Black, oppressive darkness was pressing down on her from all sides – a strange buzz ringing in her ears. Was that the crickets singing? Was she all alone in the wilderness? She thought she could hear people talking, moving around, but every sound was muffled, hushed as if coming through several layers of blankets. Her limbs would not move, her eyes would not open; time and space were spiralling around her, twisting in a thousand different shapes till she could no longer tell apart between reality and delusion.

She was feeling suffocated, overwhelmed. Heart-wrenching sobs were shivering through her, struggling for escape. She had just seen Inuyasha kissing Kikyou under a tree. He swore to protect her, to avenge her death. He was begging for her to stay. The look in his eyes told her quite plainly what he felt for the departed miko. She had run away from the scene. She had dropped on her bed and cried like she never cried before. But strangely, not a drop spilled from her eyes. The ringing in her ears came louder and louder till she thought her head would burst. And then, it stopped ringing.

Gradually Kagome opened her eyes. At first she was startled by the deep red haze all around her, almost smothering her. Then she realized it was Inuyasha's fire rat robe. He was cradling her, rocking her slowly.

"Inuyasha…I can't breathe…"

The rocking stopped abruptly. A moment later she was peering up into his amber eyes, now wide and distraught, anguished. A lone teardrop rolled down his face and on to her forehead.

"Kagome…thank God you are awake! I…I was so worried!" a second teardrop joined the first.

"What happened to me?" she asked weakly.

"You don't remember, Kagome?" came Shippou's voice from somewhere. "Mukotsu of the shichinintai had poisoned you. Even Miroku and Sango fell asleep. But I protected everyone with my foxfire."

Inuyasha spoke softly, urgently, "I'm sorry. Never again will I put you in such danger."

"You are lying", Kagome slurred sleepily, "when you will get news of Kikyou again, off you'll go."

"No! I'll never leave your side again."

Inuyasha bent down for a kiss but the scene wavered, his face started to dissolve into nothingness. Right on cue, the ringing gained momentum, almost overpowering her. And the darkness – the terrible, unending darkness. She was back inside the meidou. She was in limbo, inside a void with no directions, no ceiling and no floor. Nobody else was in there, nobody would come for her. It was like the time the demon Urasue had stolen her soul. Every passing moment sapped her of her remaining energy; her will to live was steadily evaporating. She could not fight it any longer. Even death was better than this ordeal.

"Ever since she crossed through time and carried the Shikon no Tama to the Sengoku era, Kagome's fate has been decreed. She will become one with the jewel. Continuing the battle within the jewel is the reason Kagome was born."

Whose voice was that?

A pinpoint of yellow light opened up in one corner.

"Kagome, hold on! Don't give in to the darkness!"

Inuyasha…you came for me!

Kagome threw off the eerie, pink-haired baby who was clinging to her like a flesh-eating parasite, as she fell backwards. Was it Kagura or Menoumaru who was trying to control her with the shard? Again the scene wavered. The pinpoint of light twinkled, and then vanished. Dread darkness descended on her eyelids. What happened after that? It was like a cliff-hanger, leaving her in suspense. Did I go back to live with him? Did we get married? Have children? Am I still living in my era?

The voices were back, urging her to do something.

"Kagome, drink up this broth. You have hardly eaten since the last three days."

Mama? Kaede? Who is that?

"Kagome-chan, wake up!"

Yuka? Eri? Sango-chan? Get off my stomach buyo…you are heavy! Is that Souta's school bell or the cows grazing in the field?

And then that voice – the one, unmistakable voice. His voice. It was broken now, shaking with emotion. Anxiety? But there was no mistaking it.

"Kagome…"

With that single word all was silent. Just for a second. Then a tumult of jumbled memories rushed into her head.

"Kagome, I want you to stay by my side."

"Kagome is Kagome. You are nobody's replacement."

"You smell nice."

"I'll protect Kagome. Till my dying breath."

"How dare you hurt Kagome? HOW DARE YOU HURT HER?"

"You will marry me? Really?"

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me."

"He looks just like you…but he got my hair!"

"I don't want to be anywhere else, but with you."

"You bitch!"

"Kagome…"

"Darling…"

A smile twitched at the corner of her lips. Slowly, tremulously, she opened her eyes. It was met by his large, amber eyes – wide and distraught, anguished. A lone teardrop rolled down his face and fell onto his lap.

"Kagome…thank God you are awake! I…I was so worried!" a second teardrop joined the first.

Then out of nowhere the darkness came crashing in, crushing all barriers like a tidal wave. It smote at all her senses, all at once, wiping out every feeling, every memory till nothing remained.

She passed into the void.