InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Heartless ❯ Angels Do Not Cry ( Chapter 14 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters from the anime/manga. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I suppose life would be easier if I made money by writing these stories, but unfortunately, I do not.

 

 

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Special thanks to my wonderful betas Ai Kisugi and Hedanicree for picking this story to pieces and making it a much more bearable read!

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WARNING: This chapter contains some disturbing images and mention of torture. Read at your own discretion.

 

 

`Thinking'

“Talking”

Dreams or memories

 

 

 

Chapter 14: Angels Do Not Cry

 

 

 

The dim light of the moon illuminated the small meadow surrounded by shadows. Once they were out of the foliage, Sango slowly seated herself and rearranged the bundle of fur in her arms — careful not to awaken her precious friend. She smiled when Kirara responded to her caresses with a purr. She looked up to see Miroku standing a few feet away, his face turned to the thin line that was the moon, his staff standing tall and proud in his hands — just like him. He looked so handsome, his eyes reflecting the faint moonlight, his pale skin in stark contrast with his dark hair. He would have looked so young too, if not for the slight furrow in his brows. Despite his calm exterior, he was as anxious as she was, it seemed.

 

“You're worried, aren't you?” she asked in a whisper.

 

He turned to face her before smiling softly. “I can't help it. I know they will work it out. I just hope that it won't take too long.”

 

She nodded her agreement and turned her gaze to the starry night sky. “There's something in the night, isn't there? It makes me uneasy.” She looked down at Kirara and scratched the kitten's ears softly before sighing. “What do we do now, Miroku?”

 

“I'm at a loss myself, Sango,” mumbled the monk dejectedly. “Kagome is back, and now that we know what Keiko has done to them …” Massaging his neck with his free hand, he started pacing back and forth as he continued, his staff jingling with each step he took, “… but there is still a war going on.”

 

Sango interrupted, “Perhaps if we talk to him, we might come up with a solution to that. I'm sure he will listen to us this time. He has Kagome back, and I don't think he would want this war to continue.”

 

“I'm afraid it is not up to him, Sango. Even if Inuyasha manages to convince demons to end the war, there's still the problem with the human lords. You know how greedy they are now that they have the upper hand against powerful demons.”

 

Sango nodded grimly, knowing that her husband was right as usual. She stiffened when Miroku stopped pacing and whirled around suddenly, his face set in a scowl. “Wha —” she tried to ask but was cut short with a loud crashing sound echoing in the forest. Her heart jumped to her throat, knowing that the sound came from where they had left Inuyasha and Kagome alone.

 

In mere seconds, they were running through the forest, Kirara a few feet in front of them. The cat demon's roars got louder with each new sound of fighting that reverberated through the forest. They stumbled out of the foliage to the clearing they had left the couple in as an anguished cry, which sounded like nothing they had heard before, rang in their ears.

 

The moment her eyes lay on the scene before her, Sango felt her limbs freeze, her mind too shocked to order her body to move. His name fell from her lips in a whisper, though, as if the action would pull him out of that terrifying picture, “Inuyasha.” There he was, in the middle of the clearing, fallen to his knees, fruitlessly trying to get a rosary off of his neck.

 

It took a few seconds for her fighter's instincts to kick in, forcing her to analyze the situation they were in, and in the process, scan the scene before her completely. Inuyasha was in the middle of the field, obviously subdued by Keiko, who stood a few feet in front of the fallen half-demon with two more priestesses by her side. A dozen soldiers surrounded the area, carefully approaching the enemy with their swords drawn despite the fact that the said enemy was practically harmless. She couldn't blame them for being cautious, though, for Inuyasha was valiantly fighting against a spell that rendered other demons incapable of movement.

 

Hearing the low growl Kirara emitted from afar, Sango realized that the cat demon had moved to stand protectively in front of a small figure at the far end of the clearing. Standing on her knees just like Inuyasha, Kagome did not seem to be faring much better than the half-demon.

 

Sango's eyes flew to her husband, and the moment their gazes met, an unspoken agreement was made. Without wasting a second, Sango hurried toward Kagome. She heard Miroku's staff jingle on his way toward Inuyasha. As much as they wanted to save their friend, they couldn't do it without openly attacking Keiko and the others. Surely, Sango would have no objections to beating the hell out of Keiko after what she had done to her friends, but she knew that it wouldn't end there. Keiko was the least of their concerns now. She and Miroku had to maintain their status among humans if they hoped to help end this war in one way or the other. For now, all they could do was to let them take Inuyasha away — until they found a way to help him escape without taking the blame.

 

She skidded to a stop in front of Kagome's trembling form and called out her name. Receiving no response, she knelt to get a better look at the distraught woman's face. Her breath caught in her throat at the glazed over look in the usually fiery eyes of her dear friend. Panicking, Sango grabbed the younger woman's shoulders and shook her swiftly, crying out, “Kagome! Snap out of it!”

 

A barely audible, heart-wrenching lament fell from the woman's lips as she started rocking back and forth, her hands clutching her disheveled mane as if to tear it out. What horrified Sango the most was that no tears came out of those azure orbs. `She has finally lost her mind!'

 

At a loss as to how to deal with the situation, the slayer did what she had always done to comfort her children when they needed it. She embraced her friend tightly and lovingly caressed her black tresses. While she shushed her and told her everything was going to be all right, she saw the men taking Inuyasha away. Miroku was following the group closely. The sun was about to rise. Keiko would want to take her prized captive to the security of the castle without wasting a second. Before the group was out of sight, Miroku turned to Sango, an unspoken question swimming in his eyes. She nodded in response, clutching the young woman in her arms. She would take care of Kagome while Miroku made sure the half-demon stayed alive.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Kagome watched aghast as the half-demon tugged at the beads around his neck, desperately trying to get them off. A fleeting image of the same man — no, he had been just a boy then — tugging at another set of beads, his eyes wide with bewilderment, flashed before her eyes. Those had been the beads that had tied him to her. As the image faded, her heart lurched at the sight of the alien object that claimed what was rightfully hers. She blinked, willing the terrifying picture gone. Unfortunately, the scene before her eyes was not a memory from long ago.

 

This was real.

 

But, how? Why? Why did she forget? How could she forget?

 

How could she forget about her mate? Her mate! The one he had been trying to get back … It was her! It had been her from the beginning! How did she believe that it had been Kikyo? But Keiko told her … Keiko!

 

That bitch!

 

Anger rose in her heart, trying to consume her conscious. It was anger toward the woman she had thought of as a friend, who had done nothing but to deceive her in the cruelest way. Anger rose over her own stupidity for letting her succeed. She had been manipulated. She had been delusional. But …

 

This was real.

 

For some reason, Kagome had forgotten and had been torn away from the ones she loved the most. She could remember waking up in the hospital with her family by her side. Why didn't her family tell her the truth? Her stomach churned at the idea, but there was no denying it. The last ten years of her life had been nothing but a lie.

 

This was real.

 

Her eyes focused once again on the writhing figure of Inuyasha, and she half-expected him to rise up like a phoenix, like he had done so many times before. He had always been strong — unbeatable, untouchable. He had been her indomitable protector. He had been her world and she betrayed him. She betrayed her only love, her mate, the father of her children.

 

Her children! Where were they? The image of two shadowy figures standing in the courtyard, leading her to the well, to the Goshinboku and to Inuyasha flashed before her eyes. Her babies! She felt relief surge through her heart for a moment before it was replaced with fear. She knew she had seen them, but why hadn't she felt their presence as she usually had? The gentle caresses of their auras filled with innocence of their childhood, the unmistakable warmth that engulfed her whole being whenever they were near … Why hadn't she felt anything?! As if — as if they didn't exist. They looked the same as they had the last time she had seen them. How was that possible? It had been almost ten years. They should have grown up. Unless …

 

Her eyes widened with realization. There could be only one way they could be in both times but not really be there, only one way for them to stay as they were for almost ten years. They were … She clasped her hair in her shaking hands and pulled in a pitiful attempt to stop her mind from coming to the undeniable conclusion. Her babies were …

 

… dead.

 

Kagome gasped as her treacherous mind so brutally completed the dreaded thought, and a pain the likes of which she had never felt before stabbed her abused heart. `Gods! No! Please, please let this be a nightmare!' However, deep down, she knew. No matter how much she wanted it to be, this was not a cruel game of her subconscious.

 

This was real.

 

The continuous lament that fell from her lips in unbearable anguish was real. The ache in her heart as she rocked back and forth, praying to wake up and find her babies running around and chasing after their father merrily, was real. The coldness of her hands clutching her hair, trying to get the terrifying truth out of her mind, was real.

 

The disbelief mixed with the pain of betrayal and the devastating sorrow of a broken heart swirling in those golden orbs before they were obscured by the shades of the forest was real.

 

The darkness that engulfed her senses had never been more welcome as she passed out in Sango's arms.

 

 

~*~

 

 

The shadows of the forest stretched under the afternoon sun by the time the castle came into view. Extending her arm under the sleeping woman's limp form in front of her, Sango patted Kirara's neck to let the cat demon know that they needed to land soon. With a loud roar, Kirara dove toward the earth, headed to a small meadow close to the road that led to the castle. Sango supposed this was a good place to wait until Kagome came to. The meadow was surrounded by trees as well as thick foliage, making it impossible to be spotted from the dirt road. The castle was about half an hour's walk away, which was a safe distance at the moment. Sango didn't know what Keiko would do with Kagome now that she had Inuyasha captured. The young woman would pose a serious threat to the twisted priestess — that is, if she remembered who she was.

 

Kirara's feet touched the ground, jostling the slayer from her thoughts. Careful not to drop her unconscious friend, Sango dismounted the cat demon. Kirara lowered herself to the ground so that Sango could get Kagome off of her back. Carefully depositing her precious cargo at the base of a tree, Sango sat next to her as she took a few moments to regain her breath. Just like she had done several times in the last few hours, Kagome whimpered in her sleep, the sound stirring the slayer's concern for her dear friend. She brushed a few stray tendrils of midnight hair away from the young woman's face to see that her beauty was contorted with a frown as if she was having a nightmare. It wasn't surprising in the least considering what she had been through.

 

The slayer considered gathering some wood to build a fire, but quickly decided against it remembering how close they were to the road. Luckily, she had remembered to pick up her pack from the campsite after Keiko's group had left. She took out a few pieces of dried fish. It wasn't much, and it definitely wasn't enough for more than one person, but it would have to do for now. She offered some of the food to Kirara, but the demon turned her back and disappeared in the foliage. `Well, at least she doesn't need her food cooked.'

 

Sighing, she took a bite from her fish and tried to feed some to her slumbering friend. It didn't take her long to accept defeat, though. Kagome wasn't waking up, and it was impossible to make her eat the solid food. So instead, Sango opted to make her drink some water.

 

Once the woman was finished eating her own share, Kirara emerged from the bushes, still chewing `God-knew-what.' She couldn't help but smile at the content look on her childhood friend's fuzzy face. Transforming to her smaller form, the cat trudged toward her and perched on her lap before falling asleep almost instantly. `Demon or not, the last two days' events must have exhausted her.'

 

Sango wasn't feeling any better herself. She hadn't had any sleep in the last two days. She had seen Keiko's group on their way to the castle. They were traveling fast on horseback, but it wouldn't be before nightfall that they arrived at the castle. `It's not like I have anything else to do now.' Resigned, she leaned back against the tree's bark and let sleep claim her tired eyes.

 

She woke up at dawn with the first rays of sun seeping through the leaves. Kirara was already awake, lazily cleaning her paws at Kagome's feet. The said young woman still showed no signs of consciousness despite the slayer's attempts to arouse her. Sango was getting seriously worried. As far as she could tell, Kagome was not injured — at least not physically. Then, what was the problem? She should have come to several hours ago. It was as if the young priestess didn't want to wake up.

 

She took a deep breath and let it out with a long sigh before turning to the purring kitten. “Will you look after her, Kirara?” Receiving an affirmative `mew' in response, she stood up. With a last glance at her two companions, she left the foliage and took the road to the castle. Even though she knew Kirara would protect Kagome, she wasn't comfortable with leaving her friend in the forest. However, she had no choice given the circumstances. The soldiers must have returned by now, and she intended to find out what they were planning to do with Inuyasha.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“Will you look after her, Kirara?”

 

`Look after me?' Kagome mentally snorted at the concern in Sango's voice. `Why bother?' She didn't want protection. Why would she? She didn't want anyone else to suffer because of her. Not anymore. Besides, what was the point of keeping her safe when all she wanted was to wither away?

 

She had been awake since before dawn. She had kept her eyes closed, wishing this cursed awareness to go away. But try as she might, she couldn't stop the agonizing thoughts from surfacing in her messed-up mind, torturing her to the point of madness, pushing her further toward the dark recesses of her meaningless existence.

 

`It's so dark.'

 

Kagome had left her mate, betrayed him. She had let him down like no one else had. How was she going to face him ever again?

 

`I'm alone in the darkness.'

 

It hadn't always been like this, had it? She once had a family — a family that no longer existed because of her. She had ruined everything. She had let her children down.

 

`There is nothing left. Nothing but …'

 

Darkness.

 

She had been in this darkness before, hadn't she? Long ago, when the jewel had forced her to choose. She had been all alone and scared. Just like now.

 

Would it ever end?

 

She heard Sango's footsteps retreating. A soft purr came from the kitten who was now perched on her chest, licking her face as if asking her to open her eyes. She didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to face the world. Not now, not ever. All she needed was to just curl up in a corner and wait for, for what?

 

Death?

 

Was she even alive?

 

She didn't know; she didn't care. Did it matter? She had been living a lie for several years. She could just as well stop living at all. Her mate, her babies, they were all lost to her. All there was left, all she could see and feel was darkness.

 

`Mommy!'

 

She stiffened as she heard an all too familiar cry in her ears. `Reika?' Her baby girl had been talking for almost six months when she had last seen her. Kagome had been ecstatic when Reika had turned to her after her twin brother had refused to share his wooden horse, and with an adorable puppy look on her pretty face, she had cried out for her mother. She had been so innocent, so trusting. But what had her mother done? She had abandoned them.

 

`Mommy!'

 

`Raiden!' Her baby boy. He had been an exact copy of his father — a miniature Inuyasha in both appearance and attitude.

 

But, he was no more.

 

Tears streaked down her cheeks once again, leaving hot trails in their wake. The children's cries rang in her ears mercilessly, begging her to listen. They were in a better place now, weren't they? No one could harm them in heaven. But then, why wouldn't they stop crying?

 

She clutched the bundle in her arms and started rocking back and forth. Kirara's pleas fell on deaf ears as the distraught mother whispered incessantly, “Shush, my little angels. Don't you know? Angels do not cry.”

 

It wasn't long before she was drained of tears. She sagged against the tree behind her, feeling completely exhausted. Her children were dead. Her mate had been taken. And that wasn't all. How many people had come to harm because of her? She had brought the jewel into this world, and countless innocents had been slain after she had shattered it, including Sango's kin and Shippo's parents. No matter how much she tried, in the end, she had brought doom to her loved ones, hadn't she? Perhaps it could have been better for everyone if she hadn't fallen down the well in the first place and hadn't met him.

 

`Inuyasha, please forgive me.' With that last coherent thought, Kagome let sleep claim her.

 

 

~*~

 

 

The first thing Inuyasha noticed as he slowly waded into consciousness was the weight in his lungs. Why did it hurt so much to breathe? He took the cold, damp air into his lungs and almost gagged at the sickening scent of blood — his blood — and the scent of his rotting flesh. It was so quiet; he couldn't hear anything other than his own shallow breathing, the slow beat of his heart and the occasional clink of shackles.

 

`Shackles?'

 

Two golden orbs slowly emerged from under heavy eyelids as he opened his eyes with much difficulty. His gaze focused on the pool of blood beneath his feet. He could see his life's essence still flowing down his chest from the deep gashes on his flesh. His hakama was drenched in it, its normally brilliant red color darkened to the point of black. How was it that he still had blood to shed?

 

He looked up to see that he was alone. Moss covered stone walls surrounded the large room illuminated by a few torches. Three marble altars lay in the middle of the room, their smooth surfaces stained with old blood. Empty shackles hung on the walls, shining ominously in the dim light. How long had he been chained in this God forsaken place? It felt like an eternity, but it could as well be a few hours. He tried to move his arms, but it was impossible to do so with the metal bindings on his wrists keeping them glued to the wall. A soft tug on his feet proved that they were bound to the wall as well. He growled in frustration. `Fucking dungeons. That fucking bitch!'

 

He could have shattered his chains if he hadn't been so damn tired. He had managed to resist the pull of the spell they had cast on him so far, which infuriated the bitch to no end — resulting in more physical torture on his part. The half-demon might be captured and collared like a fucking animal, but he would die before he let anyone order him around like a helpless puppet. `No fucking way.' Unfortunately, his defiance was taking its toll on his strength. A bitter smile curved his lips as he let his head fall down when it turned out to be too much of an effort to hold it up.

 

Pain. That was all he could feel. Every inch of his body throbbed with pain — his wrists, his chest, his legs, his feet — and with every breath he took, his whole being crumpled in agony. Most of all, his heart hurt but that was to be expected. The only one he loved and trusted betrayed him and let the enemy take him away.

 

Why did it hurt so much to be betrayed? He should have become used to it by now, shouldn't he? A mirthless chuckle left his lips at that thought. Obviously, one didn't get used to betrayal.

 

It could have been so easy if that had been the case. But, nothing was easy when it came to him. His life had been a huge battle from the moment he had been born. Why was he still alive? He should have died years ago. Perhaps it would have been better if Kikyo's arrow had killed him instead of sealing him. `Damn fucking right.'

 

But then, he wouldn't have met Kagome and wouldn't have opened his eyes to see her beautiful face vibrant with confusion and fear. He wouldn't have tasted her temper, wouldn't have seen her smile.

 

`Her smile … I always wished it would be the last thing I would see before I die. I guess it wasn't meant to be.' Feeling all the fight leave him, the jaded warrior drifted into a restless sleep.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Wind caressed her hair softly, and Kagome opened her eyes to see the Goshinboku standing tall and proud as it had been for hundreds of years. Its leaves danced in the sunlight, calling for her, whispering promises she couldn't quite decipher. Her eyes traveled down to the large trunk of the ancient tree on their own accord to rest on the one place without bark. She could almost see his beautiful figure there, sealed in a timeless sleep. This was where she had first laid eyes on him. How did she forget about that? He had looked so innocent, so otherworldly, like a fallen angel. `My guardian angel.'

 

She stepped forward and raised her hand to rest it on the small pit Kikyo's arrow had left on the trunk — the arrow she had freed him from on the day her world had turned upside down. Would it have been indeed better if she hadn't lived that day? She caressed the smooth surface that was the proof of the injustice he had suffered from. True, many people wouldn't have died if she had never come here. But then, she wouldn't have met him. What would have happened to him if Mistress Centipede had not dragged her down the well? Would he still be sealed in the Goshinboku when she was born or would he have perished in time? She shuddered at that thought. Both options seemed to be cruel. Perhaps the question was, after everything she had put him through, what would he have preferred?

 

Inuyasha didn't remember how he got here or when. All he knew was that he opened his eyes, and she was there. Anger bubbled up in him and he wanted to lash out at her for leaving him — for betraying him. But the look in her eyes as she touched the tree had stopped him from doing so. He could almost feel the soft caresses of her fingers on his chest, soothing the cries of his broken heart, mending it once more with a single touch. How could he stay angry at her when she looked like that? So sad, so broken and yet still beautiful. How did he think that she betrayed him in the first place? She hadn't known. It was his fault as well that she had come to the wrong conclusions. Did he have a right to blame her for being misguided? `No.'

 

Unable to keep his silence anymore, he called out to her, “Kagome?”

 

With a startled gasp, she whirled around. Her eyes widened a fraction when their gazes clashed before rimming with tears. `Inuyasha.' He looked exactly like she remembered him to be — strong, proud and handsome. The only difference was the desperation swimming in his golden eyes — eyes that had instilled courage into her heart in the darkest of hours. He was her guardian angel. He was her pillar of strength. How come she hadn't realized how much she needed him until now?

 

The soft smile that graced his lips warmed her grieving heart as he extended his hand, beckoning her closer. The tug of his soul on hers was so strong, she found herself drawn to him. His embrace was the safest place she had ever known. There was no fear of danger, no worries and no regrets in his arms. But, did she have the right to seek solace from the one she had hurt so much? `No.' Recoiled, she took a step back, putting more distance between them when all she wanted to do was run to his arms.

 

Her action startled him. She was withdrawing from him. Although he wished he didn't, he knew why. He could see it clearly on her face. But, he had to hear her say it, so he asked, “Wench, what the hell do you think you're doing?”

 

“I …” She hesitated. What was she doing? `I'm trying to protect you from myself,' was what she wanted to say, but instead, she shook her head and whispered, “Nothing.”

 

He snorted at the not so unexpected answer. Of course, she wouldn't accept it easily. She never had. With a knowing smirk on his face, he voiced what she couldn't, “You're running away again, aren't you?”

 

“No!” she protested without thinking. “I just …” She wasn't running away, was she? No. “I …” Then why couldn't she explain it? What would you call it other than running away? She was tired — too tired to deal with the consequences of her mistakes. She was afraid of having to live with her new found burdens. She was running away. He was right. She turned her gaze to the ground in shame as she confessed, “I guess, in a way I am.”

 

“Keh!” Folding his arms into the sleeves of his haori, he turned to look at the ancient tree instead of her. It was rare that he would win an argument with her, but still, he couldn't stand to see her so downhearted. “Stupid, you never change,” he murmured.

 

Her head shot up at his accusation, and she shouted, “You don't understand!” He didn't. How could he? He wasn't the one that ruined everything. He wasn't the one that caused his own children's … She couldn't finish that thought. She couldn't go on like this. She couldn't even look at his face. “This is too much.” Her words died in her throat and she flinched when his head snapped in her direction. She could feel his fiery gaze burning holes into her skull when he shouted.

 

“I don't understand?!” Inuyasha was livid. How could she assume such a thing? “You always run away when things get too much to bear!” He knew she was strong, but when it came down to him, she would hide and wallow in self-pity instead of stay and fight, and it drove him crazy. She had done it when Kikyo had been around. She was doing it again, albeit for a different reason. He was aware that she couldn't look at him in the eye. He knew that feeling very well. Guilt would eat you alive. He had lived with it for more than enough time to kill anyone, but he survived. She would survive as well. She had to because she wasn't alone in this. She wasn't the only one hurting, dammit! Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he continued in a much calmer voice, “What about me, Kagome? Do you think it's fucking easy for me? Do you realize that you leave me behind every fucking time you run away?”

 

He sighed before admitting to something he had never done before. “I'm tired.” Letting his hands fall to his sides, he turned to face her completely. “I'm tired of carrying these burdens. I'm tired of waiting.” When she finally met his gaze, he saw the unshed tears glistening in the sapphire orbs he adored so much, and he whispered as he extended his hand to her once more, “Please, don't make me wait anymore.”

 

`Gods, I never knew how much it hurt him every time I left him behind.' She had thought he would have been better off without her, but apparently, that wasn't the case. “Inuyasha.” His name fell from her lips like a prayer — a prayer to be forgiven — and she reached for his hand only to have her smaller one grasped firmly. In that moment, she knew that the hold of his strong fingers around hers — this connection they had — was the beacon they both needed in the darkest of hours.

 

She gasped when he tugged her forward and hugged her to his chest. She couldn't stop her tears from falling this time as he whispered the words she had heard a long time ago, in the same place and from the same man. “I need you with me, Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?”

 

Burying her head to his chest, she fisted his haori in her hands and murmured, “I'm sorry.”

 

He tightened his hold on her reassuringly. “Now is not the time to be sorry. It's time to be strong, to fight.”

 

`Time to be strong for the ones that I love.' Knowing that he was right, she squeezed his waist in response and nodded against his chest.

 

He kissed her temple before whispering in her ear, “I can't go on anymore. Not without you.”

 

Loosening his hold on her, he put his finger under her chin and raised her head to meet his gaze. He smiled softly at her tear-streaked face and whispered, “I'll wait for you.”

 

His image started to fade as well as his warmth surrounding her, and she felt coldness seep into her bones despite the sun shining through the branches of the God tree. Before he disappeared completely, she saw in his eyes what he did not voice out loud.

 

“… for the last time.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

Kagome bolted upright, sending the unsuspecting kitten perched on her chest flying to the ground with a sharp cry. Her heart fell when she realized the one she had expected to see wasn't around. `It was a dream.' But, it had felt so real. She could still feel the caress of his breath on her ear, the reassuring thumps of his heart beneath her hand, his comforting embrace surrounding her. However, as his memory faded to be replaced by the harshness of reality, she found herself cornered by her loneliness, hunted by her regrets lurking in the dark recesses of her mind, waiting to strike her down in the shadows.

 

“Now is not the time to be sorry. It's time to be strong, to fight.”

 

His words rang in her ears, keeping her from falling back into depression. No. She didn't have the right to drown herself in her grief. Not now. She wasn't a weak little girl — she hadn't been for a long time. She couldn't wait to be rescued from the darkness. This time, Inuyasha was not coming for her. This time, there was nobody to save her. This time, she had to be the one that saved her loved ones.

 

“I can't go on anymore. Not without you.”

 

She didn't have a right to give up. Not when he needed her. She wasn't going to let him down this time. First, she would save him, and then there would come a time they would mourn for their loss together, side by side. That is, if he could forgive her.

 

“I'll wait for you.”

 

Dream or not, it was true. Despite everything she had done, he had waited for her and was still waiting for her. She wasn't going to disappoint him.

 

Squaring her shoulders, Kagome stood up.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Inuyasha woke up feeling rejuvenated. Had it been a dream? It had felt so real. Did it matter? All that mattered was that he knew he would live through everything again if it meant he would see her smile once more.

 

His ears perked up at the sound of the door opening. Looking up through his eyelashes, he saw the red robes of a priestess before his gaze settled on the veil covering her face. He could practically see her beaming behind the white curtain at the sight of his slumped form. She was obviously thinking that she could break him this time. Closing his eyes, he tiredly sighed, knowing what was to come.

 

He was exhausted but he wasn't going to let her spell claim him. He wasn't going to give up. Not when she was finally back. And he knew, he just knew that she was alive. That was all he needed to survive. Yes, he was going to survive. He had to get out of there. He had to make sure his mate was safe. After all, she was all that he had left.

 

`Kagome. Please be safe,' was his last thought before he braced himself for the oncoming pain as the hated priestess approached him with a dagger in her hand.

 

 

~*~

 

Kagome peeked through the bushes to see the castle standing ominously at the end of the dirt path. The gates were securely closed with two soldiers standing guard in front of them. There was no other entrance visible, which meant that she would have to convince the guards to let her in. But before that, she had to pass through the spiritual barrier surrounding the castle walls.

 

She sighed and turned to look at the kitten perched on her shoulder. “This is it, Kirara. I need to go in there alone. Will you do me a favor?” she whispered. When the cat mewled her response, she continued, “I want you to wait here until midnight, and if I don't come back, I want you to go to Sesshoumaru. Tell him what happened, okay? Will you do that for me?” Kirara showed her assent with a few wet licks on the young woman's cheek. Chuckling softly, she set the kitten down. “Try not to be discovered.” With that, she stood up and stepped onto the path, leaving the cover of bushes and her companion behind.

 

As she approached the gates, Kagome could see the barrier shimmering in the sunlight just a few feet away. Closing her eyes, she whispered a silent prayer before stepping into the field of energy. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised when she passed through the barrier easily. But, the fact was that she was. It seemed that she had been expecting everything to go against her wishes. Perhaps, she could allow more hope to blossom in her heart. `Yes.' She smiled before pacing toward the guards, her head held high with renewed confidence, her fingers closed around the precious set of beads in her obi.

 

 

~*~

 

 

In front of the castle gates, a young soldier sighed heavily as he leaned against the wooden structure. Securing his spear at the crook of his arm, he glanced at his middle-aged companion with stars in his eyes. “I'm telling you, Ichiro, that Hana is something else. You should have seen how she rolled her hips when she …”

 

“Shut up, Kenji!” shouted the older man before his companion finished his words. As if he needed to hear that … Why did he have to share his post with Kenji all the time? Surely, he liked the young man enough to stand his blabbering for hours, but he couldn't stop himself from overreacting whenever the conversation turned to the horny lad's nightly escapades. It had been months since he had last seen his wife, and he was in no condition to listen to others' adventures with the women from the infamous street of the town. Surely, he could seek pleasure in other women's arms, but he loved his wife and had no intention of dishonoring her. If only he could find a way to visit his village … However, that seemed unlikely as long as this damned war lasted.

 

`Fucking demons, I wish all of them just disappeared forever.' He knew that he wasn't the only one looking forward to the end of this decade-long war. Everyone needed a break and some of them didn't bother hiding their displeasure. They were close to a rebellion. The lords were walking on thin ice by insisting on fighting demons and they knew it. However, a minority of the warriors were still aware that they had no choice but to fight as long as the demons were a threat to the safety of their families.

 

He was brought back from his musings by Kenji's chirpy voice. “Relax, man, I was just trying to cheer you up!”

 

“Just keep it to yourself,” he grumbled in irritation and added firmly, “I don't care what you do with your dick.”

 

“Yeah, whatever,” murmured Kenji before turning to look ahead. “Holy shit! Ichiro?”

 

Sighing exasperatedly, Ichiro glanced at his companion who seemed to be excited for whatever reason. “What is it now?”

 

“Do you see what I see, or did I just die and go to heaven?”

 

Looking in the direction his friend was gazing at with wide brown eyes, Ichiro saw a young woman walking toward them on the dirt path leading to the castle. `Figures.' Only such a sight could get such a reaction from the wolfish guard. Despite his amusement, he couldn't help but wonder how a human woman managed to approach the gates without them noticing until now. Some guards they were. His concerns were forgotten when he glimpsed back at Kenji. He snickered at the young soldier's gaping mouth before whispering, “Don't worry, you're still alive.”

 

“Well, I'll be damned,” mumbled Kenji before whistling appreciatively. “This must be my lucky day.”

 

Chuckling at the boy's antics, Ichiro turned to inspect the newcomer more closely. The elegant green kimono she wore suggested that this woman was of royalty — perhaps a princess. However, her clothes looked somehow disheveled, as if she had been lying around in them for a few days. That wasn't something a princess would do. He didn't know if she was indeed royalty, but with dark ebony tresses falling down to her waist in luscious waves, large azure orbs framed by long, dark eyelashes shimmering brightly above full, cherry lips, she looked very beautiful.

 

The woman stopped in front of them and gave them a polite smile. Before Ichiro could ask about her business, Kenji exclaimed, “What brings such a lovely young lady as yourself to this place?”

 

Meeting the grinning guard's eager gaze with a calm one, she answered, “I want to talk to Lady Keiko.”

 

Forcing a more serious look to his face, Kenji didn't waste a second to reject her demand, surprising even Ichiro by the sternness in his voice. “Sorry, beautiful, but we can't let anyone in simply because they request to see the high priestess.”

 

She raised her eyebrows at the young soldier and reached inside her obi, but before she could take out whatever she had hidden in there, Kenji continued, his grin returning to his face full force, “Of course, that doesn't mean you cannot convince me otherwise.” He left his barely concealed indecent proposal hanging as he blatantly checked her out. Sudden anger flashed in her eyes before she masked it with a softer look and took something out from the confines of her obi.

 

“Do you know what this is?” she asked. Unable to tear his eyes away from the dark object dangling from her delicate fingers, Ichiro nodded dumbly. How could he not recognize the very thing that had made the formidable demon general twice as dangerous? Pleased that at least one of them knew the importance of the treasure she had in her clutches, she turned to Ichiro and directed her next words to him. “I had a deal with Lady Keiko and I'm here to receive my payment. I'll appreciate it if you would be kind enough to take me to her.”

 

This woman had something that belonged to the general, which meant she was somehow close to him. Surely, the general was captured, but the fact that she carried the artifact that had made the general almost invincible could not be ignored. Besides, she could be the woman that had run away from the castle with the half-demon a few weeks ago. They couldn't let her go and they couldn't let her walk in the castle freely. Seizing her could be the chance Ichiro had been hoping for to be awarded and to see his family. Not wanting to lose this opportunity, he answered, “I'll take you to her.”

 

“Thanks.” The woman nodded enthusiastically as she clasped her hands in front of her, her fingers clutching the necklace firmly. As he turned to the gate, his eyes landed on the grumbling Kenji for a moment. He raised an eyebrow at the disappointment written on his features before opening the gate.

 

She followed him to the main building without questioning. Once inside, he led her to the steps leading to the dungeons. When they reached the bottom of the steps, he noticed with surprise that the soldiers that were supposed to be guarding the entrance of the floor were missing. `Idiots! Were the hell are they?' Perhaps he should have their irresponsibility known after locking the girl in, and his award would be guaranteed this way.

 

His pondering was cut short hearing the woman talk for the first time since they entered the grounds. “Are you sure this is where Keiko is?”

 

“Yes, my lady. She's visiting a prisoner here.” That wasn't far from the truth. The high priestess was probably visiting the general down here, and if not, she would be visiting another prisoner soon once she received word of his achievement. “This way.” Opening the door of a cell, he let her step through the doorway first.

 

She looked inside and turned to face him, suspicion swirling n her sapphire orbs. “But, there is no one in here.”

 

He took a hold of her arm and forced her in. “She'll be here any moment. You just wait inside.”

 

“What are you doing? Let me go!” She struggled against his hold with surprising strength. As he grabbed her other arm to push her in, he saw her gaze settle on something behind him and her eyes widen. A sharp pain on his neck was the last thing he felt before everything went black.

 

 

~*~

 

 

In a dark cell not far from the steps leading to the dungeons, the dark figure of a man clad in black from head to toe grunted as he fastened a thick rope around an unconscious soldier's feet while a similarly dressed woman kept watch at the door. Inuyasha had been brought here the moment they had arrived at the castle last night. He had tried to check on the half-demon several times, but Keiko made sure that nobody was allowed into the dungeons. Just what had she been doing in there? He didn't think she had killed him. She wouldn't still be here otherwise. However, as time passed, Miroku's concerns were growing more and more for his friend's life.

 

After Sango had arrived in the morning, telling him that she had left an unconscious Kagome under Kirara's care, they had decided that it was time to take risk for their friend's welfare. He didn't want to be caught or accused of helping the enemy, but neither could he risk losing Inuyasha. So, they had made a show of leaving the castle in pretense of heading for their village.

 

They had stopped and changed their clothes once they had been a safe distance away. It had been past noon when they had made a half-circle around the castle and reached the back side of the grounds. It was a good thing to have a slayer wife who had her own ways to climb straight walls. Entering the main building had been difficult, especially in the daylight, but they had managed thanks to their years of experience in such situations and their immense knowledge of the building they were breaking into.

 

Sunset had been close the last time he had seen the sky before sneaking into the dungeons and attacking the guards, but that would work to their advantage once they would need to whisk a prisoner off the grounds. And then, there was the problem of passing through the barrier with a half-demon on their side. Well, they would think about that once they got to that point.

 

He was almost finished gagging the bound guards when he heard Sango whisper, “Miroku! I hear footsteps. Someone's headed this way.”

 

Quickly checking the two guards' binds to make sure that his hard work paid off, he approached the door silently. Sango had closed the door, leaving it a crack open, letting a thin line of torchlight seep into the dark cell from the hall. Standing behind his wife, he peeked through the small space, his chin resting on top of Sango's masked head.

 

“Are you sure this is where Keiko is?” He had to stifle a gasp as he heard Kagome's voice. He felt his wife stiffen in front of him as they watched their friend who was supposed to be in the forest with Kirara pass by with an armed soldier on her side.

 

“Yes, my lady. She's visiting a prisoner here,” replied the soldier once they were out of sight. Opening the door carefully, they stepped out to the hall silently.

 

“This way,” said the soldier as he opened the door of a cell. As they sneaked upon the pair, their backs brushing against the stone walls, Kagome looked inside the cell and turned to the soldier. “But, there is no one in here.”

 

The impudent man grabbed her arm and forced her inside, telling her to wait there. That was all it took to infuriate Sango. Throwing caution out of the window, the slayer launched at the unsuspecting soldier with the stealth of a real assassin. He heard Kagome shout at the man to let go before he saw Sango's forearm connect with the back of the guy's neck. His unconscious body fell to the floor, leaving a fuming slayer and a stunned priestess looking at each other.

 

“Kagome? What are you doing here?” whispered Sango as she hugged her friend, who visibly stiffened at the sight of the duo.

 

Once Sango let her go, the younger woman took a step back as if their proximity was bothering her and turned cold eyes to the slayer. “What does it look like? I'm here to save Inuyasha.”

 

“Have you lost your mind? It's too dangerous for you to be here!” Sango whispered vehemently.

 

Her eyes burning with anger, Kagome clenched her fists at her sides and retorted, “I don't care! He's my mate! I have to get him out of here!”

 

Taken aback, Sango's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open in surprise. A moment later, a huge smile crept into her face. “You remember.”

 

“Yeah, I do…,” trailed off the priestess before her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What are you doing?”

 

“Why, rescuing our friend, or course,” answered Miroku, who had just returned to the hall from binding the soldier in the cell he had tried to lock Kagome in. He fastened the door on the unconscious man as he explained, “They wouldn't let us enter, so we had to do it discreetly.”

 

Kagome snorted before she commented, “So, you came back to your senses.” Her voice held a bitterness that chilled the monk to the bone. “May I ask why you betrayed him in the first place?”

 

The couple glanced at each other guiltily. Sighing, Miroku took it upon himself to postpone the inevitable discussion. “We'll talk about it later. Now, we need to hurry and find him before we get caught.”

 

“Right.” Kagome's eyes fell on the sword at his waist, and its name fell from her lips in a breathy whisper, “Tetsusaiga.”

 

The monk nodded as he extracted the sword from his belt. “I took it before they bound him in the forest.”

 

She extended her hand to Miroku, who handed her the sword without a second thought. She caressed the wooden sheath lovingly before hugging it to her chest and meeting their gazes with a determined glint in her azure orbs. “Let's go.”

 

They took no more than two steps when they heard a distant cry echo in the halls.

 

“You bitch! I swear I'm going to kill you!”

 

That didn't sound good. Whatever was happening, Inuyasha was enraged. At least, now they were sure that he was still alive. They set out, checking every cell on their way. It took them a while to reach the deepest part of the dungeons with still no trace of the half-demon. Once they turned the last corner, they saw light seeping through the crack under the closed door of a cell. They hurried down the hall and stopped in front of the wooden door. Seeing shadows moving inside, Kagome took the lead, and approaching the door carefully, she silently opened it.

 

The scene that met their eyes shook Miroku to the core, but he managed to get out of sight, taking Sango with him while Kagome stood still as a stone at the doorway.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Inuyasha's head fell down in exhaustion, and his knees gave out under him, causing the shackles to cut through his wrists. Red was all he could see with his half-lidded eyes. Her hakama was red. The ground was red. The blood oozing from the cuts on his chest and abdomen and flowing down to mix with the pool beneath his feet was red. The angry scars left by her whip on his arms and sides were red. Red was his world now.

 

The color of consuming fire, of devastating war, of endless destruction …

 

The color of feverish passion, of warm love, of beautiful roses, of sweet cherries …

 

The color of Kagome's lips.

 

His eyes snapped open, his gaze focusing on the veiled figure before him with such hatred swirling in them. The startled woman couldn't help but to gasp at the sight. He wasn't going to give up as long as he still had a single drop of blood in his veins. “Wh-what …” He clenched his teeth, struggling to get the words out against the pressure of the subduing spell. “… did you do …” Sweat rolled down his temple — or was it blood? — as he gritted his teeth. “… to my pups?”

 

A small smile curved her lips upward at his stubbornness. “You never give up, do you?” Sighing, she continued, “I never had anything against your children. But, I couldn't have them around as a reminder of their mother. Besides, they needed to be silenced. You know, I felt uneasy about it at first. That was, of course, until you showed me your real face, your true nature. Thanks to you, my conscious is completely clear now. Your children, Inuyasha, will never grow to be a monster like you.” A vicious growl ripped from his throat, and her smile was back on her face. “Don't worry, though. They didn't feel any pain.”

 

His eyes prickled as the meaning behind those cruel words registered to his mind. He felt as if the ground suddenly disappeared from beneath his feet. With his hands clasped into fists and blood oozing from the cuts his claws inflicted on his palms, he shouted, “You bitch! I swear I'm going to kill you!”

 

She chuckled at his outburst. “What is it, demon? Are you crying?” she asked mockingly.

 

He glared at her, golden orbs sharp with the accumulated rage of a lifetime, directed solely at the twisted creature before him. “No,” he managed to hiss.

 

“Oh? I think you should. You should cry for everything you have done during your cursed existence and beg for forgiveness.”

 

He snorted.

 

Keiko shook her head tiredly. “I should have known you were incapable of such acts. After all, animals do not have a conscience.” Hearing his menacing growl, she sighed disappointedly. “Well, then, perhaps this will help …” Her words trailing off, she approached him with a dagger in her hand.

 

He didn't even blink as she cut his cheeks in cold blood. He wouldn't cry out or beg for mercy as she had done years ago. No. Instead, he clenched his teeth and concentrated on not whimpering at the pain. Beneath the sting on his flesh, he could feel wetness drip down his jaw only to join the river of blood on his chest.

 

He wanted to kill her. He needed to kill her. If it wasn't for that damn spell … The fucking thing was draining all the strength he had left. His eyes closed on their own accord as his head dropped. His ears twitched at the faint sound of the door opening, but try as he might, he couldn't open his eyes. He was too tired.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Kagome's heart had leaped to her throat when she had heard his cry. They had searched almost every cell in this God forsaken place. She had looked and looked, each passing second threatening to consume what was left of her sanity. She was about to pull her hair out in frustration when they were met with a thin line of light seeping through the door of a cell. Praying that this was the place they had been searching for, she paced to the door, distantly aware of Sango and Miroku following close by. Holding the Tetsusaiga in one hand, Kagome silently opened the door with the other.

 

On the far end of the dimly lit room was the figure of a man bound to the stone wall with iron shackles. His arms were bound at his sides, parallel to the ground; his white hair fanned on the wall behind him and under his arms like wings — wings that would carry him to the heavens and away from the pool of blood beneath his bare feet.

 

A fallen angel …

 

Her guardian angel …

 

She stood frozen, mortified and mesmerized at the same time. He looked so otherworldly — a twisted picture of beauty materialized. Tears of blood trailed down his cheeks, reminding her of another image from another lifetime. But, something was terribly wrong with this picture.

 

`Angels do not cry.'

 

Movement caught her attention from the corner of her eye, snapping her out of her reverie. Her gaze settled on Keiko, who was blissfully unaware of their presence. She was approaching him with a sword in her hand, its tip smoldering like lava. At that moment, something shifted in Kagome. This was the woman she had called her friend. This was the woman she had trusted with her secrets. She had welcomed her into her home and shared meals with her. She had taught her how to use her powers, only to have them used against herself. Keiko had been the last person she had seen in this world before she had opened her eyes in the hospital. That bitch had done something to her. She could vaguely remember walking toward the well with Keiko by her side, whispering for her to let go, to forget. That cunning snake had tricked her and betrayed her trust. And now, as if what she had already done was not enough, she was hurting Inuyasha. And, she had hurt her children.

 

Her eyes narrowed down to slits and an impressive growl escaped her throat as the pain she had barely suppressed for the last few hours resurfaced, bringing a blinding rage along with it. Fists clenched on the sheathed sword in her hands, she launched at the priestess who had turned toward her. The sword in Keiko's hand hung in the air, forgotten in her surprise. In the blink of an eye, Kagome swung the Tetsusaiga like a baseball bat and rendered the shocked woman unarmed.

 

Letting go of the precious sword, Kagome backhanded the high priestess, who had been clutching her abused hand to her chest, and shouted, “You bitch!” Keiko had to take a few steps back under the force of the raving woman's attack.

 

Without letting the high priestess recover, Kagome backhanded her again as she shouted, “How could you?”

 

This time, the stunned priestess fell on her back. Not wasting a second, her attacker straddled her waist, incredulity mixing with unsuppressed fury as Kagome hissed, “How dare you?”

 

She took Keiko's veil off and forced the woman to meet her gaze. “Look at me!” she ordered when the traitor stubbornly kept her eyes averted.

 

“I trusted you!” Holding her shoulders, the young woman shook the priestess, whom she had once thought to be her friend, harshly and caused her head to hit the floor in the process. Keiko passed out upon a rather hard impact, but Kagome was too far gone to notice.

 

Getting up, she started kicking Keiko in the stomach and shouted, “Traitor!” Tears flowed down her cheeks as her feet continued to land on Keiko's body with enough force to jerk her unconscious form.

 

“Kagome!” Seeing her cry fall on deaf ears, Sango seized the enraged woman's arms against her sides and dragged her away from the fallen priestess.

 

Still lost in her fury, Kagome struggled against Sango's hold. “Let me go! I'll kill her!” Turning her head to glare at the slayer, her eyes fell on the bloody figure still chained to the wall. “Inuyasha!”

 

Shaking off the slayer's hold, Kagome ran to the barely conscious half-demon. She stopped in front of him, her eyes wide in horror. He was covered with cuts and bruises, his hakama drenched in his blood. He didn't seem to have a fatal injury, but the amount of blood everywhere suggested he had been bleeding for a long time. He must have been brutally tortured for his wounds to stay open for hours.

 

She whimpered at the sight of the gashes marring his beautiful face. This was the boy she didn't have the heart to hurt — really hurt — despite everything he had put her through, the man she wanted to cherish forever and the half-demon that deserved all the love in the world. How could anyone do this to him? How? How could anyone be so ignorant, so ruthless, so cruel, so, so …

 

… heartless?

 

Following the crimson trails on his face down, Kagome spotted the new set of beads around his neck. Her trembling fingers hovered over his abused skin, afraid to make contact. A sob escaped her throat forcefully. She couldn't touch him. What if she hurt him worse? Slowly, careful not to brush his cuts, she took the rosary in her shaky fingers. Nothing would hurt him anymore. She was here to protect, to cherish and to make amends. A flash of light filled her vision for a moment before he was back in her sight, her empty hand resting lightly on his free neck.

 

Raising her hands, she caressed the uninjured sides of his face before she looked up. Gold met sapphire, and time stopped to honor their reunion.

 

In the mean time, Sango had found the keys hidden in Keiko's robes and thrown them to Miroku, who quickly unlocked Inuyasha's binds. His arms fell around her shoulders and they both collapsed to their knees.

 

Not taking her eyes off of his, Kagome kissed the gashes on his cheeks. “I'm sorry,” she whispered. “Please, forgive me.”

 

“Don't,” he whispered back before he kissed her softly, ignoring the crimson now coating her lips. He rested his forehead against hers and continued, “cry.”

 

Gold disappeared behind creased lids as he scrunched his eyes shut, a groan leaving his throat involuntarily. When they opened back, gold was replaced with smoke, and with a louder moan, he passed out in her arms.

 

Kagome let out a shaky breath she didn't know she had been holding. A long, moonless night was waiting for them.

 

 

End of Chapter 14

 

 

End Notes:

 

Reika: lovely flower

Raiden: thunder and lightening