The Evil Nightmare

Child of Peace - The Evil Nightmare

(InuYasha’s Point of View)

“Kagome, are you awake?” I asked whispering into the darkness of the hut.  There was no answer to my question, “Kagome?” I whisper calling her name again, and still no answer.  As my eyes slowly adjust to the darkened hut, I see a figure moving in the corner by the basinet.  “Kagome, is that you?” I ask.

“Yes,” Kagome replied sadly.

“What’s wrong, Kagome?”

“Look, InuYasha.  We have to talk,” Kagome replied with a serious tone.

“A…about what?” I ask hoarsely.

“I’ve been thinking lately, about the baby.”

“What about the baby?  You always think about the baby, even in your sleep.”

“Her health and well-being here.  I mean, there is so much danger here and…I don’t want our daughter to get hurt.  So I’ve decided to go back home with the baby and stay for a few years.”

“Wha…what?  Kagome…you’re…you’re leaving me?”

“You should stay here and look for the shards…on your own.”

“But…Kagome…we…we…we're going to raise the baby here…together.”

“I know.  It hurts me to do this to you, but…I have to do what’s best for our daughter, right?”

“Right,” I said as a tear rolls down my cheek, “Let me at least take you to the well?”

“No thanks.  It’ll just make the parting harder for the both of you.  I…I think I’ll go alone,” Kagome replied, tears rolling down her cheek.

“Are you…sure?”

“Mmm hmm.”

Why won’t she look at me?  Why is she doing this to me?  What did I do to deserve this?

“Kagome, why are you doing this?”

“I’ve told you.  I’m looking out for what’s best for the baby.  And staying in the Feudal Era is much too dangerous for our daughter!” Kagome yelled.

She’s made up her mind.  I guess there’s no sense arguing.  She’s the daughter’s mother after all.  It is getting more dangerous by the day.

“Well, I guess you know what’s best.  Won’t you reconsider?  You know I will protect her till my last breath?”

“I know, but I’ve made up my mind.”

“May I at least…hold her one more time before you leave?”

“Uh…maybe you shouldn’t.  I can tell this is hard on you already.”

“Oh…I see.”

I leaned over and kissed my daughter on the forehead.  As I lifted my head away from my daughter a tear rolled down my cheek and fell onto my daughter’s cheek where I had just kissed.  As on impulse I kissed Kagome next on the lips.

“You will let me come back to your time?” I asked as I turned away from Kagome so she wouldn’t see how hurt I was that she was leaving me, along with my precious newborn.

“Of course.  She’s your daughter too.”

“Well… Good-bye… Aishiteru…” I choked in between sobs.

“Good-bye,” Kagome replied as she left the hut with the baby cradled gently in her arms.

I cried for a few minutes then…  Wait something’s not right…  There was something different about Kagome.  Her…her lips were cold.  They’re hardly ever cold.  They’re always warm and soft.  Her lips were…different.  Wait…unless…  I hurriedly ran out of the hut and toward the direction of the well.  When I got there she was standing in front of the well.

“KIKYO!!!”

She slowly turned and looked at me with her cold sad eyes.

“How did you ever figure it out, InuYasha?”

“How dare you… HOW DARE YOU!!!”

“What is it, InuYasha?  Is it the fact I actually fooled you into thinking I was actually that pathetic incarnation of mine, you foolishly call your wife and mate?”

I was speechless.  She tricked me once again.  Then I noticed it. Kikyo wasn’t holding my daughter, just a blanket wrapped in another.

“WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY DAUGHTER?”

"Nothing at all,” She said, an evil grin crossing her face.

“WHERE’S KAGOME?”

Kikyo looked up at the sky.  I looked up in horror as I saw my daughter entangled between at least six of Kikyo’s Soul Steeling Demons.  Before I knew it they had faded away carrying my precious daughter.

“WAIT…COME BACK!!!” I yelled leaping into the air, but it was too late…they were gone.

Before I landed back on he ground I noticed Kikyo had disappeared as well.”

“KIKYO!!!  GET BACK HERE!!!”

“InuYasha,” a dark voiced called from a nearby tree.  I started to shake as I turned around to face Naraku.  “Why do you tremble at the sight of me?”

“NEVER!!!”

“What is it then?”

I didn’t know how to answer him.  I didn’t want him to think I’m weak.

“Is it because Kikyo took your precious daughter from underneath your very nose?”

He got me again. I was at a loss for words.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DAUGHTER?  WHERE’S KAGOME?” I asked as I drew out Tetsusaiga.

With the blink of an eye my daughter was in the arms of the murderous Naraku.  I don’t dare strike him.  He might use my daughter as a shield.

“I take it you want your daughter back…InuYasha?”

“YOU BETTER NOT DO ANYTHING TO HER OR I’LL SLIT YOUR THROAT!!!”

“Like I’ll do if you don’t give into my demands?” Naraku said drawing his sword and holding it in his one hand as he held my daughter in the other slowly starting to move the sword’s blade toward her throat.

“NOOOOOOO!!!  DON’T YOU DARE!!!  DON’T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!”

“I will have no choice to, if you don’t give into my demands.”

It was over.  I had to surrender or Naraku would kill my daughter for sure.  I couldn't bare that.

I sheathed the Tetsusaiga.

“What are your demands?” I asked shaking from worry, fright, and anger.

“The remaining jewel shards you hold in the locket around your neck.”

The locket…?  Kagome gave it to me a few years ago.  She became worried when I became injured more frequently with ever-increasing seriousness, so she placed two small shards in the locket.  Ever since my injuries have become fewer and less severe.  The love Kagome purified the shards with protects me, as I protect her.  I thought as I looked at the locket, opened it, and removed the two small jewel shards.  I outstretched my shaking hand and surrendered the shards.

‘INUYASHA!!!  NOOO!!!” I heard Kagome cry.

“Kikyo, bring me the shards,” Naraku commanded her.

“KAGOME!!!  WHERE ARE YOU?” I yelled out.

“I’M OVER…” was all Kagome was able to say.  Someone had gagged her so she was no longer able to speak to InuYasha.

Kikyo stepped forward bound and chained and took the remaining shards from me.  I glanced at her for a moment with sorrow.  I once loved you Kikyo.  Why are you doing this to me?  I never betrayed you.  Kikyo then turned around and walked back to Naraku.

“Take the pieces of the Jewel with the remaining shards,” Naraku began, handing Kikyo the almost complete fragment of the Jewel, “I want you and InuYasha’s wench to fuse it back together.  Then the both of you will surrender it back to me!”

Kikyo did as she was commanded and she and a bound, gagged, and chained Kagome fused the Shikon no Tama back again.  With a bright pink glow the Shikon no Tama was once again whole.  I watched in horror as the blinding pink light faded and the complete Shikon no Tama was handed to Naraku by the two miko’s (priestesses), who had been its protectors for years.  Naraku placed the Jewel inside his kimono and then raised his hand and in the blink of an eye, Naraku had killed Kikyo.

Ki…Kikyo…  I thought as I looked down at her motionless body.  I then looked up at Naraku with a shocked expression, speechless.  He laughed softly.  With terror I watched as my daughter was released from Naraku’s arm and started to fall from the place where he stood, Kagome's screeching scream piercing my sensitive ears.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

---

"InuYasha...InuYasha..." Kagome cooed, "Wake up."

I woke, tears streaming down down my face onto my black hair.  I sat up and wipped the tears on my kimono.

"What's wrong, InuYasha?  Did you have a nightmare?"  You were whimpering in your sleep," Kagome asked, concern written all over her face.

I nodded.  I inched my way closer to Kagome and pulled her toward me and held her.  I placed my hand on her stomach as I felt the baby move inside her.  Unexpectedly, a tear rolled down my cheek onto Kagome's

"Was it a dream about the baby?"

I nodded.

“If it was a nightmare, I take it Naraku was a part of it?”

I nodded once more.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I nodded and began to recap the nightmare, not leaving out a single horrifying detail.  Kagome looked directly into my eyes until I ended my story.  I knew she saw the fear in my eyes because I felt the fear of losing the life that grew inside my wife in my very soul.

“You don’t think my nightmare will come true…do you Kagome?”  I asked

“No, I don’t think so.  But just in case, we should be extremely cautious…of everything and everyone,” Kagome replied stroking my hand still placed upon her stomach.  Then there was silence between us.

“Kagome?  Would you ever leave me and take the baby without me knowing?”

“No, InuYasha.  I would never break the promise I made to you years ago.  I would also never think of breaking our marriage vows, ‘For better, or for worse.’ Right?”

“You would never take the baby away?”

“No, unless it was extremely important to take the baby back to my time for her safety.”

“I see.”

“InuYasha, you know I would never do anything to upset you.  I wouldn’t even think of doing anything as cruel as what happened in your dream.  Never!”

“Thank you Kagome.  I love you so much.”

“And I, you.”

Silence filled the small hut once again.

(Flashback)

“I want to be here with you, InuYasha.  I tried to forget you, but I can’t.”

Kagome, what kind of answer can I give you?

“InuYasha, may I ask you a simple question?  InuYasha, will you let me stay?”

“So…you’ll stay with me?”

“Mmm hmm.”  I can never break the bond between InuYasha and Kikyo.  I understand that.  But there’s another thing I’ve come to realize, InuYasha.  My meeting you was no coincidence.  It’s more than that.  Deep down you must know that I want you to live.

“Kagome…?”

“Well, then.  Let’s go!”

“Huh?”

I want you to be happy.  I want you to laugh a lot.  I don’t know what exactly I’ll be able to do for you, but I’ll always be by your side.

(End Flashback)

I broke into the silence once more, “Kagome?”

“Yes?”

“Are you prepared to be a mother?”

“Of course.  We have everything…”

“I mean…emotionally?”

“Oh…well…sort of….  Why?”

“I don’t know if I am,” I confessed, “I don’t know if I’m ready to become a father.”

“That nightmare must have really shaken' you up?” Kagome commented, continuing to caress my hand.  “Remember, we’re in this together.  We’ll help each other.  Be there for each other.  Protect each other,” Kagome said as she smiled and kissed my cheek tenderly.

“I know.  Thanks, Kagome.”

“You’re welcome.  I’d do anything for you, InuYasha.”

“And I’d do anything for you, Kagome.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I pulled Kagome even closer to my body and we kissed each other so passionately with a kiss so pure, not even the Shikon no Tama was as pure as this kiss.  She then snuggled into my arms and we both fell back into a dreamless sleep.

To be continued…