Chapter Five

There was nothing he could do to stop the nightmares. The half demon boy-almost a man-had been suffering from these terrors for a long time now. And, just as every other night, it was the same dream.

'Inuyasha...'

He didn't want to turn around or acknowledge the owner of such a familiar voice. Inuyasha knows what he will see when he turns around. It's always the same; Kagome standing on the edge of a cliff, arrows protruding from her flesh, too many to count. Blood would splatter the grass at her feet, turning the once green ground a sea of red. Her round eyes would be filled with pain, confusion and hatred. After all, it was his fault she was on the brink of death.

Inuyasha couldn't save Kagome from the one person he should never have loved.

'Inu...yasha,' Kagome's voice muttered.

This was different, however. Inuyasha noticed the change in her tone. He spun around, expecting the same image of her that played in his mind each night. But it wasn't the usual scene. Kagome stood on the edge of the cliff, though she was different somehow. His eyes, stronger than humans, were able to pick up on the smallest of changes to her body. Her black hair was hanging past her waist, curling around her arms in soft waves. Her face was thinner, making her eyes look rounder, and her lips fuller. Her once thin figure had filled out, giving her body a feminine look. She was still the same Kagome, but obviously older. She screamed maturity. This was not the Kagome he knew three years ago.

'Kagome...?' He took a step closer, towards the cliff. 'Is it... Are you-?'

The Kagome of his dream stepped back, less than a meter from falling off the cliff. 'How can you be here?' Her eyes held fear and longing. Kagome couldn't stop her heart from screaming with joy at seeing the half demon.

Her words confused him. 'This is my nightma-Dream. I could be asking you the same thing.' Inuyasha stopped himself from calling this weird encounter a nightmare. Even if it was just his unconscious imagination running wild, he would gladly take it over the usual nightmare. And it didn't matter that this Kagome looked strange, because it was still her voice saying his name.

'But... This isn't a dream. I thought-.' The Kagome in his dream glanced around frantically, confusion knotting her brow. 'Kikyo killed me, I'm sure of it.'

'Kikyo-.'

'You're not meant to be here!'

Kagome's outburst startled Inuyasha. He watched, wide eyed, as she fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands. His hand twitched, aching to reach out and touch her. Knowing that was not what was needed right now, the half demon stayed where he was.

The Kagome in his dream began sobbing softly. At first that was the only sound, until she began talking, each sentence barely audible. 'I was finally free of this feeling. Kikyo ended my life and I no longer needed to worry about anything. No more sadness, or wondering how my life would have been if I never pushed you away that night. But here you are.'

'You believe you're...dead?'

'Kikyo came to my world, through the well. She-.' More tears sprang to Kagome's eyes as she remembered the whole ordeal. 'She hurt Sota. Then she killed me, telling me I was still in her way.'

'In her way of what?'

Kagome lifted her head, staring at Inuyasha with emotionless eyes. 'You.' In that instant, her expressionless face contorted into an expression he never would have thought she was capable of showing; complete disgust. 'She killed me because you never let me go...'

Inuyasha nodded slowly, not sure where this was going. 'I would never let you go, Kagome.'

'But I let you go,' she admitted, standing up slowly, 'and never looked back. And now, because of you, my brother may be dead!'

'What are you saying?'

In a voice filled with more hatred than he ever would have thought possible, and an expression of pure anger on her face, Kagome locked eyes with Inuyasha as she stated, 'I hate you.'

The next moment his eyes shot open. Inuyasha was panting heavily; sweat beaded his brow as he stared up into the starry night sky. At first his memory was blank, and then the strange dream began coming back to him, piece by piece. Was that really Kagome, or was his mind playing a trick on him? Could he really have imagined a Kagome that looked so different from her old self? But her looks didn't matter as much as her words had. Inuyasha couldn't get her voice out of his head. A part of him wished it had been the old nightmare that plagued his sleep, instead of one where Kagome looked at him with rage and hatred. Inuyasha knows he will never be able to forget her face in that last moment.

Knowing he would be unable to fall back asleep, the half demon stood and began wondering through the forest. The village Sango and Miroku were staying in wasn't too far off, but Inuyasha preferred to sleep in the forest, alone. It helped ease his mind on nights such as this. He was able to think clearly and be by himself. And, just like most other nights, he found himself sub-consciously heading towards the one spot in the forest that cause him pain.

When the well came into view, Inuyasha sighed in annoyance. Why does he keep doing this to himself? Not even he knows why he comes here every night. It was like picking at an old scab, each time you rip a piece off, the blood starts flowing again until it slowly heals. But he knew it was longing that brought him here each night. Inuyasha sat cross legged at the edge of the forest, the old well within his sight. He would continue to watch the well, as he did every night, until he fell back asleep. This has been his routine for the last three years.

Ten minutes after he began relaxing, the breeze shifted and his heightened senses picked up on a familiar scent. Kikyo? Inuyasha sat upright, and sure enough, there she was, climbing out of the well. Wait-what? Inuyasha's eyes narrowed at the black haired priestess as she flung her legs over the side and jumped down. Did she just travel to Kagome's era? What would she need to go there for? His eyes zeroed in on the bow in her right hand and the bag of arrows hoisted over her shoulder. Remaining where he was, Inuyasha watched Kikyo move silently across the field, heading towards the village. Soon she had disappeared into the forest.

Inuyasha waited a few minutes longer to make sure she was gone before rushing over to the well. It was pitch black when he glanced over the side. This didn't make any sense. It's been weeks since Inuyasha has spoken to Kikyo, when she tried to convince him to follow her to the afterlife. Three years ago he would have done anything for her, but ever since that fateful night, when he witnessed the priestess trying to kill Kagome his perception of her has changed. He no longer cared enough for the priestess to follow her to the afterlife. And so he no longer trusted her, either. She was dangerous, no longer the sweat woman who protected her village from demons. And for some reason, Kikyo had travelled through the well. That couldn't be a good thing.

What was he to do now? Inuyasha's mind instantly fought against the memory of his dream, where Kagome was blaming him for her death. The Kagome in his dream also said Kikyo had killed her. But it had only been a dream, right? None of it was real. There was a sinking feeling in the half demons stomach. Inuyasha slowly sunk onto the grass, his mind reeling with what to do next.

Footsteps from the forest sounded behind where Inuyasha was sitting, but he made no attempt to move. He recognised the slow, heavy steps of the old woman. Kaede was never in much of a hurry to get anywhere these days. The past three years has been taxing on her, and her old age was beginning to affect her ability to protect the village as their priestess.

Inuyasha was the first to speak. 'You saw Kikyo?'

'Yes.' Kaede stopped when she was standing next to the well. 'She came to me earlier, asking for advice. Kikyo is afraid you hold more love for Kagome than you do for her.'

The half demon didn't say a word.

Kaede continued in that rough voice of hers. 'Dead or not, she is still my sister, and I sensed what she was going to do. Kikyo is not the same anymore. There is darkness in her heart. And what my gut told me was true it would seem.'

'Kikyo went to Kagome's world. But why?' Inuyasha knew, in his stomach, that something wasn't right. He needed guidance, and perhaps Kaede could offer him that. 'I had a dream earlier.'

'And?' The old lady prompted.

He sighed. 'I think Kagome is in trouble. I think...' There was no way he could finish that sentence or accept what his stomach told him.

Kaede rested a hand on the well to glance over the edge. 'You think my sister harmed Kagome.' It wasn't a question.

'Yes.'

'Inuyasha, no-one but you can travel through-.'

'I know!' He jumped to his feet and began pacing around the well. 'Don't you think I've already thought about this? It's the first thing that came to my mind!'

The old woman stepped into his path, forcing the half demon to meet her understanding gaze. 'You are afraid.'

He remained silent once more.

'Kagome may be in danger,' she added sternly. Kaede narrowed her eyes. 'She needs your help, Inuyasha.'

His golden eyes landed on the well. Kaede watched as a range of emotions flittered across his face, before eventually his face set into an expression of determination. She stepped out of his way, giving him some space. Inuyasha sauntered over to the well, placing his hand on the edge just as Kaede had. A piece of rotten wood broke off and fell into the darkness, making a small thud as it hit the bottom. Would it still work? It's been years since he even considered jumping down the well. Was it the right thing to do?

'Inuyasha, you are hesitating.'

His words were no more than a whisper. 'She was the one who sent me away, Kaede. She was the one that...didn't need me anymore.'

'She needs you now,' was all the old lady muttered back.

"I hate you."

Inuyasha's eyes twitched slightly. His eyes darted around the clearing, but couldn't find the source of the low voice. But of course he wouldn't find the owner, because it was the familiar voice in his head. It was the Kagome from his dream, telling him it was his fault for her death. She hated Inuyasha for her fate, and the fate of her brother, which could have been easily avoided if she had never had met him or Kikyo.

Hoping he was doing the right thing, Inuyasha listened to the advice of Kaede. He jumped up to the edge of the well, crouching down so he could stare into the deep darkness. Kagome may be dead, injured or perfectly fine. Either way, he needed to see for himself. The half demon didn't need to make his presence known by anyone in her world. In and out, was what he was going for, there is no need to make contact.

Giving the old woman one last glance, Inuyasha said, 'Don' tell Sango or the others where I went. I'll never hear the end of it when I return.'

Kaede gave him a soft smile. 'You have my word, Inuyasha.'

'And Kaede,' he said more softly, affection for the old hag in his tone, 'Thanks.'

Not giving the old woman time to respond, the half demon spun around and dived into the well, hoping that he didn't smash into the ground below.

I hope this chapter wasn't too boring. Or too much of a cliff hanger. Sorry, guys!