Kagome’s Bad Dream

Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, and I make no money form this story.

The bedroom was dark and stifling. No matter what she did, Kagome had been unable to keep her room cool this night. The window was open, but that did not matter. No breeze stirred to bring relief from the sweltering heat. It had taken over an hour for her, tossing and turning in her thin nightgown, to finally fall asleep. And now that she sleeping, she was being plagued by horrid dreams.

The field was drenched in blood.

It was not human blood, but a unique blood belonging to only one specific person she knew.

It was Inu hanyou blood.

At Kagomes feet lay Tessaiga, shattered in three pieces, and spattered by her helpless tears. Desperately she looked up as InuYasha fought Sesshomaru, the hanyous body covered with bleeding gashes and cuts. But still they kept fighting.

“Stop, please!” Kagome cried in her dream.

Still, it was no use.

“Oswari!” Kagome yelled desperately.

InuYasha went down…and came right back up again, roaring as he leapt to attack his brother.

A shadow blocked out the stars in Kagomes open window. It was vaguely human shaped, but the ears gave away the fact that this was no human. InuYasha paused in the window, watching as Kagome tossed and turned, muttering in her bed. Obviously she was dreaming, and the dreams were nightmares. Unsure what to do, he watched her as her motions and mutterings got more frenzied, and her breath came in pants of fear.

“InuYasha!” Kagome suddenly yelled, sitting bolt upright in bed, her eyes open and tears streaming from them.

“Kagome, I’m right here,” said InuYasha softly, and climbed into the room.

Bursting into sobs, Kagome ran and threw her arms around the surprised hanyou. Awkwardly he put his arms around her, his hair falling around them like a shimmering, silver white tent. Helpless sobs racked her small frame as she gripped the front of his haori, bathing it in her tears. Slowly she began to come back to reality. It was the warmth and solidity of InuYasha, his sweet, musky smell like the forest after a summer rain, and his breath upon her cheek that calmed her.

“Are you okay?” said InuYasha, gently pulling her away from him to look in her face as her sobs subsided.

“Oh, InuYasha, I had the worst nightmare,” said Kagome, a small tremble in her voice still.

“Yeah, I figured,” said InuYasha. “It was about me, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” said Kagome, her eyes big and round as she gazed up into his beautiful, concern filled golden eyes. “It felt so real because….”

“Because it could happen,” said InuYasha sadly, finishing her sentence.

The memory of the dream resurfaced in Kagomes mind, and her lower lip began to tremble. Her hands gripped his haori spasmodically, as the vision of the blood spattered field and InuYasha dripping in blood resurfaced in her mind. It was all too familiar, and could happen again too easily for her comfort.

Seeing the reflection of what was going on in Kagomes mind in her actions and expression made InuYasha feel helpless and angry. It hurt him to know that her faithfulness to him could cause her such pain. There must be something he could do to make her feel better – there just had to be.

“Kagome, what can I do?” said InuYasha softly.

“Get me out of here,” said Kagome, suddenly overwhelmed by the stifling darkness of her room, where the memories of her dream seemed to linger in its shadows.

Sleep was the last thing Kagome could think about now. Not if it meant more dreams like the one she just had.

“In your nightgown?” said InuYasha, doubtfully.

“I don’t care,” Kagome replied, shaking her head. “Let’s just go.”

InuYasha squatted down and Kagome climbed on his back. With a sigh of gratitude, she draped her arms around his neck and put her chin on his right shoulder. Then he leaped up into her window, and down to the yard.

“Where are we going?” said InuYasha as he landed lightly on the ground.

“Someplace with water,” said Kagome. “Maybe it will be cooler there.”

Standing there a moment, InuYasha sniffed the air. It took him a while to sort through the complex smells of the city, but finally he chose a likely direction and took off.

They sped along the deserted streets for a moment, and then InuYasha leaped up, heading for the rooftops of the buildings. Accustomed as he was to the forests, he always felt slightly claustrophobic until he reached the heights of the city, with the sky open above him.

The wind of their passage was warm, but still lifted Kagome and InuYashas long hair as he made his tremendous bounds from rooftop to rooftop. It was exhilarating as always to Kagome, and began to lift her spirits; just her and her hanyou, practically flying through the air.

When InuYasha reached the start of a wooded park, he came to the ground. The smells and sounds of the park were comforting to the hanyou, as he followed the scents of water to a lake. On it shores, he bent down and Kagome dismounted. She looked out over the still water of the lake, reflecting the stars and almost full moon in the sky.

“It’s beautiful,” said Kagome. “Thank you.”

They stood side by side a moment, gazing at the water in companionable silence. But it was still hot. Kagomes thin nightgown still felt hot and heavy on her body from the humidity. The water of the lake began to look more and more inviting.

“I’m going in,” said Kagome, and began to wade into the water.

“Wait a minute,” said InuYasha. “Are you sure you should be doing this?”

“I’m so hot,” she said, looking over her shoulder. “I think it will be fine, no one is here but you and I. Why don’t you join me?”

“You know these are my only clothes,” said InuYasha, crossing his arms. “I don’t feel like getting soaking wet.”

“So leave some of them behind,” said Kagome nonchalantly.

Her comment left InuYasha standing there, nonplussed for a moment as he watched Kagome wade further into the lake, her nightgown beginning to billow out in the water around her. He pulled Tessaiga from his obi and laid it on the ground. Then he shrugged and took off his haori. Next he loosened his hakama enough to pull off his kosode, and then retied them. Bare-chested, he waded into the lake after her, until he was standing behind her. She turned around to smile at him, and slipped. Quickly he reached out and caught her, bringing her up against his chest. They gazed into each others eyes a moment, savoring the moment. As he looked at her, his heart and mind filled with all the thoughts and feelings he longed to express. Mostly, he wanted to know just what she had dreamed, and console her.

“Can you tell me what you were dreaming tonight?” said InuYasha hesitantly.

Kagome sighed and leaned her head on his chest, her cheek pressed against the smooth skin and hard muscles. Her mind spun as she sought for the words to say.

“I dreamt Tessaiga lay broken,” she said softly. “You were overcome by your Youkai blood and fighting Sesshomaru. There was blood everywhere, and I couldn’t stop you…”

InuYasha felt her shudder against him, and held Kagome tighter, a crease of concern between his brows. It was a frightening dream, because it could happen. He had lost Tessaiga and turned Youkai, almost fighting his brother to the death. There was no telling if this would happen again.

“I’ve promised to protect you, Kagome,” said InuYasha. “I know it is hard for you to stay with me knowing what dangers may befall me. But I promise you to do everything in my power to try and keep your dream from coming true.”

“I know you will,” said Kagome. “Thank you for trying to make me feel better.”

“Did I make you feel better?” said InuYasha.

“Yes,” said Kagome. “Just being here with you like this makes me feel better.”

They stood holding each other for a moment as the lake water lapped around them, cooling them. When they finally broke apart, Kagome headed back for the shore, and InuYasha followed.

“I’m ready to leave now,” said Kagome, turning to InuYasha as he came up beside her.

“Fine,” he replied. “Just let me get dressed.”

When they left the park, and headed for the rooftops again, their clothes dried somewhat, as they traveled. By the time they got back to the shrine, they were just damp.

InuYasha leapt up into Kagomes window, and climbed in the room. Kagome climbed off his back, and turned to look at her bed with trepidation. Would the dreams return? Or would InuYashas presence ward them away? Biting her lip, she turned back to look up at him.

“InuYasha,” said Kagome hesitantly. “Would you sleep beside me tonight, in my bed?”

“If it will help you sleep,” said InuYasha. “Then yes, I will.”

They climbed into bed together, and turned on their sides, InuYasha facing Kagomes back. The bed was a bit small for two people, and she pressed up against him until he was spooning her. Having her rear end nestled up so closely against him made InuYasha blush, but no one could see it. Finally, he tentatively pulled her tighter against him, and rested his cheek on her head. He felt her relax, and she sighed in contentment. Together they fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.