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Disclaimer: Still don't and never will own Inuyasha :P
Kagome's vision blackened but she still clung on to consciousness. She heard the dying demons all around her and she felt Shippo clinging to her school blouse and shaking her while screaming her name. He was so young; she couldn't die on him now. Not when she was the only family he had. Suddenly she felt Inuyasha's warmth around her. Guessing that she was being held in his arms, Kagome let out a smile sigh of happiness. She clung to the happiness and consciousness just long enough to feel the tension in the air and hear Inuyasha whisper, "Kikyo."
She then let go and drifted silently into nothingness. There was nothing around her but she knew she was somewhere. Her eyes were already open, but there was nothing to see. She listened and felt for anything to tell her where she was, but there was nothing. Panic started to rise in her as she realized she wasn't anywhere. She opened her mouth to scream and wasn't very surprised when no sound came out. Moving one finger at a time, she discovered she had regained control of her body at least. It felt like she was floating in nothing but air. Something within her felt wrong. There was a disturbance somewhere.
Pain laced down her back and she opened her mouth in a silent scream of terror and pain. Her heart felt like it was being ripped out. She was momentarily reminded of the time that the dark priestess put a curse on her. It felt similar only something was different. Did someone place another curse on her? No, something was different this time. That was the only thing she was sure of. This wasn't a curse. It was much worse. As she felt herself drifting away farther, Kagome tried to grasp onto what was left of herself. A white light surrounded her and lit up the black abyss that she was within.
Something within her told her this was her spiritual power. The light began to fade and drift away from her. Kagome reached her hand out and through everything she had into keeping it with her. She didn't know what she was doing. Frustration mounted as the light kept drifting away. Her mind and heart ached for her friends when she realized she would die if she couldn't figure out how to keep her power within herself. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara…they would be heartbroken if she were gone, wouldn't they? And what of Inuyasha? Her heart swelled fondly at the thought of him.
She refocused her thinking and threw her want out towards her powers. She envisioned her need for them to not be hurt as a hook and line and cast it towards her disappearing powers. She threw her hand outward and felt a connection somewhere. Gasping in the ecstasy that came with reconnecting to her powers, Kagome drew them back to her. Sweat laced down her forehead as she concentrated as hard as she could to pull her powers back to her. Light engulfed her as she fainted.
Inuyasha didn't leave Kagome's side for the entire night that she was unconscious. Worry overtook his face as he sat cross legged with Tetsusaiga resting on his shoulder. His eyes never left her sleeping form and at every grimace of pain that crossed her face, he was immediately holding her hand to help her get through the pain that overtook her from time to time. Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippo had already left the village that they had found immediately after Kagome had taken ill. Kaede's village was in ruins, and they needed to get her someplace safer. The others had gone to find out information on reversing whatever was happening to Kagome.
Inuyasha kept thinking about what was happening. Kikyo had done this to Kagome? Why would she do such a thing? Was she really that bitter and cold? As he became preoccupied with such questions, the sun began to slowly rise on the horizon. He felt Kagome's hand tighten around his and with a gasp of surprise, he looked down at her face. His eyes met her shining brown ones. They shimmered with immense depth and he found himself lost in them. "Kagome…" he whispered quietly, never breaking the eye contact.
She didn't mention him holding her hand this time. It felt nice to have that little bit of comfort. She smiled a small smile, one that she gave only to Inuyasha. She would have to tell him someday that his presence and the thought of him had saved her from losing her spiritual powers and her life. He had been her anchor in that world of nothingness. She sighed as she closed her eyes. That would be something she would have to tell him at a different time.
"Kagome. Are you ok now?" Kagome opened her eyes again and really took in his face. He was worried, of course. She decided that sleep could wait for the moment. She replied that she was ok and then proceeded to tell him about what had happened in the world of nothingness, leaving out using him as an anchor of course. He still held her hand. She finished her story and looked up into his face. He looked confused. Spiritual powers were something he knew nothing about.
"Are you saying you managed to manipulate your powers, Kagome?" a voice questioned from the doorway. Inuyasha immediately let go of Kagome's hand and fell back on his heels to put some distance between them. Miroku stepped into the room. Shippo came bounding in behind him and launched himself onto Kagome.
"Kagome! You're ok!" he squealed with childish delight. Kagome giggled as she held him. She slowly sat against the wall and set Shippo in her lap.
"Yes, Shippo. I'm fine now," she said back to him as she hugged him close to herself. Inuyasha watched and tried to put back the small feeling of jealousy he felt towards the little kit. Why couldn't she hold him like that? He quickly banished the thought and tried to direct his thoughts towards Kikyo. I mean, she was the one he loved. Kagome was just a friend. He repeated that last thought over and over to himself.
Sango came into the room with a bottle full of fresh spring water. She crossed the room and handed the water to Kagome with a smile. Kagome accepted it gratefully. After she had chugged down half of the bottle, Kagome rested back against her pillow, with her head propped up. She waited for the questions to begin. Her eyes drooped with exhaustion. It might have seemed like she was sleeping to anyone watching her, but it was really a fight for her life.
"I wonder what Kikyo is doing," Inuyasha accidently said out loud. He immediately regretted it and didn't even mean to say it out loud. He knew how much it hurt Kagome when he spoke of Kikyo and especially when he ran off with her. No one could miss the look of hurt in her eyes as she sat up waiting for him when he left.
"Inuyasha…" she began, a dangerous edge in her voice. Inuyasha backed up a few steps in fear. Before she could finish what she was going to say, Kagome slumped forward. Inuyasha remained frozen in fear. He waited until she let out a small snore. Carefully, he moved her down onto her back and placed her head gently on her pillow.
"Well, you lucked out on that one," Sango stated as she set Hiraikotsu on the floor. She sat cross-legged next to the small fire in the middle. She readjusted her skirt and poked the fire with a stick. Her thoughts drifted between Miroku, Naraku, and her poor brother Kohaku. She hardly took notice of Inuyasha getting up and leaving the small hut. Miroku followed him out.
"And just where are you heading?" he questioned with his nose slightly in the air. Inuyasha sniffed in two separate directions before nodding to himself.
"What is it to you, monk?" he sneered as he started to run off in the direction that his nose pointed him in. Miroku sighed inwardly. Kagome was not going to like this one bit.
Sorry for another short one but I wanted to get something else up before heading off to bed and then class tomorrow. My homework is starting to pile up, so I'm really sorry if I fall behind! Keep reading and reviewing and it might get an update up quicker ;)