A Place Where I Belong Chapter 8, an inuyasha fanfic

A/N: Here is chapter eight! And for some reason the A/N for chapter seven and chapter six was the same! Want to know why? Because I forgot to change it! That's right. That's an oops on my part, but to make up for that, I'm just going to put up chapter eight so that those of you who have reviewed don't have to wait a long time to that cliffy/foreshadowing statement to be further explained! As always, I hope you like this chapter! Please review and let me know what you think!

Summary: A Place Where I Belong: AU. Kagome accidentally discovers a secret that her abusive family has hidden from her. She was adopted. Desperate to find her birth mother, Kagome enlists the help of Inuyasha, a private detective who always finds what he's looking for. But what happens when she finally finds the truth? Will Inuyasha be able to help her find where she truly belongs?

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A Place Where I Belong
Chapter Eight: Ultimatum

"I can't believe he's back. It's been so long…I barely remember the last encounter we had with him, Sesshoumaru. I was still a small child…"

"Well, the simple explanation for that would be that it has been twenty-two years, and Kagome and the jewel have found their way back to this time. With them, so has Naraku."

"But like I said," Kagome added, "there's nothing to worry about. We know our individual strengths and weaknesses, and this time we have a plan. Everything will be all right…"

Rin sighed. "If you say so, I trust you."

Aiko coughed. "Shippo and I had a talk last night. I won't be fighting…"

"Why?" Miroku gasped.

"Hmm…" Kagome took a step forward, studying Aiko closely. She looked the demon up and down for a moment before a wide smile spread across her face. She yelped in surprise. "Ah! You're going to have a baby, aren't you Aiko?" she guessed.

Aiko's eyes widened in surprise, and Shippo laughed. "I told you she had spiritual powers…"

"That's woman's intuition, Shippo. There's nothing spiritual about it. Aiko is glowing! You can tell just by looking at her!"

Aiko nodded. "That was it, for those of us in the room who didn't have the noses to tell already." She answered. "I was hoping I could fight. But Shippo doesn't think it's a good idea…"

"Hell no it's not a good idea!" Shippo gasped.

Inuyasha's ear twitched in surprise at the kit's statement. He wasn't surprised. The kit had cursed even when he was younger…although most of that had been directed at him back then. But this was different. Inuyasha had never seen him be so protective before. He nodded proudly.

"I don't think it's a good idea, either. Even if you could fight, there would be a possibility that you might get hurt. I don't want to risk anything that we don't have to. Not to mention if you showed up to fight and Naraku figured out what was going on…he could use that against us…"

"Exactly." Shippo agreed. "And when it comes to Naraku, he will use whatever he can to get us to do what we want. All he has to do is find the right trigger for us and we would be finished…"

"…If you let it get to you…" Inuyasha's father added.

Shippo blinked. "Oh, trust me. I would."

"That's settled then…" Aiko nodded, rubbing a small circle on her belly, which wasn't even showing yet.

Rin smiled. "It will be a beautiful child, Aiko. You can stay here with me and help me keep Jacken in line." She volunteered. "That would definitely keep you out of danger."

Aiko smiled.

Suddenly, Kagome gasped, as though something horrible had happened. Rin jumped slightly, and turned to stare at the frightened woman next to her.

"Kagome…what's wrong?" she asked, studying her closely.

Kagome shook her head, blinking several times. "I…I…Granny Kaede…" she took a deep breath. "Has anyone heard from Kaede?" she nearly screamed.

Inuyasha took a step back. "Kagome, what are you talking about? Kaede went back to her village yesterday, remember? What's wrong?"

"We have to go to the village." Kagome replied.

"Why?" questioned Miroku.

Kagome's eyes widened. "We have to go to the village right now, damn it! Granny Kaede is…I mean I think she is…"

"Kagome…" Sango whispered. "Has something happened?"

"I think Kaede has been hurt…" her voice trailed off slightly. "Or worse…"

Miroku gulped. "If you go, we go." He nodded to himself and Sango, who held Kirara in her arms.

"I'm going too!" Shippo agreed, nodding his head.

"We're going. If the old woman is hurt, she may need us there right now." Inuyasha resolved. "Come on, guys."

Sesshoumaru grabbed Inuyasha by the shoulder, holding him back. "You're all going to go?"

"Of course they're all going to go, Sesshoumaru! Why wouldn't they?" Rin demanded.

"Because it could be a trap. It could be nothing more than some sort of ploy to get you all out into the open where it will be easier for Naraku to get to you. And if that's what it is, then you would be walking straight into one of his traps…" Inutaisho whispered. "That's why."

Inuyasha shook his shoulder free, and Kagome took his hand. "We have to go. She's…we can't just let it be if she's hurt. She's family to us."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I understand that…but how do you even know she is actually hurt?"

"The same way Kaede knew that Kikyou had been killed in the future." Kagome answered. She grabbed her bow and ran from the room, dragging Inuyasha with her. Kirara transformed, and Sango and Miroku followed suit.

"Why aren't you all going, if you think it's a trap?" Aiko asked.

Sesshoumaru frowned, and averted his gaze to the ground. "Because if it's not, then they will need their time to mourn…and I will not interrupt that." He replied solidly.

"Why don't we just ask Shimane, Sesshoumaru? She's been watching out for Naraku, hasn't she? They've only been here barely three days. How much damage could he have done so far?"

"Don't answer that." Inutaisho ordered his son.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "We will do that…but we can not do that now. Shimane has not returned yet."

---

"Kagome, are you sure? I can't smell anything…" Inuyasha told her as they passed the bone eater's well. "Wouldn't I be able to smell it? There should be some sort of scent…blood, death…people…but I smell nothing…"

"Yep. Straight into a trap. It couldn't get any more obvious if there had been a blinking neon sign showing us where to go…" Miroku commented.

Kagome took a deep breath. "I don't care." She snapped. "I know she's hurt, and I don't care if it's a trap. The fact is, she's still hurt. If Naraku did it, that only makes him an even bigger bastard than we thought he was."

"This could be dangerous, Kags…" Inuyasha admitted. "He knew you would come if it was the old woman who was hurt."

"Well then I'm predictable." Kagome snapped, jumping off Inuyasha's back as the group finally made it to the old woman's village.

Shippo took a deep breath. "We're with you on this, mom, no matter what happens…" He sighed.

"I just hope she's all right…" Kagome's breath caught in her throat.

The village seemed completely deserted. Kagome rushed forward, just past a gate she guessed had been put up after they had left, and into the heart of the village. Her eyes widened suddenly, and all the breath caught in her throat.

Everyone was…everyone was…

"Kagome…what's wrong?" demanded Inuyasha, rushing forward to catch her as she dropped to her knees. As soon as he reached where she was, though, he knew what it was. The scent of blood and death assaulted his nose…

"Kagome? Inuyasha, what is it?" Shippo frowned.

Everyone…they were all dead…

Kagome desperately tried to rationalize things in her mind as Shippo and Inuyasha came to her side. A barrier. It must have been some kind of barrier. Yes. Kikyou had used them before. That must have been why Inuyasha could smell nothing, and they could see nothing until they got past the gate. Everyone had been right. It was a trap. Kaede…everyone was dead…for the sake of a trap.

A trap…?!

Sango, Miroku, and Kirara began to run forward when Kagome finally caught her breath. "No!" she screamed, her skin paling to a pasty off-white. "Don't come any closer!" She looked up, horrified to see that Inuyasha and Shippo were already at her side.

"You were right!" she gasped. "Get out of here quick! Go, damn it! Before he traps you and you can't…"

"It's a bit too late for that…" a voice came from inside Kaede's hut.

Kagome's eyes rose slowly to meet the owner of the voice that she knew all too well. She gulped. "Na…Naraku…" she managed to choke out.

"Good night, Kagome…" Naraku smiled.

"No!" Kagome yelled out, but within seconds, she was unconscious.

---

"What the hell is going on in there?" Sango demanded, throwing her boomerang bone at the wall. The weapon was rejected, and fell lifeless onto the ground. Sango stared at it. "This could not get worse."

"You know that's a lie." Miroku challenged. "We could be stuck in there with them."

Sango huffed. "It isn't any good being stuck out here where we can see what is going on but still can't do a damn thing about it! What the hell did he just do? They're all unconscious! What if he…?"

"He wouldn't dare. He doesn't know where the jewel is yet…"

"I can't watch this…" Sango frowned.

Miroku thought for a moment. "Maybe we don't have to…" He threw a charm at the barrier that kept them from their friends, but it did nothing. He growled. "How is it so strong?"

"It isn't. We just usually have Inuyasha to get through them for us. Besides, I think there may be a reason why we can't get through…although if Naraku wanted Kagome, I don't understand why the barrier allowed Shippo and Inuyasha to get through…"

"Neither do I…" Miroku agreed. "Maybe Sesshoumaru or Inutaisho could help?"

Sango gasped. "You're suggesting we leave Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippo here alone with Naraku?"

"No…Kirara will go. We will stay and continue to try and get through to them." He nodded to Kirara, who took off in a flash.

Sango and Miroku watched as a thick cloud of blackness enveloped their friends…

---

"Huh…?" Kagome groaned, slowly trying to pull herself into a sitting position. Her head throbbed, but she managed to sit up. She looked around, but Inuyasha and Shippo were nowhere to be found. The air was still thick with Naraku's miasma.

Her heart sank.

"Missing someone?" Naraku taunted. "Gee…they were just there a second ago…"

Kagome growled in anger. "Where are they? What did you do to them, Naraku?" she demanded. She stood, but her legs were shaky and she only crumbled to the ground seconds later.

Naraku laughed. "Forgot how to walk did you? Reminds me of when…"

"Shut up!" Kagome screamed, her eyes welling with tears. "Quit changing the subject! Where are Inuyasha and Shippo?"

"Where is the jewel, Kagome?" he asked instead of answering.

Kagome tensed, and reached behind her back to retrieve an arrow…but her quiver was gone. How long had she been out?

Kagome swallowed hard. "I…don't know." She whispered.

"Liar." Naraku snarled. "Are you stupid? Do you want me to kill you? Tell me where the jewel is Kagome, or what you got before will be nothing compared to what I will do to you…" he threatened.

"You…where are Inuyasha and Shippo?" she demanded, her voice quivering.

"I'll kill you, you little bitch…"

"No you won't!" Kagome challenged, her voice cracking. "Tell me where they are or I swear! As kami as my witness, you will never find that damned jewel…and I'll make sure of it!"

Naraku only laughed. "You stupid girl. Did you really threaten me? Me? You have no cards left to play, Kagome. The game is over. You tell me the location of the sacred jewel…or…"

"Or what?" Kagome demanded.

"Or you watch Shippo and Inuyasha die." Kagura answered.

Kagome wheeled around. Kagura was directly behind her, in the doorway of another one of the village huts. On either side of her was Shippo and Inuyasha, a crescent shaped blade at their necks. The two were awake, but unable to move.

Kagome's eyes widened, and Kagura laughed. "Hmm…I'd certainly hate for a little wind to come by. Someone might lose their head…"

"Inu…yasha…" she whispered. "Shippo…" She tried desperately to swallow the large lump that had formed in her throat, but she could not.

---

"Inuyasha!" Sango screamed. "Shippo!" Her jaw dropped. She threw her boomerang bone, but again, it was rejected. "Miroku! We have to get in there, damn it! Kagome!" she screamed.

Miroku's features paled considerably. "Hurry up, Kirara…" he whispered.

---

"Choose, Kagome. You can save them. You can save everyone right now. All you have to do is tell me where the jewel is, and they will be fine." Naraku explained. "But if you forgot…or you won't tell me…something bad will happen…"

Kagome could not stop a single fugitive tear that ran down her cheek. She glanced over to where Kagura held Shippo and Inuyasha prisoner.

"Don't do it, mom…" Shippo warned. "Don't trust him…"

"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered. "It will be all right…"

"No…" Kagome sobbed. She turned to Naraku. "Don't make me choose…" she pleaded. She couldn't make this choice. The jewel was her duty. It was her destiny to be its protector. But how could she let Shippo or Inuyasha die?

"You brought this on yourself, Kagome. All you had to do was tell me where the jewel was the first time I asked, and we wouldn't be here, would we?" Naraku taunted again.

"Please…I can't…" Kagome cried.

Naraku shook his head. "Wrong answer, Kagome…" Naraku turned to Kagura.

Kagura smiled at Kagome, flicking her wrist slightly.

Kagome screamed. "No!" she sobbed out.

The blade at Shippo's neck jerked slightly right, and he gasped out in surprise. Kagura laughed. "Oops…guess the wind wasn't strong enough. Now he's going to bleed to death. A little bit more painful than the other alternative if you ask me…"

Kagome screamed again, jumping up in an effort to run forward…but something was holding her back. Something was squeezing her. She couldn't move. One of Naraku's tentacles was wrapped tightly around her body…

"Watch, Kagome…look at what your indecision has done…" Naraku commanded.

---

"Shippo!" Sango sobbed, dropping to her knees and pounding her fist into the ground. "Damn it! Why can't we help? Where is Kirara? Why?" Sango screamed.

"Don't look, Sango. Don't look…" Miroku warned, his voice cracking slightly.

Only minutes away, Kirara was leading everyone to the village. Aiko stopped short, screaming in pain. She grabbed at her stomach, doubled over in pain. "Shippo…!" she groaned.

Alarmed, Sesshoumaru turned back and picked up the weakened demon, rushing back to keep up with Kirara and his father. "He's hurt the fox!" Sesshoumaru called to his father, who nodded solemnly. "We have to hurry!" he added after his father's response.

"We will be there shortly." Inutaisho nodded. "But I worry that there will be little we can do at this point…"

---

"Shippo…" Kagome sobbed. "Please stop. Let them go…" she pleaded.

"Kagome…you still haven't given me what I want…" Naraku mused. "Why on earth would I let you go?"

Shippo had gone quiet, and Kagome gulped back a wave of nausea that hit her suddenly like a ton of bricks. This was her fault. Everything was her fault. Shippo was gone. And Inuyasha would be next. She began to cry even harder.

Inuyasha growled. "Don't do it, Kagome. Don't you dare. Don't listen to him. Just close your eyes. He can't get the jewel. You can't let him have it…no matter what…"

"No matter what…?" Kagome repeated, her tone dry, her voice low and cracked.

Aiko's eyes widened in surprise, and Shippo laughed. "I told you she had spiritual powers…"

"That's woman's intuition, Shippo. There's nothing spiritual about it. Aiko is glowing! You can tell just by looking at her!"

"Kagome…don't give it to him, damn it!" Inuyasha commanded. "Don't do it! We are not that important, damn it!"

Kagome gulped. "Inuyasha…" she rasped. "Yes…you are…"

But…

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A/N: Sorry about the cliffhanger. That was a very long chapter, and if you can't already tell by that rather horrible cliffy I left you with, the story will be ending soon. There are two more chapters. Please review! Remember guys, reviews are my life force…without them, how will I go on?

Next, on 'A Place Where I Belong': Sesshoumaru and the others arrive on a scene of pure chaos, but even with the power of the Great Dog Demon himself, they can not manage to get in and help. But has Kagome already made her decision? Tune in next time for another exciting chapter!

Upcoming Story Info:

'Far Away': Something happens, and Inuyasha fears he may lose Kagome forever. Can he finally admit what's in his heart and save her…and himself? A multi-chapter songfic based on the Nickelback song 'Far Away'. Release scheduled for 30 Oct.

'Somewhere, Sometime': Kagome and her best friend Sango find a photo in the Higurashi shrine's well house. They've found strange things in the well house, and even the well before, but this is different. Kagome finds herself falling in love with the man in the photo...a hanyou. Even stranger is the writing on the back of the photo...in Kagome's own handwriting! Will Kagome be able to unlock the mystery of this man...a man she will never get to meet...? Or will she...?

COMING VERY SOON!