InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Last Lifeline ❯ Glimpses of the Past ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Kanayekisho: Hello! This is my second fan fic I have written, my first one is "The End or the Beginning? Secrets of the Moonlight" It isn't complete, but check it out if you haven't already! Moving on, my pen name (kanayekisho) means `zealous one who knows her own mind.' I was looking at a bunch of Japanese words and I just combined some. I think it sounds kewl! (yes, that is how I spell `cool'). ANYWAY this fic is guaranteed to be filled with romance, edge, and surprise, and I will try to update as much as possible. There will be lemons in this, but for those of you who don't want to read them, I will put a warning before each chapter. If you like my fic, spread the word! Please review! Now, the premiere of The Last Lifeline. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Glimpses of the Past

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY……" Kagome's face lit up with laughter and candle light as her friends and family screamed their appreciation of her presence. The song came to a close with clapping and whistling and she felt the hot flash of cameras snapping left and right. Kagome's family had always been fanatical about pictures. Kagome was only turning 7 and she already had 6 full photo books. Her father always said that a picture was worth a thousand words, so with all of the accumulated pictures taken of her, her entire life's story could be written. Kagome felt her mother's arms around her shoulders and her father's mustache brush her forehead with a light kiss. She admired the beautiful cake in front of her. It was a home-made chocolate cake with white icing and fancy pink lettering reading, "Happy 7th Birthday our darling Kagome." Her father leaned over and playfully nibbled on her ear. She giggled at the feeling of his breath on her sensitive spot. She always loved it when he would play with her like that. She didn't deny it- she was definitely a daddy's girl. Her giggling subsided and was replaced with a chorus of, "Make a wish!" from her family. "Go ahead Kagome." Said the warm voice of her father. Kagome squinted her eyes together in concentration. "I wish…" she thought. "…I wish that I could fly." She opened her eyes and exhaled her huge breath to distinguish the candles. The room erupted with applause and the cake was cut. After the presents, she said goodbye to her guests and went up to bed, while her parents saw everyone off.

She sat up in her bed waiting for her parents to come tuck her in. She heard a soft knock on the door and looked over to see her father walk into the room. He walked across the bright pink room and sat next to her on her bed.

"Daddy," said Kagome. "do you want to know what I wished for?"

"Of course I do, but if you tell me then it wont come true." He said. He saw Kagome frown slightly. "But, wait, there is an exception…." He pretended to tap his head thoughtfully. "…Oh yes! If your name is Kagome and it's your seventh birthday, then you can tell one person your wish and it will still come true." He finished. Kagome brightened up and hurriedly jumped into his lap. She looked cautiously around, as though looking for eavesdroppers, and then turned to him and whispered.

"I wished that I could fly."

Her father smiled at her. "That's a very impressive wish."

"Do you think it's possible?"

Her father took his finger under her chin and looked directly into her large, anxious eyes. "Anything is possible." She threw herself into him and they embraced. As she drew back her father took a small blue box from his pocket. "This is for you." He said. She took the box excitedly and opened the lid. Her lips formed an "Oh" but she couldn't find her voice. She carefully removed from the box, a long, gleaming, silver chain, with a heart shaped locket on it. There was a flower engraved on the silver front. Fumbling with her fingers, she opened the clasp to find more engraving. She held it out in front of her and read the wavy letters.

"My dear Kagome,

You are so amazing and can be anything you want to be. As you grow, remember to never be afraid to be who you are. I will always be here for you.

All my love,

Dad"

She stared up at her father as though he was a saint before throwing herself upon him again. "Oh thank you daddy! Thank you so much!" He laughed happily and fastened the necklace around her neck. Kagome looked up into his face. He had strong and handsome features, but his smile always represented her home. He looked so happy. That was the last time she ever saw him like that.

Later that night Kagome woke up with a terrible fever. Her mother went to call the emergency room, but the power went out in their house. Her father didn't know how to bring the fever down, but he knew she needed professional help immediately. Her mother picked her up and her father grabbed the car keys. Her mother got into the back with Kagome and her father got in front to drive. He pulled out, tires screeching, and sped off towards the hospital. Kagome moaned helplessly in the back seat as her mother tried to comfort her. Her father turned his head for just a split second to see how she was doing. As Kagome reached out her hand for him she heard a loud honk. She watched her father's face grow concerned and he whipped his head around and put his hand on the wheel just in time to see that he was in the wrong lane. As Kagome saw that one last blinding light, she felt her mother's grip tighten on her as she screamed for her husband to watch out. "DAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDYYY!!!!!!!!!!" Her arm was still outstretched in the air, waiting for the hand that would never reach her.

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Kagome sprung up in her bed, cold sweat drenching her face, her heart beat racing. She clenched the sheets in her hands and tried to steady her breathing. That was not the first time the memory of her last night with her father had come back to haunt her. She threw the sheets off of her in frustration and stumbled into her bathroom. She turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her face. She dried it with her hand towel and looked up into the mirror. She was deathly pale. She stood their staring at her reflection in the mirror, and began to finish the story in her head.

She or her mother hadn't abstained any serious injuries. Kagome's arm had broken because it was in the air for the impact, and her mother had gotten some minor cuts on her arms from the glass and debris. Her father had taken the full impact and no amount of medical attention could revive him. Ever. Kagome had woken up in a hospital to find her mother asleep and her father no where to be found. She felt much better and she climbed out of bed. She tugged on her mother's sleeve until she woke up. Kagome was received with a huge hug and Kagome noticed the bandages on her mother's arm and realized she was wearing a cast on her arm. That's when the terrible memory of the events of the night before came flooding back to her.

"M-mom…" she asked weakly. "where's daddy?" Her mother looked upwards to avoid seeing her daughter's wide, teary eyes. Kagome saw her mother start to cry and she got frustrated. "Where's daddy?" she asked more urgently. She saw her mother shake her head lightly back and forth before she started sobbing. "TELL ME!!" screamed Kagome. "WHERE'S DADDY?" she sobbed. Her mother took her arm and looked directly into her eyes. She didn't say anything at all, but so much. Kagome shook her head and backed away from her mother. "No…." she replied hoarsely. "NO!!! HE'S HERE! I KNOW IT! I JUST KNOW IT!!" she tripped over to the door and ran out into the hall. "DADDY!!! DADDY WHERE ARE YOU????" she screamed. She ran frantically down the hall in a search that would only result in the most pain she had ever felt in her entire life. The doctors found her screaming in the hall and once they calmed her down they tried to tell her as gently as possibly, that her daddy was not, and never would be again, there. "YOU'RE LYING!!!!" she yelled. She covered her ears and ran until she couldn't run anymore. She found an open room and she shut the door. Sobbing, she shakily reached for the silver locket around her neck. She gripped it tightly. "Daddy no… y-you can't be gone…." She cried softly. She opened the locket and read the message again. `I will always be here for you…' She wrinkled her face in anger and tore off the locket. "NO!!!" She threw the locket at the wall and hugged herself as she slid down onto the ground.

The funeral was held the next week. Kagome had made a card that said "I love you daddy." And placed it on his grave with flowers. She returned every day for a month to that spot. Then she only came every couple days, only every couple weeks. She was healing, but only on the outside. The truth was that the wounds to her heart would never be mended.

Her mother struggled after her father died, and soon the stress became too much. She began drinking and passed away when Kagome was only 17 and graduating high school. Kagome tried to move on, but without anyone to guide her, she slowly lost hope in herself.

Kagome wiped the silent tears from her eyes and then looked away from the mirror. She couldn't take it. She had always felt like it was her fault. `If I hadn't been sick…' she started thinking. "No." she said aloud. "NO!" she punched her mirror in frustration and went back to her bedroom. It was 4:30 a.m. There was no use in trying to sleep again so Kagome took a shower and prepared herself for another day.

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Kanaye: *tear, tear* that was so hard to write. *wipes eyes with handkerchief then quickly recovers* Well I hope you liked it! I am gonna get started on the next chapter, right now! Keep checking back for updates! Please review! Until next chapter!