, that's better.' She rubbed her head with the hand not pinned between her body and Inuyasha's chest.

She looked up at him and her surprise at his concerned expression must have shown in her eyes, for he quickly masked it with irritation and quickly pushed her to a sitting position. He folded his arms across his chest, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to her. A faint blush rose across his cheeks and he stubbornly refused to meet her eyes.

"Feh. Bout damn time you woke up. What the hell's the matter with you?"

She glared at him, still massaging her temples. "You jerk! You were the one going on about how that thing wouldn't hurt me, and how I didn't have to worry!"

He swung his gaze back at her then, anger in his eyes. "Well how was I supposed to know it would do that?" He yelled back. "What I meant was that it can't purify you! You're not a youkai!"

She rubbed at the sore spot in her chest, but the pain was slowly dying away. "Yeah, you tell that to that…that…glowing orb thingy."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed but didn't argue.

Someone cleared a throat directly above Kagome and she looked up slowly from her seated position on the ground. Directly above her head she saw that Sesshoumaru had moved and was now looking directly down at her with that bland, bored look of his.

"Miss Higurashi. Where has the jewel gone?"

Kagome shrugged up at him helplessly. "I…I don't know. It was there in my hand, and then it was floating above my hand and then…big white lights, and next thing I know I'm waking up on the floor and it's gone."

She grimaced, still rubbing the sore spot on her chest, just below her collarbone. "Though I feel like I've been shot with a bullet."

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows slightly at this, and the elderly scientists suddenly broke out in frantic mumbling amongst themselves. One of them turned toward the tall demon with an anxious expression on his face. "Sir, she must be the one…there's no other explanation for it."

Sesshoumaru stared at him a moment before nodding toward the table. "Sit."

Kikyo, who had been constantly staring at Kagome, moved toward her seat. Shippou put his hand beneath her elbow and helped her up with a shy smile. "You ok?"

Kagome nodded and returned the smile. "Actually…yes. The pain is almost gone now. It just feels like…" She trailed off for a moment, searching for the words to describe the sensation. "It…it feels as though there is something inside of me that wasn't there before. But, it's not really a bad feeling. I just feel more…full." She shook her head in confusion. "I'm not really sure that makes any sense."

Kouga cleared his throat from his seat. "Perhaps if you sit down, we can explain some things to you. What you're saying makes more sense than you think."

She took her seat, and looked automatically around her, to be sure that Inuyasha was still there. For some reason she felt safer when he was around. Perhaps it was because he had saved her before? Or because he was the one who talked her into going back into the stupid room in the first place. Yeah, that was probably it. All his fault.

He was leaning with his right shoulder against the large tinted windows, gazing down at the city with a masked expression on his face. His ears, though, were alert and turned in the direction of the large table.

Feeling assured of his presence, she turned back toward the occupants of the table. "So…someone want to tell me what is going on? What was that thing, why all the flashing light, and what happened to me?"

Sesshoumaru flicked his gaze at one of the scientists, a middle-aged youkai with dark brown hair that had just started to gray at the edges. He cleared his throat nervously after catching the glance, and turned to Kagome. "That jewel is what is known as the Shikon jewel. It possesses great power and is the only one of its kind."

He looked down at his folded hands lying on the table a moment before looking back up at her. "Really, Miss Higurashi, this is a rather long tale. I will try and keep it as brief as possible, but you must try and follow along. It is very important, and very confidential."

Kagome nodded her head slowly. "Ok…I'll try my best."

He nodded in return and took a deep breath to steady himself. "As you have been made aware, we are demons. We are not the only ones, however. There are youkai all over Japan. All over the world. They are hidden, as we have been. Disguised to blend in, to avoid panic, persecution, and death. It was not always this way, but as time went on, demons were hunted down like animals. Many could easily survive with superior strength. But many could not, and now only the strongest and smartest remain today. To avoid the constant conflict, we simply disguise ourselves. It is merely easier this way."

A voice spoke calmly and quietly from the end of the table. "The point, Miss Higurashi, is that while we have the power to conquer, we do not see the purpose in wasting time and energy in needlessly killing weak humans."

Sesshoumaru locked his gaze with hers and Kagome nodded. "I understand. You have pride."

He nodded his head once to her before looking back to the scientist, who cleared his throat and continued.

"So, we use charms to conceal ourselves. Every youkai has an energy that radiates from him or her. We simply use this energy to cover those physical differences that distinguish us from regular humans."

He shifted in his seat again, pausing for a moment in thought, before continuing. "And now…on to the jewel. No one is exactly sure how it came into existence, though we hold one theory to be closest to the truth. We believe that it was created when two great powers were locked into battle. When such huge energy is locked, and one cannot conquer and absorb the other, they become locked, forever. We believe that these two great powers sealed themselves, inadvertently, into one solid substance, and within that substance, the two energies wage war against one another still."

Kagome looked around to the other faces in the room only to see them all watching her, gauging her reaction. She swallowed hard. "So…so this jewel holds a lot of power…just trapped there, for eternity?"

The scientists nodded, and the eldest one spoke up again. "Miss Higurashi, we believe that the two powers represent that of hate, and love. Evil and good. Discord and understanding."

She nodded again, but remained pensive. "But I still don't understand what happened? Why did it suddenly go all crazy like that?"

"It would seem, Miss Higurashi, that you are the one mentioned in the prophecy." Sesshoumaru spoke to her quietly, locking his golden gaze on hers once again. "There was a prophecy made long ago about one who would come to take hold of the power."

He shifted his gaze to the center of the table top, seeming to recall from his memory the words and reciting them. "'The glowing one shall come, and bring those in hiding into the light once again, and will unite estranged brothers into one family.'"

He turned cool eyes back to hers once again. "We have copies of the original document, as well as the original itself locked away and preserved."

Kagome shook her head. "The glowing one?"

Kouga cleared his throat. "Miss Higurashi…don't tell me you've forgotten what happened a few moments ago. You lit up like a bulb! And besides that, you've got power and energy just radiating off of you." He looked around at the others who nodded in affirmative. "We all feel it."

It was obvious that she still wasn't comprehending how this power could have suddenly come about, and was ready to open her mouth and argue this point, when a harsher voice spoke up from behind her.

"Oh for the love of…argh, don't you get it? You absorbed it! The jewel! It's inside of you now. It's a part of you, you control it." Inuyasha looked exasperated, and remained leaning against the window staring moodily outward. "Just accept it. You're in deep now."

She opened her mouth to protest but Sesshoumaru cut her off quickly by standing. "This meeting is over for now. Miss Higurashi, until we can further determine what this all means you will be watched at all times." He raised a hand at her stuttered objections. "You now have an extraordinarily powerful object in your being, and I will not have you unprotected. Other demons will be able to detect it. You could be in danger."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the youkai for a moment but said nothing. Kagome merely looked stunned. "Danger? Me?"

Sesshoumaru didn't respond but turned to the figure still leaning against the window. "Inuyasha. You will watch Miss Higurashi. I want her under constant protection. You go to work with her, you escort her when she goes shopping, visiting, everywhere. You will be present in her living facilities as well."

"What?" Kagome lost it then, and stamped her foot to slow the proceedings that were speeding by much too quickly for her taste. "Oh no. I don't think so. I don't want him living with me! Or following me around all the time!"

"It won't be necessary that he live with you. He only needs to be nearby, so that he can sense any approaching youkai, or danger."

"This is ridiculous! I didn't ask to be a part of this!"

"Whether you asked for it or not, Miss Higurashi, you are involved. Deeply. No more arguments."

"Ugh…I swear you people are impossible. It makes me want to vomit."

"Not on my carpet."

She scowled at him, threw her hands up in frustration and stalked from the room angrily, followed by the two officers, the scientists, and Sesshoumaru's head of security.

Inuyasha shifted to leave as well but stopped in the doorway, turning back to Sesshoumaru in question. "Just what exactly are you hiding, anyway? Don't think I can't tell. She's in more danger than you're letting on."

Sesshoumaru pushed his chair smoothly back beneath the table before answering. "There is still more to the prophecy. It is better that she not know quite yet. 'But one will seek to control both brothers, ruling them both through their anger and fear for one another.'"

He nodded at the door through which Kagome and the rest had made their exit. "It doesn't specifically mention that she is in any danger, nor that the one seeking control will go after her. But, should this other figure know that she holds the jewel and its power, logically she will be the first target. This controller will want to dispose of competition. We have a fair idea of what this prophecy means, and we will explain everything to her further at a later date. For now, I believe she has enough to deal with as it is."

With that, he swept smoothly to the door and made his exit.

Inuyasha shook his head after him and followed suit.

o0o

Kagome was already out the front doors of the large office building and making her way determinedly down the street toward her home when Inuyasha came jogging up beside her.

"So, thanks for waiting."

She took note of the sarcasm and threw it back. "No problem. My pleasure, really."

He rolled his eyes and shoved his hands in his jean pockets. "Listen, I'm not any happier about this than you, but for once that ass of a half-brother is right. You need protection."

She actually forgot her anger for a moment in favor of curiousity. "Your half brother? Sesshoumaru?"

'Aw, shit. Oh well. Suppose she would have found out sooner or later.'

He shrugged at her and continued walking.

"Hmm…I mean, I guess it's obvious when you think about it. I mean, you look a bit alike, with your hair color and eye color and all. Although, his hair looks much smoother and nicer than yours."

He whirled on her. "What!" He opened his mouth to argue, realized how stupid it sounded to be arguing over who's hair was prettier, and closed it again, grumbling to himself. 'Stupid girl. Of course his hair is smoother…I swear he's the most feminine man I've ever met. Bet he conditions it twice a day and keeps a brush in his briefcase.'

Kagome actually giggled at the blush stealing over his cheeks. "Ah, but your ears are much cuter."

"Feh." His blush grew in intensity, and he turned his face away from her.

"So, half brother, huh?"

"We both had the same father, if that's what you're wondering. His mother was a demon…mine was human. I'm a hanyou. Half youkai."

He said it with a small amount of bitterness, so she let it go.

He stopped along side her when they had reached their building. She frowned and looked over at him. "I don't suppose I can talk you out of this, can I?"

"Feh. Not likely. One, it's my job. Two, I'd be a real ass to let some wimpy girl like you walk around just asking to get kidnapped or killed by some power-crazed demon. And three, if you're really the one in the prophecy, then I've got some stock in what happens to you as well."

She had been ready to yell at him for his "wimpy girl" insult, but stopped at this. "Wait, what? What does the prophecy have to do with you?"

He looked at her for a moment before sighing. "I'll explain some about it later. For right now, I'm starving, so I'm going to go get something to eat."

Kagome squirmed a bit and shuffled her feet. "Well," she blushed, "You're welcome to come on up. I can make us something. Then…perhaps we could discuss this whole 'guarding' thing that you all insist is so necessary."

He nodded slowly thinking it over before finally shrugging in nonchalance. "Sure, why not?"

She smiled brightly up at him and he felt his stomach flop over. "Great! Follow me!"

He watched her skip up the stairwell to her house and let a small smile to his lips. 'Guess she's not so bad after all.'

o0o

A/N: I've been really down lately. And…I've been checking for reviews every day in my mailbox, and…I think I got one. Or two. Thank you to those that reviewed, you really cheered me up. I appreciate it.

And, I'm not one of those people who obsess over reviews…but I could really use some encouragement right now. Just for a little bit. Things have been rocky for me for a while. Don't worry, though, I'll continue writing. It's my joy and release. It makes things better. My next update will be for Taking Over. And the next chapter for this will take Kagome back to work, will have some more about Miroku, Sango, and of course, Inuyasha and Kagome. (You do realize that if he has to guard her, he's going to have to come to work with her, right? Inuyasha and loads of little children….I can see it now!)

Hope you're all doing fantastic, know that I love you!