Sory for the long wait guys, it took me a while to figure out how to right such an intense chapter. I have the next few after this in my head, just need to type 'em.

Also, when Kameko shouts Inuyasha picture somewhat how Kagome says it in the second Inuyasha movie right before she gets hit with the arrow, only with a bit more emotion and desperation. Thank you

Also(sorry for all the alsos), I suggest listening to the song "Time of Dying" by Three Days Grace before reading this, because it kinda represents the first half of this chapter and the last chapter. Awesome song by the way. If I could make an amv out of this fanfic then I would use that song for these scenes.

ch. 16

Sesshoumaru bent down and picked up a small stone out of the now dead demon's kimono. Slipping it into the sleeve of his own he turned around and started walking away.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, there's a girl! Is she dead?" cried a little girl running to his side.

Sesshoumaru turned around and found that Rin was talking about some girl laying on the ground. She looked familiar...

The girl lifted her head slightly, staring questioningly up at him. She had shoulder length raven black hair, except for one lone purple streak. Of course, she was Inuyasha's human friend. No one else would have such a hairstyle.

"No, but she will be," Sesshoumaru answered surely.

Glancing back up he found the spot where she had been laying empty. A few feet away he saw her trudging slowly but forcefully through the snow and towards the woods. His gaze lingered on her for a second before going back to where she had been laying. It was spotted with red.

"Soon..."

Sesshoumaru gracefully turned away and disappeared into the swirling snow, a little girl running gleefully behind him.

Numb in both mind and body with unrelenting cold I struggled to make my way through the snow.

I didn't exactly get what had happened back there, I didn't exactly get anything right now. All I could think about was breaking the spell. Then I could rest. Oh god, that sounded so good right now. Rest. Sleep. I'd only gotten a few hours of sleep in last night. What time was it now anyway? The sun was so thickly covered by the graying clouds that I could just barely tell it was daytime. How long had this been going on?

I shook my head, trying to think clearly. What was it so cold?! Why wasn't the spell broken yet?! Kazue was dead wasn't she? The spell should have died along with her. It's at least got to have weakened a bit. Yeah, without her to control their every move the spell cast on them had to be weaker.

One problem.

How do I break it?!

"Oh, sorry," I apologized as I bumped unknowingly into someone's red clothed back. It gave a low, sinister growl.

Wait.

I stumbled backwards as the red figure turned. There was a flash of yellow light and I was sent sprawling. Laying there I stared up into Inuyasha's eyes. They were red with the thirst for kill. Tears sprouted from my eyes.

What happened next was all a blur. I remember my arms wrapping tightly around Inuyasha. A voice kept shouting his name. Wait, I think that was me. Ten claws dug into my arm, but only blended in with the rest of my pain. The shouting got louder. I hugged tighter. My face was wet. It tasted salty. I didn't care about anything, I just wanted to stop this. End it.

"INUYASHAAAA!!"

Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

There was a loud thumping noise. The claws retracted from my arms.

"Kameko? Whats going on? Why are you hugging me?!"

"Thank you..." I whispered quietly into Inuyasha's red kimono before backing off.

"Inuyasha, Kameko, there you are!"

Sango and Miroku emerged from the woods a second later. Kirara and Shippo followed behind them. They must have been about to attack me.

But now they were all ok. The nightmare was over. My friends would be all right.

"Aaauugh!" I clutched my stomach in a sudden blinding pain. There was blood. Lots of blood. When did this happen?

Voices frantically shouted my name. White spots flashed before my eyes. The snow-covered ground slammed into my face.

Immense guilt washed over Inuyasha. Kameko had fainted from loss of blood and the cold. After collapsing he finally got a good look at her. Her clothes were soaked to the bone with water and blood. Her skin was pale as a ghost with a light hint of blue. Her lips were purple.

There had been a cut and ten punctures on her arms. She had one large bruise on her back. Her face was scratched and her body bruised. But the worst injury had been the large gash cutting across her abdomen.

It had been his fault. All his fault. Sango and Miroku had denied it, saying he wasn't to blame, but he knew they were wrong.

He'd smelled it. Her blood.

On his hands.

Kameko had been brought to Kaede immediately. Inuyasha had carried the limp body on his back, running and refusing to stop till he got there. She hadn't stirred the whole way.

For six days Kameko lay unmoving on a straw mat. On the seventh day she awoke for a few seconds before falling asleep again. Inuyasha felt like he'd been holding his breath the whole time.

After that she started coughing and shivering constantly. She would toss and turn, once she even screamed, causing Inuyasha to run to her side immediately. He saw her sweating, gritting her teeth in pain.

Inuyasha sat there by her day after day. Seeing her pain he felt terrible. There was nothing he could do for her, only wait. Guilt drowned all his thoughts. This was all his fault.

Her pain...had been inflicted by him.

He didn't deserve to have her by his side. He was a danger to her. Who knew? Who knew how badly he would hurt her next time?

The world was dark. My eyelids cracked open and a flood of light came pouring through. I shut them tight immediately. Slower this time, I allowed the light to enter. All I could see was wood. I think it was the ceiling. Exhausted, I closed my eyes again.

Something cool and wet was pressed on my forehead. It felt so good. I looked and saw a figure in red and white clothing above me. I tried to move my lips. The figure quickly faded into darkness.

Voices. I heard voices. Were they talking about me? I opened my eyes. Everything was a blurred mess of colors. I blinked a few times, and after everything cleared up a bit, I saw people sitting around me, chatting in low voices. Let's see, there was Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and-

Inuyasha!

My back sprang up from the straw mat. I was instantly hit by waves of nausea and pain from my stomach. Two hands grabbed my shoulder and gently pressed me back down onto the mat. I glanced back.

"Kaede?" I mumbled almost inaudibly. Nothing was making sense.

"Yes dear?" she said gently. For a second I pictured my mom above me, combing my hair with her fingers and soothing me with her voice like she used to do when I was sick in bed.

"I'm hungry," I blurted. I know that probably sounded stupid, but at that moment I realized it was true. I was starving!

Kaede nodded and told the gang, who was still recovering form the shock of me popping up so fast, to whip up the last of the instant ramen. She then told Inuyasha to prop my back up against the wall so I could sit properly. He hesitated for a second before coming over. He lifted my back as if he were lifting some thousand dollar vase. I looked up at him, but he kept avoiding my eyes.

Even when I was finally propped up against the wooden wall he refused to make eye contact. What was his problem?

"Ramen's ready!" Sango said cheerfully as she placed the large bowl in my hands. The smell was intoxicating, the best smell in the world. I grabbed the chopsticks and ravenously chowed it down. My stomach felt like a black hole. I thought I would never get full, but luckily I reached that satisfied bloated feeling when I was done.

I set down the bowl and got to my knees. My hands pressing against the wall I slowly lifted myself up.

"Kameko, I don't think you're quite ready to be walking yet," Kaede warned.

Her voice didn't compute. I heard it, but what was being said just didn't register. I pushed myself all the way up and, still leaning on the wall, slowly took a step forward.

The pain in my stomach erupted again. The world started spinning. My hands left the wall and I stumbled forward. The floor rushed up to meet me. There was a flash of red and everything went dark.

I lay staring at the ceiling above me. A million thoughts zipped through my head at once, yet I did not acknowledge them. I just lay there, oblivious to to anything and everything, staring. I didn't even notice the fact that I was staring at the ceiling. I was...nothing.

"OW!"

I jumped, if that's possible to do while laying down. I turned my head and found Inuyasha sitting next to me, his hand pointing as his cheek. It had a red hand mark on it.

"Did I do that?" Did I?

"Yes, I sit down and your hand pops up and slaps me!" Inuyasha screamed in a hushed voice. The rest of the group lay sleeping around us.

"Uh...sorry?" I couldn't think of anything else to say, I didn't even remember doing it.

"Sorry?! Sorry doesn't-" Inuyasha stopped short when I grabbed his hand. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get up, help me will you?" I was tired of lying down. It had been two days since I'd first woken up and eaten the ramen, I was pretty sure I could walk fine now. If I could just get up.

I almost fell on Inuyasha, but he quickly caught me and allowed me to lean on him as we slowly walked out of the hut. My legs felt like noodles and I could've sworn I'd seen Inuyasha's face turn red in the darkness.

Outside the night breeze was so refreshing. It wasn't too hot or too cold. I took a deep breath looked up at the sky. Millions of stars were shining and a thin sliver of moon could be seen smack dab in the middle. It was so beautiful, all I could do was stare at it as Inuyasha led me into the woods.

When I snapped out of my trance I removed my gaze from the night sky and saw the well. I looked up questioningly at Inuyasha.

"Wha-?"

Inuyasha grabbed me and wrapped his arms around me.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Inuyasha I-"

"I'm sorry."

Sorry? For what?

I didn't get a chance to ask.

Inuyasha ceased embracing me and gave me a hard shove. I fell backwards, my legs hitting the well and me falling in. I was shocked, but angry at the same time. I looked up and saw Inuyasha's face for one second before hitting the bottom.

He looked as if his heart was ripping apart.

Well, this one was a bit longer. What will happen next I wonder? I promise it won't be like in the series. Actually, the next time they meet up will be quite interesting and very amusing to write. Also, it will make a nice cliffhanger. But you'll just have to wait till the next chapter, or maybe even the one after that! Man , I'm evil!!

The more people comment, the more I write and the sooner I post!!