He knew before he opened his eyes that it had been a dream. A nightmare, really.

Inuyasha could smell the tears before they poured down her delicate cheeks. Then her piercing scream echoed off the walls, making his ears pound in agony, but it was nothing compared to what Kagome was going through.

The Bone Eater's Well wasn't working.

Kagome had bounced with excitement as they walked through the forest to the well, looking forward to being able to tell her mother that in less than a year, she'd become a grandmother.

He'd had to make a grab for her before she jumped into the well first, and now he was especially grateful. Kagome was only a month along, but he didn't want to put anything to chance. Now, he had to hold onto her so she wouldn't try to claw through the dirt on her hands and knees.

Her body shook uncontrollably as she continued to scream around her sobs. Inuyasha pulled her arms down to her sides when she started to pull away. If he'd left her unbound as he jumped, she could – and likely would have – ripped her fingernails off along the stones of the well, trying to find any source of connection to her family.

It had felt so real… if he concentrated he could still feel the burn in his own chest at the thought of not being able to see Kagome's time again. Overall, the future hadn't been his preference; too many loud sounds and horrible smells assaulted his senses. But when it came to the shrine and the little house that was next to it, with all of the smells of home-cooked food and laughter that filled the rooms – that was what made any discomforts he had worth it. It was Kagome's home. It was her family.

They had become his family. They welcomed him, treated him like he mattered. The very thought of never having that again felt worse than any battle he'd been in, but it was the Kagome in his dream that dealt the final blow to his heart.

"It's all your fault!" she screamed. "You took me away from my family and now I'm never going to see them again!"

Kagome's fists beat into his chest, but Inuyasha wouldn't let her go no matter how much she screamed. "You don't mean that –"

"The hell I don't!" It was rare that Kagome swore, and his ears drooped at the look in her eyes when they met his. Her voice was like venom as she spat lies that she would regret later, but the cold expression never wavered. "You told me to wait until this morning to go through the well! You insisted, and like a fool I listened to you. What if the well was working last night?"

"Would you want to be trapped in the future?" he barked, not being able to keep his temper in check. He'd suggested that they wait because it was late when the topic came up, and she was already tired. "I only said wait because I was looking out for you!"

"No – you were only looking out for yourself."

"Answer my question, Kagome." If she wanted to call him a selfish bastard, he wasn't going to argue it then. He knew he was, but that changed when Kagome agreed to be his wife. His selfish needs were focused on her, what was best for her, what he could do to make her happy.

"If I was, I'd be with my family –"

"You have family here –"

"No I don't!"

Inuyasha reeled back as if she'd actually slapped him. "You don't mean that. You have me, Kagome. And our baby…"

"A baby that will grow up as a quarter-demon and looked at like it's some kind of freak!"

Inuyasha shook his head, knowing that was the moment that he was aware in the nightmare that it wasn't reality. That Kagome had continued to scream at him as though she hated the very sight of him, like a switch had been flipped in her mind. She sobbed for the family that she lost and felt tied down in a small little house with a baby forming within her that she wasn't certain she even wanted anymore –

"Good morning…" a sleepy voice yawned, snuggling against his chest. He looked down at the bundle, trying to calm his breathing.

This wasn't the Kagome from his nightmare. This was the real Kagome. The one that told him time and time again that she preferred him as a half-demon. The one that didn't pull away in disgust when he touched her. The one that willingly kissed him back a couple of nights prior.

"M-morning," he swallowed, silently telling himself that it was only a bad dream.

Maybe if he repeated it enough, it would stick.

She woke up feeling rested despite the uneasy sway of her gut instincts, but the way Inuyasha was acting throughout the morning was beginning to make her anxious all over again. He wouldn't look her in the eyes for long, and when he did, there was this…pain. It was like he knew something she didn't know about herself.

Was she going to die?

One day, obviously, but these looks were what she might expect if she were walking towards her own public execution, and she knew he wouldn't stand for that. Kagome had hoped that he'd say something, but it was Inuyasha, so she had to be the one to address the elephant in the forest before they reached the entrance to the monastery.

"It's nothing."

"That's crap, Inu." Her voice softened. "You're worrying me. You said last night that everything would be fine, and now when you look at me, it's like you're looking at me for the last time. What's going on?"

For a moment, the half-demon appeared as though he were going to ignore her, then he turned to face her fully. "I had this nightmare last night, and… things went bad. We were sharing that house I built, and… you wanted to go visit your family one night, but I'd talked you out of it until the morning because you were tired. And when we went to the well, it…stopped working. We hit the bottom when we jumped in. I couldn't console you, and you blamed me."

"Oh Inu…" There was something about the way he paused that told Kagome he hadn't told her everything. The problem was, she couldn't tell if there was something that made dream-him tell her not to go, or if the things she said in the dream were too painful to repeat. She reached out slowly to take his hand in hers, afraid that he'd pull away from her, and she could feel the tenseness in his fingers as they curled around hers. "I couldn't blame you for that. You do know that, right?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Everything about the dream felt like it was really happening."

"Do you think…" she paused to collect her thoughts, "…with everything we've talked about lately, and where we're at right now… do you think that this might have been a stress-induced nightmare?"

"The fuck is a stress-induced nightmare?"

"It's… okay let's use an old nightmare of mine from just before high school. Do you remember how I was always reading when we'd stop to make camp? How I worried over my final exams, because if I didn't get a high enough score, I wouldn't have been accepted into the school I wanted to go to? Dreams sometimes pick up on those emotions when they're that strong. They twist the thing we're worried or upset over into all kinds of scenarios. The stress dream I had did this by making me go into class for the exam. I sat down and knew every answer. The teacher graded my test right there in front of me and everyone, telling me that I'd gotten a perfect score…if I had put my name on the test."

Inuyasha looked at her like she'd grown horns from her head, so for all she knew, her explanation wasn't very effective.

"Because I didn't have my name on the test, everything else didn't matter," she continued. "The teacher had graded it, so I couldn't take it back and put my name on it; it had to be done before it got to him, and I didn't catch it. I ended up losing out on the opportunity to go to the high school I wanted to in my dream, and I was heartbroken. I'd worked so hard, only to make a small mistake that cost me."

"But you ended up going to that other school."

"Yes! I didn't get a perfect score – no one in our grade had – but I got good marks, and more than enough to follow my plan." Kagome squeezed Inuyasha's hand, trying to comfort him. "So you see, just because we have stress dreams or nightmares, it doesn't mean they're gonna happen. It's our minds taking our fears about recent events and making them into a worst-case scenario."

"If that's what that was, it fucking sucks," Inuyasha mumbled. Kagome had to agree. Nightmares sucked in general, but to have current situations thrown in to make them worse were a new level of hell. He squeezed her hand tighter, saying without words that he understood. At least, she hoped he did. Inuyasha had to know that she was ready to accept that her decision could mean that one day she might not see her family again. It was an upsetting thought, but she knew where she wanted to be most in the world.

The half-demon shifted in place. She could tell that he was ready to get moving again; the sky was getting brighter, and the faster they could find the jewel, the better.

Kagome still couldn't shake that something wasn't right, even after scouring the rooms of the monastery for hours. Remembering everything that took place that day years ago wasn't helping, not to mention the suspicion that Inuyasha was still worrying over that nightmare.

It was a bad idea to come here. They should have waited a day. The jewel be damned; they could still track it. Naraku was dead, and there wasn't another threat other than minor demons that got buffers from the energy. In the end, they couldn't control it, and it would consume them, giving Inuyasha the opportunity to finish them off without effort. She would have rather waited and risked it moving further away than feel like the rug was about to be pulled out from under her.

Oh wait.

It…it was!

There might not have been an actual rug under her feet, but the floor damn sure was rolling as though a massive ball were underfoot, creating a rippling bulge that sent her into the air with the force of it passing by. Moments later, she felt her back connecting with a firm surface and arms cradling her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, but what was that?" Kagome reached out and grasped the fabric of Inuyasha's sleeve to balance herself as her feet hit the stone floor. She tried to concentrate to see if the jewel was nearby, but as it had been for hours, it was a faint signal in her mind. It danced just at the edge, mocking her abilities.

"I think that's our target," he replied, crouching to let her climb onto his back.

Inuyasha took off into a run, pulling Tetsusaiga from its sheath and slashing through the first door he reached. The wood splintered and flew into the open room, where he proceeded to cut through the next door, and then the next. Kagome would shout over the explosions which direction he needed to take when multiple doors greeted them, but this monastery felt like some twisted labyrinth. They went deeper into the center of the structure and still found no sign of the demon. Kagome began to worry that her ability to sense the jewel was fading; how else could she explain why they were running in what might've been circles?

"What if I'm wrong?" she asked suddenly, burying her face in his shoulder as another door shattered under the force of the sword. "What if I'm leading us into a trap? Inuyasha it's –"

"I know what day it is," he growled, and Kagome's heart sank at how weak it sounded to her ears. Being cut off from windows, they had no idea how long they had been within the monastery.

Too long, it appeared.

The sword in his hand pulsed once before it reverted to its dormant state. Inuyasha didn't swear. He didn't even throw a fit like Kagome expected. Instead, he calmly returned his sword to its place as his hair faded to black. The strength, the senses, the claws – they were all hidden from his access for the night, and yet he turned to Kagome with the calmest expression she'd seen on a new moon night.

"You're not wrong, Kagome. Don't start doubting yourself, especially tonight, alright? I'm going to need you to be at your best."

"Inuyasha…"

"We're getting close. I could smell the blood nearby before I lost the ability; probably more bandits that wandered in."

Kagome felt her nearly empty stomach roll over. She'd witnessed multiple dead bodies over the years, but it never got easier. Seeing death from natural causes was the most tame, but it was so rare that she had to learn to run on autopilot when she had to walk through a slaughtered village while tracking the demon that was responsible for the deaths of men, women, and children of all ages.

Though she had no sympathy for a thief, being ripped apart by a demon was not a wish she'd speak into existence for anyone's punishment. And from the bits of fabric and splintered bone that lay in large puddles of blood within the next room they entered, that was exactly what happened. Kagome shuddered as she sidestepped each dropping on the floor. What kind of demon tortured their prey like this? It was almost as though the bandits unfortunate enough to sneak in here were torn to shreds and eaten…

She reached out for Inuyasha's hand, and he threaded his fingers between hers. Kagome wasn't certain which of them was attempting to comfort the other. Every step she took felt like an idea that was worse than the last, but Inuyasha pulled her along regardless. The last time they had fought for jewel shards on this property, Inuyasha had thrown himself off a cliff. If the sun hadn't risen when it did…

How could Inuyasha be certain that he would have the same luck this night?

The door he pushed open creaked on its iron hinges, assaulting their noses with an acrid smell of old blood, mildew, and death. Kagome nearly blurted out that if he could smell what she was smelling, then it was a blessing he wasn't a half-demon right then, but movement deeper in the open space caught her attention.

"Good evening, fair travelers…"

The voice from the darkest parts of the room stopped both of them in their tracks, and on instinct Inuyasha began to guide Kagome behind him. A low rumble echoed around and off the walls, followed by a scratching along the stone floor.

"It would do you well to greet the Lady of these lands when she acknowledges your presence." The voice was filled with warning. "I would implore you for proof from the last man that thought he could best me, but, well…"

Kagome had to let go of Inuyasha's hand so she could be ready to reach for her bow at a moment's notice. His hand was already at his hip, even though the sword was useless. Not useless exactly, but she knew Inuyasha would go down fighting – and had – if it meant she could escape. And with the voice approaching, she knew he was going to tell her to run at her first opening.

She knew that he also knew that she wouldn't.

"Such small visitors," the voice chuckled. The steps were closer now, and they could feel the vibrations in the floor. The scratching increased as well, which meant that it was coming from the creature. Was it a weapon? A part of the creature itself? Iron sconces drilled into the stone walls began to come to life, as though the presence were igniting them from a distance effortlessly. With each sconce that was lit, a little more of the room was revealed. A shadow slowly stretched across the floor, doing nothing to determine what was approaching. "It feels a shame to feast on your flesh, but I daresay that I cannot afford to be particular about my meals."

"You're gonna have to look elsewhere, provided you survive the night," Inuyasha snarled.

"Inuyasha, don't," Kagome whispered quickly. They didn't know what this thing really was yet, and he knew better than to run into a fight blindly! 'Every time he turns human, he somehow gets worse.' She took a breath and tried to focus on tracking the jewel; it'd be more productive than arguing with him.

"Kagome –"

"No!"

"I ain't said anything yet!"

"It won't matter, little traveler," the voice interrupted, the footfalls and scratching coming to a stop. It wasn't far away from them now. "You have quite the set of jewels between your legs if you believe that you can kill me…"

A snap and bright light filled the open area, chasing away every last shadow into the cracks of the stone walls. Kagome had been able to shield her eyes, but the spots still lingered even after blinking furiously. Inuyasha had moved to stand directly in front of her. Kagome placed a hand on his back, wanting to check to see if he was alright, but the sight before them filled her with dread.

This did not look like any demon they had dealt with in the past.

Long, black, dragon-like wings flexed and swayed in the air, molded to the back of bright red skin as seamlessly as either arm the demon bore. Red, rigid horns formed at the crown of the dainty face, growing up and back into long points that faded to black. Dark locks that looked like silk floated around what looked like a headpiece at first glance. As Kagome stared on in horror, she realized that the cracked, rocky feature was embedded into the demoness' temples. White-blue eyes stared at them with an air of superiority, and full, black-tinted lips smirked.

"It appears as though I have once more caught travelers unaware with my appearance," the creature spoke. "Bask upon my form, for I am the Infallible Akuma, and it will be the last thing you ever see!"

Kagome knew good and damn well that there was nothing righteous about this demoness. Anyone that was truly good and unquestionable wouldn't display a whip of flames that crackled as it sat low on her hip. There wouldn't be skin covered with swaths of rock and fragments of coins and other treasures. There wouldn't be a pulsing glow from the veins, peeking through the crafted barrier like magma running down a volcano.

The pieces were clicking together quicker than she could handle, and panic was beginning to clutch at her throat. "Inuyasha," she gripped his sleeve, hoping he could hear her. "We need to go. Now."

"Not a chance –"

"Inuyasha, Akuma isn't an ordinary demon. This is closer to a dragon. We can't fight like this –"

"Your companion speaks the truth," Akuma smirked. "Whisper all you want, little girl. I can hear the rats scurrying at the entrance to my domain."

Inuyasha cursed under his breath, and she was close to it herself. If this was true, then Akuma had known they were there the entire time. How could she have not picked up on this sooner? All of the signs were there, and she'd directed Inuyasha deeper into the monastery.

This was still a demon, but there was something off about her. When Inuyasha fought Ryūkotsusei, it was at least an upper-tier demon with a dragon's form. Something was wrong –

Akuma reached for the whip, popping it along the floor to unfurl it and sending sparks into the air. Inuyasha was already drawing his sword when she spoke. "I grow bored of this conversation, travelers. Speak your piece before I take away your only chance. What do you foolishly seek to take from my person? My coin? My jewels?"

"Ain't got no need for your treasure!" the half-demon snarled. "I only want the sacred jewel piece you've got!"

Kagome had no way of subtly drawing and nocking an arrow without catching Akuma's attention, but if Inuyasha kept running his mouth like he was, she'd have to take the risk. It was times like these that she wished she had something smaller, but nothing would be effective enough to pierce dragon skin. Her abilities were screaming that Akuma had the jewel on her somewhere, but she couldn't pinpoint the location.

"All jewels are sacred to me, traveler –"

"It's pink!" Kagome blurted out. Maybe she could delay the inevitable run they'd have to make. If they could just get outside of the monastery… "It's worthless, there's no value any man would pay for it –"

"Wrong, little girl!" Akuma bellowed. "That particular stone is my most prized possession, and each bandit that has wandered into my domain has sought it." The whip cracked against the floor again, and she took a step forward, making the pair back up. "Every man that has waltzed in here was given the chance to take it from me or leave, and like the fools they were, they let their greed control their minds. No more. I tire of this pattern. You have been given your moment to speak. I suggest you send a final prayer for safe passage into the afterlife!"

Inuyasha shoved Kagome backwards with such force that she nearly lost her footing. Akuma took aim and snapped the whip directly at them, splitting the stone floor where they once stood.

"Run, Kagome!"

"No!" She was running alright, but it was to make a wide berth from Akuma and her whip. "I'm not leaving you!" If she could just find where the jewel was… Akuma had said outright that she had it, and she knew that it was somewhere on her, but…

No…

Oh no…

Those veins weren't just glowing because of what she was. Akuma wasn't holding onto the jewel…

"Inuyasha! She's eaten the jewel! Akuma's feeding off its power!"

"Right you are, little girl!" Akuma turned towards Kagome, spreading her wings as she closed the distance between them, clasping Kagome's throat with her free hand, and lifting her off her feet. The empty bow in her hand clattered to the floor. "'Tis a shame to sacrifice such a lovely little thing," she tittered, pulling Kagome closer for inspection. "However, you speak of this jewel as though you've possessed it before. If I am not mistaken…"

Kagome kicked her feet and pulled at the hand that swallowed the expanse of her neck, even as Akuma pulled her closer. She hadn't anticipated the demoness being so large, but then she was a dragon, or something close to one. Faintly, she could hear Inuyasha screaming her name, and she wanted so badly to tell him to run, to find shelter until the sun rose. It wouldn't save her life, but it would save his, and maybe then he'd have a better chance of taking the jewel back.

"You reek of pure energy," Akuma spatin disgust. "How can you possibly be the bearer of the jewel and keep it unsoiled? Do you not hear its calls? It craves the darkness of the heart. It feeds on the priorities of the self. It gives the bearer their every heart's desires. Yet you taint it with your precious light…"

Spots were beginning to form in her vision, but Kagome had to hang on. Inuyasha needed the chance –

Akuma whipped her head around the moment that Inuyasha thrust the Tetsusaiga into her back, cutting through one of the leathery black wings. He'd sliced through a vein, creating a steady drip off the torn pieces of the mainsail. Kagome could only watch in terror as Akuma's roar was deafened by the sound of the thick tail connecting with Inuyasha's side, throwing him across the room. She turned back to Kagome without another thought.

"You should relinquish your portion of the jewel," she demanded, loosening her fingers just enough to allow Kagome to speak. "A bargain, if you will. The jewel for your lover's life. What say you?"

If she could survive, Kagome was going to have to sit down and unpack why every being they fought always assumed that she and Inuyasha were lovers.

Kagome coughed, feeling spit form at the corner of her mouth. Akuma's loose grip had given her the briefest moment to breathe, even if the air around her reeked of sulfur, blood, and death. She'd take what she could get. Her hands had fallen to her sides, hanging as limp as the rest of her body as she weighed her options. Akuma was watching her intently, waiting for her answer. With each passing moment, Inuyasha's life was at risk, and Akuma's fingers started to tighten around her throat once more.

"I'll see you in hell first," she hissed through clenched teeth, lifting her hand to grab Akuma's face. It was a last resort and wasn't something she'd tapped into since she'd first arrived in the feudal era, but she had to try. Kagome took in a small amount of satisfaction as her hand glowed a brilliant pink, burning Akuma's face. Her body jerked in place as she pushed every ounce that she could into the touch.

If she was going to die that night, Kagome was going to leave a parting gift.

Akuma roared, throwing Kagome away from her to clutch her face. The Tetsusaiga was still embedded in her back as she thrashed around. Inuyasha had stumbled to his feet just in time to see Kagome careen towards the wall, and as he sprinted to her, he knew he wouldn't make it in time. Her body connected with stone, and she fell into a heap on the ground, obscured by pieces of the floor that had been ripped up by Akuma's whip.

"Kagome! Kagome! Answer me!" Inuyasha dropped to his knees and prayed as he turned her onto her back to check for damage. Kagome's throat was already displaying purple bruising from the chokehold she'd been in, her skin was marred by scratches, and her clothes were singed from the embers. She was breathing, by some miracle. Inuyasha continued to call to her as he covered her body with his own to shield her from the debris that was flying around the room.

Whatever she'd done to the demoness, it had sent her into a rage.

"You worthless little human!" Akuma seethed, wings flapping furiously as she spun about to find them. "How dare you defile my beauty! I was a fool to offer you a boon – no more! I will pick your bones clean with my teeth first!"

Inuyasha pulled Kagome to her knees the moment he felt her begin to stir, keeping his back to the demoness and doubling as a shield. "Kagome? Kagome, listen to me," he kept his voice firm. "You need to run –"

"No, I'm not leaving you!" she coughed, a bit of blood splattering on the stone. It didn't set his mind at ease to see that, even after she wheezed that she'd bitten her tongue. That didn't matter. She was bleeding, and he hadn't been able to protect her.

"Could you stop being stupid for one moment –"

"You're one to talk! I've been telling you we both need to run –"

Kagome let out a scream as the demoness' tail slammed into the stone between them, forcing them to separate. She didn't get a chance to ask Inuyasha if he was alright; he was on his feet and running directly at Akuma. Oh god. Where was her bow? She needed her bow, she had to do something –

"You are an annoying little man," Akuma seethed, cracking her whip at Inuyasha. "First you stab me in the back, and then that woman of yours burns my face. As endearing as it is to hear you both try to protect the other, it will all be in vain. YOU – WILL – NEVER – LEAVE – THIS – ROOM –!"

"Guess again!"

Akuma jerked forward with a gasp, turning back to see a gaping hole within the once-untouched wing, and through the opening, the vision of the woman notching another arrow. "You never learn, do you!" she snarled, pivoting to swing her tail at Kagome. She didn't account for the other human to retrieve the sword, pulling it down in a long cut through the wing's mainsail and across her back. Blood squirted freely from the gash as Akuma turned back, the whip in hand raised high. "I will start with you, and your little whore can watch me consume you so that she may see what awaits her next!"

The flames that bathed the whip in a brilliant light were coming too close to Inuyasha for Kagome's comfort. He was able to dodge and avoid being struck, but in his human state he wouldn't be able to keep up with this pattern for much longer. They had no idea how long it would be until sunrise, and Akuma wouldn't be satisfied to wait. They'd both exerted too much energy to be able to escape now.

Kagome took aim and shot her arrow, sending it into the narrow cut of the demoness' shoulder. Akuma was too focused on Inuyasha to come for her, but Kagome still had to avoid the wide berth of the tail. It thrashed and slammed into the stone floor, splitting the smooth surface into a jagged wasteland. If she stayed too focused on the tail, she'd get knocked off her feet if they met with an uneven foothold.

Her hand reached back to grab another arrow but found that she was down to two. She knew she hadn't fired all of them; some must still be lying around the room, but it wasn't like she could pause long enough to search. Now with that worry on top of everything else, she lifted the arrow and set it into place.

Inuyasha was keeping Akuma distracted. He needed her to not fail.

What she was about to do wasn't something she'd readily thought through, but she was growing weaker with each shot. It wasn't like she had a lot of options, and hopefully when it was all over, Inuyasha would forgive her for such a stupid action.

'I call upon the sacred jewel's power, in my darkest hour, I beseech thee – lend me your strength! Aid me in this fight, for the fate of many are at risk!'

The pouch that hung under her shirt grew warm, slowly spreading across her skin and through her body, making her feel like she was experiencing the worst fever of her life. Was this what Inuyasha felt as he used the jewel fragments on Tetsusaiga? It had awoken the demon within him with abundance, but what would it do to her?

The energy coursing through her was growing stronger. Kagome felt her breath hitch, saw her hands shake as they held the arrow against the bowstring. There was no point in trying to strike a fresh spot; Akuma's skin was too thick. If she wasted her shot, she knew they'd die. The jewel wasn't going to grant her another chance, so she had to pick carefully.

The wing that Inuyasha had sliced through shifted, exposing the long cut of flesh down the demoness' back.

'By the grace of the ones that came before me, guide this arrow to its mark!'

The arrowhead began to glow brightly before it was released, seeking the dark soul it was meant to purify. Inuyasha took his chance to run for cover as he saw the arrow approach. Akuma, turning too late, could only watch in shock as the white beam of light soared towards her, embedding itself deep within the opening that Inuyasha had created.

The demoness let out a wretched howl as the effects of Kagome's spiritual abilities and the power of the jewel began to purify her body from the inside out. The parts of her skin that weren't shielded showed the brilliant light from within before it began to swell. Veins were bulging, then splitting, filling the air around Akuma with ash as her form continued to burn. In moments, nothing remained of the demoness but a large pile of ashes. And within it sat the sacred jewel piece.

Kagome ran to Inuyasha, stumbling over her own feet in the process. "Are you alright?" she gasped, falling into his side. "I'm sorry, I had to –"

"Keh. I'm fine. It's just scratches, but you're not fine! What the fuck were you thinking, Kagome?! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"I was trying to save your life!"

"I told you to run!" Mad as he was, he still kept his arm around her waist as they approached Akuma's remains. He knew good and fucking well what she'd done. He could feel the jewel's power still radiating off her like an intense fever. Fuck – it was probably the only thing that was keeping her on her feet and conscious! "My life ain't worth dying over –"

"The hell it isn't!" Kagome yelled. "You promised me that we'd be okay tonight! You told me that when all of this is over, that we'd go traveling for the fun of it! What about that, Inuyasha? What about the house we'd share?"

Inuyasha let go of Kagome briefly to collect the jewel piece from the ash. It was still too warm to touch with his fingers, but the fire rat's sleeve was thick enough to absorb the heat so that Kagome could purify it. "Not gonna happen if you're dead either," he bit back.

"I wasn't leaving you –"

"Well maybe you should have, alright? Is that what you want to hear? You've got family that needs you." He wouldn't look at her as he rolled the jewel piece around in the sleeve, checking with his free hand to see how hot it still was. The memories of the nightmare were coming back fast. If something had happened to Kagome, he'd have to return to tell her family. He couldn't bear the thought of her mother crying for real like Kagome had in his dream –

"You've got family too! Sango, Miroku –"

"Have got their own they need to focus on."

"Shippo –"

"Is with his own kind at the academy."

"Then what about me?" Kagome's voice finally cracked, making his heart sink. "Don't I matter to you?"

Inuyasha frowned as he looked at her, seeing the tears begin to form in her eyes. "Of course you do, dummy. You mean the most to me out of anyone. Why do you think I don't want to see you get killed over this stupid thing?" The jewel rolled down the sleeve into the palm of his hand, no longer blisteringly hot.

Kagome sniffled, swiping at her cheeks. "You think I want to see you die because of this stupid thing either?" she laughed, placing her hands over the jewel piece. There was still an ounce of energy that swirled within her center, and that would have to be enough to purify the piece. It was a hefty fragment, and once it was merged with her portion they wouldn't have much left to collect at all.

Maybe their plans to travel for leisure weren't as far away as she once thought.

As she began to channel the energy into her fingertips, Kagome could feel something…off. Had Akuma been so powerful that her soul had tainted the jewel more than even she knew? It was a struggle to push back the darkness that tried to leak from the jewel onto her person. With Inuyasha being human, it didn't perceive his body as a vessel to inhabit, tempt, and corrupt…but it recognized her power and was fighting for dominance. A sharp pain passed through her mind, but Kagome had to hold on. She could see the dark aura fading like dust scattered in the wind as she pushed the pure light into the stone. Just a little more –

"Kagome," Inuyasha called to her. "Something doesn't feel right –"

"Almost…"

"Kagome! Stop! We can take it to Kaede! She –"

"I can do this!" she cut him off, pushing harder. "Have faith in me, Inuyasha!"

He growled. "Maybe when you have some faith in me –"

His words, and any response Kagome would have sent back at him, were lost to the bright light that enveloped the room. There was no time to scream, no time to shield themselves, and no warning as the purification forced them apart to opposite sides of the room.