InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome's Realization ❯ Chapter 28 ( Chapter 33 )

Chapter 28

Kagome suddenly felt wind swiping over her body as she struggled to take a breath, feeling as if she would suffocate. The wind was blowing her hair all around. She felt weightless and yet oddly heavy at the same time. With surging energy her eyes snapped open to revel a red world. It was nearly painful to look at but she was unable to close her eyes again. Where am I? She thought, where was I before this?

Just as suddenly as it began it was over and Kagome felt herself being gently laid onto the grassy ground below her. Kagome felt her eyes close against her will and all was black again, the blinding light extinguished as suddenly as it appeared. Kagome struggled with what was happening and why.

"Did it work?" Asked a familiar voice. Is that Sango-chan? Did what work? Kagome wondered while trying to open her eyes but found it more difficult that she would have thought possible.

"She's breathing." Answered Shippo.

"She's alive, her chest is moving up and down. It worked." Answered Keade relied evident in her voice.

Alive? Kagome thought shocked. When a hand suddenly touched her face she wanted to scream with surprise but she couldn't seem to find her voice or even open her mouth.

"She's warm to the touch." Inuyasha said close to her ear.

Inuyasha! Kagome thought, feeling some of the worry drain from her. She would have smiled if only her body would respond.

"What about Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked softly.

Kikyo? Kagome wondered.

"She didn't make it." Came Keade's answer.

Is Kikyo dead? Kagome thought horrified. But how, why, who did it? Kagome's thoughts were interrupted when she felt the light, fuzzy weight of Shippo on her stomach.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Shippo whined.

"She will." Keade said soothingly. "She can probably hear us but cannot respond."

Why?" Shippo asked.

"She needs time to recover. Not only her spirit but her body has been through so much. She needs rest. When she wakes up she'll be very hungry.

"I hadn't thought of that. It's been what?" Shippo said then paused as if thinking "Almost seven days?"

Seven days? Kagome asked completely shocked willing her eyes to open.

"Her eyes are fluttering." Shippo said excited.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha said. "Can you hear me?" Kagome felt Inuyasha take her hand in his and squeeze it slightly.

Kagome released a soft sigh, a groan was what she was going for but a sigh was the best she could do.

"If you can hear me squeeze my hand." Inuyasha instructed.

So simple yet so difficult, Kagome thought as she focused all her energy and thoughts on squeezing the wonderful warmth holding her hand. I feel so heavy, Kagome thought to herself as she willed her fingers to move. Just like after Urasue took my soul to revive Kikyo.

Realization hit Kagome like a ton of brick. It stunned what was left of her sense and he fingers flexed and wrapped themselves around Inuyasha's hand. She barely heard Inuyasha's delighted "Kagome." She had died! How? How? How? Kagome questioned herself over and over. Surely, she of all people would know?

Flashes of an angry face and images of a bloody knife filled her minds eye. I remember! I had been doing homework, trying hard to finish because Inuyasha was impatiently awaiting my return, when a noise from downstairs caught my attention. A stranger had broken in and they had struggled. Somehow I managed to get away armed with a knife and ran for the well. I would have made it but the man was faster. I fell on the knife and he kicked me while I was down. My need for survival kicked into overdrive and I struck him down, the same way I did the centipede. Oh my God, I remember, I died just after getting a chance to say goodbye to Inuyasha.

This has to be a dream, Kagome told herself, or rather a nightmare. Kagome felt the world spinning out of control. But what did Kikyo have to do with this? Kagome wondered. I don't understand and I am in no condition to question anyone.

"Kagome should be taken home to her mother." Kagome heard Inuyasha say in the midst of all her pondering.

"What of Kikyo?" Kagome heard Miroku ask.

"I will see to her." Was Keade's answer. "Inuyasha, I would suggest you stay with Kagome. She should wake up in the next few hours and I think it would be best if you were there for her. She will be confused about what is happening."

"I'm confused about what is happening." Inuyasha pauses for a moment before continuing. "When did you become involved in this, Keade?"

"Kikyo came to see me last night. She and I had a long conversation." Keade answered. "Did she not tell you?"

"No, she didn't." Came Inuyasha's reply.

"Then what did you talk about?" Sango asked.

Kikyo and Inuyasha meet alone? But when? What did they talk about? Her? God, how I wish my eyes would open, Kagome thought thinking about Keade saying it would be a few hours before she woke up.

"Enough has happened already that Kagome isn't aware of. I would like to speak with her first about my meeting with Kikyo." Inuyasha answered.

Grr, figures. They're going to leave me in suspense without realizing it, Kagome thought. She suddenly felt so very tired. I don't want to fall asleep, Kagome thought angrily as she fought against the unconsciousness that was determined to overpower her.

She gained a little ground when she suddenly felt warm hands slide under her knees and the back of her neck and gently lift her from the ground. Inuyasha's carrying me home, Kagome reasoned when she found herself snuggled firmly against a warm body. She heard his heart beating in time with hers as her head lay resting on his chest.

You're never going to stay awake laying in Inuyasha's arms with your head resting on his chest, Kagome chided herself as she felt sleep once again taking over. She felt Inuyasha speak but his words were lost on her. Muffled responses came from her friends and then suddenly she felt lightweight again. As if she were drifting through time and space. The well! Kagome realized before falling asleep.

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Kagome was flying. Soaring through the white clouds and high above them. The world a sea of blue and white as she flew to where, she knew not, but she knew she would have no trouble getting there. Kagome never felt freer in all her life. She felt like she could do anything and go anywhere. She started playing with her ability to fly she did back flips and forward flips, she twirled around like a ballerina or an ice skater, she even was so bold as to dive towards the ground fast, almost like a bullet, and then pull out of it just a few feet before she would have crashed into the ground.

Kagome knew that she should be terrified and wondering what the hell was happening but she wasn't and she didn't. She felt as if there were nothing to fear.

"What is there to fear with there is only the clouds and the sun?" Kagome questioned aloud turning to look at the bright yellow light of the sun. "It doesn't even hurt to stare straight at it." She laughed and she gasped when the sun and the light it gave off increased and turned to a wonderful white. It was so much warmer than the sun but it didn't make you feel hot. It called her and she answered by flying towards it. It felt wonderful, like being wrapped in a fur coat, she reached her arms out to it flying as if she were Superman.

On and on it went Kagome felt that she would never reach it but she never stopped flying. Even when the image of a person started to appear Kagome never stopped.

"Who are you?" She asked. "Where am I?" But no answer was given. Kagome slowly got closer and realized that the person was a woman. She wasn't sure if she was human but she was definitely a woman.

Kagome felt the first signs of fear when the red clothing she was wearing suddenly changed the white light to the same color. "Who are you?" Kagome demanded as she stopped a few feet away from her. The way she was standing in the light prevented Kagome from getting a clear look at the woman's face.

The woman took a few steps forward and Kagome's jaw dropped when she saw that it was Kikyo. "I am you." She said then smiled and reached out to her.

"NNNNNNOOOOOO!" Kagome screamed and shot straight up in her bed. She struggled when she felt hands on her shoulders trying to push her back down.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. "It's me. It's Inuyasha, calm down."

"What's the matter?" Mrs. Higarashi said barging into the room.

Inuyasha looked towards the door, still struggling with Kagome. "She must have been having a dream or something, she just woke up screaming."

Mrs. Higarashi walked around Kagome's bed and gently pushed Inuyasha out of her way. Holding Kagome's face in her hands she said softly, "Kagome, its mother." Kagome tried to pull away from her. "Open your eyes." She said more firmly. "Wake up."

Kagome cracked her eyes open and saw nothing but haze so she opened them more. The first thing she saw was her mother's smiling face, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked around and saw that she was in her room, with Inuyasha standing at the foot of her bed with the most uncomfortable look on his face.

"Inuyasha?" She whispered, never taking her eyes off his face.

"It's me." He answered back moving slightly closer.

"Mother?" Kagome asked sounding as if she were about to cry.

Mrs. Higarashi smoothed Kagome's hair "Yes, honey."

Kagome's stomach growled loudly. "I'm so hungry." Then she started laughing and crying at the same time, her stomach growled again.

"I was hoping you'd wake up soon and say that. I have miso soup cooking, it should be ready in just a bit. How about I bring you some when it's ready?" Mrs. Higarashi asked wiping away her daughters tears.

"Please." Kagome said and then she hugged her mother. It was more like a bear hug as they held on to each other for dear life.

"I'm so glad you're awake." Mrs. Higarashi pulled away from her. "I've been so worried."

"I'm sorry." Kagome told her.

"Don't be I'm just glad that you're okay." Mrs. Higarashi looked from Kagome to Inuyasha and then back to Kagome again. "I'm going to go check on the soup."

"Oh, I can't wait." Kagome told her as she watched her walk towards the door reaching out to touch Inuyasha's shoulder affectionately.

"Would you like some too?" She asked him.

"Please." He said never taking his eyes off Kagome.

Mrs. Higarashi smiled one last time at her daughter before leaving the room, closing the door behind her. Silence filled the room as the two stared at each other.

"How are you feeling? Besides hungry." Inuyasha asked coming to sit on the bed next to Kagome.

Kagome pulled her legs up to sit Indian style and placed her hands on her lap. "Besides greatly confused I feel fine."

"Yea." Inuyasha said and silence enveloped them again.

"The last thing I remember I was lying on the grass and I couldn't move. I could hear you. Keade, Shippo, Sango and Miroku all talking around me but I couldn't move or speak. What happened, Inuyasha? What happened to Kikyo?" Kagome said reaching out to touch Inuyasha's knee with her hand.

"What do you remember before that?" Inuyasha countered.

Kagome's eyes fluttered shut as the image of the man appeared in her minds eye again. "I was hurt when a man broke into the shrine and attacked me. I feel on the knife I was carrying while trying to escape through the well."

"Did you destroy the well?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome had completely forgotten about that. "I did, I purified him, I guess, and the blast was pretty large. It took the well house with it."

"You were close to death when I found you." Inuyasha said looking down at Kagome's hand on his knee. He looked at it fondly before taking it in his, rubbing the top part gently.

"I died, didn't I?" Kagome asked watching his hand caress her's.

"Yes, you did." Inuyasha said softly.

"What does Kikyo have to do with that?" Kagome asked gripping his hand in hers.

Before Inuyasha could answer Mrs. Higarashi knocked on the door softly before entering carrying two bowls of soup.

"It's all ready and it smells wonderful." She handing a bowl to Kagome.

"Yes, it does." Kagome said inhaling the smoke coming from her bowl. She looked back at Inuyasha, "You didn't answer my question." She said.

"Now is not the time." Kagome's mother told her. "I want you to eat and gain back your strength. Maybe you might even feel up for a shower, huh?"

"A shower sounds heavenly." Kagome said before eating a big bite of soup.

"Good. Now eat, no more talking." She said pointing her finger at the two of them before leaving the room.

"Your mother is right, Kagome. You need to regain your strength." Inuyasha said standing up.

"But I feel fine." Kagome protested.

"Be that as it may you are not ready for a full explanation. It can wait a little longer. Now eat. I'm going to go and let Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Keade know that you are awake." Inuyasha said as he watched Kagome eat another bite.

"Tell them hi from me." She said with a mouth full of food.

Inuyasha smiled down at her. "I will. I won't be long."

"Okay." She said as she watched Inuyasha leave through her bedroom window. I can wait, Kagome told herself, and it would be nice to find out what happened while being all nice and clean. Kagome smelled herself then shivered. "I definitely need a shower. And maybe it'll wash away the feelings that dream gave me."

Kagome focused her energy on the matter at hand, food. She soon ate all the soup in her bowl and then Inuyasha's. Feeling so much better Kagome decided it was time to try standing. Kagome slowly swung her legs over the side of her bed and stood. She had only the slightest feeling of dizziness and sudden black spots in her vision. "I should be able to stand in the shower." She decided then set about gathering a change of clothes and headed for the shower.

Author's Note: She's alive! Isn't everyone happy! I know I am. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, as much as I did writing it. I'm off for a weekend family reunion so the next chapter probably won't be till next week or so. Sorry for the delay but it takes time to write lol and I don't always have as much as I would like.