I would have posted this sooner but the login area was inaccessible to me. Grr... Anyway, there's one more chapter to go after this one: the epilogue. I was going to go straight to the epilogue before remembering that I wanted to write what Kagome's nightmare was. So, here it is!

Thanks to Half-Demon Cali for reviewing the last chapter!

Half-Demon Cali: You think? XD I love cliffies! When I'm the author, that is... (evil laugh)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha!

Where was she? She couldn't see anything beyond the blackness that was surrounding her. Where were Inuyasha and her other friends?

Kagome lifted a hand to try and brush away the black like it was a curtain. She couldn't even see her fingers, which were probably only an inch in front of her nose.

"Inuyasha?" she called out softly. "Inuyasha? Where are you?" When no answer came after a minute she tried again."Inuyasha! Sango! Miroku!"

Panic began to shroud her mind. 'Where are they all? Weren't we just having fun? When did this happen?' Kagome turned frantically in circles, trying to catch a glimpse of her friends. It was futile as she couldn't even see her own feet. 'I'm all alone!'

Despite the fact that she couldn't see anything and that her instincts were screaming for her to stay put, Kagome started to run as fast as she could. She stumbled over her feet for the first ten feet before finding a good rhythm and pounding the unseen floor. Her breaths came in uneven gasps as she realized that the darkness wasn't giving way at all and that she still couldn't hear her friends anywhere.

"Inuyasha!" she cried. "Can you hear me? Inuyasha!"

What she wouldn't give for Kirara's flames at the moment! Her heart pounded unevenly and her breath came in harsh gasps as she pushed herself further through the blackness.

She used the last of her air to give out one last scream. "Inuyasha!"

What happened next brought a figurative shred of light into the panic shrouding her thought processes. She began to see something white right in front of her. Was it Inuyasha's hair? A hopeful smile spread across her face as she threw herself forward to try and grab her friend.

She had no breath left to call his name and plead him to stop. 'Inuyasha! Please, stop!'

Her hand seemed to slip through his hair and she fell to the floor, panting heavily; her heart sank with disappointment.

Then, just as she thought that she would have to get up and run again to chase after her elusive friend, she saw his feet step before her. Hope returned in a flash and she looked up to see Inuyasha's golden eyes.

"Inuyasha!" she managed to say, smiling. "You heard me!"

Inuyasha stared down at her impassively. His arms were tucked into his sleeves.

Kagome got to her knees, her breath coming back to her. "Inuyasha?" she asked uncertainly, not liking the look on her friend's face.

Inuyasha finally spoke. "You're weak."

Kagome gaped at him. "Excuse me?"

"You're the one holding us back with your stupid human needs," Inuyasha continued, glowering. "If it weren't for you, the Shikon jewel would still be intact and Naraku wouldn't even be this strong."

Guilt flooded Kagome. It was true: it was her fault. But then, hadn't they gotten past that rock in their relationship? Before Kagome could voice this thought, Inuyasha had continued.

"You're no use to us." Inuyasha bared his teeth as he spoke. "You're a useless piece of baggage. You don't belong with us. Go back to your stupid world."

Kagome sank back, looking at Inuyasha disbelievingly. She couldn't the words coming out of her friend's mouth. Even at its worst, their relationship had never come down to such horrible insults. At most it had just been name calling and stupid pranks but it had never been this hurtful.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, unable to think of anything else to say. "I thought we were friends…"

"Friends? Hah! I don't need friends. Besides, no one would want to be friends with someone like you. The reincarnation of a priestess? You don't even boast Kikyo's powers!"

Kagome was speechless; she couldn't think of anything to say. Inuyasha was hitting all her weak points. What were his weak points? Kikyo? His dead mother? His distant brother Sesshomaru? How did he know her weak points and she didn't even know his?

"You're worthless," Inuyasha stated once again, sneering at her. With that said, he turned his back and walked away.

His departing figure snapped Kagome back to her senses. "Wait!" she called, getting to her feet. Her mind scrambled for an excuse for Inuyasha to take her. "You can't find the jewel shards without me!" A feeble excuse but one that was true nonetheless.

The answer was brief. "Who needs you?"

Kagome was left standing in the black. She looked at her hands and realized that she couldn't see them. 'How could I see Inuyasha?'

She tried her best not to think about what Inuyasha had told her but it was extremely hard because there were no distractions other than the suffocating darkness. 'Breathe, Kagome. In, out, in, out, in…out…in…in—out…" It wasn't working because her breaths were coming faster and faster.

Then another figure appeared in the darkness. A second was silhouetted behind the first. Kagome tried not to get her hopes up but it was hard not to seeing as how she was alone in the nothingness. As the figures started getting clearer, Kagome could make out something strapped to the back of one of them; the other had something long and straight.

"Miroku?" Kagome whispered. "Sango?"

It should have been impossible for them to pick up on Kagome's quiet whispers but they did. They were suddenly crystal clear and Kagome could see her two friends. They weren't smiling. Her heart sank at the possibilities.

"Did you…find me?" she asked, hoping that this was true. "Are Shippo and Kirara all right?"

Just as she said their names, the two youkais appeared next to the youkai-slayer and the monk. Shippo was sitting on Kirara's back but wasn't smiling either. Kirara was her usual impassive self.

"Shippo?" Kagome called, her heart lifting slightly—but only slightly.

"You don't belong in our world," Sango said, her brow furrowed. "You have to go back to where you come from."

"But—"

"You'll never make a worthy priestess," Miroku cut Kagome off. "What makes you think that you're the reincarnation of one?"

With an effort, Kagome turned from her them and focused her attention on Shippo. "Shippo?"

"What makes you think that you could ever replace my mother?" Shippo said coldly.

Kagome objected, "I never tried—"

"You're selfish and only care about yourself," Sango continued. "We would have collected the jewel shards long ago if you didn't have to go back constantly."

"I have a life back there, too!" Kagome said, deeply stung. "My duty doesn't just lie here!"

"With every day that passes, my curse grows stronger and my life slips away," Miroku said, ignoring what Kagome had said. "Does your life over there justify that?"

"You're a monk, too, you know!" Kagome broke out, close to tears. "Just because I'm the only one that can naturally sense the jewel shards doesn't mean you can't try either! You've got better control of your spiritual powers!"

"You're the one that always holds us back," Shippo accused. "Your weak human needs never help us."

It was almost exactly what Inuyasha had told her. Kagome took a step back, unable to believe that all her friends were turning their backs on her.

"Don't leave me," she choked out. "Don't leave me here alone."

"Go back to where you belong," Sango ordered, turning around and walking off. The others followed.

"I don't know how!" Kagome cried out, looking around at the dark. "I can't…" Her friends were almost out of sight. "I can't find the well! I can't find the way home!"

They didn't hear her and merely disappeared into the black, leaving Kagome alone. But a minute later, what seemed like a portal opened up, mistily showing her a view of a bright world that she recognized as feudal Japan. Her friends were out there!

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, trying to catch his attention. "Inuyasha! I'm here! Over here!"

But he didn't hear her. He was walking alongside Sango and Miroku, who were laughing and chattering away. Shippo was on his shoulder, seemingly annoying him. Kirara was on Sango's shoulder and even her sharp ears didn't catch Kagome's desperate cries.

"Sango! Miroku! Shippo! Please! I'm here!" Tears were streaming down her face now. "Listen to me! Don't…" She choked on her tears before crying out, "Don't leave me here!"

Just as her heart felt like it was literally breaking in two at the sight of her friends having fun without her, a voice called out. "Kagome…"

Kagome didn't respond; she was huddled up in a ball on the unseen floor, sobbing.

"Wake up, Kagome. Wake up." The voice was nagging her. Why wouldn't it leave her alone?

"No, no," she sobbed. "Leave me…please."

"Kagome, you have to wake up," the voice said firmly. "Wake up. It's not real."

It was as if a vortex had opened up in front of Kagome, sucking away the blackness and the vision of her friends.

The last thing she heard was a "It's not real." Then she was somewhere else. It was still dark but it was a lighter dark, as if she was in it by choice and not by force. Her body was stinging all over and Kagome could feel other people huddled around her.

She didn't want to open her eyes. What was the use if her friends didn't want her anymore? She couldn't go home because she was nowhere near the Bone Eater's Well and she didn't know the way back. If she was lucky a youkai would take pity on her and eat her up.

But what the voice had said was still echoing in her mind. "It's not real."

'It wasn't real? But it felt so real!' Kagome had trouble accepting this. 'How can that be?'

It was with a great deal of effort that Kagome finally opened her eyes. She was instantly greeted by Inuyasha's worried face. Sango's, Miroku's, and Shippo's faces hovered around the edges, but her attention was captured by Inuyasha. She blinked, hoping that it wasn't a vision and that he really was there.

'Was it really not real?' She realized that there was a face missing. 'Where's Miya?'

As her mind began to catch up on her surroundings, she realized that they all seemed to be anxiously waiting for something. Her question was answered in another second.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked tentatively. "Are you all right?"

"Is this a dream?" was all Kagome could think of saying. "I was…I was trapped in the darkness."

Inuyasha exhaled heavily, his breath blowing away stray hairs from Kagome's face. His eyes were relieved. "It isn't a dream, Kagome."

"What's the last thing you remember, Kagome?" Sango queried, crouching over Kagome on her left side. Miroku was by Kagome's legs.

Kagome didn't understand. "Should I remember anything important?"

The group exchanged panicked glances. Inuyasha looked back at Kagome, assuming an impassive face. It reminded Kagome of the Inuyasha she had talked to just five minutes ago. Or was it five minutes? It seemed so much longer.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha prodded.

Images suddenly started assaulting Kagome's mind. Her eyes widened as she struggled to process all the memories that were demanding to be acknowledged. Being caught in the well and attacked by the shadowy figure; being bound by red lightning that stung her skin—no wonder she was burning; and then being trapped in the horrible blackness.

"Oh!" Kagome gasped, sitting up suddenly. "Oh!" Then her world whirled and she slumped back into Inuyasha's arms.

"Don't sit up too quickly," Sango cautioned. "You've just had a really harrowing experience."

"Are you really all right, Kagome?" Shippo asked, hopping onto Kagome's knee. "You're not downplaying it, are you?"

Kagome smiled weakly. "I'm fine, Shippo. Honestly, it's just a head rush."

"You scared us," Shippo admitted. "Miya was really—" He cut off sharply when Inuyasha shot him a deadly glare.

"Miya?" Kagome looked around for the girl. "Where is she?"

"She's here," Miroku said, looking at something behind Sango.

Kagome rolled to the side and saw Miya lying there, unconscious. "Miya! Is she all right?"

"She'll be fine," Miroku assured her. "She's just exhausted herself."

"What happened while I was…kidnapped?"

"I think Miya can explain that best," Inuyasha answered before anyone else could. "She's the one that's really familiar with what we just left."

Kagome frowned. "But—"

"I don't think it'll be too long before she wakes up," Inuyasha interrupted her. "We should probably head back to Kaede's or set up camp so that we're prepared."

"That reminds me," Shippo said. "Where are we?"

For the first time since they escaped the world between the worlds, everyone observed their surroundings. They were obviously in the forest but the question was where. It was dark, signaling that it was nighttime.

"I'll go up on Kirara just to take a look at the land," Sango said, getting up. Kirara transformed right after she said this and they took off.

Kagome took another look at Miya, who was unusually pale. "It was really bad, wasn't it?" she said quietly, sneaking a glance at Inuyasha, who was somber. "How did she exhaust herself?"

Inuyasha seemed to ponder that for a moment. "You'll have to ask her that," he said finally. "It's her story, not mine."

Kagome raised an eyebrow and studied Miya. Was it really that big a secret? Judging from Miroku's and Shippo's blank expressions they were just as much in the dark like she was.

'The dark.' Chills ran up and down her spine as she remembered the horrible blackness that had swallowed her up. All of a sudden, the forest seemed to be bearing down on her, threatening to engulf her. She huddled up to Inuyasha, trembling.

Inuyasha looked at her, surprised. "Kagome?"

She didn't answer; her shivering frame told him everything. He wrapped an arm around her comfortingly and began to rub her arms to keep her warm. He didn't know what her nightmare had been but judging from her state now and what she had said after waking up he knew it was something to do with the dark.

Three minutes later Sango alighted and got off Kirara's back.

"Well?" Inuyasha demanded. "Where are we?"

"Nowhere near Kaede's village that's for sure," Sango reported. "We better set up camp here and wait for Miya to recover before going anywhere."

"Set up camp with what?" Shippo asked.

The group looked around for a moment before realizing that Shippo was right. They had nothing to set camp with.

"You lost our stuff?" Kagome accused Inuyasha indignantly. "What about my backpack?"

"It's back at Kaede's," Inuyasha replied hastily. He shot the others a look. "Right?"

"I think we left our stuff there before leaving in search of you," Miroku said. He put up his hands in apology. "It never crossed our minds that we wouldn't be able to get back immediately."

"So we have to sleep on the ground?" Kagome distastefully glared at the grass. "I really hope it isn't wet."

"It's dry," Inuyasha said, looking at his feet. "My feet aren't wet."

"Would you notice it if they were?"

"…No."

"That's not much help then."

They were all huddled up in the dark without a campfire still waiting for Miya to regain consciousness. Kagome was curled up next to Inuyasha while Shippo was snuggled into Kagome's side; Sango and Miroku had Kirara's fur to keep them warm.

It had been hours since they dropped into their world. Miroku had been making various trips to Miya's side to give her some healing power so that she would recover more quickly. So far it hadn't been making a difference but then you never knew…

"What time is it?" Kagome asked, growing stiff from just sitting in one position. She didn't want to get up, though, because the dark was giving her nightmares about the blackness she had been trapped in earlier.

Inuyasha squinted up through the leaves at the sky. "I can't see the moon so I can't tell you."

"It's late," Miroku said simply. "I'm guessing it's close to dawn."

"Doesn't that mean it's early?" Sango raised an eyebrow.

"If you want to get technical," Miroku said.

"It's not being technical," Sango argued. "It's being sensible. Either it's late or it's early. Right now it's the latter."

Miroku was about to reply heatedly when a groan cut into the air. "Would you guys be quiet, please? I've got a really bad headache." Miya was awake and on her side, holding a finger to her temple while her eyes were closed in pain.

"Miya!" Shippo said delightedly. "You're up!"

Miya shot him an aggravated glare. "Keep it down, will you?" She pursed her lips and rubbed her temples. "Damn side effects," she grumbled, moving into a sitting position.

"You're all right, though, aren't you?" Miroku inquired, keeping his voice low. "You were pretty wiped out."

Miya gave a wry smile. "I'll be fine. Give it a few hours and I'll be as good as new. Well, maybe not quite as new," she mended. She looked Kagome up and down, seeming satisfied with what she found there. "All right, Kagome?"

"Yeah." Kagome nodded. "But I think I should be asking you that question and not the other way around."

"Nah." Miya shook her head. "You were in more danger than I was."

Kagome appeared completely lost. "Anyone mind telling me what she's talking about?"

Inuyasha and the others looked away innocently when Miya shot them all glances.

"Oh for goodness's sake!" Miya said exasperatedly. "You mean no one told her?"

"Told me what?"

"We thought it'd be better if you did the explaining," Inuyasha said. "It's your story after all."

"Considerate of you," Miya said sarcastically. "You know the story just as well."

"You know the details," Inuyasha hinted.

Miya readjusted her position so that she was sitting more comfortably, her legs crossed. "What would you like to know?" she mocked.

"You're grumpy, aren't you?" Sango observed.

"No, I'm just peachy! I've got a roaring headache so of course I'm—as you put it—grumpy!" Miya took a deep breath and let it out. "Sorry. That was uncalled for. Anyway"—she placed her fingers on her temples again, rubbing—"what would you like to know?" she repeated her earlier question.

"What happened to the Leader?" Miroku asked immediately. "We saw that he was absorbed into Tessaiga but is he gone forever?"

"That Leader is," Miya answered.

"That Leader?" everyone chorused.

"There'll be a new one coming up soon," Miya explained, shrugging. "This one shouldn't hunt me, though, so there shouldn't be a problem."

"But why was he hunting you in the first place?" Shipp queried, looking adorably confused.

Miya stayed silent, staring at each of her friends in turn. Her eyes met Inuyasha's and he gave a curt nod, rubbing Kagome's arms as she leaned into his side. Then she took a deep breath and said, "It's a long story. I've already told Inuyasha this but I'll say it again. I come from a different world…"

It might be short but since this story is drawing to a close I'm not going to drag it out. I think you can guess what happens next. Miya will explain everything. If you still have questions, let me know and I'll see if I can put it in the epilogue. If not, I'll just explain in an author's note.

With that said, I'm not sure when I'll update next but it'll be soon since I only have one chapter left. Would it be too much trouble to ask for a review please? (puppy dog eyes)