Last Thoughts

Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I don’t. Inuyasha belongs to someone else. ||sigh||

Summary: The Battle with Naraku is a sucess! What happenes when Kagome is shot back to her own time? Please don't flame, constructive critisizm welcome.


Kagome's Ugly Reality

Eric had wanted to come to Kagome's home to pick her up. After all, what gentleman would meet his date in their destination only? But Kagome had been against it. It wouldn't be right. It just wouldn't be. Instead, she told him that she was free on Thursday, and she would meet him wherever he decided. He was disappointed, and began to insist he meet her at her home, but Kagome simply shook her head, and he bowed his in defeat.

That night, when she got home, she had taken a look towards the God Tree. She could still see the small, darkened, mark on where Kikyou's arrow had stuck Inuyasha to the tree. The marks of Magic, after all, last forever; even when the spells are broken.

It took everything inside of her to rip her eyes away, and disappear into the House. Mother was still awake, watching a late night talk show. Her eyes had left the television screen, and smiled up at Kagome, "How are you feeling, sweetie?" She asked, reading her daughters exhausted expression.

Kagome returned her smile, "Tired. I think I'm going to go straight to bed, and take a nice bath in the morning."

Mrs. Higurashi nodded, and returned her attention to the talk show she was watching. Kagome took in a deep sigh, and ran upstairs to her bedroom. After changing, she cuddles herself on her bed. A million thoughts were running through her mind, but eventually, she was able to fall asleep.

[Dream]
She was climbing out of the Bone Eaters Well, anxiously. Something was wrong. She could feel it. Something was wrong with Inuyasha! She was that fifteen year old girl again again, unafraid of everything, except the demise of her friends.

The vines she was grabbing onto kept snapping, sending the girl tumbling back down to the bottom of the well. She continued trying, almost making it, before being hurdled back down. She was crying, and her arms were tired, but she wouldn't give up. She couldn't give up.

She tried one last time, clawing on the vines and stone, her sweat was stinging her eyes. Her lungs burned, making breathing hard. She gritted her teeth, as she tested the final vine, only to see a clawed hand reach down and grab her wrist. She was lifted out with a single swoop.

"Kagome?" The voice sounded uncertain.

She had landed, awkwardly, on the ground when the hand dropped her, causing her to fall completely against it. Pushing her hands on the grass, she lifted her head, catching sight of the red of Inuyasha fire-robe.

She scrambled to her feet, and leapt into his arms. He didn't hug her back, it didn't matter. "You're safe!" She gasped, hugging him even tired. "I was so worried..." She buried her face into his chest.

"You came back?" Inuyasha asked, his voice sounding sad and relieved, as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her just as tight.

Her eyes shot open, and realization began to turn its ugly head. She wasn't that fifteen-year-old girl anymore. She was nineteen, and the last time she had seen Inuyasha, they were holding each other just like this.

She pushed herself off of him, stepping backwards as she shook her head, and her vision began to blur with tears. "No," she whispered, watching as Inuyasha's ears perked and faced her, catching her words.

He took a step towards her, and Kagome responded by taking three steps back, almost tripping as she did so. He halted, and raised his hands, showing her he meant her no harm.

"We need your help."
[/End Dream]

Kagome's eyes shot open, as she jumped out of bed. What the hell was that? She hadn't had a dream about Inuyasha since the day she returned. Something was trying to force her to forget, whatever it was couldn't empty her heart.

She looked over to her vanity, and regulated her breath.

We need your help...

His words rang over and over in her head, and Kagome clamped her eyes shut, forcing the voice to disappear, and the dream to be forgotten. She couldn't dwell on it. Dreams were only dreams. Besides, even if she were to believe he had called to her through her dreams, the well wouldn't allow her time traveling any longer.

She looked over at her clock, and groaned. Why didn't her mother wake her? She had slept too long, and now she was going to be late for work.

---

As much as Kagome tried to push her feelings aside, there was something uneasy in the pit of her stomach. Something trying to warn her against going. Telling her there was something off about this American Gentleman.

Of course, that feeling could have just as easily rolled from her imagination. She couldn't push the idea that she was being dishonest. Dishonest with both herself, and Inuyasha. So what if the Hanyou lived more than five hundred years ago? That he died long before Kagome was even born? She had been blessed by the gods to be able to meet him. Him, Sango, Kirara, Miroku and Shippo.

She wiped a lone tear from her eye, as she waited by the subway. The lights above her hummed and flickered, and Kagome suddenly had a longing for her bow and arrow. The weapons she had used in the Feudal Era, fighting alongside her friends. Her small form of defense and security.

"That's just silly," she mumbled to herself, as she adjusted the strap of her black leather purse on her shoulder. She gave a look down the left entrance of the subway tunnel, hoping it would arrive soon. It was odd, but the train was already five minutes late. "You’re just nervous about tonight. About seeing him outside of work." She chuckled. If she were to walk in with her bow and arrow, Eric would probably search for the nearest exit.

The lights above her flickered again, leaving her in darkness for moments at a time, only for her to be bathed in light again. Her heart began to beat unnaturally fast beneath her breast, and Kagome found her breathing begin to shorten.

Something unnatural was going on.

The lights shut off completely, leaving Kagome in a blanket of darkness. She had screamed when it happened, her echo's could still be heard. She hadn't made a move to leave the bench she was sitting on, only glanced wildly around herself.

"The dark can't hurt you," she grumbled to herself, "stop acting like a baby. The dark. Can't. Hurt you."

But I can…

Oh, it was as if the Gods were judging that theory of hers! Kagome's eyes widened, as her head turned, slowly, back to the left tunnel. Was what she heard, what she was suddenly feeling, real? No.. It couldn't be!

"Demonic Aura," she mouthed, making a quick move to stand, and back up towards the entrance. Yes, she was certain of it now.. But she thought the last demon had been extinguished nearly three hundred years ago. Her Grandfather had spoken of it with great pride, claiming it was their ancestors who had done it. Offering proof that a certain bear demon had been killed near her well, which explained why the Higurashi shrine stood there today.

She continued to walk backwards, eyes never wandering away from the general direction of the left tunnel. Whatever it was, it was coming closer, at a decent speed. Her breath was caught, and she completely turned away from the tunnel, scurrying up the stairs that lead up to city streets.

"Kagome.." The demonic voice rang, through the tunnel, causing Kagome to pause midway through the stairs. She knew that voice. No matter how much malice was laced behind the tone, she recognized the voice!

Her knees began to buck against each other, as a new type of fear began to engulf her. "Kagome.."

The Aura was getting closer, and the tone of the demon's voice more anxious. Yes, she was positive on who the voice belonged to now. It just didn't seem possible. "Naraku?" Her voice was broken, filled with disbelief.

Chuckling was heard, surrounding the dark, empty subway.

Kagome knew that her next moves would be stupid, but she was still so dumbfounded by the realization of everything, still confused on how it was possible. Yet, she ignored her better instincts, and began to descend the stairs, back into the darkness.

"Naraku?" Her voice was weak, but outraged, and the chuckling wouldn't stop. The lights flashed on, blinding the girl momentarily, but she kept her vision clear, and watched the tunnel.

Her eyes widened as a man stepped out from the tunnel, and jumped up towards the level of the ground. He was grinning at her with those beautiful pearly whites. Kagome could swear that her heart was going to stop beating soon, by running out of ticks.

"Eric?"